Chip Somedevilla/Getty Images(LONDON) -- Moments after President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw the United States from the international agreement designed to limit Iranian nuclear activity, reaction began pouring in from around the world. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addressed his nation on television shortly after Mr. Trump spoke, reprimanding the United States for failing to respect a multilateral treaty. Tonight we witnessed a historical moment, showing that the United States never keeps its word, Rouhani said, calling the move hostile to Iran and other countries in the region. Rouhani promised the Iranian people the decision was only a temporary setback and vowed to seek a continuation of the nuclear agreement with the remaining countries involved: The United Kingdom, Russia, France, China and Germany. From this moment on, this is an agreement between five countries and it has lost its plus one, Rouhani said. We will see how other great countries in this agreement will act and behave. However, if he deems negotiations for continued trade are not fruitful, the Iranian leader threatened to reinvigorate his countrys uranium enrichment program in a matter of weeks. On the streets of Tehran this evening, people were indignant over what they say their leadership sacrificed in order to cement the nuclear deal in 2015. They gave away our nuclear reactors in return for nothing, 24-year-old Javad Nazari told ABC News. Iran honored its end of the deal, but the other parties did not. The West broke its promise just like it did in the past. In a move that could mean further isolation of the United States from its key allies, three key European leaders issued a joint written statement of regret and concern over Trumps decision to pull out of the agreement, known as the JCPoA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. We emphasize our continuing commitment to the JCPoA, wrote Britains Prime Minister Theresa May, Frances President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. This agreement remains important for our shared security. We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility. Russias foreign ministry released a statement criticizing todays move, saying there is no basis for blowing up the deal and vowing that Moscow is ready to work with the accords other signatories. The deal does not only belong to the U.S, according to the statement posted on the ministrys website, which also accused Washington of grossly trampling on the norms of international law. "We are extremely concerned that the U.S. is yet again acting in spite of the opinion of the majority of states and exclusively to its own mercenary and short-term interest, grossly trampling on the norms of international law, the statement said. In a show of support to Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of the staunchest U.S. allies in the Middle East, welcomed the move. Speaking shortly after the White House announcement, Netanyahu said, Israel fully supports President Trumps bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. Netanyahu has long been a critic of the deal, claiming it would allow Iran to skirt international regulations and continue researching nuclear weapons. Israel has opposed the nuclear deal from the start, he said, because rather than blocking Irans path to a bomb, the deal actually paved Irans path to an entire arsenal of nuclear bombs, and this within a few years time. Turkey, another of the Middle Easts influential nations, has vowed to continue its trade with Iran despite threats of sanctions from Washington, insisting it will not be answerable to anyone. Turkeys Economics Minister Nihat Zeybekci said during an interview with Turkish TV, We will carry out our trade with Iran, within the possible framework, until the end, and we will not give account to anyone for this." In Tehran, many people were worried about the return of economic sanctions. It directly affects our business and the business of our country, Sajad Rah Chamani, a salesman, told ABC News. Unfortunately it will be the people who will bear the pressure and pay the price as the politicians and their families are all well-off enough to be immune from hardships brought about by new sanctions. Whatever happens it will only be the ordinary people who pay the price." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 2 Vote(s) - 3 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: kaput 05-09-2018 07:36 PM Posts: 3,299 Post: #1 Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education Advertisement https://www.timesofisrael.com/connecticu...education/ LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 07:41 PM Post: #2 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education Do they think it's wise to teach kids how to set up concentration camps and slave labor factories? Oh well, it may come in handy someday. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 07:56 PM Post: #3 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education Will they have Holodomor education too? That actually came before said "holocaust" and killed many more people AND was orchestrated by commie Jews. blind prophet Teiresias User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 07:59 PM Posts: 26,627 Post: #4 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education State house votes 147-0 in favor of bill. AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 08:04 PM Posts: 3,299 Post: #5 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 07:56 PM) Will they have Holodomor education too? That actually came before said "holocaust" and killed many more people AND was orchestrated by commie Jews. Russia says the Holodomor is a hoax but then imprisons deniers of the Jewish Holocaust. Russia says the Holodomor is a hoax but then imprisons deniers of the Jewish Holocaust. AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 08:05 PM Posts: 3,299 Post: #6 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education blind prophet Wrote: (05-09-2018 07:59 PM) State house votes 147-0 in favor of bill. We need to get a list of these bastard statesmen and vote them the hell out. We need to get a list of these bastard statesmen and vote them the hell out. GreenGrassMan420 Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 08:05 PM Posts: 272 Post: #7 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education Are they going to include the initial invasion of pre-Nazi Germany? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 08:06 PM Post: #8 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education I thought it was already required for all USA schools? AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 08:08 PM Posts: 3,299 Post: #9 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 08:06 PM) I thought it was already required for all USA schools? Probably, but now it's even more affirmed. What's next, prison terms for schoolboard trustees that don't implement it a certian way? Probably, but now it's even more affirmed. What's next, prison terms for schoolboard trustees that don't implement it a certian way? 1110.00 Manifest Alchemy User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 08:17 PM Posts: 13,445 Post: #10 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education Just another disinformation class, like history; controlled opposition offers little else but .... WWII secretly constituted zionist victory over America, as did the various 9/11's, secret and otherwise, and then in the fifties came the Pledge of Allegiance - to a flag. Who you wind up pledging allegiance to in relation to that flag is likely dictated by whether you get compulsory holocaust education (every test a contract), or you visit the olde mosque for a field trip in grade school and sing praises to alla under watchful, vampire eye. The US Constitution is effectively removed further and further from the symbolism of its flag symbol. (1144 APE) "The Precipitant has a smaller place in reality, thus it is mortal." https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8uMCQrAxylM https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0619bdpOolA (This post was last modified: 05-09-2018 08:20 PM by 1110.00 .) blind prophet Teiresias User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 08:28 PM Posts: 26,627 Post: #11 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (05-09-2018 08:05 PM) blind prophet Wrote: (05-09-2018 07:59 PM) State house votes 147-0 in favor of bill. We need to get a list of these bastard statesmen and vote them the hell out. With a vote like that, seems likely it wouldn't matter who was involved. Would expect a similar vote again. With a vote like that, seems likely it wouldn't matter who was involved.Would expect a similar vote again. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 09:16 PM Post: #12 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education Quick count 74 Republicans 84 Democrats. Probably not entirely accurate but close enough. If they didnt all vote for it they would have been called Antisemitism and Nazis. Cowards. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 09:30 PM Post: #13 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education I wonder if time line changes are the reason some say there was a holocost and some say there wasn't. In some people'ss time lines, it may not have happened.d PioneerSpirit Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 09:32 PM Posts: 15,196 Post: #14 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education So what's wrong with teaching that the holocaust happened? Are you people claiming that it did not? It's a part of history. It should be in the history lessons. "They notice that you notice" - Mothman Prophecies A tradition cannot make an historical claim and then refuse to have it evaluated by history Nevereververerr Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 10:09 PM Posts: 1,039 Post: #15 RE: Connecticut unanimously passes law requiring Holocaust education I noticed a lot of Jews go bald. I think it is because of nervousness caused by the special treatment they get as ambassadors to TPTB. They have to absorb all the scrutiny and be a barrier from the common man and the elites. So, holocaust education not only attempts to shame the common man, but also shame the Jew for such twisted, negative exaltation - all of which serves TPTB by fortifying the barriers of power. Whenever I hear someone say: "Whereabouts?", I get all nostalgic. Advertisement New York, May 9 (IBNS): The United Nations chief on Tuesday highlighted the central role he hopes Latin America and the Caribbean region will play in ensuring fair globalization that leaves no one behind. Addressing a session of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), which opened in Cuba on Monday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the forum is central to supporting the countries of the region in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The meeting brings together representatives from ECLACs 46 member States and 13 associate members to debate the main challenges for implementing the 2030 Agenda in the region. Guterres noted that globalization has brought many benefits, but it has left too many behind. Women are still far less likely to participate in the labour market and the gender pay gap remains a global concern. Youth unemployment is alarmingly high in many countries across the world, he said. The UN chief commended ECLAC for having been a progressive and authoritative champion for social justice in the global economy and a pioneer in integrating the economic, social and environmental development. ECLAC has also consistently and courageously put forward a development vision with equality as a driver of growth he said, and focused on what he called the deeper meaning of equality: looking beyond income as a measure of well-being and the main litmus test for development cooperation. Seventy years after its founding, ECLAC continues to be where it has always been on the frontlines pushing for a fair globalization by producing evidence-based policies, technical analysis and knowledge to help forge structural progressive economic transformation, Guterres said. A study, entitled The Inefficiency of Inequality, was unveiled at the session, which emphasizes that pro-equality policies make positive contributions to social well-being and help create a fairer economic system, conducive to better learning and concern for the environment. In it, ECLAC insists on the need to move toward a new development pattern that allows for achieving a virtuous circle between growth, equality and sustainability for present and future generations. While in the Cuban capital, Havana, the Secretary-General toured the historic centre of Old Havana, and met the newly-appointed Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel as well as his predecessor, former President Raul Castro, who stepped down last month. Upon arrival at Havana airport on Monday, Guterres said he had last visited Cuba almost 20 years ago, when he was Prime Minister of Portugal to attend an Ibero-American summit. ECLAC UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe New York, May 9 (IBNS): The United Nations Security-Council on Tuesday called on all countries as well as international organizations to do more to stop terrorists enriching themselves through cross-border organized crime. In a statement read out by Joanna Wronecka the Permanent Representative of Poland, which holds the Presidency this month the Council urged UN Member States to secure their borders against, investigate and prosecute terrorists and criminals working with them, including by strengthening national, regional and global systems to collect, analyse and exchange information. The Council also called on all Member States to use all existing tools, and the resources of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO), to strengthen international cooperation. But in adopting new counter terrorism measures, the Security Council reminded countries that they must comply with all their obligations under international law, including human rights law, refugee law and humanitarian law. Respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are complementary and mutually reinforcing with effective counter-terrorism measures and are an essential part of a successful counter-terrorism effort, stressed the 15-member Council. Also in the statement, the Security Council called for better understanding of the links between terrorists and criminal groups which operate across borders, urging UNODC and the Counterterrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) which was formed to coordinate the UNs overall effort - to monitor ties closely. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe New York, May 9 (IBNS): With elections looming, tensions across Bosnia and Herzegovina are rising alongside inflammatory rhetoric against the countrys long-standing peace agreement, a senior figure monitoring its implementation has warned. Valentin Inzko, the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, told the Security Council on Tuesday that the situation was being heightened by a general trend towards stockpiling weapons across the Balkan state. I am deeply concerned by the recent readiness among some politicians to refer to the possibility of a renewed conflict, including controversial statements by senior Bosniak politicians suggesting that a rearming effort was underway to respond in case of a hypothetical war, saidInzko. At the same time, senior Republika Srpska officials were also resorting to violent rhetoric, denying the statehood of Bosnia and Herzegovina and advocating for eventual secession, he added. Public comments were also made, glorifying convicted war criminals and calling for the return of an Republika Srpska army. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a single, multi-ethnic, sovereign state, consisting of two entities, in which all citizens the three constituent peoples and others live and work together, and elected officials above all have a responsibility to contribute to peace and reconciliation, stressed the High Representative, urging all public figures to choose their words more carefully and responsibly. Inzko warned that some Croat officials have mused about the territorial reorganization of the country and threatened the dissolution of the state if the current electoral issues are not resolved to their satisfaction. Progress cannot be taken for granted In his briefing, High Representative Inzko said while the country has made significant strides since the end of the war in 1995, the progress cannot be taken for granted. The risk is that this divisiveness and sense of unease about the future of the country slowly seeps into the fabric of society, he said, urging the international community to increase efforts to promote reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the region. Beyond this, there needs to be a change in the way politics is conducted within the country. It needs to come from the politicians themselves, but we as an international community, individually and collectively, have an interest in encouraging this change. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) is an ad hoc international institution responsible for overseeing implementation of civilian aspects of the Peace Agreement that ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina that saw thousands killed in fighting. In addition, the conflict witnessed widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity and necessitated the setting up of a special international court, the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to prosecute those accused. ICTY concluded its work in December last year, having heard the testimony from nearly 5,000 people and sentencing 90 individuals for their crimes. New York, May 9 (IBNS): Renewed efforts are underway in Bangladesh to protect nearly one million Myanmar refugees from cholera, amid a warning from the UN health agency on Tuesday that were not out of the woods yet. Dr. Richard Brennan, Director of Emergency Operations at the World Health Organization, (WHO), issued the warning in Geneva, citing risks from other diseases, natural hazards and a serious funding shortage. Were not out of the woods yet, he told journalists, adding that the majority of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh live in overcrowdedunsanitary camps. We are looking down the barrel of the monsoon season with the inherent risk of flooding, landslides, as well as the cyclone season, he added. The refugee crisis started at the end of August last year when more than 670,000 people fled a military campaign in Myanmars Rakhine State over the ensuing months, seeking shelter in neighbouring Bangladesh. There are now nearly 900,000 displaced individuals living in a dozen camps in and around the border town of Coxs Bazar, and WHOs Dr. Brennan said it was a major achievement that mortality rates had remained low. The cholera vaccination campaign is a vital follow-up to an earlier inoculation drive in October and November last year. The disease causes acute watery diarrhoea which can be fatal if left untreated. Despite the threat, however, cholera is only one health concern among a number of priorities, the WHO official said, stressing the need to focus on water and sanitation facilities as the most effective guarantee against other water-borne diseases. Some $950 million is required to help the refugees, Dr. Brennan said, but only around 16 per cent of this amount has been provided.The senior WHO medic also cited serious funding shortages which risked undermining efforts to protect already vulnerable Rohingya communities who had fled Myanmar with nothing, and suffered a litany of reported human rights abuses. Resources are even more scarce when it comes to healthcare, with only 6.3 per cent of funding needs met. As refugees continue to arrive in Bangladesh from Myanmar, the WHO official repeated the core UN demand that any future return of mainly-Muslim Rohingya communities would have to be safe, voluntary and dignified. Concerns remain about the poor state of health services in Myanmars Rakhine State where the UN health agency has limited access providing disease surveillance, training, mobile clinics and medical supplies. UNICEF/Bashir Ahmed Sujan Kabul, May 9 (IBNS); At least 21 civilians have been either killed or wounded in a mortar attack conducted by Taliban militants in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, local Khaama Press reported. The incident took place on Tuesday early morning in the province's Bati Kot district. According to a government statement, two civilians were killed in Hafiz Godai area. At least 19 civilians have been moved to the hospital in Jalalabad city. The Taliban is yet to issue a comment on the report. Washington, May 9 (IBNS): US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced his government's decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal. "The Iran Deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into," he said. He even called the deal as "decaying and rotten". He said: "The Iran Deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing, we know what will happen. In just a short time, the worlds leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the worlds most dangerous weapons." "At the heart of the Iran deal was a giant fiction: that a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy program. Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie." pic.twitter.com/9m4VBjnHj7 The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 8, 2018 Trump said: "At the heart of the Iran deal was a giant fiction: that a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy program. Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie." The Iran Deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing, we know what will happen. In just a short time, the worlds leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the worlds most dangerous weapons.... pic.twitter.com/58qwBLzxIH Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2018 Trump said his government is going to reimpose economic sanctions that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015. A White House statement on the issue said: "President Donald J. Trump is terminating the United States participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and re-imposing sanctions lifted under the deal." President Trump is terminating United States participation in the JCPOA, as it failed to protect Americas national security interests, read the statement. The President has directed his Administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA. The White House statement said the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Irans economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors. "United States withdrawal from the JCPOA will pressure the Iranian regime to alter its course of malign activities and ensure that Iranian bad acts are no longer rewarded. As a result, both Iran and its regional proxies will be put on notice. As importantly, this step will help ensure global funds stop flowing towards illicit terrorist and nuclear activities," read the statement. Iran, in response, has said that it is preparing to restart the process of uranium enrichment. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani was quoted as saying by BBC: " I have ordered the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be ready for action if needed, so that if necessary we can resume our enrichment on an industrial level without any limitations." World Reacts: French President Emmanuel Macron said France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the JCPOA. "France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake," Macron tweeted. France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 8, 2018 European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini regretted Trump and his administration's decision on nuclear deal. Y @FedericaMog's press statement following the announcement by US President Trump on the Iran nuclear deal #JCPOA # https://t.co/O5d7HwidIq European External Action Service - EEAS YY (@eu_eeas) May 8, 2018 "The European Union regrets today's statement by the President of the United States on the nuclear deal with Iran [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA]. Should the US reconsider this position, we would welcome it," she said in a statement. "The United States remain our closest partner and friend, and we will continue to work together on many other issues. As we have always said, the nuclear deal is not a bilateral agreement and it is not in the hands of any single country to terminate it unilaterally," she said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, welcomed the US action and Donald Trump's 'bold decision' and tweeted: "Israel fully supports @realDonaldTrumps bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. The deal didnt push war further away; it actually brought it closer. The deal didnt reduce Irans aggression; it dramatically increased it." Israel fully supports @realDonaldTrumps bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. The deal didnt push war further away; it actually brought it closer. The deal didnt reduce Irans aggression; it dramatically increased it. pic.twitter.com/sxJHocLqu7 Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) May 8, 2018 Following a decision on Tuesday by the United States to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, the United Nations chief said he was deeply concerned by the move, and called on all parties to preserve the deal. In a statement released shortly afterwards, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: I am deeply concerned by todays announcement that the United States will be withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and will begin reinstating US sanctions. I have consistently reiterated that the JCPOA represents a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation and diplomacy and has contributed to regional and international peace and security, he added. It is essential that all concerns regarding the implementation of the Plan be addressed through the mechanisms established in the JCPOA, Mr. Guterres stressed, adding that issues not directly related to the JCPOA should be addressed separately.The JCPOA reached by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the US and the European Union sets out rigorous mechanisms for monitoring restrictions placed on Irans nuclear programme, while paving the way for the lifting UN sanctions against the country. The UN chief called on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments and on all other Member States to support the agreement. Washington, May 9 (IBNS): Former US President Barack Obama has criticised his successor Donald Trump's decision to pull the country out of the Iran nuclear deal, which was signed in 2015. In a tweet, Obama said: "There are few issues more important to the security of the US than the potential spread of nuclear weapons or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Todays decision to put the JCPOA at risk is a serious mistake." There are few issues more important to the security of the US than the potential spread of nuclear weapons or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Todays decision to put the JCPOA at risk is a serious mistake. My full statement: https://t.co/4oTdXESbxe Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 8, 2018 The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was implemented during the presidential term of Obama. In his statement, which has been posted on Facebook, Obama said: "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense. The JCPOA is in Americas interest it has significantly rolled back Irans nuclear program. "And the JCPOA is a model for what diplomacy can accomplish its inspections and verification regime is precisely what the United States should be working to put in place with North Korea. Indeed, at a time when we are all rooting for diplomacy with North Korea to succeed, walking away from the JCPOA risks losing a deal that accomplishes with Iran the very outcome that we are pursuing with the North Koreans." Trump on Tuesday announced his government's decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal. "The Iran Deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into," he said. He even called the deal as "decaying and rotten". He said: "The Iran Deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing, we know what will happen. In just a short time, the worlds leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the worlds most dangerous weapons." Trump said: "At the heart of the Iran deal was a giant fiction: that a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy program. Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie." Trump said his government is going to reimpose economic sanctions that were waived when the deal was signed. A White House statement on the issue said: "President Donald J. Trump is terminating the United States participation in the JCPOA with Iran and re-imposing sanctions lifted under the deal." President Trump is terminating United States participation in the JCPOA, as it failed to protect Americas national security interests, read the statement. The President has directed his Administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA. The White House statement said the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Irans economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors. "United States withdrawal from the JCPOA will pressure the Iranian regime to alter its course of malign activities and ensure that Iranian bad acts are no longer rewarded. As a result, both Iran and its regional proxies will be put on notice. As importantly, this step will help ensure global funds stop flowing towards illicit terrorist and nuclear activities," read the statement. Image: facebook.com/JustinPJTrudeau Ottawa, May 9 (IBNS): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will formally apologise in the House of Commons over the tragic fate of St. Louis and its passengers, who were denied an entry to the country in 1939. On May 13, 1939, MS St. Louis departed Germany with around thousand passengers to seek safety and persecution. Like Cuba and the United States, Canada also denied all those immigrants an entry to the country due to its "none is too many" policy then. The refugees were forced to return to Europe, where many of them were condemned to the concentration camps. Out of the total passengers, 254 were murdered during the Holocaust. In a statement, Trudeau said: "When Canada denied asylum to the 907 German Jews on board the MS St. Louis, we failed not only those passengers, but also their descendants and community. An apology in the House of Commons will not rewrite this shameful chapter of our history. It will not bring back those who perished or repair the lives shattered by tragedy. "But it is our collective responsibility to acknowledge this difficult truth, learn from this story, and continue to fight against anti-Semitism every day, as we give meaning to the solemn vow: Never again. I look forward to offering this apology on the floor of the House. Trudeau made the announcement while speaking at the March of the Living's 30th Anniversary. Washington, May 9 (IBNS): Three American person, who were imprisoned in North Korea, has been released, US President Doanld Trump informed on Wednesday. Trump said they are currently on their way to the US. Trump said they have been released to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to Pyongyang. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set," Trump tweeted. Trump said he will be present in the airport to greet Pompeo and the Americans. "Secretary Pompeo and his 'guests' will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!," he said. The meeting is taking place just days before the expected meeting between Trump and Kim. Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in northeast China on Tuesday. "Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, met Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, on May 7-8," reported China's news agency Xinhua. Image: Wallpaper "Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. 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And the Lakota people are fed up with it. And so over the weekend, dozens gathered in Rapid City for two events to honor and bring light to missing and murdered indigenous women, men and children. At noon on Saturday, May 5, several families and community members gathered outside of Racing Magpie in downtown Rapid City to hear a proclamation from City Council Member, Darla Drew, on behalf of the Citys support for the cause. Following the proclamation, families gathered at the Rapid City Public Library for a presentation of a documentary about the MMIW movement. This event was organized by Carla Rae Marshall, whose own family has been tragically scarred by the missing and murdered pandemic. Also present at the presentation at the public library was the family of Alex Tank Vasquez, whose birthday is on May 6 and went missing in Kyle, SD on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Oct., 2015. The family continues to search. The family of Alex Tank Vasquez attended the missing and murdered events in order to keep his memory alive and continue to ask for help in bringing him home. Photo by Richie Richards / Native Sun News Today On April 26, 2018 the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, along with other members of congress had passed a resolution marking May 5 the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls In 2016, there were 5,712 cases of missing and murdered indigenous women, according to the National Crime Information Center. The events in Rapid City are part of the MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) movement happening all across indigenous nations which has commanded international attention and a much needed plea for improved safety, investigations, searches and prosecutions in these cases. Participants were encouraged to wear red to honor those community members whose remains have not been found and justice has not been served in their unprosecuted deaths. The red dress has become an international symbol for the MMIW movement. Several of the Native American women and children wore traditional ribbon skirts on Saturday, and held signs or wore shirts which identified a family member who is missing or has been murdered. In their faces was held the trauma of a marginalized society who wants nothing more than justice, and for officials to do more to bring their family members home for proper mourning. Participants in the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls in Rapid City, South Dakota, on May 5, 2018. Photo by Richie Richards / Native Sun News Today The event to present the Rapid City proclamation was organized by Lily Mendoza, owner of Birdcage Book Store and Mercantile, Founder of Shamus Project, Inc., and Red Ribbon Skirt Society member. During her introduction and greeting to family members outside of Racing Magpie, Mendoza said, As you know, there is no one reliable national collection point or method to gather comprehensive statistics on the number of missing and murdered indigenous women in the United States. I would like to thank the women of the Red Ribbon Skirt Society. This group was just recently created through the Shamus Project. One of our goals is helping one of the families by gathering items for care packages, down the road maybe help with funeral expenses, following this statement by Mendoza, a moment of silence was held in honor of missing and murdered indigenous family members. With gatherings like this across the nation, well continue to shout No more stolen sisters! Invited to present a proclamation on behalf of the City of Rapid City was Council Member, Darla Drew (Ward 5). Included in the proclamation were statistics from the Department of Justice which stated, in some tribal communities, Native American women are murdered at a rate that is more than ten times the national rate. The Council Member read with astonishment, homicide was the third leading cause of death for Native American women and Alaska Native women between 10-24 years of age, according to the Center for Disease Control. National attention has been raised on the issue of Hannah Harris who went missing in Lame Deer, MT, in July 2013 and was found dead five days later. It was determined that Hannah was raped and murdered, said Drew. Hanna Harris, 21, disappeared from Lame Deer, MT following a day of drinking with friends on July 4, 2013. The single mother of a 10-month old child was found on July 8, 2013 near some Rodeo Grounds on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. It is believed Harris was raped and beaten to death; as she was found with her pants down and her shirt and bra pulled up, according to the Justice for Native Women website. Contact Native Sun News Today Correspondent Richie Richards at richie4175@gmail.com Copyright permission Native Sun News Today Join the Conversation Two robbers were recently taught a lesson they will never forget, courtesy a young Indian Army officer. At 3:30 am on 6th May, two robbers boarded the 2AC compartment of Dadar Express that was halted outside Hazrat Nizamuddin station in Delhi. The two would have thought it easy pickings, making use of the dark and the fact that passengers were asleep. Obviously they picked on a female passenger on the lower berth. Unfortunately, they didnt count on a young Indian Army officer to put the proverbial spanner in the works. Lieutenant Ashish of the Artillery Regiment, who was on the upper berth of the same compartment noticed the two goons. His army training kicked in and the young officer jumped in to stop the robbery attempt. Indian Army In the ensuing fight, the unarmed officer received a cut on his hand by the knife that the robbers were carrying. The robbers though hightailed it out of the train, to save their lives. Thanks to Lieutenant Ashish who was single-handedly putting up a fight that had the typical shock and awe the army reserves for the enemy on the frontlines. We can only imagine how bad it could have been for the female passenger had the officer not been there. It was his quick thinking and lightning reactions that saved the day. And thats exactly what the Indian Army expects of its officers in battle to lead the charge without a care for their own safety and give the enemy a bloody nose. AFP We can go about our lives because of these men at the borders. Jai Hind. The best part about Indian weddings is how the entire extended family comes together to celebrate love and togetherness. The focus is not just on the bride and the groom but every member of the family participate in their own way, proving how weddings are mostly all about collaborative efforts. Sonam Kapoor tied the knot with her long-term boyfriend Anand Ahuja and just like a usual Punjabi household, it was a mad fam-jam with everyone from the family attending it. Agencies Sonam's long list of cousins (who are also established Bollywood actors) including Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Anshula Kapoor and Khushi Kapoor too were seen in all the functions. Agencies However, something that has melted collective hearts is how Arjun Kapoor bonded with his family. Arjun, who has shared a strained relationship with father Boney Kapoor and step-sisters Janhvi and Khushi was seen bonding with all of them and the photographs and videos that have surfaced on the internet are melting our hearts. Agencies Reports have claimed that ever since the family lost Sridevi Kapoor, Arjun has stood like a solid rock for his family and sisters and that speaks a lot about the transformation in their personal equation. Some of the pictures that are indeed adorable speak volumes about Arjun Kapoor's equation with his siblings and Dad. 1. Arjun Kapoor poses with his siblings and this is a first. Agencies 2. Arjun poses for media with sisters Janhvi, Khushi and Anshula Agencies 3. Anshula's caption for the picture says it all! The indiatimes.com privacy policy has been updated to align with the new data regulations in European Union. Please review and accept these changes below to continue using the website. We use cookies to ensure the best experience for you on our website. Kathua, Unnao, Surat, Manipur, Delhi- the stretching list of gangrape cases across the nation has enraged people. Last time, something like this shook people's conscience was in 2012, when Nirbhaya was brutally gang raped in a moving bus in Delhi. The sad part is nothing has changed, even after so many promises were made at that time. The Kathua rape victim was just 8-year-old, Surat victim was just 11, Manipur girl who was raped and then set on fire was also 11-year-old. The list can go on and on... What is more shocking is the fact that, in most of the cases, it has turned out that these minor girls are sexually abused and molested by someone they already know or someone, who is known to their families. According to a report by child rights NGO CRY, sexual offence is committed against a child in India every 15 minutes and there has been an increase of more than 500 per cent over the past 10 years in crime against minors. "While Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 15 per cent of recorded crimes against children, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh closely follow with 14 per cent and 13 per cent respectively," the report said. Here are some of the most brutal rape cases that shook the nation: 1. 8-year-old raped in Kathua An eight-year-old innocent girl was brutally raped for days. She was sedated, tortured before finally killing her inside a temple. The nomadic girl had gone missing on January 10 and her body was recovered from the Rasana forest on January 17. Why was she raped? Well, according to the investigation, it came out that the innocent Bakherwal girl was raped and killed to make the nomads move out of the area in fear. Yes, just to make them leave Kathua. 2. Sitapur gangrape A father allegedly gifted his daughter to his friends and later joined them to gang-rape her in Sitapur district, about 70 km away from Lucknow. Isn't it disgusting? One of the three accused in the crime was arrested on Tuesday while the others are on the run. Police said the accused who is in his late 50s and his daughter were visiting a fair in Kamlapur area on the evening of April 15. After attending the fair, the accused called his friend Maan Singh, a history-sheeter, to the spot. Also Read: Father 'Gifts' Daughter To Friends, Joins Them To Gangrape Her 3. 13-year-old raped 9-year-old in Uttar Pradesh This is even more shocking, a 13-year-old boy allegedly raped a nine-year-old girl at his home in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh. The boy had reportedly lured the girl with a silver ring. According to police the alleged rape was committed on Wednesday when the girl was alone at home. The suspect had lured her to his house and committed the crime. 4.10-year-old raped and killed in Chhattisgarh A 25-year-old man raped and then killed a 10-year-old in Chhattisgarh during a wedding. Police said the 25-year-old accused, who has been arrested, admitted to have raped and killed the child by smashing her head with a stone. Finding everyone involved in the wedding, he lured the girl away and committed the crime. The body of the child was found dumped in a dry riverbed in the village. Also Read: 10-Year-Old Girl Raped In Chhattisgarh, Head Brutally Smashed With A Stone 5. 11-year-old raped in Assam In Nagaon district in Assam, an 11-year-old girl was raped and then burnt alive, an entire village came together to help the police catch the accused. A 21-year-old and two minor boys from the same village have already been arrested. At Lalung Gaon, 150 kilometres from state capital Guwahati, the girl who was all alone at home was raped on March 23. "We were working in the field when villagers started calling us. We came home and saw our daughter was almost completely burnt," the girl's mother said. Also Read: 11-Year-Old Girl Gangraped, Burnt Alive In Assam. Here's How Entire Village Ensured Justice Was Done 6. 4-month-old baby raped in Indore What was her fault? Was she wearing revealing clothes? Or did she invite rape? A four-month-old baby was raped and murdered in the Rajwada area. The infants body was found in the basement area of the heritage Shiv Vilas Palace, blood smears on the stairs telling a horror story. Hardened policemen were nearly moved to tears as they conducted a preliminary examination of the ravaged body and carried it away in a little bundle. A suspect, a member of the family, is in custody. Also Read: A 4-Month Baby Found Raped And Murdered In MP, It's Time For Govt To Hang Its Head In Shame Has India failed it's daughters? Is mere arresting the accused enough? These questions will always be asked until the government make sure that every daughter of the nation lives safely. The government, on April 21, approved the introduction of the death penalty for those who rape children below 12 years of age, amidst outrage over a series of prominent cases. There have been nationwide protests in recent weeks over the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Jammu & Kashmir. The government came under fire for maintaining silence and shielding of rapists, and not doing enough to prevent sexual-assault cases, many involving children. A number of crimes in the country carry the death penalty, but raping a child was not among them. The introduction of new ordinance has left many polarised over its effectiveness, citing that the existing laws need to be implemented better rather than amending and setting up new laws. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), in 2016, of the 64,138 child rape cases that came up before the courts under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act under Section 376, 1,869 cases or less than three per cent ended in convictions. PTI In more than 94 per cent cases of rapes of women, (34,650 out of 36,657 cases), the offender was known to the victim he was either a close family member, a neighbour, or an acquaintance. Supreme Court advocate Vrinda Grover told NDTV: Far from reporting the crime, death penalty is going to deter the victim from reporting sexual assault when the offender is from the family or is known to them. This will lead to the crime being suppressed and the victim being left completely helpless. Without strengthening the investigation process or the prosecution, creating an enabling environment both in the court and outside, and improving the conviction rate, the sentence is irrelevant. The POSCO Act provides for trials to be completed within a year. However, at the end of 2016, 89 per cent of the cases were pending trial. In the wake of outrage over the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case, the UPA government, in its Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, introduced the death penalty for the non-homicide offence of rape under IPC Sections 376E (for repeat offenders) and 376A (for rape that reduces the victim to persistent vegetative state). The two rape cases are also a warning to a growing perturbing trend child rape./Reuters In 2014, under this Section 376E of the IPC, three men were sentenced to death in the Shakti Mills gang rape case in Mumbai. The National Law University (Delhi), in its Death Penalty India Report 2016, interviewed 373 of the 385 prisoners in India on death row and concluded that the structural death penalty in India shows that it is disproportionately imposed on vulnerable persons along the axes of economic and social parameters. Soon, the gyms run by Haryana government will be used as RSS Shakhas, the agriculture minister said in Panchkula in the opening ceremony of a state-run gym in Panchkula. The government has planned to set up gymnasiums on two acres Panchayati land in every village where youth can practice Yoga, wrestling and other games. Earlier, Education Minister Ram Vilas Sharma had said that gyms can be used as RSS Shakhas. Asked in the context, Dhankar confirmed that the state funded gyms would be used as RSS Shakhas. Dhankhar got support from Karan Dev Kamboj, Food and Supply minister. "Shakhas don't indulge in any activity which prohibits gyms from being used as RSS units. I don't think there is anything wrong in using gyms as shakhas. RSS shakhas have been in existence since 1925," he said to IndiaToday. Sports and Youth Affair Minister Anil Vij seconded Kamboj, "RSS shakhas are used for exercising and playing games. If gyms are used for this purpose, what is the harm?" he asked. "Out of the target of setting up 1,000 gymnasiums, 300 have already been opened. We are in the process of hiring yoga trainers. Besides that, the youth will be trained in kabaddi, wrestling and volleyball." The opposition reacted to it with Congress accusing the government of promoting RSS agenda. Haryana Congress MLA Karan Singh Dalal slammed the Khattar government saying, "If the education minister (Sharma) says RSS workers will set up shakhas at gyms, it is highly condemnable. Using government funds to promote RSS agenda is a criminal conspiracy." At 11:00 am on May 6, 2018, the students of Birla Institute Of Technology & Science (BITS) emerged from their rooms and classrooms to protest the fee hike that had been imposed upon them by the authorities. This protest has spread to all three campuses with a 2000-3000 strong crowd raising slogans on each campus. Why are the students protesting? Satyansh Rai According to Satyansh Rai, the President of the Student Union, BITS Pilani, the fee per semester was Rs 45,000 in 2008. As per the revised structure, the students are now required to pay Rs 1.59 lakh per semester. Rai says that the increase in the fee was gradual. However, for the past four years, the jump has become severe and financial burden is too much for the students to handle. It is noteworthy that the 1.59 lakh per semester, is just the tution fee and doesn't include other expenses like hostel fee and mess fee, that the students have to bear. What are the authorities saying? Satyansh Rai The Director of BITs, A. K. Sarkar addressed the students on May 6, at 11:00 am in the auditorium. The students, however, were not satisfied by what he had to say as it did not help resolve the problem at hand. He maintained that he was not the final authority on decisions pertaining to the fee charged. The Vice-Chancellor Prof Souvik Bhattacharya, who came to the Pilani campus at 6:00 pm on the same day, was reluctant to meet the crowd of 3,000 students waiting patiently for an authority to take measurable action. He asked a few student representatives to meet with him. The meeting that went on for about an hour and a half was inconclusive. The student representatives insisted they did not need a personal meeting and wanted him to address the crowd. Satyansh Rai By the time the discussion ended, the protesting students had moved from the auditorium and assembled outside the building where the meeting was taking place. Upon seeing the crowd, the VC agreed to address them but refused to take any questions. At 9:00 pm, he was on the stage for barely five minutes before he walked away, once again, leaving the students dissatisfied. What is happening with the protest right now? Satyansh Rai After the VC left, the students continued to protest throughout the night, all the while studying for their exams under streetlights. The police have been around throughout the protests and have maintained a cordial relationship with the students. Yesterday, the students had blocked the road to the campus, not allowing any vehicle to pass through. Later during the day when the police requested them to give way, they conceded. While students are ones taking to roads to protest the fee hike, they say that their teachers are providing them with the much-needed moral support. #RollBackBITSPilaniFeeHike has also been taking Twitter by storm. The students continue to protest outside the auditorium, right below the office of the Director and the Vice Chancellor. 1. Did you ever board an airplane in which every hour they say sir, fares have been increased by 15%, you must pay now or jump out? join BITS PILANI, it feels the same every year.@PrakashJavdekar @ShashiTharoor @narendramodi #rollbackbitspilanifeehike#BirlaSpeakUp Mayank Manuja (@mayankmanuja5) May 8, 2018 2. The inflation rate is 4% not 8%. Since you can't deliver quality, we choose affordability.#RollBackBitsPilaniFeeHike Pujita Srivastava (@PujitaS97) May 6, 2018 3. This picture gave me goosebumps. It is so wonderful to see that all BITSians are united on an issue - never saw it even once in 4 years. While I might not fully agree with the discourse, the fact that this is happening is itself a thing of great pride.#RollBackBITSPilaniFeeHike pic.twitter.com/Q6VIZJamOC Aditya Vijaykumar (@alsogoesbyV) May 6, 2018 It is noteworthy that for over 48 hours of protests, no violence was reported. It continues to be a peaceful protest. It is only fair that the authorities find a sane solution to this issue as soon as possible. The drive for an uncomfortable and intense protest comes from the fear of financial burden they will be forced to endure, given the fee structure. It is only fair that the students be given a chance to voice their concern on a respectable platform, they be heard and given answers which they deserve to get. Every time India sees a collective rage against the increasing rape cases in the country, the government announces policies to help rape survivors. Millions of rupees are allocated for the schemes in order to show that the authorities are serious about the matter. The reality, however, is very different. Only five to ten per cent and other types of sexual assault victims were getting compensation under the Nirbhaya and other schemes meant for rape victims. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) told the Supreme Court that out of 901 cases lodged last year, only one victim has received compensation. According to data compiled by NALSA, out of 1,028 cases registered in 2017 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the state, only 11 victims got compensated. Also read: In Delhi, The 'Rape Capital Of India', Five Women Were Raped Each Day In First Quarter Of 2018 Rajasthan: 3,305 FIRs registered in 2017 and only 140 victims received compensation under these schemes. Bihar: 1,199 FIRs of sexual assaults lodged in 2017 but only 82 victims were compensated. Representational Image In 2016, 840 such cases were lodged in Andhra Pradesh but only eight victims got compensation. Referring to the figures of Andhra Pradesh, S S Rathi, Director of NALSA told the bench of Justice Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta that a detailed report on all the states will be released soon. Also read: Don't Ask Why Unnao Rape Victim Spoke Up After 2 Years, Rather Blame Stigma & Victim-Shaming Culture During the hearing, senior advocate Indira Jaising, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae, referred to the victim compensation scheme proposed by the NALSA for the victims of sexual assaults and said they wanted to have two vital additions in the scheme, the funds for which was earlier shared with the Centre. Jaising said the police must mandatorily inform the legal services authority of the state government about the lodging of FIRs in sexual assault cases so that the process of giving compensation to the victim can be expedited, said a PTI report. Also read: 76% Indians Want Death Penalty For Rapists, Want States To Award Capital Punishment, Finds Poll The Nirbhaya Fund was announced by the Centre in 2013 after the December 16, 2012 gangrape and murder case in Delhi to support the initiatives on womens safety across the nation. Representational Image Madhya Pradesh receives the highest amount under the Nirbhaya Fund scheme was only disbursing Rs 6,000 to 6,500 to victims of sexual assault and asked you value a rape at Rs 6,500? Are you doing a charity?, asked the bench. Going by the affidavit there are 1,951 rape victims in MP and you are giving them Rs 6,000-Rs 6,500 each. You have just spent a total of Rs one crore on the 1,951 victims. This is shocking and what do we say most insensitive. What is this going on? You think you are doing some sort of charity?, asked Justice Lokur. In a major setback to Vijay Mallya, a court in London has upheld a January 2017 ruling of the Karnataka Debt Recovery Tribunal freezing worldwide assets of the fugitive business tycoon. The British high court on Tuesday that the judgment against him can legally be enforced against his assets in England and Wales. AP/File The order came in a lawsuit filed by a consortium of 13 Indian banks seeking to collect the amount of Rs. 10,000 crore Mallya owes them. There is a risk of the value of Dr Mallyas assets deteriorating, and, or, being subject to claims by other creditors, and a risk of Dr Mallya being declared bankrupt. Dr Mallyas departure from India, to where he has never since returned, and his resistance to Indias application to extradite him to face trial on serious criminal charges, provide some grounds for regarding him as a fugitive from justice, High Court judge Andrew Henshaw said in the ruling. ALSO READ: Vijay Mallya's Rs 600 Crore Superyacht Seized In Malta After He Failed To Pay Rs 6 Crore In Wages To Crew The court has also refused permission to appeal the ruling, which leaves Mallyas lawyers with the only option of directly petitioning the UKs Court of Appeal. AP/File Following the DRT order, Mallya who had fled India was forced to live on 5,000 pounds a week, but his allowance was later increased to roughly 20,000 pounds a week. Once known as the 'King of Good Times' the flamboyant businessman is wanted in India in a number of cases including financial fraud. Mallya, the former Chairman of UB Group owes the consortium of 13 banks over Rs 9,000 crore in loans and interests, which were taken mostly for his now-defunct budget carrier, Kingfisher Airlines. Sullivans clothing line, With Grace B. Bold, launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign Oct. 1, 2017, coinciding with the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Fewer than 36 percent of all Kickstarter campaigns get fully funded, but With Grace B. Bold beat those odds with a last-minute push across the $35,000 finish line. Sullivan, 25, is now hard at work to achieve her goal of shipping first garments by end of June. My mission is to help as many women as I can affected by breast cancer, she wrote to her campaigns supporters after its successful conclusion, and now, with all of your support, Im going to be able to help hundreds of women feel beautiful, confident and boldly sophisticated. This is all because of you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart! The lightbulb moment When she was a third-year fashion design student at DAAP, Sullivan found inspiration in her past her mothers battle with and recovery from breast cancer. When Sullivan asked her mom about what the worst part of that experience was, she was surprised by the answer she got. It wasnt the chemo, the surgery or the radiation. It was the surgical drain. The thing that is so bothersome about it is that its so cumbersome, Ann recalls. We had to wind it up and figure out a place to attach it to my bathrobe. And clothing? There just werent that many options out there at that time. The whole experience is unnerving anyway, and then to have this piece of medical equipment attached to you they didnt warn me about that when I had the surgery. Sullivan began thinking about what it would be like to be in that predicament. She imagined having surgical drains attached while going out to a show, while returning to work, while running errands. As a young woman coming into my own womanhood and knowing how Id feel if I was in that position, I cant even put into words the effect that has on me, she says. Its every emotion its anger and sadness and a fiery drive to fix this problem. After China had shut down the Nathu La pass in Sikkim and denied entry to the Kailash Mansoravar (located in Tibet) pilgrims last year due to the 73-day-long standoff in Doklam between troops of India and China at the border on account of security reasons, the problem had escalated and there seemed to be no hope for the pilgrims. kailashparikrama The route through the Nathu La Pass (Sikkim) is motorable and suitable for senior citizens unable to undertake arduous trekking. From Gangtok, the route passes through scenic places like the Hangu lake, and through the vast landscape of the Tibetan plateau. It is estimated to cost about Rs. 2 lakh per person, and duration would be 21 days, including three days in Delhi, for preparatory work, reported PTI. With some hope offerred, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday announced that the Nathu La pass has been reopened for the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The pilgrims feel this place as special because they see the scenic beauty of Chialekh Valley, or the Om Parvat' which has the natural occurrence of snow in the shape of Om' on this mountain. wikipedia Those selected through the computerised draw of lots will be informed through SMS and email. After the draw of lots, the pilgrims can seek changes in their batch by sending their request online or by calling the designated number, she said. The four-month travel period to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra starts from June 8. Eighteen batches of the 60 pilgrims each will take the Lipulekh Pass route, while 10 batches, comprising 50 pilgrims each, will take the Nathu La route. The former is known to be more arduous. The route through the Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand), which involves some trekking, is estimated to cost about Rs. 1.6 lakh per person. The duration of the yatra is 24 days for each batch, including three days in Delhi, for preparatory work. This route passes through important sites like Narayan Ashram and Patal Bhuvaneshwar. This is the last thing India wanted. The paradise on earth, that is Kashmir, has suddenly become unsafe for the tourists and things are getting worse since a 22-year-old tourist from Tamil Nadu was killed on Monday. This is all happening in the peak tourist season when the valley expects a large number of tourists from across India. BCCL/Representational Image Hotels in Kashmir have only 10 to 15% occupancy as compared to around 40% occupancy during the same period in 2017, Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya, chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers club, told TOI. BCCL Wide media coverage of frequent mob rioting, stone-pelting incidents and violent encounters between terrorists and security forces have been keeping tourists away from Kashmir. Though the situation started improving in 2017 but the sudden spurt in violence in the valley, particular in south Kashmir, has affected the occupancy, Chaya said. BCCL Kashmir valley has over 7% stakes in the tourism sector which, in a good season, earns the state Rs 1500 crore in revenue. Aerial views of Rohingya villages torched during violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state. From their home, a tent hastily erected in a grassy field, the young Muslim Rohingya couple can see the village they left behind last year, fleeing attacks by Buddhist mobs and Myanmar security forces. An aerial view shows burned down villages once inhabited by the Rohingya seen from the Myanmar military helicopters that carried the U.N. envoys to northern Rakhine state, Myanmar. 1. An aerial view shows burned down villages once inhabited by the Rohingya. Reuters 2. After Inhabited an aerial view shows burned villages. Reuters 3. An Arial views shows destroyed villages of Rohingya. Reuters 4. Harrowing Aerial show the extent of the damage during violence. Reuters 5. An Arial views shows disaster of Rohingya. Reuters 6. An aerial view shows burned down villages. Reuters 7. Aerial view of a burned Rohingya village in Myanmar. Reuters 8. More than 6,800 houses have been burned down. Reuters 9. Here's a close up of one village brunet in Rohingya violence. Reuters 10. An aerial view shows burned down villages once inhabited by the Rohingya. Reuters 11. Aerial view of a burned Rohingya village in Myanmar. Reuters 12. The Arial view show charred trees and abandoned houses. Reuters The humanitarian crisis of Rohingya Muslims is at a very critical state. Not just the men and women, but even children have to face a severe lack of crisis from being banished from their homes. The Rohingyas are in serious need of help from across the world, and India is doing all it can along with many nations of the world to hep those in need. Over 600,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmars violence-hit Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh since August when the military intensified crackdown against alleged militant outfits of Rohingya Muslims. afp India has just sent its second relief consignment to Bangladesh to help the tens of thousands displaced. The Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar following a military crackdown, triggering one of the worlds worst refugee crises. Indian Navy Ship INS Airavat sailed from Vishakhapatnam and reached Chattogram port (formerly Chittagong) Port yesterday where Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla handed over the relief consignment to Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzel Hussain Chowdhury Maya, reported PTI. Officials familiar with the development said the 373-tonne consignment contained 104 tonnes of milk powder, 102 tonnes of dried fish, 61 tonnes of baby food, 50,000 raincoats and 50,000 pairs of gumboots. Another tranche containing 1 million litres of kerosene oil and 20,000 cooking stoves is expected to arrive soon, Shringla said. He said India sent the relief in view of the specific needs of the large number of (Rohingya) women and children living in the camps and the onset of monsoon. Bangladesh has repeatedly sought Indias help to put pressure on Myanmar to resolve the Rohingya crisis. During a recent high-level visit of UN Security Council, Bangladesh called upon India as well as Russia, China and Japan to play a stronger role for Rohingyas secured and dignified repatriation. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will pay a two-day visit to Myanmar from May 10 during which key bilateral and regional issues, including the situation in the Rakhine state from where thousands of Rohingya Muslims had fled following violence last year, are likely to be discussed. In December last year, India had announced a development assistance of USD 25 million for the Rakhine state. Earlier, India sent relief materials for 300,000 Rohingyas in September last year under Operation Insaniyat to support Bangladesh in its humanitarian efforts. It might have been an expected move by Donald Trump, but for now, the world does not know the exact outcome of that. The only thing that is becoming clear that the battle lines between the countries are being drawn and a large armed conflict is looming large over West Asia. The US President's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal prompted a furious reaction in Tehran, regret in Europe and cheers from Israel and Saudi Arabia. The following is a selection of reactions from around the globe to Trump's biggest foreign policy move since taking office: "This decision was an act of psychological warfare against Iran." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani "I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization to take the necessary measures for future actions so that, if necessary, we can resume industrial enrichment without limit." Rouhani "Stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours and together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal." AFP European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini "France, Germany and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity and stability in the Middle East, notably Syria, Yemen and Iraq." French President Emmanuel Macron, on Twitter, referring to the Iran deal by its formal name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action "I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other member-states to support this agreement." United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "The kingdom supports and welcomes the steps announced by the US president toward withdrawing from the nuclear deal... and reinstating economic sanctions against Iran." AFP Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working... That is why today's announcement is so misguided... I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake." There are few issues more important to the security of the US than the potential spread of nuclear weapons or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Todays decision to put the JCPOA at risk is a serious mistake. My full statement: https://t.co/4oTdXESbxe Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 8, 2018 Real American power is not shown by our ability to blow things up, but by our ability to forge international consensus around shared problems. That is what the Iran agreement did. Today President Trump put us on a very different, more dangerous path. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 8, 2018 Pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal is a big mistake. It makes America less safe and less trusted. Iran is now more dangerous. What's plan B? Anyone who thinks bombing is the answer is woefully misinformed. Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 9, 2018 Samsung recently recalled close to 3 million of its washing machines because of a rash of explosions. It seems that hasnt really helped the situation, as another one exploded again this weekend, this time in the US. The owner, Faisal Nuree, said his wife had put a mattress pad in their top-loading Samsung washing machine in Irving, Texas. Thankfully, she was in another room when the machine exploded soon after, because the force from the blast shoved the machine away from the wall and blew off the top. If people were here, especially my kids, it could have been deadly, Nuree told local news affiliates. How can a washing machine just blow up? But this is just the latest in a series of explosions plaguing Samsungs washing machines since the first one back in 2016. Since then, there have been nine reports of injuries thanks to exploding washers, including an injured shoulder and a broken jaw. In november that year, the company recalled 2.8 million of the appliances across 34 models. A spinning washing machine can be a dangerous weapon, if it spins out of control So, how does a washing machine explode? As it turns out, the problem is because the drums inside the machines are unbalance. So when the machine starts up, it can generate enough momentum to separate from the other internals and launch outward. WFMYNews2 "Samsung regrets the experience the Nuree family had and takes reported product concerns very seriously," a Samsung spokesperson said in a media address. "We have reached out to learn more about what happened and to resolve the matter to their satisfaction." This isnt even the only time people have had washers flying at their skulls. In November last year, a Whirlpool washing machine in Minnesota exploded, firing off ball bearings like bomb shrapnel. The blast knocked a woman unconscious and left her with a concussion. Not content with disrupting taxis on ground, Uber now wants to make flying taxis a reality very soon. As early as within the next five years. And earlier this week, Uber showed off its most realistic prototype of a flying taxi ever built. And it looks a lot more believable than before. uber flying taxi prototype Also Read: NASA Is Helping Uber Build Driverless Flying Taxis, Have Them Buzzing In The Air By 2020 At its second annual Elevate conference in Los Angeles, Uber showed off its electric-charged prototype flying taxi which looks more like a drone than a helicopter. These flying aircrafts (or flying taxi) will be piloted by humans at first, but eventually will fly autonomously. Each of these flying Uber taxis is expected to fly as high as 2000 feet and aims to be ready for all by 2023. The Uber flying taxi prototype has the nose and fuselage design of a plane but has rotors on top that are seen more often on a helicopter. This design of the Uber flying taxi has four stacked rotors along the spine to give lift -- like you see on a drone -- which disappear during landing. There is also a fifth rotor on the Uber flying taxi's tail to allow forward movement. If any one rotor fails, the others will ensure a safe landing. Uber flying taxi prototype Uber's vision is to have thousands of these flying taxis flying passengers between rooftop landing zones called as "skyports" along with specialized landing sites in cities and airports. Each skyport will be able to handle at least 200 takeoffs and landings every hour, according to Uber. Uber isn't going to manufacture these flying taxis, as it will invite aerospace companies to do the same. Also on another key front, Uber has already signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to create a whole new air traffic control system specifically for these low-flying, autonomous aircraft. 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. Testimony of Mr. Negussie Mengesha, Director, Voice of America Africa Division Before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations May 9, 2018 Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Bass, members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I am the director of the Voice of America (VOA) Africa Divisiona division that reports in fifteen languages and reaches more than 68 million Africans each week on television, radio, and digital platforms. The Voice of America is the largest of five media networks under the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the U.S. agency responsible for providing news and information to overseas audiences who lack access to independent or uncensored international, regional, and local media. VOA is the only BBG network in sub-Saharan Africa. We connect the continent with the United States through professional journalism, in accordance with the VOA Charter, but we also serve an additional authorized purpose of providing Africans with an independent voice in media. I am going to focus my remarks today on our work in Burundi and the closing space for free speech in that country. I do not come to you as a policy expert or diplomat; I am a journalist. And in this profession I seek to find and report on the truth. I started my journalism career in 1966 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was forced to flee my country in 1980 during conflict. I have seen the value of a free press in times of political turmoil and conflict, and Im grateful to have the opportunity to share the experience of VOA in Burundi. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Since unrest erupted in 2015, more than 400,000 Burundians have fled the countrymany to the Nyarugusu, Nduta and Mtendeli refugee camps in Tanzania. Burundis capacity to support a free press also has been significantly weakened by violence and political instability. Reporters Without Borders ranks the country 159th out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index. Freedom House reports that at least 100 journalists have fled the country since 2015. Well-known journalists have been intimidated. Media outlets that have been allowed to stay open have had to toe a careful line, most often through self-censorship. VOAs status as an international broadcaster has allowed it to remain independent, and the editorial firewall granted by Congress in our founding legislation has been critical to maintaining our credibility. While VOA also broadcasts in AM, shortwave, television and on digital platforms, FM radio is by far the most popular means of reaching people. BBG owns the radio transmitters, and through a country-to-country agreement, the government of Burundi provides access to their radio towers and permission (a license) to broadcast on certain FM radio frequencies in the country. We currently have two local dedicated FM stations95.2 FM in Manga Hill and 94.9 FM in Bujumbura. On Manga, the tower belongs to government and we share an antenna with Radio Scolaire (School), a local station. In Bujumbura, the tower and antenna belong to the government. In December 2017, the President of Burundi, Pierre Nkuruziza, announced that he was calling for a referendum to amend the constitution increasing the presidential term from five to seven years, and allowing himself to stand for re-election. If the referendum succeeds, he will be eligible to sit as President beyond 2030. He has been President since 2005. On Friday, May 4one day after World Press Freedom DayVOA was informed at a press conference in Bujumbura that our broadcasts and BBCs would be suspended for six months, effective May 7. Radio France was given a warning. The Conseil Nationale de la Communication (CNC)the governments media regulatory bodyclaimed that this suspension was in response to biased reporting and cases in which the radio services interviewed people with arrest warrants. This suspension comes two weeks before the referendum on May 17, and it was a complete shock. For a number of years, the government has pushed VOA to agree to a set of conditions that would have prevented its reporters from saying anything critical about the government or ruling party or politicians, and thus preventing VOA from reporting independently or fairly on the state of politics in Burundi. This suspensioncoupled with the naming of BBC and Radio Francehas raised a new level of concern about the lengths to which the government will seek to censor VOA. BBG and VOA sprang into action to address the prospect of losing our FM stations and more three million audience members. BBGs Office of Technology, Services and Innovationwhich supports all VOA transmissionsarranged for extra shortwave broadcasts to accommodate new programming. Shortwave transmissions allow for cross-border reach, although currently they are not as popular as FM or AM radio. VOA began to run frequent promos on our FM stations to educate listeners about shortwave alternatives in the event we were taken off air. We replaced our regular pre-recorded Saturday and Sunday wrap-up news shows with live 30-minute newscasts. VOA Director Amanda Bennett issued a public statement expressing dismay by the CNC decision to deprive Burundi citizens of a trusted news source. Our reporters also immediately jumped on this story, and it was covered widely through the Africa Divisions language services. The Central Africa service launched two new digital products on its website as well as covering the story on Facebook and Twitter. On Friday, during our popular live call-in radio show Murisanga, we interviewed the legal advisor to the CNC, Gabriel Bihumugani, who stated that the decision to suspend VOA was not final and could be appealed in court. His comments suggested there may be a solution to the May 7 shutdown, and the BBG immediately engaged the State Department to seek diplomatic support. I would like to express my gratitude to the State Department, US Embassy Bujumbura, and Ambassador Anne Casper for their efforts to assist VOA. Previously, the Embassy has been engaged on behalf of BBG and VOA, and we remain grateful for its assistance. On Sunday, the chairman of the CNC, Karenga Ramadhan, also appeared on VOAs call-in show. He claimed that VOA had violated its agreement with the government by using frequencies of a local station that had been suspended previously. The host of the show and others calling pushed back on this assertion, questioning how this could happen. Unfortunately, the government followed through with its announcement. Our stringers throughout Burundi reported that VOAs FM frequencies were suspended Monday morning. Portions of northern Burundi and eastern Burundi are receiving some FM signals from other transmitters across the border. BBGs technical monitors report that the shortwave signals are being received, although shortwave will never be as clear as FM, particularly in urban areas. We are committed to addressing the concerns of the government without sacrificing our editorial independence or journalistic standards. We are also watching this situation carefully for the safety of our journalists and their families. Previously, our journalists have been threatened in Burundi, and we have needed to evacuate five journalists over the past several years, with the most recent evacuation occurring during the end of 2017. We have contingency plans in place, if the need should arise. The closure of our FM stations in Burundi will be a significant loss to the citizens of that country. VOA has a measured weekly audience of 57 percent of adults in Burundithe highest reach of any international broadcaster including the BBC. In the capital of Bujumbura, 85 percent of residents consume VOA content weekly. The primary language for our audience is Kirundi, but Burundians also consume VOA news in Swahili, French, and Englishwho are all reporting on this story. All of these languages would be affected by a suspension, but the greatest impact would come to VOAs Central Africa language service which reports in Kirundi and Kinyarwanda. This service targets the Great Lakes region of sub-Saharan Africa, reaching audiences in Burundi, Rwanda, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), southern Uganda, and eastern Tanzania. In Burundi, the Kirundi service reaches 55 percent weeklymore than 3.2 million adultsprimarily on the two dedicated FM frequencies in Bujumbura. It also broadcasts on AM and shortwave, and has a smaller audience on TV and digital. The service has led reporting on issues of childrens rights, human trafficking, womens health, and governance. It has regularly hosted Burundi government officials, such as First Vice President Gaston Sindimwo, to provide their perspective as well as opposition leaders to provide balance. Through popular call-in shows, the Central Africa service provides a platform for citizens to engage these leaders directly. The service has also investigated sensitive issues in the country, such as the plight of thousands of Burundians living in camps within the country. Soon after VOAs series of reports in mid-January 2017, local government officials thanked and praised VOA for the coverage. The Governor of the province along with other officials visited the sites, brought food assistance, and repaired and built new schools as well as sanitation facilities. What is most impressive about this service is its level of trust among its audience in Burundi91 percent trusts the news and information VOA provides. And eight in ten weekly users say that our coverage helps them form opinions on important issues. For this reason, it is imperative that VOA continue to present accurate, balanced, and comprehensive news and information in Burundi. Our work is vital to providing a platform for civic engagement; maintaining space for free speech, including political speech; and supporting accountabilityall fundamental tenets of an independent press. This case in Burundi is purely symptomatic of the increasing difficulty we face in sub-Saharan Africa to support freedom of information, democracy, and human rights. In the past year, VOA has covered contentious elections in Kenya and Liberia and the political transition in Zimbabwe. We have faced jamming in Ethiopia. Ali Nur Siad, a cameraman working for VOA in Mogadishu, was killed in an October bombing. The threats to our independence, censorship, and the security of those working for us are daily realities for VOA. We are grateful for the support of Congress to the Voice of America, especially to VOA in Africa. Thank you again for the opportunity to speak. _____________________________________________________________ BBG contracts with third party vendors to conduct nationally representative surveys in all of its media markets. In Burundi, the research was carried out by Gallup with a survey sample of 1,600 interviews representative of the total population, plus an additional 400 conducted with Bujumbura residents to ensure reliable analysis in the national capital region. All results are weighted by age, education, gender, region and strata. BBG surveys ask respondents to recall their use of BBG media (on any platform) within the past week. However, more than a third of insurers have been the target of practices such as bot fraud, spoofed sensor data or falsified location data, while 32% believe they have most likely experienced such an attack but couldnt verify it. The report urges insurers to identify and prevent ways that stakeholders could manipulate data for their benefit, and, in particular, advises them to uncover processes that inadvertently incentivise manipulation. Data quality is something that not only insurers, but other industries are struggling with, Max Richter, leader of Accentures insurance practice across Europe, told Insurance Business. Insurers have dealt with this for quite a few years, its just that its a problem thats changing in nature the impact of it is different right now, he continued. In the pre-digital era, general insurers main methods of data collection were via face-to-face interaction and call centres. Through these methods, the predominant problems with data quality came from mistakes around data input. But in todays digital landscape there are far more methods of data collection some of which can allow for deliberate manipulation. You start to have an element of intentional data manipulation for various purposes, by different types of customers. Whether thats to manipulate price, or for claims fraud, etc, Richter explained. As we move towards the new world of more data-driven processes and risk assessments, pricing and terms become a lot more individualised and the impact of faulty data can be much greater. We think the impact of not getting the data correct, more and more will have a much bigger business impact on insurers, and could have a bigger impact on the insureds too, compared to how it has been traditionally, Richter said. While insurers can never have perfect data, striving towards better data validation will be crucial. I think what were witnessing here is consistent with the maturity and the level of adoption of using those new data sources, Richter said. Insurers are experimenting with it at low volumes, and therefore you can expect at this early stage of maturity, they dont necessarily have everything completely correct and accurate. But as they do start to scale and as insurance based on those third-party data sources and accurate individualised risk assessment takes hold and becomes part of the business at higher volumes, this is where I think you will see insurers pay much more attention and invest much more money in this. Related stories: Insurance analytics market worth more than $16 billion by 2023 report How business model changes could impact insurance products Advisr is an online platform that connects customers and brokers, allowing for customer ratings and reviews with the aim to build trust between brokers and clients. Judged by Grant Chamberlain, principal at One Ventures, Harvey Liu, investment associate at Tank Stream Ventures, Joel Pridmore, head of financial lines and business development Asia at Munich Re Syndicates and Abhay Seth, head of Innov8 at Singtel Optus, each of the start-ups were given three minutes for a presentation of their business followed by questions from the judging panel. In his presentation to judges Jamieson detailed the work of the platform and how it can help boost both brokers and their businesses. We know that independent platforms like this are driving business growth across service based industries, Jamieson told judges and attendees. Right now on our platforms, businesses are growing, things are happening, and we have seen that. Jamieson said that the real aim of Advisr is to help build trust with brokers and clients citing Roy Morgan research which highlights only 10% of Australians trust insurance brokers. We know that the best way to build trust is to educate people. We are building world class content to help to educate customers around all the different areas of insurance lines, Jamieson continued. Pitching against insurtech firms Claimspace, DevCon Technologies and Cyber Risk Assurance, Tech Den first ended in a dead heat as the four judges couldnt separate the quality of presentations. After a second vote, Jamieson and Advisr were named the winners. From a guy who deals in the market every day and deals with brokers on a daily basis I think this is a fantastic idea, Pridmore said. I think that the industry, and it frustrates me as well, is undervalued and misunderstood. I think a lot of that is because there isnt this sort of community enablement of rating and understanding who is good and who is not. I think it [Advisr] is really, really good. Jamieson also announced Advisrs success guarantee which ensures that all brokers who sign up for a premium profile on the platform within the next 12 months will receive a second year on the service free of charge if they dont close $5,000 of GWP. We are confident in our platform and know that it delivers results, Jamieson said. Related stories: Could insurers disappear? The future of insurtech regulation Despite the reduced overall spend, RACQ welcomed investment in some vital Queensland projects, including the Brisbane Metro and the M1, the Bruce Highway, and the much-needed Gympie Bypass. But unfortunately, Queenslanders will only benefit if the government spends every dollar making sure these projects happen, Michael said. Were also concerned the Urban Congestion Fund, one of the showpieces of the budget, has no money allocated this year. The piggy bank really is empty on this one $1bn of the governments budget for infrastructure is worth nothing unless its elected next year. Queensland's peak motoring club also urged cooperation between the Queensland and Turnbull governments to ensure budgeted projects get the funding required to get the projects off the ground. We need the state and federal governments to ensure we dont lose more time, funding, and potentially lives by getting caught up in a political blame game, Michael said. Lets make sure every dollar budgeted is spent this year. Related stories: RACQ warns SEQ motorists about car safety RACQ warns against NSW's 'SLOMO' laws New laws a "huge win" against rogue towies - RACQ XL Catlins North America construction insurance business has established an underwriting hub in San Francisco in an effort to put resources closer to its brokers and construction industry clients in the west. Charles Marmolejo has joined the company as an executive underwriter, and senior underwriter Dan McCarthy will relocate from XL Catlins Chicago office. Construction activity throughout the western region, especially California, is bustling with a wide range of public and private projects in progress, and more plans in the works, said Gary Kaplan, president of XL Catlins North America construction business. With the addition of Chuck and Dan to our San Francisco office, were putting more construction insurance expertise in the same time zone for our West Coast brokers and clients. Their closer proximity will give our clients easier access to the coverages they need to protect their profits and keep their projects moving forward. The changing chemistry and physics of the ocean as a result of climate change can have devastating consequences for human life, health, and livelihoods, the scale of which we are only beginning to realise, said Carl Gustaf Lundin, director of the IUCNs global marine and polar programme. The insurance industry can play a significant role in helping businesses, governments, and communities mitigate damages and better adapt to these changes. Insurance against the loss of ecosystems can provide the much-needed protection for people dependent on them for their livelihoods, while encouraging their sustainable management. The IUCN report said changes in fishery yields and distribution of fish stocks will affect global food security, while sea-level rise and more frequent extreme weather events are expected to result to increasing damages to property and displacement of people. Bacteria and virus outbreaks are also expected to rise as pathogens spread more easily due to warming waters, while frequent coral bleaching events will impact travel and tourism. So far, no comprehensive analysis has been made into how much the changing ocean is costing economies, but growing evidence suggests that these costs will be significant, the IUCN report said. Another report, also released in time with the first-ever Ocean Risk Summit held in Bermuda this week, assessed how the global insurance sector can prepare for the far-reaching impacts caused by the changing ocean, including new modelling systems to account for multiple and inter-connected risks. The report by Falk Niehorster, director of Climate Risk Innovations, titled Ocean Risk and the Insurance Industry, proposed ways on how the insurance industry can help incentivise greater mitigation strategies to prevent worst-case scenarios. Related stories: XL Catlin sponsors first-ever Ocean Risk Summit XL Catlin construction team expands in the US Five of the worlds biggest oil companies asked a judge to throw out New York Citys lawsuit seeking to hold them responsible for costs related to the environmental changes caused by their products. BP Plc, Chevron Corp., ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil Corp., and Royal Dutch Shell Plc argued that the court lacks the authority to resolve broad policy questions with profound implications for the global economy, international relations and Americas national security. Plaintiff attempts to use state tort law to regulate the nationwide indeed, worldwide activity of companies that play a key role in virtually every sector of the global economy, the companies said. They urged U.S. District Judge John Keenan, whos overseeing the case, to follow the example of other judges who have rejected similar suits. The companies argue that claims involving the effect of greenhouse gases on the environment must be considered under federal, rather than state, law. And federal law doesnt permit the type of claims New York is pursuing, they said. New York, the biggest U.S. city, sued the companies in January, claiming theyre the worlds largest public companies contributing to global warming. The city claims the companies have denied the findings of climate-change scientists despite knowing that the use of gas and oil posed grave risk to the planet. New York claims the oil companies actions constitute a public nuisance an illegal threat to community welfare. New York City says the companies have contributed to rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events, including storms and heat waves that threaten to harm the city and the people who live in it. Defendants knowingly and substantially contributed to climate change, lawyers for the city argued in papers arguing that Keenan should let the case go forward. They are not exempt from tort law claims requiring them to internalize the environmental costs of their products instead of foisting them onto property owners, local governments, and the public. Keenan will consider both sides arguments in a June 13 hearing. On May 24, a judge in San Francisco will consider whether to dismiss similar suits filed against the companies by the cities of Oakland and San Francisco. The case is New York v. BP P.L.C., 18-cv-182, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan). Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits USA Legislation Claims New York Climate Change Energy Oil Gas Anbang Insurance Group Co., the once-acquisitive Chinese insurer thats operating under government control, said it is in the process of reviewing all of its overseas assets amid reports of imminent divestments. Responding to questions from Bloomberg News, Anbang said its meeting with investment banks as part of the review. Its the first time the firm has said publicly its reviewing assets, a reversal from previous statements that Anbang wasnt planning any divestments. Anbang, which shot to fame after snapping up assets around the world, was seized in February by the government, which said at the time that it would consider all or partial sales of its assets. Last month, people familiar with the matter said officials from Anbang and the Chinese banking and insurance regulator are interviewing advisers to arrange the sale of parts of its portfolio. As recently as March, Anbang said that it is fully committed to its overseas portfolio. Anbangs Interim Management Working Group will maintain communication with Anbang subsidiaries as well as local regulators as it assesses market conditions and other factors, according to the statement Tuesday, which said the firm doesnt have a specific timeline at the moment. In an updated statement subsequently sent to Bloomberg, Anbang said it does not have an immediate plan to sell overseas assets. Global Spree The insurer first gained global prominence in 2014 with the $1.95 billion purchase of New Yorks Waldorf Astoria hotel and continued its spree by snapping up financial companies such as Dutch insurer Vivat NV and trophy properties around the world like San Franciscos Westin St. Francis. The spree came to an end last June, when regulators detained Anbangs Chairman Wu Xiaohui as part of a wider crackdown on risks in the financial system. Wu was accused of leading a $10.4 billion fraud, using unauthorized sales of investment-type policies to prop up the acquisitive companys capital. The Chinese government sent requests for proposal to 11 global investment banks to try to select arrangers to sell stakes in companies including Tongyang Life Insurance Co. and ABL Life, Korea Economic Daily reported earlier, citing unidentified investment banking industry sources. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics China Insurance broker Gallagher reports it has acquired regional commercial insurance broker Risk Services (NW) Ltd., based in Chester. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Risk Services was established in 1999 by Managing Director Steve Lowe Since then the business has grown organically and through acquisition to become one of the largest independent insurance brokers in Chester, North Wales and the surrounding area. Risk Services and team will become part of the North-West region of Gallaghers UK retail branch network, which serves customers from more than 50 locations. Lowe will continue in the business focusing on client relationships and business development and, as part of the transaction, Director Tom Penn will step up to the role of head of office in Chester. Topics Mergers Agencies Commercial Lines A.J. Gallagher State lawmakers will consider whether to increase oversight of carnival rides, including hiring more inspectors, following a deadly accident at the Ohio State Fair that flung riders onto the midway. The proposed changes also call on the state to look for inspectors who have an engineering background or who have been certified by a national association that trains ride safety officials. The legislation introduced last week by a Republican and Democrat in the state House comes nine months after a rusted steel arm snapped on a thrill ride, killing a high school student and leaving four others with life-changing injuries. Four state inspectors had checked the swinging, spinning Fire Ball ride hours before the accident and cleared it to operate. While an investigation by the State Highway Patrol said it appeared the ride was approved per established standards, attorneys for the victims believe the inspectors missed obvious warning signs. A woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury will receive $1.8 million from the rides owner and two private inspection companies while another deal has been reached to pay the family of an 18-year-old man who was killed nearly $1.3 million. The settlements do not include the states ride inspectors because they have immunity from negligence accusations. Ohios agriculture department, which oversees ride regulations, has said it stands behind the work performed by its inspectors. The proposed legislation could force amusement ride owners to keep photographs and written records about the repairs made to their rides along with maintenance and inspection reports. If parents have put their child on a ride they expect it has been inspected and its safe, said Republican Rep. Jim Hughes, of Upper Arlington, a sponsor of the bill. This is too important to do nothing. State inspectors also would be required to keep manuals for all of the rides they examine. Inspectors typically work off a checklist provided by the manufacturers manual. The agriculture department is still reviewing the proposed changes and has not decided whether it will support the ideas, spokesman Mark Bruce said. The states ride inspection program has not made any changes since the accident, Bruce said, but is waiting to see what recommendations come from a group that is evaluating industry standards for amusement ride inspections. Ohios inspectors also will be making sure that ride operators have complied with several safety bulletins dealing with corrosion and rust that were issued by ride manufactures after the Fire Ball accident, he said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Agribusiness Ohio Michigan State Police say theyve recovered 17 travel trailers worth about $600,000 that were reported stolen from northern Indiana. Police say the sheriffs office in LaGrange County, Indiana, contacted them for help locating and recovering the trailers. Detectives in Indiana had opened an investigation after several recreational vehicle manufacturers reported thefts of trailers from their facilities. Michigan State Police say some of the stolen trailers were retagged with bogus vehicle identification numbers and were sold to unsuspecting businesses in other states, including Michigan. Seventeen of those were tracked to Huron Trails Auto Sales in Linwood. Police say officials at the business are cooperating and werent aware that they were stolen. The case is under investigation in Indiana and stolen trailers are being returned there. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Michigan Indiana Uber Technologies Inc. on Monday said it has retained a former top U.S. transportation official to advise it on safety after a fatal self-driving crash in March, but it declined to comment on a technology websites report that a software flaw was responsible for the accident. The Information reported on Monday that Uber has determined the likely cause of the collision in March that killed a pedestrian was a problem with the software that decides how a self-driving car should react to objects it detects. The outlet said the cars sensors detected a pedestrian but the software decided the car did not need to react right away. We cant comment on the specifics of the incident, Uber said regarding the report, citing an ongoing investigation by the National Transportation SafetyBoard (NTSB). In the March 18 accident an Uber self-driving vehicle struck and killed a 49-year-old woman who was walking across a street in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe. Uber, which suspended testing of autonomous vehicles after the accident, on Monday said it was looking at its self-driving program and said it retained Christopher Hart, a former chairman of the NTSB, to advise it on safety. We have initiated a top-to-bottom safety review of our self-driving vehicles program, and we have brought on former NTSB Chair Christopher Hart to advise us on our overall safety culture, Uber said. Our review is looking at everything from the safety of our system to our training processes for vehicle operators, and we hope to have more to say soon. Hart, who was named chairman of the Washington-area Metrorail safety commission in March, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a video of the crash released by police, the Uber vehicle appeared not to brake before it struck the woman. There was a human driver sitting behind the wheel, who in the video appeared to be looking down and not at the road. Just before the video stopped, the driver looked upward toward the road and suddenly looked shocked. The NTSB is expected to issue a preliminary report on the Arizona Uber crash in the coming weeks, a spokesman said. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is also investigating the incident and declined to comment. Bryant Walker Smith, a self-driving car expert and law professor at the University of South Carolina, said in an email that the report by The Information raised the question of whether Ubers software might have detected something but misclassified as something other than a human (which could include determining that the probability of that something being a human was low). False positives and negatives have long been a challenge for self-driving and semi-autonomous driving systems, he said, but said that detecting a pedestrian crossing a street doesnt seem like a edge case that would have been difficult for a self-driving car to handle. Ubers chief executive officer, Dara Khosrowshahi, said in April that Uber still believed in prospects for autonomous transport, saying that autonomous (vehicles) at maturity will be safer. Hart, who was chairman of the NTSB when it opened a probe into a fatal Tesla crash involving a driver using the vehicles Autopilot system, in 2016 said that self-driving cars will not be perfect. There will be fatal crashes, thats for sure, Hart said, but he said that would not derail the move toward driverless cars. (Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by David Gregorio and Leslie Adler) Related: Topics Auto Sharing Economy Ridesharing Autonomous Vehicles Uber California-based At-Bay, a digital cyber risk monitoring and insurance firm, reports it raised $13 million in Series A funding, bringing the start-ups total funding to $19 million. At-Bay is developing what it calls a proactive cyber security monitoring service and related insurance products. Its insurance policies are backed by the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co. (HSB), a part of Munich Re. The new funding round was co-led by Keith Rabois of Khosla Ventures, Yoni Cheifetz of Lightspeed, and Shlomo Kramer. Kramer, former founder of Check Point and Imperva, as well as CEO of Cato Networks, will join the board. At-Bay was started in 2016. Cyber insurance is one of the fastest growing and complex markets, yet the incumbents are still currently relying on standardized checklists and irrelevant actuarial data to model risk. At-Bay is focusing on customized and real-time risk modeling and risk reduction for its customers which unlocks superior pricing and coverage options for them, said Keith Rabois, general investment partner at Khosla Ventures. Cyber risk is always evolving and is at odds with the traditional insurance model, according to At-Bay, which says its cyber security research and modeling approach predicts future risks based on emerging threats. The company says its scans for new vulnerabilities enable its customers to close security holes quickly and avoid loss. At-Bays risk management products include a Security Score and Data Breach Cost Calculator. The Security Score allows customers to automatically scan their technology, benchmark their security, and understand their top vulnerabilities. The Data Breach Cost Calculator allows risk managers to model loss scenarios and understand potential financial exposure. Insurance has a key role to play in managing cyber risk, which requires a shift from traditional snapshot underwriting to a year-round risk management partnership, said Rotem Iram, CEO and founder, At-Bay. Iram says the proactive approach provides a better view of future risks than the traditional modeling methods used by insurers, which are more reactive in nature. At-Bay also uses the data produced by its algorithms to help businesses identify ways of improving their cybersecurity, therefore lowering their risk and costs. At-Bay is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and has an R&D center in Tel Aviv. Topics Mergers Cyber InsurTech Risk Management Startups Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has granted Harris Countys request to hold an August special election in which residents could be asked to approve as much as $2.5 billion to finance critical flood-control projects. The county was the hardest hit by flooding by Hurricane Harvey. Abbott approved the request in a letter sent on Monday to Harris County commissioners, who needed the governors permission to hold the election. Commissioners were expected later this month to officially call for the election on Aug. 25. That would fall on the one-year anniversary of Harveys Texas landfall. Harveys torrential rainfall made it to the Houston area a day later, flooding thousands of homes. If approved, the bonds would help pay for various projects in the Houston area, including the widening of bayous. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Texas Flood The board of directors of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association has authorized staff to seek regulatory approval for a $175 million assessment to TWIAs insurance company members for losses associated with Hurricane Harvey. The assessment OKd by the associations board on May 8 needs the approval of the Texas Department of Insurance before it can be implemented. TWIA has estimated $1.61 billion in total losses from Hurricane Harvey, up from an estimated $1.44 billion in losses staff had presented to the board in February. Anna Day Stafford, Legislative & External Affairs Liaison for TWIA, said in an email to Insurance Journal that staff now estimates a total assessment of $321 million. At its July 31 meeting, TWIAs board will reconsider the assessment. The board may decide at the time whether to may seek approval from TDI for an additional member assessment. TDI has estimated total insured losses in the state will reach approximately $19.4 billion. That amount includes losses to homes, businesses and vehicles caused by flooding. The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1. An early forecast for the 2018 hurricane season by Dr. Philip Klotzbach of Colorado State University (CSU), a non-resident scholar for the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), calls for a slightly above-average season with 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Texas Profit Loss Windstorm Hurricane The bankruptcy and reorganization plan filed by insurance technology and outsourcing firm Patriot National has been approved and the transition of ownership of the Florida-based company can now move forward. According to a statement from Patriot National, the bankruptcy court on May 4 approved the companys plan of reorganization, which will result in the transition of ownership from its public shareholders to Cerberus Business Finance, LLC and its affiliates and TCW Asset Management Company LLC. The chapter 11 filing for bankruptcy was made Jan. 30 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware by the company and its direct and indirect U.S.-based subsidiaries. According to the bankruptcy plan: Employees will continue to receive all wages in the ordinary course of business Broker commissions will be paid in the ordinary course of business Carrier customers can be assured of uninterrupted service and payments in accordance with the terms of their current agreements Vendors will continue to be paid going forward pursuant to existing terms The plan provides our company with a significantly healthier capital structure that will enable us to be agile and competitive in the current market. Cerberus and TCW are fully invested in the future of our business, and we look forward to working together to emerge from this process as a stronger company, said John Rearer, CEO of Patriot National, which is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. Patriot Nationals financial woes came to a head in mid-November with the announcement that its largest workers compensation customer, Guaranteed Insurance Co. (GIC), would be placed in receivership by Florida regulators. The companies were mutually owned by founder, majority stockholder and former CEO Steven Mariano, who resigned from Patriot National last summer. GIC held an estimated 10 percent of Patriot Nationals stock and accounted for 60 to 70 percent of its business. GIC provided alternative market workers compensation insurance in 31 states, with 8,600 active policies in force as of Nov. 13, including 1,250 in Florida. Under the liquidation order of Florida regulators, all GIC policies were cancelled effective Dec. 27. Shortly after Florida regulators took over GIC, Patriot National filed a forbearance agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission that said it would be laying off 250 employees, representing approximately one-third of its workforce. The company announced a restructuring support agreement (RSA) later in November with its lenders, Cerberus Business Finance, LLC and its affiliates, and TCW Asset Management Co. LLC., which agreed to acquire the financially troubled firm. The companys recapitalization under the RSA and bankruptcy plan include a new lending facility. The plan will provide the capital structure needed to revitalize operations and funds to grow the business, Rearer said in February. Patriot National said in its recent announcement it expects to emerge from chapter 11 in the second quarter of 2018. After the company emerges from bankruptcy, Cerberus and TCW will convert a portion of their claims under the financing agreement in consideration for 100 percent of the new equity to be issued in Patriot National and the subsidiaries under the plan. All existing equity interests in Patriot National and its subsidiaries will be extinguished, and Patriot National will no longer have any affiliation with its founder and former CEO Mariano. One of Patriot Nationals subsidiaries, Patriot Underwriters Inc., is a national program administrator that underwrites and services workers compensation insurance for insurance companies. Another affiliate of Patriot National, Ashmere Insurance Co., is to be acquired by New York-based Bedrock Insurance Group Holdings. Ashmere is a workers compensation insurance carrier licensed in 15 states. Court filings and other information related to the restructuring are available at http://cases.primeclerk.com/patnat. Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP and Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP are serving as legal bankruptcy counsel, and Duff & Phelps Corporation is serving as financial advisor. Related: Topics Workers' Compensation Florida A North Carolina party bus owner was cited for insurance and license plate problems after a college student fell out of the vehicle last week and died when she was hit by two cars. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced Monday that Victor Rabb was issued citations after investigators determined the bus was uninsured and was displaying a fictitious license plate at the time of the accident last Tuesday. Police say Rabb has surrendered the bus to investigators for inspection. A home phone listing for Rabb rang disconnected. Police say 20-year-old Polly Rogers fell out of an emergency window and was hit by two vehicles. Officials say that the bus was rented by a fraternity at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and was heading to a bar. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics North Carolina Insurance Journal has launched a blog titled Insurance Flipsides to highlight stories that dont often get told about the insurance industry. The editors would like this to be a collaborative effort and are asking for help from readers with suggestions for stories about people in the industry who are making a positive difference, either professionally or personally. This is not a PR exercise. Were simply gathering proof of something you all know that you work in an interesting industry, which has enormous societal value and makes a profound contribution to our global economy, said L.S. Howard, international editor and creator of Insurance Flipsides. Flipsides wants to know about the company that is making a difference in its community. The work colleague who is tirelessly doing charitable work in his or her spare time. Or examples of insurance products or services in action, ones that saved businesses from ruin or helped them recover from catastrophic losses. Its time for the industry to stop hiding its light under a bushel, as they say. Heres a chance for you to tell your stories and give young talent a reason to want to join this industry, Howard said. Readers can help by sending ideas to insuranceflipsides@wellsmedia.com along with contact details. Together, we can do our best to chip away at the industrys negative perception, one story at a time, Howard said. # # # Topics Market Insurance Journal Your lunchtime headlines. GET INFORMED ... IRELAND: The under-fire head of the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said he did not know about the cervical cancer scandal in time. IRELAND: Property prices increased by 12.7% nationally in the year to March. That is compared to 9.8% in the twelve months to March 2017. IRELAND: Google has announced it is banning all ads related to the referendum on the Eighth Amendment ahead of the vote on May 25. WORLD: Irans supreme leader has challenged US president Donald Trump over America pulling out of the nuclear deal, saying: You cannot do a damn thing. WORLD: Stormy Daniels lawyer said he has information showing that Michael Cohen, Donald Trumps personal attorney, received $500,000 (420,000) from a company associated with a Russian billionaire within months of paying hush money to Ms Daniels. SPORT: Liverpool fan Sean Cox remains in a critical condition after being attacked before the Champions League match against Roma, the Cox family has said in a statement. ... SOME DISTRACTION SHOWBIZ: From Ireland's Got Talent to Young Offenders to Derry Girls, the Irish Film & Television Academy have announced the nominees for this year's Gala Television Awards. VIRAL: Irelands leading pest control provider Rentokil, is reporting that Dublin is the most ant-infested county in Ireland. LIFESTYLE: Sonia OSullivan, woman of speed, talks with Rita de Brun about slow cooking, her relationship with that statue in Cobh, and why we should never let fear stop us. By Francois de Beaupuy The French government has doubled down on its warnings about Air France-KLM Groups prospects, saying the protracted labour dispute over wages means the airline is losing out to rivals. Im worried about the future of Air France, French transport minister Elisabeth Borne said, echoing strong comments from the countrys finance minister two days ago urging employees to bring an end to the conflict. The carrier is less competitive than its partner KLM and other European airlines, she said. As Air France-KLMs biggest shareholder, the French government has waded into a tug-of-war between unions and management as a strike over pay continues and chief executive Jean-Marc Janaillac prepares to quit over his inability to end the dispute. Borne criticised Air France pilots for excessive wage demands, weighing in firmly on the side of management. Air France employees must understand in what world we are in, and which competition they are playing, the minister said. Air France unions yesterday asked management to resume talks, according to a Twitter post. The carrier cancelled about a fifth of its scheduled flights in the latest round of walkouts since February that are crimping earnings. The CEO will resign at the end of the annual shareholders meeting on May 15 and an interim leadership will be put in place, according to a spokeswoman. Air France-KLM shares have been hit during the dispute, falling about 27% since the start of the strikes. UBS and Oddo BHF downgraded the stock yesterday, with shares falling nearly 1%. Janaillacs resignation creates uncertainty on Air France-KLMs ability to restructure, UBS analyst Jarrod Castle wrote in a note, cutting his rating to neutral from a previous recommendation to buy the shares. Investors will be cautious until the labour settlement and leadership situation become clearer, he said. Janaillac, who has been at his post less than two years, used a more conciliatory approach than his predecessor Alexandre De Juniac, who also faced off with unions. Analysts at RBC have compared a rejection of managements pay proposal by workers to pressing the self- destruction button. Air France has competitive gains to make and it needs money to renew its fleet, Borne said. KLM partners are very worried about this situation. The strikes at Air France have opened another front in president Emmanuel Macrons fight to overhaul his countrys economy by liberalising labour laws. Bloomberg By Gordon Deegan A jump in the price of gas over the past year helped the owners of the Corrib gas field generate a 20% rise in revenues in the first quarter of this year, despite a fall in production rates. Revenues from the field, for the first three months of the year, amounted to 188m, despite production being down by 6% on the same period last year. Canadian firm Vermilion confirmed the gas field may already be past peak production, saying the initiation of decline from the Corrib gas field has commenced. Last July, Shell Ireland disposed of its shareholding in the project to the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) in a strategic partnership with Vermilion in a deal potentially worth as much as 1.08bn. Vermilion is to increase its stake to 20% and become the operator of the project when the deal closes. Providing an update on the deal, Vermilion said it expects the deal to close in the middle of this year. Vermilions quarterly report said that given the significant level of investment in Corrib and the resulting tax pools, we do not expect to incur current income taxes in the Ireland business unit for the foreseeable future. At the end of last year, Vermilion had accumulated tax losses of $1.3bn which can be carried forward at 100% against taxable income. The Corrib Partners invested more than 3.6bn in the project before gas started to flow more than four times the original estimate of 800m. Gas was originally expected to flow from the field in 2003 resulting in the project being 12 years behind the original schedule. By Ann O'Loughlin An application by Gayle Killilea Dunne, wife of bankrupt developer Sean Dunne, aimed at halting proceedings against her over the alleged transfer of South African properties between the Dunnes has opened before the High Court. The case relates to Mr Dunne's 2013 bankruptcy adjudications in both Ireland and the United States, The official in charge of Mr Dunne's Irish bankruptcy, official assignee (OA) Chris Lehane, has brought proceedings over the alleged fraudulent transfer of assets in South Africa and Ireland between Mr and Mrs Dunne. Mr Lehane's action relates to agreements between Mr and Mrs Dunne in 2005 and 2008 to transfer interests to her a number of assets, including a hotel called "Lagoon Beach" in Cape Town, South Africa, and shares in an entity call "Mavior". In her pre-trial motion, she claims Mr Lehane's proceedings are unfair because they cover the same grounds as proceedings that have been brought in the US. Represented by John O'Donnell SC and Alan Doherty SC, she claims the action duplicates the US proceedings and should be discontinued. Opening the case Mr O'Donnell said it is his client's case there is "a substantial overlap" between proceedings in Ireland and the US. It is their case that the US is the only jurisdiction where Mr Dunne's estate can be administered, and the OA has nothing to administer, counsel said. Mr Lehane, represented by Mark Sanfey SC and Paul Gardiner SC, oppose the application and says that certain issues concerning Mr Dunne's estate should be heard in Ireland, while others should be heard by the US courts. As part of her application to have the case struck out, Alan Doherty SC cross-examined US attorney Mr Timothy Miltenberger, who acts for Richard Coan the "Chapter 7" trustee dealing with Mr Dunne's US bankruptcy in the US, on sworn statements he has submitted on US bankruptcy law. Mr Miltenberger said given the matters involved Irish citizens, and a creditor body that is "almost exclusively Irish," his client was happy to have proceedings concerning assets in Mr Dunne's estate outside the US adjudicated on by the Irish courts. Other assets in the US could be adjudicated on in America, he added. The hearing, before Mr Justice Brian McGovern, continues. By Padraig Hoare A partnership between global property rental firm Kennedy Wilson and the asset management branch of French giant Axa is to target the private rental sector across the country. Kennedy Wilson, which recently became owner of The Elysian in Cork the tallest building in the Republic said the joint venture with Axa Investment Managers would start with 1,173 units across three of Kennedy Wilsons Dublin schemes at the Alliance in Dublin 4, Clancy Quay, and Sandford Lodge. Kennedy Wilson said it will continue to hold its current 50% interest in the three assets. The partnership will seek development and investment opportunities across Ireland, targeting Dublin and other large urban centres and Kennedy Wilson will act as overall asset manager, the firms said. Kennedy Wilson would not be drawn on what large urban centres it was referring to, but it is believed it has strong interest in opportunities in Cork, where it recently bought The Elysian from fellow US firm Blackstone. The Elysian was sold to Kennedy Wilson for around 87.5m last month. There was intense bidding for the building with three international buyers in contention. The building has 211 apartments and a rent-roll of close to 5m per annum. The building was its first significant foray outside of Dublin. The Californian property firm has become one of the biggest landlords in the capital in recent years. President and chief executive of Kennedy Wilson Europe, Mary Ricks said it had already built or was building on 778 units across its Dublin private rental sector portfolio and has an attractive pipeline of future opportunities. The Dublin residential market has undergone significant structural change in the last five years leading to demand outstripping supply, and making this announcement a milestone for our business in delivering much-needed rental housing, she said. European head of transactions at Axa Investment Managers, John ODriscoll, said his firm was a long-term investor in the private rented sector, and that the transaction adds to its existing global residential portfolio valued at over 9bn. The portfolio is well placed to benefit from Dublins continued and growing position as an attractive destination for global companies European headquarters, whilst the market also offers strong supply-demand dynamics. We believe that these supportive underlying market dynamics will allow us to extend our already strong pipeline of Irish private rental sector opportunities, he said. By Geoff Percival The Irish operations of international drug firm, Shire, will be reviewed within the first year of new ownership, should Japans Takeda Pharmaceutical buy it. Both companies have significant operations in Ireland. Shire headquartered here for tax purposes employs 400 people across its Dublin head office and a manufacturing site in Co Meath; and plans to double that number in the next couple of years. Takeda has had an Irish presence for 15 years and employs 500 people at facilities in Dublin and Wicklow. Yesterday, Takeda announced that it had agreed to buy Shire for $62bn (52.3bn), in the biggest of a wave of deals sweeping the drugs industry. Assuming it wins the backing of shareholders, the deal will be the largest overseas purchase by a Japanese company and will propel Takeda, led by Frenchman, Christophe Weber, into the top-ten rankings of global drugmakers. The transaction is expected to be completed towards the middle of 2019. The deal, struck on the last day Takeda had to make a concrete bid, is 46% cash and 54% stock, leaving Shire shareholders owning around half of the combination. It will also make Takeda one of the most indebted drugmakers. Shire had rejected four previous offers, due to price concerns and the fact that the Japanese company is proposing to pay for much of the acquisition in stock. To pay off debts quickly, Takeda plans to slash thousands of jobs and cut back on duplicated drug research. A Shire spokesperson said: Unless, and until, the transaction is completed, there will be no material changes to Shires business, as a result of [this] announcement. The organisation and locations of the combined company will become clearer during the integration process. Within the first year following the transaction, Takeda will commence a review of the functions to be undertaken at Shires headquarters in Dublin. The enlarged group will be a leader in gastroenterology, neuroscience, oncology, rare diseases and blood-derived therapies, used for serious conditions such as haemophilia. Additional reporting Reuters Gardai in Dublin are dealing with 522 live threats to life, with 11 of them assessed as critical. Dublins police chief Pat Leahy said protecting these lives was hugely resource intensive and said Operation Hybrid, the armed response to gangland crime, had performed almost 56,000 checkpoints and 10,000 patrols in the last two years. He said 10 of the 11 critical threats were in the north central area and that the Kinahan crime cartel, and their associates, would account for many of those. The north central division is the home to members of the Hutch family and wider criminal grouping, all Kinahan targets. The Assistant Commissioner for Dublin Metropolitan Region Patrick Leahy said that as of April 2018 there were live threats to life of 522 people across the six divisions. Of these, 11 are critical, 51 severe, 171 are substantial, 136 moderate, 110 are low, and 43 are being assessed. Critical is pretty significant you are in danger, real danger, he said. If we are going to you and saying there is a threat on you that we assess as being critical and we have 11 of those across the city you know that you are in bad shape. Speaking to the media after a Dublin City joint policing committee meeting, he said the Kinahan-Hutch feud obviously had an impact and represented a lot of the high-end threats. Up to 18 murders have been linked to the feud, all but two at the hands of Kinahan associates. Gardai have already said they have prevented 52 murder attempts in the last two years, most linked to the feud. Mr Leahy said some of the 522 threats go back some years and that the figure is updated daily. Of those 522 threats to life, a lot of the potential next set of murders are contained in that cohort, he said. Mr Leahy said measures to tackle threats included Operation Hybrid, in addition to individual plans in each of the six divisions depending on the threat level. In the north inner city their priority is the preservation of life and thats why they are running all these preservation-of-life beats in areas where you have high-value targets, he said. They are not a post on somebody, but they are on the street and two streets around. We have almost a fleet of patrol cars now deployed just to send a message that guards are out. He said that under Operation Hybrid they conducted 55,842 checkpoints between February 2016 and March 2018, which had identified 8,240 crimes. There have been 611 checkpoint patrols and 9,575 patrols. In addition, there have been 16,069 searches and 29,970 intelligence reports logged. Mr Leahy said there were three significant feuds, with others in Finglas/Ballymun and Ballyfermot. By Gerard Cunningham A garda sergeant who worked in the garda press office has told the Charleton Tribunal that he became concerned that the office was compromised and sensitive information was being leaked to journalists. Sergeant Damien Hogan, who worked in the garda press office from 1994 to 2004, and again from 2009 to the present day, said suspicions were raised when he saw newspaper articles which closely matched incident reports he had seen which had not been made public. "On many occasions I was quite surprised at the content of the article that appeared in the paper," Sgt Hogan said. The sergeant said that press office staff had access to a lot of confidential information about criminal investigations. "There's a lot of sensitive information there," Sgt Hogan said. "You also have to be aware of compromising an investigation down the line." The tribunal is examining the allegation by former press officer Supt David Taylor that he was directed by former garda commissioner Martin Callinan to brief the media negatively on whistleblower Sgt McCabe. Mr Callinan denies this. Sgt Hogan said that Supt Taylor did not have a good relationship with Andrew McLindon, the civilian director of communications. It wasn't a very friendly relationship at all. I could see that from day one, he said. "From day one it was very estranged. It just wasn't working, there was no communication between them," Sgt Hogan continued. Michael McDowell SC said that journalist Paul Williams had told the tribunal that Supt Taylor gave confirmation that there had been a garda investigation into an allegation of sexual abuse against Sgt Maurice McCabe in 2006. The DPP subsequently directed no prosecution in the case, saying there was no evidence of any crime being committed. Maurice McCabe. Sgt Hogan said it "would be highly unusual" for the garda press office to confirm to a journalist that a person had been the subject of an historic garda investigation. "We would never, well I certainly would never, do that. From my experience in 20 years, we would never do that," Sgt Hogan told Mr McDowell. The tribunal heard that Supt Taylor was a "stickler" for timekeeping, and had installed swipe cards in the garda press office, including on the toilets. Sgt Hogan said that there was an "uncomfortable" atmosphere between Supt Taylor and his deputy, Insp John Ferris, who shared an office with Supt Taylor. Supt Taylor had Insp Ferris's desk moved out of the office over a weekend, Sgt Hogan said. "Every other press officer had worked with an Inspector in the office, the Inspector is in effect a deputy press officer. This wasn't happening in this case," Sgt Hogan said. Sgt Hogan said he became concerned that the press office was compromised when he received a call from a journalist some months after Supt Taylor had been transferred to the traffic division. A journalist who had queries about a Child Rescue Ireland alert told Sgt Hogan "I'm getting enough at the moment from Supt Taylor." As a result, Sgt Hogan rang Mr McLindon and the new press officer, Supt Paul Moran. "It wasn't his new role, it wasn't his role to be briefing the media," Sgt Hogan said. At the close of the morning session, tribunal chairman Mr Justice Peter Charleton said that "unpleasant things" were being said about Supt Taylor which were not being challenged, and asked if Mr Taylor should be present in case he needed to give instructions to his lawyers. Barrister Tara Burns SC said the legal team was in contact with Supt Taylor and he was being kept informed of the evidence. Deirdre Mooney, a civilian clerical officer attached to the press office, told the tribunal that Supt Taylor was "a fine boss. Sgt Alan Frawley said he got on "very well" with Supt Taylor. A teenage girl has gone missing in Dublin. Megan Forde was last seen at Connolly Train Station in the city centre yesterday evening. The 16-year-old - who has long black hair - was wearing black leggings and a grey jumper with a "STATE" logo. Gardai are appealing for anyone who can help them find where she is to contact them. - Digital Desk Google has announced it is banning all ads related to the referendum on the Eighth Amendment ahead of the vote on May 25. It follows a similar move by Facebook, which is rejecting adverts from groups outside the country attempting to influence the referendum. However, Google seeks to ban all relevant ads in the next few weeks. Following our update around election integrity efforts globally, we have decided to pause all ads related to the Irish referendum on the Eighth Amendment. The decision will be implemented in the next 24 hours and includes platforms such as Google and YouTube. It will have no affect on searches performed on Google. Pro-choice group Together for Yes welcomed the move. "Together for Yes welcomes the news that Google will ban #8thref ads," they tweeted. This is a big first step. A number of pro-life groups will hold a joint press conference this afternoon at 4pm Google's to respond to Google's announcement. The move has been widely welcomed, but Fianna Fail's spokesperson on technology, James Lawless TD, says it has come far too late in the campaign to combat 'fake news'. "The decision taken by Google today, and that taken by Facebook yesterday, is a positive development but comes far too late in the day," he said. Fake news has already had a corrosive impact on the referendum debate on social media. "This is alarming when you consider a growing number of people solely rely on social media to consume news and shape their decision making process when it comes to elections and referenda." The Green Party leader Eamon Ryan TD described the move as internationally significant. "This is not about which side of the referendum youre on, Yes or No. It is about protecting the integrity of our referendum and political system," he said. "It is about allowing people to make their own minds up without interference from foreign influence. It is about creating a fair and transparent system, which avoids giving unfair advantage to those with massive online advertising budgets. The announcement is of international significance. Its not just important for the referendum on the 8th amendment. "Its important for how referenda and elections can be protected from undue influence all around the world. "Its regrettable that this has been done last minute, in a voluntary capacity by the companies involved. The political system needs to think hard about how online advertising in elections is regulated so the process, in future, is transparent and fair. Digital Desk Update 3.30pm: Tony O'Brien says he tried to create an open culture in the HSE where people could tell him when there was problems. The HSE boss says if he had been made aware of the problems with CervicalCheck or Vicky Phelan's case he could have made the fallout easier for everyone. He also resisted calls to resign saying he will stay on until the end of his tenure in July. Mr O'Brien hoped his staff would tell him about serious issues - putting up a sign in his office saying 'speak truth to power'. He said: "After a round of meetings and briefings on my very first day, it appeared to me that people were reluctant to tell me stuff, so I put the sign up. I brought everyone back into the room and I had a repeat set of discussions, encouraging that this would be a place where everyone could tell me whatever they needed to tell me, whether they thought I'd like it or not. "It is not dissimilar to a process that Pat Lam introduced when he was manager of Connacht, the safe zone." Update 3.25pm: 'I respectfully decline to accept your invitation to resign' - Tony O'Brien The HSE Director General says he will politely turn down requests for him to step down in the wake of the CervicalCheck scandal. While the Health Minister has said the crisis has shaken his confidence in the health service. At the Oireachtas Health Committee this morning Tony O'Brien was asked if he will heed calls to step down. "I understand your point, I respectfully decline to accept your invitation to resign without prejudice or otherwise," he said. Minister Simon Harris has said Mr O'Brien should see out his time, despite calls from a number of ministers for him to go. Mr Harris said: "If your question is in my judgement, is it better that Mr O'Brien serves out his remaining number of weeks and continue to do what we need him to do, to help get the answers, then yes it is, that is my judgement." But the Minister also said he had concerns about the system Mr O'Brien has presided over. The events of the last ten days in relation to CervicalCheck have shook the confidence of the public and me as Minister in the very fundamentals of the healthcare system. The HSE boss also batted away questions suggesting he had to have known about the scandal before he says he did. Mr O'Brien said: "To quote that great philosopher deputy Alan Kelly 'it's so bizzare and unbelievable that it must be true'. Sinn Fein still plan to bring a motion of no confidence in Tony O'Brien next week. Update 11.20am: Tony O'Brien 'did not know' about cancer screening scandal The under-fire head of the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said he did not know about the cervical cancer scandal in time. Those who should have given him information did not realise the significance of the screening problems, director general Tony O'Brien said. He called for a duty of candour to be imposed. I should have been told, I have sought to create a climate in which I should be told these things and by and large I am told of these key issues. "This one I was not and I am very concerned about that." The Government has ordered a scoping inquiry into the matter. An audit by CervicalCheck - Ireland's national screening programme - of 1,482 women diagnosed with cervical cancer since 2008 found potential errors in 208 cases as tests showed no abnormality when they should have been given a cancer warning. Seventeen have since died. A total of 201 of the women and their families have been offered early meetings, while the remaining seven are abroad and cannot be contacted, health officials said. Almost 12,000 women have called a helpline. Tony OBrien says he is intending to continue in his role as Director General of the HSE pic.twitter.com/GMQbndlyBl RTE News (@rtenews) May 9, 2018 Mr O'Brien told the Joint Health Committee at the Oireachtas: "It would have been beneficial if all the communication had been completed before it came into the public domain. That is what has damaged confidence. If I had known and been made aware of all implications of this I would certainly have put in place a different approach to how the whole thing has been dealt with. He steps down in July despite calls for him to go sooner, and Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has claimed he was "untouchable". He said he intended to continue work agreed with health minister Simon Harris to meaningfully address all issues of significant concern. He has a sign in his office, "speak truth to power", put up on his second day after becoming concerned that people were not giving him information. I have encouraged a process of people telling me stuff. He said those who should have given him information did not see the significance of it, but supported the introduction of a statutory duty of candour to bring a "sharper edge" to how people acted. Mr Harris said everyone's confidence had been shaken but Mr O'Brien was best placed to address the issues raised while he served the remainder of his term. PA Earlier: Tony O'Brien refuses to resign from role after CervicalCheck scandal Update 10.50am: HSE boss Tony O'Brien says he will not resign despite pressure from political parties. Three ministers, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein have all shared their belief that Mr O'Brien should step down after the CervicalCheck scandal. He has told an Oireachtas Committee if he had been made aware of the situation earlier he could have made the fallout easier for everyone. Watch live here: When asked by Fianna Fail's Stephen Donnelly if he would heed the calls to step down, Tony O'Brien said no. "So while I recognise the concern I believe the effort underway to address that concern is appropriate and meaningful. I understand your point. I respectfully decline to accept your invitation to resign without prejudice or otherwise. Earlier: CervicalCheck scandal 'shook the confidence' of public and Health Minister, Harris says Update 10.05am: Simon Harris says his confidence in the Health Service has been shaken by the CervicalCheck scandal. The Health Minister and the HSE Director General Tony O'Brien are giving a quarterly update to the Oireachtas Health Committee. Mr O'Brien has told the Oireachtas Health Committee he will not resign. It has heard Mr O'Brien was meant to be on annual leave this week but cancelled it to deal with CervicalCheck. Health Minister Simon Harris opened the meeting by addressing the events of the past few weeks. "This has been an intensely difficult time for everyone involved, most importantly the individuals, the women and their families," he said. The events of the last ten days in relation to CervicalCheck have shook the confidence of the public and me as Minister in the very fundamentals of our healthcare system. "Fundamental values have been questioned, Honesty, truth, openness; our commitment to these vital principles and values has been questioned." Digital Desk Earlier: HSE's Tony O'Brien to appear before Health Committee at Leinster House Update 6.42am: The HSE boss Tony O'Brien is due to appear again before the Health Committee at Leinster House today, as calls continue for his resignation. He is scheduled to appear alongside the Health Minister Simon Harris to give a quarterly update on the state of the health services. The hearing is being over-shadowed by the Cervical Check scandal. Sinn Fein will table a no confidence motion in Mr O'Brien in the Dail next week. The party's finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty says someone must be held responsible for the current controversy. "The HSE completely misinformed the State Claims Agency when they said during the Vicky Phelan case that all women were informed of their misdiagnosis and what we found out two weeks ago is that 162 women were not. Somebody is lying, somebody is covering up, and the person that has to be held accountable is the person who's at the top. "Do your job, Minister, and tell Mr O'Brien that it's time for him to go." Fianna Fail's Health spokesperson Stephen Donnelly also told the Health Minister it is time for Mr O'Brien to step down. "I would put it to you as well, Minister, that it is an ongoing political error to allow the Director General of the HSE to remain in situ," he said. The Director General of the HSE needs to resign immediately without prejudice for three reasons: he was in charge through this entire thing; he is clearly a distraction to supporting the women involved; and the response to date in terms of the helpline has been shambolic. Digital Desk Update 4.54pm: Richard Bruton is confident changes to the baptism barrier will stand up to any legal challenge. From September next year the majority of Catholic primary schools will not be able to refuse admission if a child is not baptised - when there is a waiting list. Cabinet has approved a bill which will also contains a number of exceptions, including for minority religions, while Gaelscoileanna will still be able to give priority to Irish speaking children. The Education Minister says the amendments should come before the Dail this month. He said: "I believe that what we have done here is proportionate and balanced and it has the approval of the Attorney General who is the legal adviser to the Government and he believes that they are constitutionally robust." Update 10.20am: Richard Bruton accused of having 'religious bee in his bonnet' over baptism barrier The Education Minister has been accused of having a religious 'bee in his bonnet'. The Cabinet has approved a new bill on the baptism barrier which will mean most Catholic primary schools cannot discriminate because of religion when there is a waiting list. Richard Bruton believes the changes are also robust enough to withstand any potential court challenge. Seamus Mulconry from the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association does not think the baptism barrier is an actual problem. "We received 9,000 queries in a year from schools all over the country with problems," he said. "Last year, we received four queries on baptismal certs and three of those were of pupils who arrived in with a baptismal cert and no birth cert. "That's how big a problem it is. It would be nice if the Minister, when he's finished getting this particular religious bee out of his bonnet, addressed the real challenges facing schools, which are lack of resources and curriculum overload. Education Equality welcomed Mr Bruton's announcement. "Finally, parents will be able to enjoy the right to freely choose and practice their own beliefs without the fear of being refused a school place as a result," said Chairperson April Duff. It will come as a huge relief to many parents who currently fear discrimination because of their beliefs. "Fair admissions policies will lead to a more open, inclusive society in which everyone can enjoy their own beliefs without fear of State sanction, and in which children are educated together rather than being segregated along religious lines. Digital Desk Earlier: Government approves bill to end 'baptism barrier' Update 7.02am: The government has approved a bill to end the 'baptism barrier' in schools. It would mean schools cannot discriminate because of religion when there is a waiting list. 90% of Irish primary schools have a Catholic ethos and as of now when they are oversubscribed they can give priority to some children based on religion. Education Minister Richard Bruton wants to change that, and yesterday got cabinet approval for a number of amendments to a school admissions bill. He said it is unfair a child of no religion is passed over in favour of a child who has been baptised. He said he want to make the system as fair as possible. Most people will recognise that it's very unfair for a child finding that someone very far away from their local school gets preference over the local child. "It's unfair that a parent might feel compelled to baptise their child to get into the school if they wouldn't otherwise do that. "What I'm trying to do is achieve a fair balance between different groups." The amendment would end that practice in almost all schools. The exception being children of minority religions so they can still access a school of their faith. The amendments to the bill will also allow Gaelscoileanna to give priority to Irish speaking children, and will give the Minister the power to make a school open a special class for those with special needs where the National Council for Special Education has identified the need for one in that area. Digital Desk By Declan Brennan A defence barrister has told a jury that a man accused of being the inside man in a tiger kidnap and robbery is an innocent family man and not a hardened criminal. Niall Byrne (36) of Crumlin Road Flats, Dublin and three other men deny falsely imprisoning cash-in-transit driver Paul Richardson and his family at their home in Raheny, Dublin on March 13 and 14, 2005. They also deny robbery of 2.28m. In his closing address at the trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Feargal Kavanagh SC, defending Mr Byrne, said his client was somebody with no previous convictions with a very respectable family. The jury has heard evidence of phone contact between Mr Byrne's mobile and a phone allegedly linked to Jason Kavanagh, who was previously convicted of taking part in the kidnap and robbery. Counsel for Mr Byrne said his client had nothing to hide about his links to Kavanagh, who he described as a dangerous man. He said that Mr Byrne told gardai that Kavanagh rang him on the morning of the robbery but told them it's not what you think. He said Mr Byrne confirmed Kavanagh's number to gardai. He had no idea of the ramifications of this. He may have suspected by April 2005 that Jason Kavanagh was involved. He had no difficulty in incriminating him by volunteering his number, counsel said. He said this was not the behaviour of a hard-nosed criminal but of somebody with nothing to do with the crimes and coming clean to gardai. He said his client was linked to Kavanagh because he knew Kavanagh's wife and had babysat for her. Niall Byrne, Christopher Corcoran (70) of Rosedale, Raheny; Mark Farrelly (47) of Moatview Court, Priorswood, Coolock and David Byrne (45), of Old Brazil Way, Knocksedan, Swords have all pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their home at Ashcroft, Raheny, Dublin, on March 13 and 14, 2005. The four have also pleaded not guilty to robbing Mr Richardson and Securicor of 2.28 million on March 14, 2005. This is the fifth time the matter has come to trial. Judge Melanie Greally told the jury today she will charge it in the law tomorrow Counsel said that there was no need for the gang to have an inside man because Securicor had around 200 employees. Some of these had being fired and many had robbed Securicor themselves, he said. The same security procedures were in place for two decades and 100s of people would know about these, counsel told the jury. The prosecution have provided evidence of phone calls between Jason Kavanagh and Mr Byrne on the morning of the robbery and have said one of these was a wake up call to ensure Mr Byrne got up and went into work. No serious crime gang members requires a wake up call on the morning of a job like this, counsel submitted. He said the calls may have been attempts by Jason Kavanagh to ring Mr Byrne, unbeknownst to him, during the robbery. Fortuitously, by an act of god, Niall Byrne didnt have his phone on him, counsel said. He added that there was no evidence all of the calls were returned and that the calls do not indicate any degree of involvement by his client. He said phone evidence that the gang gathered together in north west Dublin after the robbery did not show Mr Byrne's phone in that location that day. Counsel said that his client was on the periphery if anything and asked where is the evidence that he knew about the bigger plan? Mr Kavanagh told the jury that the prosecution case against his client was too weak to convict him. If they convicted Mr Byrne on the basis of the evidence in this case, they would lower the bar so much that we're all at risk of a future conviction. By Eoin Reynolds A Polish man who beat his partner with a hammer and tried to suffocate her by stuffing underwear in her mouth has been sent to the Central Mental Hospital for treatment. Tomas Gajowniczek (37) of The Ice Rink Apartments, Dolphin's Barn, Dublin 8 was last month found not guilty by reason of insanity of the attempted murder of his former partner Alicja Kalinowska (30) at their home on June 16, 2016. The same verdict was returned in relation to a charge of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Ms Kalinowska. During the trial the jury heard that Mr Gajowniczek punched Ms Kalinowska repeatedly in the face, stuffed underwear in her mouth and held her nose to stop her breathing. He beat her with a hammer and gouged her eyes with his thumbs. Ms Kalinowska told the jury that she passed out when he put a bottle in her mouth and forced her to drink the contents. She awoke when a neighbour came knocking. She managed to get to the door before collapsing into her neighbour's arms. Consultant psychiatrist at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) Dr Paul O'Connell today told Justice Patrick McCarthy that he interviewed Mr Gajowniczek on May 3 last. Mr Gajowniczek told him that he was suffering headaches and pains in his limbs for the past ten years. A month before the assault on his partner he said he noticed his urine and stools had changed colour and since going to prison he has formed the opinion that Ms Kalinowska was poisoning him with fluid drained from a car battery. Dr O'Connell said he displayed other delusionary beliefs, such as that the assault was being discussed on the radio and he noted that Mr Gajowniczek accused Ms Kalinowska of assaulting him and claimed that he acted in self defence. He denied using a hammer or stuffing underwear in her mouth. The doctor said he believes Mr Gajowniczek is displaying persecutory beliefs, has paranoid schizophrenia with a delusional disorder and requires further treatment at the CMH. Ronan Munro SC, representing Mr Gajowniczek, said his client is anxious to get whatever treatment is required. Under Section 5 of the Criminal Law Insanity Act, Justice McCarthy committed Mr Gajowniczek to the CMH for ongoing treatment. His treatment will be continuously reviewed and if recommended by his treating doctors, he could be released in future under Section 13 of the Act. Evidence in trial Ms Kalinowska told the trial that she started going out with Mr Gajowniczek in Poland in 2006 and they moved to Ireland to find work a few years later. Alicja Kalinowska She got a job in a Subway sandwich shop in Dublin while he worked a night shift in a Maxol Garage. During one of his shifts there was a break-in and he was tied up and locked in a bathroom. He was traumatised and came home that night shaking. He refused to go back to work and was prescribed Xanax for his anxiety. He remained on social welfare after that and Ms Kalinowska noticed that his behaviour became strange following the death of his grandfather around Christmas 2015. He was upset that they didn't have enough money to travel to Poland for the funeral. From January onward Ms Kalinowska noted a difference in him. He would insult her, call her names and accuse her of being a bad mother. One night she was so upset by the abuse she walked out and went to the apartment of a male neighbour for a few hours. When she returned Mr Gajowniczek accused her of cheating. She admitted that she kissed the neighbour, accepted she had done wrong and apologised to Tomas. This, the prosecution said, was the background to the attack on June 16. The prosecution called Professor Damian Mohan of the Central Mental Hospital who said that the accused was "furious" about Alicja's infidelity and due to long-term daily use of cannabis he was unable to control his anger. Professor Mohan's colleague Dr Conor O'Neill disagreed, telling the trial that he had treated Mr Gajowniczek following his arrest and believed that Mr Gajowniczek was suffering from a delusional disorder at the time and therefore should qualify for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr O'Neill said the disorder led to bizarre beliefs that Ms Kalinowska was putting amphetamines in his milk, poisoning or drugging his food and drink and stealing his tax returns. The jury accepted the defence evidence and returned a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict. By Gordon Deegan A husband and wife team who charged clients 200 an hour for sex with them at their Ennis home have escaped jail. Spanish national, David Navaro (50) and his Brazilian born wife, Celia Galan (41) arrived into Ireland from Barcelona in 2015 and a surveillance operation by Gardai was mounted outside the couple's Ennis home in July 2016 as a result of Garda suspicions that there was a brothel being operated from their home. According to Insp Tom Kennedy at Ennis District Court on July 23rd 2016, Gardai entered the home at Station View, Ennis and discovered a Laptop, phone, notebook with clients names and an Escort Ireland advert on the Laptop confirming that prostitution was being conducted at the property. Insp Kennedy said that the two were advertising themselves to customers on the Escort Ireland website as Anne & Peter. An advert placed by the two on Escort Ireland stated: Ann is a woman of 30 years with a pretty face and Peter is a man of 38 years with a slender body and both are eager to please you The advert continued We receive men, women and couplesYou will enjoy the best experience of your life and and sure you will come back. Insp Kennedy said that the two worked as a couple all of the time with their clients and did not work individually. He said: This was a couple situation as opposed to a single situation. The inspector said that the two would charge clients 200 an hour for sex; 170 for 45 minutes and 130 for 30 minutes. Call out rates worked out at 250 for the first hour of sex. Insp Kennedy said that the couple told Gardai that they were making 1,200 a week from the activities at the house and 4,000 to 5,000 a month. In reply to a question from Judge Patrick Durcan, Insp Kennedy said that the two were both managers and providers of the service at the home and that no other people were engaging in prostitution at the address. Insp Kennedy said: Their response to Gardai was that they didnt think there was anything wrong with what they were doing and that it wasnt illegal." Insp Kennedy added: The entire operation was conducted by both of them. It was a joint enterprise. They were both participating in it willingly and with each other and it was advertised in that format. Solicitor for the two, Daragh Hassett said that his clients were conducting a cottage industry at the address and this is rampant in Spain and regularized there and not something that breaches the law there. Mr Hassett said that his clients werent aware of what they were doing was illegal here. He said that if anything, the couple overly co-operated with the Gardai and told the State things the State couldnt have known into how this was operated. Mr Hassett said that the two essentially gave the Gardai CPD (Continued Professional Development) in how these things operate. Mr Hassett said that when news broke that the two were charged "they were effectively ran out of the property and out of Ennis. They had to leave Clare and they are both living in the east of Ireland now. Mr Hassett said that the two are now working as general operatives in a factory each earning 400 a week. In the case the couple pleaded guilty to knowingly living in whole or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person and aided and abetted that prostitution contrary to Section 10 of the Criminal Law Sex Offences Act at Station View, Ennis on July 23rd 2016. Insp Kennedy said that prison terms up to six months and/or a fine can apply. He said that both have no previous convictions. Judge Durcan said that he would fine each 600. By Laura Lynott Up to 20 youths wearing balaclavas stormed a train last night and brawled with knives and blocks of wood, as they spray painted a train, threatening passengers and causing around 4,000 damage. In what Irish Rail has described as an unprecedented graffitti attack around a dozen youths blocked the doors of a Dart with pieces of wood at Clongriffin Train Station in north Dublin, preventing the train from moving. Train passengers were threatened by the gang with pieces of wood as all hell broke loose on the train at around 10.30pm. One eyewitness said there were about 20 youths wearing balaclavas involved in the vandalism. "They had knives and sticks and started fighting each other. It looked like two gangs who were fighting over whod spray paint the train - it was unbelievable and terrifying. It was the worst Ive ever seen, incredible. One member of the public said: A few of us wrestled one of the lads. He had a 2x4 (piece of wood). We didnt know they had knives as well though. Some passengers were too traumatised to speak about the incident but Irish Rail confirmed this attack exposes the lie that graffiti vandals are engaged in some sort of artistic endeavour. This was aggressive and threatening criminal activity. The gang fled at Clongriffin, running up the train tracks as gardai were alerted but no arrests have yet been made. Gardai and Irish Rail are reviewing the CCTV footage today. Irish Rail said it only had information that around a dozen youths had stormed the train but it confirmed there had been some suggestion a second grafitti group became involved in an altercation with the vandals. Images provided to the press from the public show the train has been spray painted and gardai inspecting the carriage. Passengers were instructed to disembark the train as the damage to the carriage was extensive and there was a strong smell of spray paint within the train. Irish Rail staff asked passengers to board another train as gardai searched for the youths. Irish Rail and the Gardai did not yet have information about knives being carried during the assault on the train but passengers told the media the youths had knives. A regular passenger said This happens every two weeks, though another passenger stated he had never seen anything of this magnitude before on a train. An Irish Rail spokeswoman said: A deliberate and orchestrated graffiti attack took place on an in-service DART last night at Clongriffin Station. A group of approximately a dozen vandals completely spray painted a DART and blocked doors individually and with pieces of wood preventing the DART from departing. While thankfully no customers were hurt some were threatened by the vandals with pieces of wood. There is some suggestion that a second graffiti group became involved in an altercation with the vandals but we will be reviewing cctv and supplying Gardai with all footage to assist in prosecutions. While graffiti attacks are unfortunately an ongoing issue we have to tackle, the scale of this on an in-service DART was unprecedented. In reviewing this with Gardai we will also review security presence to counteract issues of this kind. We urge anyone with information to contact the Gardai. This incident clearly exposes the lie that graffiti vandals are engaged in some sort of artistic endeavor. This was aggressive and threatening criminal activity. In light of this we are reviewing security at Clongriffin and will have immediate additional security pending the review. A Garda spokeswoman said: Gardai are investigation an incident of criminal damage to a train at Clongriffin Dart Station last night. Youths allegedly spray painted a carriage but were gone on arrival of gardai. Investigations are ongoing. The dart had been travelling from Dublin to Malahide. The Foreign Affairs Minister says he's greatly disappointed by the US announcement to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran. Simon Coveney says he hopes that the United States will reconsider its decision. Anglers have been urged to stay away from a lake in Cork where fish appear to be dying from an unknown disease. Ireland South MEP Liadh Ni Riada has issued the warning in response to reports of huge numbers of carp dying in The Lough in Cork City and Belvelly Lake in Cobh. Video by Denis Minihane The Sinn Fein MEP, who sits on the EU Fisheries Committee, also urged those who have previously been at either site to disinfect all equipment so as to not risk spreading the disease. This is very worrying news, she said. The deaths of hundreds of fish is bad enough but the fact that whatever has caused it seems to be spreading to other lakes is deeply concerning. The Lough is a landmark of the city and treasured by the residents so nobody wants to see it closed or access restricted. The same is true of Blevelly Lake in Cobh which is a beautiful spot, as much loved by the locals as it is by anglers. Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Marine Institute are currently working on finding out what is affecting the fish and I have no doubt they are doing so as quickly as possible. In the meantime all we can do is not exacerbate the problem so I would urge anglers not to fish at the affected lakes and if they have been there in the past month or so to make sure they disinfect all their equipment so as to not risk spreading whatever is affecting the fish to other lakes. Iconic Cork city landmark, The Lough - Digital Desk There were explosive scenes in the Dail today after a row broke out between two Kerry TD's over the new rural transport initiative - 'drink link.' The row erupted after Mr Healy-Rae asked Taoiseach Leo Varadkar whether he stood by a comment made by Transport Minister Shane Ross last week branding him a "road traffic terrorist". The dispute gained momentum when Junior Transport Minister Brendan Griffin criticised Healy-Rae for opposing the roll out of the pilot initiative. Mr Griffin said it was a very progressive step. He said: "It is a major step forward in terms of rolling out in rural Ireland, the type of transport services that are available in urban parts of Ireland." Youre letting down the people of Kerry Mr Healy-Rae hit back saying: "Youre letting down the people of Kerry and a heightened argument between the pair followed. Leas-Ceann Comhairle, Pat Gallagher tried to gain control of the situation saying, "We are not going to play the Kerry game here. It can be played in Croke Park." We are not going to play the Kerry game here. It can be played in Croke Park. It comes as a number of TDs, including the two Healy-Rae brothers, have vehemently opposed the progression of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill from going through the chamber. The controversial bill would lower the threshold for an automatic drink-driving disqualification Danny Healy-Rae told the Dail that it is ridiculous to think that eight routes in Kerry are supposed to meet the needs of all the rural people who will be isolated in their homes following the passage of this bill. Responding, Mr Griffin said: I am not sure if Deputy Danny Healy-Rae welcomes it but I know his brother has not welcomed the scheme. He did, however, welcome it on Radio Kerry. He said even if there is one route in one part of Kerry he would welcome it, once a week. Now in May he is not welcoming it. Danny Healy-Rae and Transport Minister Shane Ross. Michael Healy-Rae had hit out at the new rural bus routes during an RTE Prime Time debate on Tuesday where he went head to head with Transport Minister Shane Ross. Mr Healy-Rae claimed the funding is not enough for one county, let alone the whole country. The buses are a load of nonsense, said Mr Healy-Rae. Between now and midnight, that will be spent on buses in Dublin tonight. However, in December, Mr Healy-Rae said that he would support any additional services and would be delighted to see even one extra bus route. Speaking on Radio Kerry, Mr Healy-Rae said: I never said I was opposed to anything. I am a Kerry TD for all of Co Kerry; any additional service proposed, or definitely coming, would have to be welcomed by me and I would gladly welcome it. If it was only one extra route every week wouldnt I be delighted to see that service. Of course I would support the proposal." However, he did add that he thought the plans were a smokescreen and it was cynical to come out with a plan to extend rural services when they were voting on drink-driving regulations Mr Healy-Rae strongly defended his stance when contacted by the Irish Examiner last night. He claimed the announcement to provide new routes is simply a sop and a PR exercise. This will have no impact in Co Kerry, it wont compensate for what they are doing now, he said. - Digital Desk & Elaine Loughlin In advance of his show at the 3Arena, the American stand-up tells Richard Fitzpatrick about his role in Breaking Bad and the rise and fall of Kari-Jokie. Bill Burr rides shotgun through life. Hes adopted a philosophy from his brother, which he discussed with Jerry Seinfeld on Seinfelds show, Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. Burrs take on life is that its better not to be the guy who owns the boat; its better to be the guy whose friend owns the boat. You dont have to deal with docking fees and or with scraping barnacles off the hulls. Just show up with a 12-pack of beer and Youre a hero. You get on it. You enjoy it, and when youre done, you move on. Thats the way Burr has rolled through life and his comedy and acting career, parachuting onto friends shows, or hit TV series like Breaking Bad (he was one of Saul Goodmans goons in seasons four and five). Burr was a fan of the show from the off. After watching two episodes, before the series went viral, he made his move. I was one of the first actors to start bugging my agent to get on the show, he says. Before the shows producers got inundated with every actor at my level who wanted to be on it, I got my request in early. They had me read some lines from the show, some of Badgers. I guess they liked what they saw and said, Alright, if something comes along, well give you a shout. A couple of seasons went by. I didnt think it was going to happen and then I got to read for a guy named Patrick Kuby. I remember the first time I did an episode, how surreal it was. I watched every single episode. I watched reruns. I was so invested in it. I always thought it was like, if you were the biggest Star Wars fan ever and then one day you get to play a stormtrooper and youre standing next to Darth Vader, and then they go: And action. Its like: I just got sucked into my TV. It was crazy. Burr who has built up a mass following for his weekly podcast series, Bill Burrs Monday Morning Podcast, in which he has been ridiculing lifes blowhards and dissecting sport, and other matters, since 2007 performs at the the 3Arena in Dublin on June 5. His standing as a comedian couldnt be higher in the US. Last year, he was placed 17th on Rolling Stone magazines list of 50 best stand-up comics of all time, one spot behind Billy Connolly and ahead of Woody Allen and Eddie Izzard. Burr first visited Ireland 15 years ago, for the Cat Laughs festival in Kilkenny. He was roped into appearing by his buddy, Dom Irrera. Burr was given specific tourist advice about Ireland. I quickly learned that you didnt want to go to Temple Bar, that if I went down to Temple Bar, it was just gonna be me and some other jack-ass from Ohio talking to each other, and Im thinking I could have done this in the States. What I learned was to meet some people from Ireland and, hopefully, theyd tell you where to go and drink. Burrs lineage is German-Irish. He grew up in Canton, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. He has that flinty Bostonian humour, which he has mined to good effect with his popular Netflix animated series, F Is for Family, the third season of which is due out later in the year. Deciding on animation as a vehicle for the show in which he does the voiceovers, along with actors Laura Dern and Sam Rockwell seemed like a good idea at the time. So, why did he choose animation? Because Im an idiot, he says. I thought it was going to be easier than doing a live action show with hair, make-up, wardrobe, setting up and breaking down. I did a couple of episodes of shows that were one-camera shoots and I was like: This is brutal, but its still quicker than animation. But the thing with animation is that you can get away with so much more, because the people that complain are morons. Theyre going, Well, those are cartoon people. My kid is into cartoons, so I guess the kid wont get affected by what its watching. Burr says he really doesnt get people who complain about stuff on TV and keep watching it, rather than switching channel. Theyre a special breed of people. I dont know if theyre right or wrong, but I dont understand them. Burr turns 50 in the summer. He has been doing live stand-up since forever. He got his start at Nicks Comedy Stop, a comedy club in Boston, back in the early 1990s, and has survived all kinds of gimmicks and threats to his trade. Who remembers Kari-Jokie, a mishmash of karaoke and teleprompter-scripted joke-telling? For a minute, they had this thing called Kari-Jokie, says Burr, which was, basically, an audience member would go up on stage and read a joke off of a teleprompter. All the comics were like, Oh my God, this is going to kill comedy. It was hilarious, like some idiot reading a street joke off a teleprompter is going to kill George Carlin and Seinfelds career, right? "But thats what we thought. We went up on stage to start the show one night and there was this table of assholes in the front row and they were heckling us, and they wouldnt shut up. They really got the better of us. We were all depressed, having a bad show. But the second the show was over, all of a sudden they had Kari-Jokie and the people that were heckling us started going up on stage and I was sitting there going, This is bullshit. This is going to kill comedy. And my friend, Pete, a comedian, who recently passed away, said, Dude, are you kiddin me? This is perfect. He started heckling the people who had heckled us. It was almost like a feel-good Hollywood movie. They were up on stage, trying to do the jokes and we were destroying them to the point that nobody from the audience then wanted to get on stage. They all had the balls to heckle us, but they didnt want to hear it from us. - Bill Burr will perform at the 3Arena, Dublin, on Tuesday, June 5 By Des ODriscoll Denyse Woods was born in Boston, but has been living in Cork for almost 30 years, and is based in Inniscarra. She has just published her sixth novel, Of Sea and Sand (Hoopoe Fiction), which is a supernatural love story set in Oman and West Cork. Woods will read at West Cork Literature Festival in July. Best recent book youve read: Embrace on Brooklyn Bridge by Ezzedine C Fishere, about what it is to be an Arab immigrant in America. Best recent film: Borg vs McEnroe. Best piece of music youve been listening to lately (new or old): I love listening to my daughter Finola Merivales pieces on SoundCloud. I also recently revisited my Belgian childhood by listening to several of Adamos old hits. First ever piece of music or art or film or gig that really moved you: I once had the privilege of attending Verdis Aida in the Forum in Rome. Live elephants and all. The best gig youve ever seen: Leonard Cohen in Dublin. Tell us about your TV viewing: Anything that will make me laugh or think. The recent RTE documentary Irelands Deep Atlantic with Ken OSullivan was brilliant. For a Friday night, Graham Norton every time. Funnier than all of his guests. The Young Offenders, of course. Funny and poignant. Such a strong script. Radio listening and/or podcasts: I adore the radio and mostly listen during the night, so its mostly the BBC World Service. When driving, I choose Sean Moncrieff on Newstalk. I love the West Wing Weekly podcast. Youre curating your dream festival which three artists are on the bill, living or dead? I curated the West Cork Literature Festival for four years and got to invite many writers I hugely admire. So, lets go with the unavailable: Literature: Mary Lavin, Wilfrid Thesiger and Samuel Pepys. Music: Lennon, Victor Borge and Nina Simone. Your best celebrity encounter: My encounter with Ringo Starr in 1977 when I was 19. Id been a mad Beatles fan since I was old enough to understand, and happened to be in Rome when he was passing through, doing some PR for an album. I scoured the papers with no real hope of his hotel being revealed, but it was, so I tore across town and arrived just a few minutes before he came through the lobby on his way to the airport. Im afraid I grabbed his arm, but failed to speak. He very calmly asked for his arm back, then talked me through the process of getting his autograph. A prized possession. No selfies in those days, but I did get some pics. We then followed him to the airport, where, when he saw me and realised Id tracked him down, again, he smiled and waved his passport at me. Melt, melt, melt. Im surprised Im still here. His girlfriend then enveloped me in a huge hug. I was high for months. You can portal back to any period of human cultural history or music event? 1960s, of course. Although, as my father used to point out, rather than being a time of love and flower power, it was a dark time, the era of the Vietnam War, assassinations, civil rights atrocities in the US and of course our own grief here on this island. However, on the brighter side, Id like to have been working in a building adjacent to the Beatles Apple Studios in London, on the day they shook the neighbourhood with their impromptu rooftop concert January 30, 1969. Any interesting ancestors? Denis Devlin, poet and diplomat, much admired by Becket, Ezra Pound and many other greats of his day. My grandmother and grandfather were amongst the many who hid Michael Collins in Dublin when he was on the run. Unsung heroes: The park rangers across the world who too often lose their lives protecting our wildlife. Particularly those attempting to save elephants from poachers. You are queen for a day whats your first decree? I would have to be Queen of the All Nations so I could put an end to the manufacture of armaments and put all those people in those industries into jobs protecting the planet from climate change instead. The Senate confirmation hearing for Gina Haspel to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency will be the last chance for the United States to confront its history of torturing terrorist suspects. Haspel got cold feet a few days back, as she prepared for her first public appearance representing the CIA. Who wouldnt? She was contemplating a confession to countenancing violations of the laws of war. But I suspect that when todays hearing is done, the record of denial and deception will be largely intact. No one will be held to account. One of the darker chapters in 21st-century American history will be shoved farther down the memory hole. The CIA, having acted with impunity and then absolved itself of wrongdoing, now likely will be led by Haspel, who both oversaw brutal interrogations at a CIA prison in Thailand and then drafted an order to destroy 92 video recordings of these and other horrors. Ive said to the people that we dont torture, and we dont, President George W Bush insisted in 2006. But we did. Torture works, Donald J Trump proclaimed in 2016. But it doesnt. If Haspel isnt compelled to say otherwise, these lies may someday be seen as truths. The spy service conned US Congress over the efficacy of torture; CIAs counterterrorism chiefs held steadfast to the idea that torture worked. It didnt. The agencys inspector general found that the torture programme failed to produce significant intelligence. Those who were tortured, including the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, cannot be prosecuted; the evidence against them is fatally tainted by waterboarding, beatings, and death threats at the point of a handgun and a hand drill. Nor can the CIA officers who oversaw and conducted torture be brought to trial; Bush granted them all immunity. The senator uniquely qualified to bear witness against torture is John McCain, the Arizona Republican, who spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. To make someone believe that you are killing him by drowning is no different than holding a pistol to his head and firing a blank, he once wrote. It is torture, very exquisite torture. McCain wrote those words in 2005, in a debate over Americas compliance with the United Nations Convention on Torture. He wrote an amendment into law, banning torture, and it passed, 90-9. Among those opposed was Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, now the attorney general. At that time, the horrors of the prison at Abu Ghraib, in Iraq, had come to light. But the full facts regarding the CIAs black sites for prisoners still were a very dark secret. Gina Haspel. And Haspel, with her boss at headquarters, Jose Rodriguez, was trying to make sure they stayed secret. She drafted an order, sent by her superior, to destroy all videotapes recording torture. Rodriguez wrote, in a memoir, that he reviewed Haspels work, then took a deep breath of weary satisfaction and hit send. It was just as George Orwell described the memory holes in the novel, 1984, which were situated throughout the Ministry of Truth, and where history was rewritten to match state propaganda: When one knew that any document was due for destructionit was an automatic action to lift the flap of the nearest memory hole and drop it in, whereupon it would be whirled away on a current of warm air to the enormous furnaces, which were hidden somewhere in the recesses of the building. The CIAs destroy order was executed immediately after the Senate proposed an independent commission to investigate the black sites. Into the fiery furnaces went the evidence. An epic showdown would be certain if McCain, who is fighting brain cancer, were well enough to attend Haspels confirmation hearing. In any event, he already has sent her detailed written questions about the techniques, which, in his words, compromised our values, stained our national honour, and threatened our historical reputation. Did you advocate for the destruction of tapes or any other material containing potential evidence of the torture of, or the use of enhanced interrogation techniques on, detainees in the custody of, or under the effective control of, the CIA? McCain wants to know. At the time, what were your personal views of the legality, morality, and effectiveness of enhanced interrogation techniques? What is your assessment, today, of the effectiveness of enhanced interrogation techniques and their impact on the United States moral standing in the world? I would add a few questions of my own for the nominee. President Donald Trumps first CIA director, Mike Pompeo, now newly sworn in as US secretary of state, said last October that the CIA needed to become a much more vicious agency in its covert operations. Does she agree? President Bushs White House lawyers argued that it would be unconstitutional for Congress to outlaw torture if the commander-in-chief said it was needed to protect national security. If Trump secretly ordered the CIA to resume waterboarding, would she follow that command, in the face of American law and the Geneva Conventions? These questions go to the heart of who and what America now stands for. Haspel can disavow her past, or embrace it. Her nomination should stand or fall on that point. At the moment our capacity for civilised debate is being tested it might seem provocative to point out that another debate, one that will be as polarising if not as emotionally highly-charged as todays, has become important especially for an Ireland facing a post-Brexit world. In just over a year EU Parliament candidates will be on the last lap of their campaign. Something around 500 million people will be able to vote in an election that will return 705 MEPs. But what kind of a Europe will they and the Irish electorate vote for? Diverse views on integration, common tax policies, immigration, climate and defence among those 500m Europeans mean a new common ground must be found if we are to continue to enjoy the great benefits of the European project. It is unfortunate that as this debate opens that the reality of pre-EEC Ireland is fading from living memory. However, anyone who can remember this country in the 1950s and 1960s cannot but be amazed by the transformation. What was once an insular, impoverished, deferential, straitlaced society dominated by narrow interests and hollowed out by emigration was utterly transformed. That transformation was far more than material. Europe insisted on higher standards in everything from care homes, food production, and social legislation. Opportunity became an expectation, not a legacy issue. In one instance securing pensions for Waterford Crystal workers it showed that in many instances it is more reliable than the Dail. The scale of that transformation may be taken for granted but the relationships that made it possible are changing. The Irish conversation around Brexit has focussed on relationships with Britain but there has not been the same consideration on how we might build alliances in a new Europe. Britains support has helped Irelands cause at EU negotiations. Transformative farm supports are just one example. Britain also provided a foil to the Franco-German influence but from next March that counterweight will be gone. French President Emmanuel Macron. Speaking in Strasbourg last month, French President Emmanuel Macron offered a blueprint for a remade Europe. He advocated an EU that must be more democratic and reformed in an absolute way. He advocated a renewal of the founding principles and urged a stronger position on climate change and a more proactive role on immigration. He also referred to a strengthened defence policy and tax harmonisation, issues that energise Irish eurosceptics. They also energise Europes authoritarian leaders like Hungarys Viktor Orban and Polands Jaroslaw Kaczynski both of whom seem determined to destroy the tolerance central to the European project. Sadly, the Brexit leaders have more in common with Orban and Kaczynski than they do with Macron or even Merkel. Fine Gael MEPs sit with the European Peoples Party Group in the European Parliament as does Orbans toxic Fidesz party. We may not be able to choose our neighbours but we can choose our friends. Moving to exclude Fidesz and other anti-EU forces from the EPP would be a good line in the sand and a lively, defining opening to the discussion we must have on where we see Ireland in Europe. Students at a leading UK university have been suspended after screenshots of a group messenger chat emerged in which users joked about rape and used racial slurs. The University of Warwick has suspended 11 male students pending a disciplinary investigation after the remarks came to light. Screenshots showed one chat member wrote: "Rape her friends too," with another replying: "Sometimes it's fun to just go wild and rape 100 girls." The conversation continued with: "Rape the whole flat to teach them all (a) lesson." Another message read: "What do we do with girls? RAAAAAAAAAPE." At one point, a user wrote: "Rape her in the street while everybody watches," with another responding it "wouldn't even be unfair". One chat participant, using a racial slur, then said: "Even the p**is?" Further remarks included: "love Hitler, hate n****s and jews and Corbyn." The messages came to light after three formal complaints were made to the university, with dozens of screenshots of the alleged remarks provided as evidence. Discussing racism, one user said: "Yeah racism is frowned upon at Warwick? F****** bull." Others replied "EDL!" and "racism is class". A University of Warwick spokesman said: "A possible student disciplinary incident is currently being actively investigated. "We cannot comment further on this matter until those investigations, and any subsequent disciplinary processes, are concluded." A member of the elite Russell Group, the university is ranked 11th in the UK, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018. The GoFundMe page was set up to help cover the costs of repatriating the remains of Yosuke Sasaki, 24, who was living and working in Dundalk. Confirmation that the fund was now closed was made on Facebook by former councillor Ollie Morgan of Dundalk. He said: A fantastic total of 21,390 of a 2,000 goal has been achieved to help the Sasaki family with the repatriation of Yosukes body back to Japan. All of the pending legal cases are against US labs, with no Irish labs involved, the State Claims Agency has confirmed. Director Ciaran Breen revealed the agency only found out through the media about more than 200 women who could have had audit results kept from them and did not know the smear test scandal was far wider than Ms Phelans case before her situation was made public. We did not understand the wider implications which we only learned of later, he said. Appearing before the Oireachtas finance committee, Mr Breen said his understanding right up to the end of Ms Phelans case was that all other women had been notified of false negative smear tests. Our understanding based on discussions with CervicalCheck was that all of the women had been informed, we didnt even know the number at the time, said Mr Breen. At the time we certainly were of the view that all of the other women had been informed and then we heard it in the media. Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty said he was deeply alarmed that the State Claims Agency had been given what he described as false information from CervicalCheck which was way off the mark. I am deeply alarmed that we have the State Claims Agency pursuing a victim here, somebody who was let down badly by the State in relation to non-disclosure and CervicalCheck, some senior person in there is telling you that all of the women identified in the audit were informed, that there is no other Vicky Phelans out there in terms of non-disclosure, he said. Mr Breen confirmed that on top of Ms Phelans case, the agency is aware of nine other actions in train as well as another potential case. Three of the cases relate to women who have died between the original smear and now. Mr Doherty suggested the HSE should settle with those involved and then sue the US labs in order to save women the hardship and trauma of going to court. Mr Breen said: None of these cases should go to trial, thats the reality and in three of the cases, the US laboratory have already indemnified the agency. Under questioning from Richard Boyd Barrett, Mr Breen confirmed no Irish labs are involved in legal cases taken by victims of the CervicalCheck scandal. Speaking after the committee meeting, Mr Boyd Barrett said this has confirmed warnings given as far back as 2008 that the quality of outsourced US screening would be inferior to that done here in Ireland. We have tried to get this information from the minister, Taoiseach, and the HSE for the last week but they have refused to provide it because they know it would be utterly damning of the political decision to outsource cervical smear testing to profit-driven private US companies, he said. The State Claims Agency has told us what we have suspected all along that it was the US labs and only the US labs against whom cases have been taken for misreading and only US labs that have sought gagging orders. This is a totally damning confirmation of the folly of outsourcing the cervical smear screening. Francesca La Morgia from Trinity College Dublin is examining the benefits of education in Irish-language schools but said children brought up in homes where they regularly speak a second language show the same positive outcomes. You need to be exposed to a language sufficiently over the course of a day in order to in order to acquire it, whether at home or in a school context, she said. As assistant professor in clinical speech and language studies at TCD, her work is predominantly looking at total immersion in Irish at gaelscoileanna and Gaeltacht schools and the impact of bilingualism on pupils. There are benefits for their literacy, they learn to read and write very early. They can transfer their abilities from one language to the other, and find it easier to learn another language... because theyve got the flexibility and experience, she said. The findings may equally apply to children of one or more non-Irish parents where a language other than English or Irish is the main use in the home. But, Ms La Morgia noted, it is essential that the children use the language themselves as well as listening to it. She said children have improved attention and ability to focus when they are raised with two languages, whether or not they are taught in an Irish-medium school. Ms La Morgia is planning further research to measure the communication competencies in Irish of students at all-Irish second-level schools. Her current work is funded by Foras na Gaeilge and feeds into the wider Irish Network in Childhood Bilingualism and Multilingualism, funded by the Trinity Long Room Hub (TCDs arts and humanities research institute) and the Teaching Council. At a meeting of the network in TCD last week, academics and educational experts shared research on bilingual education for children with speech, language and communication difficulties. Gaeloideachas chief executive, Blathnaid ni Ghreachain, said there is a misperception that children with special educational needs will not cope, or are not represented, in schools where everything is taught through Irish. But, she said, research shows that they do as well in bilingual settings as they would in an English-medium school and that bilingual education may even be the better option for many children, including those with autism. Ms La Morgia said a growing body of international research shows that the advantages of greater confidence and increased educational attainment associated with bilingual education are available to all children, including those with autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Down syndrome or other special educational needs. The measure is one of a number of amendments to a schools admissions bill for which Education Minister Richard Bruton secured Cabinet approval yesterday. Difficulties finding places in mainstream schools for pupils with autism or other special educational needs have been increasing in recent years, particularly at second level. Despite efforts by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to have mainstream schools provide special needs classes, the lack of legal obligations is leading to children having to travel considerable distances or to attend special needs schools instead. The proposed amendment which Mr Bruton will introduce at report stage to the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill would give him or his successors power to compel a school to set up a special needs class where the NCSE identifies the need to do so in an area. However, it is hoped the existence of the powers would encourage greater co-operation from schools in the first instance. The initiative has been added to the bill following significant lobbying by groups representing families of children with special needs, and also pressure from Fianna Fail. The bill, initiated in 2016, passed committee stage last summer but was delayed while a number of additional provisions remain subject to legal consideration by the attorney generals office. File photo Previously flagged measures also being added to the bill will see an exemption being given to minority-faith schools from Mr Brutons plans to remove religion as a criteria for selecting children if there are not enough places for all applicants for enrolment. Consultations on the move to remove the so-called baptism barrier that currently allows faith-based schools prioritise children of their own ethos, proved divisive. Mr Bruton expects the new rules to be in place in time for enrolment applications from September 2019. The idea of exempting Protestant or other minority-faith schools is based on the more considerable distances between such schools than that between Catholic schools, which account for almost 90% of the countrys 3,300 primary schools. Where a minority-faith school decides to include religion as selection criteria if oversubscribed, children of similar religions to that of the school would have to be given equal treatment. This would mean, for example, that a Church of Ireland school would be required to give equal preference for enrolments to children of Methodist or Presbyterian families. A third amendment will make provision for children with what reasonable and age-appropriate levels of fluency in Irish to be given priority over others if there are not enough places for all applicants to Irish-medium schools. Gabriel Scally is a senior public health doctor and adviser to the British department of health and the NHS. The 63-year-old from West Belfast contributed to a serious case review of Winterbourne View Hospital where staff were shown to be mistreating and assaulting adults with learning disabilities and autism. The news comes amid a stormy Cabinet meeting yesterday at which ministers called for HSE director general Tony OBrien to be sacked, only to be told it would cost too much. Finian McGrath, Michael Ring, and Katherine Zappone said Mr OBrien should depart from his post as he no longer commands public confidence. The Irish Examiner has learnt Mr McGrath pushed for the cabinet to be more supportive of Ms Phelan and victims, but was told that forcing Mr OBrien from his post could risk a costly legal action. The Government has approved the terms of reference for a scoping exercise into the cervical cancer scandal which is to be headed by British medical expert Gabriel Scally. It is to be completed by the end of June. However, the news that three women who were mistreated like Ms Phelan have died was disclosed at the Oireachtas Finance Committee by the director of the State Claims Agency. Ciaran Breen said Ms Phelan, who is terminally ill, should never have been dragged through the courts adding that none of the women involved in pending cases should go through the same ordeal. He confirmed that all of the pending legal cases are against US labs, with no Irish labs involved. As well as Ms Phelan, who was awarded 2.5m by a US lab, the State Claims Agency is now managing nine other similar cases and Mr Breen said they are aware of another potential case. I understand that some of the women have died between the original smear and now, he said. None of these cases should go to trial, thats the reality, and in three of the cases the US laboratory have already indemnified the agency. Mr Breen also told the Oireachtas Finance Committee the agency did not know that the smear test scandal was far wider than Ms Phelans case before her situation was made public. We did not understand the wider implications which we only learned of later, he said. Our understanding based on discussions with CervicalCheck was that all of the women had been informed, we didnt even know the number at the time. At the time we certainly were of the view that all of the other women had been informed and then we heard it in the media. Mr Breen said the US laboratory had admitted liability and had offered the State an indemnity, and said they were going to deal with Ms Phelans settlement. Fianna Fails finance spokesman Michael Mc-Grath said it is wrong that women are left to fight an adversarial legal battle with a laboratory and he asked if there is any plan in place to provide redress and compensation to women who were diagnosed with cancer. Health Minister Simon Harris briefed his colleagues about the terms of the scoping exercise and the pending commission of inquiry. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, several ministers confirmed the high drama around the Cabinet table. Mr McGrath raised concerns that a commission of inquiry will take a year or two and in the end no one will be held accountable. Several sources said he and Ms Zappone said if Mr OBrien did not step down voluntary then he should be told to go. However, in response, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Mr Harris said there could be legal ramifications and could cost a lot of money if they did that. If we do it before the scoping inquiry is complete and he is exonerated then it could cost more, Mr Varadkar is reported to have said. An audit by the national screening programme, CervicalCheck, of 1,482 women diagnosed with cervical cancer since 2008 had found potential errors in 208 cases. The majority, 162, were not initially told of the outcome of the audit. Of the 208, 17 have since died. Dublins police chief Pat Leahy said protecting these lives was hugely resource intensive and said Operation Hybrid, the armed response to gangland crime, had performed almost 56,000 checkpoints and 10,000 patrols in the last two years. He said 10 of the 11 critical threats were in the north central area and that the Kinahan crime cartel, and their associates, would account for many of those. The north central division is the home to members of the Hutch family and wider criminal grouping, all Kinahan targets. The Assistant Commissioner for Dublin Metropolitan Region Patrick Leahy said that as of April 2018 there were live threats to life of 522 people across the six divisions. Of these, 11 are critical, 51 severe, 171 are substantial, 136 moderate, 110 are low, and 43 are being assessed. Critical is pretty significant you are in danger, real danger, he said. If we are going to you and saying there is a threat on you that we assess as being critical and we have 11 of those across the city you know that you are in bad shape. Speaking to the media after a Dublin City joint policing committee meeting, he said the Kinahan-Hutch feud obviously had an impact and represented a lot of the high-end threats. Up to 18 murders have been linked to the feud, all but two at the hands of Kinahan associates. Gardai have already said they have prevented 52 murder attempts in the last two years, most linked to the feud. Mr Leahy said some of the 522 threats go back some years and that the figure is updated daily. Of those 522 threats to life, a lot of the potential next set of murders are contained in that cohort, he said. Mr Leahy said measures to tackle threats included Operation Hybrid, in addition to individual plans in each of the six divisions depending on the threat level. In the north inner city their priority is the preservation of life and thats why they are running all these preservation-of-life beats in areas where you have high-value targets, he said. They are not a post on somebody, but they are on the street and two streets around. We have almost a fleet of patrol cars now deployed just to send a message that guards are out. He said that under Operation Hybrid they conducted 55,842 checkpoints between February 2016 and March 2018, which had identified 8,240 crimes. There have been 611 checkpoint patrols and 9,575 patrols. In addition, there have been 16,069 searches and 29,970 intelligence reports logged. Mr Leahy said there were three significant feuds, with others in Finglas/Ballymun and Ballyfermot. With just over two weeks until the May 25 vote, the yes side communicated the messages of grandmothers and grandfathers who witnessed and voted in the Eighth Amendment campaign of 1983. Retired Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness urged voters to trust the memories and experiences of women who campaigned against the abortion restrictions in 1983. I say, as a woman and as a grandparent, that we can be trusted to make decisions, she said. Ms McGuinness, who was joined by her adult grandchildren at the Dublin event, said she salutes women who have come out and shared their difficult experiences of abortion. Without such voices, there could be no conversation around the May 25 vote, she said. Grandparents for Repeal say theory senior citizens will vote no in referendum is wrong #dail #iestaff #8thAmendment pic.twitter.com/rRoCe0uQOn Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) May 8, 2018 She also saluted the doctors who are promoting the validity of a yes vote. However, she said, there is a rural element of elderly men who may not change their views since the original Eighth Amendment vote of 1983 and will vote no. The retired judge said that the sad tales of the last 35 years have strengthened and confirmed her beliefs. Former Fine Gael minister Gemma Hussey described how a scaremongering campaign in 1983 said abortion would be introduced any minute and this influenced the constitutional change. The panel said voters will make up their own minds this time and go to the ballot boxes indifferent of what posters are put up. Ms Hussey and former Labour minister Liz McManus condemned no campaign posters targetting Health Minister Simon Harris. Thanks to those who contacted me about disgusting posters which have been put up across my constituency today. I saw them on way to work. Have too much important work to do to give this time but want you to know it only makes me all the more determined to work #togetherforyes Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 8, 2018 Mr Harris has strongly criticised posters with graphic imagery put up in his constituency of Wicklow along with his image. They feature a picture of Mr Harris but behind him is an image of what appears to be a foetus. The minister has said his family and friends are upset at the poster. Ms McManus said that, in 1983, those campaigning for a constitutional ban on abortion used posters claiming that she would pay for abortions. However, the minister said Mr OBrien had only a number of weeks left in office and that a recruitment process for a replacement would begin next week. Mr Harris said he knows people are angry about the cervical cancer scandal and that he and other ministers also feel that anger. He said he was furious at what had occurred. I know people are angry and annoyed and, believe it or not, politicians are angry and annoyed, he said. How could you not be, after the events of the last fortnight? Information was put out; misinformation was given out. Facts were withheld; facts were not given. Women were let down. How could you not be furious at what has happened? Mr Harris declined to express confidence in the director general. My focus is on getting answers for women, he said. The DG has a few short weeks left; he is the outgoing DG of the HSE. Id rather he spend his remaining few weeks cooperating. I reckon we will have a new DG by early July. Tony O'Brien Mr Harris called on Mr OBrien to co-operate fully with making sure the women affected by the cervical cancer scandal secured the answers they deserved. I have heard people say that there is a benefit in him staying put, he said. I have made my position clear in relation to Tony OBrien: He has about eight weeks to serve his post. I expect him to do everything he can to help provide answers to women. I am furious at what has happened, furious because of the situation it has put women in, and furious that I havent been, at all times, able to give information, not that I wouldnt like to, but because that information wasnt forthcoming. Launching a scoping exercise, Mr Harris said Britains Dr Gabriel Scally would chair the group, which is due to report back by the end of June. The group has been given expansive terms of reference, though some are concerned that delivery of a report by the end of June is not possible. Mr Harris said he was confident Dr Scally and the team would get the job done, though the terms were ambitious. Scoping inquiry into #CervicalCheck now underway. Thank you to Dr Gabriel Scally & Dr Karin Denton for undertaking this really important work. Also received the green light for legislation on mandatory open disclosure today Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 8, 2018 It would have been a mistake to jump straight into a commission, without doing this scoping exercise, he said. I see this about gathering all the information, talking and listening to women about their experiences, so that when we come to establishing a commission, it will be a very focused one. The minister also confirmed that he has Cabinet approval to move to re-establish the board of the HSE, confirming the abandonment of Fine Gaels previous policy of abolishing the body. I will be bringing back a HSE board, so we can put the best and the brightest in there, he said. Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross said the evening and night-time transport services will run on a trial basis in rural areas for six months. In all, it will mean 50 new services in 19 local authority areas. Some routes, such as the Burtonport to Letterkenny route in Co Donegal, a route covering Tipperary town-Cahir-Cashel, and the Route 253 from Kinsale to Clonakilty in Co Cork are regular fixed routes under the public service obligation (PSO). Others, such as all the routes in Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Kerry, Laois and Offaly, are DRT (demand responsive transit) pre-book flexible routes. Mr Ross said the announcement of the routes followed consultation with stakeholders on how to combat social isolation. I tasked the National Transport Authority to examine how to extend existing Local Link services under the Rural Transport Programme, he said. Tackling the issue of social isolation in rural areas has always been a priority of the Independent Alliance. He said following a funding call for applications to all 17Local Link Offices to deliver a range of trial evening and nighttime services, the NTA received 50 proposals from 12 of the Local Link Offices and that the NTA will consider any further proposed services from the remaining five Local Link offices. Funding for all 50 new services has been approved on a six-month trial basis, comprising 20 extensions to existing regular public transport routes and 30 demand responsive services. It will add 188 new trips per week to the network of rural transport services nationally and will run on average from 6pm to 11pm, typically on Friday and Saturday evenings. Its hoped all 50 services will be operational by the end of next month and will run until December. The results of the trial will then be assessed and the availability of funding in 2019 will also be assessed before deciding on the future of the services. The department said the total cost of funding the services which has been dubbed the drink link this year is 450,000. While some welcomed the move, Michael Healy-Rae was not among them. The TD for Kerry South told RTEs Today with Sean ORourke programme, the service was not adequate that is why I am opposed to it. He said other government measures, such as reduced drink-driving limits, were hurting rural Ireland and the bus scheme would not deflect from that, despite spin doctors trying to make it more acceptable. The Mayor of Cork County, Cllr Declan Hurley, tweeted his approval for the scheme, saying he welcomed the announcement of a new evening and nighttime local bus service for Kinsale to Clonakilty and Rockchapel to Meelin and Banteer, with the service to run between 6pm-11pm at weekends on a trial basis for six months to address social isolation in rural areas. A spokesperson for Limerick Council said Local Link was actively investigating options for continued expansion of the existing community bus services in the county. Fianna Fail business spokesperson Billy Kelleher claimed small towns and villages are being cut off from any upswing in the economy by sub-standard regional investment. According to figures supplied by Business Minister Heather Humphreys, in the first three months of this year IDA Ireland officials made a total of 135 site visits to scope out potential locations for foreign direct investment by firms coming to Ireland. However, despite a repeated public emphasis on the need to spread foreign direct investment to all parts of the country, of these 135 visits, 69 were to Dublin and five more to Kildare and Meath. The rate compares to just 10 site visits each to Cork and Galway, eight to Limerick, six to Louth, five to Waterford and Sligo, four to Clare and Laois, and three to Westmeath. Commentating on the written Dail response, Mr Kelleher said we have copious amounts of IDA land available for site visits outside of the greater Dublin area, yet little or no IDA site visits. How does the IDA expect to entice foreign investors to set up on these vacant lands when they dont bring them to visit them? Ten out of 26 counties in the State received no visits so far this year. How is this good regional planning? To my mind, the IDA and the Government are failing these counties and are further exacerbating the regional imbalance between the greater Dublin area and the rest of the country, the TD said. A two-tier recovery has taken hold in regional and rural Ireland. The full benefits of a growing economy have yet to be felt in small towns outside of the capital, he said. Over the past two years, the Government has repeatedly said that regional economic development is key to the countrys recovery strategy and that it is actively encouraging multi-national firms to base themselves outside Dublin. Last month Ivor Pickett took first prize in the news photographer category at the 2018 World Press Photographers of the Year contest for his New York Times series Battle for Mosul. The fight to drive IS out of Mosul left 600,000 of the population of three million displaced and much of the old part of the city in ruins but Cork-born Mr Pickett has just returned there and says he is heartened by the resilience of the people. This time round he will bear witness to efforts to rebuild the city and to record parliamentary elections in Iraq on Saturday. It is quite incredible to see the country and Mosul, in particular, coming back to life, he told Ryan Tubridy on RTE radio. Based in the Middle East since 2009, Ivor documented the Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt and Libya as well as the Syrian refugee crisis before travelling to Mosul in October 2016 as Iraqi troops began a major offensive to re-take the city which had been under IS control since 2014. It took them more than a year. Civilians who had remained in west Mosul during the battle to retake the city, lined up for an aid distribution in the Mamun neighbourhood. The Iraqi government announced the official defeat of ISIS in December and the country is trying to get back on its feet after the most difficult urban combats since World War II. "There are huge obstacles in the wake of that yet to be overcome but I am back here since yesterday for the first time in a couple of months and every time you come back its bustling that little bit more. It is a far cry from his time embedded with Iraqi counter-terrorism forces who were spearheading the operation to defeat IS in Mosul throughout 2016 and 2017. I made multiple trips working for The New York Times. It was incredibly dangerous. ISIS were pioneering ways of fighting we had never seen before. The use of commercial drones that they had weaponised to both drop ordnance and to guide suicide car bombers. Through it all, he sought to record the toll the fighting was taking on civilians, photographing lines of people queueing for food and capturing the despair of a local woman sitting in the middle of what was once a road as she watched the bodies of her sister and niece being dug from the ruins of her house. Nadhira Aziz looked on as Iraqi Civil Defence workers dug out the bodies of her sister and niece from her house in the Old City where they were killed by an airstrike in June. The focus of a lot of my work was the fact that there were hundreds of thousands of civilians stuck in Mosul when this was going on. One of Mr Picketts prizewinning photos was of a boy who had survived the siege of the last IS-controlled area in the Old City of Mosul. That was towards the end of the battle for Mosul last summer, in July 2017. This young boy was carried by a soldier. "He had been carried across the front line by a man who was suspected of being an ISIS fighter who had picked up the boy to use as a human shield so the soldiers wouldnt shoot at him. They did not know anything about him. He was probably about two or three years old. He didnt speak because he was so young and traumatised. Iraqi Special Forces soldiers surveyed the aftermath of an ISIS suicide car bomb that managed to reach their lines in the Andalus neighbourhood, one of the last areas to be liberated in east Mosul. "He was one of the last children I saw coming out of that area that was being destroyed. Most people in there were ultimately killed. What happened next was incredible, said Mr Pickett. The soldiers took the boy and cared for him. After they washed him and his tattered clothing. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the soldiers shoulder. Thats when I took the picture. It was an incredible moment to witness and to watch these battle-hardened men put down their weapons for a second to care for this young boy. It was as if he had made them forget what they were still going through. "He became a symbol for me of the cost the battle had taken on the civilians of Mosul. The university has been the subject of criticisms over the low level of promotions of female academics, and there are still cases pending against it in the High Court by four women who were overlooked in a previous promotions round in 2008 and 2009. NUI Galway announced this week that it has achieved a bronze Athena Swan award, the lowest level of recognition for a colleges plans to address gender equality issues. This follows two previous unsuccessful applications by the university. Athena Swan is an internationally-recognised charter that supports work by academic institutions to advance gender equality in academic, professional, and support roles. The gender discrimination case won against NUI Galway by botanist Micheline Sheehy Skeffington in 2014, in which internal promotion processes were heavily criticised by the Equality Tribunal, drew significant attention to equality issues at the university. It also helped to highlight ongoing gender inequality in senior academic roles and management across most third-level institutions. The Higher Education Authority asked former EU commissioner Maire Geoghegan Quinn in 2015 to chair a review of the issues and its 2016 report made significant recommendations on how to address the problems. All publicly-funded third-level colleges were told at the end of 2016 they would no longer be eligible for funding from the three main public research agencies without this minimum bronze award under the Athena Swan initiative from the end of 2019. The latest achievement of the standard by NUI Galway and Maynooth University means all seven universities have secured the minimum requirement. By 2023, they and other colleges must progress gender equality strategies sufficiently to be awarded silver accreditation if they are to remain eligible for funding from the Irish Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland, and the Health Research Board. NUI Galways vice-president for equality and diversity, Anne Scott, said the bronze award recognises energetic and sustained work to address equality challenges there in recent years. However, we recognise that we are still at an early stage in this important journey, said Prof Soctt. Maynooth University is to appoint a vice-president for equality diversity and interculturalism as part of a strategy that also earned it a bronze Athena Swanaward, having made an unsuccessful application in 2015. A gender action plan for 2018 to 2021 also commits the Co Kildare university to launching a gender identity and expression policy for transgender and gender-diverse staff and students. The under-representation of women in different disciplines and grades at Maynooth is also set to be addressed. More than 40% of its professors in arts, humanities, and social sciences are female, and 31% of all the universitys professors are women. This compares favourably to the 21% of professors across all Irish universities during 2014-2016 who were women. The 14 institutes of technology are also the subject of potential restrictions to research funding from the end of next year but none has yet received the Athena Sawn bronze award. Patrick (Patsy) Walsh, who turns 70 next month, of Tinahealy, Co Wicklow, jumped bail before his sentencing in 2014 in Cork but was arrested on a European warrant in Liverpool last month. The warrant came to the attention of UK police when Walsh made a complaint about some matter in his locality, Detective Sergeant Mary Skehan told Cork Circuit Criminal Court. She testified that Walsh was the main orchestrator of this elaborate and complex deception of Bank of Ireland, which paid out 970,000 in fraudulently obtained mortgages between February 2009 and September 2011. The direct or indirect benefit from the complex scam amounted to direct or indirect benefit totalling over 765,000 for Walsh. Judge Sean O Donnabhain imposed a sentence of six years with the last two years suspended. This man was the orchestrator of this scam. He was there at conception and he was there to supervise every aspect of this scheme of dishonesty, said Judge O Donnabhain. He was in it at all steps even to the extent of setting up false PPS numbers. Bank accounts were opened years previously (for those who would be brought in to apply for mortgages). Thinking about this went on for a long time. It all comes back and rests at Mr Walshs door. A huge sum of money was involved. He stood to benefit in cash or kind to the amount of 765,000. There is still a substantial shortfall (for the bank). "He did co-operate with the bank, allowing repossession of certain properties, and he co- operated in the sale of those properties. But it is a fraud at the higher end of the scale. The dishonesty is virtually complete. It is organised, determined, and continuous and it all emanates from this man, said the judge. Detective Sergeant Skehan said Walsh was the main orchestrator of this fraud. Walsh is from Wicklow and was involved in the construction business in the UK and Ireland. He got into financial difficulties and between February 2009 and September 2011 operated under a number of aliases. He created false identities for several individuals who posed as legitimate purchasers of houses, all but two of which were owned by Walsh. False driving licences, P60s, PPS numbers, and payslips were created to facilitate the fraud. Once mortgages were secured the individuals with false IDs handed over the mortgage cheques from Bank of Ireland to Walsh. Mortgages ranged from 126,000 to 207,000 for six properties at Listowel, Co Kerry; Templemore, Co Tipperary; Cork City; and Buttevant, Co Cork, where there were three. Several people benefited by being paid a few hundred euro up to 1,000 for the parts they played in the scam. They were dealt with by the courts previously, and were mainly given suspended jail terms. The director general of the HSE, Tony OBrien, was called on to resign amid criticism of his mishandling of the cervical cancer screening scandal. During leaders questions, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, referred to a story in yesterdays Irish Examiner where Stephen Teap, husband of the late Irene who died last year, called on him to resign. Mr Teaps words echo the same sentiment and message as those of Vicky Phelan when she asked how Tony OBrien has the neck to stay in his job, she said. The fact that the Taoiseach continues to back Mr OBrien sends a very negative message to the victims of this scandal and the public more generally, Ms McDonald said: People look on and see the old boys club that runs this state protected at all costs. The old boys club is protected even when the lives of women have been placed in the gravest of jeopardy by its members catastrophic failures. However, Ms McDonald went further in heaping pressure on Mr OBrien. Now, despite Mr OBriens gross incompetence and his failures, the political establishment is seen to circle the wagons around him. Earlier the Taoiseach spoke of the feelings of hard-working staff within the HSE. The Taoiseachs refusal to hold Mr OBrien to account does them the gravest disservice of all. In response, Mr Varadkar said he had heard about Irene and Stephen Teap and their family. It is a very sad story and one which has affected everyone in the country, he said. Indeed the Tanaiste met with and spoke to Mr Teap over the weekend to hear about his concerns, to talk to him and to hear what he has to say, he said. The Taoiseach echoed Health Minister Simon Harris anger at how this scandal has been mishandled: I know that people are very annoyed about how this has been handled over the last few weeks, about the drip-drip of information and about the misinformation given on occasion. I assure the deputy that the Government and I feel exactly the same way. Mr Varadkar also said that part of what the Government is doing is ensuring that this clinical review is undertaken not just of the 208 women, but of all 1,400 who were part of the cervical screen audit. On Tuesday night, the minister for health announced that about 1,600 cases that had been notified to the National Cancer Registry of Ireland had not been notified on to CervicalCheck. Much work has been done in recent days to go through that. We can confirm that the vast majority of those 1,600 cases will not need to be part of the audit because, as we suspected at the time, many of those women did not have a smear test or had not had one for a very long period, he said. The Disclosures Tribunal heard about a former press officer in the force who had 11,000 contacts with journalists over a three-month period AFTER he had left the press office. While the man in question, Superintendent Dave Taylor, may have been a font of information outside the press office, those within it apparently knew next to nothing about the whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe. The tribunal, which is examining allegations of a smear campaign against Sgt McCabe, was given an insight into some crazy goings-on. Supt Taylor had been press officer in 2012-14, when Martin Callinan was commissioner. Supt Taylor has alleged that Mr Callinan instructed him to brief the media with the malicious and false information that Sgt McCabe was a child abuser. The tribunal has already heard from other witnesses TD John McGuinness and comptroller and auditor general Seamus McCarthy that Mr Callinan had told them that very thing, but Mr Callinan denies this. Mr Callinan resigned in March 2014 under the weight of garda scandals and, soon after, his successor, Noirin OSullivan, transferred Supt Taylor out of the press office. We have heard that Supt Taylor was bitter about this. His two immediate predecessors had been promoted on leaving the office. Supt Taylor, by contrast, was transferred to traffic, which one witness said he felt was a demotion. Meanwhile, an investigation was launched in July 2014 into a separate matter: The leaking of information about a Roma child who was taken into care the previous year. Chief Supt Francis Clerkin was appointed to investigate this matter. Chief Supt Francis Clerkin. Pic: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie Supt Taylor was fingered as a person of interest in the investigation. In December 2014, Chief Supt Clerkin asked him to hand over his phone. When the phone was analysed, it was discovered that there had been more than 11,000 contacts between Supt Taylor and journalists in the three months up to December 2014. One journalist, Eavan Murray of The Irish Sun, accounted for nearly a quarter of all those contacts. This was at a time when Supt Taylor was not authorised to have any contact with journalists. Chief Supt Clerkin told the tribunal that his team collated a number of the calls with exclusive stories written by Ms Murray of The Irish Sun. These included stories about rapes, robberies, and burglaries and incidents involving high-profile people. This information broadened the investigation into Supt Taylor. Now, they were examining whether he had been leaking all over the place at a time when he was no longer a press officer. Supt Taylor was apparently pining for his old job. The level of leaking, though, is staggering. The data suggests he had, on average, 100 contacts a day with a small number of journalists. He was no longer a press officer, but he appeared to be acting as a press officer, Chief Supt Clerkin told the tribunal. He appeared to have been running a parallel press office, counsel for senior gardai, Micheal OHiggins, put to him. He certainly provided a lot of information to certain journalists, the witness replied. Later, Chief Supt Clerkin said: I felt it was outrageous what he [Taylor] was doing. In May 2015, Supt Taylor was arrested and questioned, the highest ranking officer ever to be subjected to this indignity. He told them nothing. The ultimate outcome of Chief Supt Clerkins investigation is that a file went to the DPP recommending that Supt Taylor be charged over 37 leaks of garda information. There was also a recommendation that he be charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act, on the basis that he may have received assistance from Ms Murray of The Irish Sun. What has any of this to do with an alleged smear campaign against Sgt McCabe? Maurice McCabe While he was suspended, awaiting the result from the DPP, Supt Taylor made a protected disclosure, alleging he had, on direction from Mr Callinan, briefed negatively about Sgt McCabe to reporters back in 2013 and 2014. He implicated Mr Callinan and Ms OSullivan in his allegations. Whether the investigation into his own activities had anything to do with his protected disclosure is something the tribunal must consider. In that vein, Judge Peter Charleton put it to Chief Supt Clerkin, the net result was he [Taylor] didnt like her [OSullivan] and he was somewhat bitter? The witness agreed. Meanwhile, back in the garda press office, it would appear that nobody knew very much about Sgt McCabe when he was plastered across the news. Six former and current civilian staff in the office told the tribunal they had never heard the rumours about Sgt McCabe which were entirely false that had circulated about him in 2013 and 2014. John McGuinness has already given evidence that these rumours were rife in Leinster House at the time. The press office staff never really talked about Sgt McCabe or his background among themselves. This was at a time when their boss, Supt Taylor, claims he was spreading lies about Sgt McCabe on behalf of Mr Callinan. Its all very strange, but by now were all getting used to strange goings-on within An Garda Siochana. In the first operation, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau saved around 90% of the 300,000 taken from a company in Spain by two foreigners in Dublin. These individuals are suspected of being part of an organised criminal network involved in international fraud and money laundering. In a second, and unrelated, operation, the bureau recovered all of the 100,000 that had been stolen by an Irish national from an Irish company. The method of obtaining funds via this type of fraud is known as invoice redirect fraud. It takes place when a criminal impersonates a person or a company to whom a legitimate payment is due. The criminal contacts the company due to pay the money and deceives them into sending the money to them via a new account. That money is often broken up into different accounts and transferred abroad. In the first operation, the bureau arrested two males, aged 24 and 25, in Lucan, Dublin. They were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. In a statement, gardai said: The men arrested are suspected of being part of an organised criminal network involved in international fraud and money laundering activities. A Spanish company was deceived into transferring significant amounts to an Irish bank account being operated under a company name by the arrested persons. The vast majority of this money has been recovered. It is thought the amount defrauded was around 300,000 and that around 90% was recovered. Another male, aged 25, was arrested in Dublin city centre on suspicion of deceiving an Irish company into transferring a significant amount to an account he controlled. The amount is thought to be about 100,000 and all has been recovered. Assistant commissioner, Special Crime Operations, John ODriscoll stated: Todays arrests by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau of those involved in the fraudulent theft of money from businesses both here in Ireland and abroad is extremely significant. A quick reaction by An Garda Siochana is critical to success in combatting this type of organised fraud. It is particularly satisfying to recover money that was stolen and could have resulted in companies, both at home and abroad, going out of business had it not been recovered. Baylor College of Medicine in Texas launched a probe into the diagnostic accuracy of the cervical smears it sends to Clinical Pathology Laboratories in Austin, Texas, in the wake of the cervical cancer screening scandal in Ireland. The hospital said it was ordering an immediate investigation into the smears taken from women in the greater Houston area but it was unsure of how many women were involved. The statement said: Baylor College of Medicine contracts with Clinical Pathology Laboratories in addition to other laboratories, to read pap smears collected at Baylor outpatient clinics. We have reached out to Clinical Pathology Laboratories to ascertain the accuracy of diagnoses for our patients and will do what is necessary to ensure the safety of our patients. At this time, it is not known how many of our patients could have been impacted by the possible inaccurate reading of pap smears. The College has launched a full review and any patients affected will be contacted. It added that it provided medical direction of Clinical Pathology Laboratories clinical laboratory operations in the greater Houston area, overseeing tests such as the analysis of blood, body fluid, and urine specimens for outpatient services at Baylor Clinic. The inaccurate readings highlighted in the Irish court case have now had far-reaching effects. One concerned Houston resident, John T James, wrote a letter to the Houston Chronicle newspaper recalling his alarm when he watched a pathologist read cervical smears when he was a student in the late 1970s. He wrote: We met to discuss my research project. He read scores of Pap smears with amazing speed, while we carried on a discussion of my progress. "I remember thinking: These are not just slides, they are the lives of women. Has that been forgotten? As a mere graduate student, I kept my mouth shut. Mr James said no pathology service company should be allowed to continue operations without annually submitting random slides read by its staff to an expert pathology panel for review. The assertion by Alain Spilliaert came as Mr Bailey claimed the French prosecution file linked to efforts to try him for the voluntary homicide of Ms du Plantier shows there was alien DNA at the murder scene in Schull. It was reported last week by the Irish Examiner and others that Mr Bailey now intends to go to the ECHR after the French supreme court rejected his appeal against an earlier decision by the French high court to stop authorities there from prosecuting him in relation to the December 1996 death of the filmmaker. Speaking to Cork radio station 96FM yesterday, Mr Bailey said he was now trying to raise money to proceed with his application to the ECHR. He also said he had received, as part of his legal actions in France, the French prosecution file, which he said showed the presence of DNA belonging to someone else at the scene of Ms du Plantiers murder. There was, apparently, according to the file, alien DNA, he said, which was neither his nor Ms du Plantiers. It doesnt tell me the identity of the person but it does show that there was someone else, he said. As for the French prosecution file, he said: I could see it was based upon a lot of statements that were false or withdrawn. Ms du Plantiers body was found on December 23, 1996, and her family has increased its efforts in recent years to have Mr Bailey, 61, prosecuted in connection with her death. He has consistently denied any involvement in the death of the French filmmaker but could now face being tried in his absence in France for her voluntary homicide. A lawyer for the du Plantier family, Mr Spilliaert, told the Irish Examiner : We do not fear any debate before the European Court. He said as Mr Bailey would not be appearing at any forthcoming trial in France, it would proceed in absentia and will last only a few days. It is more than 20 years [since Ms du Plantiers death] the family is exhausted, they do not need to lose time. Mr Spilliaert also said it was unlikely that Mr Bailey would be allowed to give video evidence and also said French detectives had interviewed witnesses on video and therefore it was unlikely witnesses would need to travel to France for the trial. He also hoped a trial could take place before the year end and if Mr Bailey was found guilty, a fresh European arrest warrant was likely to be issued. Two extradition attempts have already been turned down and Mr Spilliaert admitted that the issue of reciprocity between the French and Irish legal systems would likely mean any future extradition attempt could also be unsuccessful. Mr Bailey has consistently denied any role in Ms du Plantiers death and said yesterday: This is the 22nd year now that I have been tortured and prosecuted on a false allegation. My big prayer is that the true identity of the murderer can be revealed. The case has gained added international attention as a result of a hugely successful podcast, West Cork. Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy said the actual enforcement of the law around the centre will be a learning curve but noted that it will involve the same use of discretion that gardai have always practised. Speaking at the Dublin City Council joint policing committee, the head of Dublin Metropolitan Region said policing never cured drug addiction and that anything that saved lives is a plus. He was commenting at a debate in the committee on the proposed medically supervised injected facility (MSIF), which received a presentation from the head of HSE addiction services Dr Eamon Keenan. The consultant psychiatrist told councillors that the bottom line is that MSIF saves lives of the most marginalised, homeless injectors and that the facility will be cost-effective. Based on North American estimates, the 2.8m being spent by the HSE on the facility will recoup 5.47m in savings. The Department of Health awarded the contract for a pilot centre in Dublin city centre to Merchants Quay Ireland, which will now have to seek planning permission from Dublin City Council. This could be appealed to An Bord Pleanala. Mr Leahy said he has spent most of his career in the north and south inner city and has seen the squats. He said the issue is fundamentally a health and humanitarian one. A number of councillors had questions about the law, with Ciaran Perry saying the centre will create a legal grey area that will be Achilles heel of the project. Strongly opposed to the facility, he said it is unfair to have gardai make the call on if the possession of heroin was legal or illegal. Mr Leahy said when it comes to it, gardai are going to have to use discretion, which he said is nothing new to them. He said they would have to apply human rights principles of legality, necessity and proportionality. It is necessary to intervene in the context they are in, is it proportionate to the circumstances, in terms of proximity and Government policy, he said. The commissioner admitted it is going to be a learning curve. He added: Policing never cured drug addiction, thats for sure. He said that from a policing perspective the gardai are supporting the measure, not just because it is government policy but because we feel it is the right thing to do. He said they cant stop and search everyone and need a reasonable suspicion. He said that would involve surveillance to identify the actual dealers, not the actual users, which he said is always the case. We have to look at the reality: people are dying, he said. Dr Keenan said the evaluations of such facilities abroad show they have both public health and public order benefits. He said these include reduced public injecting, increased rate of referral to other services, fewer syringes being discarded locally, no evidence of any change to crime patterns, increased hygiene and safer use of drugs and lower drug deaths. He said that all of the 93 users they have surveyed said they would want a brief intervention when they attended the centre. Councillor Mannix Flynn strenuously objected to the facility, saying he is surprised at Commissioner Leahys views saying it sends out a bad signal. He said he would fight the facility tooth and nail, including in every court in the land. JPC chairman Cllr Daithi Doolan backed the facility as did Cllr Gary Gannon and Cllr Ray McAdam, while Cllr Larry OToole offered qualified support. The statement from British prime minister Theresa May, German chancellor Angela Merkel, and French president Emmanuel Macron also urged Iran to show restraint and continue fulfilling its own obligations such as co-operating with inspections. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said he was sending his foreign minister to the countries remaining in the accord but warned there was only a short time to negotiate with them and his country could soon start enriching uranium more than before. Mr Trump said the 2015 agreement, which included Germany, France, and Britain, was a horrible one-sided deal that should never ever have been made. He added that the US will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction. .@POTUS Trump to the long-suffering people of #Iran: The people of America stand with you. The future of Iran belongs to its people. They deserve a nation that does justice to their dreams. #JCPOA pic.twitter.com/MMeIpZEG8p Department of State (@StateDept) May 8, 2018 Mr Trumps decision means Irans government must now decide whether to follow the US and withdraw or try to salvage what remains of the deal. The agreement had lifted most US and international sanctions against Iran. In return, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear programme, making it impossible to produce a bomb, along with rigorous inspections. Hours before the announcement, European countries met to underline their support for the agreement. Senior officials from Britain, France, and Germany met in Brussels with Irans deputy foreign minister for political affairs, Abbas Araghchi. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the number-two Democrat in the Senate, branded the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal a mistake of historic proportions. He said that breaking the Iran deal increases the danger that Iran will restart its nuclear weapons programme, which threatens Israel and destabilises the entire Middle East. Mr Durbin said Mr Trumps action isolates the United States from the world at a time when we need our allies to come together to address nuclear threats elsewhere, particularly in Korea. In Person NLD Waiting for the Right Time to Amend Constitution A girl holds a sign as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi campaigns in her constituency of Kawhmu Township, outside Yangon, September 21, 2015. The sign reads: Vote for NLD for an amended constitution. / Reuters YANGON Amending the military-drafted 2008 Constitution was one of the National League for Democracy (NLD)s main campaign promises in the run-up to the 2015 election that brought it to power in March 2016. Constitutional reform has proven to be easier said than done for the NLD; the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) sees safeguarding the 2008 charter which was drafted by the former junta and guarantees the Tatmadaw an important leadership role as one of its main duties. Constitutionally, 25 percent of seats in the national and all regional parliaments are reserved for the military. Additionally, the charter awards three key ministerial portfolios Defense, Home and Border Affairs to the Tatmadaw, which also gets to appoint a vice president. Beyond this, the undemocratic Constitution gives the military veto power over proposed constitutional amendments and bars Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the nations de facto leader, from the presidency. Ten years after the Constitution come into effect and two years into the term of the NLD-led government, The Irrawaddy talked to NLD spokesperson Dr. Myo Nyunt about the progress of constitutional reform. It has been 10 years since the Constitution was ratified. How much progress has been made in terms of amending it since the NLD took power two years ago? There are concerns that our government has done nothing to change the Constitution. In fact, all the things we are doing from mobilizing [public] support, reconciling with the Tatmadaw, fostering the publics trust, improving their daily lives are about constitutional amendment. It is utterly impossible to amend the 2008 Constitution without those foundations. We are waiting for the right time, while working toward national reconciliation and building substantial support among the people. In politics, you cant just make demands all the time; you have to wait for the right time. What are the major hurdles in this process? People who have some knowledge [of the political landscape in Myanmar] understand what our chances of success would be if we attempted to change the Constitution now. Under current circumstances, we are not running off at the mouth about constitutional change. But we have never abandoned our mission to reform the Constitution. We will never step back. I mean, we have been consistently doing things that would facilitate constitutional amendment. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has prioritized the peace process since the NLD took office. Earlier, however, she talked a lot about amending the Constitution. Has she issued any instructions regarding constitutional reform? When the time is right, we will publicly discuss constitutional amendment. But for now we are not, as we dont think it is the right time and doubt it would be successful. There has been no separate instruction regarding the Constitution recently. But we [the NLD] maintain it as a key policy. You said the NLD has consistently worked toward laying the groundwork for constitutional amendment. Reconciliation with the military is part of this process. What else are you doing? The peace process, on which we are working, is also important for constitutional change. To the extent that the peace process is successful, constitutional reform will be speedily achieved. It is generally assumed that constitutional change would be unsuccessful if attempted now. How do you plan to move beyond this state of affairs? The most important thing is [to secure] the overwhelming support of the people. In fact, the Tatmadaw [the Myanmar military] was also born of the people. Constitutional change will be successful on the day when all the respective civil services born of the people decide that the Constitution must be changed. Before the 2015 general election, the NLD campaigned on a vow to amend the Constitution. Many hoped to see it materialize. What is your message to these people? The public has very high expectations of us; we know that. We are doing things in a consistent way. I would like to say that we never abandon our election pledges. Many believe the constitutional crisis remains a major barrier to the countrys democratic transition. What do you think? Yes, it does. Without changing the Constitution, we cant build a genuinely democratic country. Without real democracy, we cant adopt a federal system. Asia After Rohingya Rape Accusations, UN Warns of Imminent Births A rape victim poses in a makeshift refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on April 11, 2017. / Reuters COXS BAZAR, Bangladesh With her 16-day-old son lying asleep in her lap, tears streamed down the face of a 20-year-old Rohingya refugee in Bangladesh as she accused Myanmar troops of covering her eyes and mouth and raping her, before making her watch as they killed her husband. I dont know if this baby is from my husband or the rape, said the woman, speaking through a translator, during a visit by UN Security Council envoys to camps in Coxs Bazar in Bangladesh sheltering nearly a million refugees. Ahead of the council visit to Bangladesh and Myanmar last week, senior UN officials warned the envoys about the prospect of a flood of babies being born in the coming weeks and months in the refugee camps that could be the result of rape. In a joint statement, UN Envoy for Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten and UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour wrote reports suggest Rohingya women and girls were raped on a systematic and possibly massive scale. Many of the women and girls raped in 2017 are due to give birth in the next few weeks, during the monsoon season, and we are concerned that many will not be able to access medical care to give birth safely, they wrote. Nearly 700,000 mainly Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh in the past eight months following a Myanmar military crackdown that the UN, United States and Britain have denounced as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing. In March the UN launched an appeal for $951 million to help the Rohingya refugees for the rest of the year, but the world body said at the end of April it was only 9 percent funded. The UN and aid groups working in the refugee camps in Coxs Bazar said it was difficult to know exactly how many women and girls were pregnant. It was even more difficult to know how many of the pregnancies were the result of rape. With the help of the UN bodies and other international and national [aid groups], we are trying to identify the pregnant women so that they get proper treatment, said a senior Bangladesh Health Ministry official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. He said that so far 18,300 pregnant women had been identified and the rough total estimate was around 25,000. Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts in Myanmars Rakhine State in August sparked a military operation that Myanmar described as a legitimate response. Fleeing refugees have reported killings, rapes and arson on a large scale. Based on UN reports and testimonies from Rohingya women who told our staff of rape and sexual violence in Myanmar, we do sadly expect the number of babies born as a result of unwarranted pregnancies to increase in the coming months, said Daphnee Cook, Save the Childrens spokeswoman in Coxs Bazar. Myanmar Military Blacklisted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently blacklisted the Myanmar armed forces in his annual report on conflict-related sexual violence. The military must now decide whether to work with Patten on a plan that would lead to their removal from the blacklist. During a two-hour meeting with Security Council envoys last week in Myanmars capital, Naypyitaw, military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing vowed harsh action over sexual violence. According to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper, he said: Sexual violence [is] considered as despicable acts. In November, Myanmars military released a report denying all accusations of rape by security forces. Melissa How, medical coordinator for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Coxs Bazar, said she had seen a number of women and girls who had become pregnant from sexual violence in Myanmar or Bangladesh. Some have miscarried; some have turned to traditional medicine and other methods to end their pregnancies, using unsafe methods. A number of women and girls have chosen to access MSF facilities for medical care, as well as menstrual regulation, in Bangladesh, she said. Abortion is illegal in Bangladesh but menstrual regulation to terminate a pregnancy is permissible. How also added that the majority of women in the camps who give birth do so outside health facilities. Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years but the deal poses a challenge for women who give birth to children born from cases of rape. UN envoy Patten, who will visit Coxs Bazar this month, said complying with a requirement in the deal for women to go to the Bangladesh Supreme Court to obtain a document noting that a child had been born out of unwarranted incidence, a reference to cases of rape resulting in pregnancy, may be too difficult for poor, illiterate women. Asia Malaysians Vote in Toughest Election Yet for Ruling Coalition Malaysians began voting in what is likely to be the country's closest-fought general election. KUALA LUMPUR Malaysians began voting on Wednesday in what is likely to be the countrys closest-fought general election, with Prime Minister Najib Razaks coalition pitted against a resurgent opposition steered by 92-year-old former leader Mahathir Mohamad. Najibs long-ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) is expected to win despite an election-eve opinion poll suggesting that its support was slipping and that Mahathirs alliance would land more votes in peninsular Malaysia, home to 80 percent of the population. Under Malaysias first-past-the-post system, the party or alliance with the majority of seats in the 222-member parliament wins. Most experts believe that is within Najibs reach despite popular anger over a multi-billion-dollar graft scandal that has dogged him since 2015 and increased costs of living. I think right now, it looks more favorable to BN, as they are able to pull in most of east Malaysia, said Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman, a Malaysia scholar at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. However, the margin that were talking about is very small. Polling stations for the 14.9 million registered voters opened at 8:00 a.m. and will close at 5:00 p.m. Most results are expected to come in before midnight but the count may spill into the early hours of Thursday. This is a big day for Malaysia as this is when we decide our future, said Dr. Hasri Samion, a 57-year-old cardiologist. I think the people have been complacent for too long. We need someone who is capable of running this country. We need a visionary to lead Malaysia. The survey by independent pollster Merdeka Center showed BNs estimated share of the popular vote had slipped to 37.3 percent in peninsular Malaysia from 40.3 percent one week earlier. The share of Mahathirs Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) was at 43.4 percent, but it had also slipped slightly. Merdeka said BN looked set to win 100 constituencies nationwide and the opposition 83. With these numbers, neither camp would have the 112 seats required to rule and the result will hinge on 37 seats that the pollster said were too close to call. At the last election in 2013, BN lost the majority vote in its worst performance ever, but pulled in 133 seats. Unless he improves on that tally, Najib could come under pressure within his United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party to stand aside ahead of the next election, analysts say. I am loyal to BN and to UMNO, said Sri Nuraini, a housewife casting her vote in central Kuala Lumpur. They helped build this country to what it is now. I respect Mahathir and I admire what hes doing. But hes old. Why do we want to change government when they have done so much for us? Najib made a last-ditch appeal for votes on Tuesday night aimed at the young and the countrys Malay Muslim majority. The prime minister said people aged 26 and below would no longer pay income tax if BN won. He also pledged to add two public holidays when the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts next week and said toll roads would be free for five days around the start of the Eid festival, which marks the end of the month. Speaking at the same time, Mahathir urged voters not to fall for bribes. Dont let a bit of money make you pawn the country forever, he said. Hung Parliament? Nawab, the scholar, said there was a small chance that neither BN nor the opposition secures a majority, which would bring a hung Parliament and potentially put the Islamic Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS) in the position of kingmaker. However, political analysts believe PAS will fall short of the 21 seats it won in 2013. The Merdeka poll had it winning just two seats. Mahathirs opposition, which counts on urban votes and support from the minority ethnic Chinese and Indian communities, is hoping that with the long-ruling former leader as its standard bearer, it will draw in Malay voters traditionally loyal to BN. However, Mahathir is a polarizing figure and many voters are suspicious of him because of his attacks on independent institutions when he was prime minister between 1981 and 2003. Najibs other formidable opponent is former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently serving a five-year prison sentence on a sodomy conviction that has been attacked by human rights groups as politically motivated. Anwar led the opposition in the 2008 and 2013 polls. In an unlikely reconciliation, he has joined hands with Mahathir, who sacked him as his deputy in 1998. In Najibs favor, ethnic Malays support BN for affirmative-action policies that give them government contracts, cheap housing and guaranteed university admissions. Also, the economy is growing at around 5 percent, buoyed by robust exports and infrastructure spending. But Najib, 64, has been buffeted by a scandal over 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund from which billions of dollars were allegedly siphoned off. The prime minister, who was chairman of 1MDBs advisory board, has denied any wrongdoing and he has been cleared of any offense by the attorney general. Burma China Does Not Want UN to Push Myanmar on Accountability Aerial view of a burned Rohingya village near Maungdaw, northern Rakhine State, Sept. 27, 2017. / Reuters UNITED NATIONS China does not want the UN Security Council to tell Myanmar that credible, transparent investigations into accusations of violence against mainly Rohingya Muslims are important, according to proposed amendments to a British-drafted statement. The 15-member Security Council is trying to negotiate a press statement following a visit by UN envoys to Bangladesh and Myanmar last week to see firsthand the aftermath of a Myanmar military crackdown that Britain, the United States and others have denounced as ethnic cleansing of the minority Rohingya. Britain wanted the council to state the importance of undertaking credible and transparent investigations into allegations of human rights abuses and violations and continue to support efforts to ensure justice and accountability. Its draft statement would also urge the government of Myanmar to fulfill urgently its stated commitment to holding accountable perpetrators of violence, including sexual violence and abuse and violence against children. However, Myanmar ally China deleted those references in amendments it has proposed to that statement, which must be agreed by consensus. China also proposed welcoming the efforts taken by the government of Myanmar to improve the situation in Rakhine State. Diplomats said negotiations were continuing. Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts in Rakhine in August sparked a military operation that has sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to refugee camps in Coxs Bazar in Bangladesh. Security Council envoys visited those vast camps last week. They also met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Myanmars de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and traveled to Rakhine State, where the violence erupted. Myanmar denies the accusations of ethnic cleansing. Fleeing refugees have reported killings, rapes and arson on a large scale. Myanmar has said its operations in Rakhine were a legitimate response to attacks on security forces by Rohingya insurgents. Myanmar military chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing told Security Council envoys, during a two-hour meeting in Naypyitaw, the countrys capital, last week, that less than 2,000 troops were involved in the military operation, according to diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has asked the court to rule on whether it has jurisdiction over the deportations of Rohingyas to Bangladesh, a possible crime against humanity. Daw Aung San Suu Kyis government has expressed serious concern over the move at the ICC. Bangladesh is a member of the ICC but Myanmar is not. Rights groups have called on the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution referring the situation in Myanmar to the court. Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement in January, but none of the refugees has returned to Myanmar to date, U Thein Swe said. According to the UN, nearly 700,000 mostly Rohingya Muslims have fled northern Rakhine for Bangladesh since late August, when militant attacks on security posts there triggered a sweeping military clearance operation. Myanmar has denied the figure and said it would only accept refugees who have lived in Myanmar and volunteer to return. We have so far verified about 1,100 refugees on the list, U Thein Swe said in Naypyitaw at the launch of a video on migration in Myanmar. Bangladesh gave Myanmar a list of just over 8,000 refugees willing to return to Rakhine in February. Myanmar has since verified more than 1,000 of them as former residents and provided their names to Bangladesh; it is still reviewing the rest of the list. NAYPYITAW Myanmar will repatriate more than 1,000 Muslim refugees who have fled northern Rakhine State for Bangladesh, Union Immigration and Population Minister U Thein Swe said on Monday. Rohingya refugees camp along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in September. / Min Aung Khaing / The Irrawaddy Rohingya refugees camp along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in September. / Min Aung Khaing / The Irrawaddy Burma Myanmar Verifies More Than 1,000 Refugees in Bangladesh for Repatriation Yangon High Court to Weigh Changes to Charges in U Ko Ni Murder Case in Late May Fifth Food and Hospitality Trade Exhibition to Be Held Next Month More than 3,000 People Now Trapped by Fighting in Kachin State US Treasury Secretary Says Having Good Trade Talks in China Upgrades to Yangon-Mandalay Rail Line to Start in July, Operator Says More Than A Dozen Killed as Debris Mound Collapses at Mine in Hpakant Fighting Between Two Allied Ethnic Armies Injures Two in Northern Shan UNSC Should Understand the Complexity and Multitude of Issues Facing Myanmar The Sule Shangri-La Turns on the Style for Mango Season Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week China Does Not Want UN to Push Myanmar on Accountability NLD Waiting for the Right Time to Amend Constitution Myanmar Verifies More Than 1,000 Refugees in Bangladesh for Repatriation We do not encourage viewing this site in this width. Please increase the size of your window. Burma Parties Gear Up for November By-election An official counts ballots in Yangon's Hlaing Tharyar Township on April 1, 2017. / The Irrawaddy Myanmars political parties have begun preparing to contest a by-election slated for early November. The Union Election Commission (UEC) announced Tuesday evening that it would hold the second by-election of the National League for Democracy-led governments term on Nov. 3. The election will fill 13 seats in the Union, state and regional parliaments currently vacant due to deaths and one resignation, according to UEC spokesperson U Myint Naing. These comprise four Lower House seats, one Upper House seat, seven seats in state and regional parliaments and the Shan ethnic affairs ministers seat in Mandalay Region. In April last year a by-election was held to fill 19 vacant seats. The NLD won a majority of these, followed by the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and the opposition Union Solidary and Development Party (USDP). The vacant Lower House constituencies are in Kanpetlet of Chin State, Lechar of southern Shan State, Tamwe of Yangon Region and Myingyan of Mandalay Region. The Upper House seat is for the No. 2 constituency in Myitkyina, Kachin State. The vacant seats in state and regional parliaments are in Matupi 1 of Chin State, Rathedaung 2 of Rakhine State, Tamu 2 of Sagaing Region, Oktwin 1 of Bago Region, Thabeikkyin 1 of Mandalay Region, Minbu 2 of Magwe Region, and Seikkan of Yangon Region. U Myint Naing told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday the UEC has been checking the voter lists in every vacant constituency since April 19 and had found no difficulties in constituencies in the conflict-ridden states of Shan and Rakhine. Updated voter lists are expected to be published later this month, as the task began on April 19 and was scheduled to take five weeks, ending on May 23-24. U Myint Naing said the UEC had informed the political parties of the date for the by-election and would announce the deadline for registering candidates in accordance with electoral procedures. U Myo Nyunt, a spokesman for the ruling NLD, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the NLD would field candidates for all vacant seats as per its policy. We have decided to contest every election, and we will accept the publics choice. We are also prepared to make necessary changes based on the will of the public as expressed through the elections, he said. The NLDs main rival is the opposition USDP, though in the minority ethnic states it is vying with the ethnic political parties based in those areas, the NLD spokesman added. The SNLD will contest two seats: the Lower House seat in Lechar and the Shan ethnic affairs ministers seat in Mandalay Region. SNLD leaders told The Irrawaddy they are preparing to contest both seats and party members have already chosen a candidate for the Lechar constituency in Shan State. We dont think we will face much of a challenge in Shan State, as we, the SNLD, won [the 2015 general election and April 2017 by-election] there, said Sai Leik, the SNLD spokesperson. It is important that every party can contest freely and fairly in accordance with the current election laws and bylaws. He urged the government, political parties and civil society groups to engage in more public awareness activities to build interest in the elections. The Arakan National Party plans to contest the vacant seat in Rakhine State. There are more than 100 political parties registered with the UEC, with the major ones being the NLD, USDP and SNLD. Observers believe that if the newly formed Four Eights Peoples Party, which has yet to formally register with the UEC, has its registration approved soon, it could become a rival to the existing Burman-majority parties. Zue Zue contributed to this report. The discussions focused on promoting bilateral cooperation and Chinas assistance to Myanmar in the peace process, rule of law, and security matters. Deputy Home Affairs Minister Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe, International Cooperation Minister U Kyaw Tin, Presidents Office Deputy Minister U Min Thu and directors-general of the Foreign Affairs Ministry were also present at the meetings. The Chinese minister was accompanied by Myanmars ambassador to China, Hong Liang, Chinas deputy public security minister, the head of the Yunnan Province Security Department and other Chinese officials. NAYPYITAW Chinese State Councilor and Public Security Minister Zhao Kezhi met separately with President U Win Myint and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at the presidential residence in Naypyitaw on Wednesday. Chinese State Councilor Zhao Kezhi (left), Myanmar President U Win Myint (center) and Home Affairs Minister Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe pose for photos at the presidential residence in Naypyitaw on Wednesday. / Pool Chinese State Councilor Zhao Kezhi (left), Myanmar President U Win Myint (center) and Home Affairs Minister Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe pose for photos at the presidential residence in Naypyitaw on Wednesday. / Pool US Treasury Secretary Says Having Good Trade Talks in China Upgrades to Yangon-Mandalay Rail Line to Start in July, Operator Says More Than A Dozen Killed as Debris Mound Collapses at Mine in Hpakant Fighting Between Two Allied Ethnic Armies Injures Two in Northern Shan UNSC Should Understand the Complexity and Multitude of Issues Facing Myanmar The Sule Shangri-La Turns on the Style for Mango Season Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week China Does Not Want UN to Push Myanmar on Accountability NLD Waiting for the Right Time to Amend Constitution Myanmar Verifies More Than 1,000 Refugees in Bangladesh for Repatriation We do not encourage viewing this site in this width. Please increase the size of your window. Burma Two Protesters Arrested Under Peaceful Assembly Law in Mandalay Protesters in Mandalay hold a candlelight vigil on Tuesday night at the southern side of the old palace in Mandalay after the arrest of fellow protesters. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy MANDALAY Two men who participated in protests in Mandalay calling for the government to immediately rescue villagers in Kachin State who have been trapped due to violence between the Myanmar Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) were arrested on Tuesday. Ko Aung Hmine San and Ko Soe Moe were listed in a lawsuit filed by police against protesters under Article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law. The two protesters were at a teashop in Mandalay when police showed up to arrest them. They requested that they be allowed to return home to collect some personal belongings. Ko Aung Hmine Sans wife Ma Lei Lei New said her husband did return home. Police then arrested him under Article 19 and took him to the No. 8 police station. Article 19 is a bailable offense, however, the two men refused to leave on bail and instead decided to face trial and remain in detention. The two protesters appeared in court on Wednesday, where the police received the courts permission to detain them and send them to Obo Prison. Demonstrations urging authorities to rescue trapped locals in Kachin State and calling for an end to the clashes have risen in the past week, primarily in Yangon and Mandalay, following an initial protest camp in Myitkyina, Kachin State. Thousands of locals have been displaced by recent fighting between the Myanmar Army and the KIA. Since Monday, police in Mandalay and Yangon have filed lawsuits against nine protesters under Article 19. On Tuesday, protesters held a candlelight vigil at the southern side of the old palace wall in Mandalay to show solidarity with the Kachin people. We are doing this for the people suffering due to armed conflicts. We do this for peace. We have to ask why the authorities oppress us in this way. Dont they want peace? asked Ko Than Htike, who participated in the vigil. We were saddened by the actions of the authorities. We want the immediate release of the arrested protesters and we will continue protesting until the trapped villagers of Kachin State are safe, he added. News Critics Say Proposed Viewing Tower in Bagan Will Damage Cultural Landscape Hot air balloons in Bagan. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy YANGON A Korea-based company has inquired the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture about building a 100-meter sunset viewing tower in Bagan. Sky Dream Co Ltd of Korea has proposed building a viewing tower south of the hotel zone in Bagan, according to sources at the Department of Archaeology and National Museum. The company also proposed building a recreational park along with the tower. U Aung Aung Kyaw, the director of the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (Bagan branch), denied that the department had given the go-ahead. The company only asked our opinion about the project, he said. He would not comment on the background or ownership of the company. The department suggested conducting a heritage impact assessment for the viewing tower. I am not at ease with this proposal. I also heard that a theme park would be built. Theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios do not fit with Bagan. Generally speaking, a viewing tower does not even belong here, said Daw Ohmar Myo, in-charge of the UNESCO World Heritage bid for Bagan. Though the company said that the proposed viewing site is outside the Bagan Archaeological Zone, it is relatively close and will negatively impact the plan to build a greater heritage region, said Daw Ohmar Myo, discussing a regional heritage plan and the effect of a tall viewing tower on the cultural landscape. The tower will be reportedly modeled after the Menara Taming Sari, a 110-meter viewing tower near old Malacca, a UNESCO World Heritage city in Malaysia, which attracts many visitors. Previously, five temples were open to visitors to view the sunset in Bagan, but after hundreds of pagodas were damaged by a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake in August last year, authorities have banned climbing on all pagodas in consideration of their durability. Bagan has stupas, temples and other Buddhist religious buildings constructed from the 9th to 11th centuriesa period in which 55 Buddhist kings ruled the Pagan Dynasty. There are more than 3,000 stupas and temples in the area that covers 16 square miles. Myanmars initial application for UNESCO recognition of Bagan as a World Heritage Site came in 1996, but it was rejected due to poor management plans and legal frameworks under previous governments. However, UNESCO has accepted Bagan as a mixed cultural heritage zone, which means that there is no need to relocate villages, hotels or guesthouses in the area. Bagans nomination will be brought up for deliberation at UNESCOs 2019 World Heritage Site convention, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. News Lawmakers Urge Yangon Govt for Transparency in Development Projects On the west bank of the Yangon River where the pilot project for the New Yangon City project is located. / The Irrawaddy YANGON Lawmakers from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party urged the Yangon regional government to stick to rules and regulations when carrying out development projects. Six lawmakers discussed on Monday the governments proposal on urban development projects funded by local and international investment in Yangon from 2018-21, including transportation infrastructure, housing and economic development projects totaling more than 1.3 trillion kyats. The proposal also includes a new city project on 2,400 acres of land on the west bank of the Yangon River. The timeframe for that project which is slated as a pilot for the New Yangon City project is 2018-26 and the costs are still being calculated. The lawmakers complained that they had little or no idea about the projects and criticized the governments lack of transparency. During the discussion, lawmaker U Kyaw Zayya said he wanted the Yangon government to work according to the law. Article 33 of the State and Region Government Law says the government shall carry out state or regional level projects with the approval of the (state or regional) parliament. We are not against the projects. But we want the government to implement them properly. We want the government we elected to work according to the law, he said. Lawmakers U Kyaw Min Han and U Zaw Win Naing said most of the projects in the proposal lacked detailed implementation plans and requested revisions in the details. Lawmaker U Thein Myint said Yangon now faces problems like traffic congestion, security and rule of law, and asked whether the government was leaving this Yangon as it is now in order to build a new one. On Monday, another six lawmakers will join the discussion on the proposal. News Two Kachin Youth Leaders Fined for Organizing Protest Demanding Action on IDPs Ethnic Kachin stage a protest in Myitkyina on May 3 calling on the government to evacuate IDPs trapped by fighting in Kachin State. / Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint / The Irrawaddy A court in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, on Wednesday fined two ethnic Kachin youth leaders for organizing a protest to demand that authorities assist IDPs trapped by armed clashes in the state. The two were charged with violating Article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly Law, local sources said. They appeared at a police station in Myitkyina on Wednesday morning to hear charges relating to street protests and a sit-in at the towns Manau grounds. The two were charged by Police Colonel Than Oo. The officer, who served as prosecutor in the case, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the court later found the two to have violated the law. They confessed to having violated the law by failing to ask for permission to stage the protest, the officer said. Article 19 violations are punishable by either a three-month prison sentence or a fine of 30,000 kyats, and the judge opted to fine them, he said. Lum Zawng, a youth leader who was among the two charged, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday evening after emerging from the court that he and his a co-defendants, Sut Seng Htoi had been ordered to pay 30,000 kyats each. Police told us we violated the Peaceful Assembly Law. We told them we staged a peaceful protest intended to help IDPs. But we take responsibility for our actions. We accept the courts decision; thats why we went there, Lum Zawng said. The two led 700 people in a street protest and later organized a daily sit-in protest the Manaw grounds. The protesters demanded the state and Union governments evacuate Kachin IDPs trapped in the jungle by fighting between the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) and the Kachin Independence Army. Lum Zawng said his youth group was not aiming to stir up trouble in Myitkyina. His group held a peaceful protest asking the government to rescue the IDPs, he said. We did what we believed we had to do, he said. The Kachin youth protesters ended their sit-in under pressure from local authorities, but succeeded in getting the state and Union governments to negotiate the evacuation of a limited number of Kachin IDPs. Many remain trapped in the jungle, however. The Kachin youth protesters have said they plan to adopt new protest tactics to keep the pressure on the government to help the IDPs. Recently, two activists in Mandalay and four in Yangon were also charged under Article 19 after staging peaceful protests. According to the UN, more than 10,000 people have fled their homes since the Tatmadaw launched a major military offensive on April 11. Of these, some 6,500 have reached Myitkyina and Tanai townships. Rights groups, the UN and other overseas organizations have issued statements of concern about human rights violations in Kachin, and reports continue to emerge of new IDPs having been forced to flee. Fighting between the Tatmadaw and the KIA has eased in recent days, but the Myanmar Army continues to deploy fresh troops to areas formerly controlled by the KIAs Brigade 2 in Tanai Township. Local sources from Tanai and the KIA said 50 Tatmadaw trucks had driven from Myitkyina to Tanai, leading KIA leaders there to believe the Myanmar Army planned to continue its offensive and that fighting in Kachin would resume soon. Seven years after a ceasefire agreement broke down in the region, the number of IDPs in Kachin is estimated at 150,000. Of the states 15 townships, 10 host IDP camps. Wednesday, May 9th, 2018 (8:49 am) - Score 2,732 The Governments 1.6bn+ Broadband Delivery UK project has published its latest take-up data to the end of 2017 (Q4) for the state aid supported roll-out of superfast broadband (24Mbps+) services across the United Kingdom, which sees adoption continue to rise with many areas above 50%. The figures inside this article reflect the percentage of customers (homes and businesses) that have chosen to sign-up with a superfast broadband network (delivered via FTTC, FTTP or Fixed Wireless), albeit only those in areas which have been upgraded through the publicly funded BDUK programme (i.e. % subscribed of premises passed). At present this data reflects the first two phases of the programme and not any of the most recent follow-on contracts (theres no data for those yet). BDUK Phases 1 (Completed Spring 2016) Supported by 530m of public money via the Government (mostly extracted from a small slice of the BBC TV Licence fee), as well as significant match funding from local authorities and the EU. The public funding is then roughly matched by BTs private investment. Overall it helped to extend superfast broadband (24Mbps+) services to cover 90% of homes and businesses in the United Kingdom. BDUK Phase 2 (Technically on-going) Supported by 250m of public money via the Government, as well as match funding from local authorities, Local Growth Deals and private investment from suppliers (e.g. BT, Gigaclear, Airband, Call Flow etc.). This phase extended superfast broadband services to 95% of premises in time for the end of 2017, although some contracts are on-going until late 2018 and will reach beyond 95%. Phase One was broadly dominated by Openreach (BT) linked contracts, while the on-going Phase Two contracts have attracted a mix of extension deals with BT and several alternative network providers, as well as some limited use of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology. Crucially the BDUK contracts include a clawback (gainshare) clause, which requires the suppliers (e.g. BT) to return part of the public investment as customer adoption of the new service passes beyond the 20% mark in related areas. The funding can then be reinvested to further improve coverage and speeds via future contracts. Efficiency savings from earlier phases can also be reinvested. So far it looks as if a total of 737 million will be returned via both clawback (527m) and efficiency savings (210m), which may increase again during 2018 (details here and here). BDUK has estimated that the reinvestment could be enough to boost the UK coverage of fixed line superfast broadband from 95% today to 98% by the end of 2020. We could label this as BDUK Phase 3 but it doesnt have a clear designation. BDUK Phase One Take-up (Average %) The following table breaks the take-up data down by each BDUK local authority (project area), although for the proper context these percentages should ideally be considered alongside the most recent premises passed (network coverage) data, which can be seen at the bottom of this article. Overall 44.4% of premises have adopted the new service. NOTE: Some of the counties have divided their deployments into separate contracts. For example, Phase One in Shropshire doesnt include the Telford and Wrekin area because that is part of a separate Phase Two contract inside the same county. On top of that the contracts were all signed at different times and so are at different stages of development. Project Area (BDUK Phase 1) Uptake % (Jun 2017) Uptake % (Sep 2017) Update % (Dec 2017) Berkshire Councils 47.9 50.1 51.9 Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire 48.4 50.8 53.3 Cambridgeshire, Peterborough 45.5 47.9 49.4 Central Beds, Bedford Borough, Milton Keynes 47.1 50.3 52.1 Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester, Warrington, Halton 45.5 48 50.1 Devon & Somerset (including, Plymouth, Torbay, North Somerset, Bath & NE Somerset) 38.3 41.2 43.7 Coventry, Solihull, Warwickshire 46.2 48.9 50.9 Cumbria 40.3 43.3 45.2 Derbyshire 37.3 40.1 42.5 Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole 38.4 41.6 43.7 Durham, Gateshead, Tees Valley and Sunderland 37.3 40.2 42.3 East Riding of Yorkshire 41.9 45.4 46.4 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 44.2 47.4 49.7 Essex, Southend-On-Sea, Thurrock 44 46.9 48.8 Greater Manchester 32.5 34.3 36.5 Hampshire 42.7 45 47.2 Herefordshire and Gloucestershire 39 42.1 44.2 Isle of Wight 36.2 38.8 41.2 Kent and Medway 42.9 45.9 48 Lancashire, Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen 37 39.4 41.3 Leicestershire 43.9 46.6 48.6 Lincolnshire 43.1 45.9 47.4 Merseyside 31 34 36.2 Newcastle upon Tyne 32.9 36.4 39.4 Norfolk 42.2 45 47 North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire 41.8 44.1 45.9 North Yorkshire 45 49.1 49.4 Northamptonshire 47.6 50.1 52 Northumberland 44.1 46.9 48.1 Nottinghamshire 43.2 45.8 48.4 Oxfordshire 46.9 49.6 51.8 Rutland 55.6 58.2 58 Shropshire 39.6 42.5 44.8 Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent 39.7 42.2 44.4 Suffolk 44.4 46.7 48.8 Surrey 49.4 51.1 53.2 West Sussex 46.1 48.9 50.6 West Yorkshire 36.8 39.4 41.6 Wiltshire 45.4 48 50.2 South Gloucestershire 48 50.9 53.9 Worcestershire 43.9 46.6 48.6 Devolved Administrations Highlands and Islands 36.8 39.5 42.1 Northern Ireland 40.9 43.4 51.1 Rest of Scotland 33.1 35.4 37 Wales 37.3 39 40.2 BDUK Phase Two Take-up (Average %) So far in Phase 2 an overall total of 27% of premises have adopted the new service. Some areas also have several contracts under the Phase 2 programme and weve separated their % figures with a comma below. One highlight below is the inclusion of Swindon, which is showing very low take-up (3.6%) and this largely reflects the areas troubled UKBN fixed wireless network (here); its also a younger contract than others. Project Area (BDUK Phase 2) Uptake % (Jun 2017) Uptake % (Sep 2017) Uptake % (Dec 2017) Berkshire no data no data 8.2 , 2.5 Bedford & Milton Keynes 14.9 20.9 23.9 Black Country 14.8 17.8 21.8 Bucks & Herts 20.3 20.9 17.2 Cambridgeshire no data no data no data Cheshire 28.9 34.8 36.2 Cornwall 22.1 21.9 21.9 Cumbria 18.3 18 20 Derbyshire 20 23.6 24.4 Devon & Somerset no data 5.7 6.6 Dorset 14.1 13.8 21 Durham 17.2 21.4 22.1 East Riding (Yorkshire) 26 27.2 33.5 East Sussex 26.4 31.9 39.6 Essex 24.4 28.2 30.3 , 15.4 Greater Manchester no data no data no data Hampshire 23.3 19.3 24.1 Herefordshire & Gloucestershire no data no data 25.2 Kent 23.7 23.9 30.7 Lancashire 23.4 21.2 24.8 Leicestershire 23.7 24.1 24.4 Lincolnshire 21.2 24.1 26 Norfolk 32 33.7 35.2 North Lincolnshire 21.1 25.5 28.3 North Yorkshire 35.4 49 47.4 Northamptonshire 21 26.1 30.7 Northumberland 29.0 32.8 37.6 Nottinghamshire 28.2 30.1 31.9 Oxfordshire no data no data no data Rutland no data no data no data Shropshire no data 9.7 13.7 South Gloucestershire 16.8 19.4 23.9 South Yorkshire 21.0 24.5 23.6 Staffordshire 20.7 20.7 30.6 Suffolk 31.7 32.3 35.3 Swindon no data no data 3.6 Telford & Wrekin 23 30.2 32.6 Warwickshire 34.9 37.8 37 West Oxfordshire no data no data no data West Sussex 23.9 26.8 32.7 West Yorkshire 16.5 20.7 24.4 Wiltshire 22.3 25.4 29 Worcestershire 27.5 33.1 36.1 Devolved Administrations Highlands and Islands no data no data no data Northern Ireland 17.6 20.3 20.8 Rest of Scotland no data no data no data Wales no data no data no data IMPORTANT: Take-up is a dynamically scaled measurement, which means that at certain stages of the scheme it may go up or even down depending upon the pace of deployment (i.e. premises passed in any given time-scale), although over time the take-up should only rise. Explained another way, earlier phases of the roll-out were easier and faster to deploy, so you could expect to see a bit of a yo-yo movement with the take-up % sometimes falling if lots of new areas were suddenly covered. Some contracts are also younger than others and will thus take time to catch-up. However BDUKs roll-out pace is slowing as it reaches tricky rural areas (Phase 2), which will give take-up a chance to climb. A number of other factors can also impact take-up, such as the higher prices for related fibre services, as well as customers being locked into long contracts with their existing ISP (they cant upgrade immediately) and a lack of general awareness (locals dont always know that the faster service exists) or interest in the new connectivity (if you have a decent ADSL2+ speed and only basic needs then you might feel less inclined to upgrade). The fear of switching to a different ISP may also obstruct some services. In other cases the new service may run out of capacity (i.e. demand is higher than expected), which means that people who want to upgrade are prevented from doing so until Openreach resolves the problem, although the scale of this issue is fairly small. Now, for some context, heres the latest progress report on related contracts for the same period. Funding and Premises Passed Progress (BDUK Phase 1 + 2) Total BDUK Funding Total Local Body Funding (Councils etc.) Total Contracted premises Delivered to Date (Dec 2017) Bedford & Milton Keynes 6,380,000 7,830,000 52,822 44,555 Berkshire 5,153,017 4,603,250 43,723 29,754 Black Country 3,780,000 3,780,000 40,011 35,482 Bucks & Herts 10,837,000 11,415,000 94,428 71,305 Cambridgeshire 8,250,000 17,750,000 105,850 99,905 Cheshire 6,461,000 16,091,055 82,468 76,048 Cornwall 5,960,000 12,529,786 15,288 7,317 Cumbria 19,959,519 18,798,000 120,065 115,410 Derbyshire 9,579,550 9,580,000 103,755 90,326 Devon & Somerset 57,510,245 39,187,538 344,835 284,144 Dorset 13,741,841 12,349,470 79,874 74,275 Durham 12,786,267 11,763,000 112,898 105,607 East Riding (Yorkshire) 10,507,459 5,193,079 49,510 47,703 East Sussex 13,640,000 17,000,000 70,040 60,416 Essex 13,299,000 13,299,000 150,423 98,320 Greater Manchester 3,440,000 5,923,000 41,363 39,651 Hampshire 15,262,307 14,180,000 106,434 78,042 Herefordshire & Gloucestershire 31,090,658 27,246,760 152,367 116,918 Highlands & Islands 50,830,000 75,600,000 149,730 138,596 Isle of Wight 2,490,000 2,490,000 17,617 17,649 Kent 17,063,509 14,998,391 137,881 133,555 Lancashire 14,670,000 22,540,000 147,334 141,592 Leicestershire 7,968,895 10,884,647 74,479 66,396 Lincolnshire 16,110,000 17,910,000 137,949 125,203 Merseyside 5,460,000 4,374,000 43,905 42,745 Newcastle 970,000 945,131 6,760 6,697 Norfolk 24,650,000 24,210,000 202,367 179,519 North Lincolnshire 4,181,242 1,880,963 29,442 28,131 North Yorkshire 28,160,000 14,654,726 175,283 165,581 Northamptonshire 9,856,669 11,009,000 79,349 70,208 Northern Ireland 11,454,000 21,954,000 66,907 60,181 Northumberland 10,687,867 11,986,750 49,620 45,910 Nottinghamshire 7,130,000 8,688,644 66,807 62,489 Oxfordshire 8,184,500 13,924,500 78,007 73,292 Rest of Scotland 50,000,000 107,575,000 572,563 548,454 Rutland 1,000,000 1,670,000 10,004 9,345 Shropshire 19,317,466 12,722,000 69,711 53,506 South Gloucestershire 3,370,000 3,521,123 21,616 17,014 South Yorkshire 9,845,000 10,155,000 95,664 76,325 Staffordshire 9,620,000 7,440,000 80,937 73,925 Suffolk 26,940,000 26,677,050 123,434 105,695 Surrey 1,310,000 19,020,081 76,958 71,216 Swindon 950,000 950,000 20,138 16,381 Telford & Wrekin 2,157,000 1,843,000 8,822 7,459 Wales 66,967,000 156,407,000 728,737 679,736 Warwickshire 15,007,144 15,007,144 74,301 50,223 West Oxfordshire 1,600,000 1,556,675 4,788 0 West Sussex 8,011,243 7,510,000 54,443 49,337 West Yorkshire 11,019,827 11,175,487 99,913 81,633 Wiltshire 9,270,000 16,496,000 83,543 70,849 Worcestershire 8,387,032 11,390,000 66,561 55,074 712,276,257 917,685,250 5,421,724 4,799,094 The above figures only include 24Mbps+ capable premises in BDUK intervention areas. Wednesday, May 9th, 2018 (7:32 am) - Score 8,828 Cable provider Virgin Media (Liberty Global) has published their latest Q1 2018 (calendar) results, which saw them add +31,200 broadband subscribers in the quarter to total 5,135,500 (up from the +24K added in Q4 2017) and extend their cable network to another 111,000 UK premises. Generally speaking most of the main developments for Virgin Media since there last financial update (posted in February) have centred around the operators 3bn Project Lighting network expansion, which has sadly hit a few snags in different parts of the United Kingdom (here, here and here) and progress is continuing to lag behind after previously being overstated (here and here). The operator hopes to reach an additional 4 million premises passed (2 million of these will be via FTTP) by the end of 2019 or 2020 and theyve just delivered 111,000 new premises passed in Q1 2018 (down sharply from 159K in Q4 2017, 147K in Q3 and 127K in Q2 but up from 102K in Q1 last year). Once completed this should raise their coverage to around 60% of the UK. So far theyve completed 1.2 million premises in total. We note that during Q1 2018, in addition to their 111,000 Project Lightning build, Virgin recognised in their program-to-date totals a further 10,800 premises where construction was completed in prior periods, but serviceability was confirmed in the current period. But even factoring this in their progress still slowed in Q1, although we did have two Beasts from the East to contend with (heavy snow etc.). Separately the operator revealed that they had a total Mobile (EE MVNO) customer base of 3,018,000 (up from 3,002,800 at the end of 2017) and 73% of their broadband base are now on an ultrafast (100Mbps+) capable package (up from 70%). We should also add that Virgin Media has 4,446,000 telephone customers in the UK (up from 4,440,100 in Q4 2017) and 3,840,000 video / TV users. Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty Global, said: On the innovation front, we remain at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge products and services. Earlier this month in Bochum, Germany, we launched our first gigabit broadband service powered by Docsis 3.1 technology. In addition, nearly half of our video and broadband bases now enjoy a next-generation set top and/or a WiFi connect box. Of course, we will continue to deploy market-leading products while readying our fiber-rich networks for Docsis 3.1 rollouts across Europe. The news that Germany has become Liberty Globals first cable operator to receive a 1Gbps broadband service via DOCSIS 3.1 technology is positive, although they still appear to be behind their original 2018 rollout target (here). On top of that theres no word on when we might see the first customer trials in the UK. The existing EuroDOCSIS3 network that Virgin Media uses could however reach 500Mbps without DOCSIS3.1. Likewise theres no new information on their IPv6 roll-out plan in todays update (admittedly this is one of those technical upgrades that rarely makes it into financial updates), although we did recently get some extra detail about the technology side (here) and weve seen a larger pool of users that now appear to be testing it. The rollout shouldnt be far behind. On the financial front the operator saw quarterly UK revenues of 1,181.6m (up from 1,128.5m at the same time last year) and their total capital expenditure for Q1 reached 130.5m (same as Q1 last year). Separately Vodafone has today agreed to acquire Liberty Globals operations in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania for an enterprise value of 18.4 billion. Weve long said that Voda would be a good fit for Virgin Media in the UK too but so far this has not turned into a tangible agreement like it has elsewhere in Europe. Vodas Group CEO, Vittorio Colao, said: This transaction will create the first truly converged pan-European champion of competition. It represents a step change in Europes transition to a Gigabit Society and a transformative combination for Vodafone that will generate significant value for shareholders. We are committed to accelerating and deepening investment in next generation mobile and fixed networks, building on Vodafones track record of ensuring that customers benefit from the choice of a strong and sustainable challenger to dominant incumbent operators. Vodafone will become Europes leading next generation network owner, serving the largest number of mobile customers and households across the EU. The above move means that Vodafone will become one of the leading next generation network (NGN) owners in Europe, with 54 million cable/fibre homes on-net and a total NGN reach of 110 million homes and businesses, including wholesale arrangements. Having a good fixed line base is a good boost for both their mobile network (data capacity etc.) and fibre optic coverage ambitions. From holographic and intelligent smart building displays to the next wave of customer service chatbots, CeBIT Australia is the must-attend business IT event of the year, with tech goodies galore helping change the way business is done for the better. Next week, CeBIT Australia will showcase "the latest innovative global technology changing the way we do business". You'll be able to explore the future of driverless transport, check out how the latest in rugged mobile technologies is able to endure even the harshest of elements, see what an ultra-modern escape room experience looks and feels like, and much much more on the CeBIT exhibtion showfloor, from 15 - 17 May at ICC Sydney. CeBIT tells us that you'll see incredibly human-like FaceMe chatbots that are "designed to respond to customer service needs with empathy and personalisation". Indeed, they "look like humans and are equipped with the ability to change their facial expressions in line with the context of the conversation". They showcase the "next wave of digital employees" (who presumably will need no lunch break), and you'll be able to take in for yourself how these highly-interactive chatbots are powered through a sophisticated AI platform, which is soon to be rolled-out across service-based establishments such as banks! Perhaps we need a few of these bots actually running the banks, too we're sure never to see a chat-bot have to front a banking royal commission into the kind of unsavoury behaviour executives have taken part in, which bots will hopefully never be programmed to do. Moving on from ultra-smart robots, let's build ourselves some smart buildings, with Advantech Australia to "demonstrate the latest in intelligent smart buildings designed to enhance sustainability and efficiency". In a special CeBIT Australia first, there's a special presentation featuring Norton by Symantec that is top secret. but utterly must-see and unmissable you will want to see this in action! Harvey Stockbridge, the managing director of Hannover Fairs Australia, said driverless vehicles are always a popular attraction, and this year will be no different. "There's no disputing the rise of driverless vehicles. In fact, some claim that by 2030, most vehicles on Australian roads will be automated. Accordingly, driverless transport will make its mark again on the showfloor of CeBIT Australia. "We also have a range of exhibitors bringing with them the latest technology in their industry, from holographic displays, to coding classes and digital employees, there are many avenues looking at the future of business technology." Indeed, with EasyMile and the Australia and New Zealand Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI) presenting "the ultimate in-house fleet management solution for transporting up to 15 passengers and travelling up to 45km/h, the EZ10 driverless shuttle challenges the ideas of driverless automation". Want another showfloor first? Of course you do! This one comes courtesy of Maxo Telecommunications, which will give attendees "the chance to compete in an interactive escape room experience 'Escape Your Telco'". Perhaps they should start up a banking division and have an experience called "Escape your Bank", too. Or they could set up a political chat-bot to replace federal politicians, and could have an experience called "Escape from Canberra", optionally starring a virtual Kurt Russell but all of that is but a glint in my virtual eye. Getting back to reality, there's also the highly anticipated Atlassian Code Lab which will see classes run each day, where visitors can learn the basics of coding and presumably get some hints on how to emulate Atlassian's multi-billion dollar successes. Stockbridge added: "The showfloor of CeBIT Australia is always buzzing with activity and an air of excitement, that's because it really is thrilling to get a taste of what's to come. Some of the innovations on display this year are truly revolutionary. "It's humbling that so many great innovators of the industry choose CeBIT Australia to show-off their amazing advancements. It's an honour to be able to provide CeBIT Australia as a platform for this purpose." CeBIT Australia 2018 is happening at ICC Sydney next week, with leading international keynotes, conference streams, and two stages on the showfloor, the Innovation stage and the FutureTech stage, covering everything from IoT to machine learning and AI. For more information, including an overview of the CeBIT Australia 2018 presentations, speakers and events, as well as how you can still get free access to the exhibition show floor, visit CeBIT Australia 2018 here. Technology firms have welcomed the Coalition Government's Budget measures in the field of cyber security, but say that more clarity on the use of different technologies would have been better. Some have sought government aid to make the networks of small businesses secure. Andy Berry, managing director of Ricoh Australia, said: The government has made some significant investments in IT and research. "However, when it comes to selecting the technologies that underpin business activity, its difficult to know where investments should be made that will deliver the best returns over time. Should you shift everything to a cloud platform? How can you improve collaboration between staff? What platform should you use to digitise internal workflows? "Indeed, the right digital platform can help to streamline many of the processes already in place within a business as well as support the new lines of collaboration that will be necessary. It can allow workflows to be standardised and the automation of many manual processes. This, in turn, can free up the senior managers to focus on more value-added activities. "The governments focus on investment in technology is to be commended but businesses will individually need to consider the human factor. After all, failure to engage employees in an age of digital disruption will delay achievement of business goals and may jettison them altogether. Aura Information Security country manager Michael Warnock said the announcement of continuing investment in cyber security was a positive step for businesses, and the country as a whole. "By placing a focus on security the government acknowledges that the risk of cyber attacks is very real and we believe this serves as a timely reminder that its no longer viable for businesses to take a laissez faire approach to security," he said. "The reality is, the number of cyber attacks targeting Australian businesses is increasing at a rapid rate. This is supported by the constant examples of high-profile security breaches that have dominated news headlines recently. "What is most alarming, however, is that when it comes to basic security hygiene, too many businesses are still failing. Whats needed now is a co-ordinated effort from the wider business community to ensure they are holding up their end of the bargain. Risk versus gain needs to be seriously considered in all IT deployments and there needs to be constant dialogue around what we can, or should, be doing better." Mark Perry, the Asia Pacific chief technology officer for Ping Identity, said he was excited by the announcement that $65 million would be injected into the local IT industry to encourage a modern, secure and user-centric data industry. "On the back of the Productivity Commission's inquiry into Data Availability and Use, and the funding of an Australian Open Banking initiative in the 2018 Budget, Ping is encouraged that the identity security concepts and open standards we have been championing will help to deliver these initiatives in Australia," he said. "Based on Ping's experience as a technology supplier for the UK Open Banking program... we will continue to take a leadership position in the Australian industry to assist in the design and delivery of an Open Data regime that puts the consumer first, ensuring security and privacy, while enabling a raft of innovation for companies and application developers. The Australian Government is to be congratulated for encouraging this initiative and Ping looks forward to the next stage of this program. Mark Sinclair, ANZ regional director of WatchGuard Technologies, was also happy about the cyber security spend. "The investment announced last night also reinforces last years budget commitment in its Cyber Security Small Business Program to provide $2100 co-funding for small businesses to have their cyber security tested," he said. "However, whats really needed is for this specific program to actually get started. Given that most Australians today work in small businesses, the government should also take it a step further and assist small businesses with the cost of making their networks more secure. "Testing is one thing, but remediation of any security vulnerabilities will often cost a lot more. Given the growing complexity and distribution of networks, small businesses often cant afford the complete and appropriate security solutions that large enterprises are investing in today. Phil Kernick, chief executive of CQR Consulting, was of the opinion that the government had taken the right course of action by continuing to fund cyber security programs in the budget. "However, as cyber security becomes an increasingly important issue for Australian businesses, many are finding themselves hamstrung by a lack of qualified staff," he said. "Skilled security experts are proving hard to find and the rising salary expectations resulting from this scarcity can put them out of reach for small- and mid-sized businesses where the majority of Australians work. "For universities and TAFEs to make the investments needed to establish courses of this type, they must be convinced that there is demand from both students and prospective employers. This is where the federal government can play a role, by bringing all parties together and creating an understanding of the benefits that will result from such an initiative." Kernick stressed that the government also needed to work more broadly to drive understanding of the situation and the best strategies and frameworks for fixing it. Zscaler vice-president for Asia Pacific and Japan, Scott Robertson, urged a new approach to address the mounting security issues that businesses and the government face. "Todays threats are more complex and attack the user when theyre at their weakest - outside the network. At the same time we dont work the same way we used to - we work remotely, access data and applications that reside off premise and to achieve this security architecture must change, he said. Simon Howe, APAC sales director of LogRhythm, said: "As future cyber warfare will be waged between machines, it is critical to invest in technologies such as AI. It is also important to nurture an environment where the best talents and ideas can be developed. As can be seen from recent incidents, data protection should also be top of mind and clear guidelines are needed for the public agencies not within the purview of the Mandatory Breach Disclosure regulations. Brendan Maree, vice-president Asia Pacific Region, 8x8, said: "The focus on IT investment in support of ongoing digital transformation and STEM skills development by the government is certainly encouraging and comes at a time when the world is becoming increasingly digitally connected. "Indeed, the cloud has become a catalyst for small business growth, allowing organisations to innovate freely, carve out new markets, and disrupt the status quo. Industry sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and urban planning have been reimagined and redefined by the cloud. "In order to continue to reap these opportunities, todays enterprises must not only develop new cloud-ready tools, but also put digital at the centre of their businesses. While its good to see the government take notice of digital disruption, Australian businesses will increasingly need to compete based on technology-enabled value. Jamie Davidson, ANZ country manager, JAMF, said it was encouraging to see the continued government investment in cyber security. "This news comes at a time when organisations and individuals are increasingly focused on their digital identities and have a heightened quest for robust privacy," he said. "At the same time, businesses are now operating in an increasingly regulated environment with the new mandatory data breach notification laws in place. Money alone wont keep data safe, but the government investment should encourage businesses to ensure that cyber risk becomes part of their overall risk management strategy." Peter OConnor, the vice-president of Sales Asia Pacific for Snowflake Computing, said the investment in digital services would benefit public sector agencies to realise operational cost savings and gain efficiencies by reaping the benefits that cloud services provision now provides. "However, organisational structure, departmental interactions, workflows and delivery channels must all be reviewed," he said. "Many will also need to be re-engineered or even replaced. Simply throwing money at digital service provision, streamlining or automating current public sector services or supporting outmoded work practices will achieve nothing. "Indeed, just as in private enterprises, the government will need to constantly examine systems and workflows to ensure that they remain appropriate and effective as external conditions evolve. Jacqui Nelson, managing director, Dekko Secure, said the government had shown its continued support of Australian tech companies focusing on cyber security solutions and taking their tech to the global market at the recent Austrade and AustCyber mission to the US. "As we see it though, better education and understanding about the complexity and the real risk companies face daily around data breaches is not fully understood," she said. "There is still a large level of complacency among Australian companies and this is because there isnt a comprehensive understanding of how catastrophic a data breach can be for them, especially in the SMB sector." Nigel Mendonca, country manager, Australia and New Zealand, Tableau, said: "The core of any transformation in todays digital era requires being nimble and making quick decisions. The vast amounts of data available today coupled with rapid advances in analytics solutions and machine learning, means that many businesses are already realising value from their data through better informed decisions. "However, the challenge in Australia for the past few years has been the shortage of sufficiently skilled workers who can understand the business benefits that a data strategy can deliver. This is where empowering everyone with data and initiatives such as the funding programs to upskill the workforce introduced by the Australian Government becomes imperative so that businesses are still able to harness the value of data." Giovanni Polizzi, energy solutions manager, Indra, said: "With an ever rising price for energy supply to homes and business, we would have expected a much higher commitment to increasing the penetration of renewables for households and for commercial and industrial customers. "Keeping an eye on promoting investments in technology for power networks would have also been desirable, as these organisations should avoid costly network infrastructure augmentation by digitising their operations and harnessing the opportunities offered by demand response and distributed renewable generation. Encouraging a potentially cheap energy such as renewable, is in our opinion, the way to go for a stable energy price containment. Tribal Group Asia Pacific managing director Peter Croft welcomed the increase in research funding, "specifically Melbourne Universitys Synchrotron and the Marine Observing system at the Unit of Tasmania under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy". "We also welcome the focus on regional programs to support regional universities and the continuation of funding for research block grants and the commitment by the Federal Government to improving the systems to ensure compliance with the VET (vocational education and training) Student Loans program. However, we are disappointed that there has been no new commitment of funding for the VET sector, although we recognise the continuation of the Skilling Australians Fund arrangements. We encourage the federal and state governments to do more to work collaboratively to make the National Partnership Program work. "So far, none of the $1.5 billion commitment has been taken up, though it is a good sign that the federal government has committed an additional $50 million for any state which signs on to the program by 7 June. Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE has halted its main business activities in the US after a seven-year ban was imposed on American companies supplying it with components. According to a Reuters report, in a regulatory filing on Wednesday US time, the company said: "As a result of the Denial Order, the major operating activities of the company have ceased. "As of now, the company maintains sufficient cash and strictly adheres to its commercial obligations subject in compliance with laws and regulations." Given that ZTE, the second biggest telecommunications equipment maker in China after Huawei Technologies, uses Android in all its smartphones, there have been rumours that it is holding talks with Google to see if it can continue to use the mobile operating system despite the ban. As far as smartphone sales in the US go, ZTE sits fourth behind Apple, Samsung and LG. ZTE gets about one-third of the components for its smartphones from Qualcomm and Intel. It has asked the US to consider a stay of the ban. US officials visited China last week for discussions on what was shaping to be a trade war, after US President Donald Trump imposed duties on some Chinese imports. The ZTE issue is said to have been raised by China during these talks. The US Department of Commerce imposed the ban on ZTE in April, with the department saying at the time that it was due to alleged false statements made by the company during talks in 2016 over a charge of shipping telco equipment to Iran and North Korea. As a penalty, US firms cannot sell parts to ZTE for seven years. ZTE was fined US$1.19 billion in March 2017 and also agreed to a seven-year suspended export ban which would take effect if it was found to be in violation of the Export Administration Regulations. Subsequently, the Department of Commerce claims to have found that statements made by ZTE to the Bureau of Industry and Security were false. Smartphone shipments fell by 6.3% on an annual basis in parts of Europe in the first quarter of 2018, the biggest drop in a single quarter, according to figures from the global technology market analyst firm Canalys. Europe in total saw shipments of 46 million smartphones. The market to suffer was Western Europe, where shipments fell 13.9% to 30.1 million units. The smaller markets of Central and Eastern Europe, however, showed growth, with shipments growing by 12.3% to 15.9 million units. Russia was the standout market in the latter two regions. Last month, Canalys reported that smartphone shipments for China had shown a dramatic fall for Q1 2018. The top three smartphone vendors had differing results in Europe during the quarter. Samsung stayed at the top, shipping more than 15 million smartphones, but slipped 15% compared with the corresponding quarter of the previous year as Huawei and Xiaomi increased pressure on its low-end and mid-range models. But the Galaxy S9's high price, and its earlier launch in the calendar year than the Galaxy S8, led to a drastic rise in its average selling price over the previous year. As a result, Samsung boosted its shipment value by more then 20%. Apple outperformed the market and shipped more than 10 million units, but this was still a 5.4% fall. As a percentage of models shipped, the iPhone X declined slightly from Q4, to about 25%, but it still stayed the top shipping smartphone in the region. Canalys said Apples larger portfolio strategy would become more important as the year progressed, with more than 25% of its Q1 shipments being the iPhone SE, 6 and 6S models that are over two years old. This wider spread of shipments offset the value growth driven by the pricier iPhone X. Huawei bucked the trend, growing 38.6% and shipping 7.4 million units. It shipped more than one million of its new P Smart in its first full quarter. But the delay in launching its flagship P20, versus last years P10, meant that very few of its Q1 shipments were premium models. Despite its large volume growth, it only managed to boost its shipment value by 1.7% over the previous year. But the company would be confident of a rise in average selling price as the P20 truly comes into play in Q2. Canalys pointed out that Samsung, Apple and Huawei had increased their collective share of the Europe market from 61.0% in Q1 2014 to 71.4% in Q1 2018. Smaller brands, such as Alcatel, Sony and LG, suffered substantial declines in Q1 2018. This is a new era for smartphones in Europe, said Ben Stanton, analyst at Canalys. The few remaining growth markets are not enough to offset the saturated ones. We are moving from a growth era to a cyclical era. This presents a brand-new challenge to the incumbents, and we expect several smaller brands to leave the market in the coming years. Canalys said flagship smartphone features had been increasingly commoditised by budget brands which were bringing such specifications to the mid-market. "The likes of Honor, Wiko and Xiaomi have been instrumental in driving growth in specifications such as dual and triple cameras, which grew more than 150% on the previous year. Smartphone screens also continued to increase in size, with shipments of smartphones with screens larger than 5.5" growing more than 50%. The commoditisation of 18:9 aspect ratio screens has been a catalyst for this growth," the company said. Dual-SIM is also a growing specification trend in Europe, said Vincent Thielke, Canalys research analyst. It has taken longer to take hold than elsewhere in the world, because operators are paranoid about ranging dual-SIM phones, as it opens up the opportunity for competitors to sell lines into their installed base. "But due to the growth of dual-SIM through retail channels, especially through brands such as Huawei and Wiko, operators are being forced to re-evaluate their portfolios and consider dual-SIM. Vendors are reacting too, and Samsung has made an explicit push to bring dual-SIM to more of its devices in more of its channels in 2018. Graphics: courtesy Canalys The Coalition Government's approach to the R&D Tax Incentive in last night's Federal Budget mirrors its approach to every other sector or section of society: take from the poor, give to the rich. The changes that were announced will hit start-ups when they are at their most vulnerable: at the stage when they have yet to start generating revenue. At the other end, the R&D expenditure threshold the maximum amount of R&D expenditure eligible for concessional R&D tax offsets has been increased from $100 million to $150 million annually. That will only benefit big companies, most of whom are established. The R&D Tax Incentive seeks to improve the quality and quantity of R&D investments and is a broad-based program that is accessible to all industry sectors where businesses get a refund or tax offset for undertaking R&D activities if requirements are met. Expenditure on the scheme has risen to more than $3 billion over the years as the number of firms who are in the so-called innovation sector has grown. Exactly why the Incentive is available to big companies is difficult to fathom unless it is done because these are the very firms that would donate to the coffers of political parties. Then the whole thing begins to make sense. Start-ups often struggle to make payroll and political donations would be the last thing on the minds of the struggling souls who run these outfits. The government is full of talk when it comes to things digital but it does not walk the walk. Technology does not need to be bound by geography and Australia has already lost at least a couple of solar entrepreneurs to China and the US. But then as the saying goes, people act in haste and repent at leisure. This government is no different. The Australian Computer Society has welcomed government measures in the Federal Budget to boost Australias science and technology capacity, but says more investment is required to prepare Australians for a positive digital future. ACS president Yohan Ramasundara said, While there has been an improvement in terms of a funding allocation for building digital skills, the reality is that we need to do more. Further investment in training, development and small business digital literacy will go a long way to securing a strong digital economy from which all Australians will benefit. Ramasundara said the society welcomed the Governments $1.9 billion boost to Australias research capability and the investment of $2.4 billion over 12 years to boost Australias science and technology capacity, including positive investments in artificial intelligence, digital identity, satellite technology, supercomputers and a national space agency. He also commented on the importance of Research and Development for Australias position in the global tech community. Aussie founders in San Francisco, who have their engineering teams here in Australia, have regularly shared with us how important the R&D Tax Incentive is to maintaining that presence in Australia. We also understand the government needs to reduce debt and live within its means. The changes to the R&D Tax Incentive will focus the support where it is needed the most, for small to medium enterprises who we all want to see become large enterprises. Ramasundara praised the change to corporate taxation announced in the Budget. At times, the corporate tax rate conversation seems to have lost sight of how important competitive tax rates are for attracting new investment to Australia. Technology multinationals create new jobs for our economy, as well as transferring skills and knowledge across the nation. Creating an environment that encourages more R&D in technology here in Australia will provide a multiplier effect, Ramasundara said. The ACS has also welcomed the additional focus on women in STEM that will also help equip the technology sector with the skills it needs to drive further economic growth in coming years, and the $190 million the federal government is allocating to help mature age workers reskill. We have long advocated that there are three key pillars to a modern digital and knowledge economy, one which is higher up the value chain, affords higher paying jobs, and delivers trust. These pillars are a strong banking and finance sector, a strong cyber security capability, and an ability to deliver high level STEM skills in the education system, Ramasundara said. South Australian utility SA Water says it has proven the role of advanced smart technology in managing an underground water network, to proactively identify and repair potential leaks and breaks before they escalate and affect customers and commuters. According to SA Water, the first stage of its smart water network integrated more than 400 sensors across the Adelaide Central Business District, preventing 15 water main breaks or leaks since monitoring and collecting data began in July 2017. Ahead of the Ozwater18 conference in Brisbane, the smart network programs architect, SA Waters Manager of Water Assets, Dr Helen Edmonds, said the deployment was the largest in Australia. The combination and volume of sensors installed across the water network in Adelaide hasnt been seen before, and is delivering outcomes and learnings that will be applicable right across the country, she said. As engineers, weve been immersed in rich data thats helping us make informed decisions, but as South Australians striving to deliver a world-class service for our customers, were making vital inroads to delivering a better customer experience. Although our network performance is among the best in Australia, we know that any water main break or service interruption has an impact on our customers, and we want to reduce that as much as possible. Identifying a potential leak and intervening has been hugely rewarding, but theres also been a sense of accomplishment in analysing the data and understanding the immediacy of some sudden ruptures that didnt offer any warning signals. Edmonds said the data was collected through 305 acoustic leak detection sensors, 34 pressure sensors of which 23 are transient loggers, 11 flow meters, three water quality monitors, and 100 smart meters on customer connections. The information is transmitted over long-term evolution and narrow band technologies to an analytics platform, at 5 to 15 minute intervals. The acoustic sensors or accelerometers cover an average range of 150 metres and monitor around 50% of the water main network in the Adelaide CBD, with a focus on cast iron pipes in areas where the potential customer impact of a break is greater. The music of the network tells us a story, but the art and science of this combine in the algorithms weve built to filter an evolving leak from typical water usage sounds and the background noise of a busy city street, Edmonds said. She said insights had been gathered on the forces within and outside the network that could contribute to faults, such as pressure transients arising from customer activity. One of the transient loggers detected a recurring event with a consistent hydraulic character, happening on the same day and time, every week, and it turned out to be the result of a large buildings fire service being tested. Having this information meant we could work together with the building owner to calm the weekly testing process, and also with the technical regulator to amend design standards for future builds. Importantly, it means the customer will have far less chance of a water main break right outside their building, and the interruption this would cause their operations. An online portal allows smart meter customers to monitor their own water usage, but Edmonds said significant benefits had been realised by SA Water staff identifying abnormalities in customers consumption. "We were able to alert a customer to 100 litres a minute being lost by a faulty float valve constantly refilling their buildings header tank, and the excess water just overflowing into the sewer. Left undetected until their next bill, the water loss alone in that case would have cost over $15 000 a month. Edmonds said the implementation had been so successful that further rollouts were planned later this year across both water and wastewater networks. Slack continues to grow at a fast clip despite strong competition from Microsoft and other large vendors. Slack effectively created the market for team-based chat tools when it debuted four years ago, and has since seen a slew of competitors launch rival products. According to the latest user adoption stats released by the company, Slack now counts 8 million daily active users across more than 500,000 organizations. Thats up from 6 million last September, when the company touted $200 million in annual recurring revenues. [ Further reading: 10 tips for preventing Slack burnout ] More significant is the number of paid users on the platform; that number has increased from 2 million users in September to 3 million now, while the number of paid teams grew from 50,000 to 70,000. That growth points to Slacks success in converting users to its paid versions as well as convincing large business to use its Enterprise Grid product. In comparison, Microsofts Teams chat app, which arrived for all users in March 2017, has been deployed by 200,000 organizations, though the company doesnt provide figures for daily active users. Teams is available in some subscriptions to Microsofts Office365 suite, which has 120 million users. Richard Edwards, distinguished research analyst & service director at UK-based Freeform Dynamics, said that Slacks continued growth is certainly impressive, but theres stiff competition coming its way, most notably from Microsoft with its relatively new Teams product. Of course, Slack and Microsoft are just two of the companies battling for dominance in the collaboration market. Cisco was one of the early rivals to Slack, launching Spark now Webex Teams in 2015. That was followed by Facebooks Workplace, which arrived in late 2016. More recently, Atlassian Stride saw a general release in March alongside Googles revamped Hangouts Chat; a host of others provide similar features, including Flock and RingCentrals Glip. Slack and Microsoft arent the only vendors with their eyes on the chat-based workspace market, which draws together the best bits of traditional standalone collaboration technologies, such as document sharing and co-creation, video and audio conferencing, screen sharing and so on, said Edwards. Nevertheless, Slacks early advantage puts it an strong position, Edwards said, since its already gained a foothold in many organizations. Slack has a solid user base and the product is woven into many production workflows thanks to its integrations capabilities, he said. I dont see much evidence of users rushing to unpick these workflows to replace Slack with something else, but only time will tell. Slack has also benefitted from a strong app ecosystem and developer community. There are now more than 1,500 apps in the Slack App directory, and more than 200,000 developers building on Slacks platform, the company said. That momentum in terms of product development, business user adoption and developer mindshare provides the company with an advantage over rivals, according to Slack CTO Cal Henderson. The real thing that differentiates Slack from any of the other Slack-like versions is that the product has been out for four years and we have millions of people using it every day to get their work done. We really have a big built-up bunch of knowledge about what is effective in team communication tools, he told Computerworld in an interview in March. Ilan Frank, head of the vendors Enterprise Grid product, said that many Slack rivals do not reveal their daily active users [DAUs] as Slack does. DAUs are a key metric for understanding the real impact of a team collaboration tool, he argued. In a team collaboration system, to track monthly logins or the number of teams created or whatever the other panelists brought to the table, it is really kind of useless, Frank said in an earlier interview. What really matters is are people using it on a daily basis. So DAUs is the metric, and that is something new to SaaS and to team collaboration. Last month, Slack announced updates to Enterprise Grid, which it said is now used by 150 organizations globally. The largest deployment is IBM, which has more than 110,000 daily active users. Several other Enterprise Grid customers have between 50,000 and 100,000 daily users, and Slack now counts Capital One, Target and Conde Nast as among its biggest clients. Summerville, SC (29483) Today Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Reddit 114 Email 907 Shares I teach a lot of 18 year olds, so I am keenly aware that a whole generation has come up who did not live through the Bush propaganda campaign against Iraq of 2002-2003. And, of course, a lot of people who did live through it have forgotten its details or how complicit corporate media were in amplifying the campaign. That is, the charge against social media today that it reinforces extremism by its algorithms could be equally well laid against elements of the US press throughout history. Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst may have not said things like you supply the photos, Ill supply the war, but they certainly behaved that way in propagandizing for the shameless Spanish-American War. Bill Keller at the New York Times was their 21st century successor. Here is how the 2003 war was gotten up against Iraq. 1. Conspiratorial groups were formed, like the Project for a New American Century, which included then Halliburton CEO Dick Cheney and Israel Lobby uber-hawks like Bill Kristol, Bob Kagan, Paul Wolfowitz, Elliot Abrams and Frank Gaffney, who were known as Neoconservatives because they had been blue dog Democrats but switched to Reaganism when they assessed that there were no Democratic jobs in government to be had for a long time after 1981. The Project for a New American Century and other cells began trying to put pressure on the Clinton administration to take a belligerent stand against Iraq, in hopes of provoking an Iraqi counter-strike that could then escalate. They used their contacts among billionaires like Rupert Murdoch, to enlist his media, and worked their people in Congress against the president. Kristol is now trying out for Conscience of the Nation because he dislikes Trump. 2. Other governments were enlisted. A 1996 white paper,A Clean Break, was prepared by Neoconservatives for incoming Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu that urged getting up a war on Iraq, re-installing the Hashemite monarchy there, and then using the Hashemites to influence Lebanons Shiites toward a more pro-Israeli stance. Completely weird and unbalanced proposals are not the exclusive province of Trump. 3. Expatriate Iraqis were enlisted for dirty tricks and disinformation campaigns. Someone called Curveball was given to German intelligence, who appear to have fallen for him. Ahmad Chalabi, angling to come back to Iraq as its US-installed supreme leader, misled journalists, intelligence officials, State Department officials, Congress, and virtually anyone he could get hold of. Chalabi once made doggerel verse to insult me, which means I did my job in exposing him. Multiple disinformation nodes were established for various Western intel agencies, so that they all reported these sketchy allegations about an Iraqi nuclear and biological weapons program that did not exist. 4. Once Bush came to power, members of the cell like Douglas Feith (someone with ties to Israeli settlers and ideologically aligned with the Israeli Likud Party) were put in positions of power in the government and used their position to establish intra-governmental black ops units like the Office of Special Plans. Since the CIA and State Department often filtered out the wilder intel reports they were being fed by the expatriate operatives, Feith had his people go back through the raw intelligence and cherry-pick the planted reports, then illegally briefed them to the rest of the US government. I was widely attacked by the Neocons for saying that having a Likudnik as the third man at the Pentagon was a nightmare for US national security, and for pointing out that an acolyte of Slobodon Milosevic being given such a position would likewise be troubling. Not sure, in light of all we know, why that should have been a controversial statement. 5. PNAC and other hawks pressured Clinton to bomb Iraq in 1998. Clinton told UN weapons inspectors to withdraw before the strikes. They were never sent back in. The US press, whether from incompetence or malice or being secretly bribed, continually thereafter said that Saddam kicked out the inspectors, which was an unadorned falsehood. Having deprived Iraq of active inspectors who could serve as on the ground eyewitnesses that there were no weapons programs, the Iraq War Hawks were in a much better position to do propaganda. 6. The Iraq War clique glommed on to George W. Bush, especially once the latter unwisely made Cheney vice president, and inserted themselves into the 10 key political positions in his government, then gradually pushed him toward a war. 7. The Neoconservatives and others who wanted to break Iraqs legs blamed the al-Qaeda attacks of September 11 on the secular socialist anti-fundamentalist government of the Iraqi Baath Party, and managed to convince most Americans of the completely ridiculous charge. 8. They made a case for regime change over Iraqs human rights record or its regional role, though countries like Saudi Arabia or Israel with similar profiles were exempted from criticism. 9. Bush, Condi Rice, Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld tried to scare Americans that Saddam was 2 years or less from having an atomic bomb (he had no program). This campaign convinced Congress to vote for a war. Why these networks were so invested in an attack on Iraq isnt clear. The Neoconservatives were probably just acting as capos for the Likud Party, breaking the legs of a rival gang in the Middle East. Cheney and his oil circles likely wanted to lift Congressional sanctions on Iraqi petroleum and do bids on Iraqi fields (this was before fracking). Evangelicals wanted to open Iraq as a mission field, fondly imagining that the Shiites of Najaf had been yearning to return to the Christianity Iraqis largely abandoned during the first four centuries of Muslim rule, from the seventh through the eleventh centuries. The military-industrial complex wanted to make and sell large numbers of weapons and bombs. Various groups had their own motives and they all came together around Cheney. I probably dont need to say that people like Bolton who were part of the original plot have reemerged, or that the Peoples Jihadi Organization (MEK) is an Iranian cell that is playing the role of Chalabi and has Bolton, Pompeo, Giuliani and others in its back pocket. It has strong connections to Israeli intelligence. I dont need to point out that Iran is being maneuvered into expelling UN inspectors so that a propaganda campaign can be waged. The United Arab Emirates, part of the current plot, even had its house organ Alarabiya do a documentary monstrously alleging that Iran was behind 9/11. The stage is set. Cover Image: U.S. Army Sgt. Mark Phiffer stands guard duty near a burning oil well in the Rumaylah Oil Fields in Southern Iraq, 2003. Bonus video: Without Iran Plan, President Trump Destroys US Credibility & Betrays Allies | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC Reddit Email 97 Shares They are the extremists. If you need proof, look no further than the Afghan capital, Kabul, where the latest wave of suicide bombings has proven devastating. Recently, for instance, a fanatic set off his explosives among a group of citizens lining up outside a government office to register to vote in upcoming elections. At least 57 people died, including 22 women and eight children. ISISs branch in Afghanistan proudly took responsibility for that callous act but one not perhaps quite as callous as the ISIS suicide bomber who, in August 2016, took out a Kurdish wedding in Turkey, missing the bride and groom but killing at least 54 people and wounding another 66. Twenty-two of the dead or injured were children and the bomber may even have been a child himself. Such acts are extreme, which by definition makes the people who commit them extremists. The same is true of those like the caliph of the now-decimated Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who order, encourage, or provide the ideological framework for such acts a judgment few in this country (or most other places on the planet) would be likely to dispute. In this century, from Kabul to Baghdad, Paris to San Bernardino, such extreme acts of indiscriminate civilian slaughter have only multiplied. Though relatively commonplace, each time such a slaughter occurs, it remains an event of horror and is treated as such in the media. If committed by Islamists against Americans or Europeans, suicide attacks of this sort are given 24/7 coverage here, often for days at a time. And keep in mind that such extreme acts arent just restricted to terror groups, their lone wolf followers, or even white nationalists and other crazed men in this country, armed to the teeth, who, in schools,workplaces, restaurants, and elsewhere, regularly wipe out groups of innocents. Take the recent charges that the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad used outlawed chemical weapons in a rebel-held suburb of Damascus, that countrys capital, killing families and causing havoc. Whether that specific act proves to have been as advertised or not, there can be no question that the Assad regime has regularly slaughtered its own citizens with chemical weapons, barrel bombs, artillery barrages, and (sometimes Russian) air strikes, destroying neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, markets, you name it. All of this adds up to a set of extreme acts of the grimmest kind. And such acts could be multiplied across significant parts of the planet, ranging from the Myanmar militarys brutal ethnic-cleansing campaign against that countrys Rohingya minority to acts of state horror in places like South Sudan and the Congo. In this sense, our world certainly doesnt lack either extreme thinking or the acts that go with it. We here in the United States are, of course, eternally shocked by their extremism, their willingness to kill the innocent without compunction, particularly in the case of Islamist groups, from the 9/11 attacks to ISISs more recent slaughters. However, one thing is, almost by definition, obvious. We are not a nation of extreme acts or extreme killers. Quite the opposite. Yes, we make mistakes. Yes, we sometimes kill. Yes, we sometimes even kill the innocent, however mistakenly. Yes, we are also exceptional, indispensable, and great (again), as so many politicians and presidents have been telling us for so many years now. And yes, you might even say that in one area we are extreme in the value we put on American lives, especially military ones. The only thing this country and its leaders are not is extremist in the sense of an al-Qaeda or an ISIS, an Assad regime or a South Sudanese one. That goes without saying, which is why no one here ever thinks to say it. Brides and Grooms in an Extreme World Still, just for a moment, as a thought experiment, set aside that self-evident body of knowledge and briefly try to imagine our own particular, indispensable, exceptional version of extremity; that is, try to imagine ourselves as an extreme nation or even, to put it as extremely as possible, the ISIS of superpowers. This subject came to my mind recently thanks to a story I noticed about another extreme wedding slaughter this one not by ISIS but thanks to a Saudi double-tap airstrike on a wedding in Yemen, first on the grooms party, then on the brides. The bride and possibly the groom died along with 31 other wedding goers (including children). And keep in mind that this wasnt the first or most devastating Saudi attack on a wedding in the course of its brutal air war in Yemen since 2015. To take out a wedding, even in wartime, is I think you could find general agreement on this an extreme act. Two weddings? More so. And nowhere near the wars battle lines? More so yet. Of course, given the nature of the Saudi regime, it could easily be counted as another of the extreme governments on this planet. But remember one thing when it comes to that recent wedding slaughter, another country has backed the Saudi royals to the hilt in their war in Yemen: the United States. Washington has supported the Saudi war effort in just about every way imaginable from refueling their planes in mid-air to providing targeting intelligence to selling them billions of dollars of weaponry and munitions of every sort (including cluster bombs) used in that war. This was true in the Obama years and is, if anything, doubly so at a moment when President Trump has put so much energy and attention into plying the Saudis with arms. So tell me, given that the staggering suffering of civilians in Yemen is common knowledge, shouldnt our support for the Saudi air war be considered an extreme policy? Keep in mind as well that, between December 29, 2001, when U.S. B-52 and B-1B bombers killed more than 100 revelers at a wedding in a village in eastern Afghanistan, and December 2013 when a CIA drone took out a yep Yemeni wedding party, U.S. air power wiped out all or parts of at least eight weddings, including brides, grooms, and even musicians, killing and wounding hundreds of participants in three countries (and only apologizing in a single case). The troops of present Secretary of Defense James Mattis, when he was commanding the 1st Marine Division in Iraq in 2004, were responsible for one of those slaughters. It took place in Western Iraq and was the incident in which those musicians died, as reportedly did 14 children. When asked about it at the time, Mattis responded: How many people go to the middle of the desert to hold a wedding 80 miles from the nearest civilization? And that response was no more callous or extreme than the New York Daily Newss front-page headline, so many years later, for that U.S. drone strike in Yemen: Bride and Boom! Imagine, for a moment, that a wedding party in some rural part of the United States had been wiped out by a foreign air strike and an Iraqi insurgent leader had responded as Mattis did or an Iraqi paper had used some version of the Newss headline. I dont think its hard to conjure up what the reaction might have been here. Add another little fact to this: to the best of my knowledge, TomDispatch was the only media outlet that tried to keep a record of those American wedding slaughters; otherwise they were quickly forgotten in this country. So tell me, doesnt that have a feeling of extremity and of remarkable callousness to it? Certainly, if those massacres had been the acts of al-Qaeda or ISIS and American brides, grooms, musicians, and children had been among the dead, theres no doubt what we would be saying about them 24/7. A New Kind of Death Cult? Now, for a moment, lets consider the possible extremism of Washington in a more organized way. Here, then, is my six-category rundown of what I would call American extremity on a global scale: Garrisoning the globe: The U.S. has an estimated 800 or so military bases or garrisons, ranging from the size of American small towns to tiny outposts, across the planet. They exist almost everywhere Europe, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America except in countries that are considered American foes (and given the infamous Guantanamo Bay Detention Center in Cuba, theres even an exception to that). At the moment, Great Britain and France still have small numbers of bases, largely left over from their imperial pasts; that rising great power rival China officially has one global garrison, a naval base in Djiboutiin the horn of Africa (near an American base there, one of its growing collection of outposts on that continent), which much worries American war planners, and a naval base, in the process of being built, in Gwadar, Pakistan; that other great power rival, Russia, still has several bases in countries that were once part of the Soviet Union, and a single naval base in Syria (which similarly disturbs American military planners). The United States, as I said, has at least 800 of them, a number that puts in the shade the global garrisons of any other great power in history, and to go with them, more than 450,000 military personnel stationed outside its borders. It shouldnt be surprising then that, like no other power in history, it has divided the world every bit of it as if slicing a pie, into six military commands; thats six commands for every inch of the globe (and another two for space and cyberspace). Might all of this not be considered just a tad extreme? Funding the military: The U.S. puts approximately a trillion dollars annually in taxpayer funds into its military, its 17 intelligence agencies, and whats now called homeland security. Its national security budget is larger than those of the next eight countries combined and still rising yearly, though most politicians agree and many regularly insist that the U.S. military has been badly underfunded in these years, left in a state of disrepair, and needs to be rebuilt. Now, honestly, dont you think that qualifies as both exceptional in the most literal sense and kind of extreme? Fighting wars: The United States has been fighting wars nonstop since its military invaded Afghanistan in October 2001. Thats almost 17 years of invasions, occupations, air campaigns, drone strikes, special operations raids, naval air and missile attacks, and so much else, from the Philippines to Pakistan, Afghanistan to Syria, Libya to Niger. And in none of those places is such war making truly over. It goes without saying that theres no other country on the planet making war in such a fashion or over anything like such a period of time. Americans were, for instance, deeply disturbed and ready to condemn Russia for sending its troops into neighboring Ukraine and occupying Crimea. That was considered an extreme act worthy of denunciations of the strongest sort. In this country, though, American-style war, despite invasions of countries thousands of miles away and the presidentially directed targeting of individuals across the globe for assassination by drone with next to no regard for national sovereignty is not considered extreme. Most of the time, in fact, its seldom thought about at all or even seriously debated. And yet, isnt fighting unending wars across thousands of miles of the planet for almost 17 years without end, while making the president into a global assassin, just a tad extreme? Destroying cities: Can there be any question that, in the American mind, the most extreme act of this century was the destruction of those towers in New York City and part of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001, with the deaths of almost 3,000 unsuspecting, innocent civilians? That became the definition of an extreme act by a set of extremists. Consider, however, the American response. Across significant parts of the Middle East in the years since, the U.S. has had a major hand in destroying not just tower after tower, but city after city Fallujah, Ramadi, and Mosul in Iraq, Raqqa in Syria, Sirte in Libya. One after another, parts or all of them were turned into literal rubble. A reported 20,000 munitions were dropped on Raqqa, the capital of the brief Islamic State, by U.S. and allied air power, leaving at least 1,400 civilians dead, and barely a building untouched or even standing (with the Trump administration intent on not providing funds for any kind of reconstruction). In these years, in response to the destruction in whole or part of a handful of buildings, the U.S. has destroyed (often with a helping hand from the Islamic State) whole cities, while filling the equivalent of tower after tower with dead and wounded civilians. Is there nothing extreme about that? Displacing people: In the course of its wars, the U.S. has helped displace a record numberof human beings since the last days of World War II. In Iraq alone, from the years of conflict that Washington set off with its invasion and occupation of 2003, vast numbers of people have been displaced, including in the ISIS era, 1.3 million children. In response to that reality, in the homeland, the man who became president in 2017 and the officials he appointed went to work to transform the very refugees we had such a hand in creating into terrifying bogeymen, potentially the most dangerous and extreme people on the planet, and then turned to the task of ensuring that none of them would ever arrive in this country. Doesnt that seem like an extreme set of acts and responses? Arming the planet (and its own citizens as well): In these years, as with defense spending, so with the selling of weaponry of almost every imaginable sort to other countries. U.S. weapons makers, aided and abetted by the government, have outpaced all possible competitors in global arms sales. In 2016, for instance, the U.S. took 58% of those sales, while between 2002-2016, Washington transferred weaponry to 167 countries, or more than 85% of the nations on the planet. Many of those arms, including cluster bombs, missiles, advanced jet planes, tanks, and munitions of almost every sort, went into planetary hot spots, especially the Middle East. At the same time, the citizens of the U.S. themselves have more arms per capita (often of a particularly lethal military sort) than the citizens of any other country on Earth. And appropriately enough under the circumstances, they commit more mass killings. When it comes to weaponry, then, wouldnt you call that extreme on both a global and a domestic scale? And thats only to begin to plunge into the topic of American extremity. After all, we now have a president whose administration considers it perfectly normal, in fact a form of deterrence policy, to separate parents from even tiny children crossing our southern border or to cut food aid and raise the rent on poor Americans. Were talking about a president with a cult-like following whose government is ideologically committed to wiping out environmental protections of every sort and pushing the further fossil fuelization of the country and the planet, even if it means the long-term destruction of the very environment that has nurtured humanity these last thousands of years. Think of this perhaps as a new kind of death cult, which means that Donald Trump might be considered the superpower version of an Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. As with all such things, this particular cult did not come from nowhere, but from a land of growing extremity, a country that now, it seems, may be willing to preside over not just cities in ruin but a planet in ruin, too. Doesnt that seem just a little extreme to you? Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, Tom Engelhardts A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoys In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, John Dowers The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, John Feffers dystopian novel Splinterlands, and Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead. [Note for TomDispatch Readers: I have a special offer for you today. My new book, A Nation Unmade by War, will arrive in bookstores soon. Noam Chomsky calls it incisive, lucid, and brutally informative. Andrew Bacevich writes, Engelhardt at his very best: impassioned, and funny even, in a time of great darkness. And Karen Greenberg adds, A requiem for a nation turned upside down a must-read for any student of twenty-first-century America. For a donation of $100 ($125 if you live outside the U.S.), you can be the first on your block to get a signed, personalized copy of the book. Check out our donation page for the details and if such a contribution is a little steep for you, do at least pick up a copy of the book and tell your friends to do the same! Ill obviously appreciate anything you can do! Tom] Via Tomdispatch.com Bonus video added by Informed Comment: TRT World: Civilians killed in US air strikes LONDON, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Horizonte Minerals Plc (AIM:HZM) (TSX:HZM) (Horizonte or the Company), the nickel development company focused in Brazil which is developing the Araguaia nickel project as Brazils next ferro-nickel mine, is pleased to announce an initial NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for the recently acquired Vermelho nickel/cobalt project. Highlights The Vermelho Nickel-Cobalt Mineral Resources, in the Measured and Indicated category, are 167.8 million tonnes grading 1.01% nickel and 0.06% cobalt (at 0.9% nickel equivalent cut off) (at 0.9% nickel equivalent cut off) The Measured and Indicated mineral resources categories are estimated to contain 1.68 million tonnes (3,700 million lbs) of nickel and 94,000 tonnes (207 million lbs) of cobalt The Mineral Resource Estimate places the Vermelho project as one of the largest, highest grade undeveloped laterite nickel cobalt resources globally Significant portion of high grade saprolite within the deposit is amenable to the Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace process route to produce ferronickel being developed at the Araguaia project Test work planned to confirm the Vermelho mineralisation is suitable to produce nickel and cobalt sulphate for the EV battery Market Horizontes CEO Jeremy Martin said, This NI 43-101 Mineral Resource covering the Vermelho nickel-cobalt project is an exciting development for the Company. The resource is high grade, at around 1.34% NiEq% and places the project on the upper end of the global grade curve as well as being scalable, adding over 1.6 million tonnes of contained nickel and over 90,000 tonnes of contained cobalt to the Companys substantial global metal inventory. The next phase of work at Vermelho will focus on advancing the work that Vale completed as part of their Feasibility Study, taking the mixed hydroxide product (MHP) and upgrading to nickel and cobalt sulphate suitable for use in the evolving EV battery market. The acquisition of the Vermelho nickel cobalt project means that Horizonte now has the potential to supply both high grade ferro-nickel from the Araguaia project to the stainless steel market and nickel/cobalt products from Vermelho that can be used in both the EV battery market or the metals space as we work towards becoming a leading nickel development company. The current focus at the Araguaia ferro-nickel project is the completion of the Feasibility Study and the work related to the award of the construction licence. We look forward to keeping the market updated as we advance both projects against a backdrop of strengthening nickel and cobalt prices, where recent nickel prices have been in the US$ 6-7/lb range and cobalt prices continue to trade above US$40/lb, driven by a combination of growing demand, as highlighted by recent Chinese EV numbers and concern around cobalt supply restrictions in the DRC. Further details Horizontes 100% owned Vermelho NickelCobalt project was acquired from Vale in late 2017, it is located in the eastern part of the Carajas mining district and approximately 80 kilometres north west of the Companys Araguaia North ferro-nickel project. At a 0.90% nickel-equivalent cut-off grade the estimated Nickel-Cobalt mineral resources in the Vermelho (V1) and Vermelho (V2) deposits are presented in Table 1. The Mineral Resource is reported by a series of nickel equivalent cut-offs in 2018 from Gemcom mining software. The basis of the nickel equivalent calculation is the equation NiEq% = Ni% + (6 x Co%), based upon the relative average cash prices for nickel and cobalt metals, as reported on the London Metal Exchange for the six-month period 2nd November 2017 to 3rd April 2018. The nickel equivalent calculation assumes similar nickel and cobalt recoveries as obtained by the test work carried out by Vale in the Feasibility Study. Mr. Andrew F. Ross MSc, FAusIMM, an Independent Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) employed by Snowden Mining Industry Consultants, has completed a review of this Mineral Resource Estimate and has recommended to Horizonte that this Mineral Resource Estimate is suitable for reporting by Horizonte as the current Mineral Resource Estimate. These Mineral Resources were reported to Horizonte as current Mineral Resource Estimates, after Snowden reviewed the historic mineral resource estimates described in the NI 43-101 Technical Report dated 1st February 2018. The mineral resource categories (Measured, Indicated, Inferred) conform to the requirements of the JORC Code (2012) which is a permitted reporting code under NI 43-101. A total of 77,575 metres (1,383 holes) from V1 and 51,165 metres (877 holes) from V2 were used in the evaluation of the deposits and Mineral Resource Estimates reported in the Vermelho Feasibility Study. Table 1 Combined Classified Mineral Resource Report for Vermelho by Nickel Equivalent cut-offs Cut-off NiEq% Million Tonnes NiEq% Ni % Ni metal ktonnes Co % Co metal ktonnes Fe 2 O 3 % SiO 2 % MgO % Measured 0.8 185.4 1.28 0.96 1,781 0.05 99 31.53 43.14 9.58 0.9 161.4 1.34 1.01 1,629 0.06 90 31.46 42.58 9.95 1.0 138.5 1.41 1.06 1,469 0.06 81 31.42 42.05 10.24 1.2 92.7 1.56 1.19 1,098 0.06 59 31.33 40.86 10.92 Indicated 0.8 7.7 1.22 0.88 68 0.06 4 27.15 50.56 7.21 0.9 6.4 1.29 0.93 59 0.06 4 27.52 50.32 6.85 1.0 5.2 1.37 0.99 51 0.06 3 27.91 49.89 6.61 1.2 3.3 1.54 1.11 36 0.07 2 28.06 49.04 6.73 Measured and Indicated 0.8 193.1 1.28 0.96 1,848 0.05 103 31.36 43.43 9.49 0.9 167.8 1.34 1.01 1,688 0.06 94 31.31 42.87 9.83 1.0 143.7 1.41 1.06 1,520 0.06 84 31.29 42.33 10.11 1.2 96.0 1.56 1.18 1,135 0.06 61 31.22 41.14 10.77 Inferred 0.8 3.8 1.13 0.87 33 0.04 2 24.23 41.75 15.27 0.9 2.8 1.23 0.94 27 0.05 1 25.86 41.83 13.47 1.0 2.1 1.33 1.01 21 0.05 1 27.25 41.84 11.92 1.2 1.2 1.51 1.13 13 0.06 1 28.65 41.49 10.66 Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred resources as an Indicated or Measured mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to the Indicated or Measured mineral resource category. This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014. For further information visit www.horizonteminerals.com or contact: Horizonte Minerals plc Jeremy Martin (CEO) / David Hall (Chairman) +44 (0) 20 7763 7157 finnCap Ltd (NOMAD & Joint Broker) Christopher Raggett/ James Thompson / Emily Morris +44 (0) 20 7220 0500 Numis Securities Ltd (Joint Broker) John Prior / Paul Gillam +44 (0) 207 260 1000 Shard Capital (Joint Broker) Damon Heath / Erik Woolgar +44 (0) 20 7186 9952 Tavistock (Financial PR) Jos Simson / Barney Hayward +44 (0) 20 7920 3150 About Horizonte Minerals: Horizonte Minerals plc is an AIM and TSX-listed nickel development focused in Brazil. The Company is developing the Araguaia Project as the next major ferro-nickel mine in Brazil. With the Vermelho nickel-cobalt project being advanced with the aim of being able to supply nickel and cobalt to the EV battery market. Both projects are 100% owned. Horizonte shareholders include: Teck Resources Limited, Canaccord Genuity Group, JP Morgan, Lombard Odier Asset Management (Europe) Limited, City Financial, Richard Griffiths and Glencore. In accordance with the AIM Note for Mining and Oil and Gas Companies, Horizonte discloses that Mr. Andrew F. Ross, an employee of Snowden, is the qualified person that has reviewed the technical information contained in this announcement. Mr. Ross MSc, FAusIMM and is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr. Ross consents to the inclusion of the information in this announcement in the form and context in which it appears. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained in this press release constitutes forward-looking information under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the potential of the Companys current or future property mineral projects; the success of exploration and mining activities; cost and timing of future exploration, production and development; the estimation of mineral resources and reserves and the ability of the Company to achieve its goals in respect of growing its mineral resources; and the realization of mineral resource and reserve estimates. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks related to: exploration and mining risks, competition from competitors with greater capital; the Companys lack of experience with respect to development-stage mining operations; fluctuations in metal prices; uninsured risks; environmental and other regulatory requirements; exploration, mining and other licences; the Companys future payment obligations; potential disputes with respect to the Companys title to, and the area of, its mining concessions; the Companys dependence on its ability to obtain sufficient financing in the future; the Companys dependence on its relationships with third parties; the Companys joint ventures; the potential of currency fluctuations and political or economic instability in countries in which the Company operates; currency exchange fluctuations; the Companys ability to manage its growth effectively; the trading market for the ordinary shares of the Company; uncertainty with respect to the Companys plans to continue to develop its operations and new projects; the Companys dependence on key personnel; possible conflicts of interest of directors and officers of the Company, and various risks associated with the legal and regulatory framework within which the Company operates. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2018) - Fremont Gold Ltd. (TSXV: FRE) (FSE: FR2) (OTC Pink: USTDF) ("Fremont" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has commenced a five-hole drill program totalling a minimum 1000m at Gold Bar and Gold Canyon in northern Nevada (see Fremont news release dated March 5, 2018). Drilling commenced this past week at the former Gold Bar mine. Hole 1 is targeted on the historical Millsite deposit 1 and is intended to infill a previously un-drilled part of the deposit Hole 2, also at Gold Bar mine, will target suspected mineralization that may occur beyond the southeast wall of the historical pit Holes 3 and 4 (labeled GCR-1 &2 on the image) will be drilled at Gold Canyon, just beyond the NE end of the Gold Canyon pit, where an historical drill hole encountered 18.3m @3.48 g/t Au 1 . These holes will target the strike extent of an important northeast-trending controlling structure observed in the pit Hole 5 (GCR-3) will be drilled west of the Gold Canyon pit where historical drilling suggests a different mineralized zone at depth that is separate and stratigraphically lower than the material previously mined in the open pit. An additional hole/more meters may be drilled at Gold Canyon depending on efficiency of the drilling and cost The program is expected to last four to five weeks and initial results should be available by late June Gold Bar Drilling Gold Canyon Drilling Background The Gold Bar and Gold Canyon properties are both former mines in the Gold Bar District in Eureka County, Nevada, an active mining area in the Roberts Mountains within the Battle Mountain-Eureka Trend. The district contains several Carlin-style sediment-hosted gold deposits including McEwen Mining Inc.'s ("McEwen") Gold Bar project, which is scheduled to produce 62,800 oz/annum at $770/oz starting in early 20192. Fremont's Gold Bar and Gold Canyon projects are adjacent to and surrounded by (respectively) McEwen's Gold Bar development project. While McEwen's development project and Fremont's property share the same name, the historic Gold Bar mine is held by Fremont and produced 286,354 ounces of gold from 1986 to 19943. Fremont's Gold Bar property comprises 4,150 hectares, hosts the historical mine and is 5 kms southwest of McEwen's project. It also contains an historical resource of 147,000 ounces @ 2.57 g/t Au, called the Millsite deposit4 (see Fremont press release dated September 12, 2017) thought to be a faulted off-set of the former Gold Bar ore body located on the northwest side of the old pit. Clay Newton, Fremont's VP of states, "At both Gold Bar and Gold Canyon we have substantial opportunities to confirm and expand existing zones of mineralization, as well as target structurally prospective areas that we suspect host mineralization. For example, at Gold Canyon, a lower, mineralized zone is evident in the historical drill data, but surprisingly was not followed up, or noted in subsequent reports. In the medium term, we will attempt to upgrade this zone to a resource, as well as test the Northwest Gold Ridge and French Trail targets which are located northeast and north of the Gold Canyon pit respectively. Numerous targets within the Gold Canyon property are untested or have been only partially tested; which in addition to the historical resource at Gold Bar gives us a very good start on building a significant resource base." Gold Canyon Location Map M.C. Newton, the Company's Vice President of Exploration, and a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Dennis Moore" President and CEO Telephone: 778-772-9892 or 604-676-5660 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.fremontgold.net About Fremont Gold Ltd. Fremont holds exclusive rights to the Gold Bar-Gold Canyon and Hurricane Projects, located respectively in Eureka County and Lander County, Nevada. Fremont also holds rights to the Goldrun Project in the Adelaide mining district, Humboldt County, Nevada and the North Carlin Project in Elko County. The Company's strategy is to conduct exploration on its existing projects using the collective exploration expertise of the management team. Further information regarding the Gold Bar, Gold Canyon, Hurricane, Goldrun and North Carlin Projects are available at www.sedar.com. 1 Atlas Corporation, Gold Bar Review, January 1997 2 McEwen Mining website: www.mcewenmining.com 3 Internal report, Atlas Precious Metals, Mines, Dec 13, 1995, prepared by Pincock, Allen & Holt, 4 Atlas-Granges Joint Venture, 1996, Year End Report, private company report, 17p 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. This press release contains "forward-looking information" that is based on the Company's current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements with respect to the Company's proposed use of proceeds. The word "intends" or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information. There is no guarantee that the Company's planned drill program will proceed as stated. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. OTTAWA, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. (Cornerstone or the Company) (TSX-V:CGP) (Frankfurt:GWN) (Berlin:GWN) (OTC:CTNXF) announces the following trenching results from the Bramaderos Main prospect at its Bramaderos Gold-Copper Project in southern Ecuador. Figures related to this news release can be seen in PDF format by accessing the version of this release on the Companys website (www.cornerstoneresources.com) or by clicking on the link below: Click Here. Highlights: Longitudinal surface trenching results at the Bramaderos Main prospect, part of the Bramaderos Gold-Copper Project in Ecuador, have delivered the following assay results: 615m at 0.52g/t gold and 0.11% copper, including 123m at 0.55g/t gold and 0.17% copper, and 180m at 0.6g/t gold The mineralized domain at Bramaderos Main measures at least 620m x 220m at surface, and based on 2 historical drill holes has a vertical extent exceeding 300 m, with mineralization open laterally and at depth Further Information: Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. (TSX-V:CGP) is pleased to report gold and copper results from the final phase of trenching at the Bramaderos Main gold-copper porphyry target, within its Bramaderos Project in Ecuador (Figures 1 and 4). Trench BM-14 was excavated along a 615m longitudinal position of mineralized diorite. Mineralization remains open to the NW, and although appears to be closed off at surface to the SE, mineralization is interpreted to extend and plunge to the SE below cover (Figure 2). It is interpreted that this trench has sampled along the best of the outcropping mineralization, with higher grade sections interpreted to be controlled by structures with greater vein density. The trench also is interpreted to have sampled the surface expression of a tilted mineralized system (Figure 2). Orthogonal trenches, which have been reported previously, have sampled mineralized diorite up to 220m wide in areas across the longitudinal trench (e.g. trench BM-07 which intersected 216m at 0.5g/t gold, and BM-02 which intersected 141m at 0.6g/t gold and 0.15% copper). While historical drilling indicates that mineralization extends to between 200 and 300m deep, the 3-D geometry of the Bramaderos Main porphyry gold-copper system is yet to be determined. Some insight into a possible geometry is indirectly provided by the recently released 3-D magnetic modelling which suggests a SE-plunging system of at least 1km vertical extent (Figures 2 and 3). Drilling will be targeted to address this issue. Proposed drill holes are shown in Figure 1. The interpreted plunging geometry would explain a weakening of mineralization at surface to the SE, and mineralization open to the NW where the magnetic anomaly shallows up-dip into the intensely altered Bramaderos Hill topographic high (Figure 2). All trench results are now compiled and tabulated (Table 1) and shown in the attached Figure 1. Three proposed drill holes are also shown in Figure 1 and it is expected that these holes will be the first to be drilled by Sunstone at Bramaderos. It is expected that Bramaderos Main will be the first of 4 targets to be drilled once permitting is in place. About Bramaderos The Bramaderos concession is owned by Cornerstone subsidiary La Plata Minerales S.A. (PLAMIN), which has signed a binding letter of intent with Sunstone Metals Ltd. (formerly Avalon Minerals Ltd.) (ASX:STM), whereby Sunstone has the right to earn a 51% interest in the project by spending US$3.4 million over 3 years to complete a phase 1 drill program. If this first option is earned, Sunstone can go to 70% by funding a bankable feasibility study, and can go to 80% by financing 100% of the cost of construction of a mine and mill (see news release 17-08 dated April 10, 2017). Qualified Person: Yvan Crepeau, MBA, P.Geo., Cornerstones Vice President, Exploration and a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for supervising the exploration program at the Bramaderos project for Cornerstone and has reviewed and approved the information contained in this news release. Sampling and assaying Rock samples are collected by PLAMINs personnel, placed in plastic bags, labeled and sealed, and stored in a secure place until delivery by PLAMIN employees to the LAC y Asociados ISO 9001-2008 certified sample preparation facility in Cuenca, Ecuador. Rock samples are prepared crushing to 70% passing 2 mm (10 mesh), splitting 250 g and pulverizing to 85% passing 75 microns (200 mesh) (MSA code PRP-910). Prepared samples are then shipped to MS Analytical Services (MSA), an ISO 9001-2008 laboratory in Langley, BC, Canada, where samples are assayed for a multi-element suite (MSA code IMS-136, 15.0 g split, Aqua Regia digestion, ICP-AES/MS finish) and gold by Fire Assay (MSA code FAS-111, 30 g fusion, AAS finish). Over limit results for Cu (>1%) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code ICF-6Cu, 0.2 g, 4-acid digestion, ICP-AES finish). Gold is assayed using a 30 g split, Fire Assay (FA) and AAS finish (MSA code FAS 111). Over limit results for Au (>10 g/t) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code FAS-415, FA, 30g., gravimetric finish). Soil samples are dried at low temperature, screened to 80 mesh (MSA code PRP-757), a 15 grams portion is then assayed for a multi-elements suite (MSA code IMS-136, Aqua Regia digestion, ICP-AES/MS finish). Quality assurance / Quality control (QA/QC) The MSA Analytical Laboratory is a qualified assayer that performs and makes available internal assaying controls. Duplicates, certified blanks and standards are systematically used (1 control sample every 20-25 samples) as part of PLAMINs QA/QC program. Rejects, a 100 g pulp for each rock sample, are stored for future use and controls. About Cornerstone: Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company with a diversified portfolio of projects in Ecuador and Chile, including in the Cascabel gold-enriched copper porphyry joint venture in north west Ecuador. Exploraciones Novomining S.A. (ENSA), an Ecuadorean company owned by SolGold Plc and Cornerstone, holds 100% of the Cascabel concession. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including SolGolds fully funding the project through to feasibility, SolGold Plc will own 85% of the equity of ENSA and Cornerstone will own the remaining 15% of ENSA. SolGold Plc is funding 100% of the exploration at Cascabel and is the operator of the project. Pursuant to the previously announced plan of arrangement, Cornerstone will spin off all of its assets except for its interests in the Cascabel concession in Ecuador, shares of SolGold plc and the joint venture with Ecuadorian state mining company ENAMI EP into a new company called Cornerstone Exploration Inc. Cornerstone Exploration will own the drill ready Bella Maria, Shyri NW (Vetas Grandes) and Bramaderos properties in Ecuador, an option to own 100% of the drill ready Cana Brava property in Ecuador, the Tioloma property surrounding Cana Brava, the applications for new properties in Ecuador made by Cornerstone subsidiary La Plata Minerales S.A., and the Miocene property in Chile, in addition to Cornerstone's generative exploration databases for Ecuador and Chile. Cornerstone will be re-named Cascabel Gold & Copper Inc. ("Cascabel Gold & Copper"). The plan of arrangement to spinoff Cornerstone Exploration Inc. is proceeding in the ordinary course and, pending TSXV approval, is expected to be completed in June 2018. Further information is available on Cornerstones website: www.cornerstoneresources.com and on Twitter. For investor, corporate or media inquiries, please contact: Investor Relations: Mario Drolet; Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; Tel. (514) 904-1333 Due to anti-spam laws, many shareholders and others who were previously signed up to receive email updates and who are no longer receiving them may need to re-subscribe at Click Here Cautionary Notice: This news release may contain Forward-Looking Statements that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of Cornerstones plans, objectives, strategies, intentions and expectations. The words potential, anticipate, forecast, believe, estimate, expect, may, project, plan, and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes that its expectations reflected in these Forward-Looking Statements are reasonable, such statements may involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in our regulatory filings, viewed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets, predicting natural geological phenomena and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of an environmental, climatic, natural, political, economic, business, competitive, or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes the facts and information contained in this news release to be as correct and current as possible, Cornerstone does not warrant or make any representation as to the accuracy, validity or completeness of any facts or information contained herein and these statements should not be relied upon as representing its views after the date of this news release. While Cornerstone anticipates that subsequent events may cause its views to change, it expressly disclaims any obligation to update the Forward-Looking Statements contained herein except where outcomes have varied materially from the original statements. On Behalf of the Board, Hugh Brooke Macdonald President and CEO 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. Barrick to invest US$38 million to purchase 19.9% interest at C$1.06 per share *** Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States*** VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midas Gold Corp. (TSX:MAX) (OTCQX:MDRPF) (Midas Gold or the Company) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:ABX) (TSX:ABX) (Barrick) whereby Barrick will purchase 46,551,731 common shares of Midas Gold in a non-brokered private placement (the Placement) at a price of C$1.06 per share for gross proceeds of US$38,065,907. The Placement will result in Barrick owning 19.9% of the issued and outstanding shares in Midas Gold on a post-transaction basis. Barricks investment supports Midas Golds continued efforts to permit the Stibnite Gold Project, so that we can build and operate a world class mining operation that addresses legacy environmental impacts and generate economic benefits to the local community. Midas Gold is in the midst of advancing the Stibnite Gold Project through completion of a feasibility study and permitting for site restoration and redevelopment, said Stephen Quin, President & CEO of Midas Gold. With our detailed plan for site restoration and protection of the environment, a large, long-life and low-cost operation, and a comprehensive proposal for the closure and reclamation of the site, Midas Gold is positioned to complete the critical milestones of feasibility study and permitting. Barrick shares Midas Golds vision for the restoration of the site and focus on community engagement. We believe Barricks extensive expertise and its core values, focused on environmental sustainability, make us natural partners. Midas Golds Stibnite Gold Project in Idaho offers a compelling investment proposition, with low geopolitical risk, potential for production of over 300,000 ounces of gold per year at competitive operating costs, and exploration upside, said Barrick President Kelvin Dushnisky. We are also impressed with the emphasis that Midas Gold has placed on building partnerships with local communities and share their strong commitment to environmental stewardship. We look forward to working with the Midas Gold team to explore opportunities to enhance the value of the project for all partners. Use of Proceeds Midas Gold will use the proceeds from the Placement to advance its Stibnite Gold Project (the Project) through to completion of a feasibility study and permitting of the Project for redevelopment and restoration. During the past five years, Midas Gold has conducted extensive, multi-year environmental baseline programs to determine and define existing environmental conditions at this brownfields site, while reaching out to communities of interest for their views and perspectives regarding a future for the Stibnite Gold Project site and the local area. Midas Gold has focused on the remediation and repair of the historical disturbance at the site during the construction and operating periods, incorporating concurrent reclamation and minimizing new disturbance. Midas Golds goal is to protect the environment and provide stable and secure features that will serve as the foundation for a longterm productive and naturally sustainable ecosystem that incorporates permanent fish passage through the area for the first time since the 1930s. The ultimate objective is the permanent restoration of the site, funded by a long-life, financially rewarding operation that generates significant economic benefits to the local communities of Valley County, the State of Idaho and the U.S. In December 2014, Midas Gold completed a preliminary feasibility study which identified an environmentally sound and economically feasible Project that could also finance the restoration of what is an extensively disturbed brownfields site. Midas Gold has since: (i) extensively engaged with local communities and other stakeholders in respect of the redevelopment and site restoration concepts for the Project; (ii) completed a number of optimization and risk reduction technical studies that would be required to support a feasibility study and/or the permit application; (iii) in September 2016, filed a Plan of Restoration and Operations for the redevelopment of the Project; (iv) commenced work towards completion of a feasibility study for the Project; and, (v) worked extensively with regulators to advance the permitting process for the Project. Transaction Details In connection with the Strategic Investment, Midas Gold and Barrick will enter into an investor rights agreement on closing of the offering, whereby, so long as Barrick maintains a minimum of 10% ownership in Midas Gold, Barrick will be granted: The right to appoint one director to Midas Golds Board of Directors; A right to participate in future Midas Gold equity issuances to maintain its then current pro rata interest in Midas Gold; Certain top-up rights in connection with Midas Golds outstanding convertible notes, to maintain its then current pro rata interest in Midas Gold by undertaking additional funding; and A right of first refusal in respect of gold concentrates. In addition, Midas Gold will be increasing the number of directors on its board from seven to eight and will be appointing an independent director to fill that position. Paulson & Co. and Teck Resources Limited have both provided notice to Midas Gold that they do not intend to exercise their anti-dilution rights in respect of this transaction. Advisors Haywood Securities Inc. is acting as financial advisor to Midas Gold. DuMoulin Black LLP is acting as Canadian legal counsel to Midas Gold and Davies Ward, Phillips & Vineberg LLP is acting as Canadian legal counsel to Barrick. This news release does 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 jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. 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 unless an exemption from such registration is available. For further information about Midas Gold Corp., please contact: Liz Monger -- Manager, Investor Relations (t): 778.724.4704 (e): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Facebook: www.facebook.com/midasgoldidaho Twitter: @MidasIdaho Website: www.midasgoldcorp.com About Midas Gold and the Stibnite Gold Project Midas Gold Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is focused on the exploration and, if warranted, site restoration and development of gold-antimony-silver deposits in the Stibnite-Yellow Pine district of central Idaho that are encompassed by its Stibnite Gold Project. As operator of the Project, Midas Golds subsidiary, Midas Gold Idaho, Inc. is a modern mining company that believes that industry and the environment can work together. Commencing in 2009, Midas Gold defined a world-class deposit of gold and antimony in an area in need of serious environmental repair. The Stibnite Gold Project, as proposed in the Plan of Restoration and Operations currently being reviewed by regulators, would restore the site, create economic opportunity and benefit the surrounding communities. About Barrick Gold Barrick aims to be the leading mining company focused on gold, creating value by developing and operating high-quality assets in an environmentally responsible way that demonstrates commitment to the local communities. Through strategic investment in good projects and operational excellence, Barricks vision is to use responsible mining to build wealth for its owners, its people, and the countries and communities with which they partner. Barrick has mining operations in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Zambia. Barrick was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Toronto. Barrick's shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ABX. Forward-Looking Information Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or financial performance that is based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action; and the plans for completion of the Placement, expected use of proceeds and business objectives. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "anticipates", "expects", "understanding", "has agreed to" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "would", "occur" or "be achieved". Although Midas Gold has attempted to identify important factors that could affect Midas Gold and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties related to the Placement not being completed in the event that the conditions precedent thereto are not satisfied; uncertainties related to raising sufficient financing in a timely manner and on acceptable terms. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, Midas Gold has applied several material assumptions, including the assumptions that (1) the conditions precedent to completion of the Placement will be fulfilled so as to permit the Placement to be completed on or about May 15, 2018; (2) all necessary approvals and consents in respect of the Placement will be obtained in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; and (3) general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, Midas Gold does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos installed a truth commission on Tuesday to shed light on crimes committed during the countrys lengthy civil war, as agreed upon in a peace deal with the FARC guerrillas. The commission will help heal the wounds accumulated during more than 50 years of conflict, Santos said during a ceremony at the presidential offices. Even though the full truth of what happened during the internal war will never be known, the commission will seek to clarify all the lies that are produced by 53 years of war, he added. The truth commission has 11 members six women and five men who were elected by representatives of the United Nations, the European Court of Human Rights, and members of the Colombian judicial system and the countrys government-run universities. The members include sociologists, journalists, doctors, economists, attorneys and clerics. The commission is headed by a Jesuit priest, Francisco de Roux, known for his human rights work. The task will be to recognize victims from all sides, dignify victims as citizens and recognize collective, institutional responsibilities and the responsibilities of society as a whole through actions and omissions, he said. The Santos administration agreed to form the truth commission as part of the historic peace deal reached in 2016 with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas. The rebels agreed to surrender their weapons and become a political party of the same name. The commission, which has no power to judge, has a three-year term starting in November. Every six months, it will issue a progress report, as well as a final report when their time is up. The victims often do not want reparations, what they want is the truth, said Santos, who is due to step down in August after eight years in office. Colombias five-decade conflict drew in leftist guerrillas, paramilitary groups and state forces in what became a many-sided war fueled by drug trafficking, leaving about 260,000 people dead and seven million displaced. The International Criminal Courts chief prosecutor requested help from the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to arrest three fugitives in Libya, including military strongman Khalifa Haftar and a son of the late leader Moamer Kadhafi. During a UN Security Council meeting, Fatou Bensouda noted that ICC investigators had traveled to Libya in March for the first time since June 2012 to help advance investigations on alleged war crimes. I repeat my call to this council to engage with my office and lend your support in assisting with strategies for the arrest and surrender of ICC fugitives in Libya, she said about the fugitives. Greater deterrence can only be assured through the arrest and surrender of suspects to the ICC so that they may answer the charges against them. The prosecutor warned she will not hesitate to request new arrest warrants to hold the suspects responsible. Among those targeted is Seif al-Islam Kadhafi, whose whereabouts have been unknown since June 2014. Bensouda said she was unsure whether he was being held. Warrants are also out for the arrests of former security chief Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, accused of war crimes committed in 2011, and Busayf Al-Werfalli, a commander of the Al-Saiqa brigade wanted for the cold-blooded execution of 33 people and other war crimes. Werfalli has been accused of more crimes since an August 2017 arrest warrant against him, according to Bensouda. Bensouda has appealed directly to Haftar to ensure Werfallis arrest. Libya has been wracked by chaos since a 2011 uprising that toppled and killed its longtime dictator Kadhafi, with two rival authorities vying for control. Haftar supports an administration based in the east of the country. A UN-backed unity government based in the capital has struggled to assert its authority outside the west. Werfallis immediate arrest and surrender is now more important than ever, Bensouda said. In addition to accountability, his arrest would send a clear message to would-be perpetrators that such reprehensible crimes will not be tolerated and that there will be real consequences for the commission of such crimes, the prosecutor added. Niagara Nightmares fifth season of scares, generosity underway in NT The haunted house at 870 Lee Ave. in North Tonawanda better known as Niagara Nightmares launched its fifth season of scares for charity on Friday, with a portion... Town to hold 2nd Halloween Reverse Parade in Lincoln Park The Town of Tonawanda Youth, Parks & Recreation Department has announced that it will be hosting a second annual Halloween Reverse Parade for Ken-Ton residents. The parade will take place... Mount St. Marys student joins Tonawanda Environmental Board Mount St. Mary Academy freshman Margaret Struckmann accepted a unique position through her school where she will be serving as a youth member on the Tonawanda Environmental Board. Struckmann will... Kenmore Mercy launching post-COVID support group Kenmore Mercy Hospital is launching a free post-COVID support group later this month, an effort to help survivors of the virus, their loved ones and care providers cope with a... TIRE TALK Tim Sprunger, left, vice president for operations and plant manager for Sumitomo Rubber USA, shows state Assemblyman Bill Conrad and state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie a tire curing press... 552 Shares Share Whether to circumcise a newborn male child is not the simple, binary yes/no question it appears to be. Rather, the choice is affected by an astonishing array of issues: religion, culture, health and hygiene, sexually transmitted infections, expense, pain and medical recommendations. Some cite ethical concerns regarding usurpation of a childs free choice. Others claim an equivalency between neonatal male circumcision and the practice of female genital mutilation. As a practicing physician, I have safely performed dozens of male infant circumcisions and many more on adults. During 30-plus years of emergency medicine, I have encountered nearly every problem an uncircumcised male can encounter: chronic urinary tract infections, refractory problems from medical diseases, the need for emergent surgery due to scarring or pain and even strangulation of the penis blood supply. Circumcision eliminates all these conditions. Additionally, there is compelling evidence that circumcision reduces the risk of obtaining or transmitting serious sexually transmitted infections. Male circumcision is a simple, safe, and inexpensive procedure. There are no adverse effects to the removal of the foreskin. Circumcision is exceptionally safe when performed in infancy, with complications in fewer than one-half of one percent of cases. Use of anesthetics renders the process virtually painless. Despite its clear benefits, the rate of circumcision in the U.S. has been steadily declining. It is not a reportable procedure. Therefore, statistics only reflect voluntarily submitted survey information regarding hospital-born infants circumcised before discharge. Not included are males who undergo the procedure later, such as for religious, cultural or reimbursement reasons. But the downward trend is real. A Center for Disease Control (CDC) study found that the average U.S. circumcision rate has fallen from 56% of newborns in 2006 to only 33% in 2009. It is difficult to imagine that only 80 years ago the rate of circumcision in the US was as high as 81% of all baby boys. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) information from twenty-six states (1998 2006) confirmed this downward trend. The rate of circumcision fell in 11 states, remained unchanged in 11, and rose by 1% in only four. In my home state of Arizona, the rate of circumcision dropped 18% during this time, primarily due to lack of Medicaid reimbursement. One year before the Medicaid provision was cut, 41% of boys born in Arizona were circumcised in a hospital. Two years later, that number had fallen to 26%, with the latest reported information showing only 20% undergoing the procedure. Statistics from the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) reflect the distinctly regional rates of circumcision. The NHDS gathers data in four census regions. The lowering non-circumcision rate has been consistent in the Western Region for some time, while the Southern Region now approaches parity of circumcision vs. uncircumcised. The practice of routine circumcision in the U.S. is beginning to parallel the Northern European and Scandinavian experience of declining rates since World War II. Why is this? Youth are more skeptical of the practice. A YouGov survey found only 33% of 18-29 year-olds said that male children should be routinely circumcised, compared to 43% of 30-44 year-olds, 52% of 45-64 year-olds and nearly 66% of seniors. The number of millennials who view circumcision as an individual choice is nearly identical to the number espousing individual choice regarding childhood vaccination. Not surprisingly, politics play a role. In 2011 San Francisco unsuccessfully attempted to ban the practice. Illegal in South Africa and Sweden, a current similar movement in Iceland is being fiercely resisted. Opponents claim that the intention is more to reduce immigration than circumcision since the Muslim faith requires circumcision. No major medical organization recommends routine circumcision other than in areas of high HIV prevalence in Africa, where it serves as effective prevention. The Danish College of General Practitioners even calls medically unnecessary circumcision mutilation. Yet no major medical organization in the world calls for banning routine circumcision, either. Notably, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) holds that the health benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks. This is because of the demonstrated reduction in transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (syphilis, genital herpes) and human papillomavirus (genital warts, penile and cervical cancer) and reduction of infant urinary tract infections. While stopping short of recommending routine circumcision, the AAP recommends third-party reimbursement for the procedure. Likewise, the CDC does not recommend routine circumcision. However, their studies note its effectiveness in preventing STD and HIV transmission and suggest that routine circumcision would result in cost savings to society. Health experts and economists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine warned that if circumcision rates in the United States fall to the same level as in Europe, it could add more than $4 billion in health care costs over a decade. Due to ethical concerns, should we ban all unnecessary childhood interventions, including piercing ears? Of course not. Parents are assumed to have the childs welfare as a top priority. A thoughtful decision based on the risks and benefits of the procedure are in the childs best interests. Delaying the procedure until the individual can decide for themselves is not realistic. Few teens would choose to participate in a discussion about their own circumcision, let alone consider undergoing the procedure. And do teens actually have the capacity to truly understand the impact of the issues involved? Important ethical concerns arise since the complication rate for later circumcision rises ten to twenty-fold. And a harsh reality is that adult circumcision is not reimbursed unless performed for medical necessity. It is starkly evident that lack of third-party reimbursement is directly related to significantly lower rates of circumcision. The cost of the procedure is insurmountable to many individuals. Insurance company reimbursement appears completely scattershot. Some pay without question. Many follow Medicaid policy and balk paying for a medically unnecessary procedure. Others will pay but prefer a deferred office procedure due to decreased expense. UCLA researchers found that at hospitals in the 16 states where the procedure is not covered by Medicaid, circumcision rates were 24 percentage points lower than at hospitals in other states, with lower rates particularly prevalent among Hispanics. The ultimate question surrounding circumcision is whether the medical benefits outweigh the risks of performing the procedure. If the only benefits were prevention of relatively rare penile cancer or the acquired medical or surgical problems, it might be questionable. However, by adding the prevention of chronic urinary infections and the reduction of STD and HIV transmission, the risk/benefit ratio suddenly tilts heavily toward benefit. How do we reverse the declining rates of circumcision? The first step is to educate, particularly the skeptical youth, regarding the many positives resulting from circumcision. Secondly, the AAP and CDC already recognize the health benefits. The endorsement of routine circumcision by these influential organizations would generate tremendous inertia toward the goal of universal neonatal circumcision. Lastly, requiring insurance companies and Medicare to provide reimbursement would not only increase circumcision rates but would eliminate any potential disparity in rates of circumcision for those that cannot afford it. Paul Blackburn is an emergency physician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 9K Shares Share We had no choice in becoming the crazy family that left a hospital against medical advice. Our four-day-old daughter was completely helpless, her condition deteriorating and the staff was ignoring our concerns. I carefully turned off the blue lights, removed her from the isolette, placed her in a car seat and eloped from the pediatrics unit. As a hospitalist, I constantly obsess over medical errors. The majority are more subtle than the headlines (wrong-sided surgery). They are things like delays in care, medication errors or communication breakdowns between the health care team. Out of fear of my potential involvement, I consistently double check my work (even after Ive left work). Thankfully, as an additional line of defense, I have diligent colleagues like nurses, pharmacists and specialists looking out for patients. Yet despite meticulous efforts from individuals, the scale of medical errors in the United States is terrifying now the number three cause of death (after heart disease and cancer). Individuals inevitable make mistakes sometimes, but how institutions learn from them and implement changes is what ultimately seems to be broken. When our newborn daughter was admitted because of her elevated bilirubin, I witnessed firsthand how errors can cascade. I hadnt thought about neonatal jaundice since medical school, so I did a quick review on route to the hospital: Infants require phototherapy to break down bilirubin and prevent brain damage (which results if bilirubin stains the brain tissue). Nonetheless, I wasnt worried since it seemed like a fairly common condition. The sense of calm change quickly after we arrived at the supposedly famous childrens hospital. The first red flag was that, despite our pediatrician arranging a direct admission, no one was expecting us. After we finally got a room, the required equipment was not on the pediatric ward. When it was retrieved, the nurses seemed unfamiliar with how to use the phototherapy apparatus (essentially blue tube lights from the 80s). Finally, the residents seemed in no hurry to initiate time-sensitive interventions, instead performing a routine history (despite already knowing the diagnosis). Unsurprisingly, the labs came back worse due to the two-and-a-half-hour delay since our arrival. After all this, my wife (also a physician) began crying because she was distressed by her lack of confidence in the care. We were shocked to be left alone to provide feedings and monitor our daughter, while the nurses and residents visited three times in 10 hours. At one point when my wife questioned the incorrect setup of the apparatus (being too far from the patient), she was told it was fine. When we innocently asked whether an IV should be placed, our nurse seemed annoyed. I woke up dazed at two a.m. to the nurse nonchalantly reporting that labs hadnt come back as hoped. I became truly alarmed when the resident plainly explained that the plan was to stay the course. The words brain damage reverberated in my mind, and I pleaded to see the attending physician, emphasizing my worry as a father (and a physician). I initiated our discharge plan when I was informed there was no attending present overnight. The NICU team showed up just after our escape, and I reluctantly came back up to the ward. The critical care attending expressed disbelief at the management and escorted us personally down to the NICU. Phototherapy with modern fiber optic equipment was started after a nurse promptly placed an IV and initiated fluids. Fortunately, our daughters condition improved quickly, and she was discharged in 24 hours. Afterward, we wrote a polite letter to the hospital clearly stating that our only goal was to prevent a similar episode for another family. We expressed gratitude for the NICU staff and expressed sympathy for the challenges that residents face in training. We highlighted the disorganized care, a lack of attending physician support and perhaps most importantly the fact staff didnt respond to our concerns. Almost immediately we received an apologetic call from a friendly non-physician administrator. Then there was a two-week delay, and a legal-sounding letter denying any wrongdoing followed. Curiously they thanked us for pointing out the outdated phototherapy equipment (and assured us these were being replaced anyway). Lastly, the pediatrics chairman called to reiterate how everything had followed protocol and ended our impassioned discussion with well have to agree to disagree. Although my daughter suffered no permanent harm, what unfolded was a potentially lethal mix of medical errors that led to a preventable NICU stay. After this episode, I now have grave concerns about families without formal medical education or poor health literacy. Furthermore, my opinion after working across ten hospitals in five states is that staff are universally overworked, not supported in terms of appropriate backup and sometimes are undertrained. Finally, it seems that proper systems to report errors are sorely lacking. It is a sad and destructive cycle. My advice to patients seeking to mitigate medical errors in the hospital is: First, be prepared. Provide an accurate medical history, a current medication lis, and the contact information of your physicians. Ask lots of questions. Specifically, ask about the action plan. You as the patient are the only one that faces permanent consequences for medical errors. Be heard. Speak up if you think something is wrong. If you are ignored, demand to speak to a supervisor. Clarify. Patients should clarify who is providing information. Although trainees, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists and technicians all play vital roles in care, you must ensure the attending physician has examined you (a fully trained and licensed physician who is in charge). Document. Your documentation and frank discussion of compromised care are essential to prevent future tragedy for another patient. In our case, although the hospital denied wrongdoing, I know that at least three departments (the administration, nursing, and the residency program) were made aware of our concerns. Varun Verma is an internal medicine physician who blogs at his self-titled site, Varun Verma, M.D., and can be reached on Twitter @VarunVermaMD. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 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. People in Kilkenny are being urged to nominate a Family Carer from Kilkenny who they think could be awarded the title of Kilkenny Carer of the Year 2018. Family Carers Ireland recently launched its CarePlus Carer of the Year awards, hosted by broadcasters, and patrons of the charity, Mary Kennedy and Marty Whelan. One in 20 people in Ireland is a Family Carer, and there are now over 4,321 family carers in Kilkenny saving the Government 10bn in unpaid care nationwide each year. By 2030, demographic changes predict that one in five people will take on a caring role. Most recent Census 2016 figures revealed that Family Carers collectively provide 6,608,515 hours of care per week; an average of 38.7 unpaid hours per Carer; the equivalent of a fulltime job. Family Carers across Ireland make extraordinary sacrifices and work very hard, sometimes 24 hours a day, to provide care for their loved ones, safely, in their own homes," says Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Carer Engagement with Family Carers Ireland. "With limited access to services and particularly respite, Carers in Kilkenny are over stretched and receive little acknowledgement for their unpaid work which saves the State 10bn each year. Family Carers Ireland is delighted to celebrate and recognise the enormous contribution that Family Carers make through the CarePlus Carers of the Year Awards. We are encouraging people to nominate a deserving Carer or Young Carer from Kilkenny for one of these awards. This year, the CarePlus Carer of the Year awards form part of Family Carers Irelands national Carers in Crisis campaign and will acknowledge the contribution of Family Carers throughout Ireland. The awards will highlight the sacrifices Family Carers make and the services they provide to the State. CarePlus Pharmacy, a network of 50 franchised pharmacies, is sponsoring the event for the second year running and is now sponsoring the CarePlus Young Carers of the Year Awards 2018 which recognises the role that young people play in providing care to their loved ones at home. Nomination forms for the Kilkenny CarePlus Carer of the Year are available online at www.familycarers.ie, from Family Carers Ireland resource centres, CarePlus Pharmacies or via the Freephone Careline 1800 24 07 24. The CarePlus Carer of the Year Awards will be presented in Dublin in November. Kilkenny needs up to 15 additional CCTV cameras and Gardai will be seeking funding from the local authority for the technology. At a recent meeting , the JPC heard from Chief Superintendent of the Kilkenny/Carlow Garda Division, Dominic Hayes, who discussed Kilkennys CCTV capacity. He told committee members that he would be making a request to the Council for funding for more cameras. He said there is a serious funding issue in respect of the provision of CCTV and they will be looking for the additional cameras over a phased basis for traffic control, crime prevention and public order. Members were shown footage from cameras around the City and Chief Supt Hayes highlighted the Parade area and said further down Castle Road there is nothing and it is something we need to improve on. He added that on the Old Dublin Road roundabouts they also need more cameras but that ducting had gone into new thoroughfares and roads so the additional CCTV needs would not be costly. Sgt Peter McConnon, Crime Prevention Officer for the Kilkenny/Carlow Garda Divison, also spoke on the issue, he said the demographics have changed and there is a need to prioritise areas of footfall. We'd love to have a camera at every junction, on every street. See what happened in Toronto during the week, things like that can happen, he said. On April 23, 10 people were killed and 16 were injured after a man in a rental van drove down a sidewalk in Toronto running down pedestrians. Sgt McConnon added that CCTV cameras are a huge tool in preventing and policing crime and the Gardai are too reliant on private enterprises to provide CCTV. The Gardai have submitted a report on the Peace Park War Memorial recommending the installation of two CCTV cameras in that area covering the Central Access Scheme bridge and parts of the Abbey Quarter. Chairperson of the JPC, Cllr Fidelis Doherty, asked the Gardai to identify locations for assistance in budget decisions. Cllr David Kennedy asked how many CCTV cameras are needed and Chief Supt Hayes said: How long is a piece of string? Possibly over the long term wed be looking at 10-15 locations but were looking at 3-4 initially. Cllr Patrick McKee said City representatives did have a more significant budget with the Borough Council and its loss is being felt. Cllr McKee fully supported an agreement in principle for the funding of the CCTV and called for an agreement to be reached between party whips and the Council executive on the funding allocation. This is critical, he added. Meanwhile, the Kilkenny People revealed last week that the Governments Community Based CCTV scheme has been paused in Kilkenny over an issue with local authorities being the data controller of the CCTV footage. Criteria for the scheme dictates that the community organisation applying for the CCTV funding must have the prior support of the relevant local authority, who must act as data controller. Last months meeting of Kilkennys Joint Policing Committee heard that City and County managers met with the Data Protection Commissioner and they are awaiting guidance on the issue of them being the data controller. The county executives wrote to the Department of Justice asking them that they pause the CCTV scheme until that guidance from the DPC is received. Story The legal action against BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch and ConocoPhillips seeks an order requiring the companies to fund the costs of adapting infrastructure such as stormwater management, as well as salmon recovery, protecting public health, and other costs. The science is undisputable: climate change is impacting our region today, and it will only cause greater havoc and hardships in the future, said King County Executive Dow Constantine. The companies that profited the most from fossil fuels should help bear the costs of managing these disasters. Big Oil spent many decades disregarding and dismissing what is our most pressing generational challenge. We must hold these companies accountable as we marshal our resources to protect and preserve what makes this region great. Attorneys for the county say this abatement fund could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The lawsuit was developed with the Seattle-based law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, which helped lead the historic case and settlement against Big Tobacco in the 1990s. Jurisdictions in California, New York and Colorado have filed similar lawsuits. King County noted in its 2015 Strategic Climate Action Plan: Even if global and GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions decrease dramatically, many climate change impacts are now inevitable and preparation for those changes is essential. Already, areas of King County that were once above the mean high tide line now experience regular flooding. Sea level is projected to continue rising through the 21st century, increasing by as much as 56 inches in the Puget Sound region from 2000 to 2100. This would have significant consequences for King County and the region. Relevant links Quotes Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Kingstree Middle Magnet School of the Arts recently visited the South Carolina Governors School of the Arts and Humanities as a part of an on-going partnership between the two entities. Photo Provided Islamic terror attacks in the West are far less common since 2017 Stuff reports: US President Donald Trump has announced the US will pull out of the landmark nuclear accord with Iran, dealing a profound blow to US allies and potentially deepening the presidents isolation on the world stage. The United States does not make empty threats, he said in a televised address. Trumps decision means Irans government must now decide whether to follow the US and withdraw or try to salvage whats left of the deal. Iran has offered conflicting statements about what it may do and the answer may depend on exactly how Trump exits the agreement. This is bad for the US and bad for security. If the US pulls out of agreements with other countries on a whim, then no one will trust the US or see merit in a deal with them. Trump said he would move to re-impose all sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the 2015 deal, not just the ones facing an immediate deadline. This had become known informally as the nuclear option because of the near-certainty that such a move would scuttle the deal. So Iran will probably now resume its nuclear program unfettered. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn More Reddit Pinterest Print Tumblr By Kim Bo-eun South Korea's top nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon left for Washington on Wednesday, for a four-day visit to discuss agenda of the upcoming Pyongyang-Washington summit including the denuclearization and settlement of peace on the Korean Peninsula. During his visit, Lee will meet with key figures in the Donald Trump administration in charge of Korea policy including Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton and National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs Matthew Pottinger. They will discuss means for Seoul and Washington to cooperate in carrying out the Panmunjeom Declaration reached at the inter-Korean summit on April 27, in which the Koreas agreed on the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and to seek a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in an armistice. They will also likely exchange views on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's second meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping that took place in China's northern port city of Dalian this week, and how it will affect Kim's summit with Trump. In the meeting, Kim stated "relevant countries" ending their hostile policies toward North Korea as a condition of denuclearization. South Korean and U.S. officials will likely look into this statement, in relation to the architecture of North Korea's denuclearization process. Lee is expected to arrange a meeting between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa and her new U.S. counterpart Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, ahead of the Kim-Trump summit. Lee visited Washington in March and also spoke with Thornton in Seoul last month ahead of the inter-Korean summit. Turkey, May 9: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday said, Tehran will negotiate with the other signatories of a multinational nuclear deal, bypassing Washington. He called the US withdrawal from the landmark pact "unacceptable", according to Al Jazeera. Rouhani's comments came after US President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Rouhani said the deal will remain in place if we achieve the deal's goals in cooperation with other members of the deal. He slammed America by saying that it has undermined its commitment to an international treaty. The foreign ministry is to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks, Rouhani said. The Iranian President further hit out at the US saying it has done nothing except put empty signatures on pieces of paper. United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the US withdrawal from the JCPOA or Iran nuclear deal. President Trump said that he will sign a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating U.S. nuclear sanctions on Iran. Under the deal signed in Vienna in 2015 with six world powers - the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union - Iran promised not to pursue nuclear weapons while scaling back its uranium enrichment programme. In return, international sanctions were lifted, allowing it to sell its oil and gas worldwide. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru, May 9: Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Sadananda Gowda have petitioned the Election Commission on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seeking deferment of polls in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency, where over 9,000 voter ID cards were seized from a flat last night. EC officials, after being tipped by BJP workers, raided a flat in Jalahalli last night, where, a total of 9,746 valid ID cards were recovered, along with a printer and five laptops. Will the Election Commission cancel polling in Rajarajeshwari Nagar? The Commission sources, while speaking to NDTV, said the mere seizure of polling cards could not be considered as rigging of the elections. On BJP's appeal to forfeit the polling in the constituency, the EC official said the demand if "far-fetched" and impractical. "Voters can vote even without voter IDs by showing other proof. So just because of 9,000 cards were found in that flat doesn't warrant countermanding of polls in Rajarajeshwari Nagar," the official was quoted as saying. This is a very serious matter. 2 people have been arrested as of now, there is a possibility of more arrests. Case is currently being investigated: Sanjiv Kumar, Chief Election Officer on Fake voter ID issue #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/0JyDYckwI7 ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018 'Polls have been rigged, should be deferred' The ruling BJP is firm on seeking a re-election from constituency, alleging the Congress harvested the voter IDs, in a bid to secure the victory of their candidate from the seat, N Munirathna. "BJP demands countermanding of elections in AC 154 Rajrajeshwari Nagar in light of latest revelations of tens of thousands of fake voter ID and empty packets of hard currency. This is Congress conspiracy to rig election , in face of their imminent defeat," Javadekar said. Congress dismissed the charges levelled by the BJP, alleging the flat from where the cards were seized is owned by a former BJP corporator, Manjula Nanjamari. "BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader, Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son Mr Rakesh who contested the 2015 BBMP (local) elections on a BJP ticket. Apartment was not raided by police or EC but by BJP workers," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. The BJP, however, accused the Congress of spreading misinformation, claiming that Rakesh is not the son of Manjula. "This is a fake propaganda being spread by them after being exposed," said party spokesperson Sambit Patra. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 09, 2018 06:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Europe Day is celebrated on May 9, across all the countries in the European continent. As the European countries were observing the Europe Day, Google being the tech-giant that it is, came up with a fun-fact during the day. The trends, of the last 24 hours, published by Google suggest that the people living in the United Kingdom need to brush up their Geography skills if the trends are any indication to go by. Don't you believe it? Read on! The latest piece of information published by the web-giant showed a slew of countries being searched as a part of Europe. Confused yet? Well, to simplify it, a lot of people searched for a (below-mentioned) list of countries if they are a part of Europe or not. Taking to its official Twitter account, Google Trends tweeted, People of the UK, Eur-up for a geography refresher course. #EuropeDay The list of countries that were searched included Turkey, Russia, Greece, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Israel, Iceland, Malta, Norway, and Croatia. Catch a Glimpse of what Google Trends Tweeted: People of the UK, Eur-up for a geography refresher course.#EuropeDay pic.twitter.com/vyuaQ8uMLd GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) May 9, 2018 A Snapshot of what people Searched On Google - The Spike at the end of the Graph indicates 'Google Searches' done in Past 24 Hours for Turkey being in European continent or not. We delved ourselves in the Atlas book and heres the fact-check. We provide answers to each and every question which turned out to be the trendsetters, on Wednesday, on May 9. Is Turkey in Europe? Yes! Is Russia in Europe? Yes! Is Greece in Europe? Yes! Is Azerbaijan in Europe? Yes! Is Cyprus in Europe? Yes! Is Israel in Europe? No! Is Iceland in Europe? Yes! Is Malta in Europe? Yes! Is Norway in Europe? Yes! Is Croatia in Europe? Yes! Keeping the fun-fact aside, heres why people in Europe observe the Europe Day on May 9 every year. Europe Day, or Schuman Day as it is alternatively called, is observed by the European Union in commemoration of the 1950 Schuman Declaration. It is considered equivalent to a national day in the European Union (EU). In the year 1950, the Schuman Declaration proposed to place French & German production of Coal & Steel under one umbrella. This one (common) high authority became the foundation for what today we all know as European Union. Hence, it is celebrated as Europe Day. The Schuman Declaration was a statement prepared by then Frances Foreign Minister Robert Schuman. Hence the day is also celebrated as Schuman Day! (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 09, 2018 08:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The new Portlaoise town will be seriously lacking if there is no focus on the IDA business park while Laois County Council must also promote the presence of a big postal centre in the town according to a Laois TD. In his submission to the Portlaoise Draft Local Area Plan 2018-2024 Sean Fleming said objectives set out by the council in relation to the development of the land Togher area is essential. However, he said is important that the not only concentrates on land in the ownership of the Council but also land held by other public bodies for development purposes. He pinpointed the IDA business park off the Mountrath Road which has just two companies. "There needs to be an objective included, relating to working with the IDA in respect of the development of their site on the Mountrath Road. Everybody locally criticises the lack of interest by the IDA in Portlaoise but it would not be sensible to allow the IDA say we ignored their State owned site in our Local Area Plan. "Accordingly, we must put in a positive objective in relation to this matter or otherwise our plan will be seriously lacking." he said. While the policy on to develop Togher is very welcome he said An Post's big operation in Laois cannot be left out. "There should be an additional policy inserted recognising the fact that An Posts largest distribution centre outside of Dublin is based in Portlaoise. The Mail Centre in Portlaoise deals with all inward parcels coming into Ireland both for distribution and for customs purposes. "They also deal with extensive deliveries of parcels throughout the country and also the regular letter post on a daily basis. We should promote the existence of this facility in Portlaoise as part of the Local Area Plan to heighten the awareness of Portlaoise as a distribution/logistics centre," he said. The TD added that the private sector cannot be forgotten about. "We also need to have objectives and policies in this area in relation to working with the non-State agencies especially the private sector in relation to the promotion of employment in the town. It is not sufficient only to deal with the initiatives which the Council are directly involved in. This must be expanded as most employment in the town and surrounding areas comes from the private sector," he said. READ ALSO COUNTY MANAGER BELIEVES ANOTHER FALSE DAWN FOR TOGHER SITE IS NOT ON THE HORIZON Portlaoise must get a bus terminus and Laois County Council should also have clear plans for more car parking for commuters and others who use the town's busy train station, according to Sean Fleming TD. The Fianna Fail TD called on the council to make amendents to Portlaoise Draft Local Area Plan 2018-2024 in a submission to the council. A public realm plan comissioned by the council and published in 2017 included a design for a bus terminus on James Fintan Lalor Avenue. Dep Fleming believes the draft plan should aim to achieve this goal "There should also be an objective to work with Bus Eireann, the National Transport Authority and transport providers in the private sector to provide a bus terminus in Portlaoise while working with Laois County Council. The primary objective should be put on the companies whose customers use their services," he said. The TD also called for more clarity and alternatives to the parking problems faced by commuters and other train users who park at Portlaoise Train Station. "There should be an objective and a policy of the Council to work with Irish Rail for the provision of car parking facilities for people who use the railway station as they are the customers of Irish Rail and the first line of responsibility for parking should not primarily be on Laois County Council," he said. The draft plan proposes a park and ride on land used previuosly for a CBS secondary school.This would serve the station incorporating a car park and bus stop/terminus. "While understandable (this) puts too much emphasis on the CBS land for Portlaoise Railway Station. It is possible that this may not come to pass and all the more reason to have Irish Rail listed as requiring to work with Laois County Council on this issue," said Dep Fleming. The draft plan says the council will continue to provide for all the components of the transportation system with in its remit and 'encourage and facilitate' the developmment of other elements by external agencies. READ MORE - WARNING ABOUT DESPERATE STATE OF LAOIS ROADS Laois County Council propulation predictions for Portlaoise are not based in 'actual reality' and the expected demand for housing 'makes no sense', according to Laois TD Sean Fleming. Laois County Council recently published a Portlaoise Draft Local Area Plan 2018-2024 and invited submissions from the public on its contents. In his submission, Dep Fleming, welcomed the plan and said there were many good features. However, he questioned a key element - population growth and the expected knock-on demand for housing. He claims the council has underestimated the likely growth by thousands. Dep Fleming said the percentage of the population in Portlaoise town aged under 14 years of age is one of the highest for any town in the entire country. He said nearly 90% of all households in the town are accommodated in houses built since 2001. The Fianna Fail TD said these new young families in the town have resulted in a very significant increase in the population in the town in recent years. According to the 2016 census the population of Portlaoise was 22,050. He said the council's population projection for Portlaoise by 2023 is 25,382 which he claims This leaves a projected increase in population in Portlaoise of 3,332 between now and 2023. "The natural growth of the population in the town between 2011 and 2016 when practically no new houses were built was approximately 2,000. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the natural population growth from existing families in the town will increase by at least 3,000 over the lifetime of this plan. "Page 24 of the document says that 2,128 additional houses are required in Portlaoise town for the population growth between now and 2024. If these new houses are built they will lead to an increase in population of approximately 5,000. When this is added to the natural increase in population in the town we will be far in excess of the projected population as outlined on page 23. "There is already planning permission for 1,500 new houses in the town and it makes no sense to suggest that the plan can only accommodate 600 additional new houses to be approved for planning in the next seven years," claimed the TD. Dep Fleming called for a new table inserted showing the population based on the 2016 census and not the 2011 census as is shown in the plan. "If the Council produces a plan with a projected population in 2023 of 25,382 people, it will be obvious that such a plan will have no basis on actual reality. The new plan for Portlaoise must be based on realistic population projections," he said. The TD also called for a clear policy and objective in relation to taking existing housing estates in charge. READ MORE FLEMING CALLS FOR TRAIN STATION PARKING AND BUS SERVICE The TD also called the council to delete and reduce sections of the draft which put Portlaoise on a lower tier to three other midlands towns because they refer to a soon to be redundant strategy. He said Project Ireland 2040 National Planning Framework is the most recent national document in relation to planning. However, he said that while the old Regional Planning Guidelines for the Midland Region is now at the end of its life and will be replaced in the very near future by a Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, the old Regional Planning Guidelines listed Athlone, Tullamore and Mullingar as a linked gateway for the Midland Region and Portlaoise was only listed as a Principal Town. "The passage of time has made this document redundant and while the Regional Planning Guidelines will still exist for a very short period we need to reduce dramatically any reference to these guidelines in the Local Area Plan. Some reference is obviously still required, he said. He called for section dealing with the guidelines to be reduced substantially and the old map of the Midland region be deleted as it is "not necessary and serves no useful purpose going forward". Laois has a brand new Rose, in the form of 23 year old Grainne Hogan, a glamorous farmer who showed everyone how to milk a cow on stage at the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise. It was the hottest ticket in town on the hottest day of the year, and Laois Rose 2018 proved a wonderful night, with Grainne just one of 17 talented, smart young women who bravely took to the stage on Sunday May 6. As Mountmellick entrant, model Samantha Keenan put it, every girl should have a chance to shine in her own spotlight, and they truly did. The hugely entertaining MC DJ Ollie Turner gamely agreed to a legwax onstage by beautician and mum Samantha Delaney, while Grainne hilariously taught him how to milk a cow. Some chose to perform, to great reception. Jennifer Connaughton played a stunning Celtic Hymn on the tin whistle, Ciara Dunne sang Elton John's 'Your Song' in Irish with her guitar, and Naomi Griffith donned hard shoes for an Irish dance. Among the ladies, beautician Bronwyn Dunne told how her family always loved to see her uncle play trombone in the Garda Band for the Rose of Tralee on TV. Hairdresser Leanne Dowling's TV taste was more for Puppy Dog Pals, with three little daughters, two as Rosebuds on the night, a package deal she said. Clara Bambrick was supported by her family including dad Brian who at 40 she said was still playing in the junior and first teams for Arles Killeen. Sporty Aava Hearns is a student teacher in Mary I in Limerick, where the girls outnumber boys seven to one, "the lecturers adore them" she said. Teacher Sharon Byrne told how she climbed 5,300 meters to Everest base camp, and was looking forward to seeing Ed Sheeran in the Phoenix Park once summer exams were done. Liz O'Rourke with 26 tattoos explained how her work with Youthwork Ireland Laois, helps teens gain in confidence through arts. Saoirse Territt was just back from working in Malaysia, as a break from her tough career as a social care worker. Also a social care worker, Aisling O'Sullivan has a passion for the environment and urged people to use less plastic because it is killing sea creatures. Childcare student Niamh Clancy has performed Irish dancing in Disneyland Paris as well as hip-hop in shows, while model and make-up artist Joy Turley was stunning in her sister's bridesmaid dress. Nicole Brady told how she loves acting with Clodiagh Players, and how she visited Auschwitz with boyfriend Devon, where she said "you can just sence the horrific events that went on. "A proper romantic getaway," the MC Ollie quipped. After an interval song by 13 year old Abbie Fagan from Offaly, it was time to pick a winner, judged by Shauna Coyne, Patrick Browne and Sinead Cronly. To a shower of ticker tape and of course the tune of 'The Rose of Tralee', the fair Grainne accepted her sash from outgoing Laois Rose Maeve Dunne. Thing will be different at the mart on Tuesday, Ollie told her. I think I'm going to be really popular, joked Grainne, thanking her mother Anne for everything she's done for me, and her sponsor Sheeran's Pub. Best Banner was awarded to Grainne's own supporters, Camross Macra. Barrowhouse GAA as Grainne's chosen club was awarded the raffle proceeds. The 2017 Laois Rose Maeve Dunne looked beautiful in pink as she thanked her parents and all who supported her throughout her year, a dream come true. Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Cllr Padraig Fleming declared them all winners. Laois Rose Co-Ordinator Lyn Moloney thanked them for taking part, as well as their sponsors, and the little Rosebuds, former Laois Roses and guest Roses who all helped to make it a night to remember. See more on the Laois Rose 2018 here. An investigation into an 83,000 bill from a legal firm to the Kildare and Wicklow Education Training Board (KWETB) has found that the firm was advising the chairman and vice-chairman of the education provider for more than two months before the board was told about it. A sub-committee of the board of KWETB was asked to investigate the bill for the legal firm, Philip Lee Solicitors, which was paid last Christmas, in circumstances which troubled many members of the board. That sub-committee, comprising of board members Reada Cronin, John Hurley and John McDonagh discovered that last July 13, the then chairman, Cllr. Jim Ruttle, vice-chair Cllr. Brendan Weld (also a previous chair) and Chair of the KWETBs Audit Committee, Dr. Tony Lenehan were strongly advised to get legal advice at a meeting with the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG). (The KWETBs Audit Committee is responsible for the oversight of the organisations accounting procedures.) The C&AG expressed serious concerns to them about the KWETBs 2015 accounts, and on July 14, with the support of administration staff at KWETB, Philip Lee Solicitors was chosen by the three men. However, in their report to a meeting of the KWETB board yesterday, Tuesday, May 8, the sub-committee reported that no contract or letter of agreement was drawn up by either the three men or Philip Lee Solicitors when they met, which would have been normal in cases where the KWETB hires outside advisors. The sub-committee has found evidence that during that time Philip Lee regularly urged the three men to inform the board, but it took until September 27 of last year, more than two months later, before the board was finally told about the legal advice being given and the reasons it was sought. The sub-committee reported six separate occasions when Philip Lee advised that the board be told. They also discovered evidence of disquiet about the cost of engaging Philip Lee, and confusion and disagreement over who had responsibility to appoint legal advisers. On September 14, Dr Lenehan was concerned about the legal bill and instructed Philip Lee that no further work was to be undertaken by the legal firm and no further costs were to be incurred. He also wrote to Cllrs Ruttle and Weld, requesting that they discontinue using Philip Lees services. The following day Cllrs Ruttle and Weld met Department of Education and Science officials who told them that the Minister for Education and Science intended to appoint an investigator to look into the 2015 accounts and strongly urged them to get legal advice. When Cllr Ruttle raised the matter of ongoing legal costs, officials replied that where public money of this magnitude is at stake, legal costs will not be an issue. The then chairman Cllr Jim Ruttle Later, on October 18, the KWETB was assured that legal costs would be covered by Irish Public Bodies insurance policy, and a different legal firm, Poe Kiely Hogan Lanigan, was engaged by management staff at the KWETB. According to the report, the KWETBs Director of Organisation, Support and Development, Joe Kelly, told Cllr Ruttle that a new legal firm was in place and to stop using Philip Lee, but Cllr Ruttle responded by telling Mr Kelly that the KWETB management should not appoint an alternative legal firm without board approval. The then Chief Executive Sean Ashe wrote to Cllr Ruttle telling him that engaging legal advice is an executive function (ie, a responsibility for management, rather than the board) and that he had told Philip Lee that they are not the appointed advisors to KWETB. According to the sub-committees report, it took until November 7 when a meeting took place between Joe Kelly, Jim Ruttle and Brendan Weld before agreement was reached that PKHL would take over from Philip Lee. As reported in the Leinster Leader in the past, the matter of Philip Lee Solicitors bill, which by then had reached 82,398.99, came before the KWETB just before Christmas on December 21. On December 15, Philip Lee threatened legal action over the unpaid bill, giving KWETB seven days to respond. On December 21, the matter was not reached until tail end of the meeting and the new chairman Noel Merrick committed to give board members information on it by next board meeting, but the following day Philip Lee told the KWETB it was issuing High Court proceedings without further notice, the Sub-Committees report revealed. New KWETB chairman Noel Merrick On December 24, outgoing Chief Executive Sean Ashe authorised payment to Philip Lee, noting the Bona Fides of the bill, the risk of legal action, the lack of an outcome at the board meeting on December 21 and because board approval is not required for payment of invoices, which is, he asserted, is an executive function. Commenting on their report, Cllr Reada Cronin told the KWETB meeting yesterday that in the course of their inquiries that the subcommittee was regularly told that their work was a review and not an investigation. She noted that the sub-committee did not feel that the matter had been resolved and added that neither the former chair or vice-chair, Cllrs Ruttle and Weld met with them, although they did communicate in writing. Neither of those councillors, who are still members of the KWETB, were present at yesterdays meeting either. Cllr Reada Cronin co-authored the report and believes the matter is not resolved Responding to the report, Cllr Fiona McLoughlin Healy noted that it wasnt clear who Philip Lees clients were - the board or the Chair and Vice-Chair. And she pushed for the KWETB to hire an outsider to investigate the matter more fully. This is bigger than us, she noted. In the course of their review, the sub-committee was made aware that separate legal advice may have been received from another legal firm, Mason Hayes and Curran, in relation to the Department of Education and Skills investigation. They noted that this was outside of the scope of this review but recommended that it merited further investigation. Read more: Shock and anger as legal bill paid before Kildare Wicklow Education Board can discuss it Read more: BREAKING: Special investigation launched into Kildare and Wicklow ETB Read more: Kildare Wicklow Education Training Board appalled investigation report was leaked There will be no crowd capacity restrictions as per 2017 for the opening season of the Curragh Racecourse 2018, Evan Arkwright Commercial Manager at the Curragh confirmed. The first meeting of the Curragh racecourse gets underway this Friday, May 11 and it is all systems go with the massive redevelopment at the home of Irish flat racing. The 72m revamp is well and truly on track, scheduled to be finished by Christmas 2018. The re-development is starting to take shape, and Curragh chief executive Derek McGrath said from Friday people can get a hint of what the design will be when completed. The main enclosure boasts an impressive new parade ring, beside the future new entrance, which will be used as a Bistro and Media Centre for this year. Concerns were raised in 2017 with the decision to keep racing at the Curragh during the construction phase, with a limited crowd capacity of 6,000. This year, a new temporary stand is in place close to the where the grandstand is currently being constructed, which holds a capacity of 400 people, and looks right out onto the track. There are also high-quality marquee structures to facilitate visitors until the end of 2018. The view of the racetrack from the temporary stand Construction coming along nicely on the new grandstand Other ongoing work includes the preservation of the 1850s Queens Room where Queen Victoria was entertained during her visit to the Curragh, a stable yard with 35 new stables, a public hall, corporate facilities, a playground, and a museum building which will connect to the grandstand. The Queens Room Once finished, the redevelopment will be able to cater for approximately 30,000 people. Derek McGrath added that while the focus is on getting ready for next year, theyre also very excited for the next few weeks of racing. The Curragh kicks off their 2018 season on May 11 and 12 and will stage a total of 18 race days featuring a record 11 Group One races and offering over 10 million euro in total prize money CRIMINAL figure Ger Dundon has pleaded guilty to charges relating to the seizure of a semi-automatic firearm in a Limerick village last year. When arraigned at Limerick Circuit Court on Tuesday, Dundon, aged 32, who has addresses in London and at Hyde Road, Limerick pleaded not guilty to possession of a semi-automatic sawn-off shotgun for an unlawful purpose. A jury of seven men and five women was told the firearm, which was wrapped in plastic and cling film, was located in a shed at the rear of a premises at Main Street, Bruff on February 26, 2017. The jury was told the adjacent property had been under observation at the time and that Dundon was seen entering the property with two other men shortly after 10.30am. Ahead of the resumption of the trial this Wednesday afternoon, Andrew Sexton SC, with Kenneth Kerins BL, said Dundon wished to be re-arraigned. When a lesser charge under the Firearms Act 1925 was put to him he replied guilty. After Shane Costelloe SC, prosecuting, confirmed the plea was acceptable to the DPP, Judge ODonnell formally discharged the jury. It can now be revealed that Dundons two co-accused have also pleaded guilty to charges relating to the seizure of the pump-action shotgun. Liam Lika Casey, aged 35, of Hyde Road Limerick pleaded guilty to possession of a restricted firearm without a licence when he was arraigned on Tuesday. Previously, Robert Kelly, aged 31, who has an address in Edenderry, County Offaly pleaded guilty to possession of the pump-action shotgun for an unlawful purpose. All three men were arrested in the Dooradoyle area on February 26, 2017 following a high speed pursuit involving members of the armed Regional Support Unit. It can now be reported that Dundon, who has several convictions, pleaded guilty, last December, to multiple charges relating to the pursuit. In addition to two counts of dangerous driving, the father-of-three pleaded guilty to a single charge of endangerment. Previously, Limerick District Court was told the Audi A8 Quattro which Dundon was driving became airborne while being driven at high speed through the car park of the Crescent Shopping Centre. A KILOMETRE of reflection will be one of the features of this years Darkness into Light walk, which is expected to draw thousands to Limerick this Saturday. Around 10,000 people are expected to descend on Thomond Park in the small hours of this Saturday for suicide prevention charity Pieta Houses flagship annual fundraiser. The ninth time the walk has taken place in Limerick, the organisers have called on people to register in advance online at dil.pieta.ie to be sure of a t-shirt and a place on the walk. Kicking off at 4.15am, the walk will take on a six-kilometre circular route across the city. A unique early morning experience, Darkness into Light begins in the dead of night as thousands walk or run a five-kilometre route while dawn is breaking. Last years event attracted over 100,000 participants in more than 80 locations in Ireland and abroad. For the first time this year, Johnny Togher, who works in the volunteer and fundraising department at the charitys local base in Ard Aulin, Mungret, highlighted a new feature in this years walk through the city. From Salesians Roundabout up to the Strand Hotel, we are looking at creating a kilometre of reflection. We are looking at lining the route with candles, and perhaps an inflatable arch at the start. It will give people the chance to think of loved ones they have lost to suicide, he said. While Limerick Citys Darkness into Light walk will attract the most participants in the county, smaller walks for the same cause will take place in Kilmallock, Murroe and Newcastle West. Killaloe/Ballina will also host a walk, as will Shannon Town and Sixmilebridge. Around 160,000 was raised from Limericks walks in 2017, money which is pumped straight back into Pieta Houses crisis centre here, which provides counselling and support services to people experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts. If you are in distress, Pieta Houses centre in Mungret can be contacted at 061-484444. A PROBATION report has been requested in the case of a man who punched a garda who was just doing his job in Limerick. Lee Ryan, aged 24, who has an address at Owenmore, Raheen, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Tim OConnor at Bedford Row in the early hours of November 12, 2016. At Limerick District Court, Judge Marie Keane was told the defendant was being arrested in relation to an earlier criminal damage incident when the assault occurred and he punched the garda in the eye. Garda OConnor was treated in hospital but did not sustain any long-term damage. Solicitor John Herbert said his client, who was 22 at the time, had attended a house party earlier in the night. He said Mr Ryan, who has no previous convictions, is not a drinking man and that he cannot control himself when he drinks. He is a very decent man who comes from a good background, said Mr McCarthy who said his client is no longer drinking. Judge Keane was told the defendant had caused around 1,000 worth of damage to the front window of a premises on OConnell Street and that he has paid 100 in compensation. By way of comment, Judge Keane told the defendant he could have blinded the man and that his failure to self-regulate on the night was a concern. Im not impressed at all, she said adding that Garda OConnor was out doing his job when he encountered the defendant. Noting Mr Ryans previous good record, his remorse and his guilty plea, the judge requested that a probation report be prepared before she imposes sentence. In doing so, she warned he is in jeopardy and could face a prison sentence. She adjourned the matter to June suggesting that full compensation should be paid in the meantime. A LIMERICK businessman has called for the Council to put more money behind its events marketing after up to 100,000 people hit the city for Riverfest 2018. City centre retailers have enjoyed a huge early summer boost, with Limericks main festival enjoying bright sunshine and warm temperatures. The organisers have predicted that Limericks economy could benefit by up to 7m from the event. James Ryan, who runs Centra in OConnell Street, revealed his trade rose by 50% above the average Sunday. And it revealed to him that Limerick can truly be a place to live, work and play. Its a great place to go out, a very safe place to go out in. People want to come to the city centre and use it. The Council needs to develop its marketing around this. People are willing to come if we do enough for them, he said. Mr Ryan believes not enough goes towards events, adding: Any time we put on an event such as Riverfest, we get a bounce from it. There was a n-ice boost for Shane Gleeson, who runs Gleeson's Spar in Catherine Street, as he revealed he sold a months worth of Mr Whippy ice-creams in a single day, as the sun beamed down on the city. We had a situation where we had to get in extra stock as we ran out of ice cream. We spoke to the gardai and they facilitated us to get through during a quiet period, he said. Mr Gleeson praised the Council authorities for restoring access to the roads quickly after the Great Limerick Run was complete. From a traders point of view, this was really important. They literally had the trucks picking up the barriers no more than five minutes after the last runner, he told The Leader. As a result of the weekend, Mr Gleeson said his trade had risen by some 20%. Helen ODonnell of the Hunt Museum cafe also enjoyed a bounce, with her outlet opening extended hours on Sunday to cater for the huge influx of people to the centre. It was excellent, really, really good. The city seemed to be busier than any other Riverfest. Overall, the economic benefit would have been enormous for the city. Anybody who hasnt been able to take advantage of it missed out. Anyone in business would have done really well, she said. Mr Ryan believes the scenes he witnessed on Sunday suggest the economy is back up and running. Arthurs Quay on Sunday was buzzing. People were getting cashback to get access to cash as they did not want to queue up, he added. Deputy mayor, Cllr Marian Hurley said: There was just so much happening and plenty of free activities and events to keep all ages happy. I was particularly delighted to see so much people turn out to support all the participants. GARDAI in Limerick are investigating an incident of criminal damage and suspected arson which saw the Fire Service called to the scene twice in the space of eight hours. A bungalow in Carnane, Fedamore, was set alight on Sunday night and has been completely gutted as a result. Limerick Fire Service was alerted to the fire at 12.06am on Monday, and dispatched a large fleet of five appliances to the scene in order to quench the flames. Limerick Fire Service was at the scene for five hours before returning to base at 5.05am. However, within three hours, Limerick Fire Service was alerted to another fire at the same property at 8.07am. Three units were dispatched to the scene and left at 9.01am, the Limerick Leader was informed. It has yet to be confirmed what caused the fire. It is understood that a young man, aged in 20s, is the owner of the house. Photos taken by this newspaper show significant damage done to the house with the roof destroyed and a number of windows broken. Gardai told the Leader this week that they are investigating an incident of criminal damage by fire at a premises in Carnane, Fedamore, Limerick. The incident occurred on May 7, 2018, shortly after midnight. "No injuries were reported and investigations are ongoing. No further updates are available currently. No arrests have been made. The Summerston distance slab from the western end of the Roman Antonine Wall in Scotland was once brightly painted in warning reds, yellow and white. Ancient Romans used blood red, bright yellow and stunning white paints to illustrate dire warnings on the wall that separated them from the rebellious tribespeople of Scotland, a new study shows. The painted warnings including Roman eagles with blood-stained beaks, and the slain and decapitated bodies of the defeated victims of the victorious Roman legions were shown alongside Latin inscriptions on carved stone slabs placed along a Roman rampart in Scotland. Archaeologist Louisa Campbell from the University of Glasgow says the carved and painted stone slabs would have served as "Roman propaganda" to local tribespeople north of the Antonine Wall, a fortified wall built across Scotland by the Roman legions during the reign of the emperor Antoninus Pius in the second century A.D. [In Photos: Ancient Roman Fort Discovered] Although the stone slabs are plain gray today, Campbells research shows that they were once brightly colored with naturally made paints, including red and yellow ochre, a red mineral called realgar, a red plant dye known as madder, a bright yellow mineral called orpiment and white lead. The reds, in particular, were used to paint details, such as the cloaks of Roman soldiers, and to signify the bloody end in store for enemies of the Roman Empire. "The scenes depicted by the iconography demonstrate the power and might of Rome in a highly graphic manner," Campbell told Live Science in an email. The stone slabs, placed at intervals along the Antonine Wall, would have promoted the idea of Roman control of the region, both to the Roman armies and visitors from the empire, as well as to the indigenous peoples who lived around and north of the wall, she noted. The stones were "a very visible message to the indigenous peoples of those regions that Rome is a powerful empire that will not tolerate any challenge to her authority," Campbell said. Warning stones Campbell studied all 19 of the known Roman "distance stones" found along the Antonine Wall, a fortification built by the Roman military to extend their control north of Hadrian's Wall, which was constructed about 60 miles (96 kilometers) to the south after A.D. 122, during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. The Antonine Wall wasn't as long as Hadrian's 84-mile-long (135 km) wall, but it was still substantial, running almost 40 miles (64 km), from east to west between two deep river estuaries, or "firths," on opposite sides of Scotland from the Firth of Forth, today just north of the city of Edinburgh, to the Firth of Clyde, just a few miles west of Glasgow. Campbell's research included the two most famous stones from the Antonine Wall: the Summerston slab, which was found on a farm near Glasgow around 1694, and the Bridgeness Slab, discovered in 1868 near the town of Falkirk, at the eastern end of the Antonine Wall. Both slabs showed grisly carved scenes of Roman cavalrymen running down indigenous northern warriors and guarding combatant tribespeople who had already been captured and bound, Campbell said. The Bridgeness stone also showed a decapitated warrior in the midst of battle. Both ends of the warrior's severed neck were once painted bright red to symbolize blood, Campbell's research revealed. Ancient artists may have also highlighted a carved Roman eagle on the Summerston slab with blood-red paint, she added. "I would suggest the red on the beak of the eagle (the symbol of Rome and her legions) symbolizes Rome feasting off the flesh of her enemies," Campbell wrote in the email. The Roman eagle on the Summerston slab also rests on the mythical figure of a capricorn, or sea-goat the symbol of Rome's Second Legion, who defended the wall in that area and who had dedicated the stone to the emperor Antoninus Pius, she said. Rome's final frontier Despite its powerful propaganda messages, the Antonine Wall was occupied by Roman defenders only until A.D. 161, when Marcus Aurelius became emperor, and for a few years, from A.D. 208 to 211, during the reign of Septimius Severus. Archaeologists don't agree why the Romans failed to establish the Antonine Wall as the northernmost border of the empire, but in the early third century they abandoned it and withdrew to Hadrian's Wall. While many stone ruins are still visible along Hadrian's Wall, many of the remains of the earth and wooden ramparts of the Antonine Wall are now hard to distinguish from the surrounding countryside. But new archaeological research is helping scientists map the ancient wall. Patricia Weeks, an archaeologist with the government heritage agency Historic Environment Scotland (HES), told Live Science that a survey using lidar technology, which uses laser light to map almost invisible distortions on the ground, along the full length of the Antonine Wall. Data from this survey had been used as part of a study of the Antonine Wall by Nick Hannon, an archaeologist at Canterbury Christ Church University in the England, to explore relationships between different sites on the wall, and to try to identify any overlooked elements, such as additional small forts, Weeks told Live Science in an email. The data from the survey and other work by archaeologists is being used to engage the public. Detailed 3D scans of artifacts from the Antonine Wall, including some of the distance slabs studied by Campbell, have been made public by HES at the Sketchfab 3D website. The survey data and 3D artifact scans have also been incorporated in an educational game about a Roman fort along the wall, and in an interactive augmented-reality tour of the Antonine Wall, to help visitors to the region better understand and visualize the ancient structures, Weeks said. Original article on Live Science. Cats (Image credit: Shutterstock) Many prey-ambushing, nocturnal predators, including the cat (pictured here), have vertical-slit-shaped pupils. This kind of pupil likely provides predators with the sharpest way to estimate distance between themselves and a tasty meal, the study found. Gauging this distance is important, because it helps the predator decide how far it needs to leap out to catch its prey. [Images: See the World from a Cat's Eyes] Chameleons (Image credit: Shutterstock) A chameleon can move each eye independently of the other, allowing the animal to simultaneously look in two different directions with a full 360-degree view. Just like a camera lens with a zoom, chameleons can focus their eyes and enlarge what they are looking at, Live Science reported previously. Giant clams (Image credit: Shutterstock) Giant clams (Tridacna) may be big, but their eyes are pinhole-size. Each clam has several hundred of these tiny eyes on the exposed part of its fleshy mantle, according a 2003 study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. When one of these clams detects dark objects moving nearby, it withdraws its mantle toward its shell, the study found. Another clam, known as the disco clam (Ctenoides ales), has about 40 eyes. But its vision is poor; it couldn't even detect flashing reflected from a nearby disco clam, according to research covered by Live Science. Crabs (Image credit: Shutterstock) Crabs are unable to move their eyes, but the creatures have an excellent visual field that helps them spot predators and prey. For instance, the fiddler crab (Uca vomeris) can see all around itself, including overhead, according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The eye cells on top of the crab's stalks can perceive light and dark, but not fine detail. "The crab only needs to see one dark spot moving in its upward vision to know it must run for its burrow," study co-author Jan Hemmi, a senior lecturer of biology at the University of Western Australia said in a statement. Crocodiles (Image credit: Shutterstock) Like the cat, the crocodile is an ambush predator that has vertical-slit pupils to help it gauge distance when it attacks prey. The two animals also share another similarity: Both have nighttime vision. The crocodile has a layer of reflective, mirrored crystals behind its retinas. During the day, a pigment in these crystals acts like a pair of sunglasses. But at night, the pigment cells retract, allowing the crystals to reflect light back onto the retina, amplifying the strength of the image. This allows the crocodile to essentially see in the dark. Cuttlefish (Image credit: Shutterstock) When the cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) is exposed to bright light, its pupil takes on a W-like shape. But when the animal is in dim or dark waters, the cuttlefish's pupils become circular. Why does this happen? According to a 2013 study in the journal Vision Research, the narrow, W-shaped pupil helps the cuttlefish balance uneven, vertically traveling light. This cuts down the amount of sunlight that is scattered across the cuttlefish's lens, making it easier for the animals to see contrasting images, the researchers of the study said. Dragonflies (Image credit: Shutterstock) Dragonflies have sharp vision thanks to the large lenses in their compound eyes. Even better, these insects can see a wide array of colors. Humans have trichromatic vision, a term that describes the red, blue and green light-sensitive proteins in our eyes. Dragonflies, in contrast, can see way more colors, including ultraviolet light. The insects have from 11 to 30 light-sensitive proteins in their eyes, according to a 2015 study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that looked at 12 species of dragonflies. Goats (Image credit: Shutterstock) Goats have distinctive, rectangular-shaped eyes. But why? The answer has to do with survival. A goat's oddly shaped pupils likely help it scan the horizon for predators, Live Science previously reported. Human (Image credit: Shutterstock) The human eye resembles an old-fashioned camera. But instead of focusing light onto film, the eye's cornea (the clear structure at the front of the eye) and lens focus light onto the retina, tissue with light-sensitive proteins that can process black, white and different colors. The place where the optic nerve enters the retina is called the blind spot. But don't despair: You can shrink the blind spot with eye-training exercises, a small 2015 study found. Jumping spider (Image credit: Shutterstock) Despite their eight eyes, most spiders have bad vision. That's, in part, why they use webs to catch prey. But the jumping spider (Phidippus audax) is in a league of its own among spiders: It has excellent vision, which helps it pinpoint prey it can tackle. The jumping spider can see almost 360 degrees around itself with its eight eyes. It uses the large, primary eyes on the front of its head to see detail and the small, secondary eyes to see motion, Live Science previously reported. [See photos of jumping spider eyes] Leaf-tailed geckos (Image credit: Shutterstock) It's breathtaking to see leaf-tailed geckos' marbled eyes. These often have a background color of gold, silver or tan covered with concentric striations around the pupil, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Geckos clean their gem-like eyeballs which are either lidless or covered by clear eyelids with a quick lick of the tongue. This asteroid 2004 EW95 (shown in this artist's impression) have have been kicked out into the Kuiper Belt by "drunken" gas giants in the early days of our solar system. New observations of a faraway asteroid may have given scientists the first piece of long-sought evidence that our solar system's gas giants once careened drunkenly through space, kicking smaller planetoids aside as they lurched half-formed through the cosmos. The asteroid named 2004 EW95 was first discovered in 2004 orbiting about 2.5 billion miles (4 billion kilometers) away from Earth in the donut-shaped ring of ice and rock at the edge of our solar system called the Kuiper Belt. The Kuiper Belt begins beyond the orbit of Neptune, about 30 astronomical units from the sun, or about 30 times the distance between the sun and Earth, and may extend nearly as far into interstellar space. (One astronomical unit is about 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers.) [Meteorites: Rocks That Survived Fiery Plunge to Earth] The young solar system While the belt is likely home to trillions of comets and hundreds of thousands of unexplored, icy planetoids (including the dwarf planet Pluto), scientists suspect that many thousands of the mysterious objects there originated much closer to Earth. But how did those objects end up on the edge of the solar system? Some recent theories suggest they were thrown there by renegade gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn during the early days of our solar system's formation. According to these theories, the gas giants didn't start their life in a fixed orbit, but rather roared through the galaxy accreting material, bouncing against each other's gravity and launching the smaller, weaker bodies in their path far and wide into space. If these theories are correct, some of the asteroids swirling around the Kuiper Belt must be the same sort of ancient, carbon-rich (or carbonaceous) asteroids commonly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter today. But scientists haven't been able to find any of these carbonaceous asteroids in the Kuiper Belt until now. In a recent paper published in the March issue of the Astrophysical Journal Letters, an international team of researchers took a detailed look at the faint light reflecting off of the Kuiper asteroid 2004 EW95. With some help from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (yes, that is its real name), the team collected detailed information on the light that reflected back from the asteroid during two separate sessions in 2014 and 2017. (Since different elements absorb and reflect different wavelengths of light, the light reflected back from an asteroid can reveal its composition.) "The reflectance spectrum of 2004 EW95 was clearly distinct from the other observed outer solar system objects," lead author Tom Seccull, a postgraduate research student at Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, said in a statement. Unlike other known Kuiper Belt objects, which are uniformly dark and largely featureless, 2004 EW95 reflected faint wavelengths that seemed to correspond to the presence of certain minerals. These minerals, called phyllosilicatesand ferric oxides, suggest that the object formed under similar conditions to many carbonaceous asteroids found much closer to Earth. However, the asteroid's light reflection data suggested 2004 EW95 also sustained a massive blow that caused it to heat up significantly. "[These findings] are consistent with the idea that this object may have formed near Jupiter among the primordial [carbonaceous] asteroids and was subsequently emplaced into the Kuiper Belt by the migrating planets," the authors concluded in their paper. If this ancient, faintly-glinting asteroid is indeed a carbon-rich exile thrown far from its original home by a surly gas giant, it provides a "key verification" to one of the dominant theories about the early days of our solar system, the researchers wrote in which the gas giants partied it up by charging through the solar system and ejecting rocky bodies out into far-flung orbits. Closer observation of the Kuiper Belt could yield thousands of other clues to the foundational mysteries of our solar system and all we need is a Very Large Telescope to uncover them. Originally published on Live Science. A global expert on ultrasonic waves thinks the widely reported claim that U.S. embassy staffers in Cuba were attacked with a sonic weapon doesn't make sense. In 2016, U.S. embassy staff in Cuba started to complain about a series of unusual symptoms after hearing loud, strange noises and feeling "ghostly" movements in the air. The symptoms included hearing loss and even signs pointing to brain injury. In early reports, U.S. officials suggested that sonic weapons were likely the cause, though later, thorough medical studies cast doubt on that notion. Timothy Leighton, a professor of acoustics at the University of Southampton in England, said the whole concept of using ultrasonic waves in this way is "ridiculous." "At the end of the day, I think it's extremely unlikely this was an ultrasonic attack," Leighton told Live Science in advance of a presentation at the 175th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America today (May 9) on the real problems associated with ultrasonic waves. [The 7 Biggest Mysteries of the Human Body] The notion is so absurd, he said, because ultrasonic waves simply don't affect the whole population equally, so it would be impossible to know in advance whether anyone in the embassy let alone specific staffers would be harmed by the attack. Ultrasonic waves are simply very high-pitched sound waves, too high for most people to hear. Scientific papers from as far back as the 1960s have shown that these waves can have negative effects on sensitive people, with symptoms ranging from tinnitus to nausea. But those effects, Leighton said, aren't evenly distributed. Adult men tend to be least sensitive to ultrasonic waves, Leighton said, because they tend to lose their ability to hear high frequencies. Adults in general are less susceptible to ultrasonic waves than children, who often have much better hearing in high frequencies though women are somewhat more likely to be susceptible. "If you're attacking embassy staff you wouldn't choose a weapon where the adverse effect on an individual is highly variable," Leighton said. (Leighton is speaking here as an expert on the acoustics of ultrasonic waves, not a weapons expert.) It's not implausible that an ultrasonic weapon might cause some damage in the right circumstances, Leighton said, but a building full of adults, many of them men, would be an unlikely target. "Now if we were talking about a maternity ward and we wanted to make babies cry, then that's a weapon to choose." The other issue, he said, is that even very loud ultrasonic waves have a pretty limited range in buildings. "It's not like a rifle that you can shoot through a wall," he said. "It can get people in this room and the next room, and that's it." Originally published on Live Science. Machinery used in the Q-weak experiment, which recently measured a fundamental force of nature and found no deviation from the Standard Model. Chalk up another win for the Standard Model, the remarkably successful theory that describes how all the known fundamental particles interact. Physicists have made the most precise measurement yet of how strongly the weak force one of nature's four fundamental forces acts on the proton. The results, published today (May 9) in the journal Nature, are just what the Standard Model predicted, dealing yet another blow to physicists' efforts to find kinks in the theory and discover new physics that could explain what dark matter and dark energy are. [Strange Quarks and Muons, Oh My! Nature's Tiniest Particles Dissected] Despite its triumphs, the Standard Model is incomplete. It doesn't explain dark matter and dark energy, which together may make up more than 95 percent of the universe and yet have never been observed directly. Nor does the theory incorporate gravity or explain why the universe contains more matter than antimatter. Testing the Standard Model One way toward a more complete theory is to test what the Standard Model says about the weak force, which is responsible for radioactive decay, enabling the nuclear reactions that keep the sun shining and drive nuclear power plants. The strength of the weak force's interactions depends on a particle's so-called weak charge, just as the electromagnetic force depends on electric charge and gravity depends on mass. "We were just hoping this was one path to finding a crack in the Standard Model," said Greg Smith, a physicist at the Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Virginia and the project manager for the Q-weak experiment. The researchers blasted beams of electrons at a pool of protons. The spins of the electrons were either parallel or anti-parallel with the beam. Upon colliding with the protons, the electrons would scatter, mostly due to interactions involving the electromagnetic force. But for every 10,000 or 100,000 scatterings, Smith said, one happened via the weak force. Unlike the electromagnetic force, the weak force doesn't obey mirror symmetry, or parity, as physicists call it. So, when interacting via the electromagnetic force, an electron scatters in the same way regardless of its spin direction. But when interacting via the weak force, the probability that the electron will scatter depends ever so slightly on whether the spin is parallel or anti-parallel, relative to the direction the electron is traveling. In the experiment, the beam alternated between firing electrons with parallel and anti-parallel spins about 1,000 times a second. The researchers found that the difference in scattering probability was a mere 226.5 parts per billion, with a precision of 9.3 parts per billion. That's equivalent to finding that two otherwise identical Mount Everests differ in height by the thickness of a dollar coin with a precision down to the width of a human hair. "This is the smallest and most precise asymmetry ever measured in the scattering of polarized electrons from protons," said Peter Blunden, a physicist at the University of Manitoba in Canada who was not involved in the study. The measurement, he added, is an impressive achievement. Plus, it shows that, in the hunt for new physics, these relatively low-energy experiments can compete with powerful particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Blunden said. Even though the proton's weak charge turned out to be pretty much what the Standard Model said it would be, all hope isn't lost for finding new physics someday. The results just limit what those new physics might look like. For example, Smith said, they rule out phenomena involving electron-proton interactions that occur at energies below 3.5 teraelectron volts. Still, it would've been much more exciting had they found something new, Smith said. "I was disappointed," he told Live Science. "I was hoping for some deviation, some signal. But other people were relieved that we weren't far away from what the Standard Model predicted." Originally published on Live Science. A groundbreaking quantum experiment recently confirmed the reality of "spooky action-at-a-distance" the bizarre phenomenon that Einstein hated in which linked particles seemingly communicate faster than the speed of light. And all it took was 12 teams of physicists in 10 countries, more than 100,000 volunteer gamers and over 97 million data units all of which were randomly generated by hand. The volunteers operated from locations around the world, playing an online video game on Nov. 30, 2016, that produced millions of bits, or "binary digits" the smallest unit of computer data. Physicists then used those random bits in so-called Bell tests, designed to show that entangled particles, or particles whose states are mysteriously linked, can somehow transfer information faster than light can travel, and that these particles seem to "choose" their states at the moment they are measured. [What Is Quantum Mechanics?] Their findings, recently reported in a new study, contradicted Einstein's description of a state known as "local realism," study co-author Morgan Mitchell, a professor of quantum optics at the Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona, Spain, told Live Science in an email. "We showed that Einsteins world-view of local realism, in which things have properties whether or not you observe them, and no influence travels faster than light, cannot be true at least one of those things must be false," Mitchell said. This introduces the likelihood of two mind-bending scenarios: Either our observations of the world actually change it, or particles are communicating with each other in some manner that we can't see or influence. "Or possibly both," Mitchell added. Einstein's worldview Is it true? Since the 1970s, physicists have tested the plausibility of local realism by using experiments called Bell tests, first proposed in the 1960s by Irish physicist John Bell. To conduct these Bell tests, physicists compare randomly chosen measurements, such as the polarization of two entangled particles, like photons, that exist in different locations. If one photon is polarized in one direction (say, up), the other will be going sideways only a certain percentage of the time. If the number of times that the particle measurements mirror each other goes above that threshold regardless of what the particles are or the order in which the measurements are selected that suggests the separated particles "choose" their state only at the moment they are measured. And it implies that the particles can instantly communicate with each other the so-called spooky action at a distance that bothered Einstein so much. These synched responses thereby contradict the notion of genuinely independent existence, a view that forms the foundation of the principle of local realism upon which the rules of classical mechanics are based. But, time after time, tests have shown that entangled particles do demonstrate correlated states that exceed the threshold; that the world is, indeed, spooky; and that Einstein was wrong. [The 18 Biggest Unsolved Mysteries in Physics] Volunteers in 190 countries played a game that provided researchers with more than 97,000 random bits, which the scientists applied to measurements for entangled particles. (Image credit: ICFO) However, Bell tests require that the choice of what to measure should be truly random. And that's hard to show, since unseen factors can influence researchers' selections, and even computers' random data generation isn't truly random. This creates a flaw in Bell tests known as the freedom-of-choice loophole the possibility that "hidden variables" could influence the settings used in the experiments, the scientists reported. If the measurements aren't truly random, the Bell tests can't definitively rule out local realism. For the new study, the researchers wanted to gather an enormous amount of human-produced data, to be certain they were incorporating true randomness in their calculations. That data enabled them to conduct a broader test of local reality than had ever been done before, and at the same time, it allowed them to close the persistent loophole, the researchers claimed. "Local realism is a question we can't fully answer with a machine," Morgan said in a statement. "It seems we ourselves must be part of the experiment, to keep the universe honest." Random number generators Their effort, dubbed the Big Bell Test, engaged players or "Bellsters" in an online tapping game called Big Bell Quest. Players quickly and repeatedly tapped two buttons on a screen, with respective values of one and zero. Their choices streamed to laboratories on five continents, where the participants' random choices were used to select measurement settings for comparing entangled particles, the researchers reported. During the Big Bell Test initiative on Nov. 30, 2016, over 100,000 people used an online game to generate data for a global physics experiment. (Image credit: ICFO) Each of the laboratories performed different experiments, using different particles single atoms, groups of atoms, photons and superconducting devices and their results showed "strong disagreement with local realism" in a variety of tests, according to the study, which was published online today (May 9) in the journal Nature. The experiments also demonstrated an intriguing similarity between humans and quantum particles, related to randomness and free will. If the Bell tests' human-influenced measurements were truly random not influenced by the entangled particles themselves then the behaviors of both humans and particles were random, Mitchell explained. "If we are free, so are they," he said. Original article on Live Science. Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) has acquired a 100% shareholding in its former WFS Ireland joint venture after buying the minority shareholding of its partners, Gerry Jackson and Brendan Byrne. The transaction was completed at the end of March. Gerry Jackson retired from the company at the end of 2017 but Brendan Byrne will continue in his role as president of WFS Ireland. The successful venture in Ireland covering cargo handling stations in Dublin, Cork and Shannon has been operating for 13 years, with WFS as the majority shareholder. WFS serves over 50 airline customers in Ireland, including Air China, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates Airline, IAG Cargo, Lufthansa, SAS and SWISS International Airlines. In 2017, volumes handled rose to more than 45,000 tonnes at the three stations, where WFS employs over 100 staff, led by Dublin-based General Manager, Simon Coomber. Already this year, Emirates Airline has signed a new five-year contract for cargo handling, and WFS has also been awarded new contracts by Air Arabia (Maroc) and Norwegian. John Batten, EVP of cargo for Europe Middle East & Asia at WFS, said: One of the main reasons for WFS success is our ability to combine our global network and service offering with outstanding local teams of people in each country where we are present. In Ireland, we are proud to have partnered with Gerry and Brendan for the past 13 years because they are highly respected by our customers and have worked closely with us to grow the business to its strongest-ever position. We wish to thank Gerry for his many years of partnership and wish him a long and happy retirement, while Brendan will remain in his current role as we continue to grow and improve our service offering, supported by the great teams we have at all three locations. One of WFS next major investments in Ireland will be a 70% expansion of our temperature-controlled facilities in Dublin to support our customers pharmaceutical products and services. Brendan Byrne added: Gerry and I are proud to see the business is such safe hands and are confident that WFS ambition and ability to invest for the future will continue to produce significant new opportunities for both our customers and staff. Niners linebacker Reuben Foster pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony domestic violence and possession of assault rifle charges in connection with an incident in February involving his girlfriend, who has since recanted her statement. Foster, 24, also pleaded not guilty to felony charges for forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime and declined to waive his right to a speedy trial at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 17. On Feb. 11, Foster was arrested in Los Gatos after he allegedly dragged his girlfriend by the hair, physically threw her out of his house and punched her in the head at least eight times, reportedly puncturing her eardrum. The woman flagged down a strangers car on Shannon Road and asked the driver to call 911, according to the Santa Clara County district attorneys office. In April, Fosters girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, issued a statement through her attorney, Stephanie Rickard, recanting the allegations and saying she made up the story about Foster punching her repeatedly in an attempt to trash his career after Foster tried to break off the relationship. Rickard provided the district attorney with video evidence two weeks ago that the defense says will exonerate Foster. Neither the district attorney nor Fosters defense attorney, Joshua Bentley, have said what the video shows. Prosecutors are investigating the video and are likely working to authenticate it, said Steven Clark, a criminal attorney not affiliated with the case. The video submitted by the defense will likely be a centerpiece of the case, Clark added. Despite the video evidence, the case will continue to a preliminary hearing next week where prosecutors will lay out evidence against Foster and a judge will determine whether there is enough to go to trial. By declining to waive his right to a speedy trial, Fosters defense fast-tracked the hearing, putting pressure on prosecutors to build a solid case in a short amount of time, Clark said. Its something that the D.A. now needs to get going on and they will have to be ready for the preliminary hearing, including possibly calling the accuser to the stand and seeing if shes actually going to testify or will she take the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination, Clark said. In addition to the felony charges, Foster was initially charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly having a high-capacity magazine for a SIG Sauer 516 short-barreled rifle. However, the misdemeanor charge was dropped because a federal judge in San Diego issued an injunction last summer against a California law that would ban the possession of gun magazines holding more than 10 rounds. The 49ers have not released any new statements regarding Fosters case, but general manager John Lynch said several weeks ago that the team would release Foster if hes found guilty of the charges. I do want to be very clear, abundantly clear, that if these charges are proven true, if Reuben did indeed hit this young lady, he wont be part of our organization moving forward, Lynch said. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani Twitter is both celebrating and questioning San Antonio actor Armie Hammer, who, it seems, just learned about the Iran-Contra affair. Interested by the appointment of Oliver North as president of the National Rifle Association, Hammer went on a not-so-deep dive into history, finding what many already knew the infamous NRA member played a central role in the 1980s scandal. "I just spent some time google-ing (googling?) Lt. Col. Oliver North (new head of the NRA)... turns out he was arrested and charged with illegally selling guns to Iran. He also lied to Congress about it," Hammer tweeted late Monday night. "Nice." RELATED: NRA urges boycott of a Dallas restaurant supporting 'reasonable' gun laws Though San Antonio's Bird Bakery co-owner probably went to bed impressed by his sleuthing, a portion of the internet hit the actor with a "duh." "Are you being sarcastic, or did you honestly not know about the Iran-Contra Affair," Twitter user @MelissaAmour replied. "Serious question." Others defended Hammer, who turns 32 in August, saying an age gap may be the reason he barely learned about North. "It's fascinating to see people have to google that a--hole's name because I spent a whole summer watching those hearings," @heimaeyus said. On the other hand, Hammer fans were charmed by his naive ways and called him a "woke king." "Actor by day, super sleuth vigilante by night," @armiedhammers said. "Petition to make Armie the next Sherlock Holmes," @hammerhaal followed. Brooklyn-based writer Katherine Krueger retweeted Hammer and said it was "the only pure tweet of the day." And writer Nicole Cliffe also retweeted the original post, commenting, "my beautiful baby boyfriend armie hammer discovering that ollie north has an itneresting pas is so precious I can barely stand it, wait until he finds out about richard nixon." Madalyn Mendoza is a digital reporter for MySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| mmendoza@mysa.com | Twitter: @MaddySkye Sherlock fans, brace yourself for a shock. Star Benedict Cumberbatch whose performances, particularly as PBS quintessential London sleuth, have tended toward the restrained is a man you may not recognize in a new Showtime series. On Saturdays premiere of the five-part Patrick Melrose, the actor is every inch the emotional wreck. As the titular character who struggles to overcome the childhood damage inflicted by his horribly abusive father (Hugo Weaving, The Matrix), Cumberbatch takes us on a terrifying, yet fascinating, ride. He wails with anguish, collapses from a mix of alcohol and Quaaludes, crawls along the floor of a public place like an ill animal and, during a heroin-induced hallucination, talks to invisible companions. For a date, he even dons an eyepatch to cover up an infection brought on by a night of debauchery. At the end of the first episode, his character crumbles into a heap of violent sobs. But dont get the impression that this viewing experience is marked by just darkness and gloom. Cumberbatch also is very funny, his character making us giddy at the most unexpected times. All this adds up to extraordinary and moving television. Patrick Melrose, based on the best-selling, semi-autobiographical novels by Edward St. Aubyn, begins unfurling at 8 p.m. Saturday. Cumberbatch said he couldnt be more delighted by the opportunity to express so much feeling on screen. Different, very different, he told TV critics at a Showtime session earlier this year. A huge fan of the books, Cumberbatch said the role was one of only two on my acting bucket list, the other being Hamlet. Describing his multi-season Sherlock Holmes character as emotionally very introverted, he said Melrose is the flip side all on the sleeve and to the point that paranoid schizophrenia rears its head and really would take him over. He elaborated on the unforgettable scene referred to above. Theres a very traumatic night where hes lost to various forms of intravenous abuse, he said. And these voices dont emulate just from inside him, but also come out in manifestations and characterizations in a conversation with himself in his hotel room when hes on his own. Thats the very definition of externalizing your emotions literally role playing these different people in a hotel room on your own and high on drugs. Melrose is largely set in the posh and pampered world of the British upper crust, in a variety of places and eras. Each of its five hours covers one of the novels bringing us to New York in the early 80s, where Patrick is summoned to pick up his fathers remains; to the south of France in the 1960s, when he was sexually abused over and over by his father; to his drug recovery back in England; to marriage and parenthood in the 2000s. However, Cumberbatch said what he appreciated the most about the story is how relatable it is to everyone. (It) has a universality that takes it beyond the confines of a class critique or a period drama, he said. Child abuse and drug addiction and recovery, and all the journeys and deviations between those kind of mileposts in this mans life, these are things that recur in our culture that are not specific to either the era or the class. No stranger to damaged characters, Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight, Dolores Claiborne) is both infuriating and heartbreaking in flashbacks as Patricks mother, who tacitly condones her husbands cruel behavior. Describing the screenplay as rich, she embraced the role of Eleanor and tried to find something to like in her. Its really so funny, and its so painful. Its so well realized, she said of the script. And the character, I mean, shes also, you know, addicted to drugs and to alcohol. She tries her best, but shes kind of a terrible failure as a mother, and so shes also very, very wealthy. And its sort of an indictment of having all of that money and how crippling that can be. From my perspective, sort of trying to inhabit her, I just felt like she loved her son so much, but she was terrified to ever be alone in a room with him because the husband was so incredibly abusive. So I dont see her being an accomplice. I see her being a victim of it as well. Allison Williams plays Patricks New York dream girl Marianne Banks, whom he tries to hold onto an effort that fails miserably. Instead, she finds him appalling after their disastrous date, during which he consumes copious amounts of alcohol atop the drugs already in his system and little, if any, food. Despite his pleas, Marianne flees in disgust, grabbing the first taxi that comes their way. Williams, fresh off the glory of HBOs Girls and the Oscar-nominated Get Out, was particularly attracted to the role because of the opportunity to play someone from a different era. It was so much fun to go back in time and get that sort of 80s experience after having been firmly planted in now on Girls for so many years, she said. It was very fun to sort of reach back not so far and, you know, find that character. Its Cumberbatch, however, who delivers the most nuanced, not to mention unforgettable, performance as the broken, but not altogether beaten, Patrick. Hes built this armor of humor and wit and irony, which is his fathers true inheritance in a sense, he said. Best of all, the character doesnt complete the cycle of abuse by becoming an abuser. Hes a very tender, gentle, loving father and husband, if an unfaithful one, he added. Executive producer Michael Jackson (Queer as Folk, Battlestar Galactica) couldnt praise his leading man enough. Recalling the scene when Patrick is in the throes of his heroin addiction and starts to hear voices, Jackson said, He acts out those voices, and hes essentially playing five or six characters in that one scene. It was like watching a piece of theater. It was so intense and so good. And I think you will see some scenes from all of Patrick Melrose that will impress you. Theres an incredible achievement of acting here. Jeanne Jakles column appears Thursdays and Sundays in mySA. Read more of her columns here. | jjakle@express-news.net | @JakleJ A quarrel between two construction workers turned fatal after one ran over the other with a vehicle Tuesday afternoon, according to Laredo police. Paramedics and law enforcement responded to an auto-pedestrian incident behind Mi Paraiso Restaurant, 5101 E. Saunders St., just east of Bob Bullock Loop. Update: Three-year-old Alexzander Clayton Russell has been safely located, police said. No further information was immediately available. ----- A 3-year-old boy is in grave danger after a woman abducted him in the Galveston County area, Texas City Police said. Officials issued an Amber Alert for Alexzander Clayton Russell Wednesday morning. They believe he is with a woman identified as Beverly Mickens. Their relationship is unclear. READ ALSO: Bicyclist struck in NW Harris County Mickens abducted Alexzander about 9 p.m. on Friday, police said. The boy was last seen on Windward Avenue in League City. The boy is about 2 feet, 8 inches tall, has blond hair and blue eyes and a birthmark on his stomach. Mickens is about 40 years old, is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 115 pounds. She has brown hair, brown eyes and has "Little Don" tattooed on her left arm. READ ALSO: Robbers strike at South Rice Walmart She is driving a tan, mid-2000s Chevrolet Suburban with a Texas license plate and was last heard from in League City, police said. Anyone with information should contact the Texas City Police Department at (409) 943-5720. It was revealed this week that the Pasadena Strawberry Festival's epic strawberry shortcake now has a new local sponsor responsible for creating its signature dish. Each year since 1988, festival organizers and volunteers have been constructing a large strawberry shortcake for everyone to partake in at the annual citywide event, set for May 18-20 at the Pasadena Convention Center. TAKE A DRIVE: The best small town food festivals across Texas In the past, grocery chains like Kroger and H-E-B have been involved in procuring the ingredients and constructing the cake with volunteers. It's later sold piece by piece for charity. This year, one of the most popular Mexican bakeries in Houston, El Bolillo Bakery, is on board and ready to construct the sprawling cake with the help of Pasadena ISD culinary students. "This will be the first year for a collaboration between one of Pasadena's local businesses and our high school students and it's only fitting as the first cake piece is traditionally auctioned off to support area student scholarships," Pasadena city spokesman Vance Mitchell said Tuesday. According to Mitchell, the cake will have a new recipe this year and will occupy over 1,300 square feet of floor space in the convention center. El Bolillo's South Wayside location is usually hopping with activity morning, noon and night. It's a must-visit for many locals over the weekends and before family holidays and events. There are locations in Pasadena and the north end of Houston Heights. YUM TOWN: Tasty food at Houston gas stations and convenience stores It remains to be seen if El Bolillo will make a run to break the festival's current Guinness World Record strawberry shortcake, constructed in 2014 at a size of 2,073 square feet and weighing in at 21,578 pounds. Carlos Antonio Rios/Houston Chronicle The bakery made national news during the Hurricane Harvey aftermath when a quartet of workers, stuck inside the Wayside location, made bolillos and pan dulce for their fellow Houstonians in need. It was later delivered to shelters and first-responders, providing a taste of normalcy in the wake of disaster. Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. A pair of Raceway gas station employees are wanted by the police after investigators said they were illegally running gambling machines at work. Elsa Licon and Muhammad Khan are charged with possession of gambling equipment. The Harris County Constable's Office Precinct 4 said they discovered the pair's alleged scheme after getting calls complaining of illegal gambling at the gas station in the 1600 block of Spring Cypress Road. BERLIN - For the past year, German officials have been urging their U.S. counterparts to send a new ambassador to Berlin. But after finally receiving one, many may be having second thoughts. Within hours of assuming his new post on Tuesday, Richard Grenell triggered harsh criticism in this Trump-weary country after appearing to threaten one of the American president's frequent targets: German businesses. In a tweet following President Donald Trump's announcement to leave the Iran nuclear deal, Grenell wrote that "German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately." Germany, alongside France and Britain, wants to stick to the deal Trump is seeking to scrap. And while Grenell's post may not deviate from the official White House stance on future European business dealings with Iran, the timing and tone struck some German politicians, journalists and business executives as offensive and inappropriate. The remarks, which were widely perceived as a threat here, came only an hour after the U.S. Embassy in Berlin took to Twitter to announce that Grenell had officially arrived in the German capital. While German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier may have kindly welcomed the new U.S. top diplomat in the German capital, business associations and leading European politicians immediately lashed out at him on his first day. "It's not my task to teach people about the fine art of diplomacy, especially not the U.S. ambassador. But he does appear to need some tutoring," said Andrea Nahles, the leader of Germany's mainstream Social Democratic party, striking a sarcastic tone. The Social Democrats are part of Chancellor Angela Merkel's government and are in charge of key responsibilities, including the Foreign Ministry. "Germans are eager to listen, but they will resent instructions," wrote Wolfgang Ischinger, the chairman of the Munich Security Conference and an authority on transatlantic ties, responding directly to Grenell on Twitter. The criticism was echoed by top officials elsewhere in Europe. Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told Germany's Der Spiegel newsmagazine that the tweet was an "impertinence." "This man was accredited as ambassador only yesterday. To give German businesses such orders that's just not how you can treat your allies," Asselborn said. Business executives - who already felt unfairly targeted by Trump's Twitter attacks and his tariff threats - didn't hold back their criticism, either. "I'm sure that our foreign ministry will indicate to the ambassador that it's not his role to give direction or utter threats to German companies," said Michael Tockuss, chairman of the German-Iranian Chamber of Commerce. The deal between Iran, the United States and several other countries lifted crippling sanctions on Iran in exchange for halting of its nuclear program. Following the signing, Iranian exports to the European Union increased by 375 percent from 2015 to 2016. European companies have already invested a significant amount of money in the country, raising the stakes if the deal should collapse. German companies that depend disproportionately on exports would be most affected by the deal's disintegration. While Grenell's Tuesday tweet may have struck Germans as offensive, some businesses said they would likely respect the measures. European plane-maker Airbus, for instance, announced that it would adhere to U.S. sanctions on Iran but added that it was still determining the full impact. Grenell defended his tweet on Wednesday, writing that he had used "the exact language sent out from the White House talking points & fact sheet." Some German media outlets have acknowledged the diplomat's experience as a spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nations during the George W. Bush administration, but his career as a Fox News Channel commentator and early defender of Trump has drawn ire. In the United States, Grenell's confirmation had mainly made news because he is now the highest-ranking openly gay member of the Trump administration. If responses to Grenell's Twitter defense on Wednesday offer any indication, the new U.S. ambassador to Germany will face a difficult task in Berlin. "That language is not going to further your cause. If anything, it will do the opposite. Good luck with the new job," Marcel Dirsus, a German political scientist focusing on defense issues, responded to Grenell on Twitter. Evening news anchor Christian Sievers appeared similarly unconvinced on whether Grenell's approach would work in Berlin: "Is that some sort of apology from America's (pretty undiplomatic) top diplomat in Germany?" Wednesday's unusually harsh criticism of a new U.S. ambassador to Germany also reflects how much transatlantic relations have soured since Trump's inauguration. In responding to the president's comments or actions, German's top government officials have begun to go without the usual diplomatic phrases and are choosing to express open opposition. Merkel has previously warned that the collapse of the Iran deal could widen the divide between the United States and Europe. Grenell's tweet was reminiscent of the awkward start of the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands, Pete Hoekstra, last December, after a reporter asked him why he said there were "no-go" areas in the country, where radical Muslims are setting cars and politicians on fire. Hoekstra initially denied having made such comments and called the claim "fake news." After realizing that there was video footage making those claims, he denied having used the term "fake news" just seconds before. Making remarks disappear on Twitter may just be as difficult. The baristas were playing music from Spotify over the speakers on Friday, as they often do, when a Duke University official walked in. Larry Moneta, the vice president for student affairs, waited for his usual order from the campus coffee shop - a hot tea and vegan muffin, according to Indy Week. But the vulgar rap song he heard on the speakers bothered him. "Get paid . . . get paid. ..," Young Dolph raps in the song, using the n-word. "Whatever you do, just make sure you get paid." The baristas did get paid - severance checks. The two baristas on duty, Britni Brown and Kevin Simmons, told Indy Week, an alternative weekly in Durham, North Carolina, that their contracts were terminated after Moneta complained the director of dining services about the profane song. Moneta said in a statement to the News & Observer and the Duke Chronicle on Tuesday that he was "shocked" to hear lyrics that he said were "quite inappropriate for a working environment that serves children among others." He said he was particularly troubled by the line in the song that goes "I . . .. her up real good," using the f-word. He said it was the coffee chain's choice, not his, to fire the employees. "The employees who chose to play the song in a business establishment on the Duke campus made a poor decision which was conveyed to" the coffee shop management, Moneta wrote in the statement. "How they responded to the employees' behavior was solely at their discretion." That day, Brown was working the register at the Joe Van Gogh coffee shop and was in charge of running the playlist, which was curated by Spotify. Brown told Indy Week that Moneta approached her and told her the song was inappropriate. She immediately turned off the song, apologized for offending him, and offered to give him his muffin free of charge. He refused, insisting that she ring him up for it. Simmons, the other barista on duty, was making drinks when he noticed Moneta's exchange with Brown. A few minutes after Moneta left, Brown said she received a call from the coffee shop owner, saying the university's director of dining services had just mentioned the incident involving the song. Brown accepted responsibility and apologized to the owner. But on Monday, Brown and Simmons were called into the coffee shop's office and asked to resign, they told Indy Week, which cited an audio recording of the meeting. A human resources worker with coffee shop told the baristas they had received a call from the director of dining services, Robert Coffey, who said Moneta had complained about the "vulgar music." "Duke University has instructed us to terminate the employees that were working that day," the human resources worker said, offering them severance. In his statement to the Chronicle and News & Observer, Moneta confirmed that he expressed his concerns to the staff, "with whom I've always had a cordial relationship." "I then contacted the director of Duke Dining to express my concerns and that was the end of my involvement," Moneta wrote. Coffey did not respond to a request for comment from the Chronicle. The baristas said human resources did not cite any other complaints about their workplace conduct. Brown said she felt it was "not fair" for the coffee shop to fire Simmons, who had no control over the music that day. Brown is African American while Simmons is white. "I feel like you guys were trying to cover it up as to make it not look discriminatory for firing a person of color," she told human resources officials. Brown also said she did not know of any policies regarding the type of music played in the coffee shop. Indy Week wrote that the firing sheds light on the "precarious relationship between the university and its contracted employees, who are not afforded the same benefits and protections as Duke's full-time employees, but whose employers are not in a position to defend them out of fear of losing business with the university." Moneta is responsible for overseeing student services such as housing, dining, health care, career services, student activities, cultural centers, and event and media services, according to Duke's website. Late last month, he championed freedom of speech in a tweet, recommending a book on the subject to "those who believe that colleges and universities should prohibit hate speech." "Freedom of expression protects the oppressed far more than the oppressors," he wrote in the tweet. Faced with criticism that he flipped on this position on free expression, he responded in his statement to the Chronicle and News & Observer: "The artist who wrote, recorded and performed the music is absolutely entitled to do so, however offensive I might find the lyrics." The Harris County Justice Court Precinct 5, Place 2 will be closed to the public May 14-18 as the court returns to its Clay Road courthouse. The court will re-open to the public at 16715 Clay Road on Monday, May 21. The temporary location at 6127 Texas 6 North, which has served as the JP court since fall will not reopen. Since October, the court opened to the public in the closed Peter Piper Pizza while Harris County made repairs to the annex that was damaged by floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey. PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has named Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Concerns Abdullah Mamao as special envoy to Kuwait in a bid to restore the falling diplomatic ties with the Gulf state following reports of Filipino workers being abused by their employers there, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Tuesday. He [Mamao] will be appointed special envoy to Kuwait and he was tasked to return to Kuwait immediately to make sure that all Filipinos who should be sent back home can return home, the Palace official said. Mamao will fly to Kuwait to assist Filipino workers who wish to be repatriated to the Philippines. Roque said Mamaos appointment came after his successful efforts to ease a diplomatic row with Kuwait over operations launched by the Philippine embassy staff to rescue distressed Filipino workers there. He said Mamaos task was to deal with the countrys unsettled business in Kuwait, including negotiating for the welfare of three Filipino diplomats wanted by authorities as well as four drivers detained over the rescue mission. We want to see our three diplomats home. We want the four drivers completely cleared because they are residents of Kuwait. Theres about 800 runaways that we want to bring home, Roque said. So the mandate of Secretary Mamao is to bring everyone home and to possibly normalize ties with Kuwait, sign the MOA [memorandum of agreement] if possible, he said. He added Mamao will also see through the pending memorandum of understanding between Philippines and Kuwait on the protection of Filipino workers, in hopes of normalizing ties. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Roque, and other Foreign Affairs officials were scheduled to fly to Kuwait on May 7 to sign the labor deal between the two countries, but the trip was canceled after the latest diplomatic row. Roque said Mamao will talk with the Kuwaiti government about the deal ahead of Bello.Kuwait is a top destination for Filipino workers, with some 260,000 Filipinos working there as of 2018. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, meanwhile, said those responsible for uploading videos of the rescue operations would be held accountable once the agency manages to repatriate the remaining Filipinos in Kuwait. Although Cayetano defended the uploading of the videos by saying this was done with good intentions, he acknowledged there was a need to repair and review the DFA protocol on using social media. As I said, they will be held accountable, and were looking at what and why it happened, Cayetano said, As I said, good intentions may have bad results, thats why were not excusing them, he added. Tension between the Philippines and Kuwait increased further after DFA acting-spokesman Elmer Cato uploaded a rescue video where diplomats who were part of the Rapid Response Team, were seen helping Filipinos to flee from their allegedly abusive employers in Kuwait. The videos that angered the Kuwait government showed a woman running from a home and jumping into a waiting vehicle while another depicted a person sprinting from what looks like a construction site and then speeding off in a black sport utility vehicle. Kuwait had branded the rescues a violation of its sovereignty, adding fuel to a simmering diplomatic row between the two nations sparked by the murder of a Filipino maid. Here's some news you may have missed in the drama of Tuesday's multistate primaries: Ohio voters decided to limit one party's power to draw congressional lines that would lock the other out of power for a decade. Advocates say their success in Ohio on Tuesday could be the start of a record-breaking year for redistricting reform, which could be on the ballot in five more states. And that raises the question: Are voters who are sick of Washington now turning their frustration to gerrymandering? In Ohio, it certainly seems that way. By a 75-to-25 percent vote, Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment designed to force state lawmakers to come up with a compromise congressional map in 2020 that doesn't just benefit the party in control, which is now the GOP. Remarkably, Ohio's outgoing Republican governor and most of its Republican lawmakers are on board with this idea, which still lets the legislature redraw electoral maps every decade after a new census rather than hand it over to an independent commission. The GOP-controlled legislature actually voted to send the measure to the ballot. It's still possible under this new constitutional amendment for lawmakers to redraw districts to benefit their party, but they'd have to go through a maze of lawsuits first. Ohio may have been primed for this change. In 2015, voters approved similar reforms for the way state legislative districts are drawn. The next tests of redistricting reform are measures expected to be on the ballot this November in Michigan, Missouri, Colorado and Utah. "There's never been robust reforms ever introduced like what we're seeing," said Josh Silver, director of Represent.Us, a nonpartisan anti-corruption group that helped lead the Ohio ballot initiative. The Democratic redistricting commission, headed by former attorney general Eric Holder, spent $50,000 on the ballot initiative, too. The ballot initiatives are coming at a time that courts are making moves to limit partisan gerrymandering. Judges have long struck down lines found to group one race of voters into a district. But in the past year or so, state and federal courts have also started to rule that lines specifically drawn to benefit one party over another are also unconstitutional. The Supreme Court could soon weigh in on landmark cases about the political intent behind Wisconsin and Maryland electoral districts, which could have far-reaching effects on how politicians of both parties draw their electoral lines. Political scientists caution that gerrymandering is just one of several factors leading to hyperpolarization among lawmakers. Self-segregation by political affiliation (liberals in cities, conservatives in rural areas) is another big one. So is lower voter turnout in primaries, which rewards politicians who cater to their hardcore base. But gerrymandering has undeniably played a role in keeping Democrats out of control of the House of Representatives for the past eight years. Republicans swept a number of state legislatures in 2010 and thus got to draw four times as many congressional districts as Democrats with new population data from the 2010 census. Democrats have been locked out of Congress ever since. In Ohio, Republicans control 75 percent of the congressional districts and have a 2-to-1 majority in the state House despite its status as a state. To take back the majority in the House this November, political scientists calculate Democrats will have to win the popular vote by an extra 7 to 11 percent to overcome lines drawn by Republicans to keep them out. It's not an exaggeration to say that if Democrats can't win back a seat at the table for drawing maps by the time the 2020 Census comes out, they could be locked out of power for a generation. Both parties have proved they will gerrymander when given the chance. But right now Republicans are the ones in power in a majority of legislatures, and thus the ones with the most to lose with gerrymandering reform. That's why it's notable that many of these upcoming reform battles are taking place in purple or even Republican-leaning states, like Colorado or Missouri. In those states, Democratic-leaning voters may feel more acutely aware of being locked out of and sliced into different districts. But there's another, more bipartisan explanation for the sudden attention to gerrymandering reform: People are sick of the way government works and see fixing gerrymandering as the answer. Silver points out that an April Pew Research Center survey found that 61 percent of Americans say "significant changes" are needed in the "design and structure" of American government. Compare that to a 2006 Pew poll that found 89 percent of Americans had heard "nothing at all" about the gerrymandering debate and didn't seem to care much about it. "The public is exasperated and finally realizing that no one politician is going to be the great savior," Silver predicted. Stay tuned on whether redistricting advocates can repeat Ohio's success across the nation this November. If they do, it would signal a potentially historic turning point for America's relationship with the Way Things Are Done in politics. PYONGYANG, North Korea - In a gesture that appeared to set the stage for a landmark summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, North Korea released three American prisoners into the custody of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit here Wednesday. Trump made the announcement in a morning tweet as Pompeo flew the three men out of Pyongyang on his government plane, saying they were in good health and that he planned to meet them upon their arrival early Thursday at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington. The secretary is "in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting," Trump wrote. "Very exciting!" he called it in a follow-up tweet. The dramatic disclosure capped a 13-hour visit by Pompeo to the North Korean capital, during which he met with several top officials, including Kim for 90 minutes, and finalized a time and location for the leaders' summit, which is expected in late June. Though White House officials did not disclose details, Trump told reporters the summit would not be held in the demilitarized zone between North Korea and South Korea - where Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held an emotional meeting two weeks ago. That left Singapore, which Trump said last week was also under consideration, as the most likely site. Trump had not made the freeing of the three Americans, Kim Dong-chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song, a prerequisite for the summit. But the move was viewed in Washington as a necessary trust-building measure ahead of the hard-knuckle negotiations over North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. "We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home," the three freed Americans said in a statement. "We thank God, and all of our families and friends who prayed for us and our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world." The president had harshly criticized the Kim regime over human rights violations, repeatedly raising its treatment of American college student Otto Warmbier, who died last summer days after being released in a coma from 17 months of captivity. The release of the other three Americans, who were examined by a physician traveling with Pompeo and reportedly boarded the plane without assistance, allowed Trump to claim a victory in his audacious diplomatic gambit. "Frankly, nobody thought this was going to happen, and I appreciate Kim Jong Un doing this and allowing them to go," Trump said at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday afternoon. North Korea's state news agency characterized the meeting with Pompeo in unusually warm terms in a report published Thursday, saying that Kim had congratulated the new secretary of state on his appointment and said he was "highly appreciating that the U.S. president has shown deep interest in settling the issue through dialogue." Kim said that summit "would be a historic meeting for the excellent first step toward promotion of the positive situation development in the Korean Peninsula and building of a good future," the Korean Central News Agency said. He echoed Pompeo's line that they had reached a "satisfactory consensus" on the summit. Yet even amid the optimism about the summit, some senior Trump administration officials sounded caution that the United States will not prematurely soften its stance toward North Korea. Last year, the North conducted nuclear and ballistic missile tests in violation of a U.N. Security Council Resolution, prompting Trump to derided Kim as "Little Rocket Man." In a statement, Vice President Mike Pence vowed that the United States "will not let off the pressure until we achieve full denuclearization." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the release of the Americans a "step in the right direction" but emphasized that "total denuclearization remains our top priority." On Capitol Hill, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, commended Trump and Pompeo for their efforts. But, he added, "Let's also remember that we have gotten to this point with North Korea before and things fell apart." In 2014, North Korea released two American prisoners into the custody of Obama administration officials, but Pyongyang continued to flout economic sanctions and public recriminations by conducting more weapons tests. On Wednesday, a North Korean official told Pompeo that Kim had granted the three Americans "amnesty" on charges of espionage and hostile acts against the government - charges that U.S. officials have said were bogus. The three detainees were treated as "prisoners of war" and had not been seen since June, when a State Department official was allowed a brief visit with them while collecting Warmbier. "You should make care that they do not make the same mistakes again," the North Korean official said, according to a U.S. official who recounted the exchange to two reporters traveling with Pompeo. "This was a hard decision." A lingering question is whether the release of the three men will take the issue of human rights off the table at the Trump-Kim summit, even though Japan and South Korea also have had citizens who were abducted or arrested by North Korea. Kim's regime has imprisoned tens of thousands of North Koreans in brutal labor camps. In a statement, Warmbier's parents, Fred and Cindy, said: "We are happy for the hostages and their families. We miss Otto." The family has sued North Korea in federal court for the mistreatment and death of their son. During Pompeo's second visit to Pyongyang - coming after a secret trip over Easter weekend while serving as CIA director - he was greeted by Kim Yong Chol, a former North Korean intelligence chief, and Ri Su Yong, the influential former foreign minister. Ri is close to Kim Jong Un, having served as ambassador to Switzerland while the young leader attended school there. Kim Yong Chol, who is in charge of relations with South Korea, and Ri, responsible for international relations, had just returned from the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian, where Kim Jong Un held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, their second meeting in China in 40 days. Pompeo told the officials over lunch that if North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons, the country can "have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve." "For decades, we have been adversaries," Pompeo told Kim Yong Chol, a man facing sanctions by the United States for his involvement with the country's nuclear program but who has emerged as one of the regime's key interlocutors. "Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict," Pompeo said before lunch, featuring poached fish, duck and red wine at the Koryo Hotel, a large double-towered building in central Pyongyang. Kim Yong Chol appeared to be in an effusive mood, telling Pompeo and the dozen or so staffers traveling with him that this was a good time to be in Pyongyang because a good atmosphere had been established between North Korea and South Korea. But he emphasized that "everything is going well in Pyongyang now" and that Kim Jong Un's decision to turn the regime's focus from nuclear weapons development to economic growth is "not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside." That remark appeared to be an attempt to contradict the Trump administration's assertion that its "maximum pressure" approach had brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Asked about the comment, Sanders said at the White House that Trump has made clear he believes that "the maximum pressure campaign has worked" and pointed to his coordinated efforts with China, Japan and South Korea to isolate the North. On the flight out of Pyongyang, Pompeo told reporters, including one from The Washington Post, that there were "no glitches" during his visit and called it "very productive." He added: "I think that Chairman Kim is trying to set good conditions for the summit." --- Fifield reported from Tokyo. Nakamura reported from Washington. --- Video Embed Code Video: President Trump tweeted May 9 that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was returning from a visit to North Korea with the three Americans who had been detained.(The Washington Post) Embed code: Rachel Crooks, one of at least 19 women who have publicly accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault, won an uncontested primary Tuesday for a seat in the Ohio state House of Representatives, her campaign manager confirmed. If she wins the general election in November, Crooks, a 35-year-old Democrat, will become the first Trump accuser to hold elected office. She will face first-term Rep. Bill Reineke, R, in the 88th District southeast of Toledo. "We're still waiting for the final count, but it was uncontested, so we're happy," campaign manager Chris Liebold said Tuesday night. "We look forward to the race ahead." Crooks, an administrator at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio, has spoken openly about her alleged assault for more than two years, ever since she described it in an email to the New York Times several months before the 2016 election. She repeated her story at the Women's March, on the "Today" show and at a news conference organized by women's rights attorney Gloria Allred. In early February, she joined an unprecedented number of women in channeling her feelings about Trump's election into the political sphere, and launched her campaign to become a state representative. The district Crooks hopes to represent leans red. Three Republicans held the seat before Reineke, who began his term in 2015. The district voted for Trump in 2016 but voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Crooks's allegation against Trump dates back to 2006, when she was a 22-year-old receptionist at Bayrock Group, a real estate development firm located in Trump Tower in Manhattan. She chose to introduce herself to Trump one day when she saw him standing by himself near the elevators. According to The Washington Post's Eli Saslow, who profiled Crooks earlier this year, Crooks held out her hand to Trump, "intent on introducing herself not as a fan or as a secretary but as a business partner." "Mr. Trump, I wanted to say hi, since our companies do a little work together," she remembered telling him that day, and then, before she understood what was happening, she remembered Trump becoming the second man ever to kiss her. Crooks said Trump kissed her on one cheek, then the other cheek, and was talking to her between kisses - asking her where she was from or if she wanted to be a model. He would not let go of her hand and then began kissing her on the lips, she said. Trump has denied all of the women's accusations against him. Crooks' account of that day in 2006, which brought her into national exposure, has translated into what Liebold says is an unprecedented number of individual campaign donors. More than 1,500 donors contributed to her campaign during the past reporting period, which ran from February through mid-April. "That's a record for a first-time statehouse candidate in Ohio," said Liebold, who also heads the Sandusky County Democratic Party. WASHINGTON - A small group of Republicans has launched an effort to sidestep House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and put immigration legislation on the House floor this year in a bid to secure protections for young undocumented immigrants. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., filed a discharge petition Wednesday morning that, if signed by a majority of House members, would force votes on a series of immigration bills under a so-called "queen of the hill" rule. Whichever of those bills receives the most votes, exceeding a majority, would pass the House - a setup that is calibrated to secure passage of a bipartisan compromise. By Wednesday afternoon, another 16 Republicans had also signed the discharge petition Wednesday alongside Curbelo. Most, but not all, represent swing districts with significant Latino constituencies or are retiring from the House. The backers of the petition said that they could no longer wait for Ryan, R-Wis., and other House leaders to try to forge consensus on an immigration bill that could pass with only Republican support. "We believe this institution needs to act," Curbelo told reporters. "Immigration has paralyzed this institution for too long, and we don't view this in any way undermining House leaders. On the contrary, we feel that we're also empowering them to deal with a very controversial issue." Mindful of treacherous politics surrounding the issue in the Republican Party, Ryan has declined to move forward with any significant immigration legislation since becoming speaker in 2015 despite personally supporting bills that would give some illegal immigrants a pathway to stay legally in the United States. Conservatives have strongly opposed any "amnesty" for adults who have come to the U.S. illegally - and, for many, that also extends to "dreamers," children brought illegally to the U.S. through no fault of their own. As a March deadline approached for the expiration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the Obama-era program protecting dreamers, Ryan and other GOP leaders pushed to hone a conservative bill authored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, that would allow a limited path to legal status for those who have been protected by DACA. But that bill included limits on legal immigration, new restrictions on hiring and other provisions that have turned off more moderate Republicans such as Curbelo and company. Federal judges have since held up the cancellation of the DACA program, which has all but eliminated the sense of urgency among GOP leaders to bring up immigration legislation - especially in an election year. Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., who filed the underlying resolution that Curbelo is seeking to discharge, said the petition effort was months in the making and is now moving "quicker than we had anticipated." Denham acknowledged that some members who might be inclined to see immigration reform legislation move forward might either be reluctant to take a tough vote in an election year or might be unwilling to back the wishes of top leaders. "Some members are concerned about their bills or about committee assignments, but ultimately our push is to have as many members as possible show that this issue in itself is important enough that it should have a full debate," he said. Several Democrats familiar with the thinking of party leaders said they expect virtually all House Democrats to join to the petition once enough Republicans sign on. For the Republicans backing the discharge petition to succeed, even if they persuade all 193 Democrats to sign, they would still need to find 18 more Republicans beyond the seven current signers to reach the required 218 signatures. That could be a tall order, because lawmakers in the majority party are typically reluctant to undermine their leadership's control of the floor by supporting a discharge. Election-year politics, however, could come into play as vulnerable incumbents are challenged on the campaign trail to support immigration reform legislation. McCaul said the prospect of a discharge resolution has already sparked fresh discussions among Republican leaders about how to get a conservative immigration bill to the House floor. "Obviously this is going to turn the pressure up a little bit," he said Wednesday. Denham's "queen of the hill" resolution would allow votes on a variety of bills, ranging from Goodlatte and McCaul's conservative Securing America's Future Act to a version of the Dream Act, which would grant a path to citizenship for dreamers without concessions to hard-liners, as well as a bipartisan bill that would give dreamers a path to permanent legal status alongside border security measures. The resolution also allows Ryan to bring up a bill of his own choosing. In previous comments about efforts to force a vote on immigration legislation, Ryan told reporters last month that he didn't want to "spend our time bringing something through that I know is going to get vetoed." Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said Wednesday that GOP leaders would "continue to work with our members to find a solution that can both pass the House and get the president's signature." Even if a compromise bill passes the House, it is far from certain to become law. A similar exercise in the Senate failed in February when none of four immigration bills brought up for a vote in that chamber won the necessary 60 votes. And President Donald Trump has said he will only sign an immigration bill that adheres to a framework that Democrats and many Republicans have rejected outright. The last time a discharge petition succeeded was in 2015, when 37 Republicans signed one to force a vote on a bill to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States - a government export finance agency that conservative Republicans have long sought to shut down. Republican voters rallied behind candidates aligned with President Donald Trump and party leaders in a trio of pivotal Senate primaries Tuesday, reinvigorating the GOP's bid to hold and possibly expand on its majority in midterm elections. State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey won in West Virginia, defeating Rep. Evan Jenkins and divisive candidate Don Blankenship. Wealthy businessman Mike Braun prevailed in Indiana, defeating a pair of congressmen by emulating the president with an outsider campaign. In Ohio, Rep. James Renacci clinched his nomination with the support of the president. "Thanks for playing, @DonBlankenship. #WVSen," Team Mitch, the account for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., sarcastically tweeted Tuesday night. The results capped a dramatic final week in which Trump used his Twitter bully pulpit to persuade voters not to pick Blankenship and throw away a shot at a winnable race. Republicans are defending a fragile 51-49 Senate majority, which they are increasingly framing as a last line of defense against a Democratic takeover of Congress. Trump's unpopularity in the suburbs and exurbs where Republicans have built their House majority has led GOP leaders to conclude that the lower chamber of Congress may be all but gone in November. That has spurred them to wage an urgent campaign to hold the Senate to protect Trump and his agenda next year. But Trump's unpredictable nature and the swirl of controversies surrounding him has made their task more difficult. The rise of Braun and the tone of the Republican campaigns in all three states underscored the deep animosity toward Washington that has persisted in the GOP even after Trump's election. Braun ran in Trump's mold, deriding the "swamp" and using his more traditional opponents as foils. Morrisey ran an ad in which a mountain smashes the U.S. Capitol. Tuesday's vote kicked off a busy stretch of the midterm primary season, with more than two dozen additional states set to vote before July 4. In Ohio, the Democratic establishment prevailed as former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Richard Cordray captured the gubernatorial nomination, defeating former congressman Dennis Kucinich. In all three states and North Carolina, House primaries offered a lens into the battle for control of the lower chamber of Congress. Rep. Robert Pittenger, R-N.C., became the first sitting House member to lose in a primary this year. With almost all of the vote tallied, he trailed Mark Harris, a former Baptist pastor in Charlotte, and conceded the race. In West Virginia, a wild Senate primary with three leading candidates hurtled to its conclusion with Trump and other top Republicans trying to stop Blankenship, a former coal executive who has served a year in prison and has used racial epithets to describe black people and those of Chinese descent. With more than 90 percent of the vote tallied, Morissey led Jenkins 35 percent to 29 percent. Blankenship was a distant third at 20 percent. Blankenship conceded Tuesday night, chalking up his loss to the lack of support from Trump. Another three-way contest wrapped up in Indiana, where Braun, a distributing and logistics executive, loaned his campaign more than $5 million of his own money en route to defeating Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita. Braun sought to draw a sharp contrast with Rokita and Messer. In one ad, he erected cardboard cutouts of his opponents, both pictured wearing dark suits and red ties. In the ad, he asked people to try to tell them apart. West Virginia and Indiana represent two of the Republican Party's best chances to bolster its Senate majority in November. They are part of a GOP firewall of 10 states Trump won and a Democratic senator is defending. Fears about nominating a candidate outside the mainstream escalated in recent weeks, particularly in West Virginia. Republican leaders had worried that a win by Blankenship would cost them a plum shot at defeating Sen. Joe Manchin III, D. Trump won West Virginia by about 42 percentage points in 2016. They were also concerned that the controversies surrounding Blankenship might spread to other key battlegrounds, dragging down Republican candidates across the country. It has caused painful memories of Roy Moore, the Alabama Republican who lost a long-held Republican seat last year after The Washington Post reported that he made unwanted sexual advances to teenage girls when he was in his 30s. In the West Virginia Senate race, Republican leaders spent weeks warning that voting for Blankenship would be the wrong choice for a simple reason: He would be a weak candidate in the general election. They were hopeful that enough voters like Tom Vogel of Charleston would show up Tuesday. Vogel said he voted for Morrisey. "Don Blankenship is just not going to win in November. And Morrisey is the better man anyway. He has the conservative views that I have," Vogel said. Mitchell Eggleston of Charleston said he voted for Jenkins - as a means of stopping Blankenship. "I just can't vote for Don Blankenship. There is no doubt that he was responsible for that mine accident. I don't get into the details of politics, but I just think that he should not be involved in the state at all," he said. Robert Ehman of Charleston, West Virginia, who voted for Blankenship, called him an "honest man" and brushed aside his imprisonment for conspiring to violate mine safety regulations after an explosion at one of his company's mines killed 29 people in 2010. "I think we need someone like him that's a fresh face," Ehman said. Blankenship aggressively attacked McConnell in his campaign. He labeled him "Cocaine Mitch" in ads, referring to a drug bust on a ship owned by the company his father-in-law started. He has called McConnell's father-in-law, who was born in China, a "wealthy China person" and called out his "China family." McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, is the secretary of transportation. She immigrated to the United States from Taiwan as a child. Blankenship defended his language to a Roll Call reporter, saying, "We're confused on our staff as to how it can be racist when there's no mention of a race. There's no race. Races are negro, white caucasian, Hispanic, Asian." He also faced an onslaught from mainstream Republicans. An organization called Mountain Families PAC that has ties to McConnell allies ran advertisements criticizing Blankenship, highlighting how badly GOP leaders wanted to defeat him. Trump took to Twitter on Monday after McConnell encouraged him to speak out, urging voters not to pick Blankenship and reminding them of the Alabama debacle. Braun will take on Sen. Joe Donnelly, a centrist Democrat who has been long been a top target of Republican strategists. Trump won Indiana by 19 points. In the Ohio governor's race, Cordray will face state Attorney General Mike DeWine, who defeated Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor for the Republican nomination. Gov. John Kasich, R, whose moderate views have put him at odds with many in his party, is term-limited. Party strategists were watching a handful of House primaries Tuesday, including a competition for an open seat outside Columbus that triggered a showdown between moderate and conservative Republicans. Renacci, who was the front-runner for the Republican nomination headed into Tuesday's vote, will face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. Vice President Mike Pence's older brother Greg Pence, meanwhile, won the Republican nomination in Indiana's 6th District. - - - The Washington Post's Afi Scruggs in Cleveland, Daniel Heyman in Charleston, W.Va., and David Weigel, Michael Scherer and Mike DeBonis in Washington contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - The Treasury Department's inspector general is investigating whether confidential banking information involving a company controlled by President Donald Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen may have been leaked, a spokesman said. Detailed claims about the company's banking history were made public Tuesday by Michael Avenatti, an attorney for Stormy Daniels, the adult-film star who was paid $130,000 by Cohen's company shortly before the 2016 election to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump. Inspector General Eric Thorson, who operates independently of the agency's political leadership, launched the probe in response to media reports, said counsel Rich Delmar. It might answer a question that was the source of much speculation Wednesday: How did Avenatti come into hard-to-get information touching on some of the most sensitive issues before the White House, including the probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller III? On Twitter, Avenatti circulated a dossier purporting to show that Cohen received $500,000 last year from Columbus Nova, the U.S.-based affiliate of Renova Group, a company founded by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg. The business magnate attended Trump's inauguration and has reportedly been interviewed by Mueller's prosecutors. Columbus Nova confirmed the payment, saying it was for consulting on investments and other matters, but denied any involvement by Vekselberg. Avenatti's dossier also alleged that Cohen's company, Essential Consultants, received payments from others with business considerations before the federal government, including telecommunications giant AT&T, aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries and pharmaceutical company Novartis. All three companies subsequently confirmed the payments. A fixture on cable television, Avenatti has been calling on the Treasury Department for weeks to release reports of unusual banking transactions by Cohen. He came up with a social media hashtag: #releasetheSAR, using the acronym for a Suspicious Activity Report. In an interview, Avenatti declined to reveal the source of his information. "The source or sources of our information is our work product and nobody's business," Avenatti said. "They can investigate all they want, but what they should be doing is releasing to the American public the three Suspicious Activity Reports filed on Michael Cohen's account. Why are they hiding this information?" On Tuesday night, Avenatti told CNN's Anderson Cooper: "There's been some criticism of our media strategy and how often I'm on CNN and how often I've been on your show and other networks. It's working. It's working in spades. Because we're so out front on this, people send us information, people want to help our cause. People contact us with information." Federal law requires banks to file Suspicious Activity Reports on unusual transactions that might signal a crime. Experts say the information Avenatti published appears to have come from such reports. The language in his dossier is "consistent with" wording typically found in SARs, said Daniel P. Stipano, former deputy chief counsel in the Treasury's Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. "This has the appearance of a leak," Stipano said. "It shouldn't happen, but things leak." It is not uncommon for journalists, lawyers and others in the public eye to receive unauthorized leaks of sensitive information, and there is nothing improper in receiving such information. But a bank employee or government official who leaks information from a SAR may be guilty of a crime, and the rule prohibiting such leaks provides for both civil and criminal penalties. Stipano said hundreds, if not thousands, of officials in law enforcement and government have access to a database of SARs. Banks, casinos and other entities file SARs with the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to detect money laundering, terror financing and other illegal behavior. Officials from the network often scan and then aggregate the records so they can be accessed at a later date. They can be requested by law enforcement, bank regulators and intelligence agencies as part of investigations. Among other things, banks are required to file SARs if the transaction "has no business or apparent lawful purpose or is not the type of transaction that the particular customer would normally be expected to engage in, and the bank knows of no reasonable explanation for the transaction after examining the available facts, including the background and possible purpose of the transaction." A spokesman for First Republic, Cohen's bank, declined to comment. Thorson is a George W. Bush nominee who has served in the role since 2008. - - - The Washington Post's Damian Paletta contributed to this report. In the past six months, the Trump administration has moved to expel 300,000 Central Americans and Haitians living and working legally in the United States, disregarding senior U.S. diplomats who warned that mass deportations could destabilize the region and trigger a new surge of illegal immigration. The warnings were transmitted to top State Department officials last year in embassy cables now at the center of an investigation by Senate Democrats, whose findings were recently referred to the Government Accountability Office. The Washington Post obtained a copy of their report. The cables' contents, which have not been previously disclosed, reveal career diplomats' strong opposition to terminating the immigrants' provisional residency, known as temporary protected status (TPS), and the possible deportation of hundreds of thousands of people to some of the poorest and most violent places in the Americas. Then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson dismissed the advice and joined other Trump officials in pressuring leaders at the Department of Homeland Security to strip the immigrants of their protections, according to current and former administration officials whose accounts were consistent with Senate Democrats' findings. On Friday, DHS canceled the provisional residency of 57,000 Hondurans whose numbers add to the 195,000 Salvadorans and 46,000 Haitians previously given 18 months to leave the country or face deportation. TPS recipients from those three countries are the mothers and fathers of an estimated 273,000 U.S.-born children who will have to leave or separate from their parents. The phased expulsions are a central part of the Trump administration's effort to raise physical and legal walls around the U.S. immigration system. Together with President Donald Trump's move to end protections for 690,000 "dreamers" brought to the United States illegally as children, his administration has stamped an expiration date on the residency of 1 million immigrants. In Congress, several proposed bills that would legalize "dreamers" also have included provisions for allowing TPS recipients to remain in the United States, but those negotiations have stalled. Democratic staff members on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had, for several months, sought from the State Department information about its decision-making process. They were allowed to review the diplomatic cables in January. Their report, staffers say, shows the extent to which Tillerson and other Trump officials undermined the State Department's regional experts to advance the White House's immigration objectives. Sen. Robert Menendez, of New Jersey, the committee's ranking Democrat, wants Tillerson's successor, Mike Pompeo, to review whether the administration's decisions can be reversed. "It would be woefully irresponsible for Congress to turn a blind eye to these discoveries," he told The Washington Post in a statement. In a letter to the GAO seeking a separate independent investigation, Menendez expressed suspicion that Tillerson's recommendation to terminate the TPS programs was made in "deliberate disregard" of the advice provided by State Department officials. The senator said investigators also have evidence the White House's domestic policy office "sought to repeatedly influence" the TPS process and ensure a predetermined outcome. "I am concerned that the Department of State, under then-Secretary of State Tillerson's leadership, acted in a way that jeopardized U.S. national security and put at risk the physical safety of current beneficiaries of the Temporary Protected Status program," Menendez wrote to the comptroller general, Gene Dodaro. Representatives for Tillerson, whom Trump fired in March, did not respond to interview requests. A representative from the State Department said the agency would not comment on "internal or interagency deliberations." According to current and former State Department officials, the embassy cables were received by Tillerson's aides but generated no reply from the secretary or his staff. In the ensuing weeks, Trump senior adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller placed phone calls to DHS Chief of Staff Chad Wolf and top Tillerson advisers telling them to end TPS anyway, according to current and former administration officials who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer their candid assessment of sensitive internal discussions. A White House official said that Miller regularly speaks to the State Department and DHS, but that the TPS policy decisions followed the process established by law. "Career State Department officials make the recommendation, which was eventually followed through by the secretary of Homeland Security, who is the sole individual with the authority to end the TPS programs," the official said. In a letter dated Oct. 31, Tillerson told Homeland Security's acting secretary, Elaine Duke, that conditions in Central America and Haiti had improved and the TPS protections were no longer warranted. When the two spoke by phone, Tillerson told Duke that ending TPS "was just something she had to do," according to a person with direct knowledge of the conversation. The implication of Tillerson's message was clear: This wasn't worth a showdown with the White House. Duke was unpersuaded. She sought the counsel of James Nealon, a top aide who served as U.S. ambassador to Honduras until 2017, when he became Homeland Security's international adviser for strategy and planning. As ambassador, Nealon had sent similar cables warning that Honduras was in no position to take back tens of thousands of U.S. deportees and their American-born children, who could be targeted for attacks or recruitment by the country's powerful gangs. Duke, a longtime Homeland Security official who served under President George W. Bush, decided she could not in clear conscience end the TPS protections, according to former colleagues. And the decision was hers to make. Instead, shegave the Hondurans a six-month extension, saying she did not have the information she needed to reach a decision. White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, who had run DHS from January until July, called Duke from Asia, where he was traveling with the president, to convey his frustration. Duke had approached the decision "like a real human being," according a former colleague. But it was the beginning of the end of her career at DHS, and she began telling friends and close advisers that she planned to resign. She announced her departure in February, after less than a year at the agency. Nealon quit DHS the same month. Both declined to be interviewed. According to seven current and former administration officials, Tillerson's handling of the TPS decision deepened morale problems at the State Department, directly contributing to several high-level resignations. One senior State Department official called it "heartbreaking" and a low point in the official's career. --- TPS was established by Congress in the 1990 Immigration Act to avoid sending deportees back to countries hobbled by natural disaster or in the grips of armed conflict. Since then, nearly a half-million people have benefited from the designation, earning permission to live and work in the United States legally. The largest groups are Salvadorans, who were allowed to stay after a pair of powerful earthquakes in 2001, and Hondurans, who won the designation after Hurricane Mitch tore a path through their country in 1998, triggering floods and mudslides that left 10,000 dead. Many recipients are now in their 40s and 50s, having spent much of their adult lives in the United States. Heeding the advice of U.S. diplomats assigned to those nations, previous U.S. administrations repeatedly renewed the TPS designations for the Central American nations on an 18-month basis, and for the Haitians who were allowed to stay after the country's catastrophic earthquake in 2010. Immigration restriction advocates seeking to reduce the number of foreigners living in the United States say that the law's "temporary" intent has been violated. The designation was never meant to grant long-term U.S. residency to hundreds of thousands of people, they say. Under Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Francis Cissna, who heads U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, DHS has hewed to a narrower interpretation of the TPS statutes, insisting the law obligates the administration to end the protections if the conditions that prompted them no longer exist. But the law also states the U.S. government must take into account the concerns of those nations and their ability to take back large number of deportees. Money sent home by Central Americans and Haitians living in the United States is an engine for job creation that reduces the pressure to go abroad, U.S. diplomats note. These remittances account for nearly 20 percent of the gross domestic product in El Salvador and Honduras, and nearly 30 percent in Haiti, according to 2016 World Bank estimates. And because TPS recipients living in the United States may fear taking their children back, they are more likely to remain in the country unlawfully or seek to return illegally if deported - a bonanza for smuggling networks and gangs, the diplomatic cables said. Those forced to return will find countries wracked by extreme violence and widespread poverty. In recent years, Honduras and El Salvador have endured some of the highest homicide rates in the world as street gangs battle over territory and drive thousands from their homes. Haiti, where about 200,000 died in the 2010 earthquake, was battered again by Hurricane Matthew in 2016. The caravan of Central America migrants that recently arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border - and whose journey piqued the anger of Trump - included many families from Honduras. "The caravan alone tells you that obviously there are still very significant problems in Honduras," said Lisa Kubiske, who was the U.S. ambassador there from 2011 to 2014. At the same time, Kubiske acknowledged that it has been a long time since Hurricane Mitch, which prompted the TPS designation for Honduras. "I don't think it was the right thing to do to end TPS now, but I do understand the dilemma because 20 years should be enough time to deal with the aftermath of the hurricane," said Kubiske, a career Foreign Service officer who left the State Department last year. "I just don't think they have the capacity to absorb that many" people, she added, calling the decision "bad foreign policy." John Feeley, a career U.S. diplomat and Latin America expert who resigned as U.S. ambassador to Panama in March, said the TPS decision "was precisely the kind of disregard for professional nonpolitical advice that we saw under Tillerson." "This is not a partisan issue, it's a practical one," he said. "Does deporting people who have been here legally, following the rules for years, help us achieve our goals of having safe, orderly migration and alleviating the conditions that drive illegal immigration in the first place?" On Tuesday, a dozen Democratic senators sent a letter to Nielsen and Cissna questioning the administration's decisions to strip Haitians of the protections, given internal USCIS assessments that conditions in Haiti remain grim. The senators urged Trump officials "to immediately commit to a reconsideration of the termination of Haiti's TPS designation based on the facts and the law." --- Current and former diplomats and DHS officials say they think the White House initially viewed the TPS decisions as a way to gain bargaining leverage in immigration negotiations with Democrats, not unlike the move ending protections for dreamers. But those negotiations are stalled, leaving the immigrants with fading hopes. Democrats who worked on the committee's investigation hope their findings will spur some momentum behind efforts to extend a legislative lifeline to TPS recipients. But the best chance to do so probably was earlier this year, when a bipartisan group of senators proposed terminating the diversity visa lottery - a program Trump has derided - and rerouting those permits to TPS holders. That effort had been combined with provisions to provide a pathway to citizenship for dreamers and ramp up resources for border security. The White House never got on board with the Senate proposal, which had prompted Trump to ask why the United States was admitting immigrants from "shithole countries" as he was briefed on it during a January meeting in the Oval Office. Trump's inflammatory remarks upended sensitive immigration talks on Capitol Hill, and the Senate plan was ultimately filibustered during a series of votes in February. There is scant expectation that immigration could return to the forefront in Congress, particularly during a contentious election year. The administration appears to have given up on pushing for a TPS bill from lawmakers, too. When Nielsen ended TPS for El Salvador in January, her statement urged Congress to seek a long-term solution that would spare the immigrants from deportation. But on Friday, when Nielsen canceled TPS for Hondurans - the move Duke refused to make - her announcement made no mention of a possible fix that might allow them to stay. --- Partlow reported from Mexico City. --- Video Embed Code Video: DHS announced May 4 that it will end protected immigration status for 50,000 Hondurans living in the U.S. since 1999. This is what you need to know about TPS. (Melissa Macaya, Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) Embed: --- Video Embed Code Video: DHS announced on May 4 that it will end protected immigration status for 50,000 Hondurans living in the U.S. since 1999. This is what you need to know about TPS.(Melissa Macaya,Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) Embed code: PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will visit Philippine Rise from May 15 to 16, to assert the countrys territorial ownership of the vast continental shelf and to mark its renaming from Benham Rise, the Palace said Tuesday. Presidential Spokeman Harry Roque said the visit will also mark the beginning of the scientific research to be conducted by around 50 Filipino scientists. Roque said the scientists would accompany the President and would conduct scientific research on the 13-million hectare undersea region that lies east of Luzon. The President signed Executive Order 25, changing the name of Benham Rise to Philippine Rise, in a bid to assert the Philippines sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the area, Roque aid. The undersea region is believed to have vast natural natural gas reserves and other resources like heavy metals. The United Nations Commission on the Limits of Continental Shelf approved on April 12, 2012 the Philippines undisputed claim to the Philippine Rise by declaring the underwater plateau as part of the countrys extended continental shelf and territory. The UN ruling gives the Philippines the sole right to explore and exploit resources in the Philippine Rise. Earlier, the President warned other nations that he would go to war if they conducted unauthorized maritime scientific research in the undersea region. Also on Tuesday, the Palace said the Philippines is exploring all diplomatic options to deal with Chinas move of installing missiles in several reefs in the Spratlys that are claimed by the Philippines.Roque noted that the previous administration and the United States did not act when China began its reclamation activities in the disputed territories years ago. The Palace official said the fact that the current government is not publicizing what it is doing does not mean it is not doing anything. He also underscored the Presidents concern over the missile deployment inside the countrys Exclusive Economic Zone. A staunch critic of President Duterte at the House of Representatives threatened to file another impeachment case against the chief executive for his alleged dereliction of duty. Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said his group contemplates the filing of the ouster complaint this year as the one-year impeachment immunity of the President expired Tuesday. Alejano said his group is looking at the supposed dereliction of duty on the part of the President for allegedly allowing the Chinese government to conduct survey in the Benham Rise and West Philippine Sea without informing the public. One of the bases of the impeachment case we will file against the President would be dereliction of duty. He allowed the Chinese government to conduct the survey in the Benham Rise and West Philippine Sea without the public having known it, said Alejano. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Wednesday raised the prospect of taking away credentials from news media outlets that he believes are reporting negatively on his administration, claiming that the "Fake News" is "working overtime" against him. "Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt?" Trump wrote on Twitter. "Take away credentials?" Trump has long been critical of the news media, but taking away the credentials of White House reporters who cover him would take his animus to a new level. In his tweet, Trump referred to a study that found 91 percent of network news stories about him are negative. Shortly before, the anchors on "Fox & Friends" on Fox News discussed a study by the Media Research Center study citing that figure after evaluating the nightly newscasts on ABC, CBS and NBC between January and April. There was also discussion on Fox & Friends" about the tone of the coverage of Trump's announcement Tuesday that he is pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal. Later Wednesday, the president of the White House Correspondents Association said in a statement that if Trump were to carry out his threat, it would be "an unconscionable assault on the First Amendment." "Some may excuse the president's inflammatory rhetoric about the media, but just because the president does not like news coverage does not make it fake," said Margaret Talev, a White House reporter for Bloomberg. "A free press must be able to report on the good, the bad, the momentous and the mundane, without fear or favor." During his presidential bid, Trump's campaign temporarily banned several news organizations from his rallies, including The Washington Post, citing dissatisfaction with the coverage. If Trump were to deny White House credentials now that he's president, it would be at odds with a pledge he made during a November 2015 interview with Time magazine. Trump was asked: "Could you assure that even news outlets that you feel are being very unfair to you will continue to have their credentials at the White House if you're elected President?" Trump responded: "Oh yeah, I would do that. It doesn't mean I'd be nice to them. I tend to do what I do. If people aren't treating me right, I don't treat them right." Revoking media credentials could restrict the ability of news organizations to report from the White House grounds, to attend press briefings and to travel with Trump on Air Force One. The president's tweets prompted an outcry on social media, including from Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics. In a tweet directed at Trump, he wrote: " 'Take away credentials?' These authoritarian impulses of yours are anti-American." Trump's tweet was the second shot at the media in as many days from the White House. On Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, communications director for Melania Trump, referred to the "opposition media" in a statement complaining about the focus of some of the coverage of the first lady's rollout of an initiative to support children. President Donald Trump's ambassador in Berlin is fueling trans-Atlantic tension less than 24 hours into the job after telling German companies to get out of Iran. Richard Grenell, a Trump loyalist and former Fox News contributor, took office as U.S. ambassador to Germany on Tuesday, hours before the president blew the latest hole in relations with Europe by pulling the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear accord. With the U.S. set to reimpose sanctions on Iran, Grenell drove home the point, saying on Twitter that "German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately." That stoked consternation in a country that's among the U.S.'s most loyal allies and is struggling to respond to the American president's upending of international norms. "It's not my task to give lessons in the high art of diplomacy, and certainly not to the U.S. ambassador, but he may need a bit of tutoring," Andrea Nahles, whose Social Democratic Party is part of Chancellor Angela Merkel's government, told reporters. "It wasn't necessary," Peter Beyer, the German government's coordinator for trans-Atlantic relations, said by phone from Washington. "Maybe it's the new style." The sharp words reflect a shifting relationship as Merkel's chancellery seeks to adapt to a U.S. president it views as having his sights set on curbing Germany's economic power. Wolfgang Ischinger, a former German ambassador to the U.S. who runs the annual Munich Security Conference, took to Twitter to tell Grenell he risks antagonizing his host nation. "Ric: my advice, after a long ambassadorial career: explain your own country's policies, and lobby the host country," Ischinger said in tweet. "But never tell the host country what to do, if you want to stay out of trouble. Germans are eager to listen, but they will resent instructions." Merkel came home empty-handed from Washington in April after urging Trump to stay in the Iran accord and to give the European Union a permanent U.S. tariff waiver on steel and aluminum exports. Trump, meanwhile, has taken aim at Germany over its trade surplus with the U.S., relatively low defense spending and support for the Nord Stream natural-gas pipeline from Russia. He's also threatened tariffs on German luxury cars. Grenell sent a follow-up tweet Wednesday saying his earlier comment matched White House talking points. That didn't halt the outraged response in Germany. The initial tweet was a "threat" to German industry, Omid Nouripour, a lawmaker with the opposition Greens party, told Deutschlandfunk radio. "This just isn't a tone of cooperation and one has to tell him that very clearly." Grenell has made his mark in U.S. Republican politics, serving during the administration of former President George W. Bush as spokesman for U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations, including John Bolton, now Trump's national security adviser. Trump has taken up Grenell's cause, periodically berating Senate Democrats for holding up his confirmation. On Monday the president wished him luck -- "A great and talented guy, he will represent our Country well!" he tweeted. Grenell, who made the front page of Wednesday's edition of mass-market Bild newspaper standing beside President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at his confirmation, drew attention in Berlin last month even before his arrival. After the U.K. and France joined U.S.-led air strikes in Syria, he tweeted on April 13 that "Germany should have joined." It was a departure from the diplomatic norm of recognizing Germany's reluctance to join combat missions since World War II. Eric Schweitzer, head of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, said German companies shouldn't be made to suffer just because the U.S. is leaving the Iran accord -- and Grenell's intervention wasn't helping. "The new U.S. ambassador's comments are causing great uncertainty and displeasure in the business community," he said in an email. --Bloomberg contributors: Arne Delfs and Nick Wadhams Like most of his major foreign policy pronouncements, President Donald Trump couched his decision to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear agreement in terms of how badly his predecessor had negotiated the deal and how he was keeping his campaign promise to dump it. "The fact is, this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made," Trump said. "It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will." For good measure, he added that Iran would "have bigger problems than it has ever had before" if it decided to pursue its "nuclear aspirations." But Trump gave little indication of what happens now. He proposed no new strategy. He offered no ideas for how to achieve what he called "a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear threat" and other bad behavior such as activities in Syria and Yemen, beyond "working with our allies" and remaining open to a change of heart by an Iranian government under the yoke of reimposed sanctions. To many of his critics, including a number in both parties and the European leaders who spent the past several months trying to address his concerns, there is no Plan B. John Bolton, Trump's new national security adviser, said after the announcement that withdrawal from the nuclear deal put the United States in a "position of strength" that will have "implications not only for Iran but for the forthcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un of North Korea. It sends a very clear signal that the United States will not accept inadequate deals." Besides, Bolton said without elaboration, the "global strategic environment" had changed since the deal was agreed. He spoke as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was en route to North Korea for a meeting to prepare Trump's summit with the North Korean leader. "I think the message to North Korea is the president wants a real deal," Bolton said. No one knows whether North Korea views the administration's wholesale dismissal of an international agreement, signed by the United States just three years ago, as a cautionary tale. Trump's interpretation of U.S. strategic interests has also led to withdrawal from major international climate and trade accords. "We're having enough problems around the world in terms of our reliability, whether it's trade or commercial engagements or security arrangements," said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. "To add this now, at this point, would not be good for us, particularly the knock-on effects on other arrangements, perhaps with North Korea." Praise for the decision came from countries including Israel and Saudi Arabia, which had pushed for withdrawal as crucial to their own security. "President Trump is right to abandon the Obama administration's bad deal," Sen John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in a statement. But for others, it was the newest low point in Trumpian retreats from global leadership, "the best illustration of the Jacksonian moment America is going through," said Francois Delattre, France's ambassador to the United Nations. Current U.S. policy, he said, was "a mix of unilateralism and isolationism" that he dubbed "unisolationism." Many expressed concern about the lack of a visible plan. "The president said he will now work with our allies to get a better agreement with Iran," Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said in a statement. "I hope that happens." A statement jointly issued by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May was measured in its expression of "regret and concern" over Trump's action. "This agreement remains important for our shared security," they said, and pledged their continued commitment to it. They agreed on the importance of continuing talks on common concerns about Iran's ballistic missiles and destabilizing activities in the Middle East. In private, however, senior officials from all three countries have said they have no idea how Trump plans to proceed beyond reinstating previous sanctions and planning for more. In negotiations since January, the three European leaders offered a number of proposals for cracking down on Iran's ballistic missile program, its destabilizing activities in Syria and Yemen, and its support for terrorist organizations. Although State Department officials on the other side of the table thought that significant progress had been made, Trump rejected the plan. During his visit here late last month, Macron offered a four-pronged strategy to maintain the nuclear deal as part of a broader effort to address other concerns, including a political solution in Syria that would reduce Iran's influence. Trump declared it interesting but did not bite. In the past, Trump has sometimes said that the Europeans cared only about making money in Iran. In their many conversations with Trump about Iran this year, the Europeans asked him to avoid damaging their own investments there, even if he decided that the United States was out of the deal. In the end, however, the administration made clear that there would be no exceptions to its reinstatement of sanctions that had been lifted as part of the nuclear agreement. Throughout his conversations with the Europeans, Trump has offered little suggestion of how his goals could be reached, leaving it to the allies to come up with proposals that he could accept or, as it turned out, reject. Trump appeared not to accept even his own administration's views, expressed by his defense secretary and director of national intelligence, and Pompeo, in his recent confirmation hearing, that Iran has fully complied with the terms of the nuclear deal. "I think there are plenty of cases where it's - we're simply incapable of saying whether they're in compliance or not," Bolton said. "There are others where I think they've clearly been in violation," he said. He mentioned Iran's breach of the agreement's limits on heavy water, a chemical used in a reactor that can produce plutonium. Iran has shut down that reactor, however, and stopped making heavy water after rebukes from International Atomic Energy Agency monitors. The president, Bolton said, "gave repeated opportunities to try to fix the deal" and "wanted to let all the efforts go forward, and he did, right up until a few days before the May 12 deadline" to decide whether to waive or reinstate U.S. sanctions. "I think, faced with the overwhelming evidence that the core flaws of the deal could not be fixed," Bolton said, Trump "made the decision to proceed." The question now is whether the allies are prepared to humble themselves again to appeal to a president they see as having a vision of where he wants to be but little idea of how to get there. To the extent that they view U.S. leadership as crucial to accomplishing anything significant in today's polarized world, they may have little choice. Even Iran, in Trump's view, will eventually bend to his will. "Iran's leaders will naturally say that they refuse to negotiate a new deal," he said. "They refuse, and that's fine. I'd probably say the same thing if I was in their position." "But the fact is, they are going to want to make a new and lasting deal." Its confirmed. The Iglesia ni Cristo Charity Walk held last Sunday, officially called Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty, has broken three Guinness World Records: Largest human sentence, largest charity walk at a single venue and largest human mosaic. No less than Adam Brown, official adjudicator and representative of the internationally recognized and award-winning organization affirmed this as he presented the same to INC officialsthe largest homegrown religious organization in the countrya day after the event. In addition, Brown advised that it is possible two more records may have been achieved during last Sundays eventlargest charity walk at multiple venues and the highest number of nationalities in a charity walkboth of which are being verified. What is remarkable about these records is the fact that the INC itself set the earlier recognized ones. For example, last Sundays charity walkers who jammed the 1.6-kilometer stretch from the Cultural Center to Rizal Park along Roxas Boulevard beat the previous INC world record for the walk in a single venue set in 2014. With such affirmation, the record for the largest number of participants in multiple venues which was also set by the INC in 2014 will most probably be exceeded again, as last Sundays global march was undertaken simultaneously in 300 venues across 18 time zones more than the 2014 record of 129 sites across 16 countries. On the other hand, the 23, 235 participants who formed that sentence Proud to be a member of Iglesia ni Cristo easily outnumbered the 16,550 Indians who formed the sentence You can, you will which became the world record in 2016. In the case of the largest human mosaic contest, the 9,000 INC members who formed the INC tri-colors with the biblical golden memorah in the middle mosaic bested the Saudi Arabian record of 4,500 participants set in November last year. But more than the records set by last Sundays Worldwide Walk Against Poverty, what makes the event truly commendable is the fact that like in 2014, it was done to raise funds for charitable causes. In 2014, the event was meant to raise funds for victims of Typhoon Yolanda. This time around, the funds will be for the benefit of poor communities in Africa where apparently the INC is making inroads as it continues its evangelization efforts in that part of the world. What can we say except congratulations and Mabuhay INC? To God be the glory indeed.* * * So, what are we to do now? If we go by the logic of those who have been egging President Duterte to vehemently protest the militarization by China of the islands it has been occupying for decades in the Spratlys, also known as the Kalayaan Islands group, we should now issue similar protests against Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. These countries together with Brunei have pending claims over parts of the archipelago. By all indications, they have also put in place military grade weaponry and equipment in their occupied formations. The Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative has noted that Vietnam, more than China, has the most number of outposts in the area with 49 spread across 27 formations. Malaysia, on the other hand, is occupying five formations while Taiwan occupies the biggest natural featurealso known as an islandin the area. All of these countries have outposts otherwise known as military presence in their occupied formations with corresponding support facilities also known as landing vessels, military grade buoys and communications systems, a harbor and a landing strip and, of course, some artillery if not weapons systems ala China. Only Brunei among the five claimants does not have any military outpost in the area. Of course, we have a landing strip in Kalayaan island, a moored navy vessel and a contingent of Marines quite apart from some 200 or so civilians who have resided in the island for sometime. Given this information and, as of this writing, sightings of movements (maybe military in nature) in the occupied formations by each and every claimant except Brunei, how are we suppose to respond? File a claim before the United Nations? Protest the high heavens? Call in the US forces to enforce our Mutual Defense Treaty? Encourage year-round Balikatan exercises? We need some urgent replies from the usual sections and keen observers of the militarization in the area. Otherwise, if they cannot help us find a realistic and responsible answer to our queries the best they can do is ____. Alam nyo na. For Annabel Banda, the months leading up to her sons summer break were filled with worry. Kaleb, 7, struggled with English in his dual language school. His teacher told Banda he needed to be placed in a summer literacy program. But as a sole providor for herself and son, Banda said she couldnt afford the programs she was finding. Some cost hundreds of dollars for two days a week. I was worrying about summer. I was thinking What do I need to do? Banda said. Just in time, the Boys and Girls Club of San Antonio, where Kaleb goes after school, informed parents of Super Summer Readers. The program, backed by philanthropist and businessman Harvey Najim, will assess 1,500 children from three schools after helping them read over the summer. To Banda, that meant Kaleb would read with a trained volunteer for 10 weeks at no cost. Donning a red and blue hero cape, Najim announced details of the program Tuesday on the playground at the Mays Family Clubhouse. Incoming third, fourth and fifth graders will be put in two control groups. One group will get 30 minutes of one-on-one time with a volunteer, called a Reading Sidekick, three days a week at a Boys and Girls Club location or San Antonio Youth campus. Theyll get another half hour of reading extension activities. Another group will be given eight books to read on their own. All students will be tested in May before summer break and again in August at the start of school. The kids attend schools in the Harlandale and San Antonio independent school districts and the KIPP charter network. Najims hunch is kids not involved in summer reading will regress at least one reading level, while the middle group will stay at the same level and the more intensive group will improve one or two levels. Education experts long have documented childrens summer learning loss, also called the summer slide. Summer learning loss in elementary school is blamed for much of the reading achievement gaps between low-income children and their higher-income peers in high school, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Children of low-income families are at greatest risk because their families cant afford summer camps or educational vacations. Parents can combat the summer slide by reading with their children, taking them to the library and prompting them to read aloud the names of products at the grocery store, said Deborah Valdez, executive director of San Antonio Youth Literacy. Najim plans to expand the program if his prediction is proven correct. Next year Im going to go to my rich friends and say, We need a couple million dollars. Were going to do this for ten thousand kids, Najim said. Banda hopes Najim does. It would relieve other parents who, like her, worried she wouldnt be able to provide for Kaleb. I know a lot of parents want to give their children the best, but its hard financially, she said. Volunteers to be a Reading Sidekick can sign up at www.supersummerreaders.org. krista.torralva@express-news.net Today is National School Nurse Day. Midland ISD has 36 full-time nurses to care for the districts current enrollment of 25,404 students. The nursing staff is led by ImoJean Douglas, health services supervisor. Heres a look at MISD nursing care: --On average, nearly 1,000 students are served by the nursing staff each school day. --Since August, the beginning of the 2017-18 school year, school nurses have evaluated, examined and/or treated more than 164,200 students district-wide. Of those visits, 56,514 involved medications that were administered, and 8,812 involved procedures that were performed such as tube feedings, blood glucose checks and catheterizations. --More than 15,000 students are screened annually for hearing, vision or spinal problems and then are referred for care. --28 percent of students have serious health care conditions. Many do not have medical homes, or primary care providers. --More than 92 percent of students who are assessed for health care concerns are able to stay in class because of MISD nursing interventions. Source: Midland ISD The Houston man released from death row after more than a decade may have "bluffed his way out of prison," Harris County attorneys alleged in federal court filings this week. Alfred Dewayne Brown was sentenced to die for the slaying of Houston police officer, but was freed in 2015 after a police investigator uncovered phone records in his garage that defense lawyers said corroborated Brown's alibi. But now, the county is alleging the phone call doesn't prove Brown's innocence because it was actually a three-way call, showing he was not home at his girlfriend's. The shifting interpretation of the old records stems from a new expert analysis that Brown's attorneys have already begun calling into question. READ ALSO: Houston cop killer Anthony Haynes loses federal appeal over bad lawyering claims "Dewayne Brown is innocent, and absolutely maintains his alibi that he was home, at Ericka Dockery's residence, at the time of the murders," said attorney Cate Edwards, who is representing Brown in a civil lawsuit seeking compensation for his time in prison. "He placed a call from her residence, which is confirmed by the phone records," Edwards said. "The county is trying to use Mr. Brown's civil rights case to revise history. It won't work." The police union - which has repeatedly asserted Brown's guilt since his release - touted the explosive allegations as proof they'd done their job correctly from the start. "It just goes to show you that we had the right guy years ago," said Houston police union president Joe Gamaldi. "We were confident then as we are today that there will be another trial and that Alfred Brown will be found guilty again." Former Harris County Criminal Lawyers Associations president Pat McCann panned the county's filing. "The county attorney is taking liberties with the truth that ought to make them ashamed," he said. "This is the most creative and outlandish bunch of b******* I have ever seen." The latest turn in the winding case emerged this week when the county filed a motion to dismiss Brown's suit by claiming the evidence that freed him wasn't really exculpatory and didn't need to be turned over. READ ALSO: Execution date set for northeast Texas man convicted of strangling girlfriend "Alfred Brown bluffed his way out of prison by telling the 351st Judicial District of Texas that a phone record proved he was at his girlfriend's apartment only minutes after the double murder of Alfredia Jones and Houston Police Officer Charles Clark," county attorneys wrote. "Both the District Attorney's Office and the Court accepted this misrepresentation, but an accurate review of these records disproves Brown's story and calls into doubt everything he has said for the last half decade." It's not the first time officials have floated the theory that the phone records may not have shown Brown's innocence. Back in 2015 then-police union president Ray Hunt argued that the potentially exculpatory phone call could have been transferred to look like it was coming from Brown's girlfriend's home even if he was actually at the scene of the crime. "I have a feeling that phone record is going to be used in the future to convict him," Hunt said at the time. But, despite that unproven possibility, then-District Attorney Devon Anderson decided she didn't have enough evidence to retry Brown after the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned his conviction based on the phone records that the county now says may show his guilt. "The very documents that secured Brown's freedom may become his undoing," county lawyers wrote in Tuesday filings. "Brown's own records preserved a crucial fact that he withheld from the courts during his bid to be releasedthe call he claims he made from his girlfriend's apartment was a three-way call that places him exactly where the jury heard he was when they convicted him. Brown's call originated from the apartment of a woman named Patricia Williams as Brown and his two co-murderers gathered with her to destroy evidence and watch news coverage of their exploits." Edwards pointed out that in 2013 filings, Harris County agreed that the phone records supported Brown's alibi. "In the 15 years since Mr. Brown's arrest, this is the first expert the county has found to support its '3-way call' theory, a theory that is suspect at best," she said. "If these records supported the prosecution of Mr. Brown, then why were they in a police officer's garage for 10 years and withheld from the defense at trial?" The accusatory court filing is the latest in a string of unexpected developments in the case. This month, District Attorney Kim Ogg appointed a special counsel to re-investigate, opening the door to the possibility of either re-prosecuting Brown or issuing an "actual innocence" declaration that would make him eligible for state compensation. And earlier this year, the district attorney released an email showing that former prosecutor Dan Rizzo knew about the phone records, and failed to turned them over to defense lawyers, apparently in violation of a Supreme Court decision requiring the release of exculpatory material. Brown was originally sentenced to death for his role in the double slaying during a robbery at a check-cashing store in southeast Houston. Two others were convicted in the case, and one of them - Elijah Dwayne Joubert - was sent to death row for the store clerk's murder. Brown always said that a landline call he made from his girlfriend's house around the time of the killings would show he wasn't there, but officials said they had no record of the call. In 2008 former prosecutor Dan Rizzo even signed a sworn affidavit saying he did not withhold any phone records that could have been used in Brown's defense. During the appeals process in 2013, Houston police investigator Breck McDaniel found the records in his garage, prompting a Texas appeals court to overturn Brown's conviction. Yet even after Brown was freed, the state rejected his request for money based on the grounds that prosecutors never declared him "actually innocent." In response, Brown filed suit. After news of the email emerged, some in the legal community accused Rizzo of perjury, in light of the 2008 affidavit. The Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association clamored for an independent investigation into Rizzo and asked for an attempted murder charge. In the weeks since the email release - information that Ogg turned over to the State Bar of Texas for possible grievance action - Rizzo hired a private attorney, Chris Tritico, to represent him. Edwards pointed to that as yet another aspect of the case that raised red flags for her. "The county's '3-way call' theory is simply incorrect," she said, "and is inconsistent with Ms. Ogg's recent actions referring Mr. Rizzo to the Texas State Bar and appointing of independent counsel to determine whether Mr. Brown is actually innocent." But Tritico fired back in a press conference Wednesday, saying the new filing "radically" changes things. "Dan Rizzo told the truth the entire time," he said, adding that the retired prosecutor had become "collateral damage" in the case. The County Attorney's Office declined to comment on the latest development, and Ogg's office responded that it was "because of questions and concerns about this case" that she appointed attorney John Raley as special counsel. Reached by phone late Wednesday, Raley said that he couldn't comment before he has finished reviewing all the evidence in the case. A Tyler man convicted of drowning a former housemate and stuffing her body into a barrel of lime and cement is now facing a death date. Troy Clark was sentenced to die in 2000 for killing Christina Muse out of fear the young mother would snitch on him for his drug use, according to court records. This week he was given a Sept. 26 execution date, according to Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel. The May 1998 slaying came just after Muse moved out of the Smith County home where Clark and his girlfriend Tory Bush lived and sold meth. One day when Muse stopped back at the home to visit, she and Clark started talking and at some point in the conversation, according to court records, he used a stun gun to take her down, then duct-taped her arms and legs and left her in a closet for hours. Then, he moved her into the bathtub and ordered Bush to get a board so he could beat the bound woman. After drowning Muse, according to court records, Clark ordered his girlfriend to go get lime. When she got back, he dumped the slain woman's body in a blue barrel filled with lime, cement mix and water. Later, Clark and some friends loaded the barrel into a truck and ditched it in a remote spot on his landlord's property. When authorities found the gruesome remains, they also discovered the body of Tracy Mize decaying in a septic tank on the same property. In trial, the jury also heard evidence that Clark he allegedly killed two other people and robbed others. But in court, Clark denied his involvement, saying he wasn't at home at the time of the slaying, and that he was out delivering drugs. In the years since he was sent to death row, Clark has argued the he suffered bad lawyering and didn't get to show evidence rebutting claims he would be a future danger to society. The U.S. Supreme Court turned down his appeal last year. The Lone Star State has executed five men this year, and - including Clark - another seven are on the calendar. U.S. Border Patrol staff had a rather interesting animal encounter this week along the border near Brownsville. On Monday officials working along the Rio Grande River observed three people attempting to enter the United States, according to a press release from the government agency. TIGER NEWS: Yes, you can own a tiger as a pet in Texas but it's not recommended One of the people was carrying a sizable black duffel bag. The people abandoned that bag as they ran to the Mexican side of the border. Upon inspection of the bag officials found a live tiger cub around three or four months old inside it. A picture shared by border officials shows the cat curled up inside it. The male cub was handed over to Brownsville's Gladys Porter Zoo. Irma Chapa, communications director for the RGV Border Patrol apparatus, shared a photo late Monday of the cub relaxing at the zoo. Chron.com has reached out to the Gladys Porter Zoo for further details on the young animal's condition. Spokesperson Cynthia Galvan with the zoo says that the tiger weighs about 28 pounds and when it arrived at the zoo it was severely overheated from the journey. It had also appeared to be sedated in order to be smuggled easier. "They put it in an ice bath and gave it an IV to normalize its temperature," Galvan says. It's not yet known what the next stop could be for the male cub. ZOO PLANS: The Houston Zoo announces ambitious plans, additional habitats "It will likely be placed at a sanctuary or another zoological entity," Galvan says. U.S. Border Patrol has made a litany of exotic animal seizures over the years, with smugglers attempting to constantly bring animals living and dead inside the country through border stops and airport terminals. "We have seen individuals in the past trying to smuggle exotic animals into the U.S. for the purpose of selling them and or keeping them as pets," Border Patrol spokesman Carlos Diaz told Chron.com. Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. Silvestre Cavazos Sr. had little formal education while he was growing up. He was pulled out of school at a young age to work on a ranch and help his family. Later, Cavazos started a career with the Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific railroads, retiring from the latter after 38 years. Cavazos also served as trustee of the Pearsall Independent School District and was elected by his fellow workers as their union representative. But most importantly, Cavazos provided for his family and made sure his three children got an education. He wrote the check for our college educations, his son Arthur Cavazos said. And when we were deciding where we were going to college, he told us to find something that we like to do because we were are going to be doing it for the rest of our lives; to find our niche, be good at it and work hard. Cavazos, who turned 91 on New Years Day, died on Saturday. Only 8 when his father died, Cavazos moved with his mother and five siblings to live with an uncle, who was a ranch hand. When he was old enough to walk behind a pair of mules and plow, his uncle pulled him out of school, Arthur Cavazos said. After he married in 1947, Cavazos was grading roads for a living when a friend told him that the railroad was hiring. More Information Silvestre Cavazos Sr. Born: Jan. 1, 1927, farming community of Biery Died: May 5, 2018, San Antonio Preceded by: Wife Alicia de la Cruz Cavazos; parents Gumecinda Cantu and Juan Cavazos; and four siblings Survived by: Sons Silvestre Cavasos Jr. and daughter-in-law Sarah, Arthur Cavazos and daughter-in-law Elvia; daughter Maria Lucinda Cabasos Poissonnier and son-in-law Richard; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a sister. Services: Mass at 10 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 422 W. Brazos St., Pearsall. See More Collapse Starting with Missouri Pacific in 1952, Cavazos became a pick-and-shovel guy, his son said. Back in those days, there were work crews of six men or more who were given sections of railroad to maintain. Eventually, Cavazos operated a ballast tamper machine, but thats as high as he got because he couldnt read and write, Arthur Cavazos said. All the other jobs required he do reports. Attending night school whenever he had a chance, Cavazos was encouraged by one of his tutors, a retired judge, to push the envelope, Arthur Cavazos said. So he ran for the school board and won. Cavazos was also elected by his fellow employees to be their union representative for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees for the Southern District. He had great people skills, his son said. And he could read a spreadsheet with one hand tied behind his back; he always did long division in his head. A devout Catholic, Cavazos also was an active parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church near his home in Pearsall. mheidbrink@express-news.net Dengvaxia victims. Photo Edd Gumban, Philstar President Rodrigo Duterte will create a three-man panel of experts to study the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine that has been blamed for the deaths of over 60 children, Malacanang said on Tuesday. In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said, The President, after much discussion, said he will create a three-man panel of experts, all Asians, no Westerners and he will be bound by the findings of these three-man experts on the issue of whether or not dengvaxia actually caused deaths. Last month, the Department of Health said 62 children have been reported to have died after receiving the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine under the governments immunization program. (Inquirer) More than 60 dengvaxia deaths now! This blogger was the first to sound the alarm as early as Feb 13, 2016 on this controversy through my blog , WHO yet to review evidence for dengue vaccine in April 2016, yet it is now distributed in PH! May God bless the Philippines!" Screenshot of my blog dated Feb. 13, 2016. Marinduque Rising. I stressed then that I wouldnt be surprised if no one paid attention because of the May 2016 election craze, and that's what really happened. Another factor in my view was the article appearing in a major newspaper that erroneously published the Dengvaxia deal involving a mere P3.5 MILLION instead of P3.5 BILLION so who would even care? (The paper never corrected the mistake thereafter). Exactly eight months later, Sec. Gordon stood up in the Senate to question this matter of PH government under Aquino spending billions of pesos for dengue vaccine yet to be tested by WHO thus endangering childrens lives. (I watched Gordon live on TV quoting certain passages that could only have been lifted from my blog, to my pleasure, of course). I blogged , thus on Oct. 13, 2016: Well, many thanks to Senator Richard Gordon for standing up in the Senate about this. This issue of spending billions of pesos for dengue vaccine that is yet to be tested by WHO that actually endangered the lives of hundreds of thousands of Filipino children as guinea pigs. (Further readings on Vaccine and Depopulation here But now it's all out! Nang pumutok na ng mas malakas ang katotohanan, nanahimik na ako. Bahala na ang mga eksperto hanggang naging world news na nga ang usaping ito. Everything is out now, bagamat di pa rin tapos kahit marami nang ekspertong dumawdaw. U.S. Attorney John Bash has announced more changes in his administration, including new supervisors in San Antonio, Austin and Del Rio. In a statement Tuesday, Bash said he has named Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Sofer of Austin as the new chief of the Criminal Division for the Western District of Texas, which includes Austin, Waco, San Antonio, Del Rio, Alpine, Midland/Odessa and El Paso. He replaces Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman of San Antonio, who is now a senior litigation counsel. In her new role, Leachman will focus on discovery and disclosure obligations, prosecutions and other matters of particular significance. I have selected this team of supervisors from an outstanding pool of prosecutors and civil attorneys in the Western District of Texas, said Bash, who was appointed late last year by President Trump. I look forward to working with this team and our other supervisors to enhance the safety and security of the people of Central and West Texas. Sofer has been with the Austin office since 2007, and has prosecuted a litany of crimes that include public corruption, terrorism and espionage. Before that, he worked for the Justice Department in a number of roles that included sections specifically targeting gangs and terrorism or counterintelligence. He also served as a prosecutor in the New York County District Attorneys Office for more than 11 years, and rose to deputy chief there. Most recently, Sofer led the successful federal prosecution in Austin of Chimene Onyeri for the attempted murder of 390th District Judge Julie Kocurek of Travis County, who was ambushed and shot outside her home late Nov. 6, 2015. Bash also named Michelle Fernald, of Austin, as the deputy chief of the districts Criminal Division. Fernald is a former state prosecutor and senior assistant attorney general in Arkansas who joined the Western District of Texas in 1996. In 2014, Fernald was named a Winning Woman by Texas Lawyer for her role in the prosecution of members and associates of the Zetas cartel for laundering drug money through the American Quarter Horse industry. Bashs statement also said he has named Erica Giese of San Antonio as the new chief of the Financial Litigation Unit. Giese is a former prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorneys Office, who joined the federal office in Del Rio in 2006. She was promoted to chief there in 2012 and later was named chief of the San Antonio division before moving to the civil section in 2017. Bash also named Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gibson as the new chief of the San Antonio division. Gibson, who is currently helping prosecute the two top leaders of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club in San Antonio, joined the office in 2003 after working as an assistant district attorney in El Paso. He later joined the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, which concentrates on drug cartels and trans-national gangs, and was promoted as chief of the OCDETF unit in El Paso in 2013 before moving to the San Antonio division last year. Bash also named Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Guess as the chief of the Austin division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Sparks as the deputy chief of the Austin division. Bash also named Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody Gilzene, a former Air Force JAG officer, deputy chief in Del Rio. Guillermo Contreras is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | gcontreras@express-news.net | @gmaninfedland A westbound lane of Interstate 10 in Northwest Bexar County officials feared could be closed all week is set to reopen Wednesday night, according to an official with the Texas Department of Transportation. Authorities closed the right westbound lane of I-10 between Boerne Stage Road and Ralph Fair Road Tuesday afternoon due to large cracks in the pavement caused by unstable soil underneath the road. Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2018 3:00 am On Sunday, June 3, Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church will celebrate its 25th anniversary. But the roots of Lutheranism in Webster County go back to the year 1871, with the arrival of the Rev. Andrew Rader from Tennessee. Rev. Rader gathered the Lutherans in the area and organized a congregation near Marshfield. As a circuit-riding pastor, he also conducted services at a number of preaching stations in southwest Missouri. He sought to serve the English-speaking Lutheran immigrants from the eastern states who lived widely scattered throughout the Ozarks. Through the next decades, the congregation occupied two small buildings outside the city. One was demolished in the tornado of April 18, 1880, which leveled 75 percent of the buildings in Marshfield. Another small wooden frame church was built on farmland until the members relocated within the city in 1923. The congregation bought a lot at the corners of East Washington and Pitts Streets. It is the present site of Peace Lutheran Church. That first Lutheran congregation built a basement chapel and occupied it on May 24, 1926. The cost was $1,400. For 23 years, that basement chapel served the needs of the congregation until the present sanctuary was built over it and dedicated on May 1, 1949. Over the years, four different congregations owned the building until Jan. 1, 1996, when the young Peace Lutheran congregation bought it. During the previous years, the interior of the church changed to fit the various church bodies characteristics. Peace restored the sanctuary, as much as possible, to the original design. We invite you to an open house at 2 p.m. June 3 to take a tour of the facilities and learn how the design enhances worship. Next week, we will relate a little of Peace Lutherans history over the past 25 years. Nature & Weather, Local News, Health & Wellness, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: May 09 2018 The Clean Power Plan requires mandatory cuts in the emissions of climate change pollution from fossil fuel-burning power plants. New York, NY - May 9, 2018 - Today, a coalition led by the New York Attorney Generals Office Today, a coalition led by the New York Attorney Generals Office filed an objection with the D.C. Circuit, opposing the continued abeyance of a ruling on the merits of the Clean Power Plan. Acting New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood released the following statement: This offices commitment to protecting New Yorkers from the devastating impacts of climate change is unwavering. Our coalition has long fought to defend the Clean Power Plan, including strongly opposing the EPAs efforts to block court review of its legality. The Clean Power Plan is solidly founded in both science and the law, and the effectiveness and benefits of its approach to cutting climate change pollution have been demonstrated in states like New York. We continue to appeal to the DC Circuit to reject the Trump EPAs weak promises related to repealing (and possibly replacing) the Clean Power Plan at some undisclosed future date and rule on legal merits of this critically important measure. The coalition defending the Clean Power Plan is led by New York and includes California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, the District of Columbia, New York City (NY), Broward County (FL), Boulder (CO), Chicago (IL), Philadelphia (PA), and South Miami (FL). Local News By Long Island News & PR Published: May 09 2018 First of Five Massive Main Span Steel Sections to be Removed. New York, NY - May 9, 2018 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the 532-foot-long center span of the retired Tappan Zee Bridge - the first of five main span sections - began the process of being lowered onto a barge overnight. Expected to be completed by 3 p.m. Wednesday, the dismantling operation is part of the construction of the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, an iconic twin-span cable-stayed crossing that links Westchester and Rockland counties across the Hudson River. The construction project to build the 3.1-mile bridge and ancillary facilities is one of the largest in the United States and the biggest in the history of the New York State Thruway Authority. "New York is leading the nation in rebuilding and reimagining our infrastructure so we can meet the demands of the fast-paced, 21st century economy. For decades, the Tappan Zee Bridge was a symbol of government incompetence and procrastination but today's lowering of the main span of the old bridge marks the critical progress we have made," Governor Cuomo said. "The new Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is critical to the growth and sustainability not only of the region, but of the entire state as we build a better, stronger New York. The 2,415-foot main span of the Tappan Zee Bridge will be removed in five separate operations, the first of which began overnight on Monday, May 7. Eight hydraulic strand jacks are lowering the 4,750-ton suspended center span onto a barge to be transported offsite for further disassembly. The four other operations are scheduled to take place in the coming months. Barge-based cranes will remove two cantilever truss sections, while the two anchor spans will be lowered onto barges with the assistance of strand jacks. After the main span dismantling, the "I Lift NY" floating super crane will assist with the removal of the main span's steel support structures. The main span removal operation is expected to be complete by late fall. This is a major milestone in the project's development and builds on progress including the shifting of westbound traffic from the New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) onto the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge westbound span on August 26, 2017. The 62-year-old Tappan Zee Bridge was then officially retired on October 6, 2017, after eastbound traffic was transferred to the westbound span in a temporary traffic configuration (four traffic lanes in each direction). Since then, design-builder Tappan Zee Constructors has been dismantling the old bridge while also constructing the eastbound span, which is scheduled to open later this year. TZC has demolished the landings of the old bridge, which occupied the same footprint of the new eastbound span. TZC recently connected the eastbound span to its Westchester landing and is working to link it to its Rockland landing. Once complete, drivers will reap the full benefits of the new twin-span, including: Eight general traffic lanes; Four breakdown and emergency lanes; Dedicated bus lanes and space for commuter rail; and A bicycle and walking path. The 3.1-mile Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is the first cable-stayed bridge across the Hudson River. Featuring eight 419-foot towers standing at a five-degree angle, the bridge has a total of 192 stay cables that would stretch 14 miles if laid end-to-end. A cable-stayed bridge uses steel cables placed at an angle to connect the bridge deck to vertical towers that extend high above the roadway. To build the bridge: More than 220 million pounds of all-American steel is being used; Approximately 7,000 workers have contributed to date; and Nearly 9 million work hours have been dedicated to this this project. The project has been recognized across the nation, including by former President Barack Obama, who put it at the top of his list of critical infrastructure priority projects. Thruway Authority Acting Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said, "Governor Cuomo recognizes that dependable infrastructure is a game-changer for travelers, businesses and the public at large. The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge marks another step toward transforming New York's infrastructure, reducing congestion for motorists and generating immense economic benefits for local communities." New NY Bridge Project Director Jamey Barbas said, "Anyone who has driven on the new bridge has seen work progressing across the Hudson River. This bridge is a great example of the state's commitment to future generations of New Yorkers. Governor Cuomo deserves high marks for making this vital investment in our state." Westchester County Executive George Latimer said, "The Tappan Zee Bridge served our County well, but transportation needs have changed since it was constructed and it is time for it to be taken down. I am so pleased the new Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is open. It is a symbol of innovation and technology - it also stands as a symbol that function can be beautiful. I want to thank the Governor for making a new bridge a reality for us here in Westchester." Rockland County Executive Ed Day said, "We are pleased to see the work on this project continuing. This new bridge is a vital economic link for Rockland and the entire Hudson Valley; I look forward to the full opening of this modern crossing that has been long awaited by our residents." Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell said, "The lowering of this span is a major step toward the completion of the new Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and I applaud all of the hard working men and women who are helping bring this project to fruition. Infrastructure investments such as this are invaluable components of a vibrant state economy, and none are more important to our region than this new, more resilient and stronger crossing." South Nyack Mayor Bonnie Christian said, "The construction of this new bridge will provide safe and more efficient travel for residents and visitors for generations, and I thank the Governor for recognizing the need to take action to replace the Tappan Zee. This massive undertaking has created jobs for local skilled laborers and will secure jobs for businesses on either side of the river for years to come." At Governor Cuomo's direction, the New York State Thruway Authority has managed the bridge replacement project since 2013 with two fundamental objectives first, to fully open the bridge to traffic in 2018, and second, finish the bridge at or below the budgeted cost of $3.98 billion. Championed by Governor Cuomo, this project is using the design-build construction process, which incentivizes the private sector to be creative on methods that speed up construction time and reduce costs. This model is being used across New York's large infrastructure projects including on the new Kosciuszko Bridge in New York City. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause By Long Island News & PR Published: May 09 2018 The Wolf Hill Senior Club is one of nine senior clubs meeting weekly throughout the Town of Huntington. Huntington, NY - May 9, 2018 - Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci addressed senior citizens at the Wolf Hill Senior Clubs Installation of Officers April 13 at Matteos Trattoria. Congratulations to the new officers of the Wolf Hill Senior Club, said Supervisor Lupinacci. Im proud to come from a town with so many senior residents who are actively engaged in the issues. It sets an example for future generations in our community. Local News, Crime By Long Island News & PR Published: May 09 2018 Kyla McKay was last seen leaving a doctors appointment on foot on Tuesday, May 8. UPDATE - May 9, 2018 - Police report that Kyla McKay has been located. Below is the original report. Valley Stream, NY - May 9, 2018 - Missing Persons Squad detectives are investigating a missing juvenile that occurred on Tuesday, May 08, 2018 at 1:00 pm in Missing Persons Squad detectives are investigating a missing juvenile that occurred on Tuesday, May 08, 2018 at 1:00 pm in Valley Stream According to detectives, Kyla McKay, 12, was last seen leaving a doctors appointment on foot in Valley Stream headed for an unknown destination. She is a female black, 59 tall, 90 pounds with a medium complexion, brown eyes and black hair. She was wearing black pants, a black sweatshirt with a purple colored hood and black & white sneakers. Local News, Crime By lisingles Published: May 09 2018 Robert Crumb, 45, killed his wife, attacked his daughter with a knife, and led cops on a high-speed car chase, DA Singas says. Robert Crumb of Bethpage, 45, was convicted this week of murdering his wife in 2016. Mineola, NY - May 9, 2018 - Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Bethpage man who killed his wife, attacked his daughter with a knife and led cops on a high-speed car chase that culminated in a fiery crash at a gas station and assault on a police officer in November 2016, was convicted of murder and other charges. Robert Crumb, 45, was convicted today by a jury of: Murder in the 2nd Degree (an A-I felony) Assault in the 1st Degree (a B violent felony) Assault in the 2nd Degree (a D violent felony) Reckless Endangerment in the 1st Degree (a D felony) Resisting Arrest (an A misdemeanor) The trial started on April 16 and the jury deliberated for approximately four hours. The defendant was remanded and is due back for sentencing before Acting Supreme Court Justice Terence Murphy June 14. He faces a sentence of up to 25 years to life in prison. This defendant brutally murdered the mother of his children, assaulted his daughter, and endangered the lives of police and the public in a reckless high-speed chase, said DA Singas. My heart goes out to the victims family and while no conviction can erase their pain, I hope this verdict gives them some comfort. DA Singas said on November 4, 2016 at approximately 12:30 a.m., the defendant and victim were arguing in the bedroom of their Seitz Drive home in Bethpage. During the argument over their pending divorce, Robert Crumb stabbed and slashed his wife, Maria Crumb, multiple times in her back. Upon hearing the commotion, the couples then 12-year-old son attempted to stop the stabbing by jumping onto his fathers back, but was thrown off. The defendant then attacked his teenage daughter and later returned to the bedroom to stab his wife again in the neck. The couples son called 911 and members of the Nassau County Police Department responded to the home and Maria Crumb was pronounced dead in the house by responding medical technicians from the NCPD. The defendant fled the house, leading five Nassau County Police cars on a high-speed chase westbound on the Southern State Parkway and later the Belt Parkway into Brooklyn. At times, the defendant was driving at 90 miles an hour. The chase ended when the defendant crashed his car into a Citgo Gas Station at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Flatlands Avenue, causing the car to burst into flames. After the crash, Crumb charged at one of the officers, knocking him to the ground, causing him to lose consciousness. Multiple officers then jumped onto the defendant and he was arrested. The defendant was acquitted of one count of Assault in the 2nd Degree and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd Degree. A Burnham Royal British Legion member has been accused of stolen valour after new evidence emerged which contradicts his claims about his military past. Nick MacDonald, 63, had last week defended himself against accusations made by the Walter Mitty Hunters Club, an online group of current and former military personnel who work to expose bogus veterans, who claimed that he had never seen military service. Mr MacDonald said he joined the Royal Highland Fusiliers in the early Seventies before joining the Royal Military Police (RMP) in a 30-year career that saw action in the Falklands, and Northern Ireland, where he received the Military Medal for bravery. He was even interviewed by the Advertiser in good faith on the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War in 2012. After the accusations began to emerge, Mr MacDonald claimed he was the victim of an attempt to smear him by right wing groups. This week, the Royal Military Police Association (RMPA) said in a statement that Mr MacDonald had never completed his military training. It said an investigation had revealed that while Mr MacDonald is a life member of the association, there appears to be no record of military service against that name or personal service number. The RMPA spokesman added: The gentleman now calling himself that, did join the army in 1974 under a different name and it can be confirmed that having entered the Royal Military Police Training Centre (RMPTC) at Chichester, and as was customary at that time, he was granted life membership of the association in his original name and that this membership was later amended by him to reflect his current name. However, it is a matter of record that this gentleman failed to complete his military training programme and that he was discharged from the army in July 1974. It is also a matter of record that a photograph allegedly supplied by Mr MacDonald to add credence to his back-story appears to show him wearing a red cap and Military Police high-visibility jacket when on duty in Northern Ireland (above), has irrefutably been dismissed as it shows another Royal Military Policeman who did serve in Northern Ireland and is recognisable to those known to him. A spokesman for the Walter Mitty Hunters Club said Mr MacDonalds actions represented nothing more than stolen valour. He added: It is insulting to those who served and those who have lost loved ones paying the ultimate sacrifice. A Burnham Royal British Legion spokeswoman declined to comment. Mr MacDonald could not be reached for comment. Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2018 3:00 am A wonderful Sunday night service starting off with the song Because He Lives, led by Tyler Hooker with Bradly Hunt on the piano. Think about it I can face tomorrow because he lives in my heart. What a special promise from Jesus Christ, our Savior. Pastor Winston announced the ones in need of prayer, laying them at the feet of Jesus. You could feel the Holy Spirit surrounding us as we bowed our heads in deep prayer. Winston also introduced our speaker for the sermon, Brother Ed Curran. We enjoy Eds teachings. One thing about him can be said: He doesnt use a computer for his lessons; they come straight from the Bible and public library. Ed provided us the readings from John 14:19-21 and Philippians 3:12-15. He started out with a saying we all recognize: Are we there yet? In other words, have we fulfilled Gods will totally? No, not yet. Since our growth in Christianity is on different levels, we need to focus on our goals of what we may achieve, not what others expect of us. Almighty God is who we ought to please, since he is our creator. Paul felt allowing the past to go away and pressed forward. Reaching out to the things that lie ahead is more important that the past. We cant change our past, but with faith and belief, we can strengthen our victory walk. We, as humans, tend to focus on rewards on earth. But our true rewards will be in heaven. Pastor Winston urges us to pray daily, read the Bible, attend church regularly and volunteer where needed. We welcome you to come rejuvenate your fellowship with Jesus Christ. God bless. On 5 May it will be 200 years since the birth of Karl Marx. Around the world, the capitalist system is in crisis and the working class is moving into action to seize control of its destiny. In establishment circles, no longer do they snidely declare the death of Marx. On the contrary, there is fear and consternation in their ranks. There has, therefore, never been a more urgent time to study Marxs ideas. We present here an introduction, by Alan Woods, to a new collection of articles on Marx's ideas. Wellred Books proudly presents The Ideas of Karl Marx, which contains a comprehensive introduction to the man, his life, and his ideas: from an explanation of Marxist philosophy; to Marxs battles against petty-bourgeois anarchism; to Trotskys assessment of the Communist Manifesto. And much more! You can order a copy of the book from Wellred Books for 9.99 plus postage. "Philosophers have only interpreted the world in different ways. The point is, however, to change it." K. Marx, Theses on Feuerbach. Two hundred years ago on 5 May, 1818, in the German city of Trier, one of the greatest figures in human history was born. Two centuries later, despite all the furious attacks, malicious distortions and spiteful attempts to undermine his image as a man and a thinker, Karl Marx has established his place in history as a towering genius in the realm of theory. Whether you agree or disagree with him, there can be no doubt that Karl Marx carried out a great revolution in human thought and thereby changed the entire course of history. He belongs to the great pantheon of outstanding thinkers. His name can stand alongside all the great heroes of the past: Heraclitus and Aristotle, Hegel and Charles Darwin. Marxs discoveries in the realm of philosophy, history and political economy can stand as colossal monuments in their own right. Even if his lifes work had begun and ended with the first volume of Capital, that would in itself be a sufficiently great achievement. But Marx was not just a thinker; he was a man of action, a revolutionary who dedicated his entire life to the struggle for the cause of the working class and socialism. Such a rich and variegated life cannot be adequately described in a few lines. However, on the occasion of Marxs bicentenary, it is necessary to provide a brief, and inevitably incomplete, sketch of that life as an introduction to this book. Marxs life Marx was born two hundred years ago, in Germany, in what was then part of Prussia. However, the Rhineland provinces to which Trier belonged differed in many respects from the backward, semi-feudal and reactionary Prussian lands further to the east. Annexed by France in the Napoleonic Wars, the inhabitants had been exposed to new ideas such as freedom of the press, constitutional liberty and religious toleration. Though the Rhineland was reincorporated into imperial Prussia by the Congress of Vienna three years before Marxs birth, the imprint of those years left its mark on the progressive thinking of the most enlightened sections of society. Young Marx / Image: public domain Karl Heinrich was one of nine children in the family of Heinrich and Henrietta Marx. Marxs father was a lawyer with a relatively progressive outlook, who read Kant and Voltaire, and advocated reform of the Prussian state. The family was reasonably prosperous. Marx never experienced poverty or privations during his childhood and early youth, although he suffered these things a great deal in his later life. Both parents were Jewish, but in 1816 at the age of 35, Karls father converted to Christianity. This was probably in response to a law of 1815 banning Jews from high society. It is significant that although most people in Trier were Roman Catholics, he chose the Lutheran faith, because he equated Protestantism with intellectual freedom. However, Heinrich Marx was very far from being a revolutionary and would doubtless have been horrified had he been aware of the future trajectory of his beloved son Karl. On leaving school, Marx went on to university, where he studied law, and later history and philosophy. While studying in Berlin he fell under the spell of the great philosopher Hegel. He saw that, beneath the superficial crust of idealism, Hegels dialectic had the most profound revolutionary implications. This dialectical philosophy was to form the basis of all his subsequent ideological development. Marx joined the tendency known as the Left Hegelians, who drew radical and atheistic conclusions from the Hegelian philosophy. However, he soon became discontented with the endless word chopping and dialectical juggling of these academic radicals who soon degenerated into a mere debating society. Marx was very impressed by the ideas of Ludwig Feuerbach, who, starting from a criticism of religion, moved in the direction of materialism. But he criticised Feuerbach for his radical rejection of Hegelian dialectics. Marx brilliantly succeeded in combining philosophical materialism with dialectics to produce an entirely different and revolutionary philosophy. Armed with these revolutionary ideas, the young Marx collaborated with a group of Left Hegelians in the Rhineland who had founded a radical newspaper, the Rheinische Zeitung. As editor of the paper, Marx wrote a number of brilliant revolutionary articles. The paper was an instant success but soon attracted the attention of the Prussian authorities who subjected it to strict censorship. However, the young Marx, with brilliant ingenuity, managed to evade the iron vice of the censors. In the end, they had no choice but to close it down. In 1836, as he was becoming more politically active, Marx was secretly engaged to Jenny von Westphalen, a handsome young woman from an aristocratic family who was known as the most beautiful girl in Trier. She was four years older than him and from a decidedly higher class. But she and Marx had been childhood sweethearts and from everything we know they were totally devoted to each other. In 1836, Marx became engaged to Jenny von Westphalen / Public domain Jennys father, Baron Ludwig von Westphalen, a senior official of the Royal Prussian Provincial Government, was a man of doubly aristocratic lineage: his father had been Chief of the General Staff during the Seven Years War and his Scottish mother, Anne Wishart, was descended from the Earls of Argyll. It is therefore hardly surprising that they kept their relationship quiet for so long. Three months after the closure of the Rheinische Zeitung, in June 1843, he finally married Jenny von Westphalen, and in October, they moved to Paris. I believe that not enough attention has been paid to this remarkable woman, who made colossal sacrifices to support her husband in his revolutionary work. She must have suffered a great deal, breaking from her family, travelling from one country to another, sharing all of Marxs privations and living in the most difficult conditions. She saw her children suffer hardship, fall sick and die. When her son Edgar died in London, she and Marx did not even have enough money to pay for a coffin. Jennys elder brother Ferdinand later became a zealously oppressive Minister of the Interior in the Prussian government between 1850 and 1858, that is to say, during the height of European reaction. We are thus faced with the paradox of one man engaged in revolutionary work to subvert the Prussian state from his London exile, while his brother-in-law in Berlin was in charge of persecuting revolutionaries both within and without the borders of Prussia. History knows of no more ironical situations than this! In Paris In the autumn of 1843, Marx moved to Paris in order to publish a radical journal abroad, together with Arnold Ruge. In the heated atmosphere of Paris at that time, Marx soon made contact with organised groups of emigre German workers and with various sects of French socialists. By now the winds of revolution were blowing strongly throughout Europe, particularly in Paris. Not for the first time, or last, Paris was the political heart of Europe in 1843. However, only one issue of this journal, Deutsch-Franzosische Jahrbucher, appeared. Publication was discontinued owing mainly to the difficulty of secretly distributing it in Germany, and to philosophical differences between Marx and Ruge. Marx then began writing for another radical newspaper, Vorwarts, which was linked to an organisation that would later become the Communist League. Marx began his lifelong collaboration with Engels in Paris / Image: public domain About this time there commenced one of the most extraordinary collaborations in history. In September 1844, a young man called Friedrich Engels came to Paris for a few days to work as a contributor to the journal. From that time on, he became Marxs closest friend and collaborator. Today the names Marx and Engels are so completely inseparable as to be almost fused into a single person. During his time in Paris, from October 1843 until January 1845, Marx lived at 38 Rue Vanneau. Here, Marx engaged in an intensive study of political economy, devouring the works of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, James Stuart Mill, and also the French Utopian socialists, Saint-Simon and Fourier. Here we see the embryo of his future discoveries in the field of economics. Brussels Marxs revolutionary activities soon attracted the attention of the authorities in Berlin. The Prussian government demanded that the French authorities take action, which the latter were only too pleased to do. Expelled from Paris at the end of 1844, Marx moved to Brussels, where he joined the secret propaganda society, the Communist League. Despite the move, Marx still had severe restrictions on his activity. He had pledged not to publish anything on the subject of contemporary politics. Marx and Engels immediately formed a close relationship in which the two men brought together different experiences and temperaments in order to work out an entirely new and original set of ideas. As the son of a wealthy German manufacturer, Engels was able to combine his concrete experiences of capitalist production with Marxs ground-breaking work in the field of philosophy. Engels showed Marx his recently published book The Condition of the Working Class in England. He had already come to the conclusion that the working class would be the most important agent of social change. Marx arrested in Brussels / Image: public domain It was also Engels who first began to work out the fundamental principles that were later to be brought to fruition in the three volumes of Marxs Capital. But with characteristic modesty, he always accepted the primacy of Marx in the field of ideology, reserving for himself the role of a humble and loyal disciple, although, in fact, his contribution to Marxist theory must stand shoulder to shoulder to that of Marx himself. In April 1845, Engels moved from Germany to Brussels to join Marx. Together, the two began writing a criticism of the philosophy of Bruno Bauer, a Young Hegelian with whom Marx had previously been close. The result of Marx and Engels first collaboration, The Holy Family, was published in 1845. It marked the beginning of a break with the Left Hegelian trend and the starting point for the entirely new departure. In 1846, Marx and Engels wrote The German Ideology, in which they first developed the theory on historical materialism. This marked the final and irrevocable rupture with the Young Hegelians. Marx had finally embraced the idea of socialism as the only solution to the problems of humankind. Unfortunately, no publisher was willing to take the risk of publishing The German Ideology, which, along with Theses on Feuerbach, did not see the light of day until after Marxs death. Marx and Engels together waged a relentless struggle against the confused ideas of petty-bourgeois socialism, striving to put the ideas of socialism on a scientific basis. In Paris at that time the semi-anarchist ideas of Proudhon were in vogue amongst some revolutionary groups. Marx subjected them to a withering criticism in 1847 in the Poverty of Philosophy, backed up by facts, and substantial quotations from the writings of Proudhon himself. At the beginning of 1846, Marx attempted to link socialists from around Europe by means of a Communist Correspondence Committee. He had been in contact with a secret organisation of artisans in Paris and Frankfurt called the League of the Just. It was a small group (about a hundred in Paris and eighty in Frankfurt) with very confused ideas. Marx persuaded them to abandon their underground methods and operate in the open as a workers political party. It fused with others to form The Communist League. At the Second Congress of the Communist League, held in London in November 1847, Marx and Engels were charged with producing a document which became known as The Communist Manifesto. This epoch-making document was published in 1848. The Communist Manifesto and the Neue Rheinische Zeitung It seems astonishing today that The Communist Manifesto was written when Marx and Engels were still young men; Marx was not yet 30 years of age and Engels three years younger. Yet this remarkable document represents a turning point in history. It is as fresh and relevant now as when it first saw the light of day. Indeed, its relevance is even greater today. The timing of the publication of this document could hardly have been better. The ink was hardly dry on its pages when a mighty wave of revolutions broke out all over Europe. The February Revolution in France overthrew the Orleans monarchy and led to the creation of the Second Republic. There is an anecdote that, having recently received a substantial inheritance from his father (withheld by his uncle), Marx used a large part of it to buy arms for the Belgian workers who were moving towards revolutionary action. Whether the story is true or false we do not know, but the Belgian Ministry of Justice certainly believed it. They used it as an excuse for arresting him. Marx was thus forced to flee back to France, where he believed that he would be safe under the new republican government. But that was a vain hope. The French bourgeois Republicans were terrified of the workers, who were beginning to advance independent class demands that threatened private property. Under these circumstances the last thing they needed was the presence in Paris of a man like Marx. Marx was convinced that, after France, Germany was on the eve of a revolution. He moved to Cologne, where he founded a new paper the Neue Rheinische Zeitung which commenced publication on 1 June 1848. The paper put forward an extremely radical democratic line against the Prussian autocracy and Marx devoted his main energies to its editorship (the Communist League had been virtually disbanded). He continued in this position from June 1848 to 19 May 1849, when the paper was suppressed. The Neue Rheinische Zeitung was a model of revolutionary journalism and played an active role in the revolutionary events of 1848-49. But the victory of the counter-revolution put an end to this activity. Marx was put on trial for his revolutionary activity. He was acquitted on 9 February 1849, but subsequently banished from Germany on 16 May 1849. Marx again returned to Paris. However, he was then banished from France after the demonstration of 13 June, 1849. Since Prussia refused to give him a passport, Marx was now a stateless and penniless exile. He moved to London, which in those days was more tolerant and welcoming to political exiles than it is today. Although Britain too denied him citizenship, he remained in London until his death. In May 1849 he began the long, sleepless night of exile that was to last for the remainder of his life. London Arriving in London, Marx remained as optimistic about the imminence of a new revolutionary outbreak in Europe. He wrote two lengthy pamphlets on the 1848 revolution in France and its consequences: The Class Struggles in France and The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. He concluded that a new revolution is possible only in consequence of a new crisis and then devoted himself to the study of political economy in order to determine the causes and nature of capitalist crisis. For most of the time he spent in London, Marx and his family lived in conditions of the direst poverty. He found work as a correspondent for the New York Daily Tribune, a collaboration that lasted for ten years from 1852 to 1862. However, Marx was never able to earn a living wage from his journalism. During the first half of the 1850s, the Marx family lived in squalid conditions in a three room flat in the Soho quarter of London. Marx and Jenny already had four children and two more were to follow. Of these, only three survived. Blessed is he that hath no family, Karl Marx wrote wearily in a letter to Friedrich Engels in June 1854. He was thirty-six at the time and had long since lost all contact with his relatives. His father was dead and relations with his mother were bad. Only through the selfless generosity of his friend Friedrich Engels was Marx and his family able to survive. The Marx family had seven children, four of whom died in infancy or childbirth. Despite all the hardships, they were a happy family. Marx deeply loved his daughters, who, in turn, adored him. In his spare moments in the evenings he would play with them and read from the classics. Don Quixote was a particular favourite, but they also performed Shakespeare plays, with Marx and his children reading different parts. He was a unique, an unrivalled storyteller, his daughter Eleanor recalled. Engels supported the Marx family financially / Image: public domain Of the three surviving daughters Jenny, Laura, and Eleanor two married Frenchmen. One of these men, Paul Lafargue, played an active role in the Marxist movement and helped to establish the socialist party in Spain. Eleanor Marx was active in the British workers movement as a militant labour organiser. Marxs work was not confined to theory alone. All the time he was in London he played a most active role in promoting and developing the international labour movement. Marx helped found the German Workers Educational Society, as well as a new headquarters for the Communist League. But he was increasingly frustrated and alienated by the endless sectarian squabbles of the emigres and finally severed all relations with them, while always maintaining close contacts with active members of the British workers movement. A decisive turn in the situation occurred in 1864. On 28 September, the International Working Mens Association known to us as the First International was founded. From the very beginning Marx was the heart and soul of this organisation, the author of its first address and of a host of resolutions, declarations and manifestos. For the next few years much of his time was devoted to maintaining the work of the International. Together with Engels he kept up a vast correspondence with advanced workers and co-thinkers in many countries, including Russia. Marx was obliged to carry on a relentless struggle against all kinds of petty-bourgeois deviations within the ranks of the international: Proudhons utopian socialism, the bourgeois nationalism of the Italian Mazzini, the opportunism of the British reformist trade union leaders, and above all the intrigues of the anarchist Bakunin and his followers. In the end, Marx succeeded in winning the ideological struggle, but the conditions in which the young forces of the international were being formed turned in an unfavourable direction. The defeat of the Paris commune was the final death blow. Given the unfavourable situation in Europe, Marx proposed the transfer of the seat of the General Council from London to New York in 1872 in the hope that the developing class struggle in the New World would provide the International with new opportunities. But nothing could prevent its decline. The most important achievement of the First International was that it provided a firm ideological basis for future developments. But as an organisation it virtually ceased to exist. Marxs health was undermined by the exhausting work in the International and his still more strenuous theoretical studies and writing. He continued to work tirelessly on the question of political economy and on the completion of Capital, for which he collected a mass of new material and studied a number of languages including Russian. Death Marx never looked after his own health. His love of heavily spiced foods and wine, together with excessive smoking of cigars may well have contributed to the deterioration of his health, which was fatally undermined by years of poverty. In the final dozen years of his life, his recurrent illnesses no longer permitted him to do any continuous intellectual work. Despite increasing bouts of ill health, Marx threw himself into a monumental study of the laws and history capitalism, developing an entirely new economic theory. In preparation for the writing of Capital, he read every available work in economic and financial theory and practice. It is sufficient to read the extensive footnotes of this great book to realise the astonishing amount of painstaking research that went into its elaboration. Marx's ideas, rather than the humble grave (pictured) and ugly monument in Highgate, are his testament / Image: fair use In 1867, he published the first volume of Capital. He spent the rest of his life writing and revising manuscripts for the remaining volumes, which remained incomplete at the time of his death. The remaining two volumes were painstakingly assembled, edited and published posthumously by Engels. The final blow to Marxs health was the death of Jenny von Westphalen, who passed away as a result of cancer on 2 December, 1881, at the age of sixty-seven. Together with the death of his eldest daughter, this was a cruel personal tragedy from which Marx never recovered. It clouded the last years of his life. Karl Marx died of pleurisy in London on 14 March, 1883, passing away peacefully in his armchair. He was buried next to his wife in Highgate Cemetery in London. When he died, a daguerreotype photograph of his father was found in his breast pocket. It was placed in his coffin and interred in Highgate cemetery. His original grave had only a modest stone, now sadly vandalised and largely ignored by visitors who flock to the gigantic monument erected in November 1954 when Marx and his family were reburied on a new site not far from the old one. The Ideas of Karl Marx / Image: Wellred Books The new tomb, unveiled on 14 March 1956, carries the inscription: Workers of all lands unite! and the equally celebrated words of the Theses on Feuerbach: The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways the point however is to change it. But the real monument to Marx is not in Highgate cemetery. It is not made of stone or bronze, but of far stronger and more durable material: the immortal ideas contained in more than fifty volumes of his Collected Works. That is the only monument that Marx would ever have desired. It is the foundation stone of the world working-class movement and the guarantee of its future victory. Alan Woods, editor of In Defence of Marxism The FDA has given another approval to Novartis for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy KYMRIAH, a personalized cell therapy product, the development of which was originated at University of Pennsylvania. Originally approved for children and young adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia, it is now also indicated for adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-Cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy. Product page: KYMRIAH Via: Novartis and Penn Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a disorder of the hearts electrical activity, leading to irregular heartbeats. Fainting and seizures are the most common symptoms for this disease. In most of the patients, the first sign/symptom of the disease appears after the age of 40. Moreover, it is estimated that the risks for the disease increase with pre-existing conditions of cardiovascular disease, diabetes besides others. Therefore, factors such as increasing prevalence of the cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and the growing geriatric population are the major drivers that are estimated to drive the market growth during the forecast period. According to the World Health Organization in 2017, cardiovascular diseases were the main cause of the deaths across the globe. It was estimated that in 2015, approximately 17.7 million people died from cardiovascular diseases, representing 31% of all the global deaths. Of these deaths, an estimated 7.4 million were due to the coronary heart diseases and 6.7 million were due to stroke. Furthermore, the World Health Organization in 2016 reported that an estimated 422 million adults across the world were living with diabetes in 2014. Additionally, it was estimated that deaths due to diabetes were higher in the low and middle income countries as compared to the high income countries. Rising per capita healthcare expenditure and increasing R&D expenses by key players of the market is fuelling the market growth. However, factors such as lack of awareness for this syndrome, stringent FDA approvals and high cost of the surgical therapeutics for the treatment of this disorder are restraining the market growth. View Reports Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5303 The global long QT syndrome market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.50% during forecast period. Intended Audience Pharmaceutical companies Biotechnological institutes Government and Private Laboratories Research and Development (R&D) Companies Medical Research Laboratories Market Research and Consulting Service Providers Segmentation The global long QT syndrome market is segmented on the basis of type, diagnosis, treatment, and end users. On the basis of the type, the market is segmented into long QT syndrome type 1, long QT syndrome type 2, long QT syndrome type 3, and others. On the basis of the diagnosis, the market is categorised into tests, electrocardiogram (ECG), genetic testing, and others. The test segment is further segmented into serum potassium level tests, magnesium level tests, and others. The ECG segment is further segmented into holter monitor, event monitor, and others. On the basis of the treatment, the market is segmented into medication, surgical procedures, and others. The medication segment is sub-segmented into beta blockers, mexiletine, and others. The beta blockers segment, by medication, is further segmented into nadolol, propranolol, and others. The surgical procedures segment is segmented into left cardiac sympathetic denervation surgery, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), and others. On the basis of the end user, the market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, diagnostic labs, research organizations, and others. Key players for global long QT syndrome market The key players for the global long QT syndrome market are Invitae Corporation (U.S.), GeneDx. (U.S.), Asper Biogene (Estonia), Boston Scientific Corporation (U.S.), Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (U.S.), Pfizer Inc. (U.S.), Zydus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (U.S.), Aralez Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Canada), AstraZeneca (U.K), Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited (India), Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (U.S.), Cipla Inc. (India), Mylan N.V. (U.S.), Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Israel), and others. Regional Analysis: Americas dominate the global long QT syndrome market owing to a well-developed healthcare sector and high per capita healthcare expenditures. Apart from this, increasing number of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes as a result of changing lifestyle are estimated to drive the market growth in the Americas. Europe is the second largest long QT syndrome market, which is followed by Asia Pacific. Availability of funds for research, huge patient population, and government support for research & development will drive the market. In 2017, according to the British Heart Foundation, about 2,265,422 cases of coronary heart diseases were registered from 2015 to 2016 in the U.K. Moreover, it was estimated that in 2015, the cost of cardiovascular diseases in the U.K was about USD 18 billion. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region for the market due to the presence continuously developing economies, and presence of huge opportunity in the market. Increasing prevalence of diabetes and growing geriatric population are the factors boosting the market growth within the region. According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of diabetes in the Western Pacific region is increasing and approximately 71,050,100 individuals are estimated to suffer from diabetes by 2030. Request Full Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/long-qt-syndrome-market-5303 On the other hand, the Middle East & Africa has the least share in the global long QT syndrome market due to presence of poor economies and stringent government policies especially in the African region. Majority of the market of this region is held by the Middle East due to a well-developed healthcare sector and huge healthcare expenditure by the developed economies like Qatar, Dubai and others. About US: Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com by Alex Weprin , May 8, 2018 NBCUniversals top ad sales executive, Linda Yaccarino, criticized technology companies for data and brand safety concerns -- while noting that it is up to media companies and marketers to ensure that they have a responsibility for data and and brand safety going forward. Yaccarino made the comments at the Interactive Advertising Bureaus Video Symposium, held Monday in New York City. With the IAB Digital Content NewFronts now over and with the broadcast TV upfront set for next week, Yaccarino teed up something of a preview of what's to come at NBCUs presentation, set for Monday morning at Radio City Music Hall. We are feeling really great about where NBCU is. We feel confident talking about where we are, because there are a lot of companies feeling a lot worse, Yaccarino said. advertisement advertisement It is no secret that a lot of our social media friends are under quite a microscope -- some of us would say, under fire. It is a classic case of fool me once, shame on you; fool clients and consumers over and over again, and something needs to be done about it. Traditional media and TV companies typically do not have those brand safety problems, because they run "premium content," Yaccarino argued. It is something we dont have to think about and our clients dont have to think about. But for clients that dont have this content, or the brands that have no idea what their ad is running next to, unfortunately this time is cause for great alarm, she said. Yaccarino argues that concerns over privacy and data are likewise, all things considered, not equal between media companies and technology firms. My company would never be in that situation [Facebooks data security controversy]. It couldnt be," she said. "Think about why. The FCC would come down on us so fast your head would spin, she said. Even if we could do it ourselves, we would not be in that situation, which got me thinking, why? When you get the opportunity to make the right decision, you make the right decision. Yaccarino added: I wish we lived in a world where we could trust every company to do the right thing every time, but we can't. It was that responsibility that led NBC to create what it calls CFlight, its own-house effort to create a unified cross-platform measurement solution. It was also behind NBCs decision to cut down on the number off ads that appear on the companys platforms, as well as to reduce the clutter. NBCU says it will reduce prime-time ad loads by 10% over the next year, and will reduce ad clutter by 20%. Yaccarino said that the preliminary findings from those reduced ad loads was positive, for both consumers and marketers. It was more engaging for the consumers and more effective for the advertisers, she said. It wasnt the easy thing to do, but it was the responsible thing to do. Adding more business-friendly features, Instagram is adding action buttons so users can reserve services, get tickets, start orders, or book reservations. Specifically, the buttons are being placed within Instagram Direct, the networks direct-messaging platform. Fleshing out the new offering, launch partners include GrubHub, Fandango, Yelp Reservations, OpenTable and Eventbrite. As businesses increasingly view Instagram as a place where business gets done, were committed to making it easier for them to manage their presence on the platform, Instagram said in a statement on Monday. Speaking to the popularity of its messaging platform, Instagram says more than 150 million users have conversations with businesses via Direct each month. Also of note, one-third of those messages begin with an Instagram Story, according to the Facebook unit. For Instagram, adding actions buttons is part of a broader effort to appeal to businesses -- and make more money. Among other efforts, Instagram just recently began rolling out a native payment feature. advertisement advertisement Additional launch partners include Acuity, Atom Tickets, Booksy, ChowNow, Eatstreet, MyTime, Reserve, Restorando, Resy, SevenRooms, StyleSeat, and Tock. Businesses planning to launch action buttons in the near future include Appointy, Genbook, LaFourchette, Mindbody, Schedulicity, SetMore, Shedul and Vagaro. The other option is hair transplantation surgery, which is costly, long-winded, and painful. Thousands of years later, the options are still limited; there are now two available hair-loss drugs minoxidil and finasteride both of which have mixed results and some unpleasant side effects, including allergic reactions, erectile dysfunction , and, paradoxically, hair loss . Because goats never lose their hair, this treatment was supposed to trick the gods into believing that the afflicted individual was, in fact, a goat. For instance, in Ancient Egypt, where premature baldness was thought to be a punishment from the gods, one remedy involved rubbing goat dung into the scalp. Over the centuries, in the hunt for a hair loss cure, no path has been left untrodden no matter how unusual. Consequently, for many years, scientists have made efforts to find a way to combat it. Sometimes, the answer to a difficult problem may come from an unexpected direction. In this instance, researchers have found that a drug designed to treat osteoarthritis might also combat baldness. Dr. Nathan Hawkshaw and colleagues, from the University of Manchesters Centre for Dermatology Research in the United Kingdom, are involved in an ongoing search for a drug to fill this pharmaceutical void. On this quest, they assess existing drugs that are known to be well tolerated. They hope to find a compound that is already safe for human use that may also be useful in treating androgenetic alopecia, which is also known as male-pattern baldness (although it can affect women, too). One drug that piqued their interest was an immunosuppressive called cyclosporine A (CsA). It has been used to help prevent the rejection of transplants since the 1980s. And, one of CsAs side effects is unwanted hair growth. Dr. Hawkshaw took this as his starting point. If they could understand the mechanism at work, it might provide a novel approach to treating hair loss. Using isolated human scalp hair follicles, they found that CsA reduced the expression of a protein called SFRP1. This protein is known to inhibit the growth of tissues, including hair follicles. This explains why CsA promotes hair growth; it effectively takes the brake off of follicle activity. It also offers up a new mechanism to exploit. Dr. Hawkshaw sought an existing drug that would interact with this pathway and, potentially, encourage hair growth. After a long search, he came across WAY-316606, a drug originally designed to treat osteoporosis. WAY-316606 specifically targets SFRP1. To investigate whether the drug might work, the team experimented with donated human hair follicles from people undergoing hair transplantation. Thanks to our collaboration with a local hair transplant surgeon, Dr. Asim Shahmalak, we were able to conduct our experiments with scalp hair follicles that had generously been donated by over 40 patients and were then tested in organ cultures. Using this tissue was important, as Dr. Hawkshaw explains, This makes our research clinically very relevant, as many hair research studies only use cell culture. In fact, previous studies that had looked at the hair growth properties of CsA had drawn completely different conclusions. Dr. Hawkshaw explains, When the hair growth-promoting effects of CsA were previously studied in mice, a very different molecular mechanism of action was suggested; had we relied on these mouse research concepts, we would have been barking up the wrong tree. Their results were published earlier this week in the journal PLOS Biology. Researchers may have found a biomarker for lung cancer, which could soon enable healthcare professionals to detect the disease while it is still in stage 1. Share on Pinterest Physicians may soon be able to detect lung cancer before the tumor has spread, suggests a new study. Lung cancer is the second most prevalent form of cancer in men and women and the top cancer killer among both sexes. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimate that in 2018, 154,050 people in the United States will have died from the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that 1.69 million deaths are brought about by lung cancer worldwide. The main reason behind why lung cancer has such a high mortality rate is that it is often caught at an advanced stage. In fact, around three quarters of people with lung cancer already experience symptoms when they present themselves for a checkup, and, by that point, cancer has usually already spread to other parts of the lungs or elsewhere in the body. The identification of patients at an early stage of cancer when it can be treated surgically, states Yuichi Sato, of the Department of Molecular Diagnostics at the Kitasato University School of Allied Health Sciences in Kanagawa, Japan, is extremely important to improve prognosis. We need better biomarkers for early diagnosis, adds Sato, who led a new study that identified a protein that may help to diagnose lung cancer while it is still in stage 1. According to the ACS, the survival rate for individuals whose lung cancer is diagnosed at stage 1 ranges between 68 and 92 percent . The new protein is called cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 (CKAP4), and its potential as a lung cancer biomarker is detailed in The American Journal of Pathology. Advertisement Lynn Rochester, Professor of Human Movement Science at Newcastle University, leads the gait and wearable technology research across multiple sites in the study.The human movement laboratory at the Clinical Ageing Research Unit, based at the Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, is dedicated to the investigation of gait, balance, and mobility.Professor Rochester said: "How someone walks is not routinely used in clinical trials because the tools needed are typically restricted to specialized labs and one-off testing, missing subtle fluctuations in symptoms."Wearable sensors at home and in the clinic have the potential to change dementia research. The ability to assess gait and walking behaviors in all aspects of life is a major step forward in data collection. Free-living gait analysis at home is particularly useful as it allows objective observation of an individual's day-to-day activity. It also has the benefit of providing continuous data over a prolonged time that may be more sensitive than one-off assessments.""This is an exciting project to be involved in. Gait assessed in this way could contribute to the delivery of more cost-effective clinical trials and may encourage investment and increase the number of such studies in the future." The feasibility study is part of the 6.9m Deep and Frequent Phenotyping Project, funded by the National Institute for Health Research and the Medical Research Council.This is the first major clinical study based on Dementias Platform UK, and the results could be game-changing for research in this area.Six centers from the National Institute for Health Research Translational Research Collaboration in Dementia initiative, including Newcastle University, recruited 20 patients with early Alzheimer's disease. Volunteers wore a small wearable sensor on their lower back. They carried out walking tasks in the laboratory and then went home wearing the sensor for a week, carrying out everyday tasks.Gait is emerging as a potential diagnostic tool for cognitive decline. The tools to quantify gait in the clinic and home, and suitability for multi-center application, have not been examined until now. Findings show data for comprehensive and clinically appropriate measures can be obtained for walking behavior and pattern, and gait characteristics relating to the pace, timing, variability, and asymmetry of walking.Experts have concluded that it is feasible to assess quantitative gait characteristics in both the clinic and home environment in patients with early onset Alzheimer's disease with body-worn sensors.Professor Rochester said: "Body-worn sensors can provide an enriched picture of an individual's gait function and walking activities that could act as a complimentary diagnostic tools for clinicians"."Clinical use of body-worn sensors in annual health assessments could track gait changes over time and act as a red flag for cognitive impairment."Further research is needed to assess the potential of free-living gait as a useful complementary diagnostic marker for dementia.An estimated 46.8m people worldwide were living with dementia in 2015, and with an aging population in most developed countries, predictions suggest this number may double by 2050. Alzheimer's disease starts long before it is noticed by those with the disease or their doctor. Previous studies have shown changes to the brain as early as 10 to 20 years before symptoms arise. If experts can identify the biomarkers present in this very early stage, there may be the chance of treating the disease earlier, which is vital to prevent damage to people's memory and thinking.The Deep and Frequent Phenotyping Project, led by the University of Oxford, is working with eight universities and the Alzheimer's Society, also receiving support from biopharma companies.New biomarkers will be used alone and alongside tests such as brain imaging and assessment of memory and other cognitive functions. They will allow the researchers to recognize the early stages of the disease and those who may be suitable for trials of possible treatments.Source: Eurekalert Saudi billionaire and international investor Prince Al Waleed has entered competition to buy New York famous Plaza Hotel as his investment company, Kingdom Holding, and New York-based Ashkenazy prepare an offer after they exercised the right of first refusal over an offer by rivals to buy the hotel for $600 million. The Saudi billionaire holds 25 per cent of the landmark hotel adjacent to Central Park. The New York Post revealed that the Saudi Prince has refused any other group to manage the 111-year old castle-looking hotel. The media noted that Ashkenazy had purchased a controlling portion of the princes stake in the hotel last year. Kingdom holding of the wealthy Saudi prince and real estate giant group Ashkenazy have been given less than two weeks by sellers to come up with deposit and proofs of fund. The duo has axed a bid by Shahal Khan and Kamran Hakim. Khan, founder of Dubai-based family office White City Ventures two weeks ago took the lead in the acquisition of the hotel. Owners of the hotel are looking to sell their shares, media say, citing sources that do not want to be named. Sahara Group and Vikram Chatwal, have been sorting out a variety of legal issues, the New York media pointed out. Indian Subrata Roy of Sahara has been embroiled in legal issues at home where it is asked to pay millions of dollars to the state. The new acquisition comes as a revival of the prince who has been selling investments following his release in January from prison in an anti-corruption purge driven by his cousin Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman. 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. The anniversary of 9 May symbolizes the realization of the most ambitious and successful model for peace and cooperation in world history: the process of European integration, which contributed to the consolidation of peace and cooperation, democracy, the rule of law and the protection of human rights, as pillars of the modern European political culture. However, this day should not simply be an occasion for celebration, but also an opportunity for reflection and comprehensive evaluation of the course of EU integration. The emerging challenges of our time make it necessary to identify and remedy the inherent weaknesses and shortfalls of the European edifice, including, among other things, the lack of accountability and democratic legitimization. At the same time, we should undertake additional efforts to avoid the establishment of a two-speed system, to strengthen the social state and the values of collective action and solidarity in practice, to take initiatives aimed at growth and at employment of European citizens mainly of young generations throughout Europe and to strengthen Europes ability to protect the security and prosperity of its citizens. The European Union should emerge from this process even stronger, more democratic, more integrated, so that the vision of a better and more just future for its citizens can become a reality. Greece remains committed to the vision of a Europe of solidarity and social justice, of democracy and institutional equality. To this end, it will continue to actively participate in shaping the future of the EU, in order to strengthen democracy, liberty and the rule of law in every corner of the European continent. BAD AXE -- The Huron County Board of Commissioners turned down an opportunity to join a nationwide lawsuit against opioid manufacturers Tuesday. The board unanimously voted against the move. Chairman Sami Khoury was absent from the meeting. Commissioners were concerned about how much it would cost the county in terms of man hours to determine damages and to participate in the suit. "We have expended a lot of money on this (opioid) epidemic -- a lot of time," county Corporate Counsel Stephen Allen told the board. He also called the 153-page suit "compelling." Prosecution, investigation, mental health costs and housing inmates in the Huron County Jail are among expenses to the county, Allen said. However, "If we do it (participate in the suit), it could tie up a lot of our time," he added. Allen spoke with people from the Sam Bernstein Law Firm of Farmington Hills, who said it would take 25 to 40 hours to determine the damages that Huron County has suffered. The Bernstein firm is one of three firms representing municipalities across the state in the suit. Attorneys are asking for 30 percent of damages as payment. Allen could not predict how aggressively the defendants -- pharmaceutical companies, distributors and retailers -- would respond, making it impossible to know how much it would cost the county in answering depositions and other plaintiff responsibilities. Sanilac, Tuscola, Saginaw and Genesee counties are among plaintiffs, as well as the City of Detroit, Macomb County and numerous other municipalities. The plaintiffs are alleging that opioid painkillers were marketed as non-addictive, when in fact, they are. In other business Tuesday, the board approved a bid from H&H Roofing to replace the roof of the Huron County Senior Center for $69,900. That was the highest bid the board unsealed at a recent meeting. Properties Chair Todd Talaski explained that it was also the most complete bid. "As a complete job, they are quite competitive," Talaski said. During public comment, Rich Swartzendruber pointed out that H&H's bid is $30,000 higher than the lowest bid, and 29 percent higher than the second highest bid. He asked for details on why the properties committee endorsed that bid. Talaski responded by saying the complete job by Marlette Roofing would cost $73,000, but this amount was not specified in the main bid. He also noted H&H would use better, warrantied materials than other companies that bid on the project. Commissioner Ron Wruble, who sits on the Properties Committee, affirmed that it was a sound decision, noting that the county would get the most value per dollar by choosing H&H. The board also: Heard grievances from two lieutenants of the Huron County Sheriff's Office in closed session. Personnel Chair John A. Nugent reported before the hearings that it was regarding overtime claims by Josh Powell and Brian Wisenbaugh that Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson denied. The board took no action after coming out of closed session. Decided to hold another interview to fill a seat on the Huron County Planning Commission on May 22 before deciding from among four candidates at that same meeting. Dan Tighe will be interviewed. The remaining candidates, Mike Lorencz, Bill Renn and William McPhee, have already been interviewed for previous openings. The current vacancy was created when Robert Oakes resigned last month. Appointed Bill Gorestki and Lawrence E. Schnettler to the Huron County Zoning Board of Appeals for three-year terms. Received a Finance Committee report from Wruble stating that this year will again feature "exorbitant" costs for the county's Childcare Fund. "We anticipate that this is going to be way out of line again this year," he said. The budget will have to be amended in order to use county funds to cover costs. Employed Kye Jacoby as a part-time deputy sheriff for marine and jail. He will be employed as a marine deputy for the summer, and will be paid different amounts for each position. Permitted Dawn Young to place a display on the lawn of the County Building for the remainder of this month in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. Met Phil Green, who is running for the Michigan House of Representatives 84th District seat. Green, a Republican, introduced himself during public comment. The seat represents Huron and Tuscola counties, and will be vacated at the end of the year by State Rep. Edward J. Canfield of Sebewaing. When a Washington librarian made a polite request for patrons to cease using cheese as a bookmark in her library's books, librarians across the Twitterverse chimed in with their tales of strange library book finds. The May 1 tweet by Anna Holmes was reportedly triggered by the discovery of a Kraft Singles slice, which to some librarians was a tame deposit. HARTFORD The General Assembly on Tuesday passed a ban on bump stocks that enable guns to fire significantly faster, making Connecticut the latest state in the nation to outlaw the controversial devices. "The goal is to eliminate these devices from the market so if there is additional shootings the discharge rate will be slower," said state Sen. Paul Doyle, D-Wethersfield. The Senate voted 26-10 to ban the devices, joining a similar vote in the House last week. The bill now goes to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy for an expected signature. This vote shows that we as policy makers in Connecticut are listening to the overwhelming, collective voices of the people and not powerful lobbyists from the NRA, who are fighting for opposing interests, Malloy said after the vote. States that have also banned bump stocks and other rapid fire devices include California, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Hawaii, New Jersey, Washington, Maryland and Florida. At least 20 states are or have considered banning bump stocks. The Connecticut ban would take effect Oct. 1 and existing bump stocks and other devices that increase the rate of fire would have to be destroyed or turned into the state. Possession in some cases could draw a felony. National polls have shown voters support banning bump stocks, especially considering the 2017 Las Vegas massacre in which 58 concert goers were killed and 851 injured. The shooter, firing above the crowd from a hotel room, attached bump stocks to his various rifles to increase the rate of fire. He discharged 1,100 rounds in less than 15 minutes of firing. Semi-automatic weapons with a bump stock device have been used in a mass shooting where clearly accuracy was not an important criterion to the shooter, said Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven. Pro and con The Senate debate followed typical lines, with some Republicans defending the 2nd Amendment guaranteeing the right to own firearms and supporters of the ban saying bump stocks are not needed and only increase the carnage during a mass shooting. State Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, unsuccessfully attempted to amend the bill so the devices would not have to be destroyed or turned into the state, and would be grandfathered under the law. The amendment also allowed use of bump stocks at shooting ranges, sport clubs and the workplace. The amendment failed by a vote of 21-15. Kissel said a constitutional challenge could be mounted against the law because it amounts to the state seizing a lawfully purchased device. "Its almost a cavalier approach a persons lawfully purchased private property," Kissel said. "When the state makes a decision that property rights can be trumped I believe fundamental fairness dictates that the state owes compensation." Still, not all Republicans supported Kissels amendment. The Senate is divided evenly between GOP members and Democrats. "Bump stocks are just not necessary and its up the states to do something about that," said state Sen. Scott Frantz, R-Greenwich. "Im not sure the federal government is going to do anything about it. Kissel said many of his constituents those who enjoy and lawfully use their guns are tired of having laws directed at them. "We have the strictest gun laws in the U.S. and at some point we dont need any more," Kissel said. "The people who violate the law dont follow these restrictions." Doyle said the issue is availability of the devices. "If you reduce the number of bump stocks available logic says there will be fewer around and when an individual desires to do a shooting there is less risk to the public," Doyle said. Too many lives across the country, including the 58 lives in the tragic Las Vegas shooting, have been lost to these types of weapons, said state Sen. Ed Gomes, D-Bridgeport. These bump stocks have no place in our society, Gomes said. Banning them is the right thing to do to make our communities safer. bcummings@ctpost.com United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has congratulated Lebanon on holding parliamentary elections on Sunday (April 6) and called on the countrys political leaders to work in a spirit of unity. In a statement released Wednesday, Guterres urged the countrys political leaders to present a united front with a view to furthering the ambitious agenda set out by Lebanon and its international partners. The elections represent a vital step in strengthening Lebanons state institutions and consolidating its democratic tradition, added the Secretary-General. The UN chief also said that he looks forward to the formation of the new government. The statement added that the whole UN system would continue to support Lebanon and its sovereignty, stability, and political independence in accordance with the Taif Accord the agreement which ended the decades-long civil war in the country as well as relevant Security Council resolutions. Sundays parliamentary vote was the first to be held since 2009 and also the first since the start of the Syrian crisis, which has driven more than 1.5 million desperate Syrians from their homes and forced them to seek refuge in Lebanon. According to press reports, the polls were marred by a lot of violations. Fights took place in front of the polling stations, some people were seen bribing voters, while others were seen accompanying voters and checking who they were voting for. Some outlets, violating the electoral media blackout, reported on campaigns during Election Day. WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., this week led seven New England senators in seeking to double federal conservation funds for the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. This unique area is dedicated to protecting the 7.2 million-acre Connecticut River watershed, which runs through Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, according to a press release. Preservation of the Conte Refuge is critical to the economic vitality and environmental health of the Connecticut River watershed and surrounding region, including environmentally significant land in Old Lyme, Haddam, East Hampton, East Haddam, Lyme, and Cromwell, Blumenthals office said in the statement. Sens. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-New Hampshire), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Bernard Sanders (I-Vermont) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) represent the four states bordering the preserve. They joined Blumenthal in sending the funding request to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Greg Sheehan, according to the release. The letter seeks a total of $3.5 million for Conte Refuge preservation in fiscal year 2020, double the current $1.75 million allocation. The Conte Refuge plays an important role in the economic, recreational, and community vitality of the Connecticut River watershed and surrounding region, the senators said in the document. Based on FWS research, national wildlife refuges generate about $4 in economic activity for every $1 the government invests in them. In New England, outdoor recreation is a significant economic driver, generating more than $39.4 billion in consumer spending and 319,000 jobs across the four watershed states. The Connecticut River watershed is also accessible to a large and diverse group of citizens, with more than 70 million individuals within a days drive of the watershed, the letter continued. In Connecticut, Conte Refuge Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars have protected a total of 740 acres of the Conte Refuge watershed along the Connecticut River, including, in this fiscal year: - Roger Tory Peterson Estuary in Old Lyme received $580,000 for the preservation of 56 acres. - Salmon River Division in Haddam, East Hampton and East Haddam received $5.3 million for preservation of 494 acres. - Whalebone Cove Division received $3 million for preservation of 160 acres. - Quonatuck-Deadman Swamp received $369,000 for preservation of 31 acres. CHINHAE NAVAL BASE, South Korea -- Certified instructors and refocusing on character are part of a new leadership program launched by the Navy's top enlisted sailor during a tour of 7th Fleet bases in the Indo-Pacific region. The initiative, dubbed "Laying the Keel: Developing the Backbone of our Navy," marks the first significant change since 2011 to how the service trains its enlisted leaders. "We started to realize ... this character piece in developing leaders wasn't as robust," Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steven Giordano said during a recent all-hands call at Chinhae Naval Base. A Navy white paper followed by a year of surveys and focus groups found that competency and job knowledge were acceptable, but there was a problem with how young sailors were being taught to lead, Giordano said. He said the program was born out of sailors' wants, not his office. "This is the U.S. Navy enlisted sailor's initiative that they have proposed forward," he said. Currently, training courses for petty officers -- the middle ranks of the Navy's enlisted -- are done in-house without certified instructors. That's changing. "The critical piece in it all is you've got to have somebody -- up in front of you -- in that room who can actually facilitate the curriculum," Giordano said during a stop in Chinhae as part of an 18-day tour that began April 24 in Guam. Navy officials said a pilot program is underway and the new curriculum should be online by January. Giordano said they are also reimagining the final push to the vaunted Navy chief petty officer rank by revamping the leadership training events and seminars continuously hosted by local commands. The new version -- called Sailor 360 -- will also be rolled out in "Laying the Keel." It replaces CPO 365. "Sailor 360, to be honest with you, is really the vision that was intended for CPO 365," he said. The leadership and scenario-based training, Giordano said, had typically been dominated by chiefs and senior petty officers, but ignored the more junior ranks. He said all ranks -- officer and enlisted -- will be invited to participate in Sailor 360. Giordano told Stars and Stripes after the all-hands call that he hopes an ethos of ownership will come from this program and take over the Navy. "Too often we look to the external to find the answer first, when it's much easier to find the answer when you look into the internal first," he said. He hopes those answers will be found once the new leadership programs hit full steam. "I'm looking forward to how they will own this Sailor 360 process, what initiatives they will put forward and the impact it will have," he said. WASHINGTON -- House lawmakers on Tuesday advanced major reforms for the Department of Veterans Affairs that include an extensive overhaul of the agency's private-sector care programs -- a deal delayed by intense negotiations for more than a year. The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs voted 20-2 to send the legislation to the full House. The bill, titled the VA Mission Act, would alter eligibility criteria for veterans to access private-sector health care, extend benefits for veteran caregivers and initiate a review of VA infrastructure, among other changes. The bill would cost $51 billion over a five-year period, according to preliminary estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. The vote marked the first significant step forward for long-debated changes to the VA Choice program, which was created after the VA wait-time scandal in 2014 to ease demand on VA services. The program faces funding challenges, and rules governing who is eligible to access private-sector doctors through Choice are considered by many people to be bureaucratic and restrictive. The bill has the support of the VA, White House and major veterans organizations. "I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime, transformational bill," said Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., the committee chairman. Democrats on the committee balked that some of their provisions failed to make it into the final draft of the bill. Republicans shot down several amendments that Democrats offered Tuesday. Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the ranking Democrat on the committee, was concerned about potential funding issues for the VA's private-sector care programs. He was one of the Democrats to vote against the measure. "Put simply, the VA Mission Act, a policy designed to create a permanent solution for VA community care, lacks a sustainable source of funding to ensure that care is provided and protected in the long term," Walz said following the hearing. Roe argued Tuesday that the "time for negotiations has come and gone." "It's a really good bill," he said. "Is it everything I want? No. We did this so we could get a four-corners agreement and get it to the president's desk and get the uncertainty done with." There's a sense of urgency to push the bill through Congress by May 28, which is Memorial Day. VA Acting Secretary Robert Wilkie sent a letter to lawmakers Monday, calling on them to quickly pass the legislation because of another looming funding shortfall in the VA Choice program. He warned lawmakers that the program would run out of money as early as May 31. Once the funds run out, veterans won't be able to secure private-sector appointments through the program. "This will have a dramatic, negative impact on our veteran population," Wilkie wrote. The Mission Act includes $5.2 billion for the VA Choice program, intended to keep it running until May 2019 when new rules for private-sector care would be implemented. In a tweet May 3, President Donald Trump also urged Congress to pass the bill by Memorial Day. "I will sign immediately!" Trump wrote. The Mission Act would require the VA to grant veterans access to the private sector if they and their VA doctor agree it's in their best interest. A host of issues could be considered when making that decision, including whether the veteran faces an "unusual or excessive burden" to accessing a VA facility. The bill also introduces the possibility of veterans receiving access to the private sector if their closest VA is determined "deficient" compared to other VA and non-VA facilities. If a veteran's request for private-sector care is rejected, they could appeal it through the VA's clinical appeal process, the bill states. Leaders of 38 veterans organizations signed a letter of support for the bill Monday, calling it a "balanced approach" to handling private and VA health care. "Since the access and waiting list crisis exploded in 2014, Congress, VA and veterans leaders have debated how best to strengthen and reform the delivery of veterans health care to ensure timely and seamless access for enrolled veterans," they wrote to lawmakers. "The legislation before the committee would take a major step towards that goal." Besides revamping private-sector cares programs, the VA Mission Act contains a gradual expansion of caregiver benefits to veterans injured before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Through a VA caregiver program implemented in 2010, benefits such as monthly stipends, health insurance, medical training and access to home health aides are available to family caregivers of post-9/11 veterans. Caregivers to veterans injured before 9/11 see it as an unfair discrepancy, and along with veterans organizations, they've been fighting for a change for years. Under the bill, caregiver benefits would become immediately available to veterans injured before May 7, 1975. Two years after the bill is enacted, veterans injured between 1975 and 2001 would be eligible. A process to take stock of VA infrastructure problems is also included in the VA Mission Act. The bill would create a commission tasked with reviewing VA buildings nationwide and recommending which ones to keep and where the VA could invest. Getting rid of old and underused facilities was one of former VA Secretary David Shulkin's priorities for the department. Under his watch, the VA began the process last year of disposing of or finding another use for 430 vacant or nearly vacant buildings. The VA was also reviewing another 784 buildings that are still in use. If the measure is approved, the asset-review commission would conduct its work in 2022 and 2023. Roe intends to have the bill named after Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and retired Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas, to honor their military and civil service. Both men were prisoners of war in Vietnam. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday that the U.S. military has at the ready constantly updated plans to use force to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons and the means to do so if diplomacy fails. "We maintain military options because of Iran's bellicose statements and threats," he said at a hearing of the Senate Defense Appropriations subcommittee, and "those plans remain operant." Mattis was responding to questions from Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, who said the risk of war had "dramatically increased" following President Donald Trump's announcement Tuesday that the U.S. is withdrawing from the international agreement to rein in Iran's nuclear programs. The SecDef said diplomacy is his first choice, but "we are always updating those plans" for the military option. "It's a constant. The plans are updated as rapidly as needed." Funding in the current defense budget is sufficient to back up the contingency plans for Iran and he does not anticipate asking Congress for supplemental funding, Mattis said. Sen. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, questioned whether Trump has authority under existing laws and the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) to order a "unilateral attack" on Iran. "I'd prefer not talk about a hypothetical case like that," Mattis said, but "everything that we are doing, and you can see it with Korea, we're diplomatically led on this. We're not talking about any default to war." In his prepared remarks and in response to questions, he said the U.S. must seek to build on what remains of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was enacted in 2015 under the Obama administration and primarily aimed at reining in Iran's nuclear ambitions. The plan was agreed to by the so-called "P5 plus one" -- the U.S., France, Britain, China and Russia as the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany. Mattis said Trump's announcement ended U.S. participation in the JCPOA and would lead to re-imposing economic sanctions that had been lifted under the agreement. However, "we will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, and will work with others to address the range of Iran's malign influence" throughout the Mideast, he added. French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that the other signatories are prepared to continue with the JCPOA despite Trump's withdrawal. In a phone call to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Macron said France wants to maintain the JCPOA "in all its dimensions," French media reported. Mattis said Iran's "malign activities" are evident in conflicts and terror attacks in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. In Syria, the regime of President Bashar al-Assad is "still in power today, still murdering his own people" with the backing of Iran. A main factor in Trump's decision to withdraw from the JCPOA, Mattis said, was that "we found it inadequate for the long-term effort" aimed at curbing Iran's destabilizing influence in the region and limiting its ability to develop nuclear weapons. Several Democrats on the subcommittee questioned how withdrawing from the JCPOA would contribute to the goals Mattis set out. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, said, "The president's decision yesterday, I believe, is not only wrong but reckless." He said the agreement Trump scrapped had put inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency on the ground in Iran and they had confirmed that it was living up to the JCPOA. "You have acknowledged that," Durbin told Mattis. Neither Mattis nor Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford disputed that they had repeatedly affirmed JCPOA was working in terms of verifying Iran's compliance on nuclear programs, but they deferred to Trump's decision. "It was not a hasty decision," Mattis said, suggesting that there had been a vigorous debate at the White House. In the end, "the president affirmed [JCPOA] was not being lived up to." Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, read back to Dunford his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee last July in which he said he was "not aware of any violations" of the JCPOA and "I believe it is in the nation's interest to continue to implement the Iran nuclear agreement." Dunford replied that "the president has changed the policy," and "my job now is to adjust to that reality." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. The Defense Department is again accepting F-35 Joint Strike Fighters after suspending deliveries from its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin Corp., over a disagreement over who would pay to correct corrosion issues due to a production error. The F-35 Joint Program Office resumed acceptance of new stealth fighters May 1; deliveries had been on hold since March 29, according to spokesman Joe DellaVedova. JPO, along with "the U.S. services, international allies and Lockheed Martin, have implemented a comprehensive corrective action plan to make the necessary repairs to all aircraft while minimizing impact to operations," he said in a statement to Military.com on Tuesday. "The majority of aircraft will be complete within 24 months, with the remaining aircraft completed as their availabilities/modification timing allows," DellaVedova added. "This remediation plan will ensure the warfighter continues to receive an affordable and quality weapons system from industry," he said. The decision to resume delivery was first reported by Reuters on Monday. Related content: The problem could have affected as many as 200 aircraft, according to a report from Defense News. The problem originally surfaced in September, with officials stopping delivery the first time in the fall, Defense News said. Military officials on April 12 confirmed that deliveries had again been temporarily suspended because of corrosion issues in fastener holes "that were drilled and not corrected or properly treated found during an inspection at Hill Air Force Base, [Utah]," said Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the Air Force's military deputy for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition at the Pentagon. "We do not see it as a long-term problem, and if we have an operational need for the aircraft, we have discussed [it] with [Vice] Adm. [Mat] Winter," Bunch told lawmakers during a House Armed Services subcommittee at the time. Winter is the director of the F-35 Joint Program Office. Michael Friedman, a Lockheed spokesman, said an agreement was reached on correcting the problem but did not disclose who will end up paying the bill. "The Pentagon has resumed accepting F-35 aircraft, following an agreement between the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin to effectively and efficiently address the F-35 hole primer issue," Friedman said. "While we don't discuss specific cost figures and contracting terms, we have a comprehensive plan in place to effectively and efficiently address the F-35 hole primer issue," he said in an email. "All F-35 production continued during the delivery pause, and Lockheed Martin remains on track to meet its delivery target of 91 aircraft for 2018. "Fourteen of the Lot 10 F-35 aircraft had been delivered to the military, Bunch said, but five remained with Lockheed: three F-35As for the Air Force, one for Norway and one for Australia. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. On May 8, 1945, people flooded the streets, waved banners and all but mauled American troops in hugs, as the Allies marked the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany's armed forces. Having endured years of death, disaster and genocide during World War II, many Europeans and Americans could have only dreamt that such a day would arrive. On this day in history, VE Day, America and its allies breathed a collective sigh of relief as the bloodshed and suffering in Europe was finally ended. Hitler was dead, as were his plans for a Thousand Year Reich. Victory in Europe, at last, was realized. Victory was never certain, as the Allies had engaged in deadly air-to-air combat against Luftwaffe, and ground forces fought their way through Nazi Panzer divisions and armored columns of divisions. Fighting had been particularly intense after the June 1944 D-Day Invasion, with many lives lost. By the beginning of April, the Allied forces had begun to see signs that the war was in its final days. It was also at this point that the Allies finally became aware of the magnitude of the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis at concentration camps such as Ohrdruf, discovered by American troops on April 4th. According to a book titled The Day the War Ended: May 8, 1945 - Victory in Europe, author Marin Gilbert explains that the discovery of the camps horrified Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, and he quickly alerted Congress of the grim discovery. Throughout April, Allied forces liberated camps and sent remaining German troops scurrying. Gilbert states, On April 21, the Germans evacuated the concentration camp at Sachsenhausen, 18 miles north of Berlin, marching the inmates towards the Elbe. One of the marchers, the Czech-born Kurt Cierer, then 19, recalled, We could tell the end of the war was coming; all along the way we saw signs that the German Army was crumbling. Dr. Robert Oliver, Air Force Historical Support Division, told Military.com that as the grip of Allied forces tightened around Germany, the pressure became too much for Hitler to face. He committed suicide on April 30, 1945. On May 7th, Hitlers successor, Karl Donitz, signed the unconditional surrender of the Germans, to take effect on May 8, 1945, the date now known as Victory in Europe Day (VE Day). The years of death and destruction had taken an unimaginable toll. As news of the German surrender spread, spontaneous celebrations erupted all over the world. The New York Times headline of the day read, End of the Ugly Dream. Mollie Panter-Downes, an English novelist, described the scene in London: American sailors and laughing girls formed a conga line down the middle of PiccadillyThey were the liberated people who, like their counterparts in every celebrating capital that night, were young enough to outlive the past and to look forward to an unspoilt future. In New York City, massive crowds gathered in the streets, waving flags. President Harry Truman dedicated the celebrations to his predecessor, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had died only a month earlier. While World War II would linger in the Pacific until August 1945, VE Day signaled change, relief and a major turning point for a world beleaguered by war. This article has been updated to reflect the acceptance of Germany's unconditional surrender. Stay on Top of Your Military Benefits Military benefits are always changing. Keep up with everything from pay to health care by subscribing to Military.com, and get access to up-to-date pay charts and more with all latest benefits delivered straight to your inbox. HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- As the U.S. Air Force debates switching from its Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) to the Army's Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniform, troops here gave Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson a sneak peek into the possible replacement's fit and function. Wilson changed into an OCP-pattern uniform Thursday before attending a mission demonstration by an Air Force Special Operations Command special tactics team at Hurlburt and Eglin Air Force Base's training ranges. During the exercise, she spoke with airmen about their opinions on the uniform. "The focus has been, 'How do we make it easier [and] what works for airmen,' " Wilson told Military.com the next day. Military.com accompanied her on the base visit. Related content: The uniform must be right "for both men and women. From a cost perspective, but also from a functional perspective," she said. Reiterating feedback from airmen during the trip, she added, "[A] uniform isn't only a uniform, it's a piece of equipment. And that's not a bad way to think about it. How do we give our airmen the equipment that they need to be lethal and do their job?" Airmen have criticized the ABU -- first issued to recruits in 2007 -- because they are required to add it to their wardrobe but don't utilize it as much as other uniforms, many say. AFSOC officials said OCP is more about switching camo patterns, not necessarily getting an altogether new uniform. Airmen and pilots operating downrange already wear the Army Aircrew Combat Uniform, known as the A2CU, which has OCP-patterned fabric and the same fire-retardant properties as a flight suit. But some airmen also wear a two-piece, OCP-pattern camo utility pattern that does not have the same fire retardant material; it does have different pocket placement and velcro closures, among other characteristics. The cost associated with switching uniforms is another concern. According to a leaked presentation, titled "ABU to ACU-OCP Transition Decision" and posted in March on the Facebook page Air Force Amn/Nco/Snco, it would cost roughly $450 million to switch airmen to the ACU within 24 months if the start date begins Oct. 1. That's only if the Air Force wants to move as quickly as possible. Other options include pushing the decision to next year, costing the service $125 million for a 48-month transition, with all airmen receiving new uniforms by 2024. But there are advantages to streamlining the service to a single combat uniform. And the current uniform often requires tailoring to fit properly, Wilson said. For example, the service is working on how to best accommodate female pilots and aircrew with uniforms and gear that fit well. Wilson said the Air Force has come up short in that area. "Women have been integrated into the force for a long time, and some of uniforms still don't fit right. And not just our uniforms, [but] our equipment," she said. "We're trying to make sure [OCP] works for all airmen, not just some airmen." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. DeVante Cosby (left) and Joshua Chun Wah Kam prepare for Love Thy Neighbors Day at Hope College on April 14, 2018. (J. Scott Park | MLive.com) On being queer and Christian Christian colleges are finding themselves increasingly at odds with growing societal pressure to affirm the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. This current generation of LGBTQ students at Christian colleges is tired of the theological gymnastics required to navigate what it means to be gay but not act gay, in order to play a respectable role in the church. They refuse to choose between being Christian and being LGBTQ. Scroll down to learn more about 16 current students and alumni who identify as LGBTQ and why they decided to attend Christian colleges and universities. Don't Edit Photo provided by Andrew Deeb Andrew Deeb - 2016 graduate of Concordia University Ann Arbor Andrew Deeb was told he had to move off campus when he fully transitioned to male during his second year at Spring Arbor University. Deeb, now 25, from Ann Arbor, decided to enroll at SAU after a year at Washtenaw Community College because he wanted to major in worship arts and be part of a Christian community. He ended up transferring from SAU to Concordia University in Ann Arbor, where he said he felt more welcome. He graduated from Concordia in 2016 with a degree in pre-seminary studies and theological languages, and he's now attending seminary in San Francisco. "(Spring Arbor University) really didn't have policies in place for essentially what to do with transgender students. ... They classified me as this third group that wasn't really allowed in a lot of spaces on campus," Deeb said. Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com Joshua Chun Wah Kam - 2017 graduate of Hope College Joshua Chun Wah Kam, 21, is one of the students who launched the 95 Stories project at Hope College this academic year, which highlighted instances of racism and homophobia on campus in an effort to prompt the college to offer more support to students in those minority groups. Chun Wah Kam is originally from Montana and grew up in Malaysia. He is an orthodox Christian and applied to a mix of Christian and public colleges before landing at Hope due to the financial aid offerings and "genuine warmth" he saw there. Chun Wah Kam, who is gay, graduated in December 2017 with a double major in history and classics. He said he loved his time at Hope enough to want to improve the college's approach to LGBTQ issues. "The LGBT community is often tolerated and sometimes embraced, as long as they're willing to toe the line - the line being that Hope is ultimately a conservative college and you knew that when you came here," he said. Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com Caitlin Stout - graduating senior at Spring Arbor University Caitlin Stout, 22, has become a de-facto leader of the not-so-underground LGBTQ community at Spring Arbor University this academic year. SAU was a natural choice for Stout, a lesbian, because she grew up in nearby Jackson and wanted a Christian college education. She completed the credits for her degree in sociology with a minor in urban studies in January, and she will start seminary this summer. "I've very much learned what church is supposed to look like from LGBT people," Stout said. "Church is supposed to be a community of healing and a community where you can be authentically who you were meant to be. I think it's a community of people who are able to bear each other's burdens and hurt together but also rejoice together and build each other up. And that is what I've found with my LGBT family." Don't Edit Photo provided by Aubs Thompson Aubs Thompson - 2014 graduate of Calvin College Aubs Thompson, 26, graduated from Calvin College in 2014 with a degree in social work, and she now works at a domestic violence shelter in Grand Rapids. A Grand Rapids native, Thompson attended a Christian high school and her father is a professor at Calvin, so it was a natural choice for her to attend the college. She didn't come out as a lesbian until after she had graduated from Calvin, because she didn't think the disclosure would be well-received on campus. Thompson would like to see Christian colleges change their policies to be more affirming of LGBTQ rights, and she says it's important for students attending Christian colleges to be prepared for a diverse workforce. She now describes herself as spiritual, rather than a Christian, because of negative experiences she and her friends have had with Christian institutions. "It's confusing enough to come out as queer and figure out your sexuality, but it makes it even harder when the place that's supposed to educate you and support you, doesn't," Thompson said. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo provided by Gabe Gunnink Gabe Gunnink - 2014 graduate of Calvin College Gabe Gunnink found Calvin College to be a welcoming place for LGBTQ students. Gunnink, now 27, came out as gay during his fourth year at Calvin, and he got involved with the Sexuality And Gender Awareness student group. He said Calvin administrators met regularly with SAGA representatives during that time to get feedback on the campus climate. Gunnink, a Grand Rapids native, went to a Christian high school and his dad works at Calvin, which influenced his decision to go there. He graduated from Calvin in 2014 with a degree in secondary education and spent three years teaching in Grand Rapids before moving to Seattle, Washington. "Even though on paper (the Christian Reformed Church) has fairly conservative stances, it's a very academic and very thoughtful denomination," Gunnink said. "... Definitely at Calvin, there was a sense that there's nothing that we can't talk about and have dialogue about and try to learn about." Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com Kevin Sroufe - 2015 graduate of Spring Arbor University Kevin Sroufe grew up in Dundee attending Baptist churches, where he learned it is not OK to be gay. He thought attending Spring Arbor University would help him set aside his attraction to men and instead become the person the Christian community wanted him to be. Sroufe, now 25, came out as gay during his freshman year at SAU, where he graduated in December 2015 with a degree in psychology. He now works at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. Sroufe said he was happier after he came out and learned to accept himself, rather than trying to change who he was to fit in with the church. He said he is no longer religious. "Spring Arbor is a Christian college talking about love and acceptance, but they don't do a good job of showing that to their students. ... I still love Spring Arbor. I love the community," Sroufe said. "I just hope it gets better for future students." Don't Edit (J. Scott Park | MLive.com) DeVante Cosby - Hope College student Going into his final year at Hope College, DeVante Cosby has stepped up to lead the 95 Stories project. Cosby, 22, is originally from Chicago. He said his family is not very religious, and he decided to attend Hope because of the available financial aid - plus he liked the smaller campus. He's majoring in political science. Most of the slights Cosby said he has experienced on campus are related to his race. The fact that he's gay is not as visible, he said, but it's important to him to be out about his sexual orientation. "Being out and being myself, for me, is also an act of resistance," Cosby said. Don't Edit Photo provided by Bastian Bouman Bastian Bouman - graduating senior at Calvin College Bastian Bouman, 22, will graduate from Calvin College this spring with a degree in writing. The Grand Rapids native applied to a mix of Christian and public colleges, and he said Calvin ended up feeling like the right fit. Bouman said he realized he is asexual during his freshman year at Calvin. Bouman found a sense of community in the Sexuality And Gender Awareness student organization at Calvin. People involved with that group are at different stages in their journey in understanding their identities as part of the Christian community and LGBTQ community, Bouman said. The campus environment is inclusive of LGBTQ students, he added, and he's been more worried about how some of his peers will react to disclosures of his sexuality. "A lot of students are coming from more conservative backgrounds. The way of being respectful the college is trying to model is not always picked up immediately, or ever in some cases," he said. Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com Michael Vazquez - director of Brave Commons About six months ago, Michael Vazquez, 27, founded Brave Commons, an advocacy organization for the intersectional LGBTQ community at Christian colleges. A Chicago resident and pastor, Vazquez has been meeting with students from Hope College, Calvin College and Wheaton College in Illinois to provide support and talk about how they can influence their colleges to be more inclusive of LGBTQ students. As some Christian universities face declining enrollment and budget issues, Vazquez said an undercurrent in college administrators' conversations around LGBTQ issues is wondering what will pay off financially. "There's a lot of attachment around 'What are we doing to keep our doors open long-term?' and 'What will our donors say if we move in a direction that's more progressive?' ... So much of this is tied back to the money, more than theology," he said. Don't Edit Don't Edit (Photo courtesy of Alex Hood Photography 2018) Alex Meyers - law student at University of Detroit Mercy Alex Meyers, 27, is in his third year at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where he's president of the Student Bar Association and OutLaws, an LGBTQ group for students in the law school. The Bloomfield native attended a Catholic high school and completed his undergraduate degree at Central Michigan University. Meyers said he decided to attend Detroit Mercy for law school because the smaller school would give him more access to his professors. He said he's had a positive experience at Detroit Mercy, which is affiliated with the Roman Catholic church, and he's found the campus to be welcoming to LGBTQ students. "Overall, it's a phenomenal university," Meyers said. "I'm so glad I chose to come to Detroit Mercy Law. They've definitely made an effort - and I am very thankful for that - to reach out to the queer community." Don't Edit Alexandria Alveshere (left) poses with her wife Mandi. (Photo provided by Alexandria Alveshere) Alexandria Alveshere - 2015 graduate of Calvin College Alexandria Alveshere grew up attending Presbyterian and non-denominational churches, so when she realized during her sophomore year at Calvin College that she is attracted to women, she thought she would go to hell. Eventually, Alveshere, now 24, came to terms with her sexual orientation, and she came out publicly as a lesbian during her junior year. She graduated from Calvin in 2015 with a degree in chemistry and is now pursuing a master's degree in chemistry in Vermont, where she lives with her wife. Originally from Peoria, Illinois, Alveshere said she wanted to attend Calvin because she saw it as a good place to grow as a person in addition to getting a quality education. Toward the end of her time at Calvin, Alveshere said there was more conversation on campus about what it meant to be LGBTQ and part of the church. She said she was willing to accept gradual progress in affirming LGBTQ Christians because she had personally just gone through a shift in mindset on the issue. "People were talking about the gays in this sort of abstract sense, and they didn't know that I was gay and sitting right there," Alveshere said. Don't Edit Scott Greife-Wetenhall (left) poses with his husband Chad. (Photo provided by Scott Greife-Wetenhall) Scott Greife-Wetenhall - 2009 graduate of Spring Arbor University Scott Greife-Wetenhall was outed as a gay man to Spring Arbor University by a relative of his ex-girlfriend, and university staff told him he could not actively engage in homosexual behavior during his time at SAU. Originally from the Flint area, he had decided to attend SAU in an effort to fulfill his parents' expectations and live out the Christian values they had taught him. But going into his sophomore year of college, Greife-Wetenhall was tired of pretending to be straight. He graduated from SAU in 2009 with a degree in business administration. Greife-Wetenhall, 33, now lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with his husband, and he identifies as agnostic rather than Christian. "Big picture, I knew what I was getting into when I chose that school. ... I knew that it was going to be an issue eventually," he said. "There's plenty of colleges and universities and community colleges out there. They're not forcing people to come there. People choose to pay to go there." Don't Edit Photo provided by Kenzie Burt Kenzie Burt - 2017 graduate of Calvin College Kenzie Burt found the support she needed at Calvin College to sort out her identity and her sexuality. She came out as a lesbian during her junior year in college but was never very outspoken about her sexual orientation. Burt, 22, graduated from Calvin in 2017 with a degree in social work, and she now works at a crisis call center in Grandville. The Fremont native grew up attending Christian schools and Christian Reformed churches, so Calvin was a natural choice for her for college. Burt said she found it helpful to go to counseling at the on-campus center as her identity evolved, and the Rev. Mary Hulst, the college chaplain, was supportive. Burt also appreciated on-campus events that addressed sexuality, including a panel of LGBTQ Christians who shared their stories. Burt attended that panel when she was early in her own coming out journey. "I thought, 'Either I can continue on this path that I'm going on and not accept me for who I am, or I can accept myself and love myself.' ... It's pretty miserable to not let people you love know who you are," she said. Don't Edit Hope College students and alumni made banners to welcome prospective students to campus on April 14, 2018. (J. Scott Park | MLive) Heidi Schaetzl - graduating senior at Hope College Heidi Schaetzl, 21, helped start the 95 Stories project at Hope College this academic year after feeling excluded on campus. Schaetzl, from Lansing, is a panromantic asexual, meaning she seeks romantic relationships with both men and woman for reasons like companionship, and she is not sexually attracted to her partners. She grew up in the Catholic church and said her priest accepts her for who she is. Schaetzl has felt uncomfortable during class assignments at Hope that ask students to weigh in on gay rights - with the assumption that no one in the class is attracted to someone of the same sex. Schaetzl stopped going to chapel because she thought many of the sermons were geared toward heterosexual people who want to get married and have children. She will graduate from Hope this spring with a degree in education. "For all its flaws, Hope has a lot of good things about it," Schaetzl said. "The benefits outweigh the negatives on Hope's campus. ... Now that my eyes have been opened (to ways the campus could be more inclusive), I'm trying to change it and leave it better than I found it. But it's a slow process." Gabrielle Schropp - graduating senior at University of Detroit Mercy Gabrielle Schropp joined the LGBTQ student group at University of Detroit Mercy during her freshman year of college, although she didn't come out as bisexual until her junior year. Schropp, 21, grew up attending a Lutheran church in her hometown of Muskegon. Now she goes to a non-denominational church, and she said she doesn't feel tension between her faith and her sexuality. She chose to attend Detroit Mercy for its financial aid offerings, and she liked the smaller campus environment. Schropp will graduate this spring with a degree in social work, and she said the university generally has an open-minded attitude toward the LGBTQ community - with the exception of transgender students who may face complications with the gender-based housing options. "Overall, the university really does go well with the Christian ideas of 'come as you are' and 'love thy neighbor,'" Schropp said. Don't Edit Don't Edit (Courtesy of Sarah Hendriksen) Matthew Chaffee - Calvin College student Matthew Chaffee is wrapping up his first year at Calvin College, and he hasn't tried to hide the fact he's gay. Chaffee, 19, said people have responded positively when he's disclosed his sexual orientation, and he feels the campus climate overall at Calvin is welcoming for LGBTQ students. Chaffee was drawn to the sense of community he saw at Calvin during campus visits. Both of his parents went to Calvin, as did many of his classmates from the Christian high school in Grandville he attended. Chaffee doesn't think sexuality should be a central focus for the Christian community, and he doesn't like to emphasize that single aspect of his identity. "It's a part of who I am, but it's not something that I focus on all the time because it's just one small aspect of who I am," Chaffee said. Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive Read the rest of the series LGBTQ students at Christian colleges refuse to choose between sexuality and faith Here's what Christian colleges have to say about LGBTQ issues Recent grad to Christian colleges: LGBT issues are not going away Following a decision on Tuesday by the United States to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, the United Nations chief said he was deeply concerned by the move, and called on all parties to preserve the deal. President Donald Trump made the announcement at the White House, and immediately afterwards signed a memorandum to begin reinstating economic sanctions on Iran at the highest level. In a statement released shortly afterwards, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: I am deeply concerned by todays announcement that the United States will be withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and will begin reinstating US sanctions. I have consistently reiterated that the JCPOA represents a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation and diplomacy and has contributed to regional and international peace and security, he added. The JCPOA reached by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the US and the European Union sets out rigorous mechanisms for monitoring restrictions placed on Irans nuclear program, while paving the way for the lifting of UN sanctions against the country. It is essential that all concerns regarding the implementation of the Plan be addressed through the mechanisms established in the JCPOA, Guterres stressed, adding that issues not directly related to the JCPOA should be addressed separately. The UN chief called on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments and on all other Member States to support the agreement. The European Union (EU) on its part said it deeply regrets the announcement by US President Trump to withdraw from the JCPOA. The JCPOA, unanimously endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, is a key element of the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture and is crucial for the security of the region, said the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in a statement on behalf of the EU. As long as Iran continues to implement its nuclear related commitments, as it has been doing so far and as has been confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 10 consecutive reports, the EU will remain committed to the continued full and effective implementation of the nuclear deal, the statement said. The lifting of nuclear related sanctions is an essential part of the agreement. The EU has repeatedly stressed that the sanctions lifting has a positive impact on trade and economic relations with Iran. The EU stresses its commitment to ensuring that this can continue to be delivered, Federica Mogherini added. The JCPOA is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy which has been working and delivering on its main goal. The EU is determined to work with the international community to preserve it, she said. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a statement via its Spokesperson, reiterating the fact that according to its December 2015 Board of Governors report, the Agency had no credible indications of activities in Iran relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device after 2009. At the Board of Governors meeting in March this year, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said Iran was still abiding by the deal and IAEA inspectors had been given access to all sites and locations, upon request. If the JCPOA were to fail, it would be a great loss for nuclear verification and for multilateralism, he said. Whatever They Told You About Essay Writer Bot Is Dead WrongAnd Heres Why A crucial strategy in the school placement exam essay is really to take advantage of all of times which is jobless. Very great examples could convince your audience to realize that your purpose of perspective if incorporating words that will help you realize your 200-word limitation. Consequently, they can really feel confident setting essay orders with us realizing that we will not disappoint. The Hidden Truth About Essay Writer Bot The Best Way to Write a Custom Paper Essay Most custom papers ought to be submitted by reliability and deadline is very crucial. 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According to local media, he met his doctor last week during a stopover to refuel in London on the way back from the US. The 75-year-old has left Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in charge, just as he did during the previous medical leaves. The move sparked strong criticism from opposition groups, who accused him of being unfit for office. The presidency has not disclosed the nature of the presidents ailment, which has led to speculation in Nigerian media and on social media. Last month, Buhari declared he would run for re-election next year on the ticket of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) party. The decision put an end to months of speculation concerning the future of his political career. Minister: Only Georgia Has Free Trade Agreement with EU, China in Region By Tea Mariamidze Finance Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated that Georgia is the only country in the region with the free trade agreement with the European Union and China.The minister made the statement at Manila, Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) annual meeting held on the sidelines of the 51st Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank (ADB).He said Georgia is involved in all regional projects.This is a very interesting market. However, we need to better integrate this region into the world economy. In my opinion, this should be the main goal. Of course, Georgia and the South Caucasus region can play a major role in this. Georgia is the only country in the region, which has a free trade regime with both the EU and China, he stated.Bakhtadze said that building of a joint border point with Azerbaijan was one of the issues discussed at the meeting.I would like to emphasize the importance of the private sector involvement, since the economic model will not be effective without the private sector. In this regard, the experience of Asian Development Bank is important, he added.Moreover, the minister thanked Asian Development Bank for implementing private public partnership in Georgia.The region needs more sustainable development. This requires development of small and medium enterprises. Creation of synergy between CAREC and BRI initiatives is important and we should use it. Georgia is very willing to do this in the near future. We will be happy to share our experiences with our colleagues," the Finance Minister said.Within the framework of the CAREC, Bakhtadze met President of Asian Development Bank, Takehiko Nakao and discussed the issues of successful cooperation between Georgia and the ADB.The minister assessed the meeting as very fruitful, saying ADB is one of the largest donor organizations for Georgian economy.About $250 million is invested annually in the infrastructure of Georgia through the bank. We discussed the possibility of growth of ADB portfolio in Georgia in order to enable funding of more infrastructural projects in the country. We welcome the fact that the ADB participates in other reforms of Georgia, including Capital Market Development Reform, Pension and Education Reforms," he added.As of today, the amount of funding allocated by ADB to Georgia is estimated at $2.4 billion.Georgia has been a member of the Asian Development Bank since 2007. NGO GYLA Releases Report About Georgian Public Broadcaster By Vladimer Napetvaridze On May 2nd, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) published the survey about Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB), which was prepared based on official documents, including the information obtained from the Public Broadcaster and the Ministry of Finance. According to the survey, there are many flaws in the work of the organization.The main source of funding of the GPB is the state budget and the amount of funding changes every year according to state Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to the law about public broadcaster, the GPB budget should be at least 0.14% of state GDP.The budgetary funding of the Georgian Public Broadcaster is increased every year and has exceeded 50 million GEL by 2018. Despite the budget growth, ratings of the GPB, which is the best indicator of the performance of the television, has not increased. In 2017 the rating of GPB was significantly lower than the ratings of the other major channels, like Imedi TV, Rustavi 2 or GDS.The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association evaluated the influence of the increased budgetary funding on the rating of the Public Broadcaster. According to the data published by the organization, the funding of GPB is the highest among all other Georgian TV channels but compared to the GPB, the ratings of Imedi Rustavi 2 are seven times higher.The 2017 ratings of the Georgian TV channels evaluated by company TV MR and their annual funding are as follows:- Georgian Public Broadcaster 42.3 million GEL; Rating 0.68%;- Rustavi 2 32.3 million GEL. Rating 5.04%;- TV Imedi 26.9 million GEL, Rating 5.28%;- GDS 18.9 million GEL, Rating 1.06%;GYLA survey shows that the GPB spends more than half of its budget on staff salaries. For example, in 2018, more than 27 million GEL will be spent on the remuneration of employees. According to the data of 2017, people are employed in the broadcaster (both state and non-employee). According to the same research, in 2017, after Vasil Maglaperidze was elected as a General Director of the Public Broadcaster, the number of broadcaster employees increased by 35.The given data makes the last amendments in the Law about the Public Broadcasters, even more controversial. According to the new amendments, the company will no longer have to announce public procurement calls when purchasing media products or services.The Public Broadcaster will be able to place commercials throughout its entire airtime, except non-working days and working day primetimes (from 19:00 to 24:00). The total Length of commercials per 24 hours will be increased from 30 to 60 minutes, while the amount of free airtime for social ads will be decreased from 24 to 12 minutes. Beside this, GPB will also be allowed to accept sponsorship of programs and TV series.Annual budget of GPB is GEL 52,5 million and according to the proposal company will no longer be obliged to return unused funds to the state budget. GPB will also be allowed to use budgetary funds for supporting start-ups and innovative television, radio and online products, and for fostering development of the broadcasting field.Nine-member board of trustees will no longer be able to carry out reforms without the director generals consent.These changes will put GPB in a privileged financial position comparing to other Georgian TV channels. However,according to the survey, large amount of resources does not necessarily influence ratings. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Lenders of Jaypee Infratech May 9 rejected Lakshadweep Pvt Ltds Rs 7,000-crore offer to buy the bankrupt company as the bid was found too low, sources told Moneycontrol. A committee, representing over a dozen creditors of Jaypee, overwhelmingly turned down the offer. Creditors accounting for 85.5 percent of the companys Rs 9,800-crore debt voted against the proposal while only 6.5 percent sided in its favour. The rest abstained. For the offer to succeed, creditors accounting for 75 percent of the companys debt had to approve the offer. IDBI, the largest lender with 44.3 percent share in the companys debt, led IFCI, India Infrastructure Finance, Life Insurance Corp of India, Union Bank of India, Axis Bank, Syndicate Bank and Corporation Bank in rejecting the bid, one of the sources said. Lakshadweep was the sole remaining bidder to buy the stressed assets of the Jaiprakash Associates subsidiary. The company has been run by an insolvency professional, appointed by the National Company Law Tribunal, for almost nine months now. Lakshadweep had earlier outpaced Kotak-Realty Cube and the Adani Group to emerge as the highest bidder for the Noida-based real estate developer and Yamuna Expressway operator. But Lakshadweeps prospects dimmed after several creditors objected to the offer, saying it was too low for the company. According to a note prepared by IDBI Bank, Jaypees largest lender, the companys actual value stands at Rs 17,111 while its distress value is pegged at Rs 14,548 crore. Lakshadweeps Rs 7,000 crore bid pegged Jaypees value at less than half of IDBIs distress scenario number. Even though Jaiprakash Associates and its promoters fight to retain the company isnt over yet, they can now heave a sigh of relief. This is because, besides the NCLT, the companys is also being heard in the Supreme Court as a matter of general public interest. Under normal circumstances, the promoters would have had little hope of saving their company from going out of their fold -- Essar Steel, Bhushan Steel, Binani Cement being prime examples of that fate but for the case being heard as a public interest one. Sources told Moneycontrol that Jaiprakashs Rs. 10,000-crore offer to the creditors, made Monday, protects the interest of not just these two parties but also that of home buyers. The parent and the arm are yet to deliver 18,000-19,000 flats to the buyers, having completed around 14,000 of them so far. Jaypee has offered full compensation for delay in delivery by the builder. There is also no dilution of equity and so no shareholder suffers, a source said. Included in the offer is an upfront payment of Rs 1,250 as cash to the creditors. All eyes are now on Supreme Court which hears the case May 11. Jaiprakash has so far deposited Rs 750 crores with the Courts registry, a compliance that should sit well with the Court while adjudicating the matter. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Drug maker Glenmark Pharma will have to respond by May 12 on a show-cause notice issued by Indian drug regulator that found deficiencies in its clinical trial protocols. The deficiencies include an alleged falsification of patient enrollment data at Malpani Multispecialty Hospital in Jaipur in connection with phase two trial of companys osteoarthritis pain drug (GRC 27864) tested on patients. Glenmark was also pulled up by the Office of Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for inadequate monitoring of the trial at the site," S Eswara Reddy of DCGI said in the notice. You as a sponsor of the clinical trial have failed to monitor the clinical trial activities at the site and take remedial measures to ensure that clinical trial is conducted in accordance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,1940 and Rules,1945, OCP Guidelines, Schedule Y and other applicable regulations, said the DCGI in the notice on May 2. DCGI issued notices to both Glenmark the sponsor of the trial and Dr Rajiv Gupta, the Principal Investigator who is administering the trial, on May 2 and asked them to respond within 10 days of receipt of the notice. Moneycontrol has seen copies of the two notices. Glenmark had suspended the clinical trial at Malpani Hospital on April 22. Onus on Malpani Hospital The company has put the onus on Malpani Hospital for data discrepancies in informed consent form (ICF) and other deviations of clinical trial protocols. The company said trials of the same drug are progressing as per the plan in other clinical sites. Glenmark has been conducting clinical trials in India and around the world since many years. Patient safety and regulatory compliance are of utmost importance to us, the company said in a statement. Glenmark added that Malpani Hospital is a CDSCO-approved site for clinical trials and it has been conducting trials for many companies, including multinationals, over the past several years. As soon as we became aware of the alleged irregularities at Malpani Hospital, we immediately suspended the trial at the site in the interest of patient safety. Further we would like to state that we have all the requisite approvals in place for the trial at the site and have already submitted all supporting documents of our approvals to the regulator, the statement added. The DCGI swung into action after media reports emerged about a group of men from Rajasthans Churu district filed a complaint alleging that they had been duped into participating in a clinical trial at the Malpani hospital. The men alleged of falling unconscious and woke up many hours later and have been feeling pain in their body since. The phone numbers and addresses provided by the three clinical trial subjects in the informed consent forms (ICF) related to the drug were found to be falsified. The drug inspectors also found the basic infrastructure lacking at the Malpani trial site including lack of ventilation, air-conditioning, washroom, bed spacing, among others. The DCGI also found non-compliance with respect to patient enrolment process. Malpani Hospital, however, said that around 25 persons reported for the trial, but were found unsuitable as they were below the age of 40. The hospital said it had asked them to go back and gave each person Rs 500 as travelling expense. Sloppy implementation The DCGI notices have once again put the spotlight on sloppy implementation of rules and protocols by certain investigators, clinical trial sites and those sponsoring them. Clinical trials are a sensitive subject globally and more so in India, where the healthcare activists allege that there is a danger of poor and vulnerable be used as guinea pigs for the lure of money. The clinical trial industry is steadily recovering from the disruption caused in 2013 when the government under pressure from courts, health activists and Parliament followed by series of deaths allegedly linking to clinical trials brought draconian changes to ensure patient safety and data integrity. The forced many clinical research organizations (CROs) to shut shop in India, also dashing the hopes of any potential new drug from India. According to IQVIA - less than 1.4 percent of global clinical trials are carried out in India with 17 percent share of global population and huge disease burden. Understanding the complexities of the industry - the government has started to relax the rules by simplifying compensation guidelines and reducing the average timelines for approvals from two years earlier to 6-7 months. "This is a clear case of data integrity, it clouds the credibility of the clinical trial itself," said an executive of a CRO - who didn't want to be named. "This also points out to lack of oversight by the regulator over clinical trial sites," the above person said. Flipkart Walmart Global retail giant Walmart announced on Wednesday that it would buy 77 percent of online retailer Flipkart for USD 16 billion, as it made an elephant-footed entry into Indias exploding e-commerce market. This will be Walmarts second attempt to get into Indias retail market. In 2013, it pulled out of its wholesale joint venture with Bharti Group. It's been four years since Walmart ended its partnership with Bharti Enterprises and now the company is trying to tap the USD 630-billion Indian retail market. Walmarts investment in Bharti is under scanner amid allegations that the global retail chain may have entered Indias front-end multi-brand retail business two-and-a-half years before the government actually lifted the ban on foreign investors in the sector. Also read: Walmart buys 77% of Flipkart for $16 bn; global retail giant to bring in fresh equity of $2 bn Bharti Walmart, an equal venture between Bharti Group and Walmart, jointly ran wholesale stores under the 'Best Price Modern Wholesale brand. But in 2013, the companies parted ways and decided to work independently. Walmart India currently operates 21 B2B Best Price cash-and-carry stores and one fulfilment centre in 19 cities across nine states in India. The retail giant intends to scale up with plans to create millions of jobs through supply chains, commercial opportunity and direct employment. By 2020, India's retail sector is expected to double up to USD 1.1-1.2 trillion from USD 630 billion in 2015, according to a FICCI and PwC report. Walmart now plans to support small businesses and 'Make in India through direct procurement as well as exports. It will partner 'kirana (neighbourhood grocery stores) owners and members to help modernise their retail practices and adopt digital payment technologies such as PhonePe, which is owned by Flipkart. The American retail giant also intends to scale up its sourcing of Indian merchandise and farm products, which, according to the company could result in an increase of an estimated USD 7 billion in farmer incomes, comparable to doubling of the incomes of an estimated 6-6.5 million rural households. Also read: Flipkarts journey from a bookseller platform to Indias largest e-commerce company The company said it will also invest in supply chains and cold storage infrastructure, helping reduce food wastage. Beginning 2019-20, Walmart anticipates an annual (EPS) headwind of around 60 cents per share comprising operating losses of approximates USD 0.40 per share, assuming minimal tax benefit losses. In 2013, Scott Price, Walmart's chief executive for Asia, in a report by the New York Times said, "Indian government's regulations requiring foreign retailers to buy 30 percent of products from local, small and midsize businesses were the "critical stumbling block" to operate its trademark consumer stores." A search panel headed by the Cabinet Secretary will interview nine shortlisted candidates on May 10 to find a successor to RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra, who completed his three-year term in July last year. Out of about 40 applications received, the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointment Search Committee (FSRASC) has shortlisted nine names who will appear for interview scheduled tomorrow, sources said. Some of the bankers who have been shortlisted are IDBI Bank managing director M K Jain and SBI managing directors B Sriram and P K Gupta. A few other names from the private sector and some serving bureaucrats have also been called for interview, sources said. As per the RBI Act, the central bank should have four deputy governors two from within the ranks and one commercial banker and another an economist to head the monetary policy department. The search panel also includes RBI Governor, Financial Services Secretary and some independent members. Although interviews were conducted on July 29 last year, the government decided to start the process all over again in January this year. According to the public notice published on the ministry's website earlier this year, applicants should have at least 15 years of experience in banking and financial market operations. Besides, applicants should have extensive experience as a full-time director or board member and possess understanding at a very senior level, of supervision and compliance in the financial sector, it had said. The last date for sending application to the finance ministry was February 20. The appointment will be made for a period of three years and the person will be eligible for reappointment, it had said. The deputy governor will draw a fixed salary of Rs 2.25 lakh per month plus allowances, it had said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The fast approaching deadline of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) may not have seen a major spike in job offers, but recruiters expect up to 3,000 openings to arise once the regulation comes into force. The vacancies will be for capabilities that will help companies comply with the regulatory change. Recruitment consultants that Moneycontrol spoke to said that at present only about 100-200 jobs are on offer for such roles and that too because of generic needs and not on account of GDPR. They added that the numbers will go up once GDPR comes into force and companies realise that the existing manpower is inadequate to meet the needs. The GDPR is a new law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union and lays down the rules for transfer or export of data outside the EU. It will come into effect on May 25. The main aim of the GDPR, as per its website, is to protect all EU citizens from privacy and data breaches in an increasingly data-driven world. Under GDPR organisations in breach of GDPR can be fined up to 4 percent of annual global turnover or 20 million euros (whichever is greater). This is the maximum fine that can be imposed for the most serious infringements e.g. not having sufficient customer consent to process data or violating the core of Privacy by Design concepts, the GDPR website explains. The new rules also specify how data of EU citizens is kept and stored with third parties. All over the world, companies that have business in EU, whether consumer or enterprise facing, will require an increased level of compliance with the new law, and have several checks and balances to deal with data protection and privacy. Kamal Karanth A, co-founder of specialist staffing firm Xpheno said that there is not yet a big spike in the numbers and it is scattered. Only when the GDPR Act comes into force will we see a spike in the hiring. It is anticipated that about 2,000-3,000 people will be required for this space post the Act. This includes professionals in the data security and data privacy space. However, the plain fact is that we do not have adequate manpower in the country, he added. Though companies are making do with existing talent, Aditya Narayan Mishra, CEO, CIEL HR Services said that there is a lack of availability of people with the requisite skills in India. Hiring is not in large numbers but India will catch up in due course. At present, the legal departments, cybersecurity professionals and information officers are building capability or looking at GDPR-related certifications to help organisations deal with the upcoming change. Indias information technology sector, which has a significant presence in Europe, is gearing up to face the new requirements posed by the new GDPR regime. Rituparna Chakraborty, Executive Vice President, TeamLease Services said that there is no sudden spike in the talent requirement. IT companies are manned enough right now. They have suitable staff to meet the requirements. But it is a given that due to GDPR and otherwise, cyber security professionals are critical for companies and India has an under-supply. Fortis Healthcare | Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd increased stake in company to 5.02 percent from 4.96 percent earlier via open market purchases. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More In an open letter on Thursday, four directors of Fortis Healthcare have urged the shareholders to take an "informed decision" while voting on a resolution that sought their removal at the company's upcoming extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on May 22. The open letter comes just a day ahead of the crucial board meeting to decide on the fate of binding bids. Fortis minority shareholders East Bridge Capital and Jupiter India Fund in April called for convening an EGM to remove the members of board on grounds that the Board failed to exercise its fiduciary duties towards all shareholders and has failed to maintain expected levels of corporate governance. "In our opinion, the current members of the board do not fairly represent the interest of all shareholders and the company, and considering the recent events, their continuance on the board is untenable,'' said East Bridge Capital and Jupiter in their notice calling an EGM. The four members of the board - Brian W. Tempest, Harpal Singh, Sabina Vaisoha and Lt Gen. Tejinder S. Shergill - have in the letter tried to explain the rationale behind several of their decisions including the controversial one of accepting just the binding offers from bidders. "The company given its immediate financing needs has (considered) binding offers that could deliver the requisite funds and allow the Company and its management to focus on its business of operating and running hospitals. As members of the current Board and keeping in mind our fiduciary duties, we think it is imperative that the company does not lose any more time and considers the offers in hand as adequate and substantive," the open letter said. "At the same time, we want to ensure transparency and independence in decision-making. Thus, we have formed an independent expert advisory committee (EAC) to advise the board along with our financial advisor,'' the letter added. The four directors also stressed the point that they have appointed three members suggested by minority shareholders East Bridge Capital and Jupiter India Fund. The three members are - Suvalaxmi Chakraborty, Ravi Rajagopal and Indrajit Banerjee. The letter said that their decision of considering only binding bids was also supported by the new members. The letter added that almost all the bidders who had submitted bids had been engaged at various points of time over the past 18 months with the company but had not made any concrete offers. IHH Healthcare undertook a detailed diligence exercise in mid- 2017 and so did KKR (KKR-backed Radiant Life Care put in bid), the letter said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More IndoStar Capital Finance, a leading non-banking finance company, initial public offering is opening for subscription today. The issue will close on May 11, 2018. The price band of the issue is Rs 570-572 per equity share of face value of Rs 10 each. The IPO lot size has been set at 26 shares, which at the upper end of the price band accrues to Rs 14,872. The company plans to raise Rs 1,800-2,000 crore including fresh capital worth Rs 700 crore. The company's equity shares are proposed to be listed on the National Stock Exchange and BSE. JM Financial, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, Morgan Stanley India Company, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors, Nomura Financial Advisory & Securities are book running lead manager for the issue. Link Intime India is registrar to the issue. The company has raised a little over Rs 553 crore from anchor investors. Brokerage: Mehta Equities | Rating: Subscribe In a very short time span of 6 years, Indostar has built healthy corporate lending business & strong relationships with leading corporates to grow better than industry growth. It has also forayed into the SME segment in 10 major cities of India which accounts for more than 20% of credit book. Considering parameters like institutional investors ensuring corporate governance standards, better CV business cycle, decent asset quality through robust credit assessment, strong credit rating and reasonable valuation makes this offer a rewarding investment on long term horizon. Hence we recommend investors to subscribe on the issue. Brokerage: KRChoksey Research | Rating: Subscribe The company started out primarily catering to the corporate. However since last 2-3 years, it has diversified into retail lending as well. As of today, the corporate book forms about 77% of the total exposure while SME forms another 22% and rest being housing and vehicle finance combined. The company is backed by an experienced and professional team. Favorable macros should help Indostar pursue growth in both corporate and vehicle finance segment. At the upper price band of INR 572 per share, the company is valued at Rs 52.1 bn which translates into P/B (x) of 1.9x on a trailing basis. We recommend to subscribe. Brokerage: HDFC Securities IndoStar Capital Finance is a leading non-banking finance company registered with the RBI as a systemically important non-deposit taking company. It recently expanded its portfolio to offer vehicle finance and housing finance products. Its housing finance business comprises two business lines, affordable housing finance and retail housing finance. It operates its housing finance business through wholly-owned subsidiary IndoStar Home Finance. The company's vehicle finance business primarily involves providing financing for purchases of used or new commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles and two-wheelers. Brokerage: Aditya Birla Capital Securities | Rating: Subscribe The valuations are reasonable with PE of 23x on FY18E EPS and P/ABV of 1.9x for the company having strong RoA, adequate capital, strong management pedigree and is expected to deliver steady earnings growth performance. The company has a well-diversified funding profile, having relations with 14 PSU banks, 13 Pvt sector banks, 21 mutual funds and 4 insurance companies and other financial institutions. It has managed to maintain its stable asset quality despite exposure to corporate sector which has been under stress in recent years. The risks include high corporate credit exposure, rising bond yields and depreciation in currency. Brokerage: ICICIdirect | Rating: Avoid At the IPO price band of Rs 570-572, the stock is available at a multiple of 1.8x FY18E annualised BV (post issue) and 23.6x PAT at the upper end of the price band. Post issue market capitalisation is priced at Rs 5200 crore. Factoring in major proportion of wholesale portfolio with high real estate exposure, we recommend avoid on the issue. The company has achieved a long-term debt rating of AA- and short-term rating of A1+ within its very first year of inception of business. Currently, the long-term debt rating is at CARE AA-; Stable and IND AA-/Stable, respectively, from CARE and India Ratings & Research. Brokerage: SMC Research | Rating: 2.5/5 The company provides lending to 4 lines of business, i.e., corporate lending, SME lending, vehicle financing and housing financing. Between the fiscal year 2013 and 2017, total credit exposure and total revenue of the company grew at a CAGR of 30.0% and 31.4%, respectively. Since fiscal year 2013, profit after tax of the company has grown every year, registering a CAGR of 23.7%. The Company intends to continue to expand its scale of operations primarily through the implementation of the four pillars strategy wherein they operate each business line as an independent profit centre with its dedicated management team. Brokerage: Ajcon Global | Rating: Subscribe Indostar maintains clear segregation between their sourcing and credit approval teams so as to ensure independence and effectively manage operational risks. The enterprise-wide loan management system integrates all activities and functions within their organization under a single technology and data platform, bringing efficiencies to their back-end processes. As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2017, the Gross NPAs accounted for 1.4% and 1.7% of the companys Gross Advances, while the Net NPAs accounted for 1.2% and 1.3% of the companys Net Advances, respectively. Brokerage: Arihant Capital | Rating: 4/5 The issue has been offered at a price band of Rs 570-572 per equity share. At the upper price band of Rs 572, the stock is available at price-to-book value multiple of 2.74(x) its BVPS post listing of Rs 208.8 as at Mar 2017. Considering the business model, we have 4 star rating for the issue. The competitive strengths includes, high asset quality achieved through robust credit assessment and risk management framework, highly motivated, professional and experienced management team and ownership by institutional investors ensuring international corporate governance standards. IPO live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The Company operates its housing finance business through theirwholly-owned subsidiary IndoStar Home Finance Pvt. Ltd. TheCompanys lenders included, among others, 14 public sector banks,13 private sector banks, 21 mutual funds, 4 insurance companies and other financial institutions. The distribution network included approximately 548 personnel in their in-house sales team, and approximately 949 third-party direct sales associates (the DSAs) and other third-party intermediaries who are empaneled with them.As of February 28, 2018, they conducted their retail operationsthrough 71 branches across India and the central support office in Mumbai. As part of their efforts to grow retail operations, Indostar has opened their 100th branch in Vadodara, Gujarat, on April 6, 2018. In their SME lending and vehicle and housing finance businesses, their branches act as the primary point of sale and assist with the origination of loans, various collection processes and enhancing customer service, while their central support office provides support functions, such as loan processing and credit monitoring. Indostar maintains clear segregation between their sourcing and credit approval teams so as to ensure independence and effectively manage operational risks. The enterprise-wide loan management system integrates all activities and functions within their organization under a single technology and data platform, bringing efficiencies to their back-end processes. At the upper end of the price band, the issue is valued at 2.2times of Q3 FY18 book value (pre-IPO) and 1.9 times of bookvalue on a post dilution basis which is at a discount to peers inlisted space trading at a P/BV multiple of 3-5x. We believe thethe discount in the valuation is also owing to lack of presence ofthe Company in retail segment. However, the Companys recentfocus on retail segments like vehicle finance and affordablehomes is expected to support the yield and improve the assetquality in the future. With due consideration to factors likea) established strong corporate lending business, b) expandingportfolio to vehicle finance, c) continue to grow in SME lendingand also entered housing finance business, d) growth in creditexposure and PAT at CAGR of 30 percent and 27 percentrespectively, e) well diversified funding profile, f) robust riskmanagement and high quality assets: only 2 NPAs in corporatelending, g) strong capital sponsorship of Everstone and other institutional investors. h) robust profitability metrics: NIMs of 6.9 percent and Cost/income ratio of 27.6 percent, i) superior return ratios with 3.8 percent of RoAA and RoAE of 10.9 percent, we recommend SUBSCRIBE to the issue. For all IPO stories, 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 The News in Brief Prime Minister of Georgia Urges Population to Observe Smoking Ban The head of the Georgian government, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to carry out control on execution of the tobacco regulations, which entered into force only three days ago. The new law on tobacco control came into force on May 1st. Georgia is becoming the leading country in this region in regards to tobacco use. In Georgia, the number of tobacco-related deaths is 22% and 10% in the world. This is a catastrophic rate. I urge the population and ask them to understand this law. We have to protect our citizens from tobacco smoke, especially children. I call upon the Ministry of Internal Affairs to carry out an effective control on execution of the law, the PM said. Tobacco ban prohibits smoking in buildings with the exception of houses, psychiatric clinics, penitentiary facilities and casinos. Smoking of cigars is only allowed in cigar-bars where food products must not be sold. Moreover, smoking ban applies to electronic cigarettes and Hookah as well, which are not allowed in restaurants and bars. Legal entities, which violate the ban and let people smoke in closed buildings, will be fined GEL 500 and if repeated, the fine will be doubled. As for ordinary citizens, in case of violations, they will face GEL 50 fine but if repeated, they will be fined 100 GEL. In case of smoking at public transport, the violator will be fined 100 GEL. Tbilisi Metro Workers dont Go on Strike Tbilisi Metro workers decided to not go on strike on Thursday, as they had announced before. The employees demand increased salaries and better working conditions. The representatives of metro workers Trade Union -Unity 2013 explained that their employer Tbilisi Transport Company was given a 30-day deadline to reach a consensus on the issue. Otherwise, the Metropolitan staff will strike 30 days later. They also reported that Tbilisi Transport Company contacted old employees of the metropolitan, some of which were fired several years ago and offered to replace the current workers. The employees believe this might be dangerous for the passengers, due to the fact that the system has been modernized and the current staff has undergone special trainings. Earlier last month, metro workers addressed the Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs, demanding the appointment of a mediator, which resulted into a mediation process. Several days ago Unity 2013 held a meeting at the Mayors Office and with their employer company; however, they were refused a raise. Kaladze called on the metro employees to stop the ultimatum, adding the metro will not stop functioning. "Many meetings were held in the City Hall, where we explained them the reality and economic situation in the municipality. We explained them that it was impossible to satisfy their demand, he said. The mayor stated that the City Halls aims at improving working and financial conditions of all people living and employed in Tbilisi. I am well aware of the work of these people, but the attitude, the approaches we've heard over the last days from them, are totally unacceptable, Kaladze said. (Prepared by Mariam Chanishvili) Companies in which promoters held on to their stake have given multibagger returns in the last one year. As many as 65 stocks in which promoters maintained their stake in during January-March rose 150-900 percent in the last one-year, data compiled from AceEquity shows. Stocks like HEG, Godawari Power, Graphite India and Dolat Investment gained 914 percent, 444 percent, 525 percent and 659 percent, respectively. Most stocks belong to the small and midcap space where capital requirements change in a short span of time and pledging of shares is a common practice. As many as 161 companies on the BSE whose share prices more than doubled saw their promoter holding staying steady. Companies in which promoters have not resorted to increase or decrease their shareholding indicates stability in the company which in turn is reflected in its stock price. Before taking an investment decision, identifying promoters stake in the company is a crucial element to examine the soundness of the business, apart from financial ratios. Since pledging shares to the lender is common in business, a study of patterns in which it is executed or pledged is important for investors, Dinesh Rohira, Founder and CEO at 5nance.com, explained. He added that though pledging creates long-term value for the business, it leads to high stock price volatility as it indicates management inability to generate working capital requirement from business operations. Steady stake in the business creates a value proposition from the managements perspective and wellness of ongoing business operation. It indicates better times ahead for the business. Apart from getting a big thumbs up from investors, most of these companies enjoy healthy credit quality which makes them borrow at a relatively lower rate in comparison to an entity with a fluctuating promoter holding. Experts feel investors should not ignore stocks in which promoters have raised their stake. As many as 28 companies saw promoters raising their stake in the March quarter when compared to the December quarter. These companies include Bhansali Engineering, GNA Axles, Indiabulls Ventures, Minda Industries, Shakti Pumps etc. among others. Ritesh Ashar, Chief Strategy Officer at KIFS Trade Capital, said investors looking to buy into a stock should see if the promoters have increased their holding, which is a positive. "Promoters are also investors and look for bargains to increase their stake when they are confident of a companys business potential. Though this is an indicator, it is not the only indicator to assess whether to buy or not. In Q1 CY18, a report pegged the value of shares pledged by promoters of BSE-listed companies at Rs 2.40 lakh crore, a decline of 20.8 percent quarter-on-quarter. So, what should investors do when promoters start pledging their stake? Experts say though this is a normal business practice undertaken by promoters to meet a companys working capital needs, it is important to study past patterns. 5nance.coms Rohira also shares this view. Reduction in promoter holding A number of promoters have used the recent market rally market to pare their stake. Besides uncertain market momentum, profit-booking at higher levels has been one factor behind the fall in promoter stake, experts suggest. As many as 36 companies saw a fall in promoter holding in the March quarter. These include V-Mart Retail, MIRC Electronics, Jindal Steel & Power, Prakash Industries, NOCIL, NIIT Technologies etc. among others. KIFS Ashar feels it is important to find out the reasons for such a low/high holding and then take a necessary call on current or future investments. Where the stake sale is in favour of the company it is a positive signal. Following US President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, oil prices on Wednesday surged. Investors are betting on paucity of the commodity arising out of the sanctions that are likely to be imposed by the US. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the US will pull out of the landmark nuclear accord with Iran, dealing a profound blow to US allies and potentially deepening the President's isolation on the world stage. "The United States does not make empty threats," he said in a televised address. Trump's decision means Iran must now decide whether to follow the US and withdraw or try to salvage what's left of the deal. Iran has offered conflicting statements about what it may do and the answer may depend on exactly how Trump exits the agreement. Trump said he would move to re-impose all sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the 2015 deal, not just the ones facing an immediate deadline. This had become known informally as the 'nuclear option' because of the near-certainty that such a move would scuttle the deal. Kotak Securities believes the decision could exacerbate the global crude supply-demand deficit and keep prices elevated in the near-term. In our view, it is the right time for the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)/non-OPEC cartel to consider raising crude supplies to accommodate the shortfall in global crude availability amid declining inventories, the brokerage said in a report. The decision needs to be taken, it said, to mitigate: (1) the ongoing crude supply-demand deficit due to declining production from Venezuela/Mexico and (2) a further increase in deficit from potential re-imposition of sanctions on Iran. It highlighted that the cartel has already achieved its objective of reducing crude inventories below its five-year average in terms of forward demand cover and even absolute volumes are expected to fall below its five-year average in coming months. If the cartel continues its production trajectory, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) inventories may fall sharply during the current year, compounding constraints of global crude availability, it added. This is likely to moderate crude prices in the medium-term. The brokerage likes GAIL India and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) over oil marketing companies (OMCs) on the back of higher crude. While near-term prices could be elevated, an indifference on OPECs part could incentivise growth in the US shale oil production (and Canadian oil sands), which may jeopardise the cartels significance in the medium- to long-term. The recent rally in global crude prices has led to an increase in drilling activities and consequent increase in oil production from US shale basins. We do see near-term bottlenecks in the US and Canada, which may restrain incremental supplies over the next 12 months, as both midstream pipelines are operating near full capacity utilisation, it said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Complying with the Supreme Court order, embattled real estate firm Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) deposited Rs 100 crore with the Supreme Court registry on Wednesday, sources said, adding that the company has deposited a total of Rs 750 crore out of Rs 2000 crore. The apex court had on April 16 directed Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) to deposit Rs 100 crore with its Registry by May 10. The next date of hearing is on May 11. The amount is part of the Rs 2,000 crore the top court had directed Jaypee Associates to deposit with its registry to pay the homebuyers of Jaypee Infratech seeking a refund of their money. Thousands of homebuyers, who had invested in projects floated by Jaypee Infratech for almost a decade, had moved the apex court. The NCLT had on August 10 last year admitted IDBI Bank's plea to initiate insolvency proceedings against the debt-ridden Jaypee Infratech for defaulting on a Rs 526-crore loan. Homebuyers, however, are not satisfied. Manoj Gaur has passionately made a bid of Rs 10,000 crore for reclaiming Jaypee Infratech. Why isnt the payment of Rs 2000 crore directed by the Supreme Court being made in a single shot? Further, it has taken almost eight months to deposit about one-third of the required amount and it seems that home buyers sufferings will be stretched further if Supreme Court does not take punitive action, said Abhishek Dubey, a lawyer based out of Delhi and a buyer himself. The amount deposited by JAL should be utilised for payment of delay penalty to the home buyers. The winning bidder shall refund Rs 1300 crore (calculated at 2009-2010 price) to refund seekers because it will get to keep the inventory of flats and sell them afresh at the prevailing market price with a premium because of the Jewar airport. Supreme Court should look at this aspect in the May 11 hearing, said Dubey. Earlier, the bench headed by Chief Justice Deepak Misra had directed the company to deposit Rs 100 crore by April 16 and the rest by May 10. The Supreme Court had asked it to submit a project-wise chart of home buyers seeking refund so that the amount can be dispersed on pro-rata basis. "At present we are concerned with the refund and will take later the issue raised by home buyers who want delivery of flats," the top court had said. Jaiprakash Associates had then informed that only 8 percent of 31,000 home buyers have opted for refund and rest want the possession of flats. The Supreme Court on December 15 had granted JAL time till January 25, 2018 to deposit Rs 125 crore for safeguarding the interests of hassled home buyers. JAL had deposited Rs 425 crore with the Apex Court registry by December 15, and had to deposit another Rs 125 crore by December 31. It had then asked for a two-month extension. Earlier this week (May 2018), Jaypee Group promoter Manoj Gaur made an offer of over Rs 10,000 crore to the lenders of Jaypee Infratech. SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son Masayoshi Son, CEO of Japanese firm SoftBank, has confirmed that Walmart has acquired a majority stake in Flipkart. The Walmart-Flipkart deal was sealed on Tuesday night, Japan Time, Son was quoted by Reuters in a conference call after SoftBank reported earnings. He added that SoftBank's investment in the Indian online marketplace had almost doubled. SoftBank is the largest investor in Flipkart and holds about 20 percent stake in the e-tailer. Moneycontrol had reported earlier that SoftBank, which owns 20.8 percent stake in the company will exit completely. The Masayoshi Son-controlled Japanese company will make a neat profit by selling its stake in Flipkart, with its investment of USD 2.5 billion set to fetch about USD 4 billion, a gain of 60 percent. Flipkart and Walmart are yet to make a formal announcement, though sources told Moneycontrol that it could be out within hours. Moneycontrol had reported earlier that Walmart has signed a definitive agreement to acquire about 75% of online retailer Flipkart. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, a government-supported research agency, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to reach USD 64 billion by 2020 and USD 200 billion by 2026 from USD 38.5 billion as of 2017. With growing internet penetration, internet users in India are expected to increase from 481 million as of December 2017 to 829 million by 2021. This will be Walmarts second coming of sorts for Indias retail market. In 2013, it pulled out of its wholesale joint venture with Bharti Group. Gartner's Research Director, Adrian Lee, said in a statement, "Expect the status quo to remain within the year after the Flipkart-Walmart deal is completed. This is an extension of Walmarts global expansion strategy. This should not be observed without mention to Alibaba Groups intent to become the third player in India. To be updated. Global retail giant Walmart announced on Wednesday that it would buy 77 percent of online retailer Flipkart for USD 16 billion, as it made an elephant-footed entry into Indias exploding e-commerce market. The remainder of the business will be held by some of Flipkarts existing shareholders, including Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, Tencent Holdings Limited, Tiger Global Management LLC and Microsoft Corp Walmarts foray into Indias online retail space set the stage for an American business war against Amazon.com Inc in the worlds fifth largest economy. India is one of the most attractive retail markets in the world, given its size and growth rate, and our investment is an opportunity to partner with the company that is leading transformation of eCommerce in the market, said Doug McMillon, Walmarts president and chief executive officer. Also Read: Why Walmart is investing in a loss-making Flipkart The deal valued Flipkart at USD 20.8 billion. Walmart will also be investing USD 2 billion directly by infusing fresh equity in the Bengaluru-based company founded by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal (they are not related) in October 2007. It was not immediately known whether Google-parent Alphabet Inc, with whom Walmart is reportedly partnering for its India e-commerce foray will bring in fresh investment into Flipkart, for a stake in the company. As part of the deal, co-founder and executive chairman Sachin Bansal will exit completely, selling his 5.5 percent stake. Binny Bansal will sell about 10 percent of his current holdings, lowering his stake to about 4.5 percent from the current 5.1 percent. Also read: The beginning of a new bout between Walmart and Amazon Binny Bansal will take over as the as the new Executive Chairman and Group CEO of Flipkart, implying he will also be steering the ship for Myntra, Jabong and PhonePe. Krish Iyer, president and chief executive officer of Walmart India, will continue to lead that part of the business Kalyan Krishnamurthy will continue in his current role as the Flipkart CEO. Flipkarts existing shareholders including US-based Tiger Global Management and Accel, will exit partially and retain small stakes. Tiger Global Management will pare its holdings by 60 percent, bringing its stake to 8 percent from the current 20.6 percent. Sources indicated that these investors will likely have the option of selling their stake to the Bentonville-based retailer at a later date at the same valuation at which Walmart bought majority stake in Flipkart. SoftBank, which owns 20.8 percent stake in the company will exit completely. The Masayoshi Son-controlled Japanese company will make a neat profit by selling its stake in Flipkart, with its investment of USD 2.5 billion set to fetch about USD 4 billion, a gain of 60 percent. South Africa-based Naspers Ltd. and eBay will also completely exit, selling their entire 12.83 percent and 6.11 percent stakes. Timeline: Flipkarts journey from a bookseller platform to Indias largest e-commerce company Apart from Binny Bansal, Tencent and Tiger Global will continue on the Flipkart board, joined by new members from Walmart. The final make-up of the board has yet to be determined, but it will also include independent members. Closing is expected later this calendar year, subject to regulatory approval. Walmart will also buy out the most of the existing small investors that together own about 16.6 percent in Flipkart. Flipkart will be listed on stock exchanges in the subsequent years, most likely by 2019-20 as a fully-owned Walmart subsidiary, a corporate strategy similar to what it has adopted in Mexico. While Walmart India and Flipkart will leverage the synergies, they will maintain distinct brands. Walmart and Flipkart are also in discussions with additional potential investors who may join the round, which could result in Walmarts holdings moving slightly after the transaction is complete. Even so, the company would retain clear majority ownership. Closing is expected later this calendar year, subject to regulatory approval. To finance the investment in Flipkart, Walmart intends to use a combination of newly issued debt and cash on hand. Upon closing, Flipkarts financials will be reported as part of Walmart International. Assuming closing at the end of the second quarter of this fiscal, Walmart expects a negative impact of 2018-19 earnings per share (EPS) of approximately USD 0.20-USD 0.25, which includes incremental interest expense related to the investment. As a company we are transforming globally to meet and exceed the needs of customers and we look forward to working with Flipkart to grow in this critical market, McMillon said in a statement. In the fiscal year ended March 31, Flipkart recorded a gross merchandise value (GMV) of USD 7.5 billion, effectively meaning that goods worth USD 7.5 billion were traded through its site involving thousands of sellers and millions of buyers. It recorded net sales of USD 4.6 billion during the year, representing more than 50 percent growth in both cases. This investment is of immense importance for India and will help fuel our ambition to deepen our connection with buyers and sellers and to create the next wave of retail in India, said Binny Bansal. While e-commerce is still a small part of retail in India, we see great potential to grow. Walmart is the ideal partner for the next phase of our journey, Bansal said. WALMART INDIA 2.0 Last year, Google had struck a partnership through which Walmart products are sold on Google Express, the internet search giants online mall. Indian consumers can also look forward to personalised voice shopping of Walmart and Flipkart products by simply speaking out the orders to Google Home devices. This will be Walmarts largest acquisition in the e-commerce space. It had acquired Jet.com for USD 3.3 billion in 2016. Last month, Walmart gave up control of its UK grocery chain Asda, merging it with British retailer J Sainsbury Plc. Walmart will retain a 42 percent stake in the combined company. The decision to cede control of Asda is seen as part of Walmarts global strategy to focus more attention and resources on faster expanding markets such as India where consumer spending capacity has been rising significantly. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, a government-supported research agency, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to reach USD 64 billion by 2020 and USD 200 billion by 2026 from USD 38.5 billion as of 2017. With growing internet penetration, internet users in India are expected to increase from 481 million as of December 2017 to 829 million by 2021. This will be Walmarts second coming of sorts for Indias retail market. In 2013, it pulled out of its wholesale joint venture with Bharti Group. Walmarts investment in Bharti has come under a scanner amid allegations that the global retail chain may have entered Indias front-end multi-brand retail business two-and-a-half years before the government actually lifted the ban on foreign investors in the sector. Bharti Walmart, an equal partnership joint venture between Bharti Group and Walmart, jointly ran wholesale stores under the `Best Price Modern Wholesale brand. Walmart India currently operates 21 B2B Best Price cash-and-carry stores and one fulfilment centre in 19 cities across nine states in India. This investment aligns with our strategy and our goal is to contribute to Indias success story, as we grow our business. Over the last 10 years, Flipkart has become a market leader by focusing on customer service, technology, supply chain and a broad assortment of products. With Flipkart and the other shareholders who have come together, we will continue to advance the winning eCommerce ecosystem in India, said Judith McKenna, president and CEO of Walmart International. The retail giant intends to scale up with plans to create millions of jobs through supply chains, commercial opportunity and direct employment. It also plans to support small businesses and `Make in India through direct procurement as well as exports. Walmart said it will partner `kirana (neighbourhood grocery stores) owners and members to help modernize their retail practices and adopt digital payment technologies. Walmart also intends to scale up its sourcing of Indian merchandise and farm products, which, according to the company could result in an increase of an estimated USD 7 billion in farmer incomes, comparable to a doubling of the incomes of an estimated 6-6.5 million rural households. The company said it will also invest in supply chains and cold storage infrastructure, helping reduce food wastage. Beginning 2019-20, Walmart anticipates an annual (EPS) headwind of around 60 cents per share comprised of operating losses of approximates USD 0.40 per share, assuming minimal tax benefit losses. It also anticipates interest expense of approximately USD 0.15 per share, amortisation of intangible assets of approximately USD 0.05 per share, resulting from purchase accounting. This should be applicable for a few years after the deals closure. We believe we can continue our current share buyback programme, while maintaining our strong credit profile. This investment represents a unique opportunity in a market with significant long-term growth prospects, the company said. The company said that over time, as the business scales and efficiencies are realised, Walmart expects losses to decline and returns to improve. LOCAL RETAILERS OPPOSE The transaction made Flipkart co-founders and software geeks-turned-e-commerce entrepreneurs fabulously rich, but left nagging questions on an Indian dream to build a world beater technology company. The deal, however, raised questions on regulation and nationalism in an election year, with local tradersa core constituency of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)sparing no punches in opposing the Walmart-Flipkart embrace, arguing that such mega online supermarkets that offer deep discounts will endanger the livelihood of millions of neighbourhood mom-and-pop stores and street vendors. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), an umbrella association representing millions of traders, has demanded government scrutiny of the Walmart-Flipkart deal, which it says will only encourage predatory pricing. It wanted the unholy nexus to be scanned and stopped and wondered why the government was keeping its eyes and ears shut despite knowing the intent and hidden agenda of companies like Walmart. VODAFONE TAX REDUX? Question marks, however, loomed over potential tax disputes that could emerge from the deal that will rank as the biggest inbound transaction, greater in value than the USD 12.9 billion Essar Oil-Rosneft deal. The Walmart-Flipkart transaction is likely to conclude in Singapore where Flipkart is registered. That, however, may still attract taxes in India, given that Flipkart is primarily an `Indian asset. Tax authorities will likely draw parallel between the Vodafones acquisition of Hutchison Whampoas telecom assets in India in 2007. It paid USD 11 billion for 67 percent of Hutchison Essar. A Cayman Islands-registered arm of Hutchison received the payment from Vodafone. Indias Income Tax (I-T) department, in September 2007, issued notices to Vodafone saying it was liable to pay taxes on the transaction. The I-T departments argument was that the Cayman Islands transaction was essentially a transfer of an Indian asset and, therefore, Vodafone should have deducted tax (often called withholding tax) when it paid Hutchison for the deal. Vodafone had contested it in courts on the basis that no tax was due in any event as the deal was concluded in Cayman Islands. In January 2012, the Supreme Court ruled in Vodafones favour, holding that tax authorities do not have jurisdiction on an overseas transaction, thus setting aside a Bombay High Court judgement asking the company to pay income tax of Rs 11,200 crore. Shortly thereafter, in the budget for 2012-13, the then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee introduced amendments in the Income Tax Act empowered authorities to tax companies for acquiring assets in India even if the deal was concluded overseas, retroactively from April 1, 1962. According to these rules, which have come to be known as the Retrospective Tax, any asset which is registered or incorporated outside India shall be deemed to be situated in India if the assets substantially located in India. Vodafone has since initiated arbitration proceedings under the India-United Kingdom and India-Netherlands Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement in connection with the tax demand. There is a possibility that taxmen may apply the same rules for the Walmart-Flipkart deal. Gurcharan Das, former CEO, P&G India speaking on the deal said that the deal will be a game changer for both India and Flipkart. "What Walmart does better is the efforts they make in getting fresh farm produce to the cities at the lowest cost. I remember when Walmart went to Africa, they spent the first two years in countries like Nigeria to grow the right kind of tomatoes, potatoes. What happened there was that the farmers were huge beneficiaries," Das said. He said that deal will give global access to Flipkart and its private labels. Flipkart Walmart deal will also create a huge number of jobs, Das said. Former DIPP secretary Ajay Dua said that the exchange of shares worth $15 bn, held mostly outside the country is huge. The deal won't result in actual FDI in the country, he said. There are 56 percent shares of the company held overseas. The valuation of $20 bn that Walmart has agreed to is much more than what India has seen. "In India, Amazon has put in close to $10 bn in the e-commerce space itself. Another $500 mn is being planned in the Indian market," Dua said. Flipkart Walmart Question marks loom over potential tax disputes over Walmarts majority buyout of online Flipkart, likely to be announced today, in what could be a throwback to the row that British telecom giant Vodafone is facing over its acquisition of Hutchisons telecom assets in India more than 11 years ago. The Walmart-Flipkart deal will rank as the biggest inbound transaction, greater in value than the USD 12.9 billion Essar Oil-Rosneft deal. The transaction is likely to take place in Singapore where Flipkart is registered. That, however, may still attract taxes in India, given that Flipkart is primarily an 'Indian' asset. Tax authorities could draw parallels between the Vodafones acquisition of Hutchison Whampoas telecom assets in India in 2007. It paid USD 11 billion for 67 percent of Hutchison Essar. A Cayman Islands-registered arm of Hutchison received the payment from Vodafone. Indias Income Tax (I-T) department, in September 2007, issued notices to Vodafone saying it was liable to pay taxes on the transaction. The I-T departments argument was that the Cayman Islands transaction was essentially a transfer of an Indian asset and, therefore, Vodafone should have deducted tax (often called withholding tax) when it paid Hutchison for the deal. Vodafone had contested it in courts on the basis that no tax was due in any event as the deal was concluded in the Cayman Islands. In January 2012, the Supreme Court ruled in Vodafones favour, holding that tax authorities do not have jurisdiction on an overseas transaction, thus setting aside a Bombay High Court judgement asking the company to pay income tax of Rs 11,200 crore. Shortly thereafter, in the budget for 2012-13, the then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee introduced amendments in the Income Tax Act empowered authorities to tax companies for acquiring assets in India even if the deal was concluded overseas, retroactively from April 1, 1962. According to these rules, which have come to be known as the Retrospective Tax, any asset which is registered or incorporated outside India shall be deemed to be situated in India if the assets substantially located in India. Vodafone has since initiated arbitration proceedings under the India-United Kingdom and India-Netherlands Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement in connection with the tax demand. There is a possibility that taxmen may apply the same rules for the Walmart-Flipkart deal. Flipkart Walmart Walmart has signed a definitive agreement to acquire about 75 percent of online retailer Flipkart and a formal announcement is expected in less than three hours time. Sources told Moneycontrol that the two companies have signed a term sheet an agreeement defining the contours of the transaction today. Under the deal, Walmart will likely buy 70-75 percent of online retailer Flipkart for about USD 15 billion. It will also rope in internet search giant Google as a new investor in which the company is expected to invest about USD 1.5 billion for about 7 percent stake. The deal will likely value Flipkart at USD 20 billion. Walmart will also likely invest USD 2 billion directly by infusing fresh equity in the Bengaluru-based company founded by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal (unrelated) in October 2007. As part of the deal, co-founder and executive chairman Sachin Bansal will likely exit completely, selling his 5.55 percent stake. Flipkarts existing shareholders Chinas Tencent Holdings, and US-based Tiger Global Management, will exit partially and retain small stakes. South Africa-based Naspers Ltd. And Microsoft Corp will also keep small holdings in the new company. Sources indicated that these investors will likely have the option of selling their stake to the Bentonville-based retailer at a later date at the same valuation at which Walmart bought a majority stake in Flipkart. SoftBank, which owns 20.8 percent stake in the company will exit completely. The Masayoshi Son-controlled Japanese company will make a neat profit by selling its stake in Flipkart, with its investment of USD 2.5 billion set to fetch about USD 4 billion, a gain of 60 percent. Tencent Holdings and Tiger Global Management will continue to be represented on the board. It was not immediately known how much of stake group CEO and co-founder Binny Bansalwill retain. He currently holds 5.25 percent stake in Flipkart. Flipkart will be listed on Indian stock exchanges in the subsequent years, as a fully-owned Walmart subsidiary, a corporate strategy similar to what it has adopted in Mexico. Walmart India and Flipkart will continue to maintain distinct brands after the deal. New investors can pick stake in Flipkart in a fresh round, which could bring down Walmart's holding slightly, even though it will continue to retain a significant majority holding. Walmart will likely use a mix of fresh debt and cash to finance the deal. After the deal's closure, Flipkarts financials will be reported as part of Walmart International. In the fiscal year ended March 31, Flipkart recorded a gross merchandise value (GMV) of USD 7.5 billion, effectively meaning that goods worth USD 7.5 billion were traded through its site involving thousands of sellers and millions of buyers. It recorded net sales of USD 4.6 billion during the year, representing more than 50 percent growth in both cases. LOCAL RETAILERS OPPOSE The transaction may make Flipkart co-founders and software geeks-turned-e-commerce entrepreneurs awesomely rich, but left nagging questions on an Indian dream to build a world beater technology company. The deal, however, raised questions on regulation and nationalism in an election year, with local tradersa core constituency of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)sparing no punches in opposing the Walmart-Flipkart embrace, arguing that such mega online supermarkets that offer deep discounts will endanger the livelihood of millions of neighbourhood mom-and-pop stores and street vendors. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), an umbrella association representing millions of traders, has demanded government scrutiny of the Walmart-Flipkart deal, which it says will only encourage predatory pricing. It wanted the unholy nexus to be scanned and stopped and wondered why the government was keeping its eyes and ears shut despite knowing the intent and hidden agenda of companies like Walmart. WALMART INDIA 2.0 This will be the second time when Walmart and Google will join hands to get a toehold into the online retail space dominated by Jeff Bezos-controlled Amazon. Last year, both the companies had struck a partnership through Walmart products are sold on Google Express, the internet search giants online mall. Indian consumers can also look forward to personalised voice shopping of Walmart and Flipkart products by simply speaking out the orders to Google Home devices. This will be Walmarts largest acquisition in the e-commerce space. It had acquired Jet.com for USD 3.3 billion in 2016. Last month, Walmart gave up control of its UK grocery chain Asda, merging it with British retailer J Sainsbury Plc. Walmart will retain a 42 percent stake in the combined company. The decision to cede control of Asda is seen as part of Walmarts global strategy to focus more attention and resources on faster-expanding markets such as India where consumer spending capacity has been rising significantly. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, a government-supported research agency, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to reach USD 64 billion by 2020 and USD 200 billion by 2026 from USD 38.5 billion as of 2017. With growing internet penetration, internet users in India are expected to increase from 481 million as of December 2017 to 829 million by 2021. This will be Walmarts second coming of sorts for Indias retail market. In 2013, it pulled out of its wholesale joint venture with Bharti Group. Walmarts investment in Bharti had come under a scanner amid allegations that the global retail chain may have entered Indias front-end multi-brand retail business two-and-a-half years before the government actually lifted the ban on foreign investors in the sector. Bharti Walmart, an equal partnership joint venture between Bharti Group and Walmart, which jointly ran wholesale stores under the `Best Price ModernWholesale brand. Walmart India currently operates 21 B2B Best Price cash-and-carry stores and one fulfilment centre in 19 cities across nine states in India. The retail giant intends to scale up with plans to create millions of jobs through supply chains, commercial opportunity and direct employment. It also plans to support small businesses and `Make in India through direct procurement as well as exports. Walmart will partner `kirana (neighbourhood grocery stores) owners and members to help modernize their retail practices and adopt digital payment technologies. Walmart also intends to scale up its sourcing of Indian merchandise and farm products, which, according to the company could result in an increase of an estimated USD 7 billion in farmer incomes, comparable to a doubling of the incomes of an estimated 6-6.5 million rural households. The company will also invest in supply chains and cold storage infrastructure, helping reduce food wastage. IRB Infrastructure Developers | In 2020 so far, the share price has moved up 76 percent to Rs 131.20. It's trailing twelve months (TTM) P/E was 6.40 multiple while 5-year average P/E was 8.30 multiple. The Mumbai Congress today sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to withdraw the decision of the Maharashtra government to open salt pans and no development zones in Mumbai for affordable housing. In a letter to Modi, Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam urged him to intervene in the decision, which is part of just-released Mumbai's Development Plan (DP) 2034, taken by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. There was an urgent need for the prime minister to address the issue and instruct Fadnavis to stop the new Development Plan which would allow builders in Mumbai to have a field day, he said. "Mumbai city cannot afford to have these tracts of land, which are last remaining open spaces, fall prey to the builder lobby," the former Member of Parliament said. Nirupam said the DP, in its present form, will disturb the ecological balance of the financial capital. "Fadnavis has been deliberately trying to defile the ecological balance of Mumbai. And it is extremely unfortunate to watch this happen even after the World Health Organisation (WHO) has listed Mumbai as the fourth most polluted metropolitan city in the world." The Congress leader accused Fadnavis of being "pro- builder". "The chief minister claims unlocking salt pans will pave the way for affordable housing. However, looking at the proximity of salt pan lands to Mumbai, it is bound to be unaffordable for most of the people. Then why is the CM fooling Mumbaikars?" he said. Maintaining that the CMs decision will cause a great loss to the Mumbaikars, Nirupam added, "26th July 2005 marks a black day in the history of Mumbai city as more than 500 people lost their lives that day in devastating floods." According to the DP 2034 for Mumbai, 300 hectares of salt pan lands, which serve as natural buffers during heavy rains and high tides, will be utilised for affordable housing. This will destroy the regions bio-diversity and increase the chances of similar deluge in future, Nirupam said. Vijay Mallya Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, wanted in India to face charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 9,000 crore, can be regarded as a "fugitive from justice", the UK High Court has concluded. Judge Andrew Henshaw, who upheld a worldwide freeze order and ruled in favour of 13 Indian state-owned banks to recover funds amounting to nearly 1.145 billion pounds in a judgment yesterday, took note of the fact that the 62-year-old businessman is contesting his extradition to India relating to "alleged financial misconduct". "In all these circumstances, and even taking account of the fact that Dr Mallya is contesting the alleged grounds for extradition, there are grounds for regarding Dr Mallya as a fugitive from justice," the judge said as part of his ruling. The High Court remained unconvinced by Mallya's claim that he has been a non-resident Indian (NRI) since 1988 and has lived in England since 1992, a country where he has indefinite leave to remain (ILR). "The evidence indicates that prior to March 2016 Dr Mallya travelled fairly regularly between India and England for business and political reasons. Most of his business interests were in or closely connected with India, most notably United Breweries Group and Kingfisher AirlinesWhilst Dr Mallya has indefinite leave to stay in the UK, he is said to be a non-resident taxpayer," the court observed. The judge also concluded that the businessman had been in "clear breach" of a Karnataka court's order when he disposed of assets like a historic sword of Tipu Sultan acquired at an auction in 2003. "The sword of Tipu Sultan is an item of historic importance which Dr Mallya bought at an auction in 2003 for the equivalent of GBP 188,400 and states that he gave away in 2016 as his family members considered that it was bringing him bad luck," Judge Henshaw notes in his judgment. "Dr Mallya declined to state in correspondence to whom the sword was given. Dr Mallya was unable to put forward any basis for contending that the disposal was not in breach of the Karnataka High Court's interim injunction, and accepted that it occurred after the Supreme Court had made clear that the injunction covered subsequently acquired assets It does, though, appear to me to have been in clear breach of the Karnataka court's order," he adds. The judge, however, was less certain that luxury cars and yachts had been undeclared or disposed of by Mallya as claimed by the legal team representing the 13 Indian banks State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Corporation bank, Federal Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu &a Kashmir Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co. Pvt Ltd. The judge noted: "The Claimants [Indian banks] say there are numerous other assets which have been linked to Dr Mallya in various sources on the internet, but which he denies that he owns. These comprise three yachts, numerous cars and the Mabula Game Reserve in South Africa. "The registered/asserted owners are offshore companies and/or trusts. Since these matters are unverified, I do not consider I can take account of them." Mallya's purchase of a Ferrari 246 GTS with an estimated value of 480,000 pounds was also questioned by the Indian banks. The UK court concluded that it may be the case that the payment of the deposit on the Ferrari was in breach of the Karnataka High Court's interim injunction. "However, this point was not the subject of any detailed argument before me and, overall, I do not consider that the matters relating to the Ferrari carry matters any further on this application," the judge concluded. The ruling by the UK court has been described as "significant" by TLT LLP, the UK law firm which represented the Indian banks in the case. "This is a positive and big step forward. The judgement enables our client banks to proceed with enforcement of the Indian Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) ruling, which has now been registered and is immediately enforceable," said Paul Gair, partner in TLT's Banking & Financial Services litigation team. "We are considering all of our options with our clients the worldwide freezing order has worldwide effect, so it's all of his assets wherever they may be. There are provisions for his weekly allowance, within which he can meet his needs," he added. Mallya, who remains on bail since his arrest on an extradition warrant in April last year, will return for the last leg of his ongoing extradition trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on July 11, after which the court is expected to set a timeline for judgment in that case. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), representing the Indian government, has claimed it has successfully established a prima facie case of fraud against the businessman. Mallya has claimed the criminal charges against him are "without substance" and "politically motivated". Indian Railways, track Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat will launch a campaign on May 12 for the protection, conservation and cleanliness of the UNESCO world heritage Kalka-Shimla railway track. The governor will launch the campaign at the Bhalku Museum here. Officers of the Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (HPSLSA) and various stakeholders today met to finalise the preparations for the drive's launch. The meeting was chaired by acting chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and HPSLSA executive chairman Justice Sanjay Karol. Karol had stressed the need for preservation and cleanliness of the Kalka-Shimla railway track as it was important to sensitise the younger generations about their heritage. He said that children need to be associated in social activities in a big way to create awareness in the society as they were the real ambassadors. The Election Commission of India is exploring the idea of mandating pre-approval of newspaper advertisements floated by political parties during the Model Code of Conduct period, sources told Economic Times. This move comes after the Congress party filed a complaint against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for some newspaper advertisements that were allegedly defamatory in nature towards Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. For the same advertisement, Siddaramaiah has sent a legal notice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah. The EC has approached a special committee, which is also in the middle of drafting reforms for electoral laws, to see if pre-certifying print ads is a possibility, sources said. The committee is reviewing Indian Penal Code, Representation of the People Act, 1951 and Conduct of Election Rules, 1951, to make electoral laws more secure. Presently, newspaper ads are put through the pre-approval process on the last two days of the campaign only. Content on all other electronic media platforms is examined and has to go through the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee mandatorily before it goes on air. The newspaper vetting rule was also included only in 2015 when a BJP ad during Bihar elections was seen as inflammatory. In the current system, the poll panel has no other rules for print ads. However, Congress complaint has put the process in motion. The EC is now worried that if this goes through, people may view the practice as censorship. 07:22 PM IST Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting in Bengaluru: BJP is a grounded party which strives to work for the interests of the common man. We do not indulge in mahakaavyas, we make promises and fulfill them. Our manifesto is in the form of a set of promises-- to end corruption, to provide sufficient water for irrigation, for getting higher price for crop produce, for skilled development and for employment. We have made a promise to provide a conducive environment for entrepreneurship. We have made a promise to provide safety to the women of Bengaluru. And in the first meeting that the party addresses after ovrthrowing the Siddaramaiah government, the roadmap for these promises will be prepared. The assembly elections in Karnataka will be carried out with the help of third-generation Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at many polling booths and will be primary method of vote counting. According to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar, close to 5,000 EVMs and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines with advanced automation will be supplied for the polls. An EVM consists of two units a control unit and a ballot unit. The control unit records the number of ballots that are submitted to the machine. The ballot unit records the votes with the press of a button, as opposed to marking a vote on a piece of paper. The latest version, the Mark three, can hold a registry of 384 candidates over 24 ballot units. The previous version could accommodate only four ballot units and 64 candidates. It will be the first time the model will be used in the state. Ahead of the 2014 general election, a Supreme Court bench directed the Election Commission to also provide a paper trail for the votes registered. This was meant to safeguard the tally of votes being recorded on these EVMs. This led to the introduction of the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail systems (VVPAT). Also read: In dramatic midnight conference, EC announces around 10,000 voter ids seized in Bengaluru VVPATs are meant to be an independent verification system for the voting machines. They are designed to allow voters to verify that their votes were cast correctly, to detect possible election fraud or malfunction and to provide a means to audit the stored electronic results. In the VVPAT system, when a voter presses a button for a candidate of his choice in the EVM, a paper ballot containing the serial number, name of the candidate and poll symbol will be printed and the voter can verify it. According to Kumar, the latest Mark 3 EVMs will be used across 1,800 polling stations in seven assembly constituencies in Bengaluru. These will be in RR Nagar, Chamarajpet, Chickpet, Shivajinagar, Shantinagar, Gandhi Nagar and Rajaji Nagar. Also, there are 89,206 balloting units and 76,192 control units in Karnataka as of date, which are enough to carry out the elections, scheduled to take place on May 12. So what is the problem? Opposition parties have alleged that the EVMs were tampered with during Assembly elections in Gujarat and the civic and assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh last year. The Congress even expressed doubts that the EVMs could be tampered with via bluetooth connectivity. The EC termed these allegations "baseless". Also read: What to expect as PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi wrap up campaign with rallies, temple visits this week In January, Karnatakas Information Technology Minister Priyank Kharge wrote a letter to the Election Commissioner, proposing the hosting of an Electronic Voting Machine challenge to clear doubts about its functioning. The government also requested the commission to make available 250 randomly selected EVMs to plan and execute this challenge under it's overall supervision. In December last year, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanded that ballot papers be used during the assembly polls in the state. This was because he was doubtful about the BJP's performance in Gujarat despite anti-incumbency and strong undercurrents against it, he said. Similar was the case with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP, which led to the downfall of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Punjab elections. The Congress, in a parallel move, gathered at least 10 other parties to forward a complaint to then President Pranab Mukherjee, seeking a return to the ballot paper system. Slideshow: A look at the numbers which may shape political future of many in the state In response, the EC staged a hackathon on June 3 that year, and invited seven national and 49 state political parties for the event. In the end, only the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) dared to put forward applications for the event. An IANS report states that some of these units are stuck in court cases over alleged rigging of votes in the past. The EVMs come with robust hardware features that, according to the CEO, makes these machines tamper-proof. He also says these machines have been manufactured by the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The hardware and software that these machines run on is only compatible from these government companies. The latest Mark three version has several features to safeguard the votes registered. The machines come with diagnostics that self-corrects any problems with the software. They also have digital signatures for both the control and the ballot units that protect the machine from tampering. The micro controller chip in these EVMs can be programmed just once. These machines cannot be accessed by internet or any other network. Podcast: Top Karnataka politicians and their ever-growing riches As these machines do not run on any sort of operating system, no virus attack can harm them. The Mark three machines require only four people to operate, as opposed to the other machines which require five. One person is exclusively in charge of operating the VVPAT machine. The Election Commission provided appropriate training to ensure the machines were handled properly. Close to 3,56,552 personnel will be deployed to conduct the polling. According to an Economic Times report, contestants and their allies will able to test these machines by casting their votes in a mock drive across 9,093 polling stations in Bengaluru. N Manjunath Prasad, district election officer , said at least 50 people would be allowed to cast their votes during the mock drive to see how their vote tallies with the result. The presiding officer will then erase the data before starting the actual election. The drive will take place from 6 am to 7 am on polling day. Uptil now, no claims of vote tampering have been substantiated. Authorities said no stone will be left unturned to ensure that integrity of the voting process is maintained on polling day. Counting is scheduled for May 15. For extensive coverage on Karnataka elections, click here IRB Infrastructure Developers | In 2020 so far, the share price has moved up 76 percent to Rs 131.20. It's trailing twelve months (TTM) P/E was 6.40 multiple while 5-year average P/E was 8.30 multiple. Huge multi-storeyed buildings have come at certain places in the national capital after the seals put on unauthorised structures in 2007, were tampered with, the Supreme Court was informed today. A report place before the apex court by the court-appointed monitoring committee, which is mandated to carry out sealing drive in Delhi, revealed that such tampering of seals have taken place in a market place. A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta, which is monitoring the ongoing sealing drive in the capital, was told by an advocate, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, that the report of the monitoring commitee gave details about unauthorised construction in the upscale Khan Market in South Delhi also. The amicus said that in the Sanjay Market area, several premises were sealed in August 2007 but the seals were tampered with and huge multi-storeyed buildings have come up on all the sealed premises, with and some of them being converted to residential premises. He said this amounted to perjury and contempt of the orders of the apex court. "We have no doubt that the special task force will act in accordance with the orders passed by this court and in accordance with law both with regard to Khan Market and Sanjay Market," the bench said. It said that a special task force (STF), set up to oversee the enforcement of laws on unauthorised constructions in Delhi, should meet once a fortnight along with the concerned officials to ensure that the top court's orders were implemented in "letter and spirit". The bench observed this after it was told about unauthorised constructions in Khan Market and Sanjay Market locality here. "For the purpose of the accountability, we expect the special task force to meet once in a fortnight along with concerned officials of the various corporations and the zonal authorities to ensure that the orders of this court are implemented in letter and spirit," it said. The bench also made it clear that if there were any other areas where violations have come to the notice of the monitoring committee, they might send it directly to the STF. The court was assured that the STF would act on all these suggestions and complaints by the monitoring committee. "The minutes of such meetings which are held every fortnight should be assiduously kept and handed over to Additional Solicitor General (appearing for the Centre) so that there is accountability and monitoring all the progress that is made," the order said. The court posted the matter for further hearing on May 15. Meanwhile, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) filed a brief note on the amendments proposed in the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021 on several issues, including about shop-cum-residential complex. It gave details of the proposed amendement relating to the floor area ratio (FAR) for shop-cum-residential plots and complexes at par with residential plots and says that a separate regulatory mechanism has also been proposed for removing traffic congestion and mitigate environment concern and pollution. FAR is the ratio of a building's total floor area (gross floor area) to the size of the piece of land on which it is built. It has said that traffic control, parking and other infrastructural facilities, like water supply and sewage, would be provided based on footfall of visitors and number of vehicles plying in area. It has also said that, as per the proposed amendment, liquor shops, pubs and clubs would not be allowed in residential areas to avoid nuisance. Besides, the DDA has also given a comparative chart giving the status of pre-MPD 1962, MPD-1962, MPD 2001 AND MPD 2021. The apex court had earlier prohibited any further construction, which were not in confirmity with the building bye laws, in 1,797 unauthorised colonies in Delhi and had also questioned the intent of the authorities in regularising such colonies having illegal constructions. The top court is dealing with the issue related to validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006 and subsequent legislations which protect unauthorised construction from being sealed. Police stand guard outside the house of Bollywood actor Salman Khan after a court in Jodhpur granted him bail, in Mumbai, India, April 7, 2018. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas - RC1123722FA0 A Mumbai cop has sought permission to beg for alms in his official uniform after claiming that he has not received his salary for the past two months. Dnyaneshwar Ahirrao, a police constable attached to the Marol local arms unit of Mumbai Police and currently posted at the residence of Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray 'Matoshree', has said that his salary was not credited after he had taken leave for his wife's medical treatment, according to a report in Mint. Moneycontrol cannot independently verify the report. Meanwhile, the constable raised the issue in a letter addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadanavis, Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar and his deputy. In the letter, Ahirrao claimed that he took emergency leave from March 20 to 22 after his wifes leg was fractured. He had reportedly informed the unit incharge about the incident over the phone, however, he resumed work after five days on March 28. The constable has now claimed that he has not been given his salary since the past two months because of the leave he had taken. Ahirrao went on to state that his wife, old parents and daughter, who is studying in nursery, are dependent on him. Besides, he has taken a loan and needs to pay EMIs on time. Since he has not been given his salary, the constable has sought permission to beg in uniform to meet his household expenses, the letter mentioned. The Supreme Court today expressed grave concern on "over-exploitation" of groundwater in most parts of Delhi and asked the authorities to avert a crisis, saying the situation was "semi-critical". The apex court, after perusing a report filed by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) on the status of groundwater level in Delhi from May 2000 till May 2017, said it indicated an "extremely sad state of affairs" and the situation was serious. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta referred to the CGWB report which said the analysis of long term water level data revealed that over the period, in areas categorised as "over-exploited" as per groundwater resources estimation of 2013, water level decline rate varied from 0.5 metre per year to over 2 metre per year. "It is quite clear that there is over-exploitation of ground water in south district, New Delhi district, south-east district, east district, Shahadara, north-east district and almost rest of Delhi is in a semi-critical state," the bench noted in its order. "There are only some pockets in west district and central district which appear to be safe as of now. We can only urge the concerned authorities dealing with governance of Delhi to look into the report of the Central Ground Water Board to avoid a water crisis," it said. The apex court asked the secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, the Delhi Government and Delhi Pollution Control Committee to inform it about the "possible solutions" to this situation and posted the matter for consideration on July 11. The CGWB, in its report, has said that there were some pockets in Delhi where the change in ground water level was not significant or had remained unchanged and such pockets of shallow and rising water level areas have diminished over the period. "As such, major part of the state is under the over-exploited and semi-critical categories and in such areas, water levels are showing persistent declining trend during last two decades," the report said. After going through the report, the bench said, "A perusal of the report, which needs to be studied in greater depth, indicates an extremely sad state of affairs". During the hearing, the bench was told by an advocate that the situation of ground water was critical in the national capital and it might lead to a war-like situation if the issue was not addressed. The court also expressed concern over the fact that even in areas where the President's Estate was located, the ground water level has depleted over the years. The apex court had earlier expressed concerned about the depletion of ground water level in Delhi and asked the CGWB to give the status of ground water level from the year 2000 onwards in the national capital. The issue of depletion of ground water had cropped up when the court was hearing the matter related to sealing of unauthorised constructions in Delhi. The top court is dealing with the issue related to validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006 and subsequent legislations which protect unauthorised construction from being sealed. Ram Nath Kovind, nominated presidential candidate of Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), delivers a speech during a welcoming ceremony as part of his nation-wide tour, in Ahmedabad, India, July 15, 2017. REUTERS/Amit Dave - RTX3BL0Y President Ram Nath Kovind is likely to visit Jaipur and Ajmer in Rajasthan on May 13 and 14, officials said today. The president is likely to attend a function at Birla auditorium in Jaipur. He will also visit Pushkar and Ajmer Sharif Dargah during his two-day visit, an official of General Administration Department said. Chief Secretary D B Gupta yesterday held a meeting with senior officials of different departments in the state regarding necessary arrangements to be made during the visit, the official said. Ajmer collector Arti Dogra also held a meeting today to finalise the preparations for the president's visit to the dargah. The Supreme Court today came down heavily on the Archeological Survey of India for its failure to take appropriate steps to protect and preserve of the iconic Taj Mahal. The apex court also expressed concern over the historic monument being infected by insects and asked the authorities, including ASI, what steps they have taken to prevent this. "This situation would not have arisen if the ASI would have done its job. We are surprised with the way the ASI is defending itself. You (Centre) please consider if the ASI is needed there or not," a bench of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta told Additional Solicitor General ANS Nadkarni, who was appearing for the Centre. Nadkarni told the bench that the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) was considering the apex court's suggestion to appoint international experts to look into the issue of protection and preservation of Taj Mahal. The counsel for ASI told the court that the problem of insects was due to stagnation of the water of river Yamuna. The top court has been monitoring developments in the area to protect the monument, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1631. The mausoleum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The apex court had on May 1 expressed concern over the changing colour of the Taj Mahal apparently due to pollution and rapped the government saying "perhaps you don't care". Observing that the monument had earlier turned yellow and was now going brownish and greenish in colour, the apex court had pulled up the authorities for not taking appropriate steps to preserve and protect it. It had asked the Centre to take the assistance of experts from India and abroad to first assess the damage and take steps to restore the 17th century white marble mausoleum. While perusing the recent pictures, shown by petitioner and environmentalist M C Mehta, the bench had observed, "this is now becoming the eighth wonder of the world". The petitioner had said the authorities have not complied with the apex court's directions due to which the condition of the monument has become "horrible". He had said that besides change in its colour, there were patches on the marbles and recently a minaret had also fallen down. The bench had observed that heads of countries and several dignitaries, including the Canadian Prime Minister, visiting India go to see the Taj and the court assumes that the authorities would want to preserve it. The petitioner had told the bench that Taj Mahal was in "shambles", Yamuna water in Agra has finished, the apex court orders were being flouted and encroachments and even industries have come up there. He had also raked up the issue of security in Taj Mahal and said that CCTV cameras were not working and alleged that the "Government of India and the state government was not doing anything except making money from the monument". In March this year, the apex court had asked Uttar Pradesh government to place before it a draft of vision document on protection and preservation of the Taj and the environment in the Taj Trapezium Zone, which is an area of about 10,400 sq km spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur in Rajasthan. Launching another scathing attack on the Modi government, former finance minister Yashwant Sinha today said "tax terrorism" has become the "order of the day" under the current government and that the country was under an "undeclared emergency". He said the emergency imposed by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi of the Congress in 1975 was political in nature, contrary to the "current emergency" which is an undeclared one. "...When we were in the opposition, we used to accuse the then UPA (government) of being involved in a tax terrorism. We had promised that if voted to power we will finish it," Sinha said while addressing a group of intellectuals, Citizens for Democracy, on the topic 'Indian economy and challenges before democracy'. Sinha had last month announced that he was severing all ties with the BJP and preparing to launch a nationwide campaign to save democracy. He said "tax terrorism" has become the "order of the day" in the current government. "After demonetisation (in 2016), there are 20 lakh cases filed seeking explanation about the money deposited with banks during that period," Sinha said. He said the GST (Goods and Services Tax) regime, introduced by the current government, has landed lakhs of traders into trouble. "Since the introduction of GST on July 1, 2017, there are 357 amendments made. This is a joke with the tax system in the country and everyone is troubled. The traders who are from the villages where there is no electricity are being told to file their tax online. How can he do that?" he asked. Sinha said the country is currently going through an "emergency-like situation", which is different from the emergency clamped in 1975 by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi. "Indira Gandhi's Emergency was different from today's emergency. One fine day, she announced emergency across the country and the people who were in opposition were jailed and media was censored. The step taken by her was a political one," he said. "The emergency which we witness currently is an undeclared one. It is a slow poison which is being injected into the body politic of this country," Sinha added. Sinha, who held finance and external affairs portfolios in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, walked out of the BJP on a bitter note. He has been publicly opposing the Modi government's economic policies and style of functioning. In a newspaper article, Sinha had criticised Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over what he called the "mess the finance minister has made of the economy" after which Jaitley hit back calling him "a job applicant at 80 years" who has forgotten his record as a finance minister. He had also said that demonetisation had proved to be an "unmitigated economic disaster" and that the GST was "badly conceived and poorly implemented." He had also deprecated the Centre's handling of Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Karnataka Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked the voters of Karnataka to not "forgive" the Congress party in the Assembly elections, after a huge row erupted over the seizure of nearly 1000 "fake" voter I-cards in Bengaluru. He alleged the Congress was trying to win the polls by using bogus voter identity cards. "You must have seen how fake voter I-cards were seized by the thousands, computers, printing machine were seized. Congress is trying to win the elections by using fake I-cards. People should not forgive it for this when they cast their votes on May 12," he told an election rally here. A massive controversy has rocked Karnataka after nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat, prompting the BJP to demand countermanding of the election claiming Congress was behind the racket, a charge dismissed by the latter as a "lie". Both parties have claimed the house owner was associated with the rival party. In a bid to boost chances of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Karnataka assembly election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been aggressively campaigning in the state. Among the southern states, the saffron party tasted its first success in Karnataka and are leaving no stone unturned to regain power here. On the other hand, incumbent Congress led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah want to desperately hold on to power in Indias Silicon Valley. Besides Karnataka, Congress is in power only in Punjab, Mizoram and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Multiple opinion polls have claimed that the elections will result in a hung Assembly and that the Janata Dal (Secular), led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowdas son KD Kumaraswamy, will be the potential king maker. However, PM Modi and the BJP will be hoping to win in what is often referred to as a swing state by observers and psephologists. For over 35 years, no government in the state has successfully retained power. The power has swayed between the Congress, BJP and has at times propelled JD(S) candidates to the chief ministers chair. Siddaramaiah is the first chief minister of Karnataka to complete a full term in office in 40 years. Also read: The eight bellwether seats whoever wins these, wins the election How the state swings In 2013, the Congress stormed to power, winning a clear majority with 122 seats. The BJP was seriously dented by BS Yeddyurappas own party Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP). JD(S) bagged 40 seats in the election. The year 2008 was a milestone year for the saffron party in the state. With 110 seats, it had fallen just short of getting a majority, but were able to form a government with the help of six independent Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs). It marked the first time the party formed the government in Karnataka and in any southern Indian state. BS Yeddyurappa became the chief minister, only to step down in 2011, amidst corruption allegations. DV Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar completed the term. Also see in pictures: A look at past CMs of the state and their tryst with power The election in 2004 yielded a hung assembly with BJP and Congress getting 79 and 65 seats respectively. The JD(S), then led by Siddaramaiah, came in third with 58 seats. The Congress stitched a post-poll coalition under which Congress Dharam Singh became the CM and Siddaramaiah became deputy CM. However, in 2006, KD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) broke ties with the Congress and formed government along with the BJP. Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the CM while Kumaraswamy became the deputy CM. However, the coalition collapsed next year leading to fresh polls. The constant swing witnessed in Karnataka has led to observers believing that the state has a very high anti-incumbency tendency. However, a report by NDTV now suggests that the anti-incumbency factor has significantly decreased. The report suggests that the ability of sitting MLAs to get re-elected to the House has increased over a period of time as long as they are re-nominated by their party. In the 2004 Assembly election, only 38 per cent MLAs were voted back. However, that number went to 49 per cent in the 2008 polls. In the 2013 polls, 58 per cent MLAs were voted back to the assembly. Opinion polls suggest that Siddaramaiah remains the most favoured chief ministerial candidate, in a state where no CM has retained his position in over three decades. His approval rating stands much higher than both Yeddyurappa and Kumaraswamy. rahul gandhi narendra modi With just two days to go for the polling in Karnataka, the intense campaign has reached its climax in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s national president Amit Shah are expected to hold multiple public meetings, visit temples and hold roadshows across the southern state. The Election Commission (EC) rules mandate that the poll campaign ends 48 hours before the polling closes. This implies Thursday is officially the last day to campaign in the poll-bound state. The voting will take place on May 12, while the counting is scheduled for May 15. Heres where the prime minister, Congress president and the BJPs national president are expected to campaign on Wednesday. PM Narendra Modi The prime minister is scheduled to hold four public meeting on Wednesday. The first rally of the day will take place at around 10:30 am in Bangarapet. In 2013, the Congress had beaten BJP by more than 28,000 votes in the constituency. At 1:30 pm, the prime minister will address a public meeting at Chikmagalur before proceeding to Belagavi for a rally at 4:30 pm. Chikmagalur is one of the eight seats in the Udupi Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency where Shobha Karandlaje, a BS Yeddyurappa aide and former state minister, is the current Member of Parliament. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had contested and won the 1978 general election from the Chikmagalur seat in 1978. Congress is expected to face a serious challenge in Belagavi, which borders Maharashtra. Similar to the Reddy brothers of Ballari, the Jarkiholi brothers have their influence in the district. Two of the brothers are facing stiff competition from rebel leaders. BJP aims to capitalise this in Belagavi. The prime minister will hold his final rally in Bidar at 7:30 pm, days after Congress President Rahul Gandhi campaigned there. In Bidar seat, BS Yeddyurappa-led Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) had trumped the Congress. Ashok Kheny of the Karnataka Makkala Paksha (KMP) had won the Bidar (South) constituency in 2013. However, in March this year, Kheny joined the Congress who had finished fifth in the seat five years ago. Rahul Gandhi The Congress president will be spending the entire day campaigning in the state capital of Bengaluru. At 10:30 am, Gandhi is expected to visit the Dodda Ganapathi Temple in Chickpet before interacting with women workers at a garment factory at Hosur road around 11:30 am. Gandhi will hold his first rally of the day at 1:00 pm in Shivaji Nagar constituency in the city before Anjaneya Temple at 3:30 pm. The Congress president is also likely to make a short speech there before holding a rally at around 5:15 pm in Hebbal. Amit Shah Bharatiya Janata Partys national president will be holding six roadshows in parts of the state on Wednesday. At 10:30 and noon, Shah will hold roadshows in Tumkur rural constituency and Kunigal constituencies in Tumkur district. Then, he will hold roadshows every hour, 3:00 pm onwards in various constituencies within Bengaluru city. While there are no rallies scheduled on Wednesday, PM Modi is expected to interact with BJP's SC/ST unit workers from the state on Thursday at 10 am via the Narendra Modi app. Earlier during the campaign, PM Modi had interacted with Karnataka BJPs Yuva Morcha Karyakartas and Mahila Morcha Karyakartas using the app. Modi has already used this dedicated app to speak to candidates, party workers and women. Representative Image On March 19 this year, with a couple of months to go for assembly polls, the incumbent Congress government in Karnataka played a wild card. It came across as a war cry to the opposition, who were not only unprepared for it, but also baffled at the sheer prowess of it. The Siddaramaiah-led government accepted the recommendations of the Justice Nagamohandas Committee to recognize the followers of Basava the Lingayats and the Veerashaiva Lingayats as a as a separate religion and subsequently as a religious minority. After due deliberations and some discussion on concerns of various sections of society, the Cabinet has decided to accept the recommendations of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission, which, based on the report of the expert committee headed by Justice Nagamohandas, has recommended to consider grant of recognition as a religious minority to the Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat, believers of Basava tatva, Karnataka Law Minister TB Jayachandra had told the press. He also said the request for the same has been forwarded to the Centre for notification under Section 2(c) of the Central Minority Commission Act. What is the Justice Nagamohandas Committee report? The Karnataka State Minority Commission had formed a committee of experts in December last year to look into the issue of granting a separate religion status to the followers of Basava. The seven-member committee, headed by retired high court judge, HN Nagamohan Das, went through 5,000 pages of documents on religious practices, rituals and dogmas before coming to a conclusion. The committee had earlier sought six months to submit the report as against the four weeks that the government had allocated them. It submitted their report on March 2. The report had concluded, Lingayats in Karnataka may be considered as religious minority. It added that Veerashaivas can be considered a part of the larger Lingayat religion. The report also pointed out that this decision would not affect the interests of the existing minorities. Also read: Congress pursuing divide and rule policy, says PM Modi Who are the Lingayats and the Veerashaivas? The expected response to the government according a separate minority status to the Lingayats would have been an overjoyed community. However, it was not. The reason behind this is the clubbing of the Veerashaivas within the Lingayat religion. There were even reports of a divided cabinet on the issue, but Law Minister TB Jaichandra was prompt to refute them. The Lingayats are followers of 12th century poet and reformer Basavanna and the sharanas, Basavannas original followers. A Brahmin himself, Basavanna had shunned Vedic and brahminical Hinduism and its practices, especially the caste system. Basavannas philosophy is recorded in vachanas, which happen to be the sacred text of the Lingayats. The Lingayats dismissed the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Smritis and the Shastras. They were against idol worship and scorned temples. They also rejected the phallic linga symbol of Shiva, and opted for the ishta linga, which represents inner conscience. These ideals and principles form the basis of the argument that Lingayatism is a religion which is opposed to Hinduism, and hence be granted a separate religion status. The Veerashaivas, on the other hand, worship Shiva as envisaged in the Vedas, and believe the panchacharyas to be their founder. They reject Basavanna as the founder of the Lingayat faith, stating that not only the Veerashaiva gurus inducted Basavanna into the Lingayat religion but also that Lingayats and Veerashiavas are the same. The Veerashaiva religion is inclined towards brahminical Hinduism and believes in class hierarchy, has a system of temples and priests, and looks up to the Vedas and Siddhanta Shikhamani as their religious texts. While one section led by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha has demanded separate religion status, asserting that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same, the Lingayats want it only for themselves as they believe that Veerashaiva is one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism. Also read: Are you voting for the first time? Here's a how-to reckoner for debutants When did the demand for a separate religion status begin? The Lingayats were identified as a separate religion in the 1871 Census of India, but they were clubbed under Hinduism in the 1881 census. They have been pushing for a separate religion status since then. Demands for separate religion status were made in 2003, 2013 and most recently in August 2017 when 50,000 Lingayats held a mass protest in Bidar. If granted religious minority status, what do the Lingayats get and what do they lose? The Lingayats are classified as a backward class and enjoy five per cent reservation in education institutes. The Lingayat community comprises 99 castes and sub-castes, out of which 20 come under Scheduled Castes and 15 are categorized as Other Backward Classes (OBCs). A conundrum faces these 35 odd castes and sub castes whether to abandon Hinduism and embrace Lingayatism, which will lead to them relinquishing their benefits as backward classes or to stick to Hinduism and not receive the benefits of a minority religion. It is important to note here that there is no reservation in education or employment for a minority religion. Who are the flag bearers of the Lingayat movement? Irrigation Minister M B PatilMines and Geology Minister Vinay KulkarniMedical Education Minister Sharan Prakash PatilHigher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi and Senior JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti In fact, BJP chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa, a Lingayat himself, was one of the first to send a memorandum to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, demanding a separate religion status for the Lingayat community. The memorandum was sent by All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha (AIVM) in 2013 with signatures of prominent Lingayat leaders on it. Slideshow: Campaign trail in pictures What are the political implications? The Lingayats form about 17 per cent of Karnatakas population and form the single-largest community in the state. As per various media reports, they are relevant in at least 100 of the 224 assembly constituencies going to polls on May 12. The Lingayats were traditionally Congress supporters until 1990 when the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi abruptly sacked Veerendra Patil, a Lingayat, as the chief minister of Karnataka. In the assembly elections that followed, the Congress performance was the worst till date. The Lingayat vote proved to be decisive in the 2013 Assembly elections as well, and yet again because Lingayat leader Yeddyurappa had to quit the BJP over corruption charges to form his own political party called the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP). That year, it was the BJP which was dealt a blow due to a split vote, with KJP eating into their vote share. This realization had struck the incumbent chief minister Siddaramaiah early in 2017 when the Lingayats held a mass protest demanding a separate religion status. However, he waited for the right time to hit the hammer on the nail. He had ordered that portraits of Basavanna be put up in all government offices in April last year, and even set up a university named after Akkamahadevi, a 12th century Lingayat poet and teacher. The BJP had earlier strongly condemned Siddaramaiahs move to grant a separate religion status and subsequently a minority status to the Lingayats, comparing him with Robert Clive for dividing the community. However, they knew the importance of wooing this electorally significant community. And this was evident when Amit Shah garlanded the Basavanna statue at Basaveshwara Circle in Bengaluru on Basava Jayanti. This was followed By Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying tributes to the leader in London during his visit to the Nordic nations. The statue, on the banks of the river Thames, was inaugurated by Modi in 2015. Both Congress and BJP are trying to score with the Lingayats ahead of the crucial battle in Karnataka. The Lingayat issue is significant in the Bombay Karnataka region where the Congress had won 31 of 50 seats, although that can be attributed to the split in the BJP. While some suggest that Siddaramaiahs move will benefit the Congress, a closer look might suggest that the party will lose their Hindu voter base because of playing a divisive card. Although the masterstroke by Siddaramaiah landed the BJP between a rock and a hard place, whether it will not boomerang or not can only be ascertained once results are declared on May 15. For extensive coverage on Karnataka assembly elections, click here BJP Terming Congress President Rahul Gandhi's Prime Ministerialaspirations as day-dreaming, senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain today asserted that there was no vacancy for the top post till 2024 as Narendra Modi would again assume it after next year'sgeneral elections. "Now Rahulji is saying he is ready to become Prime Minister....he is day-dreaming and congratulations for his beautiful dreams. But there is no vacancy for the PM post till 2024," he said. "The countrymen chose Narendra Modiji for the Prime Minister's post and after the 2019 elections also Narendra Modiji will become the country's PM much more stronger... Congress leaders also know this", Hussain told reporters here. He said after Rahul Gandhi became Congress vice president, his party lost 13 states and since taking over as party president, it has lost five. Karnataka, where elections will be held on May 12, would be the sixth one, he said. The BJP spokesperson further claimed that in order to prevent any rebellion within Congress after its "loss" in Karnataka and to ensure none questions his leadership, Rahul, in a "planned" manner, was himself saying he is ready to become the Prime Minister. "Under Narendra Modi's leadership BJP has been winning assembly elections though there may be a few exceptions to the results of some by-polls," he said. Hussain, who has been campaigning in Bidar and Kalaburagi districts of Hyderabad-Karnataka region of Karnataka, said it was a certainty that BJP would win in Karnataka, "despite the efforts of Siddaramaiah government and Rahul Gandhi". On Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's proposed Federal Front at the national level, the former Union Minister said he has 'woken up late'. "Many people are dreaming of (entering) national politics and he too has a right to dream like Rahul Gandhi," he said and accused Rao of diverting the attention of the people of Telangana from key issues. "Now he is speaking of national politics....it will not have any impact", Hussain said. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is worried due to BJP's 'storm' and the current leadership in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is also worried over the 'certain victory' of BJP in Karnataka, he said. "BJP's victory is certain in Karnataka and after Karnataka it is the turn of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh," Hussain claimed. Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressing a public meeting at Magadi, Ramanagara, Karnataka on 4th April 2018. (PTI Photo) Congress president Rahul Gandhi today flayed the Modi government for its decision to privatise some public sector units and vowed that his party would protect them. Gandhi held several roadshows here to go give a final push to his party's prospects in the May 12 assembly polls. The congress president, who began the day with a visit to 'Dodda Ganapathi' temple at Basavanagudi here, held several corner meetings in the city, a day before the campaign for the polls ends. He said "When the institutions like HAL, BHEL, BEML and BEL were set up, the world laughed at India. People said such factories were not needed in India but Bengaluru showed to the world what it can do. When roads are constructed BHEL is required, while HAL is required for building fighter planes." He, however, rued that the present government at the Centre wants to "divest the gems like HAL, BEML and BHEL." Gandhi said the government wants to take away contract of assembling the Rafale fighter plane from HAL to "Modi's friend who has a debt of Rs 45,000 crore." "When UPA was in power, the contract with the France based company was that the plane will be made in HAL. It would have created jobs to the people of Bengaluru. HAL has been making plane for us for the past 70 years," said Gandhi. However, Gandhi said, the prime minister gave the contract of building the plane to "his friend who never made any planes." Gandhi accused the prime minister of not letting the Parliament run to avoid discussions on the issues of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi and Rafale deal. He said "We will raise in parliament. We will get their reply. I promise you that we will protect HAL, BEL, BHEL and HAL." Flaying the prime minister for his silence on attacks on women and dalits, Gandhi advised him to show the way to the nation just as the founder of Bengaluru Kempegowda did to the people of Karnataka. "It doesn't help when Modi doesn't speak a word when Dalits are beaten up. He says Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. Here in Karnataka we give free education to girls whereas in UP a BJP MLA rapes a girl but the prime minister says nothing," the congress chief said. He flayed the prime minister for doing "contrary to his resolve to end corruption." Gandhi said Modi has fielded the most "corrupt" chief minister, referring to B S Yeddyurappa. "You have seen Yeddyurappa. He was the most corrupt chief minister. The BJP has again projected him as the chief ministerial candidate. Why have you made Yeddyurappa as the CM candidate," said Gandhi. He sought to know why Reddy brothers were given ticket. Gandhi also questioned Modi why he brought Reddy brothers out of jail and planned to send them to Vidhana Soudha (the seat of the state legislature). COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - JULY 10: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his meeting with Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen at the PM's Office on July 10, 2017 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The two heads of state discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula and how Japan and Denmark could enhance their strategic partnership further. The Japanese PM said during their joint press conference that North Korea undermines the international order seriously. (Photo by Ole Jensen - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday said he wanted to mark a fresh start for ties with China and planned a visit to the country this year. "I want to raise Japan-China relations to a new level," Abe said ahead of a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Li referred to an improvement in relations between the two nations, saying, "Blue skies are appearing." Wednesday marked the end of Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran's long-awaited campaign for governor. The campaign was all but announced, with millions spent on a bombastic TV ad, a political committee created, internal polls conducted. At a morning press conference in Tallahassee, Corcoran endorsed Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam. Putnam, an establishment Republican, is now locked in a two-man primary race against U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, a favorite of Fox News hosts who was endorsed by President Donald Trump. Corcoran told reporters Wednesday that he had re-evaluated and realized he did not "have the resources to win," adding that "it's important we rally around the right person to lead this state." That person, Corcoran said, was Putnam, whom he called "authentic." He said their children have known each other a long time. Corcoran said it took all of 2.2 seconds to endorse Putnam, adding that he was a "phenomenal leader." That's a change in tone from the outgoing speaker, who in the past had blasted Putnam for supporting "amnesty" for undocumented immigrants. Click here to read the rest. Russian servicemen drive a T-14 Armata tank during the Victory Day parade, marking the 73rd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at Red Square in Moscow, Russia. (Reuters) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu attend the Victory Day parade, marking the 73rd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at Red Square in Moscow, Russia. (Reuters) South Korea's President Moon Jae-in, left, is greeted by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prior to their meeting at Abe's official residence in Tokyo. (AP/PTI) 71st Cannes Film Festival | Director Asghar Farhadi, cast members Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Ricardo Darin of 'Everybody Knows' at the photocall for the film. (Reuters) Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev attends the Victory Day parade, marking the 73rd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at Red Square in Moscow, Russia. (Reuters) US President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the Iran nuclear deal from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House. (AP/PTI) Bollywood Actress Sonam Kapoor with her husband Anand Ahuja pose for a photograph during their wedding reception in Mumbai on Tuesday. (PTI) nuclear_missile Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow was deeply disappointed by US President Donald Trump's decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal, a move it called a blatant violation of international law. In a statement issued yesterday, the ministry said it was "deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," the official name for the 2015 deal. Washington's actions were "flagrantly trampling on the norms of international law", the ministry said, saying it is "highly concerned that the US is once more acting contrary to the opinion of the majority of countries." Moscow condemned Trump's decision as "fresh proof of Washington's inability to negotiate" alleging that US criticism of Iran's "absolutely legal nuclear activity" was "just a smokescreen for settling political scores with it." A joint commission of world powers that reached the deal "must swiftly and very scrupulously examine and assess the current situation," the ministry said. Russia is "open to further cooperation" with the rest of the group of world powers that reached the deal and "will continue to actively develop bilateral cooperation and political dialogue with Iran," the ministry said. The Kremlin has previously warned Washington against abandoning the landmark 2015 deal, saying this would deal a heavy blow to international relations and non-proliferation efforts. The agreement was signed between Iran and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US -- at talks coordinated by the European Union. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Tehran in November last year and both countries are pushing for a peace deal in Syria where they are key backers of President Bashar al-Assad. Moscow and Tehran have had close political and economic relations, and in the nuclear field Russia has already built one reactor at Iran's Bushehr plant and started work on two new ones. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attend a welcome ceremony in Panmunjom, South Korea. (Reuters) South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday North Korea should be guaranteed economic aid if it were to undertake complete denuclearisation, a South Korean presidential official said. "The two heads of state agreed the international society, including the United States, should help guarantee a bright future for North Korea like ensuring the regime's security and economic development if North Korea completely denuclearises," Blue House official Yoon Young-chan told reporters. Moon and Li, in Tokyo for a trilateral summit with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also agreed that South Korea and China could begin joint research to assess possible railway projects to connect the two countries, via North Korea, Yoon said. Thai Airways has agreed to refund 3,000 baht (~Rs 6,000) it over charged a passenger who had a lengthy name. The unnamed flyer reportedly could not fill his complete name due to character limitations while booking his ticket online. A commuter of the Thai flag carrier wrote in an online community that he was charged 3,000 baht for changing the name on the ticket as it did not match the name on his passport. He said that while booking the ticket online, Thai Airways system had a 25 character-limit in the first name and family name options. He tried to shortened his name to book the ticket. At the airport, he was reportedly told by staff of the carrier that he could not board the flight as the name on the ticket was different. He was asked to buy a new ticket or pay the requested amount to get the name changed. The passenger was traveling with his child and wife. The airline later clarified that it had agreed to reimburse the flyer. "We apologise for the inconvenience since the internet booking system allows up to 25 characters each for the first name and family name when booking a ticket," the company said in a post, which quoted Wiwat Piyawiroj, acting executive vice-president, commercial, according to Bangkok Post. International Civil Aviation Organization rules state that all travel documents belonging to a flyer should have the same name. The airline said it was updating the system to avoid a similar incident. Three American detainees have been freed by North Korea and are heading home with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, US President Donald Trump said today. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump tweeted. Representative image US President Donald Trump today sought balanced trade with China in a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during which the two leaders agreed on continued sanctions against Pyongyang till the time it dismantled its nuclear weapons programme. "The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest, including recent developments on the Korean Peninsula and President Xi's meeting today with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un," the White House said in a readout of the phone call. Trump and Xi agreed on the importance of continued implementation of sanctions on North Korea until it permanently dismantles its nuclear and missile programs, the White House said. "Trump affirmed his commitment to ensuring that the trade and investment relationship between the United States and China is balanced and benefits American businesses and workers," it said. The trade dispute between the top two economies of the world began last month with Trump imposing tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the US. China retaliated by imposing additional tariffs worth about USD three billion on 128 US products. Trump, while demanding China to reduce the USD 375 billion by USD 100 billion, retaliated with USD 50 billion tariffs on Chinese products. In retaliation, China announced plans to impose new tariffs of 25 percent worth USD 50 billion on 106 American products including items like soybeans which could hurt American farmers. The two countries have not yet implemented their tariff increases to reach a negotiated settlement. China's trade surplus with the US last year rose to a record high. While China put the total at USD 275.8 billion, US figures said it is USD 100 billion more. Tackling the trade gap between the US and China was one of President Trump's election campaign promises. US President Donald Trump delivered a shocking announcement on Tuesday in a televised address - Pulling USA out of the Iran nuclear deal and reinstating sanctions on Iran. The move sparked reactions from many and sparked a debate about Trumps decision. What was the Iran nuclear deal? Formerly known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Iran deal was signed in 2015 between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (USA, China, Russia, France, United Kingdom), Germany and the European Union. According to the agreement, Iran couldnt acquire a nuclear weapon for the next 15 years. In return, the participating countries would lift the sanctions imposed on Irans economy, giving it access to global markets and business. Iran has 20,000 centrifuges and a 10,000 kg stock of uranium. Under the treaty, it can only use 5000 of the centrifuges and it had to give up 97 percent of its uranium. The deal restricted Irans abilities to create nuclear weapons. There would be regular inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency in its nuclear facilities. The then President Barack Obama had signed the deal to make sure that Iran did not have access to nuclear weapons, to avoid triggering a nuclear arms race in the most volatile part of the world. Reasons for Trump to desert the Iran deal Since the beginning of his presidential campaign, Trump has referred to the deal a few times, calling it the worst deal ever and one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the US has ever entered into. Trump believes that the deal put weak restrictions on Irans nuclear activity, and in return gave billions of dollars to the country by lifting the sanctions. The deal only covers acquiring a nuclear weapon, and not Irans ballistic missiles program. It does not point out any way to curb assistance that Iran provides to terrorist outfits. Even if Iran complies 100 percent with the deal, it is possible for it to be a nuclear threat. Even if Iran complies 100 percent with the deal, it is possible for it to be a nuclear threat. Trump is opposed to the idea of the impositions coming to an end in 2030. In January, Trump had demanded the restrictions to be made indefinite. He had also asked for better inspections of Irans nuclear facilities. Trump is confident that a better deal could have been struck at the time since the US was in a position of power. At the point when the United States had maximum leverage, this disastrous deal was made, Trump said during his address. Trump has given the following reasons for his disapproval of the deal. Who agrees and who doesnt Former President Obama called this is a serious mistake. Russia deputy ambassador to the UN showed disappointment at the move but saw it coming. UK, Germany and France released a joint statement saying that they were still a part of the deal. Some senators from Trumps party, like Susan Collins, a Republican senator from Maine, do not agree with him. Collins told CNN that while the deal is problematic, USA should have tried to fix it instead of walking away. Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer said that Iran has not violated any norms and he doesnt see a reason to withdraw from the agreement. Many believe that pulling out of the agreement makes the US seem weak on its word and untrustworthy. Ernest Moniz, Obamas energy secretary and top Iran deal negotiator told Vox, You could say its a terrible deal because it doesnt cover Hezbollah, and Syria, and Yemen, and missiles, and human rights but thats not what the agreement is. Some, however, have welcomed the move. Israel and Saudi Arabia have hailed the decision with the Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu calling it a brave decision. He said, The deal would have allowed Iran to enrich enough uranium for an entire arsenal of nuclear bombs. Richard Goldberg, an analyst at Foundation of the Defense of Democracies, supported the decision and told Vox that Trump linked the Iran deal to recent North Korea negotiations, where his approach has been the complete opposite: pressure and power. He also said that through this speech, Trump left room for new negotiations. Nikki Haley called the Iran deal terrible and said that it allowed Irans bad international conduct to worsen. COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - JULY 10: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his meeting with Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen at the PM's Office on July 10, 2017 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The two heads of state discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula and how Japan and Denmark could enhance their strategic partnership further. The Japanese PM said during their joint press conference that North Korea undermines the international order seriously. (Photo by Ole Jensen - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) In a major gaffe, an Israeli chef served after-meal chocolates to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a shoe-shaped dish during the premier's recent visit to Jerusalem. The incident has led to diplomatic tensions between the two nations as shoes are considered lowly in Japanese culture and are not allowed indoors. During the Japanese PM's 12-hour visit on May 2, he along with wife Akie were treated to a festive meal at the official residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara. They were served meals by celebrity chef Segev Moshe. All was well until desserts were served. Moshe presented chocolate pralines artistically arranged inside a shiny leather shoe. Japanese diplomats, officials in the Israeli Foreign Ministry and senior Israeli diplomats who served in Japan were shocked by the idea, reported Hebrew publication Yediot Aharonot There is nothing more despicable in Japanese culture than shoes, and not only do they not enter their homes in shoes, you will not find shoes in their bureaus, and even the prime minister, ministers and members of parliament host their offices without shoes. In a fiasco and diplomatic scorn, a lack of respect of the first order, like giving a Jewish guest chocolate in a pig-shaped installation, the newspaper quoted a senior Israeli official as saying. "There is no culture in the world where shoes are put on the table, what exactly is the famous chef Segev thought to himself, we cannot understand what he was trying to say here, if it's humour, then we do not think it's funny, a Japanese diplomat said. Israeli Foreign Ministry washed its hands off the decision to serve desserts in an offending way. We respect and appreciate the chef. He is very creative, the ministry said in an initial statement, later amended to add, We have the utmost respect for the Japanese prime minister. Segevs publicist said in a statement that the shoe was a sculpture from world-renowned artist and not actually a shoe. The dessert was served inside a sculpture by international artist Tom Dixon, whose works are displayed in major museums around the world and for the first time was displayed in Israel at a meal. This is a high-quality piece of art made of cast metal in the shape of a shoe; it is not a real shoe, the statement read, according to Yediot Aharonot. @NewsbySmiley UPDATED: Levine campaign consultant Christian Ulvert released the following statement to the Miami Herald. ""Before Royal Media Partners began doing business in Alaska and entered the market, the Alaskan government asked all media companies involved in the cruise industry to begin putting greater disclaimers on all advertising mediums. Once this issue was brought to the attention of Royal Media Partners, they joined the State of Alaska in their consent decree as willing partners to make sure that the updated standards were put in place to protect consumers. All funds collected through the agreement went directly towards increasing consumer protection standards." Accused of bullying Alaskan retailers, two corporations founded by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine entered into consent decrees with the state in 2013 and paid hefty settlements. Royal Media Partners, created by Levine in 2011, was among three cruise line contractors accused of strong-arm tactics in ports of call in the northern state. Local retailers complained that the company, along with Fort Lauderdales Panoff Publishing and Onboard Media -- founded in 1990 by Levine and sold in 2000 -- required retailers to pay fees and commissions in order for company guides to steer passengers to their shops after ships docked at port. The companies, contractors for the majority of the cruise lines that docked at Ketchican and other port cities, provided guides for the ships, as well as promotional materials and informational pamphlets. Retailers who didn't participate complained that they were disparaged by port lecturers. Some referred to the business model as "kickbacks." The contractors admitted no wrongdoing when signing the consent judgments, which were reported in Alaska at the time. The settlements were resurrected Tuesday by the Miami New Times in a profile of Levine, now a serious contender to claim the Democratic nomination for governor. At the time the consent judgments were signed, the Alaska Attorney Generals office told reporters that lawsuits alleging violations of Alaskas Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act would have been filed were it not for the settlements. But with the companies cooperating, the state secured court-sanctioned agreements that ensured company representatives would not disparage local retailers who chose not to pay. The agreement also guaranteed that representatives would disclose that they were paid to recommend retailers to shoppers, and that the stores to which passengers were referred were not selected due to price savings or the quality of their products. Together, the three companies paid a total of $200,000, with Royal Media Partners paying $45,000. The money was paid into a kitty to fund investigations, enforcement and education efforts. Levine told the Miami New Times that his company was caught in a local dispute between retailers who wanted more of the services provided by his company, and those that were opposed to the business model. Lew Williams, the mayor of Ketchican, was critical of the contractors but made similar comments about the divide among Alaskan retailers in a 2013 interview with Travel Weekly. "When the attorney general brought it to our attention... we all complied immediately," Levine told the publication. "We said, 'We're very happy to comply with anything. Whatever types of disclaimers that you guys would want, we're more than happy to do. For us it was a minor issue; it wasn't a big deal.'" Although the market remains a vibrant actor in the national housing sector, Vancouver residential sales activity saw a noticeable decline in April, along with an increase in sellers. Fresh data from real estate team VANCITYliving showed that residential property sales in the metropolitan region fell by 27.4% year-over-year last month, down to a total of 2,579. Aprils numbers represented a 2.5% increase from March 2018, but still 22.5% below the 10-year sales average. Market conditions are changing. Home sales declined in our region last month to a 17-year April low and home sellers have become more active than weve seen in the past three years, Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver president Phil Moore said. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. General Electric has disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it has reserved $1.5 billion in discontinued operations during the first quarter in relation to a Department of Justice Investigation into WMC Mortgage, its exited US mortgage business. The investigation relates to potential violations of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 by WMC and GE Capital. The DOJs Civil Division initiated the investigations into WMC and its affiliates as part of an industry-wide investigation of subprime mortgages. The potential FIRREA violations arose out of the origination, purchase, or sale of residential mortgage loans between Jan. 1, 2005, and Dec. 31, 2007. SAUL LOEB, Staff / AFP/Getty Images Exxon Mobil Corp. agreed to sell a refinery and three fuel terminals in Italy to Algeria, as the OPEC member seeks to cut fuel imports by refining its own crude. Esso Italiana Srl, a unit of Exxon Mobil in Italy, signed an agreement for the sale of its Augusta refinery in Sicily to Algerian state energy producer Sonatrach, according to an emailed statement from Esso. It's also selling three fuel terminals in Augusta, Palermo and Naples and related pipelines to Sonatrach. Displeased with the 2012 decision to not list the dunes sagebrush lizard as endangered and alarmed at the growth of oil and gas operations and frac sand mining in its habitat, two environmental groups are again seeking its listing as an endangered species. The Center for Biodiversity and the Defenders of Wildlife on Tuesday petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the lizard under the Endangered Species Act. The move was immediately criticized by oil and gas associations. "This is yet another attempt by anti-industry groups to shut down the Permian Basin oil and gas industry," Ben Shepperd, president of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, told the Reporter-Telegram by email. "The Permian Basin is the most prolific oil-producing region in North America and that makes us a high-value target of the environmentalists." Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil & Gas Association, issued a statement saying, "Texas oil and natural gas companies and private landowners have been working together for years to protect the dunes sagebrush lizard. The industry has invested millions of dollars in voluntary conservation efforts that are working to protect the species and its habitat. Listing the species remains unwarranted and would shut down significant oil and natural gas production and activity, which is the intent of the groups filing this latest petition. "Like previous attempts to list the dunes sagebrush lizard, this filing has nothing to do with the lizard's habitat. These groups routinely use the federal government to raise money to fund an anti-oil and gas agenda, wasting tax dollars and eroding our national energy and economic security," Staples said. "Science clearly shows the immediate need to list the species to prevent its extinction," Chris Nagano, senior scientist for the center, said during a conference call with media regarding the petition. Ya-Wei (Jake) Li, director of the Center for Conservation Innovation for Defenders of Wildlife, said that by 2012-2013, his organization had already related that the Texas Conservation Plan had major flaws in how it conserved the species -- including a lack of transparency and the failure of the foundation charged with overseeing the plan to carry out any mitigation measures. "Around 2013 we also used satellite imagery to document unauthorized and unreported habitat destruction occurring from certain oil and gas projects," Li said. "What pushed us over the edge in the last few months was the recent expansion of frac sand mining in the lizard's habitat in Texas. Specifically, we at Defenders have used satellite imagery monthly to track the extent of sand mining operations that overlap the habitat and are concerned about the direction those projects are taking." Jacob Malcom, senior endangered species analyst for Defenders of Wildlife, said habitat destruction, the lack of mechanisms to protect the species and manmade and natural threats -- such as other species, climate change and contaminants -- imperil the lizard. "These factors, and the timing, all combined to indicate the species is threatened with extinction or likely to become threatened with extinction," he said. While the PBPA is still reviewing the petition, Shepperd said, "We strongly believe that the conservation agreements have been successful in protecting the lizard and its habitat." Nagano spent 27 years in the endangered species program with the Fish and Wildlife Service before retiring. He was critical of the Texas Conservation Plan that was credited with persuading the service to not list the lizard. "An important point of the Endangered Species Act is that it specifically requires science, and just science, be used in deciding whether or not to protect a species. The dunes sagebrush lizard is restricted to a small set of sand dunes in New Mexico and Texas where it's endangered by oil and gas and frac sand mining. In my 27 years with the Fish and Wildlife Service, I've seen only a few other instances in which such overwhelming political pressure was used to bludgeon the service into acting contrary to science and not listing a species as required by law. The dunes sagebrush lizard was not protected because the service caved into the brazen political pressure from Susan Combs and the oil and gas industry. " At the time, Combs was Texas' Comptroller of Public Accounts and currently serves as acting assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Her successor as comptroller, Glenn Hegar, now oversees the agreement. "We have never, since Comptroller Hegar took office, maintained the position that the plan was perfect," said Robert Gulley, director of the economic growth and endangered species management division. As his office got more involved in trying to improve the plan, the more issues arose, he said in a phone interview from his Austin office. He noted that the frac sand companies "were not even contemplated" when the conservation plan was first devised. Gulley said rather than try to patch up the plan, it was decided to undertake a major revision and that many of the issues raised by the petition are being addressed in the revision. He has submitted what he described as a draft plan designed to stimulate dialogue with the Fish and Wildlife Service, the oil and gas industry, other stakeholders and environmental groups. "I think the comptroller has made it clear the plan is supposed to be open and transparent on what it will do. We're open to anyone who wants to solve problems." He said he believes a lot of progress has been made on improving the plan, and there could be a short timeline in putting together an improved plan, as little as 30 to 60 days. "One point I want to share is that it's important to the oil and gas industry and the comptroller that we have a durable plan. This calls for a 30-year commitment, and we want a plan that will survive that without going through what we're going through now," said Gulley. The ultimate goal, he said, is to balance protecting the species while also ensuring industries can continue to operate and allow the economy to grow. Nagano and Malcom both said the plan would require significant changes, but if those were made, then an endangered listing for the lizard might not be warranted. "If the Fish and Wildlife Service caves in again to political pressure, the center will take the service to court and compel them to follow the law and list the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species," Nagano said. A man wanted in connection to a 2014 Odessa murder investigation has been arrested. Noe Garcia Galan, 38, was arrested Monday by Border Patrol, according to an Odessa Police Department press release. Officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of North Dixie on May 13, 2014, in reference to a kidnapping, according to the release. About 20 minutes later, OPD officers responded to a different address in reference to shots being fired, and found a gunshot victim, according to the release. Sean Lamb, 22, was fatally shot allegedly because a large quantity of narcotics had been stolen, according to the release. OPDs investigation led police to connect the kidnapping and the homicide, according to the release. Five suspects were identified as being involved in the case: Liz Sanchez Hernandez, 38, Brian Adan Hernandez, 21, Stacey Louise Castillo, 43, Ruben James Hernandez, 37, and Noe Garcia Galan, 38, Liz Hernandez and Brian Hernandez were arrested the next day and charged with capital murder. Castillo was arrested on May 15, 2014 in Marfa. There is a capital murder arrest warrant out for Ruben Hernandez. Anyone with information in reference to this incident is encouraged to call the Odessa Police Department or Odessa Crime Stoppers at 432-333-TIPS. Investigators advise the public to use caution if contact is made with Ruben Hernandez as he is considered to be armed and dangerous. Parents disappointed with the Midland ISD administrations handling of bullying gathered Tuesday in protest. Midland Moms on a Mission organized the event, which group members hoped would be a chance to spark change. Among those protesting in front of MISD Central Office was Maddie Linsicombe. While dealing with a bullying case involving her daughter, she hoped for a different approach from the districts administrators. I have to be the voice for my child, Linsicombe said. Im the one who has to see her every day suffer, and Im just not going to stand for it. Linsicombe joined about 15 parents outside the MISD Central Office on Tuesday. Some protesters held signs and wore T-shirts with messages related to their cause. I hope it shows the administration that the mothers of these children are paying attention, MISD parent Machelle Morris said before the protest. Were watching what this new administration is going to do about these important issues. Morris read about Midland Moms on a Mission and said she felt a connection because of an incident in which her daughter was victimized. Morris said it seems the situation was placated instead of being addressed. I hope the administration understands that when moms feel like they have to become a group to protect their children, were not going to go away, Morris said. We will see that something is done. More for you MISD releases statement about Midland Moms on a Mission protest For mother Naomi Robledo, joining the protest was a chance to support friends whose kids experienced bullying. She hoped the event would bring awareness to the issue. The children are scared to speak up for themselves, so Im here to help give them a voice, she said. Robledo encouraged others to join in efforts to call for change. She said more Midlanders can step in, not only the ones who are MISD parents. We need all the support we can get, Robledo said. Everybody at least knows somebody thats in MISD. If your kids arent in it, then Im sure you know somebody whose (children) are. Midland Moms on a Mission formed this year as a way for mothers to have a space to share their stories. Nearly 1,000 parents have joined. Weve had a lot of doors closed in our faces, and weve had a lot of exciting things happen, said Dani Shepard, who helped organize the event. Unfortunately though, the progress is too slow for us. The Reporter-Telegram was outside the MISD Central Office from about 9:05 a.m. until about 11:15 a.m. and didnt observe the entire group enter the building. Newspaper staff didnt see a district administrator come outside to address protesters as a whole. District staff had been in contact with the protesters, Lacy Sperry, executive director of communications and public relations, told the Reporter-Telegram Tuesday afternoon. A statement from the district is as follows: https://bit.ly/2rtKWzs Teacher appreciation week has finally arrived, and for most teachers this is a welcome celebration of their efforts near the end of their school year. However, this years observance was preceded by several walkout and/or strikes in Kentucky, Oklahoma, Colorado and Arizona. There seems to be an intensifying debate among our elected officials over the priorities surrounding public education in America. Still, many are asking themselves: Why are teachers doing this? Its difficult to say without being on the ground in each of these places, but first and foremost, teachers have grown weary of trying to educate students without suitable resources. This isnt just about pay. Teachers have outdated materials, aging facilities, increased demands of testing accountability, and they are tired of the business as usual attitude. They want change in how we allocate funds for education --statewide and nationally. A recent Associated Press -NORC poll finds that 78 percent of Americans say teachers in this country get paid too little for the work they do, yet only 50 percent would support tax increases to increase their compensation. How can the drop in support be explained? The drop-off in support is due largely to the idea that we like the idea of teacher pay raises. We just dont want to pay for them. Texas is an interesting case study because of the way we get money for education. Our state Constitution says that the Texas Legislature will provide and fund an efficient system of public schools to provide for the general diffusion of knowledge. Simplistically, this means we have to provide access to a quality education, and we must adequately fund the schools. If one was to look at how Texas funds public education, they would find a ridiculously complex school finance system that is more concerned with keeping property taxes low than educating our students. So fixing education in Texas is going to require that we take a long, hard look at all possible options for change. Changing behavior is challenging, and education reform is no different. Many people underestimate the process of change our public schools need. It is easy to fool ourselves into believing that it should be a simple fix. As with many movements in history, many will step away at the first sign of resistance or perceived failure. Failure will have to be part of the process, and we will have to learn from that defeat as we work to streamline the funding practice. Many may use failure as an excuse to stop trying but one should never underestimate the resolve of teachers. Famed anthropologist Margret Mead once stated: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, its the only thing that ever has. I submit that if you are looking for a thoughtful and committed group of citizens, you need look no further than teachers in the classrooms of America and especially Texas. So during this week of celebrating teachers efforts, remember that you should do something to show your appreciation for the work teachers do for children. If you truly want to show your appreciation for teachers, you should look at changing the week of teacher appreciation from the first week of May to the first week November. Give educators a gift in the form of supporting measures and candidates at the ballot box. Texas needs more than a Band-Aid approach to dealing with public education, and our children deserve better. Chris Hightower is director of social studies for Midland ISD. @alextdaugherty A new poll from Florida Atlantic University shows that Gov. Rick Scott's television advertising blitz could be paying early dividends. The outgoing Republican governor challenging Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in November has a four 44 to 40 percent lead with 16 percent of voters undecided, a six-point swing from a FAU poll taken in late February which showed Nelson leading 40 percent to 38 percent. But the race remains tied at 45 percent among poll respondents who said they're likely to vote in November. The Senate race in Florida continues to be very close and is going to be one of the most expensive and competitive contests in the nation, said Kevin Wagner, Ph.D., professor of political science at FAU. President Trumps approval ratings in Florida are edging up, and if that continues, it could help Rick Scott and other Republicans on the midterm ballot. Nelson and Scott's U.S. Senate race is expected to be one of the most expensive in U.S. history. In the governor's race, Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis (16 percent) and agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam (15 percent) are effectively tied with each other, and no other Republican reached double-digit support. On the Democratic side, former Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine (16 percent) and former Rep. Gwen Graham (15 percent) are running in a dead heat with businessman Chris King (10 percent) in third. Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum (6 percent) rounds out the field. The majority of voters from both parties are unsure of how they will vote in the August primary election. The poll also shows that President Donald Trump's approval rating in Florida is 43 percent with a 45 percent disapproval rating, Trump's highest approval rating in Florida since taking office. A majority of voters, 52 percent, said Trump's tax plan has made no difference to them financially and voters would prefer to have Barack Obama back in the White House instead of Trump by a 49-43 margin. The survey, which polled 1,000 Florida registered voters May 4-7, was conducted using an online sample supplied by Survey Sampling International using online questionnaires and via an automated telephone platform (IVR) using registered voter lists supplied by Aristotle, Inc. The survey has a margin of error of 3 percentage points. Responses for the entire sample were weighted to reflect the statewide distribution of the Florida population. The polling results and full cross-tabulations are available at www.business.fau.edu/bepi. The Harris County medical examiner's office has released autopsy reports offering more details in the shooting of two divorcing men who died in a murder-suicide last Thursday. Makeup company executive Benjamin Ruiz shot and killed his husband, Rene Ruiz, before turning the gun on himself, according to the autopsy reports. THETFORD, Vt. Was your tomato grown in dirt or water? Organic shoppers might notice additional labels this summer that will give them the answer and tell them whether their choices align with what a rebellious group of farmers and scientists deem the true spirit of the organic movement. About 15 farmers and scientists from around the country met in Vermont in late March to create the standards for an additional organic certification program, which they plan to roll out nationally to between 20 to 60 farms as a pilot this summer. Under the current U.S. Department of Agriculture program, the organic label means that your tomato has been produced without synthetic substances with some exceptions and without certain methods, like genetic engineering. The additional label, which does not yet have a name or wording, would indicate that a tomato, for example, has been grown in soil, and that meat and dairy products came from farms that pasture their animals. An inspector would certify that the farm has complied with the new standards, and the farms not distributors would add the label. The move comes five months after the National Organic Standard Board, which advises the U.S. Department of Agriculture, voted against a proposal to exclude from the USDAs organic certification program hydroponics raising plants with water but no soil and aquaponics, in which plants and aquatic animals, such as fish, are grown within one system. I think that a lot of farmers, especially young farmers, feel that the organic label no longer describes the way they farm, and were trying to recapture that, said Linley Dixon, a vegetable farmer in Durango, Colorado, and senior scientist for Cornucopia Institute, who also is on the standards board of the Real Organic Project. The group creating the new label, which calls itself the Real Organic Project, said it has not abandoned the National Organic Program, which is the federal standard, and is not attacking organic farmers. Some of the cornerstones of what organic means are being taken away, and were concerned about how creaky that makes the whole thing, said Dave Chapman, a member of the executive and standards board of the Real Organic Project and owner of an organic tomato farm in Thetford. He believes the cornerstone of being organic is growing in soil and improving its fertility. To Dixon, organic means a very diversified operation, rotating animals and crops and planting cover crops to control erosion, increase organic matter in the soil and manage weeds, among other things. The new label would exclude from certification hydroponic farming and large livestock farms that dont pasture their animals, known as contained animal feeding operations or CAFOs. The hydroponic industry argues another label would mislead and confuse consumers and is a way for the traditional organic farmers to try to get a competitive edge. Its a competition because field farmers cant produce the volume that hydroponics can, said Dan Lubkeman, president of the Hydroponic Society of America. While shopping at Hunger Mountain food cooperative in Montpelier, Jessica Manchester of Worcester agreed labeling is getting confusing for the average consumer but in the long run thinks its good to know where food comes from. She said she prefers produce grown in soil. Im just in favor of plants growing in their natural way and being in connection with the microbes in the soil and the interactions those microbes have with the plant roots, Manchester said. But fellow shopper Laurie Griggs of Calais said she doesnt buy totally organic and doesnt mind if vegetables or berries are raised hydroponically. I just think we need new ways to grow things, she said. Weve got a lot of people and farmings really hard on the land, and if we can find ways to lighten our impact on the land and grow healthy food for people, I have no problem with it. The farmers involved want a more transparent label and will not see an economic benefit at first, Chapman said. The program now is being funded by contributions. Farmers would pay a fee to be certified, but he doubts that would cover the cost of the program. I hope the day will come where there will be an economic benefit because I know that there are millions of people in the country who actually do care about whether food is grown in the soil and whether the animals have access to the pasture, he said. Bows, arrows and quivers can now be found in downtown Jacksonville. Scott Hungerford of Jacksonville and his brother-in-law, Jimmy Johnson of Franklin, recently opened Jacksonville Archery at 230 S. Sandy St., in the same building as the Bombshell Beauty Bar. I sold my pawn, gun and archery shop in 2012, when I was transferred to southern Illinois for my full-time state job, Hungerford said. And since I retired in 2016, Ive run into former archery customers who wanted to know if I would ever get back into the business, he said. In March, Hungerford and Johnson decided to open the archery shop. In the last 10 years, archery has grown in popularity because of all the hunting programs on the Outdoor Channel and also because of the Olympics, which have inspired young people to become competitive archers, Hungerford said. He added that there are a growing number of hunters in west-central Illinois who participate in outdoor 3D archery shoots. This will be the first full season that anyone can purchase a crossbow and hunt during the archery deer season in Illinois, Hungerford said. That is part of the reason why we decided to open the archery shop. Jacksonville Archery carries a full line of bows and accessories, a full line of crossbows, as well as quivers, broadheads, releases, sights, stabilizers and traditional and drop-away arrow rests. In addition, Hungerford and Johnson are certified bow technicians, providing a full line of service. We will install custom bow strings, complete bow setups and do custom arrow work, Hungerford said. Im excited to bring our archery store back to downtown Jacksonville, where I opened my first business in 1994, Hungerford said. Jacksonville Archery is open from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The hours will probably grow as the business grows, Hungerford said. Greg Olson can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1224, or on Twitter @JCNews_Greg. Nearly every day brings new stories of children being tracked, Russians being indicted and online-fueled hate exploding into real world violence all while the big tech platforms that enable this chaos report record earnings and shrug off congressional oversight without breaking a sweat. The internet has never been more vital to our lives, our culture and our economy yet its never been more out of balance. The American people are demanding of comprehensive action to rein in these giant platforms, protect our privacy and permanently keep cyberspace open and free with 80 percent believing the big platforms havent done enough to secure their networks and nearly 60 percent concerned the government wont do enough to solve the problem. Yet, amazingly, the only internet bill on the agenda in Congress is a backward- looking resolution that will actually reduce our privacy protections. The resolution is called the Congressional Review Act and its being pitched as a way to protect net neutrality. But thats a complete charade. We need comprehensive privacy legislation and real net neutrality legislation enacted at the federal level now, not later, and the CRA vote just delays that and gives members of Congress an easy out instead of pushing them to draft, debate and support real, bipartisan, pro-consumer legislation. The CRA doesnt enact any permanent net neutrality protections. It also does nothing to protect our privacy, secure the internet from Russian bots or election attacks, or bring accountability to all tech platforms across the board, or boost innovation and ensure competition. All the CRA would do if it passed (something that itself is extremely unlikely in a Republican Congress) is temporarily restore an old and out-of-date version of net neutrality that applies to broadband providers only and then send the entire issue back to the Federal Communications Commission, where anything could happen including reversal of even those limited rules. And worse, in the process, the CRA would strip away one of the key internet privacy protections Americans currently enjoy. Right now, the Federal Trade Commission is the lead privacy cop for the big cable and telecom companies. It protects Americans from unfair and deceptive practices online, including breaches of privacy policies and other abuses of our data. This is why the Obama administration made strong enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission the centerpiece of its Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights in 2012. But the CRA would eliminate the FTCs jurisdiction over internet providers creating a gaping privacy gap when more data protection, not less, is necessary. Congress has an enormous opportunity in front of it. There is wide, bipartisan agreement that we need new, stronger rules of the road for the entire internet tech platforms, broadband providers, and any entity collecting and using consumer data. The recent Facebook hearings showed members of both parties demanding accountability and calling for solutions. One representative, David McKinley, a West Virginia Republican whose district has been decimated by online opioid sales, put it most directly: Facebook is actually enabling an illegal activity, and in so doing you are hurting people. Its not often the stars align in this way and it would be a dereliction for Congress to squander this chance for real progress in favor of an empty, feel-good CRA. Instead, Congress should be driving toward comprehensive legislation to strengthen our privacy and make net neutrality permanent and apply it to all companies that pick and choose what we can see and do online and to require real cybersecurity and data protection that includes strong penalties for those who breach our trust. Thats the kind of vote a woke Congress would take. Mike Montgomery is executive director of CALinnovates, a technology advocacy organization. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran Nuclear deal is receiving both support and criticism from California lawmakers. Trump has been a long critic of the agreement, which was finalized in 2015 by Iran, the United States, France, Germany, Russia, China and the United Kingdom. It called for Iran to convert and reduce its nuclear facilities, and in turn, the other countries lifted nuclear related economic sanctions. In announcing his decision to pull the United States out of the agreement this week, President Trump stated it was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never ever been made. Earlier economic sanctions are now being put back in place. Republican Congressman McClintock states, I am in total agreement with President Trumps decision to withdraw the United States from the Iran Nuclear deal, a deal I termed a breathtakingly dangerous act when President Obama first floated the idea. President Trump has shown, as President Reagan proved when he ended the Cold War, that negotiating with rogue governments and dictators must be conducted from a position of strength. We must hold Iran, the chief state sponsor of terrorism in the world, accountable for its action now and in the future. The decision is drawing criticism from leading state Democrats. Californias senior US Senator, Dianne Feinstein, says, President Trumps decision to withdraw is a strategic mistake contrary to our national security interests. The greatest threat to the United States and Israel is a nuclear armed Iran, and the agreement prevents that. There is absolutely no sound reason to exit at this time. California Senator Kamala Harris weighs in, The decision to violate the Iran nuclear deal jeopardizes our national security and isolates us from our closest allies. This nuclear deal is not perfect, but it is certainly the best existing tool we have to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and avoid a disastrous military conflict in the Middle East. Drs. Santanu Bandyopadhyay and James Todd, Columbia College Presidential Finalists 2018 View Photos Modesto, CA A recommendation is headed to the Yosemite Community College District (YCCD) Board today ahead of an anticipated decision on a successor to retiring Columbia College President Dr. Angela Fairchilds. As we reported here last month, following a nationwide search initiated in January, a special committee ultimately settled on two finalists, Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay, who has served as Executive Vice President of Educational Programs and Student Services and Director of Institutional Research and Planning at Southern Californias Cypress College; and Dr. James Todd, who has held the posts of Vice President of Student Services and Professor of Anthropology and Academic Senate President at Modesto Junior College. Both candidates had the opportunity to make presentations and take questions from the public at separate forums held at Columbia College. According to YCCD spokesperson Coni Chavez, following separate, subsequent interviews with both, YCCD Chancellor Henry Yong sent his recommendation Dr. Bandyopadhyay along to the board for its consideration. She adds that the trustees anticipate making their decision while meeting this evening and plan to release an announcement sometime around 7:30. Families who plan on spending the summer at a national park may want to consider buying their passes now before the prices go up. The National Park Service announced fees will increase at a number of parks, including Padre Island and Big Bend, beginning June 1. The increases are necessary because national parks have $11.6 billion in deferred maintenance that needs to be addressed, officials said. Fees for seven-day vehicle passes are going up $5, while an individual will increase anywhere from $3-$5 depending on the park, according to the release. RELATED: San Pedro Creek not an ugly duckling anymore Park-specific annual passes will also increase by $5-$10, depending on the park. For Big Bend National Park, a park-specific annual pass will go from $50 to $55, a vehicle pass will increase from $25 to $30 and an individual pass will increase from $12 to $15. At Padre Island National Seashore, a park-specific annual pass will increase from $20 to $40, a vehicle pass will go from $10 to $20 and an individual pass will increase from $5 to $10. Officials said it will be the first increase at the park in 20 years, though another is expected in 2020. "Every dollar spent to rebuild our parks will help bolster the gateway communities that rely on park visitation for economic vitality," U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke said. Despite the price increase, prices for the annual America the Beautiful National Parks, Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass and Lifetime Senior Pass will remain $80, according to the release. The increases are expected to bring an additional $60 million to the National Park Service. A full list of park price changes can be found here. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA 3 1 of 3 Courtesy Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy Photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Voters in Plainview ISD Precincts 3 and 4 give Tyler James and Amber Bass decisive victories on Saturday to serve four-year terms on the Plainview ISD Board of Education. Two others won seats on the school board without receiving a single vote since they were unopposed. As a result, elections in those two precincts were canceled. Tyler James was in victor in Precinct 3, defeating Robert Nava on a vote count of 186-95. James drew 66 percent to Navas 34 percent Neither acrimony nor uncertainty is good for business, yet President Donald Trump takes pride in spreading both. The presidents supporters surely love his brash style of ignoring established norms, blowing up past agreements and insulting his counter-parties. But anyone doing business across an international border is worried about what will happen next. Trump blew up the Iranian nuclear deal on Tuesday for no other reason than he didnt like it. He ignored pleas from Americas closest allies, refused to consider advice from anyone outside the anti-Iran lobby and violated a fundamental premise of diplomacy that new administrations will respect the agreements negotiated by previous administrations. The Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was signed between Iran and China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Every other country involved said it was a good deal that Iran was obeying, yet Trump scrapped it. Oil markets ran up 10 percent before Trumps decision betting he would re-impose sanctions on Iranian oil and force about 500,000 barrels a day off the market. If you notice a spike in gasoline prices the next time you fill up, send your complaints to the White House. The hundreds of millions of dollars that U.S. consumers will pay this summer in higher gas prices, though, is nothing compared to Boeings losses. Trump just scuttled the U.S. airplane builders $10 billion in contracts to deliver 110 jets to two Iranian airlines. French, German and British companies stand to lose tens of billions more after Trump promised to impose more severe sanctions on Iran, and the companies that do business there. European corporations moved into Iran quickly after the agreement and started hundreds of billions of dollars in new business. If Trump limited himself to confronting our allies over Iran, perhaps global business could roll with the punches. But the Trump administration has picked a fight on every continent with every major trading partner. One of Trumps first acts was to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, abandoning an 11-nation deal that would have lowered tariffs on U.S. goods at almost no cost to the U.S. The decision frustrated Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who pleaded with Trump to remain in the deal. Time is also running out for a quick resolution of trade talks with Canada and Mexico. But by all accounts, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has ignored pleas from the business sector and made ridiculous demands for a revised North American Free Trade Agreement. Among them is a five-year sunset clause, where the U.S. can renegotiate NAFTA every five years. What business will invest relying on an agreement that will be continuously renegotiated depending on which party is in power in the U.S., Canada or Mexico? The Trump administration is also on the cusp of a trade war with China, home to the worlds second-largest economy. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and his team made demands the Chinese found so ridiculous that they canceled an expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Even Vice President Wang Qishan suddenly had a conflict on his calendar. Trumps fans love his style of demanding acquiescence at the beginning of a negotiation to establish a favorable baseline from which to make limited concessions. That can work in a real estate deal where the primary motive is profit, and everyone will be happy if they make one. In international relations, though, the goal is power. Politicians will quickly sacrifice short-term economic gain if by standing up to a bully they will win long-term popularity. Pride is more important than economics, and unfortunately, Trump revels in humiliating his adversaries and creates unnecessary conflict. Trumps bully diplomacy has led global public approval of the U.S. to plummet to the lowest level in a decade, according to Gallup. Germany has the highest approval rating, and China is one percentage point ahead of the U.S. Overseas groups have called for boycotts of U.S. goods to protest Trumps policies. Some Middle East observers see Trumps actions on Iran as similar to how President George W. Bush laid the groundwork to justify the invasion of Iraq. All of this animosity will ultimately hit U.S. companies on their bottom line. WHO'S AFFECTED? European businesses most affected by U.S. sanctions on Iran Despite protests to the contrary, Trumps America First policy is beginning to look a lot like America Alone. Every deal he blows up will have economic consequences for U.S. businesses, raising costs and lowering demand. And that means a slower global economy, less wealth creation and lower profits. Chris Tomlinson is the Chronicles business columnist. chris.tomlinson@chron.com twitter.com/cltomlinson Officials from more than 40 companies including Alphabet Inc., Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Boeing Co. and CVS Health Corp. are scheduled to attend a meeting Thursday at the White House to discuss artificial intelligence, amid rising concerns about jobs and the influence of China. More than 100 business leaders in sectors ranging from energy and manufacturing to health care, technology and financial services senior government officials and experts will convene in Washington for a summit to address issues around AI including supporting national research and development, helping the American workforce to take advantage of AI and removing barriers to AI innovation in the U.S. The effort to tackle artificial intelligence arrives at a time when the American technology industry is already confronting threats of regulation in general as well as specific AI concerns over job losses, the possibility of bias in AI and fierce competition with China in the field. The Chinese government has made AI a national priority and many local companies are deploying machine-learning systems to update banking services, identify faces in crowds and control drones. The U.S. wants to make sure its not giving up any home-field advantage. As the world leader in the development of AI, the United States plays a unique role in driving the adoption of AI by industry and the broader public, a draft White House agenda for the event says. Attendees will discuss policies to fully realize the promise of AI for the American people, according to a White House agenda on the meeting. Other companies sending representatives include Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Mastercard Inc., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., Amazon.com Inc., Facebook Inc., Pfizer Inc., Ford Motor Inc. and Walmart Inc. Intel Corp. Chief Executive Officer Brian Krzanich and CVS CEO Larry Merlo are also slated to attend. Still, many in the industry believe both regulation and legislation of AI are years away. In the foreword to a book on AI that Microsoft published this year, the companys president, Brad Smith, and executive vice president for artificial intelligence and research, Harry Shum, say that within 20 years, the U.S. will need laws to grapple with the issues that arise when criminal enterprises and others use AI in ways that are objectionable and even harmful. So, while we cant afford to stifle AI technology by adopting laws before we understand the issues that lie ahead of us, neither can we make the mistake of doing nothing now and waiting for two decades before getting started, they write. In addition to domestic considerations, Chinas President, Xi Jinping, has set out an ambitious plan to dominate in AI by 2030, overtaking the U.S. The plan would see gross output from Chinas AI industry increase 10-fold within the next three years, to 150 billion renminbi ($24 billion), and to 1 trillion renminbi by 2030. William Carter, the deputy director of the technology policy program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic & International Studies think tank, said that the White Houses focus on national research and development originates in concerns about China. Its a priority partially because of all the money China is throwing at AI, according to Carter, who said he had discussed AI in recent weeks with the White House office hosting the conference. DOD wants to adopt a lot more AI, and they will need to have a better foothold in the private sector. The administration has also faced criticism from some world economic leaders that its policies on issues like immigration could endanger U.S. dominance in the sciences. The meeting represents an important step toward building collaboration between government and industry in the realm of artificial intelligence, said Dean Garfield, president and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council, a trade group that includes several of the companies attending the meeting. The tech sector is committed to ensuring that all Americans reap the benefits of this transformative technology, which has the potential to save lives, improve how we harvest food, transform education and more, Garfield said in a statement. In order to maintain Americas leadership on AI, the administration should continue to invest in research and development, and advance programs that equip the workforce with skills of the future. In October, the group released a broad set of principles on how public policy around artificial intelligence should be developed, a year after Google, Apple, IBM, Facebook, Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft formed the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to conduct research and make recommendations that would improve the safety, transparency, equity and effectiveness of artificial intelligence. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Tuesday pledged his company will move forward with its technology responsibly, as more consumers are voicing their concern about how their data get shared online and their addiction to apps. We are in an important inflection point in computing, and its exciting to drive the technology forward, Pichai told thousands of developers gathered at an outdoor theater on the companys Mountain View campus. Its made us even more reflective of our responsibilities. The three-day conference, known as Google I/O, is an annual event for developers that this year drew more than 7,000 people. At past events, Pichai has expressed enthusiasm for a world in which artificial intelligence and machine learning propel the company forward and help solve global problems. Now, tech leaders, including Pichai, are taking a more muted tone, particularly in the wake of a backlash about huge companies collection and distribution of peoples data. Pichai said there are very real and important questions being raised about the impact of advances in artificial intelligence. We feel a deep responsibility to get this right, he added. Pichai outlined ways Google intends to help consumers contain their digital lives. An Android operating system update this fall will show people how much time they spend on specific apps and allow them to set time limits. A Do Not Disturb mode could automatically be triggered if a consumer places a phone facedown, muting incoming calls or notifications. People who have trouble disconnecting before they go to sleep can set a time when their phones screen turns gray, which could deter their behavior. This week, YouTube, the video service owned by Google, will roll out a feature that can remind users to take a break from viewing online videos. We want to help you understand your habits and focus on what matters, Pichai said. Gene Munster, a managing partner at venture firm Loup Ventures, noted that while Google addressed how it would handle questions about the addictive nature of phones, the company stayed away from discussing concerns about data privacy -- a predominant concern in the wake of revelations that data from tens of millions of unwitting Facebook users were obtained by a consulting firm called Cambridge Analytica with ties to Donald Trumps presidential campaign . The tech narrative pendulum has swung from new services to privacy and control, and Google today was heavy on control and largely avoided the privacy topic because they did not want to step in something, Munster said. Some consumer advocates also said Googles efforts are not enough, especially when it comes to privacy concerns. Google makes most of its money through advertising that is targeted at users based on the information they share such as their location and search history. This is merely window dressing as Google continues to spy on children who use YouTube and invade our privacy when we use its mobile services, said Jeffrey Chester, executive director for the Center for Digital Democracy. Chester said he would like to see Google have an independent outside audit of its data practices to identify the extent of the information Google collects and how it is used. Google pointed to tools it already has in place to protect privacy, such as allowing users to see and delete the history of their activity on Google, including websites they have visited. Google also has parental controls that can restrict content. Privacy and security will always be a top priority for us and well continue improving our protections as our products evolve, the company said in a statement. Other tech companies have also been touting their social responsibility credentials -- especially Facebook, which is trying to move past the Cambridge Analytica scandal. At Facebooks developer conference last week, CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke about how the social network can be used for good, for example, by raising money for causes or meeting like-minded people, including romantic partners. He also talked about data-protection actions his company is taking in the wake of the scandal. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also chimed in, writing on LinkedIn on Monday, We need to ask our ourselves not only what can computers do, but what should they do? Pichai emphasized the potential uses of Googles artificial intelligence technology in health care -- for example, how the company is using artificial intelligence to help doctors to predict diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that could lead to blindness in patients. Google is also looking into using images of the eye to determine whether people are at risk for heart disease. Google also said Tuesday that it will run tests this summer to see how its digital assistant can handle conversations that arrange hair appointments and restaurant reservations. In addition, Google Maps will allow friends to share places they want to eat, and vote on their choices through the app. But a good chunk of Pichais talk, which opened the conference, was spent on consumers overall digital practices. Google says more than 70 percent of consumers say they want help striking the balance on their technology use. Sameer Samat, a Google vice president of product management, recalled a time when his partner placed Samats phone in a hotels safe and said he wouldnt get it back until after their vacation. After a few hours without his phone, it became easier to disconnect, Samat said. Helping people with their digital well-being is more important to us than ever, Samat said during his presentation on usage controls. My Catholicism is not your costume, raged some social media users perturbed by the 2018 Met Gala's religious theme. The annual fundraising effort hosted by Anna Wintour drew dozens of opulently dressed celebrities to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Monday night to celebrate the unveiling of the Costume Institute's new exhibit, "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." The intentionally provocative theme is intended to contemplate "the role dress plays within the Roman Catholic Church and the role the Roman Catholic Church plays within the fashionable imagination," wrote Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton in a preview of the exhibition. Bolton foresaw some "practicing Catholics might perceive fashions shown as indelicate or even offensive," but defended the curation as an exploration of the "significant influence" Catholicism has had on historical and contemporary fashion. SEE THE FASHION: Divine designs grace carpet at Met Gala Bolton's predictions materialized Monday night, with some Catholics and conservatives lambasting the theme and the celebrity interpretations of it as "cultural appropriation." "Imagine using my religion to do your fashion show... disgusting!" wrote one Twitter user. Conservative speaker Allie Beth Stuckey called the celebrity outfits "obviously sacrilegious." She echoed many on Twitter who questioned why gala attendees could wear Catholic imagery and not Muslim or Jewish symbols. In a Tuesday morning op-ed, "not the most devout (Catholic) you'll ever meet" Piers Morgan said the Met Gala "crossed a line and was openly, brazenly disrespectful." "Everyone knows they'd have never dared do it to Islam or Judaism," the conservative talk show host wrote. Cultural appropriation is typically interpreted as the act of adopting elements of a marginalized culture by members of the dominant culture. "Not happening here," said @RadRoopa, arguing Catholics historically "forced their religion on black/brown ppl all over the world - it's called colonialism." READ ALSO: Elon Musk steps out with new girlfriend Grimes at Met Gala The Vatican gave its permission to the Met and even lent the institute more than 40 garments and objects from its private collection. Archbishop of New York Timothy Cardinal Dolan waded into the internet bickering on Monday by reaffirming the Catholic Church's approval. "The Church and 'the Catholic imagination,' are all about truth, goodness, and beauty," he told reporters before the red carpet photo-op. He continued: "In the 'Catholic imagination,' the truth, goodness, and beauty of God is reflected all over... even in fashion." This year's Met Gala was co-chaired by Rihanna, Amal Clooney and Donatella Versace. All ticket proceeds they can cost upwards of $30,000 each support the independently funded Costume Institute. Michelle Robertson is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @mrobertsonsf. Here's the scoop: San Antonio is getting another Scooped location at The Shops at La Cantera. The cookie dough bar announced the news in an Instagram post on Tuesday. "When we opened last October we hoped that San Antonio would love real, fresh cookie dough as much as we did, and they do," the post reads. The second location is set to open early this summer and will feature an outdoor fireplace for customers to gather with friends. The rendering posted by Scooped shows the kiosk near the Banana Republic store. RELATED: 15 'hot and new' restaurants to try in San Antonio, according to Yelp Scooped also teased "one more huge announcement" coming later this week. Owner Matt Weber started his San Antonio business less than a year ago with a 200-square-foot kiosk in North Star Mall and about a dozen flavors. Weber told mySA.com at that point that all recipes call for ingredients like pasteurized eggs and heat-treated flour to ensure there is no chance of contracting salmonella. "The big thing for us is to still make them taste like the cookie dough you eat out of a bowl," Weber said. "We definitely make it safe to eat, but still taste good." Since then, Scooped has been operating the North Star Mall business as well as hosting pop ups throughout the city at spots like Six Flags Fiesta Texas and boutiques. Madalyn Mendoza is a digital reporter for MySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| mmendoza@mysa.com | Twitter: @MaddySkye Naval supremacy decided World War II in the Allies favor, and that supremacy stemmed from Allied shipyards being able to build ships faster than the Axis could sink them. That Winston Churchill and the Soviet army both refused to fold was also instrumental, says Symonds, a professor at Annapolis and the U.S. Naval War College and author of World War II at Sea: A Global History. Symonds does not dwell on shipyard capacities in this book but keeps his focus on the oceanic fighting, shifting from sweeping topics (such as Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle ever fought) to chilling anecdotes (like the after-action report of the captain of the USS Laffey diagramming 22 kamikaze attacks in 80 minutes.) The ship survived, while 32 crewmen did not. Symonds account is refreshingly free of the finger-pointing and controversies that plague many postwar memoir-based histories. Seven decades down the road he can, and does, cherry-pick the best research. But he does not flinch from describing embarrassing scenes, such as Adm. William Halsey throwing a tantrum when he misread a radiogram during Leyte Gulf, the ineptitudes that led to the debacle at Savo Island (four Allied cruisers were lost in minutes), and the various commanders who did not quite trust their newfangled radar. He shows how events on opposite sides of the globe impacted each other, such as the contemporaneous island sieges of Guadalcanal and Malta, and the near simultaneous invasions of France and Saipan. It turns out that aircraft carriers could be swapped between oceans, but not those essential but ungainly Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs, aka Large Slow Targets.) The book does not directly address the central what-if of the naval war: why didnt Hitler seize the French fleet after the fall of France, combine it with the Italian fleet, turn the Mediterranean Sea into a Nazi lake, and expand east from there. But the answer is there, between the lines: Hitler barely saw any use for his own fleet, much less someone elses. After the British retreated to their island he could proceed with his pet crusade against the Soviet Union. He did unleash his U-boats to keep England neutralized, but (with great effort) they were defeated in the spring of 1943 and the buildup for the Normandy invasion could proceed. In the Pacific, Symonds shows the leaders of both sides engrossed in a quest for a decisive battle that would punctuate the American island-hopping campaign and wrap up the war. It eluded them and, meanwhile, island-hopping put American bases close enough to Japan that, basically, it could be besieged with B-29 bombers. The Japanese economy collapsed but the suffering of the heavily bombed population was ignored by their government until the use of nuclear weapons gave the emperor an excuse to surrender. A multiocean naval war, with the U.S. Navy expanded to nearly 7,000 ships, will hopefully never happen again. But we may yet need examples like the captain of the armed cargo ship HMS Jervis Bay, who was escorting a convoy on Nov. 5, 1940, when it was raided by a German cruiser with 11-inch guns. He pitched into the raider with his paltry 6-inch guns, hoping to gain time for the ships in his convoy to escape. Most of them did. He didnt. Lamont Wood is a San Antonio writer. Breitling Boutique, a watch retailer, will open on Thursday at The Shops at La Cantera with the help of a who knows something about time: retired record-setting NASA astronaut Scott Kelly. Kelly will be on hand at the grand opening of the Breitling Boutique, located between Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. The boutique's ambassador will be signing copies of his books, "Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime Discovery" and "My Journey to the Stars," according to a news release. NORTH HAVEN Police officers are raising funds for their colleagues injured in last weeks explosion in North Haven, which injured nine members of the South-Central Regional SWAT Team. Capt. Kevin Glenn of the North Haven Police Department, the commander of the SWAT Team, said a committee of officers had formed in the days after the incident on Quinnipiac Avenue with a goal to support those injured and their families. According to the description on the GoFundMe page for the fundraiser, (f)ive officers from East Haven, three from North Haven, and one from Branford were sent to the hospital with injuries including concussions, broken bones, burns, and leg and knee injuries. While all of the officers have finally been released from the hospital, several have very long roads to recovery for their physical and psychological injuries. Some have had, and others will require surgeries, said organizers. All of them need our help. Glenn said the ability to count on support from the community was psychologically valuable for officers, particularly SWAT members, when they head into a hazardous situation, particularly something as extreme as a significant explosion. It is incredibly important. It is important at the basic level of law enforcement, said Glenn. In addition to the online campaign, Glenn said an additional fundraiser will be held May 24 at the Stony Creek Brewery in Branford. Both events were deemed official by the North Haven and East Haven police departments on Facebook. East Haven Police Lt. Joseph Murgo said the funds raised would go directly to the nine injured officers. The support for the community helps remind officers why, in many cases, they got into this line of work, Murgo said to work on behalf of their communities and the people who live there. It really brings it back into perspective, said Murgo. Officers responded to 385 Quinnipiac Ave. last Wednesday for a domestic violence call, engaging in a standoff with a man who had barricaded himself in the home. A woman had escaped from the home and made contact with police. While efforts to convince the man to leave the home and surrender to law enforcement were ongoing, officers began to check buildings on the property, including a barn in the back which exploded. Numerous SWAT officers were in the immediate vicinity of the building when the building exploded, causing a massive fire which spread to several buildings on the property. The force of the explosion was so violent, the officers were blown off their feet, away from the structure, said organizers. Amidst the chaos, officers on scene acted heroically, rushing towards the danger to rescue their injured comrades. These officers are the bravest of the brave, working dangerous conditions to keep our communities safe. Deborah Sayer, a property owner at 385 Quinnipiac Ave., thanked the SWAT team and other emergency responders for their efforts Tuesday in a letter to the New Haven Register. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the North Haven Police and Fire Departments, the South Central SWAT team, the Connecticut State Police, ATF, North Haven and Hamden CERT teams, all first responders from our surrounding towns/communities, said Sayer. Your families must truly be proud of you for you are our everyday heroes. You are the ones rushing in when the rest of us are rushing away. A body was found on the property following the explosion, according Trooper First Class Kelly Grant. The remains had not been identified as of Wednesday afternoon. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com After long stretches in labor camps and days of rumors about their release, three Americans who were held prisoner in North Korea are finally coming home. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday morning that Kim Hak-song, Kim Sang-duk and Kim Dong-chul were en route to the United States, released as a goodwill gesture ahead of the proposed summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "I will be there to greet them," Trump tweeted. "Very exciting!" According to The Washington Post, three men received a quick medical check-up before they boarded the plane home, accompanied by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "The doctors are with them now," Pompeo said. "All indications are their health is as good as could be, given what they've been through. They all walked up the stairs themselves through their own power." Americans held captive in North Korea describe harsh conditions: tiny prison cells, little food and water, little time outside. Detainees are often forced to confess and paraded in show trials, then sentenced to hard labor. "It was a 5-by-6-foot cell, and there were a couple of slats on the doors," said Laura Ling, an American journalist detained in 2009, describing her cell in a magazine interview after her release. "There were no bars, so you couldn't see out, and if they closed those slats, it just went completely dark. There was no way to communicate with the outside world." Another former American captive, Otto Warmbier, was released last June after 17 months in captivity, but he returned to the United States in a coma after suffering extensive loss of brain tissue. He died a week later. Kim Hak-song had worked for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST, and was detained in May 2017 on suspicion of "hostile acts" against North Korea. According to the university's chancellor, he had been doing agricultural development work with the school's agricultural farm. PUST opened its doors in 2010. It was founded by Korean-American evangelical James Kim; it is funded by individual donations from international churches. Kim was born in China and studied in California. "He was a very diligent, hard-working man determined to help people in North Korea," said David Kim, a classmate, to CNN. "He went to Pyongyang to devote himself to the development of North Korea's agricultural technology so that the North can be self-sufficient with food." "A relevant institution is now conducting a detailed investigation into his crimes," the official Korean Central News Agency reported at the time of his arrest. In a statement, PUST heralded his release, writing that "all three men have been daily in our thoughts; and our hopes and prayers have been fulfilled by their release. Kim Sang-duk, who goes by the name Tony, was detained in April 2017 as he waiting to fly out of Pyongyang. He'd been teaching a month-long class in international finance and management at PUST while serving on the faculty of its sister school in China, the Yanbian University of Science and Technology. PUST's chancellor said in a statement at the time of Kim's arrest that Kim was involved in other activities, including volunteering at an orphanage, while in North Korea. He was in his fifties and had come to teach at the university in the past at the school. On Wednesday, Kim's family released a statement thanking "all of those who have worked toward" Kim's safe return. "We also want to thank the President for engaging directly with North Korea. Mostly, we thank God for Tony's safe return," the statement read. Kim Dong-chul, a former Virginia resident, is a businessman. In an interview, he told CNN that he'd lived in the Chinese city of Yanji since 2001 and worked in the Rason-Sonbong special economic zone, just over the North Korean border. Kim ran a trade and hotel services company. He was accused of spying on the regime and sentenced to 10 years of hard labor in April 2016. Kim, 64, was born in South Korea and became a U.S. citizen in 1987. In the interview with CNN, he said that he was arrested in October 2015 while meeting with a former North Korean soldier. Pyongyang accused Kim of receiving a USB drive and documents containing North Korean nuclear secrets. At a government-organized news conference, he apologized for trying to steal military secrets in collusion with South Koreans. (South Korea denies this.) He begged for mercy, and called his alleged acts "unpardonable." As The Washington Post has reported, such " 'confessions' have become part of North Korea's playbook for detainees." After their release, "several detainees have described being told what to say by their North Korean captors." --- Video Embed Code Video: President Trump tweeted May 9 that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was returning from a visit to North Korea with the three Americans who had been detained. (The Washington Post) Embed: --- Video Embed Code Video: President Trump tweeted May 9 that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was returning from a visit to North Korea with the three Americans who had been detained.(The Washington Post) Embed code: Customers turned to Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers for a potentially lifesaving tool: highly trained dogs that would alert them, with the nudge of a nose or paw, to spikes or dips in blood sugar. What they got, the state of Virginia alleged on Tuesday, were "little more than incredibly expensive pets." A lawsuit, filed by Attorney General Mark R. Herring in the Madison County Circuit Court, accuses the company of violating the state's Consumer Protection Act by charging $18,000 to $27,000 for 3-month-old Labrador retriever puppies that were unable to perform their task or even to walk properly on leashes, respond when called, or remain calm around loud noises or new people. Customers were told that they would receive ample "scent training" support; instead, their requests for assistance were regularly ignored, the suit says. "This suit alleges not just dishonest and unlawful business practices, but a recklessness that could have endangered the lives of customers who relied on the claims made by Service Dogs and its owner," Herring said in a statement. "Our investigation shows that, in many instances, Service Dogs was simply selling a $25,000 pet, leaving customers with a huge bill and no protection against a potentially life-threatening blood-sugar situation." The lawsuit followed a lengthy investigation based on complaints from more than 50 customers, Herring's office said. Beyond deceiving customers about the company's dogs, the suit alleges, owner Charles D. Warren Jr. illegally encouraged them to solicit charitable donations. He also lied about having served in the military, according to the suit, which seeks restitution for customers as well as civil penalties and attorneys' fees. On behalf of the company, attorney John B. Russell Jr. said via email Tuesday afternoon that it denied the allegations "and we absolutely deny that we have ever set out to mislead, cheat or defraud our many happy clients." Russell said Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers had been working with the attorney general's office to address the concerns raised and, "in many areas, we had already changed our procedures long before their investigation began." Accusing Herring's office of wanting to destroy the company and its owner, Russell promised "to fight these ridiculous allegations at every step." Virginia's action comes amid growing scrutiny of service dogs both on the ground and in the air. Several states have moved in recent months to crack down on people who misrepresent their untrained pets as service dogs to gain access to public places, as federal disability law requires. Major airlines, meanwhile, have tightened requirements for both service animals, which are trained to perform specific tasks, and emotional support animals. At least two bills in Congress are aimed at limiting service animal fraud on flights. Despite growth in the use of service animals and the agencies that provide them, no national certification, registration or training protocol exists. That means owners can easily purchase "service animal" vests for ordinary pets. It also means that there is no oversight of service dog companies. One voluntary accrediting organization, Assistance Dogs International, has sought to set training standards, and it counts dozens of the most prominent service dog groups as members. Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers, which says it also provides service dogs for people with autism and post-traumatic stress, is not one of those. Diabetic-alert dogs are said to use their sensitive noses to discern fluctuations in blood-sugar levels. But studies on their effectiveness have been mixed, and researchers say it is not clear exactly what the animals detect. Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers promised customers that assigned dogs possessed a "proven scent ability" and that they could be trained to seek help or even dial 911 on special devices, according to the attorney general's lawsuit. "However, the [dogs] were not trained prior to their arrival at the consumers' homes," the suit says. "Numerous consumers had difficulty getting the [dogs] to 'alert' with any consistency, or at the appropriate time." That was the case for Florida resident Jovana Flores, who told the ABC affiliate WJLA in 2015 that the diabetic-alert dog for her 13-year-old son did little more than serve as a pet. "In hindsight, now, maybe I should have been a little bit smarter, but you're looking for any bit of hope," Flores said. Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers sued Flores and other families after they stopped paying for their dogs, according to the TV station's report. - - - Clarification: A previous version of this post identified Mollie Moore of North Carolina as vouching for the company during a 2016 appearance on the "Dr. Phil" show. In an email Tuesday, Moore said she no longer supports Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers. WASHINGTON - Gina Haspel drew a moral line during a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, promising that she "will not restart" the CIA's controversial interrogation program and would disregard orders from President Donald Trump to carry out other questionable activities if confirmed to lead the agency. But Haspel resisted senators' efforts to make her say whether she believed it had been morally wrong at the time for the agency to use "enhanced" interrogation techniques on terrorist suspects, including waterboarding, which many have said is a form of torture. She emphasized repeatedly that the techniques had been authorized by the U.S. government's highest legal authorities and by President George W. Bush. "We got valuable information from debriefing al-Qaida detainees," she told Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., during one of the hearing's most tense moments. "I don't think it's knowable whether interrogation techniques played a role in that." A lengthy report by the Senate Intelligence Committee, released publicly in 2014, concluded the CIA's interrogation techniques were not an viable means of gaining intelligence, and that the agency's justification for using them "rested on inaccurate claims of their effectiveness." Senators have asked several of Trump's Cabinet nominees to commit to stand up to the president and inform Congress if he were to pressure them to do anything legally or morally questionable. But the pledge takes on extra significance with Haspel, whose hearing centered around the role she played in the CIA's interrogation program - something Trump said on the campaign trail he wouldn't mind bringing back into practice. "We're not getting back into that business," Haspel said, citing her "strong" moral compass. "I would not restart, under any circumstances, an interrogation program at CIA. ... I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that is immoral, even if it is technically legal." Haspel's first public showing in her 33-year career at the CIA, most of which was spent in the clandestine service, appeared to strengthen her chances the committee will approve her nomination when it meets to vote, likely next week, and improve the outlook for her confirmation. If confirmed, Haspel would become the first woman to lead the agency in its history - a fact that GOP members of the intelligence panel mentioned frequently. During her testimony, Haspel cited the support she has among the agency's rank and file, noting that "they know that I don't need time to learn the business of what CIA does." "I know CIA like the back of my hand," she said. "I know them, I know the threats we face, and I know what we need to be successful in our mission." But Haspel's critics warned that her confirmation would also set "a precedent for secret confirmation processes," in the words of Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., as she has resisted calls to declassify additional records about her career. "I think you will find me to be a typical middle-class American," Haspel told senators. Haspel's CIA career has been anything but ordinary - and though she acknowledged little is known about her publicly,she offered few details about her career. Haspel took charge in 2002 of a secret CIA detention facility in Thailand where an al-Qaida suspect was waterboarded, and in 2005 she drafted a cable, ultimately issued by her boss, ordering the destruction of dozens of videotapes of the interrogation sessions. She told senators Wednesday that she had "absolutely" supported the destruction of 92 tapes, all depicting one detainee being interrogated, over concerns "about the security risk that was posed to our officers." She noted that CIA lawyers at the time had determined there was no legal obligation to retain them. But when asked by Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., whether she would support the same order today, she said she would not, noting that she had learned from experience that additional stakeholders - such as the lawmakers and government officials raising questions about the interrogations only days before - should have been involved in the decision to destroy the tapes. Haspel told the committee that she fully supports current "standards for detainee treatment required by law" and that, in retrospect, the CIA "was not prepared to conduct a detention and interrogation program." The agency learned "tough lessons" during "that tumultuous time," Haspel said,and that theexperiencereinforced her "personal commitment, clearly and without reservation," not to restart the CIA's detention and interrogation program. She was warned that a pledge to simply follow the law would be insufficient. "That's the least we should expect from any nominee and certainly the director of the CIA," The committee's vice chairman, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., told Haspel. Chief among senators' concerns was how Haspel, who argued she was only following orders when instructed to draft the cable ordering the destruction of interrogation evidence, would respond to an order from Trump. She said she had a "great reputation" with the president and his inner circle, adding that "the president does turn to me for my view on certain countries and certain experiences." "I give him my best advice," Haspel said, noting that she separates her views from that of CIA analysts. But she told senators that she doubted the president would ever ask her to waterboard a suspectand demurred when Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., asked whether she would report to Congress if Trump were to ask her for a loyalty pledge akin to that he allegedly sought from former FBI Director James Comey. Haspel's hearing comes just days after she offered to bow out, to avoid discussing her role in the agency's interrogation program. White House officials persuaded her not to step aside, and she arrived on Capitol Hill primed to defend her record. Haspel pushed back against the characterization that she held a decision-making role in the interrogation program, saying the CIA's former acting general counsel John Rizzo had corrected an assertion in his memoir that Haspel "had previously run the interrogation program." Haspel said, too, that she "conducted myself honorably and in accordance with U.S. law," and that she understands "the difference between right and wrong" when senators challenged her over why she went along with a program most now liken to torture, and the agency's efforts to cover it up. "That was 17 years ago," Haspel told Heinrich of the cable she drafted, arguing that "when you're out in the trenches and Washington says, 'This is what we need you to do, this is legal, the attorney general has deemed it so,' " she complied - even though today she would not support the same order. Haspel's interview with the committee went smoothly enough to earn her a few key endorsements: Sen. Joe Manchin III, W.Va., a panel member, became the first Democrat to back Haspel, while Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, whose support was uncertain, said they also intend to vote for her. She needs some Democratic support to be confirmed by the Senate, where Republicans hold a 51-to-49 majority, as Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., are both opposed to her nomination. Although McCain is unlikely to cast a floor vote on Haspel, as he is out of Washington receiving treatment for a rare and serious form of brain cancer, his opinion carries particular symbolic weight, as a war hero who was tortured in Vietnam. "Ms. Haspel's role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing," McCain said in a statement late Wednesday. "Her refusal to acknowledge torture's immorality is disqualifying. I believe the Senate should exercise its duty of advice and consent and reject this nomination." But even with her confirmation appearing likely, Democratic senators are continuing to push for more transparency, arguing that while a career CIA operative must stay in the shadows, a Cabinet-level nominee must be accountable to the American public. Warner and other panel Democrats have pushed Haspel to use her current authority as acting director of the CIA to declassify additional documents related to her career at the agency so the public, not just lawmakers, can scrutinize her tenure. During the hearing, Harris also challenged Haspel to recuse herself from decisions about her records. Haspel refused to offer any such promises. The only Haspel document the CIA has declassified isan internal review that found she was not at fault in the destruction of the interrogation tapes. NEW HAVEN A 26-year-old New York man was found guilty Wednesday of shooting and killing a Waterbury man in August 2013 who was celebrating his 22nd birthday at the Cheetah Club on East Street. A Superior Court jury found Jean Bruny guilty of murder for killing Torrance Dawkins inside the club. A security videotape showed a male walking up to Dawkins and shooting him in the back of the head. New Haven police had said Bruny, of Brooklyn, N.Y., shot Dawkins in an execution-style killing. Senior Assistant States Attorney Seth Garbarsky quoted a witness saying there was bad blood between two Waterbury groups, one of which included Bruny. The 12 jurors deliberated for a total of about two hours. They began their discussions late Tuesday afternoon, went home shortly before 5 p.m., then resumed their efforts at about 10 a.m. Wednesday. At 10:50 a.m., the jury foreman gave a note to a judicial marshal stating they had reached a verdict. Superior Court Judge Jon C. Blue called the jurors into the courtroom at 11 a.m., after the defense and prosecution teams had assembled. Members of the Dawkins family, who filled two rows of the courtroom, waited quietly until the foreman replied guilty to the sole charge of murder. They then buried their heads, some of them quietly weeping. Bruny did not have family or friends in the courtroom. He showed no reaction when the verdict was announced. Blue thanked the jury, then called for a short recess. After the jurors had departed, Blue held a brief hearing on the charge he was to decide: criminal possession of a pistol or revolver. Assistant States Attorney Lisa DAngelo read aloud a stipulation agreed to by the defense attorneys and prosecutors, noting Bruny had been convicted of a felony before the Cheetah Club shooting in August 2013. Thus it was illegal for him to possess a weapon. Blue said he had paid careful attention to the evidence in the shooting, adding, I do agree with the jury on its guilty verdict for the murder charge. Based on that conclusion and the stipulation, Blue found Bruny guilty on the weapons charge. Blue scheduled sentencing for Aug. 2. Bruny remains incarcerated in lieu of $1 million bail. He faces up to 60 years for murder and five years for the weapons conviction. Defense attorneys Allison Near and Michael Sheehan had no comment as they left the courtroom. Garbarsky said, Were happy the Dawkins family finally got justice after five years, through the concerted efforts of the FBI and the New Haven Police Department. The prosecutors had used FBI forensic examiner Anthony Imel, who spent months studying and enhancing the security tapes from the club. He tagged 10 individuals with colored markers over their heads, including one believed to be Bruny, as they moved from room to room in the crowded club. The jurors viewed the tapes repeatedly throughout the trial. FBI Special Agent James J. Wines, a cellular phone analyst, also testified. He said Brunys phone was in use at or near the club immediately after the shooting and the phone was used often in the hours that followed, winding up in Waterbury. Dawkins mother, Tamara Dawkins, said after court adjourned: Im relieved that the verdict was guilty. Justice has been served for my son. At the sentencing Ill get the closure that I need. She thanked the prosecutors, the FBI, New Haven police and everyone that worked on this case. I send my blessings to them. The victims aunt, Gloria Garcia, said she was grateful that justice was brought today. Keep the family in your prayers. The prosecutors had also relied on testimony by several civilian witnesses, including one of Dawkins relatives, who said he recognized Bruny at the club shortly before the shooting. He said he did not actually see Bruny pull the trigger but had observed Bruny walk behind Dawkins moments before the gunfire. He also testified he saw Bruny holding a gun. Brunys co-counsel, Near, told the jury in her closing argument that the relatives account was unreliable because he signed a cooperation agreement with the state and achieved a substantial reduction in his sentence range for pending criminal charges. The prosecutors said no promises were made to him but Near noted such witnesses expect and receive shorter sentences. randall.beach@hearstmediact.com 1 Immigration lawsuit: A lawsuit filed to protect Haitian and Salvadoran immigrants from President Trumps decision to end a special status that has allowed them to live and work in the U.S. for years has been expended to include Honduran immigrants. The federal suit brought by the Boston-based Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice was amended Wednesday to include a new plaintiff: a Honduran immigrant who has been on Temporary Protected Status since 1999. Yesy Patricia Carbajal, of Revere, joins 13 other immigrants from Haiti and El Salvador in the lawsuit, which argues that the decision to end their special status was racially motivated. 2 Service dog scam: A Virginia nonprofit is accused of delivering poorly trained service dogs to customers who paid thousands. News outlets report Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring filed a lawsuit this week against Warren Retrievers Inc. and its CEO, Charles Warren Jr., accusing them of misleading people about so-called diabetic alert dogs. The lawsuit says the Culpeper-based nonprofit told consumers they would receive a trained dog that could detect extreme blood sugar levels and alert humans. Instead, the lawsuit alleges, consumers received ill-behaved Labrador retriever puppies that were little more than expensive pets. Washington A shell company that Michael D. Cohen used to pay hush money to a pornographic film actress received payments totaling more than $1 million from an American company linked to a Russian oligarch and several corporations with business before the Trump administration, according to documents and interviews. Financial records reviewed by The New York Times show that Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer and longtime fixer, used the shell company, Essential Consultants LLC, for an array of business activities that went far beyond what was publicly known. Transactions totaling at least $4.4 million flowed through Essential Consultants starting shortly before Trump was elected president and continuing to this January, the records show. Among the previously unreported transactions were payments last year totaling about $500,000 from Columbus Nova, an investment firm in New York whose biggest client is a company controlled by Viktor Vekselberg, the Russian oligarch. A lawyer for Columbus Nova, in a statement Tuesday, described the money as a consulting fee that had nothing to do with Vekselberg. Other transactions range from hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments by Fortune 500 firms with business before the Trump administration, to small amounts related to unexplained activities in foreign countries. Viktor Vekselberg hasn't topped the list of Russian oligarchs suspected of ties to President Donald Trump's circle. But maybe he should. Columbus Nova, a private-equity fund operator affiliated with Vekselberg, moved $500,000 to Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen last year, placing him at the center of an unfolding drama over alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. The money transfer also links Vekselberg to the Delaware company Cohen used to pay off porn actress Stephanie Clifford, known as Stormy Daniels, before Trump was elected president. Vekselberg, a Ukrainian-born billionaire who made his fortune in oil and aluminum, attended Trump's swearing-in last year after his cousin donated to the inauguration fund. Through his Renova Group, Vekselberg invested in Bank of Cyprus in 2014 alongside Wilbur Ross, who is now Trump's commerce secretary. Notably, Vekselberg has made an effort to signal his loyalty to President Vladimir Putin: Last September, he was one of two dozen Russian businessmen to meet with Putin in a closed-door session at the Kremlin. The U.S. Treasury placed Vekselberg on a list of sanctioned Russians last month, part of a round of restrictions that cut off Renova, among other companies, from Western economies. Renova holds investments in Russian and European chemicals, energy and metals companies, giving Vekselberg a net worth of about $15.5 billion, making him the fifth-richest person in Russia, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Yet little justification was given at the time for the move. "Viktor Vekselberg is being designated for operating in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy," the Treasury said in its announcement. More for you Who is Viktor Vekselberg, the Russian billionaire linked to Michael Cohen? The blandness of the announcement appears to have hidden the real justification. "More information has come out since the sanctions were announced," said Dan Fried, who was a sanctions coordinator at the State Department under the Obama administration "It's clear the administration had its reasons." It remains unclear whether the sanctions were related to the payments to Cohen by Columbus Nova, an investment management firm with $2 billion in assets. In a 2007 Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Columbus Nova described itself as Renova's U.S. affiliate. Columbus Nova is run by Andrew Intrater, a U.S. citizen who is also Vekselberg's cousin, according to public filings. "Neither Victor Vekselberg nor Renova has ever had contractual or any other relationship with Mr. Cohen or Essential Consultants," Andrey Shtorkh, a spokesman for Vekselberg, wrote by email. "As to relationship between Columbus Nova and Mr. Cohen, you have to ask Mr. Andy Intrater, because Columbus Nova is a company owned and managed by him." Columbus Nova denied that Vekselberg was involved in the payment to Cohen and said the firm was wholly owned and controlled by U.S. citizens. It said it had hired Cohen after Trump's inauguration to consult on sources of capital and real estate investments. Columbus Nova has invested in real estate in the U.S., Canada and Europe, according to its website. Intrater donated $250,000 to Trump's inauguration fund and a subsequent $35,000 to Trump's re-election fund with the Republican National Committee. Intrater attended the inauguration along with Vekselberg. As a U.S. citizen, Intrater's donation to the inauguration was legal, but those donations and payments to Cohen appear to have entangled Vekselberg in U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Federal agents working with Mueller stopped Vekselberg at a New York airport about two months ago, before he was sanctioned, questioning him and searching his electronic devices, the New York Times reported. Mueller's team has also questioned Intrater, the newspaper said. Intrater has served as CEO of Columbus Nova since its inception in January 2000, according to court records in a 2011 lawsuit in Seattle. He has been the senior managing partner of the firm's investment business and a director of Renova, according to the lawsuit. Intrater is related to Vekselberg through his aunt, who made her way to the U.S. after World War II. In addition to controlling Renova, Vekselberg heads Skolkovo, a tech incubator financed by the Russian government that's often touted as being the Kremlin's answer to Silicon Valley. In December 2015, he also attended a dinner in Moscow marking the 10th anniversary of the state-funded news channel RT, where Putin sat at the same table as Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser. Vekselberg has also been, in turns, a partner and rival in the aluminum business with Oleg Deripaska, the Russian billionaire who did business in Ukraine with Paul Manafort, the indicted former Trump campaign chairman. Vekselberg pocketed $7 billion in 2013 when he sold his stake in Russian oil joint venture TNK-BP to state-controlled Rosneft. The joint venture was marked by years of disputes between the Russian investors, including Vekselberg, and British oil giant BP Plc. Bob Dudley, BP's current CEO who served as head of TNK-BP, fled Russia in 2008 complaining of "sustained harassment" by Russian authorities and his partners. At the time, Vekselberg hit back at the notion that Russia's businessmen operate at Putin's behest. "Everyone thinks everything is decided in the Kremlin," Vekselberg told Bloomberg in a 2008 interview. "They think we're marionettes in Mr. Putin's hands and the problems can be resolved not with us but with Mr. Putin. This is a mistake." - - - Bloomberg's David Glovin and Yuliya Fedorinova contributed. President Donald Trump's decision Tuesday to pull the United States out of the nuclear deal with Iran may escalate the risk of confrontation of another kind: in cyberspace. Withdrawing from the Obama-era pact designed to curb Iran's nuclear program and reinstating sanctions on the country could lead Tehran-backed hackers to retaliate against the West after several years of relative quiet, former government officials and security experts say. Michael Daniel, who was President Barack Obama's White House cybersecurity coordinator, said Iran may have fewer qualms about using its cyber capabilities without the diplomatic agreement in place. "Now that the level of enmity between the United States and Iran is going to only increase, that does free them to carry out cyber operations against the United States," Daniel said. Trump on Tuesday called the Iran deal "an embarrassment" that did little to stop the country's nuclear ambitions. But the pact, experts said, seemed to have had a cooling effect on the cyberattacks Iran launched against the United States before the agreement was signed. The past decade of digital relations between the two countries has been bleak. The Stuxnet worm, discovered by outside analysts in 2010, had been wreaking havoc on centrifuges at Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment facility for years. The cyberweapon was the work of Israeli and U.S. experts, developed in the George W. Bush administration to quietly delay Iran's nuclear capability. In the following years, as the United States and European countries imposed sanctions on Iran to further thwart its nuclear weapons ambitions, Iranian hackers responded with waves of direct denial of service attacks on U.S. financial institutions that crashed bank computer networks and caused millions of dollars in lost business between 2011 and 2013. Iran-linked hackers have also been blamed for hacks on NASA servers and for breaking into the control system of a small dam in New York, among other attacks. But the tension subsided around the time that the Iran deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was finalized in July 2015. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a nonpartisan foreign policy think tank, noted in a report earlier this year that Iran's disruptive attacks on the United States declined, and Iran turned its focus to Saudi Arabia and other regional adversaries in the Middle East. Daniel said that Trump's announcement raised the specter of a return to operations such as the DDoS attacks, which are designed to disrupt systems by overloading them with illegitimate digital traffic. "They very much saw those as a direct and proportional response to the U.S.-imposed sanctions," he told me. "You could imagine them wanting to do something similar. It raises the probability that we will see additional malicious cyberactivities aimed at the United States from Iran." Rob Knake, a senior fellow for cyber policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, rued the fallout on banks especially since Trump scrapped the deal, tweeting "Remember when we made the banks suck up the costs of the Iranian DDOS attacks so we wouldn't upset the nuclear negotiations? Sorry about that..." Yet recent research shows that Iran didn't lose any time: It has been honing its cyber tradecraft elsewhere by focusing on targets of opportunity in the Middle East. The cybersecurity firm Symantec reported in February that an Iran-based hacking group launched attacks on airlines, telecom services and other organizations in Israel, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Turkey between 2015 and 2017. Bill Wright, Symantec's director of government affairs, said it was an especially well-resourced effort that used sophisticated hacking tools to surveil targets. In recent years, Iran has also been blamed for cyberattacks on Saudi Arabia, including assaults on Saudi oil infrastructure. Efforts such as those allow Iran to project influence in the digital sphere where it can't through traditional military might, Wright said. "Cyber is the ultimate asymmetric threat," he said. "While a country like Iran wouldn't directly take on the U.S. and our allies, cyber levels out that playing field." Even though Iran may have the capability for disruption, experts agreed that a major attack on critical infrastructure in the United States was highly unlikely. What's more probable: A warning shot. "We are more likely to see Iran engage in cyberactivities designed to highlight its potential threat, as a signal that this is an arena in which it could escalate or retaliate," said Matthew Waxman, a cybersecurity expert at Columbia University and former senior national security official in the George W. Bush administration. "It's unclear whether Iran will react to a U.S. withdrawal by escalating tensions or playing the victim, but the U.S. and some partners should certainly be preparing for the possibility of more malicious cyberactivity from Iran," he said. "And regardless of which strategy Iran plays, I wouldn't be surprised to see it flex this muscle and at least send threatening signals." The Torrington Police Department reported the following arrests: FAILURE TO APPEAR: Trevor Webb, 26, 4 Pease Ave., Middletown, was arrested on May 6 and charged with first-degree failure to appear. He was held on a $107,500 court-set bond for four warrants. He was due to appear in Superior Court in Torrington on May 7. DWI: Joshua Boufford, 19, 259 Richards Road Extension, Litchfield, was arrested on East Main Street on May 5 and charged with driving while intoxicated, traveling unreasonably fast, possession of drug paraphernalia, interfering with an officer and possession of a controlled substance. He was released on a $1,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Torrington on May 14. BREACH OF PEACE: Justin Parlow, 27, of 346 Greenwoods Road, Torrington, was arrested May 5 after police received a 911 call and charged with second-degree breach of peace. He was held on a $1,000 surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Torrington on May 14. SHOPLIFTING: Hailey Collins, 23, of 111 Rivertown Road, Winsted, was arrested May 5 and charged with sixth-degree larceny Police report that Collins took $50.03 in merchandise from a Walmart store. She was released on a promise to appear in Superior Court in Torrington on May 8. FAILURE TO APPEAR: Bernadette Teti, 30, of 927 East Main St., Torrington, was arrested on a warrant from the Bristol police department for second-degree failure to appear. She was scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Torrington on May 8. BREACH OF PEACE: David Hurley, 29, of 165 Park Ave., Torrington, was arrested and charged with second-degree breach of peace and simple assault on May 4. He was released on a non-surety bond of $500. He was scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Torrington on May 7. FORGERY: Marc Boucher, 30, of 56 New Litchfield Road, Torrington, was arrested on April 30 and charged with first-degree forgery, criminal intent to commit sixth-degree larceny, first-degree criminal trespass and violating a protective order. He was released on a collective surety bond of $11,500 and is scheduled to appear in in Superior Court in Torrington on May 4. VIOLATION OF PROBATION: Jacqueline Hall, 36, of 69 Pleasant Valley Road, Barkhamsted, was arrested on May 3 and charged with violation of probation. She was released on a $25,000 surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in New Britain on May 17. BREACH OF PEACE: Robert Boudreau, 48, of 118 Lois St., Torrington, was arrested and charged with second-degree breach of peace on May 2. He was released on a $500 surety bond and was scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Torrington on May 3. LARCENY: Thomas Hall, 48, of 156 Oak Ave., Torrington, was arrested April 5 and charged with sixth-degree larceny. He was held on a court-set bond of $500 and is scheduled to appear on May 14. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump yanked the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal this week and will reverse decades of policy in Israel next week, in each case acting on a campaign pledge and intuition that he argues has already proved more successful than traditional diplomacy. He is aggressively moving forward with his planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This week Trump sent Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit the rogue nation for the second time to continue preparations and bring home three American prisoners released by the Kim regime in a sign of goodwill between the two countries. "Plans are being made, relationships are building, hopefully a deal will happen, and with the help of China, South Korea, and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone," Trump said Tuesday. Trump has become increasingly confident in his gut-driven, out-of-the-box approach to international relations and dismissive of the warnings from "establishment" critics who told him he should stay inside the Iran nuclear deal, keep the U.S. Embassy in Israel in Tel Aviv and tone down his bellicose language toward North Korea despite what he promised during the campaign, according to people familiar with some of the president's recent conversations on these topics. The result is a foreign policy approach marked by Trump's tough rhetoric and break with conventions that his supporters are hailing as a refreshing change and his detractors warn could have dire consequences for the United States and its allies. "The United States no longer makes empty threats," Trump said Tuesday. "When I make promises, I keep them." While the outcomes remain uncertain on Iran, North Korea and the embassy move, the president and a new circle of close national security advisers argue they are already disproving the old arguments for caution and consistency. "Events have transpired in a way that has given the president heightened confidence in his instinct on all three of these topics," said one U.S. official familiar with discussions on each subject and who requested anonymity to describe internal deliberations. Trump is firm in his view that tough posturing and a disregard for diplomatic norms are effective tools of U.S. power that past presidents were too timid to employ, current and former officials said. The foreign policy priorities of Trump's predecessor, former President Barack Obama, are often the stick by which Trump measures his own performance. "The lesson that America learned, painfully, a long time ago, but that Dean Acheson once said, is we only negotiate from positions of strength," national security adviser John Bolton said after Trump announced his exit from the Iran deal. "It was a lesson that the last administration did not follow." Acheson, who as secretary of state from 1949 to 1953 was an original Cold Warrior, held that the United States should defer negotiation with the Soviet Union until it could be confident that its positions were stronger than Moscow's. Bolton said the Iran decision would "establish positions of strength for the United States." "It will have implications not simply for Iran, but for the forthcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un of North Korea," Bolton said. "It sends a very clear signal that the United States will not accept inadequate deals." "Inadequate" is mild by comparison to Trump's critiques of the 2015 international nuclear pact as "the worst deal ever made" and "insane." Close allies and many of his original team of top national security advisers told Trump that leaving the deal would be dangerous or counterproductive. His action Tuesday killed the hopes of European allies that they might string the U.S. decision out for months and perhaps broker a new agreement with Trump that could satisfy some of his complaints. Antony Blinken, a former senior foreign policy adviser for Obama and former vice president Joe Biden, said the Trump team sees the Iran deal in simplistic terms. The wholesale U.S. exit may set up downstream problems, including in Syria, where Iran is a major player, and probably in North Korea, where Kim may draw the lesson that the United States can't be trusted, Blinken said. "It's detailed. It's more complicated than they think," Blinken said in an interview. "Maybe he'll defy all laws of geopolitical gravity, but I doubt it." U.S. allies also were aghast at Trump's sudden announcement in December that the United States would immediately recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move its embassy there. Trump had promised as a presidential candidate that he would make the move, but he had initially deferred to aides and allies who argued it was risky. Trump chafed at following other presidents who have continually deferred the embassy move since the 1990s and told friends and political audiences that he would be the president who finally had the courage of his convictions. "Very proud of it," Trump said earlier this month of his decision. Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner are among those planning to attend the opening of the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on May 14. The symbolic move upends long-standing U.S. policy that the United States would not prejudge the disputed status of Jerusalem by unilaterally declaring it as the Israeli capital. Under guardrails of peacemaking that Trump rejects as outmoded, Jerusalem was an issue to be left for resolution between Israel and the Palestinians. The U.S. Embassy's location an hour away in Tel Aviv was a sign that Washington would not put a finger on that scale. Trump has pointed to the Jerusalem embassy issue as a particular example of what U.S. officials and others described as the "Chicken Little" effect - when dire warnings against something Trump wants to do seem like hollow threats after the fact. "He heard from many people - commentators, observers and Cabinet members - that there would be all kinds of negative repercussions if he were to make that decision," to move the embassy, said the U.S. official. "Violence, the endangering of U.S. forces all over the Islamic world, all kinds of warnings, virtually none of which have proven to be the case, at least thus far." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to meet with top U.S. officials since the embassy decision was announced in December, forcing the White House to shelve efforts to restart peace negotiations. But the Trump administration rebuffed that criticism, as well as the milder complaints from allies such as Britain and France, and moved on. "There were similar 'the sky is falling' warnings last summer and fall," when Trump signaled that he would eventually back out of the Iran nuclear deal, "and of course there were warnings about the belligerent language with North Korea last year and how that would lead us to war," the U.S. official said. "That has proven not to be the case." Trump takes credit for reversing a decades-long narrative of failure in North Korean diplomacy with his stunning decision to meet face to face with Kim. "We are really doing well with North Korea," Trump said during a rollicking, campaign-style address last week to the National Rifle Association. He joked that he has tried to tone down his rhetoric about North Korea, now that it has worked as intended. "Look, for years, for years, they've had this problem and everybody has said, sort of, 'Oh, don't talk! Don't talk! Please don't talk!' " Trump said to laughter. "The last administration had a policy of silence," he continued, mimicking a horrified tone. 'Don't talk! You may make them and him angry! Don't talk!'" As the audience laughed, Trump said the same dynamic applies to his view of the Iran deal. He mocked the U.S. negotiator, former Secretary of State John Kerry, as a poor negotiator, and said the Obama administration was foolish. "But we have great things going on with respect to North Korea," he said. "You know what gets you nuclear war? Weakness gets you nuclear war, being weak." NEW HAVEN If Tweed New Haven Regional Airport ever gets its elusive longer runway, it probably wont be this year. The General Assembly wont take up in this legislative session the thorny issue of removing restrictions on Tweeds runway length which are enshrined in state law to let the airport increase the effective takeoff length of Tweeds main runway by paving grassy runway safety areas, legislators said. But they expect the city to raise it again. The bill that had been pending would have removed language restricting the length of the main runway at Tweed to the current 5,600 feet and allow Tweed to pave what are now grassy 1,000-foot runway safety areas to create a 6,600-foot runway for takeoffs. The issue was the subject of a major push by Mayor Toni N. Harp, Tweed officials and area business leaders, who said it was essential for Tweeds future as well as for the regions economic future. State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Leonard Fasano, R-North Haven, and state Rep. Al Paolillo Jr., D-New Haven, all said that more work needs to be done before that can happen. The city of New Haven made progress this year by finally developing an outreach campaign, said Looney. But the submission of a proposal to the Board of Alders, the meeting at Jepson School on April 30 and the community meeting at Nathan Hale School on May 5 all occurred too late in the legislative session for a proposal to be developed with the opportunity for robust community participation, consideration of the relocation of the terminal to diminish the traffic impact on New Haven, and the overall impact of enhanced commercial use of the airport, Looney said. I am sure that the city will take the next several months to reach out to the affected neighborhood, all stakeholders and elected officials in order to build a consensus that respects both economic development opportunities and preservation of one of New Havens core neighborhoods, he said. I think Marty Looney and I, along with the New Haven state House delegation and state Rep. James Albis, D-East Haven, are all on the same page, said Fasano. There needs to be more conversations and a better understanding to help the neighbors around Tweed before we have any more discussion about expanding Tweed. Im sure Mayor Harp will bring it up in the future, Fasano said. Harp seemed ready to do that. While disappointed by this missed opportunity, my administration will continue working with the citys legislative delegation to unlock the untapped economic potential inherent at Tweed, Harp said. All of us have a responsibility to work toward a vibrant future for the region and the state. Going forward, well arrange for legislators to meet face-to-face with business leaders and area residents for a candid exchange about how Tweed fits into a comprehensive plan for prosperity, Harp said. Bruce Alexander, Yale vice president and director of the Office of New Haven and State Affairs and Campus Development, said business leaders and union leadership made clear, in hearings of the Board of Alders as well as the Connecticut General Assembly, that improved service at Tweed will help to create jobs and grow the economy of New Haven and surrounding towns. With each year that Connecticut fails to address the issue, we fall further behind other states competing to win in the 21st century economy, Alexander said in an email. Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Chairman John Picard said airport backers will keep trying. Although we're a little disappointed, obviously we're not going to give up, said Picard, former mayor of West Haven. We need this airport ... and we're going to continue working to hopefully get it next time. Tweed Authority Executive Director Tim Larson said, I think Marty (Looney) still has some outstanding questions. So I guess theres more work to be done. Larson, who also is a Democratic state senator representing East Hartford, East Windsor, Ellington and South Windsor, said he plans to invite members of the Board of Alders to the authoritys next meeting. While owned by New Haven, Tweed straddles the border between New Haven and East Haven with much of it located in the town. The airport is surrounded on several sides by residential neighborhoods. Tweed and city officials are looking to add flights to destinations such as Washington, D.C., Florida and Chicago and have said that at least one additional airline, Allegiant, would serve Tweed if it had a longer runway. Since this plan was first proposed, Sen. Looney and I have been clear that the neighborhood and the community process needs to be at the forefront, said Paolillo. The concerns and the well-being of the community need to be put first. Its incumbent upon the city administration to communicate with neighboring residents about their proposal and how it will impact the community, Paolillo said. A true community benefits agreement should be reflective of the neighborhoods needs. We need to bring together residents, stakeholders and local leaders to fully vet the citys proposal, he said. Nearly 100 people turned out April 25 for a Board of Alders public hearing on possible extension of the runway, including a package of benefits the city proposed for the neighborhoods bordering the airport. The full board went on record Monday in favor of runway extension. City and Tweed officials unveiled a number of proposed neighborhood enhancements including a proposed new roundabout to tame traffic at Dodge Avenue and Burr Street at the airports entrance, an airport jobs zone to connect residents to work and additional parking along Burr Street to smooth the way for the extension. But not all residents were sold on them. Washington President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran on Tuesday, abruptly restoring harsh sanctions in the most consequential foreign policy action of his presidency. He declared he was making the world safer, but he also deepened his isolation on the world stage and revived doubts about American credibility. The 2015 agreement, which was negotiated by the Obama administration and included Germany, France and Britain, had lifted most U.S. and international economic sanctions against Iran. In exchange, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program, making it impossible to produce a bomb and establishing rigorous inspections. But Trump, a severe critic of the deal, said in a televised address from the White House that it was "defective at its core." U.S. allies in Europe had tried to keep him in and lamented his move to abandon it. Iran's leader ominously warned his country might "start enriching uranium more than before." The sanctions seek to punish Iran for its nuclear program by limiting its ability to sell oil or do business overseas, affecting a range of Iranian economic sectors and individuals. Major companies in the U.S. and Europe could be hurt, too. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said licenses held by Boeing and its European competitor Airbus to sell billions of dollars in commercial jetliners to Iran will be revoked. Certain exemptions are to be negotiated, but Mnuchin refused to discuss what might qualify. He said the sanctions will sharply curtail sales of oil by Iran, which is the world's fifth largest oil producer. Mnuchin said he didn't expect oil prices to rise sharply, forecasting that other producers will step up production. Iran's government must now decide whether to follow the U.S. and withdraw or try to salvage what's left with the Europeans. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he was sending his foreign minister to the remaining countries but warned there was only a short time to negotiate with them. Laying out his case, Trump contended, "If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons." The administration said it would re-impose sanctions on Iran immediately but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity. For nations contemplating striking their own sensitive deals with Trump, such as North Korea, the withdrawal will increase suspicions that they cannot expect lasting U.S. fidelity to international agreements it signs. Former President Barack Obama, whose administration negotiated the deal, called Trump's action "misguided" and said, "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility and puts us at odds with the world's major powers." Yet nations like Israel and Saudi Arabia that loathed the deal saw the action as a sign the United States is returning to a more skeptical, less trusting approach to dealing with adversaries. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Trump's announcement as a "historic move." Trump said Tuesday that documents recently released by Netanyahu showed Iran had attempted to develop a nuclear bomb in the previous decade, especially before 2003. Although Trump gave no explicit evidence that Iran violated the deal, he said Iran had clearly lied in the past and could not be trusted. Iran has denied ever pursuing nuclear arms. There was a predictably mixed reaction from Congress. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said the Iran deal "was flawed from the beginning," and he looked forward to working with Trump on next steps. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, slammed Trump in a statement, saying this "rash decision isolates America, not Iran." In a burst of last-minute diplomacy, the deal's European members had given ground on many of Trump's demands for reworking the accord, according to officials, diplomats and others briefed on the negotiations. Yet the Europeans realized he was unpersuaded. Drivers could soon be able to register license plates for cars and trailers every two years instead of each year with two bills advancing in the General Assembly. The state Senate sponsor said it would save taxpayers money and be more convenient. House Bill 4259 and Senate Bill 1505 would give motorists the option of getting a two-year vehicle registration, instead of having to get a new sticker every year. Both measures passed their respective chambers unanimously. State Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, said the idea came from his father coming into the house in January and he was frustrated. Im like, whats the matter? And he had been trying in the bitter cold to put that sticker on his plate in sub-zero temperatures and it just wouldnt stick on right, McConchie said. And he said, You know, I wish we could just buy a license plate for multiple years at a time. Why only two years? Thats required because the EPA has the emission tests standards in Chicago and East St. Louis, McConchie said. And they do that every two years. Both measures would also allow for trailers to be licensed for up to five years. McConchie said the measure will help reduce some of the postage costs for the secretary of states office. During the budget impasse, to save money the secretary of states office actually stopped sending out postage, McConchie said. Its one of the biggest line items in the secretary of states budget. During the start of the more than two and a half year budget impasse in 2015, the secretary of states office reported postage costs for registration renewal notices was more than $450,000 a month. The department suspended the mailings as a cost savings measure, but later fired the reminders back up when lawmakers passed piecemeal budgets. We are pleased to work with the sponsors of the legislation to offer customers a two-year vehicle registration option for license plates, said Henry Haupt, a spokesman for Secretary of State Jesse White. The measures do not not apply to large commercial vehicles. Four years before entering the Maryland governor's race, Democrat Krishanti Vignarajah got a letter from the District of Columbia Board of Elections. The board had information suggesting Vignarajah was registered to vote in Maryland, the letter said. "However, our records indicate that you reside, and are registered to vote, at the address indicated below" - a co-op unit at the Chastleton, a 1920s-era midrise near Dupont Circle. Vignarajah could have checked a box to indicate she did not reside in the District. Instead, on Feb. 20, 2014, she checked the box that said: "I currently reside at the address below, as indicated in the Board's records." Then she signed her name. More than two years later, on May 26, 2016, she listed the D.C. apartment as her residence in her application for a Maryland marriage license. The two documents, which have not previously been made public, could contradict a claim Vignarajah has made during her campaign: that the co-op unit, which she bought with her mother in 2009, was only aplace to lay her head after a day's work. "I didn't live there, but I did have a crash pad there," Vignarajah said on Kojo Nnamdi's radio show on WAMU-FM (88.5) in August. Maryland requires that its governor be a resident of the state for five years before the election, a requirement that Vignarajah says she meets because she considered Maryland her home even during her years in the District, when she worked for a law firm and the Obama administration. "The apartment merely served as a convenient nearby dwelling after long days and nights at work," Vignarajah said in court papers filed in October in an effort to put to rest questions about her eligibility. This week, in response to questions from The Washington Post, Vignarajah said in a statement: "Maryland is and always has been home. Temporarily residing outside of Maryland, whether it's for school or work, does not change my permanent residence, as a matter of law or common sense." News organizations reported last summer that Vignarajah - one of seven major candidates competing for the Democratic nomination to challenge Gov. Larry Hogan, R - was registered to vote in the District and Maryland and voted in the District through 2014. No one challenged her eligibility when she filed candidacy papers this winter, and her place on the June 26 primary ballot is assured. But Republicans say they would try to challenge her should she win the nomination. Some lawyers interviewed by The Post said it's possible such a challenge would be allowed, while others doubted it, given the time that has passed since Vignarajah filed to run. In the past, Vignarajah has likened questions about her residency to conspiracy theories pushed by Donald Trump that Barack Obama was not born in the United States. She did not answer questions about three government documents obtained by The Post through public records requests. In addition to the 2014 District Board of Elections letter and the marriage license application, they include a 2010 statement to the elections board saying she lived in the co-op unit and did not claim the right to vote outside the District. Her campaign told The Post that Vignarajah has filed District income taxes but declined to say for which year or years. Vignarajah's spokeswoman, Elizabeth Waickman, said the matter of her eligibility is settled because of a Maryland law that limits the window of time for challenging a candidate's residency status. Waickman accused other Democrats in the race of continuing to press the issue to reporters at a time when Vignarajah has performed well at candidate forums and in several straw polls. "It's no surprise her opponents are trying to revive it now that she has such momentum," Waickman said in an email. She said Vignarajah is "focused on convincing voters that Krish is not just the only woman and mom and immigrant in the race, she's also the best choice on the ballot." In a video posted on Facebook Monday, Vignarajah reiterates the arguments she made in a lawsuit she filed last fall asking a judge to declare her an eligible candidate. She said she grew up and attended public schools in Maryland and considered her parents' house in Catonsville, outside Baltimore, her home. In an affidavit filed as part of the lawsuit, she said she received mail and kept personal belongings there, "including most of my clothing, furniture, artwork, personal and professional records, books, and a lot of shoes." Vignarajah dropped the suit in January, after the state attorney general's office said there was no basis to think a legal challenge to her candidacy was imminent. A Hogan spokesman declined to comment. But other Republicans, including Del. Joe Cluster (Baltimore County), the former state GOP executive director, said someone in the party would surely attempt to challenge Vignarajah if she were the nominee. "She shouldn't be able to be on the ballot," Cluster said. "If I was executive director of the Maryland Republican Party and she was the nominee for the Democrats, I would challenge her running for governor." Were such a challenge permitted, the government documents and Vignarajah's voting history would be "a killer," said Timothy Maloney, a lawyer and former Democratic state lawmaker who is not supporting anyone in the primary. "It would be almost impossible to overcome." Vignarajah has framed her time in the District as a temporary period when she was a federal government appointee. But she first registered to vote there while working for the District law firm Jenner & Block. She stayed at the firm until 2011, when she joined the State Department. From 2015 until January 2017, she worked as policy director to first lady Michelle Obama. Vignarajah and her husband, Collin O'Mara, bought a home in Gaithersburg last July, a month before she announced plans to run for governor. Vignarajah voted in the District in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014. Although she registered to vote in Maryland in 2006, she voted there for her first time in the 2016 general election. - - - The Washington Post's Rachel Chason contributed to this report. 3 1 of 3 Woman's Club of Missouri City Show More Show Less 2 of 3 The Woman's Club of Missouri City Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The Woman's Club of Missouri City celebrated its 62nd anniversary on May 2 during its final meeting of the 2017-18 year. President Nancy Thurmond welcomed members and guests to the meeting at which the organization awarded four scholarships and presented a donation to the Dew House. Tom Reel /San Antonio Express-News The University of Texas at San Antonio will receive a nearly $1 million, five-year grant to provide scholarships for low-income students, women and minorities studying undergraduate computer science. The grant, from the National Science Foundation, is expected to help the university achieve its goal of increasing the graduation rate and retention of computer science students by at least 20 percent, said Turgay Korkmaz, UTSA associate professor of computer science. A San Antonio man was found guilty Wednesday of killing his brother in 2016 and burying his body in a shallow grave on Padre Island, allegedly in a dispute over the family home. It took the jury a little under 4 hours to render the verdict. Gregorio Barrera was 48 and already in jail on a criminal trespassing charge when he was charged with killing his brother, Andres Barrera, 46, whose remains were found Sept. 25, 2016, buried in three feet of sand on Padre Island National Seashore in Kleberg County. Judge Jefferson Moore, who presided over the case in the 186th state District Court, sent the jury home after the verdict was read. Court is in recess until Monday morning when the jury returns and the punishment phase will begin. Barrera faces up to life in prison. During the trial, Kleberg County Sheriffs Office investigators and the Nueces County medical examiner testified that the victims remains had been in the sand dunes for several weeks before being discovered. Relatives testified the brothers would physically fight each other, and before Andres Barreras disappearance had argued over their home in San Antonio, in the 8700 block of Sage Brush, regarding a loan taken out on the property that was not paid. Video shot by San Antonio crime scene investigators that was presented to the jury showed blood spatter on the walls of the home on the Northeast Side, on blades of a ceiling fan, the ceiling and a door there. Gregorio Barrera told his brother before he went missing that he would drop assault charges against him if Andres Barrera gave him money or the home, prosecutors Kimberly Gonzalez and Ana Ochoa Nelson said. Defense attorney Cornelius Cox argued that the state failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Gregorio Barrera killed his brother. In their closing arguments, prosecutors told the jury that the evidence, though circumstantial, would show Gregorio Barrera killed his brother, and pointed to inconsistencies in his statements to police. He used his brother's credit card; he was in possession of his truck he was driving it around. Then he said he saw his brother on the 12th, then the 11th, then the 10th. He can't keep his story straight, Nelson said in her closing statement to the jury. The defendant signed a quit claim deed to (the house on) Sage Brush; he has been legally evicted and shouldn't be there at all, Gonzalez added. An FBI forensics expert testified Tuesday that DNA from a pair of sandy shoes found in the home on Sage Brush matched that of Gregorio Barrera. Another FBI expert testified that granular material on a shovel taken from the home contained beach sand, but the location from where it came could not be established. In his closing argument, Cox told the jury that the state's 200 exhibits and close to 40 witnesses had still not proven Gregorio Barrera killed Andres Barrera. We don't know how the blood got there (at the Sage Brush home), he said, adding that the Nueces County medical examiner could not determine whether the deceased died on the beach or was taken there. There was not one witness that could testify that the deceased actually died at Sage Brush, Cox told the jury. Elizabeth Zavala is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | ezavala@express-news.net | @elizabeth2863 CJ Grisham, the founder of Open Carry Texas, is free from legal trouble in Bexar County after Olmos Park police arrested him during a protest in March, but that doesn't mean he's put the incident behind him. "This is not over," Grisham said. "They are not going to get away with what they did to me." Grisham, who lives in Temple, returned to Olmos Park Wednesday morning to retrieve his property after prosecutors dropped all charges against him and fellow activist Jim Everard. READ MORE: Controversial Olmos Park arrest sets off wave of gun ordinance repeals in San Antonio suburbs Grisham was accused of assaulting a police officer, interfering with the duties of a public servant and obstructing a roadway. Everard faced one charge of interfering with the duties of a public servant. Open Carry Texas held a demonstration in Olmos Park last month to protest an ordinance that prohibited anyone other than a police officer from carrying a loaded rifle on public streets, which they said violates state law. The arrests made headlines across the state and led to the ordinance's repeal in Olmos Park and the repeal of similar ordinances in other municipalities in the San Antonio area. "Having our charges dismissed is not an apology," Grisham said. "We still have yet to get that." The activists gave the city a "list of demands," Grisham said. He didn't specify what was on the list, but he did call for the firing of Olmos Park Police Chief Rene Valenciano and other officers who arrested him and Everard. "The idea of just following orders doesn't fly in America," he said. "They knew what they were doing is wrong." RELATED: Activists respond to charges filed after confrontation with SAPD officers The Olmos Park Police Department did not respond to requests seeking comment. Both activists claim they were injured during their arrests. Grisham said he suffered a concussion while Everard had his wrist broken. Everards brace had a patch that took a subtle shot at the police chief it read "Chf. Valenciano was here." Grisham said Open Carry Texas is consulting with civil attorneys and attorneys with the Self Defense Fund to consider their next steps, which may involve suing Olmos Park. When asked if he'd do it all over again, Grisham was adamant he would. "There is no risk in my mind that's too great for freedom," he said. "I fought for my country for these rights overseas ... only to come home to fight against my country for the same rights." Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA Almost 60 people were arrested in Bexar County on felony drunk driving charges in April 2018, documents obtained by mySA.com show. Bexar County law enforcement officials apprehended 57 people accused of third-offense driving while intoxicated and intoxication assault, among other charges. Jack Miller says he's not worried about the criminal charge he's facing. He's been through this before. The 45-year-old vice president of the fledgling National Association for Individual Rights was issued an arrest warrant on a charge of interfering with duties of a public servant after he and two colleagues had a tense interaction with San Antonio bike patrol officers who were tending to an unconscious person downtown on April 28. RELATED: 2 open carry activists accused of interfering with SAPD investigation downtown But Miller says he did nothing wrong and that the police officers were the real offenders that night. "Police need to respect the rights of citizens even if those rights make them feel uncomfortable," said Miller. "If their actions are legal and they are right, police have to respect them." Miller is a member of a loose coalition of self-described civil rights activists and investigative journalists who record their often-strained interactions with police officers and upload the videos to YouTube. The videos claim to show various abuses by law enforcement officers in San Antonio and surrounding cities and usually consist of lengthy conversations -- or arguments -- with police officers that occasionally end in arrests. Jesus Padilla, the 27-year-old who runs the "Mexican Padilla" YouTube channel and was charged in the same case as Miller, said he's been assaulted, arrested and has had to pay hefty bond amounts. "It really, really sucks," he said, "but if I can make a difference, maybe it's worth it." He added, "I'm just afraid they're going to end up killing me one of these days." RELATED: San Antonio firefighter accused of domestic assault On April 28, Miller had been filming himself flipping off police officers and yelling obscenities at them for several hours as a form of protest because a fellow activist, Michael Thompson, had been arrested at Market Square during Fiesta for doing the same thing. Miller, Padilla and another man, David Bailey, eventually confronted a couple of bike patrol officers who were responding to an unconscious person lying in the 500 block of East Houston Street. Video of the interaction provided to mySA.com by Padilla shows Miller and Bailey speaking with the two bike patrol officers about where they can stand. Both bike patrol officers, identified as Officers Ramos and Dech in court records, ask the men to step away from the scene, and they comply. Suddenly, with no visible provocation, Ramos tackles Bailey to the ground and arrests him. On May 4, a judge signed arrest warrants for Miller and Padilla on charges of interfering with public duties. The affidavit claims Miller and Padilla were a distraction for the officers, who were dealing with an unresponsive person laying in the street, and that because of the disturbance they caused, officers lost potential witness statements and suspect descriptions. "The charges and the affidavit speak for themselves, we will submit this case to the DA's office," said Romana Lopez, a spokeswoman for the San Antonio Police Department. "If any individual feels that their rights were violated, they can contact Internal Affairs. All complaints are investigated." Bailey was also charged with interference with the duties of a public servant. Padilla was arrested Sunday and later bailed out of jail. Miller plans to turn himself in on Wednesday. Both are confident the charges will be dropped. 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 Police say DNA evidence helped them tie two suspects to a 2005 gang rape of a then 20-year-old woman in San Antonio. Anthony Smoots, 29, and 31-year-old Shamarques Lynn Porter, now face charges of aggravated sexual assault. Porter, who faces additional charges of marijuana possession and evading arrest, was booked into the Bexar County Jail on Tuesday. Smoots was jailed on Dec. 13 and bonded out on Jan. 27, according to jail officials. RELATED: Arrested on felony DWI charges in April in Bexar County According to the arrest affidavit, the victim had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend on June 5, 2005, and went for a walk. While sitting at a bus stop, a group of four men pulled up next to her and one of the passengers offered her a cigarette. "When she approached the vehicle, the driver pointed a shotgun at her face and ordered her to get in the vehicle or they would kill her," the affidavit says. The men, two of whom were allegedly Smoots and Porter, took her to a secluded area and took turns raping her, police said. The affidavit says three suspects would keep watch, while the fourth raped the victim. At some point during the attack, one of the suspects said people were watching them, so all four got in the car with the victim and fled. There was talk of killing the victim, the affidavit says, but the suspects ultimately let her go. A stranger picked up the victim and took her home. She then called police, who said the suspect descriptions matched those of suspects involved in an earlier robbery in Bexar County, authorities said. Smoots would have been 16-years-old at the time of the alleged assault, and Porter would have been 18. RELATED: Activists respond to charges filed after confrontation with SAPD officers Nine years later, authorities began testing DNA evidence collected after the victim reported the assault. Investigators found a mixture of DNA from multiple people on the victim's underwear and a black T-shirt, and they determined the chance that the DNA belonged to someone other than Smoots or Porter was low enough to place suspicion on the two. According to the affidavit, the chance that the DNA mixture found on the underwear did not belong to either Smoots or Porter was 1 in 338 for a Caucasian person, 1 in 988 for an African American person and 1 in 514 for a Hispanic person. On the black T-shirt, the chance was 1 in 1,239 for a Caucasian person, 1 in 2,660 for an African American person and 1 in 3,532 for a Hispanic person. The affidavit also says that during a photo lineup the victim said a photo of one of the suspects "looked like the driver," though the affidavit does not specify which one she identified. Based on that evidence, authorities were able to obtain arrest warrants for both Smoots and Porter. 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 A 26-year-old man was arrested Tuesday on accusations he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl while they were lying in bed with the girl's sister, according to court records. Carlos Ramirez faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child. He was booked into the Bexar County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Akeem Brown, a 26-year-old East Side community developer and, as of Tuesday, a member of the VIA Metropolitan Transit board of trustees, grew up in Brooklyn, New York, amid a transportation system built around its trains. Thats what Brown wants to avoid in San Antonio now that hes one of 11 members of the VIA Board, appointed by Bexar County commissioners to replace Rebecca Cedillo for a term that lasts through the end of 2019. We are light years behind the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, when it comes to transportation. And so, really and truly, we're thinking beyond rail, Brown said. He added: Let's not just talk about what everyone's talking about. Let's talk about what everyone's not talking about, and figure out how we can surpass them. Brown is the chief operating officer of San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside, a nonprofit that helps boost the East Side business community. Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert said Browns grassroots ties and his strength as a networker would help VIA sell its vision to voters in the wake of some recent speed bumps. Brown said he wants to get more young people and new Bexar County arrivals to explore the city through VIA, recalling how he felt the urge to buy a car after moving here from Brooklyn, where he relied exclusively on public transit. I don't know how many members of our community are really excited about VIA, he said. I don't feel the excitement in our VIA that I believe we can have. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, who in April formed a nonprofit with Mayor Ron Nirenberg to advocate for a modern multimodal transit system, told Brown that he was glad to see someone coming here with a different perspective on public transit. Browns appointment continues the courts trend of appointing younger members to the board; the commissioners have this year appointed USAA innovation business development director Marina Alderete Gavito, 36, and former Bexar County director of economic development Jordana Decamps Mathews, 32. We're trying to bring in younger people with sort of a different view of how we can transform public transit, Wolff said. All we've done here is run buses. And there's more to a public transit system than buses. Nirenberg and Wolff recently swatted down the idea that a developing multimodal transit plan would include any form of rail. Voters may consider initial plans for the system in May next year. VIA president and chief executive Jeff Arndt could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Before coming to San Antonio, Brown worked for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios campaign and in a communications role in the mayors office working on pre-K services. He received a masters degree from New York University in public policy. After Brown stepped out of court, Wolffs constituent services director Dwayne Robinson walked up to Brown as he prepared to talk to reporters. Congratulations. Now let me point my finger in your face, Robinson said. You've been given an opportunity. You're a young man, and you've got to deliver. I'm so excited for you. I'm so excited because of your age and what you can do in the future. But as an African-American male who works for the county judge and fights to try to do things every day, I expect a lot out of you, because I know you can deliver. Brown responded: You can point your finger at me whenever you want. Jasper Scherer is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | jscherer@express-news.net | @jaspscherer NASA will soon begin testing in Dallas how Uber's on-demand air-taxi concept would affect crowded areas. Uber is in the midst of designing an air-taxi service, called UberAIR. Officials hope to conduct flight demonstrations starting in 2020 and start operating commercially in Dallas and Los Angeles by 2023. And on Tuesday, NASA announced that it would help the company "ensure a safe and efficient system for future air transportation in populated areas." "NASA is excited to be partnering with Uber and others in the community to identify the key challenges facing the [urban air mobility] market, and explore necessary research, development and testing requirements to address those challenges," Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, said in a statement. "Urban air mobility could revolutionize the way people and cargo move in our cities and fundamentally change our lifestyle much like smartphones have." Under this agreement, Uber will provide NASA with its plans for implementing this cutting-edge ride-share network and NASA will use computer modeling and simulations to determine the impact of this kind of aircraft. The simulations will take place at NASA's research facility at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. NASA personnel will analyze safety issues that could arise from small passenger-carrying aircraft flying through the airport's airspace during "peak scheduled air traffic," according to the space agency. An Uber spokesman said Tuesday that early stages of simulation are already being developed. NASA could not immediately be reached for comment but the company already has been working with NASA to "develop a specialized air-traffic-control network to keep track of our newly crowded skies" -- an agreement that was announced in November, according to a report in USA Today. The company this week is hosting an Uber Elevate Summit in Los Angeles and it unveiled its air-taxi prototype just ahead of Tuesday's events. The all-electric aircraft, designed for four passengers, would have vertical take-off and landing capabilities similar to those of a helicopter. It would have four sets of stacked propellers and cruising speeds of about 150 mph, according to a Market Watch article published Tuesday. Tests of the UberAIR are expected to begin in 2020 in Los Angeles, Dallas and Dubai, according to a Business Insider article published Tuesday. Once the service is officially launched, passengers would call Uber Air on their smartphones and make their way to designated rooftop landing pads, or "skyports," which could see 200 takeoffs and landings an hour, the article reported. Jeff Holden, Uber's chief product officer, told the L.A. Times in November that the company expects people in Los Angeles will be making "heavy use" of this service by the 2028 summer Olympics held there. The Market Watch article stated that in "several years," air-taxi rides would cost about the same as an UberX trip, which is the company's lowest-cost ride. Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or twitter.com/alexdstuckey More than a decade ago, NASA scientists launched a probe to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt three billion miles away to study the edges of our solar system. And on Saturday, Alan Stern, the principal investigator on that project, will be at Space Center Houston to talk about it. NASA launched the New Horizons mission in January 2006 with the hopes of understanding where Pluto and its moons "fit in" with the various planets of the solar system, according to the space agency. It flew by Pluto in 2015, becoming the first mission of its kind to get a close look at Pluto and its five moons, about 3 billion miles from Earth. It is expected to reach the Kuiper Belt in 2019. Though the mission still is ongoing, Stern wrote a book, with the help of scientist David Grinspoon, about it called "Chasing New Horizons Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto." The book details "the up-close, inside story of something amazing that happened on July 14, 2015," according to a Space Center Houston news release. "More than 3 billion miles from Earth, the small NASA New Horizons spacecraft screamed past Pluto at more than 32,000 miles per hour, focusing its instruments on the long mysterious icy worlds of the Pluto system. Then, just as quickly, it continued on its journey into the beyond." RELATED STORY: Saturn moon exploration or comet sampling will be on NASA launch agenda by 2025 The New Horizons mission is one of three projects underway as part of the highly competitive New Frontiers program. The other two are: Juno: Launched in 2011, the mission set out to study Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. The mission will end next year. OSIRIS-REx: Launched in 2016, Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer is the first U.S. mission set to bring asteroid samples back to Earth. It will return to earth in 2023. NASA will pick its fourth New Frontiers mission next year and has already narrowed it down to two finalists. One would study the mysteries of Saturn's largest moon and another would sample a moving comet. Stern and Grinspoon's presentation about the New Horizons mission will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at Space Center Houston. The event is free, but seating is limited. Tickets can be reserved here. Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. Politics is making me sick. I have written about pandering, broken promises, partisan spin, opinion polls, situational ethics, flip-flopping, echo chambers, red and blue states, and all the rest for 30 years. And it has taken a toll. Ive never been more cynical or more distrustful. Spend most of your time in swamps, and pretty soon all you see is alligators. After a speech about eight years ago I was asked if I could name any politicians whom I respected. Yes, I said. I only have two. A Democrat: Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois. And a Republican: Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana. So I settled on two Midwesterners from neighboring states. On immigration, each man had bravely challenged leaders of his own party. Gutierrez was the first to disappoint me. Arrested twice outside the White House while protesting President Barack Obamas heavy-handed immigration policies, the congressman tried unsuccessfully to get Obama to use executive power to defer some deportations. In 2011, Gutierrez embarked on a 20-city tour he called the Campaign for American Children and Families. Several congressional lawmakers, including Rep. Michael Honda, D-Calif., said at the time that administration officials had warned them not to attend. But after the Obama administration launched the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in June 2012 essentially tricking young undocumented immigrants into turning themselves in to authorities in exchange for a two-year deferment from deportation and a temporary work permit Gutierrez took the crumb and declared it a steak dinner. In September, in exchange for a speaking slot at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, he fell totally in line and enthusiastically praised the same Obama administration that he had spent the last few years railing against. Now, it is Pences turn to disappoint. Ive written about the Indiana Republican who is now vice president for more than a dozen years. He usually has a good mind, a good heart and a good supply of the kind of common sense that grows in farm country. Pence came to my attention in 2006 when, while serving in Congress, he wrote a bill that would have let millions of undocumented immigrants stay in the United States legally. One member of a family would return to the home country for quick processing sessions at what Pence called Ellis Island Centers before coming back to the United States with a temporary work permit. Nativists hated the Pence plan, calling it amnesty lite. I hated the nativists, and so I reached out to Pence. I became a fan. But last week in Phoenix, Pence made a fool of himself. Having hitched his wagon to a president who believes that Mexican immigrants are criminals from a poor, violent and corrupt country who steal jobs and resources from real Americans, the vice president has embraced the crazy. Speaking to supporters, Pence lamented open border activists. Apparently, the Hoosier doesnt know much about borders unless perhaps were talking about the boundary between Indiana and Kentucky. The U.S.-Mexico border is fortified, militarized and patrolled by more than 17,000 Border Patrol agents. That is not open. Pence also praised former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio who is now running to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate as a tireless champion of strong borders and the rule of law. In truth, Arpaios contribution to strong borders was limited to clownish stunts like having deputies raid a fast-food restaurant in Phoenix because Spanish was spoken in the kitchen. Arpaio wiped his feet on the rule of law when he defied a federal judges order to stop enforcing immigration law and profiling Latinos. The lawman-turned-outlaw was found to be in contempt of court. Trump gave him amnesty, i.e., a pardon. Nonetheless, Pence welcomed Arpaio and told him: Im honored to have you here. So, I guess, the vice president is also a little fuzzy on the meaning of the word honor. You see why Im sick. And as long as I continue to cover politics, I dont expect to feel better anytime soon. ruben@rubennavarrette.com As we celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founding of the city of San Antonio, there are countless exhibits and tributes to those who came before us to help make this city what it is today and what it will be in the future. Many stories of the founders of San Antonio, including those from the Canary Islands, have been shared with our community, but one story has been lost in time. The story of the Ramon family in Texas and in San Antonios history is well known among historians but perhaps not among the general public. Through my work with Summer of Service, or SOS, I have discovered parts of my family history I did not know before. I am leading the Mission SOS: San Antonios Origins in Spain program, which brings together students ages 12 to 18 from all over San Antonio to honor our Tricentennial by researching our history, including site visits to our missions and Texas A&M University-San Antonios Archives and Special Collections at the Bexar County Archives Building. The students will then travel to Spain this summer to trace the threads that still connect San Antonio to Spain. Through my research, I discovered the journal of my ancestor, Domingo Ramon, from his 1716 entrada (entry) into Texas. I had a glimpse of time upriver and saw the conception of our city. Domingos journal chronicles his trip from Mexico to present-day East Texas at the request of the Spanish crown. The French were encroaching on Spanish missions, which at the time were in East Texas. They were eventually moved to San Antonio and became the modern-day missions that we know today. Domingo Ramon set out with a number of travelers on an expedition from Monterrey to modern-day Louisiana. The group endured countless challenges along the way but eventually succeeded. We know this because the journal made its way through history and into our hands today. One particular detail caught my eye. Ramon arrived in modern-day San Antonio on May 14, 1716, and wrote: This day I marched in a northeasterly direction seven leagues through some mesquite brush with plenty of pasturage, crossing two dry arroyos, and we arrived at a spring on level land which we named San Pedro. This is sufficient to support a city. Exploring my own heritage became all the more important to me, and I went to Texas A&M-San Antonios Archives and Special Collections to learn more. I was able to do a record search and found out that in 2011, a Mexican senator, Jesus Maria Ramon, came to San Antonio to deliver documents pertaining to the founding of San Antonio. Among these documents was a copy of Capt. Diego Ramons March 1, 1700, report of the founding of Mission San Francisco Solano, which ultimately was moved and re-established as Mission San Antonio de Valero, known today as the Alamo. The article also referenced the work of renowned Texas historian Felix Almaraz, from the University of Texas at San Antonio. According to Almaraz, Diego and Domingo Ramon should be remembered as intrepid pioneers who blazed the trail into Texas. I still have much more to learn and discover, but the Tricentennial celebration has inspired me to dig deeper into not only San Antonios history but my own family lineage and our contributions to this amazing city. So lets celebrate San Antonios Tricentennial, and I hope we can all look to the stories of those who came before us for inspiration on our choices today. Do this so that we have something even better to hand down to our children and the next generation of San Antonians. Amir Samandi is the founder and executive director of Summer of Service. The Eurofighter Typhoon is Germanys premier front-line jet fighter. This week, Der Spiegel reported that just four of the Luftwaffes 128 Typhoons are combat ready. Also, not one of the German navys six submarines is in a condition to put to sea, and only 95 of its 244 battle tanks are operational. At this point, Luxembourg could probably conquer Germany. Should anyone seriously care that Germany, with the worlds fourth-largest economy, would be unable to defend itself in the event of war, much less fulfill its treaty obligations to NATO? Not if all you can think about is how Donald Trump is going to squirm out of one potentially incriminating lie by inventing another. But Vladimir Putin undoubtedly cares, and so does Trump. Its a toxic combination. Germanys persistent, deliberate military weakness is a reminder of just how unprepared much of the world is for the continued unraveling of global order, characterized by two pronounced trends: emboldened dictatorships and risk-averse, inward-looking democracies. About the former: Bashar Assad continues to advance against his opponents in Syria, despite last months feckless U.S. missile strikes. The Kremlin reportedly intends to supply Assad with advanced anti-aircraft systems to defend against Israeli attacks. Israel is bracing for war with Iran and its militant proxies in Lebanon. Elsewhere, Russia is sitting unmolested on its conquests in Ukraine. Beijing continues to militarize artificial islands in the South China Sea. Turkey rolled its tanks into Syria against U.S.-allied Kurdish forces the ones who have done the bulk of our fighting against ISIS to little U.S. protest. Against this stands an American president whose governing foreign policy instincts are bluster and retreat. In the past month or so, Trump has said he wants to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria that are now the chief deterrent against the Turks, though Frances Emmanuel Macron seems to have persuaded him not to remove them yet. The administrations trade negotiators are forcing a renegotiation of NAFTA that appears to be calculated to invite rejection by legislatures in Mexico or Canada, and maybe the U.S. Congress, too. Then there is South Korea. The Times Mark Landler recently reported the stunning but not entirely surprising news that Trump has ordered the Pentagon to prepare options for withdrawing at least some of Americas 28,500 troops from the peninsula. Why now? Part of the answer is that Trump is trying to force Seoul to foot more of the bill for the U.S. military presence. But Seoul already pays half the U.S. costs and fields one of the largest armies in the world. A likelier answer is that Trump sees U.S. withdrawal as an achievement in its own right and hopes a peace treaty with the North is his ticket. Beijing, which has long aimed to push the U.S. out of East Asia, will be thrilled. The GOP counternarrative is that Trump has cowed Kim with sanctions and military threats. Please: Kim is running the exact same play his father and grandfather did. And the president is simply not a liberal internationalist in the mold of Harry Truman, concerned with the welfare of the free world. He believes in whats-in-it-for-us, specifically whats-in-it-for-him. Lets close with some questions for the presidents right-wing supporters. Does Trump have any larger goal in Korea other than to find a pretext for a military exit and gain a moment of glory along the way? Does he have a detailed strategy toward Iran other than to renounce the nuclear deal and hope for better terms? Is the plan for Syria to let Assad and his Iranian and Russian patrons win, and let the Israelis and other U.S. allies deal with the fallout? Is there a concept for a North American trade regime should NAFTA collapse? The world learned on Sept. 1, 1939, where the mentality of every-country-for-itself leads. Our willful and politically wounded president is leading us there again. A warning to countries that have relied too long and lazily on the promises of Pax Americana: The policeman has checked out. Youre on your own again. Bret Stephens writes a column for the New York Times. Re: No-rail is fine; stay open to transit plan, editorial, Friday: I find your editorial absolutely absurd and contradictory. I am basing my statement on years of travel to major cities in the U.S. and Europe. It is a lot easier to get around in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Toronto than San Antonio. The editorial advocates a no-rail policy, but then concludes that San Antonio needs a transit plan for the anticipated growth. I contend that the growth will not occur until we have political leaders who have a vision that includes rail. Since the mayor has taken office, major deals for bringing companies here have fallen through. Why would any corporation want to move to a city with such a negative track record solving the transit problem as expressed in your editorial? William Lambert Minor league town Re: S.A. wont try to get the GOPs national convention, front page, Friday: The recent vote by the City Council not to bid on the 2020 GOP convention once again confirms what I have come to recognize as a trend in city government that has been sorely evident over the 20 years I have resided in the area. Although the population of San Antonio has grown in those 20 years to make it one of the largest cities in the U.S., the actions of the narrow-minded politicians who are empowered to run the city are the very reason San Antonio has been, and always will be, considered a backwater, one-horse town. Keep growing, San Antonio, but you never will play with the big boys. Larry K. Taylor Power diluted The election this past Saturday should be a warning to all who think the upcoming runoff and midterm elections will bring change. The Northside Independent School District won big in its bond election, and for that I am glad, but the low voter turnout was shocking. Once again, we saw low voter participation. This should scare anyone out there who realizes that the vote is the most important power that people possess. We had better get busy if change is to come in 2018. Helen Chouinard The right way Re: Were all of immigrant origin, so why do we condemn them? Rudy Apodaca, Opinion, April 29: This is an interesting commentary. The headline poses a simple question, and there is a simple answer, I think. Probably because we came into the country legally, got citizenship, worked, paid taxes and didnt ask the government for a living. You think? John Burner Resisting evil Re: Obey authority, Your Turn, April 28: The letter writer actually believes that all governing authorities are appointed by God? Would she include Hitler, Amin, Stalin, etc., among those divine appointments? Did those who resisted their evils bring judgement upon themselves? Todd Cooper Dual threat I always wonder when readers write to complain about how we are seriously jeopardizing our grandchildrens future by: Increasing the already massive federal debt (Republicans/conservatives). Refusing to take climate change and pollution seriously (Democrats/liberals). In truth, we are obviously giving our grandkids (I have two) a legacy of financial and environmental distress, yet each side will not believe the danger of their political opponents sense of alarm. In fact, the conservatives in Congress and the White House recently passed legislation not only to cut taxes but dramatically increase spending. Sadly, the current crop of politicians of both parties, and in particular their leadership, show a breathtaking lack of intelligence and courage in tackling these two immense problems. Their incompetence and the knee-jerk reaction of many voters against ideas from the other side are sliding us to a mess that will be very hard for our grandchildren to clean up. Laird Loomis Lies keep coming The first week of May seemed perfectly normal. And then we found out the president fabricated his health records in a letter calling him the healthiest presidential candidate ever. On subsequent days, the lies in the Stormy Daniels fiasco came so fast and furious that it was hard to keep up. After that, our president, in an effort to bring home three prisoners from North Korea, chided the previous administration for not making an effort to do so when, in fact, two of the prisoners were not incarcerated until after he took office. Then, last Friday, he spoke to the NRA at its convention in Dallas, and flip-flopped on every aspect of gun control he promised the Parkland, Florida, students back in February in the White House. Also on Friday, he praised the latest jobs numbers from the same monthly report he called fake during President Barack Obamas term. All this from a man who calls James Comey a liar, singles out major networks for reporting fake news, hides his tax returns and needs a fixer for a lawyer. I can hardly wait until next week. Richard Harris Human rights story Re: Yes, San Antonians do have a stake in Gaza events, Moureen Kaki, Harry Gunkel and Judith Norman, Another View, April 27: Thank you for finally providing a column honestly covering the Israeli regimes occupation of Palestine and San Antonios involvement. This is a human rights story, and so glad it finally is being presented in local media. Much appreciated! Lupita Gonzalez The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a new measure requiring medical checks for commercial hot air balloon pilots. The bill was spurred by a 2016 hot air balloon crash in Texas that killed 16 people. Details of the Hot Air Balloon Requirements According to the Insurance Journal, the vote was cast on Friday and will put I place a provision that requires all commercial hot air balloon pilots receive medical checks similar to those required for helicopter and airline pilots. Following the 2016 crash, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that the pilot, Alfred Skip Nichols, was probably impaired by Valium, opioids, and other drugs. Federal investigators scolded the FAA for what they saw as lax oversight of the commercial air balloon industry. The Senate has not yet considered its own version of the legislation. Hot Air Balloon Fatalities According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the regulations for operating hot air balloon tours are severely lacking. The NTSB has recommended more stringent requirements for hot air balloon operators, but they have been denied by the Federal Aviation Authority. The NTSB warned the FAA of the dangers of unregulated air balloons in 2014 and 2016. Prior to the 2016 accident, there had been 25 balloon accidents since 2014 with 4 fatalities and 25 serious injuries. Current FAA Hot Air Balloon Certification Requirements According the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA) this is some information needed to needed to obtain a certification. An airworthiness certificate is an FAA document which grants authorization to operate an aircraft in flight. A registered owner or owner's agent of an aircraft may apply for an airworthiness certificate. Only FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors and authorized Representatives of the Administrator are authorized to issue an FAA airworthiness certificate. The FAA can revoke an existing airworthiness certificate in any category if the aircraft no longer meets its approved design and/or is not in an airworthy condition Contact an Experienced Aviation Accident Attorney If you or a loved one were injured in an accident involving an aircraft, contact Thomas J. Henry. We represent victims injured in plane crashes, hot air balloon accidents, skydiving accidents, and any other incident involving aviation vehicles. Our experienced aviation accident and injury attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends to evaluate your claim. Contact us today for a free legal consultation so we can determine if you are entitled to compensation for your injuries. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry Personal Injury Law. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com. Senegalese fashion is among the most delicious ones in Africa when it comes to traditional and authentic styles. However, people in Senegal are also interested in the current African and global trends and want to know more from fashion magazines that are available in the country. Lets check now, which of them have the biggest popularity with the local people. The most popular and influential fashion magazines in Senegal Like in many other countries around the world, Senegalese women and men enjoy looking through fashion magazines. Of course, they have access to the most popular periodicals with world names like Vogue, Elle, and others. However, western beauty standards and styles are not always suitable for Africa and so the local people prefer African fashion observers. READ ALSO: Natural hair twist styles for long and short hair Lets take a look at the most influential and popular fashion news resources, both online and offline. Mode Senegal magazine This Senegalese fashion, culture and lifestyle resource can provide you with plenty of information on diverse aspects of beauty, culture, art, and fashion as its seen in Senegal. Couture Africa magazine This is a magazine thats aimed at women, their interests, questions, and demands. In this magazine, you can find just everything that a woman may need. Style, fashion, life advice, beauty care, elegance, and everyday life check it out in the Couture Africa. Zen magazine This online fashion magazine covers numerous aspects of womens life with new styles, unique fashions, everyday ideas, and lifestyle tips and tricks. Being available 24/7, it always has a stable audience that appreciates its publications. DN-Africa Fashion magazine This magazine gives coverage to all the most significant events in the fashion industry of Africa. Its known for consulting the most gifted African designers on matters of style and fashion. Fashion Ghana This online resource provides news on the current African discoveries and news in the world of fashion, giving attention to separate countries and their fashion news. New African magazine Being around since 2009, New African magazine has provided women of all ages with information regarding fashions, styles, and trends in Africa and the whole world. The bright and colorful magazine shows the lifestyle of women in Africa and the trends they will love. Glam Africa magazine This is one of the most influential sources of information regarding African and global fashions and styles. Their mission is to bring the global culture and fashion to Africa and African styles to the entire world. Reed Fashion Magazine This online magazine can give you all kinds of advice and recommendations, starting with clothes, shoes, accessories, and makeup and ending with beauty care and health tips. A great coverage for great fashion lovers. Truelove Magazine This magazine has an extremely wide coverage, giving attention to all the African countries and very African corner. Besides that, its a source of information on everything that you would only want to know. Afrostyle Magazine This is a magazine for the African style and the specifics of African fashions. African Vogue The Vogue magazine is known all around the globe as one of the most influential and popular fashion magazines. However, the African Vogue is somewhat different because its created for Africans and in order to depict the African fashions and styles African Vibes This is another magazine thats dedicated to totally African styles, their charm, and specific features. These magazines are able to bring the beauty of Africa to the rest of the world. Who are Senegalese fashion bloggers? Having mentioned online fashion magazine, we just cant omit fashion bloggers who are another powerful source of fashion trends for the Senegalese population. Now, when you already know a little about the Senegal most popular fashion magazines, its time to say a couple of words about popular Senegalese bloggers who deserve your attention. The Senegalese Fashion Blogger This lovely blog is dedicated to fashion and looking pretty. As the owner of the blog claims, shes not a designer or a stylist. She simply loves fashion and wants to share this love with the world. Sweet Senegal This blog is dedicated to traveling and fashion. The owner, Awa, lives between New York and Dakar and gladly shares her cultural experience from all the places she visits. Her blog is mostly about Senegal, its cultural vibrancy, its fashion and style. Pop Corn & Paillettes The blog about beauty and fashion was created and owned by a lady of a Senegalese origin. This has determined the African direction of her blog and her devotion to the African styles. The Gazelle Skirt Another fashion blog owned by four authors, dedicated to styles, beauty, clothes, and accessories in Senegal and to all the events that can be interesting to fashion lovers. WorldOfNK Owned by a young Senegalese lady Ndambaw Kama, this blog speaks about society, culture, and, of course, fashion in Senegal, depicting the country with bright colors and its own specific vibes. So, these are the most powerful and popular sources of information about fashion and style in Senegal. Check them out if you, too, are a fashion lover and want to know everything about the most recent trends. READ ALSO: What do Nigerian men like in a woman? Source: Legit - The PDP said it will drag INEC to court over the failed recall of Senator Dino Melaye - The opposition party said even though its members did not sign the recall petition against Melaye, their data and signatures appeared during the verification exercise - It, therefore, demanded criminal prosecution of those allegedly involved in the claimed signature forgery The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi state on Tuesday, May 8, expressed its readiness to challenge in court the malpractices that manifested during the failed recall of the senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, Dino Melaye. The opposition party said it would drag the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in court for the irregularities that trailed the exercise, Nigerian Tribune reports. Legit.ng gathered that the Kogi west chapter of the party in a communique after its stakeholders meeting which was signed by the senatorial chairman, Taiwo Kola-Ojo, said the party was disappointed with the revelations on the recall date where many of its members said their names were illegally put on the list of those that signed the petition to recall Melaye. READ ALSO: Dino Melaye finally reveals why he jumped off police vehicle The party said that though they never at any time signed the petition against Melaye, they were shocked to discover that their data and signatures were displayed during the verification exercise. The party, therefore, demanded the criminal prosecution of all those involved in signature forgery and in the presentation of deceased persons as sponsors of the recall. Wondering how INEC could not see through the criminal manipulations in voters data during the exercise, the Kogi West PDP served a notice to INEC to be ready to defend its negligence of duty, conspiracy and wasteful application of public fund. The PDP noted that the failure of the exercise was substantially attributable to the role played by its party members in the district. It appealed to the people of Kogi West to avoid a repeat of the mistakes of the 2015 governorship election during which many voted to substitute a tolerant and people-oriented party like the PDP, to obtain the reign of terror, intimidation and persecution that prevail in the state today. The communique further called on INEC to be more efficient in the on-going Continuous Voters Registration exercise in the state to avoid disenfranchisement of many intending voters, who are still unable to register, owing to poor access to registration machines. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! The party commended its members for remaining steadfast in siding with the party, despite the hostility against the opposition party in the state. Legit.ng previously reported that the leadership of the National Assembly on Monday, May 7, reported Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris to President Muhammadu Buhari for his failure to appear before the Senate for the second time over the issue of Senator Melaye. Senate president Bukola Saraki and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, confirmed this development to State House correspondents on Monday after a closed-door meeting with the president in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Saraki said they raised the issue of Senator Melaye to the president because of the refusal of the IGP to honour Senates invitations. Kogi West senatorial district to recall senator Dino Melaye from the Nigerian Senate - On Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - President Donald Trump announced the US withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal - The nuclear deal was sealed during ex-President Obamas era - Trump, however, pulled the US out of the deal, calling it "decaying and rotten" President Donald Trump has announced the United States withdrawal from the Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran. Calling it "decaying and rotten", Trump said the deal was "an embarrassment" to him "as a citizen". Going against advice from European allies, he said he would re-impose economic sanctions that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015, BBC reports. READ ALSO: Police arrest AK47 rifles dealers selling arms to killers in Benue (photo) In response, Iran said it was preparing to restart uranium enrichment, key for making both nuclear energy and weapons. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said: "The US has announced that it doesn't respect its commitments. "I have ordered the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be ready to start the enrichment of uranium at industrial levels." Rouhani said he would "wait a few weeks" to speak to allies and the other signatories to the nuclear deal. According to BBC, the US Treasury said economic sanctions would not be re-imposed on Iran immediately, but would be subject to 90-day and 180-day wind-down periods. In a statement on its website, it said sanctions would be re-imposed on the industries mentioned in the 2015 deal, including Iran's oil sector, aircraft exports, precious metals trade, and Iranian government attempts to buy US dollar banknotes. France, Germany and the UK, who are also signatories to the deal, have reportedly said they "regret" Trumps decision. The European Union's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, said the EU was "determined to preserve" the deal. However, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he "fully supports" Trump's "bold" withdrawal from a "disastrous" deal. President Trump had previously complained that the deal only limited Iran's nuclear activities for a fixed period; had failed to stop the development of ballistic missiles; and had handed Iran a $100bn (74bn) windfall that it used "as a slush fund for weapons, terror, and oppression" across the Middle East. Reacting to the withdrawal, the former US Secretary of State John Kerry, who was involved in negotiating the deal, tweeted that pulling out of it risked "dragging the world back to the brink we faced a few years ago". PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the re-election campaign team of President Trump disclosed on Sunday, April 15, that it raised $10 million in the first quarter of the year, leaving the re-election operation with $28 million in cash. Trumps re-election campaign finished 2017 with $22 million in cash. He reportedly spent $3.9 million in the first quarter. Unlike presidents before him, Trump has opted to begin active fundraising in the early part of his first term. How would you feel if Donald Trump bombed Boko Haram like Syria? - On Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - The new headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja has been described by Bukola Saraki as a remarkable achievement - He also described the building as impressive and commendable especially the fact that it was designed by an indigenous architect - During a visit to the place, he vowed to continue to support efforts to build and strengthen the nation's institutions irrespective of any differences Senate president, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, May 8, inspected the new headquarters building of the EFCC, and said he will continue to support efforts to build and strengthen the nation's institutions irrespective of any differences. Saraki who spoke to journalists after a tour of the facility, said he was particularly impressed by the quality of work done and the fact the the building was designed by a Nigerian architect. He said he is duty bound to visit the completed project as part of his oversight functions in view of the contributions of the National Assembly to its realization. He said that the nation must continue to build institutions as well as strengthen existing ones to realize its dream of becoming a great democratic country. EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Maguw as on hand to welcome the Senate President during his inspection of the edifice. Photo credit: SP media office READ ALSO: Don't bribe lawmakers, Saraki tells oil firms On the import of his visit to the project site, Saraki said: I think the most important thing as far as we are concerned is that I have always said that we must always continue to build institutions and that is what is important and we must continue to support in building these institutions. If we are going to build a better society in our country, one of the main things we must tackle is the issue of corruption and how we can do that is by strengthening these institutions. My presence here is to say that whatever we do in our job, the most important thing is that we all represent institutions and we must work and see that it is in the interest of the country. The Senate President was taken round the EFCC's new headquarters in Abuja. Photo credit: SP media office So my presence here is, after a building like this where the National Assembly has played a great role, it must be my responsibility to see how the money was spent and I can see that that has been done properly and we should continue to work together to see that that goes well for the entire country. If you look at most projects in Abuja, I don't think any project like this has been well-funded and that shows that despite all the noise you will hear, the National Assembly has supported where it matters because this is where it matters and I think we have done that. If you look at what has been achieved in the last two and half years in putting this building up and bringing it to completion, I think it is a remarkable achievement. The Senate president said he paid a visit to the facility because he will be engaged officially next week when the edifice will be officially opened. He described the building as impressive and commendable especially the fact that it was designed by an indigenous architect. He said: I must say that I am very impressed. Very commendable structure, I like the fact that the architect is local; Nigerian and the quality of work done by Julius Berger is very impressive and it is a building that we should be proud of. I think it goes to show the importance of institutional building, making institutions stronger and it makes institutions stronger. So, it is very impressive. The details and planning is very commendable. I would commend all those who have worked towards the actualization of the structure. From those who started it to the builder. Let me also commend members of the National Assembly that provided the funding to make it a reality. I am very impressed. It is well kept secret but it is very good. Having a Nigerian that designed this, the details are very impressive - the clinic and all the facilities - and the fact that it has gone through three different administrations; and the fact that the National Assembly has played its role and brought it to completion, I think that it is a lot of plus. READ ALSO: Looters' list: PDP chairman, Secondus sues Lai Mohammed Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported ly earlier that a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Farida Waziri, expressed joy at the completion of the N24 billion office of the commission in Abuja. Waziri who initiated the project during her tenure said on Saturday, May 5, that she was pleasantly shocked by the ability of the acting chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu to bring the plan to fruition. The EFCC stage a walk against corruption - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The deadly Ebola virus has killed 17 people in northwest part of Democratic Republic of Congo - Ministry of health in the country has described the fresh outbreak as a public health emergency with international impact - World Health Organization confirmed the presence of Ebola virus in two out of five samples collected from patients Ebola deadly virus, that raged in some West African countries several years ago, has staged a return in northwest part of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), killing 17 people. Congos health ministry on Tuesday, May 8, described the fresh outbreak as a public health emergency with international impact. READ ALSO: Benue killings: Army parades 6 suspected armed militia (photo) Twenty-one cases of fever with haemorrhagic indications and 17 deaths have been recorded in Equateur province, it said, citing a notification to the ministry as of May 3. It is the DRCs ninth known outbreak of Ebola since 1976, when the deadly viral disease was first identified in then-Zaire by a Belgian-led team. In Geneva, the World Health Organization (WHO) said lab tests in the DRC confirmed the presence of Ebola virus in two out of five samples collected from patients. WHO is working closely with the government of the DRC to rapidly scale up its operations and mobilize health partners, using the model of a successful response to a similar outbreak in 2017, it said in a statement. It said it had released $1 million (840,000 euros) from an emergency contingency fund, set up a coordination group and deployed more than 50 experts to work with the DRC government and health agencies. The action plan prepared by the health ministry has been approved, an official statement released after a cabinet meeting said. Since the notification of the cases on May 3, no deaths have been reported, it said, without specifying when the first case came to light. The outbreak occurred in Bikoro, on the shores of Lake Tumba. All the cases were reported from a clinic at Ilkoko Iponge, located about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Bikoro, where treatment capacities are limited, the WHO said. A team of experts from the WHO, Doctors without Borders (DRC) and Equateur province travelled to Bikoro on Tuesday to beef up coordination and carry out investigations, it said. Ebola is one of the worlds most notorious diseases, being both highly infectious and extremely lethal. It is caused by a virus that has a natural reservoir in the bat, which does not itself fall ill, but can pass the microbe on to humans who hunt it for bush-meat. The virus is handed on by contact with bodily fluids touching a sick or dead person is a well-known source of infection. Following an incubation period of between two and 21 days, Ebola develops into a high fever, weakness, intense muscle and joint pain, headaches and a sore throat. That is often followed by vomiting and diarrhoea, skin eruptions, kidney and liver failure, and internal and external bleeding. The worst-ever Ebola outbreak started in December 2013 in southern Guinea before spreading to two neighbouring west African countries, Liberia and Sierra Leone. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! That outbreak killed more than 11,300 people out of nearly 29,000 registered cases, according to WHO estimates, although the real figure is thought to be significantly higher. More than 99 percent of victims were in the three West African countries, although cases occurred in other parts of the world, often stirring panic. There is no current vaccine to prevent Ebola or licensed treatment for it, although a range of experimental drug are in development. Early care with rehydration may boost the chance of survival. Given the lack of a medical weapon against Ebola, health experts have responded with time-honoured measures of control, prevention and containment. They use rigorous protocols to protect medical personnel with disposable full-body suits, masks, goggles and gloves and disinfecting sprays. Legit.ng had reported back on September 23, 2014, that the then minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu revealed that Nigeria was completely free of active Ebola cases. N1,500 for health of Nigerians - On Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna state, Hassan Hyat has rejected Governor El-Rufai curses on the three senators from the state - El-Rufai, had recently cursed the senators for rejecting the $350 million World Bank loan approved for the state - He said the PDP is proud of the three senators from state for stopping El-Rufai's loan request Mr Hassan Hyat, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna state has lambasted Governor Nasir El-Rufai over his negative pronunciation against the three senators from the state. The PDP chairman said this while receiving some defectors from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zonkwa, Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna state, on Monday, May 7, This Day reports. READ ALSO: Minister canvasses one year re-schooling for Nigerian fresh graduates Governor El-Rufai, had recently cursed the senators for rejecting the $350 million World Bank loan approved for the state, describing them as the enemies of the masses while asking the people to shave their head and beard when they come to the state. Legit.ng also recalls that Senators Shehu Sani, Suleiman Hunkuyi (both APC) and Danjuma Laah (PDP) representing Kaduna central, north and south respectively had rejected the loan on the grounds that Kaduna is the second most indebted state in the country. Hyat, who spoke in Hausa language while apparently responding to El-Rufai's curse said: We dont insult people because we have respect for the government house, but I want to tell you that we are proud of our three senators in the national assembly who stopped plans to shortchange the people. May God bless them. Anybody who cursed them, may the curse return to the person Holy Ghost power, Holy Ghost power, Holy Ghost power. Senator Laah is from Southern Kaduna, we know his origin, we respect him and we are happy with him. Anybody who is not happy with you, should be patient because that is the will of God. Going further, he declared that: In this state, the PDP will not only chase out hunger, we will chase out insecurity. Yesterday (on Saturday) in Birnin Gwari our people were killed. Every week, our people are being killed and the government keeps on promising to ensure security, which type of security? We will not curse them, but we pray to God, he added. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the rejected $350 million loan request of Governor Nasir El-Rufai at the national assembly continued to generate controversies as Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi ,the senator representing Kaduna north senatorial zone in the Senate accused the Kaduna governor of misleading the people in the state about the loan request. The state had sometime in 2017 applied for a loan of $350 million which was denied approval at the Senate after the three senators from the state opposed. Lets talk about salaries of Nigerian senators | Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng - The two policemen were said to have been beaten to stupor in a fight that involved them and some naval men in Lagos state - The uniform of the policemen identified as Sergeant Tunde and Mogbojuri attached to Badia police station area of the state was turned to shred - An eyewitness said Sergeant Tunde hurriedly ran to the station to inform his superior officers, who immediately followed him to the scene There was a pandemonium in Badia police station in Ijora area of Lagos state on Tuesday, May 8, when two police and some naval men engaged free-for-all fight over some common issues. Daily Trust reports that the two policemen known as Sergeant Tunde and Mogbojuri sustained severe injuries during the confrontation at the Ijora axis of Apapa-Wharf Road. READ ALSO: Minister canvasses one year re-schooling for Nigerian fresh graduates It was learnt that the uniform of both Mogbojuri and his colleague was turned to shred. An eyewitness who identified himself simply as Mohammed said the policemen beat a retreat when it was apparent that the Naval men were having an upper hand. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Mohammed also said Sgt. Tunde hurriedly ran to the station to inform his superior officers, who immediately followed him to the scene. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that soldiers and policemen attached to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board clashed with officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) after a fight broke out when efforts were made to serve the FRSC office in Wuze Zone 7 a violation notice. The confrontation ensued when policemen and soldiers with the AEBP officials allegedly assaulted a female FRSC marshal during the service of the violation notice. The newspaper stated that a soldier attached to the AEPB task force was reportedly wounded and a civilian staff of the environmental agency was taken hostage by the FRSC officials during the fight. Police parade over 50 suspected cultists in Lagos on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - The meeting between APC leaders in the southwest and the party's aspirants for Ekiti election was said to have been deadlocked - It was gathered that the aspirants rejected moves by the party leaders for a consensus candidate among the 33 of them - One of the aspirants, Kayode Fayemi, was said to have walked out of the meeting in anger when the meeting was on break A truce meeting between some south west chieftains of All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the 33 aspirants seeking the ticket of the party in the Ekiti state gubernatorial election held in Abuja on Tuesday, May 8, reportedly ended in deadlock. Sahara Reporters reports that the aspirants rejected moves by the party leaders for a consensus candidate among the 33 of them. READ ALSO: Buhari's achievements in 3 years will earn him victory in 2019 - Lai Muhammed Legit.ng gathered that the former chairman of the party, Bisi Akande, told journalists that a decision that would be in the best interest of the party was taken at the meeting. He, however, said the decision, which he did not reveal to journalists, would be communicated to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party. He explained that the party's constitution allowed for emergence of a candidate through consensus. Primary elections are already written in our constitution, but all we are after is the happiness of the generality of the leadership, the contestants and our party in general," Akande stated. When asked if the aspirants agreed on the consensus candidate, Akande stated that the aspirants had been asked to go and think about that option and report back to the party leaders. When asked if the south west leaders agree with the position of the party on the cancellation of the last Saturday's disrupted primary election and rescheduling of a fresh one for Friday, May 11, the former APC chairman pointed out that they are going to talk to the party on what the aspirants and the leadership of south west thought was best for the party. Akande noted that though he was not part of the process that led to the organisation of the botched primary, but he would be part of the new process. One of the aspirants, Kayode Fayemi, was said to have walked out of the meeting in anger when the meeting was on break. He allegedly stormed out of the building ahead of the other aspirants and immediately entered his vehicle, snubbing journalists trying to prod him on what transpired at the meeting. Among the aspirants present at the meeting are Kayode Fayemi, Segun Oni, Olufemi Ojudu, Opeyemi Bamidele and Bimbo Daramola and others. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the All Progressives Congress (APC) chosen a new date for its disrupted Ekiti gubernatorial primary election. The party chose Friday, May 11, for its new election. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - The 10 top officials are executive directors of the World Bank in different countries of the world - They are also expected to meet with governors as well as the finance minister, Kemi Adeosun - They will visit Lagos and Edo as part of their tour on some projects A World Bank mission, comprising of 10 executive directors, will be in Nigeria on Wednesday, May 9, to hold high-level discussions with the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, finance minister, Kemi Adeosun and some governors over projects in the country. The meeting would be majorly centred on the World Bank projects in the country. READ ALSO: Saraki visits EFCC's new headquarters in Abuja A statement issued by Oluyinka Akintunde, the spokesperson to Adeosun, said the World Bank mission are its executive directors for Switzerland, France, Italy, Nordic, Peru, Germany, South Africa (representing Angola, Nigeria and South Africa), Burkina Faso (representing Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa), Zimbabwe (representing Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa), United Kingdom and Indonesia. The statement said the delegation would discuss ongoing World Bank projects and the countrys development priorities with the vice president, minister of finance and the governors. The officials will also meet the organised private sector in Lagos as well as undertake a tour of LAPO Microfinance project in Lagos and Azura power plant in Edo state. he visit is expected to provide a first-hand impression of the challenges that both the federal and state governments face in implementing development projects as well as ensuring good governance overall. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app It will further enhance the goal of the Bank for member-countries and the effectiveness of the executive directors in providing the necessary support. Legit.ng earlier reported that Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, began a nationwide tour of federal governments infrastructural projects nationwide with an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line. Mohammed, along with the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Tuesday, May 8, led a team of over 30 journalists on a tour of the fabrication plant of the project in Papalanto, Ogun state. Street GIST: Buhari Says his 2nd Term Bid is People-Centered; Do You Agree? | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - President Buharis medical trip to London, UK, was allegedly predicted by an Abuja-based senior pastor of Champions Royal Assembly Prophet Joshua Iginla - Prophet Iginla claimed that the prediction was part of his 30 prophecies for 2018 during his churchs crossover night programme - He also claimed that the Lord said the president should take care of his health and do not allow politicians to use his life to play politics An Abuja-based senior pastor of Champions Royal Assembly, Kubwa, Prophet Joshua Iginla, claimed that he has predicted that President Muhammadu Buhari would embark on a medical trip to London, United kingdom, UK. Nigerian Tribune reports that pastor Iginla released 30 prophecies for 2018 , during his churchs Crossover Night programme tagged: Night of Kings on December 31, 2017. It was learnt that one of the major points was that President Buhari would embark on impromptu journey based on his health. READ ALSO: Police, naval officers engage in a free-for-all fight in Lagos According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari will proceed on an impromptu journey which will lead to medical vacation. He will not be poisoned, but there are many snakes around him which God will expose. I have a message for our president. The Lord says he should take care of his health. Do not allow politicians to use your life to play politics. Its only the living that can rule Nigeria. I saw a vision where people hurried him to wear the boot and come home only for him to be rushed back. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The reason is because there was an unfinished business medically. Let your persecutors persecute you and say whatever they want to say but make sure you give your health attention. Its only the living that rules. The throne is yours and nobody can occupy it. Thats why you must stay alive. This prophecy was fulfilled on Sunday 7th May, 2017 as President Buhari jetted back to London for medical treatment the second time. He spent only 58 days in Nigeria before rushing back. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Pastor Gabriel Adegboye said he had been communicating with Nigerias past presidents, even the incumbent president Buhari. Adeboye also predicted that the tenure of President Buhari is only four years adding that he is the next person that will take over the mantle of leadership. According to him, God sent me to become the next President of Nigeria. Over the years, God has been speaking to me and I have been communicating with past Presidents, even the incumbent President, concerning the way to resolve the crisis across the country and ensure economic development. God has given me the new agenda for this country. Should President Buhari seek reelection in 2019? (Nigerian Street Interview) - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng - The Nigerian Air Force has ventured into agriculture for the sake of empowering youths - The Force has flagged off the planting season for the Benin chapter of the Base Youths Empowerment Through Agriculture (BYETA) programme - All youths above 18 years residing in the base have been encouraged to take advantage and fully participate in the scheme In continuation of efforts at empowering dependants of personnel in productive ventures, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on Wednesday, May 2, flagged off the new farming season at 107 Air Maritime Group (107 AMG), Benin. The farming scheme is part of the BYETA initiated in 2016 by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, as part of efforts at empowering barracks youths in all NAF bases across the country, by training them in different aspects of agriculture towards positively engaging them in productive ventures. In the current farming season, more than 25 youths in 107 AMG, who are engaged in crop (pineapple and plantain), fish and poultry farming, have benefitted from the programme. The pineapple section of the farm in Benin. Photo credit: NAF READ ALSO: Senate declares IGP Idris enemy of democracy Flagging off the farming season, the guest of honour, the national president of the Nigerian Air Force Officers Wives Association (NAFOWA), Hajiya Hafsat Sadique Abubakar, expressed delight over the turnout of youths who had shown interest in the scheme. The exercise was flagged of by NAFOWA president, Hajiya Hafsat Sadique Abubakar. Photo credit: NAF The NAFOWA president stated that the BYETA programme was intended for Barracks youths but could accommodate wives of personnel that are interested in farming. According to her, the programme would positively engage the youths in productive enterprises while their parents are away on security operations across the country. She urged the youths to take maximum advantage of the programme to enhance their economic wellbeing. The NAFOWA president introduced the first batch of fish into the pond to kick start the BYETA 2018 farming season. Thereafter, she inspected the pineapple and plantain section of the farm. Hajiya Abubakar with other dignitaries at the event. Photo credit: NAF Earlier in his opening remarks, the Commander 107 AMG, Air Commodore Emmanuel Shobande, stated that the BYETA programme was an initiative of the CAS in fulfillment of his vision as enshrined in one of the key drivers, which bothers on human capacity development. He further mentioned that the CAS, in his wisdom did not restrict this vision to personnel alone but deemed it fit to extend the gesture to children and wards of personnel. According to him, the BYETA programme was designed to empower and equip the youths in the NAF Base with necessary skills and knowledge geared towards self employment, increased productivity and financial independence. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The commander further pointed out that the programme had positively influenced the youths residing on the NAF Base in Benin. He acknowledged that the programme had also fostered unity among the base youths and had made idleness unattractive on the base. It is noteworthy that the youths are formed into cooperative for the purpose of securing loans from banks. The unit kick-started the programme with the breeding of over 1000 fish as well as the cultivation of 500 pineapple suckers and 300 plantain suckers. The planting season for the Port Harcourt chapter of the BYETA programme was flagged off by the NAF on Thursday, April 12. Nigerian Air Force Day Celebration 2018 (54th Anniversary) | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Nigeria's inspector-general of police has failed to honour an invitation by the senate once again - IG Idris was first summoned on April 25 to answer questions on the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye, and killings across the country - The lawmakers are currently deliberating on next line of action Ibrahim Idris, the inspector-general of police has failed to honour an invitation to appear before the Senate for the third time. The police boss who was first summoned on April 25 was invited to answer questions on the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye, and killings across the country. READ ALSO: Ekiti election: Tinubu, aspirants' meeting deadlocked as Fayemi reportedly stages a walkout Recall that Idris accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to Bauchi state the first time he was invited to appear before the lawmakers and the second time, he went to Birin Gwari, Kaduna state, on a working visit. Premium Times reports that Senate president Saraki announced his non-appearance after some minutes of wait to allow him into the chamber. Ive just been informed that the IG or any member of his team are not here, he said. The news outlet reports further that the lawmakers are currently deliberating on next line of action. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, on Wednesday, May 2, snubbed the Nigerian Senate yet again. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The police boss is currently in Kaduna state. The Senate had summoned IGP Idris to appear before it over the recent killings and security situation across the country. Dino Melaye and 2019 Criminal Conspiracy | Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - Governor Okorocha has allegedly started making moves to impeach his deputy - This was reportedly due to the defeat of the governors candidates during the APC ward congresses in the state - Governor Okorocha wants his son-in-law to become the next governor while his deputy is also eyeing the seat Following the defeat of Governor Rochas Okorochas candidates during the APC ward congresses in the state, there is an allegation that the governor has started making moves to impeach his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, who is believed to be responsible for the defeat. According to Vanguard, Okorocha is said to be mobilizing members of the House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against Madumere, the deputy governor. Legit.ng gathered that this will be the about the fourth time Governor Okorocha and his henchmen would be trying to impeach the deputy governor who had been his longtime friends and political associate. READ ALSO: Ekiti election: Tinubu, Akande's meeting with aspirants deadlocked as Fayemi reportedly stages a walkout Okorochas groups are pointing accusing fingers at Madumere, believing he must have been the key element to their woeful outing, hence the decision to pay him in his own coins. Okorocha is backing his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, for the gubernatorial position, even as Madumere, has also indicated interest in the same position. However, the outcome of last Saturdays controversial ward congresses in the party was said to have jolted the governor, as most of the political gladiators in the APC worked together in a bid to put an end to what they described as Okorochas efforts to run the state as a personal estate of his family for another eight years. Following the outcome of the ward congresses which Okorochas candidates reportedly lost, he was said to have rushed to the country home of President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina state, where he allegedly tried in vain to get the president to cancel the congress results to no avail. Buhari was said to have advised the governor to go back to Imo State and resolve the issues arising from the congresses through the Congress Appeal Panel, CPA, set up by the APC. But allegedly disappointed over Buharis failure to do his biddings by cancelling the results of the ward congresses, Okorocha was said to have held meetings with members of his caucus where the decision to impeach his deputy was reached. Vanguard reports that the arrowheads of the impeachment plot included a political god-father in Ikeduru Federal Constituency of the state, Chief Charles Amadi and the speaker of the House, Hon Acho Ihim. At a reported second meeting hosted by Chief Amadi, about N100 million was allegedly voted for each legislator who would support the impeachment plans. A member of the state House of Assembly from Okigwe zone who spoke to newsmen in Owerri on the condition of anonymity reportedly confirmed that one of the governors aides, from Amigbo in Ikeduru local government area of Imo state, had hosted members of House of Assembly at his country home where the impeachment issue was formally tabled before 18 members of the legislature. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app It was claimed that about N1 billion was earmarked to ensure a successful exercise. Legit.ng previously reported that Okorocha said that he is convinced his son-in-law would be a better governor than he is once he assumes power in 2019. Okorocha said Uche Nwosu who he has anointed to replace him knows the entire secret to the success story of his role as a governor in the state. Speaking at a stakeholders meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Mbaitoli local government council of Imo state, Okorocha said the story of the achievements of the Rescue Mission Government in the state would not be complete without the outstanding role of Nwosu. What is cooking in Imo state? on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - A trader in Lagos has been arraigned for defrauding some students of N136, 000 meant for WAEC fees - M.I. Dan Oni, the magistrate, who presided over the case, ruled that the accused, Sam Favour, should remain in court till investigation on the case is concluded - The case has been adjourned till Wednesday, May 16 A 50-year-old trader, Sam Favour, was on Wednesday, May 9, remanded in Kirikiri Prisons after pleading guilty to defrauding some students of WAEC fees to the tune of N136, 000. An Ikeja Magistrates Court which gave the ruling, said the convict should remain behind bars pending sentence, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. READ ALSO: Imo ward congress: Okorocha allegedly moves to impeach deputy Favour was accused of collecting N136, 000 from four students on the pretext of assisting them to register for the West African School Certificate Examination (WAEC). The accused, who resides at No. 12, Akinwale Street, Alakuko, a suburb of Lagos, is facing an eight-count charge bordering on stealing and obtaining under false pretences. The prosecutor, Victor Eruada, had earlier told the court that the accused fraudulently collected various sums from four students on pretext that he would registered them for the WAEC. The accused, instead, converted the money to personal use, he said. Eruada alleged that the accused collected N31,000 from Benedict Membis, N35,000 from Okorocha Christianah, Ainiete John and Samuel Okunowo respectively. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! He said the accused committed the offences sometime in December 2017 at his residence. The offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2015. The magistrate, M.I. Dan Oni, adjourned the case until Wednesday, May 16 for facts and sentence. Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that an Abuja grade 1 area court had sentenced a man, identified as Muhammad Umar to one month imprisonment for theft of a mobile phone from a former governor of Niger state, Babangida Aliyu. Offa bank robbery: My husband was killed just a year to his retirement - On Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, says it is now time for the youths to take over leadership positions - Oba Ogunwusi commends the youths for ensuring the unity of the country through their activities - He says the country does not belong to the leaders and elders Top Yoruba monarch, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has advised political leaders in Nigeria to go and have some rest and leave governance for youths who he claimed were the real owners of the country. Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke on Tuesday, May 8, during the launch of a N100 million Professional Chair and N10 billion endowment fund for the Michael and Cecilia Ibru University (MCIU) Agbarha-Otor, Delta state, also praised youths in the country for keeping the nation united through their activities. Youths of this nation owns this country. This country does not belong to the leaders and elders of this nation. Let the youths takeover, go and rest and rest very well. Very soon, the youths would start claiming what belongs to them as this country does not belong to anybody else except the youths. READ ALSO: Saraki visits EFCC's new headquarters in Abuja The youths of this country should please come and take charge. We should all come together and say enough is enough. You cannot tell us what we should be doing, we would tell you what we want you to do, he said in a report by Vanguard. Speaking to Nigerians who go abroad to invest despite making their money in their country, the Ooni said: Stop making money in this land and continue to spend it outside the shores of this land. It is not good, it is not adding value to this nation, and its not making any impact in this nation. It is a big shame because you are not laying good example for the youths that owns this country. You spend the money that you are making outside the land that is blessing you. Let us believe in this country, we do not have any other country or anywhere to go. The land too has a spirit in it, stop causing the land, stop using your mouth to say negative things about the land. Give back to the land that is blessing you in everything you do so that your dynasty can be sustained. Meanwhile, Ooni Ogunwusi has called on all levels of government in the country to encourage cultural values in the country, as according to him, no nation grows without value for its cultural heritage. The revered Yoruba monarch, who spoke when he visited the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli 1, urged Nigerians to contribute towards building a virile nation. Let us all work for the greatness of the country. My beautiful people of Itekiri kingdom, I am excited to be in your midst, in the midst of my people, one blood, one family. Ogiame is a peace-loving king, a very mature king, you will never see him angry on any issue. He is full of wisdom, compassion and authority, very innovative and very amiable and above all very loving king. I thank God for all he is using him to do in Warri. He is someone I have tremendous respect for. We cant grow any country, nation without our heritage, the day we put our tradition first we now start being serious as a nation. Let us uphold our rich culture and tradition. It is what we have to give to the world, he said. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Speaking earlier, Goodie Ibru, who stood as father of the day, said: I am assured that the visit of his imperial majesty, will further encourage our youths to aspire to greater heights as he has already inspired millions of young people in Nigeria and across the Atlantic. Todays historic visit to MCIU, will further cement the special relationship this university and the Urhobo kingdom enjoys with the Oduduwa kingdom as this special relationship, will strengthen our core values and preserve our cultures. Legit.ng earlier reported that President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, April 5, said more than 60 percent of Nigerians that fall into the age category of youths deserve to inherit a stable and prosperous country that they can be proud of. Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Senator Shehu Sani has urged his colleagues to lift ban on confirmation of the presidential appointees - Embargo had been put on the confirmation of appointees by the Senate since 2016 due to Buhari's refusal to remove Magu as EFCC chairman - The senator said that the partial lifting is necessary to confirm the appointment of members of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) board members The senator representing Kaduna central senatorial district, Shehu Sani, has appealed to his colleagues to partially lift a Senate ban on consideration of executive appointments. Premium Times reports that he said while raising a point of order on Wednesday, May 9, that the partial lifting is necessary to confirm the appointment of members of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) board members. READ ALSO: Ekiti election: Tinubu, aspirants' meeting deadlocked as Fayemi reportedly stages a walkout Legit.ng gathered that Buhari had on April 2017 requested the confirmation of the appointment of five non-executive directors of the board of CBN. The Senate, however, refused to confirm the appointment due to a unanimous decision the lawmakers took in 2016. The Senate had placed an embargo on the confirmation of appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari following the retention of Ibrahim Magu as the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) despite rejection of his appointment by the lawmakers. Sani appealed to his colleagues to lift the embargo in consideration of the pivotal role the bank is playing in the economy. He said: "I stand here to make a passionate appeal to the conscience and support of this senate over the issue of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Nigerias Central Bank is the only central bank in the whole of Africa without a board and when you dont have a board you limit the ability and capacity of the management of that institution that has a pivotal role to play in our economy to manage affairs of banks and also to function properly. The CBN is the most important economic fulcrum of our economy. I can recall that we collectively took a position in suspending the screening of nominees but I appeal that we look at the issue of CBN critically in the very sense that we can appreciate the fact that they have made some progress in terms of stabilizing the economy, the Naira and the appreciation of our foreign reserve. In March, the Senate confirmed appointment of two deputy governors of the bank and three members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). The confirmation of the five followed a similar appeal by Rafiu Ibrahim (APC, Kwara-APC), urging members of the Senate to confirm the nominees. The Senate two weeks after, confirmed the appointment of the five. Sani said taking similar step for the board members will ensure more transparency in the sector. He added that the senate had made its point in enforcing the embargo over time and now is the time to hold the executive accountable. We should be very mindful that our work as a senate would be lessened if we have a board that can perform an institutional oversight that shows that the bank is run according to due process and best standards. "The CBN should be screened in the interest of transparency so we can truly know what is going on within the bank and that the management of the bank can function. The absence of the board has made it impossible to function and to also do its duty as other banks do within the continent. "I appeal that the senate should look into the need to screen and approve the board of this bank in the interest of our economy so that we can have a proper documentation and knowledge of what is going on within the bank. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app "Our point has been made and it is now the time to hold the executive to account with a board which we can work together with. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that angry lawmakers in the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, March 28, threatened to reject all list of appointees that President Muhammadu Buhari sends to the house for confirmation. Lets talk about salaries of Nigerian senators | - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng The Nigerian Senate has declared the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, an enemy of democracy following his refusal to honour an invitation to appear before the upper chamber for a third time. The lawmakers during plenary on Wednesday, May 9, said Idris is not fit to hold public office in Nigeria and abroad. Premium Times reports that the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, made the declaration after the Senate emerged from a closed door session where it deliberated on the non-appearance of the police boss. READ ALSO: Zambian lady divorces her illiterate husband after he paid for her education The Senate in a closed session deliberated on the non-appearance of the IGP to the senate to the plenary after a series of invitation. The Senate noted that this has been a gross disrespect to our constituted authority and to also know that his earlier refusal to appear before investigative committee was overruled by competent court of jurisdiction just in April this year. The Senate therefore views this persistent refusal is a great danger to our democracy and hence the Senate resolved to declare IGP as an enemy of democracy and not fit to hold any public office within and outside Nigeria. The leader of the Senate would also mandate to look into the matter for further necessary action, Saraki said. Read tweets from the plenary below: PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng had earlier reported that Ibrahim Idris, the inspector-general of police failed to honour an invitation to appear before the Senate for the third time. The police boss who was first summoned on April 25 was invited to answer questions on the arrest of senator Dino Melaye, and killings across the country. Recall that Idris accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to Bauchi state the first time he was invited to appear before the lawmakers and the second time, he went to Birin Gwari, Kaduna state, on a working visit. Premium Times reports that Senate president Saraki announced his non-appearance after some minutes of wait to allow him into the chamber. Lets talk about salaries of Nigerian senators | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit Nigeria - Arbitrary removal of Nigerian judges in Gambia has become a subject of investigation by the Senate - The removals are said to have been without recourse to the bilateral agreement with the Gambia Judicial Service Commission - A motion for the investigation of the bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Gambia was also moved Senate has vowed to probe allegation of persistent xenophobic attacks and ill treatment of Nigerian Judges and other legal personnel serving in the Gambia. The Senate consequently mandated the Joint Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights, Legal matters and Foreign Affairs to carry out investigations and submit a report for consideration. Senator David Umar called the attention of the Senate to the arbitrary removal of Nigerian Judges and judicial officers without reasonable cause. READ ALSO: Soldier, policeman exchange blows in Lagos This was said to have been without recourse to the bilateral agreement by Nigeria and the Gambia Judicial Service Commission, Channels reports. Umar also moved a motion for the investigation of the bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Gambia. Speaking on the matter, Ike Ekweremadu, Nigeria's senate deputy president also raised concerns over the attacks. Matters such as this should be of concern as we owe our citizens the duty and responsibility to protect them. This is a matter that concerns two very friendly countries and it is important that we know the true facts and make important recommendations. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Nigerians in South Africa have been issued with a quit notice to vacate two communities in the country over what has been described as punishment for their crimes. PAY ATTENTION: Watch more videos on Legit.ng TV: NAN reports that the Nigeria Union in South Africa on accused two communities in that country of ordering Nigerians to quit the territories. Do you believe Nigeria is still the giant of Africa? on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - Three US nationals who were once detained in North Korea have been released to the US - The news about the release was given by President Donald Trump - The released persons, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk, will be on their way to US on Thursday, May 10 President Donald Trump of the United States of America (USA) on Wednesday, May 9, announced that three nationals who were once held captives in North Korea, have been released. President Trump wrote on his Twitter page: "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health" , CNN reports. Trump said Pompeo, accompanied by the detainees, will be arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Thursday, May 10. Trump said: "Secretary Pompeo and his 'guests' will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!" The released persons, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk, also known as Tony Kim, have been in Asian country for months. READ ALSO: Leave the stage, allow young people come in - Ooni of Ife tells Nigerian leaders Whereas Kim Dong Chul has been in North Korean custody before Trump came into office, the other two detainees were arrested last spring, after Trump's inauguration and as things started loosening up between both nations. Kim and Hak-song, who were arrested in 2017, were accused as being 'hostile acts' to the Kim Jong-led administration, an allegation which was opposed by their family members. In fact, just after Hak-song was arrested, his wife said in an interview with CNN that her husband is an agricultural expert and was teaching rice-growing at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, helping other citizens of North Korea. Kim Dong Chul was arrested in 2015 for spying on behalf of South Korea, he told CNN in January 2016. The interview was conducted in the presence of North Korean officials, so CNN could not determine whether Kim's comments were made under duress. An official with knowledge of the negotiations previously told CNN that the North Koreans decided to free the Americans two months ago, and that North Korea's foreign minister, Ri Yong Ho, had proposed their release during his visit to Sweden in March. At the time, US officials insisted that their release "must not be related or used to loosen the main issue of denuclearization," the source said, but that message seems to have changed in recent days, according to a source at the National Security Council, who said the development would be viewed as a goodwill gesture ahead of the planned summit with Kim Jong Un. Trump and his allies outside the government had sought to fan the heightened expectations ahead of Thursday's official announcement, casting the potential development as evidence of his negotiating prowess ahead of the summit. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Referring to the development earlier, Trump had said on social media : "As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three detainees to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!" Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday, March 15, expressed willingness to assist the armed forces of Nigeria in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast. Legit.ng gathered that the outgoing ambassador of the DPRK, Jong Yong Chol, commended the federal governments efforts at decimating the power of the Boko Haram, in Abuja during a farewell visit to the foreign affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyeama. Street Gist: Will Nigeria be a better place with Trump as president? | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - An Ikeja magistrate court has remanded a 48-year-old proprietor in prison for conducting an illegal SSCE - The accused, Joshua Adeniyi, was remanded in Kirikiri prison for conducting the examination being administered by WAEC - Adeniyi would remain in prison until his bail conditions would be met A 48-year-old proprietor of El-Supreme Private School in Ikorodu area of Lagos, Joshua Adeniyi, was on Wednesday, May 9, remanded in Kirikiri prison for allegedly conducting an illegal Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) being administered by the West African School Certificate Examination (WAEC). An Ikeja magistrate court which gave the ruling, said the accused should remain behind bars pending when the bail conditions would be met, NAN reports. Legit.ng notes that the chief magistrate, A.O. Adedayo, had granted the accused bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum. READ ALSO: Our image is changing and everybody is respecting Nigeria because of Buhari - Ex-governor Kalu Adedayo said the sureties should be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos state government. The accused is facing a six-count charge bordering on forgery, fraud, stealing, conspiracy and breach of peace. The accused, however, pleaded innocence of the offences. Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp. Raphael Donny, told the court that the accused committed the offences sometime in March in the school. According to him, the accused with others now at large conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by obtaining N6.12 million from unsuspected candidates to register them for the exam. The offences contravened sections 168, 287, 314, 322, 329 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised). Section 314 prescribes a 15-year jail term for false pretences, while section 322 provides 10 years for forgery. Section 287 stipulates seven years for stealing and section 411 provides two years for conspiracy. The magistrate adjourned the case until May 30. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a 50-year-old trader, Sam Favour, was on Wednesday, May 9, remanded in Kirikiri Prisons after pleading guilty to defrauding some students of WAEC fees to the tune of N136,000. An Ikeja magistrates court which gave the ruling, said the convict should remain behind bars pending sentence. Favour was accused of collecting N136, 000 from four students on the pretext of assisting them to register for the West African School Certificate Examination (WAEC). See the faces of newly arrested criminals in Lagos state - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The House of Representatives has issued an ultimatum on the Nigeria police and the inspector general of police - The Police has been ordered to vacate the Peace Corps of Nigeria office within 21 days - According to the lawmakers, the IGP has failed to honour series of invitation sent to him by the House committee on public petition on the PCN matter Members of the House of Representatives have issued an ultimatum on the Nigeria police and the inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris, over the sealing of the Peace Corps of Nigerian office. The lawmakers gave the police 21 days to vacate and unseal the Peace Corps of Nigeria office located at number 57, Iya Abubakar Crescent, off Alex Ekwueme street, opposite Jabi lake, Abuja. The ultimatum by the House followed the recommendation of committee on public petitions which conducted an investigative hearing on the illegal closure of the PCN facilities and disobedience of court order by the police. Justice Gabriel Kolawole of Federal High Court, Abuja, had on November 9, 2017, ordered the police to unseal the office of the PCN. READ ALSO: Breaking: Senate declares IGP Idris 'enemy of democracy' The court in its ruling also awarded N12.5 million damages against the police and in favour of the corps. Also, on January 15, Justice John Tsoho of the same Federal High Court ruled that the police should vacate the PCN office. While presenting the report to the House on Wednesday, May 9, the chairman of the House committee on public petitions, Nkem Abonta, said the IGP failed to honour series of invitation sent to him. Abonta said the committee also obtained a document which showed that, the attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami, had in a letter advised the IGP to honour the various court orders on the matter, "in absence of any appeal or valid stay of execution". He said a legal officer who represented the IGP at the hearing also committed perjury by failing to produce document to proof a stay of execution on the matter. He said the legal officer "lied under oath that there was a valid stay of execution", but when time was given that he produced a proof of stay, he could not produce any. READ ALSO: Davido shares proof of his newly bought N9.7bn private jet (photos) Abonta added that should Nigeria continue in this manner, it would only spell doom for Nigerian democracy and give room to anarchy. Further adopting the recommendation of the committee, the House urged the Police to comply with the subsisting court orders and the instruction from the AGF. The House said the police have 21 days from the commencement of Wednesday's plenary, to vacate the properties of Peace Corps. Legit.ng earlier reported that the Emir of Daura, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Umar Farouk Umar, had appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to rescind on his rejection of the Peace Corp Bill. The Emir made this plea when the national commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dickson Ako him at his palace. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Commending the organisation for its doggedness and for conducting itself peacefully by resorting to rule of law and advocacy in pursuing its goals, the Emir said as a father, he would look into the demands of the Corps with a view to making the Bill see the light of the day. EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit The chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay, has lashed out at the Senate for describing Ibrahim Idris as the enemy of democracy. The inspector-general of police, Idris, has shunned the invitation of the Senate three times, prompting them to condemn him. Daily Independent reports that Sagay noted that the police chief sent a deputy inspector-general to meet with the Senate when he was invited. He said the action of senators visiting their colleagues who were under trial was the real abandonment of democracy. READ ALSO: International media reacts to Buhari's UK medical trip He said: Absolutely not! I dont think the IGP has constituted himself as enemy of our democracy. It is the conduct of the Senate that constitutes danger to democracy because of the way they frequently abandon their constitutional responsibilities and move en masse to engage in solidarity visits to their individual members who are undergoing trial in hospitals or other places. That is an indication of abandonment of democracy . They have regularly abused their rights under this democracy and have demonstrated that they are not sufficiently mature to operate in liberal democracy. That is what I have seen." Legit.ng had reported that the Nigerian Senate declared the Police IG Ibrahim Idris an enemy of democracy following his refusal to honour an invitation to appear before the upper chamber for a third time. The lawmakers during plenary on Wednesday, May 9, said Idris is not fit to hold public office in Nigeria and abroad. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The Senate president, Bukola Saraki, made the declaration after the Senate emerged from a closed door session where it deliberated on the non-appearance of the police boss. Lets talk about salaries of Nigerian senators | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng Yves here. The original title of this article at Kaiser Health News was Use Of Psychiatric Drugs Soars In California Jails. One reason to bring the story to reader attention is that I am skeptical of the premise that the drugs are always being administered as a result of prisoner needs. For instace, while many people take anti-depressants, its hard to see a jail going to the trouble of making sure an inmate in jail, who is typically there for a short stay, gets his supply of Prozac. But a schizophrenic is an entirely different proposition. In other words, I wondered if any readers were in a position to sanity check the thesis of the article, that the rise in the level of drug administration is the result of more mentally ill people being on the street, and therefore winding up in jail, plus better diagnosis. The article does mention that drugs can also be used to manage unruly inmates but downplays that as a contributing factor. The reason for my reservation is that now that what used to be boys will be boys behavior is now treated as grounds for pulling out the prescription pad, it isnt hard to imagine that a lot of this better screening is similarly about making life easier for the people in charge. The number of jail inmates in California taking psychotropic drugs has jumped about 25 percent in five years, and they now account for about a fifth of the county jail population across the state, according to a new analysisof state data. The increase could reflect the growing number of inmates with mental illness, though it also might stem from better identification of people in need of treatment, say researchers from California Health Policy Strategies(CHPS), a Sacramento-based consulting firm. Amid a severe shortage of psychiatric bedsand community-based treatment throughout the state and nation, jails have become repositories for people in the throes of acute mental health crises. The number of people with mental illness in jails and prisons around the nation is astronomical, said Michael Romano, director of Three Strikes & Justice Advocacy Project at Stanford Law School, who was not involved in the research. In many ways, the whole justice system is overwhelmed with mental illness. Contributing to the problem in California is that county jails received a large influx of inmates from state prisons to jails as a result of a federal court order to ease prison crowding. In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered California to reducethe prison population because of overcrowding linked to poor medical and mental health care that it said constituted cruel and unusual punishment. Three years later, a state propositionreclassified some felony crimes as misdemeanors, meaning offenders went to county jails instead of state prisons. The new analysis, based on survey data from 45 of Californias 58 counties, opens a window into how the state is coping with the influx. We think this is the first part of a more systematic discussion about what is going on in the jails and in the broader community with respect to mental health, said David Panush, a co-author of the report by CHPS, funded in part by the California Health Care Foundation. (California Healthline is an editorially independent publication of the California Health Care Foundation.) Across California and the U.S., far more people with mental illness are housed in jails and prisons than in psychiatric hospitals. That poses well-documented challenges: Insufficient staff training and patient treatment have contributed to inmate suicides, self-mutilation, violence and other problems. One complaint among advocates for the mentally ill has been poor access to psychiatric prescriptions to treat such conditions as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The medicationsinclude antipsychotics, antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs and others. Jail officials in California say they are trying to better identify inmates who can benefit from such drugs. The numbers suggest that may be working. According to the analysis, an average of 13,776 inmates in the 45 California counties were on psychotropic medications in 2016-2017, up from 10,999 five years ago. But the portion of inmates on psychotropic medications varies widely by county, from 8 percent in Glenn to 32 percent in Sonoma and Napa, according to the analysis. The report is based on data from the Board of State and Community Corrections, an independent state agency. In Los Angeles County, whose jails have been described as the largest mental institution in the country, about 30 percent of the 18,000 inmates are mentally ill and most of those diagnosed are on medication, said Joseph Ortego, chief psychiatrist for correctional health services in L.A. County. Although some still are missed in the screening process, he said, the county jails have improved identification and treatment of inmates and expanded staffing as part of a 2015 settlement with the U.S. Justice Department. The department had alleged inadequate mental health care and suicide prevention in the jails. Overall in jails, some experts say, medications are likely underprescribed. You need enough mental health professionals to treat the very large numbers of mentally ill people in jails, said H. Richard Lamb, professor emeritus of psychiatry at the USC School of Medicine. These medications are among the most critical parts of psychiatric treatment, he added: There probably arent enough. Some advocates for the mentally ill worry, however, that the drugs are at times prescribed inappropriately. Ron Honberg, senior policy adviser at the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said that because jails have limited resources for treatment, officials may in some instances administer psychiatric medications to keep people calm and sedate. Zima Creason, president and chief executive officer of Mental Health America of California, said medications, while sometimes necessary, are no substitute for comprehensive care for jail inmates. Sadly, they just throw a bunch of pills at them because there is nothing else, she said. Jails still need to provide individual and group therapy, more time outside of cells and sufficient recreation time, she said. Jail is not conducive for real recovery, she said. We are never going to put a dent in the numbers unless we provide a therapeutic environment. Like people on the outside, inmates can be subject to involuntary drug treatment but only if a court deems it appropriate, officials said. Medications are important but are not the answer to everything, L.A. Countys Ortego said. We still need to be ethical and appropriate and do whats right for the patient and not just medicate them. He said the county also offers individualized hospital and outpatient care, as well as treatment groups and education. But he said the jails do not have enough exercise yards or spaces for therapy. Other county jail officials, including Alfred Joshua, chief medical officer for the Sheriffs Department in San Diego County, said the influx of mentally ill inmates and the rising need for psychotropic drugs stems from a lack of resources for patients in the community. When they have exacerbations of mental illness, they do many times come into contact with law enforcement, he said. Rebecca Cervenak, staff attorney for Disability Rights California, which has repeatedly investigatedjail conditions, said more investment is needed in programs to divert offenders to treatment rather than jail. Some of the most common charges that bring people with mental illness to jail are drug offenses and parole violations. Those who are homeless frequently get charged with panhandling, public urination and related crimes. Inmates with mental illness also typically stay incarcerated longer than others, in part because of difficulty following rules and coping with the crowded or chaotic environment. Edward Vega, 47, was taking medications for his bipolar disorder and schizophrenia but had just run out when he was arrested in August 2017 on suspicion of drug possession. He was convicted and spent five months in the San Diego County jail. When he arrived, he couldnt quiet voices in his head and felt himself losing control, he said. I knew if I didnt get my medication, I was going to hurt someone, Vega said. A week after being arrested, he said, Vega assaulted a fellow inmate and ended up in isolation, which only made him feel worse. Finally, Vega said, a doctor prescribed medications that helped. Now, three months after his release, he is feeling almost back to normal. The medication hasnt totally taken away the voices, but I am able to differentiate reality from fiction, Vega said. In addition to trying to improve treatment inside the jails, Los Angeles and San Diego county officials say they are working more closely with community organizations to ensure inmates with mental illness get the services they need after their release. Vega said a local community group, the Neighborhood House Association, was able to help in his case, ensuring he got meds and other treatment. Without the medication, I would probably be right back in jail, he said. KHNs coverage in California is supported in part by Blue Shield of California Foundation. A 2015 survey by the FDIC found that roughly 7% of American households were unbanked. The National Urban Institute estimated that an additional 20% were underbanked, meaning that even though they had a checking or savings account, they nevertheless also use high cost alternative financial services such as check cashing services and payday loans. The article below focuses on a different issue, namely, how black Canadians are excluded from banking services, and it also points out how the usual pet remedy, credit unions, arent much help. It discusses how various forms of mutual help financial organizations have been serving the needs of minority and disadvantaged groups. Americans might consider giving some of these approaches a road test. By Caroline Shenaz Hossein, Associate Professor of Business & Society, York University, Canada. Originally published at The Conversation; cross posted from Alternet Black Canadians are twice as likely as those in the overall Canadian population to have low incomes, get shot, be unemployed and to encounter systemic bias that interferes with equal access to goods and services.The financial world is no exception. Black people have a hard time getting access to money to borrow, or are completely shut out. They often encounter horrid service when they do go into a bank. Remember Frantz St. Fleur,a Haitian-Canadian, whose Toronto bank called the police while he was trying to deposit a $9,000 cheque? He was profiled by bankers who called the police, who promptly arrested him. Both assumed his cheque was fraudulent. It wasnt. More recently, a Nigerian-Canadian entrepreneur reached out to me to share her story. Her bank account was frozen because the bankers thought she had too much activity going in and out of her account. Shes a businesswoman. It should be no surprise to her bank that she makes a lot of transactions. Its no wonder Black people want to redo the way banking works. My current research examines business exclusion for racialized Canadiansand how they co-opt resources to create vibrant local economies. Progressive non-profits such as ACORNdont get it. They speak of financial alternatives but they do not give any solutions. Sure, they speak about credit unions, but credit unions are too scarce to be a reasonable choice and arent often located in poor neighbourhoods. Like commercial banks, they also deal with their own cultural diversity issues. A look at the Meridian credit union or the Alterna credit union in Torontos posh east end says a lot. They are situated in areas that are convenient for white people, and the general reputation of credit unions in Canada seems to be an old white mans bank. They do not look like they are working to attract racialized clients. An alternative financial service institution is one that provides outside help and one that promises to do things differently from formal banks. Up to now, the fixation by progressives has been on the big bad guys like Cash for Money, Money Mart and payday lenders. But we also need to be looking at banking alternatives that actually help people. For example, Montreal has a group called Montreal Community Loan Fund (ACEM). Its a community bank that started back in the 1980s to democratize finance and to create an inclusive business environment. Today, ACEM is an organization supporting thousands of small business people, especially immigrant-owned businesses that cannot access credit, even from the guichet Desjardins, the supposed good guys. This was a credit union that started informally to help the French-speaking Catholic minority in rural Quebec in the 1900s. This original intent to put banking within reach of the excluded is important for Canada. Somehow, the modern-day credit unions have turned their back on racialized minorities who feel cut off from formal conventional banks. Banker Ladies There Is Another Real Alternative (TIARA) in the form of mutual aid groups and co-operatives. Hundreds if not thousands of hyphenated Canadians engage in mutual aid groups or peer-to-peer banking institutions, officially known in academic circles as rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs). ROSCAs are mutual aid groups. Theyre informal institutions where members self-organize, decide on the rules and make regular fixed contributions to a fund that is given in whole or in part to each member in turn. ROSCAs are an important way of organizing people and resources locally and co-operatively. Although ROSCAs is an academic term, it is the official name for these systems that are very much localized. ROSCAs are known worldwide in various cultural vernaculars like Susu in Ghana, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada; Esusu in Nigeria; Ayuuto and Hagbad in Somalia; Equub in Ethiopia and Eritrea; Box-hand in Guyana and Antigua; Partner in Jamaica; Restourne in DR Congo and Sol in Haiti. These many names depict the same phenomenon people sharing money through co-operation. It is also about self-help and love neighbours helping each other. Black Canadians have contributed enormously to what we know about Canadas social economy because of their innovation in these ROSCAs. Racialized Canadian women come together to organize ROSCAs in a voluntary manner in an effort to meet their own social and economic needs and the needs of others when they move to big cities like New York City, Miami, Toronto and Montreal. These women are known as the Banker Ladies.This short history of Black women creating banking alternatives is revealing in that Black people in the Americas contribute profoundly to co-operative money traditions. The co-operative tradition has been active in Canada for a very long time, yet its often associated with old white men and not Black communities. However, many people of colour who move here have a strong understanding of co-operative economics from their homelands. We need to change this old white man perception because the growth of co-operatives will depend on racialized Canadians in the future. Economic Self-Help In Canada the women who organize ROSCAs are stirring things up. The Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diaspora at York Universityis carrying out a federally funded project, African Origins in the Social Economy, and a provincially supported project called Social Innovations focused on collecting empirical data from Canadian-based financial and business innovationsin order to understand social enterprises, mutual aid and economic co-operation among people of colour, especially women. So far the study explains that ROSCAs are the preferred institution where these women bank because of the business of exclusionin commercial banks. Sure these women have bank accounts at TD, CIBC and BMO, but they dont use them much except to get a salary deposit. This is what University of Winnipegs Jerry Buckland refers to as the under-banked. ROSCAs are a place to do business and to form friendships and bonds. Formal commercial banks and credit unions to some extent have not been kind to Black people. So in Canadas financial centres, women are banking in their own way to make sure their money is shared by others who cannot get any help at a regular bank. This is not a new practice, but an ancient and well-respected one coming from Africa as a way for people to pool money and then rotate it among each others, usually interest-free. ROSCAs build businesses and send children to school. Almost equally important, they are helping women entrepreneurs form lasting bonds. Canadas Banker Ladies are a perfect example of self-help, economic co-operation, love and the sharing economy because what they do is ensure the betterment of society. Bankers should know more about this special kind of mutual aid led by Black women and learn a thing or two about humanity. By Tsvetana Paraskova, a writer for the U.S.-based Divergente LLC consulting firm with over a decade of experience writing for news outlets. Originally published at OilPrice The West-Russia relations have reached a new low since the Cold War amid the spy poisoning scandal in the UK, allegations of Russian meddling in elections, and fresh U.S. sanctions on Russia. Yet European countries continue to buy increased amounts of Russian gas, and Russias state-held gas giant Gazprom is boosting production and exports, and is obtaining approvals in individual countries for its Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that has divided the EU over fears of a tightening Russian grip on gas supplies. In recent months and weeks, Gazprom has taken advantage of high demand in Europe and of decreased gas supplies to Europe from Russias competitors, Maxim Rubchenko writes for Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Russiawhich already supplies around one-third of Europes gasboosted deliveries in the winter, one of the coldest winters in Europe in the past decade, and continues to ship higher volumes even after the winter, as gas importing countries replenish gas storage supplies that had been drained amid the cold snaps. Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Gazproms Management Committee, said at the end of April that the Russian company was currently shipping as much gas to Europe as it typically does in winter months, and expects demand this summer to be close to winter levels. Gazprom gas deliveries to Europe reached an all-time high in March, beating a previous record from January 2017, the Russian company says. In the first quarter of this year, Gazproms gas supply to Europe increased by 6.6 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Gazproms gas deliveries to European countries continued to grow in April, even after the winter heating season ended. Demand in Europe has stayed high after the winter ended. First, because gas storage levels were low, and secondbecause some of the other traditional gas-supplying countries have decreased supplies over issues or maintenance at facilities. Norway, Russias closest competitor, had to cope with an unplanned outage at the Skarv gas field and Kollsnes processing plant in April. Flows to Europe were reduced after a compressor at the Skarv field in the Norwegian Sea failed. In the south, Libyan gas flow from the Greenstream pipeline to Italy was stopped on April 2 due to maintenance to integrate gas from a new phase of development at the offshore gas field Bahr Essalam. The maintenance was initially expected to be completed in two weeks, on April 18, but the resumption of gas supplies has been postponed several times, so Italy received no gas from Greenstream for the whole month of April. Total African pipeline exports to Europe dropped in the last week of April on a continued Libyan outage and reduced Algerian gas deliveries. While Gazprom is boosting supplies to Europe even after the winter, it has received permits from Germany to build the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and a first permit for the project in Finland. Gazprom has also completed the deepwater pipelay for Line 1 of the TurkStream offshore gas pipeline planned to connect Russia to Turkey across the Black Sea. Meanwhile, Gazproms seven-year-old dispute with the EU on antitrust issues may soon be coming to an end. According to Bloomberg sources, the EU could announce as early as in May a settlement with the Russian company under which Gazprom could agree to binding pledges to allay antitrust concerns, which could put an end to the antitrust investigation that started in 2011. Despite high political tensions, Russia continues to boost gas supplies to Europe, and Europe continues to buy. Colorado Cop Debunks lllinois Cops Claim That Legal Pot Would Lead to Killing of Police Dogs GritPost (UserFriendly) Residents upset after Md. deputy shoots groundhog blocking traffic Dayton Daily News California heads toward requiring solar panels on all new houses Los Angeles Times (furzy) Humans have pushed Earth to a terrifying new milestone, and it could have deadly effects on our health Business Insider (Kevin W) Is Chemical Sunscreen About to Go the Way of Microbeads? Fashionista The FDA has adopted rules for restaurants to print calorie counts on menus Quartz China? Berlusconi denies he may take step back to let Italy form government Reuters Brexit New Cold War Syraqistan Big Brother is Watching You Watch Imperial Collapse Watch The U.S. Navy's most expensive warship cost $12.9 billion. Once again something has gone wrong with it https://t.co/2MzWPnTjnU pic.twitter.com/CBkKsdH5gK Bloomberg (@business) May 9, 2018 Trump Transition Federal Officials Say No-Go To Lifetime Limits On Medicaid Kaiser Health News Blankenship concedes GOP Senate primary in W. Va. The Hill House Democrats Lie In Fundraising Emails Daily Caller (UserFriendly) Pittenger loses GOP primary fight The Hill Opioid distributor apologizes for shipping large volumes of painkillers to West Virginia USA Today (Kevin W) Cordray Beats Kucinich in Ohios Progressive Showdown Real News Network I am seriously considering running for Attorney General. It is a major decision & will take real thought. For today, I'm grateful for the women who dared speak up against one of the most powerful men in the US & for Barbara Underwood, the brilliant woman who will be acting NY AG. Zephyr Teachout (@ZephyrTeachout) May 8, 2018 HoweverReplacing Schneiderman Is a Big Job. Some Say Its One for a Woman. New York Times. Jerri-Lynn: Preet Bharara???? Kill Me Now. Black Injustice Tipping Point Listless And Lonely In Puerto Rico, Some Older Storm Survivors Consider Suicide NPR Drug supply firm execs say they didnt cause opioids crisis ABC (Kevin W) In Banking, 70% of Front-Office Jobs Will Be Dislocated By AI Slashdot Amazon employees are outraged by their companys opposition to a plan to add more diversity to its board Recode. Huh? Amazon is famous for thinking routinely reducing employees to tears is good business practice. How could they possibly think Bezos cares about their opinion? The only reason they still have jobs is he hasnt yet figured out how to replace them with robots. Class Warfare Readers, a query: Have any of you read of any Democratic Party presidential candidates marching with any of the striking teachers, or even expressing solidarity from afar? Sanders has put out some press releases, but that seems like awfully weak tea. Antidote du jour (Tracie H): And a bonus antidote: still getting used to eating : kate.lee.79025648 pic.twitter.com/guIGRND8TH Emergency Kittens (@EmrgencyKittens) May 3, 2018 See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Yves here. The idea that the effect of tax evasion means that the rich are even richer than they appear ought to be obvious, yet the notion is almost entirely absent from discussions of income and wealth inequality. Not surprisingly, in classic drunk under the streetlight behavior, some analysts do adjust income inequality data for the effect of transfers, which lowers the apparent level of inequality, without trying to adjust for what is almost certainly the much larger impact of tax evasion. Gabriel Zucman, one of the co-authors of this post, has estimated in his important bookk The Hidden Wealth of Nations that 8% of global household wealth is in tax havens, which gives a feel for the magnitude of tax evasion. By Annette Alstadster, Professor, School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Science, Niels Johannesen, Professor of Economics, University of Copenhagen, and Gabriel Zucman. Assistant professor, UC Berkeley. Originally published at VoxEU Who evades taxes in developed economies? The question is fascinating in its own right and matters a great deal for the study of inequality because scholars typically rely on tax records to estimate the concentration of income and wealth (e.g. Piketty et al. 2018). If the rich dodge taxes more than the poor, tax records will underestimate inequality. In recent research (Alstadster et al. 2017), we set out to estimate how tax evasion varies with wealth and to correct inequality statistics for differences in evasion rates. We conduct a detailed investigation of the case of Scandinavian countries, where particularly good data exist. We start our examination with audits conducted randomly by tax authorities. These audits are the current gold standard in the literature to measure tax evasion (e.g. Kleven et al. 2011), but they have a key limitation: they do not satisfactorily capture tax evasion by the very wealthy, because they fail to detect sophisticated forms of evasion involving anonymous shell companies and secret offshore accounts. Exploiting Leaked Data to Shed Light on tax evasion in Scandinavia To bridge this gap, we use new data leaked from offshore financial institutions and information from recent tax amnesties. These new data sources enable us to capture the forms of tax evasion conducted by households with dozens of millions of dollars in wealth. They allow us to shed a bright light on a world that is not typically observable to researchers. By combining leaked data, amnesty data, and random audit data, we can thus provide a much more comprehensive picture of how much each social group evades in taxes than was available until now. The first leaked dataset we use is a trove of data leaked from HSBC Switzerland, later known as the Swiss leaks. In 2007, an employee extracted the internal records of the bank and turned the data over to the French government. The leaked documents included the complete internal records of the more than 30,000 clients of the bank. At the time, HSBC Switzerland was a major actor in offshore banking, managing assets of about $120 billion, or approximately 5% of all the foreign wealth managed by Swiss banks. This HSBC leak is a unique source of information to study tax evasion because the leak is a random event and because it comes from a large and arguably representative offshore bank. Who owned the wealth hidden in that Swiss bank at the time of the leak? We find that the wealthier you were, the more likely you were to hide assets at HSBC Switzerland. Moreover, for those who concealed assets in HSBC Switzerland, tax evaders hid on average the equivalent of 40% of their true wealth (with no trend across the wealth distribution). As a result, although HSBC Switzerland had dozens of thousands of clients at the time of the leak, the wealth held there was concentrated in just a few hands. In a second step, we conduct a similar analysis in other samples of individuals with offshore wealth, namely owners of shell corporations exposed in the Panama Papers, and taxpayers who voluntarily disclosed previously hidden offshore assets by using tax amnesties. We find similar patterns in all these samples. In all cases, offshore wealth appears to be extremely concentrated at the top of the wealth distribution: by our estimates, 50% of offshore assets belong to the wealthiest 0.01% households, and around 80% belong to the wealthiest 0.1%. The Richest Households Evade About 25% of Taxes Owed by Concealing Assets and Investment Income Abroad When we apply this distribution to available estimates of the macroeconomic amount of wealth hidden in tax havens (Zucman 2013, Alstadster et al. 2018), we find that the top 0.01% richest households evade about 25% of the taxes they owe by concealing assets and investment income abroad. Throughout our research, we maintain a clear distinction between legal tax avoidance and illegal evasion. Thus, this estimate only takes into account the wealth held offshore that evades taxes; it excludes properly declared offshore assets. When we add the tax evasion detected in random audits, total evasion in the top 0.01% reaches 25-30%, versus 3% on average in the population (Figure 1). Figure 1 The ratio of taxes evaded to taxes owed, by wealth group Do our findings apply to other countries? We certainly do not claim that the pattern of evasion by wealth group that we found in Scandinavia holds everywhere as a universal law. If anything, tax evasion among the rich might actually be even higher in other developed economies, given that Scandinavian economies rank among the countries with the strongest respect for the rule of law, highest tax morale, and lowestamount of wealth held in tax havens (Alstadster et al. 2018). Down the wealth ladder, other developed economies are likely to have low levels of evasion (like Norway, Sweden, and Denmark), because most economic activity takes place in the corporate and public sectors, where third-party reporting strongly limits tax evasion. Why Do the Rich Evade Taxes? Because They Can Why do the rich evade so much? Because for them tax evasion is possible: there is an industry in Switzerland, Panama, and other tax havens around the globe that provides wealth concealment services to the worlds wealthiest individuals. This industry typically only targets the very wealthy (people with more than $20 million or sometimes $50 million to invest), as serving too many would-be evaders would increase the risk for these banks and law firms that they would be discovered violating the law. Moderately wealthy individuals (below the top 0.1%) do not have access to these services and therefore do not evade as much tax. Further down the ladder, the majority of the population only earns wages and pension income, which cannot be hidden from the tax authority. Because it is unevenly distributed across wealth groups, tax evasion has important implications for measured wealth inequality. In Norway, for instance, the wealth share of the top 0.01% increases by around 25% when accounting for hidden offshore assets. Our final results relate to policy discussions on the ongoing fight against offshore tax evasion. We show that disclosures of offshore wealth under the tax amnesties were associated with sharp increases in reported wealth, capital income, and tax liabilities, but no increase in outcomes associated with legal tax avoidance. These results imply that the potential revenue gains from policies that effectively deter offshore tax evasion are considerable. Past crackdowns on offshore tax evasion mostly induced tax evaders to shift assets to safer havens (Johannesen and Zucman 2014) rather than to disclose more assets at home (Johannesen et al. 2018). However, it remains to be seen whether the most recent enforcement mechanism, automatic information exchange, can significantly reduce the supply of wealth concealment services. To reduce top-end evasion significantly, it is key to shrink the supply of wealth concealment services. This can be done by changing the incentives faced by the law and financial firms in tax havens, for instance by applying trade tariffs to non-cooperative tax havens and steep financial sanctions to the firms found abetting tax dodging (Zucman 2015). See original post for references Dr. Claire W. Lyons, originally from Ard-na-Greine, Clonmel, was the Faculty Speaker at the recently held graduation ceremony at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Claire was chosen to deliver this major speech because she is the 2018 recipient of the General Education Distinguished Teacher Award at JMU. Claire, who is a full professor with the Department of Psychology at JMU, holds a Bachelors Degree from Trinity College, Dublin and a Masters Degree in Psychotherapy from the University of Limerick. She earned her Ph.D in Psychology from Queens University Belfast. She is the former Head of Department of Learning, Society, and Religious Education at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Claire worked for over 20 years in teacher education in Ireland before moving to James Madison University a few years ago with her husband, Ruairi Walsh, who is originally from Baron Park. James Madison University is named after the 4th President of the United States. Set in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, JMU is a tight-knit community of 22,000 undergraduate and graduate students and 4,000 faculty and staff who come from across the country and around the world. Only two hours from Washington D.C., JMU is fast becoming one of the leading lights in higher education in the United States of America. In her speech, Claire spoke about college education being a privilege that should be used to make the world a better place. She said that the college education you have earned will open doors of opportunity and will help students develop the skills needed to be resilient. In quoting former President, Mary Robinson, Claire stated we are the collective custodians of universal human rights. She urged students to leverage the privilege of education and to do everything you can to be an engaged citizen. Claire also spoke about the importance of relationships. Quoting from the Southern African philosophy, Ubuntu, she explained that a person is a person through other people. She said that it is our relationships with others than will bring contentment and she stressed the importance of making room in our busy lives for others. During her speech, Claire also quoted Bono, Brendan Kennelly, as well as the American Poet Laureate, Maya Angelou. Her speech received widespread praise from those in attendance, including the President of JMU, Mr. Jonathan R. Alger, members of the universitys Governing Authority, and from her academic colleagues. Claire is an active supporter of the JMUs international education programme. Every May, she leads and directs a study abroad programme to Ireland focusing on a cross-cultural study of identity. Part of the programme includes a field trip to the Nire Valley where students are taken on guided walks of the area by local man, Michael Desmond. The students also stay overnight in the community hostel in Ballymacarbry. Commenting on her distinguished teaching award and on being chosen to deliver a major graduation speech, Claire said it was a great honor to be selected by the students to speak at their university graduation ceremony. The students here are wonderful and I was delighted to be able to share some wisdom from Ireland with them. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday (9 May) opened the Alliances new Room 1 with the first meeting of the North Atlantic Council in the Alliances new headquarters. Resembling an auditorium and equipped with the latest audio-visual technology, Room 1 is where ambassadors hold the Alliances most important debates and take the most significant decisions. The meeting of the 29 Allied ambassadors, NATOs highest-decision making authority, was held as Alliance Staff and national representatives of the 29 Allies continue to move into the new complex. About half the 4,000 people working at NATO have now moved into the new complex. The move will be completed in mid-June and ahead of the Alliances July Summit in Brussels. Naval assets from seven Allied nations and NATOs Standing Maritime Group 2 are training maritime capabilities and combat proficiency in the Black Sea from May 7 to 13 2018, as part of Exercise Sea Shield. Some 21 military ships, 10 fighter aircraft, a submarine, and 2,300 servicemen are taking part. Romanian-led exercise Sea Shield 2018 involves participants from the US, the UK, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Turkey, which participate with frigates, missile boats, corvettes and a destroyer. The exercise is based on a fictitious crisis response scenario. "By organising and hosting the Sea Shield 2018 Exercise, the Romanian Naval Forces, together with the NATO Allied Forces, are contributing to a strong cooperation in the Black Sea region and to the continued improvement of the procedures that ensure safe and secure maritime activities," said the commander of the exercise, Rear-Admiral Daniel Capatina. NATOs Standing Maritime Group 2, which is currently deployed in the Black Sea, is participating with a number of vessels - HMS Duncan, ESPS Victoria, TCG Gemlik, ROS Regele Ferdinand and BGS Drazki. Exercise Sea Shield is an annual event and is open to NATO Allies and partner nations. (Natural News) New tax rules are poised to spur a mass exodus from states like New York and California places that are already struggling to hold on to residents. In the last ten years alone, around 3.5 million people have left these high-tax states in favor of lower-tax states like Florida and Texas. According to a Wall Street Journal essay by Stephen Moore and Arthur Laffer, New York and California can expect to lose around 800,000 people over the coming three years, which is nearly double the exodus noted in the last three years. Meanwhile, Minnesota, Connecticut and New Jersey will lose roughly half a million people in the same period of time. Thats because of changes to SALT, the State and Local Tax deduction, which will limit the deduction people can take for local and state taxes to $10,000. This means many people who have high incomes will be facing a tax increase. According to the estimates of Moore and Laffer, the effective income tax rate that high earners in California will actually pay will go from 8.5 percent to 13 percent, while those who earn $10 million or more in New York could well see a tax hike of 50 percent or even greater. The authors believe this exodus could have the effect of raising the real estate values in lower-tax states, while those in high-tax states would go down. They also point out that high earners cost these states the most when they leave. According to the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, eliminating the full SALT deductibility could cost his state $14.3 billion. In California, there are concerns because the income taxes the state collects from high earners are used to pay for a huge portion of government services. The wealthiest one percent in the state cover 48 percent of the income tax there, which means that just a few wealthy families leaving could create a significant reduction in state funds. However, some experts believe that the extremely wealthy simply dont care about the added expense and will stay where they are. The tax law could therefore end up being just another reason that small and medium-sized entrepreneurs will want to leave their states. Indeed, one business advisor in Orange County, California, Joseph Vranich, told the Sacramento Bee that the combination of high income taxes, gas taxes, and stringent environmental laws sends clients to other states. When you add it all together, I call it death by a thousand cuts, and this latest law is one more cut, he stated. Florida and Texas attracting new residents thanks to low taxes There is no tax on earned income in Florida and Texas, and the two states have attracted 850,000 and 1.4 million new residents respectively in the years since 2007 from other U.S. states, while New York and California have lost more than 2.2 million people combined during the same time frame. For now, the low-tax states are happy to welcome new residents fleeing high-tax states. The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has encouraged people in the high-tax state of New Jersey to head to his state instead, which boasts a recent $4 billion tax cut. His invitation came in the wake of a budget proposal by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy that asked for a $2.7 billion rise from the budget for the previous year. However, those who blame liberal Californians and New Yorkers for their states problems worry that the states that are now welcoming them will ultimately suffer as a result. Sources for this article include: CNBC.com SacBee.com FoxNews.com (Natural News) There are many forms of alternative and complementary medicine, and many of them are beginning to gain the recognition they deserve. Many types of alternative medicine are often misrepresented by the mainstream media and conventional medicine communities as crazy woo-woo nonsense that doesnt actually work. But now, naysayers are witnessing the power of alternative therapies, like hypnosis, with their own eyes and theyre even writing articles about it. Recently, the Wall Street Journal published an article about hypnotherapy and they even described it as a medical solution. The WSJ noted that many established hospitals have seen success in using hypnotherapy to treat patients with digestive disorders, including conditions like colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. As Psychology Today explains, hypnotherapy is a guided form of hypnosis which allows patients to turn their attention completely inward to find and utilize the natural resources deep within themselves that can help them make changes or regain control in certain areas of their life. The hypnotic state is reportedly similar to that of a deep meditation. Hypnotherapy has a wide application range and can be used in conjunction with many other therapies. For example, hypnotherapy can easily be combined with acupuncture for pain management. As Psychology Today notes, pain management with hypnosis is growing in popularity due to its successes. But it can also be used to help resolve digestive issues, skin disorders and treat conditions like depression and anxiety. People are becoming more aware of alternative options The fact that the mainstream media, along with proponents of modern medicine, are starting to pick up on the benefits of alternative treatments shows that these therapies are increasing in popularity in large part because they actually do work. Despite the fact that many of these pharmaceutical propagandists have turned their noses up at alternative medicines, natural remedies and other types of treatments are being used more often. In 2015, a survey from the National Institutes of Health found that approximately one-third of Americans were trying a form of alternative medicine. These treatments including things like taking a fish oil or melatonin supplement, chiropractic medicine and even yoga and for five percent of survey respondents, alternative medicine was their only form of treatment. And as Think Progress notes, the dramatic rise in the number of people testing the alternative medicine waters just so happens to coincide with an increasing distrust in conventional medicine. Survey data has shown that Americans are growing more skeptical of doctors. Given the pharmaceutical industrys obvious ties to the mainstream medical community (and their involvement in creating the opioid epidemic), it is truly not that surprising that Americans are losing their trust in conventional medicine. At a recent pain management conference in Florida, doctors were actually being encouraged to change their behavior, regarding their prescribing habits and the use of alternative medicine. Dr. Abraham Rivera, chief medical officer at Physician Partners of America, contended that the use of opioids for pain management is a road full of pitfalls. Rivera contended further, There has been a resurgence, rethinking of alternative medicine. There is plenty of evidence-backed literature that defends the use of things like physical therapy, acupuncture, [massage], meditation therapy, cognitive therapy. These things can be used and there is science behind it. Could alternative medicine one day replace profit-driven conventional medicine? Maybe. As it stands, alternative treatments are at least giving pharma-pushers a run for their money. But as more people turn to more natural means of solving their health problems, and more evidence of efficacy is produced, it seems likely that Big Pharma will have a much harder time selling their junk drugs to the masses. Stay up-to-date on the latest advances in real, natural medicine at AlternativeMedicine.news. Sources for this article include: WSJ.com PsychologyToday.com WLRN.org (Natural News) There is an old saying in the Air Force that goes something like, You know youre over your target when you start taking the most flak. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt is doing precisely what President Donald J. Trump nominated him to do bring accountability to an agency where none existed and to end its use as a political weapon which is precisely why hes taking so much flak from the authoritarian Deep State. He even wants to bring transparency and accountability to the science the agency uses to implement policy. What an ogre! In recent weeks Pruitt has been increasingly under fire for office expenditures, travel expenditures, giving questionable raises and now for using multiple email accounts, allegedly to hide what hes doing. As reported by The Daily Caller, the latest attack Pruitts use of civilian email was part of the focus of opposition Democrats when he appeared on Capitol Hill Thursday to answer questions about a range of issues: EPAs inspector general launched an investigation into Pruitts email at the urging of Democratic lawmakers in April. Pruitt used four email accounts one of which is no longer in use according to EPA. The big question Pruitt faces is whether all his government accounts were searched in response to Freedom of Information Act requests. Pruitts use of private email accounts was immediately compared to the use of private email by one of Obamas EPA administrators, Lisa Jackson. For instance, his use evokes memories of Jacksons alias email account, Bloomberg News suggested. The New York Times reported previously that Pruitts email use echoes a controversy in 2012, during the Obama administration, when Jackson was criticized for a similar use of an undisclosed EPA email account. But is it the same? Hardly. (Related: Report: EPA insiders say administrator Pruitt is being SET UP.) As The DC reports, all of Pruitts accounts are variants of his name or his home state of Oklahoma (one is [email protected] for the University of Oklahoma Sooners). The other big difference is that Pruitt did not create a false identity to conduct agency business, but Jackson did. In 2012, as the NY Times referenced, it was discovered that Jackson was using an email under the pseudonym Richard Windsor. The identity was discovered by Chris Horner, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute while researching a book he wrote, The Liberal War on Transparency. As The DC noted further: Republican lawmakers and government watchdog groups worried Jacksons false identity was being used to skirt transparency laws. What other reason is there to use a totally different name? Lawmakers and EPAs IG were quick to investigate. Jackson was following a practice set by previous administrators by using a non-public email for internal communications, EPA said in 2012. EPA has said the same for Pruitt. The EPA maintains three email accounts which are attributed to Administrator Pruitt: two are used by staff for calendaring and public correspondence; the third is used by the Administrator, EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox told The Washington Post on April 12. A fourth email account was created for use by the Administrator but was superseded and never used beyond three test emails, Wilcox told the paper, which first reported of Pruitts multiple emails. When we receive a FOIA request, all accounts are searched before we respond to the FOIA request. But heres the difference again: Pruitt didnt create a false identity. And theres this to further the lie, the EPA actually honored Richard Windsor with fake employee distinctions and certificates, including, ridiculously, a scholar of ethical behavior award. The Deep State senses it is in danger of being further exposed and circumvented by a president who has pledged to do that very thing. Thats why theres so much flak around Trumps appointees, like Pruitt. Theyre over their targets. Read more about the dismantling of big government at BigGovernment.news. J.D. Heyes is also editor-in-chief of The National Sentinel. Sources include: NewsTarget.com DailyCaller.com NaturalNews.com The six leading candidates for California governor discussed housing, immigration, gas taxes and other issues at a debate Tuesday ahead of next months primary. Democrats pledged to stand up to Republican President Donald Trump and provide help to the homeless while Republicans said theyd cut taxes and regulations and fight sanctuary policies on immigration. Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law last year restricting when law enforcement agencies can cooperate with federal immigration authorities. This is federal law, said John Cox, a Republican businessman from San Diego. This is like George Wallace standing in front of a school house in Alabama and saying hes not going to respect federal law. Democrats said the state must stand up for young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. I think we need to acknowledge that the Dreamers didnt come here on their own, said Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles. They came here because their parents brought them here, and weve got to say that they have a right to have a legalized status. Children brought to the country illegally are commonly referred to as Dreamers, based on never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act. All the candidates are on the same ballot in the June 5 primary and the top two, regardless of party, advance to the general election in November. Polls show Democrat Gavin Newsom with a commanding lead, and the contest has become a battle for the second slot. With millions of mail ballots already on their way to voters, time is running short for the candidates to win over new voters. Some of the sharpest exchanges were between the two Republicans, who are fighting over a smaller share of voters in a state where Democrats dominate. They sparred over the gas tax, each presenting himself as the strongest opponent of a 12-cent-per-gallon increase approved last year by the Legislature. It got personal at times, with Assemblyman Travis Allen twice calling Cox angry. Allen repeatedly threw out red meat to conservatives, noting that he was the only candidate who voted for Trump and urging a purge of Bay Area liberal elites working in state government and calling for getting rid of leftist propaganda in schools. Cox said he regretted voting for Libertarian Gary Johnson. I wasnt sure (Trump) was a conservative. Now I know. Hes a conservative, Cox said. In one of the debates most tense exchanges, Allen referenced an affair Newsom had with a city staffer while he was mayor of San Francisco. The woman was married to Newsoms friend and adviser. If you cant trust Gavin with his best friends wife how can you trust him with your state? Allen said. Newsom shot back: Its hard to hear from Mr. Allen whos a devout supporter of Donald Trump about sexual harassment. Newsom and Villaraigosa who also faced an adultery scandal while he was mayor of Los Angeles said they learned and grew from the incidents. I made a mistake. I lost my marriage. I lost my family for a time, Villaraigosa said. I took responsibility for it. My whole life Ive taken responsibility for my actions. Allen, meanwhile, dismissed a sexual harassment complaint filed against him as a minor issue ginned up by Democrats. The debate was televised statewide and moderated by Chuck Todd, host of NBCs Meet the Press. It was perhaps the last best chance for candidates trailing Newsom to break out or change the dynamics of a race that has played out largely under the radar as Californias elected leaders focused on fighting Trumps agenda. Newsom has declined all other debate invitations ahead of the primary. An April poll by the Public Policy Institute of California showed Newsom supported by 26 percent of likely voters. Cox was second at 15 percent, followed by Villaraigosa at 13 percent and Allen at 10 percent. Democrats John Chiang and Delaine Eastin were in the single digits while 22 percent of voters said they were undecided in the survey of the 867 likely voters. The poll had a margin of sampling error rate of 4.4 percent. Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is back to full operating status Wednesday morning after fire crews were called to the hospital to help decontaminate medical staff and a patient following a chemical exposure incident at the patient's workplace, according to the fire department. The incident unfolded around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday when a medical helicopter arriving at the hospital delivered a patient who had been exposed to some sort of chemical, according to San Jose Fire Department Capt. Brad Cloutier. During the course of the patient's treatment, they experienced some sort of respiratory issues, which ended up exposing a number of first responders to the same chemical that plagued the patient, according to Cloutier. Fire crews and hospital staff were able to decominate those affected with soap and water, Cloutier said. No injuries were reported other than the initial injuries that the patient sustained. Cloutier said fire crews called to the hospital were able to identify the chemical substance, but the fire department did not name it. Valley Medical Center had to briefly modify its operations during the incident, but it has since returned to normal operations, according to Cloutier. A fresh bunch of new BART cars will soon start rolling out across the Bay Area transportation system's network. The second round of new rail cars, which feature more doors, wider aisles and automatic signs that alert riders about the next arrival station, are slated to be unveiled at some point next week, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and later confirmed by BART. An exact unveil date and time was not immediately known. The first batch of new BART cars hit the tracks in January, but some of the cars experienced issues with doors. The new 10-car BART train to kick off service next week has passed systemwide testing by the Public Utilities Commission, stopping at every station and successfully opening and closing car doors. BART currently has 10 of its new cars in operation between Richmond and Fremont. The second round of new cars will run from the Warm Springs station in Fremont to Daly City. BART expects to have 80 new cars running by the end of the year and around 170 new cars in operation by 2019. A 58-year-old man referred to by police as a "prolific commercial burglar" was arrested last month on suspicion of targeting San Francisco tech startups, police said Monday. San Francisco resident James Flanagan was arrested April 25 at 11:13 a.m. in the 500 block of Ellis Street. He's been charged with 12 counts of burglary and nine counts of grand theft for being involved in a series of burglaries conducted over a six-week period between March 12 and April 24, police said. In the alleged burglaries, a total of about $75,000 worth of electronics were taken from several businesses identified as tech startups. Officers were able to identify Flanagan as a suspect after an investigation. Flanagan, who has an extensive history of burglary arrests, was on felony probation when the crimes were committed and also had a felony warrant for his arrest, police said. Flanagan remains in custody and is being held without bail, according to jail records. Although an arrest has been made, police are continuing to investigate the burglaries and are asking anyone with information to contact their tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to text a tip to 847411 with SFPD at the beginning of the message. Tipsters have the option of remaining anonymous. What to Know Pvt. Shamika Burrage lost her left ear in a crash. Army surgeons performed a total ear reconstruction, the first of its kind in the Army. Doctors took cartilage from the soldier's ribs, carved out a new ear and placed it under the skin of her forearm to allow it to grow. "It's been a long process for everything, but I'm back," Burrage said. After a soldier lost her left ear in a car crash, Army surgeons were able to grow a new ear in her forearm and transplant it onto her head. The Army announced Monday that the procedure performed on Pvt. Shamika Burrage was successful. The total ear reconstruction, the first of its kind in the Army, was performed at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas. Doctors took cartilage from the soldier's ribs, carved out a new ear and placed it under the skin of her forearm to allow it to grow. "The whole goal is, by the time she's done with all this, it looks good, it's sensate and in five years, if somebody doesn't know her, they won't notice," chief plastic surgeon Lt. Col. Owen Johnson III said in a statement. In 2016, Burrage was driving from Mississippi to Fort Bliss, Texas, with her cousin when a tire blew. The car veered off the road, skidded for 700 feet and then flipped multiple times. Burrage, then 19, was thrown from the car. Her cousin, who was eight months pregnant, suffered only minor injuries. But Burrage suffered head injuries, spinal fractures, road rash and the complete loss of her left ear. After several months of rehabilitation and counseling, she looked into how to get a new ear. Army surgeons told her they could potentially make her a new one. "I was going to go with the prosthetic, to avoid more scarring, but I wanted a real ear," she said in the Army's statement. "I was just scared at first but wanted to see what [the surgeon] could do." Burrage, now 21, has two surgeries remaining. She is a supply clerk with 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. She has hearing in her left ear, and she's feeling optimistic. "It's been a long process for everything, but I'm back," she said. Stormy Daniels' lawyer says he has information showing that President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney received $500,000 from a company associated with a Russian billionaire within months of paying hush money to the porn star who claims a long-ago affair with Trump. Lawyer Michael Avenatti also said hundreds of thousands of dollars streamed into Trump attorney Michael Cohen's account from companies, including pharmaceutical giant Novartis, AT&T and Korea Aerospace, with U.S. government business interests. Those three companies have confirmed the connection. Avenatti isn't disclosing the source of his information or releasing documentation. But in a seven-page memo, Avenatti details what he says were wire transfers into and out of the account Cohen used to pay Daniels $130,000 in October 2016 to stay silent about her alleged tryst with Trump in 2006. He denies having an affair with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Financial documents reviewed Tuesday by The Associated Press appeared to back up Avenatti's report. The memo says Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian billionaire, and his cousin "routed" eight payments totaling approximately $500,000 to Cohen's company, Essential Consultants, between January and August 2017. The reason for the payments was not immediately known. Avenatti's memo says the deposits into the account controlled by Cohen were made by Columbus Nova, an American investment company headed by Vekselberg's cousin, Andrew Intrater, and affiliated with the Renova Group, which Vekselberg controls. Asked for comment Wednesday, Cohen said that Avenatti's "document is inaccurate." Andrey Shtorkh, a spokesman for Vekselberg and the Renova Group, said in a statement that "neither Victor Vekselberg nor Renova has ever had any contractual relationship" with Cohen or Essential Consultants. He said questions about a relationship between Columbus Nova and Cohen would have to be answered by Intrater "because Columbus Nova is a company owned and managed by him." Columbus Nova's lawyer, Richard Owens, said in a statement the company is "solely owned and controlled by Americans." He said that after Trump's inauguration in January 2017, the company hired Cohen as a business consultant "regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures," but that it had nothing to do with Vekselberg. "Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else, other than Columbus Nova's owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement," he said. Cohen and his lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Cohen is under investigation by federal prosecutors in New York, but hasn't been charged. At the time of the payments, there was an FBI counterintelligence investigation, which special counsel Robert Mueller took over last May, into Russian election interference and any possible coordination with Trump associates. When asked on Wednesday if Trump has made any efforts to benefit from companies who paid Cohen's company, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: "Not that I'm aware of." Vekselberg was targeted for U.S. sanctions by the Trump administration last month. He built his fortune, currently estimated by Forbes at $14.6 billion, by investing in the aluminum and oil industries. More recently, he has expanded his assets to include industrial equipment and high technology. Eric Althoff, a spokesman for Novartis, a multinational pharmaceutical company, said it entered into a one-year agreement with Essential Consultants in February 2017 to focus on health care policy. He said in an emailed statement Wednesday that Novartis hired Cohen for $100,000 a month, but determined after a single meeting with Cohen that he wouldn't be of use. Novartis still paid out the $1.2 million contract. "The decision was taken not to engage further," he said, but the contract could not be terminated, so the payments continued. Althoff said Novartis complied with requests for information about the payments from Mueller's investigators in November. AT&T said in a statement that Essential Consultants was one of several firms it "engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration." Avenatti alleged that the company made four $50,000 payments to Cohen totaling $200,000 in late 2017 and early 2018. AT&T said Cohen's company "did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017." Cohen is not a registered lobbyist, according to public records. Such a confidential relationship would not violate federal lobbying laws if Cohen did not seek to influence Trump on the companies' behalf. But hiring the president's personal attorney for advice on how to woo Trump would be highly unusual, especially given that Cohen was never formally involved in the campaign or Trump's administration. Making the arrangement even stranger, the blue chip companies' payments to Cohen were routed to Essential Consultants, the company Cohen used to buy Daniels' silence about her alleged affair with Trump. Trump's Justice Department has sued to block AT&T from an $85 billion merger with Time Warner, saying it would hurt competition and consumers would have to pay more to watch their favorite shows. Korea Aerospace, which is alleged to have paid Cohen $150,000 in November 2017, confirmed it paid Cohen's company for a business deal. A company spokesman in Seoul, who declined to be named citing office rules, said Korea Aerospace Industries had a contract with Essential Consultants for legal advice on accounting standards. The payment was made under a "legal" deal between the two, said the spokesperson, who refused to answer questions about the size or dates of any payments. The Avenatti memo alleges the company paid Cohen $399,920 in late 2017 and early 2018 in four payments each amounting to $99,980. Trump had dinner with Novartis' soon-to-be CEO Vasant Narasimhan, along with other European executives, at the World Economic Forum in Davos shortly after the date of the final payment. Larry Noble, senior director of the Campaign Legal Center, said there's nothing technically wrong with companies like Novartis and AT&T hiring people like Cohen to provide insight into the president's thinking. But he said the arrangement described by Avenatti "certainly doesn't look good." "Why would you go to the president's private fixer?" he asked. "He's not known for policy and he's not in the administration. You're going to someone who can get you access and tell you about the person of the president. That's unusual." Massachusetts State Police said an hours-long search prompted by a report of a woman walking into the woods off Interstate 495 with a "lifeless child" did not turn up anything. A state police spokesman told the Boston Globe they received a call from a motorist shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday saying they saw what looked like a "lifeless" child being carried into the woods by a female party off I-495 in Mansfield between exits 10 and 11. The reporting party later returned to the scene to be interviewed by state police. A state police Airwing helicopter and K9 units were brought in to search the woods but nothing was found. Police cleared the area around 6:30 p.m. Traffic in the area was temporarily backed up due to the police activity along the highway. The man who police say went on a fatal shooting spree in a rural Maryland community had a federal license to sell guns and ran a gym geared toward law enforcement officers. A cloudy picture is emerging of Christopher Wilson Snyder, who police say shot and killed three people on Monday after holding his third wife captive over the weekend. Snyder fatally shot himself after an hours-long standoff with police, according to Montgomery County police. Snyder was 41. Snyder ran a gym in Columbia, Maryland, called Code 3 Tactical Academy. The website portrays Snyder as a self-defense expert who trained officers from several Maryland counties, including Montgomery, Prince George's, Howard and Anne Arundel. The Howard County Sheriff's Office says they were never affiliated with Snyder. Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said on Monday that the countys officers had contact with Snyder a number of times, but did not elaborate on the nature of the contact. Snyder held a federal license to deal guns through an entity called Black Widow Enterprises, which was registered to his Brookeville, Maryland, home. Neighbors told News4 that something felt unusual about the situation in Brookeville. "He was never around," said one neighbor, who asked not to be named. "When you did see him, he really didnt talk to you." He also operated out of a home in Ellicott City, Maryland. Neighbors there knew him for two things: fancy cars and a large gun safe. Snyder, who appears to have multiple aliases, had moved to seal much of his personal information, including a divorce case. In a court document, Snyder wrote that he was a veteran, worked for the government and held a top-secret clearance. He also claimed he worked on classified operations. But someone who worked with Snyder for six months from 2012 to 2013 told News4 that Snyder left a job after his security clearance went into "delay" status. The man, who asked News4 not to use his name, said Snyder was "obsessed with being a tough guy" and a "con man." He described Snyder as "high strung," "unstable" and "a habitual liar." Snyder was recently arrested for possession of a dangerous weapon and possession of a controlled substance, court records show. Other court documents obtained by News4 were heavily redacted. Snyder is accused of killing Mary Ann Olson, a retired doctor, her house guest, Danny Lee Murphy and a contractor, Craig Harold Shotwell. Tourism is a $14-billion industry in Connecticut, but some say the state needs to do more to make people aware of hidden gems from the shoreline to the quiet corner. I think Connecticut has a bad rap, actually, Robin Curtis of Sherborn, Mass., said. The Fairfield native doesnt leave the Boston area for Connecticut anymore unless its for work. It doesnt really have a niche right now. Right? You think of New England, you think of mountains are New Hampshire, Vermont, the beaches are more Mass. Mystic is the only thing I think Connecticut is known for right now, Curtis said. She stayed at the Goodwin Hotel on business, which has served travelers on and off for more than 100-years. This June marks the one-year anniversary of its grand reopening in downtown Hartford. I know were seeing a lot of people come in for weddings in the next couple weeks, guest service agent Lindsey Joseph said of the kickoff to the summer tourist season. Joseph said she answers a lot of questions from inquiring guests about attractions in the area. We definitely always have people interested in the Wadsworth, and the Yard Goats park definitely is drawing a lot of attraction now, she said. However, she believes Connecticut has greater potential to attract visitors. I think we get the reputation that theres nothing to do here. Why come to Connecticut> Theres nothing to see, theres nothing to do, Joseph said. There is so much to see and do in Connecticut. We have everything from coast to country, said Christine Castonguay, of the Department of Economic and Community Development. At the governors annual conference on tourism, the tie between tourism and economic development was on full display. From creating authentic experiences to attracting international travelers, those in the tourism trade tried to hone in on what it will take to bring more visitors to the state. Gov. Dannel Malloy had his own suggestions when he took to the podium. He touted a transportation program that expands tourisms economic impact. He also reminded conference attendees not to forget visitors from Ireland, now that Aer Lingus flies in and out of Connecticut, and Canadian tourists who are just a drive away. Experts are warning drivers that gas prices might keep climbing well into the summer and AAA believes thats one of the likely effects after the president withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions. Drivers who spoke with NBC Connecticut said theyre groaning as they watch the average gas price in the state keep climbing and closing in on $3 per gallon for regular. I went from $40 to fill my tank to $60 in two weeks, Southington resident Alyssa Debbisi said. Connecticut motorists are already paying some of the highest gas prices that theyve paid in years, according to AAA spokesperson Amy Parmenter. Parmenter warned that drivers need to prepare themselves for another price hike. She said that might be one of the impacts after President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and will re-instate sanctions. The re-imposing of sanctions against Iran will likely affect crude oil prices and thats the biggest factor when it comes to the price at the pump, Parmenter said. That could mean prices could continue to rise well into the summer, instead of reaching a peak around Memorial Day as expected. Thats unwelcome news, especially for Debbisi, who is a commuter college student. Theres really nothing I can do with what I drive, just drive to class every day, she said. While Connecticut could break the $3 mark for the statewide average soon, dont expect to see the impact of sanctions quickly. AAA said an increase in crude oil prices takes weeks or months to show up at the pump. State lawmakers said the city of New Haven made progress on a proposal to expand Tweed Airport in New Haven to boost the airports business, but it was too late in the legislative session. The Board of Alders approved a resolution supporting lengthening the main runway just days before the end of the legislative session and the plan needed to go to the General Assembly for the final vote. The submission of a proposal to the Board of Alders, the meeting at Jepson School on April 30, and the community meeting at Nathan Hale School on May 5 all occurred too late in the legislative session for a proposal to be developed with the opportunity for robust community participation, consideration of the relocation of the terminal to diminish the traffic impact on New Haven, and the overall impact of enhanced commercial use of the airport, Senator Martin Looney said in a statement Wednesday. The proposal was to pave the grassy safety zones around the main runway, expanding the 5,600-foot runway another 1,000 feet. Though the expansion would stay within the airports current footprint, the proposal goes against a 1997 act forbidding expansion. This bill would change that act. New Haven Mayor Toni Harp released the following statement: While disappointed by this missed opportunity, my administration will continue working with the citys legislative delegation to unlock the untapped economic potential inherent at Tweed all of us have a responsibility to work toward a vibrant future for the region and the state, Mayor Toni N. Harp said. Going forward, well arrange for legislators to meet face-to-face with business leaders and area residents for a candid exchange about how Tweed fits into a comprehensive plan for prosperity. The city said expansion could boost declining travel. In the mid-90s, Tweed saw about 130,000 passengers, but in 2007 it had only 40,000. A longer runway could mean more commercial flights in and out of Tweed, with destinations like Washington D.C., Chicago and Florida. I am sure that the City will take the next several months to reach out to the affected neighborhood, all stakeholders and elected officials in order to build a consensus that respects both economic development opportunities and preservation of one of New Havens core neighborhoods, Looney said in a statement. Since this plan was first proposed, Sen. Looney and I have been clear that the neighborhood and the community process needs to be at the forefront. The concerns and the well-being of the community need to be put first. Its incumbent upon the city administration to communicate with neighboring residents about their proposal and how it will impact the community. A true community benefits agreement should be reflective of the neighborhoods needs. We need to bring together residents, stakeholders and local leaders to fully vet the citys proposal, state Rep. Al Paolillo said in a statement. A new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows an alarming increase in pedestrian-related rashes across the country. The data shows that between 2009 and 2016 pedestrian-related deaths increased by 46 percent nationally. According to the UConn Crash Data Repository, there have been 215 pedestrian-involved crashes in Connecticut since the start of January 2018. Among the 215, the data showed that nine of the pedestrian crashes were fatal. Marie Armee said she walks every day in Middletown and is always careful, but even these statistics caught her by surprise. Im surprised. I mean, I expect a little bit of an increase but not that much, Armee said. Its terrible, because its something that could be avoided. People are losing their life, losing their daughters, their mothers, their fathers and thats lifelong, you dont get that back. In April, police said a woman was hit by a car in Windsor Locks while trying to cross Ella Grasso Turnpike. Investigators said she survived, but the man driving the car got out to help the woman and was hit by another vehicle and he was killed. The study says speed, along with increased speed limits, are factors in most crashes. In addition, the IIHS believes higher speed limits in many municipalities around the country means a deadlier outcome when pedestrians are hit. Researchers cite cell phones as possibly being part of the problem, but said there is not enough data to make a definitive conclusion about that. The study says most of the pedestrian accidents are happening in urban or suburban areas along busy roads, away from intersections and often at night. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is calling for city and state governments to do a better job lighting and designating intersections and pedestrian crosswalks. Researchers said pedestrians can play a part too by wearing bright and reflective clothing if walking at night. I do walk in the mornings sometimes and I will wear a brightly colored vest, said Tamba Marino in Middletown. Marino is careful during walks, but said most people need to pay more attention. I think thats a shame. I do think that its both the pedestrians fault as well as the cars. A lot of people walk across the streets and dont look both ways like we were taught when we were younger, Marino said. They rolled out the red carpet Tuesday night outside The Magnolia in Uptown Dallas for a red carpet ceremony with a Texas twang. "Dallas is generally not in the conversation when you're thinking about, 'hey, where am I going to shoot a film,'" joked Jonathan Brownlee, C.E.O and President of the Dallas Film Society and the new Executive Director of the Dallas International Film Festival. Brownlee said DIFF can help change that image. "Dallas has every element that you need to be successful in the film industry." This is the 12th year for the Dallas International Film Festival. During its 8-day run, DIFF organizers said it will bring an estimated $8-10 million to the city with 30,000 film goers, and another 60,000 people attending side events. For the first time, that includes live music. "Maybe you're not a big film fan, but you might be a music fan," explained Brownlee. "That's kind of the gateway to getting in here." Brownlee said there are also more family friendly film options this year; an effort to cultivate new film audiences. The festival selections include films from around the world, but Brownlee said it was important to feature films made in Texas. "I mean, that keeps them here, number one. Often times they feel they have to leave to be successful so it's our brain drain going to L.A. or New York," Brownlee said. "People are starting to lean in and take notice of what we are doing, just like with other industries." The film 'The Iron Orchard' debuted at DIFF this week. It's set in west Texas, produced by Texans, and stars Richardson native, Lane Garrison. "I'm such a proud Texan," said Garrison, who said he only needed to read the first page of the script that described west Texas. "I called the casting director and said, I'm in!" Garrison said the movie took so long to make, and was dropped or forgotten about so many times, at one point, Paul Newman had been slated to play his role. "I guess I was the right man for the job," Garrison said with a smile. "I mean, I love Paul Newman, but I'm glad I got to do it and not him." The Dallas International Film Festival ends Thursday night with a 40th anniversary showing of the comedy classic, 'National Lampoon's Animal House', and guest appearance by director John Landis. A Home Depot worker who was shot while confronting a shoplifting suspect is out of the hospital nearly two weeks after gunfire that left one Dallas police officer dead and another critically hurt. Scott Painter, an employee at a store in North Dallas, was discharged Monday. All three victims were shot April 24. Home Depot spokesman Stephen Holmes on Tuesday confirmed Painter left the hospital but declined to release further medical details. Holmes expressed gratitude from the Atlanta-based company, for support from the community and Home Depot associates since the shootings. Dallas police Officer Rogelio Santander died April 25 and was laid to rest May 1. A police spokesman said Officer Crystal Almeida remains hospitalized but is improving. The suspect, Armando Luis Juarez, was jailed on charges including capital murder, aggravated assault and theft. What to Know Trump's decision means Iran's government must now decide whether to follow the U.S. and withdraw or try to salvage what's left of the deal The 2015 pact itself does not contain any provisions for leaving, but Trump said he "will be instituting the highest level" of sanctions Many in Iran are deeply concerned about how Trump's decision could affect the already struggling economy President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran, abruptly restoring harsh sanctions in the most consequential foreign policy action of his presidency. He declared he was making the world safer, but he also deepened his isolation on the world stage and revived doubts about American credibility. The 2015 agreement, which was negotiated by the Obama administration and included Germany, France and Britain, had lifted most U.S. and international economic sanctions against Iran. In exchange, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program, making it impossible to produce a bomb and establishing rigorous inspections. But Trump, a severe critic of the deal dating back to his presidential campaign, said Tuesday in a televised address from the White House that it was "defective at its core." U.S. allies in Europe had tried to keep him in and lamented his move to abandon it. Iran's leader ominously warned his country might "start enriching uranium more than before." The sanctions seek to punish Iran for its nuclear program by limiting its ability to sell oil or do business overseas, affecting a wide range of Iranian economic sectors and individuals. Major companies in the U.S. and Europe could be hurt, too. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that licenses held by Boeing and its European competitor Airbus to sell billions of dollars in commercial jetliners to Iran will be revoked. Certain exemptions are to be negotiated, but Mnuchin refused to discuss what products might qualify. He said the sanctions will sharply curtail sales of oil by Iran, which is currently the world's fifth largest oil producer. Mnuchin said he didn't expect oil prices to rise sharply, forecasting that other producers will step up production. Iran's government must now decide whether to follow the U.S. and withdraw or try to salvage what's left with the Europeans. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he was sending his foreign minister to the remaining countries but warned there was only a short time to negotiate with them. Laying out his case, Trump contended, "If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons." The administration said it would re-impose sanctions on Iran immediately but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity. Companies and banks doing business with Iran will have to scramble to extricate themselves or run afoul of the U.S. government. Meanwhile, for nations contemplating striking their own sensitive deals with Trump, such as North Korea, the withdrawal will increase suspicions that they cannot expect lasting U.S. fidelity to international agreements it signs. Former President Barack Obama, whose administration negotiated the deal, called Trump's action "misguided" and said, "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility and puts us at odds with the world's major powers." Yet nations like Israel and Saudi Arabia that loathed the deal saw the action as a sign the United States is returning to a more skeptical, less trusting approach to dealing with adversaries. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Trump's announcement as a "historic move." Trump, who repeatedly criticized the accord during his presidential campaign, said Tuesday that documents recently released by Netanyahu showed Iran had attempted to develop a nuclear bomb in the previous decade, especially before 2003. Although Trump gave no explicit evidence that Iran violated the deal, he said Iran had clearly lied in the past and could not be trusted. Iran has denied ever pursuing nuclear arms. There was a predictably mixed reaction from Congress. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said the Iran deal "was flawed from the beginning," and he looked forward to working with Trump on next steps. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, slammed Trump in a statement, saying this "rash decision isolates America, not Iran." In a burst of last-minute diplomacy, punctuated by a visit by Britain's top diplomat, the deal's European members had given ground on many of Trump's demands for reworking the accord, according to officials, diplomats and others briefed on the negotiations. Yet the Europeans realized he was unpersuaded. Trump spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese leader Xi Jinping about his decision Tuesday. Hours before the announcement, European countries met in Brussels with Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs, Abbas Araghchi. In Iran, many are deeply concerned about how Trump's decision could affect the already struggling economy. In Tehran, Rouhani sought to calm nerves, smiling as he appeared at a petroleum expo. He didn't name Trump directly, but emphasized that Iran continued to seek "engagement with the world." The first 15 months of Trump's presidency have been filled with many "last chances" for the Iran deal in which he's punted the decision for another few months, and then another. As he left his announcement Tuesday, he predicted that Iranians would someday "want to make a new and lasting deal" and that "when they do, I am ready, willing and able." Even Trump's secretary of state and the U.N. agency that monitors nuclear compliance agree that Iran, so far, has lived up to its side of the deal. But the deal's critics, such as Israel, the Gulf Arab states and many Republicans, say it's a giveaway to Tehran that ultimately would pave the way to a nuclear-armed Iran. For the Europeans, Trump's withdrawal constitutes dispiriting proof that trying to appease him is futile. Although the U.S. and Europeans made progress on ballistic missiles and inspections, there were disagreements over extending the life of the deal and how to trigger additional penalties if Iran were found in violation, U.S. officials and European diplomats have said. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Jill Colvin, Zeke Miller, Ken Thomas, Amir Vahdat and Nasser Karimi contributed to this report. What to Know Two women were detained when one of them allegedly threw a powdery substance in the direction of LAPD Chief Charlie Beck One of the women was the aunt of Wakiesha Wilson, who died while in LAPD custody in 2016 "I used her ashes," Sheila Hines-Brim said. "So they could be with him. So he could feel her because he murdered her" Two women were detained Tuesday when one of them allegedly threw a powdery substance in the direction of LAPD Chief Charlie Beck during yet another raucous meeting of the Los Angeles Police Commission. According to the activist group Californians for Progress, the detained women were Melina Abdullah, a leader of the Los Angeles arm of Black Lives Matter, and Sheila Hines-Brim, an aunt of Wakiesha Wilson, who died while in LAPD custody in 2016. Reports from the scene indicate that Hines-Brim allegedly threw some of Wilson's ashes at Beck during the meeting, although some witnesses question whether the ashes were thrown or merely placed in front of the chief. As she was walking away, Hines-Brim shouted, "That's Wakiesha. She's going to stay with you.'" The commission meeting was immediately recessed when the powder was released. The room was cleared and investigators worked to identify the substance. No injuries were reported and no evacuations were ordered. Wakiesha Wilson died while in LAPD custody in March 2016. Police said Wilson was found hanging in her jail cell at the Metropolitan Detention Center, and the coroner's office ruled her death to be a suicide. Activists disputed the ruling, arguing that Wilson was not suicidal. They also faulted the LAPD for failing to notify Wilson's family of her death. The city agreed late last year to pay Wilson's family nearly $300,000 to settle a lawsuit they filed over her death. Hines-Brim was released from custody Tuesday evening. "I used her ashes," she said. "So they could be with him. So he could feel her because he murdered her." Wilson's mother, Lisa Hines, was unaware of the powder protest. "She hasn't said anything to me," Lisa Hines said. "I didn't see any powder. I can't say if it was my daughter's ashes or if it wasn't." What to Know Pompeo first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April and is the second sitting secretary of state to visit He's said his first visit was to test the North Korean's seriousness of pledges to South Korea on easing tensions There had been no guarantees that the American prisoners would be freed during Pompeo's visit Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday in the latest sign of improving relations between the two longtime adversary nations. Trump said on Twitter that Pompeo was returning with "the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting." The president, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. "I appreciate Kim Jong Un doing this and allowing them to go," Trump said Wednesday before a meeting of his Cabinet. The release of the detainees came as Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for a historic summit between Trump and Kim, the North's leader. Trump told reporters that the summit would not take place at the inter-Korean demilitarized zone, and that the venue would be announced within the next three days. Singapore has emerged as the most likely place for the meeting late this month or in early June, officials have indicated. North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities but their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation's nuclear weapons. The family of Tony Kim thanked "all those" who worked for his return and also credited Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. "Mostly we thank God for Tony's safe return," the family said in a statement, and they urged people to "continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held." White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that Trump viewed the release "as a positive gesture of goodwill." The White House added that the three Americans were able to walk onto Pompeo's plane without assistance. The release capped a dramatic day of diplomacy in Pyongyang for Pompeo. After his 90-minute meeting with Kim Jong Un, he gave reporters a fingers-crossed sign when asked about the prisoners as he returned to his hotel. But it was only after a North Korean emissary arrived a bit later to inform him that the release was confirmed. The three had been held for periods ranging between one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016. He was accused of stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. On Capitol Hill, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the detainees' return but warned that "we'll see many more hostages" if the administration provides an incentive for imprisoning Americans. "We are happy they've returned, but North Korea shouldn't gain by taking Americans and then releasing them," he said. Of the newly released detainees, Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, had been held the longest. The former Virginia resident was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea's border with Russia. The other two detainees hadn't been tried. Kim Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST. The university is the only privately funded college in North Korea and was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. He was detained last May for alleged anti-state activities. Tony Kim, who also uses the name Kim Sang-duk, was detained in April 2017 at the Pyongyang airport. He taught accounting at PUST. He was accused of committing unspecified criminal acts intended to overthrow the government. Pompeo, in his visit, discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim Jong Un summit in his meeting with Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the central committee of North Korea's ruling party. Kim Yong Chol noted improved relations between North and South Korea and pushed back against the idea that U.S. pressure led to the likely summit. "This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside," he said. That contradicted Trump, who has said repeatedly that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Pompeo's trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. Accompanying Pompeo were a few senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which the U.S. is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea moved to ease tensions, including the North sending a contingent to the Winter Olympics in the South. The Koreas' leaders' held their own summit last month. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss "denuclearization." According to South Korea, Kim says he's willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Kim was quoted by China's official news agency Xinhua as saying on Monday, "I hope to build mutual trust with the U.S. through dialogue." He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But his exact demands for relinquishing weapons that his nation spent decades building remain unclear. Previous U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the North's nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Pompeo and officials traveling with him said the Trump administration would not repeat mistakes of the past, which they described as accepting gradual, incremental and long-term disarmament in exchange for immediate benefits. Trump has said that withdrawing U.S. forces from South Korea is "not on the table." Some 28,500 U.S. forces are based in the allied nation, a military presence that has been preserved to deter North Korea since the war ended in 1953 without a peace treaty. Authorities say they have found a body in a Central Florida pond where they were searching for a person who was reported missing Wednesday and was heard yelling "it bit me, it bit me" by witnesses. Orange County Sheriff's Office officials said the body of a female was found in the pond in Orlando about 50 yards from the shoreline around 6:30 a.m. Thursday. Officials said there was no damage to the body and no signs of any marks from alligators or other wildlife, though gators had been spotted in the water. It's unknown how the female, whose age is unknown, got into the fenced retention pond and it's possible she was homeless, officials said. Detectives were working to identify her. We received a report of a missing 15-year-old boy near Salem Dr and Marietta St in Orlando. We, along with partner agencies including @OCFireRescue and @OrangeCoSheriff are on scene and actively searching a water body. Updates will be provided as info becomes available. MyFWC (@MyFWC) May 9, 2018 The search began Wednesday after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they received a report that a 15-year-old boy had gone missing at the pond. One witness said they saw the teen flailing in the water and yelling "it bit me, it bit me," officials said. What to Know The Miami Herald published photos of the cracks that were unintentionally sent by the school to the paper in response to a records request. Three independent engineers told the paper the cracks were a red flag signalling potentially critical structural problems. The February 28th memo came from a consulting engineer from the school who said one of the cracks merits special attention." Photos acquired by one local newspaper appear to show a crack in the pedestrian bridge near the campus of FIU just 10 days before it was raised into position only to come crashing down a week later, killing six people. The Miami Herald published photos of the cracks that were unintentionally sent by the school to the paper in response to a public records request. The cracks were seen in the same area where independent engineers say the collapse first occurred on the north side of the 950 ton bridge that spanned across Southwest 8th Street near 109th Avenue. Three independent engineers told the paper the cracks were a red flag signalling potentially critical structural problems. Crews were working on repairing the cracks when the structure collapsed on March 15th. The February 28th memo came from a consulting engineer from the school who said one of the cracks merits special attention and for there to be a response to the situation. That memo was sent out to the engineer from FIGG Bridge Group, the designers of the bridge, as well as a project manager from Munilla Construction Management, a Miami based company who built the bridge, among others. The documents did not indicate whether construction crews repaired the cracks before the failure. The National Transportation Safety Board, who is currently leading the investigation into the collapse, has told the school and the Florida Department of Transportation not to release records after February 19th. The collapse is also part of an open homicide investigation as well as lawsuits from victims of the tragedy, including families of those who died as well as those who were injured. What to Know Hattie Reynolds told police Saturday that she wanted 46-year-old Janeen Williams out of her house because she was in bed soaking up the A/C. When Williams began screaming and swearing at her, Reynolds said she slapped her with the slipper. A 95-year-old Florida woman landed in jail after calling police for help during an argument with her defiant granddaughter. Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri tells the Daytona Beach News-Journal that Hattie Reynolds probably wasn't a threat, but her admission of slapping her granddaughter in the face with a slipper qualified as domestic violence. An arrest report says Reynolds told police Saturday that she wanted 46-year-old Janeen Williams out of her house because she was in bed soaking up the air conditioning Reynolds pays for. When Williams began screaming and swearing at her, Reynolds said she slapped her with the slipper. Police handcuffed Reynolds and took her to jail for the night. Records show a judge released her on her own recognizance. A lawyer wasn't listed on records. It's a story that plays out too often here in South Florida - a child forgotten inside a hot car. Luckily for one family, it was not too late and now they are sharing their painful lesson and how they hope it will help save the lives of other children as the scorching summer months near. Last June, the Safille family went to visit grandparents in Naples, making a stop after grandma's house to the neighborhood pool. Six month old Koa was asleep in his car seat when they got there, while big brother Peyton was wide awake. Mom and dad, Amanda and Nick Safille pulled out the double stroller and the pool toys while each thought the other took their baby out of the car. "We closed the door because we thought he was there, Amanda said. We really thought he was with us because the canopies were down." The canopies shading the stroller blocked Amanda and Nicks view as they headed for the pool. They didnt realize their infant son was missing until some eight minutes later when their three year-old riding in the front of the stroller piped up with a question about his baby brother. He goes where's Koa. I was just really confused, Amanda said. I pull the canopy...and I just start freaking out. I look at him (Nick) and I'm like where's Koa? He was like I thought you had him andI thought is he in the car? The Safilles ran back to their SUV. "I will never ever be able to get the visual out of my head of thinking that he was going to be dead when we opened the door because it was so hot, Amanda said. "We opened the car and he was crying hysterically and he was sweating. According to the safety group kidsandcars.org, hot car deaths claimed the lives of 43 children in the United States last year. Now the Safilles have changed their car routine, and hope other families will do the same. What we did, we took the stuff out first, also the doors were open like you don't even think about it, the mother of two said. "Its really important that you focus on your children at all times, don't let any other thing distract you." We live in an age of cell phones, so many distractions, you get lost in your head and you're not in the moment, added Nick. As terrifying as their experience was, the Safille family is hoping it will serve as a lesson to other parents and they've created this Facebook page as a resource for safety information. A new study has ranked Floridas healthcare system as 48th in the country. The 2018 Scorecard on State Health System Performance published by the Commonwealth Fund analyzed 40 factors related to access to care, quality of care and health disparities across the nation. In Florida, deaths from suicide, alcohol and drug use increased, the study said, one of the factors that contributed to the Sunshine State's low ranking. While the rise in suicide and drug-related deaths were indicators that worsened overtime, Florida also had some improvements. More adults and children (0-64) are insured, and less adults went without care because of high medical costs, the study said. Other areas where Florida faltered include adults without all recommended vaccines, children without a medical home and hospital 30-day mortality. Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi trail the Sunshine State with rankings at 49, 50 and 51, respectively. Florida's ranking dropped five places from last year, the study said. For the second year, Hawaii leads the nation in healthcare, according to the study, with Massachusetts, Minnesota, Vermont and Utah following closely behind. Overall, the study found that high levels of obesity, rising death rates from drug and alcohol use and disparities in healthcare were challenges for all 50 states. To view the complete study, click here. What to Know Nikki Haley has called for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down. The Venezuelan embassy did not immediately comment on the move by the United States' UN ambassador. On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence urged members of the 35-nation Organization of American States to suspend Venezuela. The Trump administration called Tuesday for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down. "For the safety and security of all the peoples of Latin America, it is time for Maduro to go," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said during a speech on Latin America. "I am not sure how we will make that happen but I know that we can't stop," she said right after her speech during a conference organized by the Council of the Americas. "We have to continue to isolate Maduro until he gives in." Haley said the people of the South American country are "unwilling victims of a criminal narco-state" and said the May 20 elections in which Maduro is seeking re-election will be fraudulent if independent observers are absent. The Venezuelan embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence urged members of the 35-nation Organization of American States to suspend Venezuela. Quoting numbers from the United Nations, Haley said 1.5 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2014 and described the exodus as "the largest displacement of people in the region's history." The Venezuelan government has refused to allow international aid, alleging that would amount to foreign intervention. The South American nation also denies there is an ongoing humanitarian crisis. At the same event Tuesday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan announced an additional $18.5 million in bilateral funding to support displaced Venezuelans in Colombia. This new funding is in addition to the more than $21 million in humanitarian assistance the United States has provided since 2017. Haley's remarks were not limited to Maduro. She characterized the current situation in Venezuela as part of a model that also includes Cuba and Nicaragua and "has proved to be a complete and total failure." The U.S. diplomat made a reference to the recent street demonstrations that took place in Nicaragua and called on President Daniel Ortega to honor his offer to engage in a national dialogue, and to include the business community, students and the Roman Catholic church. "But talking is not enough," she said. "The real test will be whether the Ortega government will meet the people's demands for democratic reforms and transparency." Haley asked for the support of neighboring governments in confronting authoritarianism. "We cannot allow the last few surviving authoritarians to drag down the hemisphere," she said. What to Know Roger Stone, Pres. Trump's long-time adviser, decried Michael Avenatti's attacks on the president as a side show Stone told the I-Team that Rudy Giuliani was doing a good job defending Trump against "Gestapo tactics" from the special counsel's office Stone said reports about Michael Cohen's company and payments from foreign companies "would concern me" if true Roger Stone, a close political confidant of President Trump, says the claim that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen accepted a half-million dollars connected to a Russian billionaire could be a problem - if the accusation is true. "The headline would concern me if it's accurate," Stone said in a wide-ranging interview with the NBC New York I-Team Wednesday. Stone, who is on a tour promoting his new book "Stone's Rules," was quick to note that he'd seen little more than the headline itself. I also know how the fake news media sometimes works so Id like to see the facts before we rush to judgement. Stone also acknowledged that Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels, has successfully ripped a page out of Trumps political playbook by launching constant attacks against the president. Hes very effective on TV. He speaks in soundbites. Hes very aggressive and he remains on the attack. Its basically the same tactic the President uses, Stone said. In Avenattis most recent revelation, he released financial records Monday that purportedly show Cohen's company accepting payments connected to Russian tycoon Viktor Vekselburg and other companies with business before the US government. (Columbus Nova, the Vekselburg-linked company, has said that it is American owned, that it hired Cohen as a business consultant after the inauguration, and that reports of Vekselburg having used the company as a conduit for payments to Cohen are false.) Roger Stone says the lawyer who represents porn star Stormy Daniels has ripped a page right out of Donald Trumps media playbook. Despite Stones acknowledgment that Avenattis media strategy is a good one, the infamous political operative and self-described raconteur remained skeptical the Daniels story was having any real impact on President Trumps popularity. "This is not in the main ring in a three-ring circus, this is in one of the side venues," said Stone, who is on a tour promoting his new book on politics and style called "Stone's Rules." "GESTAPO TACTICS" Stone also said former mayor Rudy Giuliani was generally doing well defending the president from what he called the "Gestapo tactics" of the special counsel's office, though he did have some criticism for how Giuliani handled the recent disclosures around Trump's payments to Daniels. "On the narrow questions of the Stormy Daniels / Michael Cohen issue, in all honestly in my case all he's done is confuse me in terms of understanding exactly what happened, but overall I think he's doing a good job for the president," he said. Roger Stone says it would be concerning if Michael Cohens company accepted $500,000 from a Kremlin-connected firm. But Stone says he needs to see more evidence before believing the headlines. Stone is a longtime Republican operative and Trump campaign adviser who has had ties to the president for decades. Yet sources have told NBC News that Stone is also the focus of investigators looking at his ties during the campaign to WikiLeaks. Special counsel Robert Mueller's team has been asking witnesses about Stone's relationship with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and whether the Trump campaign knew WikiLeaks was going to released hacked Democratic emails, multiple people familiar with the probe have told NBC. Stone told News 4 there was no evidence the Russians had anything to do with those hacks, and he minimized the controversy over their involvement in the election. "It's clear that the Russians did some things to interfere in our elections," Stone said Wednesday. "It appears to me to have been ham-handed and ineffective at best." Roger Stone has suggested the Department of Justice may have improperly used a secret FISA warrant to monitor his international communications during the 2016 election. In this I-Team Interview, Stone says he had no phone calls with Russians and cant think of any significant communication he had with foreign persons. Stone, once described as "the cockroach of American politics" by The New Republic, was the youngest person called to testify before a grand jury investigating President Nixon and Watergate in the 1970s. What to Know Fire marshals have determined the Harlem movie-set fire that killed Lt. Michael Davidson in March was caused by heat from a boiler pipe The heat ignited nearby combustible materials in the cellar of 773 St. Nicholas Ave. according to FDNY The investigation also found the building's sprinkler system had been shut off and did not activate The movie-set inferno that killed a New York City firefighter inside a Harlem building in March was sparked by heat from a boiler ventilation flue pipe, fire officials say. FDNY marshals said Tuesday that the heat from the boiler pipe ignited nearby combustible materials in the cellar of 773 St. Nicholas Avenue on March 23. The building's sprinkler system had been shut off, and as a result, the sprinkler system couldn't activate when the fire spread to the rest of the building from the cellar (which did not have sprinklers installed). Fire-resistant materials had also been removed from the first-floor restaurant and nightclub, which exacerbated fire conditions as the blaze spread from the cellar, the fire marshals said. Firefighter Michael R. Davidson was killed in the fire. His death is also being investigated by the FDNY's Safety Command. The medical examiner previously ruled the 15-year veteran of the FDNY had died of smoke inhalation. The 37-year-old Davidson, a Queens native and a Long Island resident, was posthumously promoted to lieutenant. He left behind his wife and four young children -- a son and three daughters. His father is retired from the FDNY and his younger brother Eric is also a New York City firefighter. The basement of the building was being used at the time as the set of "Motherless Brooklyn," which is being directed by Ed Norton and stars Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe, Alec Baldwin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Leslie Mann. What to Know Health investigators believe romaine lettuce from Arizona is behind the 29-state E. coli outbreak that has sickened 149 people and killed 1 Eight cases have been reported in New Jersey, four in New York and two in Connecticut 64 people have been hospitalized across the nation, 17 with a type of acute kidney failure The E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce grown in Arizona has boomed to 149 cases in 29 states, though the death toll has not risen from the one reported last week, the Centers for Disease Control said Wednesday. That's an increase of 28 sick people since the last update one week ago. To date, 64 people have been hospitalized -- 17 of them for a type of acute kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome. The lone death was in California. Health officials have tied the E. coli outbreak to romaine lettuce grown in Yuma, Arizona, which provides most of the romaine sold in the U.S. during the winter. The growing season in Yuma ended about a month ago, said the University of Arizona's Russell Engel, the director of Yuma County's cooperative extension service, but investigators have yet to isolate a possible brand or supplier. [NY ONLY USES CANVA] These Hospitals in NYC and Surrounding Area Received Lowest Grades in New Safety Report The outbreak has now affected people in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida and nearly half the rest of the U.S. states. The most cases have been reported in California (30), followed by Pennsylvania (20) and Idaho (11). To date, New Jersey has eight cases -- an increase of one from the last CDC update -- New York has four (an increase of two) and Connecticut has two. Patients across the nation range in age from 1 to 88, with the median being 30. Sixty-five percent are female and 50 percent of the noted cases have involved hospitalizations. Ninety-one person of 112 people interviewed reported eating romaine lettuce in the week before their illnesses started, compared with 46 percent of healthy people. [NY ONLY CANVA] These Hospitals in New Jersey and New York Received Highest Grades in New Safety Report The CDC has warned to avoid eating any lettuce that may have been grown in Arizona and reiterated that warning on Wednesday. But even if no one is eating tainted lettuce now, case counts may still rise because there's a lag in reporting. The first illnesses occurred in March, and the most recent began on April 25, the CDC said. Most E. coli bacteria are not harmful, but some produce toxins that can cause severe illness. People who get sick from toxin-producing E. coli come down with symptoms about three to four days after swallowing the germ, with many suffering bloody diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. Most people recover within a week, but some illnesses can last longer and be more severe. [NY ONLY CANVA] 5 NYC Restaurants Land Among 25 Best in the Entire World in New Ranking What to Know A police officer is facing multiple charges stemming from an incident in which he assaulted a motorist on New Years Day, authorities say Michael Baror, 23, was arraigned on an 11-count indictment charging him with assault, leaving the scene of an incident and other charges Baror is due back in court Aug. 8; He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of the top count A police officer is facing multiple charges stemming from an incident in which he assaulted a motorist on New Years Day, authorities say. Michael Baror, 23, was arraigned Wednesday on an 11-count indictment charging him with assault, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, criminal possession of a weapon, reckless driving, menacing, among other charges. According to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, on Jan. 1 at around 10:30 p.m. Baror, was driving his personal vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, which was illegally equipped with lights and sirens. Baror allegedly flashed his high beams at a car in front of him and rear-ended it. He then allegedly got out of the car and pulled out his pistol and pistol-whipped the other driver, a 29-year-old man. He repeatedly struck the victim in the face with handcuffs before getting back in his vehicle and driving away, officials say. Top Tri-State News Photos The victim followed Baror, while the victims girlfriend, who was also in the vehicle, called 911 and remained on the phone during the car chase where both vehicles were allegedly speeding and running red lights. According to officials, the victim eventually crashed into Barors vehicle. Police were at the scene within minutes, but Baror had fled. Baror, an officer with Transit District 32, did not report the incident to police or his job. Baror was arrested the next day and a search of his vehicle allegedly revealed that he removed the lights and sirens. The victim was treated at a hospital and sustained stitches to his mouth. There is no place for road rage in Brooklyn and it is especially alarming coming from a trained police officer, Gonzalez said in a statement. Authorities say Baror was seen on surveillance video with a thick beard and hair on his head during part of the incident, however by the time police arrived to arrest him, he had shaved his head and beard. Barors bail was set at $15,000. Baror is due back in court Aug. 8. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of the top count. It is not immediately known if Baror retained an attorney to comment on the charges. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More What to Know Police discovered a body in a car registered to 24-year-old Shanaya Coley of Paterson, New Jersey Coley went missing at the beginning of December in what prosecutors described as a possible abduction Police found her vehicle parked less than a mile from where she was last seen and on Tuesday night officials identified that body as Coley's The body discovered in a car registered to a 24-year-old New Jersey woman who vanished last year has been positively identified as the missing mother. The body found in the vehicle's back seat is that of Shanaya Coley, of Paterson, who went missing at the beginning of December in what prosecutors described as a possible abduction. On Sunday morning, police responding to a call reporting an unattended car in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Marion Street in Paterson and discovered a gray Nissan Altima registered to Coley, the Passaic County Prosecutors Office said. Officers found a body in the vehicles back seat, and on Tuesday officials positively identified the body as Coley's, the prosecutors office said. Coley was the victim of a homicide and died from puncture and incision wounds. Prosecutors said she may have been hurt and abducted from her car. The man who found Coley's car on Sunday told NBC New York the car had been in his apartment building parking lot for months. As the weather got warmer, he started to notice a strange smell he hadn't noticed in the winter, he said. "The smell was so bad that if you were to walk in front of it, it would have pushed you away," said Wilfredo Morales. Coley, who has a son who was 3 years old in December, was last seen near Colonial Avenue in Paterson shortly before 11 p.m. on Dec. 5. The car discovered on Sunday was parked less than a mile from that location. Residents at the complex said the car was parked in one of the few spaces not reserved for tenants. But it's not clear who does get to park in those spaces. Friends of Coley were baffled as to how the car could have sat there, with her body in the back, for so long, with no one noticing something amiss. "I just think it's terrible nobody knew she was back here," said friend Tyshawn Davis. "It just seems so planned. Somebody just knew, they took a lot of time to plan this, this location." "There's other cars back here, so they are coming home from work and they have to see an unattended vehicle here for so long," he continued. "It was all over the news." The landlord of the building hung up on News 4 when reached for comment. Coleys father previously said that blood and his daughters glasses were found in the parking lot of the apartment complex she lived in. Coley had taken out a restraining order against an unknown person prior to her disappearance, he added. Shanaya's mother, Rachel Martin, said Monday she was grateful to her community. "It may not have been the way we wanted it to be, but they returned my child to me," she said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Passaic County Prosecutors Office tips line at 877-370-PCPO, email tips@passaiccountynj.org or call the Paterson Police Department Detective Bureau at 973-321-1120. Republican voters rejected ex-convict Don Blankenship in a West Virginia Senate primary in which he sold himself as "Trumpier than Trump" but was vigorously opposed by the president. GOP voters in Indiana, meanwhile, chose wealthy businessman Mike Braun over two sitting congressmen to lead the party's charge against a vulnerable Democratic senator in the fall. President Donald Trump and his allies cheered the West Virginia result Tuesday night, which helped avert a potential political disaster for a GOP already bracing for major losses in the November midterm elections. In both cases, Trump's party appears to have avoided the missteps that doomed candidates in high-profile Senate races in the past. Clinging to a 2-seat Senate majority, Republicans are well positioned to challenge at least two Senate Democrats this fall West Virginia's Joe Manchin and Indiana's Joe Donnelly who are facing re-election in the heart of Trump country. "The Republican Party had a great night. Tremendous voter energy and excitement, and all candidates are those who have a great chance of winning in November," Trump tweeted Wednesday. The day's slate of early season elections tested the limits of the anti-establishment fervor that has defined the Trump era. Hopelessly behind in West Virginia, Blankenship conceded defeat in the contest to determine Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's general election challenger. The Republican president fought in the campaign's final days to defeat Blankenship, a retired coal executive, who remained popular among some West Virginia Republicans despite having served a year in prison for his role in a deadly mine disaster and attacked the Asian heritage of the top Senate Republican's wife. State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey claimed the nomination instead, promoting his record of challenging policies of the administration of former President Barack Obama and deflecting criticism of his roots in New Jersey, where he lost a 2000 congressional race. "Mr. President, if you're watching right now, let me tell you, your tweet was huge," Morrisey said in his nomination address, referring to Trump's election eve call for voters to shun Blankenship's candidacy. "You've been to the state now four times. I'd like you to come back as many times as you can between now and November." Vice President Mike Pence congratulated Morrisey on Twitter, saying, "The great people of WV need a senator who supports the #MAGA agenda." The key Senate contests headlined primary elections across four states on Tuesday that will help shape the political landscape in this fall's midterm elections. Control of Congress is at stake in addition to state governments across the nation. In a possible sign of party unrest, however, Rep. Robert Pittenger lost in North Carolina to the Rev. Mark Harris, a Baptist pastor he narrowly beat two years ago. Pittinger is the first incumbent to lose his seat this primary season. In most cases, the Republican candidates on the ballot had competed to be seen as the most conservative, the most anti-Washington and the most loyal to the Republican president. In Indiana, Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly will face off in November against Braun, a multimillionaire owner of a national auto parts distribution business who loaned more than $5.4 million of his own money to his campaign. Braun credited his victory to voter disenchantment with "business as usual" and said he hoped to join other Republican senators who came from outside politics. Another Indiana contest was less contentious: Greg Pence won the primary for the congressional seat his younger brother, Vice President Mike Pence, once held. Greg Pence is a Marine veteran and owner of two antique malls who once ran the now-bankrupt chain of Tobacco Road convenience stores. He'll be the favorite to win the seat in November. In Ohio's high-profile governor's race, Democrats nominated Obama-era consumer watchdog Richard Cordray while Republicans selected state Attorney General Mike DeWine. An Ohio state senator won the Republican primary to succeed retiring Rep. Pat Tiberi. The race had become a proxy fight between Tiberi, a GOP moderate, and conservative Republican Rep. Jim Jordan. Tiberi's candidate, Troy Balderson of Zanesville pulled out a win. And on the local level, a woman who accused Trump of sexually harassing her more than a decade ago claimed the Democratic nomination in a race to represent an area southeast of Toledo in the state House of Representatives. Democrat Rachel Crooks, a 35-year-old university administrator, ran unopposed, but must next win a November general election to become the first Trump accuser to hold elected office. A bright spot for Republicans in swing-state Ohio: GOP turnout was considerably stronger than Democratic voting in the open governor's race. With nearly two-thirds of the vote counted, 567, 000 Republicans cast votes, to 412,000 Democrats. U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, with Trump's support, won the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. Yet none of Tuesday's other contests was expected to have more impact on the midterm landscape than West Virginia, where Blankenship had embraced Trump's tactics casting himself as a victim of government persecution and seizing on xenophobia, if not racism to stand out in a crowded Republican field that included Attorney General Morrisey and Congressman Evan Jenkins. Before his loss was official, Blankenship promised to explore his options in the general election including whether state election law might allow him to launch a third-party bid that could undermine Morrisey's candidacy. State officials noted that West Virginia's "sore loser" law leaves Blankenship with virtually no option to run in the general election. No matter Tuesday's winner, Trump's team was keeping pressure on Manchin. A pro-Trump political action committee America First was airing ads promoting Gina Haspel, Trump's nominee to be CIA director, and urging residents to call Manchin to support her confirmation. Manchin coasted to the Democratic nomination, but he remains a top Republican target this fall. Speaking Tuesday night at his Charleston headquarters, he said he expects Trump to get involved in the contest, despite Manchin's "good relationship" with the president. The Democrat said he would campaign as he always has: a bipartisan problem solver who works "for West Virginians." Trump and his party invested significant time and resources to attack Blankenship in recent weeks. The head of the Senate Republican campaign arm highlighted Blankenship's criminal history. And a group allied with the national GOP, known as Mountain Families PAC, spent more than $1.2 million in attack ads against Blankenship. The retired businessman was released less than a year ago from a prison term for a 2010 mine explosion that left 29 men dead. Blankenship led the company that owned the mine and was sentenced to a year in prison for conspiring to break safety laws, a misdemeanor. He repeatedly blamed government regulators for the disaster, casting himself as the victim of an overzealous Obama-era Justice Department an argument Trump regularly uses to dismiss federal agents investigating his campaign's ties to Russia. Even as Blankenship rebuffed Trump's criticism this week, he described himself as "Trumpier than Trump" and played up his outsider credentials. "We just started from so far behind with the hangover of the explosion we couldn't make it up," Blankenship said late Tuesday, noting that the probation stemming from his prison term would formally end in a matter of minutes. "I haven't really thought about what I'm going to do tomorrow," he continued. "Probation ends at 12:01 a.m. tonight. Tomorrow, I may be in Aruba before sunset. I don't know." Associated Press writers Bill Barrow and John Seewer contributed to this report. The mother of a Pennsylvania 16-year-old girl who police say was taken out of school and to Mexico by a 45-year-old man is suing him and the school, claiming she suffered financial, psychological and emotional harm. Federal agents found 45-year-old Kevin Esterly and the 16-year-old in Playa del Carmen in March. He faces charges including interfering with the custody of a child. Mui Luu's federal lawsuit, filed Monday, seeks unspecified punitive damages. It alleges Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School in Bethlehem violated Luu's constitutional rights to her daughter's safety by allowing Esterly to be listed as the girl's stepfather on an emergency contact form. Police said Esterly signed the girl out of school 10 times before the abduction without her parent's permission. The suit also alleges Esterly interfered with the custody of her daughter and caused her psychological and reputational damage. Messages seeking comment from the school and Esterly's lawyer wasn't immediately returned Wednesday. Six candidates jockeying to become the next governor of California took the stage in San Jose Tuesday night to participate in a debate less than one month before the June primary. Part 2 of Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss immigration focuses on statewide issues and topics. The Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area hosted the "Decision 2018: The Race for Governor" debate, moderated by Chuck Todd, NBC News' Political Director and Moderator of "Meet the Press." Decision 2018: Highlights From the California Gubernatorial Debate The six candidates who participated in the debate were Travis Allen (R), John Chiang (D), John Cox (R), Delaine Eastin (D), Gavin Newsom (D) and Antonio Villaraigosa (D). Six candidates jockeying to become the next governor of California took the stage in San Jose Tuesday night to participate in a debate less than one month before the June primary. The debate focused on a myriad of issues impacting Californians, including housing, transportation, the environment, education, and issues affecting children. If you missed the debate, we've got you covered in 90 seconds. The debate focused on a myriad of issues impacting Californians, including housing, transportation, the environment, education, and issues affecting children. The first 30 minutes focused exclusively on issues facing Northern California, followed by an hour of discussion on issues facing the whole state. Six candidates jockeying to become the next governor of California took the stage in San Jose Tuesday night to participate in a debate less than one month before the June primary. Anoushah Rasta, Terry McSweeney and Sam Brock report. The debate began with the topic of homelessness, the state's transportation and gas tax, the economy and education. Then the candidates dived into immigration. Candidates in the "Decision 2018: The Race for Governor" debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss immigration. Immigration As expected, immigration was a by far the hottest-button issue between the liberals and conservatives on opposite sides: Eastin: Central Americans fleeing violence should be welcomed into the border - we have all descended from immigrants. Allen, who brought up the Kate Steinle killing to talk about tighter immigration laws: We must secure our borders; we must end sanctuary cities. Newsom: We celebrate diversity - we are an asylum state. Thats what makes California great. Villaraigosa, on caravan immigrants whore stuck at the border: If theyre fleeing violence they should be able to seek asylum. Cox: We have wonderful legal immigrants - the issue is illegal immigration - people whore cutting in line." Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss housing and homelessness in the Bay Area and across the state. Housing, homelessness On the issue of homelessness, the candidates were in agreement that it needed to be addressed aggressively. Chiang: I will bring back redevelopment agencies to create more housing. Newsom: I will create a cabinet to look into the homelessness issue. Villaraigosa: We must end homelessness - we need housing for the homeless. Eastin: The next government should call for an emergency declaration - weve to get women and children off the streets. Allen: This is unacceptable - we must enforce the laws. Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss transportation. Transportation, gas tax The subject of California's gas tax to support the state's transportation infrastructure and repair its roads was a somewhat contentious one: Eastin: We need a gas tax. Our infrastructure is in need of repair. Cox: We dont need a gas tax." Villaraigosa: We havent passed a gas tax in this state in 25 years - our bridges and highways need repairs..I support the gas tax. Newsom: We need to extend that gas tax. Allen: California does not need a high-speed rail. If you want to go anywhere in California, you can take Southwest Airlines. Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss education. Education On education, the candidates agreed on bolstering funds for schools: Chiang: Weve got to invest in early education - in entrepreneurship. Eastin, a former state superintendent of public instruction: Weve got to invest in education - theres a lot of work left to be done. President Trump Villaraigosa: Talking and tweeting about Trump is not going to make our health care better, our streets safer. Eastin: The president of the United States leaves me jaw-dropping all the time. Cox: "I didn't vote for Donald Trump." Meet the California Gubernatorial Debate Candidates Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss if character matters in this race? Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss privacy in the wake of the Facebook data scandal. Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss the DACA program. Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss sanctuary state. Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss the High-Speed Rail project. Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss pensions and how to fund public education. Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area discuss the states relationship with the Trump administration. Candidates in the Decision 2018: The Race for Governor debate hosted by Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area examine the current field. What are some of the big issues California is facing in 2018? Immigration, jobs, environment and housing are just some of the topics the gubernatorial candidates will face off on in Tuesday's debate. Sam Brock reports. To join the conversation online about the debate, use #CAGovDebate on Twitter, and follow @nbcbayarea and @siliconvalleycf. Over the last decade, automakers have improved car safety with more airbags, rear-view cameras, and stability control systems. In California, the California Highway Patrol has ramped up their efforts, reminding the public about the dangers of drinking and driving, texting while behind the wheel and handing out seatbelt violation tickets. Yet, the number of people dying while driving still remains high. Nationally, more than 40,000 people died in car crashes last year, according to the National Safety Council. In the last decade, 868 people died on San Diego County freeways and highways, according to the latest data figures NBC 7 Investigates requested from the California Highway Patrol. NBC 7 Investigates found the most deaths occurred on the most traveled freeway: Interstate 5 with 181 deaths. To see a map showing all fatal accidents on local freeways since 2008, click here or look below. Using the number of fatal crashes on each freeway since 2008, and the freeways length in miles, NBC 7 Investigates found State Route 163 had the highest number fatal crash rate per mile, followed by Interstate 805. NBC 7 Investigates used a Federal Highway Administration formula that takes into account the number of fatal crashes reported in the last eight years, the average annual daily traffic (AADT) volume and the freeways length in miles to calculate each freeway's fatal crash rate for every 100-million miles traveled. (Our analysis did not include freeways that had less than six fatal crashes in the last eight years: State Routes 56, 75, 905, 188 and Highway 101) Using the formula, State Route 79 had the highest fatal crash rate for every 100-million vehicle miles traveled on the freeway. This was based on the 24 fatal accidents reported since 2008, the freeways length of 106.7 miles and average annual traffic of 46,875 drivers. State Route 76 had the second highest fatal crash rate for every 100-million vehicle miles traveled on the freeway. This was based on 74 fatal accidents since 2008 and an average 1.4-million drivers using the 52-mile stretch of State Route 76 each year. NBC 7 Investigates reached out to the Federal Highway Administration to confirm our use of the formulas above and a spokesperson said the analysis was valid for these purposes but would be considered relatively simple, as the formulas do not take into consideration other roadway features including curves, speed limits or other characteristics that might have an influence on fatal crash rates. All crashes are as a result of somebody doing the wrong thing behind the wheel, Officer Jake Sanchez with the California Highway Patrol said. Whether that's speeding, whether that's texting or not paying attention to the road. To see where fatalities occurred on San Diego Countys freeways, click here. Out of the 868 people killed in the last decade on San Diego Countys freeways, 345 were killed as a result of a crash involving a driver being under the influence. 29 people were killed in DUI crashes in 2017. Sanchez said high speed is the biggest factor in a fatal collision and can be associated with about 90-percent of crashes here locally. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said for every five mile-per-hour increase on the nations highways, there is an 8-percent increase in highway fatalities. Six states have a top speed of 80 miles per hour. In Texas, the maximum speed is 85. In California, the maximum speed limit on most highways is 65 miles per hour. The only stretch in the county that you hit 70 is up on the 15, North Escondido. The rest of it is 65, said Sanchez. [[482105451,c]] The city of Alexandria is moving toward changing the name of Jefferson Davis Highway. The Alexandria City Council accepted on Tuesday the report of an ad hoc advisory group that recommends stripping the name of the president of the Confederacy from U.S. Route 1. The Washington Post reports the name Richmond Highway was recommended because that is what the road is called in Fairfax County. The council also agreed the city manager will introduce an ordinance with the name change, clearing the way for a public hearing followed by a June 23 vote. The city is aiming to change the named by Jan. 1. Residents were mixed in their opinion of the change. Service on Metro's Red Line has resumed Thursday morning after a massive building fire nearby suspended service in one area for hours Wednesday night. Firefighters worked to battle the fire at a building at 6500 Chillum Place NW, for hours Wednesday night, and were still working to contain the fire early Thursday, D.C. Fire and EMS said. Regular Metro service resumed as of 6:20 a.m. Thursday, but a few hours later, trains began single-tracking between the Silver Spring and Fort Totten stations. Metro said trains shared a track at the request of D.C. Fire and EMS. Regular service resumed again Thursday evening. Riders should set aside some extra time for their commutes. Metro says crowding conditions are possible. The structure is located several blocks southeast of the Takoma Metro station. Part of the building's roof eventually collapsed, and massive flames could be seen shooting out of the gaping hole. Dozens of cars were parked on the building's rooftop parking deck and it appeared that some of them had fallen through or were on the brink of falling. Earlier Wednesday, video from Chopper4 showed thick white plumes of smoke pouring out of the building. The roof started to buckle and smoke steamed out of cracks forming in the cement. The fire department warned that if the building collapsed, it could affect the Metro and CSX rail lines that are behind it. CSX trains were traveling at a slower speed. Metro service was suspended Wednesday night between the Fort Totten and Silver Spring stations. One firefighter was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, the fire department said on Twitter. Real estate developing company District Properties has offices at the building, according to the company's website. Going to community college will be free for many Maryland residents next year. Gov. Larry Hogan signed a bill Monday the covers tuition costs at community colleges for qualifying residents. The legislation was approved near the end of this year's legislative session. It will create a $15 million program to provide scholarships of up to $5,000 to students from families earning less than $125,000 a year. Single adults earning less than $90,000 also would be eligible for the money. To qualify, prospective students must enroll in a Maryland community college within two years of finishing high school or obtaining a GED. Students would have to take 12 credit hours and have a high school GPA of at least 2.3. The program will go into effect in 2019. Staging a made-for-TV, still-of-the-night arrival ceremony, President Donald Trump welcomed home three Americans freed by North Korea and declared their release a sign of promise toward his goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Speaking early Thursday on an air base tarmac with the former detainees by his side, Trump called it a "great honor" to welcome the men to the U.S., but said "the true honor is going to be if we have a victory in getting rid of nuclear weapons." Trump also thanked North Korea's Kim Jong Un for releasing the Americans and said he believes Kim wants to reach an agreement on denuclearization at their upcoming summit. "I really think he wants to do something," the president said. First lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other top officials joined Trump to celebrate the occasion at Joint Base Andrews near Washington. The men Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim had been released Wednesday amid a warming of relations between the longtime adversaries. Shortly before 3 a.m. the president and first lady boarded the medical plane on which the men had traveled and spent several minutes meeting with them privately. The group then emerged at top of the airplane stairway, where the men held up their arms in an exuberant display. As the men entered into view, U.S. service members on the tarmac burst into applause and cheers. "This is a special night for these three really great people," Trump told reporters. On the U.S. relationship with North Korea, Trump declared, "We're starting off on a new footing." The freed prisoners appeared tired but in excellent spirits, flashing peace signs and waving their arms as they emerged from the aircraft. When asked by reporters how it felt to be home, one of the men answered through a translator, "It's like a dream; we are very, very happy." They later gave the president a round of applause. After Trump's remarks, the three men boarded a bus for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where they are to be evaluated and receive medical treatment before being reunited with their families. The White House carefully choreographed the event, hoisting a giant American flag between two fire trucks on the tarmac and inviting reporters to witness the return. The image-conscious president told reporters, "I think you probably broke the all-time-in-history television rating for 3 o'clock in the morning." The highly public and politically tinged display stood in stark contrast to the low-key and very private reception that the State Department had envisioned and carried out from the moment it took custody of the men, in keeping with a tradition of trying to protect potentially traumatized victims from being thrust into the spotlight so soon after their ordeal. Department officials took great pains on the prisoners' release in North Korea, as well as on their flights to Japan and Alaska, to keep them sequestered not only from the two journalists traveling with Pompeo but also from staffers not immediately involved in their cases. The trio, along with medical personnel that included a psychiatrist, were cloistered in the middle of Pompeo's plane in a small section of 12 business class-size seats that was cordoned off by curtains on both ends. State Department officials refused to discuss anything but the most basic details of their conditions, citing privacy concerns in keeping with the minimal amount of information they had released since the men were imprisoned. Pompeo had secured their release in Pyongyang after meeting with Kim on final plans for the Trump-Kim summit. The Americans had boarded Pompeo's plane out of North Korea without assistance and then transferred in Japan to the Boeing C-40 outfitted with medical facilities for the trip back to the U.S. Shortly after they touched down on American soil in Alaska for a refueling stop Wednesday afternoon, the State Department released a statement from the freed men. "We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home," they said. "We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world." Singapore has emerged as the likely host of the U.S.-North Korean summit, late this month or in early June, as Trump seeks to negotiate denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in his highest-stakes foreign policy effort yet. Trump made a point of publicly thanking North Korea's leader for the prisoners' release "We want to thank Kim Jong Un" and hailed it as a sign of cooling tensions and growing opportunity on the Korean peninsula. Kim decided to grant amnesty to the three Americans at the "official suggestion" of the U.S. president, said North Korea's official news agency, KCNA. North Korea had accused the three Korean-Americans of anti-state activities. Their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation's nuclear weapons. Pence said in an NBC News interview that the administration hopes the detainees' release "is a sign that this is a real opportunity to achieve peace on the Korean peninsula." Asked whether Trump, in having called Kim "honorable," has raised expectations too high for negotiations, Pence said the regime has been dealing "in good faith." Pressed on Kim being a dictator, Pence said, "we have no illusions about that." Trump entered office as an emboldened North Korea developed new generations of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of hitting the continental U.S. Those advances were the subject of President Barack Obama's starkest warning shortly before Trump took office, and this is a crisis he's convinced his negotiating skills can resolve. Crediting himself for recent progress, Trump has pointed to Kim's willingness to come to the negotiating table as validating U.S. moves to tighten sanctions branded "maximum pressure" by the president. The three were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016, accused of stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. "We are happy for the hostages and their families," the Warmbiers said in a statement Wednesday. "We miss Otto." After the release of the detainees Thursday, North Korea's state-run media explicitly mentioned plans for the summit for the first time Thursday. Pyongyang has been exceptionally cautious about its public framing of Kim's recent diplomatic moves, which are a major shift from the more aggressive focus on missile launches and nuclear development that heated tensions to a boil last year. Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Ken Thomas and Eric Talmadge contributed to this report. What to Know If confirmed, she would become the first woman to direct the CIA She staunchly defended her role in the 2005 destruction of videotapes of interrogation sessions conducted at a covert site Senators grilled Haspel and her hearing was disrupted by protesters shouting "Prosecute the torturers!" and "Bloody Gina" President Donald Trump's CIA nominee said during her confirmation hearing that she doesn't believe torture works as an interrogation technique and that her "strong moral compass" would prevent her from carrying out any presidential order she found objectionable. Under questioning Wednesday by members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, acting CIA Director Gina Haspel said she would not permit the spy agency to restart the kind of harsh detention and interrogation program it ran at black sites after Sept. 11. It was one of the darkest chapters of the CIA's history and tainted America's image worldwide. Senators asked how she would respond if Trump who has said he supports harsh interrogation techniques like waterboarding and "a hell of a lot worse" ordered her to do something she found morally objectionable. "I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal," said Haspel, a 33-year veteran of the agency. "I would absolutely not permit it." When asked if she agrees with the president's assertion that torture works, Haspel said: "I don't believe that torture works." She added that she doesn't think Trump would ask the CIA to resume waterboarding, which simulates drowning. But Haspel did not directly answer repeated questions from Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., over whether she still believes the interrogation techniques the CIA used were immoral at the time. In a tweet late Wednesday, Trump gushed: "Gina Haspel did a spectacular job today. There is nobody even close to run the CIA!" Haspel, vying to become the first female CIA director, faces what will likely be a close confirmation vote in the full Senate. The committee vote on Haspel's confirmation will likely be held next week behind closed doors, NBC News reported. If her nomination advances out of committee, leadership would like to have a full confirmation vote on the Senate floor before lawmakers leave for a week-long Memorial Day recess. While she has deep experience, her nomination is contentious because she was chief of base of a covert detention site in Thailand where terror suspects were waterboarded. There also have been questions about how she drafted a cable that her boss used to order the destruction of videotapes of interrogation sessions conducted at the site. After the hearing, Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a leading voice against harsh interrogation, issued a statement urging his colleagues to vote against Haspel's confirmation. "I believe Gina Haspel is a patriot who loves our country and has devoted her professional life to its service and defense. However, Ms. Haspel's role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture's immorality is disqualifying," said McCain, who was detained and beaten in prison during the Vietnam War. He is at home in Arizona while battling brain cancer and is not expected to be able to vote. While it's unclear what effect McCain's stance will have on Haspel's confirmation, his views carry clout as a voice of principle from the only senator now serving who has been held captive during wartime. Protesters disrupted the hearing shouting, "Prosecute the torturers!" and "Bloody Gina!" Haspel remained stone-faced as police escorted them out of the room. "I realize that there are strong disagreements on the effectiveness of the CIA's detention and interrogation program," Haspel wrote in answers to more than 100 questions submitted by committee members and released at her hearing. "In my view a view shared by all nine former directors and acting directors the CIA was able to collect valuable intelligence that contributed to the prevention of further terrorist attacks. That said, it is impossible to know whether the CIA could have obtained the same information in another way," she wrote. She also said there is little question that the program harmed CIA officers who participated and that it damaged U.S. relations with allies. Being in the public spotlight is new for Haspel. She spent more than 30 years working undercover, acquiring secret information from dead drops and at meetings in dusty back alleys of third-world capitals. Still, the 61-year-old intelligence professional portrayed herself as a "typical middle-class American" with a "strong sense of right and wrong." She said she was born in Kentucky as the eldest of five children. While her family has deep roots there, she grew up as an Air Force brat, following her father to postings all over the world. She staunchly defended her role in the 2005 destruction of the videotapes. She said that she never saw the videos and was not depicted on them, but that the destruction was important at the time to protect the CIA personnel showed on the tapes from being targeted by militants. She said, however, that she would not support destroying them today. The Justice Department investigated the destruction of the tapes, but no charges were filed. Six Democratic senators wrote Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday saying that all senators should be able to see the Justice Department's investigative report on the destruction of the tapes. The Democrats wrote that they "believe that no senator can consider Ms. Haspel's nomination in good conscience without first reviewing this document." The CIA investigated too. Last month, the CIA released a 2011 memo summarizing a disciplinary review conducted by then-CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell. He said that while Haspel was one of the two officers "directly involved in the decision to destroy the tapes," he "found no fault" with what she did. While the CIA director technically reports to the director of national intelligence, Haspel would be the face of the nation's top spy agency and a top Trump adviser. She has received strong backing from former top intelligence officials and most Republicans. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., also announced his support Wednesday. But Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, who announced he will vote against Haspel, and several Democrats on the committee said they thought she was not as forthcoming in her responses as they had hoped. Haspel's opponents outside Congress include Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. More than 100 former U.S. ambassadors who served both Republican and Democratic presidents sent the Senate a letter opposing Haspel, saying that despite her credentials, confirming her would give authoritarian leaders around the world the license to say U.S. behavior is "no different from ours." The CIA director position opened up after Mike Pompeo was named secretary of state. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. The Dominican Republic established diplomatic relations with China on Tuesday, breaking ties with Beijing's rival Taiwan in the latest blow to the self-ruled island democracy China has been trying to isolate on the global stage. Taiwan said it was "deeply upset" by the move. Officials from China and the Dominican government signed a joint communique at an event in Beijing announcing the establishment of ties. The Dominican Republic "breaks diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which is an inalienable part of China, and will not maintain any kind of official relations or contacts," said foreign minister Miguel Vargas, who sat alongside Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi. The decision was the latest setback for Taiwan in the Caribbean and Latin America. Panama dropped its longtime ties with Taiwan last year and established relations with China, which considers Taiwan to be Chinese territory. The island is recognized as a sovereign nation by only 19 mainly small, developing countries. Taiwan criticized what it called China's "dollar diplomacy" and announced it would terminate ties with the Dominican Republic immediately, including all projects and assistance it provides to the Caribbean nation. "This is an unfriendly and destructive approach to cross-strait relations," Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen told reporters at an event in Taipei, referring to China's action. "These actions will make the people in Taiwan feel disappointed and increase the variables in cross-strait relations." The announcement came just a day after Tsai had met with the foreign minister of Haiti, one of Taiwan's allies, in Taipei. Beijing has been seeking to increase pressure on Tsai, whose independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party says it wants stable relations with China, but refuses to endorse the "one China" principle. Some analysts say Chinese President Xi Jinping, one of the most powerful Chinese leaders in decades, seems determined to bring Taiwan under Beijing's control during his time in office, something that would place him in the history books alongside Mao Zedong. The island's 23 million residents are strongly in favor of maintaining their de facto independent status, but Xi has previously warned a Taiwanese envoy that the issue of unification cannot be put off indefinitely. Wang, China's foreign minister, hailed "a new page in the history of bilateral ties" between Beijing and the Dominican Republic. "From now on, China has one more good friend in Latin America with whom we could help each other," Wang said. Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Beijing had offered "vast financial incentives" to the Dominican Republic to get it to end 77 years of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Wu warned that Beijing has failed to deliver on hundreds of millions of dollars in pledges to some of Taiwan's former diplomatic allies. He said the Taiwanese government was "deeply upset by China's actions." Taiwan "strongly condemns China's objectionable decision to use dollar diplomacy to convert Taiwan's allies," Wu said. "While Taiwan faces serious diplomatic challenges, the government will not bow down to pressure from Beijing," Wu said. Flavio Dario Espinal, legal consultant to the Dominican presidential office, said at a news conference Monday in Santo Domingo that the change in foreign policy was based on the "needs, potential and future prospects" of his Caribbean nation. "History and socioeconomics reality now force us to change course," he said. Espinal said that even without formal diplomatic relations with China, trade between the two countries "has grown year after year to the point that today China is the second biggest supplier of our imports." After Panama cut its ties with Taiwan, then-Taiwanese Foreign Minister David Tawei Lee visited the Dominican Republic last July as part of a campaign to shore up its relations and propose new cooperation projects. During his stay in Santo Domingo, Lee also met with Taiwan's ambassadors in Latin America to discuss strategies for not losing more allies. The Dominican Republic has received millions of dollars in donations for development programs from Taiwan, but the government also started commercial and political contacts with China beginning in the middle of the past decade. According to the Dominican government, bilateral trade with China has reached $2 billion a year, making the Dominican Republic the second-largest trading partner for China among the Caribbean and Central American nations. Espinal said the government informed Taiwan of its move earlier Monday and thanked the Taiwanese for "the cooperation that we have shared for years." He said that had allowed "the development of very important programs" for the Dominican Republic. Taiwan split from mainland China amid civil war in 1949, and Beijing campaigns relentlessly to isolate the island globally. It cut off relations with Tsai's government shortly after she took office in 2016 and has been steadily ratcheting up both diplomatic and economic pressure. Chinese analysts say Beijing will likely continue to use its economic and political clout to lure away other Taiwanese allies until Tsai accedes to China's demands. Tsai said Beijing's actions against Taiwan including ramped up military drills around the island have increased tensions. Beijing's actions have "unilaterally undermined the peaceful status quo across the strait and are not what a responsible member of the international community should be doing," a statement from her office said. "Such mistakes should be stopped immediately." Beijing insists that only it has the right to represent China in international society. The island is excluded from the United Nations and other multinational bodies that require official governmental recognition at China's insistence. Associated Press reporter Ezequiel Abiu Lopez contributed to this report. Police are searching for the person who shot and killed a federally protected falcon in Salem, New Hampshire. Authorities said an officer responded to a home on Twinbrook Avenue Saturday afternoon for a report of a dead peregrine falcon after the homeowner found it on his property. With the help of New Hampshire Fish and Game, authorities determined that the falcon had been shot, likely by a .22 caliber round. The falcon was believed to have been shot while perched in a tree. The bullet was not found. Police said the bird had tags by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for tracking purposes. Authorities say peregrine falcons are a federally protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The shooting of the falcon is considered a crime. Anyone with information is urged to contact Salem Police at 603-890-2390 or New Hampshire Fish and Game at 603-271-3127. The Stars and Stripes Spectacular fireworks show in Portland, Maine, is in serious trouble. The annual Fourth of July celebration on the Eastern Promenade, which draws 50,000 spectators, is on the verge of being cancelled due to a lack of corporate sponsors and funding. "It's very unfortunate," said Tim Reardon, spokesperson for July 4th Portland, the non-profit group behind the Stars and Stripes Spectacular. Reardon said they need to raise about $70,000 in the next few weeks or else they will not be able to put on the event. In April, the group announced it could not afford to hire the Portland Symphony Orchestra to perform, due to a lack of funds. This week, Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling asked the city's finance committee to reconsider a line in the budget to give the Stars and Stripes Spectacular $35,000 to pay for fireworks. "There's a lot of conversation about cutting the school budget, and if we're going to have to make choices between cutting teachers and fireworks, I'm going to land on the side of making sure our kids have teachers," said Strimling. Reardon said every year, sponsors have dropped out and expenses has gone up. Strimilng said he recently learned the city had been quietly subsidizing the event, and spent about $100,000 over the last few years. He is asking city staff for a review of the expenditures. "Maybe there is a scaled down version of [The Stars and Stripes Spectacular] the community is willing to support," said Strimling. He said he hopes another group, such as the Chamber of Commerce, can step in and save the event. "It would be a shame," Portland resident Lynne Marzilli said of a potential cancellation. "It's a wonderful event, and it brings together a lot of people to celebrate a significant thing." A "violent" felon has turned himself in to police custody in Buxton, Maine. According to WCSH-TV, Vincent Cole turned himself in on Wednesday morning. Police in York County had been searching for Cole since Sunday saying he was possibly armed. Authorities told WCSH-TV, Cole is a felon with a violent history with two active arrest warrants for violation of conditions of release. He was recently out on bail for aggravated assault. Cole was believed to be with Natasha West and the couple's 2-year-old child. The whereabouts of West and the child are still unclear. Scott Pruitt, EPA Administrators assertion that global warming might be beneficial may be reassuring to some, but others living close to the coast prefer the safety of an early warning when they might be flooded from rising sea levels. Predicting floods from storm surges, rain, hurricanes and tides over miles of coastline is hard. How do your monitor water levels over such a broad area? How can floods be predicted with these data streams? How can thousands of people be alerted? The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) is pioneering an innovative approach that combines IoT sensors, advanced mapping and Alexa. Hampton Roads is a large coastal area between SouthEastern Virginia and NorthEastern Carolina thats vulnerable to flooding. VIMS StormSense helps local coastal communities prepare for the disastrous impacts of sea level and coastal flooding. Derek Loftis, Assistant Research Scientist VIMS, and Sridhar Katragadda, System Analyst, City of Virginia Beach explained their award winning design. The shoreline has changed in response to natural storm events and commercial activity as Norfolk has developed into one of the worlds largest and busiest commercial harbors. As the shoreline has been developed over the centuries to suit the needs of a growing population, the volume of water displaced by new land must be accommodated elsewhere in the estuary. Citizen science with crowd-sourcing effort with the Sea Level Rise mobile app have undertaken the task of collecting maximum flooding extent measurements of the flooding that routinely plagues Norfolk and the rest of Hampton Roads. Many of the places the flood extents occupy can be linked to the former creek beds of previous centuries. Naturally, while a wall or bulkhead may be reinforced or elevated to act as a sea wall, when floodwaters are high enough during extra high tides, these lower elevation legacy creek beds will be the first areas to flood during even minor storm events. An interactive map of flood vulnerabilities demonstrates the anticipated inundation extents as a result of storm surge from a category 1 4 hurricane. These estimated extents are helpful in terms of planning and emergency preparedness. Its important to research the combined effects of tide and rainfall, which commonly accompany significant storm surges. StormSense was used in 2015 to predict flooding up to 36 hours prior to flooding during the September King Tide flooding events. Sensors A network of bridge-mounted IoT water level sensors from VALARM are deployed in rivers, estuaries and non-tidal areas across Hampton Roads to monitor water levels. This map shows the sensor deployments. Time-stamped water level readings along with the sensors geo-coordinates are transmitted to the cloud via cellular broadband and LoRaWAN. This data is mapped by StormSense in real-time with ESRI ArcGIS Online. Three types of sensors are being used: Senix ultrasonic sensors Flowline ultrasonic sensors Flowline radar sensors Both ultrasonic and 26 GHz pulse radar "level" or distance sensors by Flowline and Senix are deployed in this project and send data to the Valarm Tools cloud servers over 3G/4G cellular networks. Flood prediction models Tide levels, storm surges and rainfall can all contribute to a flood. VIMS analyzes this datastream and water level data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) using Microsoft Power BI to predict floods. Hydrodynamic models predict floods from storm surge and rainfall. The models have been used in the past with success in accurately predicting timing, depths and extent of flooding. Cities in the program pay about $20/month for both the sensor and data transmission for this advance warning system. A small price to pay for the reduction in property damage and injuries! Alert generation Automated flood alerts send threshold notifications when water levels reach critical thresholds for nuisance flooding of roadways, to certain thresholds of structures being affected by flooding. These alerts will shortly be offered to the general public as well. An Alexa skill named storm sense is used to respond to requests about water levels and flood warnings. The skill first has to be enabled by the user on their Alexa or Reverb app in order to work. The skill interacts with the aggregated streaming data from the sensor networks that is stored in AWS DynamoDB and AWS Lambda - this supports the interaction between the data stream and Alexa. A user can simply ask Alexa ask storm sense water level at London bridge?. Water level and London bridge are the variables extracted from this verbal query and used as parameters to query the data stream. A verbal response is generated from multiple parameters and spoken by Alexa. Chatbots are being considered for future alerts that could be delivered on Facebook, Skype and Slack. VIMS StormSense uses a small investment in IoT sensors, ArcGIS mapping and Alexa skills to save millions in damages for thousands of Hampton Roads residents. Global warming may be beneficial as Scott Pruitt says, but most people would prefer to stay dry. Cavium this week announced general availability of ThunderX2, its second-generation 64-bit, ARM-based system-on-a-chip (SoC) line of server processors. And its coming with some big-name endorsements. The first generation, ThunderX, had a more muted launch two years ago. No one wanted to get on Intels bad side, it seemed, and Intel was viewing ARM, not AMD, as its biggest threat. Fast forward two years, and Cavium has endorsements from HPE, Cray, and Atos, as well as HPC users such as Sandia National Labs and the U.K.s GW4 Isambard project. Cavium announced ThunderX2 almost two years ago. Its not an upgrade to ThunderX; its a whole new chip. It acquired a line of ARM server processors code-named Vulcan from Broadcom after the company was acquired by Avago and decided to shed its data center effort. Cavium, which is in the process of being acquired by fellow chip maker Marvell, has spent the past two years bringing the ThunderX2 processor and ecosystem up to speed for a very big launch. The ThunderX2 family includes more than 40 different SKUs for both scale-up and scale-out applications, from a 16-core 1.6GHz part to a 32-core 2.5GHz part. With list prices for volume SKUs ranging from $800 to $1,795, the ThunderX2 family is a whole lot cheaper than the Xeon line. Cavium partners with big-name companies And Cavium has partners now. Cray announced it has a programming environment and compilers specifically for the Cavium ThunderX2 processor, while HP Enterprise said some of its HPE Apollo 70 servers would use ThunderX2 processors. And Microsoft said it has contributed the design of the ThunderX2 motherboard for Microsofts Project Olympus contribution to the Open Compute Project. Those three were already announced as supporters of Cavium. Effective this week, the company landed a new partner, Oracle. The two companies announced ThunderX2 platform support for Oracle Linux. The two firms have collaborated on the development program, which includes contributions to the open source community. Oracle Linux 7 is engineered for open cloud infrastructure and is designed for scalable, reliable enterprise SaaS and PaaS workloads, as well as traditional enterprise applications. Oracle Linux 7 is available as a developer preview release. Cavium moves ahead of Qualcomm Cavium is now ahead of its chief rival in the ARM data center space, Qualcomm. It has a 64-bit ARM-compatible processor called the Centriq. The top-end model has 48 cores (to ThunderX2s 32) at 2.2GHz. The speeds and feeds seem roughly the same, but the key difference between the two is ThunderX2 comes in a single- or dual-socket solution, while Centriq is strictly single socket. And as it turns out, Qualcomm might be looking to dump Centriq. A Bloomberg report cites anonymous sources (are there any other kind) who say the company is looking to get out of non-core businesses. The article notes that since Qualcomm shipped Centriq last November, it hasnt been talking much about the product line. And in the product world, silence is a bad thing. Bloomberg said Qualcomm could either sell Centriq or shut it down. If they sell it, it could get very interesting to see who emerges as a bidder. Director of Beenham conservation centre made decision 'with a heavy heart' THE world-renowned UK Wolf Conservation Trust in Beenham will be closing its doors to the public this year. Visitors to the popular sanctuary at Butlers Farm in Beenham have until August 31 to see the trusts 10 wolves up close for the last time. Director of the trust Tsa Palmer said: After a great deal of thought and with much sadness we have decided not to renew our zoo licence in September and will revert to holding a Dangerous Wild Animals Act licence. Consequently, the trust will close its doors to Wednesday visitors and all public events with the wolves at the end of August. The trust was founded in 1995 by businessman and hunting enthusiast Roger Palmer, who wanted to dispel the myths and misconceptions surrounding the animals. Encouraged and inspired by Dr Erich Klinghammer, the founder of Wolf Park in Indiana, Mr and Mrs Palmer formed the UK Wolf Conservation Trust in 1995. Over the last 20-plus years, the trust has received 200,000 visitors and Mrs Palmer said that it had struggled to cope with the almost 12,000 visitors it received last year. As I approach retirement age and a quieter life, I have made this decision with a heavy heart, she said. The wolves will remain in their enclosures, with sufficient funds saved over the years to care for them. Volunteers who know them will continue to walk and socialise them. My children Lara, Johnny and I will ultimately share the responsibility for their welfare. Mrs Palmer said that wolves Torak, Mosi, Mai and Motomo were reaching the twilight years of their life and deserved optimum care and attention. The trust hit international news headlines earlier this year when Torak escaped from his enclosure. He left the sanctuary and led sanctuary staff and police on a five-and-a-half-hour chase across eight miles of West Berkshire countryside on January 18. He was safely recaptured unharmed by Mrs Palmer and a colleague near Curridge. Mrs Palmer said that Torak was a little lame for a day and had a weepy eye following the adventure. Donations for Torak soared following the international publicity, which also attracted new visitors to Beenham. And the reason for Toraks escape was a deliberate act by an intruder. Mrs Palmer said that the large gate at the front of the enclosure had been left ajar and the padlocks were still in place. She said: It had been forced open in the night levered so the bolts came out of the eyes that hold them. The trust has since upgraded its CCTV cameras and general security, along with donating 5,000 to Thames Valley Police Cadets as a gesture of gratitude to the force. Mrs Palmer said she was very proud of the trusts achievements, ranging from breeding the first European wolves in the UK for more than 350 years and importing the first Arctic wolves to the UK, to educating people and donating 355,000 to wolf conservation projects around the world. She thanked all the staff, volunteers, members and visitors who had supported the trust and contributed to its success. The trusts website will provide regular updates on its wolves, but it will not be able to answer any emails from August 31. Donations to the trust can be made via the trusts website at https://ukwct.org.uk/ BRIDGEPORT The owners of a cutting edge power generator a micro-grid recently installed in City Hall for that and other key municipal buildings say their equipment is tax exempt. But, because of a paperwork issue, they need to convince a Superior Court judge or pay a hefty tax bill. It is an odd twist to what has been a positive story about Bridgeports efforts under two mayors to become more environmentally sustainable. A micro-grid is a the wonky term for a power system in this case natural gas fired that provides continuous energy to buildings, even during severe weather when the electricity goes out. Bridgeports grid was initiated about five years ago under then-Mayor Bill Finch, a Democrat focused on making Connecticuts largest city more environmentally sustainable and drawing green industries to town. The project was continued by current Mayor Joe Ganim after his election in 2015 and turned on this past March at a special ceremony. The micro-grid includes City Hall on Lyon Terrace and the nearby police headquarters and senior center. Bridgeport Micro-Grid, the Branford-based limited liability company which owns the micro grid, has filed a lawsuit over being assessed $2,079,640 by the city for the generator system. The firm in its legal paperwork called that figure grossly excessive, disproportionate and unlawful. It will also lead to a not-so-micro tax bill which Bridgeport Micro-Grid maintained it should be exempted from under state and local statutes. An attorney for the LLC could not be reached for comment. Russell Liskov, who handles tax cases for City Hall, said the Bridgeport Micro-Grid missed filing deadlines for paperwork to ensure their equipment was tax exempt. As a result the generation system was not only assessed, but that assessment included a penalty as well. They did file (but) they were late. The assessor has no choice, Liskov said. The tax assessor did what the tax assessors mandated to do. Bridgeport Micro-Grid unsuccessfully plead its case to the citys Board of Assessment Appeals. So Bridgeport Micro-Grid had to go forward and file its lawsuit seeking to have the assessment and resultant taxes waived. A judge can say whether it is fair or not fair to charge the LLC taxes because it missed the paperwork deadline, Liskov said. DANBURY Children and families in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico can start farming again this year, with help of fourth- and fifth-grade students at the Western CT Academy for International Studies. The students have collected hundreds of packets of vegetable seeds and honeybee kits to send to the island, where families are still struggling with limited power, water and food. Within a matter of weeks, those seeds will give Puerto Rican families a chance to put food on their own tables after the devastation of Hurricane Maria last fall, said Rick Asselta, a former professor at Western Connecticut State University who now in lives in Puerto Rico. Asselta and his wife, Nelly, who also taught for decades in Brookfield, will distribute the seeds across the island as part of a series of farming and reforestation programs the couple is leading for families who stayed on after the storm. On Wednesday afternoon, Rick Asselta showed the Danbury students pictures of the island after the storm and fielded questions about how the seeds and bee kits would help children their age rebuild their communities. Every one of you in this room has the potential to make a difference, Asselta said. People will be eating food from what you do, all over the island. Thats really important. The seeds will soon sprout peppers, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, beets, peas and a variety of beans. The students in the Bridges of Peace and Hope Club also raised another $220 to buy honeybee feeder kits, which use sugar and water to attract bees, said Meg McLoone, the clubs adviser and a teacher at the magnet school. Students will add flower seeds to their fundraising list to further help the bee population on the island, which was reduced more than 90 percent after the hurricanes, Asselta said. Along the way, they will study how bees pollinate flowers, which in turn helps the rest of the ecosystem, they said. No flowers, no bees, Asselta told the group. No bees, no fruit and vegetables ... Puerto Rican bees are nice, they dont sting you unless youre really annoying. While teaching at WCSU, Rick Asselta became good friends with Jane Goodall, the famed primatologist and researcher, and helped pioneer her Roots and Shoots youth program at more than 100 universities across the country. He and Nelly have lived in Puerto Rico for more than 12 years, where she runs their farm. Crews just this week restored power to their mountain home, Rick Asselta said. They hope the students in Danbury will plant some seeds here, too, and grow them along with their new colleagues in Puerto Rico, and maybe start a pen pal program. All of you can make a difference, Rick Asselta told the students. You can actually feed someone and change someones life. zach.murdock@hearstmediact.com The race to replace U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty gained steam last week, with four new candidates officially declaring for the outgoing Democrats 5th U.S. House District seat. Among the new faces are two Democrats and two Republicans and at least one more addition expected this week. The Democrats roster now includes New Britain Alderman Manny Sanchez, who announced last Monday, and Waterbury teacher Jahana Hayes, who announced last Wednesday. The middle of the week also brought on Republicans Rich Dupont of Watertown and John Pistone, a Brookfield conservative who challenged Esty as a write-in candidate in 2016 after not receiving his partys nomination. Two-time Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Curry also indicated he would make it official this week. The additions set up a five-way race in each party for now, at least heading into the Republican nominating convention this weekend and the Democratic nominating convention the following week. Hayes, named national teacher of the year in 2016, hosted a campaign launch party last Friday night in Waterbury. She and Curry both appeared at an event for candidates last week in Waterbury. Both are pursuing very different firsts: Hayes to be the first black Democrat nominated to run for Congress in Connecticut and Curry for the longest period between campaigns for the same seat in Congress. Curry, 66, is a long-time Democratic elected official and operative who now lives in Farmington. The former state senator ran for a previous iteration of the 5th District in 1982 and was twice nominated for governor by the Democrats in 1994 and 2002, losing both races to former Gov. John Rowland. He also served as counselor to President Bill Clinton in the mid-1990s. The Democratic field already includes former Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman and Rabbi Shaul Praver, who lives outside the district, in Fairfield, but led a Newtown synagogue for years. All 10 candidates from both parties are vying to replace Esty, who decided in April not to seek re-election to a fourth term amid criticism of her handling of harassment accusations against her former chief of staff. The decision led to an unexpected open seat that attracted interest from a slew of current and former politicians, but several would-be contenders have shied away from the race recently. Sandy Hook Promise co-founders Nicole Hockley and Mark Barden announced recently that they would not seek the seat. Middletown Mayor Dan Drew, who dropped out of the governors race in January, followed suit. Other Republicans running for the seat include former Meriden Mayor Manny Santos, Southbury psychologist Ruby ONeill, New Britain IT worker Craig Diangelo and Liz Peterson of Simsbury. NOTICE: TO BE CLEAR: WE HAVE OUTLINED UNDER OUR RECORD MAINTENANCE POLICY WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A FAIR PROCESS FOR ALL. SIMPLY PUT: IF THE COURT SAW FIT TO EXPUNGE YOUR RECORD,SO WILL WE, FREE OF CHARGE. ARRESTS DO NOT IMPLY GUILT AND CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE MERELY ACCUSATIONS,EVERYONE IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW AND CONVICTED. 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Administration officials insist the cuts wouldn't negatively affect any programs rather, they would merely return money into the Treasury that Congress appropriated but is no longer needed. In a statement on the White House blog, Russ Vought, the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the administration strongly supports the CHIP program. Rescinding these funds will have no impact on the program, Vought wrote. At some point Congress will likely 'rescind' those funds as a budget gimmick to offset new spending elsewhere, as it did on the recently passed omnibus. Instead Congress should rescind the money now. But child health advocates are wary, particularly since the proposal comes a few months after Congress let funding authorization for CHIP lapse, which forced states to request millions in emergency contingency funds to keep children covered. CHIP, which covers 9 million children from low-income families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, is mostly federally funded. But states operate the program within federal guidelines. As budget hawks and children's advocates dispute the effect of the plan, here are some takeaways on the Trump proposal. What Are Rescissions? Since the 1970s, presidents have had the power to take back money from federal programs previously appropriated by Congress if Congress approves. That budget tool is not regularly used. The last president to seek and get approval for one was President Bill Clinton. Once the president recommends a rescission, Congress has 45 days to approve the request. It needs only a majority vote in each chamber to pass. If it isn't approved, the rescission does not take effect. The president can recommend such cuts only with funds that Congress appropriates. Mandatory programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare, are not subject to rescissions. Will Cutting $7 Billion From CHIP Really Have No Impact On The Program? That's hard to say. There is $7 billion at stake. The administration says $5 billion can no longer be spent because the period for it to be sent to states has expired. The other $2 billion is being taken from a federal contingency fund for CHIP. That money is to be used only if they face a budget shortfall. The economy is improving, and the administration is betting demand for CHIP will wane, leaving little need for the contingency fund. "Anytime you cut spending, there is going to be some effect, said Marc Goldwein, senior vice president of the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. "But in terms of CHIP, it's likely close to be zero these are tiny cuts." Still, child health advocates, who endured months of uncertainty about whether Congress would restore federal funding to CHIP in 2017, are worried. "I think the cut to the contingency fund is particularly troubling," said Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus, an advocacy group. Why Is President Trump Using This Budgetary Maneuver? After signing a $1.3 billion spending bill in March, the president came under pressure from conservatives in Congress to cut the federal deficit. It is projected to hit nearly $1 trillion next year. One strategy, according to these conservatives, is to rescind money that has not been spent to keep lawmakers from tapping those funds to pay for other programs. Should Parents Of Kids On CHIP Be Worried? Yes, if Congress goes along with the cuts, said David Super, a law professor at Georgetown University. But political analysts suggest that's not likely to happen since some Republican senators have already spoken out against the move. With Republicans holding a 51- 49 majority in the Senate and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) battling brain cancer back home the president likely would need all Republicans in the Senate to pass a rescission. "This is pure political theater, ugly theater," Super said. He notes the administration is telling conservatives the cuts will reduce the deficit. But in media calls, senior administration officials said the cuts won't have any programmatic effects. "If the money would not have been spent, there are no savings," Super said. "Any rescission of money that would not be spent, by definition, cannot reduce the deficit." Other programs targeted for cuts include relief funds for Hurricane Sandy, which struck in October 2012, and money allocated to respond to a possible outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. Super noted health advocates should be most worried about the $800 million in rescissions identified by the administration to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. This program was created by the 2010 Affordable Care Act to find ways to make health programs work more efficiently and save money. KHN's coverage of children's health care issues is supported in part by the Heising-Simons Foundation. Akili Interactive ("Akili" or "Company"), a leading prescription digital medicine company developing novel treatments for cognitive dysfunction, today announced that it has successfully closed a $55 million Series C financing led by Temasek. Other participating institutional and strategic investors included Baillie Gifford, Amgen Ventures, M Ventures (the CVC fund of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), JAZZ Venture Partners, Canepa Advanced Healthcare Fund, and Brooklands Capital Strategies. The financing follows the positive top-line results in December 2017 from Akili's multicenter, randomized, controlled pivotal study of AKL-T01, the Company's flagship investigational product designed to treat pediatric attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Akili is planning to file AKL-T01 for clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the coming months, which would enable it to be prescribed by physicians as a stand-alone treatment for children and adolescents with ADHD. If approved, AKL-T01 would be the first prescription digital treatment for pediatric ADHD. AKL-T01 is one of several product candidates across Akili's pipeline that employs the Company's patented technology platform. Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance Akili's pipeline of prescription digital treatment candidates, including AKL-T01, through key regulatory milestones and to prepare for commercial launch. The funds will also be used to advance product candidates in depression and multiple sclerosis (MS) to potential registration trials and to broaden the Company's product pipeline. "We are fortunate to be supported by such experienced investors, who bring successful long-term track records in innovative technology, medical device and pharmaceutical investment," said Eddie Martucci, Ph.D., Akili's co-founder and CEO. "We are thrilled with the vote of confidence in the potential of our technology platform to redefine healthcare, and we're excited about the progress we continue to make towards turning that vision into a reality for patients." In addition to filing lead product candidate AKL-T01 with FDA, Akili anticipates a number of significant clinical milestones this year across several products in development. Study results from a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating AKL-T02 in high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), are slated to be presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in May. The company also expects results this year from a Phase 2 study of AKL-T03 for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in adults with depression, and a pilot RCT for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in MS. In April 2018, Akili announced it had been granted patents in the United States and Japan, protecting the foundational mechanics of these products and the underlying product platform targeting frontal cognitive dysfunction. Finding creative ways to recruit and retain nurses at a Reno, Nevada, hospital led Barbara Hobbs, assistant dean of the SDSU College of Nursing Rapid City Site, to pursue research on the impact of shift work. In 1979, Hobbs was department head of the cardiac intensive care unit at Washoe Medical Center and found that the staffing level was not adequate for the growing cardiology program. "I looked at scheduling patterns, cost justification and got support to use a more creative schedule to recruit nurses," she explained. While doing this, Hobbs said, "I found the human resources people in the gaming industry did more to educate their employees about night work and strategies to get sleep than the nursing system." This and more recent experiences as a director of nursing at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital in California sparked her interest in issues that affect workforce retention. "Shift work is one of the biggest factors that can drive nurses away from hospitals," Hobbs said. With an older workforce, shift work, particularly 12-hour shifts, are also often the reason these experienced nurses choose to retire, thus contributing to a loss of knowledge and experience and the shortage of hospital nurses. The challenge of retaining employees who work at night impacts not only health-care facilities, but also service sectors, such as police and fire departments, and manufacturing companies, such as at 3M and Bel Brands. Hobbs pointed out alterations in sleep patterns also affect those who work underground, including coal miners-;and even scientists working at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead. For this and other scholarly work, Hobbs was named the Outstanding Scholar for the College of Nursing at the university's Celebration of Faculty Excellence in February. Altering sleep habits Hobbs, who started teaching at SDSU in 1994, began doing research on the impact of shift work as part of her doctoral work at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. "When people stay up at night, they are working against their normal biological clock. As a result, their normal sleep-wake patterns get disrupted," Hobbs explained. Understanding the physiological effects of shift work and long working hours can lead shift workers to seek out and learn about evidence-based coping strategies to improve their sleep quality and quantity by also considering their internal clocks. In an article analyzing how shift work impacts nurses and patients, Hobbs and Ann Berger, now associate dean for research at UNMC, gave nurses tips on how to establish both a routine, including an anchor sleep time, and a bedroom environment conducive to daytime sleeping. They also emphasized how timing of food and beverage intake, as well as exercise, can reduce health risks of shift work. Helping nurses cope with fatigue Because of her work in this area, Hobbs served on the American Nurses Association steering committee that drafted the organization's position statement to address nurse fatigue, which delineates the responsibilities of registered nurse and their employers. "The guidelines are based on research," Hobbs noted. The final position paper, published in November 2014, is posted on the ANA website. Recently, Hobbs collaborated with Lori Wightman, chief nursing officer at Regional Health and vice president of nursing at Rapid City Regional Hospital, to examine fatigue among critical care nurses. Experts recommend that nurses work no more than three 12-hour shifts in a row with two days off, the nurse-researchers reported in the Jan. 2018 article in Nursing Critical Care. Research shows that the risk of fatigue-related accident increases by 36 percent during the fourth 12-hour night shift compared to the first night worked. "As professionals, nurses feel if they are not present, they are abandoning their patients. Nurses need to take breaks," Hobbs said. Their day should include scheduled breaks both to eat and to rest, especially working 12-hour shifts. "It's the manager's responsibility to facilitate that." As professional nursing and health-care organizations develop workplace practices that help nurses cope with fatigue due to shift work, those strategies and recommendations can also help night-shift workers and their employers in other business sectors. Source: https://www.sdstate.edu/news/2018/05/scholarly-work-helps-nurses-cope-shift-work When a cell develops into a tumor, something has gone terribly wrong: the uncontrolled growth, invasion of nearby tissues and finally metastasis are the result of many consecutive DNA mutations. Such an accumulation of demolished genetic material often derives from initial environmental exposures, enzymatic activities or defects in DNA replication or DNA repair mechanisms. Each of those initial mutagenic conditions creates their own pattern of DNA damage called mutational signature. Deciphering them could theoretically allow us to trace back the initial cause of a tumor, profile its properties and help find a therapeutic strategy. However, reading those mutational signatures in tumor samples is a difficult task, as the large amount of mutations that a patient acquires during its lifetime create a noisy and uncontrolled system - even the best clinical data will, at most, provide only associations. Therefore, the group of Joanna Loizou, Principal Investigator at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, developed an experimental setup to validate the concept of mutational signatures in cell culture. In special human cell lines, optimized for genome editing, the researchers destroyed nine different genes - one gene per cell line - for DNA repair using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Subsequently, they cultivated single cells from each of those nine experiments and allowed them to proliferate for one month. Eventually, the scientists analyzed the entirety of mutations that accumulated over this time period in the cell line deriving from the single progenitor that lacks a specific DNA repair gene. With specially developed computational methods, they were able to find the genomic scars that a missing DNA repair gene left in the genome of the affected cells - they were almost identical to mutational signatures found in cancer cells. "Our results validate mutational signatures across all classes of mutations", Joanna Loizou summarizes the findings. "For the first time, this theoretical concept was confirmed in a highly controlled experimental setup". However, a single gene defect is not restricted to only one mutational signature, Loizou adds: "We found that some defects in DNA repair genes engender multiple mutational signatures of different classes". The converse is also true, as Michel Owusu, PhD Student in Loizou's laboratory and co-first author of the paper explains: "A mutational signature may not necessarily reflect a defect of one gene, as it could also arise through the malfunctioning of another related gene involved in the affected DNA repair mechanism". The findings of this study not only confirm an analytical principle that describes mutational processes and cancer development, mutational signatures are a direct mechanistic read-out of specific dysfunctions of a cell. Thus, even if the underlying gene defect is unknown, mutational signatures could be used as biomarkers for the molecular characterization of tumors - a new diagnostic tool to improve the precise and personalized treatment of cancer. Yesterday (8th May 2018), the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a new outbreak of Ebola in the rural northwest of the country. This came after two cases of Ebola were confirmed in regions of Bikoro. According to the health ministry of Congo, five samples were sent to the Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale (INRB) in Kinshasa. Of these, two came back to be positive for Zaire strain of Ebola virus. These belong to the Equateur Province. Ebola was first identified in 1976 in Congo and this is the 9th such outbreak in the country. Microscopic view of the Ebola virus. Image Credit: Jaddingt / Shutterstock The Equateur Province Health Ministry notified the institute at Kinshasa on the 3rd of May of the 21 cases of hemorrhagic or bleeding fevers in Ikoko Impenge area. At least 17 succumbed to these hemorrhagic fevers said the World Health Organization (WHO) and Congo government. The team from WHO and Doctors Without Borders looked at the possible causes of these fevers because several other diseases and viruses could also cause these fevers. The team identified 5 new suspect cases which were then sent forth to National Institute of Biological Research in Kinshasa. There have been no further reports of deaths. According to a statement from the ministry, the team would go to Bikoro today to prevent the spread of this infection further. They will also look at the origin of the infection and how the outbreak began. The last outbreak in Congo was in 2017 May and it killed four out of eight individuals in the Bas-Uele province, northeast Congo. It was in July 2017 that the outbreak was contained and stopped. Other outbreaks in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea started in 2014 and killed over eleven thousand deaths in their wake. Ebola spreads to humans from animals such as bats, monkeys etc. It kills nearly 90 percent of all infected. Stopping the spread of the infection is one of the only measures to contain the infection at present due to lack of curative treatment and effective vaccines. Dr. Peter Salama, WHO Deputy Director-General, Emergency Preparedness and Response in his statement regarding this latest outbreak said, Our top priority is to get to Bikoro to work alongside the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and partners to reduce the loss of life and suffering related to this new Ebola virus disease outbreak Working with partners and responding early and in a coordinated way will be vital to containing this deadly disease. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa added in a statement, We know that addressing this outbreak will require a comprehensive and coordinated response. WHO will work closely with health authorities and partners to support the national response. We will gather more samples, conduct contact tracing, engage the communities with messages on prevention and control, and put in place methods for improving data collection and sharing. More experts in a multidisciplinary team from WHO, Medecins Sans Frontieres and Provincial Division of Health are expected to reach the area for further analysis and prevention of spread. WHO has released US$ 1 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies for these activities over the next three months. Tucked into the federal budget law Congress passed in February was a provision that significantly expands the use of telemedicine long a hyped health care reform, and now poised to go mainstream within five to 10 years. "There's much broader recognition of the benefits," said Mei Wa Kwong, executive director of the Center for Connected Health Policy, a research group that promotes telemedicine in Sacramento, Calif. "The law is the latest to make telemedicine more accessible. But we still have a ways to go before most consumers are aware of the option." The new law allows Medicare to cover telemedicine services for people who have had a stroke and those who get kidney dialysis, either at home or at a dialysis facility. It also permits Medicare Advantage Plans private plans that enroll a third of Medicare beneficiaries to offer telemedicine as a covered benefit. Separately, as of Jan. 1, Medicare began allowing doctors to bill the government for monitoring certain patients remotely using telemedicine tools for example, tracking heartbeat and rhythm, blood pressure and blood glucose levels. Telemedicine, also referred to as telehealth, uses computers and their display monitors, software and capacity for data analysis to deliver virtual health services. In the easiest-to-understand example, a patient is in one location and has an e-visit with the doctor in another location. They are connected via a secure video link. Proponents say that more sophisticated monitoring is on the horizon and that virtual encounters will become more commonplace. As acceptance and adoption of telemedicine expands, so does coverage. All private health plans, Medicare, state Medicaid programs and the Department of Veterans Affairs now cover some e-visits albeit with restrictions. More health centers and hospitals are launching virtual health centers. And websites offering virtual "doctor-on-demand" services are proliferating. Concerns exist, however. Doctors worry that they may get paid less if insurance reimbursement is lower for e-visits than in-person appointments, or that e-visits could undermine the doctor-patient relationship by reducing valuable face time. They point out that for some ailments, like strep throat, its best if doctors or other health providers see the patient. Health economists, meanwhile, are concerned that e-visits could add to costs rather than constrain them if, for example, doctors and patients abuse e-visits by scheduling them unnecessarily because they are quick and easy. Also, insurers may be motivated to push doctors to do more e-visits instead of in-person visits to save money. And for some people, access to proper equipment or internet access can be difficult. "The potential for abuse is there," says Dr. Robert Berenson, a Medicare expert at the Urban Institute. "We will need to prevent gaming and misuse of the system. But, generally, helping people avoid unnecessary doctor's office and hospital visits is a good thing, if we do it right." Here's a briefing on telemedicine basics: Q: Are e-visits available from most hospitals and doctors? Not yet. But access is increasing. Ask your doctor, clinic or hospital. In some cities, medical centers are setting up telehealth "hubs" to handle patients. For example, Penn Medicine in Philadelphia launched its Connected Care center in February with 50 full-time employees, 24/7 access to care and a program to treat chronically ill patients at home. Some of the center's e-visit services are open only to Penn Medicine employees, but other services are available to anyone, with a focus on residents of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, said Bill Hanson, vice president and chief medical information officer at Penn Medicine. Similarly, Mercy Virtual in Chesterfield, Mo., a St. Louis suburb, serves patients throughout the Midwest, and those treated at Mercy Health's network of 44 hospitals in five states. Launched in 2015, Mercy Virtual provided care to 750,000 people in 2017 with a team of 700 doctors, nurses and support staff. Other medical centers with virtual health programs include Avera Health based in South Dakota; Cleveland Clinic in Ohio; Dignity Health in San Francisco; Intermountain Healthcare in Utah; and Kaiser Permanente, a managed-care health system in California and elsewhere. Kaiser Permanente reported last year that 21 percent of its 110 million patient interactions in 2015 were e-visits. Officials there predict that by 2020 e-visits will exceed in-person visits. (Kaiser Permanente is not affiliated with Kaiser Health News, which is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.) Q: What restrictions do health plans, Medicare and Medicaid put on e-visits? Health plan coverage varies, but most private insurers cover e-visits, and 34 states and the District of Columbia require that they do. A few states still require that a patient relationship be established with an in-person visit before the provider can bill for an e-visit. Check with your insurer about its policies. Medicare's coverage of e-visits is more restrictive. First, e-visits must take the place of an in-person visit. Second, with exceptions allowed under February's budget law, Medicare largely restricts e-visits to those that occur in rural areas that have a shortage of doctors and/or hospitals. And third, most e-visits can't occur when the patient is at home. They can be done from a variety of other locations, such as a rural health clinic, a dialysis center or skilled nursing facility. A bill in Congress would loosen that restriction. In contrast, almost all state Medicaid programs cover e-visits in the home. But restrictions still apply. For example, only 22 states cover remote patient monitoring for Medicaid enrollees. The Telehealth Resource Centers, a federally funded organization promoting telemedicine and providing consumer information, has detailed explanations of e-visit restrictions and limitations. Q: Do I need special computer equipment? No. E-visits and other forms of telemedicine are done over commonly available computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones and are typically encrypted to protect privacy. Specialized equipment is usually needed for remote monitoring, such as blood pressure or heart rate. One vexing barrier: broadband availability in rural areas. Also, millions of low-income and older Americans still lack Wi-Fi in their homes. Q: What services can I get through telemedicine? Most e-visits are for primary care or follow-up services, such as assessing symptoms or checking on people who have had a medical procedure. But a growing number no one keeps national statistics cater to people with chronic conditions who are being monitored at home, said Kwong. Dermatology e-visits are becoming especially common. You can send a close-up photo of a skin rash, mole or other problem for an immediate assessment. Psychotherapy by e-visit is also expanding. Sometimes an e-visit may provide an initial medical assessment for an injury, wound or illness that is clearly not life-threatening. Some cities are testing ambulance services that use telemedicine to triage whether people need a trip to the hospital. Q: Will I save money if I do an e-visit instead of going into the doctor's office? E-visits are generally less expensive than a trip to the doctor, but you may not see the difference if your insurance covers both with only a small copay or no copay. If you have a large deductible, however, an e-visit may mean you pay less out-of-pocket for that encounter. Some states require insurers to make equal reimbursements for in-office and telemedicine consultations on simple matters. Q: Are there downsides or risks with telemedicine and e-visits? There's no evidence so far that your risk of being diagnosed wrongly or treated inappropriately is any greater with an e-visit compared to an in-person visit. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that warns of a recent surge of tick-borne disease incidence in the United States was no surprise to Massachusetts State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Catherine Brown and microbiology professor Stephen Rich, director of the Laboratory of Medical Zoology (LMZ) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. For years, they have used data from the LMZ's tick-testing service, TickReport, to track the incidence and spread of Lyme disease and the introduction of new bacterial and viral tick-borne illnesses such as the Borrelia miyamotoi and Powassan virus in the state. What did come as a pleasant surprise this month, however, is a new $100,000 grant from the state's public health department, using CDC funding, to subsidize the cost of tick testing for Massachusetts residents through a contract with the LMZ. As Rich explains, the $100,000 subsidy will allow the LMZ to provide tick testing for just $15 for Massachusetts residents for a limited time, and a limited portion of that funding will be devoted to testing for Powassan virus. The funds will be used up quickly, he predicts. "We anticipate that this program will be over by early to mid-July, the subsidy is really going to go fast." Brown says of the new grant and statewide project, "Public health benefits from the data obtained from tick testing and from the educational outreach associated with using the TickReport service. We rely on this tick testing to identify any new tick-borne illnesses and to understand the prevalence of the current tick-borne diseases. We are pleased that this funding will be used to support the LMZ's activities." Rich says, "It is extremely welcome to see that tick-borne illness has definitely moved up the CDC's list of priorities. It's also great that state and federal agencies are recognizing the relevance of our crowd-sourced passive surveillance. Not only will this make TickReport more accessible and affordable, it is also a recognition by the CDC of the value of tick testing as part of a comprehensive approach to tick-borne disease threats." A major goal is to encourage more TickReport participation from residents in under-represented places in Massachusetts, he adds. "So we're hoping to get word out to western Massachusetts towns in particular about this limited-time offer. The funds will be used to reduce the cost to residents, but once the money is expended, normal prices will apply." Specifically, $50,000 of the grant funds will be used to cover the full cost of Powassan virus testing for all Massachusetts residents on the first 1,000 TickReport orders submitted, while the other $50,000 will be used to offset the cost of TickReport standard DNA testing for residents in towns that do not currently have a partnership arrangement with the LMZ or public health department, Rich adds. The aim is to enhance the coverage of surveillance that TickReport offers. As a result of years of statewide surveillance through LMZ tick testing, the microbiologist points out, public health officials have a much better picture of the tick-borne disease situation in Massachusetts. For example, data from Cape Cod show a high tick bite incidence over many months in Barnstable County. Also, the pathogen Anaplasma is not seen much in Franklin County in the western part of the state, but is often observed in Barnstable. Across the state, mid-November is one a the peak periods for ticks submitted, much later than many people expect. TickReport, which has tested ticks from all 50 states, confirms receipt of ticks by email and guarantees confidential test results within three business days. Test results used for passive surveillance of disease-causing microbes by town or across the state, for example, is kept strictly anonymous. Rich says the volume of ticks tested has risen steadily since LMZ began testing in 2006 to about 14,000 in 2017, and with the new federal/state subsidy he anticipates that number to reach 18,000 to 20,000 this year. "But it may shoot up much higher," he adds. "In 2014 when we had the last big state subsidy, the volume of tick tests shot up by three or four fold in participating towns. The good news is that increased volume will help us to reduce our fees in the same way as the 2014 increase did. In 2014 the cost of the basic first tier test was $140, and because of the volume savings, that is now $50." The LMZ is entirely non-profit, the director point out, and any surplus funds are turned into support for educational materials, a tick hotline, research on ticks and tick-borne disease, and a soon-to-be-released mobile app. The mobile app will allow people from anywhere in the United States to send a good-quality photo to the lab for identification at no charge. "This is to help people who can't afford a test," Rich says. "They can at least get accurate information on the species." The app is called "TickReport" and will be freely available wherever phone apps are sold. At present, the LMZ offers 23 different tick tests in three tiers: a standard $50 DNA package which tests the most common bacterial and protozoan pathogens, a $100 DNA+RNA package which adds viruses, and a $200 comprehensive package that extends testing to very rare pathogens like Bartonella. Source: http://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/state-public-health-department-umass A Cardiff man, who founded The Red Sock Campaign to help raise awareness of prostate cancer, is using a pioneering treatment to help keep his hair during chemotherapy. Over the last decade, Keith Cass has vigorously campaigned to raise awareness of prostate cancer to support men and their families living with the disease. This month, Keith is using the Paxman Scalp Cooler as part of his treatment at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff to help retain his hair. My family have always had a good head of hair even into their 80s - my silver hair says so much about who I am and I just dont want to lose it, said Keith. When someone describes me, they will automatically describe my hair. Thats why I want to keep it, as much as I can! Scalp cooling also helps divert some of my attention from the chemotherapy and gives me something else to focus on. Hair loss is a well-known side effect of many chemotherapy regimens, with many men and women reporting it to be the most traumatic aspect of their treatment. Scalp cooling provides a proven alternative to hair loss, resulting in a high level of retention or even complete hair preservation, improving patients self-confidence and creating positive attitudes towards treatment. It works by lowering scalp temperature before, during and after the administration of chemotherapy. Liquid coolant passes through the cap extracting heat from the patient's scalp, ensuring the scalp remains at an even, constant temperature to minimize hair loss. It is available at 95% of hospitals across the UK. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK with over 35,000 men each year diagnosed, and over 12,000 men each year dying from the disease 1,000 men a month. This figure has recently overtaken breast cancer to make prostate cancer the biggest cancer killer. In 2007, Keith set up The Red Sock Campaign is to help men understand more about the risks and benefits of being tested for prostate cancer. All of Keiths knowledge has been drawn from his own experience of living with incurable prostate cancer. In 2013 he was awarded a MBE for the work he had done to support those affected by the disease. Imagine three jumbo jets full of men crashing every month. That is what prostate cancer is doing to men in the UK and sadly there are no symptoms. Its important that information and advice is shared so men know what treatments and support is available to them. The Paxman Scalp Cooling System is the world-leading hair loss prevention system for chemotherapy patients. It has been used by over 100,000 patients in 32 countries and is responsible for helping patients to keep their hair and retain a feeling of normality during chemotherapy. Stuart Rowling, Sales and Training Executive at Paxman, explains the company are noticing an increase in the number of men who are choosing to use scalp cooling, with some hospitals treating more men than women. Hair loss is such as a personal thing and people, whether they are a man or a woman, will have strong reasons to why they want to keep their hair. We are noticing an increase in male scalp cooling and thats why it is so important to raise awareness of the treatment, so men everywhere know its available to them. Paxman will be attending a study day at the British Association of Urological Nurses in collaboration with Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness of male scalp cooling. The programme, which is taking place on Wednesday 9th May 2018 in Manchester, has been designed for urology professionals to update on areas such as treatments and side effects. In order to spread their destruction, ovarian cancer cells must break free from their tumor home, travel through the fluid in the peritoneal cavity and attach to the outside of the abdominal organs--surfaces that are, by necessity, not sticky. Despite these challenges, most patients with ovarian cancer are diagnosed after metastasis has begun, resulting in poor patient outcomes. While ovarian cancer is only the 11th-most common form of cancer among women in the United States, it accounts for the fifth-most deaths, according to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance. New research from the lab of Pamela Kreeger, a University of Wisconsin-Madison biomedical engineering professor, has identified one way ovarian cancer cells appear to successfully spread. The work, detailed today in the journal Cancer Research, could lead to new therapies to curb metastasis of these tumors. "Like most cancers, it's not the primary tumor that's usually the problem. It's the spread of the tumor to nearby organs that leads to serious complications," Kreeger says. "So if you can slow that process down, it's possible the patient will live longer and/or have a better quality of life." In studying high-grade serous ovarian cancer -- the most common but also most aggressive type -- Kreeger, postdoctoral fellow Molly Carroll and other lab members have teased out how one type of immune cells helps cancer cells attach in the peritoneal cavity, enabling metastasis. Higher levels of these immune cells, called alternatively activated macrophages, are associated with worse outcomes. But the question remained: Do these macrophages encourage metastasis? To find out, Kreeger's team created a micro-culture device that allowed them to bring together the key players: macrophages, cancer cells and mesothelial cells, which line the peritoneal cavity. Experiments revealed macrophages increase tumor cell attachment to the mesothelial cells by making the mesothelial cells stickier. "For me that was one of those scientific 'ah ha' moments -- the interactions between the normal cells in our body can influence metastasis. In other words, it's not all about the tumor cell," says Kreeger. But which of the 25 proteins the team detected in the co-culture device was responsible for this effect? Computational modeling revealed the culprit. The macrophages produce a protein called MIP-1, which causes the mesothelial cells to produce more of an adhesion protein called P-selectin. P-selectin, in turn, allows the cancer cells to stick. A preliminary experiment in mice validated those results, while human samples--obtained through collaborators in the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health--showed that patients with ovarian cancer had higher levels of MIP-1 and P-selectin. The good news: There are already several existing drugs, developed for other diseases, that could prove useful. Maraviroc, which is used to treat HIV, inhibits the receptor for MIP-1, while two different drugs that target P-selectin are in clinical trials for blood disorders. "We're interested in pursuing multiple avenues, because it's possible one will work better than another," says Kreeger, whose group has filed a provisional patent on the findings with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. "It's also possible one will have more tolerable side effects than another." Kreeger will use a recently awarded grant from the Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer to further validate the findings in long-term experiments in mice in order to set the stage for pre-clinical testing of drug treatments. Carroll, the first author on the paper, says being able to target another aspect of the cancer's spread beyond combating tumor growth with chemotherapy opens new avenues for treatment. "Treatment for ovarian cancer really has not changed in the past 20 years," she says. "Hopefully through the development of such maintenance therapies, we can prevent the establishment of new tumor metastases." Source: https://news.wisc.edu/metastasis-enablers-findings-could-unlock-new-ovarian-cancer-treatments/ For patients with substance use disorders seen in the emergency department or doctor's office, locating and accessing appropriate treatment all too often poses difficult challenges. Healthcare providers and treatment facility administrators share their views on delays and obstacles to prompt receipt of substance use disorder treatment after referral in a study in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). This journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer. Issues related to patient eligibility, treatment capacity, understanding of options, and communication problems all contribute to gaps in referral and delays to getting treatment for patients with substance use disorders, according to the new research by Claire Evelyn Blevins, PhD, of Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Butler Hospital, Providence, RI; Nishi Rawat, MD, of OpenBeds, Inc., Washington. DC; and Michael Stein, MD, of Boston University and Butler Hospital. Four Themes Affecting Obstacles to Treatment for Substance Use Disorders The ongoing opioid crisis has drawn attention to the widening gap between the high need and limited access to substance use treatment in the United States. A recent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report found that of 21.7 million Americans in need of substance use disorder treatment, only 2.35 million received treatment at a specialty facility. Yet there is little information on the organizational-level barriers to treatment for substance use disorders. To address this issue, Dr. Blevins and colleagues performed a series of interviews with 59 stakeholders in the treatment referral process. The study gathered input from those who make referrals for substance use treatment, including emergency medicine physicians, addiction specialists, and other medical providers; as well as those who receive referrals, including substance use treatment facility staff and administrators. Analysis of the interviews identified four broad themes: Patient Eligibility. Healthcare providers face difficulties in determining whether patients meet criteria for admission to a particular treatment center, including the application of treatment eligibility criteria. "Eligibility requirements may prevent a patient from entering a treatment center," the researchers write. Treatment Capacity. Even if a patient is eligible, providers have trouble finding out whether space is available. "Despite the need for services, treatment centers may not run at capacity, because of frustrations encountered and time wasted on the referral and admission process." Knowledge of Treatment Options. Providers may not understand the levels of available care for substance use treatment, and how to select the best treatment for their patient. "After determining appropriate level of care, a provider must then find a program that meets the patient's needs, which becomes more difficult with the differences in terminology and program guidelines." Communication. Difficulties in communication between referring providers and treatment facilities can contribute to delays to starting treatment. The need for direct referral "from the emergency department to a bed" is particularly high for patients with opioid use disorders. "Access to substance use disorder treatment is often a maze that can be difficult to navigate for both providers and patients," Dr. Blevins and coauthors write. Based on the themes identified, they make recommendations for improvement in the referral process, including a database of clear eligibility criteria, real-time information on treatment capacity, and increased education and training for providers on substance use treatment. They also propose ways to improve communication and reduce treatment waiting times, including new information technologies. The researchers write: "By improving systems that enhance communication across organizations, patient referrals may be more easily completed, improving access to care and expanding the use of appropriate treatments for the many patients in need." In an accompanying commentary, David L. Rosenbloom, PhD, of Boston University School of Public Health discusses the underlying reasons for the current "dysfunctional referral system." He notes that referrals for other chronic diseases "may be more effective because they are to 'in-house' affiliated providers." Dr. Rosenbloom writes: "The standard of care should be to stabilize, initiate treatment, and provide a hands-on transfer to an entity that can complete a diagnostic assessment and provide evidence-based treatment" for patients with substance use disorders. Taking the bus is a whole lot safer than taking the car and it's also safer for cyclists and pedestrians who take the same routes, according to a new study led by the Universite de Montreal Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM). Published in the Journal of Urban Health, the study looked at the risk of injury along the 10 busiest bus routes on the island of Montreal and showed that the risk is four times greater for car occupants than for bus occupants. Besides looking at specific routes, the study is the first to compare the effect of car and bus use on the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Per kilometre travelled, car trips were associated with a greater number of pedestrian injuries (four times more), cyclist injuries (five times more), and fatal and severe injuries (five times more) compared to bus trips. There were 28 times more seriously injured people in cars (278 over 10 years, including 19 deaths) than bus occupants (10 seriously injured, no deaths). Forty-two pedestrians and three cyclists were killed by cars, versus four pedestrians and zero cyclists by bus. Driven by pros Why is bus travel safer? For one, drivers are professionally trained. Second, they drive more slowly than cars. Third, buses travel along designated routes and usual stick to the right lane, which make them more predictable in traffic. Fourth, far fewer buses than cars are needed to transport the same number of people. In Montreal, a shift towards public transit will help reduce the number of injuries, the study argues. For the period studied, 2001 to 2010, it estimates that bus travel along these 10 routes saved 1,805 vehicle occupants, 156 cyclists and 476 pedestrians from injury. "The fundamental point is that pedestrians, cyclists and motor-vehicle occupants are mostly injured where the speeds are highest and where there are the most vehicles, on the major arteries," said lead author Patrick Morency. "The solution? Permanent structure to reduce speeds, and public transit,' said Morency, an assistant clinical professor at IRSPUM who works at the Montreal Public Health Department. 4 times as much car traffic Helped by colleagues there and along with others at the Reseau de transport metropolitain (RTM) and the Societe de transport de Montreal (STM), Morency looked at weekday collision and injury data compiled in police reports to Quebec's automobile insurance board, the SAAQ, between 2001 and 2010. During that period, car travel on the 10 routes accounted for four times as many passenger kilometres annually than bus travel: 1.3 billion versus 257 million. (Car travel was actually much higher, since the data include all vehicles and don't differentiate cars from heavy trucks and buses.) The busiest car and bus routes were along Henri-Bourassa Blvd., Sherbrooke St. and Cote Vertu Blvd. and Sauve St. But those weren't the most dangerous routes; the highest injury rates in cars were seen along Jarry St., Jean-Talon Blvd. and Beaubien St. The highest cyclist injury rates associated with car travel were Beaubien, Jarry and Sherbrooke; for pedestrians, Beaubien, Jarry and Jean-Talon. Lacordaire Blvd. and (involving pedestrians) Pie-IX Blvd. were also in the top 3 for bus accidents. Although newer injury data, up to 2016, is available, precise traffic data for the routes studied were not, and so the current research had to be limited to 2001-2010, Morency said. He is now working with Jillian Strauss and Catherine Morency (Polytechnique Montreal) on compiling figures not only for the 10 busiest routes but also for the Montreal metropolitan area. In the meantime, he has presented his latest study to Montreal transit officials, and hopes they'll use the analysis in public-information campaigns touting not just the savings but also the safety of traveling by bus. Researchers tissue-engineered human pancreatic islets in a laboratory that develop a circulatory system, secrete hormones like insulin and successfully treat sudden-onset type 1 diabetes in transplanted mice. In a study published by Cell Reports, the scientists use a new bioengineering process they developed called a self-condensation cell culture. The technology helps nudge medical science closer to one day growing human organ tissues from a person's own cells for regenerative therapy, say study investigators at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the U.S. and Yokohama City University (YCU) in Japan. "This method may serve as a principal curative strategy for treating type 1 diabetes, of which there are 79,000 new diagnoses per year," said Takanori Takebe, MD, a physician-scientist at the Cincinnati Children's Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine. "This is a life-threatening disease that never goes away, so developing effective and possibly permanent therapeutic approaches would help millions of children and adults around the world." Takebe, who has a dual appointment in the Department of Regenerative Medicine at YCU, stressed the technology needs additional research before it can be used therapeutically in a clinic. He is the study's co-lead investigator along with YCU colleague, Hideki Taniguchi, MD, PhD. Getting out of Nature's Way Scientists tested their processing system with donated human organ cells (pancreas, heart, brain, etc.), with mouse organ cells and with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). Reprogrammed from a person's adult cells (like skin cells), iPS cells act like embryonic cells and can form any tissue type in the body. The tissue-engineering process also uses two types of embryonic-stage progenitor cells, which support formation of the body and its specific organs. The progenitor cells are mesenchymal stem cells (MSNs) and human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). Using either donated organ cells, mouse cells or iPS cells, the researchers combined these with MSNs, HUVECs along with other genetic and biochemical material that cue the formation of pancreatic islets. In conditions that nourish and nurture the cells, the ingredients condensed and self-organized into pancreatic islets. After the tissue-engineered islets were transplanted into humanized mouse models of severe type 1 diabetes, they resolved the animals' disease, report researchers. Blood Source Challenge Human pancreatic islets already can be transplanted into diabetic patients for treatment. Unfortunately, the engraftment success rate is relatively low because the tissues lose their vascularization and blood supply as islets are being processed before transplant. This makes it difficult to get the maximum health benefit for patients getting these procedures, the authors write. And although stem cell-based tissue engineering has tremendous therapeutic potential, its future clinical use still faces the critical challenge of ensuring a blood supply to nourish the transplanted tissues, according to researchers. "We need a strategy that ensures successful engraftment through the timely development of vascular networks," said Taniguchi. "We demonstrate in this study that the self-condensation cell culturing system promotes tissue vascularization." Pancreatic islets tissue-engineered in the current generated by the process not only quickly developed a vascular network after transplant into animal models of type 1 diabetes, the tissues also functioned efficiently as part of the endocrine system-;secreting hormones like insulin and stabilizing glycemic control in the animals. Takebe's and Taniguchi's research team already demonstrated the ability to use a "self-condensation" cell culture process using iPS cells to tissue engineer three-dimensional human liver organoids that can vascularize after transplant into laboratory mice. But the ability to generate organ tissue fragments that vascularize in the body-;like pancreatic islets-;had been an elusive goal until the current study, investigators said. After a devastating horse-riding accident in January 2017 landed him in the hospital for about 30 days, requiring trauma care and hospital-based therapy, Jeff Woodard considered himself lucky. The bills amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars. But Woodard's employer-sponsored health insurance limited his out-of-pocket maximum payment to $5,000. He reached that "within like a day," he recalled. His retired parents relocated from their small town in Massachusetts to help Woodard, now 27, who lives just outside of Denver, through his recovery. With their support, and regular outpatient therapy, he returned to working full time in just two months. But he didn't expect another set of payments to haunt him and his parents for nearly a year, ultimately going to collections, and threatening to weaken his credit rating for years more. While medical bills are a leading source of personal bankruptcy in the United States, a far more common problem is the widespread damage they do to people's credit. Almost 40 percent of adults younger than 65 reported a lower credit score because of medical debt, according to the most recent Commonwealth Fund analysis, based on 2016 data. That means greater difficulty with transactions such as financing mortgages, taking out student loans or purchasing cars. In Woodard's case, his parents had been deliberate in making sure that all the care their son received was within his insurance network. But it turned out that the trauma doctors at the in-network hospital were not. They were employees of Aspen Medical Management, a Colorado Springs, Colo., physician staffing firm that employs physicians and contracts them out to hospitals. That generated about $3,000 worth of out-of-network surprise bills, sent directly to Woodard. United Healthcare had paid Aspen the standard rate for in-network care, and Aspen expected Woodard to come up with the rest. Stunned, Woodard complained to his insurer and Aspen, and filed paper appeals. His parents hectored Colorado lawmakers and filed complaints with both the hospital and various state agencies. But as notices from Aspen and then collections agencies piled up, with threats to report a delinquent bill to credit bureaus, his worry grew. "I was planning on refinancing my mortgage," he recalled, a change that he said would have saved him $15,000. "But if I got a bad hit to my credit score, it wouldn't save me any money. I was paranoid about that." Woodard's persistent appeals succeeded, and his debt was settled just days before it was set to hit his credit report. "I was going to write [Aspen] a check, but my parents insisted I didn't," he said. "I was incredibly lucky and it sucked." When contacted by Kaiser Health News, an Aspen spokeswoman said the company had no comment, declined to provide her full name and then hung up. An Unpayable Bill, And Years-Long Damage Even when patients like Woodard emerge with their credit unscathed after a medical crisis, the endless stream of collection letters and threats is a source of concern, often pressuring patients to pay medical bills they should not. Medical debt isn't like other financial obligations. It might result from unplanned illnesses and accidents, or because consumers do not fully understand the intricacies of a health plan. Good coverage is not necessarily sufficient to shield someone from considerable costs. It can take months of negotiation and processing for consumers to know what they actually owe. Left unpaid, these bills are ultimately sent to collections agencies. Eventually, that medical collection dings the patient's credit, staying for as long as seven years, depending on state laws. It's part of a multibillion-dollar industry: In 2016, the most recent year for which there are figures, agencies collected just under 10 percent of the $792 billion consumers owed in overall debt, according to an industry report. That same year, about 46.8 percent of collected debts were health care-related, according to data kept by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Any outstanding bills can have serious ramifications for consumers, explained Chi Chi Wu, a staff attorney at the Boston-based National Consumer Law Center, who specializes in medical debt and credit reporting. "Let's say, two years from now, mortgage rates plunge down to 2 percent and I want to refinance," Wu said. "And the mortgage broker tells me, 'You can't get the best rate. Your credit score is 650 and it's being dragged down from this unpaid collection from this hospital.'" In that context, even an unmet deductible or copayment can be catastrophic. Rodney Anderson, a mortgage broker in Plano, Texas, sees this regularly. Starting in 2008, he noticed that almost half of his clients had weaker credit ratings and therefore secured less favorable loans because of medical debt. Even now, it affects "five to 10" of his clients each day. The most recent federal analysis, a 2014 CFPB report, found that almost 20 percent of credit reports had at least one medical collection account listed. An average unpaid medical collection is about $580. Protections that took effect in September 2017 could provide some relief. As a result of a settlement reached by multiple state attorneys general and credit reporting agencies, collections agencies now must wait 180 days before reporting an unpaid medical bill to the credit bureaus to allow consumers adequate time to sort out insurance disputes. A narrow provision of a banking regulation bill stalled in Congress would extend this waiting period to a full year for military veterans. Apart from credit reporting modifications, some states, including Woodard's Colorado, have laws on the books to protect patients from surprise billing, which many experts say trigger these financial issues. But these measures are also limited. They typically prohibit balance billing charging patients for the difference between a list price and what insurance paid in only certain care settings, or shield patients from the payment responsibility, though they don't necessarily stop providers from sending a bill. This patchwork approach reflects a larger truth: Efforts to legislate meaningful change have foundered. Anderson, for instance, spent eight years and $2 million of his own money lobbying lawmakers in Washington to keep paid and settled medical debt off credit reports. He has since given up, after strong opposition from the credit reporting industry, which, Open Secrets data shows, consistently lobbied Congress about the legislation he supported. Unpaid medical debt "is an important metric for lenders and creditors," said Eric Ellman, senior vice president for public policy and legal affairs at the Consumer Data Industry Association, a major trade group. Citing changes such as the 180-day waiting period and upgrades to reporting systems, he added that "I'm not sure there's more that needs to be done on this." Some observers argue, though, that changes in insurance design have made the issue more pressing. Private insurance both marketplace plans and those offered by employers have shifted so consumers are responsible for more of their health care costs, noted Sara Collins, the Commonwealth Fund's vice president for health care coverage and access. Middle-class people in particular, she added, are more likely to see unpayable medical bills, exposing them to the risk of medical debt. A January 2017 study found that 20 percent of patients who went from the ER to the hospital in 2014 likely received an unexpected medical bill. Meanwhile, research published last July found that in 22 percent of emergency room cases from 2011 to 2015 almost 1 in 4 patients went to an in-network hospital but were treated by an out-of-network doctor. The risks are more than just credit rating, Collins warned. Consumers delay education plans, or take out extra credit cards to pay off their bills. They may forestall other medical care, for fear of another unaffordable expense. By comparison, Woodard got off easy. With the help of his parents, he eventually won the fight and his health plan paid the difference. Woodard's debt was settled just days before it was set to hit his credit report. He has since been able to purchase a new car replacing an older one with favorable terms that would have been unavailable to him had this situation turned out differently. His 72-year-old father, Chuck Woodard, is now advocating for changes in how Colorado bills patients. "No one tells you what your rights are," Chuck Woodard said. "The only reason this consumer, Jeff, knew what was going on was he had two retired parents who got pissed off." But Jeff Woodard's case may not be over yet. This March, he received another bill for an ambulance he took to the hospital. He has started negotiating once more, with his insurance plan and the fire department's billing company. And based on his experience, he doesn't expect an easy process. "I was incredibly well-advantaged, and I barely made it through," he said. Volkswagen Chattanooga announced that it has achieved a production milestone with the completion of the 700,000th Volkswagen Passat assembled in Chattanooga. Assembled in the LEED Platinum-certified production facility in Chattanooga Tennessee, the 700,000th Passat is a 2018 Passat GT, finished in Reflex Silver, with two-tone black and grey interior. The limited-edition model uses the 3.6-litre VR6 engine and a 6-speed DSG Tiptronic dual-clutch automatic transmission. The history of Volkswagen Chattanooga is intertwined with the history of the U.S. Passat. As we grow and add models, we take pride in continuing to produce quality Passats in the state of Tennessee, said Antonio Pinto, President and CEO of Volkswagen Chattanooga. I am very proud of our team for reaching this important milestone and look forward to more to come. Also Watch: Ladies of Harley! The 2018 Passat GT was designed by the companys North American engineering hub in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and its Design Center in California based on extensive feedback from U.S. customers and dealers. The Passat GT comes with 280 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque and surprising fuel economyEPA estimated fuel economy is 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. Unique features include a black roof, 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, a honeycomb grille, GTI-like red accents, and a sport suspension that lowers the cars stance. Also Read: 2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza with Automatic Gear Shift Launched in India for Rs 8.54 Lakh! In addition to the Passat, Volkswagen Chattanooga currently assembles the Volkswagen Atlas, a seven-passenger, midsize SUV designed for the American market. In March, Volkswagen also announced that Volkswagen Chattanooga will be the production home of the all-new five-seater SUV, a variant of the seven-passenger Atlas, built on the same award-winning MQB platform. New Delhi: Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the US would be pulling out of the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, throwing into disarray its relationship with many of its allies. On its part, Iran said that the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), will continue to exist between Iran and five other countries, namely Russia, China, Germany, France and Britain. Despite the tumultuous ties between Iran and the US, India has so far, continued to support the deal and has repeatedly called the deal a diplomatic triumph. The position was reaffirmed when Iranian president Hassan Rouhani visited India earlier this year. The Indian side reaffirmed its support for JCPOA a crucial contribution to the non-proliferation framework, international peace, stability and security, the joint statement by the two countries read. With the US pulling out of the agreement and saying that it will ensure sanctions are in place, Irans oil exports are likely to take a hit. Irans oil exports might reportedly take a hit of almost 5,00,000 barrels a day within a few months. This would be enough to increase global oil prices and the effect will trickle down to India, one of Irans biggest oil customers. As of December 2017, Iraq was Indias largest supplier, followed by Saudi Arabia and Iran. In 2016, India lined up $20 billion as investment in oil and gas as well as petrochemical and fertiliser projects in the Persian Gulf country subject to provision of concessional rights. Further, the hit on Irans crude exports will fuel tensions in Middle East, home to one third of the worlds oil suppliers. Other than oil needs, Iran and India have strong ties when it comes to the regional space, something that India would look into before it draws any conclusion on the US pull-out. India has committed millions of dollars to building the Chabahar port that connects India and Afghanistan. The port is an important gateway for India into central Asia, as China simultaneously ups its game by building a port at Gwadar in Pakistan. With US President Donald Trump getting support from Saudi Arabia and Israel over his decision, India will have to keep in mind how its investments in Iran play out with other major allies, especially Israel. New Delhi: An investment in an imaginary rice puller (RP), to be used by NASA and DRDO, led a Delhi-based businessman lose his crores to a father-son duo. The duo, now under police custody, was selling an alleged device which is charged by thunderbolt and is required for space research by NASA/DRDO. According to police, businessman Narendra approached police this month after he was cheated to the tune of Rs 1.43crore on the pretext of buying this imaginary device. The arrested accused have been identified as Virender and Nitin Mohan. How was the businessman cheated? The story of this cheating goes back to three years ago when Narendra came in contact with one of the accused who told him about the profits involved in dealing with RP. In April 2015, the businessman received a call from one person who expressed his desire to sell RP. The victim recalled his conversation with the accused, who spoke to him about buying and selling of RP and the profit involved in it. Virender introduced himself as MD, Rehan Metals, USA. He told the victim that if he buys RP, his company could arrange the sale of same to NASA at a price of around Rs 37,500/- crore per M/A (depending upon power of RP pulling rice per inch) after testing its genuineness, which would be done by scientists of DRDO and some chemicals would be imported for the same, police said. The victim was lured to invest money in the said testing to earn hefty profit. The businessman was also told that he would get Rs 10crore on the spot as a token money if the testing of RP or the movement of RP, as they called it, was successful. The businessman entered into an MoU with accused Virender and paid Rs 5.6 lakh, 19 lakh, 24.6 lakh and 38 lakh for arranging special anti-radiation suits to be worn by scientists during testing, fees of scientists, for obtaining chemicals required for testing, etc, respectively, police official said. The testing of RP which was scheduled in Hapur was postponed saying the place was not conducive. They kept on delaying the tests on some pretext. At the same time, other associates of the seller of the RP (who had called once) mounted pressure on the businessman to finalise the deal or they would sell the RP to someone else. Businessman was cheated twice by the gang. They (the said caller) also introduced him to another company - Stars World Heritage - for the sale of RP. They assured him that he wont be cheated this time. The businessman again signed an MoU with the company and again paid Rs. 5.6 lakh, 3.5 lakh and 42 lakh on different occasions for purchase of a special suit for the scientists, their fees and chemical required for the testing of RP which was scheduled in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. This time again the testing could not happen stating a not-so-clear sky, said a police official. Later, the businessman came to know that the scientist who was supposed to conduct the test and on whom he was spent lakhs was not working with DRDO. He was working with the accused persons and was paid a monthly salary of Rs 20000. Who are these cheats? Accused Virender used to assist his father in the motor workshop during 1990s. The hard work and low income forced him to look for other ventures which could give him an easy income. He along with his son, Nitin, started cheating people on the pretext of buying rare and antique objects like magic mirror, rice puller, dual headed snakes, Naagmani, etc. According to police, they have a history of cheating cases. Police have recovered alleged RP copper plate, alleged anti-radiation scientists suits of NASA and alleged anti-radiation chemical stickers. They have also recovered laptop, printer, blank letter heads of Rehan Metals/USA, cheque books, fake ID cards of Rehan Metals and an Audi car. What is a rice puller? Rice Puller (RP) is a non-existent thing. The cheats took a copper plate or utensil and coated it with liquid magnet. They filled some boiled rice with small iron wires and befooled the victim by pulling the iron clad rice grain towards the magnet coated copper article. They further befooled the victim by presenting RP as a rare copper piece, which is struck by thunderbolt in the hills of Uttarakhand giving it the power to pull rice. They also said that it is being used by NASA/DRDO in advanced space research. They said RP will be purchased by NASA/DRDO for thousands of crores, but they will test it before buying. The testing expenses are to be borne by the seller. They lured the victim to finance the testing fees in lieu of a share in the selling price which is thousands of crores. Djibouti City: Djibouti on Wednesday acknowledged India's role in maintaining peace and stability in the Horn of Africa region as the two counties decided to join hands to eradicate the menace of terrorism. President Ram Nath Kovind during a visit to the country, the first by an Indian head of state, held wide-ranging discussions with his Djiboutian counterpart Omar Guelleh. During the visit, the two nations signed an agreement to establish regular Foreign Office-level consultations. Both the leaders acknowledged the significant role of Djibouti and its strategic importance as well as India's role for the maintenance of peace and stability in the Horn of Africa region, a joint statement said. They underlined the need to engage both India and Djibouti on regional and international issues of mutual concern. Both the leaders shared the views that terrorism is a greater threat to mankind and global peace and stability. They expressed their willingness to join hands with the international community in eradicating the menace of terrorism from the society in order to prevail peace and tranquility in the world, it said. They agreed on the need to take strong and stringent measures against terrorists, terror organisations and their networks. The leaders called for an urgent need for the reform of the UN Security Council, including its expansion, to make it more representative, accountable, effective and responsive to the geo-political realities of the 21st century. Both the countries agreed to work closely to intensify their cooperation in the United Nations and other multilateral fora in order to address current global challenges such as climate change and to foster international and regional peace and security, and sustainable development. Underlining the potential for deepening relations in the economic arena, the Djiboutian Government called for greater role for India in the country's economic development, with a focus on small and medium scale industries. Djibouti also appreciated Lines of credit/grants extended by India towards this purpose. The two leaders welcomed the launch of International Solar Alliance (ISA) as a common platform for cooperation among solar resource rich countries, and expressed their commitment to work closely to deepen bilateral and regional cooperation in this arena. Kovind urged for an early ratification of Djibouti's membership of the ISA and mentioned its solar energy potential. The ISA was jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then French President Francois Hollande at the CoP21 in Paris in 2015. The aim of the ISA is to provide a dedicated platform for cooperation among solar resource rich countries and promote the use of solar energy. The Djiboutian government expressed appreciation for the contribution of the Indian community towards the country's economic development and promotion of bilateral relations, the statement said. The two leaders underlined the need for promoting greater cultural exchanges. Both sides encouraged regular exchanges at Ministerial level visits to further intensify bilateral relations between the two countries. Kovind extended an invitation to Guelleh to visit India. Kovind thanked Guelleh for his country's support during Operation Rahat for evacuating Indians from war-torn Yemen in 2015, and also discussed cooperation in the maritime and renewable energy domains. Earlier on Wednesday, Kovind was accorded a ceremonial welcome by Guelleh at the Presidential Palace here before leading delegation-level talks. Kovind, who arrived here yesterday on the first leg of his four-day visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia, is on his maiden trip abroad since taking office. Kovind's visit to the strategically-located African nation assumes significance as China has opened its first overseas military base in Djibouti. New Delhi: Simultaneous elections may not be a distant agenda anymore as officials from Law Commission of India and Election Commission would be meeting on May 16 to discuss constitutional, social, economic and political aspects of the move. This comes just days after News18 carried the story that a report containing 20 questions would be on the table for discussion between the two bodies. The question in the internal note, sent by the Law Commission to the EC, has been divided into two parts first on Constitutional issues and the second on legal, social, political and economic issues. On Constitutional issues, the Law Commission has sought to know whether the benefits of simultaneous elections would inevitably be viewed as tinkering with the basic structure of the Constitution as it would invite certain amendments. Further, the panel has asked if a possible Presidents rule in states with dissolved Assemblies would see an impact on its democratic functioning. A few weeks ago, the Law Commission had proposed holding simultaneous state and general elections and sought public opinion on its recommendations. After holding a full member meeting at the Law Commission, Chairman Justice BS Chauhan released a list of recommendations for holding simultaneous elections and a draft prepared by the commission on April 17. In its latest set of questions for the poll body, the law panel has also listed a set of Articles that might require amendments in order to hold simultaneous elections in the states and Centre. The questions as listed by the Law Commission on Constitutional issues are: Whether the inevitability of amendment to certain articles of the Constitution that deal with the duration and dissolution of the Legislative Assembly, may be viewed as tinkering with the basic structure of the Constitution? If synchronizing elections that envisages imposition of President's rule in the event of premature dissolution of the Legislative Assembly have any impact on the functioning of a democratic setup vis-a-vis the Constitutional precepts? Can the rigour of the tenth schedule of the Constitution be diluted only for the formation of a government? How to carve out an exception to maintain continuity of the House thereafter? Will dissolution of the House before the five-year term just to hold elections violate any Constitutional provisions? What possible amendments to the following Articles of the Constitution would be required to hold simultaneous elections? Article 83 Duration of Houses of Parliament Article 85 Sessions of Parliament prorogation and dissolution Article 172 Duration of state legislature Article 174 Sessions of the state legislature prorogation and dissolution Article 356 Provisions in the case of failure of Constitutional machinery in states Tenth Schedule to the Constitution provision as to disqualification on the ground of defection Questions on Legal, Socio-political and Economic Issues: What are the adverse impacts that frequent elections can have on governance? Keeping in mind the socio-political and economic changes in the country over the years, whether there exists compelling grounds for re-synchronizing General Elections with the state elections? Is the current administrative and financial setup in the country ready for the transition from the staggered and fragmented electioneering system? Does the proposed simultaneous election system promotes socio-economic development of the country? Will simultaneous elections strengthen the mechanisms of decision-making in the state government machinery as well as central government and promote Centre-state relations? Will these elections develop the concept of sustainable government in the Centre and the state? Will the extension of state assemblies and Lok Sabha periods for the contemporary elections be legally permanent or long term? Will the proposed election system be able to meet the targets and expectations of the target? In the event of a dissolution of state assemblies and during the Presidential Rule in case of simultaneous elections, will it act as a barrier to achieving the goal of One Nation, One Poll? What would be the Constitutional impact if the Lok Sabha and the states cannot pass the Finance Bill? Elections at regular intervals give people an opportunity to change the ruling party at the regional level in case of mismanagement or non-performance, will simultaneous elections make the regional parties abusive which represent the local socio-economic group? On an average, the total expenditure incurred over the past 15 years on purchase of EVMs is about Rs 10,000 crore. Can simultaneous polls save it? What are the different aspects of simultaneous elections and what will be the impact on economic growth rate? No new scheme can be launched due to the Model Code of Conduct. Is there no effect on the already existing scheme? Does it lead to policy paralysis? Rather than changing the entire election mechanism, can all elections slated to be held in one year be clubbed together? Would that not be a better option? This internal note comes after the Chief Election Commissioner had told News18 that as soon as Constitutional amendments are made, it would be in a position to conduct simultaneous elections from next year as far as logistical issues are concerned. It is the only helpline of its kind in Kashmir. People reach out to it when their drains aren't working, when they're fleeced shopping online, when they notice suspicious movements in their neighbourhood, and when some of them are looking for ways to shun their guns and surrender. CRPF's Madadgaar helpline (1411) was conceived in July 2016 when following the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani a blizzard of protests in the valley snapped almost every communication link between people and the state. There were two reasons for introducing an outreach programme during that sustained period of mistrust, Zulfiqar Hassan, IG (Operations) CRPF, who was the brain behind the initiative told News18. He said it helped end the temporary blockage of essential supplies like water and ambulance services, and prevented miscreants from taking advantage of the growing divide between state and the people. "Essential services had remained blocked for some time and this, as we saw, led to common public becoming disillusioned with the administrative machinery, fuelling further law and order problems. When we started this outreach programme, there was some mistrust about our motives but over time I think we have been able to win their trust," Hassan said. When the 1411 service started, CRPF got a lot of calls seeking career counselling, medical assistance, transport services and intervention in neighbourly disputes. "Those calls haven't stopped coming. Very recently we received a call from someone who complained about his farm getting flooded. Now this is something we can't help since his farm is close to the river," said Gul Junaid Khan, assistant commandant, who is in-charge of the Madadgaar scheme. He handles the helpline with five other officers from CRPF. "We have received calls about a former politician wanting security, about a person who claimed to have been fleeced online, a mentally disturbed child who used to make prank calls, and a doctor who had got addicted to drugs, to name a few cases. We intervened in all these cases successfully. Much to the surprise of many," Khan said. Apart from these day-to-day issues, the Madadgaar helpline also gets calls by locals giving tip-offs of local militants to the CRPF and of militants who wish to surrender and are trying to make their minds up. Though the officers manning the helpline refused to divulge information about how many calls of such nature have been received by them. Madadgaar helpline has received 1.33 lakh calls since it started in July last year. They get between 12,000 and 15,000 calls a month. Given the varied nature of distress calls it gets from the locals, CRPF's Madadgaar helpline is a one-of-a-kind outreach in the Valley. And perhaps because of its unique nature (the only other option being local police's 100 emergency number and army's helpline, both of which deal with mostly law and order problems) Madadgaar has begun to claim its own space in the Kashmiri society. "Yes it has created its own space I would say. The increasingly encouraging attitude by the locals towards our initiative tells us that somewhere we're on the right track. This helpline, which we initially conceived of as an emergency outreach, has become bigger than we had thought. And for this reason we will keep supporting it in future as well," Hassan says. New Delhi: Curious eyes turn towards two burqa-clad women as they enter a male dominated auditorium. The sight was certainly rare at the waqf board meeting, making a member exclaim with happiness, Do us proud! The first women scholars of the board, Amatul Aatifa, 36, and Fathima Muzaffar, 45, from Tamil Nadu, were not only breaking stereotypes, but their appointment had become the much-discussed topic of the day among conservatives. How does Tamil Nadu ensure such diversity? asks a pleasantly appalled elderly member of Orissa Waqf Board. To this, another member smilingly adds, I wish you both surpass us in all the tasks you undertake as scholars. The reactions were inevitable as the two were succeeding Sunni Chief Qazi Mohammed Salauddin Ayyub and Shia Chief Qazi Ghulam Mehdi Khan, unsettling the traditional order. The positions were earlier given to Qazis only. Though, the state board had a woman chairman in 2002, Badar Sayeed, and women members in the following years, but for the first time women had occupied the post under scholar category. The women scholars say that since their appointment on April 30, the move of the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board has drawn mixed response. A Qazi questioned my scholarship and used social media to discredit my work. But since I was a preacher on a television network, I received huge support from them and from the Shia Personal Law Board, says Aatifa. Muzaffar, a Sunni scholar and member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, says that she was bullied by conservatives and supporters of the Qazis. They told me that I should have some morals and decline the post, the Sunni scholar admits. Pointing out that the battle for equality is same for women across communities, Muzaffar says, It has always been difficult for women to overthrow orthodox order, whether its pope or a pujari. Our struggle was similar. They say that Vaniyambadi MLA and Minister Waqf Board Dr Nilofer Kafeel played a pivotal role in the appointment. Sifting through many recommendations, she picked Aatifa and Muzaffar in the scholar category. According to the rules, the Board is composed of a Chairperson; one and not more than two members, as the state government may think fit, to be elected from each of the electoral colleges. Muslim members of the state legislature, Muslim members of the Bar Council of the state and Mutawallis of the waqfs having an annual income of Rs 1 lakh and above. One and not more than two members are to be nominated by the State Government representing eminent Muslim organizations; one and not more than two members to be nominated by the state government, each from recognized scholars in Islamic Theology; an officer of the state government not below the rank of deputy secretary. The order passed by government and the Central Waqf Tribunal mentions that a minimum of two members should be women. Recalling her struggle before acquiring the post, Muzaffar says that when she was nominated, a petition was filed questioning how a Qazi can be replaced by a woman. The Madras High Court made it clear that this development is happening with the assistance of the government provisions and the Central Waqf Tribunal. There is no individual vendetta, but it is part of government order, Muzaffar recalls. Saying that she is not the kind to back out, the Sunni scholar narrates an incident of her days in Justice Ahmad Basheer College for Women when she was the union head and revived the cultural program after a hiatus of 20 years. The college management did not think it is apt for having extravaganzas for Women College but I started Charisma in 1991. It still continues, she says with a smile. Muzaffar is the daughter of AKA Abdul Samad, a prominent Tamil Nadu politician, and an important leader of the Indian Union Muslim League. Shia scholar Aatifa says that getting public acceptance was the greatest challenge. No one bothered about the Waqf board but with our entry, the Waqf became the talk of the town, she adds. Both the women went to the same college and are together in the same cabinet for the promotion of women empowerment, skill development with focus on women, optimum utilization of waqf properties for the development of the community at large. We will help the Shia community to utilize all available schemes of government, which were not exploited completely due to lack of informational flow, says Aatifa. Muzzfar says that her priority would be to ease Waqf properties from encroachment. If we are able to do that then Waqf will be able to contribute huge revenue to the government, she says, adding that she will also work for having schools and orphanages in every district. Unhappy with the Triple Talaq Bill that introduces criminal punishment in civil matter, the Sunni scholar says that Waqf would look into providing support in such cases. Also have destitute homes. When the Allies defeated Hitler's forces in the Second World War, one British leader remarked that the US-led forces were aided by German scientists who fled the Nazi rule. "Our German scientists were better than their German scientists, said one of British PM Winston Churchill's closest aides, Sir Ian Jacob. That saying came to mind this week as US-based global retail chain Walmart acquired a 77% stake in Bangalore-based Flipkart for $16 billion for a big-bang entry into India's emerging e-commerce market to take on Amazon. Bentonville-based Walmart will take on Seattle-based Amazon to win hearts and wallets in a seemingly all-American war on the Indian soil, targeting an economy of 1.3 billion people. But what is not so well known is that both of them will be powered by strategic technology developed by Indian American startups they acquired. What's more, both these startups were co-founded by the very same Indian guys. So it turns out that Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan both of whom are Chennai-born and both of whom are B Techs from IIT, Madras and PhDs in computer science from the prestigious Stanford University in California, have turned out to be key arms merchants in a global e-commerce war. Venky's Wikipedia page says he still holds an Indian nationality. Back in 1998, Venky, Anand, Rakesh Mathur and Ashish Gupta co-founded Junglee, one of the first shopping search engines. They sold it to Amazon the same year for $250 million in one of the hottest Internet acquisitions in its early days. Seven years later, Anand and Venky went on to found Kosmix, a search engine that allows users to perform advanced searches through multiple filters. Six years after that, in 2011, Walmart acquired Kosmix for an estimated $300 million. The acquisition powered @WalmartLabs, a key technological arm that helped Walmart turn from a brick-and-mortar retail giant into a major technology-driven player. Anand Rajaraman has served as Senior Vice President at Walmart Global eCommerce, where he used to head @WalmartLabs, which focuses on the intersection of social, mobile, and retail commerce. He was earlier director of technology at Amazon. Anand and Venky thus are common to both Walmart and Amazon. As the two US giants wrestle in the world's fastest-growing major economy, the strange thing is that technology developed by two Chennai-bred men is at the heart of the war in the land of their birth. Let's call them digital age arms merchants. (The author is a senior journalist who has worked for Reuters, Hindustan Times and Economic Times. He tweets as @madversity) New Delhi: Aligarh Muslim University vice chancellor Tariq Mansoor dismissed the row over Jinnah portrait on the campus as a non-issue. He said the issue in the university campus right now is the lathicharge that happened after BJP MP Satish Gautam objected to the portrait. Jinnah's portrait has been here since 1938. Jinnah's portrait is at many places, including Bombay High Court and Sabarmati Ashram. No one was worried about the portraits until now, I think it is a non-issue, said Tariq Mansoor when asked if he will get the portrait removed. The VC said that the university has asked for a judicial inquiry into the lathicharge on the students in the campus. "The university administration has requested for a judicial inquiry into the lathicharge incident. We have sent the recommendation to the state government, it is for them to decide," Tariq Mansoor said. The vice chancellor had on Tuesday issued a notice to the varsity students, and had blamed media for spreading lies. "A section of media channels are responsible for spreading lies," he had said. Requesting the students to not fall for such information, VC Tariq Mansoor advised them to focus on the examinations. On Monday, the varsity examinations were deferred till May 12. The VC met the union home minister on Wednesday and briefed him on the law and order situation in AMU. "It was a prescheduled meeting but given the situation in AMU right now, the VC briefed home minister on the facts and the current situation," home minister's office told CNN-News18. Mansoor said he met Rajnath Singh to discuss the issue of AMU students joining central paramilitary forces. "If paramilitary officers come and meet the AMU students, give them an orientation course on job opportunities in paramilitary, it will encourage students to join CAPF. I discussed this proposal with home minister and got a very positive response," said the VC. New Delhi: In a departure from convention, Justice J Chelameswar has declined to attend the farewell function to be organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) citing personal reasons. Sources tell News18 that the judge claimed he was not comfortable with such events, and cited how he did not want a farewell function even when he was transferred from the Andhra Pradesh High Court. Justice Chelameswar, the most senior judge in the Court, retires on June 22 but the event has to be organised on May 18 because the apex court breaks for summer vacation from May 19. SCBA president Vikas Singh confirmed to News18 that Justice Chelameswar has declined to attend his farewell. "I had personally spoken to him but he has said no," Singh told News18. The executive committee of the Bar association is expected to meet Justice Chelameswar again to persuade him. The lawyers, however, expressed reservations whether they will be able to do so. Justice Chelameswar, who has hit the headlines more often than not as being the dissenting voice in the highest judiciary, was recently at the forefront of the unparalleled press conference of the judges. The media was briefed at his official residence. Last month, at a public function, the judge had made it clear that he was not averse to putting his views about the judiciary in public domain and that he wanted the system to be fixed for public good. Justice Chelameswar had also refused to act as the executive chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) a position meant for the most senior judge in the Supreme Court. He declined a similar position in state legal services authority too. New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the Delhi government's Bill to amend the Minimum Wages Act under which employers violating labour rules in the city will now face fine ranging from Rs 20,000-50,000 and jail term between one to three years. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the amended law will act as a "strong deterrent" against the employers who do not pay full minimum wages. The Department of Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs of the Delhi government has issued a notification, making it mandatory for employers to pay remuneration either electronically or through cheques, except in some special circumstances. "Finally, Central Govt gives its approval after several months. This will act as a strong deterrent against those employers who do not pay full min wages. Del govt will take strong action against such people," Kejriwal tweeted. Karnataka Polls 2018: What to expect as PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi wrap up campaign with rallies, temple visits this week In March last year, Lt Governor Anil Baijal had approved the AAP government's decision to hike by 37 per cent the minimum wages of unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers. For an unskilled worker, the minimum wages is Rs 13,350 per month while for semi-skilled, it is Rs 14,698. The minimum wages for skilled persons is Rs 16,182 in the national capital. In August last year, the Delhi Assembly had again passed "The Minimum Wages (Delhi) Amendment Act, 2017", after the Centre had suggested the AAP dispensation to re-introduce the Bill with some changes in the Assembly. The first bill was tabled in 2015. According to the notification issued on May 4, the court before which the prosecution complaint is made under Section 22 of the Act will dispose it of within a month from the date of filing. The employer will upload the employee data on website or web portal in the manner as may be prescribed, the notification stated. It stated that for the words "shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both", the words "shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term of three years, or with fine of fifty thousand rupees, or with both." shall be substituted. The notification also stated, "Principal Act, in its application to the National Capital Territory of Delhi, for the words "with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, the words "with imprisonment for a term of one year, or with fine twenty thousand rupees or with both" shall be substituted. Asked about a pending matter pertaining to implementation of minimum wages in the Delhi High Court which had last year asked the city government not to take coercive against violators, a senior government official said that with the President's assent, the government will implement the provisions of the Bill. New Delhi: A day after a group of students, activists and journalists accused Sadanand Menon, professor at Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), of sexual harassment, the college on Wednesday said that Menon would not be teaching this academic year. As part of adjunct faculty, Menon taught the arts and culture elective at ACJ. The statement released by the college also states that Menon plans to take legal action against those who have published false and defamatory allegations against him. The group had also accused the college of not taking the charges seriously, an allegation which the college has refuted. The person who preferred the complaint in January 2018 to the Internal Complaints Committee, which had been duly constituted as per law and included a well-known woman lawyer, was not a student of the College at the time of the alleged incident and her work at Spaces had no connection with the College, read the statement. Speaking to News18, ACJ chairman Shashi Kumar had, on Tuesday, said that the college was being attacked for being a liberal campus. The group of ACJ students, alumni, journalists and activists who signed the letter against the Chennai college had sought strict action against Menon, who was named in Raya Sarkars list of alleged sexual offenders, over an alleged sexual harassment incident, involving a former student of the 2008 batch who was later working with Menon. The ACJ wishes to make it clear that on matters such as this, when unproven allegations that are not within its jurisdiction to investigate or enquire into, are made involving its faculty, whether full-time or adjunct, staff, and students, it has to stand firm on the ground laid down in the law of the land. It cannot make any subjective judgments based on speculation or rumour, the statement by the college said. Lucknow: The situation in Saharanpur is getting tenser by the minute after Bhim Army regional president Kamal Walias brother Sachin was shot by unknown assailants. The victim was rushed to the district hospital but he could not be revived. The Bhim Army had warned residents from celebrating Maharana Pratap Jayanti, leading to 800 police personnel being deployed at the Maharana Pratap Bhawan. The administration, too, was cautious in its approach and only have 200 people permission to celebrate the occasion. Sachin's family members are now claiming that the administration got him killed by giving permission for celebrating Maharana Pratap Jayanti. Last year, Dalits and Rajputs had clashed during the festivities leaving one person dead and 16 others, including one head constable, injured. Mobile internet services have been stopped in the region as a precautionary measure. Soeaking to News18, Saharanpur SSP Babloo Kumar said, "There was enough police force on this route due to Maharana Pratap Jayanti. Sachin Walia was already dead when he was brought to the hospital. One of the LIU inspector who reached the accident site was told that someone has fallen from the terrace and rushed to the hospital." Some people were seen washing the blood stains outside the accident site. Prima- facie evidence suggests the incident is doubtful. The injury hints that the firearm was fired from a close range," he said. "The family of the deceased is unable to tell the exact location of the incident as of now. Investigation in the case is underway," added SSP Saharanpur, Babloo Kumar. In 2017, tensions were at its peak in Shabbirpur and Simlana villages after members of the Dalit community protested against a procession being led by the Thakur community through a Dalit temple of Saint Ravidas without prior permission of the local administration. The conflict had caused several Dalit houses in Shabbirpur to go up in flames after the Thakur community allegedly set fire to homes in retaliation to the protests. The main challenge for administration at the moment is to diffuse the situation. Heavy security force has been deployed at the Malhipur road under Sadar Bazar police station. Earlier, after last years conflicts, permission to celebrate Maharana Pratap Jayanti was denied by the police and administration but later rescinded after the Kshatriya Community threatened to boycott the Kairana bypolls. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for not being able to protect the iconic Taj Mahal, and asked about the steps being taken to prevent the Mughal structure from being destroyed by insects and algae. A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta was concerned after the ASI told it that the Taj Mahal was getting infected by insects which breed in the stagnant water of the Yamuna river that flows by the monument. The ASI, which is in-charge of maintaining and repairing monuments, also told the bench that algae are a "big problem" and all those monuments that are on the river bank face similar issues. The bench asked how the algae reached the higher reaches of the Taj Mahal. The ASI replied: "It flew there." "Can algae fly," asked the court. The ASI also told the court that the Taj Mahal floor at several places was dirty, because all the people walking on it do not use socks. "We provide socks only to the VIPs, others use their own socks," it told the court. The Taj floor was also getting discoloured. The bench pulled up the ASI saying the situation would not have been so if it had taken steps to prevent it. "The problem is that the ASI is not willing to accept that there is a problem. This situation would not have arisen if the ASI had done its job. We are surprised with the way the ASI is defending itself," the top court said. "Perhaps we need to examine solution to prevent the decay of the Taj Mahal without the ASI," the bench said. Additional Solicitor General A.N.S. Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) was already considering the top court's suggestion to appoint international experts to look into the issue of protection and preservation of the 17th century mausoleum. The Uttar Pradesh government said it would place before the court a draft of vision document on protection and preservation of the Taj Mahal that was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The government said it was also trying to take care of the environment around the structure so that the historic monument could be there for another 400 years and not just for a generation. The Centre said it would consider the top court's suggestion to take the assistance of Indian experts or from abroad to see the extent of damage and whether it could be reversed and the steps that could be taken to check them. The court has been hearing a plea filed by environmentalist M.C. Mehta seeking protection of the Taj from the ill-effects of polluting gases and deforestation in and around the area. New Delhi: The Jinnah controversy refuses to die down. From Aligarh Muslim University, it has now travelled to neighbouring Delhi. On Tuesday, around 6pm, a group of students, claiming to be from Jamia Millia Islamia, took out a march to gate number 7 and allegedly raised slogans against Pakistans founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, such as "Jinnah premi desh chhodo" (Jinnah lovers, leave the country), and "Hinduon ko darana band karo" (Stop scaring Hindus). On Wednesday, an outfit took out a protest march near Jamia saying it was opposing the "intimidation" Hindu students were facing inside the campus. "Radical organisations on campus were threatening Hindu students after incidents like Kathua rape and AMU controversy. Two students, who are Hindus, were beaten up inside the campus. We organised this march to fight that intimidation," said Rahul Tiwari, one of the organisers of the march. "Such organisations are not just against Hindu students, but also against those who are not supporting their ideologies. This has been happening for four weeks now," Tiwari, who claims to be a student of the varsity, said. Some students alleged that not all the protesters were from Jamia. Most of them were outsiders. Exams are going on in the university, and their motive was to disrupt the ambience, said a second-year masters student. The JMI administration, on the other hand, has requested the Delhi Police to step up security near the university. "Though there are no photographs of Jinnah or anything related to it, considering the history of the varsity, the group was intending to incite violence by raising such slogans," the university's media coordinator told PTI. "We have asked the Delhi Police to beef up security near all access points of the university," it added. The Delhi Police responded by saying it was "on high alert" and prepared to handle any untoward incident that might take place. The AMU campus has been tense ever since members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Hindu Yuva Vahini entered the premises demanding that the portrait of Jinnah be removed from the students union hall. The police had to intervene which resulted in students being lathicharged on the campus. New Delhi: The Supreme Court has restrained Maharashtra government from acquiring the land on which Mumbai's controversial Adarsh society building has been erected, and asked whether it would refund the money paid by the society for the land. A bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar stayed the direction passed by the Bombay High Court in April 2016 on an appeal moved by the Adarsh society residents. It noted that the HC had said that the land in Colaba has been directed to be resumed by due process of law. A question would arise whether such a due process of law envisages refund of the amount paid by the petitioner-society for the land as the land is being offered as a security. This direction, of course, is stayed pending consideration of appeal against that order," stated the court order on Tuesday. The bench, also comprising Justice Sanjay K Kaul, said that the state of Maharashtra should be called upon to explain. "Let notice be issued to the State of Maharashtra through the standing counsel by way of dasti. A copy of the order to accompany the notice so that the state of Maharashtra is able to give appropriate instructions in the matter," directed the court. It fixed the matter for May 16 for further hearing. The HC had in 2016 ordered for demolition of Adarsh building over gross illegalities in its construction and allotment of flats. Later, the Supreme Court has stayed the demolition after the Adarsh society moved in appeal against the order. On orders of the top court, the Central government is currently securing the building. Adarsh is a 31-storey building in Colaba in south Mumbai whose apartments were intended for war veterans but were grabbed by politicians, defence officers and bureaucrats. Congress' Ashok Chavan was forced to quit as Chief Minister in 2010 after it was revealed that three of his relatives had also been given apartments in the building. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised lawyers for "killing the institution" by targeting one and all in the top court. Justice Arun Mishra, mincing no words, came down heavily upon the Supreme Court lawyers for questioning everything and everyone in the Court. "No one is spared...you are attacking all...targeting all. With one arrow, you want to kill everyone," said the bench, presided over by Justice Mishra. The judge rued that lawyers are now going to TV channels and discussing everything that's happening here. They discuss court proceedings on TV. We are abused like anything," commented Justice Mishra. He added,"You are killing this institution everyday. Lawyers will survive only if this institution survives." The judge also questioned the silence of senior lawyer and president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Vikas Singh on the issue. Singh was one of the lawyers in the case which was being heard by the bench. The remarks by Justice Mishra came while the Court was hearing a plea relating to medical admissions in Kerala. Recently, the bench had stayed the Kerala government's Ordinance, which sought to protect certain medical admissions that were quashed by the Court. A clarification application was moved in this regard but the Bench declined to entertain it. Justice Mishra has been lately critical of the fact that posting of judge Loya's death case before his bench was questioned by a group of lawyers. He has often observed that he is a "junior" judge in the Court. The entire Supreme Court has been in an eye of storm over the spate of controversies relating to allocation of important cases to a few benches, as was alleged by the four most senior judges in the unprecedented press conference in January. One after another episode has ever since kept the Supreme Court and its administration in the headlines, and there has been a never-before critical analysis of the Court and its events in the media and in public glare. Actress Deepika Padukone, who has been on a sartorial roll, making one stylish appearance after another and charming onlookers with her beauty and dimpled smile, recently made her second appearance at prestigious Met Gala 2018. And after her impressive appreanace at the Met event, the star is all set to slay it on the Cannes red carpet once again with her uber chic style and stunning sartorial selections. The Cannes Film Festival will take place from the 8th to 18th May. Deepika Padukone will be walking the red carpet for the second time on 10th and 11th May as L'Oreal Paris brand ambassador. While Deepika pulled off a scorching red Prabal Gurung 'cardinal silk crepe strapless gown with hand draped silk gazar sculptural shoulder bloom and side draped chapel train' which she teamed diamond and pearl earrings and matching rings at the Met Gala on Tuesday, we cannot wait to see what the star will don for her upcoming Cannes appearance. And as we wait, here's a closer look at Deepika's previous Cannes red carpet appearances that impressed fashion connoisseurs from around the world. Last year, Deepika made her second Cannes appearance and the diva made sure that it was one that people remembered for a very long time. For her first appearance in 2017, Deepika turned up the heat in a bold dark purple Marchesa Notte ensemble as she walked down the Cannes red carpet representing one of the largest cosmetics brands - L'Oreal Paris. Needless to say, the sexy siren looked every bit the diva she is. Her bold and beautiful avatar stunned one and all. Take a look. (Photo: L'Oreal Paris India Official Twitter account)Cannes: Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone at the opening ceremony of the 70th international film festival, Cannes, France, Wednesday. (Image: PTI) Her second appearance was equally, if not more, impressive. Deepika chose an emerald green Brandon Maxwell one-shoulder gown with a long train and a thigh-high slit that looked just perfect on her. The 31-year-old star had aptly teamed her stunning outfit with heels by Chloe Gosselin and chose accessories by de Grisogono. A high bun and statement earrings rounded off the diva's look. Take a look. Deepika Padukone pose for photographers upon arrival at the screening of the film Loveless at the 70th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 18, 2017. (Image: AP)(Photo: Genesis Burson-Marsteller)Deepika Padukone attends the 'Loveless (Nelyubov)' screening during the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2017 in Cannes, France. (Image: Getty Images) For those unaware, Deepika made her first Cannes red appearance back in 2010 as the brand ambassador of Chivas Regal. The actress had sported a beautiful white and gold Rohit Bal saree for her debut appearance. While Deepika looked splendid in the traditional Indian nine-yard with a strappy back-knotted blouse, her lovely, dimpled smile added the much need charm to her appearance. Take a look. A post shared by QUEEN (@deepikapadukonebeautiful) on May 16, 2017 at 8:47am PDT New details have emerged on the chocolate factory that will open by pastry chef Jordi Roca, one-third of the fraternal team behind El Celler de Can Roca, which has topped the World's 50 Best Restaurants list twice. To be called Casa Cacao, the chocolate factory will open next year in Girona, reports Diari de Girona, not far from the family's flagship restaurant El Celler de Can Roca. The chocolate boutique is just one part of the family project, which will also include a boutique hotel featuring 15 rooms across the upper three levels. The hotel will be run by Anna Payet, wife of El Celler de Can Roca chef Joan Roca. Meanwhile on street level, the chocolate boutique will feature an open kitchen where pastry chefs and chocolatiers will show visitors how they create chocolate from bean to bar. Credit: @ Jordi Roca At the "chocolate bar," visitors can participate in chocolate tastings and learn how to identify the nuances of sweet, bitter, acidic and fruity chocolate. The factory will also include a boutique where Roca-roasted and blended chocolates will be available for sale. Casa Cacao is expected to open next year. The space sounds similar in concept to French chef Alain Ducasse's Manufacture de Chocolat in Paris, an open space where chocolatier Nicolas Berger and his team of artisans create gourmet chocolates from bean to bar. Goa-based fashion designer Wendell Rodricks today lashed out at the 2018 Met Gala organisers for their theme of "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination", saying it disrespected Christianity. The 57-year-old couturier took to social media to blast the annual charity event, which saw personalities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Katy Perry, Amal-George Clooney and Indian stars Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone walk the red carpet. The gala was hosted by Rihanna, Amal and Donatella Versace alongside Vogue's Anna Wintour. "As a Catholic, I am sickened by this years @metmuseum gala which has become @annawintour__official ego massage @vogue. The Vatican should take them to court for blasphemy and using a crucifix as a sex ornament," Rodricks wrote. As a Catholic I am sickened by this years metmuseum Gala which has https://t.co/o4DNFE07X2 Wendell Rodricks (@Wendellrodricks) May 8, 2018 The designer also targeted Rihanna, for donning a Pope-like hat. He labelled her as an "insult" to Christianity. "Hey @metmuseum @AnnaWintour_ #Rihanna @rihanna you ain't no Bishop. Take off that mitre and sit on it. You are an #insult to #Christianity" he tweeted. "I guess carrying the Nativity scene on your head @sarahjessicaparkerofficial @themetgala deservedly makes one look #biblical #ancient," Rodricks commented on Parker's headgear. I guess carrying the Nativity scene on you head https://t.co/r09a3qRrVn Wendell Rodricks (@Wendellrodricks) May 8, 2018 Rodricks is not the only one who was hurt by the theme. British TV personality Piers Morgan and other Catholics and conservatives also accused the organisers of religious appropriation. "As a Catholic, well I'm not a snowflake, but it's a bit odd isn't it? Imagine if it had been an Islamic theme, what people would have felt. A Jewish theme, what people would have felt? "Explain to me why, as a Catholic I shouldn't be slightly perturbed that a load of celebrities have waltzed up nativity play headgear and dressed like my Pope? I've got to say if it was any other religion, all hell would be breaking loose," Morgan said on his show. The commentator also wrote a column on his issues with the gala's theme, and also tweeted at Pope Francis, expressing his disappointment over the Holy See giving its tacit approval to the event's organisers. Good afternoon Holy Father @Pontifex - I'm very disappointed the Vatican approved last night's Catholic-mocking Met Gala. Please read my column to understand why: https://t.co/mWaNAlk00o pic.twitter.com/6pmyA8DJ3b Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 8, 2018 (With PTI inputs) Do you think women tend to prefer a particular type of man when they are fertile? If you think so, nothing could be further from the truth as a new study says that women's perceptions of male attractiveness do not vary according to their hormone levels. These findings, published in the journal Psychological Science, run counter to the common assumption that sexual selection pressures lead women to prefer more masculine mates, who supposedly have greater genetic "fitness," when they are most fertile and most likely to conceive. "We found no evidence that changes in hormone levels influence the type of men women find attractive," said lead researcher Benedict Jones of the University of Glasgow in Britain. "This study is noteworthy for its scale and scope -- previous studies typically examined small samples of women using limited measures," Jones explained, adding, "With much larger sample sizes and direct measures of hormonal status, we were not able to replicate effects of hormones on women's preferences for masculine faces." To address the limitations of previous studies, the researchers recruited nearly 600 heterosexual women to participate in a series of weekly test sessions. In each session, the participants reported whether they were currently in a romantic relationship and whether they were currently using hormonal contraceptives. In each face-preference task, the participants saw 10 pairs of male faces and selected the face in each pair that they found more attractive, rating how strong their preference was. The two faces in each pair were digitally altered versions of the same photo -- one face was altered to have somewhat feminised features and the other was altered to have somewhat masculinised features. As expected, women generally rated the masculinised faces as more attractive than the feminised faces. Preference for the more masculinised faces was also slightly stronger when women judged attractiveness in the context of a short-term relationship as opposed to a long-term relationship. However, there was no evidence that women's preferences varied according to levels of fertility-related hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone. There was also no association between attractiveness judgments and levels of other potentially influential hormones, such as testosterone and cortisol, the study said. With access to the real DMZ restricted, tourists are flocking to a replica of the border truce village of Panmunjom to re-enact the scene of the leaders of the two Koreas shaking hands. With a low cement block between them marking the "border", they shake hands as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in did when they met at Panmunjom on April 27. Many visitors joined hands and hopped over the mock Military Demarcation Line to the "North" and back, re-enacting the scene that was broadcast live. "My children urged me to come here after they saw the the famous scene on TV at school class," Park Sook-hyun, a 44-year-old housewife, told AFP. Chung O-Chul, 46, said he came from the southern city of Changwon to see the replica and "celebrate reconciliation" between the two Koreas. "But I was overwhelmed by this huge crowd", he said. Panmunjom, known as the Joint Security Area, is inside the Demilitarized Zone, a 250 kilometer (155-mile)-long swath of land that divides the Korean peninsula. Despite its name, the DMZ is among the most heavily fortified areas on the planet and the Joint Security Area is the only place where soldiers from the North and South stand face-to-face. The replica was built for the 2000 blockbuster "JSA: Joint Security Area", a mystery thriller by renowned director Park Chan-wook. The village has UN blue-coloured huts, Panmungak, a drab cement building on the North side, and the Freedom House pavilion on the South side. But despite the realism there is a complete lack of the tension visitors feel when they set foot on what former US president Bill Clinton once described as the "scariest place on Earth". "It is almost like the real Panmunjom but what lacks here is the tense atmosphere" said Park, adding she had a chance to visit Panmunjom 20 years earlier. The facility and two other outdoor movie sets belong to the Korean Film Council's Namyangju Studios in the eastern suburbs of Seoul. "The two other movie sets used to be more popular than Panmunjom replica but following the summit, most visitors want to see Panmunjom set first," a studio official said. And there are only a few weeks left to visit "Panmunjom" as the sets will be torn down after the end of May ahead of the studio's relocation to the southern city of Busan next year. Saudi women will be allowed to start driving in the kingdom from June 24, the General Department of Traffic Director General Mohammed al-Bassami said on Tuesday. "All the requirements for women in the kingdom to start driving have been established," Bassami was quoted as saying in a statement released by the government. In September 2017, a royal decree announced the end of a decades-long ban on women driving -- the only one of its kind in the world. Women 18 years of age and older will be allowed to apply for a driver's license, Bassami said. Driving schools for women have been set up across five cities in the conservative kingdom, and teachers will include Saudi women who obtained their licenses abroad. Women with foreign driving licenses will be able to apply for a local one through a separate process, which will also assess their driving skills. "It is no secret that many women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hold driving licences from abroad," the statement added. Saudi women have previously petitioned the government for the lifting of the ban, and even taken to the wheel in protest. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 32, is seen as the force behind the lifting of the ban, part of a series of reforms being pushed by the powerful royal in the conservative kingdom. His Vision 2030 reform plan for a post-oil era seeks to elevate women to nearly one-third of the workforce, up from about 22 percent now. The decision to allow women to drive could give them the much-needed mobility to join the workforce. Saudi women now no longer need male permission to start business. But Saudi activists say social change will only be cosmetic without dismantling the kingdom's rigid guardianship system, which requires women to seek permission from a male relative to study, travel and other activities. Vous etes confrontes a une infestation par la puce, la punaise de lit ? Voici plusieurs actions qui sont a mettre en uvre pour faire [] The 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival, grappling with gender equality, #MeToo Movement and a selfie ban on the red carpet, was inaugurated here on Tuesday by the Australian actress and President of the main jury, Cate Blanchett, and the legendary American director, Martin Scorsese. Given these , there was off-screen drama with some of the Festival attendees trying to break the ban on selfies in an era when photographing oneself has become such a grotesque obsession. But then the General-Delegate of the Festival, Thierry Fremaux, a strong critic of the selfie culture which he felt was not only an ugly way of capturing images but also impeding the free flow on the red carpet made it his personal mission to enforce the rule with an almost iron hand. There may have been a few stray violations on day one, but Fremaux seemed to have succeeded at least on the inaugural evening at the Grand Theatre Lumiere which will play host to cinema for the next several days. This year's Cannes will also see other radical changes, all pushed by Fremaux. One of them is the re-working of the Press schedule for movies. Journalists will not longer be able to watch a film before others do. Thus the movies will be truly world premieres a move which Fremaux felt would help production teams to ward off early criticism. And in Cannes, journalists can be brutal, completely destroying the prospects of a film. It is in such a scenario that the Iranian auteur, Asghar Farhadi's Spanish language Everybody Knows opened the Festival. The Festival has invariably kicked off with either a French work or one in English the only exception being 2004, when the Spanish master Pedro Almodovar's Bad Educator, got Cannes rolling on its 12-day sojourn. Everybody Knows is a psychological thriller, which stars the husband-wife duo, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem from Spain, and Ricardo Darin from Argentina. Certainly Everybody Knows has all the classic Farhadi elements, but I still felt that language could be an obstacle, and that is why the director's best so far has been the Oscar-clinching A Separation (in Farsi), whose power-packed marital drama is just unforgettable. Farhadi's later set-in-Paris The Past disappointed me all right. However, Everybody Knows weaving layers within layers subtly hitting out against class distinctions and long forgotten family secrets gets a tremendous boost not only from Farhadi's master craftsmanship, but also the lead pair, husband-wife duo Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz's brilliant performance. But of course. After many years in Argentina, Laura (Cruz) returns to her native village in Spain for her sister's wedding. She arrives with her teenage daughter, Irene, and her young son, Diego. Their father does not come. Staying at her ageing father's large villa, Laura is happy to be back home, and so too her family to see her and her children. Paco (Bardem), once Laura's lover but now married to Bea (Barbara Lennie), is also joyous at the reunion. But then the drinking and dancing celebrations come to a grinding halt when Irene is kidnapped for ransom. And secrets come tumbling down in a way that is so Farhadi. He has been a master at working with human emotions and how the past of men influences their present to get them to behave in the most irrational ways. However, somewhere in Everybody Knows Farhadi falters because his strength has never been dealing with too many characters, and his work is so crowded that it sometimes becomes difficult to understand what exactly is happening on the screen. His earlier movies have all been minimalistic with just a handful of characters. But Everybody Knows appears to have flooded itself with too many. Also, Farhadi's usual style of working with secrets does not quite succeed here, because we can see revelations coming a mile away. This stops the story from turning into a nail-biting thriller. What ultimately saves the movie is the fine acting, especially by Cruz and Bardem. In roles that seem to have been written only for them, they breathe life into Laura and Paco. Their chemistry and their sorrow are so marvellously brought out that Everybody Knows shines even through some of its pitfalls. (Author, commentator and movie critic Gautaman Bhaskaran is covering the Cannes Film Festival for the 29th year, and he may be e-mailed at gautamanb@hotmail.com) Cannes, France: The MeToo campaign for sexual equality will have no direct impact on who wins at the Cannes Film Festival, Cate Blanchett, the head of this years majority-female jury, said on Tuesday. Of the 21 films vying for the Palme dOr, only three are directed by women, the same as last years festival which happened before the sexual abuse and harassment allegations that gave birth to a global campaign to get greater female participation in the film business. When asked whether she was concerned that there were only three female-helmed movies, Blanchett told a news conference: A few years ago there were only two! Is (MeToo) going to have a direct impact upon the films in competition this year, six, nine months on? Not specifically. There are several women in competition but they are not there because of their gender, they are there for the quality of their work. She added: Would I like to see more women in competition? Absolutely. Do I expect and hope thats going to happen in the future? I hope so. But, as if to show how women must not be overlooked in cinema, she had a barbed response to a reporter who asked the filmmakers - meaning the directors, rather than actors - on the jury to answer why are movies still important? Actresses: dont answer that because you have no idea how to answer that question! Blanchett said with a raised eyebrow to fellow jury members Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart (an actress who has recently moved into directing). The news conference was the last time the five-women, four-men jury will speak to the media until the end of the fortnight of movie screenings which begins on Tuesday with Everybody Knows, a Spanish-language drama starring Penelpo Cruz and Javier Bardem, written and directed by the Iranian Asghar Farhadi. Another Iranian with a movie in competition, Jafar Panahi, will be unable to attend the festival as he is officially banned from film-making by his government. Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov will also be absent as he is under house arrest in Russia on charges his supporters say are politically motivated. Blanchett, who called their plight a terrible situation was asked it that would alter the way their films are judged. Its not a political film festival, she replied, insisting that all flims will be judged solely on their artistic merits. This is not the Nobel Peace Prize, its the Palme dOr. The festival runs from May 8 to May 19. Ryan Reynolds' tweets have often proved he is the unbeatable king of humour. Once again, the actor has left everyone in splits as he responded to a tweet from Indian heartthrob Ranveer Singh, who has lent his voice to Reynolds' foul-mouthed superhero in the Hindi version of Deadpool 2. Ranveer, who recently returned to India after promoting a tourism campaign in Switzerland, on Monday had tweeted that he never realised how fulfilling and rewarding foul Hindi language could be. "Astonishing how effectively I've managed to out-crass my Canadian counterpart Ryan Reynolds. Never realised how fulfilling and rewarding foul Hindi language can be! 'Deadpool 2'," Ranveer wrote alongside the Hindi trailer of the David Leitch-directed movie. Astonishing how effectively Ive managed to out-crass my Canadian counterpart @VancityReynolds. Never realised how fulfilling & rewarding foul Hindi language can be! #Deadpool2Hindi @FoxStarIndia https://t.co/BqZoxvEEls Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) May 7, 2018 To which Reynolds replied: "Well if I tried to curse in Hindi, pretty sure there would be an international incident." Well if I tried to curse in Hindi, pretty sure there would be an international incident. https://t.co/cxeRIiUy5o Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) May 7, 2018 Ranveer was quick to write back, "I'm a fan since 'Two Guys A Girl And A Pizza Place' You've always inspired me. I even tried being Van Wilder for a phase in College Indiana University, but I was definitely a Taj (played by Kal Penn)." Im a fan since #TwoGuysAGirlAndAPizzaPlace Youve always inspired me I even tried being #VanWilder for a phase in College @IndianaUniv but I was definitely a Taj @kalpenn https://t.co/Rrei22xOxG Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) May 8, 2018 Deadpool tells the story of an adult superhero with a twisted sense of humour. Based on Marvel Comics' most unconventional anti-hero, it is the original story of a former Special Forces operative who turns into a mercenary. Deadpool 2, brought to India by Fox Star India, will open on May 18. Bengaluru: The Karnataka Assembly elections witnessed high drama when in a midnight raid on an apartment flat in Bengaluru led to unearthing of nearly 10,000 voter IDs. The Congress and the BJP were quick to blame the other for this. The flat in question, where the voter IDs were recovered, belongs to BJP leader Manjula Nanjamari, who says the flat was rented out, but not to Rakesh, the man Congress alleges is behind the fake voter ID scam. The Congress alleges that the flat was rented out to BJP leader Rakesh and that he was a relative of the flat owner Manjula. Rakesh has no connection with this flat, yes he is my cousin though. Also, news that I have relations with Congress is false, said Sridhar, son of Manjula Nanjamari. Earlier today, addressing a press conference, Rakesh denied living at the flat. There is some distant relationship, but that is it. I do not live here, I live a kilometre away from that flat, said Rakesh. Manjula too confirmed that the flat was never rented to Rakesh. The tenants are Rangaraju and Rekha and not Rakesh. They took the place on rent on April 5 saying they just wanted place to dump some of their office stuff, said Manjula Nanjamari, flat owner. Manjula said the flat belonging to Rakesh was nothing but fake news. Brandishing photographic evidence, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tore into the BJP and said Rakesh was behind this. "This is the BJP MLA candidate Muniraj Gowda with BJP leader Rakesh, in whose flat the voter IDs were recovered. Election Commission has clearly said that Manjula Nanjamari had rented the flat to her son Rakesh. BJP's lies stand exposed," said Surjewala. "This is the BJP MLA candidate Muniraj Gowda with BJP leader Rakesh, in whose flat the voter IDs were recovered. Election Commission has clearly said that Manjula Nanjamari had rented the flat to her son Rakesh. BJP's lies stand exposed": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/5N2WRNHJX9 Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018 Cementing his charge that Rakesh was indeed related to BJP, Surjewala also furnished the list of candidates who contested the BBMP election, which also had Rakeshs name on it. "This is the list of BJP candidates of BBMP Elections. On Sl. No 16 is the name Rakesh from Jalahalli ward. Is this not proof that Rakesh is in BJP?" asked Surjewala. "This is the list of BJP candidates of BBMP Elections. On Sl. No 16 is the name Rakesh from Jalahalli ward. Is this not proof that Rakesh is in BJP?": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/IO1lLSxwIx Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018 Surjewala also said that Manjula was a prominent leader of the BJP, but the party has now disowned her. Owner of the flat is Manjula Nanjamari, she was BJP corporator from '97-'02 & continues to be prominent leader of BJP. In last 24 hours she has been disowned by #Karnataka BJP in-charge Prakash Javadekar, said Randeep Surjewala. Rakesh maintains that he was the one who uncovered the fraud being committed. I had observed that there was suspicious activity going on here. I noticed that CCTVs had become defunct. I noticed that street-lights had been removed. There were a lot of outsiders who had been going and coming from that flat. I sent some of my boys to track this closely. They were able to catch glimpses of the cards and other activity through the window, said Rakesh. Mysore: A few hundred enthusiastic voters and children are waiting for the Congress candidate Dr. Yatheendra, the son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Some have brought even drums and garlands. But there is no sign of Yatheendra even after 1 oclock in the afternoon. Someone announces that there was a road accident near their village, and Yatheendra was busy helping the victims. Soon after Yatheendra arrives there. The slogans praising him and Siddaramaiah rend the air. Mild mannered and humble, Yatheendra, a qualified pathologist, shakes hand with youngsters and greets the aged and women with folded hands. The village headman receives him at his house and declares that the entire village will vote for him. When News18 visited Varuna, people at several villages said that Yatheendra will surely win by a decent margin. They feel that he is a good person and should be elected. After the BJP denied ticket to B S Yeddyurappas son Vijayendra from Varuna, the contest has now become one sided. Even the local BJP leaders agree. But not ready to take chances, Yatheendra, braving the hot summer sun, has been campaigning extensively in Varuna. Outskirts of Mysore City (part of Chamundeshwari seat) A group of elders backing their candidate and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is holding an informal meeting at a local shop. They are trying to convince some local leaders to back Siddaramaiah against sitting JDS MLA GT Deve Gowda. Naganna, leader of the elders, tells them that Siddaramaiah is fighting his last election and he must be supported at any cost. After a 15-minute meeting, the locals agree to vote for the Chief Minister and the group moves to next village. The exuberance of the Congress workers in sons seat Varuna is missing in fathers seat Chamundeshwari. But Siddaramaiahs backers claim that he will definitely win from Chamundeshwari even though it is not going to be easy for him. Siddaramaiah vacated Varuna for his son and returned his old seat Chamundeshwari in this do or die election for him. The happy mood in Varuna and tense atmosphere in Chamundeshwari explain what is right with Varuna and what is wrong with Chamundeshwari. In Varuna, Siddaramaiahs main vote bank AHINDA (Minorities, Backward Classes, SC/STs) looks intact. These community leaders claim that the AHINDA is solidly behind his son and Yatheendra will make it to the Assembly without much efforts. Venkataramana, a Dalit, said that he was going to back Yatheendra because of Siddaramaiah. He said, In Varuna, all of us are voting for the Congress. Siddaramaiah is our leader. We are proud of him. The BJP is trying to project him as an anti-Dalit. But we dont buy that argument. Actually we are worried about BJP. Our admired leader V Srinivasa Prasad quit Congress to join BJP. They have sidelined him completely. Lingayats and Vokkaligas have an understanding to defeat the Congress. But we wont let that happen. Kumar, a local Congress leader, told News18 that 30% of the Lingayats and Vokkaligas are backing Siddaramaiah and the BJP was dividing the society on caste lines by spreading the rumours that they are not with Congress. Manteswamy, a Lingayat from the neighbouring village, admitted that majority of them are rooting for the BJP because of Yeddyurappa. He said, Our caste prefers Yeddyurappa. But we cant say that all of us vote for him. There are many who are undecided. He also agrees that there is no wave in this election. Speaking to News18, Yatheendra said that he was above caste politics and he had faith in every caste and religion. I dont discriminate. All castes and religions vote for me. I am hopeful of a decent win, said Yatheendra. He also expressed confidence that his father would easily win from neighbouring Chamundeshwari. He said, My father was Chamundeshwari MLA five time before 2008. He will win. The media reports about a tough fight are not accurate. However, Chamundeshwari presented a different picture when News18 travelled across the constituency. The Vokkaliga mobilisation behind JDS was clearly visible at many villages. The seat has 72,000 Vokkaligas and 40,000 Veerashaiva/Lingayats. Many of them appear to be with the JDS to defeat Siddaramaiah for various reasons. The JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy have taken it as a challenge and campaigned extensively across Chamundeshwari. Speaking to News18, they said Siddaramaiah would bite the dust in Chamundeshwari. On the other hand, Siddaramaiahs poll managers exude confidence that he will win from Chamundeshwari. Mayi Gowda, a local Vokkaliga leader, said that it was wrong to say that all Vokkaligas are with the JDS. He said, I agree that 50-60% of them may vote for the JDS. Since JDS has an understanding with the BJP, they are getting even Veerashaiva/Lingayat votes. But at least 30% votes from these two castes will also go to Siddaramaiah. He also said that the AHINDA mobilisation behind Siddaramaiah was taking place on a big scale in Chamundeshwari. We did not want to make it an upper caste versus lower castes election. But the JDS and BJP have made it like that. They should be blamed for caste divisions here, Mayi Gowda said. Siddaramaiah said that he was supremely confident of his win and no amount of mudslinging and harassment by the JDS and BJP will work against him. New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi slammed PM Modi for his idea of Congress-mukt Bharat saying it was as if bhoot (ghost) of Congress-mukt Bharat has consumed the PM. In her first and only public rally after almost two years, Sonia gave Modi a back-handed compliment when she lauded the PM for being the finest speaker and also said that such speeches are not good enough to provide food, shelter and medicines to the poor. "Narendra Modi is proud that he is a good orator, I agree with this. But he speaks quite like an actor. I will feel happy if his speeches can end hunger in the country. But it simply cannot. Just as it cannot empower women or heal the sick, said Sonia Gandhi addressing a huge crowd at Bijapur city, which has been a traditional stronghold of the Congress party until BJPs Appu Pattanshetty won the seat in 2008. Forget Congress-mukt Bharat, Modi cannot tolerate anyone in front of him, said Sonia Gandhi. Sonia Gandhis sharp attack on Modi came at a time when BJP raked up Sonia Gandhis foreign-origin issue on a day of her first election rally in Karnataka. Sonias jibe at Modi was a counter to Karnataka BJPs tweet: Today, Ms. Antonio Maino is here in Ktaka to save her last citadel from falling! Madam Maino, Ktaka needs no lessons from the person who was solely responsible for wastingIndias 10 precious years. And to Congress, need to remind you of your import jibe? Significantly, BJPs tweet had come as a counter to Congress charge on Monday that BJP was importing North Indian leaders to Karnataka to win elections in an obvious reference to series of rallies by Yogi Adityanath - the new Hindutva poster-boy of the party. Incidentally, even as the election campaign draws to a close, both Modi and Sonia decided to hold rallies in the crucial Lingayat stronghold, which has been a focal point of these elections. Addressing people in the Lingayat heartland, Sonia Gandhi reminded the public that she is aware of the fact that she is addressing the people of Bijapur, which is a land of great Basavanna. Sonia Gandhi, who has been at the helm of power in the Congress and has been party president for almost 20 years, decided to pave way for her son Rahul Gandhi, who was elected the partys national president unopposed late last year. Sonia Gandhi has opted out of election campaigns avoiding several Assembly elections ever since she had to abruptly end her election campaign in Varanasi in May 2016 due to health issues. In Karnataka, Congress has left the election management in the hands of Siddaramaiah, who was given a free hand in ticket distribution and has been the main campaigner for the party even though Congress president Rahul Gandhi also criss-crossed the state covering almost three dozen rallies in the last three months. Sensing the importance of the Lingayats, it was Siddaramaiah who recommended religious minority status for the powerful Lingayat sect last year. It forced the BJP not only to go back to its old face Yeddyurappa, who doesnt quite enjoy a corruption-free image, but also forced party president Amit Shah to focus on Lingayat mutts and seeking blessings of several Lingayat seers during the first phase of campaigning. Party insiders say Sonia Gandhis rally in Bijapur was strategically planned in Bijapur city as PM Modis rally was already scheduled in Sarawad, a small town about 17 kms away from Bijapur City. Sonias Bijapur rally was planned by Congress leader from Bijapur MB Patil, who has been keen in establishing himself as a Lingayat face of the Congress party though has not met with much success. It was Patil who last year lead the thousands of Lingayats gathered in Bidar and demanded minority status for their faith. Patil, who is a four-time MLA and also water resources minister, was the main organiser of Sonias rally in Bijapur. While addressing the huge rally in Sarawad in Bijapur, Modi invoked the name of social reformer Lord Basaveshwara and attacked Congress of betraying the 12th century philosopher and saint. Last month, sensing the importance of Lingayats in Karnataka polls, Modi even chose to pay homage to the Lingayat saint and unveiled the statue of Lord Basaveshwara at the banks of river Thames during his visit to the UK. A dominant group in North Karnataka, Lingayats are a decisive force in around 85 to 90 of the 224 seats in the Assembly and a number of Karnataka CMs have belonged to the Lingayat community. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday mocked Congress president Rahul Gandhis readiness to be PM in 2019 and said the latters ambition is nothing but arrogance. Yesterday someone made an important declaration. He said, "I am going to be PM!" He came like those bullies, barging his way ahead when there are others who have many years of experience. How can someone just declare himself as the PM? This is simply nothing but arrogance, said Modi during a campaign rally in Bengarpet in Karnataka. Modi's attack came a day after Gandhi said he was ready to occupy the PM's post if his party emerged as the "biggest" party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Soon after Gandhis remark, the BJP took potshots, saying the Congress president, who is harbouring "lofty dreams" despite his party's losing spree, should first try to win state elections. "There are leaders waiting for 40 years... he came all of a sudden and placed his bucket, and said I will become the Prime Minister," Modi said during the final lap of his campaign blitz in election-bound Karnataka, where voting will be held on May 12. The Prime Minister asked the gathering whether it was not a reflection of the Congress president's "arrogance". He also wanted to know whether it did not show the state of internal democracy in the Congress party. Speaking about attempts to forge and anti-BJP front, the PM said, To remove Modi, there are big meetings being held. How will the big leaders who attend these meetings react to this sudden announcement by one 'Naamdaar' that he is going to be PM. Earlier, during the campaign, Modi had likened Rahul to a "naamdaar (one with a big name)". "Rahul-ji, you are naamdaar (one with a big name), we are kaamdaar (focused on work), Modi had said earlier. New Delhi: Nearly 10,000 voters ID cards were found at a rented apartment in North Bangalores R R Nagar area late on Tuesday night, leading to a probe by the Election Commission. In the late night drama, 9,746 voter IDs and two trunks of 'counter papers' (similar to acknowledgement) were found at the apartment of one Rakesh, following which Karnatakas Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar held a press conference and said that the the IDs appear to belong to slum-dwellers of the area. An investigation is being conducted by the district electoral officer and three observers, Kumar said, adding that over one lakh chits that looked like counter foils of elections were found but not all are genuine. He said that the probe will ascertain the significance of the chits. The BJP alleged that the apartment belonged to a Congress lawmaker. The Congress said that the apartment is owned by a BJP leader and said their lies have been exposed. This is a serious matter but we don't want to take action without investigation.. Something is wrong.. Whoever has committed this will be firmly dealt with : Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar. #BattleForKarnataka #ElectionDiary @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/iUhryM9JfP Deepa Balakrishnan (@deepab18) May 8, 2018 Highlighting the seriousness of the matter, the chief electoral officer further said that the number of voters in R R Nagar is "quite high" compared to the state average. "There are 4,35,439 voters in main rolls of RR Nagar. This poll has seen a rise of 44,837," he said. In a late press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said,"The Election Commission has clearly said that Congress legislator Manjula Nanjamari had rented the flat to her son Rakesh, who contested the 2015 BBMP elections on BJP ticket. As you can see in the this picture, BJP MLA candidate Muniraj Gowda is with BJP leader Rakesh -- the man in whose flat voter IDs were recovered. BJP's lies stand exposed." "This is the BJP MLA candidate Muniraj Gowda with BJP leader Rakesh, in whose flat the voter IDs were recovered. Election Commission has clearly said that Manjula Nanjamari had rented the flat to her son Rakesh. BJP's lies stand exposed": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/5N2WRNHJX9 Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018 As the matter escalated, former prime minister and JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda visited the place where the probe was being conducted and asked the chief electoral officer to take "suitable action", while Union parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar demanded to postpone the election to R R Nagar seat. Kumar and Human Resource Development minister Prakash Javadekar, both said that they want polls in Badami to be conducted under vigil of paramilitary forces as IT raids saw huge cash seizures in the area. BJP demands special election observers and more para military forces in Badami constituency , in face of large cash recovery ,diary of cash distribution and misuse of official machinery Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) May 8, 2018 Surjewala further demanded that Union Minister Prakash Javdekar should resign for his involvement in "the conspiracy and trying to subvert democracy". "Union Minister Prakash Javdekar must resign for his involvement in this conspiracy and trying to subvert democracy. The entire BJP Leadership stands totally exposed in front of the people of Karnataka": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018 Meanwhile, BJP accused Congress of resorting to "anti-democratic means to win loosing elections". "It is nothing new. They are in practice right from Indira Gandhi's period," the Karnataka BJP tweeted. Union minister D V Sadanand Gowda said that it was Congress's "conspiracy" to portray Nanjamari and Rakesh as mother and son, and the Election Commission did not mention the relationship. Voters pose outside a polling booth in Karnataka. People were seen standing in queues to cast their votes in the early hours itself, factoring in that the temperature may go up later in the day. Also, it has been raining in different parts of south interior Karnataka for the last couple of days during the evening hours. Senior citizens were seen in good numbers standing in queues at various polling stations to cast their votes early. State BJP chief and party's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa, and Pradesh Congress Committee G Parameshwara were among the first to cast votes in Shikaripura in Shivamogga and Yaggere in Tumakuru respectively. Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda along with wife Chennamma cast their votes at Paduvalahippe in Hassan district. Film actors Ramesh Arvind, Ravichandran, also scion of Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar were among the prominent personalities to cast their votes early today. There are reports about delay in polling due to some technical issues with the electronic voting machines (EVMs) from different parts of the state. Election for the Jayanagara seat in Bengaluru has been countermanded following the death of BJP candidate and sitting MLA BN Vijaykumar. The Election Commission has also deferred the polls for Rajarajeswari Nagar constituency to May 28 after a massive row erupted over a large number of voter ID cards being found in an apartment. Suspecting something fishy, both Congress and BJP have pointed accusing fingers at each other in the matter. "Today people of Karnataka are standing in queues to create history & show the nation the way to liberal, progressive, peaceful & compassionate politics & governance. I thank them for their support & wish them well," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted. Over 2,600 candidates are in the fray-- more than 2400 men and and over 200 women. The total voters including service electors according to the 2018 final rolls are 5,06,90,538, of whom 2,56,75,579 male voters, 2,50,09,904 female and 5,055 transgender voters. Officials said 58,008 polling stations have been set up across the state, of which 12002 have been designated as "critical", with over 3,50,000 polling personnel on duty. Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of polls that will go on till 6 pm. "82,157 people have been deployed for poll duty that includes DSPs, home guards and civil defence, and forest guards and watchers," Karnataka DGP Neelamani N Raju said. This also includes about 7,500 personnel from states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Kerala and Goa, she said, adding, central forces have been deployed. One among the interesting aspects of this election is that four candidates who have served as Chief Minister of Karnataka are in the fray-- Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (Chamundeshwari and Badami), B S Yeddyurappa (Shikaripura), H D Kumaraswamy (Chennapatna and Ramanagara) and Jagadish Shettar (Hubli-Dharwad Central.) New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the previous BJP government in Karnataka "wins hands down" over the present Congress dispensation when it comes to corruption. It is a "no contest", he said on Twitter drawing comparisons between the Congress government in the state and that of the BJP during 2008-13. He also put out figures in graphics to show that his party-led dispensation was better on various fronts. "In Karnataka, when it comes to corruption, it's a 'No Contest' as this graphic shows. The BJP wins hands down!," he tweeted along with the graphics. The graphics claimed that the Congress was the "top job creator" in the country, the Anna Bhagya scheme of the party's government in Karnataka was feeding four crore people, the Ramthal Marol, Asia's largest drip irrigation project, and the world's largest solar power park, were built by the party and that it had also waived the loans of 22 lakh farmers, amounting to Rs 8,165 crore, in the southern state. On the other hand, the graphics pointed out that during the BJP rule in Karnataka, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa was jailed in connection with the denotification scam, India's "largest political poaching scandal" "Operation Kamala" was unearthed during the saffron party's rule, it had pioneered "cashless corruption" by taking bribes in cheques, former state minister Krishnaiah Setty was jailed in a land grab case, while the Reddy brothers were jailed in a Rs 35,000-crore mining scam. "Who works better?...Congress government of 2013-18 or BJP Government of 2008-13. Numbers speak for themselves. Choose right. Vote Congress," the graphic said. The second set of graphics claimed that while the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had created 53 lakh jobs in Karnataka, only 26.64 lakh jobs were created during the BJP regime. It also claimed that while the Congress had given loans worth Rs 12,000 crore to farmers and completed 42.3 km of "Namma Metro", the BJP had sanctioned farm loans worth Rs 6,560 crore and completed only 6.7 km of the metro works. It also claimed that the Congress had built 15.5 lakh houses as against the 11.3 lakh during the BJP regime and the budget outlay of the current government was Rs 2,09,181 crore in 2018, while in 2013, it was Rs 1,17,005 crore under the BJP. The graphics also claimed that the Congress's achievements were more than those of the BJP as regards to the creation of MBBS seats, road construction, grant of scholarships to OBCs and building toilets. The 224-member Karnataka Assembly goes to the polls on May 12 and the results will be declared on May 15. The Congress is seeking to retain power in the southern state, while the BJP's aim is to unseat it. Both the Congress and the BJP have campaigned extensively for the Karnataka elections, accusing each other of corruption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP Amit Shah have addressed a host of public rallies and road shows, while Rahul Gandhi was joined by former party chief and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to campaign for their party. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh also addressed a press conference in the state capital Bengaluru in the run-up to the elections. Bengaluru: The Election Commission on Wednesday said that the material seized from a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat in Bengaluru gives an indication of a planned work over a period of time to survey and locate vulnerable electors and induce them through middlemen. Revealing the details of what all was found in the flat, the poll panel said that apart from 9,896 voter ID cards, 6,342 voter application acknowledgement receipt with BBMP seals and another 20,700 acknowledgement receipts without BBMP seals were also found. The voter ID cards found appeared to be genuine and there is no evidence to suggest that they were fake, the EC said. Also, detailed survey formats with family number names, electricity meter numbers, mobile details, caste, voter ID, Aadhar ID, Widow ID, Old age ID, BPL card details, etc along with photographs of the houses were found from the spot. The name of the surveyors, phone numbers and date of survey is available on the format, the EC said in a brief note. Karnatakas chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar said a Deputy Election Commissioner rank official was being rushed from the national capital to Bengaluru for a detailed probe. Maintaining that prima facie the I-cards looked genuine, he said only a thorough inquiry will bring out the truth. Kumar said that the poll panel was initially worried that someone had broken into the system and created fake ID cards, but that was not the case. We have found that that's not what happened. Prima facie there has been an attempt to influence voters, he said. The discovery from the flat has off a war of words between the Congress and BJP, which demanded countermanding of the poll for the seat, claiming the Congress was behind the racket, a charge the latter dismissed as a "lie". With just three days left before Karnataka goes to poll, the BJP and Congress, the two main contenders for power, went after each other's jugular, each claiming the flat belonged to a woman associated with the rival party. A BJP delegation, which included union ministers J P Nadda, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Smriti Irani among others, moved the commission saying that scrapping the poll in the constituency was necessary to "reinstate people's faith" in the electoral process. Irani said the issue was not only important for the BJP but also the commission as voter ID cards are seen an evidence of people's faith in the electoral process. The delegation demanded a thorough probe into the matter to find out if similar methods were used in more constituencies. The assembly polls are due on May 12. Addressing a press conference, Union minister Prakash Javadekar claimed Congress candidate and sitting MLA Munirathna Naidu was behind the alleged racket, which was exposed by BJP worker Rakesh. Congress spokesman Rajdeep Singh Surjawala hit right back, alleging that the flat owner Manjula Nanjamari and Rakesh had BJP connections and both contested Bengaluru Municipal Corporation elections on the tickets of the saffron party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was campaigning in Karnataka, attacked the Congress over adopting such tactics to win the election. "Thousands of voter ID cards were seized, 1 lakh voters slips were seized in just one place. They must have planned such games in 40-50 constituencies. You (voters) be alert. Such sin cannot be allowed during the celebration of democracy (polls)," he told elections rallies. Javadekar said thousands of fake cards with hologram, lamination machines, and computers were seized by police after BJP workers informed it about the racket. "This is the philosophy of the Congress....if voters do not vote for you, create fake voters," he said, claiming a "fake voter ID printing factory" was being run in Manjula's flat. Manjula, he said, was once associated with the BJP but was now with the Congress, and demanded her immediate arrest. The Congress hit back with a vengeance, claiming BJP was making such allegations because it was aware of its imminent defeat. "They are making such allegations because of their imminent defeat, and after their workers and leaders were caught red-handed influencing voters in collating and collecting fake ID cards in order to influence the results of the elections," Surjewala told reporters. He said the ID cards and equipment were not recovered from the flat by the police but BJP workers. The flat, he said, belonged to a BJP worker. "Prakash Javadekar had the audacity to lie, mislead the people of Karnataka by saying Manjula does not belong to the BJP. She is a former BJP corporator and Rakesh also contested corporation election on BJP ticket in 2015," he said. "Javadekar runs a factory of lies. Rakesh was a tenant of flat No. 115 and its is mentioned in the list of BJP candidates who contested the corporation elections. Manjula is a former BJP corporator from Jalahalli," he said, citing newspaper reports. While some TV news channels claimed Rakesh was Manjula's son, and others said she was his adoptive mother, the women at the centre of the controversy insisted they were relatives but had "no contact". Bengaluru: Amongst many issues that cripple Bengaluru, the city for the last several years has been infamous for two of them its burning lakes and notorious traffic. Bellandur lake which froths frequently with the toxic remains in it has received international attention. And with elections less than a week away, Mahadevapura voters are making their voices heard. The constituency whose MLA Arvind Limbavali -- won with a margin of just a little over 6000 votes in the 2013 election is battling anti-incumbency. The two time MLA is hoping to hit a hat trick this time as he stands against Congress AC Srinivas, JDS Satish K, AAPs Bhaskar Prasad and Swaraj Indias Ramesh Chander, among others. Mahadevapura constituency has eight wards Bellandur, Doddanekundi, Garudacharpalya, Hagadur, Hoodi, Kadugodi, Marathahalli and Varthur. With about five lakh voters, the constituency is one with several citizen activist groups demanding answers from their representatives. The activist groups had also recently conducted a US presidential election style debate bringing together contesting candidates from five different political parties AAP, BJP, Congress, JDS and Swaraj India. From traffic woes to garbage menace, from encroachment to dying lakes, the urban voters had questioned their representatives-to-be on why they should vote for them in the upcoming polls. Hyderabad: Terming Congress President Rahul Gandhi's Prime Ministerial aspirations as day-dreaming, senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Wednesday asserted that there was no vacancy for the top post till 2024 as Narendra Modi would again assume it after next year's general elections. "Now Rahulji is saying he is ready to become Prime Minister....he is day-dreaming and congratulations for his beautiful dreams. But there is no vacancy for the PM post till 2024," he said. "The countrymen chose Narendra Modiji for the Prime Minister's post and after the 2019 elections also Narendra Modiji will become the country's PM much more stronger... Congress leaders also know this", Hussain told reporters in Hyderabad. He said after Rahul Gandhi became Congress vice president, his party lost 13 states and since taking over as party president, it has lost five. Karnataka, where elections will be held on May 12, would be the sixth one, he said. The BJP spokesperson further claimed that in order to prevent any rebellion within Congress after its "loss" in Karnataka and to ensure none questions his leadership, Rahul, in a "planned" manner, was himself saying he is ready to become the Prime Minister. "Under Narendra Modi's leadership BJP has been winning assembly elections though there may be a few exceptions to the results of some by-polls," he said. Hussain, who has been campaigning in Bidar and Kalaburagi districts of Hyderabad-Karnataka region of Karnataka, said it was a certainty that BJP would win in Karnataka, "despite the efforts of Siddaramaiah government and Rahul Gandhi". On Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's proposed Federal Front at the national level, the former Union Minister said he has 'woken up late'. "Many people are dreaming of (entering) national politics and he too has a right to dream like Rahul Gandhi," he said and accused Rao of diverting the attention of the people of Telangana from key issues. "Now he is speaking of national politics....it will not have any impact", Hussain said. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is worried due to BJP's 'storm' and the current leadership in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is also worried over the 'certain victory' of BJP in Karnataka, he said. "BJP's victory is certain in Karnataka and after Karnataka it is the turn of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh," Hussain claimed. MostlySane, All India Bakchod (AIB), Niharika NM and Girliyapa from India have joined 48 other inspiring creators for YouTube's initiative. The global ambassadors will tackle hate and promote tolerance, with videos and stories of hope, connection and understanding. YouTube is expanding its Creators for Change programme, a global initiative first announced in December 2016, to amplify the voices of YouTube creators who use the digital platform's global reach to change conversations around tough issues and make a positive impact on the world. Chosen for their passion and dedication to create social change, these YouTube creators come from over 16 countries and represent a combined reach of 29 million fans. Also read: Walmart Buys Naspers' Stake in Flipkart For USD 2.2 Billion "As part of YouTube's commitment to invest $5 million in this programme, these creators will receive support from YouTube through a combination of project funding, mentorship opportunities, and ongoing production assistance at our YouTube Spaces," Juniper Downs, Head of YouTube Public Policy, said in a statement. All the global ambassadors will come together for the second annual Social Impact Camp at YouTube Space London where they will get mentorship opportunities with experts to bring their ideas to life. The camp will include inspirational speakers sessions, video production workshops and networking opportunities for ambassadors to connect with one another. Watch: Google IO - Updates to Artificial Intelligence | Feature Tech moguls Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday they will team up to help develop new methods for kids with trouble learning an effort that will include dabbling into child brain science. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative intend to explore a number of potential pilot projects. Theyll focus on math, writing and brain functions key areas of classroom learning that they note are crucial for academic success. Also Read: WhatsApp's End-to-End Encryption is a Powerful Tool For Security And Safety: Facebook The effort is now seeking information and ideas from across sectors, from education and academia to business, technology and medicine. Future investments based on that information are expected, but no dollar amount has been set. The idea that disadvantaged children struggle to learn because of poor executive brain function involving memory, thinking flexibility and behavioural issues related to autism and other attention disorders has long been lamented by social workers and health advocates. The joint project by Gates and Zuckerberg details possible ways to mitigate those shortcomings. Among the ideas is using games and technology simulations to support teachers and family, and tracking progress in certain vulnerable student populations such as kids with disabilities or those who are learning English as a second language. Leaders of the effort say technology is not a primary focus, but they recognize the role it can play. Also Read: Google I/O 2018: This is How Google Aims to Simplify Your Life With AI The new endeavor marks the latest effort by deep-pocketed philanthropists who have tried with little success and much controversy to change entire school systems. In some ways, it advances the reform agendas of the philanthropists, including helping low-performing students catch up to their potential more prosperous peers and using classroom technology for digital or personalized learning. Gates, the worlds top philanthropist, recently announced more support for students with disabilities, issues involving American poverty and Alzheimers disease research. Zuckerberg idolizes Gates as an inspiration in professional and philanthropic work. But their representatives rejected any notion that their effort on learning is connected to their respective business roles as Facebook CEO and Microsoft founder. Microsoft announced a $25 million initiative on Monday to use artificial intelligence to build better technology for people with disabilities. Also Watch: Smartron t.book Flex First Impressions Review: A Nifty Work-Play Companion The Monday night Met Gala saw several celebrity couples making their debut appearances. One that gained the spotlight the most among these, was the tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and his recent girlfriend Grimes walking the red carpet together at the fundraising event. As per several reports and judging from the ongoing Twitter interactions between the two as well as their Monday night red carpet appearance, there is little room for doubt that the two are seeing each other. Apparently, the couple has kept their close to a month-long relationship under the radar, that is until now. But now that we know who the Tesla and SpaceX chief is seeing after splitting with his long-time girlfriend Amber Heard for good back in February, one question certainly pops up. Who is Grimes? Elon Musk and Grimes arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala (Met Gala). (Image: REUTERS/Carlo Allegri) Reports that emerged online even before the Met Gala indicate that Elon Musk had met Grimes online about a month ago. The two bonded over their mutual interest in Artificial Intelligence. Grimes had tweeted about the complications of Artificial Intelligence which caught the attention of Musk and ever since the two have been quite engaged, at least on Twitter. So much so that a Twitter user even pushed Musk to "ask her out already", to which Musk replied with a 'wink' emoticon. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 28, 2018 Grimes, whose real name is Claire Elise Boucher, grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. Before pursuing her career in electronic music, Boucher did a double major in psychology and philosophy along with minors in Russian and electro-acoustics as per reports online. Afterwards, she went on to attend McGill University in Montreal following which she began her musical career with her debut album "Geidi Primes". In 2012, Boucher released her widely acclaimed "Visions" album after signing to British indie label 4AD. Boucher signed with JayZ's Roc Nation, in 2013 and went on to deliver another hit with the name "Art Angels" in 2015. Boucher has recently been in a tiff with her label 4AD and has been quite vocal about it on her Instagram handle. Elon Musk and Grimes arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala (Met Gala). (Image: REUTERS/Carlo Allegri) The mutual interest of Grimes and Musk over AI came into the spotlight when Musk wished to make a joke on artificial intelligence with a pun around "Rococo Basilisk" and saw that Grimes had already beaten him to it by 3 years by mentioning the joke in her "Flesh Without Blood" video. Watch: Huawei P20 Pro Review: Huawei Nails it With The Triple Camera Washington: US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal prompted furious reaction in Tehran, regret in Europe and cheers from Israel and Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, Trump said he was reimposing economic sanctions on Iran and pulling the United States out of an international agreement aimed at stopping Tehran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. The decision is likely to raise the risk of conflict in the Middle East, upset America's European allies and disrupt global oil supplies. "I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump said at the White House. "In a few moments, I will sign a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating US nuclear sanctions on the Iranian regime. We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanctions." The 2015 deal, worked out by the United States, five other international powers and Iran, eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. Trump says the agreement, the signature foreign policy achievement of Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, does not address Iran's ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 nor its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria. Iran has ruled out renegotiating the agreement and threatened to retaliate, although it has not said exactly how, if Washington pulled out. The following is a selection of reactions from around the globe to Trump's biggest foreign policy move since taking office: "This decision was an act of psychological warfare against Iran," said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. "I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization to take the necessary measures for future actions so that, if necessary, we can resume industrial enrichment without limit," added Rouhani. "Stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours and together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal," said European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini. "France, Germany and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity and stability in the Middle East, notably Syria, Yemen and Iraq," said French President Emmanuel Macron, on Twitter, referring to the Iran deal by its formal name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Moscow is "deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," said Russia's foreign ministry. "The unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the nuclear deal is a decision that will cause instability and new conflicts," said Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Twitter. Damascus "strongly condemns the US president's decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran, which shows once again that the United States is not honouring its commitments and international agreements," said Syrian foreign ministry source quoted by the official SANA news agency. "I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other member-states to support this agreement," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "The kingdom supports and welcomes the steps announced by the US president toward withdrawing from the nuclear deal... and reinstating economic sanctions against Iran," said Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry. "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working... That is why today's announcement is so misguided... I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake," said former US president Barack Obama, whose administration brokered the 2015 deal. Beijing: China's indigenously developed J-20 stealth fighter jets have begun their first-ever over the ocean combat training, a senior official of the People's Liberation Army Air Force said on Wednesday. The J-20 jets are China's fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter aircraft, which were commissioned into combat service earlier this year. "It will help the air force better fulfil its sacred duty of safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity," spokesman for the PLAAF, Shen Jinke said. Since its commissioning, the J-20 had taken part in air warfare training with J-16, J-10c and other fighter jets, boosting the combat strength of the air force, Shen said. In recent years, the air force has been developing a series of new hi-tech military hardware under a strategy to emphasise both aerial and celestial warfare, attack and defence. Military observers say the introduction of J-20 jets is very significant for India as China is the first country to have a stealth jet in the region. Only the US has a range of stealth fighters in its air force fleet. Washington: U.S. senators will grill President Donald Trump's choice for CIAdirector about her role in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists, but will be less able to question her about the effectiveness of those and other controversial actions such as kidnappings and drone strikes. Acting CIA Director Gina Haspel will appear on Wednesday at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Democratic senators have vowed to cross-examine her about her role in the use of harsh interrogation methods, as well as the destruction of 92 videotapes documenting the questioning. Public questioning of Haspel on issues such as the effectiveness of the interrogations, CIA drone strikes and agency "renditions" of suspected militants to third countries may be limited because the operations remain classified. Two sources familiar with preparations for the hearing said Haspel is regarded inside the CIA as a supporter of such activities, and there is little if any record of her expressing objections or reservations about them. They said Haspel also agreed that harsh interrogation tactics produced valuable intelligence. But she will assure the panel the agency will not revive the controversial programs begun after the 9/11 attacks. "Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program," Haspel will say, according to excerpts of her testimony released on Tuesday. A 2014 intelligence committee investigation concluded that these methods were "not an effective way of obtaining accurate information or gaining detainee cooperation." The committee found that seven detainees who were questioned using waterboarding, or simulated drowning, sleep deprivation, and other techniques "produced no intelligence while inCIA custody," while "other detainees provided significant accurate intelligence prior to, or without having been subjected to, these techniques." Moreover, the report added, "multiple CIA detainees fabricated information, resulting in faulty intelligence" when harsh techniques were used on them. When the techniques were used, Haspel was a senior officer in the CIA's Clandestine Service and its Counter-Terrorism Center, which oversaw the activities known as "RDI," for "Rendition, Detention and Interrogation." In response to a complaint on Monday by the intelligence panel's top Democrat, Senator Mark Warner, that it was selectively declassifying information about Haspel's 32-year CIA career to make her look good, the agency on Monday turned over a stack of personnel records detailing Haspel's service. The documents are classified, however, making it hard for senators to ask about them in public. Senator Ron Wyden, one of the committee Democrats most skeptical of Haspel's nomination, said the documents could, and should, be made public to answer questions about her record. "The vast amount of her background can be declassified without compromising what are called sources and methods," he told reporters. Richard Burr, the intelligence panel's Republican chairman, said there were no plans to make such documents public. The CIA also gave the committee an "executive summary" of a Justice Department prosecutor's criminal investigation into the interrogations and the destruction of the videotapes. But that document, outlining details of the probe - which produced no prosecutions - also remains classified, the sources said. "This week CIA provided classified and unclassified material for every Senator to review," said aCIA spokesman in an email. "There is no Senator who will be voting without being able to review Acting Director Haspel's record." New Delhi: In a guarded reaction to the US pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, India on Wednesday said all the parties concerned should engage constructively to resolve the issue peacefully. At the same time, spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar said Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy as also the international community's strong interest in exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme must be ensured while finding a resolution to the issue. India has been maintaining that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy, he said. President Donald Trump had on Tuesday announced that the US was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal signed by the Obama administration in 2015 under which Tehran had agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions. "India has always maintained that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy by respecting Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy as also the international community's strong interest in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme," Kumar said. Iran had struck the JCPoA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) deal with the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany after years of negotiations. Kumar said all parties should engage constructively to address and resolve issues that have arisen with respect to the JCPoA. The US President's decision to abandon the agreement has shocked the world, with America's closest allies such as France, Germany and the UK expressing concern over it while Iran's foes Israel and Saudi Arabia welcoming the move. Describing the JCPoA as a bad deal, Trump had said the nuclear deal was unlikely to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.The Indo-Iran ties have been on a upswing after Tehran sealed the nuclear deal with the international community in 2015.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Tehran in May 2016 with an aim to craft a strategic relationship with Iran and expand India's ties with West Asia. During the visit, India and Iran signed nearly a dozen pacts centre piece of which was an agreement on development of Chabahar port.Later, India, Iran and Afghanistan inked a trilateral pact providing for transport of goods among the three countries through the port.In February last, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited India during which both sides agreed to further expand their cooperation in number of key sectors. During Rouhani's visit here, both sides inked nine pacts including one on handing over Chabahar port's operation to India for 18 months.India and Iran have robust economic and commercial ties covering many sectors though it has traditionally been dominated by the import of Iranian crude oil by India. According to the external affairs ministry, India-Iran bilateral trade during the fiscal year 2016-17 was USD 12.89 billion. India imported USD 10.5 billion worth of goods,mainly crude oil, and exported commodities worth USD 2.4 billion. It is not immediately clear whether the US decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal will impact India's trade ties with Iran. Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to Moscow on Wednesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, hours after US President Donald Trump announced he would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, mainly over Syria and the involvement there of Israel's arch-rival Iran. "The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so," Netanyahu said before departing. "In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination between the Russian military and (that of Israel)." Russia's foreign ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's announcement on Tuesday that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president's "bold" move. Netanyahu has long opposed the nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran. Separately, Israel is deeply concerned over Iran's presence in Syria, where Tehran, like Moscow, backs President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Russia and Israel have set up a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria. Netanyahu has vowed not to allow Iran to entrench itself militarily in neighbouring Syria, where Israel has been repeatedly accused of carrying out deadly strikes, with reports of Iranian forces killed. Israel has not acknowledged those strikes, but admits carrying out dozens of raids in Syria to stop what it says are deliveries of advanced arms to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, another of its enemies. There have been fears in Israel of Iranian retaliation. Just prior to Trump's speech on Tuesday, the Israeli army asked authorities in the occupied Golan Heights to open and prepare missile shelters due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" over the demarcation line in Syria. America: America's top diplomat Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday, landing at the centre of a whirlwind of diplomacy ahead of a planned US-North Korea summit. Pompeo was dispatched on an unannounced visit -- his second in weeks, but first as secretary of state -- to lay the groundwork for Donald Trump's unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong Un. His visit also comes as rumours fly over the fate of three US citizens being held in the North, with suggestions they may have been moved in preparation for a release. Previous detainees have been set free into the care of high profile US visitors. Pompeo's itinerary -- including who he would meet in Pyongyang -- was not clear. Trump, who had repeatedly threatened to attack North Korea, now appears focussed on diplomacy. "We think relationships are building with North Korea. We will see how it all works out. Maybe it won't. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea and the entire world," Trump said in a televised address from the White House. After years of tensions and ever-tightening sanctions over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, a detente on the peninsula has rapidly gathered pace. On Tuesday, Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in China -- the second time in six weeks -- highlighting efforts by the Cold War-era allies to mend frayed ties. Beijing is keen to avoid being left out in the cold in the diplomatic manoeuvres that led to Kim's historic summit last month with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his expected meeting with Trump. Pompeo's visit also comes as a tripartite meeting of East Asia's major powers takes place in Tokyo, with Japan, South Korea and China groping for a lowest-common-denominator agreement on recent events. Japan, which has by far the most hardline position of the North's neighbours, has been left watching from the sidelines, uneasy at the pace of events and at what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to push for continued pressure on Pyongyang, including for "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation", Japanese media have reported. Moon, however, is expected to bat away such demands. An official in his office last week said Seoul wanted the three countries to simply endorse the Panmunjon Declaration signed by Kim and Moon last month in the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas. Washington: US President Donald Trump put Iran back in the penalty box on Tuesday but the impact on the oil market could be determined by how China responds. China, a voracious consumer of oil, holds great sway because it's Iran's biggest customer. Almost one-third of Iranian oil shipments this year have gone to China, according to energy research firm Genscape. Trump announced his intent on Tuesday to quit the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions on the country. Oil prices shot up in the weeks before Trump's well-telegraphed decision. Traders placed bets that Trump's tough stance on Tehran would significantly reduce the flow of crude from Iran, just as a global oil glut appears to be coming to an end. Up to 1 million barrels per day of Iranian crude are at stake. The United States imports no crude directly from Iran. And there is no guarantee that Iran's major customers will comply with new sanctions. Even close allies in the European Union are signaling frustration with Trump's decision. Beijing could be even less likely to go along. Not only does China's fast-growing economy have an enormous thirst for oil, but Beijing and Washington remain locked in an unpredictable trade dispute. China may have little interest in doing Trump a favor by sidelining Iran, even if Washington threatens penalties for countries that do business with Tehran. "Given the back and forth between China and the US on trade, Chinese compliance is probably a nonstarter," said Michael Tran, global energy strategist at RBC Capital Markets. Trump has vowed to impose tariffs on China in response to the country's trade practices and alleged theft of intellectual property. The two countries are in talks, but appear to be far apart on major issues. "The US may have a harder time getting China to reduce its imports given Trump's tense relationship with Beijing," Thomas Pugh, commodities economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a report on Tuesday. Energy analysts expect other major customers of Iran including close US allies Japan and South Korea to adhere more closely to new sanctions. If the new sanctions cause European nations to cut back or even stop buying Iran's oil, it would leave more crude for China to buy, possibly at a discount. "China is potentially the country most likely to benefit from sanctions being placed back on Iran," said Matt Smith, director of commodity research at ClipperData. China regularly purchased crude oil from Iran, even when the country was still under sanctions. China imported an average of 420,000 barrels per day in 2014 and then 481,000 barrels per day in 2015, according to ClipperData. While China cut back on its Iranian imports last year, it has been buying more lately as the nuclear decision loomed. Iran delivered 766,000 barrels per day to China in March and nearly 700,000 barrels per day in April, according to ClipperData. Iran's surge of exports was likely an "attempt to beat the sanctions," Smith said. Without China on board, efforts to punish Iran may lack teeth. And the impact on the global oil market may be less dramatic than some feared. Iran's crude oil exports surged by 1 million barrels per day after the nuclear deal took effect in early 2016. The flood of supply came at precisely the wrong time for the oil market: excess supply was already depressing prices at the time. The oil market has done a 180 since then, due in large part to OPEC and Russia's agreement to cut production. Demand has also been very strong, thanks to economic momentum in the United States and abroad. 404 We're sorry! The page you were looking for couldn't be found. 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First real hope for many years Newcastle fans group welcomes club takeover Newcastle United Supporters Trust has welcomed the clubs takeover by a Saudi-led consortium. Givan and ONeill: We dont want to introduce mandatory vaccine passports Stormonts leaders have indicated they want to avoid having to introduce mandatory Covid-19 vaccine passports. Australian airline Qantas flew over Antarctica in a record-breaking 9,300-mile flight Australian flag carrier Qantas completed the longest commercial flight in its history on Wednesday, repatriating passengers from Argentina to Australia. Tuchel contrasted predecessors with message to special Chelsea man He looked like he didn't have a Chelsea future until Thomas Tuchel made things clear to inspire a turnaround It began with a heart attack in the Pentagon parking lot in pre-dawn darkness. Air Force Col. Bruce Hollywood was on his way to work and found himself on the ground, thinking: "This is where it ends." Later, as he lay in the ambulance racing to Walter Reed Army Hospital, two regrets popped into his head. One was that he wouldn't be able to help his son with his college applications. The other was that he never thanked the Japanese woman who gave birth to him, then gave him up for adoption in 1960. Hollywood was adopted by an American couple who were stationed in Japan with the U.S. military and who could offer him a good life in America. It took that heart attack in 2005 for Hollywood to set out to find his birth mother, something his adoptive mother, who had passed away, had repeatedly encouraged him to do. Before that, he said, he never felt something was missing. His adoption was not something he had reflected on much. "I always knew I was adopted because I had Asian features and [my father] was an Irishman and [my mother] was a Norwegian lady," said Hollywood, 57. "And they always told me, '. . .We picked you out special. So you're even more special than everyone else.' " His parents had told him his birth mother's family name and even offered to pay for a flight to Japan for him. He had always declined. But once he recovered from his heart attack, Hollywood began his search. His plan was to send his mother a secret letter, in case she never told anyone she had a son. He wanted her to know how wonderful his life turned out, to show her gratitude. He planned to write: "I lived the best life ever. I'm a colonel in the United States Air Force. I've got beautiful children. Life is really good." He gave the Japanese Embassy what information he had, but it wasn't enough to find her. The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo told him the same thing. A private detective didn't work out either, so he gave up. "And I thought, 'You know what, I've tried. I've made all the effort that I can make. It's just unfortunate,' " Hollywood said. A few months later, he was at Dulles International Airport in Virginia on his way to a military conference in Germany. Early for his flight, he sat down at a wine bar. Across from him was another military man who was going to the same conference. It was a turning point in Hollywood's story. The man was Adm. Harry Harris, whose mother was Japanese. (Today, he is commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific and has been nominated to be ambassador to South Korea.) They started sharing stories. "I told him the story about having the heart attack and wishing I could find my mother. And he said, 'Bruce, I can help you.' And I said, 'You know what, you're an admiral and all, but you can't. I've been to the embassy. I've tried this, and you just can't help any.' " He said: "You know, Bruce, seriously, I can help." Hollywood eventually gave him the information he had. His hopes weren't high. Ten days later, Hollywood was sitting at his desk in the Pentagon, and the phone rang. It was the Japanese Embassy. " 'Colonel Hollywood we're really pleased to tell you that we found your mother, Nobue Ouchi,' " Hollywood recalled. "And I said, 'Oh my gosh, this is wonderful. You've got to help me start writing this letter. And I want it to be accurate, and I want it to be culturally sensitive. And you've got to help me.' " His caller said, "There's not going to be a letter. She's going to call you at this phone number in 10 minutes, and she doesn't speak English. Good luck!" After urgent emails, Hollywood found someone who could interpret on a conference call. Moments later, the phone rang. It was his mother. She was crying. In shock, Hollywood started talking quickly, telling her how happy he is, and how very grateful he is for her. Then he heard her say, "I'm sorry. I don't speak English." For the next few minutes, Hollywood listened to the interpreter and his mother. All he could make out was talking and sobbing. "And I said, 'Stop, stop, stop. You've got to tell me what's going on,' " Hollywood recalled. "And she said, 'Well, tomorrow is your mother's 65th birthday, and the birthday present that she dreamed of her whole life is that you would come back to her,' " Hollywood said. The interpreter said his mother never married, "because she said in her heart there was only room for one man. And it was you, and she knew you would be back." And then the interpreter said something Hollywood could barely believe. His mother ran her own business - a restaurant and bar she named Bruce. "And I thought, 'This is either the most incredible story I've ever heard or this woman is crazy, and these things aren't true,' " Hollywood said. It turned out, that in a gesture from one mother to another, his adoptive mother went to Nobue before they moved back to the United States and gave her a photograph of the baby. She said they had named him Bruce, and she promised to give him a good life. That was how Nobue knew to name her restaurant Bruce. His mother said she wanted to come visit. "I said, 'No, it's my mother,' " Hollywood said. " 'I will go see her.' " Ten days later, he was in Shizuoka, Japan - a couple hours by train from Tokyo - where she lived. Every bit of what she said was true. His mother told him the story he never knew about his birth and adoption. The American military man who was his birth father had started the paperwork required to marry Nobue but was shipped home to South Carolina before the paperwork was finished. He had said he would call right away, but didn't. When he telephoned many months later, she refused to talk to him, believing he could not be trusted. He did not know she was pregnant. Nobue's father, a fisherman, offered to support her and the baby, but she knew it would be difficult for a mixed-race child in Japan, so she gave him up for adoption to Edward and Eleanor Hollywood, who were stationed in Japan with the U.S. Air Force. As she spoke, she showed him the photo Eleanor Hollywood gave her, the one she cherished all those decades. On that first visit, she didn't want to let him out of her sight. When he went for a run, he came back and found her frantic with worry. The next morning, he snuck downstairs at 5 a.m. to go running, only to find her waiting, dressed in a track suit. Okay, he thought, I'll go for a walk. She said, no, you run. And she rode a bicycle behind him. That became their morning ritual during the visit. Hollywood went often to Japan, and he brought her to Washington. She started taking English lessons. He studied Japanese. Three years after their reunion, in 2009, she died of a heart attack. For Hollywood, finding his mother gave him an identity as a Japanese American. Growing up, he didn't know about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Today, he is active in the Japanese American community, and on the boards of the Japanese American Veterans Association and the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism in World War II. "The last 12 years, I finally became a Japanese American. Before that I had no Japanese American identity. I just had Japanese American features. . . . But as I got integrated in this community, I ended up becoming incredibly proud of this heritage that I had. "I've got to tell you if I didn't live it, I almost wouldn't believe it," he said. - - - Tolbert is telling the stories of Japanese women who married American servicemen after World War II on Instagram @kathryn.tolbert and in an oral history archive, www.warbrideproject.com. HARTFORD A task force will soon begin an investigation into the operations, finances and employee culture of Whiting Forensic Hospital, which cares for patients with severe psychiatric disabilities, some of whom have been convicted of serious crimes. This is about the public health, even for those who have serious mental health issues and are incarcerated for their own safety, said Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport. Entrepreneur Media, Inc. Some entrepreneurs are natural salespeople, with enough charisma to make even an experienced investor think twice about a product theyd otherwise pass on. Others, when given the opportunity to pitch their big idea, freeze or choke when the big moment comes. But on the weekly streaming show Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch, contestants have only 60 seconds to explain what they have to offer and the type of deal theyre looking for. Each founder has just one minute to deliver their pitch from inside the ascending Entrepreneur Elevator, while a panel of high-profile investors watches a livestream from the boardroom above. If the elevator pitch hooks the judges, they open the doors and invite the entrepreneur to share more. If not, they send them down. A recent paper by economist William Larson looks at estimated land value for the contiguous 48 states, including Connecticut, according to 24/7 Wall St. Based on Larson's figures, the total worth of the 1.9 billion acres in the contiguous 48 states is about $23 trillion that's $12,000 an acre, on average. But Connecticut land is worth much more than that, the report says. BRANFORD Three leading commercial and residential real estate developers said Tuesday they are bullish on the New Haven areas prospects for growth. David Salinas, real estate developer and co-founder of Digital Surgeons in New Haven, said because of the presence of Yale University, the city has an international reputation. Our brand here is so big, is so strong, Salinas said during a panel discussion at the 2018 Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Regional Real Estate Forum, held Tuesday afternoon at the Woodwinds Wedding and Event Venue. We call people all over the world and they have heard of New Haven. Digital Surgeons helps client companies switch their marketing and promotion from traditional channels such as print and broadcast advertising to digital, social and mobile channels. While the New Haven area has a high recognition value internationally, Salinas said one of the attractive things about it is as a place where you can start something and be really successful. Salinas said he essentially started Digital Surgeons with a $5,000 line of credit from a bank. You couldnt do that in Boston or New York City, he said. The cost of entry there is much greater. In addition to running Digital Surgeons, Salinas has spent the last two years overseeing the creation of $25 million technology business hub know as The District. Built in a renovated Connecticut Transit bus garage at the corner of James and State streets, part of the District is already open, Salinas said. Digital Surgeons is one of the anchor tenants of The District. While Salinas is busy trying to bolster New Havens reputation as a technology hub, another member of the panel, developer Juan Salas-Romer, is focused on trying to increase the selection of multi-family housing space in the region. As president and chief executive officer of the NHR Group, Salas-Romer is involved in a number of commercial and residential real estate deals. NHR Groups latest effort is called Heights on The River, a multi-family residential development on East Grand Avenue in the citys Fair Haven section. Multi-family housing is popular right now, but much of it is focused on the high end, Salas-Romer said. Our focus is on the middle class because we felt it is underserved. While Salas-Romer is trying to get Heights on The River built in New Haven, developer Louis Tagliatela Jr. has another multi-family development in full construction in neighboring Hamden. Tagliatelas Franklin Communities has already built about half of the 393 units in its Canal Crossing at Whitneyville West complex on Mather Street. Tagliatela said part of the reason that apartment living is attractive to members of the millennial generation is because of their life experiences. Theyve seen people they know lose their homes to foreclosure and theyre anxious to stay away from that, he said. Salinas said Connecticut officials are too obsessed with trying to keep young people from leaving the state after they graduate from college. Thats why they call it leaving the nest: I grew up in New York City and I couldnt wait to get the hell out of there the first chance I got, Salinas said. The state needs to target 30- to 45-year-olds because theyre the ones looking to take advantage of the quality of life we have here because they dont want to raise their kids in the city. All of the other demographic groups have more people leaving the state than moving in. luther.turmelle@ hearstmediact.com A Tennessee-based chain of stores serving agricultural businesses is donating $2,300 to a Lyman Hall High School student program. Tractor Supply Co., which plans to open a store adjacent to WalMart on North Colony Road later this year announced its donation to the Lyman Hall Future Farmers of America chapter this week. The money Tractor Supply is donating to the Lyman Hall group, is part of the retailers third annual Grants for Growing program, which raised a record-breaking $830,000 for a total of 271 grants. The money will go to the Lyman Hall Future Farmers of America Hats for the Homeless" project. Grants for Growing not only allows us to invest in Connecticut communities, but also invest in Connecticut youth who are the future of the agriculture industry, Christi Korzekwa, senior vice president of marketing at Tractor Supply, said in a statement. This program gives students hands-on learning experience as they watch their ideas turn their communities into stronger, more sustainable places. The grant to the Lyman Hall group was selected from nearly 600 applications. The Grants for Growing program was launched in 2016 and has raised more than $2.2 million. The Tractor Supply Co. location in Wallingford will be the chains 11th location in Connecticut. The chain has stores in Orange, Guilford and Old Saybrook in the New Haven area. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com The thing about conservative fiscal policy is that its neither conservative nor fiscal. I know. Yes, I know. The Republicans say otherwise. But it cant be true when they most care about expenditures, not revenues. Thats like caring about fuel efficiency but not the price of gas. As it is, the only fiscal conservative in Connecticut is Gov. Dannel Malloy. I mean it. He raised taxes when the Republicans opposed it. He cut spending when the Democrats opposed it. A government cant find its way to fiscal health with cuts or taxes alone. They go together. Eliminating waste is worthwhile, but eventually, good leaders must make choices. A wise man once said: politicians get into trouble when they make choices. No politician in the country is more unpopular than Malloy. Our fiscal woes endure, of course, and a new governor must make choices, too. But thats not something youre hearing before this weekends conventions. On the one hand, Ned Lamont, a Democrat, says hes with the public-sector unions through and through. On the other, Dave Walker, a Republican, wants them to surrender even more. But what about higher taxes? According to Hearst Connecticut Medias Capitol reporter Ken Dixon: The Republican mantra this year is to cut spending across the board, for starters, then somehow reduce the tax burden. An anti-tax, pro-cuts non-conservative un-fiscal position, is an odd one for Walker to take. As the comptroller of the United States, he led the Government Accountability Office for a decade. During that time, he saw the George W. Bush administration spend down the budget surplus of the Clinton years, cut taxes for the rich, borrow to finance the War on Terror, and expand Medicare. In other words, fiscal conservatism was nowhere to be found. So in 2007, he sounded the alarm with a national tour raising awareness of the countrys mounting fiscal crisis. He said the United States was up to its eyeballs in debt and deficits, and that something must be done. We suffer from a fiscal cancer, Comptroller Walker said at the time. It is growing within us. If we do not treat it, it could have catastrophic consequences for our country. That caught the attention of producers at 60 Minutes. When correspondent Steve Kroft asked what was needed to meet the health care promises the government made to baby boomers aging into retirement, Walker said: Wed have to have $8 trillion today. But how? Kroft asked. Its going to come from additional taxes or restructuring these programs or from cutting other spending. Later, he said: I dont know anybody who has done their homework, researched history and whos good at math who will tell you we can grow our way out of our problem. Walker did not cherry pick one part of accounting that Republicans like spending cuts while ignoring parts they dont revenues. And in not cherry picking, Walker set himself apart from pretty much the entire Republican establishment, national and local. The American people are starved for two things, Walker said. The truth and leadership. George H.W. Bush gave America both during his first and only term. Choices? Nothing but trouble. Now that Walker is running for governor of Connecticut, has he gotten wise about making hard choices. Its truly hard to tell. On the one hand, he made clear to Republican delegates last weekend that he doesnt like paying higher property taxes. If his house were in Fairfield instead of Bridgeport, hed have more and pay less, he said. On the other hand, he doesnt seem like a craven amoral opportunist. When it comes to making choices, he strikes me as someone like Gov. Malloy, believe it or not. During that 60 Minutes feature, he told Steve Kroft: I dont know politicians who like to raise taxes. I dont know politicians who like to cut spending. But I think what we have to recognize is this is not just about numbers. We are mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren at record rates and that is not only an issue of fiscal responsibility. Its an issue of immorality. Thats not something a craven amoral opportunist says. If anyone running for governor is a true fiscal conservative, its probably Dave Walker. But given the realities of his own party, we may not find out until after the election. John Stoehr is a fellow at the Yale Journalism Initiative and a New Haven resident. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission 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. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. If you haven't checked out the sweetest gallery space in Indy yet, now would be a good time to do it. SugarSpace will host a migrating exhibition by art collective BBQLA called American Fine Arts: The Fools Journey this weekend that sounds delicious and intriguing. 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. A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z to testify as part of a securities investigation into a company that paid him more than $200 million in 2007 for assets including some related to the Rocawear brand. During months of back and forth in response to subpoenas, lawyers for Jay-Z sought to limit his testimony in the case. They said that he had been on tour when his testimony was first requested and that he was now preparing for another. Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed court papers asking that a judge order Jay-Z, whose actual name is Shawn Carter, to comply with a subpoena to testify. In their most recent response, the lawyers sought to limit any testimony to a single day. But the S.E.C. resisted limits, and the judge sided with its lawyers. Im granting the S.E.C.s application to enforce the subpoena, Judge Paul G. Gardephe of Federal District Court in Manhattan, said in court Tuesday. The testimony has been delayed for five months, and I do not intend to tolerate any further delay. At one point last fall, during the acquisition talks between his father and Robert A. Iger, Disneys chief executive, Mr. Murdoch had seen a path to Disneys corner office. Mr. Iger was expected to retire in 2019 and a long search for a successor had yet to identify a successor. But the likelihood of a very senior role for Mr. Murdoch at Disney one that would set him up as Mr. Igers successor had grown slim by the time the deal was unveiled. Rather than securing a place for his son at Disney as a condition of the sale, Rupert Murdoch instead required Mr. Iger to extend his own tenure. Mr. Iger will now retire at the end of 2021. The deal will still be a financial boon to the younger Mr. Murdoch. If the deal closes not a foregone conclusion now that Comcast is maneuvering to make a hostile offer he will emerge with a stake in Disney worth at least $1 billion. When the subject about a job for James came up on a post-deal conference call with analysts, Mr. Iger was respectful but noncommittal. He will be integral to helping us integrate these companies over the next number of months, Mr. Iger said. Over that time, he and I will continue to discuss whether there is a role for him here or not. Rupert Murdoch struck a harsher tone in a Sky News interview. No guarantees of any sort is how he described the likelihood of his son receiving a senior Disney post. At the time, Disney insiders noted that the most obvious role for James would involve international operations. Disney was buying Foxs stakes in two behemoth overseas television-service providers, Sky of Britain and Star of India complicated businesses with which Disney had no experience but ones that James Murdoch helped build. WASHINGTON The urgent message that came in to the head of criminal enforcement at the Environmental Protection Agency was short and to the point: The boys did good they did what needed to be done. It added one more detail: All good except for a couple of doors well have to pick up the tab for. On March 29 last year, Scott Pruitt, the administrator of the E.P.A., had vanished for several hours after reporting to his staff that he was feeling ill. Security was dispatched to the $50-a-night, lobbyist-owned Capitol Hill condo where he was living to see if he was O.K. To gain entry, the agents had to knock down the front door to the building. Mr. Pruitt was fine. But the episode grew into one of the early mysteries of his tenure: What happened that day? New documents obtained this week through a Freedom of Information request help to explain the sequence of events, and the monthslong effort to get the E.P.A. to pay for the door. It began that day when Mr. Pruitts staff made repeated phone calls to him that went unanswered. So they called Washington emergency dispatchers. They say hes unconscious at this time, a 911 operator was told that evening, according to recordings of the emergency call obtained by ABC last year. I dont know about the breathing portion. In a statement, Ed Chen, a spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said, Scientists at the EPA who know something about climate science want nothing to do with the Red Team, Blue Team exercise. The emails suggest that E.P.A.s Office of Research and Development, which does most of the agencys science work, was not active in the discussions around the debates. In one email, a program analyst in the office, Christina Moody, wrote: We are not involved. The Administrator is the one who wants to do this and Im guessing his folks are putting it together. A spokesman for the E.P.A., Jahan Wilcox, declined to offer a statement on the emails. Last December, President Trumps chief of staff, John F. Kelly, let it be known that the red team, blue team debates should be considered dead, according to people familiar with a White House meeting on the matter that month. After that, however, the emails show Mr. Pruitt continued setting up meetings to discuss the broad themes favored by organizations that question climate change, while not explicitly citing the idea of a debate. We were thinking this meeting could be purely informative in nature, and not necessarily in the context of a specific EPA exercise, Tate Bennett, associate administrator at the E.P.A., wrote to Oren M. Cass, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, a conservative think tank, in a Jan. 18 email. Mr. Cass on Wednesday said his work was focused on the economics of addressing climate change and that he believed the analyses that the E.P.A. and others have used in the past to justify action were flawed. I encourage conservatives to accept mainstream climate science and focus on economic analysis and good public policy, Mr. Cass said. Mr. Pruitt first publicly floated the idea of having climate science debates possibly televised to a group of coal executives last June. And at least a month earlier, in May 2017, the documents show, the E.P.A. staff was working with groups that oppose mainstream science to develop the concept. WASHINGTON The new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is taking a pay cut after Senate Democrats and watchdog groups criticized the use of an exemption to pay him nearly double the rate of his predecessors. Dr. Robert R. Redfield assumed the top post in March at a salary of $375,000 per year, far more than the heads of many other federal agencies, and much more than his predecessors Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald ($193,700), Dr. Thomas Frieden ($209,700), and Dr. Julie Gerberding ($207,000). The unusually high rate was granted under a provision known as Title 42, which permits the Department of Health and Human Services (and the Environmental Protection Agency) to pay more than the approved government rate if the candidate fills a specific scientific need that cannot otherwise be met. Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, questioned the use of the exemption in this case, suggesting last month that it might not have been appropriate. She asked the health and human services secretary, Alex M. Azar II, who oversees the C.D.C., to describe the extensive and exhaustive effort that was supposed to be made to find a director before hiring Dr. Redfield at the unusually high salary. Two of the women interviewed, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, said Mr. Schneiderman choked and repeatedly hit them. Both women said they sought medical treatment. Mr. Schneiderman also threatened to kill them if they broke up with him, they said, and he told one woman he could have her followed and her phones tapped. All four women who spoke to the magazine said that they had been romantically involved with Mr. Schneiderman, but that the violence was not consensual. Mr. Cuomo made it clear on Tuesday he wanted someone other than Mr. Vance to investigate the allegations. In March, Mr. Cuomo had directed Mr. Schneiderman to review how the Manhattan district attorneys office and the New York Police Department handle sexual assault complaints, including a 2015 sexual assault allegation against Mr. Weinstein. At the time, Mr. Vance had said that there was not enough evidence to prosecute, even though Mr. Weinsteins accuser, Ambra Battilana, an Italian model, had provided police with a recording of him apologizing in response to a question about why he had groped her breasts I want to make sure the district attorneys have no conflicts whatsoever with the attorney generals office, either institutionally or personally, Mr. Cuomo said during an unrelated news conference on Tuesday. So, its very important that the district attorney or attorneys that do the investigation have not even the whiff or perception of conflict, because the statement we need to make is you come forward, you show the bravery to come forward, you will be heard, justice will be done. In a letter to the acting attorney general, Mr. Cuomo said Ms. Singas would not only investigate the allegations in The New Yorker article but would also look into whether the attorney generals staff and office resources were used to facilitate alleged abusive liaisons. Ms. Singas was the former head of the special victims bureau in the Nassau County district attorneys office before she was elected to lead the office in 2015. The case involving Mr. Schneiderman would normally fall under at least two jurisdictions: One woman said she was physically assaulted in Mr. Schneidermans Upper West Side home in Manhattan, and another woman said she was assaulted at a place he was staying in the Hamptons in Suffolk County. A professor of psychology at the New School for Social Research was found dead in the basement of his Brooklyn home on Monday night, and officers arrested a man hiding in a closet on a murder charge, the police said. The officers were responding to a 911 call of a burglary at the two-story home of the professor, Jeremy Safran, in the Prospect Park South neighborhood at about 6 p.m. They found Mr. Safran, 66, unconscious in the basement with severe wounds to his head and body, a bloody hammer lying nearby, the police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Searching the basement, the police discovered a 28-year-old man, Mirzo Atadzhanov, inside a closet. He was charged with murder and burglary. Dermot Shea, the New York Police Department chief of detectives, said at a news conference on Tuesday the police were still trying to discern a motive for the killing. It was unclear if Mr. Atadzhanov knew Mr. Safran. Whether any reality underpinned that notion, it turns out that Mr. Schneiderman was seen by some of his romantic partners as entirely the opposite of a superhero. Four women told The New Yorker that he was violent with them, that he knocked back wine by the bottle and mooched Xanax. That was the political end of him. Now the state legislature could pick a replacement, with the Democrats in the Assembly holding most of the power. They could also decide to not choose anyone, permitting the ranking member of the attorney generals office to hold the position until an election in the fall. The person they choose will, in theory, hold the most important state legal job in the country, or at least that was the image Mr. Schneiderman encouraged. Last month, he proposed changes to New York law that would allow him to prosecute people pardoned by the president without running into the states prohibitions against double jeopardy that is, trying someone twice for essentially the same crime. Mr. Schneidermans announcement gave him a few days basking in the progressive sunlight, but such a fundamental change would have to survive review by the courts. If Mr. Schneiderman was indeed as violent and given to excesses with alcohol as described by the women quoted in The New Yorker article, then its good that he was not tested in the role of legal backstop to the special prosecutor. There are already enough New Yorkers in the national political arena Mr. Trump and former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, to take just two who have made spectacles of themselves. Before this, Mr. Schneiderman had seemed to avoid the river of sleaze that runs alongside the Hudson in Albany. Corruption charges have brought down the leaders of the Assembly and the Senate, Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos, and other members of those bodies; sexual misbehavior felled Governor Eliot Spitzer and Congressman Anthony D. Weiner; and another prominent official in Albany has been accused of sexual misconduct, along with at least a dozen other legislators. Ermanno Olmi, a largely self-taught Italian director who wove family folk tales and unadorned accounts of farm life, class and Roman Catholicism into neorealist films that often starred amateur actors, died on Friday in Asiago, Italy. He was 86. His death, in a hospital, was confirmed by Roberto Rigoni Stern, the mayor of Asiago, the northeastern town where Mr. Olmi had lived since 1959. Chronicling his countrys 20th-century evolution from a backward agrarian economy into an industrial giant, Mr. Olmi gave voice to a peasant civilization by going back to its origins, President Sergio Mattarella of Italy said in a statement, honoring the feelings of simple people and places where nature meets man. Mr. Olmi was more popular at home than abroad, but several of his movies enjoyed international success. He was best known for The Tree of Wooden Clogs, a three-hour epic about 19th-century Lombardian peasant life; he wrote, filmed with a hand-held 35-milimeter camera and edited the movie. It won the Palme dOr at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival, the festivals highest prize. George Deukmejian, a two-term California governor who was admired by Republicans and Democrats alike for his willingness to cross party boundaries, and who quietly shepherded the state through a period of rapid growth and sustained prosperity, died on Tuesday at his home in Long Beach, Calif. He was 89. His death was confirmed by Steve Merksamer, Mr. Deukmejians former chief of staff. He didnt have Arnold Schwarzeneggers bravado, Jerry Browns dialectical fireworks, or Pete Wilsons Marine Corps willingness to take the hill, Kevin Starr, the eminent historian of California, said in an interview in 2012. He had such an understated manner, you almost missed how pervasive and effective he was in his governorship. (Professor Starr, of the University of Southern California, died last year.) When Jerry Brown left office in 1983 in his first go-round as governor, Mr. Deukmejian, then Californias attorney general, ran for the higher office with an eye toward reforming a state judiciary that he considered too lenient. Attorneys general dont appoint judges, but governors do, he said in an interview for this obituary in 2012. And we were very troubled in those days by a lot of the appointments Jerry Brown had made. Ill never forget the sight of my kidnappers, dressed all in black and wearing ski masks, waiting for me in a white cell in the Bangkok detention site. My husband and I had fled Colonel Qaddafis regime, moving from country to country to stay away from his killers. We were on our way to Europe when we were seized in Malaysia and sent to Bangkok, where the Thais handed us to our kidnappers people I now know, from documents found in Libya, were with the C.I.A. A man grabbed my head and shoved me into a truck. They blindfolded and trussed me. I dont understand why I was taken. I assume that the C.I.A. went after my husband because he led an Islamist group that openly opposed the Qaddafi dictatorship. But what did that have to do with me? I come from a small town in Morocco. I was not a political dissident. Id never been to Libya until the C.I.A. flew me there, and I never meant the United States any harm. I hardly thought about the United States until I was chained to the wall in the C.I.A. black site. I have no idea how long I was in the Thai secret prison because no one would let me sleep. The cell was white and stark, with nothing in it but a camera and hooks on the wall. The masked abductors were waiting. I was terrified. They chained me to the hooks. Because I was midway through my pregnancy, I could barely move or sit. Some of what they did to me in that prison was so awful I cant talk about it. They hit me in the abdomen just where the baby was. To move me, they bound me to a stretcher from head to toe, like a mummy. I was sure I would shortly be killed. With Iran unconstrained, Saudi Arabia and others in the region may push to obtain a nuclear capacity. The hard-liners in Iran who never liked the nuclear deal will be strengthened in their bid to destabilize the region, leaving relative moderates like President Hassan Rouhani sidelined. In light of Americas abrogation of its commitments, Russia and Chinas position in the region will be bolstered at our expense. Israel may now rush into conflict with Iran, betting it can draw in the United States. Under any scenario, America will be less safe; and in the worst case, we could face the choice of going to war or acquiescing to a nuclear-armed Iran. President Trump, disdainful of any success of his predecessor, has long been determined to destroy this agreement, even though it has served American interests and won the grudging support of many of its original critics. The president spiked the Iran deal out of spite and hubris, with no viable alternative. He asserts that, with increased pressure on Iran, he can negotiate a better deal. But only someone who knows nothing about Iran would presume that it will pay more under duress to get the same thing it was promised three years earlier. If Mr. Trump thinks he is sending a strong message of resolve to North Korea, he is again mistaken. Instead, he is demonstrating to a far more advanced and unpredictable adversary on the eve of negotiations that the United States cannot be trusted. He has provided proximate proof that any deal the United States makes, even a successful one, may be tossed aside on the whim of this or any other president. Our negotiating partners, including Japan, South Korea and China, will doubt our credibility when we most need to demonstrate collective resolve. Why would Kim Jong-un give up his nuclear and missile capability when the United States has just demonstrated that, once he does so, it might well renege on the bargain? The president has just made the most foolish and consequential national security decision of his tenure. Exactly what comes next is unclear, but we certainly will face a far worse situation than today. When the mess materializes, Mr. Trump, per standard procedure, will blame everyone else: his political opponents, his predecessor, the Europeans and the Iranians. But there will be only one person responsible: President Trump, our wrecking ball in chief. Someone, please change our fate, whoever, even Trump. I used to be a driver, now I clean. Whats next? I cannot become a beggar. ALI SHOJA, a cleaner who said he could not afford to support his family, on Irans economy and the hardship caused by sanctions. A Miami police officer who was seen on video appearing to violently kick a man who was already handcuffed and on the ground has been charged with assault and will be fired, law enforcement officials said on Tuesday. The assault charge a second-degree misdemeanor came after prosecutors reviewed and released new video in which the officer and the suspect acknowledged that the kick did not actually strike the suspects head. Still, the Miami police chief, Jorge R. Colina, and the state attorney for Miami-Dade County, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, sought to reassure the public that they would not tolerate the sort of behavior displayed by the officer on May 3. Officer Mario Figueroa can have no excuse for the alleged actions seen on the videotape, Ms. Fernandez Rundle said in a statement. This community demands respect for all individuals taken into custody. Evidence of abuse, which is evidence of a crime, will allow us to go forward with this prosecution. These are the biggest stories in the world today. Trumps Iran nuclear deal decision: Live updates Some White House officials were caught off guard when Trump announced on Twitter Monday that he was planning to make the announcement today. Most aides expected him to wait until closer to Saturday, when the May 12 deadline for issuing a waiver landed. 104-year-old Australian scientist welcomes death at Swiss clinic David Goodall, a respected botanist and ecologist, is due to die at the Life Circle clinic in Basel on Thursday, after traveling to Europe from his home town of Perth, Australia earlier this month. The grandfather-of-12 and longtime member of pro-euthanasia group Exit International said his life stopped being enjoyable five or 10 years ago, in part because of his failing mobility and eyesight. New diesel scandal? German officials investigate Audi German officials are investigating Audi owned by the Volkswagen Group on suspicion that it installed illegal emissions software in 6-cylinder diesel engines in its A6 luxury saloons and A7 sporty hatchbacks. The countrys motor vehicle authority has begun a formal investigation, Germanys Transport Ministry said in a statement emailed to CNN. Kim Jong Un meets with Xi Jinping in northern China Kim met Xi in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian on Monday and Tuesday, according to Chinas foreign ministry. The leaders met in person for the first time during a secret meeting in the Chinese capital of Beijing in late March, which was widely viewed as a sign of warming ties between the two fractious allies. On Iran, Trump becomes a prisoner of his own hyperbole In withdrawing the US from the Iran nuclear deal, President Donald Trump is taking a huge gamble. And aside from his desire to repudiate everything done by his predecessor, President Barack Obama, its really hard to see why he is making this decision, writes Peter Bergen Do women feel safe in India? CNN spoke to five women in the capital, New Delhi, and asked them for their views. Some of their responses have been lightly edited for style and flow. The entire country is pigeonholed into a rape country As a woman, do you feel safe in India? Trump To Violate Iran Nuclear Deal, Vows To Reimpose Sanctions WASHINGTON President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. The U.S. will not extend waivers on sanctions targeting Irans nuclear program, effectively ending its compliance with the 2015 international agreement under which Iran accepted restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for economic relief. What To Know About The Iran Nuclear Deal President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the U.S. will withdraw from the international nuclear accord with Iran, the landmark 2015 agreement curbing Irans nuclear development program in return for sanctions relief. By ending Americas participation in the deal, Trump fulfills a major campaign promise. WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak After Democratic Republic Of The Congo Confirms 2 Cases The World Health Organization has declared an outbreak of Ebola after the Democratic Republic of the Congo confirmed two cases of the deadly viral hemorrhagic fever. At least 10 more cases are suspected in the northwestern town of Bikoro, Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, the head of the DRCs National Institute for Biomedical Research, said Tuesday. Im An IVF Baby And My Mother Kept It A Secret Im the offspring of my father and my mothers sister. No, its not as scandalous as it sounds. At 32 years old, my mom was a two-time cancer survivor, but her eggs, scrambled by chemotherapy, were not. I was told Id never have children, shed often remark when brushing my hair, marveling at my being. Scarlett Johansson Wore One Of The Most Talked About Looks At The 2018 Met Gala Scarlett Johansson showed up to the 2018 Met Gala in one of the most talked about and controversial looks of the night. The Avengers actress wore a floral, ombre Marchesa gown made of tulle to the Heavenly Bodies -themed event. She was accompanied by her boyfriend, Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost. World awaits Trump verdict on Iran deal Americas European allies hold their breath to see if the US president will torpedo the accord. Melania Trump faces new plagiarism row US First Lady Melania Trump has been caught up in another plagiarism row, following the launch of her new online safety for children campaign on Monday. A booklet put out by Mrs Trump bore a striking resemblance to one published under the Obama administration. Zambia sorry for half-naked warning Zambias leading university has apologised for telling female students not to visit its library half-naked because it would distract men. The University of Zambia said it had no dress code and it would not tolerate old discredited misogynist views. A notice put up in the library at the campus in the capital, Lusaka, said: Modest is the way to go! Celebrities dazzle at Met Gala 2018 The Met Gala, the benefit event for the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute, is considered the highlight of New Yorks social calendar, attracting fashion designers and stars from around the world. It is known for its expensive tickets, exclusive guest list, and extravagant outfits that are based around a different theme each year. Dr Dre loses trademark case to Dr Drai Hip-hop star Dr Dre has lost a long-running trademark dispute against a gynaecologist with a similar name. The case was first lodged in 2015, when Pennsylvania-based gynaecologist Draion M Burch tried to trademark the name Dr Drai. Dr Dre objected, saying the similarity could cause confusion, especially as his near-namesake wanted to sell audio books and seminars under the moniker. The Marvel movies needs more kissing Marvel movies are great, but they need more kissing. Sure, they have some they have the bare minimum but its 2018 and we can do better. Most MCU movies offer but one chaste consolation kiss, often between characters whose romance is contrived at best. Gmail will soon be writing entire emails for you Gmail users have had Smart Reply for over a year, but the mail service is getting even smarter. At the opening keynote of Googles annual I/O developer conference, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced Smart Compose, an upcoming feature that will finish entire sentences for you as you type. YouTube reportedly testing picture-in-picture for free users on Android Video streaming multi-taskers: listen up. Some Android users now have access to picture-in-picture mode on YouTube, according to Android Police. Picture-in-picture is the ability to watch a video in a floating window while still browsing YouTube. Up until this point, the feature has only been available to Android users who subscribe to Red, YouTubes subscription service. CHARLESTON, W.Va. Don Blankenship, a former coal baron who went to prison for his role in a deadly mine disaster, was soundly defeated in the West Virginia Republican Senate primary on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press, after President Trump and other Republicans urged voters to reject him. The states attorney general, Patrick Morrisey, captured the partys nomination and is expected to mount an aggressive challenge this fall against Senator Joe Manchin III, a Democrat who is a top target of Republicans in their struggle to hang on to their one-seat Senate majority in the midterm elections in November. Mr. Blankenship, who called himself Trumpier Than Trump, drew on elements of the presidents own populist playbook, including nativist attacks and charges of conspiracy leveled at the Obama-era Justice Department that prosecuted him for his role in the 2010 mine explosion, which killed 29 men. But Washington Republican leaders badly wanted Mr. Blankenship to lose, with the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, coordinating an effort to derail him. At Mr. McConnells urging, Mr. Trump on Monday warned the great people of West Virginia in a tweet that Mr. Blankenship could not win the general election against Senator Manchin. WASHINGTON A former C.I.A. officer suspected of helping China unravel the agencys spy network in that country was indicted on Tuesday on a charge of conspiring to commit espionage. The officer, Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 53, was arrested by F.B.I. agents in January after federal prosecutors accused him of illegally possessing classified information. But the new charge reflected a willingness of prosecutors to disclose sensitive details they might have been reluctant to acknowledge publicly. According to prosecutors, two Chinese intelligence officers approached Mr. Lee in April 2010 and offered to pay him for information. The intelligence officers provided Lee with a series of email addresses so that he could communicate covertly with them, court papers said, and he received instructions from Chinese intelligence officers until at least 2011. A shell company that Michael D. Cohen used to pay hush money to a pornographic film actress received payments totaling more than $1 million from an American company linked to a Russian oligarch and several corporations with business before the Trump administration, according to documents and interviews. Financial records reviewed by The New York Times show that Mr. Cohen, President Trumps personal lawyer and longtime fixer, used the shell company, Essential Consultants L.L.C., for an array of business activities that went far beyond what was publicly known. Transactions adding up to at least $4.4 million flowed through Essential Consultants starting shortly before Mr. Trump was elected president and continuing to this January, the records show. Among the previously unreported transactions were payments last year of about $500,000 from Columbus Nova, an investment firm in New York whose biggest client is a company controlled by Viktor Vekselberg, the Russian oligarch. A lawyer for Columbus Nova, in a statement on Tuesday, described the money as a consulting fee that had nothing to do with Mr. Vekselberg. Other transactions described in the financial records include hundreds of thousands of dollars Mr. Cohen received from Fortune 500 companies with business before the Trump administration, as well as smaller amounts he paid for luxury expenses like a Mercedes-Benz and private club dues. And the location is important. But there are many conditions that play into that. How long is it going to go on? When you say where, like really where? Not just a city or a country, but like really where? Mr. Pompeo said. So were trying to put some more meat on that. Also, according to a senior aide to South Koreas president, Moon Jae-in, Mr. Pompeo was expected to leave Pyongyang with three Americans now imprisoned in North Korea and return to the United States with them. All of them are Korean-Americans and all have the surname Kim, although they are not related. But on Tuesday night, the White House took a more cautious tone, declining to confirm the reports out of South Korea that the Americans were to be released. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, said in a brief interview that arranging the summit meeting remained Mr. Pompeos top priority for the visit, and she stressed that the release of the prisoners was not a done deal. Asked whether he expected the North Koreans to release the three detainees to him, Mr. Pompeo said, I think itd be a great gesture if they would choose to do so. And asked whether a summit meeting were possible if the North Koreans continued to detain the Americans, he said, Were hopeful we dont have to cross that road. Mr. Pompeo also stressed, as he has done on almost every occasion when publicly speaking about the summit meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim, that the United States would not support a proposal by President Moon Jae-in of South Korea for step-by-step measures, in which the North Koreans would get sanctions lifted over a period of years as they gradually unwound their nuclear program. Many analysts in South Korea and around the world believe that such an all-or-nothing strategy will fail with the North Koreans, but a senior administration official traveling with Mr. Pompeo pointed out that previous administrations had tried incremental measures, all of which failed to halt the countrys progress toward building a nuclear arsenal and the missiles to deliver them. The senior official said that Mr. Kim promised as recently as New Years Eve that the country would mass produce nuclear warheads and the means to deliver them, and that a year ago he had ordered the assassination of his half brother with the use of a chemical weapon. One goal of the trip, the official said, was to see whether the North was ready to take the steps needed to prove it had moved beyond such talk and actions. WASHINGTON Republicans narrowly averted political disaster in the West Virginia Senate primary on Tuesday with the defeat of former coal executive Don Blankenship while mainstream Democrats fended off a liberal insurgent in the Ohio governors race, bringing relief to the establishment of both parties on a day of elections in four states. But Washington Republicans were handed a stinging defeat in North Carolina, where Representative Robert Pittenger was defeated by Mark Harris, a pastor who made his name denouncing same-sex marriage. The unexpected setback is likely to jolt congressional Republicans yet again and underscore that their fragile House majority is the partys most vulnerable front in 2018. In the West Virginia Senate primary, Mr. Blankenship came in a distant third after an 11th-hour intervention by President Trump that was coordinated by Senate Republicans. They saw Mr. Blankenship as unelectable and unworthy of the Senate, given that he served a year in prison in connection with a mining disaster in 2010 that killed 29 men, and made racially offensive comments during the campaign. [Read our six takeaways from Tuesday nights primary elections.] West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey won the Republican nomination to challenge Senator Joe Manchin III, one of the most vulnerable Democrats seeking re-election this year. 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. Bless You Jimmy Fallon recapped his night at the Met Gala in New York, where he clowned with his late-night rival Stephen Colbert on the red carpet before heading in. The event was themed Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, and it featured a performance from the most biblical pop star of them all: Madonna. Fallon said he had a suspicion she would sing, but his hopes were dashed when she showed up next to him in the audience. (When he complimented her outfit, her reply was: Bless you.) His life, in her telling, begins with his career at the Childrens Hospital in Vienna. Just 25, he was hired in 1931 by Franz Hamburger, an anti-Semite with an anti-scientific attitude who had been purging liberals and Jews from the faculty ranks. In addition to Asperger, Hamburger hired Erwin Jekelius, who would later become the director of Steinhof Psychiatric Institute and then Spiegelgrund, Steinhofs youth ward, where children deemed physically or mentally irredeemable would be sent to their deaths. Certainly, many of Hamburgers proteges went on to be Nazi enthusiasts and leaders in the euthanasia program, Sheffer writes. That Asperger was neither of these allowed him to rehabilitate his reputation after the war; a devout Catholic, he never joined the Nazi Party, and he stayed at his perch in the Childrens Hospital, away from what Sheffer calls killing centers like Spiegelgrund. But the distance, Sheffer argues, was merely geographic. Asperger participated in Viennas child-killing system on multiple levels, she writes. After Hitler annexed Austria in March 1938, Asperger helped direct the Motorized Mother Advising program, which purported to dispense advice and care to mothers and children but also served to extend the surveillance powers of the Nazi regime. Staffers noted children they considered to be disabled or genetically tainted, Sheffer writes, recording cases of hereditary feeblemindedness. When the Reich decreed the child euthanasia program in 1939, doctors like Asperger assumed extraordinary powers to decide the fates of the children under their care. Certain statements of his read like pleas for tolerance and mercy from an intolerant and merciless regime: Autistic people have their place in the organism of the social community, Asperger wrote in 1944, saying it was incumbent on doctors to speak out for these children with the whole force of our personality. But there were children he nevertheless decided couldnt, and shouldnt, be helped. He observed inferiority of almost all organs in a child who was eventually sent to Spiegelgrund; examining another child, a two-year-old girl, he concluded that permanent placement at Spiegelgrund is absolutely necessary. The girl died two months later. As Sheffer makes clear, Asperger would have known that such decisions were probable death sentences. At least 789 children died at Spiegelgrund during the Third Reich, most of them from pneumonia, typically brought on by the barbiturates that would be mixed with sugar or cocoa and fed to the children with the express purpose of killing them. Sheffer says that Asperger was involved in the transfer of at least 44 children from his clinic to Spiegelgrund. Those are just the documented cases she found; the actual total is most likely higher. Sheffer has built an impressive case, though certain questions remain. Did Aspergers pleas on behalf of at least some of his patients save their lives? Or by emphasizing the potential for social integration into the Volk, was he consigning those who didnt fit into that privileged category to their deaths? Under the brutal boundaries drawn by the Nazi regime, both could be true. Sheffer seems to go back and forth herself, condemning Asperger in the severest terms on one page and slipping in a few caveats about his drift into complicity on another. It can be misleading to classify people too neatly, Sheffer writes, trying to explain where historians draw the lines of culpability. Its a fitting conclusion to a book that raises unsettling questions about who someone was, and what he did. 1. Pyongyang freed three American prisoners, in perhaps the most tangible gesture by North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, to improve relations with the U.S. It was a diplomatic victory for President Trump. Mr. Trump said he planned to meet the detainees, all U.S. citizens of Korean descent, seen above on a news broadcast, when they land in the U.S. at 2 a.m. Eastern. He also announced that the time and location had been set for the summit meeting with Mr. Kim, giving only one detail: It will not be at the DMZ. But a new question is dogging the planning: Will Mr. Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal send the wrong message to North Korea? Pyongyang freed three American prisoners, removing a bitterly emotional obstacle ahead of a planned summit meeting between President Trump and North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un. Mr. Trump said the detainees, all U.S. citizens of Korean descent, were on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, above, who offered an olive branch to senior North Korean officials during his short visit. But en route he committed the gaffe of referring to Mr. Kim as Chairman Un. Mr. Trump also announced that the time and location had been set for his meeting with Mr. Kim, giving only one detail: It will not be at the DMZ. The talks may suffer from Mr. Trumps decision to exit the Iran nuclear accord if, as many analysts think, the takeaway is that the U.S. is an untrustworthy negotiating partner. SACRAMENTO Long a leader and trendsetter in its clean-energy goals, California took a giant step on Wednesday, becoming the first state to require all new homes to have solar power. The new requirement, to take effect in two years, brings solar power into the mainstream in a way it has never been until now. It will add thousands of dollars to the cost of home when a shortage of affordable housing is one of Californias most pressing issues. That made the relative ease of its approval in a unanimous vote by the five-member California Energy Commission before a standing-room crowd, with little debate all the more remarkable. State officials and clean-energy advocates say the extra cost to home buyers will be more than made up in lower energy bills. That prospect has won over even the construction industry, which has embraced solar capability as a selling point. Film and media studies major Leila Yavari and business and music major Eric Newell are the 2018 recipients of the Louis B. Sudler Prize in the Arts, honoring graduating seniors with exceptional promise in the arts. Emory Photo/Video Business and music major Eric Newell and film and media studies major Leila Yavari are the 2018 recipients of the Louis B. Sudler Prize in the Arts, honoring the graduating senior or seniors who have demonstrated exceptional promise in the performing or creative arts. Awarded annually at Emory and a select group of colleges across the nation, including Princeton, Duke and MIT, the Sudler Prize is accompanied by a $6,000 award. Faculty members who supported the nominations of Newell and Yavari say the two will leave extraordinary legacies behind when they depart campus following graduation. Eric is a rare and very special talent, says Eric Nelson, professor of music and director of choral studies at Emory. I know him as one of the most singularly gifted undergraduate music majors I have ever taught. During his remarkable undergraduate career, Newell, who will graduate May 14 with a BBA from Emorys Goizueta Business School, served as a resident adviser, Concert Choir president and the music director of a cappella group Dooley Noted. For this years Barenaked Voices, the annual celebration of a cappella music at Emory, Newell composed the arrangement for the performance of the finale, engineering the moment when over 150 student voices join in song without instrumental accompaniment. This spring, Newell became the first vocal performance major at Emory to complete a senior recital that was half vocal performance and half choral conducting. I wouldnt be surprised that other students will come after that will want to follow this model, says Nelson. They will have Eric to thank for establishing the precedent. Atlanta local Leila Yavari, who has earned her degree through Emory College of Arts and Sciences, has also left a mark on campus that will not fade any time soon. During her tenure at Emory, Yavari and her collaborators founded FemmeFilms, a student group dedicated to encouraging female filmmakers to tell their stories and pursue work behind and in front of the camera. Leila Yavari is a fine and inspired filmmaker who has greatly advanced Emory as a place for filmmaking and especially filmmaking by women, says Rob Barracano, lecturer and director of production in Emorys Department of Film and Media Studies. Her work grapples with the compelling issues of gender, representation and political oppression. Yavaris first documentary film, Hooked, explored college hookup culture from the womans perspective via anonymous interviews. The film won the Jury Award at Campus Movie Fest (CMF) and Yavari was among the 50 student filmmakers CMF invited to show their work at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2017. Yavari has been invited back to Cannes this year to screen Petals, a narrative film she co-directed for Campus Movie Fest that became the foundation for FemmeFilms. Looking to a future in the arts Newell, who will pursue a master of music degree in choral conducting at the University of Georgia this fall, credits his department and mentors with much of his success. To me, the award serves as a testament to the malleability of the music department here in its ability to offer truly great possibilities of study and performance in order to fit the needs of its students, says Newell. I have had several life-changing mentors in my time at Emory, but the way Dr. Nelson thinks and speaks about choral music helped reroute the trajectory of what I consider to be my lifes purpose, he explains. In the long term, my dream is to end up in a role similar to Dr. Nelsons position at Emory. Yavari also plans to continue her studies in graduate school, but will take a year before applying to continue working on various film projects that focus on underserved communities and neighborhoods in the United States. The type of filmmaking I hope to do in the future will use this medium as a vehicle for social action and change, says Yavari. I feel lucky that I am fortunate enough to live in this moment where a new generation of filmmakers are being encouraged to build a more inclusive future both on and off screen. HOUSTON President Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal has so far had no more than a muted effect on oil and gasoline prices. But that could easily change. The full impact on global oil markets may not be seen for weeks or months. It will depend on how tightly the administration enforces new sanctions on Iran, and whether the entire deal collapses or can somehow be salvaged. That may well depend on the responses of a diverse cast of geopolitical actors from Moscow to Beijing to New Delhi since the United States imports no oil directly from Iran. A cascade of unpredictable events may follow the administrations action, one that could ultimately lead to compromise. If not, there could be even greater instability across the Middle East and possibly an oil-price spike. The biggest wild card is how Iran will respond. European leaders have urged Iran to continue to abide by the agreement to freeze its nuclear development, despite the American withdrawal. President Hassan Rouhani has said he wants to negotiate with the Europeans, Russia and China on terms for continuing the deal, but the countrys supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has left the door open to resuming its nuclear program. FRANKFURT European companies moved quickly to invest in Iran after it agreed in 2015 to mothball its nuclear weapons program in return for an end to economic sanctions. Automakers like Daimler and PSA Peugeot Citroen linked up with Iranian partners to sell vehicles. Siemens of Germany struck a deal to deliver locomotives. Total of France began a project to explore offshore natural gas. Yet even before President Trump pulled out of the agreement with Iran, many companies had already tempered their expectations and limited their investment. Now their prospects look murkier as European leaders try to determine whether there is a path forward without the United States. Officials in Europe want to protect its companies by finding ways to shield them from American sanctions while they continue doing business in Iran. The report, sent to NBC employees on Wednesday morning, did include some caveats. One woman, who eventually came forward about a sexual encounter with Mr. Lauer, said she told a manager in 1996 about an interaction where Mr. Lauer placed his hand on her thigh and made a sexually suggestive comment. The manager, who was not identified, agreed at the time to reassign the woman so that she would not travel alongside Mr. Lauer. The report also said that, of four women who filed complaints about Mr. Lauers misbehavior, two believed that senior managers at NBC News and the Today show were aware of the anchors sexual misconduct. The former leaders with whom we spoke denied any such knowledge, however, and we were unable to otherwise substantiate it, the report said. NBCs investigators said they interviewed 68 individuals for the report, including current management at the news division and current and former members of the Today staff. The report indicated that former NBC News executives were contacted, but did not say whether interviews with those executives had taken place. Following the release of Wednesdays report, the woman who accused Mr. Brokaw, Linda Vester, wrote an op-ed column in The Post that criticized NBC for relying on its own in-house counsel. I want NBC to stop fighting #MeToo within its own walls, Ms. Vester wrote. I ask NBCUniversal to retain an outside investigator to look into sexual harassment and any coverup of sexual harassment at NBC News. An advocacy group that grew out of the #MeToo movement, Press Forward, also issued a statement describing the nature of NBCs review as an inherent conflict of interest. The group, which is focused on improving workplace environments for women in the media industry, added, No one is going to be fully candid when speaking to management for fear of losing their jobs. If there was criticism to be found in the NBC report, it came in an assessment of NBC Newss human resources operation. The investigators found it troubling that no formal complaints had been filed about Mr. Lauer despite his engaging in sexual relationships with subordinates. The report found that network staff members were fearful of retaliation and did not feel confident that their complaints would be kept confidential, in part because human resources managers occupied glass-walled offices in full view of other NBC News employees. Novartis said that after it determined that Mr. Cohen could not provide the services he offered, the company wanted to terminate his contract. But the drug giant learned it could do so only for cause, so it allowed the contract to expire. Joe Jimenez, the chief executive at Novartis at the time the deal was signed with Mr. Cohen, left the company in January. His replacement, Vasant Narasimhan, took over the next month, and the company has said he had no role in the arrangement. Mr. Narasimhan dined with Mr. Trump along with other European business leaders at this years World Economic Forum, but Novartis said his presence at the dinner had nothing to do with the payments to Mr. Cohen. Mr. Jimenez did not respond to requests for comment. Like Novartis, AT&T was also scrambling to adjust to the new White House at the start of Mr. Trumps term. Inside the companys Washington office, which had close ties to traditional Republican circles, staff members were concerned that they lacked connections to the Trump administration. In addition, one of its top executives in Washington had been a vocal opponent of Mr. Trump during the campaign. Mr. Cohen provided advice on how AT&T should approach the administration about its $85.4 billion merger and regulatory issues before the Federal Communications Commission, according to the person familiar with the agreement. AT&T said Mr. Cohen was one of several consultants it retained at the start of Mr. Trumps term to help it better understand the presidents thinking. Companies often hire consultants for these purposes, especially at the beginning of a new presidential administration, and we have done so in previous administrations, as well, the company said Wednesday in a note to employees. Companies do commonly hire consultants with ties to politicians for strategic advice. In the Trump administration, several former campaign and transition officials set up consulting firms some that do not fall under the lobbying disclosure laws to advise clients on the presidents possible thinking on mergers, regulations and legislation related to taxes and trade. Institutional Shareholder Services, an advisory firm, had recommended that investors support the proposal, describing it as a push for concrete evidence that the board is properly assessing risks to the companys long-term viability. But Brian G. Rafn, a principal at Morgan Dempsey Capital Management who has worked with Rugers institutional investors for decades, said that the large funds that are the companys biggest shareholders might be looking to get out of the gun business. If that happens, there would be a dramatic sea change in how Ruger investors vote, he said. There is certainly a groundswell on the non-gun side, but people dont understand that gun usage and ownership is expanding, he said. It will be very, very hard to stop that freight train, and the more noise thats made, the more that will be a catalyst to demand. Another activist effort at the meeting was not successful; a bid to block the re-election of Sandra Froman, a Ruger board member since 2015, fell short. Ms. Froman, a lawyer, served on the N.R.A. board since 1992 and was its president from 2005 to 2007. She helped organize a breakfast at the N.R.A.s annual meeting in Dallas this month, where President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke. One of the organizations that backed the effort to block her, Amalgamated Bank, an institutional investor and retail bank that promotes social justice issues, had said Ms. Fromans close ties to the N.R.A. may inhibit objective assessment and management of the risks that Ruger faced. Ruger, which is based in Southport, Conn., but held its shareholder meeting near one of its factories in Arizona, has contracted with the N.R.A. for some of its promotional and advertising activities and has made over $9 million in payments to the group over the last two years, according to public filings. Ms. Froman did not respond to requests for comment. The auto industry, embracing Mr. Trumps promise of a more industry-friendly administration, has lobbied aggressively for a relaxation of the strict Obama-era rules. But the administration ultimately went well beyond what the industry was seeking. The administrations proposed fuel-economy rollback goes so far, in fact, that California and a dozen other states have said they will retain the stricter rules, threatening to split the United States auto market in two. Automakers are also facing a public backlash over their calls for looser pollution rules: Sierra Club, the environmental group, said this week it had delivered a petition with more than a quarter million si gnatures opposing the rollback to Fords headquarters. Here we have a president who made a political decision and is about to browbeat industry to fall in line, said David Friedman, the acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under President Barack Obama who is now director of cars and product policy at the Consumers Union, an advocacy group. It indicates how political this is as opposed to analytical. The automakers now find themselves walking a tightrope. On one hand, they are eager to stay in the good graces of a president who not only is intent on moving forward his deregulatory agenda, but who is also capable, if so inclined, of hurling insults at automakers on Twitter or pushing for damaging tariffs. At the same time, automakers are eager to find a way to work with California, which is intent on sticking with the Obama-era rules and has threatened to sue if the federal government gets in the way. In recent days, auto-industry representatives quietly met with senior White House officials to prepare for Fridays planned gathering. In one sign of the uncertain path ahead, there are differing assessments of the White Houses message to carmakers in that meeting. The lawsuits and other legal filings, brought largely by attorneys general in blue states, follow a range of similar suits filed by conservative counterparts during the Obama administration. Scott Pruitt, now the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, achieved a level of prominence as Oklahomas attorney general by filing 14 lawsuits against the agency he now leads. Among the actions taken by Mr. Schneidermans office: While none have worked their way through the entire judicial process, these legal sorties have scored a half-dozen early court victories, often based on claims that the Trump administration, with its rather chaotic approach to rule making, has committed violations under the Administrative Procedures Act. There is no sign that the direction of Mr. Schneidermans former office will change. Barbara Underwood, the acting attorney general, pledged that under her leadership, this extraordinarily talented, dedicated and tireless team of public servants will ensure that our work continues without interruption. James E. Tierney, a former Maine attorney general who teaches a course on the role of state attorneys general at Harvard Law School, said that unless the transition from one attorney general to another involves a change of political party, lawsuits tend to continue and similar ones tend to be filed. The state legislature is likely to choose Mr. Schneidermans replacement, and Democrats currently have the strongest influence in the Assembly. (Regardless of whom the Legislature picks, the position will be up for grabs again in the general election this fall.) In the wake of scandal, the shock to staff members is keenly felt, but after a day, the assistant A. G.s will get back to work, Mr. Tierney said. In fact, he said, cases might proceed more smoothly without Mr. Schneiderman, whose tendency to garner publicity for himself could be a distraction. The short answer is: Yes, making our roofs lighter and more reflective could help cool our cities and partly offset the worst effects of global warming. But, as with all things, the details can get tricky. Scientists have long known that cities tend to be hotter than rural areas, partly because concrete buildings and asphalt roads absorb heat and partly because of waste heat from cars and air-conditioners. This urban heat island effect can raise local temperatures by two to five degrees Fahrenheit on average. One 2014 study, led by Matei Georgescu of Arizona State University, tried to model what would happen if American cities replaced their dark asphalt roofs with reflective materials that bounced more sunlight back into space instead of absorbing it. Such cool roofs could cut temperatures by roughly 2.6 degrees Fahrenheit in Californias cities and by 3.2 degrees in cities like Washington or New York. That effect held regardless of global warming from greenhouse-gas emissions. Studies like that have persuaded some cities to get cracking with the white paint. Through its CoolRoofs Initiative, New York City has already coated more than 5 million square feet of its roofs with a light, reflective coating, though thats still just a tiny fraction of the citys total rooftop space. Los Angeles is going even further and replacing some of its dark asphalt roads with lighter materials. Still, experts caution that more research is needed to figure out just how sensible this idea really is. Theres cost to consider: Are reflective roofs a more effective way to cool a city than, say, planting lots of trees? And what about the greenhouse gas emissions from replacing all that pavement? Before reading the article: Read the two paragraphs below, from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs website: The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. The Treaty represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States. Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in 1970. On 11 May 1995, the Treaty was extended indefinitely. A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States. More countries have ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation and disarmament agreement, a testament to the Treatys significance. Jake Silverstein, editor in chief: It can be difficult to take a great photograph of a subject who does not want her identity revealed. But this shot is arresting, the perfect image for Jennifer Egans article about opioids and pregnancy. The way this woman is bent over her innocent baby, embracing and protecting her while at the same time burying her face in the childs back it seemed to us to perfectly capture the feelings of agony, resilience and hope that the mothers in Egans article experience. Read the cover story, Children of the Opioid Epidemic. Some found The King of Comedy, Martin Scorseses vehicle for Jerry Lewis, baffling when it opened in 1983. The same was true of Mr. Scorseses 1985 follow-up, After Hours. Its not an easy comedy to get the hang of, Vincent Canby wrote in The New York Times, until you realize that its as much about emotional disorientation as it is disorienting in itself. Mr. Scorseses disconcerting screwball noir should have opened at midnight not just because of its subject but also its outre humor and will have two such screenings this weekend at the IFC Center in a 35-millimeter print. (It can also be streamed by stay-at-homes on Amazon Video.) After Hours appeared amid a cycle of films known as comedies of yuppie angst, among them Albert Brookss Lost in America, Susan Seidelmans Desperately Seeking Susan, and Jonathan Demmes Something Wild. All concern staidly settled characters who suffer identity crises and worse upon leaving their socio-economic comfort zones. Mr. Scorseses contribution is notable for exuding a sinister quality akin to the Weimar antecedents of film noir. In After Hours, a proper bourgeois, tempted by a femme fatale, finds himself caught in an urban vortex. The script, by a Columbia student, Joseph Minion, apparently borrowed elements of a 1982 monologue about a hookup gone awry by the radio storyteller Joe Frank, but the pervasive atmosphere of sexual guilt is characteristic of Mr. Scorseses work. She knows the fact that shes doing this, and embracing it, means so much to young women because shes teaching, every time she gives a speech or talks to people, he said after the screening. And thats what this movie will do too. So she knows how valuable it is. Mr. Olson calls her a warrior. Ms. Steinem, in the documentary, calls her a superhero. (Marvel agrees: in Deadpool 2, when the title character is assembling his X Force, he flicks through a photo of her as a candidate.) For Julie Cohen and Betsy West, the directors of RBG, she was, first off, a hard-to-wrangle subject. Each had interviewed her for other projects, but when they approached her about the documentary she told them she wouldnt talk to them for at least two years. She was 82 at the time. They persisted, interviewing colleagues and clients for whom she did landmark work. Eventually they were granted an audience with her, trailing along on family vacations, to the opera, and on a visit with her granddaughter, a recent Harvard Law graduate who calls her Bubbie. In her chambers, Justice Ginsburg traced her path from law school, where the dean asked her and the eight other female students (in a class of about 500) how they could justify taking the place of a man. Though she made the law review and graduated at the top of her class at Columbia, no firm would hire her, a Jewish woman and already a mother; she became a professor instead. If she felt any frustration at being shortchanged professionally, it didnt erupt. Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance ones ability to persuade, she wrote in her 2016 autobiography, My Own Words. CANNES, France Terry Gilliams The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, a comic fantasy thats been in the making for the last 18 years, will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival after a French court ruling Wednesday, the festival said. The movie is caught up in a protracted legal dispute with the producer Paulo Branco. Mr. Branco had sought to prevent the Cannes festival from screening it on May 19 as this years closing movie, but a French court threw out the request today, so that the red-carpet showing in Cannes will go ahead, said the movies French distributor, Philippe Aigle. Terry is extraordinarily relieved after todays court ruling, Mr. Aigle said in a telephone interview, adding that the judge had broken the spell that the film was under. Mr. Aigle also said that despite suffering slight health issues recently, Mr. Gilliam will come to Cannes on May 17 to present his film and meet the press. Two years before Duke Ellington died at 75, he spent a week at the University of Wisconsin in Madison with his orchestra, teaching and performing in concert. Among the indispensable members of his entourage was a lean, legally blind 20-year-old pianist from New York to whom Ellington referred students in his master class. If you have any questions about my music, Ellington said, just ask Brooks Kerr. Mr. Kerr, who was 2 when he began playing the piano, 5 when he met the maestro and 17 when he helped celebrate Ellingtons 70th birthday at the White House, died in a Manhattan hospital on April 28, the eve of the anniversary of the Dukes birth. He was 66. He had been ill with kidney disease, but Charlotte J. Cloud, his partner, said the cause of death had not been determined. Mr. Kerr first displayed his passion for jazz as a child prodigy. Mentored by the great stride pianist Willie (the Lion) Smith, he later gigged with the Dukes orchestra and formed a trio in the 1970s with two former Ellington sidemen, the clarinetist and alto saxophonist Russell Procope and the drummer Sonny Greer. With his wife, Mr. Cohen wrote When Someone You Know Is Gay (1989), an introduction to homosexuality that Publishers Weekly said performs a needed service: While gay teens will read it, learn and feel less alone, the target audience is the friends and classmates of gays. Their most personal book was Pan Am 103: The Bombing, the Betrayals, and a Bereaved Familys Search for Justice (2000), which recounted their dramatically altered lives without their daughter. I was a kinder and gentler person before Dec. 21, 1988, Mr. Cohen wrote. Now Im angry and bitter. Early on, after we found out that this was a bombing, we had a press conference, and I remember myself saying, I dont want any bombing in retaliation for this act. A couple of years later, we were talking to a group down at the United Nations and I found myself saying: Maybe I was wrong about that because nothing else has happened. We should retaliate. We should bomb them. The United States did not attack Libya as Mr. Cohen had hoped. Rather, when the victims families sued Libya, the country agreed to pay $2.7 billion to compensate the 270 families or $10 million each. But the Cohens were outraged at the underlying deal making, which required the United Nations to lift its sanctions against Libya. In an op-ed article for The Wall Street Journal in 2002, the Cohens wrote that the deal is another attempt to buy our support for the rehabilitation and enrichment of the guys who killed our daughter or at least to shut us up. They ultimately accepted $4 million from Libya, minus legal fees, for Theos death. They took the first payout after the United Nations sanctions were lifted in 2003 but refused the next two after the United States lifted its sanctions and removed Libya from a list of state sponsors of terrorism. They believed those actions had legitimized Qaddafi. Battling sexual harassment and exploitation in China has long involved very real dangers. It means engaging in organizing and other activities that a regime that has sought to crack down on civil society doesnt like. It also means raising questions of whether those with power in China regularly take advantage of those without a deeply sensitive subject in a country where corruption runs rampant. As a message circulating among some Peking University student chat groups in recent weeks about Ms. Yue and her petition put it: The Peking University Party bosses perceive the whole incident as political, involving students organizing and colluding with external forces. Calling protests the result of foreign ideas has long been a dismissal tactic, but these Communist Party bosses are not wrong about it being political. University campuses, and Peking University in particular, have often been at the forefront of the democracy movement here, something that has long troubled the Chinese leadership. In May 1919, to protest a provision in the Treaty of Versailles giving Japan control of Chinese territories, Peking University students demonstrated against imperialist exploitation and feudal rule in what would come to be known as the May 4 Movement. Seventy years later, students from universities all over the country once again staged pro-democracy protests, which led to the June 4 Tiananmen crackdown. The Triangle at Peking University campus was the very place where these protests were born. In the decades that followed Tiananmen, Chinas students seemingly went quiet. As economic growth took off, many in the country, students included, embraced a newly cynical motto: Keep your head down and make money. More recently, a growing number of students have embraced ultranationalist, pro-authoritarian views that were indifferent to civil liberties and checks and balances on power. And so the open display of disobedience in the name of transparency at Peking University may have come as a surprise. We ask the gentlemen in charge of the school: What are you actually afraid of? the posters at the Triangle read. Ms. Yue, they said, was acting in the spirit of the May 4 Movement 100 years ago, in which students summoned the courage to question the authorities and administrators protested that they simply wanted to preserve stability. For now, the parties appear to have reached a sort of detente. Several days after Ms. Yue posted her letter saying she was being harassed, she announced that she had returned to the university. Her demands for transparency in the rape case remain unanswered. But Chinas fledgling Me Too movement continues to achieve unexpected results: The professor accused of rape, Shen Yang, who had moved to positions at Nanjing and Shanghai Normal Universities, was fired; other men in academia have lost their jobs as a result of accusations against them. Can this movement spread beyond campuses? Its difficult to say in a heavy censorship regime. But it would not be the first time that students started an uprising. BILBAO, Spain Last week, in the small town of Cambo-les-Bains in the Basque region of France just across the border from the Spains Basque Country the Basque separatist organization Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, best known as ETA, announced it was disbanding. The last terrorist group in Western Europe came to its end almost 20 years after the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland. It is almost impossible to describe the joy and relief I feel. My whole life has been lived under the shadow of ETA, both on a personal level and as a journalist. I was only 3 years old when the group was formed in 1959. Since then the burden of violence has engulfed not just my own Basque community in Spain but the whole of the country. In the 70s and 80s ETA enjoyed strong support and was nearly as violent as the Irish Republican Army and groups such as the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Montoneros in Argentina. But its decay has been swift over the past few years. Security efforts might have played a key role in the organizations defeat. But none was more significant than the role played by the Basques themselves, who were tired of years of bloodshed. As the Senate considers Gina Haspels nomination as director of the C.I.A., it is time to dispel the false narrative about her record. That narrative says that Ms. Haspels involvement in torture, as well as the order she drafted authorizing the destruction of videotapes documenting this abusive practice, was legal and justifiable. Torture enhanced interrogation, as it was called was supposedly legal because Justice Department lawyers had given it their blessing at the time, and destroying evidence of it was legal not only because government lawyers said it was, but also because Ms. Haspel was just following orders. But Ms. Haspels supporters, many of whom are lawyers, should know better: the faulty advice of government lawyers and bosses cannot make illegal conduct legal. And C.I.A. investigations that rely on these specious justifications to excuse her decisions should be given no weight. In 2002, Ms. Haspel ran a secret detention site in Thailand, code-named Cats Eye, that was known for its use of harsh interrogation techniques that amounted to torture. She was also chief of staff to Jose Rodriguez, director of the National Clandestine Service for the agency. While her exact role in the torture of detainees at Cats Eye remains unclear, she unquestionably bears some responsibility for the use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques, including waterboarding, that occurred on her watch. DURHAM, N.C. Will President Trumps nomination of Gina Haspel as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Senate confirmation hearings inadvertently open the door for Americans to confront the abuses perpetrated in their name after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks? On Wednesday, during the confirmation hearings, senators are expected to pose crucial questions about the agencys rendition, detention and interrogation program after the Sept. 11 attacks and the foreign black sites, where suspects were stealthily shipped by the Bush administration and subjected to torture to obtain intelligence. More than 100 former senior United States military leaders have signed a letter addressed to the senators asking that Ms. Haspel not be confirmed as the next director of the C.I.A. We are deeply troubled by the prospect of someone who appears to have been intimately involved in torture being elevated to one of the most important positions of leadership in the intelligence community, the former military leaders wrote. We will probably find out more about Ms. Haspels role in setting up and facilitating those secret prisons and her personal oversight of one of them in Thailand where a detainee, Abd alRahim al-Nashiri, was waterboarded. She also needs to explain her involvement in the destruction of 92 tapes of those enhanced interrogations, evidence that might have shocked public opinion far more than the Abu Ghraib photographs. Bruni: But please explain for me why those Republicans would win and why enough others would win for your House majority to be preserved? By which I mean: Yesterdays results suggested an anti-incumbent, anti-establishment mood in the electorate, and right now, with control of all of government, Republicans are the establishment. What are Democrats doing wrong? How are they leaving themselves vulnerable and possibly missing what should be a prime opportunity here? Bliss: Incumbents who work hard, raise money, and achieve results on issues their constituents care about can and will win. Think Rob Portman model. One thing to remember unless there is a new party created in this country between now and November, the election is going to be close. What is todays Democratic Party? It is a party that talks nonstop about Russia. It is a party that says please vote for me so I can raise your taxes. Its a party that wants Americas most unpopular, polarizing politician (Nancy Pelosi!) to be in charge of all of this. And lets not forget about the crowded, nasty, divisive primaries going on around the country that are going to produce nominees who are to the left of Bernie Sanders and want to do nothing but impeach the president. Bruni: Ah, Nancy Pelosi. I should have started an office pool here to guess how many minutes before she came up! Some pushback from me, if I may: First off, I dont have the numbers in front of me, but I think Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell keep pace with or best her when it comes to unpopularity. I know youll correct me if Im wrong. But beyond that, Conor Lamb renounced her and won. Other Democratic candidates are renouncing her (so to speak). And isnt she a tired play for Republicans at this point? Isnt there a danger that ads using her become a broken record and maybe come across as sexist to boot? Bliss: Frank, you are very rarely wrong, but this time you are. Nancy Pelosi is the most unpopular, divisive politician in America. Period. Im very blessed to have her in my life and hope she never, ever retires. In just the last week, she promised to be speaker next year and promised to raise middle-class taxes next year. Democratic candidates across the country can say whatever they want, but Pelosi is a central theme to this years elections. And were not even talking about Democratic primaries thatd be a great question to ask! Bruni: I will get to Democratic primaries! But first I want to revel in very rarely wrong, which I plan to put on a T-shirt and wear, with the phrase attributed to you. The Democratic primaries in a second, but one other thing before: Another rather prominent Democratic woman has begun popping up in ads for Republican Senate candidates and maybe House candidates (you tell me): Hillary Clinton. Are we going to be seeing more of that? And isnt that a focus on the past that violates the dictum that campaigns are about the future? Bliss: Sure, why not? Maybe wed stop using her if shed stop making offensive comments all the time. This article is part of the Opinion Today newsletter. You can sign up here to receive the newsletter each weekday. There is a theme to President Trumps foreign policy: Talk tough, and weaken Americas global standing. Its virtually the opposite of Theodore Roosevelts famous line, Speak softly and carry a big stick. In Asia, for example, Trumps withdrawal from a trade pact has thrilled Chinas leaders, clearing the way for China to increase its regional influence at the expense of the United States. Yesterday, of course, Trump announced he was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. The decision horrified Americas closest allies. Our enemies and rivals, on the other hand, are quite pleased. I dont see any way Iran hardliners arent going to take this as a big win, tweeted Melissa Hanham of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. President Barack Obama knew that he had no hope of winning the two-thirds Senate vote required for ratification of a treaty; indeed, the agreement was opposed by bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress. He therefore conveniently characterized the deal as an executive agreement that did not require congressional approval, even by a simple majority. There is accordingly no basis to claim that a new executive should not have reviewed an imprudent executive agreement made by his predecessor. And in view of the agreements failure to provide for anytime, anywhere inspections, its allowance of continued development of ballistic missiles, and the sunset provisions that begin voiding restrictions on Iran in 10 years, withdrawing from the agreement was clearly warranted. HOWARD F. JAECKEL, NEW YORK To the Editor: President Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear accord will be hailed by American isolationists as a great, decisive move. That decision, coupled with similar withdrawals from the Paris climate accord and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, ensure that Americas leadership in the world is coming to an end. The rest of the international community will work around the United States, and the United States will have declining influence. When decisions are made against Americas interests as the rest of the world simply moves on, please dont whine. Those decisions will be a natural consequence of the Fortress America policies now in place. STEPHEN LANDERS STRATFORD, ONTARIO To the Editor: Re Deals Collapse Leaves Leader in Fragile State (front page, May 9): One of the worst consequences of President Trumps pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal is that it strengthens the hard-line Iranian Revolutionary Guard and weakens the moderate government of Irans president, Hassan Rouhani. That will tilt Iranian politics to the right and will likely push Iran to take a hard-line position in opposition to American allies. To the Editor: Re How Many Funerals Will Trump Skip? (column, May 9), about Senator John McCains dying wish that President Trump not attend his planned memorial at the National Cathedral in Washington: Frank Bruni got it just right: Decency is what is missing from the Trump administration. What I have so much trouble understanding is why that deficiency does not bother more people. I always thought of Americans as decent. Now Im not so sure. MARC CHAFETZ, WASHINGTON In Ohio, Republicans picked congressman and former lobbyist Jim Renacci to run against Senator Sherrod Brown. Washington is broken. Ive seen it firsthand, he twittered with a #DrainTheSwamp hashtag. Only that mosquito, you see, knows where the malaria comes from. The primary was billed as Renacci versus a Wealthy Businessmen, but the congressman himself has assets worth at least $34 million. (Hard to know what counts as rich these days. We used to refer to a well-heeled politician as a millionaire, but now, being a millionaire member of Congress is average. We need a new marker. Ten million? A hundred? A billion? Discuss among yourselves and send me your vote.) Meanwhile in Indiana, Wealthy Businessman Mike Braun won the right to run against endangered Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly. Braun was running against two members of the House, both graduates of Wabash College with problematic driving records and an attachment to the president so intense, one was campaigning to get him a Nobel Prize. (Adoration of Donald Trump was a theme in the Republican contests even more intense than cleaning up Washington. Nobody seemed to feel it was possible that, by this point, the swamp is Trump.) Braun campaigned on the fact that nobody could tell the two congressmen apart. He came to debates in shirt sleeves while his opponents wore what appeared to be the exact same suit. There are two possible lessons here. One is that if the shirt-sleeve idea catches on, sooner or later theres going to be a candidate desperate enough to show up in pajamas. The other is that if you are a congressman running against another congressman, do something to set yourself apart. Shave your head, or walk across the state barefoot with your pet beagle, Hoosier. And one more thing about Indiana: Mike Pences older brother Greg won a congressional nomination! For the extremely safe seat that used to be Mikes until he became governor. Even though he was stupendously well known without any serious opposition, Greg Pence spent about $1 million on the effort while avoiding debates and interviews. Karla Welch Reinvents the 501 Jeans For Karla Welch, who was crowned the most powerful celebrity stylist by The Hollywood Reporter just last year, collaborating with Levis is a culmination of a love affair with the 501 jeans that began nearly 30 years ago. When I was 13, I stole my brothers 501s, said Ms. Welch, who grew up in a small town in coastal British Columbia. They were way too big on me, so I would roll the waist. No one was wearing that kind of thing, but I remember this exchange student from Italy, who was very fashion, was like, I like your jeans. I was so excited to get her approval! Ms. Welch has come a long way since then her clients Justin Bieber, Ruth Negga and Sarah Paulson but she has channeled that same risk-taking ingenuity into a nine-piece capsule to celebrate the 145th anniversary of 501 jeans. Highlights include two souped-up versions of the 501s one with a red patent leather back pocket, another in a wide-leg flare cut a boiler suit and a fringed leather trucker jacket. The Met Gala was a prelude to an evening of after-parties that vied for the fickle attention spans of its boldfaced attendees. While the fashion elite packed the Versace soiree at the Mark hotel, which featured a performance by Migos, Hollywood types sought action at the Top of the Standard, where Olivier Rousteing hosted a post-midnight rush that included the actors Gabrielle Union, Justin Theroux, Emma Stone and Priyanka Chopra. Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez took to the dance floor as songs from Missy Elliott and Prince thumped. Jared Leto, who meandered the room in a biblical Gucci ensemble, succinctly described the evening as fantastic and breezed onward. Tiffany Haddish also relished the theological theme. I thought it was right in line with my career, she said, wearing a white cashmere Brandon Maxwell top. God got me where Im at. DALLAS The objects themselves machined steel barrels, lathed brass casings, cast lead slugs are functional and practical, designed for maximum efficiency, be it in shooting targets, animals or human beings. They are more than that though. The guns and weapons parts on display at the N.R.A. convention in Dallas last weekend represent ingrained ideals of this countrys identity, a nation forged an hardened by wars. Firearms were not the most common accessory among the 75,000-odd attendees. That honor went to Old Glory. The flag was emblazoned on T-shirts and caps, incorporated into outfits, printed on backpacks and purses, pinned through lapels, tattooed in skin, and painted on walls, signs and guns. Last February, the New York-based brand Vaquera closed out its fall/winter 2018 runway show with a two-foot-tall gem-encrusted cross, carried by a model wearing a cloudlike dress of white tulle and broderie anglaise. The look anchored a collection with two central references: Catholicism and casinos. The former theme, the brand says, was not intended to align with the subject of the Met Costume Institute show, of which the designers were unaware. But align it did and one fashion website proposed a campaign to include the brand in the exhibition: #VaqueraForTheMet. Other looks in the show included a teal cargo jumpsuit with a matching miter, an oversized polo dress topped with a red velvet cardinals biretta, and a high-necked white dress that evoked an adult-size christening gown. We like to be explicit, says Patric DiCaprio, who designs Vaquera along with Bryn Taubensee, Claire Sully and David Moses. DiCaprio and Sully were both raised Catholic and Catholic school uniforms have often been a reference in the brands collections, but this show was its most overt exploration of religion yet. Its really visual, and really easy to relate to whats happening now in visual culture, with Instagram, with celebrity worship, DiCaprio says. The collection was a commentary on whats happening in America now, with faith and doubt. Our generation is struggling to find who their new gods are, says Taubensee. So, the designers presented their own suggestions, via a series of what they call saints polos: collared dresses that depicted the faces of the designers Martin Margiela, Vivienne Westwood, Andre Walker and Miguel Adrover Vaqueras own communion of fashion saints. But the brands references arent always so devout. While researching the collection, the designers drew inspiration from not just actual Catholic religious garments but also the priest Halloween costume that you can buy at Party City, DiCaprio explains. It was another instance of the brands imaginative, narrative approach to fashion. Vaquera is about telling a story without opening your mouth, which I think is very Catholic, he says. Wi-Fi is the other big challenge. Ironically, the Wi-Fi at the Federal Communications Commission, the agency that regulates the airwaves, was totally unreliable until a few years ago. The agencys live stream for monthly meetings still often fails. How is tech etiquette different in Washington than elsewhere? I feel like everyone is hunched over their phones in Washington, even more than other places. This is a news-obsessed town that is texting and emailing at all hours. There seems to be a bit of a generational divide on use of communications apps. Younger staffers on Capitol Hill often use encrypted apps and direct messages on Twitter. But even some of my older sources (my peers, really) can sometimes text me at all hours. It feels totally appropriate to call, text, or Signal late at night or during weekends. Many an interview is done with children heard in the background at a park. Good morning. (Want to get California Today by email? Heres the sign-up.) Six candidates for governor of California met on Tuesday for their final debate before the June 5 primary. Here are a few takeaways. 1. The gas tax passed by the Legislature clearly divides Democrats from Republicans. The Democrats Gavin Newsom, the lieutenant governor; Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles; John Chiang, the state treasurer; and Delaine Eastin, a former Assembly member are for it. The two Republicans Travis Allen, a member of the State Assembly, and John Cox, a business executive oppose it. Mr. Cox: You cant keep picking the pockets of the taxpayers of this state. Mr. Newsom: I applaud the courage of the Legislature that did the right thing. 2. The four Democrats opposed the immigration compromise backed by Senator Chuck Schumer, the minority leader, to provide money for a border wall in exchange for protecting so-called Dreamers from deportation. Absolutely not, said Mr. Chiang. California is about building bridges, not walls. The car needed a jump-start, and its owner, Mike Hale, had no time to spare. He had returned on Saturday to his home in the Leilani Estates neighborhood on the island of Hawaii, where eruptions from the Kilauea volcano had forced residents to flee. Mr. Hale had thought he would be able to pack up his tools, dishes and camping gear. But as he and his companions started choking on the hazardous fumes released by volcanic activity, he realized they needed to get out. The group drove away, leaving his dead car, a banged-up 2004 Ford Mustang that he sometimes rented to tourists, parked next to his mailbox on the side of the road. By the time Mr. Hale tried to get back the next day, both would be gone. But their fate had been captured in video footage that would spread across television news and social media. Recorded by a videographer who travels the world to capture extreme weather events, the footage showed an insatiable mound of lava marching across the road. The lava engulfed the car and the mailbox, which Mr. Hales daughter had fashioned into a facsimile of R2-D2, the Star Wars droid. WASHINGTON The United States cannot forcibly transfer an American citizen being held in Iraq as an Islamic State suspect to the custody of another country without first proving that he is an enemy combatant, a federal appeals court has ruled. A major decision on presidential war powers and individual rights, the ruling was handed down by a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Monday and unsealed on Wednesday. It rejected the Trump administrations argument that it has the authority to transfer the man against his will. We cannot accept the governments argument, Judge Sri Srinivasan wrote. We know of no instance in the history of the United States in which the government has taken an American citizen found in one foreign country and forcibly transferred her to the custody of another foreign country. The man, an American-born dual citizen of Saudi Arabia whose name has not been made public, was captured by a Syrian militia in September and turned over to the American military. The Trump administration wants to transfer the man to another country apparently Saudi Arabia but he has objected. In her opening statement, Ms. Haspel said she would not restart a detention and interrogation program such as the Bush-era one, and emphasized her commitment to follow current law. But the ranking Democrat on the committee, Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, put his finger on the difficulty of the malleability of the law, especially in secret national-security matters. Calling her comments legalistic, he said he wanted to know what she would do if the Justice Department was once again willing to secretly invoke esoteric theories of presidential power to say that the president was lawfully overriding statutory restrictions on torture or some other activity seemingly barred by statute. I need to at least get a sense of what your moral code says about those kinds of actions because there is the potential that this president could ask you to do something, Mr. Warner said. Illustrating the complexity of the law is defined, Ms. Haspel insisted that the C.I.A. follows the law. We followed the law then. We follow the law today. But she also said that she would refuse orders to have the C.I.A. do something she found immoral, even if it was deemed to be legal. I would not put C.I.A. officers at risk by asking them to undertake risky, controversial activity again, she said, adding: My moral compass is strong. I would not allow C.I.A. to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it. Haspel: Torture of 9/11 Planner Cast Shadow Over His Capture Ms. Haspel invoked one of the greatest counterterrorism successes in the immediate years after the Sept. 11 attacks: the capture, in March 2003, of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the principal mastermind of the attacks. Over the next few weeks, Mr. Mohammed was tortured by the C.I.A. at black-site prisons in Afghanistan and Poland, including being waterboarded 183 times over 15 sessions and being deprived of sleep for about a week by being forced to stand with his arms chained over his head. She said she was proud of her service in the frantic hunt for the Sept. 11 conspirators. After 9/11, I didnt look to go sit on the Swiss desk I stepped up, she said. I was not on the sidelines. I was on the front lines in the Cold War, and I was on the front lines in the fight against Al Qaeda. I am very proud of the fact that we captured the perpetrator of 9/11, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. She lamented that the interrogations of Mr. Mohammed and the ensuing controversy overshadowed his capture. It has cast a shadow over what has been a major contribution to protecting this country, she said. WASHINGTON Ohio primary voters selected establishment candidates on Tuesday for the next big test of the Democrats promised blue wave, a House special election this August in the suburbs of Columbus that could indicate just how strong Democrats will be in November with college-educated, affluent voters. After winning a six-way primary in central Ohio on Tuesday, Danny OConnor, 31, a Franklin County official, will ask voters to send him to Congress on Aug. 7 to fill the House seat vacated by a long-serving Republican, Pat Tiberi. The special election, which will take place 13 weeks before Election Day, will offer clues of Democratic strength, particularly on the kind of suburban terrain that will be critical in numerous races this fall as Democrats try to wrest control of the House. Mr. Tiberis seat in the Columbus area has hardly been a swing district: It has been in Republican hands since 1983, when his predecessor, John R. Kasich, now Ohios governor, began his first term. But Democratic candidates in special elections for vacant House seats in more forbidding territory including Arizona, southwestern Pennsylvania and South Carolina have performed strongly since President Trumps inauguration. And the makeup of the Ohio district suggests it could be fertile ground for a competitive and expensive race. CHARLESTON, W.Va. A day after the first major primary contests of 2018, the political armies on the left and the right repositioned themselves for an intense general election across Rust Belt states that President Trump carried two years ago and where his personality and record will define the battles leading to the midterms. Three states that voted Tuesday Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana were the heart of Trump country in 2016, and the president is moving aggressively to hold onto them; he has already intervened in one Senate race and plans to campaign in another one Thursday. But historically this heartland region was in play for both parties, and Democrats hope it will be again, after earlier two-party contests around the country have seen a wave of disaffected voters reject Republican candidates in places as diverse as suburban Pittsburgh and Tidewater Virginia. Republican strategy is straightforward: The victors on Tuesday heaped praise on Mr. Trump, inviting him to visit their states to campaign, and tarred opponents as liberals, while invoking the name Chuck Schumer, the New York senator and Democratic leader, as an epithet to hurl at opponents. His hopes for facing Don Blankenship, the former coal executive and convicted criminal, were dashed on Tuesday when Attorney General Patrick Morrisey claimed the Republican nomination. Mr. Blankenship, who during the primary attacked Senator Mitch McConnells family in racially charged language, would likely have been abandoned by Senate Republicans had he won the nomination. And he may have been unelectable by general election voters. [Read about Don Blankenships loss to Patrick Morrisey here.] Mr. Morrisey, who first made his name by suing the Obama administration, will enjoy the full support and financing of the national party. Also worrisome for Mr. Manchin were the number of Democratic voters who supported his primary opponent, who ran a nominal campaign. He lost about 30 percent of the vote and did even worse in some of the states coal counties, which are full of the sort of ancestral Democrats he will need to hold onto in November. Interventions work National Republicans and Democrats waded into the West Virginia Senate primary, and they found that interventions can be effective. First, a Republican group backed by Mr. McConnells allies spent heavily attacking Mr. Blankenship. Then President Trump issued a tweet on Monday warning West Virginia Republicans that Mr. Blankenship cant win the General Election in your State. Voters seemed to listen: The controversial coal baron finished third in what was largely a three-person race, taking just 20 percent of the vote. Less immediately consequential, but still significant, was the role Democrats played in the states Republican primary, as a liberal super PAC linked to Washington strategists aggressively attacked Representative Jenkins. They feared that the Democrat-turned-Republican with a base in the states coal counties would be the strongest candidate against Mr. Manchin, and they wound up helping lift Mr. Morrisey to the nomination. A woman who accused Donald J. Trump during the presidential race of forcibly kissing her at Trump Tower more than a decade ago won an uncontested Democratic primary on Tuesday for a seat in the Ohio State Legislature. Three weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Rachel Crooks was among several women who came forward to accuse Mr. Trump of sexual misconduct, detailing how she said he grabbed her in 2005 outside an elevator in his Manhattan building and repeatedly kissed her. But her story did not have a sizable effect on his campaign, a frustrating development that helped spur Ms. Crookss political ambitions. On Tuesday night, Ms. Crooks took a step closer to becoming the first Trump accuser to hold public office, winning an unopposed Democratic primary for an Ohio House of Representatives seat. She is part of a national surge of female political newcomers this year, in both parties and at all levels, who hope to take leading roles in statehouses and in Washington. The primary elections in four states on Tuesday appeared to underscore Ms. Matthewss assessment: There wasnt just energetic voting by women, but also energetic voting for women. Nineteen Democratic congressional primaries had at least one woman on the ballot. Women won in all but three of the races. And in Ohio, Democrats nominated Rachel Crooks, a woman who has accused Mr. Trump of forcibly kissing her, for a seat in the State Legislature. Jess OConnell, a former top official at the Democratic National Committee and Emilys List, the influential Democratic womens group, said voters alarmed by the mistreatment of women might be likelier to embrace female candidates. She predicted those voters would mostly support Democrats, but allowed that sexual misconduct was a problem that crossed party lines. Women make up just over 20 percent of elected officeholders and men are nearly 100 percent of this problem, Ms. OConnell said. I think this is pretty straightforward for women. Less straightforward, for Democrats, has been the experience of cleansing their own ranks as Mr. Trump heckles them from the West Wing. The party has pressured a succession of liberal men to resign amid a range of allegations, including Mr. Schneiderman, former Senator Al Franken of Minnesota and former Representative John Conyers Jr. of Michigan, who was the Houses longest-tenured member. Representative Ruben Kihuen of Nevada, a first-term Democrat, rejected calls to resign over harassment accusations but dropped his bid for a second term. Republicans have nudged a number of lawmakers to quit, too, including Representatives Trent Franks of Arizona, Pat Meehan of Pennsylvania and Blake Farenthold of Texas. In almost every case, lawmakers in both parties first projected Trump-like defiance before relenting under pressure, after a period of weeks or months. (Mr. Schneiderman, facing some of the gravest allegations choking and violently slapping women lasted three hours.) But Republicans acknowledge that Mr. Trump has encouraged a culture of permissiveness in the party when it comes to matters of sexual harassment and worse. The president campaigned for Roy S. Moore, an alleged child molester, who was defeated in a special election for the Senate in Alabama last year. Associates of Mr. Trump said at the time that he viewed Mr. Moores claims of innocence as a proxy for his own denials of wrongdoing. These four American Green Berets were killed last fall when their patrol was ambushed in Niger. The Defense Department launched an investigation into what happened. But helmet camera footage from one of the soldiers allowed us to reconstruct some of the attack. Its the morning of Oct. 4, 2017. A convoy of around eight American and Nigerien army vehicles leaves the village of Tongo Tongo after a mission in the area. Theyre quickly ambushed by militants loyal to Islamic State. Footage of that fight shows that two American vehicles are separated from the convoy. The others had fled or were hit. We see seven soldiers taking cover. The attackers are somewhere in this area. An American soldier we believe to be Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Johnson wearing a helmet camera enters the white vehicle and drives it a short distance. He steps out and begins firing towards the tree line. Then, he runs for cover behind the white vehicle, and the video cuts to a new scene. Next, we only see the black car and three soldiers Staff Sergeants Johnson, Wright, and Black. The white car has disappeared, and we dont know how much time has elapsed. Wright drives the car toward the mark of a red smoke grenade. The smoke could be to mask their movements from the militants, or to mark their position for supporting units. Johnson, taking cover at the rear, fires toward the tree line. After theyve reached the smoke, theres a cut in the video. In the next scene, the red smoke has cleared. The car begins to move again, when Johnson and Black fall. Black is unresponsive. Johnson regains his footing. He moves forward and starts searching. It could be for support or for the enemy. Wright then drags Black to cover, behind the car. He aims back towards the treeline. The scene ends. The militants are closing in. We dont know how much time has passed here, but Wright changes his direction of fire. He and Johnson begin running without covering each other. This suggests theyre about to be overrun. The situation is too desperate. There are more edits to the video, but were able to map their final steps. Johnson is seriously wounded and falls, but then moves about another 40 feet. Militant fire seems to be coming from this area. Wright stops running and shoots. A short time later, two armed militants appear on screen. Johnson appears to be unconscious. Still, he is shot by the militants at close range. Staff Sergeant Wright dies just feet away. For them, the ambush is over. WASHINGTON The relative caution that constrained President Trump for much of his first year in office has been cast aside, and an emboldened commander in chief is finally reshaping foreign policy to reflect the America First philosophy he promised during his campaign. Having shed or sidelined some of the top advisers who held him back in the past, Mr. Trump gives the appearance of a leader liberated at last to follow the china-breaking instincts that have long animated his approach to the world even as they troubled diplomats and national security veterans of both parties. The presidents decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday may be only the start of a period of several weeks in which he repositions the United States in the world in a way that could last for years. After breaking with European allies over the Iran agreement, Mr. Trump will break with Arab allies on Monday with the formal opening of an American Embassy in Jerusalem. He has until the end of the month to decide whether to impose punishing steel tariffs on key American trading partners. He has said he hopes to forge a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada within weeks or blow up the North American Free Trade Agreement. Then he will test his theory that he can force the mercurial North Korea to surrender its nuclear arsenal through maximum pressure coupled with threats of military action followed by high-stakes one-on-one diplomacy. WASHINGTON The release of three American prisoners cleared away a last obstacle on Wednesday to a landmark nuclear summit meeting between President Trump and North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un. North Korea freed the prisoners, all Americans of Korean descent, even as the two countries finalized details for a meeting between their leaders. The move was North Koreas most tangible gesture aimed at improving relations with the United States since Mr. Trump took office. The resolution of the prisoner standoff hardly guaranteed success at the meeting, which will grapple with the far more complicated issues of North Koreas nuclear arsenal, divisions on the peninsula and security in Asia. But American officials said it sent another signal that North Korea may be serious about ending its long confrontation with the United States and its allies after nearly seven decades of mutual antagonism. Mr. Trump exulted over the release and publicly entertained talk that he could even win a Nobel Peace Prize for his diplomacy. He was so eager to associate himself with the freed prisoners that he decided to personally travel to Joint Base Andrews outside Washington in the middle of the night to welcome them back to the United States, something other presidents have not typically done in similar circumstances. There is absolutely no reason to believe that trade policies designed to raise prescription drug prices overseas will result in equivalent or any decreases in prices in the United States, six House Democrats, led by Representatives Jan Schakowsky of Illinois and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, said in a recent letter to Mr. Trump. People who work in the industry said it was unlikely that consumers would go to the pharmacy counter and see a meaningful reduction in drug prices before the end of the year. Mr. Trump is expected to criticize brand-name drug manufacturers for high list prices and maneuvers that delay the marketing of lower-cost generic drugs. He is also expected to go after middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers, saying they profit from rebates paid by drug companies but do not share much of the savings with patients. Dr. Peter B. Bach of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, an expert on drug prices, said: Administration officials are talking about defects in the market that make some drugs unaffordable. The real question is whether the president will take on new brand-name drugs that have no competitors and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. The United States can pressure foreign nations through diplomacy and trade negotiations. In its annual report card on the protection of intellectual property rights around the world, the United States trade representative last month criticized the drug pricing and reimbursement policies of Canada, South Korea, Japan, India, Turkey, New Zealand and a number of European Union countries, saying they did not adequately recognize the value of innovative medicines. Americas trading partners must contribute their fair share to the research and development of new cures and therapies, the report said, echoing Mr. Trumps contention that foreign price controls were very unfair to this country. The report said the Trump administration had recently secured a commitment from South Korea to revise its drug pricing policy to provide higher payments for certain innovative American-made drugs. But the administration said it was concerned about the way Canada sets price ceilings for many prescription drugs. An independent quasi-judicial body reviews drug prices in Canada to make sure they are not excessive. WASHINGTON Mick Mulvaney, the interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will move the agencys student loan division into the bureaus consumer information unit, a shift that career officials fear will sidetrack a major enforcement case the agency is pursuing against Navient, the nations largest student loan collector. The change, outlined in an email sent to the bureaus staff Wednesday morning, is part of an effort by Mr. Mulvaney to refocus the agency away from its consumer finance enforcement and rule-writing mission and more toward providing consumers with information about their legal rights. It follows a similar move Mr. Mulvaney made in February, when he folded the bureaus fair lending division into the consumer unit, telling staff it would continue to focus on advocacy, coordination and education. Among the bureaus career staff, the shift was regarded as a new attack on one of the bureaus core statutory functions, and another attempt by Mr. Mulvaney and his team to dismantle a consumer watchdog reviled by President Trump. The recent mass killing in Toronto by a man who once called for an Incel Rebellion has drawn attention to an online community of men who lament being involuntarily celibate and dream of a social order granting them access to the women of their choice. The group may seem like a bizarre but tiny fringe, its views the expression of long-held resentments among a handful of lonely men. And it is. But incels are the latest manifestation of a much larger movement hidden just beneath the surface of polite society across the West. They are just one part of a set of ideologies, now growing in size and influence, that speak to broader resentments among men in Western societies, experts say. Two of modern societys most disruptive forces anger among many men over social changes they see as a threat, and the rise of social media upending how ideas spread and communities form are colliding. The result is that movements like the incels are becoming at once more accessible and more extreme. KABUL, Afghanistan Insurgents killed at least 15 people in three separate attacks in Afghanistan on Wednesday, and six policemen died in an airstrike for which officials blamed the American military, illustrating the precarious security situation in a country wracked by years of fighting. The attacks came a day after two rural northern districts fell to the Taliban, expanding the territory controlled by that militant group. Gunmen and suicide bombers launched what appeared to be simultaneous assaults in the capital, Kabul one close to the offices of the Asian Development Bank, in the downtown Shar-e Naw neighborhood, and the other in the western part of the city at a police headquarters. Those attacks killed at least seven people and wounded 17 others, according to Wahidullah Majroh, the spokesman for the Afghan Public Health Ministry. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Kabul police station, and a spokesman for the Taliban said it had carried out the strike near the Asian Development Bank. The Taliban and the Islamic State are deadly enemies of the government and of each other. NEW DELHI Indias Supreme Court on Wednesday faulted the countrys archaeological conservation body for failing to protect the Taj Mahal from discoloration, dirty feet and green slime emitted by millions of mosquito-like insects. Since 2015, the body, the Archaeological Survey of India, has overseen a restoration project at the Taj Mahal, with workers scaling scaffolding to remove grime from the 17th-century tomb, which was built by the Muslim emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. But last week, the Supreme Court called in officials of the organization to respond to criticism that work was taking too long. Over the years, as millions of tourists have flocked to the Taj Mahal in northern India, the monuments appearance has deteriorated, its pearly white facade growing dull and the dirt from barefoot visitors blackening the grounds. During Wednesdays hearing, a lawyer for the Archaeological Survey of India, A.D.N. Rao, said that algae was a big source of the discoloration, despite a report from the survey attributing the problem to millions of insects that excrete a green substance on the Taj Mahals walls during mating flights. Experts have previously said the algae in the nearby polluted Yamuna River had led to an increase in the number of insects. JAKARTA, Indonesia A riot and deadly two-day standoff by terrorism detainees in a police detention center near the Indonesian capital ended early Thursday after a police assault on the cellblock led to a mass surrender by those holed up inside, officials said. Explosions could be heard from the compound as a police counterterrorism unit known as Detachment 88 fired tear gas and blew out walls in search of bombs made by a group of 156 terrorism suspects and convicted militants. Officials said that five guards and one detainee had been killed in the standoff at the detention center, in Depok, West Java Province. Most of the inmates in the section have been linked to the Islamic State, and the terrorist groups media arm claimed responsibility for the uprising, posting images it said showed guards that the detainees had taken hostage and then killed. Indonesias influential security minister, Wiranto, said that 145 of the detainees came out and surrendered, leaving 10 holed up inside. He said officers recovered 30 weapons that the detainees had taken from guards within the compound. It was not the first linguistic gaffe by an American official in the Trump era. Ahead of a meeting between Mr. Trump and President Xi Jinping of China in Germany last year, for example, a White House statement referred to Mr. Xi as the leader of the Republic of China the formal name for Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory. Another called Shinzo Abe, the prime minister of Japan, the countrys president. Mr. Pompeo is new to the State Department, but his mistake was surprising in part because he is a former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and someone who has dealt extensively with North Korea. Some observers said on social media that the slipup which came on the same day that Mr. Kim was visiting China was an insult that showed a lack of United States preparation for the planned Trump-Kim summit meeting. The Kimness of the Kim regime seems pretty well established, John Delury, an expert on China and the Koreas at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Koreas capital, said with a laugh in a telephone interview. He raised the possibility that the mistake could have been because of a State Department transcription error. Still, Mr. Delury added, it was easy to see how an outsider could become confused about a North Korean name. Unlike South Koreans, North Koreans typically do not hyphenate their given names in English translations, he said. The South Korean presidents name is spelled Moon Jae-in, for example, whereas North Koreans typically write Kim Jong Un three distinct names, without a hyphen. This show of good will is a positive signal for the U.S.-North Korean summit because it reflects a willingness to negotiate and compromise, said Lee Byong-chul, senior fellow at the Institute for Peace and Cooperation in Seoul. It also delivers a political score for the scandal-ridden President Trump at home, giving him something to brag about. Senator Edward J. Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement that the release of the three men was a positive step. Their return removes an obstacle to a successful summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un, he said. Their release before the meeting also demonstrates that the combination of pressure and direct engagement is critical for making progress with North Korea. The prisoner release extended the turnabout from last year when the two leaders threatened each other with nuclear war. Mr. Kim recently announced that North Korea would stop all nuclear and long-range missile tests and shut down its nuclear test site as gestures of good will. But unlike those announcements, the release of the three Americans is permanent, and Mr. Kim forfeited a bargaining chip in freeing them. No other Americans are believed to be held prisoner in North Korea. The United States has persistently demanded the release of the three citizens Kim Dong-chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song who were held on charges of committing espionage or unidentified hostile acts against North Korea. The Washington-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea welcomed the release of the three but urged the North to release other detainees said to be held there, and to shut down its camps for political prisoners. SEOUL, South Korea Secretary of State Mike Pompeo extended an olive branch to senior North Korean officials on Wednesday: All the opportunities your people so richly deserve in exchange for the shutting down of the Norths nuclear weapons program. For decades, we have been adversaries, Mr. Pompeo said in a toast during a lunch in honor of his visit to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and make your country have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve. Mr. Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday on a mission to smooth any remaining wrinkles in the weekslong preparations for a planned summit meeting between North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, and President Trump, according to pool reports by journalists traveling with Mr. Pompeo. He also secured the release of three American citizens detained in the isolated country on charges of committing espionage and other vaguely defined hostile acts. In his planned meeting with Mr. Kim, Mr. Trump hopes he can persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons by offering better ties with Washington that would help Mr. Kim rebuild his impoverished country. Mr. Kim has said that he is willing to discuss denuclearization, but that Washington needs to make North Korea feel secure enough to focus on economic recovery. A recording of an emergency service operator mocking a young mother, who died hours after her call was ignored, has sparked outrage in France. Naomi Musenga, 22, called Strasbourg's ambulance service complaining of strong stomach pain, and said: "I'll die". "You'll definitely die one day, like everyone else," the worker replied. The woman eventually called another service and was taken to a hospital but died after a heart attack. The health minister has ordered an investigation. In the three-minute audio, Musenga - in a very weak voice - struggles to describe her pain during her call with the ambulance service (Samu). The operator, apparently in an annoyed voice, replies: "If you don't tell me what's going on, I'll hang up!" "I have a lot of pain," the woman replies. The worker then tells her to call a different service, SOS Mdecins, which sends doctors to a residence instead of an ambulance. "I can't do it for you," the operator says. The recording also has an exchange between the operator and another staff member making fun of Musenga. The woman later called SOS Mdecins and, after a five-hour wait, was taken to a hospital. After suffering a heart attack, she was transferred to the intensive care unit but died hours later of "multiple organ failure due to an hemorrhagic shock", according to Le Monde newspaper (in French). Skip Facebook post by Justice pour Naomi Musenga The case dates back to 27 December but only now it has been widely reported after the audio, obtained by the victim's family, was published by a local website. Reacting on Tuesday, Health Minister Agns Buzyn said on Twitter she was "deeply outraged" by the case and requested an investigation from the government agency in charge of health and social affairs, Igas. "I would like to assure her family of my full support... I promise that her family will get all the information". Strasbourg University Hospitals also announced an administrative investigation "to shed light on the facts reported". Speaking to French broadcaster LCI, Musenga's sister, who has not been named, said: "[Naomi] was alone, she said she was going to die, her sheets were soiled, no-one should die in these conditions". Describing Musenga as "bright, strong, courageous", she added: "Naomi, as a human being... simply had the right to be rescued, to be cared for. This must not happen again." On Facebook, a page Justice pour Naomi Musenga (Justice for Naomi Musenga) has called for the "truth and justice", while a hashtag #JusticePourNaomi has been used hundreds of times on Twitter, with some accusing the Samu of "negligence" and "racism". But a former Samu worker told Le Parisien newspaper that out of 100 calls, only 10 to 20 are real emergencies, with the majority being people who are drunk, anxious or want someone to talk to. "We're constantly afraid of being wrong." BBC TOKYO In announcing his decision to exit the Iran nuclear accord, President Trump said he also wanted to send a signal about the kind of hard bargain he plans to drive with another longtime American adversary, North Korea. Many analysts in Asia greeted the move with skepticism, however, saying it would instead jeopardize the goals of a planned summit meeting between Mr. Trump and North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un. By withdrawing from the Iran deal, analysts said, Mr. Trump has proved the United States to be an untrustworthy negotiating partner that cannot be counted on to honor any agreement. Only a fool would trust the US to keep its word in a rogue state nuke deal now, Robert E. Kelly, a professor of political science at Pusan National University in South Korea, wrote on Twitter. MELBOURNE, Australia Four Australian members of Parliament resigned Wednesday after revealing they held dual citizenship, bringing the number of lawmakers forced to vacate their seats because of split national loyalties to 15 in less than a year. The resignations came hours after the High Court ruled on Wednesday that another politician, Senator Katy Gallagher, a member of the Labor Party, was ineligible to remain in Parliament because she had not renounced her British citizenship before her election. That decision prompted three other Labor members of Parliament Justine Keay, Josh Wilson and Susan Lamb and a member of the Centre Alliance, Rebekha Sharkie, to resign. Section 44 of Australias Constitution bars anyone holding dual citizenship from running for office. Despite the clarity of the law, more than a dozen lawmakers, including a former deputy prime minister, have been found to hold dual citizenship in the past year, prompting their resignations. Already, Mr. Macron spoke by telephone on Wednesday with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani. Afterward the Elysee Palace issued a statement saying that it was the will of France to continue to enforce the Iran nuclear deal in all its dimensions, potentially widening a breach with the Trump administration. He pointed out the necessity for Iran to do the same, the statement added. But the real question for the Europeans, Mr. Shapiro said, is not if they stick with the deal but will they stand up to the American effort to unravel it and take active measures to protect their companies and banks trading in Iran? That would be an extremely confrontational stance, he said, and its not clear that their companies really want that. While some think that they should double down on what has now become a pattern keep talking to Mr. Trump and his aides, hoping to convince them of the need for trans-Atlantic solidarity others have had enough. There are increasing voices for rupture within the European Union. In a reflection of the mood, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, the blocs bureaucracy, said that under Mr. Trump, the United States is turning its back on multilateral relations and friendly cooperation with a ferocity that can only surprise us. He told Belgiums Flemish regional parliament that Washington no longer wants to cooperate with other parts in the world, according to The Associated Press. At this point, we have to replace the United States, which as an international actor has lost vigor, and because of it, in the long term, influence, he said. In Britain, Emily Thornberry, the Labour Party spokeswoman on foreign affairs, said on Tuesday that it was time for Europeans to stop this long and unnecessary indulgence of Donald Trump. A senior adviser to the European Union, Nathalie Tocci, said that the Iran deal was a lost cause, because Trump and Europe have fundamentally different objectives. MADRID Spains government on Wednesday moved to block the latest attempt by separatist legislators in Catalonia to re-elect Carles Puigdemont as the regions leader, even as he fights extradition from Germany. The government asked Spains Constitutional Court to declare invalid a Catalan law approved recently by separatist legislators that could have allowed Mr. Puigdemont to be voted into office in absentia and then read his acceptance speech by videoconference from Germany. After the governments appeal, the Constitutional Court immediately suspended the Catalan law and warned separatist lawmakers against holding any vote that would violate that order. Mr. Puigdemont is fighting extradition for trial in Spain while trying to remain the main protagonist in the politics of Catalonia and the standoff with the Spanish government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Catalan lawmakers must elect a new leader for their regional government by May 22 to avoid a new election, after months of political deadlock. The standoff followed an election last December, which was called by Mr. Rajoy but failed to deliver the result that he had sought. Instead, the three main separatist parties managed to retain a narrow majority in the regional Parliament, with an almost identical 47.5 percent of the votes that they received in the previous election in 2015. TEHRAN Irans supreme leader on Wednesday hinted that his country might step up its nuclear program, signaling a possible escalation in an already volatile relationship with Washington after President Trump announced he was pulling the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal. Mr. Trump said on Tuesday that the United States would leave the agreement under which Iran agreed to strict limits for 15 years on its development of nuclear fuel. The deal was intended to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, in return for an easing of economic sanctions. But now, Mr. Trump said, the United States will reimpose sanctions. Iran has always insisted that its uranium enrichment was intended only to operate nuclear power plants and conduct research, but it also put Iran closer to producing fuel that could be used in atomic bombs. Last night, you heard the president of America making petty and mindless statements, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans supreme leader, told a group of teachers in his Tehran office, according to the semiofficial news agency Fars. There were perhaps more than 10 lies in his statements. BAGHDAD Five senior Islamic State officials have been captured, including a top aide to the groups leader, in a complex cross-border sting carried out by Iraqi and American intelligence, two Iraqi officials said Wednesday. The three-month operation, which tracked a group of senior Islamic State leaders who had been hiding in Syria and Turkey, represents a significant intelligence victory for the American-led coalition fighting the extremist group and underscores the strengthening relationship between Washington and Baghdad. Two Iraqi intelligence officials said those captured included four Iraqis and one Syrian whose responsibilities included governing the Islamic States territory around Deir al-Zour, Syria, directing internal security and running the administrative body that oversees religious rulings. Iraqs external intelligence agency published a statement confirming the arrests, but did not mention any details of the role played by the Americans or the Turks. The two Iraqi intelligence officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that had not been made public. JERUSALEM Iranian forces in Syria fired about 20 rockets into the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights early Thursday, targeting forward positions of the Israeli military, according to a military spokesman. The spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, said Israel had responded to the attack but did not provide details. If confirmed, this would be the first rocket attack carried out directly by Iran, rather than by one of its proxies, against Israel. Colonel Conricus said that several of the rockets had been intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. He said that he was not aware of any casualties and that damage to Israeli facilities was low. The Israeli military said in a statement that it views this event with great severity and remains prepared for a wide variety of scenarios. The Syrian state news agency reported that the countrys air defenses responded to at least two waves of Israeli missile attacks after the strike against the Israeli positions. Relatives of Americans imprisoned in Iran implored the Trump administration on Wednesday not to forget their loved ones, whose fates may have just become murkier now that the United States has quit the nuclear accord. Their angst was further complicated by word that three Americans incarcerated by North Korea had been freed. While happy over that news, some worried that President Trumps decision to abandon the nuclear agreement would antagonize the Iranian authorities, dimming any prospects of prisoner releases in Iran anytime soon. Mr. Trumps success at securing the freedom of North Koreas prisoners, and failure so far to do the same in Iran, underscored the complexities of the estranged American relations with the two countries, which have vexed successive White House administrations for decades. At least five American citizens four of them dual citizens of the United States and Iran are known to be incarcerated in Iranian prisons. Posted by Mark Williams | May 8, 2018 A plant fire at a major Ford F-150 supplier in Eaton Rapids, Mich., will shut down Ford F-150 production at Missouri's Kansas City Assembly Plant through May 14. According to Automotive News (subscription required), Meridian Lightweight Technologies, which produces instrument panel components, suffered a fire and explosion May 2; two people were injured. Although the cause of the fire is not yet known, Meridian plans to bring the plant back online as soon as possible. Exact production numbers for the Kansas City plant are difficult to nail down; however, a week of shutdown for the F-150 line is likely to result in a loss of as many as 5,000 units per week. Obviously, Ford can't do that for too many weeks before it will affect dealership inventory. Approximately 3,600 employees at the plant have been given temporary furloughs for at least a week while Ford assesses its next steps. The F-150's second production plant in Dearborn, Mich., is unaffected by the supplier fire. Cars.com photo by Mark Williams The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Find Out The Best Way To Stay 100% Sun Protected This Summer! Walmart buys 77% stake in Flipkart for nearly $16 Billion Business pti-PTI US retailer Walmart Inc on Wednesday acquired 77 per cent stake in Flipkart for about USD 16 billion in its biggest acquisition till date. The deal values the 11-year old Indian e-commerce firm at USD 20.8 billion. "India is one of the most attractive retail markets in the world, given its size and growth rate, and our investment is an opportunity to partner with the company that is leading transformation of eCommerce in the market," said Doug McMillon, Walmart's President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Commenting on the deal, Binny Bansal, Flipkart's co-founder and group CEO said, "This investment is of immense importance for India and will help fuel our ambition to deepen our connection with buyers and sellers and to create the next wave of retail in India." Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart will acquire about 77 per cent stake in Flipkart, Walmart said in a statement. Sachin Bansal, who had co-founded Flipkart with Binny Bansal in 2007, would exit the company after the deal. Sachin and Binny, who are not related and formerly worked for Amazon.com Inc, like their US rival began by selling books when they founded Flipkart. India's first billion-dollar e-commerce company, Flipkart, sells 8 million products across 80-plus categories. It has 100 million registered users. Walmart also plans to pump $2 billion (nearly Rs 13,000 crore) as fresh equity into Flipkart to strengthen its hold on the e-commerce firm. PTI 2 BSF jawans killed in IED blast in Manipur India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Two BSF jawans lost their lives in an IED blast near BSF sector headquarters Koirengi campus in Manipur's Imphal on Wednesday afternoon. No militant claimed responsibility for the attack. A senior official told PTI that the blast triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) occurred around 2pm, when the BSF men were deployed just outside the gate of their Koirengi sector headquarters camp, on the Dimapur-Imphal highway in Imphal. The two jawans, both of constable rank, received splinter injuries in the blast and later succumbed. In a similar attack, two Assam Rifles jawans were killed during patrolling near Manipur's Chandel district in November 2017. An Assam Rifles jawan was killed in June 2017 and four others were injured. A banned terror outfit called Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) had claimed the responsibility of the attack. Then outfit claimed to have carried out improvised explosive device (IED) blast at Kashung village in Ukhrul district. (With PTI inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 16:36 [IST] 7th Pay Commission: What CG employees got and what they did not get 7th Pay Commission: Why Centre can bear the load of a pay hike India oi-Vicky Nanjappa As Central Government employees await good news on the 7th Pay Commission, there is a relay strike that has been called for. The government is yet to give any clear indication on the pay hike, but sources tell OneIndia that the promise would be fulfilled as the economy is witnessing a positive change. Meanwhile Indian Railway employees have called for a 72 hour relay hunger strike across the country against the non-implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. They are upset over the reported move of the government to privatise the national transporter. The All India Railwaymen's Federation (AIRF) stated that despite several meetings with leaders of the central government organisations, the government has not taken any decision on their 7th Pay commission linked demands. The union stated that "Despite requests to the government of India to consider the demands of the Central Government Employees -- improvement in minimum wage and fitment factor after implementation of 7th CPC recommendations, provision of guaranteed pension and family pension to all the NPS (National Pension Scheme) covered employees, irrespective of their date of appointment...Contractorisation leading towards wholesale privatisation, no fruitful outcome has emerged as yet despite lapse of around two years' precious time." The government on the other hand says that the CG employees and pensioners would not have to wait for long. The economy is showing positive signs. If the economy is able to grow in a significant manner, the Centre can bear the load of the pay hike under the 7th Pay Commission. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 7:07 [IST] Akshay and Twinkle served legal notice to stop them from auctioning Rustam costume India oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff New Delhi: Around twenty one people that included eleven serving armed forces officers, seven retired officers have sent a legal notice to actor Akshay Kumar, producer and writer of the film 'Rustam' Twinkle Khanna and auction house for their decision to auction a naval costume that Akshay donned in the movie. In the legal notice served by Advocate Smita Dikshit on behalf of these people to the star couple in which they have been asked to stop the auction of the costume. If they failed to do so legal action will be initiated against them. It is stated in the legal notice that auctioning the costume is a potent security threat as it might go in the hands of wrong people. The legal notice says that the "uniforms resembling those of the armed forces pose potential threat to the national security as the said uniform, insignia and badges could pass for genuine service clothing and can find their way to anti-national elements who can use it to foment trouble." The notice further states that after the Pathankot attack, "Indian Army had issued guidelines urging civilians across the country to avoid wearing army pattern dresses and shopkeepers were asked to not sell combat clothes, uniforms and equipments as it is 'illegal to do so'. Thus, by putting the naval officer uniform for auction you have shown disrespect to national interest and have hurt the sentiments of armed force personnel." The matter started when Twinkle Khanna shared Akshay Kumar's tweet drawing ire of many including armed forces officials. One officer Lt Col Sandeep Ahlawat raised his voice of dissent and slammed Twinkle in social media post for her idea. He wrote that what Akshay wore in Rustom was merely "a piece of costume and not uniform." She had recently supported Akshay's announcement to sell off the "actual naval uniform" he donned in the 2016 film, which was loosely based on the 1959 Nanavati murder case. Khanna received a lot of flak on social media for backing the sale, the proceeds from which would go to "the cause of animal rescue and welfare". No more pellet guns, now sound will shoo away stone pelters in Kashmir Two Metro stations in Delhi closed after pro, anti CAA protesters pelt stones at each others Are rules only for the Army? The deathly silence on stone pelters targeting innocents India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The stone pelters of Kashmir have gone haywire. Their latest targets are the innocents. A tourist from Chennai became the latest victim of stone pelting. A school bus was attacked recently in which innocent children were targeted. This has raised a serious question in security circles, whether the decision to grant amnesty to first time stone pelters was a right one. It has clearly not had the right effect and advantage is being taken of the amnesty argued one security official in Jammu and Kashmir. It looks like a well-oiled network in Kashmir today. One one hand the recruitments into terror groups has shot up and on the other hand, the stone pelters have gone haywire. The security agencies are in a tough spot of bother as on one hand they are dealing with the terrorists and on the other the stone pelters. The silence of the Hurriyat is a classic example of what their intentions are. There has been no condemnation from their side on these latest incidents on stone pelting. It was their narrative that the stone pelters were innocent youth. The government had given in and ordered amnesty to first time stone pelters. As the security agencies tried to control the stone pelters, another narrative to stop the use of pellet guns came up. Now stone pelters in Kashmir kill a tourist from Chennai On the recruitment front too, there has been a surge. Statistics available with us shows that at least 45 youth have joined terror groups this year till mid-April. According to the top brass of the security establishment in the state, Shopian and Kulgam in south Kashmir have emerged as a major hub by respectively accounting for 12 and 9 of the 45 youths. The other areas of south Kashmir which have witnessed youths taking to terrorism are Anantnag (seven), Pulwama (four) and Awantipura (three). Moreover, unconfirmed reports, which were in the process of verification, suggest that three more from Pulwama had joined terror groups, officials said. Similarly, in north Kashmir, one youth from Handwara, two from Kupwara, one each from Bandipora and Sopore and one from Srinagar have disappeared in the recent past and are suspected to have joined terror organisations, they said. This includes Junaid Ashraf Sehrai, 26, an MBA degree holder from Kashmir university, and son of Mohammed Ashraf Sehrai, who took over as chairman of Tehrek-e-Hurriyat from Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Teherik-e-Hurriyat is a pro-Pakistan amalgam of separatists groups. The list also includes a 26-year-old PhD scholar Mannan Bashir Wani hailing from Kupwara, officials said. Wani was studying in the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). According to officials, every funeral of a terrorist spawns at least two additions to the ranks of terror groups. "It has become a bottom less pit. We engage, counter, eliminate or make them surrender and the very next day, social media gives us proof of birth of another militant. This vicious cycle needs to be broken," said a senior army official who is engaged in anti-terror operations. Ruling party politicians from south Kashmir have reportedly abandoned their ancestral homes and housed themselves in well-fortified accomodations in Srinagar or Jammu. Efforts to seek their comments on the situation in their constituencies did not yield any result as they were reluctant to be drawn into any debate related to it. J&K: Stone-pelters attack school bus in Shopian, 2 kids hurt Security agencies believe that in April there has seen a conspicuous rise in the number of locals joining various terror groups after 13 local terrorists were killed in encounters with security forces in Shopian and Anantnag. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been quite vocal about PDP-BJP government's alleged failure in checking the rising trend of youths joining terrorism. "Mehbooba Mufti's biggest and least talked about failure has been the massive jump in the numbers of young Kashmiri men joining the ranks of militant organisations," he had tweeted earlier. On more and more locals joining terror groups, he had said, "...Is no one in a position of power in Delhi alarmed by this because I certainly am!" Police has approached many parents requesting them to ask their children to surrender on the assurance of a normal life. The story remains unchanged, says a senior police official, who adds that many a times parents express their helplessness. Appeals have been made by Mehbooba Mufti as well as state police chief SP Vaid and senior army officers but in vain. "We cannot keep a finger on any particular reason for the spurt in number of youth joining militancy. However, It could be growing influence of pan-Islamisation and religious indoctrination in which unemployment emerges as a catalyst for a quick reaction to pick up a gun," says a senior security official. The first four months of 2018 has already witnessed 100 deaths, including 55 terrorists, 20 security personnel and 25 civilians. Of the 55 terrorists killed, 27 were locals whereas the rest were described as foreigners by security agencies in the press handouts issued post-encounters. In 2017, a total of 126 youths had picked up guns. It was the highest number since 2010, according to a recent data presented in the state assembly and Parliament. There has been a steady rise in the number of youth taking up arms in the Valley since 2014 onwards as compared to 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2010, 54 youths had joined terror groups while in 2011, the number came down to 23 and further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 6 in 2013. In 2014, the number shot up to 53 and in 2015, it reached 66 before touching the highest mark of 88 in 2016, the data showed. BJP eyes 4th term as Kodagu refuse to bow to Tipu Sultan the Islamic tyrant India oi-Vicky Nanjappa A pre-poll survey recently stated that the Tipu Jayanti issue would not play out big in the Karnataka assembly elections. While it has evoked mixed reactions in many parts of the state, it plays out in a big manner in this tiny district of Kodagu which is referred to as the Switzerland of India. The Congress is going to lose the election in the two constituencies of Kodagu over this issue says K S Poovaya, a local planter. The campaign trail has been extensively focused around Tipu and the Kodavas have vowed to defeat the Congress for celebrating Tipu Jayanti. The celebrations had turned violent two years ago and two persons died and this incident has come right back to haunt the Congress. Kodagu has two constituencies-Madikeri and Virajpet, both of which are held by the BJP. The issue is raised by both BJP candidates, Appachu Ranjan and K G Bopaiah during their campaign trails and it gains traction instantly. In a recent speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Congress celebrates jayantis of sultans, but not of the brave sons and daughters of Karnataka such as Madakari Nayaka and Onake Obavva. In another speech he also made references to Field Marshal K M Cariappa and General K S Thimaya, both of whom are revered as Gods in Kodagu. The Kodavas are pleased that the PM raked up these issues. These are issues very sensitive to the Kodavas. Over a drink when the these topics come up there is a very passionate debate among the Kodavas. Take the case of General Thimaya, every Kodava believes that had Nehru not interfered with the two Generals there would not have been a Kashmir problem today. A few years back there was a sustained effort by the Kodavas to vacate the RTO's office in Madikeri. The RTO office was housed in the residence of General Thimaya and the Kodavas asked why one of the most corrupt offices must be housed in the residence of the great general. Coming back to the issue of Tipu, the Kodavas say that they were betrayed and he made large scale attempts to convert them to Islam. Tipu had failed several times to take over Kodagu which he viewed as a link to Mangalore. The Kodavas had resisted several times approaches by the Sultan. The BJP which has ruled this coffee district where the river Cauvery is born is hopeful of another term. There are issues that many Kodavas have with the two candidates, but they are ready to overlook it as they feel that the return of a Congress government only means more minority appeasement. However the Kodavas would want the BJP to take up core issues such as environment protection, Cauvery clean and also minimum support price. They better work towards that says Anjali Ponappa, a home maker. Not Tipu the great, Tipu the tyrant: For every Kodava, Tipu is a tyrant. Almost everyone says in chorus that the Tipu Jayanti celebrations was not in conformity with the sentiments that the people have towards the ruler from Srirangapatana. Tipu and the Kodavas have always had a bitter rivalry. Tipu wanted to capture Kodagu as he felt he could use it as a gateway to Mangalore which has a port. Not just Tipu, but his father Hyder Ali too made several attempts to capture Kodagu. Various attempts by father and son were a failure as they found it hard to battle in Kodagu which has vast tracts of land and mountains which was very familiar to the locals. The Kodavas who pride themselves for contributing immensely to the Indian army thanks to Field Marshal K C Kariappa and General K S Thimmaiah were good at guerrilla warfare which gave them an advantage of Tipu's army. A Wikipedia entry suggests that the Kodavas despite being outnumbered 1:3 always managed to defeat the Tipu army. There were a couple of times that Tipu and his army managed to reach Madikeri, the capital of Kodagu, but was beaten. The Kodavas has sworn never to bow to the Sultan. However, Tipu once managed to capture Kodagu on one ocassion and is said to have uttered the words, "if you ambush my men, I will honour you all with Islam." The Kodavas did not take this lying down and beat Tipu and drove him back to Mysore. Tipu by now realized that his war was going nowhere and beating the Kodavas was not easy. He decided to offer his hand of friendship. The Kodavas made a grave error in trusting Tipu. The Kodavas were in fact happy to offer their hand of friendship as the battle against him was being won, but at a huge cost and the warriors were tired. The Kodavas are said to have welcomed Tipu. However, they were caught completely off guard when Tipu's men launched an attack against the Kodavas who were unarmed. He took many as prisoners. Tipu had even sought the help of the Nawab of Kurnool to launch the attack. Several thousand Kodavas were captured and taken to Srirangapatana where it is believed they were forcibly converted. Stories of conversion and torture have been narrated by the Kodavas who were in captivity of Tipu. Various historians have given different figures about the number of Kodavas who were converted. Figures range between 60,000 to 85,000. This history is very much fresh in the minds of the Kodavas and every child is told this story each time he or she passes through Srirangapatana. In a land where each one is programmed to hate Tipu, it appears tough that the Congress could overcome the Tipu Jayanti celebrations and seek a vote. Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15 Karnataka: Will Congress not allow Kumaraswamy to be CM for full 5-year term? Is it chief minister Kumaraswamy or chief manager of Congress Ktaka ATM? BJP has an answer All is well between Congress, JD(S)? Kumaraswamy meets Rahul as Karnataka waits for full cabinet BJP MLA Suresh Kumar denies reports of his daughter's arrest India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Former BJP minister Suresh Kumar rubbished reports of his daughter distributing money in Rajajajinagar assembly constituency. Suresh Kumar in a video posted on his facebook wall outrightly rejected the news about his daughter's arrest by Bengaluru police. On social media platforms, the news of Dr. Disha's arrest by the Bengaluru police, while allegedly distributing money at Dhobi Ghat in Rajajajinagar, was doing rounds. Suresh Kumar clarified that Disha is working for the BJP social media team in the run-up to the assembly election. He said, " I didn't distribute money and will never do so." Dr. Disha told a private television that she was carrying money for personal transaction, not for distribution and in the meantime, few unknown men created the ruckus. Suresh Kumar is known as an honest politician in Karnataka politics. He has won the constituency four times since 1994. Congress has fielded former Mayor Padmavathi in the constituency in this election. Voting for the assembly election will be held on May 12 and counting on May 15. Chhattisgarh, Punjab govts announce Rs 50 lakh to families of farmers run over in UP CGBSE Class 10th, 12th results 2018 declared, Steps to check India oi-Madhuri The Chhattisgarh Board of School Education (CGBSE) released the CGBSE Class 10th and 12th results 2018 today. The results is available on the official website. The results was earlier expected to be released by around 10 am by School Education Minister Kedar Kashyap. The CGBSE Board exams for class 10 were conducted from March 5-28, 2018 while exams for class 12 were held from March 7 to April 2, 2018. The results will be available on cgbse.nic.in. According to the merit list, the exams were topped by Shiv Kumar Pandey with 98.40%, who was followed by Sandhya Kaushik at 97.40% and Shubham Gandharva at 97.20%. How to check CGBSE Class 10th, 12th results 2018 Go to cgbse.nic.in On the homepage, you will find the Chhattisgarh Board Class 10/Chhattisgarh Board Class 12 result link Click on results link Enter required details Submit View results Take a printout If Mishra is not sacked, it sends out message that people in power can do anything: Priyanka Gandhi Chikmagalur- A strong BJP bastion with a soft corner for Indira Gandhi India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Chikmagalur has been a BJP bastion since 2000, but the constituency will always have a soft spot for former prime minister, Indira Gandhi. This was the Lok Sabha seat from where she won the by-election in 1978 which gave the Congress party the much needed boost in the post-emergency era. In the post emergency general elections of 1977, Indira was routed out of power and thrown out of office. She came to Chikmagalur in 1978 to contest the by-election with the slogan, ' give your little daughter your vote." She won the election by 70,000 votes by defeating Veerandra Patil of the Janata Party and returned to Parliament. The campaign was a hectic one and for the Janata Party it was led by George Fernandes. His campaign slogan hit out at her directly by calling her a king cobra which would bite. The Congress however turned it around by saying that the king cobra is worshipped as God in rural Karnataka. The emergency appeared to have no bearing on the voters of Chikmagalur. She was the hero of the Bangladesh war and fondly known as Indiramma. There was no way that the people were planning to vote against her. The people felt that it was their duty to send back to Parliament and that showed in the end result of the election. The people of Chikmagalur still have a fond connect with her. Many remember the election and say that they were responsible for reviving her political career. The people feel proud that it was because of Indira that Chikmagalur is in the history books. While there is a considerable amount of nostalgia around Indira Gandhi in Chikmagalur, the Congress has fallen sharply here. Things started to take a turn in the 1980s with the emergence of Ramakrishna Hegde. He was able to consolidate an anti-Congress vote. The late 1990s saw a strong emergence of the BJP. The campaign to declare the Bababudangiri shrine as Datta Peeta gained momentum and struck a chord with the voter. This led to the BJP winning the seat thrice. The BJP continues to hold Chikmagalur. In fact in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Udupi-Chikmagalur seat was bagged by the BJP's Shobha Karandlaje. The 1951 election was won by the Congress, but the one in 1967, the seat went to the Praja Socialist Party. The elections in 1971, 1977 were bagged by the Congress. Between 1978 and 1984 all the three elections were bagged by the Congress. In 1996, the Congress was defeated by the Janata Dal. From 1998 to 2004 there were three elections and all of them were won by the BJP. In the next elections of 2009 owing to delimitation, the seat went on to be called the Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency. The 2009 elections were won by Sadananda Gowda of the BJP. However in 2012, there was a by-election after Gowda resigned to become the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The election was however won by Jayaprakash Hegde of the Congress. In 2014, the BJP took back the seat. This time C T Ravi of the BJP which spearheaded the Datta Peeta campaign is seeking a re-election in the assembly segment and appears confident of a win. He says that by opposing the demand to declare the shrine as a Hindu one, the Congress is trying to consolidate the Muslims votes. I will consolidate the non-Muslim votes he says. Up against Ravi is B L Shankar, a veteran Congressman. He has served both as the Legislative Council chairman and a Lok Sabha member. The JD(S) on the other hand has fielded B H Harish. Under the Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituencies, the assemblies constituencies are Kundapura, Udupi, Kapu, Karkal, Sringeri, Mudigere (SC), Chikmagalur, and Tarikere. 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 For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 16:32 [IST] Snagging card skimmers: UF, NYPD team up to stop them Credit card skimmers electronic devices criminals stick on ATMs and gas pumps to secretly suck up your sensitive financial information may have finally met their match. University of Florida researchers have teamed up with the New York City Police Departments Financial Crimes Task Force to deploy the Skim Reaper, a device that instantly detects the presence of a skimmer, allowing law enforcement and merchants to take action before the card's data can be stolen. Real-world trials are already underway UF built five detectors for NYPD, which is deploying them in all five New York City boroughs for field testing. Preliminary UF tests show the device is able to detect skimmers with high reliability. Consumers may be able to get their hands on one in six to nine months, and it may be small enough to fit in your wallet. Payment card skimming remains a popular crime, and attackers can easily get into the business using a few inexpensive parts purchased over the Internet, said Patrick Traynor, co-Director of the Florida Institute for Cybersecurity (FICS) Research at UFs Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. Traynor helped develop the skimmer detector. Lt. Gregory Besson with the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force, said card skimmers are a rapidly growing problem. "In New York City, we saw a surge in ATM skimming in the past few years, as evidenced by the increase in devices recovered by our agency, the NYPD, he said. In 2015, we recovered 48 devices, and two years later that number had doubled to almost a hundred devices in 2017. Correspondingly, our arrests more than doubled for the same period, from 48 skimming-related arrests in 2015 to 134 skimming arrests in 2017. The big takeaway is that we're always seeking new innovative ways to tackle this growing crime type, and we welcome trying new tools that would aid us towards that goal." Card skimming costs more than $2 billion a year globally in fraudulent charges, according to the website ATM Marketplace. Credit card skimmers come in two varieties: those that are placed inside a legitimate card reader think of those security stickers on gas pumps showing theyve been inspected and are clear of internal skimmers and those that have their own card reader, known as overlay/insert skimmers. Criminals can attach an overlay skimmer to an ATM, gas pump or in-store payment terminal in seconds, park nearby and collect data via Bluetooth as customers to use their cards. They often return a few hours later, retrieve the skimmer and leave unnoticed. Overlay skimmers are far more common than the internal type because theyre easy for criminals to install and difficult to detect. Its those overlay skimmers that the new detection device was designed to snag. The skimmer detector prototype works like this: A plastic card the same size of a credit or debit card is inserted into the card reader. The detector inspects the card slot and alerts the user if the reader in unsafe. In the real world, a consumer could simply insert the detector into the reader before using his or her own credit or debit card. The detector would immediately notify the consumer if something is wrong. While more-secure chip cards are becoming more common, their universal use, especially in ATMs and gas pumps, is likely years away, Traynor said. That means those old-fashioned swipe cards with the magnetic strips on the back will be around for the foreseeable future along with their vulnerabilities. Until the skimmer detector is available to the public, law enforcement officials offer these tips for consumers to protect themselves: Wiggle the card reader before you insert your card. If it feels loose, dont use it. Cover your hand while entering your PIN, even if you think no one is watching. If the security seal on a gas pump card reader is broken or has been tampered with, dont use it. Use gas pumps close to the building and in view of the cashier Use a credit card, not a debit card. Vendors and law enforcement need better tools to protect this payment channel, said Nolen Scaife, a doctoral researcher who worked on developing the skimmer detector. Thats precisely what this research has set out to accomplish, and we believe that this tool will go a long way in the fight against card skimmers while allowing payment terminal operators to continue leveraging their existing equipment. 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 Citizens forum asks EC to countermand Karnataka elections over violations of model code of conduct India oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff Bengaluru, May 9: Days before the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded the countermanding of elections in Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency after the seizure of fake voter ID cards on Tuesday, a citizens' forum had sent a petition to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to cancel the entire 15th Karnataka Assembly elections scheduled on Saturday (May 12). The Karnataka-based group--Praja Jagruthi Samithi--approached the ECI as they found grave violations of model code of conduct (MCC) which had allegedly vitiated the entire "electioneering process in the state". The ECI is yet to send a reply to the group which is mainly working for reforms in the election process. Among others, noted freedom fighter HS Doreswamy is also one of the signatories to the petition. Along with demanding the cancellation of elections for the 224-member Assembly, the petition asked the ECI to remove actor Puneeth Rajkumar as one of their brand ambassadors for "breaking rules" and his "partial behaviour" towards a particular party, and lack of clarity about candidates among voters belonging to the armed forces posted in remote areas. The petition mainly highlighted four points--- a) Seizure of around Rs 160 crore cash and other goods, and five lakh litre of liquor by officials during the last few weeks in Karnataka, indicating the amount of money and freebies given by political parties to voters. b) In spite of actor Puneeth Rajkumar being the EC's brand ambassador, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently in Bengaluru which is widely seen as an endorsement of the BJP by an "icon" hired by the poll body. c) Deterioration of the nature of advertisements published by political parties in major newspapers. The forum highlighted the "suicide bhagya" advertisement of BJP which is seen as making mockery of human tragedies like suicide. d) Voters belonging to the armed forces posted in remote areas have little knowledge about all the candidates. Still they exercise their franchise and the forum stresses that such voting without clarity holds no meaning. "We have sent the petition and demanded the cancellation of the elections. We want free, fair and peaceful elections," Santhosh Min B, convener of Praja Jagruthi Samithi, told OneIndia. You can read the whole petition below: Tamil Nadu Elections 2021: How to check name in voter list and download voter slip Fake voter ID scam: 'Rakesh has no connection with the flat', says son of Manjula Nanjamuri India oi-Madhuri Nearly 10,000 voters ID cards were found at a 'rented' apartment in North Bangalore's R R Nagar area late on Tuesday night, leading to a probe by the Election Commission. At an emergency press meet, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar said 9,746 voter identity cards were found in bundles in flat number 115 at SLV Park View apartments in Jalahalli. The flat, he said, belongs to Manjula Nanjundmuri, and had been rented out to one Rakesh. However, speaking on the issue, Sridhar, the only son of Manjula Nanjamari, said that,''Rakesh is my mother's nephew's son and he has got no connections with the flat in Park View apartment, as is what claimed in media.'' ''The flat was rented to Rangaraju, who pays rent for it every month,'' Sridhar Nanjamari further said. Manjula, the flat owner on Wednesday broke her silence over the allegations and said the tenants are Rekha and Rangaraju and the news of Rakesh renting the flat is a fake. "From 1997-2002 I was a corporator, and BJP helped me win. I was just a housewife and BJP supported me, so I consider myself under their 'sharan'. I am not a Congress person, will never be", Manjula added. Rakesh, the BJP supporter who Congress alleged was a tenant of the flat in Bengaluru where the voter IDs were seized also said that he has no connection with the flat for last 10 years. "EC officials and Police have already taken my statement, the aides of Congress Rajarajeshwari Nagar candidate Munirathna Naidu have been threatening me for exposing this", he said. "I have no connection with that flat, neither do I have any relation with that aunt (Manjula Nanjamuri) for last 10 years", Rakesh was quoted by ANI. "We only searched the house when we got confirmation of voter IDs being stacked inside, we had been watching how cars were coming and leaving from there frequently", he added. On Tuesday, at an emergency press meet, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar said 9,746 voter identity cards were found in bundles in flat number 115 at SLV Park View apartments in Jalahalli. The BJP had alleged that the apartment belonged to a Congress lawmaker. The Congress said that the apartment is owned by the BJP and their "lies have been exposed." Who is Manjula Nanjamuri? The spokesman of the Congress party Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the flat where the voter IDs were found belonged to a BJP leader - Manjula Nanjamuri. "BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP (Bengaluru civic body) elections on a BJP ticket. Apartment was raided not by police or EC but by BJP workers," Surjewala alleged at a press conference on the early hours of Wednesday. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied any recent connection with Nanjamuri and urged the poll panel to countermand the May 12 Assembly poll in the constituency, terming it a conspiracy by the ruling Congress to rig the election. 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 Mohammad Ali Jinnah: Why is he such a controversial figure in India? Jinnah contributed as much to freedom struggle as Gandhi, Nehru did: SP MP Those backing Jinnah are the same people who stood by Afzal Guru: BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi Jinnah's portrait there even at Sabarmanti Ashram, why no protest on that, asks AMU VC India oi-Vikas By Vikas Mohammed Ali Jinnah's portraits are there at many places in India, including the Sabarmati Ashram, and the row over it is a "non issue", said Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)'s vice-chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Wednesday (May 9). The controversy over Jinnah's portrait in AMU erupted after a BJP MP wrote to Aligarh Muslim University last month, demanding to know why a portrait of Pakistan's founder was hanging on the wall of varsity's students' union office. The portrait of Jinnah has been hanging on a wall in the students union's office at AMU for decades. "Jinnah's portrait has been here since 1938. Jinnah's portrait is at many places including Bombay HC and Sabarmati Ashram. No one was worried about the portraits until now, I think it is a non-issue," Professor Mansoor told ANI. Last week, former vice president Hamid Ansari termed the on-going controversy on Muhammad Ali Jinnah's portrait as a 'nonsense issue'. Ansari made this remark while he visited the Aligarh Muslim University to attend a university event. [Mohammad Ali Jinnah: Why is he such a controversial figure in India?] The controversy over Jinnah took a violent turn on May 2 after Hindu Yuva Vahini supporters staged a protest at the varsity campus. The police reportedly had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the agitators. AMU students had protested against the violence by right wing groups. [Bareilly's Aala Hazrat Dargah issues Fatwa against Jinnah] "Students agitation had no relation to Jinnah portrait row, they were protesting against people who came to AMU to disturb peace on May 2. Spoken to chief secretary for a judicial inquiry into the incident," Mansoor said. Yesterday (May 8), Bareilly's Aala Hazrat Dargah has issued a fatwa against Jinnah, saying "no one should stand in support of him". For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 10:38 [IST] New roster notified in Supreme Court: Here is what the judges would handle By being placed third on seniority list, here is what Justice Joseph has missed out Going public was the only option says Justice Chelameswar on the famous presser by SCs top 4 Justice Chelameswar to skip his own farewell function India oi-Deepika By Deepika Justice J Chelameswar, the second most senior Supreme Court judge, has reportedly refused an invite to his farewell by the top court's bar association. Justice Chelameswar, who has been a judge of the Supreme Court since 10 October, 2011, is slated to retire on 22 June. A first-of-its-kind press conference, Chelmeswar called a press conference at his home in Delhi and went public with his criticism of the way Supreme Court was being administered under Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. Three other judges, Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur, and Kurian Joseph, joined him in the unprecedented press conference. The four judges mentioned in their press conference that the situation in the top court was "not in order" and many "less than desirable" things have taken place. On 21 March, Justice Chelameswar wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra asking him to consider convening a full court to take up the issue of alleged executive interference in judiciary. Separately, Justice Kurian Joseph also wrote a letter to the CJI, expressing concern over the delay by the government in clearing the names recommended by the collegium in February for elevation. On 25 April, Justice Chelameswar also skipped a customary lunch meeting, a tradition in which all judges of the court meet for the afternoon meal every Wednesday. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 17:57 [IST] Karnataka voter ID scam: Do Congress leaders have access to BBMP site asks BJP India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The entire Karnataka debate has shifted to the voter ID scam which rocked the state late on Tuesday night. The allegation is that close to 20,000 fake voter IDs were found in the Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency. The BJP alleged that they were recovered from the Congress candidate, Muniratna. This prompted the Election Commission to address an emergency presser. The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka, Sanjeev Kumar said that more than 9,000 genuine voter IDs were recovered from a flat belonging to a woman. He said that he was unsure of how these voter IDs reached the flat in the constituency and added that the matter would be probed over the next 24 hours. As the BJP has sought the countermanding of the elections in the constituency, the Congress has accused the party of enacting a drama. Congress leader, Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the the apartment belonged to a BJP leader, Manjula Nanjamari. He said that she had rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP polls on a BJP ticket. The apartment was not raided by the EC or police, but the BJP, he said. Sanjeev Kumar however during the press conference pointed out that the apartment was raided by the police. There was no one there, but the police managed to confiscate the voter IDs he also added. The BJP has been demanding action and have been tweeting extensively with the hashtag congresscheeatsdemoracy. S Prakash, spokesperson of the BJP says that the Congress party candidates have been given access to the BBMP website which is enabling them to upload names using fake IDs. The Congress is indulging in large scale malpractice to win the Karnataka elections, he also said. He demanded the immediate arrest of the BBMP officials who leaked the password. The EC should thoroughly verify the website to track down the culprits and delete the names added after the elections were declared, Prakash also said. Union Minister and BJP leader, Sadananda Gowda sought to counter Surjewala's charge. He said that the statement from the EC is very clear. The flat where the IDs were found was allegedly rented out to Rakesh. If the EC had proof they would not have used the word allegedly, he added. "I present the statement from EC which never said Manjula Nanja Mari and Rakesh are mother and son. It is a Congress conspiracy to make them mother and son. I challenge the Congress to prove the statement. Now the Congresss fearing loss is making efforts to rig the elections," Gowda also said. He also added that Rakesh is not the son of Manjula. She worked against Rakesh in the last BBMP elections, Gowda further clarified. In a tweet, Gowda said, "BJP demands countermanding of elections in AC 154 Raj Rajeshwari Nagar in light of latest revelations of tens of thousands of fake voter ID and empty packets of hard currency. This is Congress conspiracy to rig election , in face of their imminent defeat." 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 PFI booked: ED files prima facie evidence of money laundering India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The Enforcement Directorate has found prima facie evidence to suggest that the Popular Front of India was involved in money laundering. Based on a case registered by the National Investigation Agency, the ED filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against the PFI, which has a strong presence in Kerala and Karnataka. The BJP has been demanding a ban on the outfit in Karnataka while alleging that the PFI was behind the killing of several of its workers and leaders. The central probe agency has filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on a 2013 FIR of the NIA and a subsequent chargesheet. Officials said the agency will look into the alleged role of the "radical" outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) with respect to suspected terror funding and possible creation of assets by using "tainted" funds. The anti-terror probe organisation, National Investigation Agency (NIA), had submitted a report on the PFI to the Union Home Ministry a few months back claiming that the group has been involved in terror activities, including running terror camps and making bombs, and it was a fit case to be banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The cases which the NIA cited to claim PFI's alleged involvement in terror acts are: chopping of a professors palm in Kerala's Idukki district, organising a training camp in Kannur from where the NIA allegedly seized swords, country- made bombs and ingredients for making IEDs, murder of RSS leader Rudresh in Bengaluru and the plans to carry out terror attacks in South India by involving another outfit, Islamic State Al-Hindi. The NIA had filed its case against the PFI in 2013, after taking it from the state police, for allegedly organising a terror camp in Kannur in that year. It had also filed a chargesheet against 22 accused in the case relating to alleged seizure of weapons from an arms training centre of the PFI in Kerala. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 8:51 [IST] Poster of 'Maharana Pratap Road' found pasted on signboard of Delhi's Akbar road India oi-Vikas By Vikas There have been many demands for renaming some Delhi roads, which have been named after historical figures, in the past. On Wednesday (May 9), a poster was found pasted on the signboard of Central Delhi's Akbar Road which read 'Maharana Pratap Road. Today happens to be Rajput king Maharana Pratap's birth anniversary. It is not yet known as to who was behind this act of pasting the poster. Police has reached the spot and removed the poster, said reports. Many of such demands in the past were to rename roads which were named after Mughal kings. Last year in May, a BJP leader wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding that Babar Road in the national capital be renamed after Lieutenant Umar Fayaz who was killed by militants in his home state of Jammu and Kashmir. In his letter, Tejinder Pal Bagga, of the Delhi BJP, had said renaming Babar Road after the army officer "will help in keeping his story alive ... as a reminder of how a young man laid down his life for the motherland." Bagga said his demand had "nothing to do with history" though he contended that Babar "was an attacker". Aurangzeb Road and Race Course Road in New Delhi were renamed as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Azad Road and Lok Kalyan Marg in 2015 and 2016, respectively. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 15:09 [IST] SJM writes to PM that deals like Walmart buying Flipkart to kill Indian market India oi-Vinod By Vinod New Delhi: Swadeshi Jagram Manch (SJM) the affiliate organisation of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has written a letter to the prime minister Narendra Modi that global retail giant Walmart is entering the Indian market from the back door by buying stake in Flipkart. The SJM writes to the PM that it is not in the interest of the country and such deals are killing the Indian market. The world's biggest retail deal will impact the whole segment including competitors and consumers. Convenor of SJM Ashwini Mahajan said that this deal was unethical and against the market sentiment. FDI is not allowed in e-commerce so it is being brought from the back door. It is being argued that it is a platform and how could market be sold. The letter is with One India that says the SJM, RSS and the Bharatiya Janata Party have a broad consensus that FDI in multi-brand retail will not only kill entrepreneurship but it is anti-farmers and will kill job creation opportunities in the market and rightly this is kept out. But strangely, Walmart is using the e-commerce route to circumvent the rules to attack Indian market. It is to be noted that nowhere in the world, Walmart has a market place model. Mahajan said that with such deals tax evasion is happening. Interesting thing is that deal happened in Singapore, it was announced in Banguluru however it was approved in Delhi. Not a single penny will come to India because when shares will be transferred the money will go there only. "We are loosing our market as it is the national property of any country which should be in the hands of our own people but it is being sold," added Mahajan. Mahajan said that Flipcart has always been saying that it was a start up and will sell the company to a foreign entity and go away. However Walmart is the seventh largest economic entity of the world exporting from China. Now, they will sell all Chinese products in the country. But what will happen to the Make In India Initiative of the government. The companies reached a final agreement and it was decided that Flipkart will be sold to America's Walmart. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, whose firm owns a 20 per cent stake in Flipkart. Softbank is Flipkart's largest investor. SoftBank's 20 per cent stake in Flipkart is worth about $4 billion in the deal. Son had bought this stake for $2.5 billion. SJM is apprehensive about working of Walmart, which is a $500 billion US behemoth that has a reputation of killing small businesses with ultra-low prices. They fear that Walmart might bring in its own private labels via Flipkart to the Indian consumers, adding to competitive pressures. Walmart has been trying for years to enter Indian market but has remained confined to a 'cash-and-carry' wholesale business amid tough restrictions on foreign investment. It currently operates 21 such stores in India. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 18:37 [IST] The real reason why H D Kumaraswamy is contesting from two seats India oi-Vicky Nanjappa When H D Kumaraswamy decided to contest from two constituencies, there was talk that he was chasing a safe seat. The JD(S) chief and former chief minister of Karnataka is contesting from Ramanagara and the neighbouring Channapatna. The fact that the Kumaraswamy has won from Ramanagara thrice only shows that he holds a sway over the constituency. This time around too he is in sight of win and observers say that he should have no problem. The question then is why did he chose another seat. In Channapatna, he is against C P Yogeshwar of the BJP and transport minister, H M Revanna of the Congress. In the 2013, Yogeshwar had won this seat on an SP ticket. A few months back he joined the BJP and was given a ticket from this constituency. The real reason according to JD(S) insiders why Kumaraswamy chose a second seat was because of his wife, Anitha Kumaraswamy. She was an aspirant to this seat, but was not given a ticket owing to a family feud. While Kumaraswamy was keen that his wife contests, the problem arose when his nephew Prajwal, son of the H D Revanna opposed it. He wanted to contest from the same seat and this had led to a feud within the family. Kumaraswamy then decided to contest this seat by himself. He is confident of a win in Channapatna. Once the elections are over, he would retain the Ramanagara seat and vacate Channapatna for his wife, party insiders say. While Kumaraswamy is certain of a victory in both constituencies, he is leaving nothing to chance. He has campaigned extensively in both constituencies. In Ramanagara, Kumaraswamy would be banking extensively on the Muslim and Vokkaliga votes. The silk city is plagued by problems in the cocoon market. The business with an annual turnover of over Rs 600 crore is witnessing an unsteady phase. Those involved in the trade are mostly Vokkaligas and Muslims and hope that Kumaraswamy could solve their problems. They say that he understands their problems and hence he should be given a chance to rule the state. When one witnesses Kumaraswamy during a campaign trail, it is clear that he is undoubtedly a popular leader in this constituency. He makes very emotional appeals and is all ears when he speaks with the voter. The voters too flock him in large numbers and many of them are aware that this is not just a one-off battle for their candidate, but one to remain relevant in Karnataka politics. There is a considerable Mulsim population in Ramanagara and for years they have backed the JD(S). The Congress this year has fielded Iqbal Hussain with the hope of dividing the Muslim votes. This may not impact Kumaraswamy's voters. Most Muslims also do not believe that Kumaraswamy would tie up with the BJP in the post-election scenario. Many say that the issues that we face are relating to agriculture and trade and it is only Kumaraswamy who has tried to address that. Religion does not count here, the candidate who would address our problems does. 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 For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 15:50 [IST] Unilateral ceasefire needed for peaceful Eid, Amarnath Yatra: Mehbooba Mufti after all-party meet India oi-Deepika By Deepika In the wake of the death of Chennai tourist in Jammu and Kashmir due to stone pelting, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday held an all-party meeting and discussed measures to restore normalcy in the valley. Talking to reporters after the all-party meet in Srinagar, Mehbooba said that "It was the unanimous decision of all the parties during the meeting that the Government of India should consider ceasefire during Ramadhan in Kashmir." "Everyone agreed that we must appeal Centre that the government must think about a unilateral ceasefire like Vajpayee ji did in 2000. Encounters and crackdowns are causing trouble to common man. Efforts must be made to maintain environment so that both Eid and Amarnath Yatra are peaceful," she said. She said that an all-party delegation would also meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the outreach. "Everyone agreed that if agenda of alliance between BJP & PDP is followed, then situation in J&K can be changed. Everyone also agreed that we meet PM Modi & express our concerns over situation in J&K & discuss how we reach out to the people of J&K," she said, according to ANI news agency. On Monday, a 22-year-old Chennai resident S Thirumani, who was holidaying in the Valley with his family, died after his vehicle was attacked by stone pelters. Upset over the incident, Mufti had termed it as "murder of humanity", something she said was unheard of in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Last week, six civilians died and some others were injured in clashes with the security forces after five local terrorists, including an assistant professor of Kashmir University, were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir's Shopian. Of late, there has been a spurt in such clashes, with locals thronging encounter sites. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 19:55 [IST] Japanese manufacturers are vying to develop "edge computing" technologies in order to improve production efficiency by utilizing Internet of things, or IoT, devices. Mitsubishi Electric Corp. <6503> and machine tool maker Fanuc Corp. <6954> have formed consortiums respectively to unify standards and develop products for edge computing, a concept designed to make up for shortcomings of cloud computing. In edge computing, artificial intelligence systems on local computers constantly analyze in real time data from industrial robots, monitoring cameras and other connected IoT devices in factories. Edge computing makes it easier to build more efficient work processes that fit the realities at factories than cloud computing, which processes vast amounts of data from various sources stored on the Internet. With edge computing, glitches and other problems at factories can be promptly handled. Communication costs and data leakage risks can be also curbed as only selected data are sent to the cloud. Voter ID scam: Rajarajeshwarinagar poll likely to be countermanded India oi-Vicky Nanjappa In the wake of the huge voter identification card scam being unearthed, the BJP and JD(S) have both demanded the countermanding of elections at the Rajarajeshwarinagar constituency in Bengaluru. The Chief Electoral Officer, Sanjiv Kumar said at a hurriedly convened presser that 9,746 voter ID cards were found at a flat at the SLV Park View apartment which was owned by one Manjula Najamuri which was rented out to one Rakesh. EC officials who visited the flat also found five laptops and a printer. There were two large steel trunks with around Rs one lakh counterfoil strips that resembled acknowledgement slips used for addition of new names on to the electoral rolls. Congress to emerge as single largest party in Karnataka, predicts Public TV opinion poll Among the contestants from the seat are: Muniratna of the Congress, P M Muniraju of BJP and G H Ramachandra of JD(S). Kumar said that the issue was a serious one. There were more than one lakh counterfoils that had been found in the apartment. We will ensure that free and fair polls are conducted, he also said. Ananth Kumar also said that illegalities were found in Chamundeshwari and Badami constituencies where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is contesting. "By deciding to contest from Badami, Siddaramaiah has already admitted defeat in Chamundeshwari. He is doing everything in his capacity to rig the elections. The BJP has demanded that the Election Commission deploy paramilitary forces in every booth in Chamundeshwari," the BJP leader also said. Rahul says ready to be PM in 2019, BJP asks if he has given up Karnataka already He said that the apartment belonged to a BJP leader and ex-corporator Manjula Najamari. She had rented it to her adopted son, who had contested the BBMP elections in 2015 and lost, he added. 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 We are fighting for Congress Sarkar, not Rahul ki sarkar: Chidambaram India oi-Vikas By Vikas The Congress is finding itself in a tight spot after Rahul Gandhi expressed his willingness to become the prime minister if his party emerges as the single largest party in 2019 General Elections. With BJP trying to corner the Congress over Gandhi's remark, the grand old party now seems to be in a damage control mode. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy yesterday dubbed Rahul's remark as "immature", adding that Congress president's comment may push other parties away from forging an alliance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in Karnataka today (May 9), termed Rahul's remark as "nothing but arrogance." Amid blistering attack by the BJP, former finance minister P Chidambaram came out in defence of Rahul and his party. "Last time when Rajnath was party president, the posters saying 'Abki bar BJP sarkar' were replaced overnight by 'Abki bar Modi sarkar'. We are not like them, we aren't saying 'Rahul ki sarkar'. We are fighting for 'Congress Sarkar'," News 18 quoted Chidambaram as saying. [Rahul says ready to be PM in 2019, BJP asks if he has given up Karnataka already] Rahul Gandhi who was in Bengaluru yesterday (May 8) was responding to questions by journalists on whether he was willing to become the PM if the the Congress gets the numbers in 2019. "If the Congress wins with the single largest majority, then why not," he said. ['Rahul Gandhi declaring himself PM candidate nothing but arrogance,' says PM Modi] It was the first time that Rahul Gandhi openly expressed his interest in taking up the mantle. Although he was an MP when the UPA was in power, he did not join the cabinet led by Dr. Manmohan Singh. He officially took over as the president of the Congress from his mother Sonia Gandhi in December ahead of the Gujarat elections. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 13:30 [IST] What does it take to be a good leader and a performing CM in a progressive state like Karnataka? India oi-Oneindia Staff By B S Yeddyurappa This question arises when one has a cursory look at the work and decisions that have taken place between 2013-18 by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. The least that can be said is - the Chief Minister lost an opportunity to serve the people in a meaningful way. The under-performance of Mr Siddaramaiah began since the time he assumed office in May, 2013. He began showing his dishonesty hours after assuming office. He did some cosmetic changes in the rice distribution scheme under the PDS run by the Central government and took undue credit by claiming that it was his brainchild. He undermined the Centre's financial contribution to distribute the highly subsidized rice to BPL families. He also wrongly projected that crores of people in Karnataka were going hungry till he began the distribution of rice. There can't be more insult than this to hard working people of this state. This sort of false labeling was extended to the Centre's schemes - Ujjwala - free LPG for poor women, as the Mukhya Mantri Anila Bhagya Yojane and Ujala as Hosabelaku to distribute subsidized LED bulbs among others. In his maiden year as the Chief Minister, he became so engrossed in preparing for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections that he forgot to notice the prevailing drought in many districts. While spitting venom against a tall leader of the BJP, he ended up using an unparliamentary word, all for the sake of votes. Finally, he had to clam up after getting admonished by the Election Commission. Of course, the Congress lost the poll battle to the BJP. In his maiden budget, he began his divide and rule policy to appease only a certain sections of society. He began doling out freebies instead of empowering them. Even he had no time to study a draft legislation to ban anti-superstitious practices. He sent the draft bill to cold storage as the draft indicated that the government had the intention of banning Hindu beliefs rather than banning blind beliefs. The same was opposed by the BJP as well as the public. Forget governing the state, he could not even have a full-fledged ministerial team. He turned out to be that helpless. Underperformance of his ministerial colleagues became evident in the second year itself as none could show case their work to people. When water-starved districts began demanding water for drinking purpose, the government could not even take a firm stand on providing Netravati river water to drought-hit districts. The government had no interest or time to even study the crucial Dr Kasturirangan report despite the Centre seeking its opinion. Even after stepping into the third year in office, the government could not make its presence felt. The chief minister often got publicity for not doing a commendable job but for slipping into deep sleep in public functions. His ministers too followed his footsteps. Even Mr Siddaramaiah's chair began shaking as there were demands within the ruling party to change the leadership. When he was trying to patch-up with his detractors, his name got entangled in the Arkavati layout land scam. The matter went to the Lokayukta and later the Justice Kempaiah commission of inquiry was set up to probe into it. Mr Siddaramaiah, who calls himself a champion of the oppressed and depressed, had to face one more embarrassment when his social welfare minister faced corruption charges. Pillows, beds and bedspreads meant for poor SC/ST students of government hostels were purchased only on paper. When he came under the media glare and the BJP began questioning, the minister became defensive while the Chief Minister remained silent. When Mr Siddaramaiah was slowly losing grip over administration, Prof M M Kalburgi, a well-known academician, was killed at his residence in a peaceful city like Dharwad. Till today, the assailants have not been arrested. Probably, Mr Siddaramaiah's countdown began in 2016 itself despite launching of many Bhagya schemes to appease only the Congress' presumed traditional vote bank. He lost the trust of the people when he almost closed the Lokayukta institution, the premier anti-corruption watchdog. He was the one who projected himself as a crusader against corruption by going on a padayatra, before coming to power. He opened the Anti-Corruption Bureau and took over the prosecuting powers from the police of the Lokayukta. The ACB became an extended hand of the government. Another black spot in his administration was the II PU Chemistry exam paper leak. It happened not once but twice. The Chief Minister had no time even to guide his junior colleague, the education minister, as to how to handle such mega scam or console the students. However, he had time to defend his doctor son's efforts to run his personal medical business establishment from a government hospital premises in Bengaluru. Till the public opposed the efforts to grab the public hospital space to run the private business, he did not take action. Finally, the son had to quit the company as the director. Now, the same son is sweating out to become a people's representative. Mr Siddaramaiah's penchant for accepting expensive gifts came to light when he flaunted lakhs of rupees worth Hublot wristwatch. He gave evasive replies when asked the source of the gift. Finally, the embarrassed CM got rid of it by depositing it with the government. The Chief Minister did his best to defend two of his controversial ministers - H Y Meti and K J George. While the sleaze CD pertaining to Meti left the Congress ashamed, Police officer of Kodagu origin, M K Ganapathi's suicide note blaming the then Home Minister K J George exposed the political interference in the police department. Finally, both the ministers had to exit from the cabinet. But Mr Siddaramaiah was so particular to get back George, that he had kept a berth vacant till he got a 'no-guilt certificate' for him from the CID. George, the stubborn, had to put in his papers only after the court directed the government to file a FIR against him. Since 2013, the police department has been showing its inability to maintain law and order or book lawless people. Over a dozen Hindu youths were attacked or murdered but none in the government expressed remorse for the heinous acts. Forget giving justice to common man, even the family of IAS officer D K Ravi, who committed suicide, had to struggle to get justice from the government. A top police officer, soon after seeing the body, had declared that it was a suicide. This conclusion was much before any investigation agency probed into the death.Due to pressure, the Chief Minister first got it probed by the state agency - CID. After lapse of time, he handed it over to the CBI. He did the same with the Ganapathi case too. This is the state of affairs of the home department, which saw 3 home ministers and one 'super home minister' in the last 5 years. The police are still probing the murder of journalist activist Gauri Lankesh. When the controversial George became Bengaluru development minister, he had to face the wrath of the people as he silently promoted the steel flyover project to connect 6.7 kms from Basavaveshwara Circle to Hebbal at a cost of Rs 1,791 cr. Cutting hundreds of trees for making way to this ill-conceived project was not acceptable to Bengalureans or the BJP. Finally, the chief minister had to abandon it. The government could not even defend the project. In 2017, the government woke up finally after realizing that it has to face people once again next year. Mr Siddaramaiah shunted a Dalit leader, Dr G Parameshwara, from the cabinet and confined him as the party president. When the Chief Minister began rolling out statistics to show his love for Bengaluru, the biggest lake of Bengaluru, Bellandur, began burning due to the dumping of toxic waste. Not less than 15 Bengalureans died falling into the overflowing and choked drains. Even potholes turned into death traps. Just a spell of rain left the infrastructure further crumbling. In the name of sprucing up the city, roads are being dug up and footpaths are getting vanished. The citizens are clueless about the work as there is no transparency in governance. It is not for no reason an independent agency has ranked Karnataka as the No. 1 corrupt state in the country. Finally when it came to 2018, Mr Siddaramaiah got into field, not to work but to put up hoardings and issue advertisements claiming that he is the best and his government is the Number 1. Karnataka witnessed 73% drop in business investment realization in 2017. Still, the chief minister advertised that Karnataka is the No. 1 in attracting investments. What's the point in having investments only on paper? Meanwhile, a few months before going to the polls, he became very busy in reducing the strength of Hindus by pursuing his divisive politics. Why will responsible and intelligent people of Karnataka once again make the blunder of voting for the Congress? March With BJP in Karnataka to See Development. (B S Yeddyurappa is State President of BJP Karnataka and Former Chief Minister of Karnataka) MP: This chicken was detained, not in a kitchen but at a police station! You are invited to the unique band baaja baaraat of Kaliya, Sundari in Chhattisgarh India oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff Raipur, May 9: If you are tired of the buzz surrounding the blockbuster wedding of Bollywood diva Sonam Kapoor with businessman Anand Ahuja, then welcome to the "unique" marriage of Kaliya and Sundari in Chhattisgarh. Well, Kaliya and Sundari are not your regular groom and bride, but a rooster and a hen belonging to the Kadaknath breed. The wedding was solemnised by the locals recently in Dantewada's Hiranar to spread awareness about the benefits of rearing of the Kadaknath breed-- black-feathered chickens. "Chhattisgarh: A rooster 'Kaliya' & a hen 'Sundari' of Kadaknath breed were married off in Dantewada's Hiranar yesterday. Locals say 'The wedding took place with the motive to spread awareness about Kadaknath rearing & its benefits'," tweeted ANI. Chhattisgarh: A rooster 'Kaliya' & a hen 'Sundari' of Kadaknath breed were married off in Dantewada's Hiranar yesterday. Locals say 'The wedding took place with the motive to spread awareness about Kadaknath rearing & its benefits'. (05.05.2018) pic.twitter.com/IIFiQojPue ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2018 As a part of the wedding, invitation cards were printed, the mandap (the wedding venue) was decorated, music was played and a grand feast was also hosted for the invitees. The "bizarre" wedding, which has created a lot of buzz in the poultry-breeding circle of the state, has come at a time after Chhattisgarh has recently lost the "battle" for Geographical Indication (GI) tag of "its own Kadaknath chicken" to Madhya Pradesh. "We perform weddings of frogs too but the thought of marrying our own Kadaknath dawned when the extinction of female hens came under control and they returned to their normal population. We felt it should be celebrated. It's also an initiative to spread awareness among people and inbuilt a feeling of belongingness towards Kadaknath hens," Ludru Nag, district president of Dantewada poultry farms and also family of groom Kaliya, told The Times of India. Now, the locals of the area are hoping that after the wedding more and more people will rear Kadaknath chickens and earn a great deal of moolah out of it. After all, Kadaknath chickens are very popular among the meat-loving people for its "special taste". And, yes, they are pricey too. A kilogram of Kadaknath chicken sells at Rs 500 in the market. We must say quite a pricey wedding of Kaliya and Sundari. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 7:04 [IST] India worried over Chinas presence in Indian Ocean: Chinese media International oi-Shubham By Shubham India is worried over losing its influence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and it showed when it reportedly deployed 50 warships there to monitor the Chinese Navy's activities, China's Global Times said on Tuesday, May 8. It also cited a report by Hindustan Times which quoted India's : "Over the last decade, China has developed the capacity to operate its warships at a great distance from its shores and for long periods of time," Indian media Hindustan Times reported, citing Sunil Lanba, India's chief of naval staff, as saying. Lanba said the Indian Navy was "keeping a sharp eye on the pattern and periodicity of extra-regional deployments" in the Indian Ocean, the report said, also adding him saying that a fleet of 50 combat-ready Indian warships was carrying out surveillance round the clock. Lanba also said that China is here to stay in the Indian Ocean and its military activity has made the concerns over its intent in the region deep. Speaking on the issue, an expert at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of International Relations said India has always been sensitive towards China's military activity in the Indian Ocean for it feels Beijing's presence there would curb its influence there, the Global Times report said. The Chinese expert, however, disagreed with the Hindustan Times report which said China was using "debt-trap diplomacy" to solidify its grip on countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Maldives to gain territorial influence. He said China always follows the principle of mutual benefit and even has discharged big debts of some poor South Asian countries, the Global Times report added. He also said that though India has adjusted its China policy and relations between the two neighbours have improved, yet the onus lied on India to give wings to its words on promoting relations with China. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping for informal yet significant talks in Wuhan city in central-eastern China's Hubei province on April 27 and 28. The two spoke on a range of issues including border tension, trade, anti-terrorist efforts and people-to-people contacts. The Global Times also said the wake of the meeting that India and China should overcome competition and find a common ground to fight against protectionism, which Donald Trump's United States has been promoting. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 12:19 [IST] Iran deal wasn't an agreement between my administration & Tehran, says Obama International oi-Shubham By Shubham The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or the Iran nuclear deal was accomplished between Tehran and major world powers, including the US, during his time. And when his successor Donald Trump decided to withdraw from it, former American president Barack Obama couldn't hide his disappointment, calling the decision "misguided" and a "serious mistake". Penning his opinion on the episode on his personal Facebook page, Obama, the USA's first black president, said the US had negotiated the Iran deal to serve its security and also avert a potentially destructive war in the Middle East. "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working - that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense. The JCPOA is in America's interest - it has significantly rolled back Iran's nuclear program. And the JCPOA is a model for what diplomacy can accomplish - its inspections and verification regime is precisely what the United States should be working to put in place with North Korea. Indeed, at a time when we are all rooting for diplomacy with North Korea to succeed, walking away from the JCPOA risks losing a deal that accomplishes - with Iran - the very outcome that we are pursuing with the North Koreans," Obama wrote, pointing out the contradiction in Trump's policies vis-a-vis North Korea and Iran - two countries that have emerged as a serious threat to world peace because of their boundless nuclear ambitions. Trump exits Iran deal: Here are international agreements that US has quit in Trump presidency The Trump administration has already pulled the US out of key international agreements like the Paris climate deal, Trans-Pacific Partnership and Unesco and also let its displeasure known over organisations like Nato and Nafta. Defending the deal, Obama said the JCPOA was not a pact which was made between his administration and Iran. " After years of building an international coalition that could impose crippling sanctions on Iran, we reached the JCPOA together with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union, Russia, China, and Iran. It is a multilateral arms control deal, unanimously endorsed by a United Nations Security Council Resolution," Obama said, taking a clear-cut dig at Trump over his quashing everything that his predecessor had accomplished during his stay in office between 2009 and 2016. Obama also said that the deal succeeded in rolling back the Iranians' nuclear programme. He said the agreement "put a lid" on Iran's capacity to rush towards possessing a bomb. He said it was the JCPOA which saw Iran destroy the core of a reactor that could have produced weapons-grade plutonium and removed a majority of its centrifuges and put them under international monitoring besides getting rid of 97 per cent of its stockpiles of enriched uranium - required to build a bomb. Obama also tore apart the allegation that Iran was giving little value to the trust that the West had put on over its nuclear programme. "The JCPOA does not rely on trust - it is rooted in the most far-reaching inspections and verification regime ever negotiated in an arms control deal. Iran's nuclear facilities are strictly monitored. International monitors also have access to Iran's entire nuclear supply chain, so that we can catch them if they cheat. Without the JCPOA, this monitoring and inspections regime would go away," the former president added. Obama also said that the Iran deal was never going to solve all problems that were related to Tehran. He said the world was always worried over Iran's "destabilising behaviour" and to counter that, it was necessary to first prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon and the JCPOA was serving that purpose well. "Every aspect of Iranian behavior that is troubling is far more dangerous if their nuclear program is unconstrained. Our ability to confront Iran's destabilizing behavior - and to sustain a unity of purpose with our allies - is strengthened with the JCPOA, and weakened without it," Obama said, adding: "Because of these facts, I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake." For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 11:23 [IST] Collapse of Kabul will go down as one of the greatest defeats in American history: Donald Trump Thousands of terrorists might have been airlifted out of Kabul: Trump slams Biden Never in history has withdrawal from war been handled so badly: Trump President Trump eventually pulls out of Iran deal; shatters Obama legacy International oi-Shubham By Shubham The apprehension came true as US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, May 8, announced that he was taking his country out of the Iran nuclear deal which was made with the West Asian country during the rule of his predecessor Barack Obama in 2015 to curb its nuclear ambition. Trump's decision will see sanctions getting reinforced on Iran along with the possibility of new economic penalties to stop it from pursuing nuclear armament. The decision came after weeks of speculations about what Trump as going to do with the deal he termed "ridiculous" and "insane" in the past. May 12 was the deadline for Trump to announce his stand on the issue and he eventually took the extreme step despite efforts by the USA's European allies like France, Germany and the UK to dissuade him. Trump said at the White House on Tuesday: "I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal." Trump had also warned earlier that he would not allow the Iranians to restart their nuclear pursuits. Though it was not clear how things will proceed in the wake of Washington's withdrawal from the deal as the other powers that are party to the deal might find some path to keep a semblance of the deal intact. Besides the US, the four other members of the UN Security Council and Germany and the European Union are parties to the deal that contained Iran's nuclear ambitions in exchange of lifting crippling sanctions that were imposed on it. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani who had threatened of consequence if the US quit the deal said on Monday, May 7, that it would survive even if Trump decided to withdraw from it. The Trump era has seen the US pulling out of a number of key international agreements, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Paris climate agreement and now the Iran deal. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 5:50 [IST] Collapse of Kabul will go down as one of the greatest defeats in American history: Donald Trump Trump exits Iran deal: Here are international agreements that US has quit in Trump presidency International oi-Shubham By Shubham US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, May 8, pulled his country out of the crucial Iran nuclear deal which the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama had made with Tehran along with other major powers to contain its nuclear weapons ambition. The president didn't care for the international concern over the ramifications of the withdrawal which could see tension getting heightened in West Asia over Iran's nuclear programme. However, this is not the first time that Trump has pulled out of an international deal. The 45th incumbent of the White House has pulled the US out of a number of key international agreements since taking over in January 2017, reiterating his distrust in the ideas of multilateralism and international cooperation in a pursuit of "America First" policy. Here are some key deals from which US has withdrawn in the Trump presidency: Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): Two weeks into his term, Trump fulfilled his electoral promise by withdrawing the 12-nation TPP which was a key milestone of Obama's Asia policy. Trump said the withdrawal was in favour of the American worker. His executive order to scrap the deal was symbolic since it wasn't ratified by a divided US Congress. Trump was against the TPP for he felt it was against America's manufacturing interests. Trump's act of pulling out of TPP was, however, praised even by some members in the Opposition Democratic Party, like Senator Bernie Sanders. The TPP was a trade deal covering 40 per cent of the world's economy which was negotiated in 2015 by countries like the US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia and others. Its aim was to improve economic ties and boost growth, including reducing tariffs. President Trump eventually pulls out of Iran deal; shatters Obama legacy Paris climate deal: Trump withdrew from yet another Obama-era deal concerning climate change in June 2017, backing the idea that it was a threat to America's economy and sovereignty. Trump announced on that occasion that the 2015 pact dealt with American businesses and workers unfairly. He though earned applause from his Republican Party but environmentalists, political leaders and businessmen from across the planet criticised the move. The US's withdrawal from the Paris climate deal was massive since the pact signed by 195 countries was a major effort by mankind to tackle the threatening problem of pollution to the environment. Trump said countries like India and China gained from it but overlooked the fact that the exit of the world's second-largest polluter would defeat the purpose of sustainable development. Trump also said that he wanted to negotiate a better deal. United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco): In October 2017, the US and its West Asian ally Israel announced their withdrawal from the Unesco after Washington accused it of "anti-Israel bias". The US said it would place an "observer mission" instead of continuing with its representation at the Paris-based body. Israel followed suit, calling Trump's decision "brave and mroal". In 2011, the US was upset when Unesco granted Palestine its full membership despite Israel's resistance for it believes the Palestinians should be given recognition by the UN only after a peace deal is achieved in the Middle East. The Obama administration withdrew funding but maintained its membership. Though Trump is not the first president to have a sour experience with the Unesco (Republican president Ronald Reagan had also left it to protest its 'pro-Soviet leanings' in 1984 but George W Bush brought it back in 2002) but the current president's disapproval of international cooperation made his exit from the Unesco look starker. Iran nuclear deal: The Iran deal, formally known as the Joint Plan of Action, is the third major deal that the US has quit before Trump finished 18 months in office. On May 8, 2018, Trump declared at the White House that he was pulling out of the deal, sending shock waves across the international community which was nervously awaiting his decision to reinforce sanctions on Iran. Other parties to the deal, however, did not embrace Trump's decision and it looks the deal would still be in force albeit in a limping state. The Iran deal was yet another Obama-era feat which Trump looked to demolish from the very beginning as he felt it was "ridiculous" and "insane" and gave the Iranians an unfair advantage. Trump's decision immensely pleased Israel - one of Iran's biggest foes - as it had been alleging that Tehran was secretly violating the deal to boost its nuclear arsenal. These deals have come under considerable attack: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato): Trump though has not officially ended the USA's marriage with the Nato but he hasn't hid his displeasure either. In May 2017, he did not explicitly embrace the mutual aid clause of the Nato at its Brussels summit, keeping the alliance under uncertainty. Though he formally praised the Nato for its response to the 9/11 terror attacks in the US, he did not commit to uphold Article 5 which says that other allies of the Nato must come to the help of an ally which has found itself under attack. He also used the occasion to rebuke the Nato allies saying terrorism would be better fought if the members of the Nato paid their fair share for the common defence. He even mocked Nato's new headquarters where the summit took place, saying he didn't ask about its costs. North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta): In October 2017, Trump took on the Nafta which features Canada and Mexico besides the US saying it was "possible" that the US dumping the deal which was inked in 1994. Trump said this in the presence of the prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, who was visiting the US at that time. He said if they failed to make a deal, "it'll be terminated", adding that the US needed to protect its own workers. He also refused to call Nafta a fair deal. Canada and Mexico agreed to the fact that the Nafta could be upgraded but none went as berserk as Trump to call for its end. The USA's immigration issues with Mexico could also leave a major impact on the Nafta as Trump has threatened time and again. Modi to meet Putin over informal talks: How Trump is helping rest of the world to come closer India snubs US ban on Iran, says it abides only by UN sanctions Trump ruined US credibility, Tehran Times says even before his call on Iran deal came International oi-Shubham By Shubham Iran's leading daily Tehran Times on Tuesday, May 8, said no matter what decision US President Donald Trump took on the nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers, he had already shattered the US's reputation and credibility by repeatedly attacking the deal endorsed by the entire international community. In a piece 'Trump has ruined U.S. credibility with or without nuclear deal', the Tehran Times said Trump, a real estate magnate, "overgeneralized his transactional view of international conventions and laws" and treated the deal more as a commodity than an internationally binding pact. It said Trump's take on the JCPOA was nothing but a mockery of the international law. It also cited the adjectives that Trump used against the JCPOA, like "horrible", "worst", "laughable" and others. Trump exits Iran deal: Here are international agreements that US has quit in Trump presidency Iran also agreed to implement an additional protocol to the IAEA Safeguards Agreement which would continue eternally. "Today anybody with a little bit of mind is advising against the abrogation of the agreement. However, Trump and other headstrong people like Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley, Rudy Giuliani and John Bolton are pushing for a withdrawal from the agreement," the Tehran Times piece said in an utterly caustic tone. Iran deal wasn't an agreement between my administration & Tehran, says Obama "Trump, who has got different nicknames such as "racist-in-chief", "liar-in-chief", "king of chaos" and "saboteur-in-chief", has so far dealt a great blow to the reputation of America in the world and is somehow pushing the world toward anarchy and lawlessness and fueling radicalism," the piece concluded. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 11:53 [IST] UN chief "deeply concerned" over Trump's decision to exit Iran nuclear deal International pti-PTI United Nations, May 9: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is "deeply concerned" over President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, calling on all other nations to support the agreement and preserve the deal. Trump made the announcement at the White House on Tuesday and signed a memorandum to begin reinstating economic sanctions on Iran at "the highest level". In a statement released shortly afterwards, Guterres said he was "deeply concerned" by the announcement that the US would withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and reinstate sanctions on Iran. "I have consistently reiterated that the JCPOA represents a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation and diplomacy and has contributed to regional and international peace and security," he said. The JCPOA reached by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the US and the European Union sets out rigorous mechanisms for monitoring restrictions placed on Iran's nuclear programme, while paving the way for the lifting UN sanctions against the country. "It is essential that all concerns regarding the implementation of the Plan be addressed through the mechanisms established in the JCPOA," Guterres said, adding that "issues not directly related to the JCPOA" should be addressed separately, "without prejudice to preserving the agreement and its accomplishments." The UN chief called on other JCPOA participants to abide by their respective commitments and on all other member states to support the agreement. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a statement saying that according to its December 2015 Board of Governors report, "the agency had no credible indication of activities in Iran relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device after 2009." At the Board of Governors meeting in March, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano had said Iran was abiding by the deal and IAEA inspectors had been given access to all sites and locations, upon request. "If the JCPOA were to fail, it would be a great loss for nuclear verification and for multilateralism," he said. The leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom have expressed regret and concern over Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the JCPOA. In a joint statement from Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron emphasised their "continuing commitment" to the JCPOA. They urged the US to ensure that the structures of the JCPOA remained intact, and to "avoid" taking action which "obstructs" its full implementation by all other parties to the deal. "We call on the US to do everything possible to preserve the gains for nuclear non-proliferation brought about by the JCPOA, by allowing for a continued enforcement of its main elements," they said in the statement. They also encouraged Iran to show "restraint" in response to the decision by the US. "Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA inspection requirements. The IAEA must be able to continue to carry out its long-term verification and monitoring programme without restriction or hindrance. In turn, Iran should continue to receive the sanctions relief it is entitled to whilst it remains in compliance with the terms of the deal," they said. The leaders said that according to the IAEA, Iran continued to abide by the restrictions set out by the JCPOA, in line with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. "The world is a safer place as a result. Therefore we, the E3, will remain parties to the JCPOA. Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case, including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement," they said. PTI Dairy farm with added juice An effluent plant on the doorstep and plenty of channel water help Marion and Charlie Coote grow fodder year round on their 800-cow dairy farm near Shepparton but a forced return to NZ means the property will be auctioned later this month. 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. 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. Hojaji - Iranian beheaded in Syria (Image by USA Today) Details DMCA The US, French and British have effectively invaded Syria in order to overthrow the Syrian government after six fruitless years of arming and training rebels and inflicting 'advisers' and NGOs as part of their policy of subversion. This new boldness in promoting the imperial agenda worries the entire world from Russia, to China and Iran, and many in the West itself, where demonstrations have sprung up in the past few weeks as the US ramps up its campaign to topple Syrian President Assad. The latest gas is actually an Israeli one, which was tested in the Gazans' Great March of Return in April. It was designed to incapacitate protesters, using unmanned drones to drop the gas on the demonstrators, careful not to hit Israeli spectators cheering the IDF as they watched from guard towers. The gases have caused protesters' bodies to convulse. Many lost consciousness for several hours. Protesters were being targeted in their lower body, with 55 shot with live ammunition in their genitals, in an effort to cause infertility. Some 47 unarmed Palestinians have been killed since 30 March when the Right of Return March was launch. A further 7,900 were injured. The hysteria over supposed gas attacks by Assad on rebels is laughable. Not only is it a false flag, but Israel is notoriously using an array of toxic gases against Palestinians every day without any criticism, including tear gas and stink gas. The US has used toxic bombs regularly since the end of WWII (e.g., agent orange, depleted uranium). Now Israel faces increasing world condemnation for its crimes against Palestinians in their peaceful Great March of Return, a revived Assad in Syria, a strong Hezbollah, fresh from its election victory in Lebanon, and a battle-ready Iran. Iranian casualties in Syria are not counted, but in the US bombing in April, Iranian forces were targeted and seven died. As many as 20 died in a later unidentified bombing. All Iran mourned the martyr Hojaji, who was beheaded by ISIS in 2017, recorded and shown to the world on video. Iran is proud to help defeat ISIS in Syria. What was the reason for the invasion? What is the likely outcome? The original plan of US-Israel was to overthrow Assad, set up a pro-western regime which would knock out Hezbollah, and eventually Syria would be forced to sign an agreement with Israel like Egypt's. Or, failing that, the splitting up of Syria into warring mini-states which are no threat to Israel. This would leave the road open to Tehran. The real fear for Israel is that their ISIS proxies are collapsing, as Hezbollah takes advantage of the situation. It has increased its supply of arms, and is battle-hardened from six years of fighting in Syria. It is ready and waiting for the next Israeli provocation. Prior to the 2006 conflict, Hezbollah had approximately 13,000 rockets and used at least 4,000 of them to prolong the conflict in its favor. The group now boasts some 150,000 rockets and missiles, including Russian-supplied missiles that can hit anywhere in Israel, according to a Lebanese commander. Israel is desperate, as Assad continues to drive the ISIS-type insurgents out. This is not to Israel's satisfaction, as it benefits from the crazy rebels with their pseudo-caliphate. These rebels are happy to use quiet Israeli support to further undermine Assad and prevent a strong Syria from emerging. They are oblivious to the reality of their situation, which is directly serving US-Israel. Events in recent months give food for thought. Israel shot down what it claimed was an Iranian drone that violated its airspace near the Syrian border in February. When Israel decided to bomb the site from which it alleged the unarmed drone was launched, Syria responded by activating its defense systems and shot down an Israeli F-16 war plane. Russia has installed S-400 anti-aircraft missiles. The slow motion invasion/ occupation by US-Israel is the culmination of the decades-old attempt to dismantle the Syrian state, but it has failed. What will the losers' next move be? The ultimate goal is war against Iran, as revealed in a memo by Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld in 2002 that describes how the US was "going to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran." But this goal remains tantalizingly out of reach. Syria did not fall. The Syrian government invited Russia and Iran to help defeat the terrorists. It did not invite the US or anyone else and is not going to invite these enemies in to help reconstruct the devastation they caused. Syria is not Afghanistan, and if US-Israel goes ahead as planned, this could lead to open conflict with Russia and Iran. The situation is grim, but also black and white to any person of reason. Syria will not be destroyed. Hezbollah will not be defeated. The Russians will not cave in to the US. The Palestinians will continue their struggle for justice. It is a crucial moment for all people to take a stand for justice. Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 To remove advertising from OpEdNews, please become a premium member "Rob Kall's must-read book offers a VIP look at todays many "connection revolutions," plus key suggestions for bottom-up leadership in each one." Susan Strong, author of Move Our Message: How to Get America's Ear 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 Reader Supported News John Bolton's ascent to one of the most important positions in government and Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran nuclear deal, have allowed an avowed terrorist group -- and its cult-like leader -- to take on a position of authority in Washington and in American foreign policy. The Mujahedin e-Khalq (MEK), or People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran, has a long history of terrorism, of murder, and of attacks on civilians. But its chief Washington lobbyist, John Bolton, is seeing to it that the MEK will be the go-to-organization in the event that "regime change" comes to Tehran. That in and of itself is a crime. The MEK is as much a cult as it is a terrorist group. It was created in 1965 by a husband and wife team, Massoud and Miryam Rajavi. They combined Islamism with Marxism and helped to overthrow the Shah of Iran, carrying out bombings and terrorist attacks in Tehran for nearly 15 years, including against Americans. In November 1970, the group attempted and failed to kidnap Douglas MacArthur II, the US ambassador to Iran, and in 1972, they assassinated US Air Force Brigadier General Harold Price. The MEK was reportedly the first group ever to use an improvised explosive device. The MEK supported the Ayatollah Khomeini and the takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979, but they split with the regime because their personalized brand of violent Marxism didn't fit in the new Shia Muslim theocracy. The Rajavis, along with their 5,000-member "National Liberation Army," the MEK's military wing, finally fled to Saddam Hussein's Iraq in 1981. They were the perfect propaganda tools for Saddam, and he provided them with money, weapons, safe haven, and a military base along the border with Iran so that they could attack Iranian villages, border guards, and soldiers and then retreat to the safety of Iraqi territory. Rank-and-file Iranians, including leftists, came to regard the Rajavis as traitors because of their alliance with Saddam and because of news reports that Massoud Rajavi had personally identified Iranian targets for the Iraqi military to attack and because MEK operatives would slip into Tehran and carry out assassinations. Indeed, the Rajavis murdered Iranian brigadier general Ali Sayyad Shirazi on the front steps of his home in 1999. And that is the basis of the American political right's love affair with the MEK. Massoud Rajavi disappeared in Iraq in 2003 and has not been seen or heard from since. Miryam immediately assumed leadership and, upon Saddam's overthrow, surrendered to US forces. It was her hatred of the Iranian government that made her an attractive propaganda figure to the likes of John Bolton, then serving as George W. Bush's Undersecretary of State for International Security. Never mind that Miryam had been charged with crimes against humanity for her role in Saddam's massacre of Shia Muslims in southern Iraq in 1991. Never mind that she had actively sought -- and carried out -- the assassinations of American officials in Iran. Never mind that the MEK was on the State Department's list of terrorist groups, as well as terrorist lists in the European Union and at the United Nations. John Bolton decided that they should be rehabilitated and that the group should be represented in Washington. This wasn't just John Bolton's position, borne of his hatred of all things Iranian. It was also part of Miryam Rajavi's forward-looking policies. She understood that anyone and anything in Washington could be purchased. And so she hired lobbyists. The first order of business was getting the MEK off the terrorist list. Lobbyists Joe DiGenova (Ronald Reagan's former US attorney for the Southern District of New York), the giant international law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and, yes, John Bolton worked the issue. They succeeded, and the MEK was taken off the list in 2012. It reportedly cost the group millions of dollars. Miryam also began paying enormous speaking fees to American politicians and then leveraging those relationships to lobby on the group's behalf. The New York Times and other outlets reported that Democrats who have taken MEK money include former Vermont governor Howard Dean, former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, and former House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Lee Hamilton. The MEK is equally generous with Republicans. Recipients of the MEK's largesse include former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, former secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, former attorney general Michael Mukasey, and former White House chief of staff Andrew Card. Even Alan Dershowitz and Elie Wiesel got in on the action. This is emblematic of everything that stinks in Washington. It's all about the money. Everybody at the upper levels of government eventually gets rich. That's always the plan. Do your time making $160,000 a year in some federal position and then cash in, even if you have to get in bed with terrorists. It's a bipartisan play. Bolton is making it worse, though. It's not just about the money for him. Sure, the MEK helped to make him rich. But he wants something more. He wants to overthrow the Iranian government and install Miryam Rajavi as its new leader. We've already seen the first step in that direction. Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA and ramped up the rhetoric against the Iranian government. He's doing Benjamin Netanyahu's bidding here, all with the full support of the royal families of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. That's always been the plan for all of them. Meanwhile, Miryam Rajavi is waiting patiently. If John Bolton has his way, she will be the next in a long line of US puppets around the world, even if her path has been decidedly circuitous. It doesn't matter that she has murdered American citizens. It doesn't matter that she is wanted in Iraq for crimes against humanity. It doesn't matter that she's listed by the United Nations as an "international cult leader." She's a part of John Bolton's plans. Expect to see a lot more of her in the coming few years. Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News. 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. "Budgets are statements of values, and it is inexcusable to me that California is number one in per prisoner spending, and number 41 in per pupil spending" - Candidate Delaine Eastin It has been almost four years since John Deasy was forced to resign from the LAUSD after a failed $1.3-billion iPad program and spearheading the "disastrous" MiSiS computer system, which cost the district over $189 million. The LAUSD had promoted him to the role of Superintendent "without so much as a job interview" and ignored his "shady history of allegedly lying about his credentials and snatching up money wherever he [could] find it". Among the remnants of his tenure is the District's fractured relationship with its teachers whom he constantly bullied as he led the country's second-largest school district. While Monica Garcia and the rest of the LAUSD Board deserve the ultimate blame for the damage that Deasy did to the LAUSD, Antonio Villaraigosa's role in bringing him to the district should not be ignored. As the mayor of Los Angeles, Villaraigosa made "all the moves behind the scenes to make [Deasy's promotion] happen." He praised the appointment by stating that "the Los Angeles Unified School District is lucky to have him". If he could do that much damage as mayor, imagine what would happen to public education if Eli Broad's puppet takes control of the Governor's mansion. For anyone who supports public education, defeating Villaraigosa must be a priority. With this in mind, I forwarded the following questions to the four candidates that I thought would be the most deserving of my vote: State Senator Jim Beall has introduced SB 1362 charter schools: petitions: chartering authority duties: oversight costs which would provide for greater oversight of charter schools. As governor will you sign this bill? California consistently spends less per student on education than most other states. Would you commit to improving this? If so, how? Do you support the NAACP's call for a moratorium on charter schools? Gavin Newsom: Early on in this election cycle, I would have thought that Newsom would have been my candidate of choice. His political bravery in taking on marriage equality as mayor of San Francisco showed how progressive leadership at the local level could correct injustices on the national stage. However, I began to have second thoughts after seeing him speak at an East Area Progressive Democrats meeting last September. As part of his opening remarks, Newson stated that he is not interested in the debate about whether "Eli Broad was right or whether or not the CTA was wrong" while condemning the policies of Betsy DeVos. What Newson did not explain is why DeVos should be singled out while Broad gets a pass. Since they both share the views on destroying public education, could it be the significant contributions that Broad makes to candidates from the Democrat party? Hoping to see some of the progressive leadership that existed in the mayor of San Francisco, I did send Newsom my questions but did not receive a response. Perhaps his time in Sacramento has diluted him from a fighter into a run-of-the-mill corporate Democrat. John Chiang: Josh Jones: In answering my questions, Jones also indicated that he would sign SB-1362 and supports the NAACP's moratorium. He reiterated that is a "corporate-free candidate" and that his "campaign is traveling to all of the 58 counties in California." Delaine Eastin: Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. See original here President Trump announced Tuesday he is pulling the United States out of the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal, brokered by his predecessor, President Obama. That same day, Trump's new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to North Korea to finalize plans for President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to hold a landmark face-to-face meeting. For more on President Trump, the Iran nuclear deal and efforts to avoid nuclear proliferation and nuclear war, we speak with Media Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink, author of "Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran." She has also participated in the peace delegation to North Korea, Women Cross DMZ. Transcript This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. JUAN GONZALEZ: And, Medea, I wanted to ask you -- you were very involved in the peace movement against the Iraq War. I'm wondering what your sense is of what needs to be done now to prevent a further deterioration of relationships between the United States and Iran, and what you think the peace movement should do, especially in light of the fact that some polls show as much as 63 percent of the American people believe the pact with Iran should be maintained. MEDEA BENJAMIN: Well, that's right. And we have to mobilize that public opinion, Juan. We've put out a letter to the people of Iran, an apology from the American people. We'd like hundreds of thousands of people to sign that. It's up on the CodePink.org website. We're reaching out to Iranians as people-to-people ties. We're also reaching out to our colleagues in Europe to see how we can strengthen their efforts and actually impose sanctions on the United States. We have to push our Congress to be speaking out against what Trump has done, and change the Congress come November. We have to tell the Iranians and the world community that Trump is hopefully not long to be in the White House, and that we want to get someone in there and people in Congress who will represent the American people, who, as you say, overwhelmingly are in support of the Iran nuclear deal and certainly don't want another war in the Middle East. We've seen how devastating the last 16 years have been to the people in the region, but also to our own economy. And we see right now, even from what Trump has done, the price of oil going up. And this is going to affect every single American. So we need to mobilize people -- left, right, independent -- to stop Trump from taking us into war with Iran. And I -- AMY GOODMAN: I want to also -- go ahead. MEDEA BENJAMIN: One last thing, just to say that there will be no solutions to any of the conflicts in the Middle East without Iran. We need Iran to work together to end the violence, the conflicts in the Middle East, in general. AMY GOODMAN: So, also want to talk about what this means for North Korea, when the president of the United States pulls out of a pact, this multi-country pact with Iran. I want to go back to Trump speaking yesterday. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Today's action sends a critical message: The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them. In fact, at this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un. Plans are being made. Relationships are building. Hopefully a deal will happen, and, with the help of China, South Korea and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone. AMY GOODMAN: So, President Trump says, "When I make promises, I keep them." When the U.S. makes promises, he breaks them. What does this mean, Medea Benjamin, for North Korea? You've also been extremely involved in trying to fight for peace on the Korean Peninsula. You were part of Women Cross the DMZ. What message is this sending on the eve of, apparently, this summit that will take place between Kim Jong-un and Trump? MEDEA BENJAMIN: Well, it certainly sends a message that Trump cannot be trusted. It sends the message to the world community, though, that you are in a better position to negotiate if you already have nuclear weapons, so you better get them quickly. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. If we listened to scientists we might get all upset about climate change. An example is the current article by Robert Hunziker reporting that a decade-old paper on the "worst case" has turned out to be conservative, even though it was intended not as a prediction but as a stimulus to get us thinking. Why has reality met or exceeded what was said to be the worst case? In part because the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has neglected many factors and used linear or straight-line projections. "In the real world 'discontinuities' (non-linear) are common throughout climate history," Hunziker explains. It's easy to grasp why purveyors of fossil fuels have funded candidates, lobbyists, and "think tanks" that protect their interests. Those who extract and sell coal, oil, and natural gas do not want to curtail their business and leave their reserves "in the ground." Stock prices would fall. Less easy to understand is what radical-right ideology could offer as a solution if climate change were happening. If you praise "the free market" as the cure for almost every economic problem, if you denounce government regulation, and if you have faith that we will be saved somehow by a technical device, then why worry? Climate change can't be real because, if it were, any adequate solution would require a change of ideology. People who want to honor science often content themselves by laughing at deniers. For them, however, climate change is the issue from hell because of many factors, such as these: The Way We Think Humans are well equipped by evolution to respond with alacrity to sudden dangers, but not to gradual processes, even if the latter, over time, are even potentially fatal. We feel that humans can't possibly affect something as huge as "climate," even if stubborn facts show we do. It is easy to dismiss as "deplorables" people who lack a scientific education, to snort at them but do little more. Nobody is to blame for the greenhouse gas phenomenon: fossil fuels powered the industrial revolution. Nobody could foresee their downside. Calamitous climate change can't be happening, because we didn't do anything wrong. It would be so unfair. The cost of climate change is almost unimaginable, including the inundation of coastal cities and agricultural areas, flooding or drought in other growing areas, wildfires, terrible storms, and so forth. The prospect elicits a similar reaction as the prospect of nuclear war: it's too horrible to happen. Economic Self-interest Our economic system works, at least for the top, and we fear "disrupting" it, even if conversion would generate many new jobs. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. Boy Scouts Retire Flags (Image by Fort Meade) Details DMCA "Otto Buchendorf briskly walked north on the Friedrichstrasse. He was carrying a canvas bag with a loaf of heavy dark bread, a small block of butter and two fragrant, dried and salted herring. It was a cool evening in the Fall of 1934. Herr Buchendorf was a minor bureaucrat. He was employed in the office of public works. He handled issues having to do with the removal of garbage and the carcasses of dead horses and other animals left in public places. Otto Buchendorf had studied briefly to be an architect. There was little work for young architects in 1920's Germany. He followed his father's path into the labyrinthian bureaucracy of Berlin. Passing a cobbler's shop he noticed a gold framed image of "The Fuhrer" proudly hanging above the Shoemaker's counter. Otto looked away, nervously clutching the bread as if it were a vulnerable infant. He and his friends had laughed at "The Austrian Paperhanger," as he whipped up the goons and dull bullies that burned to wear his brown costumes. He held court in beer halls -- angry thugs drunkenly singing "Deutschland, Deutschland Uber Alles!" and shouting epithets at Jews and Communists. He appeared such a blustering fool or mad man. He was now the man with ultimate power in Germany. He was systematically destroying all that held civil society together. "How could so many be so blind," thought Otto, his face reddening. Yes, they had laughed at the Bohemian Corporal once but now he was threatening to take away a contented future for his daughters, his dreamed of grandchildren. There was no way to predict or understand when or if this would come to an end. It had truly begun and the end was years away. No one could have predicted the horror they had watched arrive, and once they understood -- it was too late, much too late..." From "The Trial of Otto Buchendorf" By Franklin Cincinnatus It has truly begun. (Article changed on May 10, 2018 at 01:42) Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From Paul Craig Roberts Website We can now dismiss all hope that Trump's campaign promises to pull out of Syria, normalize relations with Russia and stop the offshoring of American jobs will ever become US policies. By dishonoring the US government's word and pulling out of the Iran nuclear non-proliferation agreement, an agreement signed by the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China, and Iran, President Trump has revealed that his regime is totally in the hands of the Zionist warmongers. It was already evident, but America's renewal alone in the world of the fabricated conflict with Iran is proof that US foreign policy is in the hands of Israel. All you have to do is to watch Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the UN, groveling at the feet of AIPEC, to watch US Secretary of State Pompeo groveling at the feet of Netanyahu, to see the glee all over the face of neoconservative Israeli agent John Bolton, the National Security Adviser to the President of the United States, from his realization that his conflict agenda with Iran has prevailed. Indeed the entire Trump regime are such dedicated grovelers at Israel's feet that the Trump regime comes across as a barbaric tribe groveling before the King of Kings. Washington's major European vassals said that they will stick to the agreement. We will see if they can withstand the pressures and the sums of money that will be thrown at them to change their minds. This means a new test for Russia. Can the Russian government stand the destabilization of Iran any more than it can the destabilization of Syria? Can Russia again muster the determination to protect her southern flank? One wonders if Trump's ill-considered decision has finally taught Putin, Lavrov and the Atlanticist Integrationists who have for so long resisted reality that the agreements that they so desperately want to make with Washington are completely worthless before they even make them. Will Russia finally wake up and stop inviting more dangerous situations by her extraordinary indecisiveness? If Putin doesn't put his foot down, he is going to get us all killed. 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 The decertification of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by Trump is most unfortunate. It seems that Trump was not swayed by either France's President Macron or Germany's Chancellor Merkel to preserve the deal. Instead, he appears to have taken Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's advice to decertify the deal, even though Iran continues to fully adhere to all of its provisions. It is dangerous that neither Trump nor Netanyahu appears to fully grasp the dire regional and international implications of the unilateral decertification of the deal by the US. In January, Trump gave Britain, France, and Germany an unrealistic deadline -- May 12 -- to fix what he considers the deal's defects, including the sunset clauses under which some of the terms expire, Iran's ballistic missiles program (which was not part of the deal), and the monitoring of suspected Iranian nuclear sites. This was mission impossible without the support of Russia and China, not to speak of the short period of time. Netanyahu's public stunt, displaying thousands of documents to provide further proof that Iran has been conducting a secret nuclear weapons program, is not new. His claim that the Iran deal was based on information that was not known before does not justify the decertification of the deal, especially because Iran has been fully adhering to all the provisions of the deal. The fact that Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapons program was the main reason behind President Obama's effort to strike the deal. As EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in Brussels, "the deal was put in place exactly because there was no trust between the parties..." Secretary of Defense Mattis echoed precisely the same sentiment, adding that "the verification [procedure]... is actually pretty robust as far as our intrusive ability to get in." The deal is certainly far from perfect, but withdrawing from it and starting from scratch may be impossible, especially in light of Iran's vehement refusal to modify the deal, as was expressed by Foreign Minister Zarif: "we will neither outsource our security nor will we renegotiate or add onto a deal we have already implemented in good faith." The decertification of the deal will force Iran to choose one of two options. The first is to exploit the division between the US and the other signatories. In this case, Tehran could continue to adhere to the provisions of the deal, even though Iran will still suffer from unilateral (but not as severe) American sanctions. Under US law, Trump must wait at least 180 days before imposing their most severe consequences, which includes targeting banks of countries that fail to appreciably cut their oil purchases from Iran. The second option for Iran is to withdraw from the deal altogether, restart its nuclear weapons program, and potentially even withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to prevent the monitoring of its nuclear program by the IAEA, which is the worst thing for Israel and other American allies in the region. The severe disadvantages of decertification First, most observers agree that Iran would resume its nuclear weapons program, which could quickly lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East. This would also increase regional tension and a growing sense of insecurity by other countries in the area, which is a recipe for sparking new and further intensifying current violent conflicts. Second, given the intense enmity between Israel and Iran, the Israeli government might well decide to preemptively attack Iran's nuclear facilities before Tehran reaches the breakout point. This would more than likely lead to an Iranian-Israeli war and pull other countries, including the US, into the fray, which could have dreadful consequences throughout the Middle East. Third, such development would also deepen Iran's resolve to further entrench itself in Syria, which is precisely what Israel wants to avoid. This too will prompt Israel, as it has done in the past, to attack Iranian military installations in Syria, which could also escalate into a regional conflagration. Fourth, Iran will have every reason to accelerate its ballistic missile program, which poses a greater danger not only to Israel but to the US' allies throughout the region. In addition, Iran will have further incentive to increase its financial support of extremist groups to destabilize the region, which it has and will continue to exploit. Fifth, the unilateral withdrawal from the deal by the US will undoubtedly create a schism with the US' allies as well as Russia and China and could foreclose any opening to modify the deal, which Trump failed to consider. Finally, the US' credibility will be seriously tarnished with both friends and nemeses, especially at this juncture when the US is preparing to work out a deal on denuclearization with North Korea's Chairman Kim Jong Un, who would be given a legitimate reason to doubt any American commitment to adhere to future agreements. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. Trump's foreign policy often seems governed by what he said on the campaign trail. There was even less thinking-through-of-a-problem and coming-up-with-some-rational-solution-to-it back then than there is in his Administration now. And so, one of Trump's repeated ringing statements, which he applied liberally to just about any Obama-Administration initiative he could bring into play, was what a terrible Deal it was. He did promise to leave it when he could --- and so he has . (Iran, as it happens, has promised to stay in the Deal , at least for the time-being, which means that they will abide by the cancellation of their nuclear weapons program.) Now the Deal, and Trump literally may not know this, because he doesn't, as is well-known, read anything, and according to various high-level members and former members of his Administration he is an "idiot" and a "moron," did deal only with Iran's nuclear weapons program. It did not deal with its ballistic missiles program or its intervention in the affairs of a variety of other Middle Eastern countries. But since the U.S. has its own ballistic missile program and interferes liberally in the affairs of other Middle Eastern countries, that might have been a very tough nut to crack. Trump, by Rupert Murdoch (Image by Daquella manera) Details DMCA (One has to wonder if Trump could even find Iran on a map --- after all the Navy Negative Ace and Naval Academy graduate who was the Repub. candidate for President in 2008 and has currently dis-invited Trump from his funeral --- but then Trump didn't go to Barbara Bush's funeral --- once placed Iraq on the border of Afghanistan, neglecting the country now at the center of the current controversy --- Iran --- which happens to stand between them.) In any event, the Deal concerned (and for the other signatories --- the UK, France, Germany. Russia and China --- still does) Iran's nuclear weapons program, which, according to all accounts, has come to an end. It remains to be seen what will happen now with other signatories, none of whom want to bring the Deal to an end. The U.S. will very quickly be re-imposing the sanctions that it had lifted under the terms of the Deal (although some still had remained in place, especially under Trump). As I understand it, the main problem for the other signatories, which might not want to drop their sanctions, is that the U.S. will set up a bunch of secondary sanctions, particularly in the international banking industry, designed to inhibit such an event from taking place. But the over-riding question here is why are the Trumpites doing this? Iran has been complying with their end of the bargain --- on their former nuclear weapons program --- which was the reason why the negotiations were begun in the first place. If the Trumpites were really concerned about Iran's ballistic missiles program or their Middle Eastern affairs interventions, they could attempt to open negotiations on them. But I have not thought that it's that sort of thing for quite some time. I have been thinking that it is primarily about the "foreign-policy-by-campaign-promise to appeal to the xenophobic/Islamophobic base." However, this morning, on TV, the whole thing --- that is Trump's primary motive for doing what he has done --- became abundantly clear. It w as articulated by none other than the former financier/PR-man/Trump's-communications-director-for-a-minute Anthony Scaramucci. Hardly an expert, or even half-an-expert, on foreign policy in general and the highly complex Middle East region in particular, the Mooch made it clear that that real reason behind the move is "regime change." The real reason why Trump welshed on the deal (as he seems to have done so many times in the course of his career), that is maintaining/reinstating the sanctions on Iran, is to try to make make life so unpleasant for the majority of Iranians that they will somehow get rid of the Mullahs and install, hopefully for him, another right-wing, but this time pro-U.S. right-wing, government. One can only surmise what such a government --- sort of like that under the original U.S. Iranian puppet ruler, the Shah, --- would achieve major U.S. Middle East goals. They are: 1. Let the U.S. take charge of its oil industry. 2. End Iranian support for groups like Hezbollah that are hoping to end the gradual Israeli policy for taking over the whole of what the Israeli Right describes as Greater Israel (and in the process ejecting all of the Palestinian Arabs to who knows where). 3. Get Iran out of the way of the ambitions of the Saudis to become THE power in the Middle East, in the process crushing the anti-Saudi/Sunni Shiites wherever they may be found. 4. Enable the Turks to completely crush the Kurds, who presently have a physical presence in Iran (and while Iran has made it clear that that piece would never become part of an independent Kurdistan, they don't suppress the Iranian Kurds the way the Turks do the Turkish ones). This would help re-establish a working relationship with the Turkish government under Erdogan which is becoming more fascist-like every day (and boy, does Trump like that sort of thing). 5. Further strengthen the dominance of Netanyahu/Likud in Israel. 6. End Iranian support for the Taliban (which is so ironic, because at the beginning of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, the Iranians adopted an anti-Taliban policy). 7. Severely reduce Chinese access to Iranian oil. 8. Russia being an ally of Iran, reduce the Russian presence in the Middle East, particularly as an ally of Assad in Syrai, and possibly get them turfed out of their Syrian Mediterranean ports at Tartus and Latakia. 9. Make the Persian Gulf the sixth U.S. Great Lake. 10. And I am sure that there are other reasons as well. As for negative consequences for the United States, there are many, of course, being covered by many U.S. observers, even (conventional) right-wing ones like Richard Haas of the Council on Foreign Relations ("Morning Joe," 5/9/18). But one that I haven't heard mentioned yet is that it might lead to major changes in the international banking system, led perhaps by China, holder of one trillion dollars or so of U.S. debt, so as to get out from under the secondary sanctions that Trump intends to impose on any country still dealing with Iran. Citi/Chase/Wells Fargo and the banks of Great Britain and the E.U. don't like them too much (to put it mildly). As to the supposed "concerns" of the Trumpites about Iran, let's start with ballistic missiles? (You mean like the ones Israel likely already has, except that theirs are already nuclear-tipped?) A minor concern. The U.S. has tons of them. Iranian nukes? That program has been ended, so that cannot be a U.S. concern. Iranian "interference" in the Middle East (which is a joke complaint coming from the U.S.)? Well yes, that would be ended by "regime change" of the type the U.S. will try to arrange, first by totally crippling the Iranian economy. And it's "regime change" that I think this is really all about. (Article changed on May 9, 2018 at 13:13) (Article changed on May 9, 2018 at 16:54) (Article changed on May 9, 2018 at 17:17) (Article changed on May 9, 2018 at 23:19) 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 Counterpunch (Image by Photo by The U.S. Army | CC BY 2.0) Details DMCA President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the deal with Iran creates, unnecessarily, a new source of tension in a region besieged by conflicts. Given the level of legal troubles that President Trump is facing now, his decision could be based to some extent in creating the conditions to fog his personal drama. President Trump's move was heartily supported by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and opposed by all other governments that are part of the deal. In March 2015, in front of both houses of the U.S. Congress, Netanyahu said, "We've been told that no deal is better than a bad deal. Well, this is a bad deal. It's a very bad deal. We're better off without it." For the last several decades, relations between the U.S. and Iran and between Iran and the West have been shrouded in misconceptions and prejudices. They have done nothing to achieve a peaceful relationship with that country, and only led to a permanent state of distrust that can lead to war at any moment. Conflicting relations with Iran can be traced to a large extent to 19 August 1953, when both the United Kingdom and the U.S. orchestrated a coup that overthrew Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh. The reason: Mossadegh was trying to audit the books of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), a British corporation, to change the terms of that company's access to Iranian oil. Following the refusal of AIOC to cooperate with the Iranian government, the Iranian parliament voted almost unanimously to nationalize AIOC and expel its representatives from Iran. The anti-government coup that ensued led to the formation of a military government under General Fazlollah Zahedi, which allowed Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to return and rule the country as an absolute and ruthless monarch. 60 years after the coup, the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) finally admitted that it had been involved in both the planning and the execution of the coup that caused mostly civilian casualties. That coup and the U.S. behavior towards Arab governments throughout the region are behind the anti-American sentiment not only in Iran but throughout the Middle East. I wonder how we, in the United States, would have reacted if China and Russia, for example, would have plotted to overthrow a democratic American government, leaving a chaotic situation in its wake. In addition, while Iran has not invaded another country in centuries, both the U.S. and Israel, Iran's enemies, have led brutal wars against other countries and peoples. U.S. interference in Iranian affairs didn't end there. In September 1980, Saddam Hussein started a war against Iran that had devastating consequences for both countries. The war was characterized by Iraq's indiscriminate ballistic-missile attacks and extensive use of chemical weapons. The war resulted in at least half a million and probably twice as many troops killed on both sides, and in at least half a million men who became permanently disabled. The U.S. actively supported Saddam Hussein in his war efforts with billions of dollars in credits, advanced technology, weaponry, military intelligence, and Special Operations training. Given this background, however, rather than following a policy of appeasement, President Donald Trump nixed the nuclear agreement with Iran that goes contrary to the U.S.'s own long term political and economic interests in the region. And they have a faithful ally in Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu. Not all Israeli military and intelligence officials share Netanyahu's negative view on the nuclear deal. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, the current Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff, said in an interview to mark Israel's 70th anniversary, "Right now, the agreement, with all its faults, is working and is putting off realization of the Iran nuclear vision by 10 to 15 years. With the deal in place, the window of strategic opportunity is still open in our favor." A similar opinion was stated by Amos Gilad, former research chief at Military Intelligence and former director of the policy and military affairs division at the Defense Ministry. He went as far as to say that the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 agreement would probably benefit Iran more than Israel and added, "If the Americans abandon the agreement, they have to prepare for alternatives, and I don't see this being done." Re-imposition of sanctions will certainly affect Iran's capacity to conduct economic deals with other countries and as a result worsen that country's already serious economic situation. But it would also raise tensions in the Middle East, deepen the conflict between Israel and Iran, and even affect a possible agreement with North Korea, which may consider the U.S. to be unreliable and unable to keep its word. Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. See original here Sanders warns that the president has "put our nation on a dangerous path" By Jon Queally, staff writer In a live-streamed remarks on his Facebook page on Tuesday afternoon (watch below), Sen. Bernie Sanders issued a direct response to President Donald Trump's decision to end the U.S. government's commitment to the Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Calling Trump's decision "reckless," Sanders warned that the president has "put our nation on a dangerous path." People should, Sanders continued, that the "JCPOA is not just an agreement between the United States and Iran, but one negotiated alongside other members of the international community including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, along with China and Russia." He warned that it does more to isolate and undermine the credibility of the U.S. than it does Iran. Reaching back into recent history, Sanders joined many other critics of the president's decision voicing concerns that jettisoning the deal puts the U.S. closer to launching another unnecessary war abroad. "Importantly," he said, "I would remind my fellow Americans that the road to the Iraq war did not simply begin in 2003. It was laid down brick by brick over a number of years, with policy decisions that might have seemed relatively small at the time, but that ultimately led us to the worst foreign policy blunder in the modern history of our country. The Iraq war had enormous unintended consequences that we are still dealing with today, and will be for many years to come." Sanders said Trump's decision is the opposite of the kind of leadership that is needed in the world. "Real American leadership, and real American power, is not shown by our ability to blow things up," argued Sanders, "but by our ability to bring parties together, to forge international consensus around shared problems, and then to mobilize that consensus to address those problems. That is what this agreement did. "Unfortunately," Sanders concluded, "today President Trump put us on a very different, more dangerous path." Watch: Sanders had previously warned the president against pulling out of the agreement, arguing last year that such a move would "would irreparably harm America's ability to negotiate future nonproliferation agreements." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Cold Storage 2018 Global Industry Key Players - AmeriCold , VersaCold , Swire Cold Storage , Preferred Freezer Services Market Analysis And Forecast To 2023 World Cold Storage Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3150650-world-cold-storage-market-research-report-2023-covering https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3150650-world-cold-storage-market-research-report-2023-covering World Cold Storage MarketExecutive SummaryCold Storage 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.Request a Sample Report @The Players mentioned in our reportAmeriColdVersaColdSwire Cold StoragePreferred Freezer ServicesNichireiTIPPMANNMUKNordic Cold StorageInland Cold StorageMillardCloverleaf Cold StorageTotal LogisticGruppo Marconi Logistica IntegrataRichmondFrialsa FrigorificosHansonPanasonicLennox InternationalHeshunBingshanYuyangHaoshuangDachangXiangningYour ShineJingxinGlobal Cold Storage Market: Product Segment AnalysisStores with unit coolersPrefabricated Cold StoresOthersGlobal Cold Storage Market: Application Segment AnalysisFood IndustryIndustrial ManufacturingCommercialGlobal Cold Storage Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaTable of Content-Key Points CoveredChapter 1 About the Cold Storage Industry1.1 Industry Definition1.1.1 Types of Cold Storage industry1.1.1.1 Stores with unit coolers1.1.1.2 Prefabricated Cold Stores1.1.1.3 Others1.2 Main Market Activities1.3 Similar Industries1.4 Industry at a GlanceChapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape2.1 Cold Storage Markets by Regions2.1.1 USAMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2013-2018Market Revenue (M USD) Sales and Growth Rate 2013-2018Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20182.1.2 EuropeMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2013-2018Market Revenue (M USD) Sales and Growth Rate 2013-2018Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20182.1.3 ChinaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2013-2018Market Revenue (M USD) Sales and Growth Rate 2013-2018Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20182.1.4 IndiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2013-2018Market Revenue (M USD) Sales and Growth Rate 2013-2018Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20182.1.5 JapanMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2013-2018Market Revenue (M USD) Sales and Growth Rate 2013-2018Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20182.1.6 South East AsiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2013-2018Market Revenue (M USD) Sales and Growth Rate 2013-2018Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20182.2 World Cold Storage Market by TypesStores with unit coolersPrefabricated Cold StoresOthers2.3 World Cold Storage Market by ApplicationsFood IndustryIndustrial ManufacturingCommercial2.4 World Cold Storage Market Analysis2.4.1 World Cold Storage Market Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-20182.4.2 World Cold Storage Market Consumption and Growth rate 2013-20182.4.3 World Cold Storage Market Price Analysis 2013-2018Chapter 3 World Cold Storage Market share3.1 Major Production Market share by Players3.2 Major Revenue (M USD) Market share by Players3.3 Major Production Market share by Regions 2013-20183.4 Major Revenue (M USD) Market share By Regions 2013-2018Chapter 4 Supply Chain Analysis4.1 Industry Supply chain Analysis4.2 Raw material Market Analysis4.2.1 Raw material Prices Analysis 2012-20184.2.2 Raw material Supply Market Analysis4.2 Manufacturing Equipment Suppliers Analysis4.3 Production Process Analysis4.4 Production Cost Structure Benchmarks4.5 End users Market AnalysisContinued.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 biopolymer market is expected to register a considerable CAGR over the forecast period, According To Research Nester https://www.researchnester.com/sample-request-998 https://www.researchnester.com/request-toc-998 https://www.researchnester.com/payment/rep-id-998 www.researchnester.com The biopolymer market is segmented by type into biodegradable starch Blends, biodegradable polyesters, PTT, PLA, PHA, Bio-PE, Bio-PET. In this segment, biodegradable polyesters segment is projected to grow at remarkable pace over the forecast period. Increasing research and development activities biopolymer products is expected to showcase a significant rise in the growth of the biopolymer market over the forecast period.Global biopolymer market is expected to register a considerable CAGR over the forecast period. Moreover, rising demand of the sustainable and renewable polymer which causes less pollution as compared to traditional is likely to bolster the growth market globally. The market of biopolymer is rising on the back of the advancement and expansion of the fertilizer and plastics industries.In term of region, North America captured maximum share of the biopolymer market by 2017 and expected to continue its dominance in upcoming years. Changing government policies related to uses of plastic in this region is expected to drive the growth of biopolymer market during the forecast period. Europe is expected to contribute significantly towards the growth of the biopolymer market. Apart from this increasing spending money and high awareness is anticipated to robust the growth of biopolymer market over the forecast period.Rising Awareness Related To BiopolymerBiopolymers are the biodegradable polymer which do not contaminated the water resources as like the tradition polymer. They are sustainable and renewable polymer which emits less amount carbon dioxide in the environment. The growing demand of biopolymer as alternatives ecofriendly source is anticipated to drive the growth of the biopolymer market over the forecast period.Request For Sample Pages:Government Rules And RegulationChanging government norms and policies related to uses of plastic products is expected to positively impact the growth of the biopolymer market during the forecast period. The biopolymer can be degradable with help of the some microorganism and it produces the fewer amounts of greenhouse gases which dont pollute the environment as like the tradition polymer.Further, low chemical and mechanical resistance and high cost biopolymer product is expected to hamper the growth of the biopolymer market over the forecast period.The report titled Global Biopolymer Market: Global Historical Growth (2012-2017) & Future Outlook (2018-2027) Demand Analysis & Opportunity Evaluation delivers detailed overview of the global biopolymer market in terms of market segmentation by type, by end user and by region.Further, for the in-depth analysis, the report encompasses the industry growth drivers, restraints, supply and demand risk, market attractiveness, BPS analysis and Porters five force model.Request For TOC Here: -This report also provides the existing competitive scenario of some of the key players of the global biopolymer market which includes company profiling of Danimer Scientific, Solanyl Biopolymers Inc, Biopolymer International, FMC BioPolymer A.S, DuPont, NOVAMONT SPA, NatureWorks LLC, Meredian Holdings Group Inc, Corbion NV, Other Prominent Player. Theprofiling enfolds key information of the companies which encompasses business overview, products and services, key financials and recent news and developments. On the whole, the report depicts detailed overview of the global data as a service market that will help industry consultants, equipment manufacturers, existing players searching for expansion opportunities, new players searching possibilities and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to the ongoing and expected trends in the future.Request Buy Now:Research Nester is a leading service provider for strategic market research and consulting. 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.For Table of Content & Free Sample Report Contact:Name:-Ajay DanielEmail: ajay.daniel@researchnester.comU.S. +1 646 586 9123U.K. +44 203 608 5919Website:- Market Insights: Global Active Protection System (APS) Market to grow at a CAGR of 6.29% during 2017-2021 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1345152 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-active-protection-system-aps-market-2017-2021-report.html/toc http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Active protection systems (APS) is a technology that integrates radars, sensors, fire control technology, and interceptors to detect, target, and negate incoming enemy fire. For decades, armored tanks and combat vehicles were the only sources of protection for the crew and vehicle against shells, rockets, and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). However, with the rising developments in the field of anti-tank weapons, the need to develop systems that can actively detect, identify, track, and shoot down these missiles has led to the development of active protection systems (APS).The global active protection system (APS) market to grow at a CAGR of 6.29% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global active protection system (APS) market for 2017-2021. The report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.Click to get Sample PDF:Technavio's report, Global Active Protection System (APS) Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- General Dynamics- Rafael Advanced Defense Systems- Raytheon- Rheinmetall- SaabOther prominent vendors- ASELSAN- Israel Military Industries (IMI) Systems- NORINCOGROUPMarket driver- Development of aircraft APS- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Limited number of suppliers- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend- Development of modular APS- For a full, detailed list, view our reportView Complete TOC with Tables and Figures at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at: Global Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Market 2018-2025 NHI, Robbins, Komatsu, Terratec, Herrenknecht Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Market https://bit.ly/2rqckhM http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-tunnel-boring-machine-tbm-sales-market-4738 www.qymarketstudy.com/ QYMarketStudy include new market study "Global Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Market" examines the performance of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Top Manufacturers Analysis and Sellers are Herrenknecht, CREC, CRCHI, Robbins, Tianhe, Wirth, Komatsu, Mitsubishi, NHI, Kawasaki, Ishikawajima-Harima, Terratec, SELI, Tianye Tolian, Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Xugong Kaigong.Request Sample Copy of Report:The Global Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Market 2018 report includes Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) market Revenue, market Share, Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) industry volume, market Trends, Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2025.Firstly, the report covers the top Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Market By Application are Railway and Highway, Municipal Engineering, City Rail System, Others.Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Market By Type are Soft ground TBMs and Hard Rock TBMs.Further, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) industry, Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) 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 Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) market revenue worldwide.Finally, Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) 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:3626 North Hall Street (Two Oak Lawn),Suite 610,Dallas, TX 75219, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Web:Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Convenience Foods Market Dynamics, Segments and Supply Demand Dynamics, Segments and Supply Demand 2014-2020 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-96 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-96 www.futuremarketinsights.com The convenience foods market is driven by busy lifestyles and ageing population. It includes a range of processed foods that has longer shelf life and are easy to use. The major attributes that consumers look for in convenience foods are ease of use, packaging, nutritional value, safety, variety and product appeal. These are prepared by adding various preservatives at specific conditions and few of them need an efficient supply chain and storage to retain their properties. Convenience foods save time and energy for preparing food at home or hotels. Technology and innovative packaging options have widened the food choices that are available in the market in various categories such as frozen, chilled, packaged foods, etc.The market has been segmented by type as canned foods, frozen foods, ready-to-eat snacks, meals, chilled foods and others. The market can also be segmented on the basis of distribution channels into supermarkets and hypermarkets, departmental stores, mom-and-pop shops, convenience stores and others. Geographically, the market can be segmented into Asia-Pacific, North America (the U.S., Canada and Mexico), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East & North Africa and RoW (Rest of the World, including Latin America and South Africa).Request for sample Report:With more women in the workforce, the demand for convenience foods is rising, primarily in emerging economies. The rapid growth of the food service industry in large number of developing markets is also expected to fuel the demand of packaged ready-to-eat snacks such as potato fries, bakery products and meat products. However, lack of proper storage and logistics is a threat to the frozen and chilled category of convenience foods in developing countries. There are stringent regulations on labelling and manufacturing of convenience foods in both developed and developing nations. One of the major drivers for convenience foods industry growth is widened distribution channels and tendency of consumers to buy off-the-shelf especially in emerging markets of BRICS and MENA.The U.S. is the largest market for convenience foods in the world and the emerging markets of Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Latin America would fuel the future growth of the same. The U.S. will remain a strategic market for convenience food processors in the forecast period due to declining trend towards away-from-home dining and at-home cooking. There is a rising demand for meal solutions/ready-to-eat meals that can be prepared in two-step cooking. For instance, in December 2013, ConAgra Foods launched 23 new varieties of quality meals and desserts in Bertolli and P.F. Changs brands to enhance consumers at-home dining experience with convenience. In addition, consumers are looking for meals with foraged, hyper-local ingredients with different flavours and blends such as mushrooms, nettles, blackberries, rose hips, seaweeds, truffles, etc.The global convenience foods market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR from 20142020. Some of the emerging markets may even experience a double-digit growth rate through the forecast period in significant categories.Large multinational corporations follow multiple strategies to develop and penetrate the market for convenience foods in different regions. However, providing products that match local consumer taste is of utmost importance. Pricing is another important factor for convenience foods, however nowadays, consumers are ready to pay a premium price if they get to buy quality convenience foods with health benefits. Some of the common strategies that companies have adopted in recent times are portion controlled packaging, in-store promotions, mergers & acquisitions and health claims in labels. There is a growing trend towards healthy convenience foods that are rich in proteins, functional fibres, vitamins, probiotics and omega-3 fatty acid. For this, many market leaders are integrating their operations by acquiring ingredient manufacturers to increase their technical know-how. Availability of customized food ingredients has become a boon for convenience food manufacturers as they can provide large varieties in each category.Visit For Table of Contents:Some of the key companies manufacturing and distributing convenience foods are Amy's Kitchen, Inc., Cargill, Incorporated, ConAgra Foods, Inc., General Mills, Inc., Tyson Foods, Inc., Mondel?z International, Inc. and Kraft Foods Group 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.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: Confectionery Ingredient Market will likely Clock a Value of US$109.5 bn by 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=17534 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/confectionery-ingredients-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The significant rise in the consumption of confectionery and bakery items has been influencing the growth of the confectionery ingredients market at the global level. The heavy demand for chocolate, sugar confectionery, and bakery products is likely to accelerate the progress of this market in the next few years. The influence of the western culture on the food habits of consumers in developing economies is also expected to boost the demand for confectionery in the near future, reflecting substantially on the sales of confectionery ingredients.Request to view Sample Report:The increasing demand for better food, fueled by the frequent changes in consumers lifestyle, have made it very difficult for food product manufacturers to meet the tastes and requirements of consumers, which has prompted confectionery producers to explore the market scope with the use of ingredients. This, as a result, is anticipated to open new growth avenues for the worldwide market for confectionery ingredients over the forthcoming years. The opportunity in this market is likely to rise at a CAGR of 4.20% between 2017 and 2025, progressing from a value of US$76.25 bn in 2016 to US$109.48 bn by the end of 2025.The confectionery ingredients market in Europe is majorly driven by the growing demand of sweetened items, bread and ice cream in domestic regions, such as the U.K., Germany, France and the Rest of Europe. However, the demand for confectionery ingredients in this region is expected to exhibit a moderate growth rate over the forthcoming years, owing to its maturation.Read Report Overview @Asia Pacific, on the other hand, is anticipated to register a higher growth rate as compared to the other regions between 2017 and 2025, especially in countries such as India, Japan, and China. The continual research on the consumption of chocolate and procurement of good quality confectionery ingredients from reliable sources are expected to complement the rise of the market for confectionery ingredients in this region in the near future.Confectionery ingredients are widely utilized in chocolates, sugar confectionery, and bakery products. With a high consumption rate, the usage of these ingredients is significantly high in chocolates. Over the coming years, this trend is likely to remain so on the grounds of the growing awareness among consumers regarding the health benefits of dark chocolates. Bakery products and sugar confectionery are also projected to witness a considerable rise in the usage of confectionary ingredients in the near future due to the western influence in emerging economies and the changing palate of consumers across the world.Cargill Inc., Olam International Ltd., E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Co., Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ingredion Inc., Barry Callebaut, Tate & Lyle Plc, Koninklijke DSM N.V., and Kerry Group Plc are some of the key vendors of confectionery ingredients across the world.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Medical Ultrasound Probe Market Forecast 2018-2025 SonoSite, Esaote, SonoScape, Philips, Samsung Medison Medical Ultrasound Probe Market https://bit.ly/2Iq5H8C http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-medical-ultrasound-probe-market-4740 www.qymarketstudy.com/ QYMarketStudy include new market study "Global Medical Ultrasound Probe Market" examines the performance of the Medical Ultrasound Probe market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Medical Ultrasound Probe market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Medical Ultrasound Probe market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Medical Ultrasound Probe Market 2018 report includes Medical Ultrasound Probe market Revenue, market Share, Medical Ultrasound Probe industry volume, market Trends, Medical Ultrasound Probe Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Medical Ultrasound Probe Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2025.Request Sample Copy of Report:Firstly, the report covers the top Medical Ultrasound Probe manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Top Manufacturers Analysis and Sellers - GE, Philips, Siemens, SonoSite, Toshiba, Samsung Medison, Hitachi, Esaote, Mindray, SIUI, Shenzhen Ruqi, SonoScape, Jiarui.Medical Ultrasound Probe Market By Application - Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Abdomen, Uterus, Other.Medical Ultrasound Probe Market By Type - Linear Type, Convex Type, Phased Array Type, Endocavitary Type, Others.Further, the Medical Ultrasound Probe report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Medical Ultrasound Probe industry, Medical Ultrasound Probe industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Medical Ultrasound Probe Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Medical Ultrasound Probe 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 Medical Ultrasound Probe market revenue worldwide.Finally, Medical Ultrasound Probe 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:3626 North Hall Street (Two Oak Lawn),Suite 610,Dallas, TX 75219, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Web:Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Trans-free products Market Set for Rapid Growth and Trend by 2024 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=17525 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/trans-free-products-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Trans-free products are the products which don't contain trans fatty acids. Trans fats are hydrogenated fats which occur naturally in some foods, a majority of the trans fats are made artificially by the process of hydrogenation where the oil is hardened and are used mainly for frying or as ingredients for processed foods. Trans fats are mainly used with processed and packed foods to increase its shelf life. However, the consumption of trans fats are the main cause of cardiovascular diseases, thus, most of the food manufacturers are avoiding trans fats as an ingredient in their products and are concentrating on manufacturing trans free products.Download PDF Brochure @The growth of the global trans free products market is driven by the change in eating habits of the consumers along with inclination of consumers towards healthy foods and rising awareness of health for an active lifestyle. Increasing instances of cardiovascular diseases, heart attacks and strokes caused due to consumption of products high in trans fats, which in turn leads to high cholesterol causing heart issues leading to death. In order to minimize the risk of succumbing to heart issues, consumers worldwide is opting for trans-free products, thus, the augmenting demand for trans-free products among the consumers worldwide is anticipated to drive the global market for trans-free products. On the plus side, stringent government regulations from FDA (Food and Drug Association) to evict use of artificial trans fats from food supply is driving the market for trans-free products globally. Furthermore, the rise in disposable income of middle-class population along with significant spending of the high-class population on healthy foods are some of the macroeconomic factors that are supplementing the growth of the global trans free products market. Some of the trends noticed in the trans-free products market is the declining consumptions of trans fat products in the developing regions due to the stringent regulations banishing the use of trans fats in the foods, offering opportunities for new trans-free product manufacturers. However, with the elimination of trans fats, manufacturers are adding more saturated fats in the food products which increases the total blood cholesterol and LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol in the body, this factor might act as a restraint for the global trans free products market.Read Report Overview @Based on the geographies, global trans free products market is segmented into five key regions North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East & Africa. Among the aforementioned regions, North America accounts for significant share for trans-free products market, owing to the health awareness among the consumers in the region and prevalence of heart diseases in the region due to consumption of trans fats, which in turn is increasing the demand for trans-free product market in the region. Furthermore, the regulations from the organization such as U.S FDA (Food & Drug Administration) to ban the use of trans fats in the food is further driving the market for trans-free products in the region. Europe market for trans-free products is followed by the North America market and a similar trend is being followed in the region as North America for trans-free products. The Asia-Pacific market for trans-free products market trails behind the Europe market. Over the forecast period, developing markets are expected to grow significantly. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa market is anticipated to exhibit low growth rates among all the regions during the forecast period.Some of the few players identified in the global trans free products market include Boulder Brands, WESTERN PACIFIC OILS, INC., Cargill, Incorporated., ACH Food Companies, Inc., Bunge North America, Inc., El Peto Products LTD., NMGK Group, and The J.M. Smucker Company among othersAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Food Grade Lubricants Market Analysis and Value Forecast Snapshot by End-use Industry 2014 - 2020 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-98 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-98 www.futuremarketinsights.com Food grade lubricants refer to lubricants that are used to maintain the food processing machinery, i.e. it protects the tools and machines from wear and tear. However, since many of them come into direct contact with food, these lubricants used in these machineries need to be different from the usual machine lubricants. In other words, they should not render the food unfit for consumption. With recent advances in the food processing industry, there is now much variety in the machinery used to process each food/beverage category. With growing concern over the food we eat, food processors need to comply with various regulatory frameworks like the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP). The standards vary from country to country. However, these are internationally accepted standards which are followed by food grade lubricant manufacturers. For instance, the non-profit public health and safety company, NSF International, along with USDA, has set standards for various food grade lubricants.Request for sample Report:These days, food safety is the highest priority for the food processors, and they take utmost care to maintain the same. H1 and H2 are the two most common broad spectrum food grade lubricants that are used in machinery involving incidental food contact and no food contact respectively. However, with the drive to produce innovative products in the food processing industry, the demand for customised and high performance food grade lubricants is expected to swell in near future. Food grade lubricants range from hydraulic fluids, oven chain oils, gear oils, compressor oils and vacuum pump oils to specialty lubricants such as can seamer oil. Different processes require different grades of oil. For instance, H3 (soluble oil) is used to prevent rust on trolleys, hooks and similar equipment whereas 3H release agents are used on chopping boards, cutters, grills, loaf pans, boning benches and other such hard surfaces.Cutting edge equipment technology has always been the driver of the processed food industry and vice-versa. The demand for food grade lubricants is increasing with the increase in the size of the processed food industry worldwide, as well as proliferating food safety laws. All the major companies adhere to food safety laws in order to avoid product recalls and penalty fees. The trend is more prominent in developed countries such as the U.S., U.K, Canada, Norway, Germany, France and Italy. These countries, along with other developed countries, are expected to remain the main target market during the forecast period. Developing countries such as China, Brazil, India and South Africa are expected to grow at a slower rate with regard to food grade lubricants.The market can be segmented by type into H1 lubricants, H2 lubricants, 3H (releasing agents), H3 (soluble oils) and others. Geographically, the market can be segmented into Asia Pacific, North America (U.S., Canada and Mexico), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East and North Africa, and the Rest of the World (Latin America and South Africa). These lubricants are used in bakeries, the beverage industry, meat processing, pharmaceuticals, confectionery, and fruit and vegetable processing.The largest market by type worldwide is that of H1 food grade grease which can be used in variety of processes. It can be either petroleum based or synthetic in composition. Aluminium complex thickened grease is the most common and widely used lubricant as it can withstand high temperatures, is very water resistant, and is an important component in food & beverage processing equipment because of post shift equipment wash downs.Currently, North America is the largest market for food grade lubricants as USDA (The United States Department of Agriculture) has laid down stringent food safety laws for food processors. However, countries like India, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa and Brazil are potential growth drivers as a large number of American companies have set up manufacturing units in these emerging markets. The European market is relatively less regulated in food grade lubricants and lacks proper laws pertaining to the same.Visit For Table of Contents:Some of the players of the food grade lubricant market are ITW ROCOL, Bel-Ray Company LLC, Lubriplate Lubricants Company, Schaeffer Manufacturing Co. and Suncor Energy Inc. 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.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: Skimmed Milk Powder Market 2016-2024 Shares, Trend and Growth Report https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=17396 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=17396>>Request Discount of this 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: Let Your Real Estate Business Grow With 1031 Exchange https://www.fai1031.com/ The 1031 tax exchange is a scheme that allows property investors and realtors to sell old properties and reinvest in new properties while saving capital gain taxes. With the 1031 tax deferred exchange you can continue to invest in better properties and save taxes.Let us understand how a 1031 tax deferred exchange actually works. You ask an investor sell your property and the funds gained from this sale is held with a Qualified Intermediary (QI), whom hire and plays an important role in the exchange process. To purchase a new property, the investor directs the QI toward the purchase of a new property. This is the only method that allows you to save on capital gain taxes.Qualified Intermediaries not only help with exchange of 1031 tax deferred exchange but also advise you on your financial investments. While the 1031 tax deferred exchange may seem pretty straightforward but also comes with its own complexities and it where a QI can be of great help. A good QI can actually make your 1031 tax-deferred exchange smooth and hassle-free.The property that you sell in a tax-deferred exchange is termed relinquished property. The owner of the property may consider selling his property for some of these reasons:1. To unlock the equity tied up in the underperforming, yet appreciated property.2. When the property is too management-intensive.3. In order to acquire a property of higher quality; or4. To acquire a property that produces higher and consistent income.For a relinquished property to undergo a 1031 exchange, it has to meet certain financial characteristics. These characteristics may include the level of the sale price, equity, and debt level of the relinquished property. All of this is taken into consideration to determine if the replacement property has a purchase price that is same or greater than that of a relinquished property.If you are looking for 1031 tax-deferred exchange, Fai exchange can be your financial advisor and Qualified Intermediary (QI). With years of experience in the industry, Fai exchange can effectively arrange documentation and support forms for a successful 1031 exchange to commence.You can visit our websiteand fill up the contact form. We will soon get in touch with you and proceed with the discussion.FAI ExchangeP.O. Box 487Dedham, MA 02026888-669-3332 Nanotechnology: Market 2018 Segmented by Manufacturers (Nanosys, Nanophase Technologies Altair Nanotechnologies, Zyvex, Acusphere) and Forecasts to 2025 Qy Research Groups https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/request-sample/928274 https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/send-an-enquiry/928274 https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/check-discount/928274 Nanotechnology Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Nanotechnology industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Nanotechnology market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Nanotechnology market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Nanotechnology players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Nanotechnology Market Players: Nanosys, Inc. Nanophase Technologies Corporation Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. ZyvexCorporation Acusphere, Inc. Bruker Nano GmbH Unidym, Inc. (subsidiary of WisePower Co.) Ablynx Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc. SouthWestNanoTechnologies, Inc. PEN, IncGet Sample Copy of This Report Now atMarket segment by Type, the product can be split into Nanomaterials Nanotools NanodevicesMarket segment by Application, Nanotechnology can be split into Energy Biomedical Cosmetics Food Agriculture Defense OtherMajor regions are as follows: United States Europe China Japan IndiaThe report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Nanotechnology market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Nanotechnology market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.List of Tables and FiguresFigure Global Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2013-2018)Table Global Nanotechnology Revenue (Million USD) Comparison by Regions (2013-2018)Figure Global Nanotechnology Market Share by Regions (2013-2018)Figure United States Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2013-2018)Figure EU Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2013-2018)Figure Japan Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2013-2018)Figure China Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2013-2018)Figure India Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2013-2018)Figure Southeast Asia Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2013-2018)Table Global Nanotechnology Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%) Comparison by Product (2013-2018)Figure Global Nanotechnology Revenue Market Share by Type in 2017Figure Nanomaterials Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)Figure Nanotools Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)Figure Nanodevices Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)Figure Global Nanotechnology Market Share by Application in 2017Figure Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Energy (2013-2018)Figure Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Biomedical (2013-2018)Figure Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Cosmetics (2013-2018)Figure Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Food (2013-2018)Figure Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Agriculture (2013-2018)Figure Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Defense (2013-2018)Figure Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Other (2013-2018)Table Nanotechnology Market Size (Million USD) by Players (2013-2018)Figure Nanotechnology Market Size Share by Players in 2013Figure Nanotechnology Market Size Share by Players in 2017Table Nanosys, Inc. Basic Information ListTable Nanotechnology Business Revenue (Million USD) of Nanosys, Inc. (2013-2018)Figure Nanosys, Inc. Nanotechnology Business Revenue Market Share (2013-2018)Table Nanophase Technologies Corporation Basic Information ListTable Nanotechnology Business Revenue (Million USD) of Nanophase Technologies Corporation (2013-2018)Figure Nanophase Technologies Corporation Nanotechnology Business Revenue Market Share (2013-2018)Continued.Inquire before Buying atAlso, key Nanotechnology 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.Reason 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 Nanotechnology 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 for Discount atContact Us:Call: +1-888-236-2744Email: sales@qyresearchgroups.comAbout 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.Room B1510, Shiji Kemao Building,No.66 Zhongguancun East Road,Haidian District, Beijing,100190, China. Organic Electronics Market 2018 Global Key Leaders: Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Fujifilm Dimatix, Samsung Display, Evonik Industries, Asahi Kasei Corporation https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1162 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/organic-electronics-market-1162 Market Highlights:As we Know Organic electronics is the new dimension of electronics in which the organic materials such as polymers or small organic molecules which is used as dielectric medium. Organic electronics are energy efficient and reliable when compared to normal electronic components. The conjugated polymers are considered as key organic polymers in aspects of molecular weight.Organic electronic components have been widely accepted among consumer electronics and gave rise to OLED. OLED is flat light emitting technology between two conductors made of plastic. The light is emitted with an electrical signal. OLEDs do not require any back light and so are more effective than LCD. With the promising features such as using carbon and hydrogen in manufacturing, and thinner in size, OLEDs are majorly being integrated in mobile phones, digital cameras, VR headsets, TV and laptops. Apple Inc. an American multinational technological company recently launched their flagship phone based on OLED display. Organic electronics gave rise to printed and flexible electronics. Printed electronics refers to organic or plastic electronics or more inks and can be capable of printing through ink jet printers. Printed electronics is one of the emerging technologies which can be used in many areas such as healthcare, aerospace, media and many more.Increasing demand for organic electronics in display devices such as TV, smart phone, laptops and more are the major factors that are driving the market. The low cost associated with manufacturing of organic electronic components and their output efficiency are fuelling the market growth.Request a Sample Report @Major Key PlayersSigma-Aldrich Corporation (U.S.),AU Optronics Corporation (Taiwan),Bayer Material Science AG (Germany),Merck Kgaa (Germany),Fujifilm Dimatix (U.S.),Samsung Display (South Korea),Evonik Industries (Germany),Asahi Kasei Corporation (Japan),BASF SE (Germany), and Novaled (Germany) are some of the prominent players profiled in MRFR Analysis and are at the forefront of competition in the Global Organic Electronics Market.Industry NewsJanuary, 2018 Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology, built an organic thin film transistor which is more stable and reliable. This film transistor can be used in flexible electronics and printed screens. The gate in the transistor is made of fluoropolymer layer which is made from two oxide materials. This enables transistors to operate under water and possess high stability.December, 2017 Researchers from Pamukkale University, Turkey have developed chameleon materials. They have created polymers that change colour under electric charge. These materials can be used in military and Defense sector and various technological applications such as super capacitors, biomedical parasites and many more.Short Details about Competitive AnalysisThe Market of organic electronics appears to be highly competitive. To maintain their market position and to drive the market growth, various dynamic and diversified international organizations, domestic organizations and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. Market leaders are innovating continuously and increasingly seeking market expansion through various strategic mergers and acquisitions, innovation, increasing investments in research and development and cost-effective product portfolio. Major players are investing on internal R&D and, most of all, in acquiring other firms. Prominent vendors of capacitive sensors are targeting to invest more in technology and research and development activities to innovate their already existing products. The rising government funding is also expected to motivate key companies to invent new organic electronic components that match the changing trends and needs across the globe.Browse Complete Report @Regional AnalysisThe global organic electronics market is studied for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the world. Asia Pacific dominates the market for global organic materials and is expected to grow at rapid rate through the forecast period. Asia Pacific being home to more than half of global electronic manufacturing sector, it occupies the major market share in global organic electronics market. Increasing demand for consumer electronic products, increase in usage of energy efficiency products, demand for compact sized products are fuelling the market in this region. North America holds the second largest market share in global organic electronics market. Increase in demand for flexible electronics, and being technically advanced region and high investments in research and development are driving the market in this region.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Cloud Engineering Market 2018 by Global Leaders: Trianz, Sogeti, GFT Technologies SE, Aricent, Rapidvalue Solutions, ITC Infotech India, Calsoft, Nitor Infotech, VVDN Technologies, Searce https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4063 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/cloud-engineering-market-4063 Market Research Future published a research report on Cloud Engineering Market Research Report- Global Forecast 2023 Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Market HighlightsThe global cloud engineering market is highly competitive. Various established international brands, domestic brands and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. The key players are nonstop increasingly seeking market expansion through various strategic mergers and acquisitions, innovation, increasing investments in research and development and cost-effective product portfolio. The Cloud Engineering Market is highly competitive due to the presence of several large vendors. The competition among the vendors will intensify due to the increase in product extensions and various above-mentioned factors. The players in the cloud engineering market compete on the basis of the factors such as technology, features, design and compatibility. The vendors or the manufacturers are continuously coming up with new ideas and technologies to gain competitive advantage over their competitors.Get Sample of Report @Key Players:The key players in the global cloud engineering market include- Trianz (US), Sogeti (Europe), GFT Technologies SE (Europe), Aricent Inc. (US), Rapidvalue Solutions Inc. (US), Engineering Ingegneria Informatica SpA (Europe), ITC Infotech India Ltd. (India), Calsoft Inc. (US), Nitor Infotech (India), VVDN Technologies (India) , Softcrylic LLC (US) and Searce Inc. (US), among others.SegmentsFor the purpose of this study, Market Research Future has segmented the market of cloud engineering into service type, deployment type, organization size, end-users and region.Service Type- Consulting Design Training Integration Migration Cloud Security Cloud Storage OthersDeployment- Private Public HybridOrganization Size- Small Medium LargeEnd-Users- IT & Telecommunications BFSI Healthcare Energy & Utilities Retail Government OthersRegion North-America Europe Asia-Pacific RoWRegional AnalysisThe global cloud engineering market is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period, 2017-2023. Retail segment of cloud engineering market globally drives the market majorly due to increasing demand for better solutions for brand image and customer satisfaction. The market is expected to have higher growth rate as compared to the previous years. The global cloud engineering market segmented into four main regions such as North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Rest of the World. Retail segments hold a largest share in the North-American region. The reason is attributed to as the enterprises are shifting towards cloud-based solutions and services with the increasing adoption of better business strategies. Also, consumers are looking for better shopping experiences in this region. Therefore, retail segment of cloud engineering market accounted for the largest market share.Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at a fast pace over the forecast period, 2017-2023. Countries such as Japan, China and India contributes largely to the overall market share. The reason is attributed to the increasing number of manufacturers, stringent government regulations, growing advancement and increasing adoption of high end technology in the field of measurement equipment are boosting the growth of card connector market in this region.Get Complete Report @Intended Audience Device manufacturers Network Operators Distributors Suppliers Research firms Software Developers Commercial Banks Vendors Semiconductor Manufacturers End-user sectorsTechnology InvestorsAbout Us:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Media Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Key Takeaways from Global Lingerie Market Offered in New Research Forecasted through 2024 end Market Research Reports Search Engine https://www.mrrse.com/sample/2507 https://www.mrrse.com/lingerie-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/2507 https://www.mrrse.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ Lingerie market has been growing at a steady rate over the past few years as lingerie is considered to be a necessity to every woman across the globe. The dependency on lingerie for functional as we as for fashion purposes has been propelling the growth of the market in recent years. Owing to these reasons, the report states that The Global Iingerie Market was valued at US$33.18 bn in 2015 and is expected to be worth US$55.83 bn by the end of 2024. The global market is estimated to rise at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period of 2016 and 2024 due to various growth drivers that have been carefully studied in this research report.Get Inside Scoop of Sample Report @Availability of Broad Product Range to Fuel Growth of Lingerie MarketThe global lingerie market is expected to grow at a steady pace due to the wide availability of these products. Today, lingerie can be bought online as well as through retail stores. With the help of accurate size charts and description lingerie can be purchased through online shopping with the option of exchanging or returning it if it does not fit. Thus, the convenience of shopping has also boosted the growth of the global market. Analysts state that the broad product range that suits every budget has also lured in bigger consumer base in the global lingerie market. Furthermore, continuous efforts to improve the materials used for making various types of lingerie, research and development, and strong branding have all favored the growth of the global market in recent years.On the basis of product types, the global lingerie market is segmented into bra, knickers and panties, loungewear, shape wear and others. The report indicates that the bra segment holds the biggest share in the global market due to its indispensable usage. The knickers and panties segment too is expected to make a significant contribution to the overall market as these are considered essential items of an attire as well.Global Lingerie Market: OpportunitiesMoreover, the global lingerie market is experiencing moderate growth in the apparel segment as nowadays individuals are more inclined towards branded items, most of which are usually priced on the higher end. People from all backgrounds and income group want to avail a comfortable and lasting inner wear that can be fashionable as well as skin-friendly. There are many local brands or companies that manufacture cheap quality products to cater to the wide population in the under developed or developing countries. Mergers and acquisitions are a strategic way of entering the market and understanding the current needs and preferences of the population. Through this, the large companies will benefit in capturing the market and at the same time, will enable the small companies to fight for a better position in the market.Global Lingerie Market: Regional OutlookMoreover, in this report the study provides different countries included in different regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. North America includes U.S. and Rest of North America. Europe includes U.K., Germany, France, Russia, Italy and Rest of Europe. Asia Pacific includes countries such as India, China, Japan and Rest of Asia Pacific. In addition, Middle East and Africa includes country such as UAE, South Africa and Rest of Middle East and Africa. Latin America comprise of countries such as Brazil and Rest of Latin AmericaRead Comprehensive Overview of Report @Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. Transition in the lifestyle of the consumers which is backed by rapid urbanization and increasing purchasing power is a major factor behind the high growth of this market in Asia Pacific. Further, consumer exposure to the same by way of advertisements through televisions, and print media among others is another key factor responsible for the growth of the Lingerie Market in this region.Key Players Mentioned in this Report:Some of the major key players operating in the global lingerie market are, Jockey International Inc. (Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.), Hanes (North Carolina U.S.), Groupe Chantelle (Cachan, France), LVMH (Boise U.S.), L Brands Inc. (Columbus, Ohio), MAS Holdings Limited (Colombo, Sri Lanka), Ann Summers (London, U.K.), Marks and Spencer (London U.K.), PV H Corporation (New York, U.S.) among others.The report analyzes the factors that are driving and restraining the growth of the lingerie market. This report will help manufacturers, distributors and suppliers to understand the present and future trends in this market and formulate strategies accordingly.The global lingerie market can be segmented as follows:-Global Lingerie Market, by TypeBraKnickers and PantiesLounge wearShape wearOthersGlobal Lingerie Market, by Distribution ChannelOnline StoresStore FrontGlobal Lingerie Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.Rest of North AmericaEuropeU.K.GermanyFranceItalyRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East and AfricaUAESouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaHave Any Query, Ask Our Expert at @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: Global Sun Protection Products Market: Brief Analysis of Products and Application Set to Attain Higher Position Through 2022 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=140 https://www.factmr.com/report/140/sun-protection-products-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=140 https://www.factmr.com/ As per the current market trends and the promising nature of the global sun protection products 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 2017 to 2022, 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 for Free Sample Report-Sun protection products are available in gel, spray, lotion or other topical formula that either reflect or absorb some of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. These products are largely used for protecting oneself against sunburn. Regular use of sun protection can also slowdown the process of skin aging as well as momentarily prevent the development of wrinkles.In many ways, sun protection products are more than just a sun blocking lotion. The American Cancer Society has suggested that use of sun protection products can reduce the risk of squamous cell carcinomas. However, a number of sun protection products available in the market may not come with UVA radiation protection. In several cases, primary cause of photodermatitis and melanoma has been linked with extreme exposure to UVA radiation. Sun protection products are normally labeled and rated with sun protection factor (SPF) that dilutes the fraction of UVA present in sun rays that reach the skin. For instance, "SPF 15" refers to 1/15th of the burning radiation that reach the skin.Demand for sun protection products usually peaks during the summer season, as consumers particularly the female section seek for the best cosmetics products to protect themselves from sunburn and intensified UV rays. To an extent, sale of sun protection products is subjected to seasonal climate change and consumer preference for alternative products. Therefore, cosmetic brands are now trying to close the gap between sun care and skin care by introducing multipurpose sun protection products. Fact.MRs latest study projects that the global sun protection products market will increase at a CAGR of 5.6% between 2017 and 2022 to reach a valuation of US$ 13,464.9 Mn. Moreover, growing popularity of natural and organic sun protection formula as well as the universal desire to remain young and attractive is driving innovation in beauty and wellness products.Sun Protection Products to Remain Highly Sought-After in the MarketTowards the end of forecast period, around US$ 5,675.7 Mn worth sun protection products are expected to sold worldwide. In terms of revenue, sun protection products currently account for more than one-third share of the market. Further, highlighting the use of natural and herbal ingredients in sun protection products remain a key branding strategy for manufacturers, which creates a positive image of the product on the consumers mind.Hypermarket/supermarket will Remain the Leading Distribution Channel for Sun Protection ProductsBased on distribution channel, hypermarket/supermarket will continue to be an attractive distribution channel for sun protection products. Mushrooming of hypermarket/supermarket in emerging markets such as China and India is helping the global sun protection products market gain further momentum. Hypermarket/supermarket can accommodate huge stocks of wellness products including sun protection products and also making them easily available to consumers. In recent years, online retails stores have also emerged as a lucrative distribution channel as many of the younger generation of consumers prefer to shop online. By 2022-end, the online sales segment is expected to reach a market valuation of US$ 2,879.4 Mn, reflecting a CAGR of 5.1%.Browse Full Report with TOC-Global Sun Protection Products Market- Regional OverviewAmong regions, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) is expected to remain at the forefront of the global sun protection products market. APEJs sun protection products market revenue is anticipated to increase at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period. This is primarily owing to rising disposable income in the many of the emerging countries in the region. Moreover, the economic growth in APEJ is leading to higher standards of living, which in turn is driving the desires of maintaining oneself better in terms looks and health. Markets in Europe and North America are expected to exhibit positive growth. Revenue from North America sun protection products market is anticipated to increase at a CAGR of 5% over 2022. Meanwhile, Latin America is also expected to account for a significant revenue share of the market during the forecast period. By 2017-end, the region is likely to command for 21.3% market share in terms of revenue, possibly gaining 15 BPS in its market share by 2022.Competition TrackingThe report has also profiled prominent manufacturers of sun protection products in the global market, which include Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal S.A., Avon Products, Inc., Kao Corporation, Shiseido Co.,Ltd, Unilever PLC, Mary Kay Inc., The Procter & Gamble Company, Christian Dior SE, and Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft.Table of ContentGlobal Sun Protection Products Market - Executive SummaryGlobal Sun Protection Products Market Overview2.1. Introduction2.1.1. Global Sun Protection Products Market Taxonomy2.1.2. Global Sun Protection Products Market Definition2.2. Global Sun Protection Products Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast, 2012-20222.2.1. Global Sun Protection Products Market Y-o-Y Growth2.3. Global Sun Protection Products Market Dynamics2.3.1. Drivers2.3.2. Restraints2.3.3. Trends2.4. Supply Chain2.5. Cost Structure2.6. Pricing Analysis2.7. Raw Material Sourcing Strategy and Analysis2.8. List of Distributors2.9. Key Participants Market Presence (Intensity Map) By RegionRead More>>>Request Discount of this 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: Atomic Spectroscopy Market to Reflect Impressive Expansion During 2015 - 2025 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-382 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-382 www.futuremarketinsights.com Study of electromagnetic radiations that is emitted or absorbed by atoms is known as atomic spectroscopy.When electrons are excited, they move from higher valence bond to lower valence bond and emit radiations (emission). However, a relaxed electron moves from lower valence bond to higher valence bond resulting in absorption of energy.Atomic spectroscopy market can be segmented as below based on technologies:X-ray Fluorescence SpectroscopyX-ray Diffraction SpectroscopyInductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS)Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) SpectroscopyAtomic Absorption SpectroscopyElemental AnalyzersAmong all aforementioned technologies, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy market accounts for the largest share to the atomic spectroscopy market. This is due to the fact that they are efficient in analyzing solid samples precisely. Also, procedures performed via X-ray fluorescence are user-friendly in nature along with being cost efficient.Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) market is expected to show the highest growth rate during the forecast period 2015 to 2025. This growth is attributed to revision in various regulations (chapter 231) of the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention. The revised regulation mandates the utilization of inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy by pharmaceutical companies, which will propel the overall growth of inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy market.Request to Sample Report -Atomic spectroscopy is utilized in various institutes (applications):Food and Beverage TestingPharmaceuticalIndustrial ChemistryEnvironmental TestingBiotechnologyAmong all these, application of atomic spectroscopy in pharmaceutical market accounts for the largest share of total market. This large market size is due to increased utilization of atomic spectroscopy in the various pharmaceutical activities such as drugs manufacturing.Their efficiency helps develop and manufacture drugs precisely, that increases the uptake of atomic spectroscopy while manufacturing drugs by pharmaceutical companies. Hence, atomic spectroscopy market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period 2015 to 2025.Stringent safety regulations regarding the drug safety, and food and beverage testing by regulatory authorities across the globe will drive the growth of atomic spectroscopy market at a high CAGR during the forecast period. Safety regulations will propel the demand for the utilization of atomic spectroscopy in industrial chemistry sector along with environmental testing since; it will help monitor the volume of metal in any sample. Likewise, increasing application of atomic spectroscopy in medical research and drug safety will also boost the growth of atomic spectroscopy market.However, lack of trained professionals for handling atomic spectroscopy devices and technology may restrain the growth of atomic spectroscopy market.Request Report TOC @Domicile of large pharmaceutical and industrial chemistry companies in North America have supported the region to contribute the largest share of total atomic spectroscopy market. Also, stringent government regulations regarding safety of drugs, food and beverages has also supported the large market size in the region. Asia-Pacific is expected to foresee the highest CAGR during the forecast period 2015 to 2025. This is due to the fact that major players such as Agilent Technologies are intending to expand their business in the emerging nations like India and China, which will drive the growth of atomic spectroscopy market. The major players operating in the atomic spectroscopy market include Agilent Technologies, Aurora Biomed, Bruker Corporation, Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Shimadzu Corporation, GBC Scientific Equipment Pty Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific, PerkinElmer, Inc., Analytik Jena AG and Rigaku Corporation among other significant players.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 : Uterine Cancer Diagnostic Testing Market Present Profitable Opportunities by 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/17005 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/17005 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Uterine cancer, commonly, is a form of cancer in female reproductive system which usually initiates in the tissues of uterus. The most common type of gynecologic cancer occurring worldwide is cervical cancer that arises from the lower portion of uterus, while the second most common cancer is endometrial cancer which initiates in endometrium, the lining of uterus. Endometrial cancer is the most common type of uterine cancer, commonly found in women going through menopause. Women with an average age of 60 years are the most likely to diagnose with endometrial cancer. As per the American Cancer Society, it has been anticipated that in 2017, about 61,380 new cases of uterus body cancer would be diagnosed in United States and around 10,920 women will die of uterine body cancer. Uterine body cancers include both uterine sarcomas and endometrial cancers. According to World Health Organization, developed regions such as North America followed by Europe registers greater incidence rate for endometrial uterine cancer owing to the changing lifestyle opted by women.Request for Table of Contents @Uterine cancer diagnostic testing is extremely important for women to keep themselves in good health conditions. In order to diagnose uterine cancer, a doctor carries out various diagnostic tests considering some of the factors such as stage and type of suspected cancer, age and medical condition of the patient, symptoms and results of prior medical tests if any. The most common types of tests performed by doctors to diagnose a uterine cancer involves: physical examination, imaging tests and surgical biopsy.Growing awareness among women about uterine ailments coupled with availability of large number of diagnostic tests in market is expected to be the key factor driving the growth of uterine cancer diagnostic testing market. Growing healthcare expenditure and advancement in drug industry are some other factors propelling growth of uterine cancer diagnostic testing market. Performance of uterine cancer diagnostic testing market is primarily determined by increasing incidence rate of uterine diseases across the globe. However, adverse side effects caused by using highly toxic drugs and high cost of treatments are some of the factors restraining the market growth. Also, clinical trials on cancer drugs experience low success rate, which in turn is responsible for sluggish growth in uterine cancer diagnostic testing industry.The global market for uterine cancer diagnostic testing is segmented on basis of test type, end user and geography:Segmentation by Test TypeImaging testsPelvic UltrasoundTransvaginal UltrasoundMRICT ScanHistological ExaminationsHysteroscopyEndometrial BiopsyDilation and CurettageSegmentation by End UserHospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersDiagnostic LaboratoriesAmong all test types, hysteroscopy is most commonly recommended uterine cancer diagnostic test. Endometrial biopsy is recommended as confirmatory test for diagnosis of uterine cancer and major part workforce in any histopathology laboratory is occupied with endometrial biopsies.On the basis of geography, global uterine cancer diagnostic testing market is segmented into five key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America is projected to hold largest shares in the global market primarily due to growing incidence of uterine cancer among women and innovations in diagnostic techniques. Asia pacific uterine cancer diagnostic testing market is anticipated to witness prominent growth during the forecast period owing to increased healthcare expenditure in developing countries such as India and China.Request a Sample Brochure of the Report @Some of the key players present in global uterine cancer diagnostic testing market are Abbott Laboratories, Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Becton, Dickinson & Co., Siemens Healthcare Inc., F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline Plc., etc.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: Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Market 2018 by Key Players : TKS Industrial, Seibu Giken, Taikisha QYResearchReports https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1752852&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-fluidized-bed-concentrator-fbc-sales-market-report-2018.htm/toc https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1752852&type=D Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Sales Market Report 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies the global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) market status and forecast, categorizes the global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) market size (value & volume) by key players, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top players in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia India and Other regions (Middle East & Africa, Central & South America).Changing consumer preferences have left little room for companies but to innovate in order to stay competitive. The scenario is same in the global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) market where businesses are operating in a dynamic environment. According to the report, the leading market players are experimenting with various strategies to chalk an upward trending growth curve. Several of them are also investing in diversifying their product portfolio to gain edge over competition. The report on the global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) market studies its trajectory between 2018 and 2025. It covers various growth drivers enabling growth in the market. In addition, it discusses in detail various challenges posing threat. The report also highlights opportunities to be capitalized on during the course of the aforementioned forecast period.Free Sample of this report is available upon request @The major players covered in this reportTKS IndustrialSeibu GikenCECO EnvironmentalTaikishaAnguil EnvironmentalCycle ThermGCE SystemsThe CMM GroupGeographically, this report studies the key regions, focuses on product sales, value, market share and growth opportunity in these regions, coveringUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoAdsorption TowerDesorption TowerThermal OxidizerCarbon Transport SystemOn 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, includingPaint FinishingAutomotiveAerospacePrintingChemical productionSemiconductorThe report provides valuable market intelligence to consumers as well as companies operating in the global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) market. It is intended to offer a holistic overview of the prevailing trends for companies to identify the most lucrative pockets within the market. The report also includes recommendations for companies to strengthen their foothold over the forecast period. To present a detailed analysis, the report includes profiles of some of the key players in the global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) market. Their strengths and weaknesses are analyzed and the effect of the strategies they adopted over the years is gauged.Access the Report and full TOC @Table of Contents1 Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC)1.2 Classification of Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) by Product Category1.3 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Market by Application/End Users1.4 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Market by Region1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Revenue and Growth Rate (2013-2025)2 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) (Volume and Value) by Type2.3 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) (Volume and Value) by Region2.4 Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) (Volume) by Application3 United States Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Sales and Value (2013-2018)3.2 United States Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Sales Volume and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)3.3 United States Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Sales Volume and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)3.4 United States Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Sales Volume and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)Click here to avail discount on this reports @List of Tables and FiguresFigure Product Picture of Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC)Figure Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Sales Volume Comparison (K Units) by Type (2013-2025)Figure Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Sales Volume Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2017Figure Global Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Market Size (Million USD) by Regions (2013-2025)Figure United States Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure Europe Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure China Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) 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 Egg and Egg Products Market Recent Industry Trends, Analysis and Forecast 2020 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-217 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-217 www.futuremarketinsights.com Products which are obtained from different blends and components of eggs and are ready for human consumption are known as egg products. Egg products can partly be complemented by additives or some other food products. They can be found in different forms such as concentrated, crystallized, deep-frozen, liquid, solid, and frozen with a shelf life of three weeks.About 70% of the eggs are mainly produce in the economies of China, India, U.S., Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, and France. In which 36% of the eggs are produce in China and about 11% in Latin America. There are different types of eggs products available in the market which includes pasteurized liquid egg, pasteurized liquid yolk, pasteurized liquid white, dehydrated white, dehydrated egg, hardboiled egg, dehydrated yolk, and ready-cooked meals with egg as their main ingredient.Request for sample Report:As egg and egg products offers a source of protein to the consumers with the slightest environment impact is the major factor driving the growth of the market. Technology changes, government regulations are some of the factors contributing to the growth of the market. As the industry is continuously changing due to rising demand, increasing consumption and production of egg and egg products and technology advancement the market has huge growth opportunities in future. But, the insignificant growth in the international trade with some exceptions can act as a restraint for the market.Visit For Table of Contents:Some of the key players of the market are Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., Land O'Lakes, Inc., Noble Foods Ltd, Tyson Foods, Inc., and Ningbo Jiangbei Dexi Foods Co. Ltd.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.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 Safety Light Curtain Market 2018-2025 Omron, KEYENCE, Rockwell Automation, SICK Safety Light Curtain Market Demand and Growth 201 http://bit.ly/Safety-Light-Curtain-Market-2018-2025 http://www.9dimenresearchstore.com/report/global-safety-light-curtain-market-5356 http://9dimenresearchstore.com/ A market study "Global Safety Light Curtain Market" examines the performance of the Safety Light Curtain market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Safety Light Curtain market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Safety Light Curtain market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Safety Light Curtain Market 2018 report includes Safety Light Curtain market Revenue, market Share, Safety Light Curtain industry volume, market Trends, Safety Light Curtain Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Safety Light Curtain Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Safety Light Curtain Market 2018 : Omron KEYENCE Rockwell Automation SICK Pepperl+Fuchs Banner Engineering Panasonic Schneider Electric Datalogic Leuze ElectronicSafety Light Curtain Market : By Application9mm-24mm25mm-90mmMore Than 90mmSafety Light Curtain Market : By TypeType 2Type 4Firstly, the report covers the top Safety Light Curtain manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Safety Light Curtain report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Safety Light Curtain industry, Safety Light Curtain industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Safety Light Curtain Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Safety Light Curtain 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 Safety Light Curtain market revenue worldwide.Finally, Safety Light Curtain 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 Solar PV Tracker Market 2018-2025 Array Technologies, Arctech, Convert Italia Solar PV Tracker Market Growth 2018 http://bit.ly/Solar-PV-Tracker-Market-2018-2025 http://www.9dimenresearchstore.com/report/global-solar-pv-tracker-market-5357 http://9dimenresearchstore.com/ A market study "Global Solar PV Tracker Market" examines the performance of the Solar PV Tracker market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Solar PV Tracker market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Solar PV Tracker market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Solar PV Tracker Market 2018 report includes Solar PV Tracker market Revenue, market Share, Solar PV Tracker industry volume, market Trends, Solar PV Tracker Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Solar PV Tracker Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Solar PV Tracker Market 2018 :1. Array Technologies2. Arctech3. Convert Italia4. Mahindra Susten5. First Solar6. NEXTracker7. Solar FlexRack8. AllEarth Renewables9. Exosun10. SunLink11. Abengoa12. GameChange Solar13. Soltec14. Sun Action Trackers15. Edisun Microgrids16. Haosolar17. SunPower18. Scorpius TrackersSolar PV Tracker Market : By ApplicationUtilityCommercialResidentialSolar PV Tracker Market : By TypeSolar Photovoltaic (PV)Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)Firstly, the report covers the top Solar PV Tracker manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Solar PV Tracker report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Solar PV Tracker industry, Solar PV Tracker industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Solar PV Tracker Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Solar PV Tracker 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 Solar PV Tracker market revenue worldwide.Finally, Solar PV Tracker 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: Advances in Protein/Antibody Engineering Market Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Threats 2014 - 2020 www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-214 www.futuremarketinsights.com Antibodies and Proteins developed with new and advantageous functions and properties are known as engineering of protein and antibody. Protein engineering in specific can be defined as a process of developing valuable proteins and modification of antibodies to increase similarity or specificity is called as antibody engineering.Antibody and protein engineering are used in applications such as, inflammatory disorders new therapeutic for treatment of diseases, protein purification, diagnostic and autoimmune. There are two approaches used for designing new antibodies and proteins which are directed evolution and the second is rational designing.Antibodies occupied a huge market share of approximately around USD 30 billion in 2014 and the market shows huge signs of growth for the next five years. The market for antibody engineering is changing quickly due to novel technologies. Moreover, protein engineering offers flexibility in engineering and designing new and desirable antibodies is expected to be the major factor driving the growth of the market. In future the market has huge opportunities from rising prevalence of diseases such as cancer and increasing health care concerns.Request for sample Report:ww.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-214Beryllium, ProSci Incorporated, Precision Antibody, Fusion Antibodies, BioXcell, GenTarget Inc, Imagin AB, covalab, and IBL international are some of the major players participating in the market.This research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data and statistically-supported and industry-validated market data and projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. It provides analysis and information by categories such as market segments, regions, product type and distribution channels.Visit For Table of Contents: ps://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.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 Flame Retardant Tape Market 2018-2025 3M, Nitto Denko, Avery Dennison, tesa SE Flame Retardant Tape Market http://bit.ly/Flame-Retardant-Tape-Market-2018-2025 http://www.9dimenresearchstore.com/report/global-flame-retardant-tape-market-5358 http://9dimenresearchstore.com/ A market study "Global Flame Retardant Tape Market" examines the performance of the Flame Retardant Tape market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Flame Retardant Tape market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Flame Retardant Tape market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Flame Retardant Tape Market 2018 report includes Flame Retardant Tape market Revenue, market Share, Flame Retardant Tape industry volume, market Trends, Flame Retardant Tape Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Flame Retardant Tape Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Flame Retardant Tape Market 2018 :1. 3M2. Nitto Denko3. Avery Dennison4. tesa SE5. Henkel6. Berry Plastics7. Intertape Polymer8. LINTEC Corporation9. Achem Technology Corporation10. Yonghe Adhesive Products11. Winta12. Yongle Tape13. JinghuaTape14. Luxking Group15. Shushi Group16. Yongguan17. CamatFlame Retardant Tape Market : By ApplicationElectrical & ElectronicsBuilding & ConstructionPackagingFlame Retardant Tape Market : By TypeNomex Adhesive TapeAcetate Cloth Adhesive TapePPS filmFirstly, the report covers the top Flame Retardant Tape manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Flame Retardant Tape report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Flame Retardant Tape industry, Flame Retardant Tape industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Flame Retardant Tape Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Flame Retardant Tape 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 Flame Retardant Tape market revenue worldwide.Finally, Flame Retardant Tape 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: Nordic Data Center Construction Market to Worth $6 Billion by 2023 | Arizton https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/data-center-construction-market-nordic https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/data-center-construction-market-nordic https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/data-center-construction-market-nordic The increasing investments made by colocation providers such as Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon Web Service (AWS) will augment the growth of the Nordic data center construction market.Ariztons recent market research report on the Nordic data center construction market provides comprehensive industry analysis, trend forecasts, and competitive analysis. The research study segments the market by electrical construction (UPS systems, generators, transfer switch and switchgear, rack PDU, and other electrical infrastructure), by mechanical construction (cooling systems, rack, and other infrastructure), by general construction (building development, installation and commissioning, services, building design, physical security, and DCIM), by country (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden), and offers detailed competitive analysis.The Nordic data center construction market is expected to generate revenues of approximately $6 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of more than 8% during 2018-2023. The deployment of new facilities of Tier 3 and Tier 4 standards will revolutionize the market in the Nordic region.Request for your free sample today!The top 3 drivers and trends contributing to the development of the Nordic data center construction market are discussed below:Availability of Renewable Energy SourceThe wide availability of renewable energy sources to power facilities will augment the growth of the Nordic data center construction market. The major facilities in the Nordic region are powered by renewable energy sources. Hyperscale operators and colocation providers are establishing new facilities in the Nordic region with renewable energy sources to reduce the cost of electricity and to operate facilities with minimal carbon emission. Renewable energy produced in the Nordic region is contributed by hydro and wind power sources. The increasing efforts by local government and energy producers to promote the use of renewable energy sources will fuel the development of the sustainable market in the Nordic region. Data center operators are procuring renewable energy before the development of the facilities in the Nordic region. Norway is the major leader in the renewable energy capacity production, followed by Sweden and Finland in the Nordic data center construction market. Iceland industries operate 100% of through renewable sources, whereas facilities investment in the country is led by cryptocurrency organizations. The use of renewable energy sources will revolutionize the Nordic market during the forecast period.Free Cooling Facilitates Operating Facilities at Low PUEThe growing focus on reducing the environmental impact of facilities is augmenting the adoption of free cooling systems in the Nordic data center construction market. The implementation of efficient cooling and power infrastructure and free cooling solutions will help to reduce the OPEX and CAPEX in facilities across the Nordic region. The facilities taking advantage of free cooling technique across the Nordic region will reduce the energy consumption of data centers cooling infrastructure and maintain PUE of less than 1.20. The development of the innovative design of facilities, adopting innovative power, and cooling technologies will reduce PUEs and promote the development of the Nordic data center construction market. The facility operators investing in Nordic region will benefit from free cooling solutions with around 8,400 hours a year and reduce energy consumption by 50% in the market. Modular facilities are designed to reduce complexity and add more flexibility through dynamic allocation of resources as per the operators needs. The deployment of modular facilities is also aimed at reduced PUE of below 1.1 in the Nordic region.Request for your free sample today!Increase in Construction of Hyperscale FacilitiesThe rising number of investments made by Facebook, Apple, Google, and Amazon Web Service (AWS) for the deployment of hyperscale facilities will propel the growth of the Nordic data center construction market. Apple is investing over $960 million on its Viborg facility in Denmark and has also planned an Aabenraa Fjord facility with an investment of over $900 million in the Nordic region. Facebook is building its Odense facility with covering an area of over 600,000 square feet in the market. These investments will provide benefits for infrastructure providers, construction contractors, sub-contractors, installation and commissioning service providers, and architectural and engineering firms in the Nordic data center construction market. The influx of big investments in the region will improve the digital economy of the country, state and city, providing thousands of local construction and facilities operation jobs in the Nordic market.The leading vendors in the Nordic data center construction market are ABB, Eaton, Rittal, Schneider Electric, STULZ, Vertiv, AECOM, DPR Construction, HDR Architecture, MACE Group, Mercury Engineering, NCC, and Skanska.The complete overview of the latest market research report on Nordic data center construction market by Arizton is now available.The report also offers a detailed study of major trends, drivers, challenges, and also provides the market size and forecast for major geographical regions and key countries.Order a report :About AriztonArizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.Arizton Advisory & IntelligenceChicago, Illinois, 60605Mail: enquiry@arizton.comCall: +1-312-465-7864 Wine Packaging Market Examines the Growth over 2017 - 2025 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/17881 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/17881 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Packaging manufacturers across the developed regions are focusing on improving distribution process, through economies of scales. These are broadly followed across wine packaging manufacturer, to optimize the resources available to the manufacturers. Globally, wine packaging manufacturers are focusing on providing environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging solution. Also, with increasing need for safe packaging among consumers is fueling the demand for secondary wine packaging such as barrels, racks, trays, boxes, carton partitions, etc. These factors are propelling high demand across wine packaging manufacturer operating across regions of Western Europe and North America market.Request Report for Table of Contents @Global wine packaging market comprises of a broad range of raw material, but glass raw material, in particular, accounts a significant share of wine packaging market. The glass material is the primary choice of wine packaging manufacturer as glass material is nonporous and impermeable which ensures there is no interaction of oxygen with the wine. Moreover, with increasing consumption of wine in Western Europe market is accounting a huge chunk of demand for wine packaging.Global Wine Packaging Market - Market Dynamics:Over the years, the changing lifestyle pattern across the developing regions of Asia Pacific is one of the prominent factors of increasing wine consumption with is directly contributing to the high demand for wine packaging. Also, wine packaging manufacturers are using sustainable polymer (PET) material for bottles which is recyclable and durable for a long term. These factors have ensured manufacturers to focus on producing wine packaging through reduction of carbon emission which is propelling the growth in wine packaging market.A rising trend which is observed in wine packaging is the increasing use of corrugated boxes for packaging wine bottles, For instances Smurfit Kappa has designed protektapak corrugated boxes which enables the manufacturer to replace expensive polymers. This factor is expected to drive the need for environmental friendly wine packaging which is anticipated to be pursued by other leading wine packaging manufacturers over the forecast period.Global Wine Packaging Market - Market Segmentation:Geographically, the wine packaging market is segmented into material type and packaging type. On the basis of material type the global wine packaging is segmented into plastic, wood, paper and paperboard and metal. Further, plastic material is divided into polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS) and others. Moreover, paper and paperboard material market is sub-segmented into corrugated paperboard which is further divided into B Flute, C Flute and F Flute. Whereas metal material is further sub-segmented into tin, aluminum, steel, cooper and silver. On the basis of packaging type the global wine packaging market is segmented into primary packaging and secondary packaging. Furthermore, primary packaging is sub-segmented into bottle, kegs and bag in box. In addition, secondary packaging is sub-segmented into capsules, barrels, racks, trays, carrier, seal wax, labels, carton partitions and boxes.Global Wine Packaging Market - Regional Outlook:North AmericaLatin AmericaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeAsia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ)Middle East & Africa (MEA)JapanThe global consumption of wine packaging market is highly concentrated across the region of Europe and North America market. With increasing year on year increasing consumption of wine packaging in countries such as France, Italy and Vatican City, it is anticipated to fuel the growth across the Europe market. APEJ region is anticipated to witness a surging growth with changing lifestyle pattern being one of the key driving factor for increasing wine packaging consumption.Request Sample Copy for More Insightful Information @Wine Packaging Market Key Players:Some of the key players operating in the global wine packaging market include Brick Packaging, LLC., All American Containers, Avery Dennison Corporation, Berlin Packaging, Liqui-Box, RTS Packaging, LLC. Visy, THIELMANN The Container Company, Graphica Bezalel, Gallo Glass Company, M A Silva Corks USA, Owens- Illinois, Inc. Saxon Packaging, Shenzhen J&D Packing Machinery Co., ltd., Dongguan Huacheng Can Co., Ltd., Sambucks Co., Ltd., Amcor Ltd., Scholle IPN, Guala Closures Group, Golden State Box Factory, Naggiar, Nampak Ltd., Global Package, LLC., Amorim Cork America, KEYES Packaging Group, Packaging & Converting Intelligence, Waterloo Container Company.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: Global Wine Cabinets Market Drivers, Restraints, Regional Outlook Report with Trends and Forecast, Reviewed by 2017 to 2026 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=406 https://www.factmr.com/report/406/wine-cabinets-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=406 https://www.factmr.com/ A freshly compiled business intelligent report, titled Wine Cabinets Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking Global Review 2017 to 2026 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 wine cabinets 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-Wine cabinets are containers specially designed for storing wine bottles. Well-built wine cabinets serve as both efficient storage solutions and fine furniture. These cabinets comply with ideal wine storage conditions such as low vibration, ideal humidity and steady temperature, enabling the wine to age with perfection. Various types of wine cabinets currently available in the market include free-standing cabinets, Built-in cabinets, walk-in cellars, and integrated under counter cabinets. According to a new research study by Fact.MR, the global market for wine cabinets will exhibit a CAGR of nearly 5%, in terms of volume, during the forecast period, 2017 to 2026. Revenues from sales of wine cabinets around the world are estimated to surpass US$ 5,500 Mn by 2026-end.North America to Remain Largest Market for Wine CabinetsNorth American consumers are shifting toward high-quality, premium wines, underpinned by growing intelligence on products that is fuelled by in-store tastings, international media, and wine clubs. With growing wine consumption demand for wine cabinets will also witness a rise in the region. North America will continue to be the largest market for wine cabinets, in terms of value and volume, followed by Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ). However, the market in APEJ will register the fastest expansion through 2026.Free standing wine cabinets are gaining immense traction among consumers globally, and they are willing to pay premium for these cabinets owing to their advanced offerings related to temperature and storage. Free standing wine cabinets will therefore remain dominant among products in the market, with revenues forecast to account for approximately three-fifth share of the market by 2026-end. Alongside price, space has become a key consideration during the selection of wine cabinets, wherein integrated under counter and built-in wine cabinets are increasingly being preferred. These two products will also account for major revenue shares of the market during the forecast period.Competition TrackingLeading players in the market are increasing focusing on the provision of innovative and technologically advanced products at competitive prices, in order to retain their competitiveness in the market. These players are entering into mergers & acquisitions with smaller vendors for facilitating the raw material supply and expanding their market reach. Key players profiled by Fact.MRs report, that are actively supporting the market expansion include Climadiff, Enofrigo, Liebherr, PERLICK, Eurocave, Electrolux, SUB-ZERO, Avanti, EDGESTAR, Danby, HAIER, and Middleby Corporation.Browse Full Report with TOC-Table of Content:1. Global Economic Outlook2. Global Wine Cabinet Market Executive Summary3. Global Wine Cabinet Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Global Wine Cabinet Market Taxonomy3.1.2. Global Wine Cabinet Market Definition3.2. Global Wine Cabinet Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast, 2012-20263.2.1. Global Wine Cabinet Market Y-o-Y Growth3.3. Global Wine Cabinet Market Dynamics3.4. Supply Chain3.5. Cost Structure3.6. Regulatory Framework3.7. PESTLE Analysis3.8. Porters Five Force Analysis3.9. Key Participants Market Presence (Intensity Map) By Region4. Global Wine Cabinet Market Analysis and Forecast 2012-20264.1. Global Wine Cabinet Market Size and Forecast By Product Type, 2012-20264.1.1. Free Standing Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.1.1.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) and Volume Comparison, By Region4.1.1.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.1.1.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.1.2. Integrated Under Counter Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.1.2.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) and Volume Comparison, By Region4.1.2.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.1.2.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By RegionContinued.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 Retail & Consumer Goods 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: Global Lip Care Market Proposals & Trends Leading to 4.5% CAGR Growth during 2017-2026 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=495 https://www.factmr.com/report/495/lip-care-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=495 https://www.factmr.com/ A freshly compiled business intelligent report, titled Lip Care Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking Global Review 2017 to 2026 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 lip care 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-The ever-growing importance of grooming, along with rising interest toward presentable appearance among aspirational, urban population for creating positive impression has paved numerous opportunities in the cosmetics sector. The emerging interest of personal grooming in working professionals in light of rising living standards has led to innovations in various cosmetic products, and lip care is no exception. A large number of revolutionary lip care products have been launched globally with an aesthetic appeal that peeks attention of consumers, thereby fuelling sales. Lip care products have gained immense traction among beauty- and health-conscious consumers, as these products provide nourishment and protection to lips against dust, drying effects of cold & wind, and harmful sun rays. A new report compiled by Future Market Insights has slated a value CAGR of 4.5% for the global lip care market in the forecast period (2017-2026). Over 650,000,000 units of lip care products are expected to be sold across the globe by 2026-end.Sticks to Remain Leading Packaging Form for Lip Care ProductsLip care products packed in sticks are highly sought-after among consumers on the back of the convenience offered in carrying and application of the product on lips. Sticks will therefore remain the leading packaging form used for lip care products, with sales estimated to exceed US$ 2,000 Mn by 2026-end.Based on price range, economic lip care products will remain preferred by consumers, followed by medium priced lip care products. Revenues from both these price range segments are expected to collectively hold over four-fifth share of the market by 2026-end. Modern trade will spearhead the global lip care products market in terms of revenues, on the basis of sales channels.APEJ to Prevail as Most Lucrative Region in Global Lip Care MarketAsia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) currently dominates the global lip care market and is expected to prevail as the most lucrative region in the market. Dominance of APEJ in the lip care market can be highly attributed to rising availability of branded lip care products, increased affordability of consumers, and increasing presence of international and local brands in the region. In addition, robust expansion of the urban population in APEJ countries such as China and India has a pivotal role in growth of the regions cosmetic sector, which in turn will positively influence rise of the lip care market in the region.Lip balms are expected to remain sought-after among products in the global lip care market, mainly because of increasing availability of inexpensive and appealing lip balms in economies where price is a major concern. In addition, utilization of lip balms is highly concentrated among the rapidly growing youth population, which in turn holds positive growth prospects for sales of lip balms in the near future.Browse Full Report with TOC-Table of Content:1. Global Economic Outlook2. Global Lip Care Market Executive Summary3. Global Lip Care Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Global Lip Care Market Taxonomy3.1.2. Global Lip Care Market Definition3.2. Global Lip Care Market Size (US$ Mn) & Volume (Units) and Forecast, 2012-20263.2.1. Global Lip Care Market Y-o-Y Growth3.3. Global Lip Care Market Dynamics3.4. Supply Chain3.5. Cost Structure3.6. Global Personal Care Products Market3.7. Global Personal Care Products Market Growth Rate Trends3.8. Forecast Factors4. Global Lip Care Market Supply Demand Analysis4.1. Number of Manufacturers by Region5. Pricing Point Analysis5.1. Price Point Assessment by Region5.2. Price Point Assessment by Product Type5.3. Price Forecast till 20265.4. Factors Influencing Pricing5.5. Value Chain Pricing Mark-upsContinued.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 Retail & Consumer Goods 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: Agricultural Enzymes Market Evolving Technology, Trends and Industry Analysis 2020 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/agricultural-enzymes-market.asp https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3304 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3304 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Agricultural enzymes are biological catalysts used extensively in agricultural based biotechnological processing, such as enzyme-assisted silage fermentation, processing of crops and crop residues, bio-processing of fibers, and production of many animal feed supplements. The technological advancement in the field of agricultural enzymes has boosted both the manufacturing capacity and application of agricultural enzyme such as invent of phytases (enhances the nutritional contents of the food grains) and silage fermentation.Read Report Overview @Growing demand of processed food, rising demand of renewable energy sources such as bio-fuel, coupled with cost-efficiency of agricultural enzymes has helped in its wide acceptance in agricultural sector. Based on the various crop types the global enzymes market can be broadly categorized as cereals & grains, oilseeds & pulses, fruits & vegetables and others. On the basis of the various chemical properties of the enzymes the global agricultural enzyme market can be segmented in five broad categories namely, carbohydrates, proteases, lipases, polymerases & nucleases and othersRequest Report for TOC @Growing demand of natural and organic food, coupled with rising awareness towards hazardous properties of pesticides and other chemicals used in agricultural have raised the demand of green and naturally sourced agrochemicals over the years. Moreover rising government concern over food and environment safety in the Asia Pacific and Latin America has led to many stringent regulations, such as integrated pest management (IPM). Such regulations are forcing the farmers of this region to adopt bio-based chemicals in place of their conventional chemical counterparts. This trend is expected to increase the demand of agricultural enzymes in coming years.Request to Sample Report @North America is the largest market of agricultural enzyme attributed to growing agriculture industry and rising awareness towards organic forming. It is followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. Asia Pacific is the fasted growing market of agricultural enzymes where growth rate is expected in double digit attributed mainly to government initiatives towards integrated pest management (IPM) and increasing acceptance of genetically modified (GM) seeds by the farmers in this region.Some of the leading global players operating in global agricultural enzymes market include, Novozymes A/S, Agrinos Inc., Agri Life., Stoller Usa Inc., Bioworks Inc., Syngenta Ag, Aries Agro Ltd., Greenmax Agro Tech., and Camson Bio Technologies 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,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Animal Feed Micronutrients Market Trends and Forecast Analysis up to 2020 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/animal-feed-micronutrients-market.asp https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3306 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3306 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Animal feed micronutrients are important animal feed additives use widely for improving the quality of feed to enhance yield and overall cattles health. Animal feed micronutrients are gaining popularities mainly due to the enhance performance and increasing applications such as growth promoter, prevention and cure of diseases, for maximizing reproduction rate and for improving feed digestibility in animals.On the basis of various product types of micronutrients, the global animal feed micronutrients market is broadly categorized in four major classes namely, iron, copper, manganese, and others. Based on the use of feed micronutrients by various livestock, the market can be segmented as poultry, aqua, swine, equine and others.Read Report Overview @Growing inspiration of owning pet animals, rising expenses on animal health and fitness coupled with success of animal feed micronutrients in growth and fertility of the animals are some of the major driver of the animal micronutrients market. Moreover, the increasing demand of animal protein from milk and meat producing cattle coupled with recent disease epidemic in cattle is further driving the animal feed micronutrients market.The critical dosage application of animal feed micronutrients and lack of awareness about the benefits of micronutrients among uneducated and poor farmers are some of the major challenges for animal feed micronutrients industry.Request Report for TOC @Asia Pacific is the largest market for animal feed micronutrients attributed to the large share of cattle population in this region. It is followed by North America and Europe. The U.S. is the largest market in North America whereas Brazil and Argentina are two of the biggest markets of animal feed micronutrients in rest of the world (RoW) region. Asia Pacific and North America collectively account for more than 60% of the total market share of animal feed micronutrients market. Asia Pacific is also the fastest growing region fueled mainly by the increasing demand from China and India. The rising dairy and dairy product market in this region is expected to boost the animal feed micronutrients market in upcoming years.Some of the major companies operating in global animal feed micronutrients market includes Cargill Inc., Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), Lallemand Inc, Novus International Inc., Balchem Corp., Nutreco N.V., Kemin Industries Inc., Alltech Inc., Qualitech Inc., and Zinpro Corporation.Request to Sample Report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Alzheimers Disease Diagnostic Market Top Players Worldwide Industry Segmented by Size and Share with Euro-Bio Ltd (UK) and Cognition Therapeutics Inc. (US) and Forecasts by 2022 Alzheimer?s Disease Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2149 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/2149 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/2149 Global Alzheimers Disease Diagnostic Market Overview:The wide spread detection of Alzheimers disease in various areas of the world as well as its detection in diverse demographics have prompted the expansion of the sector. Market reports linked to the healthcare sector made available by Market Research Future along with published reports on other sectors have been recently issued along with a report on this market. The industry is expected to attain USD 12 billion in revenues by the end of the forecasted period while expanding at a CAGR of 10 percent in the forecast period.The ability to detect Alzheimers in the initial stages can help in a major way to control the progression of the disease. However, increase in the geriatric segment of the population has increased in the number of cases that are being detected around the world. Rise in the level of medical breakthroughs made towards understanding the disease have enabled the discovery of new methods for detection. Additionally, discoveries of new drugs that can potentially control Alzheimers are also increasing gradually, which is beneficial for the development of this market especially through the forecast period.Get Premium Sample Report @Global Alzheimers Disease Diagnostic Market Competitive Analysis:Contenders who are a part of the industry have devised their corporate strategy blueprint in a way that that can bring the best outcomes for development in the current scenario. With the ability to sustain their competitive edge being one of the primary factors driving their efforts, the scope for growth in the industry appears to be promising through the forecast period. The rising affinity for diversification in the market, has indirectly enabled the players to utilize the many prospects available. The companies in this particular industry are also trying to maintain and enhance financial liquidity that can be instrumental to invest in growth strategies as and when they become available. This particular trend has empowered portfolio improvements along with the affinity for diversification in the sector, which has helped the market competitors tremendously in this industry.The prominent contenders in the market for Alzeihmers disease diagnostic market are Neuro-Bio Ltd (UK), TauRx (Republic of Singapore), Accera, Inc. (US), Alector LLC (US), Treventis Corporation (US), Eli Lilly and Company (UK), Cognition Therapeutics Inc. (US) among others.Alzheimers Disease Diagnostic Market Detailed Regional Analysis:The regional analysis for Alzheimers disease diagnostic market includes regions such as Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and rest of the world. The North American region held the major market share in Alzheimers disease diagnostic globally in 2015. The North American region for Alzheimers disease diagnostics is anticipated to reach USD 12 Million by the end of the forecast period. The European region is the second major industry for Alzheimers disease diagnostic industry. The Asia Pacific is estimated to be the most rapidly growing region of the Alzheimers disease diagnostic industry in the forecast period.Alzheimers Disease Diagnostic Industry Segments:The industry for Alzheimers disease diagnostics globally on the basis of type has been segmented into late-onset Alzheimer's disease, early-onset Alzheimer's disease, familial Alzheimer's disease and more. The end users category segments the market into hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centers and others. The diagnostic test segment of the industry comprises of mini-mental state exam (MMSE), genetic testing, neurological exam, brain imaging and others.Get Your Customized Report @Alzheimers Disease Diagnostic Industry Updates:April 2018 A group of researchers are on the verge of developing a blood test that can spot Alzheimer's disease long before symptoms appear. The test will be exceptionally useful for scientists trying to understand and treat Alzheimers. A study which was made available in the EMBO Molecular Medicine journal has discovered a potential solution to this important problem. By the use of immuno-infrared sensor technology which is based on an antibody is the basis for the tests fuctionality. The sensor is used to extract all amyloid-beta from the blood sample. The researchers can measure the comparative levels unhealthy and of healthy protein due to the dual versions of beta-amyloid that are taken in infrared light at various permitted frequencies.Major TOC For Global Alzheimers Disease Diagnostic Market Research Report- Forecast to 2022:1 Introduction1.1 Definition1.2 Scope Of Study1.3 Research Objective1.4 Assumptions & Limitations1.5 Market Structure2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Process2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research3 Market Dynamics3.1 Drivers3.2 Restraints3.3 Opportunities3.4 Challenges3.5 Macroeconomic IndicatorsList Of TablesTABLE 1 GLOBAL ALZHEIMERS DISEASE DIAGNOSTIC MARKET, 2013-2022 (USD MILLION)TABLE 2 GLOBAL ALZHEIMERS DISEASE DIAGNOSTIC MARKET, BY TYPE, 2013-2022 (USD MILLION)TABLE 3 GLOBAL ALZHEIMERS DISEASE DIAGNOSTIC MARKET, BY DIAGNOSTICS TYPE, 2013-2022 (USD MILLION)TABLE 4 GLOBAL ALZHEIMERS DISEASE DIAGNOSTIC MARKET, BY END USERS, 2013-2022 (USD MILLION)TABLE 5 GLOBAL ALZHEIMERS DISEASE DIAGNOSTIC MARKET, BY REGION, 2013-2022 (USD MILLION)Avail Prime Discount @List Of FiguresFIGURE 1 RESEARCH PROCESSFIGURE 2 PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODELFIGURE 3 GLOBAL ORTHOPEDIC TRAUMA DEVICE SMARKET, BY TYPEFIGURE 4 GLOBAL ALZHEIMERS DISEASE DIAGNOSTIC MARKET, BY DIAGNOSTICS TYPEFIGURE 5 GLOBAL ALZHEIMERS DISEASE DIAGNOSTIC MARKET, BY END USERSContinued...!About US:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Gum Mint Breath Fresheners Market Key Trends and Forecast Research Report 2020 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/gum-mint-breath-fresheners-market.asp https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3384 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3384 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Gum bases (natural or artificial) mixed with sugar, food ingredients and other flavoring which can be consumed are calls chewing gums, bubble gum or simply gums. It is elastic and cohesive materials intended for chewing but not swallowing. Both mint and gums is chemotherapeutic agent used as breath fresheners.On the basis of different product categories the global gum, mint and breath fresheners market are segmented in three broad categories namely sugarless gum, regular gum, breath fresheners and candy mints.Read Report Overview @Gum, mint, and breath freshener which comes with functional ingredients such as caffeine, ginseng and guarana are driving the global mint, gum, and breathe fresheners market. The gum and mint which comes with low-sugar or low calorie options are gaining popularity among the baby-boomers and health conscious consumers. Moreover Introduction advances packaging materials and design such as flip-top base packaging, and sliding door type packagings has helped the overall market of gum, mint and breathe fresheners in recent years.Request Report for TOC @North America is the largest market for gum, mint and breathes fresheners followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The market in North America is mainly driven by increase consumption of breath fresheners by smokers and alcohol consumers who often uses breath fresheners post smoking or drinking. The market is witnessing highest growth in Asia Pacific the changing eating habits and westernisation in this region has led to increase demand of functional gum, mint and breathe fresheners. The U.S. is the largest market for mint, gum, and breath fresheners in North America. Japan, China and India are some of the dominant regional market of gum, mint and breathe fresheners in Asia Pacific.Request to Sample Report @Some of the leading companies operating in global gum, mint and breath fresheners market include, Wrigley Company, Cadbury Trebor Basset, lotte, Ferndale Confectionery Pty Ltd., Kraft Foods Inc., Haribo GmbH & Co. Kg, Leaf Holland B.V., Perfetti Van Melle, Mars Incorporated,The Hershey Company, ZED GUM and The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.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: Global Market for Compression Therapy to Reflect Steadfast Expansion During 2015-2025 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-496 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-496 www.futuremarketinsights.com Compression Therapy is a process of applying external pressure to the limbs or other parts of the body through which different chronic disease can be treated. Compression therapy is a very effective technique for disease indication such as, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Venous Thrombolism (VTE), Varicose Veins, Lymphedema, Chronic and Diabetic Ulcers.A gradual pressure is being given to infected area or the veins which in turn increases the blood flow in the veins, increases the drainage of nocious substances, reduces pain and inflammation.A common myth prevailing among people is that compression bandages and clothes hinder the blood circulation but in reality these products are designed in such a way that when applied properly they assist in blood flow.The annual incidence of DVT is around 1 per 1000 people. As per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 60,000-100,000 patients have DVT in United States.Compression Therapy Market: Drivers and RestraintsCompression therapy market is driven by aging population, high incidence of disease indications, rising awareness among patients and ease of application and durability of the products.Other factors include regular product training to physicians that helps them to better understand the product and use of fancy garment to manufacture stockings and bandages.Lack of knowledge about the disease indication among patients and inadequate reimbursement for compression therapy products from government agencies in developed countries will slow down the market in the forecast period.Request to Sample Report -Compression Therapy Market: SegmentationGlobal Compression Therapy Devices is further segmented into these following types:Static Compression TherapyCompression GarmentsUpper Compression GarmentsLower Compression GarmentsCompression BandagesAnti-Embolism StockingsDiabetic ShoesDiabetic Compression SocksDynamic Compression TherapySegmented Compression PumpsNon-Segmented Compression PumpsCompression SleevesCompression Therapy Market: OverviewWith the advancement of technology and increase incidence in disease population, compression therapy is gaining wide acceptance as a method of choice among patients. This market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR in the forecast period (2015-2025).Advances in garments, textile technology, compression stockings, and bandages aimed at improving patient comfort are expected to drive the market in the forecast period.Compression Therapy Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global compression therapy market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.Request Report TOC @In terms of geography, North America dominates the compression therapy market, followed by Europe. Growing aging population and increasing prevalence of diabetes are also supporting the growth of compression therapy market in this regions. India, China, and Japan are expected to be the fastest-growing markets for compression therapy in Asia.Compression Therapy Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in compression therapy market are SIGVARIS, BSN medical GmbH, Covidien Plc. PAUL HARTMANN AG, 3M Co., ArjoHuntleigh, Thuasne SA, Smith & Nephew plc and medi GmbH & Co.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 : Wearable Computing Devices Market Trends and Forecast Analysis up to 2020 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/wearable-computing-devices-market.asp https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3391 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3391 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Wearable computing devices are computer-based devices which are worn by a user. It includes clothes, glasses, watches and shoes. These wearable computing devices are used to take and view pictures and video. They are also capable to read text messages and emails and responds to voice commands. These devices also play a pivotal role in heart rate monitoring and logic calculation.The global wearable computing devices market is categorized based on various consumer and non-consumer applications. The consumer application segment is further sub-segmented into activity trackers, smart glasses, wearable cameras, smart clothing, smart watches and gaming devices. The non-consumer application segment is divided healthcare, industrial and defense.Read Report Overview @In terms of geographic, North America and Europe dominates the global wearable computing devices market due to increased awareness among people towards these devices. Raised awareness among people towards wearable computing technology has increased the adoption rate of these devices in the region. The U.S. represents the largest market for wearable computing devices followed by Canada in North America. In Europe, France, Germany, Spain and the U.K. holds major share of wearable computing devices market. However, Asia is expected to show high growth rates in the next five years in global wearable computing devices market. China and India are expected to be the fastest growing wearable computing devices markets in Asia.Request Report for TOC @In recent time, advanced features of these devices is key driver for the global wearable computing devices market. Advanced features, such as light weight and data monitoring applications attract end users to adopt wearable computing devices. In addition, technological advancements in material sciences and information technology have also fueled the growth of global wearable computing devices market. However, high cost of wearable devices and privacy concerns are some of the major restraints for the global wearable computing devices market. In addition, less battery back-up of these devices also obstructs the growth of global wearable computing devices market.Request to Sample Report @Some of the major companies operating in the global wearable computing devices market are Contour, GoPro, NanoSonic, Weartech, Textronics, Himax Technology, Invensense Inc., CSR plc., Zephyr Technology Corporation, Smart Life Technology Co., Ltd., Silicon Micro Display, AiQ Smart Clothing Inc., Apple Inc., Ascension Technology Corporation, Carl Zeiss Inc., Casio Computer Company Ltd., GE Healthcare, Medtronic Inc., Siemens Healthcare and Samsung Electronics.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: Insights on Global Normal Balloon Catheter Market Offering Trends, Share, Size, Growth Until the End of 2022 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=147 https://www.factmr.com/report/147/normal-balloon-catheter-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=147 https://www.factmr.com/ As per the current market trends and the promising nature of the normal balloon catheter 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 2017 to 2022, 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 for Free Sample Report-Normal balloon catheter, an innovative medical device, comprises a catheter and a guidewire that is inserted into femoral artery in the legs, or, sometimes into radial artery in arms for treating constricted blood vessels. Generally normal balloon catheter is utilized for preventing blood vessel constriction, which is caused by atherosclerosis, i.e. deposition of the lipid substances in blood vessels.The surge in interventional cardiology has been facilitating the utilization of normal balloon catheters. Moreover, there is a rise in prevalence of patients affected with the end stage renal disease. The number of patients seeking for renal replacement therapy has also increased. Leading manufacturers of normal balloon catheters are developing efficient and cost-effective solutions. These incidences might influence growth of the global normal balloon catheter market in the upcoming years. In contrast, costs of angioplasty procedures are very high, coupled with the risks such as artery collapse and infection related to balloon catheterization, which in turn will impede growth of the market.The number of cardiovascular diseases has been witnessing a rise, along with growing cases of cardiology intervention procedures worldwide. Several governments are providing reimbursement support for people suffering from vascular diseases. There has also been a hike in healthcare expenditure. These factors might favor demand for normal balloon catheters. In addition, various other factors such as growing geriatric population, rising investments in research & development activities concerning normal balloon catheters are expected to pave potential growth opportunities for manufacturers of normal balloon catheters. The global market for balloon catheter is likely to exhibit a moderate growth during 2017 to 2022. Revenues from the global market for normal balloon catheter will reach nearly US$ 2,000 Mn by 2022-end.Europe to Account for the Largest Revenue Share of the Market during 2017 to 2022In terms of revenues, Europe will account for the largest share of the market during the forecast period. Europe will continue to be the most lucrative market for normal balloon catheter. Sales of normal balloon catheter in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) will register the highest CAGR through 2022. In contrast, sales of normal balloon catheter in North America will exhibit the lowest CAGR in the market through 2022.By indication, coronary artery disease will remain dominant in the global market, with sales poised to surpass US$ 1,000 Mn in revenues by 2022-end. Approximately three-fourth revenue share of the market will be accounted by sales of normal balloon catheter for coronary artery disease during 2017 to 2022.Browse Full Report with TOC-Hospitals to Remain the Largest End-Users of Normal Balloon CatheterSales of normal balloon catheter in cardiac catheterization laboratories are expected to exhibit the fastest expansion through 2022, based on end-users. Hospitals will remain the largest end-users of normal balloon catheter throughout the forecast period.Nylon will continue to be the preferred raw material for manufacturing normal balloon catheter. Nearly half revenue share of the market will be accounted by nylon, based on raw material. However, sales of polyurethane for production of normal balloon catheter will register a comparatively higher CAGR than sales of nylon through 2022.Competition TrackingKey players profiled in Fact.MRs report include Abbott Laboratories, Boston Scientific Corporation, Medtronic plc, Terumo Corporation, MicroPort Scientific Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Hexacath, Tokai Medical Products Inc., Cook Medical INC, Cordis Corporation, and BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG.Table of ContentGlobal Normal Balloon Catheter Market - Executive SummaryGlobal Normal Balloon Catheter Market Overview2.1. Introduction2.1.1. Global Normal Balloon Catheter Market Taxonomy2.1.2. Global Normal Balloon Catheter Market Definition2.2. Global Normal Balloon Catheter Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast, 2012-20222.2.1. Global Normal Balloon Catheter Market Y-o-Y Growth2.3. Global Normal Balloon Catheter Market Dynamics2.3.1. Drivers2.3.2. Restraints2.3.3. Trends2.4. Supply Chain2.5. Epidemiology2.6. Product Mapping Behavior By Region2.7. Average Pricing Analysis2.8. Regulations2.9. Key Participants Market Presence (Intensity Map) By RegionRead More>>>Request Discount of this 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: China First Aid Market to Grow at a CAGR of 6.3% between 2015 and 2020 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-cn-659 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-cn-659 www.futuremarketinsights.com Future Market Insights (FMI), in its latest report titled, China First Aid Market Assessment and Opportunity 2014 - 2020, projects the China first aid market to exhibit a CAGR of 6.3% between 2015 and 2020. Adoption of aggressive promotional campaigns are key factors driving growth of the market.The report is focused on basic first aid products such as adhesive bandages, disinfectants and gauzes. Though the basic wound care segment in China accounts for miniscule share of the overall wound care market in China, it is expected to witness significant growth over the next few years. Increasing awareness about non-traditional first-aid products among consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities is the prime driving factor for the market in the region.As of 2014, basic first aid products accounted for less than 20% share of the overall wound care market in China. Strategies such as innovative product packaging along with aggressive market campaigning has led to surge in demand for these products in China. Government emphasis on healthcare policies, liberalization of policies related to distribution of licenses and FDI influx are other key driving factors of the first aid market in China. On the flipside, low healthcare expenditure and higher preference for Chinese traditional medicines among consumers is a major restraint for non-traditional wound care product manufacturers.The report analyses the China first aid market in terms of sales revenue (US$ Mn) by product, cities and by retail sales channel and provides information regarding market dynamics, value chain, competitive landscape, current trends, market estimations and forecast.Request to Sample Report -On the basis of city, the China first-aid market has been segmented into Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities. Among Tier 1 cities, Shanghai offers good market opportunities for first-aid products manufacturers. It is anticipated to generate 1.4X higher sales revenue by the end of the forecast period as compared to that in 2014. Disinfectant products are anticipated to account for over half of the sales revenue in Tier 1 cities, followed by gauzes and bandages respectively. Tier 2 cities are expected to generate 1.3X higher revenue than Tier 3 cities by the end of 2020.Among retail sales channels, drugstores and pharmacies are key channels for sales of adhesive bandages. Hospitals are the key channel for sales of gauzes. Hospitals account for major share of retail sales in Tier 3 cities in China. Though drugstores, pharmacies and hospitals are key retail sales channels for adhesive bandages and gauzes, modern retail sales channel are the most preferred mode for sales of disinfectants. Hypermarkets and supermarkets account for over 60% share of retail sales of disinfectants.By product type, the China first aid market has been segmented into adhesive bandages, gauzes and disinfectants (antiseptics). While disinfectants are projected to be the largest market segment throughout the forecast period, its presence is limited to Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities in China. The disinfectant products segment is anticipated to register a CAGR of 7.5% between 2014 and 2020. Reckitt Benckiser and Walch are key players in this product segment. Organized players account for significant market share in the disinfectants products segment. Among products, gauzes (woven and non-woven) covers significant market in Tier 3 cities in China. Sales revenue of adhesive bandages is further segmented into butterfly stiches, transdermal bandages and special bandages. Transdermal bandages account for significant market share in the adhesive bandages segment.Request Report TOC @Key players in the China first aid market include Johnson and Johnson, Winner Medical Group Co., Reckitt Benckiser, Yunnan Baiyao, 3M Company, Nepstar Drugstore, 7-Eleven, Beijing Hualian Group and A.S Watson Group.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 : Tip Location Devices Market Analysis Will Expand at a CAGR of 6.4% From 2016-2026 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-880 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-880 www.futuremarketinsights.com Tip location devices are being increasingly used for confirmation of PICC tip location during PICC insertion, owing to their advantages, such as meticulous precision and low-price. Tip location devices are emerging as a credible alternative to the more expensive methods used for PICC tip confirmation, such as X-ray and fluoroscopy. These factors are expected to fuel the growth of the US$ 27 Mn global tip location devices market, according to a new report by Future Market Insights (FMI). The report, titled, Tip Location Devices Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, projects 6.4% CAGR for the global tip location devices market during the forecast period 2016-2026.FMIs report offers market forecast and analysis on the global tip location devices market, segmenting the market on the basis of product, technology, end-user, and region.North America Largest Market GloballyAccording to FMIs region-wise analysis, North America (U.S. and Canada) is the most lucrative market for tip location devices globally. The region accounted for 42.2% revenue share of the global tip location devices market in 2015, and is expected to increase at 7.1% CAGR during the forecast period, 2016-2026. Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), an emerging market for tip location devices, accounted for 8.0% revenue share of the market in 2015.Request to Sample Report -On the basis of product, FMIs report has segmented the market into tip location devices and accessories. The former dominates global revenues in terms of value, whereas the latter has higher market share in terms of volume.On the basis of technology, the tip location devices market has been segmented into ECG tip confirmation, ECG with magnetic tracking and ECG & intravascular Doppler. Tip location devices that use ECG & intravascular Doppler technology are expected to witness higher demand than devices that use only ECG technology and devices that use ECG with magnetic tracking.Key end-use sectors that generate the bulk of demand for tip location devices can be broadly categorised into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centres, and catheterization labs. Among these, hospitals account for the largest revenue share of the market, owing to increasing number of PICC insertion procedures carried out in hospitals.Key companies profiled in FMIs report include C.R. Bard, Inc., Teleflex Incorporated, AngioDynamics Inc., Vygon S.A. and CORPAK MedSystemsRequest 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 : Machine Tool Steel Market Report for Period 2018 till 2024 Nachi-Fujikoshi Corporation, Daido Steel, Thyssenkrupp, Tiangong International, Erasteel, Friedr. Lohmann, Guhring and Others. Machine Tool Steel Market https://bit.ly/2ruSguB http://marketreportscompany.com/report.php?report=chemicals-and-materials/global-machine-tool-steel-market-report-for-period-2017-till-2023-/35214 https://bit.ly/2ruSguB Global Machine Tool Steel market report emphasizes on detailed analysis of companies and manufacturers like Hudson Tool Steel, Erasteel, Friedr. Lohmann, Arcelormittal, Thyssenkrupp, Tiangong International, Guhring, Heye Special Steel, Nachi-Fujikoshi Corporation, Daido Steel, Voestalpine, Sandvik Materials Technology, Kennametal and Others.This market study includes data about global market statistics, market share, company performances, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2023, etc. The Global Machine Tool Steel market report provides detailed segmentation of Global Machine Tool Steel Market based on product type, application, end user and regional segmentation. The regional segment is further bifurcated on country level.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Machine Tool Steel Market 2017 @Top Manufactures of Global Machine Tool Steel market:Nachi-Fujikoshi CorporationDaido SteelVoestalpineSandvik Materials TechnologyKennametalHudson Tool SteelErasteelFriedr. LohmannArcelormittalThyssenkruppTiangong InternationalGuhringHeye Special SteelOthers(Note: We can profile additional players without extra charges)Global Machine Tool Steel Market: Key Product Type:Type 1Type 2Type 3OthersKey Application Types for Global Machine Tool Steel Market:Automotive IndustryPlastic IndustryAerospace IndustryEnergy SectorothersKey Regions for Global Machine Tool Steel Market:North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)(Note: We can provide specific country or region specific report on request)The Global Machine Tool Steel Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Machine Tool Steel Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. The report also provides Porter analysis, PESTEL analysis and market attractiveness which helps to better understand the market scenario. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities occurred in current and past few years. The Global Machine Tool Steel Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors. The report also covers import/export data across all major regions covered in this report. Moreover, import/export data across any particular country as per requirement.The report finally provides detailed research report conclusion, which provides summary of entire report and vital suggestions from analysts particular to Machine Tool Steel Market which will help existing as well as new players who wish to enter this market.Enquire before Buying @ put actual website like for exampleTable of Contents:1 Global Market Overview1.1 Scope of Statistics1.1.1 Scope of Products1.1.2 Scope of Manufacturers1.1.3 Scope of Application1.1.4 Scope of Regions/Countries1.2 Global Market Size2 Regional Market2.1 Regional Production2.2 Regional Demand2.3 Regional Trade3 Key Manufacturers3.1 Nachi-Fujikoshi Corporation3.1.2 Company Information3.1.2 Product Specifications........................Continue (Global Machine Tool Steel Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Market Reports Company:Market Reports Company delivers high quality precise research studies which include data about top manufacturers and market survey of various industries. We also work as a consulting company and publisher of market research reports. We are specialized in providing customized reports according to clients needs and requirements which ultimately help them grow in industry and beat their competition.What We Offer:Customized Reports: We provide customized research reports on your demand.Region Specific Study: We have resources all over the world so, if you are Interested in region specific study please contact us.How we work: Perfect blend of primary and secondary research to provide best result.Expertise: Team of Industry experienced research associates and experts, primary and secondary sources, 24*7 customer care service and post-sale support.Contact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website: marketreportscompany.comEmail: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States Optometry Market to Become Worth US$ 79.871 Billion by 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=11810 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=11810 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/optometry-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Players in the fragmented global optometry market, many in all, are pulling out every stop to retain their market shares and make headway. They are mostly seen banking upon improved therapies and treatments to outsmart their rivals and progress. The bigger companies operating in the market have attained an influential position by dint of their wide-ranging product portfolio and extensive geographical outreach.Request for Sample Copy of Report @Transparency Market Research classifies Novartis AG, CooperVision, Pfizer, Inc., Essilor, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., and Allergan as some of the prominent players in the global market for optometry.Our recent report on the global market for optometry shows that it will rise at a tepid 4.1% CAGR between 2017 and 2025. At this pace, the market which was valued at US$55.974 bn in 2016, will likely pull in a value of US$79.871 bn by end of 2025.The two main types of products in the optometry market are therapeutics and vision care equipment. The therapeutics segment can be divided again into anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-infective drugs, anti-fungal drugs, and anti-allergy drugs. And savvy players are mostly seen betting on the anti-inflammatory drugs segment since they are pulling in maximum sales and revenue at present. In 2016, the segment contributed about 32.5% in the overall revenue in the market.Geographically, North America is the region which could well spell opportunity for keen manufacturers for the region accounted for a leading share of 36.5% in the global market for optometry in 2016. The market has been buoyed so far by the developed economies and their solid healthcare infrastructure. In addition, strong awareness among people about the different treatments for eye diseases is also bolstering the market in the region.Enquiry for discount on this report @Large Pool of Elderly Susceptible to Visual Problems Mainly Fuelling DemandPrimarily serving to catalyze growth in the global market for optometry is the rising elderly population who are highly susceptible to different visual problems resulting from different chronic health conditions, namely diabetes. Apart from that, rising instances of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataract is also pushing up demand in the optometry market. Adds the lead analyst of the TMR report, In the U.S. alone, according to the American Association of Ophthalmology, around 20.5 million patients suffer from cataract and 7.6 million suffer from diabetic retinopathy. Hence, the growing instance of eye diseases and refractive errors has upped the need for examination of the eye as well as eye care.Technological Progress Fillips MarketThanks to constant progress on the technological front, we can expect to be cured of many visual problems. In fact, about 80% of all cases of visual impairment can be thwarted or cured. This, no doubt, is positive news for the optometry market. Besides, soaring popularity of contact lenses or specs has also led had a positive bearing on the sales in the optometry market. With increasing disposable incomes, people are more eager to change the models of their spectacles in keeping with the latest fashion, which will definitely help players boost sales.Report Overview @About UsTransparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals.Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories.TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Pain Management Therapeutics Market will Become Worth US$ 88,253.4 Million by the End of 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1059 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=1059 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pain-management-therapeutics.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global pain management therapeutics market is extremely fragmented with both large and small players in high numbers. The degree of competition is high, but is not expected to deter new players from entering into the market on account of the high growth potential of the global pain management therapeutics market, states Transparency Market Research (TMR) in its new report based on this market. The report further states that regional players are intensifying the competition level by manufacturing a large volume of pain management drugs and at cheaper costs as compared to well-established and well-known manufacturers. Nevertheless, the well-established players are expected to hold their leading positions on account of the brand value they have achieved over years of hard work and efforts.Request for Sample Copy of Report @Names of prominent players within the market include: Mallinckrodt plc, Abbott Laboratories, Endo Health Solutions, AstraZeneca plc, Eli Lilly & Company, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis AG, Merck & Co. Inc., Purdue Pharma LP, Pfizer Inc., and Teva Pharmaceuticals.According to Transparency Market Research, the global opportunity within the pain management therapeutics market will be cross US488, 253.4 mn by the end of 2025. On the basis of disease indication, it is predicted that the cancer pain management segment will lead throughout the forecast period. On the basis of type of therapeutics, the market for opioids and NSAIDS will flourish. Geographically, North America, followed by Europe is leading in the market for pain management therapeutics.Growing Number of People Suffering from Chronic Pain Favouring Growth of MarketAs per the lead author of this report, The market for pain management therapeutics is anticipated to grow, fuelled majorly by factors such as growing geriatric population, changing lifestyles, rising number of surgeries, and an alarming rise in the incidences of chronic diseases. The statistics from the National Health Interview Survey has stated that around 20% of the total worlds population had been suffering from chronic pain, as surveyed in 2016.Enquiry for discount on this report @Entering Developing Nations and Catering to Unmet Medical Needs of Population Base to Bode Well for Market PlayersThe launching of newer drugs and reformulation of those which are existing are ensuring that the global pain management therapeutics market continues to advance. The improvement in the healthcare infrastructure in developing nations as well as the rising penetration of major players within the pain management therapeutics market in the developing nations have considerably helped the market to flourish overall. Reaching out to the developing nations and tapping on the unmet medical needs of the patient population is proving to be one of the most profitable decisions working well for both manufacturers as well as patient pool.Slow Penetration of Newly Launched Pain Management Drugs to Reach Market Posing a Challenge for Market PlayersThe role of extensive research and development carried out by leading manufacturers of drugs, backed by advancements in technology and biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors is also key for the growth of the global pain management therapeutics market. On the other hand, stringent regulations opposing the use of opioids in certain countries as well as the extensive time taken by newly launched pain management drugs to fully penetrate into the market are anticipated to pose as challenges and restrict the growth of the market.Report Overview @About UsTransparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals.Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories.TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: GCC WIFI Chipset Market Analysis by Leading Manufacturers (Broadcom, Qualcomm Atheros, MediaTek, Marvell, Intel) GCC WIFI Chipset Market Analysis to 2023 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1142158-gcc-wifi-chipset-market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1142158 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1142158-gcc-wifi-chipset-market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1142158-gcc-wifi-chipset-market A new research study from HTF MI with title GCC WIFI Chipset Market Research Report 2018 provides an in-depth assessment of the GCC WIFI Chipset including key market trends, upcoming technologies, industry drivers, challenges, regulatory policies, key players company profiles and strategies. The research study provides forecasts for GCC WIFI Chipset investments till 2022.Access Sample Copy @:If you are involved in the GCC WIFI Chipset industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. Its vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Computer (Notbook and Desktop PC), Smart Home Devices, Mobile Phone & Others, 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ad & Others and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.Buy this research report @The Study is segmented by following Product Type: 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ad & OthersMajor applications/end-users industry are as follows: Computer (Notbook and Desktop PC), Smart Home Devices, Mobile Phone & OthersGeographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions such as , with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of GCC WIFI Chipset in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports. Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Major companies covered in the report: Broadcom, Qualcomm Atheros, MediaTek, Marvell, Intel, Realtek, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, Cypress Semiconductor & MicrochipThis study also contains company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of various international, regional, and local vendors of GCC WIFI Chipset Market. The market competition is constantly growing higher with the rise in technological innovation and M&A activities in the industry. Moreover, many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new vendor entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.Some of the key questions answered in this report:- Detailed Overview of GCC WIFI Chipset market helps deliver clients and businesses making strategies.- Influential factors that are thriving demand and constraints in the market.- What is the market concentration? Is it fragmented or highly concentrated?- What trends, challenges and barriers will impact the development and sizing of GCC WIFI Chipset market?- SWOT Analysis of each key players mentioned along with its company profile with the help of Porters five forces tool mechanism to compliment the same.- What growth momentum or acceleration market carries during the forecast period?- Which region is going to tap highest market share in future?- What Application/end-user category or Product Type may see incremental growth prospects?- What would be the market share of key countries like United States, France, UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Japan, China or Brazil etc.?- What focused approach and constraints are holding the market tight?Make inquiry before purchase @There are 15 Chapters to display the GCC WIFI Chipset market.Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of GCC WIFI Chipset market, Applications [Computer (Notbook and Desktop PC), Smart Home Devices, Mobile Phone & Others], Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze objective of the study.Chapter 3, to display Research methodology and techniques.Chapter 4 and 5 , to show the Overall Market Analysis, segmentation analysis, characteristics;Chapter 6 and 7, to show the Market size, share and forecast; Five forces analysis (bargaining Power of buyers/suppliers), Threats to new entrants and market condition;Chapter 8 and 9, to show analysis by regional segmentation[ ], comparison, leading countries and opportunities; Regional Marketing Type Analysis, Supply Chain AnalysisChapter 10, focus on identifying the key industry influencers, overview of decision framework accumulated through Industry experts and strategic decision makers;Chapter 11 and 12, Market Trend Analysis, Drivers, Challenges by consumer behavior, Marketing Channels and demand & supply.Chapter 13 and 14, describe about the vendor landscape (classification and Market Positioning)Chapter 15, deals with GCC WIFI Chipset Market sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.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.HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA 08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218 Benefits Administration Software Market by Growth demanding the top key players BambooHR, Gusto, Namely Benefits Administration Software Market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1139500-global-benefits-administration-software-market-4 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1139500-global-benefits-administration-software-market-4 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1139500-global-benefits-administration-software-market-4 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1139500 Latest research study from HTF MI with title Global Benefits Administration Software by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023. The Research report presents a complete assessment of the market and contains Future trend, Current Growth Factors, attentive opinions, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry validated market data. The study is segmented by products type, application/end-users. The research study provides estimates for Global Benefits Administration Software Forecast till 2023.If you are involved in the Benefits Administration Software industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. Its vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Applications Small Business, Medium-sized Business & Large Business, Product Types such as [On-Premise & Cloud-Based] and some major players in the industry. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.Request Sample of Global Benefits Administration Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2025 @:This report studies the global Benefits Administration Software market size, industry status and forecast, competition landscape and growth opportunity. This research report categorizes the global Benefits Administration Software market by companies, region, type and end-use industry.Key Companies/players: BambooHR, Gusto, Namely, Zenefits, Paycom, EmpowerHR/Pay, Ceridian, TimeForge Scheduling, PlanSource, Paycor, bswift, Benefitfocus, BreatheHR, TRI-AD, Zane Benefits & Gusto.Application: Small Business, Medium-sized Business & Large Business, Product Type: On-Premise & Cloud-Based.The research covers the current & Future market size of the Global Benefits Administration Software market and its growth rates based on 5 year history data. It also covers various types of segmentation such as by geography [United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India]. The market competition is constantly growing higher with the rise in technological innovation and M&A activities in the industry. Moreover, many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. On the basis of attributes such as company overview, recent developments, strategies adopted by the market leaders to ensure growth, sustainability, financial overview and recent developments.Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Stay up-to-date with Benefits Administration Software market research offered by HTF MI. Check how key trends and emerging drivers are shaping this industry growth as the study avails you with market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional breakdowns, competitive landscape, shares, trend and strategies for this market. In the Global Benefits Administration Software 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.Key questions answered in this report - Global Benefits Administration Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2025What will the market size be in 2023 and what will the growth rate beWhat are the key market trendsWhat is driving Global Benefits Administration Software Market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in Benefits Administration Software Market space?What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Global Benefits Administration Software Market ?What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the Global Benefits Administration Software Market?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Global Benefits Administration Software market? Get in-depth details about factors influencing the market shares of the Americas, APAC, and EMEA?Enquire for customization in Report @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Benefits Administration Software market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Benefits Administration Software, Applications of Benefits Administration 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 , Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, Export & Import, 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, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India, Benefits Administration Software Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Benefits Administration Software Segment Market Analysis (by Application [Small Business, Medium-sized Business & Large Business]) Major Manufacturers Analysis;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [On-Premise & Cloud-Based], Market Trend by Application [Small Business, Medium-sized Business & Large Business];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Global Benefits Administration Software by region, type and application ;Chapter 12, to describe Benefits Administration Software Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Benefits Administration Software sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Buy 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 5-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.About Author: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 :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 U.S. Medical Sector Contract Electronic Manufacturing Market 2018 Major Key Vendors - Benchmark Electronics, Inc., Flex Ltd. Celestica Inc.and Jabil Circuit Inc Forecast 2022 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3194 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/us-medical-sector-contract-electronic-manufacturing-market-3194 Market Scenario:Outsourcing of electronics is a rising trend around the world due to the needs to be efficient, lean and the attractive economics of the practice. Many companies that had outsourced electronic manufacturing have realized high quality specialized electronics and components at less cost than in-house production resulting in greater profit margin, better final product which improved their market penetration and faster time to market.The market for U.S. medical sector contract electronic manufacturing is driven by advantages such as technological advancements such as growing power of processing, substitution of 2D with 3D and even 4D to enable greater resolution and real time images in high-clarity ultrasonography, economics of production and trade, economies of scale and focus on core competencies. The market restraints are high cost of labour, issues of standardization and interoperability etc. The significant cuts in Medicare imaging reimbursements and the 2.3 % medical device excise tax on the manufacturers under the Affordable Care Act has burdened the electronic manufacturers.View Reports Sample @The market for U.S. medical sector contract electronic manufacturing is expected to reach around USD 20403.8 million by the end of the forecast period and is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~8.8%.Intended Audience U.S. medical sector contract electronic manufacturers U.S. medical sector contract electronic suppliers Private research laboratories Research and development (R&D) companies Market research and consulting service providers Government research laboratoriesSegments:U.S. medical sector contract electronic manufacturing market has been segmented on the basis of industry subsectors which comprises surgical appliances and medical instruments, electro-medical apparatus, diagnostics, irradiation apparatuses, dental equipment and supplies.On the basis of contract service type the market comprises of super electronic manufacturing services, original design manufacturing services.On the basis of end user; market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, diagnostic centers, academic & research institutes.Regional Analysis of U.S. Medical Sector Contract Electronic Manufacturing Market:U.S. market for medical sector contract electronic manufacturing is divided between its regions such as south, west, north east and mid-west. The south region dominate the U.S. followed by and northeast. The various regions have different capabilities in the manufacture as well as demand of medical sector electronics.Medical sector contract electronic manufacturing companies are concentrated in regions having support of other high tech industries, such as microelectronics and biotechnology. The U.S. medical sector contract electronics sector is highly fragmented with approximately 75% of companies in the United States consist of fewer than 50 employees, and many especially start-up companies operates in niche market.U.S. medical sector contract electronic manufacturing companies are highly on innovations and technology. R&D spending represents a high percentage of medical sector contract electronic manufacturing industry expenditures, averaging approximately 7 to 9 % of revenue from 2010 to 2015 which makes it one of the top investors in R&D as compared to other industries such as automotive, defense, telecom etc. The industry relies heavily upon the innovative ecology of the United States including microelectronics, telecommunications, instrumentation, and software development. Collaborations and partnerships are another hallmark of the medical sector contract electronic manufacturing industry with both industries and academic universities.Electronic assembly in the medical industry is characterized by strict regulations to ensure high quality end product which makes the U.S. medical sector contract electronic manufacturing one of the stable ones as its innovative characteristics make it resilient to competition from other nations such as China. Medical sector contract electronic manufacturers have formed strong niches and special relationships with top tier medical original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) which adds to the stabi8lity of the industry in the near future. However the U.S. medical sector contract electronic manufacturing faces strong competition in the lower end segments and their manufacturing is likely to drift to low cost regions in Asia.Request Full Report @Key Players for U.S. Medical Sector Contract Electronic Manufacturing Market:Some of the key players in this market are: Benchmark Electronics, Inc., Flex Ltd. Celestica Inc., Jabil Circuit Inc., Sanmina Corporation, Nortech Systems, Inc., TE Connectivity Corporation, Forefront Medical Technologies and others.Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India Gastroscopes Market Key Players- Boston Scientific Corporation (U.S.), Endomed Systems (Germany), FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation (Japan) and PENTAX Medical (Japan) Analysis and forecast 2017-2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4481 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/gastroscopes-market-4481 Gastroscopes Market Information: By Type (Standard, Transnasal, Therapeutic, Dual Channel), By Application (Contradictions, Gastric Ulcer, Chronic Gastritis, Normal Mucosa, others), and By End Use (Hospitals& Clinics, others) - Global Forecast till 2023View Reports Sample @Intended AudienceGastroscopes ManufacturersGastroscopes SuppliersMedical Research LaboratoriesResearch and Development (R&D) CompaniesMarket Research and Consulting Service ProvidersPotential InvestorsMarket Synopsis of the Global Gastroscopes MarketGastroscopes is a small tube inserted into the gastrointestinal tract to examine various parts of gastrointestinal tract such as the esophagus, stomach and the small intestine. Diagnosis of gastric ulcers can be done using these gastroscopes.The market for gastroscopes is expected to grow at an exponential rate owing to an increasing prevalence of gastric diseases such as gastritis, and rising demand for technologically advanced gastroscopes across the globe. Additionally, a large number of market players manufacturing gastroscopes and their rising demand from hospitals and diagnostic center also contribute to the market growth.High cost of gastroscopes and risk of infection by their use may restrain the market growth of the market.The global gastroscopes market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.8% during the forecast period.According to NCBI in 2017, gastric ulcer has affected 4 million people worldwide with an incidence of 1.5% to 3.0%.The global market for gastroscopes is expected to reach USD 2,070.71 million by 2023 from USD 1,303.59 million as of 2016.SegmentsThe global gastroscopes market is segmented on the basis of type, application, and end user.On the basis of type, market is segmented into standard gastroscopes, transnasal gastroscopes, therapeutic gastroscopes, and dual channel gastroscopes.On the basis of application, the market is segmented into contradictions, gastric ulcer, chronic gastritis, normal mucosa and others. Chronic gastritis is further segmented into superficial gastritis and atrophic gastritis.On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into hospitals, diagnostic labs, clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and others.Regional Analysis of the Global Gastroscopes MarketAmerica is the largest market for gastroscopes owing to an increasing demand for gastroscopes and rising prevalence of gastric ulcers and dysphagia. The U.S. rules the gastroscope market in America owing to their extensive use of examination of the gut and biopsy. According to the study conducted by the National Foundation for Swallowing Disorder, dysphasia still remains undiagnosed in many parts of the U.S. despite the high prevalence rate.In Europe, rise in the number of gastric cancer is registered since last few years. Also, Barrett's esophagus, and inflammatory bowel disease are highly prevalent in the European countries, especially in the geriatric population. Furthermore, availability of funds for research and development activities in medical devices enhance the demand for technologically advanced gastroscopes.In Asia Pacific, the market is expected grow at a fastest rate owing to an increasing burden of gastrointestinal diseases which is attributed to a high prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori in countries such as India.The Middle East & Africa also show a rise in the demand for gastroscopes and diagnostic procedures and improving healthcare infrastructure. In the Middle East, the prevalence of stomach cancer is found to be high.Key Findings:Standard gastroscopes market is the largest market in 2016 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period.Asia Pacific region is projected to be the fastest growing region, at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period.Normal mucosa accounted for the largest market share in 2016 followed by chronic gastritis.Key Players in the Global Gastroscopes MarketRequest Full Report @Some of the key players in this market are Boston Scientific Corporation (U.S.), Endomed Systems (Germany), FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation (Japan), PENTAX Medical (Japan), KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Olympus Corporation (Japan), PerkinElmer Inc. (U.S.), Richard Wolf GmBH (Germany), SonoScape Medical Corp. (China), Stryker (U.S.), and others.Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India Non-Clinical Homecare Software Market Global Key players - ComForCare Health Care Holdings, Inc. (US), Agfa Healthcare (US), Mckesson Corporation (US) and General Electric Company (UK). Market Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4482 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/nonclinical-homecare-software-market-4482 Market Synopsis of Global Nonclinical Homecare Software MarketMarket ScenarioHomecare software is a specifically designed software to manage all the operations in the homecare industry. Individuals with some disability and elderly population, who are unable to manage their daily routine activities, are dependent upon homecare services provided by well-known homecare agencies. Agency administrators take advantage of home care software to provide quality services, to manage various operational activities, and to automate the workflow. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is reported that in 2014, nearly 12,400 home health agencies were running and around 4.9 million individuals received home care services in the U. S.. The global nonclinical homecare software market is majorly driven by increasing prevalence of chronic diseases for instance, lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and others, increasing number of healthcare agencies procedures, and increasing demand for home healthcare. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), in 2015, 1.8 million people across the globe were suffering from lung cancer. Increasing geriatric population and healthcare expenditure have boosted market growth. Moreover, changing environmental condition and increasing per capita income have fuelled the growth of the market over the review period. However, high cost of the software, data security concerns, and limited availability of skilled professionals may slow the growth of the market.View Reports Sample @The market for non-clinical homecare software is growing at a sound pace. The market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 13.5% during the forecast period and is estimated to reach USD 6,408.8 million by 2023.Intended Audience:Nonclinical Homecare Software ManufacturersNonclinical Homecare Software ProvidersMedical Research LaboratoriesResearch and Development (R&D) CompaniesMarket Research and Consulting Service ProvidersPotential InvestorsSegmentationThe global non-clinical homecare software market is segmented on the basis of application, and end users.The global non-clinical home care software market, by application is segmented into agency systems, non-clinical health management systems, telehealth systems, and others. The agency system is further classified into billing, invoicing & scheduling, homecare accounting system, personnel management system & payroll, and others.On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into private home care agency, rehabilitation centers/therapy centers, hospice care, and others.Regional AnalysisConsidering the global scenario of the market, America dominates the global nonclinical homecare software market owing to the presence of huge patient population, high healthcare spending and a well-developed healthcare sector. Presence of huge geriatric population and high per capita income have fuelled the market growth in this region.North America held the largest market share in the American non-clinical homecare software market, in 2016. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in 2015, U.S. healthcare spending increased 5.8% during last few years. Additionally, increasing government support has fuelled the market growth of the American non-clinical homecare software market. Europe commanded for the second largest market for the non-clinical homecare software which is followed by Asia Pacific owing to a well-developed healthcare sector, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and high healthcare spending. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market which is mainly due to rapidly increasing healthcare expenditure, increasing geriatric population, huge population base, and presence of huge opportunity for the development of the market. The Middle East & Africa is expected to have limited growth. The Middle East is dominating this market by holding a major share of the Middle East & Africa market owing to a well-developed technology and healthcare sector.Key Findings:Agency systems segment accounted for the largest market share in the global nonclinical homecare software market, by application and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.8 % during the forecast period.Telehealth systems is the fastest growing segment by application market share in 2016. The market of telehealth systems is expected to growth at a CAGR of 13.9% during 2016-2023.On the basis of end user, private home care agency segment has accounted for the largest market share of 34% in the global non-clinical homecare software market.The Americas non-clinical homecare software market is expected to reach USD 2,521.3 million by 2023.Request Full Report @Key Players for Global Non-clinical homecare software MarketSome of the major players in this market are: ComForCare Health Care Holdings, Inc. (US), Agfa Healthcare (US), Mckesson Corporation (US), General Electric Company (UK), Siemens Healthcare (Germany), Allscripts (US), Cerner Corporation (US), Hearst Corporation (US)Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India Raynauds phenomenon Management Market to Develop Rapidly by 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/18283 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/18283 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Raynauds phenomenon is a rare disorder that affects blood vessels, typically of fingers and toes in an exaggerated manner. Raynauds phenomenon leads to the narrowing of blood vessel due to cold or stressed feeling eventually causing primary or secondary Raynauds phenomenon. Human body has an adaptability to the surrounding. Body saves heat in cold environment by slowing down the blood supply to the skin, causing blood vessels to narrow down. The bodys reaction to stress or cold is stronger than usual in presence of Raynauds phenomenon, thus may lead to attack with the narrowing, and tightening of blood vessels. During an attack, color changes from white-to-blue-to-red in fingers and toes are observed, along with a cold and numb feeling. The blood flow returns to normal with the end of attack, allowing fingers and toes to throb and tingle. Raynauds phenomenon is gender biased with more number of incidence in women.Primary form of Raynauds phenomenon prevails between age 15 to 25 and that of secondary Raynauds phenomenon between ages 35 to 40. Also it is more prone to people suffering from connective tissue disease, blood vessel disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, migraine or cancer. The treatment of Raynauds phenomenon depends on its form. Primary Raynauds phenomenon is not severe and do not require medical treatment. Secondary Raynauds phenomenon is serious and complex. The treatment aims to reduce the number and severity of the attack and also prevent the loss of finger and toe tissues by commending blood pressure medicines or medicine that relax blood vessels. In severe conditions, such as serious tissue damage, and skin ulcers, Raynauds phenomenon is managed with surgical treatment.Request for Table of Contents @The increase in research & development by various research and academic institutions, as well as bio-pharmaceutical companies hints to the opening of novel treatment methodologies contributing in the growth of overall global Raynauds phenomenon management market. The occurrence of Raynauds phenomenon depends on gender, country and work-place that affects the regional market of the phenomenon. The awareness programs organized by the healthcare sector, and government have also led to an upsurge in the market. The lack of professional expertise, illiteracy and ignorance to the syndrome are some factors restraining the growth of Raynauds phenomenon management market globally.The global market of Raynauds phenomenon management market is segmented on the basis of drug class, route of administration, distribution channel and geography.Based on drug class, the Raynauds phenomenon management market is segmented into the following:Beta-BlockersProlactin inhibitorsCalcineurin inhibitorsAntibiotics / antineoplasticsAntimigraine agentsAntirheumaticsAntianginal agentsVasodilatorsBased on route of administration, the Raynauds phenomenon management market is segmented into the following:OralTopicalBased on distribution channel, the Raynauds phenomenon management market is segmented into the following:Hospital PharmaciesRetail PharmaciesDrug StoreE-CommerceThe increasing investment by the government and public organizations to cure the prevailing incidences is expected to drive the market. The pharmaceutical companies are focused on introducing the procedures with innovative formulas. The market of Raynauds phenomenon is largely based on drugs, accordingly the market is segmented on the basis of route of administration, on the basis of distribution channel and on the basis of drug class as Beta-Blockers, prolactin inhibitors, calcineurin inhibitors, antibiotics / antineoplastics, antimigraine agents, antirheumatics, antianginal agents and vasodilators.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Geographically, the Raynauds phenomenon management market has been segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the global market of Raynauds phenomenon management, owing to the presence of reimbursement scenario and skilled professionals. Europe is anticipated to hold second position in the market because of availability of disposable income and better health facilities. The increasing focus on better health scenario and facilities, accelerates the Raynauds phenomenon management market in Asia Pacific and Middle East regions.Some leading key players in the global market of Raynauds phenomenon management include Sanofi-Aventis, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline, TEVA Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd., Mylan Inc., Sandoz International GmbH, and Unichempharma.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: 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. Therapy Management System Market to See Incredible Growth During 2017-2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/18340 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/18340 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Therapy management system is an innovative software solution to keep the record of patients and used in proper management of ongoing and scheduled therapies. Use of advanced therapy management systems has become important due to increasing number of patients and requirement of accurate records of patients undergoing therapeutic procedures. These systems keep a record of the patients therapeutic history, billing management and other related documents.Therapy Management System Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global therapy management system market is expected to be driven by the increasing adoption of innovative solutions for the better management of patient history. Increasing development of newer technology such as integration with existing EHR and EMR of hospital systems and compliance of these systems with various regulatory requirements is also expected to boost the growth in the market. Various healthcare reforms and focus on keeping track of the therapy provided to a patient is also expected to enhance the growth in the therapy management system market. However, high costs of therapy management systems and complexity due to integration with existing systems is expected to hinder the growth of the market.Request for Table of Contents @Therapy Management System Market: SegmentationThe global therapy management system market can be segmented on the basis of deployment and end user.On the basis of deployment, the global therapy management system market can be segmented as:On-premiseCloud-basedOn the basis of end user, the global therapy management system market can be segmented into:HospitalsSpecialty ClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersInsurance ProvidersTherapy Management System Market: OverviewThe global therapy management system market is expected to show significant growth over the forecast period. Increasing focus on optimization of therapy and improvement in the clinical outcome due to use of the therapy management system is expected to lead to increasing adoption of these systems. Development of advanced and automated systems is expected to boost the growth in the therapy management system market. These systems are also used to keep the records in order and reminder of therapy for patients.By modality, cloud-based therapy management system is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period as it does not require physical storage space to keep backups of the data and can be accessed easily from anywhere. Management of data with the help of cloud-based systems is easier due to which cloud-based deployment is expected to dominate the therapy management system market. Hospitals are expected to be the key end use segments of the global therapy management system market over the forecast period as hospitals have higher resources to invest and install therapy management systems to keep track of a large patient population.Therapy Management System Market: Region Wise OutlookThe global therapy management system market can be segmented into regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. The market in North America is expected to dominate over the forecast period. Presence of a majority of the global software developers and high awareness regarding the software solutions is a key factor leading to the growth of the therapy management system in this region. Since therapy management system is in its infancy stage and only a small percentage of the healthcare facilities are currently using these systems, there is a huge potential for growth. The market in Europe and Asia Pacific is also expected to show significant growth over the forecast period. Improving healthcare facilities and focus on providing optimized solutions is expected to drive the growth of the market of the therapy management system.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Therapy Management System Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in the global therapy management system market are, SimplePractice LLC., IQware, Inc., HealthPro/Heritage, Fresenius Medical Care Pty. Ltd., ClinicSource, Arbirage Sdn Bhd, Therigy LLC., B. Braun Avitum AG and Baylaan Technologies, Inc.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: VERMES Microdispensing presents its modular, highly flexible MDS 3280 Micro Dispensing System for optimum adaptation to media and thus highest dispensing quality VERMES Microdispensing MDS 3280 Micro Dispensing System with new Bayonet Fluid Box Body for optimal substrate adaptation. www.vermes.com The MDS 3280 offers a host of advanced features that enhance dispensing performance and provide significant benefits to the user.The contact-free, precise media allocation allows fastest cycle times. Fluidic part uncoupled from the valve drive reduces maintenance costs.MUNICH, Germany, May 03, 2018 - VERMES Microdispensing, the world's leading manufacturer of precision dispensing systems, introduces its new MDS 3280 Micro Dispensing Solution of the MDS 3000 Series that convinces with applying ultra-precise application of smallest, identical droplets at highest speed.The jet dispensing system MDS 3280 is based on the proven piezoelectric actuator with all the advantages of contact-free dispensing. To further enhance the extremely fine dispensing, especially for high and highest viscosity media, VERMES Microdispensing has expanded its MDS 3000 series with the MDS 3280 all-round system, which takes state-of-the-art microdispensing technology into new dimensions."The new MDS 3280 fits seamlessly into our current product portfolio and offers a multitude of applications, addressing all sectors that require high-performance dispensing systems and need to dispense in minimum quantities with maximum process reliability," says Juergen Staedtler, Managing Director of VERMES Microdispensing. "These include micro dispensing applications in automation and electronics, mechanical engineering, vehicle electrics, medicine, pharmacy, information technology and consumer electronics, as well as the related diverse component topography, particularly when combined with partially sensitive surface texture of the substrate," explains Juergen Staedtler.The MDS 3280 is characterized by its new valve design ensuring highest performance, cost-effective productivity and excellent dispensing results with uniform and reproducible droplets. It is suitable for the exact application of a wide range of media, such as SMT adhesives, silver conductive adhesives, LED phosphors, underfill materials, as well as silicones, conductive glue or solder pastes and hot melts.The ability to dispense droplets of less than 150 m in diameter on the substrate with exceptional consistency and repeatability and shortest cycle times simultaneously improves throughput and reduces production costs.The VERMES Piezojet valve MDV 3280 is equipped with a setting technology called "Top Adjust" and allows a quick and comfortable configuration and perfect and free pairing of nozzle insert and tappet. Parameter settings can be quickly and easily changed during operation. This allows the system to rapidly adjust to changing conditions such as variations in material viscosity, modifications of dispensing patterns and the application of different dispensing quantities.The innovative connector technology which uncouples the fluidic part - named VERMES "Bayonet Fluid Box Body" - from the actual valve body, ensures flexible coupling between these two parts. This allows easy handling and quick cleaning since the screw-less Fluid Box Body can be removed from the valve drive with one-click.This new, unique design makes the media supply rotatable and the very compact and lightweight valve can be perfectly adapted to a variety of tasks including the desired dispensing direction. It enables fast and seamless integration into the most inaccessible or confined spaces. When implementing complex applications, this saves valuable time and reduces set-up costs within fully automated microdispensing production processes. The tappet can be changed while the valve remains in its operating position, avoiding difficult part replacement and critical service outages.The nozzle heater is integrated in the Fluid Box Body and keeps it constantly at optimum temperature without taking up much space. Due to the continuous temperature control and the control of the material pressure, the dispensing quality remains absolutely constant until the cartridge / container has been emptied.VERMES Microdispensing world renowned high precision MDS Micro Dispensing Systems are the solution of choice for modern manufacturing processes throughout the globe in automotive, pharmacology, smart phones, TV sets, lamps, wafers, automated manufacture of LEDs, MEMS components, RFID tags, LC displays and many other electronic devices.Headquartered in Germany, VERMES Microdispensing is an ISO 9001 certified company that revolutionized microdispensing technology with the introduction of its contact free piezo based MDS 3000 series in 2001. Today, the company is a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative microdispensing concepts and systems for adhesives, silicones, greases, solvents and other fluids.A world-class knowledge base, unparalleled design expertise, and extensive manufacturing capacity, enables the company to respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and the needs of its customers.Our systems enable our customers to achieve contact free dispensing of highly viscous media droplets in the micro and nano-liter range at theoretical frequencies of more than 3000 Hz; a rate that is unique in our industry.VERMES Microdispensing employees are dedicated to providing the best technologies and services to its customers around the world with the ultimate aim of contributing to increased throughput, improved quality and lower production costs.Birgitt HarrowVERMES Microdispensing GmbHPalnkamer Str. 1883624 Otterfing, GermanyPhone: +49 (0) 80 24-6-44-335Fax: +49 (0) 80 24-6-44-19pr@vermes.com Duodenoscopes Market Global Key Players -FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, PENTAX Medical and Olympus Corporation Market Analysis and Forecast to 2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4480 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/duodenoscopes-market-4480 Duodenoscopes Market Information: By Types, (Rigid Duodenoscopes, and Flexible Duodenoscopes), By Application, (Diagnosis, and Treatment), By End User (Gastrologists, General and Pediatric Surgeons, Hospitals, Speciality Clinics, and Others) - Global Forecast till 2023View Reports Sample @Market ScenarioDuodenoscope is a flexible, lighted weighted tubes that are released through the mouth, throat, and stomach into the top of the small intestine. These are specially designed side viewing endoscope for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures, which will help to diagnose diseases associated with pancreas and bile ducts with the help of fluoroscopic imaging procedure.Duodenoscope is a more complex device as compared to other endoscopes and is tough to clean and disinfect. These devices play an essential role in the treatment of patients, but there has been some evidences, which showed that some patients were infected with hospital born and other infectious agents, including antibiotic drug-resistant infections due to these devices. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerted the FDA regarding possible association of multidrug resistant bacterial infections and duodenoscopes. ERCP was associated with infections in 135 patients from January 2013 to December 2014.The global duodenoscopes market is growing moderately due to increasing prevalence of pancreatic, bile duct cancer tumors, and various gastrointestinal. Additionally, increasing research and development, technological advancements to identify the causes and risk factors associated with transmission of infectious agents from duodenoscopes, and developing new solutions to minimize patient exposure to such infection likely to drive the market growth over the review period.According to the latest WHO report (World Health Organization), in 2015, 8.8 million people died across the globe from cancer, which is nearly 1 in 6 of all the global deaths. According to the WHO, approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries. Moreover, according to a report by the World Gastroenterology Organization, (2014), 35-40% of worlds total population had acute or chronic GI complication.However, increasing FDA recalls for duodenoscopes due to challenging cleaning and high-level disinfection procedures and rising multidrug-resistant bacterial infections may affect the growth of the global duodenoscopes market negatively.The global duodenoscopes market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.83% during the forecast period 2017-2023.Intended AudiencePharmaceutical CompaniesMedical Devices CompaniesResearch and Development (R&D) CompaniesMarket Research and Consulting Service ProvidersPotential InvestorsResearch MethodologyDuodenoscopes Market Research Report - Global Forecast till 2023 -Report image 00Source: World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expert interview market research future analysis, annual report, white paper, company presentationSegmentationThe global duodenoscopes market is segmented on the basis of types, application, and end user.On the basis types, it is segmented into rigid duodenoscopes and flexible duodenoscopes. The flexible duodenoscopes is further segmented into fiber-optic duodenoscope and video duodenoscope.On the basis of application, it is segmented into diagnosis and treatment. The diagnosis is further segmented into detect abberations, trauma or surgical complications in bile or pancreatic ducts, tumors or cancers of the bile ducts, inflammation of the pancreas, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic pseudocysts, and tumors or cancers of the pancreas. The detect abberations is further segmented into bile duct, cystic duct, hepatic ducts, and pancreatic ducts. Treatment is further segmented into cannulation, sphincterotomy, stone management, and drainage of the bile duct.On the basis of end user, it is segmented into gastrologists, general and pediatric surgeons, hospitals, speciality clinics, and others.Figure: Global Duodenoscopes Market, by Application, 2016 (%)Duodenoscopes Market Research Report - Global Forecast till 2023 -Report image 01Source: World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expert interview market research future analysis, annual report, white paper, company presentationKey FindingsThe global Duodenoscopes Market is expected to reach USD 4,815.50 million by 2023 at a CAGR of 6.83%.In flexible duodenoscopes, video duodenoscope is the fastest growing segment, which is projected grow at a CAGR of 7.49% during the forecast period from 2017-2023.Americas hold the largest share of the duodenoscopes market and is expected to reach USD 4,147.66 million by 2023.Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region across the globe and expected to grow at a rate of CAGR 11.01% during the forecast period.Regional AnalysisThe Americas dominates the global duodenoscopes market owing to the presence of strong economic condition, huge development in the healthcare domain, and focus of research institutions on updating technology for new and advanced diagnosis and treatment methods. Moreover, advanced hospitals infrastructures, and availability of skilled healthcare professional adding fuel to the growth of the market.Europe holds the second position in the market on the basis of increasing emphasis on rapid diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and gastrointestinal diseases, changing lifestyle, increasing prevalence of cancer among geriatric population. As per Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Germany spent 11% of the total GDP on healthcare in 2013, which was 10.8% in 2012, which drives the growth of the market in this region.Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market owing to more number of developing nations present in this region, for instance, countries like India and china. These countries are encouraging the growth of the healthcare domain. Furthermore, increasing patient population from cancer and gastrointestinal diseases in developing countries will directly increase the demand for various diagnosis & treatment methods, which, in turn, will boost the growth of the market.The Middle East & Africa is expected to hold the least market share due to less availability of medical facilities, and less development in the healthcare domain. However, countries such as Qatar and Kuwait are focusing more on the healthcare domain and developing medical facilities, which will boost the market of this region.Request Full Report @Key PlayersSome of the key players in this market are FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, PENTAX Medical, Olympus Corporation, Custom Ultrasonics, Inc., ENDOMED, and SonoScape.Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India Endoscopy Device Market Key Players 2018 - KARL STORZ Gmbh & Co. KG, FUJIFILM, PENTAX MEDICAL, and RICHARD WOLF Market Analysis and Forecast 2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1967 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/endoscopy-devices-market-1967 Market ScenarioAn endoscopy is a procedure that allows physicians or surgeons to look interior parts of the organ. The technique is used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purpose. To perform endoscopy a specialized instrument is used named as endoscope. Various types of endoscopes and adoption of endoscope depends upon the affected body organ, for instance, bronchoscopes are used for lungs related problem, arthroscopes are preferred for problems associated with joints, and many others. Other instruments required during an endoscopic procedure includes biopsy forceps, cytology brush, flexible forceps, trocar sleeves, etc. For therapeutic purpose, the endoscopes are either attached or passed through surgical instruments to perform particular surgery. Endoscopic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery in which an endoscope is inserted in the body through small incisions to examine the internal organs.View Reports Sample @Rising prevalence of chronic diseases, advancing endoscopy technology, and increasing funding and reimbursement towards screening and treatment with endoscopic techniques are promoting the growth of the global endoscopy devices market. Additionally, increasing popularity of minimally invasive surgery is also creating a huge scope for the growth of market.As per the study suggested by American Cancer Society, 90% colorectal cancer (CRC) cases are detected in individuals with over 50 years in the U.S and colonoscopy is the most effective and the most commonly adopted procedure for the diagnosis and screening of CRC in older population. Moreover, the increasing geriatric population across the globe has a direct impact on endoscopic devices market. As older adults are more vulnerable towards health issues such as ophthalmic diseases, gastrointestinal problems, orthopedic diseases, cancer, and many others due to lower immunity, which in turn, complicate the diagnostic and therapeutic options.According to the WHO, it is estimated that the worlds population aged over 60 years will nearly double from by 2050. In the U.S, more specifically, more than 20% of the total population will be aged 65 years or over by 2030However, on the other hand, infections and complications caused by endoscopy devices may hamper the market growth.The global endoscopy device market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period 2017-2023.Research MethodologyEndoscopy Device Market Research Report - Global Forecast till 2023 -Report image 00Source: World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expert interview market research future analysis, annual report, white paper, company presentationSegmentationThe global endoscopy device market is segmented on the basis of types, therapy, treatments & procedures, application, accessory & processors, and end user.On the basis of type, it is segmented into flexible endoscopes, rigid endoscopes, capsule endoscopes, surgical endoscopes, and robot-assisted endoscopes.On the basis of therapy, it is segmented into colonoscopy, gastroscopy, arthroscopy, laparoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreotography, ureteroscopy, and cystoscopyOn the basis of treatments & procedures, it is segmented into abdominal, gynecologic and pelvic organ conditions, joint and orthopedic conditions, lower gastrointestinal conditions, lung and airway conditions, upper gastrointestinal conditions, and urinary system conditions. Abdominal, gynecological, and pelvic organ conditions is further segmented into hernia repair, removal of the appendix, gallbladder, spleen, uterine fibroids, endometrial tissue, and ectopic pregnancy. Joint and orthopedic conditions is further segmented into repair of rotator cuff conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome, loose bone or cartilage, torn or damaged cartilage, tendons, and arthritis. Lower gastrointestinal conditions is further segmented into removal of colon polyps, and treatment of bleeding from the colon. Lung and airway conditions is further segmented into lung abscess, removal of a foreign object in the airway, and opening of a narrowed airway. Upper gastrointestinal conditions is further segmented into removal of polyps and foreign objects, widening of a narrowed esophagus, treatment of hypertensive lower esophageal sphincter, barrett's esophagus, and esophageal cancer. Urinary system conditions is further segmented into kidney stones.On the basis of applications, it is segmented into gastrointestinal endoscopy, arthroscopy, obstetrics/gynecology endoscopy, urology endoscopy, bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, and otoscopyOn the basis of accessory & processors, it is segmented into accessory and processorsOn the basis of technology, it is segmented into video and fiberOn the basis of end user, it is segmented into critical care, gastroenterologists, general and pediatric surgeons, obstetricians-gynecologists (ob/gyns), and orthopedic surgeons.Figure: Global Endoscopy Device Market, by Region, 2016 (%)Endoscopy Device Market Research Report - Global Forecast till 2023 -Report image 01Source: World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expert interview market research future analysis, annual report, white paper, company presentationKey FindingsThe global endoscopy device market is expected to reach USD 42,342.4 million by 2023 at a CAGR of 6.3%Flexible endoscopes segment market is expected to command the largest market share about 28.2%. However capsule endoscopes is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 6.9% during the forecast period 2017-2023The Americas holds the largest share of the endoscopy device market and is expected to reach USD 15,186.1 million by 2023Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market, which is growing at a CAGR of 6.8% 2017-2023Regional AnalysisThe Americas dominates the global endoscopy device market owing to the presence of strong economic condition, huge development in the healthcare domain, and focus of research institutions on updating technology for new and advanced diagnosis and treatment methods. Moreover, advanced hospitals infrastructures, and availability of skilled healthcare professional adding fuel to the growth of the market.Europe holds the second position in the market on the basis of increasing emphasis on rapid diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and gastrointestinal diseases, changing lifestyle, increasing prevalence of cancer among geriatric population. As per Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Germany spent 11% of the total GDP on healthcare in 2013, which was 10.8% in 2012, which drives the growth of the market in this region.Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market owing to more number of developing nations present in this region, for instance, countries like India and china. These countries are encouraging the growth of the healthcare domain. Furthermore, increasing patient population of cancer and gastrointestinal diseases in developing countries will directly increase the demand for various diagnosis & treatment methods, which, in turn, will boost the growth of the market.The Middle East & Africa is expected to hold the least market share due to less availability of medical facilities, and less development in the healthcare domain. However, countries such as Qatar and Kuwait are focusing more on the healthcare domain and developing medical facilities, which will boost the market of this region.Request Full Report @Key PlayersSome of the key players in this market are Cogentix Medical, Integrate Endoscopy, J&J services Inc, Shaili Endoscopy, Interscope Inc., Cantel Medical, Micro-Tech Endoscopy, Cognetix, Stryker, OLYMPUS, KARL STORZ Gmbh & Co. KG, FUJIFILM, PENTAX MEDICAL, and RICHARD WOLF.Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India Conditioning Agent : CAGR of over 6% through 2026 Market Conditioning Agent https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1513138 https://www.researchmoz.us/conditioning-agent-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2026-report.html/toc www.researchmoz.us Press Release - 09 May2018Global Research and Development News --. ."Conditioning Agent Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2026" with coming years Industries Trends, projections of Global Growth, Major key player and Case study, Review, Share, Size, Effect.' '~ Global Conditioning Agent Market: OverviewThe global conditioning agent market is expected to witness a significant demand attributed to growing need for production of personal care products. With the growing instances of skin problems such as heat burns, dryness and bruises has led the customers to prefer moisturizing products globally. Extreme weather conditions has led to increasing instances of dryness, which can further lead to bruises and cuts on the skin. As the need for moisturizing the skin for treatment of cuts and bruises continues to increase, demand for the conditioning agents are likely to remain high in the personal care industry. In addition, increasing demand for the personal care products that help in eliminating radicals from the skin has also contributed towards growth of the global market positively.. . Get Sample Report_' 'The report offers in-depth information on the crucial aspects of the global conditioning agent market and provides data on the factors propelling growth of the global market, competition landscape, important segments and growth patterns.~ Global Conditioning Agent Market: DynamicsGrowth of the global conditioning agents market is mainly bound by various macro-economic and micro-economic factors. The report states that the global conditioning agents market is expected to witness significant demand attributed to increasing manufacture of the personal care products. Growing number of instances related to skin problems such as dryness, bruises, and heat burns has led the manufacturers to opt for various conditioning agents. Extreme weather conditions have also led to increasing instances of dryness and bruises. In order to cater to the needs of customers with extremely dry skin type, manufacturers are introducing deep moisturizers. Increasing production of skin and hair moisturizers has led to surge in demand for conditioning agents globally. These factors are expected to contribute towards growth of the global market.In addition, demand for the conditioning agent also continue to remain in the cosmetic industry. As the need for eliminating free radicals from the skin arises, manufacturers in the cosmetic industry are increasingly opting for conditioning agents for manufacturing various cosmetic products. Surge in demand for the cosmetic products is expected to contribute towards growth of the global conditioning agent market significantly.~ Global Conditioning Agent Market: SegmentationIn the next section, the global conditioning agent market is segmented on the basis of product type, price range, and application. On the basis of product type, the key segments include skin conditioning agents, hair conditioning agents, and fabric conditioning agents. The price range includes economic, medium, and premium. The segmentation on the basis of application includes creams & lotions, body wash, face wash, shampoo, hair conditioners, hair serums & gels, fabric conditioners, other applications.~ Global Conditioning Agent Market: CompetitionKey players operating in the global conditioning agent market are Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft, Church & Dwight Co., Inc., LOreal S.A., Avon Products, Inc., Amway Corporation, Kao Corporation, Procter & Gamble Co., Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, The Unilever Group, and The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.. . More Clear Details get Table of Contents_' '1. Global Economic Outlook2. Global Conditioning Agents Market - Executive Summary3. Global Conditioning Agents Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Global Conditioning Agents Market Taxonomy3.1.2. Global Conditioning Agents Market Definition3.2. Global Conditioning Agents Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast, 2012-20263.2.1. Global Conditioning Agents Market Y-o-Y Growth3.3. Global Conditioning Agents Market Dynamics3.4. Supply Chain3.5. Cost Structure3.6. Pricing Analysis3.7. PEST Analysis3.8. Regulations3.9. Product Life Cycle Analysis3.10. Distributor List3.11. Key Participants Market Presence (Intensity Map) By Region4. Global Conditioning Agents Market Analysis and Forecast 2012-20264.1. Global Conditioning Agents Market Size and Forecast By Product Type, 2012-20264.1.1. Skin Conditioning Agents Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.1.1.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.1.1.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.1.1.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.1.2. Hair Conditioning Agents Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.1.2.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.1.2.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.1.2.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.1.3. Fabric Conditioning Agents Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.1.3.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.1.3.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.1.3.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.2. Global Conditioning Agents Market Size and Forecast By Price Range, 2012-20264.2.1. Economic Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.2.1.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.2.1.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.2.1.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.2.2. Medium Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.2.2.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.2.2.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.2.2.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.2.3. Premium Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.2.3.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.2.3.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.2.3.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.3. Global Conditioning Agents Market Size and Forecast By Application, 2012-20264.3.1. Creams & Lotions Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.3.1.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.3.1.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.3.1.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.3.2. Body Wash Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.3.2.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.3.2.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.3.2.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.3.3. Face Wash Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.3.3.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.3.3.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.3.3.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.3.4. Shampoo Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.3.4.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.3.4.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.3.4.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.3.5. Hair Conditioners Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.3.5.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.3.5.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.3.5.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.3.6. Hair serums & Gels Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20264.3.6.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region4.3.6.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region4.3.6.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region4.3.7. Fabric Conditioners Market Size and Forecast, 2012-2026Continue.....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 Alcohol Sulfates Market Brief Analysis and Application Set to Attain Growth by 2023 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/alcohol-sulfates-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=9010 www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Alcohol sulfates are negatively charged ions or anions. Being unstable in nature they react with cations to form stable compounds. However, this property makes alcohol sulfates highly suitable in various applications largely as surfactants. As surfactants, these may act as detergents, foaming agents, emulsifiers, wetting agents and dispersants. When alcohol sulfates react with sodium they form sodium lauryl sulphates and other compounds, making them suitable in industrial applications such as floor cleaners, car wash soaps and engine degreasers. Alcohol sulfates also find use in a wide range of personal care products such as soaps, shampoos and toothpastes. With the wide range of industrial applications, the market for alcohol sulfates is expected to have a positive trend in the future. The rise in demand from personal care segment across Europe and other Asia Pacific countries is expected to boost the market for alcohol sulfates in the next few years. Also the application as surfactant will further propel the demand for alcohol sulfates in the future. The current market for surfactants is largely dominated by Europe and the U.S. However the surge in demand from China and Africa will act as a catalyst for alcohol sulfates market in the near future.View Report Preview:The commercial usage of alcohol sulfates began in 1940s when they started replacing the ordinary soap primarily for washing machine applications. The negative electrical charge of alcohol sulfates ionic nature makes them bind to dissolved minerals in hard water. The lauryl group provides the highest foam, making it ideal for cleansing applications. Also the alcohol sulfates can be readily thickened when combined with alkanolamides and amine oxides which can be used largely in laundry application. The personal care products and other hygiene related applications are expected to be the major drivers for alcohol sulfates in the next few years. The other applications of alcohol sulfates include shampoos, body wash, liquid hand soap, bath products, and facial cleansers.The developing nations across Asia Pacific are anticipated to be the fastest growing markets for alcohol sulfates in the next six years. The middle class population in these countries is growing at a stupendous rate which is eventually resulting in an increase in the overall customer base. Moreover, due to the rapid economic development of these countries and increased disposable income of the citizens of these countries has led to further magnification of the total customer base in these countries for applications in detergents and soaps. Moreover, the countries in the regions such as Africa, South America and the Middle East are showing swift economic growth since the last few years. In addition to this, the developed regions across the U.S. and European countries are progressively recovering from the sluggish economic conditions. Considering this outlook, the industrial applications such as floor cleaners, car wash soaps, and engine degreasers are expected to record a magnificent growth in the next few years. Additionally, there is an incredible market potential for the surfactants and allied industries in the developing countries such as China, India and Brazil. The major players operating in the alcohol sulfates market are primarily focusing on the emergent countries for tapping their immense market potential. The key companies operating in the alcohol sulfates market are installing gigantic production facilities in these developing countries to fulfill the swiftly rising local demand for alcohol sulfates.Request to view Sample Report:Some of the key players operating in the alcohol sulfates market are Zhejiang Zanyu Technology Co., Ltd., Kao Corporation, Oxiteno, Unger Surfactants, Godrej Industries Ltd, Wings Corporation, Miwon Commercial Co., Ltd., Guangzhou Xingyi Chemical Trading Co., Ltd, Croda International, Clariant Corporation, Huntsman Corporation, Rhodia SA, Stepan Company, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Galaxy Surfactants Ltd., BASF SE, DuPont, Evonik Industries AG, The Dow Chemical Company, Ho Tung Chemical Corp. and Taiwan NJC Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Rosacea Treatment Market to Observe Strong Development by 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/18793 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/18793 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Rosacea is a skin disease that is difficult to treat. This disease is common in women and people with fair skin. The symptoms of rosacea includes flushing and redness in skin, swollen skin, pimples, and, in later stages the skin becomes thicker skin. The cause of the rosacea is not known, but treatment is offered to control the symptoms of the rosacea. Most of the people with rosacea suffers from an eye problem and have red eyes, burning, tears, and itching like symptoms some of them some kind of vision problem. The rosacea occurs when blood vessels expand easily and causes flushing. Some researchers found that people inherit the chance of getting the disease. Some factors than make rosacea worse are heat, alcohol, stress, used of steroids, spicy food and othersThe national survey on rosacea was conducted with over 500 patients suffering from rosacea and about 300 dermatologist, the main finding included the patients struggle emotionally and low self-esteem, dont feel comfortable talking to their physician, and impact their social and psychological life. Economic productivity loss due to skin diseases is increasing at an alarming rate. According to American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD), skin diseases affect not just productivity but confidence levels of patients, creating passive impact on long term work stature.Exemplifying the above point, AAD noted that ~85 Mn Americans were seen by a physician for at least one skin disease in 2013 in the U.S, leading to direct healthcare costs of US$ 75 Bn and loss due to opportunity cost of US$11 Bn. The symptoms of the rosacea, persist for a week and vanishes and then appear after some time. People generally reach out for either self-treatments or prescription support. According to American Academy of Dermatologists, 90% of the people, who seek professional help, tend to show 40-50% improvement within at least three months.Request for Table of Contents @Mostly people confuse rosacea from acne, so right diagnosis is necessary. Antibiotics are used as a common treatment for rosacea. Antibiotics ease swelling and inflammation. The rosacea is controlled by applying skin creams, laser treatment and others. Lifestyle changes such as lack of physical exercise, limiting alcohol intake, etc., may also help in the treatment process. Rising uptake of combination treatments increased through push sales strategies followed by manufacturers to clinicians directly. This can fuel revenue growth. Rosacea on face is a prominent case creating huge demand. According to National Rosacea Society (NRS), 16 million people suffer from in United States suffer from symptoms of rosacea. Incidentally, the higher the number of family members with rosacea, the higher is the probability of affectation.The global Rosacea treatment market is segmented on basis of treatment type, disease condition, distribution channel and geographySegment by Treatment TypeOral TherapyTetracyclineDoxycyclineMinocyclineAmoxicillinTretinoinTazaroteneAdapaleneOthersTopical TherapySodium SulfacetamideAzelaic acidBrimonidineMetronidazoleSteroid CreamsOthersSegment by Disease IndicationErythematotelangiectatic RosaceaPapulopustular RosaceaPhymatous RosaceaOcular RosaceaSegment by Distribution ChannelHospital PharmacyDrug StoresRetail PharmacyE-commerceGlobal Rosacea treatment market is segmented by treatment type, disease indication and distribution channel. Based on the treatment type, global Rosacea treatment market is segmented as oral therapy and topical therapy. Oral therapy includes drugs such as tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, amoxicillin and others. Topical therapy includes drugs such as sodium sulfacetamide, azelaic acid, brimonidine and others. Based on disease indication, the rosacea treatment market is segmented as erythematotelangiectatic rosacea, papulopustular rosacea, phymatous rosacea and ocular rosacea.On the basis of distribution channel, the global Rosacea treatment market is segmented into hospital pharmacy, drug stores, retail pharmacy and e-commerce. Rise in incidence of rosacea, increased awareness of healthcare professional and new product launch is said to drive the global rosacea treatment market during the forecast period. Whereas inadequate access to health care, cost and availability of essential medicines and lack of standardized tools for diagnosis and treatment will hamper the growth of global rosacea treatment market.By Geography, the global rosacea treatment market is segmented into five broad regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. North America is estimated to lead the global Rosacea treatment market due to rise in incidence of rosacea in United States, about 16 Mn people suffer from the symptoms of rosacea. In the U.S., a large base of population, especially youngsters, suffer from various skin disorders such as acne vulgaris, psoriasis, rosacea and other skin related disease/infection.Request to View Sample of Research Report @These disorders are characterized by left over scars during the recovery, and affect the appearance and confidence of the youngsters as well as the other age groups. Europe market is also projected to experience high growth in the near future. Asia Pacific market is anticipated to grow at the fastest growth rate during the forecast period, owing to factors such as rising standard of living, lifestyle changes, rise in aesthetics procedure and focusing on healthcare expenditures.Some of the major players in global rosacea treatment market are Allergan Plc., Galderma S.A., and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Bayer AG, Dermik Laboratories, Inc., Mayne Pharma, Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH and Others.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: Nano Fillers Market to Garner Brimming Revenues by 2023 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/nano-fillers-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=10220 www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Nano fillers are an adaptation of nanotechnology used in the fillers industry. Nano fillers can be composed from various materials such as alumina, titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, bentonite clay, graphene, carbon black, ceramic, gold, silver, or silica. These materials are available in various forms such as nanorods, nanofibers, and nanowires. These nano fillers provide enhanced binding properties along with improved physical properties as compared to conventional fillers.View Report Preview:Nano fillers are widely used in rubber, paints & coatings, construction, paper, adhesives, sealants, and plastics industries. Nano fillers that are used as reinforcing filler materials, especially in polymers are called montmorillonites. These fillers are added to polymers to induce flame-retardant properties. Significant growth in the plastic industry is expected to drive the nano fillers market across the globe. Growth in the paints & coatings industry due to its vast applications in construction, automotive, architectural, and decorative end-users is anticipated to boost the global nano fillers market in the next few years. Growing economies in developing countries and rapid urbanization directly impact the construction industry. This, in turn, fuels the nano fillers market. Increase in brittleness property on higher amount of fillers and low level of dispersion properties are certain drawbacks of this technology. Proper occupational health and safety norms have to be implemented to prevent exposure due to airborne nature of nano materials in powdered form. Rising demand for adhesives & sealants and plastic films in the packaging industry is estimated to significantly drive the nano fillers market during the forecast period. There is huge scope for new manufacturers to enter into the competitive nano fillers market due to ease of manufacturing process.The nano fillers market can be regionally segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific holds prominent share of the global nano fillers market followed by Europe and North America. China holds the largest share of the nano fillers market due to growth in the plastics industry. The nano fillers market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand exponentially due to flourishing industrialization sector and expanding manufacturing base. Growing automotive and construction sectors in Europe are projected to be promising segments of the nano fillers market. Furthermore, increasing demand for nano filler applications in paper and rubber industries is likely to fuel the global nano filler market in the near future.Request to view Sample Report:Some of the key players in the global nano fillers market include Reade Advanced Materials, Akzo Nobel NV, Nanostructured & Amorphous Materials Inc., Intelligent Materials Private Limited, DuPont, 3M, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Toyota Central R&D Labs Inc., Fuso Chemical Co. Ltd, Nanomaterials Technology Pte Ltd., Shanxi Xintai Hengxin NanoMaterials Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou Keli Chemical Co., Ltd. and Jiangxi Huaming Nanometer Calcium Carbonate Company Limited. These companies focus on continual research and development activities to enhance properties of nano filler material and develop the new application base.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Controlled Release Cannabis Pills Market to Record an Exponential CAGR by 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/19138 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/19138 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Cannabis is a psychoactive drug extracted from a genus of flowering plant of Cannabaceae family. It is also called as, marijuana. Over the last few decades use of cannabis for the medical purpose has increased and is described as medical marijuana. Increasing research in this area has suggested that it can be prescribed to treat a number of health conditions such as, chronic pain, insomnia, muscle spasm, and reduce nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy among other health conditions. Companies are increasingly investing on the research in the field of medical marijuana or cannabis. These research has led to the development of controlled release cannabis pills that can provide long lasting effect.Controlled release cannabis pills market is expected to show a significant growth over the forecast period owning to the increasing adoption of controlled release cannabis pills or capsule among people and prescribers as these drugs has lower side effects and can be used without much of the concern of feeling of unease. Long lasting effect of controlled release cannabis pills and increasing number of government legalizing distribution of medical marijuana is also expected to fuel the growth of controlled release cannabis pills market. Even though number of government legalizing the medical marijuana is increasing but regulatory bodies are posing as a restraint for the growth of controlled release cannabis pill market as they cannot legalize the use of narcotic substances under federal law.Request for Table of Contents @An Israeli-American company, Cannnabics Pharmaceuticals has developed a revolutionary technology to put the medicinal compound of cannabis into a controlled release cannabis pills. This drug provide a long lasting effect up to 10 to 12 hours. The market of controlled release cannabis pills is expected to show a significant growth over the forecast period as these drugs can be administered orally to fulfill the urgent unmet need that is not possible with the tradition smoking and vaporizing way of administration. Standardization of drug and sustain release is also expected to fuel the growth of controlled release cannabis pills market.Controlled release cannabis pills are sold directly by the manufacturer or distributor to the patients who has license to get medical marijuana prescription. Requirement of license under the federal law can restrict the growth of controlled release cannabis pills market. Currently, there are there types of controlled release cannabis pills or capsules available; High THC Capsule, THC/CBD Balanced Capsules and High CBD Capsules. Minimum side effect by controlled release cannabis pills such as, disorientation and dizziness that are common in non- controlled release cannabis pills is also expected to drive the growth of the market. Increasing number of players and research in this highly potential controlled release cannabis pills market is also expected to boost the growth of the market.Controlled Release Cannabis Pills Market: Region Wise OutlookThe controlled release cannabis pills market can be segmented into regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the controlled release cannabis pills market and is expected to continue to dominate the market over the forecast period. Increasing adoption of controlled release cannabis pills in US to treat conditions such as, chronic pain is expected to drive the market. Various state governments in the US has also legalized the use of marijuana for medical purpose. Due to these factor market of controlled release cannabis pills is expected to show significant growth in the region.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Controlled Release Cannabis Pills Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players in the global controlled release pill market are, Cannabics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Wana Edibles, and Intec Pharma. These players are focusing on collaborative agreement for the distribution of controlled release cannabis pills. Also, increasing investment on further research on controlled release cannabis pills to prove the benefit of drugs.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: Surprising Modern-Day Revelations Redefine Old Testament Revelations In 'Gideon The Sound And The Glory' By Award-Winning Author Joseph Ganci Author Joseph Ganci http://www.gideonsglory.com Regarding the possibility of modern-day revelation, there are but two conflicting schools of thought. Catholics and Protestants hold that no modern-day revelations are possible. The Jewish faith, along with the Quakers, the Pentecostals, Charismatics and Latter-day Saints hold fast to the opposing opinion, trusting that modern-day revelation is a certainty. The arguments have been going on for centuries. Both groups remain grounded in their deeply rooted positions.So, did God give men everything they needed to know such a long time ago? Or does revelation and the prophetic process continue into our modern day? It is a troublesome question, for both camps have millions of followers. But the question is not "Which BELIEF is correct?" The real question is instead, "What is TRUE, and what is Gods will?"Joseph Ganci, the award-winning author of 'Gideon The Sound And the Glory,' believes that Old Testament revelations are the Word of God. At the same time, that many needful details remained buried until the information age of discovery made them obvious and visible to the naked eye. These insights create a middle ground of understanding. As a dedicated and highly motivated researcher, he proposes there are many undiscovered nuggets of spiritual gold in the original manuscripts. Shining a new light on ancient texts and removing the black or white argument of the all-or-nothing question of modern-day revelations. Untangling the philosophical and theological human-made knots. And it gives us an opportunity to take a fresh look at what some consider to be traditional forgone conclusions."My goal was to make Gideon come alive, now and for all time," Ganci stated. "To accomplish this feat, it had to be entertaining, inspiring, and enlightening. Mysteries long since hidden came alive, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, until ancient puzzle pieces began to fit together. It was like going to the top of a mountain every day where no one had ever gone before. The more I pressed on to the rocky summit more and more was uncovered. Eventually, the work was accompanied by visions and dreams. Scripture study was essential as my understanding kept expanding. Serendipity and synchronicity went beyond normal coincidence. Seemingly unrelated incidents became timely in the opening of new horizons and in the very moment when required. The commentaries of noted scholars were made available and I could cherry pick the wisdom of the ages. Gideons saga is about unsung heroes and murderous villains that leap to life and blaze onto the pages of revelation. I press to give this work wings, but my timing and God's timing does not always agree. This work is a classic and will remain so through future generations. This work was 101% collaboration with God. God did 101%, and I did all the rest. I have dedicated the novel to God, and by doing so, it remains a labor of love."Readers of 'Gideon The Sound And The Glory' will learn about the Jewish Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the mysterious Golden Ephod, how, and why, David found himself at his battle with Goliath, and much, much more. This work illuminates the dark corners of scripture while engaging readers in a gripping narrative.Joseph Ganci was recently chosen as one of '50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading' in the 2017 Book Awards. 'Gideon: The Sound and the Glory' has received rave reviews from readers and reviewers alike. A recent reviewer stated, "Joseph Gancis prose is arresting, peppered with fantastic imagery and succinct descriptions of plot, characters, and setting. The themes are masterfully created, and they are woven into the story in a way that allows the reader to enjoy both the inspiration the story offers and the accompanying action. The book explores powerful spiritual and political themes, capturing the conflicts and the dynamics of life within the community of God's chosen people. Gideon: The Sound and the Glory will appeal to fans of political thrillers, adventure, and conflict-driven stories laced with intense action." Other reviewers have used phrases such as "riveting," "amazing" "deftly crafted" and "highly recommended."Ganci has also announced he will make his book available as a fundraising tool for like-minded associations and charities. Donors can receive an eBook version of 'Gideon' in exchange for a donation to a worthy cause. For more details, contact Joseph via email.Joseph Ganci is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at joseph@gideonsglory.com. 'Gideon: The Sound and the Glory' is available in both print, eBook, and a superb, ethnically correct audio narration. All from online retailers. More information is available at Ganci's website.Joseph Ganci is a Levite and a high priest and remains a passionate Italian. He is a Vietnam combat veteran and is the father of five daughters and five grandchildren. He resides in Texas.PO Box 1613Shallotte, NC 28459 The Safai Foundation Announces New Website Launch www.safaifoundation.org LOUISVILLE, KY (May 2. 2018) The Safai Foundation, the grassroots organization on a mission to help farming communities nurture their lands and families, is proud to announce the launch of its new website. The new web portal is the latest online initiative that enables The Safai Foundation raise awareness of its causes and put a spotlight on the plight of the thousands of Hondurans, and other farming communities, whose livelihood largely depends on coffee production and trade.We firmly believe our new website communicates our mission and goals in the best possible way said Sarah Height from The Safai Foundation. We are looking forward to connecting with like-minded individuals, who believe that it is time for a shift in coffee production and trade, and are looking for ways to make their contribution to the cause no matter where in the world they may be.Founded in 2013 by Mike and Medora Safai, who, at the time, counted 15 years as the owners and operators of a small-kiosk coffee roasting business in Louisville, Kentucky, The Safai Foundation has made great strides in meeting its goals in an incredibly short time span. In just five years, The Safai Foundation has successfully replanted 30 Honduran coffee-producing farms which had been ravaged by coffee rust; while it has also launched the La Rivera Hernandez Stimulus Project, which has provided community members with economic opportunities by offering them employment in an ethically-made canvas tote bag-making initiative. Whats more, The Safai Foundation is supporting its work through Safai Coffee, a direct-traded specialty coffee that, through cutting out middlemen buyers and sellers, allows for a significant improvement in the wages and standard of living of Honduran coffee farmers.Giving back to its local Louisville, Kentucky community, The Safai Foundation is also opening the Logan St Market, which is set to open September 2018 and offer the Shelby Park, Smoketown, Old Louisville, Germantown, Paristown, and Schnitzelburg neighborhoods with accessibility to fresh and affordable food, as well as to educational opportunities.Those wishing to support The Safai Foundation can do so through here.To learn more about The Safai Foundation, please visit:###Founded in 2013,The SAFAI Foundation is a grassroots organization that works directly with the Honduran farming community to provide them with the direct assistance they need to nurture their land and their families.Media Contact: SARAH HEIGHTCompany Name: Safai FoundationAddress: 900 East Kentucky StreetPhone: (502) 222-8922Email:info@safaicoffee.com N Hexane Market Market Will Touch US$ 1856.7 Mn by 2024 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/n-hexane-market/toc https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/12709 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/multiple-chapter/12709 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com According to the latest report published by Persistence Market Research titled, Global Market Study on n-Hexane: Oil Extraction End-Use Segment to Dominate Consumption over the Forecast Period , the global n-Hexane Market is anticipated to witness a Y-o-Y growth of more than 3% in 2016. Increasing population coupled along with shooting refined oil demand is expected to propel the demand for n-Hexane. As a special-purpose solvent, n-Hexane has applications across a diverse set of industries which is expected to boost demand of n-hexane.Request for Table of Contents @Global n-Hexane market dynamicsDemand for n-Hexane, especially in developing region such Asia Pacific, is expected to boost the demand of the global n-Hexane market over the forecast period. Excellent properties of n-Hexane to remove odor and unwanted taste are expected to propel the demand of n-Hexane from the edible oil industry. n-Hexane has the ability to remove unwanted taste and odor and this is the precise reason that the demand for n-Hexane has increased in edible oil industry.However, the consumers from developed regions are shifting from refined oil to cold-pressed oil owing to its superior health benefits. Cold pressing is a natural way to produce oil which does not contain solvent residues, no preservatives with natural antioxidants. In addition, Isohexane, a hexane isomer is used as a substitute of n-Hexane in few oilseed extraction applications. Due to toxic nature of n-Hexane, it has been substituted by n-heptane in some pharmaceutical applications. This may retard the growth of the n-Hexane market.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Global n-Hexane market forecastBased on application, oil extraction will continue to lead the market share, representing nearly 57% of total revenues in 2016. High demand for n-Hexane in oil extraction owing to its effectiveness and high yield is expected to propel the global n-Hexane Market. Polymerization is expected to reach more than 200KT in 2016. Oil Extraction, Pharmaceutical, and Polymerization will remain top 3 end-users in global n-Hexane Market.Grade wise, oil extraction followed by industrial will dominate the Global n-Hexane Market in 2016 and is anticipated to reach more than US$ 600 Mn in 2016. Demand for industrial grade n-Hexane is expected to reach closed to 560 KT in 2016.On the basis of the region, APAC has the largest market in n-Hexane market across the world. China recorded a dominant market share of more than 40% in 2015. Asia-Pacific is estimated to lead the market in 2016, followed by Europe and North America. Moderate growth is expected from the mature markets such as North America and Europe. Europe will witness sluggish growth owing to the gradual economic recovery.Request Report Multiple Chapter @In addition, important players in the market have been shifting their production bases to Asia Pacific region in order to capitalize on scale economies. Rising environmental concerns in developed regions over the use of n-Hexane and its adverse impact on health and environment may inhibit the growth of the n-Hexane market. APAC is expected to drive the global n-Hexane market and is expected to register closed to 5% of volume CAGR over the forecast period 2016-2024.Global n-Hexane market: Key playersKey participant of global n-Hexane market are Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd., Sak Chaisidhi Company Limited, Liangxin petrochemical company, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Chevron Philips Chemicals LLC, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd., , Royal Dutch Shell plc., Rompetrol Rafinare S.A, DHC Solvent Chemie GmbH, Dongying Liaoning Yufeng Chemical Co., Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd.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: Growth Opportunities of Over-The-Top (OTT) Communication Global Market 2017 - 2025 Over-The-Top (OTT) Communication Market https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1506770 https://www.researchmoz.us/overthetop-ott-communication-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1506770 https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Over-The-Top (OTT) Communication Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Delivery of content, application, or services over internet protocol networks that are not directly provided by internet service providers is referred to as over-the-top communication. Over-the-top communication is sometimes referred to as value added services. Over-thetop communications apps have bypassed the traditional network distribution approach. OTT apps and services are those provided by Skype, FaceTime, and WhatsApp for voice/video call and messages on a mobile device.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Decline in SMS service was largely after the introduction of over-the-top communication services. In the year 2011, OTT messaging service traffic was less than 5% of the overall messaging, globally. However, by 2013, OTT messaging outshined SMS as the primary source of messaging, and currently SMS represents less than 10% of the traffic globally.(source: Synchronoss Technologies Inc.). The statistics clearly displays the exponential adoption of over-the-top communication services and its growth trend.OTT communication providers largely rely on global internet and network speed (ranging from 256 kilobits for messaging to speed in the range of megabits for video) to reach the user base. Services offered by OTT players are either free of cost or are provided at much lower cost to users. The business model of OTT communication providers are largely advertisement, in-app purchase/ content, unit pricing, subscription, and software licensing. Advertisement includes all those services funded by viewing advertisements. In-house purchase/content includes revenue generated when the user purchases extra features such as stickers or some premium service. Unit pricing includes revenue derived from off-net calls or terminating incoming calls. Players such as Skype and Microsoft base their business model on unit pricing. The subscription model includes the revenue generated from recurring charges for additional services offered by the company. The software licensing model is largely the revenue generated by purchase of software services by users.Three vital factors driving the growth of the over-the-top communication market are continuous improvement in devices whether television, smartphones, or laptops among others; consumer communication demand; and availability and easy accessibility of network technology. Device intelligence particularly in smartphones has grown exponentially in the last 5-10 years. The most prominent revolution in the smartphone market was the introduction of iPhones in the year 2007 that completely changed the end-user outlook toward the use of mobile technology. Since then, improvement in data speed, chip performance, camera technology, integrated sensors, and enhanced battery power has changed the mobile phone industry. Huge transition in IP network that has enabled an enriched communication experience has given a tremendous boost to all OTT apps and services. Additionally, growth in network investment by operators has improved the quality of services. The investment has led to faster broadband speed which has improved the OTT services experience among the consumers.Browse Detail Report @Barriers to OTT communication service usage is poor network quality largely in remote areas. However, continuous improvement in broadband accessibility and speed is expected to dilute the barrier of poor network completely.The over-the-top communication market can be segmented on the basis of communication service type and end-user. The communication service type can be categorized into messaging and voice services, application eco-system, and video service. Messaging and voice services are largely the services provided by apps such as WhatsApp, Line, Viber, and Gmail among others. The application ecosystem is largely non-real-time and is linked to social network or e-commerce. These services are provided by Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram among others. The end-user segment can be segmented into individual and commercial.Key players in the over-the-top communication market are Akamai Technologies, Facebook Inc., Google Inc., Tencent Holdings, Microsoft Corporation, Mara Group (Nimbuzz), Dropbox, Inc., Limelight Networks, Inc., Rakuten, Inc., and Yahoo Inc. among othersThe 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-segments- Market trends and dynamics- Supply and demand- Market size- Current trends/opportunities/challenges- Competitive landscape- Technological breakthroughs- Value 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)Make an Enquiry of this report @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 market- Important changes in market dynamics- Market segmentation up to the second or third level- Historical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volume- Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments- Market shares and strategies of key players- Emerging niche segments and regional markets- An objective assessment of the trajectory of the market- Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Holographic Films Market is expected to be valued more than US$ 11,000 Mn by the end of 2024. https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/12892 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/12892 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com For every consumer goods product that has ever hit the shelves of retail outlets, a percentage of its production cost gets spent on branding the product by sticking a holographic film on its packaging label. Accordingly, billions of consumers goods sold daily from all parts of the world necessitate the expansion of global production capacity for holographic films. In 2015, global sales of holographic films exceeded US$ 5 billion, attesting the universal demand for iconic branding techniques. According to a recent research conducted by Persistence Market Research, the global holographic films market revenues are estimated to reach US$ 11,775 million in value by 2024.Persistence Market Researchs report titled Global Market Study on Holographic Films: Pharmaceuticals End Use Industry Segment Estimated to Increase 2.2X in Terms of Value over the Forecast Period , projects the US$ 5,767.3 million global holographic films market will expand at an impressive CAGR of 9.3% during the period of forecast - 2016-2024. Besides the branding demands, the active use of Fresnel lens technology in designing flexible packaging surfaces has become a proponent for consumption of holographic films, the combination of which is likely to create 3D effect for customers viewing the products stacked on store shelves. While secured packaging and anti-counterfeit measures promote the use of holographic films, volatile costs of film materials are likely to hamper the growth of the global holographic films market.Request Sample Report @Key Research Findings : Demand for Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film materials to remain high through 2024, accounting for almost half of the global market revenues , Branding measures undertaken by pharmaceutical and drug manufacturers, and companies in the FMCG sector will render them largest end-user industries for holographic films ,The need for customer-centric designs and patterns on films will gain traction during the projected period, effectuating a higher market presence for customized offerings of holographic film .Through 2024, the value share ratio of lamination and printing as two main end uses in the global holographic films market is anticipated to be an estimated 60% to 40% respectivelyAPAC Holographic Films Market to Expand at Highest CAGR : By the end of forecast period, the holographic films sales from Asia Pacific (APAC) region will rake in revenues worth over US$ 4.3 billion. The APAC holographic films market is anticipated to be fastest growing region in the global market, registering an estimated CAGR of 10.8%. In 2016, the region accounted for one-third share of the global market value, followed by North America which secured over 25% share of the global holographic films market size. Europes holographic films market is likely to join North America and APAC as regions lucrative for expansion of holographic films businesses. Meanwhile, the holographic films market size is to expand at a modest rate in regions such as Latin America and the Middle East & Africa (MEA).Request Sample Report@Metallized Films & Anti-counterfeit Applications Procure High Sales : Sales of holographic films in the world have been largely concentrated towards two aspects the type of film material preferred and its application. Product manufacturers and packaging industry players prefer using metallized holographic films over transparent films. Similarly, the use of such films finds greater application in anti-counterfeit measures of packaging companies. Surging instances of product duplicity have integrated holographic films into packaging operations that label symbols for identifying authentic products. Independently, metallized holographic films and anti-counterfeit applications are expected to account for over 70% of global market revenues throughout the forecast period.Global Holographic Films Market: Key Players : While local manufacturers of holographic films are expected to collectively account for over half of the global market, companies such as Uflex Limited and Polinas Plastik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. will jointly hold company share of 14.2%. Leading holographic films manufacturers namely Toray Industries Inc., SRF Limited, and Nan Ya Plastics Corporation, are expected to exclusively focus on business expansion in regions such as North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. Strategic acquisitions is pegged to be a top priority for Jindal Poly Films Ltd., API Group Plc., and Avery Dennison Corporation, while Cosmo Films Limited and K Laser Technology Inc. are expected to increase their global presence through product launch.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: Latest Survey of Global Online Takeaway Food Delivery Market (2017-2021 Edition) Online Takeaway Food Delivery Market https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1476951 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-online-takeaway-food-delivery-market-size-trends-and-forecasts-2017-2021-edition-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Online Takeaway Food Delivery Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021 Edition)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report titled Global Online Takeaway Food Delivery Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021 Edition), provides an in-depth analysis of the global online takeaway food delivery market by value and by penetration rate. The report also gives an insight of the global food services market and takeaway food delivery market.The report provides a regional analysis of the online takeaway food delivery market, including the following regions: US, Canada, UK, Australia, Denmark, Italy, Spain and France.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Growth of the overall global online takeaway food delivery market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.The competition in the global online takeaway food delivery market is fragmented with several new players emerging in the industry. However, key players of the online takeaway food delivery market, Just Eat, GrubHub and Rocket Internet (Foodpanda and Deliver Hero) are profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.Country CoverageThe USCanadaUKAustraliaDenmarkItalySpainFranceCompany CoverageRocket Internet (Foodpanda and Deliver Hero)Just EatGrubHubExecutive SummaryThe food services industry is experiencing a revolution. Even the food delivery market is undergoing a dynamic change. It is the online mode that is reaping attention in the current scenario. The food delivery market is both online and offline. The online food delivery market is also known as online takeaway food delivery market.Online takeaway food delivery market provides an online and mobile platform for food takeaway. The platform is essentially a marketplace where consumers are matched with restaurants. Consumers choose to order on takeaway restaurant (TR) webpage or an app rather than directly on restaurant websites because they can easily compare multiple cuisine options, and also pay safely. In online mode mobile apps are available for iOS and Android of either the restaurants or TR. Customers select restaurants that deliver to their locations, make selection from menus and prices, and make purchases using a mobile device or via the web without the need for phone calls.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @In recent years online food delivery market is gaining popularity because of the increased internet penetration across nations and increased smartphone dependence.The online food delivery market has three business models namely pure-media, fully integrated and on-demand delivery models.The global online takeaway food delivery market is expected to increase at a significant CAGR during the years 2017-2021. The global online takeaway food delivery market is expected to increase due to increase in urban population, increase in spending of global middle class population, increasing technological innovations, increase in smartphone usage, increase in internet penetration, etc. Yet, the market faces some challenges such as, fluctuations in profit earning, threat to aggregator business model, data server crash, etc.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Asia-Pacific HAE Therapeutics Market Is Expected To Grow At A CAGR Of 9.6%, From $54.5m To Over $103.5m 2016-2023 HAE Therapeutics in Asia-Pacific Markets https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1763911 https://www.researchmoz.us/hae-therapeutics-in-asia-pacific-markets-to-2023-growth-driven-by-ongoing-shift-towards-plasma-derivative-products-and-expected-launch-of-premium-therapies-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1763911 https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "HAE Therapeutics in Asia-Pacific Markets to 2023 - Growth Driven by Ongoing Shift towards Plasma-Derivative Products and Expected Launch of Premium Therapies" to its huge collection of research reports.Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder caused by a lack of a sufficient amount of a protein called C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH), which plays a role in immune system function, blood clotting, and bleeding. With insufficient C1-INH a peptide called bradykinin may be overproduced, which causes fluids to build up in body tissues (edema).The onset of HAE may occur at any age but is most common during childhood or adolescence. The rarity of the disease, limited treatment options other than not-very-effective generic drugs, and the relatively high annual cost of therapy (ACoT) have made HAE treatment a highly lucrative market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The approval of revolutionary plasma derivatives including Cinryze and Berinert for the treatment of HAE patients that are refractory to generic drugs triggered unparalleled growth in the market. Though the treatment options are limited to acute and prophylaxis patients, the HAE treatment patient pool is expected to increase over forecast period in APAC countries assessed in this report.However, competition is intensifying as governments in Australia, South Korea and Japan are looking for more affordable treatment options due to the very high treatment costs. In 2018, two re-formulations of existing plasma derivative products will be launched one each in Japan and Australia. Despite the superior efficacy of recently marketed therapies over traditional generic therapies, there are still unmet needs in the therapeutic landscape.These include improved safety; the need to create products with more convenient and less invasive drug-delivery methods; and improved access to treatment. The difficulty of managing HAE is also compounded by poor patient adherence, a particular problem in countries where large segments of the population have limited access to healthcare. Most significantly, the HAE market lacks curative treatments, as current therapies aim to alleviate symptoms and reduce disease progression.This major unmet need is not expected to be addressed directly by any of the pipeline agents. Additionally, any pipeline candidates that will be successfully approved and launched will compete for the same patient populations although late-stage drugs are likely to address the need for a more convenient route of administration, as the pipeline contains potential kallikrein inhibitors that can be administered orally. Products with novel mechanisms of action and safer and more efficacious profiles will be welcome additions to the market.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Scope- The current Asia-Pacific HAE market contains premium therapies such as Berinert, Cinryze, Ruconest and Firazyr.- What are the competitive advantages of the existing premium therapies?- There are 24 active pipeline molecules, and the late-stage investigational drug candidates feature improved administration routes compared with currently marketed products.- Which classes of re-formulation drugs are most prominent in the pipeline?- What is the potential for pipeline products to address unmet needs in the HAE market?- Analysis of clinical trials since 2006 identified that the failure rates of HAE molecules were highest in Phase III, at 14.3%.- How do failure rates vary by stage of development, molecule type, and molecular target?- How do other factors, such as average trial duration and trial size, influence the costs and risks associated with product development?- Over the 20162023 forecast period, the Asia-Pacific HAE therapeutics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.6%, from $54.5m to over $103.5m.- Which markets make the most significant contribution to the current market size?- What are the epidemiology trends in these markets?- Will new market entrants lead to substantial changes to annual therapy costs?- How will different treatment usage patterns impact growth in the five assessed Asia-Pacific markets?- The rising HAE prevalence population and the uptake of newer therapies will lead to significant market growth over the forecast period.- Will the launch of emerging pipeline molecules threaten the commercial success of existing drugs?- Licensing deals are the most common form of strategic alliance in the HAE therapeutics market, with deal values ranging from $2.7m to over $83m.- How do deal frequency and value compare between target families and molecule types?- What were the terms and conditions of key licensing deals?Make an Enquiry of this report @Reasons to buy- Understand the clinical context of HAE by considering epidemiology, symptoms, etiology and pathophysiology, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment guidelines and options, and orphan drug policies.- Identify the therapeutic strategies, products, and companies that dominate the current marketed products landscape and recognize gaps and areas of unmet need.- Identify key pipeline trends in terms of molecule type, administration route, molecular target, and novelty.- Consider market opportunities and potential risks by examining trends in HAE clinical trial size, duration, and failure rate by stage of development, molecule type, and molecular target.- Recognize the late-stage pipeline molecules that have demonstrated strong therapeutic potential in HAE by examining clinical trial data and multi-scenario product forecast projections.- Compare treatment usage patterns, annual therapy costs, and market growth projections for India, China, Australia, Japan and South Korea.- Discover trends in licensing and co-development deals concerning HAE products and identify the major strategic consolidations that have shaped the commercial landscape.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Overview Of Global Advanced Semiconductor Packaging Market 2017 - 2026 Advanced Semiconductor Packaging Market https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1361124 https://www.researchmoz.us/advanced-semiconductor-packaging-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2016-2024-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1361124 https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Advanced Semiconductor Packaging Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2026" to its huge collection of research reports.Semiconductor packaging prevents physical damage and corrosion of the chips that are to be connected to the circuit boards. In the recent years, semiconductor packaging has evolved giving rise to advanced semiconductor packaging technologies. Manufacturers are moving towards new packaging options such as 2.5D integrated circuits and 3D integrated circuits. Meanwhile, manufacturers are also focusing on developing an alternative to the 2.5D packaging.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Internet of Things (IoT) is also expected to have a significant impact on the advanced semiconductor packaging market. Hence, new packaging technologies supporting IoT driven semiconductor industry are being introduced. Miniaturization of devices and thermal dissipation are leading towards the growth of the advanced semiconductor packaging market. Meanwhile, the requirement for less power consumption, improved efficiency is driving the adoption of 3D semiconductor packaging in the advanced semiconductor packaging market.Global Advanced Semiconductor Packaging Market- Research MethodologyThe report on the global advanced semiconductor packaging market offers key insights on the market with help of the data obtained from primary and secondary research. The report has used top-down and bottom-up approach to provide expected market size. The report also offers insights on all the major factors playing an important role in the market growth. The report also includes key trends, market opportunities, factors driving the global market and factors hampering the growth of the market.During the primary research interview of industry experts was conducted and information provided by them was crosschecked with various data sources. Both micro-economic and macro-economic factors were also taken into account to provide important information on the global as well as regional advanced semiconductor packaging market.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @The report also offers segment-wise analysis and region-wise analysis of the global advanced semiconductor packaging market. The secondary research was done to gather data on the market. Sources used in the secondary research included investor presentations, annual reports and financial reports of the major companies. Absolute dollar opportunity is also provided in the report to identify various market opportunities.The report comprises vital information on the key companies operating in the global advanced semiconductor packaging market. The report enlightens on the key business strategies, developments, new product launch by the key market players. The report also includes details on the regulations in the market across the globe. The report also focuses on the technological advancements in the market and how new technologies will impact the growth of the market in future.Global Advanced Semiconductor Packaging Market- SegmentationThe global advanced semiconductor packaging market is segmented based on packaging type, application, end user, and region. On the basis of packaging type, the advanced semiconductor packaging market is divided into Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging (FO WLP), Fan-In Wafer-Level Packaging (FI WLP), Flip Chip (FC), and 2.5D/3D.On the basis of application, the market is divided into application processor/ baseband, central processing units/graphical processing units, dynamic random access memory, NAND, image sensor, and other applications.Based on the end user, the market is divided into telecommunications, automotive, aerospace and defense, medical devices, consumer electronics, and other end users.Make an Enquiry of this report @Region-wise the global market for advanced semiconductor packaging is segmented into Japan, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).Competitive LandscapeSome of the key players in the global advanced semiconductor packaging market are Intel Corp, AMD, Amkor Technology, Hitachi Chemical, STMicroelectronics, Infineon, Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., Avery Dennison, Kyocera, and ASE Group.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Key Factors Enabling Growth in Global Cryptocurrency Market 2017 - 2025 Cryptocurrency Market https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1526743 https://www.researchmoz.us/cryptocurrency-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1526743 https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Cryptocurrency Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.The Cryptocurrency Market (Component Hardware (FPGA, GPU, ASIC, Wallet, Others), Software (Mining Platform, Blockchain, Coin Wallet, Exchange); Type Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple (XRP), Litecoin, Dashcoin, Others) Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2017 - 2025, report provides analysis of the cryptocurrency market for the period 20152025, wherein the years from 2017 to 2025 is the forecast period and 2016 is considered as the base year. Data for 2015 has been included as historical information. The report covers all the major trends and technologies playing a major role in the cryptocurrency market growth over the forecast period. It highlights the drivers, restraints and opportunities expected to influence the market growth during this period. The study provides a holistic perspective on the markets growth in terms of revenue (in US$ Mn) across different geographical regions, namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America. Report highlights the key trends affecting the market on a global scale. Furthermore, region wise prominent countries/regions covered in the report includes - the U.S, Canada, Germany, France, Netherlands, the U.K., Singapore, China, Japan, GCC, South Africa and Brazil.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global Cryptocurrency Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe market overview section of the report showcases the market dynamics and trends which includes drivers, restraints, opportunities that influence the current nature and future status of this market. It also provides an overview about the key market indicators given across the five geographical regions. Under the porters five forces analysis section, a brief analysis of the level of competition within the cryptocurrency industry is given and business strategy is provided in order to determine the competitive attractiveness and intensity of the cryptocurrency market. The report also includes key industry developments covering significant advances made by leading market players over the period of time.Global Cryptocurrency Market: SegmentationOn the basis of component, the market has been divided into hardware and software. The hardware segment is sub segmented into FPGA, GPU, ASIC, wallet, and others. The software segment is further classified in to mining platform, blockchain, coin wallet, and exchange. In terms of market share, in 2016, hardware was the highest revenue generating segment and software segment is expected to witness highest CAGR growth over the forecast period from 2017 to 2025.By type, the global cryptocurrency market is divided in to Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple (XRP), Litecoin, Dashcoin, and others. Bitcoin segment is expected to hold highest market share over the forecast period owing to its significant acceptance in various applications.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Global Cryptocurrency Market: Competitive LandscapeThe report provides competitive landscape of the cryptocurrency market, thereby listing out all the major players according to their geographic presence, market attractiveness and recent key developments. The competitive landscape section of the report gives an overview about the market share of several key players for the year 2016. The cryptocurrency market data 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 market growth. Factors including market position, offerings and R&D focus are attributed to companys capabilities. This section also identifies and includes various recent developments carried out by the leading players. Moreover, key takeaways section provided at the end of competitive landscape section would help the operating companies to make the best move in the market.Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, NVIDIA Corporation, BitFury Group Limited, Alphapoint Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Xilinx Inc., BitGo, Ripple and BTL Group Ltd. are few of the key players which have been profiled in this study. Details such as financials, business strategies, SWOT analysis, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players has been duly provided as part of company profiling.The global cryptocurrency market is segmented as below:Global Cryptocurrency Market, By Component- Hardware- FPGA- GPU- ASIC- Wallet- Others- Software- Mining Platform- Blockchain- Coin Wallet- ExchangeGlobal Cryptocurrency Market, By Type- Bitcoin- Ethereum- Ripple (XRP)- Litecoin- Dashcoin- OthersMake an Enquiry of this report @Global Cryptocurrency Market, By GeographyNorth America- The U.S.- Canada- Rest of North AmericaEurope- Germany- France- Netherlands- The U.K.- Rest of EuropeAsia Pacific- China- Singapore- Japan- Rest of Asia PacificMiddle East and Africa (MEA)- South Africa- GCC- Rest of Middle East and AfricaSouth America- Brazil- Rest of South AmericaAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Radio Dot System (RDS) Market: Understanding the Key Product Segments and their Future https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=43055 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=43055 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/radio-dot-system-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com http://www.techyounme.com/ Radio dot is an innovative antenna element which is designed by Ericsson to eliminate broadband capacity bottlenecks in small and large buildings. These systems are designed with a distributed architecture having centralized baseband that enables high performance voice and data coverage and capacity for high-level mobile broadband coverage. Ericssons Radio Dot System (RDS), unleashes lightning-fast speed and high capacity to meet the upcoming demands of 5G. These systems are capable of delivering speed up to 2Gbit/s.The radio dot system is designed to redefine the concept of small cells (for indoor applications) with the integrated high performance indoor radio system to address a broader range of indoor environments. Operators will be able to deploy these systems next to 4G solutions using the same network architecture, same cabling infrastructure, and dot locations. These systems are majorly used by building owners and IT managers who need to work on multi-location businesses where buildings vary in size and have heavy used traffic. Over time, these systems are also expected to be used for most extreme case applications such as connected factories, connected mining, etc.Get PDF Sample of Report @Growth in traffic volume has led to the exponential development of multiple indoor connectivity systems. A radio dot system provides both LTE and WCDMA coverage and capacity indoors for a range of buildings, which is anticipated to lead to increased adoption of radio dot systems during the forecast period. Other factors driving the adoption of radio dot systems include simple deployment that is 100% integrated with the outdoor network. Moreover, a radio dot system supports LTE-Advanced features such as Carrier Aggregation, 256QAM, D-MIMO and combined cells which help in providing cells splits without additional hardware. These factors are anticipated to propel the radio dot system demand over the forecast period. However, lack of knowledge and awareness is a key factor hindering the growth of the market.RDS is in its nascent stage and companies are profoundly investing in its R&D operations and setting up partnerships with Ericsson to analyze and understand the use of this technology. For instance, Softbank Corporation entered into an agreement in April 2017 to deploy Ericssons RDS in Japan to deliver premium indoor connectivity to its subscribers. Furthermore, Telefonica and Ericsson signed an agreement to deploy radio dot systems in airports and shopping malls in Mexico to strengthen cellular coverage.Get TOC of This Report @The global radio dot system market can be segmented based on type, application, and region. In terms of type, the market has been bifurcated into dual band radio dot and hardened radio dot. Dual band radio dot combines two frequency bands in one form factor to reduce cabling cost, simplify deployment, and control available spectrum. Based on application, the market can be segmented into outdoor, indoor applications, and industrial applications.The global radio dot system market is segmented on the basis of regions into North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to contribute major share in the radio dot system market during the forecast period. Adoption rate of radio dot systems in North America is comparative high when compared to other regions.Furthermore, presence of large number of market players and software providers in the region is also expected to contribute toward the growth of the market in the region. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market for radio dot systems, owing to high demand for connectivity solutions in the region.View Report@Rising demand for radio dot systems in emerging countries such as Japan, China, and India is driving the market growth. Europe is also expected to show significant growth in the radio dot system market over the forecast period. Middle East & Africa region and South America are also expected to contribute towards growth of the market.Some of the major players active in the development of radio dot systems include Verizon, Vodafone, Telefonica, Softbank, and China Unicom.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Research Blog: Air Operated Double Diaphragm Pumps Market Global Leader Insight - Warren Rupp, Wilden, TAPFLO, ARO. https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/air-operated-double-diaphragm-pumps-market-891 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/891 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/891 Pune, India, May, 2018, /MRFR Press Release/-The air operated double diaphragm pump market can be segmented on the basis of sector applications as Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Mining, Marine, Water Treatment, Food and Beverage. On the basis of valves the market has been segmented as Flap and plateSome of the key players in the Air Operated Double Diaphragm Pump Market are Graco, Warren Rupp, Wilden, TAPFLO, ARO, DellMeco, Verder, Murzan, Debem, Depa among others. The companies in this market have adopted various strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, expansions, and new product developments to append their market share.Browse Complete Report @Market Scenario :Increased widespread application in the Chemical industry is one of the key factors which are contributing to the growth of the Air Operated Double Diaphragm Pumps Market. The Air operated Double Diaphragm market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2%. Rapid development of Global infrastructure and investment in cosmetics and pharmaceutical are some of the other factors which contribute to the growth of the air operated double diaphragm pumpsStudy Objectives of Air Operated Double Diaphragm PumpTo provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Air Operated Double Diaphragm Pump marketTo provide insights about factors affecting the market growthTo Analyze the Air Operated Double Diaphragm Pump market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, Porters five force analysis.To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to six main geographies and their countries-Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and AfricaTo provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospectiveTo provide country level analysis of the market for segment by Services, by valves and by application as well as its sub segmentsTo provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the marketTo track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, and new product developments in the Global Air Operated Double Diaphragm Pump marketGet Sample Report @Intended AudienceAir Operated Double Diaphragm Pump manufacturing companiesAir Operated Double Diaphragm Pump service providersIndustry Consultants and Investment bankersGovernment as well as Independent Regulatory AuthoritiesEnquiry For Report @MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Click the photo to write a caption and have a chance to win a free subscription to the Norfolk Daily News. Device Smart Communicators Market 2018 Industry Trends, Growth, Analysis, Opportunities and Overview https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=32237 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=32237 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/device-smart-communicators-market.html www.transparencymarketresearch.com The device smart communicators is a computer based type of configuration which is used to perform tasks like daily maintenance, configuration backup, initial setup, and troubleshooting for the replacement of the device. The type of tasks are much different from the device vendors and communication protocols and are stream lined by integrated environment and intuitive operation. The device smart communicators are used for the maximum utilization of the instruments used in the intelligence field. The device smart communicators can be utilized for an increase the storage capacity and for faster processing of the instruments. The device smart communicators are also used to communicate and print out the parameters such as range, tag number and output mode of the instrument.Get PDF Sample of This Report @Device Smart Communicators Market: Market DynamicsThe technological advancement is the major factor for the growing demand of the device smart communicators market. The developing regions are growing towards the smart cities and the device smart communicators market is thereby growing in the region. The use of online retail sites and smart systems are the rising factors in the market and are the driving factor for the growth of the device smart communicators market. The developed regions are the attracting places for the manufacturers to find the demanding growth and the developed economy in these regions with the high disposable income are the major factors to be involved in the growth of the device smart communicators market. The trend to use the brain terminal has grown in the market due to the rising demand of the product for its efficiency and smart work and has thereby increased the sales in the device smart communicators market.Device Smart Communicators Market: Market SegmentationThe device smart communicators market can be segmented on the basis of product type, end user type and on the basis of geography.On the basis of product type, the device smart communicators market can be segmented into:-Mobile Field Device ManagementHart CommunicatorBrain TerminalGet ToC of This Report @On the basis of end user type, the device smart communicators market can be segmented into:-Transport and AutomotiveTelecommunication and ITDefense and MilitaryIndustrialHealthcareElectronicsDevice Smart Communicators Market: Regional OutlookThe device smart communicators market can be segmented on the basis of geography into seven main regions as North America, Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan, MEA, Western Europe, and Latin America. The North America is the leading region in the market due to the development in the rise and a large number of manufacturers in the region thereby growing in the device smart communicators market. The Europe is also the growing region in the device smart communicators market. The Asia Pacific is the growing region in the device smart communicators market and is expected to rise in the forecast period. The developing countries l9ike China and India are rising with their respective and hence the advancement in growth and leading to the rise in device smart communicators market.View Our Report @Device Smart Communicators Market: Key PlayersThe prominent players in the device smart communicators market are:-SmartComms SC, LimitedYokogawa Electric CorporationProComSol, LtdSpitzer and Boyes, LLCSamsung Electronics Co. Ltd.LG Electronics Inc.General Electric Co.BSH Hausgerate GmbHPanasonic Corp.Whirlpool Corp. (U.S.)Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherlands)Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendationsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: WEB WERKS ANNOUNCES BUSINESS-FRIENDLY DEDICATED SERVERS PACKAGES STARTING AT JUST RS. 2999 P/MO. www.webwerks.in Web Werks dedicated server hosting solutions are fully capable to run your business efficiently and deliver optimal performance.Mumbai, India 09 May 2018 | Web Werks is the leading providers of dedicated servers in India with flexible services and redundant network infrastructure. 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Offering Reliable hosting services on Dedicated Servers, Cloud, Virtualization, Co-location and Disaster Recovery Services along with 24x7 Rapid Action Support and 99.995% Uptime Guarantee.Web Werks Data Centers are validated with ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013, ISO 20000-1 and Uptime Institute Certified. The data centers are Carbon Neutral contributing towards Global Go-Green concepts. Web Werks is now SAP certified provider of Infrastructure, Hosting and Cloud Operations Services.Web Werks is also PCI-DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001, TIA-942 and SSAE16, SSAE18 SOC 2 Type 1 compliant. This certification affirms how we treat security, confidentiality, integrity, and privacy of our customers data. Web Werks in India is the first Asian data center to hold OIX-2 and host an OIX-1 IXP Mumbai-IX. In addition to this, fulfill all the requirement for being a full OpenIX supporter. 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Our client list also incorporates Government sectors such as Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation, Nabard, SIDBI, NPCI and so on.For more information, kindly visit,Media Contact:Priti Shettipriti.shetti@webwerks.in+91-8828335555Web Werks Data Centers are validated with ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013, ISO 20000-1 and Uptime Institute Certified. The data centers are Carbon Neutral contributing towards Global Go-Green concepts. Web Werks is now SAP certified provider of Infrastructure, Hosting and Cloud Operations Services.Web Werks is also PCI-DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001, TIA-942 and SSAE16, SSAE18 SOC 2 Type 1 compliant. This certification affirms how we treat security, confidentiality, integrity, and privacy of our customers data. Web Werks in India is the first Asian data center to hold OIX-2 and host an OIX-1 IXP Mumbai-IX. In addition to this, fulfill all the requirement for being a full OpenIX supporter. Web Werks is also Cloud empaneled by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India (MeitY)9th Floor, Sigma IT park, Sector 8, Rabale,Navi Mumbai Smart Grid Security Market: Worldwide Industry Analysis and New Market Opportunities Explored https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-grid-security-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/23300 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=23300 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Some of the prominent participants in the global smart grid security market are Intel Corporation, Siemens AG, Symantec Corporation, IBM Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc, Leidos Holdings, Inc., Honeywell International Inc., BAE Systems Plc., N-Dimension Solutions Inc., and AlertEnterprise Inc.At present, the global smart grid security market is fragmented and is characterized by the presence of numerous diversified local, regional, and international vendors who offer various services to the power utilities. However, in many countries, the market is dominated only by the local or regional vendors. This in turn, will predictably heat up competition in the market in upcoming years.Obtain Report Details @A report by Transparency Market Research predicts the global smart grid security market to progress at a healthy CAGR of 10.5% during the period between 2017 and 2025 to become worth US$10.58 bn by 2025 from US$4.35 bn in 2016.Depending upon the type of security, the global market for smart grid security can be segregated into application security, database security, network security, and endpoint security. Network security of smart grid security, of them, accounts for maximum share in the market and going forward too is expected to see impressive growth. Network security comprises of the approaches and practices received to monitor and prevent unauthorized access, modification, misuse or denial of a network accessible resources and computer network.Download Table of Content @Geography-wise, the key segments of the global smart grid security market are North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. At present, North America accounts for maximum share in the market and going forward too is slated to expand at a healthy clip. In 2016, the North America market accounted for a share of 38.7%. The infrastructure in the region is gradually shifting toward digitalization of grid systems, especially for commercial usage, which is anticipated to propel the market for smart grid security over the forecast period. The U.S., in North America, holds maximum market share.One of the major drivers of the global smart grid security market is obviously the thrust on modernizing the power grids, worldwide on account of the swift pace of urbanization and the resultant demand for more power. Smart grid systems benefit consumers, grid operators, and suppliers by improving control over electricity consumption and distribution. However, smart grids are highly susceptible to more and more sophisticated cyber-attacks. This has spawned the demand for smart grid security.Request A Sample Of Report @Explains the lead analyst of the report, The smart grid security market is expanding at a rapid pace because of the rising security needs resulting from the uptake of modern technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), along with digitalization of the energy sector and increased adoption of the web and cloud-based business applications.One of the major challenges facing the global smart grid security market, on the other hand, is the protracted investment cycles in the energy sector that makes technology assessment challenging and results in a time lag between implemented and up-to-date solutions.This review is based on the findings of a TMR report, titled, Smart Grid Security Market (Deployment - Cloud and On-Premises; Security - Database Security, Network Security, Application Security, and Endpoint Security; Application - Smart Meters, Smart Application, Renewable Energy Resources, and Energy Efficient Resources) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Automotive Sun Visor Market 2018 Industry Trends, Growth, Analysis, Opportunities and Overview https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=42398 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=42398 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-sun-visor-market.html www.transparencymarketresearch.com UNCATEGORIZEDAutomotive Sun Visor Market Recent Trends, Development,Growth & ForecastMay 7, 2018 - by NitinSun visors are provided in the drivers cabin of the vehicle to prevent the suns glare from distracting the driver. It is mounted at the front end of the roof in front of the windshield. The sun visor for automotive is provided for the driver as well as for the co drivers seat in passenger vehicles, while in commercial vehicles, it is only provided for the drivers seat. Sun visors are customized with flaps that can be moved as per the convenience of the driver. The sun visor is provided with different features which depend on the segment of the vehicle. Sometimes, it contains a mirror and light.Demand for the sun visor for automotive is anticipated to rise significant due to the increase in production of the vehicles globally. Increasing awareness about the application and advantages of the sun visor among society has led to the rise in demand for sun visors. Sun visors are likely to be upgraded owing to the improvement in technology. It is expected to be provided with electronic controls.Get PDF Sample of This Report @The sun visor market for automotive can be segmented based on core material, sales channel, vehicle, and region.Based on core material, press board material with metal piece segments dominate the sun visor market for automotive; however, the other segment is likely to expand at a significant pace during the forecast period. Press board material is cost-effective as well as ecofriendly to manufacture, which makes it more user-friendly.Based on the sales channel, the original equipment manufacturer segment is likely to hold a major share of the sun visor market for automotive. Sun visors have high lifespan as they are rarely utilized. Moreover, the sun visor is not replaced throughout the lifespan of the vehicle.Get ToC of This Report @Based on vehicle type, passenger vehicle segment dominates the sun visor market for automotive. Most modern passenger vehicles contain two sun visors, while commercial vehicles mostly contain a single sun visor. Rising production of sun visors for automotive can be attributable to the increasing production of passenger vehicles.In terms of region, Asia Pacific holds a prominent share of the sun visor market for automotive due to the high production of the vehicles in the region. The region is the leading manufacturer of sun visors for automotive due to concentrated manufacturing facilities in China, Japan, and India. Availability of resources and high number of working population supported by continuous emphasis of the governing bodies toward industrialization in the region has developed it as the manufacturing hub for the automotive industry. Expansion of the automotive accessory market in the region is boosting the sun visor market for automotive in the region at a significant pace.View Our Report @Key players operating in the sun visor market for automotive include GUMOTEX, Irvin Automotive Products, Inc., FEURER Group GmbH, Kasai North America, Inc., Vinyl Specialties, Inc., Motus Integrated Technologies, HOWA TEXTILE INDUSTRY CO., LTD., Grupo Antolin, and Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendationsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Styrenic Polymers Market Analysis of Key Trends and Drivers Shaping Future Growth 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=36584 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/styrenic-polymers-medical-applications-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ The consolidation prevailing in the global styrenic polymers market for medical applications is attributable to the presence of only a handful of players. Among them, INEOS STYROLUTION Group GmbH has emerged at the fore by the virtue of being one of the leading manufacturers, finds TMR in a new study. Besides this, LG Chem Ltd., Chi Mei Corporation, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC, Kraton Corporation, Trinseo LLC, TSRC Corporation, and SABIC are some of the prominent players operating in the global styrenic polymers market for medical applications.Request Sample Report @Recent studies have identified the market as forward integrated as some of its leading players manufacture and supply products across the world. In the coming years, the market is likely to witness several innovations as market players invest in research and development to manufacture more technologically advanced and flexible products. In response to this strategies deployed by the players, the market is likely to showcase a positive trajectory during the forecast period.According to TMR, the global styrenic polymers market for medical applications will exhibit 7.0% CAGR between 2017 and 2025. Given the scenario, the markets is forecast to reach US$4,843.85 mn by the end of 2025, as compared to US$2,649.44 mn in 2016. Regionally, the global market was led by Asia Pacific, which held the dominant market share in 2016. Besides this, the market will witness rising demand from Europe and North America in the coming years.Diverse Applications within Medical Industry Key to Markets GrowthThe application of polystyrene (PS), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and styrene butadiene block copolymers (SBC) has significantly increased in the medical industry. Styrenic polymers are used in the manufacture of portable medical devices, liquid containers, connector tubes and bags. Such diversity in applications connotes the rising application of styrenic polymers in the coming years. In addition, the market is significantly gaining from restrictions imposed on the use of PVC in the medical sector.Read Report Overview @Styrenic polymers are required for various applications in the medical industry. To cater to this rising demand, the market players are investing in innovations. As a result of similar efforts, the application of hydrogenated SBCs, which belong to a relatively novel family, has increased. There are various factors bolstering styrenic polymers application in the medical sector. For instance, styrenic block copolymers have superior abrasion resistance and are halogen and plasticizer-free, which make them best suited to be utilized in medical devices and equipment. On account of the superior medical performance offered by styrenic polymers, their demand has considerably surged in the medical sector. The trend is expected to remain constant through the forecast period, offering the global styrenic polymers market lucrative growth prospects.Price Sensitive Nature of Styrenic Polymers Creates Hindrances to GrowthStyrenic polymers offer various environmental and functional benefits over their plastic contemporaries such as polyethylene, PVC, and polypropylene. While this boosts application, the higher price of styrenic polymers is creating bottlenecks for the market players, limiting their penetration in underdeveloped economies. The companies may face hindrances from the price sensitive nature of the market as well. The effect is likely to be the strongest in Asia Pacific, which could pose considerable threat to the market. Nonetheless, the price of styrenic polymers is likely to decline over the coming years in response to the falling raw material prices in the recent years. This is likely to give impetus to the global styrenic polymers market for medical applications in the coming years.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Culture Media Market to Register a Stout Growth by End 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=26273 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=26273 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/culture-media-market-media.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Transparency Market Researchs (TMR) new report on the global Culture Media Market says the degree of competition in this market is high as companies are engaged in consistent breakthroughs and new discoveries for culture media. Nevertheless, the culture media market exhibits a fairly consolidated vendor landscape with top five companies holding close to 60% of the market in 2016.Leading companies in the culture media market are focused on mergers and acquisitions and strategic alliances with businesses with complementary strengths, says a lead analyst at TMR. An excellent example is Thermo Fisher Scientific. In February 2014, the company acquired Life Technologies Corporation to strengthen its biosciences and bioprocessing businesses, thereby accelerating its drug discovery, development, and production capabilities.High investments for innovative products is a key growth strategy that companies in the culture media market are focused on. A case in point is Thermo Fisher Scientific. The company invested a hefty sum of US$396 mn in 2013 to strengthen its research and development program.The global culture media market stood at US$5,296.8 mn in 2016 and is projected to be worth US$10,138.6 mn by the end of 2025 expanding at a CAGR of 7.7% between 2017 and 2025.Request to View Sample of Report -In terms of media type, the culture media market is segmented into dehydrated culture media, chromogenic culture media, and prepared culture media. The segment of dehydrated culture media dominated the market in 2016 and is anticipated to retain its position until the end of 2025. Prepared culture media stood as the second-leading media type segment of the market in the same year. These segments offer benefits of faster because of which they are extensively used in diagnostic laboratories and research institutes.In terms of end-user, hospitals dominated holding 43.5% of the culture media market in 2016. This was followed by the segment of academic and research institutes and is expected to maintain its second-leading position over the forecast period between 2017 and 2025. On the other hand, the diagnostic centers segment is expected to display a declined market share between 2016 and 2025.In terms of geography, the global culture media market is divided into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America, among these accounts for the leading contribution to the global culture media market. Between 2016 and 2025, the share of this region is expected to increase from 39.3% to 43%. Advances in medical technology with a corresponding increase in application of culture media are key factors for the dominance of North America in the global market. The U.S. accounts for the major share of North America culture media market.Request to View Brochure of Report -Europe is the second-leading regional segment in the culture media market. The significant position of this region is mainly due to substantial investments from top players for research and development pursuits for disease diagnosis.Increasing demand for antibiotics is the primary factor propelling the culture media market. The increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is necessitating the development of new antibiotics for treating disease indication. Research and development initiatives for newer pharmaceutical products for application in disease diagnosis is further benefitting the growth of this market.On the downside, high cost associated for the preparation of various types of culture media and stringent process controls are challenging the markets growth.View Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Gastrointestinal Stents Market to be at Forefront by 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=22916 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22916 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/gastrointestinal-stents-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The world Gastrointestinal Stents Market has been assessed by a recent publication by Transparency Market Research. The market has been characterized with the presence of a few market players and is considered to be highly consolidated. The world gastrointestinal stents market is dominated by Boston Scientific Corporation and it held around 66.2% share of the total market in the year 2016. The same market, however, features fragmentation owing to the existence of numerous large scale and small scale players that are operational at both global and regional levels.As analyzed by a TMR research expert, the market is forecasted to be driven by various growth strategies such as acquisitions and mergers so as to expand geographical reach for various companies. Furthermore, product portfolio diversification and expansion is another growth strategy for the said market, as assessed by TMR analyst.Eminent companies that are operational in the world market for gastrointestinal stents comprise names like S&G Biotech Inc., C.R.Bard Inc., Cook Medical, Boston Scientific Corporation, W.L. Gore & Associates Inc., Dickinson and Company, ELLA-CS, s.r.o, CONMED Corporation, Olympus Corporation, Becton, and Merit Medical Systems Inc.In accordance with a market research report by Transparency Market Research forecasts that the world market for gastrointestinal stents is likely to rise at a growth rate of 4.4% CAGR over the forecast period that extends from the year 2017 to 2025. Rising at this pace, the said market is prognosticated to register a market opportunity of around US$ 522.8 mn in the year 2025 from an initial value of around US$356.7 mn in the year 2016.Request to View Sample of Report -Asia Pacific to Register High Growth Due to Rapid Adoption of Advanced TechnologiesFrom a regional point of view, the region of Europe and North America are estimated to lead the said market in terms of market share. The North American market for gastrointestinal stents is mostly powered by the U.S., which accounted for a colossal market share of around 94.0% of the total market in the year 2016 owing to the presence of a large chunk of population which have been diagnosed with various gastrointestinal diseases, rising awareness about management and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, extensive research and development practices, and technical advancement.In the years to come, whilst Europe is forecasted to register declined growth, the region of Asia Pacific is expected to clock high rate of growth over the period of forecast. Emerging economies such as China, India, and Japan are the major countries that would contribute towards the progress of this regional market. Encouraging rules and regulations, adoption of latest technologies, growing awareness and launch of new products are all estimated to result in robust growth of the said region over the period of forecast.Request to View Brochure of Report -Technological Advancement to Stimulate Market GrowthA few of the major growth stimulating factors that drive the world market for gastrointestinal stents are rising incidences of gastrointestinal diseases together with soaring preference of patients for procedures that are minimally invasive. There has been an alarming rise in the gastrointestinal diseases and it is affecting millions of people across the globe. For instance, the American Cancer Society made san estimation of around 93,000 new instances of colon cancer and around 40,000 new cases of rectal cancer are identified per year in the U.S.As such, gastrointestinal stents are increasingly being chosen by patients owing to the numerous benefits that they give over various other conventional surgeries when it comes to reduced loss of blood, quick recovery, shorter stay at hospitals, and diminished chances of infection. Due to these factors, gastrointestinal stents are becoming increasingly popular and is used widely especially in the segment of oncology.View Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Hereditary Angioedema Market to Witness Exponential Growth by 2025 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=17135 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=17135 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hereditary-angioedema-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Some of the prominent names operating in the global Hereditary Angioedema Market are Pharming Group NV, Shire plc, CSL Limited, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., iBio Inc., and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global hereditary angioedema market will likely rise at a healthy 9.1% CAGR between 2017 and 2025 to become worth US$3.81 bn by 2025 from US$ 1.73 bn in 2016.Request to View Sample of Report -Superior Healthcare Facilities Makes North America Market LeaderDepending upon the class of drugs, the global hereditary angioedema market can be segmented into C1 Esterase Inhibitor, Selective Bradykinin B2 Receptor Antagonist, and Kallikrein Inhibitor, among others including conventional and pipeline. The C1 esterase inhibitor can be further divided into drugs such as Cinryze, Berinert, and Ruconest. Among them, C1 esterase inhibitor, accounted for more than half the share in the market in 2016 and going forward too, the segment is slated to dominate the market on account of its use in treatment of prophylactic and severe HAE attack. The emergence of novel products will aid the segment to hold on to its leading share in the future.Geography-wise, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World are the key regions in the global hereditary angioedema market. At present, North America accounts for a leading position and in the upcoming years too is expected to retain its dominant share by rising at a healthy 8.3% CAGR between 2017 and 2025. This is because of the superior healthcare infrastructure and strong support from public and private sector in terms of reimbursements. Increasing knowledge about HAE among patients has resulted better methods of diagnosis of HAE and adoption of specialty drugs for treatment of HAE this is also expected to catalyze growth in the market.Request to View Brochure of Report -Progress in Diagnosis Catalyzing Growth in MarketHereditary angioedema is a rare disease that is estimated to affect 1 in 30,000 to 1 in 50,000 people worldwide. Hereditary angioedema is often mistaken for common allergic reactions and abdominal pain due to lack of awareness both among physicians and patients. It is estimated that around 40% of the affected patient are diagnosed correctly for HAE in the U.S. and Europe. With progress in diagnostic field and different initiatives undertaken by patient bodies and industry players to spread awareness, the market for hereditary angioedema is projected to grow.Specialty hereditary angioedema drugs are offered orphan drug designation across the markets which offers them market exclusivity and several incentives in the regional markets. The frequency and severity of HAE attacks is found to be increased with triggers such as stress, anxiety, minor surgeries, hormone replacement therapies and ACE inhibitors used for treatment of hypertension. According to World Allergy Organization, an estimated 40 million people are receiving ACE inhibitor treatment annually. The projected rise in incidences of HAE attacks is estimated to drive growth for global hereditary angioedema market during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, explains the lead analyst of the TMR report.Acting as a hindrance to the market, on the other hand, is a few approved specialty hereditary angioedema drugs which makes them highly expensive.View Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Titanium Mill Products Market 2018-2025 Timet, BaoTi, Toho Titanium, Pangang, Baosteel Titanium Mill Products Market https://bit.ly/2Io2eaG http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-titanium-mill-products-market-5632 www.qymarketstudy.com/ QYMarketStudy include new market study "Global Titanium Mill Products Market" examines the performance of the Titanium Mill Products market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Titanium Mill Products market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Titanium Mill Products market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Global Top Manufacturers Analysis such as VSMPO-AVISMA, Timet, RTI, ATI, OSAKA Titanium, Toho Titanium, KV-Titan, BaoTi, Western Metal Materials, Pangang Group, Zhongbei Tai Ye, Baosteel Group, Western Superconducting Technologies.The Global Titanium Mill Products Market 2018 report includes Titanium Mill Products market Revenue, market Share, Titanium Mill Products industry volume, market Trends, Titanium Mill Products Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Titanium Mill Products Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2025.Request Sample Copy of Report:Firstly, the report covers the top Titanium Mill Products manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Titanium Mill Products Market By Application such as Aviation Industry, Chemical Industry, Ocean Engineering, Ship, Other.Titanium Mill Products Market By Type such as Bar, Sheet, Pipe, Other.Further, the Titanium Mill Products report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Titanium Mill Products industry, Titanium Mill Products industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Titanium Mill Products Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Titanium Mill Products research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Titanium Mill Products market revenue worldwide.Finally, Titanium Mill Products market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About 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:3626 North Hall Street (Two Oak Lawn),Suite 610,Dallas, TX 75219, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Web:Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Global HPMCAS Market Forecast Analysis 2018-2025 Dow, Tai'an Ruitai, Ashland, Shin-Etsu HPMCAS Market https://bit.ly/2jJ4co5 http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-hpmcas-market-5633 www.qymarketstudy.com/ QYMarketStudy include new market study "Global HPMCAS Market" examines the performance of the HPMCAS market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the HPMCAS market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of HPMCAS market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Global Top Manufacturers Analysis such as Ashland, Dow, Shin-Etsu, Tai'an Ruitai, Other.The Global HPMCAS Market 2018 report includes HPMCAS market Revenue, market Share, HPMCAS industry volume, market Trends, HPMCAS Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, HPMCAS Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2025.Request Sample Copy of Report:Firstly, the report covers the top HPMCAS manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.HPMCAS Market By Application such as Capsule Shell, Tablets, Other.HPMCAS Market By Type such as Low Viscosity, High Viscosity.Further, the HPMCAS report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of HPMCAS industry, HPMCAS industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. HPMCAS Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The HPMCAS 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 HPMCAS market revenue worldwide.Finally, HPMCAS 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:3626 North Hall Street (Two Oak Lawn),Suite 610,Dallas, TX 75219, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Web:Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com The US State Department has denounced the destabilizing activities led by Iran, including its support for the Lebanese Chiite Hezbollah movement and other terrorist groups. The United States has consistently raised concerns about the destabilizing nature of Irans activities, including Irans support for Hezbollah and other terrorist groups, the US State Department told MAP in a comment on Moroccos recent decision to sever ties with Iran because of the military support its ally, Hezbollah, has extended to the Polisario. Iran remains a designated State Sponsor of Terror and Hezbollah remains a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, the State Department added. The United States seeks our partners support to neutralize Irans destabilizing influence, constrain its aggression particularly its support for terrorism and militants and restore a more stable balance of power, the State Department said. Morocco, last week, severed ties with Iran due to its involvement in facilitating an alliance between its proxy Hezbollah and the Polisario separatists. With logistical help of Irans embassy in Algiers and Algerias consent, Hezbollah military officials trained Polisario militias on urban warfare against Morocco and supplied them with surface to air missiles. Explaining the reasons for severing ties with Iran, Moroccan Foreign Nasser Bourita told reporters that Hezbollah sent [surface-to-air] SAM-9, SAM-11 and Strela missiles to the Polisario with the connivance of Irans embassy in Algiers. Several countries expressed support for Morocco in its standoff with Iran and Algeria. These include member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Global Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer Market 2018-2025 Konica Minolta, Datacolor, Elcometer, Shimadzu Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer Market https://bit.ly/2G0PzoQ http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-portable-sphere-spectrophotometer-market-5750 www.qymarketstudy.com/ QYMarketStudy include new market study "Global Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer Market" examines the performance of the Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Global Top Manufacturers Analysis such as X-Rite, Inc., Konica Minolta, Shimadzu, Datacolor, BYK Gardner, Hitachi High-Technologies, Elcometer, Shenzhen 3nh Technology, Others.The Global Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer Market 2018 report includes Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer market Revenue, market Share, Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer industry volume, market Trends, Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2025.Request Sample Copy of Report:Firstly, the report covers the top Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer Market By Application such as Paint & Coating, Textile & Apparel, Plastic, Printing & Packing, Others.Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer Market By Type such as Portable Sphere Spectrophotometers, Bench-top Sphere Spectrophotometers.Further, the Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer industry, Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer 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 Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer market revenue worldwide.Finally, Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer 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:3626 North Hall Street (Two Oak Lawn),Suite 610,Dallas, TX 75219, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Web:Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Global Ion Chromatography Market 2018-2025 Metrohm, Shimadzu, MembraPure, Sykam, Qingdao Shenghan Ion Chromatography Market https://bit.ly/2rxN1td http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-ion-chromatography-market-3812 www.qymarketstudy.com/ QYMarketStudy include new market study "Global Ion Chromatography Market" examines the performance of the Ion Chromatography market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Ion Chromatography market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Ion Chromatography market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Global Top Manufacturers Analysis such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Metrohm, Qingdao Shenghan, Tosoh Bioscience, Shimadzu, Qingdao Ion Chromate Tograph, MembraPure, Mitsubishi Chemical Analytech, Qingdao Puren Instrument, East & West Analytical Instruments, Qingdao Luhai, Sykam, Cecil Instruments.The Global Ion Chromatography Market 2018 report includes Ion Chromatography market Revenue, market Share, Ion Chromatography industry volume, market Trends, Ion Chromatography Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Ion Chromatography Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2025.Request Sample Copy of Report:Firstly, the report covers the top Ion Chromatography manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Ion Chromatography Market By Application such as Environmental Testing, Pharmaceutical, Food Industry, Chemical Industry, Others.Ion Chromatography Market By Type such as Ion Exchange Chromatography, Ion Exclusion Chromatography, Ion Pair Chromatography.Further, the Ion Chromatography report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Ion Chromatography industry, Ion Chromatography industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Ion Chromatography Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Ion Chromatography 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 Ion Chromatography market revenue worldwide.Finally, Ion Chromatography 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:3626 North Hall Street (Two Oak Lawn),Suite 610,Dallas, TX 75219, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Web:Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Global Rotogravure Printing Machine Market 2018-2025 Bobst, Uteco Converting, J M Heaford, Pelican Rotoflex Rotogravure Printing Machine Market https://bit.ly/2rwx9XT http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-rotogravure-printing-machine-market-3908 www.qymarketstudy.com/ QYMarketStudy include new market study "Global Rotogravure Printing Machine Market" examines the performance of the Rotogravure Printing Machine market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Rotogravure Printing Machine market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Rotogravure Printing Machine market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Global Top Manufacturers Analysis such as J M Heaford Ltd, KKA Gmbh, Bobst Group SA., Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corporation, Uteco Converting SpA, Shaanxi Beiren Printing Machinery Co., Ltd., Hsing Wei Machine Industry CO.LTD, Pelican Rotoflex Pvt Ltd., Fuji Kikai Kogyo Co Ltd, Weijin Machinery Industry Co. Ltd, Jiangyin Lida Printing & Packaging Machinery Co.Ltd, Officine Meccaniche Giovanni Cerutti SpA, Queen's Machinery Group, Hyplas Machinery Co., Ltd.The Global Rotogravure Printing Machine Market 2018 report includes Rotogravure Printing Machine market Revenue, market Share, Rotogravure Printing Machine industry volume, market Trends, Rotogravure Printing Machine Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Rotogravure Printing Machine Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2025.Request Sample Copy of Report:Firstly, the report covers the top Rotogravure Printing Machine manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Rotogravure Printing Machine Market By Application such as Packaging and Printing, Advertising printing, Circuit printing, Crafts printing, Others.Rotogravure Printing Machine Market By Type such as Automatic Rotogravure Printing Machine, Manual Rotogravure Printing MachineFurther, the Rotogravure Printing Machine report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Rotogravure Printing Machine industry, Rotogravure Printing Machine industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Rotogravure Printing Machine Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Rotogravure Printing 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 Rotogravure Printing Machine market revenue worldwide.Finally, Rotogravure Printing 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:3626 North Hall Street (Two Oak Lawn),Suite 610,Dallas, TX 75219, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Web:Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Mid-Michigan's first Music Convention will be held this Saturday in the Admiral Room at Valley Plaza Hotel and Resort in Midland. More than 20 vendors from around the state will be selling, buying or trading musical related items or services including: vinyl lp's, CDs, collectibles, DJ services, instruments and even lessons. "Music is such an integral part of the lives of so many. We thought establishing a Music Con would be a great way to reach music enthusiasts by having so many music related vendors in one place at one time," said organizer Jim Gleason. "Our goal is to make this event bigger and better every year." The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Kelly Dame. Monday, May 7 12:10 a.m. -- A deputy was sent to Ingersoll Township for a report of a loose cow. The owner retrieved the animal. 2:11 a.m. -- A deputy was sent to Lee Township for a complaint of loud music. 2:48 a.m. -- A deputy stopped a vehicle for speeding in Midland and found the passenger was in labor. The deputy escorted the vehicle to the hospital. 8:46 a.m. -- Police assisted probation and parole agents in the 200 block of West Ellsworth Street. 9:30 a.m. -- Police assisted Child Protective Services workers in the 300 block of Arbury Place. 9:48 a.m. -- Deputies were sent to Homer Township for a report of a woman going to houses claiming someone was chasing her. The woman, 50, was found to be suffering from mental health issues and was taken to the hospital for a mental health petition. 5 p.m. -- Police investigated a hit and run traffic crash in the 6800 block of Eastman Avenue. 9:59 p.m. -- A Midland Township woman, 35, reported a relative was harassing her using social media. The relative was contacted and refused to cease. 10:24 a.m. -- The guardian and conservator of a 66-year-old woman reported a case of identity theft. 12:15 p.m. -- A deputy responded to a possible breaking and entering in Lee Township that was reported by a neighbor. It is unknown if anything was stolen. 2:57 p.m. -- Mills and Hope township firefighters were sent to a fire in the backyard of a Mills Township home. Household and yard waste was seen in the burn pit as firefighters battled the blaze, which was spreading into a wooded area. The 44-year-old resident was cited for an illegal burn. 5:43 p.m. -- A Jerome Township man, 41, reported a road rage incident during which an unknown man spit in his face. The case is being investigated. 7:57 p.m. -- A Jerome Township woman, 80, was being scammed by a man over the telephone. The man told the woman she had won a $5,000 sweepstakes, and she gave out her banking information. She has not lost any money. 8:30 p.m. -- A deputy was sent to a report of a sinkhole in a Homer Township roadway. The road commission responded and patched the hole. 9:18 p.m. -- The Mount Haley Township supervisor reported someone filled a trash bin with tires a week after a tire drive was conducted. There are no suspects at this time. 9:37 p.m. -- A Saginaw woman, 63, was arrested in Mount Haley Township for driving while her license was suspended. She was cited for driving without insurance. 10:24 p.m. -- A Mount Haley Township man, 20, was arrested in that township for driving without a license. Fusion girls win two championships ... on the same day The Midland Fusion 2010 Green girls' soccer team pulled off a rare and impressive feat on Sunday,... Midland contractors slam Whitmer prevailing wage decision "After all that we know from the last three years, are any of us really surprised that Gov.... 5 things to do in Michigan this weekend From the loud, to the fun, to the spooky, the Wolverine State doesn't disappoint. The fall... Harvards Shorenstein Center on Media Politics and Public Policy produced found that 41% of news coverage in Trumps first 100 days focused on our commander-in-cheetothree times the amount of previous presidents. The excellent journalist, Sulome Anderson, famously had to abandon her foreign outposts earlier this year because demand for her area of expertise considerably waned in this country. Trump is more deserving of coverage than previous presidentsas his policies stand to roll back a half-century of progressbut one look across the land of cable news reveals that is not the way his coverage skews. Its more reality-show than politics. If Trump speaks live, cable news shows it live. During the campaign, CNN famously cut away from the middle of other candidates speeches to cover an empty podium that would eventually be filled by Donald Trump. Granted, we here at Paste are guilty of similar crimes against journalism as well. Everyone is. We all want to stay in business, and the truth of the matter is that if we put Trump in the headline, were far more likely to get clicks. You folks on the demand side of the equation are part of the problem too. The consequence of this Trump-centric celebrity-tinged political coverage is that the important stuff gets lost in the shuffle. The news cycle covers far more about Trumps Twitter habits than ICE conducting something resembling an ethnic cleansing campaign. Last night, we experienced a perfect demonstration of how devastating Trumps presence is in the news cycle. The bombshell news of Michael Cohens slush fund containing receipts from AT&T and a company owned by a Russian oligarch close to Putin acted as a total eclipse to this absolutely stunning news coming out of the CIA. Per The United States Department of Justice: The Justice Department announced today that Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 53, of Hong Kong, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of Virginia with one count of conspiracy to gather or deliver national defense information to aid a foreign government, and two counts of unlawfully retaining documents related to the national defense. Later in the release, they detail the evidence underlying the indictment: Lee is a U.S. citizen who speaks fluent Chinese. According to the indictment, Lee was a case officer for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) until 2007. After leaving the CIA, Lee resided in Hong Kong. The indictment alleges that in April 2010, two Chinese intelligence officers (IOs) approached Lee and offered to pay him for information. The indictment alleges that Lee received taskings from the IOs until at least 2011. The taskings allegedly requested that Lee provide documents and information relating to the national defense of the United States. According to the indictment, the IOs provided Lee with a series of email addresses so that he could communicate covertly with them. The indictment further alleges that Lee prepared documents responsive to the taskings, made numerous unexplained cash deposits, and repeatedly lied to the U.S. government during voluntary interviews when asked about travel to China and his actions overseas. In August 2012, Lee and his family left Hong Kong to return to the United States to live in northern Virginia. While traveling back to the United States, Lee and his family had hotel stays in Hawaii and Virginia. During each of the hotel stays, FBI agents conducted court-authorized searches of Lees room and luggage, and found that Lee was in unauthorized possession of materials relating to the national defense. Specifically, agents found two books containing handwritten notes that contained classified information, including but not limited to, true names and phone numbers of assets and covert CIA employees, operational notes from asset meetings, operational meeting locations and locations of covert facilities. Agents also found a thumb drive on which was stored a document later determined to contain information classified at the Secret level. During voluntary interviews with the FBI, Lee admitted preparing the document in response to taskings from the IO. Remember the Edward Snowden hysteria? It happened again, sans the public release of information. We dont know if the intelligence that Lee passed on matches up to the scale of Snowdens theft, but the premise is the same: an American citizen stole highly classified information and leaked it. Snowdens intentions were far more complex, but they were clearly rooted in his libertarian ideals. Thanks to the secrecy of this kind of crime, we may never hear Jerry Chun Shing Lees side of the story, other than the statement given by his lawyer to reporters in February: Mr. Lee is not a Chinese spy. Hes a loyal American who served his country in the military and in the CIA. Given that Lee leaked this information to a foreign government and not to journalists like Snowden did, one of three likely motivations emerge: money, blackmail or ideology. The world may never know, but one thing is for certain: we will definitely be informed about Trumps next round of binge-tweeting Fox & Friends. Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling. Moroccos BCP Bank and the African Development Bank teamed up in a $100 million agreement to boost trade between African countries. The deal (risk participation agreement) provides for cooperation to promote trade between African states by meeting the growing demand on financing transactions in the continent, the Moroccan bank said in a statement. The BCP also said that the agreement will contribute to the completion of $700 million trade deals on the continent in the upcoming three years. Our partnership with the AfDB is a perfect response to one of the main outlines of our strategy, which aims to actively support the development of intra-African trade by providing Moroccan companies with appropriate financing mechanisms, said Kamal Mokdad, Director General of the BCP Group for international relations. Mohammed El Azizi, Managing Director of the AfDB for North Africa, said that this partnership with the BCP will help boost the growth potential of intra-African trade, which is an important engine for regional integration. The agreement will be a real catalyst for investment and job creation, he said. Industry, agriculture and health have been identified as priority sectors for the agreement. Rejoice, for Oscar winner Jordan Peeles next film is coming next spring. The writer-director took to Twitter on Tuesday night to share the first poster for his Get Out follow-up, revealing its title and release date. The mysterious Us opens on March 15, 2019. Though little else is known about the film for now, Variety reports that Lupita Nyongo, Elisabeth Moss and Winston Duke are in talks to star. Peele will, of course, write and direct Usbased on recent comments, we can expect another thriller in the vein of Get Out, though Peele has said the film will address something different than race. Peele will produce Us for his Monkeypaw Productions with Jason Blum, Sean McKittrick and Monkeypaws Ian Cooper. Universal Pictures, with whom Peele has a first-look deal, will distribute the film, as they did Get Out. Peele won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for his sensational work on Get Out, becoming the first African-American writer to earn those honors. Paste named the film the very best of 2017. Get Out grossed $255 million worldwide against a budget of only $4.5 million, making Peele the first black writer-director to gross more than $100 million with their feature film directorial debut. Get Out was also nominated for Best Picture, along with a Best Director nod for Peele and a Best Actor nod for star Daniel Kaluuya. Peele was only the third filmmaker in history to receive Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Director and Screenplay for his feature debut. Peele has an obscene amount on his plate in addition to Us, including HBO thriller series Lovecraft Country, a 70s-set Nazi hunter drama series, a Twilight Zone reboot at CBS All Access, a Lorena Bobbitt docuseries at Amazon and TBS comedy The Last O.G., starring Tracy Morgan, which was recently renewed for a second season. Hell also lend his voice to Netflixs stop-motion animated film Wendell and Wild alongside his Key & Peele compatriot Keegan-Michael Key. As if all that werent enough, Peele has also said he will seriously consider a sequel to Get Out. Something tells us hell be adding to his Oscar and Emmy collection before long. See the first poster for Peeles Us below and stay tuned for more on this much-anticipated movie. The United States backed out of the Iranian nuclear deal while Iran remained, meaning that the U.S.not Iranis the rogue state operating in violation of international law. We have allied ourselves with a ruler whose own police force recommended he be indicted, and now Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump are beating the drums of war with Iran. Not long after the United States announced our intent to violate international law (American press would never call it a withdrawal if Iran pulled out of the deal), a Syrian military base was bombed. As of this writing, no serious source has confirmed, but someone (coughIsraelcough) blew this military base up, and the timing sure is conspicuous. BREAKING: Explosions heard near Damascus as Israel braces for imminent Iranian attackhttps://t.co/E8kQM5ne56 Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) May 8, 2018 This isn't Netanyahu's first time pulling this kind of trick on the American populace. In Sept 2002, then-former PM Benjamin Netanyahu told US Congress that there was no question whatsoever that Saddam Hussein was developing nuclear weapons. He said: I guarantee you that toppling Saddam would have enormous positive reverberations on the region. pic.twitter.com/XNNuCzHdUz Mick Krever (@mickbk) May 8, 2018 So why do this? Why perpetually engage in war when we know the devastating human costs and minuscule gains for us back home? Simple: war is profitable, and this was the urgent message of President Dwight D. Eisenhowers final address to the American public. We have created an unelected infrastructure whose modus operandi is to utilize the awesome power of the Department of Defense to its ultimate ends. Take fifteen minutes out of your day to watch this former general warn us of the reality we currently inhabit. With any hope, one day we will fight our way out of this perpetual War on Terror and regain control over our democracy. Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling. Waymos plan to launch a transportation service with self-driving cars in Phoenix, Arizona, later this year has a bit more riding on it than usual. Phoenix is just 10 miles from Tempe, Arizona, where a self-driving test car from rival Uber killed a pedestrian in March of this year. No pressure, Waymo. The company made a strong case Tuesday morning at Google I/O for how AI technology made its self-driving cars ready to hit the streets solo. But one of its strongest examples also showed how a self-driving car could intelligently scare the bejeezus out of a rider. Itll be interesting to see how perceptions of safety work their way into the self-driving car experience. Before we get to the scary driving incident, lets look at Waymos side of the story. At the Tuesday morning keynote, CEO John Krafcik emphasized how advanced Waymo was compared to the competition. Waymo is the only company in the world with a fleet of fully self-driving cars, with no one in the drivers seat, on public roads, he pointed out. Krafcik highlighted the positive human experiences from Waymos Early Rider Project, where Phoenix, Arizona residents rode in self-driving test vehicles. Videos showed a mother and child, a pair of selfie-ready teens, and a sleepy man, among others, laughing, chatting, or even napping. Google Waymo CEO John Krafcik highlighted Jim and Barbara, an elderly couple, as the kind of people who would benefit from the companys self-driving cars. Krafcik pointed to the real-world example of Jim and Barbara, an elderly couple that didnt want to lose mobility even if they could no longer drive. These are the people were building it for, he stressed. Waymo is serious: No driver, no minder Waymo is committed to a driverless experience for its service. A fully self-driving car will pull up, Krafcik promised, with no one in the drivers seat, to whisk them away to their destination. As for safety, Krafcik explained how Googles technology was a fundamental advantage for Waymo. We can enable this future because of the breakthroughs and investments weve made in AI, he said. Krafcik cited a project from several years earlier, where researchers used Googles powerful neural networks to reduce pedestrian detection errors from about 1 in 4 to about 1 in 400, in a matter of months. The company didnt say what its error rate was currently, but it would obviously have to be significantly better than 1 in 400 by now to be ready for public roads. Google Waymos self-driving car successfully detected and avoided this car running a red light, by slowing down as it detected the cars proximity. Waymo executive Dmitri Dolgov took the stage with more examples of how AI trained self-driving cars. Heres where the scary video comes in, as a Waymo test car successfully avoided a car that ran a red light right in front of it. A schematic view showed how the self-driving car detected the red-light runner as it approached from the right side of the intersection. Google Waymo executive Dmitri Dlogov showed how the companys self-driving car saw a car speeding toward it from the right, even before that car ran a red light. I think any human driver paying enough attention would come to a full stop at this point. The self-driving car instead calculated the speeding cars path, slowed down enough to miss it, and kept movingafter all, it still had the green light. Technically, the self-driving car made a safe choice, but imagine if youd been riding in that self-driving car. Youd likely have felt a lot safer if the car had just stopped. Id bet there were Early Rider Project videos we didnt see, where riders were surprised by a self-driving move that seemed risky. Yet theres clearly a lot of safety built into Waymos cars. Dolgov talked about AIs role in teaching the cars to detect pedestrians (a top-of-mind concern post-Uber). Cars have lasers to measure distance and shape, and radars to measure their speed, he explained. By applying machine learning to this combo of sensor data we can detect pedestrians in all forms in real time. Google Waymos self-driving technology has been refined to it can detect pedestrians even if they are hauling plywood or wearing dinosaur costumes. Dolgov showed how pedestrians obscured by large objects, such as a sheet of plywood, or bulky costumes, such as a dinosaur suit, were still picked up as pedestrians by Waymos self-driving cars. Waymos AI tackled another self-driving bugaboo: bad weather, where objects as small as raindrops or snowflakes can overwhelm the cars sensors. Google Waymos self-driving technology was once hampered by the overwhelming task of identifying bad-weather elements, such as every single snowflake in a snowstorm. Waymo used machine learning to remove the snowflakes from the view of a car driving in a blizzard, so it wouldnt lose sight of the important objects in its range. Google Waymo uses Googles deep neural networks to help it navigate even in bad weather. This image shows what the road looks like to a self-driving car after the driving snow is stripped from its sensor data. Just dont kill anyone, OK? Waymos made significant strides in training cars to drive themselves, seeming to stay well ahead of other companies locked in the same race. Its unlikely the company would start a public riding service unless it were very sure its cars were up to the task. Its real advantage at this point is that the bars been reset. After Ubers disaster, all Waymos cars have to do is not kill anyone. The rest is gravy. But riders have to feel safe as well as be safe, and self-driving cars, including Waymos, may still have some work to do in that department. , We all know Google as a powerhouse for search results when were entering text into a search engine, but the substantial improvements to Google Lens announced at Google I/O today effectively transform the AI service into a real-time search engine for the world around usall with the help of on-board camera apps. Heres what were looking forward to the most. Augmented reality integration with Google Maps Sometimes, especially in unfamiliar cities, its hard to tell which direction youre facing, even when Google Maps shows you right where youre standing. Google Its also a good way to check out reviews for nearby places. Soon, though, youll be able to activate your camera in Google Maps and see helpful contextual information for the scene youre looking at in the real world. Simply raise your camera, aim it at a scene, and youll see information about various businesses around you, as well as the names of the streets. Not only will this make it easier to gather your bearings, but it may even help you discover fun new restaurants you otherwise wouldnt have noticedeven though theyre only a few steps away. Smart text selection Back when I was a graduate student, I often found myself wanting to easily copy text from books, and plug that material into research papers as excerpts. It seems as though I was simply born too late. To wit: One of Google Lens best new features lets you select and render text simply by aiming your camera at it, almost as if youd used your mouse to select it on a regular monitor. Presumablyaccounting for possible problems with line breaks and spacingyou then simply paste the text into a text message or document. Google Amazingly, you can even choose which specific text you want to select. If this pans out as demod, its going to save so much time. For example, you could use Lens to capture the ingredients from a cookbook, and then send them via text to a friend buying groceries at the store. Or if youre reading a menu written entirely in French, you could use Lens to get the precise definition for ris de veau, along with a photo of what the dish looks like as well as a description of its ingredients. This is information you need to know. Granted, in some situations Google Lens technically adds an extra step since many of us are used to simply sending photos of printed text to friends anyway. But I could certainly see Lens being unbelievably useful for research cases, international travel, and many other scenarios. Style Match I have a lamp beside my bed that I love, but Ive had a rough time finding a matching lamp for the other nightstand. Thanks to Google Lens Style Match feature, that may no longer be a problem. Google Theres no more need to fret when your friend cant remember the name of the shop where she bought her cool shoes. With Style Match, you simply aim your camera at an item and it shows you suggestions for other items that look just like it. In one of the examples shown on stage, looking at a lamp with an intricate base brings up a Shopping search for Lamp, and the images Google delivers show different lamps with similarly intricate bases along with prices. And they all look quite similar to the lamp that started that search. Google introduced a similar feature for regular Google Image Search last year, but being able to see results like this in real time through a camera app makes it significantly more useful. Real-time search results As Google Lens works at the moment, you have to specifically choose an item on the display and wait for Google to bring up search results for you. But the updated Lens will give you search results related to objects youre looking at in real time. That means that if Im standing on the Michigan Avenue Bridge in Chicago, I can look over at the Wrigley Building to the left and get information about its height and history in one second, and then I can pan over to the right side of the street and get similar information about the Tribune Building. Its going to make solo tours so much more fun. Google All on one screen, you can see the poster in the real world, a music video, and further information about the artist. And thats not all, thanks to improvements in machine learning. If youre aiming your camera lens at a concert poster, Google can start playing a music video by the featured artist. Its taking WYSIWYG to a whole new level. Support for third-party camera apps Google Lens was originally only available for the Pixel phones, but earlier this year Google extended support to all Android phones through the Photos app and Google Assistant. Soon, though, owners of some Android smartphones made by companies other than Google will get to enjoy the power of Lens straight through their native camera apps. Google Samsung and Huawei likely arent included because they already have their own AI camera features in their apps. This move will extend to default third-party camera apps from Sony Mobile, HMD/Nokia, LGE, Xiaomi, HMD/Nokia, Transsion, TCL, OnePlus, BQ, and Asus. (Samsung and Huawei already have their own AI camera features in their apps.) Heres to hoping it works well with all of them. Google Lens is an incredible service, and making it more easily available to everyone is a step in the right direction for a better internet. Vicki Vellios Briner, Special to PennLive U.S. News and World Report today released its annual list of the best high schools in the United States. The magazine evaluated more than 20,500 public high schools nationwide, using data such as graduation rates, diversity, participation in free and reduced-price lunch, state assessment exams, advanced placement test information to identify the schools that best serve their students and prepare them for college-level course work. For more information on the methodology, visit the U.S. News website. Here's a look at the 50 highest-ranked high schools in Pennsylvania, in reverse order: Don't Edit #50 Abington Heights High School This school in Clark Summit was ranked 50th among more than 600 Pennsylvania public high schools by U.S. News and World Report. Nationally, out of 20,000 public high schools evaluated by U.S. News, it ranked 1,495th. That's an improvement over its 2017 rank of 1,680th. It is among 101 school districts in Pennsylvania that U.S. News designated as silver medal schools, based on how well they prepares their students for college. #49 Delaware Valley High School This school in Milford is ranked 49th among more than 600 Pennsylvania high schools. Nationally, it ranks 1,473rd out of more than 20,000 high schools. It is a silver medal school. #48 Penncrest High School This school in Media is part of the Rosetree Media School District. U.S. News ranked it 44th among Pennsylvania high schools. Nationally, it ranked 1,445th. It is a silver medal school. Don't Edit #47 Academy at Palumbo The academy is a public, magnet school that is part of the School District of Philadelphia. It is ranked 1,443rd nationally by U.S. News and is a silver medal school. #46 Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts This school in Bethlehem is an audition-based, tuition-free public charter school. It ranked 1,442nd nationally among the more than 20,000 schools examined by U.S. News. It is a silver medal school. Don't Edit #45 Lewisburg Area High School Located in Lewisburg, this school ranks 1,434th nationally by U.S. News. It is a silver medal school. #44 Danville Area High School Located in Danville, this school is ranked 1,433rd nationally by U.S. News. It is a silver medal school. Don't Edit SEAN SIMMERS, PennLive #43 Council Rock High School South This school in Holland, part of the Council Rock School District, ranks 1,427th nationally by U.S. News. #42 Camp Hill High School This Cumberland County High School ranks 41st among Pennsylvania high schools and 1,424th nationally. It is designated a silver medal school. Don't Edit Don't Edit #41 Spring-Ford Senior High School Part of the Spring-Ford School District in Royersford, this high school is ranked 1,421 nationally by U.S. News. In 2017, it ranked 1,387th. It is designated a silver medal school. #40 Kennett High School Part of the Kennett Consolidated School District in Kennett Square, this high school is ranked 1,412th nationally by U.S. News. It is a silver medal school. Don't Edit #39 Garnet Valley High School Located in Glen Mills, this high school is ranked 39th in Pennsylvania and 1,397th out of 20,000 schools evaluated by U.S. News. It is a silver medal school. #38 Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School This high school is part of the Colonial School District and is located in Plymouth Meeting. It is ranked 1,390th nationally. It is designated a silver medal school. Don't Edit Vicki Vellios Briner #37 Cumberland Valley High School This central Pennsylvania high school ranked 37th among Pennsylvania high schools and 1,362nd nationally and was designated a silver medal school. It was unranked in 2017. #36 Penn Manor High School Located in Millersville, in Lancaster County, Penn Manor ranks 35th among Pennsylvania high schools and 1,335th nationally. In 2016, the school also ranked 35th in Pennsylvania. Don't Edit #35 South Fayette Township High School This high school in McDonald ranked 1,280th nationally by U.S. News. In 2017, the same publication ranked it 20th among Pennsylvania high schools and 843rd nationally. It is designated a silver medal school. #34 Wilson High School Part of the Wilson School District in West Lawn, Wilson High School ranks 34th among Pennsylvania high schools and 1,237th among more than 20,000 schools ranked nationally by U.S. News. A silver medal school, it was unranked in 2017. Don't Edit #33 Fox Chapel Area High School This Pittsburgh school ranks 1,217th nationally by U.S. News. In 2017, it ranked 29th among Pennsylvania high schools. #32 Central Columbia Senior High School This high school in Bloomsburg ranked 1,205th nationally by U.S. News. It was unranked in 2017. Don't Edit Don't Edit #31 Abington High School Located in Abington, this high school ranks 31st in Pennsylvania, and 1,186th nationally. #30 Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 Also known as Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 is a magnet school in the Pittsburgh School District. It ranks 1,144th nationally by U.S. News and is designated a silver medal school. The school offers students six art majors: visual arts, literary arts, theater, instrumental music, vocal music and dance. Don't Edit #29 West Chester Henderson High School This school in West Chester is ranked 1,121st nationally. That's an improvement from 2017, when it was ranked 36th in Pennsylvania and 1,407th nationally. #28 Upper Dublin High School This high school in Fort Washington ranked 1,076th nationally by U.S. News. It was unranked in 2017. Don't Edit #27 Methacton High School Part of the Methacton School District in Eagleville, it ranks 1066th nationally by U.S. News. It is a silver medal school. #26 Obama 6-12 Also known as the Barack Obama Academy of International Studies, this school is a public school in Pittsburgh created when the Pittsburgh public schools combined a middle school and high school. Its ranking has improved from 2017, when it was designated a bronze medal school. This year, ranking 1017th out of more than 20,000 schools across the nation, it was designated a silver medal school. Don't Edit #25 Peters Township High School This school ranks 25th among Pennsylvania high schools and 991st nationally. It notes on its website that the Pittsburgh Business Times recently ranked it fifth among 205 districts in the region and the highest ranked in Washington County. #24 Mount Lebanon High School This Pittsburgh high school ranks 24th among Pennsylvania high schools and 956th nationally. It is designated a silver medal school. Don't Edit #23 Central Bucks High School East This high school in Doylestown ranked 946th nationally out of more than 20,000 school districts. It is a silver medal school. That's a big jump up from 2017, when it ranked 32nd among Pennsylvania schools and 1,207th nationally. #22 Wissahickon High School This high school in Ambler is ranked 902 among high schools nationally, receiving a silver medal designation. It achieved the same state ranking in U.S. News' 2017 edition of Best High Schools in America. Don't Edit Don't Edit #21 Central High School This high school in the School District of Philadelphia ranked 899th out of more than 20,000 schools nationally by U.S. News. It is the second-oldest continuously public high school in the United States, having been founded in 1836 and is a four-year university preparatory magnet school. #20 Hampton High School Located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Allison Park in the Hampton Township School District, this school ranked 20th among Pennsylvania high schools and 844th nationally. It is a silver medal school. Don't Edit #19 Council Rock High School North This high school in Newtown, part of the Council Rock School District, ranks 836th nationally. It is a silver medal school. #18 Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy is an urban college-preparatory magnet school in the Erie School District. According to its website, it's ranked among the top one percent of high schools in the country, having received high ratings in the past from U.S. News as well as the Washington Post. To secure one of 225 freshman openings, students applying to the magnet school are required to have a 3.0 minimum grade point average and test scores between the 50th and 60th percentile or better. Don't Edit #17 Harriton High School Part of the Lower Merion School District, this high school in Rosemont ranked 805th nationally and is a silver medal school. #16 Upper St. Clair High School This high school in Pittsburgh's Upper St. Clair School District ranked 16th among Pennsylvania high schools and 800th nationally. It was designated a silver medal school. Don't Edit #15 Lower Merion High School This high school in Ardmore was ranked 767th out of the more than 20,000 high schools assessed by U.S. News nationally. #14 Great Valley High School Part of the Great Valley School District, the high school in Malvern ranked 14th among Pennsylvania high schools and 760th nationally in U.S. News' ratings. It is designated a silver medal school. Don't Edit James Robinson #13 North Allegheny High School Located in Wexford, North Allegheny High School ranked 747th nationally in the U.S. News rankings for 2018. It is a silver medal school. #12 Hershey High School The top-ranked misstate high school, Hershey High School, in the Derry Township School District, ranked 742nd out of more than 20,000 schools nationally. That's a big move up from last year, when it ranked 19th among Pennsylvania schools and 808th nationally. It was among 101 Pennsylvania schools designated silver medal schools. Don't Edit Don't Edit #11 Pine-Richland High School Located in Gibsonia, this school ranked 11th among Pennsylvania schools and 691st nationally. That's down slightly from a ranking of 501 in 2017. It's designated a silver medal school. The Washington Post ranks the high school second in the region and number 13 statewide in its "Most Challenging HIgh School" rankings for 2017, which measured how effectively schools prepare their students for college. #10 Quaker Valley High School Located in in Leetsdale, this school was ranked 691st nationally by U.S. News and World Report, and was designated a silver medal school. Quaker Valley High School was ranked 10th in Pennsylvania on the list of America's Most Challenging High Schools by the Washington Post in 2017. In 2016, it was ranked sixth among Pennsylvania high schools and 485th nationally in U.S. News' annual ranking. It does not appear in the 2017 rankings. Don't Edit #9 Perkiomen Valley High School Located in Collegeville, and part of the Perkiomen Valley School District, this school ranked ninth among Pennsylvania high schools and 671st nationally. It is a silver medal school. #8 Unionville High School Located in Kennett Square, the school is part of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. It ranked eighth in Pennsylvania 602nd nationally out of 20,000 schools assessed by U.S. News. In 2017, it was ranked fifth in Pennsylvania. In the latest rankings, it is designed as a silver medal school. Don't Edit #7 Strath Haven High School Part of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District in Wallingford, this high school was ranked 595th nationally and seventh in Pennsylvania by U.S. News, which designated it as a Silver Medal school. #6 Lower Moreland High School This school in Huntingdon Valley ranked sixth in Pennsylvania and 594th nationally in the U.S. News rankings. It is one of 101 Pennsylvania schools the publication designated Silver Medal school, for the level of college preparedness of its graduates. Don't Edit #5 New Hope-Solebury High School This high school in New Hope was ranked fifth in Pennsylvania and 404th nationally. IN 2017, the high school ranked second in the state and 303rd nationally. It serves about 500 students, and was one of just five schools in Pennsylvania that U.S. News designated a Gold Medal school, for how well it prepares its graduates for college. Don't Edit #4 Conestoga High School Located about 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Conestoga High School is part of the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District. It ranks fourth among Pennsylvania high schools, according to U.S. News, and 378th nationally out of the 20,000 school districts ranked by the publication. In 2017, it ranked 306th nationally, and in 2015, was the top-ranked school in Pennsylvania. It is also one of just five Pennsylvania schools that U.S. News designated as gold medal schools, indicating that its graduates have the highest level of preparation for college. Don't Edit Don't Edit #3 Radnor High School Located in Radnor, Pa. the high school ranks third in Pennsylvania, and 363rd nationally. It climbed from a ranking of 431 in 2017. This year, the school was one of just five in Pennsylvania that U.S. News designated a Gold Medal school, which indicates it graduates have achieved the greatest level of readiness for college. Radnor was named an earlier this school year, and is one of just 133 schools to be named a Distinguished School for providing broad access to transformative learning opportunities for students through PLTW Computer Science, Biomedical Science and Engineering. Don't Edit #2 Julia R. Masterman Secondary School The Julia R. Masterman Secondary School in Philadelphia was the top-ranked school in Pennsylvania in 2017, and comes in at #2 this year. Nationally, it ranked 86 out of 20,000 schools evaluated by U.S. News, down from 51 in 2017. This year, the school was one of just five in Pennsylvania that U.S. News designated a Gold Medal school, which indicates it graduates have achieved the greatest level of readiness for college. The school admits students from all areas of Philadelphia based on academic performance. Don't Edit #1 Downingtown STEM Academy This school was the top-ranked school in Pennsylvania, and ranked 34th out of the 20,000 schools evaluated by U.S. News and World Report. STEM Academy is the third high school in the Downingtown Area School District. Creation of the innovative magnet school for 800 of the district's 12,000 students was approved in 2009. The school opened 2011, according to the school's website. The school did not appear in U.S. News' 2017 rankings. This year, the school was one of just five in Pennsylvania that U.S. News designated a Gold Medal school, which indicates it graduates have achieved the greatest level of readiness for college. Don't Edit Diana Robinson Here's how other central Pennsylvania schools fared in the U.S. News and World Report ranking of best high schools: Manheim Township High School: state rankin of 51, national rank 1,506. Pequea Valley High School: state ranking of 60, national rank 1,667 Warwick Senior High School: state ranking of 69, national rank 1,899. Cocalico Senior High School; state ranking of 77, national rank 2,099 Manheim Central High School: state ranking of 78, national rank 2,155 Lampeter-Strasburg High School: state ranking of 84, national rank 2,213 Ephrata High School: state rank 88th, national rank 2,325 Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School: state rank 89th, national rank 2,371 Dallastown Area Senior High School: state rank 94, national rank 2,480 Northeastern High School: state rank 101, national rank 2,609 York Suburban High School: state rank 103, national rank 2,613 Palmyra Area Senior High School: state rank 104, national rank 2,624 Health official: 'Very pleased with increased interest in getting vaccinated' Don Blankenship speaks during an election night event in Charleston, West Virginia. Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images Republicans dodged a potential repeat of their nightmarish 2017 experience in Alabama on Tuesday as rogue candidate and ex-convict Don Blankenship finished a poor third in a GOP Senate primary in West Virginia, winning only 20 percent of the vote. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey won the nomination to face Democratic senator Joe Manchin, defeating U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins by five points (as of this writing). But Blankenship, the former coal executive who turned the primary into a crusade for vindication after doing time for a deadly 2010 explosion in one of his mines, succeeded only in scaring the national GOP by endangering its odds in the fight to take down Manchin. Morrisey and Jenkins very nearly executed a murder-suicide maneuver by blasting each other and ignoring the free-spending Blankenship until late in the race (Democrats chipped in by running ads attacking Morrisey and Jenkins but ignoring Blankenship). But they turned their guns on him eventually, even as a shadowy super-PAC allegedly reporting to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell heavily invested in anti-Blankenship ads. The coal baron fired back at McConnell in a series of eccentric and borderline racist ads calling the Kentuckian Cocaine Mitch (an obscure allusion to charges that the drug had been found on a ship owned by McConnells father-in-law) and accusing him of favoritism toward China people (McConnells wife, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, is Taiwanese-American). Finally, on May 7, amid rumors that Blankenship was surging into a lead in private polls, President Trump urged a vote against Blankenship on grounds that hed lose in November. To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, cant win the General Election in your State...No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2018 Its possible Blankenship was never that strong, or that McConnell and his friends softened him up, or that Trump did him in. But Republicans in Washington join many in West Virginia in celebrating the ex-cons demise. Indeed, McConnell gloated in a tweet that seems to show the usually taciturn Majority Leader smiling as a white substance drifts around him: Is that supposed to be cocaine? Maybe so. This continues to be, well, an unusual period of American political history. But we wont be treated to any more of Don Blankenships peculiar political stylings this year, unless he tries to take his whole party down in November. And perhaps his loss is a sign that despite what happened in Alabama last year, candidates who try to out-Trump Trump against the presidents own wishes will have a hard time taking on the united GOP swamp. 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For inquiries, you may contact me here . Thank you very much! Pennsylvania Ballet announced yesterday that 10 dancers will be promoted for the 2018/2019 season, including six to soloist. Since Angel Corella took over as artistic director in 2014, PAB has seen massive dancer turnover. Yet, with time, he has slowly shaped the company to fit his vision. Heres a list of whos moving up the ranks. Six dancers from the corps de ballet will be promoted to the soloist rank. Currently only two company dancers hold that title and one of them, James Ihde, is retiring this month. Aleksey Babayev in The Sleeping Beauty. Photo by Alexander Izilaev, Courtesy PAB. Aleksey Babayev and Albert Gordon both joined the PAB corps for the 2016/2017 season. The Moscow-born Babeyev spent a year with PAB II before heading back to Russia to dance for Stanislavsky Theatre Ballet. Gordon came to Philadelphia from Boston Ballet; he was also the recipient of the 2012 Princess Grace Scholarship Award. Yuka Iseda and PAB principal Jermel Johnson in Swan Lake. Photo by Arian Molina Soca, Courtesy PAB. Yuka Iseda was born in Japan. She joined PAB in 2016 after working with a number of European and American companies including Angel Corellas Barcelona Ballet. Zecheng Liang is PABs newest member to be promoted to soloist; he joined the company for the 2017/2018 season after dancing with Houston Ballet. While a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem, Brazilian-born Nayara Lopes was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine in 2016 as one of 25 Dancers to Watch. She joined PAB in 2016. Jack Thomas in Balanchines Theme and Variations. Photo by Arian Molina Soca, Courtesy PAB. Jack Thomas was born in Denver, CO. Before joining PAB for the 2016/2017 season he danced with Houston Ballet II. More Promotions Sydney Dolan, Frederico DOrtenzi and Erin ODea were all apprentices for the 2017/2018 season and will now join the corps de ballet. PAB II dancer Flavia Morante will be promoted to apprentice. 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. President Trump is definitely going to come up with a brilliant new strategy for Iran. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Getty Images President Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement has thrilled many foreign policy hawks, who are highly confident it will produce a better outcome. There is just one wee, small asterisk. Trump killed [the deal] on Tuesday by refusing to again waive sanctions on the Islamic Republic, exults New York Times columnist Bret Stephens. He was absolutely right to do so assuming, that is, serious thought has been given to what comes next. Well, yes, assuming that. The remainder of Stephenss column assumes this rather crucial fact into existence and proceeds from there. A briefing with State Department officials yesterday made it very clear that serious thought has not been given as to what happens next. The official explained that the administration had focused its attention so far on trying to strengthen the deal, and has made no effort to formulate a plan of action after pulling out of it. A reporter asked whether they had gotten Europeans to agree to maintain sanctions on Iran if the deal collapsed. The official admitted that they had not: QUESTION: But again, I just want to understand: You do not know at this point what the Europeans are going to do in terms of the entire ancillary agreement youve negotiated? You do not know at this point what the Europeans are going to do, whether theyre going to fight you and and, like they do with Cuba, protect their companies against your secondary sanctions or what you do not know what the Europeans, your closest allies, are going to do vis-a-vis any of the ancillary effects of getting out of this deal. Is that right? SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: Were in constant conversations with the Europeans on this. QUESTION: But you dont know at this point? You dont know? You didnt get to that in your discussions, whats going to happen? SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: We did not talk about a Plan B in our discussions because we were focused on negotiating a supplemental agreement, so we did not we did not talk about Plan B. There is absolutely no reason to believe Europe, Russia, China, India, and other countries will go along with the economic sanctions Trump would need in order to have leverage over Iran. Indeed, many of those countries sound pretty upset with us and not in the mood to cooperate with our plan to undermine the policy they want to pursue. And without that pressure, Iran could resume the work toward attaining nuclear capability. Matthew Continettis even more triumphal column adopts similar reasoning. Trumps announcement is a master stroke, Because the president said not only that America will be leaving the accord. He declared that the period of waxing Iranian influence in the Middle East is at an end. Well! He declared it! Why didnt anybody think to do that before? Continetti characteristically attributes the supposed awfulness of the Iran deal to Obamas fondness for therapy and dialogue over realism and hard decisions. He does not explain why Iran was racing toward a nuclear bomb under George W. Bush. It is true that the Iran deal had trade-offs, as most deals with adversaries tend to do. In return for giving up its nuclear program, the terms of which Trumps national security advisers conceded the country was fulfilling, Iran was able to gain economic concessions, which it could leverage into all kinds of non-nuclear efforts to advance its nefarious influence. If you assume away the work of coming up with a plan, alternatives that dont grapple with trade-offs can look pretty attractive. Stephens and Continetti assume both that our allies will support tough sanctions and that Iran will be too scared to resume its nuclear program. And if theyre not? Either the hawks will admit they made a mistake hinging a policy on a dubious assumption that Trump could conceive and implement a complicated fallback strategy. Or else they will hold up Irans emboldened position as evidence that Iran is too evil to make deals with. I dont think its very hard to guess which option theyll take. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. 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. Bryan Stirling, director of the S.C. Department of Corrections, is set to be questioned by state lawmakers for the first time since a deadly prison riot at Lee Correctional Institution led to the deaths of seven inmates. 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. Iranian demonstrators burn representations of the U.S. flag during a protest in front of the former U.S. Embassy in response to President Donald Trump's decision Tuesday to pull out of the nuclear deal and renew sanctions, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) 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. In this photo released by official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani addresses the nation in a televised speech in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tuesday he'd send his foreign minister to negotiate with countries remaining in the nuclear deal after Donald Trump's decision to pull America from the deal, warning he otherwise would restart enriching uranium "in the next weeks." (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) Nice work if you can get it. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images One month after Donald Trump took office, one of the worlds largest drug companies signed a $1.2 million contract with the new presidents personal lawyer. Technically, the Swiss firm Novartis reached this agreement with Essential Consultants LLC; but that companys sole consultant was Michael Cohen and his consulting proved to be anything but essential. In truth, Essential Consultants was a slush fund, in which major corporations deposited bribes to Trumps attorney, and from which he withdrew funds to buy the silence of an adult-film star with whom the president allegedly fornicated (we know all of this now thanks, in part, to that porn stars attorney). If that all sounds possibly illegal and definitely crooked thats because it is. But the shadiness of Cohens enterprise appears to be mitigated (however slightly) by its incompetence while businesses tried to buy influence over our government through Cohen, they dont seem to have been very successful. AT&T gave Trumps lawyer $200,000 for insights into the administration, just as said administration was reviewing its desired merger with Time Warner. Then, in a break from the Republican tradition of law antitrust enforcement, the White House moved to block the takeover. And Novartis may have gotten an even rawer deal: Shortly after Trumps inauguration, Cohen called Novartiss then-CEO Joe Jimenez, and promised the pharmaceutical company access to Trump and his inner circle particularly, to those administration officials involved in crafting health-care policy and tax law if Jimenez agreed to lease Cohens consulting services. Or so Novartis employees tell Stat News. Alas, as Novartis explained in its official statement on the matter Wednesday, the drug company got much less than it had bargained for: After a single meeting with Trumps attorney, Novartis determined that Michael Cohen and Essential Consultants would be unable to provide the services that Novartis had anticipated related to US healthcare policy matters and the decision was taken not to engage further. And yet, since the contract unfortunately could only be terminated for cause, payments continued to be made until the contract expired by its own terms in February 2018. Stat News offers a more detailed account of the companys rationale: At first, it all sounded impressive, but toward the end of the meeting, everyone realized this was a probably a slippery slope to engage him. So they decided not to really engage Cohen for any activities after that, the employee continued. Rather than attempt to cancel the contract, the company allowed it to lapse early in 2018 and not run the risk of ticking off the president. It might have caused anger, this person said. So: The presidents lawyer reportedly phoned up a drug company and offered to sell it access to the White House (and, implicitly, influence over American health-care policy), then gave them it virtually nothing of use but nonetheless led its employees to believe that that if they didnt continue paying him $100,000 a month, the U.S. president might grow angry and use his political power to punish them. And, thanks to our nations robust free speech protections, its not yet clear that any part of this scheme violated the laws of our proud democracy. Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach. PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 13:00:17 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 407 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for American Manganese Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - American Manganese Inc. (TSX Venture:AMY). has issued a press release with the following headline:American Manganese Inc. to Present at the Cambridge House - International Mining Investment Conference - May 15-16, 2018 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, B.C.To view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on American Manganese Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/American Manganese Inc.Source: American Manganese Inc. (TSX Venture: AMY, OTC Pink: AMYZF, FWB: 2AM, WKN: A0YJSR, ISIN: CA02735A1057)Date: May 09, 2018Time: 7:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of American Manganese Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 13:03:02 NEW YORK, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- bRealTime and Clearstream have merged to form EMX, a new programmatic marketplace. EMX will offer more powerful media solutions across supply, demand and data to publishers, advertisers, ad tech providers and agencies, including increased efficiencies, heightened transparency and an overall lift in ROI. EMX combines the services of bRealTime, an automated global marketplace specializing in direct-to-consumer access through technologies like header bidding, with Clearstream, the leading deterministic data and decisioning platform for advertisers and brands. As an integrated business, EMX gives clients access to a unified supply chain providing access to more audiences on all screens, including TV, OOH, mobile and desktop. Mike Zacharski, formerly CEO of bRealTime, has been named CEO of EMX. Brian Mandelbaum, previously CEO of Clearstream, will assume the role of President & Chief Strategy Officer. They will lead the ongoing development of EMX's industry-leading products, which combine premium supply, demand and data under one solution. The new EMX business is supported by a team of veteran digital media practitioners, data scientists and technologists. "The digital marketplace has given marketers the power to reach and engage with consumers in seemingly limitless ways, however, with its meteoric rise, it has brought a new breed of challenges - from fraud, excessive complexity and cost, to black box behavioral data sets," said Zacharski. "With EMX, we have pioneered a new industry standard that helps solve for these issues." Additional benefits of EMX include: Increased scale, increased transparency and increased ROI for all parties. Publisher and advertiser transactions are united in a single space, giving publishers access to more advertising partners, and advertisers access to more publisher partners, increasing scale for both. Parties have greater oversight of the entire programmatic process, as well as access to more data about how their content and strategies are performing, increasing transparency and safety for both. Increased transparency and data access allows both parties to better optimize their outputs, maximizing ROI for all. Simplifies the programmatic transaction process for clients with bespoke tools and solutions. Continued Zacharski: "By bringing our proprietary tools and talented specialists together, we've been able to create a marketplace using best-of-breed technologies that deliver genuine ROI for both publishers and advertisers." PRESS CONTACT: Marielena Santana DiGennaro Communications marielena.santana@digennaro-usa.com ABOUT EMX EMX is a digital solutions provider that connects publishers, advertisers and agencies with consumer data, proprietary tools and innovative technology through EMX's programmatic media marketplace. Formed from the union of bRealTime and Clearstream, EMX provides increased scale, transparency and data access, allowing both advertisers and publishers to better optimize their outputs, thus optimizing ROI for all. 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: EMX via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 11:02:02 Cayman Finance Responds to Vote by U.K. House of Commons to Disregard the Cayman Islands Leadership on Transparency and Verified Ownership Standards Cayman Finance Contact: Tower Lynne Byles, 345-623-6700 lynne@tower.com.ky Jude Scott, CEO of Cayman Finance, issued the following statement about a vote by the U.K. House of Commons to amend the proposed Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill to require public ownership registers in the Cayman Islands and other British Overseas Territories by December 2020: Caymans existing verified ownership regime remains in force and remains superior to existing ownership regimes in the U.K. and around the world. This vote simply continues the legislative process for potentially requiring changes to Caymans ownership regime more than two years from now, during which time there will still be on-going dialogue with the U.K. The House vote is a vain attempt to fight global problems like corruption and tax evasion by unfairly discriminating against a few jurisdictions requiring public registers from Overseas Territories but not Crown Dependencies, for example. Global problems require global solutions and standards that apply to all jurisdictions. The Cayman Islands is a transparent jurisdiction that already meets or exceeds the full range of globally-accepted standards for transparency and cross-border cooperation with law enforcement and tax authorities. Cayman became an early adopter of automatic data exchange by signing onto agreements such as the European Union Savings Directive, the OECDs Common Reporting Standard, U.S. FATCA, and country-by-country reporting principles under the BEPS process. The Cayman Islands also has had a world class verified ownership regime in place for more than 15 years whereas only eleven out of twenty-eight E.U. countries have a register at all. For all of those reasons, the OECDs Global Forum in 2017 assessed our jurisdiction to be largely compliant with the international standard for transparency and exchange of information, the same rating given Canada and Australia. The Financial Action Task Force has recognized that verifiable private registers like Caymans which are searchable by appropriate tax authorities and law enforcement agencies remain the more effective approach. Recent reporting about multiple defects in the UKs own current public, but unverified, register system prove the point. The House demonstrated a remarkable display of double standards by voting down a requirement to perform basic anti-money laundering checks on the hundreds of thousands of UK companies formed annually through Companies House in the UK. We are a long way from any change in Caymans existing verified ownership regime. The Cayman Islands financial services industry will support fully all actions taken by the Cayman Islands Government to assess its options for responding to this unjustifiable encroachment into matters within Caymans domestic competence. "In the meantime, Cayman Finance notes the UK Government's explicit assurance that it will work with the Cayman Islands in shaping any implementation of this legislation; that the UK will respect the Cayman Islands' constitutional rights; and its assurance that it will work with the Cayman Islands to protect its interests. Cayman Finance will support the Cayman Islands Government in ensuring that the UK delivers on these assurances in any proposals to make changes to the Cayman Islands' globally endorsed existing Anti-Money Laundering regime and its highly successful, well-regulated and globally significant financial services industry." For more information about Cayman Finance visit www.caymanfinance.ky. About Cayman Finance: Cayman Finances mission is to protect, promote, develop and grow the Cayman Islands financial services industry through cooperation and engagement with domestic and international political leaders, regulators, organisations and media; to promote the integrity and transparency of the Industry by legislative and regulatory enactment and to encourage the sustainable growth of the Industry through excellence, innovation and balance. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005 Cayman Finance CEO, Jude Scott, responds to the UKs vote to require public ownership registers in the #CaymanIslands and other British Overseas Territories by December 2020. PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 10:52:02 Blockchain powerhouse sets up shop in emerging EU tech centre ConsenSys Announces Innovation Studio in Dublin ConsenSys Internal PR team PR@consenSys.net or Red Lorry Yellow Lorry Francesca DArcy-Orga European PR agency contact ConsenSys@RLYL.com ConsenSys, one of the worlds leading blockchain companies, announced today its expansion into Ireland with the Dublin Innovation Studio, expected to open in June of 2018. The Dublin-based Innovation Studio will be a multi-functional facility including a development lab, where engineers will build and deliver Ethereum-based blockchain platforms and products stemming from the companys consulting arm, ConsenSys Solutions, as well as a centre for client collaboration. The Dublin Innovation Studio will also ideate and incubate decentralized applications and spoke companies as part of ConsenSys venture studio, ConsenSys Labs. The Dublin Innovation Studio has a growing team of blockchain experts with decades of combined cryptography and enterprise-focused blockchain solutions experience. Spearheading ConsenSys efforts in Dublin is Lory Kehoe, who joined the company from Deloitte, where he founded and was a Director of the EMEA Blockchain Lab for nearly three years. In 2015, Kehoe worked with Keith Fingleton, now CIO of the Investment Development Agency (IDA) to establish the Irish Blockchain Expert Group, a group of start-ups, public service entities, universities and multinationals working to make Ireland a hub for blockchain projects and industry talent. ConsenSys is working to assemble a diverse team and anticipates to have 60 people based in the Dublin Studio within a year, with 70 percent of the team being blockchain and full-stack engineers. ConsenSys establishing a presence in Dublin is a big deal for Ireland. It shows there is a vibrant cross-industry and cross-sector blockchain ecosystem in the country, which ConsenSys will contribute to and build upon. More specifically, ConsenSys is looking to attract some of the great tech talent that already exists in Ireland, thanks to the many global tech companies that are based here, stated Kehoe. While ConsenSys embodies the ethos of a decentralized, remote-first startup, Europe is fast becoming a critical node in its global footprint. Jeremy Millar, Chief of Staff at ConsenSys, helped establish ConsenSys first European office in London, and explained the importance of the Dublin Innovation Studio. Dublin is a renowned global technology hub that is home to the international operations of the worlds largest technology companies. We can feel the excitement in the developer community for ConsenSys expansion to Dublin, where the tech community is embracing decentralisation to solve intractable challenges such as identity protection, data sovereignty and sharing economics. We are consistently impressed by the depth of Ethereum knowledge and developer skills in the region. Dublin will be ConsenSys third hub in Europe and fourth in EMEA, adding to ConsenSys network in London, Dubai and Paris. The European Commission recently appointed ConsenSys as an advisor to the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum, a two-year initiative aimed at helping the European Union to identify high-priority use cases and accelerate blockchain innovation. The Dublin Innovation Studio will officially open in early June, when ConsenSys founder and Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin visits the Irish capital for MoneyConf, one of the largest fintech conferences in Europe. For more information on ConsenSys, please visit www.consenSys.net. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005 The research report on frosting and icing market categorizes global market by product type (Buttercream Frosting, Boiled or Cooked Icing, Ganache, Royal Icing, Dusting, Cream Cheese Frosting, and Others), by end-use industry (Commercial and Non-commercial), and by distribution channel (Hypermarket, Supermarket, Online Channels, Convenience Stores, and Others) Frosting and Icing Market PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 10:36:06 Press Information Coherent Market Insights Contact Us: Mr. Shah Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Seattle, WA 98154 Tel: +1-206-701-6702 Mr. Shah CEO +1-206-701-6702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/frosting-and-icing-market-1575 # 864 Words Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702CEO+1-206-701-6702 Market IntroductionFrosting and icing are used for decorating baked goods such as pastries, muffins, and cakes. Frosting is a fluffy and thick coating of butter or cream on the cakes and icing is a thin and sugary glaze on cakes and pastry that hardens on cooling. The basic frosting and icing consists of sugar, butter, and milk or water with different flavors such as chocolate, fruit juice or extracts, and others.Market DynamicsGrowing demand for cakes and pastries is one of the major factors driving growth of global frosting and icing market. According to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the sales value of cakes in U.K. increased at an average of 2% each year between 2012 and 2017, with an increase of 1.5% over CAGR (2007-2012). Furthermore, increasing number of bakeries, owing to growing urbanization, rising income, results in growing food industry, is fueling growth of frosting and icing market. According to India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), in 2016, the food processing industry in India ranks fifth in terms of consumption, production and exports and was valued at US$ 258 billion in 2015.Ask for detailed Sample of the Research Report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1575 However, health concerns such as increasing obesity is restraining the market growth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2017, 36.5% of the adults in the U.S. had obesity, which negatively affected growth of the market. To overcome this, various manufacturers are focusing towards introducing new products with low fat content. For instance, in 2016, Cargill Inc., launched Regal Cake and Icing Shortening containing 20% less fats, as compared to palm shortenings.Market TrendsOn the basis of product type, the buttercream frosting is expected to show a significant growth in the frosting and icing market over the forecast period, owing to its consistency and ease of use. Furthermore, most of the manufacturers are developing new buttercream frosting & icing products, which is projected to drive growth of frosting and icing market. For instance, in November 2015, Dawn Food Products Inc. offered premium buttercream frostings for cake decorators with variety of flavors such as vanilla and chocolate, which enabled decorators to design unique confections with control and intricacy.Online retail segment is significantly gaining traction in both developed and emerging economies, as it offers a wide range of branded products through a single website and offers free delivery. According to the Coherent Market Insights, the global online retail market was valued at US$ 2,171.22 billion in 2016 and is expected to reach US$ 9,572.96 billion by 2025.Market OutlookNorth America dominated the global frosting and icing market in 2016. The consumption of cakes and pastries and other confectionery treats is associated with many events throughout the year such as birthdays, occasions, Easter, thanksgiving, Christmas, and other celebrations. The sales of confectionery products in the U.S. was observed to be high during such events. Also, the urban population is more inclined towards consumption of confectionery products compared to its rural counterparts. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 80% of the population resided in urban areas in 2017. According to the UN sources, urban population in Canada is 82.3%. These factors are expected to contribute to the market growth in this region. Asia Pacific is expected to witness a highest CAGR over the forecast period. According to Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), in 2014, the bakery industry in India was one of the largest section in processed food industry and witnessed a CAGR of more than 15%.Market PlayersKey players are focused on adopting various organic and inorganic growth strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships, and product or technological innovations to retain position in the frosting and icing market. For instance, in April 2014, Renshaw Fondant Icing launched colors such as powder blue, raspberry pink, and dusky lavender to its range of ready to roll icing, tropical coral, and emerald green. Also, in May 2013, the architectural team in Los Angeles developed a 3D printed sculpture technology to design and print original sugar sculptures. This technology converts sugar into a sculptural and structural element that is used to sweeten the food. Some of the leading players operating in the global frosting and icing market include CSM Bakery Solutions, Wilton Brands LLC, Rich Products Corporation, General Mills, Inc., Dawn Food Products, Inc., Lawrence Foods, Inc., Macphie of Glenbervie Ltd, JF Renshaw Ltd, and Fruit Fillings Inc. among others.View More Information @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/frosting-and-icing-market-1575 Market TaxonomyOn the basis of product type, the frosting and icing market is segmented into:Buttercream FrostingBoiled or Cooked IcingGanacheRoyal IcingDustingCream Cheese FrostingOthersOn the basis of end-use industry, the frosting and icing market is segmented into:CommercialNon-CommercialOn the basis of distribution channel, the frosting and icing market is segmented into:HypermarketSupermarketOnline ChannelsConvenience StoresOthersAbout Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@ coherentmarketinsights.com PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 06:15:19 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 382 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Gamehost Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Red Deer, Alberta (FSCWire) - Gamehost Inc. (TSX:GH). has issued a press release with the following headline:Gamehost Announces First Quarter 2018 Financial Results and May DividendTo 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 Gamehost Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Gamehost Inc.Source: Gamehost Inc. (TSX: GH, OTC Pink: GHIFF, WKN: A1H5MC, ISIN: CA36468B1040)Date: May 09, 2018Time: 12:15 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Gamehost Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 13:14:12 Press Information precision Business Insights Kemp House, 152 160 City Road, London EC1V 2NX satya Lead-Market +1-866-598-1553 email https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com # 526 Words Kemp House,152 160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXLead-Market+1-866-598-1553 Market Outline: Global Ethoxyquin MarketEthoxyquin is an anti-oxidant widely used as a preservative to prevent the rancidification of fats to ensure longer shelf-life. In certain countries ethoxyquin is used as pesticide to control the pears scald after harvesting. Moreover, ethoxyquin also used to prevent the color loss due to the oxidation of natural carotenoid pigments and slowdown the oxidation of vitamin A, vitamin E, and xanthophyll in animal feed products.Market Dynamics: Global Ethoxyquin MarketIncrease in the demand for high quality animal feed products, rise in number of aquaculture and poultry farming, increase in awareness about the use of anti-oxidants for reducing the feed cost, and diversification of business by the market players are anticipated to fuel the global ethoxyquin market. However, stringent regulations for ethoxyquin usage, suspension of ethoxyquin in certain EU countries due to toxicity of ethoxyquin, and availability of alternative products such as BHT and BHA may restrain the growth of global ethoxyquin market over the forecast timeframe.A sample of this report is available upon request @Market Scope: Global Ethoxyquin MarketGlobal ethoxyquin market is segmented based on the product type and end userBased on the product type, the market is segmented into the following:Ethoxyquin-33 PowderEthoxyquin-66 PowderEthoxyquin-95 OilBased on the end user, the market is segmented into the following:Pet Feed IndustriesAgriculture IndustriesAquaculture Feed IndustriesAnimal Feed IndustriesOthersTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @Regional Analysis: Global Ethoxyquin MarketGeographically, global ethoxyquin market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America ethoxyquin market is growing due to regulatory approvals for the use of ethoxyquin in animal feed, rise in consumption of ethoxyquin-95 in aquaculture feed industries, and high awareness about the anti-oxidants usage in animal feed are expected to propel the market over the forecast period. However, there is a small decline is observed in the Europe ethoxyquin market due to the stringent government regulations and ban on ethoxyquin usage in animal feed in certain EU countries by EFSA are effecting the market growth negatively. Asia Pacific ethoxyquin market has a lucrative growth, which is attributed to increase in the number of livestock industries, growth in adoption of feed premixes and other packaged feed products, and rise in meat consumption in India and China to boost the market.Need more information about this report @Competition Assessment: Global Ethoxyquin MarketSome of the players in the global ethoxyquin market include:Archer Daniels Midland Company (U.S.)DuPont Nutrition & Health (Denmark.)Cargill, Incorporated (U.S.)Nutreco N.V. (Netherlands)Royal DSM (U.S.)Alltech, Inc. (U.S.)Novus International (U.S.)Kemin Industries, Inc. (U.S.)Jiangsu Zhongdan Group Co. Ltd. (China)Notable Market Developments: Global Ethoxyquin MarketIn April 2017, FDAs Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) reminded the industries about the safe use requirements and labelling of ethoxyquin used in animal feedGet access to full summary @ Michael Avenatti is doing what Woodward and Bernstein did: exposing the money trail. Photo: MSNBC Most weeks, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich speaks with contributor Alex Carp about the biggest stories in politics and culture. Today, the meaning of Michael Avenattis disclosures, Trumps decision to kill the Iran deal, and Rudy Giulianis media tour. With Michael Avenattis revelation that the shell company Michael Cohen used for the Stormy Daniels payoff also received money tied to Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg (as well as payments from other companies with government business), it looks like the two main threads of Donald Trumps legal troubles may be part of the same story. Has Avenatti found the collusion that Trump has spent so much energy denying? Avenatti, whose revelations have since been verified by the Times and others, is doing exactly what Woodward and Bernstein did in Watergate following the money. By doing so he has unveiled an example of collusion so flagrant that it made Trump and Rudy Giuliani suddenly go mute: a Putin cronys cash turns out to be an essential component of the racketeering scheme used to silence Stormy Daniels and thus clear Trumps path to the White House in the final stretch of the 2016 election. Like the Nixon campaign slush fund that Woodward and Bernstein uncovered, this money trail also implicates corporate players hoping to curry favor with a corrupt president. Back then it was the telecommunications giant ITT, then fending off antitrust suits from the government, that got caught red-handed; this time its AT&T. Both the Nixon and Trump slush funds were initially set up to illegally manipulate an American presidential election, hush money included. But the Watergate burglars dirty tricks, criminal as they were, were homegrown. Even Nixon would have drawn the line at colluding with Russians or, in those days, the Soviets to sabotage the Democrats. 5 of the Most Blatantly Unethical Moves by the Trump Administration I know some accuse Avenatti of being a media whore, but hes the one media whore I cant get enough of. He knows what hes doing, he has the goods, and he is playing high-stakes poker, shrewdly, with what appears to be a winning hand. It is also entertaining to imagine how crazy he is driving Trump. In personality and presence hes exactly the kind of take-no-prisoners television defender that Trump would want appearing with Sean Hannity in his defense. That was the point of the Mooch. That is the point of Rudy. Apparently that was even once the point of Michael Cohen. If Avenatti, as others have noted, is Billy Flynn from the musical Chicago, then Trump is left with Larry, Curly, and Moe. Donald Trumps decision to pull the U.S. from the Iran deal has drawn condemnation from European allies, Barack Obama, and scores of other experts. Will Trump face any political penalty for his choice? Honestly, I doubt Trump will still be in office when the full fallout of this blunder is felt. The blunder, one should add, is not only to pull out of a deal that was working but also to have no better deal (or policy at all) to take its place. But the interesting political piece about both this decision and the onrushing summit with Kim Jong-un is that Trump has persuaded himself that big bold foreign policy moves, however harmful to America and its allies, will rescue him from the rampaging scandal at home. This, again, has a Watergate echo: As the revelations of White House horrors piled up during the midterm election season of 1974, Nixon decided to travel to Moscow, ostensibly a diplomatic mission in the cause of detente. This stunt didnt stave off the wolves closing in on him in Washington, and the current regurgitation of this tactic wont save Trump either. At least Nixon had foreign-policy expertise. He wouldnt have given away the store to the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. By contrast, theres every reason to fear that Trumps ignorant foray into Korea will make Neville Chamberlains performance at Munich look Churchillian. Kim is not an idiot; he will keep playing the American president for all he can, knowing that Trump needs a win abroad to counterbalance all his losses at home. And Trumps desperation to make a deal with North Korea for his own personal political salvation gets visibly greater with every Michael Avenatti television appearance. Witness the presidents decision to turn up at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. tomorrow to personally greet the three American detainees that North Korea released today. That Trump thinks this photo op will be effective counterprogramming to Stormy Daniels suggests hes now lost one talent he unassailably did possess, an intuitive knack for show business. Even in non-corrupt modern presidencies, theres little evidence that foreign-policy achievements sway voters. (Foreign-policy debacles wars that devolve into quagmires, for instance do move voters, but not in a good way.) In Trumps case, his America First base could not care less if he wins one of those suspect foreign Nobel Prizes as meaningless as the one awarded Obama. The majority of Americans who are not in Trumps base wont care either. Meanwhile, nuclear proliferation and possibly war hang in the balance. After subjecting the country to a week of the Rudy Giuliani media tour, Donald Trump is now considering sidelining the lawyer. Has Giuliani done more damage to his own reputation or to Trumps defense? Both Trumps legal strategy (if there is one) and Rudys reputation were in tatters well before this frequently hilarious and wholly unhinged media tour. Its an indicator of how much the Trump defense is in disarray that the White House thought it was a good idea to send Giuliani to last weekends Sunday shows even after nearly a full week of screwups. And the debacle just keeps rolling along: Just hours before Avenatti posted his bombshell yesterday, Rudy was firmly declaring that Michael Cohen possesses no incriminating information about the president. Theres clearly not just a screw loose in Giuliani but a missing link in his story with Trump. Rudy was a fierce Trump defender during the campaign and lobbied vociferously for a Cabinet position during the transition. Twice he was considered for both secretary of State and secretary of Homeland Security, and twice he was rejected. What does that say about him when you consider that those who did make the cut to top Trump administration jobs included Michael Flynn, Ben Carson, Tom Price, Scott Pruitt, Betsy DeVos, and Ryan Zinke? What does Giuliani have for or on Trump that brought him into the fold now? Inquiring minds would like to know. In any case, Trumpism has bequeathed America not merely a post-fact but post-rule-of-law culture. Rudy, like his boss, claims nonexistent extralegal privileges for presidents, dismisses FBI agents as stormtroopers, and endorses rumor as a legal strategy. Id say his record for mad-dog lunacy is perfect were it not for the moment when he told Hannity that Jared Kushner is disposable a judgment that no doubt reflects the view of Kushners father-in-law and is surely correct. That is our national Godfather replay at its best. PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 15:04:03 SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hitachi Vantara, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501), today introduced new innovations to drive data center modernization. Hitachi unveiled new high-performance storage systems in the industry's only storage family with a 100% data availability guarantee, and integrated, and cross-platform AI-powered analytics and IT automation software. The all-new, all-flash and hybrid Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform (VSP) systems and AI operations software give customers unprecedented agility and automation to reduce costs and increase operational efficiencies-the foundation for any modern data center initiative. Developers will gain increased flexibility and can now run more workloads in a single system through Docker and Redhat Openshift container integration with Swarm and Kubernetes orchestration. >> View the Hitachi Vantara Data Center Modernization video with Bob Madaio, vice president, infrastructure solutions marketing at Hitachi Vantara << "As artificial intelligence and machine-learning technologies mature, enterprise storage vendors have an opportunity to provide considerable assistance to customers on their journey to autonomous operations," said Eric Burgener, research vice president of Storage at IDC. "Vendors like Hitachi Vantara, with their enhanced AI operations portfolio, are leveraging AI/ML to simplify infrastructure management while improving platform reliability, infrastructure efficiency and the ability to meet service level agreements." Intelligent Operations As data center operations become more complex, operational efficiencies can deteriorate and the risks of downtime or data loss increase. Hitachi Vantara is introducing the industry's most advanced AI operations software portfolio, which includes Hitachi Infrastructure Analytics Advisor, Hitachi Automation Director and Hitachi Data Instance Director to deliver a more agile data infrastructure. Hitachi Infrastructure Analytics Advisor (HIAA) delivers an AI-powered "brain" to provide deeper data center insights by looking across the data path, including virtual machines, servers, networks and storage. HIAA uses machine learning to more efficiently optimize, troubleshoot and predict data center needs. New HIAA capabilities include: Predictive analytics: AI mines telemetry data to predict when new storage purchases will be required, improving budget planning and helping to prevent performance dips. Machine learning analyzes all resources associated with storage to help ensure the right resource is purchased. 4x faster root-cause analysis: A patented AI engine analyzes telemetry data and configuration changes across the data path to isolate issues and uses a new heuristic engine to recommend resolution. Integration with Hitachi Automation Director allows immediate fixes based on best practices. Hitachi Automation Director (HAD) software provides an "engine" for orchestrating the delivery and management of IT resources so that teams can focus on innovation. A highly customizable solution, HAD automates core IT service delivery routines including virtual machine, network zoning and storage and data protection tasks to reduce errors that impact uptime, customer experiences and return on investment (ROI). HAD has been enhanced to: Integrate with IT service management (ITSM) tools, including the ServiceNow platform, for improved tracking and control of IT resource delivery. Improve REST API integration for provisioning of third-party resources, including storage. Take commands from HIAA for issue remediation and storage configuration data. Automate the setup of Hitachi Data Instance Director (HDID) data protection to safeguard against data loss or downtime. The new integrations between HIAA, HAD and HDID are part of Hitachi's growing AI operations initiative to help customers begin the journey to autonomous operations. These offerings are now available both independently and packaged together with Hitachi VSP to help customers easily get the tools that drive data center modernization. "VMware and Hitachi are working together to bring a new operational model to the data center," said Lee Caswell, vice president, Product, Storage and Availability Business Unit, VMware. "Our joint integration work helps Hitachi VSP customers seamlessly leverage many VMware solutions including VMware vSphere, Virtual Volumes and Site Recovery Manager to simplify daily operations and disaster recovery scenarios. And by sharing telemetry data between Hitachi AI operations software and vCenter-native management tools, we help customers digitally transform their business and realize the power of modern infrastructure." Agile Data Infrastructure Data center modernization begins with a rock-solid foundation for consistent delivery of data at high speed and low latency, with support for diverse workload requirements and multi-cloud integration. Hitachi's new all-flash VSP F series and hybrid-flash VSP G seriessystems support an agile data infrastructure with the industry's only 100% data availability guarantee and up to 3x more IOPS performance and 2.5x greater scalability compared to prior VSP models. This means customers can expect faster analytics processing and application performance - fueling a faster return on data. Cloud and container integration allow more workloads to run on a single system, while helping to eliminate data silos and support new workloads. The new enterprise-class Hitachi VSP models include the all-flash VSP F700 and VSP F900 and the hybrid flash VSP G700 and G900 systems. To reach a broader range of customers, Hitachi is introducing new midrange models. They include the VSP F350, F370, G350 and G370 systems. The systems are powered by the next generation of Hitachi Storage Virtualization Operating System, SVOS RF, which has been re-architected for increased performance, scalability and data efficiency. All new VSP systems are backed by Hitachi's new flat service model and come with a Foundation software package that includes Hitachi's proven infrastructure analytics and copy data management software. All new Hitachi VSP systems are available now. The new systems have significant improvements compared to prior VSP models: Performance scalability: Scaling to more than 2.4M IOPS and 41GB/s of bandwidth. More efficiency: Up to 70% more IOPS per core for increased price/performance. Greater consolidation: 8x more volumes and one million snapshots per system. Improved data efficiency: Up to 3.4x faster deduplication and 5x faster SVOS-based compression. "Hitachi is helping the world's business and IT leaders respond to modern data challenges by leveraging predictive analytics and automation as part of their larger data management and digital transformation initiatives," said Iri Trashanski, senior vice president, Infrastructure and Edge Products at Hitachi Vantara. "With the criticality of data in our customers' environments, there is no room for good-enough storage technology or data-silos created by weak infrastructure. The technology announced today will help create the agile data infrastructure and intelligent operations our customers need to drive transformation." About Hitachi Vantara Hitachi Vantara, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., helps data-driven leaders find and use the value in their data to innovate intelligently and reach outcomes that matter for business and society. We combine technology, intellectual property and industry knowledge to deliver data-managing solutions that help enterprises improve their customers' experiences, develop new revenue streams, and lower the costs of business. Only Hitachi Vantara elevates your innovation advantage by combining deep information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) and domain expertise. We work with organizations everywhere to drive data to meaningful outcomes. Visit us at www.hitachivantara.com. Connect with Hitachi Vantara About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges, combining its operational technology, information technology, and products/systems. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2017 (ended March 31, 2018) totaled 9,368.6 billion yen ($88.4 billion). The Hitachi Group is an innovation partner for the IoT era, and it has approximately 307,000 employees worldwide. Through collaborative creation with customers, Hitachi is deploying Social Innovation Business using digital technologies in a broad range of sectors, including Power/Energy, Industry/Distribution/Water, Urban Development, and Finance/Social Infrastructure/Healthcare. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com. HITACHI is a trademark or registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. All other trademarks, service marks, and company names are properties of their respective owners. PRESS CONTACT Brian Garabedian Hitachi Vantara brian.garabedian@hitachivantara.com 408- 970-7572 Methylpentene Copolymer Market PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 11:35:15 Press Information Coherent Market Insights Contact Us: Mr. Shah Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Seattle, WA 98154 Tel: +1-206-701-6702 Mr. Shah CEO +1-206-701-6702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/methylpentene-copolymer-market-1572 # 881 Words Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702CEO+1-206-701-6702 Methylpentene copolymer is a thermoplastic polymer. It shows properties such as transparency, low moisture absorption, high thermal stability, good electrical and acoustical properties, chemical resistance, good dielectric characteristics, and excellent optical properties. Copolymers of 4-methyl-1-pentene are commercially used, owing to its transparency and robust processing behavior. It is used in a broad array of applications including laboratory apparatus, medical equipment, ovenware, wire and cable coating, sonar covers, ultrasonic transducer heads, speaker cones, optical components, baking cartons, animal cages, and heat resistant non-woven materials, among others.Ask for detailed Sample of the Research Report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1572 Market DynamicsRising applications of methylpentene copolymer in baking cartons, paper coatings, release film and paper, high-frequency films and food packaging such as gas permeable packages for fruit and vegetables is driving growth of the global methylpentene copolymer market. According to the World Packaging Organization (WPO), packaging market is expected to be valued at US$ 1 trillion, which in turn will drive demand for methylpentene copolymer in the packaging industry. Applications of methylpentene copolymer in production of injection molded products such as blood test cells, cosmetic containers and laboratory wear as well as extrusion molded products including sight glass, wire and cable coating is propelling growth of the global growth of this market. Furthermore, owing to properties such as good temperature stability, methylpentene copolymer is used for autoclavable laboratory and medical equipment, cookware and microwave components. According to Coherent Market Insights study, the market for reprocessed medical devices, which includes sterilizable and autoclavable medical devices, is expected to witness a robust CAGR of 20.4% during the forecast period (2017-2025), which in turn will drive growth of the global methylpentene copolymer market. Also, growing demand for methylpentene copolymer in LED molds, due to its excellent electrical insulator properties is fuelling growth of the global methylpentene copolymer market. According to the Coherent Market Insights study, global LED lighting market is projected to reach over US$ 120 billion by 2025, exhibiting a CAGR of 16.61% during the forecast period (2017-2025). This rapid growth in the LED lighting market is propelling growth of the global methylpentene copolymer market.Market OutlookNorth America held substantial market share in 2017 in the global methylpentene copolymer market. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved use of methylpentene copolymer in components of articles or articles intended for use in contact with food and beverages in CFR Title 21 Sec. 177.1520. Increasing application of methylpentene copolymer in food processing machinery and films and coatings for gas permeable packaging of food and beverages is driving growth of the methylpentene copolymer market in this region. Furthermore, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the U.S. Department of Commerce, value added to GDP by the food, beverage, and tobacco products manufacturing in the U.S. was US$ 250.0 billion in 2014, which increased to US$ 283.7 billion in 2016. This significant growth in the food and beverages manufacturing sector is fuelling growth of the methylpentene copolymer market.Europe is expected to be a lucrative market for methylpentene copolymer with U.K., Germany, and France been major growth engine in the region. This is attributed to growing demand from end-use industries such as electrical and electronics, chemical and pharmaceutical and packaging, among others. According to the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, pharmaceutical production was US$ 270.33 billion in 2014, which increased to US$ 275.22 billion in 2015. Furthermore, increasing food related applications of methylpentene copolymer such as food preservation packs, food wraps, and baking carton is fuelling growth of this market in Europe. According to FoodDrinkEurope, total food and beverages revenue in Europe was US$ 1,338.5 billion in 2014, which increased to US$ 1,342.2 billion in 2015, thereby fuelling growth of the methylpentene copolymer market in this region.Asia Pacific market is projected to exhibit significant rate in the global methylpentene copolymer market, during the forecast period. This is due to significant demand for methylpentene copolymer in manufacturing of electrical components such as LED molds and components of various electric equipment such as coffee maker. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), Government of India, electronics market in India is expected to grow from US$ 69.6 billion in 2012 to US$ 400 billion in 2022 a compound annual growth rate of 24.4% between 2012 and 2020. This growth in the electronics industry is driving growth of the methylpentene copolymer market in this region. Furthermore, according to the U.S. International Trade Association (ITA), medical device market in China was US$ 56 billion in 2016 and increased by 20.1% from 2015. This growth in medical equipment industry is also fuelling growth of the methylpentene copolymer market in Asia Pacific.Key PlayersKey players operating in the global methylpentene copolymer market are Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., RTP Company, Inc., Westlake Plastics Company, Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Merck KGaA, Nytef Plastics Ltd., CS Hyde Company, and ComPlex Plastics, Inc. among others.Get More Information @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/methylpentene-copolymer-market-1572 Market TaxonomyGlobal methylpentene copolymer market is segmented into:By End-use IndustryElectrical and ElectronicsChemical and PharmaceuticalPackagingAutomotiveOthersAbout Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@ coherentmarketinsights.com PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 15:03:03 Canadian businesses and telecom providers can reach global destinations, world-leading cloud service providers and internet exchanges on a 100G network at the click-of-a button Metro Optic Partners with Epsilon to Deliver Global On-Demand Connectivity in Canada Torchia Communications Mary Moniz 416-341-9929 ext. 221 mary@torchiacom.com or Ludovic Iop, 514-288-8290 ext .224 ludovic@torchiacom.com Metro Optic, a leading provider of high-speed fibre optic networks and interconnection data centres based in Montreal, has partnered with Epsilon, a privately owned global communications service provider headquartered in Singapore to deliver global on-demand connectivity to the Canadian market through its data centres in Toronto and Montreal. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005 Metro Optic CEO, Michael Bucheit (left) and Epsilon Chief Commercial Officer, Carl Roberts, celebrating their partnership confirmed during ITW, May 6-9 in Chicago. (Photo: Business Wire) Epsilons on-demand connectivity platform, Infiny, gives users on-demand access to its global interconnect fabric, which includes more than 600 network operators, cloud service providers (CSPs) and internet exchanges (IXs). The platform enables direct connectivity to world-leading cloud service providers including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud platform, Microsoft Azure and Alibaba Cloud as well as more than 90 data centre locations globally. Epsilon has recently announced that it will be deploying next-gen 100 Gigabyte per second (100G) packet optical switched ethernet technology to enable hyper-scale connectivity to support the growth of Big Data, IoT and Cloud on a global scale. The deployment will enable Epsilon to serve Metro Optics Canadian customer base with 100G connectivity on-demand via its Infiny platform. With a fast-growing ICT sector and a thriving interactive media industry, Canada has evolved into an important global digital hub, said Carl Roberts, Chief Commercial Officer at Epsilon. We are looking forward to working with Metro Optic to support the growing international connectivity and interconnection requirements needed by this business sector. Epsilon will offer direct access to the US market while acting as a bridge to both Europe and Asia. Our partnership also gives us significant reach into the Canadian market and allows us to continue to execute on our vision for global cloud-centric networking. Through our partnership with Epsilon, we can offer customers access to a global ecosystem of internet exchanges, network operators and leading cloud platforms on a massive 100 Gigabyte communications backbone. Through Infiny, this is accessible from one place, online and on-demand, said Michael Bucheit, Chief Executive Officer at Metro Optic. Epsilons global customer base will also now have seamless access to Canada and its network operators who service millions of Canadian enterprises and consumers. This regional access is facilitated through our interconnection hubs in Toronto and Montreal, which then extends to other key data centre locations over our high-speed fibre network. Support documents such as a fact sheet on Metro Optic, the company logo, bios and photos of its principals, are available in this dropbox/click here. About Metro Optic Metro Optic is Canadas largest independent, carrier-neutral operator of high-capacity fiber networks and carrier-dense interconnection and colocation facilities. The company offers dark and lit fiber solutions to medium and large sized businesses, telecom carriers, cloud operators, wholesalers and datacenter operators. The Metro Optic network reaches critical corporate and wholesale datacenters and interconnection locations in the greater Montreal and Toronto areas. Under the I.C.E Datacenters brand (www.icedatacenters.com), Metro Optic operates multiple carrier-neutral, fiber- and provider-dense interconnection datacenters in Canada. These include leading interconnection sites in downtown Montreal and in Markham (Toronto). Metro Optic is a leading player for digital growth in Canada. For more information visit www.metrooptic.com . About Epsilon Epsilon is a global Cloud-centric Network Service Provider, extending carrier grade connectivity services to the worlds communications and cloud ecosystems. The company offers smart networking capabilities that combine on-demand infrastructure, automation, web-based portals and APIs to give partners friction-free access to global connectivity. All Epsilon services are powered by a next generation hyper-scalable global backbone which connects all the leading telecoms hubs globally. Across this fabric encompasses a dense ecosystem of carriers, service operators and Cloud providers offering the leading interconnect point for a diverse set of network and connectivity requirements. For more information, visit www.epsilontel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005 PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 06:05:04 Press Information Published by ACN Newswire +65 6304 8926 e-mail https://www.acnnewswire.com/ # 678 Words ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926 World's first blockchain-based e-Certificate of Origin [eCO] unveiled in Singapore yesterdaySINGAPORE, May 9, 2018 - The world's first blockchain-based Electronic Certificate of Origin [eCO] platform was unveiled in Singapore yesterday by the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce [SICC] and Singapore-based cross-border solutions provider vCargo Cloud Pte [VCC].Developed by VCC, a 50.01%-owned subsidiary of SGX-listed DeClout Ltd., the eCO platform will vastly improve transparency, security and efficiency in authenticating trade documents. It permits instant verification of eCOs and runs on a private blockchain network that prevents fraud, alterations and third-party interference.SICC and VCC unveiled the platform at a ceremony officiated by Guest-of-Honour Mr Chua Taik Him, Singapore's Senior Advisor of Enterprise, which was attended by over 100 senior Singaporean officials from trade-related agencies and industry leaders.The platform represents a quantum leap in processing CO's and other trade-related documents by hosting information of trade transactions on a tamper-proof distributed ledger system, which can be authenticated and accessed by various stakeholders to the platform.A certificate of origin [CO] is an international trade document which certifies that the goods in a specific shipment have been wholly obtained, produced, manufactured or processed in the stated country. An initial group of users will move to the new system, with the remaining users transiting in subsequent phasesVCC's platform utilises QR codes, allowing eCOs to be scanned using smart phones and then printed. Allowable prints are restricted to prevent unauthorised duplicates. The system improves efficiency and minimises the costs of verifying COs, removing a major impediment in the process and a frequent cause of high insurance or trade finance costs.As the first chamber to implement blockchain-based eCOs, the SICC seeks to provide a trade facilitation system that offers the highest security, efficiency and flexibility to its members, trade-related agencies and users of complementary services such as trade financing and insurance.VCC intends to leverage on the Singapore launch to promote the platform globally, beginning with Asian countries that are substantive manufacturing exporters such as Japan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, using the pay-per-use model.The launch of the blockchain-based eCO platform comes amidst the Singapore Government's call for a Self-Certification regime through the ASEAN Single Window, which aims to expedite freight clearance and reduce manual paperwork across all 10 member countries.This new solution will also strengthen Singapore's position as a global innovation hub and reinforces the city-state's strong commitment to driving the digitalisation of trade to improve productivity.Mr Victor Mills, Chief Executive of SICC, said: "SICC is honoured to work with VCC on the launch of its platform. This new eCO system revolutionises essentially 19th century processes, providing greater security for all users as well as a clear, unambiguous audit trail through the use of blockchain. I congratulate VCC on its launch." Mr Desmond Tay, CEO of VCC, remarked: "The launch of this eCO solution will make VCC the first in the industry to make eCOs immutable. These blockchain capabilities will be incorporated across our CamelONE cross-border digital platform, making it even more secure and robust."As an industry leader with established partnerships and an extensive regional presence, VCC will strive to deliver continual improvements and innovations in our solutions, and to meet the rising global demand for the digitalisation of trade and logistics processes." About SICCThe Singapore International Chamber of Commerce [SICC] represents over 600 companies and 40 nationalities. Membership is split between local and foreign multi-nationals, large organizations and medium, small and start-up companies. The Chamber focuses on: human capital, collaborative innovation, the circular economy and certification services. For more information, please visit www.sicc.com.sg About VCCvCargo Cloud (VCC), a leading e-trade and e-logistics platform provider, offers solutions through its CamelONE to governments and companies worldwide. VCC revolutionizes the marketplace by allowing businesses in trade, logistics and the supply chain to converge, communicate and collaborate on this cloud platform. VCC is a DeClout [SGX:5UL] portfolio company. Please visit www.vcargocloud.com Enquiries:Sharon Lim, SICC, Director Membership Engagement, sharon@ sicc.com.sg Priscilla Yew, VCC, Senior Marketing Executive, priscilla.yew@vcargocloud.com Global Single Cell Analysis Market - Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2013-2017 and Forecast 2018-2024 Single Cell Analysis Market PR-Inside.com: 2018-05-09 06:34:34 Press Information Precision Business Insights 152 160 City Road, London EC1V 2NX Satya Marketing Lead +1-866-598-1553 email https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com # 791 Words 152 160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXMarketing Lead+1-866-598-1553 Global Single Cell Analysis Market: By Product Type (Assay Kits, Reagents, Beads, Micro Plates, and Others), By Cell Type (Animal Cell, Microbial Cell, and Plant cell), By Technique (Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), Microscopy, Flow Cytometry, Spectrophotometry, and Others), By Application (Research Application and Medical Application), By End User (Hospitals and Diagnostic Laboratories, IVF Centers and Cell Banks, Academic and Research Laboratories, Biopharmaceuticals and Biotechnology companies), and Geography - Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2013-2017 and Forecast 2018-2024Global single cell analysis market was valued at US$ XX Mn in 2017 and expected to grow at 16.0% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over 2018 to 2024Market Outline: Global Single Cell Analysis MarketSingle cell analysis is a technology helps to sequence the whole human genome at the single cell level. Single cell analysis includes the proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, and transcriptomics. Single cell analysis is carried to analyze and measure the cellular heterogeneity and to define the specific cell type or cell state in the given population. This technique has immense applications in the field of medicine by interpreting the life at fundamental level.A sample of this report is available upon request @Market Dynamics: Global Single Cell Analysis MarketIncrease in the prevalence of infectious diseases and chronic diseases such as cancer, immunological, and neurological disorders are anticipated to drive the global single cell analysis market over the forecast years. Rise in government funding for cell-based research, technological advancements in the single cell analysis instruments, rise in focus on personalized medicine, and rise in R&D activities in biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are expected to propel the global single cell analysis market. However, high cost of R&D, lack of skilled professionals, and ethical and legal issues in the interpretation may hamper the growth of global single cell analysis market.Market Scope: Global Single Cell Analysis MarketGlobal single cell analysis market is segmented based on product type, cell type, technique, application, and end userBased on the product type, the market is segmented into the following: Assay Kits Reagents Beads Micro Plates OthersBased on the cell type, market is segmented into the following: Animal Cell Microbial Cell Plant cellBased on the technique, the market is segmented into the following: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Microscopy Flow Cytometry Spectrophotometry OthersTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @Regional Analysis: Global Single Cell Analysis MarketGeographically, global single cell analysis market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America single cell analysis market growth driven by increase in the R&D activities by the biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies, rise in prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, and government initiatives such as single cell analysis program by National Institute of Health (U.S.) to overcome the challenges in this technique are expected to boost the market. Europe single cell analysis market has a lucrative growth, which is attributed to establishment of biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, rise in preference for personalized medicine, and increase in government funding for the cell-based research are expected to propel the market. However, a prominent growth observed in Asia Pacific single cell analysis market due to escalation in medical tourism, large patient pool, and development in healthcare infrastructure are expected to drive the revenue of market.Need more information about this report @Competition Assessment: Global Single Cell Analysis MarketSome of the players in the global single cell analysis market include: Merck KGaA (Germany) Danaher Corporation (U.S.) Agilent Technologies (U.S.) Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.) Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.) General Electric Company (U.K.) Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.(U.S.) Illumina, Inc. (U.S.) NuGEN Technologies Inc. (U.S.) 10x Genomics(U.S.)Notable Market Developments: Global Single Cell Analysis Market In September 2017, Becton, Dickinson and Company launched a single cell analysis platform BD Rhapsody for RNA expression analysisGet 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.com Toll Free (US):+1-866-598-1553Website @ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday declared open the 2018 edition of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) conference with a revelation that the nation had increased its tax net from 14 million in May 2017 to 19 million this year. Mr Osinbajo, who was the Special Guest of honour at the event, stated that as at Dec. 2017, only 943 Nigerians paid self-assessed taxes of less than N1 million. Earlier, I noted that as of May 2017, only 14 million economically active Nigerians paid taxes. I am pleased to not That the number is now in excess of 19 million and still growing, he said. This means that efforts led by the federal Inland Revenue Service in collaboration with many of the states inland revenue services have already added more than five million new tax payers to the tax base. But there is still a lot of work ahead of us; as Nigeria races to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of tax compliance we all have a role to play in this. The Vice President noted that tax issues were not exciting to anyone but added that it was an argument on whether one should pay taxes or enjoy dividend of governance. According to him, in reality it should not be debated as compliance and good governance should exist side by side as the head and tail of a social contract that binds citizens and government. He said it was difficult to explain the cynicism displayed by Nigerians about governance and about fulfilling their tax responsibilities. Governments generally have the nonchalance of fulfilling their own part of the social contract. But it is also a fact that when people pay taxes, they are more inclined to hold their governments to account. He noted that it was almost 300 years since no taxation without representation became the rallying cry for the U.S. covenant and one of the main triggers of their revolution that earned U.S. colonies at the time independence from Great Britain. Mr Osinbajo noted that Nigeria had experienced the Aba and Abeokuta tax riots incidentally both championed by women. The moral is a simple one that when citizens pay their full share of taxes they take more than a passing interest in how they are governed and how public funds are utilized and accounted for, he stated. Mr Osinbajo said that government had relied more in the past on oil revenues than on taxation adding that a decline in taxation depicted a decline in governments accountability and ability to deal with the needs of the people. He said poor tax management was one of the issues that increased corruption in the system adding that the fact remained that the tax payer was less tolerant of corruption than another who failed to pay. He stated that because what government spent was oil money and taxes of few persons a lot of people saw governments money as belonging to no one. Mr Osinbajo stated that the present administration was determined to change the state of affairs and also determined to restore the social contract between the government and the citizens by ensuring prudence in public expenditure. We have aggressively expanded the implementation of the TSA and IPPIS both designed to ensure that public funds are transparently managed and spent. In the process we have succeeded in proving that process reforms are only as good and effective as their implementation. The TSAs unified system of bank account domiciled in the CBN has proved to be far more transparent and cost effective than the old scenario where government agencies maintained thousands of accounts across many commercial banks because of the TSA the federal government realizes monthly saving of at least N4billion which could have gone on commercial bank charges alone. The Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) has also tightened controls on federal payrolls and pension systems elimination tens of thousands of ghost workers and saving us more than N200 billion that would have gone to these ghost workers, he added. Mr Osinbajo stated that such savings were instrumental to the huge government expenditure on infrastructure and human capital development than any previous government in spite of the recession and dwindling earnings. The Vice President referred to the tax innovation of late Obafemi Awolowo as premier of the old Western region which enabled the administration to raise money for huge infrastructure, agriculture and free education. He, however, noted with dismay that the states in the western region besides Lagos did not earn enough taxes to pay salaries and any other major development effort. Without federal allocation, most states cannot survive; Lagos state alone takes in as much Internally Generated Revenue as 31 states combined; it tells you how little the other states manage to bring in in IGR, he noted. Mr Osinbajo stated that the countrys tax-to- GDP ratio was at six per cent but with the reforms in the tax system might rise to 15 per cent in 2020. He said the administration had taken steps to curtail tax evasion by multi-national companies as well as prevent citizens from hiding their assets abroad. (NAN) The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to suspend the planned sale of its 49 per cent share capital at the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG). The resolution was taken after the House adopted a motion moved by Randolph Brown (PDP, Rivers). The House said halting the sale of the share capital was in the interest of the nation. Moving the motion, Mr Brown said it would be absurd to sell the NLNG stake which stands as one of the most successful investments for Nigeria and is still functioning optimally. He said proceeds from the NLNG bailed out Nigeria from the clutches of recession in 2015. It is not in any conventional economic reality for any nation to resort to selling off its assets during challenging times, as this exhibits leadership laxity and policy myopia, he said. The Federal Government had planned to sell its stake in the multi-billion dollar firm to resuscitate the Nigerian economy. The proposal was as a result of the recommendation of a Ministerial Retreat in 2016 for an ambitious fiscal stimulus plan involving the generation and injection of massive foreign capital, estimated at between $10 and $15 billion (about N4 trillion) into the economy to help the recession recovery process. The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma, had disclosed that one of the ways to fund the plan would be through the sale of some national assets and the proceeds reinvested in the economy to raise the needed capital for infrastructural development. The NLNG is one of the most successful ventures that Nigeria has embarked upon. The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Nigerian Labour Union, among other organisations have also warned the Federal Government against the proposed sale of national assets, especially the NLNG. An ad-hoc committee have been mandated to ensure compliance and revert to the House. Five tax amendment bills are coming, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo announced Wednesday in Abuja. The vice president said the federal governments committee on the National Tax Policy (NTP) has drafted five amendment bills which will soon be sent to the National Assembly. This is in collaboration with states and other stakeholders to ensure that Nigerias tax laws and the NTP are friendly and realistic. Our tax system requires review, to among others, ensure removal of obsolete and contradictory clauses. That was why we raised a committee in 2016. The committees work has produced five amendment bills that will soon be sent to National Assembly. Our aim is that no one is left at the mercy of bad tax regime. I am happy at new levels of cooperation between states and the federal government which we have seen in the implementation of VAIDS. I am pleased to note that the number of registered taxpayers is now in excess of 19 million, he said. The vice president said the embrace of technology to collect tax and to block leakages in public expenditurelike the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and accompanying transparency in public expenditure, are significant game changers. He compared the changes this brought about to the impact which invention of electricity had on peoples lives when it was invented. Mr Osinbajo who spoke ex-tempore noted that the CITN conference held on the day Obafemi Awolowo died some 30 years ago. He noted that free education, which was funded solely from tax revenue, ensured a spiral in school enrolment in the old Western region-from 355,000 in 1952 when it was introduced to 811,000 in 1959. It was the highest in Africa at the time. The vice president noted too that key infrastructural provision in Western Nigeria: University of Ife, Airport hotel in Ikeja, 25-storey building Cocoa House building in Ibadan, several industrial estates in many parts of the Western Region, were made possible by tax money from peoples pocket. Citing further statistics about national tax collection, the vice president observed that Lagos alone generates more Internally Generated Revenue than over 30 states combined. Of the 70 million taxable individuals, only 14 million pay any form of tax. Of the 943 individuals who pay any form of self-assessment and who pay above N10 million, 941 live in Lagos State. Two live in Ogun State. The vice president who observed that tax is not a subject that excites most people in the world, said tax is a social-contract question that should bind citizens and trigger robust interest in governance, accountability and democracy. He recalled that it was tax that triggered the slogan No taxation without representation that was the rallying cry for the American war of independence. Tax, he said, was also at the root of the riots in Aba and Abeokuta both led by women. He noted the gains of over N200 billion which the federal government made from the deployment of technology to track ghost workers and the Treasury Single Account (TSA) from whence the federal government has made savings of about N4 billion monthly. This has strengthened its ability to spend more on infrastructure, he said. He also said the economic prosperity of Nigeria will come from taxation and encouraged taxpayers to always tax right taxes at the right time as that is the fulfilment of their responsibilities as citizens. At the same event, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Tunde Fowler, said the service is building a robust that system that is making tax payment convenient to taxpayers both at the federal level and at the states and local government levels. What we are doing is to build a tax system that will not only be effective at the Federal level but also at the states and local government levels. Nobody wants to pay taxes. Not even the tax administrator. So, we have to make tax payment convenient and attractive. Attractive in the sense that people must see what you are doing with the tax money. That is what the FIRS and the Joint Tax Board (JTB) are doing, he said. Mr Fowler said it is the culture of the JTB to go to the states to inspect projects that state governments are handling. By doing that, he said, states which are not doing well get inspired by their counterparts who are using the tax money well to build facilities for their people. The only way you can improve the tax system is through technology. FIRS has rolled out six-online solutions through which you can pay your taxes online (e-payment), e-receipt. You can download your receipts and authenticate the receipts using your smart phones. We have e-Stamp duties, e-filing, e-Withholding Tax e-alerts, e-payment, e-Tax Clerance Certificates, (etc). Our job is like that of a medical doctor, we ensure that businesses are healthy. It is when businesses are healthy that they can make profits and pay taxes. We have changed the orientation of our staff to make them see their jobs as stewardship. We let the staff know that they are there to serve the taxpayers. The theme for this years CITN conference is Institutionalising Taxpaying Culture in Developing Economies. CITN President, Cyril Ikemefuna, said theme for the year was crafted given the need for a change in the taxpaying culture in Nigeria. Hardliners in Irans parliament burnt a U.S. flag in the chamber early Wednesday, after President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran. The parliamentarians shouted Down with America and burnt a symbolic copy of the deal as well, according to the Iranian news agency ISNA, which published a picture of five lawmakers taking part. Irans hardliners had always been opposed to the deal, which was aimed at halting Irans nuclear weapons programme in exchange for the easing of economic sanctions, and have attacked President Hassan Rowhani for signing it. Mr Trumps announcement represented a decisive break with his European allies, who had lobbied him hard to keep the pact in place, arguing that there was no viable alternative. After his statement on Tuesday, Germany, France and Britain announced that they would remain parties to the agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), while Rowhani said that Tehran would also work to uphold it. The French, British and German foreign ministers would meet with officials from Tehran on Monday to discuss how to move forward, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told French radio station RTL early Wednesday. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, wrote on Twitter that Irans commitment depended on its remaining partners in the deal, which also include China and Russia. Ill spearhead a diplomatic effort to examine whether remaining JCPOA participants can ensure its full benefits for Iran. Outcome will determine our response, he said. NAN reports that the JCPOA is an international agreement on the nuclear programme of Iran reached in Vienna on July 14, 2015 between Iran, the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security CouncilChina, France, Russia, UK, U.S.plus Germany). Formal negotiations toward the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Irans nuclear programme began with the adoption of the JCPOA, an interim agreement signed between Iran and the P5+1 countries in November 2013. For the next twenty months, Iran and the P5+1 countries engaged in negotiations, and in April 2015 agreed on an Iran nuclear deal framework for the final agreement. In July 2015, Iran and the P5+1 confirmed agreement on the plan along with the Roadmap Agreement made between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Under the agreement, Iran agreed to eliminate its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium, cut its stockpile of low-enriched uranium by 98 per cent, and reduce by about two-thirds the number of its gas centrifuges for 13 years. For the next 15 years, Iran will only enrich uranium up to 3.67 per cent. Iran also agreed not to build any new heavy-water facilities for the same period of time. Uranium-enrichment activities will be limited to a single facility using first-generation centrifuges for 10 years. Other facilities will be converted to avoid proliferation risks. To monitor and verify Irans compliance with the agreement, the IAEA will have regular access to all Iranian nuclear facilities. The agreement provides that in return for verifiably abiding by its commitments, Iran will receive relief from U.S., European Union, and UN Security Council nuclear-related economic sanctions. On October 13, 2017, Mr Trump announced that the U. S. would not make the certification provided for under U.S. domestic law, but stopped short of terminating the deal. On April 30, the U.S. and Israel stated that Iran did not disclose a past covert nuclear weapons programme to the IAEA, which was required in the 2015 deal. (dpa/NAN) The raging floods that have engulfed Kenya since March have claimed 132 lives and displaced 222,456 people, the government said on Wednesday. Karanja Kibicho, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, called on Kenyans to exercise caution and extreme care during heavy rains in flood prone areas. Latest statistics indicate that 222,456 people have been displaced by floods while, sadly, another 132 lives have been lost in the floods, Kibicho said in a statement issued in Nairobi. He said a multi-sectoral team which had been formed since the onset of the rainy season in March has been working round the clock to rescue flood victims as well as to provide food and medicines to citizens in all the affected 32 counties in the country. Kibicho said the government had so far distributed food worth $6 million and large quantities of essential medicines to prevent or contain outbreak of water borne diseases. The government will continue to carry out various mitigation activities across the floods affected parts of the country to rescue marooned citizens, distribute food and medicines. Others are water, restore water and sanitation systems to ensure hygienic conditions, Mr Kibicho said. The East African nation has been experiencing unprecedented flooding in recent days as torrential rains pound the country shortly after it had come out of a severe drought season marked by hunger and water scarcity. The low lying plains have borne the brunt of floods as evidenced by massive destruction of homes, farms, infrastructure and basic amenities like schools and hospitals. Many schools in the arid and semi-arid regions are already submerged in floods hence putting uncertainties on resumption of studies after the April holiday. Major cities have also been affected by flooding that is to blame for gridlock and clogged drainage system. It is feared that an epidemic could erupt in big cities like Nairobi and Mombasa due to contamination of drinking water. (Xinhua/NAN) Haspel, who has no plans to violate the law. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images We learned last week that President Trumps nominee to lead the CIA, Deputy Director Gina Haspel, nearly withdrew her name from consideration over fears that she would face a brutal confirmation process that would damage her reputation and that of the CIA. The White House talked her out of it, but its still unclear if she can be confirmed. Senate Democrats, and a few Republicans, have serious concerns about her time directing black site interrogation centers post-9/11, and her successful push for the destruction of nearly 100 videos documenting interrogation sessions. But on the eve of Wednesdays confirmation hearing, excerpts of what she plans to tell the Senate Intelligence Committee revealed that lawmakers have absolutely nothing to worry about. If confirmed, Haspel wont restart the horrific torture program that led to the closing of the black sites and the passage of new anti-torture legislation she promises! Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program, Haspel plans to say. Haspels critics object to her refusal to declassify documents related to her 30-year career at the CIA, and according to the Washington Post, her prepared testimony is peppered with dramatic yet vague allusions to her work. I recall my first foreign agent meeting was on a dark, moonless night with an agent Id never met before, she is expected to say. When I picked him up, he passed me the intelligence, and I passed him extra money for the men he led. Haspel will have the opportunity to share more information with senators in a closed-door hearing following her public testimony. She plans to say that if we cant share aspects of our secret work with the public, we should do so with their elected representatives. One unlikely source is pushing to be allowed to share his view of Haspel: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The New York Times reports that this week the architect of the 9/11 attack asked a military judge at Guantanamo Bay for permission to share six paragraphs of information about Haspel with the Senate Intelligence Committee. Its unclear if the judge will rule in time for Haspels hearing. The committee previously found Mohammed underwent 15 waterboarding sessions, and was also subjected to unnecessary rectal rehydration, deprived of sleep, put into stress positions, slapped, and slammed into a wall. He was held in secret CIA prisons in Afghanistan and Poland. We know that Haspel supervised a black site in Thailand where Al Qaeda suspects were waterboarded in 2002, but its unknown if she had any connection to Mohammeds torture. President Trump has often spoken highly of so-called enhanced interrogation, and he once proclaimed torture works (though Mohammed offered up false information during such interrogations). On Monday Trump tweeted that Haspel is being criticized merely because she was too tough on Terrorists [sic]. Other Trump officials suggested that anyone who opposes her nomination doesnt really support women. Haspel received another large show of support from outside the Trump administration on Tuesday. Thirty-six former CIA chiefs, intelligence community leaders, and lawmakers signed a letter to the Senate Intelligence Committee calling Haspel an excellent choice to lead the CIA at a time when our intelligence community is under significant pressure at home and abroad. As a human intelligence officer, there is no doubt that Ms. Haspel was often called upon to make tough choices and to work on matters that some find deeply controversial, the letter says. But she did so with dedication and commitment to the cause of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, as well as to the safety and security of our nation and its citizens. U.S. President Donald Trumps announcement that he is withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was silly and superficial, Irans supreme leader said on Wednesday, according to his official website. You heard last night that the president of America made some silly and superficial comments, said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened the regime and the people, saying Ill do this and that. Mr Trump I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: Youve made a mistake. Khamenei, the highest authority in Iran, reluctantly gave his backing for the Iran nuclear deal and has publicly criticized the U.S. multiple times for not following through on its promises under the agreement. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced the U. S. would no longer remain part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and promised to re-impose the highest level of economic sanctions against Iran in response to Tehrans development of nuclear programme. Egypt stresses importance of the involvement of the concerned Arab states in any dialogue on the future of the Middle East, particularly, in relation to possible changes to the Iranian nuclear deal, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Cairo urged Iran and regional states to avoid any steps that could undermine security in the Middle East or lead to military confrontations, according to the statement. Meanwhile, the UAE welcomed Trumps decision to withdraw from the deal, as it did not guarantee that Iran would not acquire nuclear weapon in future, according to the countrys Foreign Ministrys statement. The decision was also welcomed by Saudi Arabia and Israel. In response to the U.S. move, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Tehran was not going to withdraw from the JCPOA, and that the agreement remained between Iran and the five remaining participants of the deal. He noted that the United States never fulfilled the obligations under the nuclear deal, unlike Iran. On July 14, 2015, the European Union and the P5+1 group of countries China, Germany, France, Russia, the UK and the U.S., signed the JCPOA with Iran. The accord stipulated a gradual lifting of anti-Iranian sanctions in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear programme and allowing inspections to ensure that the nature of the program is peaceful. (Reuters/NAN) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to return from North Korea with three American detainees, as well as details of an upcoming summit between leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump, a South Korean official said on Wednesday. Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday from Japan and headed to the Koryo Hotel in the North Korean capital for meetings. The top U.S. diplomat and officials accompanying him were feted at a lunch by Kim Yong Chol, a former spy chief and currently the Norths director of the United Front Department which is responsible for inter-Korean relations. Trump earlier broke the news of Pompeos second visit to North Korea in less than six weeks and said the two countries had agreed on a date and location for the summit, although he stopped short of providing details. An official at South Koreas presidential Blue House said Pompeo was expected to finalize the date of the summit and secure the release of the three American detainees. While Trump said it would be a great thing if the American detainees were freed, Pompeo told reporters en route to Pyongyang he had not received such a commitment but hoped North Korea would do the right thing. Well talk about it again today, he said. I think itd be a great gesture if they would choose to do so. At lunch on Wednesday, Pompeo said the United States is committed to working with North Korea to achieve peace on the Korean peninsula. I have high expectations the United States will play a very big role in establishing peace on the Korean peninsula, said Kim, the former spy chief. The remarks were provided in a pool report. In response, Pompeo said the group with him was equally committed to working with you to achieve exactly that. For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and make your country have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve, Pompeo added. The pending U.S.-North Korea summit has sparked a flurry of diplomacy, with Japan, South Korea and China holding a high-level meeting on Wednesday. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said concerned parties should seize the opportunity to promote denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who attended the meeting along with South Korean President Moon Jae-In, said his nation would normalize ties with North Korea if the nuclear and missile issues, along with that of the abduction of Japanese citizens, were solved comprehensively. We must take the recent momentum toward denuclearization on the Korean peninsula and toward peace and security in Northeast Asia, and, cooperating even further with international society, make sure this is linked to concrete action by North Korea, Abe told a news conference after the meeting. North Korea has admitted to kidnapping 13 Japanese citizens decades ago to train spies. Five have returned to Japan. The three U.S. detainees still being held are Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-chul; Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, who spent a month teaching at the foreign-funded Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) before he was arrested in 2017; and Kim Hak-song, who also taught at PUST. (Reuters/NAN) The European Union vowed to preserve the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday, which might put the bloc on a collision course with the one country that does want to end the deal: the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was withdrawing his country from the international agreement, which is aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. As long as Iran continues to implement its nuclear-related commitments, as it is doing so far, the EU will remain committed to the continued full and effective implementation of the nuclear deal, said EU Foreign Policy Chief, Federica Mogherini, just minutes after Trumps announcement. The EU is determined to preserve it. We expect the rest of the international community to continue to do its part to guarantee that it continues to be fully implemented, for the sake of our own collective security. While the withdrawal of the US doesnt automatically end the deal, the re-imposition of US sanctions will essentially make it moot as Iran would not be able to enjoy most of its economic benefits due to insecurities tied to the US sanctions. Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld. Our governments will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case, including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement, the leaders of Germany, France and Britain said in a statement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May also urged the U.S. to avoid taking action which obstructs the implementation of the deal. The 2015 deal was struck between six global powers Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the U.S. and Iran with the EU, playing a key role coordinating the diplomatic efforts. This is one of the rare concrete achievements of EU multilateral diplomacy in the past years, said Ali Vaez, Director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preventing crises. Preserving that deal might put the EU on a collision course with the US. The U.S. remains our closest partner and friend and we will continue to work together on many other issues, Mogherini said. However, she noted, the nuclear deal was not in the hands of any single country to terminate it unilaterally. Signalling the growing divide, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Twitter that U.S. policies would be met with a united European approach. He said EU leaders, who are set to meet in Sofia next week for a summit, would discuss the U.S. decision to leave the Iran deal and to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium products, from which the EU is still trying to get a permanent exemption. Mogherini also had some words of encouragement to Irans citizens and leaders that also contained some veiled criticism of Trumps decision. Do not let anyone dismantle this agreement, she said. It is one of the biggest achievements diplomacy has ever delivered, and we have built this together. She said the deal was a win-win solution that demonstrated that respect can be a universal language. Stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours and together, with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal, she said. (dpa/NAN) Three detained U.S. citizens freed by North Korea on Wednesday are en route to the U.S., where President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are due to welcome them home. The flight carrying Kim Hak-Song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-Chul is scheduled to land at 2.00 a.m (0600 GMT) on Thursday at a military base outside Washington. Ill be there to greet them, Mr Trump said at the White House. Mike will be with me. The reception will be a very special time because nobody thought this was going to happen, the president added. U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said the three Americans had received a quick medical examination and their health is as good as could be, given what theyve been through. They were prepared to transfer to another plane better equipped to handle medical needs during a stopover in Japan, Pompeo said. Mr Pompeo flew on Tuesday to Pyongyang to finalise the day, venue and other details of a highly-anticipated summit between Mr Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Mr Trump said final details about the meeting would be announced within three days. He also said the meeting wont take place at the demilitarised zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea. He previously said the DMZ was appealing due to its symbolism, especially if the talks proved successful. Mr Trump said he was optimistic about the talks with North Korea. I think we have a really good shot at making it successful. But lots of things can happen, he said, including the meeting being scuttled. He also praised Jong-Un for the release of the three Americans. I appreciate Kim Jong-Un for doing this, Mr Trump said. Ahead of his arrival in the North Korean capital, Mr Pompeo said he hoped the visit which followed his secret trip to Pyongyang around April 1 would put in place a framework for a successful summit between the two presidents. Mr Pompeos latest visit had prompted speculation about the release of the Americans, who had reportedly been moved in April from a labour camp to a hotel on the outskirts of Pyongyang. It also brought back memories of the release in 2017 of U.S. student Otto Warmbier following his detention, conviction and sentencing to 15 years of hard labour for crimes against the state. Mr Warmbier was sent back to the U.S. in June in a coma and died days later. The Warmbier case heightened tensions between Mr Trump and North Korea, as the U.S. was tightening sanctions amid a series of nuclear tests and missile launches by Pyongyang. His parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in April against the country. Mr Trump also was asked about news reports quoting people, who say he deserves the Nobel Prize for his efforts in resolving tensions with North Korea. The prize I want is victory for the world, he responded. Thats the only prize I want. (dpa/NAN) The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced that it is partnering with private investors and German authorities to set up a medical facility it says would become a centre of excellence. The medical university is separate from the existing massive specialist hospital initiated and constructed by the Godswill Akpabio administration. Completed and commissioned with fanfare a few days before Mr Akpabios exit from office on May 2015, the N41 billion specialist hospital has been enmeshed in several crisis leading to it being shut down last year. However, the facility is now back and running, the state commissioner of health, Dominic Ukpong, told PREMIUM TIMES. On Friday, the foundation stone of the ultra-modern Thompson & Grace Medical University was laid in Afaha Obong located in the outskirts of Uyo, the state capital. A private investor and Managing Director/CEO of Thompson & Grace Investment Limited, Isaac Amos, said he was collaborating with the state government and some of the worlds international medical and research institutions to establish the institution. It is not yet clear what other role the state government is playing in the partnership, beyond providing the land where the facility would be located. Mr Ukpong refused to disclose details of the states role in the partnership when PREMIUM TIMES called him for further enquiries. But, the state governor, who confirmed the partnership, said at the foundation stone laying ceremony that his administration is confident its partnership with the private investors and the German authorities to execute the institution would impact Akwa Ibom in particular and Nigeria at large. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Moses Ekpo, said at a time Nigeria was in dire need of qualified medical personal for its hospitals, the new university would be of immense benefit, not only to Akwa Ibom, but Nigeria as a whole. The governor expressed delight with the strategic objective set out by the university, saying there was every reason to believe it would become a centre of excellence. He said the facility would further fast-track the process of technology transfer in the vital area of quality healthcare service delivery in the country. Mr Emmanuel said the project of this magnitude comes with a lot of value addition and multiplier effect, especially in the area of job creation. Representative of the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck, Christopher Wenzel, at the foundation laying ceremony of the Thompson & Grace Medical University in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Moses Ekpo, and Director of Project Management Office, Thompson & Grace Medical University, Emmanuel Umoh, watch, As from projected statistics, I am told when fully operational, this medical facility has the capacity to accommodate up to 35,000 workers (direct and indirect) in what appears one of the biggest foreign direct investment drives in this part of the world, the governor said. He, however, assured the management team of the T&G Medical University and its promoters that the state government fully identified with the project and would continue to provide whatever support was required to create the environment for its success. In his welcome statement, Managing Director/CEO of Thompson & Grace Investment Limited, Isaac Amos, said the initiative was driven by three critical and closely-related needs in healthcare and medical education in Nigeria. Mr Amos, who is also the principal promoter of the TGMU, listed the needs to include: need for qualified healthcare professionals in Nigeria; the need for world-class medical university capable of innovative research and development (R&D) in Nigeria and Africa, and the need for affordable and accessible healthcare services in Nigeria. He said these needs inspired his organisation to seek collaboration with some international medical and research institutions across the world to establish the institution. Representative of the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck, Christopher Wenzel, at the foundation laying ceremony of the Thompson & Grace Medical University in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Moses Ekpo, and Director of Project Management Office, Thompson & Grace Medical University, Emmanuel Umoh, watch, The collaborating institutions, he said, include, USTAWI Research Institute, USA; HKS Inc., USA; Center for Health Systems & Design, Texas A&M University USA, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, USA, and University Medical Center of Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE), Germany. Others include, UKE Consult Und Management GmbH, Germany, Hellmann Worldwide Healthcare Logistics GmbH, Germany, among others. The proprietor said he had researched, planned, designed and created a healthcare model of a medical city where people can Work, Live, Learn, Heal and Play. The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck, performed the foundation laying ceremony. He led another German medical expert, and Executive Dean of the Medical Faculty of University Medical Center Eppendorf (UKE), Germany, Uwe Koch-Gromus, to the event. The foundation stones laid were those of the TGMC Senate and General Administration Buildings, as well as the Community Primary Healthcare Hospital of the university. The ambassador was represented by Head of Corporation at the German Embassy, Christopher Wenzel. He expressed the concern of the people and government of Germany over the poor health service delivery system in Nigeria, assuring his government was willing to support the project to help improve the health standard of the people. The envoy called on governments and institutions in Nigeria and abroad to support the initiative to help create the environment for quality medical services in the country. Meanwhile, Mr Koch-Gromus said TGMC would lead the medical research and leverage on the experience of the University of Hamburg (UKE) to develop quality curriculum for medical students in Nigeria and Africa. TGMC is a good strategic partner that my institution needs in the area of medical research which is lacking in most institutions in Africa, he said. On July 31, 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Thompson & Grace Investment Limited, Lagos, and the University Medical Centre Eppendorf (UKE), Germany, at the German Embassy in Abuja. Under the MoU, operations are expected to commence in the next two years. (EDITORS NOTE: This story has been edited to reflect the fact the specialist hospital in Uyo is now functional after it was initially shut last year). The Federal Ministry of Health has stepped up surveillance at all entry points into Nigeria to prevent the spread of Ebola disease into the country, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, has said. This, he said, is as a result of the Ebola outbreak reported in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The minister, while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, said the Council ordered steps be taken to keep the outbreak from Nigeria. He said the development in DRC is of great concern to the Nigerian government. FEC has now directed the Federal Ministry of Health to step up emergency surveillance activities at all land and airport borders, so that we can actually keep Nigerians safe, he said. Part of the new measures to be taken include screening passengers coming into the country. Not only that, we will be screening incoming passengers, particularly passengers from DRC and neigbouring countries. We will also ensure we step up all activities screening people coming in so that we will not be caught unawares. Ebola has a tendency of spreading across borders through human migration if not well monitored. In 2014, the disease was imported to Nigeria through a Liberian diplomat who flew into Nigeria in an attempt to get to the US after contacting the disease in Liberia. As a result of this, eight Nigerians died from the disease and many others were infected, majority of them health workers. Mr Adewole said over the last one month, DRC recorded 19 suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever and lost 16 persons in the cases. What is also particularly important was that two blood samples out of the five collected from patients at a particular district on Monday in the DRC were confirmed positive, he said. Explaining steps to be taken by the government, the minister said Nigeria will set up an emergency operation centre. This he said would be chaired by Joshua Obasanya, who led the Nigerian team in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea during the outbreak in 2014. He added that the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will also consider sending a team to DRC as part of building capacity for managing the outbreak. We want to assure Nigerians that the federal government is concerned about the outbreak and will do everything possible to keep the country safe, he said. Also giving an update on the state of public health in Nigeria, Mr Adewole declared the emergency phase of Lassa fever outbreak which has been ravaging the country since January is over. According to him, this essentially implies that the emergency operating centre would be stood down. They will still continue surveillance so that if there are cases anywhere in the country we can quickly dectect it and then treat it appropriately, he added. Speaking on the ongoing Joint Health Sector Union strike, the minister said government was still negotiating with the union, with Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, leading the negotiation. He said government expected conclusion on all issues very soon. State leaders of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) say the states and local government health workers have agreed to join the ongoing strike by health workers of federal health institutions so as to mount maximum pressure on government to meet their demands. PREMIUM TIMES earlier Wednesday reported that the states and local governments health workers had been directed to join the strike by Wednesday midnight. There are common issues that bind us together and one of them is upward review of our consolidated salary scheme as it was done for medical doctors and if that of the federal is reviewed, it will reflect on our own salary scheme too, Olatunji Tajudeen, JOHESU Lagos State Council Chairman told PREMIUM TIMES. We can no longer leave only our federal counterparts to fight the battle alone because the strike is now creating so much work load in the states and local governments. Patients who can no longer receive services at tertiary institutions now turn to the states so it appears the impact was not much. But by the time we join, the federal government will feel the heat even more and they will know it is necessary to consider our own demands, Mr Tajudeen stated. He said any adjustment done at the federal level will trickle down to the workers at the state and local governments. He further noted that each state has peculiar demands which they are asking of their various governments, prompting them to join the industrial action. JOHESU, an association of health workers except doctors, has been on strike for three weeks now. Patients are worst hit as nurses and midwives some of the most influential members of JOHESU have all downed tools in federal health institutions. On dangers the strike pose on lives of patients in dire need of care, Mr Tajudeen said: If you noticed, this strike started three weeks ago, if we have a sensitive government which really cares about the affairs of the masses, they would have solved that problem. What are they waiting for? At first we gave them 21 days ultimatum, we gave another 30 days ultimatum yet they didnt do anything until the strike was declared and now its three weeks and they have not found solution. This is an irresponsible government. The masses should hold them accountable. Its only a few people that can afford private hospitals and the government officials are not bothered because they travel abroad to get medical attention. Also speaking, the unions South West States coordinator, Eze Uzondu, said the call to join their federal counterparts in the strike was not borne out of sympathy. He said the states are joining because the policy of government to bypass all other health workers and attend to only the doctors in both states and federal health institutions is unfair. What most state governments are saying is that we should go and bring the adjustment secular that can authorise them to apply the consolidated salary scheme. Based on that, it is not a sympathy strike, it is a trade union dispute by our members to also push the need for an adjustment for our own salary. What is affecting the federal is also affecting the states. When the medical doctors salaries were adjusted in Lagos State, JOHESU came for theirs but were told to get a secular to that effect from the federal because the policy is coming from the Federal Ministry of Health. They overlook other health workers. We want to show them that we have 95 percent of the workforce in the health sector and we can shut the sector down. The government had threatened to invoke the no work no pay rule on the striking workers but the union said they will be on the strike until their demands are met. The government later set up a high level committee to reconsider JOHESU demands. According to the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, 14 out of 15 demands of the union have been implemented, a claim JOHESU described as fallacious. No common ground has been reached in the series of meetings between the parties in a bid to resolve the crisis. Calls and text messages sent to the Health Minister and ministrys spokesperson, Boade Akinola, for response to the allegations by the union were not returned as at press time. The Enugu State Police Command has said that applicants with tattoos or suspicious body marks seeking for police jobs will be automatically disqualified. The commands spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Enugu. It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari recently gave approval for the immediate recruitment of 6,000 police officer to beef-up security in the country especially in the North-central states where suspected militia groups have been operating. Consequent on this, police commands across the country on Monday began the process of recruiting qualified Nigerians into the Force. Mr Amaraizu said that the exercise had been hitch-free with applicants from the 17 council areas in the state divided into the five working days of the week for effective coverage. The command spokesperson, however, said that he did not have the total number of applicants to be screened in the command but insisted that applicants must first undergo physical appearance screening and certificate presentation. He said that the applicants would also undergo extensive medical examinations, body mass and height index measures as well as sight check. Our psychologists are also on the screening venues to examine the applicants psychologically in order to know their emotional status. After the screenings, we send them to the JAMB bio-data capturing section, where they would be captured for the JAMB Computer Base Test (CBT). The JAMBs computer based test for the applicants nationwide would come up as soon as state commands conclude their basic screenings, he said. NAN reports that over 100,000 applicants nationwide applied for the police job for which only 6,000 would be taken as directed by the president. (NAN) Hamsatu Mustapha, a 36 years old widow, said she has no option than to forget about her home after Boko Haram attacked her village, Konduga, and forced her family to flee to Maiduguri, Borno State capital, about three years ago. She is among the few internally displaced persons (IDPs) that were able to initially come out of such situations with their family intact. That gives her a lot of joy, even though she lost virtually all her property in Konduga. Nothing, of all the things she and her late husband had worked for in their nearly two decades of marriage, means anything to her any more, she says. When we were in Konduga, we thought it was the best place anyone could live and raise a decent family, Mrs Mustapha said. But it was later when Boko Haram came to attack our village that we came to realise that Konduga was never in the list of the best places one could live peacefully. The only thing that is of essence to me now is my life and the well-being of my eight children. Nothing in Konduga, my birth place endears me any longer. I lost everything, including my dear husband to the insurgency. I think that is enough sacrifice for Konduga she said. Mrs Mustapha agreed that Konduga used to be one of the most resilient villages in Borno State that did not easily fall to the Boko Haram gunmen. It was attacked severally by the insurgents who were resisted by a strong force of the Nigeria military deployed there. It was in Konduga that the Nigeria military declared that Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the Boko Haram, was killed in September 2014. A claim that later turned out to be wrong, as the character paraded was just a lookalike of the deadly sect leader. Had Konduga fallen to Boko Haram during the peak of their hostility, the insurgents would have easily attacked Maiduguri or taken over the University of Maiduguri which is one of the largest federal government investment located at the outskirts of the city along the Maiduguri-Bama road. But when Konduga finally fell, the insurgents had lost their steam of advancing their troops into the state capital due to the heavy presence of soldiers along that axis. During the last attack that forced most of the villagers to flee, Mrs Mustapha said her husband sustained a serious injury but managed to escape, despite his critical health condition, to Maiduguri. Boko Haram chased us to live here in Modusulumri suburb of Maiduguri. The gunmen killed many people and burnt our houses, she told PREMIUM TIMES. We lost virtually everything that we ever possessed. It took us three days of wandering in the bush before we finally made it here. The Bulama of Modusulumri knew my husband, so he gave us an apartment in which the ten of us, comprising my husband, the eight children and I, have been living. Life as a Single Parent Like many displaced women, Mrs Mustapha would later become the head of her large family as her husband could not survive the injury he sustained while escaping the invasion of their community. My husband sustained a major injury from a gunshot and I continued to attend to him for about three years before he eventually died and left me a widow and mother to eight orphans. It would be an understatement to say that we suffered all through, she said. She explained that her family saw life at the lowest rung of human indignity where feeding and putting on decent clothing was a dreamed luxury. We continued to live by the mercy and kindness of neighbours who dont usually have much to offer at all times, she said. I go out every day to seek for menial jobs to feed the family; and as a caring mother, I do not want my teenage daughters to go out to seek means of getting food for us, because I have seen many girls being taken advantage of or even go out of their way to sell their bodies for money or food to feed the family. Each time I set out to look for what to do in peoples house where I wash clothes or do other chores, I had to prepare myself to take any kind of insults or ill-treatment as long as I can keep my familys dignity, she said. The Turning Point Life did not smile at us for over three years until recently when one of the international non-governmental organisations called NRC (Norwegian Refugee Council) came to our neighbourhood to carry out some kind of training for very poor people with interest in entrepreneur. I and other women were trained on how to do small scale business and then handed the sum of N43,500 as free grant to enable me set up a small scale business of my interest, Mrs Mustapha said. A truck filled by returnee IDPs on the day Government declared Bama safe for IDPs to return. (Photograph: Abdulkareem Haruna) She said the money given to her by the NRC became a major turning point for her and her children. In less than a year, the little provision stall she opened in front of where she lives with her family has grown and has become the main means of sustenance for her family. Now I no longer have to go out scouting at peoples homes to get menial jobs, she said. We may not be living on a standard that everyone wishes to have, but at least God has removed us from the list of thousands of other persons, especially women who are highly indigent and starving. Now we eat relatively well, and we even put on decent clothing with what we make out of the small business we are now managing. Above all, my kids are all going to the public school, which I can afford to pay for, she added. Going Back Home? Last month, the Borno State Government announced the official return of IDPs from Bama town to their reclaimed communities that is being rebuilt by the state government with support from the federal government. Konduga lies 37km along the highway that links Maiduguri and Bama; which means folks from Konduga too can return home as well. Though there are a few people living within the IDP camp in Konduga, the main settlement is still desolate. This news of IDPs returning did not excite Mrs Mustapha. We have suffered so much and lost everything back there in Konduga; but honestly I do not hope or even wish to return to that place, because even the thought of the village makes me feel so unsafe. I no longer have any of my relations there. The only relative I had was my husband and he is no more, today. So, even if I choose to return today, in whose house am I going to live? I have since resolved to spend the rest of my life here in Maiduguri where I feel safe; and I would not want to put my children in any harms way again. She said the news of continuing attacks around Maiduguri have also not encouraged her to return. I love my community because that is where I have my ancestry. But anyone who passed through what I experienced and saw what I beheld in the bush while running for dear life, would not be eager to rush back there especially at a time when Boko Haram fighters are still bringing attacks from the bush to the township here. Mrs Mustapha said she counts her misfortune as an act of providence. Maybe it is Gods wish that the next generation of my family will spring up from Maiduguri and not Konduga, she said, eyes filled with tears. We were forced by Boko Haram to come here, and here shall we tarry for a very long time to come. Besides I see my children having a better and secured life here than back there in the hinterlands. A 2017 report on humanitarian situation in the North-east tagged Not ready to return; IDP Movement Intentions in Borno showed that the stance of Mrs Mustapha of not returning home was common among many IDPs. The report was jointly released by the NRC, the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and REACH. The report stated that a significant proportion of the IDP household can be expected to remain at their current locations in the nearest future. It explained further that about 23 per cent of the IDPs would rather want to reintegrate in their current places of displacement; while about 67 per cent of them who indicated the intention of returning to their liberated communities have no idea on what to do with their lives after they might have returned home. Many outside IDP camps in dire need Mrs Mustapha said she is just amongst the very few lucky ones who could get a semblance of a second chance at life after passing through years of trauma, pains and lack. According to her, there are many other widows whose stories are worse than hers, who are yet to get help. Here in our new community, Modusulumri, I heard that about 200 households have been assisted with the N43,500 cash for small-scale business, but there are many others who are still in difficulty that also needed support. Reports from various international humanitarian organisations working in the North-east have confirmed that the population in the organised IDP camps represent a tiny fraction of those displaced by the insurgency. That most of the displaced populations outside the camps face different kinds of abuse and exploitations that are not often reported or known by officials. The International Organisation for Migration said in a displacement tracking matrix (DTM) report of 2015 that 92 per cent of the displacements caused by Boko Haram live in the host communities outside IDP camps. This means that of the over 3 million people displaced by Boko Haram, only about 240, 000 of the IDPs live within the organised camps; while about 2.7 million other IDPs are spread in several host communities. Most of these victims, though it was (and is) their choice to be in the host communities, have their different tales of trauma, anguish, tears, hunger, deprivation and neglect. The United Nations Committee on Human Rights (UNHCR) also stated that displaced populations are living in squalid conditions characterized by overcrowding and limited access to safe, sanitary and dignified accommodation. IDPs and returnees in Nigeria hosted in camps and displacement sites are often living in congested shelters or isolated in insecure or inhospitable areas, making them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. The situation is most precarious in settlements such as camps, displacement sites, and unfinished buildings. The lack of shelter is, therefore, a major and persistent challenge and one of the main barriers to return. Displaced people in the region also face precarious health conditions and have poor access to health services. The health problems they report are mostly related to the change in their living conditions, according to the UNHCR report. It is also observed that some of the IDPs that are yearning to hurriedly return to their communities, despite the possible dangers of further attacks, like the case of Bama, are doing so due to the deprived conditions they find themselves in, either in the camps or in the host communities. Many of these IDPs dont have enough knowledge on what it means to be informed before they embark on the return journey home, said Mr. Ahmed Shehu, who is the forum chairman of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State. To be informed means the persons concerned must be put in context in such a manner that they must be given the privilege of going to see the community first and from there, they make their decision on whether it is safe for them to return or not. That was what the UN convention on returning IDPs stipulated. By mere announcing it on the media that the return to Bama, for example is voluntary, is not enough to say you have acted in accordance with the international convention on the return of IDPs. These people are already traumatised and in dire need; they wont look at the danger out there while deciding to return. So technically, one is putting their lives at risk because certain criteria are not being followed. To avoid the incident of Bama in which some returnees had lost their lives in a suicide attack on a mosque, days after arriving the town, suggested that they were not well informed of the dangers of possible attack before they were asked to go home, said Mr. Shehu. It is believed that if government as well as the international donor organisations could channel most of the resources being spent in the North-east region on bettering the livelihood of the displaced people, most of the IDPs would rather remain till the security operatives tackle the continuing hostilities of the Boko Haram to the barest level, than putting themselves in harms way due to hardship. IDPs like Hamsatu Mustapha have chosen never to return to her attacked community, Konduga, not because she was officially informed of likely dangers that she might face out there. She actually made such decision because she is lucky to be amongst the few IDPs of the over 2.7 million in the host community, who had gotten some kind of financial support that is currently making living as an IDP, a bit easier. President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Iran nuclear deal signed in 2015. The withdrawal could potentially end in the re-imposition of sanctions and other economic penalties on the Gulf nation. European countries have been diligently prevailing on Mr Trump over the last several months in an attempt to convince him to remain in the nuclear deal which Iran signed with world powers in 2015. I am announcing today, that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, Mr Trump said. He also signed an executive order to that effect immediately. America will not be threatened by nuclear blackmail. Todays action send a critical message, the United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make a promise, I keep them, Mr Trump said. Mr Trump said the 2015 deal did nothing to constrain Iran from pursuing its alleged nefarious activities, especially its sponsor of terrorism. Other signatories to the agreement, including U.S. allies, France and UK, had all urged the U.S. not to withdraw. The U.S. president, however, said he carried along allies across the world before reaching his conclusion. Over the past few months, we have engaged with our allies across the world, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, he said. If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. Iran has threatened that if the U.S. pulled out of the agreement, it would also abandon it. The agreement was entered into in 2015 under President Barrack Obama, but Mr Trump said the agreement was poorly hatched and he will need to dismantle it completely for all the parties to start afresh. Read Mr Trumps full speech below. My fellow Americans, Today, I want to update the world on our efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The Iranian regime is the leading state sponsor of terror. It exports dangerous missiles, fuels conflicts across the Middle East, and supports terrorist proxies and militias such as Hezbollah, Hamas, the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Over the years, Iran and its proxies have bombed American Embassies and military installations, murdered hundreds of American service members, and kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured American citizens. The Iranian regime has funded its long reign of chaos and terror by plundering the wealth of its own people. No action taken by the regime has been more dangerous than its pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means of delivering them. In 2015, the previous administration joined with other nations in a deal regarding Irans nuclear program. This agreement was known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or J.C.P.O.A. In theory, the so-called Iran deal was supposed to protect the United States and our allies from the lunacy of an Iranian nuclear bomb, a weapon that will only endanger the survival of the Iranian regime. In fact, the deal allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and over time reach the brink of a nuclear breakout. The deal lifted crippling economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for very weak limits on the regimes nuclear activity and no limits at all on its other malign behavior, including its sinister activities in Syria, Yemen, and other places all around the world. In other words, at the point when the United States had maximum leverage, this disastrous deal gave this regime and its a regime of great terror many billions of dollars, some of it in actual cash a great embarrassment to me as a citizen and to all citizens of the United States. A constructive deal could easily have been struck at the time, but it wasnt. At the heart of the Iran deal was a giant fiction: that a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy program. Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie. Last week, Israel published intelligence documents long concealed by Iran conclusively showing the Iranian regime and its history of pursuing nuclear weapons. The fact is, this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. It didnt bring calm, it didnt bring peace, and it never will. In the years since the deal was reached, Irans military budget has grown by almost 40 percent while its economy is doing very badly. After the sanctions were lifted, the dictatorship used its new funds to build its nuclear-capable missiles, support terrorism, and cause havoc throughout the Middle East and beyond. The agreement was so poorly negotiated that even if Iran fully complies, the regime can still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time. The deals sunset provisions are totally unacceptable. If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs. Making matters worse, the deals inspection provisions lack adequate mechanisms to prevent, detect, and punish cheating and dont even have the unqualified right to inspect many important locations, including military facilities. Not only does the deal fail to halt Irans nuclear ambitions, but it also fails to address the regimes development of ballistic missiles that could deliver nuclear warheads. Finally, the deal does nothing to constrain Irans destabilizing activities, including its support for terrorism. Since the agreement, Irans bloody ambitions have grown only more brazen. In light of these glaring flaws, I announced last October that the Iran deal must either be renegotiated or terminated. Three months later, on January 12th, I repeated these conditions. I made clear that if the deal could not be fixed, the United States would no longer be a party to the agreement. Over the past few months, we have engaged extensively with our allies and partners around the world, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. We have also consulted with our friends from across the Middle East. We are unified in our understanding of the threat and in our conviction that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon. After these consultations, it is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement. The Iran deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the worlds leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the worlds most dangerous weapons. Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. In a few moments, I will sign a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating U.S. nuclear sanctions on the Iranian regime. We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction. Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States. America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail. We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction. And we will not allow a regime that chants Death to America to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth. Todays action sends a critical message. The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them. In fact, at this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un. Plans are being made, relationships are building. Hopefully, a deal will happen, and with the help of China, South Korea, and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone. As we exit the Iran deal, we will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear threat. This will include efforts to eliminate the threat of Irans ballistic missile program, to stop its terrorist activities worldwide, and to block its menacing activity across the Middle East. In the meantime, powerful sanction also go into full effect. If the regime continues its its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before. Finally, I want to deliver a message to the long-suffering people of Iran. The people of America stand with you. It has now been almost 40 years since this dictatorship seized power and took a proud nation hostage. Most of Irans 80 million citizens have sadly never known an Iran that prospered in peace with its neighbors and commanded the admiration of the world. But the future of Iran belongs to its people. They are the rightful heirs to a rich culture and an ancient land, and they deserve a nation that does justice to their dreams, honor to their history and glory to God. Irans leaders will naturally say that they refuse to negotiate a new deal. They refuse, and thats fine. Id probably say the same thing if I was in their position. But the fact is, they are going to want to make a new and lasting deal, one that benefits all of Iran and the Iranian people. When they do, I am ready, willing, and able. Great things can happen for Iran. And great things can happen for the peace and stability that we all want in the Middle East. There has been enough suffering, death, and destruction. Let it end now. Thank you. God bless you. Thank you. REPORTER: Mr. President, how does this make America safer? How does this make America safer? TRUMP: Thank you very much. This will make America much safer. Thank you very much. REPORTER: Is Secretary Pompeo bringing the detainees home? TRUMP: Secretary Pompeo is right now going to North Korea. He will be there very shortly, in a matter of virtual probably an hour. Hes got meetings set up. We have our meeting scheduled. We have our meeting set. The location is picked. The time and date. Everything is picked. And we look forward to having a very great success. We think relationships are building with North Korea. Well see how it all works out. Maybe it will. Maybe it wont. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and the entire world. We hope it all works out. Thank you very much. REPORTER: Are the Americans being freed? TRUMP: Well all soon be finding out. We will soon be finding out. It would be a great thing if they are. Well soon be finding out. Thank you very much. In happier times. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,Inc. Utah senator Orrin Hatch apologized to John McCain on Tuesday after suggesting on Monday that the ailing senator should invite President Trump to his funeral, even though McCain has made it clear that he doesnt want Trump there. Hatch said on Monday that McCains wish for a Trump-free ceremony was ridiculous, drawing the ire of Meghan McCain. Id like everybody to take a collective breath and chill out on my dad for a second especially Orrin Hatch, McCain said on The View, which she co-hosts. Hatch then had a change of heart. I agree with the daughter, Hatch told the Washington Post on Tuesday, in a strange turn of phrase. I shouldnt have said anything yesterday. I agree a hundred percent with her. The Post reported that Hatch had also sent McCain a letter expressing his regrets. The New York Times had reported over the weekend that the ailing McCain has specifically said that he does not want Trump to come to his funeral, preferring Vice-President Pence to attend instead. This makes complete sense, considering that Trump has ridiculed McCain both for his service in Vietnam (I prefer war heroes who werent captured) and his legislative record, with McCain returning fire. But that reasoning might not be so clear for superfans of the president. The 84-year-old Hatch, who is retiring after his term expires next year, has been one of Trumps most fervent cheerleaders in the Senate. He has called Trump one of the best presidents hes ever seen. Members of the New PDP who moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and helped the party win the 2015 Presidential elections, have lamented the lack of appreciation of their efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari and the party. The group, which defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in 2013 comprised of former governors of Sokoto, Aliyu Wamakko; Kano, Rabiu Kwankwaso; Kwara, Abdulfatah Ahmed; Adamawa, Murtala Nyako and Rivers, Rotmimi Amaechi. There were also former governors of Kebbi, Adamu Aliero; Gombe, Danjuma Goje; Osun, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former acting National Chairman of PDP, Abubakar Baraje and a ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal. The self styled nPDP on Wednesday wrote a letter to the National Chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun asking him to facilitate a meeting for them with President Buhari within seven days. They reminded Mr Odigie-Oyegun in the letter published by TheCable, and signed by Messrs Baraje and Oyinlola, of how their movement to the APC, not only swelled the ranks of the party but ensured success at the polls. They said most of them delivered their states to the APC at the elections. They also said some of the governors were assigned specific responsibilities to ensure that other states were also delivered to the APC in the 2015 elections. They said Mr Wamakko, apart from his state, Sokoto, also took charge of Kebbi, while Mr Kwankwaso, the then governor of Kano State, took responsibility for Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa states. There were also unprecedented efforts by many stakeholders such as Senator Bukola Saraki, in concert with others, to deliver the entire North-central to the APC, they said. The nPDP described their efforts in the APC as a watershed moment in Nigerias political history. They said their contributions and sacrifice were made to the APC in spite of the fact that the presidential ticket was taken by the erstwhile Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN) blocs of the party. It is a matter for grave concern that His Excellency, Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has never publicly acknowledged our efforts in the face of clear evidence that the total number of votes scored by the APC in states where leaders and members of the then NEW PDP bloc held sway made the difference, they said. President Muhammadu Buhari The letter also provided statistics, which they referred to as stubborn facts of their contribution to the success of APC. They said in Kano State, APC scored 1,903,999 in 2015, and in Kwara 302,146. In Sokoto State, it scored 671,926, and 374,701 in Adamawa. They said APC also scored 567,883 votes in Kebbi and 885,988 in Jigawa. It was the same story in Gombe (459,898), Kogi (264,851), and Benue (373,961) votes. These represented significant additions to the APC victory column. Indeed, the influence, activities, momentum and ripple effect generated by the former New PDP block was significant in the victory of APC in the entire elections in the whole country, they said. Our Grievances The group also chronicled their grievances which they said, if addressed will lead to a harmonious APC where justice, equity, fairness and peace will reign and enable APC avoid rancour, reinvigorate the pace of national development and face the 2019 General Elections as one united party. They said in the constitution of the Federal Executive Council, (FEC) by Mr Buhari, the nPDP block was generally sidelined as virtually no position was conceded to it. They said the only member of FEC that belongs to their group comes from a state that contributed virtually no vote to the APC in the 2015 presidential elections. Although that member was not named, the aggrieved politicians are believed to be making reference to Rotimi Amaechi, the transport minister and former Rivers governor. The PDP overwhelmingly won the 2015 presidential election in Rivers. They also argued that there has been no significant patronage and appointments to executive positions in various government agencies such as chief executives and executive directors of government agencies and parastatals. They said the group continues to helplessly watch as positions are shared by the erstwhile CPC, ACN, ANPP and even APGA blocs of the party and those who have no party at all. The ruling APC was formed by the merger of four parties: the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). In appointments into boards of various government agencies, very few former New PDP members were patronised. These are however not commensurate with our contributions to the growth and victory of the party, the group said. Apart from that, they said when members of the former New PDP bloc showed interest in running for the offices of President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, they were subjected to a vicious and relentless political opposition as if they were not legitimate members of the APC family. The group added that during the party primaries preparatory to the 2015 general elections, most of the promises made to sitting members of the National Assembly, who belonged to the former new PDP, in terms of a level playing field were reneged upon or observed more in breach. The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Wednesday described Nigerian senators as people who are trying to blackmail him into perverting the course of justice. Mr Idris, who refused to honour two previous summons by the Senate, said he failed to appear for a third time Wednesday because he found no reason to do so, having learnt that the invitation was a deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting, unfortunate and mischievous on the part of senators. An enraged Senate on Wednesday afternoon proclaimed Mr Idris an enemy of democracy who is unfit to hold any public office within and outside Nigeria. Mr Idris had failed to appear before the Senate on two previous occasions after lawmakers asked him to come and brief them on the killings that have taken unprecedented dimensions under his watch as top security chief. The lawmakers also planned to ask the police chief questions around the ongoing face-off between the police and one of their colleagues, Dino Melaye. Mr Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, has been receiving treatment at the hospital since reportedly jumping out of a moving police vehicle after police officers allegedly sprayed tear gas at him on May 24. Mr Idris has repeatedly said he will not honour the invitation, citing sections of the Constitution and extant police statutes that appear to support his stance. In accordance with the extant laws in Nigeria, the functions, duties and responsibilities of the Inspector General of Police as stated in Section 215(1a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, and the Police Act and Regulations Section 309(1) can also be carried out as mentioned in sections 7(1),312(1), 313(2) of the Police Act and Regulations by a senior officer of the Force of the Rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police or an Assistant Inspector General of Police who if permitted by the Inspector General of Police to act on his behalf or represent him in an official capacity at any official function, event or programme within and outside Nigeria can do so in consonant with the provisions of the Police Act and Regulations, Mr Idris said Wednesday night in a statement signed by police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood. Mr Moshood, an assistant police commissioner, said Mr Idris had delegated some of his subordinates to represent him before the lawmakers, an option the senators strongly rejected, mandating Mr Idris appearance in person rather than through a surrogate. The Chamber of the Nigerian Senate Mr Idris said he informed Mr Saraki in a warning letter on Tuesday that he would not be honouring Senates invitation again on Wednesday. He said he saw Wednesdays attack on his person by the senators as deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting with mischievous motives to hand-twist him to pervert the end of justice in a felonious and serious offenses relating to Mr Melaye. Mr Idris latest defiance is the latest in a string of stand-offs by appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari against the National Assembly. A stalemate between senators and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, occured months ago when the lawmakers asked Mr Ali, a retired colonel, to wear Customs uniform, to conform with tradition of the institution he represents, whenever he is billed to appear before them. Mr Ali rejected that demand. Mr Buhari did not openly intervene in the matter at the time, and it was not immediately clear what he is doing to prevent further standoff between his aides and the legislature. On Monday, Mr Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara said they met with Mr Buhari at the State House to discuss the attitude of Mr Idris amongst other national issues. When Mr Idris failed to appear before the senators for the second time, Mr Saraki highlighted the worrisome pattern in the Inspector-Generals overall conduct, saying he was not surprised because Mr Idris repeatedly ignored even the president himself. Infograph The Police IG has ignored three different Senate summons Mr Idris was summoned to relocate to Benue State following the deadly attacks on villagers there in January, but the police chief barely spent three days before departing the restive North-central altogether. Over a month later, Mr Buhari expressed shocke when told by Benue residents during a condolence visit there that Mr Idris flouted his order. The next day, the State House released a statement saying Mr Idris was summoned and queried by the president. But Mr Idris fired back , saying he was never summoned and challenging administration officials who issued the statement to show evidence of his being queried. The presidency has remained quiet on that matter ever since. Following the meeting with Messrs Saraki and Dogara on Monday, Mr Buhari reportedly told them he would look into Mr Idris action; but the tone of the police chiefs latest statement indicates little progress on the part of the president. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday visited the new headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and said he will continue to support efforts to build and strengthen the nations institutions. According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, in Abuja, Mr Saraki said he was particularly impressed by the quality of work done and the fact the the building was designed by a Nigerian architect. He said he is duty bound to visit the completed project as part of his oversight functions in view of the contributions of the National Assembly to its realisation. Speaking with journalists after a tour of the edifice, he stressed that strengthening such institutions will help the nation tackle corruption. If you look at most projects in Abuja, I dont think any project like this has been well-funded and that shows that despite all the noise you will hear, the National Assembly has supported where it matters because this is where it matters and I think we have done that. If you look at what has been achieved in the last two and half years in putting this building up and bringing it to completion, I think it is a remarkable achievement. We might disagree on what those right things are but at the end, we must ensure that we build institutions, we support institutions and do what is right and we must continue to do that, he said. The lawmaker said that the fight against corruption must continue in order to bequeath a better future to both present and up coming generations. I think we have all said it. Corruption is something we must fight, he said. There is no way you can build a society without fighting corruption. I have always said that my own strong will is that as we fight it, we must fight it in ensuring that we strengthen the institutions and what you see here is part of the process of strengthening that institutions so that whoever comes here will know that this is what we must fight if we want to build institutions. Saraki visits new EFCC headquarters, pledges support When asked what the completion of the building means for continuity in governance for the country, he said: That is why I keep saying it is not about individuals, it is about institutions and this is what we have shown here. I think the project has gone through about three Executive Chairmen and one did not come in to say this is not my project and I must not continue. Each one has taken it as his own project. I think that is good and that is the whole point that is important and this is something we will be proud of for many years. In many years to come, I hope that we dont have corruption in an environment like this but for now, I think there are many good aspects of this. Saraki visits new EFCC headquarters, pledges support The National Assembly has been at loggerheads with the Executive since it rejected Ibrahim Magus nomination as the chairman of EFCC. Mr. Magu was nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari twice. Both times, the Senate rejected the nomination. The senate president had earlier said contrary to insinuations, the Senate had no premeditated plan to reject Mr Magu as chairman of EFCC. Saraki visits new EFCC headquarters, pledges support According to him, Mr Magus rejection was prompted by report from the State Security Service, among other issues, and the screening was aired live on national television for all Nigerians to watch. He also said the rejection was in the interest of the nations democracy. Mr Magu, who is still the acting chairman of the EFCC, while appreciating Mr Saraki and his entourage, said the project wouldnt have been a reality without the support of the legislators, according to a statement by the commission. The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has filed fraud charges against the suspended director-general of the Securities and Exchange Service Commission, Mounir Gwarzo. Mr Gwarzo was suspended by the Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, in December for alleged fraud. He was suspended alongside two other officials of the commission, namely, Abdulsalam Habu, head of media division; and Anastasia Braimoh, head of legal department. PREMIUM TIMES however found at the time that the allegations against Mr Gwarzo were triggered by the his decision to order a forensic audit of the oil firm, Oando. The ICPC has now charged Mr Gwarzo and his co-accused persons, Punch reported on Wednesday. According to the charge, Mr Gwarzo is accused of receiving N104 million as severance benefits in less than a month after his appointment at the commission. The charges were filed before a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja. That you, Mounir Gwarzo, on or about June 2015, while being the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, received the sum of N104, 851, 154.94 as severance benefits when you had yet to retire, resign or disengage from the service of SEC. You conferred a corrupt advantage upon yourself and committed an offence under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, one charge was quoted by the Punch as saying. A spokesperson for ICPC, Rasheedat Okoduwa, said information about the charges did not emanate from official sources, and declined to comment on the case. A Chinese man, Li Min, on Wednesday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court how his life has been in shambles after his Nigerian business partner refused to pay for goods he delivered to him which amounts to over N68 million since 2013. While giving his testimony through an interpreter, Li Min said his company, PMC, was approached by the defendant, Lawrence Maduagwu, with a proposition for business in Nigeria with the promise of availability of market and customers and an assurance of prompt payment for goods delivered. He said, Mr Lawrence came to our company and said he wants to do business with us, he told my company he has a market he can help us sell our goods to and that there would be no issue of non-payment. He gave order for Calcium Chloride and I wrote him an invoice and transported 500 metric tons of Calcium Chloride worth $179,000 to him. After they arrived at Port Harcourt seaport and after confirmation, he called and said there are more customers in demand for our goods and told me to send another one and it cost another $179,000. At this time, I didnt know he was deceiving and playing me all along and he refused to pay for both goods. I called severally and appealed with him to send the payment. After several attempts, we tried looking for him in his office, after which he paid for the first shipment with a guarantee to pay for the second shipment. From 2013 to this moment, he has refused to pay for the second shipment. The Chinese said due to Mr Maduagwus deceit, his company has been in a mess and he lost his job as the managing director of the company. He added that his family had deserted him because of their belief that he is a fraudster and that his account had been frozen due to the refusal to pay for the second shipment. My family, business, and health has been in dire situation ever since. I plead with this court to give me justice, he said. During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Chima Ogbonnaya, Li Min told the court that although he would not be able to assert if transactions between his company and Mr Maduagwu were more than two, he knew he refused to pay for the second shipment worth $179,000 which now amounts to over N68 million. He also went further to state that prior to any claim, Mr Maduagwu never mentioned any problem with the goods to him all through the period he and his compatriot, Ohio Ilogben, who had been an earlier witness in the case visited Mr Maduagwu to demand payment. After Li Mins testimony, the prosecuting counsel, Samuel Daji, informed the court that prosecution would be closing its case which it opened three weeks ago. The defence counsel then applied for a no-case submission. Mojisola Dada, the judge, refused the defences no-case submission and adjourned the case till June 15. Mr Maduagwu is charged with a two-count charge of obtaining goods by false pretence contrary to Section 1 (2)&(3) of the advance fee fraud and other fraud-related offences act no 14 of 2006 and Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 respectively. President Muhammadu Buhari has described the death of Isyaku Rabiu as a colossal loss to the field of learning and the business sector. The Kano State Islamic scholar and billionaire businessman died on Tuesday at the age of 93 years. In a State House press statement signed by his media aide, Garba Shehu, the president said, No tribute can do justice to the amazing virtues of Isyaku Rabiu in view of his vast contributions to scholarship, industrial investments and development in the country. Mr Buhari said the deceased had the remarkable qualities of combining scholarship and vast business investments that created job opportunities for hundreds of people. He noted that he had attained success through honest labour and resourcefulness which helped him achieve fame in life, and such virtues are not common in the context of todays realities where many resort to some other means to gain success. President Buhari urged the children to build on the remarkable legacy of their father, adding that the best honour they could do to Mr Rabiu is to live by his good examples. While condoling the family, the government and the people of Kano State over this great loss, the president prayed to Allah to bless and forgive the soul of the deceased, the statement concluded. ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian government says it wants to provide affordable houses by mortgage that people can pay for throughout their working life. The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who stated this on Wednesday, said part of the change agenda of the ruling All Progressive Congress is that Nigerians would no longer have to buy a house like fish in the market, saying, that is not how it works in other societies. The payment period will be spread over a period of time, usually your working life.That is really affordability, he said. Housing is not just about building, it is also providing access to funding through the Federal Mortgage Bank. Mr Fashola stated this in Jigawa State where he is on a supervision tour of federal road and housing projects. According to the minister, Workers who are contributing to the National Housing Fund have something now to look forward to. We are going to create a line of supply houses and access to credit and allow you to choose what your income can afford. That is the journey of change President Buhari has been talking about. We will experience something new. The change will not be only on the new houses but also how to pay for the houses in a manner that makes it convenient for you, he stated. On electricity, the minister said people are now free to set up independent power generation companies without necessarily requesting for licence. He said the federal government is encouraging the private sector to invest in generation and selling of power to the public. Any interested individual or company can set up power generation from two megawatts downwards and sell it to public without requesting for any licence. We are encouraging people to set up small power generation and sell it according to their capacity, not necessarily going for big projects that require huge amount of money and expertise. On the delay of take off of various private solar power generation projects in the country, particularly those who want to invest in Jigawa State, the minister explained that the investors insisted on selling the power to government. But the guideline and the cost they proposed are not attainable. But we are still negotiating with them and as soon as we reach a level ground, the investors will be mobilised to site. Mr Fashola commended the Jigawa State government for allocating 2,000 hectares of land to the federal government for the establishment of solar power projects. The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to probe alleged mismanagement of the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI) Funds in the North-east. This followed a motion by Shuaibu Abdulrahman (Adamawa-APC) at plenary. Moving the motion, Mr Abdulrahman recalled that SSI, a global intervention fund, was launched under the leadership of former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, four years ago, after the abduction of Chibok school girls. He said that an undisclosed amount of money was collected to enhance physical security around vulnerable schools to check abduction of students in schools in the North-east. The lawmaker said that there was no evidence that schools in the area had now been secured or fortified with CCTV Cameras, high perimeter fence and generators as provided in the original concept of the initiative. He noted that the absence of security infrastructure in North-East schools led to the recent abduction of students of Government Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe. According to him, this brought embarrassment and attendant trauma on Nigeria. The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara. The House, therefore, mandated its Committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Refugees and Initiatives on the North-east to investigate the extent of the funds collected. The committee will also investigate the management of the fund, its custodian and determine whether or not the funds have been applied to the purpose for which it was collected. The committee was given eight weeks to submit the report. Ayobami Oluwarinu, a witness in the ongoing trial of former DAAR Communications Chairman, Raymond Dokpesi, told the Federal High Court, Abuja, that he received about N68 million for renovation and building work. Oluwarinu, the 13th prosecution witness, told the court on Wednesday while being led in evidence by the prosecutor, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, that he was a Lagos based architect hired by Mr Dokpesi. He further told the court that he became aware of the case after receiving a call from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to clarify what the monies paid into his companys account were meant for. I got a call from EFCC that I should come to the Abuja office and clarify the transactions that took place between my companies and DAAR Investment Ltd., which led to the transfers to my account. The bank document which showed the transactions was tendered before the court by the prosecutor. The witness confirmed that monies were transferred on six different dates into the accounts of two of his companies, Archisynthesis Ltd. and Wood Country Investment Ltd. On January 26, 2015, the sum of N16.1 million was paid into Archisynthesis account from DAAR Investment and Holding Company Ltd, on January 29, 2015, N3.5 million was paid. On February 6, 2015, N3.53 million was paid into Archisynthesis account, just as on 17, N13.34million was paid to Archisynthesis account on Feb. 17, 2015. Also, N12.25 million was paid on March 28, 2015 and N19.47 million was transferred to Wood countrys account on April 22, 2015, the witness said. He said that Archisynthesis was a design and building firm, while Wood Country Investment Ltd. was into general business and supplies. He added that the monies were for design, construction and renovation works at Dokpesis country home at Aghenegbode in Edo and DAAR Communications studios nationwide. One of the studios work is at Kpaduma Asokoro Abuja, others are located across the country, because Im his sole architect, the witness said. When asked if there was documented evidence for the contract to build and renovate, Oluwarinu said that he had worked for Dokpesi since 1993 and documentation had never been an issue. I cannot recall whether we had an oral or written agreement for the jobs because my relationship with him is cordial and I have worked for him since 1993. During cross examination, the witness told Kanu Agabi(SAN), that he had worked for Dokpesi since 1993 because of his integrity and forthrightness. Earlier, Mr Dokpesi was re-arraigned on a seven-count amended charge for allegedly receiving N2.1 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser without executing any contract. He pleaded not guilty to the amended seven-count charge. The judge, John Tsoho, adjourned the matter until May 28, for continuation of trial. Mr Dokpesi and his company, DAAR Investment Company Ltd. were initially arraigned on December 9, 2015 before Justice Gabriel Kolawole on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering and procurement fraud. The matter was transferred to Justice John Tsoho, where they were re-arraigned on Feb. 17, 2016 over allegations of money laundering and breach of public trust. (NAN) Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday expressed divergent views over the introduction of online divorce applications by the British authorities. The recently launched application in England and Wales was to ease the divorce process for those going through it. Those who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja said that such initiative would not work in Nigeria against the backdrop of the innovation, cultural differences and high level of illiteracy in the country. Joe Amedu, a Legal Officer at National Bio-safety Management Agency, said that, even though the nations legal system had been modeled after the British system, filing divorce papers online would be a nullity because electronic documents could not serve as primary evidence in Nigerian law. Mr Amedu further explained that anything that has to do with electronically generated documents are regarded as secondary evidence in law and not admissible by court in Nigeria. What is practiced in America is the Jural legal system, where a group of people called the Jury would decide the final judgement of the court, he said. Similarly, Soga Dairo, a lawyer with Soga Dairo and Co. said that filing court processes online in Nigeria was still a mirage as you have to encounter so many bottlenecks. He further stated that a lot of factors could militate against the introduction of filing divorce online including citizens literacy level and governments unwillingness to expend money on such a projects, as it would gulp a lot of money. UK is an advanced country and it could work for them, not so here in Nigeria. As for the benefits, if properly executed it will fast-track the process of divorce, discourage corruption and give room for efficiency. Laleye Solomon, Senior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Ahmadu Bello University, Kaduna said online divorce process cannot work in the country, alleging that Nigerians are special species that can manipulate processes. The online divorce is also alien to our traditional culture so it cannot work here because in every culture, there are procedures for marriage and divorce. Even when we imbibe western marriage, we add it to our culture which is why we do engagement before church or court wedding and what percentage of couples in Nigeria have access to the internet. He further added that, if divorce process was made online, someone could file divorce on behalf of another because they are interested in the other losing his or her marriage. Similarly, Samuel Mogaji, a commercial driver in the FCT said that online filing of divorce papers would not stand the test of time even if the Nigerian judiciary decided to adopt it. According to Mr Mogaji, majority of Nigerians are not computer literate and the introduction of online divorce procedure will only be of help to a very few that are familiar with the computer operates. It cannot work because of our tradition. You have a lot of illiterates in Nigeria, especially if you go to the far north; how can they file divorce papers online when they barely know how to write their names? It is only possible for the educated ones to adopt this system but I dont think we will get even 10 per cent successful online divorces if introduced into the system, he said. Colonel A.E. Edet of Mogadishu Cantonment said that few Nigerians who partake in court marriage, would get inclined to filing online divorce papers and their prayers granted. In Nigeria, most couples do not even care if there is anything called `court wedding. A man can wake up one morning and decide that he is no longer interested in the marriage and that marks the end of it. However, Asanya Ifeanyi of Asanya and Associates said that filing divorce papers online would help save so much time on paper work if it is eventually adopted by the Nigerian judiciary. Mr Asanya explained that the introduction of online divorce would save both the intending divorcees and their lawyers the stress of filing papers. She stated that the grounds for divorce was usually adultery, incest, irreconcilable differences and bestiality among others, adding that lawyers often determine the ground for such divorce based on the petitioners complaint. According to her, divorce is dissolution of marriage, if you do not have an existing marriage under the act you will have to file your divorce petition at the customary court. The procedure has just been put in place in England and Wales and we hope that our judicial system will find a way to adopt this system, she added. Ogunmola Adeolu, another legal practitioner also said that in Nigeria, the ground for divorce was that such marriage had broken down irretrievably. He added that for a marriage to be dissolved, it must have lasted for two years except in some exceptional cases. Throughout the course of a Trump presidency that has centered in large part around destroying Barack Obamas legacy, Obama has, with a couple of notable exceptions, remained silent. But after President Trump announced that he would withdraw the U.S. from the Iran nuclear agreement on Tuesday, Obama spoke up. In a long statement posted to Facebook, Obama issued a comprehensive defense of one of his most momentous signature foreign-policy achievements. The full statement is below: There are few issues more important to the security of the United States than the potential spread of nuclear weapons, or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Thats why the United States negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the first place. The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense. The JCPOA is in Americas interest it has significantly rolled back Irans nuclear program. And the JCPOA is a model for what diplomacy can accomplish its inspections and verification regime is precisely what the United States should be working to put in place with North Korea. Indeed, at a time when we are all rooting for diplomacy with North Korea to succeed, walking away from the JCPOA risks losing a deal that accomplishes with Iran the very outcome that we are pursuing with the North Koreans. That is why todays announcement is so misguided. Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on Americas closest allies, and an agreement that our countrys leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated. In a democracy, there will always be changes in policies and priorities from one Administration to the next. But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers. Debates in our country should be informed by facts, especially debates that have proven to be divisive. So its important to review several facts about the JCPOA. First, the JCPOA was not just an agreement between my Administration and the Iranian government. After years of building an international coalition that could impose crippling sanctions on Iran, we reached the JCPOA together with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union, Russia, China, and Iran. It is a multilateral arms control deal, unanimously endorsed by a United Nations Security Council Resolution. Second, the JCPOA has worked in rolling back Irans nuclear program. For decades, Iran had steadily advanced its nuclear program, approaching the point where they could rapidly produce enough fissile material to build a bomb. The JCPOA put a lid on that breakout capacity. Since the JCPOA was implemented, Iran has destroyed the core of a reactor that could have produced weapons-grade plutonium; removed two-thirds of its centrifuges (over 13,000) and placed them under international monitoring; and eliminated 97 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium the raw materials necessary for a bomb. So by any measure, the JCPOA has imposed strict limitations on Irans nuclear program and achieved real results. Third, the JCPOA does not rely on trust it is rooted in the most far-reaching inspections and verification regime ever negotiated in an arms control deal. Irans nuclear facilities are strictly monitored. International monitors also have access to Irans entire nuclear supply chain, so that we can catch them if they cheat. Without the JCPOA, this monitoring and inspections regime would go away. Fourth, Iran is complying with the JCPOA. That was not simply the view of my Administration. The United States intelligence community has continued to find that Iran is meeting its responsibilities under the deal, and has reported as much to Congress. So have our closest allies, and the international agency responsible for verifying Iranian compliance the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Fifth, the JCPOA does not expire. The prohibition on Iran ever obtaining a nuclear weapon is permanent. Some of the most important and intrusive inspections codified by the JCPOA are permanent. Even as some of the provisions in the JCPOA do become less strict with time, this wont happen until ten, fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five years into the deal, so there is little reason to put those restrictions at risk today. Finally, the JCPOA was never intended to solve all of our problems with Iran. We were clear-eyed that Iran engages in destabilizing behavior including support for terrorism, and threats toward Israel and its neighbors. But thats precisely why it was so important that we prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Every aspect of Iranian behavior that is troubling is far more dangerous if their nuclear program is unconstrained. Our ability to confront Irans destabilizing behavior and to sustain a unity of purpose with our allies is strengthened with the JCPOA, and weakened without it. Because of these facts, I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake. Without the JCPOA, the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East. We all know the dangers of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon. It could embolden an already dangerous regime; threaten our friends with destruction; pose unacceptable dangers to Americas own security; and trigger an arms race in the worlds most dangerous region. If the constraints on Irans nuclear program under the JCPOA are lost, we could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it. In a dangerous world, America must be able to rely in part on strong, principled diplomacy to secure our country. We have been safer in the years since we achieved the JCPOA, thanks in part to the work of our diplomats, many members of Congress, and our allies. Going forward, I hope that Americans continue to speak out in support of the kind of strong, principled, fact-based, and unifying leadership that can best secure our country and uphold our responsibilities around the globe. Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) on Wednesday, called on the National Assembly to pass the 2019 budget without further delay. The Chairman, Partners for Electoral Reform (PER), Ezenwa Nwagwu, and Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, made the call at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja. Mr Nwagwu said it is sad that five months down the year, the national budget is not yet passed by the National Assembly. This is a statutory function of the National Assembly. Nigeria cannot grow its economy and provide for citizens welfare without a national budget passed, assented and fully implemented, he said. He said that the delay in the passage of the budget or the use of the budget for political gains was unpatriotic and was sabotaging the countrys growth and development. Mr Nwagwu also condemned the delay in the passage of some key anti-corruption bills, saying it was worrisome. Bills such as Proceeds of Crime Bill, Whistle Blowers Protection Bill and other pending Bills in the extractive sector, which will further enhance the fight against corruption, need to be urgently passed by the National Assembly. Mr Nwagwu called on the Senate to re-focus and carry out its legislative and constitutional responsibility with a sense of patriotism towards supporting efforts in fighting corruption. He said we are disappointed at the apparent disproportionate refusal by the Nigerian Senate to confirm the substantive chief executives and boards of critical anti-corruption agencies (EFFC, ICPC and CCB). We frown at the seeming arbitrary use of the power of confirmation constitutionally granted the Senate to withhold the confirmation of the statutory governance structure of these bodies. Mr Nwagwu said that the delays were undermining the institutions capacity to effectively carry out their mandates. He said that the CSOs were bothered that personnel of the armed forces, the police and intelligence agencies wallowed in poor salaries and without insurance. This is in spite of the enormous work they do and risk their lives on a daily basis. This creates low morale for personnel to fully engage in their duties, he said. Mr Nwagwu, however, said CSOs were not unaware of the faulty recruitment and selection processes in the nations security forces. He said that this had led to situations where influential individuals determined who was recruited, thereby throwing competence and qualification to the dust. He accused leadership of security agencies of monetising recruitment process, saying that it had left the country with cash-and-carry security apparatus. Mr Nwagwu said with such irregular recruitment process, no amount of upgrading of security system would check kidnappings, massacres and destruction of property across the country by insurgents and armed bandits if wrong persons were in charge. Upgrading arms and ammunition will not help to check the security challenges without getting citizens who are qualified, properly trained and have passion for the job get into the security institutions, he said. He said that in spite of low security presence to effectively secure citizens lives and property at national and state levels, a large number of security personnel and equipment were endlessly attached to politicians and net-worth individuals. The inadequacy of personnel and limited equipment has continued to pave way for the recurring politically and other socially-motivated conflicts. (NAN) The acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, on Wednesday criticised Transparency Internationals ranking of Nigeria in its latest Corruption Perception Index. Speaking to journalists at the Commissions new headquarters, Mr Magu said while he was worried by the ranking, he remained undeterred in his anti-corruption fight. We will continue to fight corruption, it (ranking)) doesnt matter, Mr Magu said. Theres a lot of politics in this indices, I dont believe it, I dont believe its right. Mr Magu said as far as anti-corruption rating is concerned, Nigeria has done very well. You are in this country, would you honestly say the situation is the same 12 years back? So I dont believe in this Transparency index, but we are doing everything possible to improve on our rating next year. The latest Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International earlier this year showed that corruption in Nigeria worsened between 2016 and 2017. The report, which ranked Nigeria 148th out of 180 countries, showed a slight deterioration in the perception of corruption in public administration in Nigeriacompared to 2016 when Nigeria ranked 136th. The Presidency disagreed with the report, describing the ranking as fiction. But the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, welcomed it as a catalyst for Nigeria to do better in its fight against corruption rather than a setback. Adetokunbo Mumuni, the Executive Director of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, said rather than blame Transparency Internationals ranking as political, the Nigerian government should intensify its fight against corruption. Let us say as Nigerians that the ranking by Transparency International is indicative of the way we are in the fight against corruption, Mr Mumuni told PREMIUM TIMES. But I will advise Magu and President Buhari to take the opinion and findings of Transparency International seriously so that where they say we are not doing well we move in that direction and do well. We must be seen to be doing the work effectively on our own. The Corruption Perception Index (CPI), established in 1995, is one of the most respected international measurement of corruption trends. It is a composite indicator used to measure perceptions of corruption in the public sector in different countries around the world. The CPI is computed by the Transparency International Secretariat in Germany and is published in Nigeria by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC). Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, CISLACs Executive Director, said the objective of the CPI ranking is being misunderstood by Nigerian government officials. What is important is for us to appreciate and recognise that we have corruption issue in Nigeria, Mr Rafsanjani told PREMIUM TIMES. Its better we stop the denial and be honest with ourselves The focus of the Corruption Perception Index is to help countries to improve in their systems, we know that they are lacking in the capacity to combat corruption, we know that there are lapses in policy implementation that will help against corruption. So, however, the situation is, why not be open to this and work towards addressing these lapses that we have which everybody knows that we have? So I dont think it was a well-informed dismissal (by the EFCC boss) because, ideally, government, especially one that is fighting corruption, should be open to exchange of concerns when there is a problem of corruption. The Chairman of the Northern Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly, (NLSA), Tanko Yakassai, has said the group would soon organise a political summit involving politicians from the region. He stated this when the group visited the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday. Mr Yakassai said the summit would address some identified problems in the region. He asked for the support of the National Assembly in hosting the event. He further explained the purpose of the visit was to brief the senate president on the formation of the organisation, including its aims and objectives. Mr Yakasai said that the group was not out to get a consensus presidential candidate for the north as being rumoured in some quarters, but rather to cooperate with Nigerians, who shared in its vision and mission. According to him, the group is out to formulate and device methods of preventing and resolving conflicts with the goal of creating and sustaining peaceful coexistence in the country Responding, Mr Saraki advocated advocated Executive-Legislature synergy to tackle insecurity in the country. He noted that peace and unity was essential to achieve overall development of the country. Mr Saraki commended the group for coming together to contribute their quota in realising a peaceful and prosperous country. You said you are political but non-partisan, we are all political and we need to get Nigeria in the right direction. Being leaders, this is the time to find lasting solutions. This is not the time for blame. This is the time for us to bring peace and regional dialogue. No society worth its salt will keep quiet in the face of these killings. Something somewhere is wrong. We need to meet to bring about peaceful coexistence and unity in this country. Part of the solution is to know that something is wrong. I am happy that you are here and we will speak truth about the problems and to conduct ourselves on how to encourage dialogue and ensure that the right thing is done, he said. Members of the group who visited the senate president were a former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, former Minister of Defence, Haliru Mohammed, former governors of Niger and Kogi, Babangida Aliyu, Idris Wada, and former FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed. Others were former Minister of Women Affairs, Inna Ciroma, Umar Ardo, Zainab Maina and Joseph Waku, a former senator. (NAN) The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday inaugurated a joint Senate and House of Representatives ad-hoc committee to investigate the April 18 invasion of the Senate chamber leading to the theft of its mace. Some minutes into the Senate plenary on April 18, the chamber was invaded by men who made away with the mace. The raiders ran out of the chamber with the mace and left the National Assembly in a convoy of four vehicles. PREMIUM TIMES reported the complicity of security agencies in the invasion and mace theft. Days later, the police said they had arrested six suspects, while investigation was still ongoing. Almost a month later, no one is being prosecuted despite the pictures of the actual thieves published by PREMIUM TIMES and other media. In his remark on Tuesday, Mr Saraki described the events of April 18 as one of the darkest days of Nigerias democracy. He vowed that the legislature will work to restore the integrity of the institution adding that the violation of the upper chamber will not be ignored. It has been inferred in many quarters that this group of thugs and urchins were led by a serving distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, its most despicable and unspeakable. We owe it as a duty not only to this present National Assembly but also those to precede it, that the legislative process is purged of this dirt and the legislature restored to its full place of dignity. This is a duty that must be achieved. We cannot let a precedence proceed from this. Everyone involved from conception to execution of this heinous crime must be brought to book, he said. Mr Saraki had earlier on Tuesday said a similar investigation by the National Assembly management had been concluded and the report submitted. That report is now expected to be reviewed by the new Senate panel. He, therefore, urged the panel to see its charge as pivotal to the restoration of the sanctity, the preservation of the dignity of the National Assembly and the restoration of the security, integrity and moral authority of the National Assembly. Members of the committee include Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan, Senators Abu Ibrahim, John Owan Enoh, Shehu sani, Samuel Anyanwu, Suleiman Hunkuyi, Baba Kaka Garbai and Binta Garba. The committee will be chaired by the Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn NaAllah. The #BringBackOurGirls group, Wednesday, raised questions which they want the federal government and the Nigerian army to answer over the claim by the army that it has rescued 1,000 people said to have been held captive by the Boko Haram terrorists. The army through its spokesperson, Texas Chukwu, said on Monday that the people rescued were held hostage in some villages in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State. Mr Chukwu, a brigadier general, said the hostages were mainly women, children and young men who were forced to become Boko Haram fighters. The #BringBackOurGirls group, which is non-profit, has been putting pressure on the Nigerian government to find ways of bringing back home more than 200 schoolgirls abducted in April 2014 in Chibok, Borno State. More than 100 of the Chibok girls have either escaped or freed by the Boko Haram so far, while others are still believed to be in captivity. The #BringBackOurGirls group in response to the latest development, however, said the announcement by the army as exciting as it sounds, raises grave concerns. In a statement signed by a former minister of education, Oby Ezekwesili, and two other leaders of the #BringBackOurGirls, the group raised four questions which they want the government and the army to provide answers to. The military has over the last 18 months regaled the country with reports that the terrorists have been totally defeated, how is it then possible for a defeated group to have capacity to hold 1,000 of our citizens captive? Even more pertinent for the future, How many more of our citizens does the Federal Government know may still be held captive by the terrorists? Is there a system for further verifying and confirming the true identities of the 1,000 citizens and a process including transparent plans for reuniting them with their families and communities? Can the military and Federal Government immediately publish print and electronic images of the 1,000 compatriots rescued? the group asked, in their statement. The group said reporting of abductions, rescues, and deaths deserve much more seriousness from the government and the army, adding that the federal government had in the past frustrated the groups attempt to establish a Missing Persons Register and Bureau. Citizens must never accept opaque claims by our government without appropriate public scrutiny. The troubling record of contradictory statements by our military and government instruct caution on the part of the Nigerian public to be more circumspect in our reaction to mass rescue claims and such like, the group said. Babatunde Fashola , Minister of Works, Power and Housing, says interested investors are free to establish commercial independent power generation plant or solar power plant without seeking license from the Federal Government. Mr Fashola made the remarks while fielding questions from journalists in Dutse on Wednesday during his two-day duty tour to Jigawa. He pointed out that the federal government was encouraging private investors to invest in the generation and selling of power to the public. Any interested individual or company can set up power generation from 2MW downwards and sell it to the public without requesting for any license. We are encouraging people to set up small power generation companies and sell it according to their capacity, not necessarily going for big project that requires huge amount of money and expertise, he said. On the delay to start various private solar power generation projects in the country, particularly those investing in Jigawa State, the minister explained that the investors insisted on selling the power to government. He however added that the guideline and the cost they proposed were not attainable. But we are still negotiation with them and as soon as we reach an agreement, the investors will commence work at their sites. NAN reports that the minister is in the state to inspect the ongoing construction of 76 units of houses in the state by the Federal Government under the National Housing Project. He is also expected to inspect the ongoing rehabilitation of 33 km Hadejia-Nguru federal high way, which was awarded since 2010. (NAN) The legal team of an ex-governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, who is said to be in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sued the commission for detaining him for over 72 hours after he turned himself in. The senator, who turned himself in after he was declared wanted by the EFCC over fraud related charges, is also seeking N500 million in damages from the EFCC. David Dusu, the lawmakers legal representative, stated this Wednesday in Jos, during a press conference. We have approached an Abuja High Court against EFCC to immediately release our client (Jonah Jang), we also demand N500 million compensation for his illegal detention in EFCC custody, he said. He added that Mr Jang has been on administrative bail from the EFCC since December 2017, who also seized his international passport to prevent him from jumping bail. The lawyer said Mr Jang is a responsible Nigerian who had held public positions and who should not be treated as a common criminal. Mr Dusu said Mr Jang had earlier sued the Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed for including his name in a controversial looters list recently published by the federal government. The list had claimed that Mr Jang, a senator representing Plateau North, stole N12 billion from the states treasury while serving as governor. According to Mr Jangs legal team, the detained senator was on medication before his arrest by the EFCC. It was gathered that the EFCC has slammed a 12-count charge against Mr Jang, at the Plateau State High Court since Friday, but is yet to arraign him. The agency says the former governor allegedly misappropriated over N6.3 billion while in office. The EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, did not return calls or reply text messages seeking to find out why the senator is still being detained. Meanwhile, executives of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state engaged in an altercation over Mr Jangs ordeal. Commenting on the arrest, the state chairman of the PDP, Damishi Sango, said the way Mr Jang was being treated by the EFCC was unfair since he had already turned himself in. Mr Sango, who made the partys position known Tuesday night, said due diligence in arresting and prosecuting the former governor was not duly carried out by the EFCC. He said while the appropriate agencies of government are at liberty to discharge their statutory and constitutional mandates, due diligence, respect for due process and the rule of law must be followed. Jonah Jang But the state publicity secretary of the APC, Chindo Dafat, in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday morning said the arrest and prosecution of Mr Jang was long over due. Mr Dafat also faulted claims by Mr Sango that due process was not followed in detaining Mr Jang. Nobody should be seen to be above the law. The EFCC are doing their legitimate duties, noone should interfere in the affairs of the agency. If they are holding Jang since Monday, it should be for a purpose. Justice must be seen to be done to all, irrespective of whatever status, he said. Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday warned that the federal government would not accept the 74 housing units and Jega-Yauri road project due to shoddy job. Mr Fashola who inspected the two projects in Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, told the contractors to undertake the project within specification otherwise the government would not accept them He observed that most of the roofing of the bungalows in the Federal Housing Estate and road culverts were not done properly. The roofing is not standard and road culverts are not properly done. They have to reconstruct some of these buildings because we cannot accept them; their roofs are not well constructed, he said. Similarly, Mr Fashola told the contractor handling the Jega-Yauri road that he was not satisfied with the narrow culverts constructed along the road. I am not satisfied with these culverts, you have to reconstruct them. The government has overcome the challenges of funding but is now faced with the challenge of getting the project done in compliance with contractual agreement. With all clear intention, we cannot do the work, we have to entrust the contractors to do the work for us, hence they should do it according to the agreement, the minister said. Walid AbouJaoude of TRIACTA Nigeria Limited handling the road project pledged that the company would do all the necessary corrections and complete the project on time. Hon. Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN(right) and others during the Hon. Ministers inspection of the National Housing Programme site in Dutse, Jigawa State on Tuesday 8th May 2018. A cross section of the 2-bedroom Semi -Detached Bungalows of the National Housing Programme in Dutse, Jigawa State. INSET: Hon. Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN (left) and Governor of Jigawa State, Alh. Muhd Badaru Abubakar(right) during a courtesy visit to the State Government House in Dutse, Jigawa State, on Tuesday 8th May 2018. He said that the company had since completed the first phase of the 186 kilometre road project, which began from Sokoto, through Jega, Yauri and would terminate at Birnin Kebbi. (NAN) The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the July 14 election Ekiti State, Kolapo Olusola, has expressed readiness to take up the challenge in ensuring his victory. Mr Olusola, who is also the deputy governor of the state, said this when he received the party Certificate of return at PDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday. He said he was privileged to be the first gubernatorial candidate to be issued certificate of return, saying this means that we have won the July 14 election. The governorship candidate said the people of the state would resist all forms of violence and money politics during the election in the state. I want to assure our national leaders that, Ekiti State is for PDP. All the other parties are just shouting. Let them bring money, let them bring violence, Ekiti people will resist them. We are no more interested in accommodating unnecessary interlopers. People want to take us through another round of economic slavery. We are no more ready for that. I am ready and prepared to take up this challenge as the incoming governor of Ekiti State on the platform of the PDP. There is a big difference between PDP and the other parties. We are a party that has totally eliminated imposition and impunity, he said. Mr Olusola, a professor, commended the peaceful primaries on Monday in Ado-Ekiti and described PDP as a party with integrity, fairness, and transparency. He commended Governor Ayodele Fayose for his support, describing him as a fearless leader who stood on the side of the truth. The governorship candidate also expressed his readiness to work with the party stakeholders and leaders, including the former national spokesman of the party, Dayo Adeyeye. The PDP National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobundu, who presented the certificate of return to Mr Olusola, described the primary as the most transparent in the party in recent history. He said that PDP National Working Committee, led by Uche Secondus, had shown impunity and imposition of candidates red card. Mr Akobundu urged the two aspirants in the primary and other stakeholders to work together for the success of the party. The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Yemi Akinwonmi, said PDP had shown, through the outcome of its governorship primary in Ekiti, that it was the only democratic party in the country. (NAN) Three Americans detained in the North Korea are on their way home. Photo: Ahn Young-joon/AP/REX/Shutterstock Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is returning from Pyongyang with three Americans who have spent months detained in North Koreas brutal prisons, President Trump tweeted Wednesday morning. Pompeo, who was on his second visit to North Korea in the past several months, was there to finalize the details of the coming meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump tweeted that the time and place of meeting are now set. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 News of the prisoner release was praised in Seoul, where President Moon Jae-ins spokesman said the decision will work as a very positive factor for the success of the North Korea-U.S. summit. He also called for the release of six South Korean captives currently held in the North. The release of the three Americans Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim, and Kim Dong-chul was not done purely out of goodwill, although Pyongyang might like the world to think otherwise. Rather, it was a precondition of the summit between Trump and Kim, a senior administration official tells the Times. The prisoners, all taken captive within the past three years, are of Korean descent. Kim Dong-chul, arrested in October of 2015, is the longest imprisoned of the three men. In April of 2016 he was sentenced to ten years of hard labor after a conviction on espionage charges. Kim Hak-song and Tony Kim, both of whom spent time teaching at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, were arrested last year on vague charges. There will be intense interest in hearing from these three men once they return to the U.S., particularly after the last American captive to come home from North Korea died days later. 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. No pee tape needed. Photo: MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/AFP/Getty Images In the waning weeks of 2016, when the intelligence community and many politicians were passing around terrifying reports about Donald Trumps links to Russia like samizdat, the frightening possibility arose that the sanctity of the United States government might be compromised in a way no living American had experienced. This was just one of the unnerving things about the rise of Trump, and it was one that many well-informed observers doubted. Russia, after all, was poor and weak. To imagine that a country with an economy smaller than Canadas or Italys could leverage a superpower ten times wealthier beggared the imagination. And yet that paranoid, absurd belief seems to be creeping closer to reality than seemed possible even in those dark postelection days. The New York Times has confirmed the explosive claims made by Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Stormy Daniels, that Columbus Nova a New York investment firm whose biggest client is a company controlled by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg deposited half a million dollars into a secret account set up by attorney Michael Cohen to pay off Trumps sexual partners. The possible reasons for this arrangement run from brazenly corrupt to far worse. Columbus Nova said the hefty sum was a consulting fee paid to Cohen, hardly a benign explanation. 5 of the Most Blatantly Unethical Moves by the Trump Administration Columbus Nova reportedly retained Cohens services after Andrew Intrater, the companys American chief executive, met him while attending Trumps inauguration with Vekselberg, who is his cousin. Like all Russian oligarchs, Vekselberg operates in cooperation with the Putin government. The payments gave Russia several sources of possible leverage over Cohen and Trump. First, the money itself could amount to some kind of bribe, in return for which a favor would be expected. Second, Russia had knowledge of the secret payoff, which it could always expose. Third, the possibility (at minimum) exists that Russia knew the account was being used to silence Trumps mistresses, yet another source of kompromat.* For all the speculation about the existence of the pee tape, the latest revelations prove what is tantamount to the same thing. Russia could leverage the president and his fixer who, recall, hand-delivered a pro-Russian peace plan with Ukraine to Trumps national-security adviser in January 2017 by threatening to expose secrets they were desperate to keep hidden. Whether those secrets were limited to legally questionable payments, or included knowledge of sexual affairs, is a question of degree but not of kind. Perhaps even more alarming has been the response of the political system to this crisis. The House of Representatives has assigned Devin Nunes, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, as its point man to defend Trump against the Mueller investigation. The Department of Justice has a long-standing policy of keeping Congress out of active investigations, for the obvious reason that elected officials have a powerful incentive to interfere. Nunes has demanded the virtually unlimited right to get inside the Mueller probe. Officials in the Department of Justice have come to suspect his goal is to compromise the investigation by handing information from the prosecutors over to Trump. The Washington Post tonight reports another, and even more fanatical, step in Nuness crusade. Last week, Nunes demanded a piece of information that the FBI and other intelligence officials believed would endanger a top-secret intelligence source. They prevailed on Trump to support their request to withhold the information which, they argued, would risk severe consequences including potential loss of human lives. Nunes is not only demanding the secret be revealed to him, but threatening to vote to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt. And officials who secured Trumps support may have left out the fact that the source provided information to the Mueller investigation. As a result, several administration officials said they fear Trump may reverse course and support Nuness argument. Think for a moment what this report tells us. The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, who enjoys the full backing of his partys leadership, is willing to risk what his own government describes as the betrayal and potential loss of life of an intelligence source. And officials within this government believe the president would do the same, all in order to obstruct an investigation into the presidents secretive ties to a foreign power. They are acting as though Trump is compromised by Russia, or at the very least, that he cannot be trusted to defend his own countrys security against it. The sordid Russia scandal has already brought some version of a very dark nightmare scenario to life. This post has been updated with additional information about Columbus Novas relationship with Michael Cohen. Update: This was published Tuesday night, in the wake of immediate disclosures in the media that emphasized the role of Vekselberg. My interpretation of Cohens payments, and especially the headline, leapt to the darkest conclusion too quickly. Subsequent reporting has fleshed out the picture and presented the payments as an effort by Cohen to cash in on his access. The payments look more like traditional in influence peddling, albeit an especially gross form carried out in a way designed to avoid any public disclosure, and not a way to funnel money to Trumps mistresses. The assumptions here about Cohen remain possibilities, but worst-case scenarios, not proven fact. Citywide conversation about the impact of incarceration on Chicago's communities continues May 11 in Little Village and Back of the Yards featuring art exhibits, performances and discussions created with local residents By: Illinois Humanities - Envisioning Justice www. EnvisioningJustice. org Contact Kitty Kurth ***@kurthlampe.com Kitty Kurth End -- Throughout May, open house events produced by Envisioning Justice community partners designed to bring Chicagoans from all areas and walks of life to the same table will be held. The Open Houses celebrate the culmination of a ten-week session of arts education classes and community discussion programs. Stop by to see how these communities across the city are using the arts and humanities to envision positive changes to the criminal justice system.Friday, May 11, 20184:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.Open House attendees can view and learn about art created by Little Village residents ranging from age 12 to adults, including intergenerational projects. Youth and adults have spent 10-weeks engaging the connected issues of immigration, deportation and the criminal justice system through painting, theater, film and community discussion.Discussion about how immigration and deportation are often told and the importance of including the voices of those most directly impactedFriday, May 11, 20185:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.As part of the Envisioning Justice initiative to reimagine criminal justice and mass incarceration, the #BreathingRoom launched the #FreethePeople Academy, a free 10-week art & humanities series for community residents. The Open House will feature a culminating showcase which is a special edition of the flagship event, the #BreathingRoom series. The series is the #LetUsBreathe Collective's multidisciplinary open mic, featuring performance and political education to build community and raise consciousness. https://envisioningjustice.org/ ): Created and facilitated by Illinois Humanities, Envisioning Justice will engage Chicagoans, of all neighborhoods, races, socio-economic backgrounds, and with a diversity of perspectives, in a citywide conversation about the impact of incarceration in local communities and will invite residents to use the arts and humanities to devise strategies for lessening this impact. Envisioning Justice seeks to strengthen efforts to reimagine our criminal legal system and is inspired by the goals of justice, accountability, safety, support, and restoration for all people. Follow #Envisioning Justice at @EnvisioningJustice on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/ EnvisioningJustice ) and @envisionjustice on Twitter.: Our mission is to strengthen the social, political and economic fabric of Illinois through constructive conversation and community engagement. By: Kindermusik Contact Nicole Dominguez ***@kindermusik.com Nicole Dominguez End -- Kindemusik International Inc., the world's leader in music and movement education, today announced the signing of a master franchise agreement in Vietnam."We are thrilled to be able to grow the presence of Kindermusik in Vietnam," said Scott Kinsey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kindermusik International. "The brand's 40-year history and industry leadership provide a solid foundation for Kindermusik's expansion."Thanh Bui, Principal of the Academy of Music and Performing Arts and Soul Music and Performing Arts Academy in Ho Chi Minh City, will launch Kindermusik's powerful, research-proven curriculum in Vietnam. Thanh is a world-renowned artist, musician and performer with a passion for bringing the arts to students of all ages. "Having a music or performing arts education is an integral part of an individual's self-development, as well as, an important means of self-expression,"said Thanh Bui.Kindermusik International Inc. is the world's leading provider of music and movement programs for young children, enjoyed by millions of families in 73 countries since 1978. Kindermusik provides educators, children and families resources to help build a strong foundation for a lifetime love of learning. Kindermusik offers a full spectrum of developmentally appropriate classes for children ages newborn to seven, featuring engaging music and movement activities that promote school readiness and stimulate development in every area of the young brain. For additional information, visit Kindermusik at www.kindermusik.com The Academy of Music and Performing Arts (AMPA) and Soul Music & Performing Arts Academy (SMPAA) is focused on raising music and performing arts education in Vietnam to a new level. With the most updated international curricula available and world-class facilities, we offer a range of music and performing arts programs, as well as various developmental activities to enhance the learning experience of our students. As we believe that music/performing arts is an integral part of an individual's holistic development, SMPAA has both the expertise and passion to deliver tangible benefits to our students. At the very core, through music and performing arts education, we prepare our students to be world-ready, to make an impact with their academic knowledge, creativity, artistic competence, sensitivity and integrity. For additional information, visit SMPAA at http://smpaa.edu.vn/ PHILADELPHIA, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: AEF), a closed-end equity fund, announced today its portfolio composition as of May 8, 2018. The Fund is the consolidated entity resulting from the reorganizations of Aberdeen Emerging Markets Smaller Company Opportunities Fund, Inc. ("ABE"), Aberdeen Israel Fund, Inc. ("ISL"), Aberdeen Indonesia Fund, Inc. ("IF"), Aberdeen Latin America Equity Fund, Inc. ("LAQ"), Aberdeen Singapore Fund, Inc. ("SGF"), Aberdeen Greater China Fund, Inc. ("GCH") and The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc. ("GRR") into the Aberdeen Chile Fund, Inc. ("CH"). Effective April 30, 2018, the consolidated fund was renamed and now trades on the NYSE American Exchange under the ticker symbol "AEF." The information provided details the portfolio composition following the preliminary realignment in the first week of trading under the new equity income strategy. The Fund follows a multi-cap emerging markets equity income investment strategy that may utilize leverage1 and seeks to provide both current income and long-term capital appreciation by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in emerging market equity securities. On May 8, 2018, the Fund's net assets amounted to US$836.8 million and the Fund's NAV per share was US$9.41. As of May 8, 2018, the portfolio was invested as follows: Portfolio Composition Percent of Net Assets Financials 22.6% Information Technology 20.2% Telecommunications 11.6% Consumer Staples 9.7% Cash 8.8% Materials 7.2% Real Estate 6.3% Consumer Discretionary 6.2% Industrials 2.5% Energy 2.3% Utilities 2.1% Health Care 0.5% Portfolio Composition Geographic Exposure China 17.6% India 12.5% South Africa 7.5% Hong Kong 6.7% Taiwan 6.7% Brazil 5.9% South Korea 5.6% Chile 4.4% Indonesia 4.2% Mexico 4.2% Thailand 4.2% Russia 3.3% Turkey 3.1% United States 2.8% Czech Republic 1.9% Poland 1.9% Belgium 1.7% Kenya 1.3% Portugal 1.0% Spain 0.8% United Kingdom 0.8% Israel 0.7% Romania 0.4% Singapore 0.4% Italy 0.3% Malaysia 0.1% The Fund's ten largest equity holdings as of May 8, 2018, representing 27.2% of net assets, were: Stock Percent of Net Assets Tencent Holdings, Ltd. 6.2% China Mobile Ltd. 3.0% Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Preferred Shares 2.6% Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., GDR 2.5% Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. 2.4% China Resources Land Ltd. 2.3% Taiwan Mobile Co. Ltd. 2.2% FirstRand Ltd. 2.0% Itau Unibanco Holding SA 2.0% ITC Ltd. 2.0% As previously announced, the Fund anticipates a tender offer, which together with a special distribution of capital gains, will aggregate up to a maximum distribution of 50%, and not less than 40%, of the net assets of the Fund post-consolidation. The tender offer and special distribution could result in the changes to the composition noted above. Important Information Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. (the "Administrator") has prepared this report based on information sources believed to be accurate and reliable. However, the figures are unaudited and neither the Fund, the Administrator, Aberdeen Asset Managers Limited (the "Investment Adviser"), nor any other person guarantees their accuracy. Investors should seek their own professional advice and should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before acting on this information. The Investment Adviser and the Administrator are each a subsidiary of Aberdeen Asset Management PLC ("Aberdeen PLC"). The Fund has not commenced the tender offer described in this release. Any tender offer will be made only by an Offer for Repurchase or Offer to Purchase for Cash, a related Letter of Transmittal and other documents which will be filed with the SEC as exhibits to a tender offer statement on Schedule TO. Holders of Fund shares and Target Fund shares should read these documents once they are filed and become available because they will contain important information about the tender offer. These and other documents filed by the Fund will be available to investors for free both on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov and from the Fund. The offer is not being made to, nor will tenders be accepted from or on behalf of, holders of shares in any jurisdiction in which making or accepting the offer would violate that jurisdiction's laws. Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Holdings are subject to change and are provided for informational purposes only and should not be deemed as a recommendation to buy or sell the securities shown. If you wish to receive this press release electronically, please contact: [email protected] aberdeenaef.com 1 Leverage is not currently used. SOURCE Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc. Related Links http://www.aberdeenaef.com NEW YORK and LONDON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) published a report examining the interrelation between businesses and society, and the importance of good corporate governance in facilitating a positive relationship between them. Because the focus of the corporate governance debate is shifting from an emphasis on compliance with processes and procedures to the outcomes of applying them, ACCA published the Tenets of Good Corporate Governance to explore some of the key topics and issues in global corporate governance practice and debate: from the campaign to promote diversity and balance at a board level to the call to place executive remuneration in the context of the remuneration gap between the top and the bottom of the company. The report Tenets of good corporate governance examines five key issues: The relationship between companies and society Diversity and balance Enabling an effective board Executive remuneration Gatekeepers of corporate governance The report highlights the need for companies to think deeply about their business model and how it may look in 5, 10 or 20 years' time. Companies need to achieve their long-term business purpose, but this must also involve picturing where the society is going, and how they fit within the vision. Businesses need to realize the importance of a motivated and engaged workforce and positive relationship with their environment. "While the corporate governance debate has come some way over the last decades, many still see it as a compliance exercise. However, some companies are exceeding existing best practice which, combined with a change in public perception, should raise the standard of practice over time," said Jo Iwasaki, head of corporate governance at ACCA. "Hopefully this report helps businesses to examine their vision and strategic direction in a broader context, which will in turn allow their companies to achieve long term growth." Dr. Richard LeBlanc, Associate Professor, Law, Governance & Ethics at York University and contributor to the report, added: "This is a terrific report by ACCA, and a must-read for all North American company directors and governance professionals. It reflects best global take-away practices for leading, value-added boards, and captures key trends and debates that are occurring in American and Canadian boardrooms. ACCA should be commended for such a timely, relevant, balanced and useful contribution." Tenets of good corporate governance is the latest report in ACCA's tenets series, which also includes the tenets of tax, business law and corporate reporting. The full series is available here: www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/professional-insights/global-profession/tenets-of-good-corporate-governance.html About ACCA ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants, offering business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. ACCA supports its 200,000 members and 486,000 students in 180 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 101 offices and centers and more than 7,200 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence. ACCA is currently introducing major innovations to its flagship qualification to ensure its members and future members continue to be the most valued, up to date and sought-after accountancy professionals globally. Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. More information is here: www.accaglobal.com SOURCE ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) Related Links http://www.accaglobal.com Things arent looking great. Photo: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AFP/Getty Images Michael Avenatti, Stormy Danielss high-profile lawyer, tweeted on Monday that Trump fixer Michael Cohen had received $500,000 from a company controlled by a Russian oligarch last year, and that the money may have acted as a repayment for Cohens $130,000 payoff to Daniels. After significant investigation, we have discovered that Mr. Trumps atty Mr. Cohen received approximately $500,000 in the mos. after the election from a company controlled by a Russian Oligarc with close ties to Mr. Putin. These monies may have reimbursed the $130k payment. Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 8, 2018 In a second tweet, Avenatti attached a document purporting to show that the oligarch, Viktor Vekelsburg, and his cousin Andrew Intrater routed eight payments to Mr. Cohen through a company named Columbus Nova LLC beginning in January 2017 and continuing until at least August 2017. The Executive Summary from our first Preliminary Report on Findings may be accessed via the link below. Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen have a lot of explaining to do.https://t.co/179WvIkRlD Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 8, 2018 The document includes a perhaps even more explosive detail: that multiple large companies had also made payments to a different Cohen company, perhaps in an effort to influence Trump administration policy. Here's something that could be a REALLY big deal: In addition to the payments from a Russian oligarch, Avenatti says that major companies -- like Novartis and AT&T -- were making large payments in 2017 and 2018 to the LLC that Michael Cohen set up to pay Stormy Daniels pic.twitter.com/QBT0VXzta5 Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) May 8, 2018 AT&T confirmed that it had made the payments shortly after Avenattis tweets were posted. BREAKING: @ATT confirms payments to Cohen LLC >> Full Stmt: Essential Consulting was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration. They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017 Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) May 8, 2018 As did Novartis: Spokesman for NOVARTIS does not dispute Avenatti's assertion that it paid Cohen. Says: "Any agreements with Essential Consultants were entered before our current CEO taking office in February of this year and have expired." Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) May 8, 2018 Vekelsburg, who is one of the worlds richest men, was recently sanctioned by the Trump administration over suspected 2016 election meddling. The New York Times reported last week that Vekelsberg was stopped at an aiport and questioned by agents working with Special Counsel Robert Mueller about two months ago; CNN reported on Tuesday that agents asked him about the payments to Cohen, seemingly confirming Avenattis assertion of the transaction. Cohens lawyer denied Avenattis characterization: Michael Cohens attorney, Steve Ryan, wont discuss the $500,000 Michael Avenatti says Cohen received from Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg in 2017. I understand the shorthand youre using, but it wasnt a payment, Ryan says before hanging up. Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) May 8, 2018 Cohen is in dire legal and emotional straits after federal investigators raided his office last month. SAN FRANCISCO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global advanced ceramics market is expected to reach USD 134.58 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Advanced ceramics, also termed industrial ceramics, engineered ceramics, fine ceramics, and enhanced/technical ceramics, are reinforced ceramic compounds with excellent thermal, magnetic, optical, and electrical properties. As a result, they have emerged as effective alternatives to high-performance plastics and steel for various applications. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg ) The market is expected to witness considerable growth over the next eight years owing to their increasing use in the electronic & electrical industry. Rising electronic device demand among consumers, particularly in the countries of Asia Pacific region, including India and China, is expected to have a positive impact on the market over the forecast period. These products have been gaining acceptance over the past few years on account of growing awareness regarding their benefits such as biodegradability, durability, and high tensile strength. Rising environmental concerns, coupled with stringent regulations by governments in North America and Europe, are expected to further propel product demand over the next eight years. The material is used in structural applications including wear components, armor, cutting tools, and engines. High-quality and performance are key benefits of advanced ceramics that drive their use in myriad applications. Growth in the industry is from both traditional as well as new applications. The increasing use of advanced ceramics in automotive heat engines such as diesel components and gas turbines; medical implants and devices; industrial heat exchangers; and electrochemical devices, is expected to propel industry growth over the forecast period. The extensive use of coated machinery components, coupled with shifting preference among consumers to advanced coatings and breakthroughs in deposition processes are expected to open new market opportunities for the ceramic coatings over the forecast period. Key factors expected to challenge industry growth include regulatory as well as environmental issues and competition from alternative materials. Browse full research report with TOC on "Advanced Ceramics Market Size, Share & Trend Analysis Report By Material (Alumina Ceramics, Titanate Ceramics, Zirconate Ceramics, Ferrite Ceramics), By Product, By Application, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2024"at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/advanced-ceramics-market Further Key Findings From the Report Suggest: Global advanced ceramics market value was USD 56.70 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.2% from 2016 to 2024 in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.2% from 2016 to 2024 Zirconates are expected to grow at a considerable pace from 2016 to 2024, at a CAGR over 14.8% in terms of revenue, owing to their increasing use in the automotive sector The ceramic coatings segment was estimated at USD 2.88 billion in 2015. The major industries that employ the product include medical, automotive, aerospace, environmental protection, and fiber optics communications sectors. Increasing use of the product in the aforementioned sectors is likely to drive its growth in the forecast period. in 2015. The major industries that employ the product include medical, automotive, aerospace, environmental protection, and fiber optics communications sectors. Increasing use of the product in the aforementioned sectors is likely to drive its growth in the forecast period. Automotive sector demand for the product was valued at USD 4.57 billion in 2015 on account of its increasing use in the manufacturing of ceramic oxygen sensors in the cars with computer controls to optimize combustion and reduction of exhaust emissions functions. in 2015 on account of its increasing use in the manufacturing of ceramic oxygen sensors in the cars with computer controls to optimize combustion and reduction of exhaust emissions functions. North America was one of the largest markets for the product and is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 9.5% from 2016 to 2024, in terms of revenue. Stringent environmental regulations have led to increased product use as it aids in controlling pollution. was one of the largest markets for the product and is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 9.5% from 2016 to 2024, in terms of revenue. Stringent environmental regulations have led to increased product use as it aids in controlling pollution. In November 2012 , 3M acquired Ceradyne, Inc. They are working towards introducing new technologies and innovations for uniquely tailored materials that require advanced ceramics. Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Canvas Products Market - The Global canvas product market is expected to witness substantial growth over the forecast period owing to large scale use of canvas in manufacturing products. Composites Market - The global composites market size was USD 66.61 billion in 2015 and is expected to experience substantial growth over the next eight years. Ceramics Market - The Global ceramics market was USD 157.70 billion in 2014. The industry is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period Fire Resistant Glass Market - The global fire resistant glass market size was valued at USD 3.02 billion in 2015. Grand View Research has segmented the advanced ceramics market on the basis of material, product, application, end-use and region. Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) Alumina ceramics Titanate ceramics Zirconate ceramics Ferrite ceramics Aluminum nitride Silicon carbide Silicon nitride Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) Ethanolamines Fatty amines Alkylamines Others Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) Electrical equipment Catalyst supports Electronic devices wear parts Engine parts Filters Bioceramics Others End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) Electrical & electronics Automotive Machinery Environmental Medical Others Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) North America U.S. Europe Germany UK Asia Pacific China India Latin America Brazil MEA Saudi Arabia Read Our Blog By Grand View Research: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/blogs/advanced-materials About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: +1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. AdvanIDe and LEGIC expand their co-operation into mobile access, secure IoT SINGAPORE, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AdvanIDe - Advanced ID Electronics - the leading independent provider of semiconductors for the smart card, IoT, NFC and RFID industry, today announced a significant agreement with LEGIC, a leading solutions provider and expert for contactless identification by means of RFID, NFC, and Bluetooth Smart. LEGIC's open technology platform covers secure reader and smartcard ICs, the trusted service LEGIC Connect, an SDK for mobile apps as well as key and authorization management for the simple implementation and management of applications. To be able to offer its customers the best solutions and services that are tailored to their requirements, Swiss company LEGIC Identsystems Ltd is taking a further step towards global availability. This is being made possible with AdvanIDe (Advanced ID Electronics) as its new distribution partner. With 20 years of experience in the provision of semiconductors and added value services, AdvanIDe is one of the leading companies in its sector. With sales locations and logistics centers located in key markets, the company ensures that its LEGIC customers enjoy rapid response times and the global availability of products. To support the LEGIC customers, the company also offers technical support, a wide range of example products and source code. In addition to this, experienced Field Application Engineers (FAEs) are also available at strategically relevant locations. "By working together with LEGIC Identsystems Ltd, we can offer our customers innovative solutions and components from one of the most experienced companies in the industry." - Holger Roessner, CEO der AdvanIDe Holdings Pte Ltd. The decision to enter into a cooperation with AdvanIDe was the next logical step forwards in opening LEGIC up to a wide range of customers, extending its global reach, and providing its customers with more agility. In this respect, LEGIC is making use of the potential from its successes and its pioneering role in the areas of Secure Mobile ID and the IoT and is also expanding into new applications and new areas of business. "With AdvanIDe, we are pleased to have found a globally operating distribution partner which isn't just a sector expert, but also enjoys our complete confidence following many years of collaboration as a LEGIC partner." Christoph Beckenbauer - General Manager of LEGIC Identsystems Ltd. About AdvanIDe AdvanIDe - Advanced ID Electronics - is one of the leading semiconductor providers focused on components and value-added services and products that are typically being used in RFID transponders and readers, chip cards, security access modules, NFC and IoT devices. AdvanIDe works with leading card manufacturers, security and state printers, transponder manufacturers, OEMs and system-developers. The company's clients supply their products and solutions into applications such as access-management, hospitality and loyalty, automated fare collection, smart city applications, object identification, eGovernment, financial services, M2M security, authentication and IoT. AdvanIDe had revenues of USD 160M in 2017 and operates from 12 offices in international locations and three representative offices in Korea, Japan and Taiwan. AdvanIDe is jointly owned by the Japan South East Asia Growth Fund L.P. and key employees. Additional information can be found by visiting www.advanide.com AdvanIDe Media Contact: Ms. Sharon Gng +65/6738 0030 [email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688437/LEGIC_ADVANIDE_Logo.jpg SOURCE AdvanIDe Related Links http://www.advanide.com HEREDIA, Costa Rica, May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Advant Medical, a global leader in Medical Device contract services and manufacturing solutions, recently announced a significant investment for its expansion into Costa Rica. The Costa Rican expansion saw the opening of a 13,000 square foot facility with a 2,200 square foot, Class 8, cleanroom with capacity to manufacture Class I, II, III Medical Devices. Advant has also invested heavily in new state-of-the-art equipment and machinery to support its manufacturing capability in the region. Advant is a high-performance solution provider of packaging and subcontract manufacturing for the Medical Device industry. The company is widely regarded for its expertise in Medical Devices in leading neuro-revascularization device assembly, catheter assembly incorporating electro-mechanical drive systems and high-end, specialty dispenser manufacturing. Full service manufacturing is expected to commence at the new facility in April 2018 and recruitment of 30 new personnel is underway in areas such as Quality, Engineering, Production Operatives, and Administration. If interested, please email [email protected]. Speaking about the new Costa Rican venture, Bob DiPetrillo, CEO, Advant Medical said, "With a positive foundation from our initial experience in the country through a contract manufacturing partnership, we have a great appreciation for the excellent business and political environment that operates within Costa Rica." "Costa Rica positions Advant Medical at the epicentre of our Medical Device customers. We operate on the premise of 'Local Sourcing, Globally' and Costa Rica better enables us to serve our growing international customer base in a more cost efficient and timely manner, effectively allowing our customers to better optimize their supply chains," DiPetrillo added. With manufacturing operations in Ireland for 25 years, Mexico and now increased capability in Costa Rica, Advant can further enhance its global footprint providing scalable manufacturing solutions and supporting its customers throughout their product development journey from prototype to pilot production and high-volume manufacture. Headquartered in Galway, Ireland, Advant Medical is a global partner and tier one supplier to multi-nationals, SMEs and start-up companies across the globe. "With the support of CINDE along with our other strategic partners, this investment in Costa Rica provides a tremendous growth opportunity and a platform from which Advant will continue to provide world class Medical Device contract and manufacturing services," explained DiPetrillo. About Advant Medical Since 1993 Advant Medical has delivered for 25 years quality assured products and services to the Medical Device industry globally. Specialists in the Manufacturing and Packaging of Minimally Invasive and Implantable Devices, Advant is a tier one supplier and global partner for Class I, II, III Medical Device development and manufacturing solutions. With an all-encompassing experienced team in various disciplines of 3D Printing, Injection Moulding, Product Development, Contract Manufacturing and Packaging services, Advant provides a turnkey approach in the development of innovative solutions that are based on real industry experience, regulatory knowledge, and extensive qualifications. For more information please visit www.advantmedical.com SOURCE Advant Medical Co-Sponsored by Trigon Diamonds and Last Minute Venues, and the first of a planned networking series, IBER will bring together businesses that are making efforts to expand their international presence through global engagement and relationship-building. In reference to the mission of Aliyah Media, Editor-in-Chief, David Grana, explains, "Aliyah Media is the only media company that serves as a vehicle which links Las Vegas with international businesses and establishes economic ties with local companies. Las Vegas is not just a gaming and convention city. Aliyah Media is ensuring that industries across all verticals will recognize this city as a place to establish economic roots." BROOKLYN, N.Y., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While fifth-generation (5G) wireless technologies and protocols are still in development, researchers at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering are reaching even further into the future as partners in ComSenTer, a newly formed hub for advanced wireless and sensing research founded by a consortium of industrial participants and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). In a highly competitive selection process, NYU Tandon was chosen to join the lead institution University of California, Santa Barbara in this effort. Other researchers are from University of California, Berkeley; University of California, San Diego; Cornell University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ComSenTer is the latest initiative in the Joint University Microelectronics Program (JUMP), a sweeping, five-year, $200 million industry/academia partnership to accelerate innovation in microelectronics-based technologies, including wireless communications. Sundeep Rangan, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at NYU Tandon and director of the research center NYU WIRELESS, will oversee New York University's participation in ComSenTer. The NYU Tandon team will lead all the systems research, specifically developing end-to-end applications for high speed communications and imaging systems. Their work is supported by a $1.9 million grant from Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC). "From the time Samuel Morse invented the telegraph and Morse Code, NYU faculty members have been pioneers in communication technologies, always developing next-generation devices, and particularly expanding the wireless frontiers far beyond telecommunications, opening new possibilities in medicine, media, and more," said Dean Katepalli R. Sreenivasan. "It is only appropriate, and is a testament to our history of excellence, that NYU Tandon was chosen as a partner in this most recent effort of bringing future generations of wireless into focus." ComSenTer researchers are developing technologies for the high gigahertz (GHz) and terahertz spectrum where the combination of vast bandwidth and miniature wavelengths present the potential for developing compact, high-dimensional antenna arrays that both circumvent traditional transmission issues, like blocking and scattering, and enable imaging and sensing capabilities and transmission speeds that are unimaginable today. 5G wireless systems are already moving to millimeter wave (mmWave) bands as high as 90 GHz. ComSenTer will build devices and systems as high as 500 GHz, which could form the basis of future 6G wireless networks, as well as advanced radar and sensing systems. This revolutionary infrastructure will support fully immersive systems including augmented and virtual reality, as well as transform autonomous vehicle and smart-city technologies. This is the second recent award for NYU WIRELESS and NYU Tandon faculty in the area of wireless innovation and development. The National Science Foundation last month announced that NYU researchers will team with colleagues from Rutgers and Columbia to establish COSMOS, a major testbed for 5G wireless development and deployment in New York City. About the New York University Tandon School of Engineering The NYU Tandon School of Engineering dates to 1854, the founding date for both the New York University School of Civil Engineering and Architecture and the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (widely known as Brooklyn Poly). A January 2014 merger created a comprehensive school of education and research in engineering and applied sciences, rooted in a tradition of invention and entrepreneurship and dedicated to furthering technology in service to society. In addition to its main location in Brooklyn, NYU Tandon collaborates with other schools within NYU, one of the country's foremost private research universities, and is closely connected to engineering programs at NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai. It operates Future Labs focused on start-up businesses in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn and an award-winning online graduate program. For more information, visit http://engineering.nyu.edu. About Semiconductor Research Corporation SRC is a world-renowned, high technology-based consortium that serves as a crossroads of collaboration between technology companies, academia, government agencies and SRC's highly regarded engineers and scientists. Information about the SRC can be found at https://www.src.org/. www.facebook.com/nyutandon @NYUTandon SOURCE NYU Tandon School of Engineering Related Links http://engineering.nyu.edu HOUSTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- American Gilsonite Company (the "Company" or "AGC"), the world's principal commercial miner and processor of uintaite, the unique mineral marketed under its trademark name "Gilsonite," today announced that it will post financial and operating results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 to the Company's Intralinks site on Friday, May 11, 2018. The Company will host a conference call for holders of its Subordinated Notes and holders of the Company's common stock on Monday, May 14, 2018 at 11:30am ET. David G. Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Steven A. Granda, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will discuss the Company's financial results and answer questions from the investment community. A rebroadcast of this conference call will also be available through June 4, 2018. The dial-in information for both the conference call and the rebroadcast will be posted to the Company's Intralinks website. Participants for the conference call are requested to dial in five to ten minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Holders of the Company's Subordinated Notes and holders of the Company's common stock who have executed the Stockholders Agreement can request access to the Company's Intralinks site by contacting Peter Hill by email at [email protected] or by phone at 212-521-4800. About American Gilsonite Company (www.americangilsonite.com) AGC operates as an industrial minerals company and is the world's primary miner and processor of uintaite, a variety of asphaltite, a specialty hydrocarbon which AGC markets to industrial customers under its registered trademark name "Gilsonite". Gilsonite is a glossy, black, solid naturally occurring hydrocarbon similar in appearance to hard asphalt and is believed to be found in commercial quantities only in the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah. Because of its unique chemical and physical properties, Gilsonite has been used in more than 160 products. The Company sells its products to customers in four primary markets: (i) oil and gas, (ii) inks and paints, (iii) foundry and (iv) asphalt. AGC is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Contact Peter Hill Kekst and Company 212-521-4800 [email protected] SOURCE American Gilsonite Company Related Links http://www.americangilsonite.com SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- American Pharmaceutical Review, the leading review of business and technology for the pharmaceutical industry throughout North America has released its documentary on "Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing - Current Trends and Future Possibilities". The goal of the documentary is to examine the future role continuous manufacturing will take in the production of both large and small molecule pharmaceuticals. The documentary features commentary and outlook from key opinion leaders representing regulatory, industry, consulting and technology providers who offer their thoughts and outlook on the current state of continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing, industry challenges, and future opportunities for this growing trend. "While many other manufacturing industries have moved to, or are in the process of adopting a continuous manufacturing paradigm, the pharmaceutical industry is just beginning to explore the possibilities of moving from traditional batch-based manufacturing processes to a more continuous, and some might argue efficient process," says Mike Auerbach, Editor In Chief, American Pharmaceutical Review. "Through this documentary we hope to explore this topic in depth and provide those who are looking at this technology with a range of opinions and information." The markets for both biopharmaceutical and oral solid dosage forms are expected to grow in the coming years. According to Research and Markets latest report "Global Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Market Report 2017-2021", "The efficacy and safety of biopharmaceuticals, coupled with their ability to address previously untreatable conditions, allows healthcare companies to command higher prices and margins for these drugs. Driven by their numerous advantages over conventional drugs, biopharmaceuticals today represent a big opportunity and represent more than 20% of the total global pharmaceutical sales. The current annual growth rate of biopharmaceuticals is also double that of conventional drugs, and growth is expected to remain robust for the foreseeable future." According to Future Market Insights, the global oral solid dosage pharmaceutical formulation market is expected to grow from $493.2 billion in 2017 to $926.3 billion by the end of 2027. Facilitated by a global increase in the geriatric population, particularly across leading economies such as Japan and the U.S., coupled with the development of functional excipients that exhibit superior properties such as flow-ability, the global pharma excipients market is expected to create impressive opportunities for manufacturers to capitalize on in the near future. For more information on this American Pharmaceutical Review documentary on 'Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing - Current Trends and Future Possibilities' please visit https://www.americanpharmaceuticalreview.com/Continuous-Processing/ About American Pharmaceutical Review American Pharmaceutical Review is the leading journal for business and technology in the pharmaceutical industry. Offering unbiased editorial on drug delivery, information technology, research & development, analytical development and control, equipment and facility manufacturing and regulatory affairs, American Pharmaceutical Review keeps its users fully abreast of the latest trends and developments in the process of pharmaceutical manufacturing. www.americanpharmaceuticalreview.com American Pharmaceutical Review Division of Compare Networks, Inc. 395 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 321 South San Francisco, CA 94080 SOURCE American Pharmaceutical Review Related Links http://www.americanpharmaceuticalreview.com ROHNERT PARK, Calif., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While jobs of the future may be high-skilled and require degrees, changing demographics may actually decrease the demand for college in certain regions of the United States even the country overall. If demand for colleges falls, what might that do to tuition prices? What about student loans? It's hard to predict the future, but student loans still remain a huge hurdle for many former college students now. Ameritech Financial, a document preparation company that helps federal student loan borrowers apply for repayment plans, encourages borrowers to look at all their options for repayment. "People paying off their student loans now may have children who go to college in a very different higher education landscape," said Tom Knickerbocker, executive vice president of Ameritech Financial. "When colleges start vying for fewer available students, college may become way less difficult to get into." The effects of this competition are uncertain. If many colleges are looking to enroll a smaller pool of students, the price of college may fall for those who do decide to attend. However, since operating budgets still need to be met, how those colleges look may be a lot different than what current students are used to. Programs may be down-sized and amenities scaled back. One researcher predicts, though, due to the college-going demographic crisis, many colleges will have to close because they will simply not be sustainable operations. With far fewer students attending less colleges, student loans may not be as widespread or burdensome to students who do go to college. However, other contrasting forces may still keep the prices of education high a smaller pool of colleges may hold high tuition prices stable, for example. Still, while borrowers may ponder their kids' future college experiences, they must contend with their own student loans now. Borrowers of federal student loans whose monthly payments are too burdensome may be interested in income-driven repayment plans (IDRs). These plans base monthly payments on income and family size but require an application and yearly recertification to stay enrolled. Ameritech Financial is a private, independent company that helps student loan borrowers apply for IDRs and, if successfully enrolled, assists them with yearly recertifications, as well. "A huge generation of people actually, across generations are feeling the ramifications of student loans on a daily basis," said Knickerbocker. "But there are opportunities for a better repayment situation and a happier student loan outlook for so many borrowers. Ameritech Financial helps borrowers get on track." 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. Ameritech Financial Newsroom 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 Images falling-demand-for-college.jpg Falling Demand for College TpaBMa/Bistockphoto.com image2.png Related Links Ameritech Financial home page Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRza8MbLvuM SOURCE Ameritech Financial ROHNERT PARK, Calif., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to recent data, national student loan debt reached $1.521 trillion in the first quarter of 2018. While individual borrowers have varying balances, such a milestone may spur some to action. Ameritech Financial, a document preparation company that helps federal student loan borrowers with federal repayment plan applications, encourages borrowers to look out for milestones in their own student loan situation. Credit: Natee Meepian/Bigstock "Student loan repayment is most successful when done with intention, whether that means as quickly as possible or with other financial goals in mind," said Tom Knickerbocker, Executive Vice President of Ameritech Financial. Nationally, student loans have been trending upward for over a decade. Such trends and milestones can cause rumbles throughout media and student loans are now common to read about in the news. This awareness can influence lawmakers, inspire borrowers to act on their own loans, or cause a collective sense of despair at a failing system. Attention to personal milestones can benefit borrowers who may struggle with a plan for repayment. The act of setting milestones can help borrowers create a plan, whether that plan leads to quick repayment or prioritization of other financial goals. At the least, milestones can act as goals to reach along the repayment journey. For those paying down loans as quickly as possible, milestones to take note of might be each thousand dollar mark or certain percentages of the original balance; borrowers may decide to celebrate in a small but meaningful way at each mark. Borrowers who would prefer to prioritize other financial goals, or who struggle to make their minimum payments, may decide to apply for an income-driven repayment plan (IDR). Such plans base payments on income and family size and can result in reduced payments. Any reduction can be redirected to other goals. Milestones in such a situation may be each successful recertification or other successes toward other financial goals. "At Ameritech Financial, we support our clients in intentional repayment. Specifically, we help them understand and apply for IDRs if they align with their goals," said Knickerbocker. "Setting milestones or goals to be mindful of is a great way to stay engaged in any repayment strategy, and it's a practice we encourage." 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. Ameritech Financial Newsroom 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 Images personal-milestones-can-support.jpg Personal Milestones can Support Federal Student Loan Repayment Credit: Natee Meepian/Bigstock image2.png Related Links Ameritech Financial home page Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRza8MbLvuM SOURCE Ameritech Financial Related Links https://ameritechfinancial.com PLEASANTON, Calif., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A two-year assessment of Leaf Healthcare's innovative Patient Monitoring System found the system reduced hospital-acquired pressure injuries by two-thirds and resulted in significant financial savings for the hospital. The Leaf Patient Monitoring System displays patient status on whatever device nurses have available -- desktop computers, tablets or smartphones. This display shows that the patient highlighted in red is overdue to be repositioned. The Leaf Patient Monitoring System uses a self-adhesive wireless sensor to track patient movement. The findings will be presented at the American Nursing Informatics Association Annual Conference in Orlando on May 12 at 1:30 p.m. The session, entitled "Nursing-Led Informatics Initiative for Pressure Injury Reduction," will be led by Heather Scroggins, MSN, RN-BC, EMR Clinical Liaison-Nursing at JPS Health Network in Tarrant County, Texas. During her presentation, Scroggins will show the Leaf system reduced pressure injuries in the Intensive care unit of the health network's John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, helped to improve nursing efficiency, and provided a return on investment of nearly 34 percent. "When the Leaf wearable device was introduced to me as part of the implementation process, I thought what a revolutionary idea to prevent pressure injuries," said Scroggins. "I observed the journey we took and felt the story was too good not to tell. I look forward to sharing at the ANIA National Conference to potentially decrease pressure injuries in healthcare facilities everywhere." The hospital also used the Leaf system to train nurses on how to best turn patients. Previously, the hospital had emphasized turning frequency, requiring patient turns every two hours. In addition to optimizing turn frequency, the Leaf system enabled the medical staff to determine if a patient's turn was adequate to allow sufficient tissue reperfusion. This often required nurses to turn patients more than they had previously done. The Leaf system is the first FDA-cleared medical technology that continuously monitors the activity and position of patients to help identify those who could benefit from repositioning. Studies have shown that patients protected by Leaf are much less likely to develop pressure injuries. "Leaf Healthcare is disrupting the field of pressure injury prevention," said Dr. Barrett Larson, co-founder and CEO of Leaf. "The current standard of care for pressure injury prevention is based on nursing practices developed over 150 years ago. The Leaf technology is positioned to completely revolutionize this fundamental care practice and advance the standard of care." Pressure injuries are among the nation's most common facility-acquired conditions, affecting more than 2.5 million patients a year, and adding $11 billion to annual U.S. healthcare costs. About Leaf Healthcare, Inc. Leaf Healthcare is a medical technology company dedicated to preventing pressure injuries, one of the most common and costly hospital complications. The innovative Leaf system monitors the orientation and activity of patients susceptible to pressure injuries and other immobility-related conditions. Several studies have shown that the Leaf system is a powerful tool that allows providers to prioritize care, improve workflow, and deliver the best care experience to their patients. To learn more, visit www.leafhealthcare.com Media Contact: Mark Smith Leaf Healthcare 844-826-5323 [email protected] Jim Martinez 312-543-9026 [email protected] SOURCE Leaf Healthcare Related Links http://www.leafhealthcare.com Many people are saying Western medicine hurts more than it helps, okay? Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images The Democratic Partys core message in 2018 is simple: The Republican Party gave giant tax cuts to its superrich donors and plans to pay for them by taking health care away from working people. While the news media obsesses about connecting the dots between Donald Trump and Russia (and/or Trump and Stormy Daniels, and/or Trump and a wide array of potential white-collar crimes), Democratic candidates across the country are focused on drawing a bright line from the GOPs deficit-financed tax giveaway to its (failed) attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. As Democratic consultant Jesse Ferguson explains in an interview with CNNs Ronald Brownstein: Most political professionals and journalists talk about the health care repeal and the Trump tax plan as two different issuesThe voters see them as ways Washington isnt looking out for them. On both of them, its basically the same: they [Congressional Republicans] have been giving tax breaks to health insurance companies, to pharmaceutical companies and those come at the expense of people who work for a living. It means higher health care costs, eventually higher taxes, more debt for your kids, and cuts to Social Security and Medicare as you get older. Its not clear that a majority of voters currently see the GOPs two major legislative initiatives as a single package but it is clearly in the Democrats interest to promote that idea. By itself, Donald Trumps signature legislative achievement remains the most unpopular tax cut in modern American history. But it still polls far better than the GOPs attempt to throw millions of people off of their insurance did; and health care remains both one of the electorates top concerns, and an issue on which the public trusts Democrats more than Republicans. The more Democrats can get the public to see tax cuts as a prelude to health-care cuts, the better off theyll be. After all, only a small minority of GOP voters support their partys full fiscal agenda: Most of the Republican base actually opposes tax cuts for the rich and corporations, and supports increased federal spending on health care. Granted, the substance of President Trumps fiscal policies matter less to his core supporters than the vision of America (as a nation of the white Christian people, by the white Christian people, for the white Christian people) that he represents. But by appealing to working-class identity, and railing against health-care costs, Democrats just might be able to pick off some of Trumps least-committed, white female supporters which is to say, those who already have some identity-based ambivalence about the pussy-grabber-in-chief. Finally, priming the electorate to associate rising health-care costs with the Republican Partys fiscal treachery could help Democrats fully capitalize on a small piece of karmic justice: Thanks to the Trump administrations myriad attempts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are poised to announce premium hikes just before Novembers elections. Still, some Republican strategists are not worried: the GOPs attempt to repeal Obamacare was approximately 10 trillion news-cycles ago, and anyway, that bill didnt pass; Republicans shouldnt have much trouble keeping swing voters focused on the thriving economy, so long as they dont go out of their way to draw attention to their austerity agenda between now and November. Alas, President Trump is about to do just that: President Trump is sending a plan to Congress that calls for stripping more than $15 billion in previously approved spending, with the hope that it will temper conservative angst over ballooning budget deficits. Almost half of the proposed cuts would come from two accounts within the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that White House officials said expired last year or are not expected to be drawn upon. In total, the White House is proposing $7 billion in cuts to CHIP. It appears to be true that $5 billion of that sum is currently trapped in an account that cant be legally accessed but that doesnt oblige Congress to eliminate the funding, as opposed to merely passing legislation to make the account legally accessible. The other $2 billion would come out of the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund, which guarantees that state-level CHIP programs will have access to extra funds, should enrollment come in higher than expected. Since CHIP is targeted at children from low-income families and the economy is strong it is unlikely that enrollment will come in unusually high this year. But then, economic conditions can change. Regardless of the fine details, Trumps proposal offers Democrats a perfect headline: After digging a $1.5 trillion hole in the deficit with tax cuts for the rich, the president and his party are now demanding reductions in federal spending on health care for poor children. As a political matter, the plan is indefensible; and yet, Trump is ostensibly putting it forward purely for politics sake. The federal deficit is expected to grow from $665 billion last year to $804 billion in 2018; cutting $15 billion off the latter sum isnt going to make any significant difference in the nations fiscal health. And anyhow, the package appears to be dead on arrival in the Senate, where John McCain remains sidelined by terminal brain cancer, and Susan Collins has already signaled opposition to CHIP cuts. Thus, Trumps proposal is a symbolic gesture that doesnt actually advance the conservative movements substantive goals but does undermine its electoral prospects. Its a move driven by a desire to appease the Republican Partys far-right flank, a contingent so tightly ensconced in its epistemic bubble it cannot recognize the strategic incoherence of its demands. Sometimes Trumps fealty to that faction and its worldview leads to diplomatic blunders of historic proportions; other times, it merely results in what is, essentially, an in-kind contribution to the Democratic Party. NORCROSS, Ga., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- APCO Holdings, home of the EasyCare, GWC Warranty, Covideo and SAVY brands, has named David Vickers as the company's new chief financial officer. Vickers brings 35 years of experience in the insurance and automotive industries to the role, having most recently served as executive vice president and CFO of The Warranty Group. APCO Holdings Chairman Larry Dorfman said the addition of Vickers will help propel an ongoing effort to rapidly grow and diversify the company. "You can't succeed in business, and you certainly can't expect to grow, without great people. David Vickers knows our industry, believes in our mission, lives our core values and is a perfect fit for our company at this time of rapid opportunity and growth," Dorfman said. Vickers' career began with a nine-year stint in the insurance division at Ernst & Young. He has served as CFO for both publicly-held as well as private-equity backed organizations. His executive skillset includes strategic planning and analysis, financial reporting, tax planning, new business development, and mergers and acquisitions. "I couldn't be more excited to be part of this great senior management team. They are quality people and they have fun together," Vickers said. "I am happy to have hit the ground running, and I look forward to helping the company grow while adhering to our core values." About GWC Warranty Established in 1995, GWC Warranty is the largest, best-in-class provider of used vehicle service contracts in the automotive industry, having helped bring a "No Worries, Just Drive" experience to more than 8.5 million drivers nationwide as part of APCO Holdings. Named a Motor Trend Recommended Best Buy for Independent Dealers and rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, GWC Warranty is committed to providing its dealer partners with service, products, training and technology to make them more successful. Along with Georgia-based EasyCare, GWC Warranty is part of APCO Holdings, whose majority shareholder is Toronto-based Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Canada's largest single-profession pension plan with over $130 billion in net assets. For more information about GWC Warranty, please visit www.GWCwarranty.com. About APCO Holdings APCO Holdings, LLC, is a leading marketer and administrator of aftermarket products sold by franchised and independent automotive dealers throughout the United States. Comprised of EasyCare, GWC Warranty and other private label automotive manufacturer brands, APCO has more than 30 years' experience delivering its full suite of driver benefits, innovative dealer services, and industry-leading customer service CRM technology through a nationwide network of franchised and independent automobile dealers. EasyCare and GWC Warranty, both rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, are the only MOTOR TREND Recommended Best Buy" brands in the automotive aftermarket, having paid nearly $3.5 billion in claims combined. APCO Holdings' majority shareholder is Toronto-based Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Canada's largest single-profession pension plan with over $130 billion in net assets. For more information about APCO, visit www.EasyCare.com and www.GWCWarranty.com. SOURCE GWC Warranty Related Links http://gwcwarranty.com ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG) today announced the acquisition of Akron, Ohio-based A.J. Amer Agency, Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1916 by Louis Amer, A.J. Amer Agency is a retail property/casualty insurance agency and employee benefit consultant offering coverages to businesses and individuals throughout Northeast Ohio. Hamilton Amer, Charles Tennent and their associates will continue to operate from their current location under the direction of Cindy LaMantia, president of Gallagher's Great Lakes region retail property/casualty brokerage operations, and John Neumaier, President of Gallagher's Great Lakes employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations. "A.J. Amer Agency will solidify our property/casualty brokerage presence in Northeast Ohio, and deepen our employee benefit and risk management capabilities in the region," said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO. "I am very pleased to welcome Ham, Chuck and their associates to our growing Gallagher family of professionals." Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The company has operations in 33 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. Investors: Ray Iardella Media: Linda J. Collins VP Investor Relations VP Corporate Communications 630-285-3661/ [email protected] 630-285-4009/ [email protected] SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Related Links http://www.ajg.com International companies from the US, India , Mexico or China , choose DES2018 as the great global platform to present technological solutions that allow them to improve competitiveness and discover new business models for companies and large corporations , or , choose DES2018 as the great global platform to present technological solutions that allow them to improve competitiveness and discover new business models for companies and large corporations AI experts such as Stuart Russell , cybersecurity sessions with the hacker Chris Roberts or the cyber division at the FBI in NYC Aristedes Mahairas will share their expertise during 3 days of top content DES | Digital Business World Congress 2018, the world's largest international forum on digital transformation, will celebrate its third edition in Madrid (IFEMA) during the 22, 23 and 24 of May. A week where Madrid will become the world capital of digital transformation. More than 18,000 professionals and executives will meet the most innovative products and solutions as well as the skills required to help European SMEs and large corporations join the digital transformation. International firms from the US, India, Mexico and China have chosen DES as their great global platform to present technological solutions to improve competitiveness and discover new business models for companies and large corporations. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688997/DES_2018_Digital_Business_World_Congress.jpg ) With Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, the new GDPR and the Digital Agenda as main trends, DES reunites top tech solutions that are driving the development of new business models such as IoT, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Blockchain or Digital Marketing among many others. "This edition is designed to go deep in the knowledge required by C-Level executives and leaders of public administration to face a digitization and modernization process of business models. An essential improvement to be increase the competitiveness of our economy," says Lluis Altes, Managing Director of DES2018. "This year we want to highlight the fact that digitization is here and now, that it is unstoppable and we have to prepare ourselves to take advantage of the opportunities it offers to boost the economy," add Altes. "The digital transformation of the economy," said Luis Cueto, Madrid City Hall General Coordinator, "is a key element for the development of a modern and competitive economy. The digitization of information, processes and transactions is an unstoppable trend that affects all areas of activity and requires government commitment to facilitate the transition from a traditional to a digitized economy. In that sense, the attitude of Madrid City Council is determined and committed." The AInomics is a new track within Digital Business World Congress in collaboration with SwissCognitive Artificial Intelligence will be in the spotlight as the main trend during the international forum. The two first days will have an extensive agenda with more than 10 hours of content. Professionals from all industries will be able to gather knowledge and be inspired by latest state-of-the-art AI applications in technologies such as Machine Learning, Automated Reasoning, Speech Recognition, Computer Vision, Robotics, among many others. These conferences are focused on three main areas, starting with the strategic aspects of AI, then showcasing practical applications and concluding with addressing ethical questions around smart technologies. Among the experts who will participate in The AInomics: Stuart Russell world authority and Leader of the World Economic Forum in Artificial Intelligence, how to implement an AI strategy, the ethical dilemmas that can arise, and how to take advantage of this technology to enhance the development and business profitability; will be the key issues of the lecture. Professor Russell is VP of the Council on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics of the World Economic Forum, among other mentions and honours, is the author of numerous studies and publications and co-author, along with Peter Norvig of the world reference book on AI, 'Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach'. Learning the effects of the new GDPR regulation The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will enter into force next 25 May, one day after DES2018 closes its doors, and will be one of the main issues of this edition. Within the framework of the Digital Business World Congress, the new GDPR law will be addressed from different perspectives such as security, up to a more technical point of view as programmatic level as well as the legal perspective with debates led by experts, and without forgetting others topics such as an marketing focused and its impact on advertising campaigns. India will be the Guest Country in the third edition of DES India takes over from Sweden and Israel, countries previously featured in the past two editions. India will be exhibiting its IT solutions and business models that are revolutionizing its business network and have become the main economic driver of the country. Indian talent and innovation will be the beating heart of this edition of DES | Digital Business World Congress. The country has reached a powerful economic transformation with technology as its leading force, which has changed the perception of India in the international context. Actually, India is now one of the fastest growing IT markets, home to over 4,750 tech start-ups (the highest number in the world after the United States and Great Britain). First speakers confirmed: 200 conferences in 3 days The largest World Congress on digital transformation will once again bring up together top knowledge from more than 450 international speakers on Digital Leadership, Cloud, IoT, Cybersecurity, Blockchain or Artificial Intelligence. The only event that congregates more than 120 hours of conferences, combining keynotes with success stories on real tech applications to any kind of industry. Among the confirmed speakers so far: Stuart Russel, world authority and leader of the World Economic Forum in Artificial Intelligence; Aristedes Mahairas, Head of the Cyber Operations / Cyber Division of the FBI in New York; Hanna Niemi-Hugaerts, Head of IoT Forum Virium in Helsinki with a worldwide example of SmartCity in Helsinky; Arun Sundararajan, expert in digital economy and the impact on the business network of the new models of the so-called Platform Economy; Tamara MacCleary, who will focus her contribution on the future of work and how candidates and employers will be; o Rahaf Harfoush, with a vision of digital anthropologism that addresses the intersections between emerging technologies, innovation and digital culture. IT industry and business network supporting DES2018 will be the great annual event for all organizations that are addressing or thinking about facing the challenges of digital transformation. World leaders in the technology industry such as Accenture, IBM, Intel, SAP, T-Systems, Altran or UST-Global have been strategic partners of Digital Business World Congress since its first edition. DES has the support of the Ministry of Digital Agenda or Competitivity in Spain, the community and city of Madrid, as well as business supporters such as CEOE-CEPYME, Business Europe or the European Commission. About DES - Digital Business World Congress Digital Enterprise Show - Digital Business World Congress is the leading event in Digital Transformation that offers CEOs, CIOs, CDOs, CMOs, political leaders and HR departments, and together with the cutting-edge technology companies, the most innovative products and solutions as well as the skills required to help European SMEs and large corporations join the digital transformation. This includes technological solutions to improve the customer experience, operational processes and business models of all industries. More information: www.des-madrid.com Contact: [email protected] SOURCE DES - Digital Enterprise Show STOCKHOLM, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ASSA ABLOY has signed an agreement to acquire Pioneer Industries, a supplier of steel doors and frames for commercial applications in the US. "I am very pleased to welcome Pioneer Industries into the ASSA ABLOY Group. Pioneer Industries is a complementary addition to ASSA ABLOY. The company reinforces our strong position in North America and is an additional opportunity to provide a complete range of products for total door opening solutions," says Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. "The addition of Pioneer allows us to fortify our steel door and frame offering in the US and in particular the Atlantic region," says Lucas Boselli, Executive Vice President of ASSA ABLOY and Head of the Americas Division. Pioneer Industries founded in 1930, has approximately 100 employees. The head office and factory are located in Carlstadt, New Jersey. Sales for 2018 are expected to reach about USD 22 million (approx. SEK 180 million) with a good EBIT margin. The acquisition will be accretive to EPS from the start. The acquisition is conditional upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2018. For more information, please contact: Nico Delvaux President and CEO tel. no: +46-8-506-485-82 Carolina Dybeck Happe CFO and Executive Vice President tel. no: +46-8-506-485-72 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/assa-abloy/r/assa-abloy-acquires-pioneer-industries-in-the-us,c2516651 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/7333/2516651/837985.pdf Press release (PDF) SOURCE ASSA ABLOY - Make Calsonic Kansei Genuine Global Company - SAITAMA, Japan, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Beda Bolzenius took up the posts of Calsonic Kansei Corporation's president and CEO on April 1, 2018. Bolzenius, who became Calsonic Kansei's new leader after receiving the baton from current chairman Hiroshi Moriya who had served as CEO since 2013, talked about his future strategy and vision for the company as new CEO. (Photo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/201805073613-O1-c7p94yrO) On assuming the post of CEO I was born and grew up in Germany, but I consider myself a global citizen. I have more than 30 years of experience in the world's automotive industry and I am excited to continue this career now with Calsonic Kansei. I am deeply honored to have been appointed such a big role as CEO, and at the same time I feel a heavy responsibility. To fulfill the responsibility, I intend to develop our business by making use of my own experience, personal connections spreading throughout the world and technological expertise on future developments. I am proud to be able to pull the company toward a wonderful future as head of the team. Future vision and strategy Calsonic Kansei already has a lineup of world-class products. It is important to determine in what fields we want to compete based on the product lineup. Currently, the automotive industry is going through a crucial period of change. There are a broad range of fields which Calsonic Kansei should enter using new technologies such as autonomous driving, electrification, connected cars and car sharing. To do this, we need to think about new products that can be used for various applications. In all fields where we are providing world-class products, new technologies, new generations and new values... I would like to concentrate on what we can provide to this industry. What Calsonic Kansei has achieved over the last 10 years has certainly been based on our great people whose culture and know-how were brought into the growth of the company. I would like to set out to make Calsonic Kansei a truly global company by hiring people who will help us to build a diversified team that can really act on a global scale while leveraging our strength of excellent employees who have deep knowledge of the automotive business. Life in Japan from now on I know Japan from many trips. So I know it's a great, beautiful country. I'm really looking forward to getting a little bit more insights into the culture, meeting a lot of people and admiring the nature of this country. I'll be pretty busy with my business, but I'm really looking forward to enjoying the part of the new adventure as well. Calsonic Kansei website: https://www.calsonickansei.co.jp/en/ SOURCE Calsonic Kansei Corporation Related Links https://www.calsonickansei.co.jp/en/ ORLANDO, Fla., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BIGEYE, one of the leading marketing and advertising agencies in Florida, generated record revenue in 2017 and is on track to improve upon its impressive growth trajectory in 2018. The firm, which has recently announced multiple new hires in its account services and digital marketing departments, works at the intersection of digital and traditional marketing. BIGEYE partners with clients of all sizes to create compelling content by using the most innovative industry practices. "We still produce a lot of conventional marketing work billboards, TV, radio etc.," said Justin Ramb, BIGEYE's founder and CEO. "Yet we're also focused on leveraging technology to expand what's possible in the world of digital marketing. We're seeing a lot of growth in media buying, media analytics, and attribution modeling. Ultimately, our goal is to turn data into intelligent, actionable insights, empowering our clients to identify the approach that offers the best return on investment." BIGEYE is taking the lead in this forward-thinking approach by combining their long-standing dedication to creative thinking with this new multi-platform growth within the industry. In order to create the most meaningful brand experiences for consumers, this top agency works closely with clients during the ideation process to hone in on each brand's full potential. "Great campaigns begin with an inspired idea," said Seth Segura, BIGEYE's Creative Director. "The best agencies possess the ability to generate unique solutions, support their execution through the use of innovative tools and technologies, and produce intelligent data with exceptional accuracy. This philosophy is one reason why BIGEYE has expanded so quickly and why we've forged so many beneficial long-term partnerships with clients. We offer a multi-platform approach that emphasizes the big picture and delivers consistent results." About BIGEYE: Located in Orlando, Florida, BIGEYE is a fully integrated, multi-platform advertising agency that curates deeply compelling campaigns and brand experiences alongside their clients. The BIGEYE team of creative directors, copywriters, artists, programmers and account managers works closely with clients to better understand the needs of their consumers and deliver measurable results. Contact: Liliana Cerquozzi BIGEYE bigeyeagency.com 1-407-839-8599 3203 Lawton Road, 2nd Floor Orlando, Florida, 32803 SOURCE BIGEYE Related Links http://www.bigeyeagency.com Acorns helps America's up-and-coming by automatically investing spare change from everyday purchases into diversified ETF portfolios. It also helps these customers grow their knowledge, earn extra money and save for retirement with the recent launch of Acorns Later, the first automated retirement account. "Our partnership is formed at the intersection of technology and purpose. It is rooted in the shared commitment of our two firms to use technology to help more and more people improve the way they engage with, save and ultimately invest their money," said Rob Goldstein, BlackRock's Chief Operating Officer. "Acorns is a pioneer in creating innovative ways to engage investors in a mobile-first world. By deepening our understanding of how their customers use investment technologies, we can apply those learnings across BlackRock to evolve the products we build for our distribution partners." "This partnership supports our shared ambition to put the tools of wealth-making in everyone's hands," said Noah Kerner, CEO of Acorns. "We wake up every day and think about how to help Americans build a better future. After reading 'Larry's Letter,' I can't think of a better collaborator on this journey." "We're excited to be joining forces with Acorns to increase financial inclusion through technology by helping people take action today to improve their financial futures," said Frank Cooper, BlackRock's Chief Marketing Officer. "Through micro-behaviors the next generation of investors can take achievable steps towards building their wellbeing." As an anchor investor and key partner to Acorns, BlackRock will have an Observer seat on the company's Board of Directors, held by Mr. Cooper. About BlackRock BlackRock helps investors build better financial futures. As a fiduciary to our clients, we provide the investment and technology solutions they need when planning for their most important goals. As of March 31, 2018, the firm managed approximately $6.317 trillion in assets on behalf of investors worldwide. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com | Twitter: @blackrock | Blog: www.blackrockblog.com | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock. About Acorns Acorns is the leading micro investing app in the U.S. Its easy-to-use, mobile-first technology makes it simple for anyone to set aside and invest life's spare money. Acorns allows customers to automatically invest in a low-cost, diversified portfolio of exchange-traded funds offered by some of the world's top asset managers (including Vanguard and BlackRock). Customers grow their wealth in one of five portfolios constructed with help from world-renowned Nobel Laureate economist Dr. Harry Markowitz. Acorns smart portfolio algorithms automatically work in the background of life, helping users build wealth naturally, pennies at a time. From Acorns mighty oaks do grow. You can access Acorns simply and easily via the app for iPhone, Android or desktop. Visit Acorns.com for more. SOURCE Acorns Related Links https://www.acorns.com LONDON and AUSTIN, Texas, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM), the provider of the world's most successful Digital Workforce, today announced that it is now CA Veracode Verified, an independent program that validates a company's secure software development processes. As the pioneer and inventor of RPA, Blue Prism is known in the industry as the trusted brand with many technological firsts and innovations in the RPA market. These include, Lifecycle Management (introduced 2006), RBAC (2006), Workload Management (2009), Disaster Recover (2009), Credential vaulting (2011), High Availability (2015), Industry's only certified cloud reference architecture (2016) and more. This certification not only validates Blue Prism's focus on providing an authentically built, enterprise secure solution to this market, but is also part of the company's intrinsic product development methodology. By completing and passing rigorous testing, the CA Veracode Verified certification moves Blue Prism beyond point-in-time security testing, into a mature application security program that enforces secure development practice across the entire Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). "Companies that invest in secure coding processes and follow our protocol for a mature application security program are able to deliver more confidence to customers who deploy their software," said Asha May of CA Veracode. "This certification demonstrates Blue Prism's commitment to delivering secure code to help organizations reduce the risk of a major security breach." With approximately 30 percent of all data breaches occurring as a result of a vulnerability at the application layer, software purchasers are demanding more insight into the security of the software they are buying. The CA Veracode Verified certification provides customers with an easy way to gauge how committed individual software vendors are to ensuring that their products are secure from malicious attacks and data breaches. Blue Prism's Digital Workforce Platform has successfully met the requirements of the CA Veracode Verified Program allowing for better security integration into the development process. "Blue Prism's participation in the program provides our customers and prospects with assurance that their RPA platform meets a high standard of application security, reducing and mitigating risk of vulnerabilities," said Dave Moss, Chief Technology Officer for Blue Prism. "It further highlights our leadership in RPA security and enables us to help organizations support their PCI-DSS, HIPAA and SOX compliant processes while meeting the security and governance requirements in the most highly regulated industries customers and prospects expect from an enterprise-grade RPA platform." "Security can't be an afterthought when deploying RPA it is simply mission critical," said Saurabh Gupta, Chief Strategy Officer at HfS Research. "90 percent of enterprises from the global 2000 recognize managing security risks as one of the top 3 enablers to help them meet their overall business goals. Blue Prism's Veracode Verified Status reinforces its focus to driving enterprise-grade security by design." Organizations that are awarded CA Veracode Verified certification can progress through three tiers: from Standard to Team to Continuous. Once verified, organizations advance through these tiers as their program develops and matures to comprise third-party components, and as strategies for assessing application security move beyond just internally developed code to include third-party code. In order to receive validation of a secure application development practice and application acceptance into the Standard Tier, security requirements must be implemented into the software development practice. This includes the ability to assess first-party code with static analysis, documentation that the application does not allow critical flaws in first-party code and the ability to provide developers with remediation guidance when new flaws are introduced. About Blue Prism As the pioneer, innovator and market leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Blue Prism delivers the world's most successful Digital Workforce. The company's software robots automate repetitive administrative tasks while meeting the requirements of the most demanding IT environments, where security, compliance and scalability are paramount. Blue Prism provides a scalable and robust execution platform for best-of-breed AI and cognitive technologies and has emerged as the trusted and secure RPA platform of choice for the Fortune 500. Billions of transactions and hundreds of millions of hours of work are executed on Blue Prism robots from renowned companies including Aegon, BNY Mellon, Commerzbank, IBM, ING, Maersk, Nokia, Nordea, Procter & Gamble, Raiffeisen Bank, Siemens, Westpac and Zurich. For more information about Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM), visit www.blueprism.com and follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE Blue Prism CUPERTINO, Calif., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueback Global, a leading international business solutions firm, is pleased announce the addition of Sam Barnes, Director of Sales, and Rory Adamson, Director of Client Services to its UK and EMEA leadership team. Mr. Barnes joins Blueback Global after fourteen years in senior HR and expansion planning roles, supporting the UK's most dynamic growth companies. Beginning immediately, he will advise clients, partners and channel network participants on establishing solutions for efficient and cost-effective international expansion. For over twenty years, Mr. Adamson has held senior roles within PwC, Lloyds Banking Group and ED&F Man. As a UK chartered accountant, Mr. Adamson understands the complexities of conducting business overseas and can guide clients in finance and accounting, compliance, HR and tax. He also brings significant system design experience to further develop a leading, user friendly platform for Blueback Global clients. With the addition of these senior leaders in London, the company reinforces its commitment to support the world's fastest growing companies. Blueback Global recently launched its dedicated UK website: www.bluebackglobal.co.uk, to further enhance its thought leadership in the market. Further recognition of this was made as the company was recently honored by the British American Business Council and its title sponsor, Barclays, in its annual Transatlantic Growth Awards ceremony. Blueback Global secured a category win for its demonstration of quality, client satisfaction and service in driving SME growth and transatlantic business. Advancing APAC Team In addition, the company has promoted Isabella Cheung to Head of Global Compliance and Payroll and Regina Lam to Head of Global Accounting Services. Based in Hong Kong, Ms. Cheung has managed payroll and international compliance practices relating to tax law, labor protections, work permits and visas and general business regulations. Ms. Cheung began her career at E&Y and is a CPA. Ms. Lam leads the company's global accounting services team; organizing and advising client processes to ensure seamless ongoing accounting and financial reporting. Previously, Ms. Lam worked in public accounting at KPMG. She holds degrees in Accounting and Finance and an internationally recognized CPA certification in Australia. These promotions are part of a Blueback Global growth initiative that includes bolstering broader client support and experience globally. Chief of Operations and Product Development Update The Company is proud to announce that Jacek Rolnik has been promoted to Chief of Operations. Based in Los Angeles and current Director, Global Business Services, Mr. Rolnik's new role will oversee all operating functions, including; client service and delivery, sales and business development and international corporate operations. This promotion recognizes Mr. Rolnik's tireless work on client growth initiatives and will enable deeper simplicity, cohesiveness and integration among all prospect, client and partner touch points and experiences. As well, Mr. Ng will now take on the role of Chief of Product, while remaining Principal & CEO. In this, Mr. Ng will have a hands-on role in evolving the suite of product and services backed by our leading global teams. One focus area is the development of Expansion Central, a platform designed to let clients view, manage and monitor all their headcount or employee data with one login from an easy-to-use dashboard, regardless of country or location. Reflecting on the news and year ahead, Mr. Ng shares "Deciding to 'go global', whether through hiring expansion or M&A, is a massive challenge, full of unknowns. We pride ourselves on always being a single point of contact, being extremely responsive, and combining a personal touch with unparalleled global perspective and value to meet these challenges." About Blueback Global Blueback Global supports the international growth ambitions of companies across the world. Offering a full suite of accounting, finance, banking, tax, HR, legal and compliance support services, we help companies from startups to Fortune 500 multinationals, reduce expansion or compliance risks and manage overseas business. With virtually 24/7 availability, proficiency in over 150 countries and deep personal client connections we maximize profitability and efficiency in even the most complex expansion projects. www.bluebackglobal.com Contact: Arden Ng, [email protected] SOURCE Blueback Global Related Links http://www.bluebackglobal.com HOUSTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BMC, a global leader in IT solutions for the digital enterprise, today announced that multiple BMC solutions are authorized by the Department of Homeland Security's Continuous Diagnostics & Mitigation (CDM) program and the U.S. Government's Federal Risk and Authorization Management program (FedRAMP), allowing federal agencies to minimize the risk of deploying secure technology solutions across their multi-cloud environments. Federal agencies continue to navigate how to adopt the government-wide cloud-first policy while addressing the budget, procurement, and security complexity of migrating to the cloud. With these new authorizations, federal agencies can feel confident that they are utilizing BMC solutions that are perfectly matched and authorized to meet the needs of government agencies moving to the cloud. "BMC has more than 25 years of history in the federal IT space and has earned the status of a trusted partner for public sector customers navigating their digital transformation," said Kevin Orr, vice president, federal at BMC. "Focused on providing industry-leading technology to federal agencies, we share our customers' commitment to ensuring that government networks become and remain available, secure, and mission-ready." Managing a seamless and secure federal IT enterprise Numerous BMC solutions have been added to the CDM program's approved products list (APL) and will soon be added to the CDM Tools Special Item Number (SIN) for the GSA IT Schedule 70. BMC solutions include BladeLogic Threat Director, BladeLogic Server Automation, BladeLogic Network Automation, BladeLogic Database Automation, Decision Support, and BMC Atrium Orchestrator. BMC's inclusion in the CDM program gives federal civilian government agencies the ability to leverage special funding to purchase products that expand the governance, oversight, and security of critical networks and computing environments. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the CDM program is a dynamic approach to fortifying the cybersecurity of government networks and systems. It provides federal departments and agencies with capabilities and tools that identify cybersecurity risks on an ongoing basis, prioritizes these risks based on potential impacts, and enables cybersecurity personnel to mitigate the most significant problems first. BMC's Remedy OnDemand for Public Sector solution has also been recertified and expanded for the FedRAMP program, providing federal agencies with an authorized solution for service management and cloud security that supports their digital transformation journey. FedRAMP compliance is a critical requirement for government agencies looking to utilize cloud resources. Building off its initial certification in 2016, the latest version of Remedy OnDemand has now earned the federal authorization for cloud security. Additional Remedy components and ITSM applications have also achieved certifications, including the BMC Digital Workplace solution, Remedy Smart IT user interface, Remedy Smart Reporting report writer, and Remedy Single Sign-On authentication service. A powerful SaaS-based IT service management solution that runs on the FedRAMP-authorized Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud, Remedy OnDemand helps government agencies lower service costs and increase agility. It provides all the benefits of the industry-leading Remedy suite in a cloud-based solution with anytime, anywhere access to self-service service desk, change and release management, and asset and service level management tools. "Many of our customers have unique compliance needs when it comes to cloud computing, and we're pleased that so many independent software providers like BMC are making their FedRAMP-certified products available to that customer set through AWS," said David Levy, vice president of US government at Amazon Web Services, Inc. During its annual BMC Federal Exchange in Washington D.C. today, BMC is bringing together government leaders and experts to discuss how government agencies can migrate to the cloud and successfully accelerate the digital transformation journey in a multi-cloud environment, and share more details regarding these federal authorizations. To learn more about how BMC is enabling digital transformation in the public sector, visit https://www.bmc.com/it-solutions/industry-public-sector.html To learn more about BMC's solutions and the FedRAMP compliance, visit: https://marketplace.fedramp.gov/#/product/bmc-remedy-fed-saas-bmc-remedy-ondemand-for-public-sector?sort=productName About BMC BMC is a global leader in innovative software solutions that enable businesses to transform into digital enterprises for the ultimate competitive advantage. Our Digital Enterprise Management solutions are designed to make digital business fast, seamless, and optimized from mainframe to mobile to cloud and beyond. BMC digital IT transforms 92 percent of the Fortune 500 and serves more than 10,000 customers worldwide. BMC Bring IT to Life BMC, BMC Software, the BMC logo, and the BMC Software logo are the exclusive properties of BMC Software Inc., are registered or pending registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other BMC trademarks, service marks, and logos may be registered or pending registration in the U.S. or in other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Copyright 2018 BMC Software, Inc. Editorial contacts: Sheila Watson BMC D: 713.918.8832 M: 713.294.6818 [email protected] Francesca DeAnda Bateman Group for BMC [email protected] SOURCE BMC Related Links http://www.bmc.com But what will really change? Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Staged like the finale of The Apprentice, President Trumps media appearance announcing the U.S. withdrawal from the deal limiting Irans nuclear program was intended to be a Big Deal. The president provided all the television staples of national-security seriousness. He described the threat posed by Iran with headline-worthy hyperbole. No one thinks Iran is close to having a missile that can threaten American cities (that would be North Korea). He said Israel had provided new information about Irans nuclear intentions all of which dated from before the agreement was signed and implemented, but never mind. And, with a flourish, he signed a national-security directive that would, he said, institute the highest level of economic sanction. But wait. Insiders had told reporters an hour before that sanctions would not be reimposed for six months. Statements from the White House and other agencies provided no details on when sanctions would come, or what they would include. In the prose of the White House fact sheet, Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran. There is an argument to be made that the announcement was another spectacle of Trump being Trump, designed for his supporters consumption and not necessarily closely related to what policy developments would follow. After all, NAFTA is still in force, and most of the steel and aluminum tariffs the president announced in similarly showy public forums are still suspended. But something else is happening here. Todays announcement represented a significant shift in the foundations of American foreign policy even if that is not what was on display. The world will actually become less confident of whether Tehran is or is not pursuing nuclear weapons. Washington will be, ironically, both less central to the regions affairs and less able to withdraw from it. The Iranian regime will enter a new phase of instability of its own. And the announcement will mark an enormous step toward making 21st-century international politics a no-rules free-for-all. Though you would never have known it from Trumps remarks, everyone from Senate Republicans to Israeli military leaders believed that the Iran deal was working to keep Tehrans nuclear ambitions constrained and to keep outside powers well-informed of what went on in Irans labs, reactors, and storage sites. The IAEA and U.S. intelligence agencies certified again and again that Iran was following the terms of the deal. The presidents speech didnt share any allegations of violations because none have surfaced. Now, Washington, failing to waive our own sanctions, puts us in violation of the agreements terms. Will Tehran retaliate by restarting some nuclear work? Most observers think not, at least not right away that the regime will seek to hold on to support from Europe for at least a while. But we will be less sure. Any future assessments will be even more clouded by politics. Speaking of Europe: France, Germany, and the U.K. had swung into action before Trumps announcement. French president Emmanuel Macron even tweeted out his disappointment immediately afterward, like someone chosen to deliver the opposition response. The New York Times reported that the Europeans and State Department had come to a proposed agreement to revise the deal, but that the White House turned them down. The Europeans will keep trying to keep Iran abiding by the deal and pull Washington back in. With American business looking over its shoulder at that wind down period, Europe will gain diplomatic and economic heft at Washingtons expense. Trump, who has said repeatedly that he would like to withdraw more troops from the region, may not mind. But with the threat perceived or real of an Iranian nuclear breakout looming over Israel and Saudi Arabia, Trump will be hard-pressed to remove any more U.S. troops from the region or spend any less money on hardware to defend those two allies. And as Kelly Magsamen, who served on the National Security Council under both Bush and Obama, pointed out, Iran is well-positioned to retaliate against the U.S. by threatening American troops, diplomats, and citizens in the region. Observers of Irans internal politics have been pointing out for some time that the country has entered a new phase of instability, with citizen disaffection and cynicism reaching new heights. Today, Trump seemed to embrace the thinking of National Security Adviser Bolton and others who have argued for the United States to adopt a strong regime-change strategy for Iran. That approach has three problems. First, such a strategy tells the regime there is no possibility of living in peace with Washington, so it might as well not try. Second, there is simply no evidence that a different Iranian government would be friendlier, say, to Saudi Arabia, or that it would abandon Irans historical claims to influence and leadership across the region. And third, the force that is best positioned to take advantage of chaos, privation, public anger, and anti-Americanism is not Iranian liberals, but the hardest of hardliners in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. But the spectacle of one American president undoing the work of another, against the wishes of allies and with no coherent alternative plan, scrambled something bigger than the politics of the Middle East. Every international actor whether it is banks financing oil deals, Boeing scheduling jet manufacturing, nations considering their alliances has counted for decades not always on American competence, but on American predictability. Washington would always tell you what it was going to try to do and frequently encourage its partners to do the same. No one walked away from todays briefing understanding what the situation with Iran will be in three, six, or nine months. As GOP Senator Jeff Flake commented, the action is just another signal to the world that we are not a reliable partner. That gives global business every reason to avoid American partners. It gives countries who dont want to live in Trumps casino world every reason to find new friends. Trump, who went out of his way to announce at the event that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was making another trip to North Korea, seems to believe that tearing up the Iran deal will help him make a better deal with Pyongyang. Most observers, though, believe the opposite that Pyongyang has surged forward in weapons development in the past when it perceived Washington to be breaking the terms of an agreement. What happens with North Korea and every country that has ever considered getting a nuclear weapon but decided that an agreement with the U.S. would be a good substitute is the underwater part of this iceberg. And its awfully big. JERSEY CITY, N.J., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BNY Mellon's Pershing (Pershing) announced today that it has added Capital First Trust Company (Capital First) to its Trust Network. Capital First focuses on special needs trustsan area of growing interest for Pershing clients. This latest addition brings the total number of providers in the Pershing Trust Network to seven. "Capital First brings to our network a deep expertise in special needs trusts as well as lower minimums geared toward the unique needs of this community," said Katie Swain, director of financial solutions at BNY Mellon's Pershing. "We are increasingly hearing clients inquire about special needs trusts and we are thrilled to add to our network a provider that has a niche focus in this area." In addition to Capital First's standard low fee schedules, the firm offers fee schedules for large revocable, irrevocable, and special asset accounts, bypassing the traditional fee schedule approach and providing separate discounted breakpoints for relationships at $5 million and $10+ million. "We are honored to be selected for inclusion in the Pershing Trust Network," said Chris Foregger, president of Capital First Trust Company. "We believe our strength in the administration of special needs trusts, as well as the advisor directed trust space, will provide a unique value to Pershing clients." Launched in 2008, Pershing's Trust Network includes capabilities such as full trustee services and administrative trustee services. The platform enables Pershing's clients to perform investment management activities for their clients' trust accounts with all related assets held in custody at Pershing. Trust Network is available to Pershing's introducing broker-dealer clients through Pershing LLC and registered investment advisors via Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC. About BNY Mellon's Pershing BNY Mellon's Pershing and its affiliates provide advisors, broker-dealers, family offices, hedge fund and '40 Act fund managers, registered investment advisor firms and wealth managers with a broad suite of global financial business solutions. Many of the world's most sophisticated and successful financial services firms rely on Pershing for clearing and custody, investment and retirement solutions, technology, enterprise data management, trading services, prime brokerage and business consulting. Pershing helps clients improve profitability and drive growth, create capacity and efficiency, attract and retain talent, and manage risk and regulation. With a network of 23 offices worldwide, Pershing provides business-to-business solutions to clients representing approximately 7 million investor accounts globally. Pershing LLC (member FINRA, NYSE, SIPC) is a BNY Mellon company. Additional information is available on pershing.com, or follow us on Twitter @Pershing. About Capital First Trust Company Capital First Trust Company is an independent South Dakota chartered trust company with offices in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Capital First is not affiliated with any other financial services company. Corporate trustee services are provided in conjunction with Financial Advisors, Settlement Planners, Attorneys, and other industry professionals. About BNY Mellon BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment management and investment services in 35 countries. As of March 31, 2018, BNY Mellon had $33.5 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $1.9 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available on www.bnymellon.com. Follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon or visit our newsroom at www.bnymellon.com/newsroom for the latest company news. Sanuber Grohe +1 201 413 2247 [email protected] SOURCE BNY Mellon Related Links http://www.bnymellon.com DALLAS, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporate law attorney Brian Lidji of Lidji Dorey & Hooper has again been named to D Magazine's list of the Best Lawyers in Dallas. The annual recognition of the most respected lawyers in North Texas will be featured in the May 2018 edition of the magazine. Mr. Lidji earned his place on the 2018 list based on his exceptional work in mergers and acquisitions. This marks the 13th time that Mr. Lidji has been named to the D Magazine list of Best Lawyers in Dallas. "I'm humbled and honored to be recognized by my peers again this year," said Mr. Lidji. "Being selected to D Magazine's Best Lawyers list never gets old." Mr. Lidji offers clients more than 30 years of experience in M&A and general corporate matters. His clients range from energy independents to consumer and technology companies. He has an extensive portfolio of work in mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities law, business law, contract negotiations and a wide variety of other business transactions. To learn more about Mr. Lidji, visit https://ldhlaw.com/attorneys/brian-m-lidji/. His work also has earned recognition from The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2006 and Texas Super Lawyers each year since the inaugural 2003 listing. He also serves on the executive board of the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, his alma mater. The full listing of Dallas' top attorneys appears on the D Magazine website at www.dmagazine.com. Lidji Dorey & Hooper focuses on meeting the corporate legal needs of emerging and middle-market companies by adding value to clients' businesses at every stage of development and maturity. The firm's attorneys have closed billions of dollars of merger and acquisition transactions in a variety of industries, from oil and gas to technology. For more information, visit https://ldhlaw.com/. Media Contact: Mike Androvett 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Lidji Dorey & Hooper Related Links http://ldhlaw.com NETANYA, Israel, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE: CEL) (TASE: CEL) (hereinafter: the "Company"), announced today that it will be releasing its financial results for the first quarter of 2018 on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, before the US markets open. The Company will be hosting a conference call at 9:00am Eastern Time (6:00am Pacific Time, 2:00pm UK time, 4:00pm Israel time). On the call, management will review and discuss the results and will be available to answer questions. To participate, please call one of the following teleconferencing numbers. Please begin placing your calls a few minutes before the conference call commences. If you are unable to connect using the toll-free numbers, please try the international dial-in number. US Dial-in Number: + 1-888-668-9141 UK Dial-in Number: +44( 0)-800-917-5108 Israel Dial-in Number: 03-918-0644 International Dial-in Number: +972-3-918-0644 at: 9:00 am Eastern Time; 6:00 am Pacific Time; 2:00 pm UK Time; 4:00 pm Israel Time The conference will be broadcast live on the investor relations section of the Company's website: http://investors.cellcom.co.il . After the call, a replay of the call will be available under the same investor relations section. About Cellcom Israel Cellcom Israel Ltd., established in 1994, is a leading Israeli communications group, providing a wide range of communications services. Cellcom Israel is the largest Israeli cellular provider, providing its approximately 2.817 million cellular subscribers (as at December 31, 2017) with a broad range of services including cellular telephony, roaming services for tourists in Israel and for its subscribers abroad, text and multimedia messaging, advanced cellular content and data services and other value-added services in the areas of music, video, mobile office etc., based on Cellcom Israel's technologically advanced infrastructure. The Company operates an LTE 4 generation network and an HSPA 3.5 Generation network enabling advanced high speed broadband multimedia services, in addition to GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks. Cellcom Israel offers Israel's broadest and largest customer service infrastructure including telephone customer service centers, retail stores, and service and sale centers, distributed nationwide. Cellcom Israel further provides OTT TV services (as of December 2014), internet infrastructure (as of February 2015) and connectivity services and international calling services, as well as landline telephone services in Israel. Cellcom Israel's shares are traded both on the New York Stock Exchange (CEL) and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (CEL). For additional information please visit the Company's website http://investors.cellcom.co.il . Company Contact Shlomi Fruhling Chief Financial Officer [email protected] Tel: +972-52-998-9755 Investor Relations Contact Ehud Helft GK Investor & Public Relations [email protected] Tel: +1-617-418-3096 SOURCE Cellcom Israel Ltd. Fenjiu won "The Most Valuable Card of Chinese National Brand" at the China-US Business Summit 2018, allowing the brand's globalization efforts to resonate on the world stage. With the inherent spirit of Chinese quality, Fenjiu strives to meet international standards on behalf of Chinese brands. With 6,000 years of brewing history, 1,500 years of history as famous liquor, 1,300 years of distilling history and 300 years of brand history, Fenjiu has a long history, extensive and profound culture and excellent quality. Fenjiu, the only representative of Chinese liquor culture from 4000 B.C. to now, is the static defender of brewing technique of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage and has taken the lead in proposing and implementing internal control standards which are in line with international standards for food safety of distilled liquor. With more tests and controls in place, Fenjiu has created the cleanest and healthiest Chinese liquor that far exceeds international standards. The most stringent standards that Fenjiu adopts have enabled the brand to make a strong appearance on the global markets, pushing Chinese brands into a new era of high quality development. As the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting came to a conclusion, Fenjiu will continue its global expansion by attending the Polagra Food in Poznan, Poland to further enter the European market. In the end of May, Fenjiu will kick off its 2018 global tour in Russia, letting the world appreciate the quality of China and letting the mild flavour of Fenjiu spread all over the world. Fenjiu has been well positioned for its global expansion in 2018. SOURCE Fenjiu Group JERSEY CITY, N.J., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cholula Hot Sauce today released Cholula Sweet Habanero, its hottest flavor to date, in a nod to fans asking their favorite hot sauce brand to satisfy their sweet heat tooth. The newest extension from Cholula offers a flavorful combination of sweetness derived from the pepper's natural fruity flavors with hints of pineapple, garlic and other spices for an added kick of heat. "We know our passionate fans continue to be the secret ingredient to our brand's success," said Sharon Nevins, head of marketing at The Cholula Food Company. "This was another opportunity to thank them for their support and add another incredible flavor to our portfolio. We're very excited to offer Cholula Sweet Habanero as a mainstay on the kitchen table." To celebrate the launch of the new flavor, Cholula Hot Sauce teamed up with another fan favorite, Umami Burger, to create a secret menu item the "Sweet Habanero" Chick-Me-Out Burger. The limited-time offering created to complement the Cholula Sweet Habanero flavor release marks Umami's first-ever grilled chicken sandwich. People can try this fan first simply by asking for the "Sweet Habanero" Chick-Me-Out Burger at Umami Burger locations in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. "I knew I had to think outside the box to build a craveable and innovative dish that would highlight such a unique product," said Chef Martin Heierling, Chief Culinary Officer of sbe, a global lifestyle hospitality company and Umami Burger's majority shareholder. "The sweet flavors inspired me to create our first grilled chicken menu item The 'Sweet Habanero' Chick-Me-Out Burger which features an array of colorful and flavorful ingredients. A combination of Adobo marinated grilled chicken breast, smashed avocado, pickled red onions, lime and green mango slaw, and charred pineapple, make it the perfect marriage of flavor and heat. It's something we think our fans will love." Cholula Sweet Habanero first hit the scene last summer when the brand's online society of fans the Order of Cholula requested a product that could maintain great taste while delivering sweetness with an extra kick of heat. Cholula answered the call in a small batch offering for the first 1,000 members of the society. The national release of Cholula Sweet Habanero is in response to the fans who were so enamored with the flavor they demanded it be brought back permanently and released nationwide. Cholula Sweet Habanero best compliments dishes like fish, chicken and soups, and joins Cholula's existing flavor line-up of Original, Green Pepper, Chipotle, Chili Lime and Chili Garlic. The new Cholula Sweet Habanero is available at select retailers nationwide or online at https://shop.cholula.com. For more information, be sure to follow @CholulaHotSauce Instagram and Twitter and join the Order of Cholula by visiting www.orderofcholula.com. About Cholula Cholula Hot Sauce is the flagship brand of The Cholula Food Company, a premium food distributor based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Cholula Hot Sauce is the delicious result of a recipe using a blend of peppers along with a creative mix of spices plus a rich Mexican heritage. The iconic wooden cap was selected to represent the true commitment to craftsmanship behind every product. In addition to the original recipe, the product line includes four additional varieties Chipotle, Green Pepper, Chili Garlic, Chili Lime and Sweet Habanero, which can be found in retail and in food service nationwide. For more information about Cholula Hot Sauce, check out www.cholula.com. ABOUT UMAMI BURGER: Founded in Los Angeles in 2009, Umami Burger has been named GQ's "Burger of the Year," Men's Journal's "Best Burger in America" and one of the "25 Most Innovative Consumer Brands of 2016" by Forbes' CircleUp25. Currently, Umami Burger has a total of 22 restaurants in California, New York, Illinois, Nevada and Japan with additional locations planned around the world. sbe, the leading lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and operates award-winning hospitality venues, is Umami Burger's majority shareholder. For more information on Umami Burger, please visit umamiburger.com or follow @umamiburger or #umamiburger on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SOURCE Cholula Hot Sauce Related Links http://www.cholula.com As with all COFFEE-MATE natural bliss products, Cold Brew Coffee is crafted with all-natural ingredients to provide the perfect pick-me-up at home or at work. To make an exceptional beverage, COFFEE-MATE natural bliss Cold Brew Coffee is crafted using an intensive brewing process: 100% Arabica Beans are slowly steeped in cool water for 12 hours to create a smooth, not bitter, taste. "Cold brew consumption has risen 80 percent in the last year1 and we saw a great opportunity to expand our product portfolio into the ready-to-drink space to further meet consumer demands and lifestyles," said Avantika Chakravorty, Manager of Marketing for Ready-to-Drink Coffee. "We first introduced our Cold Brew Coffee to the West Coast last year to great success and are looking forward to sharing it with consumers nationwide. Increased consumer demand partnered with our all-natural ingredient list gives consumers the premium coffeehouse experience they can enjoy anywhere." Both varieties of COFFEE-MATE natural bliss Cold Brew Coffee deliver a smooth, bold taste due to the combination of all-natural ingredients including nonfat milk, cold brew coffee, cane sugar, heavy cream, natural flavor and baking soda (to prevent settling). The Mocha flavored offering also contains sea salt and cocoa. The ingredients are all-natural, non-GMO, Kosher and gluten-free, with real milk and cream that come from California cows that are not treated with the growth hormone rBST2. For consumers looking for a cold version of their favorite cup of coffee, COFFEE-MATE also offers COFFEE-MATE natural bliss Caramel Iced Coffee, available nationwide. COFFEE-MATE natural bliss Cold Brew and Iced Coffees can be found in 46-ounce multiple-serving carafe containers at retailers nationwide in the refrigerated section. For recipes and more information on new natural bliss products, please visit NaturalBliss.Coffeemate.com and visit natural bliss on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About Nestle USA Named among "The World's Most Admired Food Companies" in Fortune magazine for twenty-one consecutive years, Nestle USA is committed to enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future. By providing choices, from nutritious meals with Lean Cuisine to baking traditions with Nestle Toll House, Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverages that make good living possible. With 2017 sales of $9.7 billion, Nestle USA is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland the world's largest food company. For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or Facebook.com/NestleUSA. 1 According to estimates from Cedarhurst, New York-based researcher StudyLogic 2 No significant difference has been shown between milk from rBST treated and non-rBST treated cows. SOURCE Nestle USA Related Links http://www.Nestleusa.com "It is an honor to be accepted to this program and named as one of QuantumShift 2018 Top Entrepreneur in America," stated Chad Roffers. "The leaders assembled for this program represent the best of today's entrepreneurial culture. I'm excited to collaborate and learn alongside other leaders who are scaling their business." Chad Roffers was selected to be part of the QuantumShift 2018 class by the Michigan Ross QuantumShift Admissions Committee because of Concierge Auctions' strong track record for revenue growth and future growth potential. QuantumShift is a collaborative project between KPMG LLP's Private Markets Group the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm and the University Of Michigan's Ross School of Business designed to offer CEOs access to an exclusive peer-to-peer Fellows Network focused on ongoing problem solving, development and mentorship in addition to the intensive program. "We are thrilled that Chad Roffers of Concierge Auctions is one of the select group of entrepreneurs selected to complete the 2018 QuantumShift program," said Brian Hughes, National Leader, KPMG LLP's Private Markets Group. "We welcome Chad Roffers into this exclusive fellowship of high-growth business leaders and hope that the week-long program will have a long-lasting positive impact on the participating founders and CEOs, and the companies they lead." Chad Roffers is an entrepreneur who has overseen the successful sale of billions of dollars in real estate worldwide. As the Chairman of international luxury real estate company Concierge Auctions, Roffers draws on his background in online advertising, negotiation and real estate sales to manage the selection and marketing of auction properties spanning the globe. He has led the movement of turning residential real estate auctions into a mainstream choice for high-net-worth sellers in need of a time efficient and targeted sales campaign. "The QuantumShift program recognizes the achievements of high-growth entrepreneurs who are at the top of their game, and helps them lay a groundwork for the future," said Stewart Thornhill, executive director of the Zell Lurie Institute at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. "We're looking forward to working with Chad Roffers and we are excited to see what the class of 2018 will accomplish." For more information on QuantumShift, visit www.quantumshiftus.com and follow conversations using #QuantumShiftUS on Twitter. About KPMG LLP KPMG LLP is the independent U.S. member firm of KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"). KPMG International's independent member firms have 197,000 professionals working in 154 countries. Learn more at www.kpmg.com/us. About University of Michigan: Ross School of Business The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is a vibrant and distinctive learning community grounded in the principle that business can be an extraordinary vehicle for positive change in today's dynamic global economy. The Ross School of Business' mission is to develop leaders who make a positive difference in the world. Through thought and action, members of the Ross community drive change and innovation that improves business and society. Housed within Michigan Ross, the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies is a leading center for entrepreneurial thought leadership and engagement. About QuantumShift QuantumShift is a joint program between KPMG LLP's Private Markets Group and the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business that is rooted in sustained learning, networking and collaboration. Each year founders, owners and CEOs of private, U.S. companies are vetted through a nomination and application process reviewed by the Michigan Ross QuantumShift Admissions Committee. Candidates with an established revenue base, a strong record of revenue growth and a clear pathway for continued growth are eligible to participate in a week-long program to learn from distinguished Ross School of Business faculty members and a wealth of other talented professionals. Additionally, participants who complete the program gain access to an exclusive peer-to- peer Fellows Network focused on ongoing problem solving, development and mentorship. About Concierge Auctions Concierge Auctions is the largest luxury real estate marketplace in the world. Powered by state-of-the-art technology, the company has generated nearly $2 billion in sales and is active in 38 U.S. states/territories and 19 countries. Concierge curates the best properties globally, matches them with qualified buyers, and facilitates transparent, market-driven transactions in an expedited timeframe. The firm owns what is arguably the most valuable, ultra-high-net-worth client list in real estate and has been named one of America's fastest-growing companies by Inc. Magazine for the past four years. As part of Concierge Auctions' Key for Key giving program in partnership with Giveback Homes, each sale results in a new home built for a family in need. Contact: Kari Neering [email protected] Chanelle Kasik [email protected] 212-257-1500 SOURCE Concierge Auctions ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As travelers prepare for their Memorial Day vacations, leading travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, reviews three vacation nightmares their travelers have reported. Squaremouth reports of claims from travelers who arrived at their destination to find their resort had no record of their reservation, their room was double-booked, or their rental wasn't as advertised. Squaremouth experts explain why these situations don't fall under travel insurance coverage, and where travelers should turn if they experience these vacation nightmares. The Lost Reservation Hotel reservations are commonly made through third-party booking sites instead of directly with the hotel. While these sites are becoming popular with travelers, they're not always guaranteed; travelers have reported arriving a their hotel to find there is no record of their reservation. Industry Insight: A lost reservation isn't covered under any travel insurance benefits. In most cases, if a traveler has proof of booking through a third-party site, but the hotel doesn't have record, the responsibility would fall on the booking site. Squaremouth recommends travelers keep all confirmation and financial receipts in order to receive a refund from the third-party they used. The Double Booked Rental Vacation rental homes are appealing for many travelers, especially families or big groups. However, scheduling errors can cause the rental to double book, creating a major travel nightmare, especially during busy travel periods like Memorial Day weekend. Industry Insight: A double booked vacation rental does not fall under any benefits offered by travel insurance. Typically, the rental owner or booking company would be responsible for reimbursement and possibly coordinating new accommodations. Squaremouth recommends travelers review the rental contract before booking to ensure they are comfortable with the terms and conditions listed. The 'Not As Advertised' Accommodation Many travelers choose their accommodations based on online photos, but sometimes things aren't as they seem and a room or rental home may look very different in person than how it was advertised. Industry Insight: A hotel or rental that doesn't look the same in person as it was advertised, isn't covered under any travel insurance benefits. Generally, this is an issue with that the rental owner or the third-party booking site would be responsible for. Squaremouth recommends travelers research and read reviews on their accommodations before booking to prevent this from happening. What is Covered? While these nightmares aren't covered under travel insurance, other travel difficulties can be. For example, if a hotel or rental is deemed 'uninhabitable' due to a natural disaster, nonworking electricity, air conditioning or running water, many travel insurance providers can pay travelers back to leave their trip early. Squaremouth recommends travelers compare multiple policies before purchasing a policy and understand what their policy covers before leaving for their trip. Related: Consumer Caution: 3 Air Travel Nightmares That Travel Insurance Doesn't Cover ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH Squaremouth compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare travel insurance policies side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com Available Topic Expert: Carolyn Leckie [email protected] 727-260-5012 SOURCE Squaremouth Related Links http://www.squaremouth.com CHICAGO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In Chicago, 1 in every 10 babies is born premature. These babies must spend the first days, weeks and sometimes months of their lives inside an incubator. A single night's stay can cost nearly $4000. More than half of premature births in the United States are covered by Medicaid, which doesn't always cover the full cost of care, and hospitals do not receive additional funding for specialized NICU equipment, leaving hospitals to raise this money themselves. To help support Chicago's tiniest community members, Cook County Health & Hospital Systems (CCHHS) created The Tiniest Listing, an online portal that allows anyone to book a stay for a preemie baby in the NICU. Developed in partnership with Ogilvy, one of the world's largest marketing communications companies, the goal of The Tiniest Listing is to create awareness and raise funds for this big cause. The Tiniest Listing was launched in the classifieds section of major newspapers and online rental sites. The 3.4sqft one bedroom apartment was listed for $4000/night. People can visit the online portal at www.thetiniestlisting.com to make a donation to help a preemie baby and their family thrive. All proceeds will go to the Cook County Health Foundation, helping to care for the 100,000 women and children CCHHS serves each year. This latest fundraising effort hopes to help provide that care for the most vulnerable members of that community preemie babies. For more information, please watch this video or to book a night's stay visit www.thetiniestlisting.com Media Contact: Tara Mullins Ogilvy 212-880-5243 SOURCE Ogilvy Theres no lack of interest in the nations most prestigious AG gig. Photo: Getty Images/Cultura RF New York State has 20 million people, approximately 175,000 of whom are active and practicing lawyers, and of which it is fair to presume another 100,000 or so are registered Democrats. Over the last 24 hours, seemingly all of them have floated their names as potential replacements for attorney general Eric Schneiderman, who resigned on Tuesday after The New Yorker reported that he had battered four women he had intimate relationships with and used the power of his office to keep them from coming forward. But for now, those lawyers, like so many New Yorkers, are likely to find their hopes and dreams thwarted by the New York State Legislature, which will have the first crack at naming Schneidermans replacement. Even before Schneiderman resigned just three hours after the story broke elected officials with their eye on his job were burning up phone lines to their fundraisers and advisers attempting to game out the contours of a race. The simplest course of events would be for Democrats in the State Assembly, who thanks to their overwhelming numerical advantage over both chambers are running this rodeo, to appoint someone to the seat. That person would then be endorsed by the Working Families Party Convention in two weeks, the State Democratic Convention in three, and would then go into the September primary with a unified party behind her, crush a few minor opponents, and lead Democrats to a victory up and down the ballot in November. The only problem with this scenario is that (a) this person doesnt exist, and (b) we are talking about the Democratic Party in New York. And so a far, the more likely outcome is something resembling a demolition derby. If it were up to Andrew Cuomo, the Assembly would name his lieutenant governor Kathy Hochul to the job. A former Buffalo-area congresswoman, Hochul fails to set aflame the hearts of the partys liberal base at a moment when Cuomo is facing a surprisingly fierce challenge from actor Cynthia Nixon, and easing her into the attorney-general spot would give Cuomo a chance to name someone more downstate and less vanilla to be his running mate. But the state budget is done, depriving Andrew Cuomo of a necessary bargaining chip, and his relationship with the legislature has decreased to the point where they dont have much reason to do his bidding anyway. Carl Heastie, the Assembly Speaker, publicly stated that his single criteria was that the ultimate choice be a diverse individual. Heastie went into a meeting with Assembly Democrats without a candidate in mind though, and then came out of the meeting still without a candidate in mind, a signal that there is no consensus among members of the Assembly. By many accounts, Letitia James comes the closest. New York Citys public advocate has been elected citywide twice, has good relationships with liberal groups and labor unions, and if she becomes the first African-American woman to hold statewide office, would provide some saving grace out of this entire imbroglio. The Assembly though is split into factions a large downstate one, suburban members from Long Island and counties north of New York City, and smattering of lawmakers from cities upstate, and Heastie wont be able to assuage all of them if he pushes for the appointment of James. At some point, this just becomes real petty shit, said one Albany insider advising several would-be contenders. I am not sure how well Tish plays for marginal Democrats upstate and in the suburbs, but the real issue is that if she is chosen, it means somebody else is not chosen, which is just going to piss off a whole other bunch of people. Cuomo has signaled that he would be fine with Barbara Underwood, the 73-year-old acting attorney general, staying on for a while. This is a position shared by the editorial board of the New York Times and the New York Daily News, which have expressed alarm that someone could be chosen by members of the legislature and then, thanks to the powers of incumbency, have an important job like attorney general essentially for life. This was what happened with State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who didnt even make the cut by a review panel called to evaluate candidates after Alan Hevesis exit, but who was chosen nonetheless because he was a favorite of then-Speaker Sheldon Silver. DiNapoli has now been in the job for over a decade and never faced a primary challenge. But the chance to put a loyalist in the job is likely too tempting for Heastie and the Assembly Democrats to pass up, particularly when one considers the risk of what an ambitious, curious, and independent attorney general might unearth in Albany. According to an Albany source, the Assembly hopes to have anyone interested formally submit their name by the end of this week. If the Assembly cant agree on an attorney general, they may appoint a placeholder to have the job until the end of the year. If they do that, or if they keep Underwood in place, or if they appoint some loyalist who doesnt have the mojo to clear the statewide field, expect a statewide Democratic primary as wild and woolly as any since the legendary Mario CuomoEd Koch governors race in 1982. New Yorks is perhaps the most revered AGs office in the country, and contains powers that can grow as large as the person in charge wants them to be. It is a license to take on Wall Street, corporate America, real estate, the media, and whatever other power needs checking. With Donald Trump in the White House, the possibilities are limitless. Which is why every Democratic attorney from Bellport to Buffalo has expressed interest. There isnt enough battery power on earth to list them all here, but the front-runners appear to be James; Long Island congresswoman Kathleen Rice (who has said she is all but certain to run, even though Democratic leaders in Washington may attempt to talk her out of it for fear of creating an open swing seat in Congress); Queens state senator Mike Gianaris; Long Island senator Todd Kaminsky; and Cuomos 2014 gubernatorial foe Zephyr Teachout. Former Manhattan council member Dan Garodnick is taking a look, as is former top Cuomo aide Ben Lawsky, deputy mayor Alicia Glen, and former Syracuse mayor Stephanie Miner, who seriously considered running for governor until Cynthia Nixon arrived on the scene. One intriguing possibility is Maya Wiley, an MSNBC analyst, civil-rights activist, and former head of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, who in an interview with me yesterday sounded very much like a candidate. We need an attorney general that is going to continue to be extremely attentive to vulnerable residents of New York State, she said. We have to elect people of strong moral character who will follow the law and not seek to abuse the office or its power. The real upsetter of the entire apple cart, however, currently has a gig hosting a popular podcast and teaching at NYU. If former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara gets in, all bets are off. The pushback would be ferocious from Cuomo and from Albany lawmakers, who view Bharara not only as a grandstander but also as someone who could make their lives incredibly uncomfortable were he to become the states top law-enforcement officer. There remains some doubt as to whether Bharara could raise the money required for a run, and if he has the stomach for the nonstop campaigning that would be required to acquire the gig. Albany insiders tend to think of Bharara as a product of the easily seduced media, but still, conceded one, he is the white knight in the race. He would be in a league of his own. But the Democratic Party Convention is in three weeks, and the primary is only four months away, meaning any candidate has to have been likely laying the groundwork already, and be able to raise $5 million to $10 million by September. Cuomo is already locked into a high-profile primary in a year when the Democratic electorate is spoiling for a fight add a jump ball of an attorney-general race, and it seems likely that some comer could set sights on DiNapoli, too. Get ready for an overheated political summer in New York State. LOS ANGELES, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 15 a Los Angeles publisher will release Credit the Crocodile, a young adult novel set in South Africa. On May 3 the 260-page hardcover book was introduced during an event at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. (For more information contact Godfrey Harris at 310-476-6374 or [email protected].) Credit the Crocodile tells the story of two idealistic American teenagers who visit South Africa in hopes of freeing Nile crocodiles from a farm so that they can return to the wild. The boys are dismayed to learn that the local residents oppose their campaign because the farm provides jobs, and farming the iconic species saved the crocodile from extinction. After an inadvertent brush with the law, the two are arrested and sentenced to live in the bush for two weeks to experience life among predators and prey just as the "freed" crocodiles would. To their astonishment, they are protected by Credit, the dominant male crocodile at the farm, who finds a way to communicate with them. He wants them to carry a message home that African wildlife is an African responsibility. The idea is summed up in the phrase Afri-CAN LET IT! According to a librarian consulted by Credit's publisher, only about 5% of new novels in the teenage market cover political subjects. Another unusual and perhaps unique aspect of Credit the Crocodile is the book's five-page index with references to the true events and factual information described in the story. Author Godfrey Harris says, "I have long felt that fact-based novels ought to provide readers with an index of the important real events, people and conditions discussed within their pages. Until now, no publisher, to my knowledge, has ever adopted this idea." To research the book, Harris visited South Africa twice and toured reptile parks, crocodile farms and wildlife sanctuaries. He interviewed their operators and met with judicial and diplomatic officials to gather additional facts for the story. Harris, a former U.S. diplomat and member of the President's Executive Office, is a public policy consultant and head of Harris/Ragan Management Group in Los Angeles. Credit the Crocodile Consideration Books, an imprint of The Americas Group Los Angeles Hardcover, 260 pages, 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" $16.95 Review Copies: Godfrey Harris 310-476-6374 [email protected] SOURCE Godfrey Harris "This project demonstrates a commitment by the government of Vietnam to improve its energy security and address critical infrastructure needs." said David Lewis, founder of Energy Capital Vietnam. "It represents a new dawn for private investment into infrastructure development within the country." The MOU provides the basis for ECV as the exclusive investor. It was announced during the ceremony that the Prime Minister and Ministry of Industry and Trade have already provided their full support for the project. "With the execution of our negotiated MOU, we will engage with global pools of capital for strategic investment partners into this unique opportunity. Our innovative pathway shortens the timing to secure all required licenses, certificates, permits, approvals, acceptances and agreements as per Vietnamese law within a twelve-month period." Lewis said. In a rare display of comprehensive support, attendees included the Party Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council and Chairman of the People's Committee, all representing top Bac Lieu leadership from the Party, Legislative and Executive bodies respectively. Administrative heads from all key departments were in attendance, along with the highest ranking regional commander from the Ministry of Defense and a former Vice Minister of Planning and Investment. ECV has engaged with technical consultants and is in discussions with GE and Cheniere. The consortium will accompany the Provincial leadership of Bac Lieu to Hanoi within the next few months to formally amend the Power Development Plan for inclusion of this gas project. "We are excited to be at the forefront of integrating more US private investment into a country with such tremendous growth. We believe this will help enhance shared economic interests and continue to bring our two nations closer together." ECV has retained Winston & Strawn as legal counsel on the deal. About Vietnam With a population of over 90 million, Vietnam has consistently averaged over 5% annual GDP growth for over 20 years. Rapid urbanization and favorable demographics help to make it one of the most dynamic economies within the region. As one of the fastest growing economies in the world, electricity consumption is expected to require the development of an additional 90 GW of generation capacity by 2030. To learn more about ECV, please visit our website at www.ecvholdings.com SOURCE Energy Capital Vietnam Related Links http://www.ecvholdings.com/ PUNE, India, May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Data Wrangling Market by Business Function (Marketing and Sales, Finance, Operations, HR, and Legal), Component (Tools and Services), Deployment Model, Organization Size, Industry Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market size is expected to grow from USD 1.29 Billion in 2018 to USD 3.18 Billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.7% during the forecast period. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 78 market data Tables and 43 Figures spread through 164 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Data Wrangling Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/data-wrangling-market-7833295.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The key growth factors for the global Data Wrangling Market are the emergence of big data across industry verticals and the increasing need to incorporate AI and ML technologies to gain ultra-competitiveness and sustainability to stay afloat in the dynamic world. Healthcare and life sciences vertical is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period Data wrangling in healthcare is gaining traction. Various types of data related to patients, such as personal information; disease, treatment, and medical history; and payment data are generated, which need to cleaned, prepared and set in a proper format to do analysis. Data wrangling tools would be adopted exponentially with the rise of digitalization in the healthcare and life sciences vertical. A complete end-to-end digitalization in healthcare would only be possible if right tools are adopted to clean, de-duplicate, and format the data to investigate and analyze such datasets. The Operations business function is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period Enterprises are deploying comprehensive analytical solutions to recognize the log pattern, identify the root cause, and analyze the user behavior. Data wrangling tools are thus expected to be aggressively used toward cleaning, profiling, and standardizing data. It would help operations team to have a wider control over their systems. Inquiry Before Buying @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=7833295 With edge analytics gaining widespread adoption, data wrangling tools are expected to be adopted across verticals. These tools would enable to filter out unwanted data and systemize the data that would be efficiently used by AI and ML algorithms to analyze and provide due insights. Operations being a core function are expected to adopt data wrangling tools significantly in near future. North America is expected to hold the largest market size; and APAC to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period North America is expected to continue to dominate the market during the forecast period. The region remains the single largest contributor when it comes to the adoption of data wrangling tools and services. This region houses some of the major vendors of data analytics and data wrangling tools, such as Trifacta, IBM, Hitchi Vantara, SAS, and Oracle that have their headquarters as well as direct sales offices over there. Moreover, growing partnerships, agreements, and strategic alliances also testify that the region will be at the forefront in the adoption of digital technologies. APAC is expected to grow at the highest rate in the global Data Wrangling Market during the forecast period. Major APAC countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, China, Singapore, and Japan, are witnessing growth in big data and analytics startups. This would create numerous growth opportunities especially in China, India, and Bangladesh. With an increasing number of smart cities and proliferation of IoT devices, the region is expected to witness huge growth in the coming years. The major vendors offering data wrangling tools and services include Trifacta (US), Datawatch (US), Dataiku (France), IBM (US), SAS Institute (US), Oracle (US), Talend (US), Alteryx (US), TIBCO (US), Paxata (US), Informatica (US), Hitachi Vantara (US), Teradata (US), Datameer (US), Cooladata (US), Unifi (US), Rapid Insight (US), Infogix (US), Zaloni (US), Impetus (US), Ideata Analytics (India), Onedot (Switzerland), IRI (US), Brillio (US), and TMMData (US). These players have incorporated various strategies to expand their global presence to increase their market shares. The strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, product upgrades, and expansions are some of the major strategies embraced by these players. Know more about the Data Wrangling Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/data-wrangling-market-7833295.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 RICHMOND, Va., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy (NYSE: D) today announced the planned retirement of David A. Christian. He will step down from his responsibilities as executive vice president and chief innovation officer effective July 1, 2018. Dominion Energy also announced that on July 1, Mark O. Webb, senior vice president-Corporate Affairs and Chief Legal Officer, will become senior vice president-Corporate Affairs and Chief Innovation Officer, reporting to Thomas F. Farrell, II, chairman, president and chief executive officer. Carlos M. Brown, will continue to serve as vice president and general counsel, and lead the company's Law Department and legal function, reporting directly to Farrell. Effective July 1, the company will promote Emil Avram, director-Engineering Services in the Gas Infrastructure Group, to vice president-Innovation. He will report to Webb. Farrell said: "For more than four decades, David Christian has provided a steady hand, dedicated leadership and wise counsel to his colleagues and company. On a day-to-day level, we at Dominion Energy will miss his intelligence and instincts. But we look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with David as he enters a new phase in his incomparable career." Upon graduation from Virginia Tech, where he received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Christian joined the company in 1976 as an engineer at Surry Power Station. Over the next 22 years save for a two-year stint in which he worked at Chesapeake Energy Center in Virginia he would hold 10 different job titles at Surry, rising through the ranks to become the nuclear plant's site vice president in March 1998. Over the past 20 years all as an officer at Dominion Energy Christian has served as chief nuclear officer and chief executive officer at all three of the company's principal operating units, among other responsibilities. He assumed his current role on Jan. 1, 2017. Christian is heavily involved in the industry and in his community. He is chairman of the National Nuclear Accrediting Board and serves on the management committee of the Institute for Electric Innovation at the Edison Electric Institute. He sits on the boards of the Foundation for Nuclear Studies and the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and on the executive board of the Boy Scouts of America, and is a board member emeritus of CultureWorks. Christian has served on the advisory board for the College of Engineering at his alma mater and currently serves on the advisory board for Virginia Commonwealth University's nuclear engineering department. He is the immediate past chair of the board of directors of the Virginia War Memorial. Webb joined Dominion Energy in 1997 as assistant general counsel and served in several positions with the Law and Alternative Energy Solutions groups. He was named vice president and general counsel in January 2013 and assumed the responsibilities of chief risk officer in January 2014. He was named senior vice president, general counsel and Chief Risk Officer in May 2016 and assumed his current duties in which he oversees the company's federal, state and local government relations; corporate communications, advertising, public relations, creative services, philanthropy and community affairs; and the Law Department in January 2017. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Webb received a bachelor's degree from Texas Christian University and a J.D. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Brown came to the company in 2007 after years of private law practice. He has served in various capacities at Dominion Energy, including in the Law Department, Alternative Energy Solutions group and Power Generation unit including senior counsel, director-Alternative Energy Solutions Business Development & Commercialization and director-Power Generation Station II at Power Generation. Immediately prior to being named vice president and general counsel in January 2017, Brown served as deputy general counsel-Litigation, Labor and Employment. He holds bachelor's and J.D. degrees from the University of Virginia. Avram joined Dominion Energy in 2001 as a project manager in the company's Power Generation business unit. He became manager-Power Generation Engineering in 2005 and senior business development manager in the generation unit in 2006. Avram was promoted to director-Business Development in 2008 and assumed his current role in which he is responsible for the engineering, construction and land work in the Gas Infrastructure Group, leading the execution of large natural gas pipeline and compressor station projects in 2017. Avram earned a bachelor's in aeronautical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a master's in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. "Innovation and the creation of an innovative culture are critical for Dominion Energy," Farrell said. "Innovation will allow our company to transform ideas into value, and it will serve as a sustaining force against rapid, external change in the electric power and natural gas sectors. For years, David Christian has been a forceful advocate and leading voice for innovation in our industry. Mark Webb and Emil Avram will assume that mantle, and Dominion Energy cannot ask for better successors for what David has started." Nearly 6 million customers in 19 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D). The company ranks among America's most-admired energy companies, thanks to its commitment to sustainability and reliable, affordable, safe energy. Dominion Energy is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy with over $75 billion of assets providing electric generation, transmission and distribution, as well as natural gas storage, transmission, distribution, and import/export services. As one of the nation's leading solar operators, the company intends to reduce its carbon intensity 50 percent by 2030. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., Dominion Energy contributes more than $20 million annually to the communities it serves and actively supports military families and veterans. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com, Facebook or Twitter to learn more. SOURCE Dominion Energy Related Links http://www.dom.com ARLINGTON, Va., May 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce has named Eagle Hill Consulting one of the fastest growing companies in the state, earning the 18th spot on the 2018 Fantastic 50 ranking. Eagle Hill continues to experience record growth, posting 479 percent growth from 2013 through 2016. "I'm applauding the Eagle Hill team for achieving yet another year of rapid growth," says Melissa Jezior, Eagle Hill's president and chief executive officer. "We remain on track toward meeting our ambitious long-term goal: 10x growth in 10 years while also maintaining our corporate culture." Corporate executives and government leaders select Eagle Hill for its unconventional approach to consulting. Eagle Hill is known for collaborating with clients by digging deep to understand their unique needs, then providing personalized and creative solutions to achieve their business goals. Eagle Hill adds talent and power to the client's team rather than taking over, an approach that forms a true partnership. "Our growth is fueled by the superior quality client service delivered by our team's bright minds. We know we're getting it right because 100% of our clients say they would work with us again. Simultaneously, we're maintaining a culture that supports our employees. It's this dual-track focus on exceptional service and a healthy culture that will enable us to continue creating high quality jobs in Virginia and serving our clients here in the state," Jezior explained. Last month, the company earned national accolades from Forbes as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms. Watch a video about how Eagle Hill's unconventional consulting delivers results for clients. The company also offers a unique environment with "family" meetings, career advocates, book clubs, and employee-driven community service projects. Now in its 23rd year, the Fantastic 50 program is the only annual statewide award recognizing Virginia's fastest growing business. To be eligible, a company must be privately held with headquarters in Virginia, show revenues between $200,000 and $200 million, and demonstrate positive revenue growth and positive net income in its most recent fiscal year over the previous year. Companies are judged on four-year revenue history. The professional service firm Dixon Hughes Goodman verifies all award entries. Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides management consulting services in the areas of business strategy, organizational transformation, human capital transformation, process improvement, program management and change management. Eagle Hill works with a range of public, private and non-profit organizations across the country with offices in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and in Seattle, WA. More information is available at www.eaglehillconsulting.com. SOURCE Eagle Hill Consulting Related Links http://www.eaglehillconsulting.com CheapOair's data revealed that when West Coasters travel domestically, they prefer to visit other West Coast destinations including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Honolulu. Meanwhile, the domestic travel preferences of those from the Eastern U.S. is more widespread, and they are especially keen on travel to Florida, with Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, and Miami among their top 5 domestic destinations. Top 10 U.S. Domestic Destinations by Region3 From East Coast From West Coast Ft. Lauderdale, FL Los Angeles, CA Orlando, FL Las Vegas, NV Los Angeles, CA Honolulu, HI Las Vegas, NV Denver, CO Miami, FL Seattle, WA Denver, CO Dallas, TX Atlanta, GA Phoenix, AZ San Francisco, CA Orlando, FL New Orleans, LA Miami, FL Chicago, IL San Francisco, CA CheapOair's data found that airfare prices from West Coast gateways can be up to 16% higher than fares from the East Coast, especially when traveling within the US, to Canada, and to Europe. People who live on the West Coast seem to take advantage of the cheaper options by choosing to travel to Mexico and Asia more so than to other international regions. Average Price per Passenger in Q1 20184 From East Coast From West Coast Within US $277 $297 To Canada $311 $361 To Mexico $430 $376 To Europe $810 $922 To Asia $974 $859 The data also shows that East Coasters primarily travel to Mexico and the Caribbean in the early part of the year, but then in May their bookings to Europe spike as the summer peak season approaches. Top International Destinations by Region3 From East Coast From West Coast Cancun, Mexico Guadalajara, Mexico Kingston, Jamaica Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico Bangkok, Thailand Toronto, Canada Cancun, Mexico Montego Bay, Jamaica Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam By consistently monitoring travel trends, CheapOair's mission is to educate and aid consumers and travel professionals in both planning their travel accommodations and staying current on the most popular destinations. With a portfolio of products, including rate and schedule information from more than 450 global airlines, CheapOair is a great way to book the travel that's right for you. For more information, please visit www.CheapOair.com, www.cheapoair.com/mobile, or our social media pages, www.Facebook.com/CheapOair and www.twitter.com/cheapoair. About CheapOair CheapOair is a flight-focused, hybrid travel agency that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (https://www.cheapoair.com, 1-800-566-2345) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available 24/7 to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 1 million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair's broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less. 1 East Coast regional data includes gateways in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia 2 West Coast regional data includes gateways in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming 3 Based on passengers booked for travel from each region between 1/1/2018 6/31/2018, 4/4/2018 4 Based on average airfare per passenger from each region between 1/1/2018 6/31/2018, 4/4/2018 SOURCE CheapOair Related Links https://www.cheapoair.com LAKE FOREST, Calif., May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellison Educational Equipment, Inc., parent company of crafts brand Sizzix and education brand Ellison Education, announces Richard Birse as its new Chief Executive Officer, and the elevation of current Chief Executive Officer Kristin Highberg to the Company's Global Board of Directors. Founded by LaDorna and Robert Eichenberg in 1977, Ellison Educational Equipment has grown into a vertically integrated global business with a footprint in over 100 countries and its global headquarters in Lake Forest, California, along with its European Headquarters in the United Kingdom. The company also fully owns its manufacturing and logistic operations in China. Throughout its history, Ellison has developed multiple global brands and supply chain networks that uniquely position its operations to be a leading omni-channel provider across all continents. To allow the company to fully leverage its global footprint and assets, the family and its shareholders have realized the need to transition to executive leadership that has experience in navigating, supporting and growing a global business. After a thorough review, Ellison's current Managing Director for Europe and Global Markets, Richard Birse, was clearly identified as the natural successor to be the Company's next CEO for his proven skillset, market knowledge and experience to lead the company into its new phase of focused, global growth. "For over 27 years, I've had the greatest opportunity working for the company that my grandmother started, having held numerous positions from customer service to sales to my current role of CEO," said Kristin Highberg, outgoing CEO of Ellison. "During my tenure as CEO of the Company, I've worked alongside Richard for close to 11 years to successfully develop global infrastructure and growth opportunities. As we enter the next phase of Ellison's global growth, it was clear to me and my family that Richard was the obvious choice to take the CEO leadership role and allow me to continue to focus on supporting strategy with him at the Board Level." "I know that I speak for everyone at Ellison in thanking Kristin for her leadership during her time within the company," said Birse. "I am eager to assume this new role and lead such a passionate and focused company in further developing our global platform. We have exceptionally talented teams across three continents at Ellison/Sizzix who are all committed to evolving our business, continuing to innovate our product in new and diverse ways and developing a global supply chain infrastructure that supports our localized trading partners future global growth opportunities in both B2B and B2C channels." About Sizzix Launched in 2001, Sizzix is a division of Ellison Educational Equipment Inc., the market pioneer and leader of die-cutting machines and accessories. Through its portfolio of die-cutting machines and die-cutting products, Sizzix leverages Ellison's 41 years of proven manufacturing and technology heritage to empower creativity among its customer base with new and innovative products. Sizzix is a recognized global brand that can be found in over 100 countries and in major and specialty retailers. For more information on Sizzix and its line of craft-inspiring products, please visit www.sizzix.com/home. About Ellison Educational Equipment Inc. Since 1977, Ellison Educational Equipment, Inc. has been the recognized global leader of die-cutting machines, die-cutting products and shape-cutting accessories for the education market. The company was founded by an educator and has built its reputation developing high-quality, reliable die-cutting machines, products and accessories, coupled with innovative teaching principles that support all subject matter. For more information about Ellison Educational Equipment, please visit www.EllisonEducation.com. Contact: Brian Harris 1-949-598-8822 ext. 394 [email protected] SOURCE Ellison Educational Equipment Related Links http://www.EllisonEducation.com SAO PAULO, May 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Eucatex (B3: EUCA3 and EUCA4), one of the largest manufacturers of panels in Brazil, with operations also in the paint and varnish, laminated flooring, wall partitions and doors segments, announces today its results for the first quarter of 2018 (1Q18). Still optimistic expectations marked the start of 2018, which was marked by the decline in interest rates and inflation, below the target, which positively influenced economic activity, which maintained its slight recovery trend. The key indicators influencing the Company's business ended the quarter registering modest improvements, which signal growth in demand and, consequently, in industrial activity: increase in average real income, as well as favorable conditions for credit at lower costs and higher amounts to individuals. One of the signs of improvement is the recovery in one of the main indices that measure the performance of the construction materials sector the ABRAMAT (Brazilian Construction Materials Industry Association) Index, which rose 2.1% in 1Q18 and is expected to rise 1.5% in 2018. According to the Brazilian Tree Industry (IBA), the total panels market grew 4.5%. The Company exchanged assets with Duratex in order to increase its fiberboard capacity. The transaction basically involves the acquisition of a production that includes: buildings, facilities and utilities that house 3 Fiberboard production lines, with nominal capacity of 200,000 m/year, in addition to the painting and board cutting line. Because of its nature, this transaction was submitted to Brazil's antitrust authority CADE for evaluation, which should announce its decision within 90 to 120 days. 1Q18 Financial Highlights Net Revenue of R$303.9 million (+7.3%) (+7.3%) Recurring EBITDA of R$51.5 million (+13.9%), with margin of 17% (+13.9%), with margin of 17% Recurring net income of R$5.2 million (-46.6%) 1Q18 Operating Performance Physical sales in the Company's Wood Segment, considering both domestic and export markets, fell 2.5% in 1Q18 The Company's panels export volume grew 14.1% in the quarter Paint sales grew 2.4% in 1Q18, while the overall market contracted 2.6% The earnings release, presentation and complete financial statements are available at: www.eucatex.com.br/ri. 1Q18 Conference Call: May 9, 2018, 9:00 a.m. (Brazil), Dial-in: (11) 2188-0155, Code: Eucatex. Investor Relations: [email protected] (+55 11) 3049-2473 About Eucatex Eucatex S.A. Industria e Comercio completes 67 years in 2018 and is one of Brazil's largest manufacturers of laminated flooring, wall partitions, doors, MDP/MDF/T-HDF panels, fiberboard, and paints and varnishes. It operates five modern plants in Botucatu and Salto (both in Sao Paulo) and Cabo de Santo Agostinho (Pernambuco), employing 2,467 people. Its products are exported to more than 37 countries. For further information, visit www.eucatex.com.br/ri. SOURCE Eucatex Related Links http://www.eucatex.com.br/ri La Piel Roja. Photo: @grandongatsby/Courtesy of La Piel Roja Abutted by green hills, the bohemian streets of La Macarena might be the most charming in Bogota. Apart from the landmark Santamaria Bullring, now a cultural space, and a few museums, most of the neighborhood remains blessedly off the tourist trail. Expats, writers, and artists make their home here, and the barrio has become a breeding ground for innovative restaurants, progressive galleries, and wild rumba clubs. We asked a quartet of locals who live and work in the neighborhood where they like to hang out. Antonuela Ariza, founder Selva Nevada ice cream La Monferrina is a casual Italian restaurant, opened in 2008 by Sebastian Bedoya. He and his father, Mario, are always there to offer the days specials with a smile and a list of fresh ingredients. I recommend their provoleta, queso fundido with Paipa De Origen cheese, the osso buco, or the tagliatelle with shrimp and spinach. Plaza de la Perseverancia. Photo: Fabricio Galindo/ Courtesy of La Perseverancia The market at Plaza de La Perseverancia is best known for its small eateries owned by women from many different cities of Colombia, which makes it rich in flavors and dishes. Some of the women have been cooking there for three generations and each has a special recipe. Menus change daily, but the last Friday of every month, there is a festival that offers special regional dishes, like ceviches and whole fried fish. It is open for lunch only. Inside the Museo Nacional, El Panoptico offers a view and a taste of traditional, but not common, Colombian dishes, plus regional ingredients in dishes like braised beef neck with acai sauce or samai, a tender vegetable and peanut soup. The flavors complement a visit to the museum, as both explore important parts of our culture. Donostia. Photo: Courtesy of Donostia Tomas Rueda has been promoting family-style cuisine since he opened Donostia in 2002. He takes it to the next level with carefully made stews and big, generous pieces of beef with vegetables, along with other Colombian delicacies. Monica Paez, co-founder of Tangrama graphic design studio La Ceiba Pasteleria is a small bakery that invites you to linger around. They have a variety of local desserts and baked goods worth trying, like the almojabanas and pandebonos [cheese breads], the torta de coco [coconut cake], and corn breads that are some of our favorites at the studio. Built between 1968 and 1970, and designed by the architect Rogelio Salmona, the three residential towers, Las Torres del Parque, look over Parque de la Independencia and the Plaza de Toros, which is no longer used as a bullfighting ring, but rather a stage for concerts and plays. There are many communal areas within the towers that are open to the public and worth visiting before taking a stroll in the park. Espacio El Dorado. Photo: Courtesy of Espacio El Dorado Espacio El Dorado is a contemporary gallery with four interconnected spaces and a focus on solo shows. If you keep walking south on Carrera 5ta, you will find another series of exhibition spaces, like NC-arte, which is supported by the Fundacion Neme. Their program has strong support for the development of site-specific projects from contemporary artists. Catalina Salguero, founder of Valenzuela Klenner Galeria You can usually smell bread baking in the streets outside of Azimos, which is part gourmet bakery, part health-conscious restaurant, part organic food shop. Whether youre a vegetarian or not, youll find something there, from corn and cheese arepas to squash pancakes with plum syrup. On Saturdays, they have an organic market, selling ingredients from farmers from the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, the high plateau outside of the city. Theres something trendy about Andante, but its one of the most reliable cafes in the neighborhood. I come for the pizzas or the chocolate and almond bread, but there are good coffee drinks, traditional breakfasts like calentados [mixed plates of rice, beans, potatoes, and meat], or pastas later in the day. La Piel Roja. Photo: @grandongatsby/Courtesy of La Piel Roja The best place to rumba is at La Piel Roja, a straightforward criolla restaurant by day that turns into a raucous disco bar at night. Theyll play everything from salsa to merengue to tropical to plancha 80s, plus will bring in big-name DJs from other parts if Colombia. Theres usually a 15,000 COP [$5 USD] cover. Maria Uribe Olarte, subdirector of La Balsa Arte Luvina. Photo: Courtesy of Luvina/Facebook Luvina is a bookstore and coffee shop frequented by artists and bohemian characters in the neighborhood. Its something of a cultural center with frequent readings and exhibitions. Theres a large selection of books, some of them in English, and their shopkeeper can help you sort through sections on poetry, novels, and essays. Its a great place to find a book and have a coffee. Almost everything at Anna & Otto is cooked in a wood-fired oven, and its a great place to have pizza and drinks with good service. Its run by a Dutch chef and DJ and his Colombian hostel-owning partner. For a starter, I recommend ordering the peas baked with Parmesan. I always go to Almacen Soluciones when I want to get one of those things I dont need but really want. The gift shop is located inside the Torres del Parque and you can indulge yourself with books, notebooks, bags, art objects, and all-around designy things. WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Evolent Health (NYSE: EVH), a company providing an integrated value-based care platform to the nation's leading health systems and physician organizations, today announced that its client, Lee Health, has been notified by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) of its intent to award a contract to Lee's affiliate, Best Care Assurance, LLC, to provide physical and behavioral health care services through Florida's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) Program. Evolent will provide health plan administration and operational services for the Managed Medicaid Assistance (MMA) plan. Lee Health is also a participant in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Next Generation ACO program for the 2018 performance year. Evolent supports Lee Health's Next Generation ACO, Best Care Collaborative, by delivering technology, analytics, clinical programs and shared learnings to drive higher quality, lower cost health care for Medicare beneficiaries. "By combining our integrated provider and consumer-centric approach with Evolent's world-class clinical and administrative infrastructure, we are well positioned to deliver lower cost, higher quality health care and serve the needs of both our Medicaid and Medicare populations," said Lee Health Chief Population Health Officer John Chomeau. "We look forward to working closely with Evolent to support the communities we serve and drive our value-based care strategy forward." Best Care Assurance, LLC intends to offer a Managed Medical Assistance (MMA) plan to Medicaid beneficiaries living in Region 8, which includes Lee, Collier, Charlotte, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry and Sarasota counties. This region covers more than 200,000 eligible beneficiaries in the Managed Medical Assistance program. Pending regulatory approval and successful completion of readiness review, the plan's five-year agreement is expected to commence between October 1, 2018 and January 1, 2019. "We are excited to establish a market presence in southwest Florida with a nationally-recognized provider system at the forefront of Medicaid transformation. Together, Lee Health and Evolent have a significant opportunity to make an impact on how care is delivered in Floridathe fourth largest Medicaid state in the U.S.," said Evolent Health Chief Executive Officer Frank Williams. "We are honored to serve Lee Health, the State of Florida and the Agency for Health Care Administration in providing comprehensive health care services. We look forward to collaborating with Lee Health to leverage our national Medicaid Center of Excellence (MCOE), value-based care platform, health plan services and care management capabilities to help improve the health care of Medicaid beneficiaries in Florida." Evolent's Medicaid Center of Excellence will provide strategy, clinical and operational capabilities, health plan administrative support, as well as Identifi, Evolent's population health performance management platform. The Center of Excellence offers a model for states across the nation to implement non-profit, provider-sponsored, community-based Medicaid health plans in their communities. About Evolent Health Evolent Health partners with leading provider organizations to achieve superior clinical and financial results in value-based care. With a provider heritage and over 20 years of health plan administration experience, Evolent operates in more than 30 U.S. health care markets, actively managing care across Medicare, Medicaid, commercial and self-funded adult and pediatric populations. With the experience to drive change, Evolent confidently stands by a commitment to achieve results. For more information, visit evolenthealth.com. SOURCE Evolent Health Related Links http://www.evolenthealth.com KAUKAUNA, Wis., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Expera Coated Products announced today a new brand of liners used in the manufacture of Performance Tapes and Sealants. DualBak liners have the necessary performance characteristics to withstand demanding converting and end use applications, yet maintain the strength and stability to ensure specified customer requirements are met. "Expera Coated Products' DualBak liners are highly-engineered solutions that offer a wide breadth of silicone systems and release differentials as well as targeted base papers to fit the many demands of this segment," explained Harry Challender, Vice President of Expera Coated Products. "We excel at customer collaboration, and that collaboration allows Expera Coated Products to develop application-specific liners that contain the functional properties critical to the success and delivery of our customers' products." While applicable to a wide array of end-use applications DualBak liners are used in the Industrial (Building and Construction, Roofing, Widow and Door), Automotive and Transportation (Vibration/Sound Dampening, Weatherproofing, Fastening/Bonding), and Specialty Tape (Transfer Adhesives, Double Coated Adhesives, Medical) industries. To learn more about DualBak Liners for Performance Tapes and Sealants visit expera.com. ABOUT EXPERA COATED PRODUCTS Expera Coated Products is a division of Expera Specialty Solutions. Expera Coated Products manufacturing platform consists of three coaters located in Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.expera.com. SOURCE Expera Coated Products Related Links http://www.expera.com CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently described by the U.S Marine Corps as the most powerful helicopter the United States has ever fielded, the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion will also be the largest. UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), is providing a number of technologies from its Power Transmission Systems business unit that are designed to improve the platform's performance and reliability. UTC Aerospace Systems plays a pivotal role in the King Stallion's power system, providing the power transmission system for the tail rotor, including drive shafts, couplings and bearing assemblies. For enhanced reliability, the drive shaft system is constructed of titanium and high-strength aluminum to reduce corrosion, while decreasing weight. At the same time, the entire drive shaft system is designed with a high degree of damage and ballistic tolerance to increase aircraft survivability in combat environments. Unlike flexible disc couplings, which typically need to be replaced at regular intervals over the life of the aircraft, UTC Aerospace Systems couplings are qualified to last the life of the helicopter, further reducing required maintenance. In addition, the company also provides the King Stallion's disconnect mechanism, which decouples the drive shaft in the tail and assists in allowing it to fold automatically when the pilot presses a button in the cockpit. By folding its main rotor as well, the CH-53K is thus fully shipboard compatible, capable of operating on the busy and crowded flight decks of aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and then folding into a compact size to enable storage and maintenance to be performed either on deck or in the limited space of shipboard hangars. UTC Aerospace Systems' Rome, New York, facilitywhich manufactures the King Stallion's power transmission systemwas recently recognized by Sikorsky as the CH-53K Supplier of the Year for the critical responsiveness and support the site provided during the King Stallion flight test program. Currently on pace to achieve initial operational capability (IOC) in 2019 and deployment in 2023-2024, the Department of Defense's program of record is 200 King Stallions. Ultimately, the helicopter will support the U.S. Marine Corps in missions such as humanitarian aid, troop transport, casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), support of special operations forces, and combat search and rescue (CSAR). "UTC Aerospace Systems is proud to support the Marines by providing advanced power transmission technologies that help make the King Stallion more reliable, while reducing maintenance and weight," said Electric, Environmental and Engine Systems President Tim White. "We're also proud to have been recognized by Sikorsky for our support of the CH-53K program. We look forward to continuing to work with both the Marines and Sikorsky as America's most powerful helicopter begins operations and beyond." About UTC Aerospace Systems UTC Aerospace Systems is one of the world's largest suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and defense products. UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries, supporting a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities. For more information about the company, visit our website at www.utcaerospacesystems.com or follow us on Twitter: @utcaerosystems About United Technologies Corporation United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. By combining a passion for science with precision engineering, the company is creating smart, sustainable solutions the world needs. For more information about the company, visit our website at www.utc.com or follow us on Twitter: @UTC www.utcaerospacesystems.com @utcaerosystems SOURCE UTC Aerospace Systems Related Links http://www.utcaerospacesystems.com NAPLES, Fla., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Agency Network (FAN) is joining forces with Cottrell Title & Escrow located in Naples, Florida. This partnership amongst independently-owned title insurance agencies aims at expanding the organization's footprint into certain key Florida markets. "We're excited about bringing Cottrell Title & Escrow into the FAN family. We appreciate the way their organization does business, and feel Cottrell will make an excellent addition to our team," says Aaron M. Davis, CEO of the Florida Agency Network. "Both of our companies share the same vision and commitment to industry compliance standards. Combining our energies and expertise to serve a broader range of customers will help deliver more efficient solutions across the state." "After having in-depth conversations with FAN Management about where the title industry is headed over the next 3-5 years, it was evident that both of our companies have similar goals and missions to provide the best closing experience for our clients," stated Justin Cottrell, Esq. Founding Partner of Cottrell Law Group. Cottrell Title & Escrow will use multiple back-office solutions provided by Florida Agency Network (FAN), with the goal of centralizing non-core title services and allowing for a sharper focus on servicing their clients and maintaining industry-leading security and protection of NPPI via added compliance controls. This relationship marks the second independently owned and operated partnership of its type for FAN, the first being SETCO Services in North Florida's panhandle region. Both strategic partnerships provide valuable services to the partner entities, while providing FAN with additional geographic coverage throughout key Florida markets. "Even more rare, and ultimately what attracted us to this opportunity, is that both brands have proven the ability to execute their ideas and innovations at a high strategic level. We are grateful to be able to put our resources together through the Florida Agency Network affiliation and continue to raise the bar and provide enhanced peace of mind for our clients and industry partners," stated James P. Schlimmer, Managing Partner of Cottrell Title & Escrow. About the Florida Agency Network The FLORIDA AGENCY NETWORK (FAN) is a conglomerate of independent title agencies, settlement service providers, and innovative technology companies within the State of Florida. FAN has formed a strategic alliance amongst members and vendors, in addition to creating proprietary technologies, to better serve its clients, allowing it to provide customized solutions to protect and streamline the closing experience. Members share back-office services, pooled resources, access to industry-leading technology, improved efficiencies, and the ability to offer their clients greater geographic coverage throughout Florida with SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 security compliance solutions available. For more information, please visit http://www.FLagency.net. About Cottrell Title & Escrow Cottrell Title & Escrow is a settlement service provider located in Naples, Florida. Cottrell Title & Escrow's mission and primary goal is to save real estate agents, brokers, lenders, and their clients time and provide enhanced peace of mind during the closing experience. SOURCE Florida Agency Network Related Links http://www.flagency.net Today, there are already numerous solutions and services for moving workloads to the cloud. However, there are relatively few services that are capable of moving workloads to the cloud of a company's choice regardless of its operational environment. ZConverter's greatest advantage is that it can move any type of corporate-operated workloads, including physical servers, virtual machines, and cloud instances, to the cloud. The company currently offers not only on-premises-to-cloud transfers but also comprehensive cloud migration services that can move data from one major cloud service (such as AWS, Azure, GCP, Alibaba Cloud, or Oracle Cloud) to another. Currently, Korean companies are looking to cloud migration as a viable option. The Korean conglomerate Hanwha S&C launched an OpenStack-based Private Cloud service in 2016 and moved Hanwha's group-wide system to the cloud. Thanks to ZConverter, Hanwha S&C succeeded in moving 500 workloads to the cloud in a very short period of time. ZCloud is currently providing its service to corporations in SaaS (software-as-a-service) format via ZCloud.net, through which services can be conveniently moved to the desired virtual machine(s) for a fixed fee per machine. All the corporation has to do is log onto ZCloud.net, enter the location of the existing VMs, Physical Servers or Cloud Instances. Once the conversion button is clicked, the automated cloud migration process begins. The four steps of automated cloud migration ZConverter Cloud Migration is comprised of four steps: imaging (source image capturing), replication (image transferring), conversion (conversion to Cloud Platform), and cleaning (removal of any unnecessary configurations). Fundamentally, ZConverter Cloud Migration is based on workload imaging and conversion software technologies. While most competitors use open-source utilities for capturing source image, ZConverter employs independently developed original imaging technology. DJ Min, CEO of ZConverter Inc. said, "Using open-source software for cloud migration results in very long service down-times for companies, not to mention high migration failure rates. As ZConverter does not alter the original version of the service during the migration process, so if the migration process fails, all the customers have to do for failback is just running the original production server and try to move workloads to cloud later." The importance of cloud migration services Min explained, "Cloud migration that requires an engineer to manually re-install all software and services individually is highly expensive and time consuming. With ZConverter, however, customers can move their systems easily and conveniently. Although there are many companies offering migration tools, I am willing to bet that ZConverter is the only one that supports all cloud types and heterogeneous environments. Regardless of the system the customer is currently using, we can move it to any cloud the customer wants." About ZConverter Founded in 2004, ZConverter (www.zconverter.com) began as a company specializing in virtualization and disaster recovery solutions. Today, it is a global corporation that primarily offers automated cloud migration and cloud-based disaster recovery solutions and it is AWS Technology Partner, GCP Technology Partner and OpenStack Corporate Sponsor. The ZConverter Cloud Migration SaaS (which supports OpenStack, CloudStack, MS Azure Cloud, and Amazon AWS Cloud) is already gaining positive reviews from large-scale domestic and foreign telecommunications companies and data centers by currently working on projects that are 30 - 15,000 workloads. The company supplies and/or integrates its cloud migration service with the existing services of large SI firms and telecommunications companies in Japan, Korea, ASEAN and the United States. About K-ICT Born2Global Centre K-ICT Born2Global Centre (www.born2global.com) is a full-cycle service platform for global expansion. Since inception in 2013, Born2Global has been setting the standard for a successful startup ecosystem as the main Korean government agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Born2Global has expanded and transformed startups into engaged and equipped companies that are connected with the global market. Contact Jina Lee PR Manager of Born2Global [email protected] SOURCE K-ICT Born2Global Centre "We're pleased to welcome Allan, Keith, Josh and Russ to Bracewell," said Managing Partner Gregory M. Bopp . "The highly regarded group is a wonderful addition to our market-leading litigation practice." Taffet has more than 30 years of experience litigating complex commercial and financial disputes involving securities, derivatives, employment and non-competition, breach of contract and contract construction, fraud, RICO, shareholder and partnership disputes and dissolutions, and real estate. He has tried numerous matters in federal and state courts, as well as before arbitration panels and administrative bodies. Taffet served in supervisory positions in the Civil Division of the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York in the 1990s. He also was an adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Law for 20 years. Taffet graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. from Columbia University and earned his J.D. at Harvard Law School. Blackman defends clients against claims of fraud, breach of contract, RICO and violations of securities law. He has experience in commercial litigation, securities litigation, intellectual property litigation and white collar defense. Blackman has represented financial services clients in various federal and state court actions filed nationwide, including FINRA proceedings in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Georgia. He graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and graduated cum laude with a J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was senior editor of the Journal of Law and Technology. Klein represents individuals and corporations in complex disputes involving corporate, commercial and securities matters. He has advised both plaintiffs and defendants in claims for breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference and civil RICO violations. In addition to regularly appearing before federal and state courts, he has extensive experience representing broker-dealers and registered representatives in FINRA arbitration proceedings. Klein is also called upon to handle complex regulatory inquiries and internal investigations. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. from Yeshiva University and earned his J.D. at Brooklyn Law School. Gallaro represents private and public entities in an array of complex commercial litigation matters that involve securities, derivatives, fraud, RICO and contract disputes, most notably in the financial services and commercial sectors. He regularly appears in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings and before FINRA. Gallaro earned his B.A. at Georgetown University and J.D. at Columbia University School of Law. "The arrival of these outstanding litigators in our New York office builds on our strengths and expands the national reach of Bracewell's litigation team," said Stephen B. Crain, a member of the firm's management committee and chair of the litigation section, which in 2017 was named "Large Law Firm Litigation Department of the Year" by Texas Lawyer. With this addition of Taffet, Blackman and Klein, Bracewell has made nine strategic partner hires within the last five months. Damian Watkin and John Gilbert joined Bracewell's London office in December to help establish an international disputes practice focused on the energy industry. In March, Nicolai J. Sarad and Fernando J. Rodriguez Marin joined the New York office as partners in the project finance group, following the arrival of Nancy C. LeGros as a healthcare partner in Dallas. In April, James P. Plummer joined Bracewell's San Antonio office as a partner in the public finance group. "We're excited to join a firm with a strong growth trajectory and commitment to client service," said Taffet. "Each of us is looking forward to working with our new Bracewell colleagues in helping our clients resolve the complex litigation issues facing companies today." About Bracewell LLP Bracewell is a leading law and government relations firm primarily serving the energy, finance and technology industries throughout the world. Our industry focus results in comprehensive state-of-the-art knowledge of the commercial, legal and governmental challenges faced by our clients and enables us to provide innovative solutions to facilitate transactions and resolve disputes. For more information, please visit bracewell.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE Bracewell LLP Related Links http://www.bracewell.com Dividend Increased for 11th Consecutive Year Paul Brink Appointed President and COO (in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted) TORONTO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - "Franco-Nevada's diversified portfolio continues to deliver with record quarterly revenue and net income being realized in the first quarter" commented David Harquail, CEO. "Over the next year, we expect further growth with higher production from Tasiast, Subika, Candelaria and our Oil & Gas assets as well as the start of production from Cobre Panama. It is a testament to both our business model and portfolio that today Franco-Nevada has declared its 11th consecutive year of dividend increases. Franco-Nevada remains debt free and we continue to see opportunities to add further to the portfolio. I am also pleased to announce that as part of our orderly succession planning, Paul Brink has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer. Paul is a talented and seasoned executive and will serve Franco-Nevada's shareholders very well." Pierre Lassonde, Chair, added: "Today Graham Farquharson retired from the Franco-Nevada board after more than 10 years of distinguished service. Graham's over 50 years of mining sector experience has been invaluable to Franco-Nevada. I am happy that he has accepted our invitation to remain involved as an honorary director." Q1/2018 Financial Highlights $173.1 million in revenue a new record in revenue a new record 115,671 Gold Equivalent Ounces 1 ("GEOs") sold ("GEOs") sold $139.9 million of Adjusted EBITDA 2 or $0.75 per share of Adjusted EBITDA or per share $64.6 million of net income (new record) or $0.35 per share of net income (new record) or per share $63.9 million of Adjusted Net Income 3 (new record) or $0.34 per share of Adjusted Net Income (new record) or per share $87.7 million in cash and cash equivalents at quarter-end and no debt in cash and cash equivalents at quarter-end and no debt Quarterly dividend increased from $0.23 to $0.24 per share increased for 11th consecutive year Revenue and GEOs by Asset Categories Q1/2018 Q1/2017 GEOs Revenue GEOs Revenue # (in millions) # (in millions) Precious Metals Gold 88,794 $ 118.3 100,540 $ 122.9 Silver 17,672 23.5 19,746 24.4 PGMs 6,935 9.3 8,224 10.7 Precious Metals - Total 113,401 $ 151.1 128,510 $ 158.0 Other Minerals 2,270 3.0 3,068 3.8 Oil & Gas 19.0 10.9 115,671 $ 173.1 131,578 $ 172.7 For Q1/2018, revenue was sourced 87.3% from precious metals (68.3% gold, 13.6% silver and 5.4% PGM) and 80.6% from the Americas (44.5% Latin America, 17.7% U.S., and 18.4% Canada). Operating costs and expenses decreased year-over-year due to lower stream GEOs sold during the quarter. Oil & Gas revenue increased 74.3% year-over-year, reflecting the addition of the STACK, Midland, Orion and Delaware royalties, higher prices and increased payments from Weyburn. Cash provided by operating activities was $137.5 million, an increase of 14.8% compared to Q1/2017, reflecting increased net income. Corporate Updates Cobre Panama: Franco- Nevada funded the additional precious metals stream on the Cobre Panama project for $356.0 million on March 16, 2018 . Franco- Nevada now has exposure to the precious metals produced from 100% of the ownership of the Cobre Panama project. Franco- funded the additional precious metals stream on the Cobre Panama project for on . Franco- now has exposure to the precious metals produced from 100% of the ownership of the Cobre Panama project. Delaware Oil & Gas Royalties: Franco- Nevada finalized the purchase of a royalty portfolio in the Delaware , which represents the western portion of the larger Permian Basin in Texas for $101.3 million on February 20, 2018 . The royalties are derived principally from mineral title which provides a perpetual interest in royalty lands. The transaction has an effective date of October 1, 2017 . Revenue in Q1/2018 included $1.3 million from the Delaware royalties. Q1/2018 Portfolio Updates Precious Metals Latin America : GEOs from Latin American precious metals assets decreased 17.9% year-over-year, with 57,854 precious metal GEOs earned in Q1/2018, reflecting decreased deliveries from Candelaria and Guadalupe-Palmarejo which was partially offset by increases from Antapaccay. GEOs from Latin American precious metals assets decreased 17.9% year-over-year, with 57,854 precious metal GEOs earned in Q1/2018, reflecting decreased deliveries from Candelaria and Guadalupe-Palmarejo which was partially offset by increases from Antapaccay. Cobre Panama (gold and silver stream) During Q1/2018, excluding the funding of $356 million from the additional stream, Franco-Nevada contributed $70.2 million of its share of construction capital for the Cobre Panama project. Franco-Nevada at quarter-end has contributed $796.8 million of its total maximum $1 billion commitment for the construction of Cobre Panama. For the remainder of 2018, Franco-Nevada expects to fund between $160 and $180 million towards the $1 billion deposit. Recently, First Quantum announced plans to expand throughput capacity to 85 million tonnes per annum and potentially accommodate a further increase to 100 million tonnes per annum after 2022. Development activities in some areas were affected for about six weeks by industrial action which has been resolved. First Quantum continues to anticipate phased commissioning during 2018 and continued ramp-up during 2019. During Q1/2018, excluding the funding of from the additional stream, Franco-Nevada contributed of its share of construction capital for the Cobre Panama project. Franco-Nevada at quarter-end has contributed of its total maximum commitment for the construction of Cobre Panama. For the remainder of 2018, Franco-Nevada expects to fund between and towards the deposit. Recently, First Quantum announced plans to expand throughput capacity to 85 million tonnes per annum and potentially accommodate a further increase to 100 million tonnes per annum after 2022. Development activities in some areas were affected for about six weeks by industrial action which has been resolved. First Quantum continues to anticipate phased commissioning during 2018 and continued ramp-up during 2019. NuevaUnion (1.5% royalty) JV partners Teck and Goldcorp completed a pre-feasibility study at NuevaUnion and now are advancing the project to the feasibility stage which is expected in 2019. The project has 8.9 million ounces of proven and probable gold mineral reserves and 17.9 billion pounds of proven and probable copper mineral reserves (100% basis) to be produced over a 36 year mine life. Franco- Nevada's interest is on the Relincho section of the project. JV partners Teck and Goldcorp completed a pre-feasibility study at NuevaUnion and now are advancing the project to the feasibility stage which is expected in 2019. The project has 8.9 million ounces of proven and probable gold mineral reserves and 17.9 billion pounds of proven and probable copper mineral reserves (100% basis) to be produced over a 36 year mine life. Franco- interest is on the Relincho section of the project. Candelaria (gold and silver stream) Candelaria delivered 14,075 GEOs, compared to 22,483 GEOs in Q1/2017. Production levels are lower as a result of a pit slide and are expected to recover in 2019. Lundin continues to ramp-up underground production and studies continue to further optimize underground operations including a potential production increase beyond the currently permitted 14,000 tonnes per day. Candelaria delivered 14,075 GEOs, compared to 22,483 GEOs in Q1/2017. Production levels are lower as a result of a pit slide and are expected to recover in 2019. Lundin continues to ramp-up underground production and studies continue to further optimize underground operations including a potential production increase beyond the currently permitted 14,000 tonnes per day. Antapaccay (gold and silver stream) Antapaccay delivered 21,766 GEOs in Q1/2018, an increase of 44.9% year-over-year, as the mine sequencing moves to a new phase of production with higher grades. Antapaccay delivered 21,766 GEOs in Q1/2018, an increase of 44.9% year-over-year, as the mine sequencing moves to a new phase of production with higher grades. Antamina (silver stream) 11,760 GEOs from Antamina were sold during the quarter. This is in-line with expectations and a decrease compared to 13,130 GEOs in Q1/2017. Franco- Nevada has partnered with Compania Minera Antamina S.A. ("CMA"), the Antamina joint venture company, in supporting and expanding CMA's support of Ensena Peru , which aims to improve education at existing schools in the region. 11,760 GEOs from Antamina were sold during the quarter. This is in-line with expectations and a decrease compared to 13,130 GEOs in Q1/2017. Franco- has partnered with Compania Minera Antamina S.A. ("CMA"), the Antamina joint venture company, in supporting and expanding CMA's support of Ensena , which aims to improve education at existing schools in the region. Guadalupe-Palmarejo (gold stream) Guadalupe-Palmarejo delivered 9,906 GEOs in Q1/2018 which is in-line with expectations, compared to 19,300 GEOs in Q1/2017 which represented an unusually strong quarter. Guadalupe-Palmarejo delivered 9,906 GEOs in Q1/2018 which is in-line with expectations, compared to 19,300 GEOs in Q1/2017 which represented an unusually strong quarter. Cerro Moro (2% royalty ) Yamana reports that the first ore was fed to the mill on April 25 th and that first dore is expected to be produced in May. ) Yamana reports that the first ore was fed to the mill on and that first dore is expected to be produced in May. Precious Metals U.S.: GEOs from U.S. precious metals assets decreased by 6.0% year-over-year mainly due to reduced deliveries from South Arturo as Phase 2 mining is complete. 18,364 GEOs were earned from U.S. precious metal assets. GEOs from U.S. precious metals assets decreased by 6.0% year-over-year mainly due to reduced deliveries from South Arturo as Phase 2 mining is complete. 18,364 GEOs were earned from U.S. precious metal assets. Fire Creek/Midas (fixed gold deliveries and royalty) & Hollister (3-5% royalty) Hecla announced in March 2018 plans to acquire Klondex's three underground operations in Nevada including Fire Creek, Midas and Hollister . Franco- Nevada has agreements and royalties covering all three properties. & Hollister announced in plans to acquire Klondex's three underground operations in including Fire Creek, Midas and . Franco- has agreements and royalties covering all three properties. Stibnite Gold (1.7% royalty) Barrick announced that it has acquired a 19.9% interest in Midas Gold Corp., the operator of the Stibnite Gold project in Idaho , which is currently in the permitting phase. Barrick announced that it has acquired a 19.9% interest in Midas Gold Corp., the operator of the Stibnite Gold project in , which is currently in the permitting phase. South Arturo (4-9% royalty) Joint venture operators Barrick and Premier Gold announced a significant increase to Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources for the South Arturo operation. Phase 2 mining was completed in 2017 and the joint venture now expects to start development of the Phase 1 open pit in mid-2018 and the El Nino underground mine in the second half of 2018. Premier recently released exploration results indicating further high grade reserve potential. Joint venture operators Barrick and Premier Gold announced a significant increase to Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources for the South Arturo operation. Phase 2 mining was completed in 2017 and the joint venture now expects to start development of the Phase 1 open pit in mid-2018 and the El Nino underground mine in the second half of 2018. Premier recently released exploration results indicating further high grade reserve potential. Stillwater (5% royalty) The Blitz project achieved first production in September 2017 and is expected to reach full production by late 2021 or early 2022. Blitz is anticipated to increase total PGM production from Stillwater by more than 50% to approximately 850,000 ounces per year. The Blitz project achieved first production in and is expected to reach full production by late 2021 or early 2022. Blitz is anticipated to increase total PGM production from by more than 50% to approximately 850,000 ounces per year. Precious Metals Canada : Sales of 12,756 GEOs from Canadian precious metals assets were essentially unchanged year-over-year compared with Q1/2017. Increases from Hemlo and Detour Lake were offset by decreased deliveries from the Sudbury assets. : Sales of 12,756 GEOs from Canadian precious metals assets were essentially unchanged year-over-year compared with Q1/2017. Increases from and Detour Lake were offset by decreased deliveries from the assets. Taylor ( 1.0% royalty ) Kirkland Lake announced new drill results from surface and underground at Taylor which extend the mineralization at depth to 500 meters below the current mining area and 150 meters below any previous intercept. ( ) announced new drill results from surface and underground at which extend the mineralization at depth to 500 meters below the current mining area and 150 meters below any previous intercept. Dublin Gulch (Eagle) (1.5-2.0% royalty) Victoria entered into a financing package for C$505 million that will fully fund the development of the Eagle Gold project through commercial production. Victoria estimates first gold pour in the second half of 2019. entered into a financing package for that will fully fund the development of the Eagle Gold project through commercial production. estimates first gold pour in the second half of 2019. Kirkland Lake (1.5-5.5% royalty & 20% NPI) Continued exploration success at Macassa supports potential for future resource growth and resource conversion. Kirkland Lake Gold has previously announced plans for a new shaft at the Macassa mine which would support higher levels of production and offer more effective underground exploration. The two phase project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. Continued exploration success at Macassa supports potential for future resource growth and resource conversion. has previously announced plans for a new shaft at the Macassa mine which would support higher levels of production and offer more effective underground exploration. The two phase project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. Detour (2% royalty) Detour Gold provided an updated plan to accelerate access to higher grades to smooth the production profile in 2019 and 2020. Preliminary assessment sees production increasing 50,000 ounces per year in 2019 and 2020 but overall production decreasing from an average of 630,000 ounces (2019 2023) under the 2017 LOM plan to 606,000 ounces under the preliminary 2018 LOM plan. Detour Gold is in the process of revising its life of mine plan which is expected in June 2018 . Detour Gold provided an updated plan to accelerate access to higher grades to smooth the production profile in 2019 and 2020. Preliminary assessment sees production increasing 50,000 ounces per year in 2019 and 2020 but overall production decreasing from an average of 630,000 ounces (2019 2023) under the 2017 LOM plan to 606,000 ounces under the preliminary 2018 LOM plan. Detour Gold is in the process of revising its life of mine plan which is expected in . Red Lake ( Phoenix ) (2% royalty) Rubicon announced a new mineral resource estimate for the Phoenix project which included a 113% increase in measured and indicated resources. ( ) Rubicon announced a new mineral resource estimate for the project which included a 113% increase in measured and indicated resources. Musselwhite ( 5.0% NPI ) The Materials Handling project was 65% complete as at March 31, 2018 according to operator Goldcorp. The project is progressing on schedule and expected to be approximately 10% under budget which should positively impact the NPI contributions. ) The Materials Handling project was 65% complete as at according to operator Goldcorp. The project is progressing on schedule and expected to be approximately 10% under budget which should positively impact the NPI contributions. Brucejack (1.2% royalty) As of March 31, 2018 , Brucejack has produced approximately 225,000 ounces of gold since start-up. Franco- Nevada's royalty begins after approximately 500,000 ounces have been produced. Pretium instituted a number of operational improvement initiatives including a grade control program as well as increased underground development to provide additional working stopes. As of , Brucejack has produced approximately 225,000 ounces of gold since start-up. Franco- royalty begins after approximately 500,000 ounces have been produced. Pretium instituted a number of operational improvement initiatives including a grade control program as well as increased underground development to provide additional working stopes. Precious Metals Rest of World: 24,427 GEOs from Rest of World precious metals assets were earned during the quarter, a decrease of 5.7% year-over-year, due to decreased deliveries from MWS and reduced sales from Sabodala and Karma. 24,427 GEOs from Rest of World precious metals assets were earned during the quarter, a decrease of 5.7% year-over-year, due to decreased deliveries from MWS and reduced sales from Sabodala and Karma. Sissingue (0.5% royalty) Perseus Mining declared commercial production at Sissingue on April 1, 2018 following first gold on January 26, 2018 . Perseus Mining declared commercial production at Sissingue on following first gold on . Subika (2% royalty) The Ahafo mill expansion was impacted by a tragic accident that resulted in six fatalities. Production has recommenced but civil construction remains suspended. The Ahafo expansion projects (Subika underground and mill expansion) are expected to increase Ahafo's production to 550 - 650,000 ounces per year for the first five full years of production (20202024). Franco- Nevada estimates that the majority of underground reserves are covered by its royalty. The Ahafo mill expansion was impacted by a tragic accident that resulted in six fatalities. Production has recommenced but civil construction remains suspended. The Ahafo expansion projects (Subika underground and mill expansion) are expected to increase Ahafo's production to 550 - 650,000 ounces per year for the first five full years of production (20202024). Franco- estimates that the majority of underground reserves are covered by its royalty. Sabodala (fixed gold deliveries and stream) 5,625 GEOs were delivered and sold in Q1/2018 compared with 7,500 GEOs in Q1/2017, which included an extra month of deliveries which were not sold in the previous quarter. 5,625 GEOs were delivered and sold in Q1/2018 compared with 7,500 GEOs in Q1/2017, which included an extra month of deliveries which were not sold in the previous quarter. Karma (fixed gold deliveries and stream) 4,453 GEOs were sold in the quarter, a decrease compared to 5,000 GEOs in Q1/2017, which included an extra month of deliveries which were not sold in the previous quarter. 4,453 GEOs were sold in the quarter, a decrease compared to 5,000 GEOs in Q1/2017, which included an extra month of deliveries which were not sold in the previous quarter. Tasiast (2% royalty) Kinross announced plans to proceed with the Phase Two expansion at Tasiast. Phase Two is expected to increase mill capacity to 30,000 tonnes per day and produce an average of approximately 812,000 gold ounces per year for the first five years. The Phase One expansion remains on schedule for full production in Q2/2018 with Phase Two commercial production expected in Q3/2020. Kinross announced it is assessing the Government of Mauritania's request to enter into mutually beneficial discussions respecting all of Kinross' activities in Mauritania with a view to improving economic benefits to the country. announced plans to proceed with the Phase Two expansion at Tasiast. Phase Two is expected to increase mill capacity to 30,000 tonnes per day and produce an average of approximately 812,000 gold ounces per year for the first five years. The Phase One expansion remains on schedule for full production in Q2/2018 with Phase Two commercial production expected in Q3/2020. announced it is assessing the Government of request to enter into mutually beneficial discussions respecting all of activities in with a view to improving economic benefits to the country. Oil & Gas: Revenue from Oil & Gas assets increased to $19.0 million in Q1/2018 compared to $10.9 million in Q1/2017, reflecting the addition of the STACK, Midland, Orion and Delaware royalties, higher prices and increased payments from Weyburn . Revenue from Oil & Gas assets increased to in Q1/2018 compared to in Q1/2017, reflecting the addition of the STACK, Midland, Orion and royalties, higher prices and increased payments from . Weyburn (NRI, ORR, WI) Weyburn generated $10.1 million in the quarter versus $8.3 million in the previous year with continued strong performance under Whitecap, the new operator. generated in the quarter versus in the previous year with continued strong performance under Whitecap, the new operator. Orion (GORR) Osum Oil Sands Corp. continues with its expansion of the Orion asset to over 18,000 barrels per day. Differentials for heavy oil prices in Western Canada widened during the quarter which negatively impacted revenue. Osum Oil Sands Corp. continues with its expansion of the Orion asset to over 18,000 barrels per day. Differentials for heavy oil prices in widened during the quarter which negatively impacted revenue. Delaware (various royalty rates) The Delaware transaction was closed in February 2018 . The effective date of the transaction was October 1, 2017 and the royalties generated $1.3 million in revenue for Q1/2018. Rig activity is ahead of original expectations. Dividend Declaration Franco-Nevada is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.24 per share. The dividend is a 4.3% increase from the previous $0.23 per share quarterly dividend and marks the 11th consecutive annual dividend increase for Franco-Nevada shareholders. Canadian investors in Franco-Nevada's IPO in December 2007 are now receiving an effective 8.1% yield on their cost base. The dividend will be paid on June 28, 2018 to shareholders of record on June 14, 2018 (the "Record Date"). The Canadian dollar equivalent is to be determined based on the daily average rate posted by the Bank of Canada on the Record Date. Under Canadian tax legislation, Canadian resident individuals who receive "eligible dividends" are entitled to an enhanced gross-up and dividend tax credit on such dividends. The Company has a Dividend Reinvestment Plan ("DRIP"). Participation in the DRIP is optional. The Company will issue additional common shares through treasury at a 3% discount to the Average Market Price, as defined in the DRIP. However, the Company may, from time to time, in its discretion, change or eliminate the discount applicable to treasury acquisitions or direct that such common shares be purchased in market acquisitions at the prevailing market price, any of which would be publicly announced. The DRIP and enrollment forms are available on the Company's website at www.franco-nevada.com. Registered shareholders may also enroll in the DRIP online through the plan agent's self-service web portal at www.investorcentre.com/franco-nevada. Beneficial shareholders should contact their financial intermediary to arrange enrollment. This press release is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer of securities. A registration statement relating to the DRIP has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and may be obtained under the Company's profile on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov. Shareholder Information The complete Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis can be found today on FrancoNevada's website at www.franco-nevada.com, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Management will host a conference call tomorrow, Thursday, May 10, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to review FrancoNevada's Q1/2018 results. Interested investors are invited to participate as follows: Via Conference Call: Toll-Free: (888) 231-8191; International: (647) 427-7450 Conference Call Replay until May 17 th : Toll-Free (855) 859-2056; Toronto (416) 849-0833; Pass code 1867504 Webcast: A live audio webcast will be accessible at www.franco-nevada.com Corporate Summary Franco-Nevada Corporation is the leading gold-focused royalty and stream company with the largest and most diversified portfolio of cash-flow producing assets. Its business model provides investors with gold price and exploration optionality while limiting exposure to many of the risks of operating companies. Franco-Nevada is debt free and uses its free cash flow to expand its portfolio and pay dividends. It trades under the symbol FNV on both the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. Franco-Nevada is the gold investment that works. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, respectively, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future events or future performance, management's expectations regarding Franco-Nevada's growth, results of operations, estimated future revenues, carrying value of assets, future dividends and requirements for additional capital, mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, production estimates, production costs and revenue, future demand for and prices of commodities, expected mining sequences, business prospects and opportunities. In addition, statements (including data in tables) relating to reserves and resources and gold equivalent ounces ("GEOs") are forward looking statements, as they involve implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, and no assurance can be given that the estimates and assumptions are accurate and that such reserves and resources and GEOs will be realized. Such forward looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Franco-Nevada to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking statements. A number of factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from any forward looking statement, including, without limitation: fluctuations in the prices of the primary commodities that drive royalty and stream revenue (gold, platinum group metals, copper, nickel, uranium, silver, iron-ore and oil and gas); fluctuations in the value of the Canadian and Australian dollar, Mexican Peso and any other currency in which revenue is generated, relative to the U.S. dollar; changes in national and local government legislation, including permitting and licensing regimes and taxation policies and the enforcement thereof; regulatory, political or economic developments in any of the countries where properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest are located or through which they are held; risks related to the operators of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest, including changes in the ownership and control of such operators; influence of macroeconomic developments; business opportunities that become available to, or are pursued by Franco-Nevada; reduced access to debt and equity capital; litigation; title, permit or license disputes related to interests on any of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest; whether or not Franco-Nevada is determined to have "passive foreign investment company" ("PFIC") status as defined in Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; potential changes in Canadian tax treatment of offshore streams; excessive cost escalation as well as development, permitting, infrastructure, operating or technical difficulties on any of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest; actual mineral content may differ from the reserves and resources contained in technical reports; rate and timing of production differences from resource estimates, other technical reports and mine plans; risks and hazards associated with the business of development and mining on any of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest, including, but not limited to unusual or unexpected geological and metallurgical conditions, slope failures or cave-ins, flooding and other natural disasters, terrorism, civil unrest or an outbreak of contagious disease; and the integration of acquired assets. The forward looking statements contained in this press release are based upon assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including, without limitation: the ongoing operation of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest by the owners or operators of such properties in a manner consistent with past practice; the accuracy of public statements and disclosures made by the owners or operators of such underlying properties; no material adverse change in the market price of the commodities that underlie the asset portfolio; Franco-Nevada's ongoing income and assets relating to determination of its PFIC status; no material changes to existing tax treatment; the expected application of tax laws and regulations by taxation authorities; the expected assessment and outcome of any audit by any taxation authority; no adverse development in respect of any significant property in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest; the accuracy of publicly disclosed expectations for the development of underlying properties that are not yet in production; integration of acquired assets; risks related to the completion of previously announced transactions; and the absence of any other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. However, 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. Investors are cautioned that forward looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Franco-Nevada cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements and investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. For additional information with respect to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, please refer to the "Risk Factors" section of Franco-Nevada's most recent Annual Information Form filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities on www.sedar.com and Franco-Nevada's most recent Annual Report filed on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on www.sec.gov. The forward looking statements herein are made as of the date of this press release only and Franco-Nevada does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. NON-IFRS MEASURES: Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA are intended to provide additional information only and do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures are not necessarily indicative of operating profit or cash flow from operations as determined under IFRS. Other companies may calculate these measures differently. For a reconciliation of these measures to various IFRS measures, please see below or the Company's current MD&A disclosure found on the Company's website, on SEDAR and on EDGAR. Comparative information has been recalculated to conform to current presentation. GEOs include our gold, silver, platinum, palladium and other mineral assets. GEOs are estimated on a gross basis for NSR royalties and, in the case of stream ounces, before the payment of the per ounce contractual price paid by the Company. For NPI royalties, GEOs are calculated taking into account the NPI economics. Platinum, palladium, silver and other minerals are converted to GEOs by dividing associated revenue, which includes settlement adjustments, by the relevant gold price. The gold price used in the computation of GEOs earned from a particular asset varies depending on the royalty or stream agreement, which may make reference to the market price realized by the operator, or the average for the month, quarter, or year in which the mineral was produced or sold. For Q1/2018, the average commodity prices per ounce were as follows: $1,329 gold (Q1/2017 - $1,219 ), $16.77 silver (Q1/2017 - $17.42 ), $978 platinum (Q1/2017 - $981 ) and $1,035 palladium (Q1/2017 - $767 ). Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA per share are non-IFRS financial measures, which exclude the following from net income and earnings per share ("EPS"): income tax expense/recovery; finance expenses; finance income; depletion and depreciation; non-cash costs of sales; impairment charges related to royalty, stream and working interests and investments; gains/losses on sale of royalty interests; gains/losses on investments; foreign exchange gains/losses and other income/expenses and unusual non-recurring items. Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income per share are non-IFRS financial measures, which exclude the following from net income and EPS: foreign exchange gains/losses and other income/expenses; impairment charges related to royalty, stream and working interests and investments; gains/losses on sale of royalty interests; gains/losses on investments; unusual non-recurring items; and the impact of income taxes on these items. Reconciliations to IFRS measures: For the three months ended March 31, (expressed in millions, except per share amounts) 2018 2017 Net Income $ 64.6 $ 45.6 Income tax expense 13.5 10.4 Finance expenses 0.9 0.8 Finance income (1.0) (0.9) Depletion and depreciation 60.6 71.5 Non-cash costs of sales 1.9 1.8 Foreign exchange (gains)/losses and other (income)/expenses (0.6) (0.7) Adjusted EBITDA $ 139.9 $ 128.5 Basic weighted average shares outstanding 185.9 178.5 Adjusted EBITDA per share $ 0.75 $ 0.72 For the three months ended March 31, (expressed in millions, except per share amounts) 2018 2017 Net Income $ 64.6 $ 45.6 Foreign exchange (gains)/losses and other (income)/expenses (0.6) (0.7) Tax effect of adjustments (0.1) (0.1) Adjusted Net Income $ 63.9 $ 44.8 Basic weighted average shares outstanding 185.9 178.5 Adjusted Net Income per share $ 0.34 $ 0.25 Franco-Nevada Corporation Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position (unaudited, in millions of U.S. dollars) At March 31, At December 31, 2018 2017 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents (Note 4) $ 87.7 $ 511.1 Receivables 61.4 65.9 Prepaid expenses and other (Note 6) 39.2 39.4 Current assets 188.3 616.4 Royalty, stream and working interests, net (Note 3) 4,385.0 3,939.2 Investments (Note 5) 169.4 203.1 Deferred income tax assets 14.5 14.5 Other assets (Note 7) 14.6 15.2 Total assets $ 4,771.8 $ 4,788.4 LIABILITIES Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 21.4 $ 21.5 Current income tax liabilities 1.6 1.1 Current liabilities 23.0 22.6 Deferred income tax liabilities 61.7 60.3 Total liabilities 84.7 82.9 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (Note 14) Common shares 5,115.5 5,107.8 Contributed surplus 15.7 14.2 Deficit (261.6) (310.0) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (182.5) (106.5) Total shareholders' equity 4,687.1 4,705.5 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 4,771.8 $ 4,788.4 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements and can be found in our Q1/2018 Report available on our website Franco-Nevada Corporation Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (unaudited, in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts) For the three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Revenue (Note 10) $ 173.1 $ 172.7 Cost of sales Costs of sales (Note 11) 30.2 39.9 Depletion and depreciation 60.6 71.5 Total cost of sales 90.8 111.4 Gross profit 82.3 61.3 Other operating expenses (income) Corporate administration 4.5 5.3 Business development 0.7 0.8 Gain on sale of gold bullion (0.3) Total other operating expenses 4.9 6.1 Operating income 77.4 55.2 Foreign exchange gain (loss) and other income (expenses) 0.6 0.7 Income before finance items and income taxes 78.0 55.9 Finance items Finance income 1.0 0.9 Finance expenses (0.9) (0.8) Net income before income taxes 78.1 56.0 Income tax expense (Note 13) 13.5 10.4 Net income $ 64.6 $ 45.6 Other comprehensive (loss) income: Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit and loss: Changes in the fair value of available-for-sale investments, net of income tax (Note 5) 1.5 Currency translation adjustment (23.2) 9.7 Items that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit and loss: Changes in the fair value of equity investments at fair value through other comprehensive income, net of income tax (Note 5) (25.7) Other comprehensive (loss) income (48.9) 11.2 Total comprehensive income $ 15.7 $ 56.8 Basic earnings per share (Note 15) $ 0.35 $ 0.26 Diluted earnings per share (Note 15) $ 0.35 $ 0.25 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements and can be found in our Q1/2018 Report available on our website Franco-Nevada Corporation Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited, in millions of U.S. dollars) For the three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Cash flows from operating activities Net income $ 64.6 $ 45.6 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depletion and depreciation 60.6 71.5 Non-cash costs of sales 1.9 1.8 Share-based payments 1.2 1.5 Unrealized foreign exchange gain (0.4) Deferred income tax expense 6.1 2.6 Other non-cash items (0.3) (0.4) Acquisition of gold bullion (6.4) (5.9) Proceeds from sale of gold bullion 5.6 3.1 Operating cash flows before changes in non-cash working capital 133.3 119.4 Changes in non-cash working capital: Decrease in receivables 4.5 2.0 (Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other (0.7) 4.1 Increase (decrease) in current liabilities 0.4 (5.7) Net cash provided by operating activities 137.5 119.8 Cash flows from investing activities Acquisition of royalty, stream and working interests (523.0) (61.5) Acquisition of oil & gas well equipment (0.2) (0.4) Net cash used in investing activities (523.2) (61.9) Cash flows from financing activities Credit facility amendment costs (0.5) (1.0) Payment of dividends (35.6) (30.1) Proceeds from exercise of stock options 0.1 Net cash used in financing activities (36.1) (31.0) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (1.6) 3.1 Net change in cash and cash equivalents (423.4) 30.0 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 511.1 253.0 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 87.7 $ 283.0 Supplemental cash flow information: Cash paid for interest expense and loan standby fees $ 0.6 $ 0.6 Income taxes paid $ 7.7 $ 10.1 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements and can be found in our Q1/2018 Report available on our website SOURCE Franco-Nevada Corporation Related Links www.franco-nevada.com FRANKFURT, Germany, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FRA/gk-rap - The Fraport Group saw revenue and earnings figures increase significantly during the first quarter of business year 2018 (ending March 31). Supported by strong passenger growth at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and most of the airports in Fraport's international portfolio, Group revenue advanced by 15.0 percent to 681.7 million. Major revenue contributions came from Fraport Greece (44.3 million) and Fraport Brasil (30.8 million) - following the startup of Fraport's operations at Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA) on January 2. At FRA, higher income from airport charges, security services and parking contributed to the Group's revenue growth. Fraport AG's executive board chairman, Dr. Stefan Schulte, said: "The upward trend from the previous year has continued unabated, both at our international Group companies and at Frankfurt Airport. At our Frankfurt home base, we are working at full speed to meet future growth which is being spurred mainly by the positive development of network airlines. Therefore, we are pushing forward with the construction of our new Terminal 3 and will be realizing Pier G earlier than scheduled. At the same time, we are continuing to invest in the infrastructure and processes of our two existing terminals." Group EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) increased by 27.2 percent to 174.7 million, with the Group companies in Fortaleza and Porto Alegre contributing 9.2 million. Despite higher depreciation and amortization in the amount of 10.2 million - mainly in connection with Fraport Greece - Group EBIT reached 82.3 million (up 49.4 percent). The negative financial result continued to decline noticeably, from minus 29.2 million to minus 56.1 million. This was largely attributable to higher interest expenses both at Fraport Greece (up 18.2 million) and the Group companies in Fortaleza and Porto Alegre (up 3.1 million). Correspondingly, Group EBT expanded only slightly by 1.2 percent to 26.2 million. The Group result (net profit) rose by 4.3 percent to 19.6 million, stimulated by slightly lower taxes on income. Operating cash flow noticeably slipped by 36.1 percent to 80.5 million in the first three months of 2018, attributable to reporting date-related changes in working capital. With minus 66.9 million, free cash flow clearly fell into negative territory, as a result of higher investments at FRA and the Group companies in Fortaleza and Porto Alegre, as well as Fraport Greece (Q1 2017: 54.0 million). Jumping by 10.0 percent to 14.4 million passengers, traffic at Frankfurt Airport continued to gain momentum during the first quarter of 2018. Most of the Fraport Group's international airports also reported significant and partly double-digit growth rates. In particular, Antalya Airport (AYT) in Turkey continued to rebound strongly compared to the first quarter of 2017. Only the Greek regional airports registered a slight decline in accumulated passenger numbers (down 2.1 percent), due mainly to the runway closure at high-traffic Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) for renovation and extension works. Following completion of the first quarter, Fraport AG's executive board is maintaining its forecasts for the Group's asset, financial, and earnings position for the entire 2018 business year. The complete Q1 Interim Release can be viewed on Fraport AG's website. Print-quality photos of Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport are available for free downloading via the photo library on the Fraport Web site. For TV news and information broadcasting purposes only, we also offer free footage material for downloading. If you wish to meet a member of our Media Relations team when at Frankfurt Airport, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our contact details are available here. Fraport AG Torben Beckmann Phone: +49-69-690-70553 Corporate Communications E-mail: [email protected] Media Relations Internet: http://www.fraport.com 60547 Frankfurt, Germany Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport For further information about Fraport AG please click here. SOURCE Fraport AG CLEVELAND, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As families become more mobile, often spread across the country, isolation and loneliness among older adults has become a key concern. A New York Times article ("The New Retirement: Near the Kids") highlighted a solution selected by a growing number of families: move closer to the kids. In the article, Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president of the AARP Foundation, pointed out that family connections become more frequent and more personal when parents move closer to their adult children. According to Freedonia Group analyst Jennifer Mapes-Christ, "The majority of consumers worry about who will take care of them and how much of a burden they will be on their families as they age. That means that Americans are more open than ever to hiring professional caregivers or moving to a live-in elder care facility when such services are available and they can afford it. However, even if they aren't providing the care themselves, adult children are more comfortable having Mom and Dad nearby, so they can be assured that their parents are well and receiving quality care." Additional analysis of demand for elder care services, including payment sources, key classes of providers, and geographic opportunities, is included in Elder Care Services in the US. https://www.freedoniagroup.com/industry-study/elder-care-services-in-the-us-by-service-provider-payment-source-and-region-4th-edition-3587.htm Holly Bowers Ruben, one of the adult children profiled whose mother moved closer to her, said "Peace of mind that has been a huge gift." Mapes-Christ points out, "Many people choose to move to warm weather places including resort-type parts of Florida and Arizona shortly after retirement for more carefree living. However, as they begin to have trouble living independently, a growing share of those people are choosing to return to their home areas or to where their adult children have settled. This tends to encourage growth in places that are less typically thought of as retirement destinations." Furthermore, Mapes-Christ adds, "Economically vibrant urban areas are seeing these gains. Increasingly, elder care service providers are constructing senior living communities and expanding home healthcare businesses in areas where younger generations have moved for their own job opportunities." About The Freedonia Group The Freedonia Group, a division of MarketResearch.com, is a leading international industrial research company publishing more than 100 studies annually. Since 1985 we have provided research to customers ranging in size from global conglomerates to one-person consulting firms. More than 90% of the industrial companies in the Fortune 500 use Freedonia Group research to help with their strategic planning. Each study includes product and market analyses and forecasts, in-depth discussions of important industry trends, and market share information. Studies can be purchased at www.freedoniagroup.com and are also available on www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com. Press Contact: Corinne Gangloff +1 440.684.9600 [email protected] SOURCE The Freedonia Group Related Links http://www.freedoniagroup.com Museo de Arte de la Universidad Nacional. Photo: Courtesy of Museo de Arte de la Universidad Nacional As Colombias economy took off and its security began to stabilize more than a decade ago, Bogotas art scene blossomed. There are now more than 100 commercial galleries, most of them scattered around town in hub neighborhoods like San Felipe, La Macarena, and Quinta Camacho. The International Art Fair of Bogota (ARTBO), which just ran its 13th edition in 2017, has become the Art Basel of Latin America, luring thousands of collectors and curators from all over the world. In other words, the art scene in Bogota is alive and well. So well, it can be difficult to sort out. Luckily, we have Alejandra Sarria, chief curator at contemporary art space Espacio Odeon and former content and programming coordinator for ARTBO, to give us the rundown. MIAMI. Photo: Courtesy of MIAMI MIAMI This is one of the better-known and longer-standing artist-run spaces in the city. They usually work with emerging artists, and I find that theyre an important hub for experimental and alternative projects by the younger artists and curators who come to their discussions, gatherings, and parties. They are moving soon to a house with a bigger exhibition space and more artist residencies, which will probably mean a shift towards projects of a larger scale. La Silueta Casa A design studio and publishing house for years, La Silueta Casa recently opened an exhibition space. Last year they presented an interesting program called Cronistas, focused on untold or forgotten stories and characters within Colombias history. Their editorial experience provides for a particular way of curating and presenting artworks that is related to narration processes. They work with artists from different generations, mostly emerging and mid-career. CAMPO. Photo: Santiago Pinyol - Ambiente Familiar/Courtesy of El Campo CAMPO This is the only project in Colombia that works not only within the field of art, but also architecture. Their focus on generating research and collaboration-based projects that use the perspectives of art and architecture to discuss the state of cities and culture is unique, and I think their focus on documentation-based exhibitions and new formats for public programs such as the Colombian Architecture Banal offer a refreshing perspective within the city for both fields. Their projects tend to include both audiences and participants from multiple disciplines and attract a diverse crowd, mostly in their 30s. Laagencia Started as an artist-run space in 2010 and later an office for art projects, Laagencia is focused on researching and working within notions of art plus education. Their work has been important in creating an experimentation space in Colombia for collaboration, mediation, and self-publication formats. Their long-standing research project, La Escuela de Garaje, has generated a wide variety of formats and research around knowledge production and I think has been key in using alternative artistic practices and setting an example for other forms of circulation and working together. They do events rather than exhibitions and work with artists and creators from different disciplines and generations. Instituto de Vision. Photo: Sebastian Cruz Ambiente Familiar/Courtesy of Instituto de Vision/all rights reserved Instituto de Vision IV is one of the most renowned art galleries in Colombia, participating in important art fairs around the world and representing some of the most thoughtful artists working in the country today, such as Wilson Diaz and Nicolas Consuegra. The interesting thing about IV is that they have a curatorial research-based program that considers historically important and often forgotten artists, as well as mid-career artists, creating a dialogue between the two in a program that goes beyond a commercial interest. They have a clear point of view, which integrates the commercial and the curatorial. Museo de Arte de la Universidad Nacional This university museum has a history that dates back to 1965, when it was host for the Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogota. Today it is focused on contemporary art, presenting some of the most ambitious and experimental projects in the city. Its commissioned projects bring together different mediums such as video, performance art, and contemporary music, making it a staple within the Bogota art scene. SINGAPORE, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asia-Pacific (APAC) healthcare industry is undergoing rapid transformation with a dramatic shift in consumer behavior and expectations, opening up growth opportunities across diagnostics, regenerative medicine, medical tourism and digital health. The positive growth is fuelled by increasing adoption of new technology, innovative healthcare access programs, and delivery of care outside traditional hospital settings. Frost & Sullivan projects a revenue growth of over 12% in 2018, making APAC one of the fastest growing regions for the healthcare industry in the world. Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Asia-Pacific Healthcare Outlook, offers our experts' top eight predictions for the APAC healthcare industry, along with insights on key trends, such as insurance modernization, clinical trials digitalization, cloud and AI adoption, and medical imaging transformation, as well as revenues across key industry sectors. APAC country snapshots of Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam are also provided. Click here for complimentary access to more information on this analysis and to register for a Growth Strategy Dialogue, a free interactive briefing with Frost & Sullivan's thought leaders. "Through digital transformation healthcare companies are introducing service-orientated business models, and direct-to-consumer care delivery platforms in the region," said Natasha Gulati, Industry Manager, Transformational Health, Frost & Sullivan. "Meanwhile new approaches to health and wellness, like "omics" based health advisory and gamification are gaining market momentum," she added. Gulati recommends players focus on personalization, combined with consumer empowerment, as a key ingredient for disease prevention and patient wellness. Innovative companies active in this space include Prudential, iCarbonX, and Healthi who are moving toward personalized wellness intervention through the introduction of direct-to-consumer gene sequencing and Thorne Research and Imagene Labs who are about to make available personalized over-the counter nutritional supplements and skin care products on a subscription model. Six key trends spurring growth opportunities in the APAC healthcare industry include: Rise of new payment models, especially those tied to value-based outcomes; Fast-tracked innovative therapeutic products, development and penetration of regenerative medicine, biosimilars, and genetics; Technology innovation with rapid development in areas like Artificial Intelligence, mHealth, and virtual reality; Development of personalization combined with consumer empowerment for prevention and wellness; Adoption of wireless real-time monitoring, aided by analytics, as the clinical community aims for further efficiency and outcome-based approaches; and Rapid deployment of cloud solutions to increase IT efficiency in non-clinical departments. "An important global trend that is currently missing in APAC is the introduction of value-and outcomes-based payment and reimbursement models. Industry suppliers, including IT vendors, medical technology companies and pharmaceuticals, are partnering with public and private payers to introduce outcomes-based reimbursement models for expensive therapeutic products and services in other parts of the world," noted Gulati. Asia-Pacific Healthcare Outlook 2018 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Transformational Health Digital Health 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. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? Contact us: Start the discussion Asia-Pacific Healthcare Outlook 2018 P9E1_48 Contact: Melissa Tan Corporate Communications Asia Pacific P: +65 6890 0926 F: +65 6890 0999 E: [email protected] http://ww2.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Related Links http://www.frost.com MODESTO, Calif., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An affiliate of E. & J. Gallo Winery (Gallo) announced today that it has purchased 542 acres of the Sierra Madre property, a vineyard located near the western edge of the Santa Maria Valley appellation in Santa Barbara County. First planted to vineyard in 1971, Sierra Madre has a long, storied history of producing some of the highest-quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County. Located just 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean, Sierra Madre Vineyard is known for its sandy-loam soils and cool growing season, which allow the grapes to ripen slowly, while developing intense structure and flavor. Today, the Sierra Madre property acquired by Gallo has approximately 151 acres planted to vine, and supplies grapes to about 35 wineries, ranging from small boutique wineries to large wine companies. Sierra Madre Vineyard has continued to be an ideal location for premier grape growing, and over the years has been the source of many notable vineyard-designated wines. As part of the agreement, Gallo will honor all grape contracts with existing Sierra Madre Vineyard customers. "Our family has a 35-year history in agriculture on the Central Coast, and we remain wholeheartedly committed to the region," said seller Doug Circle of Circle Vision, LLC. To that end, he added, "We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to shepherd this magical Central Coast vineyard for 15 years of its exceptional 47-year history, and are pleased that it is now passing to another family who will responsibly steward it into its next chapter." According to Roger Nabedian, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Gallo's Premium Wine Division, "We are thrilled to add this impressive vineyard into our premium portfolio." He added, "This purchase supports Gallo's commitment to continue making and selling luxury wines, while growing the finest grapes in Santa Barbara County." Gallo currently owns and operates Edna Valley Vineyard, Bridlewood Estate Winery, and Talbott Vineyards in California's Central Coast. International Wine Associates served as the exclusive financial advisor for Sierra Madre Vineyard. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. About E. & J. Gallo Winery Founded by brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo in 1933 in Modesto, California, E. & J. Gallo Winery is the world's largest family-owned winery and the acclaimed producer of award-winning wines and spirits featured in more than 90 countries around the globe. A pioneer in the art of grape growing, winemaking, sustainable practices, marketing and worldwide distribution, Gallo crafts and imports wines and spirits to suit a diverse range of tastes and occasions, from everyday offerings to boutique, luxury bottlings. The Gallo portfolio is comprised of more than 90 unique brands, including Barefoot Cellars, Dark Horse, and Gallo Family Vineyards, as well as premium box wines The Naked Grape and Vin Vault. Premium offerings include Apothic, Carnivor, Columbia Winery, Ecco Domani, Edna Valley Vineyard, J Vineyards & Winery, Louis M. Martini, MacMurray Estate Vineyards, Mirassou, Orin Swift, Souverain, Talbott Vineyards, and William Hill Estate, along with highly acclaimed imports, such as Alamos, Brancaia, La Marca, Las Rocas, Martin Codax, Whitehaven, and LUX Wines, importers of Allegrini, Argiano, Jermann, Pieropan and Renato Ratti. Gallo Spirits offers New Amsterdam Vodka and Gin and E&J Brandy, in addition to imported Scotch whiskies from Whyte & Mackay, including The Dalmore, Jura Single Malt and John Barr Blended. About Circle Vision, LLC Circle Vision, LLC is a privately held real estate investment management company, located in Placentia, CA. The company owns, manages, and acquires income properties with a unique focus on both agriculture and commercial properties throughout the Western United States. SOURCE E. & J. Gallo Winery Related Links http://www.gallo.com CHANNAHON, Ill., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 7th annual fundraising event, Run for the Brave 5K, which supports local servicemen and servicewomen, will take place on May 26 in Plainfield, IL. G&D Integrated, a provider of transportation and logistics based in Illinois, is a gold sponsor of the event providing funds to help finance and promote the fundraiser. Operation Welcome You Home is a 100% volunteer, not-for-profit, local Illinois organization that was founded in 2007. Its mission is to assist veterans wherever and however it can with all of the donations and grants benefitting local Illinois veterans. Operation Welcome You Home supports veterans in need by providing temporary financial assistance, housing, food, mobile wheelchairs, homeless veteran assistance, and airfare for family members to visit wounded loved ones at Bethesda Hospital. "We are excited to be a sponsor for the 5K event this year because this is an opportunity for local G&D employees to support our local veteran service members in our community through this great organization," said Ryan Dillingham, business operations manager at G&D Integrated and the company's coordinator of the event. "G&D is growing fast in this area and we want to make sure that we're giving back to the communities where we live." The annual Run for the Brave 5K Run/Walk allows the organization to minimize its expenses and raise funds for its programs. The event will take place this year on May 26 at Plainfield North High School, 12005 S. 248th Street, Plainfield, IL at 8:00 AM. To register or participate in the event, visit www.welcomeyouhome.org. ABOUT G&D INTEGRATED G&D Integrated is a provider of transportation and logistics services and has over 100 years of experience advancing innovative global supply chain solutions. Headquartered in Morton, IL, the company provides domestic transportation, freight brokerage, contract logistics, and supply chain services to a variety of industries with 1,000 employees at over 20 facilities across North America. For more information, visit www.gdintegrated.com. ABOUT OPERATION WELCOME YOU HOME Operation Welcome You Home is a 100% volunteer, not-for-profit, local Illinois organization that was founded in 2007. Its mission is to assist veterans wherever and however it can with all of the donations and grants benefitting local Illinois veterans. For more information, visit www.welcomeyouhome.org. Contact: Susan Himes, Marketing Communications 309-284-6795 [email protected] www.gdintegrated.com SOURCE G&D Integrated Related Links http://www.gdintegrated.com Creates powerful opportunity to deliver job search and recruiting tools and resources worldwide MILL VALLEY, Calif., May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Glassdoor announced today that it has agreed to be acquired by Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. for $1.2 billion in an all-cash transaction. Glassdoor is a leading job and recruiting company well known for providing greater workplace transparency. Recruit Holdings, a leading Japanese-based HR company, plans to operate Glassdoor as a distinct and separate part of its growing HR Technology business segment. "Glassdoor has transformed how people search for jobs and how companies recruit. Joining with Recruit allows Glassdoor to accelerate its innovation and growth to help job seekers find a job and company they love while also helping employers hire quality candidates," said Robert Hohman, Glassdoor CEO and co-founder, who will continue to lead the company. "I look forward to leading Glassdoor through this exciting new chapter, and to exploring ways to use our combined resources and assets to benefit job seekers, employees and employers once the deal closes." "I am delighted to welcome Glassdoor to the Recruit Group. Glassdoor presents a powerful platform that is changing how people find jobs everywhere," said Hisayuki Idekoba (Deko), COO of Recruit and Head of Recruit's HR Technology Segment. "Glassdoor is an impressive company with strong leadership, mission, products, clients and employees. We are excited to help them continue to grow and deliver value to the job seekers and employers they serve." Glassdoor, which launched in 2008, is one of the largest job sites in the U.S. and welcomes 59 million people to its platform each month.* People come to find the latest jobs combined with insights into jobs and companies. Glassdoor currently has rich data on more than 770,000 companies located in more than 190 countries. This includes more than 40 million reviews and insights, including company reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary information, interview questions, office photos and more. In addition, Glassdoor provides recruiting solutions to more than 7,000 employers, including 40 percent of the Fortune 500. Founded in 1960, the Recruit Group creates and provides platforms that connect companies and consumers. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the Group operates a wide range of services, including HR technology, recruitment advertisement, employment placement, staffing, housing and real estate, bridal, travel, dining, beauty and others. The Group has more than 45,000 employees and operates in more than 60 countries. The transaction is expected to close this summer and is subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions. Qatalyst Partners is acting as exclusive financial adviser to Glassdoor and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is its legal adviser. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as exclusive financial advisor and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provided legal counsel to Recruit. About Glassdoor Glassdoor combines all the latest jobs with millions of reviews and insights to make it easy for people to find a job that is uniquely right for them. As a result, Glassdoor helps employers hire truly informed candidates at scale through effective recruiting solutions like job advertising and employer branding products. Launched in 2008, Glassdoor now has reviews and insights for 770,000 companies located in more than 190 countries. For more information, visit glassdoor.com. Glassdoor is a registered trademark of Glassdoor, Inc. *Unique users represents peak monthly unique users in calendar quarter Q1 2018 SOURCE Glassdoor Related Links http://www.glassdoor.com One of the biggest challenges for recruiting teams is accurately predicting when a role will be filled, to better anticipate and sidestep the costs of a slow hiring process . Using machine learning, Greenhouse Predicts helps forecast candidate offer acceptance and new hire start dates, allowing Talent, Operations and Finance teams to more easily see around corners, make informed decisions, and effectively communicate timelines. "Greenhouse Predicts helped the recruiting team at Workfront provide better data to the Finance team on our time-to-fill metric," said Greenhouse customer Jana Johnson, Manager of Talent Acquisition for Workfront, which has been part of the beta since the beginning. "As a fast-growing SaaS company, it's especially important that we're able to accurately forecast headcount spend. Before we had Greenhouse Predicts, each recruiter was sharing their 'best guess' on when they thought the position would be filled; this method was far less accurate than the algorithm built in the tool." Greenhouse's resident Data Scientist, Andrew Zirm, explains why the new feature is so important: "Recruiting is a team sport. With Greenhouse Predicts, we're able to provide more visibility across the org, especially for finance teams. We're opening up a new channel of communication that helps the HR team answer tough questions about when hires are going to be made, and when salaries are going to hit the books. This is a big win for recruiting teams." Having accumulated a wealth of historical data around pipelines, jobs, interview stages and candidates, Greenhouse is uniquely positioned to generate and deliver insights to recruiting teams they might not be able to pinpoint on their own. "I'm excited about this - because we have this great historical data, we can cut through the fog of hiring," said Zirm. "We know a lot about how candidates move through pipelines, so we're able to provide a bit more insight on how your company is doing at a high level." Greenhouse Predicts and the machine learning platform it runs on has been in development for about a year, with the company's data science team running analyses and models on over 10 million data points. This platform will enable the company to continue to scale Greenhouse Predicts as the available data volume increases, as well as generally support future machine learning efforts at Greenhouse. During the Greenhouse Predicts beta, live since November 2017, predictions generated were accurate 90% of the time within 3 weeks of true hire time. Given that Greenhouse Predicts was built using machine learning, predictions will continuously improve and become more fine-tuned as hiring patterns emerge. To learn more about Greenhouse Predicts, read the detailed blog. About Greenhouse Based in New York City and San Francisco, Greenhouse Software is the fastest-growing provider of enterprise talent acquisition software. Thousands of the smartest and most successful companies like Cisco Meraki, Buzzfeed, J.D. Power, Warby Parker and Airbnb use Greenhouse's intelligent guidance to design and automate all aspects of hiring throughout their organizations, helping them compete and win for top talent. Greenhouse has won numerous awards including #1 Best Place to Work by Glassdoor, Forbes Cloud 100, and Talent Acquisition FrontRunner leader by Software Advice. Greenhouse lives its mission that hiring great employees is a strategic business goal, and is ranked #15 in Crain's New York Best Places to Work 2017. To learn more, visit greenhouse.io. SOURCE Greenhouse Software Related Links https://www.greenhouse.io SOMERVILLE, Mass., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In a celebratory announcement with Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, and cleantech leaders from around the region and country, Greentown Labs today announced the official grand opening of its Global Center for Cleantech Innovation. The 100-year-old, fully renovated facility has expanded Greentown Labs into a 100,000 sq. ft. campus that's home to 80 member companies, cementing the incubator's position as the largest hardware-focused cleantech incubator in the United States. The Global Center for Cleantech Innovation is located at 444 Somerville Avenue, Somerville, MA, immediately adjacent to the incubator's previous headquarters at 28 Dane Street which will be fully converted to laboratory space. The Greentown Labs campus now provides its members with prototyping lab space, a wet lab, a machine shop, electronics shop, office space for more than 450 entrepreneurs, a 500-person event space, and a variety of flexible membership options. Greentown Labs' expansion into the Global Center was spurred by an ever increasing demand from entrepreneurs for a supportive and flexible community where they can build their cleantech startups. Greentown Labs' former headquarters reached capacity within one year of its opening in 2013 and the incubator was forced to begin a waitlist of startups eager to join the community. "Ever since our grassroots beginnings, Greentown Labs has maintained one mission: to support cleantech startups with the community and resources they need to thrive," said Greentown Labs CEO Dr. Emily Reichert. "In 2015 we knew that after maintaining a waitlist for nearly two years we needed to expand our offerings and facilities in order to not only support our region's clean energy ecosystem but to serve as a global convener of cleantech innovators and entrepreneurs." Roots Grown in Boston with Supportive Local Government Now Have Global Reach Greentown Labs was founded in 2011 by four companies that simply wanted to split the cost of rent and quickly became the largest hardware-focused, cleantech incubator in the United States. Less than seven years later, Greentown Labs' member companies have collectively created more than 1,000 jobs, raised more than $340M in funding, and created more than $335M in regional economic output. The incubator and its startup tenants have received strong backing from local and state governments. Greentown Labs' home city of Somerville, MA, was an early champion of Greentown Labs and invited the startup community to use the city as a testbed for innovation and experimentation. "Through SomerVision, the City's 20-year comprehensive plan, our community has made it clear that it prioritizes job creation. As the first city in Massachusetts to set the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, Somerville also values sustainable, clean energy efforts," said Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. "Greentown Labs is a shining example of both. The impact they've had on our communityand the regioncannot be overstated, and with the opening of the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation, I know their imprint will only continue to grow. Somerville is extremely proud to be their home and call them partners in some of our most important goals." Massachusetts has long been a leader in clean energy innovation and deployment, and is home to many cities and organizations that have set ambitious 100 percent renewable energy goals. Greentown Labs' Global Center aims to support these goals through technological innovations, economic development, job creation, corporate partnerships, and advocacy for progressive climate policy. "The Commonwealth's innovation economy is thriving because of entrepreneurs like the ones that will be supported by this newly renovated and expanded facility," said Governor Charlie Baker. "Our administration is proud to work with partners like Greentown Labs to help shape the Commonwealth's clean energy future." "This expanded facility will provide important assistance to clean energy entrepreneurs and startups that will support new jobs and help ensure Massachusetts continues to be a national leader in addressing energy challenges," said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. "MassCEC has worked hand-in-hand with Greentown Labs since 2011 to meet its goal of growing into the largest cleantech incubator in the nation and a global hub of clean energy innovation," said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Stephen Pike. "Our financial backing of this expansion bolsters Greentown Labs' mission to grow the local clean energy economy by providing critical resources and mentorship to Massachusetts' entrepreneurs. We look forward to continued collaboration and success in the future." Multinational Corporate Partnerships Drive Climate Action The Greentown Labs community sits at the nexus of startup innovation, public sector partnerships, and large multinational corporations like Shell, Saint-Gobain, BASF, DSM, and others that want to find a way to sustain their climate commitments, convert them into policy, and see tangible results that positively impact the triple bottom line. The Global Center will serve as a hub for innovation and collaboration among these entities and early-stage cleantech startups. "As a founding sponsor of Greentown Labs' Global Center for Cleantech Innovation, Shell is pleased to celebrate the official opening of the Shell Prototyping Lab. The lab will help energy startups build, trial and test solutions that can support a shared aim of meeting increasing global energy demand with an ever-lower carbon footprint," said Jason Klein, Vice President, U.S. Energy Transition Strategy, Shell. "At Shell, we believe some of the best ideas are born from collaboration. We look forward to continued opportunities to work together with governments, business, students and startups to help power progress toward a cleaner energy future for all." Shell is the Founding, Naming Sponsor of the Prototyping Lab at the Global Center. With the support of many strategic corporate partners, Greentown Labs is able to provide a variety of new offerings in the Global Center including an 1,800 sq. ft., 24-bench wet lab to support startups working in the water, advanced materials, and green chemistry sectors. "BASF is committed to developing sustainable solutions to global challenges such as resource efficiency, energy and climate protection, and responsible production," said Peter Eckes, President, Bioscience Research and North America Research, BASF. "We believe partnering with Greentown Labs and collaborating with cleantech startup companies will help us all move closer to a sustainable future." BASF is the Founding, Naming Sponsor of the Wet Lab at the Global Center. Walking the Cleantech Walk at Greentown Labs The Global Center also provides opportunities for startups and corporates alike to use the facility as a test site for their products and materials. The first and largest example of this engagement is with Saint-Gobain, a Greentown Labs Founding Sponsor, through the company's sustainable building materials that improve occupant comfort and well-being. Donations from the Saint-Gobain family of companies include a Flintlastic SA Self-Adhered Roof System from CertainTeed, acoustical ceiling and wall solutions from CertainTeed, and electrochromic glass from SageGlass. "For nearly five years, Saint-Gobain has had a partnership with Greentown Labs which has involved the company having a prototyping lab on premise where our employees can work alongside member companies to evaluate new building materials, technology and assemblies," said Minas Apelian, Vice President of CertainTeed R&D, Quality and Global Director of NOVA External Ventures at Saint-Gobain. "Greentown Labs' expansion site presented a great opportunity for Saint-Gobain to enhance our support of the cleantech incubator and put our own products to the test by donating our products to make the Center a world-class facility that maximizes the comfort and well-being of member companies. We're excited to be able to test our building materials in a real work environment similarly to how we've done in our North American headquarters to support us in continuing to make materials that create great living places and improve daily life." Greentown Labs' member companies are encouraged to take advantage of implementation opportunities at the Global Center and two current examples include Sunwealth and Ivys Energy Solutions. Sunwealth, a clean energy investment firm, installed a 110 kW solar array atop the Global Center, which it financed through its Solar Impact Fund, an investment vehicle aiming to democratize solar investment and accelerate the commercialization of clean technology. Ivys Energy Solutions, developer of safe and cost effective hydrogen fueling technologies for fuel cell electric vehicles, will install their innovative SimpleFuel hydrogen fueling station at the Global Center with the support of an InnovateMass grant from MassCEC. Since the facility's soft opening in January 2018, Greentown Labs has hosted more than 2,000 visitors, 10 private events, 25 international delegations, welcomed 30 new startups and seven new corporate partners to the Global Center. The facility was made possible through the support of Greentown Labs' Founding Sponsors, Shell, Saint-Gobain, BASF, DSM, Foley Hoag, Johnson Controls Inc., and Air Liquide; and financing partners East Boston Savings Bank, Boston Community Capital, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, MassDevelopment, and the City of Somerville. The Global Center was designed by Silverman Trykowski Associates. About Greentown Labs Greentown Labs is a community of bold, passionate entrepreneurs creating world-changing energy technologies that transform the way we live, work, and play. Located in Somerville, Mass., and founded in 2011, the Greentown Labs Global Center for Cleantech Innovation is the largest cleantech incubator in the United States, operating a 100,000 sq. ft. campus that empowers entrepreneurs to solve today's biggest energy and environmental problems. Its mission is to enable a vibrant community of startups to realize their visions by providing access to the resources, labs, and funding they need to thrive. For more information, please visit www.greentownlabs.com or find us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Media Contact: Julia Travaglini [email protected] 888-954-6836, ext 1 SOURCE Greentown Labs Related Links http://www.greentownlabs.org SARASOTA, Fla., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Guaranteed Removal is now able to remove negative content from more than 500 sites worldwide. Company Founder Adam Parks is proud to announce that individuals and clients can now more widely protect their online reputations. Adam Parks says, "Our clients are able to work with us confidently knowing that we have a wide reach and are able to protect their online reputation with our team of experts." Guaranteed Removal can guarantee that, when requested, relevant records are removed on behalf of their personal and business clients. Guaranteed Removal uses only legal means to remove mugshots, arrest records, and other damaging content from the public domain. The company prides itself on only using online reputation experts in the industry. Nothing is outsourced overseas, so the company has a full understanding of the legal mechanisms present in the U.S. Adam Parks explains, "Our team has always been based right here in America. We believe in allowing our clients to order with confidence in an industry that has had some reputation issues in the past." Furthermore, the wider reach of being able to remove records from 500 of the most prominent websites around the world allows clients to guarantee that a specific record or mugshot will be removed. Guaranteed Removal offers a quality guarantee to all its clients. If a record isn't successfully removed, the client automatically gets their money returned. This is part of the company's bold pledge to offer a service that works every single time. Background Guaranteed Removal is a specialist in content removals such as mugshots, arrest records, and sensitive personal information from the online arena. They focus on helping individuals and businesses improve their online reputations. The company has been in business since 2012 and has already removed thousands of mugshots and arrest records from more than 500 websites globally. Guaranteed Removal is located in Sarasota, Florida and has taken on thousands of clients personally and in the business world. Its main philosophies on the online content removal industry are transparency and success. For more information on Guaranteed Removal and how it deals with negative content removal, visit https://www.guaranteedremoval.com. Media Contact: Eric Blankenship Guaranteed Removal 786-332-6554 SOURCE GuaranteeRemoval.com Related Links https://guaranteedremoval.com/ Hosted by TierPoint, a leading provider of secure, connected data center and cloud solutions at the edge of the internet, the BraveIT conference is expected to draw hundreds of technology professionals from across the country. The conference will offer a diverse array of workshops, panels and interactive peer-to-peer sessions on disaster recovery and business continuity, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and more. Additional details and registration are available through the event website . Chhabra is a senior analyst in Forrester's infrastructure and operations research practice. His research topics include business continuity and disaster recovery, cloud storage, data centers and data center networking, infrastructure architectures and more. He helps enterprises develop and execute cloud strategies, as well as design and deliver the services that infrastructure and operations professionals must enable to support their business technology agendas. Prior to joining Forrester, Chhabra spent 12 years with Hewlett-Packard, where he worked across many functional areas, in roles including cloud solution consulting, pre-sales, and R&D in HP software. "Naveen's depth and breadth of experience bring unparalleled insight and perspective to the conversation around disaster recovery and other mission-critical data operations," said TierPoint Chief Strategy Officer Andy Stewart. "He is a perfect complement to the growing lineup of speakers at BraveIT." In addition to Chhabra, BraveIT will be keynoted by Daniela Rus, MIT professor and roboticist. Other confirmed speakers include author and futurist Michael Rogers; Carl Herberger, vice president of security solutions at Radware; and Paul Mazzucco, chief security officer at TierPoint. About TierPoint With a unique combination of secure, connected data center and cloud solutions at the edge of the internet, TierPoint (tierpoint.com) specializes in meeting enterprises where they are on their journey to IT transformation. TierPoint has one of the largest customer bases in the industry, with approximately 5,000 clients ranging from the public to private sectors, from small businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises. TierPoint also has one of the largest and most geographically diversified footprints in the nation, with over 40 world-class data centers in 20 markets and 8 multi-tenant cloud pods, connected by a coast-to-coast network. Led by a proven management team, TierPoint's highly experienced IT professionals offer a comprehensive solution portfolio of private, multitenant, hyperscale, and hybrid cloud, plus colocation, disaster recovery, security and other managed IT services. Contact: Pete Abel, 314-720-3129, [email protected] SOURCE TierPoint Related Links https://www.tierpoint.com PALM BEACH, Florida, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MarketNewsUpdates.com News Commentary The race is on for companies in the Hemp, CBD markets to make the newest and highest quality hemp cannabidiol (CBD) products available on the market today while consumer demand rises much more quickly than anticipated. CBD ingredients and products are exploding as the demand for hemp and CBD products in the U.S. grow in popularity. Market projections from Hemp Business Journal released at this year's Natural Products Expo West trade show estimated that the U.S. hemp industry will be worth $1.8 billion by 2020 and that the market for CBD alone has doubled in size over the past two years, equaling $200 million today. Although the hemp retail space is somewhat crowded and competitive manufacturers will quickly discover how vital the ingredients are for influencing both the mind and body. According to an article published by Forbes, last Friday Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that he's signing on as a cosponsor of a hemp legalization bill introduced last month by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Advocates are hopeful that the teaming up of the usually quarreling party leaders on hemp bodes well for further cannabis reforms. Active Companies from around the market with current developments this week include: Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA), Hemp Inc. (OTC: HEMP), Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTC: MJNA), Puration, Inc. (OTC: PURA), GrowLife, Inc. (OTC: PHOT). Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, is pleased to announce that is has signed a Joint Venture Agreement (the "Agreement") with GLOBAL HEMP GROUP INC. (CSE: GHG) (OTC: GBHPF) to cultivate legal high yielding CBD from industrial hemp at its recently acquired 109 acre farm (see news release of May 1, 2018) in Scio, Oregon. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, MCOA and GHG (the "Partners") will jointly invest a total of US$1.2 million in the development of the project in 2018. Funding for the project will be done on a 50/50 basis. TTO Enterprises Inc. ("TTO") will manage and be responsible for the entire Scio project, and will also provide consulting services to the Partners' 125-acre joint venture hemp farm operations in New Brunswick, Canada. TTO's expertise includes genetics development, selection and management, planting and harvest scheduling, clone management, field preparation, field set and field management strategies. MCOA and GHG will continue to develop a robust North American joint venture relationship focused on hemp. The Partners initially joint ventured on hemp trials in New Brunswick Canada during 2017, which has now expanded to 125 acres of commercial production for 2018. This partnership has now expanded into the United States with the addition of the Scio, Oregon project. The Companies will continue to seek additional hemp cannabinoid production opportunities across the United States and Canada. Don Steinberg CEO commented, "We are really proud of the hard work our partners have put into this project, as we continue to execute this portion of our overall business plan. Activities such as these clearly put MCOA as a top line producer in the legalized hemp and processing arena". Read this and more news for MCOA at http://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/mcoa.html In the industry developments and happenings in the market this week include: Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP), a global leader in the industrial hemp industry with the largest multipurpose industrial hemp processing facility in the western hemisphere, announced yesterday that the Company was recognized by financial news outlet TheStreet. The article "How to Invest in Cannabis - In Its Many Forms" published on May 7, 2018, follows recent news that Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that he is signing on as a cosponsor of a hemp legalization bill introduced last month by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). "If you want to invest directly in the production of cannabis, there's actually a way to do that," writes TheStreet. "Hemp Inc. (HEMP) has been around since 2008 and seeks to be a one-stop shop for hemp production. Growing it, extracting ingredients from it, fiber processing, even selling products made for the maintenance of hemp. Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA), the first-ever publicly traded cannabis company in the United States, yesterday announced that its subsidiary Kannaway has introduced "Cannabis Beauty," a new line of anti-aging skincare products for its European customers. The collection is available to all citizens of European Union (EU) member nations as well as other countries outside of the EU. The products in the collection are made from proprietary formulas that are safe, effective and toxin-free. Their formulas do not contain artificial foaming agents, sulfates, preservatives, parabens, dyes or fragrance. Each product is intended for all skin types. Puration, Inc. (OTC: PURA) yesterday issued a reminder about the company's schedule shareholder update on Thursday this week, May 10th to provide details on the Canadian business acquisition expected to close today. The acquisition is the cornerstone of the company's plan to establish a cannabis cultivation operation for the recreational marijuana market expected to be legalized nationwide in Canada this summer. Puration's plan's for Canada also include an expansion of the company's cannabis infused beverage business with the introduction THCSavor, a THC infused beverage. A link to the on-demand presentation will be published on Thursday. GrowLife, Inc. (OTCQB: PHOT), one of the nation's most recognized indoor cultivation product and service providers, yesterday announced that it has promoted Lauren Schmitt to Vice President of the company's Consumer Division, which includes management of the company's e-commerce sales platform in both the United States and Canada. "After working with Lauren for over five years, we are extremely confident that we have found the perfect addition to our leadership team to help facilitate further expansion of our direct to consumer sales channel," said GrowLife CEO Marco Hegyi. "We have seen a major uptick in sales through our direct-to-consumer channels servicing the rapidly expanding indoor cultivation market under Lauren's leadership. She completely understands the industry and our products as well as possesses the necessary skills to drive our team to maximum efficiency." DISCLAIMER: MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. 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The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Contact Information: [email protected] +1(561)325-8757 SOURCE MarketNewsUpdates.com Speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has ordered Security minister, Gen Elly Tumwiine to vacate Nommo gallery or pay Shs 1.6 billion outstanding rent arrears accumulated since 1998. Parliament launched an investigation into Gen Tumwiines occupancy of Nommo gallery, a public facility set up by Ugandan and foreign artists in 1964. Nommo gallery. Photo credit: visitkampala.net The artists established Nommo gallery located in Nakasero in 1964 under the 1959 Act of Parliament, a component of Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC) and features exhibitions of works of art. According to the parliamentary committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development report, Creations Limited, a private company owned by Gen Tumwine has been occupying Nommo Gallery since 1998 but the bush war and art-loving general has never paid rent to UNCC. The report presented to House by committee chairperson MP Alex Ndeezi (PWDs-Central) indicates that efforts to have Gen Tumwine pay rent arrears to a tune of Shs 1.6 billion (as of 2017) continue to be a nightmare. Moreover, every financial year, state funds are allocated for the maintenance of Nommo gallery. I think its a serious indictment of this House that we have been budgeting for Nommo gallery, when it has been appropriated by one individual. If we dont stop this impunity, one day someone will come and take over parliament and say, this is my house. I fought in the bush war yesso honourable members, this House directs Hon Tumwine to pay the rent or to vacate because its a [Nommo gallery] public facility, Kadaga said. We also want to know from ministry of Gender, which has been receiving this money [that] we budget for? These are public funds, we want an answer about this money before we pass your [Gender ministry] budget, Kadaga added. The committees recommendations include prevailing over Gen Tumwine to vacate the public facility (Nommo gallery) and his company, Creations Limited to pay rent arrears to a tune of Shs 1.62 billion before the end of this year. By 2017, rent arrears had accumulated to Shs 1, 620, 100, 000 and the auditor general has raised concerns over the same matter, Ndeezi said. For the FY 2018/19, Shs 44.6 million has been set aside for the same purpose, Ndeezi added. Budadiri West MP Nathan Nandala-Mafabi on a point of information, recounted how the general recently invited MP colleagues to a house warming party in his village. Hon Tumwine has built a Shs 5 billion Nommo gallery in his home district Kiruhura. He has transferred the Nommo gallery from Kampala to Kiruhura, Nandala-Mafabi said. Aruu MP Odonga Otto wondered if parliament could not withhold Tumwines emoluments since Nommo gallery that his company manages has defaulted on rent payment for 20 years. Ndeezi committee also recommended that the annual Shs 44.6 million be re-allocated to National Council for Disabilities to procure office furniture and equipment. No funds should be appropriated to Nommo gallery for maintenance until all rent arrears have been recovered, Ndeezi said. Previous efforts to force Tumwiine to pay rent or vacate the gallery have been futile. namuloki16@gmail.com WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In July of 2016, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determined that U.S. hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) producers were being injured by Chinese imports of HFC blends and that remedial duties should be imposed, but it also allowed the components of such blends to evade duties. The American HFC Coalition appealed that decision and strongly disagreed with the ITC's conclusion that components were not causing or threatening to cause material injury to U.S. HFC producers. In February 2018, the U.S. Court of International Trade remanded the case to the ITC for reconsideration. However, on May 2, 2018, the ITC issued a new decision reaching the same result allowing HFC components to evade duties. The American HFC Coalition strongly disagrees with the new ITC decision and believes it is inconsistent with the facts and unsupported by the administrative record. The American HFC Coalition will continue to oppose the ITC's refusal to correct its decision because imports of unfairly traded HFC components from China continue to increase. Following the imposition of antidumping duties on HFC blends, Chinese HFC producers are shipping the components to the United States and, in many cases, simply blending the components directly from ISO tanks in the parking lot at the importers' locations. Chinese components are also being shipped to third countries, such as India and Mexico, where they are blended and then re-exported to the U.S. market. Few, if any, U.S. jobs are added by the relatively simple blending operations that are now routine in the United States. Chinese HFC producers are causing significant injuries to the U.S. HFC-blends industry by continuing to sell HFC blends in the U.S. market at prices that are substantially below fair market value. The only difference now is that the components are being imported in separate containers and blended after arrival in the United States. As a result, the antidumping order on HFC blends is seriously undermined by the ITC's decision. The Court will review the ITC's recent decision and decide whether to send it back again to the ITC for reconsideration. It is anticipated that the Court will rule on this latest decision by the ITC by the end of the year. The American HFC Coalition's position continues to be that the ITC must reconsider its decision, and find that both dumped HFC blends and dumped HFC components are subject to antidumping duties. SOURCE The American HFC Coalition MORRIS PLAINS, N.J., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced that it has appointed Michael G. Nefkens an experienced technology executive with a strong customer focus and proven record of delivering innovative solutions and shareholder value as President and CEO of its Homes business, effective May 14. Nefkens will report to Gary Michel, President and CEO, Honeywell Home and Building Technologies, until the Homes business spins later this year. Nefkens previously served as executive vice president and general manager, Enterprise Services, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, with direct responsibility for a $20 billion P&L and 110,000 employees globally. He has been recognized widely for the successful turnaround of this business. In fact, he increased customer satisfaction to top of its industry while driving record operating profit improvement for 14 consecutive quarters. Nefkens also led the successful spinoff-merger of this business into DXC Technology in 2017, which resulted in the creation of $14 billion in shareholder value. During this time, he also served on the executive team that spun HP's PC/Printers and Software businesses into standalone public companies. "Mike has demonstrated that he is a smart and strategic leader, adept at building a strong customer-focused culture," said Honeywell Chairman and CEO Darius Adamczyk. "He has a deep understanding of how integrating software platforms and services can deliver the connected solutions that Homes customers require, and we are confident that his appointment coupled with our recent appointment of Roger Fradin as Chairman of the Board will position the new company for success." "I am truly honored to have this opportunity to join one of the world's leaders in supporting the Connected Home and to work with an extremely talented global workforce to enable us to lead the Internet of Things era," Nefkens said. "We have the capability to provide tremendous value for customers in comfort and convenience, security and energy efficiency." A seasoned international executive, Nefkens has driven the successful turnaround of multiple global businesses in Europe, Latin America and North America. In addition, he has 10 years' experience in the energy sector in Latin America, where he held a range of executive management positions, including regional president and general manager in Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela and North America. Nefkens is an authority on transformation and cybersecurity. He serves as an advisor to Boards and fellow CEOs, and has spoken four consecutive years at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Texas Christian University and an M.B.A. from Duke University. In October 2017, Honeywell announced its intent to spin the Homes product portfolio and ADI global distribution business, as well as the Transportation Systems business, into two standalone, publicly traded companies. The spins are expected to be completed by the end of 2018. Homes is a leader in the home heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls and security markets, and a top global distributor of security, fire and other low-voltage products. Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 software-industrial company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace and automotive products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, cars, homes and buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom. Contacts: Media Investor Relations Scott Sayres Mark Macaluso (480) 257-5921 (973) 455-2222 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Honeywell Related Links http://www.honeywell.com TORONTO, May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - IAMGOLD Corporation ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") today announced that shareholder voting at the Company's annual meeting of shareholders on May 8, 2018, has resulted in the election of all the directors listed as nominees in management's information circular dated March 28, 2018. Results of the shareholder voting were as follows: Nominee Votes For % For Votes Withheld % Withheld John E. Caldwell 282,530,711 98.92 3,080,000 1.08 Donald K. Charter 269,077,644 94.21 16,533,067 5.79 Richard J. Hall 283,291,515 99.19 2,319,196 0.81 Stephen J. J. Letwin 275,032,526 96.30 10,578,185 3.70 Mahendra Naik 262,194,003 91.80 23,416,708 8.20 Timothy R. Snider 280,702,106 98.28 4,908,605 1.72 Sybil E. Veenman 282,287,109 98.84 3,323,602 1.16 About IAMGOLD IAMGOLD (www.iamgold.com) is a mid-tier mining company with four operating gold mines on three continents. A solid base of strategic assets in North and South America and West Africa is complemented by development and exploration projects and continued assessment of accretive acquisition opportunities. IAMGOLD is in a strong financial position with extensive management and operational expertise. For further information please contact : Ken Chernin, VP Investor Relations, IAMGOLD Corporation Tel: (416) 360-4743 Mobile: (416) 388-6883 Laura Young, Director Investor Relations, IAMGOLD Corporation Tel: (416) 933-4952 Mobile: (416) 670-3815 Martin Dumont, Senior Analyst Investor Relations, IAMGOLD Corporation Tel: (416) 933-5783 Mobile: (647) 967-9942 Toll-free: 1-888-464-9999 [email protected] Please note: This entire news release may be accessed via fax, e-mail, IAMGOLD's website at www.iamgold.com and through CNW Group's website at www.newswire.ca . All material information on IAMGOLD can be found at www.sedar.com or at www.sec.gov. Si vous desirez obtenir la version francaise de ce communique, veuillez consulter le http://www.iamgold.com/French/accueil/default.aspx SOURCE IAMGOLD Corporation Related Links http://www.iamgold.com NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As the busy summer travel season approaches, global luxury travel network Virtuoso reveals that families are roaming the world in search of experiences that create closer bonds and lasting memories. Hailed as an industry trend forecaster, the 2018 Virtuoso Luxe Report surveyed its affiliated travel advisors to discover the leading destinations and developments that impact how families are traveling this year. Multigenerational travel continues its run as the year's top trend in the Luxe Report, and travel with one's immediate family finished close behind. As well, connecting with family through travel is one of 2018's must-have experiences. Generation Z: The iGeneration is Coming On Strong Consisting of young people born between the mid-1990s and mid-2010s (now approximately 3 to 23 years old), Generation Z is the largest age cohort in the U.S., with more than a quarter of the population (Forbes). The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation reports that Gen Z has a buying power of $43 billion, and influences $600 billion of family spending. The Virtuoso Luxe Report found that this tech-savvy group, while still quite young, has considerable influence over family travel decisions, according to 90 percent of advisors polled. Top 5 Ways Gen Z Influences Family Travel 1. Crave active experiences 2. Involve themselves in planning trips 3. Influence other's travel choices via word of mouth, social media and reviews 4. Seek unusual destinations 5. Look for visual destinations and experiences for social media Virtuoso Analysis: Gen Zs seek authentic, unique experiences such as adventures they can have only in a particular destination. They have seen much of the world already, and therefore travel with a global mindset. As digital natives, their actions and decisions are influenced by peers on social media, as well as the visual appeal that destinations and activities hold for online sharing. Top 10 Family Travel Trends 1. Beach resort stays 6. Ocean cruising 2. Active or adventure trips 7. Cultural immersion 3. Celebration travel 8. Educational trips 4. Mother/daughter or father/son trips 9. River cruises 5. Touring (guided or private) 10. Exclusive-use travel (private villa/island/jet/yacht) Virtuoso Analysis: While sun-and-sand trips rise to first place from second in 2017, these are not the traditional fly-and-flop vacations. Families seek beach resorts with plenty of activities to keep the entire group engaged. Adventure travel is the second most popular trend, both for families and travelers in general, continuing the niche's recent boom. With today's fast pace of life, travel is a perfect way to gather loved ones together for a landmark celebration, or carve out time for parent/child bonding. Cruising both ocean and river is emerging as an ideal family trip, thanks to its convenience, great value and activities for every age. Today's families view travel as an important educational tool, immersing them in different cultures, bringing classroom lessons alive, and shaping global citizens. Top 10 Hottest Family Destinations 1. Italy 6. Dominican Republic 2. Mexico 7. South Africa 3. Orlando, FL 8. England 4. Hawaii 9. Canada 5. Costa Rica 10. France Virtuoso Analysis: Italy's appeal to families continues; it finishes as the top destination for the ninth consecutive year. While Europe still charms, with England and France also in the top 10, families are venturing to all corners of the globe. Warm-weather destinations such as Mexico, Hawaii and the Dominican Republic beckon those in search of relaxation. Orlando, with its theme parks and favorable climate, remains popular, moving up one spot from the 2017 list. Adventurous families are voyaging to destinations such as Costa Rica and South Africa. Canada, with its diversity of urban and nature experiences, offers something for every preference as well as great value for Americans. Top 10 Unconventional Family Destinations 1. Iceland 6. Japan 2. Galapagos Islands 7. United Arab Emirates 3. Cuba 8. Egypt 4. Antarctica 9. Rwanda 5. Botswana/Mongolia (tie) 10. Croatia Virtuoso Analysis: Driven by Gen Z's quest to experience new destinations, families are heading beyond the tried and true locales. The desire for authentic experiences figures into many of the unconventional spots, whether it be the unspoiled appeal of Iceland (also last year's top pick) and Antarctica, the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands, or Cuba's culture. As well-traveled families have already explored North America and Europe, they are focusing on African and Asian destinations. Botswana, Mongolia, United Arab Emirates and Egypt debut on the list this year. Advisors from Virtuoso's travel agencies in North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and the Middle East were surveyed in the 2018 Luxe Report, providing insights into the year's hottest trends. To find a family travel specialist to plan your next trip, visit Virtuoso.com. About Virtuoso Virtuoso is the leading international travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 1,000 travel agency partners with 17,500 elite travel advisors in more than 45 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Drawing upon its preferred relationships with 1,700 of the world's best hotels and resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies and premier destinations, the network provides its upscale clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. More than (U.S.) $23.7 billion in annual travel sales makes Virtuoso a powerhouse in the luxury travel industry. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com. Media Contacts: Misty Ewing Belles Lauren Wintemberg Managing Director, Global Public Relations Account Director Virtuoso Alice Marshall Public Relations Phone: 202.553.8817 Phone: 212.861.4031 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] SOURCE Virtuoso Related Links http://www.virtuoso.com WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With the conclusion of the U.S. portion of Initiative for Global Development's inaugural Africa Investment Rising Roadshow Tour on May 1, the global campaign will continue to inspire momentum and action on deepening U.S.-Africa trade and investment ties through convenings and interactive multimedia content, leading up to early-November events in Johannesburg, South Africa. The U.S. roadshow tour, "Africa Investment Rising: Building Momentum for Investing in Africa's Economic Prosperity", took place from April 18-May 1, and traveled to four U.S. cities to re-shape perceptions on doing business in Africa by bringing trade and investment opportunities to U.S. companies and forging stronger connections between U.S. and African business leaders in key growth sectors. Launching in Washington, D.C., the roadshow tour traveled to New York City to highlight financing and investment opportunities; Des Moines, IA for agriculture and agro-industry; and Houston, TX for energy and power. The roadshow tour is a component of IGD's Africa Investment Rising campaign. The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group and USAID's East Africa and Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hubs are Premier Sponsors of the Africa Investment Rising Roadshow Tour. Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the fastest growing regions in the world, consistently averaging GDP growth of 5.2 percent. Only about 1.5 percent of U.S. exports are flowing into sub-Saharan Africa. "The African continent offers some of the highest returns on investment and lucrative business opportunities," said Dr. Mima S. Nedelcovych, President & CEO of the Initiative for Global Development. "The full roadshow tour seeks to give U.S. investors insight and strategic connections on doing business in Africa." The roadshow tour will culminate in Johannesburg, South Africa, where U.S. and African private sector leaders and investors from all sectors are invited to attend the IGD Frontier 100 Forum on Nov. 5-6, on securing public and private sector investments for growth. The Frontier 100 Forum will be followed by the African Development Bank's Africa Investment Forum (AIF) from Nov. 7-9. The AIF is a platform to enhance private-sector cooperation and is a transactional marketplace dedicated to advancing projects to bankable stages, raising capital, and accelerating the financial closure of deals. To learn more visit www.igdleaders.org and please click here for roadshow recaps. SOURCE Initiative for Global Development Related Links http://www.igdleaders.org TORONTO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ULLINK, the global provider of connectivity and electronic trading solutions, has announced that Jitneytrade Inc., a direct access broker specializing in active traders, is using UL BRIDGE as its connectivity and pre-trade risk gateway to the Canadian equities market. Canadian regulation required Jitneytrade to have pre-trade risk monitoring of all direct electronic market access. When the exchange operator, TMX Group, discontinued its own service in 2017, Jitneytrade looked at several options for a replacement, including functionality in order management systems (OMSs). After careful evaluation, Jitneytrade concluded that only UL BRIDGE had the proven ability to meet its latency and speed requirements, as well as offered the flexibility to accommodate its order flow. Furthermore, UL BRIDGE had the risk management and other functionality to allow Jitneytrade to achieve a second objective of consolidating some of the 14 platforms it was offering clients at the time. Jitneytrade opted for ULLINK's fully hosted service. The implementation included UL BRIDGE modules UL IRIS comprehensive pre-trade risk management, UL MONITORING full life-cycle monitoring, FIX Plugins and DMA Adapters. This has given Jitneytrade effective pre-to-post-trade risk control of its clients trading activity and enabled it to continue to comply with trade monitoring regulations. The error capturing functionality has improved its service offering and, at the same time, the firm has taken advantage of UL IRIS to reduce the number of platforms it operates. The superior performance of UL BRIDGE has also enabled Jitneytrade to win new clients. The firm is now looking at extending the asset classes on the platform and expanding the geographical coverage it can offer clients. ULLINK is able to provide connectivity to US brokers via its NYFIX Marketplace international trading network. It is also able to use US stocks' closing prices to calculate order and daily capitalization for US equity markets. "Before the new NI 23-103 regulation, we were able to see client activity post trade, but now we have ULLINK's tools for pre-trade risk, which gives us a better view and better control," says Eric Cote, Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer of Jitneytrade. "Jitneytrade now has a really good direct relationship with ULLINK. The company is responsive we haven't had any issues that haven't been dealt with promptly by ULLINK," says Cote. "We are delighted to support one of the most active brokers in Canada in substantially streamlining its trading operations while achieving a greater level of control. Being chosen by Jitneytrade, re-enforces our commitment to delivering best of breed technology and connectivity to the local market," says Lael Wakefield, Managing Director Americas for ULLINK. Download the case study here to find out how Jitneytrade turned a compliance challenge into an opportunity for streamlined client connectivity, enhanced latency and improved risk control. Media contacts: Mireille Adebiyi Global Marketing & Communications Director ULLINK Tel: +33-1-49-95-30-00 Email: [email protected] About Itiviti and ULLINK Itiviti and ULLINK have formed a market-leading global provider of multi-asset trading technology and financial infrastructure solutions for buy-side and sell-side market participants, including NYFIX, one of the industry's largest FIX-based trading communities. Serving more than 1,900 clients worldwide, we provide consistent, reliable access to the most up-to-date and innovative order routing, connectivity and trading solutions available. Top-tier trading firms, banks, brokers, exchanges and institutional investors rely on our technology, solutions and expertise to streamline their daily operations, connect to their desired markets, and trade when and where they want. All while being able to comply with global regulation. With global offices in 18 locations covering all major financial centers, the merger of Itiviti and ULLINK in March 2018 creates a full service technology and infrastructure provider, covering all asset classes, geographies and regulatory landscapes. For more information, please visit www.itiviti.com or www.ullink.com. Itiviti and ULLINK are owned by Nordic Capital Fund VII. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/itiviti-group-ab/r/jitneytrade-chooses-ullink-s-ul-bridge-for-connectivity-and-pre-trade-risk-in-the-canadian-equities-,c2516677 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/13830/2516677/838407.pdf Press release in PDF format SOURCE Itiviti Group AB Related Links http://www.itiviti.com WILSONVILLE, Ore., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mentor, a Siemens business, is helping Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Co., Ltd (JAC) differentiate and win in new markets as the Chinese automaker continues its aggressive expansion into high-growth regions around the world. After years of success using Mentor's Capital software suite to streamline electrical systems and wire harness design, JAC is now leveraging Mentor's Capital Publisher software to enhance service efficiency and accelerate the creation of associated documentation. Part of Mentor's comprehensive Capital electrical systems software suite, Capital Publisher is a technical publication creation and management tool that automates the production of service documentation, linking assets such as wiring schematics, component locations, harness views and diagnostic procedures. Capital Publisher has already helped other OEMs reduce time associated with creating vehicle service documentation by more than 80 percent, and enhance the efficiency of after-sale service by almost 40 percent through the use of its Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs). "As JAC expands its footprint far beyond domestic markets, Mentor is helping to mitigate associated costs via the substantial efficiencies of its industry-standard Capital software suite," said Li Xia, technical officer of the Electric System Design Department of JAC Heavy-duty Commercial Vehicle Institute. "With Capital Publisher, JAC maximized vehicle availability, improved fault diagnosis, and lowered service costs, despite dramatic rises in electrical circuit complexity." In addition to automating the creation of vehicle technical documentation, Capital Publisher supports the deployment of IETMs on Android-powered portable devices, thereby providing JAC service technicians easy access to local language service documentation and intelligent electrical schematics which ultimately help to speed up electrical system fault diagnosis and repair. "JAC is a perfect example of how OEMs can address the challenges of instantly delivering increasingly complex electrical content for service documentation, especially in the fast-growing countries they target where localization is so important," said Nick Smith, business development director at Mentor. Based in China, JAC is a world leader in commercial vehicles such as heavy trucks and buses. JAC exports vehicles to South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The company maintains more than 100 retail locations around the globe. Contact for journalists James Price Phone: 503-310-1652; E-mail: [email protected] Mentor Graphics Corporation, a Siemens business, is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services, and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronic, semiconductor, and systems companies. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Beckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. Web site: http://www.mentor.com. Mentor Graphics, Mentor, and Capital are registered trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owner. SOURCE Mentor Graphics Related Links http://www.mentor.com BEIJING, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Kemin Industries and the U.S. Embassy in China jointly held the forum, "30 Years of Experience: Vertical Integration and the Transformation of U.S. Agrifood Businesses," to discuss changes in the Agrifood industry. Entrepreneurs and experts from Tyson, Smithfield, American Agricultural Statistics Corporation and Kansas State University spoke at the conference. They talked about their experiences over the past three decades during the transformation of the industry's vertical integration in the United States, its history and trends. More than 60 top producers from China's feed and animal production businesses participated in the conference. Dr. Chris Nelson, President and CEO, Kemin Industries, delivered the conference's opening remarks, which included a summary of animal husbandry in the U.S., making the industry understandable and relevant to the Chinese entrepreneurs in attendance. "China's feed and animal production industry is facing unprecedented challenges today. These challenges not only come from increased government and consumer concerns on environmental protection and food safety, but also from the strategic choices businesses have to make today to survive and prosper in the future," said Dr. Zhilin Gan, President, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health, China, in his welcome speech. "Businesses in Europe and the United States faced similar challenges some 30 years ago. We are very excited to have experts from Smithfield, Tyson, Agri Stats Corporation and Kansas State University to share their experiences and stories with us." How Feed Milling and Manufacturing Changed from Independent to Company-Owned Vertically Integrated Operations Dr. Charles Stark, professor at Kansas State University, shared with his Chinese audience how commercial feed mills changed from selling feed for profit to delivering nutrients to animals for optimal meat/milk/egg production. "Today, as part of integrated businesses, the focus of feed mills has changed from emphasizing quality based on customer perceptions to quality based on animal performance," said Dr. Stark. How Swine Production and Processing Became a Business Through Vertical Integration Dr. Terry Coffey, Chief Science and Technology Officer, Smithfield, reviewed the development of the U.S. hog industry and showed participants the innovations Smithfield has made over the past three decades. Smithfield now operates across the entire food value chain, starting from genetic breeding to end-user consumption. In his lecture, Dr. Coffey shared major challenges and solutions Smithfield faced during and after the integration process. "Integration helps us deliver the quality and consistency demanded by today's consumer. It helped Smithfield establish a dominant position from production to value-added products. It also allowed Smithfield to better utilize feedback links to focus on system refinement and enhanced product value that cannot be achieved anywhere else in the pork chain." Vertical Integration in the U.S. Poultry Industry Dr. Bill Hewat from Tyson led the poultry section discussion. "Today, approximately 35 USDA-inspected 'vertically integrated' companies raise, process and market chickens. About 95 percent of broilers are produced on 25,000 contract family farms. Tyson accounted for 20 percent of total broilers produced in the United States," he said. Tyson's experiences indicate that with "one profit center and multiple cost centers," vertically integrated businesses not only have an immediate advantage through the economies of scale, but also a different philosophy in optimizing profits. "With the profit of final product in mind, some cost centers may elect to produce costlier or less-efficient products. With one profit center, goals are consistent throughout the organization," said Dr. Hewat. The Development of the Modern Broiler Integration: Successes and Challenges in Production, Efficiencies and Costs of Production In his speech, Michael Donohue, Vice President, U.S. Agri Stats Corporation, explained how, after the development of modern U.S. broiler companies, chicken production and consumption in the United States greatly improved. Donohue presented some of the critical key performance indicator changes in the broiler industry in the last 30 years. The U.S. Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, joined the speakers and Chinese guests at the reception at the U.S. Embassy. About Kemin Industries Kemin Industries (www.kemin.com) is a global ingredient manufacturer with a focus on improving the quality of life for over 3.8 billion people each day with more than 500 specialty ingredients made for the human and animal health, pet food, nutraceutical, food technology, crop technologies and textile industries. For over half a century, Kemin has been dedicated to using applied science to address industry challenges and offers product solutions to customers in more than 120 countries. Kemin provides ingredients to feed a growing population with its commitment to the quality, safety and efficacy of food, feed and health-related products. Established in 1961, Kemin is a privately-held, family-owned and operated company with more than 2,500 employees globally and operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, India, Italy, Russia, Singapore, South Africa and the United States. Media Contact: Jeremy Cheng, Senior Marketing Manager, [email protected], +86 21 6087 1964 SOURCE Kemin Industries Related Links http://kemin.com FAIRFAX, Va., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Knowesis, Inc. has acquired new work supporting the Military Health System's (MHS) Defense Health Board (DHB), a Federal advisory committee under the Secretary of Defense responsible for independent advisory services for military healthcare policy, research programs, disease and injury treatment of warfighters, and other health-related matters of the Department of Defense (DoD). Knowesis will assist the DHB, its committees, and subcommittees with research and analysis, technical writing, editing, and report production. In addition, our staff will support the DHB leadership and individual board members with logistical and meeting support as well as Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) compliance. These support areas feed into critical policy development within the MHS in identifying issues and refining the future state military health. "Knowesis is known for its deliberate planning in forming teams with the right mix of knowledge and experience in addition to matching the professional and personal goals of our consultants to the project and client. We have done just that for the DHB and our team is looking forward to supporting this important DOD Advisory Board for the MHS," per Brian Acker, Knowesis Senior Associate and Program Manager. Knowesis specializes in solving business challenges through strategic planning and capacity building, evaluation and data analysis, strategic communications, enterprise reporting, and program management. Knowesis applies our core functional competencies to the healthcare industry and are highly integrated within the DoD medical research and health policy environment. Our staff of dedicated professionals are recognized for bringing valuable experience from a variety of sectors, crossing industries and the Federal Government. Knowesis Inc., as a Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), 8(a) Disadvantaged Small Business and Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), provides a full range of professional consulting services to federal and state government agencies. Founded in 2007, Knowesis offers services in analytics and information management, planning and operations, as well as communication and engagement from its offices in San Antonio, TX and Fairfax, VA. More information about the company can be found at www.knowesis-inc.com as well as Facebook and Twitter. SOURCE Knowesis Inc. Related Links http://www.knowesis-inc.com WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its 26th annual national food drive on Saturday, May 12. The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, the country's largest single-day food drive, provides residents with an easy way to donate food to those in need. Customers simply leave their donation of non-perishable goods next to their mailbox before the delivery of the mail on Saturday. Letter carriers will collect these food donations on that day as they deliver mail along their postal routes, and distribute them to local food agencies. Visit stampouthungerfooddrive.us to learn more. The Letter Carriers' food drive is held annually on the second Saturday in May in 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam. It remains as important as ever, with many people facing economic struggles. Hunger affects about 50 million people around the country, including millions of children, senior citizens and veterans. Letter carriers see these struggles in the communities they serve, and believe that it is important to do what they can to help. "Over its first quarter-century, the food drive has only grown in importance and in impact," NALC President Fredric Rolando said. "It's an honor to be able to help people in need all across the United States and to do so in a way that brings out the best in so many Americans." The timing is important, with food banks, pantries and shelters running low on donations from the winter holidays and with summer approaching, when most school meal programs are suspended. Last year, letter carriers collected 75.3 million pounds of food, the third-highest amount since the food drive began in 1993. That brought the total over the past quarter-century to 1.6 billion pounds. On May 12, as they deliver mail, the nation's letter carriers will collect the donations that residents have left near their mail boxes. People are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag or container with non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, canned meats and fish, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox before the regular mail delivery on Saturday. Carriers will bring the food to local food banks, pantries or shelters. National partners assisting NALC in the food drive are the U.S. Postal Service, United Food & Commercial Workers International Union, National Rural Letter Carriers' Association, United Way Worldwide, AFL-CIO, Valpak and Valassis. This year's effort includes a public service announcement with actor and director Edward James Olmos. People who have questions about the drive in their area should ask their letter carrier, contact their local post office, or go to nalc.org/food, facebook.com/StampOutHunger or twitter.com/StampOutHunger. ******** The 280,000-member National Association of Letter Carriers represents letter carriers across the country employed by the U.S. Postal Service, along with retired letter carriers. Founded by Civil War veterans in 1889, the NALC is among the country's oldest labor unions. SOURCE National Association of Letter Carriers Related Links http://www.nalc.org Gen Matayo Kyaligonza Directors of Kayokamu Engineering Company ltd, a general construction and service contracting enterprise, have asked for a hearing before the land commission of inquiry accusing a senior ruling party historical, Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza, of grabbing their land. According to Allan Kaganda, the said land at Bwaise Industrial Area, located on Block 208, plot 1484 was bought by his father Charles Kayondo in 1981 from Prince Badru Kakungulu. In the same year, the land was transferred to Kayokamu Engineering Company Limited for development. But in 1981, one William Okwia, unlawfully trespassed on the said land and grabbed it since he was working in [the Milton] Obotes government and no one could touch him by then despite efforts to remove him from that land. The companys projects also didnt take off due to political instability in the country during that time which was a threat to our lives and we abandoned the land for a while. Okwia left the country after Obotes regime, he said. Kaganda says that in 1987, after the war, they tried to repossess their land but found Kyaligonza, currently ambassador of Uganda to Burundi, had occupied the property. In 1996, Kyaligonza is known to have paid one Maria Nabasinga Mulumba for a piece of the land measuring 0.13 hectares. Maria is the widow of the late Lawrence Mulumba, one of the directors of Kayokamu. What she sold off was her late husbands share of the jointly owned property. Kyaligonza, as one of the conditions in the sale agreement, was supposed to take possession of the said 0.13 hectares of land but he breached the agreement and took possession and control of the whole land measuring 0.28 hectares, Kaganda says. The matter was reported to local council authorities in the area who summoned Kyaligonza but he reportedly did not turn up for amicable discussions. The local authorities gave us a go ahead to develop our land and we brought building materials at site to start construction. When Kyaligonza noticed that we were going to build he came in the company of military police and ordered our materials to be removed. He deployed military police on site to stop construction, Kaganda said. Efforts to recover the land, including through a civil suit in the High Court, Kampala, land division, have failed, he adds. We were shocked to find out that the court file was misplaced and later disappeared completely which brought a complete standstill in the case and to-date, it has never taken off. This is why we are appealing to the land commission to hear our case which we filed last year in August, Kaganda said. He said they have also appealed to the office of the president to intervene. Yesterday, Kyaligonza told The Observer that he is the rightful owner of this land which he got in 1984. I went to the bush when this land was mine after buying it from the Custodian Board when the lease for the Indians expired after 21 years. The Indians had brought it from Prince Badru Kakungulu on lease and when they returned to the country and it expired, I bought it, he said. Kyaligonza said when he returned home after the war, he found the Kayokamu company and others had occupied his land. He said he informed them of his ownership, and two directors from that company accepted to return his land when he paid them some money. zuraneetah2015@gmail.com BOSTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeYield, the leading cloud-based solution that facilitates tax-smart, risk-smart management of an investor's entire portfolio, announced today its strategic partnership with United Planners Financial Services, a full-service independent broker/dealer and registered investment advisor firm. Through this strategic partnership, LifeYield will make its proprietary Taxficient Score available to United Planners' nearly 500 financial advisors nationwide. "We pride ourselves in providing forward-thinking services to our financial advisors, so it was a clear decision to strategically partner with LifeYield," said Billy Oliverio, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer of United Planners Financial Services. "LifeYield provides our financial advisors with a competitive edge, offering the ability to manage investor accounts seamlessly all in one place to achieve significant tax savings. We believe the Taxficient Score will serve as a powerful business development and investor management tool for our financial advisors." LifeYield's Taxficient Score differentiates United Planners' financial advisors with an easy way to explain the value of tax-smart household portfolio management. Similar to a credit score, the Taxficient Score assesses the tax efficiency of all the investor's accounts on a scale of 0-100 the higher the score, the better-positioned the investor is to minimize taxes to keep more money, as well as achieve retirement goals. Additionally, it enables financial advisors to coordinate and aggregate all accounts in one place to provide a holistic view of an investor's portfolio. "Through our strategic partnership with United Planners, we will introduce hundreds of financial advisors and thousands of new investors to the power of the Taxficient Score to create and keep wealth," said Mark Hoffman, CEO of LifeYield. "This strategic partnership marks our ongoing commitment to grow our direct-to-advisor channel and further serves as a testament to the power of our cloud-based solutions and how they empower independent financial advisors to stay ahead of the competition in the ever-changing financial landscape." "As an early adopter of LifeYield's Taxficient Score, I've witnessed its value in the market as it has enabled me to not only better manage my current clients but also win new business with high net worth clients," said Certified Financial Planner, James Loftin, the CEO and Co-Founder of GER Loftin Wealth Advisors, LLC, an affiliated financial advisor of United Planners. "I believe LifeYield's tax-smart, holistic portfolio management approach will help us to achieve significant returns for my clients and help address some of the complex tax concerns of the higher net worth families we serve." LifeYield will showcase the Taxficient Score at this year's Annual Partners Conference hosted by United Planners on May 30th through June 1st. About LifeYield LifeYield LLC, creators of the Taxficient Score, is the industry innovator and leader in facilitating tax-smart, risk-smart household portfolio management. LifeYield's Advantage Suite enables financial advisors to provide a comprehensive, tax-aware view of a client's entire investment and insurance portfolio, including easy-to-use tools to engage clients so they make and keep more money, and achieve their financial goals. Based in Boston and founded by finance and technology industry leaders, LifeYield believes that by leveraging digitally enhanced advice advisors can improve investor outcomes and enhance the value and experience of support goals-based wealth management strategies. For more information, please visit www.lifeyield.com. About United Planners United Planners is a full-service independent broker/dealer and registered investment advisor that is uniquely structured as a limited partnership that provides ownership opportunities to its financial advisors. United Planners was established in 1987 and is a nationwide firm that provides independence and flexibility that is supported by a strong back-office. United Planners has strategic relationships with various open-architecture service providers that offer their advisors solutions to efficiently manage and build scalable businesses, while adhering to high fiduciary standards. For additional information, visit United Planners' website at http://www.joinunitedplanners.com. Member FINRA, SIPC and a Registered Investment Advisor with the SEC. To request more information, contact Partner Development at 800.966.8737, option 3. SOURCE LifeYield LLC Related Links http://www.lifeyield.com BRIDGEWATER, N.J., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 2018 marks the 25th year of the Linde Distributor Association (LDA), a milestone to be celebrated at the LDA's 25th Annual Buyers Meeting and Membership Forum, June 3 to 6 at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. "This year, as we celebrate our 25th anniversary and over $2.5 billion in purchases over that period from our trusted partners, we look forward to an even greater and brighter future," said Mark Falconer, Co-Chairman of LDA and President of Minneapolis Oxygen Company. "Our members are reporting strong growth in 2018 as U.S. manufacturing and service industries continue at a historic pace," said Falconer, speaking at the LDA's annual board meeting in Atlanta in April. "We are excited by our members' growth and by the partnerships we've developed." Established in 1993, LDA enables its independent gases and equipment distributor members to leverage their purchasing power to achieve volume discounts and earn rebates from equipment suppliers. The organization offers joint marketing programs to improve sales effectiveness, and hosts educational and discussion forums on common business issues. At the annual board meeting, the LDA board reviews and approves new annual partner offerings through its committees and confirms the association's annual initiatives. During the April meeting, Tom Biedermann, Vice President of Airweld (Farmingdale, NY) and Kelly Root, Vice President of Capitol Welders Supply (Baton Rouge, LA) updated the board on the renewal of several long-term partnerships as well as new relationships that will add to the strength and capabilities of LDA members. "Our suppliers seek to deliver value and innovation that support our members to be the leading gas and hardgoods suppliers in today's markets," Biedermann said. Terry Hall, Co-chairman of LDA commented on the quality of the presentations from the committee leadership. "It's critical that all our members stay abreast of all the new products and services the vendors have to offer, as well as the various deals that are coming down the pipe," he said. For more information visit the Linde Distributor Association (www.ldabuy.com) or call: 800-755-9277. About The Linde Group In the 2017 financial year, The Linde Group generated revenue of USD 21.1 bn (EUR 17.113 bn), making it one of the leading gases and engineering companies in the world, with approximately 58,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business, with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development. For more information, see The Linde Group online at www.linde.com SOURCE Linde North America, Inc. Related Links http://www.lindeus.com BOSTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Linguamatics, the leading NLP-based text analytics provider for biomedical applications, today announced the launch of Linguamatics iScite, a breakthrough innovation in scientific search that puts the precision and power of Linguamatics artificial intelligence (AI) technology directly into the hands of scientists, researchers and other knowledge workers. iScite offers a modern, easy-to-use scientific search engine that provides intuitive access to AI-powered searches across key biomedical data sources and delivers insightful answers to search questions. iScite is designed as a next-generation search experience that empowers non-technical users to conduct their own NLP-based scientific searches to extract data insights. Rather than rely on time- and/or resource-crunched technical experts to create and perform searches, iScite enables users to quickly and independently find precise answers to their high-value questions. "Traditional search methods are often time-consuming, expensive and ineffective, and the results are imprecise and difficult to sift through," said Jane Reed, head of life science strategy for Linguamatics. "With iScite, users can take advantage of the power of NLP without the traditional complexities. Our patent-pending Answer-Routing Engine interprets users' search terms and guides them to the best possible answers to their questions. Searches are seamless across multiple content sources, and users are quickly pointed to the exact content relevant to their search without having to laboriously read through every word of the source documents." iScite uses Linguamatics' award-winning technology stack to handle the nuances of language and the variety of ways people express the same information, ensuring searches are comprehensive and accurate. Using advanced NLP relationship and pattern matching, iScite rapidly guides users directly to the relevant insights extracted from cloud-hosted scientific content. Results are presented in a structured, semantically-meaningful way, with options for dynamic filtering and faceting, and multiple collaboration features to allow easier sharing of insights with co-workers and key stakeholders. Behind the scenes Linguamatics uses a powerful blend of NLP and machine learning-based methods to achieve the best precision and recall. "By empowering end-user scientists and clinicians with an easy-to-use search engine, we are speeding their access to the right knowledge for decision-making to advance the discovery, development and delivery of therapeutics," said Linguamatics Executive Chairman John Brimacombe. "iScite has the potential to revolutionize the search process for the biomedical industry by providing everyone with rapid access to the knowledge they need, while freeing data scientists and informaticians to focus on the most challenging, in-depth search projects. iScite is a breakthrough in scientific research, filling an industry demand for a self-service alternative that delivers deep insights in a single search." Linguamatics will demonstrate iScite at Bio-IT World 2018 in Boston May 15-17. Visit us at booth #549, or go to our website, http://www.linguamatics.com/iscite, for more information. About Linguamatics Linguamatics transforms unstructured big data into big insights to advance human health and wellbeing. A world leader in deploying innovative text analytics for high-value knowledge discovery and decision support, Linguamatics' solutions are used by top commercial, academic and government organizations, including 18 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and leading US healthcare organizations. Linguamatics Media contact: Michelle Ronan Noteboom, Sr. Account Director Amendola Communications + 1 512.426.2870 [email protected] SOURCE Linguamatics Related Links http://www.linguamatics.com BOSTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Localytics, the leading mobile engagement platform, today announced it has added new members to its executive team to lead Sales, Partnerships, Marketing, People and Finance. Marty Siewert has joined the company as Chief Revenue Officer and Matt Katz has joined as Head of Customer Success. Additionally, several long-time employees have been promoted to senior positions - Scott Bleczinski to Chief Alliance Officer, Lisa Skinner to Vice President of Marketing, Kristin Cronin to Vice President of People, Culture and Communications, Jon Wu to Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis and Brian Preti to Vice President and Controller. "Localytics is growing and helping big brands recognize the power of our mobile data and engagement to deliver better experiences for their customers across all of their marketing channels," said Jude McColgan, CEO of Localytics. "In the last six months, our customers have sent 3X the amount of personalized mobile messages from our platform. This is a great indicator that we are giving enterprises the tools to effectively market to their mobile users with individualized experiences that add value to their daily life. In order to continue this momentum and support our customers, we need the best talent with the most experience and passion. I'm excited to expand our executive team to better serve our customers." These moves round out Localytics new executive team, which has taken shape since Jude McColgan joined the company last Summer. McColgan has also brought on an Independent Board member in former CEO and founding director of Acquia, Tom Erickson, and has made investments to expand the Localytics platform and the company's customer success operations to support its growing list of Fortune 1000 enterprise customers, including Bose, Fidelity, Redbox, Bloomberg, Live Nation, HSN, Hasbro and Avis. Marty Siewert brings more than 20 years of experience and a history of scaling successful sales, marketing and services operations globally. Over the course of his career, Marty has transformed companies at varying stages of growth encompassing the SaaS, digital media, social analytics, ecommerce and Big Data markets. Previously, Marty held Chief Revenue Officer positions at Adjust and Zoove (acquired by Virtual Hold Technology). Prior to that, he held sales leadership roles at Operative (acquired by SintecMedia), Kadient (acquired by Upland Software), ClearForest (acquired by Reuters), and ATG (acquired by Oracle). Marty holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Xavier University. Matt Katz joined Localytics to lead the customer success, professional services, customer support and enablement / training functions at the company. Prior to Localytics, Matt accumulated more than 25 years' experience in building consulting and high tech professional services teams in Cloud Software (IQNavigator, acquired by Beeline), Enterprise Software (Merced Systems, acquired by NICE Systems; and Edify, acquired by Intervoice), FinTech (Teknowledge, acquired by Intuit), and Management Consulting (Symmetrix, acquired by Nextera). Scott Bleczinski, who joined Localytics in 2015, will be leading the strategic development of integrated partnerships and business development. Over the last year, Localytics has dramatically increased the size and scale of engagements via strategic partners. As Chief Alliance Officer, Scott will be focused on continuing to drive this growth. Previously, Scott was the EVP of Global Sales at ExactTarget, EVP Sales at Compendium and President of Zmags. Additionally, he was previously a Board Member at Shoutlet and served as an advisor to Octiv. Lisa Skinner joined Localytics in 2015 to lead demand generation. She brings more than 20 years of experience in B2B marketing and has a solid history of driving revenue and sales growth. Prior to Localytics, Lisa led demand generation at Lavastorm Analytics and the marketing functions at EverTrue and Zmags. She was also responsible for driving growth at enterprise brands such as Liberty Mutual and The Hartford. Kristin Cronin also joined Localytics in 2015 to lead marketing communications. In her new role, she will lead human resources, employee engagement and internal and external communications. Kristin brings more than 15 years of experience driving branding and communications for B2B technology companies. Prior to Localytics, she led Corporate Marketing at Brightcove. Kristin began her career at high tech public relations firm, Lois Paul & Partners. Jon Wu joined Localytics in 2016 to lead financial planning and analysis. He is a highly versatile finance leader with experience supporting company growth and strategic objectives for small and large companies. Prior to Localytics, Jon managed financial planning and analysis for Courion Corporation, National Mentor, Inc. and Starkey Laboratories. Brian Preti joined Localytics in 2016 and brings more than 18 years of financial and operational experience in high-growth software and technology companies. Prior to Localytics, Brian was the CFO at Invoice Cloud and Vice President of Finance at Demandware. He has also held accounting positions at m-Qube (acquired by Verisign), Idiom Technologies and Torrent Systems (acquired by Ascential Software). About Localytics Localytics is the leading mobile engagement platform. We give companies the insights and tools they need to improve their mobile app acquisition, engagement and retention efforts. Our secret sauce is in the data. We use all the data surrounding users to deliver highly targeted and personalized engagement campaigns, including push and in-app messages. We then use performance data to measure and optimize those efforts toward the metrics that drive businesses forward. Our platform is used in more than 37,000 apps on more than 2.7 billion devices by companies such as ESPN, Fox and The New York Times. We are headquartered in Boston, MA with offices in San Francisco, London and Berlin. Investors include Sapphire Ventures, Foundation Capital and Polaris Partners. Learn more at Localytics.com. SOURCE Localytics Related Links http://www.localytics.com The "Medical Champions" program was created by DMG using their electronic medical records (EMR) system to better identify and track children with critical illnesses who would qualify for a wish experience. Ensuring patient privacy, the team contacts the parents of its patients and assists them through the referral process so their child might benefit from a wish experience. With more than 16 staff members on board for the pilot, DMG has referred more than 22 wish kids since June 2017. Before the program, the team had referred 40 kids total over three years. "We believe healthcare is more than administering clinical care; it is helping patients attain the life experiences they wish for by using the resources we have available," said Troy Nelson, MD, DMG Medical Director at CRS. "We are thrilled to partner with Make-A-Wish Arizona and expand the use of our EMR to help young patients start the wish process." This innovative approach to referring new children for wishes has built a stronger relationship with medical professionals for Make-A-Wish Arizona. The chapter is excited to see if the program can be templated for other physician offices, hospitals and clinics. "Medical professionals are an important referral source for our wish kids because they understand the value a wish can have on a patient's medical journey," said Jennifer Fleming, Intake and Medical Outreach Manager. "With this new system in place, DMG medical professionals can reach out to Make-A-Wish when their patients are most in need of the happiness and strength a wish can create." For wish mom Maria Beteta, the wish experience created for her son, Marcos, went above and beyond what she ever considered possible. Marcos, 14, lives with critical idiopathic epilepsy. His wish was to "meet" his favorite Disney characters. "Marcos' wish was a great, unique experience not only for Marcos, but for my entire family," said Beteta. "To see my children so excited, so surprised by many things. My greatest happiness was looking at my son, Marcos, so surprised. His eyes shined with such emotion. He loved all the services that they gave my family. We all did not want the day to end." About Make-A-Wish Arizona Make-A-Wish Arizona is the founding chapter of Make-A-Wish, the world's largest wish granting organization which grants life-changing wishes for kids with critical illnesses. With the help of generous donors, Make-A-Wish Arizona has a goal to grant more than 400 wishes this year. For more information, visit Arizona.Wish.org. About District Medical Group District Medical Group is a not-for-profit entity consisting of more than 650 providers representing all major medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties. DMG providers serve acute care and psychiatric hospitals, diagnostic centers, family health centers, an internationally-recognized burn center, and numerous outreach programs. DMG administers Arizona's Children's Rehabilitative Services (CRS) multi-specialty clinic in collaboration with United Health Care, a first-of-its-kind clinic in the Phoenix area. For more information visit, DMGAZ.org. Media Contacts Make-A-Wish Arizona Hollie Costello Vice President, Public Relations & Marketing O: (602) 343-9474 [email protected] District Medical Group Toni J. Eberhardt President, Prescriptive Communications C: (602) 418-7767 [email protected] SOURCE District Medical Group Related Links https://www.dmgaz.org VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Marifil Mines Limited (TSXV: MFM) ("Marifil" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the engagement of Pedro Vera as the Company's Exploration Manager in Argentina. Mr. Vera is an Argentinean citizen and a mineral exploration geologist with more than 30 years' experience working with global public mining and exploration companies. He is well known in the mining and exploration community, having worked across Argentina, often advising provincial governments on geological issues. Mr. Vera's background includes four years as an in-charge of Barrick's Patagonia exploration team, where he led evaluations of diverse projects ranging from grass roots exploration programs to advanced-stage. Mr. Vera also led Barrick's exploration team involved with evaluation of third-party gold properties in the Pascua-Lama and Veladero region of the Andes Mountains and has held positions with Iamgold, AngloGold, Gold Fields, M.I.M., Minamerica and Triton Mining. "The Company is very excited to welcome Mr. Vera and the array of managerial and technical skills he brings to all of our mineral exploration projects," said Robert Abenante, the Company's President and CEO. "Mr. Vera brings invaluable experience and tremendous skill to our exploration team, which will be especially relevant as we focus on building our portfolio of Lithium properties," added Mr. Abenante. Mr. Vera has previously ran lithium brine exploration programs in the Puna region of Argentina, Mr. Vera was also involved in the management of two prior drilling campaigns at the Company's San Roque property - an advanced exploration stage exploration stage project investigating a large deposit of gold-silver-lead-zinc and indium in Patagonia. Shares for Debt Further to the Company's press release dated March 28, 2018, the Company also announces receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval to issue 215,000 common shares to settle debt of $25,800. This debt has now been settled. ON BEHALF OF MARIFIL MINES LIMITED "Rob Abenante" Robert Abenante, President & CEO For further information regarding Marifil Mines Limited, please refer to the Company's filings available on SEDAR (http://www.sedar.com) or at Marifil's Website (http://www.marifilmines.com). General Disclaimer Marifil Mines Limited "Marifil" has taken all reasonable care in producing and publishing information contained in this news release, and will endeavor to do so on a periodic basis. Material in this news release may still contain technical or other inaccuracies, omissions, or typographical errors, for which Marifil assumes no responsibility. Marifil does not warrant or make any representations regarding the use, validity, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any claims, statements or information on this site. Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall Marifil be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or other damages, including but not limited to, loss of programs, loss of data, loss of use of computer of other systems, or loss of profits, whether or not advised of the possibility of damage, arising from your use, or inability to use, the material from this news release. The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice before making any investment decisions. Furthermore, you may not modify or reproduce in any form, electronic or otherwise, any information on this site, except for personal use unless you have obtained our express written permission. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements, including but not limited to comments regarding predictions and projections,. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. 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. Contact Information: Phone: 604.424.8889 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.marifilmines.com SOURCE Marifil Mines Limited SAN FRANCISCO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Customer experience solutions and software company McorpCX, Inc. (TSXV: MCX,OTCQB: MCCX) ("McorpCX" or the "Company") today reported its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. "We are pleased that our clients see the value in our services, as our results for this quarter demonstrated our ability to add new projects for existing clients while adding new clients, allowing us to double year-over-year quarterly revenue. And while focused on increasing services revenue, we are keeping a focus on expense management as well." said Michael Hinshaw, McorpCX President and CEO. First Quarter 2018 Corporate Highlights: Revenue increased by 106% from $297,291 in the first quarter of 2017 to $613,854 in the first quarter of 2018. in the first quarter of 2017 to in the first quarter of 2018. Gross profit increased by 101% to $316,439 in the first quarter of 2018 from $157,518 in the first quarter of 2017. in the first quarter of 2018 from in the first quarter of 2017. The Company had a cash balance of $1,490,050 at March 31, 2018 compared to a cash balance of $1,616,076 at December 31, 2017 . Gregg Budoi, the Company's Chief Financial Officer, stated: "While our investments in sales and marketing have helped improve consulting services performance, we are assessing ways to improve our existing products and services offerings, as well as exploring the potential of new technology platforms which may drive longer term, and deeper engagements with, our clients." For a complete discussion of the Company's financial condition and operating results, please see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and our audited and unaudited financial statements and the accompanying notes in our Form 10-Q for the three months ending March 31, 2018 and our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR and with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR. About McorpCX McorpCX (http://mcorp.cx) is a customer experience services company targeting the Global Customer Experience Management (CEM) market estimated by marketsandmarkets to grow from USD 5.06 Billion in 2016 to USD 13.18 Billion by 2021. Customers range from Fortune 100 brands to fast-moving mid-market leaders and other customer-centric companies. McorpCX is focused on pursuing value-enhancing growth opportunities for its shareholders. For more information, please contact: General Information: 1-866-526-2655 toll free in the U.S., or +1-415-526-2655 Investors: [email protected] Website: http://mcorp.cx Twitter: @McorpCX (https://twitter.com/mcorpcx) Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States securities laws and applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements are, in effect, management's attempt to predict future events, and thus are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management's views only as of the date hereof. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, regarding our financial position, business strategy and management's plans and objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," and "intend" and words or phrases of similar meaning, as they relate to the Company and its management are intended to help identify forward-looking statements. Although we believe that management's expectations as reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure readers that those expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements include statements relating to the Company's business and operations as well as the anticipated growth Global Customer Experience Management (CEM) market. Such statements involve assumptions relating to the Company's business, the ability of the Company to execute on its business plan, the competitive environment of the Company's products and services and the future development and pricing of the Company's products and services. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by these statements. Such factors include the following: general economic and business conditions, changes in demand for the Company's products and services, changes in the competitive environment and the introduction of competing software solutions by competitors, the Company's ability to complete any future required financing and the Company's dependence upon and availability of qualified personnel. In light of these and other uncertainties, the forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be regarded as a representation by the Company that its plans and objectives will be achieved. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the statements. 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. SOURCE McorpCX, Inc. Related Links www.mcorp.cx SAN DIEGO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA), the first publicly traded cannabis company in the United States, today announced its subsidiary HempMeds has partnered with Northshore Pharmacy to sell its Real Scientific Hemp Oil (RSHO) CBD oil as a non-prescription product in Bermuda. "Our international expansion isn't over until we're able to sell our cannabidiol (CBD) products in every country around the world," said Medical Marijuana, Inc. CEO Dr. Stuart Titus. "We feel very fortunate to partner with this prestigious pharmacy to help expand CBD access throughout Bermuda." Northshore Pharmacy is owned by the husband and wife team of Jonathan and Jennie Lightbourne. The pharmacy is situated within the Northshore Medical & Aesthetics Center, which was created to help the people of Bermuda improve their physical, visual, mental and sexual health with top health service offerings and physicians. "Our pharmacy is pleased to offer HempMeds' CBD hemp oil products to our customers," said Northshore Pharmacy Co-Owner and Managing Pharmacist, Jennie Lightbourne. "We've received a tremendous amount of positive feedback on these products and look forward to offering even more in the future." HempMeds was the first company to ever bring hemp-based CBD oil products to market in the U.S. in 2012 -- and the first to both make CBD products available in bulk for U.S. consumers and provide high-quality CBD oil to customers around the world. HempMeds was also the first-ever company to receive historic federal government import approvals for its CBD products in the nations of Brazil, Mexico and Paraguay. Prior to RSHO products becoming registered as official medicines in Paraguay in January 2018, in May of 2016 RSHO became the first medical cannabis product approved and imported for use in Paraguay for compassionate use with a prescription and government permission. This event marked the third time that RSHO was the first cannabis product approved in a Latin American country, following the lead of Brazil and Mexico. About Medical Marijuana, Inc. We are a company of firsts. Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally-friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value. For details on Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s portfolio and investment companies, visit www.medicalmarijuanainc.com. To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s corporate video, click here. Shareholders and consumers are also encouraged to buy CBD oil and other products at Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s shop. FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER 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 and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Medical Marijuana, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DISCLOSURE These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. LEGAL DISCLOSURE Medical Marijuana, Inc. does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act (US.CSA). These companies do grow, sell, and distribute hemp-based products and are involved with the federally legal distribution of medical marijuana-based products within certain international markets. Cannabidiol is a natural constituent of hemp oil. CONTACT: Public Relations Contact: Andrew Hard Chief Executive Officer CMW Media P. 888-829- 0070 [email protected] www.cmwmedia.com SOURCE Medical Marijuana, Inc. Related Links http://www.medicalmarijuanainc.com "With Rossville Union we deliver two unique, perfectly-balanced rye whiskeys that shows our distilling and blending expertise and character at its boldest," says Andrew Mansinne, Vice President of Brands, MGP Ingredients. "Rossville Union is crafted in the heart of rye whiskey country, in one of the most storied distilleries in the nation that has been in continuous production for almost two centuries." Rossville Union is available in two expressions: Rossville Union Master Crafted Straight Rye Whiskey and Rossville Union Master Crafted Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey. In keeping with the historic legacy of the brand, the bottle design is a flask shape molded in an apothecary style with the Rossville Union name and "1847" distillery-of-origin date embossed into the glass. Both products are expertly blended from the extensive barrel reserves at MGP Ingredients, a distinction which is cited on the label with the number of "barrels used" in each release, notably 159 for Master Crafted and 83 barrels for Barrel Proof. Rossville Union Master Crafted Straight Rye Whiskey offers a balance of sweet oak with rye spice. Aged at least four years, this crafted rye delivers a sweet caramel nose, a fruit forward palate and a smoky, spicy body that finishes clean. At 94 proof, Rossville Union Master Crafted is perfect on the rocks or in cocktails. The singular craftsmanship of the Masters of Rye takes centerstage with Rossville Union Master Crafted Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey. Drawn from 83 of the distillery's finest barrel reserves, Barrel Proof over-delivers with a spicy, vanilla nose, wood and caramel notes, and an exceptionally balanced oak and spice finish. Boldly bottled at 112.6 proof, Rossville Union Barrel Proof is a full, but balanced cask-strength rye whiskey experience, crafted to enjoy neat, on the rocks or with a splash of water. Rossville Union Master Crafted Straight Rye Whiskey retails for $39.99 per 750-ml bottle. Rossville Union Master Crafted Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey is available for $69.99 per 750-ml bottle. Both products will launch in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin as of June 2018. Learn more: rossvilleunion.com, @rossvilleunion (Twitter), /rossvilleunion (Facebook and Instagram) Rossville Distillery, Lawrenceburg, IN. Sip Masterfully, But Responsibly. SOURCE MGP Ingredients NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new collaboration between The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) and Verily Life Sciences LLC, an Alphabet company, will outfit more than 800 participants in the MJFF-led longitudinal Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative with the Verily Study Watch, Verily's multi-sensor investigational wearable device, to passively collect data on movement and physiologic and environmental measures continuously. The goal is to use wearable devices in conjunction with clinic-based data and biospecimen collection to home in on disease markers with the greatest potential to open promising avenues for further scientific inquiry. The study, which will be carried out over two years, builds on PPMI infrastructure and grows the value of PPMI's unparalleled clinical, imaging, and biological dataset the most robust and furthest along in Parkinson's research. Launched in 2010, PPMI aims to deepen understanding of Parkinson's and validate objective measures of the disease and today is carried out at 33 clinical sites around the world (21 in the United States) with support from 22 industry partners. Participants are followed for at least five and up to 13 years and include volunteers with Parkinson's disease or at-risk for Parkinson's as well as control volunteers. Verily and PPMI will make raw and curated data available to the worldwide research community to drive independent studies and speed knowledge turns in Parkinson's therapeutic development. PPMI data, available in real time since the study's launch, has been downloaded more than 1.7 million times to date, alongside biospecimens collected from study participants using a rigorously standardized protocol. "From the start, PPMI has made precious biological samples and rich clinical data from its large and diverse cohort available to qualified researchers around the world in response to the urgent need for improved methods to accelerate testing of novel treatments for Parkinson's disease," says MJFF CEO Todd Sherer, PhD. "Expanding this resource through data science and wearable computing holds potential to deepen understanding of Parkinson's disease and gain meaningful insights that can inform care and therapeutic development decisions. This is why PPMI was built, and will help fulfill its tremendous promise for people with PD." Using Parkinson's as a "Model System" to Measure Health For nearly two decades, researchers have been refining advanced genomics and proteomics techniques to create increasingly sophisticated cellular profiles of Parkinson's disease pathology. Advances in data collection and analysis now provide the opportunity to expand the value of this wealth of molecular data by correlating it with objective clinical characterization of the disease, attaining a critical mass to detect patterns and make new discoveries. "Verily's broadest goal as a company is to build tools to make data useful for obtaining deeper and more relevant insights to improve health whether through earlier diagnosis, accelerated therapy development, or more effective disease management," says William Marks, MD, MS, Head of Clinical Neurology at Verily. "These results are urgently needed across many neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease. By capturing a wealth of data through studies such as PPMI and by deploying technology such as our Study Watch, we aim to build frameworks of multi-dimensional data of value to researchers, clinicians, and data scientists." Building on Established Relationship In addition to this study, MJFF and Verily are partners in the Accelerating Medicines Partnership Parkinson's disease (AMP PD) program, a public-private collaboration between the National Institutes of Health (NIH), MJFF, and five life sciences companies and managed by the Foundation for the NIH. AMP PD is applying state-of-the-art cellular profiling technologies to samples collected through PPMI and other large-scale studies to define the molecular fingerprint of Parkinson's disease. Data and analysis generated through that initiative will be available through the AMP PD Knowledge Portal, created by Verily. AMP PD and the PPMI wearables project are complementary initiatives generating data on both the molecular fingerprint and the clinical footprint of the disease. Verily and MJFF also have collaborated on promotion of the company's Liftware, a selection of adaptive products designed as aids to people with hand tremor or limited mobility. Harnessing Technology to Speed Outcomes Patients Need As part of its mission to advance Parkinson's understanding and drug development by supporting innovative research approaches and uniting nontraditional partners, The Michael J. Fox Foundation engages with various health technology groups to develop emerging tech tools for the purposes of scientific discovery. Genetic testing company 23andMe has partnered with the MJFF-sponsored online study Fox Insight to complement patient-reported data with genetic data. MJFF-funded scientists recently published on deep learning methods for cellular profiling from a partnership with Google, and Intel Corporation collaborated on the Foundation's first foray into wearable device data capture and analysis in 2014. In addition, MJFF is convening stakeholders to address field-wide challenges in the adoption and integration of wearable devices in studies. An industry working group is developing strategies to overcome challenges in this area such as keeping up with the pace of technological advancement and liaising with regulators on integration of these tools in treatment trials. The Michael J. Fox Foundation and PPMI are pursuing an additional partnership to capture data with digital health tools in some European PPMI sites. About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research As the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $800 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. For more information, visit www.michaeljfox.org. SOURCE The Michael J. Fox Foundation Related Links www.michaeljfox.org There are many theories swirling around the swoop on the Usafi market mosque on the night of April 27 by police and the army. A day after the raid, the minister of Internal Affairs, Gen Jeje Odongo, police spokesman Emilian Kayima and his army counterpart, Brig Richard Karemire addressed the press. They said the attack followed intelligence that one of the key suspects in the Susan Magara murder that shocked the nation in February had sought sanctuary in the mosque. Police keeping guard near the raided Usafi mosque The three officials said the attack revealed a lot of heinous crimes being committed in the mosque, including the holding of more than 100 people, including children and women hostage. Over the last two weeks, The Observer has talked to numerous people about this mosque and their story is similar. To them, government knew about this mosque, the extremists running it, its radicalised membership and whatever indescribable mischief has been happen- ing there. Even security forces do not deny that they have been aware of the criminal goings-on, although, according to them, there was no actionable intelligence. ABOUT USAFI MOSQUE The land on which the mosque sits near Usafi market, belonged to the late Ibrahim Kimera who in the 1990s had been given amnesty after denouncing rebellion and severing ties with the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terror outfit led by the now-jailed Jamil Mukulu. Speaking to The Observer, one of the earlier members of the mosque (who became one of the preachers there), said it was first used as a prayer area after Kimera disagreed with colleagues at the main Tabliq sect mosque at Nakasero. We wanted to put all the prophets Sunna [ways of the prophet Muhammad PBUH] in practice and that was not possible at Nakasero, the former leader said. There was no incident until Abdul- Rahman Faisal became the leader. The former leader said Faisal slowly planned to eject Kimera. The management of the mosque first proposed to buy out Kimera for Shs 400 million but this plan died out. With the help of powerful people in government they pushed out Kimera and Faisal took full control of the mosque, the preacher said. Interestingly, Kimera died after a long illness on the same day the mosque was raided. After consolidating his grip on the leadership, Faisal sought to establish total control over his followers. Some of them told The Observer that Faisal required that all his students are registered. He said he needed to know all of us and that it was important for us to swear an oath of allegiance to him as our supreme leader, Mahmoud Ssebugwawo, a former student, said. His followers believed in him so much that he would instruct them to sell their homes and opt to stay at the mosque. It was him and him alone; he said he was reawakening the sunna but his actions were at cross-purposes with the sunna. We started getting suspicious of his methods, the preacher man said. Many of those people arrested there, they went there willingly contrary to what police is saying that they have been held against their will. YOURE NOT MUSLIMS Perhaps this explains why the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council under Mufti Shaban Mubajje, the Kibuli-based leadership of the Supreme Mufti, Sheik Siliman Kasule Ndirangwa and the Nakasero-based Jammuiyyat Daawa Assalaffiya and other Muslim groupings have not condemned the attack. To the Usafi group who refer to themselves as the Al Khawaaliji, all other Muslims in Uganda are kafir (non- believers). Faisal would say anybody who has not killed a non-Muslim is not yet a believer. He would refer to all sheikhs in Uganda except Quraish Mazinga as pastors, Salimdin Ayiko, another former student of Faisal, said. To show that they believed that anyone who was not a member of their mosque was a non-Muslim, they would not buy meat anywhere in Kampala. Every week they slaughtered their own animals. They also never responded to the Islamic greeting of salaam unless greeted by a fellow Al Khawaaliji. No mosque in Uganda can preach what they have been preaching for all this time and it remains open. I have no doubt in my mind that Abdul-Rahman Faisal has been working with the state. They know him properly; he has been on their mission, one of the most senior sheikhs at Nakasero said. People have complained about his preaching; they have filed cases at different police stations but nothing has been done. One time police made some arrests at the mosque but Gen Kale Kayihura (former police chief ) ordered for their release before they could even spend a day in detention. This is not the overzealous Kayihura we knew who would arrest people on unsubstantiated allegations, the sheikh added. Ssebugwawo adds that Faisal freely said on loud speakers that their leader was Jamil Mukulu, now the jailed leader of the rebel ADF. His teachings were that there was no way a true Muslim would practice Islam in Uganda whose leaders are anti- Islam. He would tell us that we were here briefly; that our ultimate place to be was the Daula Islamiyya [Islamic state] which our amir had created for us in the Democratic Republic of Congo called Al-Madina, our first source said. ORDER ARRESTS One of the people The Observer talked to for this story was Ismail Katende [not real name], a student at Makerere University, whose two friends were lured into joining the Daula Islamiyya in DRC. They were among a dozen others arrested at the Uganda-DRC border. Every small detail of how they joined, where they joined and how much money they had paid as commitment fees to the struggle was laid bare in their trial. This showed that someone; maybe their recruiter, was working for government, Katende says. Katende says he narrowly survived being part of the group. His antennae were raised when his would-be recruiters asked him to provide two passport- size photographs. I wondered what they needed my photographs for. I was ready to join and I had availed myself. Why then would they require me to take photos? This made me suspect foul play; thats why I stepped back to reflect... They never came back to try to convince me, Katende says. SECURITY VIEWPOINT Speaking at Uganda Media Centre on Monday, police deputy spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, denied that security agencies are using Faisal for counterterrorism; to lure radical young Muslims into joining rebel activities and then arrest them. How do we work hand in hand with criminals; that cant happen. Those are just allegations that cant be proved. We dont work with criminals, no, no no, Onyango said. Asked about allegations that groups such as this were the creation of Kayihura, and that the current Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola is on a mission to crack the whip, Onyango feigned ignorance. Our main duty is to dismantle criminal gangs; thats why I put on this uniform. If the current IGP is doing that, then we are very happy, Onyango said. On why it took them years to take action despite reports by different people on the nature of activities at the mosque, Onyango said people must realise that police needed to have enough information before acting. Normally our operations are intelligence-led. In this case, we didnt have enough intelligence to raid it. This is a religious institution we cannot just raid without justifiable reasons, Onyango said. On the whereabouts of Abdul-Rahman Faisal, Lt Col Deo Akiiki, the deputy army spokesman, could neither deny nor confirm that they had him. He also denied that two soldiers were found at the mosque on the night of the raid. The police said it has 154 people in custody with investigations still ongoing. Onyango said those found to be having a prima-facie case will be charged in court before the end of this week. Meanwhile, Akiiki observed that when they discover that a case involves terrorism, all constitutional commands of presenting someone in court within 48 hours are suspended. There is, however, no legal instrument which provides for this abrogation. bakerbatte@observer.ug WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Chronic wounds, such as foot ulcers, have a higher mortality rate than both breast cancer and prostate cancer[1]. Despite US alone spending USD 25 billion[2]annually related to chronic wounds, the real burden in terms of patient suffering and economic cost of ulcers is not recognised. Molnlycke today presents its agenda for tackling this unrecognised societal problem. Richard Twomey, CEO of Molnlycke, comments: "The unnecessary patient suffering and mortality as well as the economic burden on society because of pressure ulcers and other chronic and acute wounds are unacceptable. The first step of remedy starts with recognition; policy makers, regulators and our industry must work closer together, collaborating in raising awareness around the magnitude of the problem and the solutions at hand. The second step is that we as an industry must act responsibly to gain credibility and trust. The market practices that allow extrapolation of evidence from one specific product to another similar type of product, even though the latter is not equivalent in material construction and design to the former, can put patients at risk. It's time for tougher demands on clinical evidence and stricter rules on how to use different scientific studies on specific products." Ulcer complications are a mounting issue for the health care systems. Individuals with diabetes, one of the fastest growing health threats of our time, have a 25 percent lifetime risk of developing a foot ulcer[i]. These wounds can go from uninfected to life-threatening within a week[3]. Richard Twomey continues: "The clinical effectiveness of all drugs, including insulin, have to be thoroughly tested before they are licensed and available for patients, whereas dressings are not subject to the same level of testing. Where the active component in a drug is made of a specific chemical composition, with a formula that is exclusive and chemically defined for achieving a certain clinical effect, medical devices may use diverse design principles and variations and still claim the same effect.This system is not sustainable and can put patients at risk." According to a new paper[ii]published in Wounds International by Amit Gefen, Nick Santamaria, Sue Creehan and Joyce Black, extrapolation of bioengineering and clinical evidence obtained from one prophylactic dressing to other dressings manufactured by different manufacturers can compromise patient safety. Professor Amit Gefen comments: "Compared with the rigorous and thorough processes in place within the pharmaceutical industry for extrapolation of clinical evidence of efficacy from one product to another, parts of the medical devices industry is operating in a grey zone. These differences in regulation very likely originate from the simple fact that there is only one possible way of producing a drug based on its chemical formula, but probably infinite ways for engineering design of a device. As a result, in the medical device industry, it is far more difficult to determine whether similar products, or products that make the same claims of a clinical effect, or lookalike products, are actually equivalent in effectiveness. This places undue responsibility on clinicians when interpreting marketing materials." The authors recommend that in light of current regulations and limitations within the wound care industry, clinicians should be guided by high quality clinical evidence relating to the specific dressing in question when choosing a prophylactic dressing for pressure ulcer prevention. About the authors Amit Gefen is Professor of Biomedical Engineering and the Herbert J. Berman Chair in Vascular Bioengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Nick Santamaria is Professor of Nursing Research, University of Melbourne, Australia; Sue Creehan is Wound Care Team Program Manager, VCU Health System, Richmond, Virginia, USA. Joyce Black is Professor of Nursing, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA. The full paper can be found here. [1]Armstrong et al, "Are diabetes-related wounds and amputations worse than cancer?", Int Wound J. 2007 Dec;4(4):286-7. [2]Gefen et al, "Extrapolation of evidence-related to dressings for pressure ulcer prevention may compromise patient safety", Wounds International 2018, Vol 9 Issue 2 [3]http://www.diabetesadvice.co.uk/care-and-medication/small-wounds-can-cause-death-in-diabetes-patients For more information, please contact: Jenny Johansson, Global Communications Manager [email protected]m Phone: +46-(0)-739-41-29-23 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/molnlycke/r/molnlycke-calls-for-stricter-regulation-of-wound-care-products-and-solutions,c2517637 The following files are available for download: SOURCE Molnlycke NEW YORK, May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new kind of MRI component in the shape of a glove delivers the first clear images of bones, tendons and ligaments moving together, a new study finds. Led by NYU School of Medicine and just published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the study shows how a new MRI element design woven into garment-like detectors can capture high-quality images of moving joints for the first time. The study authors say their MRI glove prototype promises to become useful in the future diagnosis of repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome in office workers, athletes, and musicians. Because the invention shows how different tissue types impinge on each other as they move, the authors say it could also enable the construction of a more versatile atlas of hand anatomy, guide surgery with hand images in more realistic positions, or aid in the design of better prosthetics. "Our results represent the first demonstration of an MRI technology that is both flexible and sensitive enough to capture the complexity of soft-tissue mechanics in the hand," says lead author Bei Zhang, PhD, research scientist at the Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), within the Department of Radiology at NYU Langone Health. Since its emergence in the 1970s, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has given physicians a better look inside tissues, helping to diagnose millions of maladies per year, from brain tumors to internal bleeding to torn ligaments. Despite this impact, the technology has long struggled with a basic limitation. MRI works by immersing tissues in a magnetic field such that any hydrogen atoms present align to create an average magnetic force in one direction in each tissue slice. These "little magnets" can then be tipped out of equilibrium by waves of electromagnetic force (radio waves). Once tipped, they spin like tops and also emit radio signals, which reveal their positions and can be rebuilt into images. Also fundamental to MRI is the ability of radiofrequency coils to convert radio waves into a detectable electric current. Unfortunately, this means that the captured ("spinning top") radio waves produce little currents inside receiver coils, which in turn create their own magnetic fields and prevent nearby coils from capturing clean signals. Over the last 30 years, attempts to manage interactions between neighboring coils have resulted in state-of-the-art MRI scanners in which receiver coils are painstakingly arranged to cancel out magnetic fields in neighboring coils. Once the best arrangement is set, coils can no longer move relative to one another, constraining the ability of MRI to image complex, moving joints. Solving the Problem As all current MRI scanners measure signals that create currents in receiver coils (detectors), such coils have always been designed as "low impedance" structures that let the current flow easily. The leap made by the study authors was to design a "high impedance" structure that blocks current, and then measures how hard the force in magnetic waves "pushes" (the voltage) as it attempts to establish a current in the coil. With no electric current created by the MR signal, the new receiver coils no longer create magnetic fields that interfere with neighboring receivers, thus removing the need for rigid structures. The researchers found that their system, with the new coils stitched into a cotton glove, generated "exquisite" images of freely moving muscles, tendons and ligaments in a hand as it played piano and grabbed objects. The MRI signal is produced by hydrogen atoms (protons), and so this technology excels at imaging soft tissue structures rich in water, each molecule of which includes two atoms of hydrogen. For this reason, MRI is great at imaging muscles, nerves, and even cartilage, which are difficult to study using other non-invasive methods. Tendons and ligaments, however, which are made of dense proteins instead of fluid, remain difficult to see independently, because both appear as black bands running alongside bone. The new study found that, in visualizing fingers as they flexed, the new coils revealed how the black bands moved in concert with the bones, which could help to catalogue differences that come with injury. "We wanted to try our new elements in an application that could never be done with traditional coils, and settled on an attempt to capture images with a glove," says senior author Martijn Cloos, PhD, assistant professor from the CAI2R institute in the Department of Radiology at NYU Langone Health. "We hope that this result ushers in a new era of MRI design, perhaps including flexible sleeve arrays around injured knees, or comfy beanies to study the developing brains of newborns." Also leading the study was Daniel Sodickson, MD, PhD, vice chair for research in the Department of Radiology, director of the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, and principal investigator for CAI2R. The Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research is funded by National Biomedical Technology Resource Center grant NIH P41 EB017183 through the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. CONTACT: Gregory Williams, 212-404-3533, [email protected] SOURCE NYU Langone Health SAINT CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Murray Energy Corporation ("Murray Energy") announced that it will host an investor conference call to discuss first quarter 2018 financial and operating results on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, at 1:30 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time. Access to the investor conference call will be limited to holders of: the Secured Term Loan Facilities due 2020 (collectively "Senior Secured Term Loans"), dated April 16, 2015, as amended; the 11.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2021 ("Senior Secured Notes"), dated April 16, 2015; the Revolving Credit Facility ("Revolving Credit Facility"), dated December 5, 2013, as amended; and certain broker-dealers and securities analysts. Murray Energy has posted specific instructions on how to access the investor conference call on the Murray Energy secure investor website, which can be accessed by certified users via the "Investors" page of our public website at www.murrayenergycorp.com. If you are a holder of the Senior Secured Term Loans, Senior Secured Notes, Revolving Credit Facility, or a qualified broker-dealer or securities analyst, who would like to access the secured investor website, but have not yet been certified by Murray Energy, please see the "Investors" page of www.murrayenergycorp.com for information on how to become certified. SOURCE Murray Energy Corporation Related Links http://www.murrayenergycorp.com CHICAGO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI) honored 40 Chicago-area schools for their outstanding achievement in improving science education. The schools were recognized at an event on May 8. The schools all participate in MSI's Science Leadership Initiative, a three-year program that brings teachers and administrators together to improve science instruction throughout the entire school. It is the only program of its kind in Chicago and one of the only in the country that focuses on comprehensive change at all grade levels. "Education can change lives, and quality science learning can open up a world of opportunities for our children," said Andrea Ingram, MSI's vice president of education and guest services. "We are thankful to these teachers, principals and schools for transforming the science education environment for their students." The Science Leadership Initiative is part of the Museum's Welcome to Science Initiative, a suite of nationally recognized programs designed to improve teaching, engage students and showcase diversity in science. The Science Leadership Initiative identifies the components of an effective science education, supports schools on a path to improvement, promotes a culture of shared leadership in a school, and recognizes schools as models of success. Participating schools teach 30,000 students and include Chicago Public Schools as well as parochial and suburban public schools. Twelve schools are in their third and final year of the program and received special recognition: Chalmers School of Excellence, Chicago of Excellence, Chicago Academy Elementary School, Chicago Fairview South Elementary School, Skokie Goethe Elementary School, Chicago Hibbard School , Chicago , Lorca Elementary School, Chicago Peck Elementary School, Chicago St. Bede the Venerable School, Chicago St. Bruno School , Chicago , Sawyer Elementary School, Chicago Sundling Junior High School, Palatine Tarkington School of Excellence, Chicago "Science at Goethe has changed pretty phenomenally in the last three years, and it all started with our partnership with MSI," said Barbara Kargas, principal of Goethe Elementary School. "Every opportunity that we have to expand opportunities at our schools for our kids continues to move things forward." Learn more at msichicago.org/scienceleadership The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI), one of the largest science museums in the world, offers world-class and uniquely interactive experiences that inspire inventive genius and foster curiosity. From groundbreaking and award-winning exhibits that can't be found anywhere else, to hands-on opportunities that make you the scientista visit to MSI is where fun and learning mix. Through its Welcome to Science Initiative, the Museum offers a variety of student, teacher and family programs that make a difference in communities and contribute to MSI's larger vision: to inspire and motivate children to achieve their full potential in science, technology, medicine and engineering. Come visit and find your inspiration! MSI is open 9:304 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Extended hours, until 5:30 p.m., are offered during peak periods. The Museum is grateful for the support of its donors and guests, who make its work possible. MSI is also supported in part by the people of Chicago through the Chicago Park District. For more information, visit msichicago.org or call (773) 684-1414. Contact: Julie Parente, [email protected], (773) 753-6249 SOURCE The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago Related Links http://www.msichicago.org MyComputerCareer is helping to redesign what post-secondary success looks like. This college, while offering a less 'traditional' educational pathway, is helping hundreds of students pass industry specific I.T. certifications and obtain employment in Information Technology with their graduation, placement and certification pass rate standards. Just like other colleges, MyComputerCareer is accredited by an independent auditing body recognized by the US Department of Education. Specifically, we answer to the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). They evaluate the programs and practices regularly against high performance standards that must be met to retain their approval. MyComputerCareer is required to maintain a minimum 67% graduation rate and then successfully have 70% of their graduates placed in I.T. career positions. However, it's not uncommon for MyComputerCareer to exceed these standards and student outcomes are taken very seriously. Many traditional colleges and universities are not held to these standards or forced to report their student outcomes to uphold accreditation. The students can be anyone. You don't need any previous I.T. experience. You may or may not be successful in another career. You can be right out of high-school or an experienced adult. You can have a full-time job or be unemployed. Many students have families and need to keep working while attending school. They also need flexible scheduling that allows them time to do just that. Billy S. from the Dallas Campus says "Before attending classes at MyComputerCareer, I was an Operating Manager. I am a U.S. Air Force Veteran and I have held mostly management and supervisory roles. I visited two other schools before MyComputerCareer, but MyCC impressed me the most. You could see that everyone truly cared. They all had smiles on their faces and made me feel at home. I never thought I was smart enough to work in I.T. but MyComputerCareer helped me attain my goals. I am 3 months into the program and I have had several phones calls for interviews. I have had to walk out of class 5 times today to answer calls from employers and setting up interviews." Graduates of these programs are eligible for Lifetime Career Services from the school. These services include career placement assistance, exclusive on-campus hiring events, resume writing services and interview preparation. The school also gives its students and graduates access to a large network of employer partners. Anyone interested in learning more about MyComputerCareer should visit www.mycomputercareer.edu or speak to a Career Advisor by calling 866-606-6922. About MyComputerCareer.edu MyComputerCareer provides technical training, certification preparation and job placement support for learners looking to enter the Information Technology industry. MyComputerCareer is a technical school with courses taught online and at its seven campuses in Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina and Texas. Students who complete MyComputerCareer's Information Technology programs may earn valuable I.T. certifications in areas ranging from Operating Systems to Computer Networks and Cyber Security. In addition, active military and military veterans can utilize their GI Bill benefits. GI Bill is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill. For more information or media assistance, please contact: Jenny Nichols MyComputerCareer 919-926-1729 [email protected] SOURCE MyComputerCareer Related Links http://www.mycomputercareer.edu VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MYM Nutraceuticals Inc., (CSE: MYM) (CSE: MYM.CN) (OTC: MYMMF) (the "Company" or "MYM") is pleased to provide the following update regarding the Sublime Culture Inc. ACMPR production facility located in Laval, Quebec. The Sublime Culture Inc. Laval facility has been completed as per ACMPR standards and guidelines. Sublime Culture submitted the Confirmation of Readiness for a License to Health Canada on December 15, 2017. Since this time, Sublime has worked closely with Health Canada to ensure that all further inquiries into the project have been satisfied. The Sublime Culture ACMPR license application is currently in the queue awaiting final review from Health Canada. "The Company is satisfied that Sublime Culture Inc. has provided Health Canada with all the necessary information in order for them to move ahead with the license application," said Rob Gietl, CEO of MYM. "The completed Laval facility is currently 10,000 square feet. Phase two of the project will see the growing capacity increased to 37,000 square feet by the end of 2018. We have been advised by Health Canada that our application is in the final review stage. We are looking forward to beginning production at the facility and building value for our shareholders, the City of Laval, and Province of Quebec." MYM has retained the services of Cannabis Compliance Inc. to consult the Company on regulatory compliance and due diligence for all its ACMPR projects in Canada. About Cannabis Compliance Inc. Cannabis Compliance Inc. (CCI) offers risk mitigation, due diligence and regulatory compliance for commercial cannabis producers and resellers around the world. They focus on the Global market and provide their clients with trusted and comprehensive solutions. CCI has extensive expertise in regulatory compliance, cultivation/horticulture, security designs/tender, facility designs/build-outs, quality assurance, training programs, auditing, Good Production Practices (GPP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP), Import & Export, staff recruitment and financial planning. CCI exists to empower the future leaders in the global cannabis industry. About MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. is an innovative company focused on acquiring Health Canada licenses to produce and sell high-end organic medicinal cannabis supplements and topical products. MYM has two production projects in Quebec that when completed will have over 1.5 million sf of production space. MYM is also a partner in a 1.2 million sf production project (Northern Rivers Project) in New South Wales, Australia. Australia is an exciting new market that has recently legalized medicinal cannabis. To ensure a strong presence and growth potential within the industry, MYM is actively looking to acquire complementary businesses and assets in the technology, nutraceuticals and CBD sectors. MYM shares trade in Canada, Germany and the USA under the following symbols: (CSE: MYM) (OTC: MYMMF) (FRA: 0MY) (DEU: 0MY) (MUN: 0MY) (STU: 0MY). ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Rob Gietl, CEO MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. www.mymarijuana.ca Keep up to date with MYM on our social media channels: Twitter: @MYM_Nutra Facebook: @mymcanada Instagram: @MYM_Nutra This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedar.com. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE or CNSX Markets), nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the CSE), accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the "United States", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. Investor Relations Terry Brown +1-855-696-2261 [email protected] SOURCE MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA has awarded five-year grants, each approximately $8 million, to three research teams that will study the origins, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe. "With NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite on its way to discover new worlds around our nearest stellar neighbors, Cassini's discovery of the ingredients necessary for life in Enceladus's plumes, and with Europa Clipper and Mars 2020 on the horizon, these research teams will provide the critical interdisciplinary expertise needed to help interpret data from these missions and future astrobiology-focused missions," said NASA Chief Scientist Jim Green. The interdisciplinary teams will become members of the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI), headquartered at the agency's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. The selected teams are: Evolution of Nanomachines in Geospheres and Microbial Ancestors (ENIGMA) Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Jersey Led by Professor Paul Falkowski, the ENIGMA team will investigate how proteins evolved to become the catalysts of life on Earth by looking at prebiotic molecules and enzymes that are ancestral and common across many types of microbes. The Astrobiology Center for Isotopologue Research (ACIR) Pennsylvania State University, University Park ACIR, led by Professor Kate Freeman, will address how the features of elements within molecules reveal the origins and history of organic compounds, from compounds that arrived from planetary environments to those that were derived from metabolic systems, using cutting-edge observational and computational tools. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Pasadena, California Dr. Rosaly Lopes will lead research at JPL focusing on Saturn's largest moon, Titan, to address what habitable environments may exist on the moon and what potential signatures of life would be expected, using data from the Cassini-Huygens mission. These data cover a wide swath of the moon, from beneath its surface all the way up through its thick atmosphere. "The intellectual scope of astrobiology is vast, from understanding how our planet became habitable and inhabited, to understanding how life has adapted to Earth's harshest environments, to exploring other worlds with the most advanced technologies to search for signs of life," said Mary Voytek, director of the Astrobiology Program at NASA Headquarters. "The new teams will complement our existing teams to cover breadth of astrobiology, and by coming together in the NAI, they will make the connections between disciplines and organizations that stimulate fundamental scientific advances." "We are delighted to welcome these three new NAI teams into the Institute family and look forward to the important work that they will accomplish over the time of their awards," said NAI Director Penelope Boston. "Our existing teams are waiting to explore overlapping interests with the new project teams and the potential for even greater exchange of information, inspiration, and synergy." The NAI serves a vital role in advancing the goals of the NASA Astrobiology Program, with a focus on seeking the answers to these fundamental questions: How does life begin and evolve? Is there life beyond Earth and, if so, how can we detect it? What is the future of life on Earth and beyond? For more information on the NASA Astrobiology Institute, visit: https://nai.nasa.gov/ SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is partnering with TMF Health Quality Institute to improve chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment through increased screening and education. The special innovative project, administered through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), will promote and increase timely screening, early diagnosis and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD). NKF's first training program for primary care givers will be a continuing medical education webinar, "Campaign for Kidney Health: A Primary Care Approach to CKD Management" on May 16, 2018 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST ( 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. EST ) and features Michael Choi, MD, President and Chair, National Kidney Foundation Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Choi will provide a practical approach of the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiatives to guide assessment and care of CKD by primary care clinicians and other healthcare professionals. Interested primary care givers can register here. This webinar is the first in a series provided through NKF's CKDinform curriculum, a collection of evidence-based resources for primary care practitioners (PCP). This diverse "toolbox" will enable PCPs to recognize chronic kidney disease (CKD) earlier and develop treatment protocols to slow progression. "NKF is pleased to partner with the TMF Quality Innovative Network to improve early detection and treatment of CKD among those at highest risk," said Kevin Longino, CEO, National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant patient. "The special innovative project is a result of our ongoing advocacy efforts to make early detection a national public health priority. We are so grateful to CMS for their vision and dedication to the 30 million Americans affected by CKD." "We are excited to partner with NKF to work with primary care physicians and help improve the lives of their patients with kidney disease," said Russell Kohl, MD, FAAFP, Chief Medical Officer for TMF. "NKF is a national leader in the effort to treat and prevent kidney disease. We greatly appreciate NKF's expertise in providing educational materials and events to ensure the success of this project." NKF local offices nationwide will be working closely with TMF partners to ensure newly diagnosed CKD patients have access to support services offered through NKF's Peers and Cares program and annual in-person opportunities designed to educate and engage those diagnosed with CKD and those at risk. NKF staff and volunteers in Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas will begin this collaboration by providing local diabetes educators with an opportunity to learn directly from experts to re-enforce their understanding of CKD and opportunities for patient self-management. For more information visit www.tmfqin.org/ckd. Healthcare professionals can join NKF to receive access to tools and resources for both patients and professionals, discounts on professional education, and access to a network of thousands of individuals who treat patients with kidney disease. Kidney Disease Facts 30 million American adults are estimated to have chronic kidney diseaseand most aren't aware of it. 1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and family history of kidney failure. People of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are 3 times more likely than Whites, and Hispanics are nearly 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to develop end-stage renal disease (kidney failure). The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive and longstanding organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease. For more information about NKF visit www.kidney.org. Facebook.com Twitter:@NKF www.kidney.org SOURCE National Kidney Foundation Related Links http://www.kidney.org Across five decades, every continent and hundreds of changing seasons, American nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen has soaked in the wonder of our wild planet with camera in hand, chronicling moments that make us all stand in awe. Mangelsen has amassed a portfolio of imagery that, in many ways, is considered unsurpassed, counted among the finest of his generation. Now many of Mangelsen's most acclaimed photographs will be featured in a traveling exhibition that will reach museums and large numbers of his fans coast to coast. "Thomas D. Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild" commences with a special premier at The Durham Museum in the photographer's original home city of Omaha (September 1, 2018-January 6, 2019) and will make a parallel debut this fall at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (October 20, 2018-May 5, 2019) where he has lived near the foot of the Tetons since the 1970s. The showcase of more than 40 large format Mangelsen classics next travels to museums in Greater New York City, Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, North Carolina and cities in both the Rockies and Heartland. The major retrospective is much anticipated and has brought Mangelsen to the attention of the noted television show 60 Minutes. (www.cbsnews.com/news/into-the-wild-with-thomas-mangelsen/) A Life in the Wild not only represents a capstone to Mangelsen's illustrious career but it is accompanied by the release of special Legacy Reserve Collection prints, in limited editions numbering only 1-20. When purchased, collectors are invited to join Mangelsen for a Legacy Experience including a day in the field of wildlife watching and photography. Dr. Jane Goodall, revered as a globally-iconic environmentalist and featured on a photography trip with Tom on 60 Minutes, says of Mangelsen, one of her closest friends, "What Tom has accomplished would be extremely difficult to duplicate. His photographs inspire me because they wake us up to what is at stake. When I think of the very talented nature photographers I've been fortunate to know counted among the very best who ever livedI consider Tom Mangelsen to be an American treasure." Among the heralded works in A Life in the Wild are Mangelsen's "Catch of the Day," a portrayal of a spawning sockeye salmon leaping into the awaiting jaws of an Alaskan brown bear. Seen by millions around the world, it is counted among the best-known wildlife photographs in modern times. Another is award-winning "Polar Dance" that was highlighted as one of the 40 most important conservation photographs ever for calling attention to the plight of polar bears in the Arctic North due to climate change. A third is "Light in the Forest" that offers a rare glimpse into a famous young Bengal tiger, part of a dwindling population that is critically endangered in the wild. In recent years, Mangelsen's mystique has grown even more for his chronicling of legendary grizzly bear mother 399 in Grand Teton National Park. This special bear, who has given birth to three sets of triplets, one set of twins and two single cubs in her 22 years, is the symbolic "Icon of Motherhood" and a focal point in the battle to protect grizzly bears in the lower 48. There are dozens of other unforgettable signature pieces from North America, Africa, the Arctic and Antarctic. "When I started, I never could have dreamed the trail would lead here but as I look back, and consider the photographs in this exhibition, I am reminded of the amazing journey it has been," Mangelsen says. "Memories of dramatic moments come rushing back, scenes that if I tried to replicate again would fall short. I'm grateful now that viewers can join me and share our common love for this precious gift we call wild nature." For more information on "A Life in the Wild" museum tour, the special Mangelsen Legacy Reserve Collection and free use of images for stories on the photographer, contact Mike Miratsky Executive Director of Sales and Marketing [email protected] 303-400-1470 View the entire Mangelsen portfolio at Mangelsen.com. SOURCE Mangelsen Images of Nature Galleries Related Links http://www.mangelsen.com BOSTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Fifty-nine percent of young professionals are very confident in their knowledge of soft skills, including critical thinking skills, yet according to a new national study from edtech firm MindEdge Learning, this confidence is woefully misplaced. The second annual State of Critical Thinking study, commissioned by MindEdge and conducted by ResearchNow, found that a majority of those surveyed could not pass a basic, nine-question test of their digital literacy and critical thinking skills. Fully 52 percent of the survey sample college students and recent graduates, aged 18 to 31 failed to answer more than five questions correctly. The proportion of respondents who received an "A," by answering eight or nine questions correctly, now stands at just 19 percent down from 24 percent in 2017. The low scores posted by recent college grads stand in sharp contrast to the group's professed confidence in their critical thinking abilities and related "soft skills." Recent graduates also report strong confidence in their knowledge of hard skills such as computer programming, IT, and analytics; while 33 percent report they are "very" confident in these skills. And three-of-four (74 percent) say that their college education taught them the skills they need to succeed in the workforce. According to 2018 results, 64 percent of respondents get their news from social media, up from 55 percent in 2017. With just 30 percent of the group reporting that they read a verified news source (e.g. a newspaper) on a daily basis, the likelihood of coming across fake or inaccurate information online is high. And while almost all young people (94 percent) believe critical thinking is important in assessing websites and online content, only 40 percent of them are very confident in their own skills. "Despite a reported increase in soft skills confidence, our research finds that there is still a large and growing digital skills gap among millennials entering the workforce," said Frank Connolly, director of communications and research at MindEdge. "Unless corrected, this skills gap can only have a negative impact on career growth and long-term success as our workplaces become increasingly digitized." The survey probed the attitudes of 1,002 young people who are currently in college or have recently entered the workforce. Other key survey findings include: New workforce entrants are confident in their own soft skills - but less confident their peers' skills Young professionals believe that an equal mix of hard and soft skills is a key to success at work or on a job interview. While they are generally confident in their soft skills, respondents identified the following skills as their weakest: Negotiation - 31 percent Creative thinking - 25 percent Communication - 15 percent Critical thinking - 12 percent Despite confidence in their own skills, only 57 percent of respondents say that their peers and colleagues are well-trained in critical thinking, far lower than their confidence in their own skills. But they also believe that soft skills can be learned, with 87 percent believing that people can improve upon their own soft skill set. Young people think the fake news problem has gotten worse in the past year, and that politicians are to blame More young professionals are reading news content online: 64 percent receive news from social media platforms and 50 percent get their news from print or online newspapers. At the same, 48 percent of young adults also believe that the problem of online fake news problem has worsened over the past year. When it comes to assessing blame for the proliferation of bad information online, 24 percent of respondents blame politicians who claim negative stories about them are "fake news." Another 21 percent blame websites that promote false content to advance a political or ideological agenda. Despite the perceived increase in fake news, today's recent graduates are more confident in their ability to discern false information online. In 2017, 35% were very confident that they could discern fake news; this proportion has increased to 40% in 2018. Recent grads fault Facebook for the Cambridge Analytica data breach When it comes to online content and personal data, young professionals are placing blame on the social media giants. Taking into account the recent Facebook and Cambridge Analytica data scandal, 54 percent of recent grade blame Facebook for the misuse of personal data, while just 29 percent blamed the analytics firm. An additional 12 percent of respondents reported that they are unsure who is to blame in personal data breaches like this one. About the Methodology MindEdge's State of Critical Thinking study was conducted online during the first two weeks of April 2018. The sample included 1,002 U.S. residents ages 18 to 31. The survey was conducted online between March 29 and April 10, 2018. The survey results have a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent, at a 95 percent confidence level. About MindEdge Learning MindEdge, a learning company based in Waltham, provides leadership, management, communication and educational solutions for organizations to help them meet their objectives. Founded in 1998 by Harvard and MIT educators, MindEdge specializes in higher education and professional development content and technology solutions and continues to innovate in the rapidly changing landscape of online education. The company's webtexts feature narrative, interactive learning case studies and simulations, as well as adaptive learning technology to maximize learner mastery of the content. SOURCE MindEdge Related Links https://www.mindedge.com Accused of conflict of interest, Betty Amongi, the minister for Lands was nudged yesterday by a rather angry Justice Catherine Bamugemereire to resign. Appearing before the Justice Bamugemereire-led Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters; Amongi tried hard but failed to separate herself from the questionable actions of her private company, AMOBET Investment Ltd. Betty Amongi (R) while appearing before the land probe commission According to the commission, the ministers company forged land titles and fraudulently acquired four high-end government properties. The minister runs the company with her sister, Ketty Amongi, a Lira-based businesswoman. During cross-examination, Justice Bamugemereire asked the minister whether she knew what conflict of interest means and the consequences it carries for a culpable senior government official such as a minister. Before she could answer, the judge asked the minister to read out loud the Leadership Code Act section 5 sub-sections 1 and section 12 sub-section 2. In reading out loud, the minister said, A leader cannot put himself or herself in a position in which his or her personal interests conflict with his or her duties and responsibilities. A leader shall not participate in the deliberations of a public body or board or council or commission or committee of which he or she is a member at any meetings at which any matter in which he or she has personal interest is to be discussed. She added, A leader who contravenes that sub section 1 breaches the code and is liable to vacate office or be dismissed... Dont you see that this Leadership Code Act is asking you what to do? the judge said, sending a rather tense minister and the audience gathered in the National Records Centre and Archives Building in Wandegeya into laughter. Before she finally showed up yesterday at 9 oclock, the minister had skipped two summonses, which prompted an angry Bamugemereire to issue the latest criminal summons. Amongi is accused of attempting to fraudulently acquire property on Plot 29, Acacia avenue in Kololo, Kampala. The property in dispute is under leasehold number 235 and registered in the names of Toshak Patel, an architect. But the minister insisted that all operational functions of the company were executed by the managing director called Henry Mubiru. Amongi denied knowing the disputed property on Plot 29, Acacia avenue. But documents in possession of the commission showed that the minister has in the past signed off many transactions as managing director of AMOBET. It is alleged that inDecember 2017, Amongi through her company, AMOBET, acquired temporary possession of the property after it was repossessed by the Asian family in 1992. Documents indicate that the allocation by AMOBET, Investments Limited was signed by the executive secretary of the Departed Asians Property Custodian Board (DAPCB), George William Bizibu. Bizibu who appeared before the Commission on May 7, made some contradictory statements and was subsequently detained for further questioning. He was also instructed to present to the Commission, documents on the alleged board meetings he held. During cross examination, the seven Commissioners found that Bizibu, without the consent of the full DAPCB board, underestimated properties owned by government and doled them out at giveaway prices. A case in point is the above mentioned property on Plot 29 Acacia Avenue which commands rent of US$9,000 per month, but was fraudulently allocated to somebody else at a paltry US$150 per month. While there are no exact figures, reports indicate that government has lost billions of shilling through these shoddy dealings. Last week, the land probe questioned the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) Undersecretary, Albert Jethro Mugumya, in regard to the ministers hand in the management of the land fund. It is alleged that in 2016, Amongi directed Mugumya to pay millions of shillings under the Land Fund contrary to her mandate. Mugumya said Amongi directed him to make the payments to various people citing special requests. Mugumya who declined to divulge details, said Amongis involvement amounted to micro management of the land fund contrary to her role of providing policy guidelines. Documents presented before the commission confirm that on November 23, 2016, the minister directed Mugumya to make an urgent payment of land compensation of more than Shs 620 million to nine people. In another letter dated October 31, 2016, Amongi directed Mugumya to effect payments for special consideration to two sick persons. According to the letter, the minister directed Mugumya to advance Shs 100 million out of Shs 776,780,000 to Victoria Kakoko-Sebagereka who was very sick and due for treatment abroad, and Shs 50 million to a one Mzee Kuriash Barinda of Isingiro. In another letter dated November 29, 2017, Amongi directed the payment of Shs 675.8 million to Yisaka Lwakana for land at Kooki, Katete. The payments were effected basing on special requests as indicated in the ministers letters and the land is known to ULC as per the records, said Mugumya adding that he complied with the ministers directive. Evidence presented before the land probe indicates that Amongi contravened the Public Service Standing Orders when she directed the accounting officer instead of the ULC chairman to effect the payments. jolanyo@gmail.com MINNETONKA, Minn., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nixplay is one of the first digital photo frame brands to join the Google Photos partner program to give users of Google Photos a new way to easily showcase their fondest memories, following today's announcement at the Google I/O Developer Conference held in Mountain View, California. People can choose to stream albums created in Google Photos directly to Nixplay Wi-Fi Cloud Frames1 with minimal effort. Google Photos automatically sorts your photos into albums using machine intelligence. These albums are created when you backup new pictures to your account, and shared directly to a Nixplay frame. "Integrating with the Google Photos Library API means that any Nixplay Wi-Fi Cloud frame owner can effortlessly display their best and most loved photos and videos on-frame with the power of curation provided by Google Photos," says Mark Palfreeman, CEO of Creedon Technologies, parent company of Nixplay. Full integration of the Google Photos Library API into the Nixplay mobile app will be ready for public release in the coming months. More: http://blog.nixplay.com/2018/05/google-photos-best-photo-organization-tool Notes (1) Applicable to Nixplay Iris, Nixplay Seed, Nixplay Edge and Nixplay Original. About Creedon Technologies Mark Palfreeman founded Creedon Technologies in 2007 with a vision to connect people with technology in a meaningful way. As the parent company to NIX, Nixplay and Nixplay Signage, innovation, insight and human connection were the foundations of everything he set out to achieve. Creedon Technologies harnessed the best in cloud storage, service technology and security to display photos in a sophisticated way that shows the power of sharing memories. Since 2007, the company has sold close to 2 million units, with more than a third of these consisting of Wi-Fi Cloud frames marketed under the Nixplay brand since December 2013. With many thousands of positive reviews on Amazon.com today Creedon Technologies is the global leader in design, manufacturing and sales of connected digital photo frames. Contact: Rex Lam Ryan Ducie Marketing Manager Head of Marketing Mobile: +852 9264 5828 Mobile: +852 9627 5206 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] SOURCE Creedon Technologies USA LLC Dr. Gregor Leibundgut, the first to perform the NobleStitch in Switzerland, Head of Cardiology at Kantonsspital of Liestal, Basel, has commented, "The NobleStitch is the next step in the evolution of PFO closure. I stumbled onto the NobleStitch surfing the internet and found the method so intuitive and elegant that I immediately wanted to provide this next generation closure technique to my patients. The NobleStitch is the interventional equivalent of a surgical method for PFO closure performed without surgery. Having performed several successful cases I believe that the NobleStitch should be the primary method for PFO closure. This technique has the potential to avoid the known complications associated with umbrella-based closure in particular to avoid provocation of atrial fibrillation often caused by the umbrella implants." Dr. Daniel Weilenwann, Head of Interventional Cardiology at Kantonsspital in St. Gallen, commented, "Initially I was unsure if a single suture would effectively close a PFO, particularly a large PFO. I immediately was convinced the very first time I used the NobleStitch, it worked perfectly. We have performed several cases with Professor Nobles Proctoring and the results are amazing. The technique is simple and repeatable, it should be the first choice when closing a PFO, it just makes sense." IMPULS Medical, which is making the NobleStitch EL available to hospitals throughout Switzerland, saw the rise in adoption of transcatheter procedures and sought out the NobleStitch EL as the best option to offer to their customers. Eric Portellano, CEO of IMPULS Medical, commented, "The NobleStitch is our key product in our portfolio, it opens doors in many of the key hospitals. It is great to have such an innovative product that is so intuitive for our customers that they and their patients request the product. We are aggressively expanding the NobleStitch throughout Switzerland and expect to make the NobleStitch the dominant method of closure in PFO throughout Switzerland." Professor Anthony Nobles, CEO and Inventor of the NobleStitch EL, added, "We are receiving requests from many countries to bring the NobleStitch technology into their clinics. The demand for structural heart repair devices have created a market which we find expanding globally at a rate I have not seen in my nearly 30 years in the medical device business. Nobles Medical Technologies II was started with the idea that there could be innovative products which would allow physicians safer treatment options for closing septal defects." Dru Dobbs, President of HeartStitch, Inc. who markets and distributes the NobleStitch EL, commented, "We continue to see rapid growth in each country we enter. Switzerland was planned in mid 2018 for our roll out, but the strong demand from key physicians in Q4 2017 accelerated our penetration into Switzerland and we are very excited about the potential growth throughout the country. We believe that these first 2 centers will prove to be the model for all the Kantons in Switzerland with the high level of expertise of Doctor Weilenwann and Doctor Leibundgut." Read the recent data published in EuroIntervention showing the benefits of NobleStitch over traditional umbrella occluders (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/noblestitch-el-italian-registry-data-published-in-eurointervention-300626377.html). About PFO Closure A PFO is a relatively common heart defect characterized by an unsealed tunnel between the right and left atria of the heart. This defect has been known to be present in anywhere between 27%-38% of people. However, in a number of cases, it is benign. The PFO is formed as a trace of the fetal circulation. When the chambers of a human heart begin to develop, a communication is made between the right and left atria, allowing blood to flow directly from the venous circulation to the arterial circulation, circumventing the non-functioning fetal lungs. Following birth, the pressure differential between the right and left atria changes with newly operational blood flow to the fully functioning lungs. Because of this, the communication eventually closes completely within the first few months. However, in some patients, the foramen ovale fails to seal and remains "patent." In patients with a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO), the communication can reopen under elevated atrial pressure, such as coughing, or straining. A key issue with PFO is that it gives a pathway for blood clots to pass directly to the arterial circulation without being filtered out by the capillary bed of the lungs. A PFO can also let deoxygenated blood and certain chemicals cross over to the arterial side. The presence of a PFO has been linked to a number of clinical issues, mainly strokes, migraines and chronic fatigue. Developments are being made to solidify the link between PFO and strokes or migraines, and to identify patients that would benefit from PFO closure. About Nobles Medical Technology II Nobles Medical Technology II, Inc. was founded by Prof. Anthony Nobles with the intent of leveraging its technologies in the PFO, ASD-closure, and cardiovascular-suturing marketplace. The company does business under the name of Nobles Medical II (NMT II). Initial efforts of the company have been focused in Europe on the innovative suture-based PFO closure system for closing the Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO), a tunnel between the right and left atria of the heart. The NobleStitch is approved for PFO Closure and Cardiovascular suturing in the European Union. The NobleStitch EL is FDA cleared for Vascular and Cardiovascular suturing in the United States. Further information including warnings and precautions can be found in the instructions for use. NobleStitch EL is distributed worldwide by HeartStitch, Inc. (HeartStitch is a registered trademark of HeartStitch, Inc.). NobleStitch EL for PFO closure Covered by or for use under U.S. and international patents including one or more of U.S. Patent Nos. 5860990, 6117144, 6245079, 6551331, 6562052, 6733509, 7004952, 7090686, 7803167, 8197497, 8197510, 8246636, 8348962, 8372089, 8469975, 8496676, 8709020, and 9131938. HeartStitch manufactures and markets the NobleStitch EL under exclusive license from Nobles Medical technologies II, Inc. NobleStitch EL is FDA cleared for vascular suturing in the United States and CE Marked for cardiovascular suturing and PFO closure in the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan, respectively. For more on Nobles Medical Technologies II visit http://www.noblesmed2.com [email protected] SOURCE Nobles Medical Technology II, Inc. Related Links http://www.noblesmed2.com SEATTLE, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement is being issued by Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP on behalf of Free Range Content, Inc. v. Google LLC. If Google disabled or terminated your AdSense account between May 20, 2010 and May 7, 2018 and permanently withheld the unpaid amounts in your AdSense account, you may be entitled to money. An $11,000,000 settlement has been preliminarily approved in the case Free Range Content, Inc. v. Google LLC, 5:14-cv-02329-BLF. Your rights may be affected and you may be entitled to a portion of this settlement if you are a Settlement Class Member. Who Is Included in the Settlement? You may be a Settlement Class Member if Google's records indicate you were subject to the AdSense terms for the United States, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Canada, and 1) Google disabled or terminated your AdSense account between May 20, 2010, and May 7, 2018, 2) Google permanently withheld unpaid amounts in your AdSense account in their entirety, and 3) the sum withheld totaled $10 or more. What Is This Case About? Plaintiffs allege that when Google terminated AdSense publishers for alleged breach of contract, it improperly withheld unpaid amounts in those publishers' accounts. The allegations against Google include, among other things, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Google denies these claims. What Are My Options? If you are a Settlement Class Member, and would like to receive a Settlement Payment, you must submit a Claim Form no later than September 4, 2018 via online submission at http://www.adsensepublishersettlement.com/, via fax (1-888-425-6983), or via mail (Free Range Content v. Google, c/o GCG, P.O. Box 10537, Dublin, OH 43017-4537). If you submit a Claim Form or do nothing, you will be legally bound by the settlement, and you will not be able to sue Google about the legal claims resolved by this settlement. If you wish to exclude yourself from the settlement, you can submit an Opt-Out Form no later than September 4, 2018. This is the only option that allows you to sue Google regarding the legal claims in this case. If you do not opt-out, you may object to the settlement and you or your lawyer may also ask to speak at the hearing if you timely submit an Objection and request to be heard at the Final Fairness Hearing. To do so, you must include a Notice of Intention to Appear in the body of the Objection. Objectors who fail to submit or include this Notice of Intention to Appear may not speak at the Final Fairness Hearing without permission of the Court. If you choose to make an Objection through an attorney or have an attorney appear at the Final Fairness Hearing on your behalf, you will be solely responsible for paying that attorney's fees. The deadline to submit Objections and requests to appear is September 4, 2018. If you object to the settlement, you will be bound by the settlement's terms and will not be allowed to exclude yourself from the settlement; you will lose the right to sue Google and/or any other released entities regarding the legal claims in this case. Additional details are available at www.AdSensePublisherSettlement.com. Fairness Hearing: The Court will hold a Final Fairness Hearing on October 18, 2018 at 1:30 PM at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Courthouse, 280 South 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95113. At this hearing, the Court will consider whether: 1) the settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate; 2) to approve the Class Representative Service Awards; and 3) to approve attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses to Class Counsel. The motions for attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses and Service Awards will be available at www.AdSensePublisherSettlement.com after they are filed. More Information: To get a copy of the detailed Notice, Claim Form, or Settlement Agreement or to learn more, visit www.AdSensePublisherSettlement.com, call 1-888-684-5073, or email [email protected]. Les details sont disponibles sur le site www.AdSensePublisherSettlement.com. SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NSF International, a global public health and safety organization, announced Dr. Hal King, Founder and CEO of Public Health Innovations LLC, as this year's recipient of the Food Safety Leadership Award at the 2018 Food Safety Summit. Each year, the Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board (EAB) evaluates the nominations on the basis of innovation, impact and overall contribution. The EAB is a highly motivated volunteer group made up of industry leaders representing all key areas that are important to food safety professionals including manufacturing, foodservice, regulatory, academia, retail and distribution. The 2018 Food Safety Leadership Award for Innovation and Achievement recognizes Dr. Hal King for his contributions to food safety and the protection of public health. Throughout his 25+ year career, he has investigated foodborne illnesses and other diseases, performed funded research on causation of diseases, worked to prevent adulteration of foods, and designed and implemented preventative controls for food safety hazards in the food industry. Dr. King created the Emerge-Protect app, which is a proprietary hand hygiene model for schools. He also authored the books Food Safety Management: Implementing a Food Safety Program in a Food Retail Business and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventative Controls Improving Food Safety in Human Food Manufacturing for Food Business. "Dr. King is known as a collaborative, passionate and thoughtful industry leader, who is always willing to help solve critical food safety issues," said Kevan P. Lawlor, President and Chief Executive Officer of NSF International. "It's his kind nature, expertise and involvement in innovative solutions like the Emerge-Protect app that make him an outstanding choice for this year's Food Safety Leadership Award. We are honored to present this award to such a deserving candidate as Dr. King." Dr. King served as the former Director of Food and Product Safety at Chick-fil-A, Inc., where he led and implemented Chick-fil-A's food safety management program. An active member of the community, he was the past chairman of the National Restaurant Association Quality Assurance Executive Study Group, a board member on the National Council of Chain Restaurants and the FDA and CDC Industry Partnerships, and the past president of the Georgia Association for Food Protection. NSF International's Food Safety Leadership Award recognizes individuals and organizations for real and lasting improvements in food safety. Created in 2004, the awards encourage the development of educational programs, processes and technologies to advance food safety. For more information on NSF International and its annual Food Safety Leadership Award, please visit www.nsf.org. For media interviews, please contact Thomas Frey, APR at [email protected] or 734-214-6242. NSF International is an independent, global organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment. Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. SOURCE NSF International Related Links http://www.nsf.org HOBOKEN, N.J., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second consecutive year, Octapharma USA will serve as the Exclusive Sponsor of the nation's only National Camp Exchange (NCE) for the bleeding disorders community, an adjunct program of the North American Camping Conference of Hemophilia Organizations (NACCHO). NCE enables professionals who plan, organize and operate camps for the bleeding disorders community to share experiences, ideas and enhance camp programs nationally. "The National Camp Exchange program did an incredible job accomplishing its goals in its first year," said Dawn Rotellini, National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) Senior Vice President, Program Development. "We have been extremely impressed with the organization and implementation of the exchange and the number of camp programs impacted. Octapharma's continued support of the program truly demonstrates the company's level of devotion and support for the bleeding disorders community." The Arizona Hemophilia Association (AHA) manages NACCHO, a national conference for camp organizers, which has attracted thousands of attendees from more than 40 countries over the last 15 years. NCE allows camp professionals to attend different camps around the country for people with bleeding disorders in order to share lessons learned, suggest enhancements and develop leadership skills. AHA partners with the Wingmen Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing value-added services to facilitate camp exchange internationally. "We are honored to again be the Exclusive Sponsor for the National Camp Exchange," said Octapharma USA President Flemming Nielsen. "Octapharma is committed to helping people with bleeding disorders get the most out of life each and every day. Our hope is to bring together as many camp organizers as possible to share their expertise because when we do children with bleeding disorders get the best summer camp experience possible." The National Camp Exchange program helps fill an important void. Managing summer camps for children with bleeding disorders provides significant challenges, notably finding volunteers with camp experience and training. Camp programs do not have the ability to train their volunteers year-round and due to the lack of financial resources, many camps cannot pay for professionally trained staff, but recognize training and experience are vital to camp success and camper safety. "NACCHO opened the door to reaching thousands more children and families in the bleeding disorder community by enabling new camp programs to begin and helping established programs grow and become better managed," said AHA Chief Executive Officer Cindy Komar. "NCE is a natural extension of NACCHO and we are extremely thankful to Octapharma for helping us bring this vision to life. Together, we are providing camp professionals an experiential opportunity to learn from one another and share best practices that will significantly improve the summer camp experience." Octapharma's grant funds camp professionals to participate in the NCE and attend camps nationwide. Camp professionals interested in participating in the exchange must apply to the program by May 30th. For more information on NCE and an application, please call AHA at (888) 754-7017 or visit www.arizonahemophilia.org/national-camp-exchange-program/. About the Octapharma Group Headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, Octapharma is one of the largest human protein products manufacturers in the world and has been committed to patient care and medical innovation since 1983. Its core business is the development and production of human proteins from human plasma and human cell lines. Octapharma employs approximately 7,600 people worldwide to support the treatment of patients in over 113 countries with products across the following therapeutic areas: Hematology (coagulation disorders), Immunotherapy (immune disorders) and Critical Care. The company's American subsidiary, Octapharma USA, is located in Hoboken, N.J. Octapharma operates two state-of-the-art production sites licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), providing a high level of production flexibility. For more information, please visit www.octapharmausa.com. OCTA-0202 SOURCE Octapharma USA Related Links http://www.octapharmausa.com PHILADELPHIA, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In the birthplace of American Independence, onAmericanNews.com has launched its new online magazine covering politics and culture. New posts fill six content areas weekly. The online magazine's goal is to take a fresh look at selected news stories and place them in a broader social context. Their focus is on context, analysis, new solutions, and ideas designed to get the public dialogue back on track. onAmericanNews has also decided their content will be a "Trump-Free Zone" and will not cover the President's tweets while also encouraging mainstream media to do the same. They are calling for a 90-day moratorium on the main-stream media coverage of President Trump's tweets to begin immediately. The online news source is also calling on all schools across the country to adopt individual victims of gun violence as a way to remember all that has been lost, long after the thoughts and prayers have vanished and forgetfulness settles in. This is among several other issues that the editorial direction of the publication is seeking. "We are looking to challenge the American people to think differently about the news they are consuming, and so our publication will stand as a leader in providing fresh content from a unique perspective," says Josh Hammond, CEO of onAmericanNews. "Our goal is to be vigilant, not vigilantes. Think of onAmericanNews.com as an internet-based coffee-table book, not a source of daily news, but a weekly source of reliable context for selected stories in today's headlines." Hammond also adds, "onAmericanNews relies on the spadework of serious journalism, away from the personality of talk show hosts and their guests who repeat talking points endlessly under the cover of 'breaking news.'" The iconic "don't tread on me" snake is used in the online magazine to grade the urgency placed on addressing the content of each post. It is used to honor Howard Beale, the news anchor in the 1976 movie "Network" where he famously proclaimed that, "He was mad as hell and wasn't going to take it anymore." In addition, most posts have a Greek Chorus, a commentary on the meaning or relevance of the publication's analysis. In the ancient Greek theater tradition, it is a small group of "masked" actors who helped the audience (reader) know what is being said. Like a good magazine, it also has a "time out" section where the reader can find cocktail recipes, a closer look at classic art such as Thomas Hart Benton painting, and a visual way to wager for a 1928 Baglietto yacht as Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini do so cunningly. The news magazine is open to ideas and suggestions and considers this is a learning process. For more information, visit onAmericanNews.com. About onAmericanNews.com onAmericanNews.com is a start-up website designed to be read as a coffee-table magazine about culture and politics. For more information, visit onAmericanNews.com. Media Contact: Josh Hammond 845-802-6071 SOURCE onAmericanNews.com Related Links http://onAmericanNews.com TSX:ORV Second Quarter of Fiscal 2018 Highlights: Consolidated quarterly gold production of 24,788 ounces, copper production of 2.6 million pounds; El Valle oxide production sustained at 34% of mill ore feed, achieving highest gold ounce production since 2014; Consolidated COC and AISC of $1,055 and $1,309 , respectively; EBITDA of $4.5 million . El Valle transition to higher gold grade oxide mining continues, targeting a 50% oxide-skarn plant throughput ratio; Don Mario transitioned mining activities successfully to Cerro Felix gold deposit. TORONTO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSX:ORV) (the "Company" or "Orvana") announced today financial and operational results for the second quarter ("Q2 2018"). The Company is also providing financial and operational updates for its El Valle and Carles Mines (collectively, "El Valle") operations in northern Spain and its Don Mario Mine Complex ("Don Mario") in Bolivia. The unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for Q2 2018 and Management's Discussion and Analysis related thereto are available on SEDAR and on the Company's website at www.orvana.com. Q2 2018 Highlights El Valle Delivery of higher gold production due to 25% gold grade improvement: The progress made to increase the proportion of oxides production delivered to the mill was sustained, averaging 34% over the second quarter of fiscal 2018. This allowed for a 25% gold grade improvement during the same period to 3.36 g/t and quarterly production of 15,139 gold ounces, the highest level since 2014. A number of geological and geotechnical process changes in the mine, metallurgical process changes to improve recovery of in-process gold and maintenance investments are expected to allow El Valle to progress towards a targeted 50% oxides processing blend. Don Mario Production from Cerro Felix gold deposit commences: Production at Don Mario successfully transitioned from the depleted LMZ to the open-pit Cerro Felix gold deposit during the second quarter of fiscal 2018. Gold recoveries from the Don Mario CIL circuit rose to 91.3%, positively impacted by the absence of copper in the ore processed from Cerro Felix. Gold production results were impacted by lower grades due to ore dilution caused by stripping activities during the ramp up of Cerro Felix. Gold grades are expected to recover in the second half of fiscal 2018. Juan Gavidia, Interim CEO stated, "At El Valle, we are proud of the results of our ramp-up of higher gold grade oxide production, as we have reached our highest gold quarterly production levels since 2014. Similarly, at Don Mario, we achieved a smooth transition to production from our Cerro Felix gold deposit. We have reviewed our production and cost guidance based on our first half results, and believe we will achieve guidance on both fronts." Strategy and Outlook The Company continues to pursue its objectives of optimizing production, lowering unitary cash costs, maximizing fee cash flow, extending the life-of-mine of its operations and growing its operations to deliver shareholder value. El Valle At El Valle, the primary objective in fiscal 2018 continues to be replacing mined skarn tonnes with higher gold grade oxides in order to bring the proportion of oxide ore processed in the plant up to a target of 50%, thereby substantially increasing ore grades delivered to the mill and increasing gold ounce production. Through additional geological and geotechnical work, the Company also expects to significantly increase the reliability of the mine plan by minimizing the proportion of inferred material in its mine planning and taking additional measures to address grade variability. Infrastructure and fleet maintenance investments to improve productivity and efficiency will continue to be made through fiscal 2018 as planned. Don Mario At Don Mario, the Company continues to produce consistent results from its re-commissioned CIL circuit, with a recovery rate averaging above 90% during the second quarter of fiscal 2018. Don Mario continues to pursue realization of a number of known opportunities for mine life extension, including processing existing mineral stockpiles, pursuing mining of the Company's Las Tojas deposit and reprocessing gold bearing tailings. With regards to exploration activities on the Las Tojas property, the Company expects to release full exploration results by the end of fiscal 2018. FY 2018 Production and Cost Guidance YTD 2018 Actual FY 2018 Guidance El Valle Production Gold (oz) 25,923 65,000 72,000 Copper (million lbs) 2.3 4.1 4.5 Don Mario Production Gold (oz) 22,037 45,000 48,000 Copper (million lbs) 3.1 2.0 2.3 Total Production Gold (oz) 47,960 110,000 120,000 Copper (million lbs) 5.4 6.1 6.8 Total capital expenditures $11,669 $24,000 $27,000 Cash operating costs (by-product) ($/oz) gold (1) $1,029 $950 $1,050 All-in sustaining costs (by-product) ($/oz) gold (1) $1,283 $1,150 $1,250 (1) FY 2018 guidance assumptions for COC and AISC include by-product commodity prices of $2.75 per pound of copper and an average Euro to US Dollar exchange of 1.20. Selected Operational and Financial Information Q2 2018 Q1 2018 Q2 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017 Operating Performance Gold Production (oz) 24,788 23,172 20,513 47,960 36,212 Sales (oz) 25,489 21,995 20,773 47,484 34,710 Average realized price / oz $1,304 $1,280 $1,238 $1,293 $1,247 Copper Production ('000 lbs) 2,609 2,759 2,867 5,368 6,455 Sales ('000 lbs) 2,531 2,700 3,032 5,231 6,592 Average realized price / lb $2.80 $2.82 $2.50 $2.81 $2.40 Financial Performance (in 000's, except per share amounts) Revenue $36,930 $34,170 $31,714 $71,100 $55,172 Mining costs $30,525 $28,060 $26,272 $58,585 $50,628 Gross margin ($394) $458 $8 $64 ($6,845) Net loss ($3,505) ($3,379) ($2,233) ($6,884) ($10,387) Net loss per share (basic/diluted) ($0.03) ($0.02) ($0.02) ($0.05) ($0.08) EBITDA (1) $4,473 $4,182 $4,774 $8,655 $1,440 Operating cash flows ($5,486) $2,147 $928 ($3,339) $629 Ending cash and cash equivalents $12,482 $20,617 $14,210 $12,482 $14,210 Capital expenditures (2) $5,462 $6,207 $4,501 $11,669 $12,220 Cash operating costs (by-product) ($/oz) gold (1) $1,055 $999 $993 $1,029 $1,099 All-in sustaining costs (by-product) ($/oz) gold (1)(2) $1,309 $1,253 $1,214 $1,283 $1,422 (1) Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"), cash operating costs and all-in sustaining costs are non-IFRS performance measures. (2) Each reported period excludes capital expenditures incurred in the period which will be paid in subsequent periods and includes capital expenditures incurred in prior periods and paid for in the applicable reporting period. The calculation of AISC includes capital expenditures incurred (paid and unpaid) during the period. Operational Restructuring The Company also announced a restructuring of operations to optimize operational efficiency, improve performance and build shareholder value. In connection with the operational restructuring, the Company has consolidated management into its operations in Spain by appointing Ms. Nuria Menendez as its new Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Menendez has been an employee of OroValle Minerals S.L. ("OroValle"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, since September 2014. In September 2016, Ms. Menendez was appointed General Manager of OroValle to manage and lead the operations at El Valle. Since joining OroValle, Ms. Menendez has taken the lead in managing OroValle's strategy in optimizing operations and increasing production. Ms. Menendez will replace Mr. Jeffrey Hillis who is leaving the Company to pursue other opportunities. Prior to joining OroValle, Ms. Menendez was a manager at Deloitte Spain for over 12 years with both public and private company clients in various industries. She received her Bachelor of Business and Administration from the University of Oviedo in 2000. Ms. Menendez subsequently received her Master in Business Administration in Finance and certified CFO Program designation. "I would like to welcome Ms. Menendez to the executive management team of Orvana" stated Gordon Pridham, the Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Already familiar with the Company's operations during her tenure as OroValle's General Manager, Ms. Menendez also brings with her the professional experience necessary to manage the Company's strategy of optimizing operations at both of our mining operations. On behalf of the Board of Directors I would like to thank Mr. Hillis for his contributions over the last three years. The board and management team wish him well in his future endeavours." About Orvana Orvana is a multi-mine gold and copper producer. Orvana's operating assets consist of the producing gold-copper-silver El Valle and Carles mines in northern Spain and the producing gold Don Mario mine in Bolivia. Additional information is available at Orvana's website (www.orvana.com). Cautionary Statements - Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this information constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, potentials, future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "believes", "expects", "plans", "estimates" or "intends" or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "are projected to" be taken or achieved) are not statements of historical fact, but are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements herein relate to, among other things, Orvana's ability to achieve improvement in free cash flow; the potential to extend the mine life of El Valle and Don Mario beyond their current life-of-mine estimates including specifically, but not limited to in the case of Don Mario, the completion of the major tailings storage facility expansion, the mining of the Cerro Felix deposit, the processing of the mineral stockpiles and the reprocessing of the tailings material; Orvana's ability to optimize its assets to deliver shareholder value; the Company's ability to optimize productivity at Don Mario and El Valle; estimates of future production, operating costs and capital expenditures; mineral resource and reserve estimates; statements and information regarding future feasibility studies and their results; future transactions; future metal prices; the ability to achieve additional growth and geographic diversification; future financial performance, including the ability to increase cash flow and profits; future financing requirements; and mine development plans. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The estimates and assumptions of the Company contained or incorporated by reference in this information, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, the various assumptions set forth herein and in Orvana's most recently filed Management's Discussion & Analysis and Annual Information Form in respect of the Company's most recently completed fiscal year (the "Company Disclosures") or as otherwise expressly incorporated herein by reference as well as: there being no significant disruptions affecting operations, whether due to labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; permitting, development, operations, expansion and acquisitions at El Valle and Don Mario being consistent with the Company's current expectations; political developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations; certain price assumptions for gold, copper and silver; prices for key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; production and cost of sales forecasts meeting expectations; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; and labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with Orvana's current expectations. A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include fluctuations in the price of gold, silver and copper; the need to recalculate estimates of resources based on actual production experience; the failure to achieve production estimates; variations in the grade of ore mined; variations in the cost of operations; the availability of qualified personnel; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals and licenses; the Company's ability to use cyanide in its mining operations; risks generally associated with mineral exploration and development, including the Company's ability to continue to operate the El Valle and/or Don Mario and/or ability to resume long-term operations at Carles Mine; the Company's ability to acquire and develop mineral properties and to successfully integrate such acquisitions; the Company's ability to execute on its strategy; the Company's ability to obtain financing when required on terms that are acceptable to the Company; challenges to the Company's interests in its property and mineral rights; current, pending and proposed legislative or regulatory developments or changes in political, social or economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates; general economic conditions worldwide; and the risks identified in the Company's Disclosures under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties". This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company's Disclosures for a description of additional risk factors. Any forward-looking statements made in this information with respect to the anticipated development and exploration of the Company's mineral projects are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made in this information are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future operating activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Cautionary Notes to Investors Reserve and Resource Estimates In accordance with applicable Canadian securities regulatory requirements, all mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates of the Company disclosed in this AIF have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 (as defined below), classified in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves Definitions and Guidelines" (the "CIM Guidelines"). Pursuant to the CIM Guidelines, mineral resources have a higher degree of uncertainty than mineral reserves as to their existence as well as their economic and legal feasibility. Inferred mineral resources, when compared with measured or indicated mineral resources, have the least certainty as to their existence, and it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource as a result of continued exploration. Pursuant to NI 43-101, inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of any economic analysis, including any feasibility study. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a mineral resource exists, will ever be converted into a mineral reserve, or is or will ever be economically or legally mineable or recovered. SOURCE Orvana Minerals Corp. Related Links http://www.orvana.com NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pareteum Corporation (NYSE American: TEUM), ("Pareteum" or the "Company"), the rapidly growing Global Cloud Communications Platform company, announced today that it has been awarded a 3-year contract with an India-based Telecommunications company. Pareteum will enable its newest client to expand into the Internet of Things (IoT) market, using Pareteum's platform and connectivity, adding $5 Million in contractual revenue over the course of 36 months. Pareteum's Global Cloud Services Platform (GCSP) and Connectivity solution will provide machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and connectivity for IoT devices, enabling connections (subscribers and their connectivity usage) to send and receive data at any time regardless of their location, always connected to the best signal available and at the best rate for that connection. Pareteum will power the advancement of these communication services to help this Telecommunications provider further personalize their services, across their diverse clientele, from retailers to manufacturers. "Our newest client is quickly expanding to provide connectivity and enablement for the growing IoT device market in India," stated Vic Bozzo, Pareteum's CEO. "We are confident that Pareteum's platform will empower our client with a combination of capacities and connectivity that will propel fast, customizable and efficient communication across any network, anywhere, anytime." "Pareteum has once again proven to be the platform of choice for the IoT market economy. Our award-winning technology, focused on IoT excellence, will continue in its growth trajectory, translating into additional revenue for our Company," stated Hal Turner, Executive Chairman and Principal Executive Officer of Pareteum. According to a report by Nasscom, the Indian IoT market is set to grow to $15 billion by 2020. About Pareteum: The mission of Pareteum Corporation (NYSE American: TEUM) is to connect "every person and everything." Organizations use Pareteum to energize their growth and profitability through cloud communication services and complete turnkey solutions featuring relevant content, applications, and connectivity worldwide. Our platform services partners (technologies integrated into our cloud) include: HPE, IBM, Ribbon Communications (Sonus+GenBand), NetNumber, Oracle, Microsoft, and other world class technology providers). All of the relevant customer acquired value is derived from Pareteum's award winning software, developed and enhanced for many years. By harnessing the value of communications, Pareteum serves retail, enterprise and IoT customers. Pareteum currently has offices in New York, Sao Paulo, Madrid, Barcelona, Bahrain and the Netherlands. For more information please visit: www.pareteum.com. Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements contained herein constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to Pareteum's plans and objectives, projections, expectations and intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Pareteum's industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Because such statements involve risks and uncertainties, the actual results and performance of Pareteum may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Unless otherwise required by law, Pareteum also disclaims any obligation to update its view of any such risks or uncertainties or to announce publicly the result of any revisions to the forward-looking statements made here. Additional information concerning certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested in Pareteum's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available from the SEC or may be obtained upon request from Pareteum Corporation. Pareteum Investor Relations Contacts: Ted O'Donnell Chief Financial Officer (212) 984-1096 [email protected] Stephen Hart Hayden IR 917-658-7878 Carrie Howes Rayleigh Capital Dubai- London T UAE: +971 (0) 55 997 0427 | T UK: +44 (0) 870 490 5443 | T CAN: +1 416 900 3634 SOURCE Pareteum Corporation Related Links http://www.pareteum.com Uganda has, in the recent days, been embroiled in a ruckus from a proposal by government to hire Cuban doctors who would earn Shs 5.4m a month each. This has attracted divergent views from the public, including the Uganda Medical Association (UMA), who might have tickled government the wrong way during their standoff. One wonders when government realized it had a shortage of specialists, considering that the same does not appear in the health sector strategic plan. There hasnt been sufficient stakeholder engagement on this issue, and this is partly explained by the cold feet developed by UMA. If Cuban doctors arrive in a country known for its hospitality, yet with this animosity not settled, they are likely to choke on and be bogged down by intrigue, office politics, language barrier and cultural differences. It is frustrating working in a country where one is not welcome, especially by fellow professionals. UMA has valid concerns which should have been addressed by government. Listening to doctors speak out on this matter, one is persuaded by their argument on wage differentiation, which is not only unfair, but also falls short of the 2010 World Health Organisation Code of Practice on the Recruitment of International Personnel. Much as the code is a voluntary instrument, it requires that physicians who migrate be paid the same amount as domestic physicians of the same rank. Basic human resource management principles should inform decision makers that it is unfair to pay these visiting physicians, some of whom may be lower in rank than our eminent senior consultants, a higher salary than our own whose persistent cry for better wages has been a cat-and-mouse game with the state. It is not surprising that the private health sector is booming because they have modern machinery to treat patients. However, most government health centers lack basic facilities and supplies to diagnose and treat patients. Thus, importing doctors may not solve the issue. As a matter of priority, government should establish an annual renovation budget for hospitals and repair faulty equipment. Countries with developed health systems have mandatory annual renovation budgets. The government should address issues that cause medical specialists to shun public health facilities for their private clinics. Moonlighting by some medical officials is caused by inadequate pay, and creating a special package for foreigners over our own trained doctors is absurd! Cissy Kagaba, Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda Turn calamities into tourism opportunities Tourism is a monumental enterprise; also referred to as a visitor economy. In developed tourist destinations, even calamities such as the 2010 Bududa landslides would be a big tourism opportunity. In China, for example, Tien Nam Square was a scene of killings now converted into a popular tourist destination. In the 1880s, Julie Ward, a daughter to an American tycoon, was abducted and murdered in Kenyas Maasai Mara. A legal battle followed for over a decade, but Kenyan professionals were concentrating on diverting the message into tourist numbers. That is why there is this adage: The brave eat grass, victors bag trophies while the faint pray. Surely, Ugandas tourism marketers are the faint type! Did I hear that some were mourning the passing on of Zakayo, the chimp? Four tourist-oriented events happened almost at the same time last month: the demise of Zakayo who left a widow and two heirs Matooke and Aluma the eleven lions killed in Queen Elizabeth national park, the groundbreaking for the construction of Hotel and Tourism institute by Minister Ephraim Kamuntu, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games medalists. All these are tourist marketing tools. During Labour day celebrations, President Museveni should have been advised to strategically award medals to the Zakayo family. He should have also instructed Uganda Wildlife Authority to erect huge monuments for the 11 lions at the scene of their death in Kasese. Zakayos monuments should also be placed on Entebbe road towards Uganda Wildlife Education Centre and one at Uganda museum. A monument for the Nametsi landslide victims should be erected at the circumcision (imbalu) site at Mutoto in Mbale, and a mausoleum in Bulucheke, Bududa district. That is how tourism works. We do not mourn; we take advantage of calamities. Nabendeh Wamoto, simonwamoto@yahoo.co.uk (0776-658433 / 0752-658433) Invest in solar power to create more jobs Ever since Bumali Kakaire, a youth from Waranga village in Iganga district, got solar power, his life has improved. He now operates a hair salon, charges mobile phones at a fee, accesses information by listening to radio and has installed nightlights. Recently, government set aside Shs 2.2 trillion for free rural hydropower connection to add more people to the national grid. This connection, however, will burden rural communities with monthly bills since majority of Ugandans are living below the poverty line. Electricity consumption is still low, yet investment made is higher than the economic returns. The high cost of power tariffs is a fundamental challenge to accessing electricity. Government needs to address this. Goal seven of the UNs Sustain- able Development Goals (SDGs) is about ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030. Access to cheap, clean and affordable energy is, indeed, critical as it can enable attainment of eight of the 17 SDGs. These include poverty alleviation, zero hunger, good health and well- being, quality education, gender equality, clean water, sanitation and affordable and clean energy and combating effects of climate change. Therefore, I appeal to government to increase investment in solar power and provide affordable energy to rural communities and create employment to people like Kakaire. Cyrus Kabaale, Research associate. letters@observer.ug PORTLAND, Ore., May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Oregon Clinic announced today that a data security incident may have affected protected health information (PHI) within an email account. On March 9, 2018, The Oregon Clinic learned that an unauthorized third party accessed an email account. The Oregon Clinic immediately disabled the unauthorized access to the account and began an investigation to determine what occurred. It engaged cyber security experts, including a digital forensics firm, to assist with the investigation. It was determined that the incident was restricted to the one email account, and did not affect any other aspect of The Oregon Clinic information system. On April 19, 2018, the digital forensics investigation determined that PHI may have been affected, including names, dates of birth, and certain medical information. This medical information may include medical record numbers, diagnosis information, medical condition, diagnostic tests performed, prescription information, and/or health insurance information. For a small subset of patients, Social Security numbers may also have been affected. The Oregon Clinic is providing impacted patients with information about the incident and steps they can take to protect their personal information. A toll free number, (833-219-9088), has been established for impacted patients to enroll in services and obtain information about the incident. Further information can be found at http://www.oregonclinic.com/dataincident. The Oregon Clinic encourages impacted patients to carefully review and monitor their credit information, and to take the steps listed both in the notification letter and on its website to further protect their personal information. "The Oregon Clinic takes the protection of our patients' information very seriously," said Scot Gudger, CEO at The Oregon Clinic. "We have been working closely with cybersecurity experts to respond to and remediate this incident, and have taken steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future." About the Oregon Clinic The Oregon Clinic is the largest private specialty physician practice in Oregon. Our 270 providers give respectful, compassionate care to more than 485,000 patients each year. Founded in Portland in 1994, The Oregon Clinic is committed to delivering the highest quality patient care, practicing evidence-based medicine, and providing leadership for the healthcare community. We collaborate with primary care physicians and use a team approach to address health conditions at 59 specialty clinic locations across northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. SOURCE The Oregon Clinic WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Megan Powers has been selected by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to be the agency's press secretary, working in the Office of Communications. As press secretary, Powers will act as a chief agency spokesperson, support Administrator Bridenstine's media requests, provide strategic communications planning and execution, and serve as a senior advisor for the administrator. "We're fortunate to have Megan join the NASA team," said Bridenstine. "Her experience is perfect to help us explain all the exciting missions and projects we're starting now for long-term exploration and development of the Moon, including returning astronauts to the surface." Prior to joining NASA, Powers served in the Executive Office of the President at the White House as the Senior Lead Press Representative. Her role at the White House involved traveling domestically and internationally on behalf of the president and the administration. Her responsibilities included representing the White House in press negotiations with external entities, facilitating coverage of and access to the president by the White House Correspondents' Association and shaping messaging strategy for events outside the White House. Powers is a graduate of New York University with a degree in Public Policy and Communications from the Gallatin School. For additional media points of contact for NASA's missions, programs and activities, as well as points of contact for media resources, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/news/media/info/index.html SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov SHANGHAI, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- PPDAI Group Inc. ("PPDAI," "Paipaidai," or the "Company") (NYSE: PPDF), a leading online consumer finance marketplace in China, today announced its participation in the following investor conferences: CLSA 23 rd China Forum, May 16 , at the Midtown Shangri-La hotel in Hangzhou China Forum, , at the Midtown Shangri-La hotel in UBS APAC Financials Conference 2018, May 23 - 24 at the UBS Hong Kong Office 24 at the UBS Hong Kong Office Daiwa Investment Conference 2018, May 29 - 30 , at the Omni Berkshire Place hotel in New York . Management will meet with institutional investors throughout these events. For additional information, please contact your respective institutional sales representative at each sponsoring bank. About PPDAI Group Inc. PPDAI is a leading online consumer finance marketplace in China with strong brand recognition. Launched in 2007, the Company is the first online consumer finance marketplace in China connecting borrowers and investors. As a pioneer in China's online consumer finance marketplace, the Company benefits from both its early-mover advantages and the invaluable data and experience accumulated throughout multiple complete loan lifecycles. The Company's platform, empowered by its proprietary, cutting-edge technologies, features a highly automated loan transaction process, which enables a superior user experience, as evidenced by the rapid growth of the Company's user base and loan origination volume. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had over 65 million cumulative registered users. For more information, please visit http://ir.ppdai.com. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: PPDAI Group Inc. Jimmy Tan / Sally Huo Tel: +86 (21) 8030-3200 Ext 8601 E-mail: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Ross Warner Tel: +86 (10) 5730-6200 E-mail: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Alan Wang Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE PPDAI Group Inc. NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network it's easy and free. Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform EXPERT ALERTS U.S. Backing out of Iran Nuclear Deal The Importance of Honoring Fallen Soldiers and Law Enforcement Officers MEDIA JOBS Senior Analyst/Writer PaymentsSource (NY) Freelancers The Nob Hill Gazette (CA) Deputy Editor AccountingWeb.com (NY) OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES Looking for a Little Inspiration? Follow These Photographers on Instagram 6 Tips to Take the Perfect Head Shot Blog Profiles: Poetry Blogs ------------------------------------------------------------------- EXPERT ALERTS: U.S. Backing out of Iran Nuclear Deal Raj Bhala Brenneisen Distinguished Professor University of Kansas Bhala is available to discuss President Trump's announcement that the U.S. will leave the Iran nuclear deal, including the economic and political ramifications, what the move means for the U.S. and its allies, national security, sanctions, banking law, international trade law and more: "The withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal ranks alongside the withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership as the two decisions of the present administration that most undermine American national security. Both show 'America First' really means 'American Folly,' and the world is moving on past these self-marginalizing debacles." Bhala has authored dozens of books and journal articles, including the two-volume treatise "Modern GATT Law," "International Trade Law: An Interdisciplinary, Non-Western Textbook," "Understanding Islamic Law: Shari'a" and "TPP Objectively: Law, Economics and National Security of History's Largest, Longest Free Trade Agreement." He has lectured around the world and worked in more than 25 countries and practiced international banking law at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York before entering academia. Contact: Mike Krings, [email protected] The Importance of Honoring Fallen Soldiers and Law Enforcement Officers U.S. (Ret.) Col. David Dodd Founder/Director Point 27 Based in Atlanta, Dodd is available to discuss the importance and many ways of honoring fallen U.S. military soldiers and fallen law enforcement officers and their families; his experience in his years in military service; and the power of faith in service and remembrance: "As a retired military colonel, I understand the importance of honoring members of the military and their families every day, all year. In May, the country unites in honoring those fallen soldiers from every military branch lost in war and peacetime duties who sacrificed their lives in service to preserve our freedoms. Contemporary society has adopted May as a time to also honor fallen law enforcement officers. And though we may take one day or one month to remember, these families feel the loss of their loved one every hour of every day, year-round. It is important that we never forget the men and women who gave their life in service and to honor their ultimate sacrifice, and to assure their families that we do not take theirs and their loved ones' sacrifices for granted and that we -- all us -- will never forget, but always remember with them." Dodd believes God's Word provides hope, strength, and encouragement for these survivors whose lives were forever changed the moment their loved one was killed. Dodd served four deployments in the U.S. Army and, in 2001, commanded a battalion of the first U.S. troops deployed to Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the weeks following 9/11. He wore a Shield of Strength dog tag necklace engraved with Joshua 1:9, and equipped each soldier in his command with one alongside their government-issue dog tags. After his retirement, Dodd founded Point 27 to share the same scriptures on dog tags and other jewelry. Point 27 gave nearly 100,000 Shields of Strength in 2016 and again in 2017 directly to members of the military, military chaplains and commanders, and veterans; and Thin Blue Line Shields of Strength engraved with Matthew 5:9 to law enforcement officers and agencies. This month, at the invitation of Concerns Of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), Dodd is representing Point 27 at the National Police Week May 13-19 in Washington, D.C. At the invitation of TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), he represents Point 27 at the TAPS national conference in Washington D.C. on Memorial Day weekend. For family survivors at each national honor occasion, Point 27 is giving several designs of scripture-engraved Shields of Strength dog tag and angel wing necklaces; and a Shields of Strength Folded Flag Pendant Necklaces inscribed with John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." ProfNet Profile: www.profnetconnect.com/daviddodd Website: https://point27.org Contact: Marcia Davis, [email protected] **************** MEDIA JOBS: Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/ Senior Analyst/Writer PaymentsSource (NY) Freelancers The Nob Hill Gazette (CA) Deputy Editor AccountingWeb.com (NY) ***************** OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES: Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected] LOOKING FOR A LITTLE INSPIRATION? FOLLOW THESE PHOTOGRAPHERS ON INSTAGRAM. Scrolling through Instagram has become routine for many people. You wake up, brush your teeth, and check out the fun photos your friends have posted. The app also serves as a great platform for journalists, particularly photojournalists. Photographers can use Instagram to help get their name out there and follow other photographers and artists. Here are some of the ones we dug into that make it look so easy: https://prn.to/2jIzHhW 6 TIPS TO TAKE THE PERFECT HEADSHOT. When you're in the media and blogging world, it's important for your audience to put a face to your name. A picture can help humanize your work and, more importantly, push viewers to personally feel connected to you. This is a critical step in building a loyal following. But not any old selfie will do -- the wrong image could be a credibility killer. Your profile photo across platforms should scream consistency, quality, and professionalism, and should showcase your personality. Here are six tips for taking the perfect headshot: https://prn.to/2FlEa2R BLOG PROFILES: POETRY BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at a few poetry blogs: https://prn.to/2I1bd2j **************** PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. To contact ProfNet: [email protected] or 800-776-3638, ext. 1 SOURCE ProfNet Related Links http://www.profnet.com "As we enter our second year of the Squaring is Caring campaign, we are proud to see the program continuing to grow," said Sloane Perras , President of The Krystal Foundation. "This is a sizeable contribution and we hope it foretells a very promising year for what we can do for our communities in 2018 and beyond. Our hope is that The Krystal Foundation continues to be a pillar of support for our schools, our students, and the families in the communities we serve." Three organizations from Atlanta, Columbus, and Savannah in Georgia; two schools in Knoxville, Tennessee; and three schools in Nashville, Tennessee; and four schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee will receive varying grant amounts ranging between $800 and $4,000. Highlights from winning applications include: A healthy cooking after-school club for kids at a local elementary school where nearly 100% of the student population qualifies for free meal programs. The grant will provide food preparation equipment as well as funding for the purchase of fresh, healthy ingredients. Materials, design tools, entry fees, and travel expenses for a high-school robotics team to compete on the national level at the FIRST Robotics Championship in Houston, TX this year. this year. Supplements for an elementary school's Physical Education program, currently budgeted at only $100 per year. The grant will provide basketballs, hula hoops, jump ropes, tumbling mats, and other equipment that encourages strong, active, healthy physical growth and development. per year. The grant will provide basketballs, hula hoops, jump ropes, tumbling mats, and other equipment that encourages strong, active, healthy physical growth and development. Virtual reality gear for middle school classes to take "digital field trips" and learn through immersive, engaging encounters in social studies, economics, history, government, and more. Other schools and programs will be applying their grant dollars towards technology tools such as 3D printers, iPads and tablets, educational software, engineering and coding kits, and more. Applications that were not selected as grant winners for this period will be automatically re-entered in the foundation's next funding window, which will open in the Fall. "With every application, we are more and more impressed with the creative spirit and dedicated vision of teachers, educators, and community leaders," added Perras. "The potential benefits of these programs are so inspiring, and it is our honor to be able to help make them a reality. Congratulations to this round of winners, and we invite more schools and organizations to keep applying and keep getting involved. Together, we can make a profound difference for future generations." Those wishing to see the complete list of 2018 Krystal Foundation grant winners can visit www.thekrystalfoundation.com. About The Krystal Company Founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1932, The Krystal Company is the oldest quick service restaurant chain in the South. Its hamburgers are still served fresh and hot off the grill on the iconic square bun at more than 360 restaurants in 11 states. Krystal's Atlanta-based Restaurant Support Center serves a team of 6,000 employees. For more information, visit http://www.Krystal.com or http://www.facebook.com/Krystal or follow the brand on Twitter and Instagram @Krystal. About The Krystal Foundation Founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 2016, The Krystal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Its mission is to strengthen, enhance and enrich Krystal's neighborhood schools and families. The foundation provides need-based grants to communities in their 11 states, which have extracurricular program elimination or cutback. The Foundation supports programs that are focused in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics), including culinary arts, music, and sports. For more information, visit www.TheKrystalFoundation.com or http://www.facebook.com/Krystal or follow the brand on Twitter and Instagram @Krystal. Contact: Peyton Sadler 305-631-2883 [email protected] SOURCE The Krystal Company Related Links http://www.krystal.com The opening reception for Ruwad included many prominent Washingtonians, such as curators from top museums, well-known local and foreign artists, former diplomats, and VIPs highly influential in the arts scene. The premiere was a festive event complete with the full art exhibition on display, live traditional Middle Eastern music, and remarks provided by former U.S. Ambassador to Qatar and Chairman of the Board of Directors for QAI, Mr. Chase Untermeyer. Mr. Untermeyer noted that a "core component of QAI's mission is to promote a platform for cultural exchange between the U.S. and Qatar. We celebrate these artists not only as pioneers in the arts, but also as pioneers in the growing bond between both nations." Qatar-based artist Emelina Soares, an artist of Indian descent who was born and raised in Doha, treated guests to a live demonstration of her sand carpet work which bridges both of her identities in a vividly colorful fashion. "Art as a medium intrinsically connects people," Soares remarked, "Representing the works of a diverse group of artists from Qatar demystifies many notions about the Middle East and Muslims in general." Also present at the event were three other artists whose work is part of the Ruwad collection, some visiting the United States from Qatar for the first time. These artists were Jameela Al Shraim, a former art teacher turned painter and sculptor, Hayfaa Al Khuzai, a former art teacher whose paintings are reflective of Qatari heritage, and Khalid Al Hammadi, a Qatari photographer whose images capture the changing identity of Qataris living in Qatar. "This opportunity to facilitate cross-cultural dialogue is much needed in this current climate," Al Hammadi noted, "I am honored to be part of this exhibition, both through Reconnecting Arts as a partner as well as a Qatari artist." The Ruwad exhibit will be open to the public from May 9th to May 15th at a pop-up gallery located at 1643 Connecticut Ave. NW in Washington, DC. More information about the art, the artists and the exhibition can be found at www.qataramerica.org/ruwad_qatar/. About the Qatar-America Institute The Qatar-America Institute (QAI) is an independent nonprofit organization that aims to provide a free and open space for dialogue, research and debate on the political, economic, social and cultural synergies between the United States and Qatar. By providing an environment for the exchange of ideas, unobscured by political or regional interests, QAI promotes cultural and educational exchange to strengthen the strategic relationship between Qatar and the U.S. About Reconnecting Arts Reconnecting Arts is a platform supporting emerging contemporary Middle Eastern creatives. Its aim is to increase the visibility of Arab emerging creatives in the region as well as internationally through exhibitions, features, magazines and workshops. Their mission is to provide opportunities for a network of creatives and the community to Reconnect with each other, to provide opportunities for audiences to learn about and participate in activities that encourage integration, and to facilitate cross-cultural dialogue. For more information, please follow QAI on Twitter. SOURCE Qatar-America Institute Related Links https://qataramerica.org VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- QMC Quantum Minerals Corp., (TSX.v: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ) (OTC PINK: QMCQF) ("QMC" or "the Company"). QMC is pleased to disseminate the historical assay results reported (Manitoba AR #94932) by the Lithium Corporation of Canada ("LCOC"). These historical assays were obtained during LCOC's 1956 channel sampling of the Irgon Dike where it is exposed underground in crosscuts on the 200-foot level. The Irgon Dike is located at the company's 100% owned Irgon Lithium Mine Project, within the prolific Cat Lake-Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field of S.E. Manitoba which also hosts the nearby TANCO rare-element pegmatite. The underground workings can be viewed in the 3-D model released by QMC on March 28, 2018, which demonstrates that, to date, exploration and underground development has been only undertaken on the upper and central portions of dike leaving significant potential to quickly increase tonnage as the Irgon Dike is open both along strike and to depth. The 2017 channel sample locations and surface exposure of the dike are also indicated on the model. As reported in the LCOC Assessment Report, during the period of 1955-1956 underground development was established on the Irgon Dike to confirm both the mineralization at depth and the currently non-NI43-101 compliant ore reserves (1.2M tons @1.51% Li 2 O) calculated by LCOC from the historic drilling. This drifting was accessed via the vertical 3-compartment production shaft that was sunk to a depth of 241 feet by the Lithium Corporation of Canada. Off the 200-foot level of the shaft, 1,120 feet of drifting parallel to the dike was excavated with seven crosscuts (361 feet) cutting back through the Irgon Dike. During this development, the dike was channel sampled across these seven crosscuts with Li 2 O assays of the crosscut channel samples performed by the Department of Mines, Ottawa. Results of this sampling program are shown in Table 1 below. The underground workings are currently inaccessible as they are flooded and the shaft was capped by a cement slab in 1956. The LCOC's geologic map of the underground workings and accompanying assay results are posted on the QMC website (https://qmcminerals.com). Table 1: Historic Results of LCOC's 1956 Underground Channel Sampling of the Irgon Dike on the 200 Foot Level Crosscuts. CrossCut ID Li 2 O Grade (%) Width (Feet) No. 2 West 1.24 4.0 No. 1 West 1.75 6.0 Center 1.32 6.9 No. 1 East 1.30 14.5 No. 2 East 1.80 12.3 No. 3 East 1.16 24.9 No. 4 East 2.30 7.3 These data from the 200-foot level of the Irgon Dike compare favourably not only to the 2017 QMC surface channel samples released in the company's news release of March 05, 2018 but also to assayed historical 1953-1954 drill intersections from various levels within the dike (QMC News Release of April 16, 2018) and documented in the LCOC's assessment report (Manitoba AR #94932). All historic data and recent surface geologic mapping are presented in the 3-dimensional model of the deposit which permits the viewer to easily visualize the pegmatite, the underground workings and the 25 drill holes. This 3-D model will be expanded as results from ongoing and future exploration programs on the property are received by the company. The 3-D model can be also viewed by following the link to the company's website (https://qmcminerals.com). The upcoming drilling program is expected to confirm extensions to the strike length of the Irgon Dike and test mineralization to depth below the current level of historical drilling within the dike, both of which are expected to rapidly increase the resource tonnage above the currently reported historical tonnage of 1.2 million tons. Data received from the proposed drill program will be used in preparation of a NI-43-101 report. HISTORICAL RESOURCE Between 1953-1954, the Lithium Corporation of Canada Limited drilled 25 holes into the Irgon Dike and subsequently reported a historical resource estimate of 1.2 million tons grading 1.51% Li 2 0 over a strike length of 365 meters and to a depth of 213 meters (Northern Miner, Vol. 41, no.19, Aug. 4, 1955, p.3). This historical resource is documented in a 1956 Assessment Report by B. B. Bannatyne for the Lithium Corporation of Canada Ltd. (Manitoba Assessment Report No. 94932). This historical estimate is believed to be based on reasonable assumptions and neither the company nor the QP have any reason to contest the document's relevance and reliability. The detailed channel sampling and a subsequent drill program will be required to update this historical resource to current NI 43-101 standards. Historic metallurgical tests reported an 87% recovery from which a concentrate averaging 5.9% Li 2 O was obtained. During this historical 1950 era work program, a complete mining plant was installed on site designed to process 500 tons of ore per day and a three-compartment shaft was sunk to a depth of 74 meters. On the 61-metre level, lateral development was extended off the shaft for a total of 366 meters of drifting from which six crosscuts transected the dike. The work was suspended in 1957, awaiting a more favourable market for lithium oxides and at this time the mine buildings were removed. The mineral reserve cited above is presented as a historical estimate and uses historical terminology which does not conform to current NI43-101 standards. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Although the historical estimates are believed to be based on reasonable assumptions, they were calculated prior to the implementation of National Instrument 43-101. These historical estimates do not meet current standards as defined under sections 1.2 and 1.3 of NI 43-101; consequently, the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Qualified Person and NI 43-101 Disclosure The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Bruce E. Goad, P. Geo. who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About the Company QMC is a British Columbia based company engaged in the business of acquisition, exploration and development of resource properties. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious, base, rare metal and resource properties of merit. The Company's properties include the Irgon Lithium Mine project and two VMS properties, the Rocky Lake and Rocky-Namew, known collectively as the Namew Lake District Project. Currently, all of the company's properties are located in Manitoba. On behalf of the Board of Directors of QMC QUANTUM MINERALS CORP. "Balraj Mann" Balraj Mann President and Chief Executive Officer Neither the 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 news release. Contact: Tel: (604) 601-2018 email: [email protected] web: www.qmcminerals.com SOURCE QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. The invite-only event, CATALYST, will take place on Friday, May 18th in New York City at Convene's 117 West 46th Street location in Midtown West. With a mix of keynotes and panels, the conference will feature owners at the forefront of this shift sharing how they're making better decisions in this era of complexity. Industry leaders will break down which innovations, building enhancements and process improvements are worth investing in, and explore how owners can accommodate the next generation of tenants with aging building stock. Headlining the conference will be keynote speaker Lisa Gansky, entrepreneur, investor, instigator, and the author of bestselling book, The Mesh: Why the Future of Business Is Sharing, who will speak about cities as platforms for our collective future. Additional speakers include: Michael Turner, Executive VP & Global Head of Real Estate of OMERS, & President of Oxford Properties Group; Ric Clark, Senior Managing Partner and Chairman of Brookfield Properties; Kevin Danehy, Global Head of Corporate Development of Brookfield Properties; Sandy Jacolow, Chief Information Officer of Silverstein Properties; Tim Dumatrait, Director of Construction Technology at WeWork; Jennifer Michaels, Vice President-IT Enterprise Solutions at JBG Smith; Robert Entin, Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer at Vornado Realty Trust; Sara Queen, WX 2017 Women of the Year at WX New York Women Executives in Real Estate; Andrea Jang, SVP, Corporate Development and Strategy at JLL; Adam Doneger, Executive Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield; Allison Johnson, Senior Vice President - Director of Property Management, MRP Realty; Clint Osteen, Senior Director of IT at Granite; Melissa Marsh, Founder & Executive Director at Plastarc; Gary Dillabough, Managing Partner at Navitas Capital; Dennis Main, Vice President of Information Technology at EQC Equity Commonwealth; Richard Tyson, Connected Places Strategy Director, Gensler; Chris Zlocki, Head of Innovation at Colliers International; Riggs Kubiak, CEO and Co-Founder of Honest Buildings; Ryan Simonetti, CEO & Co-Founder of Convene; Chris Kelly, President and Co-Founder of Convene. Michael Beckerman, CEO of CREtech, will serve as Master of Ceremonies. CREtech is also the media partner. A full agenda can be found here: https://catalystconference.splashthat.com/ CATALYST: HOW OWNERS CAN PROGRESS THE URBAN LANDSCAPE Date: Friday, May 18th; 8:45am - 5:00pm Location: Convene at 117 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036 Invites can be requested for top level real estate owners and managers: http://info.honestbuildings.com/registration-catalyst-with-honest-buildings-and-convene About Honest Buildings Honest Buildings is the only project management platform built for owners and backed by owners to ensure capital and construction projects are on time and on budget. Industry leaders like Brookfield, Oxford Properties, Beacon Capital Partners, Invesco, SL Green, The Durst Organization, Silverstein Properties, JBG Smith, Harvest Properties, Parkway Properties, and Rudin Management utilize the intuitive software to streamline project management processes, increase revenue through faster project delivery, reduce project costs and make data-driven decisions on projects portfolio-wide. Owners, operators and managers rely on Honest Buildings to manage billions of dollars in total project value through centralizing project data, increasing transparency, automating bid management, and standardizing reporting. To learn more about Honest Buildings, visit: www.honestbuildings.com. About Convene Convene is a workplace hospitality platform focused on transforming the way people meet and work. The company partners with the world's largest landlords to humanize the workplace experience by offering enterprise companies and building tenants access to a shared network of premium meeting and event spaces, flexible workspaces, and hospitality amenities all enabled by a mobile technology platform. Founded in 2009, Convene has locations in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, with plans to expand globally. The company has been named one of America's 100 Most Promising Companies by Forbes, one of LinkedIn's Most In-Demand Startups, one of America's fastest growing companies by Inc. Magazine, and the #11 Best Workplace in New York by Fortune Magazine. To learn more about Convene, visit: convene.com Contact: Crystal Proenza Chief Brand and Performance Officer 201-913-8889 [email protected] SOURCE Honest Buildings Related Links http://www.honestbuildings.com YORK, Pa., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Lion Controls, the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation and networking, today announced that its powerful Crimson 3.1 software now supports the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) communication functionality for industrial automation developed by the OPC Foundation. For use with Red Lion's HMIs and data acquisition products, those deploying OPC UA to collect data can now do so without the need for additional hardware, software, or special code to populate the data. Customers can take machine data directly to enterprise business systems using a single solution from a single source. With support of OPC UA, Crimson 3.1 acts as a server to publish data for OPC UA clients, often from the shop floor to the data center. With the ability to converse with over 300 industrial protocols, Crimson 3.1 can bring in data from disparate automation devices, converting it to OPC UA for delivery to enterprise business systems simply and easily. "With the OPC UA gaining traction as a secure, modern way to move data, we understood it would be useful for any manufacturing industry trying to capture data from many different automation systems," said Paul Bunnell, product management director for automation products at Red Lion Controls. "Red Lion HMI and data acquisition products with Crimson 3.1 software simplifies harnessing the value of industrial information." Today Crimson 3.1's OPC UA Server works with all Red Lion Graphite HMIs, Graphite Controllers and CR3000 HMIs. Crimson 3.1 software features support for many additional Ethernet and Serial drivers such as Ethernet/IP, DNP3, Modbus TCP, Modbus RTU and many others. With an intuitive, drag-and-drop graphical user interface and a variety of hardware offerings each supporting multiple simultaneous conversions, customers can easily integrate new functionality into virtually any PLC, PC or SCADA system. About Red Lion Controls As the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation and networking, Red Lion has been delivering innovative solutions for over forty years. Our automation, Ethernet and cellular M2M technology enables companies worldwide to gain real-time data visibility that drives productivity. Product brands include Red Lion, N-Tron and Sixnet. With headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, the company has offices across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Red Lion is part of Spectris plc, the productivity-enhancing instrumentation and controls company. For more information, please visit www.redlion.net. 2018 Red Lion Controls, Inc. All rights reserved. Red Lion, the Red Lion logo, Crimson and Graphite are registered trademarks of Red Lion Controls, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Red Lion Controls Related Links http://www.redlion.net WASHINGTON, May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rising homelessness throughout Los Angeles can be stemmed only through bold, creative, collaborative actions by the public, private and non-profit sectors to increase access to shelters as well as transitional and permanent housing, says a new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The Institute is a global, member-driven real estate organization dedicated to the development of thriving, sustainable communities. Homelessness: Recommendations for Local Action is based on a thorough evaluation of Los Angeles's homelessness problem conducted through ULI's Advisory Services Program this past December. (At approximately 57,000, Los Angeles County's homeless population is the second highest in the U.S., ranking just below that of New York City.) The report builds on existing efforts to combat homelessness by providing short- and long-term housing solutions and offering guidance on deploying and leveraging the billions in bond proceeds being generated by Measure H and Proposition HHH for homelessness assistance. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and members of Los Angeles City Council have embraced many of the report's key recommendations. Mayor Garcetti included several of its recommendations in his recent State of the City Address most significantly, the expansion of community shelters. ULI Los Angeles will soon announce additional far-reaching implementation efforts. While ULI's recommendations focus primarily on the city of Los Angeles (where the majority of the area's homeless are located), they are applicable to Los Angeles County and can be adapted for other metropolitan regions. The recommendations were made by a panel of housing, architecture, public policy and housing finance experts convened by the Institute through the Advisory Services Program to address the issue of homelessness from a social and land use standpoint. With rising housing costs and insufficient housing supply as overriding factors, the panel's work included consideration of how housing developers and neighborhood leaders could find common ground on land use plans that allow housing to be built in areas where it has typically been blocked; how and where supportive housing and affordable housing can be built at a large scale; the assessment of optimal housing uses tailored to specific needs of different neighborhoods; and ways to avoid concentrating the homeless in specific neighborhoods. "The panel's work is impressive in terms of its ability to untangle the competing pressures and aid in resolving a vexing social issue from a real estate perspective," said ULI Americas Chairman Trish Healy, principal at Hyde Street Holdings LLC. "What ULI brought to this panel assignment is the essence of the Urban Land Institute members with a broad range of industry expertise, an openness to ideas, and an ability to bring together stakeholders with different and perhaps even competing interests." The panel's recommendations center around one main goal as a starting point reducing the number of unsheltered homeless (people not sleeping in shelters) by 50 percent by the end of 2018. The recommendations include: Use existing resources effectively the city and its partners should intensify efforts to connect the unsheltered homeless with existing shelters and fill unused beds and supportive housing units. Establish 60 community housing centers on land owned by the city, county or non-profits, using vacant or underused properties when possible. Centers should be equally distributed across the city, with four in each of the 15 council districts. Quickly reclaim and restore public spaces formerly occupied by homeless encampments for use as park/recreational space by the general public. Invest in scattered-site, permanent supportive housing with a focus on innovative, cost-effective approaches for combining housing and services; aim to provide 500 units each year for five years using an approach that incentivizes owners of small to medium-sized properties to participate. Increase the overall housing supply including single-family homes, market-rate condos and supportive housing to start reversing the city's growing housing shortage. Streamline approvals and offer more incentives for housing construction, with an emphasis on affordable housing development. Encourage innovation in housing design and development; embrace different solutions such as accessory dwelling units. Capitalize on the growing acceptance of density that involves well-designed affordable housing near transit; highlight best practices of this type of development. Reimagine leadership and accountability by building the political will for all leaders to work together on solutions that locate the siting of temporary and permanent housing in every district. The panel, which received significant support from ULI Los Angeles, was convened at the suggestion of several ULI Los Angeles leaders, and its work was informed by the advice and guidance of the University of Southern California Lusk Center for Real Estate. Panelists spent a week touring homeless encampments and possible sites for housing, interviewing more than 70 stakeholders representing the public, private and nonprofit sectors, and analyzing the severity, scale and complexity of the problem. "This is a problem throughout Los Angeles. Essentially, every neighborhood, every business, every local philanthropy, every resident of Los Angeles has a stake in solving this problem," said Panel Co-Chairman Leigh Ferguson, economic development director for the downtown district of New Orleans. "We saw a high level of concern, sensitivity and caring among all the stakeholders about finding good solutions." ULI Trustee and ULI Los Angeles leader Wayne Ratkovich pointed to ULI's vantage point one in which the problem was examined from an economic and land use standpoint as well as a social standpoint as being particularly useful in identifying solutions that might not otherwise be considered. "Among ULI's 40,000-plus members, there are people with an enormous amount of experience in all aspects of city building, and ULI was able to draw upon those resources and bring to Los Angeles a group of people willing to share their expertise on an issue that is very important to the city," said Ratkovich, president of The Ratkovich Company. "What they prescribed for the city is something we need to listen to very carefully and follow up on. The work of this panel speaks very highly of ULI and the capabilities its membership can bring to any urban challenge." ULI Los Angeles Chairman Clare De Briere, founder of C+C Ventures, pointed to the broad range of stakeholders involved in the panel process, including advocates for the homeless as well as public officials and the development community. "They were actively engaged with the process and fully supported it, they were heard, and it was fantastic," she said. "As the findings of the panel are shared with the community, there is a coalition of people behind it that ULI is uniquely positioned to bring together." Healy noted that the panel was particularly noteworthy, not just because of the complexity of the task, but also because it was funded entirely by the ULI Foundation, reflecting the Institute's increased emphasis on proactively seeking to help communities address various types of urban challenges. "Expanding ULI's successful advisory services program to include self-directed panels allows ULI to add another dimension to its advisory work," she said. "In addition to the sponsors who ask for assistance on pressing issues, ULI, through its philanthropic support, will be able to go into communities that need us the most." Support for the ULI panel came from more than $500,000 raised at a ULI Foundation gala held at ULI's 2017 Fall Meeting to raise funds for the Advisory Services program and honor one of the Institute's strongest supporters, ULI Foundation Governor Roy Hilton March, who helped significantly with the fundraising effort. March, chief executive officer of Eastdil Secured, told gala attendees that he sees in ULI a way to advance his passion for helping society's most disadvantaged people. "As a society, we will be judged by the people on the margin, and these people (the homeless) are certainly on the margin. Homelessness is one of the greatest unnatural disasters, and it is our responsibility to deal with it," March said. The exploration of immediate and long-term solutionsparticularly those related to access to affordable housingis "perfectly suited" to the advancement of the Institute's mission, he noted. Now in its 71st year, the advisory services program has convened more than 700 panels assisting communities with a broad range of challenges, ranging from reuse of obsolete industrial facilities to increasing the stock of affordable housing. "The advisory services program is about helping communities become more livable, sustainable and successful," said ULI Advisory Services Executive Vice President Paul Bernard. "The expansion of this program holds great promise for ULI, in terms of its ability to change people's lives through better communities." About the Urban Land Institute The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has more than 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information, please visit uli.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. About ULI Los Angeles ULI Los Angeles, a district council of the Urban Land Institute, serves more than 1,600 members in the counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara. The membership of ULI Los Angeles represents the entire spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines, including developers, builders, investors, architects, public officials, planners, real estate brokers, appraisers, attorneys, engineers, lenders, academics and students. SOURCE Urban Land Institute Related Links www.uli.org The Judicial Service Commissioner, Norah Matovu Winyi, is frustrated because she cannot get rid of bad apples on the bench. Matovu expressed this while addressing the newly appointed High court judges at the Judicial Training Institute. She attributes this difficulty to constitutional rigors, particularly Article 144 (3) (4) which gives powers to discipline a judicial officer ( judges to chief justice) to the president, who appoints a tribunal. When the president refers a particular judicial officer to the tribunal, that officer will be suspended until recommendations are made. There might be a problem in composing the tribunal because the law requires, for instance, if the person investigated is a chief justice, the tribunal would comprise five persons who are or have been justices of the Supreme court or advocates of at least twenty years standing. We have several retired justices, many of whom I doubt would be willing to try their colleagues. But this hurdle can be sorted with appointment of judges from the Commonwealth member states or the East African region. Once, High court judge Okumu Wengi was accused of professional misconduct by a senior lawyer, Peter Mulira. On the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), the president suspended Wengi and appointed a tribunal to investigate him. The panel comprised Tanzanias retired judge Josephat Kanywanyi, Kenyan judge Lee Gacuiga Muthoga and Ugandas Peter Mulira and Moses Adriko. As the accuser, Mulira recused himself from the panel because conflict of interest would arise. Later, however, Mulira withdrew the accusations and apologized to the judge. The president accordingly cancelled the tribunal, and the judge was advised to take an early retirement. Matovu wants the constitution amended so powers of punishing the misconducted judicial officers are transferred to where there are no political favours. Reformative as it sounds, Matovu needs to tell us whether the need to amend that provision has been occasioned by the presidents reluctance to appoint a tribunal. Matovu did not indicate how many cases of professional misconduct and incompetence referred to the president that he had not acted on. In his proposal, what Matovu is trying to address is at the tail end of the problem. Let us look at how judges are appointed. To date, JSC has not answered the question whether former deputy chief justice, Steven Kavuma, had really been recommended for that position as required by law. Efforts to have this matter cleared in court were frustrated by the judiciary when officers at the registry disappeared and could not receive documents from Prof George Kanyeihamba to stop Kavumas vetting by parliament. In JSCs wisdom, the secrecy with which this matter was handled outweighed public interest to know what happened. This failure of duty by JSC will remain indelible in the minds of many Ugandans. It also gave sneak peep into what JSC can bite and what it cant. So, JSC also has a problem in how they approve judicial officers. Since they contribute in appointing such undignified officers to the bench, they cannot turn around and question the rigorous process of removing or punishing them. Truth be told; we need to revamp the way judicial officers are appointed. The process of making appointments to the bench has sometimes been seen as an opportunity to hand out plum jobs to political friends. Once a lady judge told mourners at her husbands funeral that she was grateful to President Museveni because he gave her a job when she was in financial difficulties. This is not to doubt the judges competence, but that revelation inevitably poisons the public perception of her independence, and whether some of the judicial jobs are not rewards to political friends who are expected to return a favour when need arises. Another senior judicial officer also once declared she was only accountable to God and Museveni. True, judicial officers take a judicial oath, pledging to do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. However, when judicial officers make such statements, the public is inclined to perceive them not as fair, but biased persons who are likely to make favourable decisions to the appointing authority, to whom their first allegiance is. Prof Joe Oloka Onyango, in his recently launched book: When Courts do Politics: Public Interest Litigation in East Africa, teases out some of the things that ought to be done to restore and maintain integrity of courts. The author is the business development director at The Observer Media Limited. NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mutual of America Life Insurance Company, which specializes in providing retirement products and related services to organizations and individuals, announced the appointment of Rosemary T. Berkery to its Board of Directors. Ms. Berkery, a highly accomplished financial services executive, recently retired from UBS Financial Services, Inc., where she served as Vice Chairman of UBS Wealth Management Americas and Chairman/CEO of UBS Bank USA. Ms. Berkery has extensive experience and expertise in wealth management, banking, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities research and strategy/marketing. "I am delighted that Rosemary has joined the Company's Board of Directors," said John Greed, Chairman, President and CEO of Mutual of America. "Her leadership, extensive experience in the financial services industry and philanthropic activities position her well to make meaningful contributions to the Board and to the long-term growth and success of the Company." Prior to joining UBS, Ms. Berkery, had a 25-year career at Merrill Lynch & Co., where she held various leadership positions, including Vice Chair, Executive Vice President and General Counsel. In this role, she served as an advisor to Merrill Lynch's Board of Directors, Chairman and CEO, and Executive Management Team, and managed the firm's global legal and compliance departments, comprised of 950 professionals in 20 countries. Over the course of her career, Ms. Berkery has been honored by Fortune as one of "5 Women to Watch"; by Crain's New York Business as one of the "Top 100 Professional Women in New York"; and by the YMCA as one of its "100 Top Women Achievers." She was also profiled by the Financial Times in an article entitled, "Rosemary Berkery: Wall Street's Woman of Influence." Ms. Berkery earned a bachelor's degree in English from the College of Mount Saint Vincent and a J.D. from St. John's University School of Law. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Fluor Corporation, an NYSE-listed company. Among her philanthropic activities, she serves on the Board of Regents of Georgetown University, the Boards of Trustees of The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, Regis High School, The School of American Ballet and the College of Mount Saint Vincent. About Mutual of America Since 1945, Mutual of America has remained committed to offering plan sponsors, plan participants and individuals carefully selected, quality products and services at a competitive price and the personal attention they need to help build and preserve assets for a financially secure future. For more information, visit mutualofamerica.com. SOURCE Mutual of America Life Insurance Company Related Links https://www.mutualofamerica.com MIAMI, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) today declared a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per common share payable on July 3, 2018, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 4, 2018. The company also announced today that its Board of Directors has approved the repurchase of $1 billion of the company's common stock over the next two years. "Over the past five years, we have increased our dividends fivefold and repurchased close to $1.25 billion in common stock," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO. "We are very pleased to be in a position to improve returns for our shareholders, which remains one of our top priorities." Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company that owns and operates three global brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. We are a 50% joint venture owner of the German brand TUI Cruises, a 49% shareholder in the Spanish brand Pullmantur and a 36% shareholder in the Chinese brand SkySea Cruises. Together, these brands operate a combined total of 50 ships with an additional twelve on order as of March 31, 2018. They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on approximately 540 destinations on all seven continents. Additional information can be found on www.royalcaribbean.com, www.celebritycruises.com, www.azamaraclubcruises.com, www.tuicruises.com, www.pullmantur.es, or www.rclinvestor.com. SOURCE Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Related Links http://www.royalcaribbean.com HUNT VALLEY, Md., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- RPC Strategies is excited to announce Chris LaCivita and Melissa Hart have joined Maryland's premier political strategy, creative and media firm. RPC Strategies is a one-stop shop with over 30 years of experience building winning brands. RPC's experts, in-house resources, and production capabilities ensure their clients' messaging and media placement are positioned to quickly address news cycle issues, while maximizing ROI. Melissa Hart is a former member of Congress. She has been involved in public service and campaigns at all levels for more than three decades. She was the youngest woman ever elected to the PA State Senate and the first Republican woman to represent Pennsylvania at the federal level. In the US House, she served as a Deputy Whip and chaired the Republican Convention. She continues to serve as a mentor to candidates and public servants alike. Hart, an attorney, is also a Board Member of Enterprise Bank, a small business lender. Hart has served on Higher Education boards at her alma maters, the University of Pittsburgh and Washington & Jefferson College, as well as the Community College of Allegheny County. She is Vice Chairman of the Pittsburgh Film Office Board of Trustees. Chris LaCivita, a National Republican Strategist & President of Advancing Strategies LLC, has over 25 years in politics, campaign strategy, management and message development. He has advised candidates at all political levels: Presidential, US Senate, Gubernatorial, US House, state legislative as well as third party and issue advocacy organizations nationally. He has lectured on Politics and taught courses on campaign management. He served in the United States Marine Corps and is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University. "RPC Strategies is known for its strategic vision, creativity, and unmatched responsiveness," remarked CEO Tim Watkins, "Having Chris and Melissa on our team allows us to share their incredible insight and decades of experience with our clients, for years to come." RPC boasts a team with more than a century of combined experience positioning brands in the political arena, featuring award-winning video producers, writers, designers, and strategists. To explore how RPC Strategies can enhance your candidate brand, visit rpcstrategies.com. About RPC Strategies Located just north of Washington, DC, RPC Strategies is a political strategy, communications and media company that was founded on the principle of disruption, with more than 30 years of experience as a market leader in branding and communications for Fortune 100 companies. Business inquiries can be made directly to Beth Reinhart at 410-667-1400 / [email protected]. rpcstrategies.com SOURCE RPC Strategies Related Links http://rpcstrategies.com TULSA, Okla., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Samson Resources II, LLC ("Samson") announced today that it has executed an agreement to divest a portion of its position in Converse County, WY to an undisclosed buyer in exchange for cash consideration of $44.4 million and the receipt by Samson of 15,000 net acres (all subject to customary adjustments). The acreage to be received by Samson under the transaction will include all depths below the Fort Union formation, is currently undedicated and will bolt-on to Samson's core acreage position in Johnson County, WY. In exchange, Samson has agreed to sell approximately 7,000 net acres, Samson's interests in 17 wells and overriding royalty interests. Samson considers the assets non-core to its portfolio. The effective date of the transaction will be April 1, 2018 and closing is expected to occur prior to May 31, 2018. After closing, Samson will own rights to more than 152,000 net acres in the Powder River Basin. Joseph Mills, President and Chief Executive Officer of Samson, commented, "This sale represents another important step in Samson's portfolio management strategy of divesting non-core assets and increasing focus on our core assets in the Powder River and Green River Basins of Wyoming. The proceeds of this sale will be used to partially fund our 2018 drilling program and allow us to further capitalize on our robust drilling opportunities." Mills further stated, "Samson continues to execute on its plan to deliver shareholder value with a lower risk growth strategy while remaining focused on balance sheet strength." Samson is a privately held onshore exploration and production company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Forward-Looking Statements In this press release, all statements that are not purely historical facts are 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. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," plan," "estimate," intend," "potential" and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on currently available business, economic, financial and other information and reflect management's current beliefs, expectations and views with respect to future developments and their potential effects on Samson. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties that may affect Samson and its business. Samson's actual actions and results may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by these statements due to a variety of factors, including (a) the ability of Samson to perform well and compete effectively, (b) the impact of restrictions in Samson's Senior Credit Facility on its ability to make capital investments and pursue strategic growth opportunities, (c) the ability of Samson to continue to attract and retain qualified employees, and (d) other risks and uncertainties as disclosed by Samson in the future. Samson assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement made in this press release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances or actual outcomes. SOURCE Samson Resources II, LLC Accumen, as a performance partner, developed a comprehensive Patient Blood Management program (cPBM) to improve patient outcomes and deliver value for the health system that includes 45 hospitals in 14 states. In just one year, the results of an enterprise-wide campaign to "Save Blood and Save Lives" drove a decrease of more than 11,000 units of Red Blood Cells (RBCs) being transfused and resulted in reduced transfusion-associated risk of HAIs (hospital-acquired infections), thrombotic events, transfusion reactions, mortality, and morbidity. Accumen's team developed an evidence-based proprietary prioritization matrix to scale its PBM Program that included infrastructure development, clinical education and awareness, clinical guidelines, CPOE blood order builds and meaningful transfusion benchmarks and analytics. "Prime Healthcare's commitment to patient safety and evidence-based clinical care, coupled with Accumen's comprehensive Patient Blood Management model, has resulted in an incredible partnership, profoundly improving healthcare quality across the entire hospital network within 12 months," said Joe Thomas, BSN, RN, National Director of Clinical Optimization for Accumen. "Prime is the largest health system to implement a comprehensive program and achieve these incredible results in such an accelerated timeframe." "I applaud our physicians, nurses and all clinicians for their dedication to patient blood management and adhering to evidence-based guidelines," said Sunny Bhatia, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Prime Healthcare. "This initiative has, most importantly, resulted in improved patient care and clinical outcomes." In a collaborative approach supported by Prime Healthcare's leadership, a corporate PBM steering committee was established as well as a PBM Task Force at Prime Healthcare's hospitals. With physicians and subject matter experts from Prime and Accumen, a new set of evidence-based transfusion guidelines was developed for implementation at the hospitals. Prime's award-winning IT and EHR (Electronic Realth Record) team optimized its CPOE platform to accelerate blood order implementation across its system with multiple EHR platforms. Additionally, outdated blood supplier contracts were renegotiated to drive additional savings. Prime is prepared to launch a new awareness campaign to promote Single Unit RBC ordering as a result of significant opportunity uncovered in cPBM analytics and benchmarking reports. In addition, multiple educational modules will be launched. An intense focus is planned to expand the review of transfusion metrics for the system's hospitals. To sustain performance improvement, Accumen Performance Suite, a SaaS technology solution, will be implemented for executives and hospital leaders to review real-time transfusion performance and outcomes. For more information on Prime Healthcare, visit primehealthcare.com. For more information on Accumen's Comprehensive Patient Blood Management program, visit Accumen.com. About Prime Healthcare and Prime Healthcare Foundation: Prime Healthcare is an award-winning national hospital system with 45 acute care hospitals providing nearly 45,000 jobs in 14 states. Fifteen of the hospitals are members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity with a mission of providing quality, compassionate healthcare for all. Based in California and one of the largest hospital systems in the country, Prime Healthcare and its hospitals have been recognized as among the "100 Top Hospitals" in the nation 42 times and among the "15 Top Health Systems" three times, and Prime Healthcare is the only "Top 10 Health System" west of the Mississippi. For more information, please visit www.primehealthcare.com. About Accumen Inc. Accumen Inc. is a leading healthcare performance partner providing end-to-end strategy and services to drive value and sustainability for the clinical lab, patient blood management and imaging services. Accumen offers health system partners consulting, execution, utilization, and outreach solutions using a proven blueprint, innovative approach, and insight-driven proprietary technology. We partner with hospitals and health systems to set new standards of performance for healthcare delivery in speed, higher quality, increased patient safety, and a better patient experience that is sustainable. Accumen adds unprecedented value to its healthcare partners, helping them create healthier hospitals, and ultimately, healthier communities. Accumen Accelerated Performance Delivered. Find out more at Accumen.com. 1 According to the American Red Cross as quoted in TIME: http://time.com/5123867/red-cross-blood-platelet-donations/ SOURCE Prime Healthcare LAS VEGAS and LONDON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Engage ESM, an Atos company and ServiceNow Gold Services and Sales Partner, announced today at the ServiceNow event Knowledge18, the rebranding of imaKumo to Engage ESM, effective immediately. The rebranding will mean that with Engage ESM, Atos now has a consistent go-to-market for ServiceNow based solutions worldwide, including local operations in North America, UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, and Singapore. The decision to rebrand imaKumo to Engage ESM is part of a global strategy by Atos to underpin their digital transformation services through the ServiceNow platform. "From day one, we shared strong synergies and a common mindset, and now with the rebranding of imaKumo to Engage ESM we can better articulate those values to our customers and partners worldwide," said Mat Middleton, CEO of Engage ESM. He continued, "We are now one of the largest ServiceNow partners globally. We are a ServiceNow Gold Services and Gold Sales Partner, as well as an Authorized ServiceNow Training Partner. In fact, we now have one of the largest number of ServiceNow certified consultants in the industry." Peter Pluim, Executive Vice-President of Atos Infrastructure & Data Management Services said, "With Atos and the go-to-market brand Engage ESM, we now have a compelling narrative that puts ServiceNow at front and center of our Digital Transformation strategy. With the talent and thought leadership that Engage ESM brings to the table we will continue to innovate more strongly and give customers even more complete solutions, more choice and more flexibility." About Engage ESM Engage ESM is an Atos company and Gold Sales and Services partner for ServiceNow globally; providing design, implementation, and support services to clients worldwide. Engage ESM is a leader in the enterprise-service management (ESM) sector, which includes IT, Customer Service, Security, and HR. Engage ESM helps organisations of all sizes to improve their operational performance and extend the value of existing and new investments in ServiceNow. Atos is a leader in digital services with annual revenue of over 12 billion and 100,000 employees in 72 countries. Serving a global client base, Atos provides Consulting & Systems Integration services, Application Transformation Services, Managed Services, Cloud operations, Big Data & Cyber-security solutions, and transactional services through Worldline. Atos is also the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games. Website: http://www.engage-esm.com Contact: [email protected] Media: [email protected] SOURCE Engage ESM Ltd The new product, Multi Spectrum Grow Light, is both energy and cost efficient, dramatically improving yields without excessive energy and infrastructure costs. Multi Spectrum Grow Light is being sold under the Smart Cannabis Corp. subsidiary Next Generation Farming and is an innovation of Smart Cannabis Corp. co-founder John Taylor. "Need truly drives product creation for us whether it's in a variety of greenhouses or tools that improve production outcomes within the greenhouses, like our SMARTAPP which automates the cultivation process and allows for remote management. This lighting system is absolutely needed for efficiency. It's critical to us that our clients experience high quality, high tech products that improve both yields and their bottom line when they work with us. We are confident we're helping them achieve success even more by making Multi Spectrum Grow Light available to them immediately," says Taylor. More information on the Multi Spectrum Grow Light, including a data sheet and photos of it in use, can be found at: https://smartcannabis.com/greenhouse-models/multi-spectrum-grow-light/ Smart Cannabis (OTC PINK: SCNA) is a public equity corporation advancing the agriculture and cannabis industries and growing through acquisition, strategic alliances, and proprietary intellectual property. The company's wholly owned subsidiary, Next Generation Farming Inc., provides turnkey, automated, commercial greenhouses systems that efficiently improve yields and decrease water consumption for cultivators of organic food and cannabis crops. The company websites are http://smartcannabis.com and http://nextgen.farm. Disclaimer: The Company relies upon the Safe Harbor Laws of 1933, 1934 and 1995 for all public news releases. The company may make forward-looking public statements concerning its expected future operations, performance and other developments. Such forward-looking statements are estimates that reflect the company's best judgment based upon current information. All investments involve risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. It is impossible to identify all such factors. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the company include, but are not limited to, government regulation; managing and maintaining growth; the effect of adverse publicity; litigation; competition; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in the company's public announcements. Contact: Smart Cannabis Corp. Don Smith, Vice President [email protected] (424) 732-7646 SOURCE Smart Cannabis Corp. Related Links https://smartcannabis.com Empowered by Solar Power Soledad USD serves nearly 5,000 K-12 students in one of the most productive agricultural regions in California. Starting in early 2016, Soledad USD partnered with ENGIE to create a plan to reduce District energy costs and positively impact the environment. Leveraging two, zero-percent loans from the California Energy Commission (CEC), District leaders worked with ENGIE to ultimately secure $4.8 million in CEC state funding to start solar work at Soledad High School in late 2016, with work at additional school sites occurring through spring 2018. Remaining program costs will be covered by savings resulting from the generation of clean solar power. Soledad USD Board President Josie Perez-Aguilera emphasized the power of strong partnership over multiple phases of work at the District. "Starting in 2016, our strong, ongoing partnership with ENGIE has helped us to bring best in class sustainability technology innovations that advance the District's education, community engagement, and financial goals while also directly touching the long-term success of students across grade levels." Earth Day, Every Day In addition to the visual transformation at District school sites with solar canopy shade structures, a long-term, positive impact is happening in the learning environment as well. Superintendent Tim Vanoli shared, "The reason our theme for this event is 'Earth Day, Every Day' is because we have truly integrated our belief in the power of renewable energy into all school sites. Not only do we celebrate sustainable actions, we can really live them on a daily basis now that we are producing clean energy that will power our District and offset greenhouse gases in addition to saving us $10 million in energy costs over the life of this project." The District has already achieved significant, early wins from the solar project, including creating approximately 30 local jobs associated with the construction of the project and starting the development of energy education opportunities across schools. Soledad USD is looking forward to the following, expected outcomes over the life of the solar program: $10MM in energy savings over 25 years 1.78 million kWh generated annually or, enough clean energy to power 143 homes for a year ~68% of the District's electricity needs will be met through solar production 1,326 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions reduced annually the positive environmental equivalent to planting 34,000 trees a year Ongoing STEM engagement activities, including hands-on experiences, career day presentations from energy engineers, and an online dashboard that connects real-world data to classroom learning About Soledad Unified School District: Learn more at http://soledadusd.org/. About ENGIE Services U.S.: ENGIE Services U.S. is a national energy company that works with education, government, commercial, industrial, and other organizations. We deliver integrated Energy Effective programs that drive sustainable results. As part of the #1 energy services provider in the world, we provide an extensive set of energy and sustainability management services to thousands of customers throughout the United States. Over the past 40 years, ENGIE Services U.S. has provided more than $2.7 billion in savings for our customers. For more information, please visit https://engieservices.us, or contact Lani Wild, Manager of Communications, at 415-735-9080. SOURCE ENGIE Services U.S. Related Links http://www.engie-na.com/ "The mermaid is a silhouette classically worn by confident womenit would be a great choice for the Duchess-to-be," said Mara Urshel, Kleinfeld co-owner. "We're so excited to have SpikedSeltzer here to encourage our brides to 'Say 'Yes!' to the Mermaid.'" Kleinfeld will hold one VIP spot for a lucky bride to secure a last-minute booking on May 19 for a chance to "Say 'Yes!' to the Mermaid." Interested brides, age 21 plus, can follow @SpikedSeltzer on Instagram to enter for a chance to win the VIP spot2. And because grooms deserve the royal treatment too, they can save $5 on their first Drizly delivery using code SPIKEDSELTZER, where legal.3 "Our drink is gaining popularity with men; it's lighter than beer, less sweet than wine, more sessionable than spirits, and a great cocktail mixer, too," said Carrie Shafir, Marketing Director, SpikedSeltzer. "SpikedSeltzer is easy to drink, and has a premium six percent ABV. We see it as an ideal option for bachelor and bachelorette parties, bridal showers, and the wedding day itself, especially given its bubbly quality." On May 19, brides at Kleinfeld NYC may experience all six flavors of SpikedSeltzer as well as a royal-cake-inspired cocktail featuring SpikedSeltzer's new flavor Ventura Lemon. Royal fans across the country can also toast with the Slice of Spiked cocktail: Slice of Spiked 3 oz. SpikedSeltzer Ventura Lemon t. vanilla extract 1-2 drops tonic bitters oz. lemon juice oz. elderflower liqueur 1 oz. Champagne t. orange marmalade Build ingredients in a Champagne flute, add orange marmalade, top off with SpikedSeltzer and stir. Garnish with fresh edible flower. Nationwide, people can "Say 'Yes!' to the Mermaid" by trying SpikedSeltzer. Ventura Lemon is now available across the country in 12-can variety packs and in the brand's new 24-pack alongside Indian River Grapefruit, Cape Cod Cranberry, West Indies Lime, Valencia Orange, and Prickly Pear. For more information, follow @SpikedSeltzer, @KleinfeldBridal and #sayyestothemermaid on Twitter and Instagram. 1 "Say 'Yes!' to the Mermaid" SpikedSeltzer will cover a total of $19,000 total in mermaid wedding gowns for 10 brides at $1,900 per dress. No Purchase Necessary. Open to US residents 21+. Begins at 7:00 a.m. EDT on 5/19/18 and ends at 7:00 p.m. on 5/19/18. For a copy of the Official Rules, see the SpikedSeltzer Brand Ambassador at the "Say 'Yes!' to the Mermaid" event on 5/19/18. Void where prohibited. 2 #SayYesToTheMermaid NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to US residents 21+. Begins 5/9/18 at 10:00 a.m. EDT and ends 5/11/18 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. See Official Rules on @SpikedSeltzer Instagram for entry, prize and details. Void where prohibited. 3 Code SPIKEDSELTZER is valid May 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. 21+, subject to applicable law. Offer valid for $5.00 off your first Drizly order, courtesy of Drizly. Includes orders of non-alcoholic items. Not valid in: CT, KY, ME, MO, OH. Offer expires 12/31/18. About SpikedSeltzer SpikedSeltzer created the fast-growing hard seltzer category in 2013, and partnered with Anheuser-Busch in 2016 to go national. The product is six percent ABV, naturally flavored, and gluten-free. It contains only five grams of carbs per 12 oz. serving. The alcohol comes from a cold-fermentation of sugar combined with purified water and cold-pressed fruits. Its bubbles give it a crisp, dry finish. SpikedSeltzer comes in six natural flavors: Ventura Lemon, Prickly Pear, Indian River Grapefruit, West Indies Lime, Cape Cod Cranberry, and Valencia Orange. For more information, go to spikedseltzer.com, or visit their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages. 2018 Boathouse Beverage Co., SpikedSeltzer Ventura Lemon, Indian River Grapefruit, Cape Cod Cranberry, West Indies Lime, Valencia Orange, Prickly Pear, IRC Beer (Ale in TX), Norwalk, CT & Baldwinsville, NY. ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. Media Contacts: Nicole Mayo, [email protected]; Lacey Clifford, [email protected] SOURCE SpikedSeltzer Related Links http://spikedseltzer.com "We are pleased to welcome Stanley Black & Decker to the group of more than a hundred of the world's biggest companies that have now set targets through the Science Based Targets initiative," said Cynthia Cummis, Director of Private Sector Climate Mitigation at World Resources Institute, one of the Science Based Targets initiative partners. "Stanley Black & Decker's science-based targets demonstrate that there is a myriad of business benefits available to manufacturing companies that set them, including communicating to customers and shareholders that the company is serious about addressing its climate impact." Specifically, Stanley Black & Decker commits to reduce Absolute Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions 100% by 2030, using a 2015 base year. Stanley Black and Decker also commits to reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions 35% by 2030, using a 2017 base year. The Scope 3 target covers the emissions from purchased goods and services, and upstream and downstream transportation and distribution. "A strong commitment to corporate social responsibility is the right thing to do, and is an imperative for companies dedicated to doing their part to help the world grow and thrive," said Jim Loree, President and CEO of Stanley Black & Decker. "Certification from the Science Based Targets initiative helps give us confidence that the aggressive and aspirational goals we are setting for our company with our new 2030 global corporate social responsibility plan are putting us on a path to making a difference and creating a more sustainable world." Across all sectors, more than 390 companies have committed to setting science-based targets, of which over 100 companies have approved targets. Stanley Black & Decker's approval continues its commitment to supporting the tenets of the Paris Agreement and reducing its impact on climate change. About Stanley Black & Decker Stanley Black & Decker, an S&P 500 and FORTUNE 500 company, is the world's leading provider of tools and storage, the world's second-largest commercial electronic security company, and a leading engineered fastening systems provider, with unique growth platforms in the Oil & Gas and Infrastructure industries. Well-known brands include: STANLEY, BLACK+DECKER, Craftsman, DEWALT, Porter-Cable, Bostitch, Facom, Mac Tools, Proto, Vidmar, Lista, and more. Learn more at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com. Stanley Black & Decker Media Contact: Tim Perra Vice President of Public Affairs (860) 826-3260 [email protected] SOURCE Stanley Black & Decker Related Links http://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com There is the media, and there is journalism. The former can mean anything in this era of highly democratised flow of information. But journalism means something very specific and critical. The explosion of the media landscape in the recent past, powered by the revolution in information and communications technology, is unprecedented in human history. Today, any major news development at one end of the world instantly travels to utterly distant parts of the world. The speed is prodigious, and often the contagion can bring about a global wave either in celebration or disapproval of something. The biggest force here has been social media. The world is a better place because of advances that have eased the flow of information, the unfettered availability of channels of communication and vast sources of knowledge. But the world also faces grave dangers precisely because of unbridled circulation of anything and everything. Change is good. Creative destruction, as economist Joseph Schumpeter pointed out more than half a century ago, moves societies forward and for the most part leads to better conditions. This, of course, needs not be seen through a rigid teleological frame. Human ingenuity thrives in environments of free flow of ideas and tinkering with new ways of thinking. The current explosion of the media landscape is itself a product of human tinkering, but also has provided part of the infrastructure for freer imagination and innovative thinking. But a world of creative destruction without institutions guarding against human excesses could easily lead to a state of nature or at best worsen an already anarchical system we have no world government and global governing systems that fully rule over everyone and every state or non-state actor. The sprawling media landscape that includes all manner of unfiltered and unprofessional dissemination ironically presents easily the biggest danger to what used to be referred to as the fourth estate. I say it used to because I am not sure we can still speak of a unified fourth branch of government called the media thats strictly independent and services a public good. The disruptive effects of social media have left mainstream media gasping to survive and remain relevant even when, in fact, the latter can offer wholly different and extremely critical services that social media cannot. Instead, there is near race to the bottom here. Media houses find themselves wanting to emulate social media platforms where everyone is an expert and everything in its raw form can pass for material worth putting out. Worse still, increasingly we get more punditry and less serious investigative reporting, much opinionated arguments but little sourced stories and a lot of salacious breaking news yet very limited deep insight. The sum of the issue here as I see it is the gradual death of journalism, ironically at the behest of the media. A big paradox it is: the media is killing journalism. Consider the recent trend of Ugandas websites purporting to be news outlets. I have lost count. One of them is run by a fellow fully ensconced to State House, but it is seen by many Ugandans as a source of credible and worthy news! Unlike in the past where starting a newspaper or a radio station required substantial financial and human resources, its now easier and a trifle inexpensive to lay claim to being a media organisation by starting a news website. In the West, the biggest damage to the credibility and standing of journalism has come from vicious assaults from website outlets. And the sustained attack on journalism by President Donald Trump, perhaps the main reason majority of the Republic Party now considers the media an enemy of the people, has succeeded mainly through sending out only a few words via Twitter. Trump and his supporters seem unaware his Twitter handle and the myriad populist news-websites out to harangue the media are in fact part of the media. The real target for denigration here is not the media, but journalism. Real journalism bites. It is not music to politicians and the powerful. But its never a threat to society because it serves a common good for all, telling the true story and casting a spotlight on the issues affecting peoples lives. In our times, this journalism has suffered a plunge. We have tabloid television in league with social media. Major television networks hire celebrity anchors who can attract viewership and ratings. On social media, the craze is about following people on Facebook and Twitter and how many followers someone has. Some people now get news and information by following certain individuals. In this media maze that includes everything and anything, the decline of journalism means we are inundated by disinformation as much as rushed breaking news supposedly in realtime. We have individuals and organisations spewing toxic and salacious stuff that do little to inform and educate. More than ever before the profession of journalism, as the vanguard of the fourth estate, needs to be at the front of the information age, but its now in a marginal position. The author is an assistant professor of political science at North Carolina State University SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Urban coastal centers are facing unprecedented social, economic and structural risks due to the impacts of climate change. The combination of people migrating from drought affected geographies to coastal cities already facing ocean driven damage to infrastructure due to rising sea levels, increased intensity of storms, and the loss of habitats for fisheries puts developing coastal nations at the epicenter of new security threats. The Stimson Center's Environmental Security program, with support from global (re)insurer XL Catlin, is creating a predictive mapping model that will help identify the developing coastal nations that are most at risk from climate change. The model will help better predict the hazards and identify where resilience measures should be implemented in those regions most vulnerable to these changes. The program will present the project at the Ocean Risk Summit taking place in Bermuda this week. The summit focuses on how governments and the business sector should respond to the risks of existing and projected changes in the ocean which until recently have been poorly understood. "Coastal cities are already under incredible social stress in developing nations, while climate change and ocean related risk is further exacerbating the economic and food security for people living in these dense urban centers. The combination of migrants seeking better livelihoods in cities also under assault from flooding and loss of basic services due to sea level rise and coastal storms, is pushing many local governments to the brink", says Sally Yozell, Director of the Stimson Center's Environmental Security program. "Many urban areas that lack strong governance structures are just one catastrophic event away from disaster." The mapping model will examine social, environmental, and economic conditions in a region. This will allow the model to identify the nations most at risk of conflict and insecurity due to climate change. "The predictive model will account for a host of factors such as poor governance, depleted fisheries, and changing ecosystems," says Yozell. "Accounting for these complexities will give nations and businesses the tools they need to manage risk." Along with the mapping model, a checklist will be created for businesses for future operations in climate change hotspots. Further, governments and industry will be engaged and provided with tools to help identify solutions and take actions necessary to mitigate climate change risks. "When public policy aligns with business interests we can better mitigate risk," says XL Catlin's Executive Vice President, Emerging Markets, Brendan Plessis. "This multi-sectoral approach is key to delivering real change in communities that need it most and we're proud to be working with the Stimson Center to achieve these aims." Beginning with a focus on the Western Hemisphere and Southeast Asia, over the next two years, the Stimson Center's Environmental Security program will conduct research and build the tools to help governments and businesses predict and manage risks due to climate change. Further areas may be included as new partners are confirmed. The predictive mapping model, business checklist, and other tools and reports will be launched at the Our Oceans Conference 2019 in Norway. Notes to editors: The Stimson Center is a nonpartisan policy research center working to protect people, preserve the planet, and promote security and prosperity. Stimson's award-winning research serves as a roadmap to address borderless threats through concerted action. Stimson gathers the brightest people to think beyond soundbites, create solutions, and make those solutions reality. The Center follows the credo of one of history's leading statesmen, Henry L. Stimson, in taking "pragmatic steps toward ideal objectives." www.stimson.org/ XL Catlin, presenting partner of the Ocean Risk Summit, is the global brand used by XL Group Ltd's (NYSE:XL) insurance and reinsurance companies which provide property, casualty, professional and specialty products to industrial, commercial and professional firms, insurance companies and other enterprises throughout the world. Clients look to XL Catlin for answers to their most complex risks and to help move their world forward. www.xlcatlin.com In 2017 XL Catlin launched its Ocean Risk Initiative to help identify solutions and build resilience at local, regional and global levels to the implications of ocean related risk. The Ocean Risk Summit is being sponsored by insurance and reinsurance group XL Catlin along with other scientific and Bermuda-based partners. For information on the summit go to OceanRiskSummit.com @OceanRiskSummit SOURCE XL Catlin Related Links http://xlcatlin.com CHICAGO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. [NYSE: TDS] and United States Cellular Corporation [NYSE: USM] are presenting at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications (TMC) conference on May 16, 2018 at 10:40 a.m. ET (9:40 a.m. CT). LeRoy T. Carlson Jr., President and CEO TDS; Vicki L. Villacrez, Senior Vice President Finance and CFO TDS Telecom; Jane W. McCahon, Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations TDS will attend. To listen to all presentations, please visit the events and presentations pages of investors.tdsinc.com or investors.uscellular.com. The presentation will be webcast both live and on-demand. It is recommended that you register at least 15 minutes before the start of the presentation to register, download and install any necessary multimedia streaming software. About TDS Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS), a Fortune 1000 company, provides wireless; cable and wireline broadband, TV and voice; and hosted and managed services to approximately 6 million connections nationwide through its businesses, U.S. Cellular, TDS Telecom, BendBroadband and OneNeck IT Solutions. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, TDS employed 9,900 people as of March 31, 2018. For more information about TDS and its subsidiaries, visit: TDS: www.tdsinc.com U.S. Cellular: www.uscellular.com TDS Telecom: www.tdstelecom.com OneNeck IT Solutions: www.oneneck.com SOURCE Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.; U.S. Cellular Related Links http://www.tdsinc.com The popular fundraiser for CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation's Children's Miracle Network, a program that raises funds for children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues, sets 27 teams against each other in a series of friendly races on Lake Charles. The 21-man Chinese-style dragon boats add an extra element of fun and challenge, requiring teamwork and synchronization to navigate a 600-foot stretch of the Lake. CITGO Vice President and General Manager Jerry Dunn said that although volunteers practice months ahead of time and take the race seriously, they're in it to win it for the children. "CITGO is proud to continue its 30-year history with the Children's Miracle Network," explained Dunn. "The tradition continues as the Dragon Boat Race brings festivity, community spirit and friendly competition to our community. We are proud of our TeamCITGO volunteers for their dedication to this great event. We are even more proud to be part of such a worthwhile cause." In addition to participating in the race, TeamCITGO volunteers raised $1,270 for the Children's Miracle Network by selling commemorative t-shirts. During the event, TeamCITGO volunteers also served as deck hands, assisting teams get in and out of boats safely. Executive Director of Development of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation Kay Barnett said TeamCITGO volunteers, even though serious, have a lot of fun. "They know how to row! They bring a special spirit to the competition and put their hearts and souls into our event, which means so much to us. Team CITGO has passion to make a difference by fundraising to help us provide the pediatric care that is needed in our area through the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation's Children's Miracle Network," said Barnett. "TeamCITGO continues to raise the bar," added Children's Miracle Network Director and CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation Annual Events Manager Cara Wyland. "And I don't just mean on the water though they've certainly proved it there. TeamCITGO makes a huge difference year-in and year-out by raising funds for the Children's Miracle Network. We so appreciate their work!" About TeamCITGO: TeamCITGO celebrates its 31st anniversary this year. As the first employee-led industrial volunteer group in the area, TeamCITGO continues to model the characteristics that make Southwest Louisiana a great place to call home. Volunteers average upwards of 3,500 hours of community service annually in Southwest Louisiana. About the Dragon Boat Race: CHRISTUS St. Patrick Foundation's sixth annual Dragon Boat Race, held on April 28, benefits the Children's Miracle Network program in Southwest Louisiana. The funds raised are used to purchase state-of-the-art pediatric surgical and treatment equipment at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Health System and CHRISTUS Lake Area Hospital, as well as provide support for several school-based initiatives in our community, including expanding Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) donations to include all five parishes served and helping to fund GoNoodle (an on-line, in-classroom tool that has students moving and grooving and getting better grades) in Calcasieu and Jeff Davis parishes. About CITGO CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter, and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com SOURCE CITGO Related Links http://www.CITGO.com LONDON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5390753 The cryogenic valve market is estimated to be USD 3.00 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 3.75 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 4.51%, from 2018 to 2023. Rising investments in the LNG sector is the key factor driving the cryogenic valve market. Moreover, the increasing demand for Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels is further expected to boost the growth of the cryogenic valve market. Volatile metal price can act as a restraint for the cryogenic valve market, leading to declining profits. The Energy & Power subsegment of the end-user segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR, from 2018 to 2023. The energy & power subsegment of the end-user segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR, during the forecast period due to the increasing LNG production. In Asia Pacific, countries such as China, India, South Korea, and Southeast Asian countries are the major importers of LNG to meet the growing power generation and domestic sector demand. Asia Pacific: The largest market for cryogenic valves in 2017 The market in Asia Pacific is currently the largest market for cryogenic valves followed by the North American market. The substantial growth in end-user industries, such as chemicals, electronics, metallurgy, and food & beverage, is expected to drive the cryogenic valve market in the Asia Pacific region. Breakdown of Primaries: In-depth interviews have been conducted with various key industry participants, subject-matter experts, C-level executives of key market players, and industry consultants, among other experts, to obtain and verify critical qualitative and quantitative information, as well as to assess future market prospects. The distribution of primary interviews is as follows: By Company Type: Tier 1- 35%, Tier 2- 45%, Tier 3- 20% By Designation: C-Level- 55%, Manager-Level- 25%, and Others- 40% By Region: North America 45%, Europe 20%, Asia Pacific 27%, Middle East & Africa 5%, and South America 3% Note: Others includes product managers, marketing managers, and sales managers. Note: Others includes sales managers, marketing managers, product managers, and product engineers. The tier of the companies is defined on the basis of their total revenue as of 2016. Tier 1: USD 1 billion, Tier 2: From USD 1 billion to USD 500 million, and Tier 3: The leading players in the cryogenic valve market include Flowserve (US), Herose (Germany), Emerson (US), L&T (India), Schlumberger (US), Samson (Germany), Cryocomp (US), Habonim (Israel), Parker (US), Bray (US), Velan (Canada), Weir Group (Scotland), Powell Valves (US), and BAC (Spain). Research Coverage: The report defines, describes, and forecasts the global cryogenic valve market by type, application, gas, end-user, and region.It also offers a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market. The report provides a comprehensive review of the major market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges.It also covers various important aspects of the market. These include an analysis of the competitive landscape, market dynamics, market estimates in terms of value, and future trends in the cryogenic valve market. Why buy this report? 1. The report identifies and addresses key markets for cryogenic valves, which would help manufacturers review the growth in demand. 2. The report helps system providers understand the pulse of the market and provide insights into drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges. 3. The report will help key players understand the strategies of their competitors better and will help in making strategic decisions. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5390753 About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com LONDON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The high demand for cloud-based and hybrid DDoS protection and mitigation solutions and services among enterprises across the globe to enhance their business productivity is driving the DDoS protection and mitigation market. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4700204 The DDoS protection and mitigation market size is expected to grow from USD 1.94 billion in 2018 to USD 4.10 billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.1% during the forecast period. The market is driven by the increased need for cloud-based and hybrid DDoS protection and mitigation solutions and services to protect organizations from potential volumetric DDoS attacks. Similarly, the increasing adoption of Internet of things (IoT) and connected devices across the globe is fueling the growth of DDoS protection and mitigation market. However, budget constraints would restrict small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopt DDoS protection and mitigation solutions and services. This factor may restrain the growth of the market. The on-premises deployment mode is expected to have the larger market size in the DDoS protection and mitigation market. The on-premises deployment mode is expected to hold the larger market size during the forecast period.It provides organizations full control over all platforms, applications, systems, and data, which can be handled and managed by their own IT staff. The on-premises deployment mode also provides local detections and the mitigation of DDoS attacks, such as spoofed/non-spoofed (Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, Transmissoon Control Protocol (TCP) (such as Synchronize (SYN) flood and FIN flood), Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP) floods, Botnets, Slowloris, application attacks, HTTP URLGET/POST floods, malformed HTTP header attacks, slow-HTTP request attacks, Synchronize (SYN) floods against Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocols, malformed SSL attacks, SSL renegotiation attacks, SSL exhaustion, Domain Name Server (DNS) attacks, and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) request floods. Government and defense and BFSI verticals would prefer on-premises DDoS protection and mitigation solutions and services. North America is expected to contribute to the largest market share, whereas Asia Pacific (APAC) to grow at the highest CAGR. North America is estimated to hold the largest market share and dominate the global DDoS protection and mitigation market in 2018.The DDoS market is evolving in the North American region, because it is technologically advanced and tops the world in terms of the presence of security vendors and DDoS incidents. The increased instances of volumetric DDoS incidents in the country, and need to protect critical network infrastructures and sensitive data have made the region adopt these next-generation technologies. Asia Pacific (APAC) offers growth opportunities for the DDoS protection and mitigation market, as countries in this region are investing heavily in deploying DDoS protection and mitigation solutions and services to combat the accelerated traffic rate brought by new network technologies to induce DDoS attacks. In the process of determining and verifying the market size for several segments and subsegments gathered through secondary research, extensive primary interviews were conducted with key people. The break-up of the profiles of the primary participants is as follows: By Company: Tier 1 55%, Tier 2 20%, and Tier 3 25% By Designation: C-level 60%, Director level 25%, Others 15% By Region: North America 35%, Europe 25%, APAC 20%, MEA 10%, and Latin America 10% Key DDoS protection and mitigation solution and services vendors include Arbor Network (US); Akamai Technologies (US); F5 Networks (US); Imperva (US); Radware (Israel); Corero Network Security (US); Neustar (US); Cloudflare (US); Nexusguard (Hong Kong); A10 Networks, (US); Fortinet (US); Huawei Technologies (China); Verisign (US); Zenedge (US), Sucuri (US); SiteLock (US); Flowmon Networks (Czech Republic); StackPath, (US); DOSarrest Internet Security (Canada); Century Link (US) ; NSFOCUS (US); Corsa Technology (Canada); Rackspace (US); Allot (Israel); and Seceon (US) Research Coverage The research covers the DDoS protection and mitigation market on the basis of different segments, such as components, application areas, deployment modes, organization size, verticals, and regions.Additionally, it includes the factors that are driving the DDoS protection and mitigation market, along with the growth opportunities in this market. It also includes the restraining factors and challenges in the growth of DDoS protection and mitigation market. Moreover, the report includes the detailed company profiles of the key players who offer DDoS protection and mitigation solutions and services. The report would help the market leaders/new entrants in this market in the following ways: 1. This report segments the DDoS protection and mitigation market comprehensively and provides the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall market and its subsegments across different regions. 2. The report helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. 3. This report helps stakeholders understand their competitors better and gain more insights to improve their positions in the market The competitive landscape section includes competitor ecosystems, new product developments, partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4700204 About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of modern motherhood, Woman Within celebrates Mother's Day with a bright cast of moms including a grandmother, single mother, dog mom, and celebrity TV moms Katy Mixon and Yvette Nicole Brown. For Mixon and Brown, they've shared the up and downs of being a mother with millions of Americans. Currently, Mixon stars on ABC's "American Housewife" as Katie Otto and will be celebrating Mother's Day with her second pregnancy. Yvette Nicole Brown and Katy Mixon "Motherhood is deeply personal and universal. The challenge that I encounter as a working mother is finding balance. I am a very big fan of living in the present. You cannot have a situation where you're constantly judging yourself. You've got to forgive yourself. Tomorrow's a new day. Being present for my baby, I try to just live in each moment. That's all I can do," Mixon said. Brown's laugh and personality are the perfect fit to honor motherhood as she played a mom on NBC's hit "Community" and ABC's "The Mayor." Brown is also celebrating her latest mother role in ABC's highly anticipated series "Most Likely To" as a single mom. "The most important lesson my mom taught me was to never give up. She was a single mom, raising me and my brother, and she always had a smile on her face, even when times were tough. She told us that if you hang in long enough, one day, it'll be your turn. Never give up. Keep going. Never give up," Brown said. Woman Within celebrates the lifestyles of modern mothers everywhere who know comfort is a necessity. Dog mom and famed blogger Katie Sturino of the 12ish Style, single mother Carine Calixte, and grandmother Debbie Tsakoumakis, join Mixon and Brown to celebrate their busy lives in easy outfits. For Mother's Day, these women share what motherhood means to them and their families. Woman Within is encouraging followers, fans, and women everywhere to share their mom stories. Starting on May 8-22, one person per day who comments will receive a $100 gift card to WomanWithin.com at random. To enter, the participant must comment on a social media post during the campaign timeframe and fill out the corresponding entry form. About Woman Within Woman Within specializes in casual plus-size clothing for sizes 12W and up. Comfort, expert fit and great value caters to a relaxed approach to life. Woman Within offers everything from sportswear to swimwear, in amazing colors and prints to bring happiness to everyday moments. We believe in the beauty of simplicity and the life-changing power of a perfect fit. We believe "You look amazing!" are the three best words in the English language. And we believe you should always Love What You Wear. About FULLBEAUTY Brands FULLBEAUTY Brands Inc. is the fashion authority for plus size women and men seeking fashion inspiration, style advice, and clothing tailored to their individual needs. Proprietary brands under the FULLBEAUTY Brands Inc. umbrella include: Woman Within, Roaman's, Jessica London, Swimsuits For All, KingSize, BrylaneHome, Ellos, and fullbeauty.com, an online marketplace that offers a curated collection of countless brands and thousands of products, serving as the premier fashion and lifestyle destination for women in sizes 12+. SOURCE Woman Within Related Links http://www.womanwithin.com WALNUT CREEK, Calif., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Heffernan Foundation, the charitable giving program for Heffernan Insurance Brokers, is holding a benefit event Saturday, September 8, 2018 at Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, Calif. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the founding of Heffernan Insurance Brokers, the 'Diamonds Are Forever' themed evening will include cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, casino games, a live auction and raffle, as well as music from Lucky Devils Band. All proceeds will benefit the Heffernan Foundation and the following four beneficiates: At the Crossroads, California Human Development, Cristo Rey De La Salle East Bay and Santa Clara University. Tickets are available to the public and can be purchased at heffins.com/30th. Over $650,000 in sponsorship funds have been raised thus far in advance of the event from over 100 vendors, clients, and business partners, including several international and national brokers and insurance carriers. Notable benefactors include $30K sponsor Zurich, and $25k sponsors AmWins, Bank Leumi, Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies, Blue Shield of California, The Hartford, Pacific Hospitality Group, Philadelphia, and Travelers. In addition, $50k sponsor Lenore Heffernan contributed in honor of her late husband, Frank Heffernan. Michelle Lonaker, the Executive Director of Heffernan Foundation, said, "It's wonderful to see so many companies, clients, and friends come together to support Heffernan's 30 years in business and 30 years of giving back to the communities where we live and work." For a full list of sponsors, along with more information about the event, including details of the live auction and raffle showcase packages, visit heffins.com/30th. A video highlighting the Heffernan Foundation's mission can be found at https://youtu.be/L9XoDDrkC0w. About Heffernan Foundation Heffernan Foundation's mission is to change futures through access to education, reduce homelessness and food deficiency through relevant nonprofit collaboration, and promote community and employee engagement. Heffernan Foundation is the charitable giving program of Heffernan Insurance Brokers, headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., and with offices in San Francisco, Petaluma, Menlo Park, Los Angeles and Irvine, CA; Phoenix, AZ; Portland, OR; St. Louis, MO; and London UK. Employee-owned, the company has been among the Top Greater Bay Area Philanthropists since 2003, donating more than 15 percent of profits to charity in 2017. For more information, visit www.heffernanfoundation.org or call 925.295.2575. FEIN # 71-1010693 License #0564249 SOURCE Heffernan Foundation Related Links http://www.heffernanfoundation.org SALT LAKE CITY, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Traeger Grills, inventor of the wood pellet grill, today announced it will host a "Traeger Day" celebration for users across the world on Saturday, May 12. Traeger Day is a day dedicated to bringing the Traeger community together to cook outdoors and share wood-fired food with family and friends. As part of the celebration, select Traeger dealers around the country will host demonstrations in honor of Traeger Day where consumers can taste delicious wood-fired samples and learn about the latest Traeger products. Traeger is asking users to join the celebration and show what they're cooking on May 12 by sharing photos on social media using #TraegerDay. Posting with the hashtag also enters users into a giveaway where they can win a custom hopper magnet and a grand prize package including a Timberline 1300 and dinner cooked in their backyard by a Traeger pitmaster. "Grilling is all about community, and Traeger knows how important that connection is," said Jeremy Andrus, CEO of Traeger Grills. "It's more than just cooking outdoors; it's making connections with those you care about most and cooking unbelievable, wood-fired food. The Traeger community is truly special and we can't wait to see how they come together and what they create." Traeger invented the original wood pellet grill over 30 years ago, and has grown a loyal, worldwide community of fans since its founding. The company is hosting the day so that all usersno matter where they're fromcan come together to cook, share and celebrate the Traeger lifestyle. More information on Traeger Day and how to enter the giveaway can be found on Traeger's blog. Additional information about Traeger Grills, their products and upcoming shop classes can be found on the company website. Connect with Traeger on social. Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Pinterest About Traeger Traeger Grills, headquartered in Salt Lake City, has been revolutionizing BBQ grilling and outdoor cooking for 30 years with one simple, all-encompassing cooking solution. Traeger pellet grills use 100% all natural hardwood fuel to infuse food with flavorful smoke, making food taste delicious and most of all, memorable. As the inventor of the original and world's top selling wood-fired grill, Traeger utilizes wood-fired convection power to provide 6-in-1 versatility; grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise and BBQ meals to perfection every time. Visit www.traegergrills.com for more information and to purchase Traeger grills and accessories. Media Contact Zachary Allen 801-461-9751 [email protected] SOURCE Traeger Grills Related Links https://www.traegergrills.com DUBLIN, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "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" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The tunnel monitoring system 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. This report covers the tunnel monitoring system market on the basis of offering, tunnel type, networking technology, and region. Hardware is expected to hold a major share in 2017. Hardware is the most important component of a tunnel monitoring system and is used for measuring the physical aspects, such as temperature, pressure, strain, dynamic load, cracks, and corrosion, of a tunnel. Hardware used in tunnel monitoring systems includes various types of sensors, such as piezoelectric, piezoresistive, optical fiber, corrosion, temperature, and pressure sensors. The major factors driving the growth of the tunnel monitoring system market include 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. 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 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. There are several upcoming tunnel projects in Europe. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities in the Tunnel Monitoring System Market 4.2 Tunnel Monitoring System Market in Americas, By Networking Technology 4.3 Tunnel Monitoring System Market in Europe, By Tunnel Type and Country (2018) 4.4 Tunnel Monitoring System Market, By Geography 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics: Tunnel Monitoring System Market 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Increasing Investments in Tunnel Infrastructure Across Countries 5.2.1.2 Catastrophic Failure of Tunnels Resulting in Loss of Lives and Incurring High Costs 5.2.1.3 Decreasing Cost of Sensors Resulting in Reduced Cost of Tunnel Monitoring Systems 5.2.1.4 Strict Regulations Pertaining to Tunnel Safety 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 High Installation and Monitoring Costs 5.2.2.2 Management, Processing, and Analysis of Large Volume of Data 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Latent Opportunities in APAC Countries 5.2.3.2 Advancements in Sensors and Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) 5.2.3.3 Integration Technology 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Requirement of Skilled Personnel for Installation and Calibration of Tunnel Monitoring Systems 5.2.4.2 Technical Challenges and Operational Factors 5.3 Value Chain Analysis 5.3.1 Instrumentation and Hardware Manufacturers 5.3.1.1 Research & Product Development 5.3.1.2 Raw Material/Component Suppliers 5.3.1.3 Manufacturers and Assemblers 5.3.1.4 Distributors 5.3.1.5 Post-Sales Services 5.3.2 Software and Service Providers 5.3.3 End Users 5.4 Key Trends: Tunnel Monitoring System Market 6 Tunnel Monitoring System Market, By Offering 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Hardware 6.2.1 Sensors 6.2.2 Data Acquisition Systems (DAS) and Communication Systems 6.2.3 Others 6.3 Software & Services 6.3.1 Software 6.3.2 Services 6.3.2.1 Design and Installation Services 6.3.2.2 Real-Time Monitoring Services 6.3.2.3 Data Analysis and Reporting Services 6.3.2.4 Preventative Maintenance and Repair Services 7 Tunnel Monitoring System Market, By Tunnel Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Highway Tunnels 7.3 Railway Tunnels 7.4 Other Tunnels 8 Tunnel Monitoring System Market, By Networking Technology 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Wired 8.3 Wireless 9 Tunnel Monitoring System Market, By Geography 10 Competitive Landscape 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Ranking of Market Players Based on Their Hardware, and Software and Services Offerings in the Tunnel Monitoring System Market, 2017 10.3 Competitive Scenario and Trends 10.3.1 Product Launches and Developments 10.3.2 Partnerships, Contracts, Agreements, and Collaborations 10.3.3 Mergers & Acquisitions 11 Company Profiles 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Key Players 11.2.1 Nova Metrix 11.2.2 Sisgeo 11.2.3 Sixense Soldata 11.2.4 James Fisher 11.2.5 Geokon 11.2.6 Cowi 11.2.7 Ramboll 11.2.8 RST Instruments 11.2.9 Geocomp 11.2.10 Fugro 11.3 Other Important Players 11.3.1 Keller Group 11.3.2 HBM 11.3.3 Geomotion Singapore 11.3.4 VMT 11.3.5 Geosig 11.4 Startup Ecosystem 11.4.1 Set Point Technologies 11.4.2 NBG Systems 11.4.3 Autostrade Tech 11.4.4 Sodis Lab 11.4.5 Infibra Technologies For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pgx5kr/tunnel_monitoring?w=5 Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com "I am so incredibly proud and excited to lead Univar as we continue to execute our global strategy and progress toward achieving our vision of being the most valued chemical and ingredient distributor in the world," said Jukes. "I can't thank Steve enough for the tremendous job he did as Chairman and CEO, and I look forward to continuing to work with him as he becomes our Executive Chairman. As I have previously stated, over the last two years, we've defined our three strategic priorities, Commercial Greatness, Operational Excellence and working as One Univar, and I firmly believe they provide the foundation for growth and high performance that will create tremendous value for our shareholders, employees, customers, and supplier partners." "David is the right leader with the right team behind him to continue executing Univar's strategy and vision," said Stephen D. Newlin, Executive Chairman of Univar's board of directors. "David is uniquely qualified to lead Univar, and the board unanimously supports his appointment as President and CEO." Since joining Univar in 2002, Jukes has been recognized for his leadership and business acumen, holding various roles of increasing responsibility. He was named president of Univar EMEA in 2011, and then president of Univar USA and Latin America in 2016. In May of 2017, Jukes was promoted to president and COO of Univar Inc. where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of all of Univar's business segments, including the US, EMEA, Canada and Rest of World. Prior to joining Univar, Jukes was the senior vice president of global sales, marketing and industry relations for Omnexus, a plastics industry e-commerce platform. In 1991 he joined Ellis & Everard, a chemical distribution company in the UK, ultimately becoming vice president of corporate development for their polymers division. He currently serves on the board of DCC plc, a 12.3 billion international sales, marketing and support services group that is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, and is publicly traded in the UK. Jukes is a graduate of the London Business School. About Univar Founded in 1924, Univar (NYSE: UNVR) is a global chemical and ingredient distributor and provider of value-added services, working with leading suppliers worldwide. Supported by a comprehensive team of sales and technical professionals with deep specialty and market expertise, Univar operates hundreds of distribution facilities throughout North America, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Univar delivers tailored customer solutions through a broad product and services portfolio sustained by one of the most extensive industry distribution networks in the world. For more information, visit www.univar.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which may be beyond our control. We caution you that the forward-looking information presented in this press release is not a guarantee of future events, and that actual events may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking information contained in this press release. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "plan," "seek," "comfortable with," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Any forward-looking information presented herein is made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise. SOURCE Univar Inc. Related Links http://www.univar.com As the world's biggest retail company Walmart Inc sealed a deal worth $16 billion for a majority of stake of 77 per cent in India's e-commerce giant Flipkart on Wednesday, several questions are being asked about the basis on which the somewhat seemingly 'aggressive bid' was made. However, Indian retail honcho and Future Group CEO Kishore Biyani has other things on his mind as the e-tail business equation changes in India, which is one of the growing e-commerce markets of the world. "I think it is a change of hands from a financial investor to a strategic investor," says Biyani. The business will continue as usual until we hear of the new strategy. So, is that what is needed and what is likely to emerge? "Let us see... because grocery will be the play which will happen, and let us see how they handle grocery." On the nature of the deal and what the new combination signifies, he says: "It is a combination of online and offline, which is happening all over the world and we are seeing this combination happen in India also." In terms of the e-commerce space, he says, at the moment, the e-commerce market in India is still too small. If you look at the non-CDIT (consumer durables and IT or electronics and mobile phones), it is hardly Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 crore. "So, in that sense, it's a very small business. Aggressive Valuation This brings us to the big question that most experts seem to have on the valuation of the deal at about $20 billion. To put it in context, an industry veteran said: "The entire Mahindra Group market cap is in that region." The other way to look at it is by looking at Amazon's investments in India, which is around $2 billion to $3 billion so far; the e-com giant is among the top players. Others feel Walmart saw as an opportunity, even though it is certainly an 'aggressive' one. "It is a very aggressive valuation and it only shows that Walmart does not want to miss out on the Indian retail opportunity as they have struggled in some other countries of the world, including China," says Arvind Singhal, chairman and managing director, Technopak, a leading management consulting firm with sharp focus on retail and e-tailing among others. The deal, he says, "is a big boost for the Indian start up ecosystem." Reason? "While there have been few exits so far, no other exit of this magnitude has happened." In other words, among upcoming start-up entrepreneurs as well as investors, who can these days talk of billion dollar exits? Earlier in the day, the $486 billion worth Walmart announced this was a "significant opportunity to partner with the local leader (Flipkart) in a large, fast-growing market. The company, in a statement, also said that "Flipkart's strong leadership team will be supported by Walmart, Tencent, Tiger Global, and Microsoft." It also said the deal "underscores long-term commitment to India, where company looks to serve customers, support job creation, small businesses, farmers and women entrepreneurs." Walmart supports Flipkart's ambition to transition into a publicly-listed, majority-owned subsidiary in the future, said the statement. A note put out by the company also said "subject to regulatory approval in India, Walmart will pay approximately $16 billion for an initial stake of approximately 77 per cent in Flipkart, formally Flipkart Private Limited." AUSTIN, Texas, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Volusion, the only ecommerce platform built specifically for the needs of small and medium sized businesses, today announced the successful migration of its 30,000 ecommerce stores to the Google Cloud Platform (GCP). As the first ecommerce platform on the market to migrate, Volusion is paving the future path for ecommerce on Google Cloud. Advantages to GCP include unsurpassed page speed, greater network reliability, and world-class, site-wide security. The migration has already positively impacted site performance for merchants, which will lead to increased conversion and overall revenue growth. Volusion is committed to customer success, and saw migrating to GCP as an opportunity for merchants to benefit from access to the largest global, private network in the world, massively scalable compute and storage resources, and peerless geographic flexibility. Volusion services on GCP are faster, more secure, and more flexible than ever before. The company is continuing to explore ways to help deliver even faster and more reliable performance. To date, merchants have seen: A 15% average page load time improvement, without having to do any site optimization. General network latency improvements and reduced CPU usage. For larger merchants, every quarter second taken off page load times can increase ecommerce conversion rates. One customer making $100,000 daily, for example, has seen load time decrease by one second and revenue increase by $7,000 daily. "Like many companies our size, we determined that the cloud was the best option to achieve the next level of availability, performance, and scalability we wanted for our customers and we're proud to be the first ecommerce platform to deliver on these," said CEO Kevin Sproles. "Moving to GCP wasn't just an infrastructure decision, it's a fundamental shift in how we solve problems for our customers." Google Cloud gives Volusion the ability to scale any part of its technology within seconds, rather than having to procure and implement hardware over a period of days/weeks when self-hosted. GCP offers Volusion modern and professional tools across network, operations, security, and overall infrastructure, as well as access to Google's team of professionals to help the company continue to innovate and optimize performance for merchant sites. Volusion can rapidly respond to the changing needs of customers, with rapid upscaling and more expedient delivery of features and bug fixes. For customers, that means a better shopping experience, which improves conversion and promotes growth. To learn more or to start creating your business with Volusion, visit www.volusion.com. About Volusion Volusion is a leading ecommerce software company based in Austin, TX. With more than 250 employees (we are hiring!) and more than 30,000 online stores, Volusion ecommerce sites have processed over $29 billion in merchant sales worldwide. Volusion proudly puts people before everything else and solves for the customer. SOURCE Volusion Related Links http://www.volusion.com "Accidents can and will happen, but the truth is that most electrical mishaps could be avoided with education, care and attention," said Ryan Williams, general manager of 128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric. "Failing to exercise caution around electricity can result in direct electrocutions and house fires, so we want to share some tips with our Boston area neighbors for avoiding these dangerous or even fatal situations." 128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric offers the following advice for Electrical Safety Month: Avoid electrical overloads Knowing the limits of circuits in the home is important, and recognizing that pushing those limits can be highly dangerous is critical. Overloading the electrical system can result in shorts that may cause house fires. Take the time to find out if too much power is being drawn from a circuit, and if it isn't clear, contact a professional to make sure. Practice safe use of extension cords Extension cords can be useful, but using them for items pulling more power than the cord is rated to handle may result in overheating, shorting and potential risk for fire. Always use extension cords appropriate for the appliance or device that needs to be powered. Also, make sure the connection between cords is secure so there is no chance of electrocution from accidentally touching exposed connectors. Updated panels may be required for electric vehicles Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, especially in metropolitan areas. Before plugging a new vehicle up to the home's electric system to charge, an updated electrical panel may be necessary. Make sure to check the vehicle's charging requirements before risking an electrical fire. Use backup generators safely Backup generators are fantastic to have year-round to save electronics, your fridge, and your heating system and sump pump. Make sure to operate them at a safe distance from windows, doors and garages, and under no circumstances should they be operated in an enclosed environment. Make sure to select a generator that will effectively power everything that needs to remain on during an outage as well to reduce the risk of shorts and fires. "Even though we use electricity so much that it's often taken for granted, the power of electricity and potential for danger should always be treated with respect and attention," Williams said. "In addition to these tips, we urge homeowners to take the time to simply familiarize themselves with their electrical panels and systems, and when questions or doubts arise, contact a professional immediately." For more information about electrical safety from 128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric, please call 1-888-419-4233 or visit www.call128.com. About 128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric 128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric, rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, was founded in Wakefield, Massachusetts more than 25 years ago. Since their start, 128 PHCE has expanded and grown to become Eastern Massachusetts' most trusted and consistent plumber, heating and air conditioning service company with over 1,000 5-star reviews online. For more information, call 888-419-4233 or visit www.call128.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 [email protected] SOURCE 128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric Related Links http://128plumbing.com Dr. Arabia will assume the newly created role as physician executive of Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support on July 2. His initial responsibility will be creating a systemwide Advanced Heart Failure and Circulatory Support program. He will be primarily located at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, with additional responsibilities in Tucson and throughout the Banner system. He comes to Banner from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he served in several leadership roles focused on advanced heart disease, mechanical circulatory support, cardiothoracic surgery and comprehensive heart transplant programs. "Dr. Arabia has well earned his international reputation as a premier leader in his medical fields, and Banner is thrilled about the knowledge and experience he'll bring to the organization," said Larry Goldberg, president of Banner University Medicine. "He'll play an important role in developing and advancing many exciting projects in Arizona." He will also serve as Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, with a joint appointment at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson. "Dr. Arabia is a world-class cardiac surgeon, who is an international leader in the care of patients with the most severe types of heart disease. In addition to clinical care, he will advance education and research for our students and residents as he works collaboratively with teams in Phoenix and Tucson," said Guy Reed, MD, dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix. Dr. Arabia will also help in further aligning cardiovascular services for the best possible delivery to communities across the region. At Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Arabia was director of the Center for Surgical Device Management of Advanced Heart Disease, and surgical director of the Mechanical Circulatory Support program. He previously served at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, where he helped to start the first heart transplant program in metro Phoenix in 2005. Dr. Arabia has more than two decades of experience in the fields of thoracic, cardiothoracic vascular and transplant surgery, and often is called upon for his expertise by national and international medical centers. He has presented his work at professional conferences and meetings throughout the world, and has published peer-reviewed research in multiple journals. He received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and served residencies in general surgery at Tulane University Affiliated Hospitals in New Orleans and in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Arizona in Tucson. His undergraduate work was done at Tulane University, where he graduated magna cum laude in the field of biomedical engineering. Among Dr. Arabia's professional honors and awards are the Training Award of Excellence by the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs. Banner University Medical Center Phoenix is a large teaching hospital that has provided medical care to Arizona and the Southwest since 1911. It is part of Banner University Medicine, a premier academic medical network. The hospital, recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the nation's best hospitals, specializes in heart care, orthopedics, high-risk obstetrics, neurosciences and stroke care, organ transplants and emergency care, including a Level I trauma center. Banner University Medical Center Phoenix is part of Banner Health, a nonprofit health care system with 28 hospitals in six states. The institution, which has trained thousands of doctors over decades as a teaching hospital, is the academic medical center for the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix. For more information, visit www.bannerhealth.com/UniversityPhoenix. SOURCE Banner Health Related Links http://www.bannerhealth.com EXPERT OBSERVATION After many years of strong increases in dwelling values, the two largest housing markets, Sydney and Melbourne, have begun to see values fall over recent months. While values are declining in both cities the speed of the declines vary greatly, both compared to one another and compared to other recent downturns in these housing markets. Since values peaked back in July 2017, Sydney dwelling values have fallen by -3.9% over the following eight months. If we look at the three previous downturns highlighted in the above chart, in the 2003-06 downturn values had fallen by -5.8% eight months in and went on to decline by -8.2% over 25 months before values started rising again. In the 2008-09 downturn, values were -4.9% lower eight months in and went on to fall by -7.0% over 12 months. The 2010-11 downturn saw values fall from their peak to their trough by -3.7% and after 8 months they had fallen by just -1.0%. Dwelling values in Melbourne have not been falling as quickly or for as long as those in Sydney. After the market peaked in November of last year, values have fallen by -0.7% over the four months to March 2018. In 2003-04, values fell by a total of -3.0% over nine months and were -1.0% lower after four months of declines. In 2008-09 values fell for 11 months, they had fallen by -3.9% over the first four months and ended up declining by -9.4%. In the first four months of the 2010-12 period of value falls values were -2.2% lower before they ultimately fell by -8.4%. Outside of these recent declines, values recorded a peak to trough fall of -8.3% between 1989 and 1992 with values falling by -2.5% over the first four months of this period. Two other capital cities, Perth and Darwin, have been recording value falls for some time. Although their declines are somewhat lengthier and different to recent falls in Sydney and Melbourne, it is valuable to analyse how these declines have evolved. Perth dwelling values increased in March 2018 however, over the period from June 2014 to February 2018 values fell by -11.0%. There is no guarantee that these declines are over as yet although the pace of these declines has steadied recently. It is also interesting to note that during the most recent period of value falls the declines began much more moderately on a month-to-month bases than they did in 2006-07, 2008-09 and 2010-11, with the downturn stretching on much longer than any of these previous downturns. In 2006-07, values fell by -3.7% in five months, in 2008-09 values were -11.0% lower over 13 months and in 2010-11 values declined by -9.1% over 19 months. Darwin has only seen two recent period of market downturn, between October 2010 and September 2011 and from May 2014 to February 2018 (values rose over March 2018). Again, it should be noted although values have risen over the month it doesnt necessarily mean the downturn is over. Over the 11 month downturn in 2010 and 2011, Darwin dwelling values fell by -7.9%. The more recent downturn saw value declines start slower than those in 2010-11 with the downturn stretching for much longer. As at February 2017 Darwin dwelling values have fallen by -22.3% from its previous peak in May 2014. While these charts are interesting to consider they dont provide any particular guidance as to how deep or elongated the current downturns in Sydney and Melbourne may be. The weak housing market conditions in Perth and Darwin were largely a symptom of weak economic and demographic conditions, while the current downturns in Sydney and Melbourne are occurring against reasonably strong economic and demographic conditions; the slowdown is primarily being influenced by tighter credit conditions. What is interesting is that comparing to Perth and Darwin shows that just because they have started falling slower than other housing market downturns doesnt necessarily mean they wont end up as a deeper and longer downturn. Of course the reverse is true as well but it will be interesting to see how deep and how long these current downturns persist for in Sydney and Melbourne and whether they lead to downturns in other cities and regions too. CAMERON KUSHER is head of research for CoreLogic. You can contact him here. Sydney Swans veteran defender Heath Grundy and wife Elise Hill are selling their Maroubra home. The couple, who had their second child in February, are set to upgrade for more space. Their newest arrival, Jameson, attended his first Swans game last month, and slept the whole time. The home offering is completely unrecognisable since the 31 year old defender paid $860,000 in 2011. Grundy, who made his debut at the Swans in 2006, has transformed the original 1930s brick home. The now contemporary home with a white-washed exterior has two bedrooms, a marble kitchen and a separate living space with polished floorboards. The bare rear yard now features a decked wrap around alfresco area with kitchenette, overlooking the small lawn. Grundy is looking to double his money at its May 26 auction through NG Farah Coogee agents Cameron Airlie and Mark Feerick, who have a $1.6 million price guidance. Grundy has owned the adjoining home, which has been a $900 a week investment since he paid $1.26 million in 2014. Grundy and Hill, who wed in 2013 at St Franics Xavier church in Lavender Bay, had their first child, Reg in 2015. He was going to get called Reg anyway, Grundy previously told The Sunday Telegraph. Grundy didnt miss a game in 2017 and made 20-plus appearances for the ninth consecutive season. The 2005 rookie draft selection is just a handful of games short of the 250 milestone. Fellow South Australian Michael OLoughlin mentored Grundy in his early years at the Swans. This article first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph. Luxury apartments at the One Barangaroo casino, hotel and residential project on Sydney Harbour will start at $9.5 million. Making it Australias most expensive apartment tower, Crown Resorts executive vice-president strategy Todd Nisbet told The Australian that already a quarter of the 82 apartments had been spoken for ahead of its launch. Sale agreements include tycoon James Packers record $60 million purchase of two-storey apartment midway through the 30 levels. The $2.2 billion complex is being built by the James Packer-backed Crown Resorts. The apartments start at level 30 below which is the six-star hotel The largest is the top duplex penthouse at 800sq m. The towers marketing director, Erin Van Tuil, said the apartments had been benchmarked against projects in global cities such as London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. "The residences are very international," the sales' marketing suggests. The architect suggests 10 years ago a development like One Barangaroo would have been nearly impossible. "Thats mainly because of the technology its quite advanced. "Weve got a lot of double curvature surfaces, which you couldnt have done in the past." The only other reported sale was to the former bookmaker Bob Blann at more than $40 million for a whole-floor apartment. Blann has exchanged on a 515-square-metre apartment on level 61, equating to a bullish $77,670 per square metre for the western corridor apartment location. Of the 80 residential apartments on offer, only three are whole-floor offerings, including Blanns on level 61 and two immediately above it. Each successively higher apartment is an average of 20 square metres smaller than the one below. James Packers apartment is understood to be between level 40 and 50 of the 70-level tower. Both sales have smashed the previous national apartment price record of $27 million set in late 2016 for one of the penthouses in the Opera Residences development at Circular Quay. 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. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Purdue University will honor some of its highest academic-achieving graduating seniors May 11-13 during commencement ceremonies. The universitys top female and male students are Claire G. Lee from the College of Liberal Arts and Daniel J. Romary from the College of Engineering. Lee, of Indianapolis, who majored in economics and political science and is in the Honors College, has been awarded the 2018 Flora Roberts Award. This award is presented annually to an outstanding senior woman for her scholarship, leadership, character and service to the university community. The award is made possible through a bequest from Flora Roberts, a member of the Purdue class of 1887. The recipient receives a $2,000 award, a medallion and her name inscribed on the award marker on Purdue Mall. Romary, of New Haven, who majored in biomedical engineering, has been awarded the 2018 G.A. Ross Award. This award is presented annually to an outstanding senior man who has demonstrated high standards of academic achievement, outstanding leadership, strength of character and has made a contribution to Purdue. The award is made possible through a gift from G.A. Ross, a 1916 Purdue graduate. The recipient receives a $2,000 award, medallion and his name inscribed on the award marker on the Purdue Mall. Lee and Romary, along with the following student award recipients, will be recognized at the May 2018 commencement ceremonies. The France A. Cordova Award for Leadership in Action was awarded to Kayla Klemmensen, of Avon, Indiana, who majored in speech, language and hearing sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences, and Alexandra Abney, of Bargersville, who majored in agribusiness and agricultural communication. This award honors graduating students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership during their time at Purdue. The students must have held successful leadership roles, working in partnership with staff and faculty to move the university forward, while maintaining a minimum 3.0 grade point average. The award winners receive a certificate, a cash award and their name inscribed on a plaque. The Martin C. Jischke Outstanding International Student of the Year Award was awarded to Nabilah Hamdian Binti Che Sammudin, of Cyberjaya, Malaysia, who majored in cell, molecular and developmental biology and psychological sciences in the College of Science and College of Health and Human Sciences. Established by President Emeritus Martin C. Jischke, this award honors an international Purdue student who has attained a minimum 3.0 grade point average, demonstrated leadership qualities, achieved academic accomplishments through further research, publications or presentations and participated in service projects. The recipient receives a cash award along with their name inscribed on a plaque in Schleman Hall. The Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts was awarded to Rebecca S. Salo, of Champaign, Illinois, who majored in electrical engineering in the College of Engineering and is in the Honors College, and Lydia C. Swedberg, of Meredith, New Hampshire, who completed the industrial design professional program in the College of Liberal Arts. The prize is awarded to outstanding seniors who have demonstrated excellence and the highest standards of proficiency in the visual or performing arts. This award is endowed by the late Louis Sudler, a Chicago businessman and supporter of the arts. The recipients receive $1,000 and a certificate. The six students who were awarded the Charles O. McGaughey Leadership Awards are Farhat Alucozai, of West Lafayette, who majored in accelerated nursing in the College of Health and Human Sciences; Casie R. Blair, of Fishers, who majored in speech, language and hearing sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences and is in the Honors College; Megan R. Hetisimer, of Columbus, who majored in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering; Matthew A. Kortepeter, of Indianapolis, who majored in industrial engineering in the College of Engineering; Ronit V. Ranka, of Mumbai, India, who majored in pharmaceutical sciences in the College of Pharmacy; and Morgan E. Sussman, of Mooresville, who majored in wildlife and professional writing in the College of Agriculture and the College of Liberal Arts. McGaughey, a 1939 Purdue graduate, established the awards to honor students for leadership potential. To be eligible for these awards, students must have completed a minimum of two years of full-time study at Purdue and achieved at least a 3.0 graduation index. Recipients are selected on the basis of their contributions to Purdue and the community. Each honoree receives $3,345 as an acknowledgement of their superior leadership abilities, scholarship and appreciation of basic American values. The three students who received the Amelia Earhart Scholarship are Ashley R. Neubaum, of Warsaw, who majored in marketing and management in the Krannert School of Management; Kyle D. Schmidt, of Noblesville, who majored in animal science in the College of Agriculture; and Claire E. Wilson, of LaGrange, Illinois, who majored in preprofessional health sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences. This scholarship was reinstituted in 1999 after Doreen Buranich Simmons, a 1971 Purdue graduate, committed to see the scholarship return to Purdue after learning of its demise in the 1970s. Her gift became a catalyst for Joan Russell Dudding to honor the university and Amelia Earhart by funding the scholarship on an ongoing basis. The Amelia Earhart scholarship is awarded to a junior or senior with a minimum 3.2 grade point average who demonstrates leadership, determination, ability and the potential in academic and/or community activities. Writer: Olivia Crouse, ocrouse@purdue.edu Source: Chris Pass, senior assistant registrar, 765-494-6163, dehahn@purdue.edu About Me Oscar Bartoli Washington, DC, United States Avvocato, giornalista pubblicista, collabora con molti media italiani. Risiede negli Stati Uniti dal 1994 e vive tra Washington D.C., Los Angeles e Bangalore (India). Consigliere comunale per il Partito Liberale a Palazzo Vecchio (Firenze) porta ancora addosso i segni delle percosse che i 'compagni' comunisti di allora gli hanno dato per essere andato a parlare nelle piazze dove comandava solo il PCI. Ha lavorato per molti anni nel gruppo SMI,leader europeo nel settore metalli non ferrosi, successivamente nell'IRI come responsabile dei contatti con i media e in seguito direttore IRI USA. Ha insegnato per dieci anni alla scuola di giornalismo della Luiss e per due anni alla Catholic University di Washington DC. Tiene un corso sulla comunicazione nel Master di Relazioni Internazionali dello IULM di Milano. Rotariano da decenni ha contribuito a creare due Club a Roma, e' stato presidente del Cassia Romana ed attualmente fa parte del Washington Rotary Club. Da giovane, per pagarsi gli studi ma, soprattutto, perche' gli piaceva, ha lavorato come chitarrista - cantante suonando nelle case del popolo, circoli cattolici, night clubs, radio e televisione. View my complete profile Da non perdere "Lei non sa chi sono io" Oscar Bartoli- Prefazione Romano Prodi- Editore Ciuffa "Ed anche questa e' America", di Oscar Bartoli - prefazione Walter Veltroni Editore Luiss University Press "Mezzogiorno di Fuoco: duello all'ultimo spot" di Oscar Bartoli - Editore goWare "W.D.C (sotto traccia)" di Oscar Bartoli, Editore Luca Betti "DC Undercover" (Scarith Books/New Academia Publishing 2013) "Massoneria@FQA-Elogio dell'Informazione e della Comunicazione" di Stefano Bisi e Oscar Bartoli. Editore Luca Betti Potus-Sutop (Leo Rasco-Oscar Bartoli) Kindle Amazon Blog Archive The United States, with France, and Great Britain, was right in responding to Assads use of chemical weapons and, in doing so, defend the Chemical Weapons Convention. Americas longer-term Middle East strategy, however, is on the wrong path. THE U.S. DOES HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE PATH, HOWEVER, AND WE SHOULD TAKE IT. AMERICA SHOULD DEVELOP A TRANSATLANTIC AND REGIONAL APPROACH THAT FOCUSES ON SIX GOALS. The recent allied strike to degrade the Syrian chemical weapons program was not just a retaliatory strike. It was a defense of an international agreement signed and ratified by almost 200 sovereign states. When Russia sought U.N. Security Council condemnation of the strike, only three of the fifteen members stood with Russia: China, North Korea, and Bolivia. International conventions like the ban on chemical weapons dont enforce themselves. The U.N. Security Council vote affirms the international communitys desire not to live in a strategic environment where the use of such weapons becomes normalized in any war. The question is how does enforcement of this convention fit into Americas larger Middle East strategy? The answer is troubling. On a flight to Brussels Feb. 13, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis told reporters the fight against Islamic State militants "is not over." (Washington Post) Judging from recent comments, the path the U.S. seems to be onand its not a path all of our European allies and regional partners shareis withdrawal from Syria except for the occasional airstrike if Assad again uses chemical weapons. This path is not good. Withdrawal would yield the area to already expanding Russian and Iranian influence. Most likely, an American withdrawal would not help reduce ISIS capacities, nor would it reduce the capacities of al Qaeda and other radical jihadist organizations. Remember, Syria under Assadwhich is what American withdrawal will de facto producebirthed ISIS to begin with. It was through Assads Syria that hundreds of foreign fighters flowed to fight with al Qaeda in Iraq. Posture of Syrian Regime and Allies, as of April 2, 2018 ( Institute for the Study of War Perhaps worst of all, withdrawal also presents Russia with an opportunity to complete their arc of influence from the Baltic Sea to the Persian Gulf. Look at the map carefully, for Russia has redrawn it in recent years. Threats to and cyber-attacks in the Baltic nations, an anti-air and area denial system placed over most of the Baltic Sea, expanded influence in the Ukraine through the use of grey zone operations, control of the Black Sea via seizure of Crimea, establishing a firm presence in the Eastern Mediterranean by Russian bases and presence in Syria, arms sales to Turkey, and an alliance with Iranall expand Russian influence from the Baltics to the Persian Gulf. Such expanded influence is antithetical to U.S. strategic interests as well as the interests of our European allies and regional partners. Additionally, the American withdrawal and the establishment of this Russian arc of influence will move Turkey, a key NATO ally, further towards Russia; put more pressure on Israel and Jordan; and push Iraq even closer to Iran. Withdrawal also abandons our Kurdish partners, or at least puts them in a more difficult position. And withdrawal further reduces Americas trustworthiness as an international leader. Finally, U.S. withdrawal de facto rewards Assads brutal and ruthless behavior toward the citizens of Syria. The U.S. does have an alternative path, however, and we should take it. America should develop a transatlantic and regional approach that focuses on six goals: Continuing to reduce ISIS, al Qaeda, and their ilk in Syria and the region and to enforce the Chemical Weapons Convention. Blocking the completion of Russias hemispherical arc of influence. Reducing Iranian regional influence. Expanding political and humanitarian support to moderate Syrian forces as well as increasing their military capacity to prevent Assad from furthering his control of Syrian territory. Creating a durable cease-fire, realizing (a) that such a cease-fire will not be possible as long as Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies believe they can succeed militarily in subjugating all of Syriawhich they now believe, (b) that enforcing a durable ceasefire will require a multinational peacekeeping force in which the U.S. must participate, and (c) that Assad will remain in position during this cease-fire. A durable cease-fire will end much of the fighting, provide the security that humanitarian assistance requires, reduce and maybe reverse the flow of refugees, and set the conditions for goal number six. Using the cease-fire to negotiate a more complete settlement to the Syrian Civil War which must include an arrangement for replacing Assad. The present path of U.S. withdrawal is one to nowhere good. The alternative is difficult, but at least secures a peace which, over time, may become a just peace. On 3 May, Abwehr Colonel Hans Oster, an ardent anti-Nazi, sent a word of warning to the Dutch government through Colonel G. J. Sas of the Dutch embassy. The message, with the exact date for the invasion, was sent to the Hague via a courier on the next day. The warning was received and shared with Belgium, but none of the two countries decided to share the intelligence with Britain and France. On 9 May, Oster once again met with Sas and confirmed that the invasion was to take place the following morning, and another message was sent to the Hague. For whatever reason, the Dutch and Belgian governments again failed to share the news with Britain and France. In the morning of 10 May, as Oster warned, the German Army Group B marched into the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, and conquered all three nations quickly. The Dutch, who should had been better prepared, nevertheless faced a surprise assault by paratroopers of the 7th and 22nd Airborne Divisions under the command of Kurt Student; the Netherlands fell after a Luftwaffe bombing of Rotterdam on 14 May with thousands of 2,200-pound delay-action bombs, killing 980 people, destroying over 20,000 buildings, and left 78,000 people homeless. The surrender was offered by the Dutch commander-in-chief; Queen Wilhelmina and the government fled to London. Luxembourg, with an army consisted of merely 400 infantrymen and twelve cavalrymen, was the least armed of the Low Countries. The government of Luxembourg withdrew quickly to London, though before it left a rough plan for a passive resistance campaign was set in motion. WASHINGTON (AP) Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday in the latest sign of improving relations between the two longtime adversary nations. Trump said on Twitter that Pompeo was in the air and was with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. The president, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. The release of the detainees came as Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for a historic summit between Trump and the Norths leader, Kim Jong Un. Trump said on Twitter that there had been a good meeting with Kim Jong Un, adding: Date & Place set. North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities but their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nations nuclear weapons. The family of Tony Kim thanked all those who worked for his return and also credited Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. Mostly we thank God for Tonys safe return, the family said in a statement, and they urged people to continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held. The three had been held for periods ranging between one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016 for stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. Of the newly released detainees, Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, had been held the longest. The former Virginia resident was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Koreas border with Russia. The other two detainees hadnt been tried. Kim Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST. The university is the only privately funded college in North Korea and was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. He was detained last May for alleged anti-state activities. Tony Kim, who also uses the name Kim Sang-duk, was detained in April 2017 at the Pyongyang airport. He taught accounting at PUST. He was accused of committing unspecified criminal acts intended to overthrow the government. Pompeo, in his visit, discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim Jong Un summit in a meeting with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the central committee of North Koreas ruling party. For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, Pompeo said, adding that there are many challenges along the way. Kim also noted improved relations between North and South Korea and pushed back against the idea that U.S. pressure led to the likely summit. This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside, he added, citing the will of the Korean people. That contradicted Trump, who has said repeatedly that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Pompeos trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. Accompanying Pompeo were a few senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, both given roughly four hours notice of his departure. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which the U.S. is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il. Plans are being made, relationships are building, hopefully a deal will happen and with the help of China, South Korea and Japan a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone, Trump said at the White House as he announced Pompeos visit on Wednesday. Pompeos first trip to Pyongyang, over Easter weekend before he was confirmed as secretary of state, was a closely held secret. News of it did not emerge until just before his Senate confirmation vote less than two weeks ago. Shortly afterward, the White House released photographs of Pompeo and Kim. Pompeo told reporters that his first visit was to test the Norths seriousness of pledges to South Korea on easing tensions. This trip was to put in place a framework for a successful summit, he said. The Trump-Kim meeting is expected later this month or in early June. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Koreas development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea moved to ease tensions, including the North sending a contingent to the Winter Olympics in the South. The Koreas leaders held their own summit last month. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss denuclearization. According to South Korea, Kim says hes willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Kim was quoted by Chinas official news agency Xinhua as saying on Monday, I hope to build mutual trust with the U.S. through dialogue. He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But his exact demands for relinquishing weapons that his nation spent decades building remain unclear. Previous U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the Norths nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Pompeo and officials traveling with him said the Trump administration would not repeat mistakes of the past, which they described as accepting gradual, incremental and long-term disarmament in exchange for immediate benefits. We will not relieve sanctions until such time as we have achieved our objectives, Pompeo said. Trump has said that withdrawing U.S. forces from South Korea is not on the table. Some 28,500 U.S. forces are based in the allied nation, a military presence that has been preserved to deter North Korea since the war ended in 1953 without a peace treaty. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Ken Thomas in Washington contributed to this report. In his State of the Union address in January, President Trump said it was very, very unfair that in many other countriesdrugs cost far less than what we pay in the United States. Hes right, and theres a way to fix the disparity that fits neatly into the presidents own strategy for making trade relations more beneficial to the United States. In fact, he has an opportunity right now in negotiations with Europe. Brand-name innovative medicines do cost more for consumers and government and private insurers -- in the United States than in other rich countries. For example, a study by three Harvard researchers, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last month, found that the asthma medicine Advair cost $155 per month (after discounts) in the U.S. while the same drug in Canada was $74; in Japan, $51; and in Germany, $38. Humira, the highest-grossing drug in the United States, used to treat such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis, costs $2,505 in the U.S. but an average of $1,436 in the seven high-income countries that supplied data. The reason for these differences is no secret: Other countries have nationalized, single-payer health care systems. The government is usually the monopsony that is, only purchaser of prescription drugs and the decision-maker on which patients (if any at all) will have access to medicines. Even when foreign governments arent sole purchasers, they impose price controls in Canada, through a Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. For new drugs, Canadian prices cannot exceed the median price in other yardstick countries, which themselves have price controls. The result is that U.S. consumers fund new pharmaceutical discoveries, and the rest of the world benefits. As the authors of the JAMA study say, Although the United States high prices of pharmaceuticals are controversial, these prices have been viewed as critical to innovation. Firms based in the U.S. invent the majority of new medicines; no other country is close. The United States both conducts and finances much of the biopharmaceutical innovation that the world depends on, allowing foreign governments to enjoy bargain prices for such innovations, said a February study by the Presidents Council of Economic Advisors. This indicates that our current policies are neither wise nor just. Simply put, other nations are free-riding, or taking unfair advantage of the United States progress in this area. The CEA estimates that 70 percent of patented pharmaceutical profits come from sales to U.S. patients. Those profits are plowed back into R&D, whose results benefit people in countries that produce little or no profits. But if U.S. revenues and profits are reduced, there will be a sharp decline in new treatments and in overall health for Americans as well as foreigners. A study by Thomas Abbott and John Vernon, published as a working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research, found that cutting prices by 40 to 50 percent in the United States will lead to between 30 and 60 percent fewer R and D projects being undertaken in the early stage of developing a new drug. Conversely, what would happen if other OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries lifted or significantly relaxed price controls? A USC study concludes that if European prices were just 20 percent higher, the resulting increased innovation would generate $10 trillion in welfare gains for Americans, and $7.5 trillion for Europeans over the next 50 years. Economists know the answer to the problem. In 2004, more than 200 of them, including the late Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman and current CEA Chairman Kevin Hassett, signed a public letter on how to tackle the price-disparity problem. They said, The ideal solution would be for other wealthy nations to remove their price controls over pharmaceuticals. America is the last major market without these controls. Imposing price controls here would have a major impact on drug development worldwide, harming not only Americans but people all over the world. On the other hand, removing foreign price controls would bolster research incentives. Right, but how can we get wealthy nations to stop their free-riding? The answer is tough bargaining. Price controls badly distort trade and may be impermissible under current trade agreements and can certainly be changed in future ones. We need better trade deals. A golden opportunity is on the table now. The European Union is attempting to negotiate a simplified trade agreement with the U.S., mainly involving automobiles, agriculture and government procurement. The deal must also insist on limiting Europes price controls on medicines. Europeans are certainly entitled to take a different national approach to health care. For example, they can provide tax credits or direct subsidies so that citizens bear a lighter burden for drugs and other health care costs. But they cannot take advantage of the United States in trading relationships with government-mandated monopsony pricing. The Trump administration has already shown that tough bargaining on drugs can pay off. After recent negotiations, South Korea agreed to equal treatment for U.S. drug manufacturers in a renegotiated bilateral agreement; in the past, Korean companies got to charge more than U.S. companies. In addition to renegotiating agreements, we should appoint a special negotiator with jurisdiction over complicated issues of pharmaceutical trade and demand sanctions for countries that cheat on current trade pacts. The U.S. exported $47 billion in pharmaceuticals in 2015. That figure would be far higher without unfair foreign price controls. Meanwhile, the administration is driving down costs with record approvals for generic drugs 1,027 last year, breaking the old mark by 26 percent. Easing the path to approval for biosimilar drugs (roughly the equivalent of generics for advanced biological products) would provide even more relief for patients. In the end, by creating a market for medicines that is more free, at home and around the world, President Trump can improve the health of Americans, keep costs down, and enforce fairness across the board. Republicans breathed a collective sigh of relief Tuesday night as primary contests for the U.S. Senate produced a trio of candidates they consider effective challengers to Democratic incumbents in states President Trump won in 2016. The races in West Virginia, Indiana and Ohio were the first in what will be a months-long string of crowded primaries for Republicans in key battleground states, lasting until Wisconsin and Arizona vote in August. While the GOP was pleased with Tuesdays results, Democrats believe that the divisive primaries left the respective victors wounded, giving their partys incumbents an edge heading into the general elections. The biggest victory for Republicans came in West Virginia, where Don Blankenship, a former coal baron who recently served a prison sentence related to a mining disaster that killed 29 people, finished a distant third. The national party spent more than $1.3 million in recent weeks hoping to sink his campaign, and Trump intervened in the final hours to urge voters against supporting Blankenship. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey ultimately won, and will take on Sen. Joe Manchin in the fall. In Indiana, businessman and former state legislator Mike Braun defeated Reps. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer to face Sen. Joe Donnelly, whom many Republicans view as their best target on the 2018 map. And in Ohio, Rep. Jim Renacci won his race to take on Sen. Sherrod Brown. All three nominees have endeared themselves to Trump, aiming to capitalize on his presidential achievements in order coalesce the base and overcome Democrats with strong individual brands that have contributed to their past successes. In West Virginia, Morrisey ran as a conservative fighter, pointing to his work as attorney general resisting Obama administration policies and arguing he was the only candidate with a truly conservative record. His most consistent attack against Rep. Evan Jenkins, the second-place finisher, was spotlighting the congressmans past as a Democrat (he switched parties in 2013). Morrisey also had endorsements from Sens. Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Mike Lee, a conservative trio that has often parted ways with GOP leadership. Most of the race was a nasty battle between Morrisey and Jenkins, who ignored Blankenship almost entirely until the final days of the campaign. A Democratic outside group spent nearly $2 million going after Jenkins and Morrisey, though the vast majority was spent attacking the congressman, who argued the expenditure showed he was the best choice to take on Manchin. In his acceptance speech, Morrisey positioned himself as an ally of the president and attacked Manchin as having rejected Trump, tying his opponent to Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Joe Manchin has become just another rubber stamp for the liberal Washington elite agenda, he said. Joe Manchin went to Washington, promised to drain the swamp. Unfortunately, after eight years hes become part of the swamp. Still, Democrats believe the incumbents brand in West Virginia is strong enough to withstand the likely assault from Trump and other Republicans, who are likely to make Manchin one of their top targets this November. And as in other races, they hope the attacks that filtered out through the primary, such as Morriseys New Jersey background and his experience as a Washington lobbyist, will hurt him in the general election. In Indiana, the race became a test not only of who was the biggest Trump supporter, but also of what style Trump supporter voters found appealing. Messer ran as a reliable supporter of the presidents agenda on Capitol Hill and Rokita as a hard-charging Trump defender. Braun ran as a businessman who best matched Trumps life experience and outsider status. Braun also shook up the race early, airing his first TV ad in November, months before Messer or Rokita hit the airwaves. Braun ultimately loaned more than $5.4 million to the campaign, nearly the combined total that both Messer and Rokita raised. According to a tally from the Indianapolis Star, Braun spent more on TV ads than Messer and Rokita combined. Brauns early ads focused on his background as a businessman. But in late March, he released videos of himself carrying cardboard cutouts of Rokita and Messer, asking Indiana voters on the street to tell the difference between them. He followed with an ad showing them as bickering children, and another labeling them the swamp brothers. Messer and Rokita each won most of the counties in their respective congressional districts, but Braun ran ahead nearly everywhere else in the state. The two congressmen ended the night within a few thousand votes of each other. It was easy to paint them with the same brush and be different, one veteran GOP strategist said of Brauns campaign message. In his victory speech, the nominee immediately went to work trying to unite the party behind him. Hell have some help in the effort: Trump plans to hold a campaign rally in Indiana Thursday. I hope they will join me just like I would with them, Braun said of his competitors. Our common goal all along was to retire Joe Donnelly. Democrats have long hoped the nastiness of the GOP primary in the Hoosier State will help lift Donnelly in the fall. A digital ad from outside group American Bridge being released on social media platforms Wednesday meshes together attacks from his primary foes, including Messer saying, Mike Braun is just willing to say anything to get elected. Braun will aim to capitalize on his position as a Washington outsider in the general election. Donnelly has faced criticisms from Republicans for having owned stock in a family company that relies on Mexican labor while railing against outsourcing; Republicans have dubbed him Mexico Joe. But Democrats believe Brauns record will nullify those charges. The Associated Press reported ways in which his own business practices did not line up with his campaign rhetoric. The review found Braun had imported goods from countries he had criticized for taking American jobs, accepted government subsidies, and was on the receiving end of worker complaints. Donnelly is considered among the most vulnerable Democrats up for re-election this year, and has the added challenge of representing a state that is also home to Vice President Mike Pence and that Trump won by 19 percentage points. But Democrats in the state believe Donnellys average Joe brand resonates with voters in Indiana, where he will need to build a coalition of Republicans and independents as well as Democrats. Of all the Senate Democrats running in Trump states, Donnelly has voted most closely with the president, reflecting the balance he will have to strike in order to win. Renacci, the winner of the Ohio Senate campaign, benefited from a comparatively lower profile primary campaign. Businessman Mike Gibbons, his top challenger, loaned just over $1.5 million to his campaign, much less than wealthy self-funders in other states. Renacci, who left the crowded Ohio gubernatorial race to switch to the Senate campaign at the behest of Trump, also benefited from the presidents support. Trump endorsed Renacci two weeks before the primary, and the presidents re-election campaign doubled down with an endorsement last week. Renacci sat next to Trump during the presidents official visit to the state the weekend before the primary, and Trump cut a robo-call for the congressman ahead of voting Tuesday. Renacci won 47 percent of the vote, but he faces a stiff test against Sen. Sherrod Brown, the best-funded incumbent Democrat in the country with nearly $12 million in the bank. Trumps eight-point victory in Ohio in 2016 could make it fertile ground for Republicans in 2018, but Browns fundraising prowess and personal, populist brand in the state sets him apart from other Democrats running for re-election in states Trump won. In a memo released by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee before Tuesdays results were in, the committee highlighted the opposition research against each of the candidates, and argued the victors would emerge from the primaries lacking resources against well-funded Democratic incumbents. American Bridge, the outside group, plans to launch digital ads Wednesday in each of the three states attacking the newly minted nominees. There are no winners from tonights GOP primary battles only weakened candidates who are limping into the general election, the DSCC memo said. These intra-party battles have drained resources, exposed the flaws in their nominee, and driven their campaigns out of step with the general electorate. James Arkin is a congressional reporter for RealClearPolitics. He can be reached at jarkin@realclearpolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesArkin. Team Obama lives in a world of fiction. As President Trump announced to the world that he would finally put a stake through the heart of the Iran deal -- the signal foreign policy "achievement" of the Obama administration -- Obama's former staffers lamented, rending their sackcloth and smearing their ashes. "I will never forget the dark cloud that hung over the White House in the years Iran was advancing nuclear program & Obama was briefed on all the risks of using military force," former United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power tweeted. "Trump has demolished America's credibility & paved the way for Iran to re-start its nuclear program. Trump has done the unthinkable: isolated the US & rallied the world around Iran." Then there was amateur-fiction-writer-turned-professional-fiction-writer Ben Rhodes, a former Obama national security aide, who tweeted, "One tragicomic element of Trump's presidency is that the more he tries to tear down Obama's legacy, the bigger he makes Obama look." Meanwhile, former Secretary of State John Kerry, who had been traveling the world in an attempt to conduct his own personal foreign policy on behalf of the mullahs, stated, "Today's announcement weakens our security, breaks America's word, isolates us from our European allies, puts Israel at greater risk, empowers Iran's hardliners, and reduces our global leverage to address Tehran's misbehavior." Obama himself stated, "Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on America's closest allies." In hearing all of these honeyed voices speak, one might think that Iran has been acting responsibly for the last three years, that it hasn't been pursuing a campaign of horrific terrorism in Yemen and Syria, that it hasn't been sponsoring the takeover of Lebanon by the terrorist group Hezbollah, that it hasn't been funding the Palestinian terror group Hamas, that it hasn't been developing long-range ballistic missiles while leading chants saying "Death to America." One might think that Obama left the Middle East a bright a beautiful place, not a hellhole filled with human carnage bought with dollars spent by Iran but funneled through the United States. None of that is true, of course. Obama left the Middle East a smoking wreckage heap -- a situation so grim that even Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan have been forced to ally with Israel to allay fears of an Iranian regional takeover. Obama and his staff lied repeatedly to the American people about the Iran deal -- and they continue to lie. When Kerry says that the deal will "empower Iran's hardliners," he is repeating an outright fabrication: The hardliners are in charge of the government, and the deal strengthened them. When Power speaks as though Obama alleviated the possibility of Iran's nuclear program, she's lying, too: The deal explicitly paved the way for an Iranian nuclear program free and clear of consequences from the international order. When Obama speaks as though our Middle East allies were pleased by the deal, he's lying: They all opposed it, and they're all celebrating its end. Barack Obama had a peculiar vision of the Middle East remade: Iran ascendant, the power of Israel checked, the Saudis chastened. He achieved that vision at the cost of tens of thousands of lives across the region. President Trump is undoing that legacy. Good riddance. COPYRIGHT 2018 CREATORS.COM North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made another surprise visit to China on May 7 for a banquet and a languid stroll along the beach with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coastal city of Dalian. According to a Chinese statement, Kim told Xi that he wants to focus on economic development now that he has succeeded at nuclear development. For much of the spring, Kim has been laying the groundwork for just such a move. In a speech to the ruling Workers Party in April, Kim declared his countrys nuclear program complete and said Pyongyangs strategy now rests on socialist economic construction echoing former Chinese leader Deng Xiaopings infamous push for socialism with Chinese characteristics. At the landmark summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in last month, Kim reportedly told Moon that he was interested in reforming similarly to how Vietnam, another communist country, did years before. Kim even made a rare acknowledgement of the Norths economic woes, lamenting the decrepit state of the countrys railroads. To nudge the young leader further down the path of reform, Moon reportedly gave Kim a thumb drive containing a blueprint for economic cooperation that could be made possible by a continued reconciliation, including a plan for an economic belt connecting the west coast of the Korean Peninsula to China. North Korea has viewed Chinas tepid embrace of capitalism skeptically for nearly 40 years, and it has never attempted to emulate it. But theres reason to believe this time might be different. Risks Evolve One striking aspect of North Korean behavior since the end of the Cold War has been its apparent disinterest in implementing the reforms its communist brethren implemented. China, of course, has gone from a self-sequestered basket case to the worlds second-largest economy with astonishing speed. Vietnam didnt truly reunify until the late 1970s. After collectivism ended in catastrophe in China, Cambodia and the Soviet Union, Hanoi was quick to embrace Deng Xiaopings vision of a socialist-oriented market economy. As a result, Hanoi launched its Doi Moi transition in 1986 and, more recently, began to see integration with Western economies as a strategic imperative. Vietnam and China still face some serious political and economic challenges, given that they adhere to a curious blend of Marxism and capitalism, but in neither one has the Communist Party truly been challenged. North Korea also experimented with attracting foreign investment through special economic zones on the Russian, Chinese and South Korean borders. But the North continued to operate largely as it always had, with state planning and central distribution dominating the economy, an outsize share of resources devoted to the military, and precious little foreign trade. Perhaps the most important reason North Korea never bothered to reform is that, in the opinion of the government, the political risks of an economic opening outweighed any potential material benefits. These risks have evolved somewhat with time. When Chinas opening began, the economic pressures in the North were not nearly as acute as they would soon become, making it easier to hold off on reform. The narrative that the North Korean model was vastly superior to the Souths was central to founder Kim Il Sungs legitimacy. And though deep cracks in the Norths economic model were beginning to show, they werent bad enough to justify a dramatic change in policy and thus an admission of failure. The North was still benefiting from colonial-era investments made by its Japanese occupiers, who had industrialized the northern half of the peninsula where the mineral deposits and hydropower potential were. Moreover, the fear that economic integration with China would lead to political dependence on China a fear shared by North Korea and the Soviet Union alike kept Russian aid flowing. Since then, as the Norths economy has atrophied and the Souths economy has flourished, opening up has become only riskier. Itd be impossible to build a modern, globally integrated economy without allowing internet and cellphone use to proliferate. This means less control of the flow of information into the country, but more exposure to the prosperity of its neighbors. This would no doubt discredit the governments legitimacy and disprove all the propaganda it has issued about the inferiority of other economic models. It would also risk sparking a scramble for wealth among North Korean elites and allow competing power centers to arise. As the disparities widened between the North and its neighbors, it became harder for the North Korean economy to catch up. It would have few inherent advantages over other low-cost manufacturers in the region, and it would lack the basic infrastructure, technology and skill base needed to get up to speed quickly. Rewards would come eventually, but hardly quickly, and the North would be overly dependent on outside aid and exposed to outside influences in the meantime. The Path of Least Resistance The political risks of opening the economy to the outside remain, but strategic considerations may be making North Korea more willing to stomach them. The biggest change compared to years past relates to North Koreas nuclear program. (Notably, Chinas opening began only after it had already gone nuclear in the 1960s.) In the past, the Norths program was something to be bargained away for outside aid. Today, even if its missiles cant hit targets in the United States with the utmost accuracy, its safe to say North Korea is effectively a nuclear power. Pyongyang believes this will insulate it somewhat from the political risks of liberalization. A nuclear arsenal will make outside powers, particularly China and South Korea, more hesitant to try to use an economic opening to foment a social revolt against the regime. After all, no one wants nuclear missiles to be lost in the chaos of a revolution and end up on the black market. Meanwhile, the regime can claim to have fulfilled its pledge to make North Korea the guarantor of its own security, no longer dependent on protection rackets with extortionist outside powers. And it can claim that it will now do the same on the economic front. Already there has been some modest progress on that front at least by the standards of North Korea. The economy is once again rotting from isolation and mismanagement, thanks in part to economic sanctions, but the regime has been inching toward liberalization over the past few years. It has gradually legalized local markets and encouraged agricultural co-ops to sell produce there. Factories have been freed to sell surplus goods to whomever theyd like, and state-owned firms have been allowed to set up their own loosely controlled enterprises. Strategically, its in North Koreas best interest to keep the detente with South Korea going as long as possible. Doing so could give it some much-needed sanctions relief and provide it an opportunity to show the international community it can, when necessary, act rationally. More important, it forestalls U.S. military action, which is still theoretically in play if talks between Trump and Kim fall through. Outside powers may never trust the Kim regime, and they may have strategic reasons to try to keep the North weak. But going to war in the North would be extraordinarily costly. The path of least resistance would be simply to decide that North Korea is another China or Pakistan problematic but rational nuclear powers everyone has decided just to live with. This path becomes all the more attractive if North Korea convinces others that it is on the path toward reform and, perhaps, peaceful reunification with the South. All this lends credence to reports of Kims interest in finally leading his country out of extreme isolation. Any integration process will be glacially slow; these things are slow by nature, but Kim would need to protract them as long as possible to manage political risk, which, as history shows, may prove unmanageable. But, given their shared interest in taking the air out of the nuclear standoff while preventing an abrupt regime collapse in the North, glacial integration may be what Pyongyang, Seoul and Beijing all have in mind. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 05/09/2018 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. will reportedly have a different vibe than seasons past when it returns.When returns to HGTV with 15 new episodes on Thursday, May 31 at 9PM ET/PT, viewers are going to see a different side to Christina El Moussa and Tarek El Moussa's partnership, Us Weekly reported "[This season is] a little bit more edgy," a source close to Christina told Us. "They're showcasing a more personal side, that they are an ex-husband and ex-wife having disagreements."Tarek, 39, and Christina, 34, have been filming these new Season 7 episodes for about one year now despite their divorce.The source explained that Christina and Tarek won't exactly be "at each other's throats," according to the magazine, but "tension" between the pair will be evident.Fans, for example, will reportedly witness Christina walking off the set as Tarek grows irritated by his ex-wife's word choice.The upcoming season "will definitely shed more light on their relationship and be more interesting," added the source.will continue to follow Christina and Tarek as they buy dilapidated houses in Southern California, transform them into beautifully renovated homes, and flip them for profit.The new episodes of the show, however, will chronicle challenges other than ones associated with home renovations, as Tarek and Christina also must maneuver through their new relationship status as exes who have remained business partners and attempt to amicably co-parent their children Brayden and Taylor.Christina and Tarek finalized their divorce back in January, one year after Tarek initially filed the paperwork in court and cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their seven-year marriage ending.The HGTV reality stars publicly announced their split in December 2016 although they quietly separated in Spring 2016 after a blowout fight that resulted in police visiting their California home."It's all new territory," Christina recently said of working with Tarek on ."This would be awkward for any exes. Since we have to see each other every day, it's beyond awkward. I'm planning on staying friendly and keeping things light."Although Tarek appears to be enjoying the single life as of recently, Christina has moved on and is dating British TV host and car mechanic Ant Anstead. Patricia Decker / Contributed photo FALLS VILLAGE Rose Buckens and Jo Ann Jaacks, who have built, painted and planted more than 50 Little Free Libraries in the Litchfield Hills, will join the David M. Hunt Library as they host a grand opening for their British-themed Little Free Library at Toymakers Cafe at 85 Main St. in Falls Village, on May 19, at 4 p.m., according to a news release from event organizers. This library is a replica of the iconic British red phone booth, which was fabricated by local crafter Joseph Brien. The theme was inspired by Toymakers Cafe owners Ann and Greg Bidous love for all things Anglophile down to their Union Jack logo and their passion for corgis. Donald Trump withdraw USA from Iran nuclear deal 09 May, 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 WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday as his administration pledged to find a comprehensive and lasting solution to the so-called Iranian threat. The Iran deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into, Mr Trump said in a televised address from the White House Diplomatic Room. Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie, he added. The fact is, this was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. It didnt bring calm. It didnt bring peace, and it never will. Minutes after the speech, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States will not stop at revoking the deal alone. Sanctions will go into full effect and will remind the Iranian regime of the diplomatic and economic isolation that results from its reckless and malign activity, he said. This reinstates all sanctions waived as part of the nuclear accord and imposes additional economic penalties as well. The United States, he said, had a shared interest with its allies in Europe and around the world to prevent Iran from ever developing a nuclear weapon. As we exit the Iran deal, we will be working (with) our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat. Last week, Britain, France and Germany urged the Trump administration not to revoke the deal, arguing that the agreement was the best way of stopping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. President Trump ignored the advice. Earlier on Tuesday, President Trump telephoned President Emmanuel Macron of France and told him that he was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. President Macron visited Washington late last month to persuade Mr Trump not to do so. Secretary Pompeo said the United States had taken other European allies into confidence as well. Our effort is broader than just the nuclear threat and we will be working together with partners to eliminate the threat of Irans ballistic missile programme; to stop its terrorist activities worldwide; and to block its menacing activity across the Middle East and beyond, he said in a statement issued by his office. In 2015, six nations the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia signed a nuclear deal with Iran, which was later approved by the UN Security Council as well. The deal, titled the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), became effective on Oct 18, 2015. Mr Trumps decision has unravelled the signature foreign policy achievement of his predecessor, Barack Obama. And critics appearing on various US television channels after the announcement warned that it would also isolate the United States from its allies. Senior members of his administration watched as President Trump declared that he was revoking the deal because it failed to achieve its objective: protect the US and its allies from the lunacy of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. Vice President Mike Pence, National Security Adviser John Bolton and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were among those who attended President Trumps 11-minute address, which began around 2:15 pm. The president took a few questions after the speech, saying that his actions on Iran will make America much safer and he was leaving the accord because the Iranian regime was the leading state sponsor of terror. Over the years Iran and its proxies have bombed American embassies and military installations, murdered hundreds of American service members and tortured US citizens, he said. Mr Trump claimed that the agreement allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and lifted crippling economic sanctions in exchange for very weak limits on its nuclear programme. The nuclear accord, he said, was a great embarrassment to me as a citizen and a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. He called the sunset provisions totally unacceptable, which did nothing to constrain Irans destabilizing activities in the region. He said he walked out of the arrangement when it became obvious to him that the deal could not prevent an Iran nuclear bomb. The United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and impose the highest level of economic sanctions on Tehran, he said. America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail. At the end of his remarks, President Trump signed the proclamation to withdraw from the JCPOA. He announced near the conclusion of his remarks that Secretary Pompeo was arriving in North Korea shortly to finalise the arrangements for his summit meeting with Kim Jong Un. He said hes hopeful that three Americans held in North Korea will soon be released. Reacting to Mr Trumps announcement, President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran would remain committed to the multinational nuclear deal, reports Reuters. If we achieve the deals goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place... By exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty, President Rouhani said in a televised speech. I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation to take the necessary measures for future actions so that if necessary we can resume industrial enrichment without limit, he said in an address to the nation. We will wait several weeks before applying this decision. We will speak with our friends and allies, the other members of the nuclear agreement, he said. I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain, he added. No provision in Constitution or law for suspension of a lawmaker: Raza Rabbani ISLAMABAD: Former chairman of the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani on Tuesday raised a legal question over suspension of former finance minister Senator-elect Ishaq Dars membership of the upper house of parliament by the Supreme Court, pointing out that there appeared to be no provision in the Constitution or the law for suspension of a lawmaker. Speaking in the house hours after Mr Dars suspension, Mr Rabbani referred to a provision of the Elections Act, 2017, which confers upon the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) the power to suspend a parliamentarian or a member of a provincial assembly, if he or she fails to submit his annual statement of assets and liabilities and that too is reversed when the statement is filed. He hoped that the Supreme Court would give reasoning for suspension of Mr Dars membership in its detailed judgement, because otherwise it would open a floodgate and hamper parliamentarians from performing their functions. Leader of the House in the Senate Raja Mohammad Zafarul Haq endorsed Senator Rabbanis view and said according to doctors, Mr Dar had a health problem and was unable to travel. He said Mr Dar continued to be summoned by one court after another. He also said that the detailed judgement of the apex court was awaited. Mr Rabbani also raised the issue of absence of ministers concerned to respond to the questions pertaining to a report about a jailbreak plan to free Dr Shakeel Afridi the man who had helped the United States track down Al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden. He regretted that neither the minister of state for interior was present nor any other minister held any briefing on the matter. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani disclosed that he had already received a report which was sensitive in nature and asked Mr Rabbani to come to his chambers to see it. Mr Rabbani said the government should have made a request to the chair for in-camera proceedings if any sensitivity was involved. For the sake of record, I want to say that the secretaries of foreign affairs and interior will be deemed collaborators and abettors in case something untoward happens or the man leaves the country as these two men have withheld information from the house. Senator Mushtaq Ahmad of the Jamaat-i-Isalami said the US had carried out 400 drone attacks in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. He also referred to the incidents of killings of Pakistanis at the hands of US citizens with immunity and said the coming generations will not forgive us if parliament keeps silent even today. Is Pakistan a hunting ground for the United States? he asked. On a point of public importance, Mr Rabbani said according to the Senates tentative calendar, the house was supposed to hold its next session from July 10. He pointed out that the National Assembly would be dissolved on May 31 and proposed that the Senate should remain in session during the interim period to keep an eye on the caretakers and to ensure transparency of electoral process. He said it should be ensured that the caretakers avoid taking major policy decisions and confine themselves to day to day functioning and did not transgress their constitutional limits. Opposition Leader in the Senate Sherry Rehman once again raised the question of the federal cabinet swelling beyond its permissible size and the Senate chairman summoned the minister for parliamentary affairs to respond to the objection. Former interior minister Rehman Malik said the chief election commissioner (CEC) should brief the Senate on how the ECP would check rigging in the upcoming general elections. If the chief justice can come to the house, why the CEC cannot do so? he asked. Qamar Bajwa inaugurated fencing along Pak-Afghan border in Balochistan PANJPAI: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday inaugurated the work for erecting fences along the Pak-Afghan border near Panjpai area of Balochistan. He was accompanied by Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Commander Southern Command Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa, Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, Sardar Muhammad Saleh Bhootani, Prince Ali Ahmed Ahmedzai and other officials. The Pakistan Army has already completed work on a 5km-long fence on the border near Panjpai. In total 1,268km-long fences would be erected along the Pak-Afghan border. According to official sources, 250 Frontier Corp forts one at a distance of every 3km would be built and 16-foot-high watchtowers will be built at every kilometre to ensure proper monitoring of the border. Talking to tribal elders and local people, Gen Bajwa appreciated their cooperation with security forces in improving security situation in Balochistan. He also thanked them for their support for the fencing of the border, saying that it would help in checking the movement of terrorists on the border. The army chief said special arrangements had been made to facilitate bilateral trade and legal movement of people between Pakistan and Afghanistan through designated crossing points. Speaking on the occasion, CM Bizenjo appreciated the role of the Pakistan Army in improving the security situation and boosting development activities in Balochistan. He said the fencing of border would stop influx of terrorists from Afghanistan and help the government in controlling terror activities in the province. The people of Balochistan would never hesitate in rendering sacrifices for the motherlands protection, Mr Bizenjo said. Later in the day, Gen Bajwa attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the National University of Science and Technologys (NUST) Quetta campus. Constructed with an estimated cost of Rs2.63 billion, the campus spans over 30 acres and will house 550 students. Besides usual disciplines, it will also have study programmes for specific requirements of Balochistan, such as mining, water resource, engineering, etc. The army chief also inaugurated the Quetta Safe City Project. The project, which was held up for the past five years, will cost Rs2.28 billion. Under the project 14,000 cameras would be installed in the city. Upon completion, the project will help in improving security situation in the provincial capital. During his stay in Quetta, Gen Bajwa also interacted with students of some universities in the city. He said the army would support the government in bringing improvement in the fields of education, health, electricity, water infrastructure in Balochistan. He said the people of Pakistan had rejected terrorism, adding that the armed forces and the people had rendered great sacrifices for establishment of peace in the country. He said some elements for their vested interests were trying to influence young minds to create anarchy in the country. But the people of the country would foil all such conspiracies, he added. He urged the students to focus on their studies and work hard for the development of Pakistan. Some tribal elders who were present on the occasion welcomed the fencing of border, saying that it would help in maintaining law and order in the province. Speaking on the occasion, tribal elder Malik Abdul Majeed Mashwani termed the fencing of border a project of safe Pakistan and said: It should have started much earlier. Cambodian villagers hospitalized after drinking water taken from a polluted river have begun to return home, with many openly concerned that clean water distributed by authorities may soon run out, leaving them again dependent on a contaminated source. Over 200 villagers in Cambodias Kratie province were sickened, with 13 later dying, in an outbreak of illnesses beginning last week that authorities blamed partly on the consumption of homemade wine, citing symptoms including blurred vision and shortness of breath linked to methanol poisoning. Most of those who had fallen ill had been sickened separately by drinking river water polluted by animal waste and insecticides, though, authorities said. Speaking to RFAs Khmer Service, a resident of Sre Norn, one of the two villages affected in the outbreak, said on Wednesday that the clean water now being provided to villagers by authorities is insufficient for peoples needs. Even now, the water is being distributed by authorities on a temporary basis, and there is not enough to go around, Eng Channeng, 42, said. Some villagers have not received any water at all, she said. We are in a very desperate situation now. Speaking separately, Yann Yeang, a police inspector in Cheth Borey district in which the villages lie, said however that all families in the affected area are now receiving water distributed by NGOs and the Cambodian Red Cross. Fears that the river water used by villagers as a drinking source may have been contaminated by chemical waste dumped by upstream mines or factories are unfounded though, he said, adding, We have found no such business sites. Authorities are now searching for alternative water sources so that villagers are not forced to rely on the polluted river, he said. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Richard Finney. Sam Rainsy, former president of the now banned Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), has called on Cambodian voters to boycott the general election on July 29 if his party is not allowed to participate. As leader of the newly founded Cambodia National Rescue Movement, he is rallying support for the political party that was outlawed by the countrys Supreme Court in November 2017. Currently living in self-imposed exile to avoid convictions seen as politically motivated, Sam Rainsy has called on voters to continue supporting the CNRP despite ongoing efforts by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for 33 years, to ensure that his own ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) wins the election by cracking down on the political opposition, NGOs, and the media. Speaking with reporter Vuthy Huot from RFAs Khmer Service, Sam Rainsy discussed the current political situation in the run-up to the election. The following is an edited version of their conversation. RFA: Prime Minister Hun Sen continues to say that he and the ruling party are the ones who have brought peace to Cambodia and that to maintain peace and stability the only option is to vote for him and his party. He treats the opposition as a threat to peace. What is your reaction to that assertion? Sam Rainsy: Hun Sen is persecuting people who love democracy. He is persecuting the independent media, NGOs, and the opposition. The current government is losing its legitimacy now after Hun Sen has staged a constitutional coup when he dissolved the CNRP. RFA: With the May 14 deadline for political party and candidate registration in the upcoming election almost here, is it likely that the CNRP is not going to be able to register because there is no political resolution yet? What is your position on this? Sam Rainsy: I would like to repeat my call for people to boycott the election. If we do not go to vote, the government that is formed as the result of the bogus election will be illegitimate and doomed to automatic failure. The current government can survive only for another three months until July 29, 2018. After that, it will die because of a lack of support and legitimacy. I would like to encourage Cambodians to stay strong and unified and not go to vote. The dictatorship will ultimately die after the majority of people stay home in protest. RFA: What happens if the upcoming election is held without participation by the CNRP? Sam Rainsy: The CNRP is strongly supported by Cambodians. We will hold another election. We strongly believe that we will win that election. Reported by Vuthy Huot for RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. China's President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (L) before their meeting in Dalian, northeastern China's Liaoning province, May 7, 2018. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday hailed what he described as "progress" on the Korean peninsula, as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un returned to China, and as negotiations continued between Pyongyang and Washington over a planned summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump. "Comrade Chairman [Kim] made a special trip to China to meet me again just after 40-odd days, at a crucial time when the Korean peninsula situation is undergoing profound and complex changes," China's state news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as saying. "After the first meeting between me and Comrade Chairman, both [bilateral] relations and the Korean peninsula situation have made positive progress," Xi said. "I feel happy about it." Xi said further meetings were also an option, in order to "realize long-lasting peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, and promote regional peace, stability and prosperity." "The two sides should maintain frequent exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, deepen understanding and mutual trust, and safeguard common interests," Xi was quoted as saying, adding that he and Kim have remained "in close contact" since he gave the North Korean leader the red carpet treatment during his March visit to Beijing. "China supports [North Korea's] adherence to the denuclearization of the peninsula, and backs the dialogue and consultation between [North Korea] and the United States for resolving the peninsula issue," he said. Kim said denuclearization was possible "as long as relevant parties abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against [North Korea]," Xinhua said. North Korean state radio quoted Kim as saying that "he will firmly hold hands with the friendly Chinese comrades in the historic long march to achieve the peace and prosperity of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia." Kim needs Xi Political analysts said North Korea will feel more confident honing its strategy ahead of the Trump summit if it has input from its larger neighbor and sole ally first. "[Kim] fears that Trump may take a hostile position during negotiations, leaving him looking weak," Germany-based political commentator Peng Tao told RFA. "He is wary of Trump, so he needs Xi on his side." There are benefits for China, too, according to Hong Kong political commentator Willy Lam, who said Xi wants to ensure that any peace agreement has Chinese input. "This is about Xi Jinping's fear of getting marginalized," Lam told RFA. "During the recent meeting between Kim and the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, it began to look as if the two Koreas and the U.S. could resolve the situation, and that meant a diminished role for China, which is anathema to Xi Jinping." The meeting between Xi and Kim comes after Xi dispatched his foreign minister Wang Yi to Pyongyang last week to lay the diplomatic groundwork for the second visit, Lam said. "Xi Jinping is adamant that, regardless of the outcome of the Kim-Trump summit, Beijing must be involved in any final settlement," he said. "One model Beijing is looking at is four-party talks between the two Koreas, the U.S. and China, once the Kim-Trump summit is done." "They would want any outcome to be decided by these four countries," he said. Lu Cheng-Fung, assistant professor of international relations at Taiwan's National Quemoy University, said Beijing is anxious to maintain close ties with Kim, even as the North Korean leader appears willing to try for greater entente with Washington. "U.N. economic sanctions are still in place, which is putting Kim Jong Un under a huge amount of pressure to the extent that he is fighting to cling onto political power now," Lu said. "What concerns Xi Jinping even more is that North Korea can't take much more of such pressure, and China can't breach U.N. sanctions at this time," he said. "Xi Jinping wants to be sure that Kim Jong Un won't cave in to pressure from Trump; he genuinely fears a rapprochement between Kim and the U.S." Abandoning the nuclear program Beijing-based political commentator Zha Jianguo said the U.S. strategy appears to be working, and that Xi now appears to believe that total denuclearization is a possibility on the Korean peninsula. "Both China and Kim Jong Un appear to share the view that there is a greater possibility of [Kim's] abandoning the nuclear program," he said. But he said the crux of the matter will lie in how Kim Jong Un responds to tough demands made by Trump at the summit. "Trump is sure to demand that [North Korea] publicize verifiable evidence of its irreversible abandonment of its nuclear program," he said. Kim's visit to China came as Chinese premier Li Keqiang was in Tokyo for three-way talks with South Korea's Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss denuclearization. Abe called on North Korea to reach a "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearization and abolition of weapons of mass destruction. He also called for a resolution for Japanese nationals kidnapped by North Korea. Reported by Ho Shan and Fok Leung-kiu for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Wang Yun and Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. China looks set to further tighten the regulation of public religious worship in a bid to prevent "hostile foreign forces" from infiltrating the country, RFA has learned. The State Administration of Religious Affairs began consultations this week on rules relating to foreigners who practice their religions on Chinese soil. Existing regulations from 1991 already bar Chinese citizens from attending temporary religious gatherings organized by foreign religious groups, while foreign religious organizations are banned from any venue not previously authorized for religious purposes. Now, the government is asking for input on a new set of administrative guidelines to "protect the public interest," according to a notice posted on the Administration's official website on Monday. Foreigners are currently also barred from preaching or teaching, other than at the invitation of state-backed institutions, nor must they mentor or train Chinese religious staff and believers. "They may not produce and sell religious books, religious audio-visual products, religious electronic publications, and other religious supplies; they may not disseminate religious propaganda materials and conduct other forms of missionary activities," the existing regulations state. The new rules target "collective religious activities" of more than 50 people that are organized and attended by foreigners, in particular, at locations that have only been temporarily approved for religious activity for a year at a time. Foreign nationals attending such gatherings will need to provide the government with personal details including passport number and place of residence in China before attending, the draft rules say. Hsin-hsin Ko, who directs the Justice and Peace Commission of Hong Kong's Catholic diocese, said the authorities had previously focused on ensuring that young people under the age of 18 were unable to attend religious ceremonies or teachings. Now, the authorities have moved their focus to large gatherings run by foreign organizations in China that are initially set up to serve the expat community, but which are increasingly attended by Chinese nationals. "This question of participation is very problematic ... this is about freedom of assembly," Ko told RFA. "These rules will apply whether you are Chinese or a foreign national, and they completely violate religious freedom." Strengthened guidelines Beijing-based Protestant house church elder Xu Yonghai said the government is actually signaling that it now intends to fully implement existing rules, rather than bringing in new restrictions. "They are bringing out new guidelines to give a reason why they are stepping up the suppression [of religious activities]," Xu said. "I think this indicates that controls are going to get much tighter, including for foreigners spreading the gospel in China." "Things will get more difficult; some of our brothers and sisters from South Korea have already been affected, after coming to China and working very hard to set up churches," he said. An employee who answered the phone at the State Administration of Religious Affairs' leadership group declined to comment, saying they didn't know about the matter. An employee who answered the phone at the Administration's press office referred enquiries to the political and legal affairs department. However, calls to to the political and legal affairs department rang unanswered during office hours. China is home to an estimated 68 million Protestants, of whom 23 million worship in state-affiliated churches, and some nine million Catholics, 5.7 million of whom are in state-sponsored organizations. But the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which embraces atheism, exercises tight control over any form of religious practice among its citizens. The administration of President Xi Jinping regards Christianity as a dangerous foreign import, with officials warning against the "infiltration of Western hostile forces" in the form of religion. Church members on trial The call for consultations came as authorities in the southwestern province of Guizhou found a Protestant pastor guilty of "intentionally disclosing state secrets" at his trial on Apr. 26. Former Huoshi Church pastor Su Tianfu stood trial at a district court in Nanming district in Guizhou's provincial capital, Guiyang, behind closed doors. Su said he hadn't intentionally leaked state secrets in a post to the popular social media app WeChat. I did not intentionally leak state secrets ... I won't deny what I did, but its up to the lawyers to decide whether my actions were illegal or not," Su wrote. And in Chuxiong, in the southwestern province of Yunnan, seven Protestant Christians stood trial on Apr. 27 amid an ongoing crackdown on what the authorities term an "evil cult." The defendants stood accused of being part of a controversial house church group called the Three Grades of Servants, currently the target of a major crackdown by Yunnan authorities. Some 200 Christians have been detained in the province and falsely accused of being members, according to the U.S.-based Christian rights group ChinaAid. Reported by Yeung Mok for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. North Korea has released three American prisoners, U.S. officials said Wednesday, ahead of an expected summit between the countrys leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump that will focus on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Kim Dong-chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak-songall Americans of Korean descentwere the only known Americans held in North Korea and had been accused of committing espionage or hostile acts against the state. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed that the three men had been released and were in U.S. custody to reporters aboard a flight from Pyongyang, where he had spent Wednesday in a previously unannounced meeting with Kim and other North Korean officials, to Yokata Air Base in Japan, saying that the trio were each in good health. We have the three Americans on the plane [and] all indications are at this point that their health is as good as could be given that theyve been held, he said. They were happy to be with us on this plane, to be sure. Pompeo said he had a good and lengthy conversation with Kim in preparation for the upcoming summit with Trump, adding that the two sides had locked in on the date and would be announcing when and where it will take place by the beginning of next week. The secretary said that Wednesdays talks with Kim had covered the proposed agenda for the summitwhich is expected later this month or in early Juneand that North Korea and the U.S. will coordinate in coming days to set the conditions for a successful meeting between the two leaders. When asked whether the summit would have been possible without the release of the three Americans, Pompeo acknowledged that it would have been more difficult, adding, Im glad that we dont have to confront that. He said that he believes Kim is trying to set good conditions for the summit by releasing the three, but noted that theres still a lot of work to do to achieve our ultimate goal. Wednesdays visit marked Pompeos second trip to North Korea this year. Release welcomed In a statement issued by the White House, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that Trump appreciates leader Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill. Vice President Mike Pence said in a statement that while the Trump administration is encouraged that North Korea freed these innocent hostages, we will not let off the pressure until we achieve full denuclearization. President Trump tweeted on Wednesday that Pompeo would be landing with the three Americans at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at 2:00 a.m. on Thursday, and that he would greet them as they deplaned. The president had suggested that the three would be released in a tweet last week, in which he incorrectly said former U.S. President Barack Obamas administration had long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Two of the three men were detained after Trump became president. The release of the three Americans was also welcomed by various U.S. lawmakers, who hailed the act as a positive development in negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo exits his plane on arrival in Pyongyang, May 9, 2018. Credit: AP Photo American prisoners Of the three Americans released on Wednesday, Kim Dong-chul had been held the longest, after being sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor for espionage. Reports suggest Kim Dong-chul ran a trading firm in Rason, a special economic zone in North Korea bordering Russia. Neither Tony Kimalso known as Kim Sang-duknor Kim Hak-song had been tried since their detentions last year in April and May, respectively. Both were associated with the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), the only privately funded college in the North that was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. Tony Kim had been accused of committing unspecified criminal acts with an aim to topple North Koreas government, while Kim Hak-song was charged with alleged anti-state activities. On Wednesday, Tony Kims family issued a statement thanking Trump for engaging directly with N. Korea, adding that mostly, we thank God for Tonys safe return. The last American freed by North Korea was 22-year-old Otto Warmbier, a university student who was detained in January 2016 for attempted theft and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. During his incarceration, Warmbier sustained a neurological injury and fell into a coma before being released into U.S. custody last summer. He died days after returning home, escalating tensions between Washington and Pyongyang that had already been exacerbated by North Koreas repeated tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Standard procedure Former U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues Robert King, speaking before Wednesdays announcement, told RFAs Korean Service that using American detainees as bargaining chips is standard procedure for North Korea. When there are senior American officials that come to [North] Korea, they're willing to give them American detainees and allow them to return to the United States, said King, who is currently Korea chair for the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). I think since this is a very big deal to have a meeting with the president of the United States it would be quite a surprise if the North Koreans didnt do this, he added, speaking as signs emerged that the two countries were resolving the case. Initially, King said, Kim wanted to demonstrate to the people of North Korea that he was firmly in control of the country after taking power following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in December 2011. Dealing with Americans who were detained there was one way of showing his people that he could be tough, he said. But strong international sanctions in response to a major nuclear test in September, and several missile tests which suggest the North is capable of targeting the majority of the U.S., have pushed Pyongyang to engage diplomatically, King added. If there is going to be any long term progress in a relationship with North Korea there has to be progress on human rights, he said. Releasing Americans who were detained in North Korea is a first step in that direction. Reported by Jung Min Noh for RFAs Korean Service and by Joshua Lipes. Translated by Sungwon Yang. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Displaced Kachin residents board a truck after crossing the Malikha River on a ferry to escape fighting between the Kachin Independence Army and Myanmar government troops near Myitkyina in northern Myanmar's Kachin state, April 26, 2018. More than 400 Kachin civilians displaced by fighting between the Myanmar army and an ethnic armed group arrived on Wednesday in two townships in northern Myanmars volatile Kachin state where they have taken temporary shelter in local churches. They are part of the overall 4,000 civilians who have been driven out of their homes by clashes in the long-running conflict between the national army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of several ethnic militias with which the Myanmar government is trying to end decades of ethnic separatist civil wars and forge peace. According to our list, 423 IDPs [internally displaced persons] arrived in Myitkyina on May 8, said Ganesh, the leader of a state Red Cross team helping the refugees. We have more than 4,000 IDPs now in Myitkyina and Hpakant. We will help them as needed. The refugees are staying in churches in Dunbam and Lawa villages in Hpakant township and at a church in Naungnang village in Myitkyina township, he said. State government officials have started rescue operations for those trapped in war zones, transporting them to safer places, as both the government military and the KIA are now allowing them to leave villages caught in the crossfire. More than 200 IDPs arrived in Myitkyina on Tuesday evening after aid workers helped them escape ongoing hostilities. And earlier this week, government authorities evacuated more than 150 residents from Magwe village to the subtownship of Karmine in Hpakant township in Mohnyin district, where they are being housed in temporary shelters or living with relatives in other towns. Residents from villages in Injangyang, Tanaing, and Hpakant townships have been stranded with little food since April after fresh clashes erupted and government troops blocked access to roads in areas where fighting has taken place, preventing civilians from leaving to get supplies. Many have sought shelter in jungles where they have no access to food and water. State government officials have also been working on evacuating internally displaced persons trapped in Tanaing township, whose amber and gold mining region is controlled by the KIA, and transporting them to safe places. The KIA is one of several militias with which the Myanmar government is trying to end decades of ethnic separatist civil wars and forge peace in the country through a series of peace negotiations launched in August 2016 by Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the KIAs political wing, has not signed the governments nationwide cease-fire agreement that eight of the countrys more than 20 ethnic armies inked in October 2015, with two more having joined since then. Antiwar activist Aung Hmine San is escorted to court by an armed guard to face charges for violating Article 19 of Myanmar's Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law in central Myanmar's Mandalay, May 9, 2018. Credit: RFA Antiwar activists fined Meanwhile, three detained antiwar activists in Mandalay were formally charged on Wednesday in Chan Aye Tharzan Township Court for violating Article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law. The law allows public demonstrations only if organizers first obtain permission from local authorities. Aung Hmine San, Daine Daung, and a third individual Poet Kalint were arrested on Tuesday for leading protesters on a march through town on May 6, calling for an end to the fighting in Kachin state and for the government to rescue IDPs trapped by clashes. As I dont trust the countrys judicial service, I will not work with the court, Aung Hmine San said. I am not sure whether I will hire a lawyer or not, or whether I will answer if I am questioned by a judge. I am not going to apply for bail as well, he said. We dont believe that we violated anything. We believe that we were unjustly arrested because we have rights to freely express what we believe. Other protests calling on authorities to evacuate trapped locals in Kachin state and to end hostilities there have taken place in the towns of Yangon and Myitkyina and in Magway region. On Wednesday, a court in Myitkyina fined two Kachin youth leaders 30,000 kyats (U.S. $22) each for violating Article 19 by failing to obtain permission to stage a 700-strong street demonstration and a sit-in in the Kachin capital earlier this week, the online journal The Irrawaddy reported. The fines came after pressure from local authorities forced protesters to end their sit-in. Also earlier this week, a police officer from the Kyauktada Township Police Station in Yangon filed a complaint against four activists for organizing an antiwar protest in the commercial capital. Two other people who intended to march from Pyay township of south-central Myanmars Bago region to Myitkyina were arrested in Aunglan township of central Myanmars Magway region while they were marching. Authorities charged them for violating Article 19, but released them on bail. By Kyaw Myo Min and Khaymani Win for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Kashgar (in Chinese, Kashi) prefecture, in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is home to several open political re-education camps that require Uyghurs to attend classes during the day and allow them to return home at night, according to sources. Since April 2017, Uyghurs accused of harboring strong religious views and politically incorrect views have been jailed or detained in re-education camps throughout the XUAR, where members of the ethnic group have long complained of pervasive discrimination, religious repression, and cultural suppression under Chinese rule. While investigating the camp detention of prominent ethnic Uyghur hotel owner Obulkasim Haji in Kashgar city, RFAs Uyghur Service learned of the open camps from an officer at the Doletbagh police station, in the citys Yuan Fang district. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told RFA that Hajis eldest son Mehmet Sidiq had been required to attend a camp in Kashgar citys Orda Aldi neighbourhood for more than two months that he said is slightly different from other re-education camps in the area. The Orda Aldi Re-Education Camp is reserved for Uyghurs accused of minor cases, he said, who are made to study in the morning, afternoon and the evenings before being sent home at night. The serious cases are being sent to the closed re-education camps, where they are incarcerated, he added. According to the officer, the Orda Aldi Re-Education Camp was built about three years agopredating the regional governments re-education policyand was one of the first to be established in the area. But he said other open camps also exist in Kashgar from which detainees can return home in the evening, including in the prefectures Yarkand (Shache) county. [Detainees study] from 9:00-11:00 a.m. in the morning, 2:00-4:00pm in the afternoon, and 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the eveningsix to six and a half hours each day, he said. In the mornings, there is flag-raising ceremony, after which they attend a political study class using material supplied by the provincial propaganda office. The cadres use different methodologies to convey the message to the people. The officer said that Uyghurs are forced to learn Mandarin Chinese, and particularly the Chinese lyrics to the national anthem. The detainees are regularly abused and harassed if their performance does not meet the expectations of their instructors, he said. When asked how many re-education camps exist in Kashgar prefecture, the officer said he did not know. But he confirmed earlier reports that the largest of Kashgar citys four camps is the newly built No. 5 Middle School Re-Education Camp, located in the Eshmika neighborhood. In January, a security official told RFA that around 120,000 Uyghurs are currently being held in re-education camps in Kashgar prefecture, and that tens of thousands of people are detained within Kashgar city alone. National anthem The Doletbagh police officers claims about Uyghur detainees at camps being forced to recite the national anthem in Chinese echo reports of similar practices in Yarkand. In February, RFA learned that a Uyghur named Tursun Ablet had hanged himself at his home in No. 1 village of the countys Tomosteng township the previous month. An officer who answered the phone at the Tomosteng Police Station told RFA at the time that he believed Ablets suicide was motivated by verbal harassment and abuse of his dignity he endured at the class because he was struggling with his studies. A statement from a Uyghur who was made to take a training course at the camp Ablet attended said that after more than a dozen people in the class were unable to recite the national anthem in Chinese, the instructor told them that they had four days to learn it or he would send us to a re-education camp for between six months and five years. A second statement confirmed that the instructor had berated the class, calling them stupid, ignorant donkeys, and threatening them with detention. Camp network China's central government authorities have not publicly acknowledged the existence of re-education camps in the XUAR, and the number of inmates kept in each facility remains a closely guarded secret, but local officials in many parts of the region have in RFA telephone interviews forthrightly described sending significant numbers of Uyghurs to the camps and even described overcrowding in some facilities. Maya Wang of the New York-based Human Rights Watch told The Guardian in January that estimates of XUAR residents who had spent time in the camps went as high as 800,000, while at least one Uyghur exile group estimates that up to 1 million Uyghurs have been detained throughout the region since April 2017, and some Uyghur activists say nearly every Uyghur household has been affected by the campaign. Last month, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representative Chris Smiththe chair and co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on Chinacalled on U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad to visit Xinjiang and gather information on the detention of Uyghurs, which they termed "the largest mass incarceration of a minority population in the world today. Since Xinjiang party chief Chen was appointed to his post in August 2016, he has initiated unprecedented repressive measures against the Uyghur people and ideological purges against so-called two-faced Uyghur officialsa term applied by the government to Uyghurs who do not willingly follow directives and exhibit signs of disloyalty. China regularly conducts strike hard campaigns in Xinjiang, including police raids on Uyghur households, restrictions on Islamic practices, and curbs on the culture and language of the Uyghur people, including videos and other material. While China blames some Uyghurs for "terrorist" attacks, experts outside China say Beijing has exaggerated the threat from the Uyghurs and that repressive domestic policies are responsible for an upsurge in violence there that has left hundreds dead since 2009. Reported by by Shohret Hoshur for RFA's Uyghur Service. Translated by RFA's Uyghur Service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Attackers targeted two police stations in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on May 9 killing at least seven people and wounding 20 others, authorities said. Interior Minister Wais Barmak told reporters that eight militants took part in the attacks in Kabuls Dasht-e Barchi and Shar-e Naw neighborhoods. In the first attack on the Dasht-e Barchi police station in western Kabul, two militants threw hand grenades and blew themselves up, setting the building on fire, Barmak said. A third suicide bomber was shot dead by police, Barmak added. Two police officers were killed and three more people were wounded in the attack, Barmak told reporters. The second attack unfolded in the Shar-e Naw business district near the office of a travel agency that processes visa applications for India. A suicide bomber struck the entrance to the police station to clear the way for another four attackers, Barmak said. According to the minister, at least two other attackers fired on security forces from a nearby building. The fighting lasted for at least four hours before all attackers were killed, officials said. The Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for the first attack and the Taliban said it was behind the second assault. However, Afghanistans National Directorate of Security said that the coordinated assaults were organized by the Haqqani network, a militant group affiliated with the Taliban that has a long record of urban attacks. The Taliban and an IS affiliate have carried out a series of massive attacks in Kabul in recent months. Twin suicide bombings in Kabul on April 30 claimed by IS militants killed at least 25 people, including nine journalists who had rushed to the scene of the first attack. Among the dead were two RFE/RL journalists and an RFE/RL trainee. With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa, and tolonews.com A day after being chosen Armenias new prime minister, Nikol Pashinian has called for the de facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan under the control of ethnic Armenian forces, to become a party in the internationally mediated talks to resolve the long-standing conflict between Yerevan and Baku. Pashinian, who was elected prime minister by the Armenian parliament on May 8 after leading street protests for weeks, made the call on May 9 in Nagorno-Karabakh's capital, Stepanakert. Armenian leaders traditionally visit the region on May 9, the date on which many ex-Soviet countries mark the defeat of Nazi Germany. It also coincides with the day Armenia-backed forces took control of a key town in 1992 during a war for control of Nagorno-Karabakh. The region, populated mainly by ethnic Armenians, declared independence from Azerbaijan during a 1988-94 conflict that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Three decades of internationally mediated negotiations with the involvement of the OSCE's so-called Minsk Group have failed to result in a resolution. The Minsk Group is co-chaired by France, Russia, and the United States. In Stepanakert, the regional capital, Pashinian and Nagorno-Karabakh's de facto leader, Bako Sahakian, laid a wreath at the memorial to soldiers who perished during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and World War II. "I am ready -- and in general Armenia is ready -- to negotiate [with Azerbaijan] on behalf of the Republic of Armenia, and it is the leadership of Artsakh [Karabakh] represented by its president that should negotiate on behalf of Artsakh," Pashinian told a news conference shortly after his meeting with Sahakian. Pashinian and Sahakian also visited Shusha, whose capture by ethnic Armenian forces in 1992 proved a turning point in the war, leaving ethnic Armenians in control of the whole of Nagorno-Karabakh. In an address to the nation on Victory and Peace Day released by his press office earlier on May 9, Pashinian said that the "nonviolent, velvet revolution that took place in Armenia and the people's consolidation are further indisputable proof that we have a clear vision about what freedom, democracy and peace are." The protests focused on former President Serzh Sarkisian, who tried to hold onto power by switching from president to prime minister. Pashinian, in a speech to parliament before his election on May 8, said his revolution will lead to the "recognition of realizing the rights of Karabakh to self-determination." He later said he was prepared for talks, but only if the separatists were involved. Baku reacted angrily to Pashinian's plan to visit Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Hikmat Haciyev issued a statement on May 8 insisting "the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is currently occupied, has always been an integral part of Azerbaijan." No country has recognized Nagorno-Karabakh's independence. Separately, Pashinian on May 9 confirmed he would attend a summit of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) that will be hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on May 14.. The EEU consists of five ex-Soviet states -- Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement reverberated throughout the Middle East, Europe, and elsewhere, with experts scrambling to figure out what might come next. Trump said in a televised address from the White House on May 8 that Washington will also impose the highest level of sanctions on Tehran as he railed against what he called Irans persistent backing of terror groups, its ballistic-missile program, and other issues. The 2015 agreement, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), lifted crippling economic sanctions against Iran by the West in exchange for Tehran curtailing -- but not stopping -- its controversial nuclear program. This is a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never ever been made. It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will, Trump said. But Trump did not say what comes next in U.S. policy toward Iran, leaving a list of questions that experts are rushing to predict: Will Washington seek new negotiations with Tehran? Will Iran resume enriching uranium? Will Israel step up attacks on Irans proxies, such as Hizballah in Lebanon, or militias in Syria? Will the United States European allies try to coax the Trump administration back to the negotiating table with Tehran? Will U.S. forces in Syria become more of a target for Iranian fighters? Will oil prices skyrocket? Mark Fitzpatrick, former U.S. diplomat and deputy assistant secretary of state for nonproliferation; currently head of the Washington office for the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies: Of all the options that Trump had before him today, he chose the most hard-line position of withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal altogether. He could have softened the blow. He could have tried to portray some middle ground, suggesting to the Europeans, for example, that there would be several months before any penalties would be imposed so there was still time to try to improve the deal, but he held out no such hope. This is it. Hes pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal and now the ball is in Iran's court. This decision today absolutely undermines [the] trust of every country nearly in the world about American leadership, about American commitments to its obligations, about the potential for working with the United States on other areas of mutual interest. Now this is not the first time that President Trump has done something of this nature: pulling out of the Paris climate accords was a huge blow to American leadership and credibility. Pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership [multilateral trade pact] was another such blow. So this is, though, perhaps the most momentous of those blows because it has such a direct impact on the stability of the Middle East, on the potential for an arms race in the Middle East, and on a transatlantic-rift between the United States and its European partners. Rachel Brandenburg, former Pentagon adviser involved in U.S. policy toward Iraq and Islamic State, and current director of the Atlantic Councils Middle East Security Initiative: What surprised me more is that he didn't offer any alternatives and he didn't seem to come prepared with a plan for addressing Iran's nuclear program, nor the other threats that he had identified previouslysuch as Irans ballistic-missile program or destabilizing activities in the Middle East. So while he further said this deal is bad and were done, he didn't actually offer anything other than further discussions of how to address any of what President Trump acknowledged, and what many acknowledge, is full agreement over the threats of Iran. I think there are many, there are many arenas in which [Iran] can respond -- directly or indirectly -- militarily. Right before the announcement we were seeing that Israel was already putting its citizens and forces on high alert in the north, potentially anticipating some sort of response. Theres been some speculation that Iran has kind of been waiting for this announcement before determining how to retaliate against some of the Israeli attacks over the last few weeks. I mean, they could go after U.S. forces in Iraq. They could go through Gaza to hit Israel instead of hitting us directly. There really is any number of ways they could inflict pretty significant pain on the United States or someone as close as partners. Robert Einhorn, formr State Department special adviser during the Obama administration, and a member of the U.S.-Iran negotiating team; currently a scholar at the Washington-based Brookings Institution: It was not unexpected and it leaves a lot of details to be announced. Some critical issues that I was interested in, not yet made clear, is he just talking about the waivers due this week or also those in July? Is he, in other words, basically restoring all sanctions that were suspended, all U.S. sanctions that were suspended under the JPCOA? It's not clear yet. Also there's been some reporting to suggest that in addition to restoring the sanctions that were suspended, he would impose some new sanctions. That wasn't clear. He did say that he would impose the highest level of economic sanctions, which suggests that he's really going to get tough with sanctions but we need to see more specifics. I think what the Europeans will do will be to try to persuade Iran to stick with the deal. The Europeans will tell the Iranians that even though the United States has essentially left the deal, the deal can remain intact and that Iran can still receive some benefits under the deal and so should stick with it. I think the Iranians will be skeptical that this deal will continue to serve their interest. I think that what President Trump did today will mean that international banks and businesses all over the world will be very reluctant to engage with Iran and many of them that are engaged with Iran will decide to extricate themselves and this will be a substantial economic blow to Iran. I think whether it's sooner or later, Iran will come to the conclusion that this deal is not giving them the benefits that they believe they were entitled to and they will decide to leave as well. Russia did not want the United States to withdraw from the deal. Russia thought the deal was working well, contributing to stability, a measure of stability in an unstable Middle East and wanted to preserve the deal. Now that the United States has withdrawn I think Russia will try to take advantage of it. I think it will blame the United States, try to isolate the United States as much as possible. Shahid Khaqan strongly criticised NAB for launching probe against Nawaz Sharif Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday strongly criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for launching a probe against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, involving alleged money laundering of $4.9 billion to India. According to NAB, it launched the probe after the World Banks migration and remittance book released in September 2016 carried information that foreign exchange reserves of India increased by $4.9 billion after receiving the huge amount sent through money laundering, inflicting losses to Pakistans national kitty. The prime minister while addressing the National Assembly asked the House to constitute a committee which would summon the NAB chairman and investigate the allegations. The premier in his tirade alleged that the institution has overstepped its domain. The country will not function if the institutions will work in this way, he added, pointing out that the National Assembly still has time to amend the NAB laws. He asked the House to "summon NAB chairman" to clear his position as "an allegation of very serious nature" was levelled against the former prime minister. Further pressing the Bureau, Abbasi said that based on the manner in which the former premier is being produced in the accountability court, he doesn't think NAB will be able to provide justice to Nawaz Sharif. Prerequisites of justice should be met in all matters, the prime minister said, adding, "Not only should justice be done, it must also be seen being done." "The Bureau should play its due role against corruption and should fulfill the requirements of justice," he added. Earlier Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan expressed the same sentiments and criticised NAB for launching the money laundering probe against Nawaz Sharif. Syed Naveed Qamar of PPP said he can understand the prime minister's concern but he partially disagreed with the idea of summoning the NAB chairman and held it tantamount to interference into NAB affairs. "It will be a new precedent if we interfere into the matters of an institution that we ourselves created," he said, adding that he, however, will consult with his party leadership over the issue of constituting a committee. Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's Asad Umar categorically opposed suggestion of constituting a committee on the issue. He said that interfering into the affairs of NAB will be "tantamount to the murder of justice and accountability" in the country. "The NAB is fulfilling the responsibility that the finance ministry should have on the first day the report came out," he said. 'Flawed' report Taking notice of a misleading newspaper article based on a flawed report of the World Bank, NAB has started verification whether former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was involved in sending $4.9 billion to India. While the World Bank promptly responded to the NAB move and stated that the report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individuals, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said the estimates showed in the WB report were based on assumptions which did not reflect the reality. Soon after the SBPs clarification, NAB issued a brief statement and questioned: If the World Bank report is not correct, why they have not changed the figure of 4.9 billion dollars from Pakistan in its report? Talking to Dawn on Tuesday, a spokesman for the SBP said the bank had issued clarification twice in the past in 2015 and 2016 rejecting the WB report. The WBs assessment was called a flawed one because those who migrated from India and became Pakistan citizens after 1947 did not send back remittances. The fresh clarification of the WB said its report was an effort to estimate migration and remittances numbers across the world. The report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individual. As Russia's government pulled out all the stops on May 9 to celebrate the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany and to remember the estimated 25 million Soviets who died during the war, historian Konstantin Bogoslavsky was working to shed light on the fate of Soviet POWs "abandoned" by their own government. The savagery of Hitler's war on the Soviet Union is widely documented, but many details remain elusive about the plight of Red Army prisoners. Their exact number will never be known for sure, but estimates of Soviet Red Army soldiers taken prisoner during World War II range from 4 million to 6 million. About two-thirds of those captured by the Germans -- more than 3 million troops -- had died by the time their comrades captured Berlin in May 1945. The Soviet Union was the only country that refused to cooperate with the Red Cross and did not even allow Red Cross delegations onto its territory." The archives of the Soviet People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs were recently digitized, and Bogoslavsky has been studying the wartime correspondence between the Soviet government and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Geneva-based international organization that tried to aid prisoners, the wounded, and refugees during the war. "Already on June 23, 1941, the Red Cross sent a telegram to [Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav] Molotov offering its assistance to the Soviet Union during the war," Bogoslavsky told RFE/RL. "Molotov confirmed his interest." In the first weeks of the conflict, Germany and the Soviet Union both confirmed they would adhere to international conventions on the treatment of prisoners. However, it quickly became clear that neither side intended to keep its commitment. In the first six months of the war, as the Germans raced across the Soviet Union to the outskirts of Moscow, more than 3 million Red Army soldiers were taken prisoner, often as a result of encirclement as Soviet officials refused to allow them to retreat or failed even to issue orders. According to the archival materials, Bogoslavsky said, the Axis powers offered to exchange lists of prisoners with the Soviets in December 1941. Molotov's deputy, Andrei Vyshinsky, wrote to his boss that a list of German prisoners had been compiled and advised that it be released to prevent harm to the Soviet Union's reputation. "But Molotov wrote on the message, '...don't send the lists (the Germans are violating legal and other norms),'" Bogoslavsky said. "After that, almost all the letters and telegrams received from the Red Cross...were marked by Molotov as 'Do Not Respond.'" The Soviet government adopted this policy as a result of a cold-blooded calculus. "By the end of 1941, more than 3 million people had been taken prisoner, and one of the Soviet leadership's goals was to control this avalanche," Bogoslavsky said. "A Soviet soldier had to understand that if he was captured, he wouldn't be getting any food parcels from the Red Cross and he wouldn't be sending any postcards to his loved ones. He had to know that the only thing awaiting him there was inevitable death." Stalin's government, in my opinion, was guilty of not giving moral support or material assistance to its own soldiers, who were simply abandoned." One Soviet document issued under Stalin's signature, the historian noted, asserted that "the panic-monger, the coward, and the deserter are worse than the enemy." In addition, the Soviet government refused to allow any Red Cross representatives into its own notorious prison camps, where they might stumble on secrets of Stalin's prewar repressions. "The distribution of food and medicine to prisoners was carried out by representatives of the Red Cross, and that would have meant allowing them access to camps in the Soviet Union," Bogoslavsky said. "The Soviet leadership was categorically opposed to that. Despite numerous requests, Red Cross representatives were never given visas to travel to the Soviet Union." "Of course, the entire responsibility for the mass deaths of Soviet prisoners must fall on the leadership of the Third Reich," he added. "But Stalin's government, in my opinion, was guilty of not giving moral support or material assistance to its own soldiers, who were simply abandoned." In March 1943, Molotov wrote a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union William Standley, who had forwarded an offer from the Vatican to facilitate an exchange of information about Soviet prisoners being held by the Germans. "I have the honor of reporting that at the present time this matter does not interest the Soviet government," Molotov wrote. "Conveying to the government of the United States our gratitude for its attention to Soviet prisoners, I ask you to accept my assurances of my most profound respect for you, Mr. Ambassador." During the course of the war, the Soviet government also refused to cooperate with the governments of German allies Finland and Romania on the prisoners issue. Soviet prisoners in Finland did receive Red Cross packages that were organized by a charity in Switzerland and distributed in Finland on a unilateral basis. In 1942, Romania offered to release 1,018 of the worst-off Soviet prisoners in exchange for a list of Romanians being held by the Soviet Union. "The Soviet leadership simply ignored that offer," Bogoslavsky said. "The Soviet Union was the only country that refused to cooperate with the Red Cross and did not even allow Red Cross delegations onto its territory," he added. "Germany did not work with the Red Cross in connection with Soviet prisoners, but it did cooperate concerning those of its Western enemies -- the Americans, the British, and the French." The misfortunes of many Soviet POWs did not end when the guns fell silent. "It is a myth that all those who returned from POW camps were sent to the gulag," Bogoslavsky said. "The NKVD (Soviet secret police) set up special camps for checking and filtering returning prisoners. According to historian [Viktor] Zemskov, about 1.5 million former prisoners passed through the filtration process. Of them, about 245,000 were repressed." Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson based on reporting by RFE/RL Russian Service correspondent Dmitry Volchek A Russian billionaire with ties to the Kremlin has recently been questioned by FBI agents about hundreds of thousands of dollars his company's U.S. affiliate allegedly paid to President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, media report. CNN, citing a source "familiar with the matter," reported on May 8 that Renova Group Chairman Viktor Vekselberg was questioned along with his cousin Andrew Intrater, who heads the firm's U.S. affiliate, Columbus Nova, by agents investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The New York Times previously reported that Vekselberg was questioned by agents working for Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating whether Russia meddled in the election as well as ties between Russia and Trump's campaign. According to media reports, the Russian businessmen allegedly transferred some $500,000 to former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen's company Essential Consultants in a series of payments after the November 2016 election. Vekselberg later attended Trump's inauguration ceremony in January 2017 as a guest. CNN said U.S. investigators also asked Intrater and Vekselberg, who was stopped by FBI agents earlier this year after his private jet landed in New York, about $300,000 in political donations Intrater made to Trump's inaugural fund and campaign funds. Intrater donated $250,000 to the Trump inauguration fund, $35,000 to the Trump Victory Fund, and $29,600 to the Republican National Committee in June 2017, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks U.S. campaign donations. While it is illegal for foreigners to donate to U.S. politicians, Intrater is an American citizen. Richard Owens, a lawyer for Columbus Nova, denied that the Renova affliate had been used to make payments on behalf of Vekselberg. "Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false," he said. "The claim that Viktor Vekselberg was involved in or provided any funding for Columbus Novas engagement of Michael Cohen is patently untrue." Cohen's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Vekselberg was among seven Kremlin-linked oligarchs the Trump administration targeted with sanctions last month. He built his fortune, currently estimated by Forbes at $14.6 billion, by investing in Russia's aluminum and oil industries. The claim that Vekselberg and Intrater funneled the payment of some $500,000 to Trump's attorney after the presidential election was also made on May 8 by Michael Avenatti, an attorney representing porn actress Stormy Daniels, who alleges she was paid hush money by Cohen to keep a sexual encounter with Trump quiet. Avenatti did not provide evidence to support the claim and it was not clear how he would have knowledge of any payment from Vekselberg to Cohen. Avenatti claimed Vekselberg's money was used to repay Cohen for a $130,000 payment the lawyer allegedly made to the actress on Trump's behalf as part of a nondisclosure agreement. "Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the president," Avenatti said in a seven-page memo detailing the alleged transactions. Daniels, born Stephanie Clifford, is suing Trump for defamation, and has also sought to be released from the nondisclosure agreement. With reporting by AP, AFP, CNN, dpa, and Reuters Some Iranians said they feared U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to renew sanctions on Iran would damage their already fragile economy. Hours after Trump said the United States would pull out of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, residents of the capital, Tehran, reacted more with apprehension than defiance. (AFP) U.S. President Donald Trump on May 9 warned Iran not to resume its nuclear program, a day after announcing that America was leaving a landmark nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran. "I would advise Iran not to start their nuclear program," Trump said ahead of a cabinet meeting. "I would advise them very strongly. If they do, there will be very severe consequences." Trump's warning came after announcing on May 8 that he was withdrawing the United States from the accord and was immediately restoring strict sanctions. The 2015 agreement, worked out with Iran by the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany, and the European Union, lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. The pact, designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb, has been strongly criticized by Trump, who called it "a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made." Tehran reacted with fury on May 9 to Trump's decision, with parliament speaker Ali Larijani urging Iran's nuclear department to prepare for "resumption of all aspects of nuclear activities," and Iranian lawmakers setting a paper U.S. flag on fire and shouting, "Death to America!" "Trump's abandoning of the nuclear deal was a diplomatic show.... Iran has no obligation to honor its commitments under the current situation," Larijani told parliament on May 9. "It is obvious that Trump only understands the language of force." Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Trump "made a mistake," according to his official website. Khamenei has final say on all state matters. Larijani said responsibility for saving the deal fell on the European Union and other world powers still in the accord, while European governments scrambled to salvage the agreement. France's President Emmanuel Macron also said May 9 that Trump's decision was a "mistake." "I regret the decision of the American president. I think it's a mistake and that's why we Europeans have decided to remain in the nuclear agreement of 2015," Macron told German broadcasters ARD and Deutsche Welle, in remarks released by the French presidency. "I had the chance to tell President [Hassan] Rohani that just now," Macron said, referring to a phone call with the Iranian leader. Iranian media quoted Rohani as telling Macron that Europe has a "limited opportunity" to preserve the nuclear deal. "Under the current conditions, Europe has a very limited opportunity to preserve the nuclear deal, and must, as quickly as possible, clarify its position and specify and announce its intentions with regard to its obligations," ISNA quoted Rohani as telling Macron in the phone call. Earlier, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the Iranian nuclear accord was "not dead," despite the U.S. withdrawal. He told France's RTL radio on May 9 that "the risks of confrontation are real" after Trump's decision to pull out of the landmark agreement. Le Drian said that "we are ready to work on a widened accord" that would address Trump's concerns about the 2015 deal aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Berlin remained committed to the Iran nuclear deal and urged Tehran to stick to its commitments under the agreement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the U.S. decision showed Europe will face increasing responsibility to secure peace and seek political solutions to conflicts. Merkel underlined the commitment of Germany, France, and Britain to stick with the accord. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told Parliament on May 9 that he had no problem with Trump's goal for a lasting solution to Iran's nuclear threat, but added, "The question is: How does the U.S. propose to achieve it?" Johnson said his country "has no intention of walking away" from the deal, which London, he said, believes is working to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Russian President Vladimir Putin was deeply concerned over the U.S. decision, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted a Kremlin spokesman as saying on May 9. The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Iran was abiding by the agreement. In a statement on May 9, Yukiya Amano, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that "as of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran." Top U.S. officials were already working to stymie efforts by European powers to go ahead with business deals they undertook when sanctions on Iran were lifted in 2016. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he was revoking the licenses not only for the sale of hundreds of passenger planes to Iran by the U.S. aircraft giant Boeing, but by Europe's Airbus plane manufacturer as well. IranAir had ordered 200 passenger aircraft: 100 from Airbus, 80 from Boeing, and 20 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR. All the deals are dependent on U.S. licenses because of the heavy use of U.S. parts in commercial planes. The Treasury Department also gave other companies that are doing business with Iran 90 to 180 days to wind down their existing contracts, in a far-reaching order that has the potential to affect major global companies, including General Electric, Volkswagen, Total, Peugeot Citroen, British Airways, Accor, and Lufthansa. Meanwhile, the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, advised German companies doing business with Iran to "wind down operations immediately" in a post on Twitter. "U.S. sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy. German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately," he wrote. Germany is one of Iran's largest trading partners, with German exports to Iran hitting some 2.6 billion euros ($3.1 billion) in 2016, up 26 percent from the previous year, according to the Finance Ministry in Berlin. With reporting by AP, AFP, dpa, and Reuters Iran's reaction to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal has been swift and vocal. Iranian officials have issued condemnations, and lawmakers have burned a U.S. flag and cried "Death to America!" in parliament. But once the knee-jerk reactions are over, the Islamic republic has a difficult choice to make: Should it entirely walk away from its 2015 agreement with world powers; continue to comply with the deal and try to make it work with the rest of the countries that signed on; or should it enter negotiations with the United States and others on a new deal? The stakes are high following Trump's withdrawal from the agreement, in which Iran had agreed with world powers -- UN Security Council members the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain, plus Germany and the European Union -- to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. And there are many factors in play both at home and abroad, including an emboldened camp of hard-line conservatives in Iran who never liked the deal, the possible escalation of Middle East conflicts in which Iran is involved, and an emerging standoff between the United States and European allies that support the deal. Here are a handful of options that Iran could consider: Stick To The Deal... Iranian President Hassan Rohani said Tehran would remain committed to the 2015 deal if the other signatories to the agreement -- Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany, and the EU -- continue to abide by the pact. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, said Iran would only uphold the deal with "solid" European guarantees. Parliament speaker Ali Larijani said Europe had caved to U.S. pressure before but said it was worth preserving the nuclear deal for "a few weeks so that it's clear to the world that Iran has tried all the avenues to a peaceful political resolution." The European Union said it would adhere to the deal and would ensure sanctions on Iran remain lifted as long as Tehran continues to meet its commitments. Russia and China have also said they will remain in the deal. Scott Lucas, an Iran specialist at Birmingham University in Britain and editor of the EA World View website, says Iran will remain in the nuclear deal in the short term to retain its political and economic benefits. "Iran's thinking is if European powers continue to trade with us, invest, and help us in terms of economic recovery, then we adhere to the deal," Lucas says. "If the Europeans cut themselves off economically, then the deal collapses." ...If The Deal Can Stick While Washington's European allies have said they will stay in the agreement, analysts say it is not clear how that will be possible in the face of the economic sanctions that Trump has vowed to reimpose on Iran. Although it is unclear precisely which sanctions dropped under the 2015 deal will be reintroduced, it can be assumed that their resumption will affect companies around the world that do business with Iran. According to the U.S. Treasury, sanctions related to Iran's energy, auto, and financial sectors will be reimposed in three and six months. That would make it difficult for European firms to do business in Iran without risking huge U.S. fines. French oil company Total has been the most aggressive Western oil company to move back into Iran, signing in July a $5 billion, 20-year agreement with Iran. Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell has also signed a lucrative deal with Tehran. Meanwhile, Franco-German aircraft manufacturer Airbus has delivered just a few of the 100 aircraft it has agreed to deliver to Iran, in a deal worth billions. The EU ambassador to the United States, David O'Sullivan, has said in the past that European firms could adopt a "blocking regulation," which has been used in the past to allow EU entities to get around U.S. sanctions on Cuba. It could also press for non-U.S. courts to decide any legal conflicts. U.S. sanctions would be a huge blow for Iran, making it difficult for Tehran to sell its oil abroad or use the international banking system. Iran is the third-largest member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and pumps about 3.8 million barrels per day of crude, or just under 4 percent of global supply. China, India, Japan, and South Korea buy most of its oil exports. "Trump's decision will drive up oil prices and potentially harm the global economy," said Henry Smith, who leads Control Risks, a political-risk-consulting group in the Middle East and North Africa, on Twitter. "By early 2019, sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports could cut global production by up to 1 million barrels, adding to strong demand and OPEC cuts." Hard-Line Approach Iran could raise the stakes and choose to revive its nuclear program, the source of fears that the country was secretly trying to develop a nuclear weapon, which led to UN sanctions and negotiations with world powers in the first place. Iranian officials, who have consistently said its nuclear program was only for civilian purposes, have suggested that Iran could resume uranium enrichment if the deal's economic benefits are negated. Analysts say Trump's pullout could see Iran's hard-liner conservatives, who have been pressing for a decisive response, seize on a chance to consolidate their power over moderates and reformists like Rohani who have championed the deal. Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), on May 8 "congratulated" the nation on the "vicious withdrawal of the U.S." from the deal, "which was not credible even before the withdrawal. It was proved once more that U.S. isn't trustworthy in regards its commitments." Saeed Kamali Dehghan, the Iran correspondent for Britain's The Guardian, wrote in an editorial that Trump's decision would have "terrible consequences." "It would destroy the moderates and reformists in Iran for the foreseeable future. Rohani has already been under intense pressure from his opponents. The failure of the deal will only embolden hard-liners," he wrote. New, Broader Framework With U.S. Trump said the existing nuclear deal has "terrible flaws" that do not address the threat of Iran's ballistic-missile program or its "adventurism" behavior in the Middle East, and that the expiration dates for some of the restrictions on Tehran's nuclear program left the door open for an Iranian nuclear bomb down the road. "If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen," Trump tweeted on May 8. "In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons." Trump said after his announcement on May 8 that Iranians would someday "want to make a new and lasting deal" and that "when they do, I am ready, willing and able." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, too, left the door open on Washington working with its European allies to build a new agreement. "It is possible given the dire economic situation in Iran for them to come back to the table in due course, but it may be some time," says Ali Ansari, a professor of Iranian history at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. But others say the possibility that Iran would negotiate a new deal is slim, with Trump's decision burning virtually all bridges with Tehran. "There's no new deal possible because the Americans have basically chosen confrontation," Lucas says. Lucas warns that if the nuclear deal collapses, "there would be instability everywhere," raising the threat of Iranian retaliation against Israel or the United States, escalating regional conflicts in Syria and Yemen, and political infighting in Iran. Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi's psychological thriller has played at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival while other Iranian, Russian, and Kazakh films were in the running for the festival's coveted Palme d'Or award. Starring Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, Todos Lo Saben (Everybody Knows) is Farhadi's first movie in Spanish and the first Spanish-language movie to launch the festival since Pedro Almodovar's Bad Education in 2004. Farhadi's film is one of 21 in the competition for the Palme d'Or. Also in the running is the film Three Faces, a portrait of three women by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who has been prohibited by Tehran from attending the festival. Also prohibited from attending the showing of his film at the festival is Russian film director Kirill Serebrennikov, who remains under house arrest in Moscow. Serebrennikov's film Leto (Summer) tells the story of Soviet-Korean rock legend Viktor Tsoi, whose songs are seen in Russia as anthems of the late 1980s perestroika era. Serebrennikov edited the film under house arrest after he was detained on embezzlement charges he dismisses as "absurd." A second Russian filmmaker, Andrei Zvyagintsev, is attending the festival and serving on the jury that will award the Palme d'Or. A late entry in the festival was Kazakh director Sergei Dvortsevoys documentary-drama Ayka. It tells the story of a young homeless single mother adrift in the post-Soviet Central Asian state. Now in its 71st year, the Cannes festival has faced a series of challenges this year, including a feud with U.S. online movie giant Netflix over the screening of its movies and fallout from the scandal that has engulfed U.S. movie mogul Harvey Weinstein over dozens of alleged sexual assaults on women. Based on reporting by dpa, AFP, and AP Hundreds protested in the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica, on May 9 after a prominent crime and corruption reporter was shot, the latest attack on journalists in the small Balkan country that is seeking EU membership. Carrying banners reading "Stop Violence," and "For A Life Without Fear," the protesters demanded authorities find the assailants who opened fire late on May 8 on Olivera Lakic, who works for the independent Vijesti daily. Lakic was wounded in the leg during the attack outside her apartment in Podgorica and is now in stable condition in hospital. Lakic has written about alleged murky businesses involving top state officials and their families. Montenegro's long-ruling Democratic Party of Socialists has long been accused of corruption and crime links, which it has denied. This is not the first time Lakic has been physically attacked. Six years ago, in 2012, Lakic was brutally beaten, at the same spot, in front of her apartment. She was able to identify the attacker, who was later arrested by police. Zeljko Ivanovic, general manager of Vijesti, said there have been a total of 25 attacks on the newpaper's journalists and offices. The daily is known for its independent and critical journalism. "[The government] created an atmosphere in which there are state enemies and traitors," said Ivanovic. "Can this society survive without a single free media, journalist, or intellectual?" The United States and European Union expressed concern over the attack. U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Judy Kuo said "this crime requires a swift, determined investigation to bring those responsible to justice. "The United States calls on Montenegro to foster a safe environment for journalists to fulfill their important role," she added. Council of Europe Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland said on May 9 that he is "shocked and saddened" by the shooting. "The work of journalists and free media are essential to the functioning of any democracy," he said. "Attacks on journalists are therefore also an attack on democracy." With reporting by AP Gina Haspel, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for CIA director, has pledged she would never resume the spy agency's "enhanced interrogation techniques," often denounced as torture. Haspel, who is currently acting CIA director, said during a U.S. Senate confirmation hearing on May 9 that she would not implement any order she found morally objectionable, telling lawmakers, "My moral compass is strong." However, Haspel avoided a direct answer when asked what she would do if Trump ordered her to "waterboard" a detainee. Waterboarding is a now-banned form of simulated drowning previously used by CIA interrogators on some terrorism suspects. During the election campaign, Trump vowed to resume waterboarding and said techniques "a hell of a lot worse" would be introduced. In 2002, Haspel was in charge of a covert detention center in Thailand where two suspects were subjected to waterboarding. Her critics also accuse her of destroying interrogation video recordings in 2005. If confirmed, Haspel would succeed Mike Pompeo, a former Republican congressman confirmed last month as secretary of state. Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa Pakistani police say a 25-year-old woman who died under suspicious circumstances last month was strangled in a suspected honor killing case. Police in the eastern city of Gujrat launched an investigation into the death of Sana Cheema -- an Italian national of Pakistani origin -- after suspicions were raised on social media that she might have been murdered by relatives in a so-called honor killing spread online. Authorities exhumed the womans body on April 25 to perform an autopsy. "It has now been confirmed that she was strangled to death. And according to the [forensic] report, her neck was also broken," Irfan Sulehri, a senior police officer in Gujrat, Punjab Province, said on May 9. Cheemas father, brother, and uncle have been arrested and are being investigated, police said. Cheemas family members claim she died in early April from an unspecified illness. Police say Cheemas father brought her back to Pakistan to marry her off to a relative. Italian media reports said Cheema was murdered because she wanted to marry a man in Italy against her familys wishes. The family denies the claim. Hundreds of women are killed every year in Pakistan in so-called honor killings by their own relatives for allegedly bringing shame on their families in the deeply conservative society. If confirmed that her murder was a so-called honor killing, Cheemas case will be the second such case recently publicized in Punjab. In 2016, the father and the ex-husband of a British-Pakistani woman, Samia Shahid, were charged by Punjab police in connection with her rape and murder. Based on reporting by AFP, AP, geo.tv, and dawn.com Hackers affiliated with the Russian government conducted an "unprecedented, coordinated" campaign against the U.S. voting system, including successfully penetrating a few voter-registration databases in 2016, a Senate committee has concluded. The cyberattacks targeted at least 18 states, and possibly three more, the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee said on May 8 in the first installment of its long-awaited report on alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Although the committee did not find any evidence that the hackers actually changed votes, it said it found "ample evidence" that the Russian government sought to undermine confidence in U.S. voting systems,. Moreover, the committee report warns of continuing vulnerabilities and said more attacks were possible. It suggested that the activity uncovered in 2016 might have been simply testing for a future attack. The committee found that Russia undertook a wide variety of intelligence-related activities targeting the U.S. voting process, beginning at least as early as 2014 and continuing through Election Day 2016. "In a small number of states, these cyber-actors were in a position to, at a minimum, alter or delete voter-registration data; however, they did not appear to be in a position to manipulate individual votes or aggregate vote totals," the report said. Illinois is the only state that has publicly disclosed that its voting system was breached. The report does not say which other states' voting systems were successfully hacked. The Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation during the election campaign in 2016 alerted states to the threat of Russian intrusion, but the warnings "were limited," the report said. As a result, it said, while state officials understood there was a threat, they did not understand its scope or seriousness. It said the federal government was now communicating the seriousness of the threat more clearly to state election officials. The department is now offering, among other things, to do comprehensive risk assessments and remote scanning of state networks to help states spot vulnerabilities. The release marked the committee's first public report after more than a year looking into whether Russia sought to interfere in the 2016 presidential campaign. Russia denies any interference. The report released on May 8 was unclassified, but the committee also prepared a classified report on threats to the election infrastructure. The report recommended that the 50 U.S. states continue to run elections, but it said the U.S. government should bolster state security efforts by "clearly communicating" that it views attacks on U.S. election infrastructure as a hostile act, and will respond accordingly. The report also said the United States should build a stronger defense against cyberattacks, including more quickly determining who is behind them. With reporting by AP and Reuters From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... Syrian state media have accused Israel of launching missiles at a target near Damascus, saying Syrian air defenses intercepted and shot down two of the incoming missiles. A war monitor said nine people were killed in the missile attack. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack on May 8 targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, killing nine people. The group said it was not clear whether those killed were Iranians. The official news agency SANA said the attack occurred in the countryside in Kisweh, just south of the Syrian capital, and two civilians were killed. The attack took place shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, a move that had prompted Israel to go on high alert. The Israeli military said that -- upon identifying "irregular activity" by Iranian forces in Syria -- it instructed civic authorities in the Golan Heights to ready bomb shelters, deploy new defenses, and mobilize some reservist forces. Iran, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has vowed to retaliate for recent Israeli strikes in Syria targeting Iranian outposts in the country. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, dpa, and AP Playa del Carmen attracting high number of Venezuelan migrants Playa del Carmen, Q.R. Venezuelan migrants into Playa del Carmen have grown by 30 percent, says coordinator of the Migrant Assistance Office. Leonel Castillo Presenda, coordinator of the Migrant Assistance Office, reports that in the first three months of operation of their office, they have a high arrival of families from Venezuela. He says that families are arriving from the Latin American country to regularize their stay in Mexico, and in particular, in Playa del Carmen. He attributed the sudden arrival to social problems that exist in their country. We believe that this sudden arrival of Venezuelans to the office is due to the social problems they have in their country. We are doing liaison work with the office of the National Institute of Migration, with the consulates, because there are many families who recently arrived and already have children here who are Mexicans. Castillo Presenda said that the work they do is important as they try to protect the human rights attached to international treaties. He says they have also been receiving requests for liaison with migration authorities from people from other countries who already reside in Playa del Carmen. Last month, this same office assisted nearly 200 foreign families whose children do not attend school due to lack of immigration documentation. He says the largest majority of these are of Central American origin adding that in some cases, the children were born in Mexico and already have nationality, but are without the documentation. Castillo Presenda emphasized that due to the abundance of jobs in the tourism sector, Playa del Carmen has become an attractive option for a large majority of immigrants. This website uses cookies to offer the best possible experience. By continuing to use the site you are agreeing to our usage of cookies. Find out more or Close A SPECIALIST mental health support service for new mums will branch out across the county after a 880,000 grant from NHS England. The Perinatal Mental Health Service, run by Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust (SHSC) currently supports mums in Sheffield. But it will soon deliver care in Rotherham and Doncaster, where the Trust said there was currently limited support for new mums. One in five women experience mental health problems after having a baby, according to SHSC. Suicide is still the leading cause of death for women during pregnancy and in the year after giving birth. Last year in Sheffield, the service received more than 700 referrals for support. The county-wide service will be run jointly by SHSC and Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) with charities Forging Families, Pandas and Light Sheffield. One-to-one specialist care, peer support and support for new fathers will all be on offer. The expansion is part of a 365 million investment into perinatal mental health services over the next five years from NHS England. Kevan Taylor, SHSC chief executive, said: This is wonderful news for families across Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster. Our existing service, although relatively small has an excellent reputation locally and were looking forward to being able to support even more people thanks to this extra funding. He added: This is just another example of how NHS organisations working together alongside local charities can expand much valued services that make a real difference to our local communities. Christina Harrison, director of the RDaSH Childrens Care Group, said: We are pleased to have been successful with the joint bid with Sheffield for perinatal mental health. This will have a huge positive impact for families within our areas. To find out more about the support to be offered, call 0114 2716069 or email perinatalmentalhealth@shsc.nhs.uk. He said the Obama-era deal failed to contain the regimes nuclear ambitions and regional meddling. This was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made, Trump said in White House remarks May 8. Trump believed the deal should have allowed international weapons inspectors to have greater access to Iranian military sites. He repeatedly underscored the need to stop Iran from developing an intercontinental ballistic missile. Trump also criticized the deal for failing to rein in Irans support of sectarian violence in places like Syria and Yemen, despite the deals promise to contribute to regional and international peace and security. Trump decided now to impose the highest level of economic sanctions on Iran. Countries or companies that continue to invest in or do business there could risk violating U.S. sanctions, with vast political and economic repercussions. The White House said renewed sanctions will target critical sectors of Irans economy, including its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors. France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the Iran nuclear deal, said French President Emmanuel Macron. If the Europeans are willing to give us sufficient guarantees, it makes sense for us to stay in the deal, said the deputy speaker of Irans parliament, Ali Motahari. Australia and Japan still support Iran deal.Former president Obama appreciated that Trump pulling US out of Iran nuclear deal is a serious mistake Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan In a major step towards realizing the Centre's smart city mission (SCM), the Madhya Pradesh government today launched the country's first Integrated Control and Command Centre (ICCC) for all seven smart cities of the state in Bhopal. The ICCC, installed in a building in Barkheda area of the state capital, would enable the authorities to monitor the status of various smart civic amenities in real-time through the sensors connected to it. Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Satna, and Sagar are the seven smart cities under SCM in Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the integrated command center of the Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited (BSCDCL). They also inaugurated the first "Apex Conference for the CEOs" of smart cities. The seminar is being attended by 77 CEOs. "Madhya Pradesh has now come out from the category of BIMARU states. The growth of the state remained in two digits. The state has recorded the highest growth in agriculture in the country," he said. Apex Conference for the CEOs Advertisement Puri said ICCC would keep an eye on civic amenities in the smart cities like the USA's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He said 99 cities of the country have been selected under the SCM. "About 1300 projects are underway in 99 smart cities and half of the projects are being carried out under the PPP mode," Puri said. He said a total of one crore houses would be constructed for the rural homeless families by the end of December 2018. ICCC is a cloud-based Universal Internet of Things (UIoT) platform developed by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). It can run multiple city command center operations through its multi-efficiency capabilities. The GPS sensors installed in public transport buses, dial 100 vehicles, 108 ambulance services, smart poles, smart lights, traffic management cameras, public bike sharing, solid waste management, meteorological department updates, smart maps etc. would be linked to this centre, enabling the authorities to monitor the status of the civic amenities in real-time. "ICCC would integrate a multitude of citizens' services applications and sensors running across selected cities of Madhya Pradesh," HPE Managing Director (India) Som Satsangi said. Control and command centre of Bhopal smart city project inaugurated He said ICCC enables the government to remotely manage and control various citizen services like smart lighting, smart parking, smart traffic, and transport, waste management, water supply etc. through a single platform, which he said would save time and money of the government by providing an interface to the citizens. "The government can take pro-active measures and informed decisions on the basis of the data on a single dashboard. This system would control street lights, parking lights, parking, traffic (including violations and congestions), waste management, water supply etc. through sensors," he added. Satsangi said ICCC is the first such center in the country developed with future-focused vision. "For example, dump trucks in Bhopal travel about 22,000 km every day to collect garbage. Some of the trucks are overfilled and sometimes a part of garbage falls on streets. "But if we monitor the garbage bins across the city through sensors, it will help in notifying the center about those bins which are 70-80 percent full, so that trucks can go and collect garbage from those particular dumps instead of them traveling across the whole city," he said. Satsangi said the command center would also help in ensuring the safety of women and children. BSCDCL Chief Executive Officer Chandramauli Shukla said, "Our vision to create India's first cloud-based ICCC in Madhya Pradesh is driven by a future-focused vision for our cities and citizens. Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra Two Congress MPs today withdrew their plea in the Supreme Court challenging rejection of the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu. After a 45 minute hearing, a five-judge bench headed by Justice A K Sikri declared the petition as dismissed as withdrawn. After senior advocate Kapil Sibal raised some objections on the setting up of the five-judge constitution bench to hear the matter, Attorney General K K Venugopal said only two MPs of Congress have approached the apex court. Venugopal submitted that six other parties, which had given a notice for impeachment, did not move the top court. The AG said, "the presumption is that all others have not supported the stand taken by the Congress to challenge the rejection of impeachment notice by Naidu." Cong MPs withdraw plea in SC challenging rejection Advertisement Earlier during the hearing, Sibal had raised questions on the setting up of the constitution bench, including who passed the order for setting up the five-judge bench to hear the matter. He further said the matter was listed before the five-judge bench through an administrative order and the CJI cannot pass such orders in this matter. Sibal had also sought of a copy of the order on setting up of the bench, saying they intended to challenge it. However, the bench also comprising Justices S A Bobde, N V Ramana, Arun Mishra and A K Goel said it is a "piquant and unprecedented situation where the CJI is the party and other four judges may also have some role". Naidu had on April 23 rejected the impeachment notice against the CJI given by seven opposition parties led by the Congress on five grounds of "misbehavior". This was the first time that an impeachment notice was filed against a sitting CJI. Congress president Rahul Gandhi Congress president Rahul Gandhi today bracketed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump with the "reactionary leaders" of the world and said the unemployed angry youth had voted them to power. Gandhi also said the BJP and RSS were able to function because the Indian youth are angry as the system was unable to give them jobs. "The Indian system is unable to give them jobs basically because we are struggling to compete against China. It is pretty much impossible for the western world to compete with the Chinese on blue collar jobs," he said at a function here. This, he said, meant that every western nation has a couple of millions of people who they cannot employ and it was they who voted for Trump, "for these reactionary leaders...these are the people who voted for Mr. Modi." Gandhi said until India solved the employment problem and was able to compete effectively with the Chinese, "you will have this anger in society." He told the gathering that India was unable to compete with China because the entire focus of job creation was based on 10 or 15 people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump Advertisement "If you look at the NPAs (Non-Performing Assets) and analyze who gets Rs 10 lakh crore, you will find that they are basically 10 to 15 people," he said. He emphasized that small and medium businesses should be encouraged as they can be the major job creators. "The way forward is to make politics more accessible to small and medium business, to make the houses, Parliament, the Vidhana Sabha function," he said. "What has happened today is that Parliament, the powers of Parliament has basically been captured by the PMO and by five or six bureaucrats. And you have to give power back to Parliament," Gandhi said. He was speaking at a function where he launched the "Samruddha Bharat Foundation", a platform to propagate liberal, secular and republican values across the country. Its trustees include veteran film director Shyam Benegal and noted Supreme Court advocate K T S Tulsi. Ready to become prime minister, says Rahul Congress president Rahul Gandhi said today he is ready to occupy the prime minister's post if his party emerges as the "biggest" party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, making known his ambition for the topmost executive post. "Well, it depends....it depends on how well the Congress does in the election...I mean, if it emerges as the biggest party, yes," Gandhi said when asked during an interaction here if he would be the next prime minister. This is not the first time Gandhi has spoken about his prime ministerial ambition. In an interaction at the Berkley University in the US in September last year, Gandhi had said he was "absolutely ready" to be the prime ministerial candidate of the Congress in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Amid the cut and thrust of the Karnataka Assembly polls, Gandhi said he is "pretty confident" that Narendra Modi would not be the next prime minister, and if the Congress acts as a "platform" (with other parties in a coalition), the BJP does not stand a chance of winning the elections. "It is highly unlikely that BJP will form the next government, and the second part is that it is close to impossible that Modi will be the next prime minister," Gandhi said, speaking at a function where he launched 'Samruddha Bharat Foundation'. He said the opposition unity would not allow the BJP to remain in power. Rahul Gandhi at the launch of Samruddha Bharat Foundation Advertisement Gandhi asserted the Congress would win the Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Referring to the BJP and RSS, Gandhi said the forces his party was fighting against were trying to disrupt open-minded atmosphere, peace and the brotherhood that existed in India. Drawing a comparison between the RSS and Muslim Brotherhood, Gandhi said their agenda was to come to power and then capture institutions. "The BJP and RSS will repeat one more cycle of getting elected democratically and then discard democracy," he alleged. "The RSS over here and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Pakistan, Tunisia, Turkey....they are doing the same thing. The RSS and Muslim Brotherhood do not see elections the way we see them. We win an election and we are okay with losing an election," he said. Gandhi said the Congress never faced an "existential crisis" on losing an election but the BJP and the RSS "see elections as a way into government, and once they enter, they want to capture every single institution in India". The Congress leader claimed demonetization was the BJP's way to tell the country that there was not a single institution in the country that was "immune" to the saffron party. He said the BJP praised Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and B R Ambedkar upfront but destroyed their legacy. "Their method is to praise the leader, praise the icon, worship the icon and destroy every single thing he used to do," Gandhi said. 'Samruddha Bharat Foundation' is a platform to propagate liberal, secular and republican values across the country. Its trustees include veteran film director Shyam Benegal and noted Supreme Court advocate KTS Tulsi. Later speaking to reporters, Gandhi said Modi should explain to the people of Karnataka why a "corrupt person who went to jail" was made the BJP's chief ministerial candidate. "People of Karnataka want to know, why Narendra Modi could not find a non-corrupt chief ministerial candidate. They also want to know why Mr. Narendra Modi has given eight tickets to the Reddy brothers who have stolen Rs 35,000 crore of the people of Karnataka," he said. Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa is the party's chief ministerial face in the polls. Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa Responding to a question about BJP president Amit Shah, Gandhi said he was accused of murder. "The Supreme Court has mentioned the (judge) Loya case. So I don't think Amit Shah has a lot of credibilities. Let's look at his background. Let's see what he is responsible for. Let's see how he does politics. Also, don't forget he is a murder accused. This is fundamental. "People in India forget that the president of BJP is a murder accused. That's the truth. The party that talks about honesty, decency, have a person who has been accused of murder," he said. Shah was an accused in the alleged fake encounter killings of gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his aide Tulsiram Prajapati. A special CBI court in Mumbai had, however, discharged him in 2014, observing the case had "political overtones" and allegations against him were not substantiated by the prosecution. Youth's death could be last nail in Kashmir The fragile tourism industry in Kashmir has taken another blow with the death of a tourist hit by stone pelters, and the sector fears that the incident may further affect the already falling footfall in the troubled Valley. The killing of the Chennai youth could be the proverbial final nail in the coffin of tourism in Kashmir, Ashfaq Siddiq, president Travel Agents Association Kashmir (TAAK), said today. The Tourist. 22-year-old R Thirumani was critically injured in a stone pelting incident at Narbal yesterday and died later in the day of head injuries, triggering outrage and concern. This is a sad incident which should not have happened. Unfortunately, we feel that it will have an impact on tourist arrivals to Kashmir. I think it will be the final nail in the coffin, Siddiq told PTI. Tourism in the state has already suffered because of prolonged periods of unrest in the Valley, hoteliers said. There has been a steep fall in the number of domestic tourists since 2016 when the killing of militant Burhan Muzaffar Wani by security forces in July that year led to a prolonged period of violence and stone pelting in the Valley. The number of tourists fell from 3,91,902 in the first four months of 2016 to 1,69,727 in the same period the next year. The number in the corresponding period this year was 1,54,062, officials said. The TAAK president said the association feared cancellation of bookings by tourists in the days to come. It is obvious that cancellations will happen and there might be some hardline elements who might even call for an absolute boycott of Kashmir, he said. There is already panic in some quarters. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today asked his counterpart Mehbooba Mufti to ensure the safe return of the 130 tourists from his state who were in Kashmir. "I asked Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to help officials of the Tamil Nadu government for the safe return of the tourists," he said in Chennai. Tourism Kashmir director Mehmood Shah, condemning the incident, said the department apprehended a fall in the number of visitors to the Valley. It is an unfortunate incident and we are deeply pained," Shah told PTI. Asked if the incident would have any impact on the number of tourist arrivals, he said cancellations were likely. It will have an impact. Cancellations may happen, he said. Last year, about 12 lakh tourists visited Kashmir. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Advertisement While the number of domestic tourists has halved in the last two years, the number of foreign tourists has, however, doubled. In the first four months of 2018, there were 21,631 foreign tourists, up from 10,767 in the same period last year, the officials said. The tourism trade in Kashmir condemned the killing, saying that those who had thrown stones at the vehicle in which the tourist was traveling were not well wishers of Kashmir but cold-blooded murders. We condemn every such killing whether it is of a Kashmiri or a tourist. Whosoever has committed this incident is not a good wish of Kashmiris. He is a bloody, cold-blooded murderer," Siddiq said later at a press conference with other stakeholders from travel, tourism and trade bodies. Siddiq said Kashmir is known for its hospitality and tourists should not be scared as they are our guests. Kashmir is known for its ethos and hospitality. Tourists are our guests and never has it happened before. These incidents should not have an overall impact. They still are our guests, he said, apologizing for the incident. In an attempt to prevent road users from disobeying one way traffic rules and resulting accidents, the police have decided improvement can come through the installation of Traffic Spikes Barrier (Road Blade) in Jaipur City. Self explanatory, if a vehicle approaches a one way road from the wrong end, the road blade will puncture its tyre/tyres. For this, spike blades will be laid on one-way roads. Barrier width is thought to be at around 4 metres. The decision was taken at a recent meeting conducted by DGP, Om Prakash Galhotra with ADG level police officers. Its estimated that under the pilot project, a road will be marked for testing on one of the one-way roads in the Police Commissionerate area. Results derived from the pilot project will be analysed for effective installation of traffic spikes/blades on a larger scale in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Kota, Bikaner and Ajmer. A proposal is being sent to the prepared to send it to the Home Ministry for approval, following which, procurement will be initiated. Its as easy as it gets. If you approach from the right side, there are no chances of a vehicle being punctured. For Rajasthan police this is a first time effort with road spikes to improve traffic. Its also the first time a traffic police department is initiating such an approach. This will also prevent the road accidents. Vehicles coming from the right direction on the one-way route will not be inconvenienced as the spikes will remain lowered and non-obtrusive. Fatalities on Indian roads are at an all time high. Drivers venturing on the wrong side, compounded by speed and impact, leads to accidents, which in turn maybe fatal. Earlier in the year, a similar attempt was made in Pune but had to be withdrawn in no time owing to lack of planning and permissions. Source In FY2020, two-wheeler exports hit a total of 31,23,321 units and registered a growth of 8.10% compared to FY2019 COVID-19 has affected businesses across the world, including automotive industries. In India, the governments lockdown protocol has brought domestic sales to an all-time low in recent history. Vehicle dealerships across the country remain closed and automakers have started utilising online platforms to make sales. However, sales in FY2020 (April 2019 March 2020) hit 31,23,321 units and witnessed a growth of 8.10% compared to FY2019 (28,89,231 units). Bajaj Boxer emerged to be the highest-selling two-wheeler on the export market. The commuter motorcycle hit 10,93,451 units in FY2020 compared to 9,08,200 units back in FY2019; registering a growth of 20.40%. TVS Star City comes second at a much lesser 4,18,602 units as against 3,33,152 units previously (up by 25.65%). Bajaj Pulsar comes third with a decent growth of 4.65%, from 2,63,483 units in FY2019 to 2,75,745 units in FY2020. Bajaj CT registered 2,55,260 units in FY2020 compared to 2,57,733 units in FY2019 and faced a sales decline of almost 1%. Bajaj Discover (discontinued in India), at 1,38,422 units against 1,40,131 units, witnessed a slightly higher 1.22% sales drop. Honda Dio is the first scooter on the chart. It hit 1,19,162 units compared to 1,67,563 units and faced a sales decline of almost 30%. Yamaha FZ, which follows close, enjoyed 50.92% higher exports from 70,725 units in FY2019. Top 25 Two Wheeler Exports FY 2020 No Two Wheeler FY 2020 FY 2019 Diff % 1 Bajaj Boxer 10,93,451 9,08,200 1,85,251 20.40% 2 TVS Star City 4,18,602 3,33,152 85,450 25.65% 3 Bajaj Pulsar 2,75,745 2,63,483 12,262 4.65% 4 Bajaj CT 2,55,260 2,57,733 -2,473 -0.96% 5 Bajaj Discover 1,38,422 1,40,131 -1,709 -1.22% 6 Honda Dio 1,19,162 1,67,563 -48,401 -28.89% 7 Yamaha FZ 1,06,736 70,725 36,011 50.92% 8 TVS Apache 95,553 1,14,140 -18,587 -16.28% 9 Suzuki Gixxer 63,780 54,352 9,428 17.35% 10 Yamaha Ray 51,070 50,166 904 1.80% 11 TVS Sport 50,368 58,111 -7,743 -13.32% 12 Bajaj Platina 45,808 58,958 -13,150 -22.30% 13 Hero Splendor 45,187 60,126 -14,939 -24.85% 14 KTM Duke 44,391 50,408 -6,017 -11.94% 15 Honda CB Shine 38,627 24,554 14,073 57.31% 16 TVS NTorq 35,233 25,777 9,456 36.68% 17 Hero HF Deluxe 34,372 42,284 -7,912 -18.71% 18 Honda Navi 33,308 25,024 8,284 33.10% 19 Hero Glamour 32,416 44,740 -12,324 -27.55% 20 Yamaha Saluto 31,322 1,577 29,745 1886.18% 21 Honda Grazia 26,832 19,576 7,256 37.07% 22 Yamaha YD125 25,634 45,640 -20,006 -43.83% 23 Honda CB Hornet 160R 22,545 46,191 -23,646 -51.19% 24 Honda Livo 19,900 22,200 -2,300 -10.36% 25 Royal Enfield 650 Twins 19,597 4,420 15,177 343.37% Total 31,23,321 28,89,231 2,34,090 8.10% TVS Apache is the first one to drop to five-digit sales figures. It faced a 16.28% loss, from 1,14,140 units in FY2019. Suzuki Gixxer registered a much lower figure of 63,780 units in FY2020 but sold 17.35% more units than the last fiscal. Yamaha Ray sales hit 51,070 units compared to 50,166 units before; almost 2% growth. TVS Sport follows close at 50,368 units and 58,111 units in FY2020 and FY2019, respectively. Bajaj Platina exports touched 45,808 units in FY2020 compared to 58,958 units in FY2019. Hero Splendor sales hit 45,187 units and faced a decline of almost 25%. In FY2020, KTM Duke attained a sales figure of 44,391 units in comparison to 50,408 units in FY2019 (down by 11.94%). At 15th position comes Honda CB Shine with 38,627 units in FY2020 as against 24,554 units; a sales growth of 57.31%. Further down the list lies models such as TVS NTorq (+36.68%), Hero HF Deluxe (-18.71%), Honda Navi (+33.10%), Hero Glamour (-27.55%), Yamaha Saluto (+1886.18%), Honda Grazia (+37.07%), Yamaha YD125 (-43.83%), Honda CB Hornet 160R (-51.19%), Honda Livo (-10.36%) and Royal Enfield 650 Twins (+343.37%). As mentioned before, the Indian automotive industry is going through a tough phase due to COVID-19 and the lockdown measures it has brought about. Domestic sales in April 2020 is expected to be worse but sales are expected to be better than usual after the lockdown. Report: army, committees attack sites, gatherings of Saudi troops over 24 hours [08/May/2018] br>SANAA, May 8 (Saba) The Yemen army and popular committees have waged military offensive operations, including artillery, missile and sniping attacks, against Saudi army and its mercenaries sites and gatherings over the past 24 hour, according to military reports combined by Saba News Agency on Tuesday. Saudi-led aggression coalition media admitted killing six of its soldiers and injuring two by the fires of Yemen army in beyond border fronts. In southern Saudi province of Najran, artillery and missile shells were fired toward Saudi-paid mercenaries in Boqea desert. Also in Najran, artillery force of the army and committees shelled Saudi soldiers gatherings in Hamad Fort and Mrash censorship, while a mercenary was shot dead in Shajaa site. In Saudi border province of Jizan, artillery shelling targeted Saudi soldiers and their mercenaries gatherings in Jadhaa-Namir, old-Mostahdath and beyond Tewal crossing. In Asir border province, missile and artillery bombardment targeted mercenaries gatherings in Sod hills, Sahn censorship and Alab crossing. In Nehm district, some 50 km northern the capital Sanaa, 4 missiles, Zilzal-1, were fired toward mercenaries camp under Faradht-Nehm. In Taiz province, a leader of mercenaries was killed in Makha junction. In Bayda province, six of Saudi-paid mercenaries were killed by the fires of the army and committees in Natea and Qanea fronts. Also in Natea front of Bayda, a mercenaries military vehicle was burned. In Medi district of Hajjah province, the army and popular committees targeted gatherings of Saudi-paid mercenaries by artillery shells and smashed a military vehicle in the north of Medi desert. Writing by Sameera Hassn Saba While wearing a crisply ironed, wrinkle-free shirt makes a good impression, researchers at UBC's Okanagan campus are working to solve the issue of wrinkling when it comes to making textile composites. Textile composites are known for their strength and durability. But as Abbas Milani, a professor in UBC Okanagan's School of Engineering explains, a simple wrinkle in the manufacturing process can significantly alter the end product -- sometimes diminishing its strength by 50 per cent. Milani says wrinkling is one of the most common flaws in textile composites, which are widely used for prototypes, as well as mass production within prominent aerospace, energy, automotive and marine applications. To iron out the problem, researchers at UBC's Composite Research Network-Okanagan have investigated several de-wrinkling methods and have discovered that they can improve their effectiveness by pulling the materials in two directions simultaneously during the manufacturing process. They did this by creating a custom-made biaxial fixture -- a clamp that stretches the textile taught and removes unwanted bumps and folds. "The challenge was to avoid unwanted fibre misalignment or fibre rupture while capturing the out-of-plane wrinkles," says graduate student Armin Rashidi. "Manufacturers who use these types of composites are looking for more information about their mechanical behaviour, especially under combined loading scenarios." The research included stretching the material and then using specialized image processing and 3D scanning to analyze the required forces and its impact on the wrinkling and de-wrinkling of the material. "Composite textiles are changing the way products are designed and built in advanced manufacturing sectors," says Milani, director of the Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute. "As we continue to innovate in the area of composite textiles to include more polymer resin and fibre reinforcement options, this research will need to continue in order to provide the most up-to-date analysis for manufacturers in different application areas." It is important for designers to be able to predict the right amount of force needed to diminish the wrinkles in the final product, explains Milani. To do this, his team of students has created a multi-step test to assess the magnitude of the required forces needed to smooth out wrinkles of different sizes that were formed at different shear angles of a comingled fibreglass-propylene plain weave fabric. "Students in the Composites Research Network laboratory at UBC Okanagan are laying the groundwork to be world leaders in advanced textile composites by designing, fabricating and examining new testing equipment and fixtures, along with the development of high fidelity forming models." The research, recently published in the Materials & Design journal, was partially funded by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council. A new study from Boston University Schools of Medicine (BUSM) and Public Health (BUSPH) identifies a pattern of inflammation associated with cardio-metabolic risks among participants in the Black Women's Health Study, as well as two independent groups of vulnerable women. These findings could help underserved patients benefit from precision medicine and personalized profiles of disease risk. According to the researchers, body mass index alone is an imperfect measure of obesity-associated disease risks, such as for Type 2 diabetes, because there are some individuals with chronic obesity who are apparently protected from cardio-metabolic complications and lean individuals with high cardiovascular and diabetes risks. Abnormal, unresolved inflammation in blood and adipose (fat) tissue, rather than obesity per se, is thought to be important for development of disease. Certain biomarkers show promise in predicting obesity-associated diabetes risk; however, the clinical utility of single biomarkers is limited for complex disease phenotypes such as these. The research team took a data-driven, systems biology approach to discover six cytokine signatures associated with Type 2 diabetes risk in a vulnerable population: African American women with obesity and varying degrees of metabolic health. These six distinct signatures are patterns of sixteen cytokines/chemokines that promote or reduce inflammation. Analyses of plasma samples from participants in the Black Women's Health Study, formed the basis for the discovery dataset, which was then validated in two separate groups, African American women volunteers with obesity who had donated plasma to the Komen Tissue Bank, and African American women with obesity who were breast reduction surgical patients at a safety net hospital in Greater Boston. The patterns or signatures in the validation cohorts closely resembled the distributions in the discovery cohort. "These findings are highly relevant to an understudied and underserved population that experiences elevated risks for co-morbidities of obesity. The overall impact of this report is high because of the potential utility of the new signatures just discovered and validated, which could assist clinical decision making with more personalized information," explained corresponding author Gerald V. Denis, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology and medicine at BUSM. These findings appear in the journal PLOS ONE. The top 1% of the forest has been sharing some vital information with researchers. Ninety-eight scientists and thousands of field staff have concluded the largest study undertaken to date with the Smithsonian Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO), and what they have found will have profound implications toward ecological theories and carbon storage in forests. Rather than examining tree species diversity in temperate and tropical ecosystems, this global study emphasized forest structure over a vast scale. Using large forest plots from 21 countries and territories, Utah State researchers found that, on average, the largest 1% of trees in mature and older forests comprised 50% of forest biomass worldwide. Furthermore, the amount of carbon that forests can sequester depends mostly on the abundance of big trees. The size of the largest trees was found to be even more important to forest biomass than high densities of small and medium trees. Lead author Jim Lutz, Assistant Professor at Utah State University said, "Big trees provide functions that cannot be duplicated by small or medium-sized trees. They provide unique habitat, strongly influence the forest around them, and store large amounts of carbon." This study has shown that the structure of the forest is as important to consider as species diversity -- the largest trees follow their own set of rules. Using 48 of the large forest dynamics plots from around the world coordinated by the Smithsonian ForestGEO Program, scientists were able to examine the variability of forest structure on a consistent basis. Co-author Dan Johnson, Research Associate at Utah State University said, "Having a worldwide group of scientists following the same methods offers us unique opportunities to explore forests at a global scale. This is a really wonderful group of scientists united by a passion for deepening our understanding of forests." Tropical forests are well known to typically have many more species than temperate forests. However, this study found that temperate forests have higher structural complexity, both in terms of different tree sizes within an area and also between adjacent areas of forest. Co-lead author Tucker Furniss, PhD student at Utah State University said, "The distribution of big trees has not been well explained by theory. Our results emphasize the importance of considering these rare, but disproportionately important ecosystem elements. We clearly need more applied and theoretical research on these important big trees." The researchers also found that the largest trees are representatives of the more common tree species. The ability of some trees in any given forest to reach very large sizes relative to the other trees and concentrate resources seems to be a global phenomenon. "Big trees are special." Continued Lutz. "They take a long time to regrow if they are eliminated from a forest. Making sure that we conserve some big trees in forests can promote and maintain all the benefits that forests provide to us." On November 30th, 2016, more than 100,000 people around the world contributed to a suite of first-of-a-kind quantum physics experiments known as The BIG Bell Test. Using smartphones and other internet-connected devices, participants contributed unpredictable bits, which determined how entangled atoms, photons, and superconducting devices were measured in twelve laboratories around the world. Scientists used the human input to close a stubborn loophole in tests of Einstein's principle of local realism. The results have now been analysed, and are reported in this week's Nature. In a Bell test (named for the physicist John Stewart Bell), pairs of entangled particles such as photons are generated and sent to different locations, where particle properties such as the photons' colours or time of arrival are measured. If the measurement results tend to agree, regardless of which properties we choose to measure, it implies something very surprising: either the measurement of one particle instantly affects the other particle (despite being far away), or even stranger, the properties never really existed, but rather were created by the measurement itself. Either possibility contradicts local realism, Einstein's worldview of a universe independent of our observations, in which no influence can travel faster than light. The BIG Bell Test asked human volunteers, known as Bellsters, to choose the measurements, in order to close the so-called "freedom-of-choice loophole" -- the possibility that the particles themselves influence the choice of measurement. Such influence, if it existed, would invalidate the test; it would be like allowing students to write their own exam questions. This loophole cannot be closed by choosing with dice or random number generators, because there is always the possibility that these physical systems are coordinated with the entangled particles. Human choices introduce the element of free will, by which people can choose independently of whatever the particles might be doing. Led by ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences, in Barcelona, the BIG Bell Test recruited participants worldwide to contribute unpredictable sequences of zeros and ones (bits) through an online video game. The bits were routed to state-of-the-art experiments in Brisbane, Shanghai, Vienna, Rome, Munich, Zurich, Nice, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Concepcion Chile and Boulder Colorado, where they were used to set the angles of polarizers and other laboratory elements to determine how entangled particles were measured. Participants contributed with more than 90 million bits, making possible a strong test of local realism, as well as other experiments on realism in quantum mechanics. The obtained results strongly disagree Einstein's worldview, close the freedom-of-choice loophole for the first time, and demonstrate several new methods in the study of entanglement and local realism. The ICFO Quantum Memory Experiment Each of the twelve labs around the world carried out a different experiment, to test local realism in different physical systems and to test other concepts related to realism. ICFO contributed with two experiments. The ICFO 1 team, composed of Pau Farrera and Dr. Georg Heinze, led by ICREA Prof. at ICFO Hugues de Riedmatten, performed a Bell test using entanglement between two very different objects: a single photon and a trapped cloud with millions of atoms. This cloud acted as a "quantum memory" storing for some time the matter part of the entangled state, and transferring it later into another single photon. The entanglement was analysed using optical interferometers and single photon detectors. The measurement settings of these interferometers were chosen by the random numbers provided by the Bellsters. Specifically, the random numbers were deciding the voltages that were applied to a piezoelectric device attached to the interferometers. The results obtained clearly contradict the concept of local realism. advertisement The ICFO 2 team performed a Bell test using entanglement between two single photons of different color generated with a solid-state photon pair source. The researchers, Dr. Andreas Lenhard, Alessandro Seri, Dr. Daniel Rielander, and Dr. Margherita Mazzera, led by ICREA Prof. Hugues de Riedmatten, could generate narrow-band photon pairs in several discrete frequency modes. After separating the photons of the pair, their entanglement was analysed using, in each of the two arms, an electro-optic modulator to overlap the different frequency modes and an optical cavity as spectral filter. The random numbers provided by the Bellsters were exploited to choose the voltages driving both the modulation amplitude and phase of the electro-optics modulators. The experiment was done in collaboration with the ICFO researchers Dr. Osvaldo Jimenez, Dr. Alejandro Mattar and Dr. Daniel Cavalcanti, led by ICREA Prof. at ICFO Antonio Acin. They developed a model to describe the generated entangled state and find the optimal measurements to contradict local realism. From the experiment performed on November 30th, 2016, local realism theories can be ruled out with a significance level of 3 standard deviations, while a stronger violation, of more than 8 standard deviations, was achieved in the weeks following the Big Bell Test day by performing longer measurements with stored human random numbers. Hugues de Riedmatten, ICREA Professor at ICFO: "The BBT was a great experience. It was amazing to see random numbers created by Bellsters all around the world take control of our experiments in real time, and to see so many people participating in a quantum physics experiment." Carlos Abellan, researcher at ICFO and instigator of the project: "The BIG Bell Test was an incredibly challenging and ambitious project. It sounded impossibly difficult on day zero, but became a reality through the efforts of dozens of passionate scientists, science communicators, journalists and media, and especially the tens of thousands of people that contributed to the experiment during November 30th, 2016." Morgan Mitchell, leader of the BBT project and ICREA Professor at ICFO: "What is most amazing for me is that the argument between Einstein and Niels Bohr, after more than 90 years of effort to make it rigorous and experimentally testable, still retains a human and philosophical element. We know that the Higgs boson and gravitational waves exist thanks to amazing machines, physical systems built to test the laws of physics. But local realism is a question we can't fully answer with a machine. It seems we ourselves must be part of the experiment, to keep the Universe honest." The BIG Bell Test team once again would like to thank the thousands of participants who so generously and enthusiastically contributed to this initiative. Without this essential contribution, the experiment would have never been possible. advertisement Participating Institutions The twelve labs that ran experiments on November 30th of 2016 were: CQC2T and Griffith University (Brisbane-Australia), EQuS and University of Queensland (Brisbane-Australia) The node CEFOP/Department of Electrical Engineering of the Universidad de Concepcion (Concepcion-Chile), together with the Department of Electrical Engineering -- Linkoping University, the University of Sevilla and the Dipartimento di Fisica -- Sapienza Universita di Roma, The Quantum Information Lab of the Dipartimento di Fisica -- Sapienza Universita di Roma with the International Institute of Physics del Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), CAS -- University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei-China), CITEDEF/Universidad de Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires), ICFO (Barcelona), IQOQI/OEAW (Vienna-Austria), LMU-Ludwig-Maximilian University (Munich), INPHYNI -- Universite Cote d'Azur/CNRS (Nice-France), NIST (Boulder- USA), QUDEV- ETH Zurich (Zurich). More information The BIG Bell Test website: http://www.thebigbelltest.org Video of the BIG Bell Test: https://vimeo.com/184480786 Web security is a major headache keeping businessmen awake at nights. Imagine waking up to the reality of having your clients website hacked. Not only does that mean your business as an SEO expert goes away, but also that getting the website back on track will be an onerous task. Traditionally, website security has been kept separate from SEO, apart from a few basic responsibilities on the part of SEO service experts (such as not establishing links to and from malicious websites). Because the lines separating different aspects of World Wide Web and business are diminishing, no SEO expert can ignore website security anymore. This guide is an attempt to scrape past the surface of this discussion and bring out some valuable insights in the process. Why Bother? Well, imagine having your or your clients website accompanied by an unsavoury warning from Google, alongside the search result. This generally happens when Googles bots believe that your website might have harmful code that could, for instance, install malware on the computers of visitors. The reasons could run deeper, though. Youll find an equivalent notification in your Google Search Console account too. This is just one of the potential security related warning that Google could publish alongside your search results. Googles support portal contains an extended list of other messages; heres an illustration. I would never risk my computers security by visiting such a flagged website; will you? Nobody will, and that will take all your SEO work down a deep pit! Instead, take complete control of each of the aspects of site security that link closely with SEO. Have A Secure Website Via HTTPS Its clear that Google treats HTTPS websites as a lot more secure than others. This is how HTTPS protocol makes web info exchange more secure. Since 2016, Chrome browser explicitly marks non-HTTPS web sites as unsecure. Thats reason enough for every SEO expert to push their clients into doing everything necessary to immediately move to the HTTPS ecosystem. Now, is your clients website secure? Heres a 2-step check: i) Make sure the SSL certificate is properly installed on the server Type https://www.[yourwebsitename].com and hit Enter. If you see a lock icon appear in the taskbar, it signifies the SSL is recognized. Else, youd see an error message such as this: ii) Make sure the websites URL are being pushed to their HTTPS versions Type http://www.[yourwebsitename].com and hit Enter. If your server configuration in terms of redirect rules is properly set up, the page will be automatically redirected to https://www.[yourwebsitename].com. If it doesnt, theres a problem that needs immediate addressing. Note: Though WordPress is considered very secure, an exceptionally large number of website based on the platform have been hacked in the recent past. Ensuring HTTPS protocol activation for your WordPress websites, hence, cant wait any longer. Using plugins such as Really Simple SSL, the above 2-step process becomes even easier to manage for WP, as explained in this very descriptive tutorial on how to use HTTPS on WordPress. Content Security Policy Webmasters deal with a lot in terms of having to secure the website against possible attacks especially when content gets updated frequently like in the case of content repurposing or regular addition of new products as in e-commerce sites. Two of the commonest form of attacks that can happen are data injection attacks and Cross Site Scripting attacks. Any additional security layer that can help mitigate or report such an attack is worth the efforts. Content Security Policy (CSP) is precisely that layer. It can effectively block out external scripts as well as inline scripts from untrusted sources. As an SEO expert, you can easily go out of the way and check whether CSP is in place for your clients website. CSP is implemented via an HTTP header containing rules for all kinds of data assets. For example, an HTTP header to allow CSS and scripts only from default source (Self) will look like (allowing Google Analytics script as an exception): Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; script-src 'self' https://www.google-analytics.com; How To Prevent A Site From Getting Hacked? Dont blame your clients if they want your help in keeping hackers away, even though thats not a primary responsibility of an SEO. Think of it as an opportunity; you put in 5% extra, and in turn, significantly improve the clients websites immunity against hackers, which eventually keeps on getting you their business. Heres a quick list of site security best practices that help you make your clients website hacker proof. Check whether the CMS software, or the website builder code, is upgraded to the latest version. Educate your client/their website admins about spam, brute force attacks, cross site scripting, SQL injections, etc. Change passwords often. Not use any unsecured or unproven 3 rd party tools to link to the client website for analysis, etc. party tools to link to the client website for analysis, etc. Dont publish server level technical information in error pages; error pages should say something like page not found. Enable validation of inputs on the browser side as well as server side, to ensure malicious codes dont infect the server. If your client website allows users to upload files, recommend safekeeping controls to ensure no scripts are uploaded alongside. Use a mix of web security tools to safeguard your clients websites; more on this later in the guide. What To Do If Your Client Site Is Hacked? Alright; the worse has happened, now what? Your response will depend on the nature of the security flaw, which could well be indicated by the warning message that Google appends to your websites search result. To check the details, log in to Search Console, go to the Security Issues section, and check the details of the URLs that appear to be compromised, along with the specifics of the kind of security breach for each URL. Here, youll need to clearly communicate to your clients so that they know they need to bring in web developers and programmers to take care of the security problems with the website. Also, recommend them to contact the web hosting provider too, who can offer valuable insights and contacts, based on knowledge of other websites that might have faced similar problems. Google, in its official help video for webmasters whose website may have been hacked, recommends them to seek technical expertise to sort out the technical issues. The amount of time taken to get over the hack will depend on: The level of tech expertise of your clients team Amount of content affected (site-wide spamming, for instance, needs more time for removal) Extent of damage/complexity of the hack How To Keep Your Rankings Safe If Your Client Site Gets Hacked? Quick and comprehensive actions thats the golden rule to remember to make sure the hack doesnt cause an SEO nightmare for the website. Note: If the entire site has been hacked, take it offline by asking your web host to configure it so that a 503 error page is returned for access made outside the infected directory. Dont go for robots.txt disallow, because that wont block the website for users who visit using your URL (only stops the web crawlers). If you are aware of the compromised URLs, the task is easier: First, remove the infected URLs from the index using the Remove URLs option in Search Console. Then, do a quick scan for crawl errors, and re submit your websites site map. Once the website admin and the security team have removed the malware and acted upon the issues highlighted in Search Console, I recommend you submit your website to the Search Console Security Issues report for a review. to the Search Console Security Issues report for a review. A successful review would be indicated by such a message in your Search Console: Also, depending on the nature of the security breach, you will need to restore your WordPress website to an older version, or even consider moving the website to a more secure hosting provider. Top Tools To Strengthen Web Security Tools can automate your clients websites security monitoring and help avoid major security breaches. Here are some tools that I recommend: Incapsula: a network security and optimization firm that offers a suite of tools such as a CDN (Content Delivery Network), a Web Application Firewall (WAF) and Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) protection tools that helps to secure your website from password thefts, DDoS and hacking attacks. Comodo cWatch: For 24x7 website surveillance, PCI compliant scanning, and reliable malware detection and removal. Grabber: An open source alternative if you dont want to spend anything; it detects and reports cross site scripting and SQL injections, apart from offering JS source code analysis and backup file checks. Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP): A penetration testing tool that allows you to proactively simulate hack-like activities on a website, to expose its security flaws, for proactive remedial action. Concluding Remarks SEO experts depend on the sustenance and growth of client websites to grow themselves, and that makes secure a vested interest for all SEOs. No security will soon escalate into a drop in traffic, which will pose questions on your effectiveness as an SEO expert. Better site security means more traffic for your clients websites, which means more business for you. A former microcap company president charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission with defrauding over 700 investors nationwide who were pressured to invest has agreed to lifetime officer-and-director and penny stock bars. The SEC's complaint alleges that from 2009 until 2015, Keith Houlihan of Boca Raton, Florida, while president of publicly-traded Sanomedics, Inc., hired and worked with an unregistered broker and his boiler room operation to illegally sell shares of Sanomedics by cold-calling the investing public using high-pressure sales tactics. In 2009 and 2010, Houlihan falsely told investors that for a limited time he was able to offer them Sanomedics shares at a steep discount to the stock's market price. The complaint alleges further that Houlihan used investor monies to pay undisclosed sales commissions to boiler room sales agents and more than $110,000 to himself for personal expenses. In 2013 and 2014, Houlihan signed Sanomedics' annual and quarterly filings with the SEC that contained false statements about Sanomedics' financing and did not disclose the illegal boiler room activity. In December 2017, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida criminally charged Houlihan. He was subsequently sentenced to 111 months imprisonment and ordered to pay approximately $21 million in restitution. The SEC's complaint, filed in federal court in Miami, Florida on May 4, 2018, charges Houlihan with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Exchange Act Rule 13a-14, and with aiding and abetting the boiler room's violations of Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act and Sanomedics' violations of Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1 and 13a-13 thereunder. In addition to the lifetime bars, Houlihan agreed to settle the SEC's charges by consenting to a judgment that permanently enjoins him from violating the charged provisions of the federal securities laws. The settlement is subject to court approval. The SEC charged the boiler room operator, Miguel "Michael" Mesa, and Sanomedics' former CEO, Craig V. Sizer, with fraud in 2016. A federal court subsequently entered consented-to final judgments against Mesa and Sizer that imposed lifetime penny stock bars on each of them and a lifetime officer-and-director bar on Sizer. The SEC subsequently barred Mesa and Sizer from the securities industry. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Gary M. Miller of the Enforcement Division's Microcap Fraud Task Force in the Miami office with assistance from Eric Morales and Senior Trial Counsel Alejandro O. Soto. The case was supervised by Elisha L. Frank and Jason R. Berkowitz of the Microcap Fraud Task Force. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. The SEC strongly encourages investors to check the backgrounds of people selling them investments by using the agency's Investor.gov website to quickly identify whether they are registered professionals. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has touted why it would be appropriate to describe a member of the Bix Six Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of the University of Ghana (UG) In an address at the launch of a USD$100 million endowment fund for UG on Monday as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the university, President Akufo-Addo drew on the history of the university and said it was through the unassailable work of Dr J.B. Danquah in mobilising and nationalizing the Ghanaian people to insist on the building of the university that led the colonial government to build UG. He described the effort of Dr Danquah as far visionary leadership saying he was a great scholar and nationalist who was described as the doyen of Gold Coast politics. His efforts, the President Akufo-Addo recounted, energized the Ghanaian people to reject the colonial governments proposition that a single university should be established in Ibadan, Nigeria to cater for the entire British West Africa and getting them to agree to establish a separate university for Ghana. The President described that decision as felicitous and greatly contributed to the growth and development of modern Ghana. It would be wholly appropriate and not at all farfetched to describe Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of this university. A fact, which on the 70th anniversary of this university should be vividly recalled by all of us who are the beneficiaries of his work the President posited. Below is the full text of President Akufo-Addo's address ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANAS ENDOWMENT FUND, ON MONDAY, 7TH MAY, 2018, AT THE GREAT HALL, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON, ACCRA. It is always a great pleasure to come back to my Alma Mater, Ghanas premier university, the University of Ghana, and to its beautiful campus, which brings a lot of very fond memories to me. I am especially grateful to the Vice Chancellor for the opportunity to be a part of the events leading up to the 70th anniversary celebrations of the University. Anniversaries inevitably beget memories, and, for me, the most poignant of those memories is the inestimable work Dr. J.B. Danquah did to mobilise the Ghanaian people to insist on the building of this University. It was the inspired, visionary leadership of this great scholar and nationalist, who was described in his lifetime as the Doyen of Gold Coast politics, that enabled the Ghanaian people to reject the original decision of the colonial government that a single university be established in Ibadan, in Nigeria, for British West Africa, and get it to agree to the establishment of a separate university for our country. How felicitous was that decision, and how greatly it has contributed to the growth of modern Ghana. It would be wholly appropriate and not at all farfetched to describe Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of this University, a fact, which, on the 70th anniversary of its existence, should be vividly recalled by all of us who are the beneficiaries of his work. Vice Chancellor, Ladies and gentlemen, seventy years in the life of any institution is no mean feat! Indeed, from modest beginnings in 1948, the University College of Gold Coast, as it was known then, has evolved into one of Africas leading universities. Today, there is worldwide recognition for the excellence of the Universitys faculty and students, and also for the professional successes chalked by her alumni both at home and abroad. Forgive me for rubbing it in, but 3 out of the 5 Presidents elected in the 4th Republic have been produced here. The University continues to be a proud pacesetter, mentoring and nurturing several higher institutions and think tanks in the country. Over the years, the University has lived up to its mission of developing world-class human resources and capabilities to meet our nations development needs, and global challenges. Indeed, the University continues to be the centre of many scientific and technological innovations. The diversity of her research efforts and output in various disciplines including social sciences, law, natural sciences, medicine, agriculture, environment and energy, have been acclaimed internationally. It is, thus, laudable and appropriate that the University is establishing an Endowment Fund, in this anniversary year, to provide additional funding and resources to enable the University improve upon the delivery on its mandate. The proceeds from the Fund are to assist in the provision of additional facilities to enhance research and teaching. This is an excellent initiative. Endowment Funds, such as this, constitute the fulcrum around which most world-class universities in the world operate. My government fully supports and shares in your vision to become a research-intensive university, and we will do all in our power to help you actualize this. I urge the University of Ghana, and indeed all tertiary institutions in the country, to find innovative and effective ways of linking up with industry and the corporate world, to engage in quality, strategic research, targeted at finding practical solutions to real life challenges of our society, and thereby actualize research findings to the benefit of our country. Indeed, pursuant to our manifesto promise to establish a Research Fund in addition to the Book and Research Allowance to facilitate further research and innovation, I am pleased to inform you that this is currently receiving the active consideration at Cabinet level, and I am confident that, shortly, it will be established by Act of Parliament. I congratulate, once again, the University of Ghana on her 70th anniversary celebrations, and, accordingly, I declare the University of Ghana @ 70 Endowment Fund duly launched. May God bless us all, and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A student at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville drowned in the schools pool, officials said. Officials said that a staff member had found the boy in the pool around 1:51 p.m., pulled him out of the water and attempted to resuscitate him. The 15-year-old student was taken to a hospital, where police said he later died. Now Playing: A male victim was taken to Kaiser Hospital in Walnut Creek after a medical emergency in the pool at San Ramon Valley High School, Danville police reported. Video: KTVU The school was temporarily placed on lockdown as police investigated, but officials said students were expected to be released on time. OTHER NEWS: Man shoots gun in tow truck driver dispute in Caldecott Tunnel, CHP says 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. Annie Ma is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ama@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @anniema15 Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is the undisputed front-runner in the June 5 primary for governor, which made him the No. 1 target in Tuesday nights candidates debate in San Jose. For much of the 90-minute session, it was five against one, with the former San Francisco mayor fielding nonstop attacks from the other candidates looking to finish in the top two and advance to the November election to replace termed-out Gov. Jerry Brown. Some of the harshest words came from one of Newsoms fellow Democrats, Delaine Eastin, when she was asked if character should matter in politics. Being unfaithful is something thats terrible, the former state education chief said, adding that whats important in politics is a sense of self-control. That answer, aimed at the affairs Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa admitted having when they were running their cities, let the rest of the candidates pile on. It was Republican Travis Allen, an Orange County assemblyman, who took the toughest shot at Newsom, who had admitted a 2005 affair with a mayoral staffer who was the wife of his campaign manager. If you cant trust Gavin with your best friends wife, how can you trust him with the state? Allen asked. Newsom reacted sharply, suggesting that was a strange attack from a supporter of Donald Trump. But he quickly went back to his standard answer when hes asked about the affair: I admitted it. I was wrong. Newsom stood up to both the personal charges and the attacks against San Francisco and the job he did as mayor, even when they were pretty far afield. Allen, for example, blamed Newsom for the death of 32-year-old Kate Steinle, who was shot to death in 2015 by an oft-deported undocumented resident who had been released from San Francisco jail about three months earlier. But Newsom, who called Steinles death shameful, hadnt been mayor of San Francisco since becoming lieutenant governor in 2011. With Newsom taking care to avoid a misstep that could drop him from the top spot in the polls, the other five candidates were left to battle for the runner-up spot and another chance in November. The two Republicans, Allen and San Diego County businessman John Cox, were each looking to wrap up the GOP vote in the primary election. They sparred all night, each trying to gain an advantage two days after neither was able to get the endorsement of the state party at its convention. Their bickering and crosstalk was so constant that moderator Chuck Todd of NBC said, I think you two will have to take this outside. Allen tried to unnerve Cox, twice referring to him as angry, obliquely referring to the builder as a slumlord and pointing out that Cox lived most of his life in Chicago. I just want to respond to my angry opponent from Chicago, Allen said at one juncture. Cox fought back just as hard, saying hes the real leader of the effort to qualify a November initiative to repeal the states gas-tax increase and suggesting that Allen funneled money from his own gas-tax initiative effort into his campaign funds. The candidates, in what could be the last televised debate of the primary campaign, had plenty of time to talk about issues troubling the state. Some of the widest differences particularly between the Democrats and Republicans were on immigration. The Republicans supported Trumps plan to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and the Democrats opposed it. The Democrats supported Californias sanctuary state laws and the Republicans promised to overturn them shortly after taking office. Cox said this border wall needs to be built. Its not about grandmothers being pulled out of their homes. ... I dont want to live next door to MS-13 gang members. This is the kind of rhetoric that has no place in the debate, Newsom said. In California, we dont tolerate diversity, we celebrate it. There was a similar partisan split on Browns high-speed rail project, with all four Democrats in favor and both Republicans opposed. State Treasurer John Chiang argued that more private money is needed for the system, a stance echoed by the other three Democrats. Both Allen and Cox, however, promised to ax construction as soon as they were elected, calling the plan corrupt and a boondoggle. For Eastin, who polls show running sixth in the contest, there was nothing to lose, so she came out with a high-energy effort that won continuing applause from the crowd. 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. After other candidates talked about the need to scale back some environmental regulations to address the housing crisis, Eastin went on the attack. Were not giving up on a clean environment, not on my watch, she said. She also suggested that a realistic number of new homes is 300,000 a year, an undisguised slap at Newsom and Villaraigosa, who have called for 500,000 new homes each year. But when Eastin talked about the need to make changes in Proposition 13s corporate tax structure to provide money for education improvements like mandatory full-day kindergarten and universal preschool, it was possible to hear the Republicans muttering, more taxes, more taxes. Chiang, trailing badly in the polls, tried several times during the debate to contrast himself with Newsom. Gavin is talking about what hes doing in the future, Im talking about what Im doing today, he said. Newsom received the evenings biggest laugh with the final question of the debate, when each candidate was asked whom they wanted to run against in November, a member of their own party or someone from the other side. You know my position, Chuck, he told the moderator. A Republican would be ideal ... and either one of these will do. Newsom leads in most polling with Cox and Villaraigosa virtually tied for second place in an April survey from the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. The question now is whether anyone other than the three front-runners can make political hay out of a good showing Tuesday. I dont think any one debate gets you into the top two, Villaraigosa said afterward. I think all the candidates did what they wanted to do. Joe Garofoli and John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com and jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Voters are justified in removing judges who are crooked or inept, but not because they disagree with their rulings, said the judge who may become the first in California to be recalled in 86 years over his sentencing of a Stanford swimmer in a sexual assault case. When judges who cant or wont do their jobs arent reined in by appellate courts and the states judicial disciplinary commission, perhaps theres a place for the judicial recall, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky said Tuesday in his first meeting with an array of news media since the campaign to remove him from the bench began in 2016. But recalls, he said, should be reserved for misconduct by a judge or incompetence. ... I dont think theres a place for a judicial recall based on lawful decisions by a given judge. The danger, he said, is that judges will feel that silent creeping force, that corrupting force before issuing sentences or controversial rulings. The focus of the Persky recall campaign is the six-month jail sentence that the judge, a Stanford alumnus, imposed on Brock Turner, a former Stanford swimmer, in June 2016 after a jury convicted him of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. Prosecutors had sought a six-year prison sentence, while the courts probation office recommended the shorter jail term. Persky noted at the sentencing that Turner had no previous criminal record and said he would pose no public danger after his release, while being required to register as a sex offender each year for the rest of his life. Public response to the victims impassioned statement at the sentencing hearing, about the harm she continued to suffer, aroused a widespread furor over the sentencing and helped to fuel the recall campaign. Supporters turned in nearly 100,000 signatures on petitions, more than enough to put the issue on the June 5 ballot, when voters will decide whether to retain Persky or replace him with one of two judicial candidates. Backers of the recall contend Persky has shown undue leniency to privileged white defendants in other cases. Persky, a former sex crimes prosecutor appointed to the bench by Gov. Gray Davis in 2003, noted Tuesday that the state Commission on Judicial Performance had looked into the Turner case and found no ethical violations, and said the county Bar Association had found no pattern of bias or undue leniency in his record. There is a caricature of me that has been allowed to flourish, said Persky, who met with reporters at a private home in Palo Alto. He said he had expected some backlash to the Turner sentencing, but not as much as hes received like one email that asked him, How does it feel to be the most hated man in America? The organizer of the recall campaign, Stanford Law Professor Michele Dauber, said in response that Persky is getting what he deserves. Judge Persky has a long pattern of bias in favor of privileged men ... who have committed violence against women, Dauber said in a statement. The voters in this county have lost confidence in his ability to be fair. The last successful judicial recall in California was in 1932, when Los Angeles voters removed three judges accused of taking kickbacks. Persky acknowledged that his opponents message was getting through to people. He said he decided to speak up now because there is a very real chance the recall will be successful. 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 his foes, he said, are resorting to the politics of fear. Persky declined to answer questions about the Turner case, saying it was still on appeal and he is therefore prohibited from commenting. But he said, I will stand by my decision. Asked about the impact of such crimes on victims, the judge said, I think about it all the time but must keep a laser focus on the facts and the law in his rulings. Women are frustrated by how they are treated by society, how they are treated by the criminal justice system, Persky said. That passion is genuine. It needs to be expressed. But too often these days, he said, the public is given a Twitter version of a case, in a certain way that can spark outrage. And public opinion, Persky said, does not have a place in the courtroom. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko For all of City Halls tough talk of late about getting needles off the streets, the city itself is responsible for helping fuel the problem handing out millions of syringes a year with little or no controls over their return. And while the easy access to clean syringes is intended to protect public health, the citys residents are not happy with the situation. The status quo on our streets today is simply unacceptable, and were not going to stand for it, Mayor Mark Farrell said the other day as he stood on Natoma Street to unveil his new needle cleanup team. Standing by his side, Director of Public Health Barbara Garcia said, No needles on the streets thats our goal. No doubt that goal is well-intentioned, but what wasnt mentioned is that the health department is the biggest source of the needles it hands out an estimated 400,000 syringes a month through various programs aimed at reducing HIV and other health risks for drug users. The program began under Mayor Frank Jordan in 1993. It was originally billed as a needle exchange, but there never have been strict rules for returns, and the number handed out has steadily climbed. In fiscal 2013-14, for example, health department records show the city handed out 3.3 million needles at a cost of $400,397. Two years later, it handed out 4.45 million needles at a cost of $523,363. Garcia said the programs goal of ensuring access to sterile syringes is intended to eliminate the transmission of blood-borne pathogens among people who inject drugs and their sexual partners. Health department statistics show the program appears to be working, at least on one level: The number of new HIV infections among people who inject drugs in San Francisco dropped from 106 in 2010 to 38 in 2016. And while the city sees the public health benefit for users, the math on retrieving the free syringes and keeping them off of the streets has come up short. Of the 400,000 needles distributed monthly, the health department estimates that about 246,000 come back though its 13 syringe access and disposal sites. That leaves more than 154,000 needles a month still circulating. No one knows how many are tossed into garbage cans or into private needle retrieval boxes but thousands wind up on streets and sidewalks, in tent camps, and in parks and playgrounds. It is hard to arrive at an exact number, said health department spokeswoman Rachael Kagan. That said, there is clearly needle litter on our streets, and we are working hard to address that. To combat the problem, the health department sends out crews who pick up about 8,000 needles per month off the streets. San Franciscos public works department also reports collecting an average of 12,640 needles per month when it cleans out homeless hot spots and encampments. Those are just the encampments crews, said DPW spokeswoman Rachel Gordon. How many of the remaining 133,000 or so needles are picked up by regular street cleaning crews is unknown, but walking some streets shows that the retrieval efforts are falling short. Health officials maintain that the unlimited syringe access actually lowers the risk that a used needle on the street carries disease. When clean needles are available, there is less sharing, less disease transmission, and the discarded needles are less likely to be infectious, Kagan said. And there are no known cases of disease from needle sticks in San Francisco. 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. Still, in recent years the visible proliferation of needles on streets and in parks has become both a growing political and public relations problem for City Hall, as residents point to the problem when they call for cleaner streets. The public clamor is one of the chief reasons Farrell announced a plan to spend $750,000 a year so the San Francisco AIDS Foundation could hire 10 people just to collect used needles. People are, quite frankly, fed up with the conditions of our streets, and so am I, Farrell said at the news conference announcing the cleanup team. But there was no mention of changing the policy of handing out unlimited numbers of needles. There are no changes to our syringe access programs, Garcia said. Research shows that reducing access to clean syringes increases disease and does not improve the problem of needle litter. Syringe access is part of a bigger picture, she said. The mayor agrees. My investment in a dedicated syringe clean team will tackle one of the unintended consequences of this program, Farrell said. But I will not walk back our health policy back to the stone ages. In the last half of 2017 alone, needle handouts grew to 3 million, meaning, if the rate continues, it will hit 6 million by the close of the fiscal year on June 30. So, watch your step. San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@ sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross A wall of cubbies filled with shoes greets visitors to Gustos new headquarters at San Franciscos Pier 70. As the 275 workers pad around their ginormous space, they sport socks, slippers or bare feet; visitors are offered disposable paper slippers. We want our office to feel like a home, to be comfortable and authentic, said Josh Reeves, CEO and co-founder of Gusto, which helps small businesses manage payrolls, benefits and human resources. We started Gusto in a house in Palo Alto and had a no-shoe policy there, and we all grew up in shoeless houses. The home theme is carried out in the cavernous central space, which gusties refer to as a living room, albeit one appropriate for a giant. Groupings of couches, easy chairs and coffee tables alternate with rows of workbenches. Overhead loom the old gantry cranes complete with driver cabs, and a complex crisscross of pipes and beams, while huge arched windows bring in natural light. Michael Macor / The Chronicle Michael Macor / The Chronicle Its a really big building, said Marcus Hopper, design manager at architecture firm Gensler, which designed Gustos office. We had to figure out how to break down that massive size to bring it down to a human scale. Really big is an understatement for a 55,000-square-foot space with a storied history as a former Union Iron Works machine shop, on a site where ships have been repaired since the Spanish-American War of 1898. The challenge was how to connect this building type to what Gusto does when the design is so different, said Ian Young, Gensler design architect. Still, with its exposed brick and eye-catching industrial remnants, the Pier 70 space lent itself to the type of quirky, ultra-creative office look favored by tech companies. Gusto now has 60,000 clients, or 1 percent of all U.S. employers. The company says its client roster continues to expand; it also has several hundred workers in Denver. It had outgrown its South of Market offices and liked the history and openness of the Pier 70 space in Dogpatch, the citys fastest-growing neighborhood, Reeves said. And the cost of $57 per square foot for a 10-year lease compared favorably to the high $70s it paid in the South of Market district. Pier 70, which has multiple buildings, eventually will have still more as the site of a mixed-use development by Orton Development and Forest City, which together plan some 1,000 housing units and 2 million square feet of office space. Forest City is holding a groundbreaking for its portion of the project Thursday, while Orton has already moved some tenants in. Gusto occupies only half of the building. About 300 employees in Ubers Advanced Technologies Group, which works on its self-driving cars, moved into the other half earlier this year. The two sides flank an airy atrium. Michael Macor / The Chronicle Gusto and Gensler collaborated with an accelerated timeline, starting the design process in September, launching construction in December, and moving Gusto in on the last day of April. Orton, the landlord, had already handled a lot of infrastructure work, such as a seismic retrofit. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Gusties were heavily involved, participating in design charettes and visiting the unfinished space in the fall to experience concepts for its transformation via virtual reality goggles. Employees can have assigned workbenches, and/or they can float among the many couches, counters and desks. Reeves himself doesnt have an office or desk. I change where I sit multiple times a day, he said. Even though Gustos workers all basically occupy one gargantuan room, its remarkably quiet, with the whir of exhaust fans far overhead providing soothing white noise, and thick noise-canceling panels in the meeting rooms. An area called the garage doubles as the cafeteria and meeting room. Employees joined in to paint a mural on one wall depicting the many types of small businesses Gusto serves. And since every tech company has creative monikers for its meeting rooms, the huddle rooms inside the building have been named after clients: bakery, florist, cafe, taqueria, ramen shop, travel agency, hardware store, deli, library, farmers market. This is basically a new building inside an old building, Hopper said. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid A former Contra Costa County jail guard pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of having sex with two female inmates. Patrick Morseman, 26, was charged Friday with four felony counts of sexual activity with a confined consenting adult, almost a month after his arrest. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted. Last month, one of the inmates told the San Francisco Chronicle that Morseman raped her. She and a fellow inmate, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, alleged that Morseman forced them to have sex and paid them to keep quiet. Scott Alonso, a spokesman for the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office, said prosecutors considered these allegations and evaluated all of the evidence gathered by investigators. He stressed that the charges brought against Morseman do not allow for consent to be used as a defense. The D.A.s office charged what we could prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a judge and jury, Alonso said. Until recently, Morseman worked as a deputy with the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office. A spokesman confirmed that he was no longer an employee with the office, but declined to provide a separation date or more details. 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. Prosecutors say the crimes occurred March 31, when Morseman was assigned to the West County Detention Facility. He was arrested by the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office on April 4 and was later released from jail on $100,000 bail. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy George Deukmejian, a two-term Republican governor who fought taxes with the same zeal as he sought to toughen Californias approach to crime, died Tuesday at his home in Long Beach. He was 89. The son of Armenian immigrants, Deukmejian served 16 years in the state Legislature and spent one term as state attorney general before narrowly defeating the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Tom Bradley, for governor in 1982. Four years later, in an election marked by voters ouster of three liberal state Supreme Court justices whom he had opposed, Deukmejian defeated Bradley again, this time in a landslide. The recall gave Deukmejian three openings to fill on the seven-member court and the conservatives he named steered Californias judiciary sharply to the right for three decades, upholding death sentences and limiting lawsuits against businesses and employers. He was a fine, decent man of integrity and character who was tremendously proud of his Armenian heritage, Deukmejians family said in a statement. He loved his family and his friends and was forever grateful to the many loyal people who believed in him and served in his administrations. We miss him deeply. Gov. Jerry Brown, who was also Deukmejians predecessor as governor, issued a statement saying Deukmejian was a popular governor and made friends across the political aisle. Deukmejians style as governor was a marked departure from that of Brown and the Republican who preceded him, Ronald Reagan. He had none of Browns out-of-the box thinking, nor Reagans star power and speaking skills. Instead, Deukmejian set a basic agenda keep taxes and government spending down, and be tough on crime. His administration embarked on what at the time was the largest prison construction program ever in the U.S., building 14 lockups and driving the inmate population from 35,000 in 1982 to 96,000 in 1990, his last year in office. In his two campaigns for governor, Deukmejian promised he wouldnt raise taxes, and he stuck to that promise sales taxes were raised briefly to help the Bay Area recover from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, but Deukmejian defeated Democratic efforts to extend it. Gary Fong/San Francisco Chronicle And he ran a tight-fisted ship in Sacramento he vetoed more than $7 billion in new spending during his two terms, which helped to close a $1.5 billion budget deficit that he inherited when he took office in 1983. He presided over a $1 billion tax rebate in 1987. Deukmejians critics noted that despite the prison construction boom, inmate overcrowding started to become a problem on his watch. They also accused him of making state government less helpful to Californias needy. What people dont know is how sensitive he is to the plight of the less fortunate, then-Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, now a San Francisco Chronicle columnist, said in a 1990 interview. He just couldnt translate that sympathy into governmental response. Democrat John Burton, who served with Deukmejian as a young assemblyman, remembered the former governor as a remarkable public servant. He was conservative, but a very decent human being, Burton said. Deukmejian also had a surprising sense of humor, although Burton admitted, That wasnt his strength. Deukmejian was instrumental in the 1986 campaign in which voters denied new terms to state Supreme Court Chief Justice Rose Bird and two other liberal justices, all of whom had consistently voted against death sentences. Deukmejians replacements, including his former law partner, Malcolm Lucas, led the court rightward. If there was any public figure identified with this campaign, it was the governor, Harold Meyerson, who directed an organization supporting all three justices, later said. Deukmejian departed from conservative orthodoxy only occasionally. In the late 1980s, he bucked the National Rifle Association and signed legislation outlawing 55 types of semiautomatic weapons and a bill imposing a 15-day waiting period on purchasers of handguns. Walt Zeboski / Associated Press Deukmejian was someone who knew what he wanted and what he didnt want, said Bob Naylor, a former San Mateo County assemblyman who was the Republican leader in the Assembly for the first two years of Deukmejians time as governor. Naylor recalled working with Democrats and Republicans over an education bill that called for a mix of new money and school reforms. He told me that he really didnt want to sign the bill, but asked me to tell him why he should, Naylor said. So I talked to him and he signed it. Deukmejian didnt profit from his 28 years in public office. His 1989 economic interest statement showed a modest Long Beach home as his only real estate holding, some inherited stock and two $1,000 speaking fees to augment his $85,000 salary. Deukmejian lived in that Long Beach home until his death Tuesday. Deukmejian could have run for a third term, but chose not to. As eight years move along, you take a lot of bashing; youre kind of a punching bag, he once said. I think Im going to be saying to myself every day, Gosh, I dont have to worry about that anymore. I think Im going to enjoy that feeling. 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. Courken George Deukmejian Jr. was born June 6, 1928, in Menands, N.Y., to immigrants who had fled Turkey to escape the slaughter of Armenians in the 1910s. His fathers rug business collapsed during the Depression. He worked as a bundle boy wrapping meat in a butcher shop and as a firefighter, a paper salesman and an ice cream maker. I worked while going to school. We didnt have a lot, Deukmejian said in 1990. I learned that you have to work for what you get, and you have to work hard. Thats been a major factor in how Ive done things since then. Deukmejian graduated with a degree in sociology from Siena College in New York, then earned a law degree. His rise to political power came just seven years after he moved to Southern California in 1955 to practice law. He was elected to the Assembly in 1962, and four years later won a seat in the state Senate, where he served until winning election as state attorney general in 1978. Deukmejian had a reputation for being more comfortable poring over legislation and proofreading staff memos than glad-handing. In an effort to liven up his speeches, he drew happy faces on his notes to remind himself to smile. In his final State of the State address to the Legislature on Jan. 9, 1990, Deukmejian said, Like so many others, I became Californian not by birth but by choice. I adopted a state whose opportunities are as boundless as its beauty, whose future is as bright as it sunshine, and whose possibilities are as varied as its people. He said his goal as governor was to leave California in a better place than he found it. I believe that it is, he said. Deukmejian is survived by his wife of 61 years, Gloria; his children, Leslie, Andrea and George; and six grandchildren. Services have not been announced. Melody Gutierrez and John Wildermuth are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com, jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez @jfwildermuth / San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott is reportedly one of three finalists for the job of top cop in Los Angeles after being interviewed there last week. Scott made the cut as one of the finalists for chief after interviewing with the Los Angeles Police Departments civilian Police Commission, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing anonymous sources. 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 President Trump, who seems ready to accept the Nobel Peace Prize for a North Korean nuclear deal that exists only in his imagination, has moved to unravel the real accord that by all reliable accounts is preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power. The operative difference between these projects the successful Iran negotiation the president disdains and the hypothetical Korean one he wont stop boasting about is that Trump had nothing to do with one of them. In an announcement Tuesday teased with Trumps usual reality-showmanship, the president justified withdrawing from the eight-party Iran agreement on the grounds that it does not address every past and present example of Iranian misconduct. In nearly the same breath, he inexplicably hoped that negotiations hardly begun with one of Irans few rivals for rogue statehood, North Korea, will usher in a future of great security and prosperity. Trump has done his worst to undo an agreement supported by the United States closest allies in Europe, which made vigorous efforts to dissuade him from his headlong course, as well as chief adversaries Russia and China the latter an indispensable party to any Korean talks. Moreover, Irans compliance with the deal since 2015 has been confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which has carried out a painstaking verification regime, as well as Trumps top intelligence and military advisers. Other than the vague superlatives and insults he has heaped on the deal, Trumps case against it comes down to its inevitable failure to be eternal or perfect. The deals sunset provisions are totally unacceptable, he proclaimed Tuesday, referring to restrictions on Irans uranium enrichment that expire in a decade or more. At the same time, he cited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus ballyhooed evidence of Irans secret nuclear activities two decades before the agreement was contemplated. But concerns about Irans past and future development of nuclear weapons only bolster the case for keeping and extending an agreement that prevents the regime from so arming itself now. Citing Irans sponsorship of terrorism, its role in regional conflicts and its ballistic missile program, Trump also criticized the agreement for imposing no limits at all on the regimes other malign behavior. In other words, a deal conceived and designed to deal with Irans nuclear activities is being blamed for not dealing with its non-nuclear activities. Continuing in the vein of holding a single international agreement responsible for ending global conflict itself, Trump said the Iran accord didnt bring calm, it didnt bring peace and it never will. It certainly wont bring even a measure of stability in light of Trumps unilateral exit, which at best weakens the United States international alliances and standing and at worst clears the way for Iran to resume clandestine nuclear activities. The presidents dismissal of the prospect of an Iranian bomb as a weapon that will only endanger the survival of the Iranian regime is false on its face and contradicted by every international anti-proliferation effort. That includes the Iran deal that Trump has so recklessly undermined and a Korean deal that looks even more remote as a result. 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. The South Bays largest water agency gave a big lift to Gov. Jerry Browns plan for a pair of water conveyance tunnels through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta on Tuesday, committing $650 million to the effort. The $17 billion tunnels project, which would help move water from Northern California to the drier south, has been among the governors top priorities but has lacked the necessary funding to move forward. The Santa Clara Valley Water District came out against the proposal in October, reiterating a common concern that the cost of the tunnels might not justify the unknown boost in water supplies, but reversed itself with this weeks 4-3 vote by the agencys board. The majority agreed the project will ensure steadier water deliveries, even if they cant quantify the benefit. Simply put, this courageous decision will help 2 million Santa Clarans have a more reliable water supply, the governor said in a statement after the board meeting. The agencys vote follows a similar decision last month by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the states largest residential water provider. After backing away from the project over cost concerns, the district decided to provide $11 billion to the tunnels, giving new momentum to the then-idling effort. Brown has heralded the proposed 35-mile delta tunnels, formally called California WaterFix, as the best way to make sure the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California get a share of the far norths more plentiful water supplies. Concerns about fish and other wildlife in the delta often slow north-south deliveries as state and federal water officials limit pumping to protect the estuary. But the plan is controversial. While Brown and the California Department of Water Resources say massive tunnels beneath the area will limit the disruptive pumping and protect the wildlife above, many fear the project will only lead to more Northern California water being shipped south, stripping the delta of its needed supply. We have worked extensively to attempt to stop litigation and to focus on positive solutions for delta and state water management, said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of the environmental group Restore the Delta, which opposes the tunnel plan. But DWR, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Gov. Brown insist on forcing the project on Californians. Litigation is a form of collaboration, and the next chapter of this fight that is far from over. The courts may indeed have final say over the tunnels as problems with financing dwindle. While the states largest agricultural water supplier, Westlands Water District, remains unsupportive of the project, others have stepped up. The Santa Clara Valley Water Districts board said its change of course came largely as a result of the agencys financial risk being lessened by Southern Californias Metropolitan districts recent decision to pick up so much of the tab. 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. Protecting water supplies for homes and businesses in Silicon Valley is a top priority, and were still working to get the best deal for the residents and businesses here, said board member Tony Estremera. This is just the first step in a long effort to secure our water supplies. The Santa Clara Valley Water District gets about half its water from Northern California reservoirs, and sells it to many cities and water agencies in the South Bay. District officials have estimated that contributing to the tunnels plan would prompt water rates for South Bay households to rise gradually over future years, by an average of $10.26 a month in 2033. Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander Seven years after an Oregon wolf named OR-7 caused an international sensation by taking a historic pilgrimage through California, his offspring are settling in the Golden State, starting families and giving every indication that the howling canines are here to stay. Wildlife biologists regard the re-establishment of Canis lupus in California as a milestone in the countrys decades-long effort to protect and preserve natural habitats and endangered species. Up to 2 million gray wolves once lived in North America, but European settlers, fed by big, bad wolf myths, drove them to near-extinction in the lower 48 states. The last wild gray wolf in California before OR-7 showed up was killed in 1924. Four of OR-7s progeny have been detected in California this year and last, including the leader of the Lassen Pack, which has staked out territory in western Lassen and Plumas counties, according to a recent update on the status of the predators by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Several others could well be roaming through the state undetected, said wildlife biologists, who expect the wolf population in the Golden State to grow. It does seem like we are continuing to see wolves entering California, and we have a breeding pack, so the stage is set for population growth, said Pete Figura, a wildlife management supervisor for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. It seems to be following the pattern of wolf expansion that weve seen over the last 20 or 30 years in the American West. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014 OR-7, so named because he was the seventh wolf affixed with a radio collar in Oregon, eventually returned to his home state and found a mate. He is now the alpha male in the Rogue Pack, south of Crater Lake National Park, where he and his mate have raised litters every year since 2014. One of his sons entered California and started the Lassen Pack, which is often seen in the Indian Valley area north of Quincy, in Plumas County. Known as CA-08M, he and his mate have had four puppies, three of which were spotted by locals and on trail cameras in late March. Theyve been fairly visible, said Amaroq Weiss, the West Coast wolf organizer for the Center for Biological Diversity. Someone recently posted a video of a pup barking at them. An uncollared wolf Figura said is the likely daughter of OR-7 is also in California, where she was observed and tracked in January moving southeast through Siskiyou County. In January, wildlife biologists tracked another of OR-7s daughters, OR-54, 500 miles through four California counties. The radio-collared female covered much of the same ground her famous father did from 2011 to 2013. State wildlife biologists said GPS showed she left California in February and then returned to eastern Siskiyou County on April 15. Another collared wolf known as OR-44 was tracked in March nosing around eastern Siskiyou County, apparently looking for females. He is unrelated to OR-7 or his offspring. Although conservationists are ecstatic, there is a disturbing element about the uptick in wolf activity. The first breeding pair of wolves ever in California had five puppies in the spring of 2015, all of them sporting distinctive black coats. The black wolves, known as the Shasta Pack, killed and ate a calf in November 2015, the first reported case of livestock predation by wolves since their return to California. Curiously, that month was also the last time the entire pack was known to be together. None of the seven were seen again until May 2016, when a single juvenile male was spotted by trail cameras near where it grew up. In March 2017, that same wolf was spotted in northwestern Nevada, the first wolf verified in Nevada in nearly 100 years. 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. Nobody knows what happened to the other members of the Shasta Pack. Figura said it is possible they all migrated to a new region, but that would be unusual. Weiss believes the predators, none of which had radio collars, were gunned down. Ranchers in the area had previously threatened to employ the three Ss shoot, shovel and shut up if any of the sharp-toothed meat-eaters got near their livestock. I and others have reason to believe the wolves may have been poached (because) its rather difficult for an entire seven member all-black pack to have just disappeared, Weiss said. It is disturbing to have California wolf recovery starting out with something so bleak. State wildlife officials are trying hard to minimize wolf-livestock conflicts by providing ranchers with the locations of the animals, but not all of the wolves in California have GPS collars. The Lassen Pack traverses both public and private property, including National Park and U.S. Forest Service acreage and ranch and timber lands. Even though there are vast areas of forest, there are also little pockets of small towns, so people are going to see them, Weiss said. The response has so far been mixed. Meanwhile, a calf in Northern California fell prey to wolves in 2017 and another one was probably killed, Fish and Wildlife biologists said. Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite John Macdougall / AFP / Getty Images For eight years, photographer Pete Souza shadowed President Barack Obama. He was there as the chief official White House photographer, for everything from private moments to state dinners. In all, he said recently, Souza shot some 1.9 million photos. Those photos include the now-iconic shot of the situation room during the raid on Osama bin Ladens compound in Pakistan, and another image that went viral: Obama bowing, so that a small black boy could touch the hair hair just like his of the first black president of the United States. In 1994, 6-year-old Clemantine Wamariya and her older sister Claire fled the violence in their homeland of Rwanda. They migrated across the African continent in search of safety, unsure about the fate of their parents who had stayed behind. They were eventually granted refugee status in the U.S. and settled in Chicago, where Wamariya was adopted into a family and began the process of building a stable life for herself though her witnessing of widespread cruelty and death left echoes that were not easily dismissed. In her debut book, The Girl Who Smiled Beads, written with co-author Elizabeth Weil, Wamariya shares an intimate and devastating look at her experiences, encouraging readers to appreciate the power and tenacity of the human spirit, looking past the label of victim. Wells Fargo & Co. must pay $97 million to home mortgage consultants and private mortgage bankers who didnt get the breaks they were entitled to under Californias labor laws. A federal judge in Los Angeles agreed with the bankers and consultants that their settlement should be based not just on hourly pay but also on their commissions. That bumped the damages well above the $25 million that the bank said it owed. The lawsuit alleging various wage and hour labor violations was brought last year by a Wells Fargo mortgage broker in Los Angeles. U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson threw out her claims other than the banks failure to provide rest breaks and one on unfair competition. Retail Amazon, Sears in tire deal Shoppers will be able to buy any brand of tires on Amazon.com, have them shipped to a Sears Auto Center and then bring in their car to get them installed. Sears said Wednesday that Amazon shoppers can now ship tires to 47 Sears Auto Centers in eight cities, including Chicago, Dallas and New York. It plans to eventually roll it out to all 400 of its auto centers nationwide in the coming weeks. As part of the deal, Sears said its DieHard brand of tires are available on Amazon for the first time. China ZTE ceases operations Chinese technology company ZTE said it has halted its main operations after U.S. authorities banned it from doing business with American suppliers. Major operating activities of the company have ceased as a result of the U.S. Commerce Department denial order issued last month, ZTE said in a statement. The department slapped ZTE with a seven-year sales ban in a case involving exports of telecom gear to Iran and North Korea. ZTE, which also makes smartphones, had said the ban threatened its existence by cutting off access to U.S. suppliers of key technology and components like microchips. Weapons Sturm Ruger loses to nuns Sturm Ruger, one of the countrys largest firearms makers, had urged shareholders to reject a proposal from a group of Roman Catholic nuns demanding answers on whether it planned to develop safer products and monitor those in circulation. But at the companys annual meeting on Wednesday, a majority of investors sided with the nuns. An official said the vote only required the company to prepare a report. Earnings Sunrun San Franciscos Sunrun reported first-quarter net income of $28 million (25 cents a share), topping analysts estimates. The solar energy products distributor posted revenue of $144.4 million in the period. Chronicle News Services GAINESVILLE, Fla. Patrick Traynor, a cybersecurity expert, was in New York in February working with police to help identify a way to detect credit card skimmers on ATMs when he got a financial fraud alert: His own information had been stolen while he was in town. It wasnt the first time. In five years hed had his personal information stolen by credit card skimmers devices illegally installed on ATMs and gas station pumps that skim consumer credit card numbers a half-dozen times. Ive got 15 years of experience in the field of information security. If I cant protect myself reliably, who else possibly can? said Traynor, a computer information science and engineering professor at the University of Florida. After three years of study, Traynor and two Florida graduate students invented a device they call the Skim Reaper, a credit-card-thin gadget that slides into card reader slots and can easily and quickly detect if an ATM or gas pump has been compromised. The New York Police Department is testing the Skim Reaper with some early success in its effort to rid the streets of the pervasive devices. The Associated Press was given exclusive access to the lab where the Skim Reaper was made, as well as NYPD tests of it in the field. The Secret Service says skimmers steal more than a billion dollars from U.S. consumers annually, money that often funds organized crime. Most skimmers work by installing an extra read head inside or outside a machine. This allows criminals to make a copy of the cards information as a consumer swipes it. Skim Reaper was built to detect when more than one read head is present, Traynor said. The NYPD has four full-time detectives tasked with finding credit-card skimmers installed on ATMs at bodegas, but say the problem is too widespread to be stopped with those resources. The problem is that its transient, they come in and place the device and move on. In early January we were getting killed, Deputy Inspector Christopher Flanagan of the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force said, referring to a January spike in skimming-related crimes. In February, Traynor gave NYPD five Skim Reapers to test. The device looks like a long credit card that can be slid into a card slot in a gas pump or ATM. Its attached by a wire to a cell-phone-sized box with a small readout screen that says possible skimmer! when multiple read heads are detected. Part of the attraction to the Skim Reaper is its simplicity. Flanagan said officers in New York recently found the first skimmer using the device at an ATM in Brooklyn. Ive been doing skimming for approximately five years now and I have never used anything like this or have known of anything like this, said NYPD Detective James Lilla of the Financial Crimes Task Force. Its definitely an assist we can use to combat ATM skimming. The advent of debit and credit cards with protective chips that are inserted into special readers has helped some retail businesses combat skimming. But the higher cost of the new readers and complexity of switching over to a new technology has been an obstacle for small retail businesses and gas stations where criminals have flourished. Steven Weisman, a cybersecurity expert and professor at Bentley University in Massachusetts, said the Skim Reaper could be a revolutionary, watershed moment in the battle against skimmers. If indeed this new technology could be done on a cost effective basis, it could put the skimmers out of business. It would save people tremendous amounts of money and aggravation, Weisman said. Right now, it costs about $50 to make each Skim Reaper, Traynor said, but his team is working daily to get that number down. In New York, NYPDs Flanagan said more testing needs to be done but he is impressed with early results. Mainly, it allows untrained officers to be employed in the anti-skimming effort, where before trained investigators were needed to identify the illegal devices. I have four detectives who do the ATM skimming full time, he said. Theyre all extremely busy with the amount of work we do, so when I can take someone who is untrained, or has some more free time to go out and do these inspections, it certainly is a help. Nolen Scaife, one of the graduate students who designed the device with Traynor, said the team is working to improve the Skim Reapers design so that it is wallet-sized. Then, consumers would be able to carry the device and dip it into a card reader before they get gas or use the ATM to ensure they arent being skimmed. Theres no greater feeling than feeling the work youre doing has wide-ranging impact, Scaife said. Were glad to be able to produce something that will curb the tide. Jason Dearen and Josh Replogle are Associated Press writers. LONDON Facebook faced a wave of criticism for missing interference by Russian groups during the 2016 presidential campaign in the United States. Now it is making Ireland an early test case for new policies meant to block such meddling. With a contentious May 25 referendum on Irelands abortion ban approaching, Facebook said Tuesday that it would block political ads from groups based outside the country. The Menlo Park company also recently introduced a tool so users can see all the ads a group is posting on its network, in a bid to increase transparency of political campaigning. Facebook has said similar tools will eventually be introduced in other countries, with analysts and observers focused in particular on this years midterm elections in the United States. The response illustrates a more aggressive approach to regulating political advertising since the 2016 campaign, when Facebook disclosed that it had sold more than $100,000 worth of political ads to Russian-linked accounts. Our company approach is to build tools to increase transparency around political advertising so that people know who is paying for the ads they are seeing, and to ensure any organization running a political ad is located in that country, Facebook said in a blog post outlining the Irish decision. The referendum on whether to end Irelands constitutional ban on abortion, a vote that is expected to be tight, has drawn concerns that foreign groups will try to influence the debate through social media. Irish electoral law bans political donations from non-Irish citizens or residents, but online advertising was not envisioned when the law was written, and transparency activists and online monitors have reported a swelling number of online ads, many of unknown origin. Facebook said that groups working on both sides of the Irish referendum would be able to flag advertisements suspected of coming from foreign organizations. The advertisements will then be investigated by the social media platform. The company also said it would use artificial intelligence technology to spot potentially problematic material. Many countries, including the United States, prohibit foreign groups from advertising in domestic elections, but regulating the spending is difficult with more political activity moving online. Facebooks advertising system has become a favorite of political groups because it is largely automated, and makes it easy to tailor ads for narrow segments of voters. Since the 2016 election, Facebook has made several policy changes to address concerns over the role it plays in elections and politics around the world. The company has changed its News Feed algorithm to de-emphasize political news, and has hired thousands of moderators globally to spot rumors and extremist content. The company is also changing its advertising policies, including allowing only authorized groups to buy political ads. A new verification process will eventually require advertisers to be based in the country where the election is taking place. In addition, Facebook is planning to introduce a searchable database to show how much an advertiser is spending, as well as the demographic details of the audience that a group is trying to reach. Padraic Ryan, projects coordinator for the social media verification service Storyful, said that Facebooks move is a welcome one. But he added that countries like Ireland needed to formulate their own rules rather than rely on private companies. This is about regulation and transparency, Ryan said. Its not just about Facebook. He added: Weve seen ... ads on YouTube, display ads on any number of sites, suggested results on Google linking to pro- or anti- pages, and its not at all clear who is behind these. It seems manifest now that there should have been rules regulated before the fact. Google and its video-sharing service, YouTube, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Europe in particular has become a testing ground for some of Facebooks changes to protect against political interference. Before the German election in September, for example, the company deleted thousands of fake accounts and worked with election officials to stop the spread of misinformation more quickly. Researchers are now focused on the referendum in Ireland and Facebooks role in the campaign. Last week, Gavin Sheridan, a former employee for Storyful, was able to trace one web page, ostensibly an information source for undecided voters but with no verifiable identification or contact details, to conservative Roman Catholic groups in the United States. The page seemed designed, Sheridan said, to draw in undecided voters who would then be targeted with personalized ads for the campaign that seeks to maintain Irelands conservative abortion laws. Its not necessarily underhanded to try and identify targets for advertising, but if you are not being transparent about who you are representing, then its a problem, he said. Adam Satariano and Ed OLoughlin are New York Times writers. When you go into a travel website to make a booking, check your points and miles balances and so on, do you worry about the security of your personal data? Maybe you should. A new study of 55 leading travel websites by Dashlane, a digital security company, found that 89 percent of them got a failing grade, leaving users data perilously exposed to hackers due to unsafe password practices, the company said. TravelSkills with Chris McGinnis sponsored by See More Collapse The only airline websites that earned a passing grade were those of United and Hawaiian, which both scored 4. Airlines earning a score of 3 were Alaska, Delta, Frontier, Southwest and Spirit. JetBlue and Sun Country each got a score of 2, while Air Canada, American and Allegiant only managed a score of 1. Dashlane Why does this matter? Most consumers have a trove of personal and financial information stored on travel sites (credit cards, address, email, passport #, drivers license #, etc.), said Dashlane senior manager Ryan Merchant. Needless to say, if a hacker was able to access an account theyd have everything they need to easily steal someones identity or wreak financial havoc across their accounts. Theres also a severe physical security risk as well. If hackers can see your travel plans, as well as your address, then theyll know when you wont be home and could potential burgle your home, car, office, etc. Whats more, hackers could potentially break into your frequent flyer account and steal your hard-earned points or miles. Its unfortunately not an infrequent occurrence. Merchant said. While airlines might refund stolen miles or points, this process is rather laborious as you must prove to the airline that you did not have access to your account, he noted. This could prove to be a major hardship for frequent travelers. Keep in mind that Dashlane is a free app that helps people store, manage and generate passwords on their phones, tablets and laptops. So it is invested in spooking us a bit here, but its pitch is still interesting. The study looked at five different aspects of password requirements for individual accounts at each website and graded them on a score of one to five. Of the 55 travel websites evaluated, only 11 percent got a passing grade of 4 or better. Criteria the company looked at were: Whether the site allowed a user to create a password of fewer than eight characters; whether it required both letters and numbers in the password; whether the site evaluated the relative strength of a new users password; whether the site sent a confirmation email to the user after an account was created; and whether the site provided for two-factor authentication. Regarding that last test, Dashlane said 96 percent of the travel sites did not provide two-factor authentication something the company recommends for any sensitive account. It also found that 81 percent of the travel sites didnt offer an assessment of password strength to users creating new accounts. Compared to its tests of other kinds of consumer websites, travel sites performed especially poorly, Dashlane said. Besides airlines, the study looked at password requirements for accounts on the websites of hotel chains, rental car companies, cruise lines and third-party booking sites. Only one company Airbnb got a top score of 5. And only one company Norwegian Cruise Line -- got a score of zero. Among the major hotel brands, Hilton and Marriott got a passing score of 4, while Best Western and Hyatt scored 3, Sheraton scored 2, and InterContinental Hotel Group, Accor and Choice Hotels scored 1. Dashlane made the following recommendations for password security: -Use a unique password for every online account. -Generate passwords that exceed the minimum of 8 characters. -Create passwords with a mix of case-sensitive letters, numbers, and special symbols. -Avoid using passwords that contain common phrases, slang, places, or names. -Use a password manager to help generate, store, and manage your passwords. -Under no circumstances should you use an unsecured WiFi connection (e.g. public WiFi) while traveling. Do you think your personal data, miles and points are safe in the hands of travel suppliers? What do you do to keep them safe? Please leave your comments below 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. For years, Oakland public school officials have watched thousands of city students leave their schools and enroll in charters, with more than $10,000 in state funding following each of them out the door. In Oakland and in other districts across the state district leaders have frequently complained they have been unable to reduce costs or close enough schools to offset that lost revenue. That means, they say, the growing number of charter schools are pulling resources away from traditional schools. But they havent been able to put a price tag on it, until now. In Oakland, the district had a net loss of $57.4 million in revenue last school year, even after taking into account the savings of not having to educate the 15,500 students who chose to attend one of the citys 40 charter schools instead, according to a University of Oregon study released Tuesday. The study came up with the $57.4 million price tag by comparing what the district would gain in state funding if all students currently enrolled in charters actually attended public schools and then what it would cost to educate them. The difference is the net loss. Oakland has more charter schools per capita than any other district in California and has struggled to balance its budget in recent years, with schools forced to make $9 million in mid-year cuts this year. The report, called a first-of-its-kind analysis of such costs, also included net-loss analysis for East Side Union High School District in Santa Clara County and San Diego Unified. The high costs of charter schools have led to decreases in neighborhood public schools in counseling, libraries, music and art programs, lab sciences, field trips, reading tutors, special education funding, and even the most basic supplies like toilet paper, said the researcher, political science Professor Gordon Lafer. Unlimited charter school expansion is pushing some of Californias school districts toward a financial tipping point, from which they will be unable to return. The research was sponsored by In the Public Interest, a nonprofit opposed to the privatization of public services and critical of charter schools, which are public schools but independently run. While both traditional and charter schools are taxpayer funded and subject to state and local oversights, traditional school advocates say charter schools represent the privatization of public education, with support from big-money donors with special interests. Charter school supporters say traditional schools have failed too many students, and families want choice. This report is yet another tactic by special interests to prioritize politics over kids it is pure propaganda and is far from impartial as the author claims, said the California Charter School Association in a statement. Local districts must own their role as fiscal stewards responsible for their budgets and stop ignoring the hard decisions that lie ahead like crushing unfunded pension liabilities or underused facilities and come up with a range of solutions that ultimately benefit all public students. The study did not take into account how many of the students enrolled in charters would have chosen private schools or home schooling if charters werent an option. The first question to really ask and entertain is, why do charters even exist? said David Castillo, executive director of Oakland Charters, a nonprofit that supports city charter schools and their leadership boards. Theres something charters are offering that families are attracted to. School districts no longer have a monopoly on providing public education, he added. Yet, district officials say that charter schools have unfair advantages. They can turn students away when full, for example, which traditional districts cant do. In addition, charters serve disproportionately fewer special needs students, especially those with the most severe disabilities. And in Oakland, for example, the district serves far more newcomer students who arrive mid-year, many who are unaccompanied minors who dont speak English and who are years behind academically. The greater a student is in need, the more it costs to educate that student, said Oakland Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell at the official release of the report at Castlemont High School. Oakland Unifieds enrollment has significantly declined over the past two decades, with 37,000 students this year, down from 54,000 in 2000. During that same period, charter enrollment has gone from about 1,000 to 15,500. District officials have not closed many schools to address the lower enrollment, saying its not an effective way to save money. When the school board closed five schools several years ago, two converted to charters, ultimately leading to a loss of 1,000 students, said board President Aimee Eng. We really have limited options, she said. The report released Tuesday wasnt the be-all, end-all, Johnson-Trammell said, but its a start in compiling information that the district and state policymakers should have in order to address the needs of all students. The report recommended that all state school districts be required to identify the economic impact of charter schools and that each charter school application include a specific assessment of associated cost to the districts. The author also recommended amending state law to allow districts to consider financial impact to the district when assessing charter school applications. Currently, school boards cant base a decision on what the lost enrollment would mean for the district. We want to encourage our policymakers to look at whats happening in Oakland, Eng said. We encourage policymakers to dig in deeper. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker Read the report Go online to www.inthepublicinterest.org The Vietnamese ao dai a long, slim-fitting tunic worn over trousers has a rich history. The dress has come to symbolize the multilayered nature of political struggle, art and heritage. In this spirit, San Joses Ao Dai Festival showcases the work of Vietnamese artists, designers and performers. Proceeds from the festival help support a childrens shelter in central Vietnam. The event begins with a free opening ceremony featuring the latest ao dai fashions accompanied by traditional music. The ticketed evening program, hosted at the Fairmont Hotel, includes a cocktail reception and dinner performance titled Hoi Trung Duong. Not San Francisco, not San Diego, not even Los Angeles, gets to brag about having the best tacos in California. According to Thrillist, that honor goes to Nuestro Mexico in Bakersfield. Writer Matt Meltzer acknowledged Los Angeles is home to many delicious "hole-in-the-wall taco joints," San Diego has mastered the art of the fish taco, and San Francisco gets creative with "Korean bulgogi pork belly foie gras truffle tacos," before defending his decision with an all caps "JUST LET BAKERSFIELD HAVE THIS." OUR PICKS: The best places to get tacos in San Francisco Meltzer explained what pushed Nuestro Mexico to the top of the pack was the restaurant's meat, which is expertly seasoned and piled high on the tortilla. Reviewers on Yelp seem to especially love the tacos al pastor and the fish tacos. "I'm fortunate enough to work with people who care about what they do. They enjoy what they do and that gets transmitted into the food and, in this case, it was the tacos," Nuestro Mexico owner Josue Sanchez told KBAX/KBFX. "I don't think we have a secret. I think what we do is we care for what we do. We try our best every day, and we care about the things we do and it shows." BURRITO BUCKET LIST: SF's wildest burritos, beyond the California-Mexican Mission style We asked a few Bakersfield locals and those who often stop by when passing through what they thought about Thrillist's pick. Mike Pierce said on Facebook his choice for best tacos is Loncheria Otro Rollo, a truck that specializes in potato tacos. Scott Zentner has simple taste: "The best tacos are the ones in front of me. I'll eat a taco anytime, almost anywhere." What do you think? Let us know where your favorite taco spot is in the comments. Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com. A gray whale carcass was found beached on Angel Island Wednesday, the second dead whale in two months to wash up on shore. The Marine Mammal Center confirmed it was working with the California Academy of Sciences to perform a necropsy and determine the cause of death. San Francisco Whale Tours rerouted their whale watching trips to avoid Angel Island Wednesday. "It tends to upset passengers," said Michael Pierson, a naturalist with the company. "We know from our tours that there have been at least two grays feeding around Treasure Island over the past week," Pierson added. He also said there had been reports of a whale bleeding near the Oakland International Airport over the past few days but responders weren't able to locate the animal. In March, a 28-foot juvenile male gray whale washed up on Angel Island State Park's Sand Springs Beach. Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center, the California Academy of Sciences and UC Davis determined the whale died of severe malnutrition. "This particular gray whale was likely in its first year of foraging on its own in the wild, and it's unknown whether this juvenile was following a food source into San Francisco Bay prior to its death," Dr. Padraig Duignan, chief research pathologist at the Marine Mammal Center said in a statement. Gray whales are migrating up the California coast from Mexico to Alaska for the summer. They can be seen in high numbers through the end of May, especially gray whale mothers and their calves, who are the last to make the northward migration. SFGATE's Amy Graff contributed to this report. Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com. WASHINGTON President Trumps nominee to be CIA director said Wednesday that she does not believe torture works and would not carry out any presidential order she thought was immoral. Facing tough questioning by members of the Senate intelligence committee, Gina Haspel insisted her moral compass is strong. If confirmed, she said she would not permit the CIA to restart the kind of harsh detention and interrogation program the spy agency ran at black sites after 9/11 and tainted Americans image worldwide. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal, said Haspel, a 33-year veteran of the agency. Haspel, who is currently acting CIA director, was responding to a question about what she would do if Trump ordered her to do something she thought was morally objectionable. Trump has said he supports subjecting terror suspects to harsh interrogation tactics like waterboarding, which simulates drowning, and a hell of a lot worse. I dont believe that torture works, Haspel said, adding that she doesnt think Trump would ever ask her to resume waterboarding. The 61-year-old intelligence professional, who has served in undercover assignments both domestically and abroad for more than three decades, faces what will likely be a close confirmation vote in the full Senate. Her nomination has become contentious because she was chief of base of a covert detention site in Thailand where terror suspects were waterboarded. There also have been questions about how she drafted a cable that her boss used to order the destruction of videotapes of interrogation sessions conducted at the site. Senators grilled Haspel and her hearing was disrupted by protesters shouting Prosecute the torturers! and Bloody Gina. Haspel remained stone-faced as police escorted them out of the room. I realize that there are strong disagreements on the effectiveness of the CIAs detention and interrogation program, Haspel wrote in answers to more than 100 questions submitted by committee members and released at her hearing. In my view a view shared by all nine former directors and acting directors the CIA was able to collect valuable intelligence that contributed to the prevention of further terrorist attacks. That said, it is impossible to know whether the CIA could have obtained the same information in another way. Deb Riechmann and Kevin Freking are Associated Press writers. A dark foreboding cloud of ash towered above a crater in the latest photo from the U.S. Geological Survey following the volcanic activity unfolding on Hawaii's Kilauea. The ash cloud whirled into the air on Wednesday morning when rockfall from the crater's steep walls fell into a lake of bubbling hot lava, which triggered a short-lived explosion. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis said Wednesday that it had spoken to lawyers for the special counsel, Robert Mueller, about its payments to a shell company controlled by Michael Cohen, President Trumps personal lawyer and longtime fixer. Novartis said it paid $1.2 million to Cohens company, Essential Consultants LLC, for a one-year consulting contract on health care policy matters. The contract began shortly after Trumps inauguration and expired in February of this year. The company said it was contacted by Muellers office in November of last year and that it had fully cooperated. Mueller is examining Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The payments came to light Tuesday after Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Stephanie Clifford, an adult film actress who said she had an affair with Trump, released a document that contained details of the financial transactions. Similar payments were made by AT&T and the aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries. The New York Times reviewed financial records that confirmed some of what was in Avenattis report. Clifford was paid $130,000 by Essential Consultants to keep quiet about the alleged affair with Trump. The companies arrangements with Cohen show how eager corporate executives were to establish ties to a new administration that did not seem to play by the typical Washington rule book or work in the traditional circles of power. Trumps arrival came at a particularly perilous time for both Novartis and AT&T. Trump had threatened to eliminate President Barack Obamas health care program, which could disrupt the pharmaceutical industry. AT&T had announced an $85.4 billion bid for Time Warner in 2016, and needed the approval of the Justice Department. The circumstances with Korea Aerospace are less clear. Katie Thomas and Cecilia Kang are New York Times writers. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Primary elections in four Republican-leaning states rattled Congress on Tuesday night, as voters ejected a sitting member of the House and set up intense campaigns for the Senate in several battlegrounds. Republicans averted a worst-case scenario the nomination of an ex-convict coal baron in West Virginia but faced warning signs elsewhere. Here are several takeaways from the evening. Congress is very unpopular: Voters nearly always dislike Congress, but Tuesday was a vivid illustration of just how toxic the taint of Washington may be in 2018. The night was a near wipeout for members of the House seeking higher office. Three Republican lawmakers lost campaigns for the Senate: Luke Messer and Todd Rokita in Indiana, and Evan Jenkins in West Virginia. Most alarming for Republicans was Rep. Robert Pittengers defeat in North Carolina, which may cost them a seat in the general election. But it was not just voters on the right showing dissatisfaction: Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia saw 3 in 10 Democratic primary voters cast ballots for a low-profile liberal activist instead. Mainstream prevails in Ohio: A populist-oriented swing state that Trump won easily in 2016, Ohio could have been welcoming ground for fiery rebels on the left and the right. But Trumpian politics fizzled in several important primaries, and voters chose a thoroughly conventional pair of candidates for governor in Mike DeWine, a Republican, and Richard Cordray, a Democrat. Manchin is in for a fight: Manchin, a conservative-leaning Democrat, may face the most difficult race of his career. His hopes for facing Don Blankenship, the former coal executive and convicted criminal, were dashed Tuesday when Attorney General Patrick Morrisey claimed the Republican nomination. Blankenship, who during the primary attacked Sen. Mitch McConnells family in racially charged language, would likely have been abandoned by Senate Republicans had he won the nomination. Year of the women continued: Women have found success in the early primaries of 2018, with the trend continuing Tuesday: Nineteen open House Democratic primaries had at least one female candidate and a woman won in 16 of them. Its Trumps Party: On Tuesday, not one Trump critic won a Republican primary. The major Republican candidates cast themselves as Trump allies and in some cases explicitly invoked him as a role model. Republicans may be more careful about embracing Trump in bluer states. So far, though, they are assembling a 2018 slate tied closely to him in every important race. Alex Burns and Jonathan Martin are New York Times writers. Kenneth Humphrey turned in his drab, orange jail-issued clothing Wednesday for a cherry-red suit and matching sneakers and stepped onto the streets of San Francisco after nearly a year behind bars. Between the time he was arrested and charged with robbery, burglary and elder abuse and now, his case has upended the states cash bail system forcing prosecutors and judges around California to reconsider how they handle defendants before trial. A Superior Court judge last week granted Humphrey pretrial release under the condition he sign up for electronic monitoring and agree to 24-hour home detention at a San Francisco drug and alcohol treatment program for seniors. He was officially released to the treatment program Wednesday. Im feeling pretty good. Im feeling all right. Im going to make it, Humphrey said to a group of reporters waiting outside a San Francisco Sheriffs Department facility, where the 64-year-old was fitted with his ankle monitor. I didnt think it was going to turn out like this. I thought I was never going to see the streets again. Humphreys case vaulted into the spotlight in January when the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco ruled that his $350,000 bail was excessive and unfair because he could not afford to pay it. The ruling was a major victory for advocates, who for years have worked to change Californias cash bail system, arguing it unfairly keeps poor people jailed while wealthier defendants can pay for their release. Today is a huge vindication both for the presumption of innocence as well as the fundamental right to liberty that all of us share, said Deputy Public Defender Chesa Boudin, one of Humphreys attorneys and a bail reform advocate. For Mr. Humphrey himself, obviously, its been a long and frustrating road. In February, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said he would not appeal the lower court ruling, which disrupted the long-standing practice of judges setting bail in fixed amounts based on charges a defendant faces and their prior criminal history. ALSO SF inmate in landmark battle over bail wins release Judges must now consider a defendants ability to pay bail and consider alternatives to incarceration, like ankle monitoring. I wanted to challenge it, and I won, Humphrey said Wednesday. Its opened up a can of worms. San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon argued that Humphrey should remain in jail without bail, following the landmark ruling by the appeals court. He has since asked the state Supreme Court to take up the Humphrey decision, arguing there is a public safety risk in releasing some defendants accused of serious crimes. Prosecutors can still ask judges to jail some defendants before they go to trial, but only the most violent defendants can be held without bail under the standard set by the state Constitution. The state Supreme Court has until May 24 to decide if it will take up the case. Humphreys attorneys, meanwhile, are due back in court next week, when a judge will set his trial date on the criminal charges. He is accused of following his 79-year-old neighbor into an apartment, threatening to put a pillowcase over the mans head, and stealing a few dollars and a bottle of cologne. His attorney said Humphrey was attempting to collect on a debt owed to him by the alleged victim. Humphrey pleaded not guilty to the charges and said hes ready to move ahead with his case and get on with his life. Im not going to do anything wrong, he said. My whole life has been changed for a better life, a peaceful life. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky ED NOTE: Eds: Updates 2nd paragraph with context. With AP Photos. CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) Voters in the heart of Trump country are ready to decide the fate of Don Blankenship, a brash West Virginia businessman and GOP outsider with a checkered past who is testing the appeal of President Donald Trumps outsider playbook in one of the nations premiere U.S. Senate contests. The stakes are high for a Republican Party bracing for major losses in this falls midterm elections. A victory on Tuesday for Blankenship, an ex-convict who has run racially charged ads, could make it hard for Republicans to pick up a Senate seat in deep-red West Virginia come November. But the anti-establishment fervor unleashed by Trumps 2016 campaign has proved difficult for GOP leaders to rein in. On the eve of states Senate primary election, Trump himself warned on Twitter that a Blankenship win would destroy Republicans chance of defeating Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin this fall. Blankenship cant win the General Election in your State...No way! the president wrote of the retired coal executive, who was released from prison last year for his role in the deadliest U.S. mine disaster in four decades. Firing back at the Republican president, Blankenship described himself as Trumpier than Trump as he shrugged off Trumps call for local Republicans to support one of his two opponents. West Virginia will send the swamp a message: No one, and I mean no one, will tell us how to vote, Blankenship declared. On Tuesday, West Virginia will join Indiana, North Carolina and Ohio in hosting primary elections in states Trump carried in 2016. The Republican contests largely feature candidates jockeying to be seen as the most conservative, the most anti-Washington and the most loyal to the president. In Indiana, Republicans will pick from among three Senate candidates who have spent much of the race praising Trump and bashing one another. The winner will take on another vulnerable Democrat, Sen. Joe Donnelly, this fall. In Ohio, Republicans will likely nominate a more conservative candidate than outgoing GOP Gov. John Kasich, a 2016 presidential candidate and frequent Trump critic. Even Kasichs former running mate, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, has pledged to unwind some of Kasichs centrist policies, including the expansion of the Medicaid government insurance program. Ohio also features primary elections in both parties to decide the candidates for an August special election to replace GOP Rep. Pat Tiberi, who resigned earlier in the year. North Carolina Republicans will weigh in on the fate of Republican Rep. Robert Pittenger, who faces a primary challenger who almost upset him two years ago. Pittenger features Trump prominently in his campaign, while challenger Mark Harris, a prominent Charlotte pastor, has called Pittenger a creature of Washington who refuses to help Trump drain that swamp. Yet none of Tuesdays contests is expected to have more impact on the 2018 midterm landscape than West Virginia. Blankenship has embraced Trumps tactics casting himself as a victim of government persecution and seizing on xenophobia, if not racism to stand out in a crowded Republican field that includes state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Republican congressman Evan Jenkins. Republicans have long seen the state as a prime opportunity to expand the partys two-seat majority in the Senate by defeating Manchin. On paper at least, the GOP prospects look good: No state gave Trump a larger margin of victory than West Virginia, where Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton by 42 points. Yet Republicans across Washington are convinced that Blankenship, an unapologetic conservative who lives part time near Las Vegas, cannot defeat Manchin. In addition to Trumps warning, the head of the Senate Republican campaign arm has highlighted Blankenships criminal history. And a group allied with the national GOP, known as Mountain Families PAC, has spent more than $1.2 million in attack ads against Blankenship in recent weeks. The retired businessman was released from prison less than a year ago for his role in a 2010 mine explosion that left 29 men dead. Blankenship led the company that owned the mine and was sentenced to a year in prison for conspiring to break safety laws, a misdemeanor. He has repeatedly blamed government regulators for the disaster, casting himself as the victim of an overzealous Obama-era Justice Department an argument Trump regularly uses to dismiss federal agents investigating his campaigns ties to Russia. Blankenship has used race and ethnicity to appeal to supporters in the campaigns final days, just as Trump did throughout his campaign. The Senate candidate took aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in an ad claiming that McConnell has created jobs for China people and that his China family has given him millions of dollars. McConnells wife is U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who was born in Taiwan. Blankenship also called McConnell Cocaine Mitch in a previous ad. That reference stems from a 2014 magazine article alleging drugs were found aboard a commercial cargo ship owned by Chaos family. Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, a frequent Trump critic, suggested that Blankenship presents a moral problem for the GOP, not just a political one. He said hes ready to donate to Manchins campaign if Blankenship becomes the GOP nominee. You get somebody like that in the Senate, you might get us one seat but you lose your soul, Flake said. Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report. Police are searching the woods in a Michigan suburb outside Detroit for the body of a 12-year-old girl last seen in 1979, and think they may find the bodies of four to six other girls who were reported missing there. Kimberly King, who was reported missing in September 1979 while staying at her grandparents' home, is the focus of the task force's work after her cold case disappearance was reopened. Aerial images and photographs show a crew digging at the edge of a wooded field on the property of a vacant farm in Macomb Township, about an hour north of Detroit. After more than a decade as a favorite hangout for locals, tourists, rap artists and Golden State Warriors players alike, Tanya Hollands iconic West Oakland soul food spot, Brown Sugar Kitchen, will soon cease to exist in its current form. Holland told Inside Scoop the restaurant will close on May 18 and re-open on June 6 as Brown Sugar Test Kitchen. She plans to use the concept as a dinner pop-up space where she will also test recipes. Its something weve even thinking about doing for a while, Holland said. Holland is also working on a counter-service oriented restaurant called Brown Sugar Kitchen Counter she plans to open at San Franciscos Ferry Building later this year. RELATED VIDEO: Classic San Francisco restaurants The Brown Sugar Kitchen Counter menu will have the same spirit as its predecessor by offering signatures like chicken and waffles. Holland said the restaurants aesthetics will be tweaked as well. The model is a direct response to a changing restaurant industry, Holland said. She unveiled the Brown Sugar Kitchen Counter idea in 2017 while taking over the Ferry Buildings former Il Cane Russo space. The current business model for Brown Sugar Kitchen just doesnt really work anymore, she said. I just want to make sure what were doing next with Brown Sugar Kitchen Counter, were doing it right. Holland has a second Brown Sugar Kitchen Counter in the works in Uptown Oakland. The restaurant is taking shape in the 13,600 square foot space left vacant by Pican and Ozumo on Broadway. Opening dates are still in flux for both locations. ALSO Final Pizza Orgasmica location shutters Once Hollands Mandela Parkway space closes for its pivot, it will be the chefs first break from the restaurant business in more than 10 years. Its going to be the perfect time to work on the menu for Brown Sugar Kitchen Counter. So, maybe it isnt really a break, she said with a laugh. We just want to make sure everything is perfect with Brown Sugar Kitchen Counter. Brown Sugar Test Kitchen: 2534 Mandela Pkwy. Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A former Campbell resident was convicted today in federal court in San Francisco of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering in a Ponzi scheme that bilked Japanese investors of $6.8 million. Kevin Kyes, 69, formerly of Campbell and now living in Roseville in Placer County, was found guilty by a jury in the court of U.S. District Judge Susan Illston of 22 counts after a weeklong trial. The convictions included conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 17 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and two counts of money laundering. Kyes will be sentenced by Illston on Aug. 17. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and 10 years for each money laundering count. A codefendant, John Holdaway, 73, of Sandy, Utah, pleaded guilty before Illston in October 2017 to one count of wire fraud. His sentencing date has not been set. In addition to receiving prison terms, both Holdaway and Kyes can be ordered to forfeit the proceeds of the scheme and pay restitution to the victims. U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Abraham Simmons said evidence at the trial showed that Kyes and Holdaway worked between 2012 and 2015 to defraud Japanese investors of $6.8 million through a business they called Money Management Strategies. The investors were told their money would be put into high-speed trading programs that historically had returns of more than 100 percent annually, Simmons said. In fact, however, the two men did not invest the money as promised. Some of the money from later investors was used to repay earlier investors, in a ruse known as a Ponzi scheme. The men spent other investment money on themselves, on repayments to creditors in previous investment programs they ran, and on gold-related businesses, Simmons said. Prosecutors said in a trial brief filed in April that Kyes and Holdaway worked mainly through two Japanese investors to recruit other investors beginning in 2012. In late 2014, the two Japanese contacts were investigated by Japanese regulators for other investors' losses and were eventually cleared. The prosecution brief said the two Japanese recruiters then "became increasingly desperate in their demands of Kyes and Holdaway" and eventually voluntarily flew to the United States to report the alleged scheme to the FBI. Both of the Japanese recruiters testified at Kyes's trial, according to court records. SAN JOSE (BCN) Officials with the San Jose Police Department are calling allegations of racism made in a suit announced Monday against the department and the city of San Jose "an unfair characterization." Lebanese-American, Muslim-American police officer Nabil Haidar filed the suit alleging harassment and discrimination based on race, national origin and religion, saying he experienced those after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Haidar joined the Police Department in September of 1996 and graduated from the police academy in February 1997, at which time he was assigned to patrol duty, a statement from the law firm Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer, which is representing him, said. After the historic attacks, Haidar allegedly experienced a "relentless stream" of harassment and discrimination and was regularly labeled as "Taliban," "ISIS" and "Lebanese Bomber" among others. "Haidar kept quiet because he felt his career and advancement opportunities would be negatively impacted if he filed an internal complaint," his attorney Randall Strauss said in the statement. A document attached to the claim alleges that the harassment escalated when the U.S. invaded Iraq. Officers allegedly asked him questions such as, "You're not going to blow up are you?" and called him the "Beirut Bomber." It all came to a shattering crash in November of last year when police Capt. Johnson Fong was recognizing veterans during a briefing and Sgt. Robert LaBarbera allegedly called Haidar out, saying that he should be noted as an ISIS veteran because he was with ISIS for two years. Fong allegedly laughed at the comment in front of an estimated 70 sworn officers and 12 leadership staff, Haidar's attorneys said. At this time, Haidar filed an internal complaint and allegedly faced retaliation and was harassed in all settings. It got to the point where Haidar excused himself from daily briefings. In January, the harassment stopped when Haidar was transferred to the Police Department's Recruitment Unit. He asked to be transferred because the facility was smaller and he knew people that worked there, according to the statement. The lawsuit alleges that Haidar has lost all overtime opportunities now that he is working in recruitment and makes less money now, meaning that he cannot retire as early as he planned. Allegedly, his total economic loss is $1,350,000. Attorneys representing Haidar allege that while Chief Eddie Garcia knows about the harassment and discrimination, no officers have been punished or have been ordered to apologize. San Jose police spokeswoman Officer Gina Tepoorten said that while she could not comment on specific personnel matters or a pending lawsuit that police have not reviewed, the department's diversity is its biggest strength. "Evidence of how we value diversity is reflected in our policies, actions and initiatives both internally and in our community," Tepoorten said. The spokeswoman said that generally when an allegation such as this one is made, it is dealt with quickly, and if valid, severely. Since Haidar filed the claim Monday, a confidential complaint made in 2016 by a citizen regarding a service call was allegedly leaked to news outlets, Haidar's attorneys said this afternoon. Haidar's attorneys believe the leak could only have come from a San Jose police officer. "The complaint was investigated and Officer Haidar accepted a one week suspension," Strauss said. "This is the only sustained complaint against Haidar in his 21-year career with the San Jose Police Department." SAN JOSE (BCN) San Jose police received notice today of a bomb threat targeting schools but the threat was nonspecific and unsubstantiated, police said. An Oak Grove School District employee contacted an officer at 8:10 a.m. and informed them about a threatening email regarding a bomb on school buses. Police did not find a bomb, but said they take all threats seriously and are monitoring the situation. There was no further information about the threat or whether schools were placed on lockdown. Berkeley police are asking for help locating a woman missing since early this afternoon. Christine Jama, 66, was last seen at noon near in the 2400 block Parker Street. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Legislation was introduced today at San Francisco's Board of Supervisors meeting that would create a department to address what Supervisor Hilary Ronen says are "appalling failures" on behalf of the city in responding to cases of sexual assault. According to Ronen, who introduced the legislation, the idea came about after hearing multiple stories from sexual assault survivors, describing dismissive and insensitive treatment from city employees, from hospital workers to police officers to staff at the district attorney's office. "I have heard enough stories that it is clear to me that these are not just isolated incidents. There is a pattern of negligence and mistreatment that is abusive toward victims," Ronen said this afternoon at a rally ahead of the meeting. "These are our city employees who are blaming victims for their own assaults, disregarding the severity of these rapes and denying these survivors the right to an objective investigation," she said. "I am introducing legislation today to ensure that there is a dedicated team to oversee departmental accountability when sexual assault and sexual harassment cases are disregarded by the city." According to Ronen, the creation of SHARP, the office of Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention, would help address complaints regarding response failures from city departments, create a sense of transparency by promoting further information sharing between different city departments and develop policies to improve systematic responses to sexual assault and harassment. At today's rally, a handful of survivors spoke about their experiences dealing with the crimes on the city-level. A woman, who chose only to identify herself as Jane Dough, described waiting for hours in a line with other victims to see a single nurse assigned to handle sexual assaults, an officer with the Police Department's special victim's unit telling her the crime would be hard to prove, and a victim's advocate with the district attorney's office discouraging her from inquiring about the case. "Police and prosecutors make a mockery of rape victims and rape investigations. Victims are doubted, shamed and discarded," Jane Dough said. "There are disconnects, gaps and flaws between our infrastructure for victims services." "If somebody's home was broken into, we don't ask them over and over and over again 'are you sure your home was broken into?'" said Beverly Upton with the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium. "We're not the judge and jury, we are the community; everybody is." Ronen held a hearing on the matter on April 25. According to Ronen, nine other supervisors have already agreed to cosponsor the legislation. "It's very rare to go into introductions with a piece of legislation with so much support, and I think that that's a testament to the fact that we have a broken system here in San Francisco that needs fixing, and the impact of the survivors who have been telling their stories," Ronen said. OAKLAND (BCN) A report released today says that charter schools cost the Oakland Unified School District $57.3 million in funding every year that otherwise could be used to reduce class sizes and have more core services such as counseling and libraries. Speaking at a news conference at Castlemont High School in East Oakland, University of Oregon political scientist and professor Gordon Lafer, who led the study, said, "Our analysis shows that the continued expansion of charter schools has steadily drained money away from school districts and concentrated high-needs students in neighborhood public schools." Lafer said, "The high costs of charter schools have led to decreases in neighborhood public schools in counseling, libraries, music and art programs, lab sciences, field trips, reading tutors, special education funding, and even the most basic supplies like toilet paper." The study, called "Breaking Point: The Cost of Charter Schools for Public School Districts," was commissioned by In The Public Interest, an Oakland-based think tank that seeks the best use of public funds in providing goods and services. Lafer said the study also examined the cost of charter schools in the East Side Union High School District in the San Jose area and the San Diego Unified School District and found that they cost East Side $19.3 million a year and San Diego $65.9 million annually. Lafer said the report is not anti-charter schools, but he said, "We need to keep our eyes open and make a full accounting of all the costs" associated with such schools. He said the number of California charter schools has increased by more than 900 percent to more than 1,200 schools over the last two decades and Oakland has the highest concentration of charter schools in the state, with 30 percent of its students enrolled in them. Lafer said if Oakland wasn't losing $57 million a year to charter schools it could reduce class sizes to 18 students in all of its elementary schools, double the number of nurses and guidance counselors and still have money left over. The report proposes changing the California Charter Schools Act, which currently doesn't allow school boards to consider how charter schools might impact a district's educational programs or fiscal health when weighing new charter applications. Lafer said, "We can't put our heads in the sand and pretend there's no cost." Joining Lafer at the news conference, Oakland schools Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammel said the information in the report is an important tool in helping the district plan its future. Johnson-Trammel said, "We don't want to take an anti-charter school stance, but this will help us make better decisions for using our limited funds." She said the important thing is to ensure that all schools in Oakland are of high quality. Jasmene Miranda, a teacher at Fremont High School in Oakland, said the report's findings "are not surprising." Miranda said money lost to charter schools means, "We lose funding and teachers and other services." Eric Hanushek, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford who has studied charter schools for many years, said the study's examination of the long-term costs of charter schools "is not in the right ballpark." Hanushek said school districts such as Oakland lose revenues when students move to charter schools but he said their expenses should also decrease so the pluses and minuses should equal out in the long run. Hanushek said school districts have to get smaller if more students go to charter schools but he said he thinks many districts "want more money" and don't want to make many cuts. He said the report "has no discussion about how to do a better job of providing a high-quality education for students." Hanushek said, "People are leaving public schools because they're dissatisfied with the services they're providing and they want better schools." SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A lawyer argued in federal court in San Francisco today that his client, an undocumented Mexican immigrant acquitted last year of state murder charges, is being made a "poster illegal immigrant" by President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in their crusade against unlawful immigration and sanctuary cities. Jose Inez Garcia Zarate was acquitted in San Francisco Superior Court last year of state charges of the murder of Kate Steinle, who was fatally shot on Pier 14 in San Francisco on July 1, 2015, with a ricocheting bullet from a gun held by Garcia Zarate. He claimed the shooting was an accident. Garcia Zarate, represented by veteran defense attorney Tony Serra, now separately faces two federal charges of being an ex-felon and an undocumented person in possession of a gun. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria heard arguments today on a key pretrial defense motion: a bid by Serra for the right to gather evidence to support his claim that the federal case is unfair vindictive prosecution following the murder case acquittal. Chhabria told Serra at the start of the hearing that the defense has an "uphill" battle to win the motion. But he deferred ruling on the request and will issue a written decision later. In the meantime, Chhabria scheduled Garcia Zarate's federal jury trial to begin Oct. 1. The trial may take up to two weeks. Garcia Zarate, who is being held without bail, appeared at the hearing in red jail clothing. He listened to the arguments through a translator but did not speak. In his arguments to Chhabria, Serra cited Trump's tweet the day of the Nov. 30 murder acquittal calling the verdict "disgraceful" and "a travesty of justice." He noted a Dec. 1 statement in which Sessions said the U.S. Department of Justice was "working right now to bring any charges that are appropriate" against Garcia Zarate. "The poster illegal immigrant that they campaigned about has been acquitted by a sanctuary city," Serra argued. The defense contends Garcia Zarate is being punished for exercising his constitutional right to have a jury trial in the Superior Court case. Chhabria appeared doubtful, however, that Serra laid sufficient foundation for a claim of vindictive prosecution. The judge commented that even if there was communication between the Justice Department and local federal prosecutors, "I don't see how that's the basis of vindictive prosecution." Assistant U.S. Attorney Shiao Lee argued there are ample court precedents allowing U.S. prosecutors to pursue federal charges separately from related state charges. "The federal government is entitled to take into consideration the outcome of the other case," she contended. At the end of the hearing, Serra urged Chhabria at least to look at potential evidence, such as any relevant government memos or emails that may exist, privately in his chambers and then decide whether the defense is entitled to such materials as a basis for a future bid for dismissal of the case on grounds of vindictive prosecution. Outside of court after the hearing, Serra said, "He told us it was an uphill argument, but at least he's entertaining" the idea of looking at potential materials privately. "We're saying over and over that Trump made the case for us," Serra said. In the Superior Court case, Garcia Zarate was acquitted of murder and assault with a deadly weapon but was convicted of a state charge of being an ex-felon in possession of a weapon. He contended he found the gun, which was stolen several days earlier from the SUV of an off-duty U.S. Bureau of Land Management ranger, under a bench and that it discharged accidentally when he picked it up. Steinle, 32, a Pleasanton native who was living and working in San Francisco, was struck in the back by a bullet that ricocheted off part of the pier and hit her 90 feet away. Garcia Zarate was sentenced in San Francisco Superior Court on Jan. 5 to three years in prison, which he had already served while awaiting trial, and was then transferred to federal custody. He had previous convictions for illegal reentry to the United States following deportation and drug crimes. He was released from San Francisco jail in April 2015 without notification to federal authorities because of San Francisco's sanctuary city policy limiting communication between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials. A freshman student was pronounced dead after a school staff member found him today in the pool at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, police and officials with the San Ramon Valley Unified School District said. Police were sent at 1:51 p.m. to the school's swimming pool where a school staff member found a 15-year-old student, retrieved him from the water and tried to save his life. A 28-year-old inmate was pronounced dead at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose Tuesday evening, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office. At 7:29 p.m. Tuesday night, the inmate died after being admitted on April 5 to receive treatment for a preexisting health condition, deputies said. The inmate was came into custody at the Santa Clara County main jail on August 8, 2013, the Sheriff's Office said. He was awaiting trial for murder and several other criminal charges. The standard protocol for an in-custody death, which includes deploying Sheriff's Office detectives, notifying the district attorney's office and the medical examiner's office, is being followed, according to deputies. No information about the inmate is being disclosed at this time as the Sheriff's Office is waiting to hear back on whether the inmate's next of kin has been notified. A first year student who was found dead in a pool at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville on Tuesday was identified today as Benjamin Curry, 15, of Danville, according to the Contra Costa County coroner's office. Curry was found shortly before 2 p.m. A school staff member pulled him from the pool and tried to save his life, but he was pronounced dead at Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center later Tuesday. The school is offering grief counseling to students. School principal Jason Krolikowski said in a statement to parents and school staff on Tuesday, "Words seem inadequate to express the sadness that many in our community are feeling as they receive this information." Danville police are investigating. Marin County has joined a nationwide lawsuit against 12 pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesalers that allegedly encourage the use of opioids. The county filed the suit today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco, but the suit will be transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio as part of an ongoing, nationwide multi-district opioids litigation, the Marin County Counsel's Office said. The suit alleges the "Big Pharma" companies misled the public about the dangers of opioid addiction, causing sales and overdoses to soar, the County Counsel's Office said. For more than 20 years the drug companies aggressively marketed and falsely promoted liberal opioid prescribing, claiming there was no risk of addiction even when used long-term for chronic pain, according to the plaintiffs in the suit. The nationwide cost associated with the opioid epidemic exceed $1 trillion, and an additional $500 billion in costs are projected by 2020, the County Counsel's Office said. Drug overdoses, most of them linked to opioids, were the leading cause of accidental deaths in Marin County for the past five years, and they far exceed deaths in motor vehicle accidents, according to county officials. Between 2004 and 2013, the number of prescribed opioid painkillers, emergency room visits, admissions for painkiller addictions and overdoses of prescription medications doubled in Marin County, the County Counsel's Office said. Marin County had more prescriptions for opioids than households in 2016, the County Counsel's Office said. Marin County Department of Health and Human Services co-founded RxSafe Marin, a grassroots coalition of community agencies and individuals, to eliminate prescription opioid abuse and deaths. "This litigation is the next step in the County's ongoing leadership in combating the crisis," County Counsel Brian Washington said in a news release. A man who crashed into multiple parked cars in San Bruno on Monday afternoon was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, according to police. The crash happened at about 12:08 p.m. near the intersection of Cherry Avenue and Commodore Drive. The driver, identified as 64-year-old Bradley Jones of Hayward, allegedly struck multiple parked cars along Cherry Avenue. When police responded, they found that Jones appeared to have been drinking. He was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries that were not life-threatening. No one else was injured, police said. Jones was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Anyone with further information about the crash has been asked to contact San Bruno police at (650) 616-7100. A woman who was hit and killed by a car in Palo Alto Saturday night has been identified by the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office as Yelena Fedorova, 87, of Palo Alto. Fedorova was trying to cross East Charleston Road in the 400 block at 8:39 p.m. when she was struck, police said after preliminary investigation. She was not using a crosswalk, police said, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Fedorova was hit by a pickup truck driven by a woman in her twenties, officers said. The driver of the truck was not injured and stayed on scene to cooperate with investigators. The Palo Alto Police Department does not think that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision. The driver was not cited or arrested. The investigation is ongoing, according to police. All lanes of westbound state Highway 24 just before the Caldecott Tunnel in unincorporated Contra Costa County are now clear after a motorist allegedly pointed a firearm at a Caltrans worker and fired shots in the air early this morning, according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP said the motorist - who was arrested this morning at his residence - had pulled over to the center median just west of the tunnel while awaiting assistance for a flat tire around 2:15 a.m. today. According to the CHP, a Caltrans tow truck driver arrived and talked to the motorist, and tried to get him to move his vehicle from the center median to the right-hand shoulder. At some point, the CHP said a verbal argument occurred between the worker and the motorist, with the latter pointing a handgun at the Caltrans employee and then firing off a few rounds in the air. The CHP said a friend of the motorist then came to the scene, picked up the motorist and fled the scene. At that point, CHP officers arrived on the scene and closed all lanes of the freeway to investigate. All lanes of the freeway were cleared around 4:10 a.m. The suspect wasn't identified and the Caltrans employee wasn't injured, the CHP said. No further information was immediately available. A freshman student was pronounced dead on Tuesday after a school staff member found him in the pool at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, police and officials with the San Ramon Valley Unified School District said. Police were sent at 1:51 p.m. to the school's swimming pool where a school staff member found a 15-year-old student, retrieved him from the water and tried to save his life. Police said paramedics took the boy to Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. San Ramon Valley High School principal Jason Krolikowski said in a statement to parents and school staff, "Words seem inadequate to express the sadness that many in our community are feeling as they receive this information." Earlier Tuesday, the high school was placed on a temporary lockdown, which was implemented as a precaution when the medical emergency happened. Danville police are investigating the death, which they said was a drowning. Psychologists, school counselors and a school district support team will be available Wednesday for any students who need help dealing with the grief over the death, Krolikowski said. "If your child needs help dealing with her or his grief, please ask them to reach out to the support available at school," Krolikowski said. A lawyer argued in federal court in San Francisco on Tuesday that his client, an undocumented Mexican immigrant acquitted last year of state murder charges, is being made a "poster illegal immigrant" by President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in their crusade against unlawful immigration and sanctuary cities. Jose Inez Garcia Zarate was acquitted in San Francisco Superior Court last year of state charges of the murder of Kate Steinle, who was fatally shot on Pier 14 in San Francisco on July 1, 2015, with a ricocheting bullet from a gun held by Garcia Zarate. He claimed the shooting was an accident. Garcia Zarate, represented by veteran defense attorney Tony Serra, now separately faces two federal charges of being an ex-felon and an undocumented person in possession of a gun. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria heard arguments on Tuesday on a key pretrial defense motion: a bid by Serra for the right to gather evidence to support his claim that the federal case is unfair vindictive prosecution following the murder case acquittal. Chhabria told Serra at the start of the hearing that the defense has an "uphill" battle to win the motion. But he deferred ruling on the request and will issue a written decision later. In the meantime, Chhabria scheduled Garcia Zarate's federal jury trial to begin Oct. 1. The trial may take up to two weeks. Garcia Zarate, who is being held without bail, appeared at the hearing in red jail clothing. He listened to the arguments through a translator but did not speak. In his arguments to Chhabria, Serra cited Trump's tweet the day of the Nov. 30 murder acquittal calling the verdict "disgraceful" and "a travesty of justice." He noted a Dec. 1 statement in which Sessions said the U.S. Department of Justice was "working right now to bring any charges that are appropriate" against Garcia Zarate. "The poster illegal immigrant that they campaigned about has been acquitted by a sanctuary city," Serra argued. The defense contends Garcia Zarate is being punished for exercising his constitutional right to have a jury trial in the Superior Court case. Chhabria appeared doubtful, however, that Serra laid sufficient foundation for a claim of vindictive prosecution. The judge commented that even if there was communication between the Justice Department and local federal prosecutors, "I don't see how that's the basis of vindictive prosecution." Assistant U.S. Attorney Shiao Lee argued there are ample court precedents allowing U.S. prosecutors to pursue federal charges separately from related state charges. "The federal government is entitled to take into consideration the outcome of the other case," she contended. At the end of the hearing, Serra urged Chhabria at least to look at potential evidence, such as any relevant government memos or emails that may exist, privately in his chambers and then decide whether the defense is entitled to such materials as a basis for a future bid for dismissal of the case on grounds of vindictive prosecution. Outside of court after the hearing, Serra said, "He told us it was an uphill argument, but at least he's entertaining" the idea of looking at potential materials privately. "We're saying over and over that Trump made the case for us," Serra said. In the Superior Court case, Garcia Zarate was acquitted of murder and assault with a deadly weapon but was convicted of a state charge of being an ex-felon in possession of a weapon. He contended he found the gun, which was stolen several days earlier from the SUV of an off-duty U.S. Bureau of Land Management ranger, under a bench and that it discharged accidentally when he picked it up. Steinle, 32, a Pleasanton native who was living and working in San Francisco, was struck in the back by a bullet that ricocheted off part of the pier and hit her 90 feet away. Garcia Zarate was sentenced in San Francisco Superior Court on Jan. 5 to three years in prison, which he had already served while awaiting trial, and was then transferred to federal custody. He had previous convictions for illegal reentry to the United States following deportation and drug crimes. He was released from San Francisco jail in April 2015 without notification to federal authorities because of San Francisco's sanctuary city policy limiting communication between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials. Officials with the San Jose Police Department are calling allegations of racism made in a suit announced Monday against the department and the city of San Jose "an unfair characterization." Lebanese-American, Muslim-American police officer Nabil Haidar filed the suit alleging harassment and discrimination based on race, national origin and religion, saying he experienced those after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Haidar joined the Police Department in September of 1996 and graduated from the police academy in February 1997, at which time he was assigned to patrol duty, a statement from the law firm Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer, which is representing him, said. After the historic attacks, Haidar allegedly experienced a "relentless stream" of harassment and discrimination and was regularly labeled as "Taliban," "ISIS" and "Lebanese Bomber" among others. "Haidar kept quiet because he felt his career and advancement opportunities would be negatively impacted if he filed an internal complaint," his attorney Randall Strauss said in the statement. A document attached to the claim alleges that the harassment escalated when the U.S. invaded Iraq. Officers allegedly asked him questions such as, "You're not going to blow up are you?" and called him the "Beirut Bomber." It all came to a shattering crash in November of last year when police Capt. Johnson Fong was recognizing veterans during a briefing and Sgt. Robert LaBarbera allegedly called Haidar out, saying that he should be noted as an ISIS veteran because he was with ISIS for two years. Fong allegedly laughed at the comment in front of an estimated 70 sworn officers and 12 leadership staff, Haidar's attorneys said. At this time, Haidar filed an internal complaint and allegedly faced retaliation and was harassed in all settings. It got to the point where Haidar excused himself from daily briefings. In January, the harassment stopped when Haidar was transferred to the Police Department's Recruitment Unit. He asked to be transferred because the facility was smaller and he knew people that worked there, according to the statement. The lawsuit alleges that Haidar has lost all overtime opportunities now that he is working in recruitment and makes less money now, meaning that he cannot retire as early as he planned. Allegedly, his total economic loss is $1,350,000. Attorneys representing Haidar allege that while Chief Eddie Garcia knows about the harassment and discrimination, no officers have been punished or have been ordered to apologize. San Jose police spokeswoman Officer Gina Tepoorten said that while she could not comment on specific personnel matters or a pending lawsuit that police have not reviewed, the department's diversity is its biggest strength. "Evidence of how we value diversity is reflected in our policies, actions and initiatives both internally and in our community," Tepoorten said. The spokeswoman said that generally when an allegation such as this one is made, it is dealt with quickly, and if valid, severely. Since Haidar filed the claim Monday, a confidential complaint made in 2016 by a citizen regarding a service call was allegedly leaked to news outlets, Haidar's attorneys said Tuesday afternoon. Haidar's attorneys believe the leak could only have come from a San Jose police officer. "The complaint was investigated and Officer Haidar accepted a one week suspension," Strauss said. "This is the only sustained complaint against Haidar in his 21-year career with the San Jose Police Department." Three people suffered major and moderate injuries after a car crash near Brentwood on Monday night, according to the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District. Firefighters responded to Brentwood Boulevard east of Sellers Avenue in rural Brentwood at 8:51 p.m. after a head-on collision between two vehicles. The two cars were blocking the eastbound lane of Brentwood Boulevard, and firefighters found three people with injuries. Firefighters extricated one person from a vehicle using hydraulic power tools, according to fire officials, and two other people had moderate injuries. All three were transported to a hospital via helicopter and ambulance. There was major damage to both vehicles, fire officials said. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the collision. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to preliminarily adopt an ordinance regulating firearms and ammunition on county property at their meeting Tuesday morning. The ordinance adds a new chapter and modifies an existing one in order to "prohibit the possession, sale or discharge of firearms and the possession or sale of ammunition on county property." County Counsel James Williams introduced the proposed ordinance, which he and his staff compiled to model ordinances passed by other California cities and counties. Locally, this ordinance's language and structure echoed that of San Mateo and Alameda counties' firearms ordinances, Williams said. The ordinance's intents, listed in the document itself, are both preventative and forward thinking in nature. These changes are meant to protect members of the public, including law enforcement, reduce fears, injuries and deaths that stem from firearm violence and ensure that use of firearms is done in a safe manner on county-owned property. "The Board of Supervisors finds that firearm fatalities and injuries are of epidemic proportions in Santa Clara County and across the country," the ordinance states. It later goes on to note the April 3 YouTube shooting in San Bruno as the most recent "random act of mayhem and violence using firearms" in Northern California. Williams did clarify county property does not encompass areas considered to be "public rights of way," such as sidewalks or roads. He also said that there would be people who were exceptions of the ordinance, such as police officers. Supervisor Dave Cortese, who has led the discussion on what the county can do about gun violence since the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, stated that he wanted to add the language that allowed licensed federal firearm dealers to be able to conduct digital transactions or "order placing" at county events such as the Santa Clara County Fair. Cortese described himself as a "purist" when it came to the First Amendment and said that he spoke up to ensure that people don't feel as though their commercial speech rights are being infringed upon. Cortese also commented that he wanted to make it clear that this was not the end of the discussion about gun violence as new ideas had arisen from the summit that he hosted April 28. Supervisor Ken Yeager motioned for preliminary approval to be brought back up for final approval June 5 with Cortese's modification. Yeager said that the point of the ordinance was to ensure that county resources would not be dedicated to promoting more guns and to contribute to overall effort to reduce firearms in the county to keep the community safe. Yeager stated he did not believe the ordinance would restrict anyone who has a legal permit and responsibly uses and contains their firearms because they can still do so on all other property not included in the language, such as personal, private property. If the ordinance passes through final adoption on June 5, the ordinance will not apply to any established contracts with gun shows. Williams said that the county was not aware of any existing contracts but that one was possibly in the works. Legislation was introduced on Tuesday at San Francisco's Board of Supervisors meeting that would create a department to address what Supervisor Hilary Ronen says are "appalling failures" on behalf of the city in responding to cases of sexual assault. According to Ronen, who introduced the legislation, the idea came about after hearing multiple stories from sexual assault survivors, describing dismissive and insensitive treatment from city employees, from hospital workers to police officers to staff at the district attorney's office. "I have heard enough stories that it is clear to me that these are not just isolated incidents. There is a pattern of negligence and mistreatment that is abusive toward victims," Ronen said Tuesday afternoon at a rally ahead of the meeting. "These are our city employees who are blaming victims for their own assaults, disregarding the severity of these rapes and denying these survivors the right to an objective investigation," she said. "I am introducing legislation today to ensure that there is a dedicated team to oversee departmental accountability when sexual assault and sexual harassment cases are disregarded by the city." According to Ronen, the creation of SHARP, the office of Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention, would help address complaints regarding response failures from city departments, create a sense of transparency by promoting further information sharing between different city departments and develop policies to improve systematic responses to sexual assault and harassment. At Tuesday's rally, a handful of survivors spoke about their experiences dealing with the crimes on the city-level. A woman, who chose only to identify herself as Jane Dough, described waiting for hours in a line with other victims to see a single nurse assigned to handle sexual assaults, an officer with the Police Department's special victim's unit telling her the crime would be hard to prove, and a victim's advocate with the district attorney's office discouraging her from inquiring about the case. "Police and prosecutors make a mockery of rape victims and rape investigations. Victims are doubted, shamed and discarded," Jane Dough said. "There are disconnects, gaps and flaws between our infrastructure for victims services." "If somebody's home was broken into, we don't ask them over and over and over again 'are you sure your home was broken into?'" said Beverly Upton with the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium. "We're not the judge and jury, we are the community; everybody is." Ronen held a hearing on the matter on April 25. According to Ronen, nine other supervisors have already agreed to cosponsor the legislation. "It's very rare to go into introductions with a piece of legislation with so much support, and I think that that's a testament to the fact that we have a broken system here in San Francisco that needs fixing, and the impact of the survivors who have been telling their stories," Ronen said. A former Campbell resident was convicted Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering in a Ponzi scheme that bilked Japanese investors of $6.8 million. Kevin Kyes, 69, formerly of Campbell and now living in Roseville in Placer County, was found guilty by a jury in the court of U.S. District Judge Susan Illston of 22 counts after a weeklong trial. The convictions included conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 17 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and two counts of money laundering. Kyes will be sentenced by Illston on Aug. 17. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and 10 years for each money laundering count. A codefendant, John Holdaway, 73, of Sandy, Utah, pleaded guilty before Illston in October 2017 to one count of wire fraud. His sentencing date has not been set. In addition to receiving prison terms, both Holdaway and Kyes can be ordered to forfeit the proceeds of the scheme and pay restitution to the victims. U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Abraham Simmons said evidence at the trial showed that Kyes and Holdaway worked between 2012 and 2015 to defraud Japanese investors of $6.8 million through a business they called Money Management Strategies. The investors were told their money would be put into high-speed trading programs that historically had returns of more than 100 percent annually, Simmons said. In fact, however, the two men did not invest the money as promised. Some of the money from later investors was used to repay earlier investors, in a ruse known as a Ponzi scheme. The men spent other investment money on themselves, on repayments to creditors in previous investment programs they ran, and on gold-related businesses, Simmons said. Prosecutors said in a trial brief filed in April that Kyes and Holdaway worked mainly through two Japanese investors to recruit other investors beginning in 2012. In late 2014, the two Japanese contacts were investigated by Japanese regulators for other investors' losses and were eventually cleared. The prosecution brief said the two Japanese recruiters then "became increasingly desperate in their demands of Kyes and Holdaway" and eventually voluntarily flew to the United States to report the alleged scheme to the FBI. Both of the Japanese recruiters testified at Kyes's trial, according to court records. A report released on Tuesday says that charter schools cost the Oakland Unified School District $57.3 million in funding every year that otherwise could be used to reduce class sizes and have more core services such as counseling and libraries. Speaking at a news conference at Castlemont High School in East Oakland, University of Oregon political scientist and professor Gordon Lafer, who led the study, said, "Our analysis shows that the continued expansion of charter schools has steadily drained money away from school districts and concentrated high-needs students in neighborhood public schools." Lafer said, "The high costs of charter schools have led to decreases in neighborhood public schools in counseling, libraries, music and art programs, lab sciences, field trips, reading tutors, special education funding, and even the most basic supplies like toilet paper." The study, called "Breaking Point: The Cost of Charter Schools for Public School Districts," was commissioned by In The Public Interest, an Oakland-based think tank that seeks the best use of public funds in providing goods and services. Lafer said the study also examined the cost of charter schools in the East Side Union High School District in the San Jose area and the San Diego Unified School District and found that they cost East Side $19.3 million a year and San Diego $65.9 million annually. Lafer said the report is not anti-charter schools, but he said, "We need to keep our eyes open and make a full accounting of all the costs" associated with such schools. He said the number of California charter schools has increased by more than 900 percent to more than 1,200 schools over the last two decades and Oakland has the highest concentration of charter schools in the state, with 30 percent of its students enrolled in them. Lafer said if Oakland wasn't losing $57 million a year to charter schools it could reduce class sizes to 18 students in all of its elementary schools, double the number of nurses and guidance counselors and still have money left over. The report proposes changing the California Charter Schools Act, which currently doesn't allow school boards to consider how charter schools might impact a district's educational programs or fiscal health when weighing new charter applications. Lafer said, "We can't put our heads in the sand and pretend there's no cost." Joining Lafer at the news conference, Oakland schools Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammel said the information in the report is an important tool in helping the district plan its future. Johnson-Trammel said, "We don't want to take an anti-charter school stance, but this will help us make better decisions for using our limited funds." She said the important thing is to ensure that all schools in Oakland are of high quality. Jasmene Miranda, a teacher at Fremont High School in Oakland, said the report's findings "are not surprising." Miranda said money lost to charter schools means, "We lose funding and teachers and other services." Eric Hanushek, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford who has studied charter schools for many years, said the study's examination of the long-term costs of charter schools "is not in the right ballpark." Hanushek said school districts such as Oakland lose revenues when students move to charter schools but he said their expenses should also decrease so the pluses and minuses should equal out in the long run. Hanushek said school districts have to get smaller if more students go to charter schools but he said he thinks many districts "want more money" and don't want to make many cuts. He said the report "has no discussion about how to do a better job of providing a high-quality education for students." Hanushek said, "People are leaving public schools because they're dissatisfied with the services they're providing and they want better schools." A patient who died after an ambulance she was in flipped over when it was struck by a car in San Lorenzo on Monday was identified by the Alameda County coroner's bureau Tuesday as 74-year-old Catherine Sunday of San Leandro. Four other people, including three emergency workers and the driver of the Audi that slammed into the ambulance, were also injured in the collision, which occurred at the intersection of Hesperian and Lewelling boulevards at about 11:10 a.m. on Monday, according to CHP Officer Dan Jacowitz. The Paramedics Plus ambulance was headed south on Hesperian with its light on and its sirens activated when it was hit by the Audi, which was headed east on Lewelling, Jacowitz said. All five patients were taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley and Sunday was pronounced dead there on Monday afternoon. The Audi driver suffered moderate injuries and remained in the hospital after the collision but the three emergency workers in the ambulance were released from the hospital on Monday afternoon, according to Jacowitz. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved a $1.8 million amended award for 14 "tiny homes" for veterans on Russell Avenue in Santa Rosa during its Tuesday meeting. The $1.8 million will go to the development called Veterans Village by the nonprofit Community Housing Sonoma County. CHSC's executive director Paula Cook said the homes should be ready to occupy by December. The original funding award made in November 2016 was for a dozen 288-square-foot tiny houses for $1 million with a second-phase expenditure of $839,000 for site preparation on a West Hearn Avenue site. Sonoma County has agreed to lease the Russell Avenue land to CHSC for two years, with the possibility of two six-month extensions, Cook said. Community Housing Sonoma County owns a site on West Hearn Avenue where the homes could permanently be relocated after the lease expires. Changes in the project and the addition of two more tiny houses increased the project cost to $1.8 million. The original estimated cost to connect the tiny homes to utilities also was unrealistically low, contributing to the project's increased cost. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved allocating the entire $1.8 million to the first phase alone. The developer had requested using the $1.8 million for the first phase. The vision for the Veterans Village initially called for 32 units, and the supervisors were challenged by the idea of spending $1.8 million for 14 units. "Pilot projects don't always work out. I would love to see three times as many trailers there," Supervisor David Rabbitt said. Supervisor Susan Gorin said, "This is a conundrum. It's frustrating." Supervisor Lynda Hopkins said, "We're in a crisis right now. We have a solution for getting 14 people in housing quickly. I feel backed into a corner, but can we get more (people) in housing for $1.8 million?" Many of the homeless who recently were told to leave an encampment behind a Dollar Tree store in the Roseland area of Santa Rosa said they preferred another motel, like The Palms, that currently houses veterans in Santa Rosa. County staff recommended that another hotel be found but Supervisor Shirlee Zane said, "There isn't another motel site available." Grace Sager / Red Lips Woman Productions The four San Francisco stories that unfold in monologue in Red Lips Woman Productions Life on Hiatus have the economy and the lyricism of poetry. A loan-burdened college student is waiting to spurn what he is taught. A woman with an unplanned pregnancy is able-bodied but absentminded. All four stories center on characters whom life has placed in untenable circumstances homelessness, joblessness, PTSD. Their real lives are on hold; theyre in survival mode indefinitely. Former Obama administration officials are not who you would expect to be ordering Trump merchandise from the White House Gift Shop's website, but Ronald Klain says he did just that. Klain, who served as Barack Obama's Ebola Czar and Joe Biden's chief of staff, tweeted that he purchased a personalized photo of the president. The unusual feature of the offer is that for only $59, you receive not only a signed-by-machine photograph of a grinning Donald J. Trump, but also an inscribed "personal note" ostensibly from president that in fact you get to write. You can probably guess where this is headed. The inscription on Klain's purchase reads: "Ron, There's no one who calls out my bulls-, lying and corruption as well as you do. Keep fighting for democracy!" In a follow-up tweet, Klain said, "Yes, it is crazily overpriced at $59. But I have gotten $59 worth of giggles in the 24 hours I have owned it. Don't judge." MORE: Man dies peacefully after hearing fake news about Trump Some replies to Klain suggested other personalized messages that were were less than complimentary to the president. Several people said were reluctant to give Trump money, even for a good laugh. But it appears that the merchandise proceeds do not benefit Trump, at least not directly. A disclaimer on the White House Gift Shop site says, "This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by any Presidential campaign or candidate." DesolationAngel noted that the "domain that sells personalized 8x10 signed photos of Trump is registered to an anonymous owner... with an address in PANAMA." As of Wednesday, SFGATE could not find the product on the White House Gift Shop website, but similar prints were for sale elsewhere online. Raiders left tackle Donald Penn will not face charges in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident, according to a spokesman for the Los Angeles City Attorneys Office. Los Angeles police responded April 29 to a radio call of a domestic violence incident and completed a report listing Penn as the suspect. Penn and his wife, Dominique, later gave a statement to TMZ saying theyd had a verbal disagreement but no physical altercation. It certainly looks like a Mission burrito: a tight cylinder with heft encased in foil that would be folly to unpeel all the way. It tastes like a burrito, each bite a perfect medley of ingredients, with flecks of grilled meat mingling with pinto beans, rice and pico de gallo inside a stretchy flour tortilla. Its good at lunch; it would be better at 1 a.m. as a savory line of defense from the coming morning. But the meat in question is sisig, a citrusy Filipino pork, and the rice is garlic, not Spanish. So heres a question: Can this creation from Filipino fusion truck Senor Sisig rightfully call itself a burrito? And for that matter, do the dozen other non-Mexican burritos in the city deserve the title, or should we be calling them wraps, or slabs or some other euphemism? Is this the natural evolution of the Mission burrito, or is it an invasive species? As far as burrito-related identity crises go, this ones not quite as trivial as it seems. The California-Mexican Mission burrito is still as essential to San Francisco identity as Karl the Fog, in spite of its co-option by chains like Chipotle and Qdoba. The taquerias that provide them are important democratic spaces in the Bay Area, and though they dont seem in any immediate danger of gentrification, many feel that if the taquerias go, so goes the city. Fusion wraps had their moment in the 90s, but the recent non-Mexican burrito creep started in the late-aughts, when would-be food truck entrepreneurs took inspiration from the Korean tacos of Kogi in Los Angeles and began making their own Mexican-fusion creations. Bay Area trucks like Senor Sisig and Curry Up Now, with its chicken tikka masala version, both come from that school. A few years later, Sushirrito's sushi burrito, a concoction of raw fish, creamy sauce and other bits wrapped tightly in nori, was born; the poke burrito, lately washed up on our shores, is its sibling. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle At Papalote in the Mission, brothers Victor and Miguel Escobedo were pushing the boundaries of the form as well, turning out everything from chicken adobo and soul food burritos to the Triple Threat, bursting with carne asada, chicken and shrimp. The hybrid burrito movement fully reached the mainstream last fall, when Danny Bowien created a Chinese burrito made with mapo tofu and salt cod fried rice at his New York Mexican restaurant, Mission Cantina. Like everything Bowien and the Mission Chinese crew does, the Chinese burrito received plenty of media attention, even a segment with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. It was soon on the menu at Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco, along with a brother made with the restaurants signature kung pao pastrami. Bowien isnt especially concerned about the Chinese burritos implications. Authenticity, whatever that means, has never been a huge concern of the restaurants, and he sees this as just a novel way to eat Chinese food quickly. Its repackaging. Youre just putting something in a piece of bread, Bowien says. Its just a vessel to get the components inside into your mouth a little easier. Thinking along these lines, all of the other items in the stuff-in-bread genre the sandwich, the pizza, the bao have been co-opted by multiple cultures. The real question may not be whether the burrito concept has spread throughout the world, but rather, why its taken so long. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle Its difficult to define the burrito for a number of reasons, not in the least because everyone has a different idea of the ideal one. People have feelings about rice, lettuce, salsa, vegetables and the inclusion of french fries (if youre from San Diego). And most have a complicated taqueria hierarchy in their head that shifts based on craving, hour and mood. One thing all enthusiasts can agree on is that a great burrito has an intangibility about it, a magic that is greater than the sum of its parts. Charles Hodgkins, who spent nearly a decade sampling and rating a thousand San Francisco burritos for his now-defunct blog, Burrito Eater, likes to compare it to a musical ensemble. Everything has to play together well for the entire burrito to work, he says. You have the rice playing with the meat, offsetting the cheese and vegetables, and the construction and the sauciness and the spiciness all of it kind of comes together. This is the beauty of the Mission burrito, which was born in 1960s San Francisco taquerias, probably at El Faro as a salve for hungry firefighters, although La Cumbre also claims ownership. But the burrito was not especially Mexican to begin with. The thing started in the borderlands, a food of laborers, just leftovers encased in a tortilla. (It has this in common with the Cornish pasty, both highly transportable delivery systems of protein and carbohydrates borne out of poverty and necessity.) Does this Cal-Mex food deserve the same reverence that we place on more traditional forms of Mexican food? Probably, says Gustavo Arellano, author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America and the man behind the OC Weeklys popular Ask a Mexican column. He points out that there is an entire generation of Mexican Americans who grew up with dishes like burritos and hard-shell tacos, but old-school Cal-Mex is becoming endangered as new waves of immigrants come and American interest in Mexican food moves on. This doesnt necessarily mean we need to put a wall around Cal-Mex food to preserve it. Mexican food is always evolving. Mexican food that was considered authentic in the 1960s is not the same thing we consider authentic to this day, Arellano says. If people say, well a burrito of orange chicken is not authentic because orange chicken is not Mexican, my response is that flour tortillas arent authentic, either. The only reason they exist is because Spaniards brought wheat into the New World. The authenticity debate is bull. Authentic or not, there is still the question of whether the Mission burrito, as a Cal-Mex entity, needs to be somehow preserved before it gets diluted any more. There is a school of people who believe in the Mission burrito as a stand-alone category. Hodgkins, the burrito blogger, is one of them (all burritos are wraps, not all wraps are burritos is his stance). Another such believer is the enigmatic, anonymous Burrito Justice, who told me via Twitter, his medium of choice, Not all cylinders are burritos. Some of these fauxrritos may even be delicious, but not burritos. Weve gotta hold the line. In the abstract, I agree with them; the Mission burrito has been here for a half-century, long enough to inspire respect. But in practice, its probably too late to stop the creep. These new burritos are popular. They are, by far, the most popular item on these trucks. (In the end, its the tikka masala burrito that pays my mortgage, Akash Kapoor from Curry Up Now told me.) Wes Rowe, of WesBurger N More, says that customers order his Southern fried chicken burrito as much as the fried chicken plate. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Then theres the issue of finding alternative nomenclature when burrito is such an easy, well-recognized concept. Wrap is an imperfect term, polluted not only by memories of 90s Peking duck and Caesar salad concoctions, but also by those horribly dry pinwheel sandwiches on lavash or flavored tortillas. Both slab and cylinder sound stupid (Ill have the fried chicken cylinder, please). It seems to me that if theres a qualifier breakfast burrito, Indian burrito, mapo tofu burrito no one is threatening the dominance of carnitas or carne asada. Finally, theres the evolving nature of cuisine itself, which, like language, is always in flux as people migrate throughout the world and take their ingredients and dishes with them. There had to be some eye-rolling at the Oxford English Dictionary when awesomesauce and bitch face were added last year, but its editors job is to record language, not judge it. Cuisine should have that same inclusiveness. Anyway, we should be reserving our judgment for the real scourge: bad burritos. We should be banding together to fight against lame salsa, cold spots and poor ingredient dispersal, not quibbling over vocabulary. When the basic tenets of the burrito are treated with respect, such as the gloriously saucy and spicy mapo tofu burrito at Mission Chinese, or the sweet-hot jerk chicken burrito at Scotch Bonnet, or that bright, savory sisig burrito at Senor Sisig, it doesnt matter to me that its not Mexican. Its more than that. Its San Franciscan. Gil (our chef) and I are both from San Francisco. We grew up eating burritos in San Francisco. Its really all Ive ever known, says Senor Sisigs Evan Kidera. I definitely would consider what we do as burritos and nothing else. If that ineffable Mission burrito-ness is somehow in there, I agree that burrito is a term not only earned its deserved. Anna Roth is a freelance writer in San Francisco. Email: food@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annaroth A fairly comprehensive list of new age burritos: Scotch Bonnet: Jerk goat and chicken burrito WesBurger 'N' More: Southern fried chicken burrito Mission Chinese Food: Kung pao pastrami and mapo tofu burritos Huli Huli: Hawaiian burritos (teriyaki chicken or beef) Senor Sisig: Sisig burrito Curry Up Now: Chicken tikka masala burrito Sushirrito: The sushi burrito Papalote: Soul-food burrito, pizza burrito, adobo burrito and others Researchers at England's University of Manchester might have inadvertently found a cure for one of nature's most common cosmetic maladies: baldness. According to the BBC, scientists had been working on creating a drug meant to treat osteoporosis, when they realized it had a curious side effect. It stimulated hair follicles, prompting hair to grow, because it contains a compound that combats a hair growth-stunting protein called SFRP1. JAKARTA, Indonesia A riot at a police detention center near Indonesias capital left five officers and a prisoner dead and another officer held hostage Wednesday. The Islamic State said its fighters were involved in the violence, which officials said was triggered by a dispute over food. Negotiations were under way for the release of the hostage, said national police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal. He did not rule out harsh action as a last resort if the negotiations fail and the inmates refuse to surrender. The prison houses a large number of militant inmates. Iqbal said an inmate was fatally shot after grabbing weapons and threatening officers. A counterterrorism investigator said four police officers were wounded and were being treated at a hospital. The riot erupted late Tuesday in Depok, on Jakartas southern outskirts, where four days earlier police arrested three Islamic militants they say planned to attack a police headquarters and other police stations in the town. Authorities said it began when an inmate shouted and banged on the walls to protest a delay in getting food from his family that was being checked by officials. Other inmates broke into the ammunition room and seized long-barreled weapons, leading to a shootout with counterterrorism officers, they said. The Islamic States Amaq News Agency said its fighters took part in the riot. Police spokesman Setyo Wasisto said the inmates who provoked the riot were members of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, a network of Indonesian extremist groups formed in 2015 that pledges allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The network of about two dozen groups has been implicated in a number of attacks in Indonesia over the past year. Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on Islamic militants since the 2002 Bali bombings by the Jemaah Islamiyah network that killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. The network was neutralized following the arrests of hundreds of its militants and leaders. But new threats have emerged recently from Islamic State-inspired radicals who have targeted security forces and local infidels. Ali Kotarumalos and Niniek Karmini are Associated Press writers. PYONGYANG, North Korea After months of anticipation and drama, the release of three American detainees by North Korea played out amid high-stakes diplomacy and was only sealed about an hour before the top U.S. diplomat was wheels-up from Pyongyang. The three men, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, walked on their own from a van and onto the plane of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. It was the culmination of Pompeos 12-and-half-hour visit to the North Korean capital, which included a 90-minute meeting with leader Kim Jong Un. Returning to his hotel from that meeting, Pompeo had given reporters a fingers-crossed sign when asked if there was good news about the detainees. A North Korean official came to the hotel shortly after to inform Pompeo that Kim had granted amnesties to the three and that they would be released at 7 p.m. local time, according to a senior U.S. official present for the exchange. Carl Risch, assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, and a doctor went to another hotel to pick up the men and bring them to the airport, the official said. They finally left custody at 7:45 p.m., and by 8:42 p.m. they were flying home. As soon as the plane cleared North Korean airspace, Pompeo called President Trump to inform him of the releases with the men all apparently in good health; then other officials notified their families. They are the latest in a series of Americans to be held in North Korea for alleged antistate activities in recent years, only to be freed during the visit of a high-level U.S. official or statesman. Their releases draw a line under an issue that had weighed on plans for a historic summit between Kim and Trump that will focus on North Koreas nuclear weapons. The Trump administration has made clear it regarded the arrests as political motivated, and had been bitterly critical of North Koreas refusal to grant consular access to the three, other than a brief visit by a U.S. envoy last June. The envoy had repatriated college student Otto Warmbier, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor for stealing a propaganda poster. Warmbier died in June 2017, days after he arrived back in the U.S. with severe brain damage. Since then, pressure to win the releases of the other three men, whom the administration has referred to as hostages, has intensified. Relatively little is known about the men, all Korean-Americans, and the circumstances in which they ended up in North Korean custody. Kim Dong Chul, a former Virginia resident who had reportedly run a company on North Koreas border with Russia, had been sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, who had both taught at a university in Pyongyang that was founded with donations from Christian groups, had been held for about one year and apparently had not been tried. Matthew Lee is an Associated Press writer. TOKYO China, Japan and South Korea warmed their chilly relations Wednesday, brought together by a common goal: ending North Koreas nuclear program. Leaders from the three countries held their first three-way summit in more than two years, demonstrating a spirit of cooperation despite continuing differences over North Korea and other issues. While short on specifics, the show of unity, especially ahead of North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns expected talks with President Trump, was seen as a major success. It was extremely significant that Japan, China and South Korea reaffirmed the importance of their cooperation ahead of a U.S.-North Korea meeting, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. The agreements came at the first summit for the Northeast Asian neighbors after a hiatus of more than two years, bringing together Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The three countries will take leadership to achieve peace and prosperity in the Northeast Asia, Abe told a joint news conference in Tokyo, with Li and Moon standing on both sides, all wearing almost identical blue neckties. Abe said the three discussed how they can get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, but he didnt provide any details. China and Japan, in particular, have differences over how best to achieve North Koreas nuclear disarmament. The three countries agreed on promoting regional free trade, another hot-button issue challenging their region in the face of Trumps America-first trade policy. The leaders also agreed to hold trilateral summits on regular basis and set up a secretariat. The summits, which started in 2008, are supposed to be held annually, but Wednesdays was the first since November 2015. Mari Yamaguchi is an Associated Press writer. 1 Avoid combat: The general in charge of U.S. Special Operations forces in Africa has ordered U.S. troops under his watch to plan missions to stay out of direct combat or do not go, according to two military officials familiar with the new guidance. The order, issued by Maj. Gen. J. Marcus Hicks, is among several new directives for the commandos in Africa after an Oct. 4 ambush in Niger that killed four U.S. soldiers, including two Green Berets. The series of directives, dated May 2, May 4 and May 5, were issued just days before the Pentagon is expected to release the results of an investigation into the soldiers deaths outside the western Nigerian village of Tongo Tongo. 2 Chocolate spill: A tractor-trailer overturned on a Polish highway, spilling tons of liquid chocolate that are solidifying into a huge sticky mess. The private broadcaster TVN24 showed images of an overturned truck surrounded by brown chocolate covering six lanes on the A2 highway, blocking traffic in both directions. Rescue officials said the liquid chocolate was solidifying as it cooled and would require large amounts of hot water to clear away. Senior brigadier Bogdan Kowalski with the fire brigade of Slupca, a town in western Poland, said, the cooling chocolate is worse than snow. 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! Emirates is facing a cabin crew shortage and is struggling to fully staff some flights after a spate of resignations and other workforce constraints, several employees told Reuters. Seven Emirates employees said the airline was operating flights with fewer cabin crew than usual and increasingly reassigning flight attendants to other routes at the last minute to enable them to operate. Emirates has denied it has a shortage of cabin crew on its flights. Credit:Shutterstock Emirates' fleet of Airbus A380 and Boeing 777-300 jets requires more cabin crew per flight than smaller aircraft and to meet the requirements of long-haul routes. The Dubai-based airline denied it had a cabin crew shortage and said it had slowed down recruitment across the company last year, including for crew, but had recently started actively recruiting crew again. Johnston, who is offering 32c a share for the shares he does not own - valuing the entire company at $13 million - is getting quite a bargain. He sold more than half his stake in the IPO to new investors who paid an eye-watering $2.75 a share in 2014 when Johnston was a sprightly 96 years old. He received $16 million for the shares he sold. He will be buying back the shares he does not own for less than $10 million. But investors should have known better. Buying shares from Johnston has always sucked for Godfreys investors. Johnston's first Alan Bond moment at Godfreys came in 2006, when he sold the business to private equity groups PEP and Unitas for $300 million just as the financial crisis was brewing. Johnston led the buyback of the business in 2011 for $100 million. "It didn't give me any great joy," he said of his decision to buy back the business in 2011. "It was good that it didn't go down the drain." He is probably saying the same thing now. Double agent REA chairman Hamish McLennan made an interesting recruitment choice when it came to replacing McGrath founder John McGrath on the real estate group's board. McLennan appointed Nick Dowling - the boss of Melbourne-based real estate agency, Jellis Craig - as an independent director. It just so happens that rumours have been doing the rounds in recent weeks that Jellis Craig - which has 26 offices across the Melbourne CBD - has been eyeing off a move up the Hume Highway to crack the competitive Sydney market. This has fired up a round of rumours among agents that Jellis Craig was trying to poach McGrath staff, and even make a land grab for its franchised offices in the Sydney leafy suburbs of Mosman, Neutral Bay, Northbridge and Chatswood. Not so, according to the chief of McGraths Lower North Shore fiefdom, Dean Mackie. He told CBD: ''We are committed to John and Geoff Lucas (new McGrath CEO) and the McGrath team''. ''We hear these rumours, but the fact is we are expanding,'' Mackie said. Alt Delete It was meant to be a quiet day for AMP. And then a key document released by the royal commission - the group's October 2017 board minutes - disappeared from public view. After a brief bit of sunlight from Friday to Tuesday, AMP asked for the documents to be removed from the commission's website so that it could ask for non-publication directives, a spokesman for the royal commission says. Too late, fellas. Fairfax Media has already picked the eyes out of the document, including its references to AMP's "confidential discussions with China Life" in regards to AMP's Project Advance and apparent references to some sort of discussions between AMP, UBS and Macquarie. Project Advance, the once venerable institution has confirmed, relates to AMP's "strategic review" (read: plans to offload) its income protection, mature and New Zealand businesses. Journalists were vehemently told these references were business as usual and told there is nothing to see here. Well, now AMP have made that true since the minutes are gone. The thing is, the minutes had already been redacted, so it is hard to conclude anything other than it was another snafu by the group and its lawyers. But forget AMP's errors. According to some close to AMP, there was no bigger affront to the wealth manager's decency than the royal commission deciding to publish the group's October 2017 board minutes. How laughable is that. Pension plan It is there in black and white, in the pages of Rupert Murdoch's official PR office - the Wall Street Journal: James Murdoch will not be joining the Mickey Mouse Club at Disney if the sale of 21st Century Fox assets to Disney succeeds. WSJ officially dropped the PR release that James will strike out on his own after the deal closes and will "most likely" start a venture capital fund investing in digital and international media businesses. It will be the first time James has struck out on his own since daddy acquired the hip hop label he co-founded, Rawkus Records. There was no word on whether an octogenarian billionaire with an interest in media might be stumping up some cash for the new venture. Macquarie Group believes Trump's decision could add as much as $US5 per barrel to Brent crude prices, driving them to around $US80 a barrel. "With the decision timing [on Irans sanctions] being accelerated, our oil team believe a larger cut of up to half a million barrels per day, worth up to $US5 per barrel, could be priced in," the bank advised its clients in an investor note. Loading This will have a major impact on Australian oil companies - particularly Oil Search, which will have the most to gain from a stronger oil price as it sells most of its supplies at spot prices rather than using long-term contracts. Santos is expected to profit less as it uses longer-term contracts. Beach Energy and Woodsides gas contracts will water down the impact of rallying oil prices on their profit. On Wednesday afternoon, Santos' shares rose 3.1 per cent to $6.24 and Oil Search jumped 1.1 per cent to $8.08, both hitting their highest prices since 2015. Beach Energy's stock lifted 3.2 per cent to $1.70, its most expensive since 2014, while Woodside increased 1.3 per cent to $32.38. However, Graeme Bethune, the head of industry analyst Energy Quest, said market concerns over Iran's prospects and potential renewed sanctions had already driven prices higher and were now largely "priced in as weve seen quite an increase to $US75 a barrel over the last few months". "If Trump kept the agreement we would have likely seen a fall in prices, [but] anything happening in Iran now has already been priced in," he explained. As not all countries were placing sanctions on Iranian fuel, the impact may not be as widely spread, he added. Germany and France have signalled they still wanted to honour the agreement. The US Treasury has threatened that countries that continue to trade with Iran could be hit with sanctions themselves, giving them 180 days to completely wind down imports of crude oil from Iran and terminating future contracts. Setback for Aussie consumers Alexis Clarke, the head of the Australian-listed American Patriot Oil and Gas, which operates in the US, said Trump's decision will be a boon for oil companies in the US, but a poor outcome for Australian consumers. "This level of supply coming off the market will result in upward pressures on the oil price, he said. "Tensions in the Middle East will result in upwards price trends - if youre selling crude oil thats a good thing." He said that the US will remain an importer of foreign oil, but will further increase pressure for more oil, which would likely result in more drilling and oil exploration in the US. "At current margins, itll add to commodity prices and the increased oil prices will flow on through to the refiners, which will mean higher prices at the bowser. Its a negative for consumers." Fueltracs Mr Trotter said his projection of a price rise at the pump of around two cents per litre to the national average petrol price was only "the initial reaction to Trump's announcement". Deborah Cheetham believes Australia is still a "teenager" when it comes to having a sophisticated understanding of its past. The celebrated Indigenous soprano and composer is looking forward to a time when Australians are mature enough to say: "There's 70,000 years of history here that, if I'm conversant enough in it, I can be a continuation of it". Deborah Cheetham says Australia remains "confused" about its Indigenous past. Credit:Dean Sewell "Australia remains in such a state of confusion around its relationship with Aboriginal Australia," she says. "That misunderstanding, confusion and fear denies Australians more generally a sense of belonging. I think we're still on a path to developing our identity as a nation." Belonging and identity are deeply significant concepts for 54-year-old Cheetham. Part of the Stolen Generation, she was removed from her birth mother when she was just three weeks old. Only as an adult did she learn her own story. Fashion designer Camilla Franks has been diagnosed with breast cancer three months after giving birth to her first child. Franks, 42, revealed the diagnosis on Wednesday morning, saying she was determined to fight the disease and is under the care of "one of Australias leading oncologists". Fashion designer Camilla Franks has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Credit:James Brickwood In an announcement to her team of 250 staff, Franks said: I start on this journey humble but resilient; I would be lying if I said I wasnt scared but I am fearlessly determined to do whatever it takes by focusing on my body, mind and spirit as I take my first trusting steps towards recovery. A real-time prescription monitoring service to stop patients from doctor shopping could inadvertently create a demand for black-market drugs, an inquest has heard. Leading addictions specialist Nicholas Lintzeris told a coronial investigation into opiate deaths that a prescription monitoring service could create crises in other areas if it wasnt met with a suite of other measures. We may inadvertently be creating some drivers that encourage patients to hoard medicines and on-sell them, Professor Lintzeris told the NSW Coroners Court on Wednesday. If doctors should discontinue prescribing opioid medications for these patients, the challenge is what do these patients do? It was Sarah McLains second week of medical school when a deluge of sexual harassment allegations engulfed Australia's surgeons. It was the very speciality she hoped to join. I thought, what have I gotten myself into," Ms McLain, 28, said. Now a final year medical student, the aspiring surgeon is keenly aware of the forces stacked against her. In an interview just two days before he plans to take advantage of Switzerland's assisted-suicide laws, Goodall spoke of his determination to end his life. He also talked about his disbelief in the afterlife, his childhood after being born the year World War I began and his family, who lives across three continents. British-born Australian David Goodall, who is planning to end his life on Thursday, says he doesn't think the drugs used for assisted suicide should be available to just anyone, but that doctors should be able to prescribe them. Goodall, described by the right-to-die group Exit International as its first member, said he's been contemplating the idea of suicide for about 20 years, but only started thinking about if for himself after his quality of life deteriorated over the last year. He cited a lack of mobility, doctor's restrictions and an Australian law prohibiting him from taking his own life among his complaints, but he is not ill. Goodall, a botanist, said he tried clumsily to take his life himself at least three times - and then finally decided to get professional help. He has been looking to draw attention to his desire to end his life in hopes that countries like Australia change their laws to be more accepting of assisted suicide. Hundreds of people - some far more frail than Goodall, who uses a wheelchair - travel to Switzerland every year to take their lives. The best-known group to help foreigners end their days in the Alpine country is Dignitas, but others include Life Circle in Basel - Goodall's choice. Goodall has a libertarian bent but he knows that some religious people - which he is not - might take exception to not letting nature take its course. "If people for religious purposes interfere with the free will of other people, I think that's most regrettable. By all means, let them follow their own choice in respect to the end of life, but don't impose it on other people," he said from his hotel room near Basel's Spalentor tower gate. Disgraced former federal MP Craig Thomson faces being struck off as a solicitor on grounds he is "not a person of good fame and character" over the scandal that saw him use union credit cards to pay for sex and personal expenses. Thomson, 53, was convicted in 2014 of 12 counts of theft and fined $25,000 after he spent more than $5000 on escorts and restaurant meals while he was national secretary of the Health Services Union between 2003 and 2007. Former Labor MP Craig Thomson outside court in 2014. Credit:Pat Scala He was elected the Labor member for Dobell in the 2007 federal election, serving as an MP until he lost his seat to Karen McNamara in 2013. In March this year, the Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of NSW launched proceedings against Thomson that seek to have him declared guilty of professional misconduct and found "not a fit and proper person to remain on the Roll of Legal Practitioners of the Supreme Court of New South Wales". NSW Police have finally caught up with former Finks bikie David Brooks after he taunted them on Facebook and YouTube while being on the run. Brooks, 48, from Newcastle, had been jailed on drug-related charges before he was paroled, a police spokeswoman said. Police issued a revocation of parole warrant for Brooks in late February, but could not find him. Ive always wanted to be a wanted man, Brooks said in one of several YouTube clips about his escape. Two houses have been destroyed and a third seriously damaged after a fierce blaze in Sydney's south-west on Wednesday. Emergency services were called to Napier Avenue in Lurnea to reports of a house fully engulfed by fire, a Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman said. Seven fire crews battled the blaze on Wednesday afternoon. The first crews called for back-up after arriving at 12.40pm to find the fire had spread to the houses on either side of the first one. By about 2pm, the fire had been brought under control allowing three crews to be released to other jobs - including another blaze in a garage in the same suburb, a spokesman for Fire & Rescue NSW said. Police are appealing for information after a man was last seen being dragged screaming into a car in Sydney's south-west on the weekend. About 5am on Sunday, witnesses said they saw a man being forced to get into a dark-coloured hatchback by two other men on Lakemba Street in Wiley Park. The witnesses told police the man was struggling to get free and screaming for help. They immediately called police, but when officers arrived the man and the car were gone. An elderly woman screamed and pushed a man out of her car as he allegedly attempted to steal the vehicle in Queanbeyan on Tuesday. A 29-year-old man was on Wednesday arrested and charged with three offences. He is due to appear in Queanbeyan Local Court on Thursday. The alleged carjacker walks away after the incident in a Queanbeyan shopping centre car park. Credit:NSW Police The alleged carjacking happened when the 74-year-old woman returned to her Toyota Corolla, which was parked in a shopping centre car park on Monaro Street, about 6.30pm on Tuesday. Police said the man approached the driver's side door and demanded the car keys from the woman, who refused and shut the door as the man became increasingly agitated. Former Auburn council deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has launched appeals against his conviction and a good behaviour order for separate assaults on a television reporter and a taxi driver. Mehajer was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he slammed a door shut on Channel Seven journalist Laura Banks outside a Sydney police station on April 2 last year. But he escaped further penalty in the Downing Centre Local Court after a magistrate said Mehajer had been "hunted" by a "frenzied media pack" who showed "appalling and predatory behaviour". Salim Mehajer leaves Darling Harbour police station after assaulting a taxi driver in April 2017. Credit:Ben Rushton Mehajer, 31, had been trying to leave the police station when he was followed by a group of journalists including Banks. Perhaps it's not the smartest financial move either a government or a family could make. - Malcolm Freak, Armidale As a financially comfortable part-time medical specialist I will be in the group receiving the highest tax cut immediately while my daughters working full-time at much lower income will receive about one third of that. It's of more concern that in five years' time the major beneficiaries will be those on incomes like that of politicians. It's great that there is some dedicated mental health spending but little else in the budget will change the fact that in five years my patients will still be waiting years for surgery, struggling to afford specialist visits and to negotiate the nightmare of getting the best health care, unless they have a healthy credit card. This may be all about jobs and growth but It is definitely not about a fair go. - Tim Woodruff, Richmond What's the difference between politicians in some poor third world countries handing out cash to uneducated villagers to get their votes and politicians in rich developed countries handing out tax cuts to an educated populace to get their votes? - David Leung, Beverly Hills Budget sticking plaster won't keep nation healthy What a Band-Aid of a budget ( "Ready, steady, vote: Coalition targets middle Australia", May 9). The gaping wounds of climate change and inequality are treated as abrasions while the future health of the patient is ignored for a quick "there there, have a lolly". The youth of today get chaplains instead of counsellors in secular schools and, if and when they start earning money, they will have a big debt to pay off because of the economic stupidity of this government. Our domestic tunnel vision has cut our shameful foreign aid even further, creating a disgruntled neighbourhood looking elsewhere for assistance. When it all goes to custard we will certainly know about it because of our enhanced intelligence but that will be too late to reverse the damage done. What a self-serving, pathetic attempt at preserving Australia's future. - Deb McPherson, Gerringong The government's budget proposal to invest $5 million to encourage use of generic medicines surely is the same as giving Aldi $5m to invest in home brands ("Seniors to benefit most from medical handouts", May 9). Both would be aimed at making no-name products cheaper than private label. - Michael Beattie, Seven Hills The budget gives $260 million to the ATO to pursue dodgy tax claims, and rightly so ("ATO to step up prosecutions", May 9). Where is the $26 million to fund a federal anti-corruption body for the next five years to pursue and prosecute dodgy politicians? - Frank Gasparre, Eastwood Further drastic cuts to the ABC is intellectual vandalism from the right-wing culture warriors ("ABC hit with $84 million funding freeze", May 9). - Graeme Finn, St Peters Making budget cuts neo-Lib style it's as easy as ABC. - Nick Franklin, Katoomba I currently teach ethics to children aged 10 to 11 at the local primary school. When the children were asked to comment on a hypothetical scenario that "only rich people should be allowed to vote" one response was "it would create more crime". In light of the budget, should our Government reflect on that statement as they continue to punish the less fortunate in our society by refusing to increase Newstart in the budget? - Margaret Edmonds, Balcolyn The budget is forcing migrants to wait four years before they can access social services. Surely we should be integrating newcomers as quickly as we can, providing readily-accessible English classes where needed and all other social services to support their move. Why make it hard to integrate? - Fran Kirby, Castle Hill This deeply considered letter is my response to the budget. - Philip Bell, Bronte The 'horrendous' law about consent I'm stumped how a criminal justice spokesman for the Australian Lawyers Alliance can muddy the waters so comprehensively on the issue of consent to sexual intercourse (" 'Horrendous consequences' if consent reform goes wrong", May 9). As a psychologist said, there are three possible reactions when being raped: one can fight back, take flight or freeze. Probably most women opt for the third option: understandably, they freeze. Under the current law in NSW, that can justifiably be interpreted by the rapist as consent, and then along comes a barrister who warns against "horrendous consequences". For whom, the rapist? The law truly is an ass. - Carsten Burmeister, Coffs Harbour In Greg Barns' article on the question of consent in sexual matters, there is a statement regarding communication of consent as "susceptible to misinterpretation". Surely, the bottom line should be, if in doubt, don't. - Joan Simpson, Edgecliff Thank you, Saxon Mullins, you are an inspiration to all decent-minded people (Letters, May 9). I wish you the happiness in life that other people may only dream about. - Valdis Kradzins, Yagoona McManus should look closer to home ACTU President Sally McManus appears to forget that in 2009 the Australian Labor Party, the government of the day, reduced more than 4000 industrial awards to 122 under the Fair Work Act ("Cleaner pins hopes on massive rally", May 9). The action also meant that all awards became common across Australia. Some wages increased but most remained static, other than for the decisions of the Fair Work Commission. So look in the mirror, Sally McManus. Ask Bill Shorten, and then explain that to workers as to why their wages have reduced. - Ian Unsworth, Calala Lack of leadership in nationality row Once again, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten led with his glass jaw and is left picking up the pieces ("High Court rules Labor's Katy Gallagher ineligible and sets up four likely byelections", smh.com.au, May 9). Only the Greens have behaved honourably in this matter. Both the major parties have opted to inflict short-term political damage and succeeded spectacularly, at the public's expense. - Phil Bradshaw, Naremburm Folau's second coming isn't coming I expect Israel Folau's wait for Jesus to return and join him in criticising gays is going to be a long one ("New tweet from Folau set to test RA's mettle", May 9). In the meantime, he should find ways to calm his existential anxiety other than by reading and sharing superstitious nonsense written centuries ago by conniving old men. Genetics plays a large part in causing religiosity. Folau should quietly seek a cure for his affliction, or at least do no harm to others by keeping his adopted dogma to himself. - Dave Watts, Avalon Forget David Wilkerson's drivel, Israel. Jesus gave much better advice, notably: "Judge not, that ye be not judged." - Paul Parramore, Sawtell Israel Folau says Jesus is coming back soon. The mind boggles at what the press conference will be like. Of course he will need a good agent and PR team to assist him in navigating the myriad of questions about where he has been for the past couple of thousand years, and why he didn't do more to stop men's inhumanity towards men. Questions about sexuality could prove to be a real minefield. As a carpenter and having had experience with nails, he should be able to hammer it. - Greg Thomas, Annandale Israel Folau is hiding behind his "beliefs" to justify his hurtful comments. I don't care how good a player he is Rugby Australia need to ditch him. - Peter Vernon, Sawtell Trump can't deal On the same day that the US Secretary of State visits Pyongyang in preparation for the Trump-Kim summit, US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, which is universally accepted as a positive if imperfect step towards Iranian denuclearisation ("Europe pledges to save Iran nuclear deal 'for our shared security' ", May 9) . Mr Trump has dumped wives, stiffed contractors, cheated creditors, defrauded students and now reneged on a six-nation deal. The self-acclaimed world's greatest deal maker has also admitted being squeezed for $US130,000 by a porn star whom he denies having an affair with after his third wife gave birth to his fifth child. In Mr Trump, we have the worst combination of a terrible negotiator with no credibility. And this is the leader expected to solve the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula? - Han Yang, North Turramurra Flight into hell As someone who currently lives under a flight path, I am disturbed that the NSW government cares nothing for those who will live near the proposed Badgery's Creek airport ("Developers sabotage airport housing rules", May 9). When I moved to Newtown last year, I had no idea it would be this bad. On a daily, and nightly, basis, I suffer the constant low-level drone of incoming and outgoing aircraft. Sometimes, particularly later at night in the hour or two prior to the 11pm curfew, the noise is so great that I can't hear the television or music playing. As for trying to get to sleep good luck with that. The NSW government is reckless in this proposal, and the opposition must step in and attempt to protect those who will be forced to live in the new developments near Badgerys from the same noise pollution hell so many under the current flight paths live with. - Paul Bugeja, Newtown Tests serve a purpose I can understand the frustration of a mother with two children with autism in the school system ("Why my son will take a test that I know he'll fail", May 9). She would have every right to take her children out of NAPLAN testing. However, I am really puzzled to see so many experts are against the NAPLAN test. I believe that NAPLAN provides to the parents and the teachers an indicator about the ability of individual students, as well as to the education department an overview of the overall standard of its education. These tests provide feedback on where the students stand compared to the rest, so that efforts can be made to improve their standard, where required. Let's not forget that it's not only the teachers' job but also parents' responsibility to assist in their improvement. It seems to me that many of the experts just want to keep this future generation in cotton wool. I wonder how these students would fare as adults when they enter the highly competitive real world? - Bipin Johri, Epping Politics is a hoot The collective noun for a group of owls is a "parliament". Why is such a revered, august body associated with a bunch of predators? Perhaps they don't give a hoot? - Adrian Bolland, Naremburn Tall storey Like Anne Wagstaff, I've no doubt that Oatley will soon become a treeless landscape jam packed with high rises, (Letters, May 9). So I've cut to the chase and already refer to our suburb as West Manhattan. - Peter Mahoney , Oatley On reflection Time this week seems to be on the governments side: the Treasurer on Tuesday handed out a budget that promised significant tax cuts, and a return to surplus, largely through a series of complex choices about timing. And the High Court ruled Wednesday that ALP Senator Katy Gallagher was incapable of being chosen for the Senate at the last federal election, because at the time she nominated as a candidate the UK Home Secretary had not yet registered her renunciation of British citizenship. The High Court has decided Katy Gallagher is ineligible to sit in the Senate. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The problem for Senator Gallagher was all in the timing: even though she filled in the forms and paid the fee, her attempts to renounce her citizenship simply came too late for constitutional purposes. In ruling against Senator Gallagher, the High Court affirmed its prior ruling in the Citizenship Seven Case that a persons status as a foreign citizen is ultimately a question of foreign law. The only exception, the Court held, is if foreign law irremediably prevents an Australian citizen from renouncing their foreign citizenship, and thus becoming eligible to participate in the process of representative government in Australia. The crowd then looped back towards Lonsdale Street before arriving at its final destination next to Federation Square and Flinders Street Station before midday. Those attending the rally were from a broad range of backgrounds and professions, with some bringing their young children along to watch the protest. Selene Sharp and her four-year-old son Mitchell marched towards the front of the huge crowd. The union protest lasted three hours. Credit:Courtesy Channel Seven Im here to support all the workers and the rules they want changed, she said. Flexibility at work, good childcare ... all the things that are important and are important for my son. The Melbourne accountant is a member of the Finance Sector Union and said she had attended a rally for penalty rates recently but it was nowhere near as big. Loading [The rally] shows people from all different backgrounds fighting,'' Ms Sharp said. "Its not just about the CFMEU and fluoro jumpers, its bigger than that. Mich-Elle Myers, a member of the Maritime Union of Australia, was a wharfie for nine years and said she was marching after seeing too many friends lose jobs unfairly over the years. The war on workers is on, she said. The Australian Council of Trade Unions is calling for an increase to the minimum wage of $50 a week as part of its Change the Rules campaign. The Andrews government has said it wants a smaller minimum wage increase of about $27 a week. In its submission to the Fair Work Commission in March, it argued that an increase in the minimum wage, from $695 to $722, would be a modest and fair way and avoid the creation of a working underclass. Workers filled LaTrobe Street as they make their way to the Magistrates Court. Credit:Joe Armao It said that Victoria was in its 25th year of uninterrupted economic growth but that wages growth was subdued. Wages grew 2 per per cent in Victoria in 2016-17, in line with the national average. Industrial Relations Minister Natalie Hutchins said the government supported the ACTUs campaign for more secure work and better pay. We have a proud history of standing up for working Victorians be it fighting for penalty rates, taking steps to clean up the labour hire industry or making long service leave fairer, Ms Hutchins said. Workers carried banners and flags from dozens of unions. Credit:Chris Hopkins Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said the large rally was a sign many Victorians were struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living. Victorians are hurting with cost of living pressures, especially electricity prices, so todays rally should be a real wake-up call to Daniel Andrews, Mr Guy said. Mr Hilakari told the crowd that the system was "fundamentally broken for working people". "It's been broken for far too long," he said. "Wages are at record lows yet company profits right now are at record highs. "Last night's budget did nothing for working people," he said. Police are treating a bushfire that burnt through 25 hectares of land in Aveley at the weekend as suspicious. Emergency services were called to the fire between Wistful Parade, Kitcliffe Way and Zanzibar Loop just after 4pm on Saturday. Strong winds pushed the fire south as Department of Fire and Emergency Services staff fought to contain the blaze. Arson squad detectives are treating the fire as suspicious and are calling on witnesses, or anyone with CCTV or dashcam vision of people in the area, to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A reward of up to $50,000 is available for information that leads to the identification and conviction of an arsonist. Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison look like they want a fight over tax cuts more than they want the tax cuts themselves. The Prime Minister and Treasurer are prepared to take the entire $140 billion tax package to the brink of defeat so they can sharpen the contest with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten at the next election. Yes, they are serious about the reform. It delivers on the Liberal Party's low-tax message. But they also want to wedge Shorten. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull outside Parliament House on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The key question: will they hold out against Senate demands to split the package? So far, the Senate is calling their bluff. Every crossbencher knows from history that the government insists on the package deal right up until the moment it buckles. Australian firms that do business in Iran could be punished under secondary sanctions that would prevent them selling to the United States after President Donald Trump announced he was pulling out of the Obama-era Iranian nuclear deal. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Wednesday urged Australian companies to seek legal advice to see if they might be affected by US sanctions when they have dealings in Iran. Daniel Eskandari, managing director of the Australia Iran Chamber of Business, said some of the chambers more than 100 members had expressed concern and confusion in the wake of the US announcement. Many Australian companies may choose to stay away from Iran to keep an eye on the US market, he said. Patrick Gorman, the state secretary for the Labor party in Western Australia and former advisor to Kevin Rudd, will be the party's sole nominee to contest the byelection in the federal seat of Perth. The seat is being vacated by Tim Hammond who was only elected in the 2016 election. The father-of-three said he would step down as he cannot be a good father and an MP, which requires him to be in Canberra for several months per year. WA's Labor State Secretary Patrick Gorman will run unopposed in the seat of Perth. Credit:Facebook Mr Gorman, 33, who oversaw Mark McGowan's election victory in 2017, had been tipped to enter federal politics but there was speculation that Senator Louise Pratt might switch to the lower house. Fairfax Media has now confirmed Ms Pratt will stay in the Senate after the Australian Manufacturing and Workers Union refused to back her switch. Susan Lamb, Josh Wilson, Justine Keay and Rebekha Sharkie all announced their resignations from Parliament on Wednesday. They will contest byelections in their electorates. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Four federal MPs have quit the Parliament following the High Court's ruling on Wednesday, sparking a "super Saturday" of byelections that will deliver an early verdict on the Turnbull government's budget. Labor MPs Justine Keay, Josh Wilson and Susan Lamb resigned about an hour before question time on Wednesday, after the nation's highest court ruled their Senate colleague Katy Gallagher ineligible to sit in Parliament because she was a dual citizen at the close of nominations prior to the last election. The three Labor MPs relied on the same defence as Ms Gallagher - that they took reasonable steps to renounce their citizenship - an argument the High Court rejected in Ms Gallagher's case. The government and opposition are playing down the possibility of a referendum to amend section 44 of the constitution and resolve the citizenship crisis, instead urging political candidates to be more diligent in ensuring they are eligible for Parliament. The months-long saga ended the careers of another five MPs on Wednesday, with the High Court ruling Labor senator Katy Gallagher ineligible and triggering the rapid resignations of four lower house MPs. A 'super Saturday' of five byelections including one stemming from another Labor MP's unrelated resignation now looms as a test for both Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. Labor MPs Justine Keay, Josh Wilson and Susan Lamb and Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie announced their resignations on Wednesday afternoon soon after the court ruled that former senator Katy Gallagher was still a dual citizen when she was formally nominated at the last election. Susan Lamb, Josh Wilson, Justine Keay, Rebekha Sharkie and Tim Hammond (who resigned last week for family reasons). Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Asked how the Parliament would solve the crisis that began in mid-2017, Mr Turnbull told ABC radio the government had previously argued for a more lenient interpretation of section 44 but it was "very hard" to change the constitution. The High Court has ruled Labor senator Katy Gallagher ineligible to sit in Parliament, in a test case that is likely to lead to a string of four byelections for MPs in a similar position in the ongoing dual citizenship crisis. Ms Gallagher, from the ACT, had argued she took "reasonable steps" to renounce her British citizenship prior to the last election, but due to administrative complications, it had not been processed before the deadline. The court did not accept that and, in a decision handed down Wednesday morning, found Ms Gallagher ineligible in a ruling that poses a major headache for the Labor opposition. The four lower house MPs under a citizenship cloud are Labor's Susan Lamb, Josh Wilson and Justine Keay, as well as Rebekha Sharkie of the Centre Alliance, formerly the Nick Xenophon Team. Nobody could blame the Turnbull government for getting some mileage out of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's egg-on-face claim the Labor Party had "extremely stringent vetting processes" for ensuring political aspirants were eligible to stand for election. Not stringent enough, as it transpired. The High Court's decision on Wednesday exposed the ALP as the party worst affected by the federal parliament's dual citizenship fiasco. The High Court has decided Katy Gallagher is ineligible to sit in the Senate. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen But the bottom line is that the decision - described as "hardline" and "unworkable" by legal experts - is a headache for politicians of all stripes. The High Court found Labor Senator Katy Gallagher ineligible to sit in Parliament because she was a dual citizen when she formally nominated on May 31, 2016, to contest the July 2 election. The heir apparent to the Senate seat vacated by Labor's Katy Gallagher has declared he is ready to step up, making it seem unlikely he will move aside to allow the former ACT chief minister to step back into the role. Professionals Australia's ACT director David Smith is set to replace Ms Gallagher, after the High Court on Wednesday ruled she was ineligible to sit in parliament because she did not make a sufficient effort to renounce her British citizenship ahead of the 2016 election. Professionals Australia's ACT director David Smith is likely to replace the ousted Katy Gallagher in the Senate. Credit:Elesa Kurtz Mr Smith, a long-time member of the Labor movement, was second on the ACT Labor senate ticket at the 2016 election and has spent the last 10 years at the helm of Professionals Australia in the ACT, a union representing professionals including engineers and scientists. Unlike when a member of the House of Representatives resigns, a byelection is not needed for a vacancy in the Senate. The High Court has ordered a new count of the votes cast in 2016, when Labor received almost 38 per cent of the vote in the Senate. When the recount is finalised, Mr Smith will be sworn in as a new senator. And that's where we'll wind up the blog. It's been another day focused on tax cuts and citizenship. Mercifully, things were less frenetic than yesterday. Keep an eye out for Bill Shorten's budget-in-reply speech tonight at 7.30. The live blog will be back on May 21, when Parliament returns. My name is Fergus Hunter you can find me on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks to Alex Ellinghausen and Dominic Lorrimer for the pictures. What we have in Donald Trumps reckless, unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is that Washington, not Tehran, has breached an international agreement that was years in the making and painstakingly stitched together. It is now more likely, not less, that Iran will develop a nuclear weapons program. Was the deal perfect? No. Most bemusingly it did nothing to stop Iran carrying out ballistic missile tests - a key part of any nuclear weapons program since theres not much point in having a bomb if you cant deliver it somewhere. But the European signatories - Britain, France and Germany - were working hard at finding some compromise to fix that flaw. Has there ever been a more weird collection of tax cuts? Ahead of the budget we were promised simple cuts. What we got was a collection of changes so eccentric they are almost impossible to explain quickly and even harder to make sense of quickly. Here goes. Illustration: John Shakespeare Instead of concentrating tax cuts on low- and middle-earners as promised, Scott Morrison has changed a tax threshold, one faced by only the top 20 per cent of earners, and overlaid a new and bizarrely-shaped so-called tax offset on top of an existing offset to give Australians earning between $48,000 and $90,000 a year an extra $530 a year and Australians below $37,000 a lower sum of $200, and those earning something in between, something in between. But they wont get it in their pay packets as extra pay. In fact they wont get it at all during the next financial year, even though it is due to come in on July 1. The people of East Timor are heading to the polls this week for the second time in 10 months. On May 12, a fresh round of parliamentary elections will attempt to overcome the legislative impasse in the current minority government. The new government promised more stability and democratic progress. But this has been cast in doubt by fractious relations among the major parties, ultimately resulting in the government being unable to pass its mandate and the dissolution of Parliament. East Timor goes to the polls this week. Credit:Alamy In the process, there is a risk that important issues such as addressing poverty and unemployment (particularly among young people), and improving basic services such as water supplies, are relegated to the background. Last Julys parliamentary elections were a tight contest between East Timor's two biggest parties. The leftist Fretilin, (with which President Francisco Guterres is aligned) won 23 seats, and the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (led by former independence leader and the nations first prime minister Xanana Gusmao), won 22 seats. Kuala Lumpur: Mahathir Mohamad has claimed an extraordinary victory in Malaysia's 14th general election, opening the door for the first change of government in the 61 long years since the country's independence from Britain. In a result that has dumbfounded most analysts and turned Malaysia's political system upside-down after decades of one-party rule, the Muslim-majority nation delivered a resounding vote for change on Wednesday by dumping the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak. The result will go off like a political earthquake in south-east Asia, where there has long been a tendency towards one-party rule and which in recent years has taken a turn towards more authoritarian regimes. After a marathon night of counting which appeared to grind to a complete halt at one point, Mahathir's Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) coalition of four parties had won at least 119 seats in the 222 member Parliament by 6am, Australian time. JAKARTA, Indonesia: A riot at a police detention center near Indonesia's capital left five officers and a prisoner dead and another officer held hostage on Wednesday. The Islamic State group said its fighters were involved in the violence, which officials said was triggered by a dispute over food. Negotiations were underway for the release of the hostage, said national police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal. Officers guard the outside of a prison in Depok after prisoners staged a riot. Credit:AP He did not rule out harsh action as a "last resort" if the negotiations fail and the inmates refuse to surrender. The prison houses a large number of militant inmates. He gave the Japanese embassy what information he had, but it wasn't enough to find her. The US embassy in Tokyo told him the same thing. A private detective didn't work out either, so he gave up. "And I thought, 'You know what, I've tried. I've made all the effort that I can make. It's just unfortunate'," Hollywood said. Admiral Harry Harris - once slated to be US Ambassador to Australia - helped Hollywood track down his mother. Credit:Brook Mitchell A few months later, he was at Dulles International Airport in Virginia on his way to a military conference in Germany. Early for his flight, he sat down at a wine bar. Across from him was another military man who was going to the same conference. It was a turning point in Hollywood's story. The man was Admiral Harry Harris, whose mother was Japanese. Today, Harris is commander of US forces in the Pacific and was slated to be ambassador to Australia before being nominated for South Korea instead. They started sharing stories. "I told him the story about having the heart attack and wishing I could find my mother. And he said, 'Bruce, I can help you.' And I said, 'You know what, you're an admiral and all, but you can't. I've been to the embassy. I've tried this, and you just can't help any.' " He said: "You know, Bruce, seriously, I can help." Hollywood eventually gave him the information he had. His hopes weren't high. Ten days later, Hollywood was sitting at his desk in the Pentagon, and the phone rang. It was the Japanese embassy. " 'Colonel Hollywood we're really pleased to tell you that we found your mother, Nobue Ouchi'," Hollywood recalled. "And I said, 'Oh my gosh, this is wonderful. You've got to help me start writing this letter. And I want it to be accurate, and I want it to be culturally sensitive. And you've got to help me.' " His caller said, "There's not going to be a letter. She's going to call you at this phone number in 10 minutes, and she doesn't speak English. Good luck!" After urgent emails, Hollywood found someone who could interpret on a conference call. Moments later, the phone rang. It was his mother. She was crying. In shock, Hollywood started talking quickly, telling her how happy he was, and how very grateful he was for her. Then he heard her say, "I'm sorry. I don't speak English." For the next few minutes, Hollywood listened to the interpreter and his mother. All he could make out was talking and sobbing. "And I said, 'Stop, stop, stop. You've got to tell me what's going on,' " Hollywood recalled. "And she said, 'Well, tomorrow is your mother's 65th birthday, and the birthday present that she dreamed of her whole life is that you would come back to her,' " Hollywood said. The interpreter said his mother never married, "because she said in her heart there was only room for one man. And it was you, and she knew you would be back." And then the interpreter said something Hollywood could barely believe. His mother ran her own business - a restaurant and bar she named Bruce. "And I thought, 'This is either the most incredible story I've ever heard or this woman is crazy, and these things aren't true,' " Hollywood said. It turned out, that in a gesture from one mother to another, his adoptive mother went to Nobue before they moved back to the US and gave her a photograph of the baby. She said they had named him Bruce, and she promised to give him a good life. That was how Nobue knew to name her restaurant Bruce. His mother said she wanted to come visit. "I said, 'No, it's my mother,' " Hollywood said. " 'I will go see her.' " The tea plantations of Shizuoka, with Mt Fuji in the background. Ten days later, he was in Shizuoka, Japan - a couple hours by train from Tokyo - where she lived. Every bit of what she said was true. His mother told him the story he never knew about his birth and adoption. The US military man who was his birth father had started the paperwork required to marry Nobue but was shipped home to South Carolina before the paperwork was finished. He had said he would call right away, but didn't. When he telephoned many months later, she refused to talk to him, believing he could not be trusted. He did not know she was pregnant. Nobue's father, a fisherman, offered to support her and the baby, but she knew it would be difficult for a mixed-race child in Japan, so she gave him up for adoption to Edward and Eleanor Hollywood, who were stationed in Japan with the US Air Force. As she spoke, she showed him the photo Eleanor Hollywood gave her, the one she cherished all those decades. On that first visit, she didn't want to let him out of her sight. When he went for a run, he came back and found her frantic with worry. The next morning, he snuck downstairs at 5am to go running, only to find her waiting, dressed in a track suit. OK, he thought, I'll go for a walk. She said, no, you run. And she rode a bicycle behind him. That became their morning ritual during the visit. Loading Hollywood went often to Japan, and he brought her to Washington. She started taking English lessons. He studied Japanese. Three years after their reunion, in 2009, she died of a heart attack. For Hollywood, finding his mother gave him an identity as a Japanese American. Growing up, he didn't know about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Today, he is active in the Japanese American community, and on the boards of the Japanese American Veterans Association and the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism in World War II. The US has generally played the role of international security guarantor, but Donald Trumps America has just become a rogue nation. To now, the US President has broken American commitments on a wide range of trade deals, climate change promises and other matters. But his announcement withdrawing the US from its international nuclear agreement with Iran and five other countries plus the European Union makes the US an active disruptor of international security. Donald Trump exits after speaking about the US exit from the Iran deal. Credit:Bloomberg The agreement, enshrined in UN Security Council resolution 2231, runs until 2025. The European signatories Britain, France and Germany and the EU say they want to keep the deal alive despite the US walkout. There was an inevitability about Donald Trumps decision to unilaterally abandon the Iran nuclear deal. As a candidate he declared the agreement, which includes Americas European allies as well as Russia and China, to be the worst deal in history. But further than that, blowing up the Iran deal is in keeping with all the we know of Trumps presidency, particularly his scepticism of alliances, his appetite for risk and his attraction to chaos. The possible consequences of Trumps decision to abandon what is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) are vast. Beijing: China has joined the European powers in vowing to try to make the nuclear deal with Iran work, even though US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Obama-era agreement describing it as "rotten," and saying it would never bring peace. China late yesterday followed British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in emphasising that they would stick with the deal signed in 2015. A cleric and a woman walk past an anti-US mural painted on the wall of the former American Embassy in Tehran. Credit:AP The US, UK, Russia, France, China and Germany, signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran in 2015, which lifted crippling sanctions in exchange for Tehran slowing its nuclear research and development program and allowing UN weapons inspections in. After Mr Trump's announcement, the European leaders issued a joint statement saying that, Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the [agreement]". Washington: Three companies on Wednesday acknowledged making large payments to the consulting firm of Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, as an attorney for porn star Stormy Daniels said he has additional evidence linking a Russian oligarch and payment to Cohen. Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG and US telecommunications company AT&T said they made payments to Cohen's firm, Essential Consultants, in efforts to gain intelligence into the Trump administration's thinking on issues affecting them. South Korea's Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd (KAI) said it hired the consultancy for services on accounting matters. Three companies acknowledged making large payments to the consulting firm of Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer. Credit:AP A senior official at Novartis told NBC News that Cohen reached out shortly after Trump's November 2016 election win "promising access" to the new administration. Stat News also reported that Novartis' then-chief executive Joe Jimenez instructed his team to strike a deal with Cohen. Washington: US President Donald Trump is preparing to impose new sanctions on Iran, perhaps as early as next week, to ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons. "We are 100 per cent committed to making sure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a news briefing, a day after Trump announced the United States was withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. US President Donald Trump is risking trade and other wars. Credit:AP "We're going to continue to put maximum pressure, enormous sanctions on them. "All of the sanctions that were in place before the deal are back in place and we are preparing to add additional sanctions that may come as early as next week." Washington: In withdrawing the US from the Iran nuclear deal, President Donald Trump outlined a rationale that contradicted the analyses of US and foreign intelligence sources. Trump: "The agreement was so poorly negotiated that even if Iran fully complies, the regime can still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time" and, "In just a short period of time, the world's leading state-sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons." The facts: Experts believe if Iran were to leave now, it would need at least a year to build a bomb. Iran was thought to be only months away from a bomb when the deal came into effect. But during the 15-year life of most provisions of the accord, Iran's capabilities are limited to a level where it cannot produce a bomb. Already the deal has set its nuclear program back. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani "If necessary, we can begin our industrial enrichment without any limitations," the Iranian leader said. "Until implementation of this decision, we will wait for some weeks and will talk with our friends and allies and other signatories of the nuclear deal, who signed it and who will remain loyal to it. Everything depends on our national interests." He also said he was dispatching his representatives to talk to European leaders about the deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents material on Iranian nuclear weapons development during a press conference in Tel Aviv last week. Credit:AP Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "Israel fully supports @realDonaldTrump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. The deal didn't push war further away; it actually brought it closer. The deal didn't reduce Iran's aggression; it dramatically increased it." Belgium Prime Minister Charles Michel "No #IranDeal means more instability or war in the Middle East. I deeply regret the withdrawal by @realDonaldTrump from #JCPOA. EU & its international partners must remain committed and Iran must continue to fulfill its obligations." European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Credit:Reuters Federica Mogherini, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy "The European Union regrets today's statement by the President of the United States on the nuclear deal with Iran. Should the US reconsider this position, we would welcome it. "As we have always said, the nuclear deal is not a bilateral agreement and it is not in the hands of any single country to terminate it unilaterally. "I am particularly worried by the announcement of new sanctions. I will consult with all our partners in the coming hours and days to assess their implications. "The nuclear deal with Iran is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy. It belongs to the entire international community. It has been working and it is delivering on its goal, which is guaranteeing that Iran doesn't develop nuclear weapons. The European Union is determined to preserve it." Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the White House in February. Credit:Alex Wllinghausen Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull "I wouldn't foreshadow a complete unravelling of the deal," Turnbull told ABC Radio as he expressed regret at the US withdrawal. Australia believed the deal was the best option to verify Iran's compliance with its commitments on nuclear development. "We'd urge all parties to show restraint - the Europeans I believe will continue with the deal - and we hope Iran does too," Turnbull told Sky News. Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia fully supports the measures taken by @POTUS with regards to the JCPOA. we always had reservations with regards to sunset clauses, ballistic missiles program, and Iran's support for terrorism in the region." US REPUBLICANS Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Credit:AP Majority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell "The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action represented a deeply flawed agreement, which President Trump has determined is not in the national security interests of the United States. Iran's malign behaviour across the broader Middle East support to proxies such as Shia militias within Iraq, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen and militias inside of Syria, use of cyber attacks, support for terrorism and pursuit of an advanced ballistic missile program must all be addressed in a wider regional effort. "Our European partners now have an opportunity to come back to the table with Secretary [Mike] Pompeo and negotiate the best terms to create either a better agreement, or a maximum-pressure campaign against Iran. I share the objective and commitment made by the President that Iran should never be able to acquire or develop a nuclear weapon." House Speaker Paul Ryan "From the beginning, the Obama-era Iran deal was deeply flawed. Iran's hostile actions since its signing have only reaffirmed that it remains dedicated to sowing instability in the region. The President's announcement today is a strong statement that we can and must do better. "I have always believe the best course of action is to fix the deficiencies in the agreement. It is unfortunate that we could not reach an understanding with our European partners on a way to do that, but I am grateful to them for working with the United States toward that goal. Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee "I have no doubt that the JCPOA was flawed and that for years Iran has been deceptive about its nuclear and other programs. My preference would have been to give our European allies a few more months to strengthen the deal, but now that the president has decided that the United States will withdraw, we must have two critical priorities. One is to further enhance our own military capabilities. The other is to strengthen our alliances. A strong, international effort is required to curtail Iran's aggressive behaviour in a number of areas." Florida Senator Marco Rubio. Credit:AP Senator Marco Rubio, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee "I'm glad that President Trump decided today to withdraw from the flawed Iran nuclear deal and impose crippling economic and financial sanctions against the Iranian regime. This agreement was so bad that bipartisan majorities in both chambers of Congress voted against it after the last administration refused to submit it as a legally binding treaty under the Constitution." "After Israel's recent revelations of Iran's secret archive of nuclear weaponisation plans, the American people deserve better than a bad deal that paves the Iranian terror regime's path to nuclear weapons. And the Iranian people deserve better as they continue to suffer under the regime's criminal corruption, economic mismanagement, and system-wide human rights abuses." DEMOCRATS Former US president Barack Obama. Credit:AP Former president Barack Obama whose administration negotiated the deal "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts and the current US secretary of defense. The JCPOA is in America's interest it has significantly rolled back Iran's nuclear program. And the JCPOA is a model for what diplomacy can accomplish its inspections and verification regime is precisely what the United States should be working to put in place with North Korea. Indeed, at a time when we are all rooting for diplomacy with North Korea to succeed, walking away from the JCPOA. risks losing a deal that accomplishes with Iran the very outcome that we are pursuing with the North Koreans. "That is why today's announcement is so misguided. Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on America's closest allies, and an agreement that our country's leading diplomats, scientists and intelligence professionals negotiated. In a democracy, there will always be changes in policies and priorities from one administration to the next. But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility, and puts us at odds with the world's major powers." Senator Elizabeth Warren, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee "The Obama Administration negotiated a landmark agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. @realDonaldTrump's decision to withdraw from the deal breaks our word, hurts our credibility with our allies, empowers Iranian hardliners, and doesn't make us any safer." "Even the Trump Administration has conceded that Iran is complying with the deal. Now @realdonaldtrump has pulled out without offering any real alternative to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Creating chaos and confusion isn't a strategy it's a recipe for disaster." Senator Mark Warner, the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee "While the JCPOA was far from perfect, by signing the agreement, Iran gave up 98 percent of its uranium stockpile, dismantled 2/3 of its centrifuges, rendered its heavy water nuclear reactor unusable and agreed to unprecedented inspections that provide critical insight into, and early warning about, any attempts by Iran to accelerate its nuclear program. Trump administration leaders, all parties to the agreement, and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is charged with its verification, have agreed that Iran has complied with its terms. "Simply withdrawing the United States from the JCPOA will not benefit the American people and US national security: It will only succeed in driving a wedge between us and our allies ... Withdrawing from this agreement makes the United States, and the world, less secure." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Credit:AP Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic leader "Experts and our allies all agree that this landmark agreement has been successful in preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and even senior Trump Administration officials have confirmed that Iran has remained in compliance with the agreement. Yet, the President has chosen to utterly ignore that reality. For years, Kendra Jackson battled an incessantly runny nose - sniffling and sneezing, blowing and losing sleep each night. Jackson said she initially thought she was getting a cold, then, as her symptoms persisted, doctors suggested it was likely seasonal allergies, putting her among the more than 50 million Americans who struggle with them each year. Kendra Jackson was diagnosed with a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak after other doctors suggested she had seasonal allergies. Credit:Nebraska Medicine But the symptoms never cleared up, and, as the years went by, Jackson started to worry that it might be something worse. She told US television station KETV this week her nose ran "like a waterfall, continuously, and then it would run to the back of my throat." Washington: President Donald Trump's nominee to head the CIA told US legislators on Wednesday "my moral compass is strong" and she would never resume the agency's harsh interrogation program, often denounced as torture, that has threatened to derail her confirmation. Gina Haspel, currently the spy agency's acting director, told her Senate confirmation hearing she would not carry out any order from Trump she found morally objectionable, though she did not say she would refuse an order to use waterboarding, a form of simulated torture, to get answers from a terrorism suspect. "My moral compass is strong. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it," Haspel told the Senate Intelligence Committee. Questions centred about Haspel's role at the CIA in the use of harsh interrogation methods during former President George W. Bush's administration, as well as the destruction of videotapes documenting the tactics. Washington: The Trump administration is calling for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down to protect the safety and security of the Americas. Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the UN, speaks during the Americas Society/Council of the Americas . Credit:Bloomberg Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, told a conference on Latin America at the US State Department that the people of the South American country were "unwilling victims of a criminal narco-state." She said the May 20 elections, in which Maduro is seeking re-election, would be fraudulent if independent observers were absent. 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. The Early Learning Council of Georgetown County presented 11 early childhood educators with a scholarship for $400 to take part in the Palmetto Share Services Alliance program during a ceremony May 3 at the Georgetown Library. Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 68F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. In his first major address as NASA administrator, Jim Bridenstine defended the new agency directive to go to the moon first before voyaging to Mars. But his webcast speech at the Humans to Mars summit in Washington, D.C., today (May 9) did not disclose any new initiatives by NASA to send humans to the Red Planet. Bridenstine, the former Republican congressman from Oklahoma's 1st District, was sworn in as administrator three weeks ago after NASA went 15 months without a permanent leader. While the agency was under interim leadership, the Trump administration tasked NASA with taking humans back to the moon before going to Mars. [Presidential Visions for Space Exploration: From Ike to Trump] NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine spoke at an industry day at agency headquarters in Washington, D.C., on May 8, 2018, before speaking at the Humans to Mars Summit on May 9. (Image credit: NASA/ Flickr Bridenstine told delegates that Mars and the moon will be complementary initiatives. In March, he said, the agency sent a request for information to U.S. industry asking for ideas to improve lunar payload transportation to orbit and to the moon, culminating with human landers. "If some of you are concerned that the coming focus is the moon, don't be," Bridenstine said. "We're doing both the moon and Mars in tandem, and the missions are supportive of each other," he added. "Our return to the surface of the moon will allow us to prove and advance technologies that will feed forward to Mars." Examples of such technologies will include systems for surface mobility, surface habitation, long-duration life support and precision landing, he said. Building a railroad The key to success in space will be to encourage commercial players to move beyond low Earth orbit and deeper into space, Bridenstine said. He likened today's situation in space to the 1800s, when America's West was a frontier and it was difficult for the country to take advantage of it economically. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson asked U.S. Army Capt. Meriwether Lewis and 2nd Lt. William Clark to lead Army volunteers westward. The land had just been acquired under the Louisiana Purchase, and Jefferson wanted to know what was there including "descriptions of animals, vegetables, minerals and other strange things," Bridenstine said. Their expedition ran from 1804 to 1806. But it wasn't until the 1860s that the government could take full advantage of the western frontier, Bridenstine said. Twice, in 1860 and 1861, the U.S. House of Representatives passed bills to build a transcontinental railroad, which the Senate twice refused. (While Bridenstine didn't mention why, one major obstacle was the ongoing American Civil War.) The first Pacific Railroad Act was finally established in 1862, allowing for commercial expansion, Bridenstine said. Bridenstine then recalled July 20, 1969, when the first Apollo mission landed on the lunar surface. He called Apollo 11's surface crew, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, a modern Lewis and Clark. "I know Buzz Aldrin is here, and he would tell you that Buzz Aldrin is Buzz Aldrin," Bridenstine joked. But he said that 49 years after that landing, it's time for the U.S. to build its own railroad in space. And he said NASA is already starting with two robotic Mars missions. [Missions to Mars: A Robot Red Planet Invasion History (Infographic)] InSight and Mars 2020 NASA's InSight Mars lander launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Saturday (May 5) on a mission to probe deep into the Red Planet's interior. Bridenstine pointed out it was a government mission, built by American industry, inclusive of international partners, sent to a U.S. Air Force base launchpad and launched on a commercial rocket. This diverse partnership, he said, is "evidence that we are building the railroad, tie by tie, stake by stake." InSight's main goal is to better understand the evolution of rocky planets, but Bridenstine said its findings will also help humans assess the exploration risks of Mars. Since Mars is closer to the asteroid belt, it has its own meteor showers. It also has a thinner atmosphere, meaning that more meteorites might strike the surface. The risk of meteorite strikes is poorly known, he said, along with our understanding of marsquakes and volcanic activity. "We'll be better informed and better prepared," he said. The forthcoming Mars 2020 rover mission is focused on searching for potentially habitable environments, including caching samples for a possible sample return to Earth. But it will also carry an experiment called MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Experiment) to test a method for processing oxygen from Mars' atmosphere of mostly carbon dioxide. This could be useful for future missions, Bridenstine said. Bridenstine added that NASA's forthcoming powerful Space Launch System rocket, and the Orion deep-space spacecraft, will also be important pieces of the plan, allowing astronauts to "explore where an economy does not exist." The Humans to Mars summit continues until tomorrow (May 10), and you can watch the proceedings live here at Space.com, or directly via the conference website: https://livestream.com/viewnow/HumanstoMars2018 Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. For Teacher Appreciation Week, NASA is thanking teachers and inspiring students to study science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). To celebrate that teachers shape young minds and support students to learn, grow and perhaps change the world one day, NASA released a video this week to celebrate this honorable profession. In the video, teacher-turned-astronaut Ricky Arnold highlights the importance of teachers and STEM education. As Arnold described in the video, the first teacher to go to space NASA astronaut Christa McAuliffe, who died in the Challenger shuttle disaster inspired him to become a teacher. The tragic event "planted a seed" that led Arnold to pursue teaching, he said. [Watch: Astronauts Become Billiard Balls to Demo Newton's 3rd Law] As Arnold transitioned from teacher to astronaut, NASA took great steps forward in education. Today, astronauts on the International Space Station are using their unique environment to teach as they learn and explore in space. These astronauts are taking part in a NASA initiative dubbed STEMonstrations. From the space station, NASA astronauts conduct video lessons, demonstrating scientific concepts in microgravity, such as investigating how potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy, studying Newton's laws of motion and more. These videos are connected to lesson plans and other educational resources for teachers. The visual examples in which the astronauts often use their own bodies' movement to show physics in action can make it easier for students to understand these STEM concepts. Plus, seeing real astronauts floating around in microgravity is a great way to get them excited to learn. Arnold's inspiration from McAuliffe continues with these education initiatives aboard the space station. He hopes to finish was she wasn't able to and follow through with her lesson plans. Through these initiatives and programs, like the A Year in Education on Station program that supports educators aboard the space station, NASA is determined to advance education opportunities and resources for teachers. Email Chelsea Gohd at cgohd@space.com or follow her @chelsea_gohd.Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Bad Reception was written by the team of Tom Garrigus and Jessica Grasl and was directed by Chris Grismer. I liked how the title of the episode worked on a couple of different levels referring to the reception marred by the Ambassador Dewans (Keone Young) death as well as bad reception of messages through the hacking and the issues with Flannerys (Michael B Silver) appointment. I thought the Ambassadors poisoning was a bit of a clever story as was the bait and switch with Andrea (Kim Raver) and Dax (Chris Butler). What I really didnt like was the stupid fake out with Hannah (Maggie Q) dont get me wrong, the fake out was fun but having her then turn around and QUIT at the end of the episode? Im so done with her storyline.The main plot centered around yet another fabricated country Bultan. The Ambassador is trying to leverage an American teenager Matthew Jennings (Gage Munroe) who is being held in prison and is then charged with 20 years hard labor for graffiti. Bultan wants to be able to do offshore oil exploration in the neighboring Poolu Islands.The Prime Minister (Jon Jon Briones) uses the poisoning as leverage to put pressure on Tom (Kiefer Sutherland). He assigns Mike (LaMonica Garrett) to get to the bottom of it, and Mike enlists Chucks (Jake Epstein) help. I love these two working together! It turns out that the Ambassador was poisoned by his neighbor over a tree on their property line a bit lame in the end.Meanwhile, Ethan West (Michael J Fox) takes an inexplicable interest in the case. His posturing and leaking information to the press dont help the situation, and in fact, end up making it worse. It turns out that he knew the boys aunt and feels responsible for her death. Fox was his usual delight to watch, thought again, the story seemed a bit thin. While the stories on the show are engaging, very few stand up to much real scrutiny as far as character motivation its all about moving the plot along.In the end, West is instrumental in helping Tom play hardball with the Prime Minister over environmental atrocities that Bultan has already committed in the Islands. The Prime Minister has no choice but to agree to Toms terms that Matthew be releases and that his only punishment will be to wash the graffiti off himself in public.In the secondary plot, Kendra (Zoe McLellan) has recommended her first boss for a Judgeship. Flannery plays a little hard to get at first, but when Kendra tells him that the President wants him to serve, he seems more interested. Emily (Italia Ricci) seems to have reservations about him but leaves the decision up to Kendra. When an harassment charge comes to light, Seth (Kal Penn) who knows the woman who brought the charge because shes gone from being a lawyer to a journalist, meets with her. Kaitlin (Emily Coutts) tells him that she was passed up for promotion after turning him down for a date. She didnt have proof and couldnt fight the old boys club.Kendra asks Lyor (Paulo Costanza) to do a little more digging, and while he finds one more instance, he doesnt believe it will give anyone pause about the appointment. However, its gotten Kendra thinking. She tells Emily that she slept with Flannery one night many years ago. She felt that it was completely consensual at the time, but now shes not so sure. She was very young and looked up to him and he was an authority figure. I did like how they handled this small look into the #metoo movement. A lot of women simply accepted being treated in a certain way, but now question these events. In the end, Kendra tells Flannery hes not getting the appointment.Meanwhile, in a pretty cool sting, Hannah goes to Dax and asks him help her investigate Frost. Shes going to break into her apartment while Dax takes her out to lunch. We see Chuck helping her break into a house, but its never quite clear whose house it is though if you are paying attention, the closet with the fake wall is full of mens jackets. Hannah finds the hackers base in the basement and downloads the proof they need, and in a very well-worn plot, downloads the information and gets out just as the owner is coming in.Tom calls Dax into his office to reveal that he found the bug in the model car that Dax gave him and has the proof that Dax is the hacker. Dax is not sorry at all. He tells Tom that the biggest threat to the country right now is government interference and over regulation which is stifling innovation. Tom is devastated at the betrayal by his friend but hes mostly angry. Tom reveals that they staged Hannahs firing.Chuck tells Hannah that he found a large payment to Valeria Poreskova (Nora Zehetner) and footage of her going in to an abandoned building. Its clear that Valeria was trying to kill Hannah, not Damian. Anyone else want to lay bets that Valeria staged Damians death and hes currently a convalescing prisoner in that house? Hannah quits to continue investigating her.Mike drops by to see Chuck and tell him he did ok in the field. He also tells Chuck that hes lucky that Hannah wasnt fired he knows all about him helping her on the QT with the break in. I loved Mike telling Chuck that nothing happens in the White House that he doesnt know about! But he also gives Chuck some really good advice Chuck needs to look out for himself.We get a final scene between Tom and Andrea. Tom confides is disappointment in Dax who he thought was his friend. He tells her that he just has to accept that hes not really his friend. Andrea tells him that shes glad to have made a new friend in him, and Tom thanks her for her friendship and support. Then Andrea drops a bit of a bombshell shes moving to San Francisco to acquire a new aerospace company. So perhaps she is just the trial, re-bound girlfriend after all! She tells him that they have a connection though. Theyve both lost their spouses and part of the healing process is making room in your heart for someone else. The two hug good bye.Im a bit sad to see Andrea go but Im sure they can find a way to bring her back I want to see more Mike/Chuck team ups! Im beyond done with Hannah. I liked the way the episode handled some of the really complicated issues with #metoo. What did you think of the episode? Did you have a favorite guest star? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! 15.22 - "Two Steps Back" Directed by Michael Zinberg Written by Jennifer Corbett Reviewed by KathM Okay folks, here we go. Abbys last episode! Tissues at the ready? Previously, on NCIS: Abby is randomly selected to win a dinner for two at The Cooler, a new restaurant Reeves talking to Gibbs about his involvement in a charity for homeless vet families Reeves and Abby talking after dinner at The Cooler about his family and shows her the only picture he has of his mother. Mugger Guy asks for some change, then Abby gets too talky and he shoots her and Reeves. The Episode Begins OMG, this is fabulous. Gibbs, Fornell, Leon, Sloane, and Dr. Confalone (the therapist) are playing POKER! This is a scene I didnt know I needed. Sloane describes Gibbs as the hardest poker player shes ever tried to read, like a statue. Grace (Dr. Confalone) jokes that that is Gibbss normal state, and Leon says that there is no way Gibbs could win five times in a row. But hes Gibbs, so of course he can. FOUR KINGS! To my astonishment Gibbs breaks out in a huge smile of glee, even letting Sloane kind of/almost hug him. Glorious! Then Gibbss phone rings and it all goes to hell. McGee is calling to tell him about the accident, and we see Abby being evaluated in the ER and coding, but we know shell be okay because I cant see any way NCIS can justify killing any more female characters. Ducky enters Autopsy as Jimmy, Bishop, and Torres stand in various parts of the room, staring at a body bag on the table. Torres is angry, and the others are silent, just staring at the bag in disbelief. Ducky gently sends Bishop and Torres to do their jobs, then asks Jimmy if he feels like he can do an autopsy on a friend. Jimmy says its okay and pulls back the zipper to reveal the body. Its Reeves. Jimmy wants to know how Abby is doing, as nobody knows anything new, and Ducky heads off to find out. Leon rushes into the hospital and meets up with McGee. Abby is critical but stable, but if she doesnt regain consciousness in the next 48 hours then things dont look good for her. Leon tells McGee that MPD are treating it as a mugging gone wrong, and that the shooter is still at large. McGee says that Gibbs hasnt spoken a word since he got to the hospital. Gibbs stands over Abbys still form, apologizing for not keeping her safe. Flashback to the episode Kill Ari, when Gibbs told her that hed always keep her safe. He then storms out of the room past Leon and McGee, telling them he has a promise to keep.The next image is a badge with a black band, indicating that a member of law enforcement has been killed. Torres is in the bull pen when he hears loud crunching over in the next row of cubicles. Bishop is sitting at Reevess desk, eating Catsup and Prawn crisps. Apparently, they are her favorite and Reeves special ordered her some and used to keep a stash in his desk for her. She says he was like a brother to her, but she never told him. Torres says it doesnt matter but Bishop says it does. He didnt have anyone else, she says, teary. He just had us.Gibbs arrives and gets an update on the situation. MPD still thinks its a mugging: witnesses heard shots but didnt see anything, no cameras, nothing to help them figure out if it was anything else than a tragedy. The only people who know what really went on are Abby, Reeves, and the guy who shot them.McGee is in Abbys room, staring at her. Jimmy comes in and offers food, but McGee isnt hungry. He feels helpless and wishes he could do something for her and will wait by her side until she wakes up. No matter how long it takes. Jimmy says they should talk to Abby, even though shes unconscious, and tell her about how they feel.Gibbs is in Autopsy now, staring at Reevess body. Sloane comes and stands with him, rubbing his back in comfort. Not sure how I feel about that. Sloane thinks that Gibbs should talk about Reeves, but Gibbs wants facts. Fortunately, Ducky has some. He talks about the bullets that killed Reeves and hurt Abby and says that hes sent everything (blood samples, clothing, etc.) up to the lab. Whos going to analyze it? Sloane wonders.Bishop and Torres are trying to figure out how to do something in Abbys lab. Anything. Bishop has what could be a handwritten instruction manual but could be anything. Torres is pressing buttons on the MasSpec (ask Bishop about the last time she messed with that thing) when something pops up on Abbys computer. Its lab results! The shirt that Reeves was wearing had two blood samples on it, his and former Army Specialist Kent Marshall, who must be the shooter.I dont think Ive ever seen anyone kick a door in as hard as Gibbs does when the team (minus McGee) breaks into Marshalls apartment. The find Reevess wallet and Abbys purse, and they find Marshall, too. But his throats been cut, so somebody go there first. Torres find a dossier on Abby; her shooting was a professional hit, and Marshall was the shooter.Bishop, Gibbs, and Leon meet in Leons office to go over what they know thus far. In addition to shooting Abby and Reeves, the Barretta was also used in six unsolved shootings. But whos the one who put out the hit on Abby? There are hundreds to choose from, Bishop reminds them, as Abbys evidence has been putting criminals away at least since the last 15 years. They focus on Terry Spooner, an embezzler who hired a hit man to stop Abby from testifying against him in 2006 (episode 3.21, Bloodshot). Spooner was released from prison about six months ago and was in a halfway house in Maryland. Gibbs goes to pick him up (why isnt anyone stopping him???) and Leon reminds him that Spooner should arrive in one piece. Gibbs does not commit to that.McGee is talking to TONY! on the phone in Abbys room. Hes giving DiNozzo an update on all thats happening, then promises to keep him in the loop. Then Tony says he loves McGee and pesters McGee to say it back. Which he does. Awwww! In my mind I can see Tony teasing McGee to get him to say it, cant you? McGee is talking to Abby about the call, how Tony didnt even call him Mcanything, so he know how worried he is. McGee cries and tells Abby how scared he is, and how worried he is. He begs her to wake up, but she doesnt.Torres and Bishop are spending some quality time with Spooner in Interrogation. He denies knowing who Marshall is, and denies that he hired someone to kill Abby. They then tell him that he shows them his ankle monitor, which shows that he couldnt be the one. Sloane agree, telling Gibbs that this is personal to the killer, someone who is calculating, connected, and has a serious grudge? Know anyone like that off the top of your head, Gibbs? Why yes, I think he does.Yes! I hoped he'd talk to Alejandro Rivera (episodes 7.21 24; 8.1; 11.24)! Gibbs goes to see him in prison to have a little chat. He grabs Riveras ear and asks him if he did it, if he tried to have Abby killed. Because he didnt succeed. Rivera denies it, he wouldnt kill Abby. Hed kill Gibbs, which makes perfect sense. Did anyone else get a creepy vibe anytime Alejandro was talking to or about Abby? And he still has it! I honestly thought that we might see an episode at some point with Abby becoming a prisoner in his home. He hates Gibbs for killing his father and manipulating him into inadvertently killing his sister. Rivera says that Gibbs has a cloud of death around him. Gibbs flashes back to the murders of Kate, Ziva, someone else (Jenny?) and Mike Franks.In her hospital bed Abby comes around and asks about Reeves.Bishop and Torres are going through Abbys cases but so far nobody matches the profile Sloane has created. Gibbs, who has joined them in the bull pen, says it isnt good enough. Leon and Sloane think that the team could use some down time, and Leon notes that Bishop and Torres are running on fumes. Gibbs stands inches away from Torres, staring him straight in the eye, and says that Torres looks all right to him. We are not at all surprised to find that Torres moisturizes.Bishop has turned up something: before Marshall was (dishonorably) discharged, he was deployed with Tom Reece, aka Marine Sgt. Robert King (episode 6.21, Toxic). King tricked Abby into making him a bioweapon, but Abby found him and had him arrested before he could use it. How does one do that, I wonder? Trick Abby into making a bioweapon.Gibbs takes Bishop with him to Danville Correctional to see King and sends Torres to relieve McGee at Abbys. Torres has never been, and Bishop intimates that hes in for a treat.So, wait, Abby isnow? At most its been 3 days since she literally died in the ER. Welcome to television.McGee has done Abbys pigtails for the tenth time and finally gets them right (its more difficult than Abby makes it look). It's good practice for when Girl Cherub (Morgan?) wants Papa to fix her hair. Theyre talking about how useless she feels when Torres joins them at Abbys amazing loft. You expect me to say that theres no way she could afford it, right? Nope. As intelligent as she is, I think Abby has some patents going on that we dont know about. Anyway, Torres sends McGee back to the bull pen and promises to stay with Abby. McGee reminds her and Torres that King knows all kinds of scary Black Ops people and they should be really, careful. Because Abby wasnt upset and frustrated enough.Gibbs and Bishop go to visit King, who has been in Solitary for a week for starting a fight in the prison yard. However, when they meet up with King in solitary, it isnt him. Someone has taken Kings place, and he is assumed to be out and about somewhere in the Tri-State area.Gibbs snags FauxKing and brings him on over to Interrogation. There FauxKing (who is a GUARD) says that if he didnt comply with King and switch places with him after the fight in the prison yard, then King would have his family killed. King even showed him surveillance pictures of his family. FauxKing said King told him that he was leaving the country after he took care of a few loose ends.Torres is in love with Casa Scuito. He marvels at the coffin (he thought McGee was kidding) and wants to know who made her closet. Abby, however, is more interested in finding out about hunting King. She traces the randomly selected email she received to its original sender, and soon McGee, Bishop, and Gibbs are standing in front of an abandoned storefront called Wild Goose. Gibbs gets it; Abby sent them the wrong address, so shed be free to go to the right one. In the cafe where he was arrested years ago, King looks up to find Abby standing before him.King is surprised that Abby had the guts to come alone to see him, and Abby quotes Rule 45. Whats that? King asks. Abby grimly tells him that hell find out soon enough.Gibb and Co. arrive at Abbys to find it no Abby and no Torres. Theyfind a sticky note on Abbys computer that says simply, Rule 45 (Clean up your mess). None of them can figure out why Torres would go along with it, though, and everything becomes clear when Bishop calls Torress cell only to hear it ringing nearby. Abby has locked Torres in her coffin, after betting him that he was too scared to go inside and put the coffin lid down. Torres is freaked out, and Gibbs even grins a little. Torres is not fond of "New Abby". McGee has found out where Abby is, and they all take off to find her.Abby wants to know how King can live with himself, and he says that he just sees what needs to be done and does it. King says that Abby has blood on her hands, too, because of all the people who died overseas while he wasnt around to save them with his random WMDs. Abby tells King that she put cyanide in his coffee before it was delivered to him, and that if he confesses he can live. She offers him the antidote and then he confesses. She tosses the antidote on the table and walks away while King says hell see her later. As King goes to his car to head off to the airport Gibbs and Torres grab him and place him under arrest. King says that hell just get out again, so Gibbs clocks him and breaks his nose. If you need witnesses, sorry. I didnt see anything.Oh, and of course Abby didnt really give him cyanide; she just slipped him a little Caf-POW!Abby returns Reevess moms picture to him during a visit to Autopsy, then tells the group shes going to London to make Reeves's funeral arrangements. He wanted to be buried next to his mother. After that, though, she wont be coming back to NCIS. She says that she has to honor the life Clay gave her by saving her life, and shes going to start up the shelter to honor his Mom, as he wanted to do. Everyone says theyll. support her.Where is Abby starting up this shelter? London? DC makes sense, but who knows? Tony moved to France apropos of nothing.She hugs McGee, Torres, Jimmy, Bishop, and then Ducky goodbye, then heads over to Gibbss house, where she leaves a letter taped to the door telling Gibbs how much she loves him and how much he means to her. When he looks outside he sees her standing across the street. He smiles a little, then signs I love you. She signs back. Abby and Gibbs have never really needed words.In the last scene has Abby packing up her lab, then takes one more look before shutting off the lights. Her work at NCIS is done.: Good. It was good. I knew Abby wasnt going to die and figured that Reeves was, so there wasnt much to surprise me. Isurprised that Abby is moving to London (at least, that was the impression I got) to set up the vet shelter. I figured shed do it in DC, and then we could hear random things about her from time to time. Who wants to hear stories about Abby babysitting McGee's cherubs, show of hands! If she needs someone to sublet her place Torres would be all about it, as long she moves the coffin.I liked the character a lot, but over time shes become more of a secondary character who pops up here and there, so I was apathetic about her loss. Abby is growing up, which she should be after all of these years, but I miss Sister Rosita stories and bowling with the nuns. The guy who wanted to kill her? Seems implausible and tossed in, particularly because nobody seems to think theres any danger to Abby anymore, despite his apparent desire to kill her. It annoyed me as much as when Abby was at deaths door, then was hanging out at her house seemingly one day later and ordering a studded arm sling.Rivera, though? Excited to see him and watching him mess with Gibbss head. The Rivera storyline was a great one, telling us the about of the impact of Gibbs murdering the man who killed his family has on the mans own family, and pulled Abby inside decades later. Did you think anyone waited as quietly and as long as Gibbs did to get revenge? Meet the Riveras! I think it also fundamentally changed Abbys relationship with Gibbs and made her grow up a little. Which was sometimes much needed. Something Ive never liked about Abby is her occasional self-centered, childish behavior. She wanted the team back together when Leon separated them, so she pouted and shouted and blamed it on Gibbs, demanding the get them all back. I also found that she could be patronizing and self-righteous, then astonishingly naive. But that doesnt mean she wasnt interesting, and that I wont miss her bopping around the lab.The flashbacks were great, but I've seen so many of them so often it was rather anti-climactic.I wish I liked the episode more than I did, but really, I had a feeling about what was going to happen before it all began (with a few surprises tossed in here and there). I liked it, but think it could have had a lot more drama and suspense. The Poker was my very favorite scene, and I will keep the episode, so I can watch it when Im feeling down. Bir Lehlu, May 8, 2018 (SPS) - The government of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (the SADR) observes with satisfaction the successful recovery and the sale of a cargo of phosphate rock illegally exported from the occupied part of Western Sahara. On May 1, 2017, the 55,000 tonne cargo aboard the Marshall Islands registered bulk carrier NM Cherry Blossom was detained by a civil court order after the ship anchored at Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The South Africa High Court later determined that the SADR had a prima facie claim to ownership of the cargo and directed the claim be subjected to a trial of its merits. On February 23, 2018 the Court concluded that: (1) the SADR was the owner of the whole of the cargo of phosphate presently laden on the motor vessel NM Cherry Blossom and (2) ownership in the phosphate has never lawfully vested in the Moroccan state owned companies OCP SA and Phosphates de Boucraa SA, and they were, and are, not entitled to sell the phosphate. The SADR government will enforce an order from the case awarding it court costs payable by OCP SA and Phosphates de Bucraa SA, including against the worldwide assets of each company in jurisdictions where they may be located. In the aftermath of the South Africa case, and a parallel case in May 2017 in Panama concerning the m.v. Ultra Innovation, the SADR government continues with a policy position of asserting sovereign rights to the natural resources of occupied Western Sahara and to insisting on a documented approval for any removal of them from the the territory. Where resources are found to have been illegally exported, including contrary to international humanitarian law, the default position is that they must be returned to the territory to properly ensure a full realization of the Saharawi peoples right to self-determination. The Panama and South Africa cases, in tandem with others in the European Court of Justice (the CJEU), mark the use of law to ensure Saharawi self-determination and a preservation of natural resources pending the restoration of sovereignty throughout Western Sahara. The SADR government anticipates similar civil legal proceedings in other countries against the remaining Saharawi phosphate purchasing enterprises involved. In addition, measures against the ongoing central Saharan coast fishery will be advanced. The SADR government again cautions shipping interests, including time charterers, to safeguard themselves and their ships from such prospective liability and compensation-attachment proceedings. Voyage charterers and managing enterprises may not always disclose such risks. The SADR government strongly recommends contracts between ship interests prohibit the carriage of resources (or any commodity) from Western Sahara. A suitable charterparty term might read as follows: Charterers are not permitted to trade this vessel to El Aauin (also known as Laayoune) and Dakhla in Western Sahara. Emhamed Khadad, a senior member of the Saharawi government observed that the SADR government took legal action in countries of the Global South to demonstrate that the rule of international law is as robust as it has been so recently applied in Europe. The Saharawi people had unequivocally for years protested a taking of their resources, and now have an established and durable basis to close down such trade and to illuminate other consequences of a vicious, illegal occupation. (SPS) 062/SPS Life Cycles bikes are not stationary and neither is the business. After three years building up a clientele for her spin studio near the Merritt Parkway, owner Golnar Sharafsaleh last month relocated classes to a downtown studio at 135 Bedford St. Marked with a grand opening last Saturday, the move places Life Cycle closer to the bulk of its clients and also offers more training options. We had a little studio at 1100 High Ridge Road for three years, and it was cool, but when we figured out we had the opportunity, we came downtown, Sharafsaleh said in an interview last week at the new studio. We built a little community there, and they followed us down here. Life Cycle has moved into a subterranean setup on Bedford Streets restaurant row, accessed by a street-level entrance between the soon-to-open Bedford Hall restaurant and a vacant storefront awaiting its next retail tenant. Once a print shop, the approximately 3,000-square-foot space had stood empty for a number of years. I walked in and said This would be perfect for a studio, Sharafsaleh said. The 45-minute classes feature RealRyder bikes. Unlike traditional stationary bikes, the RealRyder models are flexible, allowing riders to tilt and turn the frames. We chose these specific bikes because they move, and that takes a lot of pressure off your joints and hips, Sharafsaleh said. We turn left, we turn right, we use our core and we use our back. All those connected muscles that people tend to ignore come into play with our bikes. The clientele ranges from those in their early 20s to those well into their 60s. We imagined Life Cycle as a place for people to come together and work out and be comfortable, Sharafsaleh said. We want it to be a little different than other studios. We just want to make it comfortable so that people can actually push themselves and give it a try. About 85 percent of the regulars at the High Ridge studio have started taking classes at 135 Bedford. In addition to the exercise, I get a sense of camaraderie and fun, said Bill Perkins, who takes classes several times a week. I love working out with the people here. Ive made a lot of friends. I enjoy the vibe. The instructors include Sharafsalehs husband, Igor Gorbachevskiy, and Virginia Hamilton Furnari, who started out as a Life Cycle client and previously taught similar classes in New York City. During an evening class last week, Furnari led a group of about a dozen through a spirited session, set to a soundtrack featuring the likes of Cardi B, Rihanna and Alice Merton. Periodically, she switched off the overhead fixtures for bursts of glow-in-the dark lighting to spur the riders. More Information For more information on Life Cycle, visit www.lifecyclect.com See More Collapse Quarter up, here we go youve got this! Furnari told the class, as the riders tightened the resistance knobs on their bikes. In addition to morning and evening classes, Life Cycle plans to add midday sessions and TRX suspension-training classes. The new studio can accommodate up to 25 bikes in a class, compared with 15 in Life Cycles former home. I need to be in a class being in a class is so much more motivating, said Andrea Burdette, who takes classes nearly every day. My legs have gotten so much stronger. My overall stamina has improved, and I have found my breathing is better, as well. Sharafsaleh is juggling the launch of the new location alongside another significant new venture: Her daughter, Alia, was born April 3. She joins older brother Ari, who is 2. The family lives in North Stamford. Before starting Life Cycle Sharafsaleh worked for four years at the Westport-based Bridgewater Associates. When I opened the studio, I was pregnant with Ari, and with this studio, I was pregnant with Alia, Sharafsaleh said, with a wry smile. After eight months of pregnancy, I like to open things. pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschott Mom's spend their lives taking care of others, so they deserve something special on Mother's Day. Sure, you could get her flowers from a local florist or buy her a gift, but what she probably really wants is to spend time with her family. There are plenty of opportunities to spend some quality time with mom in southwestern Connecticut this weekend. Click through the slideshow above for some suggestions. According to history.com, Mother's Day started in the United States in 1914 by a woman named Anna Jarvis who wanted to honor her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis. "In the years before the Civil War (1861-65), Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start Mothers Day Work Clubs to teach local women how to properly care for their children...In 1868 Jarvis organized Mothers Friendship Day, at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation," history.com writes. Anna Jarvis felt that American holidays were biased toward men, so she started a campaign to instate a day honoring mothers. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mothers Day. Today, it has become somewhat of consumer holiday as the tradition is to buy mom flowers and jewelry or take her out to eat. But, "at times Mother's Day has also been a date for launching political or feminist causes," history.com writes. "In 1968 Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr., used Mother's Day to host a march in support of underprivileged women and children. In the 1970s women's groups also used the holiday as a time to highlight the need for equal rights and access to childcare." I recently read an article on Entrepreneur.com about how the two female founders of Witchsy created a fake male co-founder to fight sexism. Around the same time I saw the World Economic Forums report on The Global Gender Gap Report. The report found that the gender gap will not end for another 170 years. That means my great-great-great-great-granddaughter may get the same pay as men in 2186. How can that be possible? As the founder of Monstapreneur, my mission is to enable other entrepreneurs to find their distinct purpose and use it create personal and business value. In my years working as an entrepreneur, I realized how many men I usually work with. Despite knowing many female entrepreneurs, it still seems difficult to connect. And I know how crucial their diverse perspectives are to our success. So what am I missing? What am I doing wrong that Im not connecting with women in a way that can help bridge this terrible gender gap? Related: Tech's Gender Wage Gap Is Real, Partly Because Men Don't Believe It Is. To answer some of my questions, I chatted with Rachel Braunstein. She is partner marketing manager at Microsoft and also created a community of women called Rhea. Braunstein sees Rhea as a group of lady-bosses who have an open dialogue and support each other. This community allows women to become more confident and feel a sense of belonging. Theyre also trying to discover new ways to work alongside men and create a more inclusive workforce. My conversation with Braunstein gave me perspective on three things we all need to do better to bridge the gender gap. See your unconscious biases and fight past it. Braunstein spoke about many instances as a woman in tech where the room was filled with men and they'd sometimes make inappropriate comments and gestures. Many men lack the self-awareness and discipline to be respectful in a professional setting. As a father of an amazing little girl, I would hate for my daughter to experience this kind of sexism. As men we need to take a second and look around the room when women are outnumbered 10:1. We can make an extra effort to make them feel welcome. Look at your invite lists to major events. Look at the amount of people youre interviewing and hiring. Be honest with yourself and do something to include more women. Create safe zones for open discussions with her. Men often get stuck in a boys club mentality and start talking about manly things, like sports, beer and hunting, says Braunsteintopics that many women dont always relate to. To be more inclusive, men can make time for 1:1 lunches and smaller group outings with men and women, so we can find shared experiences together. Related: 4 Words That Reinforce the Gender Gap at Work Braunstein understands that men can be worried about taking a female coworker, employee or friend out, in fear that the meet-up may be misconstrued. But she said to stop thinking about it, and we still need to do it. Dont take the same girl out every time. Or, create events that both genders can relate to. Those safe zones are crucial for her to open up, feel more confident and, ultimately, be successful. Celebrate her successes openly and frequently. Braunstein pointed out that many women are self-conscious and have doubts about themselves. They do make decisions differently and often have different fears and pressures than men do. When a manager can support her success and inspire her confidence, the outcome can be huge for her career. Its no secret that as men, we hold most of the powerful positions in corporate America, especially when it comes to venture capital funding. So we need to support women in every way possible. Just saying "Great job" or giving positive recommendations can go a long way. Most people dont change, or willingly go along with change, because a change is the right thing to do. They do it if there is an important reason to change. Generally, businesses dont change their corporate cultures to better retain women just because its a nice thing to do. They do it if there is a compelling business reason that can increase their revenue. A more diverse workplace is proven to generate better ideas and outcomes. Bottom line, the time is now to achieve gender diversity if you want an innovative, profitable business. Related: VC Funding's Gender Gap Is Hurting the Marketplace So what do you say, guys; can we work together for our daughters, our wives, our mothers, our friends, our #ladybosses to get equal pay and, more importantly, create new opportunities we never imagined? Related: 3 Ways Men Can Help Close the Gender Gap Capability And Not Gender Determines Leadership How Come Every Tech Panel Is Always a Tech 'Manel?' Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Spring signals the infusion of new life, renewal, growth and transformation. For farmers, this season is a critical time -- it's when they lay the groundwork for the year ahead. For startups, spring can feel perpetual. Especially in their early stages, startups are iterating and accelerating constantly. Related: Why Spring Cleaning May Hold the Key to Productivity The pressure to be agile and rapidly scale has led some startups down the slippery slope of overpromising and under-delivering. But, startups can take a methodical, strategic approach and still move quickly. Following a similar methodology to the agricultural process will help lay the groundwork for startups in the year ahead. These four farming practices can guide startups' growth: Planning for the season Before planting, farmers first assess the soil. This is an important stage of the agricultural process because it's when farmers determine which crop will thrive in the given environment. Understanding the weather conditions, soil nutrition, demand and soil type are key to determining the best seeds for planting. Similarly, startups must first assess the efficacy of their idea before launching it into the market. According to CB Insights, 42 percent of failed startups list "no market need" as a reason for their collapse. Investing early in research and development ensures there is a viable market for the product and can help determine a strategic road map. It will also help a growing startup understand if an idea is ready to launch or if adjustments are needed. By participating in conversations with customers and potential users, startups will receive direct feedback on what works well, what doesn't and what can be improved. Related: 4 Ways to Spring Clean Your Brand Preparing the soil After farmers have determined which crop has the most potential for growth, it's time to cultivate the right environment. Cultivation involves creating conditions that are optimal for seeds to germinate in. There is a lot of work involved in this phase and it's often difficult to understand just how necessary it is until the seeds begin to grow. In a startup, this step requires building a culture for an idea to take root and grow. Oftentimes teams within a startup are small, requiring all hands on deck. Unlike more established businesses, regular collaboration between senior leadership and junior team members is the norm. At Shiftgig, we host bi-weekly brainstorm sessions where everyone is invited to share and brainstorm solutions for different issues. In these sessions, ideas are discussed among C-level, manager and entry-level employees alike. As a result, we have created a culture of trust and transparency where every employee is empowered to be innovative and has the freedom to fail. Related: The Top 4 Reasons Startups Fail, According to 14 International Accelerators The importance of pruning As crops grow, so do undesirable weeds. Pruning this unwanted growth ensures the soil's nutrients go to the crops a farmer wants to harvest. In a growing startup, ideas and opportunities are constantly emerging but it's vital to remain focused on the company's vision. Don't follow the shiny objects that distract from the task at hand. Weed out the ideas that steer the company away from its core and slow down growth. Focus all of the company's efforts on the ideas that will positively impact and accelerate the business. For example, Uber has branched out beyond its original business plan with products like UberEats and UberRush. While UberEats is now the most profitable part of Uber, UberRush has struggled to establish itself and will shutter in June. This decision allows Uber to invest resources into the parts of the business that are going well. Related: Staying in Your Lane: Why Startups Must Stay Focused Nurturing the ecosystem A farmer can plant many seeds but without the right care, crops will never grow. Constant cultivation, fertilization and irrigation are needed to nurture growth. In the fast-paced world of a startup, relationships, too, need constant nurturing. Customers, investors, partners and internal employees are a startup's biggest assets. On the other hand, in the wrong environment, factors such as leadership changes, emerging competitors or losing a deal can have a cascading effect, negatively influencing company morale and even impacting revenue. Unpredictable factors like weather force farmers to be more adaptable. Startups, too, should establish and embrace an environment where change is expected but not disruptive to growth. When Shiftgig experienced a C-suite leadership change, our first priority was making sure our employees, customers and investors understood the reason for the change and the impact it would have on the business. This communication further established trust and transparency with this vital group of people. To continue getting the right crop, farmers must always be investing in it. Growing startups looking to accelerate quickly, need to do the same. Related: 5 Factors That Contribute to the Success of Your Business Measuring crop growth As seasons change, farmers begin to determine success. It allows them to understand if the predicted weather pattern, the chosen seeds and the amount of land was accurate and if adjustments need to be made for the next season. With this in mind, startups too need to set realistic expectations for growth from the outset. Goals should not be static and instead dynamically reflect the growth stage. What was important to measure initially might will not be valuable down the road. As Shiftgig grew, we realized the importance of altering our KPIs to be measurable across every department. Our goals today not only reflect the overall performance of our business but they also give each employee a chance to make a direct impact on the bottom line. As summer starts, so does the sense of complacency. This complacency is dangerous to any business, especially startups. The spring urgency of working sunup to sundown to nurture delicate crops diminishes. Startups who embrace a perpetual spring will have constant momentum to experience strategic growth. Related: If You're Running a Startup, Spring Is a Year-Round Season Are You Ready to Start Your Business? The Best Entrepreneurs Are Dreamers Who Can Match Their Vision With Reality Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved NORWALK Norwalkers brought family stories from World War I to the old town house on Mill Hill as part of the state librarys effort to digitize artifacts for the wars 100-year anniversary. Medals were photographed, and old photographs were scanned. One woman brought her familys letters from the war, the pages riddled with holes. Instead of blacking out sensitive information, the censors had literally cut them from the page. Christine Pittsley, the project director of Connecticut State Library, was taking pictures of the artifacts in a special black booth Saturday. She had just arrived back from a trip to France. Thats one of the beautiful things about this project, she reflected after the event. Weve been doing this for four years. When I went to France, I was able to take these stories with me. Pittsley had been tracing the steps of the 102nd Infantry Regiment, making it a point to visit the town of Seicheprey on April 20, the anniversary of a battle there against German stormtroopers. It was a battle where it was just Connecticut troops, she said. And a lot of people who come in on this project had family who had fought at Seicheprey, and who died at Seicheprey, so it became very personal. Pittsley watched as the residents of the town gathered to read the names of the Americans who had died during that battle the 102nd had been part of the first four divisions of the American Expeditionary Force to arrive, and for many Seicheprey had been their first bout with war. It was very humbling, Pittsley said. The stories brought by Norwalkers belonged to soldiers from throughout North America. Doug Werner of Rowayton submitted a story from the Canadian Forces. Werner had been cleaning out his mothers house when he came across a stack of yellowed letters postmarked in 1916. In the living room of his bright and airy home, he recalled the moment. I sat down in this chair and started to look through them, and thought, holy s---! There, in the letters, was a complete set of his great uncle Bill George Lightles letters from the first World War, starting with the very day he signed the papers to join. The fellows in charge are certainly very kind and every possible thing is done for the comfort of the soldiers, Lightle wrote that spring day. Like many others, he had falsified his age in order to fight. However, soon enough, he was writing his family that if I were in Canada now, it would take the whole British army to get me over here again. On the first night of the Battle of Somme, a bloody five-month stalemate that killed over a million people, Lightle described seeing over half a mile of ambulances trying to work their way to the hospitals, loaded with Canadian dead. They had the back of the ambulances open, so we could see them quite distinctly, all bandaged up and blood stained, he wrote. I was told this morning that they kept coming in all night. That was the battle he was bound for, and he continued writing home until he died on Nov. 18, 1916, the very day the British finally ended the battle. They had advanced six miles and lost over 400,000 men. The last letter Lightles family attempted to send was returned to sender, with Killed in Action scrawled across the top. Its heartbreaking, Werner said of the bloodshed described by his great uncle. Sometimes you find these little tidbits of history that illuminate a whole other world. There are three in-person World War I Digitization Days remaining the project was scheduled to coincide with the 100-year anniversary of World War I, which draws to a close this November. More Information WWI Digitization Days Want to preserve your World War I photographs, letters, artifacts and oral histories? Three digitization days remain, where the Connecticut State Library will come out to scan, photograph and record materials in partnership with local organizations (the Norwalk day was organized by the Norwalk and Rowayton Historical Societies and the Norwalk Public Library). You can always electronically submit entries at http://ctinworldwar1.org/digitization-days/online-submissions/. May 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. - American Legion Kiltonic Post 72, 64 Main St., Southington, Connecticut June 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. - Keeler Tavern Museum, 132 Main St., Ridgefield, Connecticut June 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Otis Library, 261 Main St., Norwich, Connecticut See More Collapse But just because the centennial ends doesnt mean we stop collecting, Pittsley noted. Connecticut State Library will continue collecting online submissions to the archive. And Pittsleys work connecting residents to Connecticuts World War I past is far from done. While she was following the path of the 102nd Infantry Regiment in France, she came across a historic trench being maintained by German students. What a learning experience, she thought. Now, shes in the beginning stages of a program that would bring students from around the state to restore the American trenches in France. Theyve never forgotten what we did, she said of the people she met in Seicheprey. Those participating in the digitization project are working to ensure we dont either. rschuetz@hearstmediact.com; @raschuetz Political leaders haven't exactly rallied around Attorney General Jeff Sessions decision in January to rescind the policy blocking federal prosecutors from enforcing federal pot laws against cannabis businesses operating legally under state law. Its been just the opposite -- even when it comes to notably conservative Republicans including his own boss, President Trump. It started with John Boehner, the former Speaker of the House who joined the board of a cannabis company. He now supports legal medical marijuana after a political career spent opposing it. Then, Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, a conservative Republican, said President Donald Trump had assured him that he respects the rights of states to regulate legal marijuana without federal interference. The White House later confirmed Gardners statement. It didn't hurt that Gardner had used his senatorial perogatives to block nearly two dozen Trump appointees to the Justice Department who couldn't start work without Senate confirmation. Now, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has decided to end her career-long opposition to legalized marijuana. For those who dont know Feinstein, its probably more shocking that a Democrat from San Francisco held that position in the first place. Related: 3 Questions to Help You Decide If You Should Open a Cannabis Business A tough primary challenge. Feinsteins about-face comes as she seeks to win reelection in a state where voters approved recreational marijuana in 2016, a move she strongly opposed. Feinstein said she has now changed her mind about legalized cannabis. Specifically, she told McClatchy that she does not believe the federal government should interfere in states where marijuana is legal for medical and recreational purposes. She went as far as to say she would consider new federal protections for states that have legalized marijuana. Federal law enforcement agents should not arrest Californians who are adhering to California law, she said. Just two years ago, Feinstein strongly opposed Proposition 64, the 2016 ballot measure that California voters approved to legalize recreational marijuana. She said at the time that she was OK with medical use, but not recreational. She also feared the ballot measure lacked sufficient protections for children and motorists. Feinstein also said that part of the reason for the opposition was hearing cases of criminals moving from marijuana to harder drugs while she sat on the state Women's Board of Terms and Parole. Feinstein faces a challenge in the Democratic primary from the more liberal Kevin de Leon, president of the state Senate, who suppurts legalization. The primary vote is June 5. Related: A New Governor Brings New Growth to New Jersey Medical Marijuana Industry Protecting state-legal business from federal prosecution. Where could all the flipping on marijuana legalization lead? One possibility is a bill currently being crafted by Gardner, the Colorado senator, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. The bill would make it the law of the land that legalization of marijuana is entirely a state issue. It would not change the designation of marijuana as a Schedule I illegal drug at the federal level. But it would ensure there is no federal interference in states where marijuana is legal. That would alleviate concerns among marijuana entrepreneurs about a potential federal crackdown, an ongoing concern given Sessions frequent, public and vehement opposition to legal marijuana. It could also lead to banks offering services to cannabis businesses. As it stands, most banks will not work with marijuana companies for fear of running afoul of federal law. This has left many marijuana businesses operating on a cash-only basis. Gardner told CNBC that after speaking with Trump, he believes the president would support such a bill. While getting it through Congress will prove difficult, Gardner said he believes Trump will hold to his end of the bargain." Follow dispensaries.com on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest cannabis news. Related: You Would Have Thought This Liberal Senator Already Supported Legal Marijuana, but Now She Actually Does A New Governor Brings New Growth to New Jersey Medical Marijuana Industry 3 Questions to Help You Decide If You Should Open a Cannabis Business Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved I mperial Brands chief executive Alison Cooper on Wednesday pledged a 2 billion sale of non-core businesses as she admitted to frustration at the plunge in the share price and moved to pacify angry investors. With some calling for a complete sale of the company to Japan Tobacco, Cooper fought back, pointing to a 10% rise in the dividend even while profits fell and sales were flat. Cooper wouldnt say which bits of Imperial are up for grabs. Analysts speculate she will look to sell off parts of the sprawling company outside the key markets in the US, UK, Germany and Russia to increase returns to shareholders. She insisted that dialogue with investors and with the largest investors in particular was positive and that this is a very exciting time for the business, which has been slightly held back by financial results. Asked if she needed a large deal, the Porsche-driving, cigar-smoking Cooper replied: Absolutely not. The dialogue is very positive about the strategy. I am as frustrated as anyone about where the share price is. The shares are down a third in the past year, but today rallied 4% to 2721p, leaving the business worth 26 billion. Cooper seemed to win over some City sceptics on Wednesday. Investec said there is light at the end of the tunnel and welcomed the asset sell-off, saying it was pleased to see the company moving in this direction. Citi said the figures were better than low expectations. In the half-year sales were steady at 14.3 billion, while profits fell 8% to 833 million. The divi rose to 57p. Cooper has been criticised for being slow to embrace vaping products. Today she said the roll-out of the myblue brand would boost the presence of Imperial in that market. Other brands include Davidoff, Lambert & Butler and Gauloises. Cooper last year had to give up a 3 million pay rise after an investor revolt, but still took home 5.5 million. A lison Cooper claims she puffs the odd cigar on celebratory occasions. I doubt shell be lighting up today. The muted reaction to her efforts to tackle Imperial Brands battered share price is a clear smoke signal from investors: this doesnt go far enough. Expectations had been running high that there would be some real M&A fireworks big divisions up for sale, perhaps a full-blown strategic review. Instead, all they got was the cautious statement that the company was progressing various divestment opportunities. That means selling 2 billion of unwanted bits of the business. Two billion may sound like a lot, but it was hardly a dramatic review of a 26 billion company. Despite the shares having fallen by nearly a third since the start of the year, the result of Coopers words was a mere 4% rally. Chairman Mark Williamson reminded investors that Imps pays a thumping great dividend. You cant fault him on that Imps shares now yield more than 7%. But, with the share price this bombed out, it is hard to believe investors will allow Imps to continue on this course for much longer. Fund manager Terry Smith bailed out last year. He worried about Imps exposure to shaky emerging markets, where profits today came in 10% below Citis forecasts. Others, for example Neil Woodford, stayed in, hoping for some kind of recovery. A miracle, more like. Activist investors are sniffing around, hoping to find bidders for all or most of the business. If they succeed, it will be the shareholders turn to reach for the humidor. Deutsche sends Liberty bananas Vodafones move on Liberty Globals cable networks in Europe was the worst-kept secret in Tellyland. The pair have been in talks about merging bits of, or all of, their businesses for years. John Malone once described the negotiations as like trying to get a banana out of a jar: impossible to do without squishing the thing. Todays deal is more pragmatic and manageable, allowing him to exit Europe cleanly and focus on Latin America. I say cleanly, but it might not be so easy. Deutsche Telekom, Germanys version of ex-state monopoly BT, has been complaining that the deal should be blocked on competition grounds. This is the same Deutsche Telekom that at present makes 70% of all telecoms revenue in Germany. Its for Brussels to decide whether to squish Malones banana. Over here, its more intriguing to wonder what he plans to do with his Virgin Media business. Without a European empire alongside it, Virgin Media is left looking rather small and stranded. Will Malone buy O2 or TalkTalk to shore it up, or sell it to focus elsewhere? D ieselgate is revving up to be one of the most cut-throat corporate thrillers of our time, pitting two of the worlds richest families, the Porsche and the Piech, which control the worlds biggest carmaker, Volkswagen, against its former boss and protege. In the latest twist, Volkswagen, majority owned by Porsche, is considering legal action against Martin Winterkorn, its then executive board chairman, for negligence over his role in the Dieselgate emissions scandal. Its a bitter twist for Winterkorn, who is already facing criminal charges in the US over his part in the affair, and if found guilty, could face up to 25 years in jail. He is now a fugitive from justice after the US courts last week issued a warrant for his arrest, but it is unlikely he will go on to trial because there is no extradition from Germany. Now the Germans are after scalping the 70-year-old as well. The German media is buzzing with reports that VW is close to deciding to hold Winterkorn liable for any losses caused by negligent breach of duty. If successful, this civil action would involve VW seeking damages from him of up to 100 million (88 million), the amount he earned while working there, and maybe his 30 million pension too. How the tables have turned. Once revered in Germany for turning VW into the worlds biggest car manufacturer, now the countrys politicians are saying Winterkorn should face punishment for creating a culture that allowed such a scandal to take place. In a decision that may come back to haunt him, Winterkorns sky-high pay was way above other German corporate leaders. A corporate entity suing a former boss is rare, even in Germany, where its two-tier board structure makes it easier to do so. VWs 20-strong supervisory board is made up of shareholder representatives, including members of the Porsche family holding company, Qatar Holdings and Lower Saxony, trade union representatives and other interested parties, while the management board is made up of full-time executives. Under German law, the supervisory board has a legal duty to ensure the management acts responsibly. To date, Winterkorn has denied any knowledge of the diesel-cheat devices fitted by his engineers, and uncovered by US regulators in September 2015. However, there have been claims by Ferdinand Piech, chairman of the supervisory board until April 2015, that senior managers did know of the cheat devices, and that Winterkorn was warned as far back as 2006 that VW would not meet US emissions standards. Who knows whether the truth will ever be uncovered but the charges will be tough for Winterkorn to fight. Under German law, the burden of proof is with him to show he did everything he could to uncover any wrongdoing. Put another way, if he didnt know, he should have known. Such legal action has happened only once in the UK, mainly because of our unitary board system, where usually the executives work more closely with non-executives. The move was made by the new board of Equitable Life, the troubled life insurance group, which took a landmark 3.3 billion negligence suit against nine former non-executive directors. Needless to say, it failed. Suing directors for failing to fulfil their duties is notoriously difficult to prove, as the lack of prosecutions from the fallout of the banking crisis has shown so vividly. There were early attempts by the then Department of Business to take civil actions against Fred Goodwin, the former boss of RBS, and other directors. That never got off the ground. By contrast, the action being taken against Lloyds Bank by shareholders over the HBOS disaster is under securities law, not companies law. The difficulty in holding directors to account for corporate disasters, says Roger Barker, head of corporate governance at the Institute of Directors, stems from the principle they cannot be taken to task for making bad decisions, otherwise no one would ever go into business. For example, Goodwins defence may well have been that he made an error of judgment, however whopping you think that error might have been, but it wasnt premeditated. L ondons Victoria station is in line for the biggest overhaul in its 168-year history as developers plot multi-billion pound plans to take off the roof and build a new tower above the capitals transport hub. Network Rail is set to give the green light to the radical scheme following a feasibility study from engineers Arup showing it is possible to build millions of square feet of office space over the platforms, with a tower on the bus station island site in front of the terminus. The Standard understands the Duke of Westminsters property company, Grosvenor, developer Landsec and Victorias Business Improvement District, have held secret discussions over the past 18 months. An update on the development of the station, Londons second-busiest after Waterloo, is expected this summer. The scheme would be the latest stage in the transformation of the area. The former civil service hub has seen hosts of employers flock to new buildings such as Landsecs Nova development. The Arup plans involve removing the roof and creating a giant concrete and steel box around the 19 platforms to allow the building of towers above. Ruth Duston, chief executive of the Victoria Business Improvement District, said: We know there are going to be several options for funding a major redevelopment, and we look forward to working with partners in the coming months to consider which is the most appropriate for Victoria. Network Rails plans include further refurbishment of the listed roof and there is likely to be opposition from conservationist groups to demolition. But businesses and property owners are urging investment. The redevelopment of Victoria station is a pressing priority, added Duston. O utsourcer Serco on Wednesday came under fire from a number of its staff working across London hospitals who demanded a pay rise. Trade union Unite estimated around 50 Serco workers on the Barts NHS Trust contract would stage a protest at the trusts board meeting on May 9. FTSE 250 company Serco provides everything from patient catering, to cleaning and laundry services, across hospitals including St Barts and Mile End. There are around 1600 staff working on the contract. Of these, those on the minimum pay get 10.20 per hour. Unite and a number of employees want that boosted to 10.83. Last July saw a number of workers employed by Serco at Barts Health NHS Trust go on strike before a settlement was agreed. M ost normal people dont give a Castlemaine XXXX about local elections unless youre a political geek, such as myself. Im such a geek that I have a crush on election expert Professor Sir John Curtice. When I met him, I was so starstruck that I couldnt even ask him for a selfie for fear of rejection. To put this in context, I had no problem asking Idris Elba for one told you I was weird. It was easy to jump to a snap verdict that Labour had been smashed and that it was all systems go for the Conservatives because they held on to flagship London councils, most notably Westminster, which includes Buckingham Palace, and Wandsworth, Mrs Thatchers favourite low-tax council. These were always going to be tough although Labour came pretty close in Wandsworth but a wins a win in politics, even by a whisker. However, despite the Tory spin machine screaming game over for Jeremy Corbyn, all is not as it seems. According to Curtice (swoon), if there were a general election now, Labour would be the largest party but would fall way short of being able to form a coalition with the Lib-Dems. So basically, we havent really moved on since the general election were stuck in political deadlock. Both parties are now equal and opposite forces. Labour is motoring in metropolitan areas and major cities, with gains in Manchester and Liverpool as well as London. The Tories are strong in the shires, satellite towns, rural and coastal areas and places which voted to leave the EU. Its hard to see how either side can make serious advances into the others manor. Of course general elections are very different from local ones in terms of media attention, leader visibility, policy debates and voter turnout, especially young people, but the definitive collapse of the Ukip vote will undoubtedly benefit the Tories. This provides both advantage and challenge. This injection of support will drag the Tories further to the Right on Brexit but will also have a wider effect on who takes over from Theresa May before the next general election and shape the culture of the party. The Tories often jeer at how Momentum took over Labour but this new Ukip support could have a similar effect on their own party. It will be hard to ignore this new life force, who have joined the Tories. Boris Johnson and others were licking their lips after Thursdays results demanding a no compromise Brexit, especially as the ding-dong over the customs union looms. And Jacob Rees- Mogg a man who could have been dug up by Time Team will be a highly attractive prospect to these Kippers who want to be wooed. The Tories should resist the siren calls of the hard Right in their party. The only way the Tories can make any inroads in Labour territory would be to try and keep the party closer to the Centre. Veering off to the Right could have profound consequences, not just for the Conservatives but for the country and strengthen Corbyns hand. Met Ball missed a trick The Met Ball is, of course, peak fash daaahling, which means its expensive fancy dress for celebs. This years theme was Heavenly bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. Rihanna wore something which made her look like the love child of the Pope and Anne Summers, while Zoe Kravitz honoured that famed religious tradition of forgetting to put on your pants. Rihanna at the 2018 Met Gala / PA But I was disappointed no one paid homage to the greatest Catholics to grace our screens Father Ted. Id loved to see Kate Moss dressed up as Mrs Doyle on the red carpet going to Anna Wintour, Would you like a cup of tea? Ah, go on The curse of sunshine shopping Theres no easy way to say this but Im glad the sun is on its way out. Bring me rain clouds and the need for a proper jacket. I cant cope with any more heat. Were neither bikini or burkini ready. Everyone gets caught out and nobody knows what to wear. Last week it was black tights, this week its the horror of displaying winter feet which look like they could do with a trip to the blacksmith. Everyone does an emergency summer shop, including me. The shops around Oxford Circus were as rammed as Brockwell Lido on Sunday lunchtime. Zara was like a zoo. And you end up buying absurd items of clothing. I got a floor-length white linen dress which looks like something out of Little House on the Prairie. I tried it on in front of a friend who sniggered for about three days. And then theres the pressure of trying to re-create breezy alfresco living like a scene from an European arthouse film but it always ends up a bit Albert Square. I n The Future Starts Here, the V&As absorbing new exhibition about world-changing technology, you can read a text conversation between a daughter and her father, Andrew. What should she get mum for her birthday, she asks. He suggests a red silk scarf: I think shell like it. It will remind her of how we met. Not bad advice, especially when you consider Andrew is dead. The conversation showcases a mobile app in development, called Eternime, which gathers data from your digital footprint and uploads the content into a digital avatar which can then be messaged. Loved ones, therefore, can communicate with a facsimile of you after you die. Very Black Mirror. Its easy to be weirded-out by this new frontier. Easy too to scoff at the people in Isumi, Japan, who, it was reported last week, held memorial services for more than 800 dead robot dogs. But our relationship with technology is more empathetic than we like to admit we already conflate real people and emotions with our devices, attaching memories to them. In 2003 I got my first mobile phone, a Nokia 3510. It was popular for the time but soon everyone moved on to newer, snazzier models (flip phones, video cameras and touch screens). Instead of upgrading, I held on to my Nokia for 10 years. In that time it developed an affectionate nickname, Brick. Brick had a good run an amazing one, really, for a phone but at last, in 2013, it stopped working and I admit I felt a twinge of something close to sadness. The phone had been with me through my formative teenage years and I had begun to associate it with the friends and memories I made at that time. Though long dead, Brick is still lying somewhere in the back of a drawer, reverentially tucked away. A dystopian vision that wins a top score Speaking of things that feel rather like Black Mirror, The Phlebotomist at Hampsteads downstairs studio is one of the finest examples of speculative dystopian theatre Ive seen in years. Set in a near-future, citizens social standing is determined by their medical rating out of 10. Those less likely to encounter illness gain higher scores, which lead to top jobs and the best dating opportunities. Its an astonishingly well thought-out debut from writer Ella Road, who gives enough flesh to her scenario to make it worryingly believable. Heres hoping her play nabs a transfer to a larger venue. One music video that is worth repeating Do you have a theory about This is America yet? It was only released over the weekend, but the music video for the new song by rapper Childish Gambino (the stage name of the Emmy Award-winning actor and writer Donald Glover) is the online talking point of the moment, zipping to the top of the YouTube trending list with, at the time of writing, 48 million views. In the video Glover, shirtless, bops around a warehouse while chaos riots, gun violence, police brutality unfolds behind him. Childish Gambino (Evan Agostini) / Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Countless online think pieces have dissected the videos visual references. Is Glover impersonating the caricature of a Jim Crow minstrel? Is the moment he guns down a black choir a call-back to the 2015 Charleston church massacre? Is there, as some have theorised, even a visual reference to the Book of Revelation? Most music videos are only worth re-watching to pay close attention to fancy footwork. This is America is worth re-watching just to pay attention to everything else. Good lighting can make an atmosphere It was very well lit was the go-to line for a theatre director friend when he hated a production. Yet although most theatregoers will praise a shows acting or the set, good or bad light really can make or break a production. So it was good to see Rufus Norris, the National Theatres artistic director, support an appeal for an exemption from the EUs imminent Ecodesign Working Plan, which would make almost all UK theatres current lighting equipment obsolete by 2020. Hes designed spaceships and electric cars and now it seems tech billionaire Elon Musk can add fashion designer to his CV. Musk made his first official debut with new girlfriend Grimes on the Met Gala red carpet on Monday night. And the Canadian musician was wearing a gothic, futuristic outfit that, according to US Weekly, the couple designed together over a dinner date. Just in case anyone was unclear where Grimes (nee Claire Elise Boucher) loyalties lay, she accessorised her outfit with a large metal Tesla logo choker. Elon Musk and Grimes attend the Met Gala 2018 / Getty Images People. Fashion. Power. Delivered weekly. Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} Yup thats right, a vast spiky T-shaped metal tribute to her new boyfriends electric vehicle empire. The curious couple, who reportedly began their romance after sharing an AI joke on Twitter a month ago, wore coordinating monochrome ensembles. Tesla CEO Musk, who broke up with Amber Heard in February after almost a year together, wore a white jacket and reverse dog collar, accessorised with a pin featuring the logo of his electric car corporation. Grimes meanwhile opted for a white marbled high-cut corset that fed into a short, feathered skirt, with a long overlaid black train and knee-high black lace-up platform boots. The 30-year-old visual artist wore her long, black hair in a dishevelled half-updo, and her lips messily stained a deep berry. The bold statement soon caused a social media furore, with one shrewd Twitter user pointing out that the choker was the modern version of Angelina Jolie wearing Billy Bob Thornton's blood in a vial around her neck. Scarlett Johansson says she wanted to support a brand created by women when she wore a gown from the fashion company owned by the estranged wife of Harvey Weinstein. The actress, 33, wore the dress by Marchesa to the Met Gala in New York on Monday. Chapman, who co-founded the firm with Keren Craig in 2004, announced that she was leaving Weinstein shortly after the first allegations of sexual misconduct emerged against the producer in October last year. Johansson chose the off-the-shoulder burgundy gown for the annual fashion event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which she attended with her boyfriend, actor Colin Jost. She told US magazine People: I wore Marchesa because their clothes make women feel confident and beautiful and it is my pleasure to support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers. Met Gala 2018: Red Carpet Fashion - In pictures 1 /98 Met Gala 2018: Red Carpet Fashion - In pictures Katy Perry AFP/Getty Images Cardi B Getty Images Bella Hadid Getty Images Nicki Minaj Getty Images Kim Kardashian Getty Images Rihanna Getty Images Emily Ratajkowski Getty Images Cara Delevingne Getty Images Gigi Hadid Getty Images Designer Jeremy Scott and Cardi B Getty Images Jennifer Lopez Getty Images Priyanka Chopra Reuters Solange Knowles Getty Images Zendaya Getty Images Rita Ora Getty Images Lily Aldridge AFP/Getty Images Emilia Clarke Getty Images Deepika Padukone AFP/Getty Images Kate Moss Getty Images Jared Leto Getty Images Madonna Getty Images Gisele Bundchen AFP/Getty Images Lily Collins Getty Images Amber Heard AFP/Getty Images Joan Smalls Getty Images Hailey Baldwin Getty Images Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Lily Aldridge Getty Images Blake Lively Reuters Frances McDormand AFP/Getty Images Kendall Jenner Getty Images Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner Getty Images Scarlett Johansson Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Winnie Harlow Getty Images Ariana Grande Getty Images Donatella Versace Getty Images Ashley Graham Getty Images Taylor Hill Getty Images Sienna Miller Getty Images Kate Bosworth Getty Images Kate Upton AFP/Getty Images Alicia Vikander WireImage Jourdan Dunn Getty Images Selena Gomez Getty Images Paris Jackson, Stella McCartney, and Miley Cyrus Getty Images Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Getty Images Sarah Jessica Parker Getty Images Anne Hathaway Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Gisele Bundchen Getty Images Amal Clooney and George Clooney Getty Images Uma Thurman Getty Images Kris Jenner Getty Images Mary J. Blige Getty Images Anna Wintour Reuters 2 Chainz Getty Images Poppy Delevingne AFP/Getty Images Salma Hayek Getty Images Cara Delevingne and Adwoa Aboah Getty Images Bella Hadid Getty Images SZA AFP/Getty Images Sean Combs and Cassie Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Amber Valetta AFP/Getty Images Doutzen Kroes AFP/Getty Images Olivia Munn Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Diane Kruger AFP/Getty Images Ruby Rose Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Georgina Bloomberg Getty Images Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen Getty Images Tessa Thompson Getty Images Emma Stone and designer Nicolas Ghesquiere Getty Images Sasha Lane AFP/Getty Images Zoe Kravitz AFP/Getty Images Katherine Langford AFP/Getty Images Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski Getty Images Cynthia Erivo Getty Images Wendi Deng Murdoch Getty Images Ming Xi AFP/Getty Images Jill Kargman Getty Images Jasmine Sanders AFP/Getty Images Greta Gerwig Getty Images Ariana Grande Getty Images Amber Heard Getty Images Colin Firth and Livia Giuggioli Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Amal Clooney Reuters Lena Waithe Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Alicia Quarles Getty Images Andrew Garfield Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Alek Wek Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Keltie Knight Getty Images Bee Shaffer and Anna Wintour Reuters Lili Reinhart Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Daniel Kaluuya Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Princess Beatrice of York Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Elon Musk and Grimes AFP/Getty Images Brooke Shields Getty Images Lynda Carter Evan Agostini/Invision/AP James Corden and Julia Carey Invision/AP Winnie Harlow AFP/Getty Images Katy Perry Getty Images People. Fashion. Power. Delivered weekly. Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} Marchesa said it was truly honoured that Scarlett had chosen to wear the gown to the event. She is an amazingly talented actor who has incredible style and presence. It was wonderful to work so closely with her in creating this custom look, the company said. L ondoners will be able to experience life as a passenger in a driverless car as part of a new V&A exhibition. The show at the South Kensington museum, The Future Starts Here, also includes art work that reacts to mobile phone use and other ground-breaking designs. Visitors will be able to get into Sedric Volkswagens attempt to harness the new technology and watch a simulation of how it would cope with a journey through London. The exhibition, supported by the car firm, also includes a new work by US artist Miranda July. Im Your President, Baby is made up of four curtains that open and shut to track the activity of an Uber-driving African refugee in Los Angeles. They will react when Oumarou Idrissa, who is originally from Niger, messages his family on WhatsApp and Instagram or picks up a fare. V&A director Tristram Hunt said the show would examine the fast accelerating future of artificial intelligence, synthetic biology and space exploration. He said: The V&A is taking live experiments about our future society from the studio and lab into the museum. This is the first major exhibition produced by our design, architecture and digital department and revives our founding principle to forefront cutting-edge art and design. The show opens on Saturday and runs until November 4. The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures 1 /12 The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Radical Love, DNA portrait of Chelsea Manning, by Heather Dewey-Hagborg courtesy of Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Fridman Gallery, New York City The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Shooting Stars project, Ale and Co Ltd, 2016 ALE Co. Ltd The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Body Code Animation, Drew Berry, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research E.O.Wilson Biodiversity Foundation The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Superflex, Aura-powered bodysuits, Yves Behar Courtesy of Superflex The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Luchtsingel, pedestrian bridge crowdfunded by citizens, ZUS, Rotterdam Photography Ossip van Duivenbode, 20112015/ZUS The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Tomas Saraceno, Aerocene, launches at White Sands Natural Park, 2015 Courtesy of the artist; Pinksummer contemporary art, Genoa; Tanya Bonakdar, New York; Anderson's Contemporary, Copenhagen, Esthe The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Anthropocene spike, a golden spike driven into a rockface to mark the beginning of the anthropocene geological era Victoria and Albert Museum, London The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Living Network, dummy antenna around fake tree, Jalila Essaidi BioArt Laboratories The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Masdar City, the worlds first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city, Foster + Partners Photography by Etienne Malapert, 2014 Etienne Malapert, The city of Possibilities, Ecal The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Technology in Bed, Hanif Shoaei, 2014 Coutesy of Hanif Shoaei The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures betamodel, Bento Labs Bento Labs The Future Starts Here, V&A (May 12 - November 4 2018) - In pictures Protei, autonomous sailing ship that cleans up oil spills, 2014 Scoutbots LTD, Cesar Jung-Harada Meanwhile, the National Portrait Gallery is almost two-thirds of the way towards its fundraising target to transform the building after receiving a 5 million donation. The money came from the Garfield Weston Foundation, set up by the Canadian businessman of the same name who once owned Fortnum and Mason, which has previously handed over several six-figure sums to pay for acquisitions such as Van Dycks self-portrait. It will go towards the planned 35.5 million transformation, which includes building a new wing to create more than 500 square metres of further gallery space and expanding its shop and cafe. L ast weekend I was in west Cork, Ireland , which apart from being one of the most beautiful places you will ever visit is also one of the most exciting food hubs in Europe. Each village has a bustling farmers market with incredible local produce. On Sunday I headed to Schull to visit my friends the Fergusons, who have a farm called Gubbeen, where they produce milk, cheese, bacon and charcuterie. After a catch-up, we headed to the pub in the village for lunch. I ordered the crab salad the most delicious crab Ive eaten in years, caught from the sea that morning: sweet delicate flakes of fresh meat with flat leaf parsley, lemon and creme fraiche. One of my favourite suppers to prepare with fresh crab is these cakes. I like to use about a quarter of dark meat in my crab cakes as it adds sweetness. I use fresh breadcrumbs (not dried!) to bind my crab cakes together. Even though I am from potato land (Ireland) I dont like potato in my crab cake as the flavour of crab is so delicate that it tends to get lost under the potato. The smoked paprika aioli is gorgeous, as it adds a kick of heat and texture to the overall bite. I serve the whole thing up with a big leafy salad. Crab cakes with smoked paprika aioli Food. Bars. Going out. Delivered weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} Serves: 4 (two cakes each) Preparation time: 10 mins Cooking time: 10 mins Serve with: Mud House Sauvignon Blanc (9.25, Tesco) Crab cakes Ingredients 800g crab meat, cooked (I use a third brown meat and two-thirds white meat) 4 slices of stale white bread, made into rough breadcrumbs 4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped 1 lemon, juice and zest 2 tbsp rapeseed oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd Method 1. Place all the ingredients, except the rapeseed oil, in a bowl and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and form the mixture into eight round patties. 2. Place a frying pan or skillet pan over a medium heat and add the rapeseed oil, and leave to heat for one minute. Then cook the crab cakes for three minutes on each side they should be golden in colour. Serve with smoked paprika aioli. Smoked paprika aioli Ingredients 3 egg yolks 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 100ml extra virgin olive oil 100ml vegetable oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Method 1. Crack three egg yolks into a bowl, followed by a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. 2. Measure out 100ml of vegetable oil and 100ml of extra virgin olive oil and whisk into the egg yolks slowly. The aioli will begin to form a thick liquid. Finally, whisk in the smoked paprika and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. T his quick fix coconut chicken curry is guaranteed to transport you to the balmy backwaters of Kerala, while feeding four for under a tenner. My recipe this week is inspired by a challenge by the boys at MOB Kitchen, who specialise in delicious, healthy, beautiful food on a budget. And what better way to impress a crowd than with a punchy Indian curry? When feeding a big group of people Indian food, pick recipes with minimal onion so you don't exhaust yourself sauteing these until golden. Another trick is to opt for chicken thigh fillets, they're more flavourful - and cheaper - than chicken breast. If you can, cook the curry up to a day in advance to let the flavours work their magic Indian food always taste better the next day. Food. Bars. Going out. Delivered weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} And, finally, keep papadums, pickle, a fresh salad and natural Greek yoghurt handy to dress up the main course with minimal fuss and maximum impact. Here's how to cook your Indian feast... Coconut Chicken Curry Ingredients (serves 4) 2 tbsp coconut oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, finely grated 2.5cm fresh root ginger, finely grated 2 tbsp tomato puree 500g skinless chicken thigh fillets, halved tsp ground turmeric tsp chilli powder 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk (at least 75% coconut) Salt Method Put the oil into a medium saucepan or saute pan and place over a high heat. When its hot, toss in the onion and cook for 5 minutes with a pinch of salt, stirring to prevent the onion from catching and burning. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan, stirring for 2 minutes until the ingredients turn golden. Then add the tomato puree and chicken pieces. Stir everything well for 5 minutes to seal the chicken; you will see the chicken oozing moisture and the tomatoes turning pulpy. Now add the ground spices the turmeric, chilli, coriander and cumin and stir for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and stir through the coconut milk. Cook for another 10 minutes, lowering the heat to a simmer for the last 2 minutes. Add salt to taste and serve immediately on a bed of Basmati rice. H igh-intensity interval training (HIIT) continues to grow in popularity, but the high impact workout can often lead to stiffness and tight muscles, making it more important than ever to factor some restorative exercise into your routine. Yoga is very versatile but the many different styles of practice could confuse a beginner. To make it even more complicated, many studios and instructors teach their own signature styles. To help us through the maze, Chris Magee, head of yoga at Psycle, talked us through a few of the many variations of yoga and and what they're likely to mean on a timetable. Magee, a former actor and ex-professional rugby player, found yoga as a way to heal his body from long-term sporting injuries and he stresses the importance of mixing up your workout routine. If you're looking to strike a balance in your training regime, or are simply interested in taking up yoga, here are some of the most popular variations you may come across: People. Fashion. Power. Delivered weekly. Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} Vinyasa Six Senses Zighy Bay "Vinyasa is the broadest term for flow yoga which is the most popular in the western world," Magee told Business Insider. The word Vinyasa applies to the principle of synchronising movement with breath. In a Vinyasa class everything is guided by your breath, including how long you hold a pose for, he said, and each posture flows into the next. A teacher will instruct the class with things like: "Inhale bring your arms up into the air, exhale fall forward into your legs," he said. "It's consciousness, breath, and movement. But it can be quite aerobic, it can be quite fast-paced, and you can still get your sweat on I teach quite a strong vinyasa class. "No two classes of mine will be the same. There will be similar elements and I may reintroduce things, but you wont know what you're getting," he said, adding that it's his favourite yoga to practice, because he enjoys the unknown. Ashtanga Ashtanga yoga is a variation of Vinyasa its just with a set sequence of movements. "If you take an Ashtanga primary series class, no matter where in the world you are or who is leading the class, theyll teach you the same sequence so you know which pose is coming next," Magee explained. "Theres something to be said for going in and knowing what youre getting. It can help with your understanding, and you can also moderate yourself throughout the class a bit more: save a little bit of energy for this, decide where to test yourself, and where to ease off." There are also some fast-paced, dynamic variations of Vinyasa, such as rocket or power yoga. Rocket Under the new Lincolnshire Police initiative, officers will be given two extra rest days to help improve their "spiritual and emotional well-being" / AFP/Getty Images Rocket yoga, as the name might suggest, is a fast-style yoga. "It's a derivative of Ashtanga. It comes from the traditional Ashtanga series, but was modified for the west by a man called Larry Schultz in San Francisco," Magee explained. While Schultz was on tour teaching yoga to American rock band "The Grateful Dead," one member, Bob Weir, suggested he name his yoga style "Rocket, because it gets you there faster" and it stuck. According to Style Craze, Rocket yoga was the result of Schultz' attempt to make Ashtanga yoga more accessible to westerners, by breaking down the rigidity of the classic practice. "Rocket's great, I teach and practice it a lot," Magee continued. "It's playful and has a set structure, but the teacher has some room for manoeuvre within that. Each class won't necessarily be the same, but it's much of a muchness." Power There are a number of Power yoga styles, and the one Magee highlighted was made popular by Baron Baptiste. "It's quick, it's punchy," he said. It's sometimes, but not always, practised in a heated room. "The only downside to something like Power yoga is, yes, you're going to get a sweat on and feel aerobically challenged, but for a beginner does it have the queuing and the guidance needed to keep you moving safely in and out of the spaces where you need to go?" Magee said. "In my opinion, probably not. You'd probably need a few beginner classes first, which focus on the yoga fundamentals. " Bikram For those who really want to push themselves, there's always Bikram, the original hot yoga founded by Bikram Choudhury. Its a set series of 26 postures in a 90-minute class, in a room heated to 40C (105F ). Bikram himself apparently calls the rooms "torture chambers." Meanwhile, "hot yoga" refers to any style of yoga practised in a heated room. It can be influenced by many different schools of yoga. The classes can be shorter, lasting just 60 minutes, and they're sometimes slightly less hot more like 33C which many people find more manageable. By warming up the muscles it can help to avoid injury and the added intensity of the heat is thought to help burn fat faster, and provide a detoxifying effect on the body, although not everyone is convinced that hot yoga is superior to other practices. Hatha "All yoga comes from Hatha yoga, including Vinyasa and Ashtanga it's posture-based yoga," Magee said, adding that when you see it advertised on timetables as a style of practice, its typically a technique-centred class that's not as focused on "flow," and is heavily oriented around learning the fundamentals. Restorative Jeff Moore "Restorative yoga is a yin style yoga that is primarily linked to releasing," said Magee. "It's based around release work rather than flow." This style, he explained, is heavily reliant upon props to build yourself into a pose. "You'll use the props to support yourself to get into a space then stay there for three, four, or five minutes it's very gentle and relaxing. "You might be in 'pigeon position' for five minutes, giving yourself time to breath and relax the time allows your body to really start to let go," he said. "Often if you're in a pose for too short a time you don't gain the full benefit." Nailing the basics As is a good idea when taking up any form of exercise, Magee suggests taking some time to understand the fundamentals first. Lots of classes will give you the option to hold stages one to five of a pose one being the most basic and five being the most intense version. But Magee warns it's important to first get comfortable with option one. "It's as good an option as five," he said. "Drop the idea that we always have to push." Best yoga leggings for women- in pictures 1 /9 Best yoga leggings for women- in pictures Stretch and breathe in our pick of the best yoga leggings Every Second Counts Love Every Moment Legging This may be the most expensive pair on the list but its also the most versatile. Suitable for HIIT, running and yoga, the back-of-the-knee mesh panels will increase ventilation, whilst the moisture wicking fabric will keep sweat at bay. Great for Bikram, this pair also resists shrinkage and fading, meaning you can work through even the most strenuous poses and theyll still snap back at the end. 96, Every Second Counts, Buy it now Animal Eyelyn Ocean Legging Go bold and beautiful with this psychedelic print by Animal. The hidden waistband and back pockets will keep your essentials safe without getting in the way. If youre not quite ready to show off your abs, the internal draw cord will provide extra security and the high waistband will help you to feel locked in tight. Forgotten your hairband? Dont sweat it: theres one attached on the side. 45, Animal, Buy it now Fabletics Winn Mid Rise Capri Legging If youre petit, leggings can often be a couple of inches too long, which not only ruins the aesthetic but gets in the way too. A capri- length will eliminate this problem and flatter your smaller frame. Kate Hudsons sportswear brand Fabletics offers a good range; our particular favourite being this tiger print. You can also show off the v-shaped waistline with a matching sports bra. 65, Fabletics, Buy it now Om Shanti Rainforest Palms Legging For truly stunning prints, take a look at Om Shanti. This particular style is simple yet effective, with a tight fit that wont induce bunching and a high rise waist for ultimate comfort. Made from recycled plastic bottles, theyre eco-friendly too. 69, Om Shanti, Buy it now Lululemon Align Pant II For a totally free feeling, Lululemon has got you covered, although it wont feel like it. Responding to feedback from customers, this pair has been engineered from lightweight Nulu fabric which is supersoft and feels like a second skin. So popular have they become that the store often sells out, so snap up your pair before everyone else does. 88, Lululemon,Buy it now Sweaty Betty Ahimsa Yoga Pants For slow moving yoga, streamlining isnt so important. With wide legs, this Sweaty Betty pant allows free movement, but the fitted cuffs make sure they stay in place. Made with soft-to-the-touch, sweat-wicking fabric, youll never want to take these off. 75, Sweaty Betty, Buy it now M & S Performance Legging Yoga wear doesnt always have to be expensive, as M and S has proven here. The strobe effect on this Performance legging will have you thinking of Disco nights whilst you stretch out. Made from super-stretch fabric, they also feature a diagonal back pocket on the left hand side, meaning you wont feel it digging into your back as you do floor work. 25, M & S, Buy it now LUrv Nuts & Crackers Legging Aussie brand LUrv brings an array of delectable styles in luxury packaging, showing us Brits how sportswear really should be done. This Nuts & Crackers parrot print will be coveted by everyone else in the class, so make sure youre ready for the attention. 23, LUrv, Buy it now The importance of cross-training While Magee is a self-confessed yogi, he stresses the benefits of "cross-training" incorporating different workouts into your exercise regime on the body and mind. "Too much of one thing is detrimental to you in the sense that it can lead to injury," Magee told Business Insider. "If you do nothing but strength training, your body will become tight and bound and that lack of space means a lack of appropriate movement for the joints and muscles. Things start to tear, pop, and go wrong. "But also if you did nothing but flexibility training your body would become so loose and so weak that the joints cant stabilise themselves when you need that strength and that looseness also leads to pops and tweaks." He added that as the body adapts so quickly to repeated activity, it's easy to plateau if you're exercising in the same way all of the time. Acknowledging that many gym-goers who are short of time are reluctant to forgo their cardio or weights session for something low impact like yoga, studios like Another Space are increasingly offering cross-training classes that combine either HIIT and yoga or HIIT and cycle into one 90-minute fusion class. T he sister of a teenager who was ambushed in a suspected acid attack today called for an end to street violence, asking: When is this all going to stop? Eyewitnesses described hearing the teenager screaming in pain as she ran from the bus into a nearby arcade and begged for water to pour on her skin. She was later taken to hospital, where her injuries are not believed to be life changing or life threatening. Why are our children killing each other? Police said last night they were hunting a lone female suspect. The attack is being treated as grievous bodily harm and is believed to be targeted and not random, they added. Speaking at the scene, the victims sister said she was angry because too many young people were being attacked. The scene in Brixton after a young woman was attacked with a noxious substance / Nigel Howard She told the Standard: Now my sisters a victim. This is an issue. Its getting worse. I think shes ok. But how is this all going to stop? The young woman referred to the spate of violent incidents which took place over the Bank Holiday weekend, including a 13-year-old being shot in the head as he walked with his parents through Harrow. She added: Thirteen year olds are getting shot in the head and teenagers are getting instantly killed. Crowds gather at the scene of the attack / NIGEL HOWARD We need a platform to help stop all of this. I want to help people get off the streets and now my sister has been a victim. Im angry. Shes young. I want this to stop. Police say they were called to Brixton Road just before 1.45pm yesterday to reports of a woman being attacked while on the bus. One onlooker said he saw two women fighting before one pulled a liquid from her bag and sprayed it into the other womans mouth. Emergency: police and paramedics at the scene in Brixton / @_KT63_ Other witnesses described seeing the victim being hosed down in the street by firefighters. A stallholder in the nearby Reliance Arcade said: Her face seemed okay but she kept asking for water saying her face was burning - she was panting, trying to breathe. Rafiq Mohammed, 39, who also has a stall in the arcade, said he was one of the bystanders who rallied around to help the victim. He said: This lady came out of the bus and she was screaming. She went in to my shop and she was lying on the floor saying someone had sprayed something in her mouth. She was just screaming in pain. We poured 10 bottles of water over her face. The incident comes after three people were doused with a noxious substance during a fight between two groups in Shacklewell Lane in Hackney, east London, at around 5.20am on Sunday. Meanwhile, three teenage boys were stabbed in separate attacks across London last night. A 16-year-old was attacked just after 3pm in the Nightingale Estate in Hackney, while another boy, also 16, suffered stab wounds in his arm after an altercation on The Embankment in Twickenham. A jewel thief who stole rings worth 2 million from a Chelsea art fair was today unmasked as a member of a notorious gems gang wanted across the world. Scotland Yard today issued an appeal to trace Vinko Osmakcic, a suspected member of the Pink Panthers, a network behind a series of audacious high-value thefts of diamonds and jewellery. The Croatian national is at the centre of an international manhunt over the disappearance of three rings from the Masterpiece art fair at the Royal Hospital Chelsea last year. They were removed from a cabinet at the military veterans retirement home in Royal Hospital Road on July 4 at about 5.30pm. Osmakcic is suspected of working with an accomplice, who has not yet been identified, to carry out the raid. In 2010 he was named in the New Yorker as being part of the Pink Panther network, while another online publication described him as one of the oldest and most persistent Pink Panthers around. The gang are thought to be a highly organised group of ex-soldiers and criminals from the former Yugoslavia, including some veterans of the Bosnian War. They got their name after hiding a 500,000 diamond, stolen during a robbery at Graff jewellers in Mayfair in 2003, in a jar of face cream. The same trick was used in the first Pink Panther film, starring David Niven as the thief and Peter Sellers as the bungling Inspector Clouseau. Some reports suggest the gang are behind more than 370 heists of jewellery and fine art, stealing more than 400 million worth of items in 35 countries. They are known to target retailers in super-rich enclaves such as Monaco, Saint-Tropez and neighbourhoods of Paris, Geneva and Tokyo. Last year police released an image of the two men at the Chelsea gems fair, one showing Osmakcic, bespectacled, with receding grey hair and dressed in blue polo shirt and jeans. The pair walked into the event and strolled over to the Boghossian jewellery stand where they used a key or another implement to unlock a cabinet and steal the rings. They coolly relocked the cabinet, walked out and jumped into a taxi into central London, where they disappeared. Detective Sergeant Chris Taylor of Kensington and Chelsea CID, leading the investigation, said: This was a well-planned and audacious theft committed in the middle of a busy art fair. We are re-releasing the image of Mr Osmakcic in an attempt to trace him. It is highly likely that Mr Osmakcic may be out of the UK, possibly in Europe. He may also be known by the following name Vinko Tomic or Juro Markelic. Im asking anyone who knows his whereabouts to contact police or Crimestoppers so we can bring him to justice. One ring featured a cushion-shaped diamond, another had a yellow cushion-shaped stone encased in smaller oval and round diamonds, and the third was an emerald-cut diamond with purple and pink stones and four pear-shaped diamonds. Osmakcic is known to use a number of aliases, and served time in a US jail after being convicted under the name Juro Markelic for the theft of a million-dollar necklace at a jewellery store in Las Vegas in 2002. On his arrest he described himself as a self-employed cook and a married father from Bosnia. He was said to be 47 at the time. A detective who interviewed him said he was personable, a smooth talker. A player, who then abruptly stopped answering questions. A search of a hotel room where he had been staying found it had been wiped down with not a trace of fingerprints. A n urgent review of police tactics to combat Londons wave of violence was launched by politicians today as six more people were stabbed in the capital. The London Assemblys Police and Crime Committee said it wanted answers about why the increase in violence was happening and why policing tactics are failing and what can be done to keep Londoners safe. The committee said it would examine the Mayors knife crime strategy, including the effectiveness of social media and advertising campaigns and the knife detection wands being offered to schools in London. Details of the review comes after a 44 per cent surge in murders in London, with the Met revealing there were at least six more stabbings last night. Why are our children killing each other? Four teenage boys were among those knifed in separate attacks across the city: Two teenagers, aged 16 and 18, were stabbed just after 3pm in the Nightingale Estate in Hackney; Another boy, also 16, suffered stab wounds in his arm after an altercation on The Embankment in Twickenham; At 5pm, police were called to Beresford Square in Woolwich where an 18-year-old man was stabbed in the leg in a fight. A man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and taken to a south London police station, where he remains in custody; A man aged 27 was stabbed outside West Croydon railway station at 6pm; A 21-year-old man was stabbed in a doorstep burglary at his home in Greenwich at around 11.30pm; None of those attacked are believed to be seriously injured. Witnesses to the Hackney attack said a 16-year-old boy was dragged from a moped and set upon by up to eight youths said to be armed with machetes. One resident said: The boy was on a moped was going around the park and he got jumped by another group. They pulled him off the moped and it went from there. There were seven or eight guys around the boy on the floor. They had these long machetes. I came out of my flat and shouted stop it. They stood still and dropped the machetes to their sides. I think I may have saved his life. Police said officers found an 18-year-old man a short distance away suffering from a serious leg injury. He was also taken to hospital for treatment. Today Tory London Assembly member Steve OConnell, chairman of the Police and Crime Committee, said: The Mayor and the Met need to take hold of the situation. We are determined to find out what is working and what is not. He added: Enough is enough. Where is the evidence that the Mayors new taskforce is working? Did the Met take its eye off the ball on gun-related crime? Londoners deserve urgent answers. We need to unite and say this senseless killing must stop. We cannot have a summer of violence and bloodshed. The Mayor and the Met need to prove they can stop this surge. He questioned poster campaigns effectiveness, saying : Violent criminals dont watch adverts from the Mayor about knife crime. Many young people now live in a culture of fear and feel at risk. They want more than an ad campaign, they want to know concrete steps are being taken to protect them. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said keeping Londoners safe was his top priority but said Londons police service was overstretched and under-resourced. She said : Violent crime has been rising across the country since 2014 and the Government is failing in their basic duty to keep people safe imposing cuts of 1 billion on the Met Police which risk sending police numbers to historically low levels. The Home Offices own evidence shows you cannot keep cutting without consequences, and violent crime devastates communities and ruins lives. The Mayor is doing all he can to compensate for the failure of ministers. City Hall is investing an extra 110 million in the Met to keep police numbers as high as possible, and has also set up a new 45 million Young Londoners Fund to help tackle the causes of violent crime and support young people to turn away from criminality. T his year Woody Johnson throws his first Independence Day party as US ambassador to London. The Fourth of July celebrations are a highlight of the London party season, held at Winfield House, the official residence in Regents Park. It attracts a crowd of two and a half thousand guests, traditionally entertained by the biggest names in music. But Johnson, pictured, is struggling to book a headlining act, The Londoner hears. We understand his first choices including British band Duran Duran are busy and so embassy officials have been reaching out to booking agents, record labels and managers in the hope of securing a suitably prominent name for the event on June 28. Matthew Barzun, the US Ambassador under Barack Obama who left last August, secured performances from KC and the Sunshine Band and Bastille. Simon Le Bons Duran Duran played for them in 2015. Among the guests have been Taylor Swift and Benedict Cumberbatch. Theresa May and Philip Hammond attended in 2016 and Boris Johnson in 2015. Barzun also hosted the Winfield House Sessions, with performances from Ellie Goulding, Ed Sheeran and The National. Last year there were tears for Barzuns departure. Johnson, some insiders fear, suffers from being too associated with Donald Trump, who appointed him. There are worries that the party wont be the same because of the Donald Trump connection, our source added. Even though some of the favourites insisted that they are busy, there is a sense that they are being snubbed. While our source says the Ambassadors team are getting desperate, music industry insiders say there is time. Last year the party upset attendees at the nearby Regents Park Open Air Theatre, who said the performance of the musical On The Town was interrupted by the obnoxious sound of K C and the Sunshine Bands performance. Asked how their booking was going, an embassy official told The Londoner. We like to keep it a surprise for our guests. Surprises all round, then. Hugh bones up on punishing the press Unlikely pals: Hugh Grant (Photo by Juan Naharro Gimenez/WireImage) / WireImage Hugh Grant, who was at Portcullis House yesterday sweet-talking MPs about press regulation, won himself a new fan: Peter Bone, MP for Wellingborough. The pair struck up an unlikely friendship as Grant, a Hacked Off campaigner, briefed Bone ahead of a Parliamentary bill that could curb the press. Bone told us he was very impressed with Grants knowledge and passion for his cause. But there was a taboo subject between Brexiteer Bone and Remainer Grant: One thing we certainly did not talk about was the European Union. --- Ed Miliband was on-message on the Today Programme. Asked whether Jeremy Corbyn was letting the House of Lords dominate on Brexit, the former Labour leader said: The Labour leadership has taken the lead. We must unite Leavers and Remainers. Rumours of a promotion hit Westminster but Mili tells us: First Ive heard of it. --- Ella Purnell, star of the Brad Pitt-produced Bittersweet, was furious at reports that she was dating the actor. If I was a 21-year-old boy, nobody would have come out and said, He only got it because hes dating the female producer. But she says one family member was thrilled: My gran texted me, saying, Congratulations! Damien Hirst shows an arty crowd whats normal for Norfolk Former YBA Damien Hirst attracted a fashionable crowd to see his Colour Space Paintings and Outdoor Sculptures at Houghton Hall in Norfolk yesterday. The trip was organised by Mulberry and AnOther Magazine, and they made the most of the sunny weather by throwing an al fresco lunch. Guests included actress Sai Bennett, model Charlotte Wiggins and designer Gareth Pugh, who appeared to pay homage to the Catholic theme of the previous nights Met Gala with a gold crucifix. Lady Rose Cholmondeley, who lives in the grand house with her husband, played host, but she does more than pour tea. She has enjoyed a career as a model, but also worked for Michael Gove during his days as shadow education minister. She was one of his researchers, but she had to leave Westminster due to terrible morning sickness. SW1A Is Angela Eagle a morning or night person? At the launch of her book, The New Serfdom, last night the Labour MP for Wallasey, pictured below, recalled: One of my government drivers went off on a break once and I got a substitute driver. On the second day, when I staggered out at about 5.30 in the morning, he just looked at me and said, Youre not a lark, are you? --- My work is done, tweeted Annabel Mullin of Advance. Her party got a 8.95 per cent vote share in Kensington & Chelsea in last weeks local elections. She was, however, referring to her wisteria. Her work in politics is far from done, she tells us. Next time a seat. --- The scorching weather has been tough for shadow education secretary Angela Rayner. Gingers cant do above 24 degrees, she says. I need the ginger sanctuary before my freckles are everywhere. Red alert Quote of the day Im 80. Ive closed up shop down there Jane Fonda says its time to give up dating Sabrina canters towards Royal Ascot Sabrina Percy and Rosanna Falconer / Dave Benett/Getty Images Artist and model Sabrina Percy was at the London launch of Royal Ascots Village Enclosure at the Ham Yard Hotel, but admits that shes never been to the event before. The Tatler cover star and relative of the Duke of Northumberland says the omission is not because of the new leniency about the dress code (it now even allows jumpsuits, which she welcomes In six years men will be allowed to wear dresses) but because shes too busy attending other parties. T heresa May was accused of a Brexit shambles today after she failed to answer simple questions in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister ducked questions from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn about when MPs will get a vote on staying in the European Union trade bloc. And she ignored taunts that Boris Johnson had undermined her authority by branding her pet policy of a customs partnership as crazy. One senior MP said the PM lacked the backbone to fire the Foreign Secretary. Mrs May hit back by saying Mr Corbyn had spent his entire career opposing the EU customs union but now seemed to be backing it. But she had no answer to his demand for a date when the Government would spell out a final policy of its own or give MPs a full vote. Britain will be under pressure to detail its plans for a post-Brexit trade deal at an EU summit on June 28 and 29. Mr Corbyn said: Due to divisions in the Government, these negotiations are in a shambles, and this House is being denied the opportunity to debate vital legislation affecting the future of our economy and our communities all over Britain. He added: So can the Prime Minister now tell the house when we will debate the Trade Bill and when we will debate the Customs Bill? Shes had 23 months in order to get ready for it. Mrs May ignored the detailed questions but blamed delays in establishing a policy on the EUs refusal to start negotiations until after the UK triggered Article 50 to make Brexit irreversible. Of course it wasnt until March and the agreement to move onto the next stage of negotiations that it was possible to have discussions with the European Commission on the customs arrangements, she told the House. There are two options that were in my Mansion House speech. Questions have been raised about both those options and further work continues. Mrs May favours a customs partnership in which Britain would collect external tariffs for the EU in return for open borders with it. Brexiteers prefer maximum facilitation, which would use technology to track goods and collect tariffs without border checks. Opposition MPs believe the Prime Minister might try to delay the Trade Bill until autumn to avoid a vote on the issue, fearing defeat at the hands of a cross-party alliance against a hard Brexit. B ritain pledged today not to walk away from the Iran nuclear deal as a full-scale diplomatic rift opened across the Atlantic. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also demanded concrete proposals from Washington on how to now curtail Tehrans nuclear weapons ambitions after Donald Trump ditched the landmark agreement. The US presidents move on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement, signed in 2015, put America at odds with Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia. Mr Johnson told the Commons: The JCPOA is an international agreement painstakingly negotiated over 13 years under both Republican and Democratic institutions and enshrined in UN resolution 2231. Britain has no intention of walking away. Donald Trump: US will withdraw from Iran deal Instead we will co-operate with the other parties to ensure that while Iran continues to restrict its nuclear programme then its people will benefit from sanctions relief in accordance with the central bargain of the deal. Britain would remain a party to the JCPOA as long as Iran complied with it, he added. In a tougher-than-expected stance yesterday, Mr Trump said he would reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran swiftly, branding the Iran agreement a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. The US Treasury said America would reimpose a wide array of sanctions after the expiry of 90 and 180-day wind-down periods, including ones aimed at Irans oil sector and transactions with its central bank. Iran is the fifth largest oil producer. Mr Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, was reported as saying that European firms doing business in Iran would have to stop doing so within six months or face US sanctions. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said licences held by Airbus and Boeing to sell jets to Iran would be revoked. Iranian lawmakers burn US flag in parliament In Britain, the energy, aviation and some larger retailers were expected to be affected by US sanctions. The CBI warned of a chilling of investment in Iran. Mr Trumps new ambassador to Germany said the countrys businesses should halt their activities in Iran immediately. The UK, Germany and France were racing to salvage parts of the deal while Russia also said it remained committed to it. The prospects of saving it depended in large measure on whether international companies were willing and able still to do business with Iran despite the US sanctions. Mr Trumps decision increased tensions in the region with Iranian MPs setting fire to a paper US flag and a symbolic copy of the nuclear deal in the Tehran parliament and shouting Death to America! French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned of a real risk of confrontation. He insisted that the agreement, under which Iran curbed its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions, was not dead. Trump holds up a proclamation declaring his intention to withdraw from the deal / REUTERS Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he was quite worried about the threat of a proxy-war between the US and Iran, possibly involving Israel or Saudi Arabia. He told BBC radio: There is a lot of miscalculation. The people who were talking about regime change 10 years ago, they are back in power, and that is what Im quite worried about. This was an apparent reference to Mr Trumps national security adviser Mr Bolton, a defence hawk who was US envoy to the UN under George W Bush. Pressed on the regime change warning, Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said: The UK believes firmly that there are other pathways forward. I hope we have learned some lessons over the years in relation to that. Hardliners in Tehran were seeking to walk away from the deal while president Hassan Rouhani told the foreign ministry to negotiate with EU countries, China and Russia to try to rescue it, without the US. Its the determination of all the other parties to the agreement to try and keep it in place and make sure it works and seek to de-escalate tensions now, added Mr Burt. The area is alive with binary confrontations now. We believe very firmly that having that nuclear deal, which the Iranians had stuck to, meant that we could put that to one side and address the other important issues in the region. B ritain will slip further down the international league table of media freedom if measures to regulate newspapers are passed by MPs, a minister warned today. Culture minister Margot James said: UKs current standing at 40th on the World Press Freedom index needs to be improved, not set back further. Her intervention came as the Commons prepared to vote on a proposal that would expose newspapers to paying the full costs of some court cases even if they are proved to have been in the right. The idea was put to a vote by Labour deputy leader Tom Watson and backed by privacy campaigners reportedly funded by F1 racing tycoon Max Mosley. A second vote was called by former Labour leader Ed Miliband in a bid to force a new statutory inquiry into newspapers, their relationships with police officers and handling of data. These amendments would undermine the freedom of our newspapers, tweeted Ms James, who said the new Data Protection Bill would strike a fair balance between respecting press freedom and curbing excesses. Former Guardian editor lan Rusbridger tweeted it would be crazy to impose punitive costs on newspapers in the way proposed by Mr Watson. But he said the arguments for a new Leveson inquiry were harder to dismiss. Gerry McCann, whose daughter Madeleine was abducted in Portugal a decade ago, said it would be a betrayal of the victims of media intrusion not to hold the second part of the Leveson inquiry. He said he had no faith in the independent newspaper regulator Ipso, telling Radio 4s Today programme: I wouldnt even talk to them. Theresa May told Cabinet yesterday it was very important for the Government to resist amendments which could undermine our free press. The Prime Minister pointed out that almost 50 million of public money was spent investigating phone hacking, saying another inquiry would not be a proportionate solution to claims that had been investigated already. Party time! The party is already in full swing on the streets of Windsor as the first trains chug in from across the capital. It was standing room only on services from Slough where the station had made spectators feel welcome with a sign celebrating the nuptials. The dot matrix board said: "All aboard the royal wedding special to Harry & Meghan Central." Many of the voices chatting excitedly on the trains had American accents, including Christine Clancy from Virginia. Her thumbnails were painted with the Union flag and she sported the British flag on her shoes. Ms Clancy said: "I've always been a royal fan - not an extreme one - I just love British history and love the royals. I just wanted to be part of the wedding celebration. "It would have been nice if Meghan's dad was walking here down the aisle, everyone was expecting her mum to do it, but Charles - he'll be able to do it with his eyes closed." Leila Souza, 67, and Adela Welch, 63, travelled from Tampa, Florida to watch the wedding. The pair have booked a "VIP spot" in a cafe along the procession route to ensure a good view of proceedings. They have made a sign featuring a picture of Princess Diana on her wedding day, with the words "here in spirit". Ms Souza said: "When she died Prince Harry was just a little child. We all grieved. "His mother will be very, very happy today, so she's here in spirit." Some of the 2,000-plus members of the public who were invited by the couple to watch the day have already begun arriving at the castle. P rince Charles spoke for the first time from the heart about his son Prince Harrys wedding to Meghan Markle today. Speaking about the wedding in 10 days time while on a royal tour in Nice, Charles said: Its absolutely marvellous. Its going to be a very special day for everybody. The Duchess of Cornwall said she was also excited about the wedding of the year at St Georges Chapel on May 19. When asked whats it been liked getting to know the Meghan, Camilla said: Its very nice, all very exciting. Loading.... The couple added that they "can't wait" for the big day. After ITNs Chris Ship said: A baby and a wedding in one year, Camilla replied: Quite a lot. A few more to go. The Royal Wedding - what to expect on the day She added: Zaras got a baby coming. The Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall is expecting her second child with her husband Mike, it was announced in January. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle 1 /78 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House Samir Hussein/WireImage Oprah Winfrey interviews Duke and Duchess of Sussex PA Media Misan Harriman Prince Harry and Meghan Markle kiss on the steps of St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle after their wedding in St George's Chapel PA Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, pose with their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding their son Archie during a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Tutu at their legacy foundation in cape Town, on day three of their tour of Africa PA Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle announce their engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 Reuters Prince Harry and Meghan Markle embrace following the polo at Coworth Park on 7 May 2017 Rex Features Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle announce their engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet Pony Major Mark Wilkinson and regimental mascot Cruachan IV during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 at Nathan Philips Square on 25 September 2017 in Toronto, Canada Reuters Prince Harry with girlfriend Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto PA Prince Harry with girlfriend Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto Getty Images Prince Harry arrives with girlfriend actress Meghan Markle at the wheelchair tennis event during the Invictus Games in Toronto Reuters Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 at Nathan Philips Square on 25 September 2017 in Toronto, Canada Getty Images Prince Harry with girlfriend Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto Getty Images Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto Karwai Tang/WireImage Prince Harry arrives with girlfriend actress Meghan Markle at the wheelchair tennis event during the Invictus Games in Toronto, Ontario Reuters Meghan Markle attends the Opening Ceremony of the 2017 Invictus Games at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada PA Meghan Markle on the cover of Vanity Fair Peter Lindbergh exclusively for Vanity Fair Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 Getty Images Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle announce their engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Larking around: Harry and Meghan pull faces in footage not shown in the BBC engagement interview BBC Meghan Markle visits Nottingham for her first official public engagement with fiancee Prince Harry Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at the Nottingham Contemporary in Nottingham, to attend a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair on their first official engagement together PA Meghan Markle arrives at the Terrance Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary Getty Images The royal brothers and their partners on Christmas Day. AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle listen to a broadcast through headphones during a visit to youth-orientated radio station, Reprezent FM, in Brixton PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive in Brixton EPA Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle visit Reprezent 107.3FM in Brixton Getty Images Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle visit Reprezent 107.3FM in Brixton Getty Images Loved up: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Cardiff Castle EPA Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle attend a street dance class during their visit to Star Hub in during their visit to Star Hub on January 18, 2018 in Cardiff, Wales. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will visit the people of Edinburgh Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive to attend the annual Endeavour Fund Awards PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive to attend the annual Endeavour Fund Awards Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a reception for young people at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh AFP/Getty Images rince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle meet a Shetland Pony as they arrive at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Frank Augstein/AP Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle speak with patrons at the Social Bite in Edinburgh AP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on a walkabout during a visit to Millennium Point in Birmingham PA Meghan Markle arrives for a visit in Birmingham on International Women's Day PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on a walkabout during a visit to Millennium Point in Birmingham Splash News Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet members of the public on a walkabout during a visit to Millennium Point in Birmingham PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet members of the public on a walkabout during a visit to Millennium Point in Birmingham PA The Reverend Canon David Stanton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave after attending a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbet AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a reception with delegates from the Commonwealth Youth Forum at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ride in an Ascot Landau along the Long Walk after their wedding PA Meghan Markle walks down the aisle in St George's Chapel PA Harry and Meghan leaving Windsor Castle for the glamorous evening reception PA Harry and Meghan leaving Windsor Castle for the glamorous evening reception PA Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex head back down the Mall to Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour on June 9, 2018 Getty Images Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex talk to members of OneWave, an awareness group for mental health and wellbeing at South Bondi Beach on October 19, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Getty Images Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex are seen during the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Sydney, Australia, 27 October 2018 EPA Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visits the Hubb Community Kitchen to see how funds raised by the 'Together: Our Community' Cookbook are making a difference at Al Manaar, North Kensington on November 21, 2018 in London Getty Images Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Britain's Prince Harry unveil a plaque to officially open Number 7, a 'Feeding Birkenhead' citizens supermarket and community cafe, at Pyramids Shopping Centre, as part of a visit to Birkenhead, northwest England, Monday Jan. 14, 2019 AP Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visits the National theatre in central London on January 30, 2019 AFP/Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a visit to the Bristol Old Vic theatre, which is undergoing a multimillion-pound restoration PA Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, reacts as they visit Bristol Old Vic theatre in Bristol, south-west England on February 1, 2019 AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (R) and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (C) help volunteers in the kitchen as they pack food parcels to go in the charity outreach van during a visit to One25 charity in Bristol, south west England on February 1, 2019 AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive to attend the annual Endeavour Fund Awards at Drapers Hall in London on February 7, 2019 AFP/Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex try some food during a cooking school demonstration at Villa des Ambassadors in Rabat on the third day of their tour of Morocco PA Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duke & Duchess of Sussex, pet a horse at the Moroccan Royal Federation of Equestrian Sports in Rabat on February 25, 2019 AFP/Getty Images Meghan Markle wearing a short Reiss dress on International Women's Day AFP/Getty Images Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House, where they meet young people who demonstrate a Canadian spring tradition of making maple taffy (maple syrup cooled on snow to make sweets) on March 11, 2019 in London Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave following a Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey, London PA Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess Of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London WireImage Members of Britain's Royal family leave after attending the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey AP The Duchess of Cambridge (left) talks with the Duchess of Sussex (right) as they attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey, Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex hold their baby son in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle, Berkshire on 8 May 2019 REUTERS Archbishop Desmond Tutu kisses the forehead of baby Archie as his mother smiles on warmly Reuters The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a visit to the Auwal Mosque, the oldest mosque in South Africa, on day two of their tour of Africa. PA Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a roundtable discussion on gender equality with The Queens Commonwealth Trust (QCT) and One Young World at Windsor Castle Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and Duchess of Sussex at The Fields of Remembrance in Westminster Abbey Jeremy Selwyn pixel8000 Their new baby will be the Queen and Prince Philip's seventh great-grandchild after Prince Louis was born last month. Charles and Camilla are on a five-day tour to France and Greece / PA Kensington Palace has still to name the bridesmaids and pageboys, reveal details of the rings, the hairdresser, and release information about Harry's uniform. Meghan Markle will marry Prince Harry in just 10 days / AFP/Getty Images And it has not yet been disclosed where Ms Markle will be staying the night before her wedding - but the reception venue, Frogmore House, is thought a likely option. The couple are carrying out their last engagement in France / EPA Charles and Camilla are currently on the second leg of their royal tour to France and Greece. Before they left Nice, the Royal couple gave a newly-married couple a lovely surprise as they were leaving their wedding venue on Wednesday. Prince Charles and Camilla were visiting the Nice Flower Market for the final engagement of the French tour on Wednesday, when they unexpectedly bumped into Kath Martin and her new husband Laurent Mayer. The Prince of Wales asked them a couple of questions, including how long the bride - who is originally from Glasgow - how long she had lived in Nice and when and where they had got married. After the unexpected meeting, Kath described the experience as a lovely surprise. Charles and Camilla arrived in Athens on Wednesday afternoon. They will first head to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where the prince will lay a wreath to remember the unknown and missing casualties of war. After paying their respects at the monument, the couple will meet the President of Greece Prokopios Pavlopoulos and his wife Vlassia Pavlopoulou-Peltsemi at the Presidential Mansion. After a private exchange of gifts, Charles will arrive at the Maximos Mansion to meet the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras while Camilla will be escorted through the Benaki Museum by the prime minister's partner Betty Baziana. S oldiers from Prince Harry's former regiment have spoken of their pride after being asked to play a pivotal role in his wedding to Meghan Markle. Based at Hyde Park Barracks, Knightsbridge, London, the Household Cavalrys ceremonial regiment will have an important part in the wedding on May 19 in Windsor - both during and after the nuptials. Famed for their plumed helmets and shining breastplates, 24 dismounted soldiers and two officers will line the staircase into St George's Chapel at the castle ahead of the ceremony. Following the service another 24 soldiers and two officers will ride on horseback - escorting the bride and groom as part of the carriage procession through the town. The couple will marry in ten days Commanding officer of the Household Cavalry Regiment Lieutenant Colonel James Gaselee will command the travelling mounted escort and will be at the side of the carriage. He said: "He has asked us to be involved - it is really important for us because he served with us as the Household Cavalry at Windsor, and he still wears our uniform on a regular basis. They cavalry will attend the wedding and escort the bride and groom / PA "It is a real sense of pride to be asked to be involved in what is going to be an amazing occasion and celebration." Lt Col Gaselee said for both Harry and Meghan and the country as a whole, it is important to get their part in the day right, adding: "We are demonstrating what Britain does best in many ways to the rest of the world." State trumpeters play in the Regimental Square as The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment prepares for the wedding / PA He admitted that a source of some worry is how the horses will handle the large crowds, the flags and noises, which may upset them, but he said they will do everything they can to get the horses to behave. After being appointed the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines in December, Harry could choose to wear either a Royal Marines uniform or that of the Blues and Royals - something which is yet to be revealed. Escort Commander Lt Col James Gaselee (centre left) among Members of the Household Cavalry / PA Lt Col Gaselee said whichever one Harry chooses, "that organisation will feel an amazing sense of pride in it", adding: "It won't lessen the pride we feel if he chooses a different uniform because we know he served with us on operations, which is really important." Harry joined The Blues and Royals in April 2006 and served with the Household Cavalry Regiment, based in Combermere Barracks in Windsor, undertaking two tours of Afghanistan and rising to the rank of captain. Prince Harry style file 1 /11 Prince Harry style file Looking elegant in a khaki overcoat and grey cashmere to visit Reprezent 107.3FM in Brixton with Meghan on January 9, 2018 Looking dapper in a blue suit and grey overcoat to attend the Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene with Meghan on December 25, 2017 Wearing a beautiful blue suit at the official photocall to announce his engagement to Meghan Markle at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace on November 27, 2017 in London, England. Wearing blue chinos and a black polo for his first public appearance with Meghan at the Invictus Games in 2017 Wearing a camo jacket in the pre-Meghan era at a training session for RFU Injured Players Foundation (IPF) at Twickenham Stadium in 2015 Casual in camo gear n a royal tour in South Africa in 2015 Sporting dad jeans and loud check shirt on a visit to Rome in May 2014 Running trainers and baggy jeans at the Paralympic Games in 2012 Wearing a cap and hoodie when out with friends in Soho in 2012 Sporting patriotic, if sartorially questionable, headgear at the Six Nations Rugby at Twickenham in 2011 Opting for a cap and hoodie at the Aviva Premiership in 2010 The Household Cavalry consists of two regiments, armoured reconnaissance and mounted ceremonial, with both units manned equally by soldiers from two regiments, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. At major occasions like Trooping the Colour and the state opening of Parliament the ceremonial soldiers are a familiar sight. The troops take part in ceremonial events for a period but they are still fighting soldiers and many go on to the reconnaissance unit to serve on operations. Prince Harry asks William to be his best man at wedding to Meghan Markle Lance Corporal of Horse Frankie O'Leary was Prince Harry's driver on operations in Afghanistan in 2007, and will also ride on horseback as part of the escort. Describing Harry, the 31-year-old from Windsor said he "loved a good joke" and was quite comical, but that he was just a "British Army officer". "Professional, done his job well, cared about his men a lot, succinct, to the point, a genuinely honest, kind man," he said. Asked what it means to play a part in his nuptials, he said: "I love big parades. This one is a little bit more special having known the man - and everyone loves a wedding." On the morning of the wedding the soldiers will spend hours cleaning their breast plates, helmets, swords and the dreaded thigh-high jack boots they wear, which can take hours to turn from a dull surface to patent-like leather. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle / REUTERS They will also have to make sure all the tack on their horses is in pristine condition and ready to be seen by the thousands of spectators who will line the wedding route in Windsor. Corporal Major Daniel Snoxell, who was in Harry's troop of 12 men after he passed out of Sandhurst and was a young commander of one of his vehicles, will form part of the staircase party. Stating how it was an "amazing experience" to work with Harry, describing him as a boss he said Harry was "very professional" and "able to do the job", and how knowing him "adds that extra layer of pride". "It is a normal day, normal event for the Household Cavalry, these are the sorts of things we do all the time," he added. Asked how he will cope with not even being able to look around during the ceremony or at those arriving - including the bride - he said that is the brilliance of their training. "At being professional and at having that moment not to be weak, looking around, and to be strong and just stand there and to take that moment in," he said. "It is not our day, it is not our chance to make a scene, it is being part of the furniture and that reliability of the nation and the country to stand there." E leven students have been suspended from a leading UK university after rape jokes and racial slurs made in a group chat emerged. The University of Warwick has suspended the students, who are all male, pending a disciplinary investigation. Screenshots obtained by student newspapers the Tab and the Boar showed one chat member wrote: "Sometimes it's fun to just go wild and rape 100 girls." It continued: "Rape the whole flat to teach them all (a) lesson." Another message read: "What do we do with girls? RAAAAAAAAAPE." At one point, a user wrote: "Rape her in the street while everybody watches," with another responding it "wouldn't even be unfair". One chat participant, using a racial slur, then said: "Even the p**is?" Further remarks included: "love Hitler, hate n****s and Jews and Corbyn." The messages came to light after three formal complaints were made to the university, with dozens of screenshots of the alleged remarks provided as evidence. A University of Warwick spokesman said: "A possible student disciplinary incident is currently being actively investigated. "We cannot comment further on this matter until those investigations, and any subsequent disciplinary processes, are concluded." A member of the elite Russell Group, the university is ranked 11th in the UK, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018. A University of Warwick student union spokeswoman said: "Warwick SU is aware of the ongoing university investigation into a group Facebook chat involving a number of Warwick students. "The SU condemns the content of these messages - together with all forms of sexism, racism, anti-Semitism, ableism, and threats of violence - in the strongest possible terms. "The SU has been supporting the victims and will continue to do so. U S President Donald Trump has announced he is pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal. He described the agreement as decaying and rotting and said he will reinstate the highest level of sanctions on the country as he revealed his decision on Tuesday. Mr Trump said the US "will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail" and will not allow "a regime that chants 'Death to America"' to get access to nuclear weapons. State leaders around the world reacted with shock and disappointment at the announcement, with Theresa May expressing regret and concern. Boris Johnson's statement to parliament after Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal What is the Iran nuclear deal? Trump holds up a proclamation declaring his intention to withdraw from the deal / REUTERS Iran agreed to rein in its nuclear programme in a 2015 deal struck with the US, UK, Russia, China, France and Germany. Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) Tehran agreed to significantly cut its stores of centrifuges, enriched uranium and heavy-water, all key components for nuclear weapons. Why did Iran agree to the deal? It had been hit with devastating economic sanctions by the United Nations, United States and the European Union that are estimated to have cost it tens of billions of pounds a year in lost oil export revenues. Billions in overseas assets had also been frozen. Why is it under threat? The deal was the key foreign policy achievement of Barack Obama's presidency, making it an immediate target for his successor Donald Trump. On the presidential campaign trail Mr Trump made his opposition clear and then continued to make threats about pulling out of the "worst" deal the US has "ever" signed up to because of its "disastrous flaws". Donald Trump announces his intention to withdraw from the JCPOA / REUTERS In his White House statement on Tuesday, he said the agreement was one-sided and so poorly negotiated that Iran could still be on the brink of acquiring a nuclear weapon even if it fully agreed with the terms. Mr Trump claimed there would be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East if he allowed it to stand. What is Britain's position? The Government does admit the deal is not perfect as it fails to cover areas such as ballistic missiles and is time-limited, but insists it is the option with the "fewest disadvantages". Germany, France and the United Nations all urged the US not to withdraw, with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson making a last-ditch attempt to preserve the deal during a trip to Washington on Monday. After Mr Trump revealed his plans, Prime Minister Theresa May issued a joint statement with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron saying the decision was a matter of "regret and concern". What happens now the United States has pulled out? President Trump said he will impose the "highest level" of economic sanctions on Iran. Tehran warned before the announcement that US withdrawal from the agreement effectively amounts to "killing the deal". Immediately after Mr Trump set out his decision, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned the country could start enriching uranium more than ever if negotiations with other countries in the deal failed. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, National Security Advisor John Bolton and Vice President Mike Pence listen as Donald Trump announces his withdrawal from the Iran deal / REUTERS Britain, Germany and France said they remained committed to the accord and encouraged Iran to "show restraint" in response to the decision by the US. Has there been any support for the move? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal had fuelled Iranian aggression in the region. L eaders around the world reacted with shock and disappointment as Donald Trump announced the US's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Britain joined France and Germany in recommitting to the Iran nuclear deal after Donald Trump ignored their pleas and pulled the US out of the accord on Tuesday. Tehran immediately responded by warning it would begin enriching more uranium than ever if negotiations with other countries in the pact failed. President Hassan Rouhani said he would send foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to visit each of the remaining countries involved in the deal. Former president Barack Obama said the decision was a "serious mistake" that could leave the US facing "a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East". In a joint statement, Theresa May May, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron said the decision was a matter of "regret and concern". But Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Mr Trump for the "bold" move and described the agreement as a "recipe for disaster" that had brought the prospect of war closer. Britain, France and Germany had made strenuous attempts to persuade the US president to preserve the deal. On Monday, Boris Johnson made a diplomatic dash to Washington in a last-ditch push to win over the president. The visit came soon after Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron made direct appeals to Mr Trump in face-to-face talks. But the diplomatic efforts failed to secure even a delay in the announcement. Speaking in the White House, Mr Trump said the agreement was "disastrous" and a "great embarrassment" to him. "The Iran deal is defective at its core," he said. "If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. "In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapon. "Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal." Mr Trump said the move was a sign that the US "no longer makes empty threats". "When I make promises, I keep them," he said. In a joint statement, Mrs May, Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron said they remained committed to the deal. Donald Trump: US will withdraw from Iran deal They said: "It is with regret and concern that we, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, take note of President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPOA. This agreement remains important for our shared security." US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, National Security Advisor John Bolton and Vice President Mike Pence listen as Donald Trump announces his withdrawal from the Iran deal / REUTERS They added: "We encourage Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the US; Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, co-operating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) inspection requirements." Russia said it was "deeply disappointed" by the president's decision, saying it was "extremely concerned" that the US was acting in its own "narrow" and "opportunistic" interests and "grossly violating the norms of international law". Its Foreign Ministry added: "Washington's actions undermine international confidence in the IAEA." The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed by the US, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain with Iran in 2015. U S secretary of state Mike Pompeo is visiting North Korea, with speculation mounting that he will bring home three American detainees. He flew to the North Korean capital early on Wednesday, reportedly for meetings to finalise details of a historic summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. It comes after Mr Trump said on Friday that the two countries have agreed on a date and location for the visit. An official at South Korea's presidential Blue House said Mr Pompeo was also expected to secure the release of the three US detainees. Donald Trump has agreed to a historic first meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un / AFP/Getty Images Mr Pompeo told reporters en route to Pyongyang that he had not received such a commitment but hoped North Korea would "do the right thing". "We'll talk about it again today," he said. "I think it'd be a great gesture if they would choose to do so." At a lunch on Wednesday, Mr Pompeo said the US is committed to working with North Korea to achieve peace on the Korean peninsula. The three American detainees still being held are Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-chul; Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, who spent a month teaching at the foreign-funded Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) before he was arrested in 2017; and Kim Hak-song, who also taught at PUST. Until now, the only American released by North Korea during Mr Trump's presidency has been Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old university student who returned to the US in a coma last summer after 17 months of captivity and died days later. The pending summit has sparked a flurry of diplomacy, with Japan, South Korea and China holding a high-level meeting on Wednesday. N orth Korea has released three American prisoners ahead of a summit with Donald Trump. The men were said to be returning to the US with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo following a meeting with Kim Jong Un. The President announced the news in a tweet on Wednesday. It read: "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. People watch a TV news report on screen, showing portraits of three Americans, Kim Dong Chul, left, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song, right, detained in the North Korea / AP "They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set." He added that Secretary Pompeo will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2am on Thursday and he will greet them on their arrival. Kim Dong-chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song were held on charges of committing espionage or unidentified "hostile acts" against North Korea. Mr Pompeo was visiting the north for his second time this year. There had been speculation that he could be coming back to the US with the three detained men. His visit comes ahead of the upcoming talks between Kim Jong-un and Mr Trump. The pending summit has sparked a flurry of diplomacy, with Japan, South Korea and China holding a high-level meeting on Wednesday. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said concerned parties should seize the opportunity to promote denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, the official Xinhua news agency reported. T o the less adventurous linguist it may have seemed all Greek. But The Prince of Wales is never one to shirk a challenge - especially when Greek is in his blood. For at the Presidents dinner at the Presidential Mansion in Athens, Charles tackled his father The Duke of Edinburghs - native tongue and was greeted with rapturous applause for his efforts. In Greek, which he has been practising ahead of the trip to Athens and Crete, Charles said, We want to thank you for your warm welcome and heartfelt hospitality. The Prince of Wales walks with the President of Greece Prokopios Pavlopoulos as he attends an official dinner / PA He went on, Our countries lie at opposite ends of the continent that we share. Our languages resemble each other only a little; our climates, I need hardly say, even less so! Yet there is, and has long been, an essential bond between us and between our people. In Britain, as across the Western World, the profound influence of Greece has, since ancient times, shaped the way we think, the way we build, the way we learn and the way we govern. "As the great English Poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, said: We are all Greeks. Our laws, our literature, our religion, our arts have their root in Greece. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall (left) meeting President of Greece Prokopios Pavlopoulos and his wife Vlassia Pavlopoulou-Peltsem / PA Speaking of his family ties he added, For my part, my own connections to Greece have particular meaning after all, it is the land of my grandfather... He said, We are both, of course, sea-faring peoples; nations which have long looked beyond our borders for opportunity and discovery. We are both exostrefis [outward-facing] facing outward, not inward; looking to the world around us not just for strength and prosperity, but to understand our place within it. We share a spirit of openness with which, through history, we have welcomed new ideas and new people. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall tour Nice Flower Market / PA Time and again the tides of history have brought us together he said. He said both countries stand for, freedom, democracy and tolerance. In the Second World War, Greece bravely endured such terrible suffering and privation, as so many of your own parents and grandparents will have known at first-hand. My own Grandmother, Princess Alice, remained in Athens during those dark years and did whatever she could to help some of those most in need." A relaxed-looking Queen beams as she joins crowds enjoying Royal Windsor Horse Show Talking of their economic suffering, he said, Much more recently, the Greek people have, I know,borne such tremendous hardship during the years of the economic crisis. In Britain, we understand how high a price you have paid to rebuild your economy. We know, too, that you have been on the front line of the migration crisis, facing, on behalf of us all, an unprecedented movement of people in the Eastern Mediterranean. The ties between our two countries run deep, and today are as strong and as vital as they have ever been. In an uncertain world, these bonds between our countries and our people are of the greatest importance and will endure, as our relationship evolves in the years ahead, he said. I thank you once again for your heartfelt and warm reception to your country, which is always so hospitable. I raise my glass to everyone's health, and to the welfare and friendship of our two peoples. Long live Greece! Long Live the United Kingdom! Prince Charles receives a traditional welcome in Australia 1 /17 Prince Charles receives a traditional welcome in Australia Prince Charles takes part in a didgeridoo demonstration during a visit to the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia Reuters Prince Charles chats with an indigenous elder during a traditional Welcome to Country Ceremony on April 9, 2018 in Gove, Australia Getty Images Prince Charles is on an official Royal Visit to Australia Getty Images The Prince of Wales watches a Welcome to Country Ceremony in his honour on April 9, 2018 in Gove, Australia Getty Images Britain's Prince Charles prepares to have a didgeridoo placed against his chest during a demonstration of the musical instrument at the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia April 9, 2018 Reuters The Prince of Wales arrives for a traditional Welcome to Country Ceremony in Gove, Australia Getty Images Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales attends a traditional Welcome to Country Ceremony at Mt.Nhulun in Gove, Arnhem Land EPA Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is led away after a traditional Welcome to Country Ceremony in Gove, Australia Getty Images Prince Charles, Prince of Wales chats with indigenous elders during a traditional Welcome to Country Ceremony Getty Images Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, watches a Welcome to Country Ceremony in his honour at Mt.Nhulun in Gove EPA Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales arrives for a traditional Welcome to Country Ceremony at Mt.Nhulun in Gov EPA Prince Charles wears a mulka string, a feather stringed headband, as he takes part in a traditional welcome ceremony during a visit to Mount Nhulun in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia Phil Noble/Reuters Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales attends a traditional Welcome to Country Ceremony at Mt.Nhulun in Gove, Arnhem Land EPA Prince Charles, the Princes of Wales, clutches an Australian Rules Football gifted to him after a Welcome to Country Ceremony at Mt Nhulun in Gove, Arnhem Land, Australia EPA Young boys wait to perform for Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, during a Welcome to Country Ceremony at Mt.Nhulun EPA A young girl waits to perform for Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, during a Welcome to Country Ceremony at Mt.Nhulun EPA Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, is met by Senior Traditional Owner and Ceremony Leader Witiyana Marika (left) and Mandaka Marika (right) during a Welcome to Country Ceremony at Mt.Nhulun in Gove EPA The couple were welcomed to the table with handshakes and kisses before the assembled guests stood for the national anthems of both countries. The prince sat next to the president's wife while Camilla sat next to the president himself. A New York priest was hailed "the best dressed dude" at the Met Gala, he revealed in a series of hilarious tweets. Father James Martin, won praise from attendees at the gala, which attracted style icons including Rihanna and Cardi B, for wearing what some believed to be the costume of a "sexy priest". The Catholic priest attended the ceremony appropriately dressed for this year's Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme. And it seems his everyday attire made a strong impression on the other guests. Writing to his 189,000 followers, the priest revealed a number of strange compliments that he received about his outfit. He wrote: "Actually said to me at the #MetGala tonight: 'I love your costume.' 'Is that, like, for real?' 'Funky outfit!''You're the best dressed dude here, bro." (High fives me) 'You look just like the real thing.'" Met Gala 2018: The best headgear 1 /25 Met Gala 2018: The best headgear Scroll through to see the best headpieces from the Met Gala... Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Rihanna AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Anne Hathaway AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Lily Collins AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Rita Ora AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Lana Del Rey Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Blake Lively Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Kate Bosworth AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Amber Heard AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Rosie Huntington-Whiteley AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Diane Kruger AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Hailee Steinfeld AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Ariana Grande AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Nicki Minaj AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Cardi B Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Mindy Kaling Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Sarah Jessica Parker AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Janelle Monae AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Solange Knowles Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Cara Delevingne AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Madonna AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Winnie Harlow AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Priyanka Chopra AFP/Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Frances McDormand Getty Images Met Gala 2018 Jill Kargman Getty Images He added: "And, truly: 'I love that you got dressed up as a sexy priest.'" The priest later said he had written the comments out "verbatim". Met Gala 2018: Red carpet fashion Monday's gala, widely known as one of the biggest dates in the fashion calendar, marked the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute exhibition. With this year's theme focusing on how fashion designers have been influenced by Catholic art and iconography, Father Martin, a consultor to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communication, was called in to help curator Andrew Bolton with the exhibit. He reviewed plans before the opening night of the show, which includes some rare loans of liturgical vestments from the Vatican, and rubbed shoulders with celebrities on the much-anticipated big night. The Catholic theme saw a number of famous faces get dressed up in religious inspired gear, with Rihanna opting to don a Papal hat . Father Martin said he was most excited by a surprise performance of the Sistine Chapel Choir who sang under a portrait of Michelangelo's Last Judgement. U bers self-driving test car that killed a woman crossing the street had detected her but chose not to react, a report has said. The car was travelling at 40mph when it struck 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg in Tempe, Arizona, in March. She later died from her injuries. Uber has determined that the fault lies with the software which decides how the car should react to objects it detects, according to The Information website. Its software was apparently tuned too far to ignore objects which might be false positives, such as plastic bags floating over the road, and didn't react fast enough. Police released this footage of the seconds before the fatal crash / Tempe Police The report added that the backup human driver was not paying enough attention to intervene before the fatal collision. The crash, near Phoenix, was the first fatality involving a self-driving vehicle in the US. Uber immediately suspended its self-driving vehicle testing in Arizona, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto. The terrified safety driver filmed at the moment of the car's impact Police have since released a 22-second video showing a woman walking from a darkened area onto a street just before the Uber SUV strikes her. The human safety driver appears on the video to be looking down before the crash and then looks startled around the time of the impact. An Uber spokesman told the Standard: Were actively cooperating with the NTSB [National Transportation Safety Board] in their investigation. Out of respect for that process and the trust weve built with NTSB, we cant comment on the specifics of the incident. In the meantime, we have initiated a top-to-bottom safety review of our self-driving vehicles programme, and we have brought on former NTSB Chair Christopher Hart to advise us on our overall safety culture. I ran's supreme leader has challenged Donald Trump over pulling the US out of the nuclear deal , saying: "You've made a mistake." Ali Khamenei released a statement in the wake of the US presidents controversial decision to exit the 2015 agreement , which has sparked concern from leaders across the globe. "You heard last night that the president of America made some silly and superficial comments," said Irans supreme leader. "He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened the regime and the people, saying you're doing this and that. Iranian MPs burn a US flag in the parliament in Tehran / AFP/Getty Images "Mr Trump I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake." Khamenei, the highest authority in Iran, reluctantly gave his backing for the Iran nuclear deal and has publicly criticised the US multiple times for not following through on its promises under the agreement. Trump abandons Iran nuclear deal: World leaders react On Wednesday, he told a cheering crowd in Tehran: "Trump has written a letter to the leaders of the Persian Gulf countries. "We could obtain this letter and see it. "In this letter he tells them that you must all become united, you must do this and you must do that because I spent seven trillion dollars here for you. "You petty man (Mr Trump) - you spent that money to dominate Iraq and Syria but you failed. "To hell with that." He later added: "The body of this man, Trump, will turn to ashes and become the food of the worms and ants while the Islamic Republic continues to stand." Iranian lawmakers burn US flag in parliament It came after Iranian politicians set a US flag ablaze in parliament and shouted "Death to America" following the announcement. Iran's 2015 nuclear deal imposed restrictions on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of most US and international sanctions. However, the deal came with time limits and did not address Iran's ballistic missile programme or its regional policies in Syria and elsewhere. Mr Trump has repeatedly pointed to those omissions in referring to the accord as the "worst deal ever". Proponents of the deal have said those time limits were meant to encourage more discussion with Iran in the future that could eventually address other concerns. Britain joined France and Germany in recommitting to the Iran nuclear deal after Mr Trump ignored their pleas and pulled the US out of the accord. In a joint statement, Theresa May, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron said the decision was a matter of "regret and concern". T erry Gilliam has reportedly suffered a stroke ahead of the premiere of film Don Quixote's Cannes. According to reports, the 77-year-old suffered a minor stroke over the weekend. He is said to be recovering and is expected to have returned home on Tuesday evening. Gilliam was discharged the day before a French court ruled that the world premiere of upcoming film The Man Who Killed Don Quixote would go ahead as the closing film of the Cannes film festival on May 19. 1989: The director's latest film has been in the making for decades / PA The film has been in the making since 1989 has been the subject of distribution rights disagreement. Portuguese film director Paul Branco launched a legal challenged in April to stop the French cinema release of the film, claiming that his company owned the rights. Earlier this month Amazon Studios reportedly pulled out of US distribution despite contributing to funding. The court ruled in Gilliams favour and terminated the attempted injunction to stop the screening. M ainstream broadcasters the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 have reportedly held talks with a view to joining forces to create a British streaming service to compete with Netflix and Amazon in the UK. The early-stage talks are said to involve NBC Universal in plans to rival streaming giants. A source told The Guardian: All options are open, they are early conversations and no direction is firm yet. But they know a video-on-demand platform play would be a true defence for the UK creative industries. Netflix: The streaming subscription service enjoys success in the UK / freestocks.org/Unsplash A second insider told the publication that the service was likely to be a public service broadcaster domestic competitor to Netflix. It is also understood that BBC Studios are on board, wanting to use iPlayer as a master brand instead of ITV Hub or All 4. New TV shows to look forward to in 2018 1 /17 New TV shows to look forward to in 2018 The Little Drummer Girl Florence Pugh as Charlie with Alexander Skarsgard as Becker in the John le Carre thriller BBC / The Little Drummer Girl Distribution Limited. The Cry Jenna Coleman and Ewen Leslie Synchronicity Films Ltd/Lachlan Moore Vanity Fair ITV and Amazon's remake of William. M. Thackeray's classic novel starring Olivia Cooke and Tom Bateman ITV Wanderlust Toni Collette and Steven Mackintosh star in BBC's new raunchy drama BBC/Drama Republic Press Charlotte Riley and Ben Chaplin go head-to-head as rival newspaper editors in new drama from Doctor Foster creator Mike Barlett BBC Death and Nightingales Jamie Dornan, Ann Skelly and Matthew Rhys star in a three-part drama for BBC Two BBC Maniac Emma Stone and Jonah Hill star in the limited Netflix series coming September Michele K. Short / Netflix Disenchantment Matt Groening is back and on Netflix with new adult comedy following Princess Bean and friends Netflix / Matt Groening Age Before Beauty Age Before Beauty on BBC One with Polly Walker, Sue Johnston and Lisa Riley follows a family business with plenty of secrets BBC/Mainstreet Pictures/Todd Antony Hard Sun Luther creator Neil Cross has another dabble at the cop show format in this crime/sci-fi drama inspired by the Bowie song Five Years. BBC/Euston Films A Very English Scandal Hugh Grant stars in this drama from Doctor Who/Sherlock writer Russell T Davies, which adapts John Prestons book about the scandal that surrounded Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe BBC/Blueprint Television Ltd Kiri National Treasure writer Jack Thorne pens a four-part drama about the abduction of a young black girl. The ever-reliable Sarah Lancashire is unconventional social worker Miriam, who finds herself being blamed. Channel 4 Britannia Filmed in Wales and Prague, Jez Butterworths historical drama is set in 43AD, when Roman General Aulus (David Morrissey) is attempting to conquer the Celts. Sky Collateral David Hares four-part drama (his first original TV series) explores the repercussions after a pizza delivery man is shot dead. Carey Mulligan plays Detective Inspector Kip Glaspie, who investigates. BBC/The Forge Save Me In the absence of Doctor Foster, Suranne Jones stars as the mother of a missing girl who believes that her ex- (Lennie James, who wrote the show) is guilty of the abduction, forcing him to work to clear his name. Sky Atlantic Troy: Fall of a City Swords and sandals epic in eight parts made in a collaboration with Netflix, written by David Farr (who also wrote The Night Manager). BBC/Wild Mercury Productions Patrick Melrose Benedict Cumberbatch looks right at home in this adaptation of the Edward St Aubyn novels about an outrageous aristocrat struggling to overcome the damage inflicted by an abusive father. Dave Benett The proposals resemble Project Kangaroo, blocked in 2009, that saw the trio of then-terrestrial broadcasters try to launch a video-on-demand service but was blocked by the competition regulator. Last year, BBC and ITV launched a streaming service in the US since expanded to Canada called BritBox, but Channel 4 never got involved and the platform failed to have a British launch. I srael have won the 63rd Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon with 529 for Netta's Toy. The leader board changed multiple times throughout the jury votes and the national votes were then added. The United Kingdom's hopeful SuRie performed in the ninth slot, the traditional Sir Terry Wogan toast slot, but was interrupted by a stage invader. They wrestled the microphone from her and shouted something before being removed from the stage. (Results: The final scoreboard from the 63rd Eurovision Song Contest BBC) / BBC SuRie then resumed her performance and continued to the end. BBC Eurovision tweeted shortly after: "Just to confirm SuRie is ok. More news when we get it. #Eurovision" Norton later told viewers that the European Broadcasting Union offered the UK delegation the chance to perform again, with them leaving the decision up to SuRie who decided not to go again. I ts no secret that women are underrepresented in technology, making up around 17 per cent of the industrys workforce in the UK. But that doesnt mean action isn't being taken to change this. This week, 15 global tech companies are launching a Male Champions of Change (MCC) strategy to advance gender equality in the industry. MCC is an Australian-based initiative founded by the countrys former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, which works with influential leaders to reshape mens role in taking action on gender equality. The new Male Champions of Change Global Technology Group is being launched at Intel Capitals global summit, the investment arm of the computing firm Intel, in California this week. The initiative is being launched in collaboration with Intel Capitals Wendell Brooks, Broderick, accelerateHERs Laura Stebbing and Poppy Gaye, and the global network EQUALS. Broderick says the tech sector needs to change significantly to benefit from the vast talents of women all over the world. Technology is driving exponential change across the globe and, in many cases, dramatic social, cultural and economic empowerment opportunities for women, she said. Yet within the tech sector itself, women are sorely under-represented, and sadly, often rejected by a male-dominated system. This is unacceptable. It requires male leaders to step up beside women to better understand the underlying issues and together lead disruptive and constructive change. How will the Male Champions of Change strategy work The MCC strategy will engage men of power to work in partnership with women to achieve gender equality and accelerator the advancement of more women into leadership positions, according to Broderick. Across the world, there are now more than 170 leaders engaged in an MCC strategy focusing on empowering women. Companies and organisations that have implemented the MCC strategy have made changes such as incorporating flexible working to recognise family commitments for both men and women, implementing unconscious bias training in recruitment and pledging to conduct gender pay reviews to close the pay gap. The founding members of the global tech group includes representatives from the likes of Intel Capital, the BBC, BT Group, Made.com, WeTransfer, and Conde Nast International. It hopes to grow its membership to 30 ahead of its first meeting, at next years World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 2019. This meeting will be hosted by accelerateHER, the solutions-based organisation part of tech investor Brent Hobermans Founders Forum Group, which addresses the underrepresentation of women in tech. In an industry like technology where innovation is essential to survival, the diversity of opinions and experiences gender parity offers is a competitive advantage, said accelerateHERs Stebbing and Gaye. The companies and investors integrating more women into leadership positions and working harder to identify women entrepreneurs on the rise will unlock significant value, creating inclusive, resilient businesses that are more profitable over the long term. 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 With a 7 percent economic growth, Romania has reached a certain limit and at some point it will definitely face an economic recession it is seemingly unprepared for, Coface Romania country manager Eugen Anicescu told the Country Risk Conference on Wednesday. "I think we have hit certain limits as far as economic growth is concerned. I think we are above potential at this point, and it is more important that we succeed in maintaining reasonable growth rates over time than advance in leaps of an amplitude we have already seen in the past. I don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but I would also listen to certain voices that advise that, considering the length of the economic growth cycle we have been through, we should ponder on whether we aren't already past the peak of the growth cycle and maybe in the next period, try to determine the moment [of a recession], because we do not have a crystal globe. Yet it is certain that we will face a recession at some point," said Anicescu. According to data presented by the Coface Romania representative, Romanian companies do not fare better than in 2007, and as their 2016 balance sheets prove, their debt collection time is of 104 days compared to 60 days back in 2007. Also, in 2016 the companies' capitalization rate was 28 percent, compared to 35 percent in 2007."Basically, at this moment, Romanian companies have a negative working capital. This shows that, overall, companies have grown weaker, yet I won't say that certain businesses have not grown stronger over the years. We see that whereas in 2007 Romania's largest companies accounted for 35 percent of the economy's turnover, they are already achieving 50 percent in 2016. From my point of view, the toxicity of this phenomenon resides in the fact that it saps the potential of other companies to achieve the capitalization margin, because the economic environment is narrowing towards the top, and the pyramid sharpens. Practically, 38 percent of the companies are older than five years, so they have just entered the economy and haven't capitalized yet, they are inexperienced. Companies with no activity represent 28 percent and 45 percent are companies with negative capitalization. From this data it's obvious we are not prepared for the next recession," said Eugen Anicescu.Coface Romania organized on Wednesday the 14th Country Risk Conference devoted to major aspects of current macroeconomic challenges and the regional business environment, with focus on Central and Eastern Europe and on Romania. Romania's Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu said on Wednesday that responsibility for the memorandum approved by the country's government on the relocation of the Romanian Embassy was his as the foreign minister at the initiative of the Foreign Ministry (MAE) in order to get a mandate from the government for carrying out an analysis of the issue, which will be brought to the attention of the relevant political decision-makers. "On December 6, 2017, [US] President Trump decided to relocate the headquarters of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Following this decision (...), something of great importance happened to once again generate a concern for finding a solution to the conflict in the Middle East that has been frozen for 50 years, and that was one of the components that made countries take a stand. (...) Because this topic has become a theme of public discussion in Romania, including by statements made by important politicians, leaders of the parties that are making up the current majority, I considered that the best way to deal with this issue is to make an assessment, analyse the advantages and disadvantages, an analysis that starts from the point of view of Romania's interests and its desire to get involved in finding a solution to this conflict, which is then presented to the political decision-makers, who have the authority to adopt certain decisions in the field of foreign policy, namely Parliament, the President and the prime minister. In order to get this action started, I needed the approval of the Romanian Government, for which I made a memorandum," Melescanu said in a testimony to the Chamber of Deputies' Foreign Affairs Committee. He then presented what he called the "fundamental ideas" contained in the memorandum.He said that the memorandum approved by the Government on the Jerusalem matter is not a secret document, but "a document that says it does not include public information."Asked about who has taken up the memorandum, Melescanu said, "I have taken responsibility for everything in it related to the Foreign Ministry, although I did not sign it, because I was on a visit to Libya at the time; I have taken it up as an initiative of the Foreign Ministry to try to understand and manage this process." Romania's actions at European level have always been and will continue to be aimed at buttressing of a consolidated European Union, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila affirmed on Wednesday in the message conveyed on Europe's Day. "Today we are celebrating Europe's Day, a day dedicated to the history of a project, model of collaboration, example of solidarity and continuous common commitment. This is a great occasion to celebrate the progress accomplished but also to bring to mind the long path of the European construction, from the vision of a cooperation project between a few European states, presented in Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Schuman's statement, to a reality uniting over 500 million European citizens. We are all enjoying the benefits of the European Union, of the European design's capacity to change for the better the daily lives of the citizens," Viorica Dancila said, according to press release of the gov't. The premier points out that Romania has constantly identified itself with a clear pro-European path, has consolidated its democratic foundations, has modernised its society and economy and the Romanians fully share the fundamental European values. According to the premier, "Romania's actions at European level have always been and will always remain directed towards the buttressing of a consolidated European Union." "This approach is all the more important as we are preparing for exercising the presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2019's first quarter, on which occasion we intend to act as an active, constructive partner, promoting consensus among member states. We will be watching that the EU policies relate at all times to the principle of cohesion, as common value of the EU, highlighting the importance to return to the cornerstones of the European project, so as to rebuild the citizens' confidence. Romania reaffirms its trust in the European project and acts for its support and development, answering to the European citizens' expectations, of the Romanian citizens' include. Happy birthday Europe!" Premier Dancila further said. The steering board of the National Council against Discrimination (CNCD) watchdog on Wednesday adopted a decision to fine President Klaus Iohannis 2,000 lei for the use of the term "penali," a Romanian colloquialism for legally embattled or convicts. ''The use of the word 'penali' by the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, represents discrimination and violates the right to dignity of persons under judicial proceedings without being convicted, according to Article (2) (1), and Article 15 in Government Ordinance (OG) 137/2000, republished. A fine to the amount of 2,000 lei was imposed by a vote of 5 to 4," CNCD says in a press statement. Imphal, May 8 : A bomb was blasted in front of Assam Rifles gate at Sanjeevani near PDA office north AOC in Imphal today evening. According to the reports, the blast occurred at around 6-40 pm near the Manipur Tourism department office. One jawan was injured in the blast and he has been identified as Rfn/GD N.Prem Singh of 23 bn.AR Tamenglong. The injured person was rushed to nearest hospital. Top police and army officials had rushed to the area. More details awaited. President Klaus Iohannis will challenge in court the decision of the National Council for Combating Discrimination (CNCD), according to which he received a fine for using the word "criminals," specifies the Presidential Administration. "The Romanian President believes that this is a political decision and he will challenge in court the CNCD decision," announces the Presidential Administration. The management board of this institution on Wednesday adopted a decision by which President Klaus Iohannis received a 2,000 lei fine for using the term "criminals.""Using the term "criminals" by the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is discrimination and he violates the right to dignity of the persons undergoing criminal proceedings without being convicted, according to the article 2, paragraph 1, and article 15 of the GEO no. 137/2000. The fine is worth 2,000 lei," specified a release of the CDNC. Deputy Prime Minister Viorel Stefan declared on Tuesday that during the first four months of this year Romania cashed in from the European Union 5 billion lei, meaning a rise of 28 percent, as compared to the same interval of last year. "We presented earlier some numbers that characterize the performance of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), now I would like to talk about sums that are not collected by ANAF and I'm referring to the chapter of "amounts received from the European Union". In the first 4 months Romania cashed in 5 billion lei. If we are to compare to the same period of last year, that means an increase of 28 percent. If we look (...) at the evolution from 2013 until 2017, included, so the last annual phase of implementation, I am sorry, but we can see that the only year when we recorded low receipts was in 2016. In terms of performance, 2017 was at the same level of 2015, more or less, 17,4 billion lei versus 17,1 in 2017," Viorel Stefan said on Tuesday at Victoria Palace. President Klaus Iohannis said on Monday that the European funds are a "failure" of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) governing. "As regards revenues, we are 37 percent below the scheduled value. In regard to expenditure, we are at 43 percent below the programmed value. It is way below what has been programmed. It is unacceptable that these European funds are not part of the government's priorities, but why would we be surprised, PSD has all sorts of priorities: a quarrel with the central bank, a fight against the investors, the multinationals, it is only the European funds the gov't is not fighting against, because if they fought in the interest of the Romanians they would draw the money and carry out investments, at least from there, if they are not capable to do it from own funds," the head of state concluded. Every May 9th the Russian Federation celebrates its most important national holiday, Victory Day, den pobedy. During the early hours of that day in 1945 Marshal Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, which had stormed Berlin, received the German unconditional surrender. The Great Patriotic War had gone on for 1418 days of unimaginable violence, brutality and destruction. From Stalingrad and the northern Caucasus and from the northwestern outskirts of Moscow to the western frontiers of the Soviet Union to Sevastopol in the south and Leningrad and the borders with Finland, in the north, the country had been laid waste. An estimated 17 million civilians, men, women and children, had perished, although no one will ever know the exact figure. Villages and towns were destroyed; families were wiped out without anyone to remember them or mourn their deaths. Most Soviet citizens lost family members during the war. No one was left unaffected. Ten million or more Soviet soldiers died in the struggle to expel the monstrous Nazi invader and finally to occupy Berlin at the end of April 1945. Red Army dead were left unburied in a thousand places along the routes to the west or in unmarked mass graves, there having been no time for proper identification and burial. Most Soviet citizens lost family members during the war. No one was left unaffected. The Great Patriotic War began at 3:30am on 22 June 1941, when the Nazi Wehrmacht invaded the Soviet Union along a front stretching from the Baltic to the Black Seas with 3.2 million German soldiers, organised in 150 divisions, supported by 3,350 tanks, 7,184 artillery pieces, 600,000 trucks, 2,000 warplanes. Finnish, Italian, Romanian, Hungarian, Spanish, Slovakian forces, amongst others, eventually joined the attack. The German high command reckoned that Operation Barbarossa would take only 4 to 6 weeks to finish off the Soviet Union. In the west, US and British military intelligence agreed. Besides, what force had ever beaten the Wehrmacht? Nazi Germany was the invincible colossus. Poland had been crushed in a few days. The Anglo-French attempt to defend Norway was a fiasco. When the Wehrmacht attacked in the west, Belgium hurried to quit the fight. France collapsed in a few weeks. The British army was driven out of Dunkirk, naked, without guns or Lorries. In the spring of 1941, Yugoslavia and Greece disappeared in a matter of weeks at little cost to German invaders. The Red Armys losses were unimaginable, two million soldiers lost in the first three and a half months of the war. Wherever the Wehrmacht advanced in Europe, it was a walkover until that day German soldiers stepped across Soviet frontiers. The Red Army was caught flatfooted, in halfway measures of mobilisation, because Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin did not believe his own intelligence reports warning of danger, or want to provoke Hitlerite Germany. The result was a catastrophe. But unlike Poland and unlike France, the USSR did not quit the fight after the expected 4 to 6 weeks. The Red Armys losses were unimaginable, two million soldiers lost in the first three and a half months of the war. The Baltic provinces were lost. Smolensk fell and then Kiev, in the worst defeat of the war. Leningrad was encircled. An old man asked some soldiers, Where are you retreating from? There were calamities everywhere too numerous to mention. But at places like the fortress of Brest and in hundreds of unnamed fields and woods, road junctions and villages and towns, Red Army units fought on often to the last soldier. They fought out of encirclements to rejoin their own lines or to disappear into the forests and swamps of Belorussia and the northwestern Ukraine to organise the first partisan units to attack the German rear. By the end of 1941, three million Soviet soldiers were lost (the largest number being POWs who died at German hands); 177 divisions were struck from the Soviet order of battle. Still, the Red Army fought on, even forcing back the Germans at Yelnya, east southeast of Smolensk, at the end of August. The Wehrmacht felt the bite of the battered but not beaten Red Army. German forces were taking 7,000 casualties a day, a new experience for them. At places like the fortress of Brest, Red Army units fought on often to the last soldier. As the Wehrmacht advanced, Einsatzgruppen, SS death squads, followed, killing Jews, Gypsies, communists, Soviet POWs, or anyone who got in their way. Baltic and Ukrainian Nazi collaborators assisted in the mass murders. Soviet women and children were stripped naked and forced to queue, waiting for execution. When winter came freezing German soldiers shot villagers or forced them out of their homes, dressed in rags like beggars, robbing them of hearth, winter clothing and food. In the west those who predicted a speedy Soviet collapse, the usual western Sovietophobes, looked stupid and had to eat their forecasts. Public opinion understood that Hitlerite Germany had walked into a quagmire, not another campaign in France. While the British everyman cheered on Soviet resistance, the British government did relatively little to help. Some Cabinet ministers were even reluctant to call the Soviet Union an ally. Churchill refused to let BBC play the Soviet national anthem, the Internationale, on Sunday evenings along with those of other allies. Western public opinion understood that Hitlerite Germany had walked into a quagmire, not another campaign in France. The Red Army still retreated, but kept fighting desperately. This was no ordinary war, but a struggle of unparalleled violence against a murderous invader for home, family, country, for life itself. In November the Red Army dropped a pamphlet on German lines, quoting Carl von Clausewitz, the Prussian military theorist: Its impossible either to hold or conquer Russia That was real bravado in the circumstances, but also true. Finally, in front of Moscow, in December 1941, the Red Army, under Zhukovs command, threw back the spent forces of the Wehrmacht, in the south by as much as three hundred kilometres. The image of Nazi invincibility was shattered. Barbarossa was too ambitious, the blitzkrieg had failed, and the Wehrmacht suffered its first strategic defeat. In London Churchill agreed, grudgingly, to let BBC play the Soviet national anthem. The image of Nazi invincibility was shattered. In 1942 the Red Army continued to suffer defeats and heavy losses, as it fought on nearly alone. In November of that year at Stalingrad on the Volga, however, the Red Army launched a counteroffensive, which led to a remarkable victory and the retreat of the Wehrmacht back to its start lines in the spring of 1942 except for the German Sixth Army, caught in the Stalingrad kotel or cauldron. There, 22 German divisions, some of Hitlers best, were destroyed. Stalingrad was the Verdun of the Second World War. Its hell, a soldier said. No this is ten times worse than hell, someone else corrected. At the end of the winter fighting in 1943, Axis losses were staggering: 100 German, Italian, Romanian, Hungarian divisions were destroyed, or mauled. The president of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt, reckoned that the tide of battle had turned: Hitlerite Germany was doomed. Women soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad. It was February 1943. In that month there was not a single British, American, or Canadian division fighting in Europe against the Wehrmacht. Not one. It was sixteen months before the Normandy landings. The British and Americans were then fighting two or three German divisions in North Africa, a sideshow compared to the Soviet front. Western public opinion knew who was carrying the burden of the war against the Wehrmacht. In 1942, 80% of Axis divisions were arrayed against the Red Army. At the beginning of 1943 there were 207 German divisions on the Eastern Front. The Germans tried one last hurrah, one last offensive against the Kursk bulge in July 1943. That operation failed. The Red Army then launched a counteroffensive across the Ukraine which led to liberation of Kiev in November. Further north, Smolensk had been freed the month before. The spirit of the Soviet people and their Red Army was formidable. War correspondant Vasilii Semenovich Grossman captured its essence in his personal journals. Night, Snowstorm, he wrote in early 1942, Vehicles, Artillery. They are moving in silence. Suddenly a hoarse voice is heard. Hey, which is the road to Berlin? A roar of laughter. Western public opinion knew who was carrying the burden of the war against the Wehrmacht Soldiers were not always brave. Sometimes they fled. A battalion commissar armed with two revolvers began shouting, Where are you running you sons of whores, where? Go forward, for our Motherland, for Jesus Christ, motherfuckers! For Stalin, you whores! They went back to their positions. Those fellows were lucky; the commissar could have shot them all. Sometimes he did. A soldier volunteered to execute a deserter. Did you feel any pity for him? Grossman asked. How can one speak of pity, the soldier replied. At Stalingrad seven Uzbeks were found guilty of self-inflicted wounds. They were all shot. Grossman read a letter found in the pocket of a dead Soviet soldier. I miss you very much. Please come and visit I am writing this, and tears are pouring. Daddy, please come home and visit. Women fought along side the men as snipers, gunners, tankists, pilots, nurses partisans. They also kept the home front going. Villages have become the kingdom of women, wrote Grossman, They drive tractors, guard warehouses and stables Women are carrying on their shoulders the great burden of work. They dominate send bread, aircraft, weapons and ammunition to the front. When the war was being fought on the Volga, they did not reproach their men for having given up so much ground. Women look and say nothing, wrote Grossman, not a bitter word. But in the villages near the front, sometimes they did. It was just a matter of time before the destruction of Nazi Germany In the meantime, the western allies attacked Italy. Stalin had long demanded a second front in France, which Churchill resisted. He wanted to attack the Axis soft underbelly, not to help the Red Army, but to hinder its advance into the Balkans. The idea was to advance quickly north up the Italian boot, then wheel eastward into the Balkans to keep out the Red Army. The way to Berlin however was north northeast. Churchills plan was a failure; the western allies did not get to Rome until June 1944. There were approximately 20 German divisions in Italy fighting against larger allied forces. In the East, there were still more than two hundred Axis divisions, or ten times those in Italy. On 6 June 1944 when Operation Overlord began in Normandy, the Red Army stood on Polish and Romanian frontiers. A fortnight after the Normandy landings, the Red Army launched Operation Bagration, a huge offensive which stove in the centre of the German eastern front and led to an advance of 500 kilometres to the west, while the western allies were still held up on the Normandy Cotentin peninsula. The Red Army had become an unstoppable juggernaut. It was just a matter of time before the destruction of Nazi Germany. When the war was over in May 1945, the Red Army had accounted for 80% of the losses of the Wehrmacht, and that percentage would have been far higher before the Normandy invasion. Those who never experienced all the bitterness of the summer of 1941, wrote Vasily Grossman, will never be able fully to appreciate the joy of our victory. There were many war hymns sung by the troops and the people to keep up morale. Sviashchennaia voina, Sacred War was one of the most popular. Russians still stand when they hear it. Historians often debate about when the decisive turn of battle came in the European theatre. Some propose 22 June 1941, the day that the Wehrmacht crossed Soviet frontiers. Others point to the battles of Moscow, Stalingrad, or Kursk. During the war western public opinion seemed more supportive of the Red Army than some western leaders, Winston Churchill, for example. Roosevelt was better, a more pragmatic political leader, who easily recognised the preponderant Soviet role in the war against Nazi Germany. The Red Army, he said to one doubtful general in 1942, was killing more German soldiers and smashing more German tanks than all the other allies put together. Roosevelt knew that the Soviet Union was the linchpin of the great coalition against Nazi Germany. I call FDR the godfather of the grand alliance. Nevertheless, in the shadows lurked the usual haters of the Soviet Union, who were only biding their time before emerging again. The greater the certainty of victory over Nazi Germany, the more vocal and strident became the naysayers of the grand alliance. Americans can be touchy about the memory of the Red Army playing the lead role in the destruction of the Wehrmacht. What about Lend-Lease, they say, without our supplies, the Soviet Union could not have beaten the Germans. In fact, most Lend-Lease supplies did not arrive in the USSR until after Stalingrad. Red Army soldiers facetiously called the Lend-Lease food tins the second front since the real one was late in coming. In 1942 Soviet industry was already out-producing Nazi Germany in major categories of armaments. Was the T-34 an American, or a Soviet tank? A polite Stalin always remembered to thank the US government for the jeeps and Studebaker trucks. They increased Red Army mobility. You contributed the aluminum, Russians famously replied, we contributed the blood the rivers of blood. The everyman in Europe and the United States knew very well who had carried the load against the Wehrmacht. No sooner was the war over than Britain and the United States started to think about another war, this time against the Soviet Union. In May 1945 the British high command produced Operation Unthinkable, a top secret plan for an offensive, reinforced by German POWs, against the Red Army. What bastards, what ingrates. In September 1945, the Americans contemplated use of 204 atomic bombs to destroy the Soviet Union. The godfather, President Roosevelt, had died in April, and within weeks American Sovietophobes were reversing his policy. The grand alliance was only a truce in a Cold War which had begun after the Bolshevik seizure of power in November 1917, and which resumed in 1945. In that year the US and British governments still had to contend with public opinion. The everyman in Europe and the United States knew very well who had carried the load against the Wehrmacht. You could not resume the old policy of hatred against the Soviet Union just like that without blotting out the memory of the Red Armys role in thecommon victory over Hitlerite Germany. So memories of the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression in August 1939 were brought out of the closet, although the memories of prior Anglo-French opposition to Soviet proposals for collective security against Nazi Germany and especially of the betrayal of Czechoslovakia were omitted from the new western narrative. Like thieves in the night, Britain and the United States burgled the true account of the destruction of Nazi Germany. Already in December 1939, the British planned to publish a white paper blaming Moscow for the failure of Anglo-Franco-Soviet alliance negotiations during the previous spring and summer. The French objected because the white paper was more likely to persuade public opinion that the Soviet side had been serious about resistance to Nazi Germany while the British and French were not. The white paper was shelved. In 1948 the US State Department issued a collection of documents attributing the blame for World War II to Hitler and Stalin. Moscow fired back with its own publication demonstrating western affinities with Nazism. The fight was on in the west to remember the Soviet Union for the non-aggression pact and to forget the Red Armys preponderant role in smashing the Wehrmacht. By the end of the war, memories of the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression in August 1939 were brought out of the closet. How many of you have not seen some Hollywood film in which the Normandy landings are the great turning point of the war? What if the landings had failed, one often hears? Oh, nothing much, is the appropriate reply. The war would have gone on longer, and the Red Army would have planted its flags on the Normandy beaches coming from the east. Then there are the movies about the Allied bombing campaign against Germany, the decisive factor in winning the war. In Hollywood films about World War II, the Red Army is invisible. It is as if the Americans (and British) were claiming laurels they didnt earn. I like to ask students in my university course on the Second World War, who has heard of operation Overlord? Everyone raises a hand. Then I ask who has heard of Operation Bagration? Hardly anyone raises a hand. I ask facetiously who won the war against Nazi Germany and the answer is America of course. Only a few studentsnormally those who have had other courses with mewill answer the Soviet Union. The truth is uphill work in a western world where fake news is the norm. The OSCE and European Parliament put the blame for World War II on the Soviet Union, read Russia and President Vladimir Putin, as the subliminal message. Hitler is almost forgotten in this tohu-bohu of evidence-free accusations. Behind the bogus historical narrative are the Baltic states, Poland, and the Ukraine, spewing out hatred of Russia. The Baltics and the Ukraine now remember Nazi collaborators as national heroes and celebrate their deeds. In Poland, for some people, this is hard to swallow; they remember the Ukrainian Nazi collaborators who murdered tens of thousands of Poles in Volhynia. Unfortunately, such memories have not stopped Polish hooligans from vandalising monuments to Red Army war dead or desecrating Soviet war cemeteries. Polish nationalists cannot bear the memory of the Red Army freeing Poland from the Nazi invader. The veterans, fewer each year, come out wearing uniforms that often do not fit quite right or threadbare jackets covered with war medals and orders. In Russia, however, the wests mendacious propaganda has no effect. The Soviet Union produced its own films, and the Russian Federation also, about World War II, most recently about the defence of the Brest fortress and of Sevastopol, and the battle of Stalingrad. On 9 May every year Russians remember the millions of soldiers who fought and died, and the millions of civilians who suffered and died at the hands of the Nazi invader. The veterans, fewer each year, come out wearing uniforms that often do not fit quite right or threadbare jackets covered with war medals and orders. Treat them with tact and respect, Zhukov wrote in his memoirs: It is a small price after what they did for you in 1941-1945. How did you manage, I wondered to myself observing them on Victory Day some years go, how did you cope, living constantly with death and so much sorrow and hardship? An Immortal Regiment march in Moscow Now, each year on Victory Day the immortal regiment, the bessmertnyi polk, marches; Russians in cities and towns across the country and abroad, march together carrying large photographs of family members, men and women, who fought in the war. We remember, they want to say: and we will never forget you. On May 7, Vladimir Putin, who won nearly 77% of the vote, was inaugurated for his fourth term as president of Russia. Those in the West who wish Moscow ill keep on repeating their mantra about the need to isolate the country and its leader on the international stage. The absence of Russias president at the G7 summit, the invented stories about election meddling in the US, the Skripal spy poisoning case that Moscow had nothing to do with anything will do to support the fiction of isolation. They claim that Russias foreign policy has left it with few friends internationally. What we hear is the same old song about the long list of grievances against the Russian Federation that so upset the ill-wishers that they are eager to see that country completely cut off from global politics and relegated to isolation. Is that policy working? With all their words about Moscow no longer being a full-fledged member of the international community, its the Western leaders themselves who are dooming this approach to failure. It was announced on the day of President Putins inauguration (May 7) that German Chancellor Angela Merkel would meet Vladimir Putin in Sochi, the famous Russian resort on the Black Sea, on May 18. This top-level meeting will take place after the EAEU summit is held at the same location on May 14. Therell be a lot of people coming to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2018 on May 24-26, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The two will hold separate talks with the Russian leader. Vladimir Putin will visit Austria on June 5. Immediately afterward hell rush off to the SCO summit that will probably be held June 8-11 in Qingdao, China. The exact dates have not been announced as yet by the Chinese authorities for security reasons. There hell meet the leaders of China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. All in all, the president of Russia has quite a busy schedule. One has to be in perfect physical condition to participate in so many important events squeezed into such a short period of time. French President Macron announced in the May 5 edition of the daily paper, Le Journal du Dimanche: I want to hold a historic and strategic dialog with Vladimir Putin. He spoke out against Russias isolation. The French leader wants to be a link that can connect Russia and Europe. A Putin-Trump summit is in the cards. Its not a meeting on the sidelines of some international forum but rather a full-fledged summit that is being discussed. The idea came from the US administration. The White House has mentioned Washington as one of the places a summit could take place. Vladimir Putin is ready to accept Donald Trumps invitation. A meeting was part of the agenda the two presidents discussed during their phone conversation. The leaders will also meet at the G20 summit that is to be held in Argentina Nov. 30-Dec 1. The US may be even more interested than Moscow in holding top-level talks. Last year, it was the US, not Russia, who was given the cold shoulder at the G20 summit. The America First policy is isolating the US from world leaders, while Russias international clout has grown immensely, particularly in the Middle East, which the US has traditionally viewed as its own area of influence. Prominent Americans are questioning the global leadership of the US. It is true that Russia is no longer a member of the G7 but the G20 has much broader base of representation that includes rapidly developing countries with swiftly growing global influence. The G20 is a mini-UN, where the worlds leading nations try to reach a consensus on urgent issues. As its profile rises, it is becoming more important than the G7. The membership in the group of seven (formerly eight), where they spend more time talking shop than making decisions, is not a big loss for Russia. The country has been transformed into a separate center of power that cannot be disregarded by anyone not the G7 or any other group. Russia is the worlds biggest country in terms of land mass and it has the sixth largest population. Russian is one of the ten most widely spoken languages in the world (used by around 300 million people). The Russian Federation is a permanent member of the UN Security Council with the right of veto power. It wields enormous influence over the countries of the former Soviet Union. Russia has restored its military might. Its nuclear arsenal is second to none. It has considerably larger reserves of tanks and armored vehicles than the US. So many regional problems simply cannot be resolved without Russias input. It has become an indispensable power that is too strong and mighty to be isolated at somebodys whim. As one can see, Russias international isolation is nothing but a myth, yet many Western media outlets and leaders continue to promote the idea, ignoring the obvious facts of the matter. TICKERS: AZZ; AZZUF, URZ; URZZF Source: Gerardo Del Real for Streetwise Reports (5/8/18) Todd Hilditch and Glenn Catchpole of URZ Energy speak with Gerardo Del Real of Resource Stock Digest about the company's just-announced merger with Azarga Uranium. Gerardo Del Real: This is Gerardo Del Real with Resource Stock Digest. Joining me today is CEO of URZ Energy Corp. (URZ:TSX.V; URZZF:OTC), Mr. Glenn Catchpole, and Executive Chairman of URZ, Mr. Todd Hilditch. It's an important day for you, for the company. Congratulations are in order to you and to shareholders. You announced the merger of URZ with Azarga Uranium Corp. (AZZ:TSE) to create a new U.S.-focused ISR uranium development company. I think it's an important announcement, but before I get to the details of the transaction, I want to talk about your past success because you have a track record of serial success in the U.S. I believe that's an important factor to look at when we analyze this particular piece of news today. Can you speak a bit to your past successes, and then we can talk about why you thought this deal was right now at the right time to consummate? Glenn Catchpole: Well, I won't go way back. As you know, I've got 40 years in the uranium business, and most of that in the U.S., and worked for small companies, medium companies, and the largest company, Cameco, over time. And developed a project in Kazakhstan that turned out to be the biggest uranium mine in the world, and brought that into the first stage of production. Then, back in the U.S., I hooked up with Dennis Higgs. And we acquired properties focused in Wyoming. I ended up with the Nichols Ranch Project, which we assimilated not only data that was there from the key player, for our Nichols Ranch, but also acquired properties in the vicinity, the Arkose property now, the Hank property. It's a nice setup now. We hit that at a good time, if you forget about Fukushima, but came out well and had that transaction with Energy Fuels, which was the right thing for us to do, and we're very pleased with it. And now onto this latest venture, and again, with Dennis, and now Todd that Dennis introduced me to. We think we've put together an excellent team. We started out with properties that Todd and his group acquired, as you pointed out, at $0.03 a pound. From recent work we've done on Gas Hills, I'm actually very optimistic that someday that will also be a producer. It's not just that we picked up some scattered properties. That one, in particular, I think has real potential. Then we moved on the Dewey Burdock. Actually, I've been following that for a long time, and the property has been around for quite a while. With Uranerz Energy, back when we were together there, we actually did due diligence on that property. We were really hoping to get it. I'm going to come back to that in a minute, but somehow, for whatever reason, we didn't get it. We tried hard, because I was very, very keen on it. Now, there's been a lot of what we would call negative thoughts about it because of the permitting. In my early days in the business, I was involved heavily with permitting. And with the NRC now very close for us, dealing with one outstanding issue that just takes time to do it, it's not a matter that it could cause us not to be licensed by them. We were already licensed, it's just another step we have to do. But I'm very confident that we will, as Azarga URZ, we will get through that. Yes, there's some public concern up in that part of South Dakota, but Azarga's got a good staff person up there, working on the public relations. In the end we will prevail, and we can move forward. But I have frequently touted it as sort of a premiere property that I always wanted to end up with. And not only do they have the Dewey Burdock, but there's more potential in there. It's like Nichols Ranch, when we first started that out we had one number for resources, but with exploration and getting a better handle on where the fronts were going, you can increase that. I see that same potential here at Dewey Burdock. It's going to be a significant operation one of these days. Gerardo Del Real: Let's talk about Dewey Burdock, just a little. For those that are not familiar with the property, it will be the flagship asset of the merged company once the transaction closes. Once this merger closes, the merged company will have 30.7 million pounds in the measured and indicated category, and I believe in addition an inferred resource of 8.7 million pounds, all in the U.S. Todd Hilditch: Yes, that's the total of the merged companies. Collectively that's what we would have under the umbrella of all of us. Gerardo Del Real: Let's talk about the mindset going into this deal. What was the thinking when you're taking into consideration the macro situation in the uranium space? We have the lowest cost, largest producers in the world saying that these uranium prices are not sustainable, and those are good allies to have because they've said they're going to do everything in their power to create, frankly, a higher uranium price and a better balance between supply and demand. How did you approach the transaction and was that a big motivator for you to continue focusing here in the U.S.? Todd Hilditch: Gerardo, everything you've just outlined is really the roadmap. When we put these together originallythis is pre-announcement of Azargapart of the balance that we struck is we were a brand-new company. Glenn and Dennis and Uranerz had done it, and the environment has changed, though, going to your point. Where we stood was, ok, we've got $0.03 a pound uranium. Let's continue and do some studies on the ISR capability, which obviously is a lower cost animal than going the other direction. We already had a really great structured company. We had good financing. We hadn't been sort of long in the tooth in the market. We IPO'd in July, so we were sort of a clean and hungry animal, if you will, to move forward and in a better cost structure. So, our initial studies were looking at the ISR capabilities at Gas Hills, which now looks like is going to be a great opportunity for us. But where we found an opportunity with, say, the Azarga situation is they've done an amazing job of trying to push this along the permitting process. But the markets have turned over time, so if we can sort of restructure with both under one roof and making the asset, as you mentioned, sort of 30+ million pounds plus and inferred getting up to close to 40 we sort of set ourselves up in structure at a point where their asset will be a low-cost producer once we get through the permitting regime. We've got a neat pipeline now of assets, of ISR, looks like ISR-capable in our Gas Hills, and then a couple others that are less priority. But coming out of the gate in a new structured, new well-financed vehicle puts us in a pretty good position to deal with some of the things you've suggested; cost curves, permitting regime, and then the "Buy USA" and the 232 initiatives. It just seemed like a good time to put all of that together in the hopes that we get a little bit of a uranium push over the next year plus and puts us in a good opportunity to grow the business in a better cost structure. Gerardo Del Real: Absolutely. Now, let's focus on the flagship. Dewey Burdock has, in the measured and indicated category, 8.6 million pounds at 0.25% with 3.5 million pounds at 0.05% in the inferred category. So that's 8.6 measured and indicated, 3.5 on the inferred side. It's an impressive asset. I believe it's the highest grade ISR project that's not in production in the US. Is that accurate, Glenn? Glenn Catchpole: That's my understanding, too. Gerardo Del Real: Of course, that's important because of the low-cost nature, and obviously low cost meaning higher margins if we can get the uranium spot price to cooperate, right? Glenn Catchpole: That's right. Let me just follow up with what Todd is saying there. It's an important point. With the Dewey Burdock, and those measured and indicated that they're initially focusing on, it's got all three things going forward. One is the grade, and the grade is the most important thing. 0.25, I think, is the highest number I've heard for a project in the U.S. The depth situation is good. That's another big cost factor is putting in your well fields. And the deeper you have to go, the more expensive the drilling and your costs go up, appropriately. You've got grade, you've got the depth, if you will, and you've got not only the depth but in the hydrology, the permeability is good. So, with all those things, this should be a low-cost producer. The world belongs to the low-cost producer, and we think we're going to be right in there. Even when we look at the world situation, but particularly in the domestic, here in the U.S., you say, "Why are you doing it at this time?" Well, we think now we've got the asset that we'll be very competitive and it's going to work. Gerardo Del Real: This is also going to provide a lot of catalysts in 2018. As far as development, what does the rest of the year look like? Glenn Catchpole: This outstanding issue being worked on with the NRC, that whole thing, it'd probably be completed in May of 2019. Then, there's the other permits that they need, and the state permits and so forth. So, it's probably sometime in 2019 before all that happens. But again, looking at the timeframes and what's going to happen to the price over that time, that's probably a good point for us to be, if you will, in the construction and operation business. Todd Hilditch: Yeah, and before that, Gerardo, to go to your 2018 comment, there would be expected a resource and PEA update. Azarga has completed some review of historic data, and they have the Dewey Terrace, which is just on the other side of the border from Dewey Burdock, but contiguous. There's some additional drilling, etc., that they expect to be able to pull into the resource. So, to answer your question, that could be part of 2018 and we'll also continue to focus on our ISR capabilities for the ISR at Gas Hills. We've got some, from a catalyst standpoint, we've got a few of these things lined up for 2018. And then there's also a bit of a platform for additional consolidation if we come across something that makes sense. If we could do all of that over 2018 and into 2019, as Glenn's identified, the permitting side of Dewey Burdock, I think we'll have a pipeline of actionable items for the next year. Gerardo Del Real: Excellent. Let's talk about the structure of the deal. We haven't gone over that yet, so I understand that Azarga will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of URZ for two Azarga uranium shares for each URZ Energy share. Is that correct? Todd Hilditch: Yes, that's correct. The implied price to URZ based on Friday's close or spot price is about $0.54 a share for us. So that's good and that's based on spot, and about a $0.51 share on a VWAP 20. So respectively, that's a 35% premium for us or a 10% if you look at the VWAP 20. So certainly from a shareholder standpoint of our company, it's a great deal, and obviously with the stuff we've talked about with bringing on the asset. As it turns out, the way we've structured this is we've come in with three directors on each side. We'll go through our shareholder approval process in July, it looks like for timing. All management and directors are all locked up and everybody believes this is a good combination. So transactional summary-wise, I think both companies are pretty happy with the way things are working out. Gerardo Del Real: And there will be zero debt once this all closes. Is that accurate? Todd Hilditch: Other than some accounts payable, correct. Nothing long-term. The $1.8 million that they've held on their books from loans payable is being converted, and that's sort of at our push and they were accepting of it. So, we came out the gate with a clean structure. Gerardo Del Real: Now, as far as management and the board, I understand, Glenn, you'll be chairman. Is that accurate? Glenn Catchpole: That's correct. Gerardo Del Real: And Blake Steele, who is Azarga's president and CEO right now, will continue in that capacity. Is that correct? Todd Hilditch: Yes, that's correct. We should draw a differentiation ... not differentiation of, sort of a line. Glenn's movement from CEO to chair is not a moving out of not working. With Glenn's expertise permitting and moving Nichols Ranch forward, his on-the-ground presence and his company-building presence doesn't go away. So, we want to make that clear. He will be working hand-in-hand with Blake, and then along with the rest of the directors and special advisors, including Dennis. So, this is about putting some of the pieces of the pie together and Glenn is integral into this new go. Gerardo Del Real: It's an incredible set of assets, an incredible team obviously. I mentioned earlier you have a track record of a serial success. Congratulations. Guys, is there anything else that you'd like to add? Todd Hilditch: I just want to reiterate that obviously all the uranium companies need a little help on the pricing, but I think with this transactionwe appreciate your kind works GerardoI think putting this together now was a smart move by both companies to structure up as the price starts to move forward. We're looking forward to building a great company. Gerardo Del Real: Congratulations again. I'm a happy shareholder. You mentioned the expertise that Glenn and the team, and the combined team now brings. I'm looking forward to see what else you're able to find out there. I know you're always looking. For the past decade, Gerardo Del Real has worked behind-the-scenes providing research, due diligence and advice to large institutional players, fund managers, newsletter writers and some of the most active high net worth investors in the resource space. He brings his extensive experience to the public through Outsider Club, Resource Stock Digest, Junior Mining Monthly, and Junior Mining Trader. 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) Glenn Catchpole and Todd Hilditch: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: URZ Energy. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. My company currently has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: URZ Energy. 2) Gerardo Del Real: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: URZ Energy. My company currently has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: URZ Energy is a sponsor of Resource Stock Digest. 3) The following companies mentioned are sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Energy Fuels Inc. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 4) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy. 5) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 6) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article, until one week after the publication of the interview or article. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of URZ Energy Corp., a company mentioned in this article. TICKERS: CYP; CYDVF; C1Z1 Source: The Critical Investor for Streetwise Reports (5/9/18) The Critical Investor discusses a maiden resource estimate for a lithium deposit in Nevada. Drilling at Dean claystone project; Clayton Valley, Nevada 1. Introduction Some juniors can be agonizingly slow on following up to their self-imposed timelines and ability to deliver results, however there are exceptions. Cypress Development Corp. (CYP:TSX.V; CYDVF:OTCQB; C1Z1:Frankfurt) is proceeding at breathtaking pace, going from its first drill hole at the Dean claystone lithium project in Nevada, U.S. to the very recent announcement of a maiden resource estimate on both Dean and Glory projects in just over a year. Not only this, the company also managed to beat various estimates in the field, including my own, with some margin, as it released a 6.54 Mt lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) resource estimate. By doing this, Cypress established itself instantly as the holder of a 100%-owned world class sized lithium deposit, which is quite something for a junior with a tiny market cap. The next step will consist out of two parts: developing and completing metallurgical testing for viable recovery methods (also known as met work in the industry) and doing a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) to provide economics. The met work is ongoing and guided by very experienced CEO Bill Willoughby who holds a PhD in engineering and metallurgy, and the PEA is scheduled for the end of August or September. As the resource of Dean/Glory is quite large, the potential for a project with very impressive economics could be realistic. After talking to management and various industry experts, I will provide a hypothetical outlook on this potential, and together with this my view on valuation potential. All presented tables are my own material, unless stated otherwise. All pictures are company material, unless stated otherwise. All currencies are in US Dollars, unless stated otherwise. 2. Maiden Resource Estimate Cypress Development released its maiden resource estimate on its fully owned Clayton Valley lithium project on May 1, 2018, and it sure was impressive. The total resource for the Dean and Glory properties came in at 6.54 Mt LCE, which consisted of an Indicated mineral resource of 597 Mt at an average grade of 899 ppm (0.09%) Li, which equates to a contained 2.857 Mt of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), and an Inferred mineral resource of 779 Mt at an average grade of 888 ppm (0.089%) Li, which equates to a contained 3.683 Mt of LCE. The total number of 6.54 Mt beat my estimate by about 20%, according to my estimated target of 5.45 Mt LCE, and also my top margin target of 6Mt. Again, as a continuous reminder, examples of world class sized LCE deposits in each category are brine projects like Cauchari/Olaroz (Orocobre: 6.4Mt LCE, SQM/Lithium Americas 11.7Mt LCE), clay projects like Sonora (Bacanora: 7.2Mt LCE) or hard rock projects like Whabouchi (Nemaska: 4.06 Mt LCE). The average grade of about 893ppm Li is somewhat lower than my estimated average of about 950ppm Li, but this isn't out of line and a normal deviation to my numbers as I am estimating without advanced software used by engineering firms. The cut-off grade was also set somewhat low at 300ppm Li, which probably helped to increase the resource but also lowered the average grade. The deposit is outlined by 23 core holes for 1,891m drilled during 2017 and 2018. As the deposit is lying at surface and is pretty superficial (no deeper than 150m, usually starting at surface) and mineralization appears to be very continuous, drilling it off is relatively very cheap to build tonnage. The deposit remains open at depth, with 21 of the 23 holes ending in lithium mineralization. As this mineralization at the endings of drill cores averaged 300 ppm Li, my view is that the company will not find much more economic mineralization (assuming 800900ppm Li) at depth, and will focus on infill drilling and advancing the current mineralized body, which is already world class. Management estimates that an additional 30 drill holes are required to upgrade the Inferred portion of the mineral resource to the Indicated category. The large tonnage of the deposit lends potential to target higher grade lithium mineralization for the PEA, as is seen within the intercepts between GCH-06 and DCH-13: After discussing this with management, it seems that enough of the deposit is eligible to mine at a higher grade compared to the average grade of the maiden resource. All in all, an average grade of 1,000ppm Li seems to be realistic, and I will use this as a base for my hypothetical PEA estimates later on. Preliminary test work conducted at SGS Canada Inc. (Lakefield) and Continental Metallurgical Services LLC has shown the material exhibits high lithium extractions with short leach times. Lithium extractions greater than 80% can be achieved in 4 to 8 hours using conventional dilute sulfuric acid leaching. Currently, Hazen Research Inc is conducting additional leach tests and preliminary results confirm high lithium extractions for new mineral zones. The presence of acid leachable lithium presents significant cost savings by avoiding calcine and regrind of material during processing. Preliminary results also show the consumption of sulfuric acid and other reagents are relatively low, to the tune of 100kg/t LCE. It was also stated in the news release that the production of high-purity lithium carbonate (a typical salable product) was demonstrated in the laboratory using conventional recovery methods, but the big question always remains costs on a commercial scale with these kinds of bench scale tests, and the potential for economic removal of impurities. This is the next big step Cypress is facing through continuing with its ongoing met work, and as mentioned in earlier updates, if the company succeeds in this department the resource all of a sudden becomes commercially viable and minable, implying vast upside for valuation. At the same time, Cypress also plans to proceed immediately with a PEA based on the current resource and is also evaluating ways to accelerate the project through additional drilling and related studies. The treasury currently contains about C$600k, and management estimates it needs about C$100k for met work, and C$250k for the PEA, so there is no need for a financing soon. This PEA is scheduled for completion in August or September of this year, which is earlier than I expected. The road show recently completed in the U.S. could have had something to do with the recent run-up of the share price, and maybe the brand new (April 20, 2018) OTCQB listing helped as well in this regard. It seemed that the release of the maiden resource estimate also served some investors as a liquidity event, as the share price didn't appreciate as expected by many but hovered around the same levels on huge volume, which was kind of disappointing as the resource estimate was impressive: Share price 1-year time frame; source tmxmoney.com Hopefully the selling will stop soon, and the stock can appreciate further, as I do feel Cypress deserves quite a bit better valuation soon. My feelings are based on discussions I had with management and industry experts on potential economics. It is still early days with a lot of forward-looking assumptions and statements, but if Cypress manages to come close to those guesses, the potential upside is definitely very significant. 3. Hypothetical Economics The news release on the maiden resource estimate contained an interesting passage on current estimates by management on potential economics: "The mineral resources reported use a cut-off grade of 300 ppm Li (0.03%), reflecting a $1/tonne mining cost, $0.50 G&A cost, and a $3,800/tonne LCE processing cost (~$13/tonne processed). These costs reflect a 10,00015,000 tonne per day mining operation in soft sedimentary material that does not require blasting. The resource estimate used a process recovery of 80%." The processing cost here is a combined figure of processing the ore to concentrate and converting this concentrate to LCE. In order to calculate the amounts, I would like to refer to this handy table that I found at the website of Rocktech Lithium, another lithium junior. The conversion ratio from Lithium (Li) to LCE stands at 1 to 5.323, meaning that 1t of Li converts to 5.323t of LCE. Following this, the assumed conservative average grade of 1,000ppm Li (as estimated earlier on by me) for the hypothetical PEA or 0.1% Li converts to 0.532% LCE. So, 1 tonne of material/ore contains 1000 grams of lithium at 100% recovery and 800 grams at 80% recovery, or the equivalent amount of lithium to produce 4.25kg LCE. This is currently worth US$55.25 taking into account average contract prices of US$13,000/t LCE, or US$103.9, according to the current spot price of US$24,450/t LCE, according to this sheet taken from the presentation of Lithium Americas: For 1t of LCE could be needed 235.3t of material/ore at 80% recovery. Dividing the processing costs of US$3,800 over this number generates US$16.15/t material/ore, adding to this the already stated US$1/t mining costs and US$0.5/t G&A could result into US$17.55/t operating costs. On the other hand, total opex for 1t LCE could be US$4129.5/t as mining is extremely cheap. Comparing this to the contract price of US13,000/t LCE, or hypothetical revenues of US$55.25/t ore (assuming producer contracts as the amounts possible at this project would destroy the spot market pricing completely), it can be seen that Cypress has a significant margin for error. In order to be conservative and in line with other recent economic studies, I would like to use an estimated average contract price of US$12,000/t. For the record, I would like to emphasize that all estimates and assumptions are my numbers only, so any mentioned hypothetical PEA outcome is very preliminary in nature and cannot be relied upon. Total production can be calculated by using the stated throughput capacity. When using midpoint capacity of 12,500tpd, annual throughput would be 350d * 12,500 = 4,375,000tpa, resulting into 18,594tpa LCE, resulting into US223.1M revenues per annum. Considering there is a resource of 6.54Mt LCE, this would hypothetically result in a life of mine (LOM) of 312 years at 80% recovery. As this isn't realistic, I will use an already long life of mine of 25 years. A very important item is capex. As mining doesn't require blasting or first processing of the sedimentary claystone doesn't require heavy crushing or milling, capex on these items can be relatively modest. Infrastructure is hardly needed, as the project is located next to Albemarle's Silver Peak lithium mine. When talking to management, it is anticipated that large volumes of water have to be transported to site by a pipeline coming from nearby sources. When taking everything into account, a US$400M capex seems realistic as a first guess. According to management, there will also be cost savings through cheaper soda ash coming in from Wyoming. This is a big cost for brine producers down in South America as they have to import the soda ash from Wyoming. Given proximity to Wyoming and in the U.S., there could be significant cost savings, although it is too early to say to what extent. An interesting item is the new corporate tax rate of 21%, lowered from 35% by the Trump administration. Usually a state levies their own taxes on top of this, but Nevada, together only with Ohio, South Dakota and Texas, has a state corporate tax of 0%, so the total corporate tax rate is 21% for Cypress, which is of course beneficial to economics. This all results into the following basic discounted cash flow analysis: As can be seen, the hypothetical NPV7.5 would come in at US$966M, and the hypothetical IRR at 33.8%, which is pretty impressive for a large-scale lithium project: Keep in mind that I am using a conservative average contract pricing of US$12,000, in line with competitors. In order to see what happens at different LCE prices, have a look at my hypothetical sensitivity table right here: These hypothetical numbers all look very good, especially at the 15,000tpd scenario, and the IRR improved somewhat on larger scenarios as I anticipated on some economies of scale which is industry standard. A PEA is early stage, so it usually gets discounted quite a bit, depending on the various parameters and economics of the project. With Cypress, the recovery method needs proof so I can imagine the markets are willing to give an increased discount for this as long as the method hasn't been proven on a commercial scale. For this, Cypress could probably need to go the route of a pilot plant first before it can get rid of this additional discount. Management is looking into this and is contemplating the possibility of standard leach and precipitation steps as the recovery process seems relatively straightforward. As a consequence, it is anticipated that any pilot plant should not be complicated, expensive or time consuming. A pilot plant might be something Cypress has to do for the Feasibility Study (FS) and/or financing of capex, but this is still uncertain. This issue will likely see more clarity after the PEA comes out. If a potential pilot plant is needed and succeeds in proving up a commercial method, it is certainly not far-fetched to see a future potential market cap of 2530% of NPV7.5. If we would take a (very) conservative but still hypothetical US$500M, this translates into a C$658M NPV, which would result into a C$164197M market cap, which would almost be a ten-bagger from today's levels. I can certainly imagine the share price starting to appreciate towards this point when ongoing met work points towards the right direction, the PEA economics and costs seem convincing and the following test work proves up the coveted method as being commercially viable. 4. Conclusion The maiden resource estimate on the Clayton Valley lithium project provided the markets with impressive tonnage, coming in at 6.54Mt LCE, which ranks among the world's largest deposits across various types of deposits. According to management, met work is progressing well, and this will hopefully generate a commercially viable recovery method to render the project economic. Several assumptions point towards the direction of a hypothetical NPV7.5 of over CS$1B, which is colossal compared to the current market cap of C$21.2M, even discounted for the PEA stage and recovery methods. It will probably come as no surprise that I am tracking this company in my portfolio with above average interest. Lithium bearing claystones at Glory project; Clayton Valley, Nevada The Critical Investor is a newsletter and comprehensive junior mining platform, providing analysis, blog and newsfeed and all sorts of information about junior mining. The editor is an avid and critical junior mining stock investor from The Netherlands, with an MSc background in construction/project management. Number cruncher at project economics, looking for high quality companies, mostly growth/turnaround/catalyst-driven to avoid too much dependence/influence of long-term commodity pricing/market sentiments, and often looking for long-term deep value. Getting burned in the past himself at junior mining investments by following overly positive sources that more often than not avoided to mention (hidden) risks or critical flaws, The Critical Investor learned his lesson well, and goes a few steps further ever since, providing a fresh, more in-depth, and critical vision on things, hence the name. I hope you will find this article interesting and useful, and will have further interest in my upcoming articles on mining. To never miss a thing, please subscribe to my free newsletter at http://www.criticalinvestor.eu/, in order to get an email notice of my new articles soon after they are published. Disclaimer: The author is not a registered investment advisor, and has a long position in this stock. Cypress Development is a sponsoring company. All facts are to be checked by the reader. For more information go to Cypress Development Corp. and read the company's profile and official documents on Sedar, also for important risk disclosures. This article is provided for information purposes only, and is not intended to be investment advice of any kind, and all readers are encouraged to do their own due diligence, and talk to their own licensed investment advisors prior to making any investment decisions. Want to read more Energy Report interviews and articles? 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Members of World Affairs Council, drawn from diverse walks of life, deeply appreciated the perspective presented by the Ambassador of Pakistan on Afghanistan, terrorism, prospects for peace process between Pakistan and India as well as Chinas role in regional stability and prosperity, said a message received here Tuesday. Earlier, President of the WAC Dallas, Jim Falk interviewed Ambassador Chaudhry for his global podcast where the Ambassador spoke about diverse issues faced by Pakistan as it moved towards another election cycle this summer. The envoy also held a meeting with Mayor Jeff Cheney of Frisco, which is a growing city on the outskirts of Dallas with a large Pakistani American population. The ambassador was accompanied by Consul General Aisha Farooqui and members of the community. Aizaz expressed appreciation at the spirit of harmony and cooperation prevailing in Frisco which ensured equal opportunities to all the communities. Later in the afternoon, the ambassador had a candid conversation with the Editorial Board of Dallas Morning News, the largest daily in Dallas and North Texas. The interaction gave an opportunity to better understand Pakistans perspective on bilateral relations and the shift in regional and global alliances. He emphasized on taking a long view on bilateral relations between Pakistan and the US where a lot of time, effort, resources and goodwill had been invested in the last seven decades. Moreover the Pakistani American diaspora, which numbered over a million, continued this investment into the bilateral relationship through their contribution across myriad spheres of activity from business to healthcare to academia and civic engagement. Earlier, on May 6, the ambassador had an exchange of views with Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D) and elected Judges of Collins County at the residence of Dr Hasan Hashmi, an eminent physician and member of our community in Dallas. Congresswoman Johnson expressed her support not only to our community but also to Pakistan and hoped these relations would resume their earlier closeness and level of engagement. In the evening on May 6, in his key note speech, the ambassador sent a resounding message to the Pakistani American community of Dallas at the Annual event of Pakistan Society of North Texas that the future of the community lay in deeper and sustained engagement with the mainstream that would build upon the strong foundation laid by first generation of Pakistanis who had migrated to the US some 30 or 40 years ago. In his view, the future lay with the youth of our community and it was a collective responsibility to ensure that the Youth was given the direction, encouragement and confidence to take their rightful place as citizens of USA with a Pakistani heritage. This was ambassador Aizaz Chaudhrys first visit to Dallas and he took the opportunity to reach out to each segment of the society such as the community, media, think tank as well as elected officials to present Pakistans perspective on a range of issues. The ambassadors views were very well received across the full spectrum of his diverse engagements in Dallas. The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday expressed concern on the United States' (US) withdrawal from the so-called Iran deal, saying that the decision will affect the world community's efforts to solve the "conflict" with Iran. In a media statement, the FO said that the US's withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) would weaken the dialogue process that was meant to find a solution to the conflict. Still, Pakistan hopes that the remaining five signatories Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia will work out a way to ensure that the deal is upheld, the FO said. The FO also reiterated its support for the Iran deal which had limited Irans nuclear programme so that the latter could not produce a bomb, in return for the lifting of most of the US and international sanctions against it. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump had announced that the country was withdrawing from the 2015 deal and will impose the highest level of economic sanctions on Tehran in order to stop Iran's so-called efforts to make nuclear weapons. Last week, Britain, France and Germany had urged the Trump administration not to revoke the deal, arguing that the agreement was the best way of stopping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. President Trump ignored the advice. Reacting to Trumps announcement, President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran would remain committed to the multinational nuclear deal. If we achieve the deals goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place... By exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty, Rouhani said in a televised speech. I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation to take the necessary measures for future actions so that if necessary we can resume industrial enrichment without limit, he said in an address to the nation. We will wait several weeks before applying this decision. We will speak with our friends and allies, the other members of the nuclear agreement, he said. I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain, he added. The superyacht No Comment became the first real commissioning trial for the Tauranga Marine Precincts new Cimolai vessel hoist this week. The Cimolai hoist has a posted 350 tonne capacity and the 47 metre No Comment weighed in at 311 tonnes in the slings on Tuesday morning. That was after pumping out 50 tonnes of fuel and taking the anchors and jetskis ashore. Fully laden with fuel and water No Comments displacement tonnage is 370 tonnes displacement is what the ship weights, as opposed to its volume, which is the gross tonnage. We were supposed to depart for Fiji last week but in fuelling we discovered an issue with the bow thruster that required her to be hauled out, says skipper Cy Wastell. The closest option we had available was Australia and we were picking our brains where we could get hauled. I dont know how the connection was made but our engineer got hold of Phil, (Tauranga Marine Precinct project director Phil Wardale) and Phil came to the rescue. Phil has been instrumental in making this happen. There were no other options available for us. Hes really pulled all the strings to make this happen. Theres a bright future for the maritime industry in Tauranga I think, especially with the Americas Cup coming up, there will be a hell of a lot more boats down here. They are all going to be required to have work at some stage. I think its a great facility. He says other boats in Auckland are also interested in hauling out in Tauranga. Cy was speaking while on his way to Auckland to pick up a replacement bow thruster which is expected to be installed over the next couple of days. When back in the water No Comment is expected to resume the voyage to Fiji and the rendezvous with the owners. Theres a crew of nine on board. The engineer is a New Zealander as is the bosun who is new. The rest are a mixture of people from the UK South Africa and Ireland. Cy grew up near Christchurch. His father was in the business and he thinks his mother, a New Zealander, met him while they were both involved in the yachting scene in France. I studied yacht design after high school and in summer breaks I would go working on the boats. And when it came time to get a job it was either a desk job - or go travelling a bit and earn a bit of coin. So I went that route. (miningmx.com) - Illegal mining at Petra Diamonds Kimberley Ekapa Mining JV (KEM) near Kimberley affected production during the March quarter by restricting access to high grade dumps at the surface retreatment operation. Petra CEO Johan Dippenaar said the restriction was caused by a combination of physical blocking of access to the high-grade dumps as well as impacts on haulage routes used to bring dump material to the treatment plant. The KEM operations have been plagued by the activities of illegal miners for nearly two years despite repeated attempts by Petra and also by previous owners De Beers to get the South African Police Services (SAPS) and the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to take action against the illegals. Student jobs are notoriously low-paid and unglamorous. But not Oliver Scott-Mackies. The Tauranga-born 27-year-old is supporting his studies not by making coffees or labouring, but by crewing multi-million dollar boats on the international yachting circuit. Scott-Mackie graduated this week with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland, and is staying on to do a Masters degree in supply chain management. Already this year he has raced and won his division in the Rolex China Sea Race from Hong Kong to the Philippines. He averages about five events a year, each lasting one to two weeks and earning him enough to cover a couple of months rent. His second student job is sailmaking, a craft he began practicing at age 16 after leaving Tauranga Boys College, with the support of mum Mandy and dad David. Before moving to Auckland, he was a member of the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club. Sailmaking opened doors for him to try his hand sailing semi-professionally. Ive always loved sailing and the opportunity to go overseas and race while studying is pretty special, he says. The contrast between studying and sailing is nice but also quite stressful at times. Many of the overseas events fall at busy times of the semester, like the last week of class, and require me to watch lectures on planes or spend evenings in hotel rooms writing assignments or studying notes to get ready for tests or exams once I get back. His lecturers have all been supportive and understanding, he says. A lot of class mates dont know how I manage to find the balance between studying and travelling for work, but those that do think its quite awesome. My family help me find the balance, and my partner Mairead is very supportive. He has competed on a Botin 65 yacht named Caro in St Tropez, Malta, Palma and out of the UK, and the Sydney-Hobart race. In Australia he sails a JV 62 in a team called Chinese Whisper; in Asia he races with team Zannekin on a Ker 46, and with team Shatoosh on a Warick 75. For fun, he races 12 foot skiffs from Aucklands Royal Akarana Yacht Club, where he is a member. OceanaGold has received a fine of $378,000 under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 2015. The fine comes after its acceptance of liability for the death of Tipiwai Stainton in July 2016, and reparations of $350,000. OceanaGold Waihi General Manager, Bernie OLeary, says the company deeply regretted the loss of one of its staff and accepted that it was responsible for his death. Tip was our colleague, friend and a member of our Mines Rescue Team. He died at our mine, on our watch. We accept responsibility for what happened and have been working alongside his family to make sure that as a company, as workmates, and as friends we continue to do everything possible to support them and prevent this from ever happening again." Tipiwai Stainton was killed on 28 July 2016 when the loader he was driving entered an underground void at the companys Correnso mine in Waihi. Despite the efforts of OceanaGolds Mines Rescue Team, he died at the scene. OceanaGold Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mick Wilkes, who attended the sentencing, says the loss of the companys employee had been deeply felt. Tipiwai was a valued and respected member of our Waihi team, whose workmates describe him as mighty kauri. Our operations adhere to global best practice safety standards, but we will always strive to improve those standards to protect our greatest asset, our people, he said. Bernie OLeary and our team at Waihi have been working to make sure this sort of tragedy does not happen again to one of our own, or anybody in an underground mine. The new work practices that they developed following this accident will raise standards across our industry. Bernie OLeary said Mr. Stainton was operating his 50 tonne machine according to established industry and company practices for underground mines. Despite being industry standard, those practices were not good enough, says Bernie. Immediately after the accident we commenced an extensive investigation and have modified our work methods so staff no longer undertake this activity, eliminating the possibility of this happening again. While its a positive development, we are very aware it wont bring our friend and colleague back. Our new Standard Operating Procedure has been shared across all our operations, and with our industry colleagues in underground mining." In making its judgement the Tauranga District Court acknowledged the actions OceanaGold took to provide care and reparations for the family of Tipiwai Stainton, immediately suspend operations, conduct a full investigation, cooperation with the regulatory authorities, and development of a permanent solution to a long-standing safety hazard for the mining industry. Notes: - A final fine of $378,000 was imposed. - Reparations of $350,000 were ordered. - Voluntary reparations totalling $660,000 have already been paid. - Costs of $3672 were ordered. - Oceana Gold (New Zealand) Limited was charged under sections 36(1)(a), 48(1) and (2)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Being a PCBU failed to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers who work for the PCBU, while at work in the business or undertaking, namely working at the Waihi underground mine and that failure exposed workers, to a risk of death or serious injury arising from a fall from height. - The maximum penalty is a fine not exceeding $1,500,000. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is playing down differences between her ministers over whether to make te reo Maori compulsory in schools. Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta caused a stir this week when she said it was just a matter of time before te reo was compulsory in schools. The governments official policy is that te reo Maori be universally available - but not compulsory - in all primary schools by 2025. Ms Ardern said Ms Mahuta had been talking about future possibilities, not current government policy. "Right now, we simply do not have enough te reo teachers to even have that aspiration." She insisted all her ministers were on the same page. Associate Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson made a slip-up on the same topic late last year, saying he thought the language would be compulsory in schools by 2025. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was reported on Tuesday as having issued a sharp rebuke towards both Ms Mahuta and Mr Jackson. "If they want to be in this government, theyll be on the same page," Mr Peters told Stuff. Today, Mr Peters told reporters he was just making clear that the ministers aspirations were not government policy. "People can be enthusiastic and they can push policies and they probably can campaign on them in 2020 - but its not a policy that we are campaigning on or implementing now. "They need to make sure that its not portrayed as present government policy." Ms Ardern said she was comfortable with Mr Peters slap-down. "Our ministers are all very robust. We have these decent exchanges from time to time," she said. "Im not concerned by our relationships whatsoever ... I have no concerns about those exchanges." Ms Mahuta said the government ministers were not divided. "Were absolutely agreed ... that our education curriculum has everything to gain by ensuring we have Maori teachers who can teach the curriculum in te reo Maori," she said. "That will undoubtedly make te reo Maori a language that is accessible to many New Zealanders - and I want to see that." Click the image above to watch the video The weather forecast today is for a generally fine day with high cloud, and areas of morning low cloud or fog. Also northeast breezes. Its a two-clothing layer day today with a high of 19 and an overnight low of 14 degrees. Humidity is 98 per cent. Low tide is at 8.30am and high tide is at 2.30pm. Theres a sea swell of .3m with a sea temperature of 18 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 5.17pm. If youre going fishing the next best fish bite time is between 7 and 9pm. In NZ history on this day in 1897 NZs first woman barrister and solicitor was appointed. Following the passage of the Female Law Practitioners Act 1896, Ethel Benjamin became the first woman to be admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. In 1925 on this day, William Massey died. A gruff Ulsterman from South Auckland, William Ferguson Massey, or Farmer Bill as he was known to many, is our second-longest-serving prime minister. On this day in 1960 all-white All Blacks left for South Africa. Despite protests, the controversial rugby tour went ahead. The issue of sporting ties with South Africa would eventually split the country in 1981. In world history on this day in 1503 Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands. In 1796 Napoleon Bonaparte won a brilliant victory against the Austrians at Lodi bridge in Italy. In 1857 the Bengal Army in India revolted against the British. In 1872 Victoria Woodhull became the first woman nominated for U.S. president. On this day in 1940 Winston Churchill succeeded Neville Chamberlain as British Prime Minister. In 1941 Englands House of Commons was destroyed during the worst of the London Blitz: 550 German bombers dropped 100,000 incendiary bombs. In 1960 the USS Nautilus completed the first circumnavigation of the globe underwater. In 1994 Nelson Mandela was sworn in as South Africas first black president. Today is the birthday of English novelist Richard Adams who wrote Watership Down. Born in 1920, he once said Id rather succeed in doing what we can than fail to do what we cant. To get involved in some of the many activities happening around the Bay, please check out our Whats on page. Have a great day! The Met Gala is, we are told, the fashion event of the year. It screams decadence, glamour, and style. A-listers clamour for invites, B-listers can forget it! I went to school in NYC, a block over from the Met, so I have watched the preparation (days of cordons, security, and even worse traffic jams on Fifth Avenue than normal) and the event itself first hand. These days, though, I am reduced to scrolling through photos on the sidebar of shame. Its a bit like the morning after the Oscars. On speed. Held on the first Monday of every May since 1946, the ball is a highly exclusive fundraising event designed to raise money for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Tickets go for nearly 20,000, and there are between 650 and 700 guests, each personally approved by the American Vogue Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, on whom The Devil Wears Pradas Miranda Priestly was allegedly based. No one gets in without her say. Even Kim K didnt make the cut until she married Yeezus, the man who made a fashion empire out of moth-eaten stretch bandages. The theme each year is selected to parallel the annual fashion exhibit at the Costume Institute. This years choice was Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. It is said that Pope Francis himself personally approved the event, the brainchild of curator Andrew Bolton, and that over 40 items for the exhibition have been donated from the Vatican directly. Sarah Jessica Parker seemed to have one lodged in her hair. Celebrities channelled some divine inspiration to create a red carpet dripping in gold, jewels, and religious symbolism: crosses, wings, and at least one glittering mitre. Whilst many have praised the theme, with the Guardians Jess Cartner-Morley declaring it the best dress code of all time, which required honouring the theme of Catholicism in fashion without being seen to make fun of it, others have questioned the political correctness of the event. In 2018, when, at our very own university, the theme of solstice for Trinity Halls (cancelled) June Event was deemed offensive to a Wiccan student, Trump faced widespread criticism for favouring Merry Christmas over its deliberately neutral, all-inclusive Happy Holidays counterpart, and Gucci was condemned by the Sikh community for putting white models in turbans, it seems genuinely surprising that the theme was approved. I hate to quote the odious Piers Morgan, columnist in the equally odious Daily Mail and general hate figure, but I am going to, since when he says, if the Met Gala was Islam or Jewish-themed, all hell would break loose I think he makes a fair point, or at least provides the beginning of an interesting discussion. It is surely a valid angle to consider, and indeed unlikely to imagine Hollywoods flesh-flashing celebrities donning other religious garb free of criticism, yet Rihanna as a scantily-clad female pope is interpreted by some as empowering and iconic. I pondered why a society so willing to characterise some things offensive and charged, considers the trivialisation of religious imagery in this context acceptable. Perhaps the celebrity elite can get away with such behaviour because they glamourize it and because the worlds icons the Kardashians, J Lo, the Hadid sisters are held to a different standard. Or perhaps it is because people consider this a true homage to Catholicism, rather than an attack or mockery. Or maybe its just because the event, despite all the pouting and posing, does not take itself too seriously, and begs us not to either. Its meant to be fun and creative. Its meant to be pretty, not thought-provoking. Take your lead from the utterly fabulous and irreverent Francis McDormand giggling behind her absurd headpiece. In that lighter spirit, heres just one (non-Catholic) viewers top picks: MY TOP FIVE BEST DRESSED: Blake Lively: because youd look that good if you had Ryan Reynolds in your bed every night. Kim Kardashian: it all looks better covered up, love. Less is more. Stella Maxwell: honestly, more Madonnas than Madonna (who, of course, performed Like A Prayer at the event). Zoe Kravitz: a black lace held together by but two tiny bows, way better than massive safety pins, Liz Hurley Hailey Baldwin: not too hot in terms of the dress code, but my God she is living my fantasy (pink hair + Shawn Mendes on your arm). MY TOP FIVE WORST DRESSED: Cambridge City Councillor Lewis Herbert has sparked town vs. gown controversy amid fears that Cambridge Universitys North West Cambridge development plans for 2012 and onwards will marginalise community residents, creating a separate university enclave. While the university is a benevolent and well-intentioned institution, its there for the benefit of the university, blasted Herbert. The project is a 20-year University plan to meet its residential and research accommodation needs in North West Cambridge. Herberts complaints arrive on the back of calls for amendments to the Universitys bid for below-market-rent rates and property ownership restrictions to many of its post-doctoral staff. Some 1,500 properties will be set aside for employees against a tally of nearly 3,000 houses and 2,000 student bedrooms due for imminent construction. University bigwigs want resident staff to pay no more than 30% of their net income on accommodation expenses, in spite of an 8000-strong household waiting list from the non-university demographic. A further proposed community centre plus open space known as Storeys Field will together fall under joint administration of both Cambridge City Council and Cambridge University if the universitys submitted planning application is given the prospective go-ahead in August 2012. Having initially been identified in 2003 as a potential site of development within the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan for the entire county, Herbert, councillor for Coleridge ward, spurns the development plans as contravening the ideal of university-city symbiosis. Our concern is about how this scheme is going to integrate with the rest of the city, he said. He went on: The university has ceded some control over the community facility and Storeys Field but its controlling who gets an allotment, and its controlling who gets sport pitches. Cambridge City Council leader Tim Bick, however, sat squarely upon the proverbial fence: I think it can offer the best of both of these institutions for all the community. Our own Vice Chancellor, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, quashed Herberts incriminations of future tenant leasing: At North West Cambridge we are determined to create a successful, sustainable, mixed-use community as an extension of the city, with buildings and public space of high quality design. John Fox News Reporter The University of Lincoln Students Union (ULSU) has voted to become the first students union to disaffiliate from the National Union of Students following the row over the organisations controversial new president-elect, Malia Bouattia. Bouattias election sparked outrage following the publicisation of allegedly anti-Semitic comments that she had made previously, including references to the University of Birmingham as something of a Zionist outpost and the British media as Zionist-led. Bouattia has denied anti-Semitism and countered that she has been criticised because she is a Muslim woman in a position of power. Lincoln students voted for disaffiliation 881 votes to 804, a resolution that will take effect from the 31 December 2016. The student union stated that the referendum was called not in response to Bouattias comments, but due to discontent with the general direction in which the NUS was heading. The NUS has recently been castigated for a range of reasons, including votes against commemorating the Holocaust and condemning Islamic State, endorsement of the contentious policy of no-platforming, and attempts to suppress the social media app Yik Yak on grounds that it was being used for anonymous abuse. Outgoing NUS president Megan Dunn warned that disaffiliation would deprive Lincoln students of a collective voice and 153,023.78 of reinvestment from the union. However, ULSU stated that there will be no noticeable difference for its members. Opponents of the NUS will be hoping that Lincoln is a straw in the wind. On the 2 May, CUSU passed a motion to hold a referendum on disaffiliation from the national union, voting on which begins on the 24 May. Campaigns to disaffiliate from the NUS have been set up in at least twenty-five universities, and Newcastle and Exeter as well as Cambridge will shortly hold referenda on the issue. Although many of the campaigns were founded in response to Bouattias victory, there are signs that their scope is broadening to encompass other frustrations with the NUS, which some have argued is becoming increasingly extreme, censorious, and authoritarian. Following the appearance of NUS Vice-President Richard Brooks on the Victoria Derbyshire show on the 27th of April, a video circulated on Facebook that set some of his words to the National Anthem of the Soviet Union. The Nottingham campaign for disaffiliation, No to NUS: Nottingham, described the national union on its Facebook page as an unaccountable and increasingly radical organisation. The Cambridge campaign has mostly concentrated on allegations of anti-Semitism in the NUS. Over two years of campaigning and deliberation has today culminated in a decision by Regent House to offer students an easy opt-out from the public display of their examination results. This resolution marks a momentous departure from the system currently in place in which the names of students and their respective performance in exams are made available to members of the University, being displayed both on public boards outside Senate House and on the online Cambridge University Reporter. The approved Grace, that passed by a slim margin of 21 votes, breaks with 300 years of University tradition by allowing students to remove their names from the class lists. The decision by the University Council follows almost three years of campaigning that placed the anxiety of exam term and the mental health of students at the centre of debate. Under the current system students may only opt-out in exceptional and prescribed circumstances, with medical proof being necessary to certify that the publication of results would endanger the well-being of a student. The approved changes, however, would mean that students could remove their names from the class lists with a simple tick of a box on CamSIS. Whilst the full class-lists will be used internally by Faculties, Departments and Colleges, the pro-vice-chancellor for education, Graham Vigro, has announced that the opt-out will be implemented immediately. Over recent years the pressure of university life has emerged as a potent and divisive theme. Following the highly contentious email by the Queens DoS to NatSci freshers earlier in the academic year and the increasing tendency of the popular press to label the student body the 'snowflake generation', the significance of todays decision by Regent House has not been lost. CUSU President Daisy Eyre has told Varsity that the vote was 'fantastic' and what makes sense for the future of the University. Upon arriving at Pembroke New Cellars, I have to admit that I was initially underwhelmed. The small cellar hosted not more than 25 audience members. The stage was set with a single table and a few props. For a Harry Porter Prize nominee, I had expected more. But I did not leave disappointed. Fowl Play: No Country for Old Hens follows the activities of the Derbyshire village Womens Institute as they prepare for the Annual Hen Race. Unable to find their star chicken, a rare Welsh breed, a trio from the Womens Institute sets off in a hilarious search for their hen. In doing so, they encounter a local student volunteering for the Duke of Edinburgh award, a crazy grandfather (who happens to be curiously related to one of the protagonists) and his gullible grandson, and a policeman who is adamant on enforcing the rule of law. Although simple, the plot was exceptionally well executed through a hysterical and profound script. In my opinion, however, the charm of the play was in its diverse range of characters and well-suited actors. While Samantha (Sophie Atherton), a 38-year-old stay-at-home mother, struggled to come to terms with her age, Mary (Grace Glevey), an ex-dinner cook, provided a fine degree of sense and sarcasm. The play even incorporated an adorable romantic subplot as the two simpleton students, Carla (Katie Bonner) and Toby (Archie Williams), ventured into a world of smoking cigarettes and kissing. The characters were unique in that they were archetypical without being cringe-worthy; their adventures and stories depicted relatable experiences without being overwhelmingly serious or dark. Kudos to the actors who, across the board, were phenomenal especially at pulling off the Derbyshire accent! One thing the play lacked, however, was the requisite attention on costumes. Although generic characters such as members of the Womens Institute were dressed appropriately, it was evident that corners had been cut when presenting Malcolm (Calum Macleod) who is apparently an older man and Jim the policeman (Rory Russel). Although Jims outfit consisting of a bathrobe and police hat was used to serve a comedic effect, it seemed a little out of place in the police office. The show could have also benefited from some spot lighting and better stage decoration, although it is understandable that the constraints of a student-produced play may make this difficult. All in all, the production team did well, given the resources they had. Having reviewed several plays for The Cambridge Student at this point, I would confidently say that Fowl Play is one of the better productions in Cambridge from its witty plot to amusing characters, the play has a lot going for it! 9/10 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. In Southern California, home to some of the nation's most competitive congressional contests, that threat of Russians cyberhacking this year's midterm elections is being taken seriously. Consider just a few of the many new security protocols being adopted by election officials in the four-county region encompassing Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Office emails are being encrypted and networks buttressed. Election employees are randomly being mock phished to see if they'll fall for simulated online invaders. Federal officials are being invited to inspect and test the region's many voting systems. The local upgrades are part of a national response to Russia's meddling in America's 2016 elections. Intelligence agencies have determined that, among other things, Russian agents and their operatives executed a cyberattack on a U.S. voting software supplier, sent spear-phishing emails to election officials, and targeted voter rolls in at least 21 states, breaching a small (but undisclosed) number of them. Since then, Congress has authorized $380 million to help states strengthen voting systems' digital defenses, including $34 million earmarked to protect the integrity of elections in California. California's voting infrastructure is, in many ways, far more secure than those of most other states. Counties in California are legally required to keep paper ballots as fixed records of electronic voting tallies and to hand-count the ballots cast in 1 percent of all precincts to verify digital totals. But despite California's superior safeguards, cybersecurity experts say the state's voting systems remain susceptible to some forms of attack. Recognizing the threat, election officials in the four counties say they've become more vigilant since the 2016 campaign. The leader of the pack seems to be Orange County, where four congressional contests in longtime GOP-held district are being targeted by national Democrats in their effort to take control of the House of Representatives. Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley released a 28-page 2018 Election Security Playbook outlining new security protocols his office has implemented: improving its ability to detect network intrusions and malware; encrypting its emails; enhancing building security; implementing a third-party cybersecurity audit; and randomly testing employees by sending them faux phishing emails and seeing if they bite. The most substantial of the county's new fixes is its risk-limiting audit a protection that verifies electronic tallies with an even higher degree of certainty by hand-counting a random sample of paper ballots, with the number of votes scrutinized corresponding to the margin of victory in a given race. Kelley knows firsthand that malicious actors are constantly probing local voting systems. In Los Angeles County, Registrar of Voters Dean Logan has educated his staff on cyberthreats by having them see firsthand how voting machines can be hacked. Last year, he sent members of his team to DEF CON in Las Vegas, one of the world's largest hacker conventions. There, at something called the Voting Machine Hacking Village, they watched white-hat hackers "go through and show the vulnerability of voting systems," a process that helped Logan's office identify its own potential shortcomings. Since the 2016 elections, the office has upgraded its malware protection and mandated cybersecurity training for staff. San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters Michael Scarpello was less forthcoming about what he'd done to enhance election security in his jurisdiction. His office has worked with federal agents and the county's IT department to harden its voting systems, website and local voter registration database from attack. Scarpello declined to identify any specific security system or protocol changes and even declined to disclose the federal agency his office worked with. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla's office, which operates the state's voter registration database, said his office had no evidence that voter rolls were breached. Despite all the recent upgrades to Southern California's election infrastructure, cybersecurity experts say most voting systems even bolstered local ones still have vulnerabilities. Many Southern California polling places use 15- to 20-year-old voting machines with outdated operating systems that officials acknowledge are less secure than modern versions. While voting machines are tightly protected, some need to be programmed with a separate memory card, which, depending on the offices' protocols, could be a vehicle for malicious code. And experts say some voting machines are serviced by outside vendors with varying security protocols, sometimes via computers that might occasionally be connected to the Internet, providing a pathway for attack. Another feasible mode of attack, experts say, could target the state's voter registration system. Intruders might seek to change or delete portions of voter rolls in a way to deter citizens from voting. To prevent such a breach, Padilla's office has buttressed its information systems in advance of the 2018 elections by conducting an agencywide security audit, enhancing its server security and replacing antiquated infrastructure. The state also has implemented "increased 24/7 monitoring" to detect and block potential strikes. "I think we're in a much better place in 2016 because we really have our antennas up," UC Irvine law professor Jack Lerner, who studies electronic voting, said of California's system. (c)2018 The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. In a communique, the progressive alliance declared itself in favor of fiscal equity and transparency to strengthen the social role of the State in times of Covid-19. | Read More Vacuum cleaner chain Godfreys has told shareholders to accept a takeover bid made by the company's 99-year-old co-founder after suffering a devastating 27 per cent fall in sales in the past two weeks. John Johnston already owns 28 per cent of Godfreys. John Johnston, who joined Godfreys as a partner in 1936 and owns 28 per cent of the company, lobbed a 32 a share bid for the stock he does not already own in early April. Godfreys floated on the ASX at $2.75 per share in 2014 but has been hammered by competition from the likes of JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman. The company, which has about 220 stores across the Australia and New Zealand, on Wednesday said that its independent directors had reviewed the offer and recommended that shareholders accept Mr Johnston's offer. The budget avoids profligacy, and leaves the government with a potent political option should the Senate, as expected, continue to reject tax cuts for the nation's biggest companies. But it has several flaws and is clearly designed for the coming election. There are welcome increases in spending on helping older Australians generate a liveable retirement income and remain in their homes with proper care as they age. This is a commendable response to one of the most important long-term changes in our nation the ageing of the population. The government also deserves credit for increasing support for the homeless and for mental health. There is also merit in its honing of its research and development incentives, which have been missing their targets. The budget attempts to position the Coalition government for an election by delivering tax cuts to voters on low and middle incomes. But it fails to even give back what Treasurer Scott Morrison himself said only days ago would be automatically garnered by not changing tax rates and/or thresholds that is, through bracket creep. And this is accounting for the abandoning of the Medicare levy increase announced last year to finance the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The budget seeks to present the government as investing urgently in the infrastructure required to meet the needs of Australia's rapidly growing population and to underpin the economic growth without which living standards will fall. But spending on roads, one of the key needs, actually falls over the forward estimates, and the bulk of the $75 billion,10-year infrastructure investment package is pushed out into the period beyond the four years covered by the budget. "I would have loved them to say that the budget is in surplus two years ahead of the plan," budget analyst Chris Richardson of Deloitte tells me. Instead, "the budget is mainly about handing out goodies to taxpayers", he says. "The income tax cuts are very much pre-election tax cuts they should call the tax offset the 'swinging voter tax offset.'" The tax offset is the most immediate of the tax cuts announced in the budget, effective from July 1, and while it will benefit lower income taxpayers, it is at its maximum value for middle-income workers. For those earning between $48,000 and $90,000 it is worth $530 a year. This is the classic "swinging voter", outer-metropolitan, marginal seat demographic. Other taxpayers will wait longer, but, eventually, everyone will get a tax cut. Mind you, it's a politician's conceit that swinging voters will swing their vote for $530 a year. Politicians like to imagine that a tax cut of $10 a week will establish a mystical rapport with the grateful middle-income earner, who will vote Coalition at the next election accordingly. Like Santa Claus himself, it is a fiction that might once have had a basis in reality, but that has long become nothing more than folklore. "I can almost certainly guarantee you that the budget will not give the government a bounce in the polls," said the independent polling expert John Stirton, even before the detail was revealed. How can he be so sure? Because there's no evidence that a budget ever has, certainly not in the modern era. But the government couldn't resist the temptation of announcing tax cuts. It's fallen back on the standard pre-election playbook. "We are doing it again," says Stephen Anthony, chief economist for Industry Super Australia and a former Treasury budget analyst. "We are doing the tax cut before the revenue is realised." Much as Paul Keating's broken promise of the L.A.W. tax cuts or Wayne Swan's "four budget surpluses I announce tonight" that ended up as four deficits. "The government was supposed to get back to a surplus equivalent to 1 per cent of GDP before considering this sort of thing," says Anthony. Instead, the projected deficit is $14.5 billion for the new financial year, a modest sum in a half-trillion dollar budget, certainly, but a deficit equal to 0.8 per cent of GDP nonetheless. The promise of a return to surplus has come forward by one year in this budget, yet remains just that a promise. And we will be going to the next federal election without knowing whether it will be delivered. Is there any other reason that the government should give out tax cuts before repairing the budget? It's possible that the taxpayers getting the tax cut could spend it, boosting demand and adding to economic growth. But asked about this prospect of a "growth dividend", Morrison told reporters in the budget lock-up that "we aren't making any assumptions about that". The tax cuts are too small, and phased over too long a period, to have any measurable impact, in other words. So why tax cuts now, Morrison was asked? "Because I respect the taxpayers," he shot back. "When tax is running at 23.9 per cent of GDP, it's enough." That's the government's self-imposed tax cap. But on his own budget's numbers, that limit wouldn't be breached for a couple of years. So once again Australia will go to an election not knowing whether a government will deliver the fiscal Holy Grail, the long-promised return to surplus. As the sovereign analyst for Australia for credit rating agency Moodys, Martin Petch put it rather diplomatically in anticipation of the budget, "Australia has a bit of a challenge to return to fiscal consolidation. We see it as a credit challenge for Australia." Will we ever see the surplus of $2.2 billion a wafer equal to 0.1 per cent of GDP that Morrison is now promising for 2019-20? "It's entirely a China question," says Richardson. "It's the luck of the moment that the China story remains a good one, but that's not a permanent promise." A woman accused of murdering her partner allegedly told a prisoner she'd slit his throat during sex and it was the best orgasm she ever had, a trial has heard. The woman, who can only be referred to as LR, is charged with murdering the man despite his body never being found. He was last seen in their Reservoir home in Melbournes north May 2005. LR has pleaded not guilty to murder, and the 45-year-old disputes any involvement in her partners disappearance. A prisoner, whose identity is also protected, told the Supreme Court she became close friends with LR when they met on remand. LR gave her presents, such as chocolates, and cards - including a pink Minnie Mouse one- in which she wrote about their special friendship. Todd Patrick Buzza repeatedly underpaid his staff. Credit:Channel Nine A burger bar operator who repeatedly exploited young and overseas workers has been ordered to pay more than $300,000 in penalties. Todd Patrick Buzza, who formerly owned and ran Burger Buzz outlets in Brunswick and West Melbourne, was ordered to pay $51,735 and his company Rum Runner Trading Pty Ltd has been penalised an additional $258,495 for underpaying staff for years. The penalties handed down by Federal Circuit Court followed two separate legal actions by the Fair Work Ombudsman, with judge Suzanne Jones describing Buzza's conduct as blatant and extraordinary. The ombudsman launched the first legal action against Buzza and his company in June 2016 after they underpaid seven workers a total of $7113 and refused to comply with compliance notices requiring back-payment. A drug-addled Melbourne man who threw a saucepan of acidic drain cleaner in another man's face, leaving him with permanent scarring and vision loss, has been jailed. John Barron-Kevan, 32, launched an unprovoked attack on Ahmed Rabi at a Carlton housing commission building in January 2016. Mr Rabi had come to the door late at night seeking to retrieve a mountain bike and collect $150 owed to him. Barron-Kevan asked him to wait at the door and returned minutes later with a small saucepan. "In a single motion you threw the contents of the saucepan into Mr Rabi's face," County Court Judge Paul Higham said during sentencing on Wednesday. A GP has been accused of scooping a teenage girl's breasts out of her top, grabbing them and pressing on her nipples against her will during a consultation in his Mill Park medical clinic. In his opening statement on the first day of Dr Azit Das' County Court trial, prosecutor Nicholas Batten said the complainant, then 17, had accompanied her boyfriend to the doctor after he'd had a lump in his scrotum tested. She asked Dr Das, aged in his mid-50s, if the lump a benign cyst could damage their chances of falling pregnant. Doctor Azit Das outside the County Court on Wednesday. Credit:Joe Armao Mr Batten told the jury the complainant would testify that Dr Das proceeded to ask inappropriate questions about the couple's sexual activities. 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). A woman and her horse who vanished on a camping trip in Victoria's high country has been found safe after four nights lost in the bush. Narelle Davies rode her horse, Depict, from a campsite at Howqua Hills, near Mt Buller, on Saturday but failed to return to her campsite. Her family raised the alarm when she didn't return to her Mansfield home as planned on Monday. Her disappearance sparked a massive search with authorities fearing for her welfare as a brutal cold front edges towards Melbourne. Melburnians should brace for the first blast of winter this year as a strong cold front arrives on Wednesday night, triggering a change that could see a months worth of rain drench the city in 48 hours. Up to 80 millimetres of rain is set to be dumped on Melbourne by the end of the week, as the temperatures tumble. The cold front will come with the full suite of unpleasant accessories: blasting winds, icy rain, hail, thunder and above 800 metres snow. It is set to hit Melbourne at 8pm on Wednesday, sending temperatures tumbling and delivering about 10 millimetres of rain. Melbourne CBD received 8 millimetres of rain on Wednesday night, with some suburbs in the east recording almost double that 15 millimetres fell in Mount Dandenong and 14 millimetres in Viewbank. An icy cold front heralded the first blast of winter as the mercury plunged to 0 degrees in parts of regional Victoria overnight, and snow has fallen in alpine areas, including Mount Buller and Mount Hotham. Rain, hail and thunderstorms are set to hit Melbourne as the city braces for its coldest day since last September. This pup made the most of the early-morning snow at Dinner Plain on Thursday. Credit:Karl Gray Temperatures have also tumbled. Melburnians rose to a cool 9 degrees at 6.36am on Thursday, and senior forecaster Michael Efron warned it could drop even lower. "It's very cold across the state. Temperatures are around 0 degrees across the Grampians. It would be a very high probability [that] it's snowing there," he said. "In terms of the Melbourne area, we are likely to see an increase in shower activity through the morning, and then build into the afternoon with the risk of local hail and thunderstorms." The Bureau of Meteorology has also warned Melburnians to expect gale force winds and plenty of rain on Friday. "We will see rain periods during Friday, and also likely see stronger southerly winds developing as well across the Melbourne area. The strongest winds are likely during the afternoon," he said. Police have seized many of the machine guns a morbidly obese Melbourne mechanic smuggled in from the US and sold for cash but five of the 'mass killing machines' are still on the streets. Paul Munro, 64, was jailed on Wednesday for at least six years for importing Thureon fully-automatic machine guns and semi-automatic handgun parts between 2012 and 2016. The machine guns were smuggled into Australia hidden in the false base of containers holding engine parts. Credit:Penny Stephens Munro decided to illegally import the Thureon machine gun, which can fire up to 1000 rounds a minute, after he went to a gun show in Las Vegas. The mechanic later asked Thureon Defense owner Andy Huebschmann, based in Wisconsin, to send him the guns hidden in the false base of containers holding engine parts. Victorian private schools have taken the unprecedented step of complaining to the state's most senior Catholic about "vitriolic" attacks on their schools. In a move that will intensify the fight within Victoria's non-government school sectors, Independent Schools Victoria chief executive Michelle Green wrote to Archbishop Denis Hart to raise concerns about the Catholic sector's "unseemly" campaign against school funding changes. Victorian Independent schools have written to Archbishop Denis Hart to raise concerns about the Catholic sector's school funding campaign. She took particular aim at Catholic Education Commission of Victoria executive director Stephen Elder, who she accused of denigrating schools in other sectors. "After considerable thought, I am writing to you to express profound disappointment at the public commentary about independent schools by the executive director of the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, Mr Stephen Elder," she wrote in the May 3 letter. Property investors - a booming part of the City of Melbourne's demographic - could help deliver Sally Capp the lord mayoralty, if voter enrolment figures are any indication. But that depends entirely on how many of them turn out to vote. Sally Capp is the bookies' favourite to be elected Melbourne's next lord mayor. Credit:Josh Robenstone The ballot to elect Melbourne's new lord mayor closes at 6pm on Friday. (If you are enrolled to vote but are yet to cast your ballot, you must submit it in person or mail it before the deadline.) The postal votes will be counted from Monday until noon next Friday, May 18. The result is expected to be announced by May 22. Maida Kanwal (front far right) with her family. Credit:Daniel Pockett Cranbourne resident Maida Kanwal would prefer a shorter commute to work over the $10 per week sweetener offered to her in the federal budget. The decision to provide low to middle-income earners tax cuts of up to $10.50 per week is cold comfort for the 21-year-old teacher who arrives home from work exhausted most days. If the trending hashtag #keepmytendollars is anything to go by, Ms Kanwal is not alone. It takes Ms Kanwal about 20 minutes to get to her nearest train station and then another 90 minutes on top of that before she arrives at work. It has been dubbed the biggest union movement in a decade. But what that actually meant for those at Melbournes sprawling Change the Rules campaign rally today was as diverse as the number of flags rippling over the crowd. ACTU secretary Sally McManus says the campaign, which has been running across Australia since mid-April, is about providing a blueprint to deliver secure work and a pay rise to millions of workers through a six-point plan that includes restoring penalty rates. For the union workers in the crowd - a mix of professions, ages and genders - there was a consensus workplace laws needed an overhaul, but priorities varied in how to best achieve this goal. Beijing: Three US citizens have been released from prison in North Korean and are returning with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on his plane. US President Donald Trump announced the breakthrough in a tweet, and said he would be at Andrews Air Force Base to meet the men. People watch a TV news report on screen displaying portraits of three Americans, from left, Kim Dong-chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song, detained in North Korea. Credit:AP "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump wrote on Twitter. On eve of House Committee consideration, distinct advice from criminal justice reform groups on latest federal prison reform proposal | Main | House Judiciary Committee approves FIRST STEP Act by a vote of 25-5 after lots of discussion of amendments The Chicago Sun-Times has published this extensive look by Injustice Watch at how the Illinois has sentenced (and largely failed to resentence) a set of juvenile offenders serving extreme long prison sentences . The full lengthy title of this piece sets forth its essential elements: "Less than life: Across the country, juvenile offenders are being released from prison based on recognition that human brains continue to develop for the first two and a half decades of life. Nevertheless in Illinois, many who commit crimes as teenagers are likely destined to die in custody." Here is an excerpt: In Illinois, it is rare for juveniles who did not receive automatic life prison terms to win new chances at sentencing, leaving most of those with long sentences to languish in prison for decades, an Injustice Watch review found. A review of custody data from the Illinois Department of Corrections revealed that, as of last December, at least 167 current inmates were arrested for crimes as juveniles and are set to serve 50 years or more in prison without parole eligibility, leaving them likely to die in custody but not eligible for resentencing under the dictates of Miller. (It is not possible to know the exact number of young offenders serving long sentences at the Illinois Department of Corrections because the agency does not specifically keep track of that information.) The imposition of long sentences is especially harsh in Illinois, a state which does not afford parole to most prisoners and which requires offenders convicted of murder to serve 100 percent of their punishment, with no chance of early release based on factors like good conduct or rehabilitation. Such sentences almost certainly lead these inmates to either spend the rest of their lives incarcerated or be released with precious little life left. Research indicates that incarceration has a jarring effect on life expectancy. In studying a group of inmates released from New York state correctional facilities over a 10-year period, Vanderbilt University Professor Evelyn Patterson found that the former prisoners could expect to shave two years off of their average life expectancy for every one year of incarceration. Furthermore, Patterson found, undoing the negative effect on longevity takes time. It took former inmates two-thirds of the time spent in custody back on the outside to recover from the harm of incarceration on life expectancy. The United States Sentencing Commission considers a 39-year prison sentence the equivalent of life. Because Illinois almost entirely abolished parole in 1978, these juvenile offenders do not get the same chance to show rehabilitation and change that they might get in other states. About a third of states do not currently employ the traditional practice of parole for newly convicted inmates, according to a report published by the University of Minnesotas Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, but Illinois is one of three states nationwide that stopped utilizing parole four decades ago, making it nearly non-existent for the current prison population. The approximately 80 juvenile offenders in Illinois who became eligible to have their sentences reconsidered [after Miller] all were convicted of killing more than one person Illinois law mandates life for anyone convicted of multiple murders. By contrast, Illinois state appellate judges have mostly declined to find that the cases of other violent youthful offenders ... fall under the protections outlined in Miller. There is no national legal standard on how many years is too many for a juvenile to serve. Courts across the country have differed on the issue, creating varied standards on what length of a prison term can legally be considered a life sentence. Getting rid of formal life without parole was the tip of the iceberg, said Marsha Levick, deputy director and chief counsel for the Pennsylvania-based Juvenile Law Center, which has advocated for lesser sentences for juveniles convicted of crimes. Across the country, about a dozen states have passed laws requiring that young defendants sentenced to long prison terms get a chance at parole. Legislators in Illinois have proposed a bill that would give periodic parole opportunities to newly convicted young offenders; so far those efforts have stalled. Mr Trump appears to believe his mad-dog approach to diplomacy has already worked on North Koreas Kim Jong-un, making him more amenable to negotiation. That conclusion itself premature has perhaps led him to hope he can unsettle the Iranians the same way, so that they will renegotiate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action into something closer to what the US and Israel want. While anything is possible, there are several reasons why this seems unlikely. Mr Rouhani shows no sign of being rattled by Mr Trumps move. Even if he wanted to pull back, as a moderate within an Iranian revolutionary apparatus filled with hardliners, his position is not so strong that he could carry it off. All that the uncompromising US approach appears likely to achieve within Iran is to undermine Mr Rouhani, who is probably the most pro-Western leader that countrys politics is capable of producing. Mr Trump has promised all along to do just as he has now done; to that extent he has been true to his word. But international diplomacy doesnt work like that. Countries, not individuals within them, are expected to be true to their word. The word of the US in negotiations is now worth a good deal less than it was before Mr Trump became President. After Iran, why would North Korea trust a single thing Washington says? The Airbnb guests and police tell different stories of what occurred after police arrived at the house on West Loma Vista Drive about 12.36am. But both recorded the encounter. The guests captured it on their phones and subsequently posted the videos to social media. Police say officers wore body cameras, which provided footage that was "accurate and unedited" and say the department is confident that the officers involved treated the guests with "dignity, respect and professionalism", according to the news release. Loading But Prendergast wrote on Instagram that she and the guests "got surrounded by the police for being black in a white neighborhood". "I'm sad and irritated to see that fear is still the first place police officers go in their pursuit to serve and protect, to the point that protocol supersedes their ability to have discernment," she wrote. Olafimihan wrote on Instagram that "over 700 people that look just like me did not walk away alive from a situation like this last year". Fyffe-Marshall wrote on Instagram that, when police arrived, they demanded the guests put their hands in the air and informed them that a helicopter was tracking them. "They locked down the neighbourhood and had us standing in the street. Why? A neighbor across the street saw 3 black people packing luggage into their car and assumed we were stealing from the house," she wrote. Fyffe-Marshall wrote that about 20 minutes into the encounter, the misunderstanding escalated "almost instantly". "Their Sergeant arrived," she wrote. "He explained they didn't know what Airbnb was. He insisted that we were lying about it and said we had to prove it. We showed them the booking confirmations and phoned the landlord. "Because they didn't know what she looked like on the other end to confirm it was her ... they detained us," Fyffe-Marshall wrote, adding that officers investigated the incident as a possible felony for 45 minutes. She added that the neighbour had called the police because the guests had failed to wave at her while loading their luggage into the car. Fyffe-Marshall did not respond to a request from the Post for comment. Prendergast's manager, Patricia Scarlett, told the Mercury News that requests for interviews would be delayed until Prendergast's legal counsel could issue a news release and a longer version of the viral video. Hardin, the police lieutenant, said that, once officers arrived at the house, they "recognised quickly" that no burglary was in progress. He said officers cancelled their request for a helicopter, and spent a total of 22 minutes verifying that the guests were staying at the rental lawfully. "After that, we sent them on their way," he said. "We felt our officers acted professionally. We thought it was a good outcome for everyone involved. We didn't detain anyone in handcuffs ... we didn't restrict their movement, they were allowed to walk around. We detained them just enough to figure out if they were lawfully in that house. No force was used." Hardin confirmed that the guests were asked to show officers their hands in case they were carrying weapons, and confirmed that one of the officers didn't know what Airbnb was, but was "quickly educated by the officers". He added that officers learnt the residence was an unlicensed Airbnb. But Rialto police don't believe the encounter had anything to do with race. "Unfortunately, when we receive a phone call for something of this type of significance - a burglary in progress - we have to respond," Hardin said. "As far as the racial aspect, I don't believe that's even a factor in this call. We're responding to what we're being told. And we will be neglect [sic] if we didn't respond." The owner of the house, Marie Rodriguez, told the Mercury News she was shocked at how the encounter had been portrayed online. "They're making it sound like it's racially motivated, and it has nothing to do with that," she said. "It's all over social media." Airbnb has faced problems with discrimination in the past, but those concerns typically involved the people renting out their properties. The company in 2016 released a 32-page report on its plans to crack down on discrimination and has worked to service more minority communities. "The fact that this neighbor was not a member of the Airbnb community doesn't change the fact that what happened to our Guests is unconscionable and a reminder of how far we still have to go as a society," Airbnb spokesman Nick Papas said in a statement to the Post on Monday. He said the company had reached out to the guests to express its sympathy and support. "While we do fundamentally believe in the power of travel to break down historic barriers and have faith in our fellow humans, we will continue to do all we can to make sure our Guests feel like they belong when they travel to different communities around the world," Papas wrote. Fyffe-Marshall, in her post about the incident, called it traumatic. "We have been dealing with different emotions and you want to laugh about this but it's not funny," she wrote. ARLINGTON, Va.--The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) today announced that leaders from Alibaba A.I. Labs and BYTON will deliver keynote addresses at the upcoming CES Asia 2018. Ms. Miffy Chen, general manager, Alibaba A.I. Labs and BYTON Co-Founders, Dr. Carsten Breitfeld and Dr. Daniel Kirchert, will take the CES Asia keynote stage to make major company announcements and share their visions for the future of innovation through artificial intelligence and vehicle technology. Alibaba A.I. Labs and BYTON are global brands that embody the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of our industry, said Karen Chupka, executive vice president, CES. These industry visionaries have taken their respective companies to new heights through their leadership, creativity and passion for innovation. They are driving the expansion of technology into new areas like smart cities, artificial intelligence, machine learning and more, which is what CES Asia is all about. We are all very excited for them to take this international stage. BYTON CEO & Co-Founder Dr. Carsten Breitfeld and BYTON President & Co-Founder Dr. Daniel Kirchert will deliver their keynote on Wednesday, June 13. They will share BYTONs vision to create time to be for people on the move and elaborate on how BYTON is built as the next generation smart device for the age of self-driving and shared mobility. Dr. Breitfeld and Dr. Kirchert will also introduce BYTONs unique design philosophy to underline digital power and autonomous features, as well as the companys common platform strategy. Dr. Carsten Breitfeld is a world-renowned expert in electric mobility with a PhD in mechanical engineering. Before joining BYTON, Dr. Breitfeld was Vice President and Head of Vehicle Program i8 of BMW Group. Dr. Daniel Kirchert is an experienced executive in Chinas premium auto industry, with extensive experience in marketing, sales, branding, business development and operations. Prior to joining BYTON, Dr. Kirchert was managing director of Infiniti China and president of Dongfeng Infiniti Motor Co., Ltd. Ms. Miffy Chen will discuss the next generation of Alibaba A.I. Labs innovation on Thursday, June 14. At CES 2018 in Las Vegas, Alibaba A.I. Labs, together with MTK and SIG, announced in a joint statement that they would cooperate in developing a Bluetooth mesh module. AI service platform from Alibaba A.I. Labs already supports advanced voice and image recognition, as well as increasingly evolving multi-mode recognition. Alibaba A.I. Labs is now considering how to provide these services to the partners. In her keynote presentation, Ms. Chen will announce their future strategies. Ms. Chen joined Alibaba Group in 2003. She was among the first few product managers working for Taobao.com and has held several roles within Alibaba. She established Alibaba A.I. Labs in 2016, and released the first consumer-facing AI product, Tmall Genie X1 in 2017. CES Asia 2018 will showcase technology spanning 20 product categories improving lives around the world. It is expected to draw more than 40,000 in attendance, including more than 1,200 members of the global media. A curated show for global brands and cutting edge startups, some 500 companies with the latest in AI, augmented and virtual reality, audio/video, connectivity, digital health, vehicle tech and more will exhibit on the show floor. All keynotes will be located in the Kerry Hotel, Shanghai Ballroom 2-3 and additional CES Asia keynotes will be announced in the coming weeks. A brand new category for 2018, CES Asia will feature more than 35 exhibitors in the artificial intelligence product category. The vehicle tech category will be the largest to date, with more than 50 companies on the show floor. Alibaba A.I. Labs and BYTON will both be exhibiting along with other notable exhibitors: 360, 3M, Allwinner, ARM Ecosystem Accelerator, Audio-Technica, Baidu, Bose, BYD, Changhong, Continental, Desay SV, Digital China, DJI, Fossil/Misfit, Garmin, Guangzhou Automobile Group, Haier, Hanergy, Harman, Hisense, Honda, Huawei, Hyundai, iFLYTEK, iQIYI, JD.com, KIA, Konka, Leapmotor, Lenovo, Libratone, LifeProof, LG Electronics, Microsoft for Startups, Mitsubishi Electric Automotive, Monster, NavInfo, Neusoft, Onkyo, OnStar/Cadillac, OtterBox, Samsung, Singulato, Skyworth, Sogou, Soling, Sugar Lady, Suning, TCL, United States Postal Service and Wacom. Registration for CES Asia is now open. For more information on how to exhibit at CES Asia, please visit CESAsia.com. Owned and produced by International CES (Shanghai) Exhibition Co. Ltd. and co-produced by Shanghai Intex, CES Asia 2018 will run from June 13-15, in Shanghai, China. The premier event for the consumer technology industry in Asia, CES Asia showcases major brands and innovative companies across several vertical markets in the Asian marketplace. Visit CESAsia.com for the latest show news, information, photos, b-roll and more. Note to Editors: High-definition video b-roll from CES Asia 2017 is available for easy download on CESAsia.com. Journalists traveling from outside of China will require a J-1 or J-2 visa. For questions about exhibiting at CES Asia, contact Brian Moon at bmoon@CTA.tech or +1 703-907-4351. About CES Asia: Owned and produced by the International CES (Shanghai) Exhibition Co. Ltd. and co-produced by Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co., Ltd (Shanghai Intex), CES Asia is the premier event for the consumer technology industry, showcasing the full breadth and depth of the innovation value-chain in the Asian marketplace. Key global businesses come to this new event to grow and reinforce their brand by showcasing the latest products and technologies to consumer tech industry executives, foreign buyers, international media and a limited number of consumers from China. Attendees have exclusive access to some of the largest brands from China and around the world, while celebrating the innovation that defines the consumer technology sector. About International CES (Shanghai) Exhibition Co. Ltd. and CTA: International CES (Shanghai) Exhibition Co. Ltd. is a wholly foreign-owned enterprise by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), a trade association representing the $351 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, which supports more than 15 million U.S. jobs. More than 2,200 companies 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the worlds best known brands enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CTA also owns and produces CES the worlds gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTAs industry services. About Shanghai Intex: Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co., Ltd was originally the exhibition organizing business of Shanghai Intex, a pioneering exhibition organizer established in 1995. Shanghai Intex is jointly overseen by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Shanghai and PNO Exhibition Investment (Dubai) Limited. Starting in 1998, Shanghai Intex has organized over 100 trade shows and conferences with a sum total exhibition space in excess of 2 million sqm. Shanghai Intex is comprised of professional teams with a wealth of experience in organizing major international events, covering the creative industry, healthcare, lifestyle, advanced manufacturing and consumer electronics. UPCOMING EVENTS CES Asia 2018 Register June 13-15, Shanghai, China CEO Summit June 24-27, Barcelona, Spain CES Unveiled Amsterdam September 27, Amsterdam, Netherlands CES Unveiled Paris October 3, Paris, France Christiane Amanpour. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images Christiane Amanpour will officially take over disgraced TV journalist Charlie Roses coveted one-hour nighttime slot on PBS, during which shell interview global leaders and discuss Americas place in todays world. Women Are Replacing Men Accused of Sexual Misconduct Ever since early December 2017, when PBS ended Roses eponymous hour-long program following numerous sexual-misconduct allegations against him, the network started airing CNN Internationals half-hour program Amanpour in the interim. But in mid-July, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Amanpour will finally launch her new hour-long public affairs program called Amanpour & Company. Along with Amanpour, who will be primarily hosting from her home in London, the show will feature four regular contributors: Michel Martin, weekend host of NPRs All Things Considered; Walter Isaacson, CEO of the Aspen Institute; Alicia Menendez, host of the Latina to Latina podcast and contributing editor at Bustle; and Hari Sreenivasan, anchor of PBS NewsHour Weekend. Im delighted to expand my role at PBS from interim to permanent along with this remarkable diversity of voices and views, Amanpour told CNN. Never has the time for exploring our world and Americas place in it been so urgent. Meanwhile, Rose reportedly has plans to launch a show where hell interview other powerful men brought down by allegations in the era of #MeToo. However, these whisperings predate the Washington Posts long-anticipated follow-up expose on the Rose scandal that published last week, in which 27 additional women came forward with accusations about Roses inappropriate workplace behavior. The day after this report came out, three women sued Rose and CBS. Cynthia Nixon. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Cynthia Nixon is a master at getting under Governor Andrew Cuomos skin, and at a recent address in Albany, the gubernatorial candidate made a callback to an anti-gay slogan that will surely upset the big tough Italian guy. At the annual Legislative Correspondents Association dinner, Nixon declared, Vote for the homo, not for the Cuomo, which is an exceptionally personal dig at the governor. In 1977, when Ed Koch and Cuomos father, Mario, were running for mayor of New York, homophobic posters appeared on city streets that read, Vote for Cuomo, Not the Homo. While Andrew, who was involved in his fathers mayoral campaign, denied that he had anything to do with the posters, Koch blamed the Cuomos. Andrew Cuomo is known for dirty politics but I have to give credit where its due, Nixon told the crowd. His history of cutthroat campaigns, helped inspire my campaigns new slogan. She later referenced the insult that one-time mayoral candidate Christine Quinn lobbed at her in late March, when Quinn called Nixon an unqualified lesbian. Referring to Cuomo, she said, His performance as a progressive hasnt been very convincing of late you might say he is an unqualified thespian. Will Nixons latest jab be the one that finally compels Cuomo to accept her debate request? President Donald Trump hosting a listening session with Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivors. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Many families of the 17 students and adults who were killed in the horrific school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, say they still havent heard from Donald Trump, BuzzFeed News reports. It was nearly two months ago, on Valentines Day, that 19-year-old suspect Nikolas Cruz walked into the Florida high school and carried out what has been called one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. While Trump met with some survivors a week after the massacre, and has invoked the tragedy at multiple political events, seven out of the eight families of victims that BuzzFeed contacted said that Trump has not yet contacted them to offer his condolences. Philip Schentrup, whose daughter, Carmen, died in the shooting, told BuzzFeed, I have not received any communication from the president or anyone in his administration. Having said that, other lawmakers from both Republican and Democrat parties have reached out to my family. Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime died in the shooting, told BuzzFeed that he too had received no phone call or letter. While he stressed that no one is required to comfort him, he finds Trumps invocation of the shooting at political events to be distasteful. Im at a point where its like, you know what, if he doesnt want to reach out to me, nobody has the obligation to offer condolence, he said. To me, in his position, it would have been the right thing to do, but no ones obligated However, dont use my daughters life for a political moment, and thats what he did, and that pisses me off. While Trump did reach out to and meet with one family that BuzzFeed contacted the Pollacks, who lost their 18-year-old daughter Meadow they have proven to be an exception. You would think all 17 families would receive a letter, Guttenberg told BuzzFeed when he found out that Trump had spoken with the Pollacks. The White House did not respond to BuzzFeeds multiple requests for comment. Detailed review of Illinois juve offenders serving just barely "less than life" | Main | Lots of sentencing fun thanks to enduring Johnson fallout to be found in cert pool relists May 9, 2018 House Judiciary Committee approves FIRST STEP Act by a vote of 25-5 after lots of discussion of amendments As reported in this article from The Hill, the House Judicial Committee "on Wednesday approved a new prison reform bill being pushed by the White House." Here are some details: The bill, called the First Step Act, seeks to offer more funding for prison programs in an attempt to reduce an inmates likelihood to re-offend after theyve been released. The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill, by a 25-5 vote, that Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) spent the last week negotiating after committee Democrats pushed back against a number of conservative provisions. In the legislation now advancing to the House, lawmakers removed language that would have allowed certain law enforcement officials and correctional officers to carry a concealed firearm in all 50 states and created more opportunities for prisoners to earn time credits by completing prison programs. They can then use those credits to serve the remaining days of their sentence in a halfway house or home confinement. The bill, which authorizes $50 million a year for five years for the Bureau of Prisons to spend on programs like job training and education that reduce recidivism, clarifies current law to allow prisoners up to 54 days of credit for good behavior annually. The law was previously interpreted as only allowing prisoners to earn 47 days a year. The previous bill, known as the Prison Reform and Redemption Act, and the current compromise, however, have divided Democrats and liberal groups. While #cut50, a criminal justice reform advocacy group led by Van Jones, the CNN host and former adviser to President Obama, is now backing the new bill, the measure is still opposed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 73 other groups. Democrats and progressive groups argue the criminal justice reform bill should include provisions that reduce mandatory minimum prison sentences. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), the committees ranking member, said the bill is well-intentioned but the committee should be working on legislation that includes sentencing reform. He offered a motion to postpone the markup by one month to give committee members time to negotiate and markup sentencing reform legislation.... Nadlers motion was [after discussion] voted down by the committee. Progressives were able to win language prohibiting female prisoners from being shackled during pregnancy, childbirth and up to 12 weeks after a baby is born. But the committee voted down an amendment Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) offered to create a pilot program in federal prisons to allow female inmates who give birth while behind bars to live with their child in a prison housing unit until the child is two-and-a-half years old. The committee, however, approved an amendment from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to expand a pilot youth mentorship program and a pilot program that gives prisoners the skills to train rescue and abandoned dogs. The bill would take the programs from two years in 10 facilities to five years in at least 20 facilities. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) also had an amendment approved that would prevent faith-based organizations that want to offer prison programming from being discriminated against. A bipartisan amendment from Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), Collins, Jackson Lee, Jeffries and Val Demings (D-Fla.) was also approved to clarify that the legislative fix, which makes prisoners eligible for 54 days of good time instead of 47, applies to prisoners already serving sentences.... Collins said hes confident theres enough Democratic support to get the bill through the House and the Senate. They have their own process to go through. There may be some issues that we can then work on later, but I do feel this is one of the pieces of legislation that will be signed into law this year, he said. The House Judiciary Committee has this press release about the vote and key provisions of the bill under the heading, "House Judiciary Committee Approves Bill to Reform the Federal Prison System." Though not mentioned in these reports, I believe all the Republican votes coming from the committee were in favor of this FIRST STEP bill except for Rep. Steve King from Iowa, and also that a majority of the Democrats in the committee also voted for the bill (though Ranking Member Jerry Nadler and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee were among the notable "No"s). All of this suggests to me a reason to be optimistic that there might really be some notable federal criminal justice reform getting done in 2018. It is less than I would like to see, but I still think it would be MUCH better than nothing. Some of many prior related posts: May 9, 2018 at 02:01 PM | Permalink Comments These favorite issues of members on both side all seem weak and at the margins. None will have serious effect on the rate of massive criminality. The bill is pretty and frivolous. OK. A pregnant lady is unshackled. She makes run for it. She is lumbering down the hall at full speed. The guards can catch up and offer her a wheel chair ride back to her room. Silly law. Posted by: David Behar | May 9, 2018 4:30:44 PM Good time days clarification, I dont think so. It depends on the ref point. Get 54 days after 1 yr is served. Get 47 days off 12 months. So if you have 2 yrs will get 47 X 2, if you forecast ahead good time days. Frivilous at best.. Get real and say, multiply the sentence by .85 thats what you serve, not .875 as is now. Posted by: MidWestGuy | May 14, 2018 3:33:25 PM what about the conspiracy laws?i was locked up for 51 months plus 6 months half way house at the end. I was sentenced to 78 months mind you it was not a bad experience as I was elegiabble for the 500 hr. drug programin which I received 10.5 months off not the year that I was supposed to get. my wife was also incarcerated and was givin the manditory mininiumum but neither one of us had gotten caught with any dope at all they went off the woman whom we bought meth from word thst she sold us dope we didn't have a leg to stand on.my point is is that that is a crazy for coming up with crazy amounts of dope that never got seen just could have been and I never sat down and discussed anything with anybody sowhats the don gonna do with that crock of shit. Posted by: jeff bailey | Jun 19, 2018 12:45:16 AM Post a comment 11 Children Hospitalized After Getting Sick in Home. Officials Dont Know Why Eleven children and one adult were rushed to the hospital in Warren, Michigan, on Monday, May 7, after they became ill inside a house. Police are investigating what made the children sick, according to Local 4. Fire crews placed the children inside ambulances on Monday after taking them from the home. Sources told Local 4 that the house was filled with feces. A neighbor told Fox2 Detroit that a little girl ran to her house, asking to use her phone. The girl told her that her brother was choking and couldnt breathe. I gave her the phone and said, Is everything all right? She said, My brother cant breathe. I asked how old he was; she said 6. I said, Well, Im a nurse; let me see him, Wanda Lee told Fox2. Cant breathe? Its dangerous; its scary. And no adults anywhere, Lee told the station. Police found that 11 children under the age of 10 were very ill, likely poisoned by something in the house. Janique Thomas told Local 4 that her sister was watching the children when they started getting sick. I have no idea whats going on, Thomas said. Really had me concerned when you see 2- to 5-year-olds being carried on a stretcher, screaming. One of the little boys was terrified. He couldnt have been over 3 or 4, and he doesnt know whats going on, said Robert Bauss, a local, according to the station. Police, emergency workers, and fire HAZMAT crews converged on the home. They werent well taken care of, from what I could see and from on the outside. They were running around all day; no shoes; dirty clothes; no supervision, Bauss told the station. Fox2 reported that two different mothers live there with 11 children. Neighbors said that theyve only been there for about three weeks, but they said its clear the children were being taken care of properly. Both mothers will likely face abuse and neglect charges, police told the Fox affiliate. All of the kids are stable, and right now, were just investigating to see if we can determine what may have caused this illness at this time, Warren Fire Commissioner Wilburt McAdams said, Local 4 reported. Officials added that a 3-month-old child was listed in critical condition. Recommended video: I Was a Communist Slave A Border Patrol Agent pats down a man who illegally crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into the United States in Hidalgo County, Texas, on May 26, 2017. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times) AG Sessions: All Illegal Border Crossers to Be Prosecuted SAN DIEGOAnyone who is caught crossing the southwest border illegally will now be referred to the Justice Department for prosecution. Attorney General Jeff Sessions traveled to the San Diego border on May 7 to make the announcement. Today, we are here to send a message to the world, that we are not going to let this country be overwhelmed, Sessions said from Border Field State Park, right by the fence separating the United States and Mexico. If you cross the border unlawfully, then we will prosecute you. Its that simple. If you smuggle illegal aliens across our border, then we will prosecute you. If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child may be separated from you, as required by law. If you make false statements to an immigration officer or file a fraudulent asylum claim, thats a felony. If you help others to do so, thats a felony, also. Youre going to jail. Sessions made the announcement five days after he said he was sending an extra 35 prosecutors and 18 extra immigration judges to the southwest border. That will be about a 50 percent increase in the number of immigration judges who will be handling asylum claims, he said. The efforts are part of the Justice Departments zero tolerance policy, which came into effect on April 6, after a jump in illegal crossings was reported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS reported a 203 percent increase in illegal border crossings from March 2017 to March 2018 and a 37 percent increase from February 2018 to March 2018the largest month-to-month increase since 2011. April reports show the numbers have plateaued at around 51,000 apprehensions. However, its a huge jump from last April, which saw just 15,000 illegal immigrants apprehended. The 51,000 includes 4,300 unaccompanied minors, who do not get prosecuted, and children within family units, who are also exempt from prosecution. I have no doubt that many of those crossing our border illegally are leaving behind difficult situations. But we cannot take everyone on this planet who is in a difficult situation, Sessions said. He cited a 2012 Gallup poll, which found that 150 million people around the world would like to immigrate to the United States. The zero tolerance policy means all U.S. attorneys offices along the southwest border must prosecute for offenses under 8 U.S.C. Section 1325(a), which prohibits both attempted illegal entry and illegal entry into the United States by an alien. The recent increase in aliens illegally crossing our southwest border requires an updated approach, Sessions said in the April 6 memorandum to federal prosecutors. Past prosecution initiatives in certain districts led to a decrease in illegal activities in those districts. We must continue to execute effective policies to meet new challenges. Separating Families Tom Homan, Immigration and Customs Enforcements deputy director, joined Sessions in San Diego for the announcement. He addressed reports that accused the DHS of creating a new policy to separate families that cross the border illegally or claim asylum. Homan clarified that DHS does not have a blanket policy to separate families, and the existing policy has always separated families under two situations. Alien smuggling organizations are making children available to single adults so that they can come and claim to be a family unit and not be detained. Tom Homan, deputy director, ICE One, when we cant establish that its the parent and [therefore] that child is being trafficked. Children have been abused by alien smuggler organizationswe have numerous cases about thatso we need to ensure that person claiming to be a parent is a parent, he said. Weve got intelligence that alien smuggling organizations are making children available to single adults so that they can come and claim to be a family unit and not be detained. Homan said children have been discovered to have crossed the border several times with adults claiming to be the parent. The second issue when we separate is when someone is prosecuted. Every law enforcement agency in this country separates parents from children when they are arrested for a crime, he said. However, Homan said, under the new zero tolerance policy, more prosecutions, and therefore more separations, will occur. Sessions said only the parents are subject to prosecution. This is just the way the world works. The parents are subject to prosecution, while children may not be. So if we do our duty and prosecute those cases, then children inevitably, for a period of time, might be in different conditions, being held by Health and Human Services rather than the U.S. Marshals office, he said. Sessions said people who claim asylum are not exempt from prosecution if they cross the border illegally, rather than entering at a port of entry. The asylum system is rife with fraud, and the administration has been working on ways to close loopholes. However, without legislative fixes from Congress, increasing prosecutions and moving more judges to expedite claims is a way to try to stem the flow. Sessions said the number of asylum claims has increased tenfold in the last 10 years. Many of those claims are not justifiedonly about 20 percent are being approved by the judges after hearings, he said. So we will send more judges so that we can proceed with those cases faster. We dont want to separate families, but we dont want families to come to the border illegally and attempt to enter this country improperly. We urge them not to do so. Sophia Fang contributed to this report. Recommended Video: Texas Sheriff Talks About Why Sanctuaries Dont Help Public Safety Alleged Child Molester Got $50K and Kept License in Deal Brokered By Union A Michigan high school teacher who had allegedly molested a girl in third grade was paid over $50,000 to quietly leave the school and got to keep his teaching certificate, all thanks to a deal negotiated by his teachers union, according to an undercover investigation by Project Veritas. Because no charges were formally brought against the teacher, he was not named in the video released on May 9. According to documents (pdf) from the school district and the union, as well as videotaped statements from a union field representative, the teacher allegedly molested the girl when he was dating her mother. Years later, the child ended up in the same teachers high school class and memories of abuse came back to her. When the student got to his class, apparently all these memories she had suppressed came out, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Union Representative Johnny Mickles told an undercover journalist. And she went to the superintendent and basically spilled her guts and the superintendent terminated the teacher. But instead of being fired and investigated, the teacher received a hefty paycheck from the school district as part of a deal negotiated by the Michigan affiliate of the AFT. He also kept his teaching certificate, though he did not use it to work at another school. He was terminated but we negotiated a resignation for him he didnt lose his [teaching] certification, Mickles said. He got to be on leave until they drew up the settlement and then he got, like, the rest of the school years payout He got about six weeks of pay I think and then he got a $50,000 payout. The Michigan AFT attempted to thwart the release of the undercover video in federal court, but the judge ruled in favor of Project Veritas. Another undercover journalist tracked down the former teacher, who confirmed the events but denied having molested the child. I mean the [union] attorney told me, hey, in situations where somebody accuses you of something, you might as well- you know what? Chances are theyll find a way to make it convenient for you to leave. Thats what he said. Project Veritas has so far released three videos from a series on teachers unions around the country. The first two videos on a New Jersey teachers union have already led to the suspensions of Dr. David Perry, President of the Hamilton Township Education Association and Kathleen Valencia, President of the Union City Education Association. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called for hearings to investigate the unions practices. Recommended video: I Was a Communist Slave Chinese workers preparing to destroy fake medicines seized in Beijing, on March 14, 2013. Chinese companies are increasingly dominating the manufacturing of the global pharmaceutical market, a development that raises national security concerns in the United States and elsewhere. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) As China Dominates Drug Manufacturing, Expert Says US Should Protect Medicine as a Strategic Asset As Chinese companies are increasingly dominating the global pharmaceutical market, an expert says it is high time for U.S. policymakers to start treating medicine as a strategic asset and to ensure the American public has a healthy reserve of essential drugs laid away in case of a crisis. Rosemary Gibson, a senior adviser at the Hastings Center, said on May 7 that it would be a grave mistake for the United States to rely on a single country to make drugs that Americans rely on for their health and basic survival. That country is China, which has been rapidly expanding its pharmaceutical manufacturing industry and is now the maker of thousands of drugs found in U.S. hospitals and pharmacies. The Chinese regime has a plan to be the pharmacy of the world, according to Gibson, and it could soon overtake India as the dominant manufacturer of generic drugs. Gibsons new book, China RX: Exposing the Risks of Americas Dependence on China for Medicine, co-authored with Janardan Prasad Singh, documents what led to the U.S. dependence on Chinese-made drugs. It details how the Chinese regime has overtakenand in some cases, put out of businessmany key U.S. and global drug companies by undercutting and stealing from competitors, and cutting corners. While speaking about her new book at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University on May 7, Gibson said that U.S. policymakers need to take immediate steps to change the current approach to regulating medicine, which treats it as no more important than a T-shirt. We need to view medicine as a strategic asset, just like how we view oil and energy supply, Gibson said. A strategic asset is something that will make our country fall apart if we dont have it. Gibson warned that the rapidly growing dependence by the United States and the world on Chinese-made drugs could turn out disastrous if there is a Fukushima-type event in China. The Chinese regime could also easily deprive Americans of essential drugs in the event of a conflict in East or South China Sea, for example. In World War II, the U.S. federal government worked with American pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer to make sure there was enough essential medicine for U.S. troops, especially penicillin, which saved tens of thousands of soldiers lives. When industry and government work together, they can make sure the countrys drug policy is consistent with national security, said Gibson. Ironically, the manufacturing of penicillin is now practically monopolized by Chinese manufacturers, along with many other essential drugs, such as vitamin C and heparin. Gibsons book details how Chinese drug cartels, supported by the Chinese regimes aggressive industrial policy, have seized control of global drug markets. Dan Slane, the former commissioner of the congressionally mandated U.S.China Economic and Security Review Commission, also said on the panel that U.S. government has to incentivize drug companies to manufacturer here, otherwise China will wipe out everything. Citing Indias tense standoff with China over border disputes last year, Gibson said that Indian media has widely reported on how the countrys growing dependence on China for drugs could make India vulnerable in the event of a conflict. Imagine an Indian soldier opens his first aid kit, finds out the emergency medicine inside is running out, and it is made by China, Gibson said, recalling reports in Indian media that raised much alarm there. We have yet to see a prominent article in U.S. media talking about our dependence on Chinese drugs. Discussing how the U.S. government could move to make medicine a strategic asset, Gibson said it is more important to ensure that U.S. industry has the continuous capacity to manufacture essential drugs in good quality and quantity, as compared to just stockpiling these medicines. Policymakers should also move to support greater innovation in drug manufacturing, Gibson said, as there havent been many advances in pharmaceutical technology in recent decades. Senator and former Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory Katy Gallagher with Mrs and Mr Amardeep Singh President of the federation of Indian associations of ACT at Indian Independence Day function at Albert Hall, Canberra, Australia, in Aug. 2015. (Amardeep Singh [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)] via Wikimedia Commons) Five More Australian MPs Leave Parliament After High Courts Citizenship Ruling SYDNEYAustralias High Court has ruled an 11th lawmaker must leave parliament after discovering she was a dual national, the Australian Broadcasting Corp reported on Wednesday, which prompted four more lawmakers to quit amid a widening citizenship crisis. The court found that opposition Senator Katy Gallagher was a British citizen at the time of her election, and ineligible for office under the constitution, the ABC said. Senator Gallagher has argued that she had taken appropriate action to renounce her foreign status before the 2016 nominations for the federal poll closed. But the Commonwealth says that she was still too late, as the UK Home Office did not registered her renunciation until August, more than a month after the election. Gallagher first joined the senate in 2015. Dual citizens are blocked from national elected office under Australias 117-year-old constitution. The decision prompted four other lawmakers in similar predicaments to Gallagher to resign, triggering by-elections for their lower-house seats. Gallagher and the other four are not members of Australias ruling center-right coalition, keeping its slender majority safe, but the resulting polls will be a litmus test of the public mood and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls popularity ahead of a general election due next year. By-elections are notoriously difficult things, Nick Economou, a political scientist at Monash University in Melbourne, told Reuters. He said the Queensland state seat of Longman, held by Labors Susan Lamb on a knife-edge margin until her resignation on Wednesday, was a bellwether contest. If Labor was to lose that, itd be a huge fillip for Turnbull, Economou said. On the other hand, if Labor was to win with an increased majority, that would be a sign that theres a problem for the government, he said. Lamb said she intended to recontest her seat and Labor MPs Josh Wilson and Justine Keay, who also resigned on Wednesday, and independent member Rebekha Sharkie, said they would do likewise in their separate electorates. Dates for the by-elections have not been set officially but could be as early as mid-June. Gallagher, who said she was disappointed but accepted the court ruling, will be replaced by another Labor politician in the Senate. The High Court has adopted the strictest possible reading, George Williams, professor and Dean of Law at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, told Reuters. Im surprised by the result. I think it delivers a proposition that is unworkable because of how hard it will be to comply with these requirements now, he said. In a nation in which half the 24 million population were either born overseas or have parents who were, the dual citizenship rule has cut a swath through the national parliament. It has prompted the departure of 15 lawmakers and last year briefly left Turnbulls Liberal-National coalition clinging to a minority government. Gallagher, who was born in Ecuador to British parents and was conferred British citizenship, filed paperwork and paid processing fees to renounce it more than two months before being elected in July 2016. However, she did not get confirmation from the British Home Office that her renunciation had been processed until after she was elected, according to documents she disclosed to parliament last year. Adherence to the dual-citizenship rule came under the spotlight last year as former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce was forced into a by-election to retain the governments one-seat majority in the lower house after his High Court ruling. Recommended Video: People Gather to Protest Real Bodies Exhibition in Sydney Deadly Outbreak Reported in 11th Largest Country in the World: 17 Dead, More Sickened At least 17 people have died in the northwestern area of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and now, authorities at the World Health Organization said its officially an outbreak. In a statement, the WHOs Dr. Peter Salama said the organizations top priority is to get to Bikoro to work alongside the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and partners to reduce the loss of life and suffering related to this new Ebola virus disease outbreak. Working with partners and responding early and in a coordinated way will be vital to containing this deadly disease, added Salama, who is the WHO Deputy-Director Emergency Preparedness and Response. Ebola has been reported eight previous times in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is the 11th largest country in the world by size. The countrys eastern Ebola river gave the virus its name when it was discovered in the 1970s. Our country is facing another epidemic of the Ebola virus, which constitutes an international public health emergency, Congos ministry said in a statement. We still dispose of the well trained human resources that were able to rapidly control previous epidemics, it said, Reuters reported. About a year ago, an outbreak of Ebola killed eight people. The ministry said this week that of the five samples that were sent to the National Institute of Biological Research in Kinshasa, two came back positive for the Zaire strain of Ebola, NPR reported. Since notification of the cases on 3 May, no deaths have been reported either among the [hospitalized] cases or the healthcare personnel, the Health Ministry statement added. Reuters noted that Ebola is believed to be spread over long distances by bats as the animals can host the virus without dying. Then, they infect other animals that share trees with it. Then, it spreads to humans via infected meat. According to the U.S. MedlinePlus website, Ebola is severe and often fatal. It adds, Symptoms of Ebola may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to the virus. Some symptoms include red eyes, external and internal bleeding, rash, headache, joint pains, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, fever, and more. It notes that theres no cure for Ebola. Treatment involves supportive care such as fluids, oxygen, and treatment of complications. Some people who get Ebola are able to recover, but many do not. Two years ago, the worst Ebola epidemic in history ended, killing more than 11,000 people while infecting around 28,000 in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. We know that addressing this outbreak will require a comprehensive and coordinated response. WHO will work closely with health authorities and partners to support the national response. We will gather more samples, conduct contact tracing, engage the communities with messages on prevention and control, and put in place methods for improving data collection and sharing, said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, in a statement. Recommended video: I Was a Communist Slave Delta Flight Makes Emergency Landing, Firefighters Immediately Rush to the Airport A Delta flight was evacuated after smoke filled the cabin, with one passenger saying that it was the scariest thing ever. Firefighters rushed to the Denver International Airport on Tuesday night, May 8, after the evacuation. Flight 1854, which is an MD-90 twin-engine airliner, had been flying from Detroit to Denver, Fox reported. The planes 153 passengers were evacuated via emergency exits located on the wing. There were no reports of a fire, however. Some passengers suffered minor injuries in the incident, according to the airline, CNN reported. Passengers were treated and then released. Another passenger told CNN that the cabin filled up with smoke as the plane made the landing. The oxygen masks never came down and people began to freak out, D.J. Semenza told CNN. The crew tried to keep calm and eventually called for an evacuation. Denver International Airport spokeswoman Emily Williams said that the smoke was detected before the plane reached the gate. The safety of Deltas customers and crew is our top priority and we apologize for the concern this situation has caused, Delta wrote Wednesday in a statement, Fox reported. Video footage taken inside the plane before the evacuation showed smoke in the cabin. Passengers could be heard saying let us out while flight attendants told passengers to keep their heads down. A woman who said she was on the flight wrote on Twitter that a baby was the last one who was evacuated. Scariest thing. After landing fumes through the vents and fire. Feeling faint and sick. Baby was last one out!!! Emergency evacuation. Scariest thing ever. Delta, the woman wrote on Twitter. Scariest thing. After landing fumes through the vents and fire. Feeling faint and sick. Baby was last one out!!! Emergency evacuation. Scariest thing ever. Delta. #Delta #deltaairlines @Delta @DeltaNewsHub pic.twitter.com/oMmkpbhoqo Rachel Naftel (@rachelnaftel) May 9, 2018 Here is the first part of the video where you can hear people yelling on the Delta flight evacuated tonight at DIA. #9news pic.twitter.com/4HWpnuEND5 Anusha Roy (@AnushaRoy9News) May 9, 2018 After arrival in Denver and during taxi to the gate, Delta Flight 1854 from Detroit to Denver stopped on a taxiway where customers deplaned via slides and over-wing exits due to an observance of smoke in the cabin, Delta told Fox News. Airport response vehicles met the aircraft out of an abundance of caution and customers were transported to the terminal via buses, Delta stated. Recommended Video: Real Human Bodies Are Being Displayed, and Its Disturbing An AK-47 rifle is shown in a stock photo. Jean-Bernard Lasnaud, allegedly an infamous arms dealer, was arrested May 4 in Spain. (George Frey/Getty Images) EXCLUSIVE: Alleged Top Arms Trafficker Jean-Bernard Lasnaud Arrested in Spain An alleged arms trafficker who has been on the run for close to two decades for arms smuggling and fraud was arrested by authorities in Spain on May 4 on an Argentine warrant with Interpol. The French-born Jean-Bernard Lasnaud was wanted in Argentina, where he is accused of arms smuggling and fraud in operations between 1992 and 1995 to sell weapons to Croatia and Ecuador. He is regarded as one of the worlds most infamous arms dealers. According to a May 7 indictment obtained by The Epoch Times, filed in Buenos Aires Economic Criminal Court 3, Lasnaud was arrested on a detention order that had been in force since July 17, 2003. It states that he was arrested on the crime of export smuggling for the removal of customs control, aggravated by the fact that it is war material. It states Lasnaud could face four to 12 years in prison on at least one of the charges. It cant be confirmed whether Lasnaud faces additional charges. Interpol responded to an inquiry by email. The spokesperson said any arrests would be carried out by local law enforcement in the partner country, but did not confirm or deny the arrest of Lasnaud. Lasnaud was previously arrested in May 2002 in Switzerland under the same Argentina request to Interpol and faced 22 years in prison for arms smuggling and abuse of authority before he was let off the hook. In the end, he was not extradited and was instead allowed refuge in the United Statesa series of events that was widely attributed to his past as a CIA asset. This time may be different. According to a well-placed source within the U.S. Intelligence Community, the recent arrest of Lasnaud has been kept very hush-hush. He was apprehended in a hotel in Spain while meeting with a Colombian military contractor. Lasnaud could face four to 12 years in prison on at least one of the charges. Weve got solid confirmation that he has been arrested, the source said. He was a partner in business with the Colombian businessman who is a military contractor. His arrest was because of a 20-year-old Interpol warrant in Argentina. According to the source, Lasnaud was staying in France where he had relative safety from extradition. He traveled to Spain, however, with the Colombian military contractor, and somehow the Spanish authorities found out about this meeting, they arranged a big operation, and they arrested him. An alleged Interpol notice is now trying to extradite Lasnaud to Argentina, and the source said the case is extremely controversial in Spain at the moment. The indictment provides justification for the arrest, saying, Let it be known that, in short, international rogatory is carried out under the terms provided by law No. 23708 that approved the Treaty of Extradition and Judicial Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Argentine Republic and the Kingdom of Spain, held in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentine Republic. It adds, Reciprocity will be offered in similar cases. The source said the case is significant since Lasnaud was in the past a U.S. government asset, and that it looked like his case went dead when he was living in France. He added that while it is known that Lasnaud met with the Colombian military contractor, there is not yet concrete information on the nature of their meeting. Lasnaud could not be reached for comment. Correction: The original article stated that Interpol arrested Lasnaud, yet has been corrected to reflect that local authorities carry out arrests under Interpol warrants. New York-based Shen Yun brings classical Chinese dance and music to Barcelona in an effort to revitalize the divinely inspired Chinese civilization. Its a marvelous performance, its a combination of colors, of harmony, of dance, of music, with such techniques. Its a performance to recommend, said Josep Antoni Duran Lleida, lawyer and former chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the House of Representatives of Spain. He thinks it is important to preserve traditional Chinese culture. For me, the added value of this performance is the connection with the culture, and then the technological innovations that the performance includes. If you forget your originsspecially today, in a globalized worldyou stop being what you were, what you are, therefore, its strange that the Chinese people is not allowed to know some of the cultural fundamentals of their origins, of their traditions. To lose your tradition is to lose your identity. In 1949, the communist party seized power and sought to destroy traditional culture through a campaign that targeted the four olds: old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas. The spiritual element is part of Chinese culturewhether you like it or notthats a fact. Therefore, you cant separate the Chinese identity from that aspect, one that shapes its own history and its own mindset. Its a shame that this show can be seen outside of China but not in China itself, because after all, its about refreshing some traditions, some culture of the Chinese people. I think its essential for any nation to not forget its own origins. A young Tibetan Buddhist monk walks across a beam over a creek at a monastery next to a government resettlement community for former nomads on the Tibetan Plateau in Yushu County, Qinghai, China, on July 23, 2015. Millions of Tibetans have been forced by the Chinese regime to give up their traditional way of life and resettle in government-designated areas. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) Human Rights Abuses Escalate in Xinjiang and Tibet: Forcible Medication in Detention Camps, Mass Surveillance Two recently published reports detail the intensification of human rights abuses in Tibet and Xinjiang. The Chinese regime has continually cracked down on both regions, which were taken over by the Chinese Communist Party as territories of the Chinese state, but historically were home to ethnic groups with different cultural and religious traditions from those of the Han ethnic majority. ChinaAid, a human rights organization focused on abuses in China, reported on its website on May 4 that many Uyghur and Kazakh ethnic people who were detained at re-education centers in Xinjiang said they were forced to take medication or were injected with mysterious substances while in custody. Back in December 2017, media reports emerged that thousands of Xinjiang residents had been placed into detention camps, where Uyghurs were indoctrinated with Mandarin [Chinese], law, ethnic unity, de-radicalization, and patriotism, according to an Associated Press report, citing a memo from the Xinjiang human resources office. Many Uyghurs practice Islam; the Chinese regime has used a narrative of extremist threats to justify its strict surveillance and control of the Xinjiang region. Xinjiang Kaben Bekenay, a Chinese national who now lives in Kazakhstan, told ChinaAid that his nephew Berdibek Jengisbek, who attends university in the central Asian country, was taken by police to a re-education center upon returning to China for winter break. Jengisbek was forced to take unknown medications, which have since caused memory loss and infertility. Women who were detained said that after they were forced to take medications, they stopped menstruating or had menstrual irregularities. Other former detainees report mental instability. Some have suddenly passed away, according to family members. There is no legal procedure for someone to be placed in such a detention center. Police often round up residents arbitrarily, according to ChinaAid. Petitioners, dissidents, and some human rights lawyers have also reported that after posting online content critical of the Chinese regime, they were rounded up and sent to mental hospitals, where they were forced to take medications that have since caused similar negative health effects. Tibet Meanwhile, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy released its annual human rights report on May 7, detailing the current situation in Tibet. The Chinese regime has intensified efforts to surveil Tibetans by dispatching CCP cadres to villages, under the guise of poverty alleviation programs, according to the report. The system began in 2011, when more than 20,000 Party members were sent to 5,000 villages and 1,700 monastic sites in Tibet to spy on and report back on the activities of residents and about 46,000 monks and nuns. The systempromoted as a poverty alleviation effortwas supposed to end in 2014, but has been extended indefinitely. The Chinese regime uses another so-called poverty alleviation effort to relocate citizens living in harsh conditions and resource-poor areas. Using the excuse of eliminating poverty and protecting the environment, the regime has targeted millions of Tibetans living in rural areas for resettlement, uprooting them from their traditional livelihoods, according to the report. In addition, almost 700 convenience police posts have been set up in the region, where services like phone charging, Wifi, and free newspapers are provided, but they are in fact 24/7 police patrol centers. In the past year, the Chinese authorities in Tibet have also mandated the collection of DNA and blood samples and have employed high-tech surveillance systems, like voice recognition. The report described the case of a Tibetan youth who was detained for more than two weeks because he had on his mobile phone a photo of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and an image of the Tibetan national flag. It does not explain how the authorities found out about his photos, but the Chinese regime has developed spyware technology that can detect banned content on phones. Most Tibetans practice Tibetan Buddhism and consider the Dalai Lama to be a sacred figure, but the Chinese regime has continually clamped down on religious practices, forbid residents from expressing their devotion, and banned images of the Dalai Lama and any public praise of him. In September 2017, the Chinese regime released a revised version of its Regulations on Religious Affairs, which outlined sweeping new restrictions that will allow authorities arbitrary discretion to further equate religious practices and activities with so-called criminal acts of breaking ethnic unity, splitting the nation, and carrying out terrorist activities, according to the report. Illinois Girl Escapes Carjacker as Dad Jumps Into Action to Save Her An Illinois man was fuelling up his vehicle with his 11-year-old daughter inside when a carjacker unexpectedly jumped in the car and took off. I started punching the window, letting him know my kid was in the car. She was screaming, but he didnt even look back. He didnt care, said Mark Beasanski of Aurora, the Daily Herald reported. You just dont expect someone to jump into the car. There are crazy people out there. In security video posted by a store clerk, the mans daughter, Kayla, can be seen falling out of the moving vehicle and onto the ground early Friday morning, May 4. As his Jeep Cherokee pulls away from the pumps, Beasanski can be seen leaping onto the hood of a blue Dodge Charger driven by the carjackers accomplice as it accelerates out of the frame. Moments later Beasanski walks back and embraces his daughter. I just reacted the best I could, Beasanski said, according to the Daily Herald. Citing Aurora police and the DuPage County States Attorneys Office, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that 20-year-old Tyrelle L. Pulley was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and fleeing and eluding police. The accomplice has not been taken into custody yet, according to the Daily Herald, citing police Sgt. Eric Westrom. He urges people to exercise greater caution. The advice is to turn your car off and take the keys with you, and lock your car if you need to go into the station to pay or do something, Westrom said. Especially if youre going to leave kids in the car, make sure the vehicle is locked. The carjacking took place at a gas station on the 1200 block of North Eola Road, not far from Beasanskis house. His daughter suffered a cut on her ankle and some emotional trauma. You feel helpless. You cant do nothing about it, he said. A person versus a car, its not very easy to win it. The man praised his daughters reaction to the crime, saying she did everything right. She was scared. I just told her that most people in the world are pretty good, but theres always those people out there that want to cause harm. Westrom told reporters that carjackings are infrequent in Aurora, a suburb of Chicago. We havent had too many of those, he said, noting that the incident represents the municipalitys first carjacking of the year. Westrom said he doesnt believe that in Aurora theres a pattern of increased incidence of this type of crime. I dont see it as an issue, he said. But Chicago itself has seen a rise in carjackings since 2014, according to the Chicago Tribune. The paper cited Chicago police Sgt. Rocco Alioto as saying that in 2018, there have been 271 carjackings in the city, compared to 279 around the same time last year. According to FBI statistics released in September of last year and reported on by Quartz, violent crime in the United States is up, including homicide. The increase in murder rates is mostly concentrated in several big citieswith Chicago accounting for about 20 percent of the rise between 2015 and 2016. Violent crime in the United States overall has gone up by 4.1 percent. Recommended Video: Brazen Pickpockets Steal 1,000 From London Pensioner Interior Minister of 5th Most Populous Country Shot in Assassination Attempt Pakistani Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was wounded on Sunday in an apparent assassination attempt by a gunman linked to a new ultra-religious Muslim party an incident likely to raise tensions before an election expected in late July. Violence has been a feature of pre-election periods in Pakistan over the past decade, mainly due to Islamist assassinations of political figures, including former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. Iqbal, 59, a senior member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party and a staunch ally of ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, was shot as he was leaving a constituency meeting surrounded by supporters in Punjab province. Pakistan's Interior Minister was shot and wounded in his shoulder while attending an assembly meeting, district police say https://t.co/vmRRB3qrz4 pic.twitter.com/a3o0HbnF6N CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) May 6, 2018 An initial report on the shooting by a local administrator, the deputy commissioner of Narowal district, seen by Reuters, said the gunman had been arrested and showed his affiliation to Tehreek-e-Labaik. The party calls for the aggressive enforcement of Pakistans blasphemy laws, which can carry the death penalty. However, neither the report nor other officials commented on the attackers possible motives. Iqbal was shot soon after addressing voters in Kanjroor village in Narowal, his constituency near the border with India, but the exact circumstances were not immediately clear. I cant tell you the motive at this stage due to security reasons, Narowal police chief Imran Kishwar told Reuters. OUT OF DANGER Police said the bullet had hit Iqbal in the right arm and gone into his groin. They named the suspected shooter as Abid Hussain, 21, and said they had found him carrying a pistol. After being rushed to a nearby hospital, Iqbal was taken by helicopter to Lahore, capital of Punjab. The minister luckily survived, said junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry. Thank God, he is out of danger. Blasphemy is a deeply emotional and politically charged issue in Pakistan, even more so since Labaik has emerged in the past year. The party was born out of a protest movement supporting Mumtaz Qadri, a bodyguard of the governor of Punjab who gunned down his boss in 2011 over his call to relax Pakistans draconian blasphemy laws. Labaik has been gaining strength with an election platform centered on punishing blasphemy. Many of its supporters say PML-N, despite repeated denials, wants to ease the blasphemy laws. While dozens are on death row for blasphemy, no one has been executed in recent decades. UNARMED STRUGGLE In a statement on Sunday night, Labaik leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi condemned the attack on Iqbal and said the party had not authorized any of its supporters to take up arms. Tehreek-e-Labaik is an unarmed struggle to bring the Prophets religion to the throne, Rizvi said. The statement did not specifically mention any suspect in custody or any links to the party. Tehreek-e-Labaik, whose name means Movement of the Prophets Followers, is a political grouping with no known links to the various Islamist militants including the Pakistani Taliban that have carried out bombings and other attacks in Pakistan. Iqbal, who also heads the planning ministry, has in recent years overseen the implementation of Chinese-funded Belt and Road infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of the near $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi condemned the attack on Iqbal and called for an immediate police report. A senior government official, who declined to be named, said early information suggested Iqbal had been returning from a meeting with a Christian group. We are not sure whether it has got anything to do with the motive. We will know only after investigation of the attacker. Militant attacks in Pakistan have fallen sharply over the past few years, but Islamist fighters continue to pose a threat and carry out assassinations. In the run-up to the 2013 elections, which PML-N won handsomely, Pakistani Taliban militants killed more than 70 people in attacks targeting the Awami National Party (ANP), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Many of their most prominent candidates were prevented from campaigning openly. Recommended Video: People Gather to Protest Real Bodies Exhibition in Sydney Iran-Aligned Houthis in Yemen Fire Missiles at Saudi Capital RIYADH/DUBAIYemens Iran-aligned Houthi movement said it fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at the Saudi capital on Wednesday an attack Saudi authorities said they intercepted in the skies over the city. The assault comes a day after Saudi Arabias top ally the United States pulled out of an international deal with Iran over its disputed nuclear programme and could signal an uptick in tensions between regional rivals Riyadh and Tehran. The Houthis said the missiles were launched at economic targets in Riyadh, the groups al-Masirah TV reported. At least four blasts were heard in the city centre, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The Houthis have fired a series of missiles into neighbouring Saudi Arabia in recent months, part of a three-year-old conflict in Yemen widely seen as a proxy battle between the Saudis and Iran. A spokesman for the Houthi-aligned military Colonel Aziz Rashed told al-Masirah TV channel that the attack on the capital and another area marked a new phase and was revenge for Saudi air strikes on Yemen. There will be more salvos until this enemy is deterred, understands the meaning of the Yemeni threat and ceases its crimes, Rashed said. He did not mention U.S. President Donald Trumps decision, hours earlier, to pull out of the international nuclear accord with Iran. But there have been fears the U.S. pull-out could exacerbate the conflict in Yemen and other regional flashpoints. HOSTILE ACTION Saudi Arabia and other U.S. allies queued up on Wednesday to praise Trumps decision, as did Yemens government, which has been forced into exile by Houthi advances in their country. The Yemeni government said the U.S. withdrawal as a necessary step to stop Irans destabilising and dangerous behaviour. The Iranian regime has exploited the benefits of the nuclear agreement to export violence and terrorism to its neighbours, it said in a statement. Saudi state media said separately that air defence forces had intercepted a missile launched at the southern city of Jizan, in an attack also claimed by the Houthis. This hostile action by the Houthi militia backed by Iran proves the continued involvement of the Iranian regime, coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki was quoted as saying by state news agency SPA. Iran, he added, aimed to threaten the security of Saudi Arabia as well as regional and international security. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemens civil war in 2015 to try and push back the Houthis after they ousted the internationally recognised government. Iran and the Houthis have regularly dismissed Saudi accusations that Tehran is arming the group. By Sarah Dadouch and Noah Browning North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in Dalian City in northeastern China in this undated photo released on May 9, 2018 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). (KCNA/via Reuters) North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un Visits China, Meets Leader Xi Jinping BEIJING/SEOULNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited China and met Chinese leader Xi Jinping, state media of both countries said on May 8, their second encounter in two months in a flurry of diplomatic engagement that has eased tensions on the Korean peninsula. They met on May 7 and 8 in the coastal city of Dalian ahead of what would be a historic meeting between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump that the White House has said could take place as soon as this month. China has been keen to show it has an indispensable role in seeking a lasting solution to tension over North Koreas pursuit of nuclear weapons concerned that its interests may be ignored, especially as North Korea and the United States establish contacts. During the visit, announced only after it was over, Kim told Xi he hoped relevant parties would take phased and synchronized measures to realize denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. So long as relevant parties eliminate hostile policies and security threats towards North Korea, North Korea has no need for nuclear (capacity), and denuclearization can be realized, Chinas state-run media Xinhua cited Kim as saying. Trump-Xi Call Trump and Xi discussed developments on the Korean peninsula and Kims visit to China during a phone call on the morning of May 8, the White House said. Trump and Xi agreed on the importance of maintaining sanctions on Pyongyang until it permanently dismantles its nuclear and missile programs, the White House said. Chinese state media said Xi reiterated Chinas support for a U.S.-North Korea summit. According to Chinese state television, Xi said he hopes the United States and North Korea can build mutual trust and resolve each sides concerns through meeting and consultations. In the past, North Korea has used the term hostile policies in reference to the U.S. troop presence in South Korea, the U.S. nuclear umbrella covering South Korea and Japan, and regular joint military exercises in South Korea. China is North Koreas most important economic and diplomatic backer, but Beijing has been irked by Pyongyangs repeated nuclear and missile tests and supported tough U.N. sanctions against its Cold War-era ally. The two sides have stepped up engagement since Trump surprised the world in March by saying he would be willing to meet Kim in a bid to resolve the crisis over Pyongyangs development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. Kim Accompanied by Sister Kim was accompanied to China by his sister, Kim Yo Jong, who has played a leading role in diplomatic overtures by the long-isolated country. Chinese state media showed pictures of Kim smiling in an outdoors meeting with Xi, and the two leaders strolling along a waterfront. Xi also hosted a banquet for the North Korean leader. North Korean state media said Kim was very pleased that the relationship with China was reaching a high point, and North Korea would cooperate with China more actively as the situation on the Korean peninsula changed. Latest Summit The meeting was the latest in a series by North Korean leaders and follows Kims historic summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in last month. In March, Kim travelled by train to Beijing, his first known trip abroad since assuming power in 2011. Kim used his official aircraft to make the short flight to Dalian, in what was his first known international flight since assuming power. Kims father, Kim Jong Il, feared flying, fuelling speculation that the younger Kim may not be willing to travel far to meet Trump. The venue for their summit has not been announced. The demilitarized zone, or DMZ, between North and South Korea, and Singapore are believed to be the most likely contenders for the venue. South Koreas presidential office said the Chinese regime notified Seoul about the Xi-Kim meeting in advance. Intense secrecy typically surrounds high-level North Korean visits to China, and this weeks trip was no different. Throughout the day on May 8 there was speculation on Chinese websites that a North Korean leader was in China, though Chinas foreign ministry said earlier that it had no information and Chinese state media did not carry any reports. Japanese public broadcaster NHK had shown images of two North Korean aircraft taxiing at Dalians airport, one an Air Koryo (North Koreas state-owned airline) plane and another carrying a North Korean emblem. Posts about unusual traffic jams and security in Dalian popped up on Chinese social media. By Michael Martina and Heekyong Yang Iranian lawmakers burn paper American flags while chanting "Death to America" on May 8, 2018. (Screenshot) OPINION: Iran Just Proved Trump Was Right Just hours after President Donald Trump announced that he is pulling the US out of the Iran nuclear deal, Iranian lawmakers responded by burning pictures of American flags in Parliament and chanting death to America. In his announcement, Trump said We will not allow a regime that chants Death to America to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth. In doing so, Iran proved Trump was right. The regimes intent to destroy the United States, as well as Israel, by any means, is exactly why it should never have nuclear weapons. Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action reached in 2015 by the Obama administration and other world powers, Iran would have had guaranteed access to nuclear weapons by 2026. At that point in time, key restrictions on its nuclear program would be lifted, allowing Iran to install thousands of advanced centrifuges for enriching uranium. Experts believe that it would take Iran only six months to enrich enough uranium for a nuclear warhead. Iran would also have perfected its ballistic missile technology at that point, providing a vehicle for the deployment of the nuclear bomb. Because Irans development of advanced missile technology was not included in the nuclear deal, there have been no repercussions for its continued development of such technology. Irans military continues its march toward the missile technology to deliver a nuclear warhead. And the world becomes a more dangerous place, said U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley in September last year. The sunset clauses and Irans continued missile development were the main reasons for President Donald Trump to demand a renegotiation of the Iran nuclear deal. However, six months after Trumps announcement he would decertify the Iran deal, Iran was not willing to renegotiate these parts of the deal. This left the President with no option other than pulling out of the deal. As part of the U.S. withdrawal from the deal, heavy economic sanctions will be re-imposed on the regime again. Most sanctions will have a 90 to 180 days delay in being implemented, leaving Iran a window of opportunity to come to its senses and reach a deal that would truly help secure global security. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A combination photo shows Mike Pompeo (L) in Washington, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) in Pyongyang, North Korea and U.S. President Donald Trump (R), in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., respectively. (Reuters/Yuri Gripas (L) & KCNA handout via Reuters & Kevin Lamarque (R)) Pompeo to Return From North Korea With Detained Americans: South Korean Official SEOULU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to return from North Korea with three American detainees, as well as details of an upcoming summit between leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump, a South Korean official said on Wednesday. Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday from Japan and headed to the Koryo Hotel in the North Korean capital for meetings, a U.S. media pool report said. Trump earlier broke the news of Pompeos second visit to North Korea in less than six weeks and said the two countries had agreed on a date and location for the summit, although he stopped short of providing details. An official at South Koreas presidential Blue House said Pompeo was expected to finalize the date of the summit and secure the release of the three American detainees. While Trump said it would be a great thing if the American detainees were freed, Pompeo told reporters en route to Pyongyang he had not received such a commitment but hoped North Korea would do the right thing. Well talk about it again today, he said. I think itd be a great gesture if they would choose to do so. The pending U.S.-North Korea summit has sparked a flurry of diplomacy, with China, Japan, and South Korea holding a high-level meeting on Wednesday. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who attended the meeting along with South Korean President Moon Jae-In, said his nation would normalize ties with North Korea if the regime completely denuclearized, and the issue of abduction of Japanese citizens was solved comprehensively. We must take the recent momentum toward denuclearization on the Korean peninsula and toward peace and security in Northeast Asia, and, cooperating even further with international society, make sure this is linked to concrete action by North Korea, Abe told a news conference after the meeting. North Korea has admitted to kidnapping 13 Japanese citizens decades ago to train spies. Five have returned to Japan. Teachers, Missionary Held The three U.S. detainees still being held are Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-chul; Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, who spent a month teaching at the foreign-funded Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) before he was arrested in 2017; and Kim Hak-song, who also taught at PUST. Until now, the only American released by North Korea during Trumps presidency has been Otto Warmbier, a 22year-old university student who returned to the United States in a coma last summer after 17 months of captivity and died days later. Warmbiers death led his parents to sue the North Korean regime late last month. They say their son was brutally tortured and murdered. The groundwork for the potential release of the three remaining American detainees was laid two months ago when North Koreas foreign minister traveled to Sweden and proposed the idea, CNN reported earlier, citing an unidentified source. Pompeos visit comes a day after Kim Jong Un made his second trip to China in less than two months, meeting President Xi Jinping and discussing the ongoing international talks over North Koreas nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Trump said on Twitter that he would speak with Xi by telephone on Tuesday morning in Washington. The primary topics will be Trade, where good things will happen, and North Korea, where relationships and trust are building, Trump said. By Christine Kim Recommended Video: Lanterns Light up Taiwan Sky For First Full Moon in Lunar New Year Republican James Bradley Ties for Second Place in California US Senate Race Poll Californians welcome fresh voice from political outsider A recent poll by the University of California Berkeleys Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) has shown that Republican James Bradley, an outsider to the political world, is almost tied with Democrat State Sen. Kevin de Leon in the race for the U.S. Senate in California in the 2018 midterm election. Compared to two years ago, more Americans today may believe that electing a political outsider to a public office is not a bad idea. The job approval rating for President Donald Trump, who had never been part of any political establishment before he was elected, recently hit 51 percent, according to the Rasmussen poll. While the incumbent Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) has the lead in the Berkeley IGS poll, Bradley and de Leon are racing for the 2nd spot in the November runoff. The poll surprised many people, because Bradley, a Republican candidate who hadnt been heard of by most Californians in the most liberal state in the country, was just one point behind de Leon, who is the State Senate president pro tem. My most important qualification is simply this: I have never been a professional politician, said Bradley. Bradley believes that his strength comes from his experience with delivering real services or real products to people, while a politician like Feinstein has lost touch with the real people of California and very seldom takes time to even meet with one. Inspired by Trump So who is James Bradley? In a phone interview with The Epoch Times, Bradley said he is currently CFO of a private healthcare organization addressing the opioid crisis in America. He said he has a strong background and experience in business within the healthcare industry and has held positions at the executive level for over 30 years. Bradley strongly believes his career and experience from private business would make him capable of bringing the necessary changes to the government in a way similar to whats done by Trump, who was also once an outsider to the political world. Bradley said: What inspired me to run was President Trump. He inspired me to move from being an independent to become a Republican. The state of California is becoming more socialist. Donald Trump, being a businessman very similar to me, steps up to the call of the country to save our country. For Bradley, the call is to save his state. Trumps success so far seems to have motivated more political rookies to enter the heated public world, and most of these newcomers have one thing in common: frustration with public policies and government operations. Bradley said: I see my country struggling with seemingly intractable problems, and I see the same old crew of people who have never been anything other than career politicians offering up the same old ideas that havent worked for a generation or more. I hear the same sound bites going back and forth, back and forth to no real purpose. I see a political stage full of people striking poses for their base of voters, but not trying to find new solutions or even daring to think new ideas. Priorities Bradley has done extensive studies about the issues and challenges facing California and the United States. On his campaign Facebook page, he provided a long list of items he wants to lead efforts to make changes. Once elected, his top three priorities will be to help end the sanctuary state policies in California by repealing Senate Bill 54 (SB 54), to repeal the gas tax in California, and to investigate corruption in the current California administration. While being a strong supporter of repealing SB 54 and speaking to several city council meetings vowing to opt out of SB 54, Bradley also intends to create solutions for illegal immigrants without criminal records to become citizens. Once elected, he wants to work with the federal government to open a time window, such as six months, for illegal immigrants to register to become taxpayers, and later to have a path to become U.S. citizens. To protect Americans from losing jobs, Bradley vowed to stop the Chinese regimes weapons of job destruction, which include illegal export subsidies, currency manipulation, intellectual property theft, rampant use of sweatshops, and the existence of pollution havens, and so on. Bradley strongly supports Trumps efforts to protect American corporations from Chinas forced technology transfer so that American companies can be treated fairly and remain competitive on a level playing field. Last year, California State Sen. Joel Anderson (R) initiated a resolution, SJR-10, to urge the Chinese regime to stop persecuting the Falun Gong spiritual discipline. The Chinese regime imprisons practitioners of Falun Gong for their faith. Researchers have reported that the practitioners are then held captive as a living organ bank and killed on demand when someone needs an organ transplant. The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco reportedly sent letters to members of the California legislature asking them not to support the resolution. The State Senate, under the leadership of de Leon, shelved the resolution. When asked whether he would have acted differently from de Leon, Bradley answered without hesitation: These [forced organ harvesting crimes] are barbaric acts and must be discussed and brought to the attention of the public further. These acts are heinous crimes against humanity and cannot be ignored. I firmly believe that we should take an assertive stance in support of SJR-10. Bradley, 60, is a Laguna Niguel resident and a third-generation military veteran in his family. Protecting America from enemies is part of my genetic makeup passed down from grandfather to me, he said. Bradleys grandfather was a World War I veteran, and his father served in World War II. I am running for the U.S. Senate in California to help restore California and America to their rightful places as the pre-eminent state in the worlds best country, Bradley said. 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 Huawei smartphones on display in a shop in Shanghai on May 3, 2018. Chinese mobile manufacturers Huawei and ZTE have come under U.S. scrutiny for security reasons as the trade battle between China focuses on technological issues. (Johannes Eisele/AFP) Technology at the Heart of USChina Trade Dispute China is willing to concede some territory on trade in order to advance its technological ambitions This years U.S.China trade skirmishes could well be the start of a much more profound schism in the world economy. Beijing has no intention of abandoning its Made in China 2025 planthe real target of President Donald Trumps threats and actions. The comprehensive upgrade of Chinas industry and focus on developing advanced technology is the cornerstone of regime leader Xi Jinpings economic vision. A U.S. government delegation returned from its brief Beijing visit empty-handed, as the high-level talks failed to break the deadlock. But China is not yet ready to stand up fully to the United States, so Beijing will try to limit the damage Washingtons actions could do to its economy and technological ambitions by offering some trade wins as Novembers mid-term elections draw nearer. Chinas leaders have no choice but to talk tough. Yet their actions suggest a less confident stance. At an unprecedented three-day seminar the week before the U.S. visit, organized by Tsinghua University in Beijing, a number of senior officials and influential advisers set out the Chinese regimes position in detail to selected foreign journalists and other analysts. Chinese leaders are not prone to explaining themselves to the wider world, so it seems to me that this initiative is not an expression of strength. Beijing realizes that the West has begun to look at China differently. It is willing to offer concessions in boosting its imports from the United States and opening its financial sector to foreign players. But at the same time, Beijing has also responded by fast-tracking the buildup of its own capability in high-tech industries and their supply chains. Semiconductor Push Chinas electronics sector stands out as the one with the highest foreign content. Policymakers worry about relying on foreign chips. China currently imports 80 percent of the semiconductors it uses. The global supply chain for the chip industry is widely dispersed but concentrated in the West. So Beijing is loath to see the rest of the world, in particular, Europe, following Trumps tougher stance toward China. On the semiconductor front, Beijing has just achieved a significant breakthrough. According to the Nikkei Asian Review, a joint venture between Arm Holdings, which is controlled by Japans SoftBank, and its Chinese partners took over the British chip companys operations in China at the end of last month. The joint venture is controlled by Chinese investors and will be responsible for handling all local licensing and royalties. Arm is one of the most influential chip technology providers in the world. The companys chip blueprint is used in roughly 90 percent of mobile devices globally. At the same time, Chinas state-backed semiconductor fund is near to closing a 120 billion yuan investment round for a second fund to support the domestic chip sector and help cut reliance on imports. In a further advertisement of its ambitions, China is aiming to produce its own optoelectronic communication chips for commercial use by 2025, officials said at the opening of a national information and optoelectronic research center in Wuhan. They made the announcement during a visit to Wuhan by Xi, who called for China to become self-sufficient in emerging technologies. Technological Battle These developments come hard on the heels of Washingtons seven-year ban on a leading Chinese telecoms equipment manufacturer, ZTE, from using American components (although Trump has recently made some concessions), as well as its investigation on a second telecoms giant, Huawei. The United States has also blocked a number of prospective semiconductor deals and is considering measures to block Chinese citizens from performing sensitive research at American universities and research institutes, over fears they may be acquiring intellectual property. At the Tsinghua seminar, The New York Times reported, one subject was repeatedly avoided: whether China might try someday to link trade disputes to national security issues. But this present conflict is clearly about more than just trade and the U.S. trade deficit with China. The United States is particularly concerned that China will steal a march over it in the area of machine learning and artificial intelligence, because Beijing is able to collect and manipulate vast volumes of data without the privacy concerns that constrain Western governments and companies. Technology is set to be the main U.S.China battleground for years to come. Given that the Chinese and the Western economic models are unlikely to converge for the foreseeable future, the risk is that globalization will fracture. Diana Choyleva is the chief economist at macroeconomic consultancy Enodo Economics. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Trump Floats Removing Credentials From Fake News Outlets as His Poll Numbers Rise Despite Relentless Negative Coverage President Donald Trump brought up removing White House press credentials from Fake News media after a report showed evening news coverage of his presidency on network television has been overwhelmingly negative. All while his approval rating has been improving. The Fake News is working overtime, Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday, May 9, morning. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials? The Fake News is working overtime. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Of the 1,601 explicitly positive and negative statements about Trump by reporters on ABC, CBS, and NBC evening news, 90 percent were negative between Jan. 1 and Apr. 30, according to Media Research Center. Legacy media outlets have maintained primarily negative reporting on Trumps presidency since its beginning. An analysis of more than 3,000 stories during the first 100 days of his presidency across 24 different media organizations found that reporting on Trump has been the most negative compared to other presidents over the past 25 years, according to Pew Research Center. The research shows that only 5 percent of media reporting during the first 60 days was positive. Negative stories were 62 percent, and 33 percent were neutral. By comparison, coverage of President Barack Obama during the same time period was 42 percent positive and 20 percent negative. For President George W. Bush, the number was 22 percent positive and 28 percent negative. And for President Bill Clinton, it was 27 percent positive and 28 percent negative. The study also revealed that most media coverage of Trump focused on his character traits rather than his policies. Yet, in recent months, Americans increasingly like what Trump is doing. His job approval rate has climbed from the 30s to 40s in recent months, with Reuters/Ipsos poll over 48 percent on May 2 the highest in 12 months. Particularly among black people, Trumps popularity more than doubled recently, from 11 percent on April 25 to 25 percent on May 3. Whats more, he is now close to hitting 50 percent approval among independents. Trump commented on his improving ratings during his May 4 speech at the annual National Rifle Association meeting. How does that happen when you only have bad publicity? How does that happen? he said. Thats because people realize that a lot of what you read and a lot of what you see on television is fake. They realize it. The people are smart. That same day, Trump rebuked NBC News after the network backpedaled a story about Trumps lawyer that was based on anonymous sources. NBC NEWS is wrong again! They cite sources which are constantly wrong. Problem is, like so many others, the sources probably dont exist, they are fabricated, fiction! NBC, my former home with the Apprentice, is now as bad as Fake News CNN. Sad! Trump stated in a tweet. NBC NEWS is wrong again! They cite sources which are constantly wrong. Problem is, like so many others, the sources probably dont exist, they are fabricated, fiction! NBC, my former home with the Apprentice, is now as bad as Fake News CNN. Sad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2018 Trump has said multiple times he doesnt consider all media untrustworthy. I have to tell you, there are some great professionals too in that world, Trump said during a round table on tax reform in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 5. But hes repeatedly called some of the largest left-leaning outletsCNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, The New York Times, The Washington PostFake News. In fact, hes used the phrase fake news 196 times in his tweets, according to the Trump Twitter Archive. The Republican Party even announced the Fake News Awards in January, listing 10 examples of news stories, some of them with major implications, that turned out to be wrong or outright false. The Epoch Times Jasper Fakkert contributed to this report. Recommended Video: Ivanka Trump Asked About Lessons She Learned From Her Dad, She Listed 5 Principles President Donald Trump hosts a joint press conference with President Muhammadu Buhari (not pictured) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on April 30, 2018. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Trump Makes a Major Announcement on 3 Americans Imprisoned in North KoreaHeres Where They Are Now Three Americans who were imprisoned in North Korea have been released and are on a flight back to the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump revealed in a Twitter message on Wednesday morning, May 9. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting, Trump wrote. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. The group is scheduled to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at 2 a.m. on Thursday. Trump said he will be there to greet everyone. Very exciting! the president wrote in a follow-up Twitter message. The release and return of the detainees is another major concession by Kim Jong Un ahead of the upcoming meeting with Trump. Kim has already agreed to complete denuclearization and peace with South Korea at a summit between the two countries in April. The three Americans are Kim Dong-chul, Kim Sang-duk, and Kim Hak-song. Kim Dong-chul has been in prison since October 2015. Kim Sang-duk and Kim Hak-song were arrested in April and May last year, respectively. Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, taught accounting at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST). He was arrested as he tried to board a plane to leave the country on April 23 last year, the New York Times reported citing the chancellor of the university, Chan-Mo Park. The cause of his arrest is not known, but some officials at PUST told me his arrest was not related to his work at PUST, Mr. Park said. He had been involved with some other activities outside PUST, such as helping an orphanage. Kim Sang-duk studied accounting at the University of CaliforniaRiverside, and at Aurora University. He went on to work as an accountant in the United States for more than a decade. Kim Hak-song also worked at PUST. Its unclear if his arrest is connected to that of Tony Kims two weeks earlier. According to a statement from the university, Kim Hak-song was conducting agricultural development work at a research farm. Kim Hak-song was born in China and emigrated to the United States in the 1990s. After becoming a U.S. citizen, he moved first to China and then Pyongyang. Kim Dong-chul was sentenced to 10 years of hard labor in April 2016. Months before his trial, he appeared in a government news conference to apologize for trying to steal military secrets. In an interview granted by North Korea to CNN, Kim Dong-chul said he was a naturalized U.S. citizen and lived in Fairfax, Virginia. He told CNN that he was arrested in October 2015 during a meeting with a North Korean soldier to receive classified data. Otto Warmbier, another U.S. citizen, was held in North Korea before his release last year. Warmbier died mysteriously shortly after he arrived in the United States. Reuters contributed to this report. Recommended Video: Leaders of Two Koreas Shake Hands Before Historic Summit President Donald Trump talks to the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington en route to Dallas, Texas, where he will give remarks at the National Rifle Association Leadership Forum on May 4, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Trump Praises Conservative Influencer Candace Owens President Donald Trump praised conservative speaker Candace Owens on Wednesday, May 9, and said that she is having a great impact on American politics. Candace Owens of Turning Point USA is having a big impact on politics in our Country, Trump wrote on Twitter. She represents an ever expanding group of very smart thinkers, and it is wonderful to watch and hear the dialogue going on, he added. So good for our Country! Owens is the president of conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA. She made her way to the national stage by bucking from the mainstream narrative pegging black women as victims of oppression. I am truly honored and humbled by this, Owens wrote in response to Trump on Twitter. I was just a girl on YouTube who had an idea that black people could rise above the victim narrative and embrace the opportunities of our future. This tweet is an affirmation I will never forget, she added. Thank you, Mr. President. Although she was already famous in conservative circles, Owens was vaulted into the national spotlight last month after rapper Kanye West wrote a Twitter message about her. I love the way Candace Owens thinks, West wrote. Mainstream media heaped scorn on both West and Owens after the tweet and labeled them far-right. Owens fired back a clarification. Far right? Allow me to clarify: I believe the black community can do it without hand-outs. I believe the Democrats have strapped us to our past to prevent us from our futures. And I wont stop fighting until all black Americans see that, she wrote on April 21. Im not far rightIm free. Owens is known for criticizing the Black Lives Matter movement. She summarized her view of the group recently when a group of Black Lives Matter hecklers interrupted her event at the University of California in Los Angeles. Theres an ideological civil war happening: black people that are focused on their past and shouting about slavery, and black people that are focused on their futures, Owens said to applause from the audience. I can guarantee you, what youre seeing is victim mentality versus victor mentality. Victim mentality is not cool. I dont know why people like being oppressed, she said, gesturing to the hecklers. Youre not living through anything right now. Youre overly privileged Americans. West mirrored some of Owenss thought in several tweets. Self victimization is a disease, he wrote in a tweet on April 22. There was a time when slavery was the trend and apparently that time is still upon us, he wrote in another message. But now its a mentality. Left-wing commentators attacked both Owens and West for their tweets. When asked about the attacks on Fox News on April 22, Owens said that the backlash is a common left-wing tactic. I think its pretty typical of the left. The truth is that the left wants to strap black people with this idea that they are victims, Owens said. They do not want black people to focus on their future. They want black people to focus on their past. Recommended Video: Leaders of Two Koreas Shake Hands Before Historic Summit Gina Haspel, the nominee to lead the CIA, testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee on May 9, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times) Trumps CIA Pick, Gina Haspel, Vows to Never Resume Harsh Interrogations WASHINGTONPresident Donald Trumps nominee to head the CIA promised lawmakers on Wednesday, May 9, that she will never resume a program of harsh interrogations that has been the major issue complicating her confirmation. Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, on my watch, CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program, Haspel said in her opening statement before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday morning. Public questioning of Haspel on issues such as the effectiveness of the interrogations, CIA drone strikes and agency renditions of suspected militants to third countries may be limited because the operations remain classified. Haspel needs 51 votes to be confirmed as the first woman director of the CIA in the 100-seat Senate, where Trumps fellow Republicans hold a 51-49 majority. The agencys former deputy director, she would succeed Mike Pompeo, a Republican former congressman confirmed last month as secretary of state. Haspel already has the strong support of many Republicans. As he opened the hearing, the panels Republican chairman, Richard Burr, praised Haspel. I believe your intellectual rigor, honorable service and outstanding judgment make you a natural fit to lead the CIA, he said, urging that the hearing not be made a trial about a long-shuttered program. At least one Republican, Senator Rand Paul, has said he opposes her, and others have said they will wait to see how she does at Wednesdays hearing. No Democrat has yet expressed support for Haspel. Senator Mark Warner, the committees top Democrat, said his vote on Haspels confirmation will largely depend on how she expresses her current views on the harsh techniques and a 2005 decision to destroy tapes of interrogations. We must hear how you would react if the president asks you to carry out some morally questionable behavior that might seem to violate a law or treaty, Warner said in his opening statement. An undercover officer for most of her more than 30-year career, Haspel in 2002 served as CIA station chief in Thailand, where the agency ran one of the secret prisons where suspected al Qaeda extremists were interrogated using procedures that included waterboarding, which simulates drowning. In response to a complaint on Monday by Warner that it was selectively declassifying information about Haspels 32-year CIA career to make her look good, the agency turned over personnel records detailing Haspels service. The documents are classified. Burr said there are no plans to make such documents public. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by John Walcott, James Dalgleish and Lisa Shumaker) Recommended Video: Trump Wants to Create a Space Force UK PM May Suffers Upper House Defeat Over Plans to Leave EU Single Market LONDONBritains upper house of parliament on Tuesday inflicted another embarrassing defeat on Prime Minister Theresa Mays government on Tuesday, challenging her plan to leave the European Unions single market after Brexit. May, who has struggled to unite the government behind her vision of Brexit, has said Britain will also leave the European Unions single market and customs union after it quits the bloc next March. That stance has widened divisions not only within her own Conservative Party but also across both houses of parliament, which like Britons at large, remain deeply split over the best way to leave the EU after more than four decades of membership. By a vote of 245 to 218, the unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, supported an amendment to her Brexit blueprint, the EU withdrawal bill, requiring ministers to negotiate continued membership of the European Economic Area, meaning that it would remain in the single market. The time has come over Brexit, really, for economic reality and common sense to prevail over political dogma and wishful thinking, said Peter Mandelson, a member of the House of Lords from the main opposition Labour Party, who backed the amendment. His comments drew criticism from pro-Brexit peers, including Conservative member Michael Forsyth who described the amendment as part of an attempt by a number of people in this house who wish to reverse the decision of the British people. Those proposing the amendment deny the charge. This is the 13th time in recent weeks that the government has been defeated in the House of Lords on the draft legislation that will formally terminate Britains EU membership. The votes can be overturned by the more powerful lower house, the House of Commons, where Mays party has a slim majority with the support of a small Northern Irish party, but could embolden lawmakers who hope to derail her plans to forge a new relationship with the EU. The defeat was also damaging for the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn after members of his party in the upper house defied orders to abstain from the vote and instead backed a cross-party alliance in support of the amendment. While Corbyn has changed his position to support Britains membership of a customs union with the EU, he remains opposed to remaining in the single market. No fixed Brexit date? Earlier, opposition parties in the Lords and rebels in Mays Conservative Party inflicted another defeat on the government, voting to strip out the fixed timing for Britain to leave the EU at 11 p.m. on March 29 next year. The government has already set the clock ticking in a two-year exit process hampered by her gamble on a snap election last June which cost her party its majority in parliament. It also remains unclear what the final divorce deal will look like. Some lawmakers criticised the governments plan to impose a specific date for Britain leaving the EU, saying it would create significant difficulties if negotiations with Brussels went down to the wire. The upper house of parliament also voted on Tuesday in favour of an amendment whereby Britain would continue to participate in EU agencies after leaving the bloc. After the Lords, the bill will return to the House of Commons. Both houses have to agree on the final wording of the bill before it can become law. This is the penultimate session for the bill in the upper chamber during the report stage, where members have already voted in favour of amendments including to compel ministers to seek a form of customs union with the EU. Mays slim majority in the House of Commons is likely to be severely tested in the next few weeks when she is expected to urge her divided party to reject the proposed changes. Lawmakers will have to decide later this year whether to back the government or reject the law with the risk that Britain could crash out of the EU in 2019 with no deal in place. US Treasury to Terminate Iran Aircraft Licence US Official WASHINGTONThe U.S. Treasury will terminate civil aviation companies export licenses for Iran following President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with that country, a senior American official said on Tuesday. Within the first 90 days the Treasury Department is going to work to terminate the specific licenses that were issued pursuant to the statement of licensing policy on civil aviation, a senior State Department official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Treasury will be reaching out to private-sector companies and work to terminate those licence in an orderly way, the official said. By Lesley Wroughton Recommended Video: Trump Wants to Create a Space Force NORWALK After eluding capture for nearly four years on arrest warrants for sexual assault of a child, a drunk-driving arrest in Florida led to the extradition back to Norwalk for a 39-year-old man. On Dec. 22, 2014, Norwalk Police received information Antonio Lazaro Torres-Rodriguez, formerly of Oak Street, had been sexually abusing a child in Norwalk over a prolonged period of time. An investigation was quickly initiated, revealing that a second juvenile victim was involved, police said The assigned investigator, Detective Tim Marquis of the Norwalk Police Special Victims Unit, secured an arrest warrant for Torres-Rodriguez. While attempting to take him into custody, it was learned he had fled Connecticut. Police said he was tracked across multiple states, eventually eluding law enforcement. On March 12, 2018, Torres-Rodriguez was arrested in Orlando, Fla. for allegedly driving under the influence. Despite having provided a false name to Orlando authorities, Torres-Rodriguezs fingerprints revealed his true identity, as well as the fact that he had an active arrest warrant stemming from the Norwalk incident, police said. Orlando authorities contacted Norwalk Police. On May 8, Marquis and Sgt. David Orr traveled to Orlando, took Torres-Rodriguez into custody, and transported him back to Norwalk without incident. He was charged with two counts each of first-degree sexual assault of a person under 10 years old, risk of injury to a minor and intentional cruelty to persons. His bond was set at $1 million. At his arraignment at Superior Court in Norwalk on May 9, Judge Alex Hernandez said the man poses a danger to the community and ordered his bond to remain as set. His case was transferred to the Part A docket at Superior Court in Stamford, where more serious cases are tried. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 25. EDWARDSVILLE Edwardsville officials have begun the process of deciding whether to allow LimeBike, a California-based bicycle sharing company that uses an app for reservations, to operate in the city. The company operates a dockless system in several cities across the country, including St. Louis, Chicago and Rockford, Ill. They typically offer cities a fleet of hundreds of sturdy lime-colored bikes outfitted with GPS units and 3G connectivity. The bikes have a basket in front plus a solar panel and smart lock. A 30-minute ride typically costs about a dollar. Before it happens here, though, there are issues that aldermen will need to work out, including deciding how many bikes to begin with and which areas around town to designate as "no parking" and "preferred parking." Alderman SJ Morrison said Edwardsville could start with a slower rollout than other cities starting with perhaps 50 to 100 bikes - with the understanding that more could be added later. That number would be negotiated between the city and LimeBike. And the "no parking" and "preferred parking" zones would be necessary to discourage cyclists from walking away from their LimeBike when they're finished and leaving sidewalks strewn with bikes. "The company can actually enforce it themselves with some triggers," Morrison said. "If you put the bike in the wrong area it will start sending you constant push notification. They can also charge you a higher fee if you put it in the wrong place." Morrison stressed that Edwardsville would not be required to make a capital outlay, and the city could, at any time, give LimeBike 60 days' notice "and they have to pull up and get out of town." The bikes could also fill a void for bus riders needing to "get that last mile from either a bus station or a bus stop to their home or business," Morrison said. Local municipalities, including Edwardsville and Glen Carbon, learned about LimeBikes a few months ago at a demonstration hosted by the Madison County Transit District. And in a recent demonstration at Edwardsville City Hall, officials here also had a chance to ride them and pepper company reps with questions about the program. Morrsion says city officials will be reviewing the Memorandums of Understandings that LimeBikes has with the City of St. Louis and other municipalities and keeping an eye out for how those cities fare with the program. "To me, Edwardsville is the perfect place for it," he said. "We already have a bicycle culture. We are at the epicenter of 130 miles of separated, Class 1 bikeways. We're a university community. We're a very walk-able, bike-able place already. So what better way than an affordable bike share program that doesn't require the city to maintain them, to own them, to pay for them, or to operate them." EDWARDSVILLE Edwardsville High School's Spring Orchestra Concert, which takes place at 7 p.m. Friday, will premiere a Bulgarian piece featuring cellist Dr. Marta Simidtchieva, Associate Professor of Cello at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. According to Simidtchieva's biography, she is a native of Bourgas, Bulgaria, where she began the cello at an early age and studied at the Bulgarian State Academy of Music. "Upon the completion of her degree, she performed with the New Symphony Orchestra in Sofia until her path led her to the United States to continue her studies," her biography notes. "She earned her doctorate in 2005 from Florida State University where she was a student of Lubomir Georgiev, a member of the Eppes String Quartet, and principal cellist with the University Symphony Orchestra with whom she was a soloist several times, most notably performing the Vivaldi 'Concerto for Two Cellos' with vocalist Bobby McFerrin." Simidtchieva has been on the faculty at SIUE since 2005. She has taught cello, chamber music, string methods, and general music courses and is a member of the LeClaire Piano Trio. She is a passionate music educator and frequent clinician, and each year she organizes "Cellobration," an event that brings together local students and teachers with a guest artist to perform and celebrate the art of cello playing. "Simidtchieva has performed with numerous orchestras, including the Illinois Symphony and Orlando Philharmonic, and has been a member of the faculty at the Eastern Music Festival since 2004 where each summer she teaches cello and chamber music, performs in the chamber music series, and plays in the Festival orchestra under the baton of Maestro Gerard Schwarz," her biography further notes. She is an an advocate for the music of composers from her native Bulgaria and has received several grants for her research. Her CD "Bulgarian Sketches" will be released by GEGA New this month. These sketches, originally for string orchestra were composed in 1952. Friday's concert will present an arrangement for solo cello and chamber orchestra marking the U.S. premiere of these pieces. Victoria Voumard, EHS Orchestra Director, explained that Simidtchieva has been rehearsing with the EHS orchestra students every day for the past week to prepare for Friday's concert. "She also performed a recital with pianist Kris Pineda for the students," Voumard pointed out. "They played Bulgarian music from the upcoming CD they recorded." "The music is challenging because of the unusual time signatures," Voumard added. "Marta calls it 'crooked' rhythms and students really have to be on their toes counting the beat." The EHS Spring Orchestra Concert is free, takes place in the EHS Auditorium, and the public is invited to attend. 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. 58 minutes ago Elon Musk says Tesla will move HQ from California to Texas Tesla will relocate its headquarters from Palo Alto, California, to Austin, Texas, though the electric car maker will keep expanding its manufacturing capacity in the Golden State, CEO Elon Musk said Thursday. Musk, who last year said he was moving to Texas from California, gave no timeline for the move when he addressed shareholders at Tesla's annual meeting. Read Article On Demand We have a new story every day on the front page of thephuketnews.com. Also like us on our Facebook page (facebook.com/thephuketnews) and be the first to watch all the new stories. Finally you can watch any segment, any time by going to thephuketnews.com/tv where all the stories are listed for you to enjoy. All our programs can be enjoyed in High Definition when watching on the internet. In-Room VDO CALGARYIts like going to the gym, but for your brain. And instead of getting physically stronger, students at Recovery College will learn how to build up their mental strength and resilience. Located in the downtown core, the Calgary region of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) opened its Centre for Excellence in Recovery and Peer Support on Tuesday, which will be home to the unique college and Welcome Centre. CMHA Calgarys executive director Laureen MacNeil said they wanted to take a new approach to mental health one that emphasized connection, hope and belonging. Its designed very much like a coffee house. You walk in and first thing, youre going to be greeted by a hello, said MacNeil. We thought about ourselves and said, OK, what would make it easier for me to walk in? Lets design it as if we would want our best friend to walk in there, or our family member. In addition to a space to connect, there are more than 30 courses all free, but registration is necessary to choose from: everything from getting a good nights sleep, exam stress, money basics and preparing for an emotionally challenging holiday season. MacNeil said the courses were designed with input from people with mental health or substance use challenges and are taught by both a peer worker and educator, or someone with a clinical background. We actually sat down with our trained peer support workers who all have lived experience with mental illness and addiction and said, What did you want to know when you were going through your recovery journey? she said. Its all about helping people build their personal strength and support their own resiliency. We spend so much time building our physical health, and we wanted to kind of take that theory and apply it to the college. MacNeil said anyone who wants to learn skills to improve their own mental health, or stay well while supporting a loved one, is welcome. There are courses for individuals, older adults, young adults, and family or friends. Although the majority of courses will be held at the downtown Welcome Centre, some will also be offered at community venues across the city. The centre will also connect people with community supports and services. Louise Bradley, president and CEO of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), said its important to connect people with others in their community who have had similar or relatable life experiences. The (MHCC) has long recognized that there is an important place for peer support within recovery-oriented services, and we congratulate CMHA Calgary region for launching this important community resource, Bradley said at Tuesdays ribbon-cutting. Were seeing evidence that peer support is reducing hospitalization, lessening stigma, decreasing symptoms and improving quality of life. Most importantly, it is giving hope and encouragement. Read more: I couldnt afford to go anywhere. Calgarys low-income transit pass is breaking barriers Calgary libraries plan for next chapter with talks of inner-city expansion Lived experience is important but not sufficient in mental-health and substance-use support, say experts Everything from the air quality to the lighting inside the Welcome Centre was considered in the buildings design, according to MacNeil, who said they wanted people to feel a sense of relaxation as soon as they walk in. After the 2013 flood, she said CMHA Calgary realized there was a gap between mental health awareness and people actively taking steps to build their own mental resiliency. If you can build up the skills and support before you have challenges, its probably going to help you in the long run I think thats whats been kind of missing in the full continuum of care, MacNeil said. We know theres lots of awareness out there, but we want to take it one step further. Wheres the prevention and mental health promotion? Thats the space we hope to fill. Read more about: EDMONTONThe Catholic archdiocese of Edmonton is using new evangelization to download the Holy Spirit to young minds. Archbishop Richard Smith, speaking to reporters at an annual media event Tuesday, talked about the churchs efforts in using technology to get its message to young people who are increasingly not hearing it. One of the things that weve been finding for a while is the challenge that we have to find language that renders the message of the gospel intelligible to people of the day, he said. Trying to translate the gospel into the lives of young people is to try and understand and to be with them in the whole world of technology. Thats where they are, theyre on that smartphone. The archdiocese launched a new media outlet, Grandin Media, last December. The team includes a social media expert, a videographer, a reporter and others to tell Alberta stories through a Catholic lens. The site succeeds the Western Catholic Reporter newspaper, which was printed for 51 years. While its a new strategy for the church, Smith said todays visual culture is, in a way, a sign of history repeating itself. You see first-hand how for centuries the church communicated precisely through visual image. In ages when people didnt have access to print material, or very often were illiterate ... communication took place through story and through picture often these beautiful masterpieces that are on the walls of churches are the ways in which the church told the gospel story through the ages, he said. And now in many ways, were back at that, but in a contemporary, digital kind of form. Smith also drew connections from smartphones to biblical history. In the Acts of the Apostles from the New Testament, St. Paul went to Areopagus in Athens to preach the gospel because that was where the people gathered. Todays Areopagus, Smith said, is online. Smith has also been visiting schools for listening sessions with students to better understand what they are going through in their lives and how the church can help them. He said kids are living with extraordinary stress and anxiety over unrealistic body image, grades, beauty and success, partly because of negative messages theyre getting through social media. Read more: Edmonton Catholic Archbishop slams Canada Summer Jobs Programs abortion clause Outcast from traditional congregations, LGBTQ followers find community in Edmonton Priest tells transgendered girls mother to try discipline Smith said many tell him they are rejected and mocked for self-identifying as Catholic, which he said is a sign of a culture that does not understand the religion. Its leaving kids with a feeling that they dont have anything solid to hold on to. So how do we respond to that? he said. Smith said university students are telling him the same thing, that they are feeling anxious swimming in a world of what they call individualism and relativism. He feels Catholic values, and the churchs sense of community, still mostly resonate with young people, if they can find the right way to send the message. Some members of the LGBTQ community told StarMetro recently that people are leaving the church due to its lack of acceptance of LGBTQ members and issues around womens ordination. Smith acknowledged questions do arise about those issues when he talks to young Edmontonians, but said he is required to adhere to the values of the Catholic Church and that all members are expected to assimilate into the churchs teachings. When we enter into the church as a disciple of the Lord, its on His terms, not on ours, he said. If theres an element of my life thats not in keeping with the teaching of Christ in his church, then to continue as a member of the church I need to reform my life and bring that into line with what Christ Himself has revealed. Smith said the number of Catholics in Edmonton has continued to steadily grow with the population, with immigrants making up many of its newest members. He estimates the archdiocese oversees 410,000 to 450,000 Catholics. Read more about: Edmonton Catholic Archbishop Richard Smith called the Canada Summer Jobs Programs abortion clause an outrage when speaking with media Tuesday. I think the way the government has put this out there and has continued to insist upon its particular approach is nothing less than an outrage, Smith said. We live in a liberal democracy, and what the government is doing is decidedly illiberal. The Canada Summer Jobs Program funds short-term contracts for secondary and post-secondary students. The clause, which was added to the application form last year, asks businesses to check a box attesting that their core mandate respects charter values including the right to abortion access and freedom of gender identity and expression. Smiths comments come the day after StarMetro Calgary revealed two small business owners in southern Alberta have filed a legal challenge asking provincial court to strike down the clause and rule that it violates the charter. Rhea Lynne and William Anderson, who own an irrigation business in Brooks, Alta., did not check the box when they applied for the summer jobs grant in January, and Service Canada told them their application would not be approved. Read more: Outcast from traditional congregations, LGBTQ followers find community in Edmonton Priest tells transgendered girls mother to try discipline Edmonton archbishop takes a digital road to reach out to young Catholics Smith said Tuesday that the idea that Canadians have a constitutional right to abortion is misinformation. We have a legal vacuum, but nowhere has there been a constitutional right, he said. On the contrary, Smith said he feels the government is ignoring and trampling on the constitutional right of religious organizations to freedom of conscience. Our position on this is crystal clear. Its a surprise to nobody. Abortion is the taking of an innocent human life in the womb, full stop, and therefore it is wrong and ought not to happen, Smith said. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement in January denouncing the clause. A preliminary hearing for the Andersons application is tentatively scheduled for June. Howard Kislowicz, an assistant law professor at the University of Calgary, told StarMetro Calgary that the court case will delve into what a charter value is compared to a charter right, whether the Andersons rights were infringed and, if so, whether the government can prove that infringement was justifiable. The Supreme Court of Canada struck down Criminal Code provisions against abortions in the 1980s but has not explicitly defined access to the procedure as a charter right, he said. With Files From Emma McIntosh Read more about: EDMONTONThe Alberta government is trying to fill the job of advocate for people with disabilities, but the scope of the position worries members of the community who say it isnt independent enough. As of last week, a job has been posted for an advocate to work with the minister of community and social services in helping people with disabilities have a voice in the government. But Bruce Uditsky, CEO of Inclusion Alberta, a non-profit that campaigns on behalf of people with developmental disabilities, said he is concerned that the advocate wont be reporting to the legislature, but to the minister directly. When consultations first began between organizations like Uditskys and the provincial government, he said it was made clear that an independent advocate was what they wanted. Ministers and parties in power change, meaning the advocate may not be able to remain consistent in their endeavours, he said. An independent advocate would allow some consistency, I think, with respect to what the community wants, he said. Another problem lies in the job description, he said, where a lack of articulation about what the community and government expect leaves the possibility for someone not fit for the job to be hired. Minister Irfan Sabir said hes confident enough consultation with the community has been done. After surveying more than 1,300 people, Sabir said he was very pleased with the responses. It was important for us as a government, and for me personally, to have community input, he said. His vision for the advocacy office is individual and family-based, with a focus on the community. I think empowerment to us means that the advocate will be able to do what the community wants them to do, he said. But Uditsky said systemic issues are what the advocate should focus on. If the advocate gets caught up in taking on individual cases all the time, their reported $1-million budget wouldnt be adequate. Just because of the numbers and the issues that are out there, he said. What would better serve the community is if the advocate worked to change systemic issues within the government, he added. This could include better support for unemployed people with disabilities or disabled children in state care. I believe in the possibilities that people can create if they work together, he said. Time will tell if this advocate is going to be establishing the necessary partnerships with the disability community. Kieran Leavitt is an Edmonton-based reporter. Follow him on Twitter: @kieranleavitt Read more about: HALIFAXPolice in Nova Scotia have charged a 90-year-old man with sexual assault stemming from allegations dating back to the 1960s. In a news release issued Wednesday, RCMP in the community of Arichat in Cape Bretons Richmond County said the charges come following an eight-month investigation into allegations of historical sexual assault after a victim recently came forward to police. The RCMP said Delmore Boudreau of Petit de Grat is the the suspect and that there are nine alleged victims. Police said Boudreau is facing charges for 12 sexual offences, but didnt provide any more details. The victims were between the ages of 4 and 12 at the time of the offences, which occurred between 1966 and 1986 on Isle Madame, a police statement read. In an interview, RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jennifer Clarke said police believe there are more victims, but not everyone they interviewed for the case wanted to pursue charges. We feel at this point we have been in contact with as many victims as there were, Clarke said. She also said regarding anyone they have spoken with who didnt pursue criminal charges but may now want to: We want to let people know, let victims know, if they are willing to come forward, we are willing to pursue an investigation. Clarke wouldnt give any more information about the accused, only that charges were laid last week, and that he is now out on bail with a court date set for May 28. Anyone with more information about the alleged incidents is asked to contact RCMP in Arichat at 902-226-2533. Read more about: HALIFAXA Halifax fire described by a Nova Scotia rescue official as one of the largest theyve responded to in recent years is being investigated as a possible arson. Halifax Regional Police is handling the file after a blaze engulfed a south-end building known as the Knightsbridge Complex early Tuesday on Inglis St. in the citys south end. Police spokeswoman Const. Carol McIsaac confirmed on Wednesday that they are treating the fire as suspicious. She said the blaze was deemed suspicious by fire investigators on Tuesday, and a forensic identification unit went to the scene. The case is now being handled by the general investigation section, she said, adding that two people in the department specialize in fire cases. The call to the fire department and police came in at around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. Video posted to social media shortly after showed heavy flames and smoke coming from 5460 Inglis St., a heritage building made up of multiple apartment units, next to an Ultramar gas station. The blaze closed Inglis St. from Tower Rd. to Victoria Rd., in addition to the surrounding side streets, for several hours. By 2 p.m. Tuesday, the fire had been contained and extinguished, although fire crews were still on scene searching for hot spots. Halifax Fires deputy chief of operations Brian Gray said at the height of the fire there were as many as 10 fire vehicles on scene and about 30 firefighters. The building is currently uninhabitable. Red Cross volunteers arrived on the scene at 4:30 a.m. A Halifax Transit bus was parked a couple blocks away and served as a comfort centre. Certainly outside the city weve done bigger things, but this is the biggest one weve gone to in awhile, Ancel Langille, provincial manager for disaster management with the Canadian Red Cross in Nova Scotia, said in an interview after the blaze. Langille said 18 people displaced by the blaze had registered with the Red Cross before noon on Tuesday. Read more about: Emily Nield was driving down the I-75 on her way to Knoxville, Tenn., where she had recently finished graduate school, when she was pulled over. She was caught driving 87 miles per hour in a 70 zone through the small town of Adel, Georgia. The Vaughan resident doesnt dispute that. What is in dispute is why she ended up handcuffed, in the back of a police car, with a mug shot taken of her before she was forced to wear an orange jumpsuit for five hours on her 27th birthday. She says it was because she was driving with a Canadian licence. She took a look at my licence and claimed it wasnt valid, Nield said. She said she could not prove that my licence was legal. The officer asked Nield for other identification, but she did not accept photos of her passport or Nexus card on her phone, or any other cards in her wallet. She kept saying that I could have been a Mexican trying to get across the border, Nield said. She was handcuffed and put into the back of a police car by Claire McLellan, an officer for the Cook County Sheriffs Office. While in the car, Nield recorded a video on Snapchat alerting a friend that she had been arrested for driving without a licence. Ive never been arrested, Ive never been in cuffs. This is really tough to work my Snapchat, Nield said in the video. Nield was brought to a jail where she was told that she needed to post an $880 bail bond that could only be paid in cash. Eventually, she was allowed to pay with a debit card. While in the waiting room, Nields friend found a lawyer to represent her. (A sergeant) Googled it, and found out I was in the right, I never should have been arrested, Nield said. After posting the bail, she was released. Nield said it was about five hours between the initial arrest and her arrival at the impound lot, where she was able to retrieve her car. She said her bail money will be reimbursed, and she has had her record expunged. Now, she is staying with her parents in Vaughan. This could have stopped if (the officer) let me contact the consulate, or even did a Google search on her own phone, or contacted dispatch for clarification, Nield said. But none of this occurred. Instead, it was straight to jail. Nobody from the Cook County Sheriffs Office would speak to the Star, but it did release a statement regarding Nields arrest on April 2. Baesd on Ms. Nields own words, she produced a valid drivers licence from Ontario but only had photos on her phone of her Nexus card and passport, the statement read. Ms. Nield also stated that she was living in the state of Tennessee and did not have a Tennessee licence, which prompted the deputy sheriff to arrest Ms. Nield. The statement said Interstate 75 brings about a million travellers through Cook County each month. Law enforcement regularly encounters individuals who are engaged in crimes such as identity theft, Capt. Brent Exum of the Cook County Sheriffs Office said in the statement. That is why we follow (guidelines) and request a passport or visa to verify their identity. So are you allowed to drive in the U.S. with a valid Ontarios licence? The Canadian Automobile Association says you can. Make sure you have supporting documentation when youre in the States, said Jessica Piche, a CAA employee who works in travel services. CALGARYThe president of a defence lawyers group says strike action is possible if the Alberta government doesnt come to the table with serious cash to fix legal aid. Its not an empty threat, Ian Savage, president of the Calgary Criminal Defence Lawyers Association, said at a news conference Tuesday. Savage said Legal Aid Alberta needs an immediate infusion of cash so the provinces working poor are able to get a lawyer if they need one. Read more: Alberta defence lawyers demand boost to Legal Aid Law society seeks greater involvement in legal aid issues Opinion | Editorial: Legal Aid Ontario should not squander scarce resources Cases are being delayed more and more, and its just a fact that the system is underfunded throughout and its falling apart, he said. Were talking about poor people here. He said lawyers could well follow the example set by their legal-aid counterparts in Ontario five years ago who essentially went on strike until changes were made. Its absolutely an option, he said. What happened in Ontario ... was the senior lawyers collectively agreed not to take on any new cases for a period of months, including murders and all other serious matters. Those (clients) essentially went unrepresented for months and months while the government struggled to find them lawyers in another fashion. Savage said anyone making more than $19,000 a year is ineligible for legal aid in Alberta. The governments increases to minimum wage now at $13.60 an hour could put some full-time workers over that threshold for assistance, he said. The simple math of the matter clearly demonstrates that by the governments own numbers really poor people, in particular the working poor, are not even eligible for legal aid, Savage said. Its going in the wrong way. Scott Sehested, a spokesperson for Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley, said the government increased funding for Legal Aid Alberta in this years budget. He said the increase reflects the governments commitment to ensuring legal aid services are available for people who need them. Since 2015, the government has increased legal aid funding by nearly 40 per cent, raised the minimum income level to access legal aid representation and increased tariffs for legal aid lawyers. The department is negotiating a new governance agreement for Legal Aid Alberta with the Law Society of Alberta, he said. The negotiations will determine long-term funding for duty counsel at first appearance bail hearings. The agreement is expected to be in place by the end of this year. Legal-aid funding in Alberta was set at $89 million for 2018. Calgary defence lawyers began job action last month by moving files from the Case Management Office a counter at the courthouse where justices of the peace handle logistics to courtrooms with judges. Savage said a significant number of cases being set for trial will slow the courts down even further. The association wants a 65 per cent increase, or about $60 million, over four years, starting with a 40 per cent bump this year. Savage said there have been some discussions over the last week behind the scenes, but added the government needs to negotiate in earnest. Were waiting for the government to come to us and negotiate in good faith ... but with dollars on the table. Read more about: Canada will formally apologize for turning away a boat full of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939, resulting in scores of them dying, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday. In a well-received speech to a sold-out Jewish fundraising event, Trudeau said the decision by Canada to force the German ocean liner MS St. Louis to return to Europe was a blight on our collective past. An apology in the House of Commons will not rewrite this shameful chapter of our history, Trudeau said. It will not bring back those who perished or repair the lives shattered by tragedy. But it is our hope that this long overdue apology will bring awareness to our failings, as we vow to never let history repeat itself. Read more: Tragedy of MS St. Louis remains a blot on Canadas history Liberals plan apology for 1939 decision to turn away Jewish refugees aboard MS St. Louis The Torontonian who survived the ship the world rejected In the run-up to the Second World War and the ensuing Holocaust, the Canadian government heeded anti-Semitic sentiment by severely restricting Jewish immigration. From 1933 to 1945, only about 5,000 Jewish refugees were accepted due to what Trudeau called our discriminatory none is too many immigration policy in place at the time. He called the turning away of the ship a most egregious example of the misguided policy. The St. Louis was carrying 907 German Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. Its captain, Gustav Schroder, tried in vain to find homes for his passengers. In addition to Cuba, the United States also turned away the refugees. Forced to return to Europe, 254 of those aboard eventually died in the slaughter that became the Holocaust. We cannot turn away from this uncomfortable truth, and Canadas part in it, Trudeau said. We must learn from this story, and let its lessons guide our actions going forward. The March of the Living program has seen thousands of Holocaust survivors and others travel to Poland to honour the memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis in concentration camps. Trudeau spoke eloquently of his own pilgrimage to Auschwitz, the infamous concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. We stared at the barbed wire fences that once separated the enslaved from their captors. We marched along the railways that delivered so many Jews to their deaths, Trudeau said. My visit to Auschwitz will forever stay with me and guide my time as prime minister, but also as a father, husband, son, brother and citizen. In a statement, the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre applauded Trudeaus announcement as a meaningful step toward acknowledging the shameful chapter. While an apology can never change the past, it can awaken the national conscience to ensure such grave mistakes are never repeated in the future, centre president Avi Benlolo said. Trudeau also said recent figures indicate 17 per cent of all hate crimes in Canada target Jewish people. He said it pained him that Jews more than any other religious group are the victims of hate crimes. We need to do more, as a society, to end xenophobic and anti-Semitic attitudes that still take root in our communities, in our schools, and in our places of work, the prime minister said. Trudeau said he looked forward to offering the apology himself on the floor of the House of Commons, but he gave no date. The audience applauded loudly at the announcement. Tuesday was the first official recognition of May as Jewish Heritage Month, a designation passed by the Commons earlier this year. The fundraiser raised more than $1.1 million. For the first time in a provincial election in Ontario, voters will use electronic voting machines when they head to the polls on June 7. The voters paper lists will also be a thing of past in most ridings, replaced by an electronic version called e-Poll Book. Elections Ontario says the new technology should help speed up both the voting and ballot-counting process. When voters show up at a polling station, a machine will scan their notice of registration card, a process similar to scanning food at a grocery store. Read more: Premier Kathleen Wynne says Liberals would expand the Greenbelt if re-elected Doug Ford promises more subways for Toronto NDP promises OHIP coverage for take-home cancer drugs Then the voters will receive their ballot from an official, fill it out and hand it back to the official who will put it through the tabulating machine. A spokesperson for Elections Ontario says the new technology was tested at two byelections in 2016, and was also used in a variety of municipal elections. Were hoping this will be much more efficient for the voter, said Cara Des Granges. Getting results should be faster and the technology is proven to be more reliable than tabulating votes by hand. In the Feb. 11, 2016 byelection in the Whitby-Oshawa riding, it took only 30 minutes to count the ballots using the new machines, compared to the 90 minutes it took officials to count them by hand, according to an Elections Ontario report that examined the byelection. The report also said the new technology would help with another election issue: staffing. Elections Ontario is increasingly unable to find the required number of polling officials, wrote Greg Essensa, the provinces Chief Electoral Officer in the byelection report, titled Proposal for a technology-enabled staffing model for Ontario provincial elections. Its not an easy job, he wrote, with election officials working 14- to 16-hour days with the meticulous vote-counting coming at the very end of the day. In 2014, there were 76,000 polling officials working on election day. As the population grows, and with 17 new electoral districts added to the election map Elections Ontario estimates it would have needed 100,000 polling officials if the voting system remained the same. Instead, only 55,000 polling officials will be working on election day, Des Granges said. The report also said the agency had looked at internet voting, but to date it had not found a networked voting solution that would protect the integrity of the electoral process. The new technology, however, is not perfect, noted the report. Some of the e-Poll Books had connectivity issues that forced staff to revert to the paper lists, some of the scanners didnt work and staff had trouble resolving the issues. The machines wont be everywhere on election day, however. Theyll be in about 50 per cent of the voting locations, but will serve 90 per cent of the electorate. Another reason to switch to machines is driven by the times, the agency said. The public has an expectation as a modern society to expect modern services and this is what were trying to do, Des Granges said. OTTAWA Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has delivered a thinly veiled rebuke to the Trump administration and Israel over their opposition to the Iran nuclear deal, setting the stage for a divisive G7 summit next month. Trudeau said he regrets President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 agreement that was negotiated by the worlds major powers. We will respect the capacity of individual countries to make their decisions about foreign policy, Trudeau said Wednesday. But for Canadas purpose, we make our decisions around foreign policy here in Ottawa, not in Washington, not elsewhere. Last week, a senior Israeli intelligence official was in Ottawa to garner support for his governments opposition to the Iran agreement. Chagai Tzuriel, director general of Israels Ministry of Intelligence, told The Canadian Press that he was seeking support from Canada and Western countries for either cancelling or strengthening a deal that his government views as flawed and ultimately ineffective in stopping Irans pursuit of nuclear weapons. Tzuriel was in Ottawa one day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus televised multimedia presentation trumpeted Iranian documents obtained by Israelis intelligence agency, Mossad, that he said show Iran lied about pursuing nuclear weapons before signing the 2015 deal. There was no direct evidence in Netanyahus presentation that Iran violated the deal after signing it. Read more: Irans top leader, lawmakers lash out at U.S. after Trump pulls out of nuclear deal Trump says hes withdrawing U.S. from Iran nuclear deal Iranian President Rouhani seeks European Union guarantees not to scrap nuclear deal On Wednesday, Trudeau said the Iran nuclear deal wasnt perfect, but it helped prevent that country from developing a nuclear weapon. Trudeau also stressed Canada is firmly aligned with most countries, including other NATO allies in supporting the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. We know that standing firmly in support of the JPCOA with our NATO allies and others is extremely important. The prime minister said he expects the Iran decision to be a topic of discussion when he hosts Trump and their G7 counterparts in Quebec at their annual summit next month. It is clearly shaping up as a discussion that will expose a major cleavage between the U.S. and its G7 partners. The major European countries, China and Russia are all continuing to express their support for the agreement following Trumps decision to end U.S participation and restore sanctions against Iran. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the decision underscores the need for Europe to take increasing responsibility for peace and security, similar to the message she delivered after Trumps debut at last years G7 summit. Six countries, including the U.S. negotiated the deal: the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council the U.S., Britain, France, China and Russia as well as Germany. Merkel said in a speech that Germany remains committed to the agreement and will try to do everything it can to ensure Iran fulfills its future commitments. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told his Parliament that Britain will continue to respect the deal as long as international inspectors can verify Irans compliance. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a speech to a Belgian regional parliament that Trumps decision shows the U.S. no longer wants to co-operate with other parts in the world. At this point, we have to replace the United States, which as an international actor has lost vigour, and because of it, in the long term, influence, he said. The EU is also a full-fledged G7 member. Read more about: Halton police are hoping someone will come forward and help them catch a killer who has gone unpunished for nearly 45 years. Pauline Ivy Dudley was just 17 when her lifeless body was found in a farmers field in Oakville on Aug. 28, 1973. In describing Pauline, Halton police Det. Const. Quince Buchanan, who is assigned to this cold case, painted a picture of a young woman who was just starting to make a life for herself. The former General Wolfe High School student had moved out of her parents Bronte home a year before her death and had moved in with her boyfriend in Milton. The pair had recently done some travelling together, but in the summer of 1973 getting work was on Paulines mind. Buchanan noted she had started applying for receptionist positions at various hotels in the area. The day Pauline went missing, Aug. 20, 1973, Buchanan said she had spent some time with friends and was later dropped off at her parents Lakeshore Road home for a visit. She left their home at around 10 p.m., indicating she was heading home to Milton. Her boyfriend says she never made it. The last person to see her was her mother, said Buchanan. She was planning to hitchhike home. Paulines boyfriend reported her missing to Halton police the following day, Aug. 21. Her body was found by a farmer working his fields at the corner of Lower Base Line and Highway 25 in Oakville on Aug. 28. She was found in an advanced state of decomposition. She was fully clothed and partially buried under the hay and the wheat in that field, said Buchanan. The cause of death was not determined due to the decomposition. Pauline had a hairline fracture of her jaw. Buchanan noted efforts to conceal the body also pointed to foul play. He said no motive was ever established for Paulines death her wallet was found nearby. There was nothing specific that would make you think, This is the reason this person was murdered, said Buchanan. During the investigation police tracked down several individuals who had been recently seen in the area where Paulines body was found, however, nothing came of those interviews. While Buchanan said there were suspects in Paulines death the investigation never progressed to the point where police could lay charges. He said DNA was found at the scene, but declined to say what that DNA was. When asked if this DNA could ever help catch the killer Buchanan said he wasnt sure. The samples degrade over time. Unfortunately I dont know if there will be enough to be retested and break this case, he said. If there are advances in technology CFS (Centre for Forensic Sciences) will ask us to resubmit samples that werent suitable before. If that is offered that is something we can do. That is an ongoing thing. Buchanan said there have been no recent developments in the cold case and noted that while the case is reviewed on an ongoing basis, there are plenty of recent crimes to which police have to give priority. Thats just how these things play out, I guess, said Buchanan. You hope someone walks through the door at some point and discloses something they have been withholding for years. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Halton police at 905-465-8768 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Read more about: A retired Toronto police sergeant accused of sexually assaulting and harassing a female colleague testified at a human rights tribunal that two police investigations into the same allegations against him both found them to be unfounded. However, he told the tribunal, he was never interviewed during the investigation by the Special Investigations Unit. I dont know the exact number of people that were interviewed by the SIU, but to date, I have yet to be reviewed as a subject officer, Sgt. Angelo Costa told the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario hearing Tuesday. I have no idea (why). Read more: Human rights tribunal hears former cop describe toxic culture of harassment Opinion | Rosie DiManno: Human Rights complaint shows little has changed at Toronto Police Service Police environment 'poison' for women officers, tribunal told Costa said both the SIU and the forces Professional Standards unit had labelled the allegations made against him by Const. Heather McWilliam as unfounded. McWilliam, 33, filed a claim with the tribunal in 2014. She alleges she was sexually harassed and humiliated for years by her supervising officers and that she was punished for speaking out. She also alleges a systemic problem with the way female officers are treated within the force. Her case has been progressing intermittently since November 2016. Over two days of examination and cross-examination this week, Costa denied the allegations against him including that he kissed McWilliam during a social outing at a police watering hole before she started in his platoon; that he tried to put his tongue in her mouth; and that he made sexual comments and gestures toward her and others, including miming sex acts and boasting about his oral sex abilities. On Monday, Costa, speaking on the allegations relating to the social outing, told the tribunal he gave McWilliam a shoulder to shoulder hug. It was an innocuous hug. It was just see you later, welcome to the platoon, he said. She could have said no. She could have held her hands up, he added on Tuesday. She didnt give me any indication that she wasnt willing. He also said if he had kissed McWilliam, other officers at the same outing would have witnessed it. Costa testified that he never discussed sex with McWilliam. When asked during cross-examination specifically whether hed spoken about being an expert at oral sex, Costa said no, Im not an expert. When asked by McWilliams lawyer Kate Hughes whether it was possible hed made comments referring to being an old Italian man or an old hairy Italian man, Costa said: Anything is possible in life, but I dont recall ever saying those comments. Costa testified that he never made any joke or engaged in any banter or teasing of a sexual nature, either directly or indirectly by innuendo, during more than three decades on the Toronto Police Service and that the tribunals hearings had kept him from enjoying his retirement. I have to keep coming down here for the dates. I cant fully enjoy what I worked hard to achieve, which is a place in the sunny side of the United States, spending six months there and six months here, he said. He also testified about the impact of the case on his wife and three daughters. I have no idea why she did this, he said of McWilliam. My reputation has been damaged. Its been all over the news. On Monday, the tribunal also heard from Staff Sgt. Brent Swackhamer. He testified that hed instructed Costa to do a wellness check on McWilliam when she was home on medical leave. McWilliam has earlier testified that she has been on sick leave since 2014, diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of persistent workplace harassment. Swackhamer said, at the time of giving instructions to Costa, he hadnt known why she was at home, or about her PTSD diagnosis. Swackhamer said Costa had asked around the platoon to see if anyone knew what was going on with McWilliam. I would have preferred that he had gone and done the wellness check, Swackhamer said, when pressed by McWilliams lawyers on the stand. Costa later testified that he thought it was easier and that it was a busy Saturday. He further said hed been bordering on insubordination at the time. Amandi Esonwanne, lawyer for Toronto Police Services Board, asked Swackhamer if he witnessed Costa miming a sex act during an afternoon or evening parade at the police station. Swackhamer said he did not. He was also asked by McWilliams council about an incident where he didnt allow McWilliam to extend an assignment with the homicide squad. He was asked whether she was denied the opportunity because she was a woman. Swackhamer said that was not the reason, but he testified at the tribunal that she was his only female officer at the time and he needed her to return to the platoon, saying that female officers were better at de-escalating certain scenarios, more empathetic and he needed one on his team to search female prisoners. The tribunal resumes on June 5. From affordable housing to transit and environment, Toronto and cities around the world face some big challenges, and a new initiative at the University of Toronto wants to help address some of the toughest ones. The School of Cities, set to launch on July 1, is touted as a platform for students and academics across disciplines to engage with city builders and urban policy-makers and generate practical solutions to day-to-day challenges. The way we see the opportunity for the School of Cities, its kind of like a big tent, said Shauna Brail, director of U of Ts urban studies program. The university already has over 200 urban experts across its three campuses who are doing research in a range of disciplines such as public health, engineering and architecture. The School of Cities aims to bring them together for a collision of ideas, she said. The new school will not be a degree-granting unit with its own faculty staff and students. Instead, Brail explained, it will serve as a hub for industry experts, governments and community partners to work together in addressing specific urban problems. If were discussing affordable housing, for instance, which is a huge challenge in Toronto, what does architecture contribute? What does public health or urban design or public arts contribute? she said. Were really missing out on building a fuller picture by not bringing all those partners and individuals together. Brail said the creation of the school was partially inspired by recent estimates from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs that predict about 66 per cent of the worlds total population will live in urban centres by 2050 up from 54 per cent in 2014. According to Statistics Canada 2016 numbers, the urban population in the Toronto region is growing at a pace of about 100,000 people every year. Such growth requires co-ordinated efforts to make city centres livable and sustainable, Brail said. Plans are underway for the school to host a global cities summit at which the worlds leading urban thinkers will convene to discuss metropolitan issues. The university is also working on a number of international partnerships to extend the schools outreach, including recently signed MOUs with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in Mumbai, and the Pune Smart City Development Corporation, Brail added. Urban planner Joe Berridge said the U of T initiative is similar to the LSE Cities, a centre at the London School of Economics that applies research and teaching projects to identify and solve issues in urban centres. Ive been terribly envious of that program, and we dont have that kind of thing in Toronto right now, said Berridge, who has contributed to notable urban projects such as the Manchester Airport City plan, the Downtown Sudbury Master Plan and the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization project. He believes the School of Cities has the potential to become an internationally-recognized hub for transforming cities and helping run them in a practical manner. Theres nowhere a city manager can learn what other cities are doing, in a learning environment, he said of the role this school could play. I think whats lacking in the city is an objective attempt to think at big city problems from a real analytical way. This combination of academics and practitioners could be a marvellous opportunity. The revelation that actors were hired to attend a Toronto rally this week in support of Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is part of a larger trend that is cause for real concern, say political experts. This form of political deception, which dates back at least as far as the first century AD, when Nero, the infamous Roman emperor, would regularly pay audience members to clap for his musical performances, arguably peaked some 1,800 years later in antebellum U.S. presidential politics, before largely falling into disuse. But in recent years, it seems to have made a dramatic comeback. Read more: Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Why this Ontario election campaign matters and is so maddening Here are the four candidates wanting to be Ontarios next premier, and what theyre promising Opinion | Editorial: No Oscars for Ford Nation The practice, also known as astroturfing the process of creating an illusion of grassroots support (named after the artificial turf used to replace grass) returned to public attention during the most recent U.S. presidential election. In 2015, Donald Trump was accused of manufacturing support by paying actors $50 a person to wear campaign T-shirts, hold signs, and cheer when he announced his candidacy. Now, the allure of crowds-for-hire can be seen enticing Ontario political candidates. Conservative officials confirmed Monday that the campaign of Toronto Centre PC hopeful Meredith Cartwright was behind the recent piece of electoral theatre, which the officials described as an isolated mistake. Still, political experts believe astroturfing, in its various forms, is taking root in Canada. One cannot assume other than it is already here, and that it will continue to grow until there are serious legislative decisions taken to prevent it, said Robin Sears, a principal at Earnscliffe Strategy Group, Star columnist and a former NDP strategist of 20 years. Our experience (with) election techniques and practices in Canada going back to when I was starting in this business a long, long time ago is that we always copy the Americans, usually one election cycle later. But Sears said the practice of paying for supporters in the real world is far less prevalent and dangerous than is astroturfing online. Anonymity granted by social media means campaigns can put their money behind tactics like using online trolls, people who anonymously create accounts and post content with the purpose of pushing an agenda. Russian trolls dominated the American presidential election headlines in 2016, accused of meddling with the democratic process. In February, 13 Russians were charged with offences relating to their alleged plot to interfere with the presidential election through social media propaganda. Top executives at Facebook, Twitter and Google have also admitted that the platforms were used by Russia to interfere in the 2016 election. The purposefully divisive troll posts enjoyed hundreds of thousands of likes and shares, numbers that can easily be amplified through bots, or automatized accounts that run as if they were commanded by a human. The degree that you can multiply the impact of your anonymous attack very cheaply and efficiently is even more troubling, said Sears. This is very easy to do on a wholesale level and very hard to be caught doing. I think it is probably the most serious threat to all the democracies around the world. Elizabeth Dubois, an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa, studies political bots and the use of automation in campaigns. Manipulation of social media versions of public opinion could, given enough spotlight, be very influential, she said. Her research on the 2015 federal election did not, however, find a major impact of political bots. She also studied the hashtag #CrookedChristine, deployed during the Ontario PC leadership race to take shots at candidate Christine Elliot, and found that many of the accounts were created within a few minutes of each other, had stock image photos, and their activity was consistent with bot accounts. All of this pointed to astroturfing, she said. What were seeing, I think, is small scale experiments right now, and I expect that as we get closer and closer to the election, more of these kinds of tactics will come forward, Dubois said. Creating online astroturfing armies is an inexpensive tactic compared to generating a paid-for crowd to create the illusion of support and play into social pressures, said Tim Abray, a political studies teaching fellow and Ph.D. candidate at Queens University. The thing that distinguishes this, and sends it into a potential grey area or even, for someone like me, a red zone is that these are not actual supporters, he said. Theyre simply props. Abray said the illusion created by large crowds plays into social pressures that can influence how people vote. The bandwagon effect, namely making a decision based on a candidates presumed popularity, is something politicians like Trump or Ford are apparently playing into when boasting about the size of their crowds. In the provincial election, Abray doubts that astroturfing will sway the result because the practice is not widely used here. However, he said researchers will be keeping an eye on whether it begins to take over traditional, labour intensive tactics like holding rallies for genuine supporters. If we continue to use these sorts of tactics where we wallpaper the universe with manufactured support, it means that people with more money or deeper pockets or better financed campaigns are going to have an easier time, he said. And thats something that we should be deeply concerned about. Read more about: Starting next week, you will be able to buy clothes from one of the largest discount grocery store chains in Canada. On Monday, No Frills announced via a short video posted on social media that it would be launching Hauler, its new clothing brand. According to the company, a hauler defined in the post as someone who gets a lot, for a lot less is: 1. Someone who cares not for frills. 2. Someone who is frugal, and proud of it. 3. Someone who hauls. Hard. (See definition of haul) 4. Someone who shops at No Frills. Read more: Parkdale celebrates its No Frills life with sold-out T-shirts The website for the clothing shop is now accepting preorders on five items: three t-shirts, one long-sleeve shirt, and one sweatshirt, all with the chains signature yellow tint. No prices are listed yet, but the company has stated the items will not be priced for profit, and instead hopes to break even. Were really excited, said Mary MacIssac, vice-president of marketing, discount division, for Loblaw Companies. This is a way of celebrating the No Frills swagger, and doing it in the No Frills way. The move follows other food retailers who have expanded into clothing. McDonalds has offered Big Mac burger print onesies, KFC launched pillowcases with Colonel Sanderss face, and Taco Bell is selling bodysuits. I think its a very good idea, said David Soberman, a marketing professor at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. People go to do their grocery shopping and they also buy a lot of clothing. Parkdale Life, whose Instragram account has more than 30,000 followers, launched its own No Frills-inspired clothing brand last year. They sold t-shirts and hats for $25 each, eventually donating the $1,300 proceeds to the Parkdale Community Food Bank. In an email to the Star, Parkdale Life expressed concerns the campaign may not be in keeping with No Frills stripped-down ethos. The branding is sleek and obviously creative agency-ey but to me it feels that if you are identically imitating hypebeast streetwear tropes (the graphics, the video, the drops jesus, the drops!) youre not in the spirit of no frills. Its ... a frill, one might say. With files from The Canadian Press. The TTC is offering a solution for when commuters sitting on a crowded bus or train arent aware that another passenger needs a seat. Its rolling out big blue buttons with the words, Please offer me a seat. The objective is to allow people to self-identify their need for a seat, TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said Tuesday. People have disabilities that are both visible and invisible. Sometimes people have a temporary need for seat, if they just had surgery. The TTCs advisory committee on accessible transit worked to bring the concept, an import from New York and London, to fruition. The trouble is that its hard sometimes to tell who may need a seat, Green said. Complicating it further is that some passengers who need to sit, dont want to inconvenience anyone by asking. Jae Brown, 54, who suffers from epilepsy, said hes reluctant to ask for a seat because hes shy. There have been times when Ive been standing when Ive been wishing that, yeah, I should have a seat, he said. I could have an epileptic seizure at any time, and I would need to be (sitting). Brown said he picked up a button Tuesday morning at College station. He said he hopes it will make his commutes downtown from Etobicoke easier. Hopefully its going to help make it a friendlier city, he said. I think our city needs some of that right now, people working together to make a great city for everyone. I think the buttons will help. Some passengers who are sitting comfortably can be testy towards people who grapple with different disabilities, Green said. There have been cases where people will either challenge someones need for a seat or just not decide to give it up, Green said. We think most of our customers are more courteous than that. Julie Voyce, 61, says buttons pinned to lapels dont go far enough because people are too engrossed in their phones to care. If this idea was coming up 15 to 20 years ago, it would have worked, she said. I like what it means, its intention. I think its necessary, but we have a bunch of screen gnomes now. Wearing the buttons, which are available from TTC customer service agents and collector booths, is voluntary and not a prerequisite to getting priority seating on public transit. Green said the TTC is also designing cards for people who may wish to be more discrete about their disabilities. Part of our corporate plan is to improve accessibility on the TTC, Green said. By 2025, the entire system has to be accessible by law, but we wanted to get ahead of that. This (the buttons) is another way to allow people to have a comfortable ride on conventional transit. The Star spoke with several people milling around Union Station on Tuesday night, asking them if they were to sport a button to bring about positive change on public transit, what would it be? Voyce said she would have a very large one reading, Give all pregnant women a seat, right now. Its like, youre eight months pregnant, carrying this huge thing, she said. How are your legs feeling, how is your back feeling, your boobs? Sam Hawk, 20, also a regular TTC user, says too often he sees people taking up seats with their bags, which is why hed sport a button calling for their removal. I wish people would be more aware of their surroundings and of other peoples feelings, he said. Its not just about you. Youre sharing the space. Lucia Calugaru, 52, said shed wear a button requesting conversations to be at a more appropriate volume. Its not that often, but it bothers me when people have too loud conversations, she said. Its OK to have a conversation, just control the volume of your voice. You dont even have to eavesdrop, its just so loud. Students at least three Toronto high schools plan to walk out of class this Friday to demand the provincial government take action to protect students from teachers who engage in sexual abuse or misconduct. The protest will happen days after the province changed the law to revoke the licences of teachers who grope or sexually touch their students, following a Star investigation into abusive teachers that had been transferred from school to school. That change is long overdue, but not enough, Harbord Collegiate Institute student Sara Escallon-Sotomayor, 16, told the Star on Wednesday. There are still some things that are lacking in legislation that we think are necessary to make schools a safer environment, she said. Escallon-Sotomayor was among a group of students from Harbord who mobilized around a homegrown movement called Not Just Rumours, after a Star investigation probed the case of a Harbord teacher alleged to have engaged in sexualized behaviour for years. And she and her fellow students know precisely what theyre asking for. The students launched an online petition a month ago asking for reforms to the Protecting Students Act and citing previous investigative work by the Star. Its garnered more than 17,000 signatures to date. They also wrote a letter to Ontario Education Minister Indira Naidoo-Harris, asking for four specific steps to be taken. They asked that Ontario College of Teachers be required to develop policies for training its members and others, to recognize and address signs of professional misconduct, and familiarizing these individuals with the disciplinary processes that follow reporting. As well, the students asked Naidoo-Harris to provide new tools for teachers, administrators and students to determine when suspicions of misconduct should be reported; develop protections and supports for survivors of sexual abuse and their families; and revoke teachers licenses in all cases where theyre found guilty of sexual misconduct or abuse. The new amendments, which will automatically revoke teachers licences if theyre found guilty of groping or sexually touching students, received royal assent Wednesday. Any other findings of sexual abuse that dont result in revocation will now carry a mandatory suspension of the teachers licence. Sexual abuse, under the Ontario College of Teachers Act, is defined as sexual intercourse, physical sexual relations, touching of a sexual nature and behaviour or remarks of a sexual nature by a teacher towards a student. The students are now pressing for more action on incidents of sexual misconduct defined as inappropriate behaviour or remarks of a sexual nature by the teacher towards one or more students that doesnt meet the standard of sexual abuse, but that a reasonable person would expect to cause distress to a student, be detrimental to their physical or mental well-being or create a negative school environment. The new amendment specifies that students who were victimized by sexually abusive teachers will be eligible for new funding to access therapy and counselling, administered by the Ontario College of Teachers, the provincial oversight and licensing body. But, Escallon-Sotomayor said, its unclear whether this funding will be available for victims of sexual misconduct. She says the students would also like to see more concrete commitments from the government around providing their requested tools for navigating the reporting process. We think thats a very important component of our movement, and we think thats going to be a very important component to make sure schools are a safe environment and a secure learning environment, for all students, all the time, Escallon-Sotomayor said. Wed like a timeline by the legislative assembly to see when theyd make the other changes we asked of them, she said. For that, theyll continue their rallies on Friday. We think this is very important, because it unites communities around the issues, and it unites students around the organizations that affect us, she said. We welcome these changes, and were glad that some action is being taken, but wed like to see more. New chief planner Gregg Lintern told a Bay Street audience there may be evidence that suggests the Scarborough subway is not the best way to spend money. That can be debated and will continue to be debated, Lintern said. The comments were made during an onstage discussion with the Globe and Mails Marcus Gee on Wednesday morning that followed Linterns first major speech as chief planner at the Toronto Region Board of Trade. A veteran city planner, Lintern was tapped for the top job in March. In that new role, Lintern now has oversight of planning for the controversial one-stop Scarborough subway, which would extend the Bloor-Danforth line six kilometres to a new stop at the Scarborough Town Centre. Its currently estimated to cost $3.35 billion based on very little design work. My time has been spent, frankly and honestly, on working on what were going to do at Scarborough Centre, Lintern said of the area around the new stop that has seen little growth compared to the citys other hubs that have been designated for growth. In 2013, council under Rob Fords administration scrapped plans to build a fully-funded and already-approved, seven-stop light rail line. Both the subway and LRT options would replace the aging Scarborough RT, which will be torn down. Mayor John Tory, who is facing re-election in October, vowed this week to get the subway built while promising more rapid transit in Scarborough that isnt yet funded as a result of the subways rising costs. There is currently $3.56 billion from three levels of government dedicated to transit in Scarborough. The federal and provincial governments recently announced a combined $9 billion for Toronto transit, which includes the Scarborough subway funds that were earlier committed. The citys five priority projects competing for those funds total at least $17.4 billion. Lintern said he is focused on remaking Scarborough Centre to support a future transit line, which could require pioneering moves to create new office and other institutional development. In the life of the city, I think you see a lot of discussion . . . you see a lot of tension between evidence and aspiration, Lintern said. And that in a way summarizes the Scarborough subway debate. Council must still vote to move forward with construction of a subway. Thats not expected to happen until early 2019. Before Torys executive committee next week, is a request from Councillor Josh Matlow, who has long advocated for a network of LRTs, for a judicial inquiry of the problematic subway planning process. The Star's Jennifer Pagliaro on the lack of information and misinformation council was provided about the Scarborough subway in light of the request for a public inquiry. After his speech, which focused on opportunities for growth in the suburbs, Lintern told reporters he has not assessed that planning process, saying staff have not been asked to do that. There has never been a study presented to council about whether the subway represents good value-for-money compared to the light-rail alternative. Staff have never been directed to do that work. Theyve reviewed and seen a lot of material and a lot of reports, Lintern said. Asked if whats in front of council is more aspirational then evidence-based, Lintern said: I think its both. A draft analysis produced in 2013 by staff at Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency that was responsible for building the LRT before it was cancelled, found the subway was not a worthwhile use of money compared to the LRT. That work was never published. On Wednesday, Ontario PC Party leader Doug Ford promised a return to a three-stop subway plan if elected this June. The most recent cost estimate for the three-stop version is $4.6 billion. Read more about: The Peel District School Board is being urged to amend its flag-raising policy and fly the rainbow flag for Pride Month in June. This is an equity issue, said retired school superintendent Carol Speers, a member of LGBTQ advocacy group Pride Employee Resource Group and among a number of delegations who spoke at a meeting on Tuesday night in favour of raising the flag during Pride Month. We have a reason to have the flag raised. Current board policy prohibits its 257 schools from flying any flag other than those of Canada or Ontario. Speers said the flag would show that all of the schools are safe spaces and all are welcome. The board said it will wait until May 22, to announce its decision. Board chair Janet McDougald and trustees heard from more members of the LGBTQ community, including Peel student K.C. Barron, who came out as a trans male at the end of the last school year. When his best friend, a female, told her mother about it, Barron said her mother tried to tear them apart. (Our sleepovers) stopped because her mom basically thinks my friend is in danger because of me, Barron said. Nicole Luinenberg, a teacher at Jean Augustine Secondary School in Brampton and a member of Pride Employee Resource Group, said that when she was in Grade 11, she pondered suicide because she didnt feel accepted. She said that was around the same time University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was beaten to death in an anti-gay hate crime 20 years ago. Every year, Im still talking to teenagers whose mental health is suffering because they are struggling with the same questions I struggled with so long ago Do I matter? Am I good? she said. McDougald said Tuesdays meeting was the first time trustees heard a formal request to have the flag raised. School boards in Toronto, Durham, Halton and York have flown the flag outside of their schools. McDougald said the board is receptive to all points raised by the LGBTQ community, adding they are very compelling. However, McDougald said the board is concerned if they raise the flag of one group, they would hear requests from other groups wanting to have their flags flown. The board wants to follow due process to ensure fairness and consistency are established, she said. Paul Skippen also spoke at the meeting along with his children, 9-year-old Ronan and 5-year-old Meriel. He raises the children along with his husband, Robert Bacinski. They say Ronan was recently bullied at school for having two dads. The final delegation began with Skippen asking his children questions with responses that tugged at the heart strings of those in attendance, such as how last year for her birthday, Meriel asked to meet her surrogate, or tummy mummy. After hearing McDougald respond positively to the delegations, Skippen and Bacinski are hopeful the board will act. We will be here and actively watching in two weeks, Skippen said. Ontarians have already decided they want change, which rules out another Liberal government and means voters face a stark choice between the NDP and PC parties, Andrea Horwath said at her first campaign stop. Visiting the Regent Park Community Health Clinic in Torontos inner city Wednesday morning, the NDP leader said health and long-term care will be key issues in the upcoming provincial election. Our health care is not where it should be, said Horwath, flanked by a number of NDP candidates from around Greater Toronto. Read more: Doug Ford promises more subways for Toronto Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Why this Ontario election campaign matters and is so maddening Here are the four candidates wanting to be Ontarios next premier, and what theyre promising It is not providing the quality of service that people deserve. Folks are lined up in hospital hallways, on gurneys, for days on end, not getting the dignity they deserve, not getting the privacy they deserve not even having a call bell for a nurse or proper washroom facilities, she said. ... This is a hospital system that is not working for everyday people and it needs to change. She touted her partys commitment to immediately spend $1.2 billion to help end hallway medicine, pour $19 billion into capital funding for hospitals, as well as implement dental care coverage for all Ontarians, and universal pharmacare for the most commonly prescribed drugs. Horwath accused the Liberals of allowing a crisis to develop in health and long-term care for seniors, and said a Progressive Conservative government under Doug Ford would lead to cuts given his pledge to find $6 billion in efficiencies. We are suffering from cuts already, she said. His cuts will go deeper, they will hurt more, and they will not help families get the kind of health care they deserve. On Twitter, Ford said he is 100 per cent committed to Ontarios public health-care system ... I will work with our front-line doctors and nurses to put forward better care for the people, but did not elaborate. When asked about polls indicating the NDP is in second place behind the PCs, Horwath said people are looking for change this election, and that means by definition that Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals are not going to be forming government come June 7. She said she is the only leader that brings back hope to our province, and given the promised cuts under a PC government, Mr. Ford likes to say hes for the people, but I would say people cant afford this Ford. Read more about: BAMAKO, MALI A masked gunman sprayed bullets in a restaurant popular with foreigners in Malis capital early Saturday, killing five people including a French person and a Belgian national, officials and witnesses said. Nine people were wounded including two experts at the U.N. mission, said the U.N. stabilization mission in Mali in a statement. The Swiss Defence Ministry said the two were Swiss soldiers. I saw a masked person with a great weapon like a machine-gun go up the stairs to the bar and at first I thought it was a joke, but a few second later, I heard a first shot. People started shouting and then came a burst of gunfire. It was then that I realized it was serious. I hid, said Ibrahim Coulibaly, a survivor. Then the hooded man came down the stairs, past the bar, and he saw the Belgian citizen who was getting into his car and he shot him, said Coulibaly. And then the attacker got in a car and left. He did not talk to anyone, he said nothing. Another witness, Hamadou Dolo, said he saw two gunmen run out of the establishment and jump into a car driven by an accomplice. Malis president and prime minister visited the scene and called it a criminal and terrorist act. A government statement said an investigation has been opened and pledged to bring the perpetrators to book. France and Belgium condemned the attack at La Terrasse, the restaurant and bar in Bamako, and their foreign ministers confirmed the deaths of their nationals. Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders denounced a cowardly act of terror. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the Frenchman killed was 31 years old. Fabius said everything must be done to find those responsible for this crime. The Belgian killed was security officer for the European Union, said EU president Donald Tusk. The European Union will not be intimidated by terrorism, at home or abroad, said Tusk. We will remain steadfast in support of Mali and its people. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, currently visiting France, called the attack an act of cowardice. In the end, that only strengthens our resolve to fight terrorism in all of its forms wherever it exists. Kerry said such acts dont intimidate but have the exact opposite effect. Two people who were at the scene were questioned to determine what happened, said a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press. Mali police investigators and French and U.N. police officers visited the scene Saturday. La Terrasse is in Bamakos Hippodrome neighbourhood where many expatriates live is a restaurant, bar and nightclub popular on a Friday night for salsa dancing. French President Francois Hollandes office said security had immediately been tightened around French facilities. A statement from his office said the French embassy has set up a crisis cell to help expatriates in Bamako. Hollande spoke with Malis President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to show his support on Saturday. Hollande and the Malian president decided on common measures to strengthen security in Mali, a statement from the French presidents office said without elaborating on measures. They also looked at ways to co-operate in the investigation. France immediately opened a judicial inquiry, a standard procedure when a citizen is killed which allows French officials to carry out a parallel investigation, according to a judicial official in Paris who spoke on condition of anonymity because she is not authorized to speak on the matter. French forces led a military operation in early 2013 that largely expelled al-Qaida-linked extremists from a vast area they had controlled in northeastern Mali. The military operation in that region continues, and sporadic combat and clashes take place there. Violence has been rare in Bamako despite the continued upheaval in the north. Read more about: This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com WASHINGTONMajor companies, particularly in Europe, could see billions of dollars in commercial deals cancelled because of the U.S. decision to reinstall sanctions on Iran, though the ultimate impact remains unclear due to the possibility of renegotiations and exemptions, experts say. U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions means companies worldwide must stop doing business with the country or run afoul of the U.S. government, which can impose fines or other punishment. Companies and countries with commercial deals with Iran would have either 90 or 180 days to wind down those activities, depending on the sector and type of products sanctioned. And firms would not be able to generate new business. Certain waivers can be negotiated, but the U.S. did not say what goods or countries might qualify. Since the Iran nuclear deal was struck in 2015, it was mainly European companies that moved back in to sign deals with Iran, as Europe has traditionally had stronger business and diplomatic ties with the country than the U.S. That makes Trumps decision most painful for Europe. European leaders had tried, but failed, in recent weeks to convince Trump to stick with the Iran deal, with the leaders of both Germany and France visiting Washington last week. U.S. Iran sanctions are hardly hitting any U.S. companies, but aim primarily at European ones, Carl Bildt, the former leader of Sweden who is now co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said in a tweet. The EU has in the past found this unacceptable, he added, though it was unclear still how European leaders would respond. Among U.S. companies, plane maker Boeing has signed the biggest deals, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday that its existing licenses as well as those of its European competitor, Airbus Group would be invalidated. In December 2016, Airbus signed a deal with Irans national carrier, IranAir, to sell it 100 airplanes for around $19 billion at list prices. Boeing later struck its own deal with IranAir for 80 aircraft with a list price of some $17 billion, promising that deliveries would begin in 2017 and run until 2025. Boeing separately struck another 30-airplane deal with Irans Aseman Airlines for $3 billion at list prices. Boeing has yet to deliver any aircraft to Iran under those deals and said that it will continue to follow the U.S. governments lead. Airbus, which is subject to the U.S. license because it makes at least 10 per cent of its aircraft components in the U.S., says it will abide by the new U.S. sanctions but it could take some time to determine the full impact on the industry. It has already delivered two A330-200s and one A321 to Iran. The U.S. says the sanctions will also sharply curtail sales of oil by Iran, which is currently the worlds fifth-largest oil producer. In the case of oil sales, there will be a 180-day period for countries to wrap up existing contracts and achieve significant reductions in their purchases of crude from Iran. Mnuchin did not spell out what the administration would consider as a significant reduction in purchases of oil. U.S. law gives the Treasury secretary the power to administer sanctions imposed by the president. So far, French oil company Total SA has been the most aggressive Western oil company to move back into Iran, signing in July a $5 billion, 20-year agreement there. A Chinese oil company also has a deal to develop the countrys massive South Pars offshore natural gas field. Total did not respond to requests for comment. The price of oil rose sharply on Wednesday to its highest since 2014 on expectations that the new sanctions will crimp Iranian energy exports. In other sectors, French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen agreed in 2016 to open a plant producing 200,000 vehicles annually in Iran, and says it is studying the implications of the U.S. move. Fellow automaker Renault signed a $778-million deal to build 150,000 cars a year at a factory outside of Tehran but has declined to comment so far. German industrial equipment manufacturer Siemens, which has multi-billion euro contracts with Iran for rail, power plant and other projects, said it is assessing the possible impact but expects it to be immaterial overall. It says it will comply with any sanctions. While abandoning deals in Iran could hurt financially, they would not likely have a lasting impact on the companies. PSA Peugeot Citroen, for example, sold more than 3.6 million vehicles worldwide last year. Even the loss of the big airplane orders should be manageable: Boeing got 912 net orders in 2017, compared with the 110 promised to Iran. For these multinationals, part of Irans value lies in its potential for growth the country has been deprived of investment for years and has a young demographic. At the moment its not easy to quantify the possible economic impact of the U.S. withdrawal on European business activities, said the head of the EUs business lobby, Emma Marcegaglia, who called for legal clarity. The French government said EU countries will examine in the days to come how to protect European business interests and aim to keep provide enough commercial incentives to Iran to keep it from also withdrawing from the nuclear deal. The growth in business has been most favourable to Iran so far. EU imports from Iran grew almost tenfold since the sanctions were lifted from 1.25 billion euros (US$1.48 billion) in 2015 to 10.14 billion euros last year. Exports to the country rose more modestly, from 6.47 billion euros to 10.8 billion euros. Mnuchin said the U.S.s goal is to push Iran to renegotiate the nuclear deal. These sanctions do impact all the major industries [in Iran]. They are very strong sanctions, Mnuchin said. They worked last time. That is why Iran came to the table. Read more about: JERUSALEMIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to Moscow on Wednesday to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discuss military co-ordination amid new strikes in Syria blamed on Israel. Together with Putin, Netanyahu toured a parade celebrating the anniversary of the Second World War victory over the Nazis and then met the Russian president at the Kremlin for consultations. Netanyahu he said he was eager to discuss ways of solving crises and removing threats in a thoughtful and responsible manner. After 10 hours together, Netanyahu said he conveyed Israels obligation to defend itself against Iranian aggression. Read more: Trudeau regrets Trumps decision to withdraw from Iran nuclear agreement Iranian President Rouhani seeks European Union guarantees not to scrap nuclear deal Israel reveals tens of thousands of documents that they say prove Iran lied about missile programs I think that matters were presented in a direct and forthright manner, and this is important. These matters are very important to Israels security at all times and especially at this time, he said. Syrian state media said Israel struck a military outpost on Tuesday near the capital of Damascus. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Irans elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing at least 15 people, eight of them Iranians. Tensions between Israel and Iran are high over Irans efforts to expand its military presence in Syria, where it is a key ally of President Bashar Assad. Repeated airstrikes attributed to Israel have killed Iranian fighters and prompted threats of reprisal from Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trumps announcement Tuesday that the U.S. would withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East. The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so, Netanyahu said ahead of his departure. In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued co-ordination between the two militaries. Netanyahu made no mention of the overnight strikes. The Israeli and Russian militaries have been in contact throughout much of Russias intervention in Syria, where Moscow has waged an air campaign in support of Assads forces since 2015. Russia also considers Iran a strategic ally. Israel views Iran as its archenemy, citing Irans calls for Israels destruction, support for militant groups across the region and growing military activity in neighbouring Syria. Israel has warned that it will not allow Iran to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. Israels military went on high alert Tuesday and bomb shelters were ordered open in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights following reports of irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria. After an uneventful night, the military on Wednesday called on residents to return to full civilian routine, meaning studies and excursions would continue as usual, although the shelters would remain open. Israel, which almost never confirms or denies airstrikes in Syria, did not comment on Tuesdays attack. Such strikes have become more frequent recently. The Syrian Observatory said the casualty number from Tuesdays strike is likely to go up because of a large number of people who were wounded and a number of people who are missing. Iran has vowed to retaliate to recent Israeli strikes in Syria targeting Iranian outposts, including an attack last month on Syrias T4 air base in Homs province that killed seven Iranian military personnel. On April 30, Israel was said to have struck government outposts in northern Syria, killing more than a dozen pro-government fighters, many of them Iranians. Amos Gilead, a retired senior Israeli defence official, told a security conference in the coastal town of Herzliya that Irans intentions in Syria meant a wider conflagration may only be a matter of time. They want to build a second Hezbollah-stan, he said, referring to the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group that last fought a war with Israel in 2006. They are determined to do it and we are determined to prevent it. It means we are on a collision course. Read more about: PYONGYANG, North KoreaThree American men who had been imprisoned by North Korea are on their way to the United States, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday after they were released to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to Pyongyang. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting, Trump tweeted Wednesday morning. They seem to be in good health. Pompeo and the men should be landing at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C., at 2 a.m. local time. I will be there to greet them, Trump wrote in a second tweet. Very exciting! Trump also suggested that Pompeo had seen the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, again and that they had agreed on a date and location for the first-ever summit between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader. However, he did not disclose either detail. Pompeo spent Wednesday in the North Korean capital, discussing the details for the proposed summit between Kim Jong Un and Trump and to trying to secure the release of three American men detained here for more than a year. The longest-held prisoner was Kim Dong-Chul, a 64-year-old who once lived in Fairfax, Va., and was arrested in October 2015. He had been based in the Chinese city of Yanji, near the border with North Korea, and travelled back and forth to the special economic zone of Rajin-Sonbong, where he managed a hotel business. In a highly scripted appearance in Pyongyang six months after he was detained, Kim Dong-Chul appealed for mercy for his unpardonable acts, wiping away his tears. He was accused of spying for South Koreas intelligence agencies, seeking to obtain details of the Norths military programs and trying to spread religious ideas a serious crime in the North. He was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison on charges of espionage and subversion. Read more: North Koreans Kim Jong Un breaks with his flight-phobic father, travels by plane Trump says military drawdown not on table for North Korea summit Otto Warmbiers mother says she will draw attention to North Korea abuses to ensure her son didnt die in vain Then, a year ago, two men associated with the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST, a private institution run by Korean American Christians, were detained. Tony Kim, a 59-year-old accountant, had been teaching at PUSTs sister institution in Yanji for more than 15 years. Since PUST began operating in 2010, he had made at least seven trips, usually for a month at a time, to teach international finance and management to students in Pyongyang, his son Sol Kim said in an interview. He was detained at Pyongyangs airport as he prepared to depart in April 2017, and North Korean state media reported that he was arrested for committing criminal acts of hostility aimed to overturn North Korea. Two weeks later, Kim Hak-Song, an agricultural consultant who was also living in Yanji and working at PUST, was detained. He is about the same age as the other two, but relatively little is known about him. He was also arrested on suspicion of hostile acts against North Korea, the official Korean Central News Agency said. Kim Dong-Chul and Tony Kim were both born in South Korea, while Kim Hak-Song is believed to have been born in China, although he is ethnically Korean. The three detainees had all been treated as prisoners of war and have not been seen since June, when a State Department official was allowed a brief visit with them while collecting Otto Warmbier, the detained college student who fell into a coma in North Korea and died shortly after his return to the United States. South Koreas presidential Blue House welcomed the release, both for the men and their families, and for the signals it sends about North Koreas sincerity. This decision made by North Korea will be a positive factor for the success of the North Korea-United States summit, said Blue House spokesman Yoon Young-Chan. Theres also considerable significance in the fact that all three American detainees are of Korean origin, he said. When Pompeo touched down in Pyongyang shortly before 8 a.m. local time, he was greeted by Kim Yong Chol, a former North Korean intelligence chief, and Ri Su Yong, the influential former foreign minister. Ri is close to Kim Jong Un, having served as ambassador to Switzerland while the young leader attended school there. Kim Yong Chol, who is in charge of relations with South Korea, and Ri, responsible for international relations, had just returned from the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian, where Kim Jong Un held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, their second meeting in to China in only 40 days. Both also attended the inter-Korean summit with South Korean president Moon Jae-in late last month. Pompeo told the officials over lunch that, if North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons, the country can have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve. For decades, we have been adversaries, Pompeo told Kim Yong Chol, a man sanctioned by the United States for his involvement with the Norths nuclear program but who has emerged as one of the regimes key interlocutors to the outside world. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and make your country have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve, Pompeo said before lunch at the Koryo Hotel, a large, double-towered building in central Pyongyang. There are many challenges along the way. But you have been a great partner in working to make sure our two leaders will have a summit that is successful, the new secretary of state said. Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol met behind closed doors at the Koryo Hotel for about an hour Wednesday morning, before lunch in a 39th-floor function complete with poached fish and duck, and red wine. Kim Yong Chol was in an effusive mood, telling Pompeo and the dozen or so staffers travelling with him that this was a good time to be in Pyongyang because it was spring time and a good atmosphere had been established between North and South. This echoed remarks that both Korean leaders had been making about a new spring arriving on the peninsula. So everything is going well in Pyongyang now, he said, adding that from now on, North Korea would be concentrating all its efforts into the economic progress of our country. This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside, Kim Yong Chol told Pompeo, contradicting the administrations line that Trumps maximum pressure approach had brought North Korea to the negotiating table. I hope the United States also will be happy with our success. I have high expectations the U.S. will play a very big role in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, he said. Then he toasted Pompeo. Pompeo stood and said the American delegation was equally committed to working with you to achieve exactly that. The delegations arrival in Pyongyang was part of a sudden flurry of diplomacy in northeast Asia related to efforts to engage North Korea. In Tokyo on Wednesday, leaders from China, Japan and South Korea met and stressed their resolve to use talks to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program. We must lead the ongoing momentum toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and achieve peace and stability in northeast Asia, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a joint news conference in Tokyo after their trilateral summit. Li Keqiang, the Chinese premier and second-in-command to Xi, said that China was in favour of dialogue to address both the symptoms and root causes, promote a political settlement of the peninsula issue and establish a peace mechanism, so as to achieve lasting peace in the region. South Koreas Moon, who has been leading the diplomatic charge, said regional co-operation was crucial if the effort was to succeed. The countries support and co-operation is absolutely needed in our journey toward peace on the Korean Peninsula and in northeast Asia, he said. Read more about: SEOUL, Korea, Republic OfUnlike his dictator father, who famously shunned air travel, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un jetted off to the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian this week, becoming the first North Korean ruler to fly abroad in 32 years. Since taking office in late 2011, Kim has occasionally flown inside North Korea. The recent foreign trip, albeit not far from the North Korean border, comes ahead of his expected summit with U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending the North Korean nuclear problem. Read more: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in North Korea to finalize Trump summit plans Trump says military drawdown not on table for North Korea summit Chinas foreign minister in North Korea to seek larger role for Beijing in nuclear talks Was Kim trying to test his jets flight capacity because his summit with Trump could happen in Singapore? Did he simply want to show that hes different from his flight-averse father? Or perhaps he had urgent matters to discuss with Chinese President Xi Jinping that precluded the time-consuming train he took in March to Beijing to meet Xi. Here are several things to know about the Kim familys travel habits: The Goshawk Kims official plane is a remodelled version of the Soviet-made IL-62. North Korea calls it Chammae-1, named after the goshawk, North Koreas national bird. South Korean media say the plane can fly at a maximum speed of 900 kilometres per hour and carry about 200 people. Its maximum flight range is about 9,200 kilometres but it has reportedly never flown that far. Some experts say one reason why North Korea apparently wants to have a Kim-Trump summit in Pyongyang, the Norths capital, is that Kims plane might not be able to fly to faraway places like Switzerland, Sweden or Washington. Kims younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, used Chammae-2, the same kind of aircraft as her brothers, when she visited South Korea in February to attend the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. She became the first member of North Koreas ruling Kim family to visit South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Previous air travel Schooled for several years in Switzerland, Kim is believed to have travelled by air many times during his teenage years. After he became North Koreas leader, state media said he was aboard Chammae-1 when he reviewed air force planes taking part in combat aeronautics contests and inspected construction work in Pyongyang. North Korean media photos also showed Kim looking out the windows of his plane; walking down the stairs from the plane, and walking with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, on a red carpet placed on an airstrip. Other photos showed Kim in the cockpit of a fighter jet. Different from his father Before Kims Dalian trip, no North Korean leader had publicly gone abroad by air since Kims grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, flew to the Soviet Union in 1986. Kim Jong Il flew by plane to a conference in Indonesia with Kim Il Sung, his father, in 1965. But after that he reportedly never flew because of a fear of heights. During his 1994-2011 rule, Kim Jong Il made about a dozen known overseas trips, mostly to China, and conducted countless inspections of military posts, factories and other places all by train. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in ended their talks with a warm embrace and a pledge to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. They also say there will be talks to formally end the Korean War. (The Associated Press) Analysts say Kim Jong Uns air travel may be aimed at showing hes a confident, normal leader who meets international standards. South Korean media say Kim Jong Il had several luxurious trains equipped with reception halls, conference rooms and high-tech communication facilities. To guard against possible attacks, his train reportedly travelled with two other trains, with one running ahead of his to check the safety of the rail line while another carried security agents and followed behind. According to state media, Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack during a train trip. When Kim Jong Un visited Beijing, which is much farther than Dalian, in March for talks with Xi in his first overseas trip since his inauguration, he took a deep green special train reminiscent of his fathers. Last month, he took a black Mercedes limousine to return home after a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a village along the Koreas border. Read more about: By now, they could probably paper all the White House walls with copies of agreements President Donald Trump has pulled out of or reneged on. In his 16 months in office, Trump has been more demolitions expert than builder, blowing up as much as he can of his predecessors legacy. In withdrawing from the Paris climate accord and Trans-Pacific Partnership and in tearing up the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Affordable Care Act, what Trump has built for America is basically a landscape of rubble. Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal is the latest instance of his unilateralism, disdain for experts or evidence, and indifference to the interests of allies, the credibility of Americas word or, in fact, consequences. The Iran agreement was signed in 2015 by five powers in addition to the U.S. and Iran. It committed Iran to curtail its nuclear program in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. The best international intelligence says there is no evidence Iran is not living up to its obligations. Susan Rice, national security adviser to former president Barack Obama, wrote in the New York Times that evidence shows Iran has complied with obligations to relinquish 97 per cent of its enriched uranium stockpile, dismantle two-thirds of its centrifuges and its entire plutonium facility, and abide by the most intrusive international inspection and monitoring regime in history. The deal, she said, called for stringent verification in perpetuity and effectively cut off all potential pathways for Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. But this week, Trump has freed Iran from all those constraints, she wrote. John Brennan, former head of the CIA, called the presidents announcement madness. Beatrice Fihn, 2017 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, tweeted THIS IS SO STUPID! Still, there is in a way an odd consistency about it. Trump trades in absolutes, perpetually tilted in his favour. His is a mind that seems bereft of a temperate zone. In that sense, his view of international agreements is at one with his opinion of humankind or employees. Women are either beauty queens, or objects of disdain. Men are either great guys or losers. Staff are either loyal to the point of servility, or treacherous and dismissed. As president, agreements have to be worked utterly to his liking not merely accomplishing incremental goals or they are a horrible, one-sided deal. Compromise, give and take, progress over time though the underpinnings of most human transactions and evolution - are to this president wholly alien notions. Yet, they are the basics of diplomatic arrangements that advance the cause of world peace and stability. The Iran nuclear deal was a compromise, not a means by which the repressive Iranian regime would be suddenly transformed into soul-mates of the Rotarians of Orange County, Calif. As Roger Cohen wrote in the Times, thats what diplomacy is about: imperfect solutions, arrived at between enemies, that are better than the alternatives, the worst of them all being war. How many of these agreements Trump has actually read, or truly fathoms, is anyones guess. To the president, particulars hardly matter. His actions are invariably taken with an eye to his own personal political ends, designed to enhance his America-First, I-dont-make-idle-promises image of himself. The damage to world security, global climate, international order, business confidence, trust in Americas word seems not to trouble his conscience. But with his walls and withdrawals, Trump is all but transforming Americas national symbol from the eagle to the turtle, retreating ever more into its own shell, disengaged, disconnected, oblivious. And that is more than sad. Read more about: Its hard to believe the Progressive Conservative Party could one up itself after it created a fake news network, Ford Nation Live, with its own fake reporter a staff member to fawningly cover Doug Fords campaign. But it has. Now we learn that right here in Ontario not in some banana republic one of the party candidates hired and paid fake supporters to rally for Ford outside Mondays leaders debate in Toronto. The supporters were paid $75, given Ford Nation T-shirts, placards, chicken wings at a pub and tutored by the Tories on what to chant. This seemed like a really odd gig and it seemed a little shady, said one of the hired actors, Chris Riddell. He wasnt alone in questioning the tactic. Actor Devanshu Narang said she turned it down because she found it offensive to Canadian democracy. No kidding. What is it about the real world that, seemingly, scares Ford and his party so much? The irony, of course, is that the PCs are leading in the polls. So why Toronto Centres Meredith Cartright a human rights lawyer no less felt she had to hire fake supporters to play real people at a Ford nation rally, as the casting call described it, remains unfathomable. But it does point to a troubling tendency of the Tories to try and mislead the public. Yes, the fake supporters may have been Cartrights idea, not Fords as he says. And, yes, the party now admits it was a mistake. But none of the bona fide PCs on the ground, who tutored the actors on how to behave like real supporters, seemed to question the assignment. That is both troubling and telling. Ontario voters deserve better. Read more about: Keep the nuts at bay. This was Prime Minister Stephen Harpers unofficial policy when it came to the more passionate socially conservative voices in his party. Its also the reason your centrist friend voted for him. Hes good for the economy, this friend who Ill call Jim probably told you while barbecuing steaks in his backyard. Harpers not going to let the yahoos in the party get their way. Whether we like to admit it or not, Centrist Jim was right. Despite consistent efforts on the far left to characterize Stephen Harper as Satan on Earth, the former PM did not make a habit of amplifying the extremists in his camp. The question is will Jim be right about Jason Kenney? Read more: Albertas United Conservatives vote in favour of telling parents if their child joins a gay-straight alliance Jason Kenney declares war on green left, takes aim at David Suzuki foundation 'Grassroots guarantee' website down as UCP leader overrides partys resolution Im not so sure. Kenney, a Harper protege and leader of Albertas United Conservative Party, may find it more difficult to suppress the socially conservative voices in his camp because they are numerous and eager to cash in on the leaders pledge to prioritize grassroots issues. Case in point: the UCP attracted controversy this weekend after more than half of the delegates at the partys convention voted to adopt a policy that would require schools to inform parents when their kids are involved in any activity associated with religion or sexuality, including a gay-straight alliance. A GSA is an after-school peer group for LGBTQ kids and their allies. Such a policy would effectively out these kids to their guardians. This issue isnt new territory for Kenney. Last year the leader told a newspaper editorial board that unless they are abusive, parents have a right to know what their kids are involved in at school. But with the 2019 election around the corner, and the knowledge that GSAs are not top of mind for the average voter, Kenney appears to be ignoring the wishes of his socially conservative delegates. On Sunday he told the media: Let me be absolutely stone-cold clear: a United Conservative government will not be changing law or policy to require notification of parents when kids join GSAs. We will not do that. You can take that to the bank. I intend to. And I sincerely hope that Kenney doesnt cave to pressure from the so-con elements in his party because what many casual observers of this controversy may not realize is that GSAs are not a niche issue. Theyre not niche because contrary to media portrayal, GSAs do not serve only a minority of LGBTQ students. Ive worked with GSA kids at schools in Ontario and I think its important to point out that these clubs are comprised of a lot of straight, gender-conforming kids too. This is because LGBTQ students bring their straight friends a.k.a. their allies to meetings. And these straight friends are often just as involved in the groups activities fundraising, pizza eating etc. as their LGBTQ peers. Sometimes there are more straight kids in these clubs than gay ones. In other words, the chilling effect the UCPs desired policy would have on Albertas schools would be far reaching. Such a policy wouldnt just out gay and transgender kids to potentially abusive or otherwise intolerant parents. It would out their allies too. It wouldnt simply keep gay kids in the closet. It would keep supportive straight kids in the closet; kids who dont want to have to explain to mom and dad why they are hanging around the gay club all the time. This would be devastating for a schools culture, because it gets better only when people of all orientations and identities embrace inclusivity. The good news for Albertas LGBTQ students and their allies is that their province is far more conducive to embracing inclusivity than stereotype suggests. A recent CBC News poll indicates that though Albertans are by and large fiscally conservative, most are also quite progressive on social issues. They are rational, compassionate, and they do not appear to care who you take to the prom. Jason Kenney, then, is in a pickle of his own brining. Hes made a lot of social conservatives excited about a grassroots revival. But in order to win power he will, like his mentor before him, have to keep the nuts at bay. Research shows most Albertans are allergic to them. Read more about: There was a point in the first provincial leaders debate on Monday night when NDP Leader Andrea Horwath asked PC Leader Doug Ford what he would cut to make his stated budget goals. Thats not my vocabulary, Ford said. He has a notably eccentric vocabulary, in which folks is an all-purpose interjection, though often used as a synonym for taxpayer, which itself means something like my precious. Cuts, though? Not in his vocabulary. As he went on to say, he (like his late brother before him) prefers to use the word efficiency. He keeps using that word. I do not think it means what he thinks it means. Those of us who recall a few years ago in this town will know that in Doug Fords mind, for instance, the permanent closing of a library might be called an efficiency. Or the termination of service on a bus route. Or the elimination of a school breakfast program. Most of us, when we hear more efficient think it means doing the same thing using fewer resources, or doing more using the same resources. Clearly thats why its an attractive term for a politician. Except in Fords vocabulary, it often means not doing something anymore at all. If everyone is clear on that, it could save a lot of confusion if he one day announces having promised no layoffs that a bunch of government employees are being served efficiency notices that mean they will no longer have jobs, for instance. Its just one of many instances where his particular vocabulary, however, is not an aid to understanding but a hindrance. Savings, is another one of those tricky ones in his vocabulary. Especially $1 billion in savings. At the debate last night he mentioned it again for the bajillionth time the claim that when his brother was mayor of Toronto, they found over a billion in savings. The tricky part of this one is that it is very difficult to even tease apart what it means. When the brothers Ford first started making this claim back in 2013, many of us in the press (including me, then writing for The Grid, and Daniel Dale here at the Star, and Matt Elliott at Metro, as recently pointed out by colleague David Hains) tried to fact check it, and found it untrue. We were able to check it at all because, back then, the Fords helpfully provided a breakdown of what savings they were talking about. And reviewing those numbers again today, the most interesting thing about them is not some nitpicking about whether the vehicle registration tax brought in $43 million or $50 million per year, but that the idea of adding that collection of numbers together is purely nonsensical. For instance, they counted the elimination of a fee the vehicle registration fee as a savings. Which may be a way to look at it. Its a loss of revenue for the city, but it is money saved by some residents. But then they go and count an increase in other fees as a savings too. One is an expense for the city, one is new revenue for the city, but the Fords just added those two numbers together. Then, in some cases, they counted the expected budget savings over seven years of specific moves in their four-year total. In some cases, they counted a raise they gave public employees as a savings because they compared it to an arbitrarily larger raise they could have given them. And in many, many cases, they just cherry-picked certain things to include while ignoring the rest of their budgets those public employee contracts with only small raises, for instance, were included in the list, while the large raises they gave the police department were not included. So while it was possible to go and check if the numbers they provided accurately reflected the number in some line of the budget, and many of us did so, the exercise was deeply flawed because the very premise was absurd. Even if the numbers were accurate, jumbling them together and adding them up in the way they did and saying that was an amount saved was next to meaningless. Ontario's three main party leaders squared off Monday in the first debate before Junes provincial election. Andrea Horwath, Kathleen Wynne and Doug Ford were asked after the debate how they plan to combat criticisms they face. (The Canadian Press) The definition of BS (or the word that abbreviation usually represents the spelled-out version is, you could say, not in the Stars vocabulary) was laid out by philosopher Harry Frankfurt as distinct from a lie. Lying is consciously concealing and opposing the truth. But BS is unconcerned with the truth altogether. Of the BS artist, Frankfurt wrote, He does not care whether the things he says describe reality correctly. He just picks them out, or makes them up, to suit his purpose. It is as if this definition was written to define this very billion-dollar claim. Back when the Fords originated this boast, in 2013, I looked at the actual city budgets to try to determine how much was saved according to more conventional definitions. City spending was up $219 million per year over 2010. Property tax revenue was up $179 million per year. Fees charged to residents were up $15 million per year net (even after including the $50 million per year subtracted by the vehicle registration fee cut). And the budget surplus was $200 million lower than in David Millers last year as mayor. The city spent more. People paid more in taxes and fees. Savings? Well, its a matter of vocabulary, I guess. During Mondays leaders debate, Ford said to Premier Kathleen Wynne, You obviously dont understand numbers. If it was his numbers she didnt understand, it would be hard to blame her. In accounting as in other things, he has a vocabulary all his own. Read more about: It started with a look. In a five-minute long video, four men are forced to interact with a woman who yells racists comments at them. Shared by one of the men, Monir Omerzai, on Facebook on Tuesday night, the woman is seen saying, Go back to your country, we dont need you here. She repeatedly insists the men are not Canadian, asking them if they pay taxes. Several times she gets up on her knees and turns to confront the men. She threatens to hit one of them, saying, Cause you know what? Youre dealing with a Canadian woman right now and I will leap across this table and punch you in the f---ing mouth. The video was taken last month, according to a staffer I spoke to by phone on Wednesday afternoon. (An online broadcaster, Community TV from Medicine Hat, confirmed the timing with a manager by phone on Wednesday morning.) The woman has been identified as Kelly Pocha of Cranbrook, B.C. In the video she says the reason for her behaviour is that I turned around and he glared at me. More to the point, according to Lethbridge News Now, which spoke with Pocha, the men started talking in their own language behind her back, and were laughing at her and she believes, making fun of her. By phone, Omerzai spoke of the incident with an affecting generosity. Hed resisted posting the video because he didnt want people to think of the difference between races. Still, it sat uneasily with him. Omerzai has lived in Canada for half his life hes 26 and had never experienced anything like this. These moments can have a predictable path usually ending in a tepid corporate apology but one of them is a firing of the racist perpetrator. I asked what hed make of Pocha losing her job. To be honest with you, I do not want her to get fired from her job. But people make mistakes and the only way they can learn from it is to get punished, he said, adding, if youre having some difficulties in your life, its not right to come to a public place to take that out on other people. Pochas employeer, Cranbrook Dodge, revealed on Wednesday that she was fired. Videos like these have a virality. Video can affirm claims that, when described, seem unbelievable. Racism, often banal yet notable to racialized people, seems outlandish to people who dont experience or disavow the experience of racism. In this case, the men had apparently made eye contact. They, along with the racist woman, were kicked out of the restaurant. In the last month, more moments have surfaced: In Colorado, a parent found two Native American men to be creepy for walking quietly with a university tour group. She called campus police who stopped and questioned the boys. Three black women didnt say hi to a neighbour of the Airbnb they were staying at. Police sent seven police cars and a helicopter. Three Black men wanted to meet over a coffee. They didnt order fast enough for someones liking and ended up in handcuffs. There are never good reasons. But there is a consistent rationale. The purpose is to remind racialized people that white supremacy is the law of the land. To that end, the police enforce it. Like most police forces, policing in Lethbridge has racist repercussions. A 2017 Freedom of Information request found that Black and Indigenous men in the city are nine times more likely to be carded arbitrarily stopped and asked to show identification than other residents. Evidently, Lethbridge police were not equipped to understand exactly who the victims were. And it should not go unremarked that a woman is the instigator here. White women have a long history of perpetuating and mobilizing racial terror from behind a veil of innocence. This is what everyday racial terror looks like. It provokes and insults, at times denying itself. Oh, all of a sudden Im being racist? says the woman at one point. It is protected by the state. A moment of eye contact shared between two people at a Dennys restaurant in Lethbridge, Alta., reveals a telling reality. There is no moment in which racialized people are safe from racial terror. Note - May 10, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version. Vicky Mochama is a co-host of the podcast, Safe Space. Her column appears every second Thursday. She also writes a triweekly column for StarMetro News. is a co-host of the podcast, Safe Space. Her column appears every second Thursday. She also writes a triweekly column for StarMetro News. Read more about: Oh boy, not again. Another overtly racist incident, another restaurant, another video. This time at Dennys in Lethbridge, Alta. And worse, a response that appears to justify the racism, this one from an NDP MLA. The targets of hate say they were also asked to leave the restaurant. In a video posted late Tuesday night to Facebook by Calgary resident Monir Omerzai, and which has already been viewed more than 100,000 times, a white woman is seen turning in her seat in her booth, unleashing an abusive tirade at what appear to be four men in a conversation that gets increasingly heated. Read more: Video of woman telling group of men theyre not Canadian at an Alberta Dennys goes viral Youre dealing with a Canadian woman right now and I will leap across this table and punch you in the f--ing mouth, she says. Ignorant prick. Then the inevitable: Go back to your own f--ing country. We dont need you here. Youre not Canadian, she tells them. No, youre not Canadian. Yes, were all Canadian, says a male voice, now placed in a position of having to stake his humanity. Youre a human being, Im a human being. Theres nothing special about you. No youre not Canadian, she keeps saying as he speaks, as if saying it often enough would make it true. Do you pay taxes here, my friend? she asks. F--ing of course I pay taxes, says the male voice. Omerzai confirmed to me it was him. Really? she says. You pay our taxes? At one point she hauls herself up on her knees. Youre not dealing with one of your Syrian bitches right now. Youre dealing with a Canadian woman, and Im not going to be talked down to like that. The men are not Syrian. Omerzai is an immigrant of 13 years from Afghanistan who says he has his own business. I am a good immigrant, he says. I do pay taxes. I do work hard. Its shameful that a newcomer is put in a place where he feels he has to justify his character. What triggered this racist tirade? When a Dennys staffer comes to find out whats wrong, we get a clue. I didnt do anything, she says. Hes eyeing me up. I turned around and he glared at me. The woman identified by Lethbridge News Now as Kelly Pocha from Cranbrook, B.C., told the news site the men were kind of talking to each other in their own language and then they all started laughing at me. We were speaking in our own language, Omerzai tells me. Talking about ... playing video games. And some parts were funny, so we were laughing. This lady looked at us two or three times. My friend was sitting across from me. I did not see him glare at her. She thought we were talking about her and thats how the whole thing exploded. In the video, one of the men says something that completely sets her off. Why are you being so racist? he asks. Ooh, all of a sudden Im being racist, she says, her hands in the air and clapping. I am Canadian so I am racist. You guys need to go back to where you came from. Then a man says, OK, we gonna call the cops I think. Lethbridge Police confirmed police were called to Dennys at the time. To my understanding customers were gone prior to police arrival, said Sgt. Cam Van Roon, executive officer for the Lethbridge Police Service, internal communications and community representation. But that isnt confirmed yet. Were trying to hold off until we figure everything out, he said. At Dennys in Lethbridge, Alta., a man who came to the phone after I asked to speak to the manager confirmed an incident happened a month ago. When asked to elaborate, he said, You can see from the video. He would not give any more details. He would not say whom in the head office I could call. Our call, which lasted three minutes, ended with him saying he would call the police if I continued to ask him questions. Later Wednesday, a corporate statement by Dennys read, in part: Based on our initial internal investigation, it appears our manager followed proper protocol but was unable to de-escalate the situation, and thus contacted local law enforcement. Omerzais account of what happened next is infuriating. The woman went off to a different table. The waitress apologizes to her, Omerzai said. She did not say anything to us. The police said for us to leave. They said there is no criminal code for racism, for being yelled at. Manager says you guys cannot stay here. You have to pack your food and pay. We said were not paying, were not eating either. Thank you for having us here. Whatever else we may say after watching the video, please lets not say, This is not Canada. Or, this isnt the real Canada. Or, worse, that shes mentally ill. This is Canada. Racism isnt the whole of who we are, but it is definitely part of our character both systemically and individually. Its past time to be surprised by it. And mental illness does not make people racist. Among all the racism-has-no-place-in-Canada responses from politicians, witness this victim-blaming response from an MLA, a New Democrat MLA no less the party that is supposed to be on the side of the downtrodden. She was definitely not right and was saying horrible bigoted things, tweeted Stephanie McLean. That being said (am) I hearing right? At the beginning of the video does the man on the left say to her you ask to speak. Then says something about her mother? ... First, nothing is said about anybodys mother. A man says something like, it doesnt matter. Second, does any kind of argument warrant a racist attack? Speaking in a foreign language, indeed. A foreign language, a foreign accent, a foreign skin colour how many divisive ways can we mark otherness? Speak English or dont speak at all, the woman tells them towards the end of the video. I am embarrassed to learn that this incident happened in Lethbridge, Chris Spearman, Mayor of Lethbridge, said in a statement. We are working hard to address racism and bigotry but can not prevent ignorance and the hostile behaviour of individuals. On Wednesday, Cranbrook Dodge dealership fired her. We are deeply concerned about the content of this video.... The employee in question has been terminated and we deeply apologize for her actions. Shree Paradkar writes about discrimination and identity. You can follow her @shreeparadkar Read more about: VANCOUVER Crowdfunding campaigns for stem-cell treatments may be duping patients seeking relief and leaving donors out of pocket. These campaigns, which encourage strangers to help fund medical procedures, fail to emphasize risks and often exaggerate efficacy, according to a new study co-authored by Jeremy Snyder, a bio-ethicist professor at Simon Fraser University. Its a viral spread of misinformation, he said. Theyre hyping the effectiveness of these treatments with no mention of risks whatsoever. Then all of it is being shared on social media, more than 100,000 times. Research on stem cells is still ongoing, though the therapy is proven to treat certain conditions. But desperate patients turn to crowdfunding to help pay for treatment advertised by for-profit clinics with promises of a cure or improved health. In reality, Snyder said, these treatments are often unproven, untested or just plain bogus. To date, projects on GoFundMe have raised $5 billion from more than 50 million donors, according to the website. A quick search on GoFundMe will produce roughly 7,000 hits for campaigns offering stem-cell treatment. Patients resort to alternative methods, such as unproven stem cell-based interventions, to get around exorbitant costs or lack of access to medication. Its buyer beware if you dont see results, Snyder explained. Youve essentially thrown this money away. In some cases, patients get a temporary bump in health and then its back to the same, he added. Snyder and two co-authors analyzed 408 crowdfunding campaigns specifically run by private clinics on the two largest medical crowdfunding sites GoFundMe and YouCaring which jointly raised roughly $1.5 million in donations over four months. Fewer than half made claims about the certainty of their treatment, while roughly a third made hopeful claims about a treatments performance. But all mentions of risks if mentioned at all were said to be low or none. Most of the campaigns echo the language used in private clinic marketing, noted Snyder, and individuals often unknowingly spread the misleading information. This effect is made worse, he said, since crowdfunding sites often encourage the use of personal pleas to get donations. Playing with peoples heartstrings gives these clinics major exposure, and Snyder said entire communities end up wasting their money. Thats the nature of crowdfunding, where campaigners have to convince donors to give by hyping the claims of the treatment, Snyder said, who hopes this research will help determine better interventions. The problem is growing fast in Canada, he added. Timothy Caulfield, Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, said these sorts of for-profit clinics in Canada are definitely a trend. The first step is recognizing its a problem, he said in a phone interview, pointing to clinics using scientific language to market therapies. But the major challenge in North America is a problem of jurisdiction, Caulfield said. Clinics dodge scrutiny by finding a loophole in regulation. Theres an argument that [the adult stem cells] are not a drug or device. Its the patients own cell and a medical procedure, he explained. Stem cells can reproduce and regenerate tissue and are being studied as a way to treat a range of diseases, but are only approved in very few medical procedures in Canada. In the U.S., the Federal Drug Administration has begun to aggressively regulate such clinics by deeming stem cells more than minimally manipulating. And while Health Canada has recognized there is a problem, it has taken no steps toward regulation, he said. Health Canada said in an email statement that Canadians should access only stem-cell therapies that have received the appropriate authorization. At this time, only one stem-cell therapy has been granted market authorization while several are authorized for clinical trials, the statement read. Read more: Over 120 B.C. schools report unsafe levels of lead in drinking water Vancouver sees spike in overdose calls in final week of April due to increased toxicity of illicit drugs New clinics in Toronto, London will speed stem cell transplants: health minister But Health Canada is only one regulatory tool, Caulfield argued. Pressure for more stringent rules could come from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or advocating for truth in advertising. Litigation is another option. Caulfield said an even bigger question is whether crowdfunding is an equitable way to raise money for medical treatments. Thats why he is currently researching how crowdfunding is represented positively in the press which, he said, can normalize the practice of giving money without vetting the cause. It creates an economy of drawing money out of individuals and the generous public, he said. It becomes a tool for frauds to raise money. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Tuesday. Read more about: VANCOUVERWhen war broke out in Syria, musicians fleeing Damascus and Aleppo turned to their craft to remind them of home. Seven years later, many have not been able to return. Thats the story a Canadian filmmaking pair is telling in a documentary that premieres Tuesday in Vancouver. Wajd: Songs of Separation follows three Syrian musicians before and after the civil war engulfed their hometowns. Vancouverite Amar Chebib travelled to Damascus and Aleppo in 2010 with the aim of documenting traditional Syrian music and its connection with Sufism, which Chebib, whose father is from Damascus, described as the mystical dimension of Islam. He said one pre-war memory, at the 500-year old Khusruwiyah Mosque in Aleppo, stands out. He sat with one musician in a quiet alley nearby and talked for hours on what was a warm summer day. Looking back now, there as no way you could have known what would happen here six months later. There wasnt even the slightest hint of it, he said. Everything was beautiful and peaceful. Then, Chebib returned home to Vancouver to work on his film. Six months later, war erupted. Chebib and producer Lindsey Ridgeway felt they could not finish the documentary without finding out what happened to the three musicians Chebib had spent time with. In 2014, they went to Turkey, where many Syrians had fled to, and discovered all three had undergone intense, traumatic experiences. It became clear that music was extremely important to them, to help them heal part of themselves and provide a connection to their homeland which they probably cant return to anytime soon, said Chebib. The traditional Syrian music they play has deep roots in Aleppo but was already in decline prior to the war, said Ridgeway, who has a background in contemporary art and international studies and now works at Simon Fraser University. After the conflict, it is endangered now. It is at risk of disappearing, she said. Were just in a real position of privilege to share this music which is very ancient and rare. The pair hope their documentary, which premieres at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival in Vancouver on May 8 and 12, will reveal some of the hardships Syrian refugees have had to endure. Even in Vancouver here, we have thousands of refugees who have been taken in the surrounding areas, said Ridgeway, who works at Simon Fraser University. We wanted to be able to build some empathy and some understanding about what some of these Syrian refugees might be going through. Read more about: VANCOUVERWhile a new report has revealed long waits for government-funded veteran mental health care, organizations and researchers say more diverse approaches to mental health are required to address a large unmet need for veterans. The internal government report said that across Canada the wait times for appointments at Operational Stress Injury (OSI) clinics, which provide specialized services to veterans who experience mental health issues, is falling below their targets. This is due to the recent high growth in referrals from 2015-2017, referrals to OSI clinics have grown by 42 per cent. Demand is especially high in Montreal and Vancouver, which have the second and third largest number of veterans outside of Ontario. But advocates say that there are further gaps in services for veterans that OSI clinics dont meet and the demand for those alternative services still dont meet the need. For Lt.-Col. Chris Linford, the individual and group therapies at OSI clinics didnt offer the support he needed when he left the armed forces. Ive only accessed one meeting and I found it not right for me, so I never went back, he told the StarMetro. Instead, he found the mental health services of the Veterans Transition Network, a Vancouver-based organization that gives support to veterans while they acclimatize to civilian life, more suited to his needs. But eventually, Lindford decided that he wanted a more family-based approach to help manage his PTSD, because the whole family is affected by PTSD in the home. Lindford and his wife helped to develop the Couples Overcoming PTSD Everyday (COPE) program, which teams up veterans and their partners with therapists, as well as other veteran couples. Linford said having veteran couples work together was a key part of their strategy, because most military couples would rather listen to another military couple over a clinician. Lindford said that they are one of the few family-based programs providing support to veterans, and there is a great unmet need for this kind of support. The wait-list for the COPE program is quite huge, he said. Scott Maxwell, executive director of Wounded Warriors, which helps run the COPE program, said there is no one way to treat operational stress injuries, so different programs and services try to address the areas that the government-funded OSI clinics and other supports dont cover. In addition to COPE, Wounded Warriors also provides equine therapy and other alternative services for veterans. But the waits for services can discourage veterans from reaching out further, he said. Veterans are falling through the gaps in service provision. If someone puts their hand up and tries to access the support they deserve and its not available for months on end it might be the last time they reach out for help. Stigma also plays a role, he said, as veterans might be afraid to reach out or speak openly about their experiences. To address the unmet need, Veterans Affairs Canada recently announced new funding to expand OSI clinics, as well as the creation of the Centre of Excellence on PTSD and Other Related Mental Health Conditions, which will focus on research and education on mental health treatments. Other efforts include forums to share best practices in assessment and treatment, collaborative research and continuing education opportunities for health care professionals, said Marc Lescoutre, media relations officer for Veterans Affairs Canada, in an email. Read more about: VANCOUVER Three of the worlds largest investors are leveraging their combined $450 million in Kinder Morgan Inc. shares to pressure the company to improve its environmental reporting. New York States $270-billion pension fund will table a shareholder resolution Wednesday at Kinder Morgans annual meetings in Houston, calling for more environmental reporting a proposal officially opposed by oil companys management. The move comes as controversy swirls around the Texas energy giants Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in B.C. We were initially concerned over the controversy over the pipeline and the potential for the reputational risk it was causing the company, which hurts shareholder value, and legal liability that could end up affecting shareholder value, said Patrick Doherty, the comptrollers corporate governance director for New York state. The states comptroller oversees its massive Common Retirement Fund, which holds more than $100 million in Kinder Morgan shares. The resolution follows a similar one last year that gained more than 34 per cent support among shareholders, something observers said is unusually high for such votes. Even having 10, 20 or 30 per cent of your investors telling you something is important to them is a message most CEOs will heed in one form or another, said Peter Chapman, executive director of the Shareholder Association for Research and Education. The social and environmental issues around Kinder Morgans social licence are incredibly important that has become a major issue with pipeline construction across North America. But Wednesdays vote could exceed last years 34.1 per cent support, Doherty said. Thats because its being backed by two even larger investors: the $457-billion California Public Employees Retirement System Americas largest public pension fund and Norways $1.3-trillion Government Pension Fund Global. They are two of the largest institutional investors in the world, and respectively hold $201 million and $146 million in Kinder Morgan shares. Kinder Morgan declined StarMetros interview request Tuesday. Sorry, we dont do interviews about our shareholder meetings, said spokesperson Dave Conover in an email. The companys board issued a lengthy response in its shareholder handout urging rejection of the resolution. Our board unanimously opposes this proposal, the document said, raising concerns about the millions a yearly cost to improve its reporting and insisting its current environmental disclosure is sufficient. Less than two weeks remain until the Texas firms deadline by which it will abandon its $7.4-billion twinning of its Trans Mountain pipeline unless the province abandons its efforts to stymie the project with environmental regulations. The plan will nearly triple the flow of diluted bitumen from Albertas oilsands to a Burnaby, B.C. terminal. The expansion will increase oil tanker traffic sevenfold, sparking opposition from Burnaby, Vancouver and other coastal municipalities, the provincial government, and several First Nations along its route. But Kinder Morgan boasts more than 30 benefit agreements signed with other First Nations, the list of whom is not publicly available. Two years ago, New York state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli invited a delegation from Trans Mountains most prominent B.C. opponent, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, to his New York offices. His resolution will be presented by Chief Judy Wilson, of Neskonlith Indian Band, which also opposes the pipeline through its territory near Kamloops, B.C. Were not just day-traders buying a stock and selling it a couple months later, Doherty said. Were hoping this resolution will function as a wake-up call for management and the board. Correction - May 9, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated the assets held by the Norway Government Pension Fund Global as $1.3-billion. In fact, it is $1.3-trillion. Read more about: VANCOUVER Professional training and support are key to mobilizing the power of peer support workers as a resource for mental health education and outreach, say advocates and experts. Keli Anderson, co-founder of FamilySmart peer support network for mental health, employs nearly 40 people to provide support, training and resources for families impacted by mental-health or substance-use issues. Almost all of those employees have lived experience with mental health issues. And they have all been given training, said Anderson, that both encourages them to draw on their histories as a resource, and respects the challenges lived experience can present in the workplace. It isnt just about inviting peoples lived experience in, said Anderson, whose own familys struggles with mental health spurred the creation of a series of mental health non-profits over the last two decades. You build a house for them Our people have an infrastructure that is there for them and gives them the training and support and development and supervision that enables them to walk with their lived experience and do the hard work and not have it impact them negatively. Mental health issues are the leading cause of disability in the country, affecting nearly seven million working-age Canadians according to a February, 2018, report from the Mental Health Commission of Canada. By age 40, one in two Canadians has lived or is currently living with a mental health problem or illness. People living with a mental illness are much less likely to be employed, the report reads. Unemployment rates are as high as 70 to 90 per cent for people with the most severe forms of mental illness. Meanwhile, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce names skills shortages as one of the top 10 barriers to Canadian competitiveness, costing the economy billions annually in lost GDP. Structuring employment to accommodate the millions of Canadians who encounter mental health issues, the report concludes, will not only decrease employee turnover and improve the national economy, but would reduce the stigma that keeps so many people from reaching out for help when they need it most. Additionally, said Anderson, paying peer support workers is an important way to show lived experience is an asset, rather than a liability. Michael Anhorn, executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Associations Vancouver-Fraser branch, points to this weeks National Peer Support Conference in Calgary as one piece of evidence the mental health sector is taking on professional peer support as a legitimate resource. Anhorn cautioned that peer support would not work for every person who needed help, but said the practice could be effective in grounding individuals in need of mental health support. I dont think theres a one-size fits all for anything, he told StarMetro. For some, peer support is a great way in. For others it may be a good way to advance something theyve already started. Anhorn also said FamilySmarts family-to-family peer support model is beginning to gain ground as an evidence-based best practice for mental health support in Canada. For Anderson, the most important lesson peer support can teach is that people with lived experience have a wealth of experience to share, and neednt be afraid of owning it. Especially when so many Canadians struggle with mental health. You already have people in your workforce that have lived experience, Anderson said. You just might not know it. Read more about: VANCOUVERUnsafe levels of lead were found in drinking water in 25 per cent of the B.C. schools that reported test results this year, including eight schools that found levels more than 100 times higher than the allowable limit. Five hundred schools and facilities this year reported the results of lead tests, which were conducted between 2016 and 2018, to the Ministry of Education. More than 120 of those schools had a sample that failed to meet the Canadian standard for lead in drinking water of 0.01 mg/L. Concerns about lead in drinking water were heightened in North America following the crisis that hit in Flint, Mich., in 2014. Still, B.C. only began requiring schools to test for lead in their drinking water in the fall of 2016. Read more: We need to start acting on this: Expert backs former trustees call to test for lead in Albertas school drinking water More than 640 Ontario schools and daycares failed lead tests in the past two years The provincial government began requiring schools built before 1990 and those with a history of high lead levels to test their water in September 2016, following a Vancouver Sun investigation into the issue. Schools are required to conduct lead testing every three years. More than two-thirds of B.C. schools have conducted at least one round of lead tests so far. Schools are required to take steps to address high lead levels when theyre detected. This is not a small problem, said Glen Hansman, the president of the British Columbia Teachers Federation. Kids need to have access to safe drinking water, he said, and they shouldnt be expected to bring a water bottle from home. Bodies such as the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics say there is no safe level of lead exposure. Even at low levels, lead can affect childrens brain development, cause lower IQs and behavioural issues such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Bruce Lanphear, a Simon Fraser University health sciences expert who studies the effects of toxins such as lead on people, said pregnant women exposed to the heavy metal are more likely to give birth early. It can also decrease the birth weight of their babies. In adults, lead is also a risk factor for heart disease and chronic kidney issues, he said. The Canadian standard, medical professionals say, is already too lax to prevent health effects. In light of health concerns, a new, more stringent standard allowing half of the current amount of lead has been recommended by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water. At that proposed standard, more than 40 per cent of the schools would have failed at least one lead test, according to the latest data obtained by the Star through a freedom of information request. B.C. lags behind Ontario, which has mandated testing at both schools and daycares since 2007 and recently beefed up its requirements. In Alberta, however, schools are not required to test their water for lead. On the one hand, Im actually really pleased that we now have testing results, Education Minister Rob Fleming said of the results reported to his ministry this year. It was just two or three years ago, there was almost no testing being done annually, he said, before outlining the provinces plan to deal with the danger to kids health. Based on the test results, the province is giving grants to replace lead pipes contaminating the water supply and supporting school districts to install water filtration devices on every source of drinking water in their schools, he said. For instance, in December the province allocated $750,000 for six schools to fix lead levels. This followed investments of $6.5 million province-wide to combat the issue. Kids should be able to get a drink of clean, healthy water from water fountains at school, Fleming said in a statement at the time. Though many schools tested more than one water source, provincial policy doesnt dictate how many taps or fountains schools must test every three years. Instead, school districts are expected to work with their local health authorities to figure out how many taps to test and the testing procedure they should use. The Fraser Health Authority recommends that school districts test all taps that are used for drinking at all schools, spokesperson Jacqueline Blackwell said in an email. The testing procedure usually involves taking a sample of water after it has been stagnant overnight, followed by a second sample after the water has run for about two minutes, she said. Matt Kieltyka of Vancouver Coastal Health said while there is no specific requirement for the number of taps tested, a larger sample results in a more accurate assessment. To test, its best if the water hasnt been used in six hours, so an early morning sample is ideal, he said. VCH asks schools to get their samples from a source of taps representing each branch or section of the buildings distribution system, then send them to a lab for testing. Ontario, meanwhile, has one set of policies that applies across the province. Primary schools and daycares have been given until 2020 to ensure every faucet used for drinking or cooking has been tested for lead at least once. Other schools have until 2022 to do the same. The province also has detailed instructions for sampling. How these tests are conducted matters, Lanphear said, who noted schools will be more or less likely to find lead depending how the tests are conducted. If they want to know whether water from a tap or fountain is really safe to drink, schools should be taking three samples of warm water thats running fast. The first sample should capture the initial litre of water to flow from a tap after its been stagnant for hours. The second sample should be taken after the tap has been running for about a minute. The third sample should be taken after its been running for two minutes. Testing only one tap at a school is not really sufficient, he said, adding that unless B.C. has proof theres no risk of lead contamination in drinking water at schools built after 1990, the province should require those schools to test as well. Built after 1990, some schools that were not required to test for lead in drinking water but did anyways, failed to meet the standard for the heavy metal, the data obtained by the Star shows. How schools respond to high lead results varies. Some schools shut down the water fountain or tap, investigate the source of the lead and replace the offending pipe or fixture. Others install filters. But many schools in both B.C. and Ontario flush their taps. Both VCH and the Fraser Health Authority said flushing the overnight lead out of the system by running taps for five minutes or until the water runs cold each morning is one way to make the water safer. But the lead author of a new study who investigated the effectiveness of flushing said its a bad solution. Evelyne Dore, a PhD student at Polytechnique Montreal, said her study shows lead levels can build back up within 30 minutes of a flush. If schools are using flushing to address lead, students should be taught to flush the tap themselves as a safeguard, she said. The best solution is to identify the source of lead and remove it, she said, adding it wastes less water than flushing daily or more frequently. Alternatively, filters certified for the removal of lead are a good option, she said. Minister Fleming acknowledged flushing isnt a long-term solution. We are beginning to fund more and more plumbing upgrades, he said. What we want to do right now is get rid of the highest risk sources of lead. Until those sources of lead can be replaced in all schools, Hansman said school districts should ensure another source of safe water in the schools. Correction - May 9, 2018: The map accompanying this article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly indicated that Seaview Elementary in Port Moody reported one of the highest lead sample results. In fact, it was Seaview Elementary in Lantzville, B.C. that reported one of the highest lead sample results. With files from Alex McKeen Ainslie Cruickshank is a Vancouver-based reporter covering the environment. Reach her at ainslie.cruickshank@metronews.ca Jeremy Nuttall is the lead investigative reporter for StarMetro Vancouver. Reach him at jeremy.nuttall@metronews.ca Read more about: VANCOUVERIn many ways, Coal Harbour is the picture of prosperity, the quintessential combination of natural views and cityscape that attracts so many people to live in Vancouver in the first place. Except half the people who live there cant afford to do so. A StarMetro analysis of affordability in Metro Vancouver census tracts the small, stable neighbourhood portions Statistics Canada measures shows 30 per cent of people living in the median tract couldnt afford their homes already a high number that secures Vancouver as the least affordable Canadian city. A tool released Tuesday by the BC Non-Profit Housing Association uses data from the 2016 census to visualize how much Canadians are spending on rent in municipalities across the country. It shows 23 per cent of Vancouver renters are spending more than 50 per cent of their monthly income on the roofs over their heads. Read more: Crisis of affordability for Toronto renters, report says B.C. has the highest proportion of renters spending more than 50 per cent of their income on housing at 21 per cent. Ontario is a close second, with Toronto matching Vancouvers crisis spending levels. An analysis of census data shows how the crisis of affordability plays out at the neighbourhood level in Metro Vancouver. In addition to some people being priced out, large proportions are staying in or moving to neighbourhoods where they spend an unaffordable amount of their monthly budgets on housing. Spending 30 per cent of monthly income or less on housing is considered affordable by the Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation. By that standard, a single person making $3,000 per month could live affordably spending $900 per month on housing. A family with a combined income of $7,000 per month could spend $2,100 per month and still be within their means. Its become common in Vancouver, however, to spend much more than that. Have your say The 30 per cent standard has been used for years, said Penny Gurstein, director of UBCs community planning department. But today So many people are spending so much more of their income on housing than 30 per cent. Looking at the differences between neighbourhoods paints an even bleaker picture, where some neighbourhoods face much greater challenges than others. The quarter of Metro Vancouver tracts with the least affordability problems have between 12 and 25 per cent of households who cant afford their homes. The 25 per cent of tracts with the worst affordability problems, have between 35 and 61 per cent. Nine of the worst-off tracts include more than 50 per cent of households that cant afford their homes. They include two tracts on UBC endowment lands (61 per cent and 55 per cent), two tracts in the Downtown Eastside (55 per cent and 51 per cent), two tracts in Richmonds downtown (54 per cent each), one tract in Coquitlam (52 per cent), one tract in Burnabys Metrotown (51 per cent), and one tract in Coal Harbour (50 per cent). Unsurprisingly, data analysis shows neighbourhoods with many people in the low-income measure are more likely to have an affordability problem. Gentrification can explain the problem in some cases. For example, Burnabys Metrotown is infamous for being gentrified, causing many lower-income tenants to be demovicted. But the problem isnt limited to low-income areas. Coal Harbour, which also ranks among the census tracts with the worst affordability problems, is a prosperous neighbourhood with only about 20 per cent of people living under the low-income benchmark about the same as Metro Vancouvers average. Despite the financial crunch, there are reasons people continue to live in those neighbourhoods. Its a beautiful place. Theres a reason why people still come here, said Coal Harbour resident Suzanne ODonoghue, who moved to the neighbourhood six years ago. And I find the suburbs equally expensive. ODonoghue said part of the reason people choose to live in her Coal Harbour neighbourhood is that the convenient location allows them to save time and money on transportation, even if they have to spend more on housing. Its not always a choice though. I have a lot of friends that may get to a point where they end up leaving, ODonoghue said. I know people whove sold their house and moved north or to the island. Its a decision she said she may also make one day. She quit her job a few years ago and has been spending more than 30 per cent of her monthly income on housing since. For Metrotown Residents Association founder Rick McGowan, two camps in Metrotown explain the affordability struggle. There are the low-income people renting less expensive units, who would be spending greater than a third of their income almost anywhere in Metro Vancouver. And then there are those moving into Metrotowns brand new condos, who, like some Coal Harbour residents, are choosing to spend more of their income on housing for the tradeoff of proximity to the SkyTrain and amenities found there. Alex Operacz, a medical laboratory technician, has rented in the Metrotown area for 18 years. Being a long-term tenant has kept his housing costs hovering around that 30 per cent mark, but he knows that will change if hes evicted to make way for more new condos. When I look to find homes on Craigslist or in the newspaper, everyone tells me that Ill be paying at least twice as much as I did in the old place, Operacz said. Basically everything is going up except wages. McGowan said affordability is a neighbourhood problem and solutions need to be customized to those neighbourhoods. City or region-wide plans to develop new housing for a growing population, which focus on areas close to the SkyTrain, should also factor in the needs of people already living there, McGowan argued. For example, he argued developing Joyce-Collingwood, previously an industrial area, did not have as much of a negative neighbourhood impact as developing Metrotown, where existing tenants had already formed deep roots. For myself, Im secure. But I want my kids to be able to stay in the neighbourhood, McGowan said. The community he has an eye on now is Edmonds, which he says is thriving, but could become a repeat of Metrotowns woes if development becomes rampant there. Regional data on affordability shows little change between 2011 and 2016, with slightly more than 30 per cent of households in Metro Vancouver spending an unaffordable amount. For McGowan, the region-wide picture of affordability is just a piece of the puzzle. You dont just live in your city, he said, You live in your neighbourhood. Read more about: Kinder Morgan Inc.s proposed expansion of an oil pipeline to Canadas Pacific Coast will never happen because local opposition to the project thats dividing the nation is only going to intensify, according to the mayor of Vancouver. I dont think this project will go I really dont based on the resistance on the ground, Gregor Robertson said in an interview Tuesday at Bloombergs headquarters in New York. Kinder Morgan has threatened to walk away from the $7.4 billion project, setting a May 31 deadline for the federal government to neutralize opposition from a British Columbia government thats vowed to use every tool to block it. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whos staked his economic and environmental agendas on the pipeline, has pledged to get it completed to ensure landlocked Canadian crude flows to Asian markets. What do you think The Canadian government is determined that the pipeline will be built, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr reiterated to reporters in Ottawa Tuesday. Legislation to push the project ahead remains an option, he said, without elaborating. The federal government, along with the province of Alberta, are considering financial support for the project, which would almost triple capacity on a line that ends in a terminal near Vancouver. Im confident there will be a solution, Carr said. Opposition Mounts That solution shouldnt count on local opposition giving way, according to Robertson, whose decade-long tenure as mayor of Canadas third-biggest city ends in October. I dont think the resistance on the west coast is going to fade I think it will only intensify, he said. Escalation looks likely. Read more: Kinder Morgan faces $450M wake-up call at shareholder meetings Two B.C. Indigenous leaders say they will outline dangers during Kinder Morgan pipeline AGM Parkland Fuel CEO warns oil supply restrictions will be detrimental to B.C., Alberta economies A Nanos Research poll released this week indicated that while six in 10 Canadians want the project to proceed, an equal proportion are concerned that the dispute challenges how Canada functions as a federation. Alberta has threatened trade sanctions against neighboring British Columbia, arguing that the pipeline bottleneck is costing Canada about C$15 billion a year in discounted crude. Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd. didnt immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Global Warming For Robertson, 53, who presides over a city of 600,000 people where half the population takes transit, walks or rides a bike to work, the issue goes beyond a single pipeline in the fight against global warming. I think theres a much bigger question here, Robertson said. We have to get off of fossil fuels. Its really a question of how we implement that transition. Albertas oil and gas sector represents such a tiny fraction of the overall economy and a job count, whereas cities like Vancouver and Toronto are driven by newer technology and innovation-related sectors, he said. The most strident opposition to the project has been centered in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbias biggest cities, according to polls. Several indigenous groups have also voiced their opposition, though there is broad support in British Columbia outside the two urban centers. Two members of federal parliament were arrested in March for defying a court injunction banning protesters from disrupting construction at Kinder Morgans facility near Vancouver. Asked if he was ready to be arrested to halt the project, Robertson said, Potentially. But Id much rather see things de-escalate and a cooler heads prevail, which is why I havent yet, he said. Read more about: STAUNTON State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, the new chairwoman of the Illinois Senate Education Committee, continued her statewide Chalk Talk tour of schools on Monday at Staunton Community Unit School District 6. Bertino-Tarrant and local State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) met with members of the District Improvement Team to discuss the teacher shortage faced by many schools in the area. For far too long we have been using legislative Band-Aids as solutions to address the teacher shortage across Illinois, Bertino-Tarrant said. We need to get to the root of the problem to guarantee our children and teachers have the means to be successful. Visits and discussions like these help me gain a better understanding of how decisions we make in Springfield impact children and educators throughout the state, she added. Bertino-Tarrant and Manar have sponsored measures that would make college more affordable for new teachers, making it easier for retired teachers to fill in as substitute teachers and streamlining the teacher licensure process. Its important that the chair of the Senate Education Committee visits smaller towns and schools in Illinois, Manar said. Having Senator Bertino-Tarrant here today is valuable because we live in a diverse state, and its important that schools in the 48th Senate District are heard in Springfield. Manar and Bertino-Tarrant participated in a group discussion led by Staunton Superintendent Dan Cox to address the challenges facing Staunton schools, such as high class sizes, lack of social emotional supports for students and a lack of core interventions services. Senator Manar and Senator Bertino-Tarrant have long been champions for education, Cox said. By them taking the time to visit schools and listen to teachers in the field, it shows their commitment to working with us as partners to build great schools for our young people and our communities. Under the new school funding formula championed by Manar and Bertino-Tarrant last year, Staunton Community Unit School District 6 schools will receive an additional $421,337 in state funding. In my eighth year as superintendent of schools, this is the first time I have been able to have discussions about how to invest new resources into our schools instead of having discussions about which programs and services to cut, Cox said. EDWARDSVILLE Madison Countys Grants Committee members agreed the county should pursue individual memberships to the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois rather than a group membership with more limited participation. The committee had been asked to approve an approximately $30,000 membership which would have included two representatives on the councils board. It had been suggested by officials with Madison County Community Development that the county approve several individual memberships at $1,900 annually, saving the county about $20,000 if six memberships were approved. The committee took no formal action, but agreed to negotiate the individual memberships. At Mondays meeting several board member said they preferred that individual route. Bruce Malone, D-Alton, said he had supported the program in the past, but I was persuaded it wasnt necessary. The large payments started in 2012, with an initial payment of $15,000, followed by two similar payments each year. In addition the county has given the Leadership Council $125,000 toward the retention of Scott Air Force Base during Base Realignment and Closure rounds in 2004 and 2013. Leadership Council Executive Director Ronda Sauget and President Kevin Powers spoke at last months meeting. Sauget emphasized the regional approach to economic development by the Leadership Council, and the groups pro-active stance in addressing issues. She also said the $30,000 paid by the county goes toward a number of programs. That includes programs aimed at encouraging high school students to look at skilled trades and other job opportunities. That was described last month as a sponsorship rather than a membership. At Mondays meeting committee members expressed concerns about representation and exactly what they were getting. The key to me is return on investment, Board Member Ann Gorman, D-Edwardsville said. I want to see what we get before we decide. Board Member Erica Harriss, R-Glen Carbon, noted that the sponsorship level they had been paying was different from memberships. Were looking at it in terms of what were getting, she said. But at this level its a different type of buy-in. After some additional discussion, no formal action was taken on the matter, but would continue negotiating with the Leadership Council. Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447. CARLINVILLE A 37-year-old Gillespie man was sentenced to 18 months in prison for having sex with a German Shepherd. Macoupin County States Attorney Jennifer A. Watson announced Wednesday that Associate Judge Joshua A. Meyer sentenced Matthew D. Allen, 37, of Gillespie to 18 months in the Illinois Department of Corrections on the offense of sexual conduct with animals. EDWARDSVILLE The nation is celebrating educators during Teacher Appreciation Week May 6-12. Among those applauding the wonderful, inspiring work of teachers are Spring 2018 graduates of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Education, Health and Human Behavior (SEHHB), who achieved a bachelors in early childhood, elementary, secondary or special education. They each had a teacher growing up, or a cooperating teacher during their studies, who inspired them to be their best, offered a high-quality education and served as a strong mentor or advocate, igniting their passion for making a difference as educators themselves. This year, Teacher Appreciation Week coincides with the end of an academic year in which the SIU system has been developing its Great Schools Southern Illinois Initiative, said SEHHB Interim Dean Paul Rose, PhD. We recognize that at the heart of great schools are great teachers, and at the heart of successful communities are great schools. We all have ample reason to be grateful to excellent teachers who help their communities thrive. I chose to pursue special education, because I want to be the person who can educate and assist students and their families with special needs, said Kathryn Skaer, of Millstadt. Skaer chose to pursue a career in special education after seeing her brother struggle with homework as a young boy upon a diagnosis of ADHD and a learning disability. I want to show kids how fun learning can be and put them on a path for success, she explained. She appreciates her cooperating teacher, Amy Croxford, for being a positive influence during her academic studies. Croxford teaches a 4th and 5th grade special education class at East Elementary in Alton. During your day-to-day activities as a teacher, you dont just teach, Skaer said. You hear about your students lives, what they do at home and when they ate their last meal. Amy is great at confronting issues students often have no control over and discussing tough topics with families. She sees the best in each of her students, and makes sure to build their academic work around their strengths and interests. The feeling I get when a student accomplishes something, because I taught it to them is indescribable, she continued. Its like achieving your goals and offering someone a priceless gift all at once. To know that because of your teaching, that child can subtract, or read, or make eye contact, makes the difficult days on the job worth it. Elementary education graduate Katie Shannon, of Lebanon, credits Ina Bowling as her most influential cooperating teacher. She emphasizes Bowlings incredible gift of teaching from her heart. I most appreciated her positive attitude, her devotion to creating a fun learning environment for every child and her willingness to adjust her instruction to meet the needs of all her students, Shannon said of Bowling, who teaches at Webster Elementary School in Collinsville. As an educator, I hope to make a difference in all of my students lives, Shannon added. I want to inspire each child to be a lifelong learner. My goals are to highlight the strengths of each student and teach them to believe in themselves. Sarah Crause, of Godfrey, fulfilled her dream of becoming an educator upon achieving her bachelors in special education from SIUE. I spent 16 years in finance/banking, always regretting my decision not to go into education, Crause explained. After the death of my parents, a year and a half apart, I realized how short life is and that its never too late to fulfill a dream. Crause has secured a position teaching 6th and 7th grade special education in Bethalto. Jane Hill, her high school English/French teacher, has been a constant presence in her life. She treated her students as individuals, and she encouraged, supported and believed in me, Crause said. She continues to be a mentor and friend. I hope to be a caring, nurturing educator, like her, who provides high-quality teaching and instills in students confidence to reach for the stars. Elementary education graduate Amanda Loker, of Wayne City, remembers fondly her high school math teacher Mrs. Mays, affectionately known as Momma Mays. She was real and full of life, Loker recalled of her high school days. She understood us and genuinely cared about each of her students. I too want to give students hope that life is good. I might be the only smiling face they see in a day, so if I have one purpose in life, its to smile. Bethalto native Megan Trost, who earned a bachelors in special education, will be teaching in a Life Skills classroom at her alma mater Civic Memorial High School. It is such a privilege to have the opportunity to teach in the district I grew up in, Trost said. I have always had a passion for learning, and I want to instill that in others. Each teacher in my life has influenced me in vastly different ways, which is a testament to how important it is that teachers come from diverse backgrounds in order to reach kids in a way that is most meaningful to them. Trost plans to teach her students to advocate for themselves and be inquisitive about the world. My greatest hope as an educator is to help break the stigma around disabilities and provide opportunities for all students to first recognize the unique abilities of each individual, she said. There is much to offer when we come together and support every individual in a school, regardless of ability, background or otherwise. Elementary education graduate Keri Teague, of OFallon, Ill., credits her third-grade teacher Mrs. Rowson and cooperating teacher Mrs. Benson with helping her realize the impact she hopes to make on kids lives, just like they had on hers. As an educator, I hope to spark a love of learning in all of my students, Teague said. Mrs. Benson let me contribute my ideas and thoughts to her classroom and helped me succeed as a teacher candidate. I hope some day kids will look back and remember me as a teacher who inspired them and made a difference in their life. EAST ALTON A longtime East Alton drug dealer pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony drug dealing and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Sherman M. Wade, of the 400 block of Brown Street, East Alton, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a church, First Assembly of God, 325 West Main St., East Alton. Authorities said they found more than 11 grams of cocaine in a home occupied by Wade at 407 Brown St., East Alton, after Wade sold drugs to a confidential informant on three occasions in 2017. In exchange for his guilty plea on one count of a Class X felony, authorities dropped two other counts. Wade may get a day off his sentence for each good day he serves. Each of the original three counts is a Class X felony, punishable by a prison sentence of between 6 and 30 years. Wades sentence was enhanced because of his previous criminal record. His case was set for trial next week. He was convicted in 2003 of misdemeanor mob action after originally being charged with aggravated battery. He also has convictions of possession of a controlled substance, aggravated fleeing, manufacture or delivery of between one and 15 grams of cocaine, delivery of a controlled substance, domestic battery and three misdemeanors. A court document states that on Nov. 8, police and the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System raided the home at 407 Brown St., East Alton after the undercover buys were made. Police knocked on the door but received no answer. They broke in through the door and found Wade inside. In addition to the cocaine found in the search, police also found $510 in cash and two digital scales. He allegedly admitted he had sold crack cocaine but falsely told officers that he worked at a retail store in Wood River. Details of the case were contained in a sworn statement submitted by police in an effort to obtain the $500. The document claims the money was connected to the drug trade, since Wade had no visible means of support. State law allows authorities to take possession of assets believed connected to the drug trade. Reach reporter Sanford Schmidt at 618-208-6449. A statement of faith should describe your Christian faith and how you see it as relevant to your involvement with IJM. The statement can either be incorporated into the cover letter or submitted as a separate document and should include, at a minimum, a description of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, study, etc.) and your current fellowship or place of worship. The United StatesEmbassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda forover 30 years. Ambassador Deborah R. Malac currently heads the U.SMission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices andorganizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at thedirection of the Ambassador. The suspense is finally over. US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal which he termed as defective to the core sending diplomats across Europe into a spin. Closer home, the American walk out of the dealwhich was a major plank of the Obama administrationwill have its ripple effects. For India, it means a tightrope walk to balance the energy and strategic interests in Iran with its friendship with America. The statement issued by the ministry of external affairsvery fair and neutralpoints to how careful and determined India is to not take sides. India has always maintained that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy by respecting Irans right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy as also the international communitys strong interest in the exclusively peaceful nature of Irans nuclear programme. All parties should engage constructively to address and resolve issues that have arises (sic) respect to the JCPOA, said the press release. Beyond the almost yogic contorting to find just the right note for this difficult positionespecially as Obama administration had a more lenient view of Indias engagement with the Middle Eastthe US scraping of the deal means sanctions. Oil prices will spike. It will have a major impact. It will push prices up, maybe, to 140 dollars if the Europeans fail to bridge with Iran without the US. The current White House is unpredictable, so we cant say how this will play out at the moment, said Kabir Taneja associate fellow with the Observer Research Foundation. The spike, however, might be short lived. The prices have risen because of the shock of the decision, even though it was expected. They will stabilise, said professor Rajesh Rajagopalan, Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament, School of International Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University. At the moment, even Europethat is firmly behind the dealis scrambling to figure out how the sanctions will play out. It will, however, impact financial dealing with Iran. All transactions will need another route and will be messy. India, which had been slow in reacting to the opening up of Iran, might, however, be rewarded for its cautious approach. Our 'play it safe' attitude has benefited us, said Md. Muddassir Quamar, associate fellow of Institute for Defence Analyses. However, one thing is clear that India will be pushing to find a way out while preserving its rather bold foray into the Middle East. And there is a lot at stake. The fate of the Chabhar, a pet project, might be impacted with this decision. India hopes to use the port to bypass Pakistan and supply goods to Afghanistan through Iran. It is unclear how the sanctions will play out here. It has taken over a decade for the project to start. The progress is very slow. So, I dont think it will make much difference, said Rajagopalan. The 'MeToo' campaign for sexual equality will have "no direct impact" on who wins at the Cannes Film Festival, Cate Blanchett, the head of this year's majority-female jury, said on Tuesday. Of the 21 films vying for the Palme d'Or, only three are directed by women, the same as last year's festival which happened before the sexual abuse and harassment allegations that gave birth to a global campaign to get greater female participation in the film business. When asked whether she was concerned that there were only three female-helmed movies, Blanchett told a news conference: A few years ago there were only two! Is (MeToo) going to have a direct impact upon the films in competition this year, six, nine months on? Not specifically. There are several women in competition but they are not there because of their gender, they are there for the quality of their work." She added: "Would I like to see more women in competition? Absolutely. Do I expect and hope thats going to happen in the future? I hope so. But, as if to show how women must not be overlooked in cinema, she had a barbed response to a reporter who asked the "filmmakers"meaning the directors, rather than actorson the jury to answer "why are movies still important?" "Actresses: don't answer that because you have no idea how to answer that question!" Blanchett said with a raised eyebrow to fellow jury members Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart (an actress who has recently moved into directing). The news conference was the last time the five-women, four-men jury will speak to the media until the end of the fortnight of movie screenings which begins on Tuesday with Everybody Knows, a Spanish-language drama starring Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, written and directed by the Iranian Asghar Farhadi. Another Iranian with a movie in competition, Jafar Panahi, will be unable to attend the festival as he is officially banned from film-making by his government. Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov will also be absent as he is under house arrest in Russia on charges his supporters say are politically motivated. Blanchett, who called their plight "a terrible situation" was asked if that would alter the way their films are judged. It's not a political film festival, she replied, insisting that all films will be judged solely on their artistic merits."This is not the Nobel Peace Prize, it's the Palme d'Or." The festival runs from May 8 to May 19. -Reuters The controversy surrounding Aligarh Muslim University has been planted by vested interests and it is being raked up keeping elections in mind, feels Professor Seyed E. Hasnain, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, a deemed-to-be university in Delhi started by Hamdard Foundation. "In 1938 when his portrait was put up, Jinnah was an Indian person. And if you are so paranoid about his photo, remove it from everywherefrom Bombay High Court and Sabarmati Ashram as well," said Professor Hasnain in an exclusive interview to THE WEEK. Hasnain is a Padmashri awardee and was a member of the scientific advisory council to the prime minister from 2004 to 2014. The AMU found in the middle of a storm after a BJP MP demanded that the portrait of the Pakistan founder be removed from the university. "I understand that he (Jinnah) is being made villain for the two nation theory, but the point is that the other side had also agreed. Gandhiji agreed and so did Nehru. Most of all, why make fuss about an 80-year-old thing?," he asked. Jamia Hamdard is a minority university with 50 per cent reservation for Muslims. The university now plans to increase the number of students on its campus and has various other expansion plans, too. As of now, it is partly funded by the Hamdard National Foundation and partly through internal accruals. "Our last year's budget was Rs 100 crore but we expect it to go up further this year. To meet the increased expenses, we are trying out various ways to capitalise on our resources," said the vice-chancellor The university is trying to get more collaborations with industry for setting up research facilities. It already has GSK and Sun Pharma on the campus. It is also trying to get support from its wide alumni base. "We have never tapped our alumni pool. At places like IIT Delhi, there is a very vibrant alumni support system. We would like to have that. Dr Manu Jaggi, the chief scientific officer of Dabur research, is our alumnus, so is the Syrian ambassador and there are many others," said Prof Hasnain. Jamia Hamdard has so far been known for its medical schoolboth Unani and modern medicineand some of its science courses, but it now wants to offer humanities as well. The university has got board approval to start a full-fledged school of humanities and social sciences. Under the government's scheme on Institutions of Eminence, the university had applied and is now among the 102 that have been shortlisted. There will be further shortlisting and finalising of 10 universities in private and 10 universities in public space. It currently has a seven acre campus in Kannur, Kerala and has plans to open campuses in Kashmir and Bihar. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday that the Centre should consider declaring a ceasefire in the state during Ramzan so that both the Eid and the Amarnath Yatra would be peaceful. Mufti briefly spoke to the press after a four-hour meeting with the leaders of all political parties in the state at Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on the banks of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. The meeting was called to discuss the grim political situation in the state and unabated killing of militants and civilians. ''All parties agreed to appeal to the government of India for a ceasefire on the occasions of Eid and Amarnath Yatra on the lines of Atal Behari Vajpayee's unilateral ceasefire in 2002 so that people get some relief,'' Mufti said. She said the encounters and search operation are causing a lot of inconveniences to the people. ''As Ramzan and Yatra are coming, we must try to take steps that will help restore the confidence of the people of the state,'' she said. ''An atmosphere needs to be created in which Eid as well as the Yatra pass peacefully.'' Some parties suggested that we meet the prime minister and express our concern about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and discuss with him how to implement his August 15, 2017 statement that the situation in Kashmir will be rectified only by hugging the people and not by abusing them, Mufti said. She said all parties which attended the meeting expressed concern over the situation and the killings of young boys and the stone-pelting incidents. In the latest incident, R. Thirumani (22), a tourist from Chennai, died in a hospital on Monday after being hit by a stone during clashes between security forces and protesters in Narbal area. The chief minister said the meeting has agreed that the Agenda of Alliance between the PDP and the BJP, ''which is a visionary document'', should be implemented as it "provides a roadmap" about dialogue and other confidence-building measures. ''Everybody agreed that by implementing the agreement between the PDP and the BJP, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir can improve,'' Mufti said. Meanwhile, National Conference leader Ali Muhammad Sagar demanded that Operation All Out launched by the security forces be stopped. If the chief minister wants to diffuse the situation and address the alienation, some extraordinary steps need to be taken,'' Sagar said. ''Talks should be held with separatists and Operation All Out should be stopped.'' He further said night raids and search operations should also be stopped. Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir felt the chief minister is helpless. ''She neither wants to leave power nor is she in a position to solve people's problems,'' Mir said. ''We told her to take the agencies on board and talk to the government so that there is a ceasefire on the occasion of Ramzan, he said. Continuing his attack on the Congress party in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday coud not help but take a jibe at Rahul Gandhi's comments that he was ready to occupy the post of the prime minister in 2019. "Yesterday someone made an important declarationhe said, "I am going to be PM!" He came like those bullies, barging his way ahead when there are others who have many years of experience. How can someone just declare himself as the PM? This is simply nothing but arrogance," Prime Minister Modi said addressing an election rally at Bangarapet in Karnataka. Modi added that there have been concerted efforts to dethrone him from the post of prime minister in the 2019 general elections. "To remove Modi, there are big meetings being held. How will the big leaders who attend these meetings react to this sudden announcement by one 'Naamdaar' that he is going to be PM," Modi said. He added that it was time for Karnataka to say goodbye to the Congress. The prime minister labelled the Congress a deal party. Congress culture, communalism, casteism, crime, corruption and contract system were the six Cs destroying Karnataka's future, Modi added at the rally in Bangarpet near Bengaluru. This election is not limited to victory or defeat. It will decide the future of Karnataka, added Modi. During Manmohan Singh's tenure as prime minister, he said, the remote control was with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. However, in the four years of the Modi government, the remote control has been with the people, the prime minister said. Yoga guru and entrepreneur Baba Ramdev on Tuesday said Muslims, who do not "attach importance" to pictures or idols, should not worry about portraits of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Ramdev was responding to a query on the controversy over the demand for removal of a portrait of Jinnah from the premises of the Aligarh Muslim University. "The ghost of Jinnah is hogging a lot of limelight. Muslims ought not worry about the Pakistan founder's pictures as they do not attach importance to photographs or idols in keeping with the tenets of their faith," he told reporters. "Jinnah can never be an ideal figure to those who believe in the country's unity and integrity," said Ramdev, who was in Nalanda district of Bihar to hold yoga classes. He said the ancient discipline of yoga must not be described as being pro-Hindu or against Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. "Those having a problem with 'Gayatri Mantra' can practice yoga by reciting the name of Allah. Also, no tantra-mantra (sorcery) is involved in yoga," he said. Ramdev also said yoga must be a part of school curricula. Lauding Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's decision to ban sale and consumption of alcohol in the state, he said liquor, petrol and diesel are the chief sources of revenue for any government, and that it must have taken "a lot of courage to take such a bold move." Noting that Bihar had "immense agriculture potential," Ramdev said his Patanjali Group was looking forward to setting up agro-based industrial units in the state. Replying to a query, the yoga guru said he has received an invitation for the wedding of RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav, son of Lalu Prasad Yadav. President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled the United States out of an international nuclear deal with Iran, raising the risk of conflict in the Middle East, upsetting European allies and casting uncertainty over global oil supplies. Trump said in a televised address from the White House that he would reimpose US economic sanctions on Iran to undermine a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. The 2015 agreement, worked out by the United States, five other world powers and Iran, lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear programme. The pact was designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. But Trump complains that the accord, the signature foreign policy achievement of his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, does not address Irans ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 or its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria. Iran has extended its political and military influence in the Middle East in recent years, deeply worrying US allies Israel and Saudi Arabia. Underscoring the tension in the region, the Israeli military went on high alert on Tuesday for a possible flare-up with neighbouring Syria, which is allied to Iran. An Israeli air strike targeted a Syrian army position south of Damascus on Tuesday but caused no casualties, a commander in the regional alliance supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said. Abandoning the Iran pact was the latest element of Trumps high-stakes America First policy, which has led the United States to announce its withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, come close to a trade war with China and pull out of an Asian-Pacific trade deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran would remain in the deal without Washington. Iranian state television said Trumps decision to withdraw was illegal, illegitimate and undermines international agreements. Renewing sanctions would make it much harder for Iran to sell its oil abroad or use the international banking system. Iran is the third-largest member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and pumps about 3.8 million barrels per day of crude, or just under 4 per cent of global supply. China, India, Japan and South Korea buy most of its 2.5 million bpd of exports. According to the US Treasury, sanctions related to Irans energy, auto and financial sectors will be reimposed in three and six months. Oil prices recouped some losses after Trumps announcement, in a volatile session in which prices slumped as much as 4 per cent earlier on Tuesday. Brent crude futures LCOc1 settled 1.7 per cent lower at $74.85 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 ended the session 2.4 per cent lower at $69.06 per barrel. Wall Street remained in negative territory, while energy stocks cut earlier losses after Trump spoke. Rotten deal Trump said the nuclear agreement did not prevent Iran from cheating and continuing to pursue nuclear weapons. It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement, he said. The Iran deal is defective at its core. Iran denies it has tried to build atomic weapons and says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes. UN inspectors say Iran has not broken the nuclear deal and senior US officials themselves have said several times that Iran is in technical compliance with the pact. Trump said he was willing to negotiate a new deal with Iran, but Tehran already has ruled that out and threatened unspecified retaliation if Washington pulled out. Trumps decision is a snub to European allies such as France, Britain and Germany that are also part of the Iran deal and tried hard to convince the US president to preserve it. The Europeans must now scramble to decide their own course of action with Tehran. China and Russia also are signatories to the Iran deal. The leaders of Britain, Germany and France said in a joint statement that Trumps decision was a cause for regret and concern. They urged the United States not to take steps that would make life harder for other countries that still wanted to stick to the nuclear deal with Iran. Obama described Trumps decision to withdraw from the deal, known formally as the JCPOA, as misguided. I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake, Obama said in a statement. Irans growing military and political power in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq worries the United States, Israel and US Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia. Israel has traded blows with Iranian forces in Syria since February, stirring concern that major escalation could be looming. The Israeli military said on Tuesday that after identifying irregular activity by Iranian forces in Syria, it instructed civic authorities on the Golan Heights to ready bomb shelters, deployed new defences and mobilised some reservist forces. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a televised address lauding Trumps Iran policy and alluding to the tensions over Syria. For months now, Iran has been transferring lethal weaponry to its forces in Syria, with the purpose of striking at Israel, Netanyahu said. We will respond mightily to any attack on our territory. Saudi Arabia, Irans arch-foe in the Middle East, also welcomed Trumps decision. Reuters United Technologies Corporation provides technology products and services to building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. Its Otis segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs passenger and freight elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; and offers modernization products to upgrade elevators and escalators, as well as maintenance and repair services. The company's Carrier segment provides heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation products, solutions, and services for commercial, government, infrastructure, residential, and refrigeration and transportation applications. This segment also offers building services, including audit, design, installation, system integration, repair, maintenance, and monitoring. Its Pratt & Whitney segment supplies aircraft engines for commercial, military, business jet, and general aviation markets; and provides aftermarket maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as fleet management services. The company's Collins Aerospace Systems segment provides electric power generation, power management, and distribution systems; air data and aircraft sensing systems; engine control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems; engine components; environmental control systems; fire and ice detection, and protection systems; propeller systems; engine nacelle systems; aircraft lighting, seating, and cargo systems; actuation and landing systems; space products and subsystems; avionics systems; flight controls, communications, navigation, oxygen, and training systems; food and beverage preparation, and storage and galley systems; and lavatory and wastewater management systems. The company offers its services through manufacturers' representatives, distributors, wholesalers, dealers, retail outlets, and sales representatives, as well as directly to customers. United Technologies Corporation was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut. Read More 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 Brunswick A town man charged a month ago with the theft of a construction trailer in Cohoes and a suspect in similar cases in Colonie was arrested Friday by State Police on a felony charge of possession of stolen property in connection with the theft of a $7,800 dump trailer from Howe Brothers Truck and Trailer in Troy. Michael Keller, 43, is due back in court Friday on the charge. Police said they found the trailer Keller is accused of stealing, as well as some of the equipment in the Colonie cases, at a location in Troy. Colonie Police spokesman Lt. Robert Winn said State Police were investigating their own case against Keller when they found property belonging two one of the two Colonie victims. He said he believed the property for the second victim will also be located and returned. Winn said the Troy and Cohoes cases have been referred to grand juries in their respective counties. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Keller, who runs a landscaping and property company, owned the popular Lionheart Pub in Albany from 2015 until last month. Lionheart founder Jerry Aumand, who sold the business and its building to Keller after owning it for 23 years, sued Keller, alleging nonpayment of a $3 million mortgage and loan Aumand was holding on the Lionheart. Keller disputed Aumand's characterization of the financial arrangement and said he sold the Lionheart back to Aumand. The Madison Avenue bar, temporarily closed during the ownership transition, is projected to reopen within two weeks, according to a sign on the window. Colonie Two Saratoga County towns and nearly a dozen residents are suing the state to block an expansion of the Colonie town landfill along the Mohawk River, claiming the Department of Environmental Conservation is discounting the risks. The separate lawsuits by the towns of Waterford and Halfmoon claim that DEC ignored risks in approving a 93-acre expansion of the landfill, and illegally denied the towns an opportunity to make their case before a DEC administrative judge. "We are seeking to have the (state) permit overturned, and to have a judge order that DEC schedule an adjudicatory hearing on this," said Waterford Supervisor Jack Lawler on Tuesday. Waterford and Halfmoon, along with the residents, filed the lawsuit late Monday in state Supreme Court in Saratoga County. Attempts to reach Halfmoon Supervisor Kevin Tollisen for comment were not successful. The DEC press office declined comment, citing the pending litigation. DEC issued a permit for the landfill expansion last month. Lawler and Tollisen have claimed that DEC underplayed the potential threat posed by piling up more trash atop an unlined 50-acre portion of the landfill that contains hazardous waste and largely ignored recent tests that found levels of the hazardous chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in river water near the landfill. PFOA, a chemical used in making non-stick surfaces, was added to the state's list of hazardous chemicals in 2016 after it was found to have polluted the water supply of Hoosick Falls in Rensselaer County. As part of a final Environmental Impact Statement accepted by DEC, the town's plan would shrink the size of the so-called Area 7 expansion from 105 acres to 93 acres, and keep the edge of the dump 500 feet from the Mohawk, rather 100 feet from the water's edge as originally planned. Also, the proposal would allow the town to pile up another 30 feet of trash, rather than the 87 feet that the town was seeking. The environmental report said there is no evidence that unsafe levels of hazardous chemicals are leaking into the river, and that the expansion would not impair continued monitoring to detect any potential changes to the buried hazardous waste. The lawsuit claims that there are about 85,000 tons of industrial waste from such companies as Bendix Corp., Ford Motor Company, Norton Company, and the Watervliet Arsenal. An engineer hired by Waterford told DEC the extra weight of additional garbage being piled atop this waste would press chemical contamination through the ground and "ultimately into the (Mohawk) river." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. DEC said that risk could be addressed by a plan to inject chemical hardening agents underground in the area of the hazardous waste to better support the weight of the new, additional trash. The town-owned landfill is operated under a lease by a Texas-based corporation, Waste Connections Inc. The town applied for the expansion in late 2016 and DEC last year took hundreds of public comments on the plan, most of them negative. In 2011, Colonie agreed to lease its landfill under a 25-year agreement that gave Colonie $23.8 million up front, plus another $33.5 million over the life of the deal, with cash incentives for getting state permission to expand the facility. DEC ruled that the Capital Region could not do without the expanded landfill, since the Albany municipal landfill is expected to close in several years and is scaling back the amount of trash it accepts. The Waterford/Halfmoon lawsuit claims that DEC did not conduct "a meaningful investigation of whether the tipping fees at other available landfills could be more economical, or any discussion of options for the town to responsibly balance its budget through other revenue enhancements or spending reductions." Malta The Abu Dhabi delegation that visited GlobalFoundries' Fab 8 computer chip factory in Saratoga County on Monday has been busy the last two days in Washington, D.C. as part of a well-orchestrated effort to forge deeper ties with the federal government. Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the CEO of Mubadala Investment Co., the Abu Dhabi investment fund that owns GlobalFoundries, has been leading the delegation on a week-long trip in the U.S. He has been accompanied by Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the U.S., and other Abu Dhabi and Mubadala officials. Tom Caulfield, the newly named CEO of GlobalFoundries, also accompanied them to Washington where the met with government leaders and business groups. "We are proud to have partnered with a range of major companies from the U.S.," Mubadala tweeted Wednesday morning with a photo of Al Mubarak and Al Otaiba walking across the street from the U.S. Capitol. "This week a senior delegation is in the U.S. to meet with partners as we look to deepen existing ties and explore new opportunities across a range of sectors that are central to Abu Dhabi's future." While at Fab 8 on Monday Al Mubarak and U.S. Rep Paul Tonko, whose congressional district includes the factory, made a carefully crafted case that Fab 8 is a national asset to the U.S. that is deserving of financial backing from the federal government. It would seem federal assistance would be a requirement if GlobalFoundries were to build a second factory at the Fab 8 site, a project that could cost $10 billion or more. New York state previously gave GlobalFoundries more than $1.5 billion in cash and tax breaks for the initial construction at Fab 8, which employs in the neighborhood of 3,300 to 3,500 people. Federal assistance for things like utility infrastructure, research and development and workforce education would seem needed for the project to work considering that countries like India, Germany and Singapore would likely throw lucrative financial assistance packages at the company to win the project. "We have to make certain that we don't dull the competitive edge here by standing still," Tonko said after a luncheon at Fab 8 hosted by Mubadala and attended by top local elected and business officials. It is unclear how much in federal assistance GlobalFoundries might seek. The company has two lobbying firms working on its behalf in Washington, D.C., Carmen Group and Greenberg Traurig, with $80,000 in lobbying expenses during the first quarter of 2018. The two firms were focused on thinks like infrastructure spending, exports and foreign investment policies. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Carmen Group was specifically focused on the White House, which has made manufacturing and infrastructure spending big parts of its economic policy. Al Mubarak also highlighted the $20 billion trade surplus that the United States has with the United Arab Emirates on Monday. "Hopefully the White House will hear that too," Al Mubarak said Monday at Fab 8. The UAE has also supported President Donald Trump backing out of the Iran nuclear deal, which also made Mubadala's visit to Washington timely. Al Mubarak and Al Otaiba also met Wednesday with Manisha Singh, the assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs, the top economic diplomat in the U.S. and a Trump nominee to the post. And Al Mubarak was the featured guest at a luncheon hosted by the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, a business group that supports trade between the two countries. Colonie Albany International Airport has offered new nonstop service to Buffalo and Myrtle Beach, and airport authority officials hope to add to that. Staff members will be in Montreal later this month to meet with Air Canada officials as they seek to restore service to Toronto or Montreal. Air Canada ended flights between Toronto and Albany in September 2013. And in June, airport staff will be in Cleveland to meet carriers during the Airport Council International North America Conference. Airport CEO John O'Donnell said among the carriers they'll meet with are Frontier and Allegiant. Neither currently serves Albany. Elite Airways, meanwhile, began service to Myrtle Beach, S.C., last month, flying on Thursdays and Sundays between the two cities. O'Donnell said that John Pearsall, Elite's president, told him the load factor, the percentage of seats sold, "was very, very strong," and that the airline is considering adding a second destination from Albany. "We have our suggestions, Charlottesville or maybe Raleigh," O'Donnell said during Tuesday's airport authority board meeting. Pearsall said a destination decision hasn't been made. "We do have a plan, but not firm on the destination yet," he said in an email to the Times Union. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Elite is using 50-seat CRJ-200 aircraft on the route. In February, OneJet launched weekday nonstop flights between Albany and Buffalo, using 30-seat Embraer jets on the route, restoring service between New York's two largest upstate airports for the first time in eight years. The airport is set to lose flights to Massena as another carrier, Boutique Air, shifts the flying it does with federal Essential Air Service support to Boston's Logan Airport. Service between Massena and Boston will begin on June 1, according to Kelly Smith, media relations manager for the Massachusetts Port Authority. Boutique Air carried 493 passengers during the first three months of 2018. Overall, boardings at Albany during that period totaled 332,915. Albany What happened in Iran on Tuesday helped make driving more expensive this spring and could make your summer vacation driving cost more, too. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from a nuclear agreement with Iran marked a volatile day in global oil markets with prices falling dramatically when some media reports indicated he would keep the U.S. in the agreement. Prices later recovered when Trump instead announced the withdrawal, but these higher crude prices have been locked in for several months since traders assumed that Trump would likely do what he ended up doing. Trump's move could impinge the export of Iranian crude oil into the world market, dampening overall supply, which normally would push global prices higher. However, this pressure has already been "priced into" crude oil prices that started started rising late last year, pushing up gasoline prices as well, said Dan McTeague, a senior petroleum analyst for the site GasBuddy.com. Gasoline prices in New York have been steadily climbing in recent months, with several counties downstate and in the Adirondacks already above the $3 a gallon mark. Gasoline prices usually remain stable or fall during the winter, as motorists drive less. "This probably will be as good as it gets for a while, and gas prices should remain pretty much where they are until the start of the summer," he said. But any change in events, such as continued drops in Venezuelan oil production or a storm that damages coastal oil refineries, could cause prices to spike, he said. Across New York, the average price is now $2.95 a gallon for unleaded, up from $2.51 a year ago, according to the AAA "Gas Gauge" website. In the Capital Region, which has some of the lowest gas prices in the state, the average price is $2.84 a gallon, up from $2.43 a year ago. The national motorists' organization AAA also warned drivers that prices are not going to be declining, at least not in the near future. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "Crude prices are likely to continue climbing as the May 12 deadline for the recertifying (the Iran agreement) draws near and it becomes increasingly likely that the U.S. will decline to renew it," said Jeanette Casselano, external communications director for AAA, shortly before Trump announced his decision. On Election Day 2016, the price of a barrel of oil (West Texas Intermediate, a U.S. benchmark) was $44.98, and a gallon of gas nationwide averaged $2.25. On Tuesday, that same barrel of oil was $69.50, an increase of more than 50 percent, and that same gallon of gas averaged $2.81, up about 25 percent. Prices at the pump are up, even though the U.S. is now producing record amounts of crude oil under the hydrofracking technique. Increased production is being mirrored by a surge in U.S. exports of crude oil overseas. The U.S. now trails only Saudia Arabia and Russia as an oil exporter, which McTeague said reflects levels last seen during the Eisenhower administration. Menands Strapping a small GoPro camera to her chest, Nancy Haynes smiled at Daisy, who was excitedly sniffing her ankles, and said "Start video." As the tape rolled, Haynes coaxed the dog to make eye contact, checked her back for sensitive spots and played with her, watching Daisy's body language and reactions. Every dog that comes to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, where Haynes is the director of behavior and enrichment, undergoes this evaluation process to determine their needs. Later Haynes can replay the GoPro footage, watching for signals or movements she may have missed in the moment. "We can capture their behavior on tape and review it, looking at their postures, triggers and body language," she said. "It can be so quick and subtle." The GoPro camera is one of several devices or services that local companies recently donated to Mohawk to help advance its mission through modern technology. The organization's staff will be able to better understand the animals they work with using the new materials, and the general public will get to see and hear about some of the animals the organization serves and those that are awaiting adoption. Technology presents an opportunity to reach the public, especially younger generations, through the devices and channels they're using, said Marguerite Pearson, Mohawk's marketing and communications manager. These donations will help Mohawk do that. "We're very excited and grateful to these companies," she said. The GoPro, donated by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, will be used to film behavior assessments with animals and as a tool in staff training. Capital Region real estate agent Miguel Berger and his son Ami, who are also the founders of technology company Voiceter Pro, donated an Alexa skill they created for Mohawk. Using the phrase "Open capital pet," people with Alexa devices can listen to brief descriptions of animals waiting to be adopted and information about events and volunteer opportunities. The Alexa skill will enable Mohawk to connect with people through the devices they use on a daily basis, said Berger, who serves on Mohawk's board of directors. As more people use voice recognition technology in their daily lives, people have come to expect these types of services from the businesses and organizations they interact with, he said. "It's where the future is going," Berger said. "If we wait too long to embrace something, we're going to get left behind." He hopes the feature will also raise awareness about the work Mohawk does. Last year the organization worked with more than 7,000 animals, including placing 3,611 in new homes, reuniting 486 lost pets with their owners and transporting more than 1,000 animals from other shelters. "They can't speak," Berger said. "Alexa's speaking for the animals." Starting Friday at noon, people will be able to watch a livestream of cats in a room at Mohawk through a Kitty Cam provided by STEADfast IT of Saratoga Springs. The livestream will be accessible through Mohawk's website, and the company is also providing IT support. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. STEADfast was looking for new ways to give back to the community, said CEO Craig Skevington. Many employees, including Skevington, are animal lovers and suggested working with Mohawk. "We really enjoy when people are trying to use technology to have an impact," Skevington said. "Then we can say: How do I help you use tech strategically to have more of an impact and better achieve your mission? For us, we're bringing our personal passion of trying to help animals and marrying that with the professional end of things." They chose the Kitty Cam because it was a simple and effective way to reach the public, he said. "It's easily accessible, and it's a way to get the public more involved," Skevington said. Mohawk is looking forward to using the technology for fun purposes too. They plan to use the GoPro to film videos from a cat or a dog's point of view and share the footage on social media, Pearson said. "We're very excited about all of it," Pearson said. miszler@timesunion.com 518-454-5018 @madisoniszler Eva Husson's "Girls of the Sun" remains a rarity in cinema for being a story centered on women in combat. In a year of historic battles over the status quo in gender and power relations, the story gains a special resonance. "At such an important moment in history for women a paradigm shift I was very surprised that nothing had been done on this level before," Husson said of the film, which will have its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. "As a woman, I've been quite angry over the past year." In "Girls of the Sun," a former lawyer (Golshifteh Farahani) joins a battalion of women in Kurdistan after escaping enslavement by extremists. She becomes a commander and recounts her experiences to a war reporter (Emmanuelle Bercot). The resulting drama was compared with "Black Panther" by Thierry Fremaux, the festival's director, for revamping traditional points of view. "My experience is a lot of women have lived through very traumatic things, but most of them are extremely strong and resilient and are hard-core survivors," Husson said. "These stories are truly powerful to other women, and I felt they are not told enough." Husson is one of the three female directors in the 21-film competition at Cannes, which runs through May 19. In the past, the festival has drawn criticism for gender imbalances in its lineup. And this year, other urgent political struggles also enter the spotlight. If anything could define its 71st edition which is being held on the 50th anniversary of the May 1968 protests in France against President Charles de Gaulle's government, when the festival shut down after days of sit-ins it is the impossibility of compartmentalizing movies during turbulent times. The 2018 competition, for example, also has the latest film from Iran's Jafar Panahi, "Three Faces." Yet for years, Panahi has been confined in his home country by the Iranian government. He has a Russian counterpart in Kirill Serebrennikov, director of "Leto," a competition film about rock 'n' roll in Russia during the 1980s. Serebrennikov, an acclaimed theater director, has been under house arrest in Moscow. Even in the weeks since the announcement of this year's lineup, fresh political dramas emerged. Wanuri Kahiu's "Rafiki (Friend)" was banned in her home country, Kenya. The film, the first Kenyan selection in Cannes history, portrays a romance between two young women, taboo and illegal in that country. "As much as it's a great, great honor to have a film acknowledged in Cannes, you want the people you made it for to be able to see it," Kahiu said in an interview hours after the Kenyan Film Certification Board announced the ban. For directors like Kahiu, Cannes serves as a home for exiled films. More generally, however, the festival remains a dedicated showcase for the art of cinema, whether politically targeted or not. It is an unabashedly big stage in an age of small screens. In the auteurist tradition of Cannes, that means spotlighting filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard ("The Image Book"), Alice Rohrwacher ("Happy as Lazzaro"), Spike Lee ("BlacKkKlansman"), Lee Chang-dong ("Burning"), Nuri Bilge Ceylan ("The Wild Pear Tree") and Jia Zhangke ("Ash Is the Purest White"). Stars, of course, don't hurt; Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem headline the festival opener, Asghar Farhadi's "Everybody Knows." The anticipation for such titles remains high, and in an overwhelming news media atmosphere, Cannes works to preserve the impact of its world premieres. A policy change coordinates the timing of press screenings so they do not precede and upstage red carpet galas. The move seems to ensure that no filmmaker or actor has to read a negative advance review (or tweet). It also feeds the sense of mystique and exclusivity that the festival thrives on. That might sound a bit like pandering to producers and publicists looking to manage the first impressions of their films. But the shift could also have fans among filmmakers who like to preserve some mystery about their work. "Films are the result of alchemy, and revealing the ingredients even before the experiment may prove counterproductive," Rohrwacher wrote in an email about her "Happy as Lazzaro," a tale of a bucolic innocent who leaves his world. "It's like inviting friends for a pasta: Real friends don't ask, 'What pasta? What sauce?'" The following capsule reviews of recent releases, long runs and revivals come from various wire services, as noted: RATINGS: G - Suitable for all ages. PG - Parental guidance recommended. PG-13 - Parental guidance strongly suggested. R - Restricted; anyone under 18 must be accompanied by adult. NC-17 - No children under 17. Excellent Good Fair Poor 1945 Drama. On a summer day in 1945, an Orthodox Jewish man and his grown son return to a village in Hungary while the villagers prepare for the wedding of the town clerk's son. The townspeople suspicious, remorseful, fearful and cunning expect the worst and behave accordingly. Filmed gorgeously in black and white and often framed with wide vistas, the evocative drama "1945" sometimes has the look and feel of a Western. Director Ferenc Torok keeps the dialogue at a minimum, but the hushed conversations among the villagers speak volumes, and the film effectively builds tension as more and more secrets come to the surface. Torok juggles plenty of characters and themes guilt, greed, Russian meddling, the Holocaust, justice but he always remains firmly in control of his story. Every frame is meticulously crafted. (NR) (David Lewis, Hearst Newspapers) Avengers: Infinity War Action. The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe. Over the last few years, the Avengers, together and separately, have spawned a number of good, very good, or reasonably entertaining movies. But with "Avengers: Infinity War," the Marvel Comics franchise arrives at the stage of decadence. There's just too much of it. A victim of its own success, there are just too many appealing characters here to stuff into one story. (PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, language and some crude references) (Mick LaSalle, Hearst Newspapers) Bad Samaritan Thriller. A pair of burglars stumble upon a woman being held captive in a home they intended to rob. The humdinger of a script by Brandon Boyce takes a play on the popular idiom and reverse engineers the story from there. This is an audaciously wacky film, but the filmmakers do manage to get a few things just right. The movie is just so crazy, ripping along at a nonstop pace, that you don't realize until halfway through that it's actually quite competently made. (R for violence, language throughout, some drug use and brief nudity) 1/2 (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Chappaquiddick Drama. This historical drama depicts Ted Kennedy's involvement in the fatal 1969 car accident that claimed the life of a young campaign strategist, Mary Jo Kopechne. If you're looking for something to make you feel good about chubby, cherubic Ted, the venerable lion of the Senate, this is not your movie. Directed by John Curran, "Chappaquiddick" would probably be more entertaining if it were less responsible, but then it would be less of use as history. Kennedy is played by Jason Clarke, which seems like strange casting, as Clarke often plays heavies. Then you see where the movie is heading and the casting makes sense. (PG-13 for thematic material, disturbing images, some strong language, and historical smoking) (M.L.) The Death of Stalin Comedy. This raucous and raw comedy from Armando Iannucci ("In the Loop," "Veep") follows the Soviet dictator's last days and depicts the chaos of the regime after his death. "The Death of Stalin" is a unique and hilarious British comedy. It is absolutely worth seeing, but it won't appeal to everybody, so you should know what to expect. The movie is funny throughout, sometimes funny from moment to moment, and so full of amusing asides that you might not catch all the humor in a single screening. At the same time, "The Death of Stalin" is a weird sort of hilarious, in that you easily might not laugh for minutes at a time. (R for language throughout, violence and some sexual references) 1/2 (M.L.) Grace Jones: Bloodlightand Bami Documentary. This documentary journey through the public and private worlds of pop culture mega-icon Grace Jones contrasts musical sequences with intimate personal footage, all the while brimming with Jones's bold aesthetic. The film is a sporadically interesting, overlong look at the legend as she nears 70, still performing before her legions of fans. Jones is alone here, forced to carry the film without much help from the director. One thing I will say: After this movie, I definitely want to attend a Grace Jones concert. I suppose that's something. (NR) (G. Allen Johnson, Hearst Newspapers) I Feel Pretty Comedy. A woman (Amy Schumer) struggling with insecurity wakes from a fall believing she is the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet, and her new confidence empowers her to live fearlessly. Schumer is the movie, shamelessly comic, but also willing to take us straight into the character's pain. "I Feel Pretty" may go down as her signature picture. (PG-13 for sexual content, some partial nudity, and language) (M.L.) Love After Love Drama. Following the death of their father, two sons (Chris O'Dowd and James Adomian) deal with the trials of their own lives while watching their mother (Andie MacDowell) explore new beginnings of her own. (NR) Overboard Comedy. In a remake of the 1987 Goldie Hawn-Kurt Russell comedy, a spoiled, wealthy yacht owner (Eugenio DerbezI is thrown overboard, developing amnesia, and becomes the target of revenge from his mistreated employee (Anna Faris). "Overboard" is a remake of a 1987 film starring Goldie Hawn and directed by Garry Marshall. The new version is a weak facsimile of an already mediocre film. The slapstick seems ill-timed, supporting characters have a community theater vibe, and the madcap feeling the writers seem to be going for never really materializes. (PG-13 for suggestive material, partial nudity and some language) (Peter Hartlaub, Hearst Newspapers) A Quiet Place Thriller. Director and co-writer John Krasinski co-stars for the first time with his wife Emily Blunt in this thriller about a family of four who must live life in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound. The story of "A Quiet Place" is one best left to be discovered. Suffice it to say that while most movies arrive at some kind of climax, this one comes to a crescendo tht doesn't stop. The second half of the movie is a series of slowly built and meticulously constructed crises, one flowing into the next, each one exceeding the other, to the point that the whole experience becomes almost unbearable but unbearable in the best way. (PG-13 for terror and some bloody images) (M.L.) Rampage Action. A silverback gorilla, a wolf and a reptile grow to a monstrous size after a rogue genetic experiment goes wrong. Primatologist Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson) soon joins forces with the military to prevent the mutated beasts from destroying everything in their path.(PG-13 for sequences of violence, action and destruction, brief language and crude gestures) (M.L.) Super Troopers 2 Comedy. When a border dispute arises between the U.S. and Canada, the Super Troopers are tasked with establishing a Highway Patrol station in the disputed area. From the beginning, the makers of "Super Troopers" and "Beerfest" have embraced the lowbrow to predictable extremes. This approach is not aging well in "Super Troopers 2," a film that looks way more fun to make than it is to watch. (R for crude sexual content and language throughout, drug material and some graphic nudity) (P.H.) Truth or Dare Horror. A harmless game among friends turns deadly when someone or something begins to punish those who tell a lie or refuse the dare. Truth: There likely will be no demand for a sequel to this dull procedural. (PG-13 for violence and disturbing content, alcohol abuse, some sexuality, language and thematic material) (M.L.) Tully Comedy. Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman, screenwriter and director of "Juno," team up again for another comedic look at motherhood. Mother of three Marlo (Charlize Theron) is gifted a night nanny (Mackenzie Davis) by her brother. While hesitant at first, she soon forms a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising and sometimes challenging young woman. "Tully" slowly reveals itself to the audience as a far more psychologically complex tale than simply "woman hires a nanny." It's an emotionally deep yet concise rumination on the nature of modern motherhood, on the inherently false premise of doing it all, of having it all and making it look good. (R for language and some sexuality/nudity) (K.W.) You Were Never Really Here Drama. A traumatized veteran (Joaquin Phoenix), unafraid of violence, tracks down missing girls for a living, but when a job spins out of control, his nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to danger or an awakening. (R for strong violence, disturbing and grisly images, language, and brief nudity) Provided Poetry-fancying fans of Americana band Parsonsfield are likely to pick up on the band's Dylan Thomas borrow in "Kick Out the Windows," from their new EP "WE": "Let's kick out the windows/Let's write on the walls/Climb over the fences/Run down the halls/In the light dying/We'll rage and fight/Go kickin' and screaming/Into that good night." In an interview with American Songwriter, Parsonsfield lead vocalist Chris Freeman described the song a call to not delay happiness as a response to reading Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night." "It's easy to see happiness as a feeling that comes after some sort of achievement, but I think it's more of a choice that we need to make each day. Tomorrow is not promised, so I choose to rage through the day I have rather than wait for perfection to encompass my life," he said. According to their online bio, the band, which formed in 2011 in Connecticut and are now based in Massachusetts, did a couple of things differently for the ''WE'' sessions: They took a 2-month break from touring to focus on songcraft, and they recorded in a Boston studio instead of the home studio they have used for prior projects. The band says it is pleased with the results, noting that such touches as sampled drums and other effects bring added "depth and mood" while retaining the basic minimalism the band embraces. On Facebook, Parsonsfield describes their musical genre as "sing-a-longtime." So feel free to join them for a few choruses. 7 p.m. Saturday. $13. The Hangar, 675 River St., Troy. 518-272-9740. RIVERDALE: "CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: JUDGMENT NIGHT" The CW, 8 p.m. When an incident at the sheriff's station triggers an all-out war between the North and the Southside, Archie (KJ Apa) and Jughead (Cole Sprouse) find themselves in the fight of their lives. THE BLACKLIST: "LAWRENCE DANE DEVLIN" NBC, 8 p.m. When Samar (Mozhan Marno) lands in the cross hairs of an unconventional Blacklister, Aram (Amir Arison) and the task force spring into action to find her before it's too late. Red (James Spader) journeys to Costa Rica to prevent the duffel bag of bones from being sold to the highest bidder at an underground auction. NATURE: "THE MATING GAME" PBS, 8 p.m. Getting ahead in the mating game requires some astonishing behavior from promiscuous prairie dogs to backstabbing manakins, kidnapping macaques and hyenas with a bad case of sibling rivalry. ALEX, INC.: "THE FEVER" ABC, 8:30 p.m. Using a voice translator to understand what Bengali-speaking Joya (Anjali Bhimani) said about him, Alex (Zach Braff) discovers a family secret. Deirdre (Hillary Anne Matthews) mistakenly erases the focus group results and tries to re-create them before Alex gets back to the office. Soraya (Audyssie James) pretends to be sick to avoid participating in her recital. MODERN FAMILY: "THE ESCAPE" ABC, 9 p.m. Haley (Sarah Hyland) meets Arvin's (Chris Geere) parents (Kate Burton, Jim Piddock), which leads to an unexpected reunion with all of her ex-boyfriends. The family uses a nursing home visit with Jay's (Ed O'Neill) mean sister, Becky (Mary Louise Wilson), to settle old scores. But while Jay, Claire (Julie Bowen) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) compete for her time, Phil (Ty Burrell), Cam (Eric Stonestreet) and Gloria (Sofia Vergara) end up trapped in the basement with no way out. SEAL TEAM: "THE GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES" CBS, 9 p.m. Series star David Boreanaz directed the new episode. Following a helicopter crash, the SEALs must proceed with the mission as hostiles bear down on them and an injured and impaired Jason (Boreanaz) goes after their target alone. BOTCHED E!, 9 p.m. Season Premiere! Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif are back for their fifth season, as they continue to transform lives and restore their patients' through reconstructive procedures. IRON CHEF GAUNTLET Food Network, 9 p.m. Season Finale! Will the last competitor standing best a veteran and claim the venerable Iron Chef title? LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT: "GUARDIAN" NBC, 9 p.m. Fin (Ice-T) investigates a man's claim that his sister was gang-raped. NOVA WONDERS: "ARE WE ALONE?" PBS, 9 p.m. Join astronomers and engineers on a hunt for life on worlds near and far. Discover the next generation of telescopes, probes and robots that are getting us one step closer to answering one of humanity's biggest questions: Are we alone? THE EXPANSE: "TRIPLE POINT" Syfy, 9 p.m. The search for Prax's (Terry Chen) daughter comes to a head, while Admiral Souther's (Martin Roach) men plan for mutiny aboard the Thomas Prince. AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE: "FINDING FILLION" ABC, 9:30 p.m. Sometimes, great actors make awful guest stars (Brad Pitt on "Friends"). Other times, awful actors make great guest stars (Jean-Claude Van Damme on "Friends"). Castle veteran Nathan Fillion hits the sweet spot: He's a wonderful actor who's a delight wherever he drops in. In this episode and in next week's finale, he plays himself. "I'm a version of me that I think people imagine me to be," Fillion says. "Personable, but a little Hollywood." The sitcom's mom, Katie (Katy Mixon), and her daughter Taylor (Meg Donnelly) hunt down the former Firefly star at a sci-fi convention. DESIGNATED SURVIVOR: "TARGET" ABC, 10 p.m. White House Council Kendra Daynes (Zoe McLellan) finds herself in a dangerous situation that puts another White House staffer's life at risk, while Agent Wells' (Maggie Q) search for answers results in an unexpected trip. CODE BLACK: "LA FAMILIA" CBS, 10 p.m. In the new episode, Jesse (Luis Guzman) is shocked when his brother (guest star Efrain Figueroa) is brought to Angels Memorial after being pinned down in a warehouse collapse. CHICAGO P.D.: "HOMECOMING" NBC, 10 p.m. Season Finale! As the battle between the Intelligence Unit's Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) and CPD auditor Denny Woods (Mykelti Williamson) comes to a head, will Voight be able to keep Detective Olinsky (Elias Koteas) from being indicted for a murder that Voight himself committed? KRYPTON: "SAVAGE NIGHT" Syfy, 10 p.m. A resistance movement begins to form to impede the Voice of Rao's (Blake Ritson) increasing power and influence. COLONY: "PUZZLE MAN" USA Network, 10 p.m. Will (Josh Holloway) and Katie (Sarah Wayne Callies) put themselves at risk to make contact with the Resistance, while Broussard (Tory Kittles) pieces together IGA secrets left behind in L.A. Brought to you by the publishers of TV Guide. TV Guide 2018 Chicken BBQ, farmers market at Albany church New Covenant Presbyterian Church, located at 916 Western Ave. in Albany, across from the Harriman State Office Campus, will host its annual spring chicken barbecue by Giffy's from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday (earlier if sold out). Dinners, available for drive-through only, cost $12 and include half a chicken, baked potato, coleslaw, roll, dessert and drink. In other news, the church's farmers market opens for its sixth season on Tuesday, May 22. It is held from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays for 20 weeks and features farmers with produce, eggs and more, vendors selling pastries, maple syrup products, jams, jellies and prepared foods, and a massage therapist and crafters. New menu at 677 Prime Angelo's 677 Prime in Albany has a new menu with a couple of items guaranteed to further the restaurant's reputation as a destination for indulgence. Both serve four to six people and must be ordered two days in advance. One is a $320 "lobster mountain" with 10 pounds of lobster pieces fried Hong Kong style and served with condiments; the other is a giant beef Wellington for $270. Other new items include caviar tacos in a potato shell, dry-aged-beef croquettes, bacon steak, lobster-oxtail potstickers, burrata salad with fig, prosciutto and melon, 28- and 35-day aged steaks and short-rib stroganoff. Prime, at 677 Broadway, is open weekdays for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner, closed Sunday. Call 518-427-7463. Mark Graham moves to Blue Hen in Spa City Mark Graham, a well known area chef with experience running kitchens at many area restaurants, is now in some sort of senior management position at the Blue Hen restaurant at the Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga Springs. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. His title and duties are unclear, because the hotel's parent company, Adelphi Hospitality Group, forbids its employees from talking to the media, and all news must come from the Adelphi's Manhattan PR firm. Graham is most likely the executive chef or chef de cuisine of the Blue Hen, based on an Instagram photo of him that sought job applications from chefs. Last month, AHG announced celebrity chef David Burke as its new culinary director, responsible for all restaurant and catering operations at the hotel and its next-door sibling restaurant, the steakhouse Salt & Char. Burke said during a Times Union interview a month ago that he planned to make decisions soon regarding supervising chefs for the Adelphi and Salt & Char. Graham recently left his second stint at MezzaNotte Ristorante in Guilderland, where he was hired in November and previously was its head chef for a few years starting in 2008. Before that he was executive chef of Campagna in Malta after a tour of senior or top positions at Capital Region restaurants, including Taste in Albany; Forno Bistro, Max London's and the former Chez Sophie, all in Saratoga Springs; and two stints at the Wine Bar, also in Saratoga. Compiled by Steve Barnes. Items to be considered for publication must be submitted to sbarnes@timesunion.com. Visit his blog, blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping. Each year, Conde Nast Traveler selects the best hotel openings in their 'Hot List.' The selections for 2018 include a hotel very close to home The Adelphi in Saratoga Springs. A total of 102 hotels worldwide were selected this year, representing "not just the vanguard of the world, but where travelers are headed next," according to Conde Nast Traveler. ALBANY - Donald Dontay Ivy was loved and respected. He wasnt a threat to the world in any way, shape or form, Derek Johnson, an Albany councilman and Ivys cousin, said. For this to be the ending, it was a tough pill to swallow. The $625,000 settlement Albany is poised to pay in a federal wrongful death lawsuit is hard to accept for Johnson, who says the low figure is a smack in the face. Ivy, an unarmed mentally ill black man, died in 2015 during a confrontation with Albany police after he was Tasered, chased and tackled while walking down an Arbor Hill street. Common Council members were presented with a request to borrow $625,000 to pay the settlement on Monday. Members discussed the bond in executive session and it was introduced that night at the council meeting. Albany does not have an insurance policy that covers lawsuits like these because the cost purchase for the additional coverage would prohibitive, said David Galin, Mayor Kathy Sheehan's deputy chief of staff. The federal lawsuit seeking up to $20 million in damages was filed on behalf of Ivys son, Isaiah, and Susan Bartlett, the teenager's mother and executor of Ivys estate. The legal action alleged negligence, excessive force and racial profiling by the three officers who confronted Ivy. Manhattan attorney Michael Rose and Long Island attorney Steven Harfenist, both of whom represented Bartlett and Ivys son, did not return requests for comment Tuesday. Bartlett could not be reached. Ivy, a 39-year-old who was battling paranoid schizophrenia and had heart issues, was walking home from a store near Lark and Second streets when police stopped and questioned him. The confrontation got physical, and police said they used a Taser on Ivy at least once but it didn't work and Ivy continued to fight. Ivy was an honor student and athlete at Albany High School who had attended college in Virginia. The amount of settlements in wrongful death lawsuits varies and depends on such factors as the deceased persons age, income, the value of support provided to family members, funeral expenses and medical bills. The city has settled lawsuits for varying amounts over the years depending on the circumstances, each in turn prompting changes in the departments conduct and policies. In 2005, Albany paid $1.3 million to the family of a bystander who was shot to death by a police officer during a chaotic pursuit of a drunken driver on New Year's Eve 2003. The settlement with the family of David Scaringe, a 24-year-old engineer who was making marriage plans, is double what Ivys family is set to receive and remains the citys largest in history. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The incident led to changes to the department's policies on police pursuits and use of deadly force, and included in-service training for officers, an improved radio transmission system that gives police supervisors control of the airwaves and a rule prohibiting officers from firing at a moving vehicle to disable it. In addition, officers must break off any chase that might unduly endanger the public. After Ivys death, Albany police resolved to purchase body cameras, which were put into use last year. Previously, the largest settlement had been $500,000 to relatives of Jessie Davis, a mentally ill man shot and killed by police officers in 1984 after he allegedly lunged at them. In 1999, the city settled with a former College of Saint Rose student Jermaine Henderson for $60,000 after he filed a lawsuit alleging he was beaten by officers while handcuffed in a police garage. Settlements often come with the caveat of the accused party admitting no fault. The Common Council must approve the bonding request for the settlement to be paid, which Johnson said is a difficult situation. It took everything in my power to remain professional, he said of the initial revelation of the settlement. I just dont want to be pressured into making a decision, an abrupt decision, that could have an effect on my family and on a community. ALBANY The state Assembly will conduct public interviews of candidates for state attorney general beginning next week. Assembly Democrats announced on Wednesday that they're accepting applicants for the post through the end of the week and hope to begin joint interviews with the state Senate on May 15. Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie said on Wednesday that he didn't know when the state Legislature would vote on a successor to Eric Schneiderman. Schneiderman resigned as attorney general on Monday in the wake of reporting in The New Yorker that he physically assaulted multiple women and Barbara Underwood, the state's veteran solicitor general, took over the job in an acting capacity. Senate Republicans have indicated they won't be involved in the Assembly's process, according to a letter by Heastie, which invited Assembly Republicans and Senate Democrats to join their interview committee. The state Public Officers Law gives the Legislature the authority to fill the vacancy created by Schneiderman's resignation. Because the selection will the made by the full Legislature, the overwhelming Democratic majority in the 150-seat Assembly has far more influence over the process than the 63-seat state Senate, where Republicans hold a bare majority along with Brooklyn's Sen. Simcha Felder. Rotterdam Republican Sen. George Amedore argued the Assembly process would be dominated by politics and predicted Assembly Democrats would control the selection because of their numerical advantage. "The deck is stacked," he said. Senate Republicans support leaving Underwood in charge of the attorney general's office until voters can choose a replacement in November. Heastie has publicly encouraged her to participate in the interview process. The Assembly proposal is for an eight-person committee to conduct interviews, with four appointments by the Assembly Democrats and, in light of the decision from Senate Republicans, two apiece from the minority conferences. Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins declined to comment on Wednesday about whether she would take up Heastie on his invitation. Assembly Republicans will participate and appointed upstate Assemblyman William Barclay and Long Island Assemblyman Brian Curran to serve on the review committee. "We welcome their participation and hope they will reconsider," Heastie wrote of the Senate Republicans. The Assembly Democrats, even if they completely unite behind a candidate, will still need several votes from lawmakers in either the Assembly or Senate to appoint an attorney general. Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan indicated on Wednesday that the Senate won't obstruct the selection process. "We may come at it from a different angle, but we are absolutely going to be part of the process," he said. In 1993, Senate Republicans, under the leadership of Ralph Marino, balked at efforts to appoint a successor to Ned Regan, who resigned as state comptroller. The Assembly Democrats held a joint ballot vote for the next comptroller with the help of the Lieutenant Governor Stanley Lundine, according to Ben Liebman, of Albany Law School's Government Law Center. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Jay Jacobs, the Democratic chairman for Nassau County, where the state party convention will begin on May 23, said it's unlikely that Assembly Democrats will pick a Schneiderman replacement before the gathering, given that the candidate interviews are only being conducted the week beforehand. He said the convention, where candidates will appeal for Democratic support and likely compete in a party vote, would impact what action the Assembly takes. "I assume the Assembly will not designate someone, other than maybe a placeholder, unless they get more than 50 percent of the vote at the meeting," Jacobs said. A number of possible candidates for attorney general have emerged this week, including Long Island Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, who is a near-lock to run, according to a person with knowledge of her plans. Reports emerged on Wednesday about a potential political deal to make New York City Public Advocate Letitia James the Assembly Democratic pick. According to the published reports, Heastie would support James, who would then back Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., a Heastie ally, as her replacement as public advocate, which would be a springboard for Diaz in the 2021 New York City mayoral election. But a spokesman for Diaz said the reports were inaccurate and that he would not be running for public advocate, even if the post is vacated by James and a special election occurs. Heastie reiterated on Wednesday that there has been no discussion of candidates. A spokesperson for James did not comment on Wednesday. Bethlehem When Bethlehem town supervisor David VanLuven learned that more than 100 sidewalk panels along Delaware Avenue would need to be replaced this spring, he wanted the Department of Transportation to post electronic message boards that blinked the words: "Sidewalks Fixed Soon. All Lanes Open. Don't Panic." "But DOT said no. DOT engineers don't have a sense of humor about their signs," VanLuven said. Instead the boards alongside the roads leading downtown twinkle with the message: "Road Work Monday through Friday. All Businesses Open." Although the crews did need to shut down one lane of traffic on Delaware occasionally on Tuesday, traffic flowed with only a slight delay. The crews were gone by 4 p.m. VanLuven said he personally visited each business in the construction area to assure them the work should wrap up soon, possibly by the end of May. Stores and businesses downtown earned the right to be nervous about construction crews toiling over closed sidewalks. Last year, new sidewalks replaced cracked and uneven pavement and 150 new trees were planted downtown along with flowers and shrubs. New underground water and sewer pipes replaced those laid in World War II. It was part of a long-planned street enhancement plan. But VanLuven said many downtown businesses suffered a 25 percent drop in sales because closed sidewalks made it hard for shoppers to get inside the stores. When the winter weather drew to a close, town workers discovered many of the new sidewalk panels had strange holes about the size of a finger in them. VanLuven said the contractor is replacing the marred panels at his own expense. Currently, the work crews are mostly clustered along the stretch of Delaware Avenue between Hudson Avenue and Groesbeck/Elsmere Avenues. The old sidewalk panels have been pulled up and the space cordoned off with yellow tape. But the entrances to parking lots were all clear for cars and pedestrians. There were no detours forcing anyone off downtown's main drag. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. By 4 p.m. on a recent warm spring day, seven thirsty customers found their way to the bar of O'Slattery's Irish Restaurant and Pub despite the dirt ditch where the sidewalk will be. Access to the parking lot was easy and people were already grabbing shady spots on the back porch for Tuesday Trivia Night. Downtown stores and restaurants hoping for a bounce in business due to Mother's Day were worried about the construction impeding shoppers. "We're going to do whatever we can to help them, perhaps shortening the construction crew hours on the job a bit in the days leading up to Mother's Day," VanLuven said. ALBANY Hey, hey, ho, ho, Sheriff Clarke has got to go! More than three dozen protesters marched and shouted slogans Wednesday in front of the Albany Capital Center in protest of a speech by former Milwaukee County, Wisc., Sheriff David Clarke Jr. Clarke was the keynote speaker at the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police's 2018 Annual Law Enforcement Vendor Exposition. The protesters, who came from several groups, said they were concerned about the message being sent by having Clarke speak to law enforcement leaders. A man who has time and time again worked against the civil rights and human rights of those in his own state this is the man they brought in to talk to our law enforcement, said organizer Jamaica Miles of Citizen Action of New York, a progressive advocacy group. The Times Union and other news outlets were barred from entering the Capital Center. Staff said that the association had rented out the entire building for the event and the public was not allowed inside. Clarke did speak with the Spectrum News program "Capital Tonight" during the event. The convention center and NYSACOP did not return calls on why select media members were given access to the event. Clarke was expected to talk about the role of law enforcement in political protests and riots, criminal justice reform, homeland security and the impacts of criminal justice policies and policing on cities. Guilderland resident and former Sierra Club president Aaron Mair said protesters were not anti-law-enforcement, but pro-justice. When the chiefs and their association bring in an individual that calls civil rights activists terrorists as a keynote speaker, then something is incredibly wrong, he said. Baldwinsville Chief Michael Lefancheck, president of NYSCOP, said before the event that Clarke was the first speaker the group has had at its vendor expo. A number of local elected officials, including Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, the Albany Common Council and Albany County Legislature Chairman Andrew Joyce, released statements or spoke out against Clarke's appearance. "There is no place for extreme rhetoric that inflames prejudices and uses our differences to pit us against each other," Joyce said at the protest. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. After first being appointed as Milwaukee County's sheriff in 2002, Clarke repeatedly ran as a Democrat, but most of his views align with conservatives. He has been a frequent guest on Fox News and has spoken out against the Black Lives Matter movement as well as what he sees as failed policing policies in American cities. Clarke was criticized for his time as Milwaukee County sheriff, which ended with his resignation last August. While he oversaw the jail, multiple inmates died. Deputies at the jail repeatedly shackled pregnant women even as they gave birth, according to a lawsuit. Another woman was awarded $6.7 million by a federal jury after she accused a jail guard of repeatedly raping her. In 2016, jail staff members turned off water to a cell of an inmate who had bipolar disorder. The man eventually died of dehydration. Three jail employees later faced felony charges in connection with the death. Clarke was not charged or implicated in the incident. Clarke has also made a series of controversial comments on racial matters and gun control, and once called for the suspension of habeas corpus in the United States insisting that there were "hundreds of thousands" or "maybe a million" people who "have pledged allegiance or are supporting ISIS, giving aid and comfort." After resigning as sheriff, Clarke joined the pro-Donald Trump America First Action Super PAC as a spokesman and adviser. TROY A development company that wants to convert a church into apartments is suing the city to overturn a requirement that a supermajority vote by the city Zoning Board of Appeals is required to grant a variance. Illuminati Holdings LLC filed the Article 78 proceeding against the city in an effort to resurrect its proposal to build eight apartments at the former United Armenia Calvary Congregational Church at 144 Ninth St. in the Hillside neighborhood. The Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-2 on March 6 to grant the variances required for the project to move ahead, but rescinded the approval when a review of the city code determined that at least a 4-1 vote was required to issue a variance. The city code is illegal and unenforceable, said Michael Ginsberg of Illuminati Holdings who is also is a partner in the Troy law firm of Pattison, Sampson, Ginsberg and Griffin. State law requires a simple majority vote by a ZBA to grant a variance, Ginsberg argues in his legal papers. I see Illuminati taking a step which is beneficial to the city, Ginsberg said. An Article 78 proceeding is used to appeal a decision of a state or local agency to the courts. The one filed last month states that any variance granted by the ZBA in a 3-2 vote since 2003 would be considered illegal under the four-vote requirement. Chaos in the city tax base and code enforcement would result if these variances had to be rescinded, according to Ginsberg. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. John Salka, a spokesman for Mayor Patrick Madden, said the administration does not comment on pending lawsuits. The four-vote requirement is believed to be a holdover from when the ZBA had six members and the code set out the four-vote majority. When the ZBA was downsized to five members, the four vote requirement was not changed. Illuminati was not the only developer to lose project approval originally granted on March 6. A development of 44 apartments at 171 Oakwood Avenue also lost its variance. The city Planning Commission is hold a hearing Thursday for an application to create a planned development district at the site, which would mean the variances required under the current R-1 zoning would be covered under the PDD legislation. The application was filed by 1844 Land Development LLC of Duanesburg. ALBANY How close is New York to legalizing marijuana? That depends on whom you ask, but lawmakers who support such action said Tuesday they believe the state is closer than ever and may need just one more year before recreational use among adults is allowed under the law. "I think there's a very good chance the Assembly will take it up this year, and if it comes to the floor it will pass," said Richard Gottfried, a Democrat who chairs the Assembly's health committee and stumps for its passage every year. "The Senate, obviously, at the moment is a very different story." But a number of advocates and lawmakers predict it won't be long before the Senate and the governor, who historically lambasted pot as a "gateway"drug but recently signaled a change in position, will come around. Consider the signs, they say. New York, a state obsessed with being "first" on progressive issues, is smack dab in the middle of a region where recreational marijuana is either already legal or about to be legal. Nine states, including Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine, as well as Washington, D.C., have legalized the drug. Canada is on the verge of legalizing it. And New Jersey, spurred by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, is exploring the possibility. Some note that New York was late to the party once before. It legalized marijuana for medical purposes in 2014, after 22 states had already done so. Today, 29 states have medical marijuana programs and New York's, which serves more than 54,000 patients, is among the nation's most restrictive. "Is this a radical idea or are there states all around us who are doing exactly this?" said Democratic state Sen. Liz Krueger, whose proposed bill, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, would create a statewide system for taxing and regulating marijuana use among adults, similar to the one in place for alcohol. "Not only has the world not ended, those states are learning what we know will be true here," she said, at a news conference on the bill Tuesday. "We will be decreasing the costs in our criminal justice probably by $400 (million) to $600 million a year." Gov. Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, signaled his own shifting attitudes in January, when he announced the state would study the feasibility of legalizing marijuana, and again in April when he said legalization could be a "real option" if the study were to show opportunity for revenue and minimal impact on law enforcement. The study, led by the state Health Department, is already underway and will explore the health, criminal justice and economic impacts of a regulated marijuana program in New York, as well as the impact that programs in neighboring states are expected to have on New York. "If doing this study helps bring the governor on board, that's great," said Gottfried. "But I think we have known what we need to know about this issue for some time. There have been any number of reports and studies on marijuana for decades. So I think the Legislature already knows what it needs to know." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The Assembly, he and other lawmakers say, has enough votes to pass it now. It's the Senate that's the problem. The largely Republican Senate has historically blanched at legalizing marijuana, which they and many others consider a gateway drug that leads to harder drug use down the road. Legalization opponents also voice concern about the drug being marketed to kids, in the same way that tobacco companies surreptitiously, and in many ways, blatantly marketed cigarettes to children over the years. Until the governor is on board and willing to negotiate, the bill stands little chance of passing the Senate in the remaining six weeks of session, sources say. Nevertheless, a certain urgency has taken hold around the issue, as advocates and communities of color say the time is now to fully decriminalize pot. While studies show blacks and whites use the drug at about the same rates, it is blacks who are disproportionately stopped, frisked, arrested and incarcerated on charges related to marijuana use and possession. Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Cuomo challenger Cynthia Nixon waded into this arena over the weekend. But Nixon, who has made legalizing pot a central plank of her campaign, offended some when she remarked that legalizing the cannabis industry could serve as a "form of reparations" to black communities. "There's not enough money to be paid for what we've been through in this country," said Democratic Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes, who sponsors the legalization bill in the Assembly. "So I take offense to that suggestion." Legalization supporters and lawmakers do argue, however, that any program to legalize marijuana in New York should include a mechanism to wipe past marijuana convictions from someone's record convictions that have kept many from pursuing adequate jobs, housing or education. NEW HAVEN It is the parents responsibility to be sure their children receive a good education. In Connecticut, unless a student is attending a public school, neither the local school district nor the state Department of Education has the legal authority to ensure a child is receiving an education that meets the high school graduation requirements established by state law. Those requirements include 20 credits in English, math, social studies (including civics and American government), science, arts or vocational education and physical education. Its the parents responsibility to educate their child, said Laura Anastasio, a staff attorney for the state Department of Education. The parent is required to send their child to public school or demonstrate that the child is receiving an equivalent instruction elsewhere. Elsewhere could be a private school, whether secular or religious, an out-of-state boarding school or at home. However, in an email, Laura Stefon, chief of staff and legislative liaison in the Education Department, wrote, There is no state statute that places this responsibility on the private schools. The state does not have jurisdiction or control over private schools but will recognize diplomas if the private school is accredited by one of four state-approved agencies, which have stringent standards regarding teacher qualifications, courses, curriculum, facilities etc. to ensure that the students are receiving equivalent instruction, Stefon wrote. However, this does not prevent a private school from operating in the state and issuing unrecognized diplomas, Stefon said. There are many sectarian schools in the state, and they provide religious instruction in school. Some are approved; some are not approved. The Department cannot walk into an unapproved school and verify their curriculum there is no legal authority to do so. Anastasio said private schools that do not receive public funds are not required to obtain state Department of Education approval, and Peter Yazbak, spokesman for the department, reiterated in an email: In Connecticut, there is no state law that prohibits a private entity from operating an unapproved school. Homeschooling has its own legal requirements, including a notice of intent filed by the parent with the local school district and an annual review held with parents and school officials to ensure the child is receiving equivalent instruction to that given in public school by age 7, according to a 1994 letter to school superintendents that Stefon said still applies. In New Haven, at least one private high school is operating and thriving without meeting the basic curriculum required of public schools. Yeshivas Beis Dovid Shlomo, a boys high school that recently moved from Norton Street to the former St. Brendans Roman Catholic Church property at Whalley and Ellsworth avenues, teaches only Judaic studies, including the Torah the five books of Moses and the Talmud, a collection of writings that interprets and comments on Jewish law and tradition. And students say they study only in Yiddish, the traditional language of central and East European Jews. The yeshiva is run by Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis, members of an ultra-Orthodox movement known for its devotion to Jewish law. The website for Yeshivas Beis Dovid Shlomo, founded in 1976, says it attracts students from Europe, Australia and Asia. It is led by Principal Yosef Lustig and its dean, Rabbi Yosef Kalmenson, who has written 22 books on the Talmud. Its website states: Along with our superior standards of academic excellence, we also place particular emphasis on developing the Jewish leaders of the future. Our students understand that the lofty concepts they study are meant to be put into action. Lustig would not comment for this story, saying the Feb. 14 shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school, in which 17 people died, led school officials to decide not to talk to the news media. The yeshiva is not listed as accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, which lists just one yeshiva, based in Longmeadow, Mass., on its website. The school also is not listed as a member of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools. The other two accrediting organizations are the Association of Christian Schools International and the American Association of Christian Schools If the child is not attending a public school, then the superintendent of schools in the district where the child is living would be required to verify that the child is receiving instruction elsewhere, Anastasio said. Anastasio said the yeshiva has a responsibility to the parent who is sending [a student] there to provide a basic education. There are rules that are in place. Theyre just not Department of Education rules. Anastasio added, If a parent is not educating their child that would be an issue of abuse and neglect under the Department of Children and Families. William Clark, chief operating officer for the New Haven Public Schools, said the public schools bear some responsibility for those that we become aware of who are not registered. We have a certain obligation to report that. If we become aware of someone who is not going to school that becomes an obligation on our part to make a DCF report as a mandatory reporter of child neglect or abuse. Years ago, there used to be a more clear line of truancy courts, but that has kind of gone away, Clark said. Lawrence Berliner, a special education and disability law attorney based in Westport, said the only time the state gets involved is educational neglect or truancy and thats through the juvenile court or DCF. He said state law calls for a $25-a-day fine if a child is not attending school but said it is not clear whether the school district or the parent would be liable to pay the fine. Theres some ambiguity. It just says person. Its not clear. However, Gary Kleeblatt, spokesman for DCF, said the department would not get involved in such a case. The parents have significant say in their childs upbringing, of course, and sending their child to a religious school does not constitute neglect, he said. Students may leave the public school system for a variety of reasons. They may transfer to private school or religious school or their parents may decide to homeschool them. They may return to a country they immigrated from, such as Mexico or Ecuador, or move to a school in a different state when a parent changes jobs. All that data goes into the state, which can cross-reference and track that, Clark said. As a practical matter, if youre changing schools you should be withdrawing formally. The various registration offices across the state tend to work very well together. Most registration offices are doing that level of due diligence so as a consequence you can follow the bouncing ball. The state Education Department does track some data, specifically the graduation rates. They are essentially a clearinghouse, he said. At the end of the day thats really on the state, frankly, to be checking in and making sure the child is being educated. Parents who homeschool are expected to report that and the state is basically saying to homeschoolers you are supposed to be covering X, Y and Z, and the parent is supposed to do that, Clark said. Theres certain rights that the parents have to make those decisions. Our role is rather limited in that regard, Clark said. We dont have the resources to put yet another burden on the public education system to do an accountability check within our borders. Making sure that a school is teaching a broad curriculum is going to be a hot potato, too, Clark said. Are they going to really want to look at the abuse and neglect element? I suppose it would be in the eye of the beholder. According to Yazbak, the Department of Education collects data on students who move from one public school to another or who withdraw from public school to go to a private school. However, Yazbak said, the state has no obligation or way of knowing if these students actually enrolled in a private school. When a parent un-enrolls their child from a public school, then the respective [school district] has fulfilled its duty and it is up to that parent to educate their child elsewhere. State Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, in whose district the yeshiva resides and who is a member of the Education Committee, said while the state Constitution applies only to public schools, the education of all our children should be important to the state whether they are educated in a traditional public school, charter school, private or religious school. Perhaps an Education Committee informational forum where inherent issues can be explored would allow for a discussion on the issue without stepping on anyones religious rights. Concerns about New York yeshivas The situation is different in New York state, where it has been the responsibility of local school boards and superintendents to ensure students in their districts receive an education that is substantially equivalent to public school requirements, no matter what school they attend. According to the New York Education Departments Guidelines for Determining Equivalency of Instruction in Nonpublic Schools, The object of the compulsory attendance law is to see that children are not left in ignorance, that they receive from some source the instruction that will prepare them for their place in society. If a child attends a nonpublic school or is being educated at home, the board of education of the school district in which the child resides must be assured that the child is receiving instruction which is substantially equivalent to that provided in the public schools. Thus, the boards responsibility is to the children living in the district; it has no direct authority over a nonpublic school. Berliner described New York states law concerning education as very prescriptive. Its a very top-down approach. Connecticut is not a top-down approach. However, critics have charged that a number of ultra-Orthodox yeshivas in New York City, mostly in Brooklyn and Queens, have not followed the law, offering little education outside Judaic studies and not teaching in English. In 2015, Young Advocates for Fair Education, led by a former yeshiva student, Naftuli Moster, submitted a list of 39 such yeshivas to seven district superintendents six in Brooklyn and one in Queens in order to express our deep concern about the poor quality and scant amount of secular education, particularly English instruction, at these Yeshivas. We designated 39 yeshivas which we thought were not complying with the law and others that were, said Norman Siegel, a civil rights lawyer who represented Yaffed at the time (he no longer does). He said he did not release the names of the 39 schools because I didnt want to declare war on the yeshivas. Moster said the list was later released.But, Siegel said, city officials failed to act because of the political power of the Orthodox Jewish community. They bloc vote and so politicians want that vote. Siegel said, The issue became very clear and it got a lot of support from the secular Jewish community and the non-Jewish community. But he said many Orthodox Jews see secular education as a threat to their culture. In September at City Hall, Yaffed protested what it called inaction by Mayor Bill de Blasio and schools Chancellor Carmen Farina, according to the New York Times, and released its own report, Non-Equivalent: The State of Education in New York Citys Hasidic Yeshivas, detailing how boys in the ultra-Orthodox yeshivas receive no education in English, math, science or history after age 13. The report said while girls receive instruction in secular studies, boys, who are expected to study to become rabbis, receive very little education beyond Jewish law and tradition. When yeshivas do provide education in secular subjects, it is in just a few grades, for one hour to 90 minutes at the end of the long school day, the report stated. Typically, instruction is provided in very basic English reading and arithmetic, along with minimal levels of English writing. Teachers are often unqualified some barely know English themselves and the English class period (as the time devoted to secular studies is called) is often treated as free time for restless students. Textbooks are heavily censored, when they are used at all. High schools for boys typically provide absolutely no secular education. The report said that despite claims by groups such as Parents for Educational and Religious Liberty in Schools, that graduates of Orthodox yeshivas go on to successful careers, 43 percent of Hasidic households in New York are poor and another 16 percent are near poor. On its website, PEARLS, which did not respond to a request for comment, says in August 2016, Over 75 principals, administrators, and lead-teachers, representing tens of thousands of yeshiva students across the region, convened to receive instruction about newly updated Math and English Language Arts curriculum that will be implemented in the upcoming school year in dozens of yeshivas in New York City. However, the ultra-Orthodox bloc may have gained more protection for yeshivas that dont meet state standards as the result of a last-minute provision in the $168 billion state budget It also placed authority for deciding whether a private school is offering an equivalent education on the state education commissioner, which Siegel said may hurt the reformers cause. The Legislature apparently decided to protect the status quo, he said. Siegel said the ultra-Orthodox leaders would argue that vigorous Talmudic study in English promotes critical thinking. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The language in the new law says they will look at the curriculum and see if it provides academically rigorous instruction that develops critical thinking skills in the schools students, the outcomes of which, taking into account the entirety of the curriculum, results in a sound basic education, Siegel said. Theres nothing in this about English instruction. Felder, who did not return a call from Hearst Connecticut Media, told the Times: Parents should have the ability to decide what sort of education their children receive. He said the budget provision was the beginning of a process that not only pertains to yeshivas but to alternative schools of any sort. Siegel said the issue is not one of religious freedom but of the responsibility of families and school officials to ensure a full education to students. We were never contesting the right of the yeshiva to provide religious education in accordance with its religious beliefs, he said. He said a yeshiva education enables its students to argue, to analyze, but it might not be that they know how to read and write in English. Theyll be successful in an insular community. He said girls, who are not allowed to become rabbis in Orthodox Judaism, receive more general education than do the boys, who are primarily trained to become rabbis. Referring to Connecticuts law placing responsibility for childrens education solely on their parents, Siegel said, Im flabbergasted [that] the state and local school board have no authority over private schools. He said if Yeshivas Beis Dovid Shlomo is teaching only Judaic studies in Yiddish, its students are not becoming proficient. If youre not giving them English instruction, how are they going to function in the real world? There should be a movement in Connecticut for state and local school boards to have authority over private schools, Siegel said. Connecticut seems to be a place where there needs to be some activism and reform thinking. He said the state Education Department and local boards of education need reasonable authority over private schools, including religious schools, to provide all students in Connecticut with a sound, basic education. Siegel called the movement to require yeshivas to provide a basic education a modern-day civil rights issue. he said New York has investigated 15 or less of the 39 yeshivas Yaffed named. Its a formidable opponent. They have resources. Without Naftuli and Yaffed I dont think this issue would have seen the light of day. Moster, 31, who lives in Rockland County, attended a Borough Park, Brooklyn, yeshiva from age 2 to 20 as a member of the Hasidic Belz sect. His first language was Yiddish, which he studied along with biblical Hebrew and Aramaic. They begin studying the Torah, which is in Hebrew, but they would translate every word into Yiddish, he said. After that, they begin studying Talmud slowly and they increase it over time. Moster said, At the age of 20, I became interested in becoming a psychologist, so he applied to the local Touro College, a branch of Touro that actually caters to Orthodox Jews, Moster said. They have separate wings of their tiny building for men and women. Touro also offers remedial courses; there was no college preparation in the yeshiva. I was really a foolish kid. Everything was so foreign to me, Moster said. I never heard the word semester or credit or GPA. I couldnt really get in, but they really wanted me, Moster said. Moster eventually transferred to the College of Staten Island, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in psychology, then earned a masters in social work from Hunter College. It hit me that even after all these years of being in college, I was still at a huge disadvantage, said Moster, who is married and has an 11-month-old son. It hit me that it was a form of neglect. He founded Yaffed and began working to have the laws regarding private schools applied to the yeshivas. He said his greatest success may be in raising awareness of the issue. So now its a major, major topic in the [Orthodox] community and outside the community as well, he said. We created media attention when we put up billboards on this topic. Thats one area where without a shred of doubt weve had an influence. The next step would be actual action. Even though the city has been dragging its feet on the investigation, they have been putting pressure on the yeshivas to improve. Moster said. Some have added more secular education, as well as teacher training. Another issue was [that] the quantity of secular education was minimal but the quality was too. They werent taking it seriously. It isnt close to our vision that every child get a full secular education. Were still very far from that. Rabbi Moshe Lieblich is principal of HaMesivta in Brooklyn, a part of the United Lubavitcher Yeshiva Ocean Parkway. His school teaches boys from 14 to 17. We teach a full range of secular studies, he said, although the daily schedule on the yeshivas website lists just two periods of secular studies, from 4:05 to 6 p.m. Lieblich said HaMesivtas students must pass New York states Board of Regents exam to receive a diploma. Were required by law to teach general studies, he said. He said of his students Most of them do become rabbis some end up going to college, some of them become entrepreneurs. Its really a mix. Amish objected to high school There have been other conflicts between religious belief and state education requirements, notably one involving the Old Order Amish and Conservative Amish Mennonite Church in Wisconsin, in which believers refused to send their children to school after eighth grade. The case, Wisconsin v. Yoder, reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled 7-0 in 1972 against the state. However, according to William Dunlap, professor of constitutional law at the Quinnipiac University School of Law in Hamden, the Hasidic Jews are not refusing to educate their children, but instead establishing their own schools, so Yoder doesnt apply. Dunlap said in Connecticut the state is not imposing any burdens here on religious parents. The state asks virtually no questions about the high schooling or the standards for the private schools. Clarification: This story has been edited to reflect that the list of 39 New York City yeshivas suspected of not teaching basic subjects was released publicly. Also, Mosters reference to being a foolish kid referred only to his lack of general education. Contact Ed Stannard at edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com or 203-680-9382. Adults and children with severe allergies are experiencing problems finding EpiPens after issues with manufacturing of the lifesaving devices, according to patients and pharmacists. More than 400 patients in 45 states reported difficulty filling prescriptions for Mylan's allergy devices and other auto-injectors containing the active ingredient epinephrine since May 2, James Baker, chief executive officer of patient-advocacy group Food Allergy Research & Education, said in an interview. Most patients told the group that they haven't been able to obtain the devices at all, while others said they have had to wait several weeks to get one, Baker said. FARE developed a survey to track problems with accessing allergy-shot devices. "I don't know what's going on," he said. "I don't think it's fair to tell people that are dependent on this medication nothing." In September, Pfizer's Meridian Medical Technologies division, which makes the auto-injecting pens for Mylan, was warned by the Food and Drug Administration for failing to investigate hundreds of complaints about defective EpiPens, including cases in which patients were hurt or died due to faulty injectors. Mylan told the FDA a few months ago it was experiencing intermittent supply constraints due to manufacturing delays, company spokeswoman Christine Waller said in an emailed statement. Since then, "Mylan and Pfizer have remained in close contact with FDA to provide regular updates on the inventory status." Steven Danehy, a spokesman for Pfizer, said in a statement that "there has been some impact on manufacturing capacity" due to processes put in place after the FDA's warning letter. Shipments have increased in recent months and were higher than expected in April, he said. The FDA hadn't added EpiPen to its list of medications in shortage as of Tuesday morning. Companies are required to report shortages to the agency. More for you Woman's 'waterfall' runny nose was actually a brain leak "At this time, Mylan is reporting adequate supplies of EpiPen for the U.S. and we will continue to monitor this situation closely," said Lauren Smith Dyer, a spokeswoman for the FDA. The agency will update its shortage website with resources for people looking for EpiPens. News of the shortfall has been spreading among allergy sufferers and those who fill their prescriptions. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists added epinephrine auto-injectors including EpiPen and a competing product called Adrenaclick manufactured by Amneal Pharmaceuticals to its comprehensive shortage list on May 3. ASHP tracks drug shortages and attempts to keep the public informed of them. Whitney Zatzkin, 39, was in the waiting room at her allergist last month in Virginia when she overheard a nurse call around to at least a dozen pharmacies searching for an EpiPen for another patient. The nurse finally found a local pharmacy with one left on the shelf, Zatzkin, founder of the strategy and communications company Rare Dots, said in an interview. The encounter led Zatzkin to ask for a refill prescription for her daughter's EpiPen so she could be sure to find one in the next two months before her daughter goes to summer camp. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "A lot of summer camps will only take the yellow-cap EpiPen brand product because they do one type of training," she said. Each auto-injector has slightly different instructions for use. Kaleo's Auvi-Q auto-injector is still available but many insurers will cover only EpiPen and not Auvi-Q, FARE's Baker said. EpiPen supply constraints have been reported in Canada and the U.K. due to manufacturing issues. "Pfizer anticipates that production rates will increase over the coming months; however, at this time, cannot commit to a specific time for when the supply constraint will be fully resolved," according to Mylan's U.K. website for EpiPen. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has confirmed backorders at Mylan and Amneal, Erin Fox, senior director of drug information at University of Utah Health, which provides data to ASHP for the shortage list. Impax Laboratories, the maker of Adrenaclick, merged with Amneal on Monday. ASHP determines a shortage exists when patients have to go without or use alternatives, while the FDA doesn't often classify a product as being in short supply if there are other similar products available, Fox said. --With assistance from Cynthia Koons and Hannah Recht . Citizen Action of New York will hold a protest and a press conference Wednesday morning ahead of a speech by former Milwaukee County, Wisc., Sheriff David Clarke Jr. Clarke is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police's 2018 Annual Law Enforcement Vendor Exposition at the Albany Capital Center. ALBANY The Republican-controlled state Senate has passed an extensive package of good government reforms including bills that would increase oversight over state-funded economic development programs, prevent conflicts of interest and improve transparency. Ten long-stalled bills moved from the Rules Committee to the Senate floor Wednesday, where they passed with overwhelming support. Many had seen the three-way alliance between Senate GOP, the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which at times, kept the Senate Republicans in power, as the reason that the bills had stagnated. A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan said they pushed for the inclusion of economic development oversight and other reforms during this year's budget negotiations, but that the governor was adamantly against them. "It is imperative that the public trusts the actions of their public officials, especially when it comes to spending the people's money," Flanagan said in a statement. Flanagan's relationship with the governor has deteriorated due to Cuomo's brokering of a Senate Democratic reunification deal and his active campaigning on behalf of Democrats in key Senate districts. Good government groups, who have been lobbying for some of the reforms, called on the Assembly to join the Senate in passing them, including a Database of Deals and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's Procurement Integrity Act, which restores his office's authority to pre-audit certain state contracts. The groups are optimistic that the bills were pushed through early in the legislative session, leaving ample time for the Assembly to do the same. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has in the past expressed support for the contracting reform bill, and government-reform advocates note that both houses included the measures in their budget proposals. "It seems pretty hard to say we put it in our one-house budget bill and now the Senate's passed it, but we are not going to pass it," said John Kaehny, executive director of the government watchdog group ReInvent Albany. Kaehny said that the broad bipartisan support shows that fear of the governor cannot be blamed for the bills not moving forward. "Look at the votes ... basically the entire Democratic caucus has voted for it, it was 62-0 and 60-2. That would suggest a very high level of support in the Assembly among Democrats." Senator John DeFrancisco, the contracting reform bill's sponsor who has complained that his legislation has barely moved in the house, lauded its passage Wednesday. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "The fact is that something needs to be done to restore checks and balances and transparency," DeFrancisco said. "This legislation will help to ensure that state funds are being spent properly and that the contracting process is fair and serves the best interest of New York taxpayers." Also included in the legislation package is an anti-pay-to-play bill, sponsored by Senator Michael Ranzenhofer (R-Amherst), that limits political donations from parties applying for grants, licenses, or doing business with public entities to the very officials or candidates who would approve such contracts or grants. Another, also sponsored by Ranzenhofer, prohibits appointees who are appointed by the executive from making political contributions to the executive or his or her political campaign. The appointees would be prohibited from making political contributions. "From bid-rigging scandals to corruption trials, hard-working New Yorkers are fed up with the lack of ethics in state government, and the time is now for real reforms," Ranzenhofer said. "Allowing these practices to continue will only foster distrust and skepticism of the process in state government." Also passed was legislation sponsored by Senator Thomas Croci, R-Sayville, that requires appointees to the governor's Regional Economic Development Councils to "comply with financial disclosure requirements and the code of ethics that all other public officers are currently bound by." Senator Croci said, "Regional Economic Development Councils were supposed to have been created to find and fund transformational projects. This legislation is the type of transformational ethics shake-up that New Yorkers want from Albany." The bills have been sent to the Assembly for review. Rutgers University/Adrienne Eaton NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. Adrienne Eaton, a labor studies expert with 30 years of research and teaching experience at Rutgers University, has accepted a three-year appointment as dean of the School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR). She has served as interim dean since July 2017. "I am excited to continue leading the school to which I have devoted my career, particularly at this moment when work and employment relations are undergoing a number of important and often problematic transformations," Eaton said. ALBANY - For decades, the capital city has been exempt from the requirement that assessors undergo continued training. But state legislation could make such schooling mandatory for Albany's assessors. A state law that dates to 1970 exempts cities with populations of 100,000 or more, including New York City, from certification and continuous training for assessors. But a proposal to change the law was sparked after the revelation last year that the former Albany assessor had improperly given tax reductions on condominium and apartment complexes throughout the city. Keith McDonald admitted to the mistake and retired from his job in July shortly after the years-long practice came to light. State Assemblyman John McDonald, who is sponsoring the legislation, said he was surprised when he learned Albany wasnt required to have their assessors take continuing classes. Being a former mayor, I thought it was important, it was critical that the city assessor be required to do the same training as others, he said. Its not a bad idea to make sure if there does come to be an assessor who doesnt feel like going to training, they do. But despite the larger cities being exempt, the New York State Assessors Association says officials hailing from these communities regularly attend training. The profession is constantly changing and its getting more complex in exemption administration, and new things coming in all the time, association executive director David Briggs said. They participate regularly just to keep on top of things. When the legislation was initially passed, the larger cities sought the exemption because they had the staff and professional experience already, Briggs said. The assemblyman said hes not including the other big cities in the change because he sees it as a local decision. Beyond several hours of initial certification classes, those appointed as assessors must also take 12 hours of continuing education each year, Briggs said. When Trey Kingston took over as city assessor after Keith McDonalds retirement, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said they set guidelines for operation of the office. Thats when Albany officials realized training wasn't required. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Sheehan said Keith McDonald often referred to state requirements when dealing with various assessment issues. Ridding Albany of the exemption makes it very clear, and sets the stage going forward with respect to the expectations of the assessor in the city of Albany, she said. Keith McDonald did not return a call for comment Wednesday. Kingston currently is going through the process to get certified as commissioner of taxation and finance. Its a process that takes years, he said. Im at the mercy of when the state holds the classes. State Police say they are looking for people wanted on charges of drunken driving, forgery, grand larceny and other offenses as part of their Warrant Wednesday initiative. Christina M. Martinez, 26, is wanted by State Police in Margaretville on charges of forgery, trespassing and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Martinez allegedly failed to pay fines stemming from the case. Travis Thiel, 34, is wanted by State Police in Kingston on a grand larceny charge that accuses him of taking $2,400 for a roofing job that troopers said he never completed. David J. James, 52, is wanted by State Police in Princetown on charges of grand larceny, falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing. Troopers said James is wanted for violating probation tied to charges that alleged he collected unemployment benefits he was not entitled to receive. Owen Kilmer, 49, is wanted by State Police in Livingston on a charge of forgery. Troopers said he was arrested in April 2017 and failed to return to court. Carmen A. Arlotta, 32, is wanted by State Police in Boston on charges of driving while intoxicated, violation of interlock device, marijuana possession and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Troopers said Arlotta was arrested on Aug. 29, 2016 after a traffic stop that led to his arrest on DWI and other charges. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Dakota Ferry, 21, is wanted by State Police in Horseheads on allegations he fled from a police officer in January. Jennifer L. Spaulding, 43, is wanted by State Police in Oneida for allegedly failing to appear in Madison County Superior Court in January for an arraignment on a criminal contempt charge. Terry L. Howard, 66, is wanted by State Police in Junius Ponds on a charge of driving while intoxicated Troopers said Howard was charged with DWI after a June 9, 2009 traffic stop on the Thruway. Henley S. Voltaire, 30, is wanted by State Police in East Meadow on a charge of driving while intoxicated. Troopers said a warrant was issued for Voltaire's arrest after he failed to show up in court in June. A renowned retired University at Albany historian was run over and killed Tuesday morning as he was walking near his retirement home in Florida. Warren Roberts, 85, who began teaching at UAlbany in 1963, died when he was struck by two vehicles while crossing the road in Longboat Key at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Florida Highway Patrol police confirmed. Roberts specialized in 18th century French history but after moving to Albany became fascinated with the citys past and its architectural treasures. He was known for years as the professor who would ride his Trek bicycle around Albany, and those rides led to a 2010 book, A Place in History: Albany in the Age of Revolution 1775-1825. Roberts wrote about local landmarks like the Schuyler Mansion in the city's s South End where Marquis de Lafayette, Benjamin Franklin and others were guests at the home of Gen. Philip Schuyler. The rides ended, though, after he collided with a CDTA bus. In addition to his work on France and the French Revolution, Roberts created a UAlbany honors class, Getting to Know Albany, which covered 400 years of the citys history. Roberts was admired by his students and was known for urging them to follow their passions. Professor Roberts was my teacher, my mentor, and best of all, my friend, said Michael Huber, who handles communications for the New York State Writers Institute and is a former Times Union and timesunion.com journalist who studied for his masters degree in history under Roberts. His was a Renaissance mind. His class lectures would begin in pre-revolutionary France, veer off into the paintings of Goya, take a side trip to the writings of Jane Austen, and somehow circle back to Robespierre and the Reign of Terror. He began each semester by telling us students, This is my heaven, Huber recalled. Roberts offered moral support, knowing that Huber was also working a full-time job that included responsibility for managing more than 100 blogs on timesunion.com that included being a blog manager. He got me through graduate school, Huber said. He encouraged me one class at a time. After retiring, Roberts until recently wrote a blog for the Times Union. Subjects ranged from TV and the rise of Donald Trump to the British electoral system to the death of Debbie Reynolds, who went to the same high school as Roberts in their native Burbank, Calif. Before he went on to study at the University of California at Berkeley. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. He wrote books on Jane Austen, the French Revolution and artist Jacques-Louis David. Huber conceded that Roberts wasnt good with computers and would typically email his items, which Huber would enter into the blog format. People would say to me, I didnt realize he was a blogger, and I would say, Yeah, hes a great blogger," Huber said with a chuckle. In one of his emails to Huber, which would often come at 5 a.m., Roberts wrote that "I belong to the most fortunate generation in all of American history." rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU Sometimes the only way to cope with the crushing stress that comes with being a teacher is to laugh, and there's no better time to do that than during Teacher Appreciation Week. The week of recognition begins May 8 and includes a series of events and social media campaigns aimed at recognizing teachers' often thankless work. The March 13 letter, "Follow these gun rules to ensure citizens' safety," suggested that gun owners should register, and re-register, their guns at intervals. Perhaps the writer should take note that, according to author Stephen Halbrook, when Hitler annexed Austria into the "Fatherland," one of the first things he did was to call for the registration of all guns in Austria. He stated that this would help to better track criminals, but all it did was to provide a ready list of gun owners for the police to later track down and remove all guns from the citizens of Austria. Mao Zedong did the same thing in China, writes memoirist Nien Cheng he had police go into residences and confiscate all weapons that they could find. Isn't that what dictators or governments do? Without guns, the populace is helpless no guns, no liberty. You don't think that could happen in the United States? I'm not so sure. The founding fathers knew what they were talking about when they established the Second Amendment. Robert J. Styczynski [May 08, 2018] Model N Appoints Jason Blessing as Chief Executive Officer Model N, Inc. (NYSE: MODN), the leading provider of revenue management cloud solutions for the pharmaceutical, medical device, high tech, manufacturing and semiconductor industries, today announced that Jason Blessing will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer and will join the company's Board of Directors, succeeding Founder and interim CEO Zack Rinat. Charles Robel, who has served on the Board of Directors for over 10 years, will assume the position of Chairman. Both appointments are effective May 10, 2018. In a separate release, the company also announced strong results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2018 which ended March 31, 2018 and a refinancing of its debt. The company will host a conference call at 2pm Pacific Time today to discuss the financial results and the appointment of Blessing. "Model N has delivered strong results over the last six quarters, and built momentum in its transition to the SaaS (News - Alert) business model. Therefore, Model N is well-positioned for a smooth transition to a permanent CEO for its next chapter," said Baljit Dail, member of the Model N Board of Directors, who led the search. "We are thrilled that Jason Blessing is joining Model N as our new CEO. Jason is an experienced CEO with strong leadership skills, deep cloud experience, and the proven track record needed to take Model N to the next level." Jason Blessing was most recently the CEO of Plex Systems, an industry-leading ERP and manufacturing automation solution provider to nearly 600 companies. Plex pioneered cloud solutions for the shop floor, connecting suppliers, machines, people, systems and customers with capabilities that are easy to configure, deliver continuous innovation and reduce IT costs. During his five-year tenure with Plex, the compny went through a transformation to a pure cloud company, while delivering strong growth. Prior to Plex, Blessing held a number of executive positions at Taleo, an HR cloud company, during a period of rapid growth, which culminated in a $2.1 billion acquisition by Oracle (News - Alert) . Jason also held several executive positions at PeopleSoft after starting his career with PWC's management consulting practice. Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and currently sits on the School of Information's External Advisory Board. In relinquishing his role as interim CEO, Founder Zack Rinat has also resigned from the board, and will become a strategic advisor, dedicated to ensuring an effective transition. "As a Founder of Model N, I deeply care about the long-term success of our customers, employees, partners, shareholders and ultimately Model N. I am personally gratified to have attracted an executive of Jason's caliber to be our CEO," said Rinat. "I am 100% committed to supporting Jason in his transition, and I look forward to working closely with him to ensure continuity." "I am excited to succeed Zack as CEO because of the tremendous market opportunity in front of Model N," said Blessing. "Zack has created a company with strong core values, a differentiated product offering and a blue-chip customer base. These assets are vitally important as we continue to focus on profitable growth and scaling the company." "The board would like to thank Zack for his exemplary leadership over the past 18 years, and in particular during the last 18 months as interim CEO," said Charles Robel, Model N's new Chairman. "He established a strong vision for Revenue Management, established a culture that will serve the company as it continues to grow, and attracted great employees who have demonstrated passion and commitment to the company's customers and partners." About Model N Model N is the leader in revenue management solutions. Driving mission critical business processes such as configure, price and quote (CPQ), contract and rebate management, business intelligence, and regulatory compliance. Model N solutions transform the revenue lifecycle from a series of disjointed operations into a strategic end-to-end process. With deep industry expertise, Model N supports the complex business needs of the world's leading brands in pharmaceutical, medical device, high tech, manufacturing and semiconductors across more than 120 countries, including Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Gilead, Abbott, Stryker, AMD, Micron, Seagate, STMicroelectronics (News - Alert) , NXP, Sesotec, and Southern States. For more information, visit www.modeln.com Model N is the registered trademark of Model N, Inc. Any other company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners and are mentioned for identification purposes only. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180508006577/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 08, 2018] EEKA Finds a Perfect Fit with Centric PLM CAMPBELL, Calif., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- EEKA, the Chinese apparel company specializing in made-to-measure (MTM) women's clothing, has selected Centric Software to provide its Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solution. Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury and consumer goods companies to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals. EEKA Fashion Corp was founded in 1994, offering good quality and fine design in womenswear. The company owns respected brands such as Naersi, Naersi.Ling, Nexy.co and Koradior and has more than 1,300 stores with two manufacturing centers and over 10,000 employees in mainland China. EEKA is the first apparel company in China to offer an integrated made-to-measure (MTM) service for womenswear and has invested significantly in smart manufacturing processes to transform the clothing industry. EEKA will make it possible for customers to order individually customized clothing through a mobile app. EEKA launched its MTM strategy in 2017, aiming for fully integrated MTM ordering, delivery and alterations across its operations by 2020. As Jianxiong Hu, CIO at EEKA explains, the company needed to update its existing digital and physical operations in order to make this complex business model a reality. "We want to deliver customized womenswear in seven days from the time measurements are taken," says Mr. Hu. "We are building a system to manage the MTM service with intelligent product development, a flexible supply chain and omni-channel shopping - for a full 360-degree view of the customer experience." "Configuration between different IT systems and collaboration between internal and external teams are the key challenges. We needed a PLM solution to be the foundation platform for different systems like order management, computer-aidd design (CAD) and supply chain management. The total budget for the program was significant and attracted the best hardware and software vendors from across the world." As part of this investment, EEKA tried two different PLM solutions simultaneously, eventually selecting Centric PLM to support the innovative MTM project. "The first phase of the project started in February 2017 and we were so impressed with Centric's terrific performance that we have now entered into phase two with Centric as our sole PLM vendor," says Mr. Hu. "Female MTM clothing is a complicated endeavor, but Centric rose to the challenge. The Centric team is extremely professional, and their PLM solutions are the best on the market. The flexibility of Centric technologies and also of their team are other key advantages." As Mr. Hu concludes, "Centric has helped EEKA to streamline the product development process of key product lines since early 2017. The new Centric platform will give strong momentum to our strategy for multiple brands, youth product lines and occasional wear. In this end-to-end MTM program, involving eleven different IT suppliers, Centric really stands out. We were looking for a long-term, stable, reliable partner and Centric is the perfect fit." Chris Groves, President and CEO of Centric Software, says, "We are very proud that EEKA, a very innovative Chinese manufacturer and retailer of high-end womenswear, is partnering with Centric on this exciting MTM journey." EEKA Fashion Corp EEKA Fashion Corp was founded in 1994, offering good quality and fine design in womenswear. The company owns respected brands such as Naersi, Naersi.Ling, Nexy.co and Koradior and has more than 1,300 stores with two manufacturing centers and over 10,000 employees in mainland China. EEKA is the first apparel company in China to offer an integrated made-to-measure (MTM) service for womenswear and has invested significantly in smart manufacturing processes to transform the clothing industry. Centric Software (www.centricsoftware.com) From its headquarters in Silicon Valley and offices in trend capitals around the world, Centric Software provides a Digital Transformation Platform for the most prestigious names in fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor and consumer goods. Centric Visual Innovation Platform (VIP) is a visual, fully digital collection of boards for touch-based devices like iPad, iPhone and large-scale, touch-screen televisions. Centric VIP transforms decision making and automates execution to truly collapse time to market and distance to trend. Centric's flagship product lifecycle management (PLM) platform, Centric 8, delivers enterprise-class merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, business planning, quality, and collection management functionality tailored for fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB packages extended PLM including innovative technology and key industry learnings tailored for small businesses. Centric Software has received multiple industry awards, including the Frost & Sullivan Global Product Differentiation Excellence Award in Retail, Fashion, and Apparel PLM in 2016 and Frost & Sullivan's Global Retail, Fashion, and Apparel PLM Product Differentiation Excellence Award in 2012. Red Herring named Centric to its Top 100 Global list in 2013, 2015, and 2016. Centric is a registered trademark of Centric Software. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Centric Software [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 08, 2018] BRF S.A. 72 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Approximately 72 Hours Remain; Former Louisiana Attorney General and Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Remind Investors of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against BRF S.A. - BRFS Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors with large financial interests that they have only until May 11, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against BRF S.A. (NYSE: BRFS). Investor losses must relate to purchases of the Company's securities between April 4, 2013 and March 2, 2018. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. What You May Do If you purchased securities of BRF S.A. and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-brfs/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action by overseeing lead counsel with the goal of obtaining a fair and just resolution, you must request this position by application to the Court by May 11, 2018. On March 5, 2018, news outlets reported that Brazilian police had arrested BRF's former Chief Executive Officer on charges that he as well as other executives knew that BRF fraudulently avoided food safety checks. On this news, BRF's share price fell $1.83, or more than 19% to close at $7.59 per share on March 5, 2018, thereby injuring investors. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180508006805/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] India's Top Vegan Media Companies Join Together to Create Asia's Largest Vegan Magazine PUNE, India, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vegan First and VegPlanet Magazine have entered into a joint venture to form their shared vision of a united vegan voice in India. With the inception of this joint venture, VegPlanet Magazine will be renamed 'Vegan First Magazine' in India, bringing together their combined resources to promote veganism in the world's largest vegetarian country. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688333/Vegan_First_Magazine_Palak_Mehta.jpg ) Vegan First and VegPlanet were created to provide platforms to assist and support vegans, transitioning non-vegans, and the vegan-curious. Ironically, both the companies started in the same year, 2016, with Vegan First focusing on an online portal and VegPlanet creating India's first vegan magazine. In a short span, Vegan First and VegPlanet had grown independently reaching people across the country both online and in print and had become media partners for some of India's biggest vegan events. VeganFirst.com provides a bridge between plant-based brands and a growing consumer base who are eagerly demanding cruelty-free products in all categories, be it food, lifestyle, fashion, beauty, fitness and nutrition. The Indian vegan market has grown exponentially over the last two years and statistics show that it will continue doing so. Through their articles, videos, events, restaurant listings and recipes, VeganFirstcom reaches out to thousands of Indians on a daily basis through their digital social platforms and lakhs of individuals throughout the world with their website. Whereas, VegPlanet provides a print magazine that reaches out to vegans, animal rights activists, and environmental and wildlife conservationists from across the country and around the globe. VegPlanet has grown from India's first 100% veg magazine to a global publication with a team of writers and contributors from over 15 countries. VegPlanet is not only available in India, but also at bookstores and health food markets across the USA and Canada including at America's largest health food chain Whole Foods and the world's #1 bookstore, Barnes & Noble. Even though digitally, both were technically 'competitors', the two companies always felt like collaborating to grow veganism in India. Palak Mehta, Founder and CEO of Vegan First says, "I met Niranjan, the Co-Founder of VegPlanet last year and was impressed by his passion for veganism in India. I thought to myself that we could've worked and built something substantial together had we met earlier. Later, when I met Zac, Co-Founder of VegPlanet, who initially ran this idea of a joint venture through me, I was pleasantly surprised by the positivity, dedication and clarity of the plan he had in growing a vegan magazine in Asia. It was something that had never been done before. We connected instantly." RK Singh and Niranjan Amarnath, Co-Founders of VegPlanet Magazine combinedly added, "Now all our efforts are focused towards a common cause, making Vegan First Magazine the biggest and only media company in India that brings you all-things vegan both online and in print." Together Vegan First and VegPlanet will incorporate their brand vision and resources on this collaborated effort in the form of Vegan First Magazine, and hope to cement a solid foundation of growth in vegan trends in India. "As of now, there is clearly a dearth of information on Indian veganism and we want to leave no stone unturned to churn out the best for our readers. With this, we want to reach out to schools, corporates, restaurants, celebrities, and the masses. The messengers of the magazine will primarily be activists who spread this knowledge from their heart. Plant-based eating and the vegan lifestyle is the paradigm shift of our generation, and Vegan First Magazine looks forward to smoothly transition for the masses," concluded Palak. About Vegan First Magazine: Vegan First Magazine is a joint venture between India's two leading vegan media companies, VeganFirst.com and VegPlanet Magazine, who have joined their resources together to create one united voice to inspire and support vegans, vegetarians, the veg-curious, animal rights activists, environmentalists and wildlife conservationists across India and around the globe. Media Contact: Mr. Shatrunjay Singh shatrunjay@vegplanet.in +91-9414173118 VegPlanet Media Pvt. Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Exito Coming up With 12th Edition of Manufacturing IT Summit BENGALURU, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indian manufacturing sector is sprinting at a never before pace fuelled by the dynamic technological innovations and a growing number of organizations are proactively adapting these emerging advancements. The manufacturing companies are moving swiftly from mass production to customized production using technology and digital platforms. What's important to note is that, this is just one among many transformations the industry is concurring due to adaptive advancements in IT, for manufacturing. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688938/MITS_Redesigning_Manufacturing.jpg ) The 10th edition manufacturing IT summit is the perfect platform for C-suite executives of manufacturing companies across industries, to come together and discuss the IT trends in Indian manufacturing industry, network with peers, and build ROI-backed business relations. This summit also facilitates a marketplace for the buyers to meet with the sellers offering disruptive solutions on the emerging trends in manufacturing's IT. The platform hosts very influential and experienced professionals from manufacturing sector as speakers and panelists share their knowledge with the attendees. The topics to be enclosed and discussed at the event include, Leveraging smart manufacturing for digital transformation; Data-driven manufacturing - enabling operational excellence; Machines are friends, not foes: artificial intelligence ccelerates the journey; IT/OT convergence - moving digital manufacturing forward; The future of manufacturing: 3d printing innovations; Driving industrial revolution 4.0; Global policy update - smart initiatives to support innovative sustainable and competitive manufacturing; Industry facing a new reality: virtual reality and augmented reality. Some of the esteemed speakers at the conference include Gyan Pandey (CIO at Aurobindo Pharma); Jitendra Singh (CIO at JK Cement); Bhupendra Pant (CIO & VP-IT Welspun Corp Ltd.); V Ranganathan Iyer (CIO at JBM Group); Manish Gaur (Head IT, Patanjali Group); Rajendra Abhange (CTO & Sr. Director - Gabriel India Ltd); Saurabh Gupta (CIO at Kent RO systems Ltd.); Narender Pasupuleti (Director and Head IT - India at AMETEK); Atul Govil (Chief Transformation Officer and Head (SAP & IT) at India Glycols Ltd.); Parna Ghosh (VP & Group CIO at Minda Industries Ltd.); and Bishwanath Ghosh (CIO - Enterprise, Mfg Systems, & Corporate Functions at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd). IT is the driver of digital change and solicits acknowledgment and recognition for the impact in the dynamic manufacturing sector. Thus, the 10th edition MITS will honor the Top 20 CIOs from manufacturing companies with the MITS Leadership Awards 2018, for delivering innovative solutions and business value to their organization in an extraordinary manner. This is the first-of-its-kind initiative that is an attempt to recognize the contributions of the IT leaders in the manufacturing industry. This conference is an ROI-driven, invitation-only platform to bring together pre-qualified buyers with an estimated spending budget, and reputed solution providers to foster meaningful business associations. About Exito Exito is a business solutions company which curates tailor-made solutions and contexts by designing platforms to facilitate new business opportunities. With an extensive research on the market trends and experience of 8 years in versatile industries, Exito creates a touchpoint for the world buyers and sellers. Having established high levels of trust with partner organizations, Exito aspires to create organic business relations of human connect and business needs. For more information about the conference and participation inquiries, Reach us out at enquiry@exito-e.com or Ph.: +91-80-4952-2392 Visit: http://manufacturingitsummit.com Media Contact: Anurag Sengupta anurag@exito-e.com +91-7829183292 Marketing Executive Exito Media Concepts Pvt. Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Unitymedia GmbH ("Unitymedia"), Unitymedia Hessen GmbH & Co. KG ("Unitymedia Hessen") and Unitymedia NRW GmbH ("Unitymedia NRW") announce agreement to sell the Unitymedia Group (as defined below) to Vodafone Group plc ("Vodafone"). Unitymedia (News - Alert) (together with its subsidiaries, the "Unitymedia Group"), today announces that its parent company, Liberty Global plc ("Liberty Global"), and Vodafone (News - Alert) have entered into a definitive agreement (the "Acquisition Agreement") for the acquisition by Vodafone of the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Unitymedia, together with certain other businesses owned by Liberty Global (News - Alert) (the "Proposed Acquisition"). Unitymedia has outstanding the following debt securities listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange: $900,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Notes due 2025 (Rule 144A CUSIP: 91337DAB0; ISIN: US91337DAB01; Regulation S CUSIP: D85456AB3; ISIN: USD85456AB30) (the " 2025 Senior Notes "); and "); and 700,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 3.75% Senior Notes due 2027 (Rule 144A common code: 119943914; ISIN: XS1199439149; Regulation S common code: 119943817; ISIN: XS1199438174) (the "2027 Senior Notes", together with the 2025 Senior Notes, the "Senior Notes"). Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW have outstanding the following debt securities listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange: 350,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 5.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 (Rule 144A common code: 091873940; ISIN: XS0918739409; Regulation S common code: 091873931; ISIN: XS0918739318) (the " 2023 Senior Secured Notes "); "); 1,000,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 4.000% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 (Rule 144A common code: 115043765; ISIN: XS1150437652; Regulation S common code: 115043757; ISIN: XS1150437579) (the " 2025 Euro Senior Secured Notes "); "); $550,000,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 (Rule 144A CUSIP: 913364AD7; ISIN: US913364AD74; Regulation S CUSIP: D85455AD1; ISIN: USD85455AD13) (the " 2025 Dollar Senior Secured Notes ", together with the 2025 Euro Senior Secured Notes, the " 2025 Senior Secured Notes "); ", together with the 2025 Euro Senior Secured Notes, the " "); 420,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 4.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 (Rule 144A common code: 133424857; ISIN: XS1334248579; Regulation S common code: 133424822; ISIN: XS1334248223) (the " 2026 Senior Secured Notes "); "); 500,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 3.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2027 (Rule 144A common code: 119720605; ISIN: XS1197206052; Regulation S common code: 119720559; ISIN: XS1197205591) (the " 2027 Senior Secured Notes "); and "); and 475,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 6.250% Senior Secured Notes due 2029 (Rule 144A common code: 098271309; ISIN: XS0982713090; Regulation S common code: 098271333; ISIN: XS098271330) (the "2029 Senior Secured Notes", together with the 2023 Senior Secured Notes, the 2025 Senior Secured Notes, the 2026 Senior Secured Notes and the 2027 Senior Secured Notes, the "Senior Seured Notes" and, together with the Senior Notes, the "Notes"). Further details regarding the Proposed Acquisition are set forth in Liberty Global's announcement, dated today, which is available on Liberty Global's web site (www.libertyglobal.com). Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW expect that the Proposed Acquisition, if consummated as contemplated under the terms of the Acquisition Agreement, will result in a Change of Control (as defined in the respective indentures governing the Senior Notes and the Senior Secured Notes, as applicable) in relation to the Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes, as applicable. No action is being taken at this time in respect of any of the Notes. This communication is for information purposes only and does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, or of consents under, any securities (including the Notes) in any jurisdiction, including the United States or an inducement to enter into investment activity. Disclosure of inside information by Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW under Article 17(1) of Regulation (EU) 596/2014. Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW: The Directors Aachener Strae 746-750, 50933 Cologne, Germany Facsimile No.: +49 221 37792871 Issued by: Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW About Unitymedia Group The Unitymedia Group is the leading cable operator in Germany and the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse and Baden-Wurttemberg, providing cable television, internet, fixed-line telephony and mobile services to 7.2 million customers at December 31, 2017. This announcement is not directed at, or intended for distribution to or use by any person or entity that is a citizen or resident or located in any locality, state, country or other jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to law or regulation or which would require any registration or licensing. The securities of Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold, resold or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and incompliance with any applicable securities law of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. This announcement contains or, incorporates by reference, "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "projects," "expects," "intends," "aims," "plans," "predicts," "may," "will," "seeks," "could," "would," "shall" or "should" or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives, goals, future events or intentions. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts and include statements regarding the intentions, beliefs or current expectations of the Unitymedia Group concerning, among other things, the Proposed Acquisition and Unitymedia Group's results of operations, financial condition, prospects, growth, strategies and the industries in which the Unitymedia Group operates. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future or are beyond the Unitymedia Group's control. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on one or more assumptions relating to the Unitymedia Group's actual results of operations and financial condition and the development of the industries in which the Unitymedia Group operates may differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in, or incorporated by reference into, in this announcement. In addition, even if the Unitymedia Group's actual results of operations, financial condition and the development of the industries in which the Unitymedia Group operates are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods. The forward-looking statements contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this announcement speak only as of the date of this announcement. The Unitymedia Group expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required to do so by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180508006910/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. Becomes One of CERT-In Empanelled Information Security Audit Service Providers MUMBAI, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- - TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. is empanelled by CERT-In for the block period 2016-2019 for providing information Security Auditing Service - TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. will now undertake IT Security Audits for government organisations and other sectors of Indian economy Globally acclaimed German digital and cyber security expert TUV SUD, today announced that TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. is now empanelled by The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) as information security auditing service provider. To this effect, TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. will conduct information security audits for government organisations and other sectors of Indian economy to help enhance the company's reputation whilst building consumer trust. The audits will be performed as per 'The Terms and conditions of Empanelment' as issued by CERT-In from time to time and published on CERT-In Website. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/568955/TUV_SUD_South_Asia_Logo.jpg ) The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Govt. of India, has been designated to serve as the national nodal agency for incident response under Section 70B of Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008. CERT-In's primary role is to raise cyber security awareness among Indian community, to provide technical support and advise them to help recover from cyber security incidents. TUV SUD assesses the security posture of enterprises against external and internal threats and is equipped with capabilities to provide testing and consultancy services such as Enterprise IT Security Assessments, IoT security, Industrial Security, Data Protection, EU GDPR, Red Team Assessments, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT), Forensics and Vendor risk management to name a few. Speaking about the announcement, Vishal Nerurkar , Vice President - Business Assurance, TUV SUD South Asia said, "We are excited to be empaneled by CERT-in for providing information security auditing service. The auditors are selected by CERT-In following a strict and rigorous four-step empanelment procedure to ensure the creation of a competent panel with the finest IT security providers. Empanelment with CERT-In is testimony to our relentless pursuit of creating world-class services, in-depth knowledge, technical ability, domain expertise for our IT and digital security business. We are looking forward to partnering with organisations to tackle one of the biggest threats faced by them in the digital era - cybersecurity and data protection." Recently, RBI through a circular released on April 6, 2018, has mandated that payment service providers need to have their data stored locally in India. In this regard, they have mandated a system audit to be conducted by CERT-In empanelled agency and submit their report to the RBI by the end of this year. With this empanelment, TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. may also have option to support payment service providers by conducting thorough IT system audits and present timely reports. In the advent of Industry 4.0 gaining foothold and the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) within the industrial space; digitisation is bringing about advances in contemporary automation, IT security & privacy and smart manufacturing technologies. TUV SUD helps companies integrate the latest technologies into their businesses across sectors while ensuring functional safety, interoperability, and minimising IT security risks. They also support companies to tap into the potential of digitisation and minimise the risks involved in increased connectivity. Further information is available at http://www.tuv-sud.in. About TUV SUD TUV SUD is a leading international service organisation catering to the strategic business segments industry, mobility and certification. Headquartered in Munich, Germany and founded in 1866, it has over 24,000 employees representing more than 1000+ locations throughout the world. Optimising technology, systems and know-how, the interdisciplinary specialist teams act as process partners to strengthen their customers' competitiveness. About TUV SUD South Asia TUV SUD South Asia is the leading consulting, testing, inspection and certification (TIC) company with presence across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. With more than 1400 employees, TUV SUD South Asia has serviced over 10,000 clients to date through the past two decades. It is present at 32 locations including 19 labs across the three countries. Today, TUV SUD South Asia is internationally competent to provide TIC solutions cutting across a wide range of sectors that include management systems, conventional and renewable energy, water, sanitation, environmental technology, infrastructure, transit systems, real estate, food, supply chain, agriculture, toys, consumer electronics, textiles, leather and related products, automobile and components, and technical as well as soft-skills training. For further details visit http://www.tuv-sud.in/ Follow us on social media platforms - Twitter and LinkedIn Media Contact: Sharwari Paranjape sharwari.paranjape@edelman.com +91-7506642862 Edelman [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Orchids The International School Conducts Robotics Classes for a Strong Foundation in the Subject MUMBAI, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Getting Ready for the Careers of the Future at an Early Age One of the critical aspects of education in schools today, is to imbibe an aptitude for technology and inculcate the spirit of innovation among young minds. Taking serious note of this, Orchids The International School has implemented Robotics classes for students from Grades 1 - 9. The School, known for innovation in teaching methodology and trans-disciplinary approach to curriculum, has introduced Robotics as a key initiative to encourage students to explore and learn about technology. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688974/Orchid_International_School_Students.jpg ) The key objectives of introducing Robotics are as follows: Creating an enquiry-based hands-on learning environment Helping students to boost their creativity Developing a strong foundation for the careers of the future Teaching use of the basic parts of the robots - gears, pulleys, torque, friction, timing, sensors, etc Helping students design robots for specific activities Teaching them the use of programming software Equipped with a smart robotics lab, the school uses individual robotic kits for students to experiment and learn Each student is mentored to develop a natural aptitude for technology and encouraged to think creatively and innovate. Dr. Rashmi Singh, The Principal, at Orchids The International School, Sarjapur, Bengaluru says, "Our primary objective for introducing Robotics is to inculcate an interest in technology among the students and assist them to be future ready." Some of the proven benefits of implementing Robotics in schools: Motivates children to learn Science, Mathematics and Technology through observation, experimentation, inference, drawing, model building, rational reasoning, testing, etc Creates curiosity, excitement and a sense of exploration among children in Science, Mathematics and Technology Fosters a culture of innovation and promotes enquiry-based learning Helps achieve learning levels appropriate to the class of study in Science and Mathematics Enables schools to be incubators of innovation Gazala, Science Teacher at Orchids The International School, Thane, Mumbai says, "Introducing Robotics has brought about new levels of energy among the students. There is an excitement of learning something through hands-on experience. As Robotics also uses Math and Science, students are able to relate better to these subjects as well." Tanuj, a student at Orchids The International School, Masjid Bunder excitedly shared, "We have fun while learning different Robotic concepts as we are provided with our own tool kits to learn practically. We also get to take these kits to our home which helps us spend more time experimenting." About Orchids The International School We, at Orchids The International Schools, continuously strive to set new benchmarks for quality education at school level. Since the blossoming of the first Orchids at Hyderabad in 2002, we have channeled our resources, faculty and infrastructure to deliver an enhanced learning experience for students in several cities. Quick Facts 19 International Schools Presence across 4 Cities - Mumbai , Pune , Bengaluru and Hyderabad , , Bengaluru and 2,000+ Teachers 17,000+ Students For more details, please visit: http://www.orchidsinternationalschool.com/ Media Contact: Prudhvi Raj prudhvi.raaj@orchids.edu.in +91-9513987393 Digital Marketing Manager Orchids The International School [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Akili Completes $55 Million Financing to Advance Company's Digital Medicine Platform and Product Pipeline Aimed at Treating Cognitive Dysfunction Akili Interactive ("Akili" or "Company"), a leading prescription digital medicine company developing novel treatments for cognitive dysfunction, today announced that it has successfully closed a $55 million Series C financing led by Temasek. Other participating institutional and strategic investors included Baillie Gifford, Amgen Ventures, M Ventures (the CVC fund of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), JAZZ Venture Partners, Canepa Advanced Healthcare Fund, and Brooklands Capital Strategies. The financing follows the positive top-line results in December 2017 from Akili's multicenter, randomized, controlled pivotal study of AKL-T01, the Company's flagship investigational product designed to treat pediatric attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Akili is planning to file AKL-T01 for clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the coming months, which would enable it to be prescribed by physicians as a stand-alone treatment for children and adolescents with ADHD. If approved, AKL-T01 would be the first prescription digital treatment for pediatric ADHD. AKL-T01 is one of several product candidates across Akili's pipeline that employs the Company's patented technology platform. Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance Akili's pipeline of prescription digital treatment candidates, including AKL-T01, through key regulatory milestones and to prepare for commercial launch. The funds will also be used to advance product candidates in depression and multiple sclerosis (MS) to potential registration trials and to broaden the Company's product pipeline. "We are fortunate to be supported by such experienced investors, who bring successful long-term track records in innovative technology, medical device and pharmaceutical investment," said Eddie Martucci, Ph.D., Akili's co-founder and CEO. "We are thrilled with the vote of confidence in the potential of our technology platform to redefine healthcare, and we're excited about the progress we continue to make towards turning that vision into a reality for patients." In addition to filing lead product candidate AKL-T01 with FDA, Akili anticipates a number of significant clinical milestones this year across several products in development. Study results from a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating AKL-T02 in high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), are slated to be presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in May. The company also expects results this year from a Phase 2 study of AKL-T03 for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in adults with depression, and a pilot RCT for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in MS. In April 2018, Akili announced it had been granted patents in the United States and Japan, protecting the foundational mechanics of these products and the underlying product platform targeting frontal cognitive dysfunction. About Akili Akili Interactive Labs, Inc. is a prescription digital medicine company combining scientific and clinical rigor with the ingenuity of the tech industry to reinvent medicine. Akili is pioneering the development of digital treatments with direct therapeutic activity, delivered not through a pill but through high-quality action video game experiences. Akili is advancing a broad pipeline of programs built on its patented technology platform to treat cognitive deficiency and improve symptoms associated with medical conditions across neurology and psychiatry, including attention-deficit hyperactivity/ disorder (ADHD), major depressive disorder (MDD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and various inflammatory diseases. Akili is also developing complementary and integrated clinical monitors and measurement-based care applications. The company was founded by PureTech Health (PRTC.L). For more information visit: www.akiliinteractive.com. Akili is a founding member of the Digital Therapeutics Alliance. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains statements that are or may be forward-looking statements, including statements that relate to the company's future prospects, developments and strategies. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from current expectations. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions regarding the present and future business strategies of the company and the environment in which it will operate in the future. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as at the date of this press release. Except as required by law and regulatory requirements, neither the company nor any other party intends to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005488/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Cielo Recognized as a Leader in Recruitment Process Outsourcing For Sixth Consecutive Year on Everest Group's PEAK Matrix Assessment BROOKFIELD, Wisconsin, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cielo (formerly Pinstripe), the world's leading strategic Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) partner, today announced its position as a Leader on Everest Group's 2018 Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing PEAK MatrixTM report. This is the sixth consecutive year that Cielo has been in the top quadrant of providers in the talent acquisition industry, standing apart for its continuing innovation in the areas of technology, candidate experience and high-volume recruiting. "As we continue to explore new frontiers in technology, extend our reach to new places around the world and break new ground in the candidate and client experience, we remain committed to maintaining the high quality of service our clients expect from us," said Sue Marks, Cielo's Founder and CEO. "Once again being recognized as a Leader by Everest Group and their peers in the analyst community shows sustained excellence even as we focus on growth and plan for future success in a fast-changing market." Everest Group's 2018 Recruitment Process Outsourcing Service Provider Landscape with PEAK Matrix Assessment evaluated 21 established RPO service providers based on the absolute as well as relative year-on-year movement for specific criteria, including market success, scale, scope, technoogy capability, delivery footprint and buyer satisfaction. The providers were then categorized into three categories: Leaders, Major Contenders and Aspirants. Leaders, like Cielo, were placed in the top quadrant for both market success and delivery capability. Cielo was highlighted specifically for the launch of Cielo TalentCloud, a suite of three technologies that includes: SkyRecruit, an exclusive CRM platform that provides the most advanced and recruiter-friendly tools for targeting, nurturing and engaging top talent; SkyAnalytics, a platform that provides prescriptive and actionable insights from market and internal data sources; and SkyLabs, an innovation engine whereby Cielo tests and pilots new and emerging technologies, tools and processes to understand how they could (or would not) help clients reach their goals. "Cielo's focus on enhancing its technology and developing new and innovative solutions for its customers has enabled it to stay ahead of the competition, which is reflected in Cielo being consistently featured in the Leader's quadrant in Everest Group's RPO PEAK Matrix," said Arkadev Basak, Vice President, Everest Group. To learn more about Cielo's services, please visit cielotalent.com. About Cielo Cielo is the world's leading strategic Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) partner. Under its WE BECOME YOU philosophy, Cielo's dedicated recruitment teams primarily serve clients in the financial and business services, consumer brands, technology and media, engineering, life sciences and healthcare industries. Cielo's global presence includes 2,000 employees, serving 154 clients across 92 countries in 36 languages. The industry has verified Cielo's reputation for executing innovative solutions that provide business impact through numerous awards and recognitions, including its #1 position on the HRO Today RPO Baker's Dozen listing, PEAK Matrix Leader placement by Everest Group and Industry Leader designation by NelsonHall. Cielo knows talent is rising and with it, an organization's opportunity to rise above. For more information, visit cielotalent.com. Cielo Contact: Matt Quandt matt.quandt@cielotalent.com +1 262-439-1673 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688672/Cielo_PEAK_2018_RPO.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/336468/Cielo_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Carvana Debuts Country's Newest Car Vending Machine in Charlotte Carvana (NYSE: CVNA), a leading e-commerce platform for buying used cars, has launched its newest Car Vending Machine in Charlotte, North Carolina. The fully automated, coin-operated Car Vending Machine is eight stories high and holds up to 32 vehicles, giving customers a unique and memorable pick-up experience for cars they have purchased online. This is Carvana's second Car Vending Machine in North Carolina, and the ninth of its kind across the country - joining those in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Nashville (Tenn.), Raleigh (N.C.), Jacksonville (Fla.) and Tampa (Fla.). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005491/en/ Carvana debuted its ninth Car Vending Machine in Charlotte, North Carolina. The all-glass tower stands eight stories high and holds up to 32 vehicles, serving as a fun and unique pickup experience for customers. (Photo: Business Wire) Charlotte was Carvana's third market - compared to 61 markets today - where the company began offering free, as-soon-as-next-day vehicle delivery in September 2014. Customers who visit Carvana.com can shop more than 10,000 vehicles from home or on the go via their mobile device, finance, purchase and schedule as-soon-as-next-day delivery or Car Vending Machine pickup in as little as 10 minutes. As easy as buying a snack from a vending machine, Carvana customers who choose Car Vending Machine pickup receive a commemorative, oversized Carvana coin on-site to activate the vending process and transport the car into the delivery bay. Every Carvana vehicle comes with a seven-day return policy, giving customers the chance to see if the vehicle really fits their life. Instead of four right-hand turns around a dealership block, Carvana customers get an upgrade to the traditional test drive, to ensure the car seats fit or the turning radius is tight enough for the parking garage at work. Additionally, all vehicles are Carvana Certified, have passed a rigorous 150-point inspection, have never been in a reported accident, nor have frame damage. Features, imperfections and updated information about open safety recalls are listed on the car's vehicle description page. "Charlotte is one of our earliest markets and one of the first cities to embrace the new way to buy a car, so we're incredibly proud that Charlotte is home to our newest Car Vending Machine," said Ernie Garcia, founder and CEO of Carvana. "Our mission is to change the way people buy cars, and our Car Vending Machines bring fun back into car buying while providing a great customer experience." Located at 3631 South Boulevard, the Charlotte Car Vending Machine is open Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Vehicle pickup at any of Carvana's Car Vending Machines is free for all Carvana customers. For customers that live outside of the Charlotte metropolitan delivery area but would still like to pick up their car at the Vending Machine, Carvana will subsidize $200 in airfare and arrange transportation from Charlotte Douglas International Airport. To learn more about Carvana and its Car Vending Machines, visit: carvana.com/vendingmachine. About Carvana (NYSE: CVNA) Founded in 2012 and based in Phoenix, Carvana's (NYSE: CVNA) mission is to change the way people buy cars. By removing the traditional dealership infrastructure and replacing it with technology and exceptional customer service, Carvana offers consumers an intuitive and convenient online automotive retail platform. Carvana.com enables consumers to quickly and easily buy a car online, including finding their preferred vehicle, qualifying for financing, getting a trade-in value, signing contracts, and receiving as-soon-as-next-day delivery or pickup of the vehicle from one of Carvana's proprietary automated Car Vending Machines. For further information on Carvana, please visit www.carvana.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005491/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Only 40% of Personalized Messages Feel Personal, Periscope By McKinsey's Consumer Research Across US, UK, Germany and France Reveals NEW YORK and LONDON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Country, Gender, Age and Business Category are key factors to create the perfect personal message Personalization is not just about understanding the individual consumer - brands need to consider their overall approach based on country-specific, age and gender attitudes to personalized marketing, as well as the characteristics and attributes that make a message feel personal to their different audiences, or they risk alienating customers. This is according to survey findings released today from Periscope By McKinsey , which offers a suite of Marketing & Sales Analytics Solutions to help companies achieve sustainable revenue growth. In all markets surveyed, more than 50% of respondents reported frequently receiving personalized messages. The U.S. and France receive the most personalized messages, with 62% and 60% of consumers, respectively, reporting they frequently receive them. Germany and the UK followed with 55% and 53%. When it comes to attitudes towards receiving personalized messages from companies and brands, we see most markets surveyed indicate a positive attitude. Consumers in the U.S. again had the most positive feelings towards them, with 50% either really or somewhat liking to receive them, revealing high opportunity for businesses to effectively engage these consumers. French and UK respondents were considerably less enthusiastic, with 38% and 37% respectively, feeling somewhat or very favorable towards them. Consumers in Germany were more skeptical, with only 29% having a positive feeling about personalized messaging. Gender and Age Influence Personalization Attitudes In the U.S. (56%) and Germany (33%), men feel more positively about receiving personalized messaging than women (44% and 25%, respectively). In the UK and France, however, women have a slightly more positive attitude than men in those countries. 39% of French and British women either somewhat or very much like to receive personalized messages as compared to 37% of French and 35% of British men. Age also impacts the attitude towards personalization. With the exception of Germany, consumers aged 30-39 seem to respond more positively to personalized messaging, followed by respondents aged 18-29. Older generations across the markets surveyed demonstrated a significantly stronger dislike of this type of communication. Categories are Personal Too When asked from which types of companies consumers would like to receive personalized messages, in the U.S., 51% said grocery stores, with 49% saying restaurants and bars and 36% noting fashion retailers. The UK also tracked these findings at 44%, 40% and 33%, respectively. It is a differen view in Germany, where the top three categories change: 29% opted for grocery stores, fashion retailers followed at 28%, and then hotels, airlines and car rental companies at 25%. Interestingly, while certain categories of companies are currently sending more personalized messages than others, survey findings show that some kinds of businesses would be better served to reduce the number of messages they send, while others may be missing out on the potential personalized messaging could deliver to them. Consumers are Open to Personalized Messages, but are not Getting Them Brands have a long way to go on getting personalized messages right, with around 40% of consumers across all markets stating messages received only sometimes captured the characteristics that would make them personal - this is red flag for businesses - and a huge opportunity for those that can get it right. While the number of respondents who said these messages rarely or never fit these characteristics outweighed those who said they usually or often do in almost all the markets, the U.S. proved to be the exception. 31% of American consumers say that the usually or always find messages they receive relevant, as compared to 23% who said they rarely or never do. In comparison, in France, only 19% of respondents note that they usually or always receive personalized messages that are relevant, with 38% of respondents feeling the messages they receive are rarely or never relevant. Just 18% of British and 17% of German consumers report that they usually or always receive messages that are relevant, with 33% and 36%, respectively, noting that they rarely or never receive relevant messages. It is clear from the research that consumers in different countries need to be approached differently when it comes to personalized marketing. For example, U.S. consumers said the top three attributes to influencing personalization are: when a business offers items that are a good fit for their personal style, relate to items they frequently purchased, and when messaging tied to a special occasion. However, German consumers feel communications are most personal when they include items that fit their style, their name and that reference a recent search they made. France and the UK were different again. In the UK consumers ranked seeing their name, something tied to a special occasion and an offer that suits their style, as the top attributes. While French consumers selected in priority order, linked to a special occasion, an offer that matches their style and their name, as their top three personalization criteria. "Personalization initiatives can deliver significant value, including on average 10-30% revenue uplift and higher customer acquisition rates and engagement1. But the key is that they must be done right," said Julien Boudet, global leader of McKinsey's work in personalization. "What's clear from the findings is that companies are missing the boat on delivering consistently relevant experiences at scale. In order for businesses to be successful with their personalization efforts, they should employ advanced analytics and solutions to better understand their consumers and manage effectively targeting trade-offs to drive a change in behavior. If they don't do this, they risk alienating audiences which in turn impacts brand reputation and customer loyalty." For complete details on the survey's findings, download the 32-page report, 'Consumer Value Personalization - Up Your Game to Not Miss The Opportunity', via this link. Study Methodology In April 2018, Periscope By McKinsey conducted online research targeting consumers in France (500), Germany (500), the UK (500) and the U.S. (1,000). Respondents were aged between 18 and 70+ and responses were selectively evaluated by age category and gender. About Periscope By McKinsey Founded in 2007, Periscope By McKinsey offers a suite of Marketing & Sales Analytics Solutions to help companies achieve sustainable revenue growth. The Periscope By McKinsey platform combines world-leading intellectual property, prescriptive analytics and cloud-based tools with expert support and training. It's a unique combination that drives revenue growth, both now and into the future. The platform offers a suite of Marketing & Sales solutions that accelerate and sustain commercial transformation for businesses. Periscope leverages its world-leading IP (largely from McKinsey but also other partners) and best-in-class technology to enable transparency into Big Data, create actionable insights and new ways of working that drive lasting performance improvement, and typically sustain a 2-7% increase in return on sales (ROS). With a truly global reach, the portfolio of solutions is comprised of: Insight Solutions, Marketing Solutions, Customer Experience Solutions, Category Solutions, Pricing Solutions, Performance Solutions and Sales Solutions. These are complemented by ongoing client service and custom capability building programs. To learn more about how Periscope's solutions and experts are helping businesses continually drive better performance, visit http://www.periscope-solutions.com/. Media contact: Lorena Duke/Jessica Mularczyk Ascendant Communications periscope@ascendcomms.net +44-(0)-20-8334 8041 / +1-508-498-9300 SOURCE Periscope By McKinsey [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] SendGrid Announces the Grand Opening of its New Office in Redwood City, California SendGrid, Inc. (NYSE: SEND), a leading digital communication platform that drives engagement and growth, today announced the opening of its new Silicon Valley office at 889 Winslow Street, Suite 400 in Redwood City, California. The new 15,000 square foot space nearly triples the footprint of the previous Redwood City office and can accommodate up to 80 employees. The open floor plan design space mirrors the look and feel of SendGrid's global headquarters in Denver, and its recently announced new office in Irvine, California. "Our new and expanded Redwood City office supports our ongoing efforts to attract world class talent from multiple talent pools beyond Denver, and partiularly in regions where we have a strategic presence," said Pattie Money, Chief People Officer at SendGrid. "Like all of our offices, the Redwood City space features connectivity tools and multiple open, collaborative workspaces intentionally designed to help foster our award-winning employee culture." Recruiting and retaining tech talent is a top priority for SendGrid. Silicon Valley provides a strategic presence for it to be more competitive and attract local talent in the tech community. The new building which also hosts the offices of Bessemer Venture Partners and McKinsey & Company (News - Alert) , features abundant natural light and westernly mountain views. It is conveniently located in close proximity to the Caltrain in the heart of downtown Redwood City and provides employees with bike storage, showers, parking and free lunch daily from nearby restaurants. SendGrid's Redwood City presence has continued to grow at a steady pace since its opening in 2015. The company currently has over 400 employees spread across its Denver, Redwood City, Irvine and London locations. To see photos of the new office, visit www.sendgrid.com/news/ to view our Media Resources. To learn more about job openings at SendGrid, visit www.sendgrid.com/careers. About SendGrid SendGrid is a leading digital communication platform, enabling businesses to engage with their customers via email reliably, effectively and at scale. A leader in email deliverability, SendGrid has processed over 40 billion emails each month for internet and mobile-based customers as well as more traditional enterprises. Source (News - Alert) : SendGrid, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005506/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] I Squared Capital to Acquire Leading Pan-European Trailer Leasing Company, TIP Trailer Services I Squared Capital, an independent global infrastructure investment manager, has signed an agreement through its ISQ Global Infrastructure Fund II, to acquire a 100 percent interest in TIP Trailer Services, a leading pan-European and Canadian trailer leasing and services company, from HNA Group (International) Company Limited. Headquartered in Amsterdam and operating in 17 countries, TIP is one of the leading companies in its field in markets across Europe including Germany, the UK, Italy, France, Spain and the Benelux countries, as well as in Canada. It has a fleet of over 66,000 trailers and 86 trailer service centers serving approximately 7,700 customers, including numerous global logistics operators and retailers. "Our investment in TIP is the result of a detailed review of global transportation opportunities that provide essential links while benefiting from macro-economic tailwinds," said Adil Rahmathulla, Partner of I Squared Capital. "With strong market positions across Europe and a sizeable business in North America, TIP's global reach is an excellent fit for I Squared Capital. We look forward to working with TIP's seasoned executive management team and roster of world-class logistics and retail customers to continually deliver essential services and positionthe business to drive growth across Europe, North America and beyond." "This is the start of an exciting new chapter for TIP and we believe that as an infrastructure investor that knows our sector well, I Squared Capital will be a strong long-term partner for us," said Bob Fast, CEO of TIP. "Our business is well-positioned for growth in the transportation equipment leasing and maintenance services sector in Europe and North America, and we are glad to have a partner with the capital to invest in our fleet and enable us to deliver even better service to our valued customers." I Squared Capital is a global infrastructure investor with over $12 billion of assets under management and focusing on energy, utilities, telecom and transport. Select portfolio companies include the Viridian Group, a leading integrated Irish utility with conventional generation, renewable generation, and supply; Grupo T-Solar, one of largest solar platforms in Spain with 392 megawatts of photovoltaic and concentrated solar power generation capacity; and American Intermodal Management, a transportation platform leasing new marine chassis with GPS technology to retailers, logistics companies and shipping lines in the U.S. intermodal supply chain. Linklaters is legal advisor to I Squared Capital. EH Global Capital is the financial advisor to HNA, and CMS is HNA's legal advisor. About I Squared Capital I Squared Capital is an independent global infrastructure investment manager focusing on energy, utilities, telecommunications and transport in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The Firm has offices in New York, Houston, London, New Delhi, Hong Kong and Singapore. About TIP Trailer Services TIP Trailer Services is one of Europe and Canada's leading equipment service providers. TIP Trailer services specializes in trailer leasing, rental, maintenance and repair, as well as other value-added services and provide these to transportation and logistics customers across Europe and Canada. Headquartered in Amsterdam, TIP services their customers from 86 locations spread over 17 countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005651/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] nFusz Launches Partnership with D&M Leasing, the Largest Consumer Auto Leasing Company in America HOLLYWOOD, Calif. and FORT WORTH, Texas, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- nFusz, Inc. (OTCQB:FUSZ), the Hollywood-based digital technology company, and North Texas based D&M Leasing, the largest consumer auto leasing company in America, announces their strategic partnership to change the way consumers think and feel about auto leasing. We were introduced to the nFusz interactive video sales and marketing technology by our marketing expert, Roger Lee, Managing Partner of dr2marketing, states Mike Hernandez, CEO D&M Leasing. Were always looking for new ways to engage our prospects and customers and when Roger showed me the nFusz interactive videos, I immediately thought of a hundred ways we could use this to drive new business and also engage our existing customers in fun new ways across all of our customer touch points. I cant imagine a business in the country that couldnt benefit from this technology, continues Mr. Hernandez. Mike Hernandez is always on the leading edge of sales and marketing innovation so I knew this would be a perfect fit for D&M Leasing, states Mr. Lee. Were thrilled to be working with forward thinking business leaders like Mike Hernandez, states nFusz CEO, Rory J. Cutaia. D&M Leasing is the largest consumer leasing company in the country and its not by accident. Our interactive video technology in his hands will change the way everyone thinks about auto leasing and were excited to be part of it, continues Mr. Cutaia. About nFusz, Inc. (FUSZ) is a Hollywood-based digital tech company. Our proprietary next-generation interactive video technology is the core of our cloud-based, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products. Our flagship product, notifiCRM, is a subscription-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM), sales/lead generation, and social engagement platform compatible with all mobile and desktop devices. Leveraging the power of our interactive video technology, notifiCRM does the selling for you, effectively eliminating sales skill from the sales process. Customers report up to a 600% increase in conversion rates. Our platform can accommodate any size campaign or sales organization, and its enterprise-class scalable to meet the needs of todays global organizations. Our new notifiTEACH interactive video learning platform is now available for public and charter school districts. For more information on nFusz, Inc., visit www.nFusz.com. About D&M Leasing D&M Leasing was established in 1976 by Don Davis and David Moritz, two Dallas area automobile dealers. The company was later sold to D&M Leasings current management and has become the largest consumer car leasing company in America. D&M Leasing has several thousands of satisfies customers since its inception and attributes 75% of its business to repeat and referral customers. What does that mean? It means that customers enjoy the way D&M performs business and continue to go back and to refer friends and family. Today, D&M Leasing proudly serves the Dallas, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, and Houston areas and were named Dealer of the Year by Dealer Rater from 2015-2018. For more information on D&M Leasing, visit www.dmautoleasing.com About dr2marketing Based in Dallas/Fort Worth, dr2marketing is a full-service agency specializing in lead generation campaigns. From traditional media to social media and beyond; we brand your company through direct response strategies and provide customized solutions to bring you new business. At dr2marketing, we help lead clients through the changing landscape that is influenced by technology, culture and the economy. For more information, please visit Dr2marketing.com or call 817-778-4695. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In accordance with the safe harbor provisions of this Act, statements contained herein that look forward in time that include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company's actual results. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the Company, including, but not limited to, plans and objectives of management for future operations or products, the market acceptance or future success of our products, and our future financial performance. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and other filings with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available at www.sec.gov). The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. For more information, please visit: www.nFusz.com CONTACT INFORMATION Please address media inquiries to: info@nFusz.com 855.250.2300, extension 7 Please address investor inquiries to: investors@nFusz.com 855.250.2300, extension 2 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Mother's Day campaign: Local charity - Make Your Date - featured in book by comedian, "Hey Mom" author Louie Anderson Looking for something different than the usual flowers to show mom how much you cherish her this Mother's Day (May 13)? Join the #MYDMomsMatter Campaign. Comedian Louie Anderson has teamed up with Make Your Date, a charity based in Detroit dedicated to ending premature birth and infant mortality, to celebrate Mother's Day and provide support for local moms-to-be. Make Your Date - Detroit's Plan to Reduce Preterm Birth, is featured in the three-time Emmy Award-winning comedian's latest book, "Hey Mom: Stories for My Mother, But You Can Read Them Too," available now nationwide. A portion of every book sold will be donated back to Make Your Date! In it, Anderson, a stand-up comic and the star of the FX television series "Baskets," dedicates a chapter to Make Your Date and his experiences headlining the annual Stand Up for Make Your Date Celebration, scheduled this year for November in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month. Anderson has been a staunch supporter of Make Your Date, and a champion for healthy moms and babies, since its inception in 2014. "Make Your Date saves lives. Healthier babies will be born into the world. Pretty fantastic," Anderson said. "Make Your Date Detroit has made a significant difference in the lives of moms and babies in Detroit," said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, "Every step of the way, Louie Anderson has shown his continued support for the Program." Make Your Date is dedicated to making sure Detroit's expecting mothers have everything they need to make their due date. While the sorrows of premature births can affect anyone, those facing inaccessible health care and a lack of support and services encounter an even higher risk for an early delivery. Make Your Date provides increased access to care and education in an underserved population of pregnant women. Last month, U.S. News and World Report wrote about the initiative, which provides resources including free prenatal education, the latest in pregnancy care, transportation to medical appointments, as well as constant contact and support throughout pregnancy and more. "We are grateful to Louie for recognizing our program in this very special book to his mother," said Make Your Date Director Sonia Hassan, M.D., the associate dean for Maternal, Perinatal and Child Health at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology's Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, "Make Your Date's mission on Mother's Day, and every day, is to support moms and their babies to get the best care possible and achieve a healthy pregnancy outcome." Joining the #MYDMomsMatter Campaign is easy. Follow the steps below to show a mom just how much you appreciate her by giving the gift of reading, which also comes with the rare time to herself, and plenty of laughs as well. At the same time, you (and she) will be helping a mom and her unborn baby. Join the #MYDMomMatter Campaign! Step 1: Donate to Make Your Date in honor of a mother at https://warriorfunder.wayne.edu/project/6584 Step 2: Purchase an autographed copy of "Hey Mom, Stories for My Mother, But You Can Read Them Too" at http://premierecollectibles.com/hey-mom-stories-for-my-mother-but-you-can-read-them-too-make-your-date/. A portion of every book sold will be donated to Make Your Date. Step 3: Post on social media using the hashtag #MYDMomsMatter, with a tribute to a mom. Make sure to tag (News - Alert) @MakeYourDate in your post. Be sure to use the graphic above to promote #MYDMomsMatter on social media. "Detroit's Make Your Date program is critical to MDHHS achieving its vision of Zero Preventable Deaths and Zero Disparities," said Lynette Biery, director of MDHHS' Bureau of Family Health Services. "Their efforts to help connect moms with prenatal care will ultimately help reduce the number of babies born prematurely, and improve the health of both moms and babies." "DMC believes that access to quality health care is the right of every human being, and this program helps prevent premature births by giving pregnant women the support and medical interventions they need to 'make their due date'," said Scott Steiner, FACHE, CEO of DMC Detroit Receiving, DMC Harper University and DMC Hutzel Women's hospitals. "Healthy moms and healthy babies are how we form healthier communities and, ultimately, a healthier Detroit." Anderson has been a champion for moms and babies in Detroit since the start of the program in 2014, headlining the Stand Up for Make Your Date Celebration held annually in Detroit. This year's celebration will be held in November, in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month. Stay tuned for details! Anderson has channeled his beloved mom in his stand-up routine for decades, but she died before seeing him reach his greatest heights, culminating in his breakout TV role as Christine Baskets, the mesmerizing character inspired by his mom, Ora Zella Anderson. The book is Anderson's way of catching her up on his triumphs, disappointments and continuing challenges. There is heartache, but also great hope. There are also laugh-out-loud stories and observations on life's absurdities. Make Your Date has expanded to several new sites in Detroit. With new collaborations and partnerships, Make Your Date is on track to reach more than 10,000 pregnant women by the end of 2018. For more information about our program, go to https://makeyourdate.org/. About the Detroit Medical Center, www.dmc.org The Detroit Medical Center operates eight hospitals and institutes, including Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Harper University Hospital, Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, Hutzel Women's Hospital, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, Sinai-Grace Hospital and DMC Heart Hospital. The Detroit Medical Center is a leading regional health care system with a mission of excellence in clinical care, research and medical education. The Detroit Medical Center is proud to be the Official Healthcare Services Provider of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings. For more information, visit www.dmc.org. "Like" us on Facebook (News - Alert) at www.facebook.com/dmcheals, follow us on Twitter at @dmc_heals or check out our YouTube (News - Alert) page at www.youtube.com/DetroitMedicalCenter. Wayne State University is one of the nation's preeminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005681/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] PODIM to Discuss the Hottest Topics from the World of Startups and Innovations - Promising Investment Opportunities in the Alps-Adriatic Region MARIBOR, Slovenia, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The PODIM Conference is the biggest and most influential startup event in the Alps-Adriatic and Western Balkans regions, annually connecting more than 800 participants from the whole world. Amongst them are more than 50 internationally established investors, 60 renowned speakers, 100 corporate representatives and 250 most promising startups from the region and further, coming to the event to find seed investment opportunities. This year's PODIM Conference, happening for the 38th time in a row, will take place on 15 and 16 May in Maribor, Slovenia. It will be dedicated to the current hottest topics in the world of startups, innovations, investments, new business models, and paradigms of modern business operations. It will host more than 60 renowned speakers from the whole world at more than 30 lectures, workshops and roundtables. Blockchain, venture design, corporate communication and other hot topics <>The programme of this year's PODIM Conference is dedicated to the hottest topics from the world of innovation and startups, and is divided into eight programme blocks: technology & business, venture design, corporate innovation, marketing & growth hacks, winning team & winning company, venture funding, blockchain, creatives industries & high-tech. PODIM Marketplace and DEMO Day For the first time in PODIM's history, two additional themed days will take place alongside the customary two days of the conference. One of them is DEMO Day, where startups will pitch to renowned investors one day before the official start of the conference. The other significant novelty of this year's conference is PODIM Marketplace, which is dedicated to connecting hardware startups and global distributers and merchants, and will take place on 17 May, the day after the official closing of the conference. The essence of the event lies in quality networking, connections and collaboration Besides in-depth knowledge, PODIM also offers plenty of opportunities for networking, connections and collaboration. Part of the conference includes more than 500 organized 1:1 meetings, PODIM connects chosen early-stage startups with investors and strategic corporate partners within the PODIM Challenge investment platform, and participants have the opportunity to get to know each other at workshops and roundtables. On the other hand, informal networking at the conference and the traditional party hold their own power as well. The PODIM Conference is organized by the Initiative Start:up Slovenia, Slovene Enterprise Fund and Ministry of Economic Development and Technology with strong support from European Commission, SPIRIT Public Agency, University of Maribor together with key partners of the Alps-Adriatic and Balkan startup ecosystem. The conference wouldn't be here without partners that enable quality implementation and co-create the programme: Kolektor, Iskratel, Telekom Slovenije, Zavarovalnica Sava, Outfit7, Nova KBM, Posta Slovenije, ICONOMI, KATAPULT, ABC accelerator, CEED Slovenia, EIT Digital, CorpoHub, DLabs, Red Orbit and others listed on the website. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Indico Selected as Finalist for MIT Sloan CIO Symposium's Innovation Showcase CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 15th annual MIT Sloan CIO Symposium recently named Indico as one of ten finalists for the 2018 Innovation Showcase. Indicos Enterprise AI solution for unstructured content represents a cutting-edge solution that provides both strong value and innovation to the enterprise IT space. Indico will receive key exposure to many of the worlds most creative and influential IT executives at the CIO Symposium on May 23, 2018. Were really honored to be recognized by the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, said Tom Wilde, CEO of Indico. Despite all the hype around artificial intelligence and machine learning, enterprises are really struggling to apply these technologies to unstructured content, which makes up over 80% of the data in most organizations. By enabling users to create customized machine learning models with much smaller data sets and less data science expertise, were helping them solve their unstructured content challenges and enabling them to take advantage of the significant business benefits that AI and machine learning have to offer. Indico is an enterprise AI solution specifically designed for text, images, and other unstructured content. The companys solution helps enterprises automate tedious back-office tasks, improve the efficiency of labor-intensive document-based workflows, and extract valuable insights from existing enterprise content. The companys breakthrough in solving these challenges is an approach known as transfer learning, which allows users to train machine learning models with orders of magnitude less data than required by traditional content analysis techniques. With Indico, enterprises are now able to benefit from the dramatic advantages of achine learning in a fraction of the time and effort. We are thrilled to award these 10 companies for our 2018 Innovation Showcase, said Anton Teodorescu, Co-Chair of the Innovation Showcase. The finalists represent leading edge technologies that will enable enterprises to up their digital game from vision to execution. For a full list of Innovation Showcase finalists, visit http://www.mitcio.com/innovation. The Innovation Showcase will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Kresge courtyard tent on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, at MIT in Cambridge, MA. The full agenda for the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium is available at www.mitcio.com/agenda. About Indico Indico is an enterprise AI solution for unstructured content. Our focus is on helping to automate tedious back-office tasks, improving the efficiency of labor-intensive document-based workflows, and extracting valuable insights from unstructured content, including text and images. Our breakthrough in solving these challenges is an approach known as transfer learning, which allows us to train machine learning models with orders of magnitude less data than required by traditional content analysis techniques. With Indico, enterprises are now able to benefit from the dramatic advantages of machine learning at a fraction of the time. For more information, visit. https://indico.io/. About the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium The MIT Sloan CIO Symposium is the premier global conference for CIOs and digital business executives to become more effective leaders. In one day, CIOs and senior IT executives explore enterprise technology innovations, business practices and receive actionable information that enables them to meet the challenges of today and the future. The Symposium offers a unique learning environment by bringing together the academic thought leadership of MIT with the in-the-trenches experience of leading, global CIOs and industry experts. The MIT Sloan CIO Symposium is organized and developed by the MIT Sloan Boston Alumni Association, the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy (IDE), and the MIT Sloan Center for Information Systems Research (CISR). For more information and to register for this years Symposium, visit www.mitcio.com. Editors Note: Journalists interested in press credentials or speaking with any of the Showcase Innovation finalists should contact Caroline Legg (caroline@warnerpr.com; 978-255-4488), Warner Communications Group. Media Contact: Tim Walsh, for Indico 617.512.1641 timw@walshgroupmarketing.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Pareteum Awarded $5 Million Contract from India-Based Telecom Company NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pareteum Corporation (NYSE American: TEUM), ("Pareteum" or the "Company"), the rapidly growing Global Cloud Communications Platform company, announced today that it has been awarded a 3-year contract with an India-based Telecommunications company. Pareteum will enable its newest client to expand into the Internet of Things (IoT) market, using Pareteum's platform and connectivity, adding $5 Million in contractual revenue over the course of 36 months. Pareteum's Global Cloud Services Platform (GCSP) and Connectivity solution will provide machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and connectivity for IoT devices, enabling connections (subscribers and their connectivity usage) to send and receive data at any time regardless of their location, always connected to the best signal available and at the best rate for that connection. Pareteum will power the advancement of these communication services to help this Telecommunications provider further personalize their services, across their diverse clientele, from retailers to manufacturers. "Our newest client is quickly expanding to provide connectivity and enablement for the growing IoT device market in India," stated Vic Bozzo, Pareteum's CEO. "We are confident that Pareteum's platform will empower our client with a combination of capacities and connectivity that will propel fast, customizable and efficient communication across any network, anywhere, anytime." "Pareteum has once again proven to be the platform of choice for the IoT market economy. Our award-winning technology, focused on IoT excellence, will continue in its growth trajectory, translating into additional revenue for our Company," stated Hal Turner, Executive Chairman and Principal Executive Officer of Pareteum. According o a report by Nasscom, the Indian IoT market is set to grow to $15 billion by 2020. About Pareteum: The mission of Pareteum Corporation (NYSE American: TEUM) is to connect "every person and everything." Organizations use Pareteum to energize their growth and profitability through cloud communication services and complete turnkey solutions featuring relevant content, applications, and connectivity worldwide. Our platform services partners (technologies integrated into our cloud) include: HPE, IBM, Ribbon Communications (Sonus+GenBand), NetNumber, Oracle, Microsoft, and other world class technology providers). All of the relevant customer acquired value is derived from Pareteum's award winning software, developed and enhanced for many years. By harnessing the value of communications, Pareteum serves retail, enterprise and IoT customers. Pareteum currently has offices in New York, Sao Paulo, Madrid, Barcelona, Bahrain and the Netherlands. For more information please visit: www.pareteum.com. Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements contained herein constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to Pareteum's plans and objectives, projections, expectations and intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Pareteum's industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Because such statements involve risks and uncertainties, the actual results and performance of Pareteum may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Unless otherwise required by law, Pareteum also disclaims any obligation to update its view of any such risks or uncertainties or to announce publicly the result of any revisions to the forward-looking statements made here. Additional information concerning certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested in Pareteum's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available from the SEC or may be obtained upon request from Pareteum Corporation. Pareteum Investor Relations Contacts: Ted O'Donnell Chief Financial Officer (212) 984-1096 InvestorRelations@pareteum.com Stephen Hart Hayden IR 917-658-7878 Carrie Howes Rayleigh Capital Dubai- London T UAE: +971 (0) 55 997 0427 | T UK: +44 (0) 870 490 5443 | T CAN: +1 416 900 3634 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pareteum-awarded-5-million-contract-from-india-based-telecom-company-300645171.html SOURCE Pareteum Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Sennheiser Middle East Announce Etihad Airways Partnership DUBAI, UAE, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sennheiser Middle East, a leader in the world of audio, has announced a partnership with Etihad Airways to be the exclusive provider of headsets for the airline's premier cabin. Under the agreement, Sennheiser's PXC 480 will soon be available for passengers travelling in Etihad Airways' The Residence, the world's first and only private luxury three room suite on a commercial aircraft. Residence guests will be able to listen to their favourite music and movies with Sennheiser's signature sound quality whilst in an oasis of calm thanks to the proprietary NoiseGard hybrid adaptive noise cancellation. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/689061/Sennheiser_Etihad_Partnership.jpg ) "The opportunity to partner with Etihad Airways allows us to contribute to an experience that goes beyond just sound. With the PXC 480 we have crafted a premium headphone that brings our leadership in high-quality audio to address the travel needs of the most discerning set of customers. For Etihad guests seeking the ultimate way to travel, the PXC 480 will prove to be the perfect companion", says Eric Denise, Sennheiser Senior Vice President Market Development. Set over 125 square feet, The Residence offers a lounge, bathroom with a shower and a separate bedroom. The private double bedroom features a bedside table, two personal storage drawers and a full length wardrobe, and is certified for two guests - a completely unique travel experience, akin to private jet travel, but on a commercial airliner. With a VIP Travel Concierge service looking after Residence guests from reservation through to the end of their journey, to the lightweight Sennheiser PXC 480 headphones, crafted from high quality materials featuring a comfortable padded headband and rotating ear cup, Sennheiser Middle East and Etihad Airways endeavor to enhance a bespoke travel experience tailored to those who like to travel in style. Etihad Airways Vice President Marketing Partnerships, Patrick Pierce, said: "Enhancing our guest proposition is one of the key drivers of this partnership. Aligning with Sennheiser provides premium guests flying in the world's most exclusive cabin a best-in-class audio product to further improve their experience in The Residence." The PXC 480 is one of many headsets produced by Sennheiser in their drive to achieve the perfect sound. Most recently, the brand has continued to focus on expanding their offering of wireless products to meet the growing demand for accessibly and adaptability from customers. Sennheiser's PXC 550, a wireless offering from the PXC family, delivers high-quality sound and NoiseGard hybrid adaptive noise cancellation packaged into a sleek foldable design. With up to 30 hours of battery life, the PXC 550 Wireless lets you travel around the world in comfort on a single charge. The MOMENTUM Free is a compact Bluetooth headphone with immaculate style and excellent wireless hi-fi sound and with a six-hour battery life it is perfect for those that are always on the go. In addition to the PXC 550 and MOMENTUM Free, Sennheiser's HD 4.50 BTNC headset delivers everything required by a music aficionado with an active lifestyle with amazing sound quality and the latest in wireless technology. Furthermore, the Sennheiser CX 6.00BT wireless in ear headset is everything you need to enjoy high quality Hi-Fi sound on the go. Its ultra-lightweight design offers a superior fit and comfort, while clear detailed sound, advanced wireless technology and a long battery life ensures effortless enjoyment of music and videos on the move. For more information on Sennheiser products available throughout the region please see https://en-ae.sennheiser.com/ About SENNHEISER Sennheiser is shaping the future of audio - a vision built on more than 70 years of innovation culture, which is deeply rooted within the family-owned company. Founded in 1945, Sennheiser is one of the world's leading manufacturers of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission systems. With 20 sales subsidiaries and long-established trading partners, the company is active in more than 50 countries and operates its own production facilities in Germany, Ireland and the USA. Sennheiser has around 2,800 employees around the world that share a passion for audio excellence. Since 2013, Sennheiser has been managed by Daniel Sennheiser and Dr. Andreas Sennheiser, the third generation of the family to run the company. In 2016, the Sennheiser Group had sales totaling 658.4 million. http://www.sennheiser.com About ETIHAD AVIATION GROUP Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, the Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) is a diversified global aviation and travel group comprising five business divisions - Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates; Etihad Airways Engineering; Etihad Airport Services; Hala Group and Airline Equity Partners. About ETIHAD AIRWAYS From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to 103 international passenger and cargo destinations with its fleet of 115 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, was established by Royal (Emiri) Decree in July 2003. For more information, please visit: www.etihad.com . [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Cie Digital Labs and CEO Anderee Berengian Named Most Innovative Company and Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018 Stevie Award's American Business Awards Southern California-based interactive innovation firm and their leader recognized for accelerating growth for startups and enterprises CDL won the Silver Stevie Award for the Most Innovative Company of the Year,' while Co-founder and CEO Anderee Berengian (far left) was awarded the Gold Stevie Award for Entrepreneur of the Year. IRVINE, Calif., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cie Digital Labs (CDL), an accelerator of innovation for large enterprises and a growth accelerator for emerging startups, has won a Silver Stevie Award for the Most Innovative Company of the Year and Co-founder and CEO Anderee Berengian has also been awarded Gold Stevie Award for Entrepreneur of the Year in the 16th Annual American Business Awards. The nominations submitted for The 2018 American Business Awards were outstanding, said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. The competition was intense, and those recognized as Stevie Award winners should be immensely proud of this accomplishment. Judges, lauding both CDLs and Anderee's endeavors in aiding entrepeneurial ventures, said, "Lucky for start-ups that organizations like CDL exist. It's like a booster rocket towards the end stage of a successful launch (and future state)...very cool" and that "Anderees expertise is the support each entrepreneur would benefit from." CDL consistently creates leading-edge digital solutions, serving as an innovation lab for prominent brands and a platform to develop ideas into technology ventures. CDLs unique value proposition in steering all aspects of a company and providing a holistic ecosystem where enterprises and entrepreneurs work alongside each other has helped business venture partners achieve their goal faster. It provides a more hands-on assistance through a unique combination of shared and dedicated domain experts in Product, Design, Web & Mobile development, Business & Corporate Development, Finance, HR and IT. Also a winner of 2017 OCTANe Best Digital Strategy Award, CDL has an expansive client roster across retail, consumer products, automotive and transportation industries. Berengian, an accomplished entrepreneur, technologist, and investor, has led CDLs corporate and product strategy in transforming ideas into sustainable, profitable companies and the execution of high impact strategic solutions for ventures. He has helped spearhead the companys accelerated growth and lends his expertise on the board of several enterprises, including Petco, ASAP Tire and TITAN School Solutions. Additionally, he has helped raise over $100 million for startups and created over 1,000 jobs through his entrepreneurial efforts. Berengian also serves as a thought leader in his community, joining the ranks of some of the industrys most prolific business leaders as a Forbes contributor since 2017. This years recognition for both innovation and entrepreneurship among such an impressive group of companies and individuals is incredible. We continuously strive to create and execute high impact, innovative digital solutions that drive sustainable business growth for startups and enterprises alike, said Berengian. I look forward to another year of raising CDL to greater heights by continuing to build a world class organization focused on driving measurable business results. One of the most coveted Awards program in the US, the Stevie Award celebrates the exemplary success and contributions of organizations and business leaders globally. More than 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and almost every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Startup of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Live Event of the Year, and App of the Year, among others. More than 200 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this years Stevie Award winners. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning crowned, the awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Monday, June 11. Click here for the official announcement of the 2018 American Business Awards winners and click here for the complete list of winners. About Cie Digital Labs Cie Digital Labs (CDL) is an accelerator of innovation for large enterprises and a growth accelerator for emerging startups. CDL creates leading digital solutions, serves as an innovation lab for a variety of prominent global brands, and acts as a platform to develop and turn ground-breaking ideas into new technology ventures. CDL blends Silicon Valley know-how, startup dynamism and speed with the business maturity of serial entrepreneurs, seasoned venture capitalists, and Fortune 500 executives. This proven combination drives cutting edge solutions for top enterprises strategic and operational business challenges. CDLs leadership team has served key roles at various successful startups including Amazon, Yahoo!, Overture, Nativo and Internet Brands. Visit www.ciedigital.com to learn more. About The Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 60 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. CONTACT INFORMATION Nikki Reyes Three Bears Marketing for Cie Digital Labs nikki@threebearsmarketing.com (408) 499-0033 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/38d29f8d-168c-4cb2-8f4d-757661094332 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] TUV SUD Expands its Training and Personal Certification Portfolio in Bangladesh MUMBAI and DHAKA, Bangladesh, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TUV SUD inaugurated a second training centre in Dhanmondi Thana, Dhaka City, the first training centre is based in Uttara Thana, Dhaka city The training centre to also facilitate Pearson Test of English (PTE) for students applying to international universities in countries that requires proof of their English proficiency TUV SUD to soon introduce their e-learning portfolio in Bangladesh The Academy division in Bangladesh of TUV SUD, a premium quality, safety, and sustainability solutions provider that specialises in testing, inspection, auditing, certification, training, and knowledge services, announced that it is broadening its offerings in their training, personal certification and skill-assessment services in Bangladesh. After the success of the first training centre in Uttara Thana, TUV SUD inaugurated a second training centre in Dhanmondi Thana in Dhaka City which will also act as a test centre for Pearson Test of English (PTE). The new training centre was inaugurated by Niranjan Nadkarni, CEO of South & South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa region. Other leadership members of TUV SUD were also present for the inauguration as well as to commemorate TUV SUD Bangladesh's 10th anniversary. TUV SUD will soon launch a new e-learning portfolio in Bangladesh for those who are exploring avenues to upskill themselves in today's dynamic global employment landscape. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/568955/TUV_SUD_South_Asia_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/689092/TUV_SUD_Dhaka_Inauguration.jpg ) The comprehensive training programmes address business needs and assist individuals and organisations in improving performance, productivity and efficiency. Recently, the government of Bangladesh has begun expanding technical education in Bangladesh to increase enrolment in technical or vocational education to 20%. Under the Skills and Training Enhancement Project (STEP), the government is aiming to train additional 90,000 students by 2019. To contribute in making this vision a reality and understanding the growing needs for enhanced skill sets of the second largest global apparel sourcing hub in the world, TUV SUD is ramping up its offerings in its Academy division. The portfolio is inclusive of training programmes such as Six Sigma Green Belt, and Black Belt Certification, Lean Management, Quality ManagementSystems (QMS) leading auditing, Environmental Health and Safety Certification (EHS), Awareness of all ISO certifications, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT), Supply Chain management, and Social Accountability SA 8000. Beside training programmes focused on safety, auditing and quality management; the Academy also offers soft skills training. Those who opt for TUV SUD's training and personal certification will benefit from their learning models that range from classroom, to experiential that provide focused and interactive learning programs. The best-in-class trainers leverage their global expertise to customise training to cater to local requirements. Certain training programmes are also customised to an individual's unique requirement. Ezhilan Neelan, Country Director of Bangladesh and Senior Vice President, Product Services, TUV SUD Bangladesh, said, "TUV SUD is present in Bangladesh for the 10 years and in these years, our endeavour has been to contribute to the growth of the country's economy by collaborating with businesses across sectors to help them manufacture and trade products of highest quality and standards. We have and will continue to locally leverage our global expertise and experience backed insights beyond capital investment. In Bangladesh, nearly 58% of the population is in the age group of 15-54 years. Bangladesh is steadily emerging as a large-scale economy and the number of employable professionals is also growing. With two training centres and an upcoming e-learning portfolio, we are motivated to make students and professionals career-ready for domestic as well as international employers. Through our technical and non-technical training programmes, we are confident to make a significant impact on helping realise aspirations of many organisations." TUV SUD began its operations in Bangladesh in 2008. Testing and certification of garment and textiles was the core service offering, however, in recent times, TUV SUD has expanded its footprint into leather, renewable & conventional energy projects, infrastructure, and training & personal certification. TUV SUD delivers technical and non-technical knowledge and expertise which is rooted in over 150 years of formulation of best practices. Experienced in providing safety and quality solutions across a wide spectrum of sectors, TUV SUD is deeply committed to deliver world-class services of international standards in Bangladesh. PTE academic exam model is designed for students applying to international universities or for a UK or Australian visa that requires proof of their English proficiency. The results are approved by the UK and Australian Governments and are accepted by thousands of academic programmes, including Harvard, Yale and INSEAD. About TUV SUD TUV SUD is a leading international service organisation catering to the strategic business segments industry, mobility and certification. Headquartered in Munich, Germany and founded in 1866, it has over 24,000 employees representing more than 1,000+ locations throughout the world. Optimising technology, systems and know-how, the interdisciplinary specialist teams act as process partners to strengthen their customers' competitiveness. About TUV SUD South Asia TUV SUD South Asia is the leading consulting, testing, inspection and certification (TIC) company with presence across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. With more than 1,400 employees, TUV SUD South Asia has serviced over 10,000 clients to date through the past two decades. It is present at 32 locations including 19 labs across the three countries. Today, TUV SUD South Asia is internationally competent to provide TIC solutions cutting across a wide range of sectors that include management systems, conventional and renewable energy, water, sanitation, environmental technology, infrastructure, transit systems, real estate, food, supply chain, agriculture, toys, consumer electronics, textiles, leather and related products, automobile and components, and technical as well as soft-skills training. For further details, visit http://www.tuv-sud.in/. Follow us on social media platforms - Twitter and LinkedIn Media Contact: Sharwari Paranjape sharwari.paranjape@edelman.com +91-7506642862 Edelman [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Boston Business Journal Honors Vestmark as "Best Places to Work" Two Years in a Row WAKEFIELD, Mass., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vestmark, a leading provider of wealth management solutions, was recognized for a second consecutive year as a 2018 Best Places to Work honoree by the Boston Business Journal. Distinguishing Bostons leading employers, the awards program commends the importance of fostering a great workplace culture to drive a competitive business advantage. At Vestmark, we firmly believe that a strong work culture is paramount to building strong business results. This is why were committed to providing our employees a dynamic environment that fosters collaboration and growth, said John Lunny, CEO of Vestmark. We are honored and delighted that Vestmark has once again achieved this recognition and strive to continuously improve our employee experience. In partnership with Quantum Workplace, the Boston Business Journal examined companies of all sizes ranging from extra small (20-49 employees) to extra-large (1,000+), selecting the 80 finalists based on survey responses provided by the employees of each firm. Thisyear, with over 300 employees, Vestmark ranked in the large-sized category, growing from last years ranking in the medium-sized group. We are extremely excited to recognize and honor the companies that clearly value and appreciate their employees and have backed that up by putting into place wonderful programs to keep everyone motivated and happy, said Carolyn M. Jones, the Boston Business Journal Market President and Publisher. Vestmark provides comprehensive wealth management technology and services to some of the nations largest and most respected financial institutions and advisors, enabling them to efficiently manage and trade investor portfolios through an innovative SaaS platform. The Boston Business Journal will celebrate finalists during their 14th annual Best Places to Work event on Wednesday, June 20th at Symphony Hall in Boston. A full list of the 2018 honorees can be found on the Boston Business Journals website. For more information on working at Vestmark, visit our careers page. About Vestmark: Vestmark is a leading provider of wealth management solutions, headquartered outside of Boston, MA. Founded in 2001, Vestmarks mission is to enable investors to better their financial well-being. Vestmark enables financial institutions and advisors to efficiently manage and trade investor portfolios through an innovative SaaS platform. With over 850 billion in assets and 2.5 million accounts, we are a trusted partner to some of the largest and most respected players across the wealth management industry. For more information about Vestmark's solutions, call (781) 224-3640, email inquiry@vestmark.com, or visit www.vestmark.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Metro-Haul Holds Successful Plenary Session Addressing Implications of 5G Use Cases in Metro Optical Networks The Metro-Haul Project, a Horizon 2020 European Union research and innovation program, today announced the successful completion of its third plenary meeting. More than 50 people from across 21 companies and universities spanning 8 European countries have just attended the highly productive project plenary meeting hosted by Coriant (News - Alert) in April at its R&D facilities in Lisbon, Portugal. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005775/en/ The meeting highlighted the practical points of convergence for access and metro networks, and the establishment of suitable architecture and fundamental structure of future metro networks. Discussions also included the critical role of storage, compute, and virtual function capabilities; underpinned with flexible and elastic optical nodes in support of the demands of the 5G network. These plenaries provide opportunities for heated and productive discussions: a notable outcome for the most recent session led to significant advances in understanding of how transponders from different vendors can be configured and operated using common data models. "The Metro-Haul project targets are ambitious but realistic for the demands of 5G," said Emilio Riccardi from TIM, the Italian telecommunications company. "We aim to enable optical metro networks with 100 times the capacity, 10 times less energy consumption, support for latency-sensitive services, and end-to-end SDN-based management that enables fast configuration leading to a 20% reduction in OPEX (News - Alert) . The cooperation between equipment manufacturers and network operators within Metro-Haul offers the possibility of achieving these targets and making a huge difference to the industry." Metro-Haul is already significantly exceeding its stated KPIs with over 90 separate research papers, journal articles, and conference presentations published or accepted for publication within the ten months since the start of the project. The recent OFC conference held in San Diego in March 2018 was a notable success, achieving no fewer than 23 Metro-Haul contributions including papers, invited talks, workshops, and tutorials. "With active support from industry leaders and European academic institutions, Metro-Haul is making important contribtions to the understanding of the demands that emerging 5G use cases will place on metro network infrastructure," said Carlos Ferreira, Country Manager for Coriant Portugal. "We were pleased to host the third plenary session and help facilitate driving this important work forward. The implications of bandwidth growth on metro networks represent a pressing issue for our customers, and the research Metro-Haul provides is an invaluable source of architecture, technology, and use case information that will help maximize the value of 5G-optimized networks." Chigo Okonkwo and Nicola Calabretta are Assistant Professors in the ECO Group at the Eindhoven University of Technology working on Metro-Haul. "The Metro-Haul project is strengthened by contributions from some of the top universities in Europe," said Chigo. "It is crucial for projects like this to engage with academic researchers who are able to supplement and enhance the output of industrial and commercial R&D." "TU Eindhoven welcomes the opportunity to engage in a prestigious 5G project like Metro-Haul," added Nicola, "especially in view of the impact it is having across the industry." About Metro-Haul Launched in mid-2017, the Metro-Haul Project receives funding (G.A. 761727) from the Horizon 2020 EU research and innovation program. The aim of the 7.7 million project is to design and build a smart optical metro infrastructure able to support traffic originating from heterogeneous 5G access networks, addressing the anticipated capacity increase and its specific characteristics, including mobility, low latency, and low jitter. This infrastructure will also support a wide variety of services and use cases with special emphasis on services from various industries vertical to the ICT. Website: https://metro-haul.eu Twitter (News - Alert) : @MetroHaul Linked-In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13543287 ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/project/Metro-Haul About Coriant Coriant delivers innovative and dynamic networking solutions for a fast-changing and cloud-centric business world. The Coriant SDN/NFV-enabled portfolio of open, disruptive, and hyperscale solutions and Multi-Sided Platform innovations helps network operators cost-efficiently scale network capacity, reduce operational complexity, and create the resilient foundation for a new generation of mobile, video, and cloud services. Coriant serves leading network operators around the world, including mobile and fixed line service providers, cloud and data center operators, Web 2.0 content providers, cable MSOs, government agencies, and large enterprises. With a distinguished heritage of technology innovation and service excellence, Coriant is helping its global customers maximize the service value of their network infrastructure as demand for bandwidth explodes and the communications needs of businesses and consumers continue to evolve. Learn more at www.coriant.com and follow us on Twitter for the latest news and information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005775/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] The PC as a service market is expected to reach USD 129.82 billion by 2023 from USD 11.46 billion in 2018, at a CAGR of 62.5% between 2018 and 2023 NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The PC as a service market is likely to grow at a significant rate between 2018 and 2023 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05390335 The PC as a service market is expected to reach USD 129.82 billion by 2023 from USD 11.46 billion in 2018, at a CAGR of 62.5% between 2018 and 2023. The key factors driving the growth of the PC as a service market include reducing IT staffing costs and workload, benefits offered by PCs as a service over traditional PCs, and increasing adoption of PCs as a service by small and midsized enterprises (SMEs). However, lack of product differentiation is a major factor restraining the growth of the market. Services accounted for the largest share of the PC as a service market in 2017. Until now, managed service providers were the main revenue generators in the market for PC-associated IT services; however, with the introduction of the bundled model called PC as a Service, new business models have been adopted in the market.PC manufacturers provide hardware, along with associated services and software solutions, to end users. The services provided by these manufacturers include pro-deploy services such as installation, deployment and integration, asset recovery services, and repair and maintenance services.Most OEMs of PCs have a wide network of partners, comprising regional managed service providers. With the help of these managed service providers, OEMs provide complete PCaaS solutions to their customers. North America accounted for the largest share of the PC as a service market in 2017. North America has always been in the forefront in adopting new and innovative technologies, such as PC as serice (PCaaS) solutions.The major countries contributing to the growth of the PC as a service market in North America include the US, Canada, and Mexico. The market in this region provides a suitable environment, in terms of government regulations and compliance, for startups and SMEs. North America , having witnessed a deep penetration of mobile devices such as notebooks and laptops, provides significant opportunities for organizations to reach their clients, channel partners, and other stakeholders in the global market. Following is the breakup of the profiles of primary participants for the report: By Company Type: Tier 1 20%, Tier 2 55%, and Tier 3 25% By Designation: C-Level Executives 45%, Directors 30%, and Others 25% By Region: North America 45%, Europe 30%, APAC 20%, and RoW 5% The key players operating in the PC as a service market are HP (US), Dell (US), Lenovo ( Hong Kong ), Microsoft (US), HCL ( India ), AWS (US) , StarHub ( Singapore ), and CompuCom (US). Research Coverage: The research report covers the PC as a service market by deployment, offering, vertical, and geography.The market has been segmented on the basis of deployment into small and midsized enterprises, and large enterprises. Based on offering, the PC as a service market has been classified into hardware, software & software maintenance, and services.The market has been segmented on the basis of vertical into IT & telecommunications, BFSI, healthcare & life sciences, government, education, and others. Moreover, the report covers the market in 4 major regionsNorth America, Europe , Asia Pacific (APAC), and Rest of the World (RoW). Key Benefits of Buying the Report: Illustrative segmentation, analysis, and forecast for the market based on deployment, offering, vertical, and geography have been conducted to give an overall view of the PC as a service market. The major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges pertaining to the PC as a service market have been detailed in this report. The report includes a detailed competitive landscape, and revenue of key players. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05390335 About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-pc-as-a-service-market-is-expected-to-reach-usd-129-82-billion-by-2023-from-usd-11-46-billion-in-2018--at-a-cagr-of-62-5-between-2018-and-2023--300645458.html SOURCE Reportlinker [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting Focus on 'The Next Big Thing' For CFOs at the 2018 CCH Tagetik In Touch Conference NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Office of Finance is being asked to be more forward-looking and strategic while at the same time facing ever increasing reporting demands driven by new and more complex regulations. During the CCH Tagetik InTouch Conference, held from May 9-11 in Miami, thought leaders will share insights on how CFOs can prepare for the next significant impact to their office, as well as hear from CCH Tagetik customers who have successfully addressed these challenging trends. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/492891/Tagetik_Logo.jpg ) Held in the US at the Miami Eden Roc Hotel, the annual CCH Tagetik In Touch Conference will focus on three distinct tracks, making the attendee experience focused, structured and informed. Each track comes to life through mini-sessions organized through panel discussions, product demonstrations and customer stories. The three tracks are: Core CPM : Annual budgeting, demands for real-time insights, and monitoring decentralized processes are challenges addressed by the shift to cloud CPM solutions. The Core CPM track ncludes a customer story from Driscoll's : Annual budgeting, demands for real-time insights, and monitoring decentralized processes are challenges addressed by the shift to cloud CPM solutions. The Core CPM track ncludes a customer story from Driscoll's Finance Transformation : As a strategic partner to the CEO, the Office of the CFO must be equipped to transform granular data into intelligent insights that can be used for operational decision making while still maintaining the control, governance and accountability that CFOs are responsible for. Speakers on the finance transformation topic and trends include Aegon Asset Management and European Space Agency : As a strategic partner to the CEO, the Office of the CFO must be equipped to transform granular data into intelligent insights that can be used for operational decision making while still maintaining the control, governance and accountability that CFOs are responsible for. Speakers on the finance transformation topic and trends include Aegon Asset Management and European Space Agency Leading with Excellence: Across different industries and company sizes, Office of Finance leaders are taking advantage of financial data analytics to strengthen the alignment between financial planning and corporate strategy. The Leading with Excellence track includes a customer story from Tarsus Medical Follow insights and key takeaways from the 2018 CCH Tagetik In Touch conference at #CCHTagetikInTouch. About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the health, tax & accounting, finance, risk & compliance, and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY). For more information about our solutions and organization, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Media Contacts: Greta Bartoli +390583968394 greta.bartoli@wolterskluwer.com Nicole Young 347-931-1055 N.Young@wolterskluwer.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on May 9, 2018 2018/05/09 Q: On the early morning of May 9, Beijing time, US President Trump announced the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but Iran says it will remain in the JCPOA as long as other parties do the same. What is China's position on this? A: China regrets the decision made by the US side. The JCPOA is a multilateral agreement reached by the P5+1, the European Union and Iran through negotiations and endorsed by the UN Security Council Resolution 2231. All relevant parties should implement the JCPOA in good faith and ensure its integrity and sanctity. This will contribute to upholding the international non-proliferation regime and peace and stability in the Middle East and will play an exemplary role for the political settlement of hot-spot issues. Under the current circumstances, China calls on all relevant parties to assume a responsible attitude, bear in mind the long-term and overall picture, stay committed to the political and diplomatic solution, properly handle differences and come back as soon as possible to the right track of continuing with the implementation of the JCPOA. China will maintain dialogue and consultation with all relevant parties and stay committed to upholding and implementing the JCPOA in an objective, unbiased and responsible attitude. Q: According to Japanese media, China and Japan plan to establish a public-private council related to the Belt and Road Initiative in a bid to promote their joint economic and industrial projects in other countries. Can you confirm that? Do you have any comment? A: As an open and inclusive initiative, the Belt and Road Initiative follows the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. Any country that shares the same aspiration is welcome to take part in the Belt and Road Initiative and China is always open to Japan's participation in it. Last year, Japan sent a high-level delegation to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. We have noted that recently the Japanese leaders have made positive remarks on the Belt and Road Initiative on many occasions, and many Japanese enterprises have also expressed their willingness to take part in the Belt and Road Initiative. We believe that Japan's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative in an appropriate way will open up new space and create new growth drivers for China-Japan economic cooperation. Promoting Chinese and Japanese companies' cooperation in a third market is conducive to expanding China-Japan economic and trade cooperation as well as the economic development of the third party. As far as I know, during the 4th China-Japan high-level economic dialogue held not long ago, China and Japan reached consensus on establishing a public-private communication platform and looking into specific cooperation projects. During Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Japan, our two sides will ink relevant memorandum. We are willing to work with Japan for cooperation in a third market to leverage complementary strengths and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. Q: Yesterday President Xi Jinping and Chairman Kim Jong-un met with each other in Dalian. Can you tell us the outcomes of this meeting? A: From May 7 to 8, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and President Xi Jinping met with Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Dalian. China has issued a detailed press release on the meeting and I would like to refer you to that. At this crucial moment when the situation on the Korean Peninsula is undergoing profound and complex changes, the strategic communication between the two leaders of the two parties and countries is conducive to promoting the sound and steady development of China-DPRK relations, realizing the denuclearization of the Peninsula and achieving lasting peace and stability on the Peninsula. Q: According to reports, on May 8, when addressing the WTO's General Council, the new US ambassador to the WTO said he was perplexed by China's assertion that it was a "victim" and how could the world's most protectionist economy position itself as the defender of free trade and the global trading system? The WTO must not protect a country that undermines the global trading system. What is your comment? A: As a Chinese proverb goes, "a clean hand wants no washing". The international community knows very well who is defending the multilateral trading system and upholding the international trading rules and who is taking protectionist measures and wielding the big stick of unilateral sanctions. We hope the US will give up its trick of a thief crying "stop thief". At this point, the global economic recovery is at a crucial stage. We hope the US, as the world's No.1 economy, can faithfully assume its due responsibility and play a constructive role, as a country of its standing should do. China stands ready to work with the US and other members of the international community to promote the growth of international trade, deepen economic and trade cooperation between countries and inject more positive energy into world economic development. Q: US President Trump has announced the US withdrawal from the JCPOA. Is China still open to buying more oil and other goods from Iran? A: China and Iran maintain normal economic ties and trade. We will continue with our normal and transparent practical cooperation with Iran on the basis of not violating our international obligations. Q: In order to avoid being targeted by potential US sanctions, will China call upon its companies to withdraw from Iran? A: As I said just now, China and Iran maintain normal economic ties and trade. We will continue with our normal and transparent practical cooperation with Iran on the basis of not violating our international obligations. Meanwhile, I want to stress that the Chinese government is opposed to the imposition of unilateral sanctions and the so-called long-arm jurisdiction by any country in accordance with its domestic laws. This position is consistent and clear-cut. Q: As to the China-DPRK summit, did China send an invitation to the DPRK? Or was that proposed by the DPRK? Could you give us more information about the background of the talks? A: According to my information, this visit was proposed by the DPRK. Regarding the background of this meeting you asked about, as I said just now, the current situation on the Korean Peninsula has reached a key stage. The strategic communication between China and the DPRK at this point is conducive to developing China-DPRK relations, realizing the denuclearization of the Peninsula and upholding peace and stability of the region. You may refer to the readout issued by the Chinese side for more details. Q: According to reports, Vietnam has asked China to remove missiles deployed to the South China Sea islands. What is your comment? A: We have made clear China's position on this issue many times recently. China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and the adjacent waters. Our peaceful construction activities on the Nansha Islands, including the deployment of necessary national defense facilities, are meant to safeguard China's sovereignty and security, which is also a right sovereign states are entitled to. The relevant deployment targets no one. With the concerted efforts of our two sides, China-Vietnam relations are experiencing a sound momentum of development now. We urge Vietnam to respect China's sovereignty, work with China to properly handle the South China Sea issue and move forward China-Vietnam relations along the right track. Q: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran will talk with all other parties that signed the JCPOA, namely Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the EU and China. Do you welcome these talks with Iran? What message will China deliver to Iran? A: We have taken note of the relevant positive remarks made by Iran, the European side and Russia. China will maintain dialogue and consultation with all relevant parties and stay committed to upholding and implementing the JCPOA in an objective, unbiased and responsible attitude. [May 09, 2018] Kiekert Doubles U.S. Production Capacity With Move To New Wixom Facility WIXOM, Mich., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kiekert, the technology leader in automotive locking systems, is moving its manufacturing operations to a new 41,000 square-foot facility at 50695 Varsity Ct. in Wixom, Michigan. The company's previous production facility on Liberty Drive in Wixom, will continue to serve as Kiekert's research-and-development center. It leads the company's engineering and program management activities for the NAFTA region. The manufacturing relocation is part of a $3-million expansion designed to double the company's production capacity in the United States. Production of latch modules at the new facility is expected to exceed one million units in 2018 compared to 350,000 latch modules just five years ago. The company will add 30 new jobs at its new production location to support the expansion, according to Mike Hietbrink, Kiekert's global sales director and general manager of its U.S. operations. As the lead engineering and program management center for the NAFTA region, Kiekert's Wixom facilities and its sister operatios in Mexico are responsible for over $220 million in annual revenue and account for a 25 percent share of NAFTA market for automotive locking systems. "We've made continuous investments in the expansion of our research, prototype, development and manufacturing operations in the Detroit area since locating here in 1994," Hietbrink said. "Our Wixom production plant specializes in supporting our customers locally with world-class locking systems. Our Wixom R&D facility is recognized by our customers as a leading technology center for designing and developing these products." Kiekert currently has multiple development projects underway with carmakers in North America that will lead to further increases in sales in the next five years. Projects include work with the company's E-Latch, i-move and i-protect systems. Note to Editors: Images associated with this press release are available at: www.kiekert.com/en/press/press-releases About Kiekert AG www.kiekert.com Based in Heiligenhaus, Germany, Kiekert AG was founded in 1857 and is the worldwide market leader in automotive locking systems. With more than 6,500 employees in 11 countries, as well as eight production, seven development and three sales centers, Kiekert develops, produces and sells tailor-made customer solutions. Turnover for the 2016 business year was 830 million euros. As the lead engineering and program management center for the NAFTA region, Kiekert's Wixom location and its sister plant in Mexico are responsible for nearly $220 million in annual revenue. Today Kiekert has a market share of 25 percent in the NAFTA region. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kiekert-doubles-us-production-capacity-with-move-to-new-wixom-facility-300645460.html SOURCE Kiekert [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Stephen Goodwin Joins ATS As Consulting CIO FAIRFAX, Va., May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Technology Services, Inc. (ATS) announced that Stephen Goodwin has joined the company's Consulting CIO practice. Mr. Goodwin brings a unique combination of technology management and operational expertise in healthcare, nonprofits, and DoD services to ATS. Jeff Chandler, President of ATS, noted, "Stephen brings a wealth of knowledge about both technology and operations to ATS, especially in military healthcare and nonprofits. We are delighted to have him join our company and expect he will make a difference for our clients and our own internal operations." Prior to joining ATS, Mr. Goodwin was Vice President of Operations at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, a 501c(3) based in Bethesda, Maryland. Mr. Goodwin completed his undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University and was commissioned through ROTC as a regular officer in the U.S. Army. Trained as an ammunition and chemical officer, he srved in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) detachments in Europe and the U.S. After leaving the Army he studied mathematics at the University of Colorado and Dartmouth College before arriving in the Washington DC area to work in various information technology positions within the education, technology, GovCon, nonprofit, biomedical research and global health industries. Mr. Goodwin's role at ATS includes serving as a senior advisor to clients as a Consulting CIO, as well as managing a team of consultants who work with clients for IT management. Mr. Goodwin's past responsibilities have included leading information technology, communications, and human resources functions in the U.S. and delivering information technology services in developing countries. His knowledge of HIPAA, NIST and GDPR requirements further add to ATS' services in those areas of compliance consulting for GovCon clients and organizations dealing with emerging security and privacy issues. About ATS American Technology Services, Inc. is a full-service IT management firm specializing in serving the needs of associations, nonprofits, financial institutions, and professional services firms. Based in Fairfax, Virginia, ATS provides managed services, development, security, hosting and operations support for hundreds of clients throughout the US. Founded in 1994, ATS is celebrating their 25th year in business. AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, INC. 2751 Prosperity Ave., Suite 600, Fairfax, VA 22031 Telephone 703-876-0300 ATS, American Technology Services, and the ATS logo are registered trademarks. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stephen-goodwin-joins-ats-as-consulting-cio-300645416.html SOURCE American Technology Services, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] ServiceNow Partner imaKumo is Rebranded to Engage ESM as Part of Global Growth Strategy by Atos LAS VEGAS and LONDON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Engage ESM, an Atos company and ServiceNow Gold Services and Sales Partner, announced today at the ServiceNow event Knowledge18, the rebranding of imaKumo to Engage ESM, effective immediately. The rebranding will mean that with Engage ESM, Atos now has a consistent go-to-market for ServiceNow based solutions worldwide, including local operations in North America, UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, and Singapore. The decision to rebrand imaKumo to Engage ESM is part of a global strategy by Atos to underpin their digital transformation services through the ServiceNow platform. "From day one, we shared strong synergies and a common mindset, and now with the rebranding of imaKumo to Engage ESM we can better articulate those values to our customers and partners worldwide," said Mat Middleton, CEO of Engage ESM. He continued, "We are now one of the largest ServiceNow partners globall. We are a ServiceNow Gold Services and Gold Sales Partner, as well as an Authorized ServiceNow Training Partner. In fact, we now have one of the largest number of ServiceNow certified consultants in the industry." Peter Pluim, Executive Vice-President of Atos Infrastructure & Data Management Services said, "With Atos and the go-to-market brand Engage ESM, we now have a compelling narrative that puts ServiceNow at front and center of our Digital Transformation strategy. With the talent and thought leadership that Engage ESM brings to the table we will continue to innovate more strongly and give customers even more complete solutions, more choice and more flexibility." About Engage ESM Engage ESM is an Atos company and Gold Sales and Services partner for ServiceNow globally; providing design, implementation, and support services to clients worldwide. Engage ESM is a leader in the enterprise-service management (ESM) sector, which includes IT, Customer Service, Security, and HR. Engage ESM helps organisations of all sizes to improve their operational performance and extend the value of existing and new investments in ServiceNow. Atos is a leader in digital services with annual revenue of over 12 billion and 100,000 employees in 72 countries. Serving a global client base, Atos provides Consulting & Systems Integration services, Application Transformation Services, Managed Services, Cloud operations, Big Data & Cyber-security solutions, and transactional services through Worldline. Atos is also the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games. Website: http://www.engage-esm.com Contact: info@engage-esm.com Media: alex.porter@engage-esm.com SOURCE Engage ESM Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Clover Health Launches New In-Home Primary Care Program Supported by Genomic Testing Capabilities SAN FRANCISCO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Clover Health, a healthcare company using data and technology to fill gaps in care and improve health outcomes, has launched an in-home primary care program equipped with genomic testing integration capabilities provided by YouScript, a proprietary clinical decision support tool designed to assist in medication therapy management. Developed to provide the high touch longitudinal care needed by its most vulnerable members, Clover's in-home primary care program provides member-centric care plans to improve quality of life and reduce adverse health events including emergency department visits and hospitalizations. The program is being spearheaded by Sophia Chang, MD, Clover's Chief Clinical Informatics Officer and a practicing primary care physician, along with Kumar Dharmarajan, MD, a practicing geriatrician and Chief Scientific Officer at Clover. Five percent of Medicare beneficiaries drive more than 40 percent of hospital admissions and readmissions, and account for 42 percent of the program's costs. This population benefits significantly from optimized medication therapy through precision prescribing and vigilant monitoring for side effects by their health care team. "Our main focus as a company is to improve the quality of life for each and every Clover member and physician," said Vivek Garipalli, Clover co-founder and CEO. "We are constantly identifying new ways to improve member outcomes using new data streams and advanced models of care. Our in-home care program combines our expertise as a data and technology company with our ongoing joint desire to bring access and care directly to those most in need." Enrollment in the home-based primary care program is entirely voluntary and offered to eligible members at no cost. Clover's physician-led care team consisting of PCPs, nurses, social workers, medical assistants and care coordinators care for members in their home to identify and address all outstanding and incipient patient concerns, including those related to medication management. For the Medicare population, a large number of hospital admissions are due to adverse drug events; to reuce these risks, Clover will perform pharmacogenomic testing to personalize each member's drug regimen. Care teams prepare for and engage with members with the help of Clover's technology platform, which promotes more informed and holistic care. "Through this program, we are taking full accountability for our patients' care and health outcomes," said Dharmarajan. "Our number one priority is to provide exceptional in-home primary care, and we've built a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals who are responsive 24/7 to achieve this goal. To do this, we are using data, technology, and care innovations to further improve our members' lives." "YouScript's technology simulates a team of clinical pharmacists delivering evidence-based guidance in real time, and this in-home program validates our impact at scale," said YouScript CEO Kristine Ashcraft. "We are excited to work with Clover Health, to provide the tools necessary to identify and positively impact the most at-risk patients, while bending the healthcare cost curve." Clover's in-home primary care program allows patients to benefit from regularly scheduled personal check-ins, active monitoring, and home-based lab and radiology testing, all of which are especially beneficial to homebound members who have great difficulty leaving their homes. With a deep understanding of each member's social context and comprehensive medical needs, physicians can better provide direct interventions to members. Care teams are assigned a small panel of members and are exclusive to Clover, which allows them to see each member in the program multiple times a month, if needed. Clover collaborates with its in-network physicians to determine which members are best suited for the program and supports these providers as they transition their patients to Clover's in-home primary care team. To date, Clover has enrolled approximately 500 members in its in-home care program in New Jersey and will be scaling this model to meet the needs of its members wherever Clover is available. About Clover Health Clover Health is a healthcare technology company building a platform to collect, structure and analyze longitudinal health and behavioral data. The company uses its platform to create products that improve health outcomes and lower health-related costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Earning trust and becoming a valued partner in our members' health is Clover's key to success. This trust is built by proactively identifying at-risk members and partnering with providers to accelerate care coordination and simultaneously improve health outcomes and reduce avoidable costs. Clover is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.cloverhealth.com. About YouScript At YouScript, our mission is to save lives, improve patient care and reduce costs by eliminating avoidable adverse drug events. Based on fifteen years of technology development that makes precision prescribing possible, Seattle-based YouScript was founded in 2016 after spinning out of Genelex Labs. The YouScript clinical decision support tool is the only medication management system available that assesses the cumulative effect of a patient drug regimen and unique pharmacogenomic results. Based on over 17,000 curated references and product inserts, YouScript uses comprehensive predictive analytics to interpret and provide an at-a- glance summary of the complex web of genetics, medications, over-the- counters, herbals, and other factors impacting drug safety and response; identifying at risk patients for testing and offering ranked alternatives with reduced interaction risk whenever an adverse interaction risk is found. For more information, visit: www.youscript.com Media Contacts: Andrew Still-Baxter andrew.stillbaxter@cloverhealth.com 406-250-8397 Michele Mendelson cloverhealth@kwittken.com 646-747-7163 Jennifer Hayes jhayes@youscript.com 206-576-9557 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clover-health-launches-new-in-home-primary-care-program-supported-by-genomic-testing-capabilities-300645346.html SOURCE Clover Health [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] LendUp Bolsters Leadership Team Across Finance, Engineering, Credit Card Product, InfoSec, And Legal, And Improves Diversity SAN FRANCISCO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LendUp, a fast-growing fintech firm for the emerging middle class, today announced a number of executive hires, including a General Counsel and VP of Engineering, as well as new heads of Capital Markets, Credit Card Product, and Information Security. These appointments will help LendUp expand the scope of its affordable, consumer-friendly products, as it becomes a first-of-its-kind destination for responsible spenders, savers, and strivers. "LendUp is at an exciting inflection point. We have a burgeoning credit card business, hallmark personal loans, and new steps into savings -- all designed to help creditworthy consumers get on a path to better financial health," said Sasha Orloff, LendUp co-founder and CEO. "These incredibly talented and experienced leaders are evidence of our momentum, and will help take LendUp to the next level on our journey to be the financial services destination for the millions of consumers who've been shut out of or mistreated by mainstream banking." Fiercely committed to diversity and inclusion in tech, LendUp is an active participant in Ellen Pao's Project Include, sharing data on the company's workforce and contributing to aggregated results that are setting industry standards. Orloff and Jacob Rosenberg, LendUp co-founder and CTO, are also early adopters of Kapor Capital's Founders Commitment and recently joined Founders for Change. Pia Thompson joined LendUp as General Counsel, where she'll serve on the executive team, lead the company's legal strategy, and work with regulators and other government oversight entities. Thompson has more than 25 years of legal experience, specializing in consumer-facing financial services. Thompson joins LendUp from Chicago, where she was most recently GC at Transworld Systems. Before that Thompson was Deputy GC at Navigant Consulting and served in leadership roles at several national law firms inclding ReedSmith, Greenberg Traurig, and Dentons. Thompson will report to Orloff. Kathleen Fitzpatrick joined the company as VP, Engineering, where she'll lead a growing engineering organization executing the company's technical roadmap. Fitzpatrick brings more than 20 years of experience, most recently serving as Vice President of Ecommerce and Store Technology for Gap, Inc., guiding teams that build and scale Gap.com, Banana Republic.com, Old Navy.com and Athleta.com, as well as the in-store technology footprint that supports the multibillion dollar Gap, Inc. Fitzpatrick will report to Rosenberg. Robert Novick joined LendUp as VP, Capital Markets, bringing more than 30 years of experience in finance and asset securitization. He was most recently Senior Director, Capital Markets & Treasury at Oportun, a provider of affordable loans for those with little or no credit, where he helped manage the company's funding, including the execution of its asset-backed securities. Prior to Oportun, Novick founded Rushmore Capital and served in banking positions at Promontory Asset Finance Company, LLC; ING Capital; and other global financial services firms. Novick will report to LendUp's CFO Bill Donnelly, who joined LendUp last fall from Tesla. Matt Krogstad, a recognized leader in digital banking, joined the company as Director of Product for LendUp's credit card business, including its Visa L and Arrow Cards. Krogstad most recently founded Root Banking, a startup that aims to deliver brick and mortar 2.0 "phygital" banking to financial institutions. Previously, he served as VP Mobile & Innovation at First Republic Bank, and VP Mobile Banking and Payments at Bank of the West. Krogstad has launched many market-first products and features across financial services access, privacy, and mobile phone camera experiences. Krogstad's products have demonstrated significant growth, tripling adoption among users. Dana Kaplan joined LendUp as the company's Information Security Lead, where she'll be responsible for the ongoing management and execution of the company's formal Information Security Program. Kaplan joined from P2P payments start-up clearXchange, later acquired by Early Warning, where she managed all security-related governance, risk, and compliance functions. Kaplan previously worked for KPMG, where she led Security Risk Management projects for several financial technology startups and internal controls projects. These appointments come on the heels of LendUp's recent partnership with national savings nonprofit EARN, and the milestone of saving customers $200 million in interest in fees. In April, LendUp announced it bolstered its Richmond, VA, team, with the addition of Patricia Wooten as People Operations Business Partner and Mike Lempner as Head of Data. About LendUp LendUp is a fintech company redefining financial services for the emerging middle class the half of Americans shut out of, or mistreated by, mainstream banking. By building proprietary software and using machine learning, LendUp looks beyond credit scores to offer credit and savings products to more than 130 million Americans who are rebuilding their credit or just starting out. Named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" in 2018 by Fast Company, LendUp is backed by more than $325 million in funding from leading investors such as Y Combinator, GV, PayPal, QED, and many others. With a mission to help anyone get on a path to better financial health, LendUp is creating a first-of-its-kind destination for responsible spenders, savers, and strivers. Twitter: @LendUpCredit Facebook: @LendUpCredit LinkedIn: LendUp View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lendup-bolsters-leadership-team-across-finance-engineering-credit-card-product-infosec-and-legal-and-improves-diversity-300645254.html SOURCE LendUp [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] IQMS Observes Evidence at NPE 2018 that Industry 4.0 is a Day-to-Day Reality for Many Plastics Manufacturers and Machine Makers Three years ago, Industry 4.0 represented the future for most plastics manufacturers attending NPE. Today, in the halls of NPE2018, the world's largest plastics trade show and conference, all evidence points to Industry 4.0 becoming a day-to-day reality for manufacturers, according to IQMS. A leading manufacturing ERP software and manufacturing execution system (MES) authority, has been meeting with plastics manufacturers and machine makers attending NPE2018, which runs May 7-11, 2018 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Industry 4.0 represents the merging of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies-harnessing computing and shop floor equipment to create smart factories that maximize productivity, drive new cost efficiencies, and enable better decision-making. From machine makers' demonstrations on the floor of NPE2018 and discussions with plastics manufacturers, IQMS has made three key observations on Industry 4.0's move into the mainstream. Shop floor machinery has met the digital age. Three years ago, the hype was that production processes, machinery and robotics would all be online under the watchful eye of ERP and MES analytics that alert operators to issues. Today, integrated machines and software are working in concert to drive plastics manufacturers' processes, and working well. One example at NPE2018 has been the highly attended live demo of data being captured from seven Wittmann Battenfeld injection molding machines and then integrated in real time with IQMS ERP and MES software to drive more efficient processes and provide up-to-the moment insights. Digital molding technologies are driving the direction of the industry. Notably, they have led to a resurgence of hydraulic injection molding machines. The digital control of hydraulic systems has cut energy waste to rival the energy efficiency of electric molding machines. At the same time, hydraulic molding machines are preserving their traditional advantages, including greater clamp force, faster injection rates, and high durability. > Track-and-trace approaches are becoming industry-wide best practices. Once regarded as a critical requirement for highly regulated markets, such as medical products, food and beverage, and automotive, track-and-trace technology is being employed by plastics manufacturers across a range of industries. Pulling data from machines on the shop floor, track-and-trace software gives manufacturers the intelligence they need to minimize the impact of defective parts on production and recalls; reduce waste, and meet auditing and compliance demands. "Automating not only the shop floor builds quality and predictability into the manufacturing environment; it also reduces labor costs and helps our customer compensate for the shortage of skilled manufacturing workers," said Steve Bieszczat, IQMS CMO. "At NPE2018, the demand among plastics manufacturers for solutions that deliver the automation and data capture of Industry 4.0 has never been stronger. We've seen several attendees visit both the IQMS and Wittmann Battenfeld booths to see the data exchange between their machines and our ERP and MES software in action. And at the IQMS booth, our MES and shop floor technologies are the most popular products for both existing and prospective customers." IQMS and Wittmann Battenfeld Demo: Smart Manufacturing in Action Throughout NPE2018, a live demo of smart manufacturing in action is being presented at the NPE2018 booths for both IQMS (#S20023) and leading injection molding equipment manufacturer Wittmann Battenfeld (#W3742). Together, the companies are showing how product and process data is collected with the WITTMANN 4.0 Plug and Produce production network hierarchy from injection molding machines and peripheral devices, including dryers, robots, temperature controllers, and blenders. They also are demoing how, via the industry-standard OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) and Euromap 63 industrial automation protocol, this part and process data is brought into the greater context of the business with a seamless integration into IQMS ERP and MES software. Finally, the demo examines how IQMS software is used to monitor product and process efficiency and quality, improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and optimize customer order planning and fulfillment, among other processes. About IQMS IQMS uniquely combines ERP and MES functionality to give manufacturers a comprehensive end-to-end suite for running the business, backed by the real-time performance and scalability that companies demand. Developed specifically for mid-market repetitive, discrete and batch process manufacturers, IQMS provides robust capabilities for addressing strict customer and regulatory certification and compliance. IQMS achieves this by delivering traditional ERP functionality for accounting, sales orders, material requirements, inventory, and purchasing, plus extended native features for CRM, human resources, production scheduling, shop floor control, warehouse and quality modules. With offices across North America, Europe, and Asia, IQMS serves manufacturers around the world. For more information, please visit https://www.iqms.com. Engage with IQMS at: Website: IQMS.com Twitter (News - Alert) : @IQMSerp LinkedIn (News - Alert) : http://www.linkedin.com/company/IQMS Facebook (News - Alert) : https://www.facebook.com/IQMSerp YouTube (News - Alert) : https://www.youtube.com/IQMSerp Google (News - Alert) +: https://plus.google.com/+IQMSerp View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005462/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] EyeBuyDirect Announces 'Buy 1 Give 1' Initiative, Donating a Pair of Glasses with Every Order AUSTIN, Texas, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- EyeBuyDirect, the fastest growing online prescription eyewear retailer, announced today a new Buy 1 Give 1 Program that donates a pair of prescription glasses to someone in need worldwide for every transaction made through the online retailer. With over 2.5 billion people currently living with poor vision, the company is taking concrete action to provide solutions for those who cannot afford to buy their own eyewear. "Helping address the larger issue of vision worldwide and the lifelong consequences that follow is something that has been a part of EyeBuyDirect since its inception," said Johnny Lee, Brand Marketing Director of EyeBuyDirect. "We are excited to be expanding these efforts through the Buy 1 Give 1 program. The idea is incredibly simple: place an order, and change the way another person sees the world." At check out, customers are able to choose the specific region or country they would like their donation to go to, spanning the world from Asia and Africa, to Europe, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. "We realized that the causes individuals choose to support are very personal, be it a yearly gift to a favorite non-profit or weekly volunteer commitments within their community," continued Johnny Lee. "We wanted o recognize this personal connection within the Buy 1 Give 1 program by giving customers the choice in where their contribution is sent." As a part of the Essilor Group, this new initiative directly supports Vision for Life, a social impact fund giving access to vision care to the most underserved communities worldwide. For every order placed, one pair of glasses will be donated to the fund. The goal of the program is to empower people to fulfill essential activities in their everyday lives such as learning, working and playing that are affected by vision issues. With frames starting at just $6, EyeBuyDirect makes it easy and affordable to make an impact. All frames are available for prescription, non-prescription and digital screen protection lenses, affording customers the ability to customize glasses, or sunglasses, for their specific eyesight needs. The online experience includes a virtual try-on feature for satisfaction-guaranteed shopping. For more information on the program, please visit: www.eyebuydirect.com/buy-one-give-one. About EyeBuyDirect EyeBuyDirect was founded by Roy Hessel in 2006 and has been part of the Essilor Online Division since 2013. With millions of customers annually, EyeBuyDirect continues its mission to provide easy access to affordable corrective eyewear, with a complete pair starting at $6. About Essilor Vision Foundation The Essilor Vision Foundation has multiple programs operating worldwide in the United States, Canada, India, China, Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN countries. The Foundation's purpose is to bring vision care to those in the greatest need through vision screening events and distributing corrective and protective glasses free of cost in developing and developed countries. *PHOTO Link for Media: Send2Press.com/300dpi/17-1117s2p-eyebuyintro-300dpi.jpg This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eyebuydirect-announces-buy-1-give-1-initiative-donating-a-pair-of-glasses-with-every-order-300645565.html SOURCE EyeBuyDirect [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] East Coast vs. West Coast: Where Americans Are Traveling in 2018 NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The East Coast1 versus West Coast2 mentalities have long been juxtaposed, and today CheapOair.com released the findings of a comparison on the differing preferences of Eastern versus Western U.S. travelers in the beginning of 2018. CheapOair's data revealed that when West Coasters travel domestically, they prefer to visit other West Coast destinations including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Honolulu. Meanwhile, the domestic travel preferences of those from the Eastern U.S. is more widespread, and they are especially keen on travel to Florida, with Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, and Miami among their top 5 domestic destinations. Top 10 U.S. Domestic Destinations by Region3 From East Coast From West Coast Ft. Lauderdale, FL Los Angeles, CA Orlando, FL Las Vegas, NV Los Angeles, CA Honolulu, HI Las Vegas, NV Denver, CO Miami, FL Seattle, WA Denver, CO Dallas, TX Atlanta, GA Phoenix, AZ San Francisco, CA Orlando, FL New Orleans, LA Miami, FL Chicago, IL San Francisco, CA CheapOair's data found that airfare prices from West Coast gateways can be up to 16% higher than fares from the East Coast, especially when traveling within the US, to Canada, and to Europe. People who live on the West Coast seem to take advantage of the cheaper options by choosing to travel to Mexico and Asia more so than to other international regions. Average Price per Passenger in Q1 20184 From East Coast From West Coast Within US $277 $297 To Canada $311 $361 To Mexico $430 $376 To Europe $810 $922 To Asia $974 $859 The data also shows that East Coasters primarily travel to Mexico and the Caribbean in the early part of the year, but then in May their bookings to Europe spike as the summer peak season approaches. Top International Destinations by Region3 From East Coast From West Coast Cancun, Mexico Guadalajara, Mexico Kingston, Jamaica Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico Bangkok, Thailand Toronto, Canada Cancun, Mexico Montego Bay, Jamaica Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam By consistently monitoring travel trends, CheapOair's mission is to educate and aid consumers and travel professionals in both planning their travel accommodations and staying current on the most popular destinations. With a portfolio of products, including rate and schedule information from more than 450 global airlines, CheapOair is a great way to book the travel that's right for you. For more information, please visit www.CheapOair.com, www.cheapoair.com/mobile, or our social media pages, www.Facebook.com/CheapOair and www.twitter.com/cheapoair. About CheapOair CheapOair is a flight-focused, hybrid travel agency that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (https://www.cheapoair.com, 1-800-566-2345) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available 24/7 to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 1 million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair's broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less. 1 East Coast regional data includes gateways in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia 2 West Coast regional data includes gateways in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming 3 Based on passengers booked for travel from each region between 1/1/2018 6/31/2018, 4/4/2018 4 Based on average airfare per passenger from each region between 1/1/2018 6/31/2018, 4/4/2018 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/east-coast-vs-west-coast-where-americans-are-traveling-in-2018-300645591.html SOURCE CheapOair [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 09, 2018] Bravatek Solutions, Inc. Receives $500,000 Commitment from TRITON FUNDS AUSTIN, Texas, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BRAVATEK SOLUTIONS, INC. (PINK OTC:BVTK), a fully-reporting, publicly-traded, high-technology security-solutions provider, today announced it has entered into an Equity Purchase Agreement with TRITON FUNDS for $500,000. TRITON FUNDS, a new fund launched by students at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), is making the investment to drive the continued expansion of BVTKs proprietary technology which assists corporate entities, governments, and individuals in protecting their organizations against errors, as well as cyber and physical attacks. The Companys leadership has deep experience across the Intelligence, Security and Telecommunications markets. The investment comes as the Company experiences a solid reputation as a global security platform firm, engaged in a number of strategic agreements to rapidly provide capabilities to meet requirements in both the public and private sectors. We are pleased to be working with the students at TRITON FUNDS because they represent not only smart money but are eager to learn about our capabilities and leverage their knowledge of marketing trends in the technology arena, said The Hon. Dr. Thomas A. Cellucci MBA, Chairman and CEO of Bravatek. We are proud to announce our investment into Bravatek, providing the necessary financing for their exceptional management team to meet their internal goals. BVTK is working towards a more secure future in todays world of constant data breaches and cybersecurity threats. As a millennial fund, our intentions are to invest in companies that will benefit future generations; Bravatek acknowledges the future of our society and is working diligently for a safer horizon, said Sam Yaffa, co-Founder of TRITON FUNDS. Its amazing, and to an extent, scary, how far technology has taken us; anyone can hack into someone elses account from anywhere and extract their most sensitive information. The need for cyber security is greater now than ever, and it will only increase in years to come, said TRITON FUNDS co-founder, Yash Thukral. Bravatek is supporting the millennial future by providing solutions to this problem and working to create a more secure future, and TEAM TRITON supports them in their goals. Nathan Yee, co-founder of TRITON FUNDS, added, Working with someone as qualified as Dr. Cellucci, and his team, has been a valuable learning experience for our team. Bravatek offers an impactful solution to a problem created by the creation and mass integration of the internet. It is a perfect addition to our portfolio as a company focused on making the futue a better place. About Bravatek Solutions, Inc.: Bravatek Solutions, Inc. is a high-technology security-solutions portfolio provider that assists corporate entities, governments and individuals protect their organizations against both cyber and physical attacks through its offering of the most technically-advanced, cost-effective and reliable software, systems, and tools. For more information, visit www.bravatek.com. 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, 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 news 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 are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "goal," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this news release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: our ability to successfully develop and market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our prior filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Contact info@bravatek.com 866.490.8590 Related Links http://bravatek.com http://www.tritonfunds.com Source Bravatek Solutions, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Taenia solium is a zoonotic disease shared between humans and pigs. Humans become infected with T. solium, also known as the pork tapeworm, when they consume undercooked pork infected with porcine cysticercosis. Human cysticercosis develops when humans ingest T. solium eggs. If cysterici travel to the human brain this leads to neurocysticercosis, a leading cause of onset epilepsy in endemic areas (Singhi 2011). In an effort to control T. solium, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have collaborated with the University of Edinburgh, Arista Inc., and Astel Diagnostics to develop a prototype, pen-side lateral flow assay (LFA). The assay has been designed to detect porcine cysticercosis using blood or serum. As the LFA enters the late stages of development, the researchers involved are exploring possible intervention strategies and potential users of this kit. At the heart of these discussions is the question of where along the pig value chain the test should be placed. My ethnographic research, which traced T. solium as it travelled through farms, slaughterhouses, pork butcheries and hospitals in central Uganda, reveals the multiple complexities that are likely to arise with the introduction of the LFA in any of these sites. My research also raises critical questions about who diagnostic tests for zoonotic diseases are being designed for. Here, I discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with three potential diagnostic sites along the pig value chain. Farms: Across Ugandan farms, porcine cysts were contained within pigs bodies. This meant that cysts in pigs were invisible to farmers, traders and local butchers, with cysts not affecting the value of pigs at the point of sale. A high demand for pork across urban Uganda has created a fast moving value chain where pigs are often sold and consumed within the same day (see Figure 1). Accordingly, farmers regularly cited pigs as being the perfect animal for acquiring quick money (in Luganda; sente za mangu). If the LFA was introduced on farms and the test was positive, the farmer would subsequently have to buy the drug oxfendazole, and wait the recommenced 17 days after medicating before reselling (Moreno et al., 2012). For the smallholder farmer, the LFA would therefore reveal an invisible pathogen that demands lengthy treatment. This would impede the pigs ability to provide quick and often emergency money. Slaughterhouses: Moving from farms into slaughterhouses, the LFA could potentially be integrated into meat inspections. This would prevent infected pork from entering into the food chain. Uganda has only one formal pork slaughterhouse and in discussions with a veterinary epidemiologist at ILRI it was stressed that if the LFA were to be introduced into meat inspections at the slaughterhouse, infected carcasses would be identified, removed and burned. The infected pig would then be traced back to its farm of origin and farmers advised to change their pig rearing practices. This approach overlooks the informal networks of traders and brokers who collect pigs from across the country. These networks complicate any attempt to trace infected pork back to live pigs on farms. Moreover, if identified, farmers could still sell their infected pigs to nearby butchers or to the multiple informal slaughterhouses located across Kampala. Informal slaughterhouses currently have no meat inspection and there is limited meat inspection carried out by veterinarians in butchers. Hospitals: The example of T. solium in Uganda highlights the potential challenges of diagnosing pathogens in animal bodies to prevent them from reaching human bodies. But there is another possibility. There is no reason why a diagnostic test for porcine cystercercosis could not also detect cystercercosis in humans. Despite limited investment in the diagnosis of human cystercercosis in Uganda, epidemiological studies and anecdotal evidence indicate that epilepsy caused by T. solium occurs throughout the country (Alarakol et al., 2017). Neurocysticercosis is currently very difficult to diagnose, with a definite diagnosis requiring specialised brain imaging technologies. The LFA could consequently be used to detect neurocysticercosis in hospitals and clinics, targeting epileptic patients who may require treatment for the disease. Zoonotic diseases highlight the difficulty of establishing where and in which bodies to diagnose pathogens. But underlying this quandary is the more important question of who diagnostics are for (Researchers? Farmers? Patients?) and what clinical, public health or economic utility they are expected to have. Rebekah Thompson is a PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh. She is a member of the research group, Investigating Networks of Zoonosis Innovation (INZI) based at the Centre of African Studies. Her research interests encompass multispecies ethnography, veterinary anthropology and the One Health agenda. Her current PhD research follows the zoonotic disease, T. solium cysticercosis, as it moves through the pig value chain and into human bodies in Uganda. Diagnostic stories follows the emerging world of devices, instruments, protocols and machines that make up the world of global health diagnostics. Through the telling of stories about specific technological artefacts it traces the rise of diagnosis as a global health concern and offers a critical perspective on the device-focused approach of many attempts to improve diagnostic infrastructure in the Global South. The series is edited by Alice Street. References Alarakol, S., Joloba, M. & Aginya, E. (2017) Seroprevalence of Taenia solium cysticercosis among people with epilepsy epileptic patients in three rural districts of Northern Uganda, Journal of Parasitology and Vector Biology. 9(5): 47-56. Moreno, L. et al. (2012) A high oxfendazole dose to control porcine cysticercosis: Pharmacokinetics and tissue residue profiles, Food and Chemical Toxicology. 50(10): 3819-3825. Singhi, P. (2011) Neurocysticercosis, Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders. 4(2): 67-81. Share this: Share Email Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr LinkedIn [view academic citations] [hide academic citations] Even in the fast-paced world of tech, where companies are constantly one-upping each other to be on the bleeding edge, youre bound to hit a lull now and then. And by all indications, it appears thats exactly where smartphones are at this very moment. (Image credit: The Moto G6 looks to be a compelling budget phone, but you'll have to wait a bit longer to get one. (Credit: Adam Ismail/Tom's Guide)) The industry is in something of a holding pattern right now. There are two major releases on the docket for this month the OnePlus 6 on May 16, and HTCs next flagship (believed to be the HTC U12 but technically unconfirmed) on May 23. There have also been rumblings of a long-overdue successor to the iPhone SE dropping at some point in the next few weeks, with the spotlight shining on Apples WWDC 2018 on June 4 as a possible venue for the announcement. Then there are the phones weve already seen. Motorolas new Moto G6 and E5 look to be solid budget buys, but were still waiting for those to hit store shelves. Meanwhile, the LG G7 ThinQ the device the South Korean tech giant was counting on to claw back some ground against Samsungs Galaxy S9 emerged not with a bang, but a whimper. MORE: Galaxy S9 Killer? The LG G7 ThinQ Cant Even Beat Last Years Phones Its just not a good time to buy a smartphone, and things look to remain that way for at least another few weeks. If your once-trusty handset is burning a hole in your pocket, we suggest enduring the heat for just a little bit longer at least until we see what OnePlus and HTC have been working on in the flesh. OnePlus in particular produces its handsets in very limited production runs (the OnePlus 5T notoriously sold out after just four months), so that may pose an exception to the rule. If youre eyeing a OnePlus 6, thats probably a device you should jump on as quickly as it goes on sale, likely during the last week of May. Of course, the most highly-anticipated phones are usually saved for the end of the year, where Apple and Google introduce their newest premium hardware and set the course for imitators in the process. Samsung typically unveils a new Galaxy Note product around that time as well, which you can expect to raise the bar established by the companys more mainstream Galaxy S line. As 2018 rolls on, were beginning to get a clearer picture of how those devices will look, too. All of Apples upcoming iPhones (save for that rumored iPhone SE successor) are expected to sport notches as customers continue to snap up iPhone Xs. The Pixel 3, which comparatively remains shrouded in secrecy, may even get a cheaper variant which could emulate the kinds of Android One phones weve been seeing more of lately. Meanwhile, a flurry of reports suggests Samsung will finally bring under-screen fingerprint sensing to the Galaxy Note 9. (Image credit: The OnePlus 5T was an amazing value for the short time it was available, and a successor will be unveiled on May 16. (Credit: Jef Castro/Tom's Guide) ) None of this is to say the devices that will arrive over the summer months arent worth your attention quite the opposite, in fact. The OnePlus 5T was one of our favorite handsets of 2017 because of the way it blended quality hardware and software with an extraordinarily low price compared to its flagship peers. We were also really impressed with HTCs eye-catching U11, which dazzled us with its design, camera and power. Were looking forward to the successors to both, and you should too. Then again, buying a new phone isnt always a matter of choice. Sometimes, fate forces our hand. If you find yourself in one of those emergency situations, you may as well try to get the best deal possible. The Galaxy S9, which only went on sale in March, has already seen some aggressive promotions from carriers, and those only figure to continue with Mothers Day just around the corner. But if you arent in a rush to pick up a new phone, or havent got a reason to be, hang on your choices are about to get a lot more interesting very, very soon. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE review: A value triumph Editor's Choice The Galaxy S20 FE packs all the best features of the Galaxy S20 into a more affordable package, but there are some trade-offs if you get this phone. Well, that didnt take long. Less than a month since ZTE was hit with a ban from the U.S. government, the Shenzhen, China-based telecommunications firm has just confirmed it has ceased "major operating activities." The ZTE Blade V9 and Blade V9 Vita, two of the company's newest budget phones expected to debut in the U.S. later this year, may now never see release. ZTE issued the announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange today (May 9), attributing the shutdown to the Denial Order issued by U.S. lawmakers in April. For now, the companys products remain on store shelves around the world, though according to the Nikkei Asian Review by way of Quartz, some carriers in ZTEs home nation are no longer offering them. A visit to ZTEs global site for devices redirects users to the corporate portal, although at the time of writing the U.S. site is still functioning normally, with links to buy phones through carrier partners. MORE: Moto Now Owns the Budget Phone Market And That's a Problem While ZTE has evidently halted production for the time being, the company is actively talking to the U.S. government to facilitate the modification or reversal of the ban, according to the statement. ZTE says it is nevertheless financially stable and will continue to uphold its commercial obligations in the meantime. Todays news is the latest in a saga dating back to March 2017, when ZTE was discovered to have been illegally exporting products containing U.S.-sourced components to Iran and North Korea. The telecom giant was forced to pay more than $800 million in penalties for that transgression, and was directed to rebuke all personnel responsible as part of its plea deal. That brings to last month, when a U.S. Department of Commerce investigation found that ZTE retained all of those employees and paid them bonuses. In response, the U.S. government served the company with a ban, forbidding it to use any U.S.-sourced technology in its products for seven years. ZTE responded by calling the ban unfair, saying it was delivered before the completion of the investigation of facts. The company added that the Denial Order will not only severely impact the survival and development of ZTE, but will also cause damages to all partners of ZTE including a large number of U.S. companies. ZTE, which uses Qualcomm processors in many of its phones and exclusively employs Googles Android operating system and apps, indeed relies on U.S. companies to a significant degree. Sales through U.S. prepaid cellular carriers, such as T-Mobile and Boost Mobile, are also responsible for a major portion of its business. Spokespeople from both networks declined to comment on today's announcement when we reached out. Tom's Guide has also contacted ZTE, and will report back as soon as we hear anything. Photo Credit: Shaun Lucas/Tom's Guide Photo (Image credit: Shutter Stock / Phonlamai Photo) Google, you complete me. On the other hand, maybe you shouldn't. Yesterday at its I/O conference, the search giant unveiled two creepy A.I. features: one that finishes your sentences in Gmail and another that literally makes phone calls for you, using a deceptively human voice. As a tech geek I'm impressed, but as a human who values communication, I'm bummed out. The language you choose when writing and the intonations you make when speaking are your own. If a computer does the talking for you, then your "word" isn't really yours. Whose words are they? Google's new Smart Compose feature helps you finish your sentences. For example, if you start typing "Hav" at the beginning of a message, it suggests completing the phrase as "Haven't seen you in a while." If you start writing "Does next T," it suggests that you say "Does next Tuesday work for you?" On the face of it, these suggestions seem innocuous. If you really meant to say "haven't seen you in a while," you can save yourself two dozen keystrokes by hitting tab. But what if, you really were thinking about saying "Haven't hung with you in a minute," which means essentially the same thing ("a minute" means a long time in context), but is devoid of personality? Chances are that to, save yourself the effort, you'll just start accepting Google's suggestions to save yourself the hassle. All of a sudden your "voice" is the same as everyone else's. If, as a recipient, you know that your conversation partner is using canned text, everything they say has less meaning. How excited can you be about getting birthday greetings on Facebook when you know that none of your so-called friends actually remembered your special day? And while it's always good to save your fingers from extra strokes, your sentiments are meaningless if you can't even take 3 seconds to enter them on your own. I tried writing a sample termination letter using Gmail and here's what I got. Smart Compose is fairly conservative right now. I tried typing some insults or highly-personal things and it didn't suggest anything. But I'm sure that Google will refine this tool so that it's much more aggressive in the future. It's important to note that there's nothing inherently unethical about using auto suggestions, but it still takes "you" out of your communication. "I suspect that Googles automatic writing will be banal but not unethical. ," former New York Times Ethicist Randy Cohen told me. "Much email writing is already lackluster in both form and content." To be fair, Smart Compose isn't the first feature to make suggestions. Gmail users on phones have seen suggested replies for a while now and a number of other platforms also suggest words and phrases. However, Smart Compose shows that this trend is growing and starting to transform how we write. I'd like Google Assistant to make some soul-sucking calls. Perhaps it can call and argue with the insurance company. I have a bot holding on line three Soon computers will go beyond writing and literally speak for you. Demoing a feature it calls Duplex, Google played a recording of a customer calling a restaurant to reserve a table. The customer, who turns out to be a bot, sounds exactly like a real person, even using verbal ticks like "um" that make it sound completely realistic. It has a complete conversation, asking questions and responding to queries from the person at the restaurant. You can check out the audio of a sample hair salon call below (courtesy of our sister site, Tom's Guide). The immediate goal of Duplex is to perform rote tasks that really ought to happen online. Many restaurants already take reservations via the web so the Google Assistant is merely filling the gap by calling a small business that's still on analog. Frankly, I'd like Google Assistant to make some of the more soul-sucking calls I have to endure. Perhaps it can call and argue with the insurance company about doctor bills. Then it can answer calls from a relative and feign interest in the gossip she wants to share. I'm sure it would be great for dealing with bill collectors. Photo (Image credit: Shutter Stock / Phonlamai Photo) However, it's much more likely that you'll be talking to a bot than having one speak for you. As it stands, most PC vendors make it difficult for you to reach person when dial tech support. How long before they replace every human in the call center with a realistic-sounding bot? How can you plead your case to a bot or get a bot to do something outside of its script for you? What if you need to get in to see the doctor right away because you're feeling ill, but the bot on the other end of the line says that there are no appointments available today? It won't take pity on you and try to squeeze you in. And if you think robocalls are annoying today, just wait until telemarketers and political candidates get ahold of Duplex (or something like it). Tell you what. I'll have my bot talk to your bot. What do you think about Google Duplex and Smart Compose? Are you excited about the convenience or creeped out about losing your humanity? Share your thoughts in the comments below. An historic number of openly LGBT people are running for the U.S. Senate this year: five. Two of those candidates are running in elections that are seen as the most competitive this year: Arizona and Wisconsin. And that competition is both good and troubling for LGBT candidates. Its troubling news for the best known of the four candidatesincumbent U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin. She is facing fierce opposition spending from billionaire conservatives who apparently see an opportunity in the fact that Republican President Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2016. The state had voted for the Democratic presidential candidate for the seven previous presidential contests, and the Senate seat Baldwin holds has been held by a Democrat since 1957. But a competitive race is good news for a second LGBT U.S. Senate candidateU.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema. Shes a Democrat from Arizona who is hoping to win over a predominantly Republican state for an historically Republican seat. Arizona has voted for a Republican presidential candidate in nine out of the last ten elections. And the last time a Democrat won a U.S. Senate seat from Arizona was 1988. Sinema was polling ahead of the Republican incumbent Jeff Flake even before he announced he would not run for re-election. Two of the other LGBT U.S. Senate candidates this year are running for the same seat a U.S. Senate seat for Delaware currently held by a pro-LGBT Democrat, Tom Carper. Carpers challenger for the Democratic nomination, Kerri Harris, is a lesbian military veteran and long-time community activist for people with low incomes. Carpers aspiring Republican primary opponent is a gay businessman and former executive at Paypal, Gene Truono. The fifth LGBT U.S. Senate candidate, who announced her bid in January, is Chelsea Manning, best known for being convicted of leaking classified government documents to WikiLeaks. Manning seeks to win the Democratic nomination from incumbent Democratic Senator Benjamin Cardin. Republicans currently hold the majority of seats in the U.S. Senate, 51. Democrats, and independents who caucus with Democrats, hold 49. For Democrats to take over the Senate, they need a net gain of two seats. The promising newcomer Kyrsten Sinema could have the best chance of capturing one new seat for Democrats. A moderate Democrat from Arizona, she was a longtime member of the state legislature who developed some popularity even before winning her first term in the U.S. House six years ago. She has a pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps life story. For three years during her childhood, she and her family lived in an abandoned gas station. But she worked hard, was valedictorian of her high school, earned both a doctorate in social work and a law degree, served in the state house and senate, and, in 2013, became the first openly bisexual candidate to be elected to Congress. Sinemas political popularity is probably due in large part to her willingness to ignore party lines on issues critical to her constituents. The political analysis group fivethirtyeight.com says Rep. Sinema has voted in line with President Trumps position 57.4 percent of the time. That compares with liberal Senator Baldwins 22.1 percent. Several other election analysis sites (the Cook Political Report, CNN, Real Clear Politics, and others) say Arizonawhich currently has two Republican U.S. senators (Flake and ailing Senator John McCain)is now a toss up. Thats good for Sinema. But recent ABC polling shows an even rosier picture: Sinema beating any of the three Republicans seeking the GOP nomination. While the other three fight it out until the August 28 primary, Sinema has a growing and healthy campaign coffer and can rise above it all. Shes raised $6 million more than twice the money raised by all three of the Republican candidates combined. But when the final stretch begins in September and the Arizona seat is on the line, Republicans and conservatives are likely to pour money into stopping Sinema. The tough incumbent Republicans and conservatives are already pouring money into an effort to defeat incumbent Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin. The chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party says conservative Republicans are coming after Tammy Baldwin like no other U.S. senate candidate in this years elections. The Milwaukee Sentinel Journal says shes facing a tough re-election, in large part because a political network financed by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch has spent more than $5 million to oppose her re-election. (Federal Elections Commission records through March 31 put the number at $3 million.) CNN and Politico say Baldwins seat is one of the 10 U. S. Senate seats most vulnerable to switching parties in November. For almost a year, there has been big money being spent to push the state each way. Last July, a pro-Trump group directing messages to conservative blacks bought radio time for an ad that claims Baldwins pro-choice position is a big reason why one in three abortions in America are sought against black babies and threatens the birth of the next Frederick Douglass or Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King. Last October, the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, a tax-exempt group headed by the right-wing Koch Industries, vowed to spend $1.6 million in television and digital ads against Baldwin, a first-term Democrat and the first openly LGBT person elected to the U.S. Senate. The group said Baldwin supports higher taxes and a broken system rigged against ordinary Americans. Ironically, the ads voice allegations that Baldwin votes to raise taxes to benefit well-connected special interests. The Capital Times of Madison noted last month that Baldwins favorability rating has dropped from 40 percent to 37 percent since last year. As of April 4, the Americas PAC, a conservative political action committee based in Iowa, has spent $3,325,05 against Baldwins re-election and for one of her Republican opponents, according to the https://www.opensecre">Center for Responsive Politics. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, one of Baldwins key Republican opponents is businessman Kevin Nicholson. In February, several news organizations reported that Nicholsons parents and brother had contributed the maximum allowable to Baldwins re-election. But his sister has been posting crude Twitter messages against Baldwin and others. "Maybe you should stick to opioids, scandals and lesbians," wrote sister Rebecca Steve, a resident of Texas. Nicholson reportedly asked his sister to stop the Twitter posts on his behalf. Despite the pummeling Baldwin has been taking, the Cook Political Report says the seat is likely to remain Democrat. Baldwin has raised $13 million in contributions and has benefited from another $1 million in outside spending for her. She also stands to benefit from having two Republican candidates go through a harsh primary battle to win the GOP nomination. And Baldwin has the incumbent advantage. The question is Wisconsin: Is it moving into the red column or was the states 2016 vote for Trump an anomaly? The longshots Two LGBT candidates are vying to carry their partys mantle into the November election for U.S. Senate in Delaware: Gene Truono, a Republican; and Kerri Harris, a Democrat. It will be a long, uphill battle for both. Incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Tom Carper has $1.2 million in his coffers and, for the past two sessions of Congress, hes had a 100 percent pro-LGBT record, according to the Human Rights Campaign. His Democratic primary opponent, Kerri Harris, has an impressive record of service to her country and community but has raised only $23,000. She served in the Air Force, volunteered with numerous community service groups, including Habitat for Humanity, is a working mom, and co-founded a civil rights group. Truono has raised only $57,000 and loaned himself $75,000. His original primary opponent had raised three times that amount but developed health issues and withdrew from the race. But that opponent has now thrown his support to a new Republican challenger, leaving Truono struggling. Chelsea Mannings bid to win the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat from Maryland is also an uphill struggle, though she has raised more than $70,000 since January when she announced her campaign. But her opponent for the Democratic nomination is incumbent Ben Cardin, who has raised $3.6 million. He also has scored a perfect 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaigns Congressional Scorecard concerning LGBT-related votes. Fivethirtyeight.com, a statistical site that focuses on elections and is led by openly gay analyst Nate Silverputs Cardins likelihood of being re-elected is 95 percent. Almost half of the land on Earth is now farmland. When you picture the world, you might imagine vast jungles, meadows, and untouched wilderness. But if you find yourself driving past a whole lot more corn fields than forests, youre not just imagining things. Nature is disappearing. Thats what Navin Ramankutty, an agricultural geographer at the University of British Columbia, told me. Ramankutty and his colleagues use satellites to figure out how much nature is left on the planet. What he found could ruin your lunch break. Fair warning. Ilana E. Strauss Humans use almost half of the land on Earth for agriculture. And keep in mind, land on Earth includes Antarctica and the far north. In fact, most of the land that hasnt been farmed is either too cold for most plants (think penguins and polar bears) or too dry (the Sahara desert). The only real lush natural areas left are forests like the Amazon, and even these are dwindling. That's a huge footprint, explained Ramankutty. Crops cover a third of the land being farmed, while cows and other animals graze on the other two thirds. That means we use more land to grow (raise?) animals than we do to grow everything else altogether. Since it takes so much food to bring an animal to adulthood, we must be pouring tons of resources into these animals. As cows, corn, soybeans, and other farmed species take over most of the places where stuff can grow, the wilderness melts away. An awful lot of plants and animals are going endangered in what scientists are calling the planet's sixth mass extinction (the dinosaurs died in the fifth), and this is a big part of the reason why: wild species have nowhere to live. There are more tigers in zoos and people's homes than in the wild. We are basically destroying the planet for our own survival, Ramankutty said. This is not very sustainable. Still, hes not a cynic. Problem-solving is humanity's specialty. For instance, Ramankutty gave me the data to make this infographic, which could theoretically spread awareness. So, you know. Progress. We just need to be more wise about how we use our land, he went on. We can imagine an ultimate future that is much more hopeful. With the abundance of US-based television shows and books dedicated to the subject, the tiny house phenomenon might seem like very much an American thing. Yet, there seems to be a global trend going on, as we're seeing plenty of tiny houses popping up in New Zealand, France, Italy, Canada and more. In the Netherlands, high school teacher Remco Stadhouders built this 206-square-foot (19 square metres) tiny house for himself, after being inspired by the ones he saw on a recent trip to the United States. The modern design of "Breda" is punctuated by lots of great layout and storage ideas, epitomized by the stairs to the loft, which is tucked at one end of the house and separated visually from the main living space by a partition. The result is a more private and safer way up to the sleeping loft, in contrast to having a finicky ladder. But the stairs aren't wasted space either; if you lift up the steps, there is storage space hidden underneath -- pretty ingenious. The main living space, which has an L-shaped couch that has storage hidden underneath and behind the backrest. The line of horizontal windows on three sides is a smart move: it lets natural light pass in more directly into the immediate area, while still maintaining privacy. The kitchen is an efficiently designed space, using cabinets from Bruynzeel. It features a full-size stove and oven from Belgium that can run on bottled fuel, as being able to run the house off the grid was a big consideration for Stadhouders. The same idea applied to the bathroom, which has an incinerating toilet. On the opposite side is a second counter surface that functions as an extra prep space, or can be used for dining or working on. The counters are made with a material that has a honeycombed interior, meaning they are more lightweight and therefore more suitable for a house that can be towed. The little entrance hallway has a cabinet for clothes, the door to the bathroom, and is also the place where that secret stairway lands. Up in the loft, one sees that the roof slope is rather gentle; Stadhouders wanted to be able to have a bit of headroom up here to move around easily. Thanks to the layout, the loft feels more private than other lofts we've seen. In addition, there's an extra window just off the stair, which serves as an emergency exit. Even though Stadhouders had no building experience, in the beginning, the end result is impressive: a small house that has distinct zones for sitting, cooking, working and rest, and feels and looks like any conventional home. To see more, visit Tiny House Breda and Facebook. [Via: Tiny House Talk] A bill passed in New Hampshires legislative body will provide protections for transgender people against discrimination. Members of the state Senate and House of Representatives agreed to send the bipartisan legislation on to Governor Chris Sununu, according to Vox. Sununu said previously he would sign the bill into law if sent to his desk. The law would extend protection against discrimination in housing, employment and places that serve the public, such as hotels. In a national landscape where transgender people are too often attacked for who they are, New Hampshire is a shining example for other states across the country, campaign manager for Freedom New Hampshire Linds Jakows said in a statement. We look forward to the day Gov. Sununu seals New Hampshires motto of Live Free or Die with his signature. New Hampshire will be the 20th state to sign such a bill into law. ONE of the surprises emerging from the presentation of the 2022 budget on Monday by Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert, was his announcement that the Government proposed to offer for sale 10,869,565 ordinary shares in First Citizens Holdings Ltd. HERE are two terms you dont see often in the same sentence: menstruation and mental health. Yet, it is a topic worth discussing, says womens counselling psychologist Oraine Ramoo. Hormones can have an effect on a womans moods and emotions and can even impact the quality of ones life. The older residents of Belmont and environs may remember back in the 1980s there used to be I prefer to do a ground transfer to the resort on arrival and if I am considering flying I do it on the return to the airport for my departure flight. If you do it this way you can see the sights and get the feel of Jamaica when you arrive. I realize you will get to the resort later in the day because of the travel time to Negril but consider the transport part of your vacation, count is as sightseeing. On your return they will arrange for you to be at the airport in Montego Bay three hours before your departure flight which usually has you leaving the resort pretty early in the day. If you want to do a flight it will save you a little time if you do it on this end of your trip. I have used TimAir in the past, they were friendly and safe. I believe there is at least one other service but I do not know the name, I am sure others will chime in with info and opinions. -:- 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. Busy time with lots of traveling, but you seem to have made your plan for 24 days. Your trip to Halong Bay is a day trip or overnight trip. If it is a day trip it is a long day, 4 hrs to get there, 3 hrs or so on the junk and 3 hrs back. Going to Sapa most people take the night train for about $35, although there are night buses a lot cheaper and taking 5-6 hours. You have the number of days to see the highlights in each place about correct, but consider the travel time between each place and this will cut your hours at each destination. Maybe skip one or even 2 of the places. As its title belies, Next to Normal is not the typical feel good Broadway musical, but audiences always manage to connect with the dark story, explained Daimien Matherson, the transgender director of a new production opening this weekend at Infinite Abyss Productions in Wilton Manors. I think its a reflection of the idea that so many families feel they have to be perfect. That white picket fence mentality still exists, he said. The show challenges that idea by saying its oka y to be a mess sometimes. Its okay to sometimes just get by. Things will be okay. The 2008 rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt, tells the story of a suburban mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and reveals the effects that her illness and its management have had on her family. Other uplifting subject matter includes drug abuse, suicide and grief and ethics in modern psychiatry. I feel it connects with audiences because even though the subject matter of mental illness or losing a child may not specifically be something everyone can relate to, the experience of loss, coping, and coming to terms with things not having to be perfect to be okay is something everyone experiences, Matherson said. The show also makes you (become) so invested in every character on stage. It truly is an ensemble piece. And there is someone on that stage that everyone can say, I see myself in them. It doesnt hurt that the music is amazing! The biggest challenge for Matherson is producing a Broadway musicaleven a relatively small ensemble piecein the intimate space of the new Infinite Abyss Foundry space on Dixie Highway. He elaborated, It has presented its challenges, sound especially. I think working out these kinks now will allow for even more types of performances that can be done in this space. Youre only limited if you give up on creativity. Ive learned that some things may be unconventional, but they work. Matherson was quick to credit his cast, noting that Sabrina Lynn Gore, who portrays the mother, Diana, finds a healthy mix of the humor in the role but still can break your heart with just the look in her eyes, and Christopher Alvarez as the spirit of a dead infant son creates a character that is relatable with his own arc. As director and founder of Measure for Measure Theatre, Matherson said, The biggest challenge is finding the balance, guiding the cast in telling the story without creating the stereotypes behind the characters. Hes still glad he accepted the challenge. Matherson said, (This) is a show that has always been on my bucket list to direct. Its score is incredible, the story will break your heart, and its a show that people will continue to talk about long after they have left the theater. So, I figuredwhy not take this one on? Go big or go home! Infinite Abyss Productions and Measure for Measure Theatre present Next to Normal by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, May 10 June 3 at the Abyss Stage (also home to Island City Stage), 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Tickets are $39.50 at Infinite-Abyss.org. Hi All, I am planning a honeymoon tour to Vietnam in mid November 2018. I have researched a bit and have shortlisted the cities/places i would be visiting. I would be staying for around 8-9 nights. I would be landing at Ho Chi Minh City from Mumbai. Then i would cover the following four places in the next 6 days: Ho Chi Minh City, SaPa, Mekong Delta and Mui Ne. After that, i wish to visit the following places: Da Nang, Hoi An and Cham islands. However, they fall in North Vietnam. So i wish to take a flight from HCMC. My queries are as follows: The flights currently shows as sold out (for Mid November) (on https://booking.vietjetair.com). Will they be available if i plan to book them on the spot. Also, will i be able to get the flights from bookmyshow or something (as in do i have options of different airlines). Further, is there a better alternative? The return flights from HCMC to Da Nang are costing me around 30k for couple. Is it advisable to travel by train? Basically, i return airfare from mumbai is going around 50k per couple. I would be comfortable with spending an additional 10k for travelling (for couple) if i wish to go North. Otherwise i would just settle for a South trip and cut it short. Any alternative itinerary anyone can suggest? Or a solution to this problem (going from HCMC to Da Nang)? Re: Do japanese have big steak or only yakiniku 13. Re: Do japanese have big steak or only yakiniku -:- 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. Hello, We are family of 6 persons , visiting Japan ( first Time ) for tourism in the last week of May We are planning for a Road Trip ( Self Drive Car Rental ) we plan to leave at morning 7:00 from Shibuya > Hakone > Mt. Fuji > Kyoto > Back to Shibuya. 1) Please advise if this Itinerary is Ok or we should make any changes ? Should we halt at Hakone & Mt. Fuji while going to Kyoto OR while returning to Shibuya ? 2) We are planning to spend 1 night in Hakone OR near Mt. Fuji & 2 nights in Kyoto 3) What will be the weather like in Hakone / Mt. Fuji & Kyoto ? 4) Please give us an idea of Expressway / Highway Toll Charges applicable on this Road Trip. Thanks Ankit Hello everyone.. Thanks to everyone for taking the timeout to read and respond ! I have two questions 1. I read that a round trip from Tokyo to Osaka (or Kyoto?) and back would make the JR pass worth it . However, we arrive in Tokyo and Fly out from Osaka (21 May onward) so am not sure if this is needed or not ? We will be in Tokyo for 5 nights - Disney, City tour, Hakone day trip (with romance car), and some city stuff including watching Sumo (yay!) then we go to Osaka - from there we do trips to Kyoto / Himeji / and Nara and a day universal studios I am not sure if we need a JR pass? We are a family of 5 + 2 kids (although I don't think that matters) 2. We arrive Tokyo early morning 6:30 AM at Narita Airport. We are staying at Kieo Plaza and I called them to check reg early check in. The usual check in time is 3PM but they said 1PM can be done for free. However, for check-in around 9 AM they are essentially charging me one full night as they will have to block a room for the night. I do get that this is reasonable but wondering if there is a way out to this? We plan to go watch sumo the same day so will need to check in and freshen up before we leave post an early lunch Thanks again everyone ; your suggestions are always so helpful ! I will arrive at NRT at 3:20 pm from the US on ANA. My connecting flight on Vietnam Airlines is at 10 am next morning. I bought my tickets on Expedia. 1) Do I need to get my 1 luggage and check it back for Vietnam Airlines flight? or do my luggage get sent directly to my connecting flight? 2) Can I stay in the Airport overnight? what is the simplest way if I have to lug my luggage around with me the whole night? 3) If given a choice, I don't want to leave the airport and go into town with my luggage. I am a small woman. Thanks for the advices! Hi Dave, Thanks for the quick response. Do you know how much it roughly costs to travel between these places? I cant seem to find any information online. We will stay in just these places with minimal to no additional rail travel if it is considerably less then the pass. If not we will use the pass to full advantage and explore the surrounding areas. We have a very tight budget you see :/ Thanks for your comments. We dont actually have a set budget or particular cuisine in mind for restaurants. We wont be fine dining every night, so somewhere thats reasonably priced with great food would perfect. Ive had a look at our itinerary for the weekend, if anyone has any feedback / top tips or can recommend places for great food and cocktails along the routes that would be much appreciated. THURSDAY 24th Arrive late evening - around 8pm Staying at Times Square Will look to find somewhere nearby for late dinner and drinks FRIDAY 5th Up early and Take the subway to Battery Park SoL / Ellis Island tour - 3/4 hours? Afterwards head towards Wall Street - stopping to photograph the bull, NYSE and Trinity Church Le District - for lunch and a few drinks Then head to 9/11 memorial and photographing the WTC Afterwards head to Trinity Place Bar for happy hour if we can catch it before 6pm SATURDAY 26TH stroll along the High Line Chelsea Market - sample some of the food offerings - incl. Doughnuttery ? Head into the West Village (Greenwich Village?) Stopping at the Friends Apt for a photo and Washington square park Along the way food/drink wise Im thinking of: The butchers daughter Keste for pizza Milk bar Dominique Ansel for Cronuts! Laduree Can we fit in some shopping around Soho? SUNDAY 27TH Central Park - stopping at the Dakota, strawberry fields, then the boathouse (hire a boat?) Food/drink around Central Park area? Storico Tavern on the green Head down 5th ave - window shopping at Tiffanys, trump tower, Chrysler building Rockefeller centre/TOTR at sunset Again food/drink wise along the route, thinking about Magnolia bakery MONDAY 28th Brooklyn bridge - walk into Brooklyn/waterfront Then do Empire State, Grand Central, and Phtog the NY library Leave around 6;30pm to get to airport Id like to fit in a couple of roof top bars, but should we save these for evening? Its really hard to decide where to go because there is so much to choose from! Hubby wants to kick back and relax, enjoying as many different foodie places and bars. Whilst also doing some sightseeing. Ive warned him well have quite a bit of walking to do lol! For the evenings this is where we can see more of the nightlife but should we plan to go back to the hotel to change before dinner? And say aim for dinner at around 9pm? Any help,is appreciated so we can make the most of our trip. I think you may be confusing Circle Line with Statue Cruises because you state downtown and "first boat". Circle Line is a sightseeing cruise that leaves from Midtown. If you want to actually go to the statue of liberty, then you want Statue Cruises. You should forget about using the pass for that and book directly at Statuecruises.com so you can book pedestal access and have higher priority ferry boarding. Doing that plus the 911 Memorial Museum is a lot for one day. 911 Museum: The museum has a timed ticket system that people book in advance. If you just show up (even if you have the pass) you may not be able to get into your intended time. You could find that the upcoming timed entries are already full and have to wait until later. Or you might get right in with only a few minutes wait. Be prepared for a highly emotional experience with the 911 Memorial Museum. Talk with the kids about it first to prepare them. Treat it seriously and make sure the kids do as well. It's a solemn place. It may take time to recover once you finish the museum. Allow a good 3+ hours plus low key activities after. You can't do the Tribute Center as well as the Museum. It's too much. Decide what you want to do. Day 2: Have other ideas in mind as you may not want to spend the entire day at Coney Island. It's an iconic place but it's actually quite small. Day 3: This day needs more thought. These two activities are quick. Day 4: This day seems mostly dominated by getting value from your pass. Re-think why you are prioritizing things like the wax museum. Note that TOTR has a timed ticket system and people pre-book. You can't do that with the pass so you will need to line up and try to get the time slot you prefer. Sunset is popular. You might have to accept a different time if others have already filled that time period. Day 5: Central Park is best explored on foot. Bikes are restricted with where they are permitted to ride. General comment: It seems that your primary travel guide is the list of attractions the pass is promoting. That's one of the reasons why we discourage it. There are so many things to do in NYC that aren't on that activity list, but your plans are almost entirely about that list. Be sure to plan time to explore interesting neighborhoods. 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. - Sonko once again distanced himself from goons captured on camera assaulting Nairobi business leaders - The governor had also dared authorities to bring the culprits to book claiming he did not pay anyone to commit crime - Police have been pursuing the criminals in vain and even arrested EALA MP Simon Mbugua in connection with the notorious thugs The Nairobi County governor Mike Sonko has once again distanced himself from widespread allegations that he knows the whereabouts of the individuals who were caught on camera roughing up the Nairobi Central Business District Association (NCBDA) officials. The authorities had placed a KSh 500,000 bounty on each of the suspects and requested Kenyans to provide any information that may lead to their arrest, after which a rather troubling photo of Sonko hanging out with the criminals emerged. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Picha za bintiye Gideon Moi ni thibitisho kwamba ni mrembo kupindukia Sonko has distanced himself from the goons he was pictured with above. Photo: Ahmednasir Abdulahi/Facebook. READ ALSO: Goons whom police offered KSh 2 million for their arrest spotted with Mike Sonko "I accept I was with them in a wedding event as shown in the photo but that was way back before they attacked the businessmen and I cannot be associated with them just because we were in the same event, the governor defended himself. He claimed he took the photo with some of the suspects in a wedding ceremony where one of his friends was marrying the daughter of Kanu party Secretary General Nick Salat. The men were linked to the Nairobi governor, with claims some acted as his pseudo bodyguards, allegations that he has vehemently denied. READ ALSO: Police launch manhunt for goons who attacked Nairobi business leaders Governor Mike Sonko denied he knows the whereabouts of the suspected goons.Photo: TUKO. The tough-talking governor added he had no business working with the police officers to arrest the goons because that was not his job. I am not a police officer or investigator and I should not be asked why it has taken long for the suspects to be apprehended. The heads of police and criminal investigators should answer why they have not arrested them, he said. READ ALSO: Sonko stunned after finding KSh 7 Million at City hall offices during sting operation The governor said only police can answer why they have not arrested the suspects. Photo: Mike Sonko/Facebook. READ ALSO: Goons attack Nairobi business leaders who were issuing statement on city's poor state Hours earlier, police had arrested nominated member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Simon Mbugua in connection with the chaotic drama that unfolded at Boulevard Hotel, Nairobi, on April 30, 2018. Mbugua, TUKO.co.ke reported, was taken to Central Police station in Nairobi where he was grilled over his alleged involvement in the assault of NCBDA officials. Just like Sonko, the controversial legislator had been accused of hiring goons to disrupt a press briefing that had been called by the NCBDA leaders to issue a report on the filthy state of affairs in Nairobi city. 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. Rejected for naming son Uhuru Kenyatta | Untold stories - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko - Mbugua was arrested and charged in connection with his association with goons who attacked businessman - Charge sheet details indicated Mbugua jointly with others robbed Muriuki KSh 100,000 - The legislator denied the charges and requested to be released on favourable bond terms - Other suspects in connection with the attack of the businessman are still at large Nominated member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Simon Mbugua has been arraigned in court to answer to robbery with violence charges. Mbugua had been arrested on Tuesday, May 8, on grounds of allegedly colluding with other people to attack former chairman of Nairobi Central Business District Association (NCBDA) chairman Timothy Muriuki on Monday, April 30. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Mke wa pasta awatahadharisha wanawake dhidi ya kuvalia suruali His arrest came amid police intensifying the search of goons suspected to have attacked Muriuki and forcibly barred him from issuing a press statement on state of Nairobi County at Boulevard Hotel. Simon Mbugua was charged with robbery with violence following association with goons who attacked Nairobi Central Business District Association (NCBDA) chairman. Photo: Simon Mbugua/Facebook. READ ALSO: Goons attack Nairobi business leaders who were issuing statement on city's poor state The legislator was on Wednesday, May 9, charged with robbing Muriuki of KSh 100, 000 and thereafter injuring him. Mbugua is accused of jointly committing the offence with Anthony Otieno Ombok alias Jamal and Benjamin Odhiambo Onyango alias Odhis on Monday, April 30, at Boulevard Hotel, Nairobi. Jointly with others before the court you robbed Timothy Muceru Muriuki KSh 100, 000 and immediately after the time of such robbery injured him, read part of the charge sheet. Mbugua and the two other suspects denied the charges before magistrate Martha Mutuku, with his lawyers Nelson Havi and Cliff Ombeta requesting the court to allow their client to be released on reasonable bail terms. READ ALSO: Controversial EALA MP Simon Mbugua arrested Simon Mbugua (on the immediate left of President Uhuru Kenyatta) was arrested and grilled at Central Police Station before being taken to court. Photo: Simon Mbugua/Facebook. The prosecution did not object to the request to release Mbugua on bond but asked the court to slap him with an expensive bond on grounds that he is an influential person and may interfere with witnesses. Seven witnesses have been lined up against Mbugua by the prosecution. READ ALSO: Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore returns as telco increases income to KSh 55 billion Havi and Ombeta however challenged the request by the prosecution saying the law explicitly indicates the amount each accused person is required to pay based on their offence. The court is set to rule on whether the accused person will be released on bond or not before the end of Wednesday, May 9. Some of the goons who disrupted the press conference have posed with Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko in a photo. Photo: Ahmednasir Abdulahi/Facebook. Meanwhile, the police have placed a KSh 500,000 bounty on each of the suspects who were captured on camera roughing up Muriuki, requesting Kenyans to provide information that may lead to their arrest. READ ALSO: Sonko distances himself from goons wanted by the police, asks for their arrest This is despite a rather troubling photo of Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko hanging out with the criminals emerged. Sonko distanced himself from the suspects saying the photo showing him together with some of the individuals being sought after by police was taken long ago before they attacked Muriuki. 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. Rejected for naming son Uhuru Kenyatta | Untold stories - on TUKO TV Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest - CBK attributed impressive performance to increased uptake of financial products abroad - Diaspora remittances have displaced tea and tourism as the top foreign exchange earner - The improved cash inflow from abroad have helped strengthen the shilling against the US dollar Kenyans living abroad set a new record in terms of how much cash they sent back home in the first quarter of 2018. The diaspora remittances jumped from KSh 43.4 billion in the January-March 2017 quarter to a staggering KSh 64.5 billion during the same period in 2018. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Mke wa pasta awatahadharisha wanawake dhidi ya kuvalia suruali CBK noted the diaspora remittances had displaced tea and tourism as the country's top foreign exchange earner. Photo: Mediamax. READ ALSO: Reprieve as Supreme Court saves sugar importer from wrath of taxman in KSh 2.5 billion legal battle The latest report from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) seen by TUKO.co.ke on Wednesday, May 9, indicated the country received KSh 20.4 billion in December 2017, KSh 20.9 billion in January, KSh 21.1 billion in February and KSh 22.3 billion in March 2018. According to the CBK, the impressive performance can be attributed to increased uptake of financial products by Kenyans abroad and fresh business deals initiated by local banks in partnership with international financial institutions. READ ALSO: Employees drag oil dealer Engen Kenya to court to avert imminent takeover by rival company The diaspora remittances have displaced tea and tourism as the country's top foreign exchange earner. Financial analysts believe the steady inflow of cash from the foreign countries has helped in strengthening and stabalising the shilling against the US dollar. The remittances have also contributed significantly in the growth of Kenya's GDP. It is understood a good percentage of the money received from abroad go to real estate and construction sector. "Kenyans in the diaspora are looking for opportunities to settle back in their homeland, or to provide for family members back home. Given the importance of real estate to the GDP, by providing a trusted platform and partner through whom they can access the opportunity, the country stands to benefit," Cytonn Investments, a private equity investment company, notes. READ ALSO: Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore returns as telco increases income to KSh 55 billion The CBK conducts a survey on remittance inflows every month through formal channels that include commercial banks and other authorised international remittances service providers in the country. 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. Join TUKO TV - subscribe right now! - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke - The minors are pupils at Gitugi Primary School in Mathioya constituency - The mother had her whole body buried in the mud except her head - She lay flat on the ground so that they could drag her from the mudslide An expectant woman in Murang'a county who had said her last prayer was pulled from debris by her sons after a fatal landslide hit Kahwai village. The miraculous action saw 12-year-old Oscar Waimiri and his younger brother James Maina, 10, refuse to watch their lovely mother drown in the rubble that left five people dead on April 28. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens The minors are pupils at Gitugi Primary School in Mathioya constituency. READ ALSO: Mke wa pasta awatahadharisha wanawake dhidi ya kuvalia suruali Oscar Waimiri and his younger brother James Maina who is 10 could not watch their lovely mother drown in the night rubble that had left five people dead on April 28.Photo: Hummingbird/Facebook. READ ALSO: Agony for 40 Nyeri families as floods destroy homes The victim, Mary Wambui, who is due later in May, had her whole body buried in the thick mud except her head. The now celebrated heroes said they looked around and did not see their mother then started searching for her before a voice called out for help only to realise it was their mother. We looked around but our mother was nowhere. We embarked on a mission to trace her. Luckily, after five minutes, we came across some household goods. We heard her crying out and pulled her out, said Waimiri. Wambui said she lay flat on the ground so that they could drag her from the mudslide to a higher ground. I cried out while I was deep in the rubble. I told my son this is the end of me. I know I have left behind kids but my boys also cried and held my hands before pulling me from the mud," she narrated. READ ALSO: 4 bodies retrieved in Kitui, 22 days after car was swept away by floods A total five people were confirmed dead while scores of villagers rendered homeless in the area. Photo: Stephen Njeri/Facebook. READ ALSO: Irish ambassador forced to ride on mkokoteni in Makueni due to bad road A total five people were confirmed dead while scores of villagers were rendered homeless in the area. The victims were buried alive following massive landslides which occurred in Inooi, Kianda gia Ithanwa and Kahwai villages. A visit by Tuko.co.ke to the home witnessed the destruction left in the aftermath of the landslide as relatives and members of the public fought back tears with others wailing uncontrollably. The landslide uprooted about 1,500 tea bushes that were hurtled away at a distance of about 800 metres down a steep slope as the avalanche carried trees and other objects along its path. All the houses and the family cows were buried in the rubble. 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. Nairobi floods: Heavy rains rock Nairobi city (Kenya News) - on TUKO TV Source: Tuko - The victims said they had nowhere else to go if they leave their flooded homes - Governor Dhado Godana pleaded with the victims to relocate to safer grounds but they ignored - The governor had also warned of rise in water levels that could endanger lives of locals - The ongoing rains have left hundreds of Kenyans homeless after floods swept away their houses Hundreds of flood victims in Tana River County could be staring at a natural disaster after they refused to relocate to safer grounds, despite stern warning from the County government. The victims vowed to stay put come what may, claiming their homes and lands will be grabbed if they decide to leave. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Mke wa pasta awatahadharisha wanawake dhidi ya kuvalia suruali Tana River County Governor Dhado Godana had pleaded with the flood victims to consider moving to a safer place until the water levels will subside. They refused. Photo: Onesmus Baraka/TUKO. READ ALSO: Heavy rains wreck havoc in Nairobi city as flash floods take over roads Even if the level of waters rises to the top of the mountains, we shall not move, our great grandfathers were born and brought up here and there is no way we shall move out and anybody who wishes to evacuate us should cease from doing so, said John Komora, one of the victims from Kulesa village. Komora disclosed some of them had no other place to relocate to, and that the calls by Governor Dhado Godana were misplaced because the County government had not provided them an alternative. READ ALSO: 5 killed, 11 missing as floods wash away houses in Rongai Kenya Red Cross said they had all it takes to help the victims from most of the villages with the exception of Tana Delta belt which could only be access using boats. Photo: Onesmus Baraka/TUKO. His sentiments were echoed by Hama Goma from Wema village, who said she could not leave her house behind and that they were waiting for God's mercies to stop the flood menace. This is my only piece of land that I have, I cannot ran away just because there are floods. If things worsen, we shall seek refuge on top of trees," she said. Godana had pleaded with the area residents to consider moving to a safer place until the water levels subside. If you think this is a joke, then wait until the level of the water rises. We just want to make sure all your lives are not in danger. The earlier you move to higher grounds the better, Dhado warned. The governor also gave the villagers assurance that their properties will be protected, but they ignored him. READ ALSO: Over 250 families displaced, 7 swept away by floods amid heavy rains across the country The Kenya Meteorological Department had warned of more long rains that have so far left behind a trail of destruction, deaths and pain. Photo: Onesmus Baraka/TUKO. Some of the victims were nevertheless willing and ready to leave as was ordered by the County government. Fatuma Hawazi from Hewani said she was ready to move on condition that her land will not be exposed to land grabbers and cartels. I am willing to follow what my governor said but only if he can assure us that we shall not be called squatters after these floods, she said. READ ALSO: Weather man warns of even more devastating rains across the country Meanwhile, the Kenya Red Cross Coast regional Coordinator Hassan Musa said they had all it takes to help the victims from most of the villages with the exception of Tana Delta belt, which could only be accessed using boats, because the villages had been submerged. We have the challenge of accessibility to these villages. The county government however assisted us with two boats, in addition to the five we already had. We will dispatch the mobile boat clinic that is well equipped to handle medium term health problems, Musa said. The Kenya Meteorological Department had warned of more long rains that have so far left behind a trail of destruction, deaths and pain. The rains are expected to continue pounding in different parts of the country. Story by Onesmus Baraka, Kilifi County 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. Universities' crisis - Lecturer's strike continues! - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko Popular artiste Marvin Davis also known as Swappi is hoping to make his debut in the boxing Russian-backed militants launched 21 attacks on Ukrainian positions in the Joint Forces Operation area in Donbas in last day. This is reported by the Joint Forces Operation Headquarters press center. As noted, during the past day, May 8, the situation in the JFO area remained difficult, the militants used heavy weapons more actively, especially artillery. The armed hostilities were particularly active in Krymske (42.5km north-west of Luhansk), Svitlodarsk (55km north-west of Donetsk), Avdiivka (18km north of Donetsk) and Mariupol directions. "The enemy used weapons, prohibited under the Minsk agreements, 21 times. In particular, militants fired 152mm and 122 mm artillery and mortars outside Krymske, Popasna (90 km north-west of Luhansk), Troitske (69km west of Luhansk), Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk) and Zaitseve (67km north-north-east of Donetsk). The small arms were used in fighting near Avdiivka, Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk), Butovka coal mine (11.4km north-west of Donetsk), Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol). As the Headquarters noted, one Ukrainian soldier was killed and another four soldiers were wounded in enemy shelling. On May 8, the Russian-occupation troops again used 152mm artillery and 120mm mortars to shell residential districts of Zaitseve and Loskutovka villages. The shells hit civilians houses and farm buildings. According to intelligence, one militant was killed and another five were wounded. ol This black hole bounty consists of stellar-mass black holes, which typically weigh between 5 and 30 times the mass of the Sun. These newly identified black holes were found within three light-years -- a relatively short distance on cosmic scales -- of the supermassive black hole at our galaxy's center known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Theoretical studies of the dynamics of stars in galaxies have indicated that a large population of stellar-mass black holes -- as many as 20,000 -- could drift inward over the eons and collect around Sgr A*. This recent analysis using Chandra data is the first observational evidence for such a black hole bounty. A black hole by itself is invisible. However, a black hole -- or neutron star -- locked in close orbit with a star will pull gas from its companion (astronomers call these systems "X-ray binaries"). This material falls into a disk and heats up to millions of degrees and produces X-rays before disappearing into the black hole. Some of these X-ray binaries appear as point-like sources in the Chandra image. A team of researchers, led by Chuck Hailey of Columbia University in New York, used Chandra data to search for X-ray binaries containing black holes that are located near Sgr A*. They studied the X-ray spectra -- the amount of X-rays seen at different energies -- of sources within about 12 light-years of Sgr A*. The team then selected sources with X-ray spectra similar to those of known X-ray binaries, which have relatively large amounts of low-energy X-rays. Using this method, they detected 14 X-ray binaries within about three light-years of Sgr A*. Two X-ray sources likely to contain neutron stars based on the detection of characteristic outbursts in previous studies were then eliminated from the analysis. The dozen remaining X-ray binaries are identified in the labeled version of the image using red colored circles. Other sources with relatively large amounts of high energy X-rays are labeled in yellow, and are mostly binaries containing white dwarf stars. Hailey and his collaborators concluded that a majority of these dozen X-ray binaries are likely to contain black holes. The amount of variability they have shown over timescales of years is different from that expected for X-ray binaries containing neutron stars. Only the brightest X-ray binaries containing black holes are likely to be detectable at the distance of Sgr A*. Therefore, the detections in this study imply that a much larger population of fainter, undetected X-ray binaries -- at least 300 and up to 1,000 -- containing stellar-mass black holes should be present around Sgr A*. This population of black holes with companion stars near Sgr A* could provide insight into the formation of X-ray binaries from close encounters between stars and black holes. This discovery could also inform future gravitational wave research. Knowing the number of black holes in the center of a typical galaxy can help in better predicting how many gravitational-wave events may be associated with them. An even larger population of stellar-mass black holes without companion stars should be present near Sgr A*. According to theoretical follow-up work by Aleksey Generozov of Columbia and his colleagues, more than about 10,000 black holes and as many as 40,000 black holes should exist in the center of the galaxy. While the authors strongly favor the black hole explanation, they cannot rule out the possibility that up to about half of the observed dozen sources are from a population of millisecond pulsars, i.e., very rapidly rotating neutron stars with strong magnetic fields. A paper describing these results appeared in the April 5th issue of the journal Nature. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, controls Chandra's science and flight operations. Reference: "A Density Cusp of Quiescent X-ray Binaries in the Central Parsec of the Galaxy," C. J. Hailey et al., 2018 Apr. 5, Nature [https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25029]. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. One Ukrainian serviceman was killed as a result of the militant shelling in the Joint Forces Operation area in eastern Ukraine on May 9. Spokesman for the Defense Ministry of Ukraine Colonel Maksym Prauta said this at the briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Last night, May 9, Russian armed aggression claimed the life of a Ukrainian soldier. One of our defenders, born in 1969, was killed in the enemy attack. We extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends," the spokesman said. According to him, the Ukrainian military has already recorded 11 militant shooting attacks since the beginning of the day. "As a result of enemy shelling on May 8, three Ukrainian soldiers were wounded and two more were injured," Prauta said. ol President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman, the patriarchs of various churches and the veterans have laid flowers to the Memorial of Eternal Glory in Kyiv. The government officials and Ukrainian servicemen also have taken part in the ceremony of commemorating the victims of the World War II on the occasion of the 73d anniversary of the Victory over Nazism, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. The Head of State was the first to lay flowers to the Eternal Flame. The memory of the deceased in the World War II was honored with a moment of silence and afterwards the National Anthem of Ukraine was performed, ol The Ukrainian pavilion at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival presents a large number of promotional materials that help foreign filmmakers to familiarize with the new film projects and the progress of development of the national film industry in Ukraine. This is reported by the press service of the Ukrainian State Film Agency. "The Ukrainian pavilion, located in the Village International, provides general information about the participants, the progress and achievement of the Ukrainian film market, professional opportunities for filmmaking and the advantages of co-production with the Ukrainian partners," the statement reads. The teasers of the newest Ukrainian films are shown in the pavilion: the trailers of ready movies and working materials of those still in production. The meetings of Ukrainian producers with foreign filmmakers, festival selectors, representatives of funds and film commissions, distributors from all over the world are planned to be held in the pavillion. As noted, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko, First Secretary for Culture at the Embassy of Ukraine in France, writer Irena Karpa as well as Ukrainian and foreign producers have already visited the pavilion. ol On May 8, the representatives of the Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Brussels together with their colleagues from some European Union and NATO member states have commemorated the victims of the World War II. The traditional ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers took place at the Brussels Cemetery, a Brussels-based Ukrinform correspondent reports. "We won that war, so we will win this time as well," said Mykola Tochytsky, the Representative of Ukraine to the European Union. In turn, Vadym Prystaiko, Head of the Ukraine's Mission to NATO, noted that the victory of Ukraine in the war unleashed by Russia should be followed by the establishment of a tradition for the foreign diplomats in Ukraine to commemorate those fallen for the independence and territorial integrity of the country. After the beginning of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine in 2014, the Ukrainian diplomats along with the representatives of some other EU and NATO member states do not take part in the events traditionally organized by the embassy of the aggressor country in Brussels on May 9. ol Moscow wages a hybrid war not only against Ukraine, but also against the European Union, the United States and other countries. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says that Russia uses events organized by the Russian-registered Bessmertny Polk ("Immortal Regiment") organization to commemorate World War II victims as an element of its hybrid warfare. "Russia considers even the 'Immortal Regiment' as a genuine unit of the modern armed forces of Russia," he said during the First Minute of Peace event at the National World War II History Museum of Ukraine on the evening of May 8. Read alsoScuffle breaks out amid Bessmertny Polk event in Kyiv (Photo, video) "Its mission is to participate in a hybrid war, which Moscow conducts in a variety of ways, and not only against Ukraine, but also against the European Union, the United States and other countries. Actually, against the whole world," he added. Poroshenko says he understands the feelings of Ukrainians who want to honor the memory of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers who gained the victory in the Second World War. "But I must once again warn fellow Ukrainians, those who have not fully understood all the nuances of Moscow's sly policy. The part that still believes Russian propaganda and its camp followers from the fifth column of various political forces within the country, the parliament and beyond. They do not think about you and your pride, your deep and grateful son's love for your heroic ancestors, but about their geopolitical imperial aggressive goals," he said. "It must be admitted that the Kremlin psychologists are able to play with the natural emotions of people. I beg you, be careful," he warned. "Immortal Regiment" events were held in such Ukrainian cities as Kyiv, Odesa, Poltava, Melitopol in Zaporizhia region, and others. UNIAN memo. Bessmertny Polk (literally Immortal Regiment) is a Russian-registered propagandist non-governmental organization. It was founded by three Russian journalists in the town of Tomsk in 2011. Its original goal was to collect information about members of the armed forces and organize events to honor war veterans. After Russian aggression against Ukraine was unleashed, the organization became a propagandist tool and began to organize its events with the focus on the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) outside Russia. It now works in 64 countries and regions. Bessmertny Polk members participate in annual marches on Victory Day on May 9, they carry photos of their family members who were war veterans, resistance fighters, prisoners of concentration camps, survivors of sieges, and persons born in time of war. The organization also keeps a memorial log of their members' family stories on its website. The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Ukraine would win the war. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says that Russia planned to split Ukraine into several parts way back in 2014. "In the spring of 2014, Russia planned to split Ukraine into several pieces. We disrupted this insidious plan with the heroic will of the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian warriors. We caught hold of the ground, cemented into the map of Europe and the world. We took such strong roots that no force is able to unearth us from our legal and natural place. From the place we've been living in for thousands of years already," he said during the First Minute of Peace event at the National World War II History Museum of Ukraine on the evening of May 8. Read alsoPoroshenko: Russia uses 'Immortal Regiment' as element of hybrid warfare According to Poroshenko, having carefully prepared the operation, immediately after the presidential elections, the Ukrainian troops in the summer of 2014 launched an offensive and released almost two-thirds of Donbas, which had been occupied almost entirely before. "The ATO [Anti-Terrorist Operation] was already approaching the victorious end. And this was precisely the reason for the invasion of Russian regular troops," he said. Since then, the Ukrainian army has become much stronger. "And it reliably holds the defense against the largest army on the continent, the army of the Russian Federation as an aggressor country," he said. The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Ukraine would win the war. "We will definitely win this time as well. With different price, in a different way, by other means. Not only by military, not only by defensive ones, but also politically and diplomatically," he added. Russian aggression against Ukraine started with the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014. The war in Donbas began in April 2014; Ukraine launched the ATO then, which was transformed into the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) on April 30, 2018. The 20th EU-Ukraine summit will take place in Brussels, Belgium. President of the European Council Donald Tusk has announced the EU-Ukraine Summit on July 9. "With President Poroshenko [we're] preparing for our next EU-Ukraine Summit on 9 July," Tusk tweeted on May 9 after talks with the Ukrainian President on the same day. The 20th EU-Ukraine summit will take place in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting between Poroshenko and Tusk took place on May 9 as part of the Ukrainian president's working visit to Germany to attend the Charlemagne prize ceremony. "The leaders agreed to hold the next jubilee 20th Ukraine-European Union Summit in the summer of 2018 in Brussels," Poroshenko's press service said in turn. Read alsoTwo Ukrainian villages in Luhansk region under heavy artillery fire, 75-year-old woman wounded Poroshenko also briefed Tusk on the situation in Donbas, the pace of the Joint Forces Operation there and the recent violations by the Russian side of the Minsk peace agreements on Donbas. The two officials discussed the extension and possible tightening of the sanctions against Russia. In addition, Poroshenko and Tusk discussed the implementation of reforms in Ukraine, including the creation of an anti-corruption court, the reform of the national security system, the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, as well as ways to increase the EU's assistance. According to a Ukrainian MP, people close to the former leaders of the Yanukovych party have been hiring thugs to spark clashes on May 9 that would be in favor of Russian propaganda TV. Law enforcers in Ukraine are aware of preparations of provocations on Victory Day in Kyiv by those from the Viktor Yanukovych entourage. According to People's Deputy Borislav Bereza, the efforts come from a Kyiv resident Oleksandr Danchenko, 29. "By the way, this is not his first such case. He earlier took part in the "Anti-Maidan" movement and was engaged in the same kind of things. The fact that he's still not behind bars but rather engages in hiring thugs is the fault of our law enforcement system. But, as I learned, in the near future this error will be fixed," the deputy wrote on Facebook. According to Bereza, there are two most possible scenarios for tomorrow. Read alsoUkraine marks Remembrance and Reconciliation Day on May 8 "Either the thugs will try to set up provocations and clashes with patriotic pro-Ukrainian activists, or...' 'by a mere coincidence' some [religious] procession led by [pro-Yanukovych MP] Novynsky will move past their assembly location tomorrow. I am sure that the footage showing someone beating 'Orthodox mrchers' in the lair of the 'Kyiv junta' is something Moscow seeks," said the people's deputy. He stressed that, therefore, in addition to police forces, it was decided to deploy Alpha to hinder the illegal actions. The official symbol of the celebration of the victory over Nazism in World War II, just as on the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, is a red poppy. On May 9, Ukraine marks the Day of the Victory over Nazism in World War II of 1939-1945 in a new way: without a military parade and ribbons of Saint George. The memorable date was established by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on April 9, 2015, with the law on perpetuation of the victory over Nazism in the World War II of 1939-1945 voted for within the package of decommunisation laws. Now, May 9 is celebrated as the Day of Victory over Nazism in World War II, instead of the established Soviet-era Day of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. As is known, the term "Great Patriotic War" was used in the former USSR to emphasize that in the war of 1941-1945, the people defended the Soviet Union as common homeland. Earlier, there were solemn military parades in Ukraine on May 9, which was necessarily accompanied by a display of military equipment. However, after Russia unleashed aggression against Ukraine in April 2014, this tradition became the past. In recent years, one can watch marches of military bands in Kyiv on May 9. Read alsoUkraine marks Remembrance and Reconciliation Day on May 8 The use of Soviet symbols, like St. George ribbons, is now restricted in ceremonies honoring the memory of those who perished in World War II. Instead, the official symbol of the celebration of the victory over Nazism in World War II, just as on the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, is a red poppy common around the world on remembrance days of WWII. Ukraine used its own styling, developed by Kharkiv designer Serhiy Mishakin. The slogan of both days is "1939-1945. We Honor. We Prevail." On May 9 and May 8, which is the Day of Remembrances and Reconciliation, Ukrainians lay flowers to the Monument to Eternal Glory and commemorate heroes of the Second World War. The younger generation communicates with war veterans. The Russian-led forces mounted 57 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas in the past day. Five Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in action in the past day, one of them is in a critical condition. "As a result of enemy shelling on May 8, three soldiers were wounded in action, two more sustained combat-related injuries. They were rushed to hospital. One of them is in a critical condition. Two more members of the Joint Forces are in a moderately grave condition, and the condition of the remaining two is satisfactory," Ukrainian Defense Ministry press secretary Maksym Prauta said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday, May 9, according to an UNIAN correspondent. Read alsoMore than 3,330 Ukrainian soldiers die amid Donbas war Poltorak In total, the Russian-led forces in occupied Donbas mounted 57 attacks on Ukrainian positions in the past day. The Russian occupation forces continue to deliberately violate the ceasefire along the contact line and use artillery systems and mortars to shell the Ukrainian Joint Forces' defensive positions. "In total, there were 57 enemy targeted attacks in the past day. In particular, the occupation forces lobbed over 200 shells of 120mm and 82mm mortars and fired about a hundred 122mm artillery rounds at our defenders," he said. Prauta also noted that the Ukrainian military had actively defended themselves, using weapons that are not prohibited by the Minsk Agreements, and fired back 30 times. The structure for Europe's second service module for NASA's Orion spacecraft arrived at the Airbus clean room in Bremen, Germany, last week. Technicians can now start working on installing over 12 km of cables, fuel, water and air tanks, computers, engines and everything else that is needed to support astronauts further from Earth than any human being has been before. Engineers at Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, packed the "chassis" for its transport earlier this month. This is the real thing - its trip from Turin to Bremen is the start of a voyage that will see the Orion spacecraft launched beyond the Moon before completing a lunar flyby and returning to Earth. The European Service Module is a crucial element of Orion, providing support to the crew module that will house up to four astronauts. The crew will travel over one million kilometres in total. The module provides structural rigidity to the Orion spacecraft much like the chassis of a car. It absorbs the vibrations and energy from launch and protects them from micrometeoroids and space debris. Connecting the crew module to the launcher it also absorbs the vibrations from NASA's Space Launch System rocket that has the equivalent thrust of 34 Jumbo Jets - holding everything together for the wild ride into space. Astronauts will fly Orion 70 000 km beyond the Moon before completing a lunar flyby and returning to Earth. The mission will take a minimum of eight days. The service module for the first mission - without astronauts - is nearing completion and set to ship to the USA this summer. The production schedule for the service module is going at full speed with Airbus technicians working in shifts 24 hours a day. "The arrival of the second flight model structure is an emotional moment for the people working on this unique spacecraft - from here on things get real and things start to take shape - we are sending people beyond the Moon," says Anthony Thirkettle, ESA's production manager for the service module. "It is an exciting adventure for European space industry to be part of this mission to the Moon in transatlantic cooperation," adds Bas Theelen, Orion programme manager at Airbus. The Orion spacecraft is built by NASA with ESA providing the service module. The arrangement stems from the international partnership for the International Space Station. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Ukraine is represented by Melovin, he will perform under number 18. The second semi-final of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon will take place on Thursday, May 10. A further 18 countries, including Ukraine, will take part to be among the top 10. Ukraine is represented by Melovin, he will perform under number 18. Read alsoBurning ladder, vampire coffin on stage: Ukraine's Melovin rehearses for Eurovision 2018 The first Eurovision 2018 semi-final was held on the evening of May 8. Ten countries out of 19 that made it through the first semi-final are Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Israel, and Lithuania. The fates of the semi-finalists were decided by a combination of votes from national juries and viewers. Lisbon will host the grand final on May 12. The "Big Five" countries the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France, and the host country, Portugal, are automatically in the final. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) held a national seminar here at its main campus to promote awareness among the people about the intellectual property rights. Islamabad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018) : Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) held a national seminar here at its main campus to promote awareness among the people about the intellectual property rights. The seminar was also aimed at keep its academia and students well-informed about the property rights and its impact on the society. The AIOU being the mega educational institution in the public sector fulfills its national duty to create awareness about the society's related issues and responsibilities of the people to this effect, said the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui while presiding over the seminar. During the seminar, trade-related aspects of the intellectual property rights were discussed. The seminar was arranged by the University's Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC). A senior official of Oxford Printing Press Malik Bilal Haider was the resource person who gave detailed presentation on the issue. He apprised the participants about the relevant laws, that govern the intellectual property rights. Pakistan is a member of the WTO and signatory to the Trade - Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. Therefore it is imperative for an individual and the nation as a whole to follow the agreement in a letter and spirit, the VC added. The seminar was the part of the University's regular activities to address the socio-economic problems of the society. It was also a step towards promoting innovation and creativity through academic and social activities. Earlier, Director ORIC Dr. Nagmana Rashid highlighted the objectives of the seminar and the activities of the University in projecting the issues of public importance through academic pursuits. (@rukhshanmir) By Yawar Abbas In light of recent researches health experts have started to take a closer look at the potential harmful effects of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, seeing as possible gateway to smoking, which were considered as a safe alternative to smoking. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) By Yawar Abbas In light of recent researches health experts have started to take a closer look at the potential harmful effects of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, seeing as possible gateway to smoking, which were considered as a safe alternative to smoking. Recent surveys have indicated that more minors and young adults were using e-cigarettes in Pakistan. This increasing use of nicotine products is becoming a cause of concern for public health experts as the trend of e-cigarette is gradually increasing in Pakistani youth in cities like Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi in middle and high school students and young adults between 18-24 years of age. According to a public health expert, Dr. Sobia Faisal,while the product was advertised as an alternative to quit smoking; actually it was often the first nicotine product tried among youth today, "The major concern is looking at the youth population. For the past two to three years, e-cigarette use has surpassed the use of traditional cigarettes among the youth," she said. "Owing to use of e-cigarettes, they are now picking up nicotine products." Another concern some health experts have about e-cigarettes is their potential for encouraging smoking among the youth. Dr. Sobia said the youth profile of those who used e-cigarettes show an opposite trend they were going from vaping to smoking cigarettes or cigars. "One main concern is that they have never used cigarettes, so e-cigarettes are bringing in more nicotine users among the youth population," she said and added, "The idea that it will help youth quit smoking is not true." Dr Wasim Khawaja, a public health expert at Pakistan Institute of Health Sciences (PIMS) said that it was observed that much of the youth population was using both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes. "There is increasing dual use of combustible tobacco and picking up e-cigarettes, and they don't quit combustible tobacco they use both simultaneously." Because of these concerns, mostly health professionals avoided to recommend e-cigarettes as a means of quitting smoking, Dr Khawaja said. "It is an emerging issue that needs public debate. There was a need to create awareness among parents and lawmakers on the use of the product and about its harms," Dr Khawaja said. National Coordinator, Coalition for Tobacco Control in Pakistan (CTC-Pakistan), a coalition of 270 NGOs working against tobacco use across the country, Khurram Hashmi said that the tobacco industry claimed that smokers were their actual audience but, they mainly targeted youth of this country. He said as there was no proper research or data about e-cigarettes, so the main focus should be on creating awareness among parents, youth and open market sellers of e-cigarette products in order to dispel the impression that the product was actually that of tobacco . He floated the suggestion that the quarters concerned should regulate the product under Drugs Act and allow it only under medical supervision just for purpose of quitting tobacco or as remedy for tobacco users who wanted to quit smoking. Hashmi warned that there should be check on youth as the use of this product increased their confidence of using regular cigarette in front of their parents. He advised, being drug intake device, e-cigarret should be only used under supervision of medical experts as the illiterate shopkeepers did not know the required quantity of nicotine and that they considered it as purely tobacco product. As documented through numerous medical studies, nicotine adversely affects the heart, reproductive system, lungs and kidney and is believed to contribute to lung and other cancers and diabetes. Nicotine was toxic and was used in insecticides until the practice was banned in many countries, Dr Sharif Astori, a medical practitioner at Federal Government Polyclinic (FGPC) said. He said while some people might use e-cigarettes to step down from the nicotine levels in traditional, combustable cigarettes, research has shown teens and even college students who were previously non-smokers were picking up related products and becoming addicted to nicotine. "E-cigarettes are marketed as a less harmful alternative for longtime cigarette smokers, he said and added, "but, what we are seeing its increased use among those who may never have smoked before, particularly our youth," Dr. Astori said. Nayyar Abbas, a father of young e-cigarette user said "I am familiar with the tactics of original cigarette industry which marketed e-cigarettes as cool products. This strategy is being used to sell this new product in a new device to the next generation." "All cigarette manufacturers that are now in the e-cigarette business say they are only marketing their product to existing smokers, but actually they are deceiving the parents and users, he added. He further said that they were creating an addiction that could last a lifetime with health risks that are known and unknown to existing youth and coming generations , He underlined the need to create awareness about the e-cigarettes among the parents and the youth .Moreover, he said ,youth needed to be educated about the product. He said there should be a friendly environment between the parents and the youth so that the parents could talk about e-cigarette use with their children. QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Wednesday in a raid arrested a banned outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangavi's commander Hafiz Muhammad Ismaili from his resident at Killi Shah Muhammad near Mian Ghundi in Quetta. This was stated by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) CTD Aitzaz Ahmed Goraya while addressing a press conference at his office. He said during the raid conducted on a tip of an intelligence agency, arms and ammunition including a Kalashnikov, a magazine, a hand grenade and 150 kilogram explosive materials were recovered from his possession. During initial investigation, the accused confirmed his involvement in terrorists' activities since 2014 along with another member of his organization named Najeeb Badeni, the DIG said. Aitzaz said Hafiz Muhammad confessed his involvement in various targeted killings. He termed the arrest of accused as a major success of CTD. He said further investigation was underway to arrest other members of his group. APP/arj The Senate's Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Wednesday forwarded 156 recommendations to the National Assembly for incorporating in the Finance Bill 2018-19 ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :The Senate's Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Wednesday forwarded 156 recommendations to the National Assembly for incorporating in the Finance Bill 2018-19. The chairman of the committee, Farooq H Naek, presented the recommendations in the Senate, which were adopted by the House unanimously. It was suggested that the Senate's suggestions should be sought at least three months before finalization of the budget for inclusion of their schemes in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). Allocation in the PSDP for the provinces should be placed before the Senate at least two months before the finalisation of the budget. The Senate body proposed to increase income tax rates of salaried class, who earn Rs 12,00,000 to Rs 24,00,000 per annum from 5 percent to 10 percent. The slab for Rs 24,00,000 to Rs 48,00,000 tax rates may be increased to 15 percent and for Rs 48,00,000 to 25 percent. The tariff on import of skimmed Milk Powder (SMP) should be increased from 45 percent to 50 percent. General Sales Tax exemptions imposed on the import of Fish babies / seedings should be decreased from 20 percent to 5 percent. The regulatory duty on fish fillet and frozen fish should be increased from 45 percent to 60 percent. The Senate proposed that the concessions on agriculture machinery announced in budget 2016-17 should be continued. Interest free loans should be given for the installation of Solar Tube-wells to farmers having 12 acre land. The membership of Chamber of Commerce and Industry should be made compulsory for all businessmen for better tax system. A Central business Data Record System should be established to facilitate businessmen. The house also suggested that tax software should be developed in urdu language, besides improving its software. Steps should be taken to introduce tax reforms for promotion of industry in less developed areas. Steps should also be taken to obtain Hilal food Certificates to encourage its exports. First 5,000 top tax payers should be accorded the status of VIP, besides awarding them in national events. The house recommended amendments in Petroleum Levy Ordinance 1961, Customs Act and Sales Tax Act 1990. (Tax) Commissioner may not be allowed to reopen cases prior to ten years. Mechanism should be evolved to bring non filers into tax net to increase government revenue. The Senate proposed to reduce import duty on Soyabin Oil from the present value or it should be retained at existing level. The proposed health levy of Rs 10 per Kg imposed on the sale of Tobacco Leaf should be withdrawn. Balochistan province should be exempted from sales tax on import of plant and machinery for setting up refinery, plants in under developed areas of the province. Minimum stipends for all interns should be fixed at Rs 20,000. To wave off the agriculture loans of Rs 2.75 billion granted to poor farmers of the country. Salary of National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) should be increased by Rs 16,000 per month. The purpose of NCHD should be defined clearly. Customs duty on cellular phones should be reduced. Regularity duty on CKD. SKD mobile kits should be rationalized. Federal Excise Duty on domestic airline tickets should be reduced from Rs 3600 to Rs 1800. Taxes and duties on hybrid and electric cars should be identical. The House also suggested to establish Vocational institutes under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Zhob, Quetta and Qila Saifullah. Rs 40 billion be allocated for FATA (PSDP No.1102) instead of Rs 24.5 billion. At least Rs 20 billion rupees should be allocated for converting agricultural tube- wells of Balochistan to solar energy, while funds should be allocated in the federal budget for mass transit projects in District Quetta. The Senate recommended the National Assembly that CPEC Institute, Gwadar, should be approved immediately and maximum funds should be allocated. The work on the Industrial Estate Gawadar with reference to its infrastructure and development may be completed on priority. Funds allocation of Rs 365 million for PSDP 2018-19 for refurbishment of Senate Hall (201.5 million), and construction of Chairman Senate Residence (145.5 million) may be allocated. The Senate of Pakistan recommended the National Assembly that relevant funds should be allocated in the present federal budget for lying of gas pipelines from Quetta to Khanozai, Muslim Bagh and Qilla Saifullah. The House was of the view that comprehensive planning should be done and funds should be allocated to start the work for exploration and evacuation of metallic minerals and coal in District Dakki, (Pashin, Qilla Saifullah, Zhob, Musakhel, Loralai, hernia, Qilla Abdullah) and Zhob Quetta Division in Balochistan province. It recommended that Rs 100 million be approved to improve the existing infrastructure of Sui Gas and electrical lines in District Haripur. Conversion of existing 10,000 electrically operated tube-wells in Balochistan to solar power by completing 25% work and in each years and the project should be completed in a period of four years on priority. The House recommended to allocate Rs 10 billion for renewal of electricity transmission lines in the province of Baluchistan, besides making allocation for establishing Grid Station in Balozai, Tehsil Khanozai, Maizaiada, Bostan, Marghakabzai, abdul Rehmanzai, Sapera Ragha Darghai, Narai Dag, district Loralai, Margha, Faqeerzai and district Balochistan. It also suggested that amounts should be allocated for the production of electricity under the CPEC in Balochistan districts including 200 MW from Khost gas power plant at Harnai;100 MW from each plant from all solar power plants at Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Zhob and Musakhel. Allocation be made for the construction and installation of Hydle Power at Chapri on Kurram River Kurram Agency for approximately 12-MW; A 132KV grid station be established in District Kohistan; The electricity supply system may be upgraded for Hattar Industrial Estate as it generates about Rs 70 billion in taxes. The Senate recommended allocation for the extension of Pat feeder Canal for utilization of Indus Water in Balochistan (Package - III) for barren land irrigation in Balochistan. At least Rs 1 billion should be allocated for construction of small dams in Balochistan. Besides, allocating Rs 20 billion for small and medium size dams in Balochistan. The House also suggested for establishment of 40 agriculture tube-wells to cultivate Haripur. It recommended that Rs 500 million should be allocated for construction of small dams in Districts Kalat and Mastung, Balochistan. While, Rs 200 million for the provision of clean drinking water in Districts Kalat and Mastung, Balochistan. The House recommended allocation for reconstruction and renovation of Quetta International Airport, and construction of Loralai and Chaman airports. It suggested that Rs 1 billion should be allocated for giving scholarships to students from Gwadar. While, Rs 5 billion for post-graduate programs (Indigenous and Overseas) for the students of Balochistan. It recommendation Rs 800 million allocation to develop a Centre of Excellence for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Peshawar. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Tobacco chewing or public consumption of smokeless tobacco products is frequently identified as the leading cause of mouth, head and neck cancer in the country yet is neither taxed nor regulated. KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :Tobacco chewing or public consumption of smokeless tobacco products is frequently identified as the leading cause of mouth, head and neck cancer in the country yet is neither taxed nor regulated. Prof.Javaid Khan, a leading pulmonologist and researcher associated with Aga Khan University talking to APP Wednesday said despite being a serious public health hazard public consumption of smokeless tobacco products as paan (betel leaf), niswaar (powdered tobacco snuff) and gutka (a mix of tobacco and areca nut) are rarely countered. "They also do not carry any health warnings on packaging consequently large majority of the consumers as well as general public fail to realize the life-threatening implications of these addictive products," he said. The senior healthcare provider regretted that even the policy makers appear to be largely indifferent towards the issue resulting in steady surge in the incidence rates of tobacco related ailments in the country. Acknowledging the fact that tobacco smoking remains a serious health threat for both the active as well as passive smokers, Dr. Khan said tobacco chewing can not in any manner be considered harmless to the public health. In the given situation, he said AKU with the support of National Institute for Health Research, United Kingdom and in collaboration with Khyber Medical University, Peshawar along with Maulana Azad Medical College of India and the University of Dhaka plans to initiate a comprehensive study aimed at understanding and addressing the public health risks posed by smokeless tobacco products. "This must not be of any surprise for any one that 85 per cent of the world's 300 million users of chewing tobacco live in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh." said the researcher. Emphasizing the fact that the use of smokeless tobacco products is a major contributory factor towards oral cancer, he said as per latest research it can now also be linked to cardiovascular diseases. Oral cancer, he reminded was the second most common form of cancer in the country while cardiovascular diseases were the leading cause of death around the world. The research with the title "Addressing Smokeless Tobacco and Building Research Capacity in South Asia", (ASTRA), is expected to come forward with qualitative studies ascertaining personal and socio-economic reasons that drive smokeless tobacco use. The exercise led by Dr Kamran Siddiqui at the University of York was said to be equally focused on development of cost-effective interventions that work best for each country's policy environment. "We first want to establish a baseline scenario of the drivers of smokeless tobacco consumption, especially among the youth," said Prof. Javaid Khan mentioning that this would not only cover the motivations of consumers but also explore the lobbies and business interests that are preventing legislation. Insights from this phase of the study, ascertaining whether economic incentives, behavioral change measures, or the use of medicine-based therapies, can help users quit smokeless tobacco products, were said to lead to the development of cessation interventions. It will be followed by research into the policy environment and the development of cost-effective proposals that can be implemented by governments, said Dr Romaina Iqbal, co-investigator of the study and an associate professor at AKU. A comprehensive picture of the scale of the problem will be developed prior to formulation of feasible and cost-effective policy proposals, she said mentioning that this may also help build the capacity of researchers in the crucial area of public health. (@rukhshanmir) United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) under its ongoing GEF funded project titled "Sustainable Energy Initiative for Industries in Pakistan" successfully conducted a round of two back to back training sessions on Energy Management Systems Implementation and Training of Trainers for energy auditors and energy managers. ISLAMABAD, May 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) under its ongoing GEF funded project titled "Sustainable Energy Initiative for Industries in Pakistan" successfully conducted a round of two back to back training sessions on Energy Management Systems Implementation and Training of Trainers for energy auditors and energy managers. These trainings were specially designed and conducted by an international expert from Denmark to produce a critical mass of competent professionals on the implementation of energy management systems (EnMS) in industry, said a press release. During the trainings, participants learned about the fundamentals of EnMS, Energy Performance Indicators and Measurement & Verification as well as other advance techniques. The training included interactive sessions where participants presented case studies on the implementation of EnMS. Moreover, the Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions aimed at building the knowledge and skills of current and potential trainers to sustain the knowledge at the local level and support the dissemination efforts. The trainings were attended by around hundred professionals including a sizeable number of women. The participants were top managers from various industrial sectors, energy efficiency consultants and representatives from public and private sector organizations. Speaking as Chief Guest during the opening session of Energy Management System implementation training, Tariq Malik, Chairman of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) highlighted that in order to compete with the international market, it is vital for the local industries to reduce their energy costs through implementing energy efficiency, conservation measures and adopting renewables which will maximize the profitability and will reduce the CO2 emissions. As such, he applauded UNIDO for its efforts in enhancing local industrial human resources through specialized trainings. Masroor Ahmad Khan, National Project Coordinator for the Sustainable Energy Initiative for Industries in Pakistan, on behalf of UNIDO Country Representative, Ms. Nadia Aftab, welcomed the participants and highlighted UNIDO's contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG9) under the policy of Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID). Moreover, he thanked the active collaboration and support of key partners like NEECA, AEDB, SMEDA and NPO while recognizing the generous contribution made by Ministry of Climate Change, through its Climate Finance Unit. One of the training participants, Atif Khan an energy consultant mentioned that the intensive course on Training of Trainers on Energy Management supported the participants in becoming effective trainers by learning new skills and knowledge on technical subjects. Other participants also appreciated UNIDO's efforts in promoting EnMS and emphasized that these trainings will greatly help them to start implementing measures to improve the energy systems in their respective organizations. After the successful completion of the trainings, participants were granted participation certificates. At least one million people have entered Colombia from Venezuela since President Nicolas Maduro's government descended into crisis last year, a senior Red Cross official told AFP Wednesday Geneva,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :At least one million people have entered Colombia from Venezuela since President Nicolas Maduro's government descended into crisis last year, a senior Red Cross official told AFP Wednesday. The health director at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Emanuele Capobianco, said that not all have stayed in Colombia as displaced people, with some moving on to other countries in the region. "To date we know that approximately one million people have entered Colombia through official migration points, and we don't know how many have entered Colombia through unofficial migration points," he said in a phone interview in Geneva, specifying that this movement had occurred "since mid-2017." With the economic crisis in Venezuela intensifying, an estimated 37,000 people were now moving across the Colombian border each day, he added. On a recent trip to the region, Capobianco said he witnessed "a constant stream of people," leaving Venezuela, some with their belongings strapped to the backs. While the group is diverse, with some only looking to work in Colombia for a short period before returning home, most are on the move because they cannot meet their basic needs in Venezuela, Capobianco explained. He described the situation as a "humanitarian crisis that needs to be better assessed," including from a public health standpoint amid rising cases of malaria, diphtheria and other serious ailments affecting those migrating. Maduro's alleged crackdown on opposition and bid to consolidate control of the country has triggered a tough global response, notably from the United States which has levied tough sanctions. The South American country is in partial default on its debt and suffers severe shortages of food and medicines despite sitting atop the planet's biggest proven oil reserves. Caracas has been printing money as foreign reserves dwindle, and the national Currency, the bolivar, has become nearly worthless. Thailand's popular beach destination Phuket and China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding that will boost trade and tourism cooperation BANGKOK,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :Thailand's popular beach destination Phuket and China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding that will boost trade and tourism cooperation. The signing was witnessed by Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Chief Executive of the Macao SAR Chui Sai On. Chui is on a three-day visit to Thailand. Chui said Macao aims to expand cooperation with Thailand in education, traditional Chinese medical science and markets of Portuguese-speaking countries under the Belt and Road Initiative. He said Thailand is one of Macao's key partners in southeast Asia in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Don said the two sides have discussed exploring potential cooperation in areas of economy, tourism, medical science and innovative cultural industry, adding that Thailand hopes to drum up investments from Macao to its Eastern Economic Corridor. Macao recorded 198,222 Thai visitor arrivals last year, a year-on-year decline of 16.1 percent, 54.2 percent of them same-day visitors, according to the Statistics and Census Bureau. The Macao SAR government will host the 2018 Traditional Medicine International Development Forum and the Economic and Financial Promotion Forum in Bangkok on Thursday. (@rukhshanmir) Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos installed a truth commission on Tuesday to shed light on crimes committed during the country's lengthy civil war, as agreed upon in a peace deal with the FARC guerrillas. Bogota, May 8 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos installed a truth commission on Tuesday to shed light on crimes committed during the country's lengthy civil war, as agreed upon in a peace deal with the FARC guerrillas. The commission will "help heal the wounds accumulated during more than 50 years of conflict," Santos said during a ceremony at the presidential offices. Even though the full truth of what happened during the internal war "will never be known," the commission will seek to clarify "all the lies that are produced by 53 years of war," he added. The truth commission has 11 members -- six women and five men -- who were elected by representatives of the United Nations, the European Court of Human Rights, and members of the Colombian judicial system and the country's government-run universities. The members include sociologists, journalists, doctors, economists, attorneys and clerics. The commission is headed by a Jesuit priest, Francisco de Roux, known for his human rights work. The task will be to "recognize victims from all sides, dignify victims as citizens and recognize collective, institutional responsibilities and the responsibilities of society as a whole through actions and omissions," he said. The Santos administration agreed to form the truth commission as part of the historic peace deal reached in 2016 with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas. The rebels agreed to surrender their weapons and become a political party of the same name. The commission, which has no power to judge, has a three-year term starting in November. Every six months, it will issue a progress report, as well as a final report when their time is up. "The victims often do not want reparations, what they want is the truth," said Santos, who is due to step down in August after eight years in office. Colombia's five-decade conflict drew in leftist guerrillas, paramilitary groups and state forces in what became a many-sided war fueled by drug trafficking, leaving about 260,000 people dead and seven million displaced. Afonso Dhlakama lived in a secret location and led armed fighters against the Mozambique government -- but on Wednesday he was given an official memorial service and praised by the president Beira, Mozambique, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :Afonso Dhlakama lived in a secret location and led armed fighters against the Mozambique government -- but on Wednesday he was given an official memorial service and praised by the president. He died of a suspected heart attack last week among his Renamo troops in his Gorongosa bush hideout, marking the end of his decades of opposition to the Frelimo-led government. Having transformed himself from a guerrilla fighter into an opposition politician, he had been pursuing peace talks with President Filipe Nyusi. But he always kept his rebel forces on hand and retained his warrior image. "Believe me... I am not going to die from Frelimo bullets, they will never kill me. I will die of malaria or illness, on a day that God will choose," Dhlakama once told a reporter. His group -- Renamo -- evolved alongside him from militant rebels fighting in a bloody civil war to an opposition party with lawmakers in parliament while also maintaining guerillas. "He has been the identity for Renamo for almost 40 years. Dhlakama is Renamo and Renamo is Dhlakama," Johanna Nilsson, a Swedish academic specialising in Renamo, told AFP. "Renamo has lost a figure who had the ability to rally the votes. It will put a lot of pressure on Renamo to now try to convince people from a political point of view rather than a personal point of view. "His death is iconic in itself. I think that regardless if you are Frelimo or Renamo, he had that kind of status." - Notorious war atrocities - The son of a traditional chief, Dhlakama was born on New Year's Day 1953 in the small Magunde village of the central province of Sofala. He served in the Portuguese colonial army from 1971 to 1973 before joining Frelimo in 1974 to fight Portuguese rule that ended the following year. After rising through the ranks, in 1977 he abandoned Frelimo and joined, along with other rebels, a rival outfit called Renamo (Mozambican National Resistance). Renamo, backed by apartheid South Africa, launched a bitter war against Frelimo and its Marxist-Leninist ideals and fought for control of its strongholds in the north and centre of the country. He took over Renamo aged 26 in 1979 following the death of the movement's leader Andre Matsangaissa, who was killed in battle. Dhlakama led the guerrilla movement until the signing of a peace agreement in Rome in 1992 ended a 16-year war that devastated the economy and left one million dead. During the conflict, he gained notoriety over atrocities committed by his troops and his use of child soldiers. Dhlakama then transformed Renamo into a political party and it took part in Mozambique's first multi-party democratic elections in October 1994. He later retreated to his wartime bush camp in central Mozambique's Gorongosa mountains, claiming the government had reneged on the 1992 peace agreement. After waging a low-level insurgency between 2013 and 2016, he recently opened peace talks with the government. He leaves a disoriented party and deep uncertainty about the future of the peace process. President Nyusi hailed him on Wednesday as a man who was working "in search of lasting peace." Dhlakama will be buried on Thursday in his home village. French President Emmanuel Macron and Iran's Hassan Rouhani agreed on Wednesday during a phone call to work toward "the continued implementation of the nuclear deal" despite the US decision to withdraw from the agreement, the French presidency said Paris,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :French President Emmanuel Macron and Iran's Hassan Rouhani agreed on Wednesday during a phone call to work toward "the continued implementation of the nuclear deal" despite the US decision to withdraw from the agreement, the French presidency said. "The French and Iranian presidents agreed to pursue their joint efforts with all nations involved, with the aim of continued implementation of the nuclear deal and maintaining regional stability," Macron's office said in a statement. US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he was pulling out of the landmark 2015 nuclear accord, calling it "defective at its core". It was a stark diplomatic defeat for France, Germany and Britain, which had lobbied hard for Trump to stand by a deal whose terms they say Tehran has largely respected. But during their call, Macron told Rouhani that France would also seek an expanded accord in a "mutually beneficial framework" covering Iran's ballistic missile development, its involvement in several crises roiling the middle East, and the prospects for its nuclear programme once the 2015 accord expires in 2025. Macron's office said France and Iran's foreign ministers would meet "without delay" for talks. Rouhani had previously warned that Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit", though he said he would discuss Iran's response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic programme was for civilian purposes. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Phnom Penh, May 8 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th May, 2018 ) :Seven more journalists resigned from Cambodia's embattled Phnom Penh Post on Tuesday as foreign staff revolt against new ownership accused of crushing the newspaper's independence. Concern over the fate of the English-language daily has been mounting since it was sold on Saturday to a Malaysian investor whose PR firm once worked for Cambodia's authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Hun Sen's government has taken a hammer to the fragile democracy's once-vibrant media scene over the past year, leaving the Post as one of few remaining watchdogs in the graft-riddled country. The paper's main rival, the Cambodia Daily, and dozens of radio stations were shuttered last year as part of a wider crackdown on critics ahead of 2018 polls that Hun Sen is determined to win. Now many fear the Post's independence will be compromised under a new owner, Sivakumar Ganapathy, who is the CEO of a public relations firm that lists Hun Sen as a former client. On Monday the paper's Cambodian editor-in-chief and at least four other staff were fired or quit after they were ordered to take down an article detailing the new proprietor's business history with Cambodia's government. Seven more foreign staff handed in their resignations on Tuesday, gutting the news desk of a small but feisty paper founded in 1992. "We got to a point with our new editor-in-chief, to me at least, where it seemed like there was an irreconcilable difference when it came to editorial independence," said Erin Handley, one of the reporters to resign on Tuesday. The Post could not immediately be reached for comment. On Sunday Ganapathy released an irate statement listing his objections with the article his representative had demanded reporters remove. He said it was "untrue" to describe his company, Asia PR, as linked to the Cambodian government. This "cannot be concluded based on what happened between the firm and the client more than 25 years ago," the statement said. Asia PR's website lists "Cambodia and Hun Sen's entry into the government seat" as one of its former projects. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi on Wednesday said he was ready to continue fragile peace talks with the successor to former rebel supremo and opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama Beira, Mozambique, May 9 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) :Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi on Wednesday said he was ready to continue fragile peace talks with the successor to former rebel supremo and opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama. "I will continue the walk we started together for peace. I'm available to do this," Nyusi told thousands of mourners at a memorial service in honour of Dhlakama, who died last week. (@ChaudhryMAli88) With an estimated 7,000 migrants entering Yemen each month, most of them seeking to reach Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, the United Nations migration agency has called for greater efforts to protect them from smugglers and other criminals. UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2018 ) ::With an estimated 7,000 migrants entering Yemen each month, most of them seeking to reach Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, the United Nations migration agency has called for greater efforts to protect them from smugglers and other criminals. "I met teenagers in utter distress from what they had experienced already in their young lives," said Mohammed Abdiker, Director of Operations and Emergencies at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), following a visit to Yemen this past week. "They are just a commodity to smugglers," he added, "something to make quick and easy money from and, if they die, the smugglers do not care as there are thousands of other people willing to pay for their services and risk their lives to simply build their parents a house, put their brother through school, or for any opportunity at all." The total number of migrants currently in Yemen is unknown, but nearly 100,000 arrived in 2017. Migrants often leave their homes on foot and walk through Djibouti. From there, they take boats across the Gulf of Aden to the Aden, Lahj, Shabwah, and Hadramout Governorates in Yemen and then attempt to head north to the border with Saudi Arabia. Some also end up in detention centres. Some take irregular work in Yemen to make money to fund the rest of their journey while others get caught up in the on-going conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels, sustaining injuries - or dying in crossfire. At various stages of their journey, these migrants face the risk of being exploited by ruthless smugglers and other criminals, including enduring physical abuse; torture for ransom; arbitrary detention for long periods of time; or grueling forced labour, without wages. Last August, scores of Ethiopian and Somali teenagers dreaming of a better life were forced into the sea by smugglers off the coast of Yemen and drowned. Abdiker believes without prosecuting those criminals, any humanitarian assistance would be just "a Band Aid." In 2017, IOM helped some 2,900 migrants and refugees return home from Yemen: 73 per cent of them were Somalis, 25 per cent Ethiopians, and 2 per cent other nationalities. This year so far, IOM has helped 197 Ethiopians - together with 939 Somali migrants and refugees - return home voluntarily. "Yemen is experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world; it is obviously not a safe route for migrants, nor is it safe for Yemenis themselves in many areas," Abdiker said. He said that more and more Yemenis who have fled, are returning from Saudi Arabia due to tightening regulations there. Both migrants coming to Yemen, and Yemenis returning home, are in desperate need of greater support from the international community, and "neither group should feel forced to transit through or return to a conflict zone," he added. Pope Francis addressing pilgrims at the General Audience on May 9, 2018. (AFP or licensors) Addressing pilgrims in St Peters Square for the weekly Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis made an appeal for peace in Syria, as the situation gets more complex in the Middle East. By Robin Gomes Pope Francis has urged for prayers for peace in Syria and in the world. His call came during his weekly general audience of Wednesday, where he greeted Arab-speaking pilgrims. I invite you to cultivate the devotion to the Mother of God with the daily recitation of the Rosary, praying in a special way for peace in Syria and in the entire world, the Pope said in Italian. The situation in Syria is growing more complex and difficult with new developments. Repeated airstrikes attributed to Israel have killed Iranian fighters and prompted threats of reprisal from Tehran. Syrian state-run media has claimed that Israel struck a military outpost near the capital, Damascus, on Tuesday. The Observatory for Human Rights group based in the UK said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing nine people. Also on Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, a move that has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Moscow on Wednesday to discuss military coordination with President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Russia also considers Iran a strategic ally. High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and the Iranian Foreign Minister (ANSA) European nations who were involved in the nuclear agreement with Iran have expressed dismay over President Donald Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the landmark deal. The statements come amid concerns that the move could undermine global efforts to stop the spread of atomic weapons, though Israel has welcomed the U.S. decision. By Stefan J. Bos French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and British Prime Minister Theresa May expressed in a joint statement that "it is with regret and concern" that they noted US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran. But they pledged to remain committed to the agreement as it "remains important for our shared security." The three leaders urged Washington to "avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal." That seemed a reference to Trump's plans to introduce new sanctions against Iran. The European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini echoed those concerns. "The nuclear deal with Iran is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy. It belongs to the entire international community," she told reporters. "It has been working, and it is delivering on its goal, which is guaranteeing that Iran doesnt develop nuclear weapons. The European Union is determined to preserve it," the top diplomat added. Russia disappointed In New York, Russia's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, expressed Russia's disappointment at the U.S. announcement. He warned that the move might heighten tensions in the Middle East. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the U.S. president's decision as "a historic move." He said the agreement with Iran would never remove the danger of Tehran developing atomic weapons. Israel's intelligence allegedly showing that Iran had lied about its nuclear program was cited by Trump as one reason to pull out. On Friday night (Sept. 22, 2017), international superstars and Multi-platinum female group, Little Mix, made a special appearance at Las Vegas sizzling new production, Magic Mike Live at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. In town for a performance at the iHeartRadio Music Festival, Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Ann Pinnock enjoyed the sultry performance from a VIP seating area, joining a packed audience as they danced and cheered. After the show, the pop superstars met with some of the Magic Mike Live performers during an exclusive meet-and-greet. Club Tattoo, the worlds leader in high-end tattoo and body piercing with six locations across Arizona and Las Vegas, will be offering $50 small Las Vegas-themed tattoos from Thursday, Oct. 5 until Monday, Oct. 9. All proceeds from the tattoos will be donated to the Las Vegas Victims Fund. The GoFundMe account, set up by Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak, will provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the tragic Las Vegas mass shooting, including funeral costs and long-term medical care. Its always important to give back, no matter the circumstance, said Sean Dowdell, Las Vegas resident and owner and founder of Club Tattoo. The recent events hit us hard at home between our staff and clients, and we want to make sure that we recognize that these events affect everyone differently. This is our way of coming together in a positive way to help others. Club Tattoo will accept walk-ins or appointments. The offer is valid at all four Arizona locations in Tempe, Mesa and Scottsdale, as well as the Las Vegas studios inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood and The LINQ Hotel & Casino. Some small, Las Vegas-themed tattoo examples can be found here or on any of Club Tattoos social media channels. Appointments can be booked by calling (702) 363-2582 (Miracle Mile Shops location) or (702) 364-2582 (The LINQ). *For those interested in donating blood, Club Tattoo is a state-regulated studio that uses sterile needles, meaning you will still meet eligibility requirements. New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) season began Tuesday, May 8 with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $171,900 Joe Goldstein Trot for three-year-old fillies. A total of four divisions with seven-horse fieldsat $42,975 eachcomprised the event. The opening event saw odds-on Plunge Blue Chip rebound from her last Yonkers' outing, losing the NYSS Final, by making short work of the other six lasses. From post-position three, the frosh track record-holder had nary an anxious moment, setting a tempo of :29.4, :59.4 and 1:29.1 before winning in 1:57.3 in her seasonal purse debut. Tribute to Seven came first-up into second, beaten a couple of lengths. White Cheetah, as the 84-1 rank outsider, was third. For Plunge Blue Chip, a daughter of Muscles Yankee co-owned (with Blue Chip Bloodstock and Tomas Andersson) and trained by driver Ake Svanstedt, shes now 10-for-11 in her career, earnings in excess of $425,000. She paid $2.40 to win. She was really good and it was an easy race for her, Svanstedt said. The second division saw Svanstedt double up when Fury Road finished what she started, leading through fractions of :30.2, 1:01.3 and 1:30.4 before advancing to a 1:59.3 victory. From, post four, her job was made much easier when the other leaversRed Reign and stateside-debuting 2-5 favourite Alloveragainboth lost stride into the first turn. The former did get back in it and challenged until the three-quarters before backing away. Fury Road whipped pocket-sitting Logetta Hanover by a length-and-a-half, with Lima Novelty and Perfect Summer K third and fourth, respectively. For second choice Fury Road, a Muscle Mass miss owned by Knutsson Trotting and trained by Svanstedt, she now has four wins and four seconds in 10 career starts. She paid $7.70 to win. The evenings third statebred sojourn saw border-crossing peoples choice Jordan Blue Chip easily win her NYSS split and American debut. Away third from post four, she went up and over early leader Somedew Somedont, who led through splits of :29.2 and 1:00.2, before the 1:29.3 three-quarters en route to a life-best 1:58.1 effort. Jordan Blue Chip widened to three-and-three-quarter lengths at the wire. Somedew Somedont finished second, with Ciao Dolce third. For Jordan Blue Chip, a Chapter Seven filly owned by Dreamville Stable and trained by Paula Wellwood, it was her first win in a pair of seasonal starts. Driven by Scott Zeron, she paid $2.50 to win. She was great, especially for her first time over a half-[mile track], Zeron said. I didnt even have to pull the plugs. Svanstedt had himself a hat trick in the final NYSS event with 11-10 fave Lucky Ava. Lucky Ava, last seen here upsetting at 21-1 the $225,000 NYSS Final a season ago, left from the rail to a handy, down-the-road work night, setting splits of :29.2, :59.4 and 1:28.3 before winning in a lifetime-best 1:58. The final margin was a length and a half. Dew to Win, at 46-1, snapped Mooshka Stride for second, with Caviart Cady rounding out the gimmick finishers. For Lucky Ava, a season-bowing daughter of Lucky Chucky, co-owned by trainer Svanstedt, Little E LLC and Van Camp Trotting, it was her sixth win in 11 career starts. She paid $4.30 to win. SLS Las Vegas acclaimed restaurants, Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres, Katsuya and Cleo, will join Three Squares 12th annual Las Vegas Restaurant Week to aid in the fight to end hunger in Southern Nevada from Monday, June 18 through Friday, June 29 (Pictured: SLS Bazaar Meat Lamb Rack Photo credit: Anthony Mair). Each restaurant will offer a prix-fixe menu featuring signature dishes with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Three Square. Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres will offer an eight-course menu including cotton candy foie gras; littleneck clams and Rueben air bread; albondigas Spanish meatballs in a saffron-almond sauce, josper-roasted padron peppers with lemon and La Maja olive oil; and Catalan-style paamb tomaquet with pan de cristal bread and fresh tomato for appetizers; a choice of Magneson organic Hereford ribeye or Merino lamb rack served with buttered potato puree and Brussels sprouts for the entree; and an assortment of cream puffs, tarts and little cakes for dessert. The menu is priced at $80.18 per person, with wine pairings available for an additional $25 per person. Katsuya will offer a four-course dinner with a choice of crispy rice with spicy tuna, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno or spicy albacore sashimi with crispy onions for the first course; crispy chicken salad, creamy rock shrimp or crispy Brussels sprouts for the second course; seafood yakisoba, mushroom bop or omakase sushi for the third course; and assorted mochi ice cream and seasonal fruit for dessert. The menu is priced at $50.18 per person. Cleo will offer a five-course dining experience, with a choice between hummus with tahini or lebneh with feta, served alongside warm laffa bread for the first course; Greek salad, beets salad, or quinoa and roasted vegetable for the second course; spicy cigars, falafel or Brussels sprouts for the third course; grilled hanger steak, chicken tagine or garlic shrimp for the fourth course; and sticky toffee pudding with vanilla gelato or flourless chocolate cake with vanilla gelato for dessert. The menu is priced at $40.18 per person. Stand out star of NBCs Americas Got Talent and Penn & Tellers Fool Us Piff the Magic Dragon will unveil his own likeness as a shrunken head, created exclusively for The Golden Tikis cabinet of curiosities by Smithsonian artist Terry Barr. The head was sculpted over the course of four weeks, referencing photos of Piff to ensure physical accuracies. Managing Partner Branden Powers will be on hand to present the honor. U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement is not expected to derail diplomatic momentum to reach a deal to end North Koreas nuclear weapons program, but it could complicate the negotiation process, analysts say. Trump on Tuesday announced that the United States is ending its participation in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program, and would re-impose U.S. economic sanctions on Iran. The agreement was negotiated by the administration of Trumps predecessor, President Barack Obama, and involved five other world powers; Great Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia. Trumps National Security Adviser John Bolton said the U.S. decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran will set a higher standard for North Korea nuclear talks by sending, a very clear signal that the United States will not accept inadequate deals. US-North Korea summit The U.S. policy reversal on Iran should not seriously impede diplomatic progress underway with North Korea, said Victor Cha, a noted Korea scholar with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. In terms of how the North Koreans would take it, I dont think theyd take it one way or the other. I dont think theyd see it as negative or positive because they think theyre different from anybody else anyway. They think theyre a very special case, Cha said at a CSIS conference this week. While the Iran deal limited that countrys efforts to develop a nuclear bomb, North Korea already possesses 20 to 60 nuclear warheads, according assessments by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency, and between 40 to 100 nuclear development facilities, according a report from the RAND Corporation security research organization. But apprehension over whether future U.S. presidents would uphold a nuclear deal reached by Trump could reinforce the North Korean demand for early concessions. John Delury, a North Korea analyst with Yonsei University in Seoul, said on Twitter, I dont think this is insurmountable but it adds yet another layer of difficulty. In some ways Pyongyang may be reassured that a deal reached with the Trump administration would likely be supported by the next administration to follow. If there is a new deal made with the Trump administration, theres a higher confidence that thats going to be kept because they cant imagine possibly any more hard-line administrations afterward, said Sue Mi Terry, a former Korea analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency and currently a CSIS fellow. Asia reaction Some financial analysts expect Irans exports of oil to Asia and Europe will almost certainly decline later this year, but that China and India, the two major Asian importers of Iranian crude, will oppose the sanctions. South Koreas energy ministry issued a statement Wednesday saying it would seek an exemption to U.S. sanctions that might ban Iranian crude imports. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said Wednesday that his country supported the Iran agreement, which he said helps to strengthen international non-proliferation and the stability in the Middle East. He added that Japan would carefully analyze the impact of the U.S. decision to withdraw. Leaders from Japan, South Korea and China did not publicly address the U.S. reversal on the Iran nuclear deal when they met Wednesday for a trilateral security summit in Tokyo. Instead, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean President Moon-Jae-in and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang reiterated their support for continued diplomatic progress to end the North Korean nuclear threat. We should pursue all efforts towards the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of the Norths weapons of mass destruction and missiles, in accordance with the U.N. resolutions, said Prime Minster Abe, who supports the Trump administrations position that a nuclear deal with North Korea also limits its ballistic missile and biological weapons programs, and it must first implement the complete dismantlement of its weapons programs before sanctions are reduced. North Korea has argued for a more incremental process that would provide immediate concessions for each denuclearization measure undertaken. It is not clear how the two sides can bridge the gap between their positions. The Trump administrations maximum pressure campaign that led international efforts to impose tough sanctions banning 90 percent of North Korean trade, is believed to be a key reason for North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns decision this year to suspend further nuclear and missile tests, and agree to engage in denuclearization talks. President Moon, who recently held a historic summit with Kim on the South Korean side of the demilitarized zone border area, said the inter-Korean accord they reached, built the foundation toward the settlement of a permanent peace, and helped create the conditions for Trump and Kim to reach an agreement to end the Norths nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief and security guarantees, when they hold their expected meeting in May or June. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday to work out arrangements and conditions for the Trump-Kim summit, including the exact date and location for the meeting. There is also speculation that three American prisoners being held in North Korea will be released during Pompeos visit as a goodwill gesture to facilitate further diplomatic progress. Lee Yoon-jee contributed to this report. David P. Chandler has written six books on the history of Cambodia, along with numerous academic articles. His first book, A History of Cambodia, has been translated into multiple languages, including French, Khmer and Thai. At the Association of Asian Studies 2018 annual conference two months ago in Washington DC, Chandlers scholarly work on Cambodias history was recognized with the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Asian Studies. It is the U.S.-based associations highest honor. Chandler is an emeritus professor at Monash University. He served as a U.S. Foreign Service officer in Cambodia from 1960-62. The 85-year-old scholar sat down with VOA Khmers Chetra Chap on the sidelines of the conference to discuss Cambodias relationship with China, authoritarianism in Southeast Asia, and his career as a historian. Human rights groups and former opposition officials have expressed concerns over the impact of the recent sale of the Phnom Penh Post newspaper to a Malaysian investor with historical ties to Prime Minister Hun Sen. On Monday it was revealed that the Post, the last independent English-language daily newspaper in Cambodia, had been sold to Malaysian public relations tsar Sivakumar S. Ganapathy. The sale and subsequent editorial interference from the new management prompted several senior Post staffers to resign, while Ganapathy ordered the editor-in-chief, Kay Kimsong, be fired for allowing the publication of an article detailing the new owners links to Hun Sen and his role as a covert public relations specialist who claimed to have helped Hun Sen into office. Opposing the dismissal of Kimsong, Post reporters protested at the newspapers offices on Monday. Am Sam Ath, head of the technical investigation unit at local rights group Licadho, said he regretted the turn of events because Post journalists had worked with professionalism and a code of ethics. We regret their dismissal and resignations. Its vital for the people because they wrote independent news, he said. Moeun Tola, executive director of the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL), said he thought the treatment of the staff by the new management was a worrying sign for the future of the publication. If we look at the recent measures, the firing of the editor-in-chief, its worrying because of the dismissal ... seems to send a message to the staff and all reporters at the Post to be cautious... they cant do something professionally. Its worrying, he said. The Cambodia Daily, another independent newspaper, was forced to close down after the government handed it an unpayable $6.3 million tax bill. The Post also received a large tax bill, for $3.9 million, shortly before the sale of the paper to Ganapathy. In a statement on the sale, former owner Bill Clough, an Australian mining businessman, said the tax bill had been settled with the government. Son Chhay, a former MP with the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, said that the closure of the Post and Daily, coupled with the shuttering of numerous radio stations that broadcast critical coverage of the Hun Sen regime, had stifled debate ahead of the July general election. If the Phnom Penh Post, which we always thought of as a newspaper offering publication without fear of favor, was sold to serve political interests, I think its a big regret and it will cause criticism of the media landscape in Cambodia, he said. Speaking to colleagues after his dismissal on Monday, Kimsong said: If you love me, okay, maintain your professionalism. Be independent. Dont be biased. Thats all this is about. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the Cambodian authorities to end baseless convictions of former opposition officials and activists ahead of this years general election. The prominent US-based rights group said in a statement on Monday that the authorities should throw out the cases against 11 members and supporters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, which was dissolved by a Supreme Court decision last year. The former opposition members are due to have their cases heard by the appeals court on Thursday and could face between seven and 20 years in prison if their convictions are not overturned. Brad Adams, Asia director of HRW, said in the statement that the 11 CNRP members were the subject of bogus cases after the CNRP won a large minority in the 2013 general election. Prime Minister Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party apparently decided to lock up political opponents to stave off defeat at the ballot box, he added. Chin Malin, a justice spokesman, rejected the allegation. If they want to help, they should take action and be a part of the court procedure. That means studying Cambodian law clearly, offering legal documents, seeking lawyers for the prisoners, instead of just criticizing, he said. The prisoners have been held in jail since 2014 when they took part in a protest in July that called for the reopening of a square in the capital, Phnom Penh, that had become a focal point for opposition demonstrations against the governments deadly crackdown on the opposition and striking garment workers. The authorities had regularly employed uniformed para-police to violently disburse pro-opposition rallies after the election, which rights groups and election observers said was marked by numerous irregularities. Five CNRP members of parliament were arrested and 19 activists and human rights defenders were also detained and later released as part of a deal between the CNRP and ruling CPP that allowed the opposition to end a boycott of parliament. But the government did not drop the charges against those involved. Adams added: Although the government has banned the political opposition from the July elections, Cambodian authorities have persisted with political trials of people who stood up to Hun Sen and the ruling party, he added that This case is particularly twisted because the people charged not only didnt commit violence, but some actively tried to prevent it. The courts ruling, in this case, sends a broader message to the international community that the future of peaceful public dissent in Cambodia is at stake. Son Chhay, a former CNRP lawmaker, said there should be an independent investigation into the clash between security forces and protesters. I think violence did occur on both sides. Security guards violently hit the protesters many times so there should be an independent investigation to find the root cause. As we already know, we still question the credibility of the authorities investigation, he said. Trump pulls out of Iran nuclear deal with implications for North Korea. China upset with airline country designations. Feeding India's hungry. Fake vs. real Australian art. Detecting peanut allergies, a new space commander. An al-Qaida affiliate threatened attacks on Western companies' operations across North and West Africa on Tuesday, calling them "legitimate targets" and urging Muslims to boycott them. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has launched raids on installations in the past, in particular in Algeria where it carried out a major assault on a gas plant in 2013 that killed dozens of workers. Its fighters have also carried out high-profile attacks on hotels frequented by foreigners in Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. "This statement calls to boycott all Western companies and foundations ... that operate in the Islamic Maghreb ... and the countries of the Sahel, and gives a warning to them that they are legitimate target for the mujahideen," it said. The statement, which was circulated on social media and translated by the extremism watchdog SITE, singled out France - the former colonial power in much of North and West Africa - and its allies in the region. "We have decided to strike that which prolongs the continuity of these agent governments and enables the French occupier to provide a lavish life and prosperity to its people," it said. The region has witnessed a rise in Islamist militancy since an uprising in Libya toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, sparking chaos during which armed factions looted government weapons stocks. France led a military intervention in Mali in 2013 to drive back Islamist groups that had seized the country's desert north a year earlier. Paris still has thousands of troops deployed in West Africa's arid Sahel region as part of an operation to stamp out militant groups, and the United States is also ramping up its presence in the region. Right up until until the final hours, Americas European allies held out hope they could dissuade President Donald Trump from withdrawing the U.S. from the Iran nuclear accord. As the announcement deadline loomed, however, their hopes appeared ever more forlorn and desperate. Now in the wake of Trumps decision Tuesday to pull the U.S. out of a deal alongside Americas main European partners that was signed by Barack Obama in 2015 in which Tehran agreed to nuclear curbs in return for sanctions relief all involved are trying to determine what the consequences might be. And there are few answers to a host of questions thrown up by the U.S. leaders unilateral decision to walk away from a deal he described Tuesday as a horrible, one sided nuclear agreement. How will Iran respond? Will Iran resume its efforts to develop nuclear power it claims is for peaceful purposes? What will the other signatory countries do next? Will the decision strengthen the hand of hardliners in Iran? Will Washington sanction European and Asian businesses that continue to trade with Iran, and how will Europe react to that? Few diplomats or analysts are willing to forecast outcomes. But there is consensus the decision will raise tensions quickly in a Middle East already mired in ugly conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Karim Sadjadpour, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based think tank, says the withdrawal could trigger cataclysmic events, including a war between the U.S. and Iran. Iran looms large over major U.S. national security concerns including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, cyber, energy security, terrorism, & obviously nuclear proliferation, he tweeted. The opportunities for direct conflict are numerous. Even before the U.S., leader made his announcement Tuesday at the White House, tensions were rising dangerously between Tehran and Israel, which has backed Trumps decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal. Some analysts fear it has increased the risk of a direct clash of arms in what until now has been a shadow war between Israel and Iran. It is being played out in Syria, where Israel has mounted more than 100 airstrikes in the past six years on Iranian military bases there and to prevent weapons transfers to the Tehran-tied Hezbollah movement. Shortly before Trumps announcement, the Israeli military warned of the irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria. And soon after the president spoke, explosions were heard near the Syrian capital Damascus, with Syrias state media announcing military bases were being targeted in Israeli airstrikes. On Tuesday night, Israel announced it had opened bomb shelters and called up some military reserve units as it braced for a possible Iranian response to the Israeli airstrikes on several Syrian military bases that are used by Iranian forces, one just south of Damascus. According to intelligence, Iran is thought to be in the advanced planning stages of carrying out an attack on Israel. Tehran has vowed to retaliate for an alleged Israel Air Force strike two months ago on the Syrian T-4 airbase near Homs, where units of the Islamic Republics Revolutionary Guards Corps are stationed. Israeli military officials say Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militia that made major gains in parliamentary elections Sunday in Lebanon, most likely will be the force used to conduct the retaliation. Hezbollah has stockpiled hundreds of thousands of rockets, many of which are able to strike anywhere in Israel. If Hezbollah launches a major attack, Israel already has warned it will strike at Lebanon. Trumps announcement was welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a bold decision to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. Israeli officials have long argued the accord has merely served to strengthen Iran, providing it cover to expand its military and political influence in the region, a position shared by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, which also backed Trumps decision. Israeli officials say they are engaged in a war between the wars with Iran and its proxies, and they welcome America more confrontational stance towards Tehran. We dont make everything public but do whatever it takes so that Iranian arms dont reach Gaza. The same is true of Lebanon and Syria ... When we undermine their capability, we are postponing the next round of violence, said former Israeli defense minister Moshe Yaalon at a conference Tuesday in Israel. Trumps speech, according to Malcolm Chalmers, an analyst at Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank, has broadened Washingtons policy aims when it comes to Iran. The U.S. is not just criticizing the nuclear deal, but it taking on the entire foreign policy of Iran what it is doing in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, its ballistic missile program. Chalmers doesnt think those issues can be dealt with through talks. The idea you can bring all of them to the negotiating table is most unrealistic. Britains foreign secretary told the House of Commons on Wednesday that Britain has no intention of walking away from the Iran nuclear deal France and Germany have made the same pledge. An escalation in conflict between Israel and Iran would make it harder for the Europeans to keep the nuclear accord alive. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in the wake of Trumps announcement that Iran for now will abide by the accords terms. His foreign minister Javad Zarif tweeted that Tehran would begin discussing next steps with the accords other signatories France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia. The outcome will determine our response, he tweeted. British officials say their fear is if the U.S. insists on sanctioning European and Asian firms doing business with Iran, as U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said Wednesday that Washington will do, then Tehran will have even less of an incentive to stick with the accord and any resumption of a nuclear program by the Iranians would no doubt invite either Israeli or American military reaction. It will increase the likelihood of Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon, said Brian Klass, an American political scientist. The North American Amateur Drivers Association has been busy of late and it probably will be for the next four months or so, not only offering weekly driving contests at Yonkers Raceway and Monticello Raceway, but also hosting their European counterparts in international driving competitions. With the current NAADA trotting series continuing and with a recently completed international driving competition against the Hungarian amateurs, Tuesday (May 8) at Yonkers Raceway began the first of a two-track international driving competition, this time with the Spaniards from Palma de Mallorca. And with what now seems to be the norm, the visiting amateurs competed on the betting card against NAADA in two races at the hilltop oval, and when the dust had settled the Spaniards humbled the USA squad winning both events. The first was captured by Pau Moll with a 44-1 shot Swift As A Shadow in 1:56 and returned a whopping $90.50; $31,00 and $11.40. Not to be outdone, fellow Spaniard Jaime Riera hustled Showmeyourguns ($4.10) home first in 1:57.3. Two things of note in the two race competition was that Pau Moll drove a pacer for the first time since they only race trotters in Europe; and Jaime Riera gained the drive behind Showmeyourguns because the horse that he was scheduled to drive was scratched and NAADA's vice president, Alan Schwartz, graciously gave his mount to visiting Riera. On Thursday, May 10, the final two races in the Spain vs USA Friendship Competition will be contested at Monticello Raceway. They'll be joined on the nine-race card by the ninth leg of the current NAADA Trotting Series. (With files from NAADA) In withdrawing the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal, President Donald Trump outlined a rationale that contradicted the analyses of U.S. and foreign intelligence sources. A look at his remarks Tuesday, announcing that the U.S. was getting out of the deal and re-imposing sanctions that had been lifted in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear program: TRUMP: "The agreement was so poorly negotiated that even if Iran fully complies, the regime can still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time." "In just a short period of time, the world's leading state-sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons." THE FACTS: This is unsupported by intelligence and other analyses. Iran was thought to be only months away from a bomb when the deal came into effect. But during the 15-year life of most provisions of the accord, Iran's capabilities are limited to a level where it cannot produce a bomb. Already the deal has set its program back. Experts believe if Iran were to leave now, it would need at least a year to build a bomb. Trump's comments suggest that Iran is cheating on the deal. But in the time since the nuclear deal, the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly confirmed Iran was complying with the terms. That finding is also shared in the main by U.S. and Israeli intelligence officials, though the Trump administration argues Iran exceeded limits on heavy water production. After the 15 years are up, Iran could have an array of advanced centrifuges ready to work, the limits on its stockpile would be gone and, in theory, it could then throw itself wholeheartedly into producing highly enriched uranium. But nothing in the deal prevents the West from trying to rein Iran in again with sanctions. The deal includes a pledge by Iran never to seek a nuclear weapon. TRUMP: "This disastrous deal gave this regime and it's a regime of great terror many billions of dollars, some of it in actual cash. A great embarrassment to me as a citizen, and to all citizens of the United States." THE FACTS: It's not true that world powers paid billions to Iran. The deal allowed Iran to regain access to its own money, which had been frozen abroad as part of the sanctions that were lifted. As for Iran specifically getting some cash, that refers to a debt the U.S. had with Iran dating to the rupture in relations in the 1970s. Iran, under the shah, had paid the U.S. some $400 million for military equipment that was never delivered because the Islamic revolution cut off ties. That transaction was one of many complex claims that took decades to sort out in tribunals and arbitration. For its part, Iran paid settlements of more than $2.5 billion to U.S. citizens and businesses left short when relations ruptured. TRUMP, referring to allies: "We are unified in our understanding of the threat, and in our conviction that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon." THE FACTS: Such unity is conspicuously lacking. Most allies are not in agreement with the U.S. on the threat posed by Iran. They believed the deal was sufficient to constrain the threat; Trump doesn't. Britain, France, Germany and others appealed to the U.S. administration not to withdraw. Among top U.S. allies, Israel agrees the deal fell short; others don't. TRUMP: "We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction, and we will not allow a regime that chants 'death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth." THE FACTS: Iranian missiles are not capable of reaching U.S. cities. Both technical limitations and orders from Iran's supreme leader have restricted the range of ballistic missiles manufactured in the country to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). That puts them in targeting range of the entire Middle East, including Israel and U.S. bases in the region, but nowhere near the continental United States. TRUMP: "Making matters worse, the deal's inspection provisions lack adequate mechanisms to prevent, detect and punish cheating. And don't even have the unqualified right to inspect many important locations, including military facilities." THE FACTS: The deal gave inspectors wide latitude to do their work in Iran but not unfettered access everywhere. The International Atomic Energy Agency can inspect any declared nuclear site at any time. It also can request access to any other site deemed suspicious. Iran has 24 days to allow such an inspection. If Iran refuses, an arbitration panel weighs the request. Inspectors have placed some 2,000 tamper-proof seals on nuclear material and equipment, and installed a network of surveillance cameras at nuclear sites. The agency says its staff is spending twice as many days in Iran than it did in 2013. Find More AP Fact Checks. Armenia's new prime minister marked his first full day in office Wednesday by visiting the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, pledging to maintain security guarantees for a region that's part of rival Azerbaijan. Nikol Pashinian's visit was an effort to show continuity in his country's security policies after the weeks of protests that catapulted him to office, a stunning power shift for the impoverished former Soviet republic. The trip was also a provocative move toward Azerbaijan. Pashinian seems to prefer political agitation instead of being engaged in addressing the daunting social-economic problems of Armenia and the Armenian people, Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev said. In order to disguise its direct responsibility for military aggression against Azerbaijan, Armenia distorts and misinterprets the principle of the people's right to self-determination Hajiyev said. Pashinian reasserted Armenia's commitment to Nagorno-Karabakh, a part of neighboring Azerbaijan that ethnic Armenian forces have controlled since a separatist war ended in 1994. Pashinian called for continued negotiations to end the conflict, but accused Azerbaijan of ratcheting up tensions. He said the self-declared government in Nagorno-Karabakh should be included in talks. How can this negotiation format solve an issue when one of its key participants is missing from the negotiation table? This is not an issue to be approached with emotion but rather with pragmatism, he said. He expressed hope for new momentum in relations between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The territory's de facto leader, Bako Sahakyan, welcomed Pashinian's visit and assurances for continued defense of the region. Shooting frequently breaks out across a demilitarized zone that separates ethnic Armenian forces and Azerbaijan's soldiers. The region's unresolved status contributes to the economic problems that are a key issue for Pashinian's supporters. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey have closed their borders with Armenia over the conflict, inhibiting trade and leaving Armenia in semi-isolation. Pashinian's election capped weeks of political turmoil that had raised concerns about stability in the Caucasus Mountains region. He has yet to articulate a platform and faces an array of challenges, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and a parliament dominated by the party he denounced as corrupt. Joaquim Barbosa, a former chief justice on Brazil's Supreme Court with anti-corruption credentials, said on Tuesday he would not run for the presidency in October, despite a growing clamor for his candidacy. Barbosa, the first and only black member of the high court, had in recent weeks positioned himself as a potential center-left candidate. He was attractive to many because of his clean image and background as a judge who battled corruption. That is an essential selling point in this election, the first since a massive legal probe revealed stunning levels of political graft. Scores of powerful businessmen and politicians have been jailed, including former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who still leads all election polls. It's decided. After reflecting for several weeks, I finally came to a conclusion, Barbosa wrote on his verified Twitter account. I do not intend to be a candidate for the presidency. Barbosa, 63, added that the decision was strictly personal. His party, the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), confirmed the decision in a written statement, and said it would continue to work for political renewal. Barbosas decision could benefit Ciro Gomes, a leftist whose Democratic Workers Party was talking with PSB leaders about an alliance before Barbosas name surfaced. Gomes stands at third in the most recent polling. Left-leaning former environment minister and two-time presidential hopeful Marina Silva may also see a boost with Barbosa out. She is tying for second place in opinion polls with extreme-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro. Barbosa never fleshed out what planks he may have run on, aside from saying that he did not believe in ultraliberal positions for a country like Brazil, with its deep, persistent economic inequalities and poverty. In early April, Barbosa registered with the PSB just before the deadline for any potential candidates to belong to a party if they wished to run. Yet he rejected calls from inside the party to more aggressively lay the groundwork for a run. Several party sources said in recent weeks they were convinced Barbosa did not want the pressure of a presidential run. However, most PSB leaders maintained he was going to be their candidate, and they gushed over his strong showing in a Datafolha poll last month. With the threat of tariffs and counter-tariffs between Washington and Beijing looming, Chinese buyers are canceling orders for U.S. soybeans, a trend that could deal a blow to American farmers if it continues. At the same time, farmers in China are being encouraged to plant more soy, apparently to help make up for any shortfall from the United States. Beijing has included soybeans on a list of $50 billion of U.S. exports on which it has said it would impose 25 percent tariffs if the United States follows through on its threats to impose the same level of tariffs on the same value of Chinese goods. The U.S. tariffs could kick in later this month; China would likely retaliate soon after. It can take a month or longer for soybean shipments to travel from the U.S. to China. Any soybeans en route to China now could be hit by the tariff by the time they arrive. "The Chinese aren't willing to buy US soybeans with a 25 percent tax hanging over their head," said Dan Basse, president of AgResource, an agricultural research and advisory firm. "You just don't want the risk." China typically buys most of its soybeans from South American nations such as Brazil and Argentina during spring and early summer. It shifts to U.S. soybeans in the fall. As a result, for now, the cutbacks from the United States are relatively small. But should they persist, it could cause real pain to U.S. farmers. Roughly 60 percent of U.S. soybeans are shipped to China. There might also be a political impact: Three of the top five soybean-exporting states Iowa, Indiana and Nebraska voted for President Donald Trump in 2016. Illinois, the top soybean exporter, and Minnesota, the third-largest, backed Hillary Clinton. Basse said that it has been roughly three weeks since China has made any major soybean purchases, an unusually long delay. Some Chinese buyers might be showing support for their government in the trade dispute by turning away U.S. soybeans, Basse said. The dispute may also make it seem too risky to buy from the United States over the long run. "The United States could lose the reliable supplier label that we've had these many years," Basse said. Data from the U.S. government data show that sales of soybeans have fallen from about 255,000 metric tons in the first week of April, when the trade dispute began, to just 7,900 in the week that ended April 26. Cancellations have also jumped, to more than 140,000 metric tons in the week ending April 26. In the same week last year, there were no canceled sales at all. Some analysts argue that the shifts aren't yet particularly significant. China buys most of its soybeans from the United States in the late summer and fall, and then switches to South American sources, mainly Brazil and Argentina, in the spring. So the current market activity doesn't necessarily reflect the pattern that would occur during the main buying season. "These numbers we're talking about are pretty minor," said John Baize, an economist for the U.S. Soybean Export Council. The U.S. ships about 35 million metric tons of soybeans to China a year, Baize said. China usually imports about 100 million tons a year and can't import enough from other countries, he said, to abandon the United States as a source. "Where's China going to buy its beans?" Baize asked. That may be true in the short run. But Basse suggests that Brazil has enough land that could be used for soybean cultivation that it could soon mostly replace the United States as a supplier to China. And if the Chinese market were to be closed to U.S. farmers, they might be able to sell some portion of their soybeans to other markets. Baize said that huge multinational companies, such as Cargill and ADM, might, for example, sell more U.S. soybeans to Europe, where they wouldn't face any tariffs, though this likely wouldn't make up for the loss of the Chinese market. At the same time, China is looking more to its own farmers. Since China announced its potential tariffs on U.S. soy in April, the government has encouraged farmers to cultivate more soybeans. Beginning this month, Chinese farmers say, Beijing reduced corn subsidies and raised annual soybean subsidies from 2550 yuan ($400) per hectare to 3000 yuan ($470) or more per hectare in major soybean-producing provinces in northeast China. An adjustment had already been planned to help draw down China's substantial corn stockpiles, so the change wasn't necessarily aimed at U.S. soy growers, analysts say. But the subsidy adjustment did come with political undertones. Officials in major soybean-producing provinces were describing the promotion of local soybeans as "the most important political task in agricultural production at present." Heilongjiang in northeast China announced a pilot project to plant soybeans on over 100,000 new hectares, with an extra 2,250 yuan ($353) subsidy per hectare. The moves are prompting farmers like Liu Cong to focus more on growing soy. Liu says he used most of his land to grow corn last year but this year is planting more soybeans. "This is encouraging for farmers," he said in a phone interview. "We're more motivated." Zhang Xiaoping, China director for the U.S. Soybean Export Council, says that Chinese buyers have been canceling soybean purchases of last year's U.S. soybean harvest because of the threat of tariffs. "The buyers literally stopped buying from the U.S.," Zhang said. "Exporters cannot find any buyers in China." Analysts say Chinese President Xi Jinpings second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a little more than a month from now is a sign of just how anxious Beijing is about a nuclear deal on the Korean Peninsula and the impact an agreement could have on its strategic interests. In late March, the two made history by secretly meeting in Beijing after years of silence and mounting animosity. Kim took a train to the Chinese capital. The visit was not officially confirmed until it was over. They met again earlier this week, and this time Kim made a rare decision to travel by airplane to the nearby Chinese coastal city of Dalian to meet with Xi. Once again, the meeting was not confirmed until it was finished. Chinas state media have portrayed the meetings as cordial and well-planned, highlighting how the talks have emphasized both sides shared strategic interests and the Norths commitment to denuclearize. However, some analysts take a different view, arguing that the meetings were rushed and haphazard. The interesting difference between the first emergency meeting and the second is that even though Xi was incredibly busy at this time, he still ran over to near the Korean border to meet with Kim, Ding said. And Kim did the same, setting a new precedence because he doesnt dare to fly and yet he did! Kims father and grandfather rarely flew. The two witnessed the explosion of their exclusive jet in mid-air in 1982 and some argue that may be why they used other modes of transportation such as trains more frequently. Kim Il Sung flew to Moscow in 1986 for an urgent meeting with Michael Gorbachev, but for that trip he used a Russian pilot. Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnum School of International Studies in Singapore said the flurry of visits, not only between Kim and Xi, but also by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in Pyongyang Wednesday, reminds him of the shuttle diplomacy during the Palestinian Israeli crisis in the 1970s. Oh said that while it is unclear what urgent issues the two needed to discuss, the broader aim is to have a comprehensive mechanism in place prior to the summit between Kim and President Donald Trump. I think it is basically to set the stage for an eventual settlement of the Korean peninsula nuclear crisis because now there is a momentum to do so, he said. The frequency of the meetings also highlights how the North is sailing into uncharted waters as it looks toward a possible peace agreement to end the Korean War after decades and complete denuclearization sits on the horizon. Ding suspects China is advising the North to take a slow approach when it comes to denuclearization. For example, he speculates, Beijing may be advising the North to let inspectors into the country but not take them to its most recently used nuclear test sites. Instead, they may be suggesting Pyongyang take inspectors to older sites and demand that in exchange the United States remove its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system from the South, he said. Because that is something that China sees as a real headache. China is adding bargaining chips from behind the scenes, Ding said. The meeting also may have been called because of President Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. Analysts said that if Trump can withdraw from that deal, Kim (who has yet to sign a deal) is facing even more challenges than before. Kim is unsure about how big of a concession Trump will ask him to make. Obviously, Trump won't be satisfied with an agreement with North Korea that is similar to the Iran Nuclear Accord. Trump won't be happy with such a deal, [he wants more.]," Ding said. President Trumps initial acceptance of Kims invitation to a one-on-one summit caught many by surprise, Beijing included. But since then, China has moved quickly, stepping up its communications and meetings with North Korean officials as well as Washington, Tokyo, Seoul and Moscow. Xi met with Kim before and after his recent summit with South Korean leader Moon Jae-in and is expected to travel to North Korea after its leader meets with President Trump. Shortly after this weeks secret get together was publicized, Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of Chinas party backed Global Times posted this note on Twitter, which is blocked in China. Xi and Kim met twice in some 40 days. The message is clear: No matter which country North Korea holds summit with, China is inside, not outside the room, Hu wrote. Analysts say the venue of the summit may a problematic issue, after reports said President Trump and Mr. Kim could be planning to hold their historic meeting in Singapore. The city-state has hosted sensitive leadership talks in the past, such as some between Taiwan and China, but observers said its close ties to the United States could be a source of suspicion for Beijing. Brian Padden contributed to this report from Seoul. U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to head the country's spy agency promised lawmakers not to revive a program featuring so-called enhanced interrogations of terror suspects but repeatedly refused to condemn the practices as illegal or immoral. Wednesday's confirmation hearing for Central Intelligence Agency Deputy Director Gina Haspel, who is aiming to become the agency's first female director, gave much of the public its first look at the 61-year-old intelligence officer who has spent most of the last three decades rising through the ranks, while often working in the shadows. Much of the hearing focused on Haspel's 2002 stint in Thailand during which she oversaw a secret CIA prison. Detainees there were subjected to waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques that are frequently denounced as torture. WATCH: Haspel on CIA enhanced interrogation techniques "I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program," Haspel told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "I would never, ever take CIA back to an interrogation program," she said. "I would absolutely not permit it." Praise from Republicans Haspel won praise from the committee's Republican lawmakers, including its chairman, Senator Richard Burr, who called her "without a doubt the most qualified person the president could have chosen." But other senators repeatedly hammered Haspel over her record, much of which remains classified. And on several occasions, Wednesday's proceedings came to a halt as protesters, including one yelling, "Bloody Gina, you are a torturer," were escorted from the room. "There is no greater indictment of this nomination process than the fact that you are deciding what the country gets to know about you and what it doesn't," said Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon. "And, so far, the American people have only been given information that is designed to help you get confirmed." During one exchange, Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine asked Haspel what she would do if confronted with an order from the White House to engage in a practice like waterboarding, or worse. "I do not believe the president would ask me to do that," Haspel said, adding she would not restart the enhanced interrogation program "under any circumstance." "I think that we should hold ourselves to a stricter moral standard and I would never allow the CIA to be involved in coercive interrogation," she said. "Where was that moral compass at the time?" countered Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. When questioned later by Democratic Senator Kamala Harris of California, Haspel again insisted the CIA's use of harsh interrogation tactics were legal. "It's a yes or no answer," Harris said. "I'm asking do you believe they were immoral?" "Senator, I believe that CIA did extraordinary work to prevent another attack on this country given the legal tools that we were authorized to use," Haspel replied. McCain statement At the end of the day, Sen. John McCain, battling brain cancer at his home in Arizona, weighed in. Like many Americans, I understand the urgency that drove the decision to resort to so-called enhanced interrogation methods after our country was attacked, the 81-year-old senator said in a statement. Haspel, he said, was offered an opportunity to explain her involvement and account for the mistakes the country made in torturing detainees. McCain, who had expressed reservations when Trump initially nominated her, remained unsatisfied. I believe Gina Haspel is a patriot who loves our country and has devoted her professional life to its service and defense. However, Ms. Haspels role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge tortures immorality is disqualifying. He added, The Senate should exercise its duty of advice and consent and reject this nomination. Videotaped interrogation sessions The current CIA deputy director is also accused of drafting a memo calling for the destruction of 92 videotapes of interrogation sessions. The videotapes were destroyed in 2005, leading to a Justice Department investigation that ended without charges. Haspel told lawmakers Wednesday, in retrospect, the tapes should not have been destroyed despite concerns that the lives of CIA officers could be endangered should the tapes leak. Haspel's nomination has polarized lawmakers, some of whom said they were looking for her to issue a stronger condemnation of the interrogation techniques the CIA embraced following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. She needs 51 votes in the Senate for confirmation, and Republicans hold a 51-49 majority, but already at least one Republican, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, has come out in opposition. Haspel's nomination has been equally divisive among former intelligence, military and diplomatic officials. Former CIA Director John Brennan, who has come out in support of Haspel, took to Twitter earlier this week urging the Senate to vote for her confirmation. "Put country above politics," Brennan tweeted. "Don't penalize her for previous policy decisions or because DT [Donald Trump] picked her." Other current and former intelligence officials, including current Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and former CIA directors Michael Hayden and Leon Panetta, have also issued statements of support. Group warns against confirmation Yet as late as Wednesday, a group of 115 former and retired diplomats sent a letter to lawmakers, warning Haspel's confirmation would be a mistake. "If Ms. Haspel is confirmed, it is going to undercut a lot of the effort that the Department of State and other U.S. agencies make in promoting human rights," said Robert Ford, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria who signed the letter. Ford warned that should Haspel become CIA director, other nations would point to the U.S. record on interrogations as justification for their own abuses of human rights. "It's an outrageous allegation, but it's going to be made and it's going to stick," he said. Some of those who have worked with Haspel believe such leaps of judgment are unfair. "When you're doing intelligence, you're always sort of playing at the legal edge. Everything you do is vetted by U.S. law," Carol Rollie Flynn, a former executive director of the CIA Counterterrorism Center, told VOA. "She's just a really good person. She's someone who is pretty much universally respected," Flynn said. "They don't grow on trees." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Senegal's old Palais de Justice sits among some of the most sought-after real estate in the capital Dakar, where it shares a stunning sea view with the nearby French ambassador's residence. So, many Senegalese were surprised when 18 months ago President Macky Sall turned the vast modernist building into a museum for fine arts rarely a priority for African leaders usually more preoccupied with building roads and wooing hotels. Now, at the latest installment of Africa's oldest and biggest biennale art exhibition, the curator who lobbied for this space wants African artists to seize the moment as the continent finally starts to enjoy the attention it deserves. "The global message for the African is, if we don't catch that train and the train is leaving now too bad for us. Tomorrow will be too late," curator Simon Njami told Reuters at the venue, where more than 75 artists from around the world are exhibiting their work for a month. The practice of hosting art exhibitions every two years has spread to several African countries, but none has been more successful so far than the Dakar Biennale, founded in the 1990s and also known as Dak'Art. This year's displays by African artists at the biennale are as eclectic as those from elsewhere. They include works using materials that have become hallmarks of the continent's modern art such as the recycled food packaging and strips of "African print" cloth in Nigerian artist Olanrewaju Tejuoso's abstract wall piece. Others involving lights going on and off, rooms scattered with everyday household objects or projectors beaming images with enigmatic slogans onto walls wouldn't look out of a place in a Western conceptual art exhibition. One by South African artist Frances Goodman seems to conjure up intense rage using an amorphous blob of fake fingernails. In the past quarter-century, African art has gone from near total obscurity on the world scene to producing stars such as Ghana's El Anatsui and South Africa's William Kentridge. "It's a whole continent that was ignored. The market is just starting to pick up on it," said Njami, a Swiss national of Cameroonian descent. "Before, anyone could have bought an El Anatsui. Nowadays if you don't have $2 million, forget about it." In March a portrait of a Nigerian princess that was lost for 40 years and found in London sold for $1.4 million. Despite successfully lobbying for the Palais, Njami thinks African governments do woefully little to support the arts. "People say: 'Why spend money on arts when you can build a road?'" he said. "But we need culture, not just infrastructure." Owing to poor support, facilities and a tiny domestic market, many of Africa's most talented artists predictably end up in Europe or the United States. Those staying at home are often under-resourced. At the exhibition, Senegalese artist Badara Sarr complained that his spot was underlit, so he had to buy a spot lamp, and then there was no technician available to install it. "It was a bit deplorable, but we manage as Senegalese. That's Africa for you," he told Reuters next to his cloud-like patches of red, blue and green paint. Despite being a bit in the dark, "a lot of people are interested" in his painting. "I'm honestly happy about the interactions we're having," he said. Five police officers were killed and another taken hostage when a riot broke out at a high-security prison on the outskirts of the Indonesia's capital, Jakarta. An inmate was also killed in the riot. National police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal said the riot at the headquarters of the Mobile Police Brigade in Depok was sparked by inmates angry over checks on food sent to them by their families. Iqbal said police were negotiating with the prisoners. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the riot in a statement through its Amaq News Agency, which Iqbal rejected. Police recently arrested three suspected Islamic militants who were allegedly planning an attack on the headquarters and other police stations in the area. A top South Sudan diplomat in the United States calls the U.S. review of South Sudan assistance a step backward for peace negotiations. Ambassador Gordon Buay, the charge d'affaires of South Sudan's embassy in Washington, said Tuesday's strongly worded White House statement on South Sudan could have unintended consequences. "This one is sending the wrong signal to the rebels. The White House position will embolden the opposition, because why would the opposition keep talking to the government?" Buay told VOA's South Sudan in Focus radio program. The White House statement said that "the government of South Sudan has lost credibility, and the United States is losing patience." The White House also accused South Sudan's government leaders of squandering Juba's partnership with the U.S. by pilfering the wealth of South Sudan and killing its own people. The statement said the U.S. would initiate a comprehensive review of its assistance programs to South Sudan, namely the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission and other mechanisms that support the 2015 peace agreement. The White House statement also said any elections held under the current conditions would be a sham and unacceptable. Avoid threats, US told South Sudan's Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Elia Lomuro said Wednesday that the United States should engage in talks with the Salva Kiir administration and avoid making threats against the government. Lomuro accused the U.S. and other members of the international community of favoring the rebels, while putting all the blame for the continued fighting and atrocities committed in the country on the government. "The mistake people have made, especially the U.S. and other countries ... is that they don't appreciate what actually happened. They are not able to ask precisely who was the culprit, and they have, therefore, taken sides," Lomuro told VOA. Lomuro insisted that the Transitional Government of National Unity is inclusive, noting some former detainees serve in the government. "John Lok is a member of the Council of Ministers; he is the minister of transport. Biar Madut is a member of parliament," Lomuro said. He also noted that the foreign affairs minister, former detainee Deng Alor Kuol, was absent but would resume his position upon his return. Mark Weinberg, public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Juba, disagreed, saying the current government does not represent all signatories to the 2015 peace deal. "The leaders of South Sudan have wasted their partnership with the United States and other international donors who supported this country for independence, have stolen the wealth of their own country, killed their own people and demonstrated over and over again their unwillingness to live up to their commitment to end the war and uphold their obligations to allow unimpeded humanitarian access," Weinberg said. The promotion of U.N.-sanctioned individuals to top government positions including General Jok Riak to be chief of defense forces demonstrates Juba's disdain for international norms, according to the White House statement. Lomuro argues Jok has done nothing to deserve the sanctions. Standard Newswire is a cost-effective and efficient newswire service for public policy groups, government agencies, PR firms, think-tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, activists, politicians, and candidates to distribute their press releases to journalists who truly want to hear from them.Do not settle for an email blasting service or a newswire overloaded with financial statements. Standard Newswire gets your news into the hands of working journalists, broadcast hosts, and news producers.Find out how you can start using Standard Newswire to CONNECT WITH THE WORLD U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the date and location of his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be announced within three days, but that the meeting would not occur at the Korean Demilitarized Zone, which he had previously suggested was a possible venue. Trump made the remarks to reporters at the White House, shortly after North Korea freed three American detainees. The Korean-Americans are heading home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who met with Kim for 90 minutes the second such meeting in little more than a month. Trump said he and Vice President Mike Pence would go to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, to greet the freed Americans when they arrive at 2 a.m. (EDT) Thursday. "It'll be quite a scene," predicted Trump, saying their return was "very exciting" because "it represents something very important to this country. People never thought a thing like this could happen." WATCH: Trump on being at airport to greet freed hostages Trump termed current U.S. communication with Pyongyang as "serious and positive" and expressed his appreciation to Kim for releasing the Americans to Pompeo. By late Wednesday, several media outlets reported that Singapore would be the likely summit site. Asked whether the unprecedented summit between an American president and a North Korean leader might be scuttled, Trump replied that "everything can be scuttled." Trump has said the goal is for North Korea to agree to denuclearize. On Wednesday, he said, "We have a chance that something really great for the world and great for North Korea" could be achieved. Released Americans A senior U.S. official present for the exchange of detainees in Pyongyang told journalists traveling with Pompeo that a North Korean official informed the secretary of state that Kim had granted amnesties to the three Americans. The released men were brought to the secretary's aircraft and were "able to walk on the plane without assistance," according to a White House statement. The detainees were on their way to the United States after stopping at Yokota Air Base in Japan. From that point forward, they were traveling in a separate plane from Pompeo. Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology when they were separately detained in 2017, accused of participating in anti-state activities and trying to overthrow the government. The third detainee, Kim Dong Chul, was arrested in Rason on the northeast tip of North Korea in October 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor the following year after being convicted of espionage. A U.S. official who participated in the latest talks in Pyongyang said substantial progress was made in planning for the summit, and "we also agreed to meet again in person to finalize the details." Pompeo told reporters traveling with him that holding such a summit would have been more difficult had the Americans still been detained. "For decades, we have been adversaries," Pompeo said of the North Koreans. "Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and make your country have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve." Pence said in a statement that while the Trump administration "is encouraged that North Korea freed these innocent hostages, we will not let off the pressure until we achieve full denuclearization." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Wednesday afternoon that "the maximum pressure campaign has worked," adding that in addition to the president's efforts "some of that success is due to our allies and partners," especially the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea. Summit concerns Some members of Congress, while applauding the release of the three Americans, are expressing concern about the Trump-Kim summit. "Releasing detainees is the easy part; the difficult part will be reaching an agreement with the North Koreans that establishes a strong verification regime that can ensure genuine denuclearization," said a statement from House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland. "Congress has yet to see a concrete strategy from the president as to how he intends to avoid giving Mr. Kim a propaganda victory without securing the kind of verifiable commitment on denuclearization necessary for any summit to be a success," Hoyer said. Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee said he was thankful for the release of the Americans who were unjustly detained. "We must approach North Korea's recent overtures and the potential for talks over denuclearization with great caution, and I believe the administration fully understands that and is preparing in the appropriate way," the Foreign Relations Committee chairman said in a statement. "The committee will conduct appropriate oversight as the discussions with North Korea continue." The removal of tens of thousands of U.S. military personnel from the Korean Peninsula will not be on the table for the Trump-Kim talks, according to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, the defense secretary described the U.S. forces in South Korea as a stabilizing presence for the entire region. "And this I would just say resonates among allies, and not just in Japan and Korea, because those forces are in the Northwest Pacific, but also around the world when they see that when trouble looms, we don't walk away," said Mattis. Challengers to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Junes presidential election are crying foul, claiming that media influenced by Erdogan is imposing a blackout on their campaigns. Both of the main challengers' campaign launches were largely ignored by mainstream television channels. "We had a rally in [the Turkish city of] Yalova. I have not seen such a thing in Yalova in the last 40 years . But TRT didnt broadcast it. This is my final warning. I will not repeat it." Decrying the failure of Turkish state broadcaster TRT's failure to cover a large rally in the northwestern Turkish city of Yalova, Muharrem Ince the main opposition CHP Partys presidential candidate had a warning for Mr. Erdogan. "TRT is not your fathers farm. TRT belongs to 80 million people," he said. A similar media blackout occurred at the opening rally for Meral Aksener. Images of large numbers of empty seats allocated to the media at her speech circulated across social media. The lack of coverage is in contrast to Erdogan, whose daily speeches are broadcast live across state and private media. About 90 percent of the media is directly or indirectly controlled by Erdogan and his ruling AKP Party. There are pens and media bosses for sale. Citizens right to information is not met. These bosses rely on state contracts, CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said Tuesday in remarks to parliament. Less impartiality Just weeks before Erdogan called early presidential and general elections, the largest media organization, Dogan Holding, was taken over by a businessman with close ties to the president. Following the takeover, which includes the influential Hurriyet newspaper, large numbers of senior staff have been replaced with what critics allege are pro-Erdogan journalists. We are going into the election with the media, including now Hurriyet reporting only positive things about Mr. Erdogan, I presume this may change peoples attitude, but quantifying it would be almost impossible, political analyst Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners said. Turkey has strict laws guaranteeing fair media coverage during elections. The regulations are enforced by the state body RTUK, but its integrity is increasingly in question. They dont act impartially. If you look at the membership [managing board] the majority is the government, law professor and media expert, Yaman Akdeniz of Istanbuls Bilgi University said. RTUK drew severe criticism for its failure to ensure fair media coverage in last years referendum victory to extend Erdogans presidential powers. Political parties campaigning in favor of the referendum received 94.5 hours television air time in comparison to opponents' 17.5 hours. But despite the yes campaigns media advantage, the referendum only narrowly passed, amid allegations of wide-scale voter fraud. The competitiveness of the no campaign was in part due to its success in using social media. There will always be a way found for people to disseminate their views through the power of social media, Yesilada said. Internet influence Ince is viewed as one of the most net-savvy politicians in Turkey. His Twitter following is second only to Erdogan and his campaign is using social media as a key tool to get its message out. Analysts note Erdogan's dominance of the media has caused social media to become a formidable alternative source of news for Turks, and a force to reckon with. Everyone who has been banned from mainstream media or have been sacked from these [pro-Erdogan] newspapers, have opened their own websites or started broadcasting on internet, Yesilada said, we have a couple of surveys that reveal 70 percent of Turks are internet connected," he said. "Seventy percent of the younger generation get all their information from the internet. They dont even know how to open a newspaper, Yesilada added. The vacuum of impartial news is also being filled by the foreign news providers stepping, For people seeking to access independent news, the only arena is left is the Internet. People follow BBC Turkish, VOA Turkish, and DW Turkish because you can get quality, news sources. Turkey is aware of that, the people are aware of that, law professor and media freedom expert Akdeniz said. Mindful of the growing challenge posed by the internet, the government extended the state media governing body RTUKs powers to the internet before next month's elections. Now [comes] the question will they start targeting foreign news providers because their powers are broader, Akdeniz said. But analysts suggest Erdogans tightening grip on the media could ultimately prove counterproductive in the June elections, Its making the opposition job more difficult in terms of relaying their messages to the very large population, given that the total number of the electorate is around 55 million. But at the same time, it has the potential to lead to a reaction, if the Turkish people eventually decide that this unifocal wavelength is not compatible with the idea that they have of a pluralist democracy, Sinan Ulgen a visiting scholar of Carnegie Europe said. Afghan authorities said heavily armed suicide bombers assaulted two police stations Wednesday in Kabul, killing at least seven people and wounding 23 others. The first attack took place midday, during which two suicide bombers targeted the police headquarters in western Dasht-e-Barchi district of the capital, said Afghan Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak. One assailant blew himself up while the other was challenged and gunned down by security forces, Barmak said. The Afghan Ministry of Public Health confirmed the killing of at least four people, and said another nine were wounded. Members of the security force were said to be among those killed and wounded. Islamic State, through its Amaq News Agency, took responsibility for plotting the violence, though it provided no evidence to substantiate the claim. About 30 minutes later, a group of at least five gunmen wearing suicide vests stormed a police station in central Kabuls upscale Shahr-e Naw area. Officials confirmed the death of three security personnel, while 14 others were wounded. Police officials said a suicide bomber detonated his explosives in a bid to enable four other assailants in a motor vehicle to enter the facility. But Afghan security forces quickly challenged them and forced them to take refuge in a nearby building before killing all of the militants in a shootout that lasted about eight hours. The Taliban insurgency claimed its members carried out the attack and killed many officers and personnel of Afghan security and intelligence agencies. Insurgent casualty tolls often are inflated. The National Directorate of Security, the Afghan spy agency, blamed the Haqqani network and the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, both allegedly based in Pakistan, for planning the Shahr-e Naw attack. But the agency provided no immediate evidence. Pakistani officials have yet to respond to the allegations. Just hours after the attacks, the Pakistani foreign ministry strongly condemned what it called "the senseless and heinous terrorist attacks in Kabul. "Such blatant terrorism targeting innocent civilians and disrupting way of life has no justification whatsoever," it said, reiterating that Pakistan stands ready to extend all possible counterterrorism cooperation to Afghanistan. Witnesses and Afghan officials expected the overall causality figures from Wednesday's attacks to increase. Repeated militant attacks in Kabul have worried its residents and refueled criticism of the government for failing to prevent the violence. Afghan media quoted shopkeepers, cab drivers and others in the city as saying their businesses have suffered, and they have limited outdoor activities due to serious safety concerns. It is a week in which people are scared, when they want to visit Shahr-e-Naw area, but we dont have other options except working here with fear, Obaidullah, a taxi driver, told TOLOnews station. Earlier this month, an attack in Kabul that included a secondary explosion in a crowd that gathered after a first explosion, killed more than 25 people, including nine journalists. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility. Violence in Afghanistan has surged since the Taliban launched its annual spring offensive, dubbed as "Al Khandaq," two weeks ago. In a briefing Monday to the Afghan parliament, Afghan defense and interior ministers said more than 250 Afghan troops had died in various Taliban attacks across the country in the span of a week. The officials also said their troops had killed 800 Taliban insurgents since late April. Since launching its spring offensive, the Taliban also has overrun at least four Afghan districts and threatened several others. Insurgent spokespeople have disputed official claims that Afghans security forces have retaken the lost territory. Families of several Americans currently detained in Iran are hoping President Donald Trump's decision announced on Tuesday to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal will not make it harder to get their love ones freed. At least five Iranians, all dual-American citizens or green-card holders, have been sentenced to prison in Iran on espionage-related charges, as has Chinese-American Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University graduate student in history. Wang's wife Hua Qu said her family did not want to be in the middle of the dispute over the nuclear deal, calling it "a humanitarian issue for our family." "My hope is to be reunited soon with my husband, the father of our child," she said. "We urge the American, European, Chinese, Russian, and Iranian governments to find a humanitarian solution, clemency or otherwise, to help bring Xiyue home." She said their lives have been very difficult since her husband was detained in August 2016. She's concerned Wang, 37, may go on a third hunger strike while being held as the only non-Iranian in the prison where he is incarcerated. Their son is now 5. The family of Bob Levinson, who disappeared from an Iranian island in March 2007, issued a statement that said Trump's announcement should mean Levinson's return "needs to be a priority in any new negotiations with Iran." Levinson's son David told The Associated Press on Tuesday that although the family isn't political and has no opinion on the Iran deal, "we do hope what this initiates and what it sparks is a renewed conversation about Bob Levinson, and that in the future in any negotiation between Iran and the United States that he becomes a priority and is at the forefront of any discussions." He added, "If our administration believes in America first, they can make a strong statement and a strong step in the right direction by advocating for the release and return of an American citizen." For years, U.S. officials said Levinson had been working for a private firm, but The Associated Press reported in December 2013 that he had actually been on a mission for CIA analysts who were not authorized to run spy missions. Photos and videos released in 2010-11 showed a gaunt and bearded Levinson wearing an orange jumpsuit. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif said last month the U.S. government would have to change its attitude and engage in a respectful way before meaningful negotiations can take place. Zarif said Iran could be open to discussing a prisoner release if Washington's approach changed, particularly if it is on health or humanitarian grounds. One of the prisoners, 81-year-old Baquer Namazi, is said to be in poor health. Five Australian lawmakers are the latest to be forced out of office due to a provision in Australia's 117-year old constitution banning dual citizens from sitting in parliament. The High Court ruled Wednesday that Labor Party Senator Katy Gallagher was ineligible because she had not renounced her British citizenship prior to her election in 2016. The ruling prompted four lawmakers in the lower House of Representatives, including three members of the Labor Party and an independent, to resign due to similar circumstances. The resignations have triggered special elections that could help Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's ruling conservative Liberal-National coalition increase its slim one-seat majority in the House. Senator Gallagher's seat will automatically be filled by another Labor Party candidate. Several Australian lawmakers have been forced from office since the High Court upheld the constitutional ban on dual nationals sitting in Parliament in a ruling last October. Time can feel like it is standing still for U.S. citizens held prisoner by North Korea, but the ordeal can end with startling swiftness, former detainees said. After months and even years of hardship, those released by North Korea said they found themselves boarding a U.S. plane and being flown out of the country less than an hour after being told by their captors that they were going home. The three Americans that U.S. President Donald Trump said were released by North Korea and headed home on Wednesday may have similar stories to tell when they land at a military base outside Washington early Thursday morning. "They didnt tell me anything about my release until the last minute. I was in the hospital and taken to a hotel," the longest-held American in North Korea, Kenneth Bae, said in an interview from South Korea. Once informed of his release in 2014, an American delegation came in and within 30 minutes he was aboard an airplane to take him out of North Korea. From there it was a 24-hour journey via Guam and Hawaii home to Seattle, where his family was waiting. While a prisoner, Bae was forced to shovel coal and haul rocks. He had about 30 guards watching him as their sole prisoner during his two years in captivity, which included hospital stays for the beating his body took from the hard labor. Since the end of the Korean War, North Korea has taken 17 Americans captive, many of whom were in the country for humanitarian reasons inspired by their Christian faith. Bae and the three Americans just released - Kim Hak-song, Kim Dong-chul and Kim Sang-Duk, also known as Tony Kim - fall into that category. In North Korea, where the Kim family that has ruled the country for more than 70 years is revered as demigods, proselytizing is seen as an assault on the state, punishable by years of hard labor. Time stands still Isolated from the world, time seems to halt, former detainees say. Confinement for the Americans detained by North Korea can range from hotel rooms to cramped, windowless shacks offering little protection from the country's bitter cold. Former prisoners, who also have included tourists and journalists, have said they were interrogated for hours and suffered mental humiliation. A few said the isolation led them to consider suicide. The United States demands the release of U.S. citizens every time it deals with North Korea, which detains, and releases, them for its own reasons, said a former U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity. In an interview prior to the three prisoners' release, the former official said some negotiations are handled by the U.S. State Department via the "New York channel" of contacts with North Korean diplomats at the United Nations, while others are handled via the U.S. intelligence community. "They don't just keep them. They keep them for a reason and then they release them for a reason," he added. The latest release came ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. For the prisoners treated as bargaining chips, releases can move at alarming speeds. Jeffrey Fowle, a tourist held for about six months in North Korea for leaving a Bible in a sailor's club during his visit, said the day he was released, he was told he was being transferred, and presented with belongings he had not seen for months. "I thought I was going to the detention camp, or to trial, or something. I went from my guest house to a nearby hotel," he said in a telephone interview from his Ohio home. "Then some well-dressed North Korean man came in and said 'Kim Jong Un has recommended that you be released.' And that was the first thing I heard about it," he said. Otto Warmbier, 22, from Wyoming, Ohio, was imprisoned from January 2016 to June 2017, and was released in a coma. He died a few days later in the United States, with his parents accusing North Korea of torturing him, a charge Pyongyang denies. A few months after Warmbier's death, former detainee Aijalon Gomes, 38, set himself on fire in a San Diego lot in November 2017. Gomes was held for about seven months in North Korea after he crossed into the country from China in January 2010 on what he saw as a religious mission. After his return, Gomes wrote a self-published autobiography titled "Violence and Humanity," in which he talked about his suicide attempts while being held in North Korea. Bae and Fowle, devout Christians, said their time in North Korea deepened their faith and helped get them through. "Emotionally and psychologically, they [the North Koreans] were trying to wear me out," said Bae. Google is suspending all advertising connected to Ireland's abortion referendum as part of moves to protect "election integrity," the company announced Wednesday. The move came a day after Facebook banned foreign-backed ads in the Irish campaign, amid global concerns about online election meddling and the role of internet ads in swaying voters. Google said that starting Thursday, it would no longer display ads related to the May 25 vote on whether to repeal Ireland's constitutional ban on most abortions. The prohibition on ads connected to the Irish vote applies to both Google and YouTube, which the company owns. The online search leader, which is based in Mountain View, California, declined to say how much advertising revenue it was giving up because of the decision. Russian role The role of online ads in elections is under scrutiny following revelations that Russian groups bought ads on leading services such as Google and Facebook to try to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. Many of the ads were designed to sow confusion, anger and discord among Americans through messages on hot-button topics. Karin von Abrams, a London-based analyst with the research firm eMarketer, said banning ads represented a short-term safeguard from potential backlash and reputational damage. "They won't want to forgo election-related revenues in the longer term, but they do need to get their houses in order, rather than risk further troubles at this stage," von Abrams said in an email Wednesday. Google's statement followed Facebook's decision Tuesday to ban foreign advertisements around the abortion referendum, which has drawn worries about the influence of North American groups. Both Google and Facebook are working on measures to improve transparency before November's U.S. midterm elections, including tools to show the home country of advertisers. Ireland bars political donations from abroad, but the law has not been applied to social media advertising. Anti-abortion groups based in the United States are among the organizations that have bought online ads in Ireland during the referendum campaign. '11th hour' effort Irish lawmaker James Lawless, technology spokesman for the opposition Fianna Fail party, welcomed the moves by Google and Facebook, but said "they are rushed and they are coming at the 11th hour," with just two weeks until voting day. "It's a step in the right direction, but it's an awful pity we couldn't have done this six months ago," said Lawless, who has introduced a bill to Ireland's parliament that would require all online advertisers to disclose the publishers and sponsors behind ads. Largely Catholic Ireland has Europe's strictest restrictions on abortion, which is legal only when a woman's life is in danger. Several thousand Irish women travel each year to get abortions in neighboring Britain. Voters are being asked whether they want to retain the constitutional ban or repeal it and make parliament responsible for creating abortion laws. Lawless said he had concerns about some of the online advertising from both sides in the referendum campaign. "Some quite disingenuous ads have been going around in recent weeks targeting people who are in the middle that aren't always from who they seem to be from," he said. "What we really need is legislation and we need a proper, robust, thought-out approach" to the problem, he said. Republican voters rejected ex-convict Don Blankenship Tuesday in a West Virginia Senate primary in which he sold himself as Trumpier than Trump but was vigorously opposed by the president. GOP voters in Indiana, meanwhile, chose wealthy businessman Mike Braun over two sitting congressmen to lead the partys charge against a vulnerable Democratic senator in the fall. President Donald Trump and his allies cheered the West Virginia result, which helped avert a potential political disaster for a GOP bracing for major losses in the November midterm elections. In a possible sign of party unrest, however, Rep. Robert Pittenger lost in North Carolina to the Rev. Mark Harris, a Baptist pastor he narrowly beat two years ago. Pittenger is the first incumbent to lose his seat this primary season. The days slate of early season elections tested the limits of the anti-establishment fervor that has defined the Trump era. Hopelessly behind in West Virginia, Blankenship conceded defeat in the contest to determine Democratic Sen. Joe Manchins general election challenger. The Republican president fought in the campaigns final days to defeat Blankenship, a retired coal executive, who remained popular among some West Virginia Republicans despite having served a year in prison for his role in a deadly mine disaster and attacked the Asian heritage of the top Senate Republicans wife. State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey claimed the nomination instead, promoting his record of challenging policies of the administration of former President Barack Obama and deflecting criticism of his roots in New Jersey, where he lost a 2000 congressional race. Mr. President, if youre watching right now, let me tell you, your tweet was huge, Morrisey said in his nomination address, referring to Trumps election eve call for voters to shun Blankenships candidacy. Youve been to the state now four times. Id like you to come back as many times as you can between now and November. Key contests The key Senate contests headlined primary elections across four states on Tuesday that will help shape the political landscape in this falls midterm elections. Control of Congress is at stake in addition to state governments across the nation. In most cases, the Republican candidates on the ballot had competed to be seen as the most conservative, the most anti-Washington and the most loyal to the Republican president. Indiana In Indiana, Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly will face off in November against Braun, a multimillionaire owner of a national auto parts distribution business who loaned more than $5.4 million of his own money to his campaign. Braun credited his victory to voter disenchantment with business as usual and said he hoped to join other Republican senators who came from outside politics. Another Indiana contest was less contentious: Greg Pence won the primary for the congressional seat his younger brother, Vice President Mike Pence, once held. Greg Pence is a Marine veteran and owner of two antique malls who once ran the now-bankrupt chain of Tobacco Road convenience stores. Hell be the favorite to win the seat in November. Ohio In Ohios high-profile governors race, Democrats nominated Obama-era consumer watchdog Richard Cordray while Republicans selected state Attorney General Mike DeWine. An Ohio state senator won the Republican primary to succeed retiring Rep. Pat Tiberi. The race had become a proxy fight between Tiberi, a GOP moderate, and conservative Republican Rep. Jim Jordan. Tiberis candidate, Troy Baldersonof Zanesville pulled out a win. And on the local level, a woman who accused Trump of sexually harassing her more than a decade ago claimed the Democratic nomination in a race to represent an area southeast of Toledo in the state House of Representatives. Democrat Rachel Crooks, a 35-year-old university administrator, ran unopposed, but must next win a November general election to become the first Trump accuser to hold elected office. A bright spot for Republicans in swing-state Ohio: GOP turnout was considerably stronger than Democratic voting in the open governors race. With nearly two-thirds of the vote counted, 567, 000 Republicans cast votes, to 412,000 Democrats. U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, with Trumps support, won the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. West Virginia Yet none of Tuesdays other contests was expected to have more impact on the midterm landscape than West Virginia, where Blankenship had embraced Trumps tactics, casting himself as a victim of government persecution and seizing on xenophobia, if not racism, to stand out in a crowded Republican field that included Attorney General Morrisey and Congressman Evan Jenkins. No matter Tuesdays winner, Trumps team was keeping pressure on Manchin. A pro-Trump political action committee America First was airing ads promoting Gina Haspel, Trumps nominee to be CIA director, and urging residents to call Manchin to support her confirmation. Manchin coasted to the Democratic nomination, but he remains a top Republican target this fall. Speaking Tuesday night at his Charleston headquarters, he said he expects Trump to get involved in the contest, despite Manchins good relationship with the president. The Democrat said he would campaign as he always has: a bipartisan problem solver who works for West Virginians. Saudi Arabia gives support, Iran's leaders fulminate and Egypt is expressing reservations, after U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, also known as the JCPOA. Members of Iran's parliament set fire to a U.S. flag Wednesday, following the decision Tuesday by Trump to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal known as the JCPOA. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani claimed in a speech Tuesday the United States has a history of not respecting agreements. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told a group of students Wednesday the United States was merely hostile to Iran's existence, in general, and that Washington's complaints about its missile program or nuclear energy program were "just excuses". He says the United States says it opposes Iran's [ballistic] missile program or its nuclear energy program, but these are just excuses for its opposition to our presence in the Middle East in general and the existence of our Islamic Republic. Gulf media reported the United States main Gulf Arab allies, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, expressed support for President Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir tweeted that "We support and welcome the withdrawal of the United States from [the] Iran nuclear deal [and] support the decision to reinstate economic sanctions on Iran." Jubeir claimed, in a separate tweet, that "Iran took advantage of the economic benefits afforded by the lifting of sanctions and used them to continue its destabilizing activities in the region, especially by supporting terrorist organizations in the region, including Hezbollah and the Houthi militias." Overnight, the Houthis fired several missiles from along the Yemeni border towards the capital Riyadh. Saudi-owned al Arabiya TV reported Saudi air defenses shot down one missile and another crashed in an uninhabited region, causing no casualties. Egypt, which is an ally of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, downplayed criticism of Trump's decision. The Egyptian foreign ministry wrote, "Egypt understands the U.S. and international [desire] to address all regional and international concerns related to the nuclear deal with Iran and Iran's interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries." Egypt, nevertheless, "expressed its hope that current developments will not result in any armed conflicts that would threaten regional stability or security." Sub-Saharan African nations are at growing risk of debt distress because of heavy borrowing and gaping deficits, despite an overall uptick in economic growth, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday. The sober assessment came as African countries continue to tap international debt markets and issue record levels of debt in foreign currencies, spurred on by insatiable investor demand for yields. "What really we're concerned about is the pace of increase, rather than the average," IMF Africa Director Abebe Aemro Selassie told Reuters at the launch of its economic outlook for the region in Accra. "What we're calling for right now is that those countries are going to need to go through fiscal consolidation," he said, adding that oil producers and other resource-dependent economies were seeking the sharpest growth in their debt loads. The Fund projected the rate of economic expansion would rise to 3.4 percent this year, up from 2.8 percent in 2017, boosted by global growth and higher commodity prices. Slower growth in South Africa and Nigeria the continent's two largest economies weighed on the region-wide average, but the IMF expects growth to pick up in around two-thirds of African nations. However, under current policies, that rate is expected to plateau below 4 percent over the medium term. Growth seen slowing Meanwhile, around 40 percent of low-income countries in the region are now in debt distress or at high risk of it, the IMF report said. And refinancing that debt could soon become more costly. "The current growth spurt in advanced economies is expected to taper off, and the borrowing terms for the region's frontier markets will likely become less favorable ... which could coincide with higher refinancing needs for many countries across the region," it said. African governments issued a record $7.5 billion in sovereign bonds last year, 10 times more than in 2016. And they have issued or plan to issue over $11 billion in additional debt in the first half of 2018 alone, the report said. Foreign currency debt increased by 40 percent from 2010-13 to 2017 and now accounts for about 60 percent of the region's total public debt on average, IMF data showed. Average interest payments, meanwhile, increased from 4 percent of expenditures in 2013 to 12 percent in 2017. Six countries Chad, Eritrea, Mozambique, Congo Republic, South Sudan and Zimbabwe were judged to be in debt distress at the end of last year. And the IMF's ratings for Zambia and Ethiopia were changed from moderate to "high risk of debt distress." The IMF conceded that Africa's enormous needs will continue to demand heavy investments to build infrastructure and social development. But to do so while avoiding the risk of a debt trap, the continent, which currently has the lowest revenue-to-GDP ratio in the world, will need to become more self-reliant. "Borrowing to finance spending is part of the macroeconomic policy tool kits which all countries use," Selassie said. "But over the medium to long-term they have to rely more on domestic revenues, tax revenues to address their development spending needs." A crowd gathered by a police vehicle at the entrance to the historic old market in central Baghdad. "What's going on?" asked Mohammad, a local journalist. "They caught a thief," an onlooker said. Young men strained to see police load the accused into a van. "And he wasn't even a member of parliament!" Others in earshot guffawed. On May 12, Iraqi voters will have a chance to replace their national parliament for the first time since the government declared victory over Islamic State militants last year. Iraqis said they hope the new leadership will curb the corruption seen as one of the root causes of Iraq's decades of wars and economic crises. "I want to wage a war against corruption," said MP candidate Iman al-Marsomi. "We have more than we should in the parliament and the government facilities." But this hope, some locals said, may be unattainable. "It's a desperate situation," said 63-year-old Naja Abood at his bookstore, which sells 19th century volumes left over from colonials and handmade modern Iraqi history pamphlets. "Nothing will be changed. The results are already settled in favor of the ones already famous for corruption." Candidates and alliances Nearly 7,000 candidates are running for parliament, and from them, a 329-seat house will emerge. The government will then form through a series of negotiations, with one of the leaders of the Shia parties to be appointed prime minister Iraq's head of state. Iraq's government is based on a quota system, with leadership positions designated to sections of the Iraqi public, including Shia and Sunni Muslims, Kurds, women and other minorities. WATCH: First Post-IS Iraq Elections: New Era or Same Old Scene? With political alliances increasingly crossing sectarian lines, no clear majority is expected to win the parliament, according to Nejem al-Kassab, an Iraqi political analyst. A long series of negotiations and horse-trading will precede the selection of head of state and other top positions, he said. "It will be difficult for them to agree on the leadership," he explained, "because party alliances are no longer based on sectarian blocks." Current Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has a leg up, having overseen the near-total defeat of IS militants in Iraq last year, said al-Kassab. Other Shia contenders include former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki and Hadi al-Ameri, a leader of the Popular Mobilizations Units, a Shia-led military force formalized during the battle with IS, also known as Hashd al-Shaaby. But the upcoming vote and negotiations that follow are unpredictable, he added. For example, one political alliance in Iraq now includes prominent Shia leaders, in addition to secular parties, including Communist. And unlike previous elections, Sunni voters are more likely to vote for al-Abadi's coalition because of the defeat of IS, which occupied primarily Sunni areas in Iraq between 2014 and 2017. Voter priorities In post-IS Iraq, entire cities, towns and villages still lie in rubble, and millions of people have been displaced. Rebuilding, economic recovery and curbing the corruption that hinders both are top priorities for voters, explained al-Kassab. But meaningful change, while possible, will be extraordinarily difficult to achieve. "The people don't really care who is in power," he said. "They are looking to rebuild after all the wars." And while there are many voters and politicians that have hope that these elections will usher in a new era of reconstruction, on the streets of Baghdad, many locals said they fear the near future will include more insecurity and economic crises. "You know when a director puts something at the end of a scary movie to make you think there is another movie coming?" said Hind, a physics teacher shopping for books in the market. "It's that way." Security of the vote Flights and roads in Iraq will be shut down for 24 hours on the day of the vote for security purposes in the wake of IS threats against the ballot. But many locals said, in the relative peace of post-IS Iraq, they are not afraid that the day will end in violence. "The security forces will do their jobs," said Ali, a 31-year-old wrestler taking a break on the banks of the Diyala River. "It won't be bad." Long-term security and economic recovery is far more elusive than securing the polling places for a day, added a 24-year-old barber also named Ali. "I think nothing will change after the elections, but still, we hope." A prominent Iranian-Israeli journalist says Israeli intelligence sources have reported unusual activities by Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps forces in Lebanon. Speaking to VOA Persians special program about President Donald Trumps decision on the Iran nuclear deal, Menashe Amir said his intelligence sources detected the IRGC activities in Lebanon on Tuesday. Amir, who is based near Jerusalem, said the nature of those activities was not specified but he believed they could involve IRGC forces bringing Iranian missiles closer to Israels borders in preparation for an attack. In the past few days, Israeli officials increasingly have warned of a potential Iranian strike in retaliation for recent Israeli military action in Syria aimed at curbing Iranian efforts to establish military bases there. Amir said Israeli media were reporting increased activity by Israeli military aircraft in northern Israel on Tuesday. He said Israel may take military action against Iranian missile sites in the region to preempt any Iranian strikes. Iran has vowed to avenge recent attacks on its forces and their allies in Syria, without detailing the timing or nature of its response. Israel has acknowledged intervening militarily in the years-long Syrian civil war, but rarely has claimed credit for specific attacks. Iran has long supported and supplied Lebanons Hezbollah militant group, which has an influential role in the Lebanese government and whose forces rival those of the Lebanese military. But the extent of Irans deployment of its own IRGC forces in Lebanon is not clear. STRATFOR, a U.S. publisher of intelligence analysis, reported in 2010 that there were about 4,000 IRGC troops in Lebanon at the time, deployed among five different bases. Amir said Iran and Hezbollah also have used Lebanese territory to train militiamen from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The revelation of unusual Iranian military activity in Lebanon coincided with Trumps announcement of his decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement on Tuesday. Under the deal, his predecessor Barack Obama and leaders of five other world powers suspended sanctions against Tehran in return for Iran accepting restrictions on its nuclear program to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. In another interview on the VOA Persian special program, Paris-based Iranian opposition figure Reza Pirzadeh called the U.S. withdrawal a big defeat for Irans ruling Islamist clerics. Our job is not to let the Islamic Republics defeat turn into a defeat for the Iranian people, but rather into an opportunity for them to realize the freedom they deserve and save all of us from the evil of the regime, he said. Pirzadeh is a member of the Iran National Council for Free Elections, a dissident group founded by U.S.-based Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in a televised statement following Trumps announcement, said Iran will consult with European powers, Russia and China in the next few weeks to determine if it is in Iranian interests to remain in the 2015 nuclear deal. He also vowed that the U.S. will not succeed in hurting the Iranian economy by re-imposing nuclear-related sanctions. But the U.S. pullout from the deal has put European powers in a tough spot in their economic ties with Iran, according to prominent Iranian journalist Alireza Nourizadeh. Speaking to the VOA Persian show from London, Nourizadeh highlighted the case of Austrias seventh-biggest bank Oberbank, which had signed a deal with Iranian officials last September to finance Austrian projects in Iran. Austrian media reported in late March and early April that Oberbank put the deal on hold ahead of a possible decision by Trump to quit the nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions. The deal would have made Oberbank one of the first European banks to do business with Iran since the 2015 deal took effect. Leaders of the three EU signatories to the deal, Britain, France and Germany, promised to keep abiding by the Iran nuclear deal despite the U.S. withdrawal. In separate remarks on the VOA Persian program from Los Angeles, senior advisor to the Iranian American Jewish Federation Sam Kermanian said the European powers and the previous Obama administration had expected that the deal would dissuade Iran from pursuing regional domination. They hoped Iran would use the deals economic benefits to help the Iranian people and save them from pressure and misery. Unfortunately, this did not happen, Kermanian said. This report was produced in collaboration with VOAs Persian Service. Human Rights Watch is suing Israel for ordering the deportation of the group's Israel and Palestine director for allegedly supporting a boycott of the Jewish state. The Israeli Interior Ministry has revoked Omar Shakir's work permit and has given him 14 days to leave the country. Human Rights Watch said it would challenge the order in court. "This is not about Shakir but rather about muzzling Human Rights Watch and shutting down criticism of Israel's rights record," HRW Deputy Director Iain Levine said Tuesday. "Compiling dossiers and deporting human rights defenders is a page out of the Russian or Egyptian security services' playbook." Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said Israeli authorities had gathered data on Shakir for more than a decade. "It is inconceivable that a boycott activist can receive a permit to remain in Israel so that he can act in every possible way against the state," Deri said. "I will use all means to expel such people from the country." But HRW said neither the group nor its representatives advocate boycotts of Israel. They say the Interior Ministry even acknowledged in its letter revoking Shakir's work permit that "no information has surfaced regarding such activities" since he joined the group. Israel originally denied Shakir a work permit last year, but relented after, in part, pressure from the United States. Israel has welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, but the move is raising tensions in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been one of the world's most vocal critics of the Iran deal, saying it clears the way for the Islamic Republic to acquire a nuclear bomb. He described Trump's decision to pull out of the agreement as "historic." "Israel thanks President Trump for his courageous leadership, his commitment to confront the terrorist regime in Tehran, and his commitment to ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons, not today, not in a decade, not ever," Netanyahu said. Iranian leaders have often called for the destruction of Israel, and Netanyahu sees Tehran's nuclear program as a threat to the Jewish state's existence. But a more immediate threat is on Israel's northern border with Syria, where Iran has been establishing a military presence during the Syrian civil war. Israel says this will not be tolerated and has secretly bombed Iranian targets inside Syria over the past few months. Iran has threatened to retaliate and, just as Trump made his announcement, the Israeli army ordered bomb shelters to open on the Golan Heights. The Israeli military said it detected suspicious Iranian troop movements in Syria, and warned of a possible cross-border attack. Yaakov Nagel, a former Israeli national security adviser, says Israel is prepared. "Israel is strong. We know how to defend ourselves. We are not going to allow anyone to jeopardize our security and the security of our citizens," Nagel said. At the same time, Nagel believes fears of a regional conflagration are premature. "No one wants a war," he said. "Usually, wars are coming because people are talking about war too much. Iran does not [want] war, [the] United States does not [want] war, Israel of course does not [want] war. But if someone will jeopardize us or try to test us, unfortunately you will have to understand what we can do." The military is on high alert, and Israel has warned Iran that if it dares to launch an attack from Syria, it will pay a heavy price. The 92-year-old former prime minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, has stunned the world by emerging from retirement to win Wednesday's parliamentary election. Mahathir and his coalition of opposition parties, called the Alliance of Hope, have toppled the National Front coalition the party that ruled Malaysia since it became independent in 1957. The Alliance of Hope is expected to finish with 115 parliamentary seats to the National Front's 79 seats. Experts had expected the National Front to lose the popular vote but still keep control of parliament after it redrew the country's electoral map. Outgoing Prime Minister Najib Razak has been dogged by the imposition of a sales tax that mainly affects the rural poor, and a corruption scandal in which billions of dollars were allegedly stolen from a state-owned investment fund he oversaw. Najib denies any wrongdoing. Mahathir has said he is not seeking "revenge" against his political opponents, but promised to restore law and order. Mahathir ruled Malaysia between 1981 and 2003. He is credited with building a thriving economy in Malaysia. However, many Malaysians still have a sour taste in their mouths over what they said was his harsh treatment of political opponents and stifling of free speech. Many of the half-a-million Malaysians living and working in Singapore crossed the strait into their homeland late Tuesday to cast their votes in Wednesday's national election, packing a busy causeway in a chaotic but at times festive mood. A vote called for the middle of the week made for difficult logistics for Malaysians living in the city-state neighbor, having to take days off from work to travel across what is normally one of the world's busiest international borders. "Having the election on a Wednesday is very inconvenient for Malaysians living in Singapore," said Pang Sze Lu, 31, who works in the manufacturing industry in Singapore, as she waited for a late-night train into Malaysia at the Woodlands checkpoint. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition is facing its toughest election yet, going up against former premier Mahathir Mohamad. A survey by independent polling firm Merdeka Center said BN had lost more ground in the lead-up to the polls, but it could still win enough parliamentary seats to cling on to power. It said as many as 16 percent of Malaysia's parliamentary seats are too close to call and that voter turnout would be a critical factor in determining the outcome in those districts. Some civic groups fear the mid-week election was discouraging Malaysians in neighboring Southeast Asian states to vote, as they are not entitled to cast ballots in absentia. But some were going the extra mile to vote such as Arriane Chan, who began a 13-hour van ride from Singapore's Harbourfront terminal to Penang in Malaysia's northwest to cast her first-ever vote, after missing the chance to book a flight home. "I am feeling a little proud to be going home," said the 24-year-old, who works for a food caterer in Singapore. "I will finally be able to participate and change politics in Malaysia." Amid concerns about traffic on the main crossing into Malaysia, online postings urged those including Singaporeans who do not need to travel on crucial business to avoid it in the hours running up to election day. Singapore authorities denied social media posts which alleged that travelers heading for Malaysia were stranded at immigration checkpoints. Some companies, including Swedish furniture store IKEA, public relations firm Gloo PR and marketing consultant IFoundries, are giving Malaysian employees a paid day off. Founder of Gloo PR, Oo Gin Lee, who is Malaysian but a resident of Singapore for 35 years, said he would not be voting this year, but wanted to give his Malaysian employees the chance. "Even though I have been living in Singapore since young, I am still a Malaysian and I want to let young people have a chance to vote," he said. "It is just one day of work and it's the right thing to do." Many Malaysians booked early flights back home such as Edward Pook, who flew Monday evening to Petaling Jaya. "Even though my area is an opposition stronghold, I wanted to contribute to the win," said Pook, who is an analyst at Singapore's DBS Bank. Others were forced to sit out the voting as it proved impossible to juggle the demands of work and travel arrangements home, even though additional flights were provided by budget carriers AirAsia and SilkAir. "I am unsure what the rationale is behind the given date," said Lleufer Sinsua, 29, who works for a Swiss company. "I believe the Election Commission should have been more inclusive for Malaysians working around the region who have no access to postal voting." Malaysians flocked to vote in a fiercely contested election Wednesday that pits an opposition led by former authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad against the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose reputation has been battered by corruption allegations and an unpopular sales tax. Long lines formed at polling booths in Kuala Lumpur and other cities before they opened at 8 a.m. Some 55 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballots by 1 p.m., the Election Commission said. Voters at a polling station at a school in central Kuala Lumpur dipped a finger in purple ink before casting their ballots, as election officials looked on. Analysts say the ruling National Front, in power since independence from Britain in 1957, might lose the popular vote for a second consecutive election. But it could still win a majority in Parliament thanks to an electoral system that gives more power to rural Malays, the partys traditional supporters. Faced with a reinvigorated opposition under the 92-year-old Mahathir, the government has used the levers of power to further tilt the playing field in its favor, critics and analysts say. Redrawn electoral boundaries were rushed through Parliament last month, pushing likely opposition voters into seats that already support the opposition and dividing constituencies along racial lines. A recently passed fake news law was an attempt to stifle debate and criticism, opponents said. If Najib wins a very narrow victory with a minority of public support but an electoral majority because the system has been rigged, I think that will create some discontent in Malaysia, which could cause long-term problems, said Amy Searight, a Southeast Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. It would be a further sign of the regions democratic decline. Mahathir, prime minister for 22 years until 2003, emerged from political retirement and joined the opposition in attempt to oust Najib, his former protege, after a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal at state investment fund 1MDB set up by Najib. The U.S. Justice Department says $4.5 billion was looted from 1MBD by associates of Najib between 2009 and 2014, including $700 million that landed in Najibs bank account. He denies any wrongdoing. An unpopular goods and services tax, introduced by Najib in 2015 to boost government revenue as Malaysias oil wealth dwindles, has also dented support for the ruling coalition. It hit poor rural Malays particularly hard. Enough is enough. We want a clean and just government. We want a party for all races, said Agnes Yap, a bank employee, after she voted in a Kuala Lumpur suburb. Reflecting Malaysias racial divides, Yap said the Chinese party in the ruling coalition had been subservient to Najibs Malay party and failed to defend the rights of the countrys ethnic Chinese minority. The National Front lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament in 2008 polls and lost the popular vote in 2013, though it still won 60 percent of seats that year. Tindak, a group advocating for reform of the electoral system, says one third of voters decide half of seats. About 15 million Malaysians are eligible to vote and the Election Commission has predicted a turnout of 85 percent. Voting closes at 5 p.m. and results are expected in the late evening. The opposition and election monitoring groups said the commissions decision to hold the vote midweek was likely to lower turnout many voters need to return to their hometowns to vote and favor the ruling party. This time I see more young people stepping up to serve the country in whichever side they believe in, said Zalina Halim, a project manager for Microsoft. I guess no matter who wins, this can only be good for Malaysia and for that I am happy, she said. The Middle East is bracing for milestone events packed into one week that could reverberate in unforeseen ways and change the trajectory of a region shaped by growing conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia, leaders of the Shiite and Sunni Muslim camps. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. Early next week, the U.S. will move its embassy in Israel to contested Jerusalem, provoking Palestinians at a time when many thousands plan to march from blockaded Gaza to Israel's border and perhaps overrun it. A look at the developments: The Iran deal Trump said the U.S. is pulling out of the 2015 deal that gave Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbing its nuclear program. A pullout is opposed by other world powers, but supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The U.S. withdrawal and the possibility of an eventual collapse of the deal raises concerns about escalation, even war particularly if Iran is seen as resuming its pursuit of nuclear weapons and Israel retaliates. Tensions between Israel and Iran already are high over Iran's efforts to expand its military presence in Syria and airstrikes attributed to Israel that killed Iranian fighters there, prompting threats of reprisal by Tehran. Netanyahu says he'll counter "Iran's aggression ... even if this means a struggle.'' Israeli security officials say forces are already on high alert in northern Israel. Netanyahu's critics inside Israel warn that he is pursuing a risky course by trying to torpedo the nuclear deal, without assurances that the U.S. has prepared for the fallout. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Iranian state television that there's a "short time'' to negotiate with the countries remaining in the deal, warning that his country could start enriching uranium more than ever in the coming weeks. Iran could respond by activating regional allies Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Gaza-based Hamas but faces limits. Both groups have to keep in mind local constituencies that endured painful Israeli airstrikes in previous cross-border confrontations. Hezbollah, armed with tens of thousands of rockets trained at Israel, hopes to integrate further into Lebanese politics after scoring gains Sunday in the country's first election in nine years. Hezbollah's calculations could change if it succeeds in setting up military positions in southwestern Syria, allowing it to launch rockets without concern for Lebanese civilians being harmed in counterattacks. Sunni Muslim Hamas, which has had ambivalent ties with Shiite-led Iran since seizing Gaza in 2007, wants to avoid another war with Israel and is betting on mass border protests to break a decade-old blockade of Gaza by Israel and Egypt. U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem On May 14, Israel's 70th anniversary, the U.S. will ceremoniously open its new embassy in Jerusalem, in line with Trump's recognition in December of the city as Israel's capital. Israel has excitedly welcomed the move. For Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, it spells the end to hopes that the U.S. would one day get Israel to cede the West Bank and Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem lands it captured in 1967 to a Palestinian state. Trump's predecessors have said conflicting claims to Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations. His claims that the Jerusalem policy shift doesn't preclude talks on how to share the city is met with scorn by Abbas, who suspended ties with Washington and considers it unfit to keep serving as the sole Mideast broker. Abbas warned recently that he would take "tough steps'' against the U.S. and Israel, but didn't spell them out. Options endorsed last week by the Palestine Liberation Organization include suspending recognition of Israel and walking away from interim peace deals of the 1990s. Signaling that he's in no rush to respond, Abbas left Sunday for a trip to Venezuela, Chile and Cuba. Even if he's back by May 14, he won't have time to get far-reaching decisions approved, if only as a formality, by senior PLO figures. Jordan's King Abdullah II seems to have resigned himself to the U.S. shift on Jerusalem, whose Israeli-annexed eastern sector, sought as a Palestinian capital, houses major shrines of Islam, Christianity and Judaism. U.S. officials have told the monarch he would continue to serve as custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city. Beyond such assurances, the kingdom, where most residents are of Palestinian origin, relies on U.S. aid and discreet security ties with Israel. Despite Abdullah's tough rhetoric on Jerusalem, he recently ended a months-long diplomatic crisis with Israel, signaling he is ready to move on. Sunni Arab states might issue new statements critical of the U.S. Embassy move to appease domestic audiences. However, the Saudi-led camp has cheered Trump's aggressive stance toward Iran, and will most likely avoid hurting the new alliance. Border march On the day of the U.S. Embassy move, Hamas plans to bring the largest crowd yet to the Gaza-Israel border, as part of an open-ended blockade-busting protest campaign. Since the weekly demonstrations began in late March, protesters have mostly thrown stones and burned tires on the Gaza side, stopping short of large-scale border breaches. Two senior Hamas officials said such breaches will become inevitable when crowds gather on May 14, the day of the embassy move, and likely also on May 15, when Palestinians mark their "nakba,'' or mass uprooting during the 1948 Mideast war over Israel's creation. More than two-thirds of Gaza's 2 million people are descendants of refugees. Blockade-linked hardships, from 16-hour-a-day power cuts to sweeping travel bans, have pushed more people to go to the border, despite the risks. So far, 40 protesters have been killed and more than 1,700 wounded by Israeli troops. A mass breach is bound to lead to more casualties. Israel has dug in, despite international criticism of its use of lethal force against unarmed protesters. Israel says it needs to maintain the blockade to contain Hamas and that it will defend its border at all costs. The border marches are expected to continue at lower intensity during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins around May 16, said the two Hamas officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss internal deliberations with reporters. Hamas is investing as much in the new tactic as it did in its military wing, responsible in the past for suicide attacks and rocket fire on Israel, the officials said. The group believes the protests have become the only remaining tool for breaking the blockade. Abbas is not expected to try to compete with Hamas during "nakba'' rallies. In the West Bank, his security forces have kept demonstrators away from Israeli army positions. The United Arab Emirates hosted the start of a two-day forum on Tuesday for Islamic community leaders from countries around the world where Muslims are minorities. Several hundred people attended the forum in the UAE's capital of Abu Dhabi to network and discuss challenges around issues of Islamophobia, integration and extremism. Muslim community leaders attending the summit came from countries as far as Venezuela and Vietnam, where Muslims are minorities. The forum also hosted speakers from international organizations, like the United Nations, and members of other faiths, such as Buddhism and Christianity, to deepen discussions on pluralism and tolerance. With more than half a billion Muslims living in countries where they are a minority, spokesperson for the International Muslim Communities Conference, Fawziya Al-Ajamawi, said it's important to combat misunderstandings and portray Islam "as a religion of forgiveness and love." "The biggest issue we face in Europe is the growth of Islamophobia and the fear of Islam and Muslims because, daily, the news shows stories of bombings and terrorist activities," she said. "We are trying to correct this picture that taints the image of Muslims," Al-Ajamawi added. Canadian attendee, Muhammad Robert Heft, said the conference in Abu Dhabi was an opportunity to meet other Muslim community leaders from different backgrounds and walks of life to understand the issues they face. "I think it's important to sort of get outside your bubble and box. I mean I'm in Toronto, Canada so when you come to a place like this, you get a lot more and a wider perspective about what's happening in life, especially outside of, you know, my circle," he said. Heft said he converted to Islam 20 years ago at the age of 25. He is now founder and president of Paradise Forever, an organization that works with Muslim converts in Canada and is funded by UAE Vice President and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He's counseled Canadian converts to Islam who are at risk or have been radicalized. He said one of the challenges Muslim minorities face when living abroad is integration without compromising one's religious principles. "It's finding that balance," Heft said. "Let's try to find that common ground and live and let live." Nurdine Aiuba Dauda came to the conference from Mozambique. He says he memorized the Quran by age 15 and studied Arabic and Islam in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. He now preaches in mosques and works with Muslim youth in his home country, where Christianity is also widely practiced. He says the challenges facing Muslims in Mozambique include poverty, unemployment and access to education. "There aren't enough universities and high schools. There are youth who study under trees," he said. Al-Ajamawi, the conference spokesperson, says the inaugural forum is just the start of what could be an annual event to bring together leaders of Muslim minority communities. Meanwhile, Turkey, which tolerates and even supports some Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood that the UAE has outlawed, hosted its own summit for Muslim minorities last month with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressing attendees and urging unity in the face of religious extremism and anti-Muslim hate crimes. An imprisoned Myanmar policeman provided more information in court Wednesday about how two Reuters journalists were allegedly framed by police, a case that has become a decisive test for press freedom in the Southeast Asian country. Police Captain Moe Yan Naing, who was ordered to serve one year in jail for violating the Police Disciplinary Act, testified his sentence was intended to intimidate any other officers who are considering telling the truth. The office provided a detailed account of how a police chief allegedly ordered subordinates to give "secret" documents to two reporters who are being tried on charges of possessing state secrets. Wednesday's testimony by Moe Yan Naing comes after his initial testimony April 20, when he said his colleagues helped frame the reporters. Moe Yan Naing's lawyer, Than Zaw Aung, told VOA Burmese that his legal team is encouraged by Wednesday's testimony. His testimony increased hope that reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo will be acquitted of the charge, which is punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The reporters had been covering a military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state that the United Nations says forced the evacuation of 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to neighboring Bangladesh during the past eight months. The United Nations, the United States and Britain have denounced the crackdown as ethnic cleansing, a charge the Myanmar government denies. When the reporters were arrested in December, they were looking into an investigation of the killings of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys that occurred during the crackdown. The United Nations launched an appeal in March for $951 million to help the Rohingya refugees for the remainder of 2018, but the world body said at the end of April that it was only 9 percent funded. Hundreds of villagers who are stranded in the jungle amid clashes between Myanmars military and ethnic rebels in Kachin State, northern Myanmar have not been heard from. European Emergency Response Coordination Center reported in April that the group consisted of an estimated 2,000 villagers, part of an exodus of thousands who have fled their homes in Kachin because of renewed fighting between the Myanmar military and ethnic Kachin rebels near the border with China. Ja Tang, an ethnic Kachin lawmaker in Myanmars Lower House of Parliament, told VOA Burmese that civilians from Awng Lawt village of Tanai Township have been out of contact with relief groups. I myself lost contact with them, he said. At first, they were being trapped in paddy fields and after artillery shells landed near the fields, they had no choice but to escape. Now, they have lost contact for a couple of weeks. There were estimated 2,000 people when they last checked in. The lawmaker said the group includes children, pregnant women, the elderly and injured. A major rebel group in Myanmar, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), has frequently clashed with government troops following a collapse of a 17-year-old ceasefire in 2001. The latest fighting has escalated since early April and the United Nations reported that an estimated 5,000 people have been displaced and hundreds of them caught in conflict areas. In northern Shan State, fresh clashes between two ethnic armed groups last week have displaced hundreds of residents. In a tweet, Ursula Mueller, assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and deputy emergency relief coordinator in the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has called on all sides to ensure protection of all civilians. Myanmars military has reportedly detained scores of villagers for security reasons and has restricted access to the area. Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Win Myat Aye, told VOA that dozens of villagers have been able to leave the conflict zone and that the government will continue efforts to evacuate remaining villagers. The evacuation plan has gone well after we facilitated talks between presidents office and the army, he said, adding that a total of 148 people were evacuated (as of Monday) including 40, who were able to walk out of the conflict zone with the help of Battalion 424 (of Myanmar Army) and later transferred with trucks. In northern Shan State, a local relief volunteer Sai Ba Nyan told VOA that more than 700 villagers are currently sheltering in three Buddhist monasteries in Namtu Township in northern Shan State following infighting between two allied groups -- the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) and the Taang Nationalities Liberation Army (TNLA) last week. Maj. Ta Eik Kyaw of TNLA told VOA that the two groups mistook each other as rival forces in the area where other armed groups, including government troops, are active. Five world powers that are signatories to the international pact to restrain Iran's nuclear weapons development all voiced support for the deal Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump assailed it and withdrew the United States. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 accord regrettable and said Berlin would "try to do everything so that Iran also fulfills its commitments in the future." She said Trump's abandonment of the deal "showed us once again that we will face more responsibility in Europe, in foreign policy, in the area of securing peace, in the area of the political solutions we must find." British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson urged the U.S. "to avoid taking any action that would hinder other parties from continuing to make the agreement work," saying the deal was "vital" to Britain's national security. Johnson said it falls to the U.S. administration to "spell out their view of the way ahead." The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed "deep concern over [Trump's] decision and once more stressed the importance of this document," while France and China also voiced continued support. In withdrawing the U.S., Trump on Tuesday called the pact "a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made." He said the agreement, reached under his predecessor, Barack Obama, "didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will." Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told a congressional hearing Wednesday that the U.S. "will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, and will work with others to address the range of Irans malign influence. This administration remains committed to putting the safety, interests, and well-being of our citizens first." In a new assessment, however, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog unit, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that "As of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran." Trump won praise from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long derided the pact as woefully insufficient in blocking Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Trump also won some support in the Arab world for his withdrawal from the deal. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia all voiced their approval of Trump's action. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, challenged Trump's withdrawal from the agreement, saying, "You cannot do a damn thing!" Without elaborating, he claimed Trump had "over 10 lies" in announcing the U.S. was pulling out of the accord. The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said the decision showed the U.S. was "not trustworthy." Andrew Peek, a deputy U.S. assistant secretary of state for Iraq and Iran, told CNN the Trump administration believes that by withdrawing from the nuclear pact, the U.S. can "frankly get better comprehensive control" over Iran's ballistic missile tests and military advances in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere in the Middle East through new negotiations with Iran. "Iran's behavior across the spectrum concerns me every day," Peek said. He said the U.S. has "every confidence" that economic sanctions the U.S. plans to reimpose on Iran will force the Islamic Republic to restart negotiations over its nuclear program and other military issues. A legal dispute between ConocoPhillips and Venezuelan state oil firm PDVSA could leave Curacao's economically important Isla refinery without crude oil to process, posing a "potential crisis" for the Caribbean island, Curacao's Prime Minister said on Tuesday. Conoco has won court orders allowing it to seize PDVSA assets on Caribbean islands, including Curacao, in efforts to collect on a $2 billion arbitral award linked to the 2007 nationalization of Conoco assets. The operations of the 335,000 barrel-per-day Isla refinery, which provides as much as 10 percent of Curacao's gross domestic product, could be left without crude supplies if PDVSA halts all oil shipments to prevent them from being seized, Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath said in a telephone interview. "We are aware of the potential risks for the operation of the refinery," Rhuggenaath said. "A stoppage of the operation would have a devastating impact economically and socially." PDVSA has already suspended oil storage and shipping from its Caribbean facilities, according to a PDVSA source and Reuters data. Curacao is prepared to purchase refined products on the global market to ensure it can maintain supplies for the local population as well as for shipping. "This is indeed a potential crisis that can very profoundly affect the social and economic situation of our island, and therefore we are always willing to discuss and reach out to relevant parties," said Rhuggenaath. He said Conoco has yet to seize any assets. Curacao is still scrutinizing a lien - a legal instrument that paves the way for an asset seizure - because the government's legal counsel does not fully understand it, he said. Conoco is also seeking to seize assets on the nearby island of Bonaire, where PDVSA owns a storage terminal. In contrast, Isla is owned by Curacao state-run firms and is leased to PDVSA. "This is a different situation than in Bonaire," said the prime minister. Neither PDVSA nor Conoco have contacted Curacao authorities regarding how the legal dispute could affect the island, according to Rhuggenaath. ConocoPhillips said it has sought to resolve issues caused by its efforts to collect the arbitration award. "We have been in touch with the local officials and are working to address their concerns," spokesman Daren Beaudo said. "As we said previously, we will work with the community and local authorities to address issues that may arise as a result of enforcement actions." PDVSA did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. A small island off the coast of Venezuela, Curacao is a constituent country within the kingdom of the Netherlands, with a vibrant tourism industry and deep-water ports used by the oil industry. During the oil boom years, Venezuelans flooded the island to shop and vacation. But the OPEC nation's calamitous economic decline in recent years has turned Curacao and neighboring islands into havens for migrants seeking escape from hunger and disease. Pope Francis is marking the 25th anniversary of St. John Paul II's historic denunciation of the Mafia with calls for today's young to resist the pull of organized crime. Francis issued a telegram to Sicily's bishops Wednesday recalling John Paul's "prophetic invective" against the mob during a May 9, 1993, trip to Agrigento, Sicily. His off-the-cuff remarks at the end of Mass in which he demanded Mafiosi convert, change their ways or face the wrath of God's final judgment have gone down in Italian church history as a turning point of sorts, coming within a year of the mob slayings of two leading anti-Mafia prosecutors. Wednesday also marked the 40th anniversary of the slaying of anti-Mafia crusader Giuseppe "Peppino" Impastato, who was remembered with marches in Palermo. Stormy Daniels' lawyer said Tuesday he has information showing that Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, received $500,000 from a company associated with a Russian billionaire within months of paying hush money to Daniels, a porn star who claims she had an affair with Trump. Lawyer Michael Avenatti also said hundreds of thousands of dollars streamed into Cohen's account from companies including Novartis, AT&T and Korea Aerospace. AT&T confirmed its connection Tuesday evening. Avenatti did not provide documents to support the claims and did not reveal the source of his information. But in a seven-page memo he detailed what he said were wire transfers going into and out of the account Cohen used to pay Daniels $130,000 in October 2016 to stay silent about her alleged affair with the soon-to-be president. Trump denies having an affair with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. The memo, containing highly specific dates and amounts, stated that Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian billionaire, and his cousin "routed'' eight payments totaling approximately $500,000 to Cohen's company, Essential Consultants, between January and August 2017. The reason for the payment was not known. Speculating without offering proof, the Avenatti memo said, "It appears these funds may have replenished the account following the payment to Ms. Clifford.'' Avenatti's memo said the deposits into the account controlled by Cohen were made by Columbus Nova, an American investment company affiliated with the Renova Group, which is controlled by Russian billionaire Victor Vekselberg. Columbus Nova's attorney Richard Owens said in a statement that, after Trump's inauguration, the firm hired Cohen as a business consultant "regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures,'' but that it had nothing to do with Vekselberg. Owens said any suggestion that Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Cohen are false. "Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else, other than Columbus Nova's owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement,'' he said. Cohen and his attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. At the time of the payments, there was an active FBI counterintelligence investigation - which special counsel Robert Mueller took over last May - into Russian election interference and any possible coordination with Trump associates. Vekselberg was targeted for U.S. sanctions by the Trump administration last month. He built his fortune, currently estimated by Forbes at $14.6 billion, by investing in the aluminum and oil industries. More recently, he has expanded his assets to include industrial equipment and high technology. Offering confirmation for at least one of the payments, AT&T said in a statement that Essential Consultants was one of several firms it "engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration.'' "They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017,'' the company said. Such a confidential relationship would not violate federal lobbying laws if Cohen did not seek to influence Trump on the companies' behalf. But hiring the president's personal attorney for advice on how to woo Trump would be highly unusual, especially given that Cohen was never formally involved in the campaign or Trump's administration. Making the arrangement even stranger, the blue-chip companies' payments to Cohen were routed to Essential Consultants LLC - the same company Cohen used to buy Stormy Daniels' silence about her alleged affair with the President. Novartis and Korea Aerospace did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A Russian company accused by U.S. prosecutors of funding a propaganda operation to tilt the 2016 presidential election in President Donald Trump's favor and stir disharmony in the United States pleaded not guilty Wednesday in federal court. Concord Management and Consulting LLC is one of three entities and 13 Russian individuals indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office in February in an alleged criminal and espionage conspiracy to tamper in the U.S. race, boost Trump and disparage his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. The indictment said Concord is controlled by Russian businessman Evgeny Prigozhin, who U.S. officials have said has extensive ties to Russia's military and political establishment. The indictment said Concord controlled funding, recommended personnel and oversaw the activities of the propaganda campaign. Prigozhin, also personally charged by Mueller, has been dubbed "Putin's cook" by Russian media because his catering business has organized banquets for Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior political figures. He has been hit with sanctions by the U.S. government. "We plead not guilty. We exercise the right to a speedy trial," the company's U.S.-based defense lawyer Eric Dubelier said during the arraignment before Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey, who scheduled a May 16 status hearing. Another business entity that prosecutors said was controlled by Prigozhin, Concord Catering, was named in the indictment, along with the Internet Research Agency, a St. Petersburg-based Russian troll farm. Dubelier told the court he was not authorized to represent Concord Catering, adding that prosecutors had indicted a "proverbial ham sandwich" because the entity did not exist during the time the alleged misconduct occurred. Mueller's indictment said the Russian defendants adopted false online personas to push divisive messages, traveled to the United States to collect intelligence and orchestrated political rallies while posing as Americans. Moscow has denied meddling in the election. Mueller also is investigating whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia and whether the president has unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe. Trump has denied collusion and obstruction, calling Mueller's investigation a "witch hunt." Russia does not have an extradition agreement with the United States, making it difficult to apprehend the Russian defendants. As expected, no corporate representatives for Concord or any of the other corporate defendants appeared in court. "Alas, they are not here," prosecutor Jeannie Rhee said. "The government would be thrilled if they were here." Mueller's office tried unsuccessfully to win a delay in the arraignment, saying it was unsure if Dubelier and another U.S. lawyer hired by Concord Management and Consulting were authorized to represent the company because the Office of the Prosecutor General of Russia declined to accept a court summons. Outside the rarified sphere of the super-rich, tycoon Viktor Vekselberg is mostly known in Russia for spending more than $100 million to bring cultural artifacts back to their homeland, including an array of Faberge eggs glittering with gold and jewels. By Vekselberg's standards, the money he laid out wasn't all that much: His fortune has been estimated at about $14.6 billion. But after his holding company Renova was hit by U.S. sanctions against Russia in April, his worth appeared to shrink markedly, and he reportedly has asked the Russian government for help to stay afloat. Now Vekselberg is facing new scrutiny. U.S. news reports said he has been questioned by the staff of Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating alleged Russian interference in the U.S. election in 2016 and any possible coordination with associates of President Donald Trump. And documents reviewed by The Associated Press suggest that a company associated with Vekselberg routed money to Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's consulting firm in 2017. Vekselberg, 61, was born in Soviet Ukraine. After graduating from the Moscow Transportation Engineering Institute, he reportedly made his first significant money by selling copper salvaged from scrapped cables during the period of economic reforms under Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. He built his fortune by investing in the aluminum and oil industries, taking advantage of the wide-open and often-questionable privatization of state companies after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. He secured a controlling interest in the Tyumen Oil company, one of Russia's largest oil operations, and his holding company Renova Group and two other holding companies later merged their assets and established the TNK-BP joint venture with British Petroleum, which later was acquired by state oil giant Rosneft. More recently, he has expanded his assets to include industrial equipment and high technology. Renova has sizable investments in the U.S. through its subsidiary, the investment management company Columbus Nova. The firm's operations include tech investments, real estate management and merchant banking, according to corporate and web documents. Vekselberg's U.S. operation, Columbus Nova, is headed by Andrew Intrater. The documents reviewed by AP and other media reports have said the two men are cousins. Washington influence Intrater donated $250,000 to Trump's inauguration in 2017, presidential finance documents show. And both Vekselberg and Intrater attended Trump's inauguration, according to a 2017 Washington Post report. Before reportedly retaining Cohen, Vekselberg's U.S. corporate entities have spent nearly 15 years trying to gain influence in Washington. Renova, Columbus Nova and its real estate arm combined to pay nearly $1.8 million to lobbyists between 2001 and 2015, at first concentrating on "encouraging trade and cultural exchanges" between the U.S. and Russia and later on small business issues. A spokeswoman for the Carmen Group Inc., a lobbying operation paid more than $1.7 million by the Vekselberg firms, declined to explain its work, saying, "we do not comment on client matters." Vekselberg was one of a group of Russian business leaders who met with former President Barack Obama in Moscow in 2007 during Obama's visit with then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev as well as then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Vekselberg was also in attendance when Putin sat during a Moscow gala in 2015 with retired U.S. Army General Michael Flynn, who was Trump's national security adviser before he was fired. Flynn is now cooperating with the special counsel probe. Payments to Cohen firm Official documents reviewed Tuesday by the AP appeared to show that a company associated with Vekselberg routed eight payments totaling about $500,000 to Essential Consultants, established by Cohen between January and August 2017. Vekselberg's spokesman Andrey Shtorkh told the AP on Wednesday that "neither Viktor Vekselberg nor Renova has ever had any contractual relationship with Mr. Cohen" or his consulting company. In a statement on its website, Columbus Nova said it has managed assets for Renova, but has never been owned by Vekselberg. As a wealthy and powerful Russian, Vekselberg is presumed to operate with the tacit approval of President Vladimir Putin. How deep his relations are with the Kremlin is an open question. Anders Aslund, an expert on Russia's economy, was quoted by the Russian business portal RBC as saying that Vekselberg's ending up on the U.S. sanctions list was a surprise because "he has a good reputation. ... He isn't perceived to be especially close to Putin." But he apparently is close enough to the top to be willing to ask for help after the sanctions slashed the value of his holdings. According to the business newspaper Kommersant, he recently asked for state-owned banks to refinance 820 million euros ($967 million) in debt that he owes to Western banks and for preferential treatment in receiving state orders. Vekselberg got wide public attention for buying nine Faberge eggs from the estate of Malcolm Forbes and bringing the czarist-era baubles back to Russia for display in a private museum. He also heavily funded the establishment of a Jewish museum in Moscow and financed the return to a Moscow monastery of church bells that had been scrapped under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Spain acted on Wednesday to blockpro-independence politicians in Catalonia from voting in ex-leader Carles Puigdemont, now in Germany, as their regional head with a deadline looming to form a government and avoid fresh elections. Madrid said it was appealing a new Catalan law that would have allowed Puigdemont to be elected at a distance while he waits in Berlin for German courts to rule on a Spanish request to extradite him. "We are appealing [before the Constitutional Court] ... against a law that aims to swear in someone who has fled from justice and is living abroad," Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told reporters at the lower house of parliament in Madrid. Catalan lawmakers must pick a leader to form a government by May 22 to avert more elections and plot a path out of a seven-month standoff which has given Spain, the euro zone's fourth-largest economy, its worst dose of instability in decades. A spokesman for Puigdemont's party in the Madrid parliament played down the chances of fresh elections, saying the two main secessionist parties would agree on an alternative candidate. "If [Puigdemont's candidacy] is blocked, I am sure Together for Catalonia and Republican Left of Catalonia will choose a candidate," Carles Campuzano said. The disputed law was approved last week by the Barcelona parliament, which is still dominated by secessionist groups since elections last December that Rajoy had hoped would stifle the independence movement. The Constitutional Court, which convenes later on Wednesday, is expected to accept the appeal from the Spanish government as it has done in the past with similar requests from Madrid. If so, the law will be blocked until Spain's Constitutional Court makes a final decision, which could take months. Puigdemont fled to Belgium in October after Rajoy fired his administration for holding a banned independence referendum, and was then arrested while traveling through Germany. The central government still has direct control over the parliament he left behind, and it is not clear who the secessionist movement would call on next to take the mantle. By moving to suspend the law, Madrid is likely to thwart the fifth attempt this year to put forward a leadership candidate, all of whom are either in prison or abroad. Puigdemont has now tried twice. The deadlock has caused frustration in the pro-independence coalition. Last week, the jailed leader of the Republican Left of Catalonia called on his allies in Puigdemont's traditionally right-wing group to form a government and shake off direct rule. An attorney for porn star Stormy Daniels said on Wednesday he has more evidence of ties between a Russian oligarch sanctioned by the United States and a payment to U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and questioned other companies' dealings with Cohen's firm. In two television interviews, Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, also called on Trump and Cohen to release bank statements tied to hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments made by AT&T, Novartis AG, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd and Columbus Nova LLC, a New York-based investment firm linked to businessman Viktor Vekselberg, who has ties to the Kremlin. Avenatti's comments came a day after he disclosed the payments to a firm controlled by Cohen in 2017 and 2018, after Trump won the November 2016 presidential election. The companies later confirmed the payments. The revelation of the payments raised new questions about Cohen's role and work for Trump, and could further pressure Cohen after the FBI raided his home and office last month as part of a criminal investigation of his business dealings and a payment to Daniels. The revelation also drew attention to another potential line of inquiry in U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election and potential collusion by Trump's campaign. Cohen on Wednesday told reporters Avenatti's report was inaccurate. It was not immediately clear how Avenatti knew about the payments to Cohen. He declined to tell ABC News and MSNBC in his interviews where he got the bank records and other information. His client Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has said Cohen paid her $130,000 in October 2016, a month before the election, to stay quiet about a 2006 sexual encounter she had with Trump and has filed two related lawsuits against Trump and Cohen. Avenatti has not responded to requests by Reuters for comment. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels and said there was no collusion with Russia. Moscow has denied U.S. intelligence agencies' accusations of meddling in the election. AT&T on Tuesday said it sought insights into the new administration from Cohen's Essential Consultants LLC, but did not engage in lobbying. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday that AT&T paid more than $200,000 to Cohen's company. On Wednesday, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said it paid for accounting-related services, while Novartis cited health care consulting. Novartis called its nearly $1.2 million payment to Cohen's firm a mistake and said it had been contacted by the U.S. Special Counsel's Office and was cooperating. KAI said it had not been contacted by Mueller's team and AT&T did not respond to a request for comment on whether it had been contacted. Avenatti told ABC it remained "unclear" what services the companies were seeking and whether Cohen had the necessary expertise. "Michael Cohen appears to be selling access to the president of the United States," Avenatti told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. A lawyer for Columbus Nova has said Vekselberg had nothing to do with the transaction, which Avenatti said amounted to $500,000. "We have significant evidence to the contrary," Avenatti told ABC's "Good Morning America" program, without giving any details. "We haven't released all the evidence that we have. Vekselberg, who according to the New York Times has been questioned by Mueller's team, could not be reached by Reuters for comment. Peter Carr, the spokesman for the Special Counsel's Office, declined to comment. The White House referred questions to Trumps outside lawyers. Trump attorney Jay Sekulow said the outside legal team has no comment on Avenatti's allegations. A blast in a market north of Mogadishu has killed at least 10 people, Somali officials say. The explosion in Wanlaweyn, in the country's Lower Shabelle region, left more than 10 others wounded. Most of the victims are civilians. It is unclear whether a terrorist planted a bomb or a suicide bomber was behind the blast. No one has claimed responsibility, but officials suspect the al-Qaida-linked terror group al-Shabab, which, despite military setbacks, is still active in large parts of Somalia. A team of veterinarians has again traveled to southern Malawi to vaccinate thousands of dogs as part of a global effort by the British charity, Mission Rabies, to eradicate the deadly virus by 2030. Malawi has in the past reported elevated numbers of child deaths from rabies, but now three years into this initiative, the organizers say they are seeing signs of progress. Lameck Masina reports for VOA from Blantyre. Taiwan has garnered an unexpected burst of sympathy overseas this week as China stirred anger with demands that international airlines avoid calling the island a country. The White House protested against Chinas request that airlines of various nations avoid labeling Taiwan, Hong Kong or Macau in ways that imply they are separate from China. White House Press Secretary Sara Sanders, in a statement, called the request Orwellian nonsense. Beijings targets included Australias flagship carrier, Qantas, prompting a call from Australias foreign minister for China to avoid making threats. Taiwan has been self-ruled for nearly seven decades since the establishment of the communist Peoples Republic of China. Beijing considers the island a part of its territory and is pushing for eventual reunification. The Chinese government has historically and consistently pressed other nations and multinational companies to accept its view on Taiwan. Taiwans president rejects the idea of a single China, and surveys on the island show most people support local autonomy over unification. The airline flap and plus international protests make China look over-aggressive, said Denny Roy, senior fellow at the East-West Center, a research organization in Honolulu. Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Center for International and Strategic Studies, a Washington think tank, said the spat also takes Taiwan out of diplomatic isolation. Pushback from the U.S. and other countries will help to alleviate Taiwans concerns about growing isolation due to Chinese pressure, Glaser said. Chinese pressure The Civil Aviation Administration of China in April sent letters to 36 foreign airlines, including some in the United States, demanding that they remove any references on their websites or in other material that suggests Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau are independent of China. Airlines often list Taiwan as a separate entity when asking customers where they plan to travel, where their passports are issued or where their credit cards are registered. Rebutting the White House response this week, China denied threatening or coercing the airlines, but did not relent on its position. The state-run China Daily news website, said Chinese officials had informed the carriers that they got it wrong when they refer to Chinas regions as a country. The spat shows that foreign governments find China is going too far in pressuring nongovernmental companies, said Shane Lee, a political scientist at Chang Jung Christian University in Taiwan. These countries dont think that their national companies can be bullied by China, Lee said. Its private business. Secondly they think China is going too far to push Taiwan. Taipeis measured response Taiwan thanked the U.S. government Sunday for protesting Chinas action but has otherwise said little about Beijings demands to the airlines. Roy thinks that relatively low-key approach has helped Taiwans image. This might be an instance where Taiwan doesnt need to say anything, he said. Taiwan speaking up would only attract the criticism that Taipei is trying to exploit the situation, and would put Beijing in reflexive defensive mode, when we should instead make it clear that this is about Beijing being over-aggressive. Will airlines abide? Airlines that have been asked to change their references to Taiwan will probably do as they are told, analysts say. Chinas requests now extend a spat that started in January, when Beijing requested that U.S. hotel giant Marriott International, American-owned Delta Air Lines and the Spanish fashion brand Zara to change the way they referred to Taiwan. The companies complied. Delta and the Marriott chain, both of which do business in China, apologized. Qantas had changed its references to Taiwan in January in line with Beijings views, multiple media outlets reported. Airlines risk a backlash from Chinese netizens if they dont change, which could hurt their reputation among Chinese travelers, said Jeffrey Lowe, managing director of aviation services firm Asian Sky Group in Hong Kong. Corporate reputations matter in China as more than 700 million Chinese are online, and Chinese travelers took 130 million trips overseas last year, more than in 2016. I think China is serious about its request, Lowe said. They have certainly demonstrated that. There seems to be for whatever reason a renewed initiative or push from the central government to ensure that the named countries are being referred to in the correct manner that the central government would like to see. The name-change requests mark just one part of Chinas long-term effort to isolate Taiwan, said Liu Yih-jiun, public affairs professor at Fo Guang University in Taiwan. Officials in Taipei say China has persuaded three former diplomatic allies to switch sides since 2016 and blocked it twice from observing the World Health Organizations annual assembly. I would just take the kind of gesture to make major airlines all over the world try to do things I think its just kind of a very minor or localized episode, but under the table the situation is far worse than that, Liu said. Voters in four U.S. state primary elections propelled candidates largely supportive of President Donald Trump's agenda to victory Tuesday, prompting Trump to declare that Republicans "had a great night" he hopes will be repeated in the November midterm elections. "Tremendous voter energy and excitement, and all candidates are those who have a great chance of winning in November," Trump wrote Wednesday on Twitter. Trump suggested a healthy U.S. economy and congressional passage of the Republican tax plan may put victory out of reach for Democrats in November, and targeted House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who has said she would seek to rescind the new tax law if Democrats win control of the House next year. "The Economy is sooo strong, and with Nancy Pelosi wanting to end the big Tax Cuts and Raise Taxes, why wouldnt we win?" Republican voters ensured that nominees generally aligned with Trump were victorious in Senate primaries in Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. The president's most significant win came in West Virginia, where ex-convict Don Blankenship, who touted himself as "Trumpier than Trump," was soundly defeated by state attorney general Patrick Morrisey. Republican voters in Indiana selected wealthy businessman Mike Braun over two incumbent congressmen to lead the party against a vulnerable Democrat in the midterm elections, which have Republicans concerned over the possibility of big losses. Voters also went to the polls in North Carolina, where Republicans were dealt a stinging defeat. Congressman Robert Pittenger lost to Baptist pastor Mark Harris, becoming the first incumbent to lose his seat this primary season. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his administration would begin work on a section of his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Diego County, at the county's request. "San Diego has asked us to go forward with their section of the wall in California, and rather than not doing that and letting them lobby for us with Governor [Jerry] Brown, we decided to do it," Trump told reporters as his Cabinet met at the White house. State legislators and Brown, California's Democratic governor, have been hostile toward Trump's plan to make the border nearly impervious for immigrants coming to the United States illegally, but some enclaves have disagreed. The Board of Supervisors for San Diego, which is California's second most populous county and sits on the border with Mexico, in April voted to support Trump's legal challenge to the state designating itself a "sanctuary state" hospitable to immigrants. U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran Wednesday there would be "very severe consequences" if it starts developing nuclear weapons in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from a 2015 international pact aimed at restraining Tehran's nuclear program. In brief comments at the White House, Trump said the United States would "very shortly" reimpose economic sanctions in an attempt to force Iran to negotiate new terms on the deal, its ballistic missile tests and military advances in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere in the Middle East. WATCH: Trump Says Iran Will Agree to Negotiate on Nuclear Deal The U.S. leader accused Iran of creating "bedlam and death" in the region. "We're going to make a very good deal or we won't make a deal at all," he said. Trump acknowledged the U.S. "probably won't do very well with them," but said that was all right with him. Trump continued to assail the nuclear pact Tehran reached with the U.S. under his predecessor, Barack Obama, calling it a "terrible, terrible deal that should never have been done." Europe reacts Trump's comments came as the other five signatories to the accord -- Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China -- all voiced renewed support for the deal. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani by phone Wednesday for more than an hour. Macron's office said the French president told his Iranian counterpart that he wants to continue the accord "in all its dimensions." The French presidency said Rouhani expressed the wish to "do everything to stay in the deal." German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 accord regrettable and said Berlin would "try to do everything so that Iran also fulfills its commitments in the future." She said Trump's abandonment of the deal "showed us once again that we will face more responsibility in Europe, in foreign policy, in the area of securing peace, in the area of the political solutions we must find." British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson urged the U.S. "to avoid taking any action that would hinder other parties from continuing to make the agreement work," saying the deal was "vital" to Britain's national security. Johnson said it falls to the U.S. administration to "spell out their view of the way ahead." The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed "deep concern over [Trump's] decision and once more stressed the importance of this document," while France and China also voiced continued support. Trump said the agreement "didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will." Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told a congressional hearing Wednesday that the U.S. "will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, and will work with others to address the range of Irans malign influence. This administration remains committed to putting the safety, interests, and well-being of our citizens first." In a new assessment, however, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog unit, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said, "As of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran." Middle East reacts Trump won praise from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long derided the pact as woefully insufficient in blocking Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Trump also won some support in the Arab world for his withdrawal from the deal. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia all voiced their approval of Trump's action. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, challenged Trump's withdrawal from the agreement, saying, "You cannot do a damn thing!" Without elaborating, he claimed Trump had "over 10 lies" in announcing the U.S. was pulling out of the accord. The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said the decision showed the U.S. was "not trustworthy." Andrew Peek, a deputy U.S. assistant secretary of state for Iraq and Iran, told CNN the Trump administration believes that by withdrawing from the nuclear pact, the U.S. can "frankly get better comprehensive control" over Iran's ballistic missile tests and military advances in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere in the Middle East through new negotiations with Iran. "Iran's behavior across the spectrum concerns me every day," Peek said. He said the U.S. has "every confidence" that economic sanctions the U.S. plans to reimpose on Iran will force the Islamic Republic to restart negotiations over its nuclear program and other military issues. Uber Technologies said Tuesday that it would work with the U.S. Army to advance research on a novel, quiet aircraft rotor technology that could be used in future flying cars, or military aircraft. The alliance highlights stepped-up efforts by Uber and other companies to transform flying cars from a science fiction concept to real hardware for residents of mega-cities where driving is a time-consuming bore. Uber and the Army's Research, Development and Engineering command said in a statement that they expected to spend $1 million to develop and test prototypes for a rotor system that would be used on a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle. The system would have two rotors, one stacked atop the other, moving in the same direction under the command of sophisticated software. This approach, which Uber and the Army said had not been deployed in a production aircraft, could lead to quieter operation than conventional stacked rotor systems. "Achieving ultra-low noise is one of the critical obstacles" to deploying aerial taxis in urban areas, Rob McDonald, head of vehicle engineering for Uber Elevate, the company's flying car operation, said in an interview. The Army wants to develop a new generation of unmanned drones that do not need runways and are quieter than current drones, said Dr. Jaret Riddick, director of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory's Vehicle Technology Directorate. The Army is increasingly turning to partnerships with private companies to research advanced technology, Riddick said in an interview. Uber is planning more alliances with government agencies as it aims to launch prototype airborne taxis by 2020, Mark Moore, Uber's director of engineering and aircraft systems and a former NASA researcher, said in an interview. Uber already has a partnership with NASA, the U.S. government space agency, to develop software for managing large numbers of aircraft over cities, Moore said. Uber is one of several companies, including aircraft makers Boeing and Airbus SE and a venture backed by Alphabet co-founder Larry Page, that are investing in the concept of small, automated and electrified aircraft that could be used to ferry passengers or cargo across congested cities. Uber said it would develop its low-noise rotor system in collaboration with Launchpoint Technologies Inc., a Goleta, California, engineering company focused on electric and hybrid aircraft technologies. Uber will hold a conference on flying vehicles this week in Los Angeles. Unidentified assailants on Tuesday shot and wounded a Montenegrin journalist who has written about crime and corruption in the small Balkan country. Olivera Lakic, a journalist for the Montenegrin newspaper Vijesti, was wounded in the right leg outside her home in the capital, Podgorica. Lakic was taken to a hospital and was reported out of danger. Police said the attack happened around 9 p.m. A search for the attackers was underway, including stepped up controls throughout the city and a review of surveillance cameras in the area, police said. Vijesti's chief editor, Mihailo Jovovic, said Lakic told him a man approached her and shot her in the leg, while two other men ran away. Lakic, 49, was beaten six years ago after she wrote a series of articles about alleged murky dealings over a tobacco factory. That attacker was jailed for several months and Lakic had police protection for a while. "I am speechless. For how much longer will this be happening?" Jovovic said in comments published on the Vijesti website. "A lot of stories she wrote have not been investigated (by the authorities). For how much longer must we live in fear of such cowards?" Prime Minister Dusko Markovic condemned the attack and urged a "swift and efficient investigation" to discover the motive as well as who might have ordered it. The U.S. Embassy in Podgorica tweeted that it was "following with concern the attack tonight on journalist Olivera Lakic." It said journalists "are the guardians of democracy and must be protected so they can do their jobs in safety." Aivo Orav, head of the European Union delegation in Montenegro, called the attack "very worrying." In the tweet, Orav said that "journalists must be protected." Montenegro is a former Yugoslav republic that joined NATO last year and is now also seeking EU membership. The long-ruling Democratic Party of Socialists has faced accusations of widespread crime and corruption. A U.S. official responsible for Iran policy said Wednesday that one of the United States' first priorities following its exit from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal would be pressing European nations to reduce investments in the Iranian economy. Andrew Peek, deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, said in an exclusive interview with VOA Persian at the State Department that the Trump administration would tell European allies that it sees "real problems with business decisions that empower" Iran's Islamist rulers. He said those problems include enabling the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to further penetrate Iran's economy and giving Tehran more currency to support "nefarious" activities abroad. "We're going to be encouraging them to reduce those investments," Peek said, referring to European nations dealing with Iran. "We are going to engage them constantly, as we have been, to try to get to a place where we come to an agreement that better addresses the totality of the Iranian regime's threat." Aircraft sales The U.S. exit from the deal, announced Tuesday by President Donald Trump, already has affected plans by European aircraft manufacturers Airbus and ATR to sell civilian aircraft to Iran. Its national airline, IranAir, has ordered 100 passenger planes from Airbus and 20 from ATR, as well as 80 from U.S. manufacturer Boeing. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, commenting hours after Trump spoke, said that as part of the U.S. reimposition of nuclear-related sanctions, he would revoke the existing U.S. licenses that allowed the three companies to make those sales. The European aircraft deals were dependent on the licenses because of the heavy use of American parts in European-made commercial planes. Peek told VOA that the Trump administration was concerned about licensing civilian aircraft sales to Iran because of what he said was Tehran's use of such aircraft to conduct military activities in places like Syria. Iran has not acknowledged using passenger planes for such purposes. "I would look to the Iranian government to stop misusing the ability to [buy] these airplanes an ability it gained under the deal," he said. Peek said Washington did not expect Tehran to take up Trump's offer of negotiations on a new deal anytime soon. "We don't think the Iranian government at first will want to come to the table, especially on regional issues," he said. "This is one of the reasons we are pulling out [of the 2015 deal] to increase our leverage to get to a better place with respect to not just the nuclear file, but also those regional issues." Trump cited Iran's "malign" and "sinister" involvement in conflicts in Syria and Yemen as part of the rationale for quitting the nuclear deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in a televised statement following Trump's announcement, said Iran would consult with European powers, Russia and China in the next few weeks to determine whether it would be in its interest to remain in the deal. He also said the U.S. would not succeed in hurting the Iranian economy by reimposing nuclear-related sanctions. Peek declined to speculate on whether or when Iran would respond to the U.S. offer of talks. "I suspect the increasing pressure on Iran [at some point] will help them make the right decisions in resolving these conflicts," he said. Human rights Peek said any such talks also would focus on Iranian "repression" of human rights. "That is one of most troubling aspects of its behavior," he said. "I think an Iranian government that respects the right of its citizens to protest and share information, and that acts as a responsible member of the international community, is what the Iranian people will get behind. They are very much in our thoughts," he said. This report was produced in collaboration with VOA's Persian service. U.S. officials have called for a concerted effort to fight crime and corruption in South America and stop the erosion of democracy on the continent. At an annual conference on the Americas in Washington on Tuesday, the crisis in Venezuela was high on the agenda as leaders from across the region discussed issues affecting the Western Hemisphere. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports that U.S. officials named corruption and authoritarianism as the biggest threats to the region. Top executives of the nation's leading wholesale drug distributors told Congress under oath Tuesday that their companies didn't help cause the nation's deadly opioid epidemic, drawing bipartisan wrath that included one lawmaker suggesting prison terms for some company officials. The confrontation came at a House subcommittee hearing at which legislators asked why huge numbers of potentially addictive prescription opioid pills had been shipped to West Virginia, among the states hardest hit by the drug crisis. Lawmakers are making an election-year push for legislation aimed at curbing a growing epidemic that saw nearly 64,000 people die last year from drug overdoses, two-thirds from opioids. Company officials' responses ranged from apologies to explanations to finger-pointing at doctors who prescribe the drugs, pharmacies that fill prescriptions and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration for not doing enough as overseer of sales of legally controlled substances. In a scene that recalled Congress' 1994 grilling of tobacco industry officials, House Energy and Commerce investigations subcommittee Chairman Gregg Harper, R-Miss., administered oaths to the heads of five pharmaceutical distributors and asked each if "the actions you or your company took contributed to the opioid epidemic." Answering no were the leaders of the nation's three biggest distribution firms: McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and AmerisourceBergen Corp., which dominate the U.S. market. The only yes came from Joseph Mastandrea, chief of the smaller Miami-Luken Inc., while the former chief of H.D. Smith Wholesale Drug Company also said no. The denials drew an angry response from GOP Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia, where federal figures show 884 people died from drug overdoses in 2016. That gives the state the nation's highest overdose death rate 52 out of 100,000 people. Other states with high death rates included Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, plus Washington, D.C. "The fury inside me right now is bubbling over," said McKinley. He said he found the denial of responsibility "particularly offensive" and he wondered aloud about the proper punishment. "Just a slap on the wrist, some financial penalty?" he asked. "Or should there be time spent for participation in this? I just want you to feel shame." Members of both parties accused company officials of missing signs of suspicious activity. The government requires distributors of controlled substances to report suspicious drug orders to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and to deny questionable transactions. The committee's investigation has found that distributors sent more than 780 million pills of hydrocodone and oxycodone prescription pain-killers that have caused many deaths to West Virginia from 2007 to 2012. Around 1.8 million people live in the state. Investigators said 20.8 million opioid pills were shipped from 2006 to 2016 to Williamson, population 2,900. One pharmacy in Kermit, with around 400 residents, ranked 22nd in the U.S. in the number of hydrocodone pills it received in 2006, according to the investigation. "Was it the profit motive'' that prompted them to continue making dubious sales, asked Rep. Cathy Kastor, D-Fla. The corporate executives said they've improved their detection systems a promise lawmakers said they'd heard before. The officials also acknowledged responsibility for fixing the problem but said that was divided with others, too. Nearly 12 million people misused opioids in 2016, according to federal figures. "It's a shared responsibility among many different players: physicians, pharmacists, state medical boards, state pharmacy boards, DEA" for solving the problem, said Mastandrea. In some cases, they apologized. "To the people of West Virginia, I want to express my personal regrets for judgments that we'd make differently today," said George Barrett, executive board chairman of Cardinal Health. The Trump administration and lawmakers of both parties have been drawing attention to opioids, a range of pain-killing drugs that can be addictive when misused. They include prescription drugs like hydrocodone, oxycodone and codeine, synthetic opioids like fentanyl that can be made illegally, and illegal drugs like heroin. House and Senate committees have been working on dozens of bills that include encouraging doctors to use non-addictive pain killers, spurring research on such products, broadening access to treatment and giving financial incentives for drug treatment specialists to work in underserved areas. In 1994, tobacco company executives testified before the Energy and Commerce panel, then controlled by Democrats. The officials said they didn't believe cigarettes were addictive, despite evidence to the contrary. Within four years, the industry reached a settlement to pay states more than $200 billion over 25 years for tobacco-related health care costs. Data center infrastructure hardware enterprise spending in India is on pace to total US$2.7 billion in 2018, a 2.6 percent increase from 2017, according to Gartner, Inc. While hardware spending is set to grow moderately in 2018, enterprise spending on data center infrastructure software will rise to US$3.6 billion in 2018, a 10 percent year-over-year increase. Gartner analysts are providing the latest trends shaping the future of the infrastructure and operations market in front of over 400 attendees at Gartners annual Gartner Infrastructure, Operations Management & Data Center Summit, which is taking place here through Wednesday. Digital business initiatives are forcing infrastructure and operations leaders in India to adopt a hybrid IT infrastructure model that can deliver reliable, innovative and cost-effective solutions to the business in a timely manner, said Santhosh Rao, research director at Gartner. This positions cloud computing as a critical component of the hybrid model. In terms of data center infrastructure hardware spending, end-user spending on networking equipment is expected to grow in 2018 as organizations modernize their local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) infrastructure to support digital business needs. In contrast, on-premises server and storage spending will decline marginally as a result of public cloud migration. Technologies such as software-defined data centers are helping businesses optimize their existing resources, and as a result reducing overall spend on compute and storage resources, added Mr. Rao. Most organizations today have a cloud-first strategy, and new business applications are most likely to be developed and hosted using public cloud services. In addition, the availability of hyperscale data centers such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure in India, as well as local providers ramping up to provide public cloud services, have become compelling reasons for Indian organizations to move toward infrastructure as a service (IaaS) . Spending on IaaS in India is set to reach US$1 billion in 2018, up 45.5 percent year over year. Another notable trend is an increase in the number of migrations of on-premises office suites to software as a service-based offerings, such as Google G suite and Microsoft Office 365. Indian businesses are expected to spend close to US$275 million on cloud office suites in 2018, a 37 percent increase year over year. While overall end-user spending on servers in India is expected to decline slightly, the hyperconverged integrated system (HCIS) segment of the server market is expected to grow further, said Mr. Rao. HCIS witnessed wide-scale adoption in 2017 thanks to its operational simplicity. The momentum is expected to continue in 2018 with companies migrating their business-critical workloads to HCIS. U.S. lawmakers are weighing in on the decades-long dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Greece has objected to its neighbor calling itself Macedonia, arguing the name implies a territorial claim to a region in Northern Greece with the same name. Experts say this is the last obstacle to Macedonia joining NATO And with Russian influence growing in Europe, there's a new push to include the former Yugoslav republic in the alliance. VOA's Jane Bojadzievski has more. President Donald Trump says three Americans who were detained in North Korea have been released and they are on their way home, accompanied by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Trump made the announcement on Twitter Wednesday, saying the "three seem to be in good health." Trump also said he plans to greet the released Americans when they land. The news follows a visit to North Korea by Secretary of State Pompeo, who was in the country to prepare for the upcoming meeting between Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. In a statement released later on Wednesday, the White House said Trump "appreciates leader Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill." Three Korean-Americans had been imprisoned in North Korea. Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. They were separately detained in 2017, and accused of participating in anti-state activities and trying to overthrow the government. The third detainee, Kim Dong Chul, was arrested in Rason on the northeast tip of North Korea in October 2015. He was sentenced in 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. The family of Toby Kim issued a statement thanking "all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home.'' A senior U.S. official present for the exchange of detainees told journalists traveling with Pompeo that a North Korean official told the secretary of state Kim had granted amnesties to the three detained Americans. The former detainees were then brought to the airport and flew out of the Pyongyang aboard Pompeo's plane, which first headed for Yokota Air Base in Japan before continuing on to the United States. The White House statement said the "three Americans appear to be in good condition and were all able to walk on the plane without assistance." Pompeos latest trip to North Korea came just weeks after he met with Kim, and focused on the groundwork for the summit between Trump and Kim. "We made substantial progress and agreed to further cooperate in jointly planning the summit. We also agreed to meet again in person to finalize the details," said a U.S. official who participated in talks. Wednesday, Pompeo told reporters traveling with him that the United States and North Korea have settled on a place and timing for the Trump-Kim meeting, with details to be announced in the coming days. He noted that holding such a summit would have been more difficult had the Americans still been detained, and that there is still alot of work to do to reach the ultimate goal. Earlier during his brief visit, Pompeo said the U.S. is committed to working with North Korea to establish peace on the Korean peninsula. "For decades, we have been adversaries," Pompeo said. "Now we are hopefully that we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and make your country have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve. There are many challenges along the way. But you have been a great partner in working to make sure our two leaders will have a summit that is successful." Later on Twitter, he called his meetings in Pyongyang "productive" and said he was "delighted to bring home three Americans." The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. A U.S. naval strike force recently began air attacks against the Islamic State in Syria. The force joined a U.S.-led coalition in mid-April targeting what Western powers said were Syrian chemical weapons installations. The coalition continues its support of a years-long mission against IS-militants in the civil war-torn country. Arash Arabasadi reports. A United Nations agency said on Tuesday an "unjust" U.S. financial and trade embargo on Cuba had cost the country's economy $130 billion over nearly six decades, coming up with the same estimate as the island's communist government. Although many U.S. allies join Washington in criticizing Cuba's one-party system and repression of political opponents, the United States has lost nearly all international support for the embargo since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The U.N. has adopted a non-binding resolution calling for an end to the embargo with overwhelming support every year since 1992. In a report ahead of the vote last year, Cuba estimated total damage from the embargo at $130 billion. "This country which welcomes us today .. is testing its own ways to face the brutal human costs that it has sustained during an unjust blockade," the head of the U.N.'s regional economic body for Latin America, ECLAC, Alicia Barcena told its biennial meeting in Havana on Tuesday. "We evaluate it every year as an economic commission and we know that this blockade costs the Cuban people more than $130 billion at current prices and has left an indelible mark on its economic structure," she said, without detailing how the organization came to that estimate. After agreeing to a historic U.S.-Cuban detente in 2014, former U.S. President Barack Obama eased the embargo, which was fully put into place in 1962. But U.S. President Donald Trump last year tightened travel and trade restrictions again. Only the U.S. Congress can lift it in full. "Despite the difficulties the Cuban economy is faced with, particularly due to the intensification of the blockade imposed on Cuba... we will continue to focus on the development goals set," Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in his opening remarks at the meeting, attended also by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Cuba's Soviet-style, centralized economy has grown just 2.4 percent on average per year over the past decade, official statistics show, much less than the 7 percent annual expansion the government has estimated it needs in order to develop. Cuba hoped market reforms introduced in the last decade would boost growth, but they have so far borne mixed results. The ruling Communist Party earlier this year admitted implementation had been harder than expected. ECLAC will support Cuba's reform program, Barcena said. The three U.S. citizens recently freed by North Korea spent long months trapped in the reclusive nation, accused of crimes against the government. Kim Dong Chul had been in captivity since being seized in 2015. He was accused of spying on the North Korean government and sentenced in 2016 to 10 years of hard labor. He told CNN he had lived in the Chinese city of Yanji since 2001 and worked in the special economic zone of Rason-Sonbong, just over the border in North Korea, running a hotel services company. Born in South Korea, Kim became a U.S. citizen in 1987, according to CNN. North Korea accused Kim of accepting a USB drive and documents containing nuclear secrets while meeting with a former North Korean soldier. At a news conference, Kim apologized for trying to steal North Korean secrets and called his own acts "unpardonable." The Washington Post reported in 2016 that some former detainees released from North Korea have said they were forced to give confessions and told what to say. The other two detainees were affiliated with Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), the nation's only private educational institution. Kim Sang-duk, who also uses the American name Tony Kim, was detained in April 2017 as he waited for a flight out of Pyongyang. Kim, who is on the faculty of China's Yanbian University of Science and Technology, had taught a month-long course on international finance and management at PUST and had done volunteer work at a North Korean orphanage. Yanbian University is affiliated with PUST and is located across the North Korean border in China's Jilin province. Kim Hak-song, also known as Jin Xue Song, was born in China and educated in California. He was detained in May 2017 on suspicion of "hostile acts" against North Korea. According to the PUST chancellor, he had been doing development work with the school's agricultural farm. The three men share a common Korean surname, but they are not related. All three Americans met last year with Joe Yun, the U.S. State Department's top diplomat for North Korea, when Yun traveled to North Korea last year to bring home American Otto Warmbier. Warmbier, a student of the University of Virginia who was studying abroad in China, was accused of theft and detained in January 2016 during a group tour to North Korea. During his detention he went into a coma that Pyongyang said was brought on by illness and a sleeping pill. Warmbier was brought back to the United States in a vegetative state in June 2017 and died six days later. Since 1996, North Korea has detained 16 Americans. All were eventually released. With more than 900 days in detention, Kim Dong Chul was held the longest. Wooden dhows crammed with secondhand Japanese cars have been sailing unhindered into Yemeni ports for the past three years despite rigid wartime controls on imports of aid and other vital supplies. Like many Yemeni traders, Ali al-Mahry jumped at this chance to turn a profit by supplying customers at home with cars bought cheaply at auction in the United Arab Emirates. A Saudi-led military coalition, of which the UAE is part, has been battling Houthi rebels since 2015 with the aim of restoring the Yemeni government in exile. The coalition has imposed controls to deny arms to the Houthis, fighters aligned with Iran who control the capital Sanaa and Hodeidah, the largest port. The measures have choked off supplies of fuel, food and medicine to Yemen, where millions face starvation and disease. Yet coalition forces appear to have turned a blind eye to the dhows that regularly carry cars from Port Khaled in the emirate of Sharjah to a small dock at As Shihr, a port in Yemen's Hadramout province controlled by UAE-backed forces. "I make this journey around 30 times a year," Mahry said, surrounded by 180 cars taking up every corner of a dhow he has chartered for the voyage. "I sometimes also ship food and other items, but they require different permits." The cars have become a nice earner for traders in both the UAE and Yemen. Yemeni dealers gather daily at Dubai's Al-Aweer Auto Market to bid as a big screen flashes prices for Japanese cars, with as many as 80 sold in a day at one auction house. New rules Once sold, the automobiles are taken to Port Khaled, where up to 200 vehicles are stacked onto each dhow. The vessels are searched at Port Khaled and on arrival at As Shihr, but have not been required to obtain permits or pay customs duties for the past three years, in contrast to the obstacles faced by ships delivering other supplies to Yemeni ports. "The coalition would ask us for the cars' papers and clear them here," said Saleh al-Ali, head of the port at As Shihr. "For the past three years, there has been no need to apply for a permit from Riyadh." In March, however, the coalition changed the rules, requiring permits to be obtained from Saudi Arabia, according to Ali. He said he was told the new measures were introduced for security reasons. A coalition spokesman did not reply to requests for comment on why the car-laden dhows have been exempted for so long. Port officials said the dhows may have been simply an exception to the rule and, in any case, it had taken time to put the car trade on a more formal footing. Good business Mustafa al-Jaffrey, who used to send cars to Yemen over land through Oman before the war, said he had doubled his profits by using the sea route. "It is much cheaper for me to buy and ship," he said, adding that Japanese cars in particular were a good business for him. "The Japanese drive their cars only for about 50,000 km (30,000 miles) before they sell them and buy new ones. That's way less than the 150,000 km (90,000 miles) or more that people in the Gulf drive before they put a car up for sale, so the quality is better as well." In Japan, strict safety and pollution regulations force many drivers to sell their cars after a few years, so there are plenty of good-quality vehicles available. Such cars can sell for as little as $1,000 at online auctions in Japan. A Toyota can be bought by traders for around $1,900 in Dubai and sell in Yemen for more than twice that. "I buy a Japanese used car from an auction in Japan, sometimes an online auction, and then ship it here," said Hammad Ali, marketing manager at Jan Japan (Cars 4 U), the top re-exporter at Al-Aweer in Dubai. Ali has long imported such cars for re-export to places like Somalia and Afghanistan as many other countries that drive on the right, including the UAE, do not allow cars from Japan, where people drive on the left, on safety concerns. "It is a safety thing ... so most of them were going to Afghanistan and Somalia. Then three years ago, Yemen opened up," he said. Prior to 2015 in Yemen, where people drive on the right, cars with their steering wheel on the "wrong" side were banned for safety reasons, but road safety has been another casualty of a war that has killed more than 10,000 people. As fighting continues, the Houthis control the north of Yemen, while coalition forces have seized the southern port of Aden and made gains along the southwest coast along the Red Sea. "Yemen is a big country and people need to move around. The cars are going into the south, where it is relatively safe, and from there onward to the rest of the country," said Mahdy al-Mahry, another dhow operator and car dealer. "People can buy one of these cars and use them to earn money for their families. Others just buy them as a cheap and safe means of transport." Not everyone has profited from the trade. The Yemeni government, which has a presence in Aden while the president is in exile in Saudi Arabia, has missed out on customs dues, although it now plans to regulate the car trade. "While it has largely been unregulated for the past three years, we are slowly coming to it and we will organize the trade as the government prepares to impose a fee," said Salem Ali Busamir, head of the Arabian Sea Ports Corporation of Yemen. He did not say when this would happen or how much the fee would be. Traders, however, seem confident the new measures will not disrupt their business unduly. "This trade employs hundreds at the port now. They can't ruin that, even if they impose a small tax," said Ghaleb al-Mahry, who has a car showroom in As Shihr. Yemen's Houthis fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia's capital on Wednesday an attack Saudi authorities said they intercepted in the skies over Riyadh. The assault took place a day after Saudi Arabia's top Western ally the United States pulled out of a deal with Iran over its disputed nuclear program and could signal an uptick in tensions between Riyadh and regional rival Tehran. The Houthis said the missiles were launched at economic targets in Riyadh, the group's al-Masirah TV reported. At least four blasts were heard in the city center, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The Houthis have fired a series of missiles into the kingdom in recent months, part of a three-year-old conflict in Yemen widely seen as a proxy battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Colonel Turki al-Malki, spokesman for the U.S.-backed Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, said in a statement that Saudi air defences had intercepted one missile, with another falling in an uninhabited desert south of the city. A spokesman for the Houthi-aligned military Colonel Aziz Rashed told al-Masirah that the attack marked "a new phase" and was revenge for Saudi air strikes on Yemen after a coalition air strike last month killed the Houthis' top civilian leader. "There will be more salvos until this enemy is deterred, understands the meaning of the Yemeni threat and ceases its crimes," Rashed said. He did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump's decision hours earlier to pull out of the international nuclear accord with Iran. But there are fears that the decision could exacerbate the conflict in Yemen and other regional flashpoints. "Hostile action" Saudi Arabia and other U.S. allies queued up on Wednesday to praise Trump's decision, as did Yemen's internationally-recognized government, which has been forced into exile by Houthi advances. The Yemeni government said the U.S. withdrawal was a necessary step to stop Iran's "destabilizing and dangerous" behavior. "The Iranian regime has exploited the benefits of the nuclear agreement to export violence and terrorism to its neighbours," it said in a statement. The Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen's civil war in 2015. Iran and the Houthis have regularly dismissed Saudi accusations that Tehran arms the group. Saudi state media said separately air defense forces had intercepted a missile launched at the southern city of Jizan, in an attack also claimed by the Houthis. "This hostile action by the Houthi militia backed by Iran proves the continued involvement of the Iranian regime," Malki was quoted as saying by state news agency SPA. Saudi Civil Defense will test a warning siren in Riyadh and other provinces on Thursday. It has instructed citizens, upon hearing the alert, to seek shelter in secure locations and avoid "areas prone to air strikes and missile strikes." Zimbabwes vice president Retired General Constantino Chiwenga says he has a rare skin whitening disease, which attacked him last November when he was with some commanders of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces while they were undertaking what former president Robert Mugabe has described as a military coup. According to the privately-owned NewsDay newspaper, Chiwenga dismissed suggestions by some members of the public that he is using bleaching substances to lighten his skin. Some people on social media have nicknames him Bleachy Chiwenga and General Ambi. The bleaching cream was banned in Zimbabwe in the 1970s because of the health risks it posed. Chiwenga told mourners at his late sister Margaret Machekabuwes funeral that he is currently taking some medications to rectify the health condition. Let me say this since the media are here. During Operation Restore Legacy, I was with General (Phillip Valerio) Sibanda, he is a great man as you see him. I also called (Police Commissioner-General Godwin) Matanga (to the meeting). Unfortunately, I fell very sick while in their company. This is what caused my sickness to the extent of having a light skin. I was affected all over the body, and the papers said I am applying a skin lightening cream. Chiwenga noted that he is taking herbs sourced from a nun of the Roman Catholic Church. We could not find treatment even in South Africa to cure the ailment and Margaret went to a sister (Roman Catholic nun) and got some herbs that I was taking and I survived But before the herbs, they would say let us pray first. Reuters Staff HARARE (Reuters) - A Zimbabwean mining company is considering upgrading a local nickel refinery to produce battery grade lithium or alternatively build a new lithium carbonate plant at a cost of up to $150 million, its managing director said on Monday. Lithium is in demand globally as a battery metal needed for the shift to electric vehicles and renewable power and Zimbabwe has said it has the potential to supply 20 percent of the worlds lithium. Zimbabwe is one of the top 10 lithium producers but currently produces only a fraction of the worldwide total. John McTaggart, Kamativi Tailings Company managing director, told parliament his company is negotiating with Zimbabwean-listed miner RioZim to upgrade its Empress Nickel Refinery, which is 120 km (75 miles) west of the capital so it can produce lithium carbonate. But if this failed, Kamativi could look at setting up a lithium carbonate plant in Zimbabwe at a cost of $100-$150 million, McTaggart said. Kamativi is a 60-40 percent venture between privately-owned Jimbala and state mining firm Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation that is processing a tailings dump in western Zimbabwe. The tailings dump accumulated between 1936 and 1994 during the mining and processing of tin-bearing minerals. We believe we have the volume of concentrate in-country to warrant a lithium carbonate plant. Africa certainly needs one with the electric vehicle revolution thats taking place, said McTaggart. McTaggart would not provide more details when later contacted for comment by Reuters. McTaggart said a concentrator that will produce up to 19,000 tonnes of concentrate of lithium-bearing spodumene should be completed by December at a cost of $25 million. Canadian-listed Chimata Cold Corp has a right to buy into Kamativi if it raises the money, McTaggart said. Zimbabwe Mines Minister Winston Chitando said in February the southern African nation would generate revenue of $1.4 billion over eight years from the Kamativi lithium project. McTaggart, however, said the figure was purely speculative. Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by James Macharia and Adrian Croft VIVOTEK, a global leading IP surveillance provider, has launched a brand new and even more efficient multi-sensor camera. The MS9390-HV, with its dual 4-megapixel wide-angle lens design, is unlike most traditional multi-sensor panoramic cameras which rely on 4 sensors. This newly released multi-sensor dome camera is also equipped with SNV (Supreme Night Visibility), WDR Pro technology, 180 IR illuminators effective up to 20 meters and delivers full resolution imagery at 30 fps (frames per second), making it the ideal camera to provide excellent panoramic image quality for both day and night surveillance. VIVOTEK introduces the brand new MS9390-HV under the strategy of its See More in Smarter Ways campaign. With its unique dual-sensor design, the camera is equipped with a video alignment feature, providing users both a detailed and yet seamless 180-degree panoramic view and a higher vertical field of view. This enables greater coverage not only on the horizontal, but also on the vertical plane, capturing an even greater field of view below the point of camera installation. Moreover, the internal tilt adjustment of the lenses of the MS9390-HV has been upgraded to 20, allowing users to achieve the precise angle desired. Furthermore, the multi-sensor camera employs H.265 compression and Smart Stream III technology to create the most efficient system, and resulting in remarkable savings in storage and bandwidth consumption while at the same time providing complete video security. The new MS9390-HV is further armed with a robust IP66 and IK10-rated housing, enabling it to withstand rain and dust, as well as to protect against vandalism or tampering in outdoor surveillance applications. In addition, its wall mounted design ensures simple and quick installation, with an included sunshield to eliminate interference caused by direct sunlight. The panoramic camera was given an early test at the 2018 Taiwan Lantern Festival, one of the great events in Taiwan, that attracted over 10 million visitors. The MS9390-HV provided clear and full coverage throughout the day and night to secure the safety of visitors to the festival. Police arrest two Casamonica suspects in Romanina bar attack. Rome mayor Virginia Raggi has expressed her solidarity with RAI television reporters who were attacked while filming the arrest of two members of the prominent Rome crime family, the Casamonica. The incident, which took place at dawn on 8 May, followed the brutal assault on a disabled woman and a bar owner in the Romanina suburb of south-east Rome on 1 April. The attackers returned shortly afterwards to trash the bar on 1 April. Police and journalists from the Nemo television show were insulted during the arrest of the two suspects, Antonio Casamonica and his cousin Alfredo Di Silvio, whose female relations attacked the cameras. The footage is scheduled to be screened as part of the Nemo show at 21.20 on 11 May on the Rai2 channel. The incident comes six months after reporter Daniele Piervincenzi - also of the Nemo show - was violently attacked by Roberto Spada, from another notorious crime family, in Rome's coastal suburb of Ostia. Roberto Spada was jailed for his assault on Nemo reporter Daniele Piervincenzi in November 2017. The Casamonica family made international headlines in 2015 following the ostentatious Rome funeral of boss Vittorio Casamonica, during which mourners were showered with flower petals from a helicopter. The funeral of crime boss Vittorio Casamonica in August 2015 drew widespread condemnation. 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. To support the expansion of its business in India, Kaspersky Lab today announces the opening of a newly relocated office in Mumbai, India for the South Asia region. There are currently 37 Kaspersky Lab offices in 32 countries around the world. The Mumbai office, will provide more office space for the growing global cybersecurity company as well as closer proximity to the partners it collaborates with frequently. The new office will provide greater space for Kaspersky Lab Indias newest team players who have recently joined the Kaspersky Lab to outline the growth for the company moving forward. The relocated South Asia headquarter also aims to better serve the requirements of its growing numbers of partners and customers across the region. It is the ultimate hub for businesses offering the perfect environment and an unrestricted potential for all kinds of businesses. Kaspersky Labs India office is currently stepping up its efforts as it continues to grow its commercial and enterprise businesses with a solid focus on critical verticals such as industrial cyber security. Choosing Mumbai for the location of its regional headquarters was a strategic decision of the cybersecurity company, based on the city-states favorable status as a top financial hub in India. Kaspersky Lab was also attracted to the city state because of its technology-pervasive atmosphere, and the strength of, and support for the cybersecurity industry. Not only serving as a hub for administrative, sales, marketing, and channel departments, the new India office will also represent the regional base for the companys Indian representative Mr. Shrenik Bhayani, General Manager, South Asia at Kaspersky Lab. The move to our current location will allow us to grow and will deliver greater efficiencies. I am confident this step is an essential catalyst to better serve our growing business and target the right customers but also will help us in creating our channel partner base and conducting a lot more channel partner training. Settling into our new space in this strategic location will meet our business needs for accessibility and accommodate our expanding team. Our new location will cater all these needs, says Shrenik Bhayani, General Manager of Kaspersky Lab (South Asia). Shrenik also welcomed Kaspersky Labs APAC Managing Director, Mr. Stephan Neumeier to the opening ceremony of the new office. NetApp, today announced NetApp Cloud Volumes for Google Cloud Platform. NetApp Cloud Volumes offers customers a fully-managed, cloud-native file storage service thats integrated with Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This release is the first step in a partnership that combines the reach of NetApps world-class data services, backed by hundreds of thousands of customers, with Google Clouds leadership in application development, analytics and machine learning. In addition, NetApp introduced a high performance, cloud-connected flash system to power artificial intelligence (AI) and compute-intensive applications, as well as innovative new software to ensure superior cloud-architected infrastructure for data retention compliance. The company unveiled these innovations at its new Data Visionary Center, an immersive executive briefing center experience. Harnessing all the data required for effective AI applications is a challenge for traditional solutions. NetApp brings together leading public cloud data services and the most cloud connected flash solutions, through the Data Fabric, to help customers automate and monetize their data assets. Companies are increasingly looking at using data and cloud technology to accelerate their businesses, said George Kurian, CEO of NetApp. As the leader in hybrid cloud data services, NetApp is uniquely positioned to help them create new market opportunities by rapidly deploying new technologies. Only NetApp makes it easy to integrate data with performance-leading flash and the worlds leading clouds for elastic compute and powerful analytic engines. Todays announcements include: NetApp and Google Cloud Join Forces to Deliver Hybrid Cloud Data Services with NetApp Cloud Volumes for GCP NetApp Cloud Volumes for Google Cloud Platform is a fully-managed, cloud-native file storage service which speeds developer access to resources and simplifies management. NetApps automated syncs, NetApp Snapshot copies and rapid clones will support free-flowing data, allowing developers to accelerate workspace creation and build cycles. The service is ideal for the migration of any workload including file services, analytics, database, disaster recovery and DevOps. Now, customers have a simpler way to move data back and forth between on premises and the cloud. Companies are on different paths to the cloud, each with unique dependencies, said Diane Greene, CEO, Google Cloud. Google Cloud and NetApp are committed to simplifying the journey, meeting customers where they are, and accelerating innovation. NetApp Cloud Volumes for Google Cloud Platform a high-performance storage service with advanced management featuresgives our customers the freedom to move to the cloud at their own pace. Cloud-connected flash improves performance, adds intelligence, and increases protection. Power artificial intelligence and compute-intensive applications with an enterprise all flash array designed for high performance and cloud. The new AFF A800 , the first available end-to-end NVMe enterprise platform, achieves consistent sub-200 microsecond latency from application host through to data storage while offering industry leading enterprise-grade efficiency, security, and flexibility powered by NetApp ONTAP 9.4 software . Accelerate SAN with a software upgrade to NVMe over Fibre Channel for select ONTAP-based systems. Shrink storage footprint with the industrys first support of 30TB SSDs, and better meet General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy requirements by being able to selectively purge data. New intelligent cloud services further reduce total cost of ownership. The NetApp FabricPool feature automatically tiers cold data from primary storage to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Azure, reducing capacity costs. And NetApp Active IQ technology provides new cloud-based analytics predict future performance needs and identifies unprotected data to optimize operations. StorageGRID now provides superior next-generation, cloud-architected infrastructure for financial and personal data retention compliance as one integrated resource across public and private clouds. When President Donald Trump spoke to the NRA convention on Friday, he suggested fewer people could have died in Paris on November 13, 2015, if Parisians had been allowed to be armed for self-defense. The Daily Mail reports that French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian responded by expressing firm disapproval of Trumps suggestion that allowing people to be armed for self-defense would have made them safer. [...] Despite the 130 killed in Paris that night, Le Drian said they will not reconsider Frances choice on this issue. He added, Free circulation of weapons in society does not constitute a rampart against terrorist attacks, to the contrary, it can facilitate this type of attack. In saying this, Le Drian ignored the fact that the attack occurred despite Frances strict gun controls. Trumps observation is simply that the attack was made worse because the victims were rendered defenseless by the myriad gun laws in France. Donald Trump was right that if more people were allowed to carry firearms in France, it could've stopped the terrorists more easily. But the government of Macron refuses to listen to reason Who said anything about "free circulation"? That would imply giving guns away for free, when you usually have to pay money to buy them. The creep Le Drian is just being selfish and self-righteous about their catastrophous policies, many which are so archaic, they've effectively destroyed society. I think it's time for demonstrations calling for self-defense to be allowed without fear of prosecution, that's for sure. Labels: dhimmitude, France, islam, jihad, Moonbattery, political corruption, racism, terrorism, United States, war on terror, White House Struggling photographer Sean Falco (Sheehan), who funds his lifestyle with a sideline in burglary, thinks he has hit the jackpot when he breaks into the luxurious house of the wealthy Cale Erendreich (Tennant). Things go wrong when Sean discovers a woman chained up in the house. Unable to free her before Cale returns, Sean reluctantly goes to the police to explain what hes seen. By the time they investigate, Cale has covered his tracks, and the police tell Sean to stop harassing him. Sean soon realises Cale will stop at nothing to shut him up - permanently. The brilliant Robert Sheehan shines here as the would-be photographer who, along with his partner in crime Carlito Olivero, has a sideline in larceny. And David Tennant absolutely steals the show, revelling in his role as the sinister, buttoned up Cale Erendreich, a man with plenty of dark secrets who'll do whatever it takes to keep them that way. From the moment he slides onscreen in his sleek Maserati, to the battle of wills finale, Tennant commands the screen with an infectious, effortless menace. Directed by Dean Devlin, the producer of the Independence Day films, and written by Brandon Boyce (who scripted the superior Stephen King adaptation Apt Pupil), Bad Samaritan is an edge-of-your-seat experience that expertly ramps the tension as we realise Sean is totally out of his depth up against the rich, resourceful and merciless Cale. Bad Samaritan is also out now in the USA and Canada and will be coming to the UK on 24th August. David Tennant's new movie Bad Samaritan is released in cinemas in the Philippines today. Check with your local cinema or movie theater for screening details.Check out a trailer below: 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 Hispanic Heritage Month celebrated by students IMLAY CITY Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is a tradition in Heather LaMarras class at Weston Elementary School in Imlay City. Hispanic Heritage Month is... Dog park opens in Lapeer A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Saturday morning to officially open the new Lapeer Dog Park at Rotary Park on East Nepessing Street. Conducting the program... Lapeer commissioners, mayor comment on Nov. 2 ballot proposal LAPEER Monday evening the Lapeer City Commission was in rare agreement that the Nov. 2 ballot proposal to prohibit recreational marijuana businesses in... Obama and Kerry blast Trump decision to withdraw from Iran deal Former President Barack Obama, accompanied by Ex-Secretary of State John Kerry, meets with veterans and Gold Star Mothers to discuss the Iran Nuclear deal in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington. AP, Washington : Former US president Barack Obama made a rare public criticism of his successor Tuesday, describing Donald Trump's decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal as "misguided" and a "serious mistake." Former secretary of state John Kerry said the decision "puts Israel at greater risk." "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working," Obama said in a statement, referring to the deal his administration brokered in 2015 by its acronym. "That is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current US secretary of defense." "That is why today's announcement is so misguided," he added. "I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake." Obama also warned: "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility, and puts us at odds with the world's major powers." Last June, Trump withdrew the US from another landmark deal brokered by the Obama administration, the 2015 Paris Agreement, which dealt with climate change mitigation. Obama said that without the nuclear deal, the US "could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East." He said the deal remains a model for what diplomacy can accomplish, including when it comes to North Korea. There are few issues more important to the security of the United States than the potential spread of nuclear weapons, or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. That's why the United States negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the first place. The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working - that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense. The JCPOA is in America's intere... See more John Kerry, who was Obama's secretary of state and a main architect of the pact, also slammed Trump's announcement, saying it was contrary to US interests. "Today's announcement weakens our security, breaks America's word, isolates us from our European allies, puts Israel at greater risk, empowers Iran's hardliners, and reduces our global leverage to address Tehran's misbehavior, while damaging the ability of future Administrations to make international agreements," Kerry said in a statement. "Instead of building on unprecedented nonproliferation verification measures, this decision risks throwing them away and dragging the world back to the brink we faced a few years ago," he added. "America should never have to outsource those stakes to any other country. This is not in America's interests. We should all hope the world can preserve the nuclear agreement." Syria downs two Israeli missiles near Damascus Photo shows flames rising after an attack in an area known to have numerous Syrian army military bases, in Kisweh, south of Damascus. AFP, Damascus : The Syrian army on Tuesday night intercepted two Israeli missiles fired towards a district near Damascus, Syria's official SANA news agency said, but a monitor said nine pro-government fighters died in the strike. According to SANA, "anti-aircraft defences intercepted two Israeli missiles launched against (the district of) Kissweh and destroyed them". The agency had earlier reported "explosions" in the southern suburb, while state television broadcast images of fires in the area targeted by the strikes. Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP that the missiles had targeted a weapons depot in Kissweh, "presumably belonging to Hezbollah and the Iranians". Abdel Rahman said the strike had killed at least nine pro-government fighters, "including members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and other pro-Iranian Shiite militiamen", but it was not possible to independently confirm any toll. Sanaa quoted a medical source saying that two civilians had died on a highway linking Damascus with the southern city of Deraa as a result of an explosion linked to "the Israeli aggression", without providing details. This is not the first time that the area in the southwest of Damascus has been targeted. In December, Israel reportedly bombed military positions in Kissweh, including a weapons depot. On Tuesday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he "fully supports" the United States' withdrawal from a multinational nuclear deal with Iran. His statement came as the Israeli-occupied section of the Golan Heights was placed on high alert due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" across the demarcation line in Syria. In recent years, particularly since 2017, Israel has carried out numerous strikes in Syria against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and his ally, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. On April 9 missiles targeted the T-4 air base in the central province of Homs, killing up to 14 fighters, including seven Iranians, two days after an alleged chemical attack carried out by the Syrian regime. The air base was also targeted by Israel in February. On April 29, at least 26 mostly Iranian fighters were killed by missiles fired on regime military positions, according to the Observatory. The strikes, "probably Israeli", targeted a military airport in Aleppo in the country's north and Brigade 47 in Hama, where Iranian forces are stationed, the Observatory said. Occasional clashes have erupted between Israel and the Syrian regime and its Hezbollah ally in the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967. Workshop inaugurated at CVASU A two-day long 15th International conference will be held at Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Science University on May 11 and 12 at University campus. It was disclosed by VC Prof Dr Goutam Buddho Das at a press Conference on Wednesday. Chattagong Bureau : A 3- day long training programme was Inaugurated at Chittogram Vetenary and Animal Science University (CVASU) by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Goutom Buddo Das at the Conference room of the University as Chief Guest on Tuesday on "-How to write a scholarly paper and use of software based reference style . Liberian Md. Habibur Rahman presided over the programme. Dean of Fisheries Department Prof Dr M. Nurul Afser Khan, Dean of Food and Technology Faculty Prof. Dr. Mohammed Raihan Faruque and Dean of Vatenary Medicine Prof. MA Halim was present as special guest. University Grant Commission arranged the programme. About 40 students from CVASU MS & PHD Programme attended the workshop , says a press release. BAHOP Feni Unit Homoeo Physicians confce held Chattogram Bureau : Homoeo Physicians Conference and discussion meeting on basic homoeo treatment under the auspices of Bangladesh Homoeopathic Parishad , Feni Unit was held recently at Dr Al Din Auditorium recently with its President Dr. Kamder Nath in the chair. The discussion meeting also discussed the 263rd birth anniversary of the founder of Homoeopathic medicine Dr. Samuel Hanneyman. DC of Feni Monoj Kumar Roy graced the occasion as chief guest. Central President of BAHOP and chief editor of Homoeo Chetona journal principal Dr. Abdul Karim, Prof.Dr. AKM Shahidullah, Pr9f of Govt Homoeopathic Medical College Prof. Dr.Abdul Matin were present in it as special guests.. Among others, Prof. Dr.Biplob Sarkar, founder of Feni Homoeopathic medical college Dr. Shahidul Islam, Dr. Iftikar uddin Chowdhury, elderly physician Dr. Abdus Salam were also present on the occasion. The chief guest hailed the role of the BAHOP for popularizing the homeo medicines and treatment in the country and assures all possible help to the homoeo physicians and the existing Homoeo Medical college. Other leaders of BAHOP central and local committees also spoke on the occasion. An indigenous group has launched a carbon fund that will support social and cultural causes, calling it a "boutique restaurant" alternative to the governments cheaper "McDonalds" offsets. The Reducing Carbon Building Communities fund (RCBC), backed by the Aboriginal Carbon Fund, has been established to build connections between groups looking to become carbon neutral or offset their carbon output while also providing broader social benefits. Companies buy carbon credits to act as offsets to reduce their comparative carbon emissions levels. Aboriginal Carbon Fund general manager Rowan Foley said the creation of the private carbon credit trading fund gave the market an option other than standard offsets. It would allow companies buying Australian carbon credit units to make an impact beyond simply cutting their carbon emission levels. "Its as though the government is McDonald's, theyve got a lot of burgers for cheap, whereas were like a boutique restaurant where it may cost more but youre getting better quality," Mr Foley said. Australian actress Cate Blanchett said that while the #MeToo movement would usher in change in the way Hollywood runs its business, such change could be some time in coming. Blanchett was speaking on Tuesday in the French resort town of Cannes in her capacity as president of the jury for the 71st Cannes Film Festival. As with other festivals and Hollywood's day-to-day business at large, there has been widespread criticism of what many see as a lack of diversity in the gender and ethnicity of those able to participate. "For profound lasting change to occur, it needs to take place through specific actions," Blanchett said. By 2030 Australia will shrink from being a significant middle power in Asia to a relative minnow, while the United States will retreat from its dominance to rank behind China, according to the most comprehensive study of shifting power in region ever undertaken. The Lowy Institute's Asia Power Index ranks the 24 nations in Asia as well as the US against eight measures - ranging from such areas as economic resources to military spending to cultural and diplomatic influence - and 114 indicators. The groups findings confirm what most already understand about the changing dynamics in Asia - that China has arrived as a power in its own right - but in its detail it reveals trends that have not been so obvious to date. It finds that the United States still retains more power than China - with a score of 85.5 out of 100 compared with Chinas 75.5 on the projects scale - their nearest competitor, Japan, falls distantly behind them, with a score of 42.1. The Australian Army and United States military Black Hawk helicopters will be taking to the skies over WA for scheduled counter-terrorism exercises over the next month. The helicopters will be flying over civilian locations, and commercial buildings and transport hubs are expected to bear the brunt of the disruption. The exercises are expected to last just over a month. Credit:WA Police The exercises expected to last between the end of April to mid-June. WA Police have reassured the public not to be alarmed if they see low-flying helicopters, vehicles and military personnel around Perth and the South West. Melbourne's favourite Italian chef plants the flag in the west, looking to the gutsy flavours of the Italian capital for inspiration. Grossi Florentino set the bar for Italian dining in Melbourne, and now its famed chef Guy Grossi will this month open his first restaurant outside of the Victorian capital, here in the west. The dining pinnacle of the new five-star Westin Perth, Grossi's 120-seat osteria Garum (a spicy fermented fish sauce from ancient Roman days) will serve typical Roman dishes both ancient and modern. Think carbonara, saltimbocca and suckling lamb. "It's about celebrating ancient Roman techniques and values," Grossi said. "They are doing everything they possibly can to defer it, and what people want is action, now." Surfer Paul Collier joined hundreds of protesters who gathered on the steps of Parliament House on Wednesday morning to urge the state government to install SMART drumlines off WA beaches. Led by the South West Safe Sharks group and with the aim to protect people in the water from sharks, the rally included many people who had themselves been victims of attacks or lost loved ones. Mr Collier, from Falcon, was in the same patch of water when 29-year-old surfer Ben Gerring was fatally mauled by a shark in June of 2016. "Myself and and my mate tried to tie a torniquet on his leg, it was a terrible day," he said. Quota protesters` 24-hour ultimatum to publish gazette Thousands of DU students form human chain organised by Bangladesh General Students Rights Protection alliance, blocking road from TSC to Nilkhet area gave a 24-hour ultimatum to govt to publish Gazette notification on abolishing quota system in govt jobs Rayhanul Islam : Bangladesh General Students' Rights Protection Council (BGSRPC), the platform of the quota reform students on Wednesday threatened of tougher movement from Sunday if the gazette notification on abolishing quota system in public service would not be published by Thursday. They also alleged that the government is 'staging a drama' in the name of publication of the gazette notification. Nurul Huq Nur, a Joint-Convener of BGSRPC, made the announcement after a rally at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture on Dhaka University campus. In the morning around 2,000 students mainly from Dhaka University (DU) brought out a procession from DU Central Library premises and dispersed at Raju Memorial Sculpture after parading different roads of the university and Shahbagh area. As part of their pre-schedule program, human chains were formed in all the universities and colleges demanding swift publication of the gazette across the country. In the capital, students formed a human chain stretching from the TSC area to the VC's residence. Another Joint-Convener of the platform, Rashed Khan said, "We want immediate gazette notification as per Prime Minister's declaration on quota system." "Although 28 days have passed since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced cancellation of the quota system on April 11 there is no progress in publication of the gazette notification", he added. He also said, "We have kept faith on government, but now government is staging a drama and hatching conspiracy over publishing a gazette notification". "If the government does not publish the gazette by tomorrow (Thursday) then students across the country will take to the street again from Sunday" he added. Our JU correspondent adds that students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) held a human chain on the JU central Shaheed Minar premises. Around 400 hundred students of different departments and institutions took part in the program withholding placards demanding for swift gazette publication of quota system. Addressing the program, the convener of movement JU Unit Shakil Uzzaman said, we have full faith in Prime Minister's proclamation. Since she (prime minister) assured us, we do believe that the gazette of abolishing of quota system will be published very soon. However, the protest program will be continued. In Rajshahi University around 600 hundreds students of staged a human chain on the university's paris Road demanding immediate gazette publication. The students of Shahjalal Science and Technology University, Chittagong University, Comilla University, Islamic University, Barisal University and some others universities staged human chain on their campuses demanding swift gazette publication of abolishing quota system. Earlier on April 26, the protesters warned that they would resume agitation if a gazette notification was not published by April and then they also gave time to government till May 7. The protesters took to the street on April 8 and continued the protests for five-point demands, including reduction of quota in public service recruitment to 10 per cent from the existing 56 per cent. In the wake of mass protests by students, on April 11 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the Parliament declared that the quota system would be scrapped. The quota system was introduced through an executive order in 1972 and was amended several times. When NASA launched its Mars InSight mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on May 5, Perth-based planetary scientist Katarina Miljkovic watched on with a bigger smile than most. Thats because she has played - and will continue to play - a key role in the mission. NASA's InSight Mars mission being launched on May 5 from California. Credit:NASA Dr Miljkovic's expertise in planetary science and craters will help reveal how small meteoroid bombardment occurs on the red planet and what seismic effects it has on its crust. The mission will improve understanding of the formation and evolution of Mars and other rocky planets in the inner solar system including Earth. Three teenagers have been charged over a bushfire that burnt through 25 hectares of land in Aveley at the weekend. Firefighters raced to the scene when the blaze took hold. Police will allege the teens put dry grass into a shopping trolley and set it alight on Saturday. When the fire took hold they tipped the trolley over in an effort to extinguish the fire, police will allege. Fire crews were called to the blaze between Wistful Parade, Kitcliffe Way and Zanzibar Loop just after 4pm on Saturday. Painting a picture Seabird, Ledge Point and Lancelin are small towns, with just 10 kilometres of combined coastline represented in the plan, but their position less than 100 kilometres from Perth has made them beloved destinations for West Australians for homes and holidays; the vast majority of the half-million visitors to them and their southern neighbour Guilderton annually are domestic. Cardnos draft predicts shoreline losses of up to 52 metres in Seabird, 34 metres in Ledge Point 82 metres in Lancelin over the next decade. This could become up to 196, 133 and 205 metres lost by the year 2110. Seabird Sixteen private homes are "highly vulnerable" now; some have lost access points from the front and the sea has claimed a road. A seawall built to protect them in 2016 will last up to 20 years if maintained at high cost. Also vulnerable are more roads, car parks, the beach and dunes, the northern caravan park and tavern. The report predicted storms would erode the shoreline until utilities were affected and homes became unsafe, with owners prohibited from entering. Ledge Point There are 39 homes at risk over the next decade. Roads, beach, foreshore, northern properties and the Holiday Village will be at risk by 2070. Lancelin Grace Darling Park is already washing away and the Sea Rescue building is potentially one storm away from impact, less than 14 metres from the waters edge. Nearly $700,000 in public infrastructure, plus homes north of town and 16 chalets priced at $2.8 million will be at risk by 2030. The industrial area and cafe, beach, dunes, beach accessways, caravan park, Lancelin Beach Hotel and Endeavour Tavern will be at risk by 2070. Ledge Point following storm events in 2009 (left) left and revegetation of dune slope by June 2016 (right). Credit:Cardno. Between a rock and a hard place The $2 million Seabird seawall, which the state paid for under public pressure in 2016, had already limited the beach to its north and significantly constrained public open space two years into its predicted lifespan of up to 20 years. Even as it was being built the shire borrowed an extra $200,000 to extend it by 91 metres to protect a car park, access road, boardwalk and boat ramp. There is still no certainty on who will pay potentially millions more to maintain it or how long it will last. In Ledge Point, to renourish the beach for just two more years at most could cost up to $2 million. Short-term protections such as groynes or a seawall could also be effective but would likely be equally costly. In Lancelin, to protect Grace Darling Park for another 50 years with groynes and sand replenishment could cost $12 million, plus $50,000 annually, before decommissioning and retreat would need to commence. For 754 local ratepayers to fund the $12 million Grace Darling Park protection over a decade it would take a levy of about $1600 per year per ratepayer. Seabird seawall, February 2017. Credit:Cardno. The shire has already spent tens of thousands on sand to replenish the beachfront and shore up community structures in this park, and in Ledge Points Key Biuscayne Park. The reality is that unless some new and innovative protection methods are developed, the costs of maintaining current features will likely become prohibitively expensive ... given current sea level rise predictions, the report said. It said groynes and seawalls were also unpredictable and could worsen erosion in other places up and down coastlines. In this regard, coastal management has similarities to the management of water rights, if one user takes all the water upstream and leaves none for downstream users then this is not considered fair, the report said. In line with state policy, it recommended instead that managed retreat be planned, with triggers for retreat (such as loss of access and utilities), costs and mechanisms be put in place for each area. Limited and strategic use of protections could also be used as interim measures, but the user pays principle was likely to apply. The plan said Lancelins Grace Darling Park was an urgent issue. It said the Sea Rescue Building should be removed and a five to 10-year strategy be put in place. Meanwhile the park should be preserved as much as funds would allow until triggers for retreat occurred. It said the Seabird seawall should be maintained for its lifespan; future financial responsibility for it investigated; and the costs of managed retreat from at-risk homes in the meantime investigated. Seabird seawall as seen from the air. Credit:Lancelin Coastal Plains Coastcare. The plan covered recommendations for action to 2030, including immediate action on rezoning with controls aimed at maintaining easy public access to beaches and foreshores. It also covered communication with affected property owners over the next four years around potential managed retreat mechanisms; and scientific monitoring and assessment processes. Whos managing this managed retreat? The Cardno draft said it was clear planning decisions made decades and even centuries in the past, before anyone understood sea level rise and erosion were a key contributor to the current situation. It said to implement managed retreat as suggested in the states 2017 draft guidelines would require state or federal funding. While the state had no legal obligation to buy back properties, if it did go down the route of compulsory acquisition legal compensation provisions would apply. But, it stressed, people should not assume any funds would come to support retreat. Past government decisions on property boundaries do not imply an obligation to maintain these areas ... ultimate abandonment of property and assets without any form of compensation is a strategy option that may be considered, it warned. It predicted local governments would likely adopt avoid and do nothing policies, shifting costs to landowners and beach users under user pays principles. Erosion at Grace Darling Park, Lancelin, late last winter. Credit:Lancelin Coastal Plains Coastcare There was some hope that managed retreat mechanisms might get public funding and in some cases, where public good could be demonstrated, protections might also be publicly funded. State and local governments have already poured millions into engineering solutions in Seabird, Busselton and Geraldton, but these funding solutions have been ad-hoc and reactive to emergencies and public pressure rather than strategic or consistent. The state is also providing about $1.6 million a year in total to help councils plan for coastal management. But to put this in perspective, it would cost Gingin shire alone almost $1.5 million just to implement the Cardno plan, purely for the back-end zoning, monitoring and scientific processes, not counting any protection measures or land costs. A very delicate situation The residents of all three towns have been divided in their reactions. About 60 people last week drove to a public meeting in Lancelin with councillors and a shire officer and Seabird residents are planning another meeting. Seabird local Garry Thomas said he and his neighbours strongly disapproved of the Cardno plan. They disagreed with the state policy that hard protections must be temporary measures of last resort. Instead they wanted groynes built and extended further north and believed the existing seawall should be maintained indefinitely. They distrusted the idea of managed retreat, especially as the Cardno report was not in itself a detailed managed retreat plan. They could not see how to support the idea of managed retreat before a realistic timeframe and compensation was available. "You cant consider a planned retreat without a plan," Mr Thomas said. "The government subdivided in the 1960s, sold the lots, made money ... theyve had the rate revenue ever since, the government has got the land tax revenue as a lot are used for holiday purposes so they attract land tax. Theyve been collecting money for 50 years. If council adopts the report it really means the value of these properties in Seabird, Ledge Point and Lancelin, all will be valued at zero. No one will be able to sell. Why should we pay land tax, then? Why should we pay rates? Under the law theres no precent for compensation to us but what about the law of morality? A Lancelin resident said she understood the feelings of Seabird residents. The poor things are caught between whether its a state or local government issue; it was left too late and they had no choice but to resort to the engineering solution, she said. We would do anything to avoid resorting to that. We understand it will keep causing problems, updrift and downdrift. Yet, she said, people would not accept being forced out of their homes with no compensation. This was gazetted in 1964. You cant all of a sudden discount that, she said. You cant have owned a block of land since 1964 and be told, sorry, the sea is going to take it. One man suggested the previous owners could still lease them off the state until those triggers for retreat, so the government is still earning an income off them. Its a very delicate situation and I dont know where its going to end up. The Shire declined to comment, saying there was no official position on the draft report before public consultations on it closed on June 29. Planning Minister Rita Saffioti said managed retreat was one of a number of adaptation options that councils should consider as part of their coastal hazard planning, which should include public consultations. The state did not impose such adaptation options. WA will face a second federal byelection, this time in the Labor-held seat of Fremantle, after MP Josh Wilson quit the seat following a High Court dual citizenship ruling. In a decision handed down on Wednesday, the court ruled ACT Senator Katy Gallagher had not properly relinquished her dual citizenship. Fremantle MP Josh Wilson may be left recontesting his seat after a High Court decision. Credit:AAP Image/Lukas Coch Mr Wilson had been facing questions whether he had given up his UK citizenship at the time he nominated for the seat in circumstances similar to Senator Gallagher. Although Mr Wilson said he had taken reasonable steps to relinquish his foreign citizenship, he said he respected the High Court ruling and would go. The WA Police major fraud squad has been tasked to carry out a criminal inquiry into disgraced former Labor MP Barry Urban. Police Commissioner Chris Dawson told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday that WA Police were launching a criminal investigation into the former Darling Range MP, off the back of a parliamentary privileges committee report into his handling over a fake medal scandal. Darling Range MP Barry Urban has quit his seat in parliament after a damning privileges committee report. Mr Dawson has written to WA Parliament Speaker Peter Watson advising him of the criminal inquiry. The major fraud squad has been instructed to carry out the criminal investigation into the actions of Mr Urban to determine if a criminal act has occured, the letter says. Beijing: Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord will cast further doubt on whether any denuclearisation deal struck with North Korea will stick. So far, Kim Jong-un's fast-moving diplomacy and sudden cooperation under the weight of extreme sanctions has been met with suspicion by Washington. Chinese President Xi Jinping, walks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a meeting in Dalian. Credit:Xinhua via AP The White House has insisted that a historic leaders summit between Trump and the North Korean leader can only take place if denuclearisation is on the table, and it must be verifiable and irreversible. There has been big momentum on North Korea in recent days. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang within hours of the Iran announcement and is expected to return home with three Americans who had been detained in North Korea. Shakil murdered over drug dispute in Gulshan Staff Reporter : A dispute over distribution of drug money led to the killing of Shakil Ahmed, a young Executive of an Advertising Agency in the capital's Gulshan area. Police arrested a youth identified as Arafat on Tuesday night from a house at Niketan, said Abu Bakar Siddique, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gulshan Police Station after citing an initial interrogation. Arafat confessed to his involvement in Shakil's murder, the police official said. They used to consume the banned yaba drug. Arafat tied Shakil with a rope in his sleep and strangled him, the OC said. He said that Shakil was in a deal with Arafat to pay for the yaba pills. Arafat killed him as he did not pay the money. However, Arafat will be shown arrested in a case filed by Shakil's father, he said further. The murder came to light after a caller demanded ransom from Shakil's father Noor-e-Nabi, a man from Feni but a resident of Dhaka, saying his son was abducted. The caller demanded Tk 200,000 and later agreed to release him for Tk 100,000 in ransom. Shakil's father went to Gulshan Police Station immediately after receiving the call. Noor-e-Nabi told the police that the "kidnappers" asked him to pay the money near Shakil's office. As none came even hours after the payment spot was fixed, police broke down the door of the office and found Shakil dead inside. Police recovered the body of 18-year old Shakil from his office, named Tinsel Town on Road No. 3 in the area on Tuesday evening. There were several sharp weapon wounds on his throat and hands. Reached by telephone half an hour after Avenatti posted the information, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said he doubted the report's veracity. Attempts were unsuccessful to reach Columbus Nova, the US investment vehicle for Vekselberg's Renova Group that Avenatti says made the payment. First Republic declined to comment. According to a tweet posted by a reporter, an attorney for Cohen said he wouldn't discuss the $US500,000. "I understand the shorthand you're using, but it wasn't a payment," the attorney, Steve Ryan, told Natasha Bertrand of the Atlantic. "I have no idea how he would know that. I have no reason to believe that anything he says is true," Giuliani said. "I consider him now sort of a guy who books for 'Saturday Night Live.' The guy is a pretty unsuccessful lawyer -- can't remember a case he's ever had that meant anything -- and I think he's desperate for money." Avenatti disclosed his information on Twitter without warning. "Mr Trump and Mr Cohen have a lot of explaining to do," he wrote, adding a link to a site where the public could view a summary of his findings. It's unclear whether Avenatti obtained bank information, if it's accurate, as part of litigation involving Trump, Cohen and Clifford over the non-disclosure agreement Cohen negotiated. Separately, federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating the payment and Cohen's broader business practices. Avenatti named three companies, besides Columbus Nova, that he said transferred money into the account at First Republic. Through January 2018, he said, Cohen used the account for what Avenatti called suspicious transactions totaling $US4.43 million. The other companies were Novartis AG, AT&T and Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. The account belonged to Essential Solutions, a Delaware LLC that was established by Cohen and has been previously identified as the source of the hush payment to Clifford. We tend to think that theatre is a universal language. But one of the many things that struck me as I watched this riveting production by the Maly Theatre Company, from St Petersburg, is just how Russian it is. Its country of origin reveals itself not just in the extraordinary commitment of an ensemble that worked for three years in rehearsal under their legendary director Lev Dodin to bring this adaptation of Vasily Grossman's minatory, epic novel to the stage. It's something too about their generous engagement with the text and the world it conjures and the way that the entire production is willing to grapple over the course of three hours in Russian with English surtitles with the biggest of themes in the most uncompromising manner. You can't tear your eyes away or let your brain switch off for a second. The work focuses on the extended story of the Jewish Shtrum family, with their physicist paterfamilias Viktor, as they are caught up in the seismic events of the early part of the 20th century, their friends and relations sent without reason to the Gulags filled by Stalin in his purges, or rounded up into the concentration camps of Hitler, as great battles rage across Europe and the Russians hold Stalingrad against the German assault, at enormous cost. Grossman, a Soviet Jewish journalist who had witnessed both Stalingrad and the liberation of the Treblinka death camp, wrote the book in the 1950s. When he submitted it for publication in 1960, it was suppressed by the KGB; even the typewriter ribbon on which he had written was destroyed and he was told the book could not be published for 200 years. But he had salvaged two copies and sent them to friends. After his death in 1964, the book was smuggled abroad and published in Switzerland in 1980. An edited edition finally appeared in Russia in 1988. This stage version, originally seen in 2007 and getting its British premiere thanks in part to Roman Abramovich and Leonard Blavatnik among others, keeps the complexity of the book's timeline and shifting scenes. It is sometimes hard for those unfamiliar with the novel (me, for one) to follow every character and each twist of their fate. But the overall thrust is clear: Grossman's point, still brave today, is that the totalitarianism of Hitler and of Stalin were the same, as was their anti-Semitism, and that human freedom, the rights of individuals, should never be sacrificed by a belief in a means justifying an end, or the greater cause. This point is made symbolically and visually by the setting of Alexey Poray-Koshits. A wire volleyball net diagonally divides the stage, a symbolic barrier easily breached by simple humanity. It also provides the wire fence behind which prisoners on both sides line up, suffering, marching, singing. These scenes blend and meld into the battered domestic setting where the Shtrum family life; everything is both real and dreamlike simultaneously. Loading... In scene after scene, Grossman's celebration of individual humanity and kindness, in a world made mad and cruel by powerful beliefs, is revealed in moments of great theatrical vitality. In one, Shtrum, disgraced and in danger of losing his job at the scientific institute because he refuses to give up his belief in Einsteinian theoretical physics (seen to contradict the materialist view of nature propounded by Lenin), receives a phone call from Stalin. In Sergey Kuryshev's marvellously gentle, baffled, concentrated performance, every emotion passes across his face and body, from a spasm of fear to a delighted, eye-reaching, smile. As he endlessly and disbelievingly repeats to his wife (Elena Solomonova, watchful, wonderful) Stalin's praise - "I wish you success in your work" - he dances across the stage, strips off his pyjamas and jumps into bed with her. As they lie there, wrapped in rapturous embrace at their survival, they are surrounded by the inmates of a German concentration camp in the Ukraine, where a committed old Bolshevik (Igor Ivanov, extraordinary) talks to his Gestapo guard Liss, who makes the chilling point that the systems to which they are both committed are ultimately the same. Both men are monsters, mirror images of each other. "Nationalism is the driving force of the 20th century," says Liss, a phrase that has horrible, chilling echoes today. Those long, dialectical debates cause a frisson around the theatre. So do simpler moments such as the one where the tank commander Novikov (charismatic Sergey Vlasov) delays an attack in Stalingrad by eight-minutes to stop his forces being wiped out. It's a scene of massive comic brio, with shouted messages down many phones, but its consequences are chilling. His decision may have saved the city but in the madness of Stalin's rule, it seals his fate because he goes against his political masters. Themes run through the piece like a song; the sudden discovery of your Jewishness, or your Russianness in extreme circumstances; simple acts of kindness or principle; the way everyone's conformity is constantly under pressure; the flaws in good people. It is literally bound together by a lament, by Anna Shtrum's keening farewell letter to her son as she is captured by the Germans and forced first into the ghetto and then to her death. Tatiana Shestakova plays her like a gentle child, reducing many of the audience to tears. Like Kuryshev, she has been with the Maly for more than 30 years. The entire ensemble is bound together by a uniformity of training, of thought, of intent that is at once supremely naturalistic and carefully choreographed. They are wonderful and under Dodin's careful, magisterial control, create a night of theatre that is never easy but is thrilling in its complexity and reach. I know it is one I will never forget. Europe, China defend Iran N deal after US withdrawal Lawmakers in Iran set fire to a US flag on Wednesday. Internet photo AFP : European powers and China rushed Wednesday to defend a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Trump's move risks overturning years of diplomacy, worsening instability in the Middle East and threatens foreign companies' business in Iran worth billions of dollars. "The risks of confrontation are real," warned France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, adding Europe would act to "avoid the explosion (of conflict) that risks happening if... no measures are taken." Iran reacted furiously to Trump's decision, with lawmakers burning a US flag and chanting "Death to America" in the Iranian parliament. But its regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel applauded the US move. European powers and key trading power China vowed to save the accord and protect companies operating in the country. Trump's advisor John Bolton said earlier that European firms doing business in Iran now have a six month deadline to wind up investments or risk US sanctions. European governments are going "to do everything to protect the interests" of their companies, said an official in the French presidency, who asked not to be named. But Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran too would quit the nuclear deal unless Europeans offered solid guarantees that trade relations would continue. "If you don't succeed in obtaining a definitive guarantee-and I really doubt that you can-at that moment, we cannot continue like this," he told Iran's government in a televised speech. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China will maintain "normal economic and trade exchanges" with Iran despite Trump's decision. Beijing will "remain in dialogue with all parties and continue to devote itself to safeguard and implement the deal," he said. Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called for a "new and lasting deal". Trump described the 2015 accord as an "embarrassment" to the US that did nothing to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. In response, the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany will meet Iranian representatives next Monday "to consider the entire situation," Le Drian told RTL radio. French President Emmanuel Macron will also speak with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani by telephone on Wednesday afternoon about "our wish to stay in the agreement," Le Drian said. In separate comments, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said that it was "not acceptable" for the US to be the "economic policeman of the planet". Trump said a deal with Iran would have to include not just deeper restrictions on its nuclear programme, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. "We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction," he said. "We will not allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth." Iranian President Rouhani said Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" in response to Trump's announcement. But he said Iran would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Trump warned: "If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before." The decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders begged the US leader to think again. In a joint statement, Germany's Angela Merkel, Britain's Theresa May and France's Macron voiced their "regret and concern" at Trump's decision. Bolton insisted that cooperation with Europe on Iran was not over. The US will "work with the Europeans and others not only on the nuclear issue but on Iran's ballistic missile development, its continuing support for terrorism and its military activities that jeopardise our friends," he told Fox News. Trump's decision offers him a domestic political victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise. But the long term impact for US foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that the United States will "lose in the end" from its decision. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly supported the move. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said it supported Trump's move and the sanctions. It said it will take all necessary measures to prevent oil supply shortages following the move. Like Saudi Arabia, Iran is a major crude producer. Some analysts also warned the move would complicate US efforts to reach an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over his country's own more advanced weapons programme. Decision on Khaleda`s bail on May 15 Staff Reporter : The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed May 15 to pass order on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's bail in Zia Orphanage Trust case in which she is now serving a five-year jail term. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain set the date after completing hearing on two appeal petitions filed by the ACC and the government against the High Court order that granted bail to her in the case. During the hearing, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Khurshed Alam Khan and Attorney General Mahbubey Alam prayed to the apex court to scrap the bail given to Khaleda Zia. On the other hand, Khaleda's lawyers A J Mohammad Ali, Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossian, Advocate Zainul Abedin and Barrister Moudud Ahmed--- prayed to the apex court to uphold the bail order. The High Court on March 12 granted her four months' bail in Zia Orphanage Trust case in which she was sentenced to five years in prison. She landed in jail on February 8 after the special judge's court-5 of Dhaka sentenced Khaleda to imprisonment as the court found her and five others guilty in the case. A week later, the SC stayed the HC bail order following two leave-to-appeal petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission and the government. The apex court fixed yesterday for hearing the petitions. It is to be noted that like the previous day the Appellate Division on Wednesday also witnessed heated arguments during the hearing on the bail petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia against the lower court verdict that sentenced her five years in jail. Hearing was started at 9.20 am yesterday. Citing two references of bail, Advocate A J Mohammad Ali said, in our judiciary, the Appellate Division did not interfere in 99.99 percent cases after the High Court had grant bail to the accused. In reply Justice Hasan Foez Siddique said, "An accused was fugitive for 25 years. Then the police arrested him. The High Court granted him bail the following day. That's the example. The case is now in the Chamber Court." Then A J Mohammad Ali said, "Exception cannot be an example. The state is trying to prosecute this case speedily from all other cases. Whether we believe or not, the total state machineries are linked to this case. This is one kind of arbitrariness. Justice is intervened. The lawyers are now constrained to think that bail in the case depends on special clearance." Then the Chief Justice said, "There is no benefit to say like this." A J Mohammad Ali said, "Khaleda Zia is kept in a solitary jail. It is not a regular jail building. The government is showing arbitrariness. The ACC has already filed a revision petition seeking extension of Khaleda's jail term. The government is trying to settle the case with speed. This case has different purpose. This is unexpected. In this circumstance, the HC granted her bail considering her age, physical condition and shorter sentence. We hope this bail will continue for the sake of justice. It is not fair to interfere the HC order." He also said, "The trial court said, it was a financial crime. So, she needs to be punished. But there is law in the country for such kind of crime. There is no opportunity to punish any person under penal code 409 for a financial crime. Citing the term 'financial crime', the trial court proved that they had punished Khaleda Zia intentionally in this case." Khandker Mahbub Hossain said, "I can challenge that the prosecution team is not able to cite even a single example that the Appellate Division interfered in any bail order passed by the High Court in a case. The government has accepted a plan of minus one theory. As part of it they want to minus Khaleda Zia keeping the gun on the court's neck. It's a bad sign. There are more than 33 lakh cases in the country. Among these, more than four lakh cases are in the Supreme Court and more than 16 thousand cases are in the Appellate Division. But why the Attorney General is trying to hear only this case speedily?" Advocate Zainul Abedin said, Attorney General has no jurisdiction to take part in the hearing of this case as per law. Then the Chief Justice asked, "So, why do you make the state a party in your petition?" In reply Adovcate Zainul said, "It's a normal procedure. So we did it." Then the court said, "Khaleda Zia is now under the custody of the state." Then Zainul Abedin said, "The government has different intention behind this appeal." The court said, "Whether it is wrong or right, we allowed them to file appeal." Then Zainul Abedin said, "Whether it is wrong or right, the HC granted her bail. Now you (SC) hold this bail." Advocate Zainul also said, "The HC quashed the case of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. But the ACC did not appeal against that order, even not the state. They did not also appeal against many leaders of the ruling party. But the state and the ACC have chosen this case. By this the government has imposed a burden on the court. We are afraid whether justice will prevail in the long run." Referring to Khaleda Zia's alarming health condition, Advocate Zainul also said, "If she got bail then her health condition didn't deteriorate so much. Court is for man, man is not for court. So, the court should see everything. You have an eye excepting the written books. You are responsible to uphold the dignity of the court. " In the last stage of the hearing, ACC lawyer Khurshed Alam Khan stood to answer the Khaleda Zia's lawyer. Then the court asked him to show an example of a case in which the Appellate Division interfered the bail order passed by the High Court. The court also wanted to know from him that who was the main accused in this case. Then Advocate Khurshed said, "The trial court has done a mistake here. So we filed revision petition with the High Court." Then the Attorney General started his hearing. He said, "It was a fund for the orphans. It was not a private or personal trust. So, the ACC performed its perfect duty filing the case." About Khaleda's health condition Attorney General said, "She was doing politics with this physical condition. She discharged the duties of the Prime Minister with this health condition. She is habituated with this condition. Bail cannot be granted." Then the court fixed May 15 to pass order on Khaleda's bail. Will the kinks in the Alert Readys emergency messaging system be ironed out when it is tested in Manitoba this afternoon? Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 9/5/2018 (1247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Will the kinks in the Alert Readys emergency messaging system be ironed out when it is tested in Manitoba this afternoon? Stay tuned. When it was tested Monday, the system misfired in Quebec and was hit and miss in Ontario. Some wireless users did not receive the test alert in Ontario, and Alert Ready issued a statement this week saying it was working to identify the cause. In Quebec, a space incorrectly included in the coding prevented the Alert Ready system from sending the test message to compatible wireless devices. The misconfiguration was quickly corrected, officials said. The system was developed in partnership with federal, provincial and territorial emergency management officials, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pelmorex Corp. and the broadcast industry to ensure Canadians receive important information and know when to take action to keep themselves safe. The whole point of testing the system is to make sure all of its components work before an actual emergency, Alert Ready said Tuesday in a statement. In Manitoba, Bell MTS and other service providers sent messages to customers this week giving them a heads-up about todays test. "You may receive an emergency alert on your phone from Alert Ready," according to the message. "No action required." The Manitoba test is expected to be sent to compatible cellphones and smartphones at 1:55 p.m. Wednesday, as part of National Emergency Preparedness Week, Ron Schuler, the minister responsible for emergency measures, said Tuesday. "This expansion of the warning system for emergencies and disasters will now include compatible wireless devices, in addition to radio, cable and satellite TV distribution and web feeds," Schuler said in a news release. In Manitoba, only the province and Environment and Climate Change Canada are authorized to issue emergency messages using Alert Ready. The emergency alerts are not text or SMS messages, but are distributed using whats known as cell broadcast technology. The emergency alert message begins with a distinct sound and vibration, followed by an emergency alert banner displayed on the device and a message outlining the nature of the alert. The Alert Ready system notifies Canadians of potentially life-threatening events. The recent inclusion of wireless public alerting means emergency messages are able to reach more Manitobans. There is no sign-up or opt-in required. Emergency alerts will be automatically sent to compatible wireless devices. There is no opt-out feature, either. Regulations require all Canadian wireless service providers to distribute emergency alerts. A compatible wireless device that is turned off will not display an emergency alert. 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. If the emergency alert is still active when the wireless device is powered up, and it is still in the alert area, the device will display the alert. A device set to silent mode will display an emergency alert, but no tone will accompany it usually. Alert Ready said, depending on the device and circumstances, the alert tone may override user settings. Schuler reminded Manitobans to be careful when they receive todays test alert. "If you are driving, pull over, be safe and be prepared," the minister said. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca In Churchill, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 9/5/2018 (1247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In Churchill, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Environment Canada issued a winter storm warning for Churchill on Wednesday. The town on Hudson Bay was expected to be hit with winds gusting up to 90 kilometres per hour while getting from 10 to 20 centimetres of snow. PAUL MADZIAK PHOTO Churchill snow - May 9, 2018 The national weather service said visibility could be reduced to zero at times because of blowing snow. The weather was so bad that while rain nor sleet nor snow will traditionally not stop mail carriers, this snowstorm did. Canada Post issued a red alert, saying Churchill residents would not get mail on Wednesday. "It is not safe to deliver mail today," Canada Post spokeswoman Hayley Magerman said in a statement. "Delivery will resume once conditions improve and it is safe to do so." Amy Nagy, a teacher in Churchill, said all staff and students were sent home before noon after conditions began to get worse. "We've got a snow day," Nagy said. "I'm now doing well by staying warm inside. "We were already at the school when staff and students were sent home for their safety." Nagy, who is in her second year of teaching in the community, said the storm was bad, but not as bad as last year's three day storm. That storm in March dumped so much snow on the community, the town asked people to put fluorescent markers on top of snow banks where vehicles were buried underneath to alert snow clearing crews. "This is mild compared to that," she said. "And this is probably typical. I've been told to have a snowstorm in May is not unusual and even into June." Natalie Hasell, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, agreed. "This is not unusual for Churchill," Hasell said. "Spring takes a long time for the northern areas. It's not unusual to still be in a winter storm in early May." Hasell said the storm in Churchill, caused by a low pressure area passing over the community, was also bringing up the high winds in southern Manitoba and Winnipeg that were causing a different reason for low visibility - blowing dirt. 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. And Hasell said there's still no sign of the drought-like conditions here ending. "It is still very dry here," she said. "We're back in the grit. "I don't think we should see anything (rain) here anytime soon... we're just under clear skies for the time being." The winds also caused the province to issue a wind alert for the south basins of Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba, especially the Victoria Beach area. The Hydrologic Forecast Centre of Manitoba Infrastructure said the winds could result in water levels rising as much as five feet, causing significant waves hitting the shoreline, along with ice piling up. Property owners are being warned to take precautions. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca In 2010, Christine Dobbss son, Adam Watson, wrote her a letter begging for help with his opioid addiction. In the six years that followed, Dobbs never could help him fight it. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/5/2018 (1248 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In 2010, Christine Dobbss son, Adam Watson, wrote her a letter begging for help with his opioid addiction. In the six years that followed, Dobbs never could help him fight it. There were emergency room visits that failed when Watson, suffering withdrawal symptoms, couldnt handle the wait, so hed leave to buy drugs. Watson lasted just three days in non-medical detox, his mother said, and without it he wasnt accepted into any private treatment facilities. Dobbs said she remembers thinking: there doesnt seem to be an entry point to start figuring out what help might actually work. On Feb. 6, 2016, Dobbs found Watson a young electrician-in-training with a memorably bright smile dead in the basement. Hed used fentanyl-laced cocaine and overdosed. On Tuesday, Dobbs watched with optimism as Manitoba Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced funding for five Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine clinics (RAAM). This summer, RAAMs will open across the province: two in Winnipeg, one in Brandon, one in the Interlake area and one in northern Manitoba. The clinics are modelled after existing facilities in Ontario, which seek to connect people struggling with addictions more quickly with the care best suited to them. "There was nowhere to go," Dobbs said. "So, this is a really good beginning." The Manitoba governments plan to spend $1.2 million to get the clinics up and running is in keeping with the long-awaited Virgo report, Goertzen said. The consultancy group was hired to develop a strategic plan for mental health and addictions. Goertzen said the report will be released to the public next week. Access is key, the health minister said. "The system in Manitoba is very much like a pinball machine," Goertzen said. "People get into the addictions system and they bounce around from one part to the next. So, its difficult to get into the system and then, when youre in the system, its difficult to navigate." While no specific clinic locations have been picked yet, Goertzen said the general geographic areas were selected based on need and one RAAM will most likely be located at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg. The goal is anyone struggling with any substance use disorders or addictions, whether it be opioids or alcohol, can walk in or be referred to the clinic for more immediate care. While that will benefit those in crisis, medical director of Addictions Foundation Manitoba, Dr. Ginette Poulin said, it will have the added benefit of helping reduce wait times. Looking specifically at Ontario, Poulin said some ERs have seen a reduction of 60 per cent in addictions-related visits because people are able to go to the rapid-access clinics. The Manitoba clinics will have a doctor, an addictions specialist, a nurse, a counsellor and, occasionally, an outreach worker, she said. Theyll be able to provide people with appropriate care while they await referral to specialists or other community treatments and supports. "This is a model that not only helps improve access to treatment of all substances in a timely fashion, but also helps to appropriately assess, manage and support the individual," Poulin said. "It best meets the individual where theyre at." RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Dr. Ginette Poulin, left, said Tuesday the benefit of these clinics will be dual: helping those in crisis and reducing wait times. Rapid-access clinic proponents in Ontario met Tuesdays announcement with enthusiasm. Kristin Kerr manages two such clinics in Guelph and Kitchener. The Kitchener location opened in March, while the Guelph clinic celebrates its first anniversary in June. "Just getting access to this kind of support has really made positive shifts for people I see every week when I come to the clinic," she said. The two clinics in southern Ontario are open once a week and staffed by a doctor, an addictions counsellor and a peer support worker who has experienced addiction. The clinics are walk-ins, Kerr said, so people who feel motivated to make a change can immediately act on that feeling. Above all, she said, its a stigma-free environment. "Historically, addictions hasnt been viewed as a health issue, its been viewed as bad choices and bad behaviour and something that people should be able to control," Kerr said. "But really, addictions is a health issue that affects a broad spectrum of the population." Thats evident from the people who walk in the door, she said: they are old and young, of various genders and different races with different socioeconomic statuses and cultural backgrounds. Dr. Hasan Sheikh, medical lead for the rapid-action addictions medicine clinic at the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, said its also noticeable how many experiences echo Dobbs and her sons. "A lot of patients say its the first time theyve been able to access these services," said Sheikh, an emergency physician who has helped lead the clinic since its opening in January. "Were finding its a really good model to make sure were providing as low-barrier access to care as possible." While its too soon to offer up numbers, data or publish a report on the UHN experience, he said roughly 60 per cent of people who access the clinic come for alcohol reasons, some 30 per cent are there for help with opiates and 10 per cent or so come for help with crystal meth, cocaine or crack cocaine. The clinic works, Sheikh said, because its sensitive to the realities of living with substance issues: the clinic is there to help right when the person is ready. "The hallmark of the disease is the dysfunction that comes in someones life," he said. "Asking someone to wait for a referral to come in three months down the road or attend an appointment at a specific time just doesnt work for this population." Manitoba NDP health critic Andrew Swan said, the Ontario program "sounds positive," but hed like to see more action from the province. During the partys health-listening tour, Swan said people spoke about the need for a "multi-pronged approach." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "The best way to save money is to prevent people from getting addicted to drugs like methamphetamines in the first place," he said. "But when they do, we know theres a need for long-term care facilities, and we know theres a need to detox." Compassion will need to be at the forefront if the RAAM clinics are going to work in Manitoba, Dobbs said. "These young people that are on any kind of substance, they need to see that theyre not going to be shamed or guilted." Its clear to Dobbs Manitobas health system was not prepared to deal with addictions. Shes keeping a close eye on what happens next, hoping the clinics will help people accept addictions is a health problem, not a criminal one. "These are not bad people," she said. "These are our children." jane.gerster@freepress.mb.ca A series of weekend brush fires in Winnipeg appear to have been sparked by a single Canadian National Railway train snaking its way from St. Boniface, down through the city's heart at The Forks, and out through south Charleswood. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/5/2018 (1248 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A series of weekend brush fires in Winnipeg appear to have been sparked by a single Canadian National Railway train snaking its way from St. Boniface, down through the city's heart at The Forks, and out through south Charleswood. The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said Tuesday even though its investigation remains ongoing, early signs point to a single train as the likely culprit. In total, fire crews battled at least five blazes. "Those calls came in shortly after the train passed through. You can chart the route from the first incident in St. Boniface, then follow it along through the fire at The Forks, then the Kenaston (Boulevard) overpass, then Shaftesbury, Elmhurst," said deputy chief Tom Wallace. "Our investigators havent determined an absolute cause, but those incidents came in succession following the train that came through. Ive never seen a single incident like that one on Sunday. But when we plot our grassfires over the years, there is a pattern of seeing grass fires along rail lines." The WFPS has scheduled a meeting with the rail company later this week. Wallace spoke to the Free Press as a stand-in for WFPS Chief John Lane, who is away from Winnipeg attending a week-long conference in Texas. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Grass fire on the corner of Day Street and Gunn Road. Sunday's incident isnt the first time fingers have been pointed at CNR following a blaze. Court documents obtained by the Free Press show the rail company is currently the subject of a number of lawsuits in Manitoba. The government of Manitoba is suing CNR for $3.8 million in expenses, after the province put out a fire May 5, 2016, near the Ontario border. In addition, a property owner and a tree-care company have filed separate suits against CNR, alleging the company's equipment started an April 30, 2016, fire in Headingley. Both parties are seeking up to $100,000 in damages. The allegations have not been proven in court. On Monday, a CNR spokeswoman said the company covers damages for any "legitimate" claim -- when its proven one of its trains caused a fire. The CNR spokeswoman declined an interview request Tuesday. However, she provided a written statement, saying the company, "takes this seriously and (we) remain focused on minimizing the risk of brush fires along the railway." The spokeswoman also wrote no mechanical issues have been identified that would have caused Sundays brush fires in Winnipeg. Sel Burrows, a Point Douglas community activist and co-chairman of the Rail Yard Relocation Project, which calls for the Canadian Pacific Railway lot to be moved outside city limits, said if it's proven the train caused the fires, it's another argument for why -- eventually -- all rail lines be relocated. "We have safety concerns about having the rail lines coming through our community. It used to mostly be grain cars, but now two-thirds seem to be tankers filled with bitumen from the oilsands in Alberta. People are rightly concerned. That was the same sort of stuff in the Lac-Megantic rail disaster. Now, you add the fear of fires starting," Burrows said. (An unattended freight train carrying crude oil derailed in the small Quebec town on July 6, 2013. The resulting explosion killed 47 people and destroyed the community's downtown.) "The concern, not just for our community, but for all sorts of communities that have rail lines coming through them, is that there's often patches of old, dried weeds by the tracks. If something malfunctions on the train and it sparks, it wouldn't take long for (a fire) to be at the houses near the rail line in no time." Ken Giersch, a senior fire investigator with EFI Global, an independent fire investigations company, and who worked for the Manitoba Office of the Fire Commissioner for more than a decade, said it's not common -- but not unheard of -- for trains to spark fires while passing by. "I've investigated a couple of cases like that. One way it could happen is if the train was ejecting slag through its exhaust. The other likely way for that to happen would be if there was a mechanical failure with bearings or brakes. I think that's more likely. If those fail, the car would be sparking all the way, as it's being dragged along," Giersch said. City ablaze This shows the nine fire locations in the city between May 4 and May 8, according to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, many of which were along the rail lines. 1: Roblin Boulevard and Perimeter Highway May 7, 5:19 p.m., wildland fire, no injuries reported, no damage to structures, cause is under investigation 2: Victoria Row May 7, 6:44 p.m., grass fire, no injuries, a detached garage and belongings were damaged, cause under investigation 3: Day Street May 7, 8:04 p.m., grass fire, no structural damage but some area businesses were evacuated as a precaution, no injuries reported, cause under investigation 4: Whiteshell Avenue May 8, 12:49 a.m., wildland fire, no structural damage, one firefighter sustained minor injuries, cause under investigation 5: Charleswood Road May 4, 8:07 p.m., fire in farmers field, no damage to structures, no injuries, cause under investigation 6: 1500 block of Regent Avenue West May 4, 11:15 p.m., brush fire behind business, two men died, Winnipeg police investigating 7: 70 Block of Promenade Des Intrepides May 6, 2:59 p.m., grass fire, no damage to structures, no injuries, cause under investigation 8: Wilkes Avenue May 6, 3:09 p.m., grass fire along rail line from Kenaston Boulevard to the Perimeter Highway, no injuries, hydro poles and fencing damaged, cause under investigation 9: 2000 Block Hoka Street May 6, 10:45 p.m., wildland fire, no injuries, no damage to structures, cause under investigation An open-air fire ban remains in effect in Winnipeg, as tinder-like conditions persist. In addition to the five fires over the weekend, four more were reported between Monday evening and Tuesday morning -- one (which does not appear connected to a rail line) turned tragic. Around 11:15 p.m. Friday, fire crews responded to the 1500 block of Regent Avenue West, where they found two men badly burned. They were transported to hospital and later pronounced dead. On Monday, the two men were identified as Randy and Wendell Robinson, brothers from Bunibonibee Cree Nation. On Tuesday, their bodies were released to family and taken back to their home community 575 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, Bunibonibee Chief Tim Muskego said. 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. Winnipeg Police Service's major crimes unit is investigating the deaths. Wallace said the recent spate of fires has been "unprecedented" compared to what hes seen during 20 years of service in the city. "Typically, these wildland fires are low-frequency, low-risk events. They tend to be small in size and dont happen very often. Theyre easily managed. But with these conditions, theyve transferred over into high-risk, high-frequency events," the deputy chief said. "The position of the department right now is any outdoor burning is irresponsible and risky. Were asking for the publics co-operation... The last thing we need right now is someone driving along Wilkes (Avenue) and throwing a cigarette butt out the window." ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe Research shows that up to 70 per cent of seriously ill, hospitalized elderly Canadians are receiving invasive end-of-life treatments they dont want. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 9/5/2018 (1247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Research shows that up to 70 per cent of seriously ill, hospitalized elderly Canadians are receiving invasive end-of-life treatments they dont want. This could be your mother or your grandfather. Maybe someday, it will be you. For more than 10 years, our team of health researchers, Canadian researchers at end-of-life network or CARENET, has been working to understand and improve palliative and end-of-life care in Canada. We know that many older patients with serious illness want to maintain quality of life rather than prolong it. However, the use of aggressive life-sustaining technologies in this vulnerable population is common. Instead of a peaceful end-of-life experience, they are receiving invasive medical treatments during their last days. Too little, too late A national, multi-year study involving seriously ill older Canadians revealed that even though 28 per cent of the participants stated a preference for "comfort care" (meaning no curative treatments), this was documented in only four per cent of their charts. This discrepancy can lead to a poor end-of-life experience and an increase in family distress. Why is this happening? Often, it comes down to a lack of communication. Even though studies have shown that seriously ill patients and families have identified end-of-life communication and decision-making as high priority targets for quality improvement, these conversations are typically "too little, too late and not great." The gap doesnt just exist within the hospital setting. A 2014 Ipsos Reid survey revealed that 60 per cent of Canadians want their family doctor to talk to them about their preferences for care at the end of life, but only 26 per cent of primary-care physicians are comfortable having those discussions. Sixty-seven per cent of primary-care physicians said they need more resources and information. These conversations are also rare in long-term care homes, even though death is commonplace in this setting. Its clear that we are failing to provide optimal care to older Canadians at the most vulnerable time of their lives. A road map for conversations A new three-year national study, called iCAN-ACP, aims to improve this situation by introducing and evaluating "advance care planning" tools. We hope this will result in more, earlier and better conversations between older adults, families and their health-care teams. Advance care planning involves thinking about and communicating your preferences for care in a way that expresses your values. It also includes choosing someone to be your "substitute decision-maker," someone who could speak for you and make decisions if you couldnt speak for yourself. The iCAN-ACP project, funded by the Canadian Frailty Network, has just been launched in long-term care homes, family doctors offices and hospitals across Canada, bringing together a team of 32 investigators from 16 universities, five international collaborators and 42 partner organizations. The project will study conversation aids, including workbooks and interactive websites for older adults and their families, and conversation guides for health-care practitioners. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The Serious illness conversation guide, developed by colleagues from Ariadne Labs at Harvard Medical School, is an example of a conversation aid we will be studying. The guide gives practitioners a "road map" to having better and more person-centred conversations with patients who are facing serious illness, so that patients can receive care that is consistent with their goals. We know from past research that advance-care planning can have a significant impact on end-of-life experiences for both patients and their families. But all too often, these conversations are not happening early or often enough. iCAN-ACP will engage older Canadians living with frailty, and their families, as well as clinicians, health organizations and related patient associations to evaluate several of these conversation aids. Our goal is to identify valuable tools that will reduce unwanted treatments and ensure that patient voices are heard. John You is an associate professor of medicine at McMaster University. This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca. I was fuelling my sensible SUV this morning, while furtively admiring an adjacent monster pickup truck. When asked, the owner gushed about how she liked the oversized vehicle, praising sight lines while almost apologizing for the cost of a fill-up and the obvious waste implied by her vehicle choice. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 9/5/2018 (1247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion I was fuelling my sensible SUV this morning, while furtively admiring an adjacent monster pickup truck. When asked, the owner gushed about how she liked the oversized vehicle, praising "sight lines" while almost apologizing for the cost of a fill-up and the obvious waste implied by her vehicle choice. Many Manitobans have selected vehicles they acknowledge to be environmentally compromised. Most justify their choices by citing a variety of other benefits offered by their vehicles. It may be easy to blame consumers for these choices, as many "greens" tend to, but the problem lies elsewhere. Consumers try to make sensible selections within a set of social and economic circumstances. The political framework has an important role in shaping these circumstances. It is hard to imagine how our political leadership could have made a finer mess of our energy policy than has the current crew of provincial and federal leaders. Despite having the third-largest oil reserves in the world, Canada has managed to work itself into a truly strange place where we export oil to the U.S. at well below world prices and import oil from the Middle East. All leaders profess that they wish to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship, yet the dogs breakfast of policies we have created will penalize us economically while making scant progress at countering climate change. The machinations of Manitobas political leadership, specifically Premier Brian Pallister and Opposition leader Wab Kinew, offer good case studies of the behaviour exhibited by most Canadian political leaders. First, consider the imbroglio between Pallister and federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. Manitoba has taken exception to the federal proposal for a carbon tax of $10 per tonne of carbon emissions, rising to $50 per tonne in the next five years. Manitobas counter-proposal is an immediate $25 per tonne of CO2 that remains constant, a concept the province claims will lead to greater impact on climate change. How is this possible? Manitoba proposes targeted actions such as "sustainable agriculture practices," "electric bus conversion" and "organics diversion." These programs all are planned and could have a role in reducing carbon emissions, but they are far from developed and most uncertain in benefit. Enter the NDPs Kinew, who recently introduced a procedural motion to delay implementation of the governments carbon plan. He argues that with its commitment to reduce the provincial sales tax, the government is unlikely to use carbon-tax revenue to fund green programs. On this point, Kinew may be right. By diverting these funds to general revenue, governments everywhere have failed to allow carbon pricing to work. Direct carbon pricing, not the complex and costly carbon-credit system that has not worked anywhere, is by far the best method for accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels. Three essential elements support an effective carbon pricing program. First, the price (tax) must start low and increase in predictable steps. On that, the federal proposal succeeds and Manitobas plan fails. Second, the tax must bite, meaning that within a few years it must represent a consequential cost for driving monster trucks to go to the 7-Eleven. This will encourage consumers, both individuals and fleet owners, to convert to fuel-efficient vehicles. Manufacturers also need time to roll out transportation options. With a serious carbon tax, perhaps my grandchildren will take the bus (in my dreams!). No government has had the political courage to front a plan that would see taxes sufficiently high to affect consumer choices. Third, before government imposes the carbon tax, it needs to reduce other high-profile taxes. If Manitoba linked the sales-tax reduction with carbon-tax increase, citizens would see a quid pro quo. Their net incomes would remain unchanged. The provincial governments plan fails on this requirement. 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. What about using the proceeds of a carbon tax for "green" plans, as Kinew suggests? Two defects exist with such "earmarked" taxes. First, government-funded innovation rarely works quickly, except during times of national emergency. The case of penicillin development during the Second World War is a great example of government-driven innovation. The windmill-energy fiasco in Ontario is much more the norm. Second, government often makes a great show of diverting the proceeds of an earmarked tax. Think about the stickers on gas pumps declaring how the increased gas taxes are going to save the environment. At the same time, it becomes irresistible for politicians to quietly reduce existing support for green initiatives, and few citizens have the resources to track shifting expenditures within the complex public-accounting system. Such sleight-of-hand is common. It is far better to unleash consumers into the marketplace. Sufficiently high carbon taxes will prompt consumers to move with alacrity. Capitalism is infinitely flexible and responsive to consumer demand and that will drive environmental stewardship much faster than bureaucratic directives. The current squabbling among political leaders is profoundly harmful to creating a strong environmental agenda. It creates cynical taxpayers who conclude that we are unlikely to make progress on climate change, so why not buy a big truck for those short trips to pick up a slushie and doughnuts? Gregory Mason is an associate professor in the department of economics of the University of Manitoba. If residents of this province were not as good-natured as promised by the Friendly Manitoba designation on our licence plates, many of us might be inclined to greet last weeks departure of Lt.-Gen. Michael Hood with the following message: Happy retirement. Its about time. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 9/5/2018 (1247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Editorial If residents of this province were not as good-natured as promised by the "Friendly Manitoba" designation on our licence plates, many of us might be inclined to greet last weeks departure of Lt.-Gen. Michael Hood with the following message: "Happy retirement. Its about time." As the head of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Mr. Hood made himself as unwelcome as mosquitoes in Manitoba when he said last August he would prefer consolidating pilot-training operations in Saskatchewan, which would mean moving the Southport pilot training facility at Portage la Prairie. The commanders comment was imprudent, to say the least. He put his well-polished dress shoe in his mouth at a lunch on Aug. 10, 2017, when he expressed strong support for pulling pilot training out of Manitoba. He later said he didnt intend his comments to be public, but he spoke out at a lunch table where the guests included an official of KF Aerospace, which runs the training at Southport. Understandably, the irresponsible statement by the commander alarmed Portage la Prairie, a community of about 14,000 people that would be severely impacted by the loss of the 350 pilot-training jobs and the considerable support services linked to the training operation. The prospect of losing the facility no doubt summoned memories of the closure of CFB Portage la Prairie in 1992, which resulted in the creation of the Southport facility as a non-profit. A problem with the commander stating that the Southport training operation should be moved to Moose Jaw, Sask., is that its not his decision to make. The location of military operations carries considerable economic benefits for the communities fortunate enough to land them, and such decisions are highly charged and largely political. Conservative defence critic James Bezan co-wrote a letter to Mr. Hood, pointing out that the remarks by someone of such a high rank could prejudice a fair assessment of the future of Southport. "The system that weve had right now has worked really well," Mr. Bezan wrote. 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. As it turns out, there is hope the current system of splitting pilot training between Southport and Moose Jaw may continue. Two firms that co-ordinate the training announced last week a merged subsidiary. With the tender for pilot-training contract expected in late 2019, the merger will let them make a unified bid to continue operating out of both Southport and Moose Jaw. Its a relief that Mr. Hoods retirement means his opinion of Southport will no longer carry weight but, for the sake of fairness, it would be wrong to suggest the commanders entire career should be sullied because he spoke out of line on one topic of great concern to Manitoba. His many achievements include using his swearing-in ceremony as commander in 2015 to state frankly that sexual harassment would not be tolerated on his watch. His strong stance was a relief, coming soon after Chief of Defence Staff General Tom Lawson was accused of dodging accusations of sexual harassment in the military with such statements as "were biologically wired in a certain way and there will be those who believe it is a reasonable thing to press themselves and their desires on others." Its possible to thank Mr. Hood for many aspects of his military service, while simultaneously wishing he had kept his lips zipped on the future of Southport. When it came to being a politician, he was a great commander. Iranian lawmakers burn paper, U.S. flag in Parliament after Trump pulls out of nuclear deal TIME, (TEHRAN, Iran) : Iranian hard-line lawmakers lit a paper U.S. flag on fire at parliament Wednesday after President Donald Trump's nuclear deal pullout, shouting, "Death to America!" The impromptu demonstration reflected broad public anger in Iran after Trump's decision, which threatens to destroy the 2015 nuclear accord. While Iranian officials, including the parliament speaker, say they hope Europe will work with them to preserve the deal, many are pessimistic. The lawmakers, including a Shiite cleric, held the flaming flag alight as their colleagues joined their chants. They also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal and stomped on the papers' ashes. While U.S. flag-burning is common in Iran and harsh criticism of America has been a staple of Iranian parliamentary politics for years, it was the first time political observers could remember anything being burned inside the parliament itself. The 2015 agreement imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in return for the lifting of most U.S. and international sanctions. However, the deal came with time limits and did not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its regional policies in Syria and elsewhere. Trump has repeatedly pointed to those omissions in referring to the accord as the "worst deal ever." Proponents of the deal have said those time limits were meant to encourage more discussion with Iran in the future that could eventually address other concerns. Late Tuesday night, President Hassan Rouhani said he'd be sending Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the countries still in the deal - China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. Iran hopes the European Union will pass laws to protect European firms from any potential U.S. sanctions. EU officials have suggested they'll do what they can to salvage the agreement. Still, Rouhani made a point of stressing that Iran, at any time, could resume its nuclear program. "So if necessary, we can begin our industrial enrichment without any limitations," the Iranian leader said. "Until implementation of this decision, we will wait for some weeks and will talk with our friends and allies and other signatories of the nuclear deal, who signed it and who will remain loyal to it. Everything depends on our national interests." Wednesday morning after the flag burning, parliament speaker Ali Larijani said responsibility for saving the deal fell on the EU and other world powers still in the accord. Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. distributes and sells propane and related equipment and supplies. The company transports propane to propane distribution locations, tanks on customers' premises, or to portable propane tanks delivered to retailers. It conducts its portable tank exchange operations under the Blue Rhino brand name through a network of independent and partnership-owned distribution outlets. The company's propane is primarily used for space heating, water heating, cooking, outdoor cooking using gas grills, crop drying, irrigation, weed control, and other propane fueled appliances; as an engine fuel for combustion engine vehicles and forklifts; and as a heating or energy source in manufacturing and drying processes. It serves residential, industrial/commercial, portable tank exchange, agricultural, wholesale, and other customers in the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As of July 31, 2018, it operated 72 service centers and 859 propane distribution locations. The company is also involved in the sale of refined fuels; provision of common carrier services; and retail sale of propane appliances and related parts and fittings, as well as other retail propane related services and consumer products. Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of ITT: AIMCO Industries LLC, AcousticFab LLC, Allen Osborne Associates, Axtone, Axtone Bahntechink GmbH, Axtone GmbH, Axtone HSW sp. z.o.o., Axtone S.A., Axtone s.r.o., Blakers Pump Engineers, Bolton Insurance Co., Bolton International RE S.C.A., Bolton International S.C.A., Bombas Goulds S.A., Bombas Goulds de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bombas Goulds de Venezuela C.A., Bornemann Inc. (Canada), Bornemann S.A. DE C.V., C&I QSF LLC, C&K Components, Canberra Pumps do Brasil, Carbon Industries Inc., Computer & Equipment Leasing Corporation, DITTHA GmbH, Distribuidora Arbos C.A., Dolphin Technology, EP Industries Europe B.V., Edo, Electrofilm Manufacturing Company LLC, Ellis K. Phelps & Co., Energy Machine Services, Enidine Kabashiki Gaisha (Enidine Company Limited (Japan)), EnviroTech LLC, Equipos Hidraulicos S.A., European Pump Services B.V., F.B. Leopold, FLOJET Corp., Flowtronex PSI, Godwin Pumps, Goulds Mexico Holdings LLC, Goulds Pumps (IPG) LLC, Goulds Pumps (N.Y.) Inc., Goulds Pumps (NY) Inc. (PERU BRANCH), Goulds Pumps (NY) Inc. (TAIWAN BRANCH), Goulds Pumps (PA) LLC, Goulds Pumps Administration Inc., Goulds Pumps Canada Inc., Goulds Pumps Co. Ltd., Goulds Pumps LLC, Goulds QSF LLC, Hartzell Aerospace, Hydro Air Industries, ITT (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ITT (China) Investment Co. Ltd. (SHANGHAI BRANCH), ITT (Shanghai) Fluid Technology Co. Ltd., ITT Aerospace Controls LLC, ITT Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITT Automotive Enterprises Inc., ITT Blakers PTY Ltd, ITT Blakers Unit Trust, ITT Bombas Goulds do Brasil Ltda., ITT Bornemann GmbH, ITT Bornemann-Goulds Pumps S.R.L., ITT C'treat LLC, ITT Cannon (Hong Kong) LTD, ITT Cannon (Hong Kong) LTD (TAIWAN BRANCH), ITT Cannon Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, ITT Cannon GmbH, ITT Cannon GmbH (DENMARK BRANCH), ITT Cannon Korea Ltd., ITT Cannon LLC, ITT Cannon LLC (DUBAI BRANCH), ITT Cannon Ltd., ITT Cannon Mexico Inc., ITT Cannon Veam Italia s.r.l., ITT Cannon de Mexico S.A. de C.V., ITT Community Development Corporation, ITT Corporation India PVT. Ltd., ITT Egypt LLC, ITT Engineered Valves LLC, ITT Enidine GmbH, ITT Enidine Inc., ITT Finance Hong Kong Ltd., ITT Fluid Technology Asia Pte Ltd., ITT Fluid Technology International (Thailand) LTD., ITT Fluid Technology International Inc., ITT Fluid Technology International Inc. (DUBAI BRANCH), ITT Fluid Technology International Inc. (RUSSIAN BRANCH), ITT Fluid Technology S.A., ITT Germany Holdings GmbH, ITT Goulds Pumps Colombia S.A.S., ITT Goulds Pumps Inc., ITT Goulds Pumps Inc. (GREECE BRANCH), ITT High Precision Manufactured Products (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., ITT Holding LLC, ITT Holdings Czech Republic s.r.o., ITT Industries France S.A.S., ITT Industries Global S.a.r.l., ITT Industries Holdings Inc., ITT Industries Holdings Limited, ITT Industries Limited, ITT Industries Luxembourg S.a r.l., ITT Industries Rus LLC, ITT Industries Spain SL, ITT International Holdings Inc., ITT International Luxembourg S.a r.l., ITT Investments Luxembourg S.a.r.l., ITT Iran S.K., ITT Italia s.r.l., ITT Italy Holding Srl, ITT Japan B.V., ITT Korea Holding B.V., ITT LLC, ITT Luxembourg Europe Sarl, ITT Luxembourg Worldwide Sarl, ITT Manufacturing Enterprises LLC, ITT Motion Technologies America LLC, ITT Motion Technologies GmbH, ITT Motion Technologies LLC, ITT Motion Technologies Luxembourg S.a.r.l., ITT Motion Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V, ITT Netherlands B.V., ITT Netherlands Europe B.V., ITT Netherlands Worldwide B.V., ITT Rheinhuette Pumps LLC, ITT Rheinhutte Benelux B.V., ITT Rheinhutte Pumpen Austria GmbH, ITT Rheinhutte Pumpen Co. Ltd., ITT Rheinhutte Pumpen GmbH, ITT Rheinhutte Pumpen do Brasil Industria de Bombas Ltda., ITT Saudi Co., ITT Technical Services S.K., ITT Torque Systems Inc., ITT Water & Wastewater U.S.A. Inc., ITT Water Technology (TX) LLC, InTelCo Management LLC, InTelCo Properties LLC, Industrial Tube Company LLC, Industries QSF LLC, International Motion Control, International Motion Control Inc., International Standard Electric Corporation, International Telephone & Telegraph Corp., K and M Electronics, Kentucky Carbon Corporation, Koni BV, Koni France SAS, Koni NA LLC, LLMZ Kamax, Leland Properties Inc., Matrix Composites, Matrix Composites Inc., Nova Analytics, O.I. Corporation, PT ITT Fluid Technology Indonesia, Pci Membranes, Precision Stainless, Qingdao Kamax Buffer Equipment Company Ltd., Qume, Rheinhutte Pumps Nordic Filial, Rheinhutte Pumpen Group, Rule Industries, Rule Industries LLC, SRA International's Airport Operations Solutions (AOS) group, STX Pte. Ltd, Shanghai Goulds Pumps Co. Ltd., Shanghai Hengtong Purified Water Development, Shanghai Hengtong Water Treatment Engineering, Sinton Engineering Group, Standard Electric, Standard Tecknik Services, Stanford Telecommunications Inc, Svedala Robot BV, TDS Corporate Services LLC, Uniservice Wellpoint, Venus Holdco LLC, WAM China Ltd., WC Wolverine Holdings Inc., Water Pollution Control Corp., Wolverine Advanced Materials (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Wolverine Advanced Materials Asia Limited, Wolverine Advanced Materials GmbH, Wolverine Advanced Materials LLC, Wolverine Advanced Materials LLC (INDIA BRANCH), Wolverine Automotive Holdings Inc., Wolverine Brasil Representacao Ltda., Wolverine Japan KK, Wolverine Press (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Wolverine/Tekno Laminates and Composites Ltda., and YSI Inc. Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates integrated natural gas and natural gas liquids and other hydrocarbons (NGLs) pipeline and storage systems in the United States. It operates interstate natural gas and NGLs pipeline systems, and integrated storage facilities, which are located in the Gulf Coast region, Oklahoma, Arkansas and the Midwestern states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The company's pipeline systems contain approximately 13,880 miles of interconnected natural gas pipelines, directly serving customers in 13 states and indirectly serving customers throughout the northeastern and southeastern United States through various interconnections with unaffiliated pipelines. It also owns and operates approximately 455 miles of NGLs pipelines serving customers in Louisiana and Texas. In addition, the company has underground storage caverns having aggregate capacity of approximately 205.0 billion cubic feet of working natural gas and 24.5 million barrels of NGLs. It serves producers of natural gas, local distribution companies, marketers, electric power generators, industrial users, and interstate and intrastate pipelines. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP is a subsidiary of Boardwalk Pipelines Holding Corp. Read More Nurses in the California Nurses Association (CNA) and health care admins in the University Professional (UPTE) union joined the 24,000 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 in a statewide strike across ten University of California (UC) campuses, five medical centers, and numerous clinics and research laboratories on Tuesday. Thousands of health care service and technical workers, including food service, groundskeepers, and janitorial staff began their three-day strike on Monday and have been joined by nurses and administrative workers for a two-day sympathy strike through today, ballooning the number of UC workers on strike across California to nearly 53,000. In mid-April 97 percent of AFSCMEs members voted to strike and rejected the UCs insulting last offer of a 3 percent yearly wage increases and a prorated, lump-sum payment of $750. Workers are demanding a 6 percent yearly increase, a freeze on health care premiums, and the elimination of the practice of contracting out positions, which drives down wages and put patients and employees at risk. One week after the AFSCME strike vote, 98 percent of UC nurses voted to engage in a sympathy strike in solidarity with the service workers. Workers throughout the UC system confront the same problems as workers throughout the country with regard to meager wages, attacks on pensions and health care, and the increasing use of contracted and temporary labor. As with the teachers strikes in Arizona, Oklahoma, and West Virginia, the move for a strike has come from the rank-and-file UC workers while the unions have sought to limit the strike to just three days and isolate the strike from other sections of the working class. UC workers should not forget that their current contract, which has done nothing to keep pace with the rising cost of living and increases to out-of-pocket pension costs, was proclaimed a victory by AFSCME in 2014. The contract being prepared will further attack pensions as UC attempts to rid itself of its retirement obligations and push a 401k-style pension on new hires. Metropolitan areas in California that are the home of UC campuses have some of the highest costs of living in the US, including Berkeley, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Linda, a patient biller with 24 years experience at UC-San Diego (UCSD) told the WSWS, The cost of living is very high, and we just want UCSD to keep up with that. You have people working extra hours, more than 8 hours a day, and you are tired. This understaffing has to stop so we can take care of our patients. When you are outsourcing jobs and bringing in inexperienced people, that jeopardizes public safety too. Isaac, a respiratory therapist who has worked 11 years at UCSD, told our reporters, We simply dont have enough staff to safely manage these patients. Every day, I have to see who is the least sick, and if youre not completely sick, I have to see you last. Simply because there is not enough staff and I have to deal with the sickest patients first. Its worse for those not-as-sick patients, because without the extra care, it extends their stay; they might have negative consequences because of that. Its disgusting, theyve made a profit off everything. He told the WSWS how hospital staff are not able to live in San Diego or survive off the pay of a single job. Most people commute an hour and a half away, in Riverside County, because they cant afford San Diego. Most of us have two jobs. On top of this, Isaac noted, Our pensions are constantly in jeopardy, they offer new hires 401(k)s instead of traditional pensions. When asked his thoughts about the way forward he said, Im on board to continue the strike. Ultimately, all this is affecting sick patients. I have people come in and I ask What brings you to the E.R. (emergency room) and they say I ran out of medicine, because I ran out insurance. Mike, who has worked for 4 years in patient transport, told the WSWS about his working conditions: Our patients have to wait to be attended, our own director said it was unacceptable to have patients wait more than 30 minutes after a procedure is done. In some cases, there is only a certain amount of oxygen in a patients tank, and there is no one there to look after them. Even if they just had an x-ray done, it could be an hour before anyone sees them. Asked about management, Mike replied, They dont care; its just about the money. Their bonuses are outrageous; one was $500,000. The provost, or one of them, gets paid $800,000 a year. Yet, I know people who have to live in Tijuana [in Mexico]. The janitor lives there and has to ride his bike to work. Nearly every striker was for expanding the strike past Wednesday, and Mike was no exception, saying, I think they should extend the strike. Anyone here would support it, because theyre serious about it. Its not a joke. Comments on the CNA social media pages called for an expansion of the strike to other sections of nurses and across the country including comments that Kaiser nurses should stand with them and Florida needs to follow. Meanwhile, graduate and undergraduate students have begun discussions on social media about joining the strike and boycotting UCs graduation ceremonies planned over the next couple of weeks. One PhD student at UC Berkeley posted on social media that he was joining the strike: Felt sick to my stomach emailing my advisor about it, but I will be staying out of lab and off of campus while AFSCME 3299, California Nurses Association, and UPTE-CWA strike. ... I cant cross their picket line after 97% of them voted to go without pay and strike. I know our lives are hectic and busy, but I at least urge every one of my friends at Cal to come out to the picket line (Bancroft and Telegraph) for a while to show support for the people who provide us with the privilege of a clean, functioning campus. A UC undergraduate posted, Does this make anyone else want to stand with the AFSCME 3299 and protest graduation? Are they really going to give our seven figure salaried chancellor the stage when the majority of UC workers are calling for a boycott because of low wages, lowered retirement and healthcare cuts? What a despicable slap in the face to the entire institution. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Submission of probe report June 10 banglanews24.com : A Dhaka court on Wednesday (May 9) fixed June 10 for submitting the probe report of the case filed over the death of college student Rajib who lost hand being sandwiched between two buses competing on city road. Dhaka Metropolitan magistrate Golam Nabi fixed the new date as the probe officer and Shahbagh police station sub-inspector Altaf Ali failed to submit the report on Wednesday. The two accused of the case are- BRTC bus driver Wahid, 35 and Sajan paribahan bus driver Khorshed, 50. Earlier on April 5, court placed both of them in two-day remand and they were sent to prison on April 8. On April 3, Rajib, a third-year student of Government Titumir College, lost his right hand after it got stuck between two speeding buses trying to overtake each other in the capital's Bangla Motor area. On April 4, police detained the two drivers. Rajib on the other hand succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on April 17. On May 8, the High Court bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice AKM Jahirul Haque directed the authorities of BRTC and Swajan Paribahan to compensate with Tk 1 crore to the family of Titumir College student Rajib Hasan. Pro-AL councillor stabbed to death in M`singh Staff Reporter : A ruling Awami League (AL) backed councillor was stabbed to death by some unidentified miscreants over prior enmity at Charpar under Phulpur Municipality of Mumensingh district on Wednesday evening. The deceased has been identified as Sadequr Rahman, 35, Councillor of Ward No 1. He was Convener of the Awami Jubo League, Municipality unit. AKM Mahbub Alam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Phulpur Police Station said, a gang of unidentified miscreants stabbed Sadequr over the prior enmity with local JL leader one Milon in the area around 7:30pm. He died on the way to a a local hospital around 8:00pm. Police have detained three persons for interrogation in connection with the incident, the Police official said. We are investigating the incident, the OC said. The body has been sent to Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital mortuary for an autopsy, he said. Yes, the decision belongs on the local level No, no one should be able to dictate whether people wear masks Vote View Results Jordan Peele transformed himself from popular sketch comic (during his Key and Peele partnership with Keegan-Michael Key) to celebrated auteur, thanks to Get Out, last years $255 million-grossing horror hit that earned Peele an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Consequently, anticipation is sky-high for his follow-up. And now, we have the first details about that eagerly awaited project. Via that tweet, Peele announced to the world that his next film will be called Us, and as its tagline a new nightmare made clear, Us will be operating in a horror (or, at least, horror-ish) vein. Variety later reported that Lupita Nyongo and Elisabeth Moss are in talks to star in the feature, with Black Panthers Winston Duke also being eyed for a prominent role. As with Get Out, Peele will both write and direct the film, which will be produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. The plot of Us is being kept under wraps, with Universals press release only referring to the film as an original and provocative thriller. Speaking with the Hollywood Reporter in February, Peele claimed that, with his latest endeavor, Im just trying to entertain myself again. One thing I know is that this is genre; and playing around with the thriller, horror, action, fun genre of intrigue is my favorite. Thats my sweet spot. So I think tonally it should resemble Get Out. That said, I want to make a completely different movie. I want to address something different than race in the next one. Speaking about his cinematic inspirations while appearing on Nerdists podcast Maltin on Movies (featuring film critic and historian Leonard Maltin and his daughter, Jessie), Peele confessed that I want more Hitchcockian tales; I want more Brian De Palma; I want more Kubrick; I want more Spielberg. So Im continuing in the direction of genre. Specifically, I love B-movie premises that are executed in as elevated a way as possible. Thats what Jaws is to me. The best movies of all time are that. Alien things that you could read in a pulp magazine. Thats Hitchcock, right? Done with finesse and as much artistry as possible. Story continues Given the widespread popularity and acclaim for Peeles Get Out, it shouldnt be long before more details emerge about Us, which is slated for a 2019 release. Keep your eyes here for additional developments. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: A mother and her two toddlers died in a crash on Monday after their car smashed into an alligator on a South Carolina highway, police said. The mother, identified as 24-year-old Amber Stanley, of Florida, and her children, were heading north on Highway 95 near Holly Hill, South Carolina, at around 1 a.m. Monday when their vehicle struck the gator, skidded off the road and smashed into a tree, police told ABC affiliate WCIV. Driver in New York City crash that killed 2 children charged with manslaughter Bystanders lift crashed car off trapped pedestrians in video The vehicle, a Kia Soul, burst into flames on impact, killing Stanley and her two children -- Jack, 4, and Autumn, 2 -- on the scene, police said. The coroner told WCIV the accident took place when Stanley, who was visiting from Callahan, Florida, hit the alligator as it attempted to cross the road. Officials with the South Carolina Highway Patrol are investigating the accident. The attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels today challenged President Donald Trump and his longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen to release financial records from a fund that allegedly received $500,000 from a firm with ties to a Russian billionaire. Michael Cohen and the president can clear this up this morning very easily, Michael Avenatti said today in an interview with ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America. Avenatti released an "executive summary" Tuesday that alleges a company associated with Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian Oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, sent the payments to a fund maintained by Cohen the same fund Cohen used to pay a hush agreement with Daniels, who said she had an affair with Trump in 2006. Trump and Cohen have denied the affair. PHOTO: Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) and Michael Avenatti, attorney for Stormy Daniels, exit the courthouse, April 16, 2018 in New York City. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) The payments tied to Vekselberg came from a U.S. firm called Columbus Nova, which has financial ties to Renova, a Moscow-based global conglomerate run by Vekselberg. Columbus Nova said in a statement to ABC News late Tuesday that the company's work with Cohen was not improper. "Columbus Nova is a management company solely owned and controlled by Americans. After the inauguration, the firm hired Michael Cohen as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures, Columbus Nova's attorney Richard Owens said in the statement. Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false. The claim that Viktor Vekselberg was involved or provided any funding for Columbus Nova's engagement of Michael Cohen is patently untrue. Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else other than Columbus Nova's owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement." Vekselberg, who is considered one of the richest men in Russia, reportedly holds frequent meetings with Putin as part of a business group known as the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. ABC News' emails to Vekselbergs company seeking comment were not returned. Story continues The White House declined to comment Tuesday. Firm with ties to Russian oligarch allegedly made payments to Trump's attorney 4 questions that lawyers for Stormy Daniels and Trump are fighting over PHOTO: Personal attorney for President Trump, Michael Cohen, addresses the media, Sept. 19, 2017. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images) Avenatti's law firm released the seven-page document amid a federal investigation into Cohen. Federal agents last month searched Cohen's home, hotel room and office for documents and computer files, including those related to his $130,000 payment to Daniels in October 2016. Cohen has not been charged with any crime, and both he and his attorney have maintained he has done nothing improper. When asked on "GMA," Avenatti declined to say how he obtained the records but said he's "100 percent" confident they're accurate. "We stand behind it, 100 percent there's no question its accurate," he said in the interview this morning. "We haven't released all the evidence that we have." The attorney reiterated his calls to the president and Cohen to disclose "what money was received or not received." "Something doesnt smell right," Avenatti said. "If there's nothing to hide then why do they continue to hide this information, hide the involvement?" ABC News' James Hill, Tom Llamas and Matthew Mosk contributed to this report. The arrivals area for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala to celebrate the opening of "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." (Photo: Brendan McDermid / Reuters) As celebrities and designers descended on The Metropolitan Museum of Art for one of the biggest nights in the fashion world, one Catholic priest managed to turn heads by simply showing up. Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author, was one of several Catholic leaders who attended the museums Costume Institute Gala on Monday in New York. This years exhibit, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination was the fruit of a long collaboration between the museums Costume Institute and the Vatican, which loaned some of its priceless artifacts for display. It was fitting that Martin was there for the big night. The priest, a consultor to the Vaticans Secretariat for Communications, had reviewed plans for the exhibit to help curators understand how Catholics might respond to the various displays, and to help the museum make contacts at the Vatican. But what Martin may not have expected from the gala is that his own clothes would draw some curious remarks. On Monday night, the priest tweeted about some of the comments he received about the priestly clothes he was wearing. Actually said to me at the #MetGala tonight: "I love your costume." "Is that, like, for real?" "Funky outfit!" "You're the best dressed dude here, bro." (High fives me.) "You look just like the real thing." And, truly: "I love that you got dressed up as a sexy priest." James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) May 8, 2018 And because real life can be quite surreal, he followed up: Those are verbatim. James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) May 8, 2018 Occasionally, I meet people who dont seem to run into priests in their lives, Martin told HuffPost in an email about the remarks. As a result, they dont know what to say. So I try to take it in stride, and I give them the benefit of the doubt. Story continues Martin is already a star in his own right within Catholic circles. Hes the editor-at-large for the Jesuit magazine America, a bestselling author of books on Catholicism, and a regular commentator on religion news, including appearances on Comedy Centrals The Colbert Report. Although the celebrities and bold fashion choices were a draw for many, Martin seemed to be there for the art and the celebration of Catholic spirituality. He said the best part of the Met Gala for him was a surprise performance by the Sistine Chapel Choir. The event was overall enjoyable, and raised a good deal of money for the Met, Martin said. They obviously cant control how everyone dresses, and only a few of the costumes were over the top, but overall it was a pleasant night. The highlight of the #MetGala for me was not the celebrities but the surprise appearance of the Sistine Chapel Choir, introduced by @CardinalDolan, singing "Sicut Cervis" in the American Wing under a portrait of Michelangelo's "Last Judgment," from their home chapel. #MetGala2018 pic.twitter.com/McD1GxrLW4 James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) May 8, 2018 Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Rihanna Sarah Jessica Parker Lena Waithe Katy Perry Kim Kardashian West Tracee Ellis Ross Kerry Washington Ariana Grande Frances McDormand Michael B. Jordan Solange Knowles Met Gala Co-host Amal Clooney and George Clooney Madonna Gigi Hadid Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen Nicki Minaj Mindy Kaling Kendall Jenner Janelle Monae Rita Ora Blake Lively Cardi B Donald Glover Karli Kloss, Brandon Maxwell and Tiffany Haddish Priyanka Chopra Hailee Steinfeld Greta Gerwig Winnie Harlow Diane Kruger Shawn Mendes and Hailey Baldwin Gabrielle Union Princess Beatrice Evan Rachel Wood Chadwick Boseman Jennifer Lopez This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Photo credit: Courtesy of Paige Ferguson From Woman's Day After a two-foot fall from a queen-sized bed left her infant son in critical condition, one mom has taken to social media to share just how scary these types of accidents can be. Paige Ferguson and Blake Linton were at a friend's house with their six-month-old son Colton when he dozed off, according to Babble. Like so many parents do, they placed him in the middle of their friend's bed, surrounded him with pillows, then went just outside the room to sit down. But the situation quickly turned tragic when Colton rolled off the bed and fell two feet to the floor. "He had a bump on his head. A bump," Ferguson wrote in a Facebook post on March 19 that has now been shared over 16 thousand times. "He was crying, acting alert, and at one point even smiled. Because we are paranoid parents, we decided to get him evaluated." Because Paige and Blake had always heard that a bump that sticks out isn't as concerning as one that sinks in, and Colton had the former, they expected the doctor to give Colton a quick look over, say he was fine, and send them home. Instead, they found out that their son's injury was much worse than they originally thought. "He fractured his skull and bled half of his entire blood volume into his brain," wrote Paige in her Facebook post. Before Paige knew it, a helicopter was on its way to rush Colton to a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee where he was put under the care of nearly 20 doctors and nurses. "I knew something was wrong when I kept asking if he was going to be okay and everyone kept replying with 'We will do what we can,'" Paige told Babble. "No one would simply say yes." Photo credit: Courtesy of Paige Ferguson As it turns out, the fall caused enough bleeding in Coltons brain that he went into cardiac arrest. Over the next month, Colton underwent surgery and an MRI revealed significant brain damage that doctors predicted would leave him in a vegetative state, if he survived at all. Story continues Paige tells GoodHousekeeping.com that she decided to share Colton's story to warn parents that even a small fall could leave a child fighting for his life. "I just want parents to take hits to the head seriously," she explains. "They need to understand that just because your kid looks 'okay' doesn't mean they are. Get them checked out. Demand a CAT scan and make sure. Just because a bump comes out instead of sinking in, doesn't mean it's okay. Also, don't leave your babies [on an adult bed] for even a second no matter how safe you think you are being." The scariest part about Paige's story is that it's easy for so many parents to relate to her situation. While theres no guaranteed way to stop your child from taking a fall, the Mayo Clinic recommends taking a few precautions at home to make tragic spills less likely, including installing safety gates at the top and bottom of staircases, installing window guards, never leaving a child unattended on any furniture like changing tables, installing safety rails on beds for toddlers, and always placing portable car carriers on the floor. Read the full list of recommendations here. Miraculously, Colton has taken a turn for the better since his fall. In April, he was able to open his eyes and doctors let him return home after a month in the hospital. However, he still uses a feeding tube and needs to take multiple medications for seizures. Paige says their lives are forever changed as a result of Colton's fall. "He's doing okay, as well as he can," says Paige. "He smiles at us, which is the best thing in the world. But, doctors have explained that we need to understand that Colton suffered a very significant brain injury and in most cases, kids with this injury do not live. He will have a very hard life." At the end of the day, Ferguson says she is just thankful her baby boy is alive and hopes other parents can learn from her story. Photo credit: Courtesy of Paige Ferguson "I don't want other parents going through this ... I don't want any kid to go through this. Please take any hit to the head seriously. I cant say this enough." You Might Also Like Geneva (AFP) - At least one million people have entered Colombia from Venezuela since President Nicolas Maduro's government descended into crisis last year, a senior Red Cross official told AFP Wednesday. The health director at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Emanuele Capobianco, said that not all have stayed in Colombia as displaced people, with some moving on to other countries in the region. "To date we know that approximately one million people have entered Colombia through official migration points, and we dont know how many have entered Colombia through unofficial migration points," he said in a phone interview in Geneva, specifying that this movement had occurred "since mid-2017." With the economic crisis in Venezuela intensifying, an estimated 37,000 people were now moving across the Colombian border each day, he added. On a recent trip to the region, Capobianco said he witnessed "a constant stream of people," leaving Venezuela, some with their belongings strapped to the backs. While the group is diverse, with some only looking to work in Colombia for a short period before returning home, most are on the move because they cannot meet their basic needs in Venezuela, Capobianco explained. He described the situation as a "humanitarian crisis that needs to be better assessed," including from a public health standpoint amid rising cases of malaria, diphtheria and other serious ailments affecting those migrating. Maduro's alleged crackdown on opposition and bid to consolidate control of the country has triggered a tough global response, notably from the United States which has levied tough sanctions. The South American country is in partial default on its debt and suffers severe shortages of food and medicines despite sitting atop the planet's biggest proven oil reserves. Caracas has been printing money as foreign reserves dwindle, and the national currency, the bolivar, has become nearly worthless. (Washington) Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday in the latest sign of improving relations between the two longtime adversary nations. Trump said on Twitter that Pompeo was in the air and was with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. The president, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. The release of the detainees came as Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for a historic summit between Trump and the Norths leader, Kim Jong Un. Trump said on Twitter that there had been a good meeting with Kim Jong Un, adding: Date & Place set. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Secretary Pompeo and his guests will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities but their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nations nuclear weapons. They had been held for periods ranging between one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. Story continues Pompeo, in his visit, discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim summit in a meeting with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the central committee of North Koreas ruling party. Later, Pompeo said the senior official had been a great partner in working to make the summit a success. For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, Pompeo said, adding that there are many challenges along the way. Kim noted the improved relations between the Koreas, as well as the Norths policy to concentrate all efforts into economic progress in the country. This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside, he added, citing the will of the Korean people. That contradicted Trump, who has said repeatedly that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Pompeos trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. Minutes later, Pompeo arrived in Japan to refuel before flying on to Pyongyang. Accompanying him were a handful of senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, both given roughly four hours notice of his departure. When the flight arrived Wednesday morning in Pyongyang, North Korean officials were on hand to greet Pompeo. A motorcade took Pompeo and his delegation to the Koryo Hotel, the main hotel for foreigners in Pyongyang. The trip came just days after North Korea expressed displeasure with Washington for comments suggesting that massive U.S. pressure had pushed Kim Jong Un to the negotiating table. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which the U.S. is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il. Plans are being made, relationships are building, hopefully a deal will happen and with the help of China, South Korea and Japan a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone, Trump said at the White House as he announced Pompeos visit on Wednesday. Pompeos first trip to Pyongyang, over Easter weekend before he was confirmed as secretary of state, was a closely held secret. News of it did not emerge until just before his Senate confirmation vote less than two weeks ago. Shortly afterward, the White House released photographs of Pompeo and Kim. Pompeo told reporters that his first visit was to test the Norths seriousness of pledges to South Korea on easing tensions. This trip was to put in place a framework for a successful summit, he said. The Trump-Kim meeting is expected later this month or in early June. I think it would be a great gesture if they would agree to do so, Pompeo said, adding that it would be difficult to hold a leaders summit if the prisoners remained captive. Pompeos visit to Pyongyang aimed to lock down the date and venue for a formal announcement. It came just a day after Kim returned from China, his second trip to the neighboring country in six weeks to meet with President Xi Jinping. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Koreas development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea have moved to ease tensions, including with their own leaders summit late last month. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss denuclearization. According to South Korea, Kim says hes willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Kim was quoted by Chinas official news agency Xinhua as saying on Monday, I hope to build mutual trust with the U.S. through dialogue. He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But his exact demands for relinquishing weapons that his nation spent decades building remain unclear. Previous U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the Norths nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Pompeo and officials traveling with him said the Trump administration would not repeat mistakes of the past, which they described as accepting gradual, incremental and long-term disarmament in exchange for immediate benefits. We will not relieve sanctions until such time as we have achieved our objectives, Pompeo said. Were not going to do this in small increments where the world is essentially coerced into relieving economic pressure. Trump has said that withdrawing U.S. forces from South Korea is not on the table. Some 28,500 U.S. forces are based in the allied nation, a military presence that has been preserved to deter North Korea since the war ended in 1953 without a peace treaty. After weeks of positive signals, though, North Korea on Sunday dismissed what it called misleading claims that Trumps policy of maximum political pressure and sanctions are what drove the North to talks. A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman warned the claims are a dangerous attempt to ruin a budding detente on the Korean Peninsula after the summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. ____ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Ken Thomas in Washington contributed to this report. Three U.S. citizens detained in North Korea were released Wednesday, ahead of a planned summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. The Korean-American men, who all have the common surname of Kim but are not related, were set free after being held for as long as two years in the isolated nation, Trump said in a Twitter posting. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting," Trump said. "They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set." I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Trump did not disclose the date and location of the summit planned with Kim. Pompeo and the detainees will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. Thursday, Washington time, Trump said. "I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!" Ahead of the prisoners' release, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said such a move would be "a sign of goodwill" before the Trump-Kim summit. Kim has taken a series of steps this year to ease tensions with the U.S. after he declared North Korea had the capability to target any American city with a nuclear weapon. Trump has welcomed the conciliatory gestures, even while keeping the military option on the table if the planned talks collapse. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in pledged last month to end their seven-decade war this year and pursue the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula. The U.S. is seeking "complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization" as part of any deal. Story continues The detention of U.S. citizens in North Korea has become a politically charged issue. American student Otto Warmbier, held for allegedly trying to steal a propaganda poster from a hotel, died shortly after being returned home in a coma last year. His father, who claims his son was tortured, accompanied Vice President Mike Pence to the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in South Korea in February. The release of three Americans is a small price for Kim to pay to secure a meeting with the U.S. president. While the move gives Trump the first real win from his decision to break with decades of diplomatic orthodoxy and grant the summit, it says little about Kim's willingness to surrender the "treasured sword" of his nuclear weapons program. "It definitely reinforces Trump's credibility and gives him something tangible and quantifiable as a step forward," said Melissa Hanham, a researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, in Monterrey, California. "The world should take pause before celebrating, because it is one step in a very long and fraught relationship that will unfold over time." The three prisoners include: Kim Dong Chul was sentenced to 10 years hard labor in 2016 on charges including espionage. He told CNN in January that year that he was a U.S. citizen who spied on behalf of "South Korean conservative elements" before his arrest in North Korea in October. South Korea's intelligence agency has denied any links to the man. Kim Hak Song was detained in May 2017 under what North Korean state media described as "hostile acts" against the country. Kim Sang Dok, also known as Tony Kim, was intercepted in April 2017 at Pyongyang International Airport after being invited to teach accounting at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com Amari Refugee Camp (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Thaer Sharkawi, 31, has never visited the place he calls home. The Palestinian was born and raised in the Amari refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, but for him his house is 50 kilometres (30 miles) away in the town of Kafr Ana inside what is now Israel. Kafr Ana hasn't actually existed for decades -- demolished in the weeks after Sharkawi's grandfather fled in 1948 -- yet he knows there was a boys' and girls' school and can vividly picture the orange groves his great-grandfather tended. "I haven't been there but I have heard about it," he told AFP. "I studied about it and read about it on the internet." Sharkawi is one of around five million Palestinian refugees spread across Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank. The majority of them are descendants of those who left during the 1948 "Nakba" -- or catastrophe -- when more than 700,000 were expelled or fled their homes in the war surrounding Israel's creation. Like Sharkawi, most have never seen their historic homes, many of which were destroyed by Israel. Yet, as they mark seven decades since that mass displacement on May 15, Palestinian refugees are determined to maintain connections to the land they still want to return to. Sharkawi sits with his father Nabil and grandmother Khadija, who at 85 remembers fleeing her home as Israeli fighters approached. - 'Google helps them' - Nabil contrasts the open fields of his father's former home to the cramped conditions they have lived in for 70 years in the Amari camp, but said he wasn't worried the new generation would lose the link to their historical homelands. "There are (technological) developments now -- there is Sheikh Google. They can open it and see 'here was Kufr Ana'," he said. "Google helps them to see the land that is theirs." But Ali, a 19-year-old also in Amari but whose grandparents came from Al-Na'ani, said he knew "nothing" about the village, also destroyed in 1948. Story continues "My grandparents died when I was young and no one really talked about it." The so-called right of return for Palestinian refugees is one of the most difficult issues in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel flat out rejects it, saying allowing even a fraction of them to return would mean the end of it as a Jewish state. - Facebook memories - But Palestinians see the issue as essential and refugees have passed on memories from generation to generation. They will rarely say they simply come from Palestine, instead naming a village, town or even street. In a field, Bakar Fahmawi points his camera at an abandoned Ottoman building, with rows of neat Israeli houses in the background. "Here there was a market for all kinds of trade," he says on the video, pointing his phone at an overgrown field. Every week for the past five years Fahmawi, an Israeli citizen whose Palestinian family remained inside the land that became Israel, has filmed an abandoned village or area and posted it on his Facebook page for Palestinians across the world to see. "Those that left have heard about their country, but they have never seen it," he told AFP by phone. "I do it so they don't forget their country and for them to know they have a country, the most beautiful in the world." - 'We will return' - In Gaza, run by Islamist movement Hamas and hermetically sealed by Israel and Egypt for years, the internet is often the only way for them to see the outside world. Since protests and clashes calling for the right to return began on March 30 along Gaza's border, more than 50 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, mostly by snipers. No Israelis have been injured. Israel accuses Hamas, with whom it has fought three wars in a decade, of using the protests as cover for violence, but Palestinians say protesters are being shot while posing no threat. The Nakba commemoration is likely to bring fresh bloodshed in Gaza, especially if Hamas encourages protesters to approach the border fence and with Israel determined to stop infiltrations. Shayma Abeed, 16, has known nothing but Gaza, yet she holds up the key to her grandfather's house in al-Jiyya, a town 19 kilometres north of the Palestinian enclave and which was emptied in 1948. "(Grandad) used to love to tell us about al-Jiyya, his friends, the farm work and our house that was warm in the winter and cool in summer," she said. "We will return to his house one day." The Daily Beast Patrick Pleul/ReutersElon Musk announced during a shareholder meeting on Thursday that Tesla will move its headquarters from Silicon Valley to Texas, weeks after the governor boasted that the billionaire likes the states social policies.Texas last month enacted a restrictive new abortion law that bans the procedure in pregnancies that are more than six weeks and and deputizes private citizens to sue anyone who assists in providing one.In reaction to the law, another billionaire, Salesforces The plane that flew Kim Jong Un to China this week is officially known as "Chammae-1", or Goshawk-1, after the national bird of North Korea -- but the leader's personal jet is perhaps more memorably dubbed "Air Force Un". North Korea's official name and flag appear on the ageing Soviet-made aircraft, which first emerged four years ago and has carried Kim on various trips across his country in the past. Glimpses of the jet's interior are rare, but images carried by the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Wednesday showed Kim seated in a plush leather armchair, looking out of the window and waving at his Chinese hosts. The Cold War-era Ilyushin-62 is adorned with a red-and-yellow national emblem, ringed with the phrase "Chairman of the State Affairs Commission", a lengthy moniker that is Kim's main political title. Kim, who is in his 30s, is not president of the reclusive state as the role is still filled by his grandfather Kim Il Sung, despite his death in 1994. This week's China visit was Kim's first overseas trip by air since inheriting power in 2011 -- he took the train to Beijing in March when he made his international debut. But despite its comfortable furnishings, analysts have raised doubts about the aircraft's reliability due to its age and questions over its maintenance. That could be a possible issue in the choice of venue for the forthcoming summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, with possible locations for the meeting reportedly including Singapore and Mongolia, with Switzerland mooted previously. In the images, cabled devices that looked like a telephone, an intercom and a router were neatly lined up on the polished wooden desk, as Kim sat in front of a silver laptop. A colour monitor apparently displaying the travel route appeared to be installed above the window next to his seat. Kim and his wife were first photographed disembarking onto a red carpet from the jet in May 2014. Story continues Since then he has regularly flown domestically, displaying a passion for air travel that is in stark contrast to his father and predecessor Kim Jong Il, who hated flying and only used high-security trains for overseas trips during his 17-year term. Related Video: American Detainees Freed From North Korea Watch news, TV and more on Yahoo View. JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Israeli military said early on Thursday that several air raid sirens had "sounded in the area of the Golan Heights" and that it was looking into the cause. Tensions have been high since U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was quitting the Iranian nuclear deal on Tuesday, prompting Israel to go on high alert. In a short initial statement on Thursday the Israel Defence Forces said "the details are being looked into" and gave no further details. On Tuesday the Israeli military said it had identified irregular activity by Iranian forces in Syria, and instructed civic authorities on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to ready bomb shelters. It also deployed new defenses and mobilized some reservist forces. Israel's government was a strong supporter of, and advocate for, Trump's decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal and has been readying itself for a possible regional flare-up. In the run-up to Trump's decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised presentation last week that Israel had obtained tens of thousands of pages of what he described as Iran's "secret atomic archives" from what looked from the outside to be a dilapidated Tehran warehouse. Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah have been helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad beat back a seven-year-old rebellion. Israel has carried out repeated air strikes against them, hoping to stop the formation of a Lebanese-Syrian front to its north. On Tuesday Syrian state media accused Israel of launching missiles at a target near Damascus, shortly after Trump's announcement. Syrian air defenses fired at two Israeli missiles, destroying both, Syrian state news agency SANA. An Israeli military spokeswoman said at the time that "we do not respond to such foreign reports." (Reporting by Stephen Farrell; Editing by Sandra Maler) Last November, Judy Harris Kluger stood next to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at a press conference as he railed against a Brooklyn hospital that charged sexual assault survivors for their forensic rape kits. Kluger, the executive director of advocacy group Sanctuary for Families, thanked Schneiderman for his hard work on behalf of women. After The New Yorker reported that four women accused Schneiderman of physical abuse on Monday night, Kluger turned on the TV and saw footage from that moment as part of the local news coverage of the allegations. You can only imagine the sense of betrayal. Its not about me personally, its about the other advocates that work day and night to ensure the safety and well-being of women, Kluger told TIME. He was someone who stands up at press conferences, making statements in support of issues that are important to women and calling out other men who engaged in inappropriate, violent behavior. Behind closed doors, hes engaging in the same sort of the behavior its the height of hypocrisy. Schneiderman, a Democrat, publicly positioned himself as a champion for womens rights and liberal darling throughout his career in politics. He vocally supported the #MeToo movement, bringing a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein and praising The New Yorker for its role in reporting on sexual assault and harassment allegations. Schneidermans carefully crafted image came crashing down on Monday night. Now, womens groups that once considered him a close ally are publicly rebuking him. Sanctuary for Families, which fights to end sexual and domestic violence, had partnered with Schneiderman on several issues involving womens rights, including human trafficking. When Schneiderman, as a state senator, introduced a bill make strangulation a violent felony in 2010, the group was one of the bills most vocal supporters. Someone champions that legislation but then engages in the same behavior? Kluger said. Theres an element of sickness there. Thats the only way I can characterize it. Story continues Two women Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam told The New Yorker that Schneiderman slapped, choked and verbally abused them during romantic relationships. Schneiderman denied the allegations, telling the magazine: In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in nonconsensual sex, which is a line I would not cross. Schneiderman, who was elected attorney general in 2010 and 2014, resigned hours after the allegations went public. Without the reporting of the @nytimes and the @newyorkerand the brave women and men who spoke up about the sexual harassment they endured at the hands of powerful menthere would not be the critical national reckoning underway. A well-deserved honor: https://t.co/h4QMPzEU5c Eric Schneiderman (@AGSchneiderman) April 16, 2018 Last week, the National Institute for Reproductive Health honored Schneiderman as a champion of choice at a luncheon, where he said it was time to build a stronger, louder movement for womens freedom and equality than weve ever seen. The group is now revoking its award. We were absolutely appalled and horrified, Andrea Miller, the president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health, told TIME on Tuesday. There is no way to reconcile his public record with his private actions. Even a lifetime of working to advance womens rights in the public sphere can never excuse or erase private abuse against women. Ilyse Hogue, the president of pro-abortion rights advocacy organization NARAL Pro-Choice America, tweeted on Monday night: One more reminder that progressive credentials are no safeguard against sexual predation. Also why we simply need more women in these positions. As someone who partnered w/AG Schneiderman to protect repro freedom, I'm pained and appalled by the credible allegations against him. One more reminder that progressive credentials are no safeguard against sexual predation. Also why we simply need more women in these positions. ilyse hogue (@ilyseh) May 8, 2018 Miller recommended that other progressive male leaders should examine their own political and personal histories to assure they are doing all that they can to promote womens equality. The message here is: actions matter, the personal is political, and we need to see action that moves us all forward, she said. Its incumbent upon male leaders to look at what theyre doing to advance womens rights, equality, dignity and autonomy are you acting according to those values across every sphere of your life? Former President Barack Obama immediately criticized President Donald Trumps announcement Tuesday that the United States would withdraw from the Iranian Nuclear deal one of Obamas signature foreign policy achievements as misguided and irresponsible. In a democracy, there will always be changes in policies and priorities from one Administration to the next. But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers, Obama in a rare and lengthy statement Tuesday, a little over an hour after President Trump announced his decision. Obama said that, contrary to Trumps assertion that the agreement had emboldened Iran, evidence shows Iran has weakened the countrys nuclear program and that Iran has complied with the stipulations. Leaving the program, Obama said, would heighten these risk factors, especially as President Trump prepares for an upcoming summit to discuss denuclearization with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and isolate America on the world stage. Trump announced on Tuesday that he would withdraw the U.S. from the deal, which he called defective to its core and reinstate the sanctions against Iran that had been lifted as part of the agreement. Obama rarely weighs in on the policy decisions of the Trump administration, but he has done so occasionally, primarily when it is designed to roll back his signature policies, like the Affordable Care Act or the Paris Climate agreements. Read Obamas full statement on Trumps Iran decision below. There are few issues more important to the security of the United States than the potential spread of nuclear weapons, or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Thats why the United States negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the first place. The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense. The JCPOA is in Americas interest it has significantly rolled back Irans nuclear program. And the JCPOA is a model for what diplomacy can accomplish its inspections and verification regime is precisely what the United States should be working to put in place with North Korea. Indeed, at a time when we are all rooting for diplomacy with North Korea to succeed, walking away from the JCPOA risks losing a deal that accomplishes with Iran the very outcome that we are pursuing with the North Koreans. Story continues That is why todays announcement is so misguided. Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on Americas closest allies, and an agreement that our countrys leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated. In a democracy, there will always be changes in policies and priorities from one Administration to the next. But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers. Debates in our country should be informed by facts, especially debates that have proven to be divisive. So its important to review several facts about the JCPOA. First, the JCPOA was not just an agreement between my Administration and the Iranian government. After years of building an international coalition that could impose crippling sanctions on Iran, we reached the JCPOA together with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union, Russia, China, and Iran. It is a multilateral arms control deal, unanimously endorsed by a United Nations Security Council Resolution. Second, the JCPOA has worked in rolling back Irans nuclear program. For decades, Iran had steadily advanced its nuclear program, approaching the point where they could rapidly produce enough fissile material to build a bomb. The JCPOA put a lid on that breakout capacity. Since the JCPOA was implemented, Iran has destroyed the core of a reactor that could have produced weapons-grade plutonium; removed two-thirds of its centrifuges (over 13,000) and placed them under international monitoring; and eliminated 97 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium the raw materials necessary for a bomb. So by any measure, the JCPOA has imposed strict limitations on Irans nuclear program and achieved real results. Third, the JCPOA does not rely on trust it is rooted in the most far-reaching inspections and verification regime ever negotiated in an arms control deal. Irans nuclear facilities are strictly monitored. International monitors also have access to Irans entire nuclear supply chain, so that we can catch them if they cheat. Without the JCPOA, this monitoring and inspections regime would go away. Fourth, Iran is complying with the JCPOA. That was not simply the view of my Administration. The United States intelligence community has continued to find that Iran is meeting its responsibilities under the deal, and has reported as much to Congress. So have our closest allies, and the international agency responsible for verifying Iranian compliance the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Fifth, the JCPOA does not expire. The prohibition on Iran ever obtaining a nuclear weapon is permanent. Some of the most important and intrusive inspections codified by the JCPOA are permanent. Even as some of the provisions in the JCPOA do become less strict with time, this wont happen until ten, fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five years into the deal, so there is little reason to put those restrictions at risk today. Finally, the JCPOA was never intended to solve all of our problems with Iran. We were clear-eyed that Iran engages in destabilizing behavior including support for terrorism, and threats toward Israel and its neighbors. But thats precisely why it was so important that we prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Every aspect of Iranian behavior that is troubling is far more dangerous if their nuclear program is unconstrained. Our ability to confront Irans destabilizing behavior and to sustain a unity of purpose with our allies is strengthened with the JCPOA, and weakened without it. Because of these facts, I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake. Without the JCPOA, the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East. We all know the dangers of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon. It could embolden an already dangerous regime; threaten our friends with destruction; pose unacceptable dangers to Americas own security; and trigger an arms race in the worlds most dangerous region. If the constraints on Irans nuclear program under the JCPOA are lost, we could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it. In a dangerous world, America must be able to rely in part on strong, principled diplomacy to secure our country. We have been safer in the years since we achieved the JCPOA, thanks in part to the work of our diplomats, many members of Congress, and our allies. Going forward, I hope that Americans continue to speak out in support of the kind of strong, principled, fact-based, and unifying leadership that can best secure our country and uphold our responsibilities around the globe. Donald Trump will announce today whether the U.S. will leave the Iran nuclear deal, with consequences likely to be felt from Middle East war zones to oil markets. If the U.S. president refuses to keep waiving sanctions under the six-nation accord reached in 2015, theres a chance Iran will also walk away and resume its atomic program. European powers have pressed Trump to preserve the agreement while they negotiate side-deals to address his main concerns. A breakthrough has so far remained elusive. So whats at stake if the U.S. withdraws? Doing Business A resumption of U.S. sanctions could derail tens of billions of dollars in business deals. While a U.S. exit may not render signed deals illegal, new sanctions would make it risky for international companies to continue working in Iran due to potential ramifications for their U.S. business or banking transactions. Its not just companies involved in Iran that are worried. Privately, business leaders increasingly fret about the growing risk of conflict in the region if Iran resumes uranium enrichment in response to a U.S. withdrawal and what that could mean for world trade. Among the larger deals at stake: Airbus Group SE signed off on a contract with Iran for 100 jetliners worth about $19 billion at list prices Boeing Co. and Irans Aseman airline signed a $3 billion agreement for 30 737 Max jets; the U.S. company also struck a $16.6 billion deal with national carrier Iran Air for 80 aircraft Total SA along with China National Petroleum Corp. signed a 20-year agreement valued at $5 billion to develop phase 11 of the South Pars offshore gas field Oil A snap-back in Iran sanctions by the U.S. would almost certainly reduce Irans oil exports, further stretching global markets. Oil futures rose above $70 a barrel in New York for the first time in more than three years on Monday as traders speculated about Trumps intentions. Whats more uncertain is exactly how far Irans shipments would fall. Story continues A recent Bloomberg survey predicted Iranian exports would be cut by 500,000 barrels a day. Iran is currently shipping just over 2 million barrels a day. More than half of that goes to China and India, while European Union nations buy about a quarter. Although America purchases no Iranian oil, that might not matter. If U.S. sanctions put banks, shipping companies, refiners, insurers and ports at risk of losing access to the global banking system, they would have little option but to end their involvement with Iran. Much depends on whether Trump offers waivers and exemptions. Trumps Iran Decision: Whats at Stake for Global Oil Market? Global Power Balance On the international stage, the biggest winners from a resumption of American sanctions could be two other signatories to the deal China and Russia, whose influence has gradually spread in the Middle East as the U.S. scaled back its engagement. Russia is already fighting, and winning, on the same side as Iran in the Syria conflict. And cold feet among European and U.S. investors could herald a new boom for some Chinese companies, already major investors in Iran, where they have signed multi-billion dollar agreements in the oil, industrial and transportation sectors. Nuclear Risks The collapse of the accord could hamper denuclearization efforts, and not just in the Middle East. While President Hassan Rouhani has signaled a route that keeps Iran in the deal, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has warned that if the U.S. exits, his country might resume its nuclear program. Iranian officials have also threatened to leave the Non-Proliferation Treaty if the deal crumbles. Iran denies its enrichment was ever intended to build weapons as the U.S., Israel and others had charged. North Korea, which does have a nuclear arsenal, will be watching developments closely. Ditching a deal the U.S. helped shape could undermine American credibility at the negotiating table as it seeks denuclearization in the Korean peninsula. Some analysts say the upcoming talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un might be weighing on Trump and leave him more inclined to preserve Irans agreement. Iranian Political Dynamics A collapse of the nuclear deal would be a blow for Rouhani and the reformists who championed a diplomatic settlement to the nuclear standoff that had left Iran increasingly isolated. The nuclear deal is a rare concrete achievement for Rouhani, who was re-elected last year but has been weakened by demonstrations, a currency crisis and problems in the banking sector. Hardliners, who warned through years of talks that the U.S. was not a trustworthy partner, would emerge strengthened. There are also signs that the attitudes of ordinary Iranians, many of whom welcomed a deal they hoped would bring prosperity, are hardening. If the U.S. doesnt stick by its obligations then itll go back to before and we will start enriching uranium, said Morteza, an unemployed Tehran resident. Its Irans right to do so, because theyre the ones violating it, not us. Risk of Conflict If the deal collapses and Iran restarts its nuclear program, the risk of confrontation could increase. Washingtons leading Middle East allies Israel and Saudi Arabia are both determined to roll back Iranian influence in their neighborhood. Israel in the past has threatened to bomb Iranian nuclear sites to prevent it obtaining a weapons capability. The potential for a broader conflict is compounded by the war in Syria, which has already drawn in Iran, Lebanons Hezbollah, Russia, the U.S., Turkey and Israel. Defying the U.S. The amount of turbulence, especially for businesses, will depend on how Iran, and other powers, respond to Trumps move. Will Iran walk away, or stick to the agreement with China, Russia and the three European signatories? The situation is unpredictable because it was not foreseen by the deals architects. When the agreement was being negotiated and implemented, the thinking was that sanctions would be snapped back by the U.S. and other signatories if Iran did not comply, says Andrew Keller, a Washington-based partner at Hogan Lovells law firm, which offers sanctions advise to companies doing or considering doing business in Iran. We are in a completely unpredicted situation where the U.S. is the unreliable party, says Keller, a former U.S. official who helped develop the sanctions relief aspects of the deal. Iran is complying with the deal and so the rest of the world will likely be united against the U.S. if President Trump reimposes the sanctions. In the battle over the Iran nuclear deal, the nixers, as opposed to the fixers, won. Four days before a May 12 deadline he himself had set, Donald Trump junked the agreement. Trump, as he said over and over during his campaign, viewed Barack Obamas deal with Tehranhis signature foreign policy achievement, negotiated with five other countriesas a disaster, and the worst deal ever. Now it is, from Washingtons perspective, a dead letter. The U.S. allies who signed the deal, Great Britain, France, and Germany, issued a statement saying they were disappointed in the decision, even though the president had telegraphed it to all three in the weeks leading up to it. They also pledged to remain in the deal with Iranbut that, most likely, was rhetoric designed for the home front. Trumps decision paves the way for the snapback of sanctions against Iran in two stages. In 90 days, key sectors of Tehrans economy, finance and auto industry will again have sanctions applied, and in 180 days its energy industrythe countrys main economic lifelinewill again be targeted. Trump Iran NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images Trending: Drudge Turns on Trump Over Fears His Threats Could Lead to Licensing of All Reporters Critically, it is likely that secondary sanctions will also be enforced against any foreign companies doing business in the proscribed sectors. That hits Europe most. They are now between an Iranian rock and a Trumpian hard place, says Mark Dubowitz, chief executive officer of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank, who just spent two weeks in Europe discussing the deal with U.S. allies. Dubowitz predicted that most European companies would now decline to do business with Iran, leaving only Beijing and Moscowthe other two signatories to the deal. Story continues The presidents decision ended what had become a fierce debate within the administration. One camp wanted the U.S. to stay in the deal (known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA) and try to fix it, mainly by getting Britain, France and Germany to present Tehran with a series of tough new terms in hope of amending it. This camp included Defense Secretary James Mattis, who has said the 2015 agreement was flawed but still worth sticking to. The fixers were said to have made progress in recent weeks in getting the Europeans to agree that an amended deal needed to address Irans ballistic missile program and its malign influence in the region. They were 95 percent there, says Dubowitz, but agreement foundered on the issue of sunset clausesspecifically the idea that sanctions would automatically be reimposed if it was suspected that Iran had moved to within one year of a nuclear breakout. But the addition of John Bolton as the new national security adviser, as well as Mike Pompeos move from CIA director to secretary of state, significantly bolstered the ranks of those opposed to the dealwhich reinforced Trumps own instincts. (The men they replaced, Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster and Rex Tillerson, respectively, had both wanted to stay in if possible.) Don't miss: Alien-Hunting Breakthrough Listen Launches New Survey Of Millions Of Stars The White House moved quickly to push back against the criticism it anticipatedand immediately gotfrom former Obama administration officials and much of the mainstream press. Obama himself led the big mistake chorus, issuing a lengthy statement bashing Trump for the decision. The standard critique put forth by those who backed the deal is that pulling out will once again present the U.S. with the prospect, sooner rather than later, of taking military action should Tehran rush to build a bomb in the wake of the U.S. decision. Thats a reprise of the talking point throughout the negotiations that the only alternative to the Iran deal would ultimately be war. GettyImages-956113088 Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Most popular: Is Meghan Markle Ready to Be a Mom? Prince Harry's Fiancee Would 'Absolutely Love to Have Children' The Trump administration doesnt buy that. First, it doesnt think Tehran will race to build a bomb, because the country is interested in eventually basing its nuclear program on more sophisticated centrifuges than it currently hasand which, in time, it would be allowed to develop under the JCPOAs sunset provisions. Dont take their word for it, Trump officials say: Ask Ali Akbar Salehi, the overseer of Irans nuclear program. According to the JCPOA, we have kept our nuclear program in accordance with our needs and requirements for [carrying out] research and development, he said in an interview in Farsi after the deal was cut in 2015. The administration further believes that adherence to the deal was actually preventing the U.S. and its allies from confronting Iran in the region more forcefully. And they found Obamas assertion that our ability to confront Irans destabilizing behavior is strengthened with the JCPOA and weakened without it particularly risible. In their view, a half-million people dead in Irans client state, Syria, reveals Obamas reluctance to confront Tehran's bad behavior. Further, they are not persuaded that pulling the U.S. out of the deal will lead to a crisis with Americas key allies in Europe. They believe that the Europeans and, ultimately, the Iranians, will come back to the deal. Still, there was a fair bit of irony in the arguments underpinning Trumps announcement: Is he really going to confront Iran in the places its making trouble? The evidence in support of that to date is two discrete bomb strikes in response to chemical weapons use in Syria. Trump is at heart an isolationist. But moving forward now will require multifaceted diplomacy. The challenge: Keep the allies together, lure Iran back to the table to negotiate a far more restrictive (from Tehrans perspective) deal, and make it clear to the mullahs that Iran will pay a severe price, not just economically but, if necessary, militarily if they don't come back. That's a very tall order for someone who wants to be entangled in the Middle East about as much as Obama did. Which is to say, he doesnt. Or, at least, didn't. But Trump is now back in, and there may be plenty of need for fixers ahead. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Australia is refocussing its foreign aid programmes in a move to win hearts and minds in the island nations of the Pacific, as an increasingly assertive China flexes its muscles in the region. The country has pledged more than Aus$1.3 billion (US$970 million) -- its largest ever aid commitment to the Pacific -- to fund projects including an undersea communications cable to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. The government said the reorientation of its aid priorities, revealed in a budget on Tuesday, reflected "the fundamental importance to Australia of the stability and economic progress of Pacific island countries". Canberra and other regional capitals have become increasingly alarmed at China's push into the Pacific which could potentially upset the strategic balance in the region. Australia's Lowy Institute estimates China provided US$1.78 billion in aid, including concessional loans, to Pacific nations between 2006-16. And reports last month -- which were denied -- said Beijing wanted to establish a permanent military base in Vanuatu. The extra Aus$200 million in aid, which will also go towards a new High Commission in Tuvalu, means the Pacific now represents some 30 percent of Canberra's total aid budget, which stood still at Aus$4.2 billion. Aid agencies were quick to criticise the freeze in overall aid funding, at just 0.23 percent of national income despite a significant boost to government revenues from a pick-up in commodity prices and employment growth. "This budget was an opportunity to show leadership and use some of the unexpected revenue to repair past damage to aid," said Marc Purcell, chief executive of the Australian Council for International Development. In contrast, neighbour New Zealand this week announced a significant rise to foreign aid, delivering Aus$668 million in extra funding over the next four years, largely directed at the Pacific. Basel (Switzerland) (AFP) - A 104-year-old Australian scientist, resentful that he was forced overseas to die, is set to address the media in Switzerland on Wednesday, a day before he is due to end his life. David Goodall does not have a terminal illness but says his quality of life has deteriorated and that he wants to die. He was barred from seeking help to end his life in Australia, so he was forced to travel to Switzerland. "I don't want to go to Switzerland," Goodall told broadcaster ABC before he set off on his final voyage a week ago, adding that he had to "get the opportunity of suicide which the Australian system does not permit". "I feel very resentful," said the honorary research associate at Perth's Edith Cowan University, who arrived in Switzerland on Monday. He will speak to the media in the northern Swiss city of Basel later Wednesday alongside the head of Exit International, the Australian right-to-die group that helped Goodall make the trip. - Final exit - "This conference will be Professor Goodall's first and last conference before his final Exit appointment" on Thursday, the organisation said in a statement. Goodall, who according to Exit International attempted but failed to commit suicide on his own earlier this year, secured a fast-track appointment with assisted dying foundation Eternal Spirit in Basel. Assisted suicide is illegal in most countries and was banned in Australia until the state of Victoria became the first to legalise the practice last year. But that legislation, which takes effect in June 2019, only applies to terminally ill patients of sound mind and a life expectancy of less than six months. According to Swiss law meanwhile, anyone who is of sound mind and who has over a period of time voiced a consistent wish to end their life can request so-called assisted voluntary death, or AVD. Eternal Spirit, one of several foundations in Switzerland that assist people who want to end their lives, said Wednesday that Goodall had undergone two medical visits by different doctors since arriving in the city. Story continues "Tonight the board of the foundation will study the documents and also judge the wish to die of David Goodall," Eternal Spirit head Erika Preisig said in an email. "So his wish to die is checked by two doctors and three people of the foundation's board. If all five persons give their ok, Goodall will be able to open the infusion tomorrow." "That all five will accept his wish to die is quite likely, as David Goodall is in a very advanced age, suffering from several degenerative illnesses and most important of all, he is of sound mind," she added. - Patient must do the deed - In assisted dying, the person must be physically capable of carrying out the final deed on their own. Most Swiss foundations ask patients to drink sodium pentobarbital, an effective sedative that in strong enough doses causes the heart muscle to stop beating. Since the substance is alkaline and burns a bit when swallowed, Eternal Spirit has instead opted for intravenous infusions. A professional prepares the needle, but it is up to the patient to open the valve that allows the short-acting barbiturate to mix with a saline solution and begin flowing into their vein. Eternal Spirit is advocating for all countries to introduce systems like the Swiss one, allowing people to choose to die "in dignity". "I do hope the law in all countries will change, so the fights of very brave people like David Goodall... will be successful and no-one will have to travel to Switzerland any more for a peaceful self-determined death," Preisig said. Former US President Barack Obama has said President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the historic Iran nuclear deal signed during Mr Obama's time in office is "so misguided" and a "serious mistake". In a lengthy Facebook post: "There are few issues more important to the security of the US than the potential spread of nuclear weapons, or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Thats why the US negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the first place". Mr Trump has long criticised the deal and said earlier today that the deal did not go far enough in ensuring Tehran's compliance and said the US would be withdrawing from it. Iran is a "regime of great terror" and that "no action taken by the regime has been more dangerous than its pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means of delivering them," Mr Trump said. "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense. The JCPOA is in Americas interest it has significantly rolled back Irans nuclear program," Mr Obama wrote. Though the Trump administration agreed Irans nuclear programme is a major threat, the president announced in October 2017 he would not re-certify a nuclear deal signed by Iran and six world powers. Despite the evidence provided by the United Nations on Tehran's compliance with the deal, Mr Trump said it was too lenient on Iran and has maintained the idea that the country has violated portions of it. Not re-certifying the deal or abandoning it will open the door for harsher economic sanctions to be placed on the country, the mitigation of which was a key inducement for Iran to comply with the historic deal. What concerned many Washington insiders - and today's announcement may have proven them right - is that Mr Trump's newest hire as National Security Adviser John Bolton has been quite hawkish on pulling out of the deal as is new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has called the agreement "disastrous". Story continues Mr Obama countered that the agreement is a "model" for what this kind of diplomacy should look like, citing the verification and testing procedures in place within the accord as proof. Though the former president encouraged debate on the Iran nuclear deal, he said it "should be informed by facts" and went on to outline several key points of the agreement including that it has worked in rolling back Tehran's nuclear programme. "Iran has destroyed the core of a reactor that could have produced weapons-grade plutonium; removed two-thirds of its centrifuges (over 13,000) and placed them under international monitoring; and eliminated 97 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium the raw materials necessary for a bomb," Mr Obama said. "Walking away from the [Iran deal] turns our back on Americas closest allies, and an agreement that our countrys leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated," he wrote in a rare directly political message in his post-term time. He noted that there will always be some changes from one administration to the next in a democracy, but he said "the consistent flouting" of multilateral agreements by Mr Trump "risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers". He was likely referring to the Paris Agreement on climate change, which the US also signed under Mr Obama's second term in 2015. The global accord was signed by nearly 200 countries in an effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions and contain global warming to 2 C. Mr Trump announced in June 2017 that the US had begun the withdrawal process from the deal because it put American workers at an "economic disadvantage". Mr Obama also tied the deal to US relations with North Korea and attempting to stem the hermit kingdom's nuclear ambitions. "At a time when we are all rooting for diplomacy with North Korea to succeed, walking away from the JCPOA risks losing a deal that accomplishes with Iran the very outcome that we are pursuing with the North Koreans," he wrote. Mr Trump is expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a time and date yet to be publicly announced. The meeting will come just weeks after Mr Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a peace agreement in an elaborate ceremony in the Demilitarised Zone on the border in the divided peninsula. Iran's leader Hassan Rouhani has instructed the country's atomic agency to prepare to enrich uranium and said Mr Trump's announcement constituted "a psychological war, we wont allow [him] to win". A university has been accused of racism after black students were repeatedly pulled off stage for celebrating during a graduation ceremony. The University of Florida was forced to apologise for being inappropriately aggressive after a white man wearing a ceremonial robe was filmed grabbing several black students who attempted to dance when their names were called out. Audience members and students posted footage of the incident, which was broadcast by the universitys jumbotron, on social media. UF Twitter Somebody please find out this employees name!! Every time a Black student took more than TWO seconds, he aggressively pushed them. Watch it for yourself. #ItsGreatUF pic.twitter.com/zMee1nMbUZ Chris (@ChicoFreedom) May 5, 2018 The University is proud of the achievements of every single one of our graduates and regrets that any celebration of the day may have been diminished by those monitoring a graduation ceremony. FLORIDA (@UF) May 6, 2018 Almost fell when he pushed me pic.twitter.com/98meStYalY thugger (@mythuggin) May 5, 2018 Sickening. That white man was clearly discriminating and rough housing only the Black graduates. As an alumni and am completely disgraced at the treatment of this students who earned their spot on that stage. Traylo (@_traylo) May 6, 2018 Nafeesah Attah, a student who said she was grabbed by the graduation marshal, told Huffington Post: I had family fly all the way in from London and they didnt want to see that. Story continues It definitely was a race thing because other students were doing backflips and received no repercussions because they were white." She added: Im disappointed in my universitys response. Too little, too late. Christopher Garcia-Wilde, a 22-year-old who graduated during the ceremony, told the Gainesville Sun he was too afraid to celebrate after watching his peers dragged off stage. Both of my friends wanted to celebrate by strolling, which is a cultural tradition in historically black fraternities and sororities, he said. "Its a tradition to stroll at graduation if you choose to, and people have been doing this for years. He continued: I was actually too afraid because I saw him shove other people. But my two friends who graduated with me really wanted to do it, so they tried. They both were pushed and one of them got an entire bear hug. On Sunday W Kent Fuchs, the universitys president, apologised. During one of this weekends commencement ceremonies, we were inappropriately aggressive in rushing students across the stage, he said. I personally apologise, and am reaching out to the students involved. The practice has been halted for all future ceremonies, and we will work to make sure all graduating students know we are proud of their achievements and celebrate with them their graduation. But Wallace Mazon, another University of Florida student, posted an image of Mr Fuchs appearing to sit by smiling as the graduation marshal manhandled another graduate. You saw what was going on and said nothing pic.twitter.com/yroAGNAUZa Wallace (@iWaleMazon) May 6, 2018 You saw what was going on and said nothing, Mr Mazon said. Bob Marleys granddaughter has vowed to sue a southern California police department after she and a group of friends were swarmed by cop cars and a helicopter following their departure from an Airbnb rental. Donisha Prendergast, one of the reggae legends granddaughters, rented an Airbnb in Rialto, California, while attending a music festival in San Bernardino. In an Instagram post, she described a scene of confusion as she and her friends were checking out on April 30,according to CBS Los Angeles. Got surrounded by the police for being black in a white neighbourhood, the actress, model and poet wrote in the post. Smh. Im sad and irritated to see that fear is still the first place police officers go in their pursuit to serve and protect, to the point that protocol supersedes their ability to have discernment. The group served the Rialto Police Department with a notice of a pending lawsuit Monday, according tothe New York Daily News. Police saidtheir response was based on a call from a neighbor who reported a group of people she didnt recognize taking suitcases from the home and loading them into a car. The host of the Airbnb, Marie Rodriguez, told CBS Los Angeles her neighbor called the police not realizing the home had been rented. One of Prendergasts two traveling companions, filmmaker Kells Fyffe-Marshall,posted a video of the incident on Facebook. In the post, she said they had just checked out when police cars suddenly surrounded them: The officers came out of their cars demanding us to put our hands in the air. They informed us that there was also a helicopter tracking us. They locked down the neighborhood and had us standing in the street. Why? A neighbour across the street saw 3 black people packing luggage into their car and assumed we were stealing from the house. She then called the police. Fyffe-Marshall said her group tried to joke about the misunderstanding, but things escalated when the officers sergeant arrived and said he didnt know whatAirbnb was. Story continues He insisted that we were lying about it and said we had to prove it, she wrote. We showed them the booking confirmations and phoned the landlord... because they didnt know what she looked like on the other end to confirm it was her.. they detained us because they were investigating a felony charge for 45 minutes while they figured it out. The filmmaker later said the neighbor called the police on them because she and the other members of her group didnt wave to her. Rodriguez told CBS Los Angeles that she has tried to apologize to Prendergast. The Airbnb host said her neighbor was just being cautious because there have been some property crimes in the neighborhood. She also alleged Prendergasts group was rude and is making the incident all about race. Theyre latching on to this whole racism thing because theyre black, Rodriguez said, but this is a diverse neighborhood. The Rialto Police Departmentreleased a statement about the incident, saying the officers followed departmental policies and procedures. The statement also emphasized the officers did not use any form of restraints on Prendergast, Fyffe-Marshall or the other person in their group. The department added that the police actually allowed them to exit their vehicle and assist officers in locating the owner of the unlicensed Airbnb to confirm there had been no crime committed. According to Airbnbs guidelines, the company suggests considering whether you should notify your neighbors about your plans to host, along with your plan for how to make sure your guests are not disruptive. It alsorecommends hosts researchthe regulations and laws in their city. This was reportedly Rodriguezs first time hosting an Airbnb at this residence. She told HuffPost that a business license was not required. We were under the impression that to run a business in this city, you have to have a local license, a police spokesperson told HuffPost. The police department is declining to release its bodycam footage of the incident, citing pending litigation from Prendergast, whoposted videos on the incidenton Instagram. Prendergasts manager told CBS News that a longer video of the incidentwill be released Tuesday. A post shared by Donisha Prendergast (@iamdonisha)on Apr 30, 2018 at 2:52pm PDT Airbnb officials told the New York Postthey have reached out to Prendergasts groupto offer support. Based on what weve learned and consistent with the various news reports, this incident appears to be an issue involving a neighbor, but the fact that this neighbor was not a member of the Airbnb community doesnt change the fact that what happened to our guests is unconscionable and a reminder of how far we still have to go as a society, the company said in a statement. The statement also said Airbnb is reaching out to the NAACP, National Action Network, Color Of Change and others to ensure we are doing all we can to protect our community when they travel. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing stands to lose billions of dollars in sales after President Donald Trumps announcement Tuesday that the U.S. will withdraw from a nuclear deal with Iran. Boeing has agreements to restock Iranian airlines with planes worth around $20 billion. Boeing is set to sell 80 aircraft to Iran Air and another 30 jets to Iran Aseman Airlines. The two sales were valued at $19 billion. According to CNBC, the aircraft number in the Iran order is small compared with the aerospace companys total order book. Boeing ended the years first quarter with a production backlog of more than 5,800 airplanes. RTS1QGW6 REUTERS/Marko Djurica/File Photo Trending: Hawaii Kilauea Volcano: Vog, New Evacuations, Vents Boeing noted that it had not added the 110 aircraft in the Iranian deals in its order book, so the backlog is unaffected. Following todays announcement, we will consult with the U.S. Government on next steps, Boeing told CNBC in a statement. CNN Money reported that Boeing had been preparing to slow the Iran deals before Trumps announcement on Tuesday. In April, CEO Dennis Muilenburg told investors that the company had pushed back delivery plans for the first Boeing 777 jets it was scheduled to deliver to Iran this year. Don't miss: Michael Avenatti Mocks Doctor Michael Cohen Consulting for Drugmaker Novartis Muilenburg told investors that the company will not suffer if the Iranian deals are permanently cancelled because Boeings production plans do not rely on those sales. He added that if relations between the U.S. and Iran improve and the sales are reinstated, it will be a bonus. Boeings European rival, Airbus, is also set to lose a major deal if U.S. sanctions are reinstated. According to CNN Money, Airbus has deals to sell more than 100 jets to Iran. Whether European countries opt to impose sanctions on Iran or not, Airbus could be affected by American sanctions since it has a U.S. plant and its jets utilize U.S.-made parts. Story continues Were carefully analyzing the announcement, Airbus said in a statement, and will be evaluating next steps consistent with our internal policies and in full compliance with sanctions and export control regulations. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Niamey (AFP) - Boko Haram gunmen attacked an island on the Niger side of Lake Chad, with locals reporting heavy casualties among those who fled but no official confirmation of the death toll. A private radio station in Niger said that two people died in a fire in the remote village on Sunday evening but one survivor spoken to by AFP said the death toll was higher. "A lot of people jumped into the lake to escape the attack. I think that a lot of people drowned, in particular women and children," said one man, who escaped with his family in a boat. Abubakar Gamandi, the head of the fishermen's union in Borno state, northeast Nigeria, said he received phone calls from members telling him about the attack, which happened on Sunday. "No one knows how many people died in the attack but many residents fell in the lake and are believed to have drowned," he said. The attack began at about 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Sunday, the survivor and Gamandi said, both blaming the Islamist group, which has been waging an insurgency in northeast Nigeria since 2009. "We had just finished evening prayers when the attackers arrived in a speed boat. They started to fire on the village and throw explosives at our houses," said the man, who asked not to be named. Two humanitarian workers in the area confirmed the attack but did not have more details, while a local lawmaker said that the Niger army was not present in the area. Gamandi said many of the people on the island came from Baga and nearby Doron-Baga on the Nigerian side of Lake Chad, in the far north of Borno state. Boko Haram attacked the towns on January 3 and is feared to have killed hundreds, if not more, in what could be the worst massacre of the six-year conflict. Thousands of residents fled as the rebels torched large parts of the town. Last week, the Nigerian Army said they had recaptured Baga and President Goodluck Jonathan visited to meet troops. Lake Chad is a strategic area where the borders of Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger and Chad meet. All four countries are involved in a regional fight-back against the militants, which has seen the group strike out of its northeast Nigerian stronghold to attack Chad and Niger. Sandra Pezqueda, a former dishwasher who was named one of The Silence Breakers, TIME s 2017 Person of the Year, settled her sexual harassment lawsuit this month against an upscale Southern California resort and its staffing agency for $250,000. The agreement comes just weeks after a Philadelphia jury found Bill Cosby guilty on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his home in 2004. Pezqueda and Constand, who were both outspoken in the so-called MeToo moment, a campaign in which tens of thousands of women and men spoke out on social media against sexual harassment in the workplace using the hashtag #metoo, were among the first to litigate their cases in court. Defense attorneys have worked to distance their clients from the MeToo moment, and members of the jury in the Cosby case said the broader social referendum did not factor into their decision. But Pezquedas attorney, Lauren Teukolsky, says her clients case may indicate the beginning of a cultural shift. I think one has to assume that the #MeToo movement has altered every employers calculations over whether to resolve a case or not, Teukolsky told TIME. I think that employers, generally speaking, are going to be much more cautious about going to trial now that women are being believed about their sexual harassment allegations, and every potential juror knows somebody who has had a #MeToo moment. Pezqueda filed suit in summer 2017 against Terranea Resort, a luxury outpost in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, and the independent staffing agency, Excel, that hired her. She alleged that when she rebuffed her male supervisors sexual advances, he retaliated against her, changing her schedule and gradually cutting her hours so that she was working too little to support herself. When she complained to management, Pezqueda said the company fired her. The terms of Pezquedas settlement release all parties of liability. Excel will pay the settlement directly to Pezqueda and Terranea resort said the agreement cleared the company of wrongdoing. Story continues Terranea President Terri A. Haack said in a statement that the company has a zero-tolerance policy toward harassment. We have created thousands of career opportunities for thousands of men and women from wonderfully diverse backgrounds, and we are very proud of our employees and their accomplishments, she wrote. The settlement notably does not include a non-disclosure agreement, known as an NDA, which in the past have been common in such settlements. That decision too may be indicative of a changing moment, Teukolsky said. Im hoping to see more women prioritizing preserving their ability to speak out about their own experiences as they resolve their cases, she said. In a statement through her lawyer, Pezqueda echoed the point. I know firsthand how hard it can be to speak out about sexual harassment. After I was fired, I felt depressed and angry. I dont want other women to go through what I did, Pezqueda said. If I have helped even a single woman feel like she can come forward and speak, it was worth it. In recent months, Stormy Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, also also drawn national attention to NDAs. Daniels was paid $130,000 shortly before the 2016 election in exchange for signing an NDA designed to prohibit her from speaking publicly about her alleged affair with Donald Trump in 2006. Daniels lawyer has said that NDA was not valid because Trump did not sign it. NDAs have also come under scrutiny in wonkier circles as a result of the recent Republican tax reform bill, which prohibits companies from writing off attorneys fees as tax deductions if a sexual harassment case is settled subject to an NDA. I am cautiously optimistic that we are in a new age, Teukolsky said. But what happens in the next 12 months is going to tell the story. By Lola Jacobs Around 10 p.m. on March 16, Jose Arreola walked into an Orange County service station, retrieved $60 from an ATM, then a pack of Mentos mints at his wifes request. He didnt know that the purchase of a $1.19 candy would leave him near gunpoint, at the mercy of an off-duty police officer. Video footage caught Arreola, 49, paying for the pack of mints. He twiddled his goatee, awaiting his change after handing the cashier $20. After a few moments, he reached for and pocketed the candy, which is expected when the barter is practically complete. In the middle of this transaction, a man walked in behind Arreola, clad in dark shorts and a dark hoodie, thumbing money and a bit aloof. But when he saw Arreola put the roll of mints in his pocket, his gun was erect and pointed toward the ground, though his index finger rested on the trigger. The cop, who has remained unnamed, reached for his pistol. Put that back police officer. Arreola, visibly shaken up, tried to explain that hed paid for the mints but the cop was persistent. Arreola set the candy down. I just paid for this! he said. The officer then began a conversation with the cashier, verifying that Arreola paid for the candy. When the cashier said that hed paid, he told Arreola to take [his] cash and leave. He did as he was told, sans the Mentos. While he was making his exit, the officer asked the cashier whether he was sure that Arreola paid. He apologized when he was convinced that it was true. The footage, almost seven weeks old, recently surfaced. Its been a month and I still cant shake it, Arreola told the OCR. It was traumatic, the whole incident. (And) I grew up in Santa Ana. Ive been shot at before. Arreola recalled that he thought his wife would be a widow. Buena Park Police Chief Corey Sianez called the event disturbing. I can definitely assure you that our investigation will be thorough, and if the officer is found to be in violation of any policies and procedures, he will be held accountable, he said. An internal investigation is reportedly underway. Story continues The circumstances under which an officer draws a gun are once again called into question. If stealing candy calls for a gun, what should one expect for a more severe, though comparatively insignificant crime? He was so adamant about treating me like a criminal, Arreola said. In an interview, Arreola said that a sorry wasnt enough, Mercury News reports. Hes since gotten an attorney, planning to receive financial damages from the Buena Park Police Department. This post California Officer Impulsively Pulls Gun On Suspected Candy Robber first appeared on Vibe. Ottawa (AFP) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that he will apologize for Canada's refusal to admit Jewish asylum seekers fleeing Nazi Germany just months before the start of World War II. On May 13, 1939 the ocean liner MS St. Louis departed Germany with 907 German Jews aboard and crossed the Atlantic Ocean "desperate for safety and refuge from persecution," according to a statement from Trudeau's office. The passengers however were not allowed to disembark at the ship's first destination, Cuba, and were subsequently denied entry in the United States, and Canada -- due to "discriminatory 'none is too many' immigration policy of the time," the statement read. Forced to return to Europe, many of the passengers were sent to concentration camps, and 254 died in the Holocaust. The date for the apology on the floor of the House of Commons has not yet been set. "When Canada denied asylum to the 907 German Jews on board the MS St. Louis, we failed not only those passengers, but also their descendants and community," Trudeau said in a statement. The apology "will not bring back those who perished or repair the lives shattered by tragedy," the prime minister acknowledged. "But," he added, "it is our collective responsibility to acknowledge this difficult truth, learn from this story, and continue to fight against anti-Semitism every day, as we give meaning to the solemn vow: 'Never again.'" Montreal (AFP) - Canada is trying to curb the number of asylum seekers from Nigeria who are flooding into Canada via the United States, officials said Monday. About 2,500 migrants, mostly Nigerian nationals, entered Canada illegally in April, bringing the total so far this year to more than 7,300. They crossed on foot along a forest trail from New York state to Quebec province, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen told a news conference. He will travel to Nigeria in the coming days to press the issue. At Ottawa's request, US authorities have also recently tightened their visa rules for Nigerians to try to prevent tourists from flying to the US and then hopping across the border to file Canadian refugee claims. An average of 70-80 migrants per day have been making the trip of late, said Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale. Nearly 21,000 border jumpers were intercepted by federal police in 2017 and allowed to file a refugee claim. "Just over 90 percent of irregular migrants do not meet our criteria (for asylum) and they will have to leave Canada," Garneau said, adding that 200 currently face imminent deportation after their refugee claims were rejected. The first arrivals in 2016 were mostly Haitians who faced repatriation at the end of US temporary special protections granted after storms battered their desperately poor island nation. But the wave expanded last year to also include Djiboutian, Eritrean, Nigerian, Pakistani, Sudanese, Syrian, Turkish and Yemeni nationals, among others. The border jumping started with the election of US President Donald Trump, who promised to expel more than 11 million undocumented migrants. Canada warns making it across border is no free ticket as officials try to tone down welcoming image they have cultivated Asylum seekers wait to be processed at Lacolle, Quebec, in August last year. Quebec has called for more resources to help with the increase in refugee claimants. Photograph: Christinne Muschi/Reuters The Canadian government has sharpened its tone towards asylum seekers, warning that simply making it across the border is not a free ticket to Canada as the number of migrants crossing from the US continues to rise. Since the election of Donald Trump, growing numbers of asylum seekers have been entering Canada by foot, driven by fears over the US presidents approach to immigration. Last year more than 20,000 people entered Canada at remote, unguarded locations along the border, sometimes braving freezing temperatures, fields of waist-deep snow and icy ditches. Doing so allows migrants to skirt a longstanding pact that bars most refugee claimants in the US from applying for asylum in Canada. The flow of people shows little sign of abating, with 7,300 people entering Canada irregularly this year more than double the number of those who made the journey in the first four months of 2017. This week, Canadian officials sought to tone down the welcoming image they have cultivated since coming to power, offering instead a blunt warning to those considering making the crossing into Canada. Coming across the border in a way that seeks to circumvent the law or defy proper procedure is no free ticket to Canada, Ralph Goodale, the countrys public safety minister, said on Monday. Officials said they believe that more than 90% of those entering Canada do not meet the criteria to be considered refugees. They must prove they need Canadas protection to keep them safe, said Goodale. Seeking asylum is not a shortcut to get around normal immigration rules and procedures. After rising to a high of about 250 people a day earlier this year, the flow of migrants many of them Nigerian nationals has stabilised to around 70 or 80 per day, said Goodale. Canadas immigration minister, Ahmed Hussen, said he would travel to Nigeria in the coming days to address the issue. Canada has been working with the United States to crack down on Nigerians who obtain tourist visas to the US solely for the purposes of walking into Canada to claim asylum, said Hussen. Story continues The federal government has been under pressure to stem the flow of migrants across the border. Last month the opposition Conservatives who have linked the rise in asylum seekers to Trudeaus viral tweet welcoming refugees tabled a motion in the House of Commons urging the government to take immediate action on the issue. Canadians across the political spectrum are generally supportive of immigration, but the Conservative MP behind the motion argued that the issue, if not properly addressed, could cause Canadians to lose confidence in the system. My concern is that if the government does not take steps to rectify [its] failure to manage our borders, we are going to rapidly see Canadians lose that social licence for immigration, because there will be a lack of faith in the ability of the government to ensure planned and orderly migration, said Michelle Rempel. The New Democratic party and organisations such as Amnesty International have long urged the federal government to suspend the pact with the US that forces Canada to turn away most asylum seekers who attempt to enter the country at official border crossings. Halting the Safe Third Country Agreement would allow asylum seekers to make claims at official ports of entry, reducing the dangers faced by migrants and allowing Canada better control over the process, they argue. The province of Quebec where the bulk of asylum seekers have arrived after crossing into Canada from the US has called for more resources to help with the increase in refugee claimants. David Heurtel, Quebecs immigration minister, said last month: This is not about money. This is about saying that Quebec can do its part, but our resources are completely saturated and we cant do more. By Kiyoshi Takenaka and Nobuhiro Kubo TOKYO (Reuters) - China, Japan and South Korea agreed on Wednesday to cooperate in seeking the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying recent positive momentum must be matched by "concrete action" by North Korea. North Korea, which has been pursuing nuclear and missile programmes in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, figured prominently in talks between the three leaders in Tokyo after South Korean President Moon Jae-in's historic meeting last month with the North's Kim Jong Un. Kim is expected to have a summit soon with U.S. President Donald Trump. Leaders of the three Asian powers, whose ties have been strained by territorial and historical disputes, also touched on economics in the face of U.S. trade pressure on China and Japan. Abe praised efforts by Moon and China to engage North Korea and said further efforts on denuclearisation were essential. "We must take the recent momentum towards denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula and towards peace and security in Northeast Asia, and, cooperating even further with international society, make sure this is linked to concrete action by North Korea," Abe told a news conference after the meeting. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also attended the three-way summit, which was last held in Seoul in 2015. Moon said the three countries agreed to highlight unity as the two Koreas moved towards a permanent peace settlement. "Above all, we reached the consensus that complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, a permanent peace settlement and improvement of South-North relations is very important for peace and prosperity of Northeast Asia," Moon said. North and South Korea are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a treaty. In talks with Moon later on Wednesday, Abe expressed Japan's concern that pressure on North Korea might be lifted too early as a "reward" for its shutting down its nuclear test site or halting missile launches. Story continues Abe called for additional, specific action, a spokesman for South Korea's presidential office said in a Tokyo briefing. Moon assured Abe that no such steps would be taken without conferring with the United Nations, the United States and others. TRADE PRESSURE AND DEALS Trump's trade pressure on China and Japan, the world's second and third-largest economies, appeared to have had an impact as Li urged swifter discussions on regional free trade deals, such as a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership backed by Beijing. "We are all beneficiaries of free trade and even though various issues have emerged, these should not stand in the way," Li said. "Through actual behaviour, let's show that we three nations support engaging in free trade." Before a meeting as part of Li's state visit to Japan - the first such visit by a Chinese premier since 2010 - Abe said he wanted to raise bilateral ties to a new level and visit China later this year. After their talk, Abe and Li oversaw the signing of an agreement to set up a security hotline to defuse possible maritime incidents that could spark tensions. The pact, a decade in the making, also provides for regular meetings between defence officials and a mechanism for their naval vessels to communicate at sea to avert maritime incidents. In remarks to journalists, both men hailed warming ties between their countries with Li saying better relations between them was contributing to global stability and development. Diplomatic relations between the two nations, clouded by Japan's occupation of parts of China before and during World War Two, have gradually improved after deteriorating sharply in 2012, when Tokyo nationalised a cluster of disputed East China Sea islets that China also claims. As the meeting's host, Abe has won an opportunity to project himself in a leadership role and move beyond domestic woes such as suspected cronyism scandals, falling support rates and calls for his finance minister to quit. Japan fears it may be left out of North Korean negotiations, with Abe and Kim yet to set up a summit. In comments aimed at a domestic audience, Abe said Japan would normalise ties with North Korea if the issue of Japanese abducted by Pyongyang to train spies, a key plank of his political platform, was comprehensively resolved. (Additional reporting by Christine Kim in Seoul, Writing by Elaine Lies and Malcolm Foster; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Nick Macfie) Ever since President Donald Trump tapped Gina Haspel as his choice to lead the CIA nearly two months ago, a fierce debate has engulfed Washington over her suitability to run the agency. Haspel, a 33-year intelligence operative who would become the first woman to lead the CIA, remains embroiled in controversy because of her role in the agencys controversial interrogation and detention programs in the wake of the Sept.11, 2001 attacks. The topic is expected to be of intense interest Wednesday when she appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee in a much anticipated confirmation hearing. Nearly all of her career remains shrouded in secrecy to the public, a fact that has drawn fire from Democrats. What is known is that Haspel ran a secret black site in Thailand where two al-Qaeda suspects were subject to an array of harsh techniques, including simulated drowning, which have been widely labeled as torture by critics, in an effort to glean intelligence on terror plots. The CIA refuses to say whether Haspel had direct involvement in the use of those techniques, or what her role was in drawing up orders to destroy videotapes that documented the employment of the techniques. For the past two days, Haspel engaged in closed-door discussions on Capitol Hill telling lawmakers that she will not reinstitute the detention and interrogation programs, according to U.S. officials familiar with the discussions. Nonetheless, retired military leaders, anti-torture organizations, faith leaders, and other groups have continued to pressure Senators to reject her nomination. Haspel, who has been acting director at the agency since Mike Pompeo was selected to become Secretary of State, reportedly considered withdrawing in order to avoid tarnishing the CIA. Meanwhile, the president has repeatedly used his Twitter account to praise Haspel. As a candidate, Trump advocated simulated drowning, more commonly known as waterboarding and other harsh techniques on terror suspects. Story continues Gina Haspel, my highly respected nominee to lead the CIA, is being praised for the fact that she has been, and alway will be, TOUGH ON TERROR! This is a woman who has been a leader wherever she has gone. The CIA wants her to lead them into Americas bright and glorious future! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2018 The CIA has engaged in an unprecedented public relations campaign supporting her appointment by selectively releasing general information about her career as an officer, details about her personal interests and other material thats beneficial to her nomination. For instance, the agency declassified a 2011 memo by then-CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell that found no fault with Haspels actions regarding the destruction of the tapes and concluded that she acted appropriately. The public relations campaign has rankled some of the CIAs former rank and file, saying that advocating on her behalf casts the agency in a bad light since it has offered little insight into areas of her career that have raised concern. Glenn Carle, a retired CIA officer and author of The Interrogator, a memoir describing his involvement in the interrogation of a black site detainee, said it was a shock and disturbing for our democracy that the agency was wading into pushing for its own boss. Ginas merits or demerits in the torture issue are important, but actually secondary to the larger issue that the agencys advocacy on her behalf raise, said Glenn Carle, a former senior CIA officer who spent more than two decades as a spy before retiring in 2007. That the agency has taken on a public advocacy role on a political issue is another chip in the foundations of our democracy. And most people will not notice the slow, subtle harm this action causes. Cindy Otis, a former CIA analyst primarily specializing in Europe and the Middle East, said she is glad the agency has released some information about Haspel, but warned against going too far. The agency has to be careful to make sure it maintains objectivity in conversations that matter, she said. What we have seen with Gina has gone a little bit further than that. Nada Bakos, a former CIA analyst and targeting officer, said its tricky to inform the public about Haspels three-decade long career because nearly all of it was spent undercover. Theres nothing wrong with them trying to get that information out there, she said. But at the same time: Can they speak for everyone inside the agency in advocating for her appointment? Probably not. The CIA has used media distribution lists to send out glowing quotes from politicians and national security experts about Haspel. The agency also released a brief biography on their website and Twitter, which stated she was a globe-trotting officer whose career was like something right out of a spy novel. The abridged version is: Haspel served in dangerous places, learned foreign languages and faced down the communist threat during the Cold War. The CIA said Haspel later requested a transfer to CIAs Counter Terrorism Center. Her first day on the job was September 11, 2001. She walked in amid the commotion, sat down at a computer, and got to work. She didnt let up for three years, often working seven days a week. The agency did not publish information pertaining to the Thailand black site. When the attacks happened, the CIA had little experience in detention and interrogation, and initially the agencys efforts were a disaster. The worst abuses took place at a hastily established, dungeon-like site in Afghanistan called the Salt Pit after the U.S. invaded in 2001. One detainee died overnight in a near freezing cell; others were beaten, hung by their arms and forgotten about. Still others suffered hallucinations and paranoia that drove them to self-harm and attempts at suicide. In 2002 the CIA formalized its detention and interrogation program with the blessing of George W. Bushs White House and Justice Department. Convinced more attacks were imminent, the agency hired two former Air Force psychologists, James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, who like Beale had worked in the SERE program. The CIA program was run at black sites abroad. Initially paid by the day, Mitchell and Jessen eventually formed a private company that was paid $81 million by the CIA for managing most of the detention and interrogation of the agencys 119 detainees. A tranche of heavily redacted documents related to the controversial interrogation program was publicly released in December 2014. Before Haspels arrival in Thailand, Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times during a three-week period in August 2002. According to his lawyer, he was suspended from hooks in the ceiling, forced into a coffin for hours at a time in a gathering pool of his own urine and feces, crammed into a tiny box that wouldve been small even for a child, bombarded with screaming noise and cold air, compelled to stay awake for days on end, and rectally rehydrated. Another man Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri was waterboarded three times while Haspel was at the site. Four Democratic senators Dianne Feinstein of Califorinia, Kamala Harris of California, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico wrote a letter Friday to the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats requesting he declassify the information. Given that Ms. Haspel, as the current Acting Director of the CIA, is in the conflicted position of serving as the classification authority over potentially derogatory information related to her own nomination, we can think of no more appropriate situation for you to serve as the relevant authority, the letter says. On Monday, the CIA delivered two boxes of classified documents marked HAND CARRY to the Senate related to Haspels career. It now sits in a secure reading room to help Senators formulate their questions ahead of Wednesdays hearing. Daniel Suarez (19) was third at Dover, just behind Clint Bowyer in second. (Getty) NASCAR officials were quite busy at Dover. The sanctioning body announced Wednesday that Clint Bowyer and Daniel Suarez had each been docked 20 points for rear windshield inspection violations found after Sundays Cup Series race. Bowyer finished second and Suarez finished third. Both drivers cars were found to have improper rear windshield bracing, the third and fourth times the violation has been penalized so far in 2018. Las Vegas winner Kevin Harvick was penalized and Chase Elliott was penalized after the Texas race. Harvicks Vegas car actually had two inspection violations yet he was penalized 20 points, the same points penalty given to Bowyer, Elliott and Suarez. The thought is that a flexible rear windshield would allow more air onto the spoiler to give the car more rear downforce. Suarezs third-place finish on Sunday tied his career-best while Bowyer was passed late by Harvick for the win. Bowyer will drop from fourth to fifth in the standings with the penalty while Suarez will fall from 17th to 20th in the standings. Both drivers crew chiefs were fined $50,000 and car chiefs Jerry Cook (Bowyer) and Todd Brewer (Suarez) are suspended for two races. Austin Dillon was penalized for an improper splitter found before the race. He finished 26th. His car chief Greg Ebert will be suspended for Saturday nights race at Kansas. Justin Allgaier won the Xfinity Series race at Dover but his win wont count for his playoff eligibility. Allgaiers car failed post-race inspection for a rear suspension violation similar to the one officials found on Joey Loganos car after he won at Richmond a year ago. Allgaier is penalized 25 points in addition to losing the win for playoff purposes he keeps the trophy and remains officially listed as the race winner and his crew chief Jason Burdett has been suspended for the next two races. Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports. More from Yahoo Sports: NBA assistant coach resigns amid reports of misconduct Report: UFC champ rejected Conor McGregors apology Mike Trout reveals the one pitcher he cant figure out Hall of Famer has unusual, grim post-MLB career Senate Republican primary candidate Don Blankenship addresses supporters in Charleston, W.Va., following a poor showing in the polls May 8, 2018. President Trump had urged the state to vote for Blankenships opponents, declaring the former coal executive cant win the General Election. (Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) Tuesday evening, results became clear after voters in Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia cast their votes in the 2018 primaries. While the most hyped potential story of the night a win by former coal executive and ex-convict Don Blankenship in the West Virginia Republican Senate primary didnt come to pass, there are some results of note and one Twitter Photoshopped image from a surprising source. A GOP incumbent goes down: In North Carolinas Ninth District, along the south central border of the state, incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger fell to Baptist pastor Mark Harris. Pittenger has represented the district since 2012 but lost to Harris in a rematch of a 2016 primary he had won by just 134 votes. The district was already expected to be competitive the Democratic primary winner, Scott McCready, has raised over a million dollars but Harriss victory moved the race from a likely Republican lean to a toss-up according to some analysts. Harris is an outspoken opponent of gay marriage who successfully led a campaign to amend North Carolinas constitution to state that the only legal marriages in the state could be between a man and woman. (While the amendment was overruled by the Supreme Court, its still in the states constitution.) Harriss campaign website maintains that position, and its likely to be raised by McCready, a Marine Corps veteran who owns a solar farm. Robert Pittenger, Mark Harris. (Photos: Chuck Burton/AP, John D. Simmons /The Charlotte Observer via AP) McConnell takes a shot at Blankenship: Blankenship, the businessman who spent time in federal prison after an explosion at a mine he owned killed 29 people, did not win the Republican Senate primary in West Virginia, finishing third. He did, however, garner an interesting tweet from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Blankenship spent his campaign attacking McConnell (calling him Cocaine Mitch, a reference to a drug cache once found aboard a cargo ship owned by his in-laws) and his wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao (calling her father a China-person during a debate). Following Blankenships loss, McConnells official campaign Twitter account posted an image with the senators head Photoshopped into an ad for the Netflix series Narcos with the text Thanks for playing, Don. McConnells face was placed over that of actor Wagner Moura, who portrayed drug kingpin Pablo Escobar on the show, in a cloud of cocaine. The official Narcos account retweeted McConnells post with a pun, calling it a low blow. Story continues The original promotional image for the show is here. The West Virginia Senate GOP primary was won by state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who will face incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin. An upset in Indiana: The GOP Senate primary in Indiana was one of the most brutal in the country as Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita, two sitting U.S. congressmen and old college rivals, competed for the opportunity to take on incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly in a state President Trump won by 19 points in 2016. Rokita attempted to gain support from Trump voters by advertising that he had received an endorsement from Trump and former Indiana Governor Mike Pence until the White House asked Rokita to remove the lawn signs because no such endorsement had been issued. The blood feud ended badly for both, paving the way for former state representative and businessman Mike Braun to take the nomination with over 40 percent of the vote. Braun poured millions of his own money into the race and positioned himself as a Washington outsider like Trump. Todd Rokita, Mike Braun, Luke Messer. (Photos: Darron Cummings/AP, Michael Conroy/AP, Darron Cummings-Pool/AP) Kucinich blown out in Ohio: Former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary in Ohio by 40 points, falling to former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chief and former state Attorney General Richard Cordray, who had the backing of Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Kucinich earned the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanderss Our Revolution group but not of Sanders himself, who called Kucinich a friend but declined to issue an endorsement in the race. Some Democrats in the state were wary of Kucinichs ties to a group sympathetic to Syrian President Bashar Assad (Kucinich took a speaking fee from the group but said he plans to return the money) while being bothered by his appearances on Fox News praising Trump. (Those episodes contributed to the eccentric reputation of Kucinich, who once claimed he saw a UFO.) Cordray who was attacked by Kucinich for having previously received a National Rifle Association endorsement will compete against current state Attorney General Mike DeWine, who was victorious in the Republican primary, to fill the seat of Gov. John Kasich, who will be term-limited out of the position. Richard Cordray, Dennis Kucinich. (Photos: Kirk Irwin/Getty Images, John Minchillo/AP) (Cover tile photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Read more from Yahoo News: The sun was shining on the royal wedding party that is, a royal wedding party of corgis on Tuesday in New York City, where Lifetime hosted a gathering of canines of unimpeachable pedigree. The corgis gallivanted in front of onlookers and enacted a wedding of their own, a la the upcoming nuptials of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19. The Royal Corgi Court, as it was dubbed, was convened in honor of the new Lifetime movie Harry and Meghan: A Royal Romance, which airs May 13 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. But the real draw for the amused crowd that descended on Herald Square Plaza was the corgis. There was a red carpet to strut down and a faux-grass courtyard (with fountain) and mini-Windsor-on-the-Hudson Castle playhouse for the dogs to to romp around, all set to the tunes of the Beatles and the Spice Girls. Two (human) guards in full regalia even maintained order on the scene, faces impassive despite the corgis at play just behind them. A trainer plays with the corgis in front of a palace playhouse. Corgis are, of course, a favorite of the Windsor royal family; the Queen has bred many of them for nearly eight decades, although her last true corgi, Willow, recently passed away. The event made sure to entertain with plenty of pomp and circumstance befitting the royal pedigree: first each pup was paraded down the red carpet as a herald decried his or her title, treating the crowd to the presence of Prince William, Duchess Catherine, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Queen Elizabeth herself, each decked out in a doggy costume to denote their character. (Markle had a bit of difficulty with her rhinestone tiara, which kept slipping.) The corgi version of Meghan Markle parades down the red carpet, tiara slightly askew. Once inside the castle enclosure, the corgis were let loose with a trainer to prance about. Prince Harry spent much of his time lapping water from the fountain, while Markle seemed more interested in sitting pretty near the entrance to the castle. After about half an hour, the royal court was rounded up and given a rest, to return periodically throughout the day. Story continues A thirsty Prince Harry laps at water from the fountain. One of the princes and Princess Charlotte make a bid for freedom. Tara Gaston, Haya Ayala and Deborah Gonzalez. (Photos: gastonforsupervisor.com, ayalafordelegate.com, Facebook.com) For Tara Gaston, it was being repeatedly told thats not the way things have been done on the Saratoga County, N.Y., board of supervisors, to which she had just been elected. For Haya Ayala, it was watching her bill calling for pay parity get killed before it could get anywhere near the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates, which she joined as one of an influx of newcomers last year. And for Deborah Gonzalez, it was taking her first meeting with the other candidate who had flipped a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives during a special election last fall and realizing that he got a big office; I got a little office. He was given his first choice of committee requests; I didnt get any of my committee requests. He was a white man; I was a Latina. Theres a blue wave predicted for November, composed of record numbers of newcomers, many of them women, who are running to change the status quo. But for the forerunners of that wave new legislators like Gaston, Ayala and Gonzalez, who have already won their off-year or special elections that expectation has now met reality. Like generations of officeholders before them, they are learning that getting elected is completely different from governing, and that this unprecedented and unpredictable political landscape makes it all the more complicated. The attention has been on the record numbers who are running and to the message being sent by those sheer numbers, says Rosalyn Cooperman, associate professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. But what kind of change this brings depends not only on who runs and who wins, but how they navigate the rigid political institutions they are being elected to. Cooperman studied the Virginia House of Delegates, which added 19 first-time delegates in the November election; 12 were women, 11 of those were Democrats, and nine of those were challengers who defeated male Republican incumbents. It was a stunning sweep, but it fell one delegate short of flipping the House majority. (In fact, it fell one vote short of doing so, because the final seat in question was a tie, and a coin flip went to the Republican.) That meant a world of difference in what the newcomers could do. Story continues Rosalyn Cooperman, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. (Photo: Courtesy of Rosalyn Cooperman/Norm Shafer) More than half of the incoming freshmen were relegated to the science and technology committee, a committee with a light workload and limited jurisdiction, Cooperman wrote in an article for the website Gender Watch 2018. The lone Republican woman freshman was assigned to House finance. Democratic women (and men) delegates, she continued, also saw most of their sponsored bills killed in Republican-dominated committees. For instance, Danica Roem, who broke barriers by being the first transgender candidate delegate in the assembly, saw all 11 of her proposed bills die before leaving committee or even subcommittee. Of all the bills filed by the 16 freshman Democrats, 85 percent never made it to a floor vote. I thought it was an obvious good, says Ayala, who represents Prince William County, about her co-sponsorship of a bill that would protect employees from reprimand should they discuss their wages with other employees. In some contracts, it is part of nondisclosure, she says, which perpetuates the tendency to pay women less than men. Opponents of the bill said it was not needed because existing labor laws already cover the problem, she says, but they dont, which is why there is a problem. Anything they could do to desecrate my bill, they did, she says. When I reintroduce it this year, I plan to be better prepared. Being in the minority party was a major obstacle cited by the new officeholders interviewed for this article, but it was not the only one. Gaston, a lawyer who represents Saratoga Springs on the countys board, says that entrenched tradition is another. She had spent most of her adult life moving around the country to wherever her husbands naval career took the family. Though she had lived in Saratoga Springs periodically during those years, she had only been a full-time resident of the upstate New York town for a year when she decided to run as a Democrat for an open seat after the 2016 presidential election. That one didnt turn out the way I had wanted it to turn out, and I felt it was time to step up and do my part, she says. She won and became one of five newcomers on a 23-person, majority-Republican board. At the county level, she says, the divide is less one of party than of tenure, and she has been warned by those who have been there for years, even decades, that she was breaking unwritten rules. When local reporters attended board meetings, she asked that they be given copies of all the documents being reviewed by the supervisors, rather than just the specific ones they happened to request. I was told in no uncertain terms, Thats not the way things have been done. Well, its the way I do things. It feels like there is a touch of sexism in the warning, she says, though not so overt that she can call it out. I do hear a note of not so fast, little lady, she says, but those words have not been used. Im sure theres some gender in there, some politics in there, and some of me just being new and needing to figure it out. To help women overcome those obstacles, there is a pilot program called Underwire to mentor and support women after they win. Co-founder Marya Stark who is also a co-founder of Emerge America, which trains female Democratic candidates has watched thousands of Emerge alumni enter elected office and face everything from sexism to sabotage, by those who got there earlier. As was the case in the last so-called Year of the Woman in 1992, when the number of women in Congress reached record numbers in response to the Clarence Thomas hearings, the women running now are de facto outsiders, Stark says, and the question they keep asking is, How do I represent my constituents well when people are telling me I am not welcome here? That is Gonzalezs concern as she tries to crack the equation of gender, party and the learning curve of her new job. Her election represents a desire for change on the part of voters, she believes, but the body to which she was elected seems designed to resist most change. Like Gaston and Ayala, Gonzalez had no political experience in 2016 when the defeat of Hillary Clinton spurred her to run for office. I thought, I have taken so much for granted in terms of rights that obviously can be lost, she says. I come from a military family, and my father always taught us that if something needs to be done and youre the only person who could do it, you have a duty to do so. There were no Democratic challengers to Republican incumbent Regina Quick in Georgias 117th House District. Quick had voted for the campus gun carry bill that passed in the legislature, and co-sponsored an unsuccessful bill that would have required teachers to report to police any allegations of sexual assault, even if a student came to them in confidence. Gonzalez disagreed with both. And so I ran, she says. She Googled how to run for office and how do you run a successful campaign and enrolled in training from Emilys List, Georgia WIN and Her Turn. The vote was to be in 2018, but then Quick was appointed a superior court judge, and a special election was held in November 2017. Gonzalezs opponent, Houston Gaines, was 23 years old; unlike Gonzalez, he had held elected office when he was student council president at the University of Georgia the year before. Still, her district was so conservative and so gerrymandered that no Democrat had even run for the seat since 2002, making it a surprise when Gonzalez earned 53 percent of the vote. She took her place as one of three Latinas in a governing body that has 112 Republicans and 64 Democrats, with 26 percent of the total being women. Thats when she realized that many of the rules are not written down. This is the ultimate learn-on-the-job, she says. Who has the power to make things happen? Whose toes do you never ever step on? And this place is very, very, very heavy in tradition in the way you ask questions; in the way that business is conducted. Her experience with thats not the way things have been done came the day she arrived to find that all her colleagues were wearing ties (the men) and scarves (the women) that had been given to them by the Georgia Dental Association. I hadnt gotten the memo, she says. I think it was a way of hazing freshmen. She did get a heads-up the night before the last day of the legislative session, when she learned it was tradition to wear seersucker suits for the last vote. Needless to say, I didnt happen to have a seersucker suit, she says. I wore a blue dress. Like Gaston, Gonzalez is on a steep learning curve, and also confronting the realities of a fraternity-like boys club. The latter, she believes, explains why she has an office half the size as the one given to Jonathan Wallace, the new representative from the other district in Athens, who had also flipped a seat that had been strongly Republican. We came in at the same time, under the same circumstances; we were sworn in on the same day, she says. It was eye-opening to me. Whatever the roots, the women at the front of this potential blue wave warn that more women candidates does not automatically translate to more women in office, which in turn does not necessarily mean progress on the issues that women are running on in the first place. Westfield, N.J., Mayor Shelley Brindle (Photo: Facebook) Shelley Brindle, the newly elected Democratic mayor of the traditionally Republican town of Westfield, N.J., does not face the challenge of governing when in the minority party because not only did Democrats take the mayors office, but they also flipped the previously all-Republican town council by adding five Democrats. It was a stunning upset in an enclave that was home to some of the most influential Republicans in New Jersey, including many senior officials in the Christie administration. But even with the majority and what she sees as a clear mandate, the former high-level HBO executive says shes learning that entrenched practices are slow to change. She has had a crash course in parliamentary procedure so she could run town council meetings, negotiating with the fire and police departments, appointing staff that would pursue her vision and sending the message to the other party that they are now in the minority. The Republicans left on the council are having a tough time, she says. They dont want to acknowledge that theres a reason I won. I just physically represent that the town is different, and for some people thats particularly hard. It turns out, she says, that running was the easy part. Read more from Yahoo News: Meals at Washingtons best restaurants, a $50-per-night apartment on Capitol Hill, a $43,000 secure communications booth, a security detail befitting a head of state, regular first-class travel back home to Tulsa, as well as to international destinations like Morocco: Scott Pruitt has certainly lived his best life as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. He has also capably executed President Trumps deregulatory agenda, moving to rescind or delay dozens of rules, including those pertaining to water quality, vehicle fuel efficiency, chemical safety and industrial effluents. Pruitts policy moves have earned the praise of pro-business conservatives and the ire of liberals. The worst EPA administrator in history, climate activist Tom Steyer called him after the EPA decided it would allow industry lobbying groups to have a say in how their respective sectors would be regulated. But even if Pruitt has taken to the nations environmental regulations like a sacking Visigoth to the walls of Rome, there are growing signs that Trump has grown exasperated with the EPA administrator, in large part because his penchant for the good life seems to have no bounds, and has conflicted with Trumps drain-the-swamp promise. White House staffers are reportedly pushing for Trump to fire Pruitt, whose closest staffers abruptly resigned last week, leaving Pruitt paranoid and isolated within EPA headquarters, according to an Axios report. EPA Director Scott Pruitt. (Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: AP, Getty) Environmentalists will surely cheer Pruitts demise, but his widely expected departure is unlikely to slow the Trump administrations assault on the EPA, in large part because of the man waiting in the wings: Andrew R. Wheeler. Confirmed as the EPA deputy administrator last month, Wheeler is regarded by many as more savvy and knowledgeable than Pruitt, but is also seen as being less prone to scandal and distraction. Wheeler is truly dangerous because hes a lifelong insider and lobbyist so he knows how to work the system, Keith Gaby, communications director for the Environmental Defense Fund, told Yahoo News. Hes the man in a gray suit who will be smart enough not fly first class, or build secret phone booths, or do any of the glaringly sleazy things Pruitt has done. But he will quietly eviscerate the clean air and water safeguards that his clients have long paid him to oppose. Story continues Pruitt came to Washington from Tulsa, where hed risen from Oklahoma state senator to state attorney general, a post he used to sue the EPA on 14 separate occasions. Wheeler, on the other hand, is a longtime denizen of the Beltway. He worked at the EPA in the early 1990s, thrice earning the agencys Bronze Medal. Wheeler subsequently worked for the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and for Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe, the most prominent climate change denier in that chamber. Inhofe is also a mentor of sorts to Pruitt; it is widely believed that Pruitt would eventually like to run for Inhofes seat should the 83-year-old choose to retire. In 2009, Wheeler left Capitol Hill for the infinitely more lucrative precincts of K Street, where he joined Faegre Baker Daniels to work as an energy lobbyist. Among his clients was Robert E. Murray, the coal magnate who has in good part informed Trumps environmental agenda, and who has been a consistent champion of Pruitt. Wheeler also represented Energy Fuels Resources, a company that mined uranium. He is also reportedly affiliated with the Washington Coal Club, an industry association. Whereas the frequently smirking Pruitt has invited visceral disdain from liberals, Wheeler embodies the inoffensive look of Washingtons permanent class. But his views on climate change and industrial pollution seem hardly more forward-looking than Pruitts. Since he has already been confirmed by the Senate, there is little Democrats can do to stop him from becoming the agencys acting head. And with Pruitt gone a firing that many believe could take place within days it could prove difficult to convince the public that the seemingly milquetoast Wheeler is a danger to the environment of the same caliber. Andrew Wheeler during his confirmation hearing to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency before the United States Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 8th, 2017. (Photo: Alex Edelman/CNP via ZUMA Wire) If Pruitt is fired, I will be happy to see him go, Rep. Don Beyer, Democrat of Virginia, told Yahoo News, but I will remain focused on getting the EPA to return to its mission of protecting public health. Beyer says that, should Wheeler become the EPAs acting director, he expects that his actions will be closely scrutinized, and that he will be held accountable by Congress. Wheeler did not respond to a request for comment. Jahan Wilcox, an EPA spokesman and trusted Pruitt aide, also did not respond to multiple requests for comment, and a query sent to Pruitts four EPA email addresses went unanswered. (It is not common for federal officials to have four email accounts, though Obama-era EPA chief Lisa P. Jackson also used an undisclosed email account during her time at the agency.) For career EPA officials, Pruitts term has been such a disaster for the agency that even the elevation of a coal lobbyist would be a welcome change. Wheeler wont be as devastating as Pruitt, says John J. OGrady, an engineer in the EPAs Chicago office and chapter president of a labor union for EPA employees. Despite concerns about Wheelers past as a coal lobbyist, OGrady believes that Wheeler will at least not use the EPAs budget as his own personal expense account and may be a little better at the bureaucracy of the agency. Mostly, though, OGrady is looking for the unrelenting bad press to end. That would be nice not to have the constant embarrassment, he says. That time appears to be drawing near. Asked about Pruitts future earlier this week, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said she did not have any personnel announcements on that front, a clear sign of eroding confidence in the embattled EPA chief. Certainly we have confidence in the No. 2, she added. Read more from Yahoo News: Tokyo (AFP) - East Asian powers on Wednesday threw their weight behind breakneck diplomacy to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons, setting aside their differences on the process to endorse an intra-Korean deal. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is hosting his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in as preparations for a summit between Washington and Pyongyang heat up. On Wednesday, top US diplomat Mike Pompeo was in Pyongyang to prepare for the summit, which builds on talks between the two Koreas and a deal signed in the truce village of Panmunjom last month. Moon said the three Asian leaders had agreed to endorse the outcome of the neighbours' talks. "We reached the common recognition that the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, (and) the permanent establishment of peace and development of the intra-Korean relations are crucial," he said in a statement after the trilateral talks. "I would like to thank the leaders for welcoming and supporting the Panmunjom declaration," he added -- a position the trio are expected to formalise in a joint statement later Wednesday. At the historic Panmunjom summit less than two weeks ago Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to pursue a permanent peace treaty and also vowed to work towards the "complete denuclearisation" of the divided peninsula. But the phrase is a diplomatic euphemism open to interpretation on both sides. Pyongyang has long wanted to see an end to the US military presence and nuclear umbrella over the South, but it invaded its neighbour in 1950 and is the only one of the two Koreas to possess nuclear weapons. Japan has by far the hardest line of the three countries on North Korea, and has found itself largely watching from the sidelines as the diplomatic frenzy unfolds. It has been left uneasy by the pace of events, and by what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang. Story continues After the talks, Abe said he hoped to see the international community press "North Korea to take concrete steps towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, and peace and stability in northeast Asia". He also once again called for a resolution to the hugely emotive issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by the North. "If the issues of abduction and nuclear and missile programmes are comprehensively resolved and if the North Korea follows the right path, we will aim for the normalisation of relations," he said. The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has declared an Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday. The announcement came after two new cases were confirmed in the town of Bikoro in northwestern Congo. There have been 21 cases and 17 deaths in the past five weeks, according to WHO. Our top priority is to get to Bikoro to work alongside the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and partners to reduce the loss of life and suffering related to this new Ebola virus disease outbreak, said Dr. Peter Salama, WHO Deputy Director-General, Emergency Preparedness and Response. Working with partners and responding early and in a coordinated way will be vital to containing this deadly disease. Trending: Stephen Colbert Mocks Trump White House After Plagiarism Scandal: 'Is There Any Idea Melania Won't Steal?' 696530788 Getty Images The deadly disease is very rare and is caused by one of the five Ebola viruses. The virus can be spread from human to human or can be transmitted to people from animals, according to WHO. Symptoms of the virus include fever, severe headache, muscle pain, unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising), abdominal pain, vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alex Bukreyev, a virologist and a University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in the department of pathology, told Newsweek that population growth could potentially increase the spread of the disease. The number of deaths is huge, and it is circulating in that population. Outbreaks will stay the same level or even go up because of the growth of human population, Bukreyev told Newsweek. This is the ninth outbreak of the disease in the country since 1976, according to WHO. The last outbreak, which occurred in the northern Bas Uele province, reported eight cases with four deaths, according to the CDC. WHO said it will use the same model of response to the 2017 outbreak to solve the latest outbreak. Story continues This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that the United States will "lose in the end" for withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal with Iran. President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled the United States out of the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Tehran, prompting European powers to scramble to rescue the landmark 2015 pact. Erdogan told CNN International in an interview to be broadcast in full on Wednesday evening that he feared fresh crises would break out in the region as a result of the move. "We don't need new crises in the region," he said, according to a partial transcript on the CNN website published late Tuesday. But he said that it was Washington who risked losing as Tehran would fulfil its side of the bargain and stick to the accord. "The US would be the ones to lose," he said. "Iran will never compromise on this agreement, and will abide by this agreement to the end... that's what I think. However, the US will lose in the end." Erdogan rebuked Turkey's NATO ally for ripping up the agreement, which was signed under the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama. "This is not how the international mechanisms work," he said. "International covenants and international conventions cannot be annulled at will. If any document bears your signature, you need to respect that. You need to abide by that," Erdogan was quoted as saying. Erdogan said even if the US may be able to enjoy windfalls from rising oil prices as a result of the move it would have a negative effect on the world economy. "Many of the countries, in poverty, will be hit even harder and deeper," he said. Turkish-US relations are already strained over US backing for a Kurdish militia in Syria which Ankara says is linked to the outlawed PKK group, as well as the jailing of an American pastor in Turkey. Ankara also has a sometimes troubled relationship with Tehran, but the two sides have been working closely -- along with Russia -- over the last year in a bid to bring peace to Syria. New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a champion of the #MeToo movement, has resigned following allegations of abuse by four women. The 63-year-old Schneiderman led the effort to shut down Trump University in 2016. Schneiderman was also a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement, taking legal action against disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein. Two of his ex-girlfriends told New Yorker magazine that he was a "Jekyll and Hyde" who "hit them, often after drinking." Michelle Barish, a political activist and society figure, dated Schneiderman for two years. She is now claiming Schneiderman slapped me, open handed and with great force across the face landing the blow directly onto my ear." Another former girlfriend, author Tanya Selvaratnam, says he called her his brown slave. "Hed tell me to call him master and he'd slap me until I did, she told the magazine. This wasn't sexual playacting." He allegedly threatened both women about speaking up, with the chilling words, "I am the law" These women are adamant," Ronan Farrow, who co-wrote the New Yorker story, told "Good Morning America" Tuesday. "This was not '50 Shades of Grey.' This was not grey at all in their minds. This was assault they said over and over again." The New Yorker story was published at 6:47 pm Monday. Less than three hours later, he resigned. "In the privacy of intimate relationships I have engaged in role playing and other consensual sexual activity," he said in a statement. "I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex." Following the resignation, Trump aide Kellyanne Conway tweeted Gotcha. Donald Trump Jr. also slammed Schneiderman, taking to Twitter to say, Hey Eric, its not 'role play' if only one of you is in on it." Story continues Hey Eric, its not role play if only one of you is in on it. Ex: Schneiderman called me his 'brown slave,' would slap me until I called him 'Master' https://t.co/eIZ1ETQ5GC via @nypmetro Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 8, 2018 RELATED STORIES Jessica Drake Comes Forward to Back Up Stormy Daniels' Claims of Affair With President Trump Stormy Daniels Releases Sketch of Man She Says Threatened Her Doorman Who Says Trump May Have Fathered a Love Child Is 'Exaggerating,' Ex-Wife Says Related Articles: Paris (AFP) - European businesses have the most to lose from renewed US sanctions against Iran, analysts said Wednesday, with massive sums at stake for some of the continent's big names. A day after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme and reimposed crippling sanctions, EU governments promised they would shield their companies doing business with Tehran. European officials will "do everything" possible to protect their interests, an official in the French presidency said. America has, however, a long reach when it comes to forcing foreign companies to comply with its sanctions regime, analysts said, as some big European banks have learned the hard way. US sanctions policy is based on the extra-territoriality of American laws, meaning Washington also punishes foreign companies doing deals with Iran if they also have business with the US, or use dollars in their transactions. - Can't hide from policeman - European companies with interests in the United States "find it is impossible to hide from the world's policeman" said Jacques Hogard, who runs an international consulting firm. "You can try to circumvent sanctions, but not if you're a big company," he told AFP. Washington has given companies between 90 and 180 days to phase out existing contracts with Iran and banned them from signing any new ones, under threat of sanctions. And that threat is far from empty. France's biggest bank, BNP Paribas, was fined $8.9 billion in 2014 for breaking sanctions against Iran and other countries. The following year, Deutsche Bank paid $258 million in US fines for doing business with Iran and Syria pursuing, according to US regulators, a "lucrative" US dollar business for sanctioned customers. Europeans were eager to renew business ties with Iran after the July 2015 landmark deal which opened up the prospect of winning market share in the country of 80 million desperate for investment and consumer goods. Story continues Airbus, Siemens, Total, PSA and Fincantieri were among the multinationals launching investments in Iran, although the Islamic Republic's problems with financing its wish list kept a lid on enthusiasm. - EU's Iran business tripled - The European Union's trade with Iran nearly tripled in under three years, growing from 7.7 billion euros ($9.14 billion) in 2015 to 21 billion euros in 2017. Germany alone exported three billion euros worth of goods to Iran in 2017, Italy 1.7 billion and France 1.5 billion. Now that business drive risks stalling. Talking directly to Washington to soften the Trump administration's stance may be the wisest course of action, some companies say. French energy giant Total, which has agreed to invest $5 billion in Iran together with Chian's CNPC to develop the South Pars oil field, said last month it would seek an exemption from any new sanctions. For now corporate bosses are completely in the dark as to whether the sanctions regime will be watered down in this, or any other, way. The only certainty seems to be that the US decision "does not target what is already in place", said Mahasti Razavi, a lawyer with the August Debouzy firm. But what happens to companies who continue to deal with Iran still needs to be clarified, she said. Which is why many take a cautious stance. "We are carefully analysing this announcement and will evaluate the next steps in accordance with our internal policies and with complete observance of the sanctions and the export control rules," said a spokesman for European aircraft maker Airbus which has announced contracts with Iranian airlines for a total of 100 planes. - Clarity, please - Aerospace companies had been perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the Iran nuclear accord, which recognised the need for Iran to modernise its aircraft fleet. Emma Marcegaglia, head of employers association BusinessEurope, said European companies needed "legal clarity" and were counting on the EU and its member states to assist companies. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said he hoped to meet with US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin by the end of the week to discuss ways to soften the blow. (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal and ordered the reimposition of U.S. sanctions against Tehran that were suspended under the 2015 accord. Some sanctions take effect after a 90-day "wind-down" period ending on Aug. 6, and the rest, most notably on the petroleum sector, after a 180-day "wind-down period" ending on Nov. 4. Both deadlines are meant to give firms and other entities time in which to conclude trade and other business activities with or in Iran, the U.S. Treasury Department said on Tuesday. THE 90-DAY "WIND-DOWN PERIOD" SANCTIONS The United States will reimpose sanctions on the purchase or acquisition of U.S. dollars by the Iranian government, Iran's trade in gold and precious metals, and on the direct and indirect sale, supply and transfer to or from Iran of graphite, raw or semi-finished metals, coal and industrial-related software. When the 90-day period expires, sanctions also will be reapplied to the importation into the United States of carpets and foodstuffs made in Iran, and on certain related financial transactions. THE 180-DAY 'WIND-DOWN PERIOD' SANCTIONS On Nov. 4, sanctions will be reinstated on Iran's energy sector and on the provision of insurance or underwriting services. They also will be reapplied to petroleum-related transactions, including purchases of Iranian oil, petroleum products or petrochemical products, with the government-owned National Iranian Oil Company and other firms, and on Iran's shipping and shipbuilding sectors. Foreign financial institutions will face sanctions for transactions with the Central Bank of Iran or other Iranian financial institutions designated under legislation passed by Congress in 2012. With the expiration of the 180-day period, the United States will reimpose sanctions "as appropriate" on individuals who were on U.S. blacklists on Jan. 16, 2016, the date when most sanctions on Iran were suspended under the nuclear deal. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay in Washington; Editing by Mary Milliken and Peter Cooney) George Zimmerman, the Florida man acquitted of murder in the Trayvon Martin case, is facing charges of misdemeanor stalking after he allegedly threatened and harassed a private investigator in December. A news release from the State Attorneys Office for Seminole County, Florida, said Zimmerman was being investigated by the county sheriffs office over allegations that he stalked Dennis Warren late last year. Warren was hired to find people who might be interested in participating in Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story, a documentary series about the African American teenager who was fatally shot by Zimmerman, a white man acting as a neighborhood watch volunteer, in 2012. Warren contacted Zimmerman in September and gave him information on how to contact Michael Gasparro, the series executive producer. Zimmerman called Gasparro, and they talked about the documentary series, which will focus on the life and death of Martin, according to the Florida Sun-Sentinel. Warren told deputies he did not hear from Zimmerman again until December, when Gasparro told him an extremely agitated Zimmerman was sending threatening messages, according to deputies who requested a warrant. In one of those texts, Zimmerman allegedly threatened that Warren would be eaten by an alligator: [The private investigator] is a [expletive] WHO BOTHERED MY UNCLE IN HIS HOME. Local OR former law officer Hes well on his way to the inside of a gator as well. 10-4? Warren told investigators that he received 55 phone calls, 67 text messages, 36 voicemails and 27 emails from Zimmerman between Dec. 16, 2017, and Christmas Day. Some of the messages Zimmerman allegedly texted included Answer your phone (expletive) and Ill see you before you realize it, according to WKMG-TV in Orlando. Records show that when Warren asked Zimmerman to stop, he texted NO! and then Pursue charges, according to Spectrum News 13 in Orlando. During this period, Zimmerman also allegedly threatened to beat Jay-Z, an executive producer on the series, which is scheduled to premiere later this summer. Story continues Zimmerman told The Blast news site that anyone who fucks with my parents will be fed to an alligator. Records show that when Warren asked Zimmerman to stop, he texted NO! and then Pursue charges, according to Spectrum News 13. Zimmerman was issued a summons last week. He is scheduled to be arraigned May 30. Also on HuffPost A California Highway Patrol officer is confronted by a Black Lives Matter protester during a demonstration Thursday in Sacramento, California. Protesters chanted outside of City Hall. A young girl wears a shirt with an image of Stephon Clark. Veronica Curry, front with hoop earrings, raises her fist with other Black Lives Matter supporters. A protester holds a photo of Stephon Clark during a Black Lives Matter demonstration outside of Sacramento City Hall. A protester carries an umbrella as he marches during a protest of the police shooting of Stephon Clark. Black Lives Matter protesters stage a demonstration outside of Sacramento City Hall. A Black Lives Matter protesters run onto Interstate 5. A Black Lives Matter protester holds a sign as he marches on Interstate 5. Protesters stand on a California Highway Patrol car on Interstate 5. A young girl holds a Black Lives Matter sign in front of Sacramento police officers on horseback. Black Lives Matter protesters block Interstate 5 during a demonstration. Protesters hold signs as they march on Interstate 5. Protesters chant as they block the entrance to the Golden 1 Center. Black Live Matter protesters hold their fists in the air as they block the entrance to the Golden 1 Center. Black Live Matter protesters chant as they block the entrance to the Golden 1 Center. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. George Zimmerman, the Florida man acquitted by a jury over the murder of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, has been charged with misdemeanor stalking, the Brevard and Seminole Counties State Attorney has said. The 34-year-old Zimmerman is accused of threatening and harassing a private investigator in December 2017. The state attorney reports that after the findings of a county sheriffs office investigation were handed over, an evaluation of evidence determined that the allegations can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. Related: What happened to George Zimmerman? Trending: The End of America First? Trump's Hawkish New Advisers Suggest Shift in Foreign Policy Zimmerman was served summons on May 3 and will appear at an arraignment on May 30, the office of state attorney Phil Archer said. According to the charges, Zimmerman allegedly followed, harassed and cyberstalked Dennis Albert Warren between December 16 and December 25 2017. According to reports from NBC News and WKMG ClickOrlando, the sheriffs deputies said Zimmerman called Warren 55 times over the nine days, as well as leaving over 30 voicemails, 67 texts and 27 emails. Don't miss: Will Qatar Invest in Trump-Tied Conservative News Outlet Newsmax After Falling Out With Jared Kushner? Warren was reportedly working for the production company of a TV documentary series called Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story, which will air this summer. Set to take on the charged story of Martins death and Zimmermans subsequent trial, the series is being executive produced by Jay-Z. GettyImages-450574175 Joe Burbank-Pool/Getty Images Story continues According to NBC, Seminole Sheriffs Office alleged that Zimmerman told a co-producer of the series Warren was well on his way to the inside of a gator. Zimmerman made a similar threat in a December 16 interview with The Blast where he accused members of the series production team of harassing his family, adding anyone who f***s with my parents will be fed to an alligator. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Zimmerman appears before a judge on aggravated assault charges in 2013 Getty George Zimmerman, the man cleared of murdering unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, has been charged with stalking. The 34-year-old is accused of harassing and threatening Dennis Warren, a private investigator hired to work on a Jay-Z-produced documentary series about Trayvons life. Police said Mr Zimmerman called Mr Warren 55 times, left 36 voicemails, sent 67 texts and 27 emails over a period of nine days in December. He also allegedly threatened the investigator with being on his way to the inside of a gator. Texts sent to Mr Warren included messages such as Answer your phone (expletive)" and Text me again. I'll show up at your home you (expletive), according to Floridas Seminole County Sheriffs Office. Voicemails left by Mr Zimmerman featured ticking sounds that would slowly increase in frequency and speed, WKMG-TV reported. Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story, which is set to air this summer, delves into Trayvons death in 2012, and the impact it had on US society. Mr Zimmerman, who was a neighbourhood watch captain in a gated community in Sanford, Florida, shot dead the 17-year-old after telling a 911 dispatcher he looked like a real suspicious guy. Police initially failed to arrest Mr Zimmerman after he said he acted in self-defence, but he was later charged with murder following a public outcry. A jury found him not guilty. Mr Zimmerman was also arrested on suspicion of domestic violence in 2015, but was not charged after the alleged victim withdrew her claims. He triggered further outrage in 2016 when he auctioned the gun he claimed was used to kill Trayvon for $250,000 (184,000). Court records show Mr Zimmerman was issued a summons last week and will appear in court on 30 May on a charge of misdemeanour stalking. BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's new ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, warned German companies to halt activities in Iran after the U.S. leader said Washington was pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal and would reimpose sanctions. Grenell, a long-time critic of the 2015 nuclear deal, posted the warning on Twitter just hours after arriving in Berlin and presenting his credentials to the German president. Trump made the announcement in a televised address from the White House, in a move that will raise the risk of conflict in the Middle East, upset Germany and America's other European allies, and unsettle global oil markets. "US sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy," Grenell said in his first posting on Twitter after arriving in Germany. "German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately." German industry reacted nervously to the U.S. announcement, warning that European companies could face U.S. fines if their Iranian business partners wound up on U.S. sanctions lists. Grenell is starting his job in Berlin nearly 16 months after his predecessor John Emerson left the country. A Republican foreign policy writer and avid Twitter user, Grenell was an aide to Trump's new national security adviser, John Bolton, when Bolton was former Republican President George W. Bush's ambassador to the United Nations. Grenell served as the U.S. spokesman at the United Nations from 2001 to 2008, and then worked as a contributor to Fox News. The U.S. Senate confirmed Grenell on April 26, making him the highest-ranking openly gay official in the Trump administration. The next day, he joined Trump at the White House to welcome Chancellor Angela Merkel for talks that produced little movement on trade disputes or the Iran accord. Trump had nominated Grenell in September but key Democrats help up his confirmation, citing concerns about what they called Grenell's history of making statements insulting to women politicians on the internet and during television appearances. Asked about such comments during his confirmation hearing, Grenell said he was trying to be funny, not insulting, and would not have made such statements while serving as a U.S. public official. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Peter Graff) Fiona Maisels and Samantha Strindberg are conservation scientists who work with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to save great apes, elephants and other wild animals. Liz Williamson is a fellow at the University of Stirling, in Scotland, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List authority coordinator for great apes. The authors contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The first time one of us (Fiona Maisels) came face-to-face with a gorilla, in 1988, the animal shouted loudly and repeatedly charged within a few feet of her for half an hour. It felt like an eternity. The research station director, Caroline Tutin, had given sage advice: "If charged, stand, avoid eye contact, stay calm and pretend to eat leaves until the silverback (mature male) is convinced you are a harmless, herbivorous visitor to his home." Back in camp, Tutin said, "You see? Nothing happened." In fact, it was an unforgettable week at Lope National Park in Gabon that included a first glimpse of a western lowland gorilla family. A young gorilla was trying to beat her chest like the adults did but had not yet learned the trick; she failed to make the distinctive pok-pok-pok-pok sound, or indeed any sound at all. [See photos of great apes living in the African forest] Gorillas in trouble The forest home of this gorilla and his family is one of the remaining great-ape strongholds part of the huge Western Equatorial Africa region. All western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) live in this vast forest west of the Congo River, which covers around 290,000 square miles (751,000 square kilometers) an area larger than France and spans three entire countries (Gabon, Republic of Congo and Equatorial Guinea) and parts of three others (Cameroon, Central African Republic and Angola). Story continues With 51 co-authors, we have just published a study on these great apes in the journal Science Advances. We brought together field data from 59 areas, which we surveyed between 2003 and 2013. It took the equivalent of 167 person-years to walk 5,400 miles (or 8,700 km, the distance from Los Angeles to London) through the forest to collect this information. The results are mixed. The good news is that we found roughly one-third more gorillas and one-tenth more chimpanzees than were previously believed to be there. This western lowland gorilla seems to be sizing up the photographer. Ben Evans/WCS We hope that the silverback who charged so impressively and for so long in 1988 was allowed to age gracefully, because the bad news is that gorilla populations are dropping to the tune of 2.7 percent a year. That may not sound like a lot, but it means half the present population could be gone before 2040. Thus, despite their current population size, which we estimate to be over 300,000, these gorillasand other subspecies remain on the IUCN Critically Endangered list; half the western lowland gorilla population that was around when Maisels met her first gorilla is already gone, according to a 2003 study in the journal Nature. Why has this happened? The population declines can be attributed largely to poaching, and those decreases are exacerbated by disease and easier access to the forests as new road networks penetrate deep into Western Equatorial Africa's interior or, to paraphrase science writer Jared Diamond: guns, germs and trees. Historically, these forests were accessible only on foot or by canoe along one of the rivers. A hunter can walk up to 20 miles (32 km) a day along elephant paths or human trails in the forest. But if he hops on a truck, he can travel 50 miles (80 km) into the woods in a few hours, hunt and come back within days, loaded with the meat of wild animals that he no longer needs to carry on his back. With the opening of the Central African forests to timber extraction, the only remaining bastions of roadless land where hunters still have to walk are now protected areas and huge swamp forests. [Image Gallery: 25 Primates in Peril] What else has changed since 1988? Deadly outbreaks of Ebola virus disease have burned through mammal populations in northeastern Gabon and western Republic of Congo, wiping out more than 90 percent of these great apes across one-sixth of their entire range. As we look to the future, most worrying is that 80 percent of western lowland gorillas and central chimpanzees live outside the relatively safe havens of protected areas. Rather, they live in large, forested landscapes with formally protected areas (such as national parks and reserves) at their core, and in swamp forests. If land-use planning for economic development does not take into account biodiversity and conservation, industrial agriculture could soon replace vast tracts of the forest home of these great apes. There has already been some forest loss and degradation, but in the future this will be dwarfed by the clear-cutting of forests for croplands as the range states move away from selective timber exploitation (which leaves the forest still standing) towards industrial agriculture. We have all seen images of oil palms from horizon to horizon on other continents, and oil palm is a looming threat to African apes, according to a 2014 study published in the journal Current Biology. From under cover of leaves and branches, Buka, a silverback gorilla in Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, watches the forest. The study also revealed that 360,000 western lowland gorillas call the Republic of Congo home. This is almost a third more individuals than prior numbers indicated. But with the good, comes the bad: These populations are known to be declining at 2.7 percent annually. Zanne Labuschagne/WCS Going forward What can be done? Because one of the most serious threats to great apes is poaching (killing of great apes is illegal, worldwide), the first priority is to ensure protected areas are functional, and that includes installing highly effective law enforcement and supporting wildlife protection elsewhere. Continuing support from nongovernmental groups, along with donors such as the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, can play a vital role in protecting great apes. Second, careful national land-use planning throughout Western Equatorial Africa that preserves high-quality ape habitat in the long term is crucial. We must plan ahead to locate new agricultural development in areas where forest is already degraded and wildlife is already mostly gone. In logging enterprises, we have seen that if the existing laws are obeyed, poaching is prevented. If industrial codes of good environmental practice are followed, great apes, elephants and other large mammals can still survive. Great apes are our closest nonhuman relatives. Unlike other species such as elephants, which live in a world of smell, sound and infrasound, or bees which can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, great apes see, hear and smell the same way we do. Our social surroundings are also pretty much the same. They nurse their babies, play with them just as we do and use tools. And they grieve the death of relatives and friends. It is worth fighting for secure and thriving populations of great apes, the heart-stopping charge of a silverback gorilla, the gentle touch of a great-ape mother on her infant and the curiosity of a chimpanzee youngster practicing chest pounding. These great apes may seem far removed from humanity, but if it weren't for a few flips in the switches of evolution, they could be us. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Gina Haspel, President Trumps nominee to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, tried to clear the air over her role in the CIAs controversial interrogation program described as torture by critics at the start of her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday. I knew that accepting the presidents nomination would raise questions about CIA classified activities and my career at the agency, Haspel told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. I also understand that it is important for the American people to get to know me so they are able to judge my fitness for this position. Haspel, who joined the CIA in 1985 and has spent most of her 30-plus years in the spy agency undercover, oversaw a secret prison in Thailand where terror suspects were waterboarded between 2003 and 2005. I think it is important to recall the context of those challenging times immediately following 9/11, Haspel said. For me, I had just returned to Washington from an overseas posting, and I reported for duty the morning of 9/11. I knew in my gut when I saw the video of the first plane hitting the tower in Manhattan that it was Bin Laden. I got up and I walked over to the Counterterrorism Center as the CIA compound was evacuated, and I volunteered to help. I didnt leave for three years. We worked seven days a week, and I even had friends who postponed weddings and having babies. The men and women of CIA were driven and charged with preventing another attack. The first boots on the ground in Afghanistan were my colleagues, Haspel continued. The first U.S. casualty in Afghanistan was a CIA officer and colleague, and it was CIA who identified and captured the mastermind of 9/11 in a brilliant operation. I am proud of our work during that time. The hard lessons we learned from that experience inform my leadership of CIA today. CIA nominee Gina Haspel is sworn in during her Senate confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP) In 2009, then-President Barack Obama signed an executive order barring the CIA from using harsh interrogation methods such as waterboarding. As a candidate, Trump said that he would consider reintroducing waterboarding and a lot worse. But Haspel told lawmakers on Wednesday she has no interest in restarting the Bush-era torture regime. Story continues Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, on my watch, CIA will not restart a detention and interrogation program, Haspel said. She added: The law provides that no individual in U.S. custody may be subjected to any interrogation technique or approach that is not authorized by and listed in the Army Field Manual. I fully support the standards for detainee treatment required by law, and just as importantly, I will keep CIA focused on our collection and analysis missions that can best leverage the expertise found at the agency. Haspel said the CIA has learned hard lessons from its post-9/11 performance. We have decided to hold ourselves to a stricter moral standard, Haspel said. When pressed by Sen. Mark Varner, D-Va., on whether she would change her position on torture if asked by Trump to do so, Haspel was unequivocal. I would never ever take the CIA back to an interrogation program, she said. Later during the open session, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., repeatedly asked Haspel if she now believes waterboarding was immoral. Haspel would not answer directly. Harris also asked Haspel if she agreed with Trumps assertion that torture works. Haspel hedged, saying the CIA gained valuable information from its enhanced interrogation of al-Qaida operatives but that the answer to the question was not knowable. Several protesters were removed before and during Haspels hearing, including one woman who chanted bloody Gina as she was led out of the room. The lawmakers also questioned Haspel during a closed-door, classified session on Wednesday afternoon. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.., emerged from Wednesdays hearing to declare he would vote to confirm Haspel. Read more from Yahoo News: Press secretary Sarah Sanders talks to reporters outside the White House on May 3. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP) The press secretary was furious, frustrated at how little credibility he had with the press. I think that some people here are too quick to make unsubstantiated charges or implications that I am lying or that my credibility has been destroyed, he said. His name was Ron Nessen, and he was the spokesman for President Gerald R. Ford. It was the summer of 1975, and Watergate haunted the land. A journalist had called Nessens answer to a question about nuclear policy a lie. The charge was evidence, Nessen said, of blind, mindless, irrational suspicion and cynicism that made it impossible for him to do his job. The woman who currently holds Nessens position, Sarah Sanders, has faced unrelenting accusations of dishonesty from the first day she took to the podium in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. Thats in large part because the man she works for, President Trump, is regarded as dishonest by two-thirds of the American population. Last summer, she replaced Sean Spicer, who began his career as White House press secretary by declaring that the crowd at Trumps inauguration was the largest in history, period. It was a lie. Worse yet, the lie was obvious. That strange Saturday briefing, held at the angry presidents insistence, hung on Spicer during his six months on the job like a foul odor. Images depicting sections of different kinds of border walls are displayed behind Trump White House press secretary Sean Spicer as he talks to the media during the daily press briefing, May 3, 2017. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP) As the public face of the administration since Spicers departure, Sanders who declined multiple requests to comment for this article has not managed to regain credibility with the press. According to some, she has squandered what little trust remained after Spicer shuffled off the stage. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Is Worse Than Sean Spicer, declared a New Republic headline last fall. What makes her job unique is that many of the crises Sanders must address are coming from within the West Wing, not the world beyond. She has had to field questions about the investigation being conducted by special counsel Robert Mueller into potential election meddling by Russia on the Trump campaigns behalf. More recently, she has had to account for a $130,000 payment made by Trump lawyer Michael D. Cohen to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in an agreement not to discuss a relationship she says she had with Trump. Story continues Because Sanderss answers on these topics and others have been consistently evasive or incomplete, the press corps has come to see her as a sour fabulist no better than her boss. At the recent White House Correspondents Dinner, comedian Michelle Wolf joked that Sanders burns facts to create a kind of makeup effect known as a smoky eye. While some thought the joke in poor taste, others came to Wolfs defense. Comedian Samantha Bee, for example, joked on her program Full Frontal, Calling Sanders a liar isnt an insult, its her job description. Comedian Michelle Wolf performs at the White House Correspondents Association dinner on April 28. (Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters) Bee inadvertently pointed at a truth that transcends even this bracingly unique administration of alternative facts. A White House press secretary has a thankless job, which involves making on-the-record statements to men and women whose job it is to parse every phrase for elisions, inaccuracies and untruths. Some of those men and women work for news outlets that are ideologically hostile to the sitting president, making it nearly certain that they will treat the press secretary as a taxpayer-funded propagandist. This trend has only accelerated because briefings are now shown live on television and the internet, with critiques and fact-checks whizzing across Twitter near-simultaneously. It is only recently that press secretaries have become familiar public figures, says presidential historian Robert A. Dallek. FDR and JFK, for example, communicated with the press themselves. Only since the 1990s have press secretaries become well known to the public, Dallek told Yahoo News. But accusations of dishonesty from presidential press secretaries are not an innovation of the digital age. The New York Times James B. Reston charged President Kennedys press staff with making deceptive statements about the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961. Reston wrote that the press was debased for the governments purpose. Credit Jody Powell, who served as press secretary for former President Jimmy Carter, for being honest in a 1982 interview, when he admitted to having lied about the Americans held hostage in Iran, which he said he did out of concern for their safety. The admission came during a gathering of six previous presidential press secretaries. Other than Powell, none could point to a single lie hed ever uttered. Remarkably, this group of self-described truth tellers included Ronald L. Ziegler, who had been press secretary to President Richard M. Nixon and had famously described Watergate as a third-rate burglary. Ziegler was also known for retracting previous statements about the Watergate cover-up by describing them as inoperative i.e., false. Carter White House press secretary Jody Powell during a press briefing. (Photo: Wally McNamee/Corbis via Getty Images) Marlin Fitzwater, who served as press secretary to both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, wrote in his memoir, Call the Briefing! that a press secretary can never take the integrity of information for granted, even if it comes from the Oval Office. Fitzwater described his job as dancing, which he explained usually means to state one clear fact, then qualify it forty-seven different ways. You cant say all you know, but you cannot steer reporters away from the truth, reflects Michael D. McCurry, who was former President Bill Clintons press secretary and introduced cameras into the Brady briefing room. But it is simple. Tell the truth. And if you dont know the truth, dont speculate, McCurry tells Yahoo News. Sometimes, the charges of dishonesty are politically motivated. After Obama spokesman Jay Carney left his post in 2014, for example, far-right radio host Alex Jones released a seven-minute video of what were deemed Carneys deceptions. Obamas head liar has finally called it quits, the segments description on YouTube said. Apparently his dark soul can no longer handle the lap dog press. Fringe criticisms aside, Carney was largely regarded as honest, in good part because the president he served had little tendency to prevarication. The same cannot be said of Trump, who dissembles when it suits him without any seeming compunction. A recent report in the Washington Post described Sanders as a willing warrior for Trump who is nevertheless exasperated by daily having to serve a president who generously calls his own tendency to deception truthful hyperbole. It is a cruel paradox of her job that in order to serve Trump, Sanders must trudge in front of a press corps eager to catch the president in yet another lie. Critics point out that nothing obligates Sanders to continue working for Trump. Clinton White House press secretary Mike McCurry ponders a question about the affair involving President Bill Clinton and a White House intern during a press conference, Jan. 22, 1998. McCurry told reporters that Clinton denied and was outraged by the charges. (Photo: Joyce Naltchayan/AFP/Getty Images) At the very least, she can take comfort in the fact that others have been there before. McCurry, for example, had the thankless task of serving as Bill Clintons press secretary during the investigation into his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Like Trump, Clinton faced accusations that hed lied to the American people. Then, as now, the daily press briefings were crowded and contentious. McCurry worked the room with an ironic weariness. I choose not to ask [Clinton] directly about these things, McCurry once said of the Lewinsky affair. When McCurry left his position in the fall of 1998, Howard Kurtz, then of CNN, wrote that McCurry had been an unwitting participant in the Monica Lewinsky cover-up but that he was far more helpful to reporters in private conversations, when the cameras were turned off. Some White House correspondents have a better relationship with Sanders than is apparent from their televised interactions. After Wolfs set at the White House Correspondents Dinner, Maggie Haberman, the well-sourced White House reporter for the New York Times, tweeted that it was impressive how Sanders absorbed intense criticism from the comedian without walking out. At least Sanders has not yet faced an international crisis, which would elevate the import of every word uttered from the press room podium. Former press secretary Ari Fleischer found himself defending the administration of George W. Bush after the Sept. 11 attacks. Like many in the administration, Fleischer seemed to grasp that a fearful public would be easy to manipulate when it came to contentious policy goals like invading Iraq. Christopher Hitchens called Fleischers two and a half years in service of the Bush administration a reign of terror. Jonathan Chait described in the New Republic how Fleischer could spin elaborate webs of obfuscation, leaving the press corps mystified and docile. This was not intended as a compliment. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders speaks during the daily news briefing at the White House on May 3. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP) During the Obama years, the press briefing was a mostly dull affair. That is no longer the case, with Spicer having drawn some 4.3 million daily viewers at the beginning of the Trump presidency. Sanders has now lasted nearly twice as long as he did. Nor is there any indication that she is in Trumps disfavor, as Spicer seemingly was from the moment he strode out before the cameras in a poorly fitting suit. But she is acutely aware that her own professional reputation is at stake, never more than now, with laffaire Stormy threatening the presidency with its suggestion of illegal campaign-related payments. Joe Lockhart, who followed McCurry as Clintons press secretary, thus offers the following advice to Sanders: I think at this point, Id go into the Oval Office and tell the president that if he lies to me again, I have to quit, he said on CNN on May 5. Going forward, she has to make clear shes not going to carry his water anymore. But every press secretary carries water, whether its about negotiations with Iran or dealing with the lawyer for an adult film actress. The only question is when the bucket becomes too heavy to bear. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: (Reuters) - Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner proposed a fiscal 2019 budget on Tuesday that tackles a $114 million deficit but does not address looming spending pressures, including the city's share of recovery costs for Hurricane Harvey, which slammed Houston last August. The budget fully funds public safety departments while avoiding layoffs, according to Turner. "It's a tight budget, but it's a budget that will wipe out the $114 million gap," the mayor told reporters. Houston will continue to face a structural budget deficit every year due to a voter-approved cap on property tax revenue, Turner said, saying that more money was needed to beef up the city's public safety force. The $4.9 billion all-funds budget, which includes a $2.48 billion general fund, eliminates the deficit with the help of higher-than-expected sales tax revenue, $29 million from a settlement with a firm that did actuarial work for the city's retirement systems, spending reductions and fund transfers, Turner said. [nL1N1R51ZA] But the spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1 does not address Houston's 10 percent to 15 percent share of $2.5 billion in hurricane recovery costs, more than $600 million in deferred maintenance needs, or upcoming contract negotiations with city worker unions, according to Turner. Also not in the budget is a plan for dealing with the cost of city workers' post-retirement healthcare benefits. Turner said he will unveil over the next year a plan to begin paying down the $2.1 billion unfunded liability that accrued over the last decade or so. Houston took on its $8.2 billion unfunded pension liability through a Texas law enacted last year that put into place a 30-year cost-saving plan, which included the city's issuance in December of $1 billion of taxable pension bonds. Turner said while the bonds added $42 million in debt service payments to the upcoming budget, the city's fiscal 2019 pension contribution is about $300 million less than it would have been without the plan. In January, S&P Global Ratings revised the outlook on Houston's AA credit rating to stable from negative, citing the pension changes. The proposed budget projects ending fiscal 2019 with a nearly $191 million general fund balance, according to budget documents. (Reporting by Karen Pierog; Editing by Leslie Adler) Democrats also got off lightly after Dennis Kucinich, who has refused to condemn Assad, flopped in the Ohio gubernatorial race Republican US Senate candidate Don Blankenship watches results during the primary election in Charleston, West Virginia. Photograph: Lexi Browning/Reuters Both Democratic and Republican insiders breathed sighs of relief on Tuesday night as outsider candidates widely believed to be flawed, if not unelectable, lost in critical primaries. In West Virginia, Don Blankenship, the coal baron who was convicted in a fatal mine disaster and ran television ads considered to be racist by many, finished third. Republicans were angst-ridden at the possibility that Blankenship, who served a year in prison for wilfully violating mine safety and health standards after an explosion that killed 29 people in 2010 could become their standard bearer. He received further national attention after he ran a controversial television ad where he talked about China people. Instead, the state attorney general Patrick Morrisey won, edging out two-term incumbent congressman Evan Jenkins. Morrisey, a former lobbyist who was attacked for New Jersey roots and ties to the pharmaceutical industry, was heavily backed by movement conservatives like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. In contrast, Jenkins, who faced criticism for being a registered Democrat until 2013, was considered a favorite of establishment Republicans. With 90% of precincts reporting, Morrisey received with 35% of the vote while Jenkins received 29% and Blankenship 20%. Blankenship had been seen as surging recent days that left Republicans afraid that they would virtually forfeit the general election in the deep red state if he was the nominee. President Donald Trump weighed in on Twitter urging West Virginians to vote against Blankenship in a state that he won by over 40 points. To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, cant win the General Election in your State...No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey! tweeted Trump. Remember Alabama was an invocation of the 2017 special election for U.S. Senate in Alabama where Republicans nominated Roy Moore, a controversial former judge who faced accusations of sexual assault. Story continues The convicted former coal CEO had based much of his campaign on his loathing for senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, attacking McConnells family and dubbing the Kentucky Republican Cocaine Mitch. After his defeat, McConnells campaign account tweeted a picture of the Senator surrounded by white powder with the caption Thanks for playing Don. Morrisey will face incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin in November. The marquee race for Democrats on Tuesday was the Ohio gubernatorial primary, where the former presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich flopped in a comeback attempt against Richard Cordray, the former head of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB). Cordray was strongly backed by Elizabeth Warren, who campaigned for him in the state. With 81% of precincts reporting, Cordray was beating Kucinich by a margin of 63% to 22%. Kucinich, a former congressman, faced scrutiny over his ties to the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and his refusal to condemn the Assad regime. Democrats were worried that Kucinichs baggage could drag the rest of the ticket down if he were the partys nominee. Cordray will face Mike DeWine, a former US senator and the states current attorney general. DeWine easily defeated a primary challenge from the states lieutenant governor, Mary Taylor. In Ohios Republican primary for US Senate, Jim Renacci, an incumbent congressman who was vocally supported by Trump, defeated businessman Mike Gibbons for the Republican nomination Businessman Mike Braun, beat two US congressmen in the Indianas Republican Senate primary and will face the incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly in what is expected to be one of the most competitive races of the 2018. Trump won Indiana by almost 20 points, and Republicans there have long targeted Donnelly. The president will appear at a campaign stop there on Thursday along with Vice-President Mike Pence. Braun, a businessman, won a decisive victory over the US representatives Luke Messer and Todd Rokita by attacking the congressmen as identical creatures of the Washington swamp. Meanwhile, both Rokita and Messer tried to closely tie themselves to Trump; Messer nominated Trump for the Nobel peace prize while Rokita campaigned with a cardboard cutout of him. Greg Pence, Mikes older brother, easily won the primary for the safe Republican seat vacated by Messer. In another House race, Robert Pittenger of North Carolina became the first incumbent to lose a primary on Tuesday. Pittenger, a three term congressman, lost to conservative pastor Mark Harris who attacked him as insufficiently conservative. Harris had lost a 2016 primary bid against Pittenger by 134 votes. The suburban Charlotte district has been considered competitive in a general election and Democratic nominee Dan McCready has been a fundraising juggernaut who had $1.3m cash on hand at the end of the last reporting period. Although official results have not been announced, Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies were seen as the biggest winners in Lebanon's first parliamentary vote since 2009. "With Lebanon's elections now out of the way, Tehran may no longer feel constrained over a limited military response to Israel's recent attacks on its forces in Syria," Michael Every, senior Asia-Pacific strategist at Rabobank, said in a research note published Tuesday. One major geopolitical concern coming into focus in recent weeks is the escalation of clashes between Iran and Israel. Hezbollah's recent electoral success could prompt Iran to take a more aggressive approach toward Israel in the ongoing Syrian war, according to one political strategist. Although official results have not been announced, Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies were seen as the biggest winners in Lebanon's first parliamentary vote since 2009. The militant Shia group and its political partners claimed "victory" on Monday, after preliminary results showed the allied groups were on track to secure 67 seats in Beirut's 128-seat parliament. Nonetheless, Sunni Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his Western-backed Future Movement remained the likely frontrunners to form a new unity government. "With Lebanon's elections now out of the way, Tehran may no longer feel constrained over a limited military response to Israel's recent attacks on its forces in Syria," Michael Every, senior Asia-Pacific strategist at Rabobank, said in a research note published Tuesday. "Yet, Hezbollah might not want to rock a boat that is suddenly sailing in its preferred direction," he added. Iran vs. Israel Denounced as a terrorist group by the U.S., Hezbollah's political mandate has grown since joining the war in Syria to support President Bashar Assad in 2012. The group's powerful presence in Beirut is seen by some external observers as a mark of Iran's regional ascendancy. Story continues Syria has long been engulfed in a chaotic and internecine war involving numerous parties fighting for their own calculated interests. And one major geopolitical concern coming into focus in recent weeks is the escalation of clashes between Iran and Israel. Last month, Iran warned Israel that it would be " punished " for allegedly carrying out an attack on a drone base of Tehran's in Syria. Israel's government neither confirmed nor denied the strike, which killed seven Iranian military advisors from the country's elite Quds Force in the Syrian city of Homs. Since 2013, Israel is estimated to have carried out more than 100 airstrikes in Syria, primarily targeting the Iranian-funded Lebanese militia group Hezbollah and military convoys. But the first months of 2018 have seen Israel broaden its intervention to increasingly target its longtime nemesis, Iran, directly. So far the conflict has not devolved into all-out war, something experts say both countries want to avoid. But, Israel sees Iranian activity in Syria near its border as an existential threat , and aims to prevent Iranian military installations from becoming permanent bases from which Hezbollah can launch attacks into its territory. Israeli defense sources reportedly told U.S. officials in late April that any such attack would trigger a response targeting Iranian soil. Hariri likely to continue as Lebanon's leader Still, not all analysts agree on the broader consequences of Lebanon's election result. "The result of the Lebanese elections does not signal Hezbollah's control of the political system as the March 8 alliance is not coherent and has been fragmenting for the last two years," Eurasia Group analyst Ayham Kamel told CNBC via email on Tuesday. "While Hariri has lost seats to some Sunni independents, his party remains the most representative of the community with presence across the country," he added. Hariri, who has served as Lebanon's prime minister since late 2016, saw his party lose approximately one-third of its seats in Sunday's election. That is likely to mean he emerges in a much weaker position, analysts said, and with even less of a mandate to exert influence over Hezbollah. In a news conference on Monday, Hariri acknowledged his party's losses but said "it's not the end of the world." "My hand is extended to every Lebanese who participated in the elections to preserve stability and create jobs," he added, in a televised statement. Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing laws stipulate the prime minister must be a Sunni Muslin, the speaker of parliament a Shia and the president a Maronite Christian. The vote, which was Lebanon's first parliamentary election since war broke out in neighboring Syria in 2011, had been hailed by lawmakers as a breakthrough moment for a nation stuck in the middle of a regional power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. However, fewer than half of Lebanon's registered voters turned up to cast their ballots on Sunday, according to the country's interior minister. That's lower than the turnout recorded in 2009 and far below analysts' expectations. More From CNBC (TEHRAN, Iran) Irans president on Tuesday warned the country could face some problems ahead of President Donald Trumps decision on whether to pull out of its nuclear deal with world powers. Without directly naming Trump, Hassan Rouhanis remarks at a petroleum conference in Tehran represented the first official Iranian comment on the U.S. presidents overnight tweet that hed make an announcement on the deal Tuesday. It is possible that we will face some problems for two or three months, but we will pass through this, Rouhani said. Rouhani also stressed Iran wants to keep working with the world and constructive engagement with the world. That appeared to be a nod to Europe, which has struck a series of business deals with Iran since the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Trumps tweet came late on Monday night, meaning major newspapers across Iran missed the announcement for their front pages. Irans state-run television broadcaster carried the announcement at 10 a.m. local time, and Irans state-run IRNA news agency also carried a report on it. Overnight, Irans semi-official news agencies carried the news off Trumps tweet, while others shared foreign media reports online. Trumps announcement, set for the 2 p.m. EST at the White House, will come after nightfall in Iran. ___ Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday hailed U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from an international nuclear agreement with Iran, saying it had been a "recipe for disaster". The Israeli leader, who long called for the deal between Western powers and Iran to be fixed or canceled, spoke moments after Trump announced his decision in a speech at the White House. "... Israel thinks that President Trump made an historic move, and this is why Israel thanks President Trump for his courageous leadership, his commitment to confront the terrorist regime in Tehran, and his commitment to ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons, not today, not in a decade, not ever," Netanyahu said in a brief televised address. Trump said he was reimposing economic sanctions on Iran and pulling the U.S. out of the 2015 international agreement aimed at stopping Tehran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. The decision is likely to raise the risk of conflict in the Middle East. In his announcement, Trump cited Israel's publication last week of what it said was a trove of seized, secret Iranian documents showing Tehran had a past nuclear weapons program. Most of that purported evidence dated to the period before the 2015 accord was signed, although Netanyahu said Iran had also kept important files on nuclear technology since then and continued adding to its "nuclear weapons knowledge". Iran dismissed the Israeli allegations as Netanyahu "crying wolf". (Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Stephen Farrell and Gareth Jones) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has ordered the country's atomic agency to prepare to enrich uranium to "industrial levels" and warned Donald Trump that he will not be able allowed to win the "psychological war" with his country. Speaking on the state-run television station, Mr Rouhani said he had ordered his foreign ministers to negotiate with governments besides the US. He said there is a "short time" for the deal to survive without Washington involved and said should those negotiations fail, there will be "industrial level" uranium enrichment for use in nuclear weapons. Mr Trump has long criticised the six-party nuclear deal signed in 2015, signed under his predecessor Barack Obama, and has repeatedly promised to withdraw the US from it. Announcing his decision to do so, he said that Iran was a "regime of great terror" and that "no action taken by the regime has been more dangerous than its pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means of delivering them". Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement saying they regretted his decision, calling it a threat to global efforts to contain nuclear weapons. Mr Macron tweeted that the "nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake" because of the announcement. The other two parties to the deal - China and Russia - have not weighed in as yet to this historic shift. However, last month Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that his country vowed to stop any attempts by the US to "sabotage" the deal. European Union foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini said the Iran nuclear agreement is a pillar of international security and called on the remaining parties to continue to honour the terms. She said in a statement, directed towards Mr Rouhani: "Do not let anyone dismantle this agreement." Although the Trump administration agreed Irans nuclear programme is a major threat, the president announced in October 2017 he would not re-certify a nuclear deal signed by Iran and six world powers. Story continues Despite the evidence provided by the United Nations on Tehran's compliance with the deal, Mr Trump said it was too lenient on Iran and has maintained the idea that the country has violated portions of it. Not re-certifying the deal or abandoning it will open the door for harsher economic sanctions to be placed on the country, the mitigation of which was a key inducement for Iran to comply with the historic deal. What concerned many Washington insiders - and today's announcement may have proven them right - is that Mr Trump's newest hire as National Security Adviser John Bolton has been quite hawkish on pulling out of the deal as is new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has called the agreement "disastrous". The Trump administration said it will reimpose nuclear sanctions on Iran immediately, but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity so they do not violate the sanctions. The Treasury Department said there will be "certain 90-day and 180-day wind-down periods" but has not specified which sanctions will fall under which timelines but indicated that at the end of those periods, the sanctions would be in "full effect". Tuesday afternoon marks President Donald Trumps self-imposed deadline to decide whether or not to withdraw from the historic and controversial Iran nuclear deal. A long-time critic of the agreementofficially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)the presidents past and recent comments suggest he will pull the U.S. out of the Obama-era deal, leaving Iran and the other co-signatories in uncharted waters, Reuters reported. Signed in 2015 after almost two years of negotiations, JCPOA agreed to lift a raft of crippling international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbing its nuclear ambitions. It was considered a cornerstone of Barack Obama's foreign policy. Trending: How Twitch Polices Its Community, Moderates Streamers and More Trump Iran NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) first reported in 2003 that Iran was conducting an undeclared nuclear program. Though the countrys leaders insisted the project was not intended for developing nuclear weapons, the United Nations, U.S. and European Union all introduced sanctions from 2006 onward to try to force Tehran to abandon its uranium enrichment efforts. The sanctions are estimated to have cost Irans economy as much as $500 billion by the time the JCPOA was agreed in 2015. The deal focused on two key elements of nuclear weapon production: uranium and plutonium. Uranium enriched to between 3 and 4 percent can be used for nuclear power plant fuel, but it must be enriched to 90 percent for weapon use. Before the deal was signed, enrichment would have been achieved through the use of Irans 20,000 centrifuges at two separate facilities. The JCPOA dictated that 5,060 of the oldest and least efficient centrifuges could be used at only one site, and that the countrys level of uranium enrichment must remain at 3.67 percent. Story continues Irans uranium stockpile would also be cut by 98 percentto 660 poundsfor 15 years. Heavy-water nuclear facilities are used to produce the plutonium needed for nuclear weapons. Iran had been building a heavy-water plant near the town of Arak, but it agreed to redesign the reactor so it could not produce weapons-grade plutonium and ship all spent fuel out of the country. The deal also stipulated that no new heavy-water reactors could be build for 15 years, nor could any excess heavy water be accumulated. Don't miss: Bob Marley's Granddaughter Suing California Police After They Mistook Her for an Airbnb Burglar Iran agreed to provide access for IAEA inspectors to monitor its adherence to the JCPOA, giving them the freedom to access any site they believe to be suspicious. Natanz Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Despite these provisions, Trump has called the JCPOA a bad deal that should never, ever have been made. Trumps major qualms with the agreementwhich he has referred to as terrible flawsare that is does not cover Irans ballistic missile program and has no provisions to curb its influence in ongoing regional conflicts. The president has also claimed that the sunset clauses mean there is no permanent block on Iran developing nuclear weapons, although one part of the agreement states, Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons. As a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Iran would be subject to a ban on nuclear weapons production even without the JCPOA, though this is no guarantee it would not pursue them anyway. Most popular: Is Meryl Streep's Character Dead in 'Mamma Mia 2'? New Trailer Backs Fan Theory Opponents of the JCPOA say that Iran cannot be trusted to abide by the agreement. But its supporters claim that is exactly why it is needed. Obama and Trump administration officials have both confirmed that Iran is abiding by the agreement. American withdrawal will not immediately kill the deal, but it might make it untenable. All of the other signatoriesthe U.K., France, Germany, China, Russia and the European Unionhave voiced their continued support for the agreement, which in theory could operate without American involvement. According to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, What Iran wants is our interests to be guaranteed by non-American signatories. Getting rid of Americas mischievous presence will be fine for Iran. But regardless of Iranian public defiance, non-American companies will fear running afoul of Washingtons sanctions if they are reintroduced, hitting foreign investment and trade. GettyImages-850171918 JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images If the remaining powers can convince Iran to stick with the deal and secure continued purchases of Iranian oil and foreign investment, the JCPOA could survive. In this case, the U.S. would be isolated, not Iran. Regardless of the eventual outcome, the international community is unlikely to look kindly on an American withdrawal given the time and effort that went into the historic agreement signed only three years ago. Indeed, because the agreement was sanctioned in a United Nations Security Council resolution, unilateral American withdrawal or reintroduction of sanctions would actually go against international law. Iran has repeatedly said it will not consider a renegotiation of the deal to include its ballistic missiles or growing regional influence. Tehran will no doubt be considering its response if Trump withdraws and the deal collapses, and has warned that America will surely regret ditching the JCPOA. Its leaders may decide to restart the countrys nuclear program, which officials have claimed can be back on track within 48 hours. A failure of diplomacy could convince hardliners that a reinvigorated nuclear program is the only way to ensure Iranian security. Trumps preparations to sit down with Kim Jong Un at the border between North Korea and South Korea might convince Iran that the only way to be heard is to be nuclear capable. Tehran might also consider using regional influence to put pressure on American allies and even U.S. troops. Iran holds significant sway in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, and has shown its willingness to use proxy forces to bolster its interests. A collapse of American-Iranian relations could have far-reaching consequences in ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Seoul (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is a blow to Washingtons negotiating credibility and will complicate efforts to reach an agreement with Pyongyang over its own more advanced weapons programme, analysts say. Trump is set to hold an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks to negotiate over Pyongyang's arsenal, after it last year carried out by far its most powerful nuclear test to date and launched missiles capable of reaching the US mainland. In a goodwill gesture ahead of the summit, North Korea on Wednesday freed three American detainees, allowing them to return home with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. But the US president's decision Tuesday to pull Washington out of the 2015 accord with Teheran has rattled experts, who say it undermines the image of Washington as a reliable treaty partner. Antony Blinken, who was deputy secretary of state under Barack Obama, said the White House move "makes getting to yes with North Korea that much more challenging". "Why would Kim ... believe any commitments President Trump makes when he arbitrarily tears up an agreement with which the other party is complying?" he asked on Twitter. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" Iran agreement, describing it as an "embarrassment" to the United States -- although European signatories and the IAEA watchdog say Iran has complied with its obligations. MIT political science professor Vipin Narang said the decision was "a stark reminder across the world: Deals are reversible and can have expiration dates, while nuclear weapons can offer lifetime insurance". North Korea remains technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a ceasefire rather than an armistice, and Pyongyang has long insisted that it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself from a possible US invasion. Two weeks ago Trump's new national security advisor John Bolton said, "We have very much in mind the Libya model," for the denuclearisation of North Korea. Story continues Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi agreed to abandon his pursuit of nuclear weapons in the early 2000s, but his government was later overthrown by rebel forces supported by Western air strikes, and he was killed. Pyongyang regularly cites the fates of Kadhafi and Saddam Hussein in Iraq -- whose government was overthrown in a US-led invasion -- as evidence of the need for nuclear arms. Former CIA director John Brennan said Trump's "madness" had "undermined global confidence in US commitments, alienated our closest allies, strengthened Iranian hawks, and gave North Korea more reason to keep its nukes". Some were more sanguine. Pyongyang was concerned about the sustainability of a deal and sees democratic changes of government as a "structural weakness that imperils agreements by any one White House", said Yonsei University professor John Delury. But he added: "They'd be worried less about Trump pulling out of a deal than his successor." Bolton himself said the US was looking for a "real deal" with Pyongyang that would include "the elimination of both the front and the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle; no uranium enrichment; no plutonium reprocessing". "When you're serious about eliminating the threat of nuclear proliferation, you have to address the aspects that permit an aspiring nuclear weapons state to get there," he said at a press briefing. "The Iran deal did not do that. A deal that we hope to reach, the President is optimistic we can reach with North Korea, will address all those issues." - Security guarantee - The unilateral nature of Trump's move is likely to worry officials at the Blue House in Seoul. The decision was made despite repeated personal pleas by European leaders and cast aside more than a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been widely praised for seizing the opportunity presented by the Winter Olympics to broker talks between Trump and Kim -- two leaders who were at loggerheads just months before, and threatening to wage a war which would inevitably devastate the South. But the fate of the Iran deal suggests Trump could also dismiss pleas from Seoul -- a treaty ally -- in future. Analysts pointed to Kim's recent trips to China as evidencePyongyang was looking for support from Beijing and to repair frayed relations with its longstanding diplomatic protector and provider of trade and aid. Kim, who had not ventured out of his isolated country for any official meetings in his first six years in power, has held two rounds of talks with President Xi Jinping in little more than a month. "North Korea has been fully aware of the risks of the US walking away from any deal whenever its government changes hands," Koh Yu-hwan of Dongguk University told AFP. "In order to hedge against this eventuality, Kim Jong Un met Xi Jinping twice to obtain a firmer security guarantee from China before he enters a deal with the US." And Pyongyang wanted wider assurances, he added. According to China's official Xinhua news agency, Kim told Xi that "relevant parties" should "abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against the DPRK". "This means the North is seeking a global commitment to a deal with the US to prevent the US from unilaterally rolling it back," Koh told AFP. (Fortune) Despite oil prices taking a wild ride this week, the latest actions by U.S. President Donald Trump wont be reflected in the Canadian oil market. On Tuesday, Trump announced that the U.S. would be pulling out of a 2015 deal with Iran which sent oil prices up to a three-and-a-half year high. But while the overall oil market saw a boost, the long-term impact of the move wont be felt here in Canada. Klaus Edenhoffer, Economist at the Conference Board of Canada, says that Iran makes up about 11 per cent of the oil exports from OPEC, about 4.5 million barrels a day, and that most of that supplies China and India. We might see a minor reduction in exports from Iran, said Edenhoffer. This might affect the oil price a little bit, a dollar or two. But oil prices are high anyway, so it wouldnt have that much of an effect. As for any potential boost the Canadian oil industry will get, it isnt likely to be much. Edenhoffer says we may see a slight redistribution of the market share, but it will likely be going to the U.S., because Canada isnt able to export much more oil because the existing pipelines are at capacity. Canada has the issue that we dont have enough pipeline to take advantage of the growing U.S. market, said Edenhoffer. And were already seeing pressure from the U.S. and increased production. Renewed sanctions against Iran wont change a whole lot. The fluctuating price of oil isnt likely to throw off Canadian companies, either. Canadian oil and gas companies are used to facing market uncertainties, and this is no different, said Lance Mortlock, EY Canada Oil and Gas Leader. Companies have learned hard lessons over the last few years. They know oil price stability is likely a thing of the past and that geopolitical uncertainty will remain a constance presence. Mortlock says the focus shouldnt be on predicting the future but standing up to market events like this one. A recent study by EY and the University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business found that reacting appropriately to risks was one of the keys to success for Canadian oil companies. Story continues Canadian oil and gas organizations that are thriving excel at identifying, mitigating and quickly adapting to risks and challenges as they emerge, said Mortlock. Chances are good the average Canadian wont end up feeling the impact of the U.S.-Iran fallout at the pump. With oil prices and uncertainty already as they are, more volatility wont raise gas prices much more noticeably than any other factor. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull out from the international nuclear deal with Iran is "hasty and rash", Iraq's foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. The ministry said it was following with "deep concern the dangerous developments" resulting from Trump's decision. It said the nuclear agreement "had contributed to Middle East peace" and Washington's withdrawal "goes in the direction of escalation which would bring nothing but destruction and war desolation" in the Middle East. Shi'ite-led Iraq lies on the faultline between Shi'ite Iran and the mostly Sunni Muslim Arab world. Iran became the main foreign power broker in Iraq after the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 2011, with its local allies controlling the security services. The ministry statement welcomed the decision of the other signatories of the agreement, including Iran and European nations, to stick with the 2015 deal despite the U.S. pullout. Trump said on Tuesday that the 2015 deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for measures restricting its nuclear programme, did not go far enough in removing the threat posed by Iran to the United States and its allies in the Middle East. During his four-year term in office, Iraqi Prime Minister Haier al-Abadi has cautiously trodden a diplomatic middle course between Tehran and Washington, ensuring the cooperation of both in the war against Islamic State hardline Sunni militants. Abadi is seeking a second term in elections due on Saturday. He is facing two allies of Iran, ex-prime minister Nuri al-Maliki and Shi'ite militia leader Hadi al-Amiri. Iraqi President Fuad Masum earlier in the day expressed concern at the American decision. "The (nuclear) agreement marked a major achievement in bolstering the chances of peace and progress for all the states of the region and the international community," said Masum, an ethnic Kurd whose position as president of the republic is largely ceremonial. The executive powers in the country are concentrated in the hands of Abadi, who belongs to the Shi'ite Arab majority. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Jon Boyle) Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The head of Human Rights Watch in Israel on Wednesday accused the country of seeking to "silence" criticism, after the Jewish state gave him two weeks to leave. The interior ministry announced Tuesday it had terminated the residency permit of HRW's Israel and Palestine director Omar Shakir, a US citizen, over accusations he supported a boycott of Israel. It said in a statement it had obtained "information that Shakir has been a BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) activist for years supporting the boycott of Israel in an active way." Shakir rejected the allegation he supported a boycott and said Israel was seeking to silence dissent. "The proffered reason is support for boycott, but the reality is that this is a decision to muzzle Human Rights Watch and to silence criticism of Israel's poor rights record," he told AFP at his office in Ramallah. Israel, he said, joins a list of countries including "North Korea, Cuba, Iran and Sudan that have blocked access to Human Rights Watch staff." London-based Amnesty International "strongly condemned" the Israeli decision. "This is yet another alarming sign of the country's increasing intolerance of critical voices," it said. "The Israeli authorities must immediately stop their ongoing harassment of human rights defenders." Israeli officials have clamped down on groups seen as supporting the global BDS campaign, which aims to pressure Israel to end its occupation of the West Bank. Israel says the BDS movement is anti-Semitic. In a joint statement, 15 Israeli rights organisations condemned the decision to expel Shakir. "Israel is trying to keep both its own citizens and the world from seeing what it is doing," said the statement, whose signatories included prominent rights groups B'Tselem and Breaking the Silence. "Neither closing the borders to human rights groups and activists nor other Israeli measures against organisations critical of the occupation will deter us." Story continues HRW has written several critical reports about Israeli policies. Israel's government, seen as the most right-wing in the country's history, has repeatedly criticised rights groups it accuses of having a left-wing agenda. Shakir, who received permission to work in Israel in April 2017, months after being barred from the country, now has 14 days to leave, the New York-based rights group said. As President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal Tuesday, Israel has prepared for a possible attack from Tehran based on irregular movements by Iranian forces in Syria. The Israel Defense Forces ordered authorities in the northern Golan Heights, held by Israelis, to unlock and ready (bomb) shelters, Reuters reported. Related: Trump Has Several Nuclear Bomb Shelters But There's 'No Defense' Against A Direct Hit, Expert Says Trending: Women Candidates Won Almost Every Democratic House Primary They Contested Tuesday Defense systems were activated and troops are on high alert for an attack, the militarys statement read, according to the news outlet. The preparations occurred as Trump from the White House announced the U.S. will withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, claiming Israeli intelligence showed that Iran is not complying with the deal and that the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons." Israel on Tuesday braced for possible retaliation from Iran to an airstrike on April 9 to a Syrian airbase, which left seven Iranian military advisers and Iranian Revolutionary Guards members dead, according to Haaretz. Don't miss: Don Blankenship Loses Election But Celebrates End of Probation: I Get My Guns Back in a Day or Two The U.S. Embassy in Israel earlier in the day issued a security alert informing American government employees not travel to Golan Heights without prior approval. Due to the recent tensions in the region, U.S. gov't employees are required to obtain advance approval if they wish to travel to the Golan Heights until further notice, the alert read. Consider carefully travel to the Golan Heights until the situation stabilizes. Most popular: The Art of No Deal: How Trumps Iran Nuclear Decision Could Force US into Mideast Diplomacy Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trumps commitment to ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons, not today, not in a decade, not ever, a historic move. Story continues While Netanyahu considered the nuclear deal a recipe for disaster, nations including the United Kingdom, France and Germany that believe the deal can keep Irans nuclear program under control were disappointed in Trump. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Rome (AFP) - Italy's populist Five Star Movement and the far-right League asked Wednesday for another day to try to form a coalition government, with a green light from Silvio Berlusconi opening a way to end the country's political deadlock. "The Five Star Movement and the League have informed the president that they are in talks to try to come to a possible government accord and that they need 24 hours to develop this initiative," said a statement from the presidential palace. Crucially, former Italian premier Berlusconi later Wednesday signalled he would not block a possible coalition deal between the two parties. According to Italian media, League leader Matteo Salvini's main political allies had been exerting strong pressure on Berlusconi to give his approval to a Five Star-League government, while the Italian tycoon's own Forza Italia party remains deeply divided on the issue. "If another political force of the right-wing coalition wants to take on the responsibility of forming a government with the Five Star Movement we will take note of this choice with respect," Berlusconi said in a statement. Berlusconi said the Five Star Movement did "not have the political maturity to assume this responsibility" but that an agreement between it and the League would not mark the end of the "alliance" between Forza Italia party and the League, especially in the regions they led together. Italy has been locked in a political impasse since the March 4 election failed to produce a clear winner. A right-wing coalition led by the nationalist League won the most seats at the polls while the Five Star led by Luigi Di Maio became the biggest single party, but neither obtained enough seats for a majority. To form a coalition they have to agree on a prime minister and a common programme. "We are going to sit down at the table and begin to talk about the issues for the country. Then we will talk about names," Di Maio told the Italian press. Story continues For his part Salvini said in a statement that "we still have to work on the programme, on dates, on the team and the things need doing... either we reach a conclusion, or we return to the voters". After three failed rounds of consultations thus far, Italy has looked to be heading either for a caretaker government, chosen by the president, or fresh elections as early as July. It had been widely expected that President Sergio Mattarella would nominate his pick for prime minister to lead a "neutral" government later Wednesday. However, both the League and Five Star are staunchly opposed to a caretaker government and without their support the initiative would not pass a confidence vote in parliament. Mattarella's response to the extension request was not immediately clear, although it is thought he would be unlikely to refuse. For the past two months the two parties have been scrambling to reach an accord for a coalition government but have repeatedly hit a wall over the League's coalition partner Berlusconi -- who is himself barred from office. Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio had insisted that the League ditch Berlusconi and Forza Italia as a prerequisite to forming a government together, something League leader Salvini refused. The regional governor of Italy's northern Liguria region, Giovanni Toti, who holds a lot of clout within Forza Italia, had suggested earlier Wednesday that his party could exercise a "benevolent abstention" in the face of a coalition. Tokyo (AFP) - China has famously used its cuddly panda bears as a diplomatic tool, but to mark warming ties with Japan it is offering a distinctly more angular gift: two crested ibises. To some, the bird might not appear much of a looker: it has a bright red face with a long narrow beak that curves downward, and its eponymous crest resembles the wispy white mullet of an ageing rocker. But after Japan's last wild crested ibis died in 2003, rendering the species extinct in its homeland, the country has looked abroad to reintroduce the fowl. Visiting Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang signed a deal Wednesday to deliver a pair of the birds when he met with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. "I announce we will provide Japan with a pair of ibises to express the friendship of the Chinese people towards Japanese people," Li said. "I am looking forward to their contribution to improving ibis breeding in Japan," he added, referring to the bird as "an animal the peoples of both countries love". They are the first ibis offerings from China in years, after Beijing began helping reintroduce the species to Japan with several donations over a decade ago. Japan is now home to several hundred crested ibises, descended from just a handful of gifts, but environmentalists fear that the population's undiverse heritage may leave it vulnerable to disease. The crested ibis has a storied history in Japan, appearing in artwork and literature going back centuries, and was once so common it was even considered a pest. But it was heavily hunted for its white feathers and its meat, and even its designation as a protected species failed to stop development that wiped out its natural habitats. While the feathered gifts have garnered plenty of local media attention and will be warmly welcomed by conservationists, Japan will be missing out on a more iconic Chinese diplomatic gift. Local media reported that Japan was hoping Beijing would loan it several giant pandas for zoos in Kobe and Sendai, but an agreement was apparently not reached in time for Li's visit. MURNAU, Germany (Reuters) - Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi on Tuesday warned of "dangerous repercussions" and a possible arms race in the Middle East unless a political solution was found to free the region of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Al-Safadi spoke in Germany before an expected announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump on whether he will pull out of the Iran nuclear deal or work with European allies who say it has successfully halted Iran's nuclear ambitions. Al-Sadadi said he did not know what the U.S. president would do, but urged continued conversation and dialogue with Iran, despite what he called widespread concerns among Arab countries about Iran's "interventionism" in the region. "We all need to work together in making sure that we solve the conflicts of the region ... and strive for a Middle East that is free of all weapons of mass destruction," he told reporters after a meeting with leaders of Chancellor Angela Merkel's right-left "grand coalition" government. "If we do not look at the political picture and ... find a way to ensure that the whole region is free of (these weapons), we'll be looking at a lot of dangerous repercussions that will affect the region in terms of an arms race," he said. In March, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS news that his kingdom would "without a doubt" develop nuclear weapons if Iran, Riyadh's arch foe, did so. Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, although it neither confirms nor denies possessing atomic weapons. Trump has consistently threatened to pull out of the 2015 agreement because it does not address Iran's ballistic missile programme or its role in wars in Syria and Yemen, and does not permanently prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. A senior U.S. official close to the process said France, Germany and Britain had moved significantly to address Trump's concerns over the ballistic missile programme, the terms under which international inspectors visit suspect Iranian sites, and "sunset" clauses under which some terms of the deal expire. Story continues But it was not clear whether those efforts had made enough progress to persuade Trump to stay in the pact. Germany and France on Monday vowed to stand by the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers even if the United States pulls out. Volker Kauder, head of Merkel's conservatives in parliament, said continued dialogue was needed to avoid isolating Iran. "That would only further exacerbate the situation in the Middle East," Kauder told reporters in Murnau, where Merkel and other leaders of the coalition government are gathered for a retreat. Andrea Nahles, head of the Social Democrats, junior partner in the coalition, also warned against a U.S. decision to withdraw from the accord. "The situation is more difficult than ever. Things are falling apart at every corner," she said. (This story corrects headline to remove reference to Iran.) (Reporting by Andreas Rinke; writing by Andrea Shalal; editing by William Maclean) Kendall Jenner at the Met Gala. (Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images) Everyones Met Gala prep is different. There are last-minute dress fittings to be done, beauty masks to be worn and, in Kendall Jenners case, fries to be scarfed. According to a since-deleted tweet from Access Hollywood, the model ate a completely average meal of grilled cheese, fries, crepes, and more as opposed to, say, seaweed washed down with beetroot juice before slinking down the Met Gala red carpet in a white jumpsuit. While theres nothing particularly remarkable about her dining choices, the (possibly sarcastic) comment that ran with the tweet has rubbed some folks the wrong way. Now that is bravery, the Access Hollywood tweet read. Critics were quick to mock the comment, which was deleted following the backlash, for promoting the idea that eating is an act of courage. Access deleted their tweet calling Kendall Jenner brave for eating before putting on a dress and I think thats the best thing that happened today. https://t.co/R2RMclU5YS Lisa Marie (@xLiserx) May 8, 2018 No disrespect to @KendallJenner, but this makes me sick. Eating food and being beautiful is NOT bravery. You want to see brave? Go find the starving, the hated, and the ugly among us, who still manage to drag themselves out of bed to care for their families and themselves. Fractured Fissure (@FracturedDivide) May 8, 2018 you people are the capital and the rest of us are living in the hunger games districts i swear to god https://t.co/fJ14tJL0HF Molly Priddy (@mollypriddy) May 8, 2018 they deleted the tweet jdjdfsjsdsjd faggrat XCX (@faggrat) May 8, 2018 yes grandpa i know you and your family fled lithuania by foot after your brothers were captured by the russians but did you ever *points to tweet* do THIS Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) May 8, 2018 It sounds hungry, not brave. Lisa O'Donnell (@LisaOGiggles) May 8, 2018 Why is it brave to eat? Did someone poison it? Is she lactose intolerant or something? Dicky Moore (@dickymoo) May 8, 2018 The uproar came on the heels of criticism that the Met Gala crowd wasnt representative of larger body types. Story continues Someone ought to attend the Met Gala and really blow peoples minds by being fat, talk show sidekick Andy Richter tweeted, and plus-size blogger Gabi Fresh suggested and drew incredible support for a Met Gala for fat girls. Fat girls lets make our own met gala plz. Maybe it will be an annual @PREMMEdotUS event pic.twitter.com/Xlt1LLKH2p gabifresh (@gabifresh) May 8, 2018 Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Updated | North Korea is in talks with South Korea for the use of the country's airspace to open a new international flight route, with officials from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) scheduled to visit Pyongyang later this week. "The issue of establishing a new flight route that the North has raised through the ICAO is being reviewed by (Seoul's) Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport," said ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk on Tuesday, quoted in Yonhap news agency. In February, the isolated nation's civil aviation administration sent a letter to ICAO's Asia and Pacific regional office in Bangkok, Thailand, requesting the establishment of new routes between Pyongyang and South Korea's Incheon flight information regions, according to a Reuters report published last week. The Montreal-based organization said North Korea's request is "now under consideration," the news outlet reported at the time. Trending: Gina Haspel Senate Live Stream: How to Watch Trump's CIA Director Nominee Confirmation Hearing The request signals a willingness from the secretive country to open up to more foreign tourism as a source of incomeone that, despite a U.S. travel ban, is not yet subject to U.N. sanctions, unlike other profitable sectors of the North Korean economy. 05_09_Kim_Plane KCNA/via Reuters It also shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's growing ambition to put its country on the map. Kim, who traveled to China by train in March, took one of the country's planes to fly to the neighboring country to pay a second surprise visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping in less than two months. Don't miss: Delta Cabin Fills With Smoke, Passengers Evacuated Kim's previous rail journey led The Washington Post to question whether North Korea even had any planes capable of traveling long distances. Story continues 05_09_KJU_Plane KCNA/via Reuters That question remains unanswered as the third-country destination that North Korea is eyeing via its ICAO request is still undisclosed. So far, North Korea's state-owned airline Air Koryo only travels to one destination in Russia and two cities in China, according to its website. Correction: A previous version of this article reported that ICAO confirmed Pyongyang's request to open flight routes to South Korea's Incheon airport. ICAO said it has not made such confirmation. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Madrid (AFP) - Spain's government on Wednesday stepped in to block Carles Puigdemont from being re-appointed president of Catalonia, pressuring the separatist camp to pick another candidate and form a regional government after months of limbo. Madrid successfully requested the Constitutional Court to cancel a reform voted for last week by Catalonia's majority separatist parliament that would allow Puigdemont -- currently in self-exile abroad -- to be appointed president without having to be present. The court announced on Wednesday evening it had ruled "admissible the appeal of the government" and suspended the reform, which had been temporarily blocked while the court deliberated. Government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo said earlier the Catalan parliament would not be able to call a session to appoint Puigdemont "at the risk of committing the offence of disobedience". Puigdemont's allies had announced Saturday they would try and have him appointed by May 14. But they also recognised that if they couldn't, they would pick an alternative candidate to unblock the political impasse in Catalonia, which was put under direct rule by Madrid on October 27 after a failed secession bid. That day, Rajoy also sacked Puigdemont and all his ministers after the regional parliament declared independence following a referendum that wasn't sanctioned by Madrid and was banned by the courts. He also called snap regional elections for December 21, which separatist parties went on to win, once again getting an absolute majority in parliament. By then, Puigdemont had already left for Belgium in self-imposed exile. But since then, all candidates proposed by the separatist camp to lead Catalonia have fallen flat, as they are either abroad and wanted by Spain, or already in prison, charged with rebellion. Critics of the independence camp have charged they are merely dragging the process out to try and garner sympathy. Story continues Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, Rajoy slammed the separatists' attempts to have Puigdemont re-appointed. He accused them of "having put Catalan politics in an absurd loop in which the personal interests of one person -- just one -- are placed before the collective project of an entire society". Catalan separatists, however, say Puigdemont is their legitimate leader as his Together for Catalonia grouping received the most votes out of all separatist parties in the December elections. They also say the rebellion charge against him and others is disproportionate, and describe those already in jail in Spain -- like former Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras -- as "political prisoners". Puigdemont is currently in Germany after being detained there in March on a European arrest warrant against him issued by Spain. He was later released on bail. Ailing Senator John McCains daughter, Meghan McCain, said the public should chill out about her fathers funeral talks on Tuesday. The remarks came after Republican Senator Orrin Hatch said it was ridiculous that President Donald Trump would not be welcome to attend. Hes doing really good, hes just making jokes, talking, standing, you know, doing a great recovery. He has a great team around him, she said on ABCs The View, which she co-hosts. Id like everybody to take a collective breath and chill out on my dad for a secondespecially Orrin Hatch." Related: Who will attend Barbara Bush funeral? Former first lady will have big-name gathering, with one notable absentee Trending: The Voice 2018 Top 8 Semi-Finalist Results & Recap: Who Left and Who Was Saved After Tonights Elimination Round? The older McCain, who has not seen eye to eye with Trump and is battling brain cancer, will be inviting Vice President Mike Pence instead of the president to his funeral service, according to reports over the weekend. Hatch called that alleged wish to exclude Trump ridiculous on Monday. "He's the president of the United States. He's a very good man, Hatch said. But it's up to John. I think John should have his wishes fulfilled with regard to who attends his funeral." Meghan McCain said Hatchs comments were just insensitive and again, its not appreciated at this moment. Don't miss: All the Ways Trump Has Undone Obama's Legacy After Iran Nuclear Deal Withdrawal She said everyone should take many seats right now. Were all doing good and hanging in, she said. Its a process, as anyone knows, if you know anyone who has cancer, so please be kind and respectful of the fact that theres a family here, you know. Most popular: Primary Election Day 2018: Results, Live Blog From Key Races in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina Story continues Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is a close friend of Senator McCain and visited him at his Arizona ranch the prior weekend, said the two talked about how the U.S.s international reputation is being damaged under Trump. We talked about the need for people to stand up and speak out, said Biden, adding that the senator encouraged him to not walk away from politics and running for president in the 2020 election. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Mexico City (AFP) - The leftist front-runner for Mexico's presidential election said Tuesday the country should debate legalizing drugs as a way to staunch violent crime that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a fiery former Mexico City mayor, made the proposal at a "dialogue on peace and justice" that was also attended by his main rivals, conservative Ricardo Anaya and ruling party candidate Jose Antonio Meade. Security has emerged as perhaps the biggest issue in the July 1 election, after Mexico registered a record 25,000 murders last year. Violent crime has exploded since the government deployed the military to fight the country's powerful drug cartels in 2006. Since then, Mexico has registered more than 200,000 homicides. "Legalizing drugs is a subject that must be debated," said Lopez Obrador. "Why not talk about it? And why not -- if it's what's best for the country -- approve it and implement it, listening to everyone's input?" Anaya and Meade were more cautious, endorsing a debate on legalizing only marijuana. "I don't believe legalization would lead to a reduction in violence in the short term," said Anaya, a former speaker of Congress. Meade, a former minister running for deeply unpopular President Enrique Pena Nieto's party, meanwhile acknowledged Mexicans' frustration with a justice system that fails to punish more than 90 percent of violent crimes. "Our biggest failure, and the area we most need to reform... is related to the impunity that reigns in Mexico today," he said. Lopez Obrador, who has a double-digit lead over his rivals in opinion polls, did not mention another controversial proposal of his: an amnesty for criminals convicted of drug crimes. Mexico has gradually loosened its drug laws, legalizing medical marijuana last year and allowing recreational pot users to carry up to five grams. But the country has been deeply destabilized as its cartels have risen to become the most prominent suppliers of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin, to the United States. Monica Lewinsky is offering a plea to anyone planning to invite her to a party. Dear world: Please dont invite me to an event (esp one about social change) and then after Ive accepted uninvite me because Bill Clinton then decided to attend/was invited. Its 2018. Emily Post would def not approve. Me. dear world: please don't invite me to an event (esp one about social change) and then after i've accepted uninvite me because bill clinton then decided to attend/was invited. it's 2018. emily post would def not approve. Me Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) May 9, 2018 The 44-year-old tweeted the remarks Wednesday, following up with P.S. and definitely, please dont try to ameliorate the situation by insulting me with an offer of an article in your mag. p.s. and definitely, please don't try to ameliorate the situation by insulting me with an offer of an article in your mag. Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) May 9, 2018 Many of Lewinskys 248,000 followers offered their support, citing the situation as infuriating and gross. Lewinsky didnt reveal the name of the event, but on Thursday Town & Country magazine, came forward and apologized. We apologize to Ms. Lewinsky and regret the way the situation was handled. TOWN&COUNTRY (@TandCmag) May 10, 2018 The magazine, which is published by Hearst, threw its annual philanthropy summit in New York City, during which Bill Clinton introduced gun-control advocate and Parkland shooting survivor Emma Gonzalez. A representative from Hearst did not return Yahoo Lifestyles request for comment. Story continues Monica Lewinsky says she was uninvited to an event because Bill Clinton RSVPed. (Photo: Getty Images) At #TandCPhilanthropy, President @BillClinton introduced and recognized the activism of March for Our Lives organizers and the next generation of leaders focused on gun violence, @delaneytarr, @Emma4Change, @dmcdade18, and @ALEX_KING737. https://t.co/YjcmiXTTkj Clinton Foundation (@ClintonFdn) May 9, 2018 Clinton and Lewinsky had a bombshell affair in the 1990s when she was a White House intern and he was president, a scandal that shook his marriage to Hillary Clinton and marred his administration. In the years that followed, Lewinsky became a national joke and she withdrew from the spotlight. But she has become a significant presence in the #MeToo movement, writing a March essay for Vanity Fair describing herself as being gaslighted by Clinton, a man who abused his authority, station, and privilege due to his powerful position and their age gap (she was 22, he was 49). Lewinsky, who calls herself a bullying-prevention activist, has also become more vocal on social media. In May, when Senator Marco Rubio slammed a story about his position on taxes by tweeting, Although written by [an] intern at Politico. Lewinsky fired back, Blaming the intern is so 1990s. blaming the intern is so 1990's. https://t.co/6CGPERpNqx Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) May 3, 2018 And in November, after HLN network ran a headline that read HLN to revisit The Monica Lewinsky Scandal with two-hour special, Lewinsky doctored the photo to replace The Monica Lewinsky Scandal to The Starr Investigation and The Clinton Impeachment, as they related to the affair. Fixed it for you, she tweeted. Youre welcome. fixed it for you. you're welcome. pic.twitter.com/h4iVKGwM1g Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) November 28, 2017 Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. BELGRADE (Reuters) - A Montenegrin investigative reporter who writes about organized crime in the small Adriatic country was shot and wounded late on Tuesday in the capital, Podgorica, police said. An assailant fired one shot at Olivera Lakic, who works for the local newspaper Vijesti, and wounded her in her right leg as she was about to enter her apartment building in Podgorica, police chief Vesko Damjanovic told reporters. She remained in hospital in a stable condition. "Her life is not in danger," Damjanovic said. The attack was the second on Lakic since 2012, when she was beaten, also in front of her home. A perpetrator was sentenced to nine months in jail, but released early as part of an amnesty. Lakic's editor, Mihajlo Jovovic, spoke with Lakic in the hospital, and said she saw the attacker and two other men fleeing the scene. The incident prompted calls from the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the United States, demanding better protection of journalists in the former Yugoslav republic. "There must be no impunity. Ensuring the safety of journalists is key to the future of democracy in Montenegro," said Harlem Desir, OSCE's representative on freedom of the media. There have been around a dozen attacks against journalists and media organizations in the last 15 years, including the 2004 assassination of Dusko Jovanovic, a newspaper editor. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; editing by Larry King) The Metropolitan Museum of Arts annual Costume Institute Benefit more colloquially known as the Met Gala is undeniably fashions biggest night, which means its the ultimate event for celebrities to take the sartorial risks that they might not on an awards show red carpet or in every day life. The 2018 Met Gala theme, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination provided ample opportunity for this years attendees to flex their creativity. While Rihanna, a noted Met Gala maven, fully committed to the theme by showing up in a papal ensemble, others, like Greta Gerwig and Zendaya leaned into the theme by drawing inspiration from figures like Joan of Arc and the clergy. From the nights saints to the sinners, heres a look at the best, worst, and craziest looks from the 2018 Met Gala red carpet. Rihanna Met Gala MVP: Rihanna in Maison Margiela Its a fact universally acknowledged that Rihanna is the reigning queen of the Met Gala red carpet; her fierce looks not only always bring the heat, but always, always adhere to the theme. So it should come as no surprise that this year, the bad gal pulled out all the stops for her look as the nights co-host for the gala, by wearing a custom, pearl and crystal-encrusted Maison Margiela look inspired by a papal regalia and complete with a matching mitre hat. Navy, meet your new Pope, Rihanna. Zendaya Best Homage to a Saint: Zendaya in Versace Theres following a theme and then theres committing to it. Zendaya falls into the later category. While many people looked to Catholic saint Joan of Arc for inspiration for the night, Zendayas chain mail and armor-inspired Versace look dominated the red carpet. Jared Leto and Lana Del Rey Best Group Look: Jared Leto and Lana del Rey in Gucci Musicians Jared Leto and Lana del Rey were ethereal beings on the Met Gala red carpet in full look Gucci; Leto channeled a Baroque Jesus with a golden crown sitting on his flowing shoulder-length locks, while del Rey took accessories to the next level with an avian headpiece and a cream gown that had a 3-dimensional sacred heart embellishment, complete with mini daggers. Story continues Migos Best Group Look, Honorable Mention: The Migos in Versace It seems only right that the Migos, who rose to fame in the music scene with their single, Versace, came attired to the 2018 Met Gala in suits made out of the Italian fashion houses trademark bold print fabric. SZA Most Angelic: SZA in Versace SZA confirmed that she is, actually, an angel on earth with a divine pink Versace gown and a matching delicate gold halo. Lily Collins Best Goth: Lily Collins in Givenchy Lily Collins had no fear of going to the dark side when she showed up on the Met Gala red carpet in an edgy black Givenchy gown paired with a black halo and celestial tears makeup. Getty Images (2) Best Integration of Catholic Art: Ariana Grande in Vera Wang Ariana Grande made her Met Gala debut in a sweeping ball gown by Vera Wang that featured the famed art from the Sistine Chapel, which was painted by Michelangelo. Ari topped it all off with her trademark high ponytail and an effusive bow. Getty Images; BFA/Shutterstock Best Channeling of the Immaculate Conception: Cardi B in Moschino Cardi Bs pregnancy is hardly slowing down the rappers meteoric success, which is why her Immaculate Conception-themed look for the Met Gala seems especially apropos. The pearl-laden look (which accentuated her growing baby bump) references art of the Virgin Mary. Kate Bosworth The Look Most Likely to Be Repurposed for a Wedding: Kate Bosworth in Oscar de la Renta Kate Bosworths sweet Oscar de la Renta gown and veil were not only completely on theme for the the night, but could also double as a brides look in a pinch. Greta Gerwig Best Fashion Nun: Greta Gerwig Greta Gerwig gave The Rows signature minimalism a very religious bent on the steps of the Met Gala. Chadwick Boseman Best Monochromatic Look: Chadwick Boseman in Versace Chadwick Boseman made a case for wearing all-white before Memorial Day when he showed up to the Met Gala in a white, gold embellished suit and matching cape. Frances McDormand Best Headwear of the Night: Frances McDormand in Valentino Frances McDormand showed off her flair for the dramatic when she arrived at the Met Gala in a full Valentino look consisting of a voluminous teal cape over a lime pantsuit. However, the piece de resistance of her look was her floral headpiece that completely enveloped her head. Sarah Jessica Parker Best Headwear of the Night, Honorable Mention: Sarah Jessica Parker in Dolce & Gabbana and Philip Treacy Sarah Jessica Parker is a longtime attendee of the Met Gala whose looks never disappoint and this year was no exception; SJP arrived in style to the Met Gala in a regal Dolce & Gabbana gown, but the real draw of her look was the towering nativity scene headpiece by Philip Treacy she wore with it. Priyanka Chopra Best Interpretation of a Knights Tale: Priyanka Chopra in Ralph Lauren Priyanka Chopra combined both knight and princess elements with her gold wimple/coif style headpiece that topped her gorgeous crimson velvet gown from Ralph Lauren. Jaden Smith Most Unconventional Accessory of the Night: Jaden Smith in Louis Vuitton Jaden Smith, always one to march to the beat of his own drum, paired his Louis Vuitton look with the gold certification of his song Icon, because why not? Last year, Smith memorably brought another unconventional accessory his shorn dreadlocks. Katy Perry Most Unconventional Accessory of the Night, Honorable Mention: Katy Perry in Versace Katy Perry, never an artist to shy away from a bold fashion statement, coupled a gold Versace chainmail mini dress and matching boots with a pair of angels wings that spanned nearly 6 feet. All we want to know is how Perry sat down that night. Lena Waithe Best Statement Outerwear: Lena Waithe in Carolina Herrera Lena Waithe used her time on the red carpet at the 2018 Met Gala to send a powerful message about inclusivity. Solange Knowles Most Likely to Be Mistaken for Avant Garde Art: Solange Knowles in Iris Van Herpen and Brother Vellies Solange Knowles, who embraces performance art as an aspect of her music, upped the ante for merging the fashion and art worlds when she showed up in a structural black vinyl dress from Iris Van Herpen, a halo, matching glossy thigh-high heeled boots from Brother Vellies, and a crystal encrusted du-rag that spelled out My God Wears a Du-rag. Anna Wintour Lifetime Achievement: Anna Wintour in Chanel When it comes to the Met Gala, Anna Wintour is the OG. The Vogue editor-in-chief has been hosting the annual gala since the mid-90s and always looks chic, but this year, her dress was particularly show-stopping. The Chanel gown featured heavy embellishment and shoulder cutouts that alluded to a clerical collar spiritual and saucy! Beira (Mozambique) (AFP) - Mozambique's president and thousands of mourners who flocked to the port city of Beira on Wednesday paid final respects to Afonso Dhlakama, a former rebel supremo turned opposition leader who died last week. Draped with the national flag, the casket bearing the remains of Dhlakama, a towering figure in the country's political history, was carried into the square by military pallbearers wearing camouflage fatigues and white gloves. Dhlakama died of a suspected heart attack last Thursday at his hideout in the Gorongosa mountains in the centre of the country. The memorial service is being held about in Beira, capital of Dhlakama's home province of Sofala. President Filipe Nyusi will deliver a eulogy of his political rival, who led Renamo for nearly 40 years before his unexpected death at the age of 65. "It is an irreparable loss. Afonso Dhlakama is the founder of democracy in Mozambique. His fight ended with the communist regime created just after the country's independence," said Eufrasia Jordao, a mourner who came from nearby Zambezia province. Dhlakama played a central role in Mozambique after it gained independence from Portugal in 1975. He led Renamo, created in 1976, through a deadly civil war against the Marxist-inspired Frelimo government until the conflict ended in 1992. He then gradually transformed Renamo into an opposition party, which failed to take power from Frelimo in elections and again took up arms between 2013 and 2016. In December 2016, Dhlakama announced a surprise truce with the government, taking the major first step towards a formal peace deal. Dhlakama had recently held talks with Nyusi and he was seen as playing a key role in advancing the nascent peace process. His departure has cast a shadow on the peace process, five months ahead of local government elections and 18 months to the next presidential and legislative elections. There is "nothing more to do at this moment than to pay homage to the founder of democracy, which he deserves. It was Renamo who founded democracy," said Jose Chitula, a former Renamo member. Story continues "The death of Afonso Dhlakama should not be an excuse to end democracy and return to a one-party regime," added Chitula, who joined another opposition party, the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM). Posters bearing images Dhlakama from various moments of his political life were plastered around the square. Gospel music played as some female mourners wept and others chanted "Viva Afonso Dhlakama". Dhlakama will be buried in his native village of Mangunde, southwest of Beira, on Thursday. Beira (Mozambique) (AFP) - Mozambique's president set aside political differences to pay tribute to his archrival Afonso Dhlakama and pledged to continue the fragile peace talks he had been holding with the ex-rebel supremo turned opposition politician. President Filipe Nyusi joined thousands of mourners who flocked to the port city of Beira on Wednesday to pay their last respects to Dhlakama, a towering figure in the country's political history who died last week. "Were here to genuinely pay homage to the man who Ive been talking to in recent days in search of lasting peace," said Nyusi in a eulogy at a memorial service for Dhlakama. "I will continue the walk we started together for peace. I'm available to do this, Nyusi, urging cooperation from the new Renamo leadership. "Well be happy if we successfully continue the peace project we started together," he said, adding: "We can't have democracy without a strong opposition." Ossufo Momade, Renamo's interim leader until the next party congress whose date has not yet been fixed, vowed to carry the baton from Dhlakama. "We will continue your struggle. You, father, taught us how to sacrifice ourselves to fight for the country, Momade said. "You did everything for this country. Now is our time to take forward your struggle," he added. - Elections looming - Dhlakama led Renamo for nearly 40 years before his unexpected death at the age of 65. He played a central role in Mozambique after it gained independence from Portugal in 1975. Dhlakama led Renamo, created in 1976, through a deadly civil war against the Marxist-inspired Frelimo government until the conflict ended in 1992. He then gradually transformed Renamo into an opposition party, which failed to take power from Frelimo in elections and again took up arms between 2013 and 2016. In December 2016, Dhlakama announced a surprise truce with the government, taking the major first step towards a formal peace deal. Story continues Dhlakama had recently held talks with Nyusi and he was seen as playing a key role in advancing the nascent peace process. His departure has cast a shadow over the negotiations, five months ahead of local government elections and 18 months to the next presidential and legislative elections. In a fiery tribute, Dhlakama's niece and head of Renamo's parliamentary group Ivone Soares lauded her uncle for not caving in to incessant attacks by the "system and this indigent regime". Dhlakama "protected us from the tyranny, dictatorship, of those who abuse the wealth of country for their own benefit". -'Let us all be Dhlakamas' - "Hes gone but we are here to continue his fight. We will continue the fight with bravery. Let us all be Dhlakamas". Soldiers wearing camouflage fatigues and white gloves bore the casket bearing Dhlakama's remains, draped with the national flag, into the square. Dhlakama died of a suspected heart attack last Thursday at his hideout in the Gorongosa mountains in the centre of the country. The memorial service was held in Beira, capital of Dhlakama's home province of Sofala. "It is an irreparable loss. Afonso Dhlakama is the founder of democracy in Mozambique. His fight ended with the communist regime created just after the country's independence," said Eufrasia Jordao, a mourner who came from nearby Zambezia province. There is "nothing more to do at this moment than to pay homage to the founder of democracy, which he deserves. It was Renamo who founded democracy," said Jose Chitula, a former Renamo member. "The death of Afonso Dhlakama should not be an excuse to end democracy and return to a one-party regime," added Chitula, who joined another opposition party, the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM). Posters bearing images Dhlakama from various moments of his political life were plastered around the square. Gospel music played as some female mourners wept and others chanted "Viva Afonso Dhlakama". Dhlakama will be buried in his native village of Mangunde, southwest of Beira, on Thursday. Novartis confirms it paid Trumps lawyers company $1.2m significantly more than was initially disclosed Novartis said it had paid Essential Consultants, a shell company set up by Michael Cohen in Delaware. The arrangement related to US healthcare policy matters. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Robert Mueller, the special counsel, has been investigating payments made by corporations to Donald Trumps attorney Michael Cohen, two of Cohens clients said on Wednesday. AT&T and the Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis both said they were contacted by Muellers office in November last year, as Novartis confirmed it had paid Cohen $1.2m significantly more than was initially disclosed. Novartis cooperated fully with the special counsels office and provided all the information requested, the company said in a statement. AT&T said in a statement: We cooperated fully, providing all information requested. Peter Carr, a spokesman for Muellers office, declined to comment. Novartis said it hired Cohen on a $100,000-a-month contract in February last year because it believed he could advise the company as to how the Trump administration might approach certain US healthcare policy matters such as the Affordable Care Act, which Trump had pledged to scrap. After only one meeting, however, executives concluded Cohen would be unable to provide the services that Novartis had anticipated, according to the company, and decided not to engage further. But the contract could not be terminated so Cohen was paid in full for the year, a spokesman said. AT&T confirmed earlier on Wednesday that it also paid Cohen. A company spokesperson said it had contracted Trumps attorney to provide insights into understanding the new administration. Mueller is primarily investigating possible collusion between Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and Russians who interfered in the election. Cohen is the subject of a separate criminal investigation by federal authorities in New York. His home and offices were searched in surprise raids by FBI agents last month. Prosecutors have said the inquiry relates to Cohens personal finances. Novartis and AT&T were among companies revealed to have paid Cohen in a document published on Tuesday by Michael Avenatti, an attorney for Stephanie Clifford, the pornographic actor known as Stormy Daniels, who is engaged in a legal dispute with Cohen and Trump. Story continues Avenattis document said a subsidiary of the Swiss company had made at least four payments to Cohens company totalling $400,000. Confirming the arrangement, the company said: The terms were consistent with the market. The records also said AT&T paid Cohen $50,000 per month for at least four months, meaning the company may have paid him as much as $600,000 for the year. Trumps administration was at the time considering whether to allow an $85bn merger of AT&T and Time Warner, which it has since rejected. Cohen was also paid by Columbus Nova, the US affiliate of a corporate empire belonging to Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch closely linked to Vladimir Putin. Avenattis document said the payments totalled about half a million dollars. Cohens attorney, Stephen Ryan, hit back at Avenatti in a furious letter filed to Manhattans federal court late on Wednesday, in which he confirmed that AT&T, Novartis and Columbus Nova were all Cohen clients. Ryan said Avenatti appeared to have obtained Cohens bank records, and should be required to explain how he got them before he is allowed to be officially involved in a dispute the court is considering over records the FBI seized from Cohens home and offices. The inspector general of the US Treasury opened an investigation on Wednesday into whether Cohens bank records were improperly leaked. Richard Delmar, a counsel to the inspector general, told the Guardian the inquiry would focus on compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and its protections of information. Some reports on Wednesday alleged that Cohen had offered his clients access to senior administration officials. Avenatti sought to connect the payments from Novartis to the companys incoming chief executive, Vas Narasimhan, being invited to a group dinner with Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 25 January 2018. But Novartis stressed on Wednesday that the companys contract with Cohen predated Narasimhan, and said he had no involvement whatsoever in the arrangement. Columbus Nova said Vekselberg had no involvement in its own arrangement with Cohen. Vekselberg, too, was reportedly interviewed by investigators for Muellers team. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing. Cohen used the same Delaware company to pay Daniels $130,000 in October 2016 in return for an agreement that she would not talk publicly about allegedly having had sex with Trump a decade earlier. The arrangement was later disclosed by reporters. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), one of the biggest defence companies in South Korea, also confirmed it had paid Cohen. Avenattis document said it had paid Essential Consultants $150,000 in November last year. A spokesman for the company told Reuters that it had contracted Cohen for legal consulting concerning accounting standards. KAI is currently competing for a lucrative contract from the US defense department and hopes to produce about 350 trainer jets in partnership with the US contractor Lockheed Martin. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to Moscow on Wednesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, hours after US President Donald Trump announced he would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, mainly over Syria and the involvement there of Israel's arch-rival Iran. "The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so," Netanyahu said before departing. "In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination between the Russian military and (that of Israel)." Russia's foreign ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's announcement on Tuesday that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president's "bold" move. Netanyahu has long opposed the nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran. Separately, Israel is deeply concerned over Iran's presence in Syria, where Tehran, like Moscow, backs President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Russia and Israel have set up a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria. Netanyahu has vowed not to allow Iran to entrench itself militarily in neighbouring Syria, where Israel has been repeatedly accused of carrying out deadly strikes, with reports of Iranian forces killed. Israel has not acknowledged those strikes, but admits carrying out dozens of raids in Syria to stop what it says are deliveries of advanced arms to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, another of its enemies. There have been fears in Israel of Iranian retaliation. Just prior to Trump's speech on Tuesday, the Israeli army asked authorities in the occupied Golan Heights to open and prepare missile shelters due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" over the demarcation line in Syria. Photo credit: The Manufacturer - Car and Driver From Car and Driver The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a public plea asking owners of Takata-recall-affected 2006 Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series pickup trucks to get them fixed as soon as possible. I cannot stress strongly enough the urgency of this recall-these airbags are dangerous, NHTSA deputy administrator Heidi King said in a release. Every vehicle must be accounted for now. Federal regulators have advised most vehicle owners affected by the recall of vehicles with potentially explosive Takata airbags to continue driving with their airbags enabled while they wait for a fix, as the likelihood that the part will work properly far outweighs an explosion. Thats not the case for a certain group of vehicles, however, which NHTSA has said should not be driven at all. Among such do not drive vehicles in the United States are the aforementioned 33,320 Ford Rangers and 2205 Mazda B-Series pickups. So far, only about half of those vehicles have been fixed, NHTSA said, citing figures from Ford and Mazda. Photo credit: The Manufacturer - Car and Driver Ford and Mazda have offered to tow the vehicles to a repair site for free; this is in addition to free Takata-related repairs for all vehicles affected by the recall. The automakers had first issued a do not drive declaration for 2860 of the pickups in January, after discovering that two people in 2006 Ranger pickups were killed by Takata airbag inflators that had been produced on the same day. More than 32,000 additional examples were added to the list in February. Rangers from model years 2004 to 2011 had already been part of the sprawling Takata airbag recall, which includes about 50 million drivers- and passenger-side airbags in 37 million vehicles, but the vast majority are considered safe to drive as they await repair. The only other vehicles to receive a do not drive label are a group of Hondas termed Alpha cars, which include the 20012002 Accord and Civic, the 2002 Honda CR-V and Odyssey, the 20022003 Acura 3.2TL, the 2003 Acura 3.2CL, and the 2003 Honda Pilot. Lab testing found that airbag inflators in those vehicles could have up to a 50 percent chance of rupturing. Story continues As part of its oversight of the Takata airbag recall, NHTSA has divided affected vehicles into 12 priority groups, which correspond to the risk of airbag explosion based on a vehicles age and its exposure to heat and humidity. Independent testing has found that the faulty airbag inflators are most likely to rupture after long-term exposure to temperature fluctuations and moisture, so older vehicles and those located in high-humidity parts of the country are considered higher priorities for repair. There are rolling recall deadlines that extend into 2020, and NHTSA is aiming for a 100 percent completion rate. Owners can check to see if their vehicle is affected and get information by plugging in their vehicles VIN on NHTSAs online recall lookup tool. You Might Also Like Considering that their uniforms include that shorts-and-black-knee-high combo, most of us dont expect our mail carriers to be style influencers or iconoclasts. If your regular carrier showed up in anything out of the ordinary, youd notice. Thats why the carriers in Boise, Idaho, this week are bound to turn heads when they take to their routes in bright blue hair. This isnt an act of rebellion or protest against the fact that those Amazon orders are getting so heavy lately. These postal workers are doing their part to raise awareness for this Saturdays 26th annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, in which 212,000 letter carriers collect food people place in bags on their mailboxes to deliver to their local food banks. Mail carrier Candace Lincoln gets her hair dyed blue at Beardsmith in Boise to raise awareness for the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. (Photo: Courtesy of Candace Lincoln) I love it when people ask, Why is your hair blue? It gives me the perfect opportunity to explain it, letter carrier Candace Lincoln, who coordinates the drive for her branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) union, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Postmaster Dan Corral had promised the carriers that if they met their goal of collecting 175,000 pounds of food in 2016, hed dye his hair blue before the 2017 drive. When he did, Lincoln and others decided to follow suit. Though last year, Lincoln went for a wig, on Monday night, she joined a handful of her colleagues at the Beardsmith for some complimentary temporary dye jobs. The post office is blue, so we figured blue would be a good color, Lincoln explains. She hopes other carriers go blue this week too, as they drop off bags for the drive. But if they dont, they can just wear the shirts or pins. After wearing the same uniform all year its kind of nice to wear something different, she admits. Considering how much physical labor the carriers do every day, its kind of surprising theyre so enthusiastic about collecting something extra on the second Saturday of May every year. Matt Crockett, Boise NALC sales executive. (Photo: Courtesy of Candace Lincoln) Youd think, Oh no, thats more stuff to carry, but it gives us a great feeling to know that people are supporting us out there, says John Paige, president of the Idaho state association of the NALC. We have the hungry among us in our community. People are glad to do it.. . Story continues Not that its a piece of cake, mind you. By the end of the day, your back is hurting; its an exhausting day, but it is absolutely worth it, Lincoln says. It almost brings a tear to my eyes to see how much people care, and how much people want to help. Weve all been, or will be, or know somebody that has fallen in the cracks. I know I have, and thats why I have so much passion for it. The timing of Stamp Out Hunger, just before summer, makes it essential for many food banks that get so much attention at the end of the year. By the time our drive comes around on Mothers Day weekend, the food pantries have run out again, Paige says. Letter carrier Russ Bright, Boise president of the National Association of Letter Carriers . (Photo: Courtesy of Candace Lincoln) Last year, the drive collected an estimated 75 million pounds of food nationwide, according to Christina Vela Davidson, national food drive coordinator for NALC. In the previous 25 years, theyve totaled 1.6 billion pounds. But if other letter carriers want to follow Boises example and make the drive even bigger (and bluer), she would certainly welcome that commitment. I think nationally carriers should dye their hair, or we could get blue hair clips or something, Lincoln says. Just so people go, Why does my carrier have blue hair? To get everyones attention. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Nordstrom Rack has issued an apology after three black teens were stopped by police outside a St. Louis store last Thursday and falsely accused of shoplifting. The teens Mekhi Lee, Dirone Taylor, and Eric Rogers II were shopping for prom clothes when they noticed several employees watching them and following them around the store, Lee told CBS TV affiliate KMOV in St. Louis. I was nervous the whole time, he said. Every time we move, they move. When we looked up, they looked up. When the teens left the store, they were surrounded by police officers in the parking lot, who told them store employees had accused them of stealing. Police conducted an investigation right then and let the three go without charges. The police were actually good. They understood where we were coming from and they showed us that they were just doing their job, Rogers said. Recently there was a situation in one of our Rack stores that resulted in our employees calling the police. We have guidelines that direct our employees to only call the police in emergency situations. Unfortunately, those guidelines werent followed, a Nordstrom Rack spokeswoman tells Yahoo Lifestyle in a statement. As soon as we became aware of the incident, Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack, reached out to each of the impacted families to offer our sincere apologies, listen to their concerns and express our extreme disappointment that this situation occurred. The teens also said that while in the store a fellow customer called them punks and asked them, Are your parents proud of you for what you do? An argument broke out between the teens and the customer, and a store management stepped in. I knew it was coming, but at the same time I was feeling embarrassed, agitated, mixed emotions with the whole situation because I know we didnt deserve it, Taylor told KMOV. The teens bought something when they were in the store, and they said they did it to prove a point. We made the purchase to show them that were equal and we didnt have to steal anything, Rogers said. Story continues Hey @nordstromrack you should be more concerned with white teen girls in la stealing things because its fun than three young black men shopping for prom katie (@CApizzakitchen) May 8, 2018 These apologies really aren't enough.We need to be able to either file counter charges or civil defamation suits against people/companies who make false 911 calls. As long as there are no consequences, then this behavior will continue. #NordstromRack https://t.co/S2wy9MfIwT jetteski (@jetteski) May 8, 2018 I am not surprised, not anymore. These days I am just adding more and more stores on my list of stores to avoid. The good news I am finding more urban/minority owned business in my neighborhood which has been turning out great. Nalia-Music (@amby691) May 8, 2018 Seriously, what the hell is going on? This never should have happened. The entire company needs racial sensitivity training. Top to bottom. These stories are getting exhausting to read. @nordstromrack https://t.co/YqIz1OYVY6 Letzy (@Letzy__) May 8, 2018 The Nordstrom incident is just the latest in a string of very public incidents involving overt racial discrimination. In mid-April, two black men were arrested at a Starbucks in Philadelphia while waiting for a colleague. The following week, police were called to an LA Fitness gym after an employee thought two black men were working out without a membership. A California woman recently called police on black Airbnb guests staying at a neighbors house, believing them to be robbers. I am disgusted. This is all too common for African-Americans in this country, and we see it happening from coast to coast, activist Shaun King, a columnist for the Intercept and the writer in residence at Harvard Law Schools Fair Punishment Project, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Its a gross double standard. White Americans arent treated like this. Period. Its rooted in racism. King says people are increasingly fed up with these incidents because its wrong and its pervasive. Carl Taylor, PhD, a professor of sociology at Michigan State University, agrees, telling Yahoo Lifestyle that things have gone way past the point of no return. Its important for companies to have complex policies in place that prohibit racial profiling, including the termination of people who engage in it, King says. Ultimately, this is happening because companies do not fully value stopping it, he says. Companies need to take a deep, hard look at what theyre doing and how their business models may be enabling the over-criminalization of black people, Scott Roberts, senior campaign director at Color of Change, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Taylor points out that its impossible to know if companies react to these situations to save face in the wake of a racial discrimination scandal or if theyre actually doing it for moral reasons. However, he adds, these companies leave their current policies in place until theyre in trouble. Thats a problem, Aba Blankson, vice president of communications and digital media at the NAACP, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Companies need to take a proactive approach to preventing such racially biased incidents, she says. Apologetic statements are not a sufficient bandage to the festering wound of prejudice and inequity. Racism and biases that make simply breathing while black so dangerous will not just go away without committing more resources to discussion, education, and training on implicit bias and racism, she continues. If companies fail to take these essential steps toward building a culture of inclusivity, such racially biased incidents will keep happening at the current clip and continue to infringe on the daily lives of people of color. Companies can also benefit from exposing their employees to types of conflict management other than calling the police, Roberts says. These young men were doing everything right, and still the police were called, he points out. Thats wrong. Taylor says there is clearly more work that needs to be done by everyone else. Companies can have a policy, but if people in their heart believe that certain people are the villains and its reinforced constantly which it has been in this culture theres only so much that can be done, he says. Taylor says the best thing people can do is advocate for equality among their family members. You can teach your family and your children that we are people who judge by character and not by the color of skin, sexuality, or gender, he says. It begins with individuals. Nordstrom says the company is conducting an internal investigation and is identifying opportunities to enhance training and resources for employees. Relatedly, Starbucks is conducting nationwide racial-bias training after the arrest of two black men in one of its Philadelphia stores. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo departed North Korea on Wednesday with three Americans the country had been holding in captivity, another sign that relations between the U.S. and North Korea are warming in advance of a first-of-its-kind nuclear summit. President Donald Trump announced the prisoners release on Twitter, noting that they appeared to be in good health and applauding Pompeos good meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Secretary Pompeo and his guests will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Pompeo tweeted an hour later that he was delighted to bring home the three liberated Americans. I had productive meetings in Pyongyang with Chairman Kim Jong-un and made progress. I'm delighted to bring home three Americans. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 9, 2018 Pompeos trip to Pyongyang was timed with Trumps declaration that the U.S. would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. His meeting with Kim follows the North Korean leaders second secret trip to China. Kim Hak-song, Kim Dong-chul, and Kim Sang-duk, who is more commonly referred to as Tony Kim, were due to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m Thursday, according to Trumps tweets. I will be there to greet them, Trump tweeted. Very exciting! Story continues In a statement following the announcement, Tony Kims family thanked Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. We are very grateful for the release of our husband and father, Tony Kim, and the other two American detainees, the family wrote. We ask that you continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held. Tony Kim's family has issued a statement: "Wewant to thank the President for engaging directly with N. Korea. Mostly, we thank God for Tonys safe return." pic.twitter.com/OsCpdschV6 Jonathan Cheng (@JChengWSJ) May 9, 2018 Hak-song, who had been doing research at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, was detained in May 2017 and accused of hostile acts. Dong-chul, accused of spying, was arrested in 2015 but sentenced to 10 years of hard labor in April 2016. Tony Kim, who had been living in North Korea with his wife, taught for a time at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. He, too, was accused of hostile criminal acts against the regime and was detained in April 2017. Trump hinted last week that the release could be imminent, tweeting that people should Stay tuned! There was no elaboration until Pompeos departure from Pyongyang on Wednesday. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018 Trumps unconventional approach to launching a dialogue with the reclusive North Korean regime consisted of wrangling with both the South Koreans and the Chinese to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table. Pompeo also made a secret trip to North Korea prior to his confirmation, while he was still CIA director. Trump and Kim plan to meet either this month or next in a location that has yet to be determined. Despite the fanfare surrounding the significance of such a meeting, experts have expressed caution that Kim will commit to meaningful steps toward denuclearization. The fact that we have the opportunity to change direction here and go in a more peaceful one and having it occur so quickly is good news, said John McHugh, an Atlantic Council board director and former secretary of the U.S. Army. But the lesson there is that we could very rapidly, if the upcoming summit is a failure, return to that [earlier] posture, which was an extraordinarily dangerous one. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met last week in another historic gathering, jointly committing to ridding the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. The two leaders also agreed to officially end the Korean War after 65 years. Hayley Miller contributed reporting. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, struck during Obama's presidency, was "misguided." "I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake," Obama said in a statement, referring to the acronym for the agreement worked out by the United States, five other world powers and Iran. Since leaving office in January 2017, Obama, a Democrat, has largely remained on the sidelines of the political debate, although he has criticized his Republican successor's efforts to undo some of his major policy achievements. He has condemned Trump for pulling out of the Paris climate accord and for ending a program that shielded from deportation immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children. He also spoke out against Trump's effort to unravel the Obamacare healthcare program. Obama said the Iran agreement significantly rolled back Tehran's nuclear program and was a model for a possible deal Trump hopes to negotiate with North Korea to eliminate Pyongyang's nuclear weapons. "That is why todays announcement is so misguided," Obama said. "Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on Americas closest allies, and an agreement that our countrys leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated," he said. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Eric Walsh and Peter Cooney) It was like a waterfall, continuously, Kendra Jackson told KETV in Omaha, Neb., of the years-long runny nose that she recently learned was a brain leak. Everywhere I went, I always had a box of Puffs. Jackson, who was officially diagnosed with a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, remembers the chronic runny nose starting back in 2013, after a minor car accident caused her head to slam into the dashboard. Although she walked away mostly unscathed, the incident left Jackson with intermittent headaches and a runny nose so frequent that she was almost constantly wielding tissues. Over the years shed seen a variety of doctors, most of whom attributed it to allergies. But when she felt the condition worsening in recent months, causing fatigue and dizziness, Jackson wondered if something else might be wrong This month, thanks to doctors at Nebraska Medicine, she learned what was. While examining her brain through an MRI, doctors identified a small hole at the base of her skull that was causing brain fluid leak out of her nose. In total, she was losing a half-pint of cerebrospinal fluid a day. While in years past, a diagnosis of CSF leak would require open-brain surgery, the condition can now be treated using a minimally invasive surgery through the nose. In Jacksons case, this involved plugging the hole with fatty tissue from another part of her body. The surgery, which Nebraska Medicine captured in video, went well and Jackson is now recovering. I dont have to carry around the tissue anymore, she told KETV in a post-surgery interview. And Im getting some sleep. Photo: Nebraska Medical So what exactly is a CSF leak, and is it something you should be worried about? According to the Cleveland Clinic, a CSF leak results when the the fluid that surrounds and protects the brain (called cerebrospinal fluid) leaks through a hole that has developed in the skull bone. The hole can be caused by trauma, such as a head injury, or simply occur spontaneously. The main symptoms, on top of watery drainage from the nose, are vision changes, dizziness, headaches, and hearing loss. The condition is both rare and treatable. Story continues Dr. Satish Govindaraj, chief of the Division of Rhinology and Sinus Surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System in New York, is one of the leading doctors in the field of CSF leaks. Together with his team at Mount Sinai, he has pioneered a high resolution CT/MRI fusion technique that allows doctors to better locate the actual site of the CSF leak. As someone intimately connected to this subject, Govindaraj doesnt seem particularly surprised by Jacksons story. It can happen in someone who has a history of trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident, Govindaraj tells Yahoo Lifestyle. They might have a fracture and they didnt even know it. To test for the condition, Govindaraj and his team use a serum that can detect brain fluid. But just because someone has a consistently runny nose doesnt mean they need this test. On top of noting that its an incredibly rare condition, Govindaraj raises an important distinction about the symptom of watery drainage. It would be specifically coming from one side, he says. Its extremely rare to have a leak on both sides, so its clear drainage from one side that should raise a red flag. But even if it is coming from one side, that may not be cause for alarm. If its brain fluid, it would be almost like straight water like the fluid out of a facet, he says. Its not something where someone has allergies they should run to the doctor and check if they have this. In terms of whats actually causing it, Govindaraj likens it to a pressure cooker in need of a release valve. When the brain fluid pressure builds, it becomes trapped in the skull, so it ends up leaking where the bone is thinnest, he says, mentioning the part where our smell nerves connect to our brains. That hole acts as a decompression. Although the leak itself isnt necessarily dangerous since the body routinely creates brain fluid having it exposed to the nasal cavity, which can transport infections, is dangerous. So surgery to plug the hole is recommended immediately. Doing so can bring on more headaches, since the pressure has nowhere to go, but Govindaraj says thats the next and final step: We have to manage that pressure. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. The most iconic of celebrities get invited to fashions biggest night, The Met Gala, which kicked off in New York City on Monday night. From Rihanna to Donatella Versace, fashionistas show off their wildest costumes in line with the nights theme, which this year is Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. So when 2012 Republican nominee for President Mitt Romney rolled up on the red carpet, some observers reacted with confusion. The former Governor of Massachusetts, who is currently running for a Utah senator seat, arrived with his wife, Ann Romney. Hes not the first politician to attend fashions biggest event, but he was unexpected. So unexpected that people took to Twitter to call it the most surprising sighting of the night. The usual #MetGala subjects: Kendall Jenner, Rihanna, Ann and Mitt Romney pic.twitter.com/liSN06KyLT Lindy Segal (@lindysegal) May 7, 2018 Quite possibly tonights strangest sighting: Mitt Romney is at the #MetGala ... pic.twitter.com/Nk7CIbUWR0 Laurie Brookins (@StyleWriterNYC) May 7, 2018 The bar of the #MetGala just got RAISED HENNYYYYYYY behold the arrival of fashion icon Mitt Romney!!!! pic.twitter.com/2V4VldvuVq Michelle Collins (@michcoll) May 7, 2018 Wait, WTF Is Mitt Romney Doing at the 2018 Met Gala https://t.co/uz6bAlUlv0 pic.twitter.com/a6pqrCZslS Cosmopolitan (@Cosmopolitan) May 7, 2018 Serious question: Why is Mitt Romney at the #MetGala? ????https://t.co/LJTwwu869m InStyle (@InStyle) May 7, 2018 Romney is favored to replace long-serving Sen. Orrin Hatch in November and recently he was ready to continue campaigning hard, according to the Associated Press. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday he had not received a commitment from Pyongyang that three American prisoners would be released when he visits North Korea. President Donald Trump said earlier that Pompeo was on his way to North Korea in a surprise visit. Speaking to U.S. reporters en route to Pyongyang, Pompeo said he would raise the issue of the three imprisoned Americans during his talks and hoped that North Korea would "do the right thing." "We've been asking for the release of these detainees for 17 months," Pompeo said. "We'll talk about it again. It'd be a great gesture if they'd agree to do so." He said he was hoping to finalise the agenda for talks between Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; editing by Jonathan Oatis) President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw from the landmark Iran nuclear accord, according to a U.S. official, a move that would plunge the Mideast into a new era of uncertainty. Trump plans to announce he will reimpose all U.S. sanctions that were waived under the terms of the 2015 nuclear agreement and impose new penalties on the Islamic Republic, according to The New York Times. The paper cited a person briefed on the conversation between Trump and Macron that it didnt identify. Trump informed French President Emmanuel Macron of his decision earlier on Tuesday, according to the Times. The French presidency declined to comment to Bloomberg News. West Texas Intermediate crude fell as much as 4.4 percent after CNN reported that Trump is expected to allow sanctions to go forward on Iran but may not completely pull out of the accord. The commodity was down about 2.2 percent following the Times report. The president has long criticized the Iran deal, negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama, as the worst ever. He has complained it doesnt address threats from the countrys ballistic missile program or its involvement in regional conflicts, and that provisions of the deal that expire in the next decade would allow Iran to resume some nuclear work. Trump said in a tweet on Monday that hell announce his decision at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Washington, ahead of a May 12 deadline set by U.S. law to continue waiving U.S. sanctions lifted by the accord. Oil prices have climbed in recent weeks as uncertainty over the future of the agreement rose. A resumption of U.S. sanctions would threaten Irans ability to attract foreign investment, keeping the countrys output flat or lower through 2025, according to a research note published Monday by Barclays. It is unclear what may unfold after Trumps announcement. American and European diplomats have sought to negotiate side agreements aimed at addressing his concerns about the deal. Even the immediate reimposition of sanctions would take time to resolve, as there would be no accounting of violations before November, according to the Congressional Research Service. President Donald Trump has fulfilled his promise to withdraw the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal. For a man about to stare down Kim Jong Un over a near-identical issue, its a gutsy move. The rest of the signatories (Germany, France, the U.K., Russia, China) have vowed to uphold the terms of the agreement. Iran has signaled a desire to do the same. We now live in an America First, postPax Americana world one in which the U.S. doesnt play a lead role, but a participatory one. Its a world, in other words, in which an Iran deal, even if its not this Iran deal, might survive without the U.S. aboard. At least, thats what supporters in Iran and Europe have to hope. There are plenty of reasons why the U.S. would be better off remaining part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), even if it does have some glaring flaws (like its failure to rein in Irans ballistic missile program and to outline what happens after the terms of the deal begin expiring in 2025). Withdrawing Washington from the agreement further isolates the U.S at a particularly precarious moment in global politics. China and Russia have spent years attempting to convince countries that they are stable and preferable alternatives to the U.S.; Trump made a compelling case for them in a single press conference. Another issue: If Iran decides the deal is indeed dead, it will kick out International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and begin enriching uranium. If youre worried that Iran is determined to get a nuclear weapon, its better to have the inspectors inside the country. Trumps Iran decision also drives the wedge between the U.S. and Europe still deeper. Following his announcement, the U.K., France and Germany issued a joint statement that expressed regret and concern in response to Trumps decision: Together, we emphasize our continuing commitment to the JCPOA. This agreement remains important for our shared security. Europe is already incensed that Trump has offered only temporary exemptions on the steel and aluminum tariffs it threatens to impose on the E.U. Story continues French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to keep the deal alive. We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity, and stability in the Middle-East, notably Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, he tweeted in response to Trumps announcement. But its hard to see how he can persuade Trump that Iran will no longer be the leading state sponsor of terror, as Trump said today. Trumps decision to nix the Iran deal will also hurt U.S. consumers. The price of oil has already reached a three-year high on speculation Trump was preparing to abandon the nuclear deal. As U.S. sanctions come back into force, Irans oil production will take a hit, as will the worlds supply of the critical commodity. If a spike in oil prices pushes gasoline prices higher, there will be political repercussions for Trump and his allies just in time for the summer driving season and then the midterm elections. During his run for the White House, candidate Trump vowed to withdraw the U.S. from this agreement. As president, he has warned repeatedly that he considers having no deal better than having this deal. Were all about to find out whether hes right. UPDATE: 10:40 p.m. EDTPatrick Morrisey has been projected by the AP as the winner of the hotly contested Republican primary for U.S. Senate in West Virginia. Morrisey got the better of fellow congressman Evan Jenkins and the outsider coal baron Don Blankenship. UPDATE: 10:10 p.m. EDTBlankenship has now conceded. "I did what I could do help the state get out of the 50th position in the economy and out of the 1st position in drug overdoses," he said. Blankenship concedes: I did what I could do help the state get out of the 50th position in the economy and out of the 1st position in drug overdoses. #WVSEN Trending: Woman Dies After Emergency Responders Mocked Her During 911 Call Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) May 9, 2018 UPDATE: 10:07 p.m. EDTCNN has projected that Blankenship will lose his bid for the Republican nomination in the race for West Virginia's Senate seat. Asked about his defeat, Blankenship said he had "no idea" whether he lost because of Trump's tweet urging voters to cast their ballot for either of his two main opponents, Morrisey, and Jenkins. UPDATE: 9:40 p.m. EDTTrump's rejection of Blankenship looks set to pay dividends and the president has also scored a victory Tuesday with his endorsement of Jim Renacci. The congressman has been projected as the winner to take on Democrat Sherrod Brown for his Ohio Senate seat in November. BREAKING: U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, who was backed by President Donald Trump, wins GOP primary to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio this fall. https://t.co/YGlJpILkXW AP Politics (@AP_Politics) May 9, 2018 Story continues UPDATE: 9:30 p.m. EDTBlankenship's path to victory now looks near-non-existent. With almost half of the precincts reporting in West Virginia, the anti-establishment, "Trumpier than Trump" candidate remains trailing back on 20 percent. Morrisey's lead over Jenkins, though, has narrowed to four percentage points, according to ABC News. UPDATE: 9:10 p.m. EDTRepublicans look set to be able to breathe a sigh of relief on Tuesday night. With 31 percent of precincts reporting, Don Blankenship is still a solid third place in voting for the GOP nomination to vie for Joe Manchin's West Virginia Senate seat, according to ABC News. Patrick Morrisey leads the way on 35 percent, with Evan Jenkins on 28 percent. UPDATE: 8:50 p.m. EDTMike Braun has been projected by the AP has the winner of the Republican primary in Indiana and will now take on one of the most vulnerable Democrats, Joe Donnelly, in November. BREAKING: Mike Braun wins Republican primary in race for Indiana US Senate. @AP race call at 8:47 p.m. EDT. #Election2018 #APracecall pic.twitter.com/geZ7XFhMhB AP Politics (@AP_Politics) May 9, 2018 Don't miss: Trump Threatens Press Credentials Over 'Fake' Negative Media Coverage UPDATE: 8:40 p.m. EDTSome significant projections now being made. In Ohio, Richard Cordray is being projected by the AP as the winner over challenger Dennis Kucinich to get the Democratic nomination for Ohio governor. On the Republican side, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has been projected as the victor. UPDATE: 8:34 p.m. EDTYou can read a profile of Greg Pence, the brother of Vice President Mike Pence, who won his race Tuesday here. UPDATE: 8:12 p.m. EDTBraun, a businessman who has portrayed himself as a Trump-like outsider, continues to hold a solid lead over his two congressmen rivals to get the Republican nomination for a Senate seat in Indiana. ~40% of precincts reporting in the #INSEN GOP primary: Braun: 111,094 (41%) Messer: 81,371 (30%) Rokita: 78,806 (29.1%) Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) May 9, 2018 UPDATE: 7:55 p.m. EDTIn the keenly watched race to become the Democratic nominee for Ohio governor, it appears that the Elizabeth Warren-backed Richard Cordray is going to get the better of Dennie Kucinich, who has been backed by supporters of independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. In very early returns according to the Ohio secretary of states website, Cordray has a massive 62-24 lead over Kucinich and DeWine is up 67-33 over Taylor in the Ohio gubernatorial primaries. https://t.co/qqne7Wubjq FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) May 8, 2018 UPDATE: 7:35 p.m. EDTPolls have now closed in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia. In Indiana, with 19 percent of the precincts reporting, ABC News is giving Mike Braun a solid lead over Congressmen Luke Messer and Todd Rokita to take on Joe Donnelly for his Senate seat. UPDATE: 7:25 p.m. EDT The first significant result of the night is in with the Associated Press announcing Greg Pence as the winner of the Republican nomination for the Indiana congressional seat once held by his brother and current Vice President Mike Pence. Greg Pence wins GOP nomination for Indiana US House seat once held by brother, Vice President Mike Pence. @AP race call at 7:17 p.m. EDT. #Election2018 #APracecall pic.twitter.com/naU234lkUs AP Politics (@AP_Politics) May 8, 2018 UPDATE: 7:15 p.m. EDTDon Blankenship, on whom much of the attention will fall on Tuesday night, has spent election day not campaigning but rather getting fitted for a new suit, according to CNN reporter Dan Merica. "I am going to need a new suit for the general, he reportedly told his aides, and his tailor. Don Blankenship did not campaign on Tuesday. Instead, the ex-con coal baron running in the WV Republican Senate primary got fitted for a new 'general election' suit, per his top aide. I am going to need a new suit for the general, Blankenship told aides and his tailor. Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) May 8, 2018 UPDATE: 7:05 p.m. EDTPolls have already closed in many parts of Indiana and will close in West Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio at 7.30 EDT. Original Story: The first big night of primary results ahead of the 2018 midterms will take place Tuesday as voters go to the polls in Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia. Much of the attention will be centered on the race to become the Republican pick to challenge take Democrat Joe Manchin for his West Virginia Senate seat. Related: Nine Midterm Primary Races in Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana and West Virginia to Watch on Tuesday As is the case with many of the Republican races Tuesday, the election will reveal much about the landscape for the GOP under President Donald Trump heading into the midterms, when Democrats are eyeing taking back control of both the Senate and the House. Establishment Republicans have become increasingly nervous that coal baron Don Blankenship, who spent a year in jail over his role in a mining disaster, could upset his two more mainstream opponents, Congressman Evan Jenkins and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Blankenship's campaign has featured attacks on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as cocaine Mitch and racially tinged insults toward the family of his wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. The unease prompted Trump to weigh in personally in recent days, urging voters in West Virginia to vote for Blankenship, although he failed to put his support behind either Jenkins or Morrisey. In response, Blankenship said that he was Trumpier than Trump. To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, cant win the General Election in your State...No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2018 But there are bruising Trump-themed Republican primaries elsewhere, too, that could impact the GOPs chances of ousting Democratic incumbents in states carried by Trump in 2016. In Indiana, sitting congressmen Luke Messer and Todd Rokita, along with businessman Mike Braun, have been dueling for the right to take on Joe Donnelly in November by claiming to be the most supportive of the presidents agenda. GettyImages-956055324 Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) Ohio will also be watched closely for primaries to decide who goes forward to fight for the position of governor, which will be vacated by the termed-out John Kasich. Finally, in North Carolina, several contests will decide the nominees for House seats that could play a major role in deciding the look of the chamber in November. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek President Donald Trump decided to reimpose sanctions on Iran Tuesday, a move that ultimately ended the U.S. participation in what is known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran nuclear deal. "I am announcing today that the U.S. will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump said Tuesday, adding that the U.S. may also sanction countries that do business with Iran. "We will be instituting the highest level of sanctions. America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail....Powerful sanctions will go into full effect," he continued. Trending: All the Ways Trump Has Undone Obama's Legacy After Iran Nuclear Deal Withdrawal The deal, signed in 2015 after years of diplomacy and tough negotiations, agreed to lift economic sanction on Iran in exchange for a halt on the countrys nuclear energy program, which members of the international community feared could be used to create a nuclear weapon. It was signed by the U.S., U.K., Russia, France, China, and Germany. The deal was also officially sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council, making Americas withdrawal a violation of international law. Even before the deal was signed, Iran had never formally declared that it was attempting to build a nuclear weapon. But international observers suspected that Tehran wasnt entirely forthcoming about its nuclear program, and in 2006 the United Nations, U.S. and the European Union imposed sanctions in an attempt to pressure Iran to abandon its uranium enrichment. The 2015 Iran nuclear deal ultimately succeeded where the sanctions had failed. Under the deal, Iran gave up most of the key ingredients for building a nuclear weapon. Nevertheless, some experts estimate that Iran could still develop a nuclear weapon within a year if the countrys leadership decided to abandon the Iran deal altogether and actively pursue weapons development. The best estimates are that their break out time, the time from today to having one bomb's worth of weapons-grade, highly enriched uranium, is 12 months. It would take exactly one year to have material for their first bomb if they go full steam ahead, Matthew Kroenig, an arms control and nuclear non-proliferation expert at the Atlantic Council, told Newsweek. Story continues Countries need two ingredients for the production of nuclear weapons: plutonium and highly enriched uranium. Under the JCPOA, Iran gave up around 98 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium and pledged to enrich uranium at levels unsuitable for nuclear weapons production for the following 15 years. Uranium, for example, can be used for nuclear power purposes if its enriched at just three percent, but uranium must be enriched to 90 percent for weapons development. Don't miss: Primary Election Day 2018: Results, Live Blog From Key Races in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina Before the deal was signed, Iran had 20,000 centrifugesdevices that spin at greater speed for uranium enrichment at two separate facilities. Under the JCPOA, Iran is permitted to enrich uranium to under four percent at only one site. Thousands of the countrys centrifuges are now in disuse, but Kroenig pointed out that it would be relatively easy for Iran to rehabilitate them. It would be fairly easy for them because both of their two centrifuge sites are in operation, and one is enriching uranium, Kroenig told Newsweek. They didn't destroy the around 13,000 centrifuges that they arent using, and Iran was allowed to continue research and development on more sophisticated centrifuges. So in terms of getting the centrifuges back in place, it wouldnt take long. Several insiders said that killing the nuclear deal would incentivize Iran to begin testing the new centrifuges it has been developing. "If the deal falls apart, Iran will most likely resume uranium enrichment to the 20 percent level, which it can do much faster with newly developed IR-6 centrifuges," Adnan Tabatabai, CEO of the Germany-based Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient, told Newsweek. "Iran was allowed to continue research and development on IR-6 centrifuges but was not allowed testing them as per JCPOA. According to Iranian officials, it would take four days to reach 20 percent enrichment." Most popular: Texas Teacher Suspended After Discussing Sexual Orientation Sues School For Discrimination Because of the JCPOA, Tehran is also banned from having plutonium reactors during that same 15-year timeframe, and the country dismantled the plutonium reactor it did have following the deals implementation. The heavy-water plant near the city of Arak was redesigned so that it could not produce the type of plutonium needed for a nuclear weapon. Some experts argued that, even if Iran decides to abandon the deal completely, it is unlikely that the country will take the steps necessary to build a weapons program in a year. For Iran to confront the United States with an actual nuclear weapons program that is active and moving forward, would require a set of decisions I dont think theyve made yet and would require years. They could lay down infrastructure that could be used, you could do that relatively quickly. But it doesnt get you to a nuclear weapon, Anthony Cordesman, a national security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Newsweek. Iran gave up a lot on implementation day. You cant quickly reactivate the programs in the mountains, you cant get back the reactor that youve modified. It would take time and require redesign. It would be hard for Iran to suddenly go back to this type of development. And even if they put together a fissile device, that doesnt necessarily give them a bomb and it doesnt mean the first test works, Cordesman continued. Further, international observers regularly visit the country to assess whether Iran is complying with the terms of the agreement. So far, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have said that there is no evidence that Tehran is not complying with the deal. But Trump is still unhappy with the 15-year limit. He claims that the limits will allow Iran to build a weapon later, even though the deal commits Iran to not pursuing nuclear weapons and notifying the International Atomic Energy Agency if and when it decides to build a nuclear facility. Trump also believes the deal didnt go far enough to curb Irans influence in the wider Middle East and stop it from testing conventional ballistic missiles. European allies such as Germany's Angela Merkel argue that the current deal is better than no deal, even if it has flaws. Nevertheless, Trump has slammed the JCPOA on numerous occasions and said that it should never have been made. It is unclear exactly how the other signatories of the deal will respond to Trumps Tuesday announcement. Russia and Iran have already signaled that they plan to continue forward with the deal without the U.S., a fact that would further solidify their alliance. Ultimately, it is also likely Trumps announcement will provide fodder for hardliners in Iran who want to prove that the U.S. is an enemy determined to sabotage their countrys future. "What will follow next will depend on the remaining parties and their take on US behavior," Tabatabai told Newsweek. "If Europe, China and Russia manage to secure concrete economic, political and security dividends for Iran, the JCPOA could survive even if the U.S. left." This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek President Barack Obama responded to President Donald Trump's "misguided" decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal with a lengthy Facebook statement Tuesday afternoon. "I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA [the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal] at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake. Without the JCPOA the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East," the former president wrote. In his statement, Obama pointed out that Trump's defense secretary, James Mattis, believed that the plan was working and said that the United States was losing credibility internationally. "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers," he wrote. Trending: Transfer News: Barcelona and Manchester United Fight For Defender, Three Clubs Want Yaya Toure Read the full text of the statement below: "There are few issues more important to the security of the United States than the potential spread of nuclear weapons, or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Thats why the United States negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the first place. "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is workingthat is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense. The JCPOA is in Americas interestit has significantly rolled back Irans nuclear program. And the JCPOA is a model for what diplomacy can accomplishits inspections and verification regime is precisely what the United States should be working to put in place with North Korea. Indeed, at a time when we are all rooting for diplomacy with North Korea to succeed, walking away from the JCPOA risks losing a deal that accomplisheswith Iranthe very outcome that we are pursuing with the North Koreans. Story continues "That is why todays announcement is so misguided. Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on Americas closest allies, and an agreement that our countrys leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated. In a democracy, there will always be changes in policies and priorities from one Administration to the next. But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers. Don't miss: U.S. Flag Burned As Iranian Politicians Chant 'Death to America' After Trump Nuclear Deal Withdrawal "Debates in our country should be informed by facts, especially debates that have proven to be divisive. So its important to review several facts about the JCPOA. "First, the JCPOA was not just an agreement between my Administration and the Iranian government. After years of building an international coalition that could impose crippling sanctions on Iran, we reached the JCPOA together with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union, Russia, China, and Iran. It is a multilateral arms control deal, unanimously endorsed by a United Nations Security Council Resolution. "Second, the JCPOA has worked in rolling back Irans nuclear program. For decades, Iran had steadily advanced its nuclear program, approaching the point where they could rapidly produce enough fissile material to build a bomb. The JCPOA put a lid on that breakout capacity. Since the JCPOA was implemented, Iran has destroyed the core of a reactor that could have produced weapons-grade plutonium; removed two-thirds of its centrifuges (over 13,000) and placed them under international monitoring; and eliminated 97 percent of its stockpile of enriched uraniumthe raw materials necessary for a bomb. So by any measure, the JCPOA has imposed strict limitations on Iran's nuclear program and achieved real results. "Third, the JCPOA does not rely on trustit is rooted in the most far-reaching inspections and verification regime ever negotiated in an arms control deal. Irans nuclear facilities are strictly monitored. International monitors also have access to Irans entire nuclear supply chain, so that we can catch them if they cheat. Without the JCPOA, this monitoring and inspections regime would go away. Most popular: Cannes Film Festival: 75 Timeless Images of Red Carpet Style "Fourth, Iran is complying with the JCPOA. That was not simply the view of my Administration. The United States intelligence community has continued to find that Iran is meeting its responsibilities under the deal, and has reported as much to Congress. So have our closest allies, and the international agency responsible for verifying Iranian compliance the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "Fifth, the JCPOA does not expire. The prohibition on Iran ever obtaining a nuclear weapon is permanent. Some of the most important and intrusive inspections codified by the JCPOA are permanent. Even as some of the provisions in the JCPOA do become less strict with time, this wont happen until ten, fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five years into the deal, so there is little reason to put those restrictions at risk today. "Finally, the JCPOA was never intended to solve all of our problems with Iran. We were clear-eyed that Iran engages in destabilizing behavior including support for terrorism, and threats toward Israel and its neighbors. But thats precisely why it was so important that we prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Every aspect of Iranian behavior that is troubling is far more dangerous if their nuclear program is unconstrained. Our ability to confront Irans destabilizing behaviorand to sustain a unity of purpose with our alliesis strengthened with the JCPOA, and weakened without it. "Because of these facts, I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake. Without the JCPOA, the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East. We all know the dangers of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon. It could embolden an already dangerous regime; threaten our friends with destruction; pose unacceptable dangers to Americas own security; and trigger an arms race in the worlds most dangerous region. If the constraints on Irans nuclear program under the JCPOA are lost, we could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it. "In a dangerous world, America must be able to rely in part on strong, principled diplomacy to secure our country. We have been safer in the years since we achieved the JCPOA, thanks in part to the work of our diplomats, many members of Congress, and our allies. Going forward, I hope that Americans continue to speak out in support of the kind of strong, principled, fact-based, and unifying leadership that can best secure our country and uphold our responsibilities around the globe." This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Conor McGregor famously had an all-time violent meltdown ahead of UFC 223 that resulted in multiple injuries and saw the mercurial fighter eventually slapped with handcuffs and facing criminal charges. Felice Herrig captured part of the ruckus caused behind the scenes when Conor McGregor and his team arrived. This is from her Instagram account pic.twitter.com/9R6T2eNNTs Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) April 5, 2018 The incident that saw McGregor and his crew throw a dolly and a road block at an occupied van and injured and forced two fighters to miss their UFC 223 bouts left UFC president Dana White livid while damaging UFCs and McGregors brand. On Tuesday, Ike Feldman, an MMA radio and podcast host for New Yorks WFAN and Outside the Cage, reported that McGregor reached out to apologize to UFC champion Rose Namajunas, who successfully defended her strawweight title against Joanna Jedrzejczyk in UFC 223s co-main event. Namajunas was apparently having none of it. Bleacher Report reached out to Namajunas longtime partner, Pat Barry who confirmed to them that McGregor did indeed unsuccessfully seek Namajunas forgiveness. We cant say that we blame her for her response. More from Yahoo Sports: Kurt Warners stunning admission about NFL return Report: Manziel suffers scary moment due to med change Report: Unhappy with role, Cavs player refused to play Hall of Famer has unusual, grim post-MLB career Washington (AFP) - Republican voters in West Virginia rejected a Senate bid by a former coal baron who had gone to prison over a deadly mine disaster, sparing their party a major political embarrassment in crucial US mid-term elections. Former Massey Energy chief executive and controversial political outsider Don Blankenship conceded defeat Tuesday after coming up short in the closely watched Republican primary. The prospect of an ex-convict becoming the party's Senate candidate from the coal mining state had alarmed Republican leaders, who face a tough fight in November to hold on to their majority in Congress. Blankenship had cast himself as "Trumpier than Trump," but even President Donald Trump weighed in against him in the closing days of the race as unelectable in the general election. West Virginia was one of four states won by Trump in 2016 that held closely watched primaries Tuesday for Senate and House of Representatives seats. Ohio congressman Jim Renacci, who was backed by Trump, won his bid to challenge the state's Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in November. In Indiana, Vice President Mike Pence's older brother, Greg Pence, easily won his Republican primary in a conservative congressional district, meaning he will likely win a House seat. Representative Robert Pittenger of North Carolina became the first House incumbent to lose his seat, conceding to conservative former pastor Mark Harris. Trump hailed the Republican primary outcomes as pointing to victory in November. "The Republican Party had a great night. Tremendous voter energy and excitement, and all candidates are those who have a great chance of winning in November," he tweeted Wednesday. "The Economy is sooo strong, and with Nancy Pelosi wanting to end the big Tax Cuts and Raise Taxes, why wouldn't we win?" he added, referring to the Democratic House minority leader. West Virginia is crucial to Republican efforts to flip a Senate seat held by Democratic incumbent Joe Manchin. Story continues But Blankenship had directed his anti-establishment venom at Republican leaders in Congress, particularly Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who led an effort to defeat his bid. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey was the winner with 36 percent of the vote, ahead of congressman Evan Jenkins, with 27 percent. - 'Thanks for playing' - "Thanks for playing, @DonBlankenship," McConnell's Senate campaign deadpanned after Blankenship came in third with only 19 percent of the vote. The coal baron had branded McConnell "Cocaine Mitch" -- alluding to drugs reportedly found aboard a cargo ship owned by his wife's family -- and referred to the senator's wife Elaine Chao as his "China family." He also blamed the government for the 2010 explosion at a Massey-owned mine that killed 29 workers, despite his own conviction and one year prison term for conspiring to skirt safety regulations. The president can take some credit for the result. On Monday, Trump urged West Virginia -- which backed him by a remarkable 42-point margin in 2016 -- not to support Blankenship because there was "no way" he could win against Manchin in November. Trump's party has intensified its efforts to hold its congressional majority ahead of the mid-terms, but Democrats are organized, energized and well-funded. In Ohio, a woman who is among two dozen who accused Trump of sexual harassment won a Democratic primary vote for a seat in the state legislature. If she wins the election in November, Rachel Crooks, 35, who ran unopposed, will become the first Trump accuser to hold elected office. - Anti-establishment fervor - The anti-establishment fervor unleashed by Trump's spectacular 2016 election win, meanwhile, has proven hard to control. For many including Trump, the tarnished Blankenship was reminiscent of a recent Republican election fiasco. December's Senate election in conservative Alabama proved disastrous when Roy Moore, who was endorsed by Trump despite accusations of sexual misconduct including molesting a teenage girl, lost to a Democrat. Moore was among a handful of extreme candidates in recent years who have won a Republican nomination only to eventually lose their Senate elections. On the new episode of Roseanne, a Muslim family moved into the neighborhood and Roseanne was forced to face her Islamophobia. The episode began with Roseanne harboring the same fear, anxiety, and misinformation that so many Americans do. After Jackie poked a huge hole in Roseannes flawed reasoning of, Anytime something bad happens, its always somebody who lives next door to somebody else, Roseanne responded, Im telling you, this is what people from Iraq and Talibanjistan do! They hang out in neighborhoods like Lanford. Dont you watch the news? Jackie replied, You dont mean the news, you mean Fox News But Roseanne would need to meet the new neighbors when she was in desperate need of WiFi. The problem was that the neighbors they used to steal WiFi from moved and the Muslim family moved in. Roseannes password guesses of DeathToAmerica and DeathToAmerica123 were incorrect so she and Jackie had to go knock on the door and ask. During the brief encounter with her new neighbors, Fatima and Samir, Roseanne learned some of the harsh realities Muslim immigrants face when they come to America, and that their family isnt so different from her own. Both agree the barrier between them is due to fear, not hate. Fatima and Samir proved they also have more in common with millions of Americans than some may think when they give Roseanne their password: GoCubs. This episode did a great job of expressing why some people feel the way they do and the growth that can come about if those people actually see one another as human instead of as a threat. In the end, when a racist cashier at the grocery store is rude to Fatima, Roseanne wasnt having it. She said to the cashier, You are ignorant. That woman is twice the person youll ever be, and shes dealing with a lot of stuff you dont even know about. So next time she comes in the store, you keep your damn mouth shut. By Parisa Hafezi ANKARA (Reuters) - President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran would remain committed to a multinational nuclear deal despite U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 agreement designed to deny Tehran the ability to build nuclear weapons. "If we achieve the deal's goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place. ... By exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty," Rouhani said in a televised speech. "I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain," he added. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is the full name for the nuclear deal struck in 2015 between Iran, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - and Germany. Trump's decision sets the stage for a resurgence of political infighting within Irans complex power structure, Iranian officials told Reuters. It could tip the balance of power in favor of hardliners looking to constrain Rouhani's ability to open up to the West. "They will blame Rouhani. ... They will continue their shenanigans at home and abroad. And they will have the U.S. to blame for the failure of the economy," said Abbas Milani, director of the Iranian Studies program at Stanford University. Rouhani assured ordinary Iranians, frustrated by high unemployment and stagnant living standards, that Trump's decision would have no impact on Iran's oil-reliant economy. "Our heroic people will not be affected by this psychological attack ... Iran's economic progress will continue. Our people should not be worried at all," he said. Iran's ruling elite fears revival of anti-government protests in January that revealed the establishment was vulnerable to popular anger fueled by economic hardship. At least 21 people were killed in the protests. TOUGH STATEMENT Trump, in a tougher-than-expected statement, said he would reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran immediately. His decision puts pressure on his European allies, which are key backers of the deal and reluctant to join the United States in reimposing sanctions on Iran. The U.S. Treasury said in a statement on its website that the United States would reimpose a wide array of Iran-related sanctions after the expiry of 90- and 180-day wind-down periods, including sanctions aimed at Iran's oil sector and transactions with its central bank. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose hostility toward Washington is the glue that holds together Irans faction-ridden leadership, had said Iran would "shred" the deal if the U.S. pulled out of it. Rouhani warned that Iran was ready to resume its curbed nuclear activities if Iran's interests were not guaranteed under a deal without the United States. "If needed, we will resume our nuclear enrichment at the industrial level without any limit," Rouhani said. "From now on, everything depends on Iran's national interests." Under the 2015 deal, Iran stopped producing 20 percent enriched uranium and gave up the majority of its stockpile in return for most international sanctions on it being lifted. "In response to U.S. persistent violations & unlawful withdrawal from the nuclear deal, as instructed by President Rouhani, I'll spearhead a diplomatic effort to examine whether remaining JCPOA participants can ensure its full benefits for Iran. Outcome will determine our response," Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, tweeted. Trump's announcement was hailed by Washington's principal allies in the Middle East, Israel and Saudi Arabia, both sworn foes of Iran. (Reporting by Parisa Hafezi; Additional reportin by Bozorgmehr Sharafeddin in London and Babak Dehghanpisheh in Beirut; Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Gareth Jones and Peter Cooney) Russias army will unveil a so-called "robot tank" and a handful of other new weapons at its marquee military parade, a top defense official has said. Rallies by the armed forces take place across several major Russian cities on May 9 to celebrate the Soviet Unions march into Berlin and Germanys imminent surrender in World War II. The annual event, which is Russias second most popular holiday, showcases new weapons the military has received. This year several remote-controlled systems will make the cut, Russias deputy defense minister told news site Gazeta. At this years Victory Parade, we will show robotic technology for the first time, Yuriy Borisov, one of the deputies to Russias defense minister said Tuesday. Among the machines he listed is the Uran-6, a remote-controlled landmine clearance system and its larger, tank-like cousin Uran-9. Trending: The End of America First? Trump's Hawkish New Advisers Suggest Shift in Foreign Policy Read more: Why is May 9 such a big deal for Russia? The Uran-6, a so-called robot-sapper has allegedly already seen action in Syria, clearing mines in the cities of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Palmyra, according to Borisov. The Uran-9 has been likened to a robot tank because, besides charging behind enemy lines to provide reconnaissance, the unmanned vehicle also has anti-tank rockets, a cannon and a machine-gun, according to the National Interest. The vehicle has the ability to automatically lock onto targets but it does not make the decision to pull the trigger autonomously, leaving the call up to a commander deployed up to 1.8 miles away. In that sense, the vehicle is used in a similar way to a drone. Don't miss: Will Qatar Invest in Trump-Tied Conservative News Outlet Newsmax After Falling Out With Jared Kushner? 05_08_May_Parade Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images Story continues The military has released footage of Uran-9 tests on training ranges but Moscow had made no claims about the system seeing frontline action in Syria until now. In the lead-up to the parade, the Ministry of Defense confirmed the military has tested Uran-9 in Syria, state news agency Itar-Tass reportedsomething experts already suspected last year, though it is not clear in what capacity. Borisov estimated last year that Russia used the conflict to test over 600 new vehicles, weapons and service items. The Uran-9 is not designed explicitly to replace Russias large tank army, as developers are still working on mounted updates, but it is an early example of technology that the Kremlin has said will one day account for a significant part of the Russian armed forces. Most popular: How Twitch Polices Its Community, Moderates Streamers and More Among the other kit showcased will be the MIG-31 interceptor jet, updated with hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, the new Su-57 stealth fighter and two new aerial drones. Besides honoring World War II veterans, Russia's Victory Day is also used to market new Russian military kit, though it does not always show the best side of prospective weapons as some have suffered technical problems during proceedings. The supposedly ultra-modern T-14 Armata tank broke down and had to be towed on the Red Square in 2015, while last year the military had to cancel all aerial displays after failing to clear rain clouds over Moscow. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek By Margarita Antidze YEREVAN, (Reuters) - In the days before protesters overthrew Armenia's veteran leader, Russian officials had high-level phone contacts with the protest leaders and the ruling elite that was clinging to power, according to three people briefed on the discussions. Weeks of protests against corruption and cronyism culminated on Tuesday in Nikol Pashinyan, the protest leader, becoming prime minister, in a dramatic rupture with the cadre of officials who have run this ex-Soviet state since the late 1990s. Breaking the mould of previous ex-Soviet popular revolts, especially a bloody uprising in Ukraine in 2014, Moscow did not back the ruling elite or their right to use force to crush the protest movement. Unlike his counterparts in Ukraine, Pashinyan said he had no plans to pull Armenia out of Moscow's orbit, and he took steps to reassure Moscow on that score, including via direct contacts, two of the sources said. During the protests, Pashinyan spoke to the Russian embassy in Yerevan, and to an official in the Russian foreign ministry in Moscow, according to one of the protest leaders, Armen Grigoryan, and a businessman close to Pashinyan's circle who did not want to be identified. "We worked with them," said Grigoryan, referring to Russian officials. He said protest leaders explained to Moscow the nature of their movement and that Russia's interests would not be served by blocking them. Russia's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on any contacts it had with people in Yerevan during the crisis. In the streets, Pashinyan's supporters were encouraged to display only Armenian national symbols - a conscious break from the Ukraine revolt which angered Moscow by adopting the European Union flag. On the other side of the stand-off, Serzh Sarksyan, Armenia's ruler for a decade, was in touch with Russian officials as he fought for survival, according to a diplomatic source who spoke on condition of anonymity. In the 24 hours before Sarksyan quit as prime minister on April 23, he had telephone calls with officials in Moscow, the diplomatic source said. He did not reveal the content of the calls. Russia's influence was not the only factor in Armenia's revolution. Missteps by Sarksyan and the energy of the protest movement played critical roles. But the contacts with Russia help explain how Armenia was able to sweep its rulers away without violence or a prolonged standoff with the police. Reuters has found no evidence that Russia actively intervened in the events in Armenia. Indeed, Moscow's decision not to do so could have been enough to tilt the balance in favor of the protesters. The contacts also underline how President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy, focused on stopping the West encroaching on Russia's sphere of influence, has turned the Kremlin into de facto kingmaker in parts of the former Soviet Union. Moments after he was installed as prime minister, Pashinyan said he hoped to meet Putin for talks soon, and he was sent a telegram from the Russian leader congratulating him on his appointment, the Kremlin said. NO EU FLAGS Sitting in an art cafe in central Yerevan, Pashinyan associate Grigoryan recalled how, when the protests started, few imagined they would lead to a revolution. Not more than 150 people showed up for the first rally against Sarksyan in Yerevan, on March 21, he said. The movement adopted some innovative approaches. It was not tied explicitly to a political party. It used social media to organize. It attracted young people, many not previously involved in politics. It used humor and satire. For example, the movement organized a spoof fund-raising campaign to create a retirement fund for Sarksyan. It circulated a caricature of Sarksyan photo-shopped to look like a dim-witted character from a Soviet-era children's cartoon. It also used direct action. "You don't need many people to block a road, and that's how we started," said Grigoryan. Crucially, it kept the focus on domestic concerns and steered away from the kind of geopolitical themes that dominated Ukraine's "Euromaidan" anti-Moscow uprising in 2014. "We learned from Euromaidan that a revolution should not have an international agenda," said Grigoryan. He said no explicit instructions were given to supporters not to wave the EU or U.S. flags at rallies, but he said: "It was generally understood that it would be just Armenian flags at our protests." PHONE CALLS WITH MOSCOW By April 22, the protests had snowballed, driven by public anger that Sarksyan was switching from the presidency to the job of prime minister to get around constitutional term limits and extend his grip on power. Tens of thousands of people marched through Yerevan, blocking streets and staging sit-ins. Sarksyan had no plans to quit at that point. He walked out of talks with Pashinyan after a few minutes, saying he would not give in to "blackmail." The same day, police detained three opposition leaders, including Pashinyan, along with nearly 200 protesters. Yet the next day, Sarskyan changed direction, and resigned as prime minister. In the intervening 24 hours, Sarksyan had intensive discussions with his own allies and officials. They discussed the possibility of implementing a state of emergency, which would give security agencies greater powers to use force against the protesters. "We had two options: parliament could introduce a state of emergency in the country or Serzh Sarskyan could resign," said Eduard Sharmazanov, a lawmaker with the ruling Republican Party and deputy speaker of parliament. "Introducing a state of emergency would not solve the problem, but postpone it." In the same time period, while the internal discussions were going on, Sarksyan was in touch with Russia about what do to next, said the diplomatic source. "He weighed all the pros and cons and, as far I know, he also had some talks with people in Moscow," the diplomatic source told Reuters. The businessman close to Pashinyan said his contacts in the Republican Party told him Sarksyan had conversations with Russian officials during this period. Soon afterwards, Sarksyan quit, opening the way for his opponents to take power. In his resignation statement, Sarksyan said: "I got it wrong." (Additional reporting by Hasmik Mkrtchyan; Writing by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Giles Elgood) By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Russia is unlikely to try to limit Israel's military actions in Syria, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Since intervening in the Syrian civil war on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad in 2015, Russia has generally turned a blind eye to Israeli attacks on suspected arms transfers and deployments by Assad's Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah allies. But Moscows condemnation of an April 9 strike that killed seven Iranian personnel set off speculation in Israel that Russian patience might be wearing thin. Netanyahu flew to Moscow on Wednesday to meet Putin, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump quit the Iranian nuclear deal and after Syria accused Israel of carrying out a fresh missile strike on an army base near Damascus. "Given what is happening in Syria at this very moment, there is a need to ensure the continuation of military coordination between the Russian military and the Israel Defence Forces," Netanyahu told reporters before departing, referring to a hotline designed to prevent the countries clashing accidentally. After the talks with Putin, Netanyahu sounded upbeat. "In previous meetings, given statements that were putatively attributed to - or were made by - the Russian side, it was meant to have limited our freedom of action or harm other interests and that didn't happen, and I have no basis to think that this time will be different," he told reporters in a phone briefing. There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday that the overnight air strike near Damascus killed at least 15 people, including eight Iranians. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility. But the Israelis have said they are on high alert for a possible attack by Iranian forces in Syria, after Tehran vowed to avenge the April 9 strike. Israel has pledged to prevent Iran and Hezbollah from forming a Lebanese-Syria front against it. Netanyahu's relationship with Putin has been buoyed by a long-running Israeli courting of Russian sensitivities. During his 10-hour Moscow visit, the Israeli leader attended, alongside Putin, annual Red Square celebrations of the anniversary of the end of World War Two. Israel recognizes the Russian date, May 9. Most Western powers mark it on May 8. "When the president of Russia invites the prime minister of the state of the Jews to stand alongside him at the parade symbolizing the Red Armys victory over the Nazis, its liberation, also, of the (concentration) camps, of Jews and others for Russia, that is very significant," Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz told the Ynet news site. Last week, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman used a Russian newspaper interview to remind Moscow that Israel had not joined Western sanctions against it over the Crimea crisis and the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy in Britain. (Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov urged the United States on Tuesday not to take any rash steps against Iran that would spoil the nuclear deal, the Tass news agency reported. U.S President Donald Trump is expected to announce a decision on Tuesday on whether to withdraw from the Iran pact, which lifted economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear ambitions. Ryabkov said there were no grounds to believe Iran is on the path to creating a nuclear bomb, and that it would be impossible to pressure Tehran into make unilateral concessions, Tass reported. (Reporting by Katya Golubkova; Editing by Andrew Heavens) By Themistocles Hakizimana KIGALI (Reuters) - As U.S. actress Meghan Markle, a former ambassador for charity World Vision, prepares to marry Prince Harry, children she met in Rwanda sent goodwill messages and urged her to keep helping the poor once she joins Britain's royal family. Markle visited Rwanda in 2016 with World Vision, which is expanding access to clean water in rural areas. She toured the Gatsibo district, 100 km (60 miles) northeast of Kigali, where a piped water project provides drinking water for more than 130 families. At Kanyangese Primary School children who spoke to Reuters TV recalled Markle's visit. "Being part of a royal family is an exceptional thing. I encourage and hope that she will make history and that she will continue helping poor people in the world," said student Jean de Dieu Tuyishimire. "I encourage her to spread the values that come with being a princess." Student Valentine Umugisha wished Markle happiness in her new family and said: "Not everyone gets to be a princess ... congratulations." Markle ended her role with World Vision in order to "concentrate on new royal duties". In a statement on its website, the charity said: "Meghan carried out invaluable work during her two years as a Global Ambassador for World Vision, and were thrilled about her upcoming marriage to Prince Harry on Saturday, May 19." (Reporting by Themistocle Hakizimana; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Sarah Jessica Parker is an award-winning actress and fashion icon, yet her age is one achievement shes apparently not allowed to claim. When the 53-year-old star attended Mondays Met Gala 2018, Parker embodied the nights theme, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, wearing a metallic-gold Dolce & Gabbana gown with a nativity scene headpiece, but her lavish look was overshadowed by nasty comments about her appearance. On Twitter, Parker was likened to a senior citizen. I didnt realize Sarah Jessica Parker was 75 years old until I saw her at the Met Gala last night Gigi Click (@GeegeClique) May 8, 2018 Sarah Jessica Parker looked 80 years old last night. Wtf. Tina Moore (@TMoore8114) May 8, 2018 Bright side Sarah Jessica Parker looked 60 years old Patty Rushing (@patty_guynn) May 8, 2018 On Instagram, people were just as mean: BIG put her through too much #StressandTheCity, Girl has aged, She is overdue for fillers, and Sarah, darling, the word for today is MOISTURIZER. And when Stefano Gabbana Instagrammed some red carpet looks, commenters remarked that Parker looks older and scary. Its no surprise that women of a certain age arent exactly a draw in Hollywood. One study conducted by the University of Southern Californias Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative found that of 1,256 film characters in the 25 Best Picture-nominated films from 2014 to 2016, only 11.8 were 60 years old or older. And in half of the films that did feature a significant or supporting older character, the film contained lines that emphasized or joked about age. Story continues Another study from the same group found that [o]f the 100 top films of 2015, 32% depicted a female as the lead or co-lead of the unfolding narrative. This is an 11% increase from last year. Five of these films portrayed female leads/co-leads 45 years of age or older at the time of theatrical release in 2015. In stark contrast, 26 movies in 2015 featured leads or co-leads with males 45 years of age or older. The intersection of ageism and sexism devalues women whereas age distinguishes men, Ashton Applewhite, author of This Chair Rocks, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Its an outlook developed early in life from reading childrens books, watching cartoon characters like Homer Simpson, or being exposed to stereotypes, like all grandmothers sit in rocking chairs knitting. Even in our 20s, she says, women are told to use Botox or get fillers in their hands ahead of engagement selfies, guided by the notion that aging can somehow be stopped. Applewhite adds, In the workplace, we see ageism around age 32, when women are often passed over for promotions based on the assumption that they may get married and have children. According to Andrew Hanssen, professor of economics at Clemson University, ageism is equally problematic in Hollywood. In 2016, he co-authored a study that outlined the dwindling opportunities for women as they age: 20-something women nabbed 80 percent of leading roles, for 30-year-olds that number was 40 percent, and beyond age 40, only 20 percent. Aging is a bad career move, whether youre a man or woman; however, its seen as more negative for women, he tells Yahoo Lifestyle, explaining that in popular romantic movies where sexual attraction plays a role, female youth is prized above other attributes. That may explain why female celebrities start and end their careers earlier than men, who arent typically taken seriously for major roles until they hit their 30s. In 2016, Madonna, now 59, faced her own criticism for wearing a revealing Givenchy outfit to the Met Gala. We have fought and continue to fight for civil rights and gay rights around the world, she wrote on Instagram. When it comes to womens rights we are still in the dark ages. My dress at the Met Ball was a political statement as well as a fashion statement. The fact that people actually believe a woman is not allowed to express her sexuality and be adventurous past a certain age is proof that we still live in an ageist and sexist society. I have never thought in a limited way and Im not going to start. Madonna was criticized for her appearance at the 2016 Met Gala. (Photo: Getty Images) Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. DUBAI (Reuters) - Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition bombed Yemen's presidential palace in the center of the Houthi-controled capital Sanaa early on Monday, killing at least six people, Houthi-run media reported. The coalition, which entered Yemen's war in 2015 to push back Houthi fighters who had taken over large parts of the country, said it had meant to hit senior Houthi leaders. "First and second rank Houthi leadership were targeted," coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki told reporters in Riyadh, without confirming any casualties. Two air strikes damaged the palace as well as houses and businesses nearby in the city's central Tahrir district, the SABA news agency reported. Abu Dhabi-based Sky News Arabia said two Houthi leaders, including Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the group's supreme revolutionary committee, were inside the palace at the time, but did not say what happened to them. The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said at least six people were killed and more than 30 wounded in the strikes. Reuters could not independently confirm the reports. Photos and television footage showed a building reduced to a pile of smashed concrete and twisted metal bars. An armed Houthi fighter tried to stop people approaching the site. The two sides in Yemen have fought to a stalemate after more than three years of war. Saudi Arabia and its allies have accused their rival Iran of arming and supporting the Houthis - an assertion dismissed by both the armed group and Tehran. The Houthis say they are fighting for Yemens sovereignty against a Western-backed plot to dominate the country. A Saudi-led coalition air strike last month killed the Houthis' top civilian leader in Yemen, Saleh al-Samad, the most senior official to be killed by the alliance . (Reporting By Aziz El Yaakoubi and Sarah Daadoush in Riyadh; Editing by Andrew Heavens) Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has said it will take all necessary measures to prevent supply shortages following the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. "The kingdom will work with major oil producers within and outside OPEC, and with major consumers as well to limit the impact of any shortages in supplies," the Saudi energy ministry said in a statement late Tuesday. The kingdom's assurance came just hours after US President Donald Trump announced the United States was withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal between world powers and Iran. Trump also reinstated US sanctions which could curtail Iran's ability to export oil, its mainstay for public revenues. Before international sanctions were lifted following the nuclear deal in late 2015, Iran's crude exports stood at just one million barrels per day, mostly to Asia and European countries. That figure has since soared to 2.5 million bpd. Saudi Arabia currently pumps around 10 million bpd, but has capacity of around 12 million bpd -- a surplus of two million bpd. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to support the stability of the global oil markets to serve the interests of both producers and consumers and also the sustainability of global economic growth," the ministry statement said. Major oil producers from OPEC and non-OPEC members including Russia, the world's top producer, are linked to a deal until the end of the year to cut output by 1.8 million bpd to support prices. Oil prices made key gains after Trump's announcement with Brent crude rising 2.4 percent to over $76.5 a barrel and US crude trading above $70 early Wednesday. Our sun is still in its glory years at the ripe age of 4.5 billion years. In about 10 billion years, the suns core will lose massive amounts of hydrogen and helium, turning it into a red giant star. At least thats what we all learned in middle school, right? Apparently, that doesnt tell the whole story. A new study published on Monday in Nature Astronomy gives more detail to previously existing ideas about whatll happen once our sun dies. According to the research, our sun will become a ghostly ring of expanding gas known as a planetary nebula. When a star dies it ejects a mass of gas and dust known as its envelope into space, Professor Albert Zijlstra of the University of Manchester explains in a statement. The envelope can be as much as half the stars mass. This reveals the stars core, which by this point in the stars life is running out of fuel, eventually turning off and before finally dying. Planetary Nebula Abell 39 By developing a new kind of stellar data model, the team tried to plot out the suns final act. The model predicts the brightness of our suns planetary nebula based on the age and luminosity of other stars gaseous envelopes. Though scientists had long assumed that our sun wasnt massive enough to form a planetary nebula, the team showed it is in fact a possibility. The teams models show that stars like our sun, although lower in mass compared to many others, can get really hot very quickly, even as it dies. This would mean that our sun could still eject gasses and dust to make a visible planetary nebula. We found that stars with mass less than 1.1 times the mass of the sun produce fainter nebula, and stars more massive than 3 solar masses brighter nebulae, but for the rest the predicted brightness is very close to what had been observed, Zijlstra adds. Could this settle the long-standing debate around our suns death? Not exactly, I mean, its just one study. That said, at least we have some compelling ideas about whatll happen to our favorite sun when its finally time for it to die it could become a ghost. Story continues Video: NASA Launches InSight lander For A Mission To Mars Photos via T.A.RECTOR (NRAO/AUI/NSF AND NOAO/AURA/NSF) AND B.A.WOLPA (NOAO/AURA/NSF) Photos via T.A.RECTOR (NRAO/AUI/NSF AND NOAO/AURA/NSF) AND B.A.WOLPA (NOAO/AURA/NSF) Written by Rae Paoletta More articles by Rae Facebook Page Twitter TweetShareSubscribe More From Inverse JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The premier of South Africa's North West province Supra Mahumapelo denied media reports on Wednesday that he had stepped down in the face of mounting political and public pressure including violent protests against him last month. Asked directly by reporters if he had resigned, Mahumapelo said in televised remarks that he was waiting to hear from the executive committee of the ruling African National Congress. "I will listen to what the PEC (Provincial Executive Committee) say ... Let's wait and see," he said as a boisterous crowd of ANC supporters shouted and chanted nearby. Acting North West provincial secretary Susan Dantjie told journalists after a PEC meeting that Mahumapelo has been instructed to go on leave pending an investigation into governance issues in the province. "The PEC resolved that Comrade Supra Mahumapelo must take leave and allow the inter-ministerial task team to proceed with the processes and in the meantime must appoint an acting premier," she said. Mahumapelo is a political ally of scandal-plagued former president Jacob Zuma, replaced in February by Cyril Ramaphosa, who has vowed to clean up governance in Africa's most industrialized economy. Last month Ramaphosa cut short a visit to a Commonwealth summit in Britain to travel to North West and calm tensions after crowds began protesting against poor public services and demanding Mahumapelo's resignation. Ramaphosa placed the platinum-rich province's health and treasury departments under central government control and deployed army medics to treat hospital patients. (Reporting by Ed Stoddard and Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by Ed Cropley and Catherine Evans) SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday North Korea should be guaranteed economic aid if it were to undertake complete denuclearisation, a South Korean presidential official said. "The two heads of state agreed the international society, including the United States, should help guarantee a bright future for North Korea like ensuring the regime's security and economic development if North Korea completely denuclearises," Blue House official Yoon Young-chan told reporters. Moon and Li, in Tokyo for a trilateral summit with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also agreed that South Korea and China could begin joint research to assess possible railway projects to connect the two countries, via North Korea, Yoon said. (Reporting by Christine Kim; Editing by Robert Birsel) SpaceXs newly upgraded Falcon 9 rocket is slated to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday. The liftoff window is currently scheduled to open at 4:00 p.m. Eastern and close at 6:25 p.m. Eastern. If weather conditions permit and the Falcon 9 performs nominally this will be the aerospace companys ninth successful mission in 2018. This will be the Falcon 9s maiden launch with its recent Block 5 upgrade, which retrofitted the booster with retractable landing legs, increased its thrust capabilities, and added new heat shields. The improved rocket will be carrying the Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite into geostationary orbit for the Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company. SpaceX Launch Livestream: When and How to Watch A livestream of the launch will be available on the SpaceX YouTube channel and NASA TV, which will begin broadcasting an hour to 30 minutes before the launch window opens. Targeting Falcon 9 Block 5 launch of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 on May 10 from Pad 39A in Florida. SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 7, 2018 SpaceX Launch Livestream: What Are We Watching, Exactly? Thursdays launch will test the Block 5 upgrade and will be the first out of seven uncrewed launches SpaceX will need to conduct before the newly improved rocket is determined safe for human transport by NASA. Block 5 was implemented in hopes of enabling rapid and routine reusability of the booster. SpaceX hopes to be able to fly the Falcon 9 10 times with only inspections between launches and up to 100 times with refurbishments. SpaceX Launch Livestream: Why It Matters If this flight is a success it would mark Falcon 9s 54th successful launch since its inception. SpaceX also has two other missions scheduled for May meaning the company is well on its way toward achieving its lofty goal of launching every two weeks. Photos via Flickr / NASAKennedy Story continues Photos via Flickr / NASAKennedy Written by Danny Paez More articles by Danny Twitter TweetShareSubscribe More From Inverse SpaceX is taking the first steps in its final tests to transport humans into outer space. The company has revealed plans to launch its Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket this Thursday and if all goes well, that craft could be ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station in roughly a year. Targeting Falcon 9 Block 5 launch of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 on May 10 from Pad 39A in Florida. SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 7, 2018 The Block 5 is unique, even among SpaceX craft. Designed to meet NASAs requirements to carry a crew, its also highly reusable. SpaceX says it can fly again just 48 hours after a launch and the rocket can be fired ten times with few refurbishments. That rapid turnaround on flights could cut the cost of spaceflight considerably, which Elon Musk believes is the key to achieving a manned flight to Mars. First, though, the Block 5 has to complete seven unmanned flights. As a result, Thursdays launch wont be manned. The SpaceX rocket will take Bangladeshs Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite into orbit. The Block 5 launch is more than just the run-up for manned spaceflight. Musk has reportedly said its the last launch system that will debut before SpaceX begins to consolidate its technology into a massive rocket called the BFR, which he hopes to use on the journey to Mars. Musk says that flight could launch as soon as early 2019. The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. Russian businessman Viktor Vekselberg. (Photo: Pavel Golovkin/AP) WASHINGTON Michael Avenatti, attorney for adult-film star Stormy Daniels, made a blockbuster allegation Tuesday. In a report that he posted on Twitter, Avenatti claimed that President Trumps attorney, Michael Cohen, received $500,000 from Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian billionaire with close ties to Vladimir Putin. It is unclear how Avenatti obtained the information outlined in the report, and he did not respond to a request for comment. For months, Avenatti has been pushing to obtain records related to a bank account Cohen used to make a $130,000 payment to Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, on Oct. 27, 2016. The report Avenatti posted online alleged that the money from Vekselberg was sent to this same account. Within approximately 75 days of the payment to Ms. Clifford, Mr. Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, caused substantial funds to be deposited into the bank account from which Mr. Cohen made the payment. It appears that these funds may have replenished the account following the payment to Ms. Clifford, the report said. Vekselberg and his Renova Group conglomerate were among the Russian individuals and entities sanctioned by the U.S. last month in response to Russias alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election. Michael Cohen, President Trumps personal attorney. (Photo: Mary Altaffer/AP) Daniels is suing Trump and Cohen to void a nondisclosure agreement preventing her from publicly discussing an affair she said she had with Trump in 2006. She has said the $130,000 payment was provided as part of that deal. Daniels is also suing Cohen for defamation, because she said he falsely depicted her as a liar by denying the affair. Cohen has claimed he made the payment to Daniels without Trumps knowledge even though the affair never took place because he wanted to protect Trump from embarrassment. Cohen did not respond to a request for comment for this story. The payment to Daniels and its reimbursement has been the subject of growing interest because of the possibility that the transaction constituted an illegal campaign contribution since it was made shortly before the election and was designed to spare Trump from negative headlines. Trump initially said he was unaware of any arrangement between Cohen and Daniels, but last week he admitted that Cohen was reimbursed for the payment. According to Trump, Cohen received a monthly retainer to be his personal attorney and that the use of those funds wasnt related to his presidential campaign. Story continues Cohen is currently the subject of ongoing criminal investigations. Special counsel Robert Mueller is probing his involvement in Trumps efforts to build a skyscraper in Moscow. Mueller also referred a case involving the payments to Daniels and another woman as well as Cohens personal real estate and taxi business to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York. That investigation resulted in an FBI raid on Cohens home and office last month. Avenattis report alleged that the $500,000 from Vekselberg was sent to Cohen in eight separate payments made between January and August of last year. Michael Avenatti, Stormy Danielss attorney, speaks to reporters outside of federal court in New York. (Photo: Seth Wenig/AP) This was occurring at the same time significant questions were being raised relating to (a) the involvement of Russia and Vladimir Putin in the 2016 presidential election and (b) the extent of the relationship between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump, the report said. According to Avenattis report, the payments were routed by Vekselberg and his cousin, Andrew Intrater, through a company called Columbus Nova. The company is the American investment arm of Vekselbergs conglomerate. Intrater did not respond to a request for comment from Yahoo News, but Columbus Novas attorney, Richard Owens, emailed a statement describing Avenattis report as erroneous. Owens said Cohen was hired by the company as a consultant and Vekselberg was not involved in the payments. Columbus Nova is a management company solely owned and controlled by Americans. After the inauguration, the firm hired Michael Cohen as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures. Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false, Owens said, adding, The claim that Viktor Vekselberg was involved or provided any funding for Columbus Novas engagement of Michael Coehn [sic] is patently untrue. Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else other than Columbus Novas owners were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement. Beirut (AFP) - Eight Iranians were among 15 foreign pro-regime fighters killed in a suspected Israeli strike in Syria on a weapons depot of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, a war monitor said Wednesday. The raid struck the area of Kisweh south of Damascus late Tuesday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. Syria's official news agency SANA said the army had intercepted two Israeli missiles fired towards Kisweh, with state television broadcasting images of fires in the nearby area. "The death toll of the missile strike has risen to 15 pro-regime fighters -- eight from Iran's Revolutionary Guards and others not of Syrian nationality," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. The monitor previously reported nine pro-regime combatants had died in the raid, without specifying their nationality. SANA quoted a medical source saying that two civilians had died on a highway linking Damascus with the southern city of Deraa as a result of an explosion linked to "the Israeli aggression". Late Tuesday, the Israeli-occupied section of the Golan Heights was placed on high alert due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" across the demarcation line in Syria. It is not the first time that Kisweh has been targeted. In December, Israel reportedly bombed military positions in the area south of Damascus, including a weapons depot. Since the start of Syria's civil war in 2011, Israel has repeatedly targeted positions of the Syrian army and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement backing it inside the country. On April 29, missile strikes -- "probably Israeli" -- fired on regime military positions killed at least 26 mostly Iranian fighters, according to the Observatory. On April 9, missiles targeted the T-4 air base in the central province of Homs, killing up to 14 fighters, including seven Iranians, two days after an alleged chemical attack carried out by the Syrian regime. Story continues Damascus accused Israel of carrying out the strike. Israel and Syria are still officially in a state of war, though the armistice line on the sector of the Golan Heights which the Jewish state seized from its Arab neighbour in 1967 was largely quiet for decades until the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011. In an interview late last month, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman vowed to strike at any attempt by Iran to establish a "military foothold" in Syria. Sylvester Stallone is enjoying his latest go-round as Rocky Balboa, thats for sure. The action star, whos in Philadelphia filming Rocky follow-up Creed 2, on Tuesday stopped by the apartment the boxer lived in when the saga began in 1976. He sat on the other Rocky steps outside and reminisced about talking to his love interest Adrian, played by Talia Shire. Three days earlier, Stallone visited two of his co-stars from the Oscar-winning film, pet turtles Cuff and Link. Stallone, 71, also gave the Rocky Re-Runs exhibit at the Da Vinci Art Alliance his seal of approval last month. The staff was pretty excited, as most people would be at the sight of the Italian Stallion in person. Although the staff didnt think a personal appearance would ever happen, and they hadnt known that Creed 2 would be filmed in the city when the exhibit was planned. It was an ongoing joke for the group, museum director Jarrod Markman told the Philadelphia Inquirer. When [Stallones people] called, the artists didnt believe me. Of course, Stallones Philadelphia tour wouldnt be complete without a return to the ultimate Rocky location: the Rocky Balboa statue outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He surprised tourists and locals alike there on April 6. Philly Mayor Jim Kenney spoke about the citys love for Rocky, Stallone imitated his famous arms-up pose, and fans were thrilled. Story continues Sylvester Stallone in Philadelphia to promote Creed 2 last month. (Photo: Michael Perez/AP) Its like I never left here, Stallone told the newspaper at the time. I am Philly, Philly is me. My life began here, you know? Reportedly, there is a plan for Stallone to revisit another of his most famous characters, the tough-as-nails John Rambo, in Rambo 5 next year. Who else is in? Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Damascus (AFP) - The Syrian army on Tuesday night intercepted two Israeli missiles fired towards a district near Damascus, the official SANA news agency said. According to SANA, "anti-aircraft defences intercepted two Israeli missiles launched against (the district of) Kissweh and destroyed them". The agency had earlier reported "explosions" in the southern suburb, while Syrian state television broadcast images of fires in the area targeted by the strikes. Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP that "missiles, probably Israeli, had targeted a weapons depot in the Kissweh area, presumably belonging to Hezbollah and the Iranians". This is not the first time that the area in the southwest of Damascus has been targeted. In December, Israel reportedly bombed military positions in Kissweh, including a weapons depot. On Tuesday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he "fully supports" the United States' withdrawal from a multinational nuclear deal with Iran. His statement came as the Israeli-occupied section of the Golan Heights was placed on high alert due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" across the demarcation line in Syria. In recent years, particularly since 2017, Israel has carried out numerous strikes in Syria against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and his ally, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. On April 9 missiles targeted the T-4 air base in the central province of Homs, killing up to 14 fighters, including seven Iranians, two days after an alleged chemical attack carried out by the Syrian regime. The air base was also targeted by Israel in February. On April 29, at least 26 mostly Iranian fighters were killed by missiles fired on regime military positions, according to the Observatory. The strikes, "probably Israeli", targeted a military airport in Aleppo in the country's north and Brigade 47 in Hama, where Iranian forces are stationed, the Observatory said. Story continues Occasional clashes have erupted between Israel and the Syrian regime and its Hezbollah ally in the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967. Israel is concerned that Iran and Hezbollah are embedding forces along its border. In an interview late last month, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman vowed to strike at any attempt by Iran to establish a "military foothold" in Syria. Suspected Iranian military positions were hit by new strikes Tuesday shortly after Israel ordered citizens to take shelter and President Donald Trump announced he would withdraw from a nuclear deal with Iran. The official Syrian Arab News Agency reported that Israeli jets struck Al-Kiswa, located near eight miles south of Damascus, claiming Syrian air defenses downed two incoming missiles. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman held security meetings with heads of defense at Kirya Military Headquarters in Tel Aviv, according to The Jerusalem Post, just hours after the Israeli military instructed citizens in the occupied Golan Heights to "unlock and ready (bomb) shelters" due to what it said was "irregular" movement by Iranian forces in Syria. Israel accuses Iran of undermining its national security by supporting majority-Shiite Muslim militias fighting on behalf of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has occasionally launched air strikes against these groups and their allies. Trending: Former Teacher Denies Organizing High School Fight Club GettyImages-955580816 JALAA MAREY/AFP/Getty Images One attackblamed on Israel by Russia, Syria and Lebanonkilled several Iranians last month at the T-4 airbase. Another strike on pro-Syrian government positions in southern Homs province was also left unclaimed, but widely blamed on Israel. Israel rarely confirms nor denies conducting such attacks, just as it maintains intentional ambiguity about its nuclear weapons program. This intensified campaign of attacks led up to increased Israeli pressure for the U.S. to leave the historic nuclear agreement signed in 2015 by the U.S. and Iran, as well as China, France, Germany, Russia and the U.K. Out of the deal's six signatories, the U.S. is the only country that does not support it. The Trump administration has said it does not go far enough to stop Iran from supporting foreign militias, developing ballistic missiles and acquiring a nuclear weapona view shared primarily by Israel and Saudi Arabia. Story continues Don't miss: Mitch McConnell's Narcos-Inspired Cocaine Tweet Gets Last Laugh on Blankenship Related: Will U.S. Go to War With Iran? Trump Breaks Nuclear Deal and Risks Middle East Conflict "Israel fully supports Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran ... Israel has opposed the nuclear deal from the start because we said that, rather than blocking Iran's path to a bomb, it actually paved Iran's path to an entire arsenal of nuclear bombs and this within a few years' time," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday. "The deal didn't push war further away, it actually brought us closer, the deal didn't reduce Iran's aggression it dramatically increased it, and we see this across the entire Middle East. Since the deal, we've seen Iran's aggression grow everydayin Iraq, in Lebanon, in Yemen, in Gaza and, most of all, in Syria, where Iran is trying to establish military bases to attack Israel," he added. Most popular: Trump Will Be Worm Food Before Iran Falls, Ayatollah Khamenei Says Amid Nuclear Deal Fallout RTX5ZMHA Institute for the Study of War/Maps4News/Reuters The International Atomic Energy Agency has verified Iran's commitment to the deal, whose other signatories expressed regret over the U.S. exit. Some countries, such as Iran and Syria, blasted the decision. Citing an official Syrian Defense Ministry, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported that "the international reactions condemning and denouncing the U.S. decision have shown the United States' isolation and the mistake of its policies that could increase tensions in the world." Iran and its allies, including the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, have battled rebels and jihadis attempting to overthrow Assad since a 2011 uprising sponsored by the West, Turkey and Gulf Arab states. With support from these groups and Russia military backing, Assad has largely regained momentum in the war. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Damascus (AFP) - The Syrian army on Tuesday night intercepted two Israeli missiles fired towards a district near Damascus, Syria's official SANA news agency said, but a monitor said nine pro-government fighters died in the strike. According to SANA, "anti-aircraft defences intercepted two Israeli missiles launched against (the district of) Kissweh and destroyed them". The agency had earlier reported "explosions" in the southern suburb, while state television broadcast images of fires in the area targeted by the strikes. Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP that the missiles had targeted a weapons depot in Kissweh, "presumably belonging to Hezbollah and the Iranians". Abdel Rahman said the strike had killed at least nine pro-government fighters, "including members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and other pro-Iranian Shiite militiamen", but it was not possible to independently confirm any toll. Sanaa quoted a medical source saying that two civilians had died on a highway linking Damascus with the southern city of Deraa as a result of an explosion linked to "the Israeli aggression", without providing details. This is not the first time that the area in the southwest of Damascus has been targeted. In December, Israel reportedly bombed military positions in Kissweh, including a weapons depot. On Tuesday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he "fully supports" the United States' withdrawal from a multinational nuclear deal with Iran. His statement came as the Israeli-occupied section of the Golan Heights was placed on high alert due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" across the demarcation line in Syria. In recent years, particularly since 2017, Israel has carried out numerous strikes in Syria against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and his ally, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. Story continues On April 9 missiles targeted the T-4 air base in the central province of Homs, killing up to 14 fighters, including seven Iranians, two days after an alleged chemical attack carried out by the Syrian regime. The air base was also targeted by Israel in February. On April 29, at least 26 mostly Iranian fighters were killed by missiles fired on regime military positions, according to the Observatory. The strikes, "probably Israeli", targeted a military airport in Aleppo in the country's north and Brigade 47 in Hama, where Iranian forces are stationed, the Observatory said. Occasional clashes have erupted between Israel and the Syrian regime and its Hezbollah ally in the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967. Israel is concerned that Iran and Hezbollah are embedding forces along its border. In an interview late last month, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman vowed to strike at any attempt by Iran to establish a "military foothold" in Syria. By Angus McDowall and Jeffrey Heller BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday an Israeli attack on Iranian military facilities south of Damascus had killed at least 15 people, including eight Iranians. The reports of an Israeli attack in Kisweh late on Tuesday emerged after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was pulling out of the Iranian nuclear deal. The UK-based Observatory said the missile strikes hit depots and rocket launchers, killing 15 individuals including eight Iranians. Reuters could not independently verify the report. A commander in the regional alliance fighting alongside Damascus said that Israel had hit a Syrian army base without causing casualties. Trump's hard tack against the nuclear deal, while welcomed by Israel, has stirred fears of a possible regional flare-up. Within hours of the White House announcement on Tuesday night, Syrian state media said that its air defenses had brought down two Israeli missiles. Israel's military declined to comment on the reports, shortly after it said it had identified "irregular activity" by Iranian forces in Syria and went onto high alert. The military had instructed authorities in the Golan Heights bordering Syria to ready bomb shelters and mobilized some reservist forces. Iran and its ally, Lebanon's Hezbollah, have helped Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's military with critical support in the seven-year-old war, beating back rebels and Islamic State. Tehran's growing clout in Syria alarms arch foe Israel, which has struck what it describes as Iranian deployments or arms transfers to Hezbollah scores of times during the conflict. Last month, an air strike on the T-4 air base near Syria's Homs city killed seven Iranians. Tehran blamed Israel and vowed to retaliate. Israeli-Iranian confrontation would likely remain limited after Washington abandoned the nuclear deal, but conflict between the two regional powers will flare on in Syria, experts said on Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Russia to press its leader, Vladimir Putin, to rein in the Iranians along the Syrian front. FLARE UPS Ghaleb Kandil, a Lebanese political analyst with close ties to Hezbollah and Damascus, said he expected the two enemies to exchange "limited, calculated attacks" in Syria's war as deterrents. "It's clear that everyone realizes the risks of a big confrontation ... Iran does not want (this) confrontation, and Israel knows its consequences," he said. The occupied Golan, which Israel captured from Syria in a 1967 war, was quiet on Wednesday. "The children are in kindergartens and the crop pickers are out in the fields, all agricultural work is continuing as normal and tourists are arriving. There have been very few tour group cancellations," said Diti Goldstein, a local tourism official. Still, experts said they expected flare ups to persist. "Israel has military dominance and free hand to carry out those kinds of attacks" on targets inside Syria, said Gary Samore, who served as a deputy national security adviser to former U.S. President George W. Bush. Sooner or later, Shi'ite militias which Tehran has deployed in Syria will also likely attack Israeli military sites near the border, he said at an annual security conference near Tel Aviv. But Samore added that Russia, a leading powerbroker in Syria and key Assad ally, wants to keep things "under control" and avoid "a big war between Israel and Iran" on Syrian territory. In 2015, Russia and Israel set up a hotline to prevent accidental clashes between their forces in Syria. In an interview with Israeli news site YNet, Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said the government's strategy was "to get Iran out of Syria without starting a war". "We want the Iranians to be forced into making the decision to strategically retreat from Syria," Katz said. (Reporting By Angus McDowall in Beirut; Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem; Additional reporting by Ellen Francis in BeirutWriting by Ellen Francis in Beirut; Editing by Angus MacSwan, William Maclean) By Jess Macy Yu TAIPEI (Reuters) - China is disregarding the health of the people of Taiwan by blocking the island's participation in an annual U.N. health meeting later this month, the Taiwan government said. Taiwan's China policy-making body said late on Monday the exclusion of Taiwan from the World Health Assembly (WHA) for a second consecutive year showed Beijing's lack of will to improve relations. "China's use of its one-sided political stance, and persistence in suppressing and blocking our participation in the WHA, disregards Taiwan people's health safety rights," the island's Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement. "Our government expresses its strong condemnation at this unreasonable action," the council said ahead of the May 21-26 WHA meeting in Geneva. Taiwan is one of China's most sensitive issues. The island is claimed by Beijing as its sacred territory and China has never renounced the use of force to bring under Chinese control what it considers to be a wayward province. Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, which recognizes the "one China" policy centered on Beijing, and it does not formally take part in U.N. meetings. Taiwan has, however, in the past been given observer status at some conferences with Beijing's acquiescence. But ties between the mainland and the island have worsened since the 2016 election of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) who - unlike the island's previous China-friendly administration - has not acknowledged the "one China" principle. Last year, Taiwan blamed China for not being given observer status for the WHA meeting. It said health should not be politicized and barring Taiwan put the health of its people and the world's health safety net at risk. China's foreign ministry said on Monday that Taiwan's governing party only had itself to blame for the exclusion because it did not abide by the one-China principle. "Taiwan's inability to get an invitation completely lies with the fault of the DPP authorities," the ministry said in a statement. As it did last year, Taiwan will send a delegation to Geneva to argue its case and seek meetings with officials from attending countries and organizations. Taiwan foreign ministry spokesman Andrew H.C. Lee said the delegation "will work together to push the work further and strive until the last minute". He said more than 10 friends and like-minded countries supported Taiwan's request and would raise the issue at the meeting. From 2009 to 2016, Taiwan participated in WHA meetings as an observer, under the name 'Chinese Taipei', a special arrangement that was agreed on by both sides during Taiwan's more China-friendly Ma Ying-jeou administration. (Additional reporting by Michael Martina in BEIJING; Editing by Darren Schuettler) Moments after he declared the U.S. was pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, President Trump seemed to abruptly switch topics to announce that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on his way to North Korea to prepare for Trumps meeting with the nuclear-armed despot Kim Jong Un. What seemed to be a jarring aside was actually part of Trumps decision to reimpose U.S. sanctions against Iran. Over the past two months, Trump has come to see his policy toward North Korea as a success and believes his unusual combination of insults and biting economic sanctions appears to have brought Kim to the table. Now, Trump wants run the same playbook against Iran. Todays action sends a critical message: The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them, Trump said, standing at a lectern in the White Houses Diplomatic Room. Then he brought up Pompeos trip: In fact, at this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un. Plans are being made. Relationships are building. Foreign policy experts have warned for months that if Trump backs out of the Iran deal, it will make it harder to convince North Korea that the U.S. will live up to any commitments brokered as part of an agreement to remove nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula. But Trump and his aides disagree. Ditching the Iran deal, in their view, shows North Koreas young despot that Trump wont accept terms that allow for Kim to eventually restart a nuclear program. Another aspect of the withdrawal that was announced today is to establish positions of strength for the United States, and it will have implications not simply for Iran, but for the forthcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un of North Korea, National Security Advisor John Bolton told reporters in the White House press room after the President spoke. The message to North Korea is the President wants a real deal. While hes on the ground in North Korea, Pompeo will be asking Kim to discuss returning to commitments North Korea made when it signed the South-North Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which included shutting down uranium enrichment and plutonium processing, among other things, Bolton said. Story continues Non-proliferation experts said Trump may be generating a crisis where there wasnt one. Iran has limited its capacity to enrich uranium, and by going back on the U.S. part of the bargain, Trump may be risking that. Trumps action doesnt automatically end the deal China, Russia, Germany, France and the U.K. were also signatories of the deal and have said they would continue to adhere to the terms but it exposes foreign companies to possible U.S. penalties for doing business in Iran. Irans President Hassan Rouhani chastised the U.S. for not living up to its commitments, but indicated Iran may try to weather the restoration of U.S. sanctions, hoping to continue doing business with other signatories of the 2015 deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. It is possible that we will face some problems for two or three months, but we will pass through this, Rouhani said, adding that Iran would like to keep working with the world and constructive engagement with the world. Trumps negotiating skills honed in the New York real estate world are still being tested on the world stage. He hasnt gotten any permanent concessions out of North Korea yet, and his saber rattling on trade has yet to show dramatic results for the U.S. Its not clear that the Art of the Deal works, said Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who has advocated or fixing shortcomings in the Iran deal. Obviously Trump has an appetite for risk that has led him to huge successes and four bankruptcies. This is clearly another example of a hugely risky negotiating strategy that could yield extremely positive results or be a potential disaster. The Presidents decision to pull out from the deal is foreign policy malpractice, said Thomas Countryman, a 35-year career diplomat who retired last year after leading the State Departments nonproliferation efforts. It creates a long list of concerns, he said, including provoking Iran to restart uranium enrichment, handicapping ongoing IAEA nuclear facility inspections, and stoking tensions in an already tumultuous region. Its an unjustified decision with no explanation on how to improve the JCPOA or prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Countryman said. This is not a Trump Hotel where you can go to bankruptcy court and start all over again. Multilateral agreements dont work that way. With reporting from W.J. Hennigan/Washington Yerevan (AFP) - Gayane wept with joy as she watched four doves fly into the leaden sky over Yerevan, where tens of thousands of people poured onto the streets to celebrate opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan's election as prime minister on Tuesday. "I am so happy!" the 29-year-old sobbed as warm rain fell on the crowds. "I was waiting for this moment for so long. Pashinyan will change everything in Armenia." Earlier on Tuesday Armenia's parliament elected the 42-year-old opposition leader as prime minister after he spearheaded weeks of mass protests against the ruling party, transforming the country's political landscape. Yerevan's central Republic Square quickly filled with a sea of Armenia's red-blue-and-orange national flags and a huge crowd sang the national anthem and chanted "Armenia! Armenia!" "From now on, nobody will violate the Armenian people's rights and freedom!" Pashinyan told the crowd. The father of four is often seen as a man of the people, a reputation backed up by the trademark camouflage T-shirt he wore during protests. But on Tuesday, the newly elected premier swapped his street attire for a sleek suit, transforming himself into a polished politician with a bashful smile. The honking of car and vuvuzela horns mingled with shouts of joy as groups of young people danced folk dances to beating drums. "What a great feel of freedom!" said 42-year-old economist Ruzanna Sargsyan. "The people now believes in its strength, that change can be achieved." Her friend Gohar Harutyunyan, a 39-year-old financier, said: "Armenia now believes in a better future. ... Armenia has every reason to celebrate. This is a great, historic day." "What I like about Pashinyan is his style," said Karen, 25, who had tied a ribbon in the colours of Armenian flag around the neck of his dog, Zeus. In a nearby street, an ancient Soviet car and a glittering BMW together blocked traffic, their owners playing music at a deafening volume. Story continues For 28-year-old Minas Sarkisian, the most important thing is Pashinyan's promise to fight endemic corruption and boost the economy in the impoverished Caucasus nation of 2.9 million. "I'm a cook in a Mexican restaurant, but I also work as a waiter to make ends meet," said Sarkisian, who earns "between $400 and $500 a month." "It's not enough to live on, and I can never go on holiday," he said, expressing confidence that Pashinyan will "transform the economy" in the country where more than 30 percent of people live below the poverty line according to official statistics. But some were more cautious. "I don't want to delude myself too much," said 27-year-old Hayk. "I'm not pessimistic, but I think people should rely more on themselves to change their own lives." Seoul (AFP) - Three Korean-Americans held by nuclear-armed North Korea have been released, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, and were heading home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Despite years of hostility between Washington and Pyongyang, hundreds of Americans visited North Korea every year until the US State Department finally issued a travel ban on the country last September. Americans made the journey to North Korea for a range of reasons, from holidays and business trips to humanitarian work and missionary purposes. Seoul is also pushing for the release of six South Koreans held by Pyongyang including three defectors originally from North Korea, and three Christian missionaries -- the first of whom was detained in 2013. Pompeo's visit to North Korea comes with Trump preparing for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks, as a dramatic diplomatic thaw on the peninsula quickens. These are the US citizens who were released: Kim Hak-song Kim Hak-song had been working for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) undertaking agricultural development work with the school's farm. He was arrested at Pyongyang railway station in May 2017 on suspicion of committing "hostile acts" against the government, as he was boarding a train headed for his home in Dandong, China. Kim, who is in his mid 50s, was born in Jilin, China, and educated at a university in California, CNN reported, citing a man who had studied with him. He said Kim returned to China after about 10 years of living in the US. PUST was founded by evangelical overseas Christians and opened in 2010. It is known to have a number of American faculty members and students are generally children from the North's elite. Kim Sang-duk Kim Sang-duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested in April 2017 at the capital's main airport as he tried to leave the country after teaching for several weeks, also at PUST. Kim is a former professor at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China, close to the Korean border. Its website lists his speciality as accounting. Story continues South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported Kim is in his late 50s and said he had been involved in relief activities for children in rural parts of North Korea. It cited a source who described him as a "religiously devoted man". In a Facebook post, Kim's son said since his arrest his family has had no contact with him. His family said Kim will soon become a grandfather. Kim Dong-chul Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born American businessman and pastor who is in his 60s, was sentenced to 10 years' hard labour in April 2016 after being charged with subversion and espionage. He was arrested in October 2015 after he reportedly received a USB stick containing nuclear-linked data and other military information from a former North Korean soldier. In a interview with CNN in January 2016, Kim said he was a naturalised American who had lived in Fairfax, Virginia. He said he once ran a trading and hotel services company in Rason, a special economic zone near the North's border with China and Russia. A month before his trial, Kim had also appeared at a government-arranged news conference and apologised for attempting to steal military secrets in collusion with South Korea. The South Korean spy agency has denied involvement. Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump greeted three Americans released by North Korea at an air base near Washington early Thursday, underscoring a much needed diplomatic win and a stepping stone to a historic summit with Kim Jong Un. Trump and first lady Melania made the short helicopter ride from the White House to Joint Base Andrews to personally welcome Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul back to the United States, after their release from North Korea on Wednesday. The president and his wife strode up the steps into the blue and white plane to greet them privately before coming out before TV cameras in the middle of the night. Trump praised Kim Jong Un for freeing the Americans ahead of a planned summit between the US and North Korean leaders, scheduled to take place within weeks. One of the former prisoners waved his arms from atop the steps, and another while down on the tarmac. "It was understood that we would be able to get these three terrific people during the meeting and bring them home after the meeting," Trump said. "He was nice in letting them go before the meeting. Frankly, we didn't think this was going to happen. And it did." Remarking on the sudden shift in US relations with North Korea, Trump said: "We're starting off on a new footing... he released the folks early. It's a big thing. Very important to me. "And I really think we have a very good chance of doing something very meaningful and if anybody would have said that five years ago, 10 years ago -- even a year ago -- you would have said that's not possible." He added: "A lot of very good things have happened." - Freed American speaks - The North Korean regime granted the three men "amnesty," a US official said, removing a major point of friction between Washington and Pyongyang and a potential obstacle to talks between the Cold War foes. The men flew home with the new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. A large US flag was strung over the tarmac. Story continues Two of the men, agricultural expert Kim Hak-song and former professor Tony Kim, were arrested in 2017, while Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born American businessman and pastor in his 60s, was sentenced to 10 years' hard labor in 2016. On their arrival, a reporter asked the men how they were treated in North Korea. Kim Dong-chul spoke up, and through a translator said: "Yes, we were treated in many different ways. For me, I had to do a lot of labor. But when I got sick, I was also treated by them." The White House said all three men were able to walk unassisted onto the US Air Force plane that carried them and the Secretary of State out of North Korea. A second plane, with more robust medical equipment, accompanied them. "All indications are at this point that their health is as good as could be given that they've been held," Pompeo told reporters. The trio also released a statement of thanks via the State Department. "We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home," they said. "We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world." The family of Tony Kim also voiced gratitude to "all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home" -- and specifically thanked Trump for "engaging directly with North Korea." - Game on - Before the plane's arrival Trump described the men's release as "a gesture of goodwill." The White House said Trump spoke with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in on Wednesday about Pompeo's visit to North Korea, and that the two presidents welcomed the release of the Americans and "expressed hope for joyful family reunions." Trump supporters declared the release an unbridled political victory, evidence, Vice President Mike Pence said, that "strong leadership and our America First policies are paying dividends." The development appears to pave the way for the much-anticipated summit between the two leaders. "It was absolutely imperative that the Trump Administration secure the release of the three Americans well before any summit," said Jean Lee, an analyst at the Wilson Center. In his first reported comments on the summit, Kim said his sit down with Trump "would be a historic meeting" and an "excellent first step" according to state media. - Summit details to follow - Trump says a time, date and location have been decided for his historic summit, although US officials say there is still some fine-tuning to be done. The most likely location appears to be neutral Singapore. The president told reporters the administration would announce the details "within three days", but revealed it would not be at the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea. "I think that Chairman Kim is trying to set good conditions for the summit. I think we are having good conversations, productive conversations," Pompeo said. "We're planning on it will be a single day, but in the event that there is more to discuss, there'll be an opportunity for it to extend into the second day as well." The meeting will discuss North Korea's nuclear and ballistic weapons program, which may soon give Pyongyang the capability of striking the continental United States. Since coming to office Trump has embarked on a campaign of "maximum pressure" on the North Korean regime. A series of provocative North Korean missile tests have been met with US sanctions and a tougher Chinese stance on cross border trade. Officials in Washington believe the measures have prompted fuel shortages in North Korea and increased tension inside the regime. North Korea official Kim Yong Chul, who met Pompeo in Pyongyang, insisted the country's openness to talks was "not the result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside," but a change in regime focus. "We have perfectedour nuclear capability. It is our policy to concentrate all efforts into economic progress in country," he said. Domestic and international tourism account for eight percent of greenhouse gas emissions, four times more than previously estimated, according to a study published Monday. The multi-trillion dollar industry's carbon footprint is expanding rapidly, driven in large part by demand for energy-intensive air travel, researchers reported in the journal Nature Climate Change. "Tourism is set to grow faster than many other economic sectors," with revenue projected to swell by four percent annually through 2025, noted lead-author Arunima Malik, a researcher at The University of Sydney's business school. Holding the sector's carbon pollution in check will likely require carbon taxes or CO2 trading schemes for aviation, the researchers concluded. As in decades past, the United States is the single largest emitter of tourism-related carbon emissions, with other wealthy nations -- Germany, Canada and Britain -- also in the top ten. But emerging economies with burgeoning middle classes have moved up the ranking, with China in second place and India, Mexico and Brazil 4th, 5th and 6th, respectively. International travel involving long-haul flights is among the fastest growing sectors, and could threaten efforts to reign in planet-warming carbon pollution. The total number of air passengers is expected to almost double by 2036 to 7.8 billion per year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The aviation industry accounts for nearly two percent of all human-generated C02 emissions, and would rank 12th if it were a country. "We see very fast tourism demand growth from China and India over the past few years, and also expect this trend will continue in the next decade or so," Ya-Sen Sun, a professor at The University of Queensland Business School in Australia, and co-author of the study, told AFP. "Besides the sheer population number, what's worrying is that people with a rising income tend to travel further, more frequently, and with a higher reliance on aviation." Story continues - Stay close to home - International travel accounts for a quarter of tourism-related carbon emissions. Neither tourism nor aviation are currently covered by the 2015 Paris climate treaty, which calls for capping global warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), With only one degree of warming so far, Earth has seen a crescendo of droughts, heatwaves, and storms ramped up by rising seas. Voluntary national pledges made under the Paris pact to cut CO2 emissions, if fulfilled, would yield a 3C world at best, say scientists. "Our analysis is a world-first look at the true cost of tourism, including consumables such as food from eating out and souvenirs," said Malik. Looking at its full "life cycle", the researchers calculated that carbon emissions from tourism increased 15 percent in five years from 2009 to 4.5 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, a measure that also takes into account other greenhouse gases such as methane. Curbing the growing appetite for tourism and travel may prove difficult. "Behaviour change from travellers -- travel less, stay close to home, pay carbon offset -- are found to be slow and marginal," said Sun. "Carbon taxes or carbon trading schemes can help to put extra pressure to speed the process." A carbon pollution abatement that covered environmental costs, for example, would tack on an additional $425 (360 euros) to offset emissions from a round-trip flight from Sydney to London, the authors calculated. "From the sustainability perspective, a restricted travel style may be required," said Sun. This, in turn, leads to a thorny question succinctly framed by researchers in a 2011 study: "Who can travel, for how long, using which transport mode, why, and how comfortably?" Japanese car giant Toyota reported a record full-year net profit Wednesday thanks to a weaker yen and US tax cuts, but warned about the outlook for the next 12 months. Company president Akio Toyoda said the industry was facing "profound change" and pledged to transform the auto giant into "a mobility company". Japan's leading carmaker said net profit jumped 36.2 percent to 2.49 trillion yen ($23 billion) in April-March, but for the current year it expects that to fall 15 percent to 2.12 trillion yen. The boost was driven by a weaker yen and cost-cutting measures, but also US tax cuts, which have pushed up profits for other automakers in recent months. "Toyota quickly recovered thanks to the US tax cuts and a weak yen for the last fiscal year," Satoru Takada, an analyst at TIW, a Tokyo-based research and consulting firm, told AFP ahead of the Wednesday earnings report. Toyota said sales rose 6.5 percent to a record 29.3 trillion yen despite a 0.1 percent decline in vehicle sales by unit, and operating profit was up 20.3 percent. It said it expected the market in developing countries to stay steady, with the market in emerging economies expanding gradually. But it also warned of "profound transformation" in the industry as a whole because of "increasing, serious environmental issues and other social challenges, (and) technological innovation such as automated driving". Toyoda said the company was facing a "once-in-a-century" challenge, "as our rivals change, as well as the rules of the competition". He said the company now faced rivals that include IT companies with massive capital and the ability to adapt swiftly and that Toyota would invest in new technology and look for alliances to create novel products and services. He gave no further specifics. - Cars 'closer to human beings' - "I have decided to transform Toyota from a car manufacturer to a mobility company," he said, without offering much detail on what that would entail beyond providing "various services involving movement of people around the world". Story continues Vice president Koji Kobayashi described only in broad terms the possible scope of the innovations ahead, saying "cars will change from the conventional concept of vehicles we have right now." "We think cars will become closer to human beings, that is, for example, cars that can collect information from (parts of) itself and by connecting to other cars," he added. Katsuyuki Nakai, chief analyst at rating firm Standard and Poor's said the innovations being proposed by Toyota's leadership were longer-term projects. "The changes in the industry towards mobility would probably make a great impact in the longer-term, for example with the emergence of self-driving taxi services and changes in the way cars are owned," he told AFP. Analysts expect individual car ownership to fall as customers opt for "pool ownership" and sharing cars over having their own, and most auto companies are already testing self-driving vehicles as they look for new ways to appeal to consumers. Toyota said it expects a strong yen for the current fiscal year, with sales forecast to slip 1.3 percent to 29 trillion yen. A higher yen makes Japanese carmakers less competitive in foreign markets and deflates profits when repatriated. "It is hard for the company to draw up a positive scenario for the current fiscal year as positive factors can't be seen," said analyst Takada. Shares in Toyota surged 3.75 percent to close at 7,424 yen after its earnings announcement. Rome (AFP) - The trial of Luca Traini, a far-right sympathiser who injured six Africans during a violent revenge attack in the Italian town of Macerata opened Wednesday. The 28-year-old faces up to fifteen years in prison after embarking on a shooting spree on February 4, following the sordid murder of a young Italian woman allegedly at the hands of Nigerian drug dealers. Pamela Mastropietro's body was found dismembered and stuffed into suitcases days before Traini's attack. The two incidents, which occurred at the height of Italy's tense electoral campaign, shook the country and laid bare its deep tensions surrounding immigration. Pro-migrant demonstrations across Italy condemning the attack were in contrast to an outpouring of support for Traini who received messages of solidarity for his actions and, controversially, no politician paid a visit to his victims in hospital. Security was tight outside the court in Macerata where Traini faces charges of attempted murder and racial hatred. The former security guard has admitted to the shooting but rejects allegations the attack was racially-motivated, insisting he wanted to target drug dealers. "I wanted to hit the dealers, like those who sold the drugs to Pamela. It is not my fault that in Macerata all the dealers are black," he said during an interrogation released in Italian media. His defence team has provided a psychiatric report which states that Traini suffers from a personality disorder and that he was not completely aware of his actions at the time of the attack. The hearing was the first time that Traini's victims have come face to face with their attacker. Speaking to the press, Aymere Innocent said: "We must pray for God to touch his heart," the Nigerian pastor sustained wounds to his ear during the attack. As many as 300,000 Central Americans and Haitians in the U.S. are facing deportation after the Trump administration ended protections allowing them to live and work in the U.S. legally, despite warnings from senior U.S. diplomats that it could cause regional instability and prompt a surge in illegal immigration. Senate Democrats are investigating cables receivedand ignoredby top State Department officials from senior diplomats warning against ending protections under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, which allows foreign nationals whose countries have been destablized by natural disasters and war to live and work in the U.S., the Washington Post has reported. GettyImages-902653230 ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Trending: Trump's New Ambassador Has Upset the Germans Just Hours Into His Job On Friday, 57,000 Hondurans were put on notice that they had 18 months to leave the country after the Trump administration withdrew their protections. They joined the 195,000 Salvadorans and 46,000 Haitians already told they would no longer benefit from the TPS program in an apparent bid to phase it out. TPS holders have also given birth to as many as 273,000 children while in the U.S., according to the Center for Migration Studies. With their children born as U.S. citizens, parents will have to decide whether to stay in the country and risk deportation or return to their home countries with or without their children. Hondurans were first granted TPS in 1999 after Hurricane Mitch tore through the Central American country, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. Then-President Carlos Flores Facusse, said the hurricane had set back economic development in the country by 50 years. Now, the Department of Homeland Security has said the country is stable enough to see the return of thousands of citizens. Story continues However, the Honduran embassy and dozens of U.S. lawmakers have warned that ending the TPS program for Hondurans will put thousands at risk by forcing them to return to a country that has been rocked by violence, particularly in the wake of the November reelection of President Juan Orlando Hernandez. Don't miss: 3D Printed Weapons Threaten Global Security, Think Tank Warns In a statement sent to Newsweek, Democratic Congressman Jimmy Gomez warned of the risks of a decision that he said "fits an ongoing pattern of xenophobia that has emanated from the White House." Unfortunately, its no surprise that Donald Trump has decided to kick out 57,000 Hondurans who have worked, paid taxes, and raised children in the U.S. for decades," Gomez said. The decision to end TPS for Honduras fits an ongoing pattern of xenophobia that has emanated from the White Housesomething that was made explicit when Trump referred to TPS and African nations as shithole countries ," he continued. "Hondurans will now be among the hundreds of thousands of TPS recipients from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, and Nepal that will be forcibly torn from their families, jobs, and businessesonly to be sent back to a life of danger and uncertainty ," Gomez said, calling on colleagues in Congress to protect TPS holders by passing the American Promise Act (APA). Read more: Caravan Migrants May Wait up to Five Years to Hear Decision on Their Asylum Case Most popular: Teacher Trying to Text Herself Accidentally Sends Expletive-Filled Complaint About Student with Autism to Parent The APA seeks to create a path to permanent residency in the U.S. to beneficiaries of the TPS program, as well as the Deferred Enforcement Departure Program. Earlier this month, Gomez and other representatives urged Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to renew the TPS program for Honduras in a letter signed by 53 Congress members. The letter states that while the U.S. has made "substantial efforts" to help Honduras in its recovery from a series of natural disasters that "left the country devastated" in 1998, "the damage of these cataclysmic events compounded by the residual effects of disease, violence and poverty have resulted in stagnant recovery." Conditions simply have not sufficiently improved to safely and productively reintegrate TPS recipients in their home communities," the letter says, demanding that the Trump administration give Honduras "more time to rebuild." The plight of Hondurans has come to the fore in recent weeks, after a "caravan" of Central Americans travelled across Mexico to the U.S. border to claim asylum, making headlines and drawing the ire of President Donald Trump. Trump had vowed to stop the group of asylum seekers from entering the U.S., but so far, at least 158 people have been let into the country to plead their cases for asylum. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek President Trump announced on Wednesday that three Americans who were being held by North Korea have been released. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting, Trump tweeted early Wednesday. They seem to be in good health. Pompeo flew to Pyongyang on Tuesday to meet with Kim Jong Un ahead of Trumps planned summit with the North Korean leader. Trump described it as a good meeting and said a date and time for his summit with Kim has been set. Trump added: Secretary Pompeo and his guests will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! Those guests are Korean-American businessman and missionary Kim Dong-chul, who was arrested in 2015 for alleged espionage, and teachers Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, and Kim Hak-song. No other Americans are believed to be in jail in North Korea. We are grateful for the release of our husband and father and the two other American detainees, the family of Tony Kim said in a statement. We want to thank all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home. We also want to thank the president for engaging directly with North Korea. Mostly, we thank God for Tonys safe return home. At the Seoul Railway Station on May 3, South Koreans watch a TV news report showing portraits of three Americans, from left, Kim Dong Chul, left, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song, detained in North Korea. (Photo: Ahn Young-joon/AP) Speculation about the release of detainees had been swirling for a week. On May 2, Trump referred to the hostages in a tweet that falsely accused the Obama administration of failing to secure their release. Two of the three were arrested after Obama left office. As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail, the president wrote. Stay tuned! Trumps lawyer, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, drew ridicule last week when he told Fox News, incorrectly, that the detainees would be released the same day. Story continues President Trump appreciates leader Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement later Wednesday. The three Americans appear to be in good condition and were all able to walk on the plane without assistance. All Americans look forward to welcoming them home and to seeing them reunited with their loved ones. Read more from Yahoo News: The U.S. withdrawal from a nuclear accord with Iran slams shut what had been a brief opening for historic aircraft sales by Boeing Co. and Airbus SE to the Islamic Republic. President Donald Trumps announcement that the U.S would seek to reimpose sanctions left little hope that the planemaking duopolists will be able to consummate $40 billion in aircraft deals struck by Iranian carriers during the brief trade thaw. Both companies export licenses to Iran will be revoked, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters. The plane orders, badly needed to upgrade the Islamic Republics museum-vintage airliners, would have had the potential to build Tehran into an aviation hub that could better compete with Dubai and Qatar, the regions aviation super powers. They also represent a lost opportunity for Chicago-based Boeing and Toulouse, France-based Airbus. The European planemaker is subject to U.S. export restrictions to Iran because more than 10 percent of the parts on its jets originate with U.S. companies such as United Technologies Corp., Rockwell Collins Inc. and General Electric Co. Airbus said it will carefully analyze the implications of the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic before deciding how to proceed. This might take some time, a spokesman for the company said by email. President says he will impose highest level of economic sanctions on Iran as Tehran vows: We wont allow Trump to win Donald Trump has announced he will impose the highest level of economic sanctions on Iran, violating an international nuclear agreement and a UN resolution, breaking decisively with US allies in Europe, and potentially triggering a new crisis in the Gulf. In a statement at the White House, Trump said this decision meant that the US would exit the Iran deal agreed with other major powers in 2015, and warned that any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could be strongly sanctioned. He then signed an executive order reimposing sanctions on any foreign company that continues to do business with Iran. The order gives companies 90-day or 180-day grace periods to extract themselves from existing Iranian contacts or face punitive US measures. In July 2015, Iran and a six-nation negotiating group reached a landmark agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that ended a 12-year deadlock over Tehrans nuclear programme. The deal, struck in Vienna after nearly two years of intensive talks, limited the Iranian programme, to reassure the rest of the world that it cannot develop nuclear weapons, in return for sanctions relief. At its core, the JCPOA is a straightforward bargain: Irans acceptance of strict limits on its nuclear programme in return for an escape from the sanctions that grew up around its economy over a decade prior to the accord. Under the deal, Iran unplugged two-thirds of its centrifuges, shipped out 98% of its enriched uranium and filled its plutonium production reactor with concrete. Tehran also accepted extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has verified 10 times since the agreement, and as recently as February, that Tehran has complied with its terms. In return, all nuclear-related sanctions were lifted in January 2016, reconnecting Iran to global markets. Story continues The six major powers involved in the nuclear talks with Iran were in a group known as the P5+1: the UN security councils five permanent members China, France, Russia, the UK and the US and Germany. The nuclear deal is also enshrined in a UN security council resolution that incorporated it into international law. The 15 members of the council at the time unanimously endorsed the agreement. Read a full explainer here The leaders of the UK, France and Germany, who are also parties to the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA, issued a statement soon after Trumps declaration expressing their regret and concern and emphasising their continuing commitment to the deal. We urge the US to ensure that the structures of the JCPOA can remain intact, and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal, the statement said. In a separate tweet, the French president Emmanuel Macron warned: The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 8, 2018 Irans president, Hassan Rouhani, said he believed the agreement could still survive if other negotiating partners defied Trump. But Rouhani warned that he has instructed the countrys atomic energy agency to prepare to restart enrichment of uranium at an industrial level in a few weeks time should the deal collapse completely. This is a psychological war, we wont allow Trump to win. Im happy that the pesky being has left the [agreement], the Iranian president said. Iranian lawmakers set a paper US flag on fire at parliament on Wednesday morning, shouting, Death to America!. Irans parliament speaker said on Wednesday that Trump only understands the language of force. Trumps abandoning of the nuclear deal was a diplomatic show, Ali Larijani said. In his White House remarks, Trump called the Iran agreement a horrible one-sided deal that should never, ever have been made. He said: It didnt bring calm, it didnt bring peace, and it never will. Even before Trump made his announcement at the White House, tensions were visibly rising. The Israeli military warned of irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria and ordered bomb shelters to be readied in the Golan Heights. Moments after the presidents declaration, explosions were heard near Damascus and Syrian official media claimed government positions had come under Israeli air strikes. In reintroducing sanctions, Trump referred to claims by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel had documents detailing past Iranian work on nuclear weapons development. Netanyahu, who has been a vocal critic of the deal and called for Trump to fix it or nix it, said on Tuesday: Israel fully supports President Trumps bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. He said Israel opposed the deal as it paves Irans path to an entire arsenal of nuclear bombs. The removal of sanctions under the deal has already produced disastrous results, Netanyahu said. Israel thanks President Trump for his courageous leadership, he added. Both Trump and Netanyahu are under significant domestic pressure. Trump is under scrutiny for possible collusion with Russia during the presidential election campaign, and for paying hush money to a porn actor who claims to have had sex with him. The Israeli prime minister is the subject of several police corruption inquiries. John Bolton, Trumps national security adviser, said the sanctions would apply immediately to new deals, but that companies would have three or six-month grace periods to get out of existing contracts. The US Treasury issued a factsheet providing a timetable of restoration of sweeping sanctions against global companies trading or investing with Iran. Bolton said that the US would also cease to abide by the UN security council resolution that endorsed the July 2015 deal. He said: We are not using the provisions of UNSC 2231 because we are out the of the deal. The announcement marks a decisive break from the nuclear deal that the US agreed in July 2015 with its main European partners along with Russia, China and Iran, in which Tehran agreed to significant curbs on its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. The deal was endorsed by a UN security council resolution soon afterwards. Barack Obama, whose administration negotiated the deal, described Trumps violation of the agreement as a serious mistake. Without the JCPOA, the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East, he said in statement. Trumps unilateral and dramatic withdrawal is likely to raise tensions rapidly in the Middle East, already inflamed by conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Much will now depend on reaction in Tehran, where hardliners have campaigned against the agreement and pressed for Iran to revive a full range of nuclear activities and throw out UN inspectors. The other parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran have said they will try to keep the deal alive, but it is far from clear that will be possible in the face of the sanctions that Trump has reintroduced, targeting companies around the world for doing business with Iran. The decision represents a rejection of repeated, concerted entreaties by Washingtons European allies to keep faith with the nuclear deal. Trump made his announcement a day after the UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson, returned home after an abortive round of last-minute lobbying for the JCPOA in Washington. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and Germanys chancellor, Angela Merkel, had come to the White House in the weeks before. Their failure to sway Trump was a striking measure of how little influence Europe has on this White House, which has sided instead with Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on a major strategic decision. There is a question now about how aggressive Europe wants to be to keep the deal alive, said Peter Harrell, a former senior state department sanctions official now at the Centre for a New American Security. Without an active effort by the EU to keep European companies in Iran and resist US pressure, you will see big companies leaving. The JCPOA, agreed in Vienna in 2015, led to a rapid and drastic reduction in Irans nuclear programme. It reduced its stockpile of low-enriched uranium by 98% to just 300lbs, far below what would be required if it attempted to make enough fissile material for a single bomb. Iran also took down about 13,000 of its centrifuges, leaving just over 5,000 of its oldest-model machines in place. It ceased all enrichment at its underground facility at Fordow, which like other Iranian nuclear sites - was put under continuous international monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA had repeatedly confirmed that that Iran was in compliance with the restriction it had agreed to in 2015. While Irans arch foes in Israel and Saudi Arabia welcomed Trumps decision, signatories to the existing deal vowed to plow ahead without the US. The European Unions chief diplomat Federica Mogherini, who helped oversee the accord, insisted it was delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesnt develop nuclear weapons. The European Union is determined to preserve it, she added. Russias foreign ministry said it is deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the deal. Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, warned: By withdrawing from the JCPOA, Trump hastens the possibility of three disparate but similarly cataclysmic events: an Iranian war, an Iranian bomb or the implosion of the Iranian regime. Iran looms large over major US national security concerns including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, cyber, energy security, terrorism, & obviously nuclear proliferation, Sadjadpour said in a tweet. The opportunities for direct conflict are numerous. After announcing the abrogation of the Iran deal, Trump insisted he would press ahead with his bid to reach a nuclear agreement with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, at a summit due to take place in the coming way. He revealed that the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, was on the way to Pyongyang, apparently to finalise arrangements. Daniel R. DePetris Security, Middle East U.S. President Donald Trump departs after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 8, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Trump has created a brand new, self-imposed international security crisis that could very well get worse before it gets better. Trump Delivers on His Promise to Tank the Iran Deal. Now What? President Donald Trump had a stern, concerned look on his face when he stepped up to the lectern to deliver what was perhaps the most significant foreign policy decision of his presidency thus far. He wanted to send a clear, powerful and unambiguous message to the Iranian government and to the officials from the previous U.S. administration that spent years negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement the current president blasted as was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into. The message could not have been any more straightforward: unlike previous presidents who make promises and fail to uphold them, Donald Trump makes and actually delivers them. None of us should be surprised about Trumps decision to withdraw the United States from the Iranian nuclear deal. Anyone paying even the slightest bit of attention to this issue could easily see Trumps animus, disgust and hatred for the JCPOA. During the first few months of his presidential campaign, at the same time when the U.S. Senate was debating the nuclear accord, Trump proudly participated in an anti-deal rally on Capitol Hill. In his typical brash manner, the then New York real-estate tycoon commented that he had never seen something so incompetently negotiatedand I mean never. His remarks didnt get any better as the campaign wore on; Trump excoriated former Secretary of State John Kerry for giving away the store and being railroaded by Iranian negotiators, referring to him as a baby who didnt know what he was doing in a room-full of adults. And as Commander-in-Chief, Trump stuck the dagger in the agreement in both word and deed. The fact is that this was a horrible, one sided deal that should have never, ever been made, Trump said. "It didnt bring calm. It didnt bring peace. And it never will. Story continues The big question looming over the Trump administrations discussions about the Iranian nuclear agreement was never about whether the president would pull out. Indeed, if the most optimistic among us thought for a moment that the White House would provide the Europeans with a little more time to finalize a better package with tougher terms on IAEA inspections, Tehrans ballistic missile program, and the JCPOAs sunset provisions. They were disappointed as soon as Trump opened his mouth. Notwithstanding the valiant attempt by Brian Hook, the State Departments planning chief, to brainstorm with the Europeans in order to come up with a good-enough consensus that he could present to Trump, the address that was delivered today was all the evidence one needed that the president was not at all interested in a compromise. Trumps approach to negotiation is literally my way or the highway; if you dont cave and give me everything I want, then Im walking away and punishing you. These hard-line tactics may work when your opponent is a small business owner looking to move into your building, but it is rarely effective with adversaries that take pride in resisting western dictates. And there is no country more in-tune with that description than the Islamic Republic of Iran. With Washington now out of the JCPOA, where does this leave the United States in relation to its European allies? And what exactly is the Trump administrations Plan B? Transatlantic relations are already shaky for a variety of reasons, but Trumps decision to leave the nuclear deal will only make the relationship harder to manage. To be fair, the relationship between the Americans and Europeans is not going anywhere; there are still a multitude of foreign policy issues that bond Washington, London, Paris, Berlin and Brussels together, from mopping up the remnants of the Islamic State to ensuring that the North Korean nuclear issue is resolved peacefully. Yet French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will not appreciate Donald Trump discarding the months of painstaking diplomacy European diplomats engaged in. By withdrawing from the agreement and re-enacting U.S. sanctions on the Iranian economy, Trump has thrown more sand in the transatlantic gears at a time when many on the other side of the Atlanticrightly or wronglyview Trump with trepidation. Just as concerning is that the administration does not appear to have a strategy or a backup plan in a postJCPOA world. If Plan A was maintaining Americas participation in the JCPOA and continuing to hold the Iranians to account through an extensive network of IAEA verification and monitoring, Plan B apparently consists of sanctioning the Iranian regime so hard that they come crawling back to the negotiating table, hat in hand. Trump was confident that the resumption of U.S. secondary sanctions on Tehrans oil, banking and financial sectors will force Irans leaders rip up their nuclear infrastructure, root and branch, as the only remedy for some economic relief. But, given Trumps decision, why would Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneia man who has a demonic view of America to begin withallow Iranian officials to ever negotiate with the United States on anything ever again? That question was left unanswered. The Iran hawks circling Washington will write op-eds praising Donald Trumps announcement today as a bold and courageous move by a Commander-in-Chief who will no longer settle for terrible multilateral agreements. The rest of us will see this decision for what it is: a brand new international security crisis self-imposed by the United States that could very well get worse before it gets better. Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities. Image: U.S. President Donald Trump departs after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 8, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Read full article By Henning Gloystein, Jessica Resnick-Ault and Osamu Tsukimori SINGAPORE/NEW YORK/TOKYO (Reuters) - South Korea said on Wednesday it would seek U.S. exemptions to buy Iranian oil, a path many big oil consumers are likely to follow in the wake of new U.S. sanctions on Tehran, which will tighten world oil markets and push up prices. Iran is the third-largest oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and a key supplier, especially to refiners in Asia. The United States plans to impose new unilateral sanctions after abandoning an agreement reached in late 2015 which limited Iran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for removing joint U.S.-Europe sanctions, which included strict curbs on crude oil exports. New U.S. sanctions will include measures aimed at its oil and shipping sectors, with a six-month "wind down" period "to allow companies to end contracts, terminate business, (and) get their money out", according to the U.S. State Department. "President Trump is clearly articulating that he has minimal desire in an alternative agreement with Iran," said Ehsan Khoman, head of research for Middle East and North Africa at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. During the last round of sanctions, Iran's oil supplies fell by around 1 million barrels per day (bpd), but the country re-emerged as a major oil exporter after sanctions were lifted in January 2016. Since then, Iran ramped up supplies, producing 3.81 million bpd in March 2018, almost 4 percent of global output. Its crude exports averaged over 2 million bpd in January-March quarter this year. Analysts now expect Iran's supplies to fall by between 200,000 bpd and 1 million bpd, depending on how many other countries fall in line with Washington. SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said it planned "to minimize the damage" to its companies, adding it would seek an exemption from sanctions. Japan may follow suit. "Japan and South Korea may comply with the proposed U.S. reimposition of Iranian sanctions on the concern of losing the U.S. security umbrella vis-a-vis North Korea," Khoman said. Trade data already show a reduction of Iranian oil supplies to Japan and South Korea, and refinery sources confirmed they had started shifting purchases in preparation for renewed sanctions. Iranian crude oil shipments to Japan and South Korea have fallen by half from their post-sanction peak in March 2017, hitting just over 300,000 bpd in April, according to ship tracking data. CHINA AND INDIA The biggest single buyer of Iran's crude is China, which imported about 900,000 bpd in mid-2016 but has scaled back shipments to around 600,000 bpd in 2018. A senior official with a Chinese oil major, who declined to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said new sanctions would hurt Chinese refiners by pushing up the price of crude. Benchmark Brent crude hit its highest since November 2014 on Wednesday at over $77 a barrel. [O/R] China's response to the U.S. sanctions is unclear. Beijing has opposed the U.S. move and many Chinese companies may continue to buy Iranian crude, analysts say. And Chinese refiners say there are alternative suppliers, including Russia, Saudi Arabia and exporters in West Africa. In India, another major buyer of Iranian oil, refiners hope they can continue importing Iranian oil. During the last round of sanctions, India enjoyed waivers allowing limited Iranian oil imports paid for in rupees instead of U.S. dollars. "The impact (of new sanctions) in India will be there, but not so high," said R Ramachandran, head of refineries at state-owned oil firm Bharat Petroleum Corp . When sanctions were loosened against Tehran in 2016, India ramped up imports from Iran to almost 900,000 bpd in late 2016, but intake has fallen back to around 500,000 bpd this year. The threat of new sanctions comes as demand in Asia, the world's biggest oil-consuming region, hit a record and producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia restrict supply to prop up prices. As a result, crude oil inventories in major developed nations have fallen sharply in the last year and a half to 2.85 billion barrels, only slightly above their five-year average. Trying to ease market concerns, Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that it would work with other producers to diminish the impact of any shortage in oil supplies. (Reporting by Henning Gloystein in SINGAPORE, Jessica Resnick Ault in NEW YORK and Osamu Tsukimori in TOKYO; Additional reporting by Stephanie Kelly in New York, Dmitry Zhdannikov in London, Jane Chung in Seoul, Aizhu Chen in Beijing, Florence Tan in Singapore, and Nidhi Verma and Promit Mukherjee in New Delhi; Writing by David Gaffen and Henning Gloystein; Editing by Simon Webb, Cynthia Osterman, Gerry Doyle and Christopher Johnson) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday his administration will begin work on a section of his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Diego, at the request of the major California county. "San Diego has asked us to go forward with their section of the wall in California and rather than not doing that and letting them lobby for us with Governor Brown we decided to do it," Trump told reporters as his cabinet met at the White house. State legislators and California's Democratic governor, Jerry Brown, have been hostile toward Trump's plan to make the border nearly impervious for immigrants coming to the United States illegally, but some enclaves have disagreed. The Board of Supervisors for San Diego, which is California's second-most populous county and sits on the border with Mexico, in April voted to support Trump's legal challenge to the state designating itself a "sanctuary state" hospitable to immigrants. (Reporting by Lisa Lambert and James Oliphant; Editing by James Dalgleish) WASHINGTONPresident Trump told reporters that everyone thinks he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for his work on an agreement with North Korea but that hes more interested in victory for the world than in honors for himself. Everyone thinks so, but I would never say it, Trump said, speaking to reporters before a Cabinet meeting, in response to a question by Yahoo News. You know what I want to do? I want to get it finished. The prize I want is victory for the world, not for even here. I want victory for the world, because thats what were talking about. So, thats the only prize I want. At least 18 Republican members of Congress have nominated Trump for the prize, which was won by Barack Obama in 2009. They cited Trumps efforts to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, which will be the subject of an upcoming summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The outcome of those negotiations is uncertain. The agreement to meet came after a series of insults and escalating threats between the two leaders, including Trumps memorable warning of unleashing fire and fury on North Korea. The deadline for nominations this year, however, was Jan. 31. The letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee was sent last week. As part of the thaw in relations between North and South Korea, Kim met with South Korean President Moon Jae-In last month the first summit between the two Koreas in more than a decade. Following the meeting, the pair said they wanted to continue talks and end the long-standing conflict between their nations. North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in shake hands over the military demarcation line during the Inter-Korean Summit on April 27, 2018, in Panmunjom, South Korea. (Photo: Inter Korean Press Corp/NurPhoto via Getty Images) At his Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump said a location and time for his summit with Kim had been set and would be announced within three days. Trump also fielded a question about whether something could still scuttle this meeting. He expressed optimism that it would go forward. Everything can be scuttled. Everything can be scuttled. Lot of things can happen, lot of good things can happen, lot of bad things can happen. I believe that we have both sides want to negotiate a deal, said Trump. Story continues Trump also predicted the agreement would be a good one. I think its going to be a very successful deal. I think we have a really good shot at making it successful, but lots of things can happen. And, of course, youll be the first to know about it if it does. But I think we have a really good chance to make a great deal for the world, he said. At the meeting, Yahoo News also asked Trump whether he plans to ban reporters from the White House. Earlier in the day Trump had tweeted a complaint that 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake) . . . Take away credentials? The Fake News is working overtime. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Trump did not answer the question. Thank you, he said. Read more from Yahoo News: By Richard Cowan and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will request a package of $15 billion in spending cuts from Congress on Tuesday, including some $7 billion from the Children's Health Insurance Program championed by Democrats, senior administration officials said on Monday. The proposal comes as the White House and conservative Republicans in the U.S. Congress were edging away from a threat to pick a new budget fight with Democrats after Republicans initially floated some $60 billion in cuts a few weeks ago. Senior administration officials said the initial package of proposed cuts was targeted at federal funds that were sitting unspent. It would not affect a two-year budget deal agreed in February. More "rescission" packages, including a "large" one that would address cuts Trump wants from that deal, would be forthcoming, one senior administration official said. The proposed cut to the CHIP program drew a rebuke from U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. "It appears that sabotaging our health care system to the detriment of middle-class families wasnt enough for President Trump and Republicans; now theyre going after health care dollars that millions of children rely on, especially during outbreaks of the flu and other deadly illnesses," he said in a statement after an initial report about the CHIP proposal. The senior administration official, speaking to reporters on a conference call, said the cuts would not hurt the program. Of the total amount, $5 billion came from an account from which the money is not authorized to be spent under the law, he said. The administration is also proposing $4.3 billion in cuts from an advanced technology vehicle loan program, which the official said had not made a loan since 2011. The pullback from a larger figure comes after Republican Party elders, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, warned against cuts that would unravel the two-year budget deal enacted with the help of Democrats in February. The senior official said the package was never intended to be $60 billion. Even the reduced cuts could antagonize Democrats, whose votes will be needed in months ahead to help pass bills to keep the government running in the fiscal year starting on Oct. 1. The conservative group Americans for Prosperity, backed by the billionaire industrialist Koch Brothers, floated spending cut proposals on Monday totaling about $45 billion. Most reductions were aimed at non-defense spending, including nearly $1.5 billion in child nutrition programs, $700 million in student grants and $2.2 billion in international disaster aid. Such spending programs are typically defended by Democrats. INFIGHTING Washington was consumed for much of 2017 by fiscal infighting that pitted conservative Republicans against moderates in their own party and Democrats, with the federal deficit and national debt soaring in the background. Congressional elections also loom in November, as Republicans battle to maintain control of both the House of Representatives and Senate. Democrats in the House and Senate were withholding judgment on Trump's scaled-back cuts, pending more details. Some lawmakers worried that some of the targeted unspent money was still needed, such as funds earmarked for fortifying U.S. coastlines against hurricanes. That money was enacted after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In an op-ed published by the Washington Examiner newspaper, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy wrote of "giving the bloated federal budget a much-needed spring cleaning." McCarthy is hoping to replace House Speaker Paul Ryan next year. To do that, McCarthy would need the support of conservative House Republicans, who spoke last month of taking an "aggressive" approach to budget rescissions. That has rankled Democrats. They noted that they opposed tax cuts Republicans enacted in December that have ballooned federal budget deficits in recent months and were projected to add at least $1.9 trillion to the $21 trillion national debt. Massive increases in defense and non-defense spending agreed to in March by both parties will add $1.3 trillion more to the debt. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Peter Cooney) President Donald Trump has pulled the United States from the Iran nuclear deal and is set to reimpose severe sanctions on Tehran, in a decisive break with European allies that could also bring a new crisis in the Gulf. Mr Trump said the sanctions, which will violate the international nuclear agreement, would penalise Iran for what he described as state-sponsored terror in the Middle East, which works against the United States and its allies. The president said that any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could be strongly sanctioned, as he signed an order that would reimpose sanctions on foreign countries that continue to do business with Iran. In a speech at the White House, Mr Trump said the Iran deal was decaying and rotten and defective at its core. He cited the Iranian development of ballistic missiles an issue not addressed in the deal as a breach of the spirit of the deal by Iran, which he said has murdered hundreds of American service members, and kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured American citizens. I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, Mr Trump said, undermining what had been one of the biggest foreign policy successes for his predecessor, Barack Obama. Mr Obama called the decision misguided and a serious mistake. During the announcement, Mr Trump cited Israeli claims that they had acquired documents showing Iran had not ended its nuclear enrichment programme, and he said that Iran had been using money from relaxed sanctions to develop its ballistic missile capabilities and to fund terrorism in the Middle East. Experts have questioned whether the Israeli claims present any new information, and have said they do not show that Iran is currently enriching military-grade uranium. Iran has not been found by the International Atomic Energy Agency to be breaching the agreement signed in 2015, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA. Story continues The fact is this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never ever been made, Mr Trump said. It didnt bring calm, it didnt bring peace, and it never will. The decision follows weeks of speculation about what Mr Trump would do, as officials from France, the UK and Germany the three European signatories on the Iranian deal worked to try to convince Mr Trump to keep the agreement intact ahead of a 12 May deadline. Mr Trumps decision means Irans government must now decide whether to follow the US and withdraw, or try to salvage whats left of the deal. Berlin, London and Paris have all urged the US not to take any actions that could prevent them and Iran from continuing to implement the agreement. However, in Washington, the Trump administration said it would reimpose sanctions on Iran immediately but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity. The US Treasury Department said there would be certain 90-day and 180-day wind-down periods but didnt specify which sanctions would fall under which timelines. The department said that at the end of those periods the sanctions will be in full effect. National Security Adviser John Bolton said nobody should sign contracts for new business with Iran. It is not clear exactly what will happen to the Iran deal now that the United States is no longer a party, as those other countries and Iran may find a way to keep some semblance of the deal together. Irans main regional rivals, Israel and Saudi Arabia, both praised Mr Trumps decision. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that the deal could survive if Mr Trump pulls away, a statement that is buoyed by the fact that the thawed relations between Iran and Europe have allowed European entities to start doing business within Iran. But while he appears willing to try to keep the agreement in place, Mr Rouhani said in the wake of Mr trumps address that he has ordered the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be ready to start the enrichment of uranium at industrial levels, but added that he would wait a few weeks to start that enrichment so that Iran can speak to allies and the other countries in the deal. All depends on our national interests, Mr Rouhani said of whether he will restart the enrichment. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a statement emailed to reporters following Mr Trumps decision, said that the US will continue to work with its international allies to find a solution to the Iranian threat described by the president. As we exit the Iran deal, we will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Iranian threat, Mr Pompeo said in the statement. We have a shared interest with our allies in Europe and around the world to prevent Iran from ever developing a nuclear weapon. But our effort is broader than just the nuclear threat, and we will be working together with partners to eliminate the threat of Irans ballistic missile programme; to stop its terrorist activities worldwide; and to block its menacing activity across the Middle East and beyond. As we build this global effort, sanctions will go into full effect and will remind the Iranian regime of the diplomatic and economic isolation that results from its reckless and malign activity, he continued. There have been concerns from some in the US Congress and beyond that a decision to violate the Iran agreement would impact on the upcoming summit between Mr Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over Pyongyangs nuclear and ballistic programmes. Perhaps mindful of this, Mr Trump said during his announcement that Mr Pompeo was on his way to the North Korean capital and that he would arrive very shortly. Mr Trump said that the two countries had already agreed on a date and location for the unprecedented summit, though he stopped short of providing details. Mr Bolton said the Iran decision would not derail a parallel effort to dismantle North Koreas nuclear programme, arguing that the abandonment of the Iran pact would strengthen Americas position by telegraphing that the US would rebuff unsatisfactory offers. I think the message to North Korea is the president wants a real deal, Mr Bolton told reporters. It sends a very clear signal that the United States will not accept inadequate deals. Any nation reserves the right to correct a past mistake, Mr Bolton added in reference to the Iran deal. The hawkish national security adviser who was a staunch advocate of the invasion of Iraq and has urged preemptive strikes on North Korea and Iran played down worries of a military confrontation with Iran, dismissing fears of American boots on the ground as badly mistaken. As for the US sanctions on Iran, they are primarily aimed at Irans oil sector, according to the Treasury Department, and will also affect the countrys central bank. Aircraft exports to Iran, the countrys metals trade and any efforts by Iran to obtain US currency are also subject to sanctions. Mr Trump had made clear previously that he did not like the 2015 agreement. The deal limited the number of centrifuges Iran could keep using, required Iran to destroy or export the core of its plutonium plant at Arak and replace it with a new core that cannot produce weapons-grade plutonium, and required Iran to give up 97 per cent of its enriched uranium. Still, Mr Trump pulled back from reimposing the sanctions during the first 16 months of his presidency, leaving some hope for proponents of the deal that he could leave it alone, even as he claimed the deal was the worst deal ever. Before his announcement on Tuesday, Mr Trump had appeared open to the idea of negotiating a new deal with Iran or one that builds upon the 2015 agreement to fix perceived flaws in the accord. He signalled as much during the first state visit of his presidency, when French president Emmanuel Macron was honoured at the White House. Still, although Mr Macron was said to have focused on the benefits of the deal during that trip, Mr Trump made clear he views Iran as a threat to the United States and its allies, and said that he would punish the country for any threats. If Iran threatens us in any way, they will pay a price like few countries have ever paid, Mr Trump said. We will have a great show doing a much bigger, maybe deal, maybe not deal. Mr Trumps announcement on Tuesday was met with mixed reaction from Republicans and Democrats in Washington. Republican Kevin McCarthy, the House majority leader, noted that Mr Trump had campaigned on the issue in 2016, and said he believes Mr Trump knows how to keep nuclear weapons out of Iranian hands. I think President Trump understands foreign policy ... If our goal here is not to have Iran have a nuclear weapon, I would trust this president to actually get it done, Mr McCarthy said. Democrats, on the other hand, have criticised the Iran decision. With this decision President Trump is risking US national security, recklessly upending foundational partnerships with key US allies in Europe, and gambling with Israels security, said Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Ankara (AFP) - Turkish prosecutors on Wednesday demanded that former generals suspected of being the ringleaders of a failed 2016 coup be handed 252 life sentences. The trial in Ankara is the most significant in a series being held across the country to bring to justice tens of thousands of people charged over the coup aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Several of the suspects on trial are accused of leading the so-called "Peace At Home Council", the name the plotters are said to have given themselves the night of the failed overthrow. They include ex-air force commander Akin Ozturk, Mehmet Disli, the brother of senior ruling party figure Saban Disli and colonel Ali Yazici, Erdogan's former military aide. Prosecutors called for these figures and other members of the so-called "Peace At Home Council" to be given 252 aggravated life sentences each, the official Anadolu news agency reported. The Dogan news agency described the sentencing requests as a "record" in Turkey. The aggravated life sentence is a life sentence with more severe detention conditions and was brought in after Turkey abolished the death penalty. It is common in Turkey for serious criminals to be given multiple life sentences. Erdogan has at times mooted bringing in the death penalty for the coup suspects, but no concrete steps have ever been taken. Turkey blames the July 15, 2016 coup attempt on Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, a claim he strongly denies. Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, is among several suspects named in the indictment but who are on the run. The prosecutors also demanded that the suspects be held responsible for the bloodshed on the coup night and be given an additional 55,880 years in jail for this, Anadolu said. The attempted coup left 249 people dead, not counting 24 coup-plotters killed on the night of the putsch. Turkish authorities have launched a vast crackdown in the wake of the coup bid and arrested tens of thousands with alleged links to the Gulen group and Kurdish militants. London (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Britain and meet with Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday, as he campaigns ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections next month. The visit was already scheduled before the Turkish leader called the snap elections for June 24, bringing the polls forward by a year and a half. "The prime minister is looking forward to welcoming President Erdogan of Turkey to the UK for a visit on May 15," May's spokesman told reporters. Erdogan has drawn controversy for electioneering in Europe, where there are some three million Turks who are eligible to vote in Turkish elections. The expatriate vote is generally a source of support for Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Erdogan is due to hold a rally in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo to address expatriate Turks on May 20, after Austria and the Netherlands said they would ban any campaigning by Turkish politicians on their soil. EU member states including Germany, the Netherlands and Austria banned such rallies in the campaign for last year's referendum on a new system enhancing the powers of the presidency. Erdogan denounced such moves as reminiscent of the Nazis, in a major outburst of tensions with Brussels. The early election is set to accelerate Turkey's transition to the new presidential system with full executive powers which critics fear will lead to one-man rule. It was an emotional episode of NCIS this week, as the show said goodbye to not one but two of its beloved characters. After Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette) and Clay Reeves (Duane Henry) were shot by a mugger in last weeks episode, Clay was revealed to be dead in the shocking opening scene, while Abby was in critical condition. Perrette had fans a little worried earlier in the week, when she teased the episode, tweeting: Im so worried about you guys for Tuesdays episode of the #GoodbyeAbby Its sad, But I hope hope hope you will all watch. I Want the world to watch. I did my best work for you. And TONS of flashbacks. Everyone is there. Love you! Get everyone to watch please. Pauley Perrette (@PauleyP) May 7, 2018 Luckily, Abby survived the encounter. Fans were bereft at the loss of Clay, with one person tweeting: #NCIS I know tonight is all about Abby, but the feels are real for @RealDuaneHenry departure too. Well miss you too!! Amity Hargis (@amityhargis) May 9, 2018 Ultimately, Abby decided to leave NCIS to escort Clays body back to London, help make funeral arrangements, and carry on Clays legacy by starting a charity in honor of his mom something Clay always wanted to do. I know you may not understand, but its something that I have to do. And not just for him, but for me, Abby told her co-workers. It wasnt an easy decision. I mean, you guys are my family and this is my home. But you have to go with your gut, and my gut is telling me that I have to go. Story continues People also voiced sadness about Abbys exit: The most heartbreaking episode Ive ever watched. Goodbye Abby. #NCIS Martha Donovan (@hilndgirl) May 9, 2018 #NCIS Kleenex box empty, Abby I will miss you so very much! Stormy Storms (@GrandmaStormy) May 9, 2018 NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS. Check out Meghan Markle getting married ahead of the royal wedding in her final Suits episode: 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. PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A United Nations body has declared arbitrary the detention of Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha, demanding his immediate release and the award of compensation, as the southeast Asian nation prepares for a general election on July 29. Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled the country for 33 years, has waged a campaign against his critics, including the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which won the support of a new generation of voters disillusioned at what they see as the corruption and nepotism that have stalked politics. Kem Sokha, head of the now dissolved CNRP, was arrested in September on charges of treason over accusations of a plot to seize power with the help of the United States, charges denied by both. In November, the Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP and banned more than 100 of its politicians, in a ruling widely condemned by the international community. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) called Kem Sokha's arrest and detention "politically motivated," amid an "escalating trend in Cambodia of suppression of criticism of the government" ahead of the vote. "The Working Group considers that Mr Kem Sokha has been deprived of his liberty on discriminatory grounds, namely his political or other opinion," it said in an April statement seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The remarks came in response to a complaint by a rights body based in France, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). "His deprivation of liberty aimed toward, and resulted in, ignoring the equality of human beings, and is therefore arbitrary," it added. The U.N. body also urged the Cambodian government to award Kem Sokha compensation for his detention, saying he suffered severe pain from a rotator cuff tear in his shoulder, high blood pressure and hyperglycemia that need urgent medical treatment. A government official said there was no legal ground for the immediate release of Kem Sokha, however, advising the United Nations not to interfere with the judicial process. "The UN position should also be made with consideration to the evidence and court hearing," Huy Vannak, an undersecretary of state at the Interior Ministry, told Reuters. "Kem Sokha should be encouraged to hire good lawyers to defend his case in court. Doing so will bring justice to him and educate the public about due process and fair trial." (Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) BEIRUT, May 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. embassy in Beirut on Tuesday urged all parties in Lebanon to uphold the country's policy of disassociation from foreign conflicts, as they looked ahead to the formation of a new government after parliamentary elections on Sunday. "We urge all parties to uphold Lebanon's international obligations, including those contained in U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701," it said in a statement. The resolutions relate to the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon and the disarmament of all militias including Hezbollah. Parties allied with the heavily armed Shi'ite Hezbollah group, which has previously fought wars with Israel, won more than half the seats in the election. (Reporting By Angus McDowall; editing by John Stonestreet) Updated | President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he would reinstate nuclear sanctions against Iran, ending U.S. commitment to a landmark nuclear agreement with the country. Experts said the move could destabilize the region and spark a new conflict. Days before a May 12 deadline set by the administration, Trump told a press conference at the White House that the U.S. would withdraw from the 2015 arrangement, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The deal, negotiated under former President Barack Obama and signed alongside Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia and the U.K., mandated that Iran curb its nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanctions relief. Trump criticized the "disastrous deal" for not addressing Iran's support for armed groups across the Middle East and development of ballistic missiles. Despite pressure from its other signatories, the U.S. sided with its Middle East allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia, both of whom also opposed the arrangement and called on the U.S. to take a tougher stance on Iran. Trending: All the Ways Trump Has Undone Obama's Legacy After Iran Nuclear Deal Withdrawal "It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement. The Iran deal is defective at its core," Trump said. "If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons." "I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal." GettyImages-948009010 ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images Story continues Shortly after the announcement, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said, "The president absolutely made the right decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal," arguing that agreement "was a terrible deal that only allowed Irans bad international conduct to worsen." Representative Ro Khanna of the House Armed Services Committee, however, said, that "withdrawing from the Iran deal only sends the message that the U.S. can't keep its commitments when administrations change and the only way to resolve disputes with us is through nuclear deterrence." "Pulling out makes it more likely, not less, that Iran will acquire a nuclear weapon," Khanna added. "Iran could start on its way back to getting a nuclear weapon. It raises the risk of conflict in the Middle East," Wendy Sherman, who served as former undersecretary of state and helped negotiate the deal, said during a conference call hosted by the progressive National Security Action and Diplomacy Works coalitions, emphasizing that Iran has been in total compliance with the deal. Related: What is the Iran nuclear deal, and what will happen if the U.S. withdraws from it? The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has verified Iran's observance to the deal at least 10 times, with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano saying in March that "Iran is implementing its nuclear-related commitments" as dictated by the nuclear deal. Separate reviews by Trump's State Department, then headed by former top diplomat Rex Tillerson, found Iran to be "in technical compliance of the agreement." Don't miss: Primary Election Day 2018: Results, Live Blog From Key Races in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina In October, Trump decertified the deal, accusing Iran of being a "fanatical regime" that supported terrorism. After blasting the "evil dictatorship" of Iran in his "America first" national security strategy announced in December, Trump again waived sanctions a month later as "a last chance" to renegotiate before May 12. Iran has so far fiercely opposed any attempt to reopen the terms of the agreement for debate, arguing that it has adhered to its end of the deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed to have proved otherwise during a slide show presentation last week in Tel Aviv, where he alleged his spies obtained over 100,000 records from Iran's "atomic archive." Netanyahu said the documents proved Iran had intentions of building nuclear weapons and concealing them, but did not provide any evidence of renewed or current nuclear activities. Trump cited this presentation in Tuesday's press conference as proof that the deal was based on "fiction." RTS1PQ9X Nuclear Threat Initiative/International Atomic Energy Agency/Reuters Israel and Iran's feud has already spilled over into the battlefield in Syria, where Iran has expanded its regional foothold by backing majority-Shiite Muslim militias fighting rebels and jihadis attempting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Israel argues that these Iran-backed groups, such as the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, threaten Israeli national security and Israel has targeted them and their allies in Syria. In the months since Trump honored the Iran deal for what he said was the last time, attacks against Iranians and their partners in Syria have intensified, though some of these strikes have been left unclaimed. The U.S., France and the U.K. also launched a separate barrage of missiles against Syrian government facilities allegedly involved in the production of chemical weapons after a suspected toxic gas attack in rebel-held territory last month. Iran has vowed to respond to Western and Israeli strikes in Syria and Israel has claimed it was bracing for an imminent attack, most likely from Iran's local partners. "It would mean opening Pandoras box," French President Emmanuel Macron told German magazine Der Spiegel Saturday. "It could mean war." "I dont believe that Donald Trump wants war," Macron said. Most popular: Texas Teacher Suspended After Discussing Sexual Orientation Sues School For Discrimination Also describing the situation as a "Pandora's Box," National Council for Iranian Americans President Trita Parsi said in a statement sent to Newsweek that "Donald Trump has committed what will go down as one of the greatest acts of self-sabotage in America's modern history. He has put the United States on a path towards war with Iran and may trigger a wider regional war and nuclear arms race." "This is a crisis of choice," Parsi added. "Trump has taken a functioning arms control deal that prevented an Iranian nuclear bomb and turned it into a crisis that can lead to war," he said, criticizing the role in which Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman played in campaigning against the deal. Israel has fought wars with Hezbollah in Lebanon and has killed Iranians in airstrikes in Syria, but it has not fought directly with Iran. Saudi Arabia, too, accuses Iran of fostering unrest and claims Iran is behind the ballistic missiles fired by the Zaidi Shiite Muslim Houthi movement in Yemen, but the Sunni Muslim kingdom has only engaged in clashes of influence with its Shiite Muslim rival. gettyimages-892696052 (2) JIM WATSON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Allegations that these missiles were provided by Iran, however, served as the basis for U.S. condemnation of Iran at the United Nations, something that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in December reminded him of the build-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Since then, former ambassador and Iraq War supporter John Bolton has been selected as national security adviser, further raising concerns that a new war was in the works. "Pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal could have consequences as disastrous as invading Iraq, one of the worst foreign policy decisions in U.S. history," Stephen Miles, director for the progressive Win Without War coalition, said Monday in a statement sent to Newsweek. "The Iran nuclear deal is working, blocking all pathways for Iran to build a nuclear weapon. Failing to waive sanctions on Iran would violate and effectively kill the JCPOA." "We forced U.N. weapons inspectors out of Iraq before they finished their work, and thats exactly what well be doing if Trump kills the JCPOA, thereby putting us back on the path to another disastrous war in the Middle East," he added. The U.S. also has never gone to war with Iran, but the CIA did help sponsor a 1953 coup that removed democratic opposition and re-installed an absolute monarch who supported the West. This government, led by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution that swiftly cut ties to the U.S. An ensuing hostage crisis at the U.S. embassy left countries at odds for decades until the Obama and Rouhani forged the nuclear agreement in spite of conservative skepticism in both countries. RTS1PA3S Abody Ahfad Khaled/Reuters Iran has often said it would also leave the deal if the U.S. withdrew first and has warned restarting nuclear activities was an option in this scenario, a move that could provoke military action on behalf of the U.S. or Israel. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who led the historic nuclear initiative with Obama, suggested Monday, however, that Iran may stay in the deal, saying "if we can get what we want from a deal without America, then Iran will continue to remain committed to the deal," according to the official Iran Daily. "What Iran wants is our interests to be guaranteed by non-American signatories... Getting rid of Americas mischievous presence will be fine for Iran," he added. China, France, Germany and Russia have already pledged to remain in the deal. The European Union has also given its support. It remains to be seen, however, whether this and other decisions made in the coming weeks and months will be though to save the agreement and prevent any wider, potentially violent fallout from the U.S. exit. "It would be a monumental mistake," Tony Blinken, who served as deputy secretary of state from 2015 to 2017 and also played a key role in shaping the previous administrations' policy toward Iran, said during Tuesday's call. "It puts us on a collision course with our allies, with Iran or both." This article has been updated to include reactions from U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley and Representative Ro Khanna. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek By David Milliken LONDON (Reuters) - Britain, Germany and France urged the United States not to take steps that would make life harder for other countries that still want to stick to the Iran nuclear deal that U.S. President Donald Trump spurned on Tuesday. Trump announced that he is pulling America out of the 2015 deal worked out by the United States, the three European countries, other international powers and Iran to ease sanctions in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear programs. "We urge the U.S. to ensure that the structures of the JCPOA (deal) can remain intact and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal," the leaders of Britain, Germany and France said in a joint statement provided by Prime Minister Theresa May's office. May spoke by telephone with France's President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel after Trump made his statement and the United States said it intended to reimpose sanctions on Iran. In the joint statement, the three leaders said that they took note of Trump's decision "with regret and concern". "Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case, including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement," they said. The United States' ambassador to Germany told German businesses to stop trading with Iran, and a German business association said it feared that European companies that traded with Iran would risk U.S. fines. [nL8N1SF859] Britain, in updated advice to exporters late on Tuesday, said it "continues to fully support expanding our trade relationship with Iran and encourages UK businesses to take advantage of the commercial opportunities that arise". But it warned British businesses and their staff to seek legal advice on how they might be affected by U.S. sanctions. The Confederation of British Industry said U.S. sanctions "could significantly impact UK businesses operating in Iran". The European joint statement also urged Iran "to show restraint" in response to the U.S. decision. "Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) inspection requirements," the three European leaders said. "There must be no doubt: Iran's nuclear programs must always remain peaceful and civilian." Concerns about Iran's ballistic missile programs and activities in Syria, Iraq and Yemen also needed to be addressed further, the leaders said. (Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by David Goodman and James Dalgleish) LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May is disappointed by a series of defeats in Britain's upper house of parliament over her plans to leave the European Union, her spokesman said on Wednesday. The House of Lords voted against her plans to leave the European Union's single market after Brexit and voted to strip out the fixed timing for Britain to leave the EU in March next year. [nL8N1SF6WI] "We are disappointed by the votes last night ... the legislation is intended to deliver the smooth Brexit which is in the interests of everybody in the UK," the spokesman said. "We will not accept attempts to use this legislation to stop us taking back control of our money, our laws and our borders." (Reporting By Elizabeth Piper. Editing by Andrew MacAskill) Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) - Thousands gathered Wednesday in Ukraine's rebel capital to watch a parade of banned tanks and artillery to celebrate the Soviet Union's World War II victory over Nazi Germany. The display of such heavy weaponry used by Kremlin-backed rebels during their four-year conflict with government forces violates the terms of a 2015 peace deal that neither side has honoured. The peace deal called for both sides to withdraw mortars, rockets and other large calibre arms from demarcation lines, one of which runs through the outskirts of Donetsk, the main city of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic. An AFP reporter counted 45 pieces of heavy military equipment including tanks, artillery systems and multiple rocket launchers Many were painted with the Soviet Union's red star and a black-and-orange-striped Saint George's ribbon. "All the equipment taking part in the parade was acquired as trophies," Alexander Voronin, the rebels' deputy military chief, told AFP, claiming it was seized from the Ukrainian army and then restored. At the opening of the event attended by around 35,000, Donetsk separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko said the region's people "have to defend their land with weapons" and protect "the Russian world" from Ukrainian nationalists. "Today we are in uniform and for us this is no longer a holiday to pay tribute -- now it's our holiday," 32-year-old Akhra Avidzba, a rebel fighter, told AFP. Local residents came to the parade with Saint George ribbons pinned on their clothes and carrying red flags and bouquets of lilac. Some brought children dressed in stylized Second World War uniforms. Unlike at previous parades in 2016 and 2017, no one seemed to be holding Russian flags, an AFP correspondent noticed. - Communist propaganda - Larisa, a 40-year-old manager, said she came to Donetsk from Kiev specially for the military parade. Story continues Such parades are associated with the Soviet era and were massively revived under President Vladimir Putin in Russia. They have been banned in the Ukrainian capital since the conflict with Russian-backed separatists broke out in April 2014. "It is sad, for me this is a childhood memory," said Larisa, who grew up in Donetsk but has lived in Kiev for a decade. She wore a Saint George's ribbon, which has also been banned by Ukraine as a symbol of Russian aggression in a conflict that has claimed more than 10,000 lives. On the other side of the frontline, in Kiev, about 10,000 people marched through central streets carrying portraits of relatives killed during the war. Kiev police detained 14 participants for wearing banned symbols "of the communist totalitarian regime," including the Saint George's ribbon. They face a fine. "Stalin's Soviet Union in the first two years of the World War II was an ally of Hitler's Germany," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a speech at the commemoration ceremony. Today, Putin's Russia is ready to bring the world "to the brink of World War III," he warned. "They are here, not far from us -- and this requires our special vigilance and responsibility," he said. Washington (AFP) - A US-backed Kurdish-led alliance this week launched a new offensive against holdouts from the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, an official said Tuesday. Kurdish members of the Syrian Democratic Forces -- made up of Kurds, Syrian Arabs and other groups -- had quit the Middle Euphrates River Valley in February after Turkey sent troops into Syria and launched an operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in its Afrin enclave. But the SDF last week announced it was relaunching efforts to clear IS from the few areas in Syria where they maintain a presence, including in the eastern oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor near the border with Iraq. "This week, following an increase in coalition strikes against the final ISIS controlled areas in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces resumed offensive operations to clear the final ISIS held territory in eastern Syria," British Army Major General Felix Gedney, a deputy commander of the US-led coalition fighting IS, told Pentagon reporters. The first phase of operations aims to secure the southeast portion of the Syria-Iraq border in coordination with the Iraqi security forces, Gedney said. He did not say how many IS fighters remain, though noted that local jihadists are abandoning the fight, causing tension among those remaining. "Observations from eastern Syria suggest that morale among ISIS fighters is sinking," Gedney said. "Frictions are mounting between native- and foreign-born ISIS fighters as ISIS's privileged leadership continues to flee the area leaving fighters with dwindling resources and low morale. ISIS fighters continue to surrender rather than face certain death." He added that more than 400 IS fighters are now in SDF custody. IS jihadists swept across large parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq in 2014, declaring a so-called "caliphate" in areas they controlled. But the jihadists have since lost most of that territory to various offensives in both countries. By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The trial of a former head of the Vatican bank and an Italian lawyer on charges of money laundering and embezzlement began on Wednesday with the court hearing of missing documents and secret funds in Switzerland. Angelo Caloia, 79, the highest ranking Holy See financial official to stand trial, was the sole defendant in the tiny court room, which has both a crucifix and a picture of Pope Francis on its walls. The other, Gabriele Liuzzo, 95, who once worked as an outside legal consultant for the bank, could not attend the trial, which is being held inside the Vatican under its own legal system, because of poor health, his lawyers said. Caloia and Liuzzo have both repeatedly denied wrongdoing. A third person originally charged, former bank director general Lelio Scaletti, died several years ago. They are suspected of embezzling money while managing the sale of 29 buildings sold by the Vatican bank to mainly Italian buyers. The bank, whose official name is the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), is seeking damages resulting from the alleged siphoning off of an estimated 57 million euros from the sale of real estate holdings in Italy between 2001 and 2008. Caloia was IOR president from 1999 and 2009. In 2014, the Vatican's top prosecutor, Gian Piero Milano, who was present in the court on Wednesday, froze millions of dollars in accounts held by the three men. Milano said on Wednesday that since the original freezing of the three men's accounts at the IOR, 10 million euros of suspect funds belonging to Liuzzo were found in a Swiss bank and frozen by authorities there at the Vatican's request. MISSING CONTRACTS The IOR's lawyer, Alessandro Benedetti, said that preliminary contracts involving the deals could not be found. In Italy, real estate sales involve a two-step process, a preliminary contract known as a "compromesso" sets the price, followed by the definitive deed of sale. Both are supposed to kept on file. The prosecution alleges that the men regularly under-represented the proceeds from the sales in the IOR books, pocketing the difference between the actual price and the amount officially recorded. Some of the pocketed proceeds were deposited into their IOR accounts as well as a Rome bank account that was not registered on the IOR's balance sheet, according to the prosecution. The president of the three-judge panel, Paolo Papanti-Pelletier, accepted a defense request that an independent audit of the real estate deals commissioned by IOR in 2013 and which sparked the investigation be translated into Italian from the original English. Ernst von Freyberg, a German businessman, who headed the bank in 2013, ordered the audit by the U.S.- based Promontory Financial Group after noting suspicious accounting procedures under previous administrations. The chief judge also agreed to a defense request to appoint an expert to make a new appraisal of the real estate. The date for the next hearing will be set after both the appraisal and translation are ready and after agreement on a list of witnesses. Several cardinals are expected to be called. Freyberg, who was president until 2014, began an overhaul of the bank, which for decades was embroiled in numerous financial scandals. Thousands of accounts were closed and last year Italy put the Vatican on its "white list" of states with cooperative financial institutions, ending years of mistrust and providing an endorsement of efforts by Pope Francis to clean up finances. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Alison Williams) An off-duty California police officer pulled his gun on a man who he thought was stealing candy at a local service station, according to surveillance video. However, Jose Arreola was just buying a pack of $1.19 Mentos mints. The March 16 surveillance video shows Arreola, 49, paying at the service counter and putting the mints into his pocket as he waited for his change. The off-duty Buena Park Police officer, dressed in black shorts and a black shirt, then pulled a gun from his pocket and told Arreola to put the candy back onto the counter. Dollars Francis Dean/Corbis via Getty Images Trending: What Is Eric Schneiderman Accused Of? In the video, Arreola looked visibly shocked as he put everything back on the counter, saying that he already paid for the item. "Get your cash and leave," the off-duty officer can be heard saying. He then asked the cashier if Arreola paid for the cash and the cashier responded "yes." The officer is heard apologizing to Arreola on video as he walked out of the service station. Don't miss: Sean Hannity Wants to Know If Jeff Sessions Is Part of the Deep State Its been a month, and I still cant shake it, Arreola told The Orange County Register. It was traumatic, the whole incident. [And] I grew up in Santa Ana. Ive been shot at before. In a Facebook post on Friday, Buena Park Police Chief Corey Sianez said that his office was "aware of this incident after it occurred and we immediately began conducting an administrative investigation into the conduct of the officer involved. Sianez then said the video showed the officer drawing his gun "but not pointing it at a subject he allegedly believed was committing a theft." Most popular: LeBron Free Agency: Will James Accept Challenge to Be King of New York? The police chief then added, "I want you to know that after I watched the video I found it to be disturbing." Story continues According to the OCR, Arreola has retained an attorney and is currently seeking financial damages from the Buena Park department. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday was just the latest example of his efforts to undo his predecessor Barack Obamas legacy, as he promised on the campaign trail. Related: Trump Boasts His Approval Rating Is Above Obama Based on Poll That Consistently Favors Him During his speech announcing the move, Trump called Obamas signature foreign policy accomplishment aimed at keeping Irans nuclear development program at bay, a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made, adding, that It didnt bring calm, it didnt bring peace, and it never will. Trending: Who Are The 3 American Hostages? Trump Announces Release After North Korea Agrees to Hand Over Custody Many in the political realm saw the bigger picture of Trumps move. Everything President Obama has done, this president wants to undo, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California tweeted Tuesday afternoon. An agreement that prevents Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is one thing that should never be undone just to satisfy a campaign promise. Here are other major Obama-era policies that Trump has reversed: Trans-Pacific Partnership Trump hit the ground running to undo Obamas work, signing an executive order a few days after his inauguration to pull the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation deal that Obama negotiated to slash tariffs for American imports and exports with the participating countries. Don't miss: Walmart Canada Leaks Unannounced Games 'Splinter Cell,' 'Borderlands 3,' 'Gears of War 5' and More Were going to stop the ridiculous trade deals that have taken everybody out of our country and taken companies out of our country, and its going to be reversed, Trump said. Paris Climate Accord Trump last June withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord, which provided a framework for countries to phase out fossil fuels and adopt clean energy practices, and was the cornerstone of Obamas environmental legacy. Story continues In short, the agreement doesnt eliminate coal jobs, it just transfers those jobs out of America and the United States, and ships them to foreign countries, Trump announced. This agreement is less about the climate and more about other countries gaining a financial advantage over the United States. 05_08_18_TrumpObamaLegacy Win McNamee/Getty Images Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Trump last September ended Obama's landmark immigration policy, DACA, which allowed undocumented immigrants who were brought into the U.S. under the age of 16 to apply for protection from deportation and obtain renewable two-year work permits. The program protected nearly 800,000 young immigrants from deportation in the five years before Trump repealed it. Most popular: Woman Dies After Emergency Responders Mocked Her During 911 Call In a statement, Trump blamed Obama for his executive order creating DACA and asked for a legislative solution. "It is now time for Congress to act!" Trump said. Obamacare individual mandate Though Trump and Republicans failed to repeal and replace many parts of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, the GOP tax bill that Congress passed in December did away with the individual mandate that required Americans to have health insurance or face a fine. "We repealed the core of disastrous Obamacarethe individual mandate is now gone," Trump boasted during his State of the Union address in January. Environmental Regulations Trump also signed an executive order to override Obamas Clean Power Plan and end the U.S.s "war on coal." One by one, we are keeping the promises I made to the American people during my campaign for president," Trump said in his Paris Climate Accord speech, "Whether its cutting job-killing regulations, appointing and confirming a tremendous Supreme Court justice, putting in place tough new ethics rules, achieving a record reduction in illegal immigration on our southern border, or bringing jobs, plants, and factories back into the United States at numbers which no one until this point thought even possible." And believe me, weve just begun," he continued. "The fruits of our labor will be seen very shortly even more so. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek (WASHINGTON) State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has won a contentious Republican primary for U.S. Senate in West Virginia, beating convicted ex-coal executive Don Blankenship. Morrisey also outdistanced congressman Evan Jenkins and three others in Tuesdays race. Morrisey will face incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin in November. Both parties view the general election as key to Senate control for the next two years. The primary became a test of President Donald Trumps clout. He came out strongly against Blankenship, who served prison time for a deadly mine disaster. A two-term attorney general, Morrisey promoted his record of challenging policies under the administration of former President Barack Obama. Morrisey deflected criticism of his past lobbying ties to the pharmaceutical industry and his roots in New Jersey, where he lost a 2000 congressional race. Blankenship said Tuesday that he didnt get it done and failed West Virginians, but he warned that the Republican Party needs to be careful about being hijacked. Establishment Republicans and President Donald Trump warned voters not to back the former coal executive who spent time in federal prison for his role in a 2010 mine explosion that killed 29 miners. Blankenship tells a group of supporters that he still believes he was railroaded and mistreated by federal prosecutors. TNI Staff Security, And a threat in the South China Sea. Why Russia's Su-35 (Now in China's Air Force) Could Be Taiwan's Worst Nightmare The Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E has entered service with the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense. The advanced Russian-built fourth generation fighter is a significant boost to the PLAAF and could be used to good effect by Beijing in over the South China Sea. The Su-35 is a multi-purpose fighter jet capable of air combat and precision strike against land and surface targets, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, Director General of the Information Office of China's Ministry of National Defense, said during a April 26 press conference. Currently, the aviation troop units of the PLA Air Force have been armed with the Su-35 fighters. With the jets now in service, the Su-35 would significantly bolster Chinese forces operating over the South China Sea or the Taiwan Straits. Indeed, Beijing has in recent days been conducting exercises in the region near Taiwan, which it considers to be a breakaway province. Recently, the PLA Air Force dispatched multiple types of warplanes to carry out real combat training exercises in the airspace over the sea to further enhance the capability of safeguarding Chinas national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Wu said. The island the PLA warplanes patrolled around is, of course, Chinas Taiwan Island. Recommended: The Worlds Most Secretive Nuclear Weapons Program. Recommended: The Fatal Flaw That Could Take Down an F-22 or F-35. Recommended: Smith & Wesson's .44 Magnum Revolver: Why You Should Fear the 'Dirty. Wu promised that China would take action if Taiwan were to attempt to formally declare independence. The series of actions we have taken are targeting the Taiwan independence forces and their activities, and are to protect the well-being of the people in Taiwan from being undermined by the Taiwan independence conspiracy, Wu said. If the Taiwan independence forces continue to act recklessly, we will take further actions. Story continues If push comes to shove, the Su-35 could feature prominently in any Chinese attempt to subdue Taiwan. The Flanker-E is arguably the PLAAFs most capable fighter apart from the Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter, which is not likely to fully operational yet even if it has achieved some level of operational capability. Particularly, if the Su-35 is armed with long-range air-to-air missiles such as the very long range PL-15, it could be used to attack American aerial refueling tankers and other support aircraft such the E-3 AWACS that are crucial for conducting air operations over the vastness of the Pacific. The PL-15, could enter service during the course of 2018, and has already been cited by senior U.S. Air Force personnel as a significant concern, including remarks by Gen. Hawk Carlisle, then head of U.S. Air Combat Command, in 2015, IISS military analyst Doug Barrie wrote for War on the Rocks. The PL-15 may have a maximum range in the order of 200 kilometers and is thought to be fitted with an advanced seeker using an active electronically scanned radar. The maximum range describes how far the missile could reach with an optimized trajectory requiring no maneuvering and with little energy left at the end of the flight. But given that a missile in the class of the PL-15 would often be used to engage a combat aircraft of a similar class, its actual maximum engagement range against a maneuvering target would be considerably less, though likely still in excess of the present Western generation of solid-rocket medium-range missiles. One of the limitations of several of the current generation of beyond-visual- range AAMs is that the probability of a successful engagement is reduced significantly against a maneuvering target. This is because the missile rapidly bleeds off energy as it turns to try to close with the threat aircraft. An even more dangerous missile has already been spotted being carried onboard Chinas own domestically developed J-16 advanced Flanker derivative, which is in some ways comparable to the Su-35 in capability. However, the Su-35 probably still has an overall edge over the Chinese Flanker knockoff. An even longer-range AAM is also in the later stages of development, Barrie wrote. In late 2016, images appeared on the Internet of a Shenyang J-16 Flanker carrying two large missiles. The missile configuration suggested the design was intended to provide a very-long-range air-to-air capability, at up to around 400 kilometers, and intended to be used against tankers, airborne early warning and control aircraft, and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, at extended engagement ranges. Thus, the introduction of the Su-35 significantly boosts Chinese capability and increases the headaches for U.S. forces in the event of a war. Image: Creative Commons. Read full article What will Warren Buffetts legacy be? Legendary investor? Builder of a giant company? A teacher to millions of investors? For sure, all of those things. But I would argue his greatest legacyif he succeedswill be to ensure that Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A, BRK-B) continues to be high-performing company long after hes gone. Ive known, and have been writing about, Warren Buffett for decades. And for as long as I can remember, folks have been asking him whats going to happen to Berkshire Hathaway when he dies. Buffetts answered that question a million times. (To paraphrase, It will be fine.) My favorite response though was when he said, I hope the stock doesnt go up too much. The point is that Buffetts had years and years to consider what happens after hes no longer here. In fact, I cant think of a single CEO, president or even dictator whos had more time to plan for succession. (Well, maybe Fidel Castro, but he ended up just picking his brother!) So here you have maybe the smartest executives on the planet, acutely aware of the stakes (he has some 389,000 employees, over a million shareholders and even more fans), with plenty of time to make what will amount to the decision of his lifetime. Its a big deal, his biggest deal, and he knows it. I think that makes Berkshire succession a good bet. Buffett has been pretty adept at phasing in new leadership and cueing us in as well. On the operations side, Buffett has of course elevated Ajit Jain and Greg Abel as top managers, who operate almost as co-COOs. Note that three-quarters of Berkshires revenue now comes from its non-financial operating businesses like Burlington Northern, Benjamin Moore, and Clayton Homes, which is to say most of the revenue does not come solely from Buffetts investing acumen. And speaking of the investment side, hes hired Todd Combs and Ted Weschler to increasingly manage that part of the business. Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, outside Berkshire-owned Borsheims jewelry store in Omaha, Neb., Sunday, May 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) In fact, Buffett has handed off so much responsibility that at last years annual meeting, veteran journalist Carol Loomis who asks the first question in the Q&A, and prides herself on posing the toughest and most salient query, essentially asked him what did all day and wasnt he actually retired. Story continues Ive been semi-retired for decades, Buffett quipped in response. Part of the Berkshire secret is that when theres nothing to do, Warren is very good at doing nothing, Charlie Munger added. But lets be clear: Buffett, 88, is still very much in charge of Berkshire Hathaway. That means at some pointprobably sooner rather than laterhe will be turning over the reins. There will never be another Warren Buffett, but the new person(s) might be exceptional too. I remember I had this idea that if you shorted Apples (AAPL) stock on the day that Steve Jobs died, over time, say in five years, youd make money. Meaning that after Steve was no longer there, Apples stock would decline and Apples great run would be over. Well, thank goodness I never enacted that genius plan. Since Jobs died on Oct. 5, 2011, Apples stock is up from $54 a share to over $200. Steve Jobs picked a good one in current CEO Tim Cook. I could see Buffett doing pretty well in this department, too. This story was originally published on May 9, 2018. 2019 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting Andy Serwer is editor-in-chief of Yahoo Finance. Follow him @serwer. See more of Yahoo Finances coverage of Berkshire Hathaway here. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced he was resigning from his office, which will take effect at the close of business on Tuesday. That followed allegations published Monday in The New Yorker that Schneiderman was physically violent with four women with whom he was romantically involved. Two women spoke on the record , saying Schneiderman repeatedly hit them during the course of their relationships with him in recent years, and never with their consent. Schneiderman said he "strongly" contests the allegations. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that he was resigning from his office in a Monday evening statement. That followed allegations published Monday in The New Yorker that Schneiderman, whose office has taken on a high-profile role in the fight against sexual misconduct, was physically violent with four women with whom he was romantically involved. The attorney general released this statement: "It's been my great honor and privilege to serve as Attorney General for the people of the State of New York. In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me. While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office's work at this critical time. I therefore resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8, 2018." Two women spoke on the record to The New Yorker, saying Schneiderman repeatedly hit them during the course of their relationships with him in recent years, and never with their consent. Neither woman filed any police complaints, but both said they sought out medical attention and confided in people close to them about the abuse. A third woman who also was involved with him told her story to the other two women, but said she was too frightened to come forward. A fourth woman said Schneiderman slapped her when she rebuffed him, but also asked to remain unidentified. The New Yorker said it vetted the third woman's allegations, and saw a photo of what the fourth woman said was her injury. Story continues In a statement following The New Yorker report's publication, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called for Schneiderman to resign, and said he will be asking an "appropriate" New York district attorney to start an investigation immediately. "No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer." "My personal opinion is that, given the damning pattern of facts and corroboration laid out in the article, I do not believe it is possible for Eric Schneiderman to continue to serve as Attorney General, and for the good of the office, he should resign," he said. Asked for comment, Schneiderman, a Democrat, issued a statement to The New Yorker saying, "In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is a line I would not cross." His representatives sent the same statement to The Associated Press when asked about the accusations. They also sent a statement from his ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham, who said, "I've known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend. These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father. I find it impossible to believe these allegations are true." A spokesman for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance told NBC News the office is opening an investigation "into the recently reported allegations concerning Mr. Schneiderman." Schneiderman has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement. He filed a lawsuit in February against movie producer Harvey Weinstein and the Weinstein Co. following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, saying the company broke New York law by failing to protect employees from "pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination." He launched a civil rights probe into the New York City -based company in October after The New York Times and The New Yorker exposed allegations of sexual assault and harassment spanning decades. The company later fired Weinstein. The women accusing him said seeing him speak out on sexual misconduct issues was part of the impetus in them coming forward. "This is a man who has staked his entire career, his personal narrative, on being a champion for women publicly," Selvaratnam said. "But he abuses them privately. He needs to be called out." The Associated Press contributed to this report. More From CNBC New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman was accused of nonconsensual physical violence by four women on Monday, leading to his resignation. Schneiderman, who filed a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein in the wake of multiple sexual harassment accusations, resigned from office four hours after the news broke in a story co-written by Jane Mayer and Ronan Farrow for The New Yorker. Farrow won the Pulitzer Prize for his previous report on Weinsteins sexual harassment accusations. In a statement released on Monday, Schneiderman, 63, announced his resignation saying, Its been my great honor and privilege to serve as Attorney General of the people of the State of New York. In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me. While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the offices work at this critical time, the statement continued. I therefore resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8, 2018. Eric Schneiderman Two women, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, spoke with The New Yorker on the record saying they had been in relationships with Schneiderman. The two allege Schneiderman repeatedly hit them, often after drinking, frequently in bed and never with their consent. Manning Barish, who dated the Schneiderman from the summer of 2013 to New Years Day of 2015, alleges he slowly began to take steps in controlling her body, saying he had asked her to remove a small tattoo from her wrist. Taking a strong woman and tearing her to pieces is his jam, she told the magazine. One night, she said the two had been drinking when he called her a w-. She responded back after which she claims he backed her up to the edge of his bed and just slapped me, open-handed and with great force, across the face, landing the blow directly onto my ear. RELATED: All of the Hollywood Figures Who Have Spoken Out Against Harvey Weinstein Story continues It was horrendous. It just came out of nowhere, she continued. My ear was ringing. I lost my balance and fell backward onto the bed. Manning Barish claims Schneiderman held her down with his body and began to choke her. The choking was very hard. It was really bad. I kicked, she said. In every fiber, I felt I was being beaten by a man. She left the apartment and told The New Yorker she had made it clear to Schneiderman she would not return. This was under no circumstances a sex game gone wrong, she said. This did not happen while we were having sex. I was fully dressed and remained that way. It was completely unexpected and shocking. I did not consent to physical assault. Statement from Eric T. Schneiderman: "In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is a line I would not cross." Eric T. Schneiderman (@Schneiderman) May 7, 2018 In bed, Manning Barish claims Schneiderman would sometimes call her a little whore and at one point told her, If you ever left me, Id kill you. Selvaratnam, an author and film producer, told The New Yorker the two were together from the summer of 2016 to the fall of 2017. She claims the politician began to become violent during sex, often slapping her and making sexual demands. He was obsessed with having a threesome, and said it was my job to find a woman, she said. He said hed have nothing to look forward to if I didnt and would hit me until I agreed. She continued, Sometimes, hed tell me to call him Master and hed slap me until I did. RELATED: Bill Cosby Conviction Is Victory for #MeToo Movement, Legal Game-Changer: Experts Selvaratnam, who is Sri Lankan, added, He started calling me his brown slave and demanding that I repeat that I was his property. While the two told the magazine they never filed police reports at the time, they did claim they had sought medical attention after receiving slaps on the ear and face. A third woman was interviewed by the outlet but said she was too fearful of retribution to state her name on the record. She alleges Schneiderman practiced nonconsensual physical violence on her. A fourth woman, described as an attorney who previously worked in prominent legal positions, claimed Schneiderman had slapped her across the face when she rebuffed his sexual advances. In a statement on Twitter, Schneiderman, a Democrat, denied the allegations, saying, In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is a line I would not cross. Let me be clear: Weinstein Company leadership was complicit in Harvey Weinsteins wrongdoing. They knew what was happening. They know how pervasive it was. And yet they did nothing. Eric Schneiderman (@AGSchneiderman) February 12, 2018 The allegations come in the wake of the #MeToo movement and the Times Up initiative following the career collapse of Hollywood producer Weinstein after multiple allegations of sexual harassment came to light. In April, Schneiderman congratulated The New York Times and The New Yorker for their Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on the accusations against Weinstein. Without the reporting of the @nytimes and the @newyorkerand the brave women and men who spoke up about the sexual harassment they endured at the hands of powerful menthere would not be the critical national reckoning underway. A well-deserved honor: https://t.co/h4QMPzEU5c Eric Schneiderman (@AGSchneiderman) April 16, 2018 Without the reporting of the @nytimes and the @newyorkerand the brave women and men who spoke up about the sexual harassment they endured at the hands of powerful menthere would not be the critical national reckoning underway. A well-deserved honor, he tweeted. Schneiderman filed a lawsuit against Weinstein and his brother Bob in February saying they, along with others at The Weinstein Company, had been complicit in the moguls alleged sexual harassment. Want to keep up on the latest from PEOPLE? Sign up for our daily newsletter to get our best stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox. Let me be clear: Weinstein Company leadership was complicit in Harvey Weinsteins wrongdoing. They knew what was happening. They know how pervasive it was. And yet they did nothing, Schneiderman tweeted in February. A spokesperson for Weinstein also previously told PEOPLE in a statement that any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances. The enlarged teats on this female indicate that she is breeding, great news for fans of Gulo gulo, the wily wolverine. The photo was taken by a motion-activated camera. (Cascade Carnivore Project) The State Comptroller, former judge Yosef Shapira, wrote in his concluding report published Tuesday afternoon that all the plans that had been formulated to the end of giving assistance to communities near conflicts zonesmeaning Israeli communities situated near the Gaza border and beyond the Green Linewere not implemented due to lack of proper resource allocation. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Comptroller emphasized that since the amount of resources allocated for the implementation of the authorized plan did not correspond with the resources needed in reality, only part of the Ministry of Defense and the Home Front Command's plans to provide the communities near the conflict zones with means of defensein particularly the West Bank communitiescould be implemented. Shvut Rachel settlement (Photo: Reuters) Some 900 thousand people reside in the 407 communities classified to be near conflict zones. Security elementsdefined by the Ministry of Defense as "infrastructures, facilities, roads, equipment and other means of self defense" were established to provide the communities' residents with routine and emergency security measures. These security elements are meant to help the residents protect their communities, deter the enemy from launching all-out or focused attacks, and improving the response time and quality of rescue services in times of emergency. After the publication of the 2012 State Comptroller Report on the matter of "issues of crime and routine security measures in the rural sectors," the Home Front Command established in October 2013 a new plan for classifying the communities near conflict zones and providing them with the proper security measures. Former chief of staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz and former defense minister Moshe Ya'alon approved the plan. The Comptroller found that the plan was not fully implemented, and the necessary resources were not allocated. Since the plan was not fully implemented in addition to the growing necessity of new security elements stemming from the terror tunnels threat exposed during the Protective Edge Operation, as well as the terror wave against the West Bank communities that had commenced in 2015, the Home Front Command estimated that NIS 473 million were missing to provide security elements needed in the communities near conflict zones. Furthermore, A 2017 work plan by the Settlement Division of the World Zionist Organization (WZO) formulated according to the defense minister's instructions was found to not be corresponding with the operational necessities defined by the IDF's Operations branch, as it allocates half of the entire budget to the Northern Command communities, which are only in fifth place in operational priority. Another impairment noted in the report is the failure to supply sufficient amount of helmets and vests to the communities near conflict zones. The Home Front Command was also supposed to provide the communities with internal means of communications in addition to "orange lightning" communications devices meant for communication with the IDF. According to the report, only 28 percent of the "orange lightning" communications devices and 63 percent of internal means of communications were supplied. Also, the Home Front Command has not yet set a timetable for the supply of these devices, a fact which can cause a delay in the IDF's response in case of infiltration to the communities. The State Comptroller noted the high importance of the aforementioned security elements in keeping the residents of the communities near conflict zones safe and secure, and concluded his report by addressed the chief of staff and defense minister to fix the impairments mentioned in it. A short time after US President Donald Trump announced his country's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, the leaders of Britain, Germany and France issued a joint statement saying they regretted the president's decision. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The joint statement said, "It is with regret and concern that wethe leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdomtake note of President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Trump's speech announcing US withdrawal X "Together, we emphasize our continuing commitment to the JCPOA. This agreement remains important for our shared security. L-R: Germany's Merkel, France's Macron and Britain's May voiced their commitment to the nuclear deal (Photo: EPA, Reuters) "We recall that the JCPOA was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council in resolution 2231. This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear program. "We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility," the statement concluded. In a separate statement, French President Emmanuel Macron said Iran's non-proliferation was at stake and that he would continue working on a broader agreement covering Iran's nuclear activity, ballistics program and regional activities. Macron, who visited Trump in Washington last month, attempted to dissuade the American president from withdrawing from the deal, but apparently understood Trump was firm in his decision even then. French President Macron (L) attempted to convince President Trump to stay in the deal (Photo: AP) Withdrawing from the deal was "a campaign pledge (Trump) made long ago, Macron told reporters last week, adding the president had "no serious desire to maintain or defend" the deal. Trump wanted to wiredraw, Macron alleged, "For his own domestic reasons." Russia also voiced its regret with the American decision. The Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that, "President Trump's claims were completely baseless, as Iran has followed the agreement's terms to the letter." Presidents Macron and Trump at the White House () X "There are noand can be nogrounds for breaking the joint comprehensive action plan (JCPOA). The plan showed its full efficiency," the ministry said. "The United States is undermining international trust in the International Atomic Energy Agency." The ministry also said it was open to further cooperation with other Iran deal members and would continue to actively develop bilateral ties with Tehran. Fmr. president Obama said pulling out of deal meant 'turning our back on America's closest allies' (Photo: AFP) Obama says decision to withdraw 'misguided' Former US President Barack Obama, who signed the deal in 2015, said Tuesday that President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal was "misguided." "I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake," Obama said in a statement, referring to the acronym for the agreement worked out by the United States, five other world powers and Iran. Obama said the Iran agreement significantly rolled back Tehran's nuclear program and was a model for a possible deal Trump hopes to negotiate with North Korea to eliminate Pyongyang's nuclear weapons. "That is why today's announcement is so misguided," the former president explained. "Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on America's closest allies, and an agreement that our country's leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated," he said. European Council President Tusk said Trump's stance on Iran 'will meet a united European approach' (Photo: AFP) President of the European Council Donald Tusk spoke on the matter as well, saying Trump's stance on Iran "will meet a united European approach" and that all 28 EU leaders will discuss the matter when they meet in the Bulgarian capital next Wednesday. The European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini iterated the same sentiment, saying she still believed the deal prevented Iran from attaining nuclear weapons. "The European Union is determined to act in accordance with its security interests and preserve its economic investments," she said. The deal, she said, was the "result of 12 years of diplomatic efforts. It belongs to the entire international community." Lastly, Mogherini called on the people of the Union and it leaders to "not allow anyone to destroy the agreement." EU top diplomat Mogherini said the deal 'belonged to the entire international community' (Photo: Reuters) Saudi Arabia, UAE hail withdrawal Not all international voices were critical, however, as Saudi Arabiaa Sunni Muslim power that considers Shiite Iran to be its main regional foehailed Trump's decision. The kingdom, a key US ally, said it would work with the United States and the international community to address Iran's nuclear program as well as its ballistic missile program and support of militant groups in the region. "Iran used economic gains from the lifting of sanctions to continue its activities to destabilize the region, particularly by developing ballistic missiles and supporting terrorist groups in the region," said a statement carried on Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television. It confirmed "the need to deal with the danger that Iran's policies pose to international peace and security through a comprehensive view that is not limited to its nuclear program but also includes all hostile activities" in the region. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman previously said his kingdom would 'without a doubt' develop nuclear weapons if Iran did so (Photo: Reuters) Saudi Arabia has called the 2015 nuclear deal a "flawed agreement", and in March Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS news that his kingdom would "without a doubt" develop nuclear weapons if Iran did so. The United Arab Emirates, another American ally in the region, said Tuesday it also backed the United States' decision to withdraw from the nuclear accord and voiced support for President Trump's strategy in dealing with Tehran. The UAE foreign ministry urged the international community "to respond positively to President Trump's position to rid the Middle East of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction", the state news agency WAM reported. WASHINGTON - Licenses for Boeing Co and Airbus to sell passenger jets to Iran will be revoked, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. IranAir had ordered 200 passenger aircraft - 100 from Airbus SE, 80 from Boeing and 20 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR. All the deals are dependent on US licenses because of the heavy use of American parts in commercial planes. Boeing agreed in December 2016 to sell 80 aircraft, worth $17 billion at list prices, to IranAir under an agreement between Tehran and major world powers to reopen trade in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear activities. The US Treasury Department, which controls licensing of exports, said the United States would no longer allow the export of commercial passenger aircraft, parts and services to Iran after a 90-day period. The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday it had ordered the representative of Human Rights Watch in the country to leave within 14 days, accusing him of supporting a boycott against Israel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Human Rights Watch, a New York-based rights organization, said the decision showed that Israel was seeking to suppress criticism of its human rights record, and that it would challenge the decision in court. Omar Shakir, the group's Israel and Palestine Director, is a US citizen of Iraqi descent. He has denied the accusation against him. Omar Shakir On Tuesday, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said he had acted on the recommendation of Public Security and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, whose department said it had gathered data that Shakir had for years supported a boycott of Israel. "It is inconceivable that a boycott activist can receive a permit to remain in Israel so that he can act in every possible way against the state. I will use all means to expel such people from the country," Deri's statement said. Letter Shakid received informing him of the decision not to renew his visa But Shakir told Reuters: "I have not called for any form of boycott of Israel during my time at Human Rights Watch and the Interior Ministry acknowledged this in its letter to me ... in which they informed me of their decision to deny an extension to my work visa." HRW said it supported Shakir. "This is not about Shakir, but rather about muzzling Human Rights Watch and shutting down criticism of Israel's rights record," Iain Levine, program director at Human Rights Watch, said in the statement. "Deporting human rights defenders is a page out of the Russian or Egyptian security services' playbook." The Syrian report that Israel attacked a base near Damascus used by Iranian militias on Tuesday night leads to the conclusion that Tehran has been constantly trying over the past few days to launch missiles or rockets at a target in Israel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Furthermore, there is concern the Iranians may try to attack targets on the ground through their militias, and even communities in the Golan Heights. Israel is thwarting these intentions both through the media and, according to reports, through preventive strikes. We can also assume that the targets of the strike were missile depots and missile launchers, which the Iranians took out of hiding and were planning to use. Israel spotted the activityand attacked. Israel opening bomb shelters in a message to Iranian President Rouhani (Photo: Reuters) Earlier Tuesday evening, the IDF issued an unusual order to open bomb shelters in the Golan Heights due to abnormal movements spotted among the Iranian forces in Syria. Its quite possible that the purpose of the public order, which was unusual by any standard, was to make it clear to the moderate camp in Iran, led by President Hassan Rouhani, that the Revolutionary Guards are adopting a policy that could harm Iran at this time. After all, Iran needs every bit of sympathy and aid in Europe and Russia, and offensive actions against Israel could worsen its situation in the international arena and reinforce US President Donald Trumps claims. The Iranian forces and the militias operating on its behalf in Syria are relatively weak and unable to cause real damage in Israel. Hezbollah wont operate from Lebanon because the Iranians are interested in keeping the Shiite organization as a strategic arm in case Israel attacks their nuclear facilities. Its reasonable to assume, therefore, that Qassem Suleimani, the Revolutionary Guards strongman and head of the Quds Force, wont issue an order to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to activate his huge missile arsenal simply for the sake of revenge. Preparing a bomb shelter in the Golan Heights (Photo: Avihu Shapira) In any event, the IDF has taken every required measure, including advancing missile-interception batteries and unmanned aircraft, to thwart any attempt made by the Revolutionary Guards to target Israeli territory. IDF officials are saying that Israels response to any Iranian attack will be extremely harsh, but are hoping there will be no need for such a response. The IDFs announcement on the security measures it is taking should deter the Iranians from making a move that would escalate the situation and harm the Syrian regime as well, and this is something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make clear to Russian President Vladimir Putin in their meeting in Moscow on Wednesday morning. Trump didnt burn all bridges In the more important international arena right now, President Trump pulled his country out of the nuclear agreement without letting anyone off easyneither the Iranians nor the Europeans, the Russians or the Chinese. If and when the agreements suspension takes effect in 180 days, European, Chinese and Russian companies trading with Iran wont be able to trade with the US or transfer funds as part of the sanctions. Trump left room for talks with Iran (Photo: AFP) But, and this is a big but, Trump left a wide window open for negotiations. He made it clear that if the Iranians are willing to make amendments to the existing agreement, he would be willing to call off the American withdrawal. He said he was referring to amendments to four problematic articles: the need to place serious restrictions on the development of medium- and long-range ballistic missiles; changing the sunset provisions, under which Iran would be able to enrich as much uranium as it wants as fast as it wants after 15 years; tightening the supervision over the development of nuclear warheads for missiles; securing a commitment from Iran to stop aiding terror and guerilla organizations led by Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Houthis in Yemen. Trump failed to clarify how he wants to fix the flaws in the existing agreement. He is leaving it to the Europeans, who will conduct the negotiations if the Iranians agree to renew the talks. Trump mentioned the agreement with North Korea in his speech. He wanted to stress that his strict policy vis-a-vis Pyongyang proved itself and that there is good reason to believe that, eventually, the Iranians will seek a compromise too. Trump reiterated that North Korea was ready for negotiations and a reconciliation with the US, despite his strict policy. Thats his answer to all those who criticized him at the time, claiming he was leading to war in the Korean Peninsula, and are now accusing him of leading to an escalation with Iran. Netanyahu scored an achievement (Photo: EPA) Speaking immediately after Trump, President Rouhani provided an indirect confirmation of this assumption, saying that Iran would stay in the nuclear deal even without Washington. Rouhani warned, however, that Iran would renew its uranium enrichment if the talks failed. In other words, Iran is prepared to hold talks with the Europeans and other elements that will try to mediate and reach new understandings which may comply with the American demands. The American withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and the effect of Trumps decision aren't a done deal. Its just the beginning. Netanyahu, in any event, scored a major achievement, as its seems Trump completely adopted his stance on the nuclear agreement with Iran and even relied on the achievements of the Mossad, which stole part of the Iranian nuclear archive to establish Trumps accusations that the nuclear agreement is based on a lie and should therefore be terminated. Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz implied Wednesday morning that the IDF was behind an attack south of Damascus the night before reportedly targeting missiles aimed at Israel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter While he came short of admitting Israeli responsibility, Katz told Ynet that Iran "threatenedboth in public and through messengersto hurt Israel. We take this very seriously. We both defend soldiers and civilians and act through intelligence and all of our capabilities to locate and prevent (attacks) in advance." Katz also asserted that "only strikes now, today, could prevent violence and wars tomorrow. The Iranians don't understand any other language." Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz (Photo: Avi Mualem) He explained that "the times (the Iranians) folded in the past, in 2003 and 2015, were when facing the threat of an American invasion and the pressure of sanctions. This is where we need to play a central and leading role as part of the perception of making Iran fold and leave this region." Katz further noted that "If such a thing happens as Iranian capabilities being hit in Syria, the same capabilities they sought to launch here, it means we're working on all levels." Nevertheless, the intelligence minister stressed that "the Cabinet's strategy, under the leadership of the prime minister, is to prevent war." "We don't want to conquer Syria," he added. "We want the Iranians to be forced to make a decision that they are strategically withdrawing from Syria." Syria media outlets reported a strike on a base in the Al-Kiswah area south of Damascus late Tuesday. It was further reported the strike's target were missiles trained at Israel. The base, Arab media reported, housed Iranian forces and was attacked by Israel in the past. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday the strike had killed at least 15 people, including eight Iranians. "The number increased to at least 15, including at least eight Iranians, killed by the missile strikes," the British-based Observatory reported. Fire burning in the Syrian base attack Tuesday A senior Syrian army official was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying that, "Israel targeted a Syrian army position south of Damascus." Increased Israeli Air Force traffic was also mentioned in the skies over Israel's northern frontier in unconfirmed reports. The possible attack came after the IDF instructed to open public bomb shelters in the Golan Heights amid Israeli reports of "irregular Iranian movements" in Syria and the ongoing fear of an Iranian strike at Israel in retaliation for the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and the airstrike on the T-4 Airbase near Homs last month. In his interview with Ynet, Katz also discussed the red line Israel had set "to prevent the establishment of Iranian military presence in Syria, which will endanger us now and certainly in the future." "The red line, the strategy behind it, is to act in order to get Iran out of Syria without crossing the threshold of war," Katz explained. "This is also why the prime minister is going to see the Russian president today, to prevent that friction." "There's cooperation with the US, and mostly our forces, our readiness, our intelligence knowhow to find things and thwart them in advance, as well as the ability to deter and act and active defense," he went on to say. "We're dealing with this, no one else will do this direct work for us. We need to deter Hezbollah, we need to take care of Iran in Syria." Nevertheless, Katz sought to alleviate concerns of a full military conflict on the northern border, saying "There's no fundamental threat to the State of Israel. There's a certain Iranian capability in Syria, which we're trying to stop and not allow to increasenot bring in more missiles, militias and other measures to hurt our aerial capabilities." The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that Europeans were tied to the United States and cast doubt on their ability to save the nuclear deal spurned by US President Donald Trump. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Britain, Germany and France have urged the United States not to take steps that would make life harder for other countries that still want to stick to the Iran nuclear deal. But Guards commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said they could not act on their own. Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Mohammad Ali Jafari (Photo: AP) "It's clear that the Europeans can not make an independent decision between Iran and America and are tied to America," he said, according to a report on Fars News. "The fate of the Iran deal is clear." "We welcome Trump's decision on pulling out of the deal. This is not a new event and has no effective role in any field," Jafari added. "It was clear that the Americans are not trustworthy." Under the deal, Iran agreed to curb its enrichment of uranium and other nuclear development in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Jafari said the withdrawal of the United States showed that the issue of Iran's uranium enrichment had just been an excuse to try and limit the Islamic Republic's missile program and regional influence, Fars News reported. "With attention to the fact that the issue of the enemy is our military capabilities, the armed forces must pay closer attention to expanding their capabilities," Jafari said. Iran has a lot of experience in developing the country under sanctions, Jafari said. "One more time it's completely clear and has been proven that the Americans are bullies," Jafari said, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency. "The Americans can not be trusted for any kind of negotiation or agreement," he added. Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh said Wednesday morning tensions have calmed down a bit in northern Israel following an attack in Syria attributed to Israel. "I'm glad I was able to arrive despite what's going on around," the police chief said at a conference in Herzliya. "It's important to send a message of business-as-usual, and this is part of our mission." BEIRUT - Iran's parliament introduced a motion on Wednesday calling for "proportional and reciprocal" action by the government after the United States withdrew from a nuclear accord Tehran agreed with world powers in 2015, according to Fars News. Hojatoleslam Mojtaba Zulnouri, who heads the nuclear committee in parliament, said the motion asks President Hassan Rouhani's government to secure "necessary guarantees" from the remaining signatories to the nuclear deal. They include Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China. Zulnouri, a lawmaker from the city of Qom, did not specify what guarantees should be sought, but said if they are not met then Iran should resume high level uranium enrichment. Ali Mottahari, a lawmaker from Tehran, said there was a "limited opportunity" for European powers to "bring a solid guarantee" that would allow Iran to stick with the deal. "But if this doesn't happen then it's possible that we will exit the nuclear deal or take other steps," he told news agency IRNA. SEOUL - South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday North Korea should be guaranteed economic aid if it were to undertake complete denuclearization, a South Korean presidential official said. "The two heads of state agreed the international society, including the United States, should help guarantee a bright future for North Korea like ensuring the regime's security and economic development if North Korea completely denuclearises," Blue House official Yoon Young-chan told reporters. Moon and Li, in Tokyo for a trilateral summit with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also agreed that South Korea and China could begin joint research to assess possible railway projects to connect the two countries, via North Korea, Yoon said. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said Wednesday that Israel is in talks with the UN to improve the deal on African asylum seekers, which was nixed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking at a meeting of the Knesset's State Control Committee, Deri said the talks are led by Israel's National Security Council and that at the moment, "there have been no breakthroughs." Yehoshua Elitzur, who was convicted in September 2005 of killing a Palestinian and escaped to Brazil immediately afterwards, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Tel Aviv District Court also ordered Elitzur to pay his victim's family NIS 200,000 in compensation. Elitzur, a Jewish convert from Germany living on a West Bank hilltop, was convicted of killing Sael Jabara al-Shatiya, a Palestinian from the village of Salem in the northern West Bank, in September 2004. Yehoshua Elitzur (Photo: Yair Sagi) Elitzur was driving towards the settlement of Alon Moreh when he saw al-Shatiya heading in the opposite direction with several passengers. Elitzur then stopped his car in the middle of the road to block al-Shatiya, before alighting his vehicle carrying a fully-loaded M-16 rifle. Standing in the middle of the road, he instructed the van driver to stop. Due to the road conditions, the car could not stop, and al-Shatiya continued driving, turning right toward the shoulders of the road with the intention of stopping there. Elitzur then shot at him once, and the bullet penetrated the car window and killed al-Shatiya. Elitzur was convicted of manslaughter in September of 2005, but he fled the country before sentencing. Elitzur after his initial arrest (Photo: Tal Cohen/Yedioth Ahronot) Interpol issued an international arrest warrant for Elitzur, who was tracked down by the efforts of the Israeli police's international division. He was arrested in Sao Paulo in 2015 and after being cleared for extradition by the Brazilian Supreme Court, he was put on a plane to Israel in January 2018. "The court determined that the defendant had shot at the deceased for no apparent reason, and ignored requests by the passengers to call for medical help. Even after the incident had ended, the defendant did not call for medical help," wrote Judge Zvi Gurfinkel wrote in his verdict. The judge also noted the court had rejected Elitzur's claim that he was acting in self-defense, pointing out that "the vehicle did not turn in (Elitzur's) direction." Elitzur upon his extradition back to Israel from Brazil (Photo: Motti Kimchi) "In light of the unequivocal findings presented in the ruling, it is not reasonable to assume the defendant was in danger or mistakenly thought he was. We have before us a severe case of taking a human life without necessity or purpose," Gurfinkel elaborated. "He (Elitzur) suspected anyone who isn't Jewish is a potential terrorist," the judge added. Yasmin al-Shatiya, the Palestinian victim's blind daughter, welcomed the verdict. "I'm satisfied that my father's killer is going to prison for many years, for him to learn how precious life is," she said. The deceased's daughter Yasmin Elitzur, who was living in the settlement of Itamar at the time of the shooting, was apologetic but ultimately unrepentant. "I apologize to the family of the victim for the death of the father," he said at a past court hearing. "But I have no doubt my life was at risk. However, I do understand, from a humane point of view, that this is a great loss for the family. This is a very dangerous place and many things can happen there." PARIS - France and its European allies will work hard to safeguard the interests of their businesses in Iran, a source in the French presidency said on Wednesday, after the United States said it was reimposing strict sanctions on Tehran. "We will obviously do everything, in conjunction with our businesses, to protect their interests," the source said. Dismayed European allies sought to salvage the international nuclear pact with Iran on Wednesday after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the landmark accord. DUBAI - Yemen's armed Houthi movement said it fired missiles at "economic targets" in Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday, the group's official channel al-Masirah TV reported. "The missile force struck ... economic targets in Riyadh with a salvo of ballistic missiles," it said in a newsflash. BEIRUT - US President Donald Trump's announcement that he is withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was "silly and superficial", Iran's Supreme Leader said on Wednesday, according to his official website. "You heard last night that the president of America made some silly and superficial comments," said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened the regime and the people, saying you're doing this and that. Mr. Trump I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake." Khamenei, the highest authority in Iran, reluctantly gave his backing for the Iran nuclear deal and has publicly criticized the US multiple times for not following through on its promises under the agreement. Iran's Supreme Leader on Wednesday called US President Donald Trump's comments on withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear agreement "silly and superficial," said he did not trust the European countries that were sticking with the agreement, and cast doubt on the future of the deal. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "You heard last night that the president of America made some silly and superficial comments," said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened the regime and the people, saying I'll do this and that. Mr. Trump I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake." "You cannot do a damn thing!" Khamenei added during a meeting with a group of school teachers in Tehran. "This man will turn to dust and his body will become food for snakes and ants, and the Islamic Republic will still be standing." US President Donald Trump; Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Photos: Reuters) The comments came on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's official website, where Khamenei reiterated his distaste for the agreement. "I said many times from the first day: don't trust America," Khamenei said. And he added, "I don't trust these three countries," Britain, France and Germany. All three are parties to the agreement and were trying after Trump's withdrawal to salvage the deal. But Khamenei sounded dubious about their efforts. "If you can't get a definite guarantee, then the nuclear deal can not be continued," he said. Raising the issue of Iran's nuclear program was an excuse to curb the Islamic Republic's regional influence and missile program, Khamenei said. Accepting negotiations on its missiles and regional influence would mean Iran had to make endless concessions, he said. "We accepted the nuclear deal, but the enmity against the Islamic Republic did not end," Khamenei said. Iran needs to preserve its nuclear programme because the country will need 20,000 megawatts of electricity in the next few years, he said. Khamenei, the highest authority in Iran, reluctantly gave his backing for the Iran nuclear deal and has publicly criticized the US multiple times for not following through on its promises under the agreement. Earlier Wednesday, Iranian lawmakers, including a Shiite cleric, held a flaming US flag alight as their colleagues joined chants of "Death to America." They also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal and stomped on the papers' ashes. The 2015 agreement imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in return for the lifting of most US and international sanctions. However, the deal came with time limits and did not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its regional policies in Syria and elsewhere. Trump has repeatedly pointed to those omissions in referring to the accord as the "worst deal ever." Proponents of the deal have said those time limits were meant to encourage more discussion with Iran in the future that could eventually address other concerns. Late Tuesday night, President Hassan Rouhani said he'd be sending Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the countries still in the dealChina, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. Iran hopes the European Union will pass laws to protect European firms from any potential US sanctions. EU officials have suggested they'll do what they can to salvage the agreement. Still, Rouhani made a point of stressing that Iran, at any time, could resume its nuclear program. "So if necessary, we can begin our industrial enrichment without any limitations," the Iranian leader said. "Until implementation of this decision, we will wait for some weeks and will talk with our friends and allies and other signatories of the nuclear deal, who signed it and who will remain loyal to it. Everything depends on our national interests." BEIRUT - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday an attack on Iranian military facilities south of Damascus, attributed to Israel, had killed at least 15 people, including eight Iranians. The reports of the attack in the Kisweh area late on Tuesday followed US President Donald Trump's announcement that he was pulling out of the Iranian nuclear deal. "The number increased to at least 15, including at least eight Iranians, killed by the missile strikes," the British-based Observatory reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday an attack on Iranian military facilities south of Damascus, attributed to Israel, had killed at least 15 people, including eight Iranians. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The reports of an Israeli attack on depots and rocket launchers in the Kisweh area late on Tuesday followed US President Donald Trump's announcement that he was pulling out of the Iranian nuclear deal. "The number increased to at least 15, including at least eight Iranians, killed by the missile strikes," the British-based Observatory reported. On Tuesday, Syrian state media said that its air defenses had brought down two Israeli missiles, while a commander in the regional alliance backing Damascus said Israel had hit a Syrian army base without causing casualties. The IDF declined to comment on the reports, which came shortly after it said it had identified "irregular activity" by Iranian forces in Syria and went onto high alert Iran is a major supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad's military and has deployed Revolutionary Guards forces, along with Shi'ite militia groups from the region, including the Lebanese Hezbollah, to help him in the war. Israel has repeatedly struck Iranian and Hezbollah targets in Syria, partly to stop any weapons transfers between them. Iran said an April 9 attack in Syria killed seven of its military personnel and it would retaliate. VIENNA - Iran is continuing to implement its nuclear commitments under a deal with major powers, the UN atomic watchdog policing the deal said on Wednesday, a day after US President Donald Trump said Washington was pulling out of the accord. "Iran is subject to the world's most robust nuclear verification regime under the JCPOA, which is a significant verification gain," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano said in a statement, using the deal's official name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. "As of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran," he said, adding that the IAEA was "closely monitoring developments" related to the deal. An influential German business association said Wednesday Washington's call for companies to stop dealing with Iran is contrary to international law. The Federation of German Industries, or BDI, rejected "the extraterritorial application of sanctions" and called upon the EU to find a solution to protect European companies from the "unlawful and unilateral" application of US sanctions. Many in Germany bristled at a tweet Tuesday from US Ambassador Richard Grenell after only hours on the job saying "German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately." He later defended it as "the exact language sent out from the White House." BDI says German firms don't want to jeopardize business with the US so there's an "urgent need to effectively protect our companies from the effect of US sanctions." MANBIJ - US forces set up a new base in Manbij in northern Syria some three months ago after Turkish threats to march on the town, a US-backed militia official there said on Wednesday. The new garrison, where a Reuters photographer took pictures this week, also houses French troops, said Sharfan Darwish, spokesman for the Manbij Military Council of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which is spearheaded by the YPG. US and French forces patrol the front between the SDF and Turkey-backed insurgents, and the base was established shortly after Turkey launched its assault on the Afrin region, Darwish said. "After the Turkish attack on Afrin and the increase in Turkish threats towards Manbij, coalition forces built the base to monitor and protect the border (between the combatants)," Darwish said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal shows Europe will face increasing responsibility to secure peace and seek political solutions to conflicts. Merkel underlined the commitment of Germany, France and Britain to stick with the accord. She said In a speech to members of her conservative party that "we have taken note with regret but also concern of this withdrawal by the United States of America, which is of course serious for such an agreement. We will remain committed to this agreement and try to do everything so that Iran also fulfills its commitments in the future." Merkel said that "yesterday showed us once again that we will face more responsibility in Europe, in foreign policy, in the area of securing peace, in the area of the political solutions we must find." Dismayed European allies sought to salvage the international nuclear pact with Iran on Wednesday after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the landmark accord , while Tehran poured scorn on the US leader. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "The deal is not dead. There's an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had been reluctant to back the deal, said : "Mr Trump, I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake...I said many times from the first day: don't trust America." L to R: Merkel, Macron and May (Photo: EPA, Reuters) French President Emmanuel Macron was due to speak later in the day to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, Le Drian said. Iran also signalled its willingness to talk. Trump announced on Tuesday he would reimpose US economic sanctions on Iran to undermine what he called "a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made," which was "defective at its core." The fruit of more than a decade of diplomacy, the agreement was concluded in 2015 by the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Russia, China and Iran. It was designed to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear bomb in return for lifting sanctions that had crippled its economy. Trump complained that the dealthe signature foreign policy achievement of his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obamadid not address Iran's ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 or its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria. His decision raises the risk of deepening conflicts in the Middle East, puts the United States at odds with European diplomatic and business interests, and casts uncertainty over global oil supplies. Oil prices rose more than 2 percent, with Brent hitting a 3-1/2-year high. The deal could also strengthen the hand of hardliners at the expense of reformers in Iran's political scene. 'Region deserves better' France's Le Drian, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) all said Iran was honoring its commitments under the accord. "The region deserves better than further destabilization provoked by American withdrawal," Le Drian said. The European Union said it would remain committed to the deal and would ensure sanctions on Iran remain lifted, as long as Tehran meets its commitments. The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin was "deeply concerned" by the withdrawal, the RIA news agency said Merkel said that, while the existing deal should not be called into question, there should be discussion of "a broader deal that goes beyond it." British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson spoke of a "follow-on agreement" but said it was now up to Washington to come up with concrete proposals. Macron's contact with Rouhani will be followed by meetings next week involving the Iranians and European counterparts from France, Britain and Germany. But Iran's Khamenei appeared skeptical, saying: "I don't trust these three countries." Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Photo: AFP) The prospects of saving the deal without Washington depends in large part on whether international companies are willing and able still to do business with Iran despite the US sanctions. Le Drian said meetings would be held with major firms including oil giant Total. In a harbinger of what could be in store, Trump's new ambassador to Germany said German businesses should halt their activities in Iran immediately. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the United States should not consider itself the world's "economic policeman." Britain and France said they would do their utmost to protect their business interests in Iran, while Germany said it was seeking details of the effect of US sanctions. European companies including carmaker PSA, plane manufacturer Airbus and engineering group Siemens said they were watching the situation. 'Death to America!' In a speech carried on his official website, Khamenei said Trump's announcement had been "silly and superficial," adding: "He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments." Lawmakers in Iran's parliament burned a US flag and a symbolic copy of the deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), chanting "Death to America!" President Hassan Rouhani, a reformist who had hoped that the deal would boost living standards in Iran, struck a more pragmatic tone in a televised speech , saying Iran would negotiate with European Union countries, China and Russia. "If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal will remain," he said. Trump's decision adds to the strain on the transatlantic alliance since he took office 16 months ago. One by one, European leaders came to Washington and tried to meet his demands, while pleading with him to preserve the deal. The Trump administration kept the door open to negotiating another deal with allies, but it is far from clear whether the Europeans would pursue that option or be able to convince Iran to accept it. US President Trump (Photo: AFP) China's foreign ministry said Beijing would defend the deal and urged parties "to assume a responsible attitude." A Western diplomat who declined to be named was more pointed about the decision. "It announces sanctions for which the first victims will be Trump's European allies," the diplomat said, adding that it was clear Trump did not care about the alliance. Abandoning the pact was one of the most consequential decisions of Trump's "America First" policy, which has led him to quit the global Paris climate accord, come close to a trade war with China and pull out of an Asian-Pacific trade deal. It also appeared to reflect the growing influence within the administration of Iran hawks such as new National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday to prepare for a summit that Trump hopes will secure North Korea's denuclearisation. Complying with deal Iran denies long-held Western suspicions that it tried in the past to develop atomic weapons and says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Senior US officials themselves have said several times that Iran is in technical compliance with the pact. Renewing sanctions would make it much harder for Iran to sell its oil abroad or use the international banking system. Iran is the third-largest member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and pumps about 3.8 million barrels per day of crude, or just under 4 percent of global supply. China, India, Japan and South Korea buy most of its 2.5 million bpd of exports. Its rial currency plunged to a record low against the US dollar in the free market, after sliding for months because of a weak economy, financial difficulties at local banks and heavy demand for dollars among Iranians who feared that renewed US sanctions would hit Iranian exports hard. The US Treasury says sanctions related to Iran's energy, auto and financial sectors will be reimposed in three and six months. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Reuters) US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said a license for Boeing Co to sell passenger jets to Iran will be revoked, scuttling a $38 billion deal. The ban will also hit Europe's Airbus, whose planes contain US-made parts. Trump said the nuclear agreement did not prevent Iran from cheating and continuing to pursue nuclear weapons. "It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement," he said. Trump said he was willing to negotiate a new deal with Iran, but Iran has already ruled that out. Iran's growing military and political power in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq worries the United States, Israel and Washington's Gulf Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia. Among the few nations to welcome Trump's decision were Israel and Saudi Arabia, Iran's arch-foes in the Middle East. Less than 24 hours after Trump's announcement, Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted missiles fired at Riyadh by the Iran-aligned Houthi forces it is fighting in Yemen. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Wednesday on a day marking Russia's World War II victory over Germany, stressing to him Iran's similarities to the Nazi regime and Israel's right to defend itself against it. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "We in Israel do not forget for a moment the great sacrifice of the Russian people and the Red Army in the victory over the Nazi monster," Netanyahu remarked at the beginning of their meeting, ahead of a parade commemorating the occasion. "Neither do we forget the great lesson of the need to stand against a murderous ideology in time," he continued. "It is unbelievable, but 73 years after the Holocaust, there is a country in the Middle East, Iran, that is calling for the destruction of anther six million Jews." Israel's national anthem played at the Red Square X Following the parade, Netanyahu and Putin attended a wreath-laying ceremony for the unknown soldier at the memorial for Red Army soldiers who fell in World War II and whose resting place is unknown. They laid flowers on the stones of the Moscow Hero City Monument in the presence of an honor guard, while the Israeli anthem played. "I'm excited to participate, as President Putin's honored guest, in the parade commemorating victory over Nazi Germany in Moscow today," the prime minister said at the ceremony. "I was very moved to hear the 'Tikvah' (Israel's national anthem) at the Red Square," Netanyahu added. "I salute the heroism of hundreds of thousands of Jews who fought in the ranks of the Red Army and in other allied armies. "Sitting next to me, between us, was a veteran who was among the liberators of Auschwitz. We will never forget the meaning of your sacrifice, of those soldiers, along with the half a million Jewish soldiers in the Red Army, in ensuring the fate of Russia, of humanity and of our people, the Jewish people. (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO) The prime minister then joined Putin for a reception at the Kremlin. The two met to discuss military coordination amid yet another attack on Tuesday night on a Syrian base housing Iranian militias, which was attributed to Israel. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing at least 15 people, eight of them Iranians. "I very much appreciate the opportunity to discuss regional problems with you, the attempts as you put it, to resolve the crises, to lift the threats in a prudent and responsible manner," Netanyahu told Putin ahead of their meeting. "I conclude and say to you that I am very moved that you invited me to this parade as Prime Minister of Israel, as head of the state of the Jews, and you mentioned the Holocaust of the Jews today. This is additional testimony to the deep ties between our two peoples and I thank you for this." "I have just finished almost ten hours in the company of President Putin," Netanyahu said in a video address at the end of the meeting. "We attended very moving eventsthe parade marking the victory over the Nazis and other events, and of course there were also good and useful talks. "In these talks I presented our perspective on issues including Iran's secret nuclear archive and, of course, the current tension. I presented Israel's obligation and right to defend itself against Iranian aggression, from Syrian territory. The Iranians declare their intention to attack us. They are trying to transfer forces and deadly weapons there with the explicit goal of attacking the State of Israel as part of their strategy to destroy the State of Israel. "I told President Putin that it is the right of every state, certainly it is Israel's right, to take such steps as are necessary to defend itself against this aggression. I think that matters were presented in a direct and forthright manner, and this is important. These matters are very important to Israel's security at all times and especially at this time." According to Netanyahu, "These meetings always prove to be useful in the test of time." He added that following previous meeting, due to remarks ostensibly made by Putin and the Kremlin, it was feared that Israel's freedom of action will be constrained, but that proved to be false. "I have no reason to think that this time it will be any different. I worked to safeguard Israel's interests," he affirmed. "The discourse was very direct and very honest. There is no better way to ensure Israel's supreme security interests. Tensions between Israel and Iran are high over Iran's efforts to expand its military presence in Syria, where it is a key ally of President Bashar Assad. Repeated airstrikes attributed to Israel have killed Iranian fighters and prompted threats of reprisal from Tehran. (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO) President Donald Trump's announcement Tuesday that the US would withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East. "The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so," Netanyahu said ahead of his departure. "In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination" between the two militaries. Netanyahu made no mention of the overnight strikes. (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO) (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO) (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO) The Israeli and Russian militaries have been in contact throughout much of Russia's intervention in Syria, where Moscow has waged an air campaign in support of Assad's forces since 2015. Russia also considers Iran a strategic ally. Israel views Iran as its archenemy, citing Iran's calls for Israel's destruction, support for terror groups across the region and growing military activity in neighboring Syria. Israel has warned that it will not allow Iran to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO) (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO) The IDF went on high alert Tuesday and bomb shelters were ordered open in the Golan Heights following reports of "irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria." After an uneventful night, the military on Wednesday called on residents to return to "full civilian routine," meaning studies and excursions would continue as usual, although the shelters would remain open. Israel, which almost never confirms or denies airstrikes in Syria, did not officially comment on Tuesday's attack. Such strikes have become more frequent recently. The Syrian Observatory said the casualty number from Tuesday' strike is likely to go up because of a large number of people who were wounded and a number of people who are missing. US President Donald Trump said Wednesday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on his way back from North Korea with three American detainees, saying they "seem to be in good health." Trump made the announcement on Twitter, saying "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting." Trump added that Pompeo had a "good meeting" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. In another Tweet, Trump said Pompeo and the detainees will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. He says "I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!" A top Turkish official said Wednesday the Trump administration's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal is a worrying development that will also "destroy US credibility." Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that the decision could lead to new tensions and clashes in the region. Kalin said that "our position is for this agreement to continue the way it is." He added, however, that Turkey didn't want nuclear weapons in the region, saying "our main aim is to ensure that our region is completely cleared of nuclear weapons." Shortly after US President Donald Trumps declaration explosions were reported by Syrian sources in the area of Damascus, with Arab media outlets pointing a finger at Israel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter If Israel indeed carried out the attack, it means it didnt wait a single moment for the Iranians to prepare some kind of hostile activity against Israel. Regardless of whether the bombed target was directly related to the Iranian preparations for a retaliatory attack against Israel or just a regular target that crossed one of Israels red lines in Syria, this is what we call a preemptive strike. Even if Iran had no intention of launching missiles at Israel on Tuesday, the alleged Israeli strike came along and conveyed the following message to the Iranians: You raised the likelihood of an attack on Israel, so were raising the threat level, despite the tensions. Fire burning in the Syrian base attack Tuesday Now, were waiting to see what the Iranians will do: Will they continue the preparations for an attack, will they respond, or will they postpone their plans? The defense establishment is preparing for the response taking shape in the Iranian mind. Senior Israeli defense officials have reached the conclusion that Trumps statement will have little influence, if any, on the attack being planned by the Iranians on the northern border. What happens in the north is reality, and what happens in the Oval Office is theater. President Trump is addicted to the drama itself. He isnt very interested in what happens after the show, which is why we have no idea which sanctions he plans to renew. Shortly before Trumps speech, the political echelon instructed the IDF to open bomb shelters in the Golan Heights. Intelligence information received by the defense establishment on Tuesday apparently pointed to possible changes in the movements of Iranian missile units in countries with a potential for firing missiles into Israel. By opening bomb shelters in the Golan Heights, Israel signaled to the Iranians that it is preparing for a major attack in Syria. The army actually tried to ease the publics anxiety on Tuesday by explaining that an Iranian retaliatory attack wont necessarily lead to a comprehensive conflict and that a lot depends on the extent of the damage. But the public received a double message: The decision to call off the chief of staffs address at the Herzliya Conference and the order to ready bomb shelters was seen by the public as a sign marking the beginning of a military move, and it likely wasnt wrong. The IDF has been on a high state of alert for more than a week now in light of a concrete warning of an Iranian attack through a proxy. This warning has created a heightened state of alert in the intelligence area, which also included reserve call-ups, and put the air defense systemfrom the Arrow to the Patriot missileon a particularly high state of alert. Its unclear whether the Iranian movements detected in the past 24 hours were sped up ahead of Trumps declaration as an Iranian defiance of the US, or whether the Iranians were operationally prepared to carry out an attack. President Trump. If anyone in Israel is hoping the US will declare war on Iran because Iranian missiles were launched at an Israeli military camp from Syria, they should just forget about it (Photo: Reuters) The Iranians were likely unimpressed by the Israeli reports which revealed, in an intentional and unprecedented manner, sensitive intelligence information pointing to a concrete Iranian plan to launch missiles at military facilities in Israel. They are conveying the following message: You may know what were planning, but it wont deter us and well settle the score with you. And they know what theyre talking about. If the Iranians are indeed planning to launch missiles, it wont be so simple to locate the launchers and hit them. Its unlikely that the security officials surrounding the American president, like Secretary of Defense James Mattis, will recommend attacks on Irans nuclear facilities. So if anyone in Israel is hoping that the US will attack Fordo or declare war on Iran, because Iranian missiles were launched at a military camp in Israel from Syria, they should just forget about it. We are all alone in the northern crisis, all the answers are exclusively ours, and we are fully responsible for them. The US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement doesnt improve Israels strategic situation. The IDF, as of Tuesday, is stretching itself to the max: From Gaza, through a new front in Syria against Iran to an old-new front called the Iranian nuclear facilities. The current government has a golden share in opening the two fronts against Iran. Even if Iran doesnt start enriching uranium tomorrow morning, it no longer feels committed to the agreement as it was signed: Neither to its dates nor to the restrictions it imposes. It will violate the agreement whenever it feels it can. If Israel had any control, or at least cooperation with the major powers in supervising the Iranian nuclear program, we lost it. So we shouldnt rejoice this morning. The finance minister had better check the remaining reserves in the budget in order to quickly move them to the defense budget. DUBAI - Saudi Arabia is monitoring the impact of the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal on oil supplies and is ready to offset any potential shortage but it will not act alone to fill in the gap, an OPEC source familiar with the kingdom's oil thinking said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump abandoned a nuclear deal with Iran and announced the "highest level" of sanctions against the OPEC member. The original agreement had lifted sanctions in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. "People shouldn't take it for granted that Saudi Arabia will produce more oil single-handedly. We need to assess first the impact if there is any, in terms of disruption, in terms of a reduction of Iran's production," the OPEC source said. "We have managed to put together this new alliance between OPEC and non-OPEC. Saudi Arabia will not in any way act independently of its partners." Riyadh is working closely with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which holds the Organization of the Petroleum Producing Countries' presidency in 2018 and non-OPEC producer Russia for "coordination and market consultations," the OPEC source said. Two more Gulf Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, have expressed support for President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. The UAE said the agreement didn't guarantee Iran would refrain from pursuing a nuclear weapon in the future. Bahrain, which has accused Iran of arming and training Shiite Bahraini protesters with the aim of destabilizing the Sunni-ruled country, said late Tuesday that Trump's decision reflects the US commitment to confront Iran's "continuous attempts to spread terrorism in the region." IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot held a situation assessment with the GOC Northern Command Maj. Gen. Yoel Strick, GOC Home Front Command Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, and the commander of the Bashan Division Brig. Gen. Amit Fisher, along with other commanders in the Golan Heights on Wednesday. The top military commanders also met with mayors in the Golan. Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Abu al-Gheit said Wednesday: There is a need to reconsider the agreement signed between the world powers and Iran. He added: Not only the nuclear aspect of the deal (should be reconsidered) , as Iranian policy is destabilizing the region. The Arab world is strongly against Irans actions in the Arab sphere. ANKARA - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani put his political life on the line to champion a nuclear deal with Western powers in the face of fierce opposition from hardliners at home. With the deal now on shaky ground after US President Donald Trump pulled out, the 69-year-old mild-mannered cleric faces the prospect of serving out his second term as a lame duck leader. A pragmatic politician with an impeccable background in Iran's clerical establishment, Rouhani came into his own in 2013 when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei needed to shore up the establishment's legitimacy. A senior Israeli Cabinet minister says President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement will force the Islamic Republic to abandon its pursuit of a bomb for good. Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz says Wednesday that "Iran has two options -- to align or to fold and crumble." Speaking to the Herzliya Conference, an annual security gathering north of Tel Aviv, Katz says if Iran doesn't truly shut down its nuclear ambitions "it will encounter the US economic power, and we know the state of the Iranian economy." The Israeli government has staunchly opposed the 2015 nuclear deal and warmly congratulated Trump on his decision. It says Iran abided by the deal because it served them well. Katz says the 2015 deal "was leading toward a nuclear weapon." US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is telling a US Senate panel the Trump administration will work with allies and partners to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. In an opening statement to the defense subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, focused mainly on the administration's proposed 2018 defense budget, Mattis noted that President Donald Trump had announced his decision Tuesday to withdraw US participation in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Without commenting directly on the implications of leaving the nuclear deal, Mattis said the US will work with "others" to address what he called "the range of Iran's malign influence." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Wednesday at the opening of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying: It is unbelievable that 73 years after the Holocaust there is a Middle Eastern country, Iran, which is calling for the destruction of another six million Jews. Netanyahu added: The difference is that today we have a state and I really appreciate the opportunity to speak with you about the problems of the region, the efforts as you say, to solve the crises, to eliminate the threats in an intelligent and responsible way. BEIRUT - Iran cannot be militarily threatened by any foreign power, its defence minister said on Wednesday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency, a day after the United States pulled out of the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran. "Today, with attention to the defensive power of our country, we're in a situation that Islamic Iran cannot be militarily threatened by any foreign power," Amir Hatami said. Hatami pointed to Iran's military role combating "takfiri" fighters in Iraq and Syria as a recent achievement of the Islamic Republic's armed forces. Officials in predominantly Shi'ite Muslim Iran often refer to Sunni Muslim radicals as "takfiris". Hatami said Iran would continue to develop its missile programme. US president Donald Trump cited the lack of any provisions in the Iran nuclear deal to rein in the Islamic Republic's missile development as one of the reasons why he decided to pull out of the deal. Israel's Embassy in Egypt celebrated the 70th anniversary of the country's founding on Tuesday in Cairo, the first such event since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising and a sign of improving ties between the former enemies. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The party at the Nile Ritz Carlton was a step up for diplomacy in the Arab world's most populous country, where relations have deepened under the rule of general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who came to power after overthrowing his Islamist predecessor in 2013. Mostly foreign diplomats attended, and only a few Egyptians. Cairo embassy hosts 70 year celebration at Ritz Carlton (Photo: Foreign Ministry) The event also raised eyebrows in the Egyptian media, traditionally a hotbed of anti-Israel sentiment, and one state-owned publication even published an anti-Semitic cartoon. Some commentators voiced opposition to the event, especially given Israeli soldiers' recent killing of Gazan demonstrators. In a speech, Israeli Ambassador David Govrin welcomed the Arab world's recent warming toward Israel, led mostly by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, underlining how the Palestinian issue has largely taken a back seat amid years of revolutionary fervor and counterrevolution shook the region. He also took a few shots at Israel's nemesis Iran. "The joining of the Saudi Crown Prince to the vision of stability and economic development shared by Egypt and Israel constitutes an important corner stone. We have to broaden this partnership to additional states in order to advance common interests and in order to combat states and terror organizations, that are acting under Iran's inspiration," he said. "Only a regional common struggle may confront Iran's striving for nuclear weapons and undermine its consistent support to the terror organizations in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon." Chef Shaul Ben Aderet cooked Israeli foods (Photo: Yaron Brenner) Egypt was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel, in 1979, but relations have always been frosty due to popular support for Palestinians in Egypt. On the economic front that has thawed recently however with a $15 billion deal with an Israeli company to supply natural gas to Egypt. El-Sissi has come out publicly in support for the deal, saying it brought big advantages to Egypt and will help turn the country into a regional energy hub. Israel closed its Cairo embassy in 2011 after crowds stormed the building, but it has since reopened in a more secure facility. The celebrations Tuesday night were catered by celebrity Chef Shaul Ben Aderet, who was visiting Egypt for the first time and said he had received a warm welcome. "I'm happy to see that the relationship between Egypt and Israel is OK, I was afraid before I came here but when I did I found them friendly, and the team of chefs were very good." BRUSSELS - In 1996, when the United States tried to penalise foreign companies trading with Cuba, the European Union forced Washington to back down by threatening retaliatory sanctions. Two decades later, the European Union is being driven to threaten such measures again, over Iran, and this time may follow through after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and world powers and reimposed an array of wide sanctions on the Islamic Republic. This left dismayed European allies scrambling to salvage the international nuclear pact as Tehran said Trump had made a mistake and proved Washington could not be trusted. The EU's so-called blocking statute is the most powerful tool at its immediate disposal because it bans any EU company from complying with US sanctions and does not recognise any court rulings that enforce American penalties. BEIRUT - Iran has drawn up a plan to cope with America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Iran's government spokesman said Wednesday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency. "The Management and Planning Organization of Iran have drawn up a plan that is proportional to the conditions of America's exit from the nuclear deal," government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said. He did not give any details on the specifics of the plan. The Iranian government has assigned budgets to deal with various scenarios related to the nuclear deal, he said. President Donald Trump is defending his decision to withdraw the US from the Iran nuclear deal, saying "bedlam" and "death" follow wherever Iran is involved. Speaking during a Cabinet meeting, Trump says he is open to negotiating a new deal with Iran, but adds: "We're going to make either a really good deal for the world or we're not going to make a deal at all." BEIRUT - Europe has a "limited opportunity" to preserve the nuclear deal with Tehran, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani told French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call on Wednesday, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency. "Under the current conditions, Europe has a very limited opportunity to preserve the nuclear deal, and must, as quickly as possible, clarify its position and specify and announce its intentions with regard to its obligations," ISNA quoted Rouhani as telling Macron in the phone call. Rouhani told Macron that Iran's rights under the deal related to the selling of oil, banking, investment and insurance must be "guaranteed" in a transparent and clear way, ISNA reported. Foreign companies who have contracts with Iran must also announce their decision after Trump's withdrawal from the deal, Rouhani told Macron, according to ISNA. He also said Iran has met its obligations under the deal and has never enriched uranium for a weapons program. Yemen's Houthis fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia's capital on Wednesday - an attack Saudi authorities said they intercepted in the skies over Riyadh. The assault took place a day after Saudi Arabia's top Western ally the United States pulled out of a deal with Iran over its disputed nuclear programme and could signal an uptick in tensions between Riyadh and regional rival Tehran. The Houthis said the missiles were launched at economic targets in Riyadh, the group's al-Masirah TV reported. At least four blasts were heard in the city centre, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The Houthis have fired a series of missiles into the kingdom in recent months, part of a three-year-old conflict in Yemen widely seen as a proxy battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. RIYADH - Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies basked on Wednesday in what they saw as a political victory over Iran, their rival for regional influence, after Washington withdrew from the international nuclear accord with Tehran. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain swiftly backed US President Donald Trump's decision to reimpose sanctions on Tehran, reflecting their concern about Iran's ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups. "Paris and London may not like Trump's decision, but how would the French or British feel if their capital cities came under direct threat by the Iranians?" editor-in-chief Faisal Abbas wrote in Saudi Arabia's English-language Arab News daily next to a headline that read: "The deal is dead." Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies basked on Wednesday in what they saw as a political victory over Iran, their rival for regional influence, after Washington withdrew from the international nuclear accord with Tehran. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain swiftly backed US President Donald Trump's decision to reimpose sanctions on Tehran, reflecting their concern about Iran's ballistic missile program and support for militant groups. "Paris and London may not like Trump's decision, but how would the French or British feel if their capital cities came under direct threat by the Iranians?" editor-in-chief Faisal Abbas wrote in Saudi Arabia's English-language Arab News daily next to a headline that read: "The deal is dead." Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) shaking hands with US President Trump (Photo: MCT) In a coffee shop, Saudi businessman Ziad said the kingdom's leadership was correct to challenge a deal that had eased sanctions in exchange for Tehran taking measures that would prevent it being able to make a nuclear weapon. "Every couple of days, we have missiles coming from Yemen and we see evidence that they are made by Iran ... It is interfering in Syria, Yemen, Morocco. Other countries may accept that, but here in Saudi Arabia we don't," he said. An hour later, at least four loud blasts rocked Riyadh. Authorities said they had intercepted two ballistic missiles fired from Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting to oust the Iran-aligned Houthi movement from the capital and large parts of the country. A nuclear warhead mounted on one of those, Saudi Arabia knows, will devastate the country. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir warned Thursday his country will peruse nuclear weapons should Iran make true on its threats and do the same. "If Iran acquires nuclear capability we will do everything we can to do the same," he said in an interview with CNN, echoing an assertion made by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman just two months before, in which he compared Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Adolf Hitler. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir (Photo: Reuters) It was long feared that, more than the destruction an Iranian nuke may cause, it could spark a nuclear arms race in one of the most volatile regions in the world. "These missiles are Iranian manufactured and delivered to the Houthis. Such behavior is unacceptable. It violates UN Resolutions with regards to ballistic missiles. And the Iranians must be held accountable for this," Jubeir told CNN. "We will find the right way and at the right time to respond to this," he warned. "We are trying to avoid at all costs direct military action with Iran, but Irans behavior such as this cannot continue. This amounts to a declaration of war." Proxy wars The Sunni Muslim kingdom has been at loggerheads with Shi'ite Iran for decades, fighting a long-running proxy war in the Middle East and beyond that has influenced conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. The Saudi Foreign Ministry accused Iran of using economic gains from the lifting of sanctions to develop ballistic missiles and support militants. It called for a "comprehensive view that is not limited to its nuclear program but also includes all hostile activities". Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, tweeted that Iran had been emboldened by the nuclear deal, and "its ballistic missile program became both offensive & exportable". Trump has employed similar arguments, criticizing the accord for failing to address Iran's ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025, or its role in regional wars. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (L) and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (Photo: EPA) "He is supporting us not because we are Saudi Arabia or because we have oil, but because he thinks we are right," said Mohammed, another Saudi businessman. Oman, which orchestrated secret US-Iran contacts that helped pave the way for the deal in 2015, was more measured. "We believe the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran are interested in realizing peace and stability in the region, and the choice of confrontation is not in the interest of either side," its foreign ministry said. Kuwait said in a statement that it "understands and respects" Trump's decision. Qatar, locked in a dispute with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states, meanwhile cautioned against a potential nuclear arms race in the region. "It is in the interest of all parties to exercise restraint, wisdom and patience and to try to resolve differences through dialogue," its foreign ministry said. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a trade and transport boycott on Qatar in June, accusing it of financing militant groups and cozying up to Irancharges it denies. 'Sinister activities' "The Omani, Qatari, and Kuwaiti governments have all sought to maintain pragmatic relationseconomic more than politicalwith Iran," said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen from the Texas-based Rice University's Baker Institute. "There is likely to be a feeling of jubilation in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi that the Trump administration - or at least the White House - has now come round to their thinking on Iran's threat to regional security." In his speech on Tuesday, Trump condemned Iran's "sinister activities" including backing armed Islamist groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. US President Trump (Photo: AFP) Abdulaziz al-Sager, head of the Jeddah-based Gulf Research Centre, said the message was significant in that it reflected Gulf concerns. "We've always said our concern about this agreement in 2015 was that Iran should not take it as 'carte blanche' to go and expand its territorial influence." Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who serves as Saudi defense minister, told CBS News in March that his country would "without a doubt" develop nuclear weapons if Iran did so. In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said: "We have made it very clear that if Iran acquires a nuclear capability, we'll do everything we can to do the same." Iran had ruled out renegotiating the accord and threatened to retaliate if Washington withdrew. It could do so by undermining the interests of Washington and its allies in the Middle East, perhaps by increasing support for Yemen's Houthis. The Saudi Arabia and Emirati forces fighting the Houthis both receive military backing from the United States and other Western allies. "There is a real risk of escalation, especially between Iran and Israel. While the Gulf States may want to see the US and Israel try to cut Iran to size, I don't think they want to get dragged into a direct confrontation themselves. The consequences could be severe," said Joost Hiltermann, Program Director, Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis Group. The Palestinian March of Return campaign is expected to climax next Monday when the United States inaugurates and completes the process of moving its embassy to Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Expecting violence, international brokers are lobbying Hamas to organize a mass rally near the Gaza border with Israel, but position its members along the border line to prevent a spontaneous effort to breach the fence by the masses; an action that is likely to trigger a deadly Israeli response. It is not yet clear what Hamas is being offered in return, as their support of such a breach has already been made clear. March of Return Gaza (: ") X Tens of thousands of Palestinians are expected to participate in next weeks protests at several locations along the Gaza border. Hamas is hoping for more than 100,000 people to show up. Mass protests in Gaza (Photo: AP) A Gazan prepares an incendiary kite (Photo: AFP) If the fence is indeed breached by the massive crowds, there can be an exceptionally large number of casualties that can even spiral into a military conflict, which both seem to be trying to avoid. A Palestinian source said that the Qatari Ambassador to the Gaza Strip Mohammad Amadi, who is in charge of aid to rebuild Gaza on behalf of the Emir of Qatar and maintains good communication lines with Israeli officials, recently entered the strip. UN Envoy to the Middle East Nikolay Mladenov also visited Gaza and met with Hamas leadership officials recently. The Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar confirmed Wednesday that international negotiators approached Hamas before the start of the March of Return campaign in March in an effort to stop it from proceeding. We said that Gaza is like a starved tiger, they tried to humiliate and destroy it for 11 years, Sinwar said. He refrained from revealing what Hamass response was to the request. Yahya Sinwar In recent weeks, Hamas has increased the tension in the Gaza Strip, ahead of the pinnacle of the campaign, and is trying with all its might to preserve the flame after public participation in the demonstrations has diminished in the last month. Hamas understood that they had succeeded in bringing the Gaza Strip back into the public and media agenda in the Arab countries and in Europe, and therefore it seems that they want to keep the cards close to their chest regarding the upcoming demonstrations. Ahead of the US embassy move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, interviewed by CNN, called the move a huge mistake. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Erdogan implored the United States to reverse the decision before it was too late as the US has nothing to gain from it. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: EPA) He repeated his claim that east Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine and that one day, when a Palestinian state will be established, a Turkish embassy will open there. The Turkish president claimed that the move further isolates the US diplomatically and said that with its recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital it stands to lose allies. The interview took place shortly before US President Donald Trump declared the US withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Agreement. Erdogan criticized the decision: you should respect an agreement that you have signed," and said he feared "new crises" would break out as a result. Erdogan also said the move would endanger the global economy. "The United States might gain some certain positivity out of the withdrawal...or the rising oil prices, but many of the countries in poverty will be hit even harder and deeper," he said, calling the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran an economic war. Erdogan on Gaza In early April, Erdogan harshly criticized Israel after events in Gaza lead to the deaths of 16 Palestinians, referring to it as an inhumane attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Twitter: The most moral army in the world will not accept moral preaching from someone who for years has been bombing a civilian population indiscriminately. Thats apparently how Ankara marks April Fools Day. Netanyahu was apparently referring to ongoing battle against the Kurds. Speaking to AKP party members Erdogan said: Have you heard those criticizing us for our actions in Afrin (Kurdish Syria) condemn the massacre in Gaza yesterday? He was referring to Turkeys war against the YPG Kurdish militants whom Turkey views as terrorists. News Jackson, Mississippi - The Department of Justice announced that Edward Gibson, 28, an officer at a Mississippi juvenile detention facility, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to beating a juvenile in his custody. His supervisor, Dianne Williams, 60, pleaded guilty on April 17 to helping cover up the assault, a plea that had not been previously announced. Gibsons indictment was unsealed in federal court on March 7 and a separate indictment unsealed on the same date charged Williams with writing a false report to cover up the assault. Gibson was working as an officer at the Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center on June 16, 2016, when he assaulted a teenage victim who was in handcuffs and leg shackles. Gibson threw an electric fan at the victim, hitting him in the upper chest. Gibson then punched the victim multiple times before being pulled off of the victim by two other officers. The other officers had to step in twice more to prevent Gibson from further assaulting the victim. According to admissions made by Gibson during the plea hearing, the victim was never physically aggressive toward Gibson, and Gibson assaulted him only because the victim made statements that angered him. Gibson weighed approximately 315 pounds; the victim weighed approximately 130 pounds. Gibson faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. Williams admitted that she was aware of the assault, failed to inform any responsible authority, and wrote a false report to cover it up. She pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Her sentencing is set for Aug. 23. Detention officers have an important duty to protect juveniles from bodily harm or abuse while in custody, said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. This Justice Department will not tolerate illegal acts of violence or attempts to obstruct justice by corrections officers, and will continue to protect the civil rights of all individuals. Our Constitution and laws mandate that all prisoners and detainees be treated fairly and humanely and never face the excessive and unwarranted use of force employed in this case, said U.S. Attorney William C. Lamar for the Northern District of Mississippi. I know that our brothers and sisters in law enforcement feel the same and are ashamed by the actions of the abhorrent few. After the assault of the juvenile was discovered, the Detention Center fired Gibson and Williams. This case was investigated by the Jackson Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the cooperation of the Leflore County Detention Center and the Leflore County Sheriffs Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Mims of the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a State Grand Jury indicted 46-year-old Christy Conley, a former Quartzsite Police Department evidence technician, on charges related to stealing money that she was responsible for safeguarding as evidence. Conley is also accused of lighting a fire inside of the evidence room in an attempt to cover her tracks. Conley is accused of stealing approximately $20,000 from the Quartzsite Police Departments evidence safe. $13,000 of the $20,000 belonged to a deceased mans estate. The remaining $7,000 was evidence impounded in drug trafficking cases. Conley was arrested in Wisconsin on a Grand Jury warrant and will be extradited back to Arizona to face charges of Theft, Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices, and Tampering with Evidence, as well as a misdemeanor reckless burning charge related to the fire. Special Agents with the Arizona Attorney Generals Office investigated this case. Assistant Attorney General Jordyn Raimondo is prosecuting this case. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Monday, Governor Ducey attended the Arizona Department of Public Safety Officer Memorial Ceremony and he will also attend the 45th Annual Arizona Peace Officers Memorial Service this evening. In honor of Arizonas law enforcement and the sacrifices they make to protect our communities, the Arizona State Capitol will be lit blue. For our law enforcement officers, no shift, call or moment is routine. Arizona is grateful for the risks our officers take and we will never take those sacrifices for granted, said Governor Ducey. This evening, the Capitol Dome will be lit blue as a symbol of our solidarity and support for every man and woman serving in uniform. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey issued a proclamation recognizing May 9, 2018 as Arizona State Employee Recognition Day to thank state employees for their dedicated service to Arizona citizens. Today, we thank every state employee for their service to the people of Arizona. Every day these dedicated employees go above and beyond, never stop improving, and work tirelessly to serve their fellow citizens. Their dedication and commitment provides an example to other government entities of how to provide the quality customer service that taxpayers deserve, said Governor Ducey. We value and appreciate the efforts of our state employees today, and all year round. WHEREAS, Arizonas state employees make a significant contribution to the well-being and quality of life for all citizens of our state; and WHEREAS, dedicated state employees drive results and efficiencies throughout state government, serving as a model to other states, counties, cities and even the federal government of how to provide quality customer service to the taxpayer; and WHEREAS, Arizona is served by an empowered workforce of highly engaged and creative men and women who dedicate every day to serving our customers needs and earning the taxpayers trust in many essential areas including education, health care, crime prevention, fire protection, economic development and management, transportation, and conservation of energy and natural resources; and WHEREAS, in the spirit of continuous improvement, state employees are committed to streamlining state government and eliminating waste to enhance the quality of service provided to the public, helping Arizona become the number one state to live, work, play, retire, recreate and get an education; and WHEREAS, state employees work together with a spirit, integrity and humility that moves Arizona forward in a way that makes our fellow citizens proud; and WHEREAS, Arizona is pleased to join other states across the nation on May 9, 2018, to express special appreciation and gratitude for their hard work and generous spirit of dedication to serving the citizens of our state. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Douglas A. Ducey, Governor of the State of Arizona, do hereby proclaim May 9, 2018, as ARIZONA STATE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION DAY and encourage all Arizonans to recognize state employees for their hard work and dedication to the people across our beautiful Grand Canyon state. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Arizona GOVERNOR DONE at the Capitol in Phoenix on this twenty-fifth day of April in the year Two Thousand and Eighteen and of the Independence of the United State of America the Two Hundred and Forty-Second. ATTEST: Secretary of State Latest News Jacksonville, Florida - The vulnerable units were using 24-bit RSA authentication and a three-byte hardcoded override code. Every now and then the world tricks you into thinking that its a nice, happy place. Thats why terror-inducing headlines like todays that nearly half a million people have vulnerable pacemakers that require an immediate firmware update are good for reminding us that we are all doomed. Late last month, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a firmware update for pacemakers made by Abbotts (formerly St. Judes Medical), and now it is politely insisting that you get that firmware update at your earliest possible convenience, lest you meet a horrible fate. Some 465,000 patients currently have a device in their chest that is vulnerable to cyber attacks and sudden battery loss. A pacemaker is a small device that helps to regulate irregular heartbeats. You can see why a vulnerability in one is a terrifying prospect. in this case the pacemakers vulnerability is found in their radio frequency-enabled implantable cardioverter defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators. What can happen if these pacemakers are attacked? The Abbotts pacemaker vulnerabilities allow for an attacker to access the vulnerable device using commercially available equipment. This unauthorized user could then modify programming commands to the implanted defibrillator, which could result in patient harm from rapid battery depletion (unrelated to lithium clusters), or administration of inappropriate pacing or shocks. Now, its worth noting that probably in an attempt not to scare the you-know-what out of people the FDA just kind of slipped shocks in there at the end. Were not talking a little snap like you get when you drag your feet across the office carpet and then reach for the door knob. Were talking defribrillator shocks. Something that can both start a stopped heart, and stop a beating one. Whats even scarier is that this can be done using RF at a distance. What kind of security did these pacemakers have in place? Before I go any further, its worth noting that some of these devices are a bit older. Pacemakers are supposed to last a while, so not all of the affected devices are the latest and greatest. But some do trend newer and that makes the safeguards in place seem even more egregious. The pacemakers in question used 24-bit RSA authentication and had a three-byte override code that is hardcoded into each device. That means it would be trivially easy to compromise one of these things. To give you a sense of context, the current CAB Forum minimum requirement is 112-bit, and even that isnt completely secure. Suffice it to say, moving forward the entire medical device industry not just Abbotts will need to pay more attention to securing connected medical devices because someone could actually die from this vulnerability. Fortunately, the FDA reports there are no known cases of a pacemaker being hacked. Still, considering the stakes this isnt something anyone can afford to take chances with. What Abbott pacemakers are affected? Heres the list, as provided by the FDA: Current Promote Fortify Fortify Assura Quadra Assura Quadra Assura MP Unify Unify Assura Unify Quadra Promote Quadra Ellipse How does a pacemaker get a firmware update? Good question. Its not exactly an easy process, definitely not something the can be done at home. If you are one of the people affected by this vulnerability you will need to make an appointment with your doctor. The firmware update will take about three minutes, during which time your pacemaker will operate in backup mode. As with any firmware update, there is a very low risk of an update malfunction. Based on Abbotts previous firmware update experience from the August 2017 pacemaker firmware release and the similarities in the update process, installing the updated firmware on the ICDs and CRT-Ds could potentially result in the following malfunctions: discomfort due to backup VVI pacing settings; reloading of the previous firmware version due to an incomplete update; inability to treat ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation while in back-up mode as high voltage therapy is disabled; device remaining in back-up mode due to an unsuccessful update, and; loss of currently programmed device settings or diagnostic data. The August 2017 firmware update to Abbott pacemaker devices has had no reports of serious adverse events to date. For those devices, approximately 0.62% of devices experienced an incomplete update and remained in the back-up pacing mode. However, in each case, the devices were restored to the prior firmware version or received the update successfully after Technical Services was contacted and intervened. One final word Its a sad statement about the state of the world that we have to worry about someone hacking pacemakers, but here we are. Despite the fact that you would have to be just an absolute piece of trash to exploit a vulnerability like this, we cant afford to ignore it and presume nobody would stoop that low. This is the same reason we have safety wraps and seals on aspirin bottles, because there are depraved people out there. Finally, if this post came off a little heavy-handed, I apologize, but that was purposeful. This is important. It could literally be a matter of life or death. If you or a loved one has a pacemaker, double-check that this firmware update doesnt apply. Better safe than sorry. Islamabad: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ICCI) has urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) not to take adverse actions against the construction industry, according to a news report. ICCI President Shiekh Amir Waheed said that construction is related to 40 other industries, so the government should solve its problems on priority. He said this in his welcome address during a visit by Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) officials to ICCI. Speaking on the occasion, ABAD Chairman Arif Jeewa stated that the construction industry is playing a central role in the economy of Pakistan and given the right governmental policies, it could help Pakistan increase its GDP several times. Mohsin Shaikhani of ABAD said that a small country like Vietnam had increased its exports to more than USD 246 billion while even Bangladeshs exports had reach USD 30 billion, but Pakistans exports were decreasing because of inconsistent policies. He further said Pakistan has a demand of 800,000 homes each year and the government should cooperate with construction industry and public to resolve this. It should also provide easy loans to public to buy homes. - A woman has thrown jabs at Kumawood actress Emelia Brobbey for 'mocking' Nana Ama McBrown over recent rumours of troubles with her husband - Describing Emelia as a thief, cheap girl who does not know the fathers of her two kids, the woman, Nana Frema Denteh aka Cocoa Butter Broni stated that the actress had no moral right to mock somebody over marriage - She thus warned Emelia to be creful or have more of her 'dirty secrets' revealed YEN.com.gh has sighted a video of a woman launching a scathing attack on Kumawood actress, Emelia Brobbey. According to the lady, Nana Fremah Denteh aka Cocoa Butter Broni, Emelia Brobbey is a thief who stole from a shop in London which became a subject of discussion in Ghana. She also went ahead to claim that Emelia Brobbey is a cheap girl who gave birth to her first child during her secondary school days and up until now does not know the father of her kid because almost all the men in the school slept with her. READ ALSO: MzVee reveals the embarrassing thing that happened when she proposed to a guy Also, Cocoa Butter Broni claimed, Emelia's last born was rejected by the man who is said to have impregnated her because so many men were sleeping with her by then and the man also accused her of thievery. She kept throwing jabs and even veered into Emelia's past and into her family to dig out what she referred to as dirty secrets' pointing out that Emelia's mother gave birth to three daughters and none of them has been able to secure a good marriage. She further indicated that the only one who almost had a good marriage has not long ago lost her husband. And even during the funeral in the UK, Emelia drunk herself into a stupor, she added. READ ALSO: Meet the Adom FM lady who was slapped by NPP's Hajia Fati for looking like an 'onion seller' According to Emelia's 'attacker', she was making all these damning allegations because the actress had dared made fun of Nana Ama McBrown over her marriage. It will be recalled that Nana Ama McBrown came in the news recently for over what many on social media described as a show of lack of interest in their marriage. Emelia at the height of those rumours quipped on social media that Nana Ama loved her husband 'too much' which Nana Ama replied saying she was praying for Emelia to get a loving and caring man to marry. READ ALSO: Former school mate of Anas reveals journalists real name; opens up on spiritual things he used to do Though this would ordinarily be taken as a friendly conversation, Cocoa Butter seems very displeased for what she describes as an attack on her 'Kumasi sister'. Claiming to have gone to Emelia's hometown of Akyem Swedru to find information about the actress, Cocoa Butter Broni who is said to be a TV and radio host in the US warned Emelia to be careful going forward or have more of her dirty secrets revealed. While YEN.com.gh cannot verify the claims of Cocoa Butter Broni, it is a known fact that Emelia Brobbey has two kids with different fathers and that her last marriage ended under a cloud after she gave birth. 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.com.gh The Coalition for Democratic Governance (CDG) has accused President Akufo-Addo of lavishly spending state funds on various renovations. The Policy Tink Tank has alleged that the President spent a whopping GHc9.5 million for renovation works on his private residence. In a statement signed by Chief Convener Dr. Ebenezer K. Hayford, the CDG further alleged that the President spent GHc100 million for the renovation of the Peduase Lodge. President Nana Akufo-Addo READ ALSO: Presidents security aide robbed of GHC 800, 000? "He is spending GH9,5 million in renovating his private residence. He has renovated the Peduase lodge for GH100 million. For several thousands, he has changed the name Flagstaff House to Jubilee House. Up to date, he has used 41 million in trips outside the country. Where and what are his priorities? Is it to create jobs or renovate houses? sections of the statement read. The policy Tink Tank also criticized governments inability to create enough jobs for graduates in the country. According to the CDG at this rate there will be a projected 2.4 million jobless graduates by the time the NPP ends its first term. The Tink Tank said President Akufo-Addo is "unable to think outside the box to roll out projects, that can create massive jobs. The statement added that the President "worsened the situation on 3rd March 2018, when he dismissing 5,000 Community Police personnel because their 2year contract with Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has ended. The dismissal of over 60,000 other Community workers will follow in about four weeks." Join YEN on Instagram to be always informed and entertained! Read the CDGs full statement below: THE JOBLESS CRY FOR HELP IN THE MIDST OF PROMISES AND INCOMPETENCE. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL RELEASE 2.4 MILLION JOBLESS IN AKUFO ADDO`S TERM OF OFFICE PROMISES President Akufo Addo made a number of promises during the 2016 electioneering campaign. Some of the promises were so juicy, that Ghanaians decided to elect him as President. Sixteen months down the lane, there is no concept for jobs. The President is at the end of his innovations. He is unable to think outside the box to roll out projects, that can create massive jobs. He worsened the situation on 3rd March 2018, when he dismissing 5,000 Community Police personnel because their 2year contract with Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has ended. The dismissal of over 60,000 other Community workers will follow in about four weeks. These are employment projects rolled out by former President Mahama. LEARNING FROM MAHAMA I think President Akufo Addo has to learn from the employment strategy of former President Mahama. He carried out massive Infrastructural projects. The building of Tamale and Ho Airports, Universities at Ho and Sunyani, University hospitals in Legon and Tamale; Regional hospitals in all the ten Regions; building of polyclinics and chip compounds across the length and breath of the country. He constructed the Kwame Nkrumah and Kasoa Interchanges. He constructed the cocoa roads and other roads including the eastern corridor road. He also built about thirty of the hundred Day Schools across the country. MASSIVE EMPLOYMENT The above listed projects lasted many years and gave jobs to many million Ghanaians. Nurses doctors, engineers, administrators carpenters, masons, electrician, drivers, laborers, surveyors, contractors and shop owners found jobs from the projects. Market women and shopkeepers were happy because there was brisk buying and selling. It`s sad to note that a whole completed University Hospital ( Legon Teaching Hospital) built by former President Mahama is locked up while nurses, doctors administrators and laborers are looking for employment. Is this stupidity or Politics? DOES THE PRESIDENT KNOW? The President probably does not know, that about 130,000 students, graduate every year from our tertiary Institutions; that about 383,000 complete the SHS. If we subtract those entering the tertiary institutions we are left with 253,000 on the street. From the JHS, we have about 603,000 being chained out. If you subtract the 383,000 who gain admission to SHS, we are left with 220,000 on the street. Out of the school system therefore, the total number of new comers who enter the job market every year is 603,000. In four years, it will be 2,412,000. If we count the number of present unemployed at about 10.5 million, we are confronted with a conservative figure of about 13 million unemployed in 2020. What is Nana Addo doing about this social dynamite ? LIES AND PROMISES In London (in April), before a Ghanaian community Dr Bawumia denied having promised one million dollar for every constituency, It was only an after thoughts, he said. This week on joyfm Mr Kusi Boafo ( an NPP communicator) said, they cannot be pushed to build factories in every district because it is a campaign promise. With all these denial, Ghanaians are questioning the veracity of the National Builders Corps. One of the things the President also promised to do was to protect the public purse. On the contrary he is spending lavishly the tax payers money. He has 110 Ministers ( instead of 87 in 2016). He has 998 Presidential staffer (instead 780 in 2016). He is spending 9,5 million in renovating his private residence. He has renovated the Peduase lodge for 100 million. For several thousands, he has changed the name Flagstaff House to Jubilee House. Up to date, he has used 41 million in trips outside the country. Where and what are his priorities? Is it to create jobs or renovate houses? CONCLUSION Mr President note, that failing to fulfill campaign promises to the people is a breach of moral and spiritual obligation, because the voice of the people is the voice of God. Ghana trends: All About Shatta Wale Highs and Lows: READ ALSO: Kwame Nkrumah's editorial assistant dies aged 98 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 - The deputy CEO says she dumped her government job because she wants to work and achieve results - Akua Blakofe believes she will be better off picking another appointment at a private company instead of government job The Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Oheneba Akua Manfo, popularly known as Akua Blakofe has resigned her position. According to Akua Manfo, she was only occupying her government position and receiving a salary for almost 16 months without any job for her in office. Speaking on Accra-based Hitz FM on Wednesday, as monitored by Attractivemustapha.com, Akua Blakofe disclosed that she has officially resigned her position because the Ghana Tourism Development Company is riddled with corruption. Akua Blakofe READ ALSO: Hajia4Real 'breaks the rules'; confuses her fans with eye-popping photos, video in New York Speaking on Accra-based Hitz FM on Wednesday, as monitored by Attractivemustapha.com, Akua Blakofe disclosed that she has officially resigned her position because the Ghana Tourisim Development Company is riddled with corruption. In a damning Facebook post, the deputy CEO indicated that some officials of the company are not delivering their jobs, but rather interested in traveling and demanding huge per diem from the company. Akua in her radio interview indicated that she took the bold decision to resign because she wanted to work and not to travel and take per diem. President Akufo-Addo in February last year appointed Blakofe as the deputy CEO after playing some roles in the 2016 NPP campaign. READ ALSO: GFA boss Kwasi Nyantakyi breaks silence over Anas' latest expose Madam Akua Manfo in her conversation also used the opportunity to thank President Nana Addo for allowing her serve under his NPP government. However, she maintained that she will be better off if she stayed out of government due to the attitudes of some appointees at the company. Akua Blakofe's full radio interview (Credit: Attractivemustapha.com) GTDC was established in 1972 as a Limited Liability Company to operate as the investment and commercial wing of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts. The company exists essentially to promote relevant competencies in the management and marketing of tourism projects. READ ALSO: Ghana Cylinder Company CEO 'fired' by angry board members Ghana trends: All About Shatta Wale Highs and Lows: 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 UAE based family business group Faisal Holding, a pioneering investment holding company, recently launched its new logo and website in line with its future vision. With a striking modular design, the new logo features pillars reflecting the core corporate belief in a strong foundation essential to building a promising future, while key values lie in Faisal Holdings heritage being from the UAE, emphasised by the incorporation of modern calligraphic elements in the logo. Overall, the new look serves to reflect the core strength of the company, its global approach to bridging East and West, and an emphasis on teamwork. Coinciding with the launch of the logo, a new website was also revealed for Faisal Holding, an updated communications portal that comprehensively details the companys vision, investments and projects, range of business and expansion philosophy. Sheikh Mohammad bin Faisal bin Sultan Al Qassimi, managing director, said: We are proud of our heritage which we consider as our top vision guiding the future of our corporate business. We have also developed the new website to meet the expectations of all stakeholders seeking to learn more about us or join us. This facelift represents excellence to make the next step of expansion unique equally and guided by our vision. Brett Schafer, CEO added: The new logo represents our goals, values, and achievements - put together to form an honest representation of what we truly seek. This new logo and new website are the beginning to our future and strongly reflect the true identity, position, and values of our company. TradeArabia News Service Mott MacDonald, a leading engineering, management and development consultancy, has appointed Edward Forrester as the new planner for the company in the UAE. He will be responsible for developing the consultancys future mobility transport advisory services across the Middle East, particularly its interaction with transport policy and economic and social impacts, said a statement from the company. Forrester is an experienced future mobility expert who has worked on many projects across the Middle East. He joins Mott MacDonald from Atkins, where he was a project manager and engineer and has led or advised on projects for many Dubai government clients on self-driving and electric vehicle projects. At Mott MacDonald, Forrester will be responsible for a range of future transport projects involving autonomous vehicle trials, electric vehicle roadmaps, policies around developing connected and autonomous vehicles and advising government on mobility as a service, said the statement. He will work closely with Professor Glenn Lyons, who was recently appointed chair of the consultancys global future mobility initiative, it added. Welcoming the appointment, Andy Stevenson, Mott MacDonalds future mobility leader in the Middle East, said: "Forresters civil engineering background and passion for technology and sustainability gives him the ideal balance for understanding and applying existing engineering principles to exciting and emerging transport technologies." "His experience will add significant skills, knowledge and expertise to our existing team so that were perfectly placed to support our clients, develop our staff and deliver solutions that are fit for the future," he noted. Mott MacDonald has been at the forefront of future mobility transport systems in the UAE for the past 10 years. The consultancy is currently systems assurance representative for the Group Rapid Transport system at Bluewaters in Dubai, the first such system in the world which will link the island to the citys metro system. Meanwhile on Masdar, Mott MacDonald was the prime leading infrastructure design and transportation consultant for the masterplan which included personal rapid transport, light rail transit and a metro system. All integrated within the city, the scheme aimed to provide an alternative to cars driven on fossil fuels. Mott MacDonald was also technical adviser to Nakheel on the Palm Jumeirah Monorail, said the statement from the company. The consultancy reviewed and advised on the contractors testing and commissioning plans, as well as the technical and regulatory requirements for the delivery of the safety case to gain operational certification. Additionally, Mott MacDonald was involved in all systems aspects and liaised with the monorail operator to ensure operational requirements were integral to the system design, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Zulekha Hospital and Philips have teamed up again to launch the first-of-its-kind cath lab in the UAE equipped with the latest therapy platforms to further strengthen the hospitals outstanding care and grow its service line. The lab will be the second interventional therapy lab to open at Zulekha Hospital Dubai following the launch of the Philips Azurion 7C20 ceiling mounted platform. Philips Azurion 7 is the next generation image guided therapy platform that allows procedures to be performed easily and confidently, helping to optimise lab performance and provide superior care. This advanced technology enables the hospital to unite clinical excellence with workflow innovation. Marc Antoine Zora, UAE & Iraq area manager and Manoj Arora, IGT business and clinical marketing manager, MET at Philips joined by founder and co-chairperson Dr Zulekha Daud, co-chairperson Zanubia Shams and Taher Shams, managing director of Zulekha Healthcare Group inaugurated the new Cath Lab. Shams said: Our investments in acquiring only the best technologies demonstrates our on-going commitment to strengthening our technology offering, so that we are able to continue provide the most advanced and best-in-class healthcare services to those in the UAE. This comes in line with the UAE governments Vision 2021 and the National Innovation Strategy in its quest to achieve world-class healthcare, of which technology plays a crucial role. Philips is able to provide us with cutting-edge technology to serve the community better, and were pleased to be collaborating with them in order to make a positive difference, he concluded. Zora said: Azurion 7 is Philips state of the art interventional system that will help the interventional team at Zulekha Hospital to experience the truly intuitive and seamless workflow offered by the new platform. It will help provide superior care for patients, and perform procedures more effectively, whilst optimising lab productivity. Arora added: The new futuristic platform of Azurion with its open architecture sets it above any other system in its league. This is because it provides full flexibility in the examination room through its ability to take control of the connected devices allowing access to images and information from other modalities, thereby making right therapeutic decisions and enables better clinical outcomes. The future proofed platform along with its highly skilled clinical team enables Zulekha Hospital to expand its care towards neuro-interventional radiology procedures required by various patients. The integrated system allows concurrent access to a range of modalities along with current and previous patient status reports to help make clinical decision making faster. In addition to the Philips Azurion 7, the lab is supported with an advanced contrast and saline management system, flexible enough for multiple cardiovascular and vascular procedures. This helps in precise control of coronary injections, reduced radiation exposures and minimal amount of contrast injections. The system is also integrated with a state of the art Volcano Core precision guided therapy system comprising IFR, FFR & IVUS systems for advanced diagnosis and treatment. TradeArabia News Service Shareholders Al Islami Foods, part of the Dubai Cooperative Society and a leading manufacturer of halal food products in the Middle East, have sold a minority stake in the company to Mitsubishi Corporation, the Japan-based globally integrated business enterprise. This was announced by international law firms Tribonian Law Advisors (TLA) and BonelliErede Middle East, who represented the shareholders. Saleh Saeed Lootah, chairman of the board of directors, Dubai Cooperative Society, said: This association with Mitsubishi Corporation is another step in Al Islami Foods ongoing efforts to accelerate growth. We believe the relationship with Mitsubishi will increase our production by double-digit growth over the next five years through a combination of the expansion of our product range and greater exports. For Mitsubishi Corporation, which operates businesses across virtually every industry, the deal expands its position in the global halal food market, which is expected to reach $1.7 trillion by 2020. Carlo Pianese, partner at TLA, and Marco De Leo, local partner at BonelliErede Middle East, commented: We are very pleased to have acted as legal advisor to the shareholders of Al Islami Foods partnering with a blue chip Asian investor like Mitsubishi Corporation. The deal confirms the trend of an increasing interest by sophisticated international investors in the UAE market, especially in certain strategic sectors. This transaction endorses once again TLAs prime position advising on cross border deals across a variety of different industries, added Rindala Beydoun, managing partner at TLA. The TLA team was led by the firms managing partner Rindala Beydoun and partner Carlo Pianese, who were assisted by associate Shiladitya Majumdar and trainee Tala Azar. The BonelliErede Middle East team was led by the Executive Chairman of office, Andrea Carta Mantiglia and the local partner Marco De Leo. TradeArabia News Service National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), a leader in logistics and transportation, has taken the delivery of Amad, a very large crude-oil carrier (VLCC), further enhancing its market-leading capabilities in crude oil transportation. The new vessel marks the last of the 10 VLCCs added to Bahris fleet as part of its agreement with South Korea-based Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, a leading global shipbuilding company, said a statement. The latest addition brings the total number of VLCCs in Bahris fleet to 46 and vessels to 93, it said. Bahri accepted the delivery of Amad at a ceremony held at HSHIs Mokpo shipyard in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, today (May 9) 2018, in the presence of four board members, namely Ahmed Ali Al-Subaey, Ibrahim Al-Buainain, Khalid Mohammed Al-Araifi, and Khalifa Abdullatif Al-Mulhim, along with Bahris CEO Eng Abdullah Al-Dubaikhi; M K Yoon, president and CEO of Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, among others, it added. The new vessel, which will be operated on a time-charter/spot basis, marks the completion of the industry leaders three-year agreement signed with HSHI in May 2015, to build five VLCCs and five more optional VLCCs, to fuel Bahris long-term expansion strategy. With the capacity to transport 2.2 million barrels of crude oil, the 300,000-DWT carriers stands at 333 m long with a beam of 60 m, and a depth (from keel to main deck) of 30 m. The speed of Amad is 14.4 knots. ? Al-Dubaikhi said: Saudi Arabia is on the cusp of a number of major economic developments and milestones further strengthening our companys focus on playing an integral role in achieving the Kingdoms Vision 2030 objectives. A strong fleet of VLCCs allows us to further penetrate and capture the lions share of the market through strategic expansions in key geographies, which will, in turn, provide a significant boost to the kingdoms ongoing efforts to establish itself as a unique regional logistics gateway to three continents, he said. A 46-strong VLCC fleet places us in an excellent position to pursue bigger growth opportunities as part of our long-term expansion strategy. By further solidifying our leadership credentials as the worlds largest owner and operator of VLCCs, the robustness of our fleet enables us to expand our business prospects in the oil tanker market, meet the growing demand for crude oil transportation, and enhance our service offering to deliver greater efficiency and value to our stakeholders, he added. Yoon said: The conclusion of our agreement with Bahri represents a long-standing synergetic association between two global leaders dedicated to leveraging growth opportunities for the advancement of the maritime sector. We congratulate Bahri on the addition of their 46th VLCC, Amad, and look forward to building on the success of our enduring business relationship to explore new opportunities of mutual interest in the future, he added. TradeArabia News Service Cisco has been ranked among the top 10 best places to work in the UAE, by Great Place to Work (GPTW), a global research, training and consultancy firm that identifies the best workplaces in over 50 countries worldwide. The top 25 companies were awarded at the GPTW annual event, recently held at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai, UAE. Cisco UAE was recognised for its commitment to creating a workplace that fosters trust, pride and fairness amongst its employees. Receiving this recognition as one of the best places to work in the UAE in our first year of participation is both exciting and a great honour, said Shukri Eid, managing director East Region, Cisco Middle East. We believe that technology alone doesn't drive innovation, people do which is why we aspire to give our employees the space, freedom and support to make amazing things happen. Our people and culture remain crucial to our success, and this recognition provides us with the opportunity to continue learning, improving and transforming Cisco UAE into an even greater place to work. The GPTWs mission is to build a better world by helping organisations become great places to work. It analyzes policies, process and practices in each participating company along with data obtained from direct surveys with employees offering a rigorous representation of the organisation from an employee perspective, and an overall portrait of the workplace culture. TradeArabia News Service Forbes Middle East, a licensee of Forbes Media, recently hosted a glittering gala to in Dubai, UAE celebrate the Top Indian Leaders in the Arab World. The event was attended by the regions most influential Indian business tycoons and executives who have achieved phenomenal success in the Arab world. Navdeep Singh Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE, applauded the Indian expat community across the globe. He said: The Indian community across the UAE holds key positions in every walk of life. The work Indian leaders are doing in the region displays the finest aspects of India and we are privileged to have these leaders being ambassadors to the UAE and bridging the gap between the two countries. Indian leaders have not only stood out in business successes in the Arab World but have also started contributing back to India across sectors like healthcare, retail, construction, hospitality and manufacturing helping to create jobs and better infrastructure in India. The Indian community is one of the most populous and successful expat communities in the Gulf. Indian billionaires in the Gulf have a collective net worth of around $26.4 billion. These business stalwarts are today investing heavily in the region as well as in India. Khuloud Al Omian, editor in chief of Forbes Middle East, said: It is very rare that we see these Indian business leaders come together under one roof to celebrate their success and set an example for the coming generation. These events lay a benchmark for the new generation to achieve even greater heights in their own journeys. This years list consists of 100 business owners and 50 Indian executives. Yusuff Ali MA, managing director of Lulu Group international, leads the business owners category, followed by B R Shetty, founder and chairman of NMC Health and BRS Ventures, and Ravi Pillai, founder and chairman of RP Group of Companies. The executives category is led by Sanjiv Kakkar, executive VP for Mena, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus at Unilever, followed by Kalyana Sivagnanam, president and regional VP at Nissan for the Middle East, Africa and India, and Adnan Chilwan, Group CEO at Dubai Islamic Bank. The criteria for selecting top Indian owners were based on: Financial impact Revenues of the company irrespective of ownership stake as long as the owner is controlling the company Employment impact Number of employees Age of the company Transparency: On the basis of the quality and reliability of the information provided The criteria for selecting top Indian executives were based on: Financial impact Revenues of the company irrespective of ownership stake Employment impact Number of employees Experience Total work experience and experience in the current role Title The importance of the role in the organization TradeArabia News Service Asias petroleum refiners are scrambling to find alternative supplies as they prepare for renewed US sanctions against major oil exporter Iran amid an already tight market, reported Reuters. Iran is the third-largest oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and a major supplier, especially to refiners in Asia. The US plans to impose new unilateral sanctions after abandoning an agreement reached in late 2015 which limited Irans nuclear ambitions in exchange for removing joint US-Europe sanctions, which included strict curbs on crude oil exports. Irans economy relies heavily on oil revenue. New US sanctions will include measures aimed at its petroleum and shipping sectors, with a six-month wind down period to allow both US companies but foreign companies as well to end contracts, terminate business, (and) get their money out, according to the US State Department. Asian stocks closed slightly lower on Wednesday following the US pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, as oil prices rose to multi-year highs, reported CNBC. Japan's Nikkei 225 declined 0.44 percent, or 99.81 points, to close at 22,408.88 as most sectors traded in negative territory, although gains were seen in the mining and banking sectors. Elsewhere, South Korea's benchmark Kospi edged down by 0.24 percent to 2,443.98. Despite the benchmark's overall decline, gains were still seen in petroleum refiners, with SK Innovation up 1 percent. The junior Kosdaq jumped 2.86 per cent, it stated. President Trump is clearly articulating that he has minimal desire in an alternative agreement with Iran, said Ehsan Khoman, head of research for Middle East and North Africa at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. The United States did not consult with businesses in making the decision to pull out of the deal. We havent talked to any private sector companies before the Presidents announcement, said a senior official in a background briefing by the U.S. State Department. During the last round of sanctions, Irans oil supplies fell by around 1 million barrels per day (bpd), but the country re-emerged as a major oil exporter after sanctions were lifted in January 2016. Since then, Iran ramped up supplies, producing 3.81 million bpd in March 2018, almost 4 per cent of global output. Its crude exports averaged over 2 million bpd in January-March quarter this year. Analysts now expect Irans supplies to fall by 300,000 bpd to 1 million bpd, depending on how many other countries fall in line with Washington. Low-cost carrier Air Arabia Egypt has commenced direct flights between Egypt and Italy; serving Milan twice a week from its hub in Alexandria, Egypt. The inaugural flight E5103 landed in Milan Bergamo International Airport on May 4 at 19:45 local time and was received by an Air Arabia delegation including the Group chief executive officer, Adel Al Ali, along with Milan Bergamo International Airport chief executive officer, Emilio Bellingardi, reported Emirates news agency Wam. The direct flights operate on Fridays and Sundays under two different timings. On Fridays, the flights depart from Alexandria International Airport at 16:10 hours, landing in Milan Bergamo International Airport at 19:45 local time. The return flights depart from Milan at 20:30, and arrive at Alexandria at 24:00 local time. On Sundays, the flights depart from Alexandria International Airport at 07:10 local time, landing in Milan Bergamo International Airport at 10:45 local time. The return flights from Milan at 11:30, landing in Alexandria at 15:00 local time. Al Ali said: "Adding Milan to the network of our rapidly expanding Egypt Hub forms an important part of Air Arabias ongoing commitment to our passengers to access affordable and unique holiday destinations. Italy is an important market for Air Arabia and we are glad to serve Milan with direct flights from both our hubs in Morocco and Egypt. We strongly believe in the important role airlines play in connecting nations and cultures together." Bellingardi added: "We are pleased to celebrate the opening of the new route with Alexandria in Egypt, as part of a strategy to expand the Air Arabia network in Milan Bergamo Airport. We believe that the availability of direct flights with the second biggest Egyptian city. Development opportunities exist not only from the tourism point of view but it also marks the start of exchanges and prolific relations key to mutual collaboration between the two geographical and territorial realities." TradeArabia News Service The US withdrawal from a nuclear accord with Iran slams shut what had been a brief opening for historic aircraft sales by Boeing Company and Airbus SE to the Islamic Republic, reported Bloomberg. President Donald Trumps announcement that the US would seek to reimpose sanctions left little hope that the planemaking duopolists will be able to consummate $40 billion in aircraft deals struck by Iranian carriers during the brief trade thaw. Both companies export licenses to Iran will be revoked, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters. The plane orders, badly needed to upgrade the Islamic Republics museum-vintage airliners, would have had the potential to build Tehran into an aviation hub that could better compete with Dubai and Qatar, the regions aviation super powers. They also represent a lost opportunity for Chicago-based Boeing and Toulouse, France-based Airbus. The European planemaker is subject to US export restrictions to Iran because more than 10 per cent of the parts on its jets originate with US companies such as United Technologies Corp., Rockwell Collins and General Electric Company. Airbus said it will carefully analyse the implications of the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic before deciding how to proceed. This might take some time, a spokesman for the company said by email. We will consult with the US government on next steps. As we have throughout this process, well continue to follow the US governments lead, Gordon Johndroe, a Boeing vice president, said in a statement. While the Obama administration had licensed the sales by both Airbus and Boeing to Iran Air in late 2016, the planemakers handled the orders very differently. Airbus recorded the sales in its order backlog and delivered three jets, while its ATR venture shipped eight turboprops. Boeing never closed its transaction with Iran Air, and downplayed the historic deals prospects after Trump took office. In recent months, the largest U.S. exporter had quietly lined up other customers for some of the 777-300ER jetliners once intended for Iran Air this year. Looking back, they took very different approaches: Boeing was very conservative in booking and building, and Airbus was very aggressive, said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace consultant with Teal Group. Airbus has 95 undelivered planes bound for Iran Air in its backlog. They include 16 crucial orders for its biggest A350 wide-body and 28 for its yet-to-be-delivered A330neo. Another 12 smaller turboprops manufactured by ATR, are still due to be delivered to Irans national flag carrier. Investor reaction was muted since Trump had long been critical of the nuclear pact. Boeing shares dipped less than 1 per cent to $338.49 at the close of trading in New York, while Airbus shares were little changed in Paris. We have no Iranian deliveries that are scheduled or a part of the skyline this year, so those have been deferred in line with the US government processes, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg told investors April 25. If those orders do come to fruition, if we do ultimately deliver airplanes, those represent opportunities for us, he added. Other manufacturers said they were reviewing the US decision and emphasized their compliance with export controls. In an emailed statement, General Electric Company said it would adapt our activities as necessary to conform with these changes in US law. The number of travellers visiting the Middle East from China has significantly increased and industry leaders are suggesting it will only continue to rise, a new research showed. At least 2.5 million Chinese travellers are expected to visit the GCC each year by 2021, a report by Colliers International revealed. The latest Q1 data compiled by Expedia Group further revealed that Asian travellers topped the list of international demand into the region, with travellers from China ranked in the top three Asian regions travelling to the Middle East. Other Asian markets that showed a high volume in demand were India (ranked fourth globally and first from Asia), and South Korea and Japan (ranked 2nd and 4th among Asian regions respectively). The data released by Expedia Group also presented that demand for travel into the region showed a healthy year-on-year increase, with travellers to Salmiyah and Kuwait City in Kuwait showing a notable growth in demand of almost 60 per cent and just over 45 per cent respectively. Mobile Demand The number of smartphone users globally is forecast to grow to around 2.5 billion in 2019. This growth in smartphone usage could be the reason why travellers are progressively choosing to book their travel on a mobile platform over other avenues. According to Expedia Groups data, Asian travellers once again topped the list of mobile demand into the region with travellers from South Korea and Japan showing a year-on-year increase of around 70 per cent and 60 per cent respectively. Other markets that showed a healthy growth in mobile demand to the Middle East were Germany (up 85 per cent), Denmark (up 60 per cent), France (up 60 per cent) and the UK (up 60 per cent). Paula De Keijzer, senior director Market Management Middle East, Indian Ocean, Africa, Greece & Turkey, Expedia Group, said: As seen from the data, there has been a growth in the number of travellers coming from Asia- particularly from China. It is suggested that this growth could be driven by local travel incentives introduced into the region, which include visa on arrival for Chinese visitors and acceptance of Chinese credit cards. These factors could be adding to the appeal of the GCC to Chinese tourists." - TradeArabia News Service Sir Joan, the first Spanish property for Sir Hotels, enjoys its first full summer season this year. Nestled prominently in the centre of Ibiza and open all-year round, Sir Joan overlooks the stunning port and old town, celebrating a nostalgic era whilst catering to the needs of the modern traveller. Connecting guests and locals with the vibrant Ibizan community, Sir Explore, the experience initiative from Sir Hotels, launches later this month. The new programme offers guests bespoke activities which connect them to unique experts in the community and allows them to experience the beautiful island through the eyes of the locals. Options include private tours, wellness experiences, food-driven experiences and artisan focused workshops. The fifth Sir Hotel to open since 2013, Sir Joan consists of 38 rooms and suites, including two penthouses, a pool, cabanas, two restaurants and a bar. Each top floor penthouse suite boasts a terrace with 360-degree views of the old city of Ibiza, outdoor seating, a private cabana and an open-air kitchen. Penthouse guests can also enjoy a private Izakaya dining experience with one of the restaurant's chefs. As with all Sir Hotels, it was essential that Sir Joan reflects the ethos of the surrounding area. We were inspired by the marina, the ocean, but also by the people on the island. By combining contemporary design with nostalgic details, we aimed to create a unique urban oasis at the heart of the world-famous island. Liran Wizman, owner and founder of Sir Hotels. Design The interiors of Sir Joan are designed by award-winning architects and interior designers Baranowitz + Kronenberg, and pay homage to yacht-living and the ocean. Barcelona-based Architects Ribas & Ribas have created a unique and contemporary checkered facade in the heart of the island, just steps away from famous clubs such as Pacha and Lio. The property boasts a collection of curated artworks featuring work from Spanish art legend Joan Hernandez Pijuan and Carlos Irijalba, alongside photographs from Ibiza-based photographer Landry A. The ground floor public areas evoke a members only social club. Inside, vertical corrugated steel bars line up along the interior walls, resonating with naval ropes and the erosion of metal by the sea, while the outside area boasts a triangular pool, heated throughout the winter season and lined with cabanas and lounge chairs. The public space blends the outside into the inside, and is home to one of the propertys two restaurants, Izakaya Asian Kitchen & Bar, the islands newest hotspot. Originating in Amsterdam, the iconic restaurant offers guests and locals a culinary experience of contemporary Japanese cuisine fused with Peruvian flavours. The second restaurant, The Butcher, is an award-winning, high-end burger bar that is accessed through a separate entrance. The popular Amsterdam eatery will be open throughout the night, ideal for the islands late-night revellers. Both restaurants are founded and owned by Yossi Eliyahoo and Liran Wizman of The Entourage Group. Sir Explore Launching this month, guests of Sir Joan have the opportunity to connect with the local culture through Sir Explore, a new programme of curated activities inspired by the lifestyle of Ibizan residents. Lead by locals who specialise in extraordinary excursions, the options range from wandering ancient ruins with a local historian, making your own ceramics in the hillside with a local ceramicist and even a private yoga lesson overlooking the sunset from a stunning hidden beach. - TradeArabia News Service May 8th marks a tragic date in the history of Azerbaijan - the 26th anniversary of the occupation of Shusha, the cradle of Azerbaijani culture. The ancient cultural and historical center of Azerbaijan was captured by Armenian armed forces and almost totally destroyed. As a result of the occupation, Shusha city and 30 villages in Shusha district were destroyed, 195 civilians were killed, 165 people were wounded, 58 people went missing and more than 24,000 people were exposed to ethnic cleansing. During the occupation vandals looted the museums, stealing thousands of exhibits, destroyed hundreds of historical and cultural monuments, desecrated shrines and mosques, ruined a large number of rare manuscripts, destroyed education and health care institutions. It is believed that the seizure of Shushi completed ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, after which there were no Azerbaijani left by that time. A US State Department reference about the history of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which was distributed on March 30, 2001, runs: "... In May 1992, the Armenian and Karabakh forces captured Shusha (the historical capital of the region inhabited by Azerbaijanis) and Lachin, thereby ensuring the geographical link of the Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia". The capture of the city of Shusha was the result of a carefully planned script developed by the Armenian nationalist organizations, which were operating in the French city of Lyon and in the Iranian capital Tehran. This version is confirmed by the Armenian writer Zoriy Balayan in an interview with the newspaper Le Progress on April 14, 1994: "...The first plan regarding Shushi was developed on May 2 in Tehran. And on May 3 we already knew that Shusha will be ours in the very near future". In the Iranian city of Isfahan, in the meeting hall of the Armenian community, director Ahmed Bagir Yadigari showed his documentary about the capture of Shusha and the fate of 114 Azerbaijani captives. All of them were brutally murdered. Then many people were shocked by the massacre by the Armenian militants on defenseless people. The armed bandits, possessed by national hatred, shot not only at people, they also shot at souls once united by harmony of music, art, architecture of the fertile ground of Karabakh, adorned with wooded mountains, mountain rivers and clean springs. Historical and architectural monuments, caravanserais, palaces, mosques, mausoleums, graveyards, cemeteries, tombstones were destroyed in Karabakh. As a result of the ethnic cleansing committed by Armenian nationalists and acts of vandalism, historical and architectural monuments were razed to the ground, and cemeteries were destroyed. In Shusha alone, the historical and architectural reserve of the XVIII-XIX centuries, the Shusha Historical Museum, the house museum of Uzeyir Hajibeyov, the house-museum of Bulbul, the Shusha branch of the State Museum of the Azerbaijani Carpet, the Karabakh State Historical Museum, the Karabakh Literature Museum, the house-museum of Mir Mohsun Nvvab and the State Art Gallery are still destroyed or abandoned. With the occupation of Shusha, the aggressive war went beyond the administrative borders of what was then the Karabakh autonomy. At the same time, the occupation policy isolated Armenia from participating in the implementation of major economic projects in the region. The once flourishing Azerbaijani land, where people of different nationalities were living in peace and harmony, is fading now. Broken roads, destroyed cities and villages, lack of infrastructure indicate that Nagorno Karabakh, blockaded by the Armenian separatists, isdeprived of any prospects, while maintaining the status quo. Baku once again urged the international community to exert political and diplomatic pressure on Armenia to force it to withdraw its armed forces from Azerbaijans occupied territories, and took a constructive position in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said that occupation of Shusha is an integral part of the policy of Armenian aggression and occupation against Azerbaijan. As a result of this policy of occupation, Armenia occupied the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven adjacent districts by using force. More than a million Azerbaijanis were exposed to ethnic cleansing in the occupied territories. During the war, Armenia committed heinous crimes against humanity. After long discussions the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) took a landmark decision - for the first time in many years commercial banks (there is no others in the country, except for the NSA) limited the issuance of loans to the population. It has obliged credit institutions to study financial solvency of borrowers and their real incomes. The amount of monthly payments, including for covering the principal debt and interest, must not exceed 25-30% of the income of the borrower and his family. This revolutionary for Georgia decision has not only a financial and social, but also philosophical and ideological dimension, indicating an adjustment of the country's development vector. Until now, the radically right-wing concept has triumphed in Georgia, according to which, the government should not interfere in business, especially in the banking sphere; and if a person takes a loan, then he is responsible for his decision. Given the local specifics and post-Soviet mentality, as well as a weak culture of personal responsibility in market conditions, such liberal approach has led to disastrous consequences for not only individual families, but society as a whole. According to various sources, up to 30%-50% of the total adult population of the country is indebted to financial organizations. This does not mean that all of them are insolvent or do not fulfill their obligations. But when 600,000 people in a country with a total population of 3,6 milion people are indebted to pawnshop-like financial organizations, this leads to consequences that destroy social moral foundations. People lose everything they have withouthaving had time to pay interest to microfinance organizations and pawnshops. The percentage rate on a loan reaches 100-300% per year. The bank debts epidemics was facilitated by the fact that in the conditions of the uncontrolled financial services market, public and private debt collection and execution services can mercilessly evict a family, using excessive force, just a day after receiving a request from a bank or pawnshop. Banks have specialized collection agencies whose methods of operation are not regulated. Attempts by the authorities to complicate the eviction of people or the confiscation of property ran into resistance from banks that have broad connections in the media and right-wing political parties. Limiting the issuance of loans may seem inexpedient in terms of economic development only at first glance. Vast majority of hardback loans accaunts not for treatment or education, but for buying luxury goods and covering gambling and sweepstake debts. The government, controlled by the billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, initiated a program for granting preferential loans for small and medium-sized businesses. This initiative was met with a dead silence by Georgia's commercial banks. An unexpected ally of the government in curbing banks was the main opponent of the current authorities, former president Mikhail Saakashvili. In the course of appeals from Amsterdam, where he lives after being expelled from Ukraine, Saakashvili called banks bloodsuckers and interest-holders. The "restless revolutionary" named Ivanishvili as the "chief interest-holder", promising to "take everything from him with the interest" after the presidential elections. The chairman of the powerful U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee drafted a law that asks the Trump administration to provide a comprehensive report on the Turkish-American defense relationship and submit it to the Congress. Daily Sabah reports in its article Turkey may take serious steps if US applies sanctions that the proposed legislation blocks the delivery of military equipment to Turkey until the report is submitted in 60 days after the enactment of the bill. Chairman Mac Thornberry's (R-Texas), House Armed Services Committee, released on Monday his own mark for the fiscal 2019 defense bill, or known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill seems to alleviate Congressional concerns over Turkey's purchase of S-400 air defense systems from Russia, which received repeated objections from U.S. officials, citing the interoperability problems with NATO defense architecture and the current Congressional sanctions against the Russian defense industry. Instead of imposing sanctions against the Turkish defense industry, the committee chairman seems decided to send a signal to the Turkish government by inspecting the whole Turkish-American defense relationship and meanwhile symbolically blocking the delivery of some goods for a short time. Haluk Gorgun, chairman of the executive board of ASELSAN, leading Turkish defense contractor, said that it is not possible to impose a sanction to Turkey because the F-35 program will be collapsed if the U.S. blocks deliveries of the fighter jets to Turkey. "I think these [senators] are individual opinions. Turkey is an important partner in the project," he said. Washington's decision to impose an arms embargo on Ankara in the 1970s brought bilateral relations on the verge of rupture. Following a Greek Cypriot coup, which was followed by violence of paramilitary groups against the island's Turks, Ankara made an intervention as a guarantor power. The intervention triggered a U.S. arms embargo on Turkey. A year later, Ankara responded by closing 21 bases and facilities belonging to the U.S. in Turkey, including Incirlik. Washington backtracked and removed the arms embargo after three years of strained relations. In 1980, following the Sept. 12 coup in Turkey, U.S. bases were taken into service again. Also, the Turkish Armed Forces Strengthening Foundation (TSKGV) was founded after the embargo, which aimed to reduce the defense industry's dependence on imports, with investments made to form the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), ASELSAN, ISBIR, ASPILSAN, HAVELSAN, and ROKETSAN, a group defense contractors. The section of the bill requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report that assesses U.S. military and diplomatic presence in Turkey, including all military activities conducted from Incirlik Air Base or elsewhere. The report would also include a detailed analysis of the S-400 sale and its effects on the Turkish-American relationship and NATO. The proposed legislation mandates the defense secretary to evaluate the Russian S-400 systems potential impact on joint systems and platforms operated by Turkey, that including the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike aircraft, to include co-production; the Patriot surface-to-air missile system; the CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopter; the AH-1 Attack helicopter; the H-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter; and the F-16 Fighting Falcon air-craft. The House Armed Services Committee will finalize its version of the legislation on Wednesday. Azerbaijan did not oppose visit of foreign media representatives to Khankendi to cover a press briefing of Armenia's newly-elected Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev said. Hajiyev noted that such media outlets like The Financial Times, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse have appealed to Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry with an official letter, asking to permit their representatives to travel to the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Trend reported. Given the respect of the mentioned mass media outlets to the laws, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan as well as to international law, no objection was expressed to the trip of their representatives to the occupied territories," he said. "We hope that during the trip to Azerbaijans occupied Lachin district and Nagorno-Karabakh region, foreign media representatives will be able to make sure that ethnic cleansing was carried out against the indigenous inhabitants of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, and the property, material and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people were destroyed. We recommend foreign media representatives to visit the completely destroyed Aghdam, Jabrayil, Fuzuli and other districts as well. However, previous experience shows that the Armenian side will not allow media representatives to go beyond Khankendi, the spokesman added. Azerbaijan still hopes that the new political leadership of Armenia will not repeat the mistakes of its predecessors, pursue a sober minded policy with a view of building civil and peaceful relations with the neighbouring countries, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys Spokesperson Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend commenting on the remarks made by new Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "The new Prime Minister of Armenia resorting to Karabakh narrative seems to prefer political agitation instead of being engaged in addressing daunting social-economic problems of Armenia and Armenian people. We do regret that he has started to make controversial statements about the negotiation process on resolution of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. There is no need to invent bicycle", Hajiyev said, Trend reported. The spokesperson stressed that Armenia, in contravention of the UN Charter by use of force occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions of Azerbaijan and conducted notorious ethnic cleansing against million more Azerbaijanis in the seized lands. Baku has hosted a solemn ceremony to mark the 73rd anniversary of victory over fascism in the World War II. President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first vice president of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva attended the ceremony. They met with war veterans and congratulated them on the Victory Day. Then, President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the statue of Major General of Tank Troops, twice Hero of the Soviet Union Hazi Aslanov. A guard of honor passed in front of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief under the accompaniment of a military march. The Azerbaijani president and the first lady met with family members of Hazi Aslanov and congratulated them on the Victory Day. The head of state and the first vice president posed for photographs together with the World War II veterans. The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Novruz Mammadov, Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov, Head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev and other officials. Britain has "no intention of walking away" from the Iran nuclear deal despite the United States pulling out, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says, BBC reports. Mr Johnson told MPs the UK would "strive to preserve the gains" made by the international agreement. The 2015 deal curbed Iran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of UN, US and EU sanctions. US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday he will pull out, describing it as "defective at its core". Other signatories to the agreement - the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany - say they remain committed to it. Iran has said it will try to salvage the agreement, but would restart uranium enrichment if it could not. Johnson - who had travelled to the United States in a last-minute attempt to persuade the Trump administration not to ditch the deal - told MPs the responsibility was now on the president to set out how he plans to secure a new settlement. "Britain stands ready to support that task, but in the meantime we will strive to preserve the gains made by the [agreement]", he added. The foreign secretary said while the UK shared US concerns about Iran, the "painfully negotiated" agreement was effective and had increased the amount of time it would take Tehran to develop nuclear weapons. A watchdog has reported nine times that Iran had complied with the terms of the agreement, he added. On May 8, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington decided to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal as it allegedly provides Iran with the possibilities of creating a nuclear bomb bypassing all restrictions currently in force under the agreement. UK Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement in the wake of the US presidents announcement calling on all the other parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to stay committed to their obligations under the agreement. We urge the U.S. to ensure that the structures of the JCPOA (deal) can remain intact and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal, the leaders of Britain, Germany and France said in a joint statement provided by Prime Minister Theresa Mays office. May spoke by telephone with Macron and Merkel after Trump made his statement and the United States said it intended to reimpose sanctions on Iran. In the joint statement, the three leaders said that they took note of Trumps decision with regret and concern. Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case, including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement, they said. Britain, in updated advice to exporters late on Tuesday, said it continues to fully support expanding our trade relationship with Iran and encourages UK businesses to take advantage of the commercial opportunities that arise. But it warned British businesses and their staff to seek legal advice on how they might be affected by U.S. sanctions. The Confederation of British Industry said U.S. sanctions could significantly impact UK businesses operating in Iran. The European joint statement also urged Iran to show restraint in response to the U.S. decision. Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) inspection requirements, the three European leaders said. There must be no doubt: Irans nuclear programs must always remain peaceful and civilian. Concerns about Irans ballistic missile programs and activities in Syria, Iraq and Yemen also needed to be addressed further, the leaders said. Other European leaders sought to project a unified front in favour of preserving the pact. European Council president Donald Tusk said Mr Trumps policies on Iran and trade will meet a united European approach. Russia also said it would seek to keep the deal functioning. Federica Mogherini, the European Unions top diplomat, said she believed the deal was successfully deterring Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and predicted that the rest of the international community would stand by the pact. The European Union is determined to act in accordance with its security interests and to protect its economic investments, Mogherini said. The nuclear deal with Iran is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy. It belongs to the entire international community. Addressing Iran, Mogherini urged its citizens and leaders to not let anyone dismantle this agreement. Italys Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said the Iran nuclear agreement must be preserved. (The agreement) contributes to the security in the region and puts a brake on nuclear proliferation, Gentiloni said in a tweet, adding that Italy would stand with its European allies. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the US will be a losing party after withdrawing from the JCPOA. "You cannot pull out of agreements or change them at your own wish, Erdogan said. Iraqi President Fuad Masum expressed regret over the decision by Trump to pull the United States out of an international accord, but welcomed the decision of the other signatories of the agreement, including Iran and European nations, to stick with the 2015 deal despite the U.S. pullout. The (nuclear) agreement marked a major achievement in bolstering the chances of peace and progress for all the states of the region and the international community, Masum said in a statement. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Germany will try to keep the Iran nuclear deal alive despite President Donald Trumps announcement that he was pulling the US out of the agreement, "which ensures the Middle East and the world as a whole are safer." Frances foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that France wanted to stick to the nuclear accord. "Macrons meeting would be followed by high-level talks between the Iranians and Britain and Germany, as well as France," Le Drian said. The deal is not dead. Theres an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there, he said. The region deserves better than further destabilization provoked by American withdrawal. So we want to adhere to it and see to it that Iran does too, that Iran behaves with restraint. "President Trump wants to pull the plug on the Iran deal. Thats bad news for Dutch security and for European security as a whole," Dutch foreign minister Stef Blok said. "Now we need to get to the negotiating table as soon as possible, with both the EU and the Americans, to chart a new course and work towards a solution. Next week Ill be at the Security Council in New York, where Iran will of course be high on the agenda. The Iran agreement ensures that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons, he continued. It contributes to stability in the region and to the security of the whole of Europe. It is still the best way of preventing Iran from gaining nuclear weapons, based on rigorous inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The agreement is not perfect, and we must continue to address concerns about Irans ballistic missile programme and its role in the region. But it was necessary, and the result of 12 years of negotiations. The US decision is a step backwards. The Netherlands will work with our partners to find a solution that safeguards our own security and that of the entire European Union," he concluded. Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono said Japan would closely monitor the impact of a decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw from an international nuclear deal with Iran. Kono said Japan would continue close talks with related nations toward maintaining a deal, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. China's said it regrets the decision by the United States to pull out of an international nuclear deal with Iran. China will safeguard the deal and it calls on all relevant parties to assume a responsible attitude, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular briefing in Beijing. Former U.S. President Barack Obama said that Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal was misguided. I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake, Obama said, adding that the Iran agreement significantly rolled back Tehrans nuclear program and was a model for a possible deal Trump hopes to negotiate with North Korea to eliminate Pyongyangs nuclear weapons. That is why todays announcement is so misguided, Obama said. Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on Americas closest allies, and an agreement that our countrys leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated, he said. Russia expressed deep concern over such a decision by the US President, acting Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting with permanent members of Russias Security Council to discuss the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. "From among substantive issues, the meeting discussed the situation around the JCPOA after the United States announced its decision to withdraw from the agreement on the Iranian nuclear dossier," Peskov said. Russias foreign ministrysaid earlier it is deeply disappointed by Trumps decision. There are no - and can be no - grounds for breaking the JCPOA. The plan showed its full efficiency, the ministry said. The United States is undermining international trust in the International Atomic Energy Agency. The ministry added it was open to further cooperation with other Iran deal members and would continue to actively develop bilateral ties with Tehran. Russia's acting Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia remained committed to the Iran nuclear deal. Meanwhile, one of Irans regional rivals, Israel, celebrated Trumps decision. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking moments after Mr Trump had finished his address in Washington, said the current Iran deal was a recipe for disaster, a disaster for our region, a disaster for the peace of the world. He added: Israel has opposed the nuclear deal from the start because we said that rather than blocking Irans path to a bomb, the deal actually paves Irans path to an entire arsenal of nuclear bombs and this within a few years time. The removal of sanctions under the current deal has already produced disastrous results. The deal didnt push war further away. It actually brought it closer. The deal didnt reduce Irans aggression. It dramatically increased it. Saudi Arabia, which considers Iran its main regional foe, also praised Trumps decision. Iran used economic gains from the lifting of sanctions to continue its activities to destablise the region, particularly by developing ballistic missiles and supporting terrorist groups in the region, a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement says. Several hardline members of the Iranian parliament burned a paper US flag along with a paper piece symbolizing the JCPOA deal, reacting to Donald Trumps announcement that the US is pulling out of the 2015 nuclear agreement, Sputnik reported. They supported their display with shouts of Death to America as they held the flaming paper flags above their heads. Parliament speaker Ali Larijani called Trump an egotistical and amateurish politician, for exiting the deal, according to Mehr News Agency. Trump doesnt have the mental capacity to deal with issues, Larijani said, according to Reuters. He also rhetorically asked Arent such idiotic measures so shameful for a country with a claim to global management that even its allies are trying to stop him from taking them and control him? French President Emmanuel Macron and Iran's Hassan Rouhani agreed on Wednesday during a phone call to work toward "the continued implementation of the nuclear deal" despite the US decision to withdraw from the agreement, the French presidency said, Gulf Times reported. "The French and Iranian presidents agreed to pursue their joint efforts with all nations involved, with the aim of continued implementation of the nuclear deal and maintaining regional stability," Macron's office said in a statement. During their call, Macron told Rouhani that France would also seek an expanded accord in a "mutually beneficial framework" covering Iran's ballistic missile development, its involvement in several crises roiling the Middle East, and the prospects for its nuclear programme once the 2015 accord expires in 2025. Macron's office said France and Iran's foreign ministers would meet "without delay" for talks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized on Wednesday the need to fight back an ideology which might lead to Nazism and Holocaust while naming Iran as a country posing threat to Israel. On May 9, Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and attend the Victory Day Parade in Russia. During the talks with Putin, the Israeli prime minister thanked his counterpart for the invitation as well as for separate mentioning of Holocaust in his speech. According to Netanyahu, this is another evidence of close relations between the peoples of Russia and Israel. Putin, in his turn, noted that Moscow and Tel Aviv shared memories of World War II and were united in their attitude to Nazism. In commemoration of the victims of the war, the leaders laid wreaths at the tomb of the unknown soldier. "The role of history is very important when such a murderous ideology appears, it is necessary to stand up to it in time. It is hard to believe, but 73 years after the Holocaust, we in the Middle East have a country Iran which openly calls for the destruction of the state of Israel," Netanyahu said, Sputnik reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed US President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from an international nuclear agreement with Iran, saying it had been a recipe for disaster. ... Israel thinks that President Trump made an historic move, and this is why Israel thanks President Trump for his courageous leadership, his commitment to confront the terrorist regime in Tehran, and his commitment to ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons, not today, not in a decade, not ever, Netanyahu said in a brief televised address. Trump said he was reimposing economic sanctions on Iran and pulling the U.S. out of the 2015 international agreement aimed at stopping Tehran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. The decision is likely to raise the risk of conflict in the Middle East, Reuters reported. In his announcement, Trump cited Israels publication last week of what it said was a trove of seized, secret Iranian documents showing Tehran had a past nuclear weapons program. Russia views new US sanctions against Russian defense bodies as a desire to get even with Moscow after a fiasco of a missile strike against Syria on April 14, Russias Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, TASS reported. "Formally, Russia is being accused of breaching US legislation that bans cooperation in defense technology with Iran, North Korea and Syria, and that cannot have any relation to our country," the ministry said. "In fact, it is obviously a hackneyed desire to be even for a fiasco of the missile attack launched by the United States alongside the United Kingdom and France against the Syrian Arab Republic on April 14 in violation of international law." The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that the fact is substantiated by adding such entities as the Gatchina Surface-to-Air Missile Training Center and the 183rd Guard Air Defense Missile Regiment to the sanctions list. "Maybe, [they are blacklisted] for training and instructing well the Syrian air defense servicemen who shot down most of western aggressors missiles," the foreign ministry said emphasizing that the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate and Rosoboronexport arms export company had been placed on sanctions lists before. "The Americans seem to have forgotten that they have sanctioned them more than once and intend to threaten us what they have failed to frighten us with earlier," the statement reads. Armenia is ready to establish diplomatic ties with Turkey without preconditions, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told reporters in Stepanakert on Wednesday, News.am reported. You know that Turkey is putting forward preconditions. The demand of Turkey is illogical, because it is illogical to put forward conditions related to a third country in order to establish relations with any country. We do not change our position and we are ready to establish relations without conditions. At the same time, we remain committed to international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Pashinyan noted. According to him, the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is more linked to the need to prevent further genocides rather than to the Armenian-Turkish relations. Armenia expects only positive development in Armenian-Russian relations, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told reporters in Stepanakert on Wednesday, News.am reported. Asked to comment on his phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian Prime Minister said the conversation was sincere and constructive. We agreed to continue talks on May 14 in Sochi within Eurasian Economic summit, Pashinyan added. According to him, he has already said that Armenian-Russian strategic relations should be expanded and strengthened, while is also necessary to develop relations within Eurasian Economic Union and CSTO. I mean, sure, we should think about making the work more effective, increasing the turnover at such rates that the result will be visible to all Armenian citizens, fixing a new level of development of the economy and the prosperity of the citizens. We expect positive developments in Armenian-Russian relations, Nikol Pashinyan concluded. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with permanent members of Russias Security Council to discuss the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and Israeli airstrikes against Syria, acting Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "From among substantive issues, the meeting discussed the situation around the JCPOA [the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] after the United States announced its decision to withdraw from the agreement on the Iranian nuclear dossier," Peskov said, adding that the participants in the meeting "expressed deep concern over such a decision and again emphasized the importance of this document." "The meeting also discussed the situation in Syria, including Israeli night airstrikes," TASS cited Peskov as saying. "With regard to this theme, a detailed exchange of opinions was held in view of Vladimir Putins upcoming talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today," the acting Kremlin spokesman added. The meeting was attended by the country's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, as well as special representative of the President on Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergey Ivanov. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation discussing a number of issues, a statement from the Armenian premiers press office stated. "They both expressed readiness to continue with efforts aimed at development of the strategic and allied relations between Armenia and Russia as well as to promote further integrational processes," the statement said. "Both sides stated that they will be provided with an opportunity to discuss all of the above issues during the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Sochi slated for March 14," the statement added. Earlier on May 8, the Armenian parliament endorsed Pashinyan as the head of government. Today, Russia and post-Soviet countries are celebrating one of the most important holidays of the year Day of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Celebrations will take place in Moscow and other cities of Russia and CIS countries. Military parades and solemn marches will be held in all Russian regions. Moscow will become the traditional central platform for celebrations. The key event of the day is the Victory Parade on Red Square, which began at 10:00 Moscow time. It will involve 13,046 people and 159 pieces of modern armaments and military hardware. A total of 75 helicopters and combat planes will fly over Red Square. The 'Immortal Regiment' rally will be held in Moscow and other cities after holding the parade. The national flag of the Russian Federation and the Victory Banner were brought onto the Red Square to the music of The Sacred War. The military parade is led by the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces, Colonel General Oleg Salyukov and is hosted by the Russian Defense Minister and Hero of Russia, Army Gen Sergei Shoigu, who was greeting the troops on the 71st anniversary of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War. The motorcar of the Russian Defense Minister headed towards the main stage where he reported before the Russian President and Commander-in-Chief, Vladimir Putin. After that the head of state delivered a speech on today's holiday and declared a moment of silence. "All nations understood that Nazism was defeated due to the Soviet soldier. However, now, attempts are being made to rewrite the history. We will do everything to keep this memory. We will always be proud that the USSR did not bow, when other countries decided to capitulate." The address of the Russian president is followed by the national anthem. Then came the passage of troops on Red Square. By tradition, it was opened by the drummers of the Moscow Military Music School. Then the units holding the Banner of Victory, State Flag of the Russian Federation and the Banner of the Russian Armed Forces passed by. The banner unit is accompanied by a silent drill company, which includes Ground Troops, Aerospace Forces and Navy. A company of the Moscow Suvorov Military School under the command of Colonel Igor Yekimov marched on the Red Square. Now entered Red Square cadets of the Suvorov Military School. They were followed by cadets the Sevastopol-based Nakhimov Navy School and All-Russian Youth and Military Patriotic Movement Unarmia (Young Army), as well as attendees of the Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces. Units of the Marshal Vasilevsky Military Air Defense Academy participated in the parade. They were followed by cadets of the Khrulev Logistics Military Academy, a regiment of the Russian Aerospace Forces and a regiment of the Mozhaisky Military Space Academy. A regiment of the Russian Naval Forces marched across Red Square, cadets of the Nakhimov Black Sea Maritime School, as well as marines of the 336th Separate Guards Brigade of the Baltic Fleet and marines from the 61st Kirkenes Separate Costal Brigade of the Northern Fleet also joined the parade. Female soldiers and the regiment of the Strategic Missile Forces Academy entered the Red Square. It was followed by the regiment of the Russian Airborne Forces Academyand servicemen of the 331st Kostroma-based Guards Airborne Regiment. Unit of the Russian Armed Forces military police took part in the parade for the first time. Parade unit of the Marshal Timoshenko Military Academy of nuclear, chemical and biological protection, Railway troops, as well as Parade unit of the Russian Emergencies Ministry entered the square. National Guard Troops Service of the Russian Federation, parade unit of the Saratov Military Institute with National Guards Troops, which is taking part in the parade for the first time, border unit of the Moscow Border Institute with the Federal Security Service, Troops of the Russian Western Military District, Personnel of the legendary 4th Guards Kantemirovkaya Tank Division, named after Yuri Andropov, as well as the 27th Independent Guards Red Banner Motorized Rifle Brigade also joined the parade. The Kremlin Cadets completed the parade' first part. The parade is lead by the symbol of Victory, the T-34 tank, accompanied by all-terrain vehicles carrying the banners of the 10 fronts of the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War. A motorcade of the Russian Armed Forces' modern military multi-purpose armored vehicles is headed by Typhoon 44 and the Tigr-M, equipped with the Arbalet module and the anti-tank system Kornet entered the Red Square. The Taman Three-Time Decorated Motor Rifle Guards Division also entered the Red Square on the T-14 Armata tanks, the main battle tank T-72B3 and the tank support vehicle Terminator. They were followed y a parade unit of the 106th Tula Red Banner Guards Airborne Division, as well as 147th Simferopol Red Banner Regiment, which includes the Koalitsiya-SV and the MSTA-S 152mm self-propelled howitzers. Then the Iskander short-range ballistic missile system from the 112th Novorossiysk Guards Missile Brigade and a motorcade, which consists of Buk-M2 anti-aircraft and Tor-M2 air defense missile systems, joined the parade. The Pantsir-S was also presented. A motorcade of S-400 Triumf missile systems entered the Red Square. They were followed by remote robotic demining system Uran-6 and the fire support robotic system Uran-9 as well as the unmanned aerial vehicles Katran and Korsar. The Russian National Guard's mechanized convoy took part in the parade for the first time. Its special vehicles include Tigr, Patrul and Ural armored cars. A column of Yars autonomous missile launchers and an advanced Bumerang amphibious wheeled armored personnel carrier finished the second part of the parade. The multi-purpose Mi-26 helicopter and four MI-8 helicopters open the third part of the parade. The Russian Armed Forces' combat helicopters were represented by the modernized Mi-24P. The Tu-160 supersonic variable-sweep wing strategic bomber lead a group of four Tu-22M3 supersonic bombers. Then a group of three Il-76MD modernized military transport vehicles flyed over. The next group of three planes are modernized multipurpose Il-76MD freighters. It was followed by four MiG-29SMT light fighter jets, four frontline bombers Su-24M, a group of the MiG-31 supersonic interceptor aircraft, a group of the Su-34 fighter-bombers and Su-57 fifth-generation multi-purpose stealth supermaneuverable fighters. A tactical wing containing the Su-34 fighter-bombers as well as the fighter jets Su-30 and Su-35 was seen in the sky next. They were followed by Su-35SM and MiG-29 fighters. Six Su-25 assault aircraft colored the sky over Moscow in the Russian tricolor state flag. The modernized MiG-31K interceptor planes equipped with the newest hypersonic aviation systems, Kinzhal also flyed over. The parade came to an end with the joint performance of servicemen from the 154th Separate Commandant Preobrazhensky Regiment, cadets of the Moscow General Khalilov Military Music School and musicians from the Parade Orchestra of the Moscow Garrison. Servicemen left Red Square to the accompaniment of the Farewell of Slavyanka march. Ten parades will be held in the South and North Caucasus federal districts in Volgograd, Novorossiysk, Sevastopol, Kerch, Rostov-on-Don, Vladikavkaz, Stavropol, Astrakhan, Simferopol and Novocherkassk, the South Military District said, specifying that they will involve more than 9,000 troops and more than 350 pieces of armaments and military hardware. Ex-President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan will not leave the country, the President of the Republic Armen Sarkisyan said. "We met several days ago, had a cup of tea and discussed the internal political situation in the country. I think that President Sargsyan is not going to leave his homeland," he said. "I hope that the new government will be successful. Otherwise all those hopes of the people of Armenia will be in vain," Sargsyan added, responding to journalists' questions. The parliament of Armenia elected opposition leader Pashinyan as the countrys new prime minister yesterday. Pashinyan was elected by the majority of 59 votes in the parliament, while 42 votes were cast against his candidacy. Sargsyan resigned earlier in the month amid mass protests of the opposition supporters across the country. Armenia's President Armen Sarkisyan joined the 'Immortal Regiment' rally at Republic Square in Yerevan, local media reported. Russian Ambassador Ivan Volinkin and representatives of the armed forces also took part in the march, News.am reported. The participants in this march held in their hands the photos of the participants in World War II. The US Embassy in Tbilisi said that one of its employees, Mark Mitchell died in an accident near the Manglisi settlement in the Tetritskaroy municipality of Georgia. Three people were killed, another 17 were injured after a minibus with tourists turned over in the east of Georgia after visiting one of the monasteries. "US Embassy confirms the passing of one of its employees, Mark Mitchell, in a motor vehicle accident on May 6. Local authorities are investigating. Mark was an invaluable member of the USAID team and his absence is deeply felt. The US Embassy community expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family, to the family of the Georgian citizen who died, and to the others injured in the accident. Mark proudly served his country for the betterment of our world. Mark touched the lives of many at home and abroad, and will be remembered for his commitment to helping those most in need," the US Embassy in Tbilisi said in a statement. "On behalf of the worldwide USAID team, I express my heartfelt condolences to the family of Mark Mitchell, an accomplished Foreign Service Officer who died in a tragic accident on Sunday in Georgia. His passion for country, for service, and for improving the lives of those in need reached communities far and wide, and touched many here at home," USAID administrator Mark Green said in a statement. The United States has worked out sanctions against certain Russian, Iranian, North Korean and Chinese individuals and legal entities as well as against organizations from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, accusing them of violating US national legislation on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, says a public notice posted by the US Department of State on the Federal Register, the daily journal of US government, on Wednesday, TASS reported. Among the blacklisted entities are the Gatchina Surface-to-Air Missile Training Center, the Russian Defense Ministrys 18th Central Scientific Research Institute in Kursk, the Instrument Design Bureau (KBP) in Tula, the 183rd Guard Air Defense Missile Regiment, and the Russian Research and Production Concern (BARL). New restrictions have been again imposed on the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (former GRU). The list includes 28 individuals and legal entities. According to the US government, they all could have "the potential to make a material contribution to the development of" cruise or ballistic missile systems in Iran, Syria or North Korea. HCM City Vietnamese air freight costs are much higher than the regional average and this is believed to be one of the main reasons hindering Viet Nams fruit exports. We mostly export fresh mango, logan, litchi and dragon fruit to demanding markets like Australia, Japan and South Korea by air because such fruits cannot be sent by sea, am Quang Thang, general director of Agrice Viet Nam company, told Thanh Nien (Youth) newspaper. Thang said his company has to use Thai, Malaysian and Singaporean airlines because their cost is half or one third their Vietnamese counterparts. Thang said. For each kilogramme of fruit worth US$1, his company pays $2-3 in freight, he revealed. We pay $2.9-3.2 for a kilogramme [if the consignment is] less than 1,000kg when shipping to Europe by Vietnamese carriers but only $1.2 1.8 with Thai carriers. His company had lost South Korean several orders to Thai rivals because of price, he said. Nguyen Manh Hung, general director of Nafoods Group, said: The high air freight cost is the biggest hurdle to the development of Vietnamese fruit exports. Due to the high cost, his company can only export around 1,000 tonnes of passion fruit, he said. If we can reduce transportation costs, we can sharply increase our quantity. The issue was raised by Ta uc Minh, Vietnamese commercial counsellor in Japan, at a ministry meeting held last February to discuss boosting fruit exports. Vietnamese fruits cost more in Japan than those from faraway Thailand and Ecuador because their freight costs are much lower, Minh said. Due to the high logistics costs, Vietnamese fruits are now exported only to Japan, South Korea and China. Even large companies can only export a few thousand tonnes of fruits a year to more distant markets like America and Europe, according to a senior official in the Ministry of Industry and Trades American and European markets department. Fresh fruits can only be exported by air, and logistics account for a big chunk of their price, Nguyen Quoc Toan, head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments agricultural product processing and market development department, said. High air freight costs are limiting the competitiveness of Vietnamese fruits in the international market. -- VNS TIEN GIANG Tien Giang Province aims to incorporate another 730 businesses this year, with a total registered capital of nearly VN3.2 trillion (US$140.8 million). Le Van Nghia, deputy chairman of the province Peoples Committee, said attracting investment and local business development are crucial steps to socio-economic growth. So far this year, 180 new businesses with more than VN1.11 trillion ($49 million) in capital have been set up, surging 14.2 per cent and 27.1 per cent, respectively, from the same period last year. The province has also attracted five projects in local industrial parks, including three foreign-invested ones, worth a total VN483 billion. According to the provincial Peoples Committee, Tien Giang has effectively implemented the Party Central Committees and the provincial Party Committees directives and resolutions on improving the efficiency of support and business development this year. Tien Giang hopes to provide favourable conditions to attract investment, including lower business start-up costs to encourage new companies, and increased support to existing businesses to invest in technology. The province is also focusing on small and medium-sized businesses, offering assistance in the form of counseling, networking, and workforce training. In addition, the province has set forth specific policies and measures for each of its key economic regions. Located in the Mekong Delta, 70 kilometres from HCM City, Tien Giang has long been considered an area favourable for investment. Tien Giang is home to 4,581 businesses which have created a large number of jobs and supplied a wide range of products for domestic consumption and export. Statistics from the Foreign Investment Agency revealed that as of April, the province had pulled in 108 foreign-invested projects, valued at close to $2.23 billion. Tien Giang ranks 28th among 64 localities in terms of foreign investment attraction nation-wide. VNS HA NOI - Despite having increased at a relatively fast pace in recent years, Viet Nams labour productivity remained in the lowest group in East Asia with scores in backbone sectors of the economy even falling behind Cambodia, a report found on Tuesday. The Viet Nam Annual Economic Report this year, conducted by the Viet Nam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR), focused on the development of the countrys labour market and policy recommendations to enhance low labour productivity and the quality of human capital. According to the report, labour productivity for the whole economy was improving at quite a high rate, at about 22.5 per cent between 2008 and 2016. But a closer look tells a more worrying story. A comparison with Northeast Asian countries of Japan, South Korea and China and member nations of the ASEAN bloc, including Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia, shows that the labour productivity of Viet Nams nine industries in 2015 barely made it out of the bottom group. It was, in fact, the lowest among all in three particular sectors: manufacturing; construction; and transportation, storage and communications. Viet Nams performance was slightly better, to rank second lowest only higher than Cambodia in agriculture; electricity, water and gas; and wholesale, retail and repair. Viet Nams labour productivity was the lowest in the most important sectors of an economy. Thats very concerning, said VEPR President Dr Nguyen uc Thanh. Wage and productivity Tuesdays report also shed some light on the link between the constant rise of minimum and average wage and labour productivity. As it turns out, during the 2004-2015 period, Viet Nams average wage growth at 6.7 per cent generally outstripped labour productivity growth which stood at five per cent. In principle, wage growth should go in line with labour productivity growth to help stably maintain a companys profit. If the wage outgrows productivity, it will hinder the accumulation of human capital, reduce the motivation of investors, profits of enterprises and competitiveness of the economy, Thanh said. According to the report, Vietnameses average real wage doubled between 2004 and 2015, which included increasing payments on social, health, and unemployment insurance. A quick comparison to Viet Nams neighbours shows that the minimum cost per Vietnamese worker, comprising the minimum wage and contributions to social security that an employer had to pay in 2017 was just a few dollars lower than that of Thai workers and slightly higher than in Indonesia. It was notable, however, that Vietnamese employers had to pay a much bigger share for social security than those in Thailand or Indonesia, which led to a bigger burden on them. Increasing wage growth and also a hike in the costs for workers will eventually diminish Viet Nams cheap labour cost advantage, said Dr Nguyen Thi Lan Huong, former director of the Institute of Labour Science and Social Affairs. - VNS BEIJJING The Vietnamese Government always welcomes and commits to creating conditions for foreign businesses, including those from Chinas Chongqing city, to land investment in high-tech projects in the country, said Vietnamese Ambassador to China ang Minh Khoi. At a seminar on Tuesday held by the Vietnamese Embassy in China, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam in collaboration with Chongqing authorities, Ambassador Khoi noticed that the investors should pay more attention to protecting the environment while working to ensure labourers benefits and social welfare in the host nation. Viet Nam is accelerating industrialisation and modernisation and shaking up the economy in coupled with renovating growth model, he said, adding that the country is giving priority to the development of high-tech industries, green technologies, clean energy, organic agriculture and digital economy, among others. He expressed his hope that China will open door for the products which are of Viet Nams strengths and Chinas demand like farm produce, pork and dairy products. Creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese products in the custom clearance procedures is an important move to bring two-way trade into a more balanced manner, he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh highlighted that Viet Nam and China hold huge potential to bolster logistics cooperation. Viet Nams logistics service has enjoyed strong growth with annual expansion of 20-25 per cent and according to the World Banks rankings, Viet Nam is 64th out of 160 countries in the world and 4th in ASEAN after Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand in logistics development. The 1,400 kilometre freight train service between Ha Noi and Chongqing will open opportunities for both sides to collaborate in the logistics sector, he said, adding that it is an effective channel to transport goods, including tropical fruit, farm produce and seafood, between Viet Nam and Chinas localities. For his part, deputy mayor of Chongqing city Liu Guiping said that multi-model transportation, cross-border road transport and international railways are three main types of transportation, which help connecting Chongqing and Chinas western localities with Viet Nam and other ASEAN nations. He wished that enterprises from both nations will work to promote cooperation in the field. At the seminar, Vietnam Logistics Business Association and the trade office of Chongqing city inked an agreement on enhancing logistics cooperation. Enterprises from both sides signed their agreements and specific cooperation programmes in the coming time. In addition, more than 200 firms met to seek linkages in economy, trade and logistics on this occasion. VNS HA NOI Local companies should add more value to their products before selling them to foreign distribution channels. They should not focus too much on cheap prices or low labour cost that does not generate real value for the products. Yuichiro Shiotani, director general of Aeon Top Value Viet Nam made the statement at a training workshop, Supporting Vietnamese enterprises participation in foreign distribution networks, held in Ha Noi on Tuesday. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was present at the event. He said Aeon Top Value had been working to put a number of made-in-Viet Nam products, which were available in Aeon Viet Nam retail stores, on the shelves of its stores in Japan. The workshop attracted participation of 180 exporters from northern provinces. The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Central Group of Thailand, Japan-based Aeon Group and Rungis International Market - the worlds largest wholesale food market - from France. The workshop is part of the Governments project, developing direct participation of Vietnamese enterprises in foreign distribution system up to 2020, which seeks to help local firms develop new export channels to directly take their products to consumers in foreign countries. The goal will be achieved through a series of training workshops for enterprises on management of goods standard and quality and import-export procedures of different overseas markets. At the workshop, representatives of Central Group and Aeon updated participating firms on activities that will take place as part of the project in the time ahead to connect Vietnamese firms and foreign distributors. Shortly after the training session, Vietnamese businesses had the opportunity to meet the purchasing units of Central Group, Aeon Group and Rungis International Market to seek partnership. To effectively implement the project, the ministry has called for a close co-operation among State management bodies, trade promotion agencies, local governments, enterprises and distributors. Furthermore, the ministry has partnered with several foreign distributors to hold Vietnamese Products Week in the European Union and Asia, which has been organised since 2011. Last year, the ministry partnered with Central Group to organise the second Vietnamese Products Week in Thailand in July,which showcased a variety of Vietnamese products,such as handicrafts, garment and textile and farm produce, including litchi, dragon fruit and sweet potatoes, to be exported to Thailand and other ASEAN countries. VNS HCM CITY Innovative solutions to develop local and foreign markets for Vietnamese safe farm produce and foods and commercialising Viet Nams regional specialities based on geographical indications are among the topics to be discussed at a seminar in Ha Noi on May 10. It will bring together many notable Vietnamese and foreign speakers including strategic planning and branding expert Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham ai Duong, GI expert Bui Kim ong, executive director of the Centre for Management Practice at the Singapore Management University, Philippe Zerrillo. It will discuss case studies from ASEAN member countries for Vietnamese enterprises to apply when integrating into the world market, and share experiences in distributing Vietnamese high-quality products through the GS25 supermarket chain in South Korea. A 90-minute business matching session between producers of high-quality goods and local specialities and 13 large retailers including Co.opmart, Big C, Vinmart, Lotte Mart, Fivimart, and UCAMart is also on the agenda. The Vietnamese High Quality Products-Global Integration Standards (GIS) with measures to monitor the whole food supply chain will be introduced at the event. Nguyen Quan, a former science and technology minister and chairman of the council that compiled the GIS, said GIS would help Vietnamese firms meet global hygiene and food safety standards. In the food sector, 66 Vietnamese firms have so far obtained GIS certification. Many small firms want to export but do not clearly understand the quality standards they have to meet for that, according to the event organisers. The seminar on market opportunities for Vietnamese firms in the new integration period, organised by the Vietnamese High Quality Goods Association and the Centre of Business Studies and Assistance, is expected to list must-dos for Vietnamese firms seeking to export their products. VNS HA NOI The US delegation will investigate the production process of tra fish from May 14-25, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Food Safety and Inspection Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, will conduct a field inspection under the US catfish control programme for Viet Nams tra fish production. Regarding the upcoming inspections by the US, the ministry has asked its agencies to set up plans and prepare detailed action programmes as well as ensure the best conditions for the delegation during its visit to Viet Nam, reported vneconomy.vn. The National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department has proposed enterprises producing and exporting tra fish, one kind of Siluriformes fish, to the US to implement regulations compiled by the ministry in accordance with US regulations under the fish food safety control programme for Siluriformes fish exported to the US. The enterprises have been asked to report to the ministry about any difficulty encountered during the export of Siluriformes to the US to ensure timely solutions. In addition to this, the enterprises should cooperate with the department to set up working plans with the US delegation. From September 1, 2017, the exports of tra fish to the US have been strictly controlled at every stage - from breeding, harvesting and transporting to the processing plant to processing and exporting. The product must meet 85 requirements on veterinary drugs, 106 requirements on pesticides, four requirements on dyestuffs, 17 requirements on metals and eight requirements on micro-organisms and chemicals based on parameters set by the US. Currently, Viet Nam has 57 facilities licensed to export catfish to the US. VNS HA NOI Vietnam Airlines will operate a new route between Ha Noi and ong Hoi in central Quang Binh Province from June 1 to August 31 to meet the increasing demand this summer. The route will have a frequency of six to seven flights per week. The flights will depart from Ha Noi at 6 am from Tuesday through Sunday every week, with the flying time being an hour. Owing to its long coastline and location near the beautiful caves of Quang Binh Province, ong Hoi City has become an increasingly popular destination for tourists in the recent years. In 2017, the citys tourism industry welcomed nearly 1.1 million visitors, an increase of 29 per cent compared to the same period the preceding year. Until August 31, 2018, the national carrier will offer attractive fares ranging from VN600,000 one-way in Economy class and VN1.8 million in Business class. The price excludes taxes and fees. Preferential rates apply for the journey from 1 June to 31 August 2018. VNS SOC TRANG The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang will carry out an action programme for sustainable forest management in its two coastal districts under the project Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). The areas will include Vinh Chau Town, Tran e District and Cu Lao Dung District. At a meeting between the provinces Peoples Committee and International Union for Conservation of Natures (IUCN) delegation held on Tuesday, vice chairman of the Peoples Committee Le Van Hieu said the province was one of the areas in the country most affected by climate change. Salt intrusion had also caused damage to agricultural production, Hieu said. A report delivered at the meeting unveiled that deforestation and illegal hunting had also occurred, with residents cutting down forests to grow crops. Hieu said the REDD+ project would help to not only protect the existing forest in a sustainable way but also spur socio-economic development. The IUCN will provide assistance to the province so it can reach the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by limiting forest loss and deforestation by 2030. The province has more than 16,200ha of forest and zoned forested areas, including more than 10,800ha of forest. Its total forest coverage is 2.5 per cent. The areas mangrove forests have a high level of bio-diversity, leaving room for tourism development. The province has worked with local authorities to set up 16 forest cultivation and protection teams and three forest management co-groups. According to Pham Trong Thinh, director of the Southern Forest Planning and Investigation Sub-Institute, and a member of the IUCN delegation, REDD+ is an international effort to encourage a path towards sustainable forest development and a low-carbon economy. In Viet Nam, it is also a part of the national programme for green growth. Currently, 18 out of 63 provinces and cities in the country have drawn up an action plan for the REDD+ project. The IUCN delegation on Tuesday spoke with leaders of agencies in the province about the regulations to protect the forests, as well as finance and human resources for the implementation of REDD+. According to the REDD Desk, which is a collaborative resource for REDD readiness, REDD+ is an important component of Viet Nams climate-change mitigation efforts and is central to the National Climate Change Strategy. The National Action Programme on REDD+ 2011-20, approved in June 2012, is the major framework for REDD+ implementation in Viet Nam. VNS HCM CITY The HCM City War Remnants Museum yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Argentine journalist and photographer Ignacio Ezcurra, who disappeared in Sai Gon in 1968 while covering the war. The event was organised by the Embassy of the Argentine Republic in Viet Nam, the museum and the HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations to celebrate his 50th death anniversary. On this occasion, Ezcurras daughter and son gave the museum some of the journalists memorabilia for display. They include Ezcurras press card and the first edition of the book Hasta Vietnam (To Vietnam), a collection of articles about the war, published in May 1972. An Oliverri Lettera 32 typewriter used by the journalist when he worked in Viet Nam, and an incomplete report and documentary photos taken by Ezcurra were also donated. Tran Xuan Thao, the museums director, said at the event: The memorabilia are valuable exhibits for the museum. We will preserve, display and introduce them to visitors from Viet Nam and other countries. Encarnacion Ezcurra, the journalists daughter, thanked the embassy of the Argentine Republic in Viet Nam and the HCM City War Remnants Museum for the commemoration. It has significant meaning to my family, she said. She said the visit was an opportunity to learn more about Viet Nam and its history. Ezcurra was one of 12 brothers in a family that came from San Isidro. He studied at Columbia University in New York with a scholarship from the Inter American Press Association. He worked in graphics, radio and television and travelled most of Argentina and the US to screen documentaries for the Buenos Aires-based Di Tella Institute. Ezcurra was best known for his works on the Black Power movement in the US, and interviews with the US Senator for New York Robert Kennedy and American Baptist minister and activist Martin Luther King. He disappeared in Sai Gon on May 8, 1968 at the age of 28 as he worked for La Nacio de Buenos Aires newspaper. Ezcurras memorabilia can be seen on the second floor of the museum at 28 Vo Van Tan Street in District 1. VNS HA NOI Popular Vietnamese pianist Luu Hong Quang won the second prize at the Oleggio International Piano Competition held in Italy from May 3-6. I am very happy to share a good news about my European trip this time. I was awarded the second prize in the Oleggio International Piano Competition in Italy last night! I am very grateful to my family, teachers and friends for all their sincere support. Thank you very much! Quang wrote on his Facebook page. The first edition of the competition attracted 80 contestants aged 18-37. After the qualifying round based on the contestants video clips, the jury chose 30 contestants for the final round, who were winners of various international contests, from Russia, Italy, France, Ukraine, Japan, China and Viet Nam. Each contestant had to pass two further rounds. The first round was for 20 minutes. Six contestants from the first round were selected for the second round, in which the contestants had to play for 50 minutes. Quang played S. Rachmaninoffs Etude Tableux op. 33-9 and F. Liszts Apres Une Lecture de Dante at the first round. He played four pieces in the second round: M. Ravels Alborada del Gracioso, L. V. Beethovens Sonata Op. 2 - N3, A. Scriabins Two Poems Op. 32 and F. Liszts Mephisto Waltz. Quang won second prize, while the first prize went to a Russian contestant and third prize was won by an Italian pianist. The jury included noted pianists such as Olivier Cazal from France , Mario Coppola and Giuseppe Gullotta from Italy , Sofya Gulyak from Russia and Wang Xin from China . Quang is the son of Luu Quang Minh, a lecturer at the Viet Nam National Academy of Music. Quang studied at the academy from 1997 to 2007 under the guidance of Prof Tran Thu Ha, former rector of the academy. Quang is an example of a young generation of artists who never stop making efforts. I highly appreciate his strong willingness, Ha told Viet Nam News. When I taught him, his talent was not polished enough. But then, with his diligence, he has achieved a lot of success and he has never been satisfied with himself. He continues to compete in prestigious competitions to better himself, Ha added. Between 2008 and 2012, Quang studied at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts (AMPA), in Australia under the guidance of Kyung Hee Lee. In 2013-2015, he pursued his masters degree at the University of Montreal, Canada, under the guidance of artist ang Thai Son. HA NOI Phan Thi My Thanh, head of the National Assembly (NA) deputy delegation of the southern province of ong Nai, has submitted an application to resign from her position as NA deputy due to health reasons, NA Secretary General Nguyen Hanh Phuc said yesterday. Phuc said that Thanhs application for resignation from the post will be reported to the NA and NA Standing Committee for settlement in line with the law. On May 4, the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee held a meeting to consider a proposal of the CPV Central Committees Inspection Commission to apply disciplinary measures against Thanh, who is Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee of ong Nai, and head of the provinces NA deputy delegation. The Secretariat said that violations and wrongdoings committed by Thanh were very serious, and caused discontent among officials, Party members and local people. Her actions also negatively affected the prestige of the local Party organisation. The Secretariat decided to dismiss Thanh from all of her Party positions, and proposed that the civil affairs delegation of the NA consider removing Thanh from her position of National Assembly deputy. The Secretariat concluded that while serving as Director of the Department of Industry of ong Nai Province from 2003 to January 2009, Thanh lacked responsibility while performing her duties. She did not direct the construction of the Thong Nhat textile factorys condominium although money had been collected from households. She also agreed to let the Department of Industry send the remaining money of the project to the Tan Mai Wood Company. After assuming another post, Thanh was said to have not handed over the project to her successor, leading to prolonged mass complaints, affecting the local law and order situation, and undermining State management agencies prestige. While working as Vice Chairwoman of the provincial ong Nai Peoples Committee from June 2011 to September 2014, Thanh signed many documents of the provincial Peoples Committee but did not refer to the advice of specialised departments and sectors, thus leading to violations of the laws and work regulations of the provincial Peoples Committee. According to the Secretariat, Thanh broke the democratic centralism principle when she signed a decision in July 2014, to approve investment in the ong Nai River encroachment project without reporting to and collecting opinions from ministries and centrally-run sectors. She also signed some decisions of the provincial Peoples Committee that gave favourable conditions to her familys business to carry out projects in the fields that she was in charge of. Thanh was also found to have given innacurate reports on the projects workload and progress with a view to seeking profit for her familys business. Thanh seriously infringed regulations on external affairs and used her diplomatic passport to go abroad for leisure and personal purposes many times. She also went abroad without reporting to her agency as regulated. VNS Viet Nam is facing an alarming shortage of qualified nursing care workers for the elderly. Most elderly people are cared for by their relatives or domestic helpers with little medical expertise. Photo laodong.vn HA NOI Viet Nam is facing an alarming shortage of qualified nursing care workers for the elderly. Most elderly people are cared for by their relatives or domestic helpers with little medical expertise, health experts say. At a conference on effectively training and using nursing care workers for the elderly on Monday, doctors said Viet Nam is among the five fastest-aging countries in the world. Currently, there are 10.1 million elderly people in the country, accounting for 11 per cent of the population. Dr Nguyen Trung Anh, deputy director of the National Geriatric Hospital , said that most of the elderly are facing chronic diseases that require lifelong treatment, such as high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, cancers and asthma. Apart from that, they are also dealing with Alzheimer, malnutrition and depression. The reduction of daily activities worsens health conditions for the elderly. The hospitals 2016 survey of 610 people above age 80 in Ha Nois Soc Son District showed that an elderly could have six or seven diseases on average. Of that, 33.6 per cent were widowed and 8.2 per cent were living alone. The average income of an elderly person was about VN540,000 (US$24) per month, mainly from pension or social welfare. About 30 per cent of them needed help on a daily basis, with tasks such as personal hygiene, dressing and eating. Up to 90 per cent needed help on cooking, cleaning, using mobile phones or using means of transport. Prof. Pham Thang, director of the hospital, said that there was no official system of nursing workers for the elderly in the country. In his hospital, nurses were in charge of giving medical treatment and taking care of the elderly at the same time, putting pressure on nurses as they struggle to complete both tasks. Thang said the patients relatives usually hired domestic helpers to take care of their elderly, which was costly but ineffective as most were not trained as professional nursing staff. The health sector needs to focus on building a qualified source of nursing workers, he said. At the conference, health experts suggested that the development of healthcare services for the elderly was necessary, including more nursing homes and apartment buildings for the elderly with medical health services. Vice minister of health Pham Le Tuan said that in the context of a rapidly aging population and amid the complications of diseases, the ministry has enhanced the role of primary healthcare services and developed a family medicine model to promote the nursing of the elderly at localities. The ministry would improve geriatric hospitals with the network of nursing staff, and encourage organisations and individuals to invest in nursing homes for the elderly. Tuan said apart from knowledge and skills on taking care of the elderly, nursing care workers need to understand the physical and psychological demands of elderly people. This is a new service in Viet Nam and the country can draw on the experiences of other countries in the world. He said the hospital should be the pioneer to propose a plan for building a source of nursing staff to the ministry. Director of the Hoi An Centre for Relic Preservation and Management Nguyen Chi Trung. Photo tuoitre.vn Director of the Hoi An Centre for Relic Preservation and Management Nguyen Chi Trung spoke to Tuoi tre newspaper on the imperative need to have strong legal documents to preserve the City. What has Hoi An done to preserve its name as an ancient city? We have developed five rules to preserve it. First, the rule on effective city management; second is the rule on business law and order; third is the regulation on shops bill boards; fourth is regulation on tourism operation rules; and the fifth is the management and operation of activities on its river. In the past, all five rules were strictly implemented. Yet, the city authorities see that nowadays they are no longer appropriate and we should revise them. The citys old quarters business operation is in bit of mess and many visitors have complained about it. Thats why we deem it necessary to revise the citys regulations to turn it into an attractive tourist site again. Do you think that one of the reasons Hoi An is becoming less attractive is due to the amount of people migrating to the city to make their living off the tourism boom? I dont think so. An answer to the problem is that the city needs to have flexible and effective policies that win the hearts and minds of its population. For example, in the old days we faced objections from quite a few business households during a campaign to make the city clean, tidy and beautiful. As a result, we were forced to use administrative power to force the household owners to dismantle some of their illegal buildings. But, nowadays we couldnt force the people do something against their will. Thats why we now deem it necessary to have a special mechanism to manage the old Hoi An Town. We hope in the third quarter of 2018 we will have the written mechanism available for the Quang Nam Provincial Peoples Committee to submit to the Prime Minister for approval. We hope that when the special mechanism to manage the Hoi An Town is available, well have a strong and effective tool to run the town for the benefit of our people and of the tourists, while still being able to preserve the ancient town Many people have complained that the newly built tall hotels and restaurants have destroyed the beauty of an ancient Hoi An town. How do you respond to their complaints? Im sorry to say there are some contradictions between Hoi Ans regulations with the national laws and regulations. For example, in Hoi An, if an enterprise wants to build a hotel, it must follow certain rules applied to ancient cities, particularly regarding its height, the number of rooms it has, and more. But legally speaking the project owner needs only to follow the national construction law, this has caused some problem for us. This is something we have to seek recommendation from Quang Nam Provincial Peoples Committee about, to create a harmonisation between the local legal regulations and the provincial law to avoid any contradictions that might occur. Will Hoi An find a way to harmonise the local rules with the national law? This is a tough issue. Some of our local rules mis-match with the provincial regulations. But for the sake of the towns development, and the fact that they have brought about great effects in real life, we have received support from the provincial authorities. However, things cant go that way forever. We need strong and effective legal tools that will help us to run the town in line with the national law. Many visitors coming to Hoi An have had a feeling that the city is too small and it needs better planning to conserve the old quarter while enlarging the new areas to meet the citys development needs. How do you respond to their suggestions? I agree with them. I have to admit that until now, Hoi An has not yet got any long term strategic plan. The Hoi An Peoples Committee has signed a contract with a Japanese Company to develop a long term plan on its path of development. Hoi An town was upgraded to a city in 2008, and as such it needs a comprehensive plan to encompass the citys long term development. When such a master plan is available, the old Hoi An quarter, with more than 1,000 houses, will become protected from any negative impacts from the outside._ VNS HA NOI The latest indicators of climate change and rising sea levels in Viet Nam suggest that the country is at risk in the near future. These were the concerns raised with young people on climate change in a discussion jointly held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), the HCM Communist Youth Unions Central Committee, the National Economic University and the French Development Agency (AFD) in Ha Noi on Tuesday. Tang The Cuong, head of MoNREs Climate Change Department, said Viet Nam was one of the countries most affected by the consequences of climate change. The phenomenon of extreme weather has had a negative impact on production, destroyed infrastructure, and taken lives in many areas across the country, he said. The trend of storms, droughts, rising of sea levels, landslides and erosion was intensified in many parts of the country, especially in the mountainous and coastal areas, and in the Mekong Delta. Viet Nam will face risks that will affect peoples lives as well as the sustainable development of our country if we dont have comprehensive solutions to response to climate change, Cuong said. In 2008, the Vietnamese Government adopted a national strategy to respond to climate change, as well as a strategy for green growth from 2012. In order to achieve these goals, all parties and members of society, especially young people, need to actively participate in activities to combat climate change. Young people are the core of society, and decide the countrys future, he said. During the dialogue, the AFD and MoNRE announced the launch of the GEMMES Viet Nam programme, focusing on economic research on climate change. The programme will analyse the impacts of ecological disturbances and their interaction with financial risks. Special attention will be paid to the consequences of global warming and to the increased scarcity of extractive natural resources. GEMMES is thus a suitable tool for the political decision-making made necessary by the Paris Agreement (COP 21). AFD would work closely with the MoNRE and the National Committee on Climate Change to apply the latest research methods to analysing the economic effects of climate change, AFDs director, Fabrice Richy said. Accordingly, Viet Nam will be the first country in Asia to employ this programme. Managers, scientists and young people also discussed the reality and direction for a sustainable development in Viet Nam, as well as the need to change young peoples habits, and the way they engage with their surroundings, to combat climate change. The dialogue attracted thousands of students and young scientists from universities. VNS HA NOI The cyber security law should be built on a careful assessment of its impacts on businesses and ensure the development of information technology and telecommunications, according to experts at a workshop in Ha Noi on Tuesday. The draft law on cyber security is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for discussion at the end of this month. Nguyen Quang ong, an expert from the Institute for Policy Studies and Media Development, said the draft law could directly regulate and affect the rights and interests of three enterprise groups, including enterprises that produce and sell cyber security devices and technological solutions, enterprises that provide financial technology services and enterprises that provide digital solutions and services. We believe that the proposed regulations in the draft would increase operation costs of the mentioned enterprise groups, including compliance costs, licence and administrative procedures costs, he said. The draft law required enterprises to store data and information within Viet Nam, which had the characteristics of data localisation, he said, adding that this could hinder data flows between Viet Nam and other countries, and increase business costs for both domestic and foreign enterprises. The draft laws regulations on cyber security inspection and assessment require enterprises to suspend or stop selling their products in case such products affect cyber security. The regulation is unclear and may lead to serious risks of violations of legal rights and interests, according to ong. This was a critical issue and needed to be considered carefully as strict enforcement of such regulations would have profound impacts on the interests and operation of enterprises, he said. He stressed that the State, enterprises and users were the three key pillars ensuring cyber security. Participants also suggested the drafting committee should clarify the concept of the term critical information systems to national security. Concerning cyber security standards applied to enterprises information systems and organisations within the private sector, they recommended that solid standards should not be forced on all enterprises. Instead, regulatory bodies should require enterprises to disclose their cyber security standards to users and customers. In terms of approach to the law, they recommended developing the cyber security law in a way that problems can be addressed individually, instead of conducting a general cyber security law. The draft should be narrowed down and adjusted to regulate cyber security of public sector only. Equally, it is necessary to consider a separate law on data protection. At the workshop on cyber security, international experience and recommendations from multi-stakeholders in Viet Nam, participants also discussed the trend of global cyber security, the importance of cross-border data flows in Asia and the development of the digital economy. According to Jon Austin, Principal Solutions Architect of Amazon Web Services, security is not related to the physical location of the data. The internet is global so any system connected to the internet, directly or indirectly, is vulnerable to attacks. In todays world, cyber security is really about two things: the security of the physical infrastructure where data is stored and who owns and controls the data, he said. Lim May-Ann, Executive Director of the Asia Cloud Computing Association, said digital policies were often viewed with a risk-management lens, but regulators needed to move from this stance to one that facilitates economic growth by enabling cross-sectoral compliance and cross-jurisdictional interoperability. She recommended a holistic approach to policy design and regulatory co-ordination and accelerated progress in technical infrastructure. VNS HA NOI A humanitarian campaign was launched on May 8 to help poor fishermen in economic development and support them to maintain their fishing as well as protect the countrys sea and island sovereignty. The campaign, entitled Together for the sea and islands, was launched by the Viet Nam Red Cross (VNRC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the National Humanitarian Portal 1400. People can support the programme by texting BD to 1407 to June 26, 2018. Each mobile text message will contribute VN20,000 (85US cents) to the fund. We expect to mobilise at least 100,000 text messages or VN2 billion (US$88,500) from local and international donors, said VNRC President NguyenThi Xuan Thu. Thu said that all collected money and goods will be used to provide a medicine box, training course on first aid and provide free health check-up and medicine to poor fishermen in coastal provinces of the country. The campaign will also donate communication equipment to help fishermen following weather information and alerts as well as to provide livelihood loans to help poor fishermen in production shift and economy development, according to Thu. At the event, the Ha Noi Red Cross Society donated VN1 billion and the Mecom Marine Equipment JSC. also donated 10 aqua products exploitation recorders to the campaign. VNS QUY NHON An international conference with the theme Science for Development is taking place in Quy Nhon City, central province of Binh Dinh on May 9-10. The event, which is hosted by the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE), will discuss the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as its future perspectives seen from the world of science, technology and innovation. Speaking at the opening ceremony Prof. Tran Thanh Van, founder of Rencontres du Vietnam (Meeting in Vietnam), a for-science initiative which aims at connecting Vietnamese and Pacific-Asian with their colleagues in the West, urged participants to discuss the role of science in sustainable development. Chief economist and Executive Director of the Research and Knowledge Directorate Gael Giraud from the French Agency for Development (AFD) said the conference would provide a rare opportunity for economists and scientists to sit down together to find solutions to issues such as climate change, which requires an interdisciplinary approach. Elisabeth Barbier, deputy director general of the French National Research Institution for Development (IRD) urged Vietnamese policy-makers to include and encourage female scientists to take part in tackling the countrys issues such as pollution and waste treatment. The conference is a follow-up of another international conference themed "Fundamental Science and Society, which was held in July at the centre and part of a series of gathering by scientists, diplomats and policy makers in Viet Nam. Two hundreds distinguished scientists from all over the world and Viet Nam including Nobel prize winners economist Gerardt Hooft and physicist Finn Kydland, are attending the conference and its various round table discussions, which are scheduled to take place on Thursday. Topics for round-table discussions include the social and economic impact of science and its relations with policy making and industrial revolution 4.0, mechanisms that link science to development and how investment in science and solve various development issues faced by countries around the globe. This years conference will mark the 25th anniversary of the foundation of Recontres du Vietnam. French ambassador to Viet Nam Bertrand Lortholary, deputy minister of science and technology Chu Ngoc Anh were among the participants at the event. The ICISE was founded by Prof. Tran Thanh Van and his wife Prof. Le Kim Ngoc in 2013. The centre has been the chosen venue of a dozen international conferences and a gathering place for thousands of scientists, most notably 12 Nobel laureates, two Fields winners and two Kavli Award (the highest distinction in the field of astrophysics) winners. VNS HAI PHONG Two container trucks going in the same direction crashed into each other and exploded on Nguyen Binh Khiem Street in coastal Hai Phong City at around 3am on Wednesday morning. Two persons sitting in the cabin of one of the trucks died on the spot, while the driver of the other truck suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital. Hai Phong Police could not recover the bodies as the blaze from the explosion totally destroyed the truck with the registration number 15C 18495. The accident took place in front of SOS School and Hermann Hai Phong High School. It also damaged 300 solid road barriers and caused traffic congestion on the route for hours as hundreds of trucks were heading to Hai Phong Port. Local authorities started removing the damaged trucks from the road late Wednesday morning. VNS SON LA Song Ma District General Hospital in northern Son La Province received 191 patients suffering from food poisoning from late Monday to Tuesday evening. The patients fell ill after attending a wedding party in the district on Sunday. Hoang Lan Phuong, vice director at the hospital, said all the patients had the same symtoms, including diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. They received water transfusion and their condition was better, Phuong said, adding no one was critical. By Tuesday evening, 45 patients were discharged from the hospital. According to the patients, they were served boiled/grilled beef and pork, alcohol and sticky rice at the wedding. VNS NGHE AN Two persons suspected of forgery were detained by the investigative police in the central province of Nghe An on Tuesday. Nguyen Thi Huong, 62, and her son Tran ang Khuong, 35, are facing legal proceedings for creating fake seals and forging documents of government agencies, businesses and schools, Thanh Nien (Young People) online newspaper reported. Some 283 fake seals were confiscated from the suspects home in Vinh City, including those of the Ministry of Public Securitys Investigation Agency, Nghe An Public Security Agency and some district police divisions. The police also confiscated three laptops, two colour scanners, one photocopier and other tools used for forgery. Huong said she had agreed to forge documents and certificates at VN300,000-800,000 (US$13-35) each. She was earlier sentenced to two years imprisonment for forgery in 2016, but the sentence was suspended. VNS HA NOI Companies importing vaccines have reported the supply of rabies vaccines this year is sufficient to meet the needs of the people, a representative of the Drug Management Administration under the Ministry of Health has said. The Administration was worried about a potential shortage of vaccines, due to the increased need to vaccinate early in the year to prepare for the summer months. Importers also voiced concerns about the fluctuating price of vaccines, and a dwindling global reserve. According to the administration, four types of rabies vaccines were granted permission for circulation in Viet Nam this year. In order to ensure the adequate and timely supply, the administration has requested city and provincial health departments take direct control of vaccination units in their localities, and prepare them to reserves in case of an emergency. City and province authorities have been given orders to work with a variety of importers to ensure they have a constant source of rabies vaccines in the event of a short term supply shortage. Vaccination units at risk of running out of supplies should actively contact the importers and have more sent to them. The administration also noted that hospitals and health centers must ensure they are stocked up, and should have a contingency plan in the event of a shortage. The Health Ministrys statistics revealed that 18 deaths from rabies were reported nation-wide in the first four months of this year. The cause of all reported deaths was recorded as being from neglect of the wound post-bite. All cases occurred in rural areas where it is less common for dogs to be vaccinated against rabies, and where peoples lack of awareness leads to improper treatment. The outbreak of rabies in domestic animals mostly occurs during hot summer weather, from May to August every year, and most cases of death from rabies were due to victims not seeking vaccination post- bite, according to doctors. There is no specific treatment for rabies, however, the disease can be prevented with the rabies vaccine and serum. To actively prevent rabies, the Ministry of Health recommended that people bitten by dogs must immediately wash their wounds with clean water and soap continuously for 15 minutes, then continue to wash the wound with alcohol. It is also important not to cover the wound, and to visit the nearest health centre for first aid vaccination. People should absolutely not use herbal medicine, or any kind of self-treatment, doctors warned. Three deaths from rabies were reported this year in Lao Cai Province due to neglect of post-bite vaccination. Lao Cai Provinces health department reported that from the beginning of this year to April 15, a total of 1,020 people who had been bitten by a dog or cat were vaccinated. Nguyen Van Suu, director of Lao Cai Provinces Disease Control Centre said that the characteristics of climate in the highland area is complicated, and ethnic minority people still keep to the habit of raising dogs and cats in a free-range manner, thus the risk of domestic animals being infected with the rabies virus is very high. The likelihood of the virus spreading to the surrounding area is also very high. At present, there are over 10,000 domestic dogs and cats in Lao Cai Province. Of these, a large number have not yet been vaccinated. They remain a serious source of infection, Suu warned. The center is developing free post-bite vaccination plans for those who are poor, and for children under the age of 6, as well as health workers who are infected by rabies while on duty. The Central Highlands province of Kon Tum reported four deaths from rabies in the first three months of this year. All cases of rabies have begun with symptoms such as agitation, fear of wind, fear of water, and convulsions of the body. Among four deaths, three were children aged from 6 to 11. They were bitten by dogs, two to three months before the onset of illness, and all four died without post-bite vaccinations and follow-up procedures. In 2017, 74 people died of rabies in Viet Nam. The disease causes around 70-90 deaths every year, according to the Ministry of Health. Dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths, contributing to up to 97 per cent of all rabies transmissions to humans. VNS WASHINGTON President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark deal curbing Irans nuclear programme and reimposed crippling sanctions on Tuesday, defying European pleas and prompting international outcry. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord, describing it as an "embarrassment" to the United States that does nothing to contain Irans nuclear ambitions. "I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump said in an address to the nation from the White House. Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations,Trump called for a "new and lasting deal." That grand bargain, he said, would have to include not just deeper restrictions on Irans nuclear programme, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. "We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement," he claimed. "We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction and we will not allow a regime that chants Death to America to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth." It remains far from clear if the international community, or Iran, will play along. Irans President Hassan Rouhani whose standing at home now risks being undermined by the deals collapse was furious, accusing Trump of "psychological warfare". Trumps onerous demands and his warning that Iranians deserve better than their current "dictatorship" will only heighten suspicions his ultimate goal is regime change. "If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before," he warned. Foreign adventures Hawkish US officials believe that after 38 years in power, Irans clerical regime is substantially weakened by domestic economic pressure, changing demography, public demonstrations, and costly foreign military adventures. The decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders, repeatedly and in person, begged the mercurial US leader to think again. In a joint statement, Germanys Angela Merkel, Britains Theresa May and Frances Emmanuel Macron voiced their "regret and concern" at Trumps decision. European firms doing business in Iran now have a six month deadline to wind up investments, or risk US sanctions, Trumps hawkish advisor John Bolton warned, while ruling out talk of reconsideration. "Were out of the deal. Were out of the deal. Were out of the deal," he said. Washingtons new ambassador to Berlin, Richard Grenell, said on Twitter: "US sanctions will target critical sectors of Irans economy. German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately." And Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin made it clear that Washington was acting "under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities," meaning that European firms with investments or operations in the United States could be targeted if they continue to trade with Iran. In a sign of the depth of European displeasure, plans are already being drawn up in Brussels to introduce measures blocking US sanctions, an extremely rare move against an allied government. While Irans arch foes in Israel and Saudi Arabia welcomed Trumps decision, signatories to the existing deal vowed to plow ahead without the United States. The European Unions chief diplomat Federica Mogherini, who helped oversee the accord, insisted it was "delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesnt develop nuclear weapons." "The European Union is determined to preserve it," she added. Trumps decision offers him a domestic political victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise and underscoring his no nonsense political brand. Bold decision But the long term impact for American foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Former US president Barack Obama whose administration inked the deal made a rare public criticism of his successor, describing Trumps decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal as "misguided" and a "serious mistake". "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers." In contrast, Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who last week released a trove of intelligence on a pre-2003 Iranian plan to develop a nuclear weapon which Trump cited approvingly in his speech, was overjoyed. "Israel fully supports President Trumps bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal," Netanyahu said, in a televised address. Shortly after, Syrian state media reported nine pro-government fighters were killed in an Israeli missile strike near Damascus, where Iranian proxies are known to operate. Israel had already opened bomb shelters and put the military on high alert in case of attack from the Iranian forces deployed in Syria in defense of Bashar al-Assads regime. AFP KUALA LUMPUR Malaysians went to the polls on Wednesday in one of the countrys closest ever elections which pits scandal-hit Prime Minister Najib Razak against his one-time mentor, 92-year-old former authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad. Najib is seeking to retain power at the head of a regime that has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957, but veteran ex-leader Mahathirs shock comeback has upended the election race. Angered by a massive financial scandal that has tarnished Malaysias international image, Mahathir has teamed up with an alliance of parties that opposed him when he was in power, and which includes jailed opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim his former nemesis. Najibs ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition is seen as likely to win due to an electoral system that critics say is heavily stacked in their favour, but analysts predict the government will lose the popular vote for the second consecutive election. Under the Malaysian system, a simple majority of MPs in parliament is required for victory, rather than the popular vote. The race is expected to be tight however. The opposition alliance has gained ground in recent weeks as Mahathir, who ruled with an iron fist for 22 years, has chipped away at the governments key support base, the Muslim Malay majority. Long queues were forming at voting centres across the country, which opened at 8:00 am (0000 GMT). They were due to close at 5:00 pm (0900 GMT) with results expected on late Wednesday or in the early hours of Thursday. Lim Kok Tong, a 43-year-old voter in the capital Kuala Lumpur, said he was "hoping for change". "When governments realise that they can be replaced, they will be attentive to their citizens," said the voter from the countrys sizeable ethnic Chinese minority, who typically support the opposition. In the northern city of Alor Setar, former civil servant Jaafar Hassan, 69, said he had voted for the ruling coalition. "I know Mahathir. He is a good man but he has become arrogant this is his biggest mistake," he said. Under pressure Najib is under pressure to score an emphatic win after the government lost the popular vote for the first time at the last elections in 2013, and observers say his position as prime minister could be under threat if he does not do well. Voters in the multi-ethnic country have become increasingly disillusioned by divisive racial politics, the rising cost of living and graft scandals. The controversy surrounding state fund 1MDB has only added to Najibs woes. Billions of dollars were allegedly stolen from the fund, which was set up and overseen by Najib. The leader and 1MDB deny any wrongdoing. But in rural areas the rising cost of living is the main concern, and has hit poor Malays hard, particularly after the introduction of an unpopular sales tax in 2015. Najib, from the countrys revered ethnic Malay nobility, voted in his constituency of Pekan and said the election had been "quite vicious". "The most important thing is for people to decide on the destiny of this nation, and it must be based on facts," the 64-year-old told reporters. Critics have raised the alarm about alleged manipulation of the system to tilt the poll in BNs favour through a redrawing of electoral boundaries which created constituencies packed with Malay voters, who traditionally back the government. The opposition was increasingly targeted as the campaign heated up, with police launching a probe into Mahathir for allegedly breaking a controversial new law against "fake news" after he claimed a plane he chartered was sabotaged. In an eve-of-election address, Najib promised tax exemptions for the young and more public holidays if his coalition wins while in a rival speech, Mahathir urged voters to dump a government that he says has "destroyed" Malaysia. Najib has countered Mahathirs attacks by focusing on the ex-leaders own authoritarian track record while in office. Some 15 million voters have been registered to vote at the election and 222 parliamentary seats are being contested. AFP ACAPULCO A candidate for state legislature in Mexicos upcoming elections was shot dead, authorities said on Tuesday, at least the sixth politician murdered in the past 10 days in what has become a blood-soaked campaign. Abel Montufar Mendoza, a mayor who was running for a legislative seat in the violent state of Guerrero, was found dead inside his car in the city of Ciudad Altamirano, said Roberto Alvarez Heredia, the states security spokesman. "We have confirmed that it is the state legislature candidate Abel Montufar Mendoza," who was running for the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Alvarez said. The candidates body was riddled with bullets and naked from the waist down, said a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity. At least six candidates for the July 1 general elections have now been murdered since April 29 in various incidents around the country. Dozens more have been murdered since election season opened last September. Public safety is one of the biggest issues of the campaign, after Mexico registered a record 25,000 murders last year. Mexico is awash in violence linked to its powerful drug cartels. Since the government deployed the military to fight drug trafficking in 2006, the country has registered more than 200,000 homicides, though the statistics do not track how many were linked to organised crime. AFP By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 07, 2018 | 10:38 AM | MAYFIELD, KY A Brookport man already facing a death sentence in Ohio will make a court appearance in Graves County next year.Graves Circuit Judge Tim Stark on Monday continued the case against Terry Froman until May 7, 2019. Froman faces a murder charge in the 2014 death of 17-year-old Eli Mohney. Police say Froman killed Mohney at his Mayfield home before kidnapping Mohney's mother and Froman's estranged girlfriend, Kim Thomas. Froman shot and killed Thomas in Ohio later that same day. Last June, Froman was found guilty of Thomas' death in Ohio and received the death penalty. He's facing the death penalty for Mohney's death in Kentucky. A Wetzel County favorite festival, Chili Fest, has been taken under new ownership, according to Sharon Thomas, Executive Director of the Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce. Chili Fest, formerly a product of the chamber, has been transferred to the Wetzel County Convention & Visitors Bureau, also known as Visit Wetzel County. This is a very positive transfer, Thomas said. She noted the Chili Fest has been happening for 18 years and has outgrown the chamber. The CVB stepped in and said they would help, she said. She noted Robby Parsons, of Visit Wetzel County, will be doing amazing things for the event. Thomas noted several county festivals and organizations began under the chamber Grow Local Go Local, Festival of Trees, and the Wetzel County CVB itself. GLGL and Wetzel County CVB each became entities themselves, while the Friends of Wetzel County took the Festival of Trees under its umbrella last year. Thomas said the chamber wants to bring its focus to more business-related endeavors. For instance, the chamber is currently discussing the possibility of a black-tie function in 2019. This function would honor businesses and include a motivational speaker. The chamber is also continuing its endeavor of bringing vocational programs to the county. More details on such programs are expected to be released in the coming weeks. The chamber also regularly organizes Business After Hours, as well as Lunch & Learn programs. And while the chambers focus shifts to business and job-creation, it still holds ties to community events as well. The chamber is hosting its annual Community Awards event at the Mollohan Center on May 15. The event is perhaps the chambers most popular event as it honors local residents and their accomplishments in business, education, and citizenship. Other community events include the Pay it Forward, Christmas Parade, Christmas Activities, and Christmas Decoration Contest, while other business-related endeavors include Small Business Saturday promotions and Entrepreneur Pitch. Residents are also urged to mark their calendars for June 7, the chambers second State of Wetzel County breakfast. The event will be held at Genesis Healthcares New Martinsville center. The cost is $10 per person, and the event will feature the following speakers: Lisa Heasley, Wetzel County Commissioner; Larry Tackett, WVNCC Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development; Jerry Mullins, Westlake Plant Manager; Jason Hamman, Economic Development Director for Monroe County, Ohio; Charles Clements, WV State Senator. And in other chamber developments, Thomas stated the chamber has become an endorsing organization for the Chamber Association Benefit Plan, which may offer lower Health Plan premiums. Businesses or organizations that are members of the chamber are eligible to apply for the Health Plan insurance through Wetzel Valley Agencies or City Wide Insurance, to enroll employees for health care at a group rate. And while the chamber just finished assisting Senator Joe Manchins career fair at Paden City High School, Thomas said the chamber would also be sponsoring the New Martinsville Job Fair, to be held at New Martinsville United Methodist Church on June 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those interested in any of the chambers programs and offerings are asked to call the chamber at 304-455-3825, or e-mail chamber@wetzelcountychamber.com past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 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28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Yesterday, we had revealed that the success meet of Allu Arjuns Na Peru Surya will be held on the 10th of this month in a grand way and Pawan Kalyan will be the chief guest. The latest we hear is that the event will be held in Taj Deccan hotel in Hyderabad from 5 pm tomorrow. This event is being awaited especially by the fans who are eager to see Bunny and Pawan on the same platform. Vakkantam Vamsi directed this film which had Anu Emanuel as the female lead. Articles that might interest you: As San Francisco's night club hub and host to the all-things-go Folsom Street Fair, South of Market has an unmistakable left-of-center atmosphere about it. Today, of course, SoMa is also a posh, upper-middle-class borough and tech centralthanks to a startup culture that began so quaint in South Park and has now gone bananas with the rise of the Transbay Terminal and Salesforce Towerbut it wasn't always so. Though now you can easily drop 20 bucks on a sandwich and a craft kombucha at the local street food cart, the history of the neighborhood is, shall we say, more down to earth, where industrial pioneers mingled with starving artist types. Historically speaking, SoMa is essentially a byproduct of California's Gold Rush: a tent city erected with literal sticks and stones for the purpose of sheltering thousands of would-be gold miners. Throughout much of the mid-19th century, SoMa remained a home for refugees, albeit evolving into a more permanent pioneer community made up of spacious residential buildings to house the mostly Western European immigrants, primarily displaced Jews. Like the miners before them, they were rich in optimism but short on cash, and so settled in the 'hood that boasted a low cost of living (which is hardly the case today). By the end of the 19th century, the advent of cable cars showered shouldering Market Street and Nob Hill with newfound opulence but SoMa, meanwhile, became a heavily industrial development due to its proximity to the docks of the bay. The neighborhood clung to its atavistic European roots, becoming a communal touchstone for the city's working-class communities. At the time, the 'hood was known as South of the Slots, referring to the area south of Market Street's cable cars; the name South of Market wasn't popularized until the mid-1950s. Then the Big One of 1906 brought SF to its knees and SoMa, among the city's hardest hit neighborhoods, was completely leveled. Hundreds of people died, and the various cultural institutions and residential buildings that fostered SoMa's communal, inviting spirit were reduced to rubble in just 50 seconds. But like a Phoenix rising, SoMa came roaring back in the latter parts of the 20th century. The neighborhood's remaining inhabitants, along with engineers and city planners, championed the preservation of the area's industrial and creative heritage. The SoMa we see today is a melting pot for the arts (home to SFMOMA, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and the Museum of the African Diaspora), gay culture, tech, and more. (Never mind the overpriced lunchtime fare.) Take our slideshow tour of some of the most prominent street art in SoMa, and at the neighborhood's edges, that reflect its diverse, imaginative, and communal history. Prostate cancer Market Universal Prostate Cancer Report examines the market position and viewpoint of the market globally, from various angles, such as key players, geological regions, by component, Market Dynamics, Drivers, and Technology Trends & Assessment. And also cover the other information such as Prostate Cancer Market trends, Prominent players, chapter-wise Description followed by various user perceptions and Forecast till 2027. Prostate Cancer Market Scenario: Prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer and affects the prostate gland of the male reproductive system. The global prostate cancer market is anticipated to grow at a stable CAGR during the forecasted period owing to the creation of antecedents for its growth. Prostate cancer Market Drivers: Growing screening and incidence of prostate cancer coupled with the growing awareness are the prime drivers of the market. According to the American Cancer Societys 2018 prostate cancer estimates, about 164,690 new cases of prostate cancer accounting to 29,430 deaths are likely to occur in the U.S. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men after lung cancer with approximately 1 man in 41 dying of prostate cancer or its complications. The growth in risk factors such as genetic predisposition, aging, smoking, alcoholism, and others are feeding the market as older population, and African-American men have a greater propensity of developing it. Almost 60 % of cases of prostate cancer occur in men aged 65 or older. To get sample copy of Report Click Here @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1580 . The development of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and development of drugs such as 5-reductase inhibitors are other drivers of the market. The high 5-year survival rate of 99 % has ensured high expenditure to control prostate cancer. The shift of prostate cancer to the developing world is represented by the fact that it is the most common cancer in males in 85 countries, thereby assuring a large market. Prostate cancer Market Major Vendors: Some of the leading players in this market are OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (US), OncBioMune Pharmaceuticals Inc. (US), Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Bayer Pharma AG (Berlin), Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (US), TOLMAR Inc. (US), and others. Restraints: The slow growth and dormant nature of prostate cancer and confined nature which may not cause serious harm or complications hamper the market. Some prostate cancer types need minimal or no treatment, which further constrains the market. The side effects of and risks and the high cost of treatment coupled with curative treatment such as prostatectomy is another deterrent to market growth. Prostate Cancer Market Segments: The report has been segmented by product type, end users, and regions to develop a detailed view of the global prostate cancer market. Based on product type, the market is segmented by targeted therapies, hormone therapy therapeutic vaccines, and others. Based on end users, the market is segmented by hospitals, clinics, and others. Based on regions, the market is segmented by North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Regional Analysis: The Americas led by the U.S. dominates the Global Prostate Cancer Market on account of the well-developed healthcare sector, high healthcare expenditure, and excellent insurance penetration. Europe led by Germany, France, and U.K. Accounts for the second largest market owing to well-developed healthcare infrastructure, large patient pool, and high per capita income. The Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region led by India and China owing to shift of the disease towards the developing region, huge patient population, growing income and developing economy. The Middle East & Africa market is anticipated to account for a moderate growth due to poor economic condition, poor healthcare penetration, and social conditions. The Middle East & Africa market is expected to be dominated by Gulf economies of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar. TOC of Prostate Cancer Market: 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 DEFINITION 1.2 SCOPE OF STUDY 1.2.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 1.2.2 ASSUMPTIONS & LIMITATIONS 1.2.2.1 ASSUMPTIONS 1.2.2.2 LIMITATIONS 1.3 MARKET STRUCTURE: 2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2.1 RESEARCH PROCESS: 2.2 PRIMARY RESEARCH 2.3 SECONDARY RESEARCH: 3 MARKET DYNAMICS 3.1 DRIVERS 3.2 RESTRAINTS 3.3 OPPORTUNITIES 3.4 MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS 4 MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS 4.1 PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL 4.2 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS 4.3 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS 4.4 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS 4.5 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES 4.6 INTENSITY OF RIVALRY 5. GLOBAL PROSTATE CANCER MARKET, BY TREATMENT 5.1 CHEMOTHERAPY 5.1.1 ANTIMETABOLITES 5.1.2 ANTHRACYCLINES 5.1.3 TAXANES 5.1.4 ALKYLATING AGENTS. 5.2 SURGERY & RADIATION THERAPY 5.3 TARGETED THERAPY 5.3.1 TYROSINE KINASE INHIBITORS 5.3.2 MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES 5.4 BIOLOGIC THERAPY 5.5 HORMONE THERAPY 5.5.1 ESTROGEN-RECEPTOR MODULATORS (SERMS) 5.5.2 AROMATASE INHIBITORS 5.5.3 OTHERS 5.6 VACCINES 5.7 OTHER 6. GLOBAL PROSTATE CANCER MARKET, BY END USERS & more. Browse Full Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/prostate-cancer-market-1580 . Key Questions Answered In This Report: What will the market size 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? 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. Media Contact Company Name: Market Research Future Contact Person: Abhishek Sawant Email: Send Email Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Address:Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar City: Pune State: Maharashtra Country: India Website: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/prostate-cancer-market-1580 Federal Budget 2018 R&D Incentive Program Changes Melbourne, May 9, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Environmental Clean Technologies Limited ( ASX:ESI ) (ECT or Company) is pleased to provide the following statement regarding provisions within the Federal Budget that impact the business.R&D Incentive Program ChangesThe 2018 Federal Budget released last night proposes changes to the R&D Tax Incentive program that aim to reform the program, targeting integrity and fiscal affordability.Of particular relevance to ECT are the changes that target companies with turnover less than $20M which propose to:1) Introduce a $4m annual cap on cash refunds2) Anchor the rate of off-set to the claimant's income tax rate for the year plus 13.5 percentage pointsThese changes, scheduled to be implemented on July 1st, 2018, were anticipated by the Company and while they generally represent a reduction in potential incentives for certain companies, these changes are not expected to result in a material change to ECT's ongoing R&D programs or proposed Indian project.Preparation for these changes has been pro-actively managed through the establishment of the Brevet R&D loan facility and the structure of the Master Project Agreement (MPA) covering the Company's Indian project, of which the details will be announced in due course.The changes will not come into effect until the fiscal year 2019 hence the current tax year's R&D tax offset refund remains uncapped.ECT Chairman Glenn Fozard, commented, "The Federal Government's R&D Tax Incentive program has been highly supportive, contributing more than AU$12M to our R&D expenditure since 2011. We expect to continue to receive ongoing support from this targeted program as we develop further innovations across our technology suite."Given our experience in this field we were also well prepared for changes of this type, pre-emptively structuring our R&D financing and Indian project to mitigate the impact of such legislative changes."ECT Finance - Equity Lending Facility (ELF)The Company is also pleased to advise it has received loan principal repayments of approximately $350,000 from ECT Finance (via ELF participants) and will continue to update shareholders as it receives these principal repayments in the future.About ColdryWhen applied to lignite and some sub-bituminous coals, the Coldry beneficiation process produces a black coal equivalent (BCE) in the form of pellets. Coldry pellets have equal or superior energy value to many black coals and produce lower CO2 emissions than raw lignite.About MATMORThe MATMOR process has the potential to revolutionise primary iron making.MATMOR is a simple, low cost, low emission production technology, utilising the patented MATMOR retort, which enables the use of cheaper feedstocks to produce primary iron.About the India R&D ProjectThe India project is aimed at advancing the Company's Coldry and Matmor technologies to demonstration and pilot scale, respectively, on the path to commercial deployment.ECT has partnered with NLC India Limited and NMDC Limited to jointly fund and execute the project.NLC India Limited is India's national lignite authority, largest lignite miner and largest lignite-based electricity generator.NMDC Limited is India's national iron ore authority.About Environmental Clean Technologies Ltd Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ASX:ECT) is in the business of commercialising leading-edge coal and iron making technologies, which are capable of delivering financial and environmental benefits. We are focused on advancing a portfolio of technologies, which have significant market potential globally. ECT's business plan is to pragmatically commercialise these technologies and secure sustainable, profitable income streams through licencing and other commercial mechanisms. The Trump administration's decision to end protections for hundreds of thousands of Central Americans and other immigrants came despite recommendations from career diplomats who called for the protections to be extended, according to findings from a congressional investigation. CNN obtained a copy of an analysis conducted by Senate Democrats into communications from State Department career employees. The analysis sought to determine how the recommendations from career employees diverged from the recommendations of the then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The analysis reviewed diplomatic cables from the US embassies in El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua -- countries that, combined, had hundreds of thousands of their citizens in the US under temporary protected status. That designation prevents the deportation of immigrants from countries suffering from conditions like natural disasters, epidemics and war, while giving them permission to work in the US. Most of those individuals had lived in the US upwards of 15 to 20 years. The cables from embassies in El Salvador, Haiti and Honduras all argued extending TPS for those countries would be in the US national interest. The cables also warned repatriating the hundreds of thousands of immigrants, and potentially their US-citizen children, could be a major security hazard. The cables argued forcing the immigrants to return to their home country puts them at risk of violence, recruitment and exploitation from rampant gang activity in Central America and Haiti. It could also jeopardize the ability of the national police in Haiti to be able to maintain security in the country, the cables argued. The cables also warned the move could actually fuel illegal immigration to the US, and could result in retaliatory measures that would undermine the US ability to partner with allies in the region to improve security and economic conditions there, which could in turn affect the US. When asked for comment on the analysis, the State Department told CNN, "We don't discuss internal deliberations." The Washington Post was first to report on the findings of the analysis. In spite of the findings, Tillerson recommended ending the TPS status for those countries and the Department of Homeland Security has done so. In fact, DHS has ended protections for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sudan in the past year, affecting more than 425,000 people, according to government data. The analysis corresponds with an internal DHS document, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, that showed the conditions in Haiti that triggered the TPS decision still exist. That country was ravaged by a major earthquake in 2010. However, the director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services recommended TPS status for Haitians be terminated anyway. New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement Wednesday he is asking the Government Accountability Office to do its own report on politicization of TPS decisions after the committee minority's review. "I will fight against this cavalier-recklessness that would jeopardize our national security simply to fulfill a campaign promise and pursue an agenda of mass deportation that tears families apart, and separates mothers and fathers from their U.S. children," Menendez said. "As the self-deportation deadline approaches for many of these TPS recipients, Secretary of State (Mike) Pompeo should immediately open a serious review process to determine whether he can formally reverse the wrongful recommendation to deny these families protected status." Butte County, Calif.Congressman Doug LaMalfa said it's been a few years since he last spoke to Sam Aanestad, and even though they were opponents in an election, he still has fond memories of him. "I was surprised and my sincerest condolences go out to Susan and his family there," Lamalfa said.. Sam Aanestad, a long-time Republican state legislator from Grass Valley, was 71-years-old when he passed away on Sunday following a lengthy illness. Family friend Barry Pruett would not elaborate on what sickness he was battling, but Congressman LaMalfa said he noticed Aanestad wasn't around as often. "I thought about him and wondered why I didn't see him at more events," he said. Aanestad was an oral surgeon, but he began a career in public service as a member of the Grass Valley School District Board of Trustees. He was later elected to the state assembly, and then in 2002 elected to state senate for two terms. "He always fought again to keep the budget in California as limited and on track as possible on spending, he did some good work on the veterans home issues for up in Redding there to try and keep that on track so it actually got built," he said. In 2012, Aanestad ran unsuccessfully against LaMalfa for congress. "We had differences, and then obviously we found each other on opposite sides of elections a couple cases where either endorsements or him actually running, " he said. LaMalfa admits that it did affect their relationship, but not for long. "Elections cause strains, they do, but it becomes cordial once you've gotten over that shock. There's some hurt feelings after an election but you try to let that go because who wants to keep that forever, right?" he said. Despite the politics, LaMalfa said his happiest memory with Aanestad was when he invited him over to his farm and together they harvested rice. "He was just like a kid smiling from ear to ear with a brand new giant hunk of a toy," he said. Aanestad leaves behind his wife Susan, three adult children, and grandchildren. Butte County, Calif.-- "It was coming down this canyon, sounded just like a freight train" said Butte Valley resident Mike Boggs. "My daughter and I were sitting and watching the smoke when it shifted over the top of the ridge and just marched straight down the mountain." said his wife Christie Boggs. It was ten years ago - and yet the Mike and Christie Boggs will never forget the day the Humboldt Fire came bearing down the ridge toward their Butte Valley home. They got to work, and fast. "I used my John Deer and started pushing fire lines around some houses around here," said Mike. "I would run with my four-wheeler and make sure nothing was burning, from house to house to house." "It took us 3 rigs and 2 hours to get horses, sheep and llamas out, they were crazy because of the fire and our anxiety didn't help either," said Christie. Boggs' tractor gave out, but help came just in time. "CDF strike team came rolling in a the right time and starting lighting back fires around everything," said Boggs. The Fire started out on June 10th, 2008. It burned southwest of Paradise and, and after day 1, some thought the worst was over. Then on day 2, the winds changed. "We watched it from that point over there, run up the hill, get on the flat, cross Skyway and in a matter of minutes it spotted on Nance Canyon and there was a big cloud of smoke and it was a totally different fire," said Jim Broshears, Emergency Operations Coordinator for the Butte Fire Safe Council. As hundreds of residents were ordered to evacuate, panic ensued. "There was no evacuation plan at all back then," said Mike Boggs. "We should have staged those evacuations one zone at a time," said Broshears, who had retired as Fire Chief in the town of Paradise just 2 years earlier. As the fire moved, it blocked one exit route after the next. "When the fire finally spotted across Clark we were down to Pentz," said Broshears. 87 homes, wiped out. 10 people were hurt. But in the aftermath? "A lot of learning experiences, and new changes that will improve our ability to evacuate should it happen again at that level," said Broshears. NEWS APP: DOWNLOAD OUR NEWS APP FOR LATEST UPDATES: iOS | Android The move is designed to help pension schemes in a range of jurisdictions benefit from their tax exempt status when investing in global equity strategies. AMX has added Common Contractual funds (CCFs) onto its platform to provide pension schemes, both in the UK and beyond, with access to global equity strategies in a tax efficient manner. A CCF is a tax transparent Irish pooled fund structure that enables look-through tax treatment. This allows tax exempt investors for example UK pension schemes to benefit from their tax exempt status when investing in global equities while retaining the benefits of a pooled fund structure. Pension funds could save as much as 20-40 basis points on a typical active global equity product via a CCF1. Oliver Jaegemann, global head of AMX, said: With a large proportion of UK pension schemes significantly invested in global equities, AMX identified a clear need to address the inefficiencies in how they were investing. Some schemes are simply unaware of the implications of withholding tax structures. In part, this is because more traditional fund structures tend to be opaque from a tax perspective. By launching CCFs on the AMX platform, we are giving investors access to the benefits of pooled fund structures, while protecting their tax status. For managers, the centralised process, reduced administrative burden and consistent, standardised reporting removes significant barriers to accessing CCFs. The introduction of CCFs is in line with our broader aim to deliver greater efficiency and transparency across the asset management industry. Allocations to global equities have been steadily rising, at the expense of the UK, and now represent an average of 61 per cent of total equity allocation Troy was appointed as interim CEO of NOW: Pensions in August 2017 having joined the firm in 2016 as CFO. Prior to joining NOW: Pensions, Troy held a number of key roles over a 15-year career with Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group including CFO UK Employee Benefits and Commercial Director, Latin America and Canada. A wholly owned subsidiary of ATP, one of Europes largest pension funds, NOW: Pensions is the UKs third largest auto enrolment provider with more than 1.6 million members and over 32,000 employers. It has over 600m in assets under management. Henrik Ramlau-Hansen, Non-Executive Chairman, NOW: Pensions Limited said: Troy has clearly demonstrated his credentials as CEO and shown strong leadership in recent months. The Board is looking forward to working with him as NOW: Pensions enters its next phase. Commenting on his appointment, Troy Clutterbuck said: With the significant investment and improvements we have made in processes, people and platforms we are very well positioned for the future. We have a strong business, built on a sustainable business model which entered profitability in April. I am proud of what NOW: Pensions has achieved so far and look forward to leading the business. The first ever Qatar Airways flight jetted into Cardiff Airport last week, marking the start of a new direct route between Wales and the Middle East. Guests on board included His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways; Roger Lewis, Chairman of Cardiff Airport; The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones; Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns and Her Majesty's Ambassador to the State of Qatar, Mr Ajay Sharma GCO. Passengers travelled on the inaugural flight from Hamad International Airport, Doha which was operated on the ultra-modern Airbus A350-900, whose wings are made in Wales. Going forward, the regular service will operate on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which offers a two-class configuration including 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class. To celebrate this momentous occasion, the aircraft was greeted with a traditional water salute while Only Boys Aloud welcomed the airlines Group Chief Executive with a rendition of Welsh songs at the aircraft steps. The airline has introduced a direct service to Doha, Qatar that will link Wales the South West of England to significant global markets across the world including Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Asia. Roger Lewis, Chairman of Cardiff Airport, said: This is a pivotal moment for Cardiff Airport, for Wales and the South West of England. The far reaching consequences of this service for passengers and businesses will be transformational. "I sincerely thank H.E., Mr Akbar Al Baker, for the trust he and Qatar Airways are placing in us. I am confident that the team at Cardiff Airport will deliver a world-class service with Qatar Airways for all of our passengers both visiting Wales and those travelling across the world. The critically important relationship between Qatar, Wales and the United Kingdom is substantially strengthened today." The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, said: I am delighted to welcome the first Qatar Airways flight from Doha to our capital city, Cardiff. The new direct service between Cardiff and Doha is a huge boost for Wales. It will open up Wales' links with the rest of the world and deliver new economic, leisure and travel opportunities for Welsh businesses and the people of Wales. Providing a direct route into the world's fastest growing hub airport, Hamad International, will also bring Wales closer to leading global markets such as India, China, Singapore and Australasia. Alun Cairns, Secretary of State for Wales, said: The first direct flight from Cardiff to Qatar plugs Wales straight into an area of massive investment and an airport with 150 onward destinations around the world. This is the fast track for Welsh companies doing business in the Gulf. Qatar is the UKs third largest export market in the Middle East and accounts for 35 billion of existing investment. Passengers disembarking from the first direct flight from Doha to Cardiff will get the unmistakable message that Wales is open for business. I think that before Andrew visited the Two Cities, Somali parents vaccinated their kids at around 90 per cent. But right now its 40, and that shows the fears impact and because of that you see a measles outbreak in the state of Minnesota. The states Somali Americans used to vaccinate their children more than other Minnesotans, but the rate fell, between 2004 and 2014, from 92 per cent to 40 per cent. Officials have linked this to visits paid to the community by anti-vaccine activist Andrew Wakefield and other campaigners, whose influence still reverberates. . The section of the community most affected by the outbreak that eventually infected 79 people, the same as for the whole of the US in any average year, were Somali Americans. The vast majority were children under 10 who had not been vaccinated. When health officials in Minnesota were confronted by the biggest outbreak of measles in decades, they knew that earning the communitys trust would be crucial. Here are some of Buncombes latest reports. Judge for yourself what his real agenda is. (On a personal note, having spent a summer in the hospital in Rugby, England after a car accident, I am aware that a surgeon in Britain is addressed as Mr. Dr. Wakefield in these stories is referred to as Mr. Wakefield, but I suspect that its done more to discredit him than to acknowledge his prominence as a surgeon in gastroenterology. No one in the media is interested in his findings as a GI doctor.) Buncombes real interest is discrediting ANYONE who dares to question the ever-expanding, unchecked vaccine schedule. He couldnt care less about what autism is doing to millions of children around the world, in fact, autism is barely mentioned in his reporting. Buncombe isnt interested in Wakefields research. Im sure hes never bothered to read Callous Disregard , the book in which Wakefield explained how he became involved in the most heated issue in pediatric medicine and what he learned about the MMR vaccine. Andrew Buncombe reports for the British newspaper, The Independent, and he is out to discredit Andrew Wakefield because Wakefield has refused to back down from his claim of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism and bowel disease in children. Andrew Wakefield: [Talking about his conversation with Donald Trump] "We went on to discuss the issue of the autism crisis in this country which is set to affect one in two children by 2032 according to the CDC's own data if nothing is done, if nothing changes. That's 80 percent of the boys in this country. There is a national crisis. By Anne Dachel Mark [Blaxill] stated You cant make America great with all these sick children and more coming. Trump shook his head and agreed. VIDEO Andrew Wakefield: [Talking about his conversation with Donald Trump] "We went on to discuss the issue of the autism crisis in this country which is set to affect one in two children by 2032 according to the CDC's own data if nothing is done, if nothing changes. That's 80 percent of the boys in this country. There is a national crisis. That's what he wanted to discuss. He said if he were to be elected, then he would do something about this." On more than 20 occasions, Mr Trump has tweeted about there being a link between vaccines and autism, something experts at the governments leading public health institute say is not true. He also repeated the claim during a Republican primary debate, a remark that was immediately dismissed as false by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Prior the election, Mr Trump met with four prominent anti-vaccine campaigners at a fundraiser in Florida disbarred British doctor Andrew Wakefield, Mark Blaxill, editor-at-large of the Age of Autism website, Gary Kompothecras, a chiropractor and Trump donor from Sarasota, and Jennifer Larson, an entrepreneur who has campaigned against the use of vaccines in her home state of Minnesota. The campaigners celebrated after Mr Trump won the election and met with another anti-vaccine campaigner, Robert F Kennedy Jr (son of Robert Kennedy who was assassinated in 1968). After news of the meeting emerged, Ms Larson wrote on the Age of Autism website: Now that Trump won, we can all feel safe in sharing that Mr Trump met with autism advocates in August. He gave us 45 minutes and was extremely educated on our issues. Mark [Blaxill] stated You cant make America great with all these sick children and more coming. Trump shook his head and agreed. Mr Wakefield was in 2010 found guilty by the UKs General Medial Council of three dozen charges including dishonesty and abuse of children, shortly after The Lancet medical journal retracted the 1998 study on which his claims about the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine were based. The magazines editor said at the time that statements in the article were utterly false. A decade earlier he had moved to Texas where he continued to promote his theories. Health officials in Minnesota believe he was partly responsible for a 2017 outbreak of measles, the worst in decades, among the Somali-American community in Minneapolis. He and other anti-vaccine campaigners met several times with members of the community, which was concerned about what it believed was an unusually high incidence of autism among Somali boys, something health officials said was not borne out by data. Asked about his meeting with the president, Mr Wakefield told The Independent: I met him once before the election, when he was running for the presidency. We had a meeting in Florida. We were there, four of us representing the issue of autism and its link to immunisation. Asked if was campaigning in America because his reputation had been wrecked in Britain, Mr Wakefield said: I was discredited in the eyes of those who wanted to see me discredited. In other words, those who had an interest in maintaining the status quo. I dont represent any of them. What I represent is the parents and the children who have been damaged. Is there a real case to answer? Absolutely. Do I believe vaccines cause autism? Yes I do. Is the problem equally as large in the US? Yes it is. May 4, 2018, UK Independent: Andrew Wakefield: How a disgraced UK doctor has remade himself in anti-vaxxer Trumps America It has been 20 years since the gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield co-authored a now notorious and debunked medical paper that claimed to have found a link between autism and the use of a common childrens vaccine. The paper, later retracted by The Lancet, helped lead to a drop-off in vaccination rates and an increase in outbreak diseases such as measles, not only in Britain and Europe, but in the US. The doctor was subsequently found guilty by the British General Medical Council (GMC) of three-dozen charges, including dishonesty and abuse of children, and struck off the medical register. Yet two decades later, Wakefield, unable to practice in the UK, has remade himself in Donald Trumps America, travelling the country to promote views experts say have had deadly consequences and seemingly finding an ally in the president. Wakefield remains defiant, even though the editor of The Lancet said statements contained in his 1998 study claiming a link between autism and the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, were utterly false and 10 co-authors issued a statement saying there was insufficient evidence to draw the conclusion the vaccine was not safe. I was discredited in the eyes of those who wanted to see me discredited. In other words, those who had an interest in maintaining the status quo, he recently told The Independent. Questions about Wakefields findings were first raised by a series of journalistic investigations in the early 2000s, and he was charged with professional misconduct by the GMC in 2006. Yet since Trumps election, Wakefields campaign has found fresh momentum. The president claimed during a 2015 Republican debate that the child of an employee developed autism after receiving a vaccine, asserting a link that has been stridently disputed by the British and US governments leading experts and numerous peer-reviewed papers. In the summer of 2016, Wakefield was one of four anti-vaccine campaigners Trump met for 45 minutes, and he also attended one of his inauguration balls after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. After he entered the White House, Trump is said to have considered appointing another vaccine skeptic, Robert F Kennedy, to head a commission to look into their safety. That idea currently appears stalled. Asked about his meeting with Trump, Wakefield said: I met him once before the election, when he was running for the presidency. We had a meeting in Florida. We were there, four of us representing the issue of autism and its link to immunisation. These stories arent the only attacks on Wakefield and Trump and their views on vaccine safety. Buncombe sees the political side of vaccines, the link to autism, and anyone who supported President Trump. December 29, 2017, UK Independent: One in three Donald Trump supporters believe vaccines cause autismso does the President elect At the same time, there is exhaustive scientific research that concludes that vaccines such as the MMR (Measles, Mumps, & Rubella) have no association with autism. Despite this, a new survey suggests that one in three supporters of Donald Trump believe vaccines do indeed cause autism. (Around one in five supporters of Hillary Clinton believe the same.) One reason for the high percentage of Mr Trumps supporters holding this erroneous opinion, may be the man himself. Mr Trump has repeatedly said he believes there is a link between vaccines and autism in children. Mr Trump was asked about this incident during a Republican primary debate in September 2015, and he repeated the claim. Indeed, he said the vaccines were causing an autism epidemic. At one campaign stop, Mr Trump spoke with leading proponents of the discredited link between vaccines and autism, including disbarred British doctor Andrew Wakefield, at a fundraiser in Florida. ScienceMag said Trump chatted with a group of donors that included four anti-vaccine activists for 45 minutes, according to accounts of the meeting, and promised to watch Vaxxed, an anti-vaccine documentary produced by Mr Wakefield. Mr Wakefield, who is now believed to live in Austin, Texas, was the lead author of a 1998 paper published in The Lancet which claimed to show a link between children who were given the MMR with autism and bowel disease. ____________________________________________________________________________ Andrew Buncombe, like all the unthinking members of the media, simply does what hes told. If he had any journalistic instinct to honestly cover this issue, hed do things like talk to the parents of the children in Wakefields Lancet study or read Wakefields book. He slammed the film, Vaxxed, without ever bothering to view it and tell us why its false. That kind of professionalism was suppressed long ago. All that matters is that Wakefield is WRONG and any name associated with him must also come under attack. Buncombes real mission is to keep telling us this over and over. Autism is left as curiosity, not worth discussing. Buncombe noted that one in three Trump supporters believes in a link between vaccines and autism, but he also mentioned that 20 percent of Hillary Clintons supports do also. Alas, this reporter failed ever look into anything except the views of experts who endorse vaccines for every child. Buncombe trashed Wakefield for his association with the Somali community in the Twin Cities. He told us about the measles outbreak among the Somalis, without once a mention of their autism rate of ONE IN EVERY 28 CHILDREN (and that was back in 2008) or ever contacting a Somali parent who believes their child was injured by vaccines. Theyre out there. Ive met with them. Buncombe heard Wakefields dire warning about the prospect of an autism rate of ONE IN EVERY 2 CHILDREN BY 2032, and he proceeded to question Wakefield about Trumps views on global warming, without even a pause to discuss this inconceivable number. Clearly Buncombe has his marching orders and they have nothing to do with journalism as we understand the term. Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism. Date: 18 December, 2017. Place: San Diego, State of California, United States. A few days ago, US Department of Defence disclosed a very interesting video about a strange incident that occurred in 2004 a few miles off the coast of San Diego, California. The footage shows two USAF F-18 jet fighters approaching a bright, unidentified craft which seemed to rotate. According to an article published on British newspaper The Independent, Commander David Fravor and Lieutenant Commander Jim Slaight were on a routine training mission 100 miles out into the Pacific when they were asked to investigate the object. The object had been detected appearing suddenly at 80,000ft by the USS Princeton, a Naval cruiser, which had been tracking mysterious aircraft for two weeks, the article states. Mr Fravor, one of the pilots who witnessed the UFO, affirmed that the object was about 40ft long, had no plumes, wings or rotors, and surprisingly outpaced their F-18s. I have no idea what I saw... It accelerated like nothing Ive ever seen, he claimed. The incident was investigated by the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Programme (AATIP), a US government programme created in 2007 with the purpose of studying reports of UFOs in the United States. However, the programme was cancelled in 2012 and the incident still remains unanswered. The pilots Navy superiors did not investigate any further and it remains unclear what the object was, says The Independent. The Pentagon said the AATIP closed five years ago when defence officials shifted attention and funding to other priorities. But it was less clear about whether officials continue to investigate claimed UFO sightings, it continues. It was determined that there were other higher priority issues that merited funding and it was in the best interest of the Department of Defence to make a change, explained Ms Laura Ochoa, Pentagon spokeswoman. The Department of Defence takes seriously all threats and potential threats to our people, our assets, and our mission and takes action whenever credible information is developed, she added. Draw your own conclusions For more information: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ufo-video-us-navy-tracking-pilots-footage-unidentified-object-a8116356.html Assyrian Tablets and the Lost City The Bassetki tell on the broad plain of the eastern Tigris with the Zagros mountains in the background. ( Matthias Lang/Benjamin Glissmann, University of Tubingen eScience-Center) Translations of Assyrian writings found by archaeologists from the University of Tubingen have yielded a secret lost to history: The place where the clay tablets were found -- Bassetki, in Autonomous Region of Kurdistan in Iraq -- appears to be the ancient royal city of Mardaman. This important northern Mesopotamian city is cited in ancient sources, but researchers did not know where it lay. It existed between 2,200 and 1,200 years BC, was at times a kingdom or a provincial capital and was conquered and destroyed several times. Archaeologists from Tubingen's Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Studies excavated the archive of 92 clay tablets in summer 2017. Headed by Professor Peter Pfalzner, the team is working at the Bronze Age site with Dr. Hasan Qasim of the Duhok Antiquities Department. The clay tablets date to the Middle Assyrian Empire, about 1,250 BC. The small, partly crumbling tablets have now been read painstakingly by the University of Heidelberg philologist Dr Betina Faist, who is cooperating as specialist for the Assyrian language with the archaeological project at Tubingen. She used photographs of the texts, which bit by bit shed light on the history of the city and the region at the time of the Middle Assyrian Empire. To the archaeologists' surprise, Dr. Faist was able to identify the find site as the ancient city of Mardama. As the cuneiform scripts show, it was the administrative seat of a Middle Assyrian governor. This reveals a new, previously unknown province of the empire, which straddled large parts of Northern Mesopotamia and Syria in the 13th century BC. Even the name of the Assyrian governor, Assur-nasir, and his tasks and activities are described in the tablets. "All of a sudden it became clear that our excavations had found an Assyrian governor's palace," says Pfalzner. A cuneiform clay tablet on the floor of the Assyrian governor's palace, and a broken ceramic vessel. ( Peter Pfalzner/University of Tubingen) At the same time, the translation reveals the location of the city named as Mardaman in Old Babylonian sources from around 1,800 BC, and which is likely to be the Assyrian Mardama. According to the sources, it was the center of a kingdom which was conquered by one of the greatest rulers of the time, Shamshi-Adad I, in 1,786 BC and integrated into his Upper Mesopotamian empire. However, a few years later it became an independent kingdom under a Hurrian ruler called Tish-ulme. A period of prosperity followed, but shortly later the city was destroyed by the Turukkaeans, people from the Zagros Mountains to the north. "The cuneiform texts and our findings from the excavations in Bassetki now make it clear that that was not the end," Pfalzner says. "The city existed continuously and achieved a final significance as a Middle Assyrian governor's seat between 1,250 and 1,200 BC." The history of Mardaman can be traced back even further, to the early periods of Mesopotamian civilization. Sources from the Third Dynasty of Ur, approximately 2,100--2,000 BC, portray it as an important city on the northern periphery of the Mesopotamian empire. The oldest source goes back to the Akkadian Empire, which is considered the first empire in history. It mentions that the city was destroyed a first time around 2250 BC by Naram-Sin, the most powerful Akkadian ruler. Discovery and unearthing of the vessel containing the Assyrian clay tablets in Bassetki. ( Peter Pfalzner/University of Tubingen) "The clay tablets of Bassetki make an important new contribution to the geography of Mesopotamia," the Assyriologist Betina Faist explains. This discovery may provide clues to the locations of other early cities in Mesopotamia, Pfalzner says. "Mardaman certainly rose to be an influential city and a regional kingdom, based on its position on the trade routes between Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Syria. At times it was an adversary of the great Mesopotamian powers. So the University of Tubingen's future excavations in Bassetki are sure to yield many more exciting discoveries." The Bronze Age city site of Bassetki was discovered in 2013 by archaeologists from the Tubingen collaborative research center 1070, ResourceCultures. The clay tablets found in 2017 had been deposited in a pottery vessel used as an archive, and had been wrapped in a thick covering of clay along with other vessels. "They may have been hidden this way shortly after the surrounding building had been destroyed. Perhaps the information inside it was meant to be protected and preserved for posterity," Pfalzner explains. Network Airline Management (NAM) and TAAG Angola Airlines the national airline of Angola have renewed their long-term freighter aircraft contract for a factory-built Boeing 747-400F with nose door. The freighter operated by NAM carries up to 120,000 kilos of oil-related and general cargo and continues its weekly scheduled service from Liege, Belgium, to Luanda. The agreement offers export capacity from Angola back to Europe with forwarding connections worldwide and trucking connections from all over Europe into the Liege hub, as well as interlining facilities from North America, Asia and the Indian sub-continent. Andy Walters, commercial director with NAM, said: We are delighted that TAAG has renewed our contract. I am confident that our strong focus on service quality and value-added solutions have been a significant factor and we are looking forward to continuing our long and successful partnership. Read more freighter operator news Share this story Posted on: May 9, 2018 1:21 PM The Synod of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia passed a resolution today which would allow churches in New Zealand to bless same sex relationships. Dubbed Motion 29, the resolution explicitly states that there should be no change to the Churchs teaching on the nature of marriage [which] is to affirm marriage as between a man and a woman; but says that individual bishops should be free to use provisions already within the provinces canons for a non-formulary service to allow for the blessing of same-sex relationships. The resolution also calls for changes to the canons so that no member of the clergy can face disciplinary action either for agreeing to bless such relationships, or for refusing to do so. The decision follows lengthy discussion in this years session of the Synod and in the previous two Synods, in 2014 and 2016; although Anglican Taonga, the news service of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, said that there had been earnest debate in the province for 50 years. In more recent years, the 2014 Synod called for proposals for the blessing of same-sex relationships. The province established the Way Forward group which came up with proposals at the 2016 Synod for new rites of blessing as additional formularies rather than doctrinal changes. But instead, the Synod voted to let the motion lie on the table with a firm expectation that a decision to move forward will be made at the 2018 Synod. Following the 2016 meeting, the province established a working group to explore structural arrangements that would allow people who hold differing convictions about same-sex relationships to remain together in the Church. It was the recommendations of that committee, that the Synod agreed today. The motion passed today was to accept the recommendations in the report and endorse in principle, for consideration, the proposed changes to the Constitution/Te Pouhere and Canons of the Church set out in the report, and in Bills 20-24. Further procedures will take place to give effect to the changes. The three Tikanga or cultural streams of the Church gave their assent to the motion; which was then put to a general vote by voices, before a request for a standing vote. This visibly confirmed that the motion, by a big majority, had been passed, Anglican Taonga said. By contrast to General Synod 2016, when the Way Forward report and its recommendations were shelved, the reaction to todays decision was, after a brief burst of applause, quite muted, Anglican Taonga reported. Sadness, perhaps, though, that despite the best efforts of the Motion 29 working group, some have said they can no longer stay in the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The move will not apply to the Diocese of Polynesia the provinces Tikanga Pasifika. In a separate motion, passed without dissent , the Synod said that it was deeply mindful of the deep interweaving of cultural and religious values at the core of our Pacific societies that place a profound respect, and reverence for the belief in God and the belief in the traditional understanding of marriage. The motion said that noted that the Pacific Island countries within the diocese Samoa, Tonga and Fiji do not recognise unions between people of the same gender; and said that a debate at the Polynesia diocesan synod had shown its members were opposed to the blessing of same-sex relationships. Despite opposition from the Diocese of Polynesia, the motion noted with appreciation that its members did not to be an obstacle in the journey of Tikanga Maori and Tikanga Pakeha [New Zealanders of European descent] towards the blessing of same gender relations in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Anglican Communion is a family of autonomous but interdependent Churches, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, said in response to the Synods vote. It is the formal view in the Communion that marriage is the lifelong union of a man and a woman and I am heartened that this resolution means there is no change in the central teaching on marriage in the province of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. There has been a long, prayerful process in the province in reaching this point with deeply-held convictions on both sides of the debate. I hope and believe that this resolution recognised that difference without division is possible. Note: The three tikanga in the Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia Tikanga Pasifika, Tikanga Maori and Tikanga Pakeha are cultural streams within the Province. The Church is unique in the Anglican Communion in having three equal-status Primates serving the whole church, but each with special responsibility for an individual tikanga. Within Aotearoa/New Zealand, the Tikanga Maori and Tikanga Pakeha overlap, with seven dioceses in Tikanga Pakeha, and five hui amorangi for Tikanga Maori. The boundaries of the hui amorangi differ from those of the dioceses. The Tikangas are cultural and membership is not based on race individuals can join churches in whichever Tikanga they choose. This story was updated on 10 May to include a response from the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, and a footnote to explain the three-Tikanga structure of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. Posted on: May 9, 2018 3:09 PM A group of South Sudanese expatriates living in the US have met to discuss obstacles and the foundations for reconciliation and peace-building in their native land. In a message to other ex-pats issued at the end of the conference organised by the American Friends of the Episcopal Church of the Sudans, they said: We realised our need for a stronger and more unified voice. And they are calling on other South Sudanese in North America to unite for peace. We sense that the time has come for us as South Sudanese in the North American diaspora to widen the dialogue among our communities, addressing our differences and fears in order to build bridges for peace, they said. Although we who participated this weekend had a powerful experience, our gathering lacked a full representation of our entire South Sudanese community. Until the diaspora speaks with a united voice, we cannot expect to be heard by the powers that are currently draining the life out of South Sudan. We urgently invite you to bring your bone and add the missing part to complete the South Sudanese diaspora as a force for peace. The statement described the meeting as a profound encounter in which we recognised both the burden of trauma that we share and the strength that comes out of our diversity. We explored the obstacles and the foundations for reconciliation and peace-building. We realised our need for a stronger and more unified voice. We now extend to you an invitation to be part of a stronger and unified voice for the conscience and heart of the entire South Sudanese diaspora in North America. We believe this is the time for a broader conversation to nurture a compelling voice that will lead to action for peace. We believe that we the South Sudanese communities in North America, like the dry scattered bones in the vision of the prophet Ezekiel, can receive new life when those distinct bones are knit together. The Bishop of Nzara, Samuel Peni, chairs the Episcopal Church of South Sudans commission for peace and reconciliation. Addressing the gathering, he said that the bishops in South Sudan like all people in the country are traumatised by years of civil war. We are the people who are traumatised, he said. We all traumatised everyone in our nation. This is true for our church leaders. All our bishops and pastors of all our denominations we are traumatised. How can we be advocates for our people if we ourselves are living in trauma? He said that the bishops of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan had been on retreat in Rwanda to learn from our sisters and brothers in that nation that had experienced a traumatic event and to seek healing. If we are not healed how can we bring healing to others? He added: We are ready to be advocates and we are ready for all to join us. Concluding his address, he said: We have work to do. We have to ask ourselves why our nation does not show Christian values when 80 per cent of our people declare themselves as followers of Jesus. We demonstrate corruption, violence and tribalism and all these are against the Christian way. We need to be united and we need the South Sudanese diaspora to speak with one voice, to act with great zeal and have the same goal for change to come in South Sudan. The Revd Canon Phil Groves, who led the Anglican Communions Continuing Indaba project for 10 years before returning to parish ministry in 2016, described the event as one of the most significant conferences I have ever attended. He was one of the facilitators for the conference, alongside Jane Namurye, the wife of Bishop Anthony Poggo, a former South Sudanese bishop who now serves as the Archbishop of Canterbury's advisor on the Anglican Communion. The conference itself looked at how the traumatised and fractious South Sudanese diaspora could break their cycles of victimhood and violence to become a reconciled and reconciling community, Canon Groves said. The final statement was remarkable. Through Indaba they also found an emerging leadership that may be able to make a long term difference to the diaspora in North America, and around the world. The warring parties in South Sudan are due to meet for a resumption of peace talks in Addis Ababa next week (17 May). This week, South Sudans first vice president, Taban Deng Gai, announced that he was rejoining the government and that his Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement In Opposition (SPLM-IO) had been dissolved. This will strengthen the hand of South Sudanese President Salva Kiir at the peace talks, but there are still a considerable number of other opposition groups; including those loyal to former Deputy resident Riek Machar. May 2, 2018BirdsCaribbean is delighted to announce that the Cargill Salt Ponds on the island of Bonaire have been named as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) site of Regional Importance. This is only the second WHSRN site in the Caribbean, following the Cabo Rojo Salt Flats in southwestern Puerto Rico. BirdsCaribbean was happy to collaborate with Cargill Salt Bonaire B.V., owners of the site, on the nomination of the Salt Ponds for WHSRN status. The process began with surveys during 2015. The privately-owned salt production facility in southern Bonaire consists mainly of artificial wetlands covering 2,700 hectares. These ponds fill up with brine shrimp, while brine flies cover the dikes running between them. For migratory shorebirds stopping over or wintering in the area, this is a delicious menu. The Caribbean is a vital link on the Atlantic Flyway, so the protection of sites such as these is critical. The WHSRN designates important habitats in the Americas with the aim of protecting and sustaining the regions shorebirds. Cargill Salt Ponds Bonaire is the 103rd site to join the network and the first site in the Dutch Caribbean. WHSRN sites cover nearly 15 million hectares (38 million acres) in 17 countries. The Bonaire site is also a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, and forms part of an Important Bird Area (IBA). This was a fantastic team effort that involved international and local partners, said Lisa Sorenson, Executive Director of BirdsCaribbean. We are grateful to the staff and volunteers from WILDCONSCIENCE, STINAPA Bonaire, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance, who worked so hard gathering data. Environment and Climate Change Canada provided major funding. We are also grateful to the U.S. Forest Service, International Programs and to Manomet for their assistance and support for the nomination. This WHSRN designation is especially good news for the endangered Red Knot. This sturdy bird is a long-distance traveler, flying up to 19,000 miles annually from the Arctic to southern Chile and Argentina. Like many of the seventy species of migrating shorebirds worldwide, this birds numbers are falling. The rufa subspecies has declined 80% over the last 20 years, while other species such as the Semipalmated Sandpiper have also seen major declines. The coastal estuaries, wetlands, rivers, beaches, and mud flats, where shorebirds stop and feed on their journeys, are disappearing due to development. Other threats to these fragile populations include predators, pollution, hunting, and the global impact of climate change. BirdsCaribbean surveys revealed that more than 20,000 shorebirds of 17 different species visit this large wetland complex every year, qualifying it to join the Network at the Regional level of importance. This large concentration of shorebirds includes at least one per cent of the worlds population of Short-billed Dowitcher and the threatened rufa subspecies of the Red Knot, further supporting the designation. The salt ponds support large numbers of several other species of migratory shorebirds, including Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, and Sanderling. Wintering and breeding populations of Snowy Plover use the site. One of the Caribbeans largest populations of American Flamingo nests in the area, which also nurtures Bonaires only known breeding spot for the Royal Tern. It has been a pleasure working with Cargill on this project, noted BirdsCaribbeans Sorenson. We could not have achieved this without their support. BirdsCaribbean looks forward to continuing to work together with Cargill and all the partners to monitor and manage the site for shorebirds. Counting birds at Cargill Salt Ponds (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Director, Human Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Ms. Myrna Bernard, said that the Thirty-Fourth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) had met its objectives. The meeting concluded at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana on Friday, 5 May. The Meeting opened at the Theatre Guild Playhouse in Georgetown, Guyana, on Wednesday. The opening included an unprecedented Thought Leadership Forum on the theme of COHSOD, Positioning Human Resource Development as Central to Caribbean Resilience and Development. According to Ms. Bernard, the delegates have agreed on an action plan (up to 2020) that contributes to the implementation plan for the Human Resource 2030 Strategy. According to Ms. Bernard, there was a breakout session where groups looked in specific detail at the plan. She said there was positive feedback and responses coming from the various groups on the action plan, and it has been agreed to by Member States. We have agreed on the major actions to be taken at the Region level by 2020. We have decided to focus on several areas including tertiary education, she said. She added that consideration was being given to the development of a mechanism for governance at the tertiary level as well as mechanisms for assuring the quality of tertiary education and the improvement of accreditation. She said they were looking at establishing a register of accreditation bodies that would periodically be reviewed, and Key Transformational Initiatives (KTIs), which would form the implementation plan were examined. Ms. Bernard pointed out that lead supporter of the Human Resource Development 2030 Strategy, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) had committed to providing a consultant to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the strategy. That is one of the things that will ensure that the plan doesnt sit on a shelf, she said. She added that the CDB had its own plan that dovetailed into the issues the HRD Strategy emphasised. During the meeting, the CDB gave its commitment to also continue its financial contribution towards the implementation of the Strategy. Other partners such as UNFPA,UNICEF, OAS, the Commonwealth Secretariat, ILO and ACTI have also pledged support in various areas. Speaking to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between FIFA and CARICOM, she explained that the Secretariat would not sign an MOU without first doing internal checks. She said there was an MOU in the works, and CARICOM had committed to work with FIFA, but an MOU had not yet been signed. Ms. Bernard said a high level of interest in the Strategy could be felt throughout the meeting and she believed that Member States, especially those going through their own education reform, were happy to be able to draw from it. I think in general it was a very positive meeting; persons made constructive suggestions and overall we are very pleased with the outcome, she said. (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Caribbean Community Foreign Ministers were this morning urged to advance the objectives of CARICOM by leveraging their voices as one to derive maximum benefits for the region. CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, speaking in Nassau, The Bahamas at the opening of the Twenty-First Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) said there was ample evidence to prove the Community benefitted when acting in concert on the international stage. What we do as a Community continues to make a difference. Just recently, we were successful in pressing the case of the undocumented British citizens of Caribbean descent long resident in the United Kingdom (the Windrush Generation). We have brought global attention to issues of non-communicable diseases, graduation from access to concessional financing, climate change and the vulnerability of Small States to name just a few, Secretary-General LaRocque pointed out. Noting that tackling a major global issue like migration, a topic for COFCORs retreat, required effective multilateralism and concerted action, he welcomed the United Nations Secretary-Generals Special Representative on International Migration, Her Excellency Louise Arbour, who will facilitate deliberations at the Retreat. Secretary-General LaRocque said other external challenges including blacklisting, the withdrawal of correspondent banking services, transnational crime, and the threat of violent extremism, must also be addressed by the multilateral system, rather than by individual action by countries or groups of countries in fora in which we have no voice. As the Foreign Ministers look at CARICOMs increased engagement in the hemisphere, he said of concerned was the reality that the major mechanisms and processes of inter-American political dialogue the OAS, the Summit of the Americas, CELAC, UNASUR, even the GRULAC coordinating mechanism for candidatures at the United Nations in New York are increasingly under strain, and in some cases have become dysfunctional. This Meeting will no doubt weigh the causes and the repercussions of this development, and its impact on the Communitys interests. However, it will also ascertain to what extent the Community is in a position to contribute to narrowing the divisions, Mr LaRocque stated. Reminding that the Community was still recovering from the climatic disasters of September 2017, which would take years and more than US$5 billion to rebuild, he noted that the start of this years hurricane season a mere 25 days away was predicted to be equally, or even more active than last years. Our charge, therefore, is to reduce vulnerability to these disasters and the effects of climate change by building a climate-resilient Community, Secretary-General told the COFCOR. He expressed the Communitys perpetual gratitude to partners who have supported affected countries in their efforts at recovery and building resilience. Such assistance is most welcome, Secretary-General LaRocque noted, particularly as most of CARICOM countries are denied concessional development financing due to the use of GDP per capita as a primary criterion for access to such funds. The Bahamas in particular suffered three consecutive years of significant damage by hurricanes amounting to more than half a billion US dollars, but is one of those countries affected by this denial of access, due to its categorisation as an upper middle income country. With the support of the United Nations Development Programme and the Commonwealth, among others, the Secretary-General said international financial institutions are beginning to consider vulnerability as a factor in providing development financing. This is essential if our countries are to successfully become climate resilient, he added. As the Community prepares for negotiations for a successor to the ACP-EU Cotonou Partnership Agreement, it must do so unified, he said. We must be prepared to advocate vigorously for our position for one ACP-EU Agreement containing Regional Compacts, but all negotiated at the All-ACP level. It is in our interest to promote the value of our three regions staying the course and negotiating as one. He noted also that the Community has been actively engaging with the United Kingdom with respect to their future trade relations to ensure that there would be no disruption following BREXIT. Technical exchanges are on-going and plans are being made for a Ministerial engagement with the UK before the end of 2018 in this regard, he added. Jude Scott, CEO of Cayman Finance, issued the following statement about a vote by the U.K. House of Commons to amend the proposed Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill to require public ownership registers in the Cayman Islands and other British Overseas Territories by December 2020: Caymans existing verified ownership regime remains in force and remains superior to existing ownership regimes in the U.K. and around the world. This vote simply continues the legislative process for potentially requiring changes to Caymans ownership regime more than two years from now, during which time there will still be on-going dialogue with the U.K. The House vote is a vain attempt to fight global problems like corruption and tax evasion by unfairly discriminating against a few jurisdictions requiring public registers from Overseas Territories but not Crown Dependencies, for example. Global problems require global solutions and standards that apply to all jurisdictions. The Cayman Islands is a transparent jurisdiction that already meets or exceeds the full range of globally-accepted standards for transparency and cross-border cooperation with law enforcement and tax authorities. Cayman became an early adopter of automatic data exchange by signing onto agreements such as the European Union Savings Directive, the OECDs Common Reporting Standard, U.S. FATCA, and country-by-country reporting principles under the BEPS process. The Cayman Islands also has had a world class verified ownership regime in place for more than 15 years whereas only eleven out of twenty-eight E.U. countries have a register at all. For all of those reasons, the OECDs Global Forum in 2017 assessed our jurisdiction to be largely compliant with the international standard for transparency and exchange of information, the same rating given Canada and Australia. The Financial Action Task Force has recognized that verifiable private registers like Caymans which are searchable by appropriate tax authorities and law enforcement agencies remain the more effective approach. Recent reporting about multiple defects in the UKs own current public, but unverified, register system prove the point. The House demonstrated a remarkable display of double standards by voting down a requirement to perform basic anti-money laundering checks on the hundreds of thousands of UK companies formed annually through Companies House in the UK. We are a long way from any change in Caymans existing verified ownership regime. The Cayman Islands financial services industry will support fully all actions taken by the Cayman Islands Government to assess its options for responding to this unjustifiable encroachment into matters within Caymans domestic competence. In the meantime, Cayman Finance notes the UK Governments explicit assurance that it will work with the Cayman Islands in shaping any implementation of this legislation; that the UK will respect the Cayman Islands constitutional rights; and its assurance that it will work with the Cayman Islands to protect its interests. Cayman Finance will support the Cayman Islands Government in ensuring that the UK delivers on these assurances in any proposals to make changes to the Cayman Islands globally endorsed existing Anti-Money Laundering regime and its highly successful, well-regulated and globally significant financial services industry. (ANSA) - Palermo, May 9 - Anti-mafia activists and ordinary citizens marched Wednesday to the Sicilian town of Cinisi to honor the 40th anniversary of the death of anti-Mafia activist Giuseppe (Peppino) Impastato. The march was organised by the 'memorial home' dedicated to the memory of Impastato and his mother Felicia, who fought tirelessly to have Cosa Nostra found guilty of her son's murder. Impastato, a leftist militant and radio jock, rebelled against his Mafia father in 1968 and courageously denounced a powerful and murderous nearby clan boss, Gaetano 'Tano' Badalamenti, who brutally killed Impastato and staged his death to look like he blew himself up while planting a bomb. Badalamenti was finally indicted for the murder 20 years later. The memorial home also organised a rally in the farmhouse in the countryside where Impastato was killed. Marchers also walked from the old offices of Impastato's Radio Aut Aut in Terrasini to his former home in Cinisi. "2018 is a very important year," said his brother Giovanni. "On the 40th anniversary of the mafia murder of Peppino Impastato we want to pass on the baton, involving an entire generation with his message, which was not only that of civic commitment and political struggle, but also an educational message for all the young people who still want to change the world". Giovanni Impastato later told students "these years have not been simple. We have consigned to you Peppino's story and memory. May you be able to inherit them". CGIL trade union leader Susanna Camusso said "free information is a weapon against threats". Impastato was the subject of a well-received book and film I Cento Passi (The 100 Steps), referring to the distance between Impastato's home and Badalamenti's. Badalementi, who died in a US jail serving 45 years for the Pizza Connection case in 2004, was convicted of the murder along with the mafioso who actually carried it out, Vito Palazzolo. Also Wednesday, Italy held ceremonies to mark Victims of Terrorism Day, commemorating the thousands of people who lost their lives at the hands of leftist and rightist militants during the so-called Years of Lead in the 1970s and '80s. (ANSA) - Palermo, May 9 - Anti-mafia activists and ordinary citizens marched Wednesday to the Sicilian town of Cinisi to honor the 40th anniversary of the death of anti-Mafia activist Giuseppe (Peppino) Impastato. The march was organised by the 'memorial home' dedicated to the memory of Impastato and his mother Felicia, who fought tirelessly to have Cosa Nostra found guilty of her son's murder. Impastato, a leftist militant and radio DJ, rebelled against his Mafia father in 1968 and courageously denounced a powerful and murderous nearby clan boss, Gaetano 'Tano' Badalamenti, who brutally killed Impastato and staged his death to look like he blew himself up while planting a bomb. Badalamenti was finally indicted for the murder 20 years later. The memorial home also organised a rally in the farmhouse in the countryside where Impastato was killed. Marchers also walked from the old offices of Impastato's Radio Aut Aut in Terrasini to his former home in Cinisi. "2018 is a very important year," said his brother Giovanni. "On the 40th anniversary of the mafia murder of Peppino Impastato we want to pass on the baton, involving an entire generation with his message, which was not only that of civic commitment and political struggle, but also an educational message for all the young people who still want to change the world". Impastato was the subject of a well-received book and film I Cento Passi (The 100 Steps), referring to the distance between Impastato's home and Badalamenti's. Badalementi, who died in a US jail serving 45 years for the Pizza Connection case in 2004, was convicted of the murder along with the mafioso who actually carried it out, Vito Palazzolo. Also Wednesday, Italy held ceremonies to mark Victims of Terrorism Day, commemorating the thousands of people who lost their lives at the hands of leftist and rightist militants during the so-called Years of Lead in the 1970s and '80s. Italian group VueTel to connect Africa and US 1 bn to expand wholesale voice and data services (ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 9 - VueTel has landed in the United States. The Italian firm specialising in international telcoms that has a market presence in North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa has given life to VueTel Usa, activating an exchange in New York that links the US to Africa. The operational headquarters are located in Holmdel, New Jersey, while the technical infrastructure is located in New York. The aim is to invest over 1 billion euros to expand its wholesale voice and data services. Following its US launch the group is now focusing on sprividing data and antifraud services based on principles of artificial intelligence, dedicated to large-size companies and corporations. The group has entered a market characterised by the presence of large players that often are not directly focused on Africa. The continent has seen a major growth in fixed and mobile connectivity. According to Internet World States data, the number of internet users has risen from approximately 4.5 million in 2010 to nearly 350 million in 2017. In Africa the group is present in Tunisia, where it has established the local company ''VueTelSi'', Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Benin, Togo, Niger, Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Angola. (ANSAmed). DEAD SEA - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) launched its 27th forum on the shores of the Dead Sea on Wednesday to discuss business climate, economic growth, investment and environmental protection. King Abdullah of Jordan inaugurated the event, held under theme "Energising Economies," as participants look to deliberate means of achieving the 2030 deadline of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). "Stimulating economy begins in growth of private sector, creating opportunities and jobs as well as working on improving income," said the king during his inauguration speech. "Defence is not the ideal way to advance. Our people deserve to have ambitious objectives and serious efforts to achieve them. It is no longer feasible to respond to crises, we must create the necessary environment to establish peace," added the king, as he also called for protection of environment and setting up The 2018 Annual Meeting on the Dead Sea in Jordan is the first to be held in the region and will last until May 10th. EBRD President Sir Suma Chakrabarti said EBRD had once again delivered positive change for millions of people in 38 economies across three continents with a record level of investments in 2017. But he warned against complacency. "The EBRD is delivering significant impact in today's world. But to pursue the 'business as usual' approach risks missing a great opportunity to do everything we can for the world of tomorrow. An opportunity that should be seized," Sir Suma said. There were just 12 years to go before the 2030 deadline to achieve Sustainable Development Goals to which the international community had signed up in 2015, he noted. The SDGs are a blueprint for global development, promoting environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic progress. In his speech to the Board of Governors, which represents the 68 shareholders who define the EBRD's strategy, the President outlined a possible approach whereby the Bank would seek immediately to do more in its existing countries of operations. He also noted there were countries in the EBRD's southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region where it was not yet investing. "If the EBRD had additional capital capacity that could be deployed, it could "begin a feasibility study of whether to extend our work gradually and incrementally to new countries, with sub-Saharan Africa an obvious region to consider," he said. The EBRD President pointed to an impressive performance across all of the Bank's regions in 2017, with record investments of 9.7 billion in a total of 412 projects, also a new high. In line with its commitments to the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, the EBRD had also stepped up its investment in the green economy, achieving new climate finance targets set for 2020 three years ahead of time. Novi Sad Agricultural Fair hosts 20 Italian businesses Italy-Serbia trade growing, goal 4 bn in 2018 (ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, MAY 9 - Twenty Italian companies in the agribusiness and farm machinery sectors will collectively participate in the 85th edition of the International Agricultural Fair in Novi Sad from May 15 to May 21, with logistical and organisational support provided by the Italian Foreign Trade Office (ICE) in Belgrade. At a press conference, ICE Belgrade Director Marina Scognamiglio said this is the sixth time Italy has brought a collective of companies to the Novi Sad event, which is the main agricultural trade fair in the Balkan region. In addition to the Italian companies, Scognamiglio said there will also be 40 sector professionals, importers, and distributors from other countries in the region. Of particular interest is a specific seminar on fruit and vegetable growing techniques on May 17. Italian Ambassador to Serbia Carlo Lo Cascio was present at the press conference and said that "excellent bilateral relations" between Italy and Serbia are reflected in cross-border trade figures. In 2017, Italy was Serbia's second-largest trade partner, with trade totaling 3.9 billion euros, an increase of more than 200 million euros on 2016 figures, Lo Cascio said. He said the goal in 2018 is to reach four billion euros in trade, with the agricultural sector an important part of that objective. Italy is the primary country of origin for olive oil and pasta, and the first among EU countries for wine. Lo Cascio reaffirmed Italy's support of Serbia in its path to EU membership and in the country's efforts to align its laws with those of the EU. He also referred to "Italy's exceptional experience in the agricultural and food field" with more than 6,000 companies active in those sectors and overall revenues of more than 180 billion euros. "Many of these businesses are interested in sharing their experience in Serbia, which has significant potential in the agrobusiness sector," Lo Cascio said. He said Italian expertise is based on a wide range of certified products and high quality, as well as direct ties to the production territories and cultural heritage, high food safety standards, and the ability to combine tradition with process and product innovations. Lo Cascio said Serbian businesses could tap into these strengths in order to gain the necessary know-how for growth. Also present at the press conference were Serbian Agricultural Minister Senad Mahmutovic and the the Director of the Novi Sad Agricultural Fair Slobodan Cvetkovic.(ANSAmed). Expo 2020: Luiss University in Dubai with focus on training Agreement with Commissioner Glisenti for scientific cooperation (ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 9 - Favoring international academic and cultural exchanges on global citizenship, the preservation of the cultural heritage and sustainability is the objective of a protocol signed Wednesday morning in Rome by the dean of the Luiss University in Rome, Paola Severino, and the general commissioner for Italy at the Dubai 2020 Expo, Paolo Glisenti. Luiss University is taking part in the next Universal Exposition due to take place in Dubai from October 20, 2020, through April 10, 2021 under the banner 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future'. ''The agreement - explained Glisenti presenting the new agreement - provides for the start of a scientific and didactic collaboration, the organization of training and research projects in the sector of digital innovation - in line with the theme of the event, and sets the groundwork for a strong contribution to the project of Italy's participation at the 2020 Dubai Expo, focusing on creating knowledge to provide shared social, economic and cultural added value''. Glisenti said Luiss is the first university ''connecting itself to Italy's project for the Dubai Expo'' which aims to bring to the Emirates ''the Italy of know-how, culture and science, towards an area that will be at the center of economic, cultural and scientific developments over the next few years''. The project, he added, ''is deeply connected to Italy's role in the wider Mediterranean area''. Italy's project in Dubai, he also said, vies to ''open Italy towards the Mediterranean and its training. The theme of competences is in fact fundamental for the new generations of Arab countries''. Based on the protocol, Luiss will activate high-training courses aimed at countries in the Mediterranean area, in particular Arab countries, through the promotion of initiatives to support talent through scholarships as part of Digital transformation of operators specialized in the internationalization of companies in the wider Mediterranean area, in particular the United Arab Emirates. ''Italy's participation in the Dubai 2020 Expo - said Severino - is a great opportunity to create specific knowledge and new professions, operating in an heterogeneous cultural context which is strongly expanding, like that of Arab countries''. (ANSAmed). Montenegro: journalist wounded in shooting attack In capital Pogdorica. US embassy condemns incident (ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, MAY 9 - A journalist from Montenegro has been wounded in a shooting attack on Tuesday night in front of his home in the capital Pogdorica. Local media reported that Olivera Lakic, a journalist for newspaper Vijesti, was shot in the leg and taken to hospital. Doctors said she is in stable condition and her life is not in danger. Several journalists gathered last night in front of the hospital to express solidarity. A man reportedly fled the scene after the attack with the help of two accomplices. Police and magistrates are investigating the attack, which has been condemned also by the US embassy in Podgorica. (ANSAmed) ROME - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Wednesday said Israeli missiles the previous night hit deposits and missile platforms in the area of Kisweh south of Damascus killing at least nine people. The UK-based monitoring group said the victims could be Iranian revolutionary guards or Tehran-backed militants. On Tuesday night Iran's official news agency Sana claimed that the attack only caused material damages. The bombing also allegedly wounded several people, including some who are in serious condition, according to the NGO, which is close to members of the opposition against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Syrian television on Tuesday, reporting on the Israeli strikes, said the Syrian defense system had destroyed two missiles. Yemen: media, Houthi missile targeting Riyadh intercepted Launched by pro-Iranian rebels (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, MAY 9 - A ballistic missile launched by pro-Iranian Yemeni Houthi rebels was intercepted on its way to the capital Riyadh, Saudi media, including the website of Arab News, reported on Wednesday. Houthi rebels have not commented so far. Subsequently the television Al Massirah of the Houthis confirmed the launch but said several missiles were meant to strike the Saudi capital and not one. The missiles, added the broadcaster, quoted by pan Arab Saudi television Al Arabiya, were launched against unspecified ''economic targets''. Over the past few months Shiite rebel forces have repeatedly launched missiles against Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh, which were regularly intercepted by defense systems. (ANSAmed) GENEVA - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Turkey to immediately lift a state of emergency ahead of presidential elections scheduled in June. ''It is difficult to imagine how credible elections can be held in an environment where dissenting views and challenges to the ruling party are penalized so severely'', UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said Wednesday. On April 19, after early parliamentary and presidential elections were announced, the Turkish government announced that it would extend for the seventh time a state of emergency issued after a failed coup in 2016. ''Over the past two years, through successive states of emergency, the space for dissent in Turkey has shrunk considerably'', Zeid also said, and for the UN, the protracted restrictions of freedom of expression and association are incompatible with a credible electoral process. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Rajnath Singh assured the VC of all help from the govt in restoring normalcy in the university, an official privy to the meeting said. The vice-chancellor said the portrait of the Pakistan founder had been hanging in the Aligarh Muslim University students' union office since 1938 and it was a non-issue. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) New Delhi: Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Wednesday met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss issues concerning the premier academic institution, engulfed in controversy over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on its premises, an official said. Rajnath Singh assured Mansoor of all help from the central government in restoring normalcy in the university, an official privy to the meeting said. Mansoor later told reporters that the meeting was fixed long ago and had nothing to do with the current controversy. "I have requested the home minister to send Central government officials for the recruitment of students in central services like the engineering service," he said. The vice-chancellor said the portrait of the Pakistan founder had been hanging in the Aligarh Muslim University students' union office since 1938 and it was a non-issue. BJP MP Satish Gautam had written a letter to Mansoor objecting to the portrait, triggering a row that led to two youths being arrested in connection with incidents of violence and exams being postponed to May 12. The vice-chancellor had on Tuesday told students on a sit-in over the issue to get back to their studies. In an open letter, he urged them "not to fall into the trap of certain forces which are bent upon destroying the image of our alma mater and are playing with your bright future". The university has formed a 16-member coordination committee of senior faculty members to talk with the protesting students. Several Aligarh Muslim University students are on an indefinite 'dharna' after a clash with the police on May 2 when they were demanding action against right-wing protesters who had entered the campus, shouting slogans. They are asking for a judicial probe into the "police inaction" and the manner in which the row erupted after the BJP MP objected to the portrait. The bench, on hearing the submissions, said it would pass directions on May 10 with regard to compensation for victims of sexual assault. NALSA told a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta that as per the available data of Andhra Pradesh, out of 901 cases lodged in 2017, only one victim has received compensation. (Photo: File | Representational) New Delhi: Hardly 5-10 per cent sexual assault victims across the country were getting compensation under the relevant schemes in various states, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) told the Supreme Court on Tuesday. NALSA told a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta that as per the available data of Andhra Pradesh, out of 901 cases lodged in 2017, only one victim has received compensation. "The data of state legal services authority of the states on utilisation of fund have been compiled. Hardly 5-10 per cent victims (of sexual assault) are able to get compensation. It is startling. In Andhra Pradesh, 901 cases were registered (in 2017), but only one victim got compensation. At the outer limit, maximum 10 per cent victims were getting compensation," S S Rathi, Director of NALSA, told the bench. As per the NALSA data, in 2016, 840 such cases were lodged in Andhra Pradesh but only eight victims got compensation. Out of 1,028 cases registered in 2017 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the state, only 11 victims got compensated. Similarly in Rajasthan, 3,305 such FIRs were registered in 2017 and 140 victims had received compensation under these schemes, while in Bihar, 1,199 FIRs of sexual assaults were lodged in 2017 but only 82 victims were compensated, the data showed. The complete data would soon be filed in the apex court, he said. During the hearing, senior advocate Indira Jaising, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae, referred to the victim compensation scheme proposed by the NALSA for the victims of sexual assaults and said they wanted to have two "vital additions" in the scheme, the funds for which was earlier shared with the Centre. Jaising said the police must mandatorily inform the legal services authority of the state government about the lodging of FIRs in sexual assault cases so that the process of giving compensation to the victim can be expedited. She said that suo motu (on its own) power should also be given to the legal services authority to grant compensation to the victims, as was already being done in Delhi. The bench, on hearing the brief submissions, said it would pass directions on May 10 with regard to compensation scheme for victims and survivors of sexual assaults. The apex court said it would consider in July the issues related to section 228-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which deals with disclosure of identity of victims of sexual offences and utilisation of Nirbhaya Fund by the states. Nirbhaya Fund was announced by the Centre in 2013 after the December 16, 2012 gangrape and murder case in Delhi to support the initiatives on women's safety across the country. The top court had earlier observed that nothing would materialise if money from the Nirbhaya fund was not properly spent on women's welfare. It had said there was no lack of funds under the scheme but the issue was of proper utilisation. Earlier, the Centre had told the apex court that it was finding it difficult to get the cooperation of states on the issue relating to disbursal of compensation to the victims of sexual assault under the Nirbhaya scheme. Several petitions were filed in the Supreme Court after the December 16, 2012 incident in Delhi raising concerns over safety and security of women. All the petitions were tagged by the apex court and several directions have been issued from time to time in this regard. CM Mehbooba Mufti also said all representatives agreed to meet PM Modi and express their concerns. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti said it was agreed that there should be a unilateral ceasefire during the holy month of Ramzan and Amarnath Yatra. (Photo: File) Srinagar: Against the backdrop of the death of a Tamil Nadu tourist in Jammu and Kashmir due to stone pelting, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday convened an all-party meeting to deliberate on the worsening situation in the state and discuss measures to restore normalcy in the valley. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Mufti said it was agreed that there should be a unilateral ceasefire during the holy month of Ramzan and Amarnath Yatra. Everyone agreed that we must appeal Centre that government must think about a unilateral ceasefire like Vajpayee ji did in 2000. Encounters, crack downs is causing trouble to common man. Efforts must be made to maintain environment so that both Eid and Amarnath Yatra are peaceful, the J&K chief minister said. She further said all the representatives also agreed to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and express their concerns. Everyone agreed that if agenda of alliance between BJP and PDP is followed, then situation in J&K can be changed. Everyone also agreed that we meet PM Modi and express our concerns over situation in J&K and discuss how do we reach out to people of the state, Mufti added. PM Modi is scheduled to visit the state next week. On Monday, 22-year-old Chennai resident S Thirumaniselvam, who was holidaying in the valley with his family, died after his vehicle was attacked by stone pelters. Mufti has termed the incident as sad and heartbreaking. The incident has evoked widespread outrage in the valley. 22-year-old R Thirumani who was admitted to hospital with serious injuries on Monday morning, slipped into coma and died in the evening. Srinagar: The death of a 22-year-old tourist from Chennai in a stone-pelting incident at Narabal on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday has evoked widespread outrage in the state and beyond. Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said she was ashamed that a person who had come all the way from far-off Tamil Nadu to spend his leisure in the Valley was killed in stone-pelting. R. Thirumani, a resident of Avadi in Chennai, had studied at DRBCCC Hindu College and was working at Accenture in Chennai. He, along with three other members of his family, including his parents, reached Srinagar on Sunday on a five-day trip to Kashmir. The next morning, they hired a Tavera cab to relocate to the Valleys premier resort Gulmarg. Around 7 am, when the vehicle was passing through Narabal along the Srinagar-Gulmarg road, it was attacked by stone-pelters, resulting in critical injury to Thirumani, police sources said. He was rushed to Srinagars Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, where he succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening, officials said. Doctors said he had been hit in forehead and face and that they had done two CT scans on him and were going ahead with his treatment when all of a sudden he had convulsions and breathed his last. His corpse was later shifted to the police hospital here, before being flown to Chennai. Strongly condemning the incident, the chief minister said R. Thirumanis death was heartbreaking and it goes against the Kashmiri ethos of hospitality and respect for guests. Ive no words strong enough to condemn this tragic incident or even condole with the family, she said. Ms Mufti described the incident as a blot on the cultural value system of Kashmir and an attempt to bulldoze the economy of the state. She also said that immediately on learning about the incident at 9 pm on Monday, she rushed to the police hospital in Srinagar and condoled with the parents and fellow tourists of the victim. She conveyed the sympathies of the people of the state to the bereaved family and asked the administration to extend all support. The CM also expressed concern over the injuries caused to a girl from Handwara (Kashmir) in the same incident, and wished her a speedy recovery. Ms Mufti also took to Twitter early on Tuesday to condemn the incident. She said: Its truly heartbreaking when a family saves for years to realise their dream of visiting Kashmir & while they are here they face their worst nightmare. I have no words strong enough to condemn this tragic incident or even begin to condole the family. Kashmirs chief Muslim cleric and chairman of his faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also condemned the incident. CPI(M) state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, condemning the incident, asked: Whose cause is fulfilled by such brutal killings? The case of providing appointment to dependent family members of the 27 deceased Indians from Punjab does not fall within the purview of state policy. Chandigarh: The Punjab cabinet on Tuesday decided to provide employment and financial, on compassionate grounds, to the next of kin of the persons killed in Mosul (Iraq). This decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The state government had decided to provide employment to one dependent family member of the victims, as per their educational qualification and governments policy, besides ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh. It had also decided to continue with the monthly pension of Rs 20,000 being paid to the family members from the CMs relief fund till the time the jobs are provided. On the directives of the chief minister, an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to 26 dependent family members amounting to Rs 1.30 crord has already been disbursed from the CMs relief fund, said an official spokesperson, adding that, as per records, one victim had no legal heir. The case of providing appointment to dependent family members of the 27 deceased Indians from Punjab does not fall within the purview of state policy. Therefore, relaxation in the policy was required for this purpose. A resident of Avadi in Chennai, R Thirumani studied at DRBCCC Hindu College and was presently working as an analyst at Accenture Chennai. 22-year-old R Thirumani died on Monday after being hit by stone-pelters outside Srinagar. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: Excitement, joy and anticipation must have gripped the family of four in Chennai who were gearing up for their long-planned trip to Kashmir. But the family returned home in Pattabiram on Tuesday with bitter memories, tears and a coffin. 22-year-old R Thirumani died on Monday after being hit by stone-pelters in Srinagar, when he was in a car with his parents and sister, travelling to the ski-resort of Gulmarg. A resident of Avadi in Chennai, R Thirumani studied at DRBCCC Hindu College and was presently working as an analyst at Accenture Chennai. R Thirumani reportedly had an earplug on and couldn't hear his father's warning when the car was attacked by the mob. "Where is his face? I should have pushed you too down like Amma (mother)," NDTV reported sister of R Thirumani who was weeping as she spoke. The girl, who was also in the car, had dragged her mother down to escape the hail of stones. Also Read: J&K: 22-year-old Chennai tourist dies after hit by stone near Srinagar Thirumani's mother and sister sobbed at the sight of his mangled face. The girl went on to add that the Kashmir visit was a dream trip for the family and Thirumani's parents had been preparing for it for a long time. "We've killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Let's try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone-pelters & their methods," National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, seen consoling R Thirumani's parents in Srinagar, said: "My head hangs in shame." Neighbours and friends of R Thirumani told NDTV that the boy was soft-spoken and mostly quiet. "He was a handsome man of few words," said one friend. Manoj, a family friend, said: "Such a quiet guy. Thirumani hardly spoke to us, such a huge tragedy to the family." KS Balachander, another friend, said: "He would often be alone and he didn't have many friends." The Tamil Nadu government has offered Rs 3 lakh to the family. The state culture minister Ma Foi Pandiarajan, who is also the local lawmaker, said: "Our heart goes out to the family at this hour." There was no lapse on the part of the Jammu and Kashmir government, he said. "Around 40 others who had gone to Kashmir as part of the same group are returning." Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy has said his government is also working to bring back around 130 other tourists who are on a visit to Kashmir at present. Retired teacher from Nagaon lamented that he had given several applications to local legislator to repair roads but nothing had happened. Nagaon: The moment a retired teacher in Assam started listing out his complaints about bad roads in his area at a Swachh Bharat Mission event in Nagaon district, he was abruptly cut off by a Union minister. After some officers addressed the event, the retired teacher's turn came and he took to the stage to speak. He lamented that he had given several applications to the local legislator to repair the roads but nothing had happened. "Over the years, the locals in Amolapatty's BB Road subway have been suffering a lot due to the poor road conditions, but they still hope that the new government and new MLA will take steps for improving the roads," said the retired teacher from Nagaon, 125 kilometres from Guwahati. "I have been submitting applications over the time but no initiatives have been seen," he said. On hearing that, junior railway minister Rajen Gohain suddenly got up from his chair and walked up to the teacher, blocking the mike in front of the audience. "Why don't you talk about this with the concerned officer? You seem to have come here with a motive. Utter nonsense," Gohain said, news agency ANI reported. The retired teacher tried to answer Gohain's question by taking the microphone again, but the Union minister did not give him the opportunity, and said, "Problems do not get solved by delivering speeches". Gohain told the retired teacher that if he had any complaint, he should have approached him personally and not speak out in front of the public. In protest against the Union minister's comments, activists of the All Assam Students Union burnt his effigies on Tuesday. The former chief minister happily extended their bungalows by including adjoining bungalows. Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government will study the Supreme Court judgment that directs all former chief ministers to vacate their official bungalows and then exercise any options that may be available. A senior official said that as soon as chief minister Yogi Adityanath returns from his Karnataka tour, the matter will be placed before him. The state government is also drawing up a list of eminent legal experts who will study the judgment and also identify options, if any. Of the six former chief ministers who occupy government accommodation, the worst hit by the judgment will be Ms Mayawati, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Akhilesh Yadav. The bungalows of these three leaders have been renovated at a cost that almost exceeds the cost of building the bungalows. Crores of rupees have been spent on renovation/building these bungalows and the money has mostly been diverted from the maintenance fund allocated for other government buildings/houses, said an official in the estate department. The former chief minister happily extended their bungalows by including adjoining bungalows. Ms Mayawati included two neighboring bungalows to expand her 13 Mall Avenue bungalow that now sprawls over 2164 square metres and has 16 rooms. A sum of `114 crores was reportedly spent on renovating the bungalow according to the former chief ministers taste. Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, Modi said Cong believes that PMs seat is reserved for only one dynasty. Bidar: Launching an all-out attack at the Congress party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday alleged that leaders of the Congress party have always worked for their welfare and goodwill. "Congress has always worked for their own goodwill, for their own family. Their actions have deteriorated the condition of the country, he said. Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhis PM remark, Modi said the Congress believes that the PMs seat is reserved for only one dynasty. The newly elected Congress president has pre-announced that he will become the prime minister of the country in 2019. They think that the prime minister's seat is reserved for just one dynasty," he said. Also Read: Fearing defeat, Cong indulging in malpractices to win Ktaka polls: Modi Addressing a rally in Bidar in poll-bound Karnataka, the Prime Minister further said, Leaders of the Congress party believe in photo ops and do not do anything for the betterment of the country. PM Modi then urged Karnataka voters to reject the Congress this time. "Elections after elections, people in every state across India have rejected the Congress. Now it is Karnataka's time to reject them," he said. Prime Minister Modi also accused the Siddaramaiah-led government of supporting those who are corrupt. Congress is supporting those who are corrupt. They meet leaders who are found guilty and jailed in corruption cases? Such things cannot be accepted, he said. PM Modi further said, Did the Congress government in Karnataka tell people what they have done in the last five years? They just keep saying - What did Modi do? They must be answerable. They should tell people what they have done for Karnataka. Modi also said one should refrain from making crimes like rapes a political issue. We have approved stringent punishments including death penalty for those who commit devilish deeds against women. Such things cannot be tolerated at all. Also, making such heinous crimes a political issue is not acceptable," the Prime Minister said in Bidar. Multi-trillion dollar industry's carbon footprint is expanding rapidly, driven by demand for energy-intensive air travel. Holding the sector's carbon pollution in check will likely require carbon taxes or CO2 trading schemes for aviation, the researchers concluded. (Photo: AP) Domestic and international tourism account for eight percent of greenhouse gas emissions, four times more than previously estimated, according to a study published Monday. The multi-trillion dollar industry's carbon footprint is expanding rapidly, driven in large part by demand for energy-intensive air travel, researchers reported in the journal Nature Climate Change. "Tourism is set to grow faster than many other economic sectors," with revenue projected to swell by four percent annually through 2025, noted lead-author Arunima Malik, a researcher at The University of Sydney's business school. Holding the sector's carbon pollution in check will likely require carbon taxes or CO2 trading schemes for aviation, the researchers concluded. As in past decades, the United States is the single largest emitter of tourism-related carbon emissions, with other wealthy nations -- Germany, Canada and Britain -- also in the top ten. But burgeoning middle classes have moved emerging economies up the ranking, with China in second place and India, Mexico and Brazil 4th, 5th and 6th, respectively. International travel involving long-haul flights is among the fastest growing sectors, and could threaten efforts to reign in planet-warming carbon pollution. The total number of air passengers is expected to almost double by 2036 to 7.8 billion per year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The aviation industry accounts for two percent of all human-generated C02 emissions, and would rank 12th if it were a country. "We see very fast tourism demand growth from China and India over the past few years, and also expect this trend will continue in the next decade or so," Ya-Sen Sun, a professor at The University of Queensland Business School in Australia, and co-author of the study, told AFP. "Besides the sheer population number, what's worrying is that people with a rising income tend to travel further, more frequently, and with a higher reliance on aviation." Stay close to home - International travel accounts for a quarter of tourism-related carbon emissions. Neither tourism nor aviation are currently covered by the 2015 Paris climate treaty. In 2016, however, 191 countries struck a deal -- voluntary until 2027 -- under which the aviation industry would curb most of its greenhouse emissions after 2020 by diverting about two percent of its revenue to reforestation and other carbon-reducing projects. The 197-nation Paris Agreement calls for capping global warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). With only one degree of warming so far, Earth has seen a crescendo of droughts, heatwaves, and storms ramped up by rising seas. Voluntary national pledges made under the Paris pact to cut CO2 emissions, if fulfilled, would yield a 3C world at best, say scientists. "Our analysis is a world-first look at the true cost of tourism, including consumables such as food from eating out and souvenirs," said Malik. Looking at its full "life cycle", the researchers calculated that carbon emissions from tourism increased 15 percent in five years from 2009 to 4.5 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, a measure that also takes into account other greenhouse gases such as methane. On Monday, the UN's climate chief said during UN climate talks in Bonn that it was "in the interest" of the tourism industry cut its carbon pollution. "A lot of what it is selling -- its products, if you like -- depends on the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment, and avoiding the worst impacts of climate change," Patricia Espinosa told journalists. Curbing the growing appetite for tourism and travel may prove difficult. "Behaviour change from travellers -- travel less, stay close to home, pay carbon offset -- are found to be slow and marginal," said Sun. "Carbon taxes or carbon trading schemes can help to put extra pressure to speed the process." A carbon pollution abatement that covered environmental costs, for example, would tack on an additional $425 (360 euros) to offset emissions from a round-trip flight from Sydney to London, the authors calculated. "From the sustainability perspective, a restricted travel style may be required," said Sun. The court has posted this matter on Thursday for arguments on quantum of punishment. Mumbai: A Sessions court on Wednesday convicted Amit Jaiswal, a lawyer cum-junior artiste, and his girlfriend Priti Sunrin, in the 2012 murder case of aspiring actress Meenakshi Thapa, who had worked in few films, including Madhur Bhandarkars Heroine. Sessions judge S G Shette on Wednesday observed that the prosecution has proved the case against both the accused beyond reasonable doubt and held Jaiswal and Sunrin guilty of abducting and killing Thapa. The court has posted this matter on Thursday for arguments on quantum of punishment. We have not decided about what punishment we would be asking for the convicts. There are only two options one is death penalty and the second is imprisonment for life and we will decide what to ask for after discussing with the police officers, said special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam. There was no eyewitness to the crime and the prosecution was able to prove the case against the accused with the help of testimony from 36 witnesses and circumstantial evidence. Priti Sunrin The prosecution case is that the victim and the accused came in contact on the sets of Heroine. The accused had abducted Thapa in a bid to extort money from her family as she had told them that she belonged to a rich Nepalese family and acting was her hobby. But in reality, she came from a middle-class family and her father used to work in Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). According to Mumbai crime branch, the accused took Thapa to Gorakhpur on the pretext of work and allegedly beheaded her as her mother could arrange for only `60,000 while they had demanded `15 lakh. According to advocate Nikam after abduction, the accused withdrew an amount of `46,000 from the bank account of Thapa using her debit card. The accused had beheaded Thapa and her head was never found again. Her body was identified through some burn injury marks and forensic tests including a DNA test. Her head was thrown out of a running bus and her body was found in a water tank. The tech moguls would be teaming up to develop advanced methods for kids, who are troublesome in learning. Tech moguls Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg said they will team up to help develop new methods for kids with trouble learning an effort that will include dabbling into child brain science. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative intend to explore a number of potential pilot projects. Theyll focus on math, writing and brain functions key areas of classroom learning that they note are crucial for academic success. The effort is now seeking information and ideas from across sectors, from education and academia to business, technology and medicine. Future investments based on that information are expected, but no dollar amount has been set. The idea that disadvantaged children struggle to learn because of poor executive brain function involving memory, thinking flexibility and behavioural issues related to autism and other attention disorders has long been lamented by social workers and health advocates. The joint project by Gates and Zuckerberg details possible ways to mitigate those shortcomings. Among the ideas is using games and technology simulations to support teachers and family, and tracking progress in certain vulnerable student populations such as kids with disabilities or those who are learning English as a second language. Leaders of the effort say technology is not a primary focus, but they recognise the role it can play. The new endeavour marks the latest effort by deep-pocketed philanthropists who have tried with little success and much controversy to change entire school systems. In some ways, it advances the reform agendas of the philanthropists, including helping low-performing students catch up to their potentially more prosperous peers and using classroom technology for digital or personalized learning. Gates, the worlds top philanthropist, recently announced more support for students with disabilities, issues involving American poverty and Alzheimers disease research. Zuckerberg idolises Gates as an inspiration in professional and philanthropic work. But their representatives rejected any notion that their effort on learning is connected to their respective business roles as Facebook CEO and Microsoft founder. Microsoft announced a $25 million initiative to use artificial intelligence to build better technology for people with disabilities. Donald Trump said he will greet Pompeo and the Americans when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington on Thursday morning. Donald Trump sent Mike Pompeo to Pyongyang to accompany the men home following US calls for Kim to free them as a gesture of goodwill and sincerity. (Photo: AP/File) Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that three Americans detained by North Korea have been released and are on their way home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. Trump said he will greet Pompeo and the Americans when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington at 2 am on Thursday morning. "Very exciting!" he wrote on Twitter. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 The fate of Korean-Americans Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul had been among a number of delicate issues in the run-up to the first-ever meeting of US and North Korean leaders. Trump sent Pompeo to Pyongyang to accompany the men home following US calls for Kim to free them as a gesture of goodwill and sincerity before the US-North Korea meeting, which is expected to take place in late May or early June. by J.B. An Dang The World Mission Society Church of God is a Christian-inspired religious movement with 600 followers in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government has accused its leaders of brainwashing its members and micromanaging their lives. The crackdown has set off alarm bells about possible actions by the authorities against other religions and their assets. Hanoi (AsiaNews) The standing Committee of the Politburo of the Vietnamese Communist Party has launched a campaign against the World Mission Society Church of God (pictures 1-2), a Korean-based Church. Moving swiftly, the authorities seized the Churchs properties in Ha Noi, Saigon and in other provinces. The police arrested and interrogated hundreds of its members (picture 3). State-run media, the Committee for Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and many organisations affiliated with the Communist Party have poured out stories about victims of the cult who say they believed that the end of the world was imminent. Students were allegedly told to quit school and workers were urged to quit their jobs in order to recruit more followers. The sect has also been accused of cutting people off from their families and friends, using brainwashing techniques. In a report published yesterday state-owned newspaper Phap Luat, the Committee for Religious Affairs is cited as saying that the cult was first introduced in Vietnam in 2001 and that it had formed its first chapter Saigon in 2005. Presently, it is said to have some 600 followers. In the north of the country, the group began organising in 2013, flourishing in the provinces of Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan and Ha Noi as of 2016. According to the Committee, Church leaders demand extreme behaviours and try to micromanage members' lives, requiring members to spend hours studying the Bible or engaged in services. This includes showing disrespect to their parents, becoming estranged from their family, destroying the latters ancestral altar and defaming the beliefs or religions of relatives. On 7 May 2018, oi Song Phap Luat, another state newspaper, went so far as to declare that the police found that worship including drinking a "sacred liquid" that is harmful to mental abilities, leading people to believe whatever they are told. Such allegations are seen by many as false, used by Vietnamese security forces to discredit certain groups. Fr Le Ngoc Thanh, a Redemptorist priest in Saigon, said he was afraid that the propaganda campaign against the World Mission Society Church of God was designed to create tensions between religious and non-religious people. It may also represent a way for the government to prepare public opinion for more grabs of Church assets in the "golden lands". The World Mission Society Church of God is a religious movement vaguely inspired by Christianity founded in 1964 by Ahn Sahng-hong. Its followers believe that he is the reincarnation of Christ and that there is a paternal and maternal God. The latter is embodied in the cults co-founder, Zang Gil-ja. In a statement released on 8 July 2005, the National Council of Churches in Korea condemned the deification of Ahn Sahng-hong and Zahng Gil-jah and called the World Mission Society Church of God a blasphemous, heretical cult. Currently, it is reported to have 450 churches in South Korea, and 6,000 churches abroad. Lola, a lively child with Down syndrome, has been helped by the Community Based Rehabilitation programme of Caritas in collaboration with local NGOs and the Tajik government. The programme entails training parents and staff and removing the stigma of disability. Dushanbe (AsiaNews) "Caritas implies 'equality' for me. My daughter Lola is able to participate in daily life. She has become an equal member of society, said Ozodhakon, the childs mother. Lolas actual name is Parivash. She is nine and has benefited from the rehabilitation programme provided by Caritas Germany to people with disabilities in Tajikistan. On 19 April, the Tajikistan chapter of Caritas Germany celebrated ten years of active involvement in support of the most vulnerable along with partner groups and high-level Tajik officials. Caritas Germany helps people with disabilities, lonely seniors and even victims of natural disasters, working with local NGOs in co-operation with the Tajik Ministry of Social Protection. With the support of Caritass Community Based Rehabilitation programme and its partners, Ozodhakon learnt how to take care of the child and provide her a happy life. The programme is designed to train parents and staff who deal children from doctors to teachers to deal with children with disabilities as well as counter the stigma associated with it. Early on in Lolas life, the doctors at Maksad, a local NGO partner of Caritas, diagnosed her as having Down's syndrome. In Tajik society, this kind of diagnosis leads to a blame game against mothers and children. For many, disability is seen as divine punishment, a "fault" to pay for. Children are segregated, kept at home or sent to "special schools", hidden from public view, and the child's father often abandons the family. "My husband left me, and his family turned their backs on me. Lola was a 'disgrace' for the family this is what they told me," Ozodhakon said. "In most cases, even if the father leaves the family, [the wife] must stay in her husband's home, and continue to look after her in-laws," said Parvina Tadjibaeva, director of the Tajik branch of Caritas Germany. Lola took hard her relatives attitude towards her mother and the different treatment of other children in the family. Still, despite the difficulties and resistance of other parents, Ozodhakon was able to send her child to school thanks to the support of the social workers of the programme. "To integrate people with disabilities, change comes with children, who never talk about the special child in the group, said Tadjibaeva. Most of the time those who object are other parents and seniors, worried about infectious diseases. For this reason, we try to include local mothers in our outreach since often they are relatives or people who know each other. At the beginning, most of them are full of negative ideas, but after the second, third meeting, they begin to understand that there are no differences between children like Lola and the others." "Now Lola is attending in a school that is inclusive, in a 'normal' class, taking additional lessons to keep up with the other children said Tadjibaeva. She loves going to school, and that's fine: she can read and has learnt many poems. She loves to dance during playtime when children play and dance together. When she hears music, she loves to be well dressed and dance, like all little girls." The programme has not only give the girl a new lease on life, but her mother came to realise that she could take care of her daughter and turn it into a vocation. Now Ozodhakon uses her skills as a social worker, a profession she is proud of, and "I have my daughter to thank for this." "In Tajikistan, most women are homemakers and do not work, said Tadjibaeva. But for Ozodhakon, work is very important. Now the neighbours do not look away but support her in everything. They do not look at her just based on her daughter's situation. She is accepted as a normal woman, who has a child." All 222 parliamentarians and 505 officials of the various state assemblies are elected. Both the ruling coalition, the Barisan Nasional (BN), and the opposition coalition, the Pakatan Harapan (Ph), are confident of obtaining the 112 parliamentary seats to form a majority. The Islamists of the Islamic Part-Malaysia (Pas) are aiming to tip the scales. Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Malaysians go to the polls today to decide the outcome of one of the country's most fiercely contested political battles in recent decades. Prime Minister Najib Razak and his coalition Barisan Nasional face the challenge of their former mentor: former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. In this election round, all 222 parliamentarians and 505 officials of the various state assemblies will be elected. More than 14 million Malaysians have the right to vote, which they will exercise between 8am and 5pm in the country's 8,253 polling stations. The federal government has set a public holiday to allow all citizens to fulfill their obligation. Many had expressed concern that voting during the workweek would have influenced voter turnout. On May 5, the Electoral Commission of Malaysia (EC) opened 586 seats nationwide for early voting. There were about 278 thousand first voters including royal police agents, Armed Forces and Special Task Force personnel and their spouses. According to EC, they make up the majority of the 300,000 people who would benefit from the early vote. Today the rest of the 14.5 million registered voters go to the polls. Both the ruling coalition, the Barisan Nasional (BN), and the opposition coalition, the Pakatan Harapan (Ph), are confident of obtaining the 112 parliamentary seats to form a majority. In the last general election of 2013, the BN won 133, despite losing the popular vote. Prime Minister Najib Razak declares that today the BN can win by a wide margin, having crossed the whole country since April 28, when the campaign began. The leader of PH Mahathir Mohamad is supported by the large turnout of opposition demonstrations, and expects a "people's tsunami" to defeat the ruling government. The 92-year-old politician has already been premier from 1981 to 2003 and is the longest-running leader in national history. Mahathir joined an alliance of parties that opposed him when he was in power. It includes the icon of the opposition Anwar Ibrahim, his former bitter rival, now in prison serving a five-year sentence for sodomy. A third contender, the Islamic Party-Malaysia (PAS), is a candidate for 158 parliamentary seats and aims to win 40. The PAS leaders believe that this number will allow them to tip the balance, if the number of federal seats won by BN and PH is not enough to form a majority. Analysts argue that many key factors will decisively influence voters' choices. Among them the increase in the cost of living; the tax on goods and services, introduced in 2015; corruption of some key government figures. The Syrian defence system intercepted and shot down two Israeli missiles. Government sources speak of two victims among civilians. Activists register nine deaths among pro-government forces. Among them fighters sent from Iran. The level of tension on the Golan Heights climbs. Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Israel launched an air raid on a Syrian army post south of the capital, Damascus, reports Syrias official state agency Sana this morning. Damascus air defence system intercepted and shot down two Israeli missiles in the area. The attack, launched almost simultaneously with the speech by US President Donald Trump who cancelled the nuclear agreement with Iran, caused two civilian casualties. The two people who died while traveling on the highway that connects Damascus to Deraa in an explosion linked to "Israeli aggression". However, for the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights [an NGO based in the United Kingdom with a network of informants on the territory] there were at least nine victims among the pro-government forces. These include fighters sent by Iran in support of Damascus, comprised of the Revolutionary Guards and other Shiite militias. A senior army official loyal to President Bashar al-Assad states that the air strike hit an army post. In recent weeks, government soldiers are engaged in a massive offensive against rebel groups and jihadists on the outskirts of the capital. Israel did not want to comment on the rumours of an attack on Syrian territory. But already in the past their army has carried out operations in Syrian territory, claiming them later or only after years. Recently, the Israeli government confirmed its goal of eliminating the Iranian presence in Syria. Tehran has supported the government of Damascus in these seven years of war, allocating hundreds of military experts and thousands of men on the ground. The Islamic Republic has exploited the conflict to build a military base, used in collaboration with Syrian soldiers. Meanwhile, the level of tension also rises on the Golan Heights: the Israeli army has instructed the local authorities to open the shelters and keep them ready for the population "for the irregular activities of the Iranian forces in Syria". The Israeli military leaders have also confirmed the deployment of "defence systems" and that the troops are on "high alert for an attack". Finally, the air force and intelligence services have announced the drafting of a small contingent of reservists. Armenias parliament yesterday voted 59 to 42 to appoint Pashinyan as prime minister, sparking celebrations in the streets among the latters supporters. Pashinyan reassured lawmakers and Moscow that ties with Russia remain a priority. Putin welcomed the new Armenian prime minister, expressing hope that "friendly relations between the two countries will continue. Erevan (AsiaNews/Agencies) Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan is Armenias new prime minister. After rejecting him last week, the countrys National Assembly voted 59 to 42 in his favour. When his appointment was announced, thousands of supporters cheered in Yerevans Republic Square. After six weeks of peaceful upheaval, unprecedented in the history of former Soviet republics, Serzh Sargsyan's ten-year rule ended in what Pashinyan himself described as a Velvet Revolution. With respect to the countrys foreign relations, little has changed: Armenia will continue to maintain privileged ties with Russia, which has silently followed recent developments in the Caucasian nation. Pashinyan told MPs that relations with Moscow remain a priority, especially in terms of military cooperation. For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the success of the new Armenian prime minister, saying he wants to see "friendly relations between the two countries to continue. Meanwhile, the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, a mountainous Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan, is still looking for a solution. Seoul: North Korea will free them today, a sign of "good will". The American visit follows Kim's second trip to China and prepares for the meeting with Trump. The Seoul-Tokyo-Beijing meeting in Japan is under way: peace and commercial cooperation. Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - North Korea will free the three American citizens detained in the country today. The Seoul presidential office Cheong Wa Dae has announced: Pyongyang wants to show its "good will" in view of the upcoming summit between the North leader and US president Donald Trump. There is great diplomatic ferment on the Korean peninsula: after the second secret trip by Kim Jong-un to Beijing, this morning the new American Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, returned to Pyongyang. The senior American diplomat should return to Washington with the three prisoners and a final date for the summit between the US and North Korea. Pompey's visit to the socialist country follows Kim Jong-un's second trip to China. As happened on the first occasion, in March, Chinese official media reported the North Korean leader's journey only after his return to North Korea. According to the CCTV, yesterday Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated their commitments to denuclearization of North Korea. The two were filmed by cameras as they walked along Banchuidao Beach, Dalian, in northeastern China. Meanwhile, South Korean President Moon Jae-in is in Tokyo today for a trilateral summit with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Japanese Shinzo Abe. On this occasion, Moon called for cooperation between the three countries both for peace on the peninsula and for the expansion of free trade in the region. During the day, the South Korean president will hold bilateral talks with the two Asian leaders. The Iranian leader accuses Washington of not respecting the deal and seeks agreement with the EU, Russia and China. But it appears weakened on the internal front. Israel and Arab nations applaud and support the White House decision. Criticism from Turkey, which fears new conflicts. Bolton threatens European companies: stop trading with Tehran. Tehran (AsiaNews) - " his is a psychological war, we wont allow Trump to win... Im happy that the pesky being has left the Barjam." (Barjam is the acronym in Iran for the JCPOA.)". This is what Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, commenting on US President Donald Trump's decision to end the Iranian nuclear agreement (the JCPO), signed in 2015 by his predecessor Barack Obama. Meanwhile, if, on the one hand, European leaders move diplomacy to save the agreement, on the Arab and Israeli front, the White House decision is being welcomed in an attempt to isolate Tehran even more on the Middle East front. As soon as Trump's speech concluded, Iranian president Rouhani responded, underlining what Americans announced today was a clear demonstration of what they have been doing for months. Since the nuclear deal, when did they comply? They only left a signature and made some statements, but did nothing that would benefit the people of Iran. Rouhani then recalled that Washington's only close ally is Israel, which defines "the same regime that killed our nuclear scientists". " From now on, this is an agreement between Iran and five countries... from now on the P5+1 has lost its 1... we have to wait and see how the others react. If we come to the conclusion that with cooperation with the five countries we can keep what we wanted despite Israeli and American efforts, Barjam can survive. However, Rouhani himself seems to be increasingly weakened by the decision of the United States, because it strengthens the position of hawks and conservatives in the country, who have always been critical of the agreement. These include the president of Parliament Ali Larijani who called the American choice "bullying" and added that the US will receive an "adequate" response. The European Union, Russia and China, has concluded the "task" of "saving the agreement" even if the Iranian extremist wing seems to be moving more and more towards a military response that is destined to increase tension. On the other hand, the historical allies of the US in the region, including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates applaud Washingtons decision. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the "full support" for Trump, who showed courage to cancel a "disastrous" agreement. "If the pact remained in force - concluded the leader of the only Middle Eastern nation to possess atomic weapons - in a few years it would have allowed Iran to enrich uranium and produce nuclear bombs". The leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued a note stating their support for the White House and advocate a Middle East "free from nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction". Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash added that "Iran's rhetoric and its aggressive actions in the region have been the backdrop to an imperfect agreement" and Tehran's "belligerent policies" contradict the diplomatic statements. Less than an hour after Trump's speech came the official note from Saudi Arabia, which "welcome and support" the choice. The decision in the past to "support the nuclear agreement between Iran and the 5 + 1 countries" continues Riyadh, was based "on the firm belief that everything should be done to avoid the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and in the world". However, according to the Saudis, Tehran continued with its "destabilizing" activities especially through the "ballistic missile program" launched by Yemen. The official agency of Bahrain BNA published a statement by the Foreign Ministry, according to which the US decision reflects "the commitment" to counter Iranian policies. An essential effort, according to the Manama leaders, to counteract Tehran's continuous attempts to "spread terrorism in the region, violating open rules and international law". On the other hand, the reaction of Turkey does not hide the fear of "new conflicts" after Trump's decision is different. According to Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it will provoke "instability and other wars". He also recalls the "total opposition" of Ankara "to every type of nuclear weapon" and that the country will continue to trade with Iran in spite of the threats launched yesterday by the United States. In one of the most significant passages of his speech, Trump indeed threatened to target any nation continue to trade with the Islamic Republic. And the US Treasury Ministry added that the sanctions will hit all the industries mentioned in the agreement, including the oil sector, that of civil aviation and the attempt by the Teheran government to buy American currency. John Bolton, the new National Security Adviser, considered a "hawk", has launched a threat not too veiled to European companies: stop trading with Teheran within the next six months, otherwise they will end up targeted by the American sanctions. (DS) by Mathias Hariyadi About 130 inmates suspected or convicted of terrorism are held at the Mako Brimob detention centre. Some reports indicate they are linked to Amman Abdurrahman, leader of the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) terrorist group. Former Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama is held at the safe facility and is safe. Jakarta (AsiaNews) Members of Densus 88, the Special Forces counter-terrorism squad of the Indonesian police, have surrounded the headquarters of the National Police Mobile Brigade (Mako Brimob) in Kelapa Dua, Depok Regency (West Java). For the past 24 hours, the building has been the scene of a riot by a group of prisoners linked to the Islamic State (IS) group. The latter has claimed responsibility for the riot which has left five police agents and one prisoner dead. At present, the authorities are negotiating the release of another agent. At least four people have been tasked with talking to the detainees, who are allegedly linked to the leader of the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) terrorist group, Amman Abdurrahman, who is an inmate in the building. According to Jakarta police, the riot began around 7:30 pm last night. One of the inmates asked for food that had been brought by a family member but the meal had been held back by a police officer. The prisoner protested violently and was joined by other prisoners, who started to riot in blocks B and C. The rioters broke through the walls and prison bars, and got inside investigators' room, where they attacked the agents who were interrogating new inmates, taking their weapons. Mako Brimob is a maximum-security prison and holds about 130 prisoners suspected or convicted in terrorism-related cases. Former Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama is also being held in the facility for security reasons. He was sentenced to two years in jail on blasphemy charges. Ahoks sister and former personal assistant confirm that he is safe since he is in another block, separated from the terrorists. Across Canadas many university campuses, it is hard to miss products from Vancouver-based Herschel Supply Company. Herschel, often known for its backpacks that blend simplicity and style, has quickly become the quintessential accessory for Canadian students. In 2017, Herschel chose China as the epicenter for the global Herschel phenomenon, making its Shanghai office, a wholly owned foreign enterprise, the entry point into the Chinese and greater Asia Pacific retail market. Established in 2009 and named for the small, rural Saskatchewan town where the founders family immigrated from Scotland, Herschel focuses on retro-inspired bags, accessories and, more recently, clothing that banks on a sense of nostalgia and vintage authenticity. The fashion-forward company of 150 employees has since transformed the retail industry into one where backpacks are no longer solely used for students to carry their textbooks, but as a functional and stylish accessory for all. This has helped propel Herschels growth beyond North American borders into over 70 worldwide markets. As one of the worlds fastest-growing bag and travel accessory companies, Herschels headquarters in Vancouver offers many strategic advantages, including geographic proximity to the rapidly expanding and changing consumer markets of the Asia Pacific. In recent years, a noticeable shift has occurred in Chinas fashion retailing. As hordes of young millennials approximately 415 million people, or 65 percent of Chinas total consumer growth head into the workforce, western fashion chains have been attempting to capitalize on these more fashion-conscious shoppers. In doing so, they have contributed to Chinas upswing in retail sales that have catapulted the economy forward as the country shifts from one that is predominantly export-driven to a more consumer-oriented society. Having already carved out a lucrative niche among trendy young shoppers in North American markets, Herschel has also capitalized on the growing trend of an experience economy, subscribed to by younger populations around the globe that prefer to spend their money on travel and events and want to look fashionable while doing so. By testing the waters in a variety of Asia Pacific economies through a network of 7,000 third-party retailers and rapidly growing e-commerce markets abroad, Herschels expansion of a permanent office in Shanghai signals the companys ambitious objective of conquering Chinas constantly fluctuating consumer base and making these consumers a cornerstone of its global marketing strategy. APF Federal budget 2018 returned with some disappointment The 2018 federal Budget which was announced Tuesday night May 8 2018 rightly puts the focus on jobs and skills and highlights the importance of setting sound economic fundamentals by returning the budget to surplus earlier than anticipated, According to the chief executive of Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). AFGC CEO Ms Tanya Barden said that the Governments efforts to return a Budget surplus a year earlier than predicted should be acknowledged while also welcoming the range of budget measures aimed at stimulating employment growth, enhancing skills and training and investment in vital public infrastructure. The Government is taking action to achieving a surplus of $2.2 billion 2020/21, reducing the uncertainty for business which undermines the confidence and investment essential to underpin jobs and growth, said Barden. The Government has recognised the need to establish and then build ongoing Budget surpluses without resorting to increased taxation that would dampen business and investment confidence and consumer spending, she said. Other commentators said that the tax cuts for low to middle income earners will encourage and support retail spending which should have flow on benefits up the Fast Moving Consumer Goods supply chain. For the Australian food and grocery and agri-food sectors which are spread across the length and breadth of the country, the significant boost in infrastructure planning and delivery is viewed as essential for developing supply chain solutions that create world leading, efficient channels to market. The Governments announcement of $225 million to improve the accuracy of GPS in Australia may greatly assist and improve High Performance Vehicle Road Mapping. It has been difficult to get accurate maps that show the smaller local roads and led to some uncertainty about what vehicles are allowed in the last mile to a delivery, said AFCGs Barden. This Budgets investment in upskilling our workforce is welcome, given that the $127 billion food and grocery sector is becoming increasingly specialised in the physical manufacturing as well as the computing and software technologies that control processes. These funding programs will assist companies meet the skill workforce needs of modern manufacturing.m she said. An ongoing commitment to establish globally competitive taxation rates, and that continuation of the SME instant write off is good for small manufacturers and suppliers, disappointingly this Budget does little to help mitigate high energy prices or stimulate investment in food and grocery manufacturing. Small businesses now have longer to write off business purchases. The Government extended the $20,000 instant asset write-off for another 12 months to June 30, 2019. The initiative was initially introduced in the 2015-16 budget and has been kicked along at a cost of AUD $350 million over the forward estimates. Trade is one of major focus for farmers in this years budget, with $51.3 million to be spent on six new on-the-ground agricultural trade councillors in new markets, plus the extension of those positions in Vietnam, Malaysia, the Middle East, China and Thailand, bringing the total to 22. They will work on the ground to eliminate trade barriers, keep markets open and alert farmers to new trade opportunities. In turn, industries will be expected to pay back just under half of the investment under a cost recovery plan. Meanwhile, Treasurer Scott Morrison agreed to change the rules around craft brewing, announcing that the budget papers will include a policy to tax all beer kegs the same way if they hold eight litres or more. This would mean brewers paid around $8.50 per litre for all containers that hold more than eight litres. The same policy will also apply to distillers if they use containers of the same size. In a statement, Morrison said the policy would assist 380 craft brewers and 100 domestic distillers across Australia. The exact dollar cost of the changes to the budget bottom line is expected to be outlined in tomorrow nights budget papers. In a press conference on Morrison said the craft brewing scene is a dynamic, new industry that has been growing up in Australia and small businesses in the sector deserve a more level playing field. Experts comment on how the 2018-19 Federal Budget will impact research, health and science. Andrew Holmes is President of the Australian Academy of Science "This is a good budget for science. It reflects the long-term and strategic approach that is needed for Australia to benefit from science and innovation at a global scale." Australias national supercomputers give scientists across government, industry and universities the processing power for the complex scientific computations needed in an advance society including accurate weather forecasts, drug development, and large-scale astronomy. We have a long way to go as a nation, particularly on big issues like STEM education and training at school and university and climate change. But we are moving forward together and the Government has made a clear commitment in this Budget to working collaboratively with the science sector to maximise the benefits for all Australians." Kylie Walker is CEO of Science & Technology Australia "The 2018 Budget indicates the Government has listened to the need to restore support for major science agencies and invest in research infrastructure to position Australia as a leader in global science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) research and innovation. The new commitment to $1.9 billion in research infrastructure ($1 billion over forward estimates) following the National Research Infrastructure Roadmap is very welcome, and major commitments medical research, the Great Barrier Reef, technology infrastructure and space science further strengthen the positive investment for the future of Australias STEM sector. The Government has also committed to refocusing the R&D Tax Incentive in line with recommendations made in the recent review. A return to keeping pace with CPI is very welcome for the Australian Research Council and other research agencies like the CSIRO. Were also pleased to see a boost for measures to engage and inspire all Australians with STEM, as well as specific measures to support greater participation by girls and women in STEM. However we note the future STEM workforce still requires attention STEM graduate rates are threatened by continued capping of commonwealth support for undergraduate places at Australian Universities. Australia will need many more people equipped with STEM skills in our workforce to compete internationally. This short-term saving will be a loss for future generations." Professor Tony Cunningham AO is President of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI). "This is a great Budget for medical research, with around $2 billion now committed through the Medical Research Future Fund for new medical research projects. This is exactly where the Australian medical research sector should be heading." Professor Nalini Joshi is Payne-Scott Professor of Applied Mathematics and ARC Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellow at The University of Sydney. "Budgets enable the future. To have a future-proof progressive, technologically sophisticated society, Australia needs a workforce that is educated and trained to think logically, analytically and quantitatively. A society with only a handful of mathematically trained workers cannot be expected to support the extraordinarily important developments expected in modern life such as precision medicine. Australia is that society: only 0.4% of entering university students study Mathematical sciences, in comparison to the OECD average of 2.5%. To barely reach that average, we would need to multiply the current cohort of senior high school students who are mathematically prepared for University by a factor of 6. The budget contains no action or stimulus to help meet this challenge. Funding is necessary to: place a mathematics specialist, to mentor teachers in mathematical skills, in every school or every regional group of schools; provide tax incentives for teachers to pursue professional development and further training in mathematics; create stimuli, e.g., merit salary, preferred placement or advanced recognition of years served, for graduates trained in the mathematical sciences to enter and remain in the teaching profession; implement a program to program to encourage and increase pipeline flow in mathematics from school to university and from undergraduate study to graduate study and from PhD to postdoctoral work or industry; and create a program to attract more students training in and going onto careers in the mathematical sciences by establishing a vertically integrated research-led education program across undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral boundaries. Initiatives recommended in the Decadal Plan for Mathematical Sciences: a vision for 2025 need an agile, pro-active budget focused on developing a future workforce. This budget does not appear to be one of them." Dr Behzad Fatahi, Associate Professor of Geotechnical and Earthquake Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney. "Government just announced $24.5 billion investment toward infrastructure projects mainly contributing to building road and rail infrastructure in different states across Australia. This new budget allocation is a part of multi stage and rather long-term plan for investing $75 billion by the federal government in modernising nations transport infrastructure. This new investment will create significant job opportunities for various professions from lawyers to civil engineers, from mechanical to geotechnical engineers, accountants, as well as finance and IT experts. This budget allocation to build major infrastructure in our country can stimulate economic growth handsomely and contribute toward reducing the unemployment rate. Currently Sydney holds a population of 5.6 million, which is a tremendous increase from 4.0 million in 2011. According to the reported published by Australian Bureau of statistics in 2017, this population is projected to increase to a maximum of 11.0 million in 2061. A similar trend could be applicable to other major metropolitans in Australia. This rapid growth in population indisputably needs a significant increase in investment in constructing new infrastructures, such as roads and railway lines. Thus, considering this major government investments on transport infrastructure, and emphasising that we need to get better at planning and building the infrastructure, there is a golden opportunity as well as an essential need to reduce the future maintenance cost of infrastructure such as roads, railways, dams and bridges which would be potentially suffering from different problems such as excessive or differential settlement. In Australia, the maintenance cost of transport infrastructure has been increasing; for example, over the past 5 years, the expenditure for local road maintenance has increased by $97 million, an annual average growth rate of 1.69%. On the other hand disruption to infrastructure systems and their services can cause tremendous challenges for society, such as a significant reduction in the freight capacity of roads and railway lines and delayed commuter access to ports, airports, industrial areas, and business precincts. Therefore, Australian industries together with research organisations such as higher education sector should focus their research and development efforts on developing efficient construction technologies to reduce future maintenance cost of transport infrastructure, so the return on investment on the upcoming projects could enhance. Federal government should try to link the national innovation and science agenda with these new infrastructure investments to ensure the smart ideas and new technologies will be proposed and used to reduce the construction and maintenance cost of transport infrastructure to ensure projects are viable. Universities should work hand in hand and more closely with both federal and state governments as well as private sector to ensure skilled work force required to deliver the planned infrastructure can be trained here in Australia rather than relying on overseas experts and workers. One of the key funded infrastructure projects in NSW is Coffs Harbour bypass, which received $971 million funding from the Federal government. This is a 14 kilometre bypass of Coffs Harbour extending from Englands Road in the south to the Pacific Highway at Sapphire in the north. This is the next big project after the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade (W2B). Coffs Harbour bypass is also the last bottle neck (after the on-going W2B project) in NSW to be removed on the Pacific Highway from Sydney to Brisbane. This bypass will result in safer roads while removing 12 traffic lights leading to more efficient transport system with greatly improved local traffic conditions." John Fischetti is Head of School/Dean of the School of Education/Faculty of Education and Arts at The University of Newcastle. "The Budget 2018 presentation by the Treasurer implied, but went silent on several items related to education. An increase in the child care means-tested subsidy was included in the budget and already planned. No mention was made of the crucial role of high quality early childhood education to allow carers to participate in the economy, while having confidence their children are prepared with the fundamental skills and dispositions to be successful in the innovation age. There is a larger investment needed there. Each child deserves the highest quality early childhood experience from the learning sciences, not from babysitting. The government reiterated its commitment to the new Gonski report recommendations to provide teachers the tools needed to lift student performance. No mention of the costs of the new Gonski reports called for assessment schemes was included. While last weeks report is spot on about current schools obsolescence, it contradicts itself on the assembly line assessments that have already failed in New Zealand. Thats a huge cost not discussed, a major reworking of NAPLAN. And, while the need- based funding was mentioned, what wasnt discussed is that the amounts included are actually significantly less than the first Gonski report recommended. This is actually a cut disguised as an increase. No mention of the vital role of providing access to higher education, including TAFE and Universities. Recent years cuts have put at risk Australias future, which is developing the minds and research outputs to innovate our future rather than dig our future out of the ground." Professor Margaret Gardner is Chair of Universities Australia. "Just like a deposit on a home, this extra $393 million for major national collaborative research facilities is an instalment on owning our own research future as a country.. Investing in these facilities is like laying the rail and road networks of the 19th and 20th centuries it's productive infrastructure to deliver tomorrow's discoveries, industries, start-ups and jobs." The good news on research infrastructure is tempered by the ongoing university funding freeze, which will cut $2.1 billion from universities over the next few years." Associate Professor Albert Gabric is from Griffith University. "The Great Barrier Reef is under threat from multiple local stressors including, declining water quality, coastal zone development, and periodic invasions by the crown of thorn starfish. Compounding these local threats are a host of climate change related global problems, including bleaching and acidification and extreme weather events, viz. marine heat waves and cyclones. These threats to the GBR have been the subject of several major government studies in the last 20 years, incl. Industry Commission Report (2003) and Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (2017). The latter report stated: The main source of the primary pollutants (nutrients, fine sediments and pesticides) from Great Barrier Reef catchments is diffuse source pollution from agriculture. These pollutants pose a risk to Great Barrier Reef coastal and marine ecosystems. Progress towards the water quality targets has been slow and the present trajectory suggests these targets will not be met. Queensland has the largest area of agricultural land of any Australian state and the highest proportion of land area in Australia dedicated to agriculture. Agricultural industries contribute more than $10 billion to the state economy each year. Researchers have recognised for over 25 years that poor water quality due to land use change and farming in the coastal hinterland is fundamentally incompatible with a healthy coral reef ecosystem. The language in recent reports mentions maintaining and improving the reefs resilience, even though the general concept of ecosystem resilience is difficult to define and even more difficult to measure. The proposed budget allocation of $500 million, while certainly welcome, is a very small step in confronting a classic wicked problem, which is by definition extremely difficult or impossible to solve." Hi there! I currently live overseas with my partner and plan to do so until next year when I will return to Australia for a good job offer that I have been given. I want to apply for a partner visa as we would have been over the 12 months by the time I leave, but am concerned about the interim period between submitting and approval. During this period we would be separated (while visiting each other as much as we can). Additionally, I have heard some stories about the difficulties in getting employment on the 820 visa as it is temporary and, given that my partner has a very good job overseas, she would prefer to continue until the permanent visa is granted. Is it possible to have some sort of system until the permanent visa is granted? As a young couple, and just beginning our careers, we really want the opportunity to earn some money and experience at our respective jobs. It is tricky because we both have job opportunities in our respective countries that are very competitive and that we have both worked very hard for but on the other hand, this period (2018) that I am with her meets the requirements of 12 months. Photo: Hertz To celebrate the company's 100-year anniversary, Hertz Europe launched free, mobile Wi-Fi and other exclusive benefits for qualifying car rentals in more than 200 locations across Europe. The 4G Internet connection is provided alongside free international calls of up to 30 minutes a day, a translation tool, and city guides from selected locations in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Hertz customers can access the services via the Hertz Connect portable device. Customers from the U.S. and participating countries in Europe and Asia Pacific can access the benefits by booking their rental on the Hertz website as a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards member and spend a minimum of $250 in U.S. dollars, euros, or pounds. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards members can also now cancel their rental up to two days ahead of pick-up without incurring any charge. Other program perks include the ability to skip the counter in over 50 airport branches worldwide, including an additional driver at no extra cost, a 25% discount on child seats, reward points earned on every trip, and year-round discounts on Hertz website bookings. Related: Hertz Improves Revenues, Narrows Loss in Q1 Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra What: A performance of Russian masters Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff When: Lecture at 6:30 p.m., performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday Where: Rabobank Theater, 1001 Truxtun Ave. Admission: $20-$45; tickets available at the Rabobank box office or at axs.com Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Lots of sunshine. High 79F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 59F. Winds N 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. TOKYO (AP) China, Japan and South Korea warmed their chilly relations Wednesday, brought together by a common goal: ending North Korea's nuclear program. Leaders from the three countries held their first three-way summit in more than two years, demonstrating a spirt of cooperation despite continuing differences over North Korea and other issues. While short on specifics, the show of unity, especially ahead of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's expected talks with President Donald Trump, was seen as a major success. "It was extremely significant that Japan, China and South Korea reaffirmed the importance of their cooperation ahead of a U.S.-North Korea meeting," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, praising the outcome of the summit. The agreements came at the first summit for the Northeast Asian neighbors after a hiatus of more than two years, bringing together Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. "The three countries will take leadership to achieve peace and prosperity in the Northeast Asia," Abe told a joint news conference in Tokyo, with Li and Moon standing on both sides, all wearing almost identical blue neckties. Abe said the three discussed how they can get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, but he didn't provide any details. China and Japan, in particular, have differences over how best to achieve North Korea's nuclear disarmament. The meeting comes amid a flurry of developments on the Korean Peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Moon on April 27 and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this week, in a surprise visit to the Chinese coastal city of Dalian. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, early Wednesday to finalize details of a summit planned between Trump and Kim. "We must lead the ongoing momentum toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and achieve peace and stability in Northeast Asia," Abe said. The three countries agreed on promoting regional free trade, another hot-button issue challenging their region in the face of Trump's America-first trade policy. Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said the three leaders will work toward two free trade agreements a pact among themselves and the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with Southeast Asian nations. Trump has threatened all three countries with tariffs in a bid to seek trade concessions from them. His moves have raised fears of a trade war between the U.S. and China. Li, the No. 2 official in China after President Xi Jinping, said earlier that free trade is a good way to promote a global economic recovery. "We are willing to work with Japan and South Korea to jointly maintain regional stability and push forward the development of the three countries," he said before the meeting started. The leaders also agreed to hold trilateral summits on regular basis and set up a secretariat. The summits, which started in 2008, are supposed to be held annually, but Wednesday's was the first since November 2015. Analysts say Japan wants to showcase improved ties and cooperation with China and South Korea so its views will be represented in any negotiations with North Korea. Abe reiterated Japan's position that it would normalize ties with North Korea only if the latter took concrete steps toward abandoning its nuclear and missile programs and resolved the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korean agents. Abe held talks separately with Moon and Li later Wednesday. He stressed the importance of a free and peaceful East China Sea to Li, and proposed to Moon a "future-oriented" Japan-South Korea relationship by overcoming their contentious historical issues stemming from Japan's wartime actions. Japan and China also signed an agreement to launch a defense hotline next month aimed at preventing military clashes stemming from their territorial row over East China Sea islands. Moon left Japan after half a day. After that, Abe will host a dinner and lunch for Li and join him on the northern island of Hokkaido on the final day of his four-day Japan visit. Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said they want to improve Japan's strained relations with China, with the eventual goal of realizing a visit by Xi. While the three Asian neighbors are closely linked economically, anti-Japanese sentiment runs deep in China and South Korea because of territorial and historical disputes dating back to Japan's colonization of the Korean Peninsula and invasion of China in the first half of the 20th century. ___ Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi Find her work at https://www.apnews.com/search/mari%20yamaguchi Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. STEPANAKERT, Azerbaijan (AP) Armenia's new prime minister marked his first full day in office Wednesday by visiting the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, pledging to maintain security guarantees for a region that's part of rival Azerbaijan. Nikol Pashinian's visit was an effort to show continuity in his country's security policies after the weeks of protests that catapulted him to office, a stunning power shift for the impoverished former Soviet republic. The trip was also a provocative move toward Azerbaijan. Pashinian "seems to prefer political agitation instead of being engaged in addressing the daunting social-economic problems of Armenia and the Armenian people," Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev said. "In order to disguise its direct responsibility for military aggression against Azerbaijan, Armenia distorts and misinterprets the principle of the people's right to self-determination" Hajiyev said. Pashinian reasserted Armenia's commitment to Nagorno-Karabakh, a part of neighboring Azerbaijan that ethnic Armenian forces have controlled since a separatist war ended in 1994. Pashinian called for continued negotiations to end the conflict, but accused Azerbaijan of ratcheting up tensions. He said the self-declared government in Nagorno-Karabakh should be included in talks. "How can this negotiation format solve an issue when one of its key participants is missing from the negotiation table? This is not an issue to be approached with emotion but rather with pragmatism," he said. He expressed hope for "new momentum" in relations between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The territory's de facto leader, Bako Sahakyan, welcomed Pashinian's visit and assurances for continued defense of the region. Shooting frequently breaks out across a demilitarized zone that separates ethnic Armenian forces and Azerbaijan's soldiers. The region's unresolved status contributes to the economic problems that are a key issue for Pashinian's supporters. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey have closed their borders with Armenia over the conflict, inhibiting trade and leaving Armenia in semi-isolation. Pashinian's election capped weeks of political turmoil that had raised concerns about stability in the Caucasus Mountains region. He has yet to articulate a platform and faces an array of challenges, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and a parliament dominated by the party he denounced as corrupt. ___ Aida Sultanova in Baku, Azerbaijan, contributed to this story. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ORLANDO, Fla. -- Walt Disney World appears to be getting ready for another project near the Magic Kingdom. New permit filed for project near Magic Kingdom Connected to another project at former River Country site Many are speculating project is a new resort A permit filed Monday for project "Stolport Stockpile" seeks to use a 30-acre site south of the theme park for temporarily stockpiling fill. Documents included in the filing show it appears related to Disney's "Project 89." Permits for that project were filed in March and called for "geotechnical work" at the site of Disney's former River Country water park. No one knows what Disney plans to build there. However, many fans are speculating that it potentially could be a new resort, possibly a Disney Vacation Club property. Disney hasn't shared any details about what either project is for. With several attractions planned in the coming years, it would make sense for a new resort. A Tron coaster is planned for Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland. Over at Epcot, new rides based on Guardians of the Galaxy and Ratatouille are under construction. In 2019, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is set to open at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Next month, the theme park will welcome Toy Story Land. GET OUR NEW APP Our new Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A St. Petersburg woman was arrested on May 4 and charged with misuse of the 911 wireless system after she reportedly called 911 declaring a medical emergency, then told first responders upon their arrival that she needed beer. Jennifer Sue Sunday, 57, arrested May 4 Sunday called 911 line 28 times since Feb. 6, 2018 None of previous calls were for actual medical emergency Officials said on May 4 Jennifer Sue Sunday made two 911 calls, one at 12:06 p.m. and one at 3:41 p.m., each time telling operators she was experiencing a medical emergency. When paramedics arrived at her home, she told them she needed beer, according to a county affidavit. The same affidavit states that Sunday has made 28 calls to 911 since Feb. 6, 2018 saying she was experiencing a medical emergency, but none of the calls were genuine. Sunday was arrested and charged with misuse of the 911 wireless system. She was booked at the Pinellas County Jail on $150.00 bond. Three Lakeland High School students are seeing an art class project turned into a major monument for the Lakeland. Lakeland linemen statue Project spurred by 3 Lakeland High students Sculpture honoring linemen to be unveiled June 29 Madison McDaniel, Angel Mitchell and Gabriella Thomas created a design for a monument honoring electric linemen out of scraps from an art class junk room. It was part of a contest sponsored by the Platform Art organization. Their design won the competition. The idea for the monument stems from the hard work and risks that the linemen take to keep power on and get it restored after natural disaster like hurricanes. Madison McDaniel clearly remembers seeing convoys of linemen pouring into Florida after hurricane Irma. "And we saw all these linemen coming from out of town. Not from our state and they were just coming to help us," she said. The girls and their art teacher Kim Mortimer traveled to Pennsylvania last week and watched as workers at the Art Research Enterprises foundry pour molten metal into their mold of a lineman. "Definitely emotional," said Angel Mitchell about seeing their design being brought to life. Madison McDaniel felt similar emotions. "When I walked in and we saw how big this piece was I was in tears," she said. The Monument will be placed in front of Lakeland Electric headquarters in downtown Lakeland. Gabriella Thomas hopes it makes linemen fee appreciated. "Definitely appreciation because like they are not appreciated enough," she said. The monument will be unveiled to the public on June 29. Full disclosurenot a Kanye West music fan. His music just isnt for me. Not judging, just personal taste. But I give him big points for his recent stance on not giving in to identity politics. Its refreshing to see a celebrity who has benefited from the capitalist system, not throw that system under the bus. But because he doesnt subscribe to the Bernie Sanders version of socialism, the press and Hollywood, with all their tolerance, is pushing back. We just cant have free thinkers not follow the policies of the progressive agenda. Its ludicrous that his position to support Trump is even an issue and I hope Americans see the hypocrisy of identity politics that has squelched free speech. This ongoing discrimination against anyone conservative or Christian needs to stop. Its not American and smells like totalitarianism. But the fact that this story about Kanye supporting Trump is so big is an indication of how mean-spirited identity politics has been over the past few years. Disagree with us and we come after you! For all their so-called tolerance, the intolerance is astounding. I, like many Americans, just want to get on with trying to improve things. We elected a President-one you may or may not like. Yet, every time I turn on CNN these days, it is all about Russian collusionI used to listen to this Sirius XM channel but the one note message has caused me to turn the dial. And the rants against our President on MSBMC have also been off-putting. So while I used to enjoy channeling surfing and listening to various viewpoints on the news, I cant do it any longer. So many news reporters are now opinion reporters with one messagesay and do everything you can to put down this president. It is unprecedented. Now, I am not supporting Trump with this blog, rather supporting everyones right to have a position that goes against the narrative of the few elite that dominate our media. Disagree with them and you are blasted. That is not free speech. And the loss of civility around disagreement is disturbing. When someone supports a conservative, its a major story with massive controversy well, I say, this should be a wake-up call to all Americans. Thinking on our own, not always agreeing with the few people in power, and being free to civil disagree is foundational to our survival. So thanks Kanye for having the courage to not be ashamed to say what you really believe. I may not always like what you say, but I am thankful you have the right to say it. And you should be able to say what you believe without having threats against you. The thought police dont like it anyone who opposes them. Its time for more people to stop being afraid to disagree with those pushing progressive policies. We are tired of those who have the microphone constantly telling us how to think. Free thinkers make our country what it is. When we lose our ability to think and speak freely, weve lost more than popularity. Weve lost our way! Self-improvement books have become a common sight, especially in recent years. There are entire sections in bookstores filled with titles such as Leading with Passion, Unlocking the Secrets to Your Success and Soar Like an Eagle, Dont Flock Like a Pidgeon. Some of these books are based on psychology, neuroscience and a truthful understanding of what really makes a person tick. Others, however, are riddled with references to chakras, auras and other New Age spiritual energies. The former sort of book is one that just about anyone would be comfortable reading. The latter, though, can make Christians cringe or roll their eyes when they read about unblocking energy centers to clear negative chi that has settled in the muscles. The method of stress relief sitting next to that phrase may be of legitimate use, but many Christians will set the whole book aside rather than try and sift through what they see as heretical New Age teachings. What many Christians are hungry for is a self-improvement book based in Biblical thought. Christians want to improve themselves just like everyone else, but they crave examples that are anchored in their belief system, in God and in Christ. Thankfully, such a book does exist. Be GreatBefore Its Too Late is Jerry Meeks latest work, and it offers advice on how a Christian can be successful without compromising their faith. Meek is aware that one cannot serve two masters, and he makes it a point to explain that greatness is not simply material success. He also emphasizes that greatness is not some inborn, innate trait, but something that is the product of years of hard work. Like the best self-improvement books, Be GreatBefore Its Too Late is filled with practical advice that can be applied to a persons everyday life. What sets Be Great apart from other self-improvement books, however, is that Meek uses the Bible to support his claims of what it means to be great. He uses examples that every Christian will be familiar with, such as using the story of Samson to show that a person who is unwilling to learn will eventually fail or the story of Gideon to emphasize the importance of trust, while still including stories of the successes and failures of people today. Be GreatBefore Its Too Late is a self-improvement book that is unapologetically rooted in the Christian faith and the Bible. It uses the teachings of Christ to help modern readers understand what it truly means to be great both to ones self and in the eyes of God. The book is available for purchase now, and more information about the book can be found on its official website. For Immediate Release, May 8, 2018 Contacts: Brett VandenHeuvel, Columbia Riverkeeper, (503) 348-2436 Cecile Gernez, Sierra Club Washington State Chapter, (650) 796-5041 Jared M. Margolis, Center for Biological Diversity, (802) 310-4054 Cowlitz County Court: Kalama Refinery Proposal Ignored Pollution, Broke Law KELSO, Wash. The Cowlitz County Superior Court today upheld the Washington Shorelines Hearings Boards decision that the Port of Kalama and Cowlitz County broke the law by failing to disclose and evaluate greenhouse gas pollution from the proposed Kalama methanol refinery. A coalition opposing the project including Columbia Riverkeeper, the Sierra Club, and the Center for Biological Diversity represented by Earthjustice call this another victory in the fight against fracking and fossil fuel export. The Port of Kalama must now choose: Appeal the Cowlitz County Superior Courts decision; admit the true environmental cost of methanol refining and export; or abandon this dirty fossil fuel export project, said Brett VandenHeuvel, executive director of Columbia Riverkeeper. This would be the world's largest fracked-gas-to-methanol refinery, and its impacts extend far past the facility itself. Pipeline expansions, fracked gas extraction, and offsite global warming emissions all need to be considered in the Environmental Impact Statement," said Jesse Piedfort, director of the Washington State Sierra Club. This a big victory against a refinery that would devastate the local environment and set back efforts to combat the climate crisis, said Jared Margolis, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. Thanks to the courts decision, regulators cant ignore the refinerys threat to our climate, as well as the air and water that people and endangered species rely on to survive. It is state law and common sense. You can't build a massive new source of greenhouse gases without taking a hard look first, said Stephanie Tsosie, associate attorney with Earthjustice. The proposed methanol refinery would consume more fracked gas than every gas-fired power plant in Washington combined. By 2025 the project could become Washingtons single largest cause of climate pollution. Background A subsidiary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences called Northwest Innovation Works seeks to build methanol refineries at Kalama, Washington, and Port Westward, Oregon, to take advantage of the regions cheap fracked methane gas, electricity and water. The refineries would convert stunning volumes of fracked gas into methanol for export to China, to make plastics or fuel Chinas growing fleet of automobiles. Each methanol refinery could consume 270 million cubic feet of fracked gas per day, more than all other industry in Washington combined. Methane, collected by fracking, is a potent greenhouse gas. New studies show that fracking for methane gas is a major threat to our climate because methane escapes into the atmosphere from gas wells and pipelines. Resource State Board Rules that Port Of Kalama Violated Washington Law by Failing to Evaluate Greenhouse Gas Impacts, September 2017 For Immediate Release, May 9, 2018 Contact: Kristen Monsell, (510) 844-7137, kmonsell@biologicaldiversity.org Hilcorp Alaska Seeks Authorization to Harm Marine Mammals With Arctic Drilling 'Liberty' Project Would Be First Offshore Development in Arctic Federal Waters ANCHORAGE, Alaska The Trump administration announced today that it received an application from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC to harm bowhead whales, ringed seals, bearded seals and other imperiled Arctic marine mammals. The application to the National Marine Fisheries Service is connected to the companys proposal to build and operate the Liberty project, an artificial oil-drilling island and underwater pipeline in the Beaufort Sea. Injuring Arctic whales and seals to do dangerous offshore oil drilling is reckless and cruel. These endangered species are already being harmed enough by our fossil fuel dependence, said Kristen Monsell, oceans legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Arctic wildlife faces double danger from this project, first during construction and then by the oil spills that will naturally follow in this unforgiving environment. The project involves construction of a nine-acre artificial island with a 24-acre footprint in about 20 feet of water and a 5.6-mile pipeline under Arctic waters to send the oil into onshore pipelines. If authorized, the project would be the first development project fully in federal Arctic waters. Noise from construction and operation of the Liberty project can harm whales and seals by disrupting essential behaviors such as feeding and breeding. It can also mask the communications of bowhead, gray and beluga whales. Construction of the ice roads that would be used to support activities offshore has the potential to kill ringed seals. The Marine Mammal Protection Act generally prohibits killing, harming, or harassing a marine mammal. The statute allows the federal government to authorize certain industrial activities to harm marine mammals, provided such activities will take only a small number of animals and have no more than a negligible impact on the population. The project will also need another permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to harm polar bears. Hilcorp has a terrible track record with its Alaska operations. This company cant be trusted to safely operate in Cook Inlet, and it has no business in treacherous Arctic waters, Monsell said. The Liberty project is a disaster waiting to happen. Concerns about Hilcorps ability to build and manage the project were heightened earlier this year when its underwater gas pipeline in Alaskas Cook Inlet leaked for nearly four months because the company said the presence of sea ice prevented its repair. Hilcorp has been aggressively expanding its Alaska fossil fuel holdings, spending more than $3 million to lease 14 new Cook Inlet tracts in federal waters June. Hilcorp has also been the most heavily fined oil company in Alaska in recent years, with state regulators writing disregard for regulatory compliance is endemic to Hilcorp's approach to its Alaska operations. Todays notice requests comments on the application, which would allow Hilcorp to harm and harass marine mammals for a five-year period beginning in November 2019. Hilcorp wants federal permission to injure and disturb marine mammals more than 600 times over the life of the authorization. Comments on the application are due June 8. For Immediate Release, May 9, 2018 Contact: Emily Jeffers, (510) 844-7109, ejeffers@biologicaldiversity.org Texas Residents Urge Rejection of World's Largest Plastics Plant TUCSON, Ariz. The Center for Biological Diversity and more than 1,100 Texas residents are demanding that Texas regulators reconsider issuing a wastewater permit to a project that would be the worlds largest plastics plant. The facility, funded by ExxonMobil and the Saudi Arabian government, would discharge more than 13 million gallons a day of toxic wastewater. It will exceed legal pollution standards, as the Center notes in a petition filed today with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The plant, which would receive more than $1 billion in state tax breaks, would crack the ethane in natural gas to produce almost 2 million tons of ethylene and polyethylene annually. Polyethylene pellets are the basic building blocks of plastic products. The Texas plant is part of a multibillion-dollar push by the fossil fuel industry to increase global plastic production by 40 percent over the next decade. This facility will dump millions of gallons of toxic wastewater a day into beautiful Corpus Christi Bay. Thats right in the middle of critical habitat for endangered whooping cranes, said Emily Jeffers, an attorney with the Center. Texas and its wildlife will pay a heavy price just to produce more cheap plastic that will litter our oceans and landscapes. Texans dont want toxins in their bays and rivers, and they dont want plastics polluting our oceans and seafood. Today is the deadline for concerned citizens to request the commission reconsider its April 9 decision to issue a wastewater permit for the plastic plant. The Center, along with over 1,148 Texas residents who supported the Centers online petition, submitted a request for reconsideration. In addition to the wastewater permit, the facility must obtain several air permits. It will also contribute to plastic pollution, which has become so pervasive that plastic is expected to outweigh all the fish in the sea by 2050. Marine plastic pollution affected at least 267 species, including 86 percent of sea turtle species and 43 percent of marine mammal species. Large whales are often found with bellies full of plastic after they die. Little bits of plastic get mistaken for food and eaten by fish, sea turtles, birds and other wildlife. These animals often choke on the items, or experience feelings of fullness and then starve to death. Plastic also attracts and absorbs toxic chemicals from the marine environment, increasing the hazards to any animal that eats them, including those higher on the food chain, including humans. Other animals become entangled in plastic garbage and drown. The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on 25 May 2018. African businesses that collect, process or store personal data about European citizens and residents will need to comply. Benjamin Haas via 123RF GDPR is one of the biggest shake-ups ever seen affecting how data relating to an individual should be handled - and many African organisations are not yet ready. 1. Get informed 2. Do an audit Do you have processes in place to enable people to move, copy or transfer their personal data from your organisation to another, as it is their right under GDPR? Do your processes live up the GDPRs expectation of privacy from start to finish i.e. from first contact with your company to the end of the relationship? Do you have a process in place to tell regulators and customers of a breach within 72 hours of becoming aware of it? Are your business partners and suppliers with access to your data about European users aware of the requirements of GDPR? Can you prove your compliance with GDPR if necessary? 3. Review your consent mechanisms 4. Refresh your privacy policies and contracts 5. Train your extended workforce 6. Appoint your Data Protection Officer Thats the case even if they dont have a direct presence on the continent; even more so if they are Small & Medium Businesses.The GDPR sets out the minimum requirements for the treatment of all personal data. Personal data can be defined as any data identifying or relating to an individual, including things like physical appearance, biometric data, an individuals record on a customer relationship management system, or even something as simple as website tracking data collected via cookies.Here are six practical steps your African business can take to ensure that it complies with Europes stringent new data privacy and protection regulation:The first step towards complying with the GDPR is to understand the new demands the regulation places on how your business collects, manages and stores the personal data of European citizens and residents. There is a wealth of information available online; a good starting point is the EU GDPR Portal Many law firms and IT consulting groups in Africa have also been studying the GDPR. They will be able advise you on the practical aspects of compliance as well as how the GDRP will interact with the data privacy and protection laws and regulations in place in your own country, for example, the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI) in South Africa.The GDPR is an opportunity to evaluate why you collect and store personal data, as well as the data you are already holding in your databases. You will need to know this so that you can explain to European individuals which data of theirs you are collecting as well as how you use it. If you find that you are gathering data for which you have no real business need, delete it.This will help you reduce your exposure to risk, as well as show a commitment to responsible usage of your customers data.Also look at how long you retain data for, as well as how you store and secure it. You might consider a GDPR audit from legal and technological standpoints. Only once you understand what you are doing today, can you start to revamp your systems and processes to align them with GDPR.Some other important points to consider:EU data protection legislation has always required that customers must give specific and informed consent to organisations that gather their data. GDPR takes this a step further by demanding that customers give their consent with a statement or other clear affirmative action. If you are still treating silence as consent, or using pre-ticked consent boxes on your websites, you will need to review your processes.You will need to update your privacy notices to provide the additional information required by the GDPR, and you may well need to relook the portions of any contracts with EU residents and citizens that deal with their data rights.Ensure your employees and partners are aware of the GDPR and secure training to prepare them. Remember the GDPR makes you responsible for third parties who process personal data for you.According to the GDPR, organisations processing large amounts of personal information or particularly sensitive personal information should have a data protection officer (DPO). The DPO needs to have expert knowledge of data protection law - he or she could be an employee or a service provider. Laws like POPI in South Africa also expect companies to have an information officer - it makes sense for the same person to hold both roles.GDPR is one of the biggest shake-ups ever seen affecting how data relating to an individual should be handled - and many African organisations that process the personal data of individuals who are based in the EU are not yet ready for it. Time is running out for them to get their houses in order and there are serious implications if you are a business not taking this seriously. Professor Thuli Madonsela, former public protector, now social justice chair at the Stellenbosch University Law Faculty 'Business has a voice' Reducing extremities of inequality The former public protector said in doing so, CSI will help unlock the so-called democracy dividend, enabling South Africans to embrace and benefit from not only democracy, but their freedom, and to have a stake in nurturing faith in democracy and humanity.She recounted how her own parents a former farmworker and a domestic worker could only afford to pay for her schooling until grade seven. But she was able to secure scholarships and grants to be able to pursue the career of her choice.That meant I have the privilege of being at the forefront of the democracy dividend, a position of social, political and economic power that brings with it an obligation to ensure social justice, said Madonsela.Business is in a position of power and privilege and business has a voice, in the same way that when you become an advocate, you have a voice. It also means that you have an obligation to leverage your influence for good, she explained.That extends to ethical business, said Madonsela, explaining that even the most vigorous CSI effort cant compensate for a business underpaying its employees or suppliers, or overcharging its customers.She cited the African proverb, It takes a village to raise a child, and suggested that all South Africans, including business, have an important role in driving social justice.The indignities imposed by poverty, inequality and unemployment can imperil democracy. As a counterpoint, effective CSI can drive justice, where the Millennium Development Goals become community goals, and where social justice has the power to help insulate a nascent democracy from the peril of corruption and exclusion, and inequality between and within communities.It may take hundreds of years to address the legacy of apartheid, but even if apartheid had never happened, it would still be our duty to make sure nobody is left behind. CSI might not be able to end inequality but it can reduce its extremity, suggested Madonsela.She encouraged delegates to the conference to examine the role of business in helping to bring about systemic social change by supporting social justice interventions.Inaugural Trialogue research on social justice in 2017 found that only 11% of South African companies support social justice interventions, with less than 1% of total corporate social investment (CSI) spend allocated to this issue. Burundi ordered a six-month ban on the broadcast operations of international networks, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the Voice Of America (VOA), accusing them of failing to respect the country's media laws and ethics. laurent davoust via 123RF The ban, which took effect on May 7, suspends the BBC and VOA from broadcasting in the country because of "falling short of laws governing the press" in the country and "breaching professional ethics."Philippe Nzobonariba, spokesman of the government, called on the country's regulatory authority to take necessary measures on media houses that do not follow journalism ethics. According to a statement by the communication regulatory body (CNC), the BBC was suspended for broadcasting content that "put national cohesion and reconciliation at stake"."CNC has sanctioned the BBC for not taking into consideration the warning we sent them on March 16, asking them to take into serious account the balance of information and verification of sources," said Karenga Ramadhan, the chairman of the CNC.CNC accused the BBC of airing an interview in which "the interviewee and presenter talked about sensitive issues about the country, which also put at stake the reputation of the head of state".The interview in question was aired on the BBC French service last week. In the interview, an activist based in Brussels made several allegations against President Pierre Nkurunziza."The Burundi government took issue with the fact that the journalist did not ask the interviewee for evidence of the allegations or get a response from the government," a source told The EastAfrican.The BBC is reported to have later tried to reach the Burundi government but was referred to the spokesperson of the judiciary, who said the matter was with the presidency.In a statement released on Friday, the British broadcaster said it had thoroughly reviewed the interview in light of the government's concerns and would provide the government with a full response. Should the broadcast be found to have fallen short of editorial guidelines, it would take appropriate measures.The US-government funded VOA, was also suspended for partnering with and using online websites of some local media houses that were shut down in 2015. Burundi said VOA, "not only partnered" with the alleged online websites, but also recently hired a Swahili journalist who has an arrest warrant issued against him. VOA risks losing two FM transmitters that it currently runs in the country.Meanwhile, the CNC has welcomed legal appeals from the broadcasters against the decision saying, "Whoever thinks that the decision made is not rightful is allowed to lodge a complaint through our legal system."In 2014, the BBC also had its Kinyarwanda broadcasts suspended indefinitely for airing a documentary that questioned the official accounts of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.The Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency, the national body mandated with regulating the media, said the programme, The Untold Story, constituted abuse of press freedom and free speech, violated its own editorial guidelines, transgressed journalistic standards and violated Rwandan laws.In 2016, DR Congo also blocked the signal of a popular French radio station Radio France Internationale for 10 months over what the government said was the station's sympathy for opposition rallies.Read the original article on East African Cameroonian authorities must immediately release broadcaster Akumbom Elvis McCarthy from detention and ensure that the country's military courts are not used to prosecute journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. tawhy via 123RF A military tribunal on April 10 ordered that McCarthy, a news broadcaster for Abakwa FM Radio, a privately owned broadcaster based in Cameroon's Bamenda region, be remanded in custody for a renewable six-month period while police investigate claims that the journalist aired secessionist propaganda, a person familiar with the details of the case, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, told CPJ."Akumbom Elvis McCarthy should not have been arrested in the first place and should be immediately released without charge," said CPJ Africa program coordinator Angela Quintal. "We condemn Cameroon's use of a military tribunal to prosecute a civilian, which is in violation of international law."Police on March 20 arrested McCarthy while he filmed police allegedly harassing taxi drivers and commuters in Bamenda, the capital of the Northwest region, according to the independent Cameroon News Agency and the person familiar with the case. McCarthy reports in pidgin for the station, which also publishes news on its Facebook page.McCarthy, who also contributes to the privately owned news website Bamenda Online, was detained in Bamenda by judicial police for three weeks before appearing briefly at the military tribunal on charges of attempted secession and disseminating secessionist propaganda on air, the person familiar with his arrest told CPJ. The tribunal ruled that McCarthy be detained in Bamenda Central Prison, the person said.CPJ's repeated attempts to reach Communication Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary on his cell phone for comment were unsuccessful. The station manager at Abakwa FM did not immediately respond to CPJ's calls seeking comment.The person with whom CPJ spoke said that McCarthy believes security forces were monitoring him for several months because of his outspokenness on air and on social media about political unrest in Cameroon.During questioning, judicial police accused McCarthy of being sympathetic toward the self-proclaimed interim government of Ambazonia in his reporting, the unnamed person told CPJ. Ambazonia is the name that secessionists use to refer to Cameroon's English-speaking regions, which the secessionists declared independent on October 1, 2017.In November last year, gendarmeries raided McCarthy's home, beat the journalist, and accused him of being an "Amba terrorist", according to reports and conversations CPJ had with the journalist at the time. McCarthy told CPJ last year that his phone, laptop, audio recorder, and cash were seized in the raid.In September last year, CPJ published, Journalists not Terrorists: In Cameroon, anti-terror legislation is used to silence critics and suppress dissent, a special report that documented how journalists in the country faced reprisal for their reporting. This job expired on 10 May 2018. This job expired on 31 May 2018. A representational photo. NEW DELHI (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the strategically-located Pakyong airport in Sikkim later this month and it could be used by the Indian Air Force in case of military requirement, official sources have said. Without giving specific details, they said various categories of aircraft of the IAF will be able to operate from the new airport in Sikkim which shares borders with China. The government has been focusing on improving infrastructure along the borders with China as part of a broader policy initiative. The greenfield airport, which is around 60 KM from the Sino-India border, received the aerodrome license from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation last Friday for commercial operations. "The Ministry is in talks with the PMO and hopefully the prime minister will inaugurate the airport given its strategic importance and significance," a source in the ministry said on Tuesday. There are indications that the airport will be inaugurated later this month. The airport was approved by the Centre in 2008 and was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore. The project is being billed as an engineering marvel -- it has been built at an height of 4,500 feet in an inhospitable terrain. Once commissioned, it will the 100th functional airport in the country. As on date, Sikkim is the only state in the country without a functional airport. Low-cost airline SpiceJet has been granted permission to fly to Pakyong from Kolkata under the Civil Aviation Ministry's regional connectivity scheme. SpiceJet has already conducted a dry run at the airport with one its Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 aircraft successfully landing there on March 5. Also in March, A Dornier 228 of the Indian Air Force landed at the airport. The tourism sector, in particular, is expected to benefit immensely with the opening of the airport other than the economic boon it will bring to the Himalayan state. The nearest Bagdogra airport in West Bengal is about 150 km from Gangtok and air passengers have to take the road after alighting there. NEW YORK (PTI): India has ranked fourth out of 25 nations in the Asia-Pacific region on an index that measures their overall power, with the country being pegged as a "giant of the future" but trails behind in indicators of defence networks and economic relationships. The Lowy Institute Asia Power Index measures power across 25 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region, reaching as far west as Pakistan, as far north as Russia, and as far into the Pacific as Australia, New Zealand and the US. A country's overall power is its weighted average across eight measures of power - economic resources, military capability, resilience, future trends, diplomatic influence, economic relationships, defence networks and cultural influence. India is ranked fourth overall on the inaugural index by The Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank. Japan and India share major power status. Tokyo is a smart power, while New Delhi is a giant of the future, the report said. Among the key findings from the inaugural 2018 index are that the US remains the pre-eminent power in Asia, while China, the emerging superpower, is rapidly closing in on the United States. "Three of the world's four largest economies are in Asia, and the fourth, the United States, is a Pacific power. By 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will live in Asia, compared with just over a tenth in the West, the Institute said. Asia's economic transformation is reshaping the global distribution of power, changing the way the region and indeed the world works politically and strategically. Just as significantly, tensions between Asian powers will define war and peace in the twenty-first century, it added. India is ranked fourth on the parameters economic resources, military capability, diplomatic influence and fifth on resilience. It scores well on the parameters of cultural influence and and future trends, ranking third in both. However, it scores low on the measure of economic relationships, ranking 7th and in defense networks, ranking 10th. Lowy said economic relationships is measured in terms of the capacity of states or territories to exercise influence through economic interdependencies; measured in terms of trade relations, investment ties and economic diplomacy. Defence networks are defence partnerships that act as force multipliers of military capability; measured through assessments of alliances, non-allied partnerships and arms transfers. Cultural influence is defined as the ability to shape international public opinion through cultural appeal and interaction; measured in terms of cultural projection, information flows and people exchanges. Future trends is the projected distribution of economic, military and demographic resources in 2030, which play into perceptions of power today; measured in terms of GDP, military expenditure and working-age population forecasts. The report said that India ranks third for its aggregate resources score and is set to become the fastest-growing economy in the region, predicted to grow 169 per cent between 2016 and 2030. It also stands to gain an additional 169 million people to its working-age population by 2030. However, the economic giant suffers from a poor track record of converting its sizeable resources base into strategic gain in Asia despite New Delhi's Act East Policy'. It trails behind in the influence measures, most notably in defence networks and economic relationships, it said. The US claims the top spot in five of the eight Index measures and a 10-point lead over China in overall power. The country retains the most powerful military force in Asia and is at the centre of a network of regional alliances that Beijing cannot match, reflected by a 65-point lead over China in defence networks. However, in terms of economic relationships the US lags China by more than 30 points, the glaring weakness in US influence in Asia. US diplomatic influence in the region has also been damaged by nervousness about the Trump administration and its foreign policy decisions, including its withdrawal in 2017 from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. US political leadership in Asia is in doubt, it said. Most significantly, even if the United States continues to outspend China in military expenditure, future trends point to a relative decline in US power, with a second place finish only marginally ahead of India. China holds a top-two position across all but one measure and ranks first in economic relationships, diplomatic influence and future trends. Projects such as the Belt and Road Initiative play to Beijing's strengths as the primary trade partner and source of foreign assistance in the region, it said. Russia, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Taiwan, Philippines and North Korea are ranked as middle powers while Bangladesh, Brunei, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Mongolia, Laos and Nepal as minor powers. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has praised the commitment of the Builders Merchants Federation to encouraging more young people to enter the building materials industry. During a visit to the BMF headquarters yesterday, Street met with apprentices and discussed the career prospects for young people in the sector, which is valued at 56bn, directly provides 330,000 jobs and has experienced high levels of growth over the past year. Data produced by the BMFs Builders Merchant Building Index show that sales through UK builders merchants for the 12 months to February 2018 grew by 5.3% over the previous 12 months. The BMF claims that, despite Brexit, its members expect robust sales to continue and that this makes the building materials industry an ideal place for young people to build a career. The Mayor congratulated the BMF for establishing its own Apprenticeships Training Agency, which works to increase the number of school and college leavers considering a career in merchanting. He said: Im delighted by the work the BMF is doing to attract young people in the West Midlands and elsewhere in the country to take up apprenticeships in the building materials industry. As a region we have ambitious plans to grow, so well need our materials supply chain to be performing at its best. This presents great opportunities for young people to start a career in an exciting and growing industry. He met with John Newcomb, BMF Chief Executive, who welcomed his support for the industry. Merchants are delivering the building blocks for growth in all parts of the UK. Were delighted by the Mayors vision for boosting the economic development of the West Midlands region, and this presents many new employment opportunities within the builders merchants industry," said Newcomb. Our members are committed to supporting the training and development of staff, and the BMF is partnered with universities in Birmingham and Coventry to further develop young merchants skills and to make the most of the technological changes that will shape our industry over the coming years. We are grateful to the Mayor for his backing of our merchants apprenticeship scheme and we urge any school or college leaver to look into joining our industry." Street's visit also marked the fifth anniversary of the BMF relocating from London to Coventry. Newcomb said: Were proud to be based in the West Midlands and are ambitious for the area in the years ahead." Pictured are John Newcomb (left) and West Midlands Mayor Andy Street. Bucket list destination Soneva Fushi in the balmy tropical Maldives has just opened the most dazzling two-storey overwater diner, Out of the Blue As if we needed yet another reason to visit luxe tropical paradise resort, Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, but when you're blessed with the ultimate location in the middle of the ocean, why not build a restaurant so guests can completely immerse themselves in the out-of-this-world experience? Soneva Fushi's new dining space, Out of the Blue, has been built directly over the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean and offers a shared dining space for a number of their different kitchens. Which means your choice of pizza, salad, grilled meats or seafood, depending on what your taste buds call for that day. Out of the Blue also hosts an ice cream parlour, fresh salad section where guests can pick the ingredients they want from the organic overwater greenhouse and a cheese room (of course). Aside from the all-day diner the two-storey overwater diner offers a number of other exceptional dining options including their 'once upon a table' dinner experience, which caters to just eight lucky guests who will be cooked for by a rotating roster of the world's top chefs. There's also a dedicated sushi counter called So Hand's On, a teppanyaki table, a Chinese kitchen, a modern Japanese kitchen and for all those perfect sundowners, a bar and cellar. Add directly to your bucket list. Out of the Blue is located at the Soneva Fushi resort on the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Maldives. www.soneva.com/soneva-fushi 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. 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Digital Editor From selling books online to striking a jaw-dropping USD 16 billion deal with the world's largest retailer Walmart, all within 11 years, has given India its big startup success story -- the one which is likely to be quoted by starry-eyed entrepreneurs for years to come. Former employees of US e-commerce giant Amazon, and had met in 2005 at IIT-Delhi. was launched in October 2007. The idea was simple. Consumers could shop online and get books delivered to their doorstep. registered 20 shipments in the year of its debut. It wasn't an easy road as Internet penetration was abysmally low and e-commerce, unheard of. Bricks and mortar retailers were not threatened and many dismissed e-tailing as a foreign concept saying that Indians want to touch and feel' whatever they buy. Today, Indian e-commerce industry is already close to USD 30 billion in size and analysts expect this to zoom to USD 200 billion by 2026. The growth of the sector was comfortably in sync with the meteoric rise of Flipkart. From a modest two-bedroom apartment in Koramangala, the Bengaluru-headquartered company now has multiple offices across the country. A bulk of its operations are run out of a plush campus in the city that is spread over 1 lakh sq ft and houses 6,800 employees. It was almost two years after starting the business that Flipkart got its first full-time employee in Ambur Iyyappa, who went on to become a millionaire, thanks to the ESOPs. The headcount was rapidly scaled to 150 that year. In October the same year, Accel Partners came on board as an investor and pumped in USD 1 million. A few months later, US hedge fund Tiger Global bought into the vision and Flipkart received a funding of USD 10 million. A number of funding rounds later, Flipkart raised USD 1.4 billion from Tencent, eBay and Microsoft, followed by USD 2.5 billion investment by SoftBank Vision Fund last year. The year 2010 was an important one for Flipkart with the company shipping among other things, electronics and mobile phones. This category now makes up for a significant portion of the sales for the online platform. It was also the year when Flipkart pioneered 'Cash on Delivery' in India, which changed the course of online retail in the country as consumers now paid for items only after receiving them, adding a layer of comfort to online shopping. Flipkart launched its logistics unit, eKart to smoothen deliveries. In 2016, Flipkart achieved the milestone of 100 million registered customers and saw Sachin and Binny earning a spot among TIME magazine's list of 100 most influential people. The company made its first acquisition with WeRead and since then, it has acquired a number of including Letsbuy, FX Mart, fashion e-tail player Myntra and UPI-based payments startup PhonePe. It also bought a majority stake in like Jeeves and ngpay. At the beginning of last year, was named as the new CEO, moving to the role of Group CEO. Reports suggested that Tiger Global wanted better control of the organisation and hence, the decision. Bansals' e-commerce bet finally has paid off big time and set the 2018 M&A counters ringing with US retailer Walmart buying about 77 per cent stake in Flipkart for USD 16 billion. Right ahead of the Fortis Healthcare Ltd (FHL) board meet on May 10 to decide the fate of binding bids, four directors on the board of FHL have written to all shareholders urging them to take an 'informed decision' while voting on the matter of their removal. Two minority shareholders of the company had sought the removal of these directors last month. Fortis has called for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on May 22 to vote on the resolution of removal of these directors. East Bridge Capital and Jupiter India Fund, minority shareholders of Fortis, had called for ... When Carl Douglas McMillon, president and chief executive officer of Walmart Inc, arrives at the Embassy Tech Village headquarters of Flipkart in Bengaluru later on Wednesday to acquire Indias first-to-a-billion-dollars-startup, he will be accompanied by Walmart Internationals Judith McKenna and CEO (commerce) Marc Lore. It will be a triumphal return to India for the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer which will be partnering Googles parent Alphabet Inc in a deal estimated at $18-20 billion enterprise value Walmart will own about 60 per cent stake, and ... Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard. U.S. President Donald Trump's decision on Tuesday to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord and reinstate tough economic sanctions could scupper French oil major Total's multibillion-dollar gas project in the country unless it can secure a waiver. Total signed a deal with Tehran in July 2017 to develop phase 11 of Iran's South Pars field with an initial investment of $1 billion, marking the first major Western energy investment in the Islamic Republic since the lifting of sanctions. However, Trump described the nuclear agreement that made such an investment possible as ... Turkish security forces on Wednesday arrested two persons over their suspected links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group, police sources revealed. A 35-year-old Syrian national called Ramazan Haci was arrested in a security operation in Kirikhan district of Hatay province. He was later sent to the police custody by a Turkish court, reported Anadolu News Agency. The security forces arrested another suspect in Adiyaman, whose nationality is yet to be identified. On Saturday, 23 suspected PKK terrorists were arrested across Turkey, out of which 12 of them were women. 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 (EU). The militant organisation has been responsible for the deaths of around 40,000 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 36 people were killed and 71 others injured in the airstrikes carried out by the military forces in the Kunduz province, according to a United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report. The strikes took place in Dasht-e-Archi district of Kunduz province on April 2. The report said 30 of the dead and 51 of the wounded were children, reported Tolo news. "A key finding of this report is that the government, which indicated the airstrike, targeted senior Taliban leaders present in the area, used rockets and heavy machinegun fire on and around a religious gathering, killing and injuring civilians, the majority of whom were children," the report said. The UNAMA, however, was not able to confirm the exact number of civilian and Taliban casualties. Till now, 50 Taliban members had been killed leaving 150 wounded. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood couple Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna have been issued a legal notice for auctioning the naval uniform that the actor wore in 2016 film 'Rustom' as they have "played with the sentiments" of those serving in different armed forces. Besides Akshay and Twinkle, the notice has also been served to auction house SaltScout, which has put out the naval officer uniform for online bidding. Till Wednesday, the highest bid offered for the uniform was Rs 2,35,000. The auction closes on May 26. "Nobody has ever auctioned an original naval uniform. After this many said that this shouldn't have happened. They have played with the sentiments of armed forces personnel," Smita Dikshit, the lawyer who has sent the notice, told ANI. "Celebrities get to wear the uniform for a three-hour movie and then they think they have got a blatant right to auction that uniform and compromise national security," she said. "In the notice, we have informed them that you cannot auction anything related to the armed forces. Despite all this, the auction is still live. So, we have given them seven days time to put it down otherwise we will move to the concerned court," Dikshit added. On April 26, Twinkle posted information about the auction on Instagram claiming that the money raised from the auction would be used for social causes. "Using all the goodwill I have left to raise money for a good cause Do bid folks! And thank you @karanjohar @hrithikroshan @sonamkapoor and of course @akshaykumar for giving all this fab stuff to @saltscout toward the Janice Smith trust for animal welfare," she wrote. Soon after the auction went viral, Lieutenant colonel Sandeep Ahlawat slammed the couple on social media. Earlier at an event, Akshay defended Twinkle over the auction and said: "Of course I stand by her, whatever we are doing is for a good cause. I am with my wife... Mujhe kuch fark nahi padta kon kya bolta hai (I don't care about who says what)." 'Rustom' was a period drama set in the 1950s. It followed the story of Parsi Indian naval officer Rustom Pavri, who is struggling with his marriage after he discovers his wife has an affair with his friend, a businessman who was trying to negotiate a deal to sell a damaged aircraft carrier to the Indian Navy. The film was based on the real-life incident of Naval Officer K. M. Nanavati and businessman Prem Ahuja. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All political parties of Jammu and Kashmir are for a unilateral ceasefire in the state, said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday. She was talking to media after chairing an all-party meeting to discuss the security situation in the state after the death of a tourist. "Everyone agreed that we must appeal Centre that govt must think about a unilateral ceasefire like Vajpayee ji did in 2000. Encounters, crackdowns are causing trouble to common man. Efforts must be made to maintain environment so that both Eid and Amarnath Yatra are peaceful," Mufti said. All agreed that if the agenda of an alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is followed then the situation in the state will change, she added. Mufti informed that all parties have also agreed to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express concerns over the situation in the state and discuss how do we reach out to people. Recently, there have been rampant incidents of stone pelting in the valley that have become a matter of concern for the administration which had claimed the life of a domestic tourist in the valley. R Thirumani (22), a tourist from Chennai, died in a hospital after being hit by a stone during clashes between security forces and protestors in Narbal area. Earlier on May 2, a bus carrying school students was attacked by stone-pelters in Zawoora village of Shopian district. On April 30, seven tourists were injured when stone-throwers targeted vehicles in south Kashmir's Anantnag district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on Wednesday dubbed the Jinnah portrait controversy as a 'non-issue' and underscored that the portrait of Pakistan's founder is also present at the Bombay High Court and the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat. Talking to ANI, AMU vice-chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor said, "Jinnah's portrait has been here since 1938. Jinnah's portrait is at many places including Bombay HC and Sabarmati Ashram and Nehru Museum too. No one was worried about the portraits until now; I think it is a non-issue." Professor Mansoor also asserted that the agitation by students in the university had no connection with the Jinnah portrait row. "Students' agitation had no relation to Jinnah portrait row, they were protesting against people who came to AMU to disturb peace on May 2. Spoken to chief secretary for a judicial inquiry into the incident." he said while reacting on the ruckus due to which event of former vice-president Hamid Ansari was cancelled. In Aligarh, some groups protested against the portrait of Jinnah present at the office of AMU student union's office. The matter grabbed headlines first after Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Aligarh MP Satish Gautam questioned the portrait's presence in the office. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu on Wednesday said the Terms of Reference (ToR) prescribed by the 15th Finance Commission are "discriminatory" against states. "The discussion over the ToR of the 15th Finance Commission should happen all over the country, as they are discriminatory against states. If they are implemented as it is, progressive states would suffer badly. A conspiracy is being hatched to damage the basic financial structure of such states," he said on the sidelines of the Collectors' conference here. Furthermore, Ramakrishnudu claimed that in this context, the Centre should not deprive the states of their rights. "Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Odisha, and Karnataka together will suffer Rs 1,14,062 crore worth losses. We have sent requests to the Centre and organised conclaves of finance ministers, but it is sad that the Centre hasn't responded. Seven states have been represented at the recent Conclave of Finance Ministers held in Amaravati. However, more states may participate in the next conclave in New Delhi," he added. Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ramakrishnudu highlighted that under the leadership of the former, states lost all their privileges. "Shri Narendra Modi as Chief Minister of Gujarat demanded 50 percent devolution of funds to states. We all hoped that states would get more powers if he became Prime Minister. But after this happened, states had to lose their rights. It is not acceptable for Prime Minister Modi to have a particular stand as chief minister and act differently after becoming Prime Minister," he said. The state finance minister also urged all political parties to respond on the issue, keeping aside. "Today, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power, but tomorrow, someone else may take over. No matter who is in power, the basic structure of the Constitution must not be violated. Nobody has the right to dent the federal structure. The responsibility is on every state to protect its rights," he opined. Earlier, objections were raised by the finance ministers of multiple states, who alleged that the ToR prescribed would have a detrimental impact on fund allocation. Ramakrishnudu, at a conclave of finance ministers held in Amaravati on Monday, had stated that the use of population from census 2011 by the 15th Finance Commission with a greater weight for determining the allocation of funds to the States would cause great injustice to the States. He also claimed that this approach would penalise States which have shown declining fertility rates and lower population growth over the past four decades. Moreover, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, while highlighting the impact of Goods and Services Tax (GST)-related changes, opined that the states needed to take care of power subsidies, food security and facilities for their people, adding that the ToR acts as an impediment. Meanwhile, the 15th Finance Commission earlier today constituted an advisory council to advise and assist them on any issue or subject related to the ToR prescribed by it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday demanded the Election Commission to countermand election to Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency in Karnataka over the seizure of more than 9,000 voter identity cards. Talking to media here after meeting Election Commission officials here, Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani said, "Voter IDs are proof of voter confidence and to reinstate that elections to Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency must be countermanded. We have put forward this demand to the EC," Irani said. Apart from Irani, Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan, S.S. Ahluwalia, and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi also met the officials at the EC's headquarters, Nirvachan Sadan. Meanwhile, Sanjiv Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for Karnataka, on Wednesday said two people have been arrested in connection with the case and there is a possibility of more arrests. Speaking to ANI in Bengaluru, Kumar said, "We are trying to reach the truth at the earliest. However, one thing is certain that nobody has broken into our system and no new voter ID cards have been made." Following the seizure of the fake voter IDs, the saffron party accused Congress of orchestrating the racket to gain an advantage in the upcoming state assembly polls. In return, Congress has claimed that the flat belongs to a BJP-linked person. While the BJP has accused Congress of orchestrating the racket to gain an advantage in the upcoming state assembly polls, the Congress has claimed that the flat belongs to a BJP-linked person. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three blasts rocked Kabul on Wednesday, confirmed the officials in Afghanistan. The first attack happened in Dasht-e-Barchi area in Kabul city. Following this blast, two more explosions occurred in Shahr-e-Naw area, in downtown Kabul, reported Afghan's TOLO News, citing spokesperson for the country's Interior Ministry Nabjib Danish as saying. Casualties are feared, however, the exact figures are unknown as of now. No group or individual has claimed the responsibility for the explosions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The recently-concluded China-North Korea summit will help to promote denuclearisation in the Korean peninsula, according to the South Korean unification ministry. On Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un flew to Dalian, where he held long rounds of discussions with Chinese officials, attended a formal banquet, and took a stroll on a beachfront sidewalk with Chinese president Xi Jinping. South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-Hyun, while addressing the media, said that the meeting came at a time when the Korean peninsula was facing challenges, reported Xinhua. Baik Tae-Hyun further said that that trust-building was crucial for a nuclear-free and a peaceful Korean peninsula. The meeting between Xi and Kim, their second meeting in two months, followed the April 27 inter-Korean summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in and came ahead of the upcoming summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched an attack against the Congress party, saying that they keep blaming the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the poll panel as they are unable to accept the defeat. However, Prime Minister Modi exuded confidence over the Karnataka Assembly elections and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would form the government with absolute majority. "Congress fears defeat in these elections. BJP will form the government with absolute majority in the state. After facing defeats in every election, now the Congress party is busy criticising the EVMs and the Election Commission (EC). For them, EVM and EC are wrong and only Congress is right," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing a rally in Karnataka's Chikmagalur town. "Congress has absolutely no respect for many of our prominent institutions. Be it EC, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Army, Enforcement Directorate (ED) or Vice Presidents' office, Congress has been on a spree to disrespect and belittle these great institutions," Prime Minister Modi. The Prime Minister's statement comes hours after 9,746 fake voter ID cards were found from a flat in SLV Park View Apartment in Bengaluru's Jalahalli locality and the Election Commission's revelation of the same at midnight was followed by political sparring, as both the BJP and the Congress alleged each other's links with the concerned flat. Further, without naming Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Modi said that the leader was only eyeing the Prime Minister chair. "There is a leader in Congress party who thinks only about one thing throughout the day - how to be the Prime Minister? Such is the arrogance of the 'Naamdaars'," Prime Minister Modi noted. "Congress only wants to remain in power. In 1978, Indira ji came here, took your votes but never cared for people of this region. Congress never thought about the welfare of people of Chikmagalur. Sonia ji too contested from Bellari, but what happened to promises made in Bellari," Prime Minister Modi added. As the assembly elections inches nearer, Karnataka has turned into a battlefield with both the BJP and the Congress indulging in aggressive campaigns. Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 to elect representatives to the 224-seat assembly. The results will be declared on May 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation comprising of Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan will meet the Election Commission on Wednesday. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. over the issue of fake voter identity cards found in a Bengaluru flat. Last night, 9,746 voter ID cards were found from a flat in SLV Park View Apartment in Bengaluru's Jalahalli locality, and the Election Commission's revelation of the same at midnight was followed by political sparring, as both BJP and Congress alleged the other's links with the concerned flat. While BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar accused the Congress of attempting to rig the elections, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that Nanjamuri rented her own flat to his son Rakesh, who contested corporation election on a BJP ticket in 2015. However, Sridhar Nanjamari on Wednesday rebuffed such allegations and told ANI he was the only son of Manjula Nanjamuri. "I am the only son of Manjula Nanjamari. Rakesh is my mother's nephew's son and he has got no connections with the flat in Park View apartment, as is what claimed in media," Sridhar said and added that the flat has been rented to Rangaraju who pays rent for it every month. Meanwhile, the BJP also demanded cancelling the polling in Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency where assembly elections are due on May 12 along with the rest of the state. The election in Karnataka will be held on May 12 in 223 constituencies, out of 224 of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The election for one constituency has been postponed following the death of B.N. Vijay Kumar, Jayanagar BJP candidate. The counting of votes and announcement of result will take place on May 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday refused to comment on the fake voter ID row, saying he didn't know anything about the issue. Siddaramaiah while addressing the media said, "I don't know anything about this, there is Election Commission to look into it." The Karnataka Chief earlier in the day accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misusing the government machinery. While addressing the media, the Chief Minister said that the Congress is constantly under surveillance of the BJP. Last night, 9,746 voter ID cards were found from a flat in SLV Park View Apartment in Bengaluru's Jalahalli locality, and the Election Commission's revelation of the same at midnight was followed by political sparring, as both BJP and Congress alleged the other's links with the concerned flat. While BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar accused the Congress of attempting to rig the elections, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that Nanjamuri rented her own flat to his son Rakesh, who contested corporation election on a BJP ticket in 2015. However, Sridhar Nanjamari on Wednesday rebuffed such allegations and told ANI he was the only son of Manjula Nanjamuri. "I am the only son of Manjula Nanjamari. Rakesh is my mother's nephew's son and he has got no connections with the flat in Park View apartment, as is what claimed in media," Sridhar said and added that the flat has been rented to Rangaraju who pays rent for it every month. Meanwhile, the BJP also demanded cancelling the polling in Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency where assembly elections are due on May 12 along with the rest of the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amidst the row over the seizure of fake voter IDs from a flat in poll bound Karanataka, the flat owner Manjula Nanjamari on Wednesday clarified that the property was not rented by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter Rakesh, as alleged by the Congress. "The tenants are Rekha and Rangaraju, this is fake news that Rakesh is the tenant," Nanjamari told ANI, and added that she has not been in touch with Rakesh and his family. Nanjamari also threw light on her association with the BJP, "From 1997 to 2002, I was a corporator, and BJP helped me win. I was just a house wife and BJP supported me, so I consider myself under their 'sharan'. I am not a Congress person, and will never be." At present, Nanjamari is not campaigning for the party, as she said since 2002, she has only been a follower of BJP's ideology and health issues did not allow her to campaign. Earlier in the day, Nanjamari's son Sridhar Nanjamari told ANI that Rakesh had no connection with the flat, and added, "News that I have relations with Congress is false." The issue over seizure of the voter IDs erupted after both BJP and Congress accused each other of having links with the concerned flat where the raids took place. While BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar accused that Congress party was behind the scam, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that the tenant of the flat was Rakesh, claiming that he was Nanjamari's son and that he contested corporation election on a BJP ticket in 2015. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party on Wednesday blamed each other over the fake voter ID matter. Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar earlier confirmed that nearly 9,746 counterfeit voter ID cards, five laptops and one printer were found in a flat located in the Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency of Bengaluru, one of the 223 constituencies where voting will be held. The BJP said that the scam was the brainchild of the Congress party, which, in return, claimed that the flat owner was a BJP leader, a charge BJP denies. Talking to ANI, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged the Congress' hand behind the fake voter IDs and demanded an investigation into it. "The Congress party is totally exposed in this fake voter ID scam. Congress corporator from Yeshwanthpur G.K.Venkatesh and Mr. Natraja, who is a close aide of Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency MLA Munirathna Naidu, have been arrested in this connection. With Congressmen arrested the truth is out in open that scam of humongous nature was Congress' brainchild," Patra said. He demanded that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress President Rahul Gandhi should come out and explain why they were trying to hold democracy to ransom. When asked about the claim of flat owner Manjula Nanjamuri being a BJP worker, Patra flatly denied it and said she had no connection with the party. "In 1995, she was a BJP corporator. For past 15 years, she has no link with BJP," Patra said. He said that the BJP demanded an investigation and immediate countermanding of the election in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency. The Congress, on the other hand, said that the BJP was behind the fake voter IDs. "Owner of the flat is Manjula Nanjamari. She was a BJP corporator from 1997-2002 and continues to be a prominent leader of BJP. In last 24 hours, she has been disowned by Karnataka BJP in-charge Prakash Javadekar," Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters at a press conference. Meanwhile, a BJP delegation comprising of Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan is scheduled to meet the Election Commission on Wednesday evening over the issue of fake voter identity cards. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misusing the government machinery. While addressing the media, the Chief Minister said that the Congress is constantly under surveillance of the BJP. "Congress is constantly under surveillance of BJP government. This is the 12th time, I am fighting elections but for the first time, these raids are being conducted at the time of elections. They are misusing government machinery," Siddaramaiah said. He added, "It is Election Commission's job to investigate. I don't have to say anything about it." Last night, 9,746 voter ID cards were found from a flat in SLV Park View Apartment in Bengaluru's Jalahalli locality, and the Election Commission's revelation of the same at midnight was followed by political sparring, as both BJP and Congress alleged the other's links with the concerned flat. While BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar accused the Congress of attempting to rig the elections, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that Nanjamuri rented her own flat to his son Rakesh, who contested corporation election on a BJP ticket in 2015. However, Sridhar Nanjamari on Wednesday rebuffed such allegations and told ANI he was the only son of Manjula Nanjamuri. "I am the only son of Manjula Nanjamari. Rakesh is my mother's nephew's son and he has got no connections with the flat in Park View apartment, as is what claimed in media," Sridhar said, and added that the flat has been rented to Rangaraju who pays rent for it every month. Earlier today, the Election Commission officials seized printers from the flat. The BJP also demanded cancelling the polling in Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency where assembly elections are due on May 12 along with the rest of the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the wake of the row over the seizure of thousands of fake voter IDs from a flat here, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday refuted the flat owner Manjula Nanjamari's comments where she linked herself to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaking at a press conference here, when questioned about the remarks made by Nanjamari, he said, "That is wrong. That is utter falsehood and an attempt to save the Congress. She never campaigned with us, last ten years she has not been associated with the party." He also compared the alleged scam with United States of America's Watergate scandal. Up to 9,746 voter ID cards were found from a Bengaluru flat last night, following which BJP had accused Congress of orchestrating the racket to gain an advantage in the upcoming state assembly polls. In return, Congress has claimed that the flat belongs to a BJP-linked person. "Today, we are saying that whatever has been revealed in Raj Rajeshwari Nagar, the nation is in a state of shock. Never this has happened. There was Watergate in America, even that seems small, such is the scale of this scam, which is why we ask for the immediate countermanding of this election," said Javadekar, who was flanked by Union minister Sadananda Gowda and senior BJP leader Sambit Patra at the press conference. Gowda, the Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation, also challenged Nanjamari's links with his party by claiming that Rakesh, nephew of Nanjamari, who was alleged to be the tenant of the flat when the fake voter IDs were seized, contested in 2015 municipal elections on BJP ticket, and Nanjamari had worked in opposition to Rakesh. He also mentioned that his party has three primary demands following the incident, the first of which remains to be the immediate countermanding in light of the 'organised attack against democracy'. The second demand he mentioned was the arrest of Nanjamari, the owner of the house so that proper investigations can be conducted, and thirdly a cyber and forensic evaluation should be conducted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler on Wednesday regretted US President Donald Trump's decision to leave Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or the Iran Nuclear deal, saying, "We will continue implementing this agreement together with our European partners." "We regret the US decision. We will stay in the agreement. We will continue implementing this agreement together with our European partners and we will also work on a broader framework," Ziegler told ANI after attending a programme at Lycee Francais de Delhi, which is a French international school in the national capital. United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the US withdrawal from the JCPOA or Iran nuclear deal. Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron rebuffed Trump's Iran decision while stressing that it "can put the nuclear non-proliferation regime at stake". "France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake," President Macron tweeted. President Trump further called the Iran nuclear deal as "defective" adding that Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. "President Trump is terminating the United States' participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and re-imposing sanctions lifted under the deal," the White House tweeted. The Iran nuclear deal was signed between six countries in 2015 - Iran, US, Britain, Germany, Russia, France and China for lifting economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limitations to the country's nuclear programme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French President Emmanuel Macron rebuffed the U.S President Donald Trump's decision to leave Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) while stressing that it 'can put the nuclear non-proliferation regime at stake.' "France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake," President Macron tweeted. Also, according to the Turkish presidential aide, the US' decision will cause instability and new conflicts, as per Anadolu Agency. United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the US withdrawal from the JCPOA or Iran nuclear deal. President Trump further called the Iran nuclear deal as "defective" adding that Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. "President Trump is terminating the United States' participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and re-imposing sanctions lifted under the deal," the White House tweeted. The Iran nuclear deal was signed between six countries in 2015 - Iran, US, Britain, Germany, Russia, France and China for lifting economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limitations to the country's nuclear programme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Global Travel Association (GBTA), the voice of the global travel industry, unveiled its lineup of flagship education and networking events in India for the year ahead GBTA Conference 2018 Bengaluru - 15 June GBTA Conference 2018 New Delhi - 14 September GBTA Conference 2018 Mumbai - 12 October These forums will discuss and share best practices across the travel lifecycle through a mix of panel discussions and presentations. Each event will also feature a trade show highlighting the best-class solution providers within the business travel industry. "With India expected to become the sixth largest business market in the world by the end of 2019, GBTA felt it was crucial to host a series of conferences within this region," said Gaurav Sundaram, President ProKonsul & Regional Director of India for GBTA. He added, "Each conference will be unique in its offerings of education sessions, speakers and content and will ultimately help educate the market on global best practices." GBTA Conference 2018 Bengaluru will be held at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Center. The one-day event will feature a CXO roundtable moderated by Gaurav Sundaram on generating the optimal ROI from business travel. The conference will also feature sessions focused on optimizing air contracts, managing workforce mobility, optimisation opportunities within business travel, challenging the status quo as it pertains to technology and processes, and more. Registration is now open for GBTA Conference 2018 New Delhi, hosted at the Pullman Aerocity New Delhi. The event will include a CXO roundtable on creating scalable global travel programs as well as education sessions on the impact of payment solutions on business travel and duty of care within Indian companies. Register by 15 June for up to USD 200 in savings. GBTA Conference 2018 Mumbai will showcase exhibiting companies from around the world and bring together hundreds of travel professionals representing Indian and global enterprises. More information on programs and speakers will be unveiled in the near future. For the latest developments, please visit https://www.gbta.org/membership-and-communities/chapters-and-regions/india. GBTA is the world's premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. It has 9,000-plus members that manage more than USD 345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA delivers world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kicking off Google's annual developer conference, I/O in California on Tuesday, the tech giant's CEO Sundar Pichai tendered apology for the flawed design of the burger and beer emoji on Android. Delivering his keynote speech at the conference, Pichai said, "Towards the end of last year it came to my attention that we had a major bug in one of our core products. It turns out, we got the cheese wrong in our burger emoji." Last year, a tweet triggered a debate over the correct placement of cheese on a burger of Apple's emoji versus Google's. The tweet also drew Google CEO's attention who promised to address it immediately and delivered. Pichai also spoke about the inaccurate beer emoji which was a half-full mug with foam coming out of the top. "I don't even want to tell you the explanation the team gave me as to why the foam is floating above the beer, but we restored the natural laws of physics," he said at the stage. He also showed off the correct version of both the emoji at the conference. The Google in its annual developer conference announces upcoming products or plans and also reviews progress that the tech giant has made since the last event. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ethiopian Foreign Minister Dr Workneh Gebeyehu attended aJoint Committee Meeting between the two countries on Wednesday. He led discussions on issues, including terrorism. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Dr Gebeyehu led their respective delegations in the meeting. External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar took to his official Twitter account to inform about the meeting. "EAM @SushmaSwaraj & Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gebeyehu led their delegations for the 2nd Joint Committee Meeting. The two sides exchanged views on strengthening relations in political, terrorism, trade & investment, development partnership, capacity building, S & T & culture." Kumar tweeted. Earlier in the day Raveesh Kumar highlighted the aim of Dr. Gebeyehu visit to Indian as to ensure a a strong and robust partnership for a South-South cooperation. "Building upon a robust & strong partnership underpinned by shared values & principles of South-South cooperation, EAM @SushmaSwaraj welcomed Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu for 2nd Joint Committee Meeting. Our recorded historical linkages go back to 2000 years." Kumar tweeted. Earlier in 2017 President Ramnath Kovind visited Ethiopia. The two countries had then signed agreements for cooperation in trade and communication sectors to boost bilateral ties. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Ethiopia on Wednesday signed one Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Foreign Service Institute of India and the Foreign Service Training Institute of Ethiopia after the conclusion of Second Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) which was held in the national capital on Wednesday. The two sides discussed various bilateral, regional and multilateral issues. The Indian delegation was led External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the Ethiopian delegation was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Workneh Gebeyehu. The discussions focused on building closer cooperation in areas of defence cooperation, Lines of Credit, human resource development, capacity building, trade and investment, cultural exchanges and enhancing people to people contact, the statement of the Minister of External Affairs (MEA) read. India reiterated its commitments towards development partnership with Ethiopia. The two sides also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest at regional and multilateral levels including cooperation at the United Nations and other international organizations. JCM was preceded by a meeting of Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) on May 8. Both sides expressed satisfaction on enhanced engagement at all levels between the two countries. Both sides underlined that India-Ethiopia partnership is underpinned by their shared values and strong economic and commercial partnership. The JCM held today has an added significance as India embarks on the celebration of 70 years of diplomatic relationship with Ethiopia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian firm Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) has presented a bill worth Rs3.17 billion spent on a detailed project report (DPR) for the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway in 2015. On Sunday, the Indian consultant asked the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport to make payment for the costs incurred as the Nepal Army, the project developer refused to purchase the DPR, Kathmandu Post reported. Nepali Joint Secretary Ram Hari Pokhrel, said the letter from the Indian company has put us in a fix. He said they will have to go through the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the Indian company. The Indian consortium, in July 2015, submitted a report to the ministry regarding the construction of 76-km expressway connecting Kathmandu with the southern plains. The then Sushil Koirala-led government was preparing to award the project to the Indian consortium. It was decided that an annual minimum revenue guarantee of Rs15 billion would be provided if the road toll failed to generate adequate profits. The government had to scrap all the agreements reached because of this controversy and decided to construct it with domestic resources. On May 4, 2017, the project's responsibility was handed over to the army with the authority to purchase the DPR from the Indian company. However, the army decided against purchasing the DPR saying that it was incomplete. This is why, the Indian company in order to recover the expenses incurred during the preparation of the report, had to go for arbitration. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States decision to pull out from the Iran nuclear deal -- Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- has received mixed reactions from leaders and media organisations around the globe. As per a media report, China has taken a vow to safeguard the deal following US President Donald Trump's decision, which was taken on Tuesday. While expressing regret on the US move, China called upon the relevant parties to take responsibility for the situation and ensure the future of Iran deal is safe. It further asked them to properly handle the disputes over the nuclear deal. France, on the other hand, has reportedly said the JCPOA is not dead even after the withdrawal of the US, which walked off from the deal as Trump felt that the same has failed to protect America's national security interest. French President Emmanuel Macron, according to France's foreign minister, would speak later in the day to Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani regarding the future of the nuclear deal. Earlier in the day, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the decision of US as "unacceptable". He further clarified that Iran will continue to remain in the deal. He had slammed the US for undermining the relevance of an international treaty. Turkey's Foreign Ministry termed this as an "unfortunate step" by the US. As reported by the Anadolu Agency, Turkish Foreign Ministry said in an official release, "Turkey has always defended the stance that issues regarding Iran's nuclear program should be resolved through diplomacy and negotiations and has made intensive efforts in this direction." Further, the US media has reflected caution over their President's decision to pull from the deal. The Washington Post led with the headline "Trump announces plans to pull out of Iran nuclear deal despite pleas from European leaders" as it termed this step as "extreme". The New York Times said the deal "plunges America's relations with its European allies into deep uncertainty" and "raises the prospect of increasing tensions with Russia and China". Further Fox News reported, "Trump for months had left open whether he would move to scrap the pact, and his apparent decision to re-impose sanctions has rattled European allies". While NBC news depicted concern of many that the decision of US has "raised fears that Tehran might respond by resuming its frozen weapons program". Earlier in the day, former United States President Barack Obama called his successor's move as a "serious mistake". It has been reported that Foreign Ministers of France, Britain and Germany will meet with a group of Iranian representatives over the next week to take stock of the situation. Trump on Tuesday announced the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran nuclear deal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday stressed that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy. "India has always maintained that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy by respecting Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy as also the international community's strong interest in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program," MEA official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a statement. "All parties should engage constructively to address and resolve issues that have arises with respect to the JCPOA," the statement added. United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran nuclear deal. President Trump further called the Iran nuclear deal as "defective," adding that Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. "President Trump is terminating the United States' participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and re-imposing sanctions lifted under the deal," the White House tweeted. The Iran nuclear deal was signed between six countries in 2015 - Iran, the US, Britain, Germany, Russia, France and China for lifting economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limitations to the country's nuclear programme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Professor Tariq Mansoor will meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on Wednesday over Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah portrait row. Earlier in the day, Professor Mansoor dubbed the Jinnah portrait controversy as a 'non-issue' and underscored that latter's portrait is also present at the Bombay High Court and the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat. Talking to ANI, AMU vice-chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor said, "Jinnah's portrait has been here since 1938. Jinnah's portrait is at many places including Bombay HC and Sabarmati Ashram and Nehru Museum too. No one was worried about the portraits until now; I think it is a non-issue." Professor Mansoor also asserted that the agitation by students in the university had no connection with the Jinnah portrait row. "Students' agitation had no relation to Jinnah portrait row, they were protesting against people who came to AMU to disturb the peace on May 2. Spoken to chief secretary for a judicial inquiry into the incident," he said while reacting on the ruckus due to which event of former vice-president Hamid Ansari was cancelled. In Aligarh, some groups protested against the portrait of Jinnah present at the office of AMU student union's office. The matter grabbed headlines first after Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Aligarh MP Satish Gautam questioned the portrait's presence in the office. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday will address four rallies in Karnataka's Bangarpet, Chikkaamagaluru, Belagavi and Bidar districts. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also has his schedule planned in the poll bound state. He would be holding meetings in Hubali, at Rattihalli Ground and Sahakarnagar in the city. Meanwhile, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will also be holding meetings in Bengaluru. He would begin his day by visiting Dodda Ganapathi Temple in Basavanagudi in the morning and then hold public meetings at Krishna Nagar Industrial Area, Shivaji Nagar, Thippasandra Main Road and Hebbal. Earlier in the day, the BJP has demanded to countermand of elections in Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency following the recovery of tens of thousands voters identity cards and empty packers of hard currency from a house. The Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar has informed in a late night press conference yesterday that 9,746 voter identity cards were found in bundles in an apartment yesterday in Bengaluru. These EPICS found to be genuine, belonged to people from the slums. Chief Electoral Officer further said that five laptops and a printer were also found in the place. An FIR has been filed and an independent inquiry has been ordered. A BJP delegation, led by Union Minister Sadanand Gowda, is meeting the CEO today on this issue. The Congress has however said that the apartment belongs to a BJP leader and this whole drama is enacted by it for countermanding the election in this constituency. The campaigning for assembly elections in Karnataka reached its peak as only two days have been left for canvassing. Top leaders of different political parties are making their last-ditch efforts to woo the voters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Wednesday launched an attack against the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), saying that they both are supporting each other which shows their desperation to win in the Karnataka assembly elections. "Congress and JDS are supporting each other. This just shows their desperation to win the elections. People are going to vote for the BJP on May 12 and Congress is going to lose," he told ANI during a roadshow here in Bengaluru. Shah also hit out at Congress in regard to alleged voter ID scam, which came to light on Tuesday night. For those unversed, 9,746 voter ID cards were found from a Bengaluru flat last night, following which BJP had accused Congress of orchestrating the racket to gain an advantage in the upcoming state assembly polls. In return, Congress has claimed that the flat belongs to a BJP-linked person. "Who is Congress to accuse us in voter ID scam? Their corporator has been arrested, it is their deed," Shah said. The BJP chief also exuded confidence over saffron party's win in the assembly elections and said that the party will form the government in the state with full majority. "We're going to form the government in Karnataka with full majority and are committed to bringing development," he said. Ruling Congress, BJP, and Janata Dal (Secular) are leaving no stone unturned to become victorious in upcoming assembly elections, where voting will be held on May 12. The counting of votes and announcement of result will take place on May 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korea' unification ministry has said that it continues to make efforts to release six of its countrymen detained in North Korea. Unification ministry spokesperson Baik Tae-hyun said the government is trying to resolve the detainee issue through inter-Korean talks, reported Yonhap, South Korea's news agency, on Wednesday. "Our government has worked to resolve the detainee issue through inter-Korean talks and cooperation with the international community, and it will continue to make active efforts to bring back those detainees as soon as possible," said unification ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun while speaking to the media. The statement comes at a time when the two Koreas have decided to sign a peace treaty formally later this year, ending the 65-year-old war between the two countries. South Korea is also hopeful as there are reports of the possible release of three US citizens held in North Korea. As of now, six South Korean citizens are held in North Korea. The prisoners include three pastors - Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kuk-gi and Choe Chun-gil, who had been arrested on charges of spying for South Korea's spy agency. The Korean War between the two countries took place from 1950-53, which ended with a ceasefire and signing of an armistice agreement. Technically, both the countries are still at war since no peace treaty has been signed between them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has stated that there has been a fall of around Rs 100 in the retail selling price of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) (non-subsidized price) at Delhi in the recent months. The Ministry stated this in a statement after reports surfaced alleging the hike in LPG price in the recent months. The Ministry clarified that the retail selling price of LPG (non-subsidized price) at Delhi has come down from Rs.747 in the month of December 2017 to Rs. 650.50 in the month of May 2018, which is a fall of Rs. 96.50. It further asserted that the effective cost to the consumer after subsidy has also come down from Rs.495.69 in December 2017 to Rs.491.21 in May 2018. Each house in the country is entitled to 12 LPG cylinders at subsidised rates in a year, which is called the subsidised LPG rates. Requirements beyond that are to be purchased at market prices, which are known as non-subsidised LPG rates. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mumbai Sessions Court, in the murder of Nepali actress Meenakshi Thapa, on Wednesday found the two accused, Amit Kumar Jaiswal and Preeti Surin, guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. The quantum of punishment is expected to be declared tomorrow. According to media reports, Thapa had met the two accused during the shooting of Madhur Bhandarkar's film 'Heroine'. The accused individuals then, on the pretext of getting her assignments in Bhojpuri cinema, took Thapa to Gorakhpur, where they kidnapped her and blackmailed her parents to pay a ransom, threatening to kill Thapa over failing to do so. The accused had later beheaded Thapa following which they disposed of the body in a septic tank and kept the head with them, which they later threw from a running bus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday paid a visit to injured Pakistan Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The Nation reported that Sharif visited Services Hospital to inquire about the condition of Iqbal, who sustained injuries in a gun-attack at Narowal on May 6. Security was stepped up around the hospital premises and no one was allowed to visit the surgical ward while Sharif was present there. Sharif prayed for a speedy recovery to Minister Iqbal. Earlier on Tuesday, it was reported that the person who attacked Iqbal was identified as Abid Hussain affiliated to terror group Tehreek-e-Labbaik. Attacker Hussain shot the interior minister from a distance of 15 yards as latter was leaving a corner meeting. An FIR has been filed against the attacker. It has been further told by a police officer that the accused had confessed that the incident was an act of reprisal for his alleged role to amend the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat clause in the election bill. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea is expected to release three United States citizens on Wednesday, who had been held captives by the country under the charges of espionage against the government. As reported by the Yonhap News agency, South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae termed it a goodwill gesture by North before the upcoming summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and United States President Donald Trump. Three US citizens Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-Chul have been held in North Korea on charges of espionage or "hostile acts" against the government. It is said that the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who is on his second trip to North Korea in one month is expected to return along with the captives. Earlier on Tuesday Trump tweeted, "As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!" An official said that Pompeo is also expected to announce the venue, date and timings of the US-North Korea summit. Earlier, it was reported that North Korea shifted the three detainees from a labour camp to a hotel on the outskirts of Pyongyang. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Many companies in Japan are concerned over the large exodus of skilled workers, and the pressing issue for the construction industry is how to find labour while raising productivity. Shimizu Corporation, a Japanese construction company, invited local and foreign media to a press tour at its robot laboratory in Tokyo, where they showed several robots designed for construction sites that can weld, bolt and carry to improve working productivity and safety of workers. "Using robots for transportation is evolving in various industries, not only in the construction industry. We also incorporate it into the construction site, but with our robots there is now no need to extend various wires, attach Wi-Fi to the site, or mark the destination with tape. Our robots can understand surroundings by themselves and decide route they must take and the work they have to do," said Masahiro Indo, an official from Shimizu. Shimizu Corporation commenced development of Shimizu Smart Site, a next-generation production system in which robots and humans will collaborate to move construction projects forward. Robots undergoing autonomous control testing at robot laboratory Robo-Carrier which links with temporary elevator to transport supplies to designated spot entirely unnamed when the operator selects preferred materials and enters the destination in on a tablet. The Robo-Welder has a robotic arm that uses laser shape measurements to determine contours of a groove, or channel, on steel column in order to be welded and the Robo-Buddy, a multipurpose robot that handles construction work for ceilings and floors. Each one is primary structural element of the Shimizu Smart Site. An operator uses tablet to send instruction to enable robots carry out autonomously. "We want to take the policy of open innovation so that we develop and use robots in our company and at the same time we want other industries and countries to benefit from these robots and technology," said Indo. These robots will be deployed into a real high-rise building site in Osaka this fall. In the next fiscal year, robots will work at several large construction sites in Tokyo. The improvement of Japan's robot continues to attract the world's attention and contributes to improvement of various future work scenes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Soon after former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif warned not to allow delaying of general elections, opposition leader Khursheed Shah also voiced the same. As reported by the Geo TV, Shah while addressing Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) workers convention in Saidu Sharif on Tuesday said that delay in general polls is undesirable. "We don't want any delay in general polls," Shah said while noting that the main objective of is to serve people. He made another statement that " is not just an ambition to become the prime minister." He further discussed the merger of federally administered tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Shah then invited the participants of the rally to visit Sindh to overview the education and health sector. The current government is expected to conclude its five-year term on May 31, after which the caretaker government will take over to hold general elections. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, on May 4 said that general election would be held within 60 days after the formation of an interim government. As per the Constitution of Pakistan, the caretaker prime minister is appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the opposition leader in the National Assembly. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday called for constituting a parliamentary committee to investigate allegations of money laundering to India levelled by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. According to The Nation, Abbasi made this demand in the National Assembly. The daily quoted him, as saying that the committee should ask the NAB Chairman and other officials for evidence and relevant records that supports their allegations that Sharif money laundered over four billion dollars to India as reported by Radio Pakistan yesterday. He described the allegations as extremely serious and bring a bad name to Pakistan. Abbasi also urged the opposition to consider bringing amendments to the accountability law. The NAB, he said, is a creation of military dictators and now needs to be amended to be seen to delivering justice and playing its due role against corruption. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said people of Karnataka will reject Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatriya Janata Party. The Congress President also attacked the Prime Minister for being silent on the issue of alleged Dalit atrocities. Addressing a public gathering here, the Congress president said, "While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay his tribute to BR Ambedkar, he stays quiet when people from SC and ST communities are attacked. People will throw out Narendra Modi and the BJP from Karnataka first, followed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh." Continuing his tirade against Prime Minister Modi, Gandhi said that the Congress would not let the BJP change the constitution. "A minister in Narendra Modi's Cabinet says we will change the Constitution. Whatever happens, we won't let that happen," he said. Last December, Union minister Anant Kumar Hegde hit the controversy after he said that the BJP was here to change the Constitution. "Some people say the Constitution says secular and you must accept it. We are here to change the Constitution and we'll change it," Hegde had said earlier. Gandhi said Prime Minister Modi's criticism against the Congress and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddarmaiah has portrayed the post of the Prime Minister in a bad light. "You should've seen Congress. We oppose PM, we speak against him but we respect PM's post. He thinks if he speaks against Congress, against Siddaramaiah, his party will be benefited. But this shows PM's post in a bad light, he'll never understand this," he said. Earlier in the day, Gandhi offered prayers at Dargah of Hazrat Tawakkal Mastan Shah in Bengaluru. The election in Karnataka will be held on May 12 in 223 constituencies, out of 224 of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The election for one constituency has been postponed following the death of B.N. Vijay Kumar, Jayanagar BJP candidate. The counting of votes and announcement of result will take place on May 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Chief of Rashtriya Hindu Sena Pramod Muthalik has filed a plea in the Supreme Court against the Congress manifesto for the Karnataka Assembly Elections. Hearing of the plea will begin on May 10. In his plea, Muthalik has claimed that the Congress manifesto seeks votes in the name of religion, thus all Congress candidates should be disqualified from contesting the election for allegedly indulging in religious discrimination. The petition states that Congress has asked for votes from Muslims and by other minorities by luring them with targeted schemes in their manifesto - prohibited under Article 15 and 27 of the Constitution of India. The petition further claimed that the Congress manifesto is violative of provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Congress and the BJP had been mud-slinging right from the start of the campaigns as the Congress accused the BJP of being communal and the BJP, in turn, accused the Congress of appeasement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was returning to the US from North Korea along with the three American detainees. He underscored that he was looking forward to meeting with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un, adding that the venue and place were finalised. In a tweet, Trump wrote, "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set." In the second tweet, the US President said that Pompeo and the three American hostages would land at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland at 2 a.m. (Thursday local time) and he was looking forward to greeting them. "Secretary Pompeo and his "guests" will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!," Trump tweeted. On Wednesday, Pompeo made an unannounced visit to North Korea to finalise the plans for a historic summit between Kim and Trump, amid speculations that he would return along with the three American detainees. This was Pompeo's second visit to the isolated nation after he made a similar trip last month. South Korea, meanwhile, hailed the release of the three American hostages, saying it would have a "positive effect" ahead of the Kim-Trump meet. Last Thursday, Trump hinted at the possibility of the release of the hostages, who were detained in North Korea. In a midnight tweet, President Trump wrote, "As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!" The tweet came after a report emerged that North Korea relocated three American detainees from a labour camp to a hotel on the outskirts of Pyongyang. The three American citizens - Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul - were accused of espionage or doing "hostile acts" against the North Korean government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind will visit the Siachen base camp tomorrow (May 10) and interact with the soldiers posted there. He will be the first President to visit the Siachen camp since the visit of the then President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, in 2004. President Kovind will also visit the Kumar Post. Avalanches and landslides are common at the Siachen Glacier, also known as the world's highest battlefield, with temperatures dropping to as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius. Both India and Pakistan have had repeated border skirmishes at the glacier for the last three decades. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) To boost state-wide cancer out campaign launched by Rajasthan Royals in association with Tata Trusts, the franchise on Wednesday revealed a special jersey ahead of their upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) match. The match between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings will be dedicated to the cause of popularising early cancer screening among all as part of cancer out campaign. It is being run with the support of Government of Rajasthan, National Cancer Grid, Indian Cancer Society and Indian Dental Association in the state of Rajasthan. The day began with Rajasthan Royals players Ajinkya Rahane, Heinrich Klaasen, Krishnappa Gowtham and Mahipal Lomror paying a visit to SMS hospital and getting themselves screened at the Oncology department in the hospital in an urge to promote early cancer screening. After this, the special jersey was revealed in the presence of Dr V.K. Mathur, Director (Public Health) and Commissioner (Food & Safety), Dr US Agarwal, Principal SMS Medical College, Burzis S Taraporevala, CFO and Company Secretary Tata Trusts and Ranjit Barthakur, Executive Chairman Rajasthan Royals. As part of the campaign, to further generate mass awareness among people, on the day of this titan clash, Rajasthan Royals will don the special jersey which has been created with a blend of three colours - pink, teal and burgundy. The three colours symbolise the most profound and common types of cancer - pink for breast cancer, burgundy for oral cancer and teal for cervical cancer. Speaking at the occasion, Ranjit Barthakur, Executive Chairman, Rajasthan Royals, said, "Cancer cure chances are higher with early diagnosis. We are committed to delivering the message of early cancer screening and risk reduction. We aim to bring early cancer screening into a part of the routine medical check and facilitate the treatment. Cancer awareness education and understanding that early detection is crucial in saving lives, can enable more people across Rajasthan to live healthier and longer. " Expressing his gratitude to the visiting team, Barthakur added, "We are very pleased and thankful to team 'Yellove' for sharing the same thought and coming ahead to support our cause." Royals' captain Ajinkya Rahane said, "As a player, I think this initiative is a small but crucial step towards a direction of cancer-free society and I hope that we perform to the best of our ability to raise as much awareness as we can." The skipper also appealed to all Royals fans to take the onus towards educating others, push themselves for early screening and henceforth promote early screening among others as well. All above 30 years of age must opt for screening themselves on annual basis. Rajasthan Royals, who are languishing down to the sixth spot in the IPL, are slated to play against CSK on May 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia on Wednesday intercepted three missiles from Yemen, including two which were shot down near the capital Riyadh. "Our air-defence systems intercepted two ballistic missiles over Riyadh and a third that was fired toward Jizan," reported Anadolu News Agency. The Al-Masira television channel, which is run by Yemen's Shia Houthi rebel group appeared to confirm that the group had fired one missile in an "air-defence facility" in Jizan. It also fired missiles in Riyadh's Dry Port and other "economic targets" in the city. On Sunday, Saudi air defences intercepted two missiles above the southwestern Najran region fired by Houthi rebels from Yemen. As per official Saudi figures, 31 missiles have been intercepted since March this year. So far, a total of 135 missiles have been shot down since Saudi Arabia launched its military campaign in Yemen in 2015. Continued missile attacks from Houthi rebels in Yemen have forced Saudi Arabia to cut off air, sea and land links from its neighbour. Saudi defence forces have also halted Yemen's financial aids and food and fuel imports as well. Former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh was killed in Sanaa after days of intense fighting between Houthi rebels and his loyalist forces on December 4 last year. Both Saleh forces and the Houthi rebels backed by Iran are battling to capture the Yemeni capital city. The conflict in Yemen, which began in 2014, has claimed more than 100,000 lives so far. The fighting further intensified in 2015, when clashes broke out between incumbent Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi's government forces and Saleh loyalist forces. The Saudi-led coalition forces, which is backed by the United States, has interfered in the conflict upon Hadi's request since then, and are carrying out regular airstrikes against the Houthi rebels. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Anil Kapoor has thanked the Mumbai Police for providing relevant security during his daughter Sonam Kapoor's wedding ceremony on Tuesday. Anil said his family enjoyed the occasion to the fullest because of the constant support from the police. "The constant support of Mumbai Police was a major reason behind our family being able to celebrate this occasion to the fullest without worrying about the safety! Thank you for all your help," Anil tweeted on Wednesday. Sonam married her longtime friend and Delhi-based businessman Anand Ahuja here on Tuesday afternoon. From the film and fashion industry, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Karan Johar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Rani Mukerji, Swara Bhaskar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, designer Masaba Gupta and stylist Pernia Qureshi were present at the wedding ceremony. The couple also threw a reception party later that day. From Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan to Akshay Kumar and Ranbir Kapoor, various showbiz stars posed for the shutterbugs and blessed the newlyweds with their presence at the glamorous reception party. Anil Kapoor has also thanked the wedding planners for giving Sonam the "wedding of her dreams." He tweeted: "Thank you @wedniksha for helping me give my daughter the wedding of her dreams! You guys did a fantastic job of turning our thoughts into reality!" Sonam, who has changed her name to "Sonam K Ahuja" on Twitter, has also thanked celebrities for showering love on the newlyweds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who aspires to be Prime Minister, were face-to-face in Karnataka on the second last day for the campaigning. Working seriously on his 'Congress Mukt Bharat' mission, Prime Minister Modi used all of his oratory skills to lambast the Congress in his four election rallies on Wednesday. Prime Minister Modi did not miss the political fodder provided by the Congress president, who, on Tuesday, said he would become the Prime Minister if Congress emerges as the single largest party after the 2019 general elections. Addressing a rally in Bidar, Prime Minister Modi took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks that he was ready to be the prime minister. "The newly elected Congress president has pre-announced that he will become the Prime Minister of the country in 2019. Congress thinks that the Prime Minister's seat is reserved for just one dynasty," Prime Minister Modi said. Further attacking the Congress, Prime Minister Modi, while hinting at Rahul's meeting with Lalu Prasad, who has been convicted in several fodder scam cases, said Congress leaders have the time to meet corrupt people but had no time to meet jailed freedom fighters arrested by the then British authorities. On the other hand, Rahul said in his Basavanagudi rally that people of Karnataka will reject Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatriya Janata Party. The Congress president also attacked the Prime Minister for being silent on the issue of alleged Dalit atrocities. "While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay his tribute to BR Ambedkar, he stays quiet when people from SC and ST communities are attacked. People will throw out Narendra Modi and the BJP from Karnataka first, followed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh." Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also quick to corner Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over his gaffe in his Belagavi rally. While campaigning in Mandya district's Malavalli on Tuesday, Siddaramaiah had praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi instead of Congress candidate Narendra Swamy. Reacting to Siddaramaiah's gaffe, Prime Minister Modi said, "The Chief Minister was campaigning for a Congress candidate whose name is also Narendra but he only kept saying Narendra Modi and praised Narendra Modi too. The truth seems to have come out." During his Bangarpet rally, Prime Minister Modi said 6 Cs of Congress are destroying future of Karnataka. "Congress is affected with 6 diseases and makes those 6 diseases viral wherever it goes. They are- Congress culture, Communalism, Casteism, Crime, Corruption, and Contractor system. These six Cs are destroying the future of Karnataka," the Prime Minister said. In his Chikmagalur rally, Prime Minister Modi did not spare late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who represented Chikmagalur in Lok Sabha. "Congress only wants to remain in power. In 1978, Indira ji came here, took your votes but never cared for people of this region. Congress never thought about the welfare of people of Chikmagalur. Sonia ji too contested from Bellari, but what happened to promises made in Bellari," Prime Minister Modi said. The day also saw heated political salvos being fired from both the BJP and the Congress over seizure of nearly 10,000 voter identity cards from a flat in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency. A BJP delegation comprising of Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan, S.S. Ahluwalia, and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi met the Election Commission of India officials in New Delhi and demanded to countermand of elections in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency over the recovery of voter identity cards. The BJP says that the scam was the brainchild of the Congress, which points out that the flat owner is a BJP, a charge BJP denies. The high-pitched campaigning for Karnataka polls will come to an end on Thursday evening. The election in Karnataka will be held on May 12 in 223 constituencies, out of 224 of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The election for one constituency has been postponed following the death of B.N. Vijay Kumar, Jayanagar BJP candidate. The counting of votes and announcement of result will take place on May 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) said the bilateral trade talks with China must bring a beneficial outcome for the US businesses. As per the official White House press release on Tuesday (local time) "President Trump affirmed his commitment to ensuring that the trade and investment relationship between the United States and China is balanced and benefits American businesses and workers." As reported by the South China Morning Post President Xi, in turn, called for a "mutually beneficial" result of talks in the backdrop of a volatile bilateral trade environment. They further discussed the recent diplomatic engagements between the two countries, which were aimed at easing trade conflicts between the two. The talks came soon after the third California-China Business Summit that was held in China culminated on May 4. As per the reports both sides have managed to reach some agreements over their bilateral trade. On the sidelines of the Business summit, China's Vice Premier Liu He held a bilateral talk with United States Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. They agreed on resolving common concerns regarding economic and trade issues through dialogue and deliberation. They further discussed the issue of increasing US trade exports to China, bilateral trade service, two-way investment, protection of intellectual property rights and imbalanced tariff rates. On February 30, the UN Security Council sanctioned 21 shipping firms from the Marshall Islands, Singapore, Panama, and Samoa, 27 vessels and an individual suspected of helping North Korea smuggle oil and coal by sea, according to Yonhap news agency. The United States had strongly rallied for the UNSC decision of imposing sanctions on North Korea. The two leaders further discussed the importance of communication to find solutions to the existing trade issues raised due to reciprocal trade tariffs imposed by the two countries on each other. Xi said, "the teams of both sides can maintain communication and strive to find a solution to the problems that exist, so as to achieve mutually beneficial and win-win results." The release further mentioned, "President Trump and President Xi agreed on the importance of continued implementation of sanctions on North Korea until it permanently dismantles its nuclear and missile programs." Earlier on March 29, it was reported that North Korea is planning to close down its nuclear test site Punggye-ri in May. Prior to that, on April 21 North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un announced the suspension of the country's nuclear and missile tests. The US along with Japan, China, and South Korea had supported the denuclearization of North Korea. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UNIQLO, the Japanese global apparel retailer on Wednesday announced plans to launch in India with the opening of a first store in Delhi during fall 2019, marking the brand's entry into the South Asia region. Following the establishment of a wholly-owned subsidiary in Delhi in May, UNIQLO will soon begin recruiting local talent as it prepares to open its store in the world's fastest-growing major economy. "Our entry in India represents a significant step in our company's global strategy, and we are very pleased and excited to be part of the country's growing retail market. We look forward to introducing UNIQLO and our high quality, affordable LifeWear apparel in India, while at the same time contributing to the expansion of the Indian economy," said Tadashi Yanai, Chairman, President and CEO of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., the operator of the UNIQLO brand. LifeWear is the UNIQLO commitment to creating perfect clothing that meets the needs of everyone's daily lifestyles. High quality, functional, affordable and constantly evolving, LifeWear is available in a variety of colors and styles for people of all ages. The first UNIQLO store will be located in Delhi, and the company will focus on expanding its presence in the capital region before considering other areas. UNIQLO will introduce its UNIQLO Manager Candidate (UMC) program in India soon, as part of its preparations to enter the market. India will become the latest in a string of new markets for UNIQLO worldwide, following earlier announcements to launch in Sweden and the Netherlands in Fall 2018. More details regarding the new store in Delhi will be announced at a later date. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Liquor Baron Vijay Mallya faced a major setback on Tuesday after he lost a lawsuit filed in London by a consortium of Indian banks seeking to collect the amount of Rs. 10,000 crore amid allegations that he committed massive fraud. A judge ruled that the consortium of lenders, including IDBI Bank, can impose an Indian court's decision against Mallya, who was found to have willfully defaulted on $1.4 billion in debt taken by his now-defunct airline Kingfisher. Judge Andrew Henshaw in London also refused to overturn a worldwide freeze placed on Mallya's assets. Mallya's lawyers now have the opportunity to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeals, the second highest court in the UK. 62-year-old, Mallya is facing a trail in the UK Court, to rule if he can be extradited to India to face charges for financial irregularities involving a total amount of Rs 9,000 crores, as well as money laundering cases. In April last year, Mallya was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant. He is out on bail on a bond worth 650,000 pounds. Apart from this case, the High Court of London on February 12 ordered Mallya to pay an estimated USD 90 million to a Singapore-based aircraft leasing company in claims. The case involves a number of aircraft leased by Vijay Mallya's now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines from BOC Aviation in 2014. He, however, denied the allegations against him and claimed they are "politically motivated". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bank on Tuesday denied the media reports claiming that its 2016 report on remittances mentioned that Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif laundered $4.9 billion money to India, raising a question on the credibility of the anti-corruption watchdog. "In the past day, there have been media reports citing the Bank's Remittances and Migration Report of 2016. These media reports were incorrect. The report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individuals," the Bank clarified in a statement. "We would also like to refer to a statement by the State Bank of Pakistan SBP rejects estimates of US$4.9 billion remittances from Pakistan to India on September 21, 2016, refuting the $4.9 billion remittances number and providing an explanation of the methodology used in the World Bank report and the official remittances numbers," the statement added. Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has ordered an inquiry against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and others for allegedly laundering $4.9 billion to India, according to reports in the Pakistani media. A statement by the NAB, which ordered the inquiry based on a media report, claimed that the amount was laundered to the Indian finance ministry after which Indian foreign exchange reserves witnessed an increase and Pakistan suffered as a result, reported Pakistan's Geo News. According to the media report, the incident was mentioned in the World Bank's Migration and Remittance Book 2016. However, the details of the media report based on which the NAB ordered inquiry, were not jotted in the statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices were trading lower in early trade as investors assessed the implications of President Donald Trump's decision to scrap a nuclear deal with Iran. At 9:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 47.96 points or 0.14% at 35,168.36. The Nifty 50 index was down 13.45 points or 0.13% at 10,704.35. Among secondary barometers,the BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.18%, underperformed the Sensex. The BSE Small-Cap index was down 0.05%, outperforming the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On BSE, 543 shares fell and 531 shares rose. A total of 42 shares were unchanged. Overseas, most Asian shares were trading lower following President Donald Trump's announcement that the US would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. US stocks came off their lows on Tuesday to end a choppy session little changed, after Trump announced the US was abandoning the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which was forged by former President Barack Obama three years ago. The president also said he planned to ramp up penalties against Tehran, including the highest level of economic sanctions. In US, an index of small-business optimism from the National Federation of Independent Businesses ticked up 0.1 point to 104.8 in April. Separately, a report on US job openings, known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, showed a record 6.6 million job openings in March. Meanwhile, US Fed Chairman Jerome Powell reportedly said early Tuesday at an event in Switzerland that emerging-market economies should be able to manage as advanced economies move toward tighter monetary policy. Crude oil prices surged as Trump walking away from an international nuclear deal with Iran could curb the OPEC-member's crude exports in an already tight market. In the global commodities markets, Brent crude oil futures for July 2018 settlement was up $1.87 at $76.72 a barrel. Back home, Lupin was up 0.14%. The company announced that YL Biologics (YLB) its JV with Yoshindo and Kyowa (Lupin's Subsidiary) in Japan has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) for Marketing Authorization to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) for a biosimilar of Etanercept to treat indications for moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. YL Biologics and Kyowa filed the NDA in Japan in March, 2018. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 8 May 2018. ABB India was down 1.10%. The company's net profit rose 13.9% to Rs 102.49 crore on 16.92% rise in total income to Rs 2552.39 crore in Q1 March 2018 over Q1 March 2017. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 8 May 2018. Blue Dart Express was down 2.16%. The company's net profit rose 39.19% to Rs 34.13 crore on 5.84% rise in total income to Rs 722.04 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q4 March 2017. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 8 May 2018. Automotive Axles was up 4.91%. The company's net profit rose 58.22% to Rs 28.29 crore on 30.73% rise in total income to Rs 469.97 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q4 March 2017. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 8 May 2018. SKF India was up 1.45 %. The company's net profit rose 23.59% to Rs 71.56 crore on 7.29% rise in total income to Rs 722.45 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q4 March 2017. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 8 May 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.) Key benchmarks were trading in a range with small gains in early afternoon trade. At 12:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 53.62 points or 0.15% at 35,269.94. The Nifty 50 index was up 13.15 points or 0.12% at 10,730.95. The undertone of the market was fragile as investors assessed the implications of President Donald Trump's decision to scrap a nuclear deal with Iran. Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.33%. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.08%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On BSE, 1,271 shares fell and 1,151 shares rose. A total of 112 shares were unchanged. Cement shares declined. UltraTech Cement (down 2.44%), Ambuja Cements (down 1.43%) and ACC (down 1.06%), edged lower. Grasim Industries was down 0.95%. Grasim has exposure to cement sector through its holding in UltraTech Cement. Shares of the state-run oil marketing companies (PSU OMCs) fell after Brent Crude crossed $76 per barrel mark. BPCL (down 3.03%), HPCL (down 3%) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) (down 2.13%) declined. Crude oil prices surged as Trump walking away from an international nuclear deal with Iran could curb the OPEC-member's crude exports in an already tight market. In the global commodities markets, Brent crude oil futures for July 2018 settlement was up $1.74 at $76.59 a barrel. Higher crude oil prices could increase under-recoveries of public-sector undertaking oil marketing companies (PSU OMCs) on domestic sale of LPG and kerosene at controlled prices. The government has already freed pricing of petrol and diesel. Overseas, Asian shares were mixed following President Donald Trump's announcement that the US would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. US stocks came off their lows on Tuesday to end a choppy session little changed, after Trump announced the US was abandoning the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which was forged by former President Barack Obama three years ago. The president also said he planned to ramp up penalties against Tehran, including the highest level of economic sanctions. In US, an index of small-business optimism from the National Federation of Independent Businesses ticked up 0.1 point to 104.8 in April. Separately, a report on US job openings, known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, showed a record 6.6 million job openings in March. Meanwhile, US Fed Chairman Jerome Powell reportedly said early Tuesday at an event in Switzerland that emerging-market economies should be able to manage as advanced economies move toward tighter monetary policy. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trading turned volatile as the Sensex and the Nifty pared gains after hitting fresh intraday high in mid-morning trade. At 11:25 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 40.15 points or 0.11% at 35,256.47. The Nifty 50 index was up 4.80 points or 0.04% at 10,722.60. The undertone of the market was fragile as investors assessed the implications of President Donald Trump's decision to scrap a nuclear deal with Iran. Shares witnessed some volatility. The Sensex rose 80.13 points, or 0.23% at the day's high of 35,296.45 in mid-morning trade. The index fell 82.12 points, or 0.23% at the day's low of 35,134.20 in early trade. The Nifty rose 16.30 points, or 0.15% at the day's high of 10,734.10 in mid-morning trade. The index fell 27.95 points, or 0.26% at the day's low of 10,689.85 in early trade. Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.34%, underperformed the Sensex. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.15%, outperforming the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, once again turned negative from positive in mid-morning trade. On BSE, 1149 shares fell and 1147 shares rose. A total of 107 shares were unchanged. Asian Paints (up 1.42%), Tata Steel (up 1.37%), Yes Bank (up 1%) and Bharti Airtel (up 0.87%), were the major Sensex gainers. State Bank of India (down 1.02%), Mahindra & Mahindra (down 0.65%), Maruti Suzuki India (down 0.57%), HDFC (down 0.49%), ICICI Bank (down 0.45%) and Hindustan Unilever (down 0.32%), were the major Sensex losers. Tata Motors was up 3.97% after the company's UK unit, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), reported total retail sales of 45,180 vehicles in April 2018, up 11.9% year-on-year. The announcement was made during trading hours today, 9 May 2018. Overseas, Asian shares were mixed following President Donald Trump's announcement that the US would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. US stocks came off their lows on Tuesday to end a choppy session little changed, after Trump announced the US was abandoning the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which was forged by former President Barack Obama three years ago. The president also said he planned to ramp up penalties against Tehran, including the highest level of economic sanctions. In US, an index of small-business optimism from the National Federation of Independent Businesses ticked up 0.1 point to 104.8 in April. Separately, a report on US job openings, known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, showed a record 6.6 million job openings in March. Meanwhile, US Fed Chairman Jerome Powell reportedly said early Tuesday at an event in Switzerland that emerging-market economies should be able to manage as advanced economies move toward tighter monetary policy. Crude oil prices surged as Trump walking away from an international nuclear deal with Iran could curb the OPEC-member's crude exports in an already tight market. In the global commodities markets, Brent crude oil futures for July 2018 settlement was up $1.77 at $76.62 a barrel. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Strides Shasun rose 3.28% to Rs 570.40 at 15:16 IST on BSE after the company announced that it has agreed with Apotex, in principle, to merge their respective Australian business operations. The announcement was made during market hours today, 9 May 2018. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 111.48 points or 0.32% at 35,327.80. On the BSE, 1.11 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 37,000 shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 577 and a low of Rs 545 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,066.17 on 24 July 2017 and a 52-week low of Rs 535.95 on 7 May 2018. The mid-cap company has equity capital of Rs 89.55 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. Strides Shasun announced that it has agreed with Apotex, in principle, to merge their respective Australian business operations. The transaction is subject to entering into definitive agreements between the parties, satisfactory due diligence, customary closing conditions and statutory approvals, including approval of Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The combination will enable Strides, through the merged business, to become the leading player in the Australian generic pharmaceutical market by both volume and revenue. The proposed transaction will be EPS accretive from year 1 through merger synergies. The merged business will have the largest portfolio of owned product IP for the Australian market Strides Shasun is one of the leading generic players in the Australian pharmaceutical market and runs its business under the Arrow brand. Apotex is the leading generic player in the Australian pharmaceutical market and runs its business under the Apotex brand. On a consolidated basis, Strides Shasun's net profit fell 56.6% to Rs 85.22 crore on 2.6% growth in net sales to Rs 749.04 crore in Q3 December 2017 over Q3 December 2016. Strides Shasun is a vertically integrated global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Bangalore. The company has two business verticals, viz., Regulated Markets and Emerging Markets. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff has appealed to the government to take active steps in prevention of thalassemia. He said he, along with son Tiger and superstar Akshay Kumar, will do their bit to spread awareness. Jackie, the brand ambassador of Thalassemics India, visited Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here on the 25th World Thalassemia Day on Tuesday. He met some patients and interacted with doctors. He said in a statement: "This subject is very close to my heart as my younger daughter Krishna was prevented from being thalassemic due to awareness and tests. I appeal to the government to reduce the charges of medicines and take active steps towards prevention of this disease as it is a preventable disease. "From my side, I along with Tiger Shroff and Akshay Kumar will do the best to increase awareness. The message has to percolate not only in towns but to the villages also." Thalassemics can lead a near normal life with proper guidance and treatment, said D.S. Rana, Chairman (B.O.M), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. Jackie has joined the mission of Thalassemics India as he has a personal connect as he and his wife Ayesha first became aware of this delicate health condition, when they were expecting their daughter. --IANS rb/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rights group Amnesty India on Wednesday urged the Uttar Pradesh government to probe if the killing of a Dalit activist in Saharanpur was a hate crime. "The Uttar Pradesh government must investigate whether Sachin Walia was killed in a hate crime," Asmita Basu, Programmes Director, Amnesty International India, said in a statement. Basu said the member of the Bhim Army, a Dalit rights organisation, was killed as Dalits in Saharanpur were facing several caste-based attacks and the perpetrators of such violence around this time last year "are yet to be punished". Walia, the brother of the Saharanpur district president of the Bhim Army, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Uttar Pradesh town on Wednesday. The Amnesty statement recalled that on May 5 a Dalit man was killed, at least 14 seriously injured, and at least 50 Dalit homes partially or completely burnt in Shabbirpur village by dominant caste Thakur men, following a clash between members of the two communities over a dispute about a procession. "The Uttar Pradesh authorities must ensure that similar attacks don't occur again, and end impunity for hate crimes against Dalits in the state." --IANS sar/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) G. Subramanyam Sharma, 44, the grandson of former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975), is contesting from Malleswaram constituency in the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections as a candidate of a fringe party to erase "inequality" in the state. "As inequality between rich and the poor is widening in society, someone has to balance it through the system, into which I want to enter and usher in equality," Sharma, a candidate of the newly-formed All India Mahila Empowerment Party (AIMEP), told IANS in an interview. The Chennai-born Sharma, who moved to Bengaluru over a decade ago (2006), turned a serial entrepreneur to provide jobs for others .His family-owned Sudeeksha Group is into diverse businesses spanning pharmacy, infrastructure, movies and dairy farming. "I originally come from a family of academicians, and not politicians," said Sharma, whose father is renowned philosopher-statesman Radhakrishnan's nephew (sister's son). Radhakrishnan was the second President of India from 1962 to 1967. Sharma is also related to V.V. Giri (1894-1980), who was the fourth President from 1969 to 1974, from his father's side (paternal grandfather's brother). Sharma, after years of working as an entrepreneur, wanted to step up as a change-maker and find solutions to improve the healthcare, education and job-providing capabilities of Indian society. With initial plans to contest as an Independent in the ensuing polls, he prepared an election manifesto with the changes he and the people in the constituency wished to bring about in the locality. "I had no intention of joining any of the three national parties -- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress or the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) -- as they've never really worked towards people's issues and have only blamed each other for political gains," Sharma asserted. In his poll manifesto, Sharma has outlined plans to provide free electricity to the whole constituency by setting up solar panels on all the rooftops of homes, upgrade the public health centres, government hospitals and public schools in the Malleswaram area, one of the oldest localities of this tech hub, through better infrastructure. He also wants to work towards youth in each household of Malleswaram being employed. But after a meeting with AIMEP's founder and national president Nowhera Shaik, a Hyderabad-based businesswoman who set up the party in November 2017 to contest in the May 12 election, Sharma was convinced that his ideology was in line with the party's. "I was certain after meeting Shaik that the party is for all common people -- from auto rickshaw drivers to working citizens, and believes in the same social balance I aim to achieve. I joined the party and was allowed to retain the manifesto I planned for my constituency," the 44-year-old recalled. The AIMEP, which had announced it would field candidates from all the 224 constituencies in the state, has fielded over 170 candidates. If elected, Sharma also plans to hold job fairs in the constituency to provide jobs for the youth from each of the households -- in public and private sectors. "I hope that in this election people will give a chance and opt for other parties than the national parties, and for candidates who truly want to bring a change in the state," added Sharma. (Bhavana Akella can be contacted at bhavana.a@ians.in) --IANS bha/fb/vm/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 25,000 soldiers of the Indian Army on Wednesday concluded their month-long military drill, sharpening their combat skills to face all contingencies, including nuclear or biological attacks, and battling above 45-degree heat and sand storms in hot and dry deserts near the Pakistan border in Rajasthan. An army spokesperson said modern war fighting equipment including tanks, attack helicopters, drones and fighter aircraft were used in the exercise Vijay Prahar by Army's South Western Command. The drill was conducted in Mahajan Field Firing Ranges close to Suratgrah, some 300 km from the closest Pakistani border post. The participating formations fine tuned their skills in "fighting dirty and continuing the offensive even after a tactical nuclear, chemical or biological attack by the adversary by our modern chemical, bilogical, radiological and nuclear defense", spokesperson Lt. Col. Manish Ojha said in a statement. Lt. Gen. Cherish Mathson, who heads the Sapta Shakti command, witnessed the "final offensive of his forces achieving a decisive victory". "I had laid out unambiguous scope for activities to be carried out and had also bench marked standards to be achieved and I am fully satisfied with in effort put in and result achieved," the Army commander said. Lt Gen Mathson said the military drill was marked by designing an offensive campaign on the principles of operational art in a deep air-land battle with real time intelligence using space based surveillance. "The concept of air cavalry employing attack and weaponised helicopters has also been validated. He said with India's contemporary "just in time" logistics, the Army's "deep thrusts can be sustained effectively". The commander also complimented the troops who braved the soaring temperatures above 45 degrees and sand storms. --IANS sar/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Police's CID on Wednesday took over the probe into the carcass meat selling racket case that recently surfaced in the state and would take the apprehended persons in their custody soon, a senior officer said. "Yesm we have taken over the carcass meat case registered in South 24 Parganas district's Budge Budge from the state police. All the arrested persons in the case would be remanded to CID custody," Deputy Inspector General, West Bengal CID, Nishad Parvez told IANS. Police late last month busted a racket involved in processing the flesh of carcasses collected from dumping grounds in and adjoining suburbs and selling it to local restaurants and departmental stores and seized huge quantity of rotten meat from a city cold storage. A dozen people have so far been arrested including the kingpin Biswanath Garai (52), who also owned the cold storage in north Kolkata's Narkeldanga. The West Bengal government on Tuesday formed a high-powered committee headed by the Chief Secretary to come up with a fool-proof mechanism to check any recurrence of the case that has created panic among consumers of non-vegetarian dishes in the state. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the issue was not confined within Bengal and many of the operators were from areas beyond the state's border. --IANS mgr/ssp/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The situation is under control after night-long clashes between two student groups in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi -- the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, police said on Wednesday. The clashes erupted after midnight between the students residing in Lal Bahadur Shastri Hostel and Birla Hostel. Many vehicles on the university campus were torched and the warring students pelted stones at each other and later also on the police personnel who were called in to disperse the unruly mob. The situation could only be controlled in the morning, but by then scores of students were injured. "The situation is under control now," Shailesh Mishra, PRO to the Varanasi SSP, told IANS. A district official, however, blamed the BHU authorities for the violence and pointed out that although police reinforcements had reached there, they had to wait outside the Singhdwar due to the delay in permission by the varsity officials to enter the premises. The rioting sparked off reportedly after a murderous attack on a student, Ashutosh Maurya, outside the Hindi department. --IANS md/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A BJP delegation, led by Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, on Wednesday met top Election Commission officials here and demanded to countermand the election in Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat, where a haul of fake election ID cards were found. The delegation, also comprising Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, and J.P. Nadda, also demanded action against culprits in the controversy surrounding seizure of nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards from a flat in the assembly constituency. "We requested the Election Commission to kindly ensure free and fair elections in Karnataka. The voter IDs are proof of voter confidence and the only way to reinstate that confidence is to countermand the elections in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency," Irani told reporters after the meeting with the Election Commission officials. The meeting comes in the wake of Election Commission officials on Tuesday night seizing 9,746 voter cards from a flat in Jalahalli area of the constituency. Addressing reporters in Bengaluru. Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said a Deputy Election Commissioner rank official was being rushed from the national capital for a thorough enquiry to bring the truth out. Earlier in the day, a delegation of the Congress leaders also met the Election Commission officials over the issue and sought a proper enquiry into the matter. --IANS bns/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BYD Auto Co, Ltd, a leading Chinese company which produces electric vehicles, intends to establish its production plant in Hyderabad, it was announced on Wednesday. Representatives from the company on Wednesday called on Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who assured them all help. KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, told the company officials that 100 per cent electric vehicles will be used in the state and in the first phase, the government will place order for purchase of 500 electric vehicles, said a statement from the Chief Minister's Office. He had a brief journey in the electric bus designed and developed by BYD and appreciated its quality, saying that the bus is highly convenient for a comfortable journey as well as for a pollution free atmosphere. The BYD representatives, including BYD General Manager Liu Xueliang and Executive Director Zhang Jie, told KCR that if once charged the vehicle will be able to move for 300-400 km. The vehicle can be fully charged within three hours. They informed CM that along with buses they also manufacture cars, autos and trucks. The Chief Minister also stressed the need to encourage 100 per cent electric vehicles usage to make Hyderabad pollution free city. He said that phase wise usage of 100 per cent electric vehicles will be introduced in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC), Private institutions will also be encouraged to use them. Stating that pollution due to vehicles is on the increase in towns and cities, he said that the only way to control and reduce this is the usage of electric vehicles. --IANS ms/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 71st Cannes International Film Festival rose its curtain on Tuesday with a gathering of movie industry professionals and cinema stars headed from all over the world to the French Riviera. US director Martin Scorsese and Australian Oscar winner and producer Cate Blanchett, the jury's president, declared open the 71st Cannes Film Festival. The annual fair started with the screening of in competition film "Everybody knows" of Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, with Spanish star Peneleope as main actress, Xinhua reported. On the Asian films In Competition, the jury member, Chinese actor Zhang Zhen said he has a completely open mind. "I am going to watch all of the films from the different countries and regions of Asia and try to explain our values to the other members of the Jury," he said. This year, China's cinema is represented in the official competition by "Ash is purest white" of Jia Zhangke who was a member of the Official Selection Jury at the 67th Cannes Film Festival in May 2014. "Ash is purest white" tells the story of a young and pretty dancer, Qiao, in Datong in 2001, who is in love with Bin, a local gangster. Qiao will take Bin's defense during a clash between gangs, and is sentenced to 5 years in prison. Upon leaving, Qiao goes in search of Bin to start all over again. Altogether 21 films are competing for the top prize of Cannes International Film Festival which runs from May 8 to 19. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal CPI-M leadership on Wednesday said it has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court anticipating a petition from the State Election Commission, which has challenged the Calcutta High Court's order directing the SEC to accept the online nominations submitted by the left party candidates for the state rural polls. The SEC on Wednesday morning moved the apex court challenging an order issued by a divisional bench of the Calcutta High Court that stated the nomination papers of those candidates named by appellant CPI-M, who had filed their papers electronically before the deadline of 3 p.m. on April 23, should be accepted. "The State Election Commission has moved the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict regarding acceptance of e-nominations in the coming state rural polls. We anticipated that something like this would happen. So we have filed a caveat in the apex court today morning," Communist Party of India-Marxist state Secretary Surja Kanta Misra told reporters here. "The West Bengal government, the state's ruling party (Trinamool Congress) and the State Election Commission are jointly trying to ignore the directions of Calcutta High Court regarding the Panchayat election process. So the SEC's appeal to the apex court is not a one off incident," he said. Misra claimed the uncertainty over the coming Panchayat elections in the state was something which was unprecedented during the 34 years of Left regime and said the situation this time is worse than the last rural polls under the Trinamool Congress government in 2013. "The situation is far worse than the last election five years ago. The current State Clection Commissioner has broken all records of uncertainty over conducting polls. The last State Election Commissioner had the back bone, which the current commissioner lacks," he said. The CPI-M leader also claimed that the state government and the ruling Trinamool are desperate and rigid in their bid to conduct the polls according to their convenience. Misra said the CPI-M is ready to fight both inside and outside the court and would contest the election whenever it happens. "We will battle it out in the apex court if needed. We will contest the election and fight against the atrocities before and after the polls," he said. He also added that since the High Court order on Tuesday, prospective candidates of the left party, who filed the nominations online, are under attack. --IANS mgr/ssp/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Desktop virtualisation leader Citrix on Wednesday launched the new "Citrix Workspace" to enable enterprises deliver a superior work experience by unifying apps and content across all endpoints in one place while meeting the security needs. According to the company, to ensure employee engagement and productivity, companies must deliver a unified workspace experience that adapts to how and where work needs to get done. "We, at Citrix, are committed to enabling people-centric computing within organisations. Our solutions deliver the experience, security and choice that people and organisations need to innovate, engage customers and be productive -- anytime and anywhere," CEO Citrix David Henshall said at the Citrix Synergy conference which is being held in Anaheim city in the US state of California. With this offering, Citrix will expand its portfolio of delivering virtual apps, desktops and mobile apps to provide secure access to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) apps and content via Citrix Workspace app, creating the first unified digital workspace for business. Only Citrix offers the most complete and integrated workspace to enable people to securely access their web, SaaS, Windows, Linux and mobile apps, desktops and files from anywhere and across any device, the company claimed. "Citrix Workspace" gives users secure, single sign-on (SSO) access to all the applications and content in a digital workspace that delivers a consistent and unified experience on several devices. Citrix also said that it would continue to work with Microsoft to deliver Citrix value-add capabilities on top of Remote Desktop Management Infrastructure (RDmi) -- the next generation RDS platform for Azure. The company would also provide day-one support for Windows Server 2019 to deliver virtualised apps with XenApp. --IANS sku/pgh/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Nityami Shirke, who is playing the protagonist in the comedy web series titled "PM Selfiewallie", says comedy is much more challenging than other genres because one has to maintain a balance between being funny and not silly. "I think doing comedy is difficult over any other genre because there is a thin line that one has to maintain between being funny and being silly. In the show 'PM Selfiewallie', the character I am playing...She is naive, a bit clueless about Indian politics and how she is supposed to behave as a prime minister of the country. "The fun is coming from there. She is not doing something unnecessarily to grab attention. She is behaving normally in her own way. Throughout the show, I had to maintain that. The challenge for me was to be genuine and true to the character," Nityami told IANS in an interview. The actress went through an extensive audition process before bagging the role. She says acting was never on her cards and it happened by chance. "I used to be a dancer, so I always loved performing, being on stage and entertaining people. I love watching and participating in musicals. However, I never thought to take acting professionally. So when the opportunity came, I gave audition and read the script, I thought why not trying out acting? I loved the script," Nityami said. The story of the show, which is streaming on the OTT Platform ALTBalaji, revolves around the story of a young girl who was born and brought up abroad, and incidents lead her to become the prime minister of a country, and how she struggles to fit into the role. Born in India, brought up in Australia and having extensively travelled to New Zealand before coming back to India, Nityami has global exposure, much like character that she plays in the show. So, was there any reference point she got from her own life? "The character I play is also brought up abroad, but she is completely clueless about Indian politics and even the society, tradition, culture. I am certainly not clueless. "Though I have grown up abroad, I have watched a lot of Indian films, which is a big part of Indian popular culture. It also a reflection of Indian society. My parents are very much culturally rooted. So, my personality is different from what you see on-screen," she said. Pointing out the similarity, she said: "The character speaks her mind as a PM and her opinion on decriminalising homosexuality, opinion on gender equality is similar to all of us young Indians... I think that is a similarity or connecting point." --IANS aru/rb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mumbai Sessions Court on Wednesday held guilty two Bollywood junior artistes for the horrific murder of an aspiring actress from Dehradun, Meenakshi Thapa, in 2012. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said that after examining all the evidence and witnesses, the court found them guilty for the gruesome killing of the 27-year-old actress in Allahabad. The court is likely to pronounce the quantum of sentence on Thursday. According to the prosecution, Amit Kumar Jaiswal, 36, and his girlfriend, Preeti Surin, lured the victim to Allahabad on the pretext of an attracting modeling-cum-acting assignment. Claiming to hail from a very affluent family, Meenakshi had met the two on the sets of Bollywood director Madhur Bhandarkar's film "Heroine" and expressed her ambitions to make a career in films, after having acted in a horror flick in 2011. Impressed by her wealthy background, Jaiswal and Surin conspired to make money from her family besides boosting their own career in films, according to the investigation. After reaching Allahabad, they held Meenakshi hostage and made a ransom demand of Rs 1.50 million from her mother. However, the Thapa family could send only Rs 60,000 following which the disappointed Jaiswal and Surin decided to eliminate her. They severed Meenakshi's head in the staff quarters of a hostel where (the accused) Surin's father worked as a watchman. Subsequently, they chopped her body into small pieces and disposed them off in a septic tank, carried the body in a ST bus for Lucknow where they disposed off the murder weapon. Then they boarded another bus to Jaunpur and en route threw away the bag containing Meenakshi's severed head in an isolated location. Before disposing off the body, the accused retained Meenakshi's mobile and bank debit cards, reportedly messaged her mother to deposit the ransom amount in her daughter's bank account failing which they would make a pornographic film and make it public. On the basis of tracking her SIM card and ATM card, the investigators managed to nab the accused when they reached Mumbai on April 14, nearly a month after killing Meenakshi, and attempted to withdraw money from her account near Bandra. During the trial, Nikam examined 35 witnesses including prime accused Surin's father, who had last seen Meenakshi with Jaiswal and Surin in Allahabad before she was murdered. --IANS qn/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) True to expectations, champions DAV School from Chandigarh, St Xaviers Kolkata and Jatragachi Pranvananda "B" from North 24 Parganas district sailed into the knockout stages in the senior and junior boys group at the All India Invitation School Regatta at the Rabindra Sarovar here on Wednesday. Displaying fine stamina, the Chandigarh boys easily defeated Delhi Public School to move into the last eight stage maintaining a clean slate. Meanhwhile, Jatragachi "B" beat school mates Jatragachi "A" and Tollygunge Adarsha School easily to achieve similar a feat. In the senior boys group, others who have also moved into the quarter finals include La Martiniere for Boys, National High School- CBSE "A" and St. Lawrence. South Point senior boys had already qualified for the knock-out stage earlier. Two other quarter-finalists among the senior boys will be known after the conclusion of all league matches on Thursday. The senior girls section saw G D Birla, DAV Chandigarh and Jatragachi Pranavananda "B" moving into the quarters winning all their races in the group league stage. G D Birla, who earlier beat Ashok Hall, beat National High School on Wednesday. Among the junior girls contestants, former title holders Modern High School "A" and National High School "A" are a step away from the quarter-finals as each of them have already won all two races each they competed so far. Modern High defeated Gurchanaran Singh School and National High CBSE "A" beat compatriots National High School "B" without any struggle. In the junior boys division, beside Jatragachi Pranavananda "A", St. James and Jatragachi Pranavananda "A" have also qualified for the quarters as they have won four out of the total races in the group league. Apart from competitive rowing on the lake -- the main event of this regatta -- there will be an indoor rowing where the boys and girls will have to perform on an ergometer (rowing machine). --IANS dm/ajb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government has ordered two private schools in the city to roll back their "arbitrary" fee hike after parents complained to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, an official statement said on Wednesday. Also, a de-recognition notice has been sent to another private school which did not provide free uniform, books and other stationeries to students belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), it said. "Victor Public School, Maujpur was directed by the department to provide books, uniform as per norms but it defied the lawful directions and did not comply. "In view of the above, the school has now been served with a de-recognition notice by the Department of for violating norms related to the EWS/DG category," the statement said. About the schools which hiked fees, it said: "Complaints were also received against two other schools, Mahavir Senior Model School, Sangam Park, RP Bagh and Queen Mary's Public School, Model Town III that they have arbitrarily hiked the school fee." An official said if the schools didn't refund the hiked fee, they will also face de-recognition. "The government and the Department are very serious on the violations and strict action would be taken." The statement said the parents met the Chief Minister during 'Janta Samvad' at his residence. --IANS nkh/him/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress party on Wednesday asked the Narendra Modi government whether a company owned by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar had signed any contract with the defence ministry to push its business agenda. In a statement released to the press, the party asked whether Axiscades Engineering Technology Limited had signed any contract with Defence ministry. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters that Axiscades Engineering was a company that provided technology solutions to aerospace, defense, heavy engineering, automotive and industrial production sectors. This company was a subsidiary of Jupitar Capital, Khera said. He also said that Chandrashekhar had been a member of the Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence. "This not only gives him legitimised access to sensitive information but also gives him a decisive voice on matters of India's defense planning, strategy and expenditure," Khera added. Chandrashekhar's office declined to comment on the Congress statement by the Congress or the spokesman's allegations. Without providing any insight or details into the allegations, Khera said that Chandrasekhar was the founder of Jupiter Capital, an investment firm managing a portfolio of roughly $1 billion. "There have also been stories of the various business interests of Rajeev Chandrasekhar," Khera added, saying Chandrasekhar's Jupiter Capital controls several media products like Asianet News, Suvarna News, web portal Newsable, newspaper Kannada Prabha and Goswami-led Republic TV. Referring to Chandrasekhar and Goswami as the "Vikram and Baital" of the BJP, the party said in its statement that they had been at the forefront of "pushing the agenda and hate-mongering narrative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and the RSS." It further said: "Prime time after prime time, we see stories that are meant to spread enmity amongst communities and protect the government from uncomfortable questions." It also sought reply on what action the Maharashtra Police had taken on the FIR lodged against Republic TV co-founder Arnab Goswami in an abetment to suicide case. Citing the FIR against Republic TV head Goswami, lodged by Akshata Anvay Naik at Allibaug Police Station in Mumbai charging him with abetment to suicide of her husband, the party asked what action had been taken against him. Naik had said that her husband had taken his own life after failing to receive due payments from Republic TV. Khera alleged that the Maharashtra police was protecting Goswami. Khera also alleged: "In October, 2016 there was a report in a popular website that exposed a leaked email by Amit Gupta, COO of Jupiter Capital. This email was sent to the editorial heads of the media outlets owned by Jupiter Capital, and it said 'all editorial talent to be hired with a summary of bio to be sent to CXO Office for views and guidance. "The candidate should be, right of center in his/her editorial tonality- pro-India, pro-military, aligned to chairman's ideology, views and should be aware of his governance reforms; - well familiarised with his thoughts on nationalism and governance". This statement was later retracted by Gupta." added the Congress leader. The party also said that in 2007, another subsidiary of Jupiter Capital won the contract to build an airport aviation training facility at former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's constituency, Hassan. "The airport meant to be completed in 18 months is not yet complete. The airport was given a 30-year lease 536 acre at surprisingly low price of Rs 1,100 per acre per year. At the time of finalisation of deal, Gowda's son Ravanna, was heading the agency to oversee the project," said Khera. --IANS sid/hs/vm (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 Shiv Sena on Wednesday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi "not to ridicule" Congress President Rahul Gandhi who announced his name for the country's top post if his party is voted to power in 2019. In a sharp reaction to Modi's criticism of Gandhi and terming his statement "sheer arrogance", the Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member and spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that in a democracy the Congress chief had every right to express his desire to become the PM. "It is by that same right that Modi also became the PM, so he should not ridicule anyone else for this. Actually, in 2014, it was expected that (BJP leader) L.K. Advani would play the role of the PM," Raut said. He said the better option for Modi would be "to defeat Gandhi first if you want to stop him from becoming the PM" and there was no point getting irritated about his stand. "The Congress still remains the biggest party in the country today. They were defeated by an extraordinary atmosphere prevalent in 2014. It is for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA, headed by Congress) partners to decide what will be Gandhi's role," Raut pointed out. As far as the Sena was concerned, he said "we find even Sharad Pawar a worthy candidate and besides Modi, others like Arun Jaitley and Advani also have the potential" in the BJP. On the BJP's criticism of the Sena's decision to field former BJP MP, the late Chintaman Vanga's son Shriniwas Vanga as the candidate for the Palghar Lok Sabha bypolls, Raut said "the BJP is in a state of turmoil". "First they should sit and discuss with us. Nobody can pressurise us like this. It is Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray's decision to contest the elections on our own strength," Raut said. Countering Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' contention that Palghar seat belonged to the BJP, Raut asked: "If that is so, then why did you have to hire a candidate from the Congress to contest it, especially when he had contested against the late Vanga?" He called upon Fadnavis - who vowed that the BJP would win Palghar "come what may" - to withdraw the (BJP) candidate Rajendra Gavit from the Palghar by-elections, if he really hoped for the Shiv Sena's cooperation. Terming the BJP's decision to field a candidate in Palghar as "unfortunate", Raut issued a veiled threat saying the Shiv Sena was now considering contesting even the Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha by-election as the party wanted to display its strength and self-respect. The Bhandara-Gondiya seat fell vacant in December 2017 after BJP MP Nana F. Patole quit the party and joined the Congress. The relations between the BJP and Shiv Sena touched a new low after the latter 'hijacked' the Palghar seat, leaving the BJP fuming and labeling its ally's decision as 'backstabbing'. --IANS qn/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission on the wee hours of Wednesday filed a First Information Report (FIR) on finding counterfoils and 9,746 voters ID cards in the Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly seat in the southern suburb. "An FIR is being registered after nearly 9,746 voter cards were found in a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency along with around one lakh counterfoils resembling acknowledgement slips used for addition of names into electoral rolls were found," the state's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar told reporters here on late Tuesday night. On preliminary verification, the voter cards were found to be genuine, while the counterfoils were to be verified through investigation, Kumar said. Five laptops and one printer were also found in the apartment, he added. "Further investigation will be conducted into the matter and will be closely monitored by the EC," he said. Three observers from the poll panel were visiting the flat in the constituency, which has a total of 4,35,439 voters, Kumar said. Along with Kumar, the District Election Officer and the city's civic body Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao, the city Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar had visited the location where the voter cards were found. The spokesman of the Congress party Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the flat where the voter IDs were found belonged to a BJP leader. "BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP (Bengaluru civic body) elections on a BJP ticket. Apartment was raided not by police or EC but by BJP workers," Surjewala alleged at a press conference on the early hours of Wednesday here. On the other hand, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) urged the poll panel to countermand the May 12 Assembly poll in the constituency, terming it a conspiracy by the ruling Congress to rig the election. "The BJP demands countermanding of elections in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in light of latest revelations of tens of thousands of fake voter IDs and empty packets of hard currency. This is Congress conspiracy to rig election in the face of their imminent defeat," tweeted Union Human Resource Development AMinister and the party's in-charge for state polls Prakash Javadekar. --IANS bha-fb/ahm/ (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 Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached property worth Rs 14.48 crore of former government engineer Yadav Singh as part of its probe in a corruption case against him, an official said on Wednesday. "We attached assets worth Rs 14.48 crore of Yadav Singh in a disproportionate assets case worth Rs 23.15 crore. The attachment made under Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Total attachments worth Rs 20.38 crore have been made in this case till date," the ED official said. The attached properties belong to Singh, his wife Kusum Lata and their two companies - Kusum Lata Garments Pvt Ltd and K.S. Ultratech Pvt Ltd. The ED seized Singh's three properties in Gautam Budh Nagar worth Rs 1.28 crore, cash in banks amounting to Rs 29.46 lakh and movable assets in Noida Sector 51 worth Rs 44.97 lakh. The agency also confiscated 18 properties of Singh's wife situated in Agra, Mathura, Gautam Budh Nagar and Delhi amounting Rs 7.32 crore. The ED also seized properties worth Rs 4.65 crore and Rs 46.75 lakh belonging to Kusum Lata Garments and K.S. Ultratech respectively. Singh was engineer-in-chief of the Noida Authority, Greater Noida Authority and Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority in Uttar Pradesh. Raids conducted by the Income Tax Department in November 2014 revealed that Singh owned huge property disproportionate to his known sources of income. He was suspended by the Uttar Pradesh government in February 2015 and one-member judicial commission to probe into the multi-crore case set up by the state government. He was arrested in February 2016. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered three FIRs against Singh, with the most recent one filed on January 17, for allegedly misusing his official position for awarding contracts in violation of norms. The two previous cases were lodged against Singh and others in July 2015 after the Allahabad High Court directed the CBI to probe the case stating that the allegations were most serious and the probe was complex. The ED is probing money laundering charges against Singh who has been chargesheeted in two cases. The CBI had filed charge sheet against Singh and others for disproportionate assets worth Rs 23.15 crores. Singh is presently lodged in judicial custody at Dasna jail in Ghaziabad. Singh's son Sunny and daughters Garima and Karuna are also accused in the CBI FIR. Singh's family is alleged of utilising his illegal money to form a company. --IANS rak/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.) An elderly woman was killed and four others were severely injured in an attack by villagers in Tamil Nadu's Thiruvannamalai district who suspected them to be child kidnappers, police said. Rukmani (65), Venkatesan, Mohan Kumar, Chandrasekaran -- the last two are from Malaysia -- had come in a car to pray at a temple in the district. The car was driven by Gajendran. Thiruvannamalai is around 200 km from here. The group stopped at Athimore village and enquired with a local about the route to the temple. Meanwhile, Rukmani gave some sweets to children who were playing nearby. With rumours of child kidnappers offering sweets to kids circulating in the social media, the villager got suspicious and shouted for help. The car was stopped by a large crowd and attacked. The crowd did not heed to the pleadings by the five that they were innocent and not child kidnappers. Rukmani lost her life in the attack while the other four were severely injured. --IANS vj/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) European leaders have pledged to remain committed to the Iran nuclear deal after US President Donald Trump dumped it as a "horrible, one-sided" agreement rooted in "fiction" and ordered the highest level of economic sanctions against Tehran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday called Trump's Tuesday speech "silly and superficial" and said he was "making a damn mistake". He also said that he did not trust Britain, France or Germany and would need "guarantees" before continuing the nuclear deal. Following Trump's announcement, the UK, France and Germany urged Washington not to obstruct the implementation of the Iran deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). They said they would work with the other signatories to the agreement to stress continuing support for the accord. Iran -- in the 2015 pact with China, France, Russia, Britain, the US and Germany plus the EU -- had agreed to halt its nuclear programme in return for an easing of economic sanctions. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio that "the deal is not dead. There's an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there". "President Emmanuel Macron would also speak to his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, about our wish to stay in the agreement," he said, adding that there would be a meeting between France, Britain, Germany and Iran on Monday. France also said it would do everything possible to protect European businesses after Trump warned he would seek to hit European firms that continued to trade with Tehran. EU Foreign Ministers will meet their Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif next week to offer personal reassurances they will take practical steps to protect the deal from sweeping US Treasury sanctions due to come into force over the next 180 days. The Iranian President said his government remained committed to the nuclear deal with world powers, despite the US withdrawal. But he warned that Iran "was also ready to resume uranium enrichment if the accord no longer offered benefits". In the Iranian Parliament, members burned an American flag. Iranian Leader Khamenei said: "Trump, I tell you on behalf of the Iranian nation: You are making a damn mistake and you cannot do anything." India called on all parties to "engage constructively" to resolve all contentious issues. In a televised address, Trump said the US would withdraw from the "horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made" and that economic sanctions against Tehran would be reinstated. Rather than protecting the US and its allies, he said it had placed "very weak limits on the regime's nuclear activity and no limits at all on its other malign behaviour, including its sinister activities in Syria, Yemen and other places". Trump called the agreement "decaying and rotten" and "defective at its core". The EU moved to protect the nuclear agreement by vowing to take steps to immunise European firms doing business with Tehran from any US sanctions. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Europe will abide by the JCPOA. Russia said it was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's decision. A meeting is scheduled between France, Britain, Germany and Iran on Monday. Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, under whose administration the deal was signed, said Trump's announcement was "misguided" and "a serious mistake". But the move was welcomed by Iran's major regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and Israel. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mired in a massive data breach controversy, Facebook has reportedly rolled out biggest-ever shuffle at the senior management level since its inception -- across platforms, including WhatsApp and Messenger. According to tech news website Recode, Facebook has made long-time executive Chris Cox in-charge of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger -- now called a "family of apps". "Facebook is also building a new team dedicated to Blockchain technology. David Marcus, the executive in-charge of Facebook's standalone messaging app, Messenger, is leaving that post to run the Blockchain group," the report said late on Tuesday. The Blockchain team would come under "New platforms and infra" run by Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Mike Schroepfer, who will also take care of Facebook's AR, VR and Artificial Intelligence initiatives. Facebook executive Javier Olivan, Vice President of Growth, will oversee the third division titled "Central product services". This vertical will include shared features that operate across multiple products or apps such as ads, security and growth. "Adam Mosseri, the Facebook product executive who runs News Feed, is headed over to Instagram to become the company's new VP of product," the report claimed. Meanwhile, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg will keep her duties. Facebook on Tuesday announced the appointment of Jeff Zients, CEO of Cranemere, to the company's board of directors and audit committee, effective May 31. In a jolt to Facebook, WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum in April decided to move on amid reports that he had a difference of opinion with parent company Facebook over data privacy, encryption and other issues. After the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, Facebook has warned investors that more users' data scandals in the future may adversely affect the social networking giant's reputation and brand image. In its quarterly report shared with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), without mentioning Cambridge Analytica, Facebook said that its ongoing investments in safety, security and content review will identify additional instances of misuse of user data. "We may also be notified of such incidents or activity via the media or other third parties," Facebook said. Appearing before the US Congress, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the lawmakers that his own personal data was part of 87 million users' that was "improperly shared" with the British political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica which has not shut down operations. --IANS na/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With an eye on future, Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Tuesday announced several product and platform announcements that have Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology embedded in them and are powered by its AI assistant Google Assistant. Pichai said that Google was moving forward with its technology responsibly, as consumers have grown increasingly concerned about how their data gets shared online and how AI can affect their jobs. "We are in an important inflection point in computing and it is exciting to drive the technology forward. It's made us even more reflective of our responsibilities," Pichai said at the annual Google I/O developers conference in California. He said that Google has been making serious strides in the field of AI and Machine Learning (ML). According to Pichai, there are several fields where AI can create a positive impact. Top of the list was healthcare. "AI is going to impact many many fields, such as healthcare. Our AI systems offered more insights than humans did," the executive added. Pichai also pointed out that Google's AI can help doctors predict medical events in cases where a patient gets very sick and preventative measures can save lives. He stated that with hundreds of thousands of data points, AI can help predict cardiovascular risk and detect it non-invasively, far better than any human doctor can. "We can actually qualitatively predict the chance of readmission 48 hours ahead of time," Pichai said. Pichai also showcased how AI can be used to write subtitles during debates. Google's "Looking To Listen" is an audio-visual speech separation tool that uses ML to isolate the audio from just one person from a video in which two people are talking at the same time. Google has been using AI in making easier for specially-abled people to communicate through Morse code technology. Google AI can now write words depending on the Morse code input. Google's implementation will replace the keyboard with two areas for short and long signals and users can use multiple word suggestions above the keyboard just like on the normal keyboard. The company has also created a Morse poster so to learn Morse code more easily. Google is adding morse code input to its mobile keyboard. It also added AI capabilities in Photos, Gmail and Google Assistant which is now present in nearly every consumer-centric device. Google also announced that it is rolling out its third generation of silicon, the Tensor Processor Unit (TPU) 3.0 machine learning hardware. Pichai said the new TPU is eight times more powerful than last year, with up to 100 petaflops in performance. He said that the processors are so powerful that they need liquid cooling technology to keep them cool. --IANS sku/ahm/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The central government has "not approved" the merger scheme between Jet Airways and its subsidiary Jet Lite, the company said on Wednesday. "The Ministry of Civil Aviation has not approved the scheme of merger of Jet Lite (India) Ltd. with the company, the same stands revoked, cancelled...," the company said in a BSE filing. Accordingly, the company said that Jet Lite and Jet Airways shall continue with their respective operations as "two separate legal entities with their respective air operator certificates". --IANS rv/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday voiced "deep concern" over US President Donald Trump's decision to pull America out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. "I am deeply concerned by today's (Tuesday) announcement that the US will be withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and will begin reinstating US sanctions (against Iran)," said Guterres in a statement, using the official name of the July 2015 agreement between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US. "I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other (UN) member states to support this agreement," said Guterres, Xinhua reported. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Pakistani-Italian woman who was killed in an alleged case of honour killing was strangled to death and did not die of natural causes, according to an autopsy report. The police arrested the victim Sana Cheema's brother, father and uncle after the submission of the report by the the Punjab Forensics and Science Laboratory. It stated that Cheema's cervical bone was fractured, the Express Tribune reported on Wednesday. The 26-year-old was murdered in her hometown of Mangowal for "honour". The police said the girl's father, identified as Ghulam Mustafa, wanted to marry her off to one of his relatives in Pakistan but Cheema wanted to get married in Italy. The father then took on board his son, Adnan Mustafa, and brother, Mazhar Iqbal, and hatched a plan to kill her. The deceased's family labelled her death as a "natural one" until reports stating otherwise surfaced online and in Italian media, prompting further investigations. The autopsy was conducted after her body was exhumed to take samples for forensic analysis. A private hospital had denied during the investigation that it had admitted and treated the Pakistani-Italian woman. The hospital had stated that she had visited on April 11 as an out-patient and left after being prescribed medicine for nausea. Cheema's parents had also submitted forged documents to the Italian Embassy. In 2016, British national Samia Shahid was murdered for "honour" in Pakistan. The 28-year-old girl from Bradford had been visiting her family in Jhelum when she was killed because her family disapproved of her second marriage. --IANS and/soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) IKEA, the Swedish home furnishing company, on Wednesday announced a contest in which the winners will experience behind-the-scenes of its first TV commercial to be shot in Bangkok. IKEA is ready to launch its first store in India in Hyderabad soon, to be followed by Mumbai in 2019. The contest is open till May 10, 2018 for IKEA family members (loyalty programme of IKEA) in Hyderabad and Mumbai. Two members who get the maximum number of people from Mumbai and Hyderabad to join IKEA Family will be chosen winners, said a company statement. The three-day trip to Bangkok will include behind-the-scenes on the sets of IKEA India TV commercial where winners will also meet IKEA's interior designers, a day of sightseeing with family and a visit to the IKEA store in Bangkok to experience IKEA solutions even before the store opens in India. There are 403 IKEA stores in 49 countries with a sales volume of 38.3 billion euros. IKEA has been sourcing from India for over 30 years for its global stores. It currently has 50 suppliers with 45,000 direct employees and 400,000 people in the extended supply chain. The IKEA Group is the first major single-brand retailer to get FDI approval and plans to open several stores across the main metro cities in India. --IANS ms/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday said that in the absence of the Chief Minister, one minister should be appointed to chair the Cabinet so that the official business of the state goes on unhindered. "If one works within the spirit of the Constitution, in the absence of a Chief Minister, one person should get charge who can conduct a Cabinet meeting and the business of the state continues," Sinha told the media here. He was asked to comment on a three-member cabinet advisory committee appointed by ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to govern the state in his absence. Parrikar has been absent from the state since the last two and a half months after he was first hospitalised for food poisoning and later shifted to the US for advance treatment for pancreatic cancer. Sinha said the precedent was followed at the Central government level when a senior cabinet minister is appointed by the Prime Minister to oversee affairs in the latter's absence. His comments come on the day the Congress in Goa petitioned Governor Mridua Sinha, seeking dissolution of the committee and appointment of one minister as a replacement for Parrikar who according to BJP leaders is expected to return later this month. "The ruling coalition should be directed to elect a new leader in place of Parrikar immediately," state Congress President Girish Chodankar said. "I wish to emphasize once again that the Constitutional mandate of Article 163 stands violated. Parrikar, may his health improve soon, is for the last several months unable to aid and advice you in any manner on account of his ailment. "Therefore, there is complete breakdown of constitutional machinery in Goa." --IANS maya/him/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Despite the scorching heat, Goa remains the most popular Indian holiday destination, followed by Jaipur, according to a study conducted by a leading travel portal. Thanks to budget-friendly stay options and heavy discounts on flights, Indians also prefer short-haul international destinations such as Dubai and Singapore, according to a study by ixigo, based on bookings on its website. The difference in domestic airfares for peak and off-season is about 45 per cent and for international airfares is about 18 per cent, said a statement. As for stay options, while Indians prefer to keep a low hotel stay budget, they wouldn't mind paying extra for a great view at a beach or hill station. Around 47 per cent tourists prefer to stay at 4/5 star hotels during summer holiday in Goa vs 62 per cent who prefer more pocket friendly accommodation options in Jaipur. ixigo CEO and Co-founder Aloke Bajpai said: "It was interesting to find that travellers no longer worry about seasonality while picking a summer holiday destination. Places such as Goa and Dubai have become round the year tourist hubs! Off-season travel can be quite beneficial. "Not only do you avoid all the rush, but you also save considerably on hotels and flights. If we compare flight fares from last year, average domestic fares for the summer season have dropped by around 9 per cent and average international fares have dropped by around 19 per cent. This, plus additional discounts offered by travel portals such as ixigo, enable travellers to plan trips, even on smaller budgets." --IANS nv/rb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday called President Donald Trump's speech announcing US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Tehran "silly and superficial". "Last night you heard that the US President made silly and superficial remarks. There were may be more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened both the establishment and the nation, saying he will do this and that," Ayatollah Khamenei said in a meeting with a number of teachers and university professors in Tehran. "Trump, I tell you on behalf of the Iranian nation: You are making a damn mistake and you cannot do anything," Khamenei was quoted as saying by Press TV. On Tuesday, Trump announced Washington's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It was signed between Iran and China, France, Russia, Britain, the US and Germany besides the EU. Iran, in the 2015 pact, had agreed to halt its nuclear programme in return for an easing of economic sanctions on Tehran. Khamenei said the US problem with Iran was not related to the country's nuclear programme. "We accepted the JCPOA, but enmities with the Islamic Republic did not end. Now they raise the issue of our presence in the region and the issue of missiles. If we accept them too, they will bring up another issue," he said. "The reason for US opposition to the establishment is that the US used to completely dominate (Iran) but the (Islamic) Revolution cut off their hands (from the country)." The Iranian leader said "the Americans want rulers who would carry out their errands and dish out their money, as is the case with the Persian Gulf states". --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who chaired an all-party meet on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the state, said the Central government would be approached with a request to halt security force operations during the forthcoming holy Muslim month of Ramadan and the ensuing Amarnath Yatra. The meeting was here to work out a consensus among political parties as to what should be the best course of action to defuse the prevailing tension in Kashmir. Briefing media persons afterwards, Mehbooba Mufti said all political parties participated in the meeting and everybody was concerned about the present situation. "One good thing that happened today was that every party wanted the implementation of the agenda of alliance between the PDP and the BJP which is a visionary document detailing the best way to address the problems here," she said, adding that it was agreed that it was agreed that an all-party delegation would be formed after working out modalities with principal opposition party, the National Conference. "The delegation would approach the Prime Minister to appeal him to consider the announcement of a unilateral ceasefire as was done in 2002 during the Prime Ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the approaching holy month of Ramadan, Eid festival and the Amarnath Yatra," she said. The delegation would also request the Prime Minister to work out th e ways and means to reach out to the people, especially the youth, here, said the Chief Minister. Ramadan begins on May 17 this year. In addition to ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the meeting was attended by leaders of the National Conference, the Congress, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, and some independent MLAs. National Conference leader Ali Muhammad Sagar told reporters that his party has assured the government that whatever concrete steps it takes to defuse the present vo latile situation in the state would be supported by them. --IANS sq/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Wednesday described as "a non-issue" the Jinnah portrait in the AMU, saying it also existed in the Bombay High Court and Sabarmati Ashram. "No one was worried about the portrait until now. I think it is a non-issue. The student agitation had no relation to the Jinnah portrait row, they were protesting against the people who came to the AMU to disturb peace on May 2," he told the media. Mansoor spoke after meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over engaging youths in paramilitary forces. "I met Rajnath Singh over recruitment of students in central forces like the CRPF and CISF. It was a pre-scheduled meeting. It had no relation to the Jinnah portrait row," he said. Mansoor said the Minister assured him he would send officers from paramilitary forces to interact with the AMU students and motivate them to join central forces. In his over half hour meeting, informed sources said, Mansoor also briefed Rajnath Singh about the current situation in the AMU. On the demand to remove a portrait of Mohammad Ali Jinnah from an AMU hall, Mansoor said the portrait had been in the university since 1938 and it was put up at many places including the Bombay High Court and Sabarmati Ashram. "We have already demanded a judicial inquiry into the issue." On Tuesday, the VC urged the students protesting over the Jinnah portrait row to not let their studies suffer due to the unrest in the varsity. Through a letter, he appealed to the students "not to fall into the trap of certain forces which are bent upon destroying the image of our alma mater and are playing with your bright future. "Under no circumstances should you let your studies suffer, especially when your exams are just round the corner." --IANS rak/him/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Governor P.Sathasivam on Wednesday sought a report from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the twin political murders that took place in and around the state's Kannur district. On Monday late night, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) member K. Babu, 47, was slashed with swords by suspected Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists in Mahe, a three sq km area which is part of Puducherry, but comes within the state, and borders Kannur. Less than an hour later, Shanoj, 36, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activist, was attacked with knives in Kannur and died in a hospital. Police said CPI-M workers could be behind the attack. According to informed sources, Sathasivam has asked Vijayan to include the action taken report, also, as there were reports of violence breaking out in certain parts of Mahe on Tuesday. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Kerala police chief Loknath Behra and his Puducherry counterpart Sunil Kumar Gautam met in Thalassery, near Kannur, to discuss the case as investigating the murder in Mahe is the responsibility of Puducherry police. "We had a meeting with the Kerala police chief and the probe has begun, with our team doing it," Gautham told the media. Behra said: "We had a discussion on the incident and we have decided to cooperate to probe the case. We are sure that very soon the accused will be arrested." Kannur district, which is the home district of Vijayan, has always been a sensitive area politically and has seen 13 political murders after he assumed office in 2016. Out of these, in eight cases, CPI-M workers have been named as accused while in four, it is those of the BJP-RSS. In one case, workers of the Social Democratic Party of India are the accused. The second-largest constituent of the ruling Left Democratic Alliance - the Communist Party of India on Wednesday expressed concern on what is happening. CPI State Secretary Kanam Rajendran said that even though several all party meetings have taken place, the situation again turns bad after a while. "In the past four months, four political murders have taken place.. this is a cause of concern and the state government should act," he said. --IANS sg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday secured five days parole to attend his elder son's marriage in Patna on May 12. The parole was granted following consultations between the jail administration and the Home Department. Lalu Prasad had sought five days parole to attend Tej Pratap's wedding. The former Bihar Chief Minister is being treated at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here after he was brought here from the AIIMS in New Delhi on May 1. He is likely to leave for Patna by air on Wednesday evening. The RJD leader has been convicted in four fodder scam cases since 2013 -- the latest being the Dumka treasury case in which a CBI court sentenced him to 14 years in jail. --IANS ns/mr/soni (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The global economy will lose $23 trillion by 2050 through land degradation, a UN review has said. To take urgent action now and halt these alarming trends would cost $4.6 trillion - only a fraction of the predicted losses, said the review by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) issued here. The "Land Degradation Neutrality Country Profiles", aimed to help guide policy decisions on land use management, said average losses for 21 countries are equivalent to 9 per cent of GDP. This figure is even higher for some of the planet's worst affected countries, including Central Africa, where the total losses are estimated at a staggering 40 per cent. Asia and Africa bear the highest costs, estimated at $84 billion and $65 billion per year respectively. "Healthy land is the primary asset that supports livelihoods around the globe - from food to jobs and decent incomes. "Today, we face a crisis of unseen proportions: 1.5 billion people - mainly in the world's most impoverished countries - are trapped on degrading agricultural land," Juan Carlos Mendoza, Managing Director of the UNCCD Global Mechanism, said in a statement. "This reality is fuelling extreme poverty, particularly in areas such as the Sahel and South Asia, where extreme and erratic weather events are on the rise due to the impacts of climate change." --IANS nks/him/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Malaysian voters on Wednesday went to the polls for the country's general election, with the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition meeting a fierce challenge brought by the opposition alliance - Pakatan Harapan, or the Alliance of Hope. The BN led by incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak is betting on generous handouts and the "proven track record" of the government to seek a third term. While former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, leading the Pakatan Harapan, is calling for a change, Xinhua reported. Though most political analysts have favoured the BN to win, the opposition seemed to have managed to raise concerns among voters on certain issues such as increasing living costs, adding uncertainties to the election. People swarmed to polling stations in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and around the country, which have been decorated with campaign posters and flags bearing the symbols of various political parties. The 15 million eligible voters are expected to cast their votes between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The election commission said final results could be unveiled on Wednesday night. A simple majority of 112 parliament seats will produce a winner. The 11-day campaign period culminated on Tuesday night, when both Najib and Mahathir made a live-broadcast speech on television or the Internet for their last appeals to the voters for support. "If BN were given a new mandate, we will make Malaysia even greater," said Najib, adding "BN is the party of the future, BN is the party for the future." The BN has won every election since the country's independence in 1957. Mahathir said in his speech that Malaysia is faced with many problems that only could be solved with the change of a government. A final poll before the election, released by opinion research firm Merdeka Center, forecast that the BN will prevail in the election, but with the popular vote collecting from Peninsular Malaysia dropping to 37.3 per cent from last week's 40.3 per cent. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maoist guerrillas set on fire 10 vehicles in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district early on Sunday, police said. The incident took place at Dulmi village. The Maoists, numbering around 15, raided a private road construction company and fired in the air to threaten the staff. They then poured petrol on the vehicles on set them on fire. Refusal to pay protection money to the Maoists apparently led to the arson. --IANS ns/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.) As the world prepares to see billions of connected devices in the next few years, Microsoft is busy creating a right mix of first responders -- putting a robust Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in place to safeguard Cloud-powered "Edge" devices against cyber attacks, a top company executive has emphasised. The company expects 20 billion connected devices globally by 2020. While "Intelligent Cloud", "Intelligent Edge" and the Internet of Things (IoT) present enormous opportunities, the ever-growing threat of hackers breaking into those devices -- be in office or at home -- is for real. The "Edge" broadly means when end users interact with Cloud, such devices can be anything -- from drones to PCs, from smartphones to cameras, from refrigerators to TVs and so on. "We see attacks coming from all sides -- via passwords, emails, spam, malicious links or websites and so on -- targeting millions of end-point devices and Cloud infrastructure at any given point of time. "What sets us apart from the others are our AI algorithms and a full-time team of 35,000 engineers -- working round-the-clock to spot bad actors, analyse and mitigate those. They are our first responders to cyber threats," Julia White, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Azure, told IANS. Microsoft uses advanced analytics -- processing more than 450 billion authentications per month, scanning 400 billion emails for malware and phishing and updating one billion devices -- to deliver actionable insights. The company's "Intelligent Security Graph" takes advantage of advanced analytics that link a massive amount of threat intelligence and security data to provide insights that can strengthen security. "With the 'Intelligence Security Graph', we can see wide range of attacks and build better AI models to find anomalies and secure our customers who are constantly asking for enhanced experiences with devices and Azure Cloud," she informed on the sidelines of the "Build 2018" Developers' Conference here. Microsoft spends over $1 billion every year on cyber safety and security-related research and development. When it comes to Cloud security, Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is another service that provides a secure solution for an organisation via stronger identity management and single sign-on (SSO) access to thousands of Cloud-based and on-premises apps. The company last month announced to invest $5 billion in IoT over the next four years. "IoT is ultimately going to be the new 'Intelligent Edge'. With our IoT platform spanning Cloud, OS and devices, we are uniquely positioned to simplify the IoT journey so the customer can create trusted, connected solutions," White noted. The company's "Azure IoT Edge" service delivers Cloud intelligence locally in a country by deploying and running AI, Azure services, and custom logic directly on cross-platform IoT devices. "There are so many 'Edge' devices now that we have open-sourced 'Azure IoT Edge' for the developers' community. It will allow customers to modify, debug and have more transparency and control for 'Edge' applications," White elaborated. To help enterprises secure their data and networks against growing cyber attacks, Microsoft recently introduced "Azure Sphere", an industry-first platform to create secured, connected micro-controller unit (MCU) devices on the "Intelligent Edge". MCU-powered devices are the most populous area of computing, with roughly nine billion new devices being introduced every year. MCUs are found in everything -- from toys and household appliances to industrial equipments. "We're now seeing the kind of increased adoption and exponential growth that analysts have been forecasting for years, and we're just getting started. This effect will be pervasive, from connected homes and cars to manufacturers to smart cities and utilities -- and everything in between," White stressed. "We will continue research and development in key areas, including securing IoT, creating development tools and intelligent services for IoT and the 'Edge,'" she added. (Nishant Arora is in Seattle on an invitation from Microsoft. He can be contacted at nishant.a@ians.in) --IANS na/gb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi was different from the "undeclared emergency" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is a slow poison injected into the body politic of India, former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha said on Wednesday. Addressing a public meeting in Panaji, Sinha also slammed sudden re-naming of the national capital's Akbar Road to Maharana Pratap Road by unknown persons, claiming that lumpen elements were being promoted by the Modi government. "Indira Gandhi announced Emergency overnight and all opponents were imprisoned... In today's Emergency, there is an atmosphere of fear. It has come unannounced. It did not happen suddenly, therefore we have not realised it. It is a slow poison which is being injected into the body politic of this country," Sinha said. He was accompanied at the function by former Union Minister and BJP rebel Shatrughan Sinha as well as Aam Aadmi Party's Goa Convenor Elvis Gomes. "The second difference is that Indira Gandhi's Emergency was a political decision. It was a political step to save her chair. But today's Emergency has a huge element of communalism," he said. Citing the example of a "small thing called a mobile phone", he said: "You get messages, I get them too. People send messages like they are crazy and through this, a social division is being created in this country. We are becoming enemies of each other. And that day is not far when we will pick up weapons and kill each other." Sinha urged the audience to speak up and fight to protect secularism in India. The former Minister said the country was witnessing large-scale agrarian distress and severe job losses, which he said were not the indicators of a galloping economy, which the Modi government had claimed to have achieved. "In a fastest growing economy, you do not see farmer distress and unemployment and huge NPAs." Referring to the unofficial "renaming" of Delhi's Akbar Road to Maharana Pratap Road, Sinha said the writ of the lumpen elements was writ large on the current dispensation. "Who has renamed it? Has it been done by authorised people? Lumpen people will go anywhere and rewrite anything. The Rajasthan government has said that Maharana Pratap, for whom we have great regard, defeated the Moghul army at Haldighati battlefield. If he defeated then why did he run to hills and spent years eating grass rotis?" Sinha said. "Akbar Road will be changed, Aurangzeb Road will be changed. These little things will come together one day and become a whirlwind. That is the fear and apprehension of people like us," he added. --IANS maya/nir/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the final lap of his campaign blitz in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack against Congress President Rahul Gandhi, saying a "dynast" aspiring to be the Prime Minister was sheer "arrogance". Addressing back-to-back rallies at different places in the southern state, which votes on Saturday to elect a new government, Modi said Congress leaders were arranging big meetings and conspiring to remove him. Taking a swipe at Gandhi, Modi said he was day-dreaming of becoming the Prime Minister in 2019. "There is a leader of Congress who thinks only about one thing throughout the day - how to be the Prime Minister. Such is the arrogance of the 'naamdhaar'. This naamdhaar (dynast) doesn't care about others who are standing in the queue. "He came like a bully, marched his way ahead when there were others waiting with so many years of experience. How can someone just declare himself the Prime Minister? This is simply nothing but sheer arrogance." He said Gandhi with an "inflated ego despite losing 25-30 elections in the last four years" didn't even bother about the leaders who have been waiting for 40 years and about other allies in the UPA. "The Congress has lost in almost all the states in the last four years. But the ego of the 'naamdhaar' is still bloated. He says he will become the Prime Minister in 2019. Isn't this his ego?" During an interaction with prominent citizens in Bengaluru on Tuesday, the Congress President had replied in the affirmative when he was asked if he was ready to be India's Prime Minister if the Congress emerges as the largest party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress hit back at Modi asking him if he thought he was the only one who had the right to be Prime Minister. "Is Narendra Modi the only one with the right to be the Prime Minister?" Congress spokesman Anand Sharma asked. Modi also accused the Congress, which has been in power in Karnataka for the last five years, of not doing justice with the aspirations of the people of the state and instead bringing six evils -- "Congress culture, communalism, casteism, crime, corruption and contract system" -- to the country. He said Congress leaders were out on bail in a Rs 5,000 crore scam and had "absolutely no respect for many of our prominent institutions like the Election Commission, CBI, Army, Enforcement Director or Vice President's office. "The Congress has been on a spree to disrespect and belittle these great institutions," Modi said, adding that they were were now questioning the judiciary and even calling for impeachment of the Chief Justice of India. The Prime Minister also attacked his predecessor Manmohan Singh, who on Monday criticized the BJP government for its "disastrous policies" and "economic mismanagement", leaving the country with crises that were avoidable. "When Manmohan Singh had his government in the Centre, the remote control was at 10, Janpath (official residence of former Congress President Sonia Gandhi)," he said. Under his rule, Modi said, it were the people who held the remote control. The Prime Minister said he would continue to follow the orders of the "high command" -- the countrymen, the citizens. --IANS team-sar/vsc/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least seven people were killed and another 17 were wounded in multiple attacks on police districts in the Afghan capital on Wednesday, officials said. According to police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai, the first attack began with a blast when two militants equipped with arms and suicide vests targeted a police station in Police District 13 in Dashti Barchi locality at 11.30 a.m, Xinhua news agency reported. After hours of fighting, six people including two police personnel and two attackers were killed and nine others sustained injuries. In a span of 20 minutes, another blast took place as a group of militants targeted a police station in Police District 10 in Shahri Now locality. According to an official, one person was killed and eight others injured in the second attack while operations were still underway to eliminate the attacking militants. Interior Minister Wais Barmak said that "special forces were trying to bring the situation under control". The Islamic State outfit claimed responsibility for the attack in Police District 13 while the Taliban reportedly claimed responsibility for the other attack, Xinhua said. However, the Afghan Intelligence -- National Directorate of Security -- said that the notorious Haqqani terrorist network was involved in the coordinated attacks. It added that the attacks were planned with the support of Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group. Kabul has witnessed several attacks so far this year. On April 30, at least 41 people, including 10 journalists were killed in a twin suicide bombing and a shooting. Three weeks ago, an Islamic State suicide bomber targeted a voter registration center in western Kabul, killing 69 people. --IANS soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said three American citizens jailed in North Korea have been released and are on their way back home, in a move seen as a goodwill gesture ahead of a historic summit between Trump and Kim Jong-un. Trump tweeted that he would greet the men when they return on Thursday with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in Pyongyang to arrange the planned talks. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," he tweeted. He added that Pompeo had a "good meeting" with Kim and said a date and place have been set for the meeting between the two leaders. The Americans, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Tony Kim, were able to "walk on the plane without assistance", the White House said. They had been jailed for anti-state activities and placed in labour camps, CNN reported. While Kim Dong Chul had been in North Korean custody since 2015, the other two were arrested in 2017. Their convictions were widely condemned. Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song worked at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which bills itself as the only privately-run university in the North Korean capital. Ahead of his visit, the second to North Korea in six weeks, the US Secretary of State said that he hoped North Korea would "do the right thing" and release the detainees. South Korea's presidential Blue House welcomed the release of the Americans, saying it would have a "positive effect" for upcoming negotiations. Blue House spokesman Yoon Young-chan also called upon the North to release six South Korean prisoners. In a statement provided to the BBC, the family of Tony Kim "thanked all those who worked towards and contributed to his return home". "We also want to thank the President for engaging directly with North Korea," the family added. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Nepal government has said "no" to China to build the Budhi Gandaki hydroelectricity project that was awarded to a Chinese firm by the previous Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'-led dispensation in 2016. The previous government had also asked China to list the project under the its Belt and Road Initiative, of which Nepal is a part. The decision by the current government on Tuesday came as relief to New Delhi as it fears that investment in Beijing would surpass in Nepal and would lessen India's clout in Kathmandu. The Prachanda-led government, without any tendering, had decided to award the contract to China Gezhouba Group Company to build the scheme under the engineering-procurement-construction-and-financing (EPCF) model which led to a huge controversy in Nepal. Nepal's Energy Minister Barsha Man Pun on Tuesday announced that government will call for global tenders to develop the Budhi Gandaki hydroelectricity that is expected to generate 12,00 mw electricity. The total cost of the project is around $2.73 billion. --IANS giri/soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed on Wednesday for Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the coordination between the armies of the two countries in Syria. "I am now leaving for an important meeting with the Russian President. The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so," Efe news quoted Netanyahu as saying before his departure. "In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination between the Russian military and the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)," he added. On Tuesday, the US announced its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear pact, which Israel has strongly opposed. Israel reiterated time and again that it considered Iran's growing influence in Syria a "threat" and that it was not going to allow its entrenchment in Syria, which led it to launch airstrikes against Iranian targets inside Syrian territory. The Israeli leader had asked Moscow to curb Iran's presence in Syria, where Russian and Iranian forces were supporting and collaborating with the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Netanyahu asserted on Tuesday that Iran had drastically increased its aggressions in the region since the signing of the agreement in 2015 between Tehran and six global powers (the US, Russia, China, Germany, France and the UK). In the decision to withdraw from the pact with Iran, a White House statement cited Israeli intelligence providing "details about Iran's past secret efforts to develop nuclear weapons". --IANS and/soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actors Nikhil Khurana, Krishna Bharadwaj and Hiba Nawab are planning to make Mother's Day on May 13 special as their mother means the world to them. They also walked down the memory lane and cherished special moments with their mother. Nikhil Khurana, known for playing Pancham in the show "Jijaji Chhat Per Hain", is planning to take his mother out for dinner to her favourite restaurant. "No words can describe what my mother means to me. She is my world. I consider her to be my friend, philosopher and guide," Nikhil said in a statement. "Once I played a prank on my mom by calling her on the landline. I pretended to be a Punjabi Police cop and told her that her son has been arrested for violence. She got really worried. Then I disclosed that it was me. She got so furious with me." His co-star Hiba Nawab said: "This Mother's Day, I am going to celebrate with my mother. If I am shooting that day then she must be on the set with me. If I am not shooting then of course it must be a day out with my mother." The actress will take her mother to her favourite places in Mumbai like Marine Drive. "For me this day is as special as her birthday. I am a creative person, so I might decorate her room and surprise her with a cake, balloons and good music. She is very fond of jewellery, especially finger rings, so I might gift her a nice ring." Actor Krishna Bharadwaj, who plays Rama in the show "Tenali Rama", said: "I'm away from my mom. She stays in Ranchi. I am going to miss her a lot. So, this Mother's Day will start with a call to her. Also, my best friend's mom is my second mother here. I've requested her to meet me on Mother's Day, I will celebrate with her. "My mom had liked a jewellery set when she was in Mumbai last month. I plan to buy that for her. My mother is the most important person in my life. Her happiness means the most to me." --IANS nn/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former US President Barack Obama criticized the decision made on Tuesday by President Donald Trump to pull the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, calling the move a "serious mistake". "I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake," Obama said in a statement soon after Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the agreement. The former President said that the decision to pull the US out of the nuclear deal, signed with Iran, Russia, China, France the United Kingdom and Germany, was "misguided" and that it "turns our back on America's closest allies." "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility, and puts us at odds with the world's major powers," Obama said. Countering Trump's criticisms of the JCPOA, Obama said that the agreement "is working," since it has "significantly rolled back" Iran's nuclear program. The JCPOA strictly limits Iran's capabilities to produce nuclear weapons in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Obama added that, according to US intelligence agencies, Iran "is meeting its responsibilities under the deal" and that pulling the United States out of the agreement could undermine it and "trigger an arms race." Trump announced earlier Tuesday not only that he was pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, but that he would reinstate sanctions, saying there was "definite proof" that Tehran had lied about only wanting a peaceful nuclear energy program. The Treasury Department said that these sanctions would be reinstated after foreign companies wind down their contracts with Iran over 90-day and 180-day periods. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The occupation of about a dozen Chilean universities by female students demanding an end to harassment, machismo and sexist has entered its fourth week. The Austral University and the University of Chile's law school has been occupied by thousands of young women looking to end the "cover-up" for professors accused of gender violence, Efe news reported. "We are tired of violence against women," read the banners displayed at the Valdivia campus, where reports exceed 100 a year, following a series of unresolved accusations against school staff. A "feminist seizure" has been in effect since April. "We are being harassed, abused and assaulted in our own spaces and that cannot be allowed." Official gender violence figures show as many as 90 per cent of women have faced a situation involving sexual harassment at some point in their lives. --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In its bid to check soaring potato price's in the state, the Odisha government on Wednesday directed all District Collectors to take action against those indulging in hoarding. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surya Narayan Patro directed the officials concerned to arrest the hoarders and black-marketeers. The district administrators have been directed to keep a close watch on availability and arrival of potato in the market and ensure those to the consumers at reasonable prices. Wholesalers in Cuttack city had been allowed to stock up to 500 quintals of potato each, while each wholesaler of Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Puri cities would be able to stock up to 350 quintal each, said the Minister. Wholesalers of other cities and towns in the state have been allowed to stock 150 quintal each. "If required, action may be taken against the hoarders and unscrupulous traders under the provision of Essential Commodities Act, 1955," said the Minister. While the state required 12.5 lakh tonnes of potato per annum, Odisha farmers produced only 3 lakh tonnes, he said. The state was depending on West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh to meet the demands, he added. --IANS cd/nir/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 15th Finance Commission on Wednesday set up an advisory council to assist it in matters related to its terms of reference (ToR). The panel, to be headed by Forum for Strategic Initiatives President Arvind Virmani, will advise the commission on all relevant issues and subjects and help conduct research studies to enhance the commission's understanding of issues in its ToR, an official statement said. It will also "help in broadening the commission's ambit and understanding to seek best national and international practices on matters pertaining to fiscal devolution and improving the quality and reach and enforcement of its recommendations", it added. The other members of the advisory council include Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council member (part-time) Surjit Bhalla, Ex-Deputy Director (Fiscal Affairs Department) of International Monetary Fund Sanjeev Gupta, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy professor Pinaki Chakraborty, JP Morgan's Chief India Economist Sajjid Chinoy and Credit Suisse India economist and strategist Neelkanth Mishra. On Monday, a meeting of 11 state finance ministers held in Amaravati described the Finance Commission's ToR as undermining the federal structure and decided to seek President Ram Nath Kovind's intervention to reframe them. They claimed that the ToR almost penalises states for being progressive and well-performing. On Tuesday, Congress leader P. Chidambaram urged the finance ministers of all states to sign a memorandum against the ToR. --IANS vv/him/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The South Korean government on Wednesday said it expects US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to return from his Pyongyang visit accompanied by the three US citizens held prisoners in North Korea. The move would constitute a goodwill gesture of the Kim Jong-un regime ahead of the upcoming Washington-Pyongyang summit, Efe news reported. "We expect him to bring the date, time and the captives," a spokesperson for the South Korean Presidential Office told Yonhap news agency. The details of the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim have not been revealed yet. Pompeo on Wednesday travelled to North Korea to prepare the first summit in history between Washington and Pyongyang. He told journalists en route he would re-negotiate with the regime on the release of the three detained US citizens. Kim Dong-chul, 64, Kim Sang-duk, 58, and Kim Hak-song, about 60, -- all born in South Korea but who later acquired US citizenship. It was not clear whether Pompeo would be meeting Kim during this trip. Last week, Trump said that a date and location for his meeting with the North Korean leader had already been set, although he refused to reveal any further details. Till date, the White House has said that the meeting would happen in late May or early June and that several sites, including Singapore and the border between the two Koreas, were being considered. Trump reportedly favouring the latter. Pompeo's visit to Pyongyang is the second within less than a month to prepare the upcoming summit. --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind will be on a two-day tour of Rajasthan from Sunday, in his first visit to the state after taking over as head of state, officials said on Wednesday. On Sunday (May 13), he will be in Jaipur while on May 14, he will be visiting Ajmer. A meeting on the arrangements for his visit here will be held on Thursday under the chairmanship of District Collector Siddharth Mahajan. In Ajmer, the President will be visiting the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and then will return to Delhi. --IANS arc/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Punjab government will extend 25 to 33 per cent subsidy to unemployed youth for setting up dairy farming units in the state, a minister said on Wednesday. The offer has been made under the state's crop diversification policy to encourage youth to look at producing milk products, purchasing milch animals and for purchasing milking machines. Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said in a statement here on Wednesday that under the comprehensive policy, the government has decided to provide self employment to 500 unemployed youth in every district by encouraging them to set up dairy farming units. He said that concerted efforts are being also made to enable the farmers to fetch competitive price of milk to provide enabling atmosphere for the marketing of milk in other states. Sidhu said that under this policy, the department has also chalked out a training programme at each of the Diary Training and Extension Centres to provide latest technical training to the young farmers to make the dairy farming a self-sustaining and profitable profession. "To minimize the economic burden upon the already debt ridden farming community, the government has decided to provide 25-33 per cent subsidy to the young budding farmers to set up dairy units," Sidhu added. 'Green Revolution' state Punjab contributes 50 per cent food grains (wheat and paddy) to the national kitty despite having just 1.54 per cent geographical area of the country. --IANS js/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thanks to government funding, Indian physicists are preparing for a deep dive into the quantum world that holds the secrets for developing exciting technologies for computing, communication, cryptography and many more. Schemes for making India a major player in quantum technologies were deliberated during a five-day international conference on "Quantum Frontiers and Fundamentals" at the Raman Research Institute (RRI) here. Sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation, the philanthropic organisation in the US, it was attended by eminent physicists from India and abroad, including several research students from India with a total number of around 100 participants, reflecting the significant growth in the research community in this area in our country. "This is an interesting conference, blending quantum fundamentals aspects with applications, and is unique in its mandate as we have tried to provide equal emphasis to both theoretical research and experimental quantum technologies," Urbasi Sinha, of RRI and organiser of the conference, told this correspondent. Dipankar Home of the Bose Institute, Kolkata, and Alexandre Matzkin of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Paris were the co-organisers. Quantum physics is a basic theory in physics that deals with the behaviour of matter and light on the atomic and subatomic scale. Quantum technology exploits the weird properties of quantum mechanics -- especially quantum entanglement, quantum superposition and quantum tunnelling -- into practical applications for computing, cryptography and "secure" communication. Quantum computers that process "quantum data" (instead of binary data) are predicted to be faster than today's largest classical computer. Research in these areas at Indian laboratories has received a boost with promised funding support from the government's Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as well as small individual projects from the Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Prime Minister's Office. The DST's Mission-Mode scheme, called "Quantum Science and Technology (QuST)", will fund research "for the development and demonstration" of quantum computers, quantum communication and cryptography, besides "demonstration of quantum teleportation". The scheme, DST says, "promises to revolutionise the future computation and communication systems which will ultimately have huge impact on the nation and our society as a whole". The DST initiative has received overwhelming response and "has already received 128 proposals from researchers from different parts of the country," Rajeev Sharma, a spokesperson for the scheme at DST, told this correspondent. "Funding is no problem," he said. ISRO, in collaboration with RRI, has initiated a mega project called "Quantum Experiments Using Satellite Technology (QUEST)". Sinha, along with members of her "Quantum Information and Computing Lab" and theory colleagues at RRI, will play a key role in developing these technologies in the coming years, with support from ISRO. "Once RRI is ready with an experimental payload, we will launch it on board one of our satellite missions," M. Sankaran, deputy director of ISRO Satellite Centre in Bengaluru and one of the conference participants, told this correspondent. According to Sinha, one of her first experiments "will be a collaborative effort with the 'Quantum Photonics Lab' at Ontario's University of Waterloo" that will aim to establish "a secure Quantum Key Distribution link" between India and Canada. "It is good that both DST and ISRO have decided to fund research in this important area," said Arun Kumar Pati, a leading researcher in quantum physics at the Harish Chandra Research Institute in Allahabad and a conference participant. "We are 10 years behind and have to catch up." Using its world's first quantum satellite called "Micius", China had already demonstrated transmission of images from the country to Austria and researchers at the National University of Singapore had built a nano-satellite with a quantum communication payload. Scientists of the University of Waterloo have also demonstrated the first quantum key distribution transmissions from a ground transmitter to a quantum payload on a moving aircraft. The conference suggested the formation in India of a society for quantum information scientists. It also called for greater thrust to experimental research and an increase in the pool of researchers in the area of quantum technologies. (K.S. Jayaraman is a veteran science journalist. He can be contacted at killugudi@hotmail.com) --IANS ksj/vm/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 157th birth anniversary of Nobel laureate and poet Rabindra Nath Tagore was celebrated on Wednesday in Tripura and south Assam. However, the Rabindra Jayanti celebration in the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley region of southern Assam comprising of the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi was low-key this year due to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's administrative decision. Braving rough weather, numerous programmes were organised across Tripura, with "Prabhat Pheri" (morning procession) being held in each locality. Songs written by the bard were sung and his poetry was recited at different venues in Tripura by local artistes and performers as well as some from West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Tripura government, which declared a holiday on Wednesday on the occasion, also organised programmes in the Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan and Rabindra Kanan in Agartala. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who also holds the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, and Chief Secretary Sanjeev Ranjan were present at the Rabindra Kanan functions. Chhandaneer, a decades-old renowned cultural organisation of Tripura, has also organised the "Kabi Pranam" programme in Agartala. "We are organising Rabindra Jayanti for the past 44 years. Artistes from Bangladesh, West Bengal and Kolkata along with Tripura took part in the week-long programme," Chhandaneer chief Samiran Roy told IANS. In Silchar, a controversy erupted since last year after the Assam government officially cancelled the celebrations in schools and instead asked the Education Department to hold academic activities. However, non-government cultural organisations observed the day with numerous programmes and functions in three districts of Bengali dominated Barak Valley region in south Assam adjoining Tripura. Silchar-based Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya-O-Sanskriti Sammelan leader Taimur Raja Chowdhury said: "Despite the state government's apathetic attitude towards celebrating the Rabindra Jayanti, various NGOs are observing the day with day-long colourful and traditional functions." "The BJP government in Assam should encourage the students and youths to participate and celebrate the great occasion," Chowdhury, an editor of a leading vernacular daily, told the media. Tagore had visited and stayed in Agartala and Shillong several times between 1899 and 1927. Academician Rameswar Bhattacharjee said: "Tagore's close relations with the princely state of Tripura and its four successive tribal kings form an important chapter in the state's history. This relationship prompted him to visit the state as many as seven times between 1899 and 1926." "Tripura had a special place in many of Tagore's songs and he wrote a number of novels with the princely state's history as the theme. Some of these are 'Bisharjan', 'Rajarshi' and 'Mukut'," he added. The 101-year-old "Pushpavant Palace", which until April 18 was the Raj Bhavan (Governor's house), will turn into a museum and research centre dedicated to Tagore. The Raj Bhavan on April 18 shifted to a newly constructed sprawling mansion at the new capital complex on the outskirts of Agartala. --IANS sc/pgh/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a swipe at Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he is day-dreaming to become the Prime Minister in 2019. "He is not concerned about the Congress, its traditions or the leaders. He is dreaming all the time to become Prime Minister in 2019," Modi told a gathering at an election rally here. Without mentioning the name of Gandhi, Modi said he was promoted by the party despite doing nothing. "He is promoted in Congress irrespective of work he does, because he is a 'naamdar'. That is why he was made General Secretary in 2007. Then it was said that he would bring new leadership in Congress, change youth policy. But nothing has happened over the last 11 years," he said. Modi said Gandhi had an inflated ego despite losing 25-30 elections in the last four years. "Congress could win just 40 seats in Parliament. It has lost in almost all states in the last four years. But the ego of 'naamdar' is still bloated. He says that he will become PM in 2019. Isn't this his ego?" he said. Modi said the Gandhi family had a feeling that the post of Prime Minister was reserved for them. "No one can sit on that position. It is their right (they think)." "This family has nothing to do with democracy. So, they find ways to undermine it." He also took a dig at the Congress for raising questions over electronic voting machines, and the surgical strike and its move to impeach the Chief Justice of India. --IANS spk/nir/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More and more government-run hospitals and cancer institutes are increasingly adopting robotic surgery, experts in the field have said while informing that this reflected the growing acceptance of this form of surgery, which was already popular in many parts of the world. At a recent meet of robotic surgeons in Mussoorie, Ravi Kant, Director and CEO of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh said his institute plans to train over 100 surgeons in robotic surgery over the next few years. "In North India alone there are six surgical robots in use in four of the best known government hospitals in the region - AIIMS at New Delhi, Rishikesh and Jodhpur; PGI, Chandigarh and Delhi Cancer Society hospital, Delhi" he informed. "Robotic surgery scores over both traditional and laparoscopic surgery because of the precision it brings to complex surgical procedures," he told IANS. Over 120 robotic surgeons had gathered at this picturesque hill station in Uttarakhand at the 10th bi-annual Robotic Surgeons Council meet organized by Vattikuti Foundation. Vattikuti Foundation's remit is to encourage excellence in robotic surgery by encouraging super specialist surgeons by training themselves as accomplished robotic surgeons. The Foundation offers digital training resources besides conducting webinars on robotic surgery, the organizers informed. Experts added that robotic surgery added precision in a surgical procedure which in turn adds tremendous value to patients suffering from cancer of various body organs, soft tissue and tumours. Mahendra Bhandari, CEO, Vattikuti Foundation said the biggest benefit of a patient recovering quickly following a robotic surgery is making available the hospital bed to another needy patient. Indian hospitals have over 65 surgical robots and over 350 trained robotic surgeons. Bhandari who also serves as Director of Research at Vattikuti Urology Institute, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, said Vattikuti Foundation acted as a catalyst in fueling the growth of robotic surgery in the last 7-8 years by helping surgeons to become accomplished in the new technology. Many Indian surgeons have created robotic surgery procedures that have been adopted by surgeons world-wide. The Detroit-based Foundation has so far awarded one-year Vattikuti fellowships to nearly 30 specialist surgeons with post-graduate qualifications in surgery. The Vattikuti fellows master robotic surgery under the mentorship of an experienced surgeon in a hospital as part of this fully-paid fellowship. Since it started on January 26, 2018, the 1,000-bed AIIMS-Rishikesh has already conducted nearly 50 Robotic Surgery procedures in Gynaecology, Urology and general surgery on patients hailing from Uttarkhand. --IANS md/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Tehran will remain in the nuclear deal with other signatories of the deal without the US. "From this time on, the nuclear deal is an accord between Iran and five countries," Rouhani said in live speech broadcast from Press TV. "I am happy that an intruder (United States) has exited from the nuclear deal," he said. Iran proved that it has been committed to its international obligations, Rouhani said, adding that "our experience shows that over the past 40 years the United States has never been reliable vis-a-vis its commitments." Actually, the United States has never been bound to its nuclear deal obligations since it was implemented in January 2016, he said. The JCPOA has not been a deal between Iran and the United States, but it was an international accord approved by the United Nationas, said the Iranian president. Rouhani said that he has asked the Iranian foreign minister to initiate negotiations with the European partners as well as China and Russia over the measures regarding the fate of the deal. He also said that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) will resume the industrial uranium enrichment at any level if the upcoming negotiations do not save Iran's interests guaranteed in the JCPOA. "Since now, we should examine how the remaining big powers in the accord would deal with it," Rouhani said, adding that "if the deal remains live, we can take steps for the world's peace and security." Rouhani on Monday sought for the assurance of parties involved in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, except the United States, to help Iran preserve interests under the accord. "If our expectations from the JCPOA are met without the United States, so much the better, otherwise, we will make our own decision," he said. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. In a televised speech, Trump announced the exit, adding he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran. --IANS ahm/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigators have questioned a Russian oligarch about a payment of $500,000 that his company's US affiliate made to President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen after the election, officials said. Viktor Vekselberg, Chairman of asset manager Renova Group, is an oligarch close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and in April the Trump administration placed him on a list of sanctioned Russians for activities including 2016 US election interference, CNN news reported on Wednesday. The attorney for Stormy Daniels -- the porn star who received $130,000 to keep quiet about an alleged affair she had with Trump a decade ago -- produced information on Tuesday evening. Michael Avenatti alleged that Cohen received half a million dollars from a company affiliated with Vekselberg in the months after the presidential election. He said that an amount of $500,000 went into the bank account for Essential Consultants, a shell company that Cohen set up before the election that was used to pay Daniels. Avenatti added that the payments occurred from January to August 2017. Vekselberg is one of the two Russian oligarchs the FBI stopped earlier in 2018 after their private jets landed in New York-area airports as part of Mueller's investigation. The purpose of the payments and the nature of the business relationship between Vekselberg and Cohen was unclear. The scrutiny of the payments could add to the legal troubles for Cohen, whose home and office were raided in April as part of a criminal investigation by federal prosecutors in Manhattan. In court documents, the prosecutors said at least part of their inquiry stemmed from a referral from Mueller's office. Investigators also asked Vekselberg about donations the head of his US affiliate made to Trump's inaugural fund and campaign funds, the report said. --IANS and-soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Watch manufacturer Omega has roped in sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke as brand ambassadors. The two Kiwis, as crewmates of Emirates Team Zealand in 2017, lifted the famous America's Cup, a moment that also positioned Burling - then aged 26 - as the youngest winning helmsman in the competition's history. Raynald Aeschlimann, Omega President and CEO, praised them for their "drive to succeed at the highest level". "Peter and Blair are both hard-working and easy-going, a unique blend of qualities. We're thrilled to have these two star sailors representing the brand," Aeschlimann added. --IANS nv/rb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Enterprise solutions provider SAP on Wednesday brought its intelligent Cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution "SAP S/4HANA" Cloud to India. "SAP S/4HANA" Cloud is an Intelligent ERP with built-in Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities and helps to streamline business processes with a simplified user experience helping organisations transform into "Intelligent Enterprises". "India is expected to be among the top Cloud markets in the world by 2020, with $4.1 billion market opportunity," Deb Deep Sengupta, President and Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent, told reporters here. "By making our digital core all pervasive through Cloud with 'SAP S/4HANA' Public Cloud, our market leadership in ERP space is poised to be replicated in the Cloud as well," Sengupta added. With the "S/4HANA" Cloud, businesses would be notified of the latest innovations through quarterly updates, granting them access to the latest innovations in areas such as predictive analytics. The enterprise solutions major has integrated SAP CoPilot with the "SAP S/4HANA" Cloud. The solution is the first true voice-activated digital assistant for enterprises that enables users to get their work done more quickly and efficiently, the company said. Powered by ML and AI, SAP CoPilot is aware of business contexts, driving efficient collaboration, quickly recognising and connecting to business data and offers in-context chat. "Around the world, Cloud-first is the path forward, SAP 'S/4HANA' Cloud will be swiftly taking Indian enterprises into the digital age," said Melissa Di Donato, Chief Revenue Officer, SAP S/4HANA Cloud. "The intelligent Cloud suite will support large and mid-size Indian companies to further accelerate innovation. Our aim is to enable organisations to 'automate' processes, gain 'assistance' in focussing on mission-critical applications, and eventually 'act' based on context-aware decisions," Di Donato added. The SAP "S/4HANA" Cloud serves customers in various industries to help them achieve instant value, cost savings and improved efficiencies across project management, manufacturing, sales order management, inventory and supply chain management, finance and procurement. (Krishna SinhaChaudhury is in Mumbai at the invitation of SAP. She can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in) --IANS ksc/sku/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia backed on Tuesday the US President Donald Trump's decision on his country withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. Saudi Arabia highlighted in a statement through Saudi Press Agency that it also welcomed re-imposing sanctions on Iran that were suspended after the enforcement of the deal. It said the kingdom had supported the deal between Iran and other six powers at the beginning to limit the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and the world, but Iran exploited the economic gains of the deal to destabilize the region. Saudi Arabia asserted its continuation to work with the US and other world partners to tackle the threats of the Iranian policies on international security and peace. Trump announced Tuesday that Washington will pull out of the landmark nuclear accord with Iran. Then, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani responded that Tehran will stay in the deal with other five signatories. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Wednesday restrained the Tis Hazari Court Bar Association from going on strike or boycotting a judge who ordered filing of an FIR in a case where a woman lawyer was allegedly manhandled by members of the bar. The order came on the lawyer's plea who approached the top court for security. The Coordination Committee of All-District Court Bar Associations of Delhi had called for a strike at the Tis Hazari Court on Tuesday and at all the district courts in Delhi on Wednesday. The strike call and the subsequent boycott of the court of Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Kumar came after the woman advocate alleged assault and the judge directed the registration of an FIR against office bearers of the bar association. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud directed the Police Commissioner to provide adequate security to the lawyer who said she was scared to record her statements in the court. The lawyer, Afshan Pracha, depicts a "sad and sorrowful scenario" and the "security of practising women at various courts is affected", the bench said. Ordering protection to Pracha, the court said: "The petitioner shall be given adequate police protection by the Police Commissioner so that her statement can be recorded under Section 164 of CrPC. "The statement shall be recorded by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Patiala House Court. The Bar Association of Tis Hazari Court is restrained from going on strike or participating in any kind of boycott of any court in Tis Hazari or any other court." The security cover should include women police officers of appropriate rank, said the bench. During the hearing, Pracha appearing before the court along with senior advocate Indira Jaising contended that an incident took place on May 4 in which she was manhandled and humiliated by members of the bar. Jaising told the bench that Pracha brought the incident to the notice of judge Prashant Kumar who directed the filing of the FIR after which lawyers boycotted his court. She also asked that the court should direct the implementation of Vishaka guidelines in trial courts. The top court issued notice to the President of the Bar association and impleaded its Secretary as party in the case and posted the matter for further hearing on May 11. --IANS gt/him/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two days after disrupting survey works for the upcoming Bullet Train project in Thane, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and local tribals on Wednesday carried out protests against the fortnight-long land survey initiated here on Wednesday, an activist said. "The tribals here have to walk 20 kms daily for getting drinking water in summer. The situation is the same every year after February-March. Instead of providing development, employment and basic amenities like drinking water, the government is wasting away huge amount of money on unnecessary projects like the Bullet Train," said MNS leader Kundan Sankhe. He said a similar situation prevailed not only in Palghar, but also in adjoining state's tribal regions from where the proposed Rs 108,000 crore Bullet Train route from Mumbai to Ahmedabad will pass. On Wednesday afternoon, when the MNS activists and tribals gathered for their agitation, the local police warned them of action in view of the election code of conduct enforced in the district ahead of the May 28 Lok Sabha bye-poll, Sankhe said, adding that they told police that they were "only highlighting the genuine problems facing the tribals here and protesting peacefully". The National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd is carrying out the ground surveys on the entire route for India's first - and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream project - Bullet Train, coming up with Japanese collaboration and funding. Earlier on Monday, the MNS workers had disrupted the Bullet Train work being carried out in adjoining Thane district, from where the 508 km long route will pass before terminating at Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai. These protests follow a similar agitation by the All Indian Kisan Sabha last week in Palghar, besides opposition to the mega-project by all major parties including MNS, Congress, Nationalist Congresss Party and ruling coalition constituent, the Shiv Sena. --IANS qn/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw his country from the Iran nuclear deal, a decision that immediately drew global frustration and outcry. The pullout of the US from the deal, which eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for the country limiting its nuclear program, risks sparking an arms race in the Middle East, experts said, Xinhua news agency reported. In a televised speech from the White House, Trump announced the exit. He said that he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, but re-impose sanctions lifted under the accord against Tehran and nations it has business links with. Trump repeated his rhetoric against Iran and the deal, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism in the region. The JCPOA "allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium" and "lifted crippling economic sanctions" on Iran in exchange for "very weak limits" on its nuclear activity, "and no limits at all" on its efforts to expand regional influences, he said. "The deal's sunset provisions are totally unacceptable," He said. "If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs." The US will impose "the highest level" of economic sanctions on Tehran, he said. "Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States." As for the possible exacerbation of trans-Atlantic division over his decision, Trump only said that "we are unified in our understanding of the threat, and in our conviction that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon." Trump's decision came on the heels of visits to the US by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. Macron even proposed a last-ditch side plan to appease Trump, but had failed to convince him. The White House said later that Trump had "directed his administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA," and "the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors." "Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran," it added. "Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences." US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin noted in an announcement that "sanctions will be reimposed subject to certain 90 day and 180 day wind-down periods". "At the conclusion of the wind-down periods, the applicable sanctions will come back into full effect. This includes actions under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities," he added. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the US "will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat." Trump's decision to abandon the Iran deal signed between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US has sparked domestic and global concerns. In a joint statement released by Macron's office, French, German and British leaders regretted the US decision. Macron, Merkel and Theresa May reiterated their "continued commitment" to the Iran nuclear deal, stressing that it "is of particular importance to our shared security." Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, under whose administration the deal was signed, said in a Facebook post that Trump's announcement is "so misguided" and "a serious mistake." "The JCPOA is working," Obama said, adding that "the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East" without the landmark deal. Europe will abide by the JCPOA, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said, adding she was "particularly worried" about the possible repercussions of Trump's decision. For his part, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that his country will remain in the deal, adding he has asked the Iranian foreign minister to initiate negotiations with the European partners as well as China and Russia over the fate of the deal. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on April 27 that China expects the deal to remain intact and be treated seriously. "China calls for all related parties to strengthen dialogue and coordination" over the deal, she said. Experts from the Washington-based Arms Control Association also denounced the decision. Daryl G. Kimball, the group's executive director, said Trump's announcement "is an irresponsible act of foreign policy malpractice" and "a twofold abrogation of US commitments." "Through his reckless actions, Trump is precipitating a proliferation crisis rather than working with our allies to develop a long-term diplomatic strategy to build on the agreement in the years ahead," Kimball said. Brookings Institution senior fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that "the risk is his decision will spark an arms race in the Middle East." "Iran may restart its nuclear programme and that could propel Saudi Arabia to develop its own nuclear programme. The region is likely to become more volatile and chaotic as a result of the deal nullification," he said. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons involved in half a dozen burglaries in factories here have been arrested, police said on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Jiten Kushwaha, 25 and his relative, Sonu Kumar, 25, residents of Okhla and Harkesh Nagar respectively, were arrested on May 4 during vehicle checking in the Okhla area of south Delhi. When the two men, on a bike, were flagged to stop, but instead tried to speed away and were chased and caught, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal. He said on searching the men's bags, police recovered 14 laptops which they were going to sell. "During interrogation, they failed to give a satisfactory reply regarding ownership of the laptops, later broke down and confessed that they had robbed these laptops from factories located in Okhla Industrial area," said Biswal. A search of their residences led to seizure of 146 pieces of expensive designer clothes, 67 leather jackets and more stolen equipment, he added. Both the accused told police that they were unemployed, had fallen into bad company and started consuming ganja and liquor daily, the officer said. "In order to meet their daily needs of liquor and ganja, they initially started petty thefts and later burgled factories and houses regularly. "They used to dispose off the stolen items to scrap dealers and passers-by at throw-away prices," said Biswal. --IANS sp/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly keeping about 10,000 voter cards and over a lakh counterfoils at a flat in Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly segment, a senior police officer said. "Two persons have been arrested, one for committing the electoral offence of keeping several voter cards in one place and another for breaking into the apartment where the voter cards and counterfoils were kept, without informing the Election Commission authorities," Additional Commissioner of Police Bijay Kumar Singh told IANS here. State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar told reporters here on Wednesday that a total of 9,896 voter cards and over a lakh counterfoils resembling acknowledgement slips were seized so far from a flat in the Assembly constituency, ahead of the May 12 assembly election. Police and Election Commission officials, however, did not disclose the details of the people arrested. "Preliminary investigation shows that the voter cards are genuine, but the counterfoils are yet to be verified," Kumar said. An FIR was registered on the incident, he added. Along with the voter cards and counterfoils, the poll panel officials have also seized survey formats with names of the voters, mobile numbers, caste, Aadhaar number, below poverty line (BPL) card details, and photographs of houses. "All the materials have been seized and investigation is going on under the supervision of the EC. The entire material indicate a planned work over a period of time to survey and locate the vulnerable electors and induce them through middlemen," Kumar said. The constituency has a total of 4,71,459 voters, with an elector to population ratio of 75.43 per cent, which is higher than the average across the total 28 constituencies in Bengaluru. "The Rarajeshwari Nagar constituency had 44,857 voters added to the electoral rolls this year, a 10.3 per cent increase in the number of voters added, as against the state average of 6.04 per cent," Kumar added. A Deputy Election Commissioner is to soon visit the state to take the stock of the situation. The ruling Congress blamed the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the incident, calling it a conspiracy by the party leaders in an apartment that allegedly belonged to a former BJP corporator Manjula Nanjamari. "In a flat owned by a former BJP corporator, and in a flat rented out to a BJP corporator candidate, how did 10,000 voter IDs come into being? Facing imminent defeat, this is a conspiracy hatched by the BJP leaders," Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters here. The BJP urged the EC to countermand the election in the constituency, calling the incident an attempt by the ruling Congress to allegedly rig the election. "The BJP demands countermanding of elections in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in light of latest revelations of tens of thousands of fake voter IDs and empty packets of hard currency. This is Congress conspiracy to rig election in the face of their imminent defeat," said Union Minister and the party's in-charge for state polls Prakash Javadekar. --IANS bha/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced here on Tuesday a climate summit set to take place in September 2019 in New York to review the Paris Agreement commitments. "The effects of climate change keep spreading all over the world," Guterres said at the opening ceremony of the 37th session of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. "In 2017, the total economic cost of climate-related disasters reached a record $320 billion," Efe reported. The UN chief said that there is a "need to adopt collective measures to steer the world away from this path that leads to suicide," adding that any new plans must be based on "investing in resilient development with low carbon emissions." In March, Guterres appointed former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg as his Special Envoy for Climate Action and announced that the billionaire will support the UN in its climate strategy and in organising the 2019 summit. In a speech focusing on the importance of "redefining the current concept of development," as well as promoting the commitment to the 2030 Agenda, Guterres said that climate change is the "biggest systemic threat to humankind." In 2017, US President Donald Trump announced his country's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal and decided to re-impose sanctions on Tehran, industry chamber Assocham said on Wednesday that the move will hit the Indian economy due to its likely upward impact on oil prices. Iran is a major oil producing country. "President Donald Trump pulling out of the Iran deal and announcing his decision to re-impose sanctions on the key crude oil producer would exert pressure on the fuel prices and affect the Indian economy on the downside," Assocham Secretary General D.S. Rawat said in a statement. "While there are other imponderables like Saudi Arabia trying to increase crude output along with major OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) producers and the US allies like France not being on board, the global economy does face bouts of uncertainty and volatility. "In the short term, it is not a good news for the Indian economy which meets the bulk of its crude oil requirements from imports," he added. Trump said on Tuesday that the US would withdraw from the "horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made". The European Union moved to protect the agreement by vowing to take steps to immunise European firms doing business with Tehran from any US sanctions. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Europe will abide by the deal. Meanwhile, state-run oil marketing firms have kept prices of transport fuel unchanged since April 24, temporarily suspending the dynamic daily pricing regime, despite a rise in international rates, to avoid panic among consumers, Indian Oil Corp (IOC) Chairman Sanjiv Singh said on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the price per litre of petrol was Rs 74.63 and of diesel Rs 65.93 -- rates of both have remained unchanged since April 24. The price of the Indian basket of crude oils, composed of 70 per cent sour grade Oman and Dubai crudes and the rest by sweet grade Brent, has gone upwards of $70 a barrel last month. Sanjiv Singh said it was a mere coincidence that the spike in international rates and the company's decision to put a lid on prices comes just ahead of the Assembly elections in Karnataka on Saturday. --IANS bc/him/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said three US citizens jailed in North Korea have been released and are on their way back to the US. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump tweeted. "Secretary Pompeo and his 'guests' will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting." --IANS him/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The World Bank has rejected Pakistani media reports about former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif laundering $4.9 billion to India. The local office of the Washington-based multilateral agency issued the press release hours after Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog -- the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) -- on Tuesday announced the launch of an inquiry against Sharif over money laundering allegations. The NAB swung into action about two years after a private TV channel alleged that $4.9 billion was laundered from Pakistan to India in 2016, according to a report by the Express Tribune. "In the past day, there have been media reports citing the World Bank's Remittances and Migration Report of 2016. These media reports are incorrect," the World Bank said in a statement. It added that the World Bank's Remittances and Migration Report was an effort to estimate migration and remittances numbers across the world. "The report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individuals," according to the World Bank handout. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday strongly criticised the NAB for launching the probe. Abbasi, while addressing the National Assembly, asked the House to constitute a committee which would summon the NAB Chairman and investigate the allegations. The Premier said that the institution had "overstepped its domain". The country will not function if institutions will work in this way, Abbasi said. Earlier Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan also criticised the NAB. Syed Naveed Qamar of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said he partially disagreed with the idea of summoning the NAB Chairman and held it tantamount to interference in NAB affairs. The World Bank also referred to a statement by the State Bank of Pakistan which rejected estimates of $4.9 billion in remittances from Pakistan to India on September 21, 2016, and provided an explanation of the methodology used in the World Bank report and the official remittances numbers. The World Bank's denial would also give a major boost to Sharif who has been complaining against "witch-hunting" by the NAB and courts. The former Prime Minister, disqualified by the Supreme Court for concealing facts, is already facing NAB references in an accountability court. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Zebra Technologies, a global leader in providing solutions and services to enterprises, on Wednesday launched next-generation thermal desktop printers that are enabled by "Print DNA" -- a software suite of applications, utilities and developer tools. Zebra's new ZD420 and ZD620 thermal transfer desktop printers and Print DNA software suite together help companies sense and analyse the status and performance of their printer fleet in real time. ZD420 printer is available at a starting price of $578 and ZD620 from $773. Both the printers are available in India The company also marked 35th anniversary of its first barcode printer known as the "Zebra Printer". "With the introduction of its first barcode printer in 1982, Zebra opened the door for identification and visibility of physical assets across the enterprise," Chelsia Ng, Specialty Printing Group Product Management Lead at Zebra Technologies Asia Pacific, said in a statement. "With new offerings, Zebra continues to innovate to help businesses increase operational visibility and productivity," Chelsia added. Both ZD420 and ZD620 "smart" thermal printers provide best-in-class print speeds while maintaining premium print quality for fast-paced retail, healthcare and manufacturing environments. The printers also offer an intuitive user interface with LED status icons so users can save time and easily see what is needed to keep printers running. ZD620 printer is available with an optional keypad user interface for easy configuration and a colour LCD display. --IANS sku/pgh/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two tiger poachers were arrested with nearly 20 kilogram of bones and a skin of the wild cat in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor, a wildlife body today said. The arrests were made after a night-long joint operation conducted by Wildlife SOS and the Special Task Force (STF) of the UP Police, a statement by Wildlife SOS said. "The wildlife conservation NGO in a joint operation with the Special Task Force and forest department intercepted two poachers in possession of wildlife contraband. "The successful anti-poaching operation resulted in recovery of a tiger skin along with tiger bones from Nagina in Bijnor," the statement said. The two tiger poachers have been booked under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The tiger skin measures over 10 feet in length indicating it to be a large male tiger in its prime and weighs about eight kilogram and measures approximately six feet across. The tiger bones weigh nearly 20 kilogram and the contraband is now evidence in this matter, it said. "It is suspected that since the Nagina and Bijnor area form buffer zones to the Corbett Tiger Reserve, the tiger has been poached in the bordering agricultural area. "The Corbett Tiger Reserve is located about 50 kms from Nagina. The photos have been sent to the Wildlife Institute of India to confirm the identity of the tiger from the national database," the wildlife body said. This is the fourth seizure that the team has carried out in Bijnor this year. Corbett Tiger Reserve and its buffer areas are known to have a higher density of tigers and is therefore quite vulnerable to poaching and illicit wildlife trafficking, it said. It is reassuring to have the accused under custody and we are thankful to Wildlife SOS for their efforts in making this seizure a success," the statement quoting Head of the UP Special Task Force (STF) Aravind Chaturvedi said. Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO Wildlife SOS, said the organisation invested several months to gather valuable intelligence that was shared with the police and the forest department. "The objective of Wildlife SOS is to protect India's natural heritage by assisting with law enforcement. Poaching and possession of protected wildlife and illegal trade of body parts is a criminal offence which is non bailable. "If convicted the accused could be jailed for up to seven years. It is essential to have offenders brought to justice to set an example for others to learn. The government of India invests a lot to protect India's national animal and it's the duty of every citizen to protect our endangered wildlife," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 450 students of Delhi University's Law Faculty will not be allowed to write exams due to attendance shortage, according to a notice issued by the varsity. The students detained (not allowed to appear in the exam) belongs to the Law Centre 1 and Law Centre 2 (Under the Faculty of Law) studying in various terms, the notice said. On the notice, All India Students Association's Delhi University president Kawalpreet Kaur, who is also a student of Law Faculty, said, "The attendance have been given in an arbitrary manner." "In January and February very few classes took place and only in March classes took place properly. Permanent recruitment happened and many teachers were changing. There was lot of confusion. It is not right to put the blame entirely on students," she said. This is the case every year, many students get detained. This is a serious issue which the Faculty has to address, she said. The ABVP today staged a protest Campus Law Centre in front of Dean's office against the detention. "Why the Faculty didn't put the attendance till April on notice board? Why Faculty of Law don't permit medical certificates as a relaxation in attendance?," the ABVP said in a statement. "During the permanent appointment of teachers in January, classes could not take place, how was it managed while calculating the final attendance?," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six people from Kerala on their way to the famous Lord Muruga temple here were killed and two others seriously injured in a car-lorry collision today, police said. The six, including two women, died on the spot when the car in which they were travelling and a lorry collided head-on near here early this morning, they said. The injured had been hospitalised. The occupants of the car from Kottayam district in Kerala were on a pilgrimage trip to the hill shrine of Lord Muruga here in Dindigul district, over 110 kms from Madurai, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Around 65 per cent of people find policing satisfactory in the country, according to a report which also stated that Delhi is one of the "worst" states as far as public satisfaction over police help is concerned. The 'Status of Policing in India Report 2018', that studies performance and perceptions concerning police in 22 states, was released here today. The report says that in Haryana, highest (71 per cent) number of respondents had positive impression of the police in the state. Delhi, along with Kerala and Rajasthan, was among the "worst" states with people not expressing satisfaction with police help, it says. The report brought out by the Common Cause and Lokniti (CSDS) was based on data sourced from the Nation Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and the Bureau of Police Research and Development, as well as a perception survey in the 22 states covered by it. "The general perception about the police should change. The police is not always to be blamed. There is no demarcation or defined role of the police," former chairman of Law Commission Justice (retd) AP Shah said on the occasion. The working of police also depends on its linkage with political executive, he said. As per the report, 85 per cent respondents did not report any contact with the police in last 4-5 years. The report based on five-year data (up to 2016) is categorised into six main themes- crime rate, disposal of cases, diversity of police force, infrastructure, prison data and disposal of cases of crimes against SC/ST, women and children. One of the findings of the report was that 44 per cent of the respondents reported "significant" fear of the "police torture" in some form or the other. Former Director General of BSF Prakash Singh stated that police reforms were needed in India for sustaining the economic progress achieved by the country. "Police reforms are also necessary to maintain the democratic set up by preventing criminalisation of politics and meet the internal security challenges," he said. The report pointed to "pro-active" role of states in improving policing and making citizens' voice count. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 9/11 attacks mastermind, who was allegedly tortured by the CIA after his arrest, has sought a US military judge's permission to share six paragraphs of information about President Donald Trump's nominee to head the spy agency ahead of her confirmation hearing. Gina Haspel, 61, is currently serving as the Acting Director of the CIA after Mike Pompeo became the secretary of state. If conformed by the Senate, Haspel would be the first female head of the top spy agency of the US. She is facing tough questions from US lawmakers on her stance on torture ahead of her confirmation hearing for the post of CIA Director. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the principal architect of the September 11 attacks, was captured in March 2003 and tortured by the CIA, a report in The New York Times said. He had asked a military judge at Guantanamo Bay for permission to share six paragraphs of information about Haspel with the Senate Intelligence Committee, the report said. Haspel is scheduled to appear before the panel for a confirmation hearing today. The NYT report said in the weeks after Mohammed's capture, an Intelligence Committee report said he was subjected to the suffocation technique called waterboarding 183 times over 15 sessions, stripped naked, doused with water, slapped, slammed into a wall, given rectal rehydrations without medical need, shackled into painful stress positions and sleep-deprived for about a week by being forced to stand with his hands chained above his head. Haspel ran a black-site prison in Thailand where another high-level detainee was tortured in late 2002. But it is not known whether she was involved, directly or indirectly, in Mohammed's torture. Mohammed's request to provide unspecified information to the committee was disclosed by one of his lawyers, Marine Lt Col Derek A Poteet, who is helping to defend him from death penalty charges before the military commissions system at the Guantnamo Bay naval station. This week, Mohammed submitted a request to the judge overseeing pretrial hearings in that case. While the file is not public on the commissions docket, Colonel Poteet said it consisted of an expedited motion for permission to provide the information to the committee about Haspel. The motion, Colonel Poteet said, included an attachment, titled, "Additional Facts, Law and Argument in Support", containing "six specific paragraphs of information" from Mohammed that his client thinks the Intelligence Committee should know. In excerpts from Haspel's prepared opening statement for her nomination hearing, released by the CIA, she said, "Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership C.I.A. will not restart such a detention and interrogation programme." The NYT report added that during the Bush administration, the Justice Department wrote secret memos approving CIA torture techniques as purportedly lawful despite anti-torture laws. The department later withdrew those memos, and Congress enacted a law limiting interrogators to techniques listed in the Army Field Manual. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Department slapped a fine of Rs one lakh on nine public schools today for allegedly running classes without affiliation, police said. Notices were issued to the management committees by officer of Razapur block to close down their schools, Besik Shiksha Adhikari Vinay Kumar said. The notices have been served upon the management committees. Theschools were being run even after receiving notices of closure. These schools were not following the norms of right to education, Kumar said. The schools which were served the notice were Jyoti Public School, Inder Garhi, D N Public School, Mayur Vihar Dasna, Basheer Memorial Public School, Bhoor Garhi, Tushar Public School, Nangla, Ghaziabad Minority Girls School, Dasna, Ikra Public School, Nidauri, Sunrise Public School Masuta, Bright Future Academy, Dasna and Tanvi Public School, Jalalabad. PTI CORR http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg We 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.) Supreme Court judge, Justice D Y Chandrachud, the son of late Chief Justice of India Y V Chandrachud, today recalled a personal experience during the hearing on the Aadhaar issue that his mother, who was suffering for Alzheimer's disease, had faced difficulty in authentication to get pension. Justice Chandrachud is part of the 5-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, which is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar scheme and its enabling law of 2016. During the hearing, the bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan, said Aadhaar authentication failures could create problems for those in need and some solution has to be found to address the issue. Recalling his experience, Justice Chandrachud said "my mother, who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease was entitled to family pension being the wife of a former Chief Justice of India (late Justice Y V Chandrachud). "She had to give a thumb impression for authentication. I recall, every month the bank manager or his representative would come home and affix her thumb print on certain documents and only then could she get the pension", Justice Chandrachud said. "So it (authentication) is a serious issue. It's not largesse. It is not charity...we have to find answers for these problems," he said, adding that there was a class of needy people who may not get the benefits due to authentication failures. The apex court judge was responding to the arguments of senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for former High Court judge Justice (Retd) K S Puttaswamy, who said a 90-year-old woman suffering from various ailments is being threatened that her bank account could be closed for non-authentication by Aadhaar. Divan said that through that bank account, she was getting her pension and she uses that money for her treatment as she has no one else to look after her. "There are numerous cases where the Aadhaar authentication failures of the elderly, people suffering from any disease or physical disability, leads to denial of benefits to those otherwise entitled to it," Diwan said. He said in many villages, young people have now migrated to cities or nearby towns and only the elderly residing there were dependent on their pension or other grants. But due to Aadhaar authentication failure, they were not getting the benefits. Divan sought to assail a World Bank report which had praised the Aadhaar project and which was relied upon by the government to bolster its case for the 12-digit unique identification number. He said the World Bank had partnered with a private entity for preparing the report titled 'Identification for Development'. Divan claimed that the same private entity was also the company with which UIDAI had partnered to facilitate Aadhaar. He said there were 144 notifications issued by various ministries and departments of the government which covered 252 schemes. The senior lawyer concluded his rejoinder arguments saying that essential government schemes that apply to children or relate to citizen's rehabilitation, food, health and nutrition, should be excluded from the requirement of Aadhaar authentication. The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow. On May 3, the Centre had strongly defended its decision to seed Aadhaar numbers with mobile phones, telling the top court that it could have been hauled up for contempt if the verification of mobile users was not undertaken by it. However, the court had said that the government had misinterpreted its order and used it as a "tool" to make Aadhaar mandatory for mobile users. The petitioners had referred to the technical experts' views on the technical aspect of the Aadhaar architecture and said that a real time surveillance of citizens was possible. For the first time in a democracy, something like CIDR has been implemented and the apex court has to balance the human rights and new technologies that is capable of being misused, they had said. Earlier, the court also did not agree with the government's contention that the Aadhaar law was correctly termed as a Money Bill by the Lok Sabha Speaker as it dealt with "targeted delivery of subsidies" for which funds come from the Consolidated Fund of India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 63-year-old actress has died after a live snake being used as a prop in a 'jatra' bit her during the show in North 24 Parganas district, police said today. The incident occurred at Barunhat village in Hasnabad police station area last night. After the snake bit Kalidasi Mondal, she was taken to hospital where she was declared brought dead, police said. A co-actress of Mondal, however, alleged that after the incident, an 'ojha' tried to cure her but failed. Mondal was taken to the local primary health centre but she had died by then, she said. People in many areas of India believe that an 'ojha' can cure a snake bite case by chanting 'mantra' and using herbs. The police said nobody lodged any complaint yet on this but they are investigating the incident. The snake was needed in the 'jatra' (rural theatre) as it was based on 'Manasamangal Kavya', a mediaval era literature that narrates the story of how snake goddess Manasa establishes her worship in Bengal. Basirhat police district SP, S Rajkumar, confirmed the incident and said the body has been sent for post-mortem examination. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-run carrier Air India is likely to start a direct flight from Mumbai to Frankfurt from June as it seeks to expand its operations to Europe, official sources said. According to the official sources, the airline would operate thrice a week from the metropolis and depart for Frankfurt in the morning hours. "We are finalising the slots, and once we are done with it we will make a formal announcement," they said. The airline currently operates a regular flight on the Delhi-Frankfurt route. "The new service from Mumbai has been in demand for long, and hopefully we can start it by mid June or towards the end of the month," sources added. Among European cities, the Air India flies directly to destinations such as Stockholm, Madrid, Vienna, Paris, London, Rome, Birmingham and Milan. The disinvestment-bound carrier had last month announced increasing the frequency between Delhi-Copenhagen to four days a week as part of its efforts to expand its network and capacity augmentation. With new aircraft being added to its fleet, sources said the airline is focussing on its network to increase market share. In March this year, it stood at 13.4 per cent. Seeking to improve its passenger-friendly image, Air India CMD Pradeep Singh Kharola has asked senior level officials including the general managers to conduct night visits at the airports and have a first hand experience from the passengers about the services provided. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eleven serving defence officers and eight others today sent a legal notice to actors Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, accusing the Bollywood couple of "playing with the sentiments" of the armed forces by putting up for auction a naval costume from the Hindi film "Rustom". The group, which also included the wife of a Navy man and seven retired officers, said it was offended that the actors had listed the costume as an "original naval uniform". "Uniforms resembling those of the armed forces pose a potential threat to national security as the said uniform, insignia and badges could pass for genuine service clothing and can find their way to anti-national elements who can use it to foment trouble," the notice said. A copy of the notice has also been sent to the auction house Salt Scout and the office of the defence minister. The group of 19 urged the minister to take action against the actors and to stop the auctioning of the outfit Kumar wore in the 2016 film, a fictional account loosely based on the real-life case of Naval Officer K. M. Nanavati, charged with and then acquitted of killing his wife. "...by putting in auction 'Akshay Kumar's Rustom Naval Officer Uniform' you have shown no respect for national interest but have also played with the sentiments of armed forces personnel and their widows including my clients, who are retired, as well as serving armed forces officials and their family members," the notice read. Kumar had put the outfit up for the auction on April 26 in support of an NGO working for the cause of animal rescue and welfare. "Hi, all I'm thrilled to announce that you can bid to win the actual naval officer uniform I wore in Rustom! Auction's proceeds will support the cause of animal rescue and welfare. Place your bid at http://www.SaltScout.com," he wrote. The bid, which will end on May 26, currently stands at Rs 2,35,000. The issue was first taken up by one of the officers, who called Khanna out on Facebook, warning her that he would "drag" her to court if she made even "a feeble attempt to auction this piece of costume in the garb of UNIFORM". "...You touch our honour and we will give you a bloody nose," he said on the site. Khanna responded by saying she would "not retaliate with violent threats but by taking legal action". Kumar had said recently said the outfit was being auctioned off for a good cause. "We are doing it for a good cause. The costume that I wore in the film is going (to be sold) for a good cause. So, I don't think we did anything bad. I can't help if someone feels bad about it," he had said. Smita Dikshit, who has sent the legal notice on the group's behalf to the actor couple, told PTI, "People of India who are ex-Army men and who are serving the country are enraged and in anger that these celebrities are not sensitive towards the emotions of the Armed Forces. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court today appointed two government doctors to conduct autopsy on a body of a person, who allegedly committed suicide while in custody, on a plea from the deceased's wife seeking presence of a doctor of her choice during the post-mortem. A division bench of Justices V Parthiban and P D Audikesavalu also directed authorities to videograph the post-mortem. The bench appointed Dr Parasakthi, Director, Institute of Forensic Medicine, MMC Chennai, and Dr Selvakumar, Prof, forensic medicine, KMC Chennai, to conduct autopsy on the body of the deceased Sitrarasu of Chunambedu, Kancheepuram district. The court directed the two doctors to conduct the post-mortem on May 10 to allay the apprehension expressed by the petitioner that proper autopsy would not be carried out by local doctors. The court however declined to accept the plea of the petitioner to have a doctor of her choice to be present during the process. The petitioner alleged that her husband was picked up by police on May 1 in connection with a petty quarrel. She alleged that as she could not meet the money demands of police for her husband's release, they continued to beat him throughout the night. She submitted that the next day, it was reported that her husband died by committing suicide by using his underwear "which is unbelievable." The petitioner said the judicial magistrate had declined her plea seeking presence of an independent doctor of her choice at the time of post-mortem. The Public Prosecutor Emilias submitted that the government was ready to send a committee of doctors consisting Dr Selvakumar, Dr Parasakthi and Dr Balasubramanian, professor of Forensic Medicine, Government Stanley Hospital, Chennai to monitor the autopsy. He also submitted that video recording of the autopsy would also be done. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor today met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss issues concerning the premier academic institution, engulfed in controversy over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on its premises, an official said. Singh assured Mansoor of all help from the Central government in restoring normalcy in the university, the official privy to the meeting said. Mansoor later told reporters that the meeting was fixed long ago and had nothing to do with the current controversy. "I have requested the home minister to send Central government officials for the recruitment of students in central services like the engineering service," he said. The vice chancellor said the portrait of the Pakistan founder had been hanging in the AMU students' union office since 1938 and it was a non-issue. BJP MP Satish Gautam had written a letter to Mansoor objecting to the portrait, triggering a row that led to two youths being arrested in connection with incidents of violence and exams being postponed to May 12. The vice chancellor had yesterday told students on a sit-in over the issue to get back to their studies. In an open letter, he urged them "not to fall into the trap of certain forces which are bent upon destroying the image of our alma mater and are playing with your bright future". The university has formed a 16-member coordination committee of senior faculty members to talk with the protesting students. Several AMU students are on an indefinite 'dharna' after a clash with the police on May 2 when they were demanding action against right-wing protesters who had entered the campus, shouting slogans. They are asking for a judicial probe into the "police inaction" and the manner in which the row erupted after the BJP MP objected to the portrait. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Locals of Chahuwali village in Rajasthan's Hanumangarh city were overjoyed as the Indian Army provided a borewell in the water deficit area after culmination of the 'Vijay Prahar' exercise today. Over 25,000 troops of the Jaipur based South Western command participated in the month-long exercise. As part of the battle drills, the Army engineers of the command drilled a borewell to supply water to the forward troops during the culmination stage of the exercise, Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said. "Instead of abandoning the borewell, it was decided to leave it for the owner of the land," he said. The land owner Nathuram was overjoyed with the gesture and stated that he is greatly indebted to the Army for fulfilling his long cherished dream of cultivating his barren land. The village head, Jagdish Saharan, also expressed gratitude to the Army for this support. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australia will set up a new Consulate-General in Kolkata, taking the total number of its diplomatic posts in India to four. The new mission would be part of the government's largest diplomatic expansion in over 40 years, said a joint statement issued by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Steven Ciobo. The Australian government will provide 10.8 million dollars to set up the Consulate-General in Kolkata, it said. Currently, Australia has its High Commission in New Delhi and Consulates-General in Mumbai and Chennai. The new Consulate-General in Kolkata would help Australian businesses access opportunities in India's growing mining sector, and protect and advance our interests in a changing Indo-Pacific, the statement said. Australia's High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu welcomed the government's announcement to fund the Consulate-General in Kolkata and extend the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF). "These announcements cement Australia's commitment to India as a first tier partnership," she said. "The Consulate-General in Kolkata will strengthen bilateral trade and investment, particularly in the mining and resources sectors. We look forward to strengthening our engagement with West Bengal and surrounding states." The Government has also committed to continuing the successful AISRF, under new measures providing 20 million dollars over the next four years to enhance Australian innovation in Asia under the existing Global Innovation Strategy of the National Innovation and Science Agenda. "India has, and continues to be, an important partner to Australia in innovation and science. The AISRF is Australia's largest fund dedicated to bilateral research and is at the cornerstone of our scientific partnership," she said. Since its introduction in 2006, collaboration between Australia and India increased three-fold. Some of the practical outcomes of this include improved trauma care, a portable diagnostic tool for tuberculosis, and advances in quantum computing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal's son Pankaj today met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence here, triggering speculations on whether the Sena has mellowed down its stand on the Shiv Sainik-turned NCP stalwart who was recently granted bail in a money laundering case. A Shiv Sena source privy to the meeting said Thackeray advised Pankaj to take care of his ailing father who is in hospital. Bhujbal had long been a persona non grata of the Sena leadership since he left the Bal Thackeray-fonded party in 1991. Notably, the Sena had yesterday said Bhujbal's arrest in a money laundering case and subsequent incarceration was "fate's revenge" against him for his bid, when he was the state Home minister, to put Sena founder Bal Thackeray behind bars. "It was just a 15-minute courtesy call by Pankaj Bhujbal. There was no political discussion during the meeting," a Shiv Sena legislator told PTI. The meeting comes five days after Bhujbal, the former deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in a money laundering case. Indicating softening of the party stand vis-a-vis Bhujbal, party spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, "Had (Chhagan) Bhujbal been in the Sena today, such fate would not have befallen on him. Bhujbal is a political adversary, but we do not have personal enmity. "Those who deserted late Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, each of them ended in misery. Karti Chidambaram, the son of P Chidambaram gets bail within eight days in a money laundering case. Then why it took one-and-half-years for Bhujbal to get the bail?" The meeting between Pankaj and Thackeray also assumes significance as it comes days before the May 21 elections to the Nashik Local Authorities constituency in the legislative council. The Bhujbals have a strong support base in Nashik district. However, a Sena legislator said the meeting was a 15-minute courtesy call by Pankaj Bhujbal. "There was no political discussion during the meeting," the legislator told PTI. The leader recalled that Bhujbal, despite quitting the Sena, had made a courtesy call on late party supremo Bal Thackeray in 2007. Asked if there was a possibility of Bhujbal shifting his political ideology after having been granted bail, the leader said it was highly unlikely. "(NCP chief) Sharad Pawar did a lot for Chhagan Bhujbal even after he was jailed. There is a slim chance of him betraying Pawar now," he said. Bhujbal, a firebrand Shivsainik, had left the Sena after Manohar Joshi was made the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative assembly. The divide grew wider as Bhujbal after becoming home minister in 1999 vowed to put Bal Thackeray behind bars over his speeches and editorials in the party mouthpiece. Another Sena leader, requesting anonymity, said Bhujbal had buried hatchets with the Sena chief by meeting him in 2007, more than 16 years after leaving the party. Bhujbal, 70, in jail since March 2016, was granted bail on May 4 by the Bombay High Court after it took into consideration his old age and deteriorating health. Bhujbal, currently undergoing treatment at civic-run KEM hospital here, is likely to address a rally in Pune on June 10 when the opposition NCP's 'hulla bol' (attack) yatra would culminate. Bhujbal, who handled the Public Works Department in the Congress-NCP government, was arrested in March 2016 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) found in an inquiry that he allegedly misused his office in awarding contracts for PWD projects, causing a loss to the exchequer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram today alleged that the BJP and RSS were trying to impose autocratic rule in the nation and their main aim was to destroy the federal system and build a Hindu nation. He said the BJP-led government at the Centre wanted to impose the ideology of 'one history, one language and one living style', which was a dangerous threat to Indian culture and to the nation's hallmark of unity in diversity. Speaking to reporters here, Chidambaram said the previous BJP rule in Karnataka was the worst in the state's history. "During their term, they changed Chief Ministers thrice. They have no achievements to boast of, so now they are attacking chief minister Siddaramaiah. My question is why are they not campaigning based on their achievements,? he said. "BJP is trying to enter South India through Karnataka and we should stop them. It is a danger signal for the diversity of South India," he added. Sharply criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chidambaram said he should maintain the dignity of his post. Every single statement regarding Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya that he made the other day in a campaign speech was wrong, he said "He should not do this. He should not speak whatever comes to his mind like a BJP spokesperson," Chidambaram said. The former Union Finance Minister said petrol and diesel should be brought under the Goods and Services Tax. He alleged that the Modi government was not doing this because it wanted to loot the people. Chidambaram said the Indian Oil Corporation chairman has said people were panicking over hike of fuel prices and so they had put a break on price hike for a short time. "I want to say, why he is not saying Modi ordered me to put on hold the daily price hike on petroleum products for the Karnataka election?" Chidambaram said people were already panicking because of price hikes. The fuel prices should be reduced and there was no benefit in putting the hike on hold for a few days,he said. The Congress leader said the entire nation was looking at Karnataka elections eagerly and asked the people to vote for a stable government led by the Congress to sustain developmental works initiated under the Siddaramaiah rule. He said that in the last five years, the GDP of Karnataka increased from Rs 6,43,292 crore to Rs 9,49,111 crore, recording an eight per cent growth. The per capita income had increased by 1.25 per cent in five years of Congress rule, and the revenue surplus was 0.8 per cent, "which is a record in entire India." He said Karnataka has the lowest unemployment rate of 2.6 per cent. Infant mortality rate had been reduced and electricity had reached villages. The development could be provided since the state had a stable government led by the Congress, he said. Development and welfare programmes went hand-in-hand under the Siddaramaiah-led government, he said. "Siddaramaiah is the first Karnataka Chief Minister to have completed a full five-year term after Devaraj Urs," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Tariq Anwar today charged the BJP with stoking controversy over the portrait of Mohammad Ali Jinnah at the Aligarh Muslim University in order to polarise voters in Karnataka ahead of the Assembly elections. Controversy over portrait of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah at the AMU students' union office, which has been reportedly hanging there for several decades, erupted last week after local BJP MP Satish Gautam shot off a letter to the vice chancellor objecting to the picture. The NCP national general secretary asserted that Indian Muslims had their affinity towards leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and not with the founder of Pakistan, but the BJP was raking up the issue as it has achieved little in the four years of its rule at the Centre. "The AMU is a central university of which the President happens to be the Visitor. Had the Centre been really serious about removing the portrait of Jinnah from the premises, it could have ordered the same without making a fuss. But the BJP had other plans," Anwar told reporters here. The BJP has been in power at the Centre for four years but it finds itself in no position to speak about its own achievements, he said. "Assembly polls are round the corner in Karnataka and the party (BJP) seems to have fallen back on its old tactics of communal polarisation," the former Union minister alleged. "An attempt is being made to portray Muslims of the country as supporters of Jinnah when the fact remains that those who backed the founder of Pakistan had migrated to that country upon Partition," the Lok Sabha member from Katihar, said. "Those Muslims, who stayed back, have never had anything to do with Jinnah. They have always looked up to leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, considered them as a source of inspiration," he said. "Nobody is going to object if the Centre wishes to remove the portrait of Jinnah from the AMU or any other organisation or institution across the country. An order from the HRD ministry would serve the purpose," Anwar added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fishing boat capsized in the Arabian Sea off the Palghar coast in the early hours today but all the 13 fishermen on board were rescued, the police said. The boat capsized around 2 am in the waters, nearly 34 nautical miles from Satpati town, Palghar district rural police spokesman Hemant Kumar said. Upon getting an SOS alert, the Coast Guard personnel and local fishermen rushed to the spot in boats, he said. They rescued all the 13 fishermen and brought them to the shore, Kumar added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Faced with frequent shelling by Pakistani troops, the people residing along the (LoC) in Mendhar sector of today demanded early construction of underground bunkers for their safety. The of Poonch district raised the demand at a public grievance redressal camp organised by the district administration at Mankote to address the developmental issues of the populace living near the LoC and beyond the fence line, a senior government official said. District development commissioner (DDC), Poonch, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, who attended the camp, assured the gathering that construction work for the bunkers for LoC pockets of Mankote would be taken up shortly. In January, the Centre had sanctioned the construction of 14,460 individual and community bunkers at a cost of Rs 415.73 crore for people living along the LoC and International Border in Jammu division. According to official figures, 7,298 bunkers would be constructed along the LoC in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, while 7,162 underground bunkers would be constructed along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts. A large number of people from dozens of villages, including Kasbalari, Salani, Mankote and Sagra, attended the camp and informed the DDC about the difficulties they faced due to frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan. They complained about the lack of basic infrastructure like drinking water, and road connectivity, and made various demands to rectify the situation in the area, the official said. "The participants also raised issues of inclusion of fence side families under Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, receiving station, bank branch and repairing road to Ram Kund Temple at Mankote," he said. Asad directed the district officers to remain in contact with the people, pay regular visits and organise camps in all the remote areas to resolve public issues and also disseminate awareness about the various government schemes designed for their welfare. "Small foot bridges would be constructed over rivulets and streams for safe passage of school going children," the spokesman said, adding that construction of playgrounds in each panchayat of the Mankote tehsil would be taken up on priority. Veteran actor Burt Reynolds is in early negotiations to star in Quentin Tarantino's ninth film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". If on board, the "Boogie Nights" star, 82, will play George Spahn, the blind rancher who owned the property that Charles Manson and his followers were living on when they hatched the plan for the most infamous murders in the 1960s. According to EW, three Tarantino regulars - Kurt Russell ("The Hateful Eight"), Tim Roth ("Reservoir Dogs"), and Michael Madsen ("Kill Bill") will be seen in small/cameo-style roles. The director reunites with Leornardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt after having worked in "Django Unchained" and "Inglourious Basterds" respectively. The movie is based on the murder of actor Sharon Tate and three others at the hands of the Manson family cult. DiCaprio plays Rick Dalton, an ageing, out-of-work actor in the film, with Pitt as his longtime stunt double named Cliff Booth. The two characters happen to be Tate's neighbours. Margot Robbie, meanwhile, is being eyed to play the slain actor. The film will release on August 19 next year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the murders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK CITY) -- What should men do about prostate cancer screening? For years, men were urged to get a blood test looking for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which can be elevated by prostate cancer. Then, in 2012, the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), a government-sponsored but independent network of national experts in disease prevention and evidence-based medicine, said that PSA testing produced more harm than good. They stopped recommending it at all. Now, that same group has finalized a tweak on those 2012 screening guidelines. Instead of bypassing PSA entirely, men ages 55 to 69 should have a conversation with their doctor about the risks and benefits before making their own decision on whether or not to get screened. The task force says the change was largely driven by a 2014 study in Europe (European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer), according to a new statement and evidence review published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The European trial showed that a screening saved one prostate cancer deaths for every 1,000 men screened between ages 55 and 69. In four out of the seven countries in the European trial, screening also stopped three cases of prostate cancer from spreading for every 1,000 men screened. Dr. Alex Krist, vice chairman of the USPSTF and a professor of family medicine and population health at Virginia Commonwealth University, says the extended follow up of 10 plus years in these studies, which was not available in 2012, contributed heavily to the decision to modify the recommendations. The extended follow up showed some mens lives would be saved if they chose to be screened between the ages of 55 to 69. Of note, the committee still finds screening for men over the age of 70 to be inappropriate -- the evidence still suggests more harm than benefit in this age group. The committee pointed to research on some populations which may be at higher risk for prostate cancer and death from it. The incidence is 74 percent greater in African American men compared to white men. Having a family history of prostate cancer is also a known risk factor for developing the disease. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. In 2018, an estimated 165,000 men will be diagnosed and 29,000 will die from prostate cancer. The controversy over prostate cancer screening is because of the blood test developed in the late 1980s, looking for PSA. PSA can be elevated when prostate cancer is present, but can also be elevated for a number of other reasons -- inflammation or infection -- generating a lot of false positives. The men screened in the European trial, which drove the guideline changes, had a false positive rate of 17.8 percent. The problem with false positives is that in order to confirm prostate cancer, a patient has to undergo a biopsy. Biopsies have side effects, such as pain, infection, and bleeding. Even when cancer is present, 20-50 percent of prostate cancers never grow, spread, or cause any harm to the patient, but doctors cannot tell which ones are harmful and which ones are harmless. Treatment also has side effects, and evidence shows that one in five men who undergo prostate surgery will have long-term urinary incontinence, and two out of three men will have long-term erectile dysfunction. The overall message from the USPSTF, according to Krist, is that they recognize this is a complex decision. There is no right answer," he said. We know a few men will benefit from screening. We know many men will have harm from screening. It depends on what these men value, and having a conversation with their doctor is an important process of whether screening is right for them. The USPSTF recognizes these recommendations are likely to be confusing for both patients and medical providers. Therefore, they have set up a user-friendly website for those interested in educating themselves about prostate cancer and the new recommendations. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Cannes Film Festival's opening film, Asghar Farhadi-directed "Everybody Knows", has been acquired by Focus Features. The studio will distribute the film in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, select Asian territories and the Middle East, apart from Iran. It had previously acquired rights in Spain last year and multiple bidders chased the film, including streaming giant Netflix. The Spanish-language psychological thriller, starring real-life couple Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, has been written and directed by Farhadi. It follows the story of Laura, who lives with her husband and children in Buenos Aires. When they return together to her native village in Spain for a family celebration, an unexpected event changes the course of their lives. It is the eighth feature film by the Iranian director, who is best known for Oscar winning film "A Separation" and "The Salesman". "Asghar is a world-class filmmaker whose work transcends language. Matching his talents with these emotionally charged performances from Penelope, Javier and Ricardo will leave audiences captivated," Focus chairman Peter Kujawski said in a statement. "Everybody Knows" (Todos Los Saben) is produced by Alexandre Mallet-Guy of Memento Films and lvaro Longoria of Morena Films. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission today sent a deputy election commissioner as a 'special observer' to Karnataka after recovery of nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards in Rajrajeshwari Nagar assembly seat of the state. Deputy EC Chandrabhushan Kumar was sent this afternoon to the state and will submit a report to the poll panel at the earliest, the Commission officials said, amid a raging war of words between Congress and BJP over the incident. Citing details provided by the state poll machinery, sources said prima facie, some of the the cards recovered seem original. "Now we have to ensure that genuine voters can cast their votes using voter slips distributed to electors. Also, the machinery has to ensure that no voter is intimidated," an official said. The recovery of the 'fake' voter cards has prompted the BJP to demand countermanding of the election claiming Congress was behind the racket, a charge dismissed by the latter as a "lie". Karnataka chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar told a press conference in Karnataka that till now, two persons have been arrested. More arrests are likely and the case is already under investigation. With just three days left before Karnataka goes to poll, the BJP and Congress, the two main contenders for power, went after each other claiming that the flat -- from where the cards were recovered -- belonged to a woman associated with the rival party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Makkal Needhi Maiam founder and actor Kamal Haasan today said the Cauvery dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka was not an "insurmountable problem," and that politics was impeding a solution. "It is not such an insurmountable problem. If politics will just stand aside, logic will come in place, logistics will come in place, then we can quickly solve the problem," the veteran actor said. He claimed that if the issue was "left to actual users," like farmers, a solution could emerge. "It is seems like people are driving it (the issue), they are not. It can be solved, but it has to be left to actual users," he said at a special session of industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's National Executive Committee Meeting. "Politics is meddling with it. Too many cooks are spoiling the river but what we can do best in such situation is conserve water," he said. "It is boring for the onlookers because we know why it is going wrong....it is pure politics and it should move away from that and come towards the people," he added. The actor-politician called for conserving water and cited the case of the highly polluted Cooum river in Chennai to drive home his point. Haasan, however, said that "we will have to fight for our rights and we will," on the Cauvery dispute. The Supreme Court had on February 16 asked the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its judgement on the decades-old Cauvery dispute. Tamil Nadu later filed a contempt petition against the Centre for not working out the scheme, even as the top court,while rapping the Union government for "sheer contempt," asked the Water Resources Ministry Secretary to appear before it on May 14 with the draft Cauvery management scheme. Later, political commentator and editor of Tamil magazine 'Thuglaq', S Gurumurthy, addressing the audience at the FICCI meeting, backed the NDA government's demonetisation but described the GST rollout as "a very harsh step." "Demonestisation was needed for handling an economy that was mishandled for ten years," he said. However, GST was a "very harsh step" as "this one step formalisation of economy is bound to result in various complications which we have seen," Gurumurthy, a Chartered Accountant by qualification, said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court today granted three weeks to CBI to procure sanction from concerned authorities to prosecute an accused in a graft case against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav relating to the allotment of IRCTC hotels. Special Judge Arvind Kumar directed the CBI to get the required nod till June 1 to prosecute Additional Member of Railway Board, B K Agarwal, who was then the group general manager of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The CBI, meanwhile, submitted various documents related to the case before the court. The agency had on April 16 filed a charge sheet against two companies and 12 people in the case. Besides Yadav and his family members, former union minister Prem Chand Gupta, his wife Sarla Gupta, Agarwal, then Managing Director of IRCTC P K Goyal and then IRCTC Director Rakesh Saxena, were also named in the charge sheet. Others named in the charge sheet, include then group general managers of IRCTC V K Asthana and R K Goyal, Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel. Delight marketing company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels Private Limited, have also been named as accused companies in the charge sheet. The CBI had registered a case in July last year and carried out searches at 12 locations in Patna, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar and Gurugram in connection with the case. The charges in the case include criminal conspiracy (120-B), cheating (420) under IPC and corruption, the CBI had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha today said the data on economic growth put out by the Central government cannot be trusted. He also questionned the government's claims about GDP growth and generation of employment. "We cannot trust the figures put out by the Central government. Indian economy itself is a challenge for our democracy..This is a huge crisis of confidence," Sinha said while addressing a group of intellectuals, Citizens for Democracy, on the topic 'Indian economy and challenges before democracy'. "Sometimes in early 2015 when the present government took over, they changed two things: formula for calculating GDP and base years. The base years are changed from time to time, but both (changing of the GDP and the base year) happened simultenously. "In 2013-14, which was the last year of the UPA, the growth rate was 4.7 per cent. After application of the new formula, the same growth rate in 2014-15 went up to 6.5 per cent," he said. "For the fiscal2014-15 and subsequently we do not have comparative figures of growth according to the new and old formulas. At least for five years, the government should have released both the figures so that people could have understood the difference between earlier and present figures," he said. On the government's claim of employment generation, Sinha said the Centre has been playing with the figures to show that jobs are created in large numbers. "Everyone was speaking about employment generation. So, the government decided to ask some sarakari economists to write long learned articles and in these articles they said that the real figure is the employees provident fund organization (EPFO) figures," Sinha claimed. He said there is a group of eminent economists which says the EPFO figures are not the real figures. "The employment generation figures collected by the Union government's Labour Bureau were disappointing. What the government doing now is that they have told the labour bureau that don't collect the figures on employment generation," Sinha claimed. Sinha, who has severed ties with the BJP, said, "the growth rate and employment are the two areas where we have not been told the truth and we don't know what is the real situation". Sinha, who had launched 'Rashtra Manch to run a movement against the policies of the Central government, termed as "serious" the "prevailing agrarian distress" in the country. "In all, 110 farmers organisations have come together to launch a 'Village bandh' and from June 1-10, the farmers are not going to send their produce to the cities. "So you are not going to get your supply of fruits, vegetables, milk, and grains. Farmers have also decided not to visit the cities. So it would be a complete divide between villages and cities," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre should consider a unilateral ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir starting from Ramzan in mid May till the completion of the Amarnath yatra in August, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said here today. She made the remarks after chairing a four-hour all-party meeting, which was convened to discuss the present situation in the Kashmir Valley especially after a tourist from Chennai died due to stone pelting on May 7. Mufti appealed to all shades of opinion in joining in the mission to get the state out of violence and bloodshed. Talking to reporters after the meeting, she said, "Everyone (all parties) agreed that we should appeal to the Centre to consider a ceasefire like the unilateral ceasefire in (former PM Atal Bihari) Vajpayee's time in Ramzan (later this month) till Amarnath yatra and Eid." She said a ceasefire would provide relief to the people and help create a better atmosphere in the state. "The Centre should think on these lines so that the common people get some relief because they are facing many difficulties due of encounters, crackdowns and search operations," she said. "Now, Ramzan is starting, then (Amarnath) yatra is taking place, so we should try to take such steps which restore the confidence of the people and a better atmosphere is created in which Eid is celebrated in a good way and yatra also takes place well," the chief minister said. Mufti said many participants suggested taking an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express concern over the situation and request him to implement what "he said on August 15 (last year) about embracing the people of the state, about how do we reach out to the people, especially the youth." "That is all that we have been able to build a consensus on so far," Mufti said. She said all the participants agreed that if the Agenda of Alliance' (AoA)-- the common minimum programme between the PDP and the BJP is implemented, the situation in the state can get better. Newly-appointed Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta also stressed on close cooperation between the government and the opposition in tackling issues confronting the state. Earlier, the main opposition party, the National Conference (NC), said just having meetings would serve no purpose and the need was to take steps which diffuse the situation. "We told her (Mufti) that it was good that we did not participate in the all-party meeting of 2016 because it achieved no result till now. Such meets took place before also but there was no result as well," NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, who led the opposition party's delegation, said. "If the chief minister wants to practically do something for diffusing the situation, diffusing the alienation among the people, then some steps have to be taken," he said. The NC leader also demanded a special session of the state's legislature to discuss the prevailing situation in the Valley. "They are having a special session of the Assembly tomorrow (for electing the Speaker). We demanded a three-day Assembly session so that representatives of people discuss the situation," he said. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president G A Mir said the PDP-BJP government had no remedy for stopping this bloodshed. We discussed the situation. Overall, we felt that the BJP and PDP have not yet had discussions between the state and the Centre over the implementation of the AoA. We felt that they have never had discussions on it, so how should we expect that they will make the situation better. Independent legislator from north Kashmir's Langate Assembly constituency, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, said security forces should stop all operations against the militants. I also told them ...we will not contest elections," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after snowfall in the higher reaches of Uttarakhand disrupted the Chardham Yatra and claimed the life of a porter, the pilgrimage resumed today as the weather cleared up and traffic restored along the main routes. The Chardham Yatra comprises the Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The inclement weather yesterday has claimed at least one life with a porter from Nepal buried in an avalanche while returning to Gangotri from Kedartal along with a team of 31 tourists, Gangotri National Park Deputy Director Shravan Kumar said. SDRF and police personnel deployed at landslide-prone Lambagad on way to Badrinath, where the road was blocked for eight hours yesterday due to rubble, oversaw smooth passage of pilgrims to the Himalayan shrine, Chamoli District Magistrate Ashish Joshi said. The weather was also clear at Kedarnath with pilgrims arriving in large numbers since morning to pay obeisance at the shrine, Rudraprayag SP Prahlad Meena said. Former chief minister Harish Rawat, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Tamta and Kedarnath MLA Manoj Rawat who were stranded in Kedarnath due to bad weather yesterday, also returned to Guptkashi today. The road blocked at Ojri-Dabarkot on way to Yamunotri was also cleared at 8.30 am. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said the pilgrimage to both Gangotri and Yamunotri is going on smoothly at the moment and enough personnel with heavy road-clearing equipment have been deployed at sensitive spots to remove rubble in case of landslides. Though praising the administration for being alert in Kedarnath, Harish Rawat made a couple of suggestions to the state government to improve the arrangements at the Himalayan shrine. "I advised the chief secretary to make bonfires at places and streamline power supply at Kedarnath which was disrupted since Monday," he said, adding every pilgrim should be provided a blanket and a raincoat from Kedarpuri to Bhimbali. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal's son Pankaj Bhujbal today met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence here. The meeting comes five days after Chhagan Bhujbal, the former deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in a money laundering case. Pankaj Bhujbal today met Thackeray at the latter's residence 'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra. "It was just a 15-minute courtesy call by Pankaj Bhujbal. There was no political discussion during the meeting," a Shiv Sena legislator told PTI. The leader recalled that Chhagan Bhujbal, despite quitting the Sena in 1991, had made a courtesy call on late party supremo Bal Thackeray in 2007. Asked if there was a possibility of Chhagan Bhujbal shifting his political ideology after having been granted bail, the leader said it was highly unlikely. "(NCP chief) Sharad Pawar did a lot for Chhagan Bhujbal even after he was jailed. There is a slim chance of him betraying Pawar now," he said. Bhujbal, 70, in jail since March 2016, was granted bail on May 4 by the Bombay High Court after it took into consideration his old age and deteriorating health. Notably, the Sena had yesterday said Bhujbal's arrest in a money laundering case and subsequent incarceration was "fate's revenge" against him for his bid, when he was the state Home minister, to put Sena founder Bal Thackeray behind bars. Bhujbal, currently undergoing treatment at civic-run KEM hospital here, is likely to address a rally in Pune on June 10 when the opposition NCP's 'hulla bol' (attack) yatra would culminate. The NCP's yatra across the state is aimed at exposing the BJP-led NDA government's 'failures' on various fronts. Bhujbal, who handled the Public Works Department in the Congress-NCP government, was arrested in March 2016 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) found in an inquiry that he allegedly misused his office in awarding contracts for PWD projects, causing a loss to the exchequer. According to the ED, Bhujbal awarded contracts, including the one for the construction of a new Maharashtra Sadan -- the state guest house -- in Delhi to a private firm, allegedly in return for kickbacks for himself and his family. The former state deputy chief minister and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal channelled the ill-gotten money into shell companies, the agency alleged. Bhujbal started his political career with the Shiv Sena and was in the party for over two decades. He left the Sena in 1991 and joined the Congress. Later, after Sharad Pawar decided to split from the Congress and form the NCP, the former PWD minister went along with him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's indigenously developed J-20 stealth fighter jets have begun their first-ever over the ocean combat training, a senior official of the People's Liberation Army Air Force said today. The J-20 jets are China's fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter aircraft, which were commissioned into combat service earlier this year. "It will help the air force better fulfil its sacred duty of safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity," spokesman for the PLAAF, Shen Jinke said. Since its commissioning, the J-20 had taken part in air warfare training with J-16, J-10c and other fighter jets, boosting the combat strength of the air force, Shen said. In recent years, the air force has been developing a series of new hi-tech military hardware under a strategy to emphasise both aerial and celestial warfare, attack and defence. Military observers say the introduction of J-20 jets is very significant for India as China is the first country to have a stealth jet in the region. Only the US has a range of stealth fighters in its air force fleet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Corps Commander of Chinar Corps Lt Gen A K Bhatt called on Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra here today and briefed him about the overall security situation in the Valley. The governor and the Army commander also reviewed the security arrangements for the Shri Amarnathji Yatra which commences on June 28, 2018, an official spokesman said. Lt Gen Bhatt met Vohra at the Raj Bhavan here today and briefed him about the overall security scenario, along the frontiers and the hinterland, the spokesman said. The governor observed that he would be holding the yatra security review meeting on May 23 in which the senior most echelons of the civil, police, Central Armed Police, Army and state and central intelligence agencies are represented, the spokesman said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ChineseautomakerBYD Company Limited has evinced interest in setting up a manufacturing unit here. According to a press release issued by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's office, BYD representatives called on the chief minister at Pragathi Bhavan today. "They (BYD) told the CM that they intend to establish their factory and production unit in Hyderabad to manufacture 100 per cent electric vehicles which run on battery. The CM expressed his happiness over this and said that the Government would extend all the help required," the release said. Rao said there is a need to encourage use of '100 per cent electric vehicles' to make Hyderabad a pollution free city. He said phase-wise use of electric vehicles would be introduced in The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation. In addition to this private institutions would also be encouraged to use them, the release said. The chief minister also told the BYD representatives that the usage of such electric vehicles would be taken up in Telangana. In the first phase, the government would place order for purchase of 500 such vehicles, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the CIA, will pledge today to prevent the restart of the 2002-2005 interrogation programme that saw detainees tortured. The three-decade veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency's covert operations is facing opposition over her role at a secret CIA prison in Thailand in 2002 where Al-Qaeda detainees were waterboarded. "I understand that what many people around the country want to know about are my views on CIA's former detention and interrogation program," she will say, according to prepared testimony for her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. "Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation programme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's nominee as the CIA Director and facing criticism for being involved in detention and interrogation techniques, will promise not to restart any such controversial programme, according to the excerpts of her prepared remarks which she will tell before a Senate panel. The 62-year-old veteran Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) official will today appear before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for her confirmation hearing. She has been facing criticism from lawmakers and human rights activists for being involved in the 2002-2005 enhanced interrogation programme post 9/11 at a secret CIA prison in Thailand where detainees were tortured by waterboarding. "I understand that many people around the country want to know about what are my views on CIA's former detention and interrogation programme. I have views on this issue, and I want to be clear," according to the excerpts. "Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation programme," she will say, according to the prepared testimony. Trump, on the eve of her confirmation hearing, also praised her for being tough on terror. "Gina Haspel, my highly respected nominee to lead the CIA, is being praised for the fact that she has been, and always will be, TOUGH ON TERROR! "This is a woman who has been a leader wherever she has gone. The CIA wants her to lead them into America's bright and glorious future!" he said. If confirmed, she would be the first female director of the US' spy agency. "By any standard, my life at the Agency and it has been my life has exceeded all of my expectations, from that January day when I took my oath to today. "There were few senior women leading at CIA in those days, and we are stronger now because that picture is changing," she would say. "I did my part quietly and through hard work to break down those barriers. And I was proud to be the first woman to serve as the number-two in the Clandestine Service. "It is not my way to trumpet the fact that I am a woman up for the top job, but I would be remiss in not remarking on it not least because of the outpouring of support from young women at CIA who consider it a good sign for their own prospects," Haspel would say. During her confirmation hearing, Haspel will also tell lawmakers that her strategy starts with strengthening CIA's our core business: collecting intelligence to help policymakers protect the country and advance American interests around the globe. "It includes raising our investment against the most difficult intelligence gaps, putting more officers in the foreign field where our adversaries are, and emphasising foreign language excellence. "And, finally, it involves investing in our partnerships both within the US Government and around the globe," she said in the excerpts of her prepared remarks. Haspel joined the CIA in 1985 as an operations officer in the Clandestine Service. "From my first days in training, I had a knack for the nuts and bolts of my profession. I excelled in finding and acquiring secret information that I obtained in brush passes, dead drops, or in meetings in dusty back allies of third world capitals," she said. "I recall my first foreign agent meeting was on a dark, moonless night with an agent I'd never met before. When I picked him up, he passed me the intelligence, and I passed him extra money for the men he led. It was the beginning of an adventure I had only dreamed of," Haspel would tell the lawmakers during her conformation hearing. Meanwhile, 72 former CIA officers endorsed Haspel for CIA Director. Haspel, who is currently the Acting Director of the CIA, has been endorsed by a host of former national security senior officials drawn from the ranks of the Intelligence Community, the Department of Defense, and the State Department. "While Gina has spent most of her career on the operations side of the intelligence business, the officials who strongly support her nomination come from all disciplines, to include analysis, administration, and technology. "Hers is a corporate, whole-of-Agency, whole-of-government approach designed to work productively within the national security community to keep our nation safe," the officials said in a joint statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pharma major Cipla today said it has entered into an exclusive marketing and distribution agreement with US-based MannKind Corporation for inhaled insulin Afrezza in India. Afrezza is the only USFDA-approved inhaled insulin available for patients suffering from diabetes. Under the agreement, Cipla will be responsible for obtaining regulatory approvals to distribute Afrezza in India, including approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). Cipla will also be responsible for all marketing and sales activities of Afrezza in India, a company release said. Available by prescription, Afrezza inhalation powder is a rapid-acting inhaled insulin indicated to improve glycemic control in adult patients with Diabetes Mellitus. "We are committed to providing access to innovative medicines and newer drug delivery systems to the patients. Afrezza, an inhaled insulin, is a cutting-edge product which will increase patient convenience," said Umang Vohra, managing director and global chief executive officer, Cipla. Afrezza consists of a dry powder formulation of human insulin delivered from a small and portable inhaler. Administered at the beginning of a meal, it dissolves rapidly upon inhalation to the lung and passes quickly into the bloodstream (in less than one minute). This rapid absorption allows Afrezza to begin reducing blood sugar levels within about 12 minutes of administration, the release said. "With this partnership, Cipla will leverage its strength in inhalation and extend it to diabetes therapy," said Michael Castagna, chief executive officer, MannKind Corporation. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that 425 million people are currently living with diabetes worldwide, including 73 million in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A methane gas explosion today ripped through a coal mine in central China's Hunan province, killing at least five workers, officials said. The explosion took place in at the coal pit of the Hunan Baodian Qunli Mining Co., Ltd. in Shaodong County, the county's publicity department said. Officials of the provincial work safety authority and the county government have arrived at the site to coordinate the rescue efforts, state-run Xinhua agency reported. Five workers were killed in the explosion. The cause of the accident is under investigation, the report said The explosion is the first major coal mine accident this year and might lead to more tighter scrutiny on coal mine safety practices. Though the number of deaths have reduced at coal mines in recent years, mining accidents are common in China, which is the world's largest coal producer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leaders today accused the AAP government of favouring a private company, which they alleged has a tie up with a public sector undertaking that has been given the contract to install the CCTV cameras in Delhi. The former Congress ministers in a previous Delhi government also demanded the AAP dispensation reveal the name of the private company within 24 hours. Former minister Arvinder Singh Lovely challenged the AAP government to initiate a CBI inquiry in the CCTV camera "scam". The Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has won the bid for the installation of 1.4 lakh cameras across the capital. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken at a press conference on Monday had alleged a "major scam" in the award of the contract for the installation of CCTV cameras in Delhi and claimed the project was marred by corruption. Maken had claimed that the tender for Rs 571.40 crore worth CCTV camera project was cleared by the PWD without taking cabinet approval. Maken also alleged that the government had increased the project's cost from Rs 130 crore to Rs 571.40 crore and relaxed bidding conditions which indicates a big scam. Ex-minister Haroon Yusuf alleged there was great anomaly in the CCTV camera tender. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 10,000 "fake" voter I-cards were recovered from a flat in a constituency in Karnataka, setting off a war of words between the Congress and BJP, which demanded countermanding of the poll for the seat, claiming the Congress was behind the racket, a charge the latter dismissed as a "lie". The row erupted just three days before the keenly fought elections, with the two major contenders for power claiming the flat belonged to a woman associated with the rival party. The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka Sanjiv Kumar, however, told the media the I-cards recovered from a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency looked genuine but a Deputy Election Commissioner rank official was rushing from the national capital to Bengaluru for a probe. "It was earlier suggested that somebody was trying to break into our (computer) system to prepare fake ID cards.... that is not so," he said, adding it was for the Election Commission to take a decision on countermanding the election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was campaigning in Karnataka, attacked the Congress for adopting such tactics to win the elections. "Thousands of voter ID cards were seized, 1 lakh voters slips were seized in just one place. They must have planned such games in 40-50 constituencies. You (voters) be alert. Such sin cannot be allowed during the celebration of democracy (polls)," he told elections rallies. Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Union minister Prakash Javadekar claimed Congress candidate and the sitting RR Nagar MLA Munirathna Naidu was behind the alleged racket, which was exposed by BJP worker Rakesh. Congress spokesman Rajdeep Singh Surjawala hit right back, alleging that flat owner Manjula Nanjamari and Rakesh, who was dubbed by Javadekar as the "whistleblower" in the matter, had BJP connections and both had contested the Bengaluru Municipal Corporation elections on saffron party tickets. "This is the philosophy of the Congress....if voters do not vote for you, create fake voters," he said, claiming a "fake voter ID printing factory" was being run in Manjula's flat. Manjula, he said, was once associated with the BJP but was now with the Congress, and demanded her immediate arrest. He alleged she had campaigned for Munirathna Naidu in the last Assembly polls. The Congress launched a counteroffensive, claiming BJP was making such allegations because it was aware of its imminent defeat. "They are making such allegations because of their imminent defeat, and after their workers and leaders were caught red-handed influencing voters in collating and collecting fake ID cards in order to influence the results of the elections," Surjewala told reporters in Bengaluru. "Javadekar runs a factory of lies. Rakesh was a tenant of flat No. 115 and it is mentioned in the list of BJP candidates who contested the corporation elections. Manjula is a former BJP corporator from Jalahalli," he said, citing newspaper reports. While some TV channels claimed Rakesh was Manjula's son, and others said she was his adoptive mother, the women at the centre of the controversy insisted they were relatives but maintained "no contact". She told TV channels in Kannada, which was translated into English, that since she owned the land on which the apartment building stood, she had entered into a joint venture with a builder. Manjula said she had rented or leased out the flats. The flat under question was given on rent to a woman named Rekha Ranjan and not Rakesh for office-cum-residence. When asked whether Rakesh was her son or adopted son, she said he was a nephew and that they had "no contact due to strain in family ties". Both the Congress and the BJP rushed to the Election Commission, making allegations against each other and demanding action. A Congress delegation led by senior party leader Anand Sharma met the EC officials in New Delhi and alleged that the BJP was indulging in electoral malpractices. While talking to reporters later, he accused the BJP of trying to "subvert the process of free and fair elections", and called the entire episode of seizure of voter I-cards "stage-managed". He claimed Manjula was associated with the BJP and her "son" Rakesh had contested the municipal corporation election on a BJP ticket. "The Election Commission must take action, and a police case be registered," he told reporters in New Delhi, adding the BJP was up to such tactics as defeat was staring it in the face. A BJP delegation comprising several Union ministers met the poll panel hours later and petitioned it to countermand the poll. "Top leaders of the BJP have requested the Election Commission to countermand the election to restore voter confidence. We also asked it to take note of the investigation done by TV channels. "They (Congress) were doing economic profiling of voters to financially induce them to vote for the party...It may have happened in other seats too. A detailed inquiry should be made," Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani told reporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress today accused BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar of pursuing his business interests while being a parliamentarian saying it amounted to "conflict of interest". "It is clean that you do? Is it a healthy political practice to allow politicians to use their office to push their business interests," Congress leader Pawan Khera said at a press conference. Chandrasekhar was, however, not available for comments despite repeated attempts to reach him. Khera claimed Chandrasekhar is the founder of an investment firm managing a portfolio with investments in defence-related companies. He alleged the company has a subsidiary providing technology solutions to aerospace, defence and heavy engineering sectors and others. "He has been a member of the Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence. This not only gives him legitimised access to sensitive information but also gives him a decisive voice on matters of India's Defence planning, strategy and expenditure," he claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress has decided to take part in the all-party meeting convened by the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir today over the security situation in the Valley. The last all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in June 2017 was boycotted by the Congress. The meeting comes against the backdrop of the death of a 22-year-old tourist whose vehicle was targeted by stone-pelters. "We have decided to take part in the all-party meeting to be held by the chief minister today," state Congress president G A Mir told PTI. He said that at the meeting his party will participate in the meeting and raise the government's "total failure on all fronts" to tackle the worsening security and, law-and-order situation in Kashmir. According to a government spokesperson, the meeting is scheduled to be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) at 2pm today. R Thirumani, a resident of Chennai, and his family were returning from Gulmarg on Monday, when their vehicle was caught in stone pelting near Magam area of Budgam. A stone hit the young man on his right temple and he was rushed to the Soura Institute of Medical Sciences where he died. Upset over the incident, Mufti had termed it as "murder of humanity", something she said was unheard of in Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP president Amit Shah today slammed the Congress over the recovery of thousands of allegedly fake voter identity cards in Karnataka, claiming that the ruling party in the state was creating fictitious voters to rig the Assembly polls as it had read the writing on the wall that its rule was ending. In a number of tweets, Shah hit out at the Congress, saying that it should be ashamed of itself as everything about the party was "fake - their tears for the poor, their claims of development, their commitment to social justice." He alleged that the Congress has resorted to "unethical and anti-democratic" ways to succeed in the Karnataka Assembly polls. "Now the Congress is using fake voter IDs to create fictitious voters and rig the 2018 Karnataka polls," Shah said and asked the Election Commission to ensure free and fair polling in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency, where these cards were seized by police, and other parts of the state. The hopes and aspirations of the people of Karnataka cannot be held hostage to the machinations of the Congress, he said. "The Congress has read the writing on the wall. They know their reign of corruption and oppression is ending in Karnataka. That is why they are turning to unethical and anti-democratic ways to succeed. However, their attempts will be thwarted and the power of the people will win," Shah said. The BJP chief, who has been camping in Karnataka to spearhead his party's campaign as the state goes to the polls on May 12, appealed to all democracy-loving Indians to rise to the occasion and speak up against this "fraudulent and anti-democratic means adopted by the Congress just for the sake of power". "Our vigilance will ensure our future generations breathe the air of freedom and democracy," Shah tweeted. The BJP had earlier demanded countermanding of polls in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar Assembly seat. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, dubbed the incident as "stage managed" and said, "The Election Commission must take action, and a police case be registered." He alleged that the BJP was up to such tactics as defeat was staring at their face. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tracking a firm trend in base metals overseas, copper prices went up by 0.23 per cent to Rs 461.10 per kg in futures trade today as speculators built up fresh positions. Uptick in demand from consuming industries at the domestic spot market too supported the uptrend. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, copper for delivery in far-month August rose by Rs 1.05, or 0.23 per cent to Rs 461.10 per kg in business turnover of 38 lots. On similar lines, the metal for delivery in June contract was up by 80 paise, or 0.18 per cent to Rs 457.10 per kg in 2005 lots. Analysts said fresh positions created by traders after a firm trend in copper and other base metals at the London Metal Exchange led to rise in copper prices at futures trade. However, gains were limited with investors cautious after the US pulled out of the international nuclear deal with Iran. Globally, copper for delivery in three-month rose 0.9 per cent to USD 6,804.00 per metric tonne at LME. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mizoram Police has seized gold bars worth over Rs 3 crore from Champhai district and arrested one person in this connection, an official said today. P C Lalduhthlanga, the public relations officer of the Mizoram Police, said gold bars weighing 9.96 kg, worth over Rs 3.18 crore, were seized from Hruaikawn hamlet of the district, near India-Myanmar border, on Monday evening. Zohmahruaia (51), a resident of Champhai district, was arrested for alleged possession of the gold bars, reportedly smuggled from Myanmar, the PRO added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Launching another scathing attack on the Modi government, former finance minister Yashwant Sinha today said "tax terrorism" has become the "order of the day" under the current government and that the country was under an "undeclared emergency". He said the emergency imposed by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi of the Congress in 1975 was political in nature, contrary to the "current emergency" which is an undeclared one. "...When we were in the opposition, we used to accuse the then UPA (government) of being involved in a tax terrorism. We had promised that if voted to power we will finish it," Sinha said while addressing a group of intellectuals, Citizens for Democracy, on the topic 'Indian economy and challenges before democracy'. Sinha had last month announced that he was severing all ties with the BJP and preparing to launch a nationwide campaign to save democracy. He said "tax terrorism" has become the "order of the day" in the current government. "After demonetisation (in 2016), there are 20 lakh cases filed seeking explanation about the money deposited with banks during that period," Sinha said. He said the GST (Goods and Services Tax) regime, introduced by the current government, has landed lakhs of traders into trouble. "Since the introduction of GST on July 1, 2017, there are 357 amendments made. This is a joke with the tax system in the country and everyone is troubled. The traders who are from the villages where there is no electricity are being told to file their tax online. How can he do that?" he asked. Sinha said the country is currently going through an "emergency-like situation", which is different from the emergency clamped in 1975 by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi. "Indira Gandhi's Emergency was different from today's emergency. One fine day, she announced emergency across the country and the people who were in opposition were jailed and media was censored. The step taken by her was a political one," he said. "The emergency which we witness currently is an undeclared one. It is a slow poison which is being injected into the body politic of this country," Sinha added. Sinha, who held finance and external affairs portfolios in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, walked out of the BJP on a bitter note. He has been publicly opposing the Modi government's economic policies and style of functioning. In a newspaper article, Sinha had criticised Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over what he called the "mess the finance minister has made of the economy" after which Jaitley hit back calling him "a job applicant at 80 years" who has forgotten his record as a finance minister. He had also said that demonetisation had proved to be an "unmitigated economic disaster" and that the GST was "badly conceived and poorly implemented." He had also deprecated the Centre's handling of Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Under attack for issuing an alert for a thunderstorm that triggered widespread panic among people, especially in Delhi, the Met department today said the wind speed observed was well within the range of what it had forecast. In a statement, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said thunderstorm was observed at a few places over Himachal Pradesh, at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, west Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Rajasthan. Hailstorm was also observed at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, it added. On Monday, the IMD had issued an amber coloured alert for Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and west Uttar Pradesh with a forecast for Tuesday. There are four types colour codes signifying the level of caution: green (which means no actions), yellow (situation to be watched) amber (government agencies be prepared for severe weather), red (action needed by the agencies). Several parts of these states could witness thunderstorm, squall with winds gusting up to 50-70 kilometers per hour, it had said. With memories of May 2 dust storm -- which killed more than 120 people in north India -- fresh in their minds, the forecast triggered panic among the people. The Delhi government announced closure of schools anticipating thunderstorm and dust storm. In its circular issued on Monday evening to shut evening schools, the directorate of education said that winds with a speed of 50-60 kmph may blow between 3 PM and 7 PM in Delhi which is expected to peak around 5.30 PM. A Delhi government official said the decisions were taken as precautionary measures based on the Met department's warning about bad weather. Howewer, there was hardly anysevere weather condition. There was a dust storm but that lasted barely for a few minutes. "The forecast wind speed was 50 kmph. Hence the observed wind was well within the forecast range," the statement said. The IMD Delhi's Safdarjung observatory recorded 32 kmph wind speed while its Palam observatory recorded wind speed of 50 kmph. There was also scant rainfall in some parts of Delhi, an official at the Safdurjung laboratory said. "We had predicted a moderate intensity thunderstorm and wind speed of 50-70 kilometers per hours," said Mritunjay Mohapatra, Additional Director General of the IMD. Jatin Singh, the CEO of Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, said there have been two issues related to the IMD on thunderstorms. "The IMD is not able to distinguish between severitiesof the May 2 incident and a moderate thunderstorm," Singh said. On April 30, the IMD had issued a severe weather warning alert but that did not include UP and Rajasthan.. Also, the Jaipur doppler radar that could have helped in better forecast of thunderstorm was not functioning. Singh added the IMD lacks in communication strategy to convey the warnings. "When it was expected to sound a major alert it did not while when there was not need to press a panic button it did," he said. This is not the first time that the IMD has come under attack. Uttar Pradesh's Agra was the hardest hit region in the May 2 storm. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had squarely blamed the IMD for not giving specific alerts to the state government that killed over 80 people in his state. The Met department also came under heavy criticism when Cyclone Ockhi hit the Kerala coast. The state government alleged that it did not get timely alerts from the IMD. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Customs department have recovered 17 high end smartphones, 10 gold bars and foreign currencies in three different cases at the airport here recently. In the first incident, acting on a tip off, the officials intercepted 48-year-old Ismail Gani who arrived here from Sydney yesterday, an official release said. Initial investigation revealed that he had 17 units of iPhone X models each valued at Rs 99,000, an official release said. In a separate incident occurred on May 7, the customs officials intercepted Sugumaran, who was bound for Sri Lanka, and recovered USD 15,900 equivalent to Rs 10.40 lakh that was found wrapped in a newspaper, concealed in his hand baggage. In the third incident, officials recovered 10 gold bars, totally weighing 604 grams valued at Rs 19 lakh from 50-year-old Kabeer upon his arrival from Kochi on an international flight. The goods were seized under the Customs Act, 1962 and further investigations were underway, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Daredevils squad, including Gautam Gambhir, Mohammad Shami and Prithvi Shaw, today pledged to donate their organs in an effort to raise awareness around the cause. "I want to request everyone to become an organ donor. I myself am an organ donor. The ability to help someone live a better life there is no better feeling than this," said Gambhir who has already pledged to donate his organs. "Organ donation reflects humanity's capability to give another life after we have lived our own. It is an initiative which is very close to my heart and I urge everyone to become an organ donor. I am happy to be a part of Fortis More to Give' initiative," Gambhir added. The Daredevil team pledged their organs at a special event organised by Fortis Healthcare to celebrate the 'Spirit of Giving' and to raise awareness around the cause of organ donation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Death or injury while boarding or de-boarding a train is an "untoward incident" which entitles a passenger to compensation and will not be considered his negligence, the Supreme Court held today. It also said that mere presence of a body on the railway premises would not be conclusive to hold that the injured or deceased was a "bona fide passenger" for seeking compensation. The apex court, however, clarified that the absence of ticket will not negate the compensation and the onus will be on claimant to prove his case by providing requisite documents. "We hold that death or injury in the course of boarding or de-boarding a train will be an 'untoward incident' entitling a victim to the compensation and will not fall under the proviso to Section 124A (suicide, self-inflicted injury) merely on the plea of negligence of the victim as a contributing factor," a bench comprising justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and Rohinton F Nariman said. "The initial burden will be on the claimant which can be discharged by filing an affidavit of the relevant facts and the burden will then shift on the railways and the issue can be decided on the facts shown or the attending circumstances. This will have to be dealt with from case to case on the basis of facts found," it said. The judgement came on an appeal filed by the Centre which had approached the apex court against Patna High Court order awarding a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the wife of a person who fell down from a train due to rush of passengers and died on the spot on August 20, 2002. The high court had set aside the railway tribunal's order by taking into consideration the statement of an eye witness who had filed an affidavit stating that the deceased had purchased the ticket and had boarded the train. The tribunal had dismissed the claim on the ground that it was not a case of "untoward incident" but a case of "run over" and that the deceased was not a bona fide passenger. The woman had claimed that the deceased had purchased a ticket of second class for for a journey from Karauta to Khusrupur and he fell down from the train due to rush of passengers and died on the spot. She had also contended that the ticket was not recovered from the possession of the deceased as it might have been lost somewhere. One of the passengers, who witnessed the deceased purchasing the ticket and boarding the train, had filed an affidavit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The decision of US President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal would isolate America, former vice president Joe Biden has said. "Today's announcement that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal is a profound mistake. It will isolate the United States from nearly every major world power. It will weaken our credibility and global leadership. It will allow Iran to garner international sympathy while doing nothing to reduce its harmful activities across the Middle East," Biden said in a statement yesterday. Upset at the decision, he said it would likely put Iran back on the path to a nuclear weapon with no clear diplomatic way out. "This wholly unnecessary crisis could ultimately put the safety of our country and our fellow citizens, including thousands of men and women in uniform serving across the Middle East, at risk by setting us back on a path to war with Iran," Biden said. Biden said the US should continue to work with its allies and partners to counter Iran's ability to subvert Israel and other partners in the region. The deal provided a long-term check on Iran's pathways to a nuclear bomb, buying the US critical time and space to address the regime's other destabilising activities, he added. Asserting that the agreement has been working to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, Biden stated that even the International Atomic Energy Agency said so. "Our allies in Europe say so. Even the Trump administration has consistently certified Iran's compliance, a fact confirmed by Secretary of State Pompeo's testimony just last month," he said. Observing that talk of a "better deal" was an illusion, Biden said it took years of sanctions pressure, painstaking diplomacy and the full support of the international community to achieve that goal. "We have none of that in place today," the former vice president said. Biden said Trump's decision will do the opposite of what he said he intended. It would free up Iran's path to a nuclear weapon and ultimately force the US into a binary choice between engaging in a new military conflict or living with a nuclear-armed adversary, both of which pose grave national security risks, he added. "And it puts us at odds with our closest European allies, who repeatedly urged the United States to honour the agreement," Biden said. "President Trump has manufactured a crisis for his own political interests that puts us on a collision course not only with an adversary but also with our closest partners. It is just the latest example of how President Trump's notion of America First will leave America more alone and less secure," he said. Democratic leaders were unanimous in their view that withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal is not in national interest of the US. "Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon they are a threat to the region and to US national security interests. A withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Agreement, however, will do nothing to reduce that threat," Senator Time Smith said. This move, he said, also sent a message that the US won't abide by or act faithfully when it came to diplomatic agreements, and it risked serious backlash from the international community. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The proposed Uttar Pradesh defence corridor will play a key role in the state's development by bringing in jobs and investments, Union Minister Subhash Ramrao Bhamre said today. During the Investors Summit-2018 in February in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the corridor in the Bundelkhand region. The corridor will link Agra, Aligarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi and Chitrakoot. "Once completed, the defence corridor will provide 2.5 lakh jobs...the local people, especially those of Bundelkhand, will benefit the most from it," Bhamre said. He was speaking at a programme organised here by Indian Industries Association (IIA), an apex body for MSMEs in Uttar Pradesh. "Small and medium industries will specially benefit from the defence corridor...the corridor to come up with the initial investment of Rs 20,000 crore will prove to be a game changer for the state," Bhamre said. The Minister of State for Defence said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid emphasis on promoting defence production on 'swadeshi' policy. "Under the 'Make in India' programme, the prime minister has stressed on 'swadeshi' companies along with foreign ones under the defence corridor," he said. Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of the event, the minister said Uttar Pradesh boasted land at comparatively reasonable rates and had adequate human resources. "These factors will help the companies interested in setting up their units here," said Bhamre. The minister also praised the Yogi Adityanath government for "simplifying" industrial rules. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A delegation from Monaco met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here today and invited him to participate in the Green Energy Forum Meet in their country scheduled to be held on June 26 and 27. Eric Villalonga, President of Chamber of Renewable Energies and Ecology of Monaco and two other members met Fadnavis at his official residence 'Varsha' in south Mumbai, a release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. Villalonga informed Fadnavis that more than 50 countries will participate in the next month's Green Energy Forum meeting. Prior to that, a brainstorming session will be held over the issue of forthcoming challenges and solutions thereon before the energy sector, the release quoted Villalonga as saying. During the meeting, the delegation briefly presented the measures taken on energy production, management and hydroelectricity in Monaco. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has sent a de-recognition notice to a private school in East for not providing free uniform and books to students admitted under the EWS category and directed two schools to roll back fee hike. If the schools do not abide by the order, they will also face de-recognition, according to government officials. The action comes after the parents of the children studying in these schools met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, during Janta Samvad at his residence. "A complaint was lodged before the Chief Minister against a private school, Victor Public School, Maujpur, that the school was not providing free uniform, books & other stationeries to the students belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category," a senior government official said. "The school was directed by the department of education to provide books and uniforms as per norms but it defied the lawful directions and did not comply. The School has now been served with a de-recognition notice for violating norms related to the EWS/DG category," he added. Later, the chief minister in a tweet said, "For the first time in the country, schools are being disciplined. They are not being allowed to hike fees arbitrarily. Many schools are being made to return hiked fees. Because there is an honest government in Delhi." The government has also directed Mahavir Senior Model School, Sangam Park and Queen Mary's Public School, Model Town III to roll back fee hike. "The government took a strong note of the complaints of arbitrary fee hike in violation of the judgement of and and also the directions of the education department. The schools have also been asked to refund the increased fee to the parents," the official said. The schools could not be reached for their comments on the issue. In another complaint submitted to the chief minister, parents informed him of hiked fee being charged by the Bal Bharti Public School, Pitampura in the name of implementation of the seventh pay commission. The school was asked to clarify its position by the CM office. "Bal Bharti Public School in its reply said that it has not increased any fee during the year 2016-17 and 2017-18. It said that the school will abide by directions and instructions of the education department in this regard and all extra funds collected have been kept separately and would be adjusted," the official added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government will increase bed capacity in four hospitals --Bhagwan Mahavir, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Guru Govind Singh and Sanjay Gandhi Memorial hospital -- from existing 1,225 to 2,941. A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal approved the proposal in this regard. The cabinet approved the construction of a hospital block at Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, Raghubir Nagar, at an estimated cost of Rs 172 crore, to increase the bed capacity of this facility to 572 beds from the existing 100 beds. It approved the construction of Mother and Child and screening OPD Block at Dr Baba Sahib Ambedkar Hospital, Rohini, at an estimated cost of Rs 195 crore, which will increase the bed capacity to 963 from the existing 500 beds. The construction of Trauma Centre & Utility Block at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Mangolpuri, at an estimated cost of Rs 118 crore will increase the bed capacity to 662, which is 300 beds at present. Besides, the cabinet approved addition and remodelling work at Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital, Pitampura, at an estimated cost of Rs 173 crore, to increase the bed strength of this hospital to 744 from the existing 325 beds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today directed the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) here to admit a man, who needed a liver transplant and could not afford to bear the cost, for his treatment. Justice Rajiv Shakdher also asked the hospital, which comes under the Delhi government, to file a status report in the matter. "You first admit him and also file a status report. List on July 25," the court said, adding that the patient be shifted to ILBS from the hospital where he was currently admitted in the ICU. The court was hearing a plea by Birender Kumar, who claimed that he was suffering from acute liver failure and ILBS was refusing to provide him free treatment. Advocate Ashok Agarwal, appearing for Kumar, told the court that the hospital was asking for money for the treatment despite the fact that he was poor and could not afford the cost of the treatment and must be treated under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category. He further said possible donors were available depending upon matching of the parameters. The man claimed he was initially getting treatment at Vellore and later on admitted to ILBS on April 6 and he had paid around Rs 2 lakh in the hospital by April 22. The plea said Kumar was asked to deposit Rs 15 lakh for liver transplant and when he expressed inability to pay such a hefty amount as he and his family have sold everything including their house for his treatment, he was asked to leave the hospital. He was taken to another hospital where he was admitted under EWS category but the doctors advised him to undergo liver transplant at the earliest at another hospital where the facility is available, the plea said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today termed as "blatant discrimination" the conduct of two government hospitals here and their doctors for not recording the HIV positive status of an AIDS patient who went there for treatment for injuries suffered in an accident. Frowning upon the conduct, a bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and A K Chawla directed the Delhi government to set up an enquiry panel consisting of the medical superintendent of the hospitals as well as a representative each from the Health Department and National Aids Control Organisation (NACO). It directed that the committee be set up in two weeks from today and it shall complete its enquiry and give a report within three months. The bench said the patient in question, if aggrieved by the panel's decision, may approach the court again. With the directions, the court disposed of the plea which had challenged a single judge order of October last year which had declined to entertain the matter on the ground that it involved disputed questions of fact. The patient, in his appeal filed through advocate Sija Nair Pal, claimed discrimination by Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) and Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial hospitals and their doctors concerned as well as denial of treatment by them. The allegation was refuted by the hospitals which said that treatment was provided to the petitioner, but he was not satisfied. Taking note of the submissions made by the petitioner, suffering from AIDS since 1995, and after perusing his medical records, the court said what is "discernible" was that "none of the hospitals which appellant approached have cared to record his HIV status". "This is a blatant instance of discrimination. There is not a single slip of paper which records his HIV status. He has been counselling AIDS patients. Would he be so foolish to not disclose his condition," the court asked. The bench said that initially the man may not have disclosed his condition, but it was "inconceivable that being an AIDS patient for 23 years he would have withheld the information, especially when it would have long term detrimental consequences for him". The court also asked the hospitals and the Delhi government what facilities are provided to someone like the petitioner when they suffer an accident. The petitioner, according to his plea, was contractually employed in the Delhi State Aids Control Society (DSACS) as a counsellor. He had alleged that due to the discrimination and denial of treatment by the two hospitals he had to get treated, which included undergoing surgery, at a private hospital and sought reimbursement of his medical expenses. The petitioner had approached the hospitals for treatment of his left leg and left shoulder after meeting with an accident in August last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi man honeymooning in Darjeeling drowned while enjoying rafting in the Teesta in the district today, while his wife was seriously injured, police said. Roshan Singh, his wife Bani Sikha and other family members came here for their honeymoon. The couple and one family member were enjoying rafting in the Teesta from Melli in West Bengal-Sikkim border but the raft capsized, police said. Singh drowned, his wife suffered serious injuries. The other person on the raft was safe, police said. The woman was under treatment at a hospital in Siliguri. Roshan Singh, originally from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, works in Delhi, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Directorate General of Safeguards (DGS) has been shifted to the commerce ministry as part of government's plan to create a single authority for imposing trade remedies to protect the domestic industry. DGS was working under the finance ministry. According to the commerce ministry statement, the amendment of Allocation of Business Rules has mandated Department of Commerce with work pertaining to recommendation of safeguard measures. Trade remedies, which include anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duties, are allowed under global trade norms to guard domestic industries from significant imports or cheap inbound shipments. "The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) will bring DGAD (directorate general of anti-dumping and allied duties), DGS and Safeguards (quantitative restriction) functions of DGFT (directorate general of foreign trade) into its fold by merging them into one single national entity," the ministry said today. It said this has paved way for creation of an integrated single umbrella national authority to be called the DGTR for providing comprehensive and swift trade defence mechanism in India. Presently, the trade defence mechanism in India lacks optimality and takes more than a year to complete proceedings in cases pertaining to unfair trade practices. "It will also provide trade defence support to our domestic industry and exporters in dealing with increasing instances of trade remedy investigations instituted against them by other countries," the statement added. In the last three years, India initiated more than 130 anti-dumping/countervailing duty/safeguard cases to deal with the rising incidences of unfair trade practices and to provide a level playing field to the domestic industry. The DGTR will function as an attached office of Department of Commerce. The recommendation of DGTR for imposition of anti-dumping, countervailing & safeguard duties will be considered by the Department of Revenue. It also said that the proposal of creation of DGTR was pending since 1997. Under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, DGS has also been entrusted to investigate complaints of profiteering. The investigating agency submits its reports to the National Anti-profiteering Authority, which then takes its own view and decides on the penalty. India is one of the largest users of these trade remedies. Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to determine if the domestic industry has been hurt by a surge in below-cost imports. As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multilateral WTO regime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The cyber cell of Chandigarh police has booked six people, including the director of an online multi-level marketing company Amit Bhardwaj, who was arrested from Delhi by the Pune police last month in connection with an alleged multi-crore bitcoin ponzi scheme. Bhardwaj has been charged with duping three residents of Chandigarh after promising them handsome returns on investing in Bitcoin. "A case has been registered against him. In all six people have been booked," Cyber Cell In-charge Inspector Jaswinder Singh said today. Amit Bhardwaj, the director of Gainbitcoin, and his brother Vivek Kumar Bhardwaj were arrested from Delhi by the Pune Police in April after they picked up seven people in connection with the alleged scam. According to the police, Amit Bhardwaj had set up the online multi-level marketing company through which he allegedly lured investors by promising them handsome returns. He would allegedly promise 10 per cent returns for investing one bitcoin but did not keep his word. People were motivated by some agents to invest in bitcoins through Amit Bhardwaj and once they invested with his company, he duped them, police said, adding this way he duped three residents of Chandigarh. On the amount duped from the three people in Chandigarh, Jaswinder Singh said, "We are conducting investigations in this regard." Bitcoins or cryptocurrencies is a type of unregulated digital money that is issued and normally controlled by its developers and used and accepted among the members of a virtual community. Bitcoins are not a legal tender in the country and are not recognised as a medium of exchange. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The salaries of Hollywood actors have been revealed and stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Dwayne Johnson and Jennifer Lawrence are among the top earners in the industry. According to a report by Variety, DiCaprio, Johnson, Robert Downey Jr and Vin Diesel are some of the actors who can make over USD 20 million a film. James Bond star Daniel Craig will be paid a whopping USD 25 million for his last outing as the famed British spy in Bond 25. Dicaprio, 43, who demands approximately USD 20 million for his film projects, reportedly cut down his salary by half to accommodate Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". Johnson will make USD 22 million for his performance in the upcoming "Red Notice", while Vin Diesel's raked in USD 20 million for the latest instalment of Fast and Furious franchise "The Fate of the Furious". Johnson, who has a massive following on social networking sites such as Twitter and Instagram, also charges USD 1 million social-media fee for promoting a film online. Among the female actors, Anne Hathaway is expected to get USD 15 million for her role in "Barbie". Jennifer Lawrence is another big earner in the Hollywood as she got the same amount for her last film "Red Sparrow". Downey Jr., who made a brief appearance as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the "Spider Man: Homecoming", was paid USD 10 million for the extended cameo alone. His salary for a standalone 'Iron Man' film is much higher. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, the stars of "Jurassic World", managed to up their salaries for the follow-up film, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom", and will be raking in USD 10 million and USD 8 million respectively. Michael B. Jordan, who starred in "Creed" and most recently "Black Panther", will make USD 3-4 million for "Creed 2", while Kevin Hart made USD 10 million for "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle". Actors such as Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford and Sandra Bullock are still able to rake paydays amounting toUSD 10 million and over. Ford, a Hollywood veteran, will be paid close tp USD 10-12 million for the next instalment of his famous Indiana Jones series while Cruise landed USd 11-13 million paycheck for his box-office dud "The Mummy". Bullock, who will be next seen in "Ocean's 8", raked in USD 10 million for "The Minions". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The EU is "determined to preserve" the Iran nuclear deal despite the US withdrawal, the bloc's diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini has said, pledging to "stay true" if Tehran stuck to its commitments. The 2015 accord "is delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesn't develop nuclear weapons, the European Union is determined to preserve it," Mogherini said yesterday. EU President Donald Tusk said the Iran deal would be on the agenda when the bloc's leaders meet for a summit in Sofia next week. "Policies of @realDonaldTrump on #IranDeal and trade will meet a united European approach. EU leaders will tackle both issues at the summit in Sofia next week," Tusk wrote on Twitter. Mogherini made a direct appeal to the Iranian people and their leaders to stick with the accord after US President Donald Trump said Washington was ditching what he called a "defective" agreement. "Stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours and together with the rest of the international community we will preserve this nuclear deal," Mogherini said at a hastily arranged press conference in Rome. She warned she was "particularly worried" by Trump's announcement of new sanctions on Iran, saying the EU would act to defend its economic interests. An EU official said the European Commission, the bloc's executive, would meet next week to discuss possible countermeasures to US sanctions. The official called Trump's decision "the worst that could have been taken". European powers Britain, France and Germany led a campaign to persuade Trump to stick with the deal negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama, arguing that it was the most effective way of stopping Iran developing nuclear weapons. But the massive diplomatic push ended in failure as Trump -- as expected -- announced the US was pulling out and reimposing sanctions that had been relaxed in return for Iran abandoning its nuclear programme. But Mogherini said the EU would stick with the accord, which was also signed by Russia and China. "As long as Iran continues to implement its nuclear related commitments, as it is doing so far, the European Union will remain committed to the continued full and effective implementation of the nuclear deal," she said. "We fully trust the work, competence and autonomy of the International Atomic Energy Agency that has published 10 reports certifying that Iran has fully complied with its commitments." Senior British, German, French and EU officials held last-ditch talks with Iran's deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Brussels just hours before Trump's announcement, stressing that Europe was committed to the deal whatever the from the White House. A German foreign ministry source said it was important to keep talks going in coming days to avoid "uncontrolled escalation" after Trump's decision. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump's decision to abnadon the landmark Iran nuclear deal has shocked the world, with America's closest allies like France, Germany and the UK expressing concern over it while Iran's foes Israel and Saudi Arabia welcoming the move. Trump yesterday announced that he would be pulling the US out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, calling the agreement "defective at its core." The deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was negotiated and agreed to by Iran and the P5+1 (the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany). European leaders said they would stay committed to the accord even after Trump defied allies and other world leaders in breaking the commitment. British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres have all warned Trump not to scrap the deal. However, they have also conceded that the pact negotiated by former president Barack Obama is far from perfect and needs some "fixes." In a joint statement after Trump's announcement, May, Merkel and Macron emphasised their "concern" about Trump's decision and said they would continue to adhere to the Iranian deal because it has made the world "a safer place."The statement called on the US to ensure that the structure of the deal stay intact and "avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal.""After engaging with the US Administration in a thorough manner over the past months, we call on the US to do everything possible to preserve the gains for nuclear non-proliferation brought about by the JCPoA [Iran deal], by allowing for a continued enforcement of its main elements," the statement read. The leaders also urged Iran to "show restraint in response to the decision by the US." Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said: "The US has announced that it doesn't respect its commitments." He said he believed the agreement could still survive if other negotiating partners defied Trump. But Rouhani warned that he has instructed the country's atomic energy agency to prepare to restart enrichment of uranium at an industrial level in a few weeks' time should the deal collapse completely. Iranian lawmakers set a paper US flag on fire at parliament on Wednesday morning, shouting, "Death to America!. Iran's parliament speaker said that "Trump only understands the language of force". Russia said it was deeply disappointed by Trump's decision to abandon the deal. Washington's actions were "flagrantly trampling on the norms of international law", Russia's foreign ministry said. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply concerned" over Trump's decision, calling on all other nations to support the agreement and preserve the deal. The top European Union diplomat, Federica Mogherini, called on the international community to stick to the Iran nuclear deal The EU is "determined to preserve" the Iran nuclear deal despite the US withdrawal, Mogherini has said, pledging to "stay true" if Tehran stuck to its commitments. The 2015 accord "is delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesn't develop nuclear weapons, the European Union is determined to preserve it," Mogherini said. EU President Donald Tusk said the Iran deal would be on the agenda when the bloc's leaders meet for a summit in Sofia next week. "Policies of @realDonaldTrump on #IranDeal and trade will meet a united European approach. EU leaders will tackle both issues at the summit in Sofia next week," Tusk wrote on Twitter. Some other American allies, however, voiced their support for the decision, particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised "courageous leadership" and "bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran." Former US president Barack Obama in a rare statement called Trump's decision a mistake. "If the constraints on Iran's nuclear programme under the JCPOA are lost, we could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former ISRO scientist S Nambi Narayanan has faced a dent in his reputation in the espionage case due to "malafide prosecution" and Kerala government cannot evade "vicarious liability" to grant him compensation, the Supreme Court said today. The apex court also said the state government may be asked to re-investigate the role of the then SIT officers who had framed the former scientist. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said it could direct the recovery of the compensation either from the officers who were involved in the probe or the state government which cannot evade vicarious liability. Vicarious liability refers to a situation where someone is held responsible for the actions or omissions of another person. "It is not the case that his (Naryanan) reputation was not dented. We can direct that his reputation be restored and for the loss of reputation we can give the compensation. There is direct judgement to this effect and direct recovery from those officers who were involved in the investigation of the case," the bench said. The bench said there has to be a formulation in the law so that compensation can be quantified for the loss of reputation. It said it could "also direct for criminal investigation by the state against the officers involved for malafide prosecution of the petitioner (Naryanan)." "Officers involved in the investigation have to pay the proportionally from their pocket. The matter ends there. That is their liability and the only question remains is how much and when", it said. When senior advocate V Giri pointed out that the officers involved in the investigation of the case would resist payment of compensation, the bench shot back saying "No, they can't. There is a judgement of this court in this regard on the issue of malafide prosecution. Once it is settled that it is malafide prosecution, then it is their liability". The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow. 76-year-old Nambi Narayanan, while functioning as a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation, was arrested on November 30, 1994, alleging espionage. Later, Narayanan had told the court that the entire probe in the ISRO case was found to be "malicious" and the CBI had filed a closure report which was accepted by the magistrate. Yesterday, the top court had said it may ask the Kerala government to re-investigate the role of the then SIT officers who had framed former scientist in the case, but had ruled out the possibility of any departmental action against them due to the passage of time. The apex court was hearing the plea of the Narayanan who sought action against former DGP Siby Mathews and others who were part of the Special Investigation Team in Kerala in 1994, which had probed the case in which he was framed. Kerala government had said that on investigation, it has found no role could be attributed to the police officers for false implication. Narayanan had also said that for 12 years, the state government refused to take any action and they are now claiming that nothing was found. The apex court, however, said it may enhance the compensation for Narayanan after granting him liberty to pursue the civil suit of Rs one crore filed by him earlier. The court had on May 3 said it may consider granting Rs 25 lakh as compensation to the former scientist. Narayanan has so far received Rs 10 lakh as compensation. The CBI counsel had also said the agency had found the case to be fake and filed the closure report which has already been accepted by the court. The top court had asked the probe agency, whether it had conducted any investigation to find out and fix the responsibility of the errant officer. The CBI had replied in negative. The former ISRO scientist had filed an appeal against the judgement of division bench of the Kerala High Court which had said no action needed to be taken against the former DGP and two retired Superintendents of Police, K K Joshua and S Vijayan, who were held allegedly responsible by the CBI for his illegal arrest. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today asked the Pollution Control Authority to examine the Delhi government's proposal for using part of the Rs 999.25 crore collected from compensation charge (ECC) to buy semi-low floor fully electric buses to tackle pollution and improve public transport. The Arvind Kejriwal government informed a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta that Delhi transport minister has directed the utilisation of ECC for the people's benefit by spending it on environmental projects, including the purchase of 960 semi-low floor fully electric buses. "You (EPCA) look into it as to whether it is good or not," the bench said and asked the EPCA to file its report. The counsel for the Delhi government said the proposal was pending for approval of the Cabinet, which was scheduled to meet at the end of this month. In its response filed in the court, the Delhi government said advocate Aparajita Singh, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae, had told the court that Rs 1,301.36 crore was deposited as on March 26 this year under the ECC, but the amount remitted by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation to the transport department was about Rs 999.25 crore as on April 12 this year. "As per direction of the Minister (Transport), Delhi government, ECC fund is to be used for the project, which is induction of 1,000 semi-low floor fully electric buses in Delhi to mitigate the pollution level in Delhi," it said. The Delhi government also said the Centre has introduced a new scheme where subsidy and loans were being given under 'Fame Project' where 11 cities, including Delhi, have been shortlisted for introduction of multi-modal electronic mobility. It said Delhi has been awarded financial assistance of 40 fully electric buses to the tune of Rs 40 crore under the scheme. It said the cost of each such electric bus was around Rs 2.5 crore and the Delhi transport minister has directed that majority funding for this project would be provided by private concessionaires, to be selected through a competitive bidding process. It said the transport department has also supported the induction of 905 electric feeder vehicles by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to boost the "last mile connectivity" from metro stations and funds from the ECC would be used for this. It said part of funds from the ECC would also be used for upgrading the existing infrastructue of inter-state bus terminus here. The Delhi government has told the top court that these decisions were aimed at combating the problem of air pollution and also for benefit of people using public transport here. The amicus had earlier told the court that Rs 1,301 crore amount was collected in Delhi under the ECC, which the apex court had imposed on commercial vehicles entering Delhi in addition to the toll tax, and another Rs 70.5 crore was collected and lying with the Central Pollution Control Board under the one per cent cess levied on diesel vehicles having engine capacity of more than 2,000 cc. The issue had cropped up when the court was hearing a PIL filed in 1985 by environmentalist M C Mehta who had raised the issue of air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The head of Human Rights Watch in Israel today accused the country of seeking to "silence" criticism, after the Jewish state gave him two weeks to leave. The interior ministry announced yesterday it had terminated the residency permit of HRW's Israel and Palestine director Omar Shakir, a US citizen, over accusations he supported a boycott of Israel. It said in a statement it had obtained "information that Shakir has been a BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) activist for years supporting the boycott of Israel in an active way." Shakir rejected the allegation he supported a boycott and said Israel was seeking to silence dissent. "The proffered reason is support for boycott, but the reality is that this is a decision to muzzle Human Rights Watch and to silence criticism of Israel's poor rights record," he told AFP at his office in Ramallah. Israel, he said, joins a list of countries including "North Korea, Cuba, Iran and Sudan that have blocked access to Human Rights Watch staff." London-based Amnesty International "strongly condemned" the Israeli decision. "This is yet another alarming sign of the country's increasing intolerance of critical voices," it said. "The Israeli authorities must immediately stop their ongoing harassment of human rights defenders." Israeli officials have clamped down on groups seen as supporting the global BDS campaign, which aims to pressure Israel to end its occupation of the West Bank. Israel says the BDS movement is anti-Semitic. In a joint statement, 15 Israeli rights organisations condemned the decision to expel Shakir. "Israel is trying to keep both its own citizens and the world from seeing what it is doing," said the statement, whose signatories included prominent rights groups B'Tselem and Breaking the Silence. "Neither closing the borders to human rights groups and activists nor other Israeli measures against organisations critical of the occupation will deter us." HRW has written several critical reports about Israeli policies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A massive controversy has rocked Karnataka after nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat, prompting the BJP to demand countermanding of the election claiming Congress was behind the racket, a charge dismissed by the latter as a "lie". With just three days left before Karnataka goes to poll, the BJP and Congress, the two main contenders for power, went after each other's jugular, each claiming the flat belonged to a woman associated with the rival party. Addressing a press conference, Union minister Prakash Javadekar claimed Congress candidate and sitting MLA Munirathna Naidu was behind the alleged racket, which was exposed by BJP worker Rakesh. Congress spokesman Rajdeep Singh Surjawala hit right back, alleging that the flat owner Manjula Nanjamari and Rakesh had BJP connections and both contested Bengaluru Municipal Corporation elections on the tickets of the saffron party. Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar had called a press conference last midnight where he said besides the cards, form 6A (application for inclusion of name in electoral roll by an overseas elector) with counterfoils were found. He said that the colour in the counterfoil appeared unusual, and that an inquiry was on. Javadekar said thousands of fake cards with hologram, lamination machines, and computers were seized by police after BJP workers informed it about the racket, and demanded a thorough forensic inquiry. "This is the philosophy of the Congress....if voters do not vote for you, create fake voters," he said, claiming a "fake voter ID printing factory" was being run in Manjula's flat. Manjula, he said, was once associated with the BJP but was now with the Congress, and demanded her immediate arrest. He alleged she had campaigned for the sitting Congress MLA from the seat and its candidate for the current Assembly election Munirathna Naidu in the last polls. The Congress hit back with a vengeance, claiming BJP was making such allegations because it was aware of its imminent defeat. "They are making such allegations because of their imminent defeat, and after their workers and leaders were caught red-handed influencing voters in collating and collecting fake ID cards in order to influence the results of the elections," Surjewala told reporters. He said the ID cards and equipment were not recovered from the flat by the police but BJP workers. The flat, he said, belonged to a BJP worker. "Prakash Javadekar had the audacity to lie, mislead the people of Karnataka by saying Manjula does not belong to the BJP. She is a former BJP corporator and Rakesh also contested corporation election on BJP ticket in 2015," he said. "Javadekar runs a factory of lies. Rakesh was a tenant of flat No. 115 and its is mentioned in the list of BJP candidates who contested the corporation elections. Manjula is a former BJP corporator from Jalahalli," he said, citing newspaper reports. "Will Javadekar, Amit Shah (BJP chief) still have the audacity to lie and mislead the people of Karnataka. You were doing a midnight drama for diverting people's attention...both Manjula and Rakesh belong to BJP," he said, adding the saffron party was "deep in the muck" it was trying to hurl at others. While some TV channels claimed Rakesh was Manjula's son, and others said she was his adoptive mother, the women at the centre of the controversy insisted they were relatives but had "no contact". She told a TV channel in Kannada, which was translated into English, that since she owned the land on which the apartment building stood, she had entered into a joint venture with a builder. Manjula said she had rented or leased out the flats. "If Rakesh was aware that some wrongdoing was happening there, he should have informed me." When asked whether Rakesh was her son or adopted son, she said he was a nephew and that they had "no contact due to strain in family ties". A press release issued by the Karnataka chief electoral officer that was published in some newspapers said the flat was "ownd by a person named Manjula Nanjamari and was rented to a person named Rakesh". Javedakar, accusing the Congress of "telling lies loudly", said Manjula and Rakesh were "at loggerheads" and that he did not stay in her flat. "The Congress ran an a fake I-Card issuance office there....this is what they are best at," he said. Deputy leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said the entire episode was "stage-managed". He claimed Manjula was associated with the BJP and her "son" Rakesh had contested the municipal corporation election on a BJP ticket. "The Election Commission must take action, and a police case be registered," he told reporters in New Delhi, adding the BJP was up to such tactics as defeat was staring it in the face. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked the voters of Karnataka to not "forgive" the Congress party in the Assembly elections, after a huge row erupted over the seizure of nearly 1000 "fake" voter I-cards in Bengaluru. He alleged the Congress was trying to win the polls by using bogus voter identity cards. "You must have seen how fake voter I-cards were seized by the thousands, computers, printing machine were seized. Congress is trying to win the elections by using fake I-cards. People should not forgive it for this when they cast their votes on May 12," he told an election rally here. A massive controversy has rocked Karnataka after nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat, prompting the BJP to demand countermanding of the election claiming Congress was behind the racket, a charge dismissed by the latter as a "lie". Both parties have claimed the house owner was associated with the rival party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing the Congress of trying to influence the assembly polls in Karnataka, the BJP today asked the Election Commission to countermand the election in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency after thousands of allegedly "fake" voter ID cards were found there in a flat. A massive controversy has rocked Karnataka after nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat. Engaged in a raging war of words, the BJP alleged that Congress was behind the racket, but the ruling party in the state rejected the charge as a "lie". Both parties have claimed the house owner was associated with the rival party. A BJP delegation, which included union ministers J P Nadda, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Smriti Irani, S S Ahluwalia, Dharmendra Pradhan and the party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi, told the Commission that scrapping the poll in the constituency was necessary to "reinstate people's faith" in the electoral process, Irani told reporters. Briefing reporters after meeting the poll panel officials, Nadda said, "We have demanded countermanding of the election in Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly constituency in Karnataka." Nadda alleged that the incident had showed the design of Congress to influence the election process in the high-stake state polls and added that there was "enough evidence" for this. "Congress party and its candidate are behind this scam. Whereas BJP acted vigilantly and workers exposed this. Our party workers had informed the local authorities at 11 am in the morning but no action was taken till 4 pm by the local administration. This shows the biased approach of local administration by favouring Congress," he said. Irani said the issue was not only important for the BJP but also the Commission as voter ID cards are seen an evidence of people's faith in the electoral process. "We have also appealed to the EC to take cognizance of the investigative media reports in this case and take strict action against those who are behind this," Irani told reporters. The delegation demanded a thorough probe into the matter to find out if similar methods were used in more constituencies. The assembly polls are due on May 12. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 15th Finance Commission today set up an expert committee which will advise it on matters related to the Terms of Reference (ToR) that have come under attack from some non-BJP ruled states such as Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Some southern states have criticised the ToR saying progressive states would lose revenue if 2011 census was taken as base for devolution of central funds. The Advisory Council, a government release said, has been constituted by the Commission "to advise on the matters related to its Terms of Reference". The panel will advise the Commission on any issue or subject related to the ToR and provide assistance in the preparation of any paper or research study which would enhance the Commission's understanding on the issues containing in its ToR. Arvind Virmani, former Chief Economic Advisor, Surjit S Bhalla, Part-time Member of PMEAC, Sanjeev Gupta, a former IMF deputy director, Pinaki Chakraborty, Professor (NIPFP), Sajjid Chinoy of JP Morgan and Neelkanth Mishra of Credit Suisse India are the members of the panel. The committee will also help in broadening the Commission's "ambit and understanding" to seek best national and international practices on matters pertaining to fiscal devolution and improving the quality and reach and enforcement of its recommendations, the release said. Opposing the ToR of the Commission, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at a recent meeting in Amaravati said that progressive states would lose heavily if the 2011 census was taken as the basis for devolution of central funds. Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra and others attended the conclave. Last month, Kerala had hosted a conference of finance ministers of various states to discuss issues of common concern with respect to the commission. Responding to the concerns, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said on April 10 that there is no inherent bias or mandate in the ToR which could be construed as discriminatory against the states which have made good progress in population control. He had said that a needless controversy was being sought to be created that the terms of reference of the Commission were loaded against any particular region of the country. Pointing to the specific inclusion of reference -- efforts and progress made in moving towards replacement rate of population growth -- Jaitley had said it recognises the efforts of all the states which have done well in population control. "This specific ToR would allow the 15th FC to propose a specific incentive scheme to reward the states which have achieved replacement level of population growth, and also, if the 15th FC wishes to do so, to assign appropriate weight to the progress made in population control while allocating resources," Jaitley had stated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi today flayed the Modi government for its decision to privatise some public sector units and vowed that his party would protect them. Gandhi held several roadshows here to go give a final push to his party's prospects in the May 12 assembly polls. The congress president, who began the day with a visit to 'Dodda Ganapathi' temple at Basavanagudi here, held several corner meetings in the city, a day before the campaign for the polls ends. He said "When the institutions like HAL, BHEL, BEML and BEL were set up, the world laughed at India. People said such factories were not needed in India but Bengaluru showed to the world what it can do. When roads are constructed BHEL is required, while HAL is required for building fighter planes." He, however, rued that the present government at the Centre wants to "divest the gems like HAL, BEML and BHEL." Gandhi said the government wants to take away contract of assembling the Rafale fighter plane from HAL to "Modi's friend who has a debt of Rs 45,000 crore.""When UPA was in power, the contract with the France based company was that the plane will be made in HAL. It would have created jobs to the people of Bengaluru. HAL has been making plane for us for the past 70 years," said Gandhi. However, Gandhi said, the prime minister gave the contract of building the plane to "his friend who never made any planes." Gandhi accused the prime minister of not letting the Parliament run to avoid discussions on the issues of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi and Rafale deal. He said "We will raise in parliament. We will get their reply. I promise you that we will protect HAL, BEL, BHEL and HAL." Flaying the prime minister for his silence on attacks on women and dalits, Gandhi advised him to show the way to the nation just as the founder of Bengaluru Kempegowda did to the people of Karnataka. "It doesn't help when Modi doesn't speak a word when Dalits are beaten up. He says Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. Here in Karnataka we give free education to girls whereas in UP a BJP MLA rapes a girl but the prime minister says nothing," the congress chief said. He flayed the prime minister for doing "contrary to his resolve to end corruption." Gandhi said Modi has fielded the most "corrupt" chief minister, referring to B S Yeddyurappa. "You have seen Yeddyurappa. He was the most corrupt chief minister. The BJP has again projected him as the chief ministerial candidate. Why have you made Yeddyurappa as the CM candidate," said Gandhi. He sought to know why Reddy brothers were given ticket. Gandhi also questioned Modi why he brought Reddy brothers out of jail and planned to send them to Vidhana Soudha (the seat of the state legislature). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment has sought a strict adherence to reservation for SC/STs and OBCs (Other Backward Classes) in hiring of contractual employees and consultants, as also for outsourced work in various ministries and government departments. Expressing concern over a low representation of people from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs is these jobs, Union Minister Thawarchand Gehlot has asked Minister in Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) Jitrendra Singh to issues directions to all ministries and departments to ensure quota rule in such appointments. In a letter to Singh, the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Gehlot said that it has been brought to his notice that the reservation policy is not being implemented for appointments of consultants and contract employees, as also for time-bound assignments and outsourced work. The development comes at a time when the government has been under attack from the opposition parties over over alleged dilution of constitutional rights of Dalits in the backdrop of a Supreme Court ruling on the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Gehlot said that salaries to the contractual and part-time employees are paid by the government and therefore it would be appropriate that the constitutional provisions of the reservation policy are ensured for these appointments as well. The letter also follows allegations by some SC/ST and OBC groups that the reservation policy was not being implemented in the recruitment done on contractual basis, in ministries and various government departments. In government jobs, the total reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs comes to 49.5 per cent in case of direct recruitment on all India basis by open competition and 50 per cent in cases other than open competition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Goa Church said here today that the inclusion of its monuments in the 'Adopt a Heritage' scheme will not be allowed unless it gives its No Objection Certificate (NoC). Six monuments from the state, including two churches Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral both located in Old Goa near here are listed in the scheme. Goa Archives and Archaeology Minister Vijai Sardesai recently held a meeting with the representatives of the church and government officials to clear apprehensions surrounding the Centre's scheme. During the talks, representatives of the Archdiocese said the church, being the owner of the Catholic religious sites in Old Goa, cannot be ignored or excluded from any MOUs that may be inked between the Centre and the private entities under the scheme. In a joint statement issued today, Goa church spokespersons Fr J Loiola Pereira and Fr Valerino Vaz said that during the meeting chaired by Sardesai it was agreed that the Archdiocese, as the owner of the monuments, would give an NoC listing all the conditions, restrictions and safeguards which it might deem fit in each case. "Therefore, no intervention at the selected church sites would be allowed without the consent of the Diocesan Authority, which would draw up this NoC after due consultation at various levels," the statement said. "It was also agreed that the Archdiocese would also figure in the proposed 'Monument Committee' that would among other things, monitor the execution of the said NoC," it added. The state Chief Secretary explained that the scheme envisages to enhance the cultural importance of the heritage sites and to provide world-class tourist facilities at various sites across the country, the statement said. "This would include basic (and wherever needed, advanced) amenities, illumination, surveillance, etc. with safety and security to visitors within permissible guidelines of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)," it said. Corporates and individuals, to be called 'Monument Mitras' (friends of monuments) would be invited to provide peripheral facilities to the visitors, without touching the core of the monument or carrying out any conservation or restoration works, which would remain vested with the ASI or the State Archaeology Department as the case may be, the statement reads. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has disposed of a disqualification petition against Caetano Silva, former MLA of Goa Vikas Party, who was accused of acquiring Portuguese citizenship. The plea, which was filed in November 2013 by a local John Fernandes, was disposed of by the governor earlier this week on the ground that Silva is no more part of the new state Legislative Assembly. Silva, who represented Benaulim constituency between 2012 and 2017, had lost last year's Goa assembly elections. The disqualification petition was filed by Fernandes based on the order passed by the Ministry of Home Affairs dated November 20, 2013 declaring Silva a Portuguese national. In his complaint, Fernandes had alleged that since Silva is a Portuguese citizen, he cannot contest elections in India and hence should be disqualified. The governor had earlier sought the opinion of the Election Commission of India (ECi) on the issue. In her order, Sinha said, "Acting on the opinion tendered by the ECI, as required under Article 192(2), I hereby order that after the dissolution of the previous Goa Legislative Assembly in 2017 and after the constitution of the new House in Goa, the reference has become infructuous as Caetano R Silva is no more a member of the Legislative Assembly of Goa." "The petition is hereby disposed of accordingly," the governor added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Goa government plans to appoint an agency for collection of disaster-related data to avoid any untoward incident in the upcoming monsoon season. The government will float a request for proposal (RFP) by the end of this month to appoint a private player for the task of data collection. Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte gave this information here today. The southwest monsoon generally arrives in Goa in the first week of June. "The state government would be floating RFP for collection of data on disaster management by the end of May to invite bids from private players," Khaunte said. "They will have to collect all the data related to disaster management and submit it to the state. The tender would be awarded in the month of June," he added. Khaunte said the state government is also working on setting up control rooms at taluka, district and state levels. All the helplines of various departments would be integrated so that the people have single point of access in case of disaster during rains, he said. "In the last one year, the government has taken several initiatives to ensure that disaster management plan is in the right place," the minister said. According to him, different government agencies have been asked to give their inputs to avoid any disaster during the monsoon. "The National Highways Authority (NHA) has been told to look at the areas prone to flooding. Vulnerable areas would be given special attention," he said. "Desilting of the drains will begin across the state. Pruning of trees near highway and others will be taken up. The reports would be taken from panchayat on these issues," he said. "From May 15 onwards, the road digging work will be stopped except in exceptional cases. Precautionary measures will be taken up by health department for vector-borne diseases," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A delegation of various Gorkha sub-community leaders today met Union minister S S Ahluwalia, who represent Darjeeling in the Lok Sabha, to press their demand that these sub-communities be granted the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Ahluwalia said a committee was looking into the matter and was likely to submit its report to the government soon. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had constituted the committee and people should keep faith in him to deliver justice," the BJP MP told reporters after his meeting with the delegation that was led by Kanchan Gurung, a Gorkha leader. The 11 Gorkha sub-communities have been demanding the ST status, which will help them get a host of government benefits. The BJP-led central government had constituted a committee in April, 2016 to look into the demand and put forward recommendations. Ahluwalia had last month written to Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, urging him to take appropriate measures to grant the ST status to the 11 Gorkha sub-communities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CPI(M) today urged the central government to disapprove the US' decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal and make it clear that India would not support any sanctions against Tehran. Condemning US President Donald Trump's announcement to withdraw the US from the Iran nuclear deal, the Left party, in a statement, said that the move was an "unwarranted and irresponsible" step and that the threat of imposing sanctions on Iran was "illegal" and should be opposed by the United Nations. "The politburo calls on the Modi government to disapprove of the US action. The government should make it clear that it will not support any sanctions against Iran and will maintain full economic and trade ties with Iran and not succumb to US pressures,"the statement said. Noting that the International Atomic Energy Agency in February 2015 had stated that Iran is compliant with the terms of the agreement, the Left party said the European allies of the US, who have disapproved of Trump's action, should work with Russia and China to maintain the pact. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre has told the Supreme Court that the Armed Forces are finalising a plan to grant permanent commission to women in an array of areas by creating a special cadre for their induction. In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the Defence Ministry said that "All three wings of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Ministry of Defence are actively considering the issue of parity between male and female officers in securing permanent commission in the Armed Forces." The Centre said it requires six months to formulate modalities and enforce the changes and alterations in the three forces. "(All) three wings are conscious of and sensitive to the grievances of the female officers/ personnel in their fold and the need to provide them with reasonable avenues and ample opportunities to further their career prospects. Parity to women in grant of permanent commission has acquired sharper focus so as to mitigate discriminatory treatment," the Centre said in its affidavit. The ministry said that the restriction of employability of women in army is inescapable due to the peculiar operational compulsions of the army and, therefore, the classification of streams for making permanent commission available to women officers only in selective streams will be based on the service conditions of the various streams. The affidavit said that the measures to eradicate the divide between male and female officers in as many streams as possible are being adopted in a gradual process, having regard to the peculiar characteristics and operational constraints of each stream. It said that the Centre will begin with by allowing women officers to serve for 20 years without any screening after completing the 14-year tenure under the short service commission. The apex court had on April 23 took exception to the Centre's failure to come with a clear policy on giving permanent commission to the women serving as short service commission officers in defence services. The apex court had observed the government cannot adopt a "discriminatory" approach in extending benefits. Explaining about the prevailing situation in defence services on the issue, Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh had told the court that the three forces were examining the options in which permanent commission could be granted to the women officers. Advocate Meenakshi Lekhi, appearing for some of the women officers, had said there was a need to urgently settle the issue which has been dragging since 2010. The court was hearing a Ministry of Defence plea for staying the March 12, 2010 judgment of the Delhi High Court, which had directed the navy to grant permanent commission to all its women officers on short service commission. The high court had rejected the government's contention that permanent commission could be allowed only prospectively. "If male officers can be granted permanent commission, there is no reason why equally capable women officers can't be," the high court had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, wanted in India to face charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 90 billion, can be regarded as a "fugitive from justice", the UK High Court has concluded. Judge Andrew Henshaw, who upheld a worldwide freeze order and ruled in favour of 13 Indian state-owned banks to recover funds amounting to nearly 1.145 billion pounds in a judgment yesterday, took note of the fact that the 62-year-old businessman is contesting his extradition to India relating to "alleged financial misconduct". "In all these circumstances, and even taking account of the fact that Dr Mallya is contesting the alleged grounds for extradition, there are grounds for regarding Dr Mallya as a fugitive from justice," the judge said as part of his ruling. The High Court remained unconvinced by Mallya's claim that he has been a non-resident Indian (NRI) since 1988 and has lived in England since 1992, a country where he has indefinite leave to remain (ILR). "The evidence indicates that prior to March 2016 Dr Mallya travelled fairly regularly between India and England for business and political reasons. Most of his business interests were in or closely connected with India, most notably United Breweries Group and Kingfisher AirlinesWhilst Dr Mallya has indefinite leave to stay in the UK, he is said to be a non-resident taxpayer," the court observed. The judge also concluded that the businessman had been in "clear breach" of a Karnataka court's order when he disposed of assets like a historic sword of Tipu Sultan acquired at an auction in 2003. "The sword of Tipu Sultan is an item of historic importance which Dr Mallya bought at an auction in 2003 for the equivalent of GBP 188,400 and states that he gave away in 2016 as his family members considered that it was bringing him bad luck," Judge Henshaw notes in his judgment. "Dr Mallya declined to state in correspondence to whom the sword was given. Dr Mallya was unable to put forward any basis for contending that the disposal was not in breach of the Karnataka High Court's interim injunction, and accepted that it occurred after the Supreme Court had made clear that the injunction covered subsequently acquired assets It does, though, appear to me to have been in clear breach of the Karnataka court's order," he adds. The judge, however, was less certain that luxury cars and yachts had been undeclared or disposed of by Mallya as claimed by the legal team representing the 13 Indian banks State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Corporation bank, Federal Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu &a Kashmir Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co. Pvt Ltd. The judge noted: "The Claimants [Indian banks] say there are numerous other assets which have been linked to Dr Mallya in various sources on the internet, but which he denies that he owns. These comprise three yachts, numerous cars and the Mabula Game Reserve in South Africa. "The registered/asserted owners are offshore companies and/or trusts. Since these matters are unverified, I do not consider I can take account of them." Mallya's purchase of a Ferrari 246 GTS with an estimated value of 480,000 pounds was also questioned by the Indian banks. The UK court concluded that it may be the case that the payment of the deposit on the Ferrari was in breach of the Karnataka High Court's interim injunction. "However, this point was not the subject of any detailed argument before me and, overall, I do not consider that the matters relating to the Ferrari carry matters any further on this application," the judge concluded. The ruling by the UK court has been described as "significant" by TLT LLP, the UK law firm which represented the Indian banks in the case. "This is a positive and big step forward. The judgement enables our client banks to proceed with enforcement of the Indian Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) ruling, which has now been registered and is immediately enforceable," said Paul Gair, partner in TLT's Banking & Financial Services litigation team. "We are considering all of our options with our clients the worldwide freezing order has worldwide effect, so it's all of his assets wherever they may be. There are provisions for his weekly allowance, within which he can meet his needs," he added. Mallya, who remains on bail since his arrest on an extradition warrant in April last year, will return for the last leg of his ongoing extradition trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on July 11, after which the court is expected to set a timeline for judgment in that case. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), representing the Indian government, has claimed it has successfully established a prima facie case of fraud against the businessman. Mallya has claimed the criminal charges against him are "without substance" and "politically motivated". President Donald Trump's nominee for the post of CIA director Gina Haspel today said that a day after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, she had a gut feeling that the terror assault had been masterminded by then al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Haspel, who was a mid-level CIA official at the time, stated this during her confirmation hearing before lawmakers. "For me, I had just returned to Washington from an overseas posting and I reported for duty on the morning of 9/11. I knew in my gut when I saw the video of the first plane hitting the tower in Manhattan that it was bin Laden," Haspel, 62, told members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. "I got up from my desk and, like many others, walked over to the Counterterrorism Centre and volunteered to help. I didn't leave for three years. We worked seven days a week, and I even had friends who postponed weddings and having babies. The men and women of CIA were driven to prevent another attack," she said sharing her personal experience of working at the CIA with the lawmakers. "The first boots on the ground in Afghanistan were my colleagues. The first US casualty in Afghanistan was a CIA officer and it was the CIA who identified and captured the mastermind of 9/11 in a brilliant operation. I am proud of our work during that time. The hard lessons we learned from that experience inform my leadership of CIA today," she said. The 9/11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in the world's worst terrorist assault. Haspel, faced a volley of questions on her role as a counter-terrorism official and her views on enhanced torture techniques. "In light of my counterterrorism experience, I understand that what many people around the country want to know about are my views on CIA's former detention and interrogation programme. I have views on this issue, and I want to be clear. Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership the CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation programme," she told the lawmakers. She said the CIA has learned some tough lessons, especially when asked to tackle missions that fall outside its expertise. "For me, there is no better example of implementing lessons learned than what the agency took away from the detention and interrogation programme. In retrospect it is clear that the CIA was not prepared to conduct a detention and interrogation programme," she noted. Today the US government has a clear legal and policy framework that governs detentions and interrogations, she said. "Specifically, the law provides that no individual in US custody may be subjected to any interrogation technique or approach that is not authorised by and listed in the Army Field Manual," she said. "I fully support the standards for detainee treatment required by law, and just as importantly, I will keep the CIA focused on our collection and analysis missions that can best leverage the expertise found at the agency," Haspel said. She said the CIA's strategy starts with strengthening its core business: collecting intelligence to help policymakers protect the country and advance American interests around the globe. "It includes raising our investment against the most difficult intelligence gaps, putting more officers in the foreign field where our adversaries are, and emphasising foreign language excellence. And, finally, it involves investing in our partnerships both within the US government and around the globe," she said. "We must do everything we can to follow through on these investments and to make the CIA as effective as it can possibly be, because the American people deserve no less than the CIA's best efforts," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reigning champion Simona Halep edged closer to a third consecutive Madrid Open title by beating Belgium's Elise Mertens in the second round here. Halep, the winner here in 2016 and 2017, was made to work harder in the second set on Manolo Santana but the world number one's 6-0 6-3 victory yesterday was never in doubt. Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic will now await Halep in the last 16 as the Romanian continues to prepare for the French Open, where she has twice gone the distance only to finish runner-up. Halep won the first eight games in a row to lead 6-0 2-0, with her clay-court counter-attacking too strong for the 22-year-old Mertens to handle. Mertens offered some late resistance as her opponent's concentration wavered, but a double fault confirmed Halep's victory in a brief one hour and 11 minutes. "I think I played well again," Halep said. "It is the second match of the tournament. I have a great feeling." Earlier, Petra Kvitova battled to a 6-3 7-6 (10/8) victory over Puerto Rico's Monica Puig to register her seventh consecutive win. Kvitova's hard-hitting game lends itself more to the faster surfaces but after lifting the title on clay in Prague at the weekend, she has maintained her momentum here and will meet Estonia's Anett Kontaveit in round three. Home favourite Garbine Muguruza staged a comeback from a set and a break down to beat Donna Vekic 2-6 6-4 6-1 and reach the third round for the first time in her career. The two-time Grand Slam champion was in trouble when she dropped serve in the fifth game of the second set, but won 10 of the next 12 games to race to victory. Dangerous Russian Daria Kasatkina awaits the world number three in the last 16 after a comfortable win over Sorana Cirstea. Fourth seed and reigning Italian Open champion Elina Svitolina slumped to a surprise 6-2 6-7 (3/7) 6-4 loss to Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in the second round. The Ukrainian world number four will now prepare for the defence of her title in Rome next week, while Suarez Navarro will face Bernarda Pera, after the American brushed aside Johanna Konta 6-4 6-3. - Del Potro makes winning return - ==================================Juan Martin del Potro made a winning start to his clay-court season by seeing off Damir Dzumhur in his first match since losing in the Miami Open semi-finals to John Isner in March. The former US Open champion, who has won two titles this year including at Indian Wells, had far too much for his Bosnian opponent in a comfortable 6-3 6-3 win. Del Potro admitted that his persistent wrist injuries make clay more difficult for him than other surfaces. "On clay you can't use the slice much, which is a blow because I've been using it more for my wrist problems," he said. "For now my wrist is responding well, I'm still having treatment every day. I'm calm, because I've been doing well." The Argentinian, twice a semi-finalist in Madrid, will take on Dusan Lajovic in the last 16 after the Serbian edged out Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7/1) 7-6 (7/1). World number four Grigor Dimitrov was beaten in a tight second-round encounter by former Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic, who is playing his first tournament since withdrawing from the Monte Carlo Masters with injury. The big-serving Canadian grabbed the first break of the match in the 11th game, and despite seeing Dimitrov fight back to force a decider, he closed out a 7-5 3-6 6-3 win. Elsewhere, South Korean rising star Chung Hyeon suffered a shock 6-0 6-2 first-round thrashing at the hands of Dutchman Robin Haase. Chung's fellow Australian Open semi-finalist Kyle Edmund beat Daniil Medvedev 6-4 6-0 to set up a clash with former world number one Novak Djokovic, who beat Kei Nishikori on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two labourers were killed and four were severely injured in a blast at Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant (RGTPP) at Khedar, about 30 km from here, police said today. The unit number one of the plant was closed yesterday noon due to less demand of power. The labourers were fixing a leakage at the bottom seal of the unit when the boiler's clinker containing hot ash and burning coal particles fell on them following a blast, they said. Vikram and Amit, both residents of Khedar village in Hisar, died in the incident, while four labourers, Jagdish of Khedar, Satbir of Pabra, Manoj Kumar and Chhote Lal both residents of Devariya in Uttar Pradesh, were injured, the police said. The injured were admitted to a private hospital here and among them the condition of three were stated to be the critical, they said. A case under Sections 336 (doing any act which endangers human life), 337 (causing hurt by an act which endangers human life) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by an act which endangers human life) of IPC has been registered at Barwala Police Station against the contractor, the police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court today dismissed a PIL challenging the appointment of a committee by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to inquire into the alleged attempt by a woman college teacher to lure students to extend sexual favours in return for higher marks. Justices S Govindaraj and G R Swaminathan of the Madurai Bench held that the governor has the powers as the chancellor (of state-run universities) to order such an inquiry. Dismissing a PIL seeking to declare as null and void the order of the governor appointing the committee headed by retired IAS officer R Santhanam, the bench said the court cannot interfere with the powers of the governor. Purohit had on April 16 appointed the one-man committee to look into "certain immoral" happenings surrounding an assistant professor of Aruppukottai-based Devanga Arts College, affiliated to the Madurai Kamaraj University. The decision was taken in his capacity as the chancellor of the university, he had said. After opposition parties led by DMK questioned his action in appointing the one-man panel, Purohit had quoted legal provisions and said as chancellor of the varsity, he was empowered to constitute the committee. She was arrested last month in connection with her alleged advise to students "to adjust with some officials" in return for higher marks and money. The assistant professor of Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar District, about 500 km from Chennai, was alleged to have made the overtures in March. But, the issue came to light in April after an audio of purported conversation between her and some students went viral in the social media, triggering a public outrage. In the audio, she is heard suggesting that the girls adjust with some (education) officials, for getting 85 per cent mark and money. The DMK and other opposition parties had demanded a CBI probe. Challenging the appointment of the committee, petitioner S Selvagomathy had contended that the governor had no jurisdiction to form such a panel. She had sought an inquiry by a local complaints committee as required under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today sought the response of the Enforcement Directorate on a bail plea filed by former Andhra Pradesh Bank Director, who was arrested in connection with a money laundering probe in an alleged Rs 5,000-crore bank fraud case. Justice A K Pathak issued notice to the agency on the plea of Anup Prakash Garg who sought bail saying he was arrested by the ED on January 12 in connection with the case involving a Gujarat-based pharma firm and has been in custody since then. Senior advocate Mohit Mathur, appearing for Garg, sought the relief saying the official has been in custody for four months and the charge sheet has already been filed in the case so he was not required for further probe. Advocate Nitesh Rana, respresenting the ED, opposed the bail plea saying Garg had granted a loan of nearly Rs 250 crore to the accused firm Sterling Biotech and accepted Rs 1.52 crore illegal gratification during his tenure. The court listed the matter for July 2 for further hearing. Garg was the second person to be arrested in the case after the agency had in November last year held Delhi-based businessman Gagan Dhawan. Besides Dhawan and Garg, the ED has also arrested Rajbhushan Omprakash Dixit, one of the directors of the pharma firm. All three were arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had lodged the money laundering case after taking cognisance of an FIR registered by the CBI. The CBI had booked Garg, firm Sterling Biotech, its directors Dixit, Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara, Dipti Chetan Sandesara, Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara and Vilas Joshi, chartered accountant Hemant Hathi and some unidentified persons in connection with the case. It had alleged that the company took loans of over Rs 5,000 crore from a consortium led by Andhra Bank, which turned into non-performing assets. The FIR had also alleged that the total pending dues of the group companies were Rs 5,383 crore as on December 31, 2016. It had alleged that "various cash payments were made to Garg, as reflected in the entries, on the instructions of the Sandesara brothers, by withdrawing cash from the bank accounts of several benami companies owned by them". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today set aside a trial court order summoning former union minister Salman Khurshid in a trespass case. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva asked the trial court here to consider afresh the main charge sheet and the supplementary charge sheet filed in the case, before passing any order while making it clear that it has not opined anything on their merit. The high court allowed the petition of the Congress leader seeking to quash January 8 order of the trial court summoning him as an accused for alleged offence of trespassing into an office of the Delhi Public School (DPS) society in south Delhi. Senior advocate Amrendra Sharan and advocate Pramod Dubey, appearing for Khurshid, argued that the trial court's summoning order was erroneous as the entire record of the case was not available with the magistrate when he was summoned. Dubey submitted that Khurshid was given a clean chit by the Delhi Police in the first charge sheet in which it was mentioned that no case was made out against him. The high court noted that at the time of summoning Khurshid, the entire case record was not available with the magistrate and the file was pending before a sessions judge who was hearing a revision petition. "The trial court should have taken note of both the original charge sheet and the supplementary charge sheet before summoning the accused. The trial court order is set aside," it said. The court asked how can the trial court pass an order by taking note of one part of the case record and ignoring the other. "Is it not the duty of the court to examine the whole evidence. In the first charge sheet, it was written these accused have no role. Is it not the court's duty to examine the record. It shows non application of mind," it said. Delhi Police's counsel, however, said the supplementary charge sheet, in which Khurshid and others were named as accused, were available before the magistrate and on that basis, the order was passed. According to the police, the DPS Society had alleged that on March 30, 2015, that Khurshid, along with one Sharda Nayak, had trespassed into the office of the society and the latter had forcibly occupied the office of the Chairman. "They took control of the premises of the society" and it was in the presence of Khurshid that Nayak announced herself as the society's chairperson, the DPS Society had alleged, adding that Khurshid was part of a "well-planned conspiracy to illegally occupy and take over the premises of the society". Following the incident, an FIR was also lodged in the matter. Khurshid had alleged in his plea before the high court that the magistrate had passed the summoning order without application of mind. The plea had said the police had filed a charge sheet in the case in February 2016 exonerating Khurshid, but filed a supplementary charge sheet in December 2017 naming him and five others as accused. The Congress leader was neither named, nor was any role attributed to him in the FIR lodged on March 31, 2015 at Amar Colony police station here, the petition had claimed, adding that he was a life member of the DPS Society on the date of the alleged incident and had the legal right to visit the society premises as a stakeholder. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Information Commission has directed the Bureau of Immigration, an agency exempted from RTI Act disclosures, to give a person details of his travel as he needed it for defence in penal proceedings. The CIC underlined that any impediment in a person's self defence would be a breach of human rights. The case pertains to RTI applicant M Dinesh, who had sought information related to his arrival-departure details in his passport, through his application in 2016. Dinesh said he was falsely implicated by a person who alleged that he had threatened him. Dinesh claimed that he was in Dubai when the purported incident allegedly took place, but the police did not hear his plea and sent him to jail. He applied for details of his arrival and departure from Bureau of Immigration, a unit of the Intelligence Bureau, which is exempted from making any disclosures under the transparency law barring allegations pertaining to corruption and human rights violations. I request your good say to direct and order BOI to provide my arrival and departure details on my passport. I am only asking my own particulars in my passport, which aren't readable, he pleaded before the Commission. Information Commissioner Yashovardhan Azad said Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees a right to lead a dignified life with personal liberty, while Article 14 guarantees equality before law to all citizens. In a catena of judicial pronouncements, the right to a have a fair trial is held to be an embodiment of the Article 14 read with Article 21, Azad, a former senior intelligence officer, underlined in his order. Azad said he is left with no doubt that a man preparing for his self defence in penal proceedings exercises his basic human right. "Any impediment in the same would invariably be a breach of human right. The term violation' as preceding the term human right' in proviso to Section 24 of the RTI Act has to be understood in a broader manner so as to cover any past or ongoing violation of human rights," he noted. Azad said it is not necessary that the breach of human rights has to be conclusively proved by the information seeker. "A credible allegation of breach of human right, which weighs favourably with the Commission warrants disclosure of information," he said. He said had the stamps affixed on the passport of the appellant been clearly identifiable, no need would have arisen for seeking information from the public authority. Azad said the present case can also be viewed as a simple case of hardship which needs a sympathetic redressal by the public authority. "The Commission is quite alive to the possible exponential increase in requests for information under RTI Act regarding foreign travel citing the present decision as precedent. "It would not be possible to postulate all specific instances in which information shall be divulged," he said, asserting that the present decision cannot be generalised. Azad said in the present case the appellant was not seeking information related to any third party, but his own travel details to prove his innocence in criminal proceedings. The information sought is crucial to the appellant for a fair opportunity of self defence. The Commission is not considering the culpability or innocence of the appellant in the criminal case set up against him; but declining a fair opportunity to arrange for material of self defence would certainly breach the human right of appellant, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Calling for the resumption of talks between top military commanders of India and China, Indian envoy here said today the dialogue between both countries cannot make much progress if they do not "empathise" with each other's aspirations and interests. In his first remarks after the unprecedented informal summit at Wuhan between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping last month, Ambassador Gautam Bambawale said, "I would like to see a resumption of military exchanges between India and China as well as strategic communication between our top military commanders". "This will be good for maintaining peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas," he told the 8th India-China dialogue between Ananta Aspen Centre (AAC) and China Reform Forum (CRF). His comments followed Modi and Xi issuing "strategic guidance" to their respective militaries to strengthen communication in order to build trust and mutual understanding and enhance predictability and effectiveness in the management of border affairs at the Wuhan summit. While emphasising the importance of the significance of candid talks at all levels, Bambawale significantly observed that dialogue cannot make progress without the two sides empathising with each other's sensitivities and interests. "An important principle in India-China relations is the necessity of being sensitive to the other country's aspirations and interests," Bambawale said. "In the absence of such sensitivity, we may talk to each other but little progress will be made if we do not empathise with the other side's point of view," he said. "I hope that such sensitivity will also be displayed in your discussions today. This is an important pre-requisite for moving forward in our bilateral ties," he said, pointing out that that delegations at today's talks between AAC and CRF have "retired defence personnel in their composition". The dialogue between the two organisations was not held last year apparently due to the Dokalam standoff. Referring to the Wuhan summit between Modi and Xi, he said, "both leaders spoke freely and frankly to each other on strategic and over-arching issues pertaining to the international and regional situations as well as on India-China relations". The summit on April 27-28 was seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties that were hit by the 73-day-long Dokalam standoff. The summit was one such example of engagement at the apex level, Bambawale said. "I have always maintained that if India and China have to live and progress together, especially in the 21st Century, it is essential that we engage with each other seriously and talk to each other extremely frankly and candidly," he said. He said at the Wuhan summit both the leaders concluded that there are many factors of commonality between India and China and that they need to expand on such convergences. "Naturally, like any two countries, there are also differences between us. We can only resolve these differences, over time, if we speak to each other about them in an open manner," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Ethiopia today vowed to strengthen cooperation in key areas such as defence, counter terrorism, and trade and investment during the second Joint Committee Meeting between the two countries. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj led the Indian delegation in talks here with the Ethiopian side that was headed by her counterpart Workneh Gebeyehu. The two sides exchanged views on strengthening relations in areas such as counter terrorism, trade and investment, development partnership, capacity building, science and technology, and culture, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. "Building upon a robust & strong partnership underpinned by shared values & principles of South-South cooperation, EAM @SushmaSwaraj welcomed Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu for 2nd Joint Committee Meeting. Our recorded historical linkages go back to 2000 years," he tweeted. During the Joint Committee Meeting (JCM), both sides discussed various bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, the MEA said in a statement. The discussions focused on building closer cooperation in areas of defence cooperation, lines of credit, human resource development, capacity building, trade and investment, cultural exchanges and enhancing people to people contact, the statement said. India reiterated its commitment towards developmental partnership with Ethiopia. The two sides also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest at regional and multilateral levels including cooperation at the UN and other international organisations, the MEA said. An MoU between the Foreign Service Institute of India and the Foreign Service Training Institute of Ethiopia was also signed after the conclusion of the meeting, it said. The JCM was preceded by a meeting of senior officials' meeting yesterday. Both sides expressed satisfaction on enhanced engagement at all levels between the two countries. They underlined that the India-Ethiopia partnership is underpinned by shared values and strong economic and commercial relations, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major boost to defence logistics along the border with China, India's longest road and railway bridge connecting Dibrugarh in Assam to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh is likely to be inaugurated later this year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While all the civil work would be completed by July this year, two more months would be needed to finish the electrical and signalling work on the 4.94 km bridge, said Mahender Singh, Chief Engineer, construction, Bogibeel project. The Bogibeel bridge is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the end of this year, officials said. The bridge, which is the second longest in Asia, has three lane roads on top and double line rail below. The bridge is 32 metres above the water level of the Brahamaputra and is fashioned on a bridge that links Sweden and Denmark. For the government, the bridge, officials said is both a symbol of development in the northeast as well as part of a strategic move solving logistical issues for the armed forces stationed at the China border to get supplies from Tezpur. Bogibeel is part of infrastructure projects planned by India to improve logistics along the border in Arunachal Pradesh. This includes the construction of a trans-Arunachal highway on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, and new road and rail links over the mighty river and its major tributaries such as the Dibang, Lohit, Subansiri and Kameng. India and China share a nearly 4,000 km border, with almost 75 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh. As of now, the rail and road link to Arunachal is through three Assam bridges -- Jogighopa in Bongaigaon district, Saraighat near Guwahati, and Kolia-Bhomora between Sonitpur and Nagaon. This means that a cargo from Dibrugarh in the north-eastern corner of Assam takes over a 600 km detour merely to cross the Brahmaputra. The other alternative is crossing by ferry, but it is not suitable for heavy cargo and due to monsoons for six months between May-October, ferry services often remain disrupted. "Now, to go from Dibrugarh to Arunachal Pradesh by train, one has to go via Guwahati with more than 500 km detour. With this bridge, the journey will be less than 100 km," said Singh. Though approved in 1996, construction of the bridge was initiated by the first BJP-led NDA government in 2002. The Congress-led UPA government had declared it a national project in 2007. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US decision to reinstate financial sanctions on Iran will not impact India's oil imports from the Islamic Republic as long as European countries don't follow suit, officials said today. India pays its third largest oil supplier in Euros using European banking channels and unless these are blocked, imports will continue, they said. US President Donald Trump yesterday announced that the US will withdraw from the landmark 2015 accord to curb Iran's nuclear program and reinstate financial sanctions on the Persian Gulf nation. Soon after the announcement, oil prices rebounded to trade at the highest level since 2014 with Brent crude oil climbing 2.5 per cent to USD 76.75. "Immediately there will be no impact but we have to wait and watch how other nations particularly the European block, react," said A K Sharma, Director (Finance) of Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the country's largest oil firm. If the European Union (EU) were to continue status quo and not re-impose sanctions, Iranian supplies to India will continue unhindered, he said. But paying Iran for the oil India buys would become difficult in case European countries join the US and impose financial sanctions and block banking channels, he said. French President Emmanuel Macron, who personally lobbied Trump to remain in the deal during a state visit to Washington last month, said: "France, Germany, and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA." JCPOA stands for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the acronym for the Iran nuclear deal that was signed between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - China, France, Russia, the UK, US- plus Germany), and the EU in Vienna on July 14, 2015. JCPOA provided for Iran curbing its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of financial sanctions. Iran is India's third-largest oil supplier behind Iraq and Saudi Arabia. It supplied 18.4 million tonne of crude oil during April 2017 and January 2018 (first 10 months of 2017-18 fiscal). Iran was India's second biggest supplier of crude oil after Saudi Arabia till 2010-11 but western sanctions over its suspected nuclear programme relegated it to the 7th spot in the subsequent years. In 2013-14 and 2014-15, India bought 11 MT and 10.95 MT, respectively from it. Sourcing from Iran increased to 12.7 MT in 2015-16, giving it the sixth spot. In the following year, the Iranian supplies jumped to 27.2 MT to catapult it to the third spot. Iranian oil is a lucrative buy for refiners as the Persian Gulf nation provides 90 days of credit for purchases, at least thrice the amount of time given by other producers. During the first round of sanctions when EU joined the US in imposing financial restrictions, India initially used a Turkish bank to pay Iran for the oil it bought but beginning February 2013 paid nearly half of the oil import bill in rupees while keeping the remainder pending opening of payment routes. It began clearing the dues in 2015 when the restrictions were eased. Besides, New Delhi sought to get around the restrictions by supplying goods including wheat, soybean meal and consumer products to Iran in exchange for oil. Back in 2012, EU put restrictions on insurance of Iranian oil and ships carrying them. To get around the problem, Iran supplied oil in its own tankers. Officials said the insurance hurdle is not foreseen as of now because European nations such as the UK and France have indicated that they are sticking with the nuclear accord. Following Trump's announcement, companies are not allowed to strike new deals in the Iranian oil and energy sector. By August, transactions in Iranian government debt or currency and purchases involving the country's automobile sector or Iranian gold and other metals must end. In November, deals involving Iran's oil and energy sector, shipping and ports, and insurance services will be prohibited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has sent to Bangladesh its second relief consignment to help tens of thousands of displaced Rohingya Muslims who fled Myanmar following a military crackdown, triggering one of the world's worst refugee crises. Over 600,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar's violence-hit Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh since August when the military intensified crackdown against alleged militant outfits of Rohingya Muslims. Indian Navy Ship INS Airavat sailed from Vishakhapatnam and reached Chattogram port (formerly Chittagong) Port yesterday where Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla handed over the relief consignment to Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzel Hussain Chowdhury Maya. Officials familiar with the development said the 373-tonne consignment contained 104 tonnes of milk powder, 102 tonnes of dried fish, 61 tonnes of baby food, 50,000 raincoats and 50,000 pairs of gum boots. "Another tranche containing 1 million litres of kerosene oil and 20,000 cooking stoves is expected to arrive soon," Shringla said. He said India sent the relief in view of the specific needs of the "large number of (Rohingya) women and children living in the camps and the onset of monsoon". "We hope this will bring some succour to the people living in camps," he said. Bangladesh has repeatedly sought India's help to put pressure on Myanmar to resolve the Rohingy crisis. During a recent high-level visit of UN Security Council, Bangladesh called upon India as well as Russia, China and Japan to play a stronger role for Rohingya's secured and dignified repatriation. Earlier, Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina engaged the foreign ministry to pursue a vigorous diplomacy with countries having direct borders with Myanmar along with Russia and sought enhanced Indian engagement in resolving the crisis. "We want India to mount pressure on Myanmar so they quickly take back their displaced people," Hasina had told a visiting non-government Indian delegation. She had warned that Rohingyas' longer stay in Bangladesh could create a security crisis, arguing that "when people remain frustrated and have no work, they could easily be indulged in militancy". "We understand that the influx of large number of refugees has created unprecedented challenges for the government and people of Bangladesh," Shringla said. India's foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale, who was in Dhaka last month, said "India has been fully supportive of the efforts being made to resolve the crisis, including early repatriation of the displaced people". External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will pay a two-day visit to Myanmar from May 10 during which key bilateral and regional issues, including the situation in the Rakhine state from where thousands of Rohingya Muslims had fled following violence last year, are likely to be discussed. In December last, India had announced a development assistance of USD 25 million for the Rakhine state. Earlier, India sent relief materials for 300,000 Rohingyas in September last year under 'Operation Insaniyat' to support Bangladesh in its humanitarian efforts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The is gradually coming out of the twin shock of and which temporarily derailed growth, India Ratings said. The ratings agency, however, cautioned on the possible widening of the (CAD) due to rising which was creating pressure on the currency. "Our research has shown that major macro parameters like manufacturing, capital goods production, non-food credit and consumption are showing signs of recovery," India Ratings chief economist Devendra Pant told PTI. On the monetary side, areas of concern are rising bond yields which indicate potential slippages on the fiscal front, he said. "Things are improving now. If things behave as they are now and the policy remains conducive, growth in current fiscal is expected to be 7.4 per cent", Pant said. He said it was unlikely that the government would go ahead with big bang reforms due to the 2019 Lok sabha elections. If the remained within three per cent, then it would not be alarming for the economy provided capital inflows were in excess of outflows caused by high oil import bill. "In that case, the rupee will have an appreciating bias" he said. India today reacted cautiously to US President Donald Trump's decision to pull the US out of the Iran nuclear deal, saying all the parties involved should engage constructively to resolve issues. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India has always been maintaining that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy. Trump had yesterday announced he was withdrawing the US from the Iran nuclear deal signed by the Obama administration in 2015 under which Tehran had agreed to significantly cut its stocks of centrifuges, enriched uranium and heavy-water, all key components required to develop nuclear weapons. "India has always maintained that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy by respecting Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy as also the international community's strong interest in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme," Kumar said. Iran had struck the JCPoA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) deal with the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany after years of negotiations. Kumar said all parties should engage constructively to address and resolve issues that have arisen with respect to the JCPoA. The MEA spokesperson was responding to queries by media on the US' decision to withdraw from the Iran deal. The US President's decision to abandon the agreement has shocked the world, with America's closest allies such as France, Germany and the UK expressing concern over it while Iran's foes Israel and Saudi Arabia welcoming the move. Describing the JCPoA as a bad deal, Trump had said the nuclear deal is unlikely to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iraqi authorities said today they will close the country's borders and airspace for 24 hours over an upcoming parliamentary election as they seek to impose a security lockdown. The measures running throughout Saturday are similar to ones applied during previous nationwide polls in the conflict-wracked nation. Some 24.5 million Iraqi voters are registered to cast their ballots in the fourth parliamentary vote since the 2003 toppling of dictator Saddam Hussein. The poll comes just five months after Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State group, following a brutal campaign to push the jihadists out of the country. IS has threatened to target the elections but the run-up to the vote has seen a lull in violence across Iraq. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese apparel retailer UNIQLO will foray in India next year with the first store in the national capital, a company statement said today. This will also mark the brand's entry in the South Asia region. After the launch in Delhi, UNIQLO plans to expand in the national capital region (NCR) before considering other areas. "India will become the latest in a string of new markets for UNIQLO worldwide, following earlier announcements to launch in Sweden and the Netherlands in 2018," it said. Following the establishment of a wholly-owned subsidiary in India this month, UNIQLO said it will begin recruiting local talent as it prepares to open its first store in the country. UNIQLO has around 2,000 stores in 19 markets worldwide including Japan, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the UK, US, among others. The company reported global sales of approximately 1.8619 trillion yen (USD 16.87 billion) for 2017 financial year ended August 31, 2017 . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Low-cost Kuwaiti carrier Jazeera Airways, which commenced its India operations last November, will start flight services to Mumbai from May 10. The Middle East-based airline will fly seven-times a week on the Kuwait-Mumbai route with its dual-class Airbus A320 aircraft, the Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) said in a release today. The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) is set to receive Kuwait's Jazeera Airways, which will start flight services to Mumbai from May 10, the release added. By commencing operations to the CSIA, Jazeera Airways has become one of the largest carriers into India from Kuwait, it said. MIAL is a joint-venture company that operates the city airport. Set up in April 2004 as the first private airline in the West Asia, Jazeera launched India operations with a direct flight to Hyderabad from Kuwait on November 17 last year. The Mumbai airport has 53 passenger airlines operating to 96 destinations in the country and across the globe, accounting for 17 per cent of the overall air traffic in India, the release said. "A growing Indian expatriate population in Kuwait and strengthening trade ties between India and Kuwait are fueling demand for travel between the two countries," the release said adding, the new services will especially benefit business travellers between the two country. Jazeera has a fleet of eight Airbus A320 planes and plans to expand the fleet to 15 planes by 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today condemned the abduction of six Indians in Afghanistan, an official release said. Among them four persons are from Giridih district of the state, Das said. The central government is making efforts to rescue them, the release said, adding that the chief minister expected that all the Indians would return unharmed. The entire countrys sympathy is with their families and all are praying for their return, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A row has erupted over a question on bad omens asked in the written examination for would be junior engineers conducted by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission, with the opposition Congress saying that it would lodge a police complaint. In the examination held on April 10, one of the questions asked was 'Which one among the following is not a bad omen in Haryana'. The options for the answer were: seeing an empty pot, a casket, a black Brahmin, a Brahmin girl. Members of the Brahmin community have held protests in several parts of the state over the issue and also burnt an effigy of HSCC chairman Bharat Bhushan Bharti. Later, the HSSC expressed regret and withdrew the question. Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij has said a probe would conducted into who set the question paper and how the particular question was cleared. BJP's Rajya Sabha MP D P Vats has said exemplary punishment would be given to those responsible for it. Today, former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, "We are going to lodge a police complaint shortly. This is not an ordinary mistake, this is something unpardonable. The have not only insulted the Brahmin community, but they are also promoting superstition." Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma said, "It is shocking that engineers are chosen on the basis of their level of superstition rather than skill." Referring to the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in Haryana, Hooda hit out at the BJP government in the state saying, "Their claims of transparency and merit in recruitment are hollow. If the Congress comes to power in the state after the Assembly polls, we will get an inquiry done by a sitting High Court judge into the way this government conducted various written exams and given jobs."Last month, the flying squad of Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar unearthed an alleged cash-for-job racket involving employees of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) and other departments, and "brokers" who would take money from aspirants for selection in government jobs. Hooda also demanded that written examinations for various recruitment should be conducted by an independent agency as "people have lost faith in the HSSC". He also took a dig at the 10-day tour of Khattar to Israel and the UK, saying, "When the chief minister left for Israel (on Sunday), his government issued an advisory sounding high alert in view of the possibility of thunder storms and squalls. The Haryana government also shut down schools for two days." "At this moment, the chief minister should have been with people of Haryana," Hooda said. He also alleged that Khattar government had made tall claims on bringing in investments, whereas the reality is opposite to what they say. "This government has failed on all fronts. They have pushed the state into a kind of crisis. Power crisis is also staring at the state as coal supplies are running low, but they are not bothered. Illegal mining is rampant in various parts of the state including Bhiwani-Mahendergarh, but they are silent. Law and order situation has broken down and people are feeling insecure, but no steps are being taken to tackle the growing crime graph," Hooda claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya today said newly-appointed state Congress president Kamal Nath stood no chance against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the assembly elections, due later this year. "Kamal Nath is no match to Chouhan (59) in terms of popularity. Shivraj is very popular among the people for the welfare works he has done. The Congress has pitted an elderly leader like Kamal Nath (71) against Chouhan," Malaiya told reporters here. Speculations are rife that Nath could be the chief ministerial face of the Congress in the upcoming polls. However, the Congress veteran had said that he was not hankering for any post after the election and that his only aim was to serve the people of the state. "Kamal Nath would not be able to face Shivraj in the upcoming assembly elections. Since he was appointed as the new president of the state Congress recently, media is a bit attracted towards him. This attraction will wane over a period of time," the finance minister said. Malaiya said the successive Congress governments at the Centre and Madhya Pradesh fared poorly in the past. He said the condition of roads and the power scenario was very bad during 1993-2003 when Congress' Digvijay Singh was the chief minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 1.5 lakh security personnel, including more than 50,000 from the central paramilitary forces, will be deployed during the Assembly elections in Karnataka on May 12 to ensure free and fair polls, officials said today. The Union Home Ministry has earmarked around 520 companies drawn from various paramilitary forces like the CRPF, BSF and ITBP to keep strict vigil and ensure peace during the polling process in the southern state. The central security personnel will assist the nearly a lakh strong Karnataka Police, who will be deployed in every nook and corner of the state during the single-phase polling, a home ministry official said. The number of the central forces personnel was finalised recently by the Election Commission after a meeting with senior officials of the home ministry. A company of paramilitary forces comprises about 100 personnel. Most of the central paramilitary personnel have already reached Karnataka and are on the process of reaching their designated places of deployment, another official said. Voting for the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will be held on May 12. A total of around 4.96 crore registered voters will exercise their franchise in around 56,600 polling stations in Karnataka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Governor P Sathasivam today sought an Action Taken Report from the state government in the aftermath of the twin murders in north Kerala and the subsequent violence on May 7. Raj Bhavan sources said the Governor sought the report from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on the violence and the political killings at new Mahe near Thalassery in Kannur district and Palloor in Mahe. A local CPI(M) leader Babu was hacked to death on Monday night at Palloor and in an apparent retaliatory attack, a BJP worker was killed within half an hour at new Mahe in Thalassery in Kannur district. In December last year,Sathasivam had sought a report from the government on a petition by the BJP, seeking steps to stop attacks on its cadres, allegedly by CPI(M) workers. The Governor had in January this year also voiced concern over the recurring violence in Kannur between CPI(M) and BJP cadres and wanted the state's political leaders to persuade their workers to choose the path of peace. In the aftermath of the violence at Palloor, an enclave of Puducherry, following Babu's murder,a case has been registered against 500 CPI(M) workers for offences under various sections of Indian Penal Code, including rioting and criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty, police said. The case was registered after CPI(M) workers burnt a police jeep parked near Palloor police station and attacked BJP office and shops belonging to saffron party workers, Mahe police sources told PTI. The series of attacks was unleashed allegedly by CPI(M) workers after the funeral of Babu, who was hacked to death by eight persons, reportedly BJP/RSS workers. In an apparent retaliatory strike the same day, Shemaj (40), a BJP worker, was dragged out of his auto rickshaw and fatally attacked by six persons at new Mahe near Thalassery Kannur district. Puducherry DGP Sunil Kumar Gautam and Senior Superintendent of Police, Law and Order, Apoorva Gupta, today visited Mahe and held discussions with Kerala DGP Loknath Behara and senior police officers of that state to take stock of the situation. Police said an FIR has been registered against four persons in connection with Babu's murder and some other unidentified persons. An FIR has also been registered against six persons in connection with the murder of Shema, police at New Mahe said. Puducherry DGP Sunil Kumar Gautam told reporters that an FIR had been registered against the accused. "We have registered an FIR. We know the names of the accused and we are after them. We will arrest them very soon". He made it clear that police would deal very strictly with anyone who indulges in violence and takes the law into their own hands. Behara said the objective was to ensure that all the accused get exemplary punishment. There is need for cooperation between the investigating authorities of the two governments, he said, adding a Special Investigation Team could be formed, but there cannot be a joint probe. The killings had shattered the four-month long lull in political violence involving workers of ruling CPI(M) and BJP and RSS workers in Kannur region. Mahe,a former French colony,is located between Thalassery in Kannur district and Vadakara in Kozhikode district. New Mahe comes under Kannur district. In the aftermath of the two murders, both Kerala and Puducherry police have deployed several personnel in the area as a precautionary measure to prevent further outbreak of violence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has invited Israeli investors to be a part of Haryana's growth story as he sought to deepen the state's collaboration with Israel in agriculture, water management besides exploring the use of Israeli technology in policing and rescue operations. Khattar is leading a strong delegation from Haryana at the global agricultural technology exhibition, Agritech Israel 2018. "We have five Centres of Excellence already operational in Haryana to help agricultural productivity with Israeli know how and a sixth one in the pipeline. The goal is to increase income of farmers in the state by utilisation of research and technology in Israel to increase agricultural produce," Khattar told PTI. Khattar said he had visited Israeli police departments and witnessed demonstration of rescue operations which were "quite impressive". "We may also explore police and rescue operations training using Israeli technology," the Haryana Chief Minister said. "The rescue team here is able to reach out to needy people anywhere within three minutes and Israelis are looking to even better the timing. The coordination required to make this possible is praiseworthy," he said. At the conference, Khattar sought collaborations in the fields of waste water treatment, micro irrigation, precision farming, crop innovation, and sprinkler system to assist and enable the farmers of his state to produce more and increase their income. He invited potential partners, companies, and research institutions from Israel to be a part of the growth story of Haryana through investments and collaboration. He said integrated farming also reflected the social character of the joint family system in India. Khattar said ways should also be explored for the development of arid and semi-arid regions where industrialisation can play an important role. He said that the state government was coming up with an industrial township of global standards in Sohna, which would serve as a catalytic agent for the development of the region. Khattar also visited agricultural farms and interacted with farmers and micro irrigation experts to get a first-hand account of the latest Israeli technology and expertise. Delegations from Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Punjab are participating in the three-day Agritech 2018 conference alongside representatives of over 100 Indian companies, making the Indian contingent the largest one at the 20th version of the annual event. Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala along with officials from the ministry are also participating in the conference. Participants from around the world have been sharing their know-how and displaying latest innovation and technology in agriculture and food processing at the conference. The theme for this year's conference is "Agriculture in Arid and Semi-arid Regions", a topic pertinent to large parts of India. Agritech Israel is considered one of the world's most important exhibitions in the field of agricultural technologies. Khattar would be leaving for UK today to tap British investments in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China, Japan and South Korea agreed today to cooperate on ending North Korea's nuclear programme and promoting free trade, two hot-button issues challenging their region. The agreements came at the first summit for the Northeast Asian neighbors after a hiatus of more than two years, bringing together Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Abe said they discussed how they can get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, but he didn't provide any details. China and Japan, in particular, have differences over how best to achieve North Korea's nuclear disarmament. The meeting comes amid a flurry of developments on the Korean Peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Moon on April 27 and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this week, in a surprise visit to the Chinese coastal city of Dalian. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, early Wednesday to finalize details of a summit planned between President Donald Trump and Kim. "We must lead the ongoing momentum toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and achieve peace and stability in Northeast Asia," Abe told a joint conference in Tokyo. Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said the three leaders also agreed to work toward two free trade agreements, a free trade pact among themselves and the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with Southeast Asian nations. Trump has threatened all three countries with tariffs in a bid to seek trade concessions from them. His moves have raised fears of a trade war between the US and China. Li, the No. 2 official in China after President Xi Jinping, said earlier that free trade is a good way to promote a global economic recovery. "We are willing to work with Japan and South Korea to jointly maintain regional stability and push forward the development of the three countries," he said before the meeting started. The leaders also agreed to hold trilateral summits on regular basis and set up a secretariat. The summits, which started in 2008, are supposed to be held annually, but Wednesday's was the first since November 2015. Analysts say Japan is trying to showcase improved ties and cooperation with China and South Korea so its views will be represented in any negotiations with North Korea. Abe reiterated Japan's position that it would normalize ties with North Korea only if the latter took concrete steps toward abandoning its nuclear and missile programs and resolved the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korean agents. Japan's leader was to hold talks separately with Moon and Li later Wednesday. Japanese officials said they plan to propose a free and peaceful East China Sea, but do not plan to raise contentious issues such as South Korean "comfort women" forced to provide sex to Japan's wartime military. Moon is to leave Japan after half a day. After that, Abe will host a dinner and lunch for Li and join him on the northern island of Hokkaido on the final day of his four-day Japan visit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) London's iconic Madame Tussauds today unveiled a waxwork figure of Meghan Markle, ahead of the May 19 royal wedding for which the excitement is reaching "fever pitch". The figure will open to public as part of a new royal family line-up on May 19, the day the American actress walks down the aisle in a royal wedding at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. "Excitement ahead of the royal wedding is reaching fever pitch and we have been inundated with questions about when people can finally meet 'Their Royal Likenesses'," said Edward Fuller, general manager at Madame Tussauds London. "There is a lot of love out there for Meghan and Harry and we're following their lead by inviting the great British public to join the couple in their wedding celebrations here at Madame Tussauds London," he said. Markle's figure, wearing a replica of her engagement ring designed by her fiance, is dressed in the emerald green sold-out PAROSH dress that she wore for the announcement of the engagement last year and beige heels. The 36-year-old joins a re-styled figure of her groom Prince Harry, the sixth in line to the British throne. Harry's figure was originally created to mark his 30th birthday in 2014 and has been updated for the special occasion, most notably adding the beard that the royal now sports. "With royal wedding fever extending across the Atlantic, Madame Tussauds London's sister attraction in New York will also reveal its own Meghan figure... Marking the first time a US citizen will join the British Royal Family in 80 years," a statement from the world-famous wax museum said. In London, the newest royal couple will be placed in front of a 15-foot-wide video wall that would allow guests to choose how they would like to pose with them. Visitors would be able to select from a range of backdrops and props to capture a moment with the young Royals from the cutting of the cake at their wedding to relaxing on a private beach. The museum is holding a special "stag and hen do" event on May 18, the eve of the royal wedding, at which over-18s would be able to take photographs with Harry and Meghan's wax figures. It also plans to offer free entry to guests named Meghan or Harry on the day of the royal wedding. To celebrate the upcoming nuptials, Legoland's Windsor resort has also created a 39,960 Lego brick Windsor Castle. The mini-brick castle took a team of eight model-makers 592 hours to complete, Legoland said. It will house a 10-cm tall, 60-brick Meghan Markle in her wedding dress and veil alongside Prince Harry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 5.5-magnitude earthquake today jolted northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, injuring at least nine children and causing panic among the residents, media reports said. The epicenter of the quake was northwestern city of Bannu at a depth of 12 kilometres. The temblor was felt in the Swat Valley and Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan Meteorological Department was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune. At least nine children were injured in Bannu's Government Model School near Tankhi Bazaar, it said. The panic-stricken children rushed out of the three-story building. Few jumped from second and third floor of the building. The injured have been moved to District Headquarters Hospital, the report said. Last month, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake jolted many towns of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. The epicenter of the quake was at the depth of 200 kilometres in Hindu Kush mountain area of Afghanistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to protect the interests of milk producers in Maharashtra, the state government is mulling to formulate guidelines for the minimum base price of milk based on the cost of production. "The government is positive about adopting the formula of the sugarcane crops of 70:30 ratio for milk producing farmers. In order to provide relief to milk producing farmers, the state government will implement this formula immediately," state Dairy Development Minister Mahadev Jankar said today. He said representatives of agricultural universities and milk producers will be involved in the committee set up to determine the milk production cost. "Minimum production cost of milk will be ensured after recieving the suggestion and information from the all. Accordingly, the government will take measures to get the base prices for farmers. Measures are also taken to ensure that the co-operative milk association and private milk union provide the rate fixed by the government," he said. Jankar said that surprise visits will be paid to milk collection centres and milk unions for checking the quality of milk and strict action will be taken in case of violators. A joint squad of departments of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), police, and Dairy Development will be set up for the purpose. Milk producers in the state had threatened to launch a protest in Mumbai over low rates being given to the commodity by dairies. Most of the dairies are paying between Rs 19 and 22 per litre to producers citing production glut and slump in prices of Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A poster with 'Maharana Pratap Marg' written on it was today found pasted on an Akbar Road signboard in Lutyens' Delhi, with the police later removing it. The road on which residences of several Union ministers, BJP chief Amit Shah as well and the Congress office are situated, falls under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). "No such proposal has been received by the council neither such a renaming has been approved. The defacement of the signboard is a law and order issue and the police should take the required action," an NDMC spokesperson said. So far, nobody has claimed responsibility for the defacement which comes on the birth anniversary of the Mewar warrior. However, this is not the first time Akbar Road signboard has been defaced. In 2016, Akbar Road signboards were defaced and posters of'Maharna Pratap Marg' were put up. Hindu Sena, a right-wing outfit, had then claimed responsibility for the act. "Our patrolling staff saw the poster and removed it. We are awaiting a complaint from the NDMC and then will register a case in the matter," a senior Delhi Police official said of today's incident. Two years ago General V K Singh (retired) had written to the Union Minister for Urban Development, proposing that Akbar Road be renamed Maharana Pratap Road. NDMC Vice Chairman Karan Singh Tanwar had then said that he would raise the issue before the council but no proposal in this regard was made. Maharana Pratap was involved in a war with Emperor Akbar after he refused to accept the suzerainty of the Mughals. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) today lauded the Delhi government for working on capping profit margins of hospitals on drugs and devices, saying this will help consumers access medical devices at reasonable prices. Based on recommendations of an expert panel, the Delhi government is likely to come out with a policy later this week to cap profit margins of city hospitals on drugs and devices, according to sources. "We applaud the steps taken by the Delhi government and the advisory given by the IMA to consider capping of profit margin to 50 per cent over the procurement cost of a hospital. This will result in consumers access to medical devices at prices below inflated MRP," said Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator of AiMeD. The nine-member panel, headed by Director-General of Health Services Kirti Bhushan, was set up by the Kejriwal government on December 13 last year. "We submitted the recommendations about two months ago and the new policy on capping of profit margin by hospitals should be out by this week," a top official had told PTI. The move comes after a public outrage on the death of a child due to dengue last year at a private hospital in Gurgaon, which charged the family around Rs 16 lakh for treatment. The committee had suggested capping the profit margin for drugs and devices at a maximum of 50 per cent above the manufacturing price or procurement cost, whichever was lower, the official had said. On its website, the AiMeD defines itself as an umbrella association of Indian manufacturers of medical devices covering all types of medical devices including consumables, disposables, equipment, instrument, electronics, diagnostics and implants. It says it has a primary membership of over 300 manufacturers and additionally of over 200 associate members. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After months of speculation, Sony has confirmed that Margot Robbie will portray the role of actor Sharon Tate, who was killed in the the most infamous murders by the Charles Manson family in the 1960s, in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". Veteran actor Burt Reynolds is in early negotiations to star in Quentin Tarantino's ninth film, Deadline reported. If on board, the "Boogie Nights" star, 82, will play George Spahn, the blind rancher who owned the property that Charles Manson and his followers were living on when they hatched the plan for the most infamous murders in the 1960s. Three Tarantino regulars - Kurt Russell ("The Hateful Eight"), Tim Roth ("Reservoir Dogs"), and Michael Madsen ("Kill Bill") will be seen in small/cameo-style roles. The director reunites with Leornardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt after having worked with them in "Django Unchained" and "Inglourious Basterds" respectively. The movie is based on the murder of actor Sharon Tate and three others at the hands of the Manson family cult. DiCaprio plays Rick Dalton, an ageing, out-of-work actor in the film, with Pitt as his longtime stunt double named Cliff Booth. The two characters happen to be Tate's neighbours. The film will release on August 19 next year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the murders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI leader D Raja and CPI (M)'s Nilotpal Basu would participate in a global conference in Moscow organised to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of revolutionary socialist Karl Marx this weekend. The two leaders have been invited by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation for the conference, which would also be attended by Nobel laureates, scientists and political leaders from across the globe. The international scientific conference, to be held on May 11-12 at the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, would commemorate the 150th anniversary of Marx's seminal work 'Capital: Critique of Political Economy' as well as the 200th birth anniversary of the noted economic and political theorist. At the conference, Raja and Basu would present separate papers on Marx and the impact of his writings in the Indian context. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The following are the highlights of the Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart, in which US-based Walmart has bought 77 per cent stake for USD 16 billion: -- Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal (not related) set up Flipkart in 2007 in Bengaluru. The duo met in 2005 at IIT-Delhi and had also worked at Amazon. Flipkart started as an online books selling platform. -- The first book sells on Flipkart's platform - John Wood's 'Leaving Microsoft to Change the World'. Flipkart registered 20 shipments in the year of its debut. -- Flipkart hires its first full-time employee, Ambur Iyyappa. -- In October 2009, Accel Partners comes on board as an investor pumping in USD 1 million. Just months later, US hedge fund Tiger Global joins Accel to invest USD 10 million. Flipkart has raised USD 1.4 billion from Tencent, eBay and Microsoft, while SoftBank Vision Fund added USD 2.5 billion to its kitty last year. -- Flipkart registers in Singapore in 2011. -- In 2010, Flipkart pioneers 'Cash on Delivery' in India, changing the way India shops online. -- Flipkart has acquired companies like WeRead, Letsbuy, FX Mart, fashion e-tail player Myntra and UPI-based payments startup PhonePe. It also bought majority stake in companies like Jeeves and ngpay. -- 2017 turns out to be a watershed year for Flipkart as company crosses the 100 million registered users mark. Today, it has over one lakh registered sellers and 21 warehouses. -- The company undergoes management rejig. Former Tiger Global executive Kalyan Krishnamurthy comes in as Flipkart CEO. Co-founder Binny Bansal is made Group CEO, while Sachin Bansal continues as Chairman. -- Flipkart offers to buy Snapdeal but the deal fails to fructify after the smaller rival decides to chart independent course. -- Flipkart buys back shares worth USD 350 million from investors as a precursor to the mega deal with Walmart. Walmart India: Then and now -- Walmart entered India through a joint venture with Bharti Enterprises in 2007; opened its first store in India in Amritsar, Punjab in May 2009. -- Walmart India became a wholly owned subsidiary of Walmart Inc in 2014. -- Now, Walmart India owns and operates 21 omni-channel Cash and Carry stores under the brand name Best Price in nine states across the country. -- The Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart says its business in India reaches out to over one million members -- small resellers and mom and pop stores, hotels, restaurants, offices and institutions. -- Walmart India opens first Fulfillment Center (FC) in Mumbai in November 2017. -- Besides Cash and Carry business, other Walmart businesses in India include Global Sourcing Centre in Bangalore (procures non-food products from Indian manufacturers for 13 of its global markets) and Walmart Labs (the Bangalore technology hub started in November 2011 that focuses on developing cutting edge solutions, retail technology). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An attempt was made to loot a nationalised bank branch here with miscreants making a hole in a wall of the premises, police said today. The hole big enough to facilitate entry of a person was found on one of the walls when the staff of the Bank of India branch at Kalamassery came to open it this morning. Police said they were examining the footage of CCTV system inside the bank premises. But it was not immediately known whether the miscreants entered the bank. There was no sign of any attempt to break any room, including the room where cash is kept, they said adding the hole was not made with any drilling machine. A CCTV footage obtained from an adjacent building showed some persons standing outside the bank with hand-held light, police said without elaborating further. On a complaint from the bank, a case against unidentified persons had been registered and investigations were on, police added. The bank manager said they had closed the branch at 6.50 pm yesterday and the hole came to their notice this morning. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An accused in a case related to alleged blackmailing of Congress MLA Hemant Katare today surrendered before a local court, which sent him in police remand for two days. Vikramjeet Singh, who was absconding for over four months, surrendered before Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Bharat Kumar Vyas here. Singh's lawyer E A Qureshi said that police sought his client's remand for three days, but the court granted them two days' custody. Singh, along with a woman journalism student, is accused of blackmailing Congress MLA Hemant Katare for Rs 5 lakh. The woman was arrested in January for extorting money from Katare, the MLA from Ater. Singh was on the run since then. The woman, who is the prime accused in the case, was later granted bail. Police had also registered a case against Katare, on the complaint of the woman, then in jail, for allegedly abducting and raping her. Five days ago, the woman did a U-turn and told media that she tried to frame the MLA in a false case at the behest of some BJP leaders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal means Boeing's licenses to sell billions of dollars in commercial jetliners to Iran will be revoked, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said. Mnuchin said yesterday that the existing licenses held by Chicago-based Boeing Co. and its European competitor, Airbus Group, would be invalidated by President Donald Trump's decision. "The existing licenses will be revoked," Mnuchin told reporters. Boeing said it would consult with the government on what comes next. "As we have throughout this process, we'll continue to follow the US government's lead," the company said. Airbus, which is subject to the US licence because of its use of American-made parts in its aircraft, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The new sanctions against Iran will allow for certain exemptions and waivers to be negotiated, but Mnuchin wouldn't discuss what products or countries might qualify for waivers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi after he publicly declared his prime ministerial ambition, and wondered whether the country will ever accept such an "immature and naamdar (famous)" leader for the post. Taking his attack on the Gandhi family a notch further with barely a day left for the campaign to end, Modi said, "He (Rahul Gandhi) feels that the prime minister's chair is reserved for one family and no one can sit on it. He feels it is an ancestral right (paitruk hak)." He said Congress leader was not bothered about his party, its legacy, senior leaders, or the country. "From morning till evening, while sleeping and while awake, he has only thing in his mind and that is the prime minister's chair," he said. Modi's attack on Gandhi at his rallies in Bangarpet and Chikkamagaluru came a day after the Congress president said he was ready to occupy the prime minister's post if his party emerged as the largest party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, making known his ambition for the topmost executive post. "The naamdar who does not have confidence in his alliance partners...who doesn't care for the Congress' internal democracy, whose arrogance has reached cloud seven, and is declaring himself that he would be the prime minister in 2019...will the country ever accept such an immature 'naamdar' leader?" Modi told election rallies. "Yesterday in Karnataka and India's something happened. All of a sudden one person came and he declared.....(he) did not care about others who are standing in the line. (He) did not care about other coalition partners. "There are leaders waiting for 40 years....He came all of a sudden...and said I will become the prime minister," the prime minister said during the final lap of his campaign blitz in poll-bound Karnataka, where voting will be held on May 12. He asked the gathering whether it was not a reflection of the Congress president's "arrogance." He also wanted to know whether it did not show the state of internal democracy in the Congress party. On the seizure of thousands of alleged fake voter ID cards and a lakh Form-6 (voter registration form) applications for the inclusion and transfer of voters from a flat here, Modi said, "Looking at defeat in front of them, as their tricks did not work, they have started a new game. "I want to tell the people to be alert till May 12 (the day of voting)...The Congress shamelessly is using undemocratic means." Citing media reports, he alleged that by using thousands of fake voter ID cards, the Congress was attempting to win the election. "People of Karnataka will not forgive the Congress for this...One is caught... don't know how many such sins they have committed," he added. About attempts to forge an anti-BJP front, Modi said "big, big meetings are happening, big, big stalwarts are meeting" to remove him from power, "but keeping them all in the dark Rahul Gandhi declared he will be the prime minister." "Doesn't this show the level of no-confidence within the (proposed) coalition?" he asked. In his rally at Chikkamagaluru, Modi said with great difficulty, the Congress had secured 40-odd Lok Sabha seats and lost elections in most of the states. "But look at their arrogance, it is on cloud seven. He (Rahul Gandhi) is coming here and claiming that he will become prime minister in 2019. If this is not arrogance what it is?" "This (Gandhi) family does not have anything to do with democracy...So it keeps looking for every opportunity to negate anything related to democracy,"he said. Modi also attacked the Congress for "defaming" institutions such as the CAG, CBI, NIA, ED and RBI by calling them wrong, and saying only the Congress is right and trying to "break the morale" of the Army and security forces by raising questions about them. "You might have seen in the last few elections the Congress is losing, and instead of accepting defeat by following democratic principles, they are lying by blaming EVMs," he said. He said the Congress had defamed the Election Commission of India that is respected globally for its work. "They have started defaming the EC after they started seeing defeat.For them, the EVM are wrong, the Congress right, the Election Commission wrong, the Congress right," he said. He said the Congress had also "doubted" the World Bank and global credit rating agencies by saying "Modi has bought these agencies." "The Congress is playing a dangerous game and I want to alert our citizens. The Congress' former president (Sonia Gandhi) and son (Rahul Gandhi) from the time they got bail in Rs 5,000 crore scam (National Herald case), from then on they have started attacking the country's judiciary," Modi said. Continuing his tirade against the Congress, he called it a "deal party." Modi said during Manmohan Singh's tenure as the prime minister, the remote control of the government was with Sonia Gandhi, but in the four years of the his (NDA) rule, it was with the people. He also said the "Congress culture, communalism, casteism, crime, corruption and contract system" were the "six Cs destroying" Karnataka's future. Modi told the crowd that it was now Karnataka's turn to bid "goodbye" to the Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AMU student union has said it was "impossible to believe" that the BJP MP who triggered a row over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the campus was unaware of it till recently. Student union secretary Mohammad Fahad said a Right to Information reply confirming the existence of the Pakistan founder's portrait was sent last year to all members of Aligarh Muslim University Court, which includes Aligarh MP Satish Gautam. RTI activist Alok Kumar had filed a query last August asking the AMU to confirm whether such a photograph existed. An AMU spokesman confirmed that the query had been received by the University and was then forwarded to the student union. The answer to this RTI query was distributed to all members of the AMU Court, the union said yesterday. The reports on the RTI query had then stirred a controversy and the MP should have raised the issue then at the University Court, the institution's highest governing body, instead of waiting for nearly eight months, Fahad said. The MP had earlier told reporters that he had come to know about the portrait hanging at the office of the AMU student union only recently, and had immediately written to the AMU Vice Chancellor about it. The University said that portraits of all student union life members hand on the walls of its office. Meanwhile, jurist Faizan Mustafa said that contrary to the notion spread by some forces, Muslim youth today nurse a very strong grievance against Jinnah for dividing the Indian Muslims into three countries. Muslim youth and the present generation of Muslims have a strong feeling that the communalism which they are facing today is largely because of Jinnah's divisive politics, Mustafa, a former professor and registrar at AMU, told PTI today. It would be historically incorrect to put the blame of Partition entirely on Jinnah. However, what is very clear is that if there is any Muslim from Indian subcontinent who has damaged the cause of Indian Muslims, it is Muhammad Ali Jinnah," he said. The right-wing ideologies of both Hindus and Muslims end up with the same result. It is an ideology which is divisive, regressive and dated, he said. If the concept of India has to be preserved and protected today, this ideology of religious extremism has to be opposed by all of us, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi today blasted the head of Pakistan's anti-graft body in parliament for launching a probe against ousted premier Nawaz Sharif for allegedly laundering USD 4.9 billion to India, saying his action amounted to "pre-poll rigging". The World Bank has denied as "incorrect" the Pakistani media reports that cited its report to allege that Sharif laundered USD 4.9 billion to India. Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), yesterday ordered a probe against the embattled former prime minister after reports of his alleged involvement in the money laundering emerged in the media here. While speaking in the National Assembly, Prime Minister Abbasi said that a serious allegation has been leveled against the former prime minister. "In the current [political] conditions, this falls within the ambit of pre-poll rigging," he was quoted as saying by Geo TV. He noted that general elections will be held in Pakistan in two months and the NAB is making allegations that the former premier was sending money to India. "This is embarrassing for us all," he said. "The NAB head should be summoned before Parliament and reveal where he got this information from," Abbasi fumed. He also favoured setting up a special committee to probe the matter. "What will be the country's future if institutions level such serious allegations against its politicians? If an institution can make such allegations, then it must be investigated all that is happening in it," Abbasi said. The truth should be brought out before the people, he said. The premier also said that the accountability court is hearing cases against Nawaz and his family. Sharif, 68, is facing three corruption cases in the accountability court following the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case. "We don't expect justice from the court. We don't see justice being dispensed," he added. Highlighting NAB's "bias" against Sharif, the premier quoted the saying, "Justice should not only be done but seen to be done". Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir also slammed the actions of the NAB in the National Assembly. Dastgir demanded a probe against NAB's internal workings and processes of determining investigations. Pakistan's Supreme Court had disqualified Sharif last year, forcing the three-time prime minister to resign. He has also been disqualified from holding public office for life. Sharif has dismissed the corruption charges as politically motivated. If convicted in the three corruption cases, he could be jailed. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the NAB probe against his brother, Nawaz Sharif should be investigated to determine who is behind the move. Shehbaz, who is also president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N after Nawaz's disqualification, said the NAB inquiry announcement has cast a bad light on the anti-graft body. Meanwhile, in Washington, the World Bank in a statement said, "In the past day, there have been media reports citing the World Bank's Remittances and Migration Report of 2016. These media reports were incorrect." The World Bank's Remittances and Migration Report is an effort by the World Bank to estimate migration and remittances numbers across the world, it said. "The report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individuals," it clarified. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The second leg of "Sea Riders Patrol Motorcycle Expedition" undertaken by Naval officers was flagged off today at Indian Naval Academy in neighbouring Ezhimala. INA Deputy Commandant and chief instructor, Rear Admiral Puneet Chadha, flagged off the expedition, an INA release said. The 20-member motorcycle expedition team comprising Naval officers, including women, from Goa Naval Area commenced their journey from Mumbai on May 5, to commemorate the golden jubilee of Western Naval Command. The 17-day coastal motorcycle expedition covering more than 6,000 km from Mumbai will culminate at Kolkata on May 21 after touching all coastal states, an INA release said. With an aim to highlight the need for coastal security among the civil population and also to create awareness on maritime history of coastal India, the riders visited the lighthouses at Jaigarh, Vengurla, Fort Aguada, Bhatkal, Kaup before arriving in Ezhimala. The crew members would visit lighthouses located at Calicut and Kannur, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to Moscow today to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discuss military coordination amid new strikes in Syria blamed on Israel. Together with Putin, Netanyahu toured a parade celebrating the anniversary of the World War II victory over the Nazis and then met the Russian president at the Kremlin for consultations. Netanyahu he said he was eager to discuss ways of "solving crises and removing threats in a thoughtful and responsible manner." Syrian state media said Israel struck a military outpost yesterday near the capital of Damascus. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing at least 15 people, eight of them Iranians. Tensions between Israel and Iran are high over Iran's efforts to expand its military presence in Syria, where it is a key ally of President Bashar Assad. Repeated airstrikes attributed to Israel have killed Iranian fighters and prompted threats of reprisal from Tehran. President Donald Trump's announcement yesterday that the US would withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East. "The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so," Netanyahu said ahead of his departure. "In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination" between the two militaries. Netanyahu made no mention of the overnight strikes. The Israeli and Russian militaries have been in contact throughout much of Russia's intervention in Syria, where Moscow has waged an air campaign in support of Assad's forces since 2015. Russia also considers Iran a strategic ally. Israel views Iran as its archenemy, citing Iran's calls for Israel's destruction, support for militant groups across the region and growing military activity in neighboring Syria. Israel has warned that it will not allow Iran to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. Israel's military went on high alert yesterday and bomb shelters were ordered open in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights following reports of "irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria." After an uneventful night, the military today called on residents to return to "full civilian routine," meaning studies and excursions would continue as usual, although the shelters would remain open. Israel, which almost never confirms or denies airstrikes in Syria, did not comment yesterday's attack. Such strikes have become more frequent recently. The Syrian Observatory said the casualty number from yesterday's strike is likely to go up because of a large number of people who were wounded and a number of people who are missing. Iran has vowed to retaliate to recent Israeli strikes in Syria targeting Iranian outposts, including an attack last month on Syria's T4 air base in Homs province that killed seven Iranian military personnel. On April 30, Israel was said to have struck government outposts in northern Syria, killing more than a dozen pro-government fighters, many of them Iranians. Amos Gilad, a retired senior Israeli defense official, told a security conference in the coastal town of Herzliya that Iran's intentions in Syria meant a wider conflagration may only be a matter of time. "They want to build a second Hezbollah-stan," he said, referring to the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group that last fought a war with Israel in 2006. "They are determined to do it and we are determined to prevent it. It means we are on a collision course. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed strong support for US President Donald Trump's "bold" decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, which the Israeli leader has repeatedly criticised. Israel's army meanwhile asked authorities in the occupied Golan Heights to open and prepare missile shelters due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" over the demarcation line in Syria. "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran," Netanyahu said in a televised address, referring to the multinational accord with his country's main enemy. Netanyahu, speaking shortly after Trump's announcement yesterday, said leaving the current deal in place was "a recipe for disaster, a disaster for our region, a disaster for the peace of the world". "This is why Israel thinks that President Trump did an historic move." Netanyahu on April 30 unveiled tens of thousands of intelligence documents in another televised address that he said showed Iran's secret nuclear weapons ambitions. Trump referred to the intelligence trove in his speech announcing the withdrawal. Proponents of the nuclear deal argued the trove of documents Israel says it obtained from Tehran shed little new light on Iran's nuclear programme and, in fact, made the case for why the accord is important. Netanyahu argues the documents show the deal was built on a lie -- Iran denied having pursued nuclear weapons -- and demonstrate that Tehran has a secret atomic weapons programme ready to activate at any time. Trump and his allies in the Middle East, particularly Israel, argue the agreement was too weak and needed to be replaced with a more permanent arrangement, supplemented by controls on Iran's missile programme. They also say the lifting of sanctions against Iran under the deal had increased its ability to finance proxy militants and other forms of aggression. Netanyahu defied then president Barack Obama in 2015 when he appeared before the US Congress to denounce the deal that was still being negotiated. Israel is believed to be the Middle East's sole nuclear-armed power, but it has never acknowledged the capability. Shortly before Trump's announcement, Israel's military issued the notice regarding Iranian forces in Syria. "Following the identification of irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has decided to change the civilian protection instructions in the Golan Heights and instructs local authorities to unlock and ready shelters in the area," the army said in a statement. "Additionally, defence systems have been deployed and IDF troops are on high alert for an attack." Israeli media also reported that military reservists for the air force, intelligence and civil defence had been recalled. The military confirmed only a partial recall of reservists. Israel has pledged not to allow Iran to entrench itself militarily in Syria, where Tehran is backing President Bashar al-Assad's regime. It has been accused of carrying out deadly strikes on bases in Syria out of which Iranian forces operate, raising fears in Israel that Iran could seek to retaliate. Netanyahu is due to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow today. Russia is also backing Assad in the Syrian civil war, but has established a hotline with Israel to avoid accidental clashes in the country. Netanyahu and Putin have met and spoken by phone numerous times in recent months. Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community. The two countries remain technically at war. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had been urging the US "to fix or nix" the Iranian nuclear deal, has supported President Donald Trump's "bold decision" to walk out of it, saying the agreement did not reduce Tehran's aggression but dramatically increased it. Trump has announced that he was withdrawing the US from what he called the "decaying and rotten" Iran nuclear deal signed by the Obama regime in 2015. "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. Israel has opposed the nuclear deal from the start, because we said that rather than blocking Iran's path to a bomb. "The deal actually paved Iran's path to an entire arsenal of nuclear bombs, and this within a few years' time," he said in televised address soon after Trump announced the withdrawal from the deal, and backing severe economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic. With the tensions escalating at Israel's northern border with Syria, where Iranian forces have a major presence today, the Netanyahu stressed that "the removal of sanctions under the deal has already produced disastrous results. The deal didn't push war further away, it actually brought it closer". "The deal didn't reduce Iran's aggression, it dramatically increased it, and we see this across the entire Middle East. Since the deal, we have seen Iran's aggression grow every day - in Iraq, in Lebanon, in Yemen, in Gaza, and most of all, in Syria, where Iran is trying to establish military bases from which it can attack Israel," he asserted. The Israeli Prime Minister said that "despite the (nuclear) deal, the terrorist regime in Tehran is developing the ballistic missiles capability, ballistic missiles to carry nuclear warheads far and wide, to many parts of the world". Referring to his last week's "expose" of thousands of documents and 183 CDs at a press conference, showing Iran's detailed programme to acquire nuclear weapons, Netanyahu said that "Iran has intensified its efforts to hide its secret nuclear weapons programme" since then. Applauding Trump's move, he said, "So if you leave all of this unchanged, all this combined is a recipe for disaster, a disaster for our region, a disaster for the peace of the world". "This is why Israel thinks that President Trump did an historic move and this is why Israel thanks President Trump for his courageous leadership, his commitment to confront the terrorist regime in Tehran and his commitment to ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons, not today, not in a decade, not ever," he concluded. The Israeli military has ordered communities in the Golan Heights, bordering Syria, to open public shelters amid reports of "irregular Iranian movements" near its northern border. Israel is bracing for a possible Iranian "revenge" attack for an alleged Israeli attack on an Iranian base in Syria last month in which nine Iranian commanders are said to have been killed. Officers from the intelligence agency and other specialised forces are said to have been called up, though reserve combat units have not been drafted as Israeli military bases seemed preparing for a possible Iranian attack. Many Israeli leaders, including Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, have welcomed the US move, terming it as an important and significant step in ensuring the security of the entire free world. "The decision made by the US President constitutes an important and significant step in ensuring the security of the State of Israel, the security of the region and the security of the entire free world," Rivlin said. Israeli leaders claimed that Trump's decision could be seen as Netanyahu's one of the greatest foreign policy achievements, on par with or even greater than the US President's declaration recognising Jerusalem as Jewish nation's capital. Netanyahu was bitterly criticised for going to the US Congress in 2015 to speak out against the looming Iran deal, arguing that the speech would inevitably fail to scuttle the agreement and needlessly anger then President Barack Obama. Some of the critics had later noted that indeed Obama took revenge on Israel by not vetoing an anti-settlements resolution at the UN Security Council in December 2016. An analyst for Times of Israel commented that Netanyahu's camp can now feel vindicated by Trump's announcement to gut one of Obama's key foreign policy achievements, with the yesterday speech reading "as if it had been written in Jerusalem". Trump even mentioned Israel's revelation last week of Tehran's secret atomic archive, saying it "conclusively" proved the regime's history of seeking nuclear weapons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Moscow today, where he and President Vladimir Putin will discuss military coordination amid new strikes in Syria blamed on Israel. Syrian state-run media said Israel struck a military outpost near the capital, Damascus, on Tuesday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing nine people. Tensions between Israel and Iran are high over Iran's efforts to expand its military presence in Syria, where it is a key ally of President Bashar Assad. Repeated airstrikes attributed to Israel have killed Iranian fighters and prompted threats of reprisal from Tehran. President Donald Trump's announcement yesterday that the US would withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East. "The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so," Netanyahu said ahead of his departure. "In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination" between the two militaries. Netanyahu made no mention of the overnight strikes. The Israeli and Russian militaries have been in contact throughout much of Russia's intervention in Syria, where Moscow has waged an air campaign in support of Assad's forces since 2015. Russia also considers Iran a strategic ally. Israel views Iran as its archenemy, citing Iran's calls for Israel's destruction, support for militant groups across the region and growing military activity in neighboring Syria. Israel has warned that it will not allow Iran to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. Israel's military went on high alert Tuesday and bomb shelters were ordered open in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights following reports of "irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria." After an uneventful night, the military today called on residents to return to "full civilian routine," meaning studies and excursions would continue as usual, although the shelters would remain open. Israel, which almost never confirms or denies airstrikes in Syria, did not comment on Tuesday's attack. Such strikes have become more frequent recently. Iran has vowed to retaliate to recent Israeli strikes in Syria targeting Iranian outposts, including an attack last month on Syria's T4 air base in Homs province that killed seven Iranian military personnel. On April 30, Israel was said to have struck government outposts in northern Syria, killing more than a dozen pro-government fighters, many of them Iranians. Amos Gilad, a retired senior Israeli defense official, told a security conference in the coastal town of Herzliya that Iran's intentions in Syria meant a wider conflagration may only be a matter of time. "They want to build a second Hezbollah-stan," he said, referring to the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group that last fought a war with Israel in 2006. "They are determined to do it and we are determined to prevent it. It means we are on a collision course. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's initiative to organise a mini-ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation has helped in re-starting talks on various issues in Geneva, WTO chief Roberto Azevedo has said. Following collapse of talks in Argentina in December 2017, India organised a mini-ministerial meeting of about 45 WTO members here on March 19-20 to revitalise the multi-lateral trade body. Appreciating India's initiative, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General in a letter to Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu said: "Following the meeting in New Delhi, WTO members have now started conversations on many different issues". The meeting, he said, has provided a great opportunity for the trade ministers to have a frank assessment of the results of eleventh Ministerial Conference, highest decision making body of the WTO, and discuss "our future work at the WTO". "India has been one of the most important partners of the WTO and a strong supporter of the multilateral trading system, as once again evinced by the convening of this mini-ministerial meeting," he added. This was the second mini-ministerial meeting being hosted by India. The first was in 2009. The objective of the meeting was to initiate a free and frank discussion on various key issues and challenges facing the Geneva-based WTO. The talks at the WTO's 11th Ministerial Conference collapsed after the US went back on its commitment to find a permanent solution to the public food stockholding issue, a key matter for India. The four-day conference in Argentina, which ended without a ministerial declaration or any substantive outcome, did manage to make some feeble progress on fisheries and e- commerce by agreeing to work programmes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing the 2016 murder of a Hindu outfit functionary here, today raided the houses of five people with suspected links with the accused in the case, police said. Some electronic devices, including mobile phones, were seized during the raid here, police said adding the five had allegedly spoken to the accused over a period of time. Four persons have been arrested on the charge of killing Hindu Munnani spokesperson C Sasikumar on September 22, 2016 when he was returning home at Thudiyalur here. NIA has taken over the probe into the case from the CB-CID of Tamil Nadu police in February. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Investigation Agency has taken over probe in the case pertaining to the seizure of over 1,100 Aadhaar cards and guns from Maoists after an encounter with the state police in March, officials said here today. The case was registered by the Jharkhand Police on March 6 in Dumri police station of Giridih district in the state. ...the Jharkhand Police had arrested 15 armed Maoist cadres including functionaries of CPI (Maoist) from village Akabakitanr, PS Dumri, district Giridih and 12 other regular weapons including AK-47, Insas, SLR and .303 rifles were recovered from them, the agency said in a statement. It said 60 ATM (SBI) cards, 199 letters of thanks issued by the Allahabad Bank for opening accounts and 1125 Aadhaar cards were also recovered during the operation. During the initial investigation, it has been revealed that the amount collected as levy by the Maoists is being used to acquire property in the names of close associates of CPI (Maoist) cadres, it said. An NIA team led by a Superintendent of Police ranked official has been sent to Jharkhand to probe the case, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The much-awaited Supreme Court Collegium meeting to reconsider its recommendation to elevate Uttarakhand Chief Justice K M Joseph, did not take place today, as was being speculated. An apex court official said while there was a likelihood of the meeting being held today, it was for the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra to fix the date but as of now there is no official word on it. "There is no official confirmation when the Collegium would meet," the official said, adding that "it is obvious that the agenda of meeting would be the elevation of Justice Joseph to the apex court". Justice J Chelameswar, the senior-most Supreme Court judge who led a virtual revolt against the CJI, was on leave today. As a result, he also missed the traditional Wednesday lunch of the judges when one of them takes a turn to bring 'ghar ka khana' (home food) from his or her home state. The members of the collegium including Justices Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph had expressed concern over the delay of the government in clearing the name of the Uttarakhand Chief Justice as the apex court judge. Notwithstanding the letters written by the collegium members to the CJI which had come into the public domain, the Centre has disregarded the recommendation about Justice Joseph. On April 26, the government returned the Collegium's recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph seeking its reconsideration, 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.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi today said the previous BJP government in Karnataka "wins hands down" over the present Congress dispensation when it comes to corruption. It is a "no contest", he said on Twitter drawing comparisons between the Congress government in the state and that of the BJP during 2008-13. He also put out figures in graphics to show that his party-led dispensation was better on various fronts. "In Karnataka, when it comes to corruption, it's a 'No Contest' as this graphic shows. The BJP wins hands down!," he tweeted along with the graphics. The graphics claimed that the Congress was the "top job creator" in the country, the Anna Bhagya scheme of the party's government in Karnataka was feeding four crore people, the Ramthal Marol, Asia's largest drip irrigation project, and the world's largest solar power park, were built by the party and that it had also waived the loans of 22 lakh farmers, amounting to Rs 8,165 crore, in the southern state. On the other hand, the graphics pointed out that during the BJP rule in Karnataka, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa was jailed in connection with the denotification scam, India's "largest political poaching scandal" -- "Operation Kamala" -- was unearthed during the saffron party's rule, it had pioneered "cashless corruption" by taking bribes in cheques, former state minister Krishnaiah Setty was jailed in a land grab case, while the Reddy brothers were jailed in a Rs 35,000-crore mining scam. "Who works better?...Congress government of 2013-18 or BJP Government of 2008-13. Numbers speak for themselves. Choose right. Vote Congress," the graphic said. The second set of graphics claimed that while the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had created 53 lakh jobs in Karnataka, only 26.64 lakh jobs were created during the BJP regime. It also claimed that while the Congress had given loans worth Rs 12,000 crore to farmers and completed 42.3 km of "Namma Metro", the BJP had sanctioned farm loans worth Rs 6,560 crore and completed only 6.7 km of the metro works. It also claimed that the Congress had built 15.5 lakh houses as against the 11.3 lakh during the BJP regime and the budget outlay of the current government was Rs 2,09,181 crore in 2018, while in 2013, it was Rs 1,17,005 crore under the BJP. The graphics also claimed that the Congress's achievements were more than those of the BJP as regards to the creation of MBBS seats, road construction, grant of scholarships to OBCs and building toilets. The 224-member Karnataka Assembly goes to the polls on May 12 and the results will be declared on May 15. The Congress is seeking to retain power in the southern state, while the BJP's aim is to unseat it. Both the Congress and the BJP have campaigned extensively for the Karnataka elections, accusing each other of corruption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP Amit Shah have addressed a host of public rallies and road shows, while Rahul Gandhi was joined by former party chief and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to campaign for their party. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh also addressed a press conference in the state capital Bengaluru in the run-up to the elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) No final decision has been taken on request for parole sought by RJD president Lalu Prasad to attend his son's marriage later this week, Inspector General of Prison, Jharkhand, Harsh Mangla said. He told PTI in Ranchi that "the issue is under consideration". "No final decision has been taken on request for parole sought by Prasad," the IG said. Mangla, however, said the decision would be taken on it by tomorrow. The septuagenarian Prasad, who has been convicted in three fodder scam cases by a special CBI court in Ranchi since December last year, is currently undergoing treatment at the RIMS hospital in the Jharkhand capital. A request for five days parole (from May 10-14) was made on Monday on behalf of Prasad to attend the marriage of his elder son and former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav in Patna. Tej Pratap will tie the nuptial knot with Aishwarya Rai, daughter of RJD MLA Chandrika Rai, in Patna on Saturday. Bhola Yadav, RJD national general secretary and MLA, who waited anxiously throughout the day for the order on parole application in Ranchi, told PTI "there is no information in this regard". Bhola Yadav, a close aide of RJD chief, further said "there is no information for future too". "We moved an application before the IG, Jail, for parole from May 10-14. We hope that our leader will not be deprived of the opportunity to attend the marriage ceremony of his son which is an occasion that comes once in a lifetime," he had said yesterday. There was hectic speculation in the media circle, both in Ranchi as well in Patna, of Prasad flying to Bihar capital town in the evening. The IG said a detailed report was required from jail authority, RIMS and other government agencies before taking a final decision on such a matter. The RJD chief was recently shifted from the AIIMS, Delhi to Ranchi after doctors declared him fit. Prasad could not attend the engagement ceremony of his son in Patna on April 18 following which Tej Patap had tweeted "Miss you PAPA". Prasad's family have so far extended invitation to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi, among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The governments of non-BJP ruled states would appeal to President Ram Nath Kovind to change the terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission so that the census year for calculating revenue distribution is changed to 1971. According to opposition sources, a memorandum, which has been drafted by the non-BJP state governments, would be presented to the President, seeking his intervention in the matter. "We would submit our memorandum to the President urging him to intervene in the matter. Only the President can change the terms of reference in the Finance Commission according to the Article 280 (4) in the Constitution," said the opposition source. Championing the cause of non-BJP state governments, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had, last month, written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the Centre to modify the terms of reference. Banerjee had said the Centre's decision would "disincentivise the good governance of states such as West Bengal", and had sought "justice" from the prime minister. "The overall approach to use the 1971 population census of all the earlier Finance Commissions was based on a very sound and rational footing. It incentivised those states which have effectively implemented socio-economic programmes and family welfare programmes in their states," Banerjee had written. "The use of 2011 population would severely disincentivise the good governance of states like West Bengal. It would result in a very significant loss in devolution to many states," she had written. Banerjee had also said that depending upon the criteria used by the commission, West Bengal would loose between Rs 22,000 crore to Rs 35,000 crore from 2020 to 2025. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Normalcy returned to most parts of Kashmir Valley today as the separatists called off their three-day strike against the death of six civilians during clashes with security forces, in which eight militants were also killed. A police official said there were no restrictions in most parts of the summer capital today, with shops and other business establishments getting back to business. He said public transport also resumed services. Similar reports were received from district headquarters of the Valley, except in Pulwama and Shopian districts of south Kashmir, the official said. He said markets in main towns of Pulwama and Shopian remained shut, while the public transport was also suspended. The official, however, said the situation remained peaceful in these areas. The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), an amalgam of separatist groups spearheaded by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, had yesterday called off their three-day strike, and asked the people to resume normal activities. JRL has asked the people to resume normal activities from tomorrow (Wednesday), but at the same time people from all walks of life should hoist black flags and display black arm bands to show their commitment to the movement," a spokesman of the separatist amalgam said in a statement yesterday. Five Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including an assistant professor of the Kashmir University, were killed in an encounter in the valley on Sunday. Five civilians, who were protesting near the encounter site, also died during clashes with security forces. Another civilian youth, who was injured in the clashes, succumbed to injuries yesterday. The police official said most of the colleges and higher secondary schools in various districts of the Valley continued to remain shut for the third consecutive day today as a precautionary measure. He said the universities in Kashmir, however, resumed classes this morning, while most of the schools across the Valley also reopened. "But the restrictions continue in Pulwama and Shopian districts where the educational institutes remain shut," the police official said. Mobile Internet services are also curtailed in south Kashmir and Ganderbal district, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rohingya immigrants are not being discriminated and all health, sanitation, medical and educational facilities were being provided to them, the government today told the Supreme Court. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told the top court that in pursuance to its April 9 order, a team was constituted comprising members of Ministry of Health and a representative from the Ministry of Home Affairs which visited the refugee camps at Mewat in Haryana and Kalindi Kunj in Delhi on April 23 and 24. The team interviewed women in the camps and inspected the sanitation, water, medical and other facilities which are being provided by the government, the Centre said. "As per the observations given in the inspection reports, reasonably available facilities are provided to the Rohingya illegal immigrants. The answering respondent (Health Min) submits that no discrimination has been made between the Rohingya refugees and other slum dwellers (resident Indians) of nearby areas. "This is with respect to health, sanitation, medical and educational facilities. ... In any event, despite the constraints, there is no discrimination observed against the Rohingya with respect to the availability of facilities," the Ministry told the top court in an affidavit. The document was filed in pursuance to the apex court's 9 order directing the Centre to file a comprehensive status report on the civic amenities at two Rohingya camps in Delhi and Haryana after it was alleged that basic facilities like drinking water and toilets also not available there. The matter was posted for further hearing on May 11. The bench was hearing petitions, including one filed by two Rohingyas, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, challenging the Centre's decision to deport over 40,000 refugees who came to India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination and violence against the community. The Rohingyas, who fled to India after violence in the Western Rakhine State of Myanmar, are settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Afghan lawmaker says Taliban fighters have captured a second remote district compound in two days. Mohammad Hashim, a member of parliament from northwestern Faryab province, says the insurgents early Wednesday seized the compound in Bilchiragh district. Hashim says more than 40 government forces retreated. He says the Taliban also captured several villages nearby. Provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yorish says intense fighting is taking place near the compound, adding it's still in government hands. The Taliban have confirmed in a statement they control the district and say they also killed 10 government forces, whose bodies lay on the ground. The Taliban yesterday captured another district compound in northern Baghlan province. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opinion on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 appeared divided in Assam, following the political parties voicing support to it in the Barak valley after opposing the bill in the Brahmaputra valley. Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairman Rajendra Agarwala said 315 organisations of the Barak valley had submitted their opinion on the bill to the panel, which concluded its two-day hearing here today. Official sources said the majority of the submissions made before the committee in the Barak valley supported the bill, contrary to the May 7 hearing at Guwahati, where protests against it were held by parties across the political spectrum. Speaking to reporters before leaving Silchar, Agarwala said the opinions of organisations and individuals from Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar districts were taken verbally as well as in writing, adding that the JPC would submit a detailed report to the appropriate authority. Senior BJP leader in the Barak valley Kabindra Purkayastha told reporters, "The bill will certainly be passed and all the people who came to India till December 31, 2014 will be accommodated as citizens of the country. "The Hindus, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis and Buddhists, who come to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, are illegal migrants. For them to apply for Indian citizenship, there has to be a provision in the Indian Citizenship Act." BJP spokesman in the Barak valley Rajdeep Roy also voiced support to the bill. Congress leader Gautam Roy stressed on supporting the bill on humanitarian grounds, but said the entire country should take the responsibility of those granted citizenship by the bill, not Assam alone. Ajit Singh, a former minister in the erstwhile Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government in the state, along with district Congress leaders, said the 2014 voter list should be considered as the base for granting citizenship. "This will not go against the Assam Accord, because the voter list was prepared under the accord. Everyone had accepted it and many elections have been conducted on the basis of it," he added. Karimganj's AIUDF MP Radhe Shyam Biswas said his party had expressed its opinion that March 24, 1971 should be the cut-off date for identifying foreigners, as per the Assam Accord. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, the Hindu Jagaran Mancha and the Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association also voiced their opinions. Yesterday, before the arrival of the JPC members at the NIT campus here, a human chain was formed by a large number of people, expressing their support to the bill. On the other hand, in Guwahati, the protesters opposing the bill had said it would breach the clauses of the historic Assam Accord that stated all illegal foreigners, who entered Assam after 1971 from Bangladesh, irrespective of their religion, had to be deported. Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti leader Akhil Gogoi had said if the bill was passed, the identity of the indigenous people of the north-eastern state would be at stake and the existence of the Assamese language would be threatened, leading to an identity crisis among the people. The AGP, a constituent in the BJP-led state government, had also echoed the apprehension. AGP leader and state minister Atul Bora had said the Assam agitation and the historic Assam Accord would become meaningless if the bill was passed. Congress veteran Tarun Gogoi had said the party opposed the bill "tooth and nail". Gogoi, Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora and other leaders of the party had submitted a memorandum, opposing the bill, to the JPC during its Guwahati hearing on May 7. The bill had also been opposed by Assam BJP women's wing leader Meera Borthakur in Guwahati. She had said, "A foreigner is a foreigner, whether Hindu or Muslim. The Assamese people have not become so weak that we need to import people from Bangladesh." The prominent Prabhajan Virodhi Manch (Forum Against Infiltration) has urged the BJP-led Assam government to "put the interests of the state above its own" and adopt an "uncompromising stand", similar to the neighbouring states, on issues of indigenous identity. Upamanyu Hazarika, senior advocate of the Supreme Court who had headed a one-man commission set up by the top court in 2015 on the Indo-Bangladesh boundary issue and who heads the forum, has demanded a legislation that only those, who were citizens of India and residents of Assam in 1951, and their progeny will have rights over land, government employment and trade licenses. According to him, the political leadership in the neighbouring states had always adopted an uncompromising stand on issues of indigenous identity. Pointing out that there were barely any protests against the bill in the other north-eastern states, as all the resources, land, government jobs, trade licenses were reserved for their local indigenous people, Hazarika said, "A citizen from the rest of the country, including Assam, does not enjoy a right over the resources in these states. As a result, no one from the rest of India or Bangladesh settles down in these states." He demanded similar safeguards for Assam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition parties today mocked at Nitish Kumar government dalit outreach efforts through slew of welfare measures like Rs 1 lakh monetary assistance to SC/ST students qualifying in prelims of UPSC and Rs 50,000 for clearing the same in state service saying he would not be able to "buy" dalits by offering them "crumbs." The ruling JD(U), however, hit back on rivals saying Nitish Kumars track record showed his "unwavering commitment towards the welfare of Dalits" and dismissed the oppositions criticism as "a manifestation of anxiety". The Bihar cabinet had yesterday approved a scheme under which it will give Rs 1 lakh as assistance to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students who crack the civil services preliminary tests conducted by the UPSC. An assistance of Rs 50,000 will also be given to SC/ST students who clear the PT (preliminary test) for civil services exams conducted by the Bihar Public Services Commission (BPSC). Former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's party Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) spokesman Danish Rizwan in a statement said "The Nitish Kumar government is trying to buy out dalits by offering them crumbs. It needs to be remembered that dalits are not for sale." Manjhi, a dalit himself and an erstwhile loyalist of Kumar had quit the JD(U) and floated his own party in 2015 after being forced to step down to make way for his mentor. On the eve of bypolls on Araria and two assembly seats in Bihar recently he left NDA to join hands with Lalu Prasad. Principal opposition party RJD also took a potshots at Kumar for trying to endear dalits ahead of next year general election. "Nitish Kumar is wary of growing resentment of dalits against the BJP-led NDA of which he is a part. He is also worried that the BJP may not offer him a respectable number of seats in the next Lok Sabha polls which would make his diminished stature all too obvious. Yesterdays cabinet decisions are aimed at avoiding the impending crisis," RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary told PTI. Tiwary, who was with the JD(U) till 2014, alleged "the pro-dalit stance of Kumar is yet another instance of his never-ending attempts to keep changing his political goalposts. First, it was communalism, then it was corruption, now it is dalits. He is a shrewd observer and must have taken note of the anger that was on display during the recent Bharat Bandh called by SC and ST organizations." However, JD(U) MLC Ashok Choudhary rubbished the allegations levelled by the opposition parties, saying facts on record show that Nitish Kumars commitment towards the welfare of Dalits has been unwavering. "The states budget for the welfare of SCs and STs, which was less than Rs 50 crore when he (Kumar) took over in 2005, is now more than Rs 1000 crore. It was he who thought of setting up a separate department for the welfare of the depressed classes," Choudhary said. Choudhary, himself a dalit, is a former state Congress president who quit the party in March this year and joined the JD(U). He said "it is well-known that candidates appearing for competitive examinations and students living in hostels face a number of financial problems. The decisions taken by the cabinet to help Dalit students on clearing preliminary tests for union and state public services commission were well thought out. Rants by the opposition parties are just a manifestation of anxiety. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An outfit which led a protest march near Jamia Millia Islamia University said today it was opposing the "intimidation" Hindu students were facing inside the campus. Yesterday, around 6 pm, a group of students, claiming to be from Jamia, took out the march to Gate 7 and allegedly raised slogans against Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, such as "Jinnah premi desh chhodo" (Jinnah lovers, leave the country), and "Hinduon ko darana band karo" (Stop scaring Hindus). "Radical organisations on campus were threatening Hindu students after incidents like Kathua rape and AMU controversy. Two students, who are Hindus, were beaten up inside the campus. We organised this march to fight that intimidation," said Rahul Tiwari, one of the organisers of the march. "Such organisations are not just against Hindu students, but also against those who are not supporting their ideologies. This has been happening for four weeks now," Tiwari, who claims to be a student of the varsity, said. Meanwhile, the JMI administration has requested the Delhi Police to step up security near the university. "Though there are no photographs of Jinnah or anything related to it, considering the history of the varsity, the group was intending to incite violence by raising such slogans," the university's media coordinator told PTI. "We have asked the Delhi Police to beef up security near all access points of the university," it added. The Delhi Police responded by saying it was "on high alert" and prepared to handle any untoward incident that might take place. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 26-year-old Pakistani-Italian woman was strangled to death and did not die of natural causes in Punjab province of Pakistan, the autopsy report has confirmed. Police claim to have arrested Sana Cheema's father, a brother and an uncle in the light of the autopsy report and charged them for her murder. The report issued by the Punjab Forensics and Science Laboratory reveals that Cheema's cervical bone was fractured on April 18. "Cheema's death was not accidental as she was strangled," the report says. The incident took place in Kunja, Gujrat, some 150-km from Lahore. The body of Cheema was exhumed on April 24 on the court's order as police suspected that she might have been killed in the name of "family honour". Police high-ups initiated the probe after reports published in Italian media that Cheema was killed by her family members over marriage issue. Cheema's family declared her death "accidental" and buried her in a graveyard far from their residence on April 18, raising suspicion. "We have arrested Ghulam Mustafa along with his brother Mazhar Iqbal and son Adnan Mustafa for allegedly killing Sana Cheema. They have been booked under the murder charges," says police official concerned Waqar Ahmad. He said the suspects will be interrogated after obtaining their physical remand from court. According to reports, Cheema had been living in Italy since 2002 and was to return to Italy on April 19 but she was killed a day prior to her return. She wanted to marry an Italian man and had turned down proposals from within her family. She came to Pakistan some two months ago. Cheema was working as a driving instructor in Italy. The Italian foreign ministry had said it was keeping an eye on the case. "We are determined to reach the bottom of the case and are in contact with the Pakistani authorities in this matter," the ministry said. In 2016, the death of 28-year-old British national Samia Shahid and the shocking murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch by her brother had turned the spotlight on the so-called honour killings in Pakistan, sparking a fresh push to close loopholes allowing the killers to walk free. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, as many as 50 honour killing cases have been recorded in the country till April 1 this year, while 460 such killings came to light in 2017. Around 1,000 women are killed in Pakistan every year in the name of honour. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi today slammed the national anti-corruption watchdog for initiating a probe on the basis of a false report against former premier Nawaz Sharif over alleged money-laundering to India. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) yesterday announced an inquiry on the basis of media reports that USD 4.9 billion was laundered from Pakistan to India by Sharif in 2016. Abbasi speaking in the National Assembly accused the NAB of bias against Sharif and targeting him on the basis of a report which had already been rejected. It is not Nawaz Sharif's trial but the people's right to rule is being questioned, he said. The prime minister also asked parliament to summon the NAB chairman to clear his position as to why allegations of a serious nature were leveled against the former primeeir without any evidence. Abbasi said the attitude of NAB showed that it would not do justice to Sharif, who is already under trial in three corruption cases started by the NAB. Not only should justice be done, it must also be seen being done, he said, adding NAB should play its due role against corruption but it should first fulfill the requirements of justice. Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan also expressed anger at NAB and said Sharif's disqualification by the Supreme Court last year in the Panama Papers case was also based on flimsy grounds. Meanwhile, NAB today issued a clarification that its decision was based only on media reports and no internal investigations were done. The NAB took action when media reports cited the World Bank's Remittances and Migration Report of 2016. But the bank yesterday rejected the claim that its two-year-old report on remittances levelled USD 4.9 billion money-laundering allegations against any individual. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The concept of peri-urban farming is being implemented in the national capital region at a rapid pace to ensure Rs one lakh per acre income to the farmers, Haryana Minister O P Dhankar said today. "This initiative of the State Government would help in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to double the income of farmers by 2022," the animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries minister said. Dhankar was interacting with Animal Husbandry Minister of Himachal Pradesh Virender Kanwar who called on him at his residence here today, an official release said. Dhankar said that Himachal Pradesh is well known for its apple production. Apart from this, it also has ample opportunities in the field of horticulture and medicinal plants. "The farmers of Himachal Pradesh are selling their products by their own branding and packaging, whereas Haryana farmers are hesitating in selling their produce directly in the markets. The farmers should remove this hesitation and identify the market," Dhankar added. He said that centres of excellence for vegetable and tropical fruits have been set up in Haryana with assistance of Israel. "Now a modern dairy is being set up in Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Hisar," he said. He also informed Kanwar about his recent visit to Brazil and said that a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Haryana Animal Husbandry Department and Association of Brazilian Cow Breeder for setting up a centre of excellence for improving the breeds of cows in the country with the help of Indian breeds developed in Brazil. Dhankar said that cows of Indian breed, developed in Brazil, would be brought back to the country to improve the breed of cows here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) America's top diplomat Mike Pompeo held meetings with senior North Korean officials in Pyongyang today, with speculation swirling around the fate of three US detainees ahead of a planned US-North Korea summit. Pompeo was dispatched on an unannounced visit - his second in weeks, but first as secretary of state - to advance preparations for Donald Trump's unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong Un over North Korea's nuclear arsenal. He told reporters that he hoped to agree a date and venue for the summit - even though Trump said they had already been chosen. But optimism over the process was dealt a blow by Trump's pullout from a nuclear deal with Iran yesterday. Pompeo's visit came with rumours flying over three US citizens being held in the North, fuelled by South Korea where the president's office said they expected the men to be freed. The trio are a significant domestic political issue in the US and Trump hinted last week of imminent after sources said they had been relocated. In previous cases, detainees have been set free into the care of high-profile US visitors, but there was no immediate indication they would be released after Pompeo held talks with Kim Yong Chul, director of the North's United Front department, one of the organisations handling relations with the South. The US hoped "we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and make your country have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve", Pompeo told him, but added: "There are many challenges along the way." The rapid detente on the Korean peninsula triggered by the Winter Olympics is a marked contrast from last year, when Kim and Trump traded personal insults and threats of war over the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. "We think relationships are building with North Korea," Trump said in televised comments from the White House. "We will see how it all works out. Maybe it won't. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea and the entire world." But the American president spoke as he yanked the US out of a nuclear deal with Iran, complicating the prospects of persuading Pyongyang to surrender its atomic arsenal. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord, reached after a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, describing it as an "embarrassment" to the United States. Other signatories and the International Atomic Energy Agency say Iran has complied with its obligations under the deal, and Adam Mount of the Federation of American Scientists said: "Amazing to think that Secretary Pompeo will arrive in Pyongyang today bearing the following message: 'If you eliminate your nuclear weapons, we'll lift sanctions and won't attack you. You can trust us'." The details of any North Korean deal appear to be still under discussion. At a historic meeting in the Demilitarized Zone last month, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed their commitment to a "common goal" of "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula in their Panmunjom Declaration. Yesterday, Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in China -- the second time in six weeks - highlighting efforts by the Cold War-era allies to mend frayed ties, and with Beijing keen to avoid being left out in the cold. China's official Xinhua agency cited Kim as telling Xi there was no need for North Korea to be a nuclear state "as long as relevant parties abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against" the country. Kim also expressed hope that the US and North Korea would take "phased and synchronous measures", signalling Pyongyang wanted a quid pro quo. Pompeo's itinerary - including whether he would meet the North Korean leader in Pyongyang - was not clear. He told reporters he would look to prepare for the summit between Trump and "Chairman Un", prompting mockery from observers. "Pompeo doesn't know the surname is Kim, but he's definitely on top of all the conceptual and semantic nuances associated with the phrase 'denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula'," arms control specialist Jeffrey Lewis tweeted derisively. Also today, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang backed the Panmunjom Declaration at a tripartite summit with Moon in Tokyo, Seoul said. But the three neighbours have differing positions on the North, with Japan taking by far the hardest line but finding itself largely watching the diplomatic frenzy from the sidelines, left uneasy by the pace of events and by what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang. The North should not be given a reward for closing its nuclear test site or not launching long-range missiles, Abe said after talks with Moon, according to the Blue House. "The North should take additional and concrete actions," it cited him as saying. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind is likely to visit Jaipur and Ajmer in Rajasthan on May 13 and 14, officials said today. The president is likely to attend a function at Birla auditorium in Jaipur. He will also visit Pushkar and Ajmer Sharif Dargah during his two-day visit, an official of General Administration Department said. Chief Secretary D B Gupta yesterday held a meeting with senior officials of different departments in the state regarding necessary arrangements to be made during the visit, the official said. Ajmer collector Arti Dogra also held a meeting today to finalise the preparations for the president's visit to the dargah. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A new information technology (IT) policy will be rolled out soon, aimed to cater to the needs of state's IT industry, Punjab IT and PWD minister Vijay Inder Singla today said. "The government of Punjab has already given in-principle approval to the new IT policy for the state," Singla said. "After having notified the New Industrial and Business Development Policy- 2017, process is on to cater to the sector specific nuances and soon a new IT policy will be framed in order to cater to the requirements of Information Technology sector", Singla said during an interaction with industrialists and entrepreneurs from the IT/ITeS and Electronics Industry at Software Technology Park of India (STPI), Mohali. He said the move is aimed at developing a holistic framework for sustainable Information Technology sector growth in the state. Singla further informed that a Special IT Task force would be formed in the state to chalk out a roadmap to develop Mohali as the best IT destination amongst the tier-II cities in the country and went on to say that this team would be headed by an eminent IT person of national repute. The Special Task Force would suggest ways and means to attract major IT players to Mohali. He said that despite an ideal pro IT ecosystem, the city has not been able to attract big players which reflects that there is some disconnect between the industry and the department. This disconnect will be redressed at the earliest and earnest efforts will be taken to develop Mohali as an IT hub par excellence, the minister said. He said the task force would also give suggestions, which in turn, will be implemented by the IT department in a stipulated timeframe. Singla said an idea to appoint a 'Chief Innovation Officer' from corporate background would also be explored. The minister said that in order to promote IT industry, the government has also given in-principle nod to providing power to the IT industry at Rs 5 per unit in line with the provision of power to other industries at Rs 5 per unit. Along with facilitating the big IT units to come up in Mohali, the department is also making sincere efforts to boost start-ups and government has made a Rs 20 crore provision for the same, the minister informed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President Vladimir Putin today said he was seriously concerned by US President Donald Trump's abandoning the Iran nuclear deal. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti agency that Putin in comments to his national Security Council expressed "deep concern over such a decision and once more stressed the importance of this document." Putin was set later today to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who backed Trump's decision. Netanyahu before leaving Israel said that "the meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so." The two leaders earlier today watched a Red Square parade marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, with some of the country's latest weaponry on display. Russia's foreign ministry said late Tuesday it was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's announcement that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president's "bold" move. Moscow and Tehran have close political and economic relations. In the nuclear field, Russia has already built one reactor at Iran's Bushehr plant, the country's only nuclear power plant, and has started work on two new ones. By contrast Netanyahu on Monday held a televised presentation of what he called "proof" of Iran's alleged past military nuclear ambitions. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, particularly related to the conflict in Syria where Israel has vowed to prevent Iran building a military presence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) School and college students participated in prayer songs and a large number of people visited Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral house here on the occasion of his 157th birth anniversary which is celebrated amid fervour and gaiety across West Bengal today. At the Visva-Bharati university in Shantiniketan, set up by the bard, the day began early with its students singing the 'Baitalik' (prayer songs) and 'prabhat pheries' (cultural procession in the morning). A special prayer was also held at Udayan, the house in Shantiniketan where Tagore had celebrated his last birthday in 1941. According to English calendar, Tagore was born on May 7 but Bengalis celebrate the occasion as per the Bengali calendar 25th day of Baisakh - which is today. In the city's Rabindra Bharati University and state run auditorium Rabindra Sadan, and at several other places in the state, Tagore's birthday was celebrated with recitals of Rabindra sangeet (songs written by Tagore) and his poems by prominent artistes and students. Many people paid a visit to Tagore's ancestral home at Jorasanko area here where cultural programmes were also organised to mark the occasion. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also paid her tribute to Tagore. "Today is the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. My tribute to the great poet and writer on Pochishe Boishakh," she tweeted. At Shantiniketan, Visva-Bharati officiating Vice-Chancellor Sabujkali Sen presided over the morning prayer. An exhibition on Tagore's life and works was also organised. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Terming Congress President Rahul Gandhi's Prime Ministerialaspirations as day-dreaming, senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain today asserted that there was no vacancy for the top post till 2024 as Narendra Modi would again assume it after next year'sgeneral elections. "Now Rahulji is saying he is ready to become Prime Minister....he is day-dreaming and congratulations for his beautiful dreams. But there is no vacancy for the PM post till 2024," he said. "The countrymen chose Narendra Modiji for the Prime Minister's post and after the 2019 elections also Narendra Modiji will become the country's PM much more stronger... Congress leaders also know this", Hussain told reporters here. He said after Rahul Gandhi became Congress vice president, his party lost 13 states and since taking over as party president, it has lost five. Karnataka, where elections will be held on May 12, would be the sixth one, he said. The BJP spokesperson further claimed that in order to prevent any rebellion within Congress after its "loss" in Karnataka and to ensure none questions his leadership, Rahul, in a "planned" manner, was himself saying he is ready to become the Prime Minister. "Under Narendra Modi's leadership BJP has been winning assembly elections though there may be a few exceptions to the results of some by-polls," he said. Hussain, who has been campaigning in Bidar and Kalaburagi districts of Hyderabad-Karnataka region of Karnataka, said it was a certainty that BJP would win in Karnataka, "despite the efforts of Siddaramaiah government and Rahul Gandhi". On Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's proposed Federal Front at the national level, the former Union Minister said he has 'woken up late'. "Many people are dreaming of (entering) national and he too has a right to dream like Rahul Gandhi," he said and accused Rao of diverting the attention of the people of Telangana from key issues. "Now he is speaking of national ...it will not have any impact", Hussain said. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is worried due to BJP's 'storm' and the current leadership in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is also worried over the 'certain victory' of BJP in Karnataka, he said. "BJP's victory is certain in Karnataka and after Karnataka it is the turn of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh," Hussain claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi will address a rally in New Delhi in June to discuss the issues of backward classes, Chairman of the AICC's OBC Department, Tamradhwaj Sahu, today said. Sahu said the rally will be the culmination of a series of meetings he will hold with the representatives of backward classes from all the states during the next one month. He met the representatives from Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh today. "Congress President Rahul Gandhi has set the ball rolling to revive and strengthen the OBC Department of the party," Sahu stated in a press release. "I will be visiting all the states to collect the data regarding the functioning of the OBC cells in all states and after that a blueprint would be prepared to strengthen these cells right from the grassroots level," Sahu said. After completing the spade work, a national-level rally would be held in New Delhi in mid-June which would be addressed by Rahul Gandhi, he said. "In this rally, all the issues faced by the backward classes in different areas of the country will be discussed thoroughly to chalk out future course of action," he said. Addressing the office-bearers and workers of the OBC cell of Haryana Congress today, Sahu asked them to work diligently to strengthen the cell. State Congress chief, Ashok Tanwar, who also attended the meeting, assured Sahu that all-out efforts would be made to reach to every section of the backward classes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked Rahul Gandhi today for publicly declaring his prime ministerial ambition, BJP's bickering ally Shiv Sena said it was the Congress president's democratic right to express his stand and no one should make fun of it. Speaking to reporters here, Sena's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut also said that his party considers NCP president Sharad Pawar a worthy candidate for the prime minister's post. "In a democracy, Rahul Gandhi has the right to state that he wants to become prime minister. No one should make fun of it. Modi became prime minister through this right. In fact, at that time (in 2014) the stand (of many) was that (L K) Advani should have become the prime minister," he said. "Defeat Rahul Gandhi and stop him (from becoming prime minister). There is no reason to get restless on his stand," he suggested. Raut, who is the executive editor of the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', also said that the Congress is the "largest political party" in the country. "Due to the unique atmosphere prevailing in 2014, it was defeated. The constituent parties of the UPA will decide on Rahul Gandhi's stand. "We consider Sharad Pawar to be a worthy candidate. Modi, (Arun) Jaitley, Advani, each of them has the capability. After occupying the post, the capability comes," he said. Earlier in the day, addressing an election rally in Karnataka, Modi wondered whether the country would ever accept such an "immature and naamdar (famous)" leader for the post. His attack came a day after Gandhi said he was ready to occupy the prime minister's post if his party emerged as the biggest party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. To a question over BJP chief Amit Shah talking about the BJP's willingness for alliance with the Sena for the 2019 polls, Raut said confusion was reigning supreme in the BJP. "Let us first sit and talk. No one can exert pressure on the Sena. It was Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's decision to contest all future elections on our own," he said. About Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' criticism of the Sena's decision to field late BJP MP Chintaman Wanga's son Shrinivas Wanga in the Palghar Lok Sabha by-election, Raut said the BJP took a regrettable decision (by not nominating Shrinivas before the Sena did). If the chief minister expects cooperation from the Sena, the BJP should withdraw its candidate, Raut said. "Why did they borrow the candidate from the Congress? The question in people's minds is why the BJP gave ticket to Rajendra Gavit (a former Congress leader), who had fought against Chintaman Wanga," Raut asked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ruling People's Democratic Alliance today decided to field former minister Tokheho Yepthomi to take on opposition Naga Peoples Front (NPF) nominee C Apok Jamir in May 28 by-poll for lone Lok Sabha seat of Nagaland. The bypoll has been necessitated due to vacation of the seat by Neiphiu Rio after becoming Chief Minister of Nagaland. The official declaration and formal handing over of the party tickets to both the candidates were held here today. Both the candidates will file their nomination tomorrow, it was announced. Speaking on the occasion, CM Neiphiu Rio said being in the government, the PDA consensus candidate has the advantage of winning the polls but he called up all alliance partners not to be complacent as the opposition though not strong has 26 elected members, which is a good number. He also called upon the 36 elected representatives of PDA and all those defeated candidates of the February state assembly election to take care of their respective constituencies. Maintaining that the ensuing election will bring the PDA partners closer while it will be a test for them, Rio said we should work hard for PDA not only complete this term but also provide a stable government to the people of the state for development and progress. Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, State BJP President Visasolie Lhoungu, JD(U) Minister G Kaito Aye and Independent Minister Tongpang Ozukum asserted their fullest support to the consensus candidate. In his acceptance speech, Tokheho, a veteran politician asserted that going to Parliament he would take up the Naga political issue for an early solution as the state has been lagging behind because of the unresolved issue. He also clarified that the by-poll was necessitated as Rio had to resign as MP because the state and people was going through bad times under then NPF government and his service was required here. At the NPF ticket distribution ceremony, Leader of Opposition, T R Zeliang said the bye-election for the lone seat was compelled upon the Naga people because of the misadventure of former MP and incumbent Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio. He lamented that Nagas were not represented in Lok Sabha for the last more than three months, during a period when Naga political issue is at its peak because of Rios resignation. Expressing that NPF and the Nagas in general are forced to face the extraordinary situation and premature LS bye-election, he said NPF being the single largest party in the assembly, all the elected members and defeated candidates should come together to sent the party candidate to Delhi. NPF president Shurhozelie Liezietsu said the bye-election is an opportunity for the party to go to the people once again and share the guiding principles and objectives. In his acceptance speech, Jamir expressed confidence that with the support of the NPF elected members and also the Naga people he would win the by-poll. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow was deeply disappointed by US President Donald Trump's decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal, a move it called a blatant violation of international law. In a statement issued yesterday, the ministry said it was "deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," adding that Washington's actions were "trampling on the norms of international law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A recently sanctioned Russian oligarch has been questioned by FBI agents over hundreds of thousands of dollars his company's US affiliate paid to President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, CNN reported. CNN yesterday said Renova Group chairman Viktor Vekselberg was questioned along with his cousin Andrew Intrater, who heads the firm's US affiliate Columbus Nova, by agents investigating Russian interference in the 2016 American presidential election. The payments were made after the election but while Michael Cohen was still Trump's personal attorney. Vekselberg was among seven Kremlin-linked oligarchs the Trump administration slapped with sanctions in April. The report came as Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing porn actress Stormy Daniels released a dossier alleging that Vekselberg and his cousin transferred "approximately $500,000" to Cohen in eight payments. "Mr Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the president," the document said. Daniels, born as Stephanie Clifford, was paid $130,000 by Cohen as part of a non-disclosure agreement over an alleged affair with Trump. She is suing Trump for defamation, and has also sought to be released from the non-disclosure agreement. Cohen insists Clifford has repeatedly violated the accord, but she argues it is invalid because Trump did not sign the document. Special counsel Robert Mueller's team of investigators is probing whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, and whether he illegally tried to obstruct the investigation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When IIT Delhi engineers Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal started Flipkart in 2007 with Rs 4 lakh, going door-to-door to deliver books, they had no intention to sell their company irrespective of the valuation. Sachin had categorically said in an interview earlier that he will never sell Flipkart, in which the US retail giant Walmart is finally buying 77 per cent stake for USD 16 billion (Rs 1.02 lakh crore). After seeing ups and downs in business through 11-years, he has exited the business by selling his entire stake of over 5 per cent for around Rs 7,000 crore. Binny, not related to Sachin, will retain his 5.5 per cent stake and will be Chairman of the company's Board. He said Walmart is the ideal partner for the next phase of Flipkart journey. After working for e-c0mmerce giant Amazon, the two friends set up Flipkart. Sachin comes from a business family, while Binny's father was a banker and mother a public servant. He started his career with an IT firm Techspan in 2005 and then joined Amazon Web Services in January 2006. Binny joined Amazon in January 2007 after working for an IT firm Sarnoff. The Chandigarh duo envisaged making shopping easier. Sachin started operations of Flipkart in August 2007 and was joined by Binny Bansal about a month later. They started Flipkart with selling books online with 'cash-on-delivery' facility to win the confidence of Indian consumers in online shopping. The valuation of brand, which started business with Rs 4 lakh, is now over USD 20 billion or around Rs 1,35,000 crore after US retail giant Walmart's investment of USD 16 billion in the firm. In January 2016, Sachin had to give up his role as Chief Executive Officer at the company reportedly due to performance related issues. Flipkart rejigged its management and Binny took over as CEO. A year later, Kalyan Krishnamurthy was elevated to the position of CEO of Flipkart. The firm operated in India but it has parent firm registered in Singapore to avoid complex Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rules and high rate of taxes imposed on corporates. The company has been raising billions in funding and investing in expansion and growth of the business. Flipkart's parent firm has reportedly posted loss of Rs 8,771 crore for the financial year ending March 2017. Its sales were around USD 4.6 billion in the financial year ended March 31, 2018. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles over the capital Riyadh today, state television Al-Ekhbariya said. Two explosions were heard in the city, according to an AFP photographer. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition said Saudi air defences hours earlier had also intercepted a ballistic missile originating from Yemen and targeting Saudi Arabia's southern city of Jizan. Colonel Turki al-Maliki blamed the "Iran-backed Huthi" rebels in Yemen for the attack. Riyadh has long accused its regional rival Tehran of supplying the Huthis with ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia launched a military coalition in Yemen in 2015, aimed at rolling back the Huthis and restoring the internationally recognised government to power. The Huthis have in recent months intensified missile attacks against Saudi Arabia. The latest salvo came a day after US President Donald Trump exited the Iran nuclear agreement, which he criticised for not including measures to curb Tehran's ballistic missile programme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia, regional rival of Iran and longtime US ally, said it "supports and welcomes" President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. "The kingdom supports and welcomes the steps announced by the US president towards withdrawing from the nuclear deal... and reinstating economic sanctions against Iran," the foreign ministry said yesterday. Riyadh's allies in the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, also issued statements via their foreign ministries in support of Trump's decision, which has thrown a wrench between the United States, Europe and their allies in the region. The US Navy's Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, strategically located between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Trump announced the US withdrawal from the "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran yesterday, as Washington moved to reinstate punishing sanctions against the Islamic republic. After consulting with US "friends" across the Middle East, Trump said his country would "not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail". Following his address, the US leader signed a presidential memorandum to start reinstating US nuclear sanctions on the Iranian regime. Saudi Arabia accused Iran of "taking advantage of the revenue generated by the lifting of the sanctions to destabilise the region", the foreign ministry said. The Sunni-ruled Gulf kingdom is locked in multiple proxy wars with its Shiite rival in the Middle East, including in Yemen, Syria and Iraq. Riyadh's ambassador to the United States, and son of the Saudi Arabian king, did not hold back in linking the nuclear deal with his country's interests across the region. "Since deal was inked... the (Iranian) regime doubled down on its support for terror, providing dangerous weapons (such as ballistic missiles) to terrorist proxies including the Huthis in Yemen to target civilians in KSA," or Saudi Arabia, tweeted Prince Khalid bin Salman. Saudi Arabia and the United States say Iran is arming Yemeni rebels, known as the Huthis, who are fighting their country's Riyadh-backed government. The rebels have amped up missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen to the north, in recent months. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Can algae fly?" This question was posed by the Supreme Court to the Archeological Survey of India which faced its wrath for failure to take steps to protect the iconic Taj Mahal The top court also asked the government whether the ASI needed to be "thrown out of the picture" on protection and preservation of the historic white marble mausoleum. When ASI's counsel contended that algae on the monument was a cause of concern, the bench shot back asking "can algae fly?" and how can algae "reach the top of the structure". The scathing remarks by the top court came after a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta perused recent photographs of the Taj Mahal and expressed concern over the monument being infested by insects and algae. The top court has been monitoring developments in the area around the monument, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1631, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It had on May 1 expressed concern over the changing colour of the Taj apparently due to pollution and rapped the government. Today, the bench took exception to the arguments by counsel appearing for the ASI and observed, "This situation would not have arisen if the ASI would have done its job. We are surprised with the way the ASI is defending itself". "You (Centre) please consider if the ASI is needed there or not. The view of ASI is very clear from their submissions. They are not prepared to accept the problem," the court told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre. "You have to remove the ASI because they are saying they are doing an excellent job. ASI will have to be thrown out of the picture," the bench said. ASG Tushar Mehta told the court that it was a matter of "failure" and the government was concerned over the situation at the Taj. "We have to accept that there is a problem and then find a solution. It will be brought to the notice of the highest authority," he said, adding, "It is a cause. We must protect our history. We owe it to our history". ASG Nadkarni told the bench that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) was considering the apex court's suggestion to appoint international experts to look into the issue of protection and preservation of Taj Mahal. The bench asked the authorities what steps they have taken to prevent the monument getting infected by insects. The lawyer appearing for ASI said the presence of insects was due to the stagnation of water of river Yamuna and this problem occured after the monsoon. He also referred to the huge footfall at the mausoleum and said that tourists entered wearing "dirty socks". The bench then asked whether ASI had examined why these insects were there and whether there was any spray which could prevent it. The court also expressed surprise that that its order on the Taj Mahal and closure of industrial units in Agra way back in 1996 was not yet implemented, rather the number of industries have grown in the area. On the issue of appointing experts to look into the issue of protection and preservation of Taj Mahal, the bench said that in India, there were expert bodies like the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and Aga Khan Trust for Culture which could deal with the problem. ASG Mehta informed the bench that a vision document on protection and preservation of Taj and in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) was under preparation and it would be finalised by July. TTZ, which is an area of about 10,400 sq km, spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur in Rajasthan. The court also took umbrage that environmentalist M C Mehta, the petitioner in the matter, was not invited in all the meetings held to finalise the vision document even though he had an experience of over 33 years in the field. ASG Mehta said that Delhi School of Planning was looking into the document, which has to be futuristic, and assured the bench that they would request the petitioner to join these meetings so that they could get advantage of his experience. During the hearing, M C Mehta told the court that river Yamuna at Agra has become a dumping yard and despite the plans given earlier about mud therapy of Taj Mahal and its cleaning, the situation has not changed. He said that earlier, Yamuna water was clean due to which small fish were there which used to eat larva of the insects but now the water has become toxic. He said neither the MoEF&CC, nor Culture Ministry have taken steps to ensure ecological flow of the river. He said that Taj was standing on wooden logs and it has to be ascertained whether the insects and stagnant water have impacted those logs. The petitioner said that insects were also attacking the Red Fort and monuments at Fatehpur Sikri at Agra. The apex court asked the Centre to file a reply on the application filed by the petitioner in this regard and said the matter would be taken up for hearing after the vision document is filed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As judicial work was hit today in the six district courts here due to a lawyers' strike, the Supreme Court restrained the Delhi's Tis Hazari Court Bar Association from going on strike or boycotting any judge of the court. The striking lawyers were protesting against alleged false implication of its office bearers in an assault case lodged by a woman lawyer. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud directed the Police Commissioner to provide adequate security, preferably by a woman police officer, to the victim lawyer who appeared in person, along with senior advocate Indira Jaising, that she was scared to record her statements in the court. The bench said "her apprehension is not in the realm of illusion, but real" and directed that she should be given police security so that her statement can be recorded in the court. Later, bar association leaders said they had a meeting with Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Gita Mittal after the coordination committee of bar associations of all Delhi district courts decided to suspend their agitation and the lawyers will resume work from tomorrow. The apex court, in order to avoid any unwarranted situation at the Tis Hazari Court, directed that the statement under section 164 of the CrPC of the woman lawyer should be recorded before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) at Patiala House Court. The apex court issued notice to President of the Bar association and impleaded its secretary as party in the case. The woman lawyer told the court that an incident had taken place on May 4 in which she was manhandled and humiliated by members of bar. She brought the incident to the notice of Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Kumar, who directed registration of an FIR. She said that after the court directed for lodging an FIR, the Bar Association has allegedly boycotted the judge and gone on strike today. The woman lawyer along with Jaising mentioned the matter before the bench after the court assembled after lunch, which took up of the case later in the day. After the matter was taken up at 3.45pm, Jaising told the court that there is serious issue of safety and security of women advocates practising in trial court across the country. She said the court should direct the implementation of Vishaka guidelines in trial courts, while Jaising said the members of Tis Hazari Court Bar Association were on strike and boycotting the judge for an indefinite period for ordering registration of FIR. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on May 11. Yesterday, the Coordination Committee of All-District Court Bar Associations of Delhi had called for a strike at the Tis Hazari Courts on May 8 and at all district courts in Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Saket, Rohini, Karkardooma and Dwarka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Scarlett Johansson has defended her choice of dress -- a Marchesa -- at the 2018 Met Gala. The "Avengers: Infinity War" wore burgundy gown from Marchesa, the label from disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's ex wife Georgina Chapman, and came under scrutiny as none of the other attendees opted for the brand. Johansson, who was accompanied by boyfriend Colin Jost, had also ignored the gala's theme 'Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination'. "I wore Marchesa because their clothes make women feel confident and beautiful and it is my pleasure to support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers," the 33-year-old actor said in a statement obtained by Variety. Marchesa also released a statement praising Scarlett for opting for the label. "We are truly honoured that Scarlett chose to wear Marchesa for the Met Gala. She is an amazingly talented actor who has incredible style and presence. It was wonderful to work so closely with her in creating this custom look," it said. The label was set in 2004 by Chapman along with her friend Keren Craig and it was often worn by A-listers such as Renee Zellweger, Cate Blanchett and Mischa Barton while promoting Weinstein-produced films. Actor Jessica Chastain had recently revealed that Weinstein once put pressure on her to wear Marchesa. Last year, after the scandal involving Weinstein broke, Chapman announced that she was ending her marriage to the disgraced movie mogul and focusing on raising their two children. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today termed as "unconstitutional" Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's decision to set up a high-level committee to prepare a common framework for installation, operation and monitoring of CCTV cameras in the national capital. Sisodia said that the AAP government was currently examining the issue and PWD Minister Satyendar Jain would soon write to the Lt Governor over the issue. Last month, Baijal had held a meeting on the status of CCTV camera installation, a poll promise of the AAP, which prompted Sisodia to dub his actions "illegal". Sisodia said Baijal should follow the Constitution and not be a "dictator". "Forming such committee is wrong and unconstitutional. We are examining the whole issue and PWD Minister Satyendar Jain will write a letter to the L-G in this connection tomorrow," Sisodia said while addressing a press conference here. The deputy chief minister, however, said that his government has not yet received any official communication from the L-G office over the issue. The government had in February finalised a concessionaire to install 1.4 lakh CCTVS in different parts of the city. The AAP government had said work would be completed by October this year. Sisodia also hit out at the Congress for criticising the Aam Aadmi Party government over the CCTV project. People who were in power in Delhi for 15 years could not install one CCTV camera anywhere in the city...Had they cared about Delhi people when they were in power, things would have been good, Sisodia said. Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken had on Monday alleged irregularities in Delhi government's CCTV project and said that tenders were allegedly allotted without Cabinet's nod. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today said that some people in the central government have the same arrogance as the Mughals had and are not allowing the AAP dispensation to work. Invoking Maharana Pratap on his birth anniversary, Sisodia said the Delhi government was working towards providing health and education facilities to the common man and abolishing the role of middlemen in bringing ration to the doorsteps of people, like the warrior Rajput king did to give all facilities to the poor in his state. "But a cruel ruler in Delhi used to ask him (Maharana Pratap) to leave. The fight is same. Today's several incidents remind me of the Mughal rule," Sisodia said. Pratap fought a war with the Mughals under Emperor Akbar after he refused to accept their suzerainty. Sisodia said that voters in Delhi have chosen their government which wants RWAs and other people to decide where CCTV cameras should be installed following their complaints about increasing number of crime incidents in their areas, but hurdles are being created. "As the Mughals had arrogance, few people in the Centre also have the same arrogance. They will not allow the common man to work, saying they will do... the same fight still continues today," he said after unveiling a statue of Maharana Pratap at Kashmere Gate ISBT here. Sisodia said those who used to sit in the Red Fort (Mughals) thought that they would always have power and harassed people thinking that they would not raise their voice. "Voices against harassment were raised before and will continue to be raised," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 20-year-old son of a police officer was found dead in suburban Goregaon this morning, police said. The deceased, Atharva Shinde, was son of inspector Narendra Shinde of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police, an official said. The Shinde family resides in Thakur Complex in Kandivali, but Atharva's body was found lying in bushes near the film city in Aarey Colony area around 10.30 am, the official added. Some injury marks were found on his neck and eyes, he said. DCP (Zone XII), Vinay Kumar Rathod, said, "The body has been sent for post-mortem and the cause of the death will be known only after the autopsy report." Further investigation is on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today expressed its displeasure noting that states were "diverting" huge amount of funds, meant for protection of and benefit of people, to other purposes like municipal works. A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said that around Rs 75,000 crore, including Rs 50,000 crore of the Compensatory Afforestation Funds Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), was lying with governments and asked whether there was any plan to utilise the money. "What are the obligations of a state? It (these funds) is not for opening schools. It is meant for environment, rights of tribals in the villages. What is happening is that the states are diverting these funds to do municipal works and their other obligations," the bench observed. The bench had earlier asked the Centre as to how the huge amount of around Rs 75,000 crore, lying in the form of various funds created on the apex court's orders for protection of the environment, was being utilised. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), told the bench that the funds were lying "safely" and the question was how to utilise it. To this, the bench asked, "Will it be utilised in buying cars, laptops and washing machines?", "No," Nadkarni responded and added that rules were being framed for utilisation of the money. He said that rules were finalised at the level of the MoEF&CC and it was sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice. The bench then asked the counsel appearing for Odisha as to where these funds have been utilised by the state? The state's counsel said that certain expenditures made from these funds were "totally unrelated" to tribal welfare and about Rs 2 crore out of this amount was not used as per the intent of the apex court's order. He said the amount would be replenished by the state in the fund. Menawhile, the counsel representing Meghalaya said that chief secretary of the state could not appear before the court today to attend the proceedings since there was some confusion about the date of hearing. The bench directed that the chief secretary of Meghalaya appear before it on May 14. It had earlier directed the chief secretary to appear before it after perusing the affidavit filed by Meghalaya in which it was said that funds meant for welfare of the people were kept in bank. The apex court had earlier said there were around 10 to 12 funds which have been created after the apex court orders in environmental matters and as per information placed before it, amount lying in them was in the range of Rs 75,000 crore. The issue had earlier cropped up when the court was hearing a matter related to environmental protection. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Drug firm Strides Shasun today said it has agreed in principle with Canada's Apotex to merge their business operations in Australia. The transaction is subject to definitive agreements between the parties, satisfactory due diligence, customary closing conditions and statutory approvals, including approval of Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Strides Shasun said in a statement. The arrangement would help Bengaluru-headquartered Strides, which will have a controlling stake in the merged entity, to move to a leading position in the Australian market, it added. Strides is currently one of the leading generic players in the Australian pharmaceutical market and runs its business under the Arrow brand. Apotex is also a leading player in the market. "Once complete, our merged operation will continue to provide all of the Arrow and Apotex brands that our customers have come to know and trust, and further enhance our customer service and continuity of supply, to better help pharmacists grow their businesses," Arrow Chairman Dennis Bastas said. Apotex Australia CEO Roger Millichamp said that both companies are currently in a strong commercial position, but will be better positioned to meet the future challenges of the Australian pharmaceutical industry following the merger. "The proposed merger will take the best of both companies, optimise our shared cost base, and maintain the viability of our operations through more effective delivery of medicines and services to consumers and patients," he added. As per the initial deal framework, both Strides and Apotex business will be run independently under the brands Arrow and Apotex respectively and continue to enjoy preferred partner relationship with their respective wholesalers. The merged business will continue to be supported by Strides' and Apotex's manufacturing facilities and would have around 3,200 first line pharmacy accounts. The merged business will be led by Bastas, Millichamp and Andrew Burgess (Arrow CFO). bringing together Australia's most experienced management team with in-depth knowledge of the Australian generics market. Besides, the hospital business of Apotex will not form part of the merged entity. Strides Shasun shares were trading 2.30 per cent up at Rs 565 on the BSE. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The district administration today warned that strong action will taken against those involved in the AMU campus violence on May 2, when a row broke over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. "The magisterial probe which is currently being conducted has identified all those who indulged in hooliganism and violence in all the incidents which took place between May 2-8, Aligarh District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh said. "Strong and exemplary action will be taken against those involved in the violence," he said in a statement. Singh said videographic evidence is helping the authorities identify those who played an active role in all incidents. AMU students clashed with the police on May 2 demanding action against right-wing protesters who had earlier entered the campus demanding the removal of the Pakistan founder's picture hanging on the walls of the student union office for decades. They alleged that the police had let off the Hindu Yuva Vahini protesters they had detained. The police said they had arrested two youths later. The district authorities said today they will make sure that those responsible for any act of vandalism are charged under the most severe provisions of the law so that it serves as a "deterrent to everybody in the future". Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar Sahni said in a statement that several AMU student union leaders had targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi by name in their speeches during their continuing dharna. He said this was a clear indication that the agitation at the AMU had acquired a "political angle". He said that anyone who tries to disturb the peace of the city now would not be spared and warned student union leaders against any unlawful activity during the dharna. Referring to an attempt by the student union leaders last evening to organise a human chain protest, the SSP said, "If the students had tried to move out of the AMU campus, they would have been dealt with under the law because section 144 has been imposed." The row erupted last week when BJP MP Satish Gautam objected to Jinnah's portrait in the student union office. The University had then reminded that portrait of all life members of the student union had been put up there. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Syria strongly condemned President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and said its ally would overcome what it called US "aggression", state media reported. Damascus "strongly condemns the US president's decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran, which shows once again that the United States is not honouring its commitments and international agreements," a Syrian foreign ministry source was quoted as saying by SANA agency yesterday. It affirmed its "total support for the Islamic Republic of Iran... and confidence in its ability to overcome the impact of the aggressive position of the US administration that affects the security and stability of the region and the world". Iran has been a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, providing military advisers and organising "volunteer" fighters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Syrian army intercepted two Israeli missiles fired towards a district near Damascus last night, the official SANA agency said. According to SANA, "anti-aircraft defences intercepted two Israeli missiles launched against (the district of) Kissweh and destroyed them". Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP that missiles targeted an "arms depot belonging to Hezbollah and the Iranians". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SBI, convener of the Telangana State Level Bankers Committee,today said they have requested RBI for more cash in view of the government launching distribution of about 59 lakh cheques to farmers under a scheme,from tomorrow. Under the 'Rythu Bandhu' scheme for farmers, government provides input costs by giving them Rs 4,000 each for every acre through specially printed cheques. The scheme will be launched by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao tomorrow in Karimnagar district. Swaminathan, Chief General Manager, State Bank of India (Hyderabad Circle), said they expect one third of the total of Rs 5,700 crore that is required now, within a week and the remaining amount thereafter. The Government has allotted Rs 12,000 crore for the scheme in the budget. Swaminathan said over 59 lakh cheques have been printed by eight participating banks led by the SBI and handed over to the government for distribution. Expenses for printing the cheques would be reimbursed by the government, he said. "The aggregate amount is over Rs 5,700 crore. For encashment of cheques we requested government and RBI to make the cash available adequately. Telangana is already a deficit state in terms of currency. This is a very unique and one time requirement of cash within a short time frame," he said. "They (RBI) are providing us some cash at this point of time, which is one third of the requirement for all the eight banks, this week itself," Swaminathan told PTI. SBI alone printed about 26 lakh cheques of the total of 59 lakh, all of which were handed over to the government, which is ready to distribute them to farmers, he added. Swaminathan said this was a mammoth exercise in terms of printing cheques, moving them to Hyderabad and to the Government. "...And they will be taken to villages.The government will reimburse the cheque printing expenses, the SBI official said. He said there was no constraint of cash for the scheme and they were ready handle the load. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Technology firm ThoughtSpot today said it has raised USD 145 million in Series D funding which will be used for expanding global business and strengthening R&D manpower. The firm, which is player in search and artificial intelligence-driven analytics for enterprises, said it is looking to grow its R&D centres in Palo Alto, Seattle, Dallas and Bengaluru. "With the new funding, we'll continue to push the boundaries of what's possible with self-service analytics for our customers, partners, and the industry at large," ThoughtSpot founder and CEO Ajeet Singh said in a statement. The company will also look to accelerate global business growth, including expansion in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and APAC (Asia Pacific), ThoughtSpot said. The latest round of funding, which will be the last as a private firm, was oversubscribed with strong participation from both existing as well as new investors, it added. Since it was founded in 2012, ThoughtSpot has raised USD 306 million in total funding. The latest round saw participation from existing investors -- Lightspeed Ventures, Future Fund, Khosla Ventures, and General Catalyst -- besides new investor Sapphire Ventures, among others. Ravi Mhatre, Partner, Lightspeed Venture Partners said, "As the next-generation analytics platform for global enterprises, ThoughtSpot is already meeting this critical need for the world's largest companies, as these organisations seek to compete in today's digital economy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three Americans detained in North Korea for months are on their way back home, a "very exicited" President Donald Trump announced today, ahead of his historic summit with Kim Jong-un. The Americans, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk, are travelling back to the US with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who called on North Korean leader Kim today during a previously unannounced visit to Pyongyang. Trump said North Korea has released the three Americans and he would be there to receive them at the airport in the wee hours of Thursday. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump announced in a tweet. "Secretary Pompeo and his "guests" will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!" Trump said in another tweet. The fate of the detainees has been a key factor in the build up to the Trump-Kim meeting. While Kim Dong Chul has been in North Korean custody since before Trump was elected, the other two detainees were arrested last spring, after Trump's inauguration and as tensions between Washington and Pyongyang were beginning to ramp up, CNN reported. Kim Sang Duk and Kim Hak-song, who were arrested in April and May of 2017, respectively, were both accused of carrying out "hostile acts" against the Kim regime. Both worked at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which bills itself as the only privately run university in the North Korean capital. Trump had hinted at a potential development in their case last week in a tweet: "As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three detainees to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!" The release of the three Americans are seen as a goodwill gesture ahead of a historic summit between Trump and Kim in the coming weeks. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said that Trump "appreciates" the move and "views this as a positive gesture of goodwill". Pompeo travelled to North Korea to prepare for the summit between Trump and the North Korean leader Kim. Trump also said the date and place for the meeting has been set. "Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set," Trump said referring to the meeting Pompeo had with the North Korean leader. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three American detainees have been freed by North Korea and are heading home with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, US President Donald Trump said today. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump today said that the time and venue for his summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong un has been decided and would be announced in three days. He, however, ruled out the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Korean peninsula as a venue for his upcoming summit with Kim. Talking to reporters, Trump said the time and place has been set for his meeting with Kim and it would be announced in three days. "It wouldn't be at the DMZ," he said in response to a question. His remarks came as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo headed home with three Americans after meeting with Kim in Pyongyang. Trump also praised Kim for the release of the three American. "I appreciate Kim Jong Un for doing this," he said. The fate of the detainees has been a key factor in the build up to the Trump-Kim meeting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump today said the time and venue for his summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong un has been decided and would be announced in three days. He, however, ruled out the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that divides the Korean peninsula as a venue for his upcoming summit with Kim. Talking to reporters, Trump said the time and place has been set for his meeting with Kim and it would be announced in three days. "It wouldn't be at the DMZ," he said in response to a question. His remarks came as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo headed home with three Americans after meeting with Kim in Pyongyang. Trump also praised Kim for the release of the three American. "I appreciate Kim Jong Un for doing this," he said. The fate of the detainees has been a key factor in the build up to the Trump-Kim meeting. Trump said he thinks the summit will be very successful. "It is going to be a very important event," he said. He thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping saying "President Xi who was very helpful to us two days ago on something very specific". Trump said he also spoke to the South Korean president during which he explained what was happening with the three Americans. "President Moon was very, very happy to hear it. He has been incredibly helpful," he said. Trump said he very much looks forward to the summit with North Korea. Trump said he would be present at Andrews Joint Air Force Base to welcome the three American citizens. "It will be two o'clock in the morning and it will be quite a scene. To me, it is very exciting because it represents something, it represents something very important to this country," he said. "We're having serious positive communication with North Korea," said the president. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Top American allies, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Canada regretted and expressed concerns over the decision of US President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal. "It is with regret and concern that we, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom take note of President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday. In a joint statement issued soon after Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal yesterday, the leaders emphasized their continuing commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "This agreement remains important for our shared security. This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear programme. We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility," the three leaders said. Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton said the US was having consultations with its top allies. "It has been already in consultations with European and other allies before today's announcement because we were trying to be fully transparent with them," Bolton told reporters at the White House. The President already made some calls yesterday and will make more. "I'm going to be discussing this tomorrow morning with my British, French, and German counterparts, so we're already underway," he said. Leaders of the three countries encouraged Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the US. Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA inspection requirements, they reiterated. "There must be no doubt: Iran's nuclear programme must always remain peaceful and civilian. While taking the JCPOA as a base, we also agree that other major issues of concern need to be addressed," the statement said "A long-term framework for Iran's nuclear programme after some of the provisions of the JCPOA expire in 2025 will have to be defined. We must also address shared concerns about Iran's ballistic missile programme and its destabilising regional activities, especially in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. We have already started constructive and mutually beneficial discussions on these issues, and the E3 is committed to continuing them," they said. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland supported an effective rules-based international order, saying that the JCPOA was essential to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability and to ensure greater regional and global security. "Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. The JCPOA has subjected Iran's nuclear programme to a rigorous and unprecedented international verification regime by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," she said. The JCPOA was not perfect but it helped curb a real threat to international peace and security, Freeland said. "Canada regrets that the United States has decided to withdraw from the JCPOA, particularly given that, according to the IAEA, Iran continues to implement its JCPOA commitments. Canada condemns Iran's ongoing development of its ballistic missile programme and its ballistic missile launches, which are destabilising for the region. Canada maintains sanctions that target Iran's ballistic missile programmes," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following are the top stories from the northern region at 8.30 pm. NEWDELHI LGD45 SC-2ND LD KASAULI New Delhi: The Supreme Court today suggested that the Himachal Pradesh government should take action against those officials who were posted in Kasauli when illegal constructions came up there and sought their names and designations. NEWDELHI DEL4 MHA-AMU-LD RAJNATH New Delhi: Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor today met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss issues concerning the premier academic institution, engulfed in controversy over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on its premises, an official said. JAMMU DES4 JK-MEETING-CONG Jammu: The Congress has decided to take part in the all-party meeting convened by the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir today over the security situation in the Valley. SRINAGAR DEL7 JK-TERRORISTS Srinagar: Police today busted a Lashker-e-Taiba terror module in north Kashmir and arrested 10 people, including four militants who were allegedly responsible for gunning down three boys at Baramulla on April 30. Varanasi DES8 UP-DALIT-FIRE Varanasi: Enraged over a girl's refusal to share her mobile despite his repeated requests, a man allegedly set his minor Dalit neighbour on fire at her house in Fariha village in Azamgarh district, police said today. SITAPUR DES3 UP-DOGS Sitapur: Appalled by attacks on children by feral dogs, the district administration here has appealed to people to constitute monitoring committees to prevent such incidents. JAIPUR DES9 RJ-PREZ-VISIT Jaipur: President Ram Nath Kovind is likely to visit Jaipur and Ajmer in Rajasthan on May 13 and 14, officials said today. BALLIA DES6 UP-SP-BJP Ballia: Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ramgovind Chaudhary today accused the BJP of using the killing of terrorists for political gains and criticised the saffron party for "doing over dead bodies". DEHRADUN DES5 UKD-CHARDHAM-YATRA Dehradun: A day after snowfall in the higher reaches of Uttarakhand disrupted the Chardham Yatra and claimed the life of a porter, the pilgrimage resumed today as the weather cleared up and traffic restored along the main routes. SHIMLA DES1 HP-CHATURVEDI-DEFAMATION Shimla: A judge has recused himself from hearing a defamation suit filed against whistle-blower IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi, citing personal reasons. SHAHJAHANPUR DES15 UP-WOMAN Shahjahanpur: After a woman alleged rape by the son of a BJP MLA and demanded justice, the UP lawmaker today clarified that it was an "old matter" that was probed and found to be fake by the police even as he accused the opposition Samajwadi Party of playing to malign his image. JAIPUR DES12 RJ-ARMY-EXERCISE Jaipur: The Indian Army's 'Vijay Prahar' exercise in which over 25,000 troops of the Jaipur based South Western command participated culminated today in Rajasthan's Suratgarh. JAMMU NRG24 JK-HAILSTORM-DAMAGE Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government today said that standing crops spread over 100 hectares and over a dozen orchards were damaged by heavy rains and hailstorm which hit the Thanamandi area of Rajouri district last evening. CHANDIGARH DES27 HR-COURT-DERA Chandigarh: A former driver of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has testified in court that a sect follower was killed on the directions of the self-styled godman. ALIGARH DES20 UP-AMU-UNION Aligarh: The AMU student union has said it was "impossible to believe" that the BJP MP who triggered a row over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the campus was unaware of it till recently. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Walmart's acquisition of homegrown online retailer Flipkart for USD 16 billion today faced opposition from traders and an RSS affiliate, though industry body Assocham said it was a 'salute' to the success of Indian start-ups. While industry leader Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw saw the deal as a "huge endorsement for India's first e-tailing" company, Future Group CEO Kishore Biyani termed it as "just an event of change of ownership" and everything else in the market remained the same. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said the deal is nothing but a clear attempt to control and dominate the retail trade in India by Walmart through e-commerce in the long run. RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch alleged that Walmart was "circumventing" rules for a "back-door entry" into India and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to safeguard "national interest". "This will further eliminate small and medium businesses, small shops, and opportunity to create more jobs. Most of these small entrepreneurs are already battling for their existence; entry of Walmart will further create problems for them," the co-convenor of the manch said in a letter to the prime minister. On the other hand, Retailers Association of India while staying away from commenting directly on the acquisition, said some e-commerce companies in India have been flouting FDI Policy for marketplaces. "Digitally powered e-Walmart will certainly vitiate the e-commerce and retail market. There will be an uneven level playing field to the disadvantage of retail traders. Only the venture capitalist, investors and promoters will be benefitted and not the country," CAIT said in a statement. CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said the government should immediately frame a national policy for e-commerce and constitute a regulatory authority to regulate e-commerce business in India. Till the time a regulator is constituted, the deal should be put in abeyance by the government and a close scrutiny should be held of the entire deal, he added. The Retailers Association of India asked the government to take strong steps to ensure adherence to the FDI policy. "We believe that some e-commerce companies in India have not been adhering to the guidelines issued under the Press Note 3 of the FDI Policy for marketplaces. These companies have been directly or indirectly participating in pricing and discounting, which is against the policy that seeks to create a level playing field," Retailers Association of India alleged. Expressing contrasting view, Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said the industry body saw the "Walmart-Flipkart (deal) as a salute to the success of an Indian Start-Up that pioneered the fledgling online retailing in a country where bulk of the trade is in the unorganised sector." "Isn't it so great that a start up goes on to fetch an enterprise valuation of about USD 21 billion, making the Walmart equity infusion as the largest ever FDI into India," Rawat said in a statement. When reached out for his comments, Biyani, the pioneer of modern retail in India told PTI, "I think nothing changes, only the ownership has changed. The model is still the same." He further said, "It's just an event. It is the change of hands from one foreign investor to other foreign investor; from a financial investor to a strategic investor."Welcoming the development, Biocon Chairperson Shaw tweeted that the deal was a "huge endorsement" for India's first e-tailing company. She further said e-commerce is a capital intensive business that needs deep pockets, which Walmart has. ShopClues Co-founder & CEO Sanjay Sethi said, "This is also a great endorsement of the large opportunity that Indian market presents as well as the mettle of the Indian entrepreneur." It also proves that there is a lot of money to be made in the Indian startup ecosystem, he said, adding "Flipkart team has done an awesome job in bringing the world's largest retailer to India". Walmart Inc today said it would acquire 77 per cent stake in Flipkart for about USD 16 billion in its biggest acquisition till date. The deal values the 11-year old Indian e-commerce firm at USD 20.8 billion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking the bus is a lot safer than travelling by car, according to a study conducted in Canada which found that car trips were linked to a significantly greater number of injuries. The study, published in the Journal of Urban Health, looked at the risk of injury along the 10 busiest bus routes in Montreal and showed that the risk is four times greater for car occupants than for bus occupants. Besides looking at specific routes, the study led by the Universite de Montreal Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM) in Canada, is the first to compare the effect of car and bus use on the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Per kilometre travelled, car trips were associated with a greater number of pedestrian injuries (four times more), cyclist injuries (five times more), and fatal and severe injuries (five times more) compared to bus trips. There were 28 times more seriously injured people in cars (278 over 10 years, including 19 deaths) than bus occupants (10 seriously injured, no deaths). Forty-two pedestrians and three cyclists were killed by cars, versus four pedestrians and zero cyclists by bus. Bus travel are safer because drivers are professionally trained, researchers said. They also drive more slowly than cars. Buses travel along designated routes and usual stick to the right lane, which make them more predictable in traffic. Far fewer buses than cars are needed to transport the same number of people, researchers said. "The fundamental point is that pedestrians, cyclists and motor-vehicle occupants are mostly injured where the speeds are highest and where there are the most vehicles, on the major arteries," said Patrick Morency, assistant clinical professor at IRSPUM. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the US with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump announced today in the latest sign of improving relations between the two longtime adversary nations. Trump said on Twitter that Pompeo was "in the air" and was with "the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting." The president, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 am tomorrow. The release of the detainees came as Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for a historic summit between Trump and the North's leader, Kim Jong Un. Trump said on Twitter that there had been a "good meeting with Kim Jong Un," adding: "Date & Place set." North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities but their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation's nuclear weapons. The family of Tony Kim thanked "all those" who worked for his return and also credited Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. "Mostly we thank God for Tony's safe return," the family said in a statement, and they urged people to "continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held." The three had been held for periods ranging between one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior US officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the US with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016 for stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. Of the newly released detainees, Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born US citizen, had been held the longest. The former Virginia resident was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labour after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea's border with Russia. The other two detainees hadn't been tried. Kim Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST. The university is the only privately funded college in North Korea and was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. He was detained last May for alleged anti-state activities. Tony Kim, who also uses the name Kim Sang-duk, was detained in April 2017 at the Pyongyang airport. He taught accounting at PUST. He was accused of committing unspecified criminal acts intended to overthrow the government. Pompeo, in his visit, discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim Jong Un summit in a meeting with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the central committee of North Korea's ruling party. "For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict," Pompeo said, adding that "there are many challenges along the way." Kim also noted improved relations between North and South Korea and pushed back against the idea that US pressure led to the likely summit. "This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside," he added, citing the will of the Korean people. That contradicted Trump, who has said repeatedly that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Pompeo's trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter US adversary. Accompanying Pompeo were a few senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, both given roughly four hours' notice of his departure. Pompeo, who first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which the US is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il. "Plans are being made, relationships are building, hopefully a deal will happen and with the help of China, South Korea and Japan a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone," Trump said at the White House as he announced Pompeo's visit today. Pompeo's first trip to Pyongyang, over Easter weekend before he was confirmed as secretary of state, was a closely held secret. of it did not emerge until just before his Senate confirmation vote less than two weeks ago. Shortly afterward, the White House released photographs of Pompeo and Kim. Pompeo told reporters that his first visit was to test the North's seriousness of pledges to South Korea on easing tensions. This trip was "to put in place a framework for a successful summit," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump has announced that he was withdrawing the US from what he called the "decaying and rotten" Iran nuclear deal signed by the Obama regime in 2015, putting him on a collision course with America's closest allies. The nuclear deal was negotiated and agreed to by Iran and the P5+1 (the US, UK, France, China, Russia, and Germany), granting Iran sanctions relief and returning frozen assets in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear programme and international inspections. "It is clear to me that we cannot prevent Iran nuclear bomb. The Iran deal is defective at its core. Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump said. Moments later he signed fresh set of sanctions against Iran and warned countries against any cooperation with Tehran on its controversial nuclear weapons programme. Referring to his consultation with key American allies, Trump said it is that they cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the "decaying and rotten" structure of the current agreement. "If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons," he said. The "disastrous" deal gave Iran millions in cash and did not prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, he added. Describing it as a bad deal, Trump said that the agreement is unlikely to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Before Trump's announcement, which was televised live, top administration officials including Vice President Mike Pence informed Congress about his decision. "The Iranian promise of abandoning its nuclear weapons is a lie," Trump alleged. Allowing the deal to stay would result in an arms race in the region, he said, adding that the deal does nothing to constrain Iran's "destabilising behaviour". Iran insists that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, and its compliance with the deal has been verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail. We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction, and we will not allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on earth," Trump said. Trump by taking this decision ignored advice against such a move from his key European allies and top US Democratic leaders. Ever since his election campaign, Trump has frequently criticised the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA. Trump's decision would have global ramifications, straining Iranian economy and heightening tensions in the Middle East. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK Prime Minister Theresa May expressed their "regret and concern" at Trump's decision, calling on Iran to maintain its commitments under the deal. The three leaders said they were committed to implementing the deal despite Trump's decision to pull out. "We urge the US to ensure that the structures of the JCPOA can remain intact and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal," they said in a joint statement. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said: "The US has announced that it doesn't respect its commitments." "I have ordered the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be ready for action if needed, so that if necessary we can resume our enrichment on an industrial level without any limitations." Former US president Barack Obama in a rare statement called Trump's decision a mistake. "If the constraints on Iran's nuclear programme under the JCPOA are lost, we could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it," he said. Russia said it was deeply disappointed by Trump's decision to abandon the deal. Washington's actions were "flagrantly trampling on the norms of international law", Russia's foreign ministry said. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply concerned" over Trump's decision, calling on all other nations to support the agreement and preserve the deal. Some other American allies, however, voiced their support for the decision, particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised "courageous leadership" and "bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two men were arrested for allegedly carrying out burglaries at factories in southeast Delhi's Okhla industrial area, police said today. On May 4, a special picket for vehicle checking was constituted at Maa Anandmai Marg, Okhla. At 3 pm, two motorcycle-borne men were stopped for checking, but they fled, they said. However, the police team intercepted the riders and nabbed them. The accused, Jiten Kushwaha (25) and Sonu Kumar (25), were arrested and 14 laptops, one LED TV, 67 pieces of leather jackets, 146 pieces of designer clothes, unstitched cloth material, copper pipes, were seized from them, they added. With their arrest, police claimed to have solved six cases of burglary. In view of the recent incidents of house and factory thefts and burglaries a Special Task Force (STF) was constituted. The duo planned to target big offices and companies in Okhla and in the last few months, they burgled around half a dozen factories in Okhla. They had stolen laptops, TV sets, leather jackets, expensive designer clothes, AC copper wires etc, police said. They used to dispose off stolen articles to scrap dealers and passersby at cheap rates. They were not able to dispose off laptops and clothes and were looking for buyers, they said. During the daytime, they used to recce companies on the pretext of employment in those companies. They used to review the security system of the factory and possible entry as well as exit points. During late night hours, the accused used to enter the factories from back lane and steal the articles, said Chinmoy Biswal, deputy commissioner of police (southeast). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A sessions court here convicted two persons today for the 2012 murder of budding actor Meenakshi Thapa. Additional Sessions Judge S G Shette found Amit Jaiswal (36) and his girlfriend, Preeti Surin (26), guilty under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 364-A (kidnapping for ransom). The quantum of punishment will be pronounced tomorrow. Special public prosecutor in the case Ujjwal Nikam said, "There was no eyewitness, but I appreciate the job done by the Mumbai Crime Branch, as it was due to their investigation that the chain of events was established. Based on that, we could prove that Jaiswal and Surin had murdered the actor." "We examined 36 witnesses, of whom one, an Uttar Pradesh police official, turned hostile," he added. According to the prosecution, Jaiswal and Surin, both hailing from Uttar Pradesh, had befriended Thapa (26) on the sets of "Heroine", a Bollywood film directed by Madhur Bhandarkar. Both the accused used to work as model coordinators. Under the impression that the actor belonged to a rich family, the duo had hatched a conspiracy to abduct her and demand a Rs 15-lakh ransom from her family. The duo had also persuaded the actor, who had moved to Mumbai from Dehradun only two months ago, to accompany them to Uttar Pradesh on March 12, 2012, saying there was an acting assignment for her. Subsequently, they had abducted her, but after realising that her family was in no position to pay up, strangulated her, according to the prosecution. The remains of the actor's body, with the head severed, were found in the sewage tank of a house in Allahabad a month after the incident. The duo had come under the lens of the police as Thapa was last seen with them. Call details and other evidence had confirmed their involvement, a Crime Branch official said. Jaiswal and Surin were arrested when they were withdrawing money, using Thapa's debit card, from an ATM in suburban Bandra, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Agovernment sub-engineer and an employee of a private construction firm were released by the Naxals today, eleven days after they were abducted from the Balrampur district of Chhattisgarh, police said. "Continuous massive search operations by the security forces, involving the District Force (of police) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), to trace the abducted persons bore fruit," Balrampur Superintendent of Police T R Koshima told PTI. The pressure created by the security forces compelled the rebels to release the two men, he claimed. Petrus Dungdung, a sub-engineer working under the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), and Shankar Bihari, a construction company employee, were abducted by Naxals on April 28. They were released by the ultras today, and were being brought back to the Samri police station, the SP said. He did not disclose the location where the two were released, but said the two men were spotted by police in a forest in Samri area. The SP maintained that the Naxals had not made any demands for the release. The rebels had to bow before the increasing pressure of the security forces who were on their heels, he said. On April 28,Naxals set ablaze a JCB machine, a road roller and three heavy trucks engaged in a road construction work under the PMGSY between Bandarchua and Pundag villages under Samri police station limits in this district adjoining Jharkhand, around 450 km from the state capital Raipur. They also abducted Dungdung, Bihari and another employee of the construction company, Raju Gupta. Gupta was released on the same night. Koshima had earlier said thatthe cadres belonging to the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), which is active on the Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh border, headed by local Maoist leaders Mrityunjay and Vimal, were behind the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK Home Office has agreed to review the cases of hundreds of highly-skilled Indian professionals being denied their right to live and work in the country over "trivial" tax corrections. Britain's Home Office minister for immigration, Caroline Nokes, was grilled by the influential House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee yesterday over media reports that professionals who came in on a Tier 1 (General) are being refused their Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) over minor, legally acceptable corrections in their tax returns. "This potentially sends a terrible signal, does it not, to highly skilled people of Indian or Pakistani origin who have come over here and have contributed to the country, bringing their skills," questioned John Woodcock, an Independent MP from the committee. "Of course, I do not want this country to look like it is unwelcoming to people with high skills who have contributed a great deal. It is important to us that going forward we make sure we have culture change in the Home Office," Nokes replied, stressing that she is determined to address immigration-related problems following the Windrush scandal involving Caribbean migrants from before the 1970s being wrongfully denied their citizenship rights in the UK. "It is not about using rules to have a 'computer says no' mentality," she said. The Chair of the committee, Labour MP Yvette Cooper, demanded why the minister had not asked for a "review of these HMRC [Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs] related Tier 1 cases to find out how many of them might be serious fraud cases and how many of them might be trivial mistakes that any one of us could have made?" Nokes assured the committee that a review will be undertaken to establish whether "there is a pattern here in what has gone wrong and whether they are minor errors". Sir Philip Rutnam, Permanent Secretary in the UK Home Office, told the committee that he will be looking into evidence to see how many of these refusals are the result of a clear-cut case of deception and where perhaps "overzealous officials have been erring on the side of doubting people rather than giving them the benefit of the doubt". The affected professionals, such as doctors, academics and entrepreneurs, are all from non-European Union countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria who are based in the UK on a Tier 1 (General) visa. They were entitled to apply for ILR or permanent residency status after a minimum of five years' lawful residency in the UK. While the visa category itself was discontinued in 2011, former applicants were eligible to apply for ILR until April this year if they met the necessary requirements. However, legal experts noted a pattern of many such applications being turned down by Home Office caseworkers on the basis of Rule 322(5), a discretionary rule relating to an applicant's good character. Many of the professionals have since resorted to legally challenge the Home Office's approach of using a minor tax correction to classify them as "undesirable" migrants. Aditi Bhardwaj, the coordinator of the Highly Skilled Migrants group which has been protesting over such "unfair" refusals of ILR applications, declared the UK government's review into the cases a "minor victory". "But there is a long way to go. Let us see how the Home Office proceeds on this review. It is shocking that the minister claims to have been unaware of these cases, when we have documentary evidence to prove that she had been made aware of this issue with Tier 1 applicants back in March," said Bhardwaj, whose team is now preparing its own dossier of evidence for the Home Affairs Select Committee. While legal experts believe Rule 322(5) is being used as a "near-automatic" means to deny a residency application, the Home Office claims "robust checks" are essential to avoid the potential abuse of the country's immigration or tax system. "We take into consideration the nature of the discrepancy and any explanation from the applicant before making a decision," a Home Office statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson urged the United States today not to undermine the Iran nuclear deal it has just ditched and said Washington should "spell out" its plans for what comes next. "I urge the US to avoid taking any action that would hinder other parties from continuing to make the agreement work," Johnson told parliament, adding that Britain had "no intention of walking away" from the deal, which remained "vital" to its national security. "For as long as Britain abides by the agreement... then Britain will remain a party to the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," he said. "It's now up to Washington to come up with concrete proposals." European leaders and key trading power China have vowed to save the 2015 accord, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for it halting an alleged nuclear weapons programme and allowing international inspections. They have also vowed to protect companies operating in the country after President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that as a result of pulling out of the deal the US would reinstate severe sanctions against Tehran. Trump's national security advisor John Bolton said European firms doing business in Iran now have a six-month deadline to wind up investments or risk American sanctions. "We will do our utmost to protect UK commercial interests," Johnson told lawmakers when pressed on the potential impact on British firms dealing with Tehran. The foreign secretary said Britain was aware "Iran is up to all sorts of bad behaviour in the region" but that they were not in violation of the JCPOA. He added America must now provide fuller details of how it plans to proceed outside the framework. "It falls to the US administration to spell out their view of the way head," said Johnson, who visited Washington earlier this week and failed to convince Trump to remain inside the nuclear deal. "President Trump said himself last night that he is committed to finding a new solution and we should hold him to his word," he added. "We have yet to see the detail of how he intends to do it, but we will certainly be as supportive as we can." Questioned by several lawmakers on whether the US was considering a military solution to the issue, Johnson insisted "there is no such plan". "After closely interrogating everybody I could find in the White House, there is no enthusiasm for a military option in the United States," he added. Prime Minister Theresa May earlier told parliament: "We accept that there are other issues in relation to the behaviour of Iran in the region. "Those are issues that need to be addressed and we are working with our European and other allies to do just that," she said. Johnson told lawmakers he expected to meet with EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini next week to discuss the bloc's next steps on Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN has called for the speedy and safe release of the seven Indian engineers abducted in Afghanistan's restive northern Baghlan province. The abducted Indian engineers were working on a project for the construction of a power sub-station in Afghanistan. They were abducted by militants from the vicinity of Cheshma-e-Sher area on Sunday while they were going to inspect the work on the project. "We, obviously, call for their speedy and safe release," Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric said yesterday in response to a question by PTI on the abduction of the Indian engineers. On whether the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has any information on the incident, Dujarric said he has "not seen any particular information." Afghanistan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani had met Indian envoy to the country Vinay Kumar and assured him that no efforts will be spared by the Afghan security forces to ensure the safety and release of the seven Indian engineers. Rabbani also had a telephone conversation with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj over the issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he is "deeply concerned" over President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, calling on all other nations to support the agreement and preserve the deal. Trump made the announcement at the White House yesterday and signed a memorandum to begin reinstating economic sanctions on Iran at "the highest level". In a statement released shortly afterwards, Guterres said he was "deeply concerned" by the announcement that the US would withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and reinstate sanctions on Iran. "I have consistently reiterated that the JCPOA represents a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation and diplomacy and has contributed to regional and international peace and security," he said. The JCPOA reached by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the US and the European Union sets out rigorous mechanisms for monitoring restrictions placed on Iran's nuclear programme, while paving the way for the lifting UN sanctions against the country. "It is essential that all concerns regarding the implementation of the Plan be addressed through the mechanisms established in the JCPOA," Guterres said, adding that "issues not directly related to the JCPOA" should be addressed separately, "without prejudice to preserving the agreement and its accomplishments." The UN chief called on other JCPOA participants to abide by their respective commitments and on all other member states to support the agreement. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a statement saying that according to its December 2015 Board of Governors report, "the agency had no credible indication of activities in Iran relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device after 2009." At the Board of Governors meeting in March, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano had said Iran was abiding by the deal and IAEA inspectors had been given access to all sites and locations, upon request. "If the JCPOA were to fail, it would be a great loss for nuclear verification and for multilateralism," he said. The leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom have expressed regret and concern over Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the JCPOA. In a joint statement from Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron emphasised their "continuing commitment" to the JCPOA. They urged the US to ensure that the structures of the JCPOA remained intact, and to "avoid" taking action which "obstructs" its full implementation by all other parties to the deal. "We call on the US to do everything possible to preserve the gains for nuclear non-proliferation brought about by the JCPOA, by allowing for a continued enforcement of its main elements," they said in the statement. They also encouraged Iran to show "restraint" in response to the decision by the US. "Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA inspection requirements. The IAEA must be able to continue to carry out its long-term verification and monitoring programme without restriction or hindrance. In turn, Iran should continue to receive the sanctions relief it is entitled to whilst it remains in compliance with the terms of the deal," they said. The leaders said that according to the IAEA, Iran continued to abide by the restrictions set out by the JCPOA, in line with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. "The world is a safer place as a result. Therefore we, the E3, will remain parties to the JCPOA. Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case, including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement," they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Enraged over a girl's refusal to share her mobile despite his repeated requests, a man allegedly set his minor Dalit neighbour on fire at her house in Fariha village in Azamgarh district, police said today. The incident took place yesterday when Mohammad Shai, also resident of the same village, went to the victim's house and allegedly pressurised her to give her mobile number to him. According to the police, when the girl refused to disclose her number, Shai first allegedly thrashed her, and then sprinkled kerosene over her body to set her on fire. The neighbours, who gathered after hearing the girl's cry, extinguished the fire, and nabbed the accused while he was trying to flee from the spot, they said. Rushed to a nearby Sadar hospital, the girl, after getting preliminary treatment, was referred to a government hospital in Varanasi where her condition is stated to be critical, a police official said. The victim has sustained over 80 per cent burn injuries, the official said. The accused, who was earlier beaten up by the locals at the crime scene, was also admitted to the Sadar hospital, he added. Police said a case has been registered against the accused under sections of the SC/ST Act, POCSO Act and IPC. In order to prevent any communal tension in the village, a large number of force has been deployed in the area, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US and Philippine troops stormed ashore from the disputed South China Sea today for military exercises that President Rodrigo Duterte had promised to scrap, but quietly allowed to carry on. The decades-old tradition appeared headed for the history books last year as a newly-elected Duterte pivoted toward China -- and away from long-time ally the US. But the number of troops taking part in the drills has increased by a third from last year to 8,000, a return to figures seen in years past when the exercises served as a thinly-veiled deterrent to a rising China. The reason for Duterte's change of heart on the two-week drills codenamed "Balikatan", or "Shoulder-to-Shoulder", may be down to what experts see as careful efforts by the Filipino military to restrain their unpredictable president. "The fact it's being done under this administration means they (Duterte's government) now have a better understanding of the security equation," political analyst Victor Andres Manhit told AFP. Though the bulked-up manoeuvres -- including a live-fire component that was dropped last year -- took place on a naval base just 180 kms east of the Filipino-claimed Scarborough Shoal that China has controlled since 2012, the drill's leaders barely mentioned Beijing. "We are an island nation. That's why we need to improve our capabilities on amphibious operations," Philippine Major-General Emmanuel Salamat told reporters. "We're not concerned about Scarborough. We're concerned about what we're doing here." China claims most of the South China Sea, a strategic waterway believed to harbour significant oil and natural gas deposits, but their assertion was ruled illegal in 2016 after Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino filed suit before an international maritime tribunal. Duterte has since reversed course and set the ruling aside, along with long-simmering friction over competing claims to the waters, in order to court Chinese trade and investment. He has also cut two major annual naval exercises with the US and last year reduced the Balikatan contingent to 5,400 American and Filipino troops. The decision came at a low point for US-Philippine relations, when Duterte hurled insults at the American ambassador to Manila and served notice that the 2017 edition would "be the last military exercise" with the United States. Much of Duterte's ire appeared to have been triggered by American criticism of his deadly anti-drug crackdown, which has claimed thousands of lives and been condemned by rights groups as a possible crime against humanity. The renewed ramping up of the US-Philippine war games coincides with improving ties with Washington under President Donald Trump, who has said drug dealers should face the death penalty. Analysts said Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, a retired general and ex-defence attache to Washington, and other advisers had helped moderate Duterte's position. "He (Lorenzana) could handle, in a very effective way, most of the president's biases without ruffling feathers," said Roilo Golez, a former national security adviser of ex-Philippine leader Gloria Arroyo. US Marine Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Gaskell, who took part in the landing exercise Wednesday, sidestepped media questions on Duterte's anti-US claims. "We are welcomed here, walking in the airport, throughout your country, (but also) by the Filipino armed forces who we've interacted with," he said. "So we're really happy to be here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Walmart Inc today said it is buying 77 per cent stake in Flipkart for about USD 16 billion (Rs 1.05 lakh crore), its biggest deal which will give the US retailer access to Indian e-commerce market that is estimated to grow to USD 200 billion within a decade. The deal, wherein co-founder Sachin Bansal and Japan's Softbank Corp Group are exiting, values Flipkart at USD 20.8 billion. It is the biggest M&A deal in India this year. "Walmart's investment includes USD 2 billion of new equity funding, which will help Flipkart accelerate growth in the future," a Walmart statement said. They "are also in discussions with additional potential investors who may join the round, which could result in Walmart's investment stake moving lower after the transaction is complete", the statement added. "Even so, the company would retain clear majority ownership," Walmart said. Google parent Alphabet Inc seen to be the potential investor who may get as much as 15 per cent. Binny Bansal, who had co-founded Flipkart with Sachin 11 years ago, will retain his 5.5 per cent stake and will be Chairman of the company's Board. Walmart's Krish Iyer will be the CEO of the company which will continue to be based out of Bengaluru. Walmart and Flipkart will remain separate brands and the Indian e-commerce company will have an independent Board, which will be revamped to give representation to the US firm. Tencent Holdings Ltd, Tiger Global Management LLC and Microsoft Corp will also continue to remain shareholders in Flipkart, Walmart said without divulging their stake. "While the immediate focus will be on serving customers and growing the business, Walmart supports Flipkart's ambition to transition into a publicly-listed, majority-owned subsidiary in the future," it said. Pre-deal, Tiger Global Management held about 20 per cent stake in Flipkart. The deal is subject to clearance from Competition Commission of India and other regulators. It is expected to close later this year. The deal will help the US retail giant -- which has seen consumers migrate to online platforms like those run by Amazon -- get a vantage position in e-commerce space in the world's fastest growing economy which has a huge untapped but rapidly growing market. Only 14 per cent of its over 400 million Internet users shop online and the number is projected to rise to over 50 per cent by 2026. The deal would bring over 175 million users to Walmart, which has been eyeing the Indian market for a few years. So far it had been handicapped by India's retail policy that does not allow overseas companies to sell directly to consumers (except in wholesale cash-and-carry segment). Companies like Flipkart and Amazon operate as e-commerce marketplaces a segment that allows 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI). Walmart runs 21 Best Price wholesale stores in the country that sell everything from fast-moving consumer goods to furniture to other retailers and institutions. It could potentially use those Best Price stores as pickup and delivery points. "India is one of the most attractive retail markets in the world, given its size and growth rate, and our investment is an opportunity to partner with the company that is leading the transformation of eCommerce in the market," said Doug McMillon, Walmart's president and chief executive officer. Walmart investment, he said, will benefit India by providing quality, affordable goods for customers, while creating new skilled jobs and fresh opportunities for small suppliers, farmers, and women entrepreneurs. Binny Bansal said Walmart is the ideal partner for the next phase of Flipkart journey as he saw e-commerce having great potential to grow from its current status of being a relatively small part of retail in India. Amazon was also said to have put in an aggressive offer to buy 60 per cent of Flipkart but the board of the Indian firm is said to have favoured the Walmart offer. Launched in 2007 and envisioned as the 'Amazon of India' before the latter came to India, Flipkart owns country's largest online fashion retailers -- Myntra and Jabong -- both of which it had acquired. Together, Flipkart-Myntra-Jabong hold 70 per cent market share of the online fashion business in India. It also owns eBay's India business as well as popular mobile payments app, PhonePe. Walmart previously bought online retailer Jet.com for USD 3 billion in 2016 to accelerate its stake in online retail in the US but the Flipkart acquisition would be its biggest investment to date. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch today alleged that US retail giant Walmart was "circumventing" rules for a "back-door entry" into India with its USD 16 billion majority stake acquisition of Flipkart and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to safeguard "national interest". The SJM's letter to the prime minister, asking him to ensure that interest of those at the bottom of the pyramid in retail and agriculture space are safeguarded, came on a day Walmart Inc acquired 77 per cent stake in Flipkart. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch, which is the economic wing of the Sangh, claimed that Walmart is using e-commerce route to circumvent existing rules which bar foreign companies in multi-brand retail and dubbed its acquisition of Flipkart a "back-door entry" into Indian market. "This will further eliminate the small and medium businesses, small shops, and opportunity to create more jobs. Most of these small entrepreneurs are already battling for their existence; entry of Walmart will further create problems for them," the SJM's co-convenor said in his letter. He also alleged that there was a series of violations of law in allowing the deal to happen. "It will be very dangerous, if we allow them to raise funds, transfer assets, that too to a company like Walmart," Mahajan wrote to Modi. He also dispatched a copy of the letter to Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu. Sources said that Prabhu has assured the SJM that his ministry would look into the matter. Mahajan said the stand taken by the SJM, the RSS and the BJP has been that foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail will kill entrepreneurship and is anti-farmers. "Walmart is using the e-commerce route to circumvent the rules to attack Indian market. It is to be noted that nowhere in the world, Walmart has a market place model," he said in his letter. The experience of other countries is that their domestic companies were sold out to bigger MNCs, and all over the world giants like Walmart and Cosco have taken over, the SJM co-convener said. "This deal is unfortunate, but not surprising. Now the danger is knocking at our doors. These developments forced us to write this letter and and appraise you about various disruptions it will do to the market and violations of the law of the land, along with being unethical and against the national interests," Mahajan said. Seeking the prime minister's intervention, he said Walmart is among the world's largest importers of Chinese goods and this will kill small and medium enterprises. It will further kill the 'Make in India' dream too, he said, referring to Modi's ambitious manufacturing policy. "We all know that they have interests in the multi-brand retail of food and a combination of both will kill the interests of farmers," he said. Mahajan also alleged that Flipkart's operations are "not beyond suspicion" and that its group companies have not filed their statement of accounts for the year 2016-2017, 2015-2016 and have only made partial disclosures. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal CID today launched a probe into the recent reports about a carcass meat racket in the state, a senior official said. The sleuths will look into the incidents of seizure of carcass meat, reported from Budge Budge in South 24 Parganas district and Bangaon in North 24 Parganas district, CID DIG (Operations) Nishat Pervez told PTI. "We have already started our probe," he said. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in the state had yesterday announced that it had formed a high-powered committee to keep a check on the carcass meat racket, which allegedly processed the flesh of dead animals found from garbage dumps and sold to eateries in and around the city and also outside the state. A nine-member committee, headed by Chief Secretary Malay De, would devise a mechanism to deal with the issue, the government had said. Over the last few weeks, 11 persons, including a leader of a political outfit, have been arrested in connection with the scam. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by the government to probe the matter after the sleuths seized 20 tonnes of rotten meat, meant to be supplied to eateries and departmental stores in the state and its neighbouring region, from a cold storage in central Kolkata. The government has directed all the police stations in the state to keep a watch on the sale of meat in their areas. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal State Election Commission today approached the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court's order directing it to accept the nominations of those candidates who have filed their papers electronically within the stipulated time for the panchayat election in the state. The state election commission (SEC) has sought a stay of the operation of the yesterday's order saying it would suffer "irreparable loss and injury" which cannot be compensated. Anticipating the move of the SEC, major state opposition, the CPI(M) and the BJP, have filed caveat before the top court saying that no ex-parte orders should be passed. Caveat is a legal notice to a court or public officer to suspend certain proceeding till its mover is given a hearing A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud was told by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for BJP's West Bengal unit, that the copy of the SEC's petition be supplied to them and the court may list the matter for hearing on May 11. "There is a prima facie case in favour of the petitioners and there is every likelihood of the success of the instant petition", the SEC's plea said while stating the grounds for relief. It said "an ad-interim stay of the operation of the judgement and final order of May 8, 2018" be passed apart from other reliefs. The petition arrays CPI(M) as respondents, besides the state government, the ruling Trinamool Congress, state panchayat secretary and others. CPI(M) state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said in a tweet that "the TMC, WB Govt and SEC nexus, upset after the landmark judgement of the Calcutta High Court yesterday want to move to the Supreme Court. A caveat has already been filed on our behalf there today". The CPI(M) has claimed that many of its intending candidates were prevented from filing nominations by the TMC. The High Court had yesterday directed the SEC to accept the nominations of those candidates named by CPI(M), who had filed their papers electronically within the stipulated time before 3 pm on April 23. Passing the order, the HC had observed that the poll process itself involved participation and to shut out an intending bona fide candidate from participating in it thwarted the very basic democratic principles on which it stood. The court had said that though the filing of nominations through e-mail was not a recognised procedure under the West Bengal Panchayat Act of 2003, but in a situation where allegations of obstructing candidates from filing nominations had surfaced and had also been noted by the SEC, it should have allowed the filing of papers through e-mail. The SEC, being a constitutional body, had to act "fairly, transparently and independently" to advance the democratic principles by allowing the intending candidates to contest, the high court said. The Left party had submitted a list of over 800 intending candidates, claiming that they were prevented from filing nominations at the designated offices and thus, had sent their documents to the SEC through e-mail. The SEC had said it had received 340 complaints on the last day of filing of nominations, of which 25 were sent through e-mail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid a row surrounding the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), disgruntled BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha today questioned the demand for removal of the portrait of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah from the varsity campus. "....Suddenly the demands have started coming to change the names of universities or remove the pictures of some people. Why should they be removed? All these years they are there and everything was going on well," Shatrughan said without naming the AMU. The BJP MP was in Panaji to deliver a lecture on the topic of "Indian economy and challenges before democracy", organised by Citizens for Democracy, a local group of intellectuals. Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha also spoke on the occasion. A controversy had erupted recently over the portrait of the Pakistan founder hanging in the AMU students' union office, after BJP MP Satish Gautam wrote a letter to AMU Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor objecting to the portrait. Shatrughan said the BJP should introspect on the incidents wherein some people were lynched in the name of protection of cows in various parts of the country. Referring to the current controversy surrounding top judiciary, he said, "I am not in a position to comment whether whatever is happening in judiciary is right or wrong, but the question is why this is happening". The Patna Sahib MP said he was trying to show "mirror" to his own party by speaking in favour of "truth". "Many people ask me why do I speak against the BJP despite being a party MP and being associated with the BJP since the time it was just a two-member party in parliament. "They ask me why do I rebel against the party? Why don't I quit the party? I make them understand that I am not rebelling against the party. I always speak in the national interest and I always try that through my true opinion. I show mirror to my party," he said. Shatrughan said the BJP believes that the party is greater than an individual and the nation is greater than the party. "When I speak in favour of the nation, it is natural that I am talking for the welfare of the party and also for the common people. The party cannot be bigger than the nation," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With a shower of tears and the anguished cry of a bereaved mother, a 22-year old man from Tamil Nadu, who died of injuries after being hit by stone pelters in Kashmir, was laid to rest in a cemetery near here today. Neighbours, well-wishers and others joined the family in large numbers to bid farewell to R Tirumaniselvam, whose body was brought in from Srinagar last night, a day after he died while on a vacation with his parents and sister in Jammu and Kashmir. His mother was inconsolable. "What wrong had my son done to meet such an end," she asked over and over again. Thirumaniselvam was hit by a stone when a mob went on a rampage near Narbal on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday. He died in a hospital later that day. "Was he not just a tourist. Why did this happen," his mother said as she wept while his last rites were being performed at their Karimedu home in neighbouring Tiruvallur district. Later, his body was buried at a cemetery nearby. Tiruvallur Lok Sabha MP P Venugopal had earlier laid a wreath on the body of the commerce graduate, who worked for a private sector company. Flowers were placed by a large number of people who had gathered there. Last night, Tamil Culture Minister K Pandiarajan handed over a cheque for Rs 3 lakh as the state government's solatium to the victim's father, Rajavelu. BJP Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan, after paying homage to Tirumaniselvam, criticised those who "supported stone pelters of Kashmir" and said violence in any form should be denounced. Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) chief and former union minister G K Vaasan also placed flowers on the body of the young man. Rajavelu had told reporters last night that security for tourists was not adequate in Jammu and Kashmir and urged the authorities to ensure the safety of visitors to the hill state. The incident sparked outrage across the country, and was condemned by politicians across the spectrum in Jammu and Kashmir. "It is very sad and heartbreaking," Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufi had said after meeting Tirumaniselvam's family. "My head hangs in shame," she had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today reminded the AAP government that its job was not just to pay compensation to slum-dwellers affected by a massive fire in east Delhi, but also ensure their rehabilitation. The observation by a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar came as it issued notice to the Delhi government and other authorities seeking their response on a plea moved by a social activist alleging that proper facilities -- adequate water, toilets, tents and food -- were not being provided to those who lost all their belongings in the fire of April 23. Residents of the slums in Mansarovar Park in east Delhi where hit by a massive fire which also claimed the life of a six-year-old girl. The application moved by social-activist Sunil Kumar Aledia claimed that the mobile toilets provided in the area was not cleaned regularly, sleeping provisions were inadequate and the water tanks provided were of insufficient quantity and empty most of the time. Appearing for Aledia, advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra told the court that situation at the site was "horrible" as people were "sleeping in filth" due to overflowing toilets and with no electricity to provide respite from the heat. The Delhi government submitted a status report claiming it has provided two tanks of 4,000 litre capacity which are regularly filled up. It also said a round-the-clock CATS ambulance is present at the site, additional mobile toilets have been put in place, sufficient food packets are being distributed and over 100 cheques of Rs 25,000 have been handed out. Apart from that, 78 more cheques of Rs 25,000 have been sanctioned for distribution, the government told the court. However, the court said, "Your job is not to just make payments, but also ensure rehabilitation. Needful be done at the earliest." It listed the matter for hearing on May 14. On April 24, the high court had directed the Delhi government to immediately provide necessary facilities, including water, tents and food, to the slum-dwellers of Mansarovar Park where around 300 shanties were destroyed in the massive fire. The fresh application by Aledia, has also sought directions to the authorities to organise voter ID and Aadhaar registration camps as the victims have lost their documents in the fire. As many as 300 shanties were gutted in the blaze that broke out at 1 pm on April 23. Fifteen fire tenders were rushed to the spot near a railway line in Shahdara area and the fire was doused by 3.45 pm, the fire department officials had said. The body of a girl was found after the fire was doused. The main petition by Aledia, in which the application was filed, claimed that several livestock such as goats, hens and dogs were also burnt and many people have received burn and other types of injuries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Martinne Geller, Silke Koltrowitz and Lisa BaertleinLONDON/ZURICH/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Nestle's $7 billion licensing deal for Starbucks' SBUX.O retail business gives it a much-needed boost in its battle against JAB, the privately owned investment firm stirring up the coffee industry with a string of deals.JAB, the family office of Europe's billionaire Reimann clan, has built up the world's second-largest coffee business over the past five years.It controls packaged brands such as Kenco and Douwe Egberts; retail chains like Peet's and Espresso House; and Keurig, the leading at-home ... The world's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal has hired Bank of America-Merrill Lynch to sell a number of its steel assets to secure antitrust clearance to acquire Italian peer Ilva. ArcelorMittal offered in March to sell its galvanized steel plant in Italy, as well as units in Romania, Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Belgium as a concession to EU regulators for its 1.8 billion euro ($2.15 billion) bid for Ilva. ArcelorMittal told Reuters on Wednesday that it had appointed Bank of America-ML to handle the asset sale. European and Asian steelmakers will be ... By Eric AuchardLONDON (Reuters) - Chinese internet giant Tencent signed a trade deal with Britain to work with its cultural industries, deepening cooperation between the two countries and setting the stage for its own further international expansion.Tencent said the initial focus of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it has agreed with the UK Department of International Trade would be on film, video games and fashion, which it will bring to its large domestic audiences in China.It will cover digital, cultural and creative projects with the BBC, British Fashion Council, Visit Britain, the ... By Clara Denina , Jonathan Saul, Dasha Afanasieva and Jacob Gronholt-PedersenLONDON/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk is likely to shelve plans to list its struggling offshore drilling division because of weak market conditions, according to five finance sources familiar with the matter.The Danish company is now expected to focus on a trade sale of Maersk Drilling, and extend the timeline to divest the unit beyond its initial target of the end of 2018, said the sources who declined to be named as the discussions are private. Maersk group has not publicly put a price tag ... Japan's Fast Retailing Co said on Wednesday it plans to launch its Uniqlo clothing brand in India with a first store opening in Delhi in fall 2019. The store would mark the cut-price brand's entry into the South Asia region, Asia's top apparel retailer said. Asia has become a major growth driver for Uniqlo as its affordable clothing lines, including breezy AIRism innerwear and lightweight down jackets, grow in popularity in China and Southeast Asia. By Michael Erman(Reuters) - U.S. regulators said on Wednesday that Mylan NV's EpiPen products are in shortage due to manufacturing delays that are creating intermittent supply constraints of the emergency allergy treatment.The drugmaker also reported weaker-than-expected first-quarter revenue as sales of the allergy shot declined and the company faced intensifying competition in North America.Still, the company said it remained on track to launch several important products this year. Its shares rose 5 percent in afternoon trading, after falling 7.5 percent since May 1.Mylan warned U.S. ... By Nidhi VermaNEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian refiners said on Wednesday they were in no hurry to replace Iranian oil with alternatives, counting on the fact that many Western countries have so far declined to join the United States in pulling out of a nuclear deal with Tehran.U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would reimpose economic curbs on Iran after withdrawing the United States from the 2015 agreement that lifted sanctions against Tehran in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme.But the leaders of Britain, Germany and France, which were signatories to the deal along with ... By Jessica Resnick-Ault, Jane Chung and Osamu TsukimoriNEW YORK/SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - Iran's exports of oil to China, Europe and other countries will decline later this year and into 2019 if the United States can enforce President Donald Trump's decision to reimpose the "highest level" of economic sanctions targeting oil trade with Iran. Refining company sources said Asia's petroleum refiners have shifted purchases to other exporters in preparation for the renewal of U.S. sanctions against OPEC member Iran, which currently exports about 2.5 million barrels of oil a day, with China, India ... By John MillerZURICH (Reuters) - Novartis confirmed it had a $1.2 million contract with the firm of Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, adding it soon realised it had made a mistake but had not been able to stop payments until the deal ended.The drugmaker, which has not been accused of any illegal activity, made monthly payments of $100,000 to Cohen's Essential Consultants between February 2017 and January 2018.The Swiss company said on Wednesday it had been approached in November last year by the U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office who wanted to know about ... By Nidhi VermaNEW DELHI (Reuters) - Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), the world's No.4 petrochemical company, wants to buy about half of the $4.6-billion Indian petchem project backed by Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), two sources familiar with the matter said.ONGC is a majority shareholder in ONGC Petro Additions Ltd (OPaL), which operates India's biggest petrochemical plant in western Gujarat state."They (SABIC} want to have a significant stake in OPaL, around 50 percent," said one of the sources.Previously, ONGC had held talks about selling a stake in the project with Saudi Aramco and ... LOGAN A former Cache County Sheriffs deputy is facing allegations that he solicited several female jail inmates to have sex with him. James Josh Woytko has been charged with custodial sexual relations and two counts of stalking, all class A misdemeanors. Cache County Sheriff Chad Jensen said multiple investigations were opened in October 2017 after the victims claimed Woytko tried to bribe them to have sex with them. The 36-year-old Smithfield man allegedly sexually harassed and stalked the women on social media sites after they were released. I had contacted the Northern Utah Critical Investigative Team and because of the possibility of criminal implications, they did the investigation on the possible criminal charges and the sheriffs office did the internal investigation. Woytko is no longer at the jail, following the sheriffs office investigation into policy and procedure violations. He was reportedly terminated November 6, 2017. According to the criminal investigation, one of the victims said she was contacted by the suspect, shortly after being released from jail. In one of the messages he offered her a $50 gift card and said, Not sure you could afford what Id want in return for that though. The second victim told investigators how the day before she was to be released, Woytko asked her to go get in the shower, so he could see her naked. He then described what parts of her body looked like. After getting out of jail, the defendant sent her several messages over the course of a month. The third victim alleges that on the day she was being released from jail, Woytko approached her and said, seeing her in street clothes was turning him on. He also later sent messages to her and purchased some items from her online store. All of the women told investigators that Woytkos actions left them feeling offended, shocked, uncomfortable, and fearful due to his position and authority. Woytko was arraigned on the charges in 1st District Court in April. He most recently appeared on May 1. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June 7, when a judge will determine if he will be bound over for trial. Jensen said a third investigation has likely been opened by the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Department. That investigation could lead to a suspension of Woytkos law enforcement certifications. will@cvradio.com The first graph shows the unemployment rate by four levels of education (all groups are 25 years and older) through April 2018. Unfortunately this data only goes back to 1992 and includes only two recessions (the stock / tech bust in 2001, and the housing bust/financial crisis). Clearly education matters with regards to the unemployment rate - and all four groups are generally trending down. Click on graph for larger image. Note: This says nothing about the quality of jobs - as an example, a college graduate working at minimum wage would be considered "employed". This brings up an interesting question: What is the composition of the labor force by educational attainment, and how has that been changing over time? Note: Thanks to Tim Duy, Economics Professor at the University of Oregon, and Josh Lehner, at the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis. Here is some data on the U.S. labor force by educational attainment since 1992. Currently, almost 57 million people in the U.S. labor force have a Bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40.4% of the labor force, up from 26.2% in 1992. This is the only category trending up. "Some college" has been steady, and both "high school" and "less than high school" have been trending down. Based on current trends, probably more than half the labor force will have at least a bachelor's degree sometime in the next decade (2020s). Some thoughts: Since workers with bachelor's degrees typically have a lower unemployment rate, this is probably a factor in pushing down the overall unemployment rate over time. Also, I'd guess more education would mean less labor turnover, and that education is a factor in fewer weekly claims (I haven't seen data on unemployment claims by education). A more educated labor force is one of the reasons I remain optimistic about the future. Bibixy Mancho et co-accuses Me Agbor Nkongho The atmosphere at the Yaounde Military Court was tense Tuesday May 8, 2018 as Anglophone detainees awaited the verdict from the presiding Judge. But the Coffin Revolutionist, Mancho Bibixy and six others could not hold their patience after a delay in the process. When the case finally started after 7 PM, the Judge ordered security forces to send Journalist, Awah Thomas Junior out of the premises for the rest of the session, for yelling at her. It was a tense atmosphere at the Military Court as the detainees were almost engaged in exchange of fists with security forces. One of the detainees, Tsi Conrad told the Magistrate they are just wasting their time. In that tense atmosphere, the Defense Counsel was forced plead in Court as the Civil party refused to produce a written conclusion on their submission as requested by the Defense Counsel. The Civil Party will later accuse the defense Counsel of rebellion and attempting to escape from prison Mancho and others attempt to stage a walk out of the court in protest of delay by Magistrate who kept them waiting all day but they are blocked at the door by security forces. Anglophone detainees made startling revelations saying they are maltreated while in prison and also revealed one of them was recently stabbed. The case was later adjourned to May 24 following a tense and heated debate. This was one of the rare cases where security was beefed up at the level of the court in which detainees ganged up against Judge and their guards. Mancho Bibixy before going back to jail said, the Government is just acting a drama and that they are enjoying it because they, Activists, won the battle since 2016. The Ambassador of the United States of America to Cameroon had talks with the President of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism on May 8 report CT. ADS The Ambassador of the United States of America (USA) to Cameroon, Peter Henry Barlerin had talks with the President of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, Peter Mafany Musonge at the commissions headquarters in Yaounde on May 8, 2018. The USA diplomat used his maiden visit to learn about the functioning of the commission and the achievements it has so far recorded. Talking to the press after the discussions, Ambassador Peter Henry Barlerin said, It was a good meeting and we had a good exchange of views. I told the Commission president and some of its members present that the USA wanted to encourage the initiative. He promised that should the commission be in need of some experts from the USA, the country will be happy to bring them in. He explained that, USA is a big hub and melting pot of multiculturalism with people from all over the world. It is not always easy. We have a long history of dealing with multiculturalism. He recognised that Cameroon has at least 275 different local languages and cultures which is a beautiful thing but at times it is difficult for everybody to work together. Mr Mafany Musonge informed the USA Ambassador about the missions of the commission which is a consultative organ created on January 23, 2017 and placed directly under the Presidency of the Republic and having financial autonomy. The Ambassador said that during their discussions, the commission officials talked about their first outing to the regions being the mission to Buea, headquarters of the South West Region. The mission to Buea was within the framework of the listen to the peoples tour of the 10 regions of Cameroon in conformity with the short term plan of action of the commission. According to the comments from the ambassador, the commission members got a lot of information during exchanges with the population in Buea. Ambassador Peter Henry Barlerin was accompanied to the audience by Sara Devlin, Political and Economic Chief at the US Embassy in Yaounde and Jacques Kateu, Political and Economic Assistant. Emmanuel KENDEMEH | BY Lynchy | Pizza Hut has launched its new brand platform to rekindle Singaporeans love for simple, uncomplicated food in the face of ever-changing foodie fads. The campaign created by Ogilvy Singapore, is the agencys first work on the newly acquired account. Your Slice of Simple, celebrates Pizza Huts simple, delicious pizza experience, with the focus on Pizza Hut being the alternative to complexity in food. Foodies Anonymous depicts dramatized foodie confessions at a foodie-focused group therapy session. TVCs in both English and Chinese were launched on Mediacorps Channel 5 and Channel 8 respectively, and will run for five weeks. The launch campaign calls out pretentious and recovering foodies, all seeking support as they tackle the anxiety and melancholy that results from food overcomplication and pretentiousness. Based on the insight that young Singaporeans today are looking for those simple, precious moments in a complex world, the idea highlights traits reflective of Singapore culture today, namely, camera-eats-first syndrome, food trend addictions and excessive menu alteration. Through a humorous set up, the campaign conveys a relatable and entertaining message and demonstrates how Pizza Hut is the perfect antidote your slice of simple. Francis Wee, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy Singapore, said, To create an emotional connection with consumers, we adopted a tongue-in-cheek approach that depicts Pizza Hut as the solution to complicated food fads. By going against the grain of typical food commercials we celebrate the virtues and inherent greatness of a simple, unassuming slice of Pizza Hut pizza. Going back to Pizza Huts belief of creating easy and better pizzas, the brand felt the release of the Foodies Anonymous campaign, alongside the launch of the new Pan Pizza its most popular was perfect timing, and highlights its focus on delivering what people love. A marketing spokesperson of Pizza Hut, said, This brand platform aims to drive local resonance in Singapore while staying in line with our global brand positioning. It also reinforces our core brand values of offering Singaporeans a simple, delicious pizza experience in todays complex world. We are very eager to see Singaporeans response to this campaign and hope it resonates with them as much as it did with us! Credits Creative Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Brand Platform: Your Slice of Simple Executive Creative Director: Francis Wee Account Director: Cilla Peitzsch Account Manager: Ashley Macabalo Planner: Mamp Grewal Creative Directors: Shawnn Lai, Pedro Pereira Art Director: Benjamin Tan Copywriter: Siti Khalid Producers: Sharon Leong, Brandon Tay, Marin Villareal Production House: Hogarth Director: Plastico Looking for a celebration? Crack an egg in honour of World Egg Day In the mood for a celebration? Crack an egg its World Egg Day Oct. 8, an international event established in Vienna back in 1996 to help fete the wonderful versatility of this humble food, not only for all its nutritional and delicious benefits, but to honour all the farming families who help put eggs on the table for everyone, certainly Canadians coast-to-coast. Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 4:16PM By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla What was most impressive was the company's acknowledgement that we are spending too much time glued to our devices and that we're missin out on real life by being mired down by notifications and being distracted by social media, mobile games, infinite scroll experiences like Instagram of Facebook. There were a lot of cool announcements today at Google I/O, the yearly pow-wow for all things Google. This is usually the time when we see the next version of Android as well as enhancements and improvements to the Google ecosystem, large as it is. Android is the world's leading smartphone platform with well over two billion user install base. Google showed off smart functions of Google Assistant that can enable it to make calls and appointments just like a real assistant can. Improvement to the Photos app that can colour old Black and White photos using Machine Learning algorithms. Improved keyboard functionality and more intuitive Android OS features across the board. What was most impressive was the company's acknowledgement that we are spending too much time glued to our devices and that we're missin out on real life by being mired down by notifications and being distracted by social media, mobile games, infinite scroll experiences like Instagram of Facebook. Google knows the metrics, trust me on that. This is why they're proposing a Digital Wellbeing Initiative. Google can monitor and report how much you use your apps. Then it offers a Limit feature to set timers or even cut you off by greying out the app's icon for a pre-determined period of time. This extends to YouTube, the silent nanny for millions of children of all ages, which can now schedule breaks (to rest your eyes, quiet your mind) as well as keep users in the present. Of course, none of these tools are any good if they're not put to use, but if a company like Google (who, by the way profits more the longer people use their services0, sees the importance of setting limits when humans just can't it is really time for us to take notice of our digital consumption. Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 4:09PM Today, Shopify the leading cloud-based, multi-channel commerce platform, unveiled the latest in commerce technology at Unite, their annual conference that brings together their international developer community. Held in Toronto, Canada, Unite saw the participation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "We want to give a voice to all kinds of entrepreneurs around the world, said Shopify CEO Tobi Lutke. And that means making it easier for them to run a business and become successful. Unite is when we show the world our progress on this journey, and invite our developer and partner community to join us." Product announcements focused on helping entrepreneurs in three key areas selling more, working more efficiently, and making the most of the Shopify partner ecosystem. Retail is not dead, its changing: making retail accessible to every merchant supports a thriving economy. Shopify POS is receiving significant upgrades for retail stores, including multi-channel returns and exchanges, in-store pickup, tipping options, a companion app for a customer-facing checkout experience, and a developer SDK. Introducing a brand new, premium Tap & Chip Reader to transform the in-store shopping experience by accepting all major contactless payments, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. Retail specific features will be bundled with the standard Shopify Plan and above at no extra cost. The first-ever Shopify space is opening in 2018 to be a place retailers can visit to help grow their business. This space will be a permanent hub for the best of Shopifys products, services, and new technology, and a source of support, inspiration, and education for retailers. Marketing simplification: reducing the complexity of marketing to help business owners sell more. Announcing a new Marketing section in the Shopify dashboard that enables merchants to create, run, and measure all marketing campaigns using their favorite Shopify apps. Merchants will also receive detailed and actionable marketing recommendations, personalized for their products and store. Easy to use Buy One Get One (BOGO) & Quantity discounts join our growing list of promotional tools that allow retailers to apply discounts and incentives based on number of items purchased. Dynamic Checkout surfaces the consumers preferred payment method directly on the product page and allows transactions to happen with a single tap using Shopify Pay, Apple Pay, and many more wallets. Redefining how work gets done: automating and simplifying the back office workflows. Locations, a new feature that allows retailers to manage inventory across multiple locations, creating a more streamlined fulfilment experience. Fraud Protect for Shopify Payments provides opt-in protection for orders processed via Shopify Payments against fraudulent chargebacks, allowing retailers to fulfill more orders with fewer delays. Starting this summer, all Shopify partners and developers will be able to teach Kit new skills, giving merchants access to support beyond marketing via Kit Skills. Shopify Ping, a brand new app designed to streamline and centralize business conversations and marketing activities. Shopify Ping will come with Kit, a virtual employee for our merchants, to help grow their businesses by planning, creating, and managing their marketing. Launching a beta program that offers native language capabilities for merchants in German, Japanese, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Italian. Introducing local payment options, allowing customers to pay using country-specific cashless payment methods, in addition to popular credit card and mobile payment options. Powered by Partners: Shopifys extended ecosystem is changing the face of retail. Shopify Services Marketplace will bring Partners and merchants closer together in a one-stop shop that allows merchants to access Partner expertise like website design, marketing, photography and more. The new Shopify App Store prioritizes discovery and generates personalized recommendations, enabling entrepreneurs to make better and faster decisions for their businesses. The entirety of the admin API will be GraphQL-powered, allowing Partners to leverage its speed and efficiency to build faster and more stable apps. Connectors for Shopify Flow enable any app to create proprietary triggers and actions to start and end automated workflows. For more information, please visit https://unite.shopify.com/press. Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 9:12AM You may or may not have noticed but Google Maps navigation mode has been using Googles old voice search functionality all this time. Finally, thats going to change in the near future. Google announced at Google I/O 2018 that Google Assistant is finally coming to the app. Itll be rolling out to Android devices this summer and will be coming to the iOS Maps app later in the year. Unlike its usual format of having Google Assistant take up most of the screen, on Maps itll show up as a small bar at the bottom of the navigation screen. Source: Android Police A Cape Coral woman faces six DUI-related charges after police say she caused a crash that left two pedestrians with serous injuries. Colleen Marie Mulder , 37, of 3331 S.E. 15th Place, was charged with driving under the influence .15 or higher, two counts of DUI w/serious bodily injury and three counts of DUI w/property damage following Sundays crash in the 3000 block of Del Prado Blvd., a release from the Cape Coral Police Department states. She was found to be driving with a medical BAC of 0.226%, police said. The limit at which a driver is considered impaired is .08 in Florida. The crash occurred shortly after 2 p.m. The investigation revealed that Colleen Marie Mulder was driving southbound on Del Prado Boulevard and rear-ended another vehicle, forcing that vehicle up onto the sidewalk where it collided with two pedestrians who were walking north on the sidewalk on the west side of Del Prado Blvd S., the release states. The vehicle then collided with a street sign and several newspaper boxes before coming to final rest in the parking lot. The pedestrians sustained serious injuries and were transported to a local hospital. An alert was sent to notify drivers of the resulting road closure and delay as additional patrol officers, a major crash investigator, victim advocate, and forensics responded. Mulder showed signs of impairment at the scene and was taken into custody, the release states. She was medically cleared at the hospital of complaints of injuries, police said, adding while there, a search warrant for a blood draw was executed.?? As of Monday afternoon, she remained in the Lee County Jail. The 3rd annual Southwest Floridas Fish36, seven days of fishing and a scavenger hunt, will be held on June 2-9 at the German American Social Club of Cape Coral. The seven-day event is hosted by Nautical Mile Magazine, owner Jim Griffiths said. The Fish36 is a unique annual fishing event for professional and non-professional anglers. Anglers who come together for a memorable week on the water while helping to develop entrepreneurial skills in our youth. In a nutshell, anglers will spend seven days of fishing with friends and win raffle prizes for taking pictures of fish you catch. Participants will be turned loose on Saturday morning, June 2, with a list of 36 species of fish that can be caught in local waters. Fish with a team, family and/or friends, and catch as many different species of fish as you can in a week. Fish where you like, with who you like, for an hour or all week long. Youre given items that must appear in photos to show you caught the fish that week, and youll get bonus tickets if a kid appears in at least half of your photos showing you took a kid fishing. Entry fees are $100 per team to participate with an estimated $30,000 in raffle prizes. Put as many people on a team as you like, but know that youll be sharing your winnings with your team, Griffiths said. The fewer amount of people on a team, the more you can win individually. A raffle of this size takes a while so we make custom raffle tickets with your team number on them to speed things up. Event day is so exciting that even younger kids dont get bored. Sponsors are being sought for the tournament/scavenger hunt. An events cause is as important as your return on investment, Griffiths said. For the last couple years Ive volunteered in high school business classes designed around encouraging kids to understand the facets of a business. Im currently working with a few kids that want to develop presentation skills and theyll be hosting this years event. Theyll be making the announcements and running the prize raffle, and basically controlling a room of 500+ people! This years Fish36 is funding the foundation for this project. Some of the presenting sponsors are Fort Myers Marine, Diversified Yacht Services, Barnacles Restaurant, Captain Robs Bait & Tackle, TowBoatUS of Lee County, Lee County Sheriffs Office and Roger Dean Chevrolet. For additional information about the event, please visit: www.fish36.org/ The German American Club is at 2101 S.W. Pine Island Road, Cape Coral, FL 33991. For additional information about the club and its activities, please call 239-283-1400. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man from the water after his canoe overturned near the Sanibel Causeway over the weekend. At 12:05 a.m. Saturday, Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach received a Maritime Emergency Response Team activation for an overturned kayak with a person in the water. After swimming to land, Dean Story reported to the Lee County Sheriffs Office that he and Stephen Bivona were in a canoe when it overturned and reported Bivona missing. Sector St. Petersburg launched a 29-foot response boat from Station Fort Myers Beach. When the crew arrived on scene to the canoe at 12:23 a.m., they heard someone yelling for help. The crew located Bivona in the water without a life jacket. Bivona reported he was fatigued from treading water for about 30 minutes. He was transported to the Sanibel Boat Ramp, where Lee County EMS awaited. Im glad he was still able to yell out to us, so we could find him quickly, Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Harkey, a crew member who rescued Bivona, said. We recommend every boater wear a life jacket, especially if youre going out at night. Also, we urge boaters to attach a strobe light and sound producing device, like a whistle, to their life jackets. The Maritime Emergency Response Team consists of multiple federal, state and local marine emergency responders in the Fort Myers area. What if some of our local sea captains were actually running slave ships in the triangle trade? Meadow Dibble Hilley of Brewster has uncovered an intriguing story that she believes points to a Brewster sea captain dealing in slaves. In a May 19 talk in Harwich called The Diseased Ship, the Sea Serpent and the Destroying Angel: Cape Cod Sea Captains and the Slave Trade she will explore this tale. A few years ago, Hilley returned to her hometown of Brewster after living in Senegal for a few years, completing a Ph.D. at Brown University and teaching for three years at her undergraduate college, Colby. Until the 1980s Hilleys grandparents, Robert and Faith Dibble, owned the Brewster General Store and her father, Tim Dibble, ran it. Hilley now lives near her childhood home with her husband and two daughters. One day Hilley paid to take a sea captains tour of Brewster. On the bus the docent debunked what Hilley had always understoodthat the towns sea captains were whalers and fishermen. Instead, she learned they were merchants trading in cloth, rum, tobacco, opium and slaves. Slaves? That was really mind-blowing to me, Hilley says. She began asking local historians about the slave trade. No one knew seemed to know much for sure about the involvement of Brewsters captains. Some denied the towns captains had a part in it. There are no smoking guns just lying around that indicate Cape Codders were involved in the slave trade, she says. It was always a dirty businessthose engaged were not declaring their involvement. Eventually she was directed to read the memoir of Elijah Cobb, 1768-1848. (Cobbs house at 739 Lower Rd., Brewster, has been the home of the Brewster Historical Society since Aug. 2016.) Yet Cobb omitted all mention of the final 12 years of his career, and it is during this crucial period that an event occurred that Hilley honed in on. Hilley found an 1819 board of health report in the New England Journal of Medicine that described an investigation into the September 1818 to July 1819 voyage of the ship the Ten Brothers. Cobb captained the ship after Capt. Joseph Mayo Jr. died on the west coast of Africa. The voyage was a triangular oneleaving Boston, the ship sailed to West Africa and then to the West Indies. When it docked in Boston it carried ballast only as well as a deadly mosquito that spread yellow fever through Boston. Hundreds died. The board of health questioned Cobb. Did Elijah Cobb knowingly bring yellow fever to Boston and was this a slaving voyage? was the question the board poked at in a subtle manner. Ultimately the board cleared Cobb of all suspicion. Hilley, though, does not clear Cobb. And she says that while it may be impossible to say for certain that he carried slaves on board the ship, she believes it is important to acknowledge that he was accused of doing so and also brought yellow fever to Boston. In her research she has traveled to Cuba and to North Carolina and spent time in archives. Im on a mission, she says. I feel its extremely important we know our history, that we not content ourselves with the legends of the brave Yankee men who made it with their ingenuity. Where did all this wealth and privilege come from? As well as lecturing locally on The Diseased Ship, Hilley plans to launch a 12-episode podcast about the story this July. I use the metaphor of the diseased ship to get at underlying issues that are making our society ill right now and have been, she says. And beyond that, she wants to crowdsource history by bringing in many people who would like to join her in researching the truth. Lets not wait for historians to come along, she says. Its been over 200 years. There are so many threads that need to be pulled, she adds. We have serious work to do to uncover history knowingly concealed. Hilley has created the group Cape Cod Black Box project to ask the questions: What happened here? And why arent we talking about it? She hopes to tell the story of the Cape Cod slave trade to evoke empathy. The issues of race, privilege, xenophobia and bigotry all relate to current national conversations. We need to wake up to the fact that we need to know our history because it is still affecting us, she says. This is what were living with. Hilley will speak on Saturday, May 19 at 1 p.m. at the Harwich Cultural Center on Sisson Road. The talk is sponsored by the Brooks Free Library and the Harwich Historical Society. Hilley will also present the talk on Wednesday, June 27 at the Snow Public Library in Orleans. That talk is sponsored by the library and the Orleans Historical Society. The events are free and open to the public. For more information on the podcast, visit www.patreon.com/diseasedship. Photo: autotrader.com There's nothing like a beautiful spring day to bring out the trailer that has sat unused since last fall. A lot can happen to a trailer while it sits idle waiting to be useful again. Lighting connections corrode, tires lose pressure, reflectors are broken, brakes need service along with many other possibilities for wear and malfunction. Are you tempted to just hook the trailer up, eyeball the tire pressure and take off? Look around you in traffic, you're not alone. If you pull a heavy recreational trailer, you will have learned all about the necessity of a pre-trip inspection check when you were studying for your heavy trailer licence endorsement. This examination is just as important for drivers who tow light trailers. The hitch ball must be the proper size for the coupler. Attaching the trailer to a ball that is too small is just asking for trouble. All trailers that connect to the tow vehicle with a hitch ball require a safety chain (or chains) that are equal in strength to the coupler. These chains must be free of abrasion damage and attached to form a cradle under the hitch to support it if it fails. Lights and reflectors are next and it is not sufficient to simply shrug and say that everyone behind me can see the lights on the back of my tow vehicle. Tail, brake, signal, licence and marker lights must all be present and functional along with the appropriate reflectors. Plug them in and test them before every trip. If they don't work, make the repair before driving away. The tires must have sufficient tread, be properly inflated and capable of carrying the weight that you are going to put in the trailer. While you're at it, check the wheel nuts to make sure that they are tight too. Overloading a utility trailer is a common practice. I watched a man load his trailer last fall during firewood season. The sidewalls of the tires were compressed and bulging but he had made it home like that before, so he didn't think that it was worth worrying over. If you are stopped by the police for being overweight, you will be expected unload the extra weight before you move again. Finally, let's take a look at the brakes, if they are required, they must be adjusted and working properly. My experience has taught me that surge brakes are the most neglected part of any trailer. At roadside checks, I used to hand an adjustable wrench to the driver and ask them to demonstrate the brake fluid level in the reservoir. The cap was either solidly corroded in place or was destroyed in the attempt. Yes, we checked the brakes before we left officer... Surge brakes are relatively simple to check, just pull the breakaway brake cable until it locks the lever and try to drive forward. If there is no resistance, chances are good that the brakes are not working. Electric brakes are a bit easier to test. Just apply them from the controller at the driver's seat and make sure that they are adjusted properly and resist forward movement. Is the battery for the breakaway brake system charged and will it hold the trailer stopped for at least 15 minutes? This is usually not an issue on RV's as the trailer battery is used for other purposes, but on utility trailers it is often dead or missing. Before we leave the subject of brakes, remember that if your tow vehicle is a pickup truck, you may be required to stop and check the brakes at the top of steep hills just like the drivers of heavy commercial vehicles. This is not a complete list of considerations but should serve as a good starting point for a safe trip. Story URL: https://www.drivesmartbc.ca/equipment/trailer-pre-trip-check Photo: Chelsea Powrie Penticton Secondary held a very sunny and bright ceremony to officially welcome their new yellow bench, a mental health awareness project. Students and faculty wore yellow shirts, ate yellow-iced cupcakes and listened to a brief presentation from school principal Bo Boxall, explaining the meaning behind the bench. "It's supposed to remind us of our own mental wellness, and the different things we can do to support ourselves and our peers," Boxall said. The movement was first started by a Canadian man whose teenaged son took his own life after suffering from depression. Boxall said he hopes that the story of the bench and its presence in the main school entrance will remind students to reach out to each other when they need help. "Ultimately the goal is to create conversations, to have students connect with one another, to have them connect with adults, to recognize the resources that are available in our community," Boxall said. The bench is inscribed with "#YellowIsForHello," as a further reminder. "If we can always take a moment to say hello to the person beside us, we can help one another," Boxall said. The bench is now a permanent installation in the school. Photo: @EmergMgtRDOS Flooding in the north end of Tulameen from Otter Lake in late April. About half of Tulameen's population was represented at an information meeting last week on flooding in the community. Roughly 120 people attended Friday's meeting, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen said. The area northwest of Princeton is home to about 250 permanent residents, and is a popular recreational destination. Representatives from the RDOS, an incident commander with the Emergency Operations Centre and water resource engineer Don Dobson were on hand to give an overview of the flood outlook to residents. Dobson said attendees were advised to "prepare now," and to not think they are immune to flooding. A lot of water still has to come off the snow pack so [Otter Lake] is going to continue to rise," Dobson said. A total of 148 properties were evacuated on April 29, when officials said there was an impoundment of water at the north end of Otter Lake that could create a large wave towards the community. The order was reduced to 15 properties two days later, after crews installed gabion walls and aqua barriers. Those 15 properties remain evacuated. Residents in the area are advised to remain vigilant by the RDOS, to prepare emergency kits and be ready for new information on the flood outlook. The RDOS said they continue to watch the situation closely. Notes from Friday's two-hour meeting in Tulameen can be found here. Alanna Kelly A 21-year-old Lillooet woman who was desperately searching for her deceased boyfriends Jeep has finally found the vehicle. Tea Blake and Ty Yaremchuk were headed on a camping trip near Seton Portage on April 25 when their vehicle rolled 150 feet down a cliff. Yaremchuk was killed in the crash, and Blake survived. She spoke with Castanet last week, asking for the publics help in finding the Jeep so she could keep it in memory of him. He was so proud of it. He loved it so much he had so many plans for it, she said. Id like to get it back and do all the things he wanted to do to it. Blake tracked the vehicle down to being last sold from Surrey to a man near Kelowna. Castanet received this message on Monday: How can I get in contact with Blake about her boyfriends Jeep? My boyfriend is the person that bought the Jeep. A man in Princeton said he recognized the vehicle right away in the story and wanted to call Blake. He said he would sell the vehicle back to her for $6,000. I really want to thank you for helping me I really didnt think it would be possible to find it, she said. Blake said a GoFundMe page has raised just enough money to cover the cost of Yaremchuks funeral and she will need to raise more money to purchase the SUV. The Princeton man promised to keep it safe in the meantime. Photo: Colin Dacre Penticton city staff told council Tuesday that they're starting to see results from a modernization of business and building permitting processes that began in 2017. Efforts last year included increasing staff to help speed up turnaround times, and making updates to the Building Bylaw. "The building permit review times have decreased from an average of eight weeks in 2017 to an average of 2.5 weeks in 2018," said building and permitting manager Ken Kunka. The changes come during a busy time, since new single-family and multi-family dwelling projects are currently on track to exceed 2017's numbers. So far this year, 42 single homes and 139 multi-family unit projects have begun, compared to 33 and 13 in the same period last year. Now, staff are reviewing the new Building Bylaw. They will also be reaching out with a customer satisfaction survey to business license holders in the coming weeks, as they did with their building permit overhaul. The feedback from residents and builders was really helpful, Kunka said. We hope to get the same kind of insights and direction from our survey on our business license process. Another priority is creating an online application process for business licenses. We see having an easy-to-use online system for applying for your licenses and permits and tracking their progress as a cornerstone of our service in the future, Kunka said. It provides a better experience for customers and is a more sustainable solution for the city. Photo: BC Housing A render of the modular development Penticton council has sent a modular housing project for the homeless to public hearing later this month, but not without voicing significant reservations about the plan. The provincial government is proposing to build 52-units of transitional housing on Green Avenue adjacent to the Skaha Sunrise Apartments, which has been hosting 45 units of transitional housing since 2010. Coun. Max Picton voiced frustration Tuesday with the lack of impact previous similar projects have had on the local homelessness problem, noting recent counts have shown the number of people on the streets is growing. Using a metaphor about how the people are told to never feed the wildlife, because it creates dependency, Picton mused that the city could be enabling or attracting the homeless from outside its limits with handouts. Im all for supporting the individuals in the community that are in need of housing, in need of support, and are trying to make a difference, he said. What I want to be sure of, is as a community we are not supporting the people that are here to take advantage of the system. Those people that go, Hey there are free meals, why would I have to go out and work for one? Hey there is a community thats willing to put a roof over my head why should I need to go out and try to find rent money? I can go out and get some money and spend it on booze or drugs. he continued. Coun. Campbell Watt agreed and suggested a community credits plan, where residents using social services could earn credits by shoveling sidewalks in the winter. He also voiced concern about the location of the project, just down the street from Princess Margaret Secondary. Residents that apply to live at the project need to have a history of homelessness." Both councillors said they will have questions for BC Housing at the hearing about the type of people that will be living there. The project is a part of 2,000 modular units the NDP is rolling out across the province to address homelessness. It will be operated by ASK Wellness Society and provide meal programs, life employment skills, health and wellness supports and 24/7 security. Coun. Helena Konanz urged city staff to push back against BC Housing in an attempt to get them to modernize the aesthetics of the building, which is being pitched with an art-deco theme. I know art deco is sometimes considered our style, but that's sometimes because a lot of our housing is getting dated, she said So we like to call it art deco, when actually its just not very modern. Coun. Judy Sentes asked that staff ensure BC Housing representatives come well prepared to answer council's questions and concerns. The public hearing on the project will be held May 22 at city hall. Photo: Colton Davies Barbara Holler and Tony Holler speaking to Penticton mayor and council on their plan for a boutique hotel on the Naramata Bench. Plans for a 20-unit boutique hotel on the Naramata Bench have all but been given a green light by Penticton city council, after passing second and third reading on Tuesday night. Council members made the vote unanimously after a public hearing that lasted well over an hour. "The Inn at Poplar Grove," proposed to be built at 468 Lower Bench Road, has been met with praise but also concern from community members. On Tuesday, some opponents told council members they liked the plan but not the location of the hotel, which is planned on a 1.3-acre piece of land with about one-third of which is part of the Agricultural Land Reserve. Another main concern was that the hotel plan may be "precedent-setting" for other developers to apply to build similar structures on the bench. Some also said they would rather see a hotel with about 10 units, rather than 20. Weighing the pros and cons, council members were harmonious in saying any concerns have been mitigated in their opinion. Coun. Helena Konanz pointed out the city's agricultural committee unanimously supported the plan, adding in her seven years on council the committee has often declined development applications on ALR land. Coun. Andre Martin, council's representative for the committee, backed that point in his vote. "A lot of valid comments made tonight, and it's a tough decision... But I do know that group that sits on that Ag Committee is first and foremost about preserving land," Martin said. "At the end of the day, if that group comes up with that recommendation, that carries a lot of weight." Coun. Max Picton said he didn't think this was a precedent-setting case, noting the piece of land is challenged for farming and hasn't been used for that purpose in almost 50 years. Among the voices in favour of the new hotel plan was Ingrid Jarrett, general manager of Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos, who said it would compliment what is already in the Penticton area. "From somebody who is a neighbour to the south and somebody who is wholly invested in growing sustainable tourism in our region, I would suggest this is probably the most thought out, most sustainable long-term project that I've been connected to in any regard," Jarrett said to council. The hotel is proposed to be four storeys and 20,000 square feet in size. The property would connect to the adjacent Poplar Grove Winery owned by the hotel's applicants, Tony and Barbara Holler. While about 21,000 square feet of class-three soil will be removed, the proponents said they will be able to replant about 15,000 square feet of that soil. The hotel plans will still need final approval from the ALC before council members in Penticton adopt a zoning bylaw amendment to allow it to be built. Colton Davies The Penticton Trade and Convention Centre is hosting an annual speed-business event this week called the Aboriginal Business Match a platform for Indigenous and non-Indigenous business members from across Canada to meet and form partnerships. The event goes for three days and in that time, dozens of exhibitors meet with business members in 20-minute meetings. And a lot of business happens on the floor. Since 2012, the ABM has collectively seen over $500 million worth of direct business deals happen. Jonathan Kruger, one of the founding members of ABM West, said the event originated in Prince George in 2011, when about $2 million in direct business was done. The following year, it was moved to Penticton and co-hosted by the Penticton Indian Band, and Kruger said about $35 million was generated in direct deals that year. "I'm really proud to be a part of ABM. I believe in it, because my passion is the same passion as ABM, and that's Indigenous prosperity," Kruger said. Kruger said the ABM is an efficient model for doing business as well compared to business members having to otherwise travel around Canada to conduct meetings. "If we can all get in three days in one spot with 31 meetings, you save a lot of money and time, and you get to network. It's a really great energy to be around." Brian Winter of McDougall Energy, which operates Esso stations in B.C., said hes been at this ABM for the past six years. He says its an optimistic time to do business with the PIB. "What's unusual and unacceptable is that we don't have an Esso brand in Penticton. And I've already met with the PIB and construction companies and I've got my eyes on some sites," McDougall said. "We're very interested in doing business with them." The ABM concludes in Penticton on Wednesday. In the next nine months, similar ABM events will be held in Sudbury, Enoch, Alta., Langley and Regina. Photo: City of Penticton Council members in Penticton gave unanimous support on Tuesday for a "Granville Island type public market" in the city's downtown. The plans on the property at 249 Westminster Avenue would include a cidery, bistro, brewery and a public market on site. After a brief public hearing, council unanimously passed second and third reading towards rezoning the property. Concerns revolved around the large amount of parking that is currently planned, taking up more than 50 per cent of the property, with people wondering if the plan for the property fully promotes usage outlined in the Official Community Plan. Council pointed out that the amount of parking is "hopefully temporary," as the developer has outlined long-term plans to build at least one residential tower on the west side of the property. The prominent piece of land was purchased last fall by Toni Brown, the wife of the late Bob Brown a well-known businessman in the city who passed away in 2011. Prior to receiving final approval from Penticton council, the rezoning application will need approval from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Photo: The Canadian Press Toyota's President and Chief Executive Akio Toyoda Toyota Motor Corp. reported Wednesday that its quarterly profit rose 21 per cent as cost cuts and booming sales in some markets offset the toll from higher U.S. incentives. January-March profit at Toyota, which makes the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, totalled 480.8 billion yen ($4.4 billion), up from 398 billion yen the same quarter the previous year. Quarterly sales rose nearly 2 per cent to 7.58 trillion yen ($69 billion). The absence of past costs related to the massive Takata air-bag inflator recall, which has slammed automakers around the world, also helped results, said Koji Kobayashi, Toyota's executive vice-president and chief financial officer. Toyota reported a 2.49 trillion yen ($23 billion) profit for the fiscal year, up 36 per cent on-year, on 29.38 trillion yen ($268 billion) sales, up 6 per cent. Toyota released results before the Tokyo markets closed, which was surprising. Many big Japanese companies wait until after trading ends to announce earnings a practice that has been standard for decades. Photo: The Canadian Press Meghan Markle graduated from Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles. Meghan Markle's road to royalty ran through Hollywood. The American actress set to marry Prince Harry May 19 spent her formative years in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Hollywood, a more working-class place than its famous name suggests. It was home to the progressive elementary school and Catholic high school where she starred in musicals and got her first lessons in the social activism she says will now be her life's primary purpose. And it was home to a far more unlikely place for a future royal to be raised the television studio where she spent afterschool hours with her cinematographer father on the set of the sitcom "Married ... With Children." Those who doted on the show's shaggy dog have no trouble remembering her even decades later. Melba Farquhar, whose husband, Ralph, was a supervising producer on "Married ... With Children," made a habit of bringing dinner leftovers to Buck, a Briard who became a canine star. Before one Friday night taping she noticed a girl of about 10 watching her with quiet fascination. "This little girl, and it was Meghan, was so interested, she asked me, 'Are you saving your food for the dog?'" Melba Farquhar told The Associated Press. On a subsequent Friday, Meghan showed up with her own leftovers. "She had saved some of her dinner to give to him, and wanted to know that it was OK if she fed the dog this time," Farquhar said. "She was just so sweet." "And now," Farhquar said in disbelief, "she's going to be in the royal family." Most who recall the young girl expressed similar shock that she is now marrying Prince Harry, but say she's more than prepared for the gravity of her new role, and could transform what it means to be a member of the royal family. "My thought, truly, was 'he is so lucky. He has no idea,'" said Maria Pollia, a favourite high school teacher of Markle's. "When you think about the circles that Prince Harry is in, and when you think about the many, many accomplished women that he has known all his life, there is something that I know about Meghan, which is her genuineness, her compassion, her depth, is something that I'm not sure that all of those women share." Markle's father, Thomas Markle, is retired and has been living in Mexico. Her mother, Doria Ragland, is a social worker who still lives in Los Angeles. He could not be reached for comment, and she did not respond to interview requests from the AP. Neither has spoken publicly since the engagement was announced, part of a media silence that has also included Markle's close friends and most of her cast mates on the TV legal drama "Suits," which aired her final episode last month. Markle's parents will meet the queen prior to the wedding and will have a special role in the ceremony. They divorced when she was 6, but jointly raised her, and she spent many hours with her father at Sunset Gower Studios, about a mile from each of her schools, where he oversaw the lighting and camera crew for much of the 1987-to-1997 run of "Married ... With Children," a span that saw his daughter grow from 5 to 15. The set was a warm and family-friendly place, crew members said. The lowbrow show itself often was not, reveling in trashiness and toilet humour that made it "a really funny and perverse place for a little girl in a Catholic school uniform to grow up," Markle told Esquire magazine in 2013. Photo: The Canadian Press A 2-year-old English mastiff led astray by an escape-prone hound dog is happy to be home, but still stinks after being found stranded in muck at a wastewater treatment plant in Colorado. Gidget's ordeal started when a walker coonhound named Buddy helped her escape from their house in Pueblo West on Sunday evening. "We have a hound dog that likes to play escape artist with the front door," Mandi Smith said Tuesday. "When he gets out Gidget, of course, follows." The hound came home about mid-day Monday, wet and muddy, without his partner-in-crime. While Smith was out searching, an employee at a wastewater treatment plant about 6 miles (10 kilometres) from Smith's house heard Gidget barking for help. Tony Campbell found the dog on the edge of an aeration pond. The aeration process makes it impossible for anything to float in the waste water, even a boat, said Pueblo West Fire Division Chief Brad Davidson, meaning it wasn't safe for Campbell to try and rescue Gidget herself. Fire crews used a ladder to get down to Gidget. They hosed her off and turned her over to Pueblo Animal Services, where she got two decontamination baths at the shelter before being returned to her owners. "Everybody at the shelter just loved her," Smith said. "She was a star." Campbell, a friend of Smith's, had seen Buddy at the treatment plant, too, but was unable to catch up with him. Smith's 16-year-old son Henry Smithour went to pick up Gidget, who was reunited with Buddy and the family's other dog. "Gidget is just ecstatic to be home," Smith said. "Out of all the dogs, she's the baby of the house." Both escapees were smothered with love...and shampoo. "They have gotten so many baths and they still smell," Smith said. "The poor bulldog is keeping her distance." Photo: Google Maps UPDATE: 3:45 p.m. Westside Road has been reopened to single-lane alternating traffic Wednesday afternoon, after a landslide three kilometres north of Fintry closed the road in the morning. Construction crews will begin working on the road Thursday, and DriveBC has warned motorists to expect delays. UPDATE: noon A possible landslide reported by residents in Lake Country was just water flow leaving sediment on the road. Spokesperson Karen Miller says firefighters and municipal engineers responded to the scene in The Lakes neighbourhood and confirm it was not a landslide. The issue is apparently with water collecting on empty, undeveloped lots on Derek Trethewey Drive, above homes on the 13400 block of Apex Lane. The issue has been cleaned up, is under control, and is being monitored, Miller says. District staff is in contact with the developer. UPDATE: 10 a.m. The landslide reported in Lake Country is apparently minor in nature. Firefighters responded to Apex Lane near the Cadence at the Lakes neighbourhood, but were back at the firehall in 20 minutes, a spokesperson says. Castanet is awaiting further information from the municipality. UPDATE: 8:58 a.m. More roadway troubles across the valley Wednesday morning. We are getting reports of a possible mudslide in lake Country between Cadence at the Lakes and Crystal Heights. Pooling water is causing problems by The University of British Columbia, Okanagan. Highway 97 between Edwards Road and the turnoff for the university is under 6 to 8 inches of water according to one eyewitness. "It's running down there like a river there's mud and rocks and debris everywhere." John Tinkerton tells Castanet he just saw a serious washout on Valley Road in Glenmore, "it's right by the new condo construction and the mud is coming down the side of the hill and into all the parked cars." ORIGINAL: 6:48 a.m. Overnight rain has made the driving situation on the west side of Okanagan Lake worse. DriveBC has just indicated that Westside Road has been closed in both directions three kilometres north of Fintry because of a washout. There are no detours available. Jeremy Sandjenko's wife was trying to get to work in Kelowna this morning but she ran into flagging crews who turned her around by Ewing Landing about 40 minutes outside of Kelowna. "The first one's been fixed but the second one by Ewing's Landing I guess got worse last night." Sandjenko tells Castanet it's been single lane alternating traffic and flaggers have been on the job all week. Photo: CTV As Indigenous leaders from Canada attend Kinder Morgan's annual general meeting today, a new report has revealed that in spite of ongoing opposition, B.C.'s government pension funds are heavily invested in Kinder Morgan. BC Investment Management Corporation says the investment is part of a group of funds it has invested in and Kinder Morgan wasn't actively chosen, rather the company is part of an investment strategy designed to get the best return for its clients. "BCI has held Kinder Morgan since 2011 after it was first added to the MSCI World Index and Kinder Morgan Canada after it was added to the S&P/TSX Composite Index in December 2017." Regardless of the strategies involved, the investment coupled with the current government's opposition to the pipeline is being described as hypocritical and bad optics. "This is crass hypocrisy," the Canadian Taxpayers Federation's Kris Sims said Tuesday. "Lo and behold, oil and gas are so fundamental to our economic prosperity that government pensions rely on them." -with files from CTV Photo: CTV UPDATE: 12:15 p.m. Chilliwack RCMP are shedding more light on an incident in which two women were struck by a freight train Tuesday night. The women were walking their dog on Yale Road when the pet ran onto the tracks in front of a westbound Canadian Pacific train. The pet succumbed to its injuries. The women suffered non-life-threatening injuries, says Cpl Mike Rail. RCMP, CN and CP Police are investigating the collision. ORIGINAL: 10 a.m. Two women were struck by a train near Chilliwack Tuesday night. The women were taken to hospital after the incident at a railway crossing in rural Rosedale, just east of Chilliwack, about 9 p.m. Witnesses told CTV a dog may have been involved. One woman was airlifted to Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. The other was taken to Chilliwack General Hospital. with files from CTV Vancouver Photo: Contributed A new poll from the Angus Reid Institute finds British Columbians feeling uneasy and anxious about the direction in which the province is headed under the NDP government. However, John Horgan is enjoying the highest approval rating of all party leaders. Its certainly a province that is, I would suggest, as divided as it was this time a year ago, said Shachi Kurl, executive director of the Angus Reid Institute. Its been exactly one year since the historic 2017 British Columbia election threw the province into months of political uncertainty that eventually resulted in a rare minority government. On one hand, British Columbians support some key policy changes introduced by Premier John Horgan on the affordability file. On the other, they are expressing palpable unease over his partys handling of an ongoing dispute with the Alberta and federal governments over the Kinder Morgan pipeline project. The poll delved into how British Columbians feel about the minority NDP governments performance and found a province divided along political, generational and regional lines. The poll indicates 42 per cent of British Columbians feel the province is going in the wrong direction, compared to 29 per cent who say they are optimistic about the direction it is headed, with a large number 28 per cent undecided. There isnt necessarily a tremendous endorsement of the governments handling of key issues yet at the same time, some of the most contentious policy pieces have found a notable amount of support, said Kurl. The Horgan governments low approval, 53 per cent, on its handling of the TransMountain project reflects, in part, divisions among those who voted for the NDP and the Greens last year. But overall 36 per cent were in favour of the project. Photo: VPD VPD Sgt. Jason Robillard Vancouver police are warning about schemes dubbed "virtual kidnappings" aimed mainly at young women from Mainland China who are studying in Canada on student visas. Sgt. Jason Robillard says two students have been targeted recently in separate and elaborate extortion schemes. He says the victim receives a phone call, sometimes from a number that appears to be from the Chinese consulate, advising of a warrant for their arrest in China or that the Chinese police need their help with an investigation. Police say the student is convinced to make a fake video reporting their kidnapping, and without the victims' knowledge, the video is used to extort money from the victim's family in China. Vancouver police received 20 reports of similar extortion attempts last year and Robillard says investigations are underway into the two incidents last week. He says detectives believe the suspects are not likely in Canada. "We want to remind all foreign students that the Chinese police will not arrest you in Canada, or ask you to take photos or videos of yourselves pretending to be the victim of crime," Robillard says in the release. He urges foreign students who are confused or scared in this country to reach out to local police and reminds them that legitimate contact from Chinese authorities will first come through local police. Photo: The Canadian Press Saskatchewan is seeking intervener status in British Columbia's reference case over the flow of heavy oil through that province. Attorney General Don Morgan says Saskatchewan is dismayed that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion continues to be held up by unreasonable delays. The case before the B.C. Court of Appeal asks whether amendments the B.C. government is proposing to the Environmental Management Act are valid. The case also asks whether B.C. has the authority to control shipment of heavy oils based on any impact spills could have on the environment, human health or communities. B.C. is also asking the court whether the amendments would be overridden by federal law. The $7.4-billion Kinder Morgan project would double an existing pipeline from Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., in an effort to sell more fuel to Asian markets. "We know that these pipelines are necessary for our energy companies to get their products to tide water to ensure a competitive price, and that the increased capacity this pipeline represents stands to benefit all Canadians," Morgan said in a statement Wednesday. B.C. Premier John Horgan said in late April when the reference case was filed that the aim is to protect the province's coastline and economy from the harms of an oil spill. Saskatchewan has voiced its support for Alberta in a dispute with B.C. over the Trans Mountain line. The Saskatchewan government introduced a bill in April that would allow the province to control its oil and gas exports. It's similar to one introduced in the Alberta legislature as well. The law, once passed, would establish a permitting process for people or corporations looking to export energy products outside the province. Photo: CTV Vancouver Police are investigating the city's fourth traffic fatality of 2018. An elderly pedestrian was struck in a crosswalk at Victoria Drive and Kingsway, just before 2 p.m. Tuesday. The 82-year-old man was rushed to hospital with serious injuries, but did not survive. Police believe the victim was crossing Kingsway when a southbound car on Victoria Drive made a left turn onto Kingsway and struck him. The driver remained at the scene, and is co-operating with investigators. Three of the four traffic fatalities in Vancouver this year have involved pedestrians. In what is becoming an annual event, Robyn McHattie is keeping a close eye on the rapidly rising Shuswap River. The meandering river flows past her property on Mabel Lake Road, eight kilometres from the dam at Lawrence Road near Lumby. Last year, the family home had several feet of water in the garage but McHattie said the four-year-old house was built for such a situation and did not suffer any damage. And once again the river is rising rapidly, but McHattie learned from last year and has a berm and sandbags already in place for this year. We're more ready this year but it's still super intimidating once it breaks the banks, she said Wednesday. It's a huge river. It's not just a creek breaking over. McHattie said last year, the river spilled its banks on May 26 so we are early this year, but with the amount of snow still up there, we are weeks away from high water. McHattie estimates close to 1,000 people live along the river, and most are prepared for flooding. While their homes may not be damaged, outbuildings and crops will be. Plus they must relocate their livestock from the flooded areas. If you're not prepared and ready, you're going to be in some trouble, she said, adding the hard rain Wednesday morning will have a serious impact on the river later today and tomorrow. Since yesterday, I would say we have gone up at least six inches. It goes up fast. Since a week and a half ago, we have gone up two feet. That's a ton of water, she said. Downriver, officials in Lumby are also keeping a close eye on area creeks and some evacuation alerts are expected to be announced later today. Officials in Enderby said they are keeping an eye on the Shuswap River, but it has to rise a lot more to generate any flood concerns. Photo: Joe Harder Vernon residents should protect their properties to reduce the risk of flooding. Extremely warm weather paired with rainfall will increase flows and levels of water bodies throughout the area, escalating the risk of floods. Locals living near creeks, streams, lakes and low lying areas should sandbag their properties. Property owners are responsible for having a plan as well as the equipment necessary to protect their properties from possible flood damage. Stockpiles of pre-filled sandbags are available at Vernon City Operations, 1900 48 Avenue outside back gate off Pleasant Valley Road. Sand and empty sandbags are available at Kin Beach Overflow Parking, 7001 Tronson Road. City crews are replenishing the sandbag sites as required. They have also been monitoring and protecting city infrastructure including lift stations, culverts, and bridges. Blocked culverts and water debris that causes a flooding threat should be reported to the public works department. Residents can report blocked culverts online, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 250-549-6757 (after hours call 250-542-5361). Don't touch debris along lakeshores in its place until the risk of flooding has passed. The debris acts as a cushion to waves in the event of an onshore wind, reducing sand erosion. The city reminds residents to use caution, especially with children and pets, when in the area of fast-moving creeks, streams and water. Resources: Photo: Google Street View The trailer park at 1879 Faulkner Avenue is one of several properties put on evacuation alert. Several properties in Lumby have been put on evacuation alert because of rising waters. In response to the high creek levels, which are continuing to increase as a result of the freshet and significant rain fall, the Village of Lumby has activated its Emergency Operation Centre (EOC). The EOC is currently operating out of the municipal office, 1775 Glencaird St. As a precaution, the following properties are being placed on evacuation alert: 1879 Faulkner Avenue (Units 1 10) 1880 & 1894 Faulkner Avenue 2156 Bessette Street (Units 1 12) 2184 Bessette Street (Units 1 3) 2187 Bessette Street (Units 1 7) 2040 Shuswap the residence only 1351 - 1965 Shuswap Avenue businesses and residents 1650 1956 Vernon Street - businesses and residents 2006 2083 Heighway Crescent 2176 2362 Quesnel Road 2315 2351 Vale Avenue 1620 1807 Maple Street 1751 Glencaird Street (Units 1 54) 2061 2085 Industrial Avenue 1431 1480 Dyffryn Road Residents are reminded about the importance of being prepared in case an evacuation is ordered by having essential documents, medications and other important items ready in the event the evacuation alert is upgraded to an order. In the event of an evacuation order, the Village will increase its EOC activation level and establish its emergency social services reception centre. The Village will continue to closely monitor the creeks and assess the risk to municipal infrastructure and public safety. Residents are responsible for the protection of their private property. To assist with this, pre-filled sand bags are available for pick up across from the Lumby Curling Club, 2230 Shields Ave. The public should avoid going near the creek banks, and those working in close proximity to the creeks are advised to use extreme caution as the banks can be slippery and unstable. Creeks and rivers are also moving fast and may rise quickly. The Salmon Trail remains closed and should not be accessed. Updates can be found on the Village of Lumbys website. Photo: Pacific Salmon Foundation The foundation created to conserve and rebuild Pacific salmon stocks is calling for a switch from open net-pen aquaculture to closed containment systems in order to protect wild salmon returning to British Columbia waterways. The Pacific Salmon Foundation says in a news release that open-net salmon farming poses biological risks to the abundance and diversity of already depleted wild Pacific salmon. In rejecting open-net systems, the foundation says the federal and provincial governments should put wild Pacific salmon first and manage any risk of disease transfer from farmed salmon. The foundation says its conclusions stem from recent scientific reports, critically low returns of Fraser River sockeye and struggling populations of chinook, coho and steelhead. A full transition to land-based aquaculture will take time, so the foundation recommends that the first priority should be removal of open-net farms from the migratory routes of wild salmon, especially Fraser River sockeye. Foundation directors are also calling for an improved assessment of risks to wild salmon, pointing to work it is already doing with research groups in tracing viruses that have the potential to harm wild salmon. A recent federal audit by environment commissioner Julie Gelfand concluded that Fisheries and Oceans Canada had failed to adequately manage the risks that salmon farms pose to wild Pacific salmon. The foundation says the resource is invaluable to the province, its ecosystems and its people, and action must be taken. "The approach of waiting for scientific certainty is unrealistic because the potential risks have continually been placed on our wild Pacific salmon," says the foundation's report. The group says it remains prepared to assist the provincial and federal governments in the move to closed-containment aquaculture and restoration of wild Pacific salmon. "While changes have been implemented by the industry, concerns about interactions with wild Pacific salmon continue to grow and we see no resolution to them in the short term," the report says. Canada is the forth largest producer of farmed salmon behind Norway, Chile and the United Kingdom. The environment commissioner's report said the Canadian industry is considered to have significant potential for growth because of its long coastline, cold waters and proximity to the United States market. Photo: File photo Curtis Wayne Sagmoen has pleaded not guilty to assault charges stemming from an alleged violent assault in Maple Ridge in 2013. Curtis Wayne Sagmoen has pleaded not guilty to assault charges stemming from an alleged violent assault in Maple Ridge in 2013. Sagmoen appeared in a Port Coquitlam courtroom Wednesday where he entered a plea and consented to remain in custody. Sagmoen also elected to be tried by a provincial court judge. The trial is set for Feb. 4, 2019, and is expected to last five days. In the Maple Ridge incident, Sagmoen is alleged to have assaulted two sex trade workers. The charges are the latest in a slew of charges against Sagmoen who has been under investigation by police for some time. Sagmoen has been in custody since his arrest in September 2017 after a sex trade worker alleged he fired a gun at her in the North Okanagan. Sagmoen faced six charges in connection with the Aug. 27 incident near Falkland including intentionally discharging a firearm and uttering threats. On Oct. 19, 2017, police launched a massive search of a farm on Salmon River Road near Silver Creek. The farm is owned by Sagmoen's parents. On Oct. 21, police confirm they found human remains at the farm. On Nov. 1, 2017, RCMP confirmed the remains on the farm were those of 18-year-old Tracy Genereaux, who went missing earlier in the year. Police are calling her death suspicious, but have not connected Sagmoen to Genereaux in any way. Photo: Contributed Roughly 41 homes along Whiteman Creek near Parker Cove on Okanagan Indian Band land are in the path of imminent flooding. The band has released an evacuation alert on its Facebook page. "Be prepared to evacuate if ordered to do so by emergency officials." The affected area is described as Falcon Avenue (Parker Cove) to include house numbers 154-195. The OKIB Emergency Operation Centre also issued an evacuation alert for 190 Bonneau Road, 172 Bonneau Road, 166 Bonneau Road and 138 Bonneau Road. Work is also being done to remove debris and alleviate water flows into Duck Lake for the protection of properties on Duck Lake. Sand and sandbags are available in two locations: Photo: NOHS The City of Vernon and Interior Health Authority have advised the North Okanagan Hospice Society to evacuate and move its residents to Vernon Jubilee Hospital. The palliative care home is next to BX Creek and due to rainfall and warmer weather causing snow melt the creek is rising. We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to the emergency preparedness professionals from Interior Health Authority and the City of Vernon for their quick response as well as to our own staff and volunteers for ensuring that all precautions have been taken. We are also grateful to the community for their kind thoughts and their offers of support, says Ruth Edwards, executive director. North Okanagan Hospice Society values the care and comfort of our residents and their families and will make every effort to ensure their safety. Residents will remain at the hospital until such a time that Hospice House is deemed safe for their return. "There will be no admissions to Hospice House until further notice. Our emergency preparedness training and logistics are in effect." STEM School Chattanooga is one of 15 schools in the state to earn the 2018 Tennessee STEM School Designation. The Tennessee Department of Education and the STEM Leadership Council developed the honor to recognize a schools commitment to teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and preparing students for success after graduation. The honored schools focus on inquiry, project and problem-based learning, community engagement, entrepreneurship, student-centered classrooms, and STEM enrichment activities. The Tennessee STEM School Designation was developed to provide a roadmap for schools to successfully implement a STEM education plan. The Tennessee Department of Education and Tennessee STEM Innovation Network developed tools and resources to define the attributes of a comprehensive STEM learning environment for students. Tennessee STEM School Designation recognizes schools for their use of STEM teaching, and learning strategies and these STEM learning centers serve as models for other schools. All K12 schools serving students in Tennessee are eligible. STEM School Chattanooga is a leader in STEM education in our district and a shining example of how to make learning relevant for Future Ready Institutes coming to the district this fall, said Dr. Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. The staff and students of STEM School Chattanooga are in the forefront of spreading STEM education to schools across the county. STEM School Chattanooga is one of several exciting specialty school learning opportunities available to students in Hamilton County Schools. The school is located in a technologically advanced facility on the campus of Chattanooga State Community College and serves grades 9-12. The schools educational approach involves students in projects and problem-solving experiences to explore solutions to real-world challenges. The schools focus is on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in instruction. First Robotics honored the school with the Engineering Inspiration Award. The school was also named a World-leading Learner by the Global Learning Network, one of two schools in the country selected for the Fab Foundation Leadership Cohort, and Principal Dr. Tony Donen was honored with a 2018 STEM Excellence Award from the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. Each school awarded the Tennessee STEM School Designation was evaluated through a rigorous application process. Schools were asked to complete a self-evaluation, participate in interviews, and host site visits with the Tennessee STEM Designation review team. The designation criteria included five focus areas: infrastructure, curriculum and instruction, professional development, achievement, and community and post-secondary partnerships. As a part of the process, schools were required to submit a plan of action for implementing and sustaining STEM education for the next five years. Local franchise owner Heath Kyle, one of five operators in his family, opened Chattanoogas newest Chick-fil-A restaurant on Wednesday, and is celebrating with a special grand opening Road Trip. The interactive field trip will transport up to 100 participants around the Chattanooga area in order to earn a year supply of Chick-fil-A meals. Over 60 Chick-fil-A fans lined up before the 6 a.m. mark at the new East Ridge Chick-fil-A at 639 Camp Jordan Pkwy to secure their seat on the unique First 100 Road Trip Experience. Guests started arriving around 3 a.m. to secure their spot on the bus. The community celebration of the new location at 639 Camp Jordan Pkwy., will bring 90 new jobs to the area along with the brands trademark handcrafted food and personalized customer service. Kyle continues to build his East Ridge staff by hiring full- and part-time positions to work in all areas of the restaurant, including leadership positions focused on talent, training and administrative support. Interested applicants can apply at www.cfaeastridgejobs.com. Chick-fil-As First 100 campouts have given away more than $34 million in free food through 2017 and continue to be the chains signature event to celebrate the opening of a new location. However, this Chick-fil-A grand opening celebration will not involve any overnight activities. Instead, up to 100 eligible participants, 18 years and older, can start gathering shortly before 6 a.m. on May 16 to register and immediately participate in a unique grand opening event. Designed to be an impactful experience on many levels, the First 100 Road Trip will take participants around the Chattanooga area on a chartered bus while spending approximately six hours being engaged in activities to serve their community and give back to local organizations. The group will return to the new East Ridge restaurant where participants will be awarded a digital offer card loaded with a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A meals (52 meals with each consisting of a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Potato Fries and a medium beverage). Mr. Kyle will also be using his opening to have an immediate impact on the local community by holding a childrens book drive with books being donated to East Ridge Elementary. He will be collecting new and gently used childrens books on Monday through Thursday morning of grand opening week to be placed in a nearly 3-foot Book House, built from reclaimed wood. Since 2014, Chick-fil-A has collected more than 66,000 books that have been donated to 363 local organizations in 45 states and Washington, D.C. Becoming an operator seemed like the perfect fit for Mr. Kyle who has been surrounded by the Chick-fil-A brand most of his adult life. A graduate from Tennessee Temple University with a degree in business management, he has always had the desire and passion to start his own business. Chick-fil-As program of working for yourself, but not by yourself appealed to Mr. Kyles entrepreneur side, and in 1999 he went to work for the franchise. It took four years of hard work, but in 2004 he was awarded with the Pell City, Ala. location. His dedication to the brand is evident by him receiving the opportunity to open the new East Ridge Chick-fil-A in Chattanooga, which allows him to be closer to his wifes family who lives in the area. Becoming an operator has truly become a Kyle family affair. While Mr. Kyle was in college, his mother, Freda, became a Chick-fil-A Operator in Mississippi and will celebrate her 20th anniversary this year in October. In addition, his siblings, Luke, Matthew and Heather, have also become operators with 70 years of Chick-fil-A experience between the five of them. My team members and I cant wait to welcome guests to our East Ridge restaurant, were not just in the chicken business were in the people business said Mr. Kyle. I will continue to grow my team members in leadership and purpose so they can provide customers with a remarkable experience by serving freshly prepared food, with healthy options, and with sincere hospitality. Mr. Kyle will bring three team members he hired in Pell City and mentored over the years to fill leadership roles at East Ridge and hopes to continue his legacy of developing and providing growth for his staff. The nearly 5,000-square-foot Hwy. East Ridge Chick-fil-A restaurant features a: traditional heritage restaurant interior design that showcases handmade, authentic materials for a vintage-inspired interior, including a large gathering table made from reclaimed wood and a light fixture made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles. drive-thru with dual ordering lanes and screens to enable customers to move quickly into a single lane for payment and pickup convenient separate entrance and inside pick-up counter designated for Chick-fil-A One mobile orders and a dining room with seating for 122 with additional outdoor patio seating for 18. full-service menu with a variety of healthy options and breakfast until 10:30 a.m., and will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Like all Chick-fil-A locations, it will be closed on Sunday to provide a day of rest and time with family and friends for team members. Transitions between different phases of matter are part of our day-to-day lives: when water freezes, for example, it passes from liquid to solid state. Some of these transitions may be of a different kind, resulting from so-called topological excitations that force all the particles to act in unison. Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the CEA,CNRS and UGA have been studying BACOVO - a one-dimensional quantum material unknown to the general public - in collaboration with scientists from the neutronic centers ILL and PSI. They have discovered in this material a novel topological phase transition, governed not by a single type of topological excitation, but by two different ones. In addition, they were able to choose which of the two sets would dominate the other. The researchers drew on the work of the 2016 Nobel Prize for physics awarded to David Thouless, Duncan Haldane, and Michael Kosterlitz. The three physicists predicted that a set of topological excitations in a quantum material is likely to induce a phase transition. Numerous theories have been developed about these topological excitations, including the feasibility of combining two of them in a single material. But is that a real possibility? And if so, what would happen? The teams from UNIGE and CEA, CNRS and UGA were able to provide the first experimental confirmation of the theory predicting the existence of two simultaneous sets of topological excitations and the competition between them. All in all, it is a small revolution in the mysterious world of quantum properties. Theory and experimentation intimately linked The researchers from CEA, CNRS, and Universite Grenoble Alpes were working on a one-dimensional antiferromagnetic material with particular properties: BACOVO (BaCo 2 V 2 O 8 ). "We performed various experiments on BACOVO, an oxide characterised by its helical structure," underline Beatrice Grenier, Sylvain Petit and Virginie Simonet, researchers at the CEA, CNRS and UGA. "But our experimental results evidenced a puzzling phase transition" - which is why their team called on Thierry Giamarchi, a professor in the Department of Quantum Matter Physics in UNIGE's Faculty of Science. The Geneva physicist explains: "Based on their results, we established theoretical frameworks capable of interpreting them. These theoretical models were then tested again using new experiments so they could be validated." Creating the "standard model" The aim was to understand how BACOVO's quantum properties act, especially their topological excitations. "For this purpose, we used neutron scattering, meaning we sent a neutron beam onto the material. The neutrons behave like small magnets that interact with those of BACOVO, according to a strategy "disturb in order to reveal", helping us to understand their properties," says Quentin Faure, Ph-D student at the Institute for Nanoscience and Cryogenics (CEA/UGA) and Neel Institute. When the model developed at UNIGE matches the experiment, it becomes the material's "standard model". Professor Giamarchi enthusiastically points out: "And, in fact, the model we established with Shintaro Takayoshi predicted exactly the outcome seen in the experiment!" A material with unexpected properties But this experiment also led to a discovery that the scientists had not anticipated. "After settling on the "standard model" for BACOVO, we observed unexpected properties, says Shintaro Takayoshi, researcher in the Department of Quantum Matter Physics in UNIGE's Faculty of Science. When placed in a magnetic field, BACOVO develops a second set of topological excitations that are in competition with the first one, confirming theories from the 1970s and 1980s organised around the field opened up by the work of the Nobel scientists. "As well as proving the existence of this confrontation between two sets of topological excitations within the same material - an unprecedented event - we were able to experimentally control which set would dominate the other", adds the Genevan researcher. And that is a first! What was originally a theoretical hypothesis became a verified experiment. The in-depth analysis of BACOVO undertaken by the physicists proved that two sets of topological excitations come into direct confrontation in the same material and control the state of matter, which differs according to the dominant set, yielding a quantum phase transition. Furthermore, the scientists succeeded in controlling which set prevails, meaning they could adjust BACOVO's state of matter at will. "These results open up a whole range of possibilities in terms of quantum physics research," concludes Professor Giamarchi. "It's true that we are still at the fundamental level, but it's through this kind of discovery that we are getting closer every day to applications for the quantum properties of materials... and why not quantum computers!?" Chesterfield signs no-cost deal to add solar panels to 17 facilities The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors recently approved the first-ever rooftop solar power program for government facilities and school buildings throughout the county. Included in the first wave of the... Yes, experts say expectant mothers should get vaccinated Misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and womens reproductive health quickly spread after the first shots became available last December. Since then, common myths that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility, miscarriages and birthing... Voice of the People Audio Article Native son Tom Smiths history of East Chesterton (Chesterton Tribune 9-30-21 Commentary) was interesting and a poignant tribute to his five-generations back ancestors, the Morgans, who traveled from West Virginia and Ohio to settle here in 1833 to raise a family, to farm and... Voice of the People Audio Article This summer the Times of NW Indiana again suggested in an editorial that Dunes Action had been in opposition to the renovation of the State Park Pavilion. We never did. In fact, most of us had been waiting for it for decades. They did not... 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... In its heyday, during the mid-1990s, the Jewish Star had a circulation of nearly 25,000, a staff of five salespeople, a roster of freelancers and a robust business model, Doug Wertheimer said. "Like any startup, we did not make money the first few years," he said. "But after that, we always made money. We always had to make money." It is unclear how many jobs will move to Chicago. "Certain functions" of the company, including its customer service division, will remain in Downers Grove, according to the company's annual report, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last month. The Hoffman Estates-based retailer made the announcement during its annual presentation to shareholders, which lasted more than two hours and emphasized technology, ranging from the tire partnership to developments in online shopping, as a way to reverse declining sales. But some shareholders expressed frustration over the lack of clarity in details about the performance of the retailer, which has been selling assets and closing stores in an attempt to improve its financial health. "That really drives it home," Reed said. "This isn't just the people that we're flying these are all of their families. So we take this extremely seriously, and we understand that our job is to fly people safely and bring them back safely. To do that you have to humanize it. You have to see them as your friends and as your colleagues." "And you were sitting with your agent, and I was the waiter at the restaurant, and I was completely starstruck by this young kid. You were probably 19 or something at the time or something like that. And I waited until the end of the meal before I gushed at you, briefly gushed, and said, 'You're just fantastic in that.' And your agent was very nice. She was like, 'That'll do, that'll do.'" "Chicago, unfortunately, for a lot of people is synonymous with gang violence and guns and murders," said Holt, a longtime anchor at CBS's WBBM-Ch. 2 here before joining NBC at the network level. "And what a lot of folks around the country may not realize is that crime is dropping in Chicago, and we look at it." At the Florentine Opera, Florescu expanded the repertoire and reputation of a company that was founded in 1933 as the Italian Opera Chorus. He oversaw premieres and recordings of new work, including "Elmer Gantry" by Robert Aldridge, "Rio de Sangre" by Don Davis and "Wuthering Heights" by Carlisle Floyd, and expanded the company's focus to include its first Baroque opera and its first Bellini opera. He established a young-artist program and oversaw touring operas for children. Former "Today" anchor Ann Curry had said in a news interview that she had gone to management to say they should watch Lauer after another woman had told her Lauer had harassed her. But NBC's report said Curry declined to reveal to investigators whom she spoke to and that no current or past managers interviewed by investigators said they'd spoken to her about the issue. A: When I first came to Roosevelt for my undergrad, I was doing it because I knew I needed to do something. But my mind was not really set for the future. I was just getting a degree, so I could get an entry level job with my B.A. But as I went forward and took my classes and learned the dynamics of the therapeutic process, it really changed how I felt and motivated me to go on. I've had a lot of experience with veterans and individuals with developmental disabilities, so I'm thinking that I really want to focus on them. It wasn't until I went on a surfing adventure trip with a nonprofit group called First Descents that I was surrounded by other inspiring and amazing survivors who, like myself, had physical and emotional scars. Though my longtime friends were incredibly supportive as I was fighting the disease, this trip was the first time that I finally spent extended time with young people who understood exactly what I had gone through. They gave me the confidence to wear a bikini and to go surfing with the top of my bag showing, my scars on full display. The trip was life-changing in so many ways. It was there, among my cancer peers, that a new friend suggested the "Fill" nickname for my bag. It has stuck this day. It is crazy to think , after just one week, these people who started as strangers could help me become more secure with my body image and bag. According to the American Rhinologic Society, CSF leaks become noticeable "when there is clear drainage from the nose or into the back of the throat that may occur with straining or position changes and does not improve with medications aimed at other causes of a 'runny nose.' If it drains out of the nose, it is usually from one side. If it drains into the throat, it has been described as salty tasting." Amazon's new Magic Word update offers positive reinforcement. If you choose Magic Word, Alexa will respond to a request accompanied by "please" with an encouraging "By the way, thanks for asking so nicely," according to USA Today. If you don't say please, Alexa will still fulfill your request. "Aveline is like the most awesome human alive," Katz, now 35, says of her stepdaughter. She reckons that because she entered Aveline's life when she was a toddler, the transition was easier. "When we go places, she just says, 'I have two moms.' And people think I'm in a lesbian relationship, which is fine," says Katz, a large-scale mural artist who lives in Ravenswood. "We are so impressed that these young children are getting involved and trying to do something about a situation they see as being very negative and destructive," Donald Ragona, director of development at the Native American Rights Fund, wrote in a thank-you letter. "They could have sat back and accepted what was going on in the world around them, but instead they chose to become involved and do something positive and meaningful to lessen the effects of the negativity and divisiveness." For years she has shown up in surveys as one of the things students love most about the place. She has been everywhere forever, it seems: at games, art exhibits, lectures, celebrations, funerals, always ready to offer advice, consolation and an ear. Her ubiquitous presence alone has been a comfort. The woman who started the petition spoke to the Tribune on the condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns. She lives in California and was surfing the internet looking for cat videos in early 2017 when she came across something on YouTube called "Pitbull Jack Russel terrier mix VS Cat." She clicked the link, thinking it would show the two animals playing, and was horrified to see a dog ripping apart a cat. The woman said she found more videos of this nature posted by the same user. How the role of drug-sniffing police dogs might change is just one of the latest flashpoints in the ongoing debate about whether small amounts of recreational marijuana should be legalized in Illinois. The majority of Cook County voters voted in favor of legalizing pot in a nonbinding referendum in March. Supporters say a regulated marijuana market could produce much-needed revenue for the state while opponents worry it could have a detrimental impact on health. "This information adds to the backdrop that residents have been subject to past high levels of particulate matter from petroleum coke and diesel truck emissions and a host of other pollutants associated with heavy industrial activity," a coalition of community and environmental groups wrote this week in a letter to Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Julie Morita, the city health commissioner. "The Southeast Side should be a place where families can thrive in a healthy and clean environment." Other zone changes would provide the same fares for riders who board at stations on different lines, but at similar distances from downtown. For example, the Ashland stop on the Metra Electric District would move from Zone D to Zone C, the same zone as the 119th Street stop on the Rock Island District. This would reduce the one-way fare from Ashland to downtown from $6.25 to $5.50. She told her daughter to calm down. "That's when she said Jazmyne got shot. So of course, you know, hard enough, but me thinking, not the worst. I'm not going to think the worst off of this one phone call." Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said the four South Chicago District officers two sergeants and two patrolman were responding to an unrelated incident when they were flagged down on Muskegon. He praised their efforts, even though they're not typically trained to run into burning buildings. "I see oppression, I see pain, you know, I see my people bent over bleeding at the fingers picking up cotton," Kincaide, who is African-American, said of the mural. He's not sure whether the mural is illustrating slavery someone told him the boats hint that it was 10 to 15 years after emancipation but Kincaide said the images are demeaning just the same. The attacker with the gun was described as a male black with a medium complexion, 17 to 25 years old, 5 feet to 5-foot-4, about 150 pounds and with short hair. The other attacker was described as a black male, 17 to 25 years old with a medium complexion, 6 feet tall and about 160 pounds, and with dreadlocks. He was wearing a white and black hooded sweatshirt and black pants. "I think the people that will rally to what we're trying to talk about are people who really want to embrace a new progressive vision for the city," Lightfoot said. "What I hear from folks all the time is 'us against them.' It is a core part of what they feel is happening with our government. Investing here, but not there. Listening to some, but not nearly enough. Going into certain neighborhoods, but not others. That divide is something we have to categorically reject." MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital sent a notice last month to 2,600 patients who were given intravenous narcotics, antihistamines or sedatives in the emergency room from Aug. 4 to March 23, warning them that two patients had been exposed to hepatitis C, most likely in the ER. The hospital said in the letter that it learned "one of our nurses was removing higher-than-normal amounts of narcotics from our dispensing system and admitted to diverting medications intended for patients. She tested positive for hepatitis C and had treated both of the patients we know are infected." "One of the most powerful persuasion tools that anybody could possibly have with Trump is to simply point out that you said you were going to do this during the campaign," the White House official said. "I've seen it over and over again. He shrugs his shoulders and says, 'I told everybody this is what I was going to do.' " MADISON, WIS. Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, of Illinois, joined with 28 other veterans Wednesday in calling for Wisconsin Republican Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson to apologize for questioning the "cognitive thought process" of veterans who are Democrats. Nicholson refused. Nicholson is a Marine veteran running against state Sen. Leah Vukmir for a chance to take on Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin in November. The primary is Aug. 14 but on Saturday Wisconsin Republicans will vote at their state convention on which candidate to endorse. Nicholson has repeatedly refused to apologize for his comment about veterans, first made in a radio interview last week. In that interview on WTMJ-AM Nicholson said that serving in the military is inherently conservative. "I'll tell you what: Those veterans that are out there in the Democrat Party, I question their cognitive thought process because the bottom line is, they're signing up to defend the constitution that their party is continually dragging through the mud," he said. When called to apologize last week, Nicholson emailed supporters and said, "I'll never apologize for saying that, ever." Nicholson has also rejected calls from Republican veterans supporting Vukmir to apologize for earlier comments he made about veterans during an April 25 debate, including inferring that Vukmir didn't respect his service. The veterans writing to him on Wednesday said they were "extremely disappointed" with his disparaging comments about Democratic veterans. They accused him of disrespecting veterans in order to advance his own political career. "It is beneath any serviceman or woman to politicize veterans and assert that patriotism is limited to members of one political party," Duckworth and the other Democrats wrote. "Our politics are more divided than ever, and polarizing comments like those made by Mr. Nicholson only sow deeper divisions in our country." Nicholson's spokesman discounted the criticism. "Liberal politicians begging for apologies are just trying to cover up their own missteps," said Nicholson spokesman Brandon Moody on Wednesday. "The list of those who have signed this letter includes veterans who have either directly supported policy blunders like the Iran deal, or who support politicians like Tammy Baldwin who do so. They supported and defended the Constitution when in uniform, but now advocate for a Democrat Party that undermines that same Constitution and our nation's security." Current or former Democratic office holders who joined Duckworth in signing the letter included U.S. Sen. Max Cleland , of Georgia, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, of Massachusetts, and former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander, now the head of Let America Vote, a group fighting against voter suppression and partisan gerrymandering. The partisan affiliation of other veterans who signed was not indicated on the letter. Mindful of the treacherous politics surrounding the issue in the Republican Party, Ryan has declined to move forward with any significant immigration legislation since becoming speaker in 2015 despite personally supporting bills that would give some illegal immigrants a pathway to stay legally in the United States. Conservatives have strongly opposed any "amnesty" for adults who have come to the U.S. illegally and, for many, that also extends to "dreamers," children brought illegally to the U.S. through no fault of their own. "His father-in-law who founded and owns a large Chinese shipping company has given Mitch and his wife millions of dollars over the years," the Blankenship campaign alleged in a news release defending the ad last week. "The company was implicated recently in smuggling cocaine from Colombia to Europe, hidden aboard a company ship carrying foreign coal was $7 million dollars of cocaine and that is why we've deemed him 'Cocaine Mitch.'" JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD. Staging a made-for-TV, still-of-the-night arrival ceremony, President Donald Trump welcomed home three Americans freed by North Korea and declared their release a sign of promise toward his goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Speaking early Thursday on an air base tarmac with the former detainees by his side, Trump called it a "great honor" to welcome the men to the U.S., but said "the true honor is going to be if we have a victory in getting rid of nuclear weapons." Trump also thanked North Korea's Kim Jong Un for releasing the Americans and said he believes Kim wants to reach an agreement on denuclearization at their upcoming summit. "I really think he wants to do something," the president said. First lady Melania Trump , Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other top officials joined Trump to celebrate the occasion at Joint Base Andrews near Washington. The men Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim had been released Wednesday amid a warming of relations between the longtime adversaries. Shortly before 3 a.m. the president and first lady boarded the medical plane on which the men had traveled and spent several minutes meeting with them privately. The group then emerged at top of the airplane stairway, where the men held up their arms in an exuberant display. As the men entered into view, U.S. service members on the tarmac burst into applause and cheers. "This is a special night for these three really great people," Trump told reporters. On the U.S. relationship with North Korea, Trump declared, "We're starting off on a new footing." The freed prisoners appeared tired but in excellent spirits, flashing peace signs and waving their arms as they emerged from the aircraft. When asked by reporters how it felt to be home, one of the men answered through a translator, "It's like a dream; we are very, very happy." They later gave the president a round of applause. After Trump's remarks, the three men boarded a bus for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center , where they are to be evaluated and receive medical treatment before being reunited with their families. The White House carefully choreographed the event, hoisting a giant American flag between two fire trucks on the tarmac and inviting reporters to witness the return. The image-conscious president told reporters, "I think you probably broke the all-time-in-history television rating for 3 o'clock in the morning." Hours later, Trump tweeted, "On behalf of the American people, WELCOME HOME!" The highly public and politically tinged display stood in stark contrast to the low-key and very private reception that the State Department had envisioned and carried out from the moment it took custody of the men, in keeping with a tradition of trying to protect potentially traumatized victims from being thrust into the spotlight so soon after their ordeal. Department officials took great pains on the prisoners' release in North Korea, as well as on their flights to Japan and Alaska, to keep them sequestered not only from the two journalists traveling with Pompeo but also from staffers not immediately involved in their cases. The trio, along with medical personnel that included a psychiatrist, were cloistered in the middle of Pompeo's plane in a small section of 12 business class-size seats that was cordoned off by curtains on both ends. State Department officials refused to discuss anything but the most basic details of their conditions, citing privacy concerns in keeping with the minimal amount of information they had released since the men were imprisoned. Pompeo had secured their release in Pyongyang after meeting with Kim on final plans for the Trump-Kim summit. The Americans had boarded Pompeo's plane out of North Korea without assistance and then transferred in Japan to the Boeing C-40 outfitted with medical facilities for the trip back to the U.S. Shortly after they touched down on American soil in Alaska for a refueling stop Wednesday afternoon, the State Department released a statement from the freed men. "We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home," they said. "We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world." Singapore has emerged as the likely host of the U.S.-North Korean summit, late this month or in early June, as Trump seeks to negotiate denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in his highest-stakes foreign policy effort yet. Trump made a point of publicly thanking North Korea's leader for the prisoners' release "We want to thank Kim Jong Un" and hailed it as a sign of cooling tensions and growing opportunity on the Korean peninsula. Kim decided to grant amnesty to the three Americans at the "official suggestion" of the U.S. president, said North Korea's official news agency, KCNA. North Korea had accused the three Korean-Americans of anti-state activities. Their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation's nuclear weapons. Trump entered office as an emboldened North Korea developed new generations of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of hitting the continental U.S. Those advances were the subject of President Barack Obama's starkest warning shortly before Trump took office, and this is a crisis he's convinced his negotiating skills can resolve. Crediting himself for recent progress, Trump has pointed to Kim's willingness to come to the negotiating table as validating U.S. moves to tighten sanctions branded "maximum pressure" by the president. The three were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier , died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016, accused of stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. "We are happy for the hostages and their families," the Warmbiers said in a statement Wednesday. "We miss Otto." After the release of the detainees Thursday, North Korea's state-run media explicitly mentioned plans for the summit for the first time Thursday. Pyongyang has been exceptionally cautious about its public framing of Kim's recent diplomatic moves, which are a major shift from the more aggressive focus on missile launches and nuclear development that heated tensions to a boil last year. Catherine Lucey and Ken Thomas in Washington and Eric Talmadge in Pyongyang contributed to this report No one disputes that MS-13 is a violent gang, but it's just one of many that plague American cities. All that distinguishes this one is that many of its members came from Central America, some without documents allowing Trump to blame its villainy on illegal immigration. He thinks immigrants in the U.S. illegally are criminals by definition and therefore a hellish danger. For the past four years as a state legislator, I have watched Democrats introduce bill after bill on the House floor that spends taxpayer money. In 2015, my first year as an Illinois representative, I repeatedly stood up and asked Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie why we don't first determine how much taxpayer money we have to spend before we start spending it. My questions were brushed aside with flippant answers along the lines of "We'll do that when we actually do a budget." Later that day Schneiderman chaired a Codes Committee meeting, and the strangulation bill was on the agenda. Such meetings tend to move briskly this one was over in half an hour and there was little discussion of the strangulation bill by Schneiderman or anyone else. A recording available on the state Senate website shows Schneiderman briskly running through agenda items, dressed in a neat suit and tie, sipping coffee and often smiling. Strange to see his choking legislation go through the normal processes of government now that we know the accusations he would later face. But mostly he and his colleagues banter lightly about other issues, like legislation regarding the use of live fish in pedicures. By the time the commission finished its work, however, the Great Recession was in full swing, and those solutions couldn't be imposed promptly. Higher property taxes would have devastated already-struggling homeowners. And Chicago, like many cities, was negotiating layoffs and other concessions from city workers. These were a far greater priority than adjusting pension benefits. Today's economy is far stronger, and the commission's findings can serve as a road map going forward. The debate over whether Trump should fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein follows the same dynamic. There's a strong argument that Rosenstein has botched his job overseeing the Mueller investigation. But the Department of Justice's original authorization of the Mueller investigation didn't specify what, if any, crimes he should investigate a violation of the department's own regulations. There's also solid reason to believe that firing Rosenstein would plunge the country into an even uglier phase of the Tong war. But never mind that, at least according to many of today's millennial voters. According to the 2017 YouGov-Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation Report on U.S. Attitudes Toward Socialism, more millennials would prefer to live in socialist countries than they would in capitalist countries. That fact reveals a powerful force shifting today's Democratic Party. Barack "you didn't build that" Obama and his contempt for private business is starting to seem quaint. It certainly means every Democrat running for president in 2020 will be asked if they favor socialism or capitalism. It will be interesting to see if they blush, stammer and wince, or if any of them will have the confidence to give a robust endorsement of free enterprise and a historically accurate critique of socialism vs. capitalism. I'm not holding my breath. Haspel would have remained in the shadows, except she was extremely good at her job. She rose to become CIA deputy director and is now President Donald Trump's nominee to run the agency. Haspel gets rave reviews from former national security officials from Democratic and Republican administrations, and is said to be strongly supported by agency employees. That might have given her an easy path to Senate confirmation as the CIA's first female director. The question facing the Senate isn't whether she's qualified, but whether one part of her record should disqualify her. The main thing I care about is there's clearly nothing whatsoever out of line about the president of the United States' longtime personal attorney forming a shell company, using it to pay off an alleged mistress and then taking in huge amounts of cash from companies or foreign agents with vested interests in decisions our government might make. And there's definitely nothing at all wrong with large corporations spending their hard-earned money on the vague services of a heretofore unheard of shell company created by an attorney widely known as the president's "fixer." This is also, I think, why Israel pushed so hard for getting out of the agreement; its regime wants the U.S. to get into a war against Iran and sees a good chance of this happening with Trump. The Great Falls The community is named after the Great Falls, one of the five falls Lewis & Clark denoted in their journals during the Corps of Discovery (1804-06). The city's namesake waterfall, which was more than 80 feet high when first seen by Captain Meriwether Lewis, now stands more than 148 feet tall with the dam that has been placed into the natural break in the landscape where the falls originally appeared. 270 E. Pearson St., No. 803, Chicago: $3,000,000 | Listed: Aug. 24, 2021 This three-bedroom home has three full bathrooms, two half-baths, custom built-ins and millwork, two fireplaces and views of the lake and city. This home has an open floor plan with a formal dining room, living room and family room. The kitchen is equipped with a double oven, custom cabinetry, an island and hardwood flooring. The primary bedroom suite has a private office and a bathroom with double sinks, a tub and a separate shower. The living room and the library, which features built-in shelving, both have fireplaces. This home is located in a building with a 24-hour door staff. A south-facing terrace, a wine refrigerator and two deeded parking spaces complete this home. Agent: Caroline Druker and Matthew Druker, Baird and Warner, 847-471-5115 and 847-490-5115 *Some listing photos are virtually staged, meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options. To feature your luxury listing of $800,000 or more in Chicago Tribunes Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com. Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news. When all is said and done, the judge will decide how much of the money should go to the city, and how much to the county. Officials said if the city purchased a votemobile, it would have to come out of that money. Christine Adams said her son is an avid hiker who often goes into the vast Olympic National Forest. He loved visiting forest preserves growing up in the Aurora area, but didn't become a serious hiker until he arrived in Washington, when he purchased boots and hiking gear, she said. A 23-year-old man from Yorkville was killed early Wednesday when the motorcycle he was riding crashed into a light pole near a toll plaza on the interchange between interstates 355 and 88 in Lisle, Illinois State Police said. Elizabeth Cameron, a Florida resident, has denied that in her filings. Cameron, though, had failed to call into a March 19 telephone conference with the court. Bell had said then that he would seek a contempt citation at the next scheduled hearing, which was Wednesday before Judge Anne Therieau Hayes. As Noak was being escorted out of the building, he again asked if the area was under surveillance and was told there was a camera but no sound recording. Both officers in their reports noted that Noak then turned to one of the officers with an outstretched hand and said, "You're done." The officer reported that he replied, "Yes, this process is done," to which Noak responded, "No, you're done," according to the report. "(Robinson) had preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure caused by pregnancy," she said. "The cure is to give birth. Once you do, the blood pressure usually goes back down. But you have to watch and make sure it does go back down, and that delivery took care of the issue because it can cause seizure, stroke or other complications." "We want them to continue to grow," Kirchhoff told me. "We're not backing down. If the board ever wants to reach out to us, we're open to working with them on a search for a new director or anything else." Members of the county board's Public Health and Safety Committee said they want the Will County Health Department to create an informational brochure about this drug to be distributed to schools this fall, to make students aware of its dangers. U.S. News looked at close to 29,000 public high schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia to compile its list of top schools. Schools are graded based on student academic performance on state reading and math tests, graduation rates and how underserved students performed. The changes come after school officials seized the Sept. 22 edition of The Evanstonian. The publication had included articles and graphics about marijuana use at the high school, and school officials decided that day that the content was inappropriate to publish though it was printed in a subsequent edition, with disclaimers. Briana's mother sobbed as she described that fateful morning of the shooting. She and her daughter were laughing and joking as they walked out to the car, preparing to head for Romeoville High School. When she reached over to put on her seat belt, she heard the first gunshot and then saw her daughter slumped over. She pleaded with the shooter as he pointed the gun at her and then heard another gunshot. In an emotional sentencing hearing, Livas who said the trial would be his last before retirement sounded off on Maya and the brutality of the crime before levying a sentence that will keep him incarcerated for the rest of his life. Even though the school was ranked 7th best this year in Illinois, Stevenson actually was ranked slightly higher in past years recently, finishing as the fifth best high school in Illinois in both 2015 and 2016 by U.S. News and World Report. A review of surveillance video indicated Gonzalez-Hernandez tried to remove a towel that was hanging from a dryer in front of the conveyor system. The conveyor system was seen on the video "to move upward and stop." Gonzalez-Hernandez became stuck between the dryer and conveyor system, police said. Michelle was looking forward to prom and graduation, Math said. The family had plans to move to Indiana so that she could live at home while studying engineering at Purdue University starting in the fall, she said. Applicants will be interviewed by the Mayor's Advisory Board, which consists of Aldermen John Moran, Gail Wilkening, Charlie Melidosian and Marc Mazzuca. The advisory board will then recommend three candidates to the mayor, who is expected to bring the names to the full City Council for appointment. "Allowing other districts to recruit our outstanding educators cannot be allowed to continue," he said via email. "We have to make sure that our teacher salaries are at least close to the salaries of neighboring school districts, some of whom have had extra revenue coming from their communities through general fund (budget) referenda for years." Dowling, the former Schererville police chief, said he knew the campaign would be an uphill battle. Martinez had endorsements from many of the county's elected officials and precinct organizations and he did his best to get the people's support. Hatcher said she will likely visit Indianapolis next week during the General Assembly's special session to campaign against House Bill 1315 that strips more authority from the Gary School Board, reducing it to an "advisory board." The bill also allows Gary's emergency manager to lay off teachers mid-year. Before the election, Dykes said she would look for ways to save money if elected, and would like to find a way to shorten the time for toxicology reports to come back, which is typically four to six week. That also would provide closure for family members in a more timely fashion, she added. When EMS arrived, they put "pet masks" on the dogs to "better provide oxygen," he said. Police then took the dogs in their squad cars to local animal hospitals for treatment, police said. Hansen took "the worst of the dogs" to an animal hospital in Valparaiso, according to Fifield. McConnell-affiliated groups have spent in the seven digits for TV ads opposing Blankenship in West Virginia. But Blankenship, free to spend as much as he desires, has far outspent his opponents, reportedly buying $640,000 of TV time in week before the primary. And he was appealing to voters' worst instincts. "I don't see this insinuation by the press that there's something racist about saying a 'China person,'" Blankenship said during a debate hosted by Fox News. "Some people are Korean persons and some of them are African persons. It's not any slander there." He suggested McConnell's family ties could disqualify him from voting on China policy. The shooting happened about 10:50 . a.m. after the two vehicles pulled out of a Walmart parking lot and were heading north on Route 53 near Butterfield Road in an unincorporated area of DuPage County, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. Trying to buy a home in Pueblo? Read these stories first. local By Dezan Shira & Associates In China, withholding Corporate Income Tax (CIT) is applied to the following China-sourced incomes derived by non-resident enterprises without establishments in China, or to that derived by non-resident enterprises with establishments in China but whose income is not related to these establishments: Dividends, bonuses, and other equity investment proceeds; Interests, rents, and royalties and income from the transfer of property; and Any other incomes subject to CIT obtained by non-resident enterprises. RELATED: How to Calculate Corporate Income Tax in China The withholding CIT rate for non-tax resident enterprises in China is 20 percent (currently reduced to 10 percent). For dividends, interests, rents, and royalty income, if the respective rate in a tax treaty is higher than 10 percent, the 10 percent rate will prevail; if the rate in the tax treaty is lower than 10 percent, then the rate in the tax treaty should be adopted. For example, Hong Kongs double tax agreement with China reduces the withholding tax rate on dividends from 10 percent to five percent where the beneficial owner directly owns more than 25 percent equity of the company that pays the dividends, unless the dividends should be regarded as business profits. The tax payable on income derived by non-resident enterprises should be withheld at the source, with the payer (i.e., the Chinese enterprise who remits the fund overseas) as the withholding agent. The formula for calculating withholding tax liability is: Tax payable = Taxable income x Tax rate Filing procedure for withholding CIT Where a non-resident enterprise derives China-sourced dividends, interest, rents, and royalties, or income from property transfers, it is required to file the withholding tax either by itself or by a withholding agent. With the SATs Announcement on Issues Relating to Withholding Tax on China-Sourced Income of Non-resident Enterprises (SAT Announcement [2017] No.37, hereinafter Circular 37) coming into force on December 1, 2017, the filing procedure for withholding CIT was significantly clarified and revised. Tax Compliance Services from Dezan Shira & Associates According to Circular 37: The record-filing of the contract is no longer required. Previously, a copy of the contract giving rise to the taxable income, along with a contract registration record form and other relevant documents, had to be submitted to the authorized tax bureau for record-fling within 30 days of signing the contract. All documentation, including those originally in a foreign language, had to be translated into Chinese. This procedure applied to each subsequent revision, supplement, or extension of the contract. Circular 37 reduced the burden on the withholding agent for record-filing, except in limited situations provided in other specific regulations such as SAT and SAFE Announcement [2013] No.40. The competent tax authorities still have the right to request the contract from the agent. The additional reporting requirement for income paid by installment is canceled. Previously, for income paid by installment, the withholding agent should, within 15 days prior to making the last payment, report to the authorized tax bureau the details of all completed payments in order to complete a tax withholding clearance. Circular 37 canceled this reporting requirement. The arising time of withholding obligation is revised. Previously, the arising time of withholding obligations on equity investment income, such as dividends bonuses, should be the day on which the distribution decision was made by the board of directors or the actual payment date, whichever is earlier. Circular 37 clarified that the time of withholding obligation arising on equity investment income should be the actual payment date. Further, Circular 37 added that, where income of asset transfer is paid by installments, the installments can first be treated as recovery of costs of previous investments, and the withholding CIT can be calculated and withheld upon recovery of all costs, i.e. upon receiving the last installment. The due date of the payment of withholding tax is relaxed. Previously, the withholding agent had to file and pay withholding obligations to tax authorities within seven days of withholding obligations arising. And where the withholding agent failed to withhold tax or was unable to do so, non-resident enterprises should file and pay withholding tax to the tax authorities, where the income was derived within seven days from the date the payment is made by the withholding agent or from the date the payment becomes payable. If non-resident enterprises failed to pay as well, late payment interest would be imposed. Circular 37 provided a more beneficial new rule. Where the non-resident enterprise has filed and paid tax before the tax authorities order it to make payment within a stipulated period, the enterprise shall be deemed to have paid tax on time. In this case, late payment interest will not be levied. RELATED: Withholding Tax Deferral for Foreign Investment in China In addition, Circular 37 provides for greater cooperation among different tax bureaus to improve the business environment. For example, when the non-resident enterprise generates income from different tax regions, the withholding agent can choose to pay tax to just one of the relevant tax bureaus. Moreover, Circular 37 clarifies other issues relating to the calculation of taxable income, such as the foreign exchange rule in calculation, the retrospective effect of certain rules, as well as how to calculate taxable income in equity transfer and asset transfer. This article was originally published on March 26, 2018 and has been updated with the latest regulatory changes. The Pacific Symphony, the largest orchestra formed in the US in the last 50 years, will make its debut in China on Wednesday. The Orange County-based musicians will perform in five major Chinese cities during a week-long tour, starting with a performance at the Shanghai Poly Grand Theatre. Performances will follow in Hefei, Wuxi and Chongqing, and then conclude on May 15 at Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts, designed by French architect Paul Andrew and completed in 2007. Pacific Symphony President John Forsyte said the trip aims to build stronger ties between Americans and Chinese through connecting them with music. "I really believe that music is a universal language, and that when we perform on the stages of China, we as Americans are bringing a rose, a beautiful rose of friendship, to our Chinese listeners," he said. "I think just by going to China, we make a statement, we are saying, we could have gone to Europe on a tour, but we have chosen China because we care about the culture and the people here in the region," Forsyte said. He said the trip is also about honoring Chinese communities in Orange County, which he said has the third-largest Asian-American population in the United States. He said the orchestra has worked hard to engage, serve and welcome the local Chinese to its music hall. Los Angeles Consul General Zhang Ping said the trip will promote cultural exchange between China and Southern California. "They are also willing to enhance their friendship with the Chinese people and to improve their understanding of them through this trip, so we think this is a very good thing," he said. The consul general held a reception at the consulate on April 27 to commemorate the orchestra's contribution to building "a bridge of friendship across the Pacific Ocean". The ceremony included performances by Chinese and American artists. Music Director Carl St. Clair, who has led the symphony for the last 28 years, called the trip to China ``an artistic milestone for the orchestra''. The orchestra's performances will include works by Leonard Bernstein to celebrate the composer's centennial, according to St. Clair, who was mentored by Bernstein. The Pacific Symphony, founded in 1978, holds more than 100 concerts a year and hosts various educational and community engagement programs. It performed in nine cities across three different Europeans countries in 2006, the orchestra's last trip abroad. Forsyte said, he will look for opportunities to bring Chinese artists to Orange County to perform and he will also send musicians from the orchestra to teach in China. "So the bridge gets built, but who crosses it and when, I think we will just have to see how it develops over time," he said. Women have a natural connection to art. Though their images and work were buried in past eras of male-dominated history, they can reveal their talents in today's world. Among such female artists, many find more than one way to express themselves. Li Youli, a Chinese woman, paints her inner world on and beyond the canvas. The painter also writes poems that echo her paintings. Chinese ink painting has been connected with poems for thousands of years. Often, a poem was written on an artwork. Li created paintings and poems separately, yet the two different forms beautifully convey the same message in her mind. As an experienced artist of both traditional Chinese ink painting and oil painting, Li infused more Chinese elements into her oil works. She applied techniques from Chinese frescoes into the oil painting and lets the works shine with gold powder. Pieces of Chinese blue and white ceramics also appear in her paintings. Art critic Rasko Radovic said Li's abstraction has its roots in both Chinese traditional painting and contemporary Western art. "She has a great sensibility not only for colors, but also textures and materials that she employed in her art. And this is also a Chinese feature since no other art equals the Chinese art as far as sensibilities for materials , textures and surfaces are concerned," Radovic added. The painter's poems also show her perspective on the world around her. One of her poems, In Jiangnan, featurs the misty rain and clouds, which were taken as a metaphor of her feelings and thoughts about her previous and next lives. Through the words, readers can even feel the wetness and colors of the scenery. "To understand Li Youli's work, you must need to observe, to listen and to feel by your heart," critic Guo Xiaochuan said. The artist is now holding her third solo exhibition at the Shang Ba Art Gallery in Beijing from May 6 to June 10. If you go: May 6 to June 10, Shang Ba Art Gallery, 1/F, Shang 8 Culture Group Building. Yard 3, Xiadianjia Chaoyang district, Beijing. China and the United States will continue their trade talks next week in Washington to seek a solution that will be "great for everybody", White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Monday. Her comment comes days after a senior US delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin held talks with senior Chinese economic and trade officials in Beijing last Thursday and Friday. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow and White House trade advisor Peter Navarro were also on the team. Sanders said US President Donald Trump had a briefing with the members of the US team on Monday morning. "The president has a great relationship with President Xi (Jinping). We're working on something that we believe will be great for everybody," she told the daily press briefing. Sanders said that China's top economic advisor and the vice-premier will be coming to Washington next week to continue the discussion with the US team. While she did not name the name, it's believed that she was referring to Liu He, a vice-premier and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. Mnuchin told reporters in Beijing last Friday that "we're having very good conversations". China said last Friday that Liu carried out frank, efficient and constructive discussions on China-US economic and trade issues with the US delegation. It said both parties believe that healthy and stable Sino-US economic and trade relations are very important to the two countries, and both are committed to solving relevant economic and trade issues through dialogue and consultation. The two sides fully exchanged views on expanding US exports to China, bilateral service trade, two-way investment, the protection of intellectual property rights, and the settlement of tariff and non-tariff measures. In some areas, some consensus has been reached, according to a Xinhua News Agency report. Both parties also recognize that there are still major differences on some issues and they need to continue to intensify their work and make more progress, Xinhua said. A spokesman of China's Ministry of Commerce said on Friday that during the two-day talks, China made solemn representations to the US side regarding the case of ZTE Corp. The spokesman said the US side said that they would pay attention to these representations and will report China's position back to their president. The US Commerce Department imposed a seven-year ban on US companies selling equipment and software to ZTE after finding that the Chinese company violated sanctions by selling equipment to Iran. Iran welcomes further Chinese investment despite great uncertainty facing the global economy, according to Ali Asghar Khaji, Iranian Ambassador to China, at the sidelines of the inauguration meeting of the China-Iran Business Council in Beijing on May 8, 2018. The council was co-launched by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) with a hope to build new networks to promote bilateral business and investment relations. "China has been the largest trading partner of Iran in the past 10 consecutive years," the ambassador said during the meeting. In 2017, bilateral trade between the two countries increased by 19 percent year-on-year to reach $37.18 billion, according to Zhang Yi, CCOIC deputy secretary general. "Expansion of bilateral economic relations is a win-win tie between the two nations," said the ambassador. The two countries lifted their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership during President Xi Jinping's state visit to Iran in January 2016. Later in February 2016, the first cargo train from China to Iran arrived in Tehran, marking a milestone in reviving the ancient Silk Road trade route. The train also passed through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan before arriving in Iran, a distance of 10,399 kilometers. "Thanks to the strategic position of Iran, the ancient Silk Road country is fully prepared to participate in the new Silk Road idea proposed by President Xi," said the ambassador. So far, the two countries have extensive cooperation in the fields of energy, automotive, transportation, water projects, mining, mobile communications and steel production. SinoTruk, the first Chinese heavy truck producer to enter the Iranian market, serves as the first chairman of the council. To date, the company has exported up to 20,000 trucks to Iran either in the form of entire vehicles or CKD completely knocked down, according to Zhang Houqin, chief representative of SinoTruk Eurasian HQ. In addition to bilateral trade, the two countries have a large potential for cooperation in finance, said Khaji. Over US$42 billion has been agreed between Iran and China in financial credit lines which will be used to implement industrial and infrastructure projects in Iran by Chinese companies, according to the ambassador. The international trade e-commerce platform Dalian Equipmentimes, and vice chairman of the council, introduced a "green channel" for Iranian exports, offering customized financing plans for usance letters of credit from Iran. "Strict compliance of bilateral trade between the two countries can help avoid possible financing risks amid global economic uncertainty," said Xu Yanfeng, e-commerce director of Dalian Equipmentimes. At present, Iran has already established an Iran-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Tehran and China-Iran Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou respectively to boost cooperation with China. In 1982, a new official in a poor rural county in China was moved by a local woman's struggles and gave her permission to sell shoelaces. The legend goes that this sparked the region's reform and opening up efforts in earnest, eventually turning it into the world's largest wholesale market of small commodities. The county is Yiwu, in Zhejiang province, home to the world's renowned Yiwu small commodities market. The county official, Xie Gaohua, is now 87 years old, but he remembers the encounter clear as if it was yesterday. Sitting in his home, Xie recounted this fabled story and other circumstances that led to Yiwu's remarkable transformation. From rags to riches Xie was transferred from Quzhou, another town in Zhejiang province, to become the secretary of the Yiwu Party Committee in April 1982. Xie Gaohua, considered the founding father of Yiwu samll commodities market, takes an interview from China.org.cn. at his home on April 21, 2018. "Quzhou was poor then, but Yiwu was much poorer," Xie said. "People were starving and tried hard to survive. I had to do something." But instead of giving orders and making comments straight away, as many did, Xie began by listening to local people and studying his new surroundings. He found that a bartering business, exchanging brown sugar for chicken feathers -- a tradition that dates back to the Qing Dynasty a century ago -- still thrived in the area. The tradition had evolved into a booming hawking business, the main way for many local people to make a living. In this, Xie discovered the hidden vigor of Yiwu's economy. However, working as a hawker was forbidden after the founding of the People's Republic of China, as it was deemed as a "capitalist activity," the antithesis of the creed of the Communist Party. Therefore, although the Chinese leadership proclaimed the beginning of the country's economic reform and opening up in 1978, few dared to support these activities in practice. Then came the fateful encounter in May 1982, between Xie and a street vendor named Feng Aiqian. "She met me outside the government building to complain after her goods were confiscated by local authorities again." Xie said. "I couldn't understand the Yiwu dialect, so our conversation was difficult and sounded like a quarrel, drawing many onlookers." Not wanting to make a scene, Xie invited Feng to his office. "Our talk softened after she offered me a cigarette," Xie recalled, looking fondly at the cigarette between his fingers he still carried the habit. "She said she was doing business on the street to make money to support her poor family." After more than one hour's conversation, Xie assured her that she would be allowed to peddle goods on the street. The talk prompted him to travel to nearby Wenzhou, the first city in China to set up private enterprises, to do research. "The more I learned, the more I thought building a free market conformed to the guiding principles given by the central government. It was not the capitalist practices that many feared." Four months later, in September 1982, Yiwu announced that it would set up the Huqingmeng Market, at the time merely a collection of sheds and stalls. The market, however, would eventually grow into today's Yiwu small commodities market. Huqingmeng Market. [File photo] To develop the market, Xie put forward a guideline of "four allows" allow farmers to do business, allow long-haul trans-port trade, allow the opening-up of the urban and rural market, and allow multi-channel competitions. The bold move caused resentment among people working at State-owned businesses which took a beating from the free market competition. "I visited a store department and heard some complaints, I told them the system was faulted and we should 'break the big pot.' (a slang referring to the egalitarian practice common in Chinese society in the early 1980s) "To get rich through labor is respectable," Xie asserted. The sen-tence became a catchphrase in the ensuing years. This was the first time in China that a local government officially recognized the legality of a free market for farmers and vendors. Legitimizing the small-commodities market was no easy task, be-cause ideological shackles still gripped people's minds. Those in the authority were afraid to make bold moves, despite the direc-tives from the third plenary session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China that was held four years before, which launched various measures of reform and opening up. Xie's vision and boldness was a precious rarity that led the way. In October 1984, he proposed a city development strategy called "prosper through trade and commerce," aiming to develop trade as Yiwu's pillar industry and foster a market. The strategy was not conceived from the vacuum, but a result from what he saw and learned in his trips to Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shanghai, all of which were pioneering cities that spearheaded China's reform and opening up. "After visiting those cities, I found that there is always a market first, then there is a city," he said. That was where the strategy came from. Then he immersed himself in the works of Marxism, the guiding theory of the Communist Party of China, to search for doctrines to endorse his idea. "I didn't claim to understand everything about Marxism," Xie, a farmer's son with only an elementary school education, acknowl-edged. "But I was convinced that the strategy won't go against it." His development strategy proved to be right and put Yiwu on the path to prosperity with its small commodities economy ever since. 'Party officials must serve the people' Despite his humble beginning, Xie had a flair for leadership. He held himself accountable, made bold decisions and was prepared to take risks. He said, "Party officials must serve the people and should not go against the aspiration of the people." He tried to shy away from public praise that he was the founding father of the Yiwu market, and instead attributed the success of the market to the spirit of Yiwu pioneering, inclusive, hardworking and entrepreneurial. Xie is not a Yiwu local, but he said he considered Yiwu as his second hometown. Although Xie held his post in Yiwu for less than three years and left it over three decades ago, Yiwu's business people still feel indebted to him. Every year since 2015, representatives from Yiwu's business community would drive Xie for 150 kilometers from his hometown in Quzhou to Yiwu to attend the China Yiwu International Commodities Fair. He said he plans to attend the expo again this November. Flash U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark international agreement signed in 2015. In a televised speech at the White House, Trump announced the exit, adding he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, re-imposing sanctions lifted under the accord. Moments later, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced "deep concern" over Trump's decision to pull America out of the Iran nuclear deal. "I am deeply concerned by today's announcement that the United States will be withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and will begin reinstating U.S. sanctions (against Iran)," said Guterres in a statement, using the official name of the July 2015 agreement between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. "I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other (UN) member states to support this agreement," said Guterres. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Tuesday that the Islamic republic will remain in the nuclear deal with other signatories of the JCPOA without the United States. "From this time on, the nuclear deal is an accord between Iran and five countries," Rouhani said in live speech broadcast from state TV. Iran proved that it has been committed to its international obligations, Rouhani said, adding that "our experience shows that over the past 40 years the United States has never been reliable vis-a-vis its commitments." In his Tuesday speech, Trump repeated his tough stance on the deal, or the JCPOA, saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism in the region. The JCPOA "allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium" and "lifted crippling economic sanctions" on Iran in exchange for "very weak limits" on its nuclear activity, "and no limits at all on its other malign behavior," he said. "The United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal" and impose "the highest level" of economic sanctions on Tehran, he said. At the end of his remarks, he signed a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating U.S. nuclear sanctions on the Iran. After Trump's speech, the White House said in an emailed message to the media that Trump has "directed his administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA," and "the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors." "Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran," it added. "Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences." U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said in an announcement that "Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking immediate action to implement the President's decision." Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the United States "will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat." Trump also said after his speech that Pompeo is on the way to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to prepare for his meeting with the country's top leader Kim Jong Un. In response, former U.S. President Barack Obama, whose administration brokered the deal, said in a Facebook post Trump's announcement is "so misguided" and "a serious mistake." "The JCPOA is working," Obama said, adding that "the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East" without the landmark deal. Flash Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for fresh joint efforts by China and Japan for the cause of peace and friendship between the two countries to "set sail again." In a signed article in Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun on Tuesday, titled "Let the Cause of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan Set Sail Again", Li said, "I am coming here to promote the long-term, healthy and steady development of China-Japan relations." The premier arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday evening for an official visit till May 11 at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. His visit is the first in eight years by a Chinese premier, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the two countries. During the visit, Li will attend the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting, which will reboot the high-level interaction among the three Asian nations after a two-and-a-half year suspension. China and Japan are important neighbors, Li said. "Although there are dozens of direct flights between Beijing and Tokyo each day and it takes just a little over three hours flying between the two cities, we have walked a long way in recent years to improve and develop China-Japan ties." It is in the interests of the people of China, Japan and all other countries for the two, who wield influence in Asia as well as the rest of the world, to enhance friendship and cooperation, he said. In recent years, relations between the two countries have experienced twists and turns, and exchange and cooperation in various areas have been affected, Li said. China and Japan are the world's second and third largest economies respectively and Asia's top two economies. Li said he has often thought that "if China-Japan relations can always stay on the right track of healthy and stable development, it would not only bring more benefits to people of the two countries, but also create a stronger boost to the peace and stability and development and prosperity of Northeast Asia and the whole world." Currently, China-Japan ties are showing a momentum of improvement and standing at the crossroads of returning to normal track, he said. Li stressed the importance of adhering to the principles and spirit of the four key political documents signed between the two countries. These are the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, the 1978 China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the 1998 China-Japan Joint Declaration, and a joint statement on advancing strategic and mutually beneficial relations inked in 2008. "It has been proved by the reality that as long as we stick to the principles and spirit of the four political documents, China-Japan relations will go smoothly. Otherwise, the ties will suffer setbacks," Li said in the article. The same year that China and Japan signed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, China also launched the historic process of its reform and opening up. "Looking to the future, China, as the largest developing country, still sees development as its top priority," the premier said. "Only in a peaceful external environment and a stable neighboring environment can China, Japan and other countries in the region jointly develop. It is our belief that an open path of peaceful development is destined to be wider and wider," Li said. On China-Japan-South Korea relations, Li urged the three countries to promote regional stability and development, and safeguard free trade and a rule-based multilateral trade system by accelerating the establishment of a trilateral free trade zone and negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. On cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, the premier said he had learned from some Japanese companies that they are willing to share the enormous opportunities created by the initiative. Li said the two economies are highly complementary. There are broad prospects for the two countries to expand practical cooperation in fields such as energy conservation and environmental protection, scientific and technological innovation, high-end manufacturing, finance, sharing economy, and healthcare and pension. There is also great potential for the companies of the two countries to conduct third-party market cooperation. During the visit, the premier is expected to witness the signing of cooperation deals in health and medical science, the service sector and social security. The two countries are also expected to sign a currency swap deal. China is expected to grant Japan a renminbi qualified foreign institutional investor quota. China and Japan are now faced with new opportunities to upgrade their mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, Li said. He said the two countries should strengthen cooperation in culture and tourism and have people from both sides conduct exchanges more effectively on more platforms. During the visit, China will present Japan with a pair of crested ibis to reflect Chinese people's friendship with the Japanese. China and Japan will also facilitate exchange of visits between their young people to enable them to learn from one another and get to know one another so that they, enlightened by real history, can choose the path for the future, Li said. Flash European leaders and politicians on Tuesday strongly criticized U.S. President's decision to withdraw from the landmark Iran nuclear deal, vowing more work for broader agreement. Riding roughshod over opposition across the pond, President Donald Trump said in a televised speech that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015 by Iran and six world powers, including EU heavyweights Britain, France and Germany. Trump added he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran. Trump said the agreement, struck under his predecessor Barack Obama's administration, does not address Iran's ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 nor its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria. Regret In a joint statement released by French President Emmanuel Macron's office, French, German and British leaders regretted the U.S. decision. Macron, Angela Merkel and Theresa May reiterated their "continued commitment" to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran nuclear deal, that "...is of particular importance to our shared security", they stressed. Macron and his German and British partners "urge the United States to ensure that JCPOA's structures are kept intact, and to avoid any action that would prevent its full implementation by other parties (and) ... to do its utmost to preserve the nuclear non-proliferation advances achieved through JCPOA". They also called on Iran to "continue to respect its own obligations under the terms of the agreement, fully complying with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) inspection requirements" to enjoy sanctions removal. The 2015 deal eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. In a move to dismiss American administration's concerns, French President said he was working with Germany and Britain on broader deal that should include "other major issues". "While our commitment to the security of our allies and partners in the region is unwavering, we must also rigorously address the widely-shared concerns about Iran's ballistic agenda and its destabilizing regional activities, particularly in Syria, Iraq and Yemen," the three leaders said in the statement. A Downing Street spokesperson said British Prime Minister Theresa May held a joint telephone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Macron earlier on Tuesday evening. "They discussed the U.S. President's announcement and agreed their continuing commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," the spokesperson said. United European approach European Council President Donald Tusk expressed his disapproval over Trump's decision, saying the move "will meet a united European approach". "Policies of @realDonaldTrump on #IranDeal and trade will meet a united European approach," Tusk tweeted, minutes after Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the Iran deal. "EU leaders will tackle both issues at the summit in Sofia next week," Tusk added. In tandem with Tusk's disapproval over Trump's announcement, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini vowed that Europe will stand by the international nuclear accord with Iran. "The EU is determined to preserve it," she said in a live press statement in Rome. "We expect the rest of the international community to continue to preserve it, for the sake of collective security." "The nuclear accord belongs to the whole of the international community," Mogherini added. "To the Iranian people I say: do not let anyone dismantle this deal, one of the greatest achievements of the international community." "I am particularly worried about tonight's announcement of further sanctions," she said, adding that the deal with Iran "is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy." Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel also denounced Trump's decision. "No #IranDeal means more instability or war in the Middle East. I deeply regret the withdrawal by @realDonaldTrump from #JCPOA," Michel wrote in a tweet. The EU and its international partners must remain committed and Iran must continue to fulfill its obligations, he continued. Flash The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday in a statement that Moscow is deeply disappointed by the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and there are no grounds for such a move. "Iran strictly adheres to its obligations, which is regularly confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We fully support and welcome this," the ministry said, adding that Washington's action undermined international trust in the IAEA. The United States is once again acting contrary to the opinion of most countries, caring about its own interests, and grossly violating the norms of international law, it said. Russia remains open to further interaction with other participants of the Iran nuclear deal and will continue to actively develop bilateral cooperation and political dialogue with Iran, the ministry said. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier in the day that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015 by Iran, Russia, the United States, Britain, China, France and Germany. Trump repeated his tough stance on the deal, saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism in the region. Flash Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday called on China, Japan and South Korea to jointly safeguard free trade, expand investment and industrial capacity cooperation, as well as enhance enhance innovation cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Cooperation among China, Japan and South Korea, as neighbors or regional major economies, has resilience and vitality with broad prospects, Li said while addressing a business summit of the three countries. The business summit was held following a trilateral meeting between Li, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Tokyo. The Chinese premier urged the three countries to create a peaceful and stable environment for development, stick to the path of peaceful development, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and properly handle sensitive issues and disputes. As beneficiaries and advocates of globalization with the experience of being under the pressure of trade protectionism, the Chinese premier said, the three countries should jointly push forward globalization and safeguard free trade. "Faced with the severe situation of rising protectionism and unilateralism, China, Japan and South Korea should hold together firmly to support free trade and jointly defend rules-based multilateral trade system," Li said. The Chinese premier also called for accelerating negotiations on a China-Japan-South Korea free trade agreement (FTA) and pushing for an early agreement on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) so as to promote the building of East Asian Economic Community. On expanding investment and industrial capacity cooperation, Li said, each of the three countries has its own advantages and the prospects for cooperation are broad. The Belt and Road Initiative is creating new room for their cooperation, he added. Concerning innovation cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, Li said China is willing to work with Japan and South Korea in areas including digital economy, artificial intelligence, environmental protection, and medical service and health. China has maintained an annual growth of 7.1 percent over the past five years, contributing to over 30 percent of world economic growth, thanks to its reform and opening up, Li said, adding that it will continue to improve business environment and work to achieve a high-quality development by deepening its reform and opening up. Noting that the year 2019 marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the China-Japan-South Korea cooperation mechanism, Li urged businesses of the three countries to join hands to not only benefit the three countries but also provide new driving force for world economic growth. For his part, Japanese Prime Minister Abe said the three leaders have reached consensus on restarting Japan-China-South Korea cooperation, thus bringing new opportunities for their growth and cooperation. Abe highlighted finance, science and technology as well as coping with the challenges of an aging society as areas where the three countries should enhance cooperation. Noting that currently the Korean Peninsula has taken an important, favorable turn for peace, South Korean President Moon said this would create more investment opportunities for businesses. Moon urged the three countries to step up cooperation in such fields as research and development, energy, medical service, environmental protection and disaster management. By Bart Meijer, Reuters | May 08, 2018 Dutch union representatives said on Tuesday KLM would have to stick with its partnership with Air France even though the French airline is under increasing pressure from strikes. Air France shares fell more than 10 percent on Monday after the airlines CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac said he would resign over the rejection by staff of the airline's pay deal. Janaillac's exit has raised questions over Air France's ability to cut costs to compete with Gulf carriers and low-cost airlines. "We are very concerned about the situation at Air France, which should be resolved as soon as possible", director Michiel Wallaard of labour union CNV told Reuters. Air France-KLM last week said it expected profits to fall this year due to the effect of strikes at its French business. Profits at Dutch sister company KLM, which has succeeded in cutting costs, rose in the first quarter, in contrast with losses at Air France. "KLM is basically doing better than ever, as we have struck two very sober labour agreements in recent years. We now expect the other part of the company to follow," Wallaard said. Air France took over KLM in 2003 when the Dutch airline was struggling, but the two have continued to operate independently. Since then, KLM managed to agree several cost cutting deals with its staff, which has substantially improved its profitability and put it in a stronger position to compete with Gulf carriers and budget airlines. Unions Not Seeking Divorce Air France's problems have prompted calls in the Netherlands for KLM to free itself from its ailing partner, but the unions say the Dutch airline is too small to make it on its own. "To disentangle the companies would be stupid", director Leen van der List of union FNV said. "This is a global business in which you need strong partnerships. Both companies need to make the best of their relationship, to use its advantages and strengthen it." Wallaard agreed that single life would not be happy for KLM, but did not rule out the prospect of other partners, who might prove more attractive. "We want to continue with Air France and are not asking for a divorce", he said. "But without a rapid solution we have to think about Plan B. One of the scenarios that people think about is a takeover of KLM by another partner, such as Delta." KLM and Delta Air Lines are both members of the SkyTeam Airline Alliance. For now, though, the Dutch unions do not see another realistic option other than to wait for Air France to reach a compromise deal with staff. "There is an answer to every conflict, and I'm sure an independent outsider will be able to bring the solution," Van der List said. "But it needs to be done quick, we can't afford to wait weeks." Air France pilots, cabin crew and ground staff were on strike for a fifteenth day since February on Tuesday and Air France said one in five flights would be cancelled. By Julie Johnsson, Ben Katz, Bloomberg News | May 08, 2018 The U.S. withdrawal from a nuclear accord with Iran slams shut what had been a brief opening for historic aircraft sales by Boeing Co. and Airbus SE to the Islamic Republic. President Donald Trump's announcement that the U.S would seek to reimpose sanctions left little hope that the planemaking duopolists will be able to consummate US$40 billion in aircraft deals struck by Iranian carriers during the brief trade thaw. Both companies' export licenses to Iran will be revoked, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters. The plane orders, badly needed to upgrade the Islamic Republic's museum-vintage airliners, would have had the potential to build Tehran into an aviation hub that could better compete with Dubai and Qatar, the region's aviation super powers. They also represent a lost opportunity for Chicago-based Boeing and Toulouse, France-based Airbus. The European planemaker is subject to U.S. export restrictions to Iran because more than 10 percent of the parts on its jets originate with U.S. companies such as United Technologies Corp., Rockwell Collins Inc. and General Electric Co. Airbus said it will "carefully analyze" the implications of the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic before deciding how to proceed. "This might take some time, " a spokesman for the company said by email. Boeing Response "We will consult with the U.S. government on next steps. As we have throughout this process, we'll continue to follow the U.S. government's lead," Gordon Johndroe, a Boeing vice president, said in a statement. While the Obama administration had licensed the sales by both Airbus and Boeing to Iran Air in late 2016, the planemakers handled the orders very differently. Airbus recorded the sales in its order backlog and delivered three jets, while its ATR venture shipped eight turboprops. Boeing never closed its transaction with Iran Air, and downplayed the historic deal's prospects after Trump took office. In recent months, the largest U.S. exporter had quietly lined up other customers for some of the 777-300ER jetliners once intended for Iran Air this year. "Looking back, they took very different approaches: Boeing was very conservative in booking and building, and Airbus was very aggressive," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace consultant with Teal Group. Airbus Orders Airbus has 95 undelivered planes bound for Iran Air in its backlog. They include 16 crucial orders for its biggest A350 wide-body and 28 for its yet-to-be-delivered A330neo. Another 12 smaller turboprops manufactured by ATR, are still due to be delivered to Iran's national flag carrier. Investor reaction was muted since Trump had long been critical of the nuclear pact. Boeing shares dipped less than 1 percent to US$338.49 at the close of trading in New York, while Airbus shares were little changed in Paris. "We have no Iranian deliveries that are scheduled or a part of the skyline this year, so those have been deferred in line with the U.S. government processes," Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg told investors April 25. "If those orders do come to fruition, if we do ultimately deliver airplanes, those represent opportunities for us." Other manufacturers said they were reviewing the U.S. decision and emphasized their compliance with export controls. In an emailed statement, General Electric Co. said it would "adapt our activities as necessary to conform with these changes in U.S. law." Siemens AG said, "we look to governments to set the rules and are waiting for further guidance from the international community." By Li Yan, Ecns.cn | May 09, 2018 Korean airline company Asiana Airlines has placed Taiwan under the category Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan on its website, in contrast with U.S. airline companies. Asiana Airlines recently moved Taiwan from the "Southeast Asia" category into the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan category. The move came after the White House recently indicated that American citizens and private companies would not list Taiwan, Hong Kong and Maca0 as part of China. Many Chinese netizens hailed the move by Asiana Airlines, with many saying they are making the right decision and that it could encourage more tourism to South Korea. "Do not try to follow the U.S. in every matter. The U.S. only wants to irritate China but it knows the Chinese mainland and Taiwan markets well. South Korea is smarter," read one comment on Sina Weibo. It is normal to see that South Korea isn't following the U.S. in the Taiwan question, Lu Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. South Korea, a U.S. military ally, has placed much more importance on Sino-South Korean ties recently, which has seen an improvement after South Korean President Moon Jae-in took office, Lu said. South Korea cannot risk suffering economic losses again as it has learned from previous lessons, such as tensions over THAAD and the boycott of Lotte Group, he added. The Chinese Civil Aviation Administration released a notice in April asking foreign air carriers - including a number of American airlines - to stop referring to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao as separate countries. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the press on Sunday that foreign firms operating in China should respect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and observe Chinese laws and respect the feelings of the Chinese people. Japan Airlines, however, still puts Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in a position equivalent to China's. U.S. airline companies, including American Airlines and United Airlines, that list Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao as separate nations remained unchanged as of press time. Central and Eastern European countries are expected to explore opportunities for further cooperation with China through the Belt and Road Initiative at an international financial exchange and cooperation seminar that opened in Beijing on Tuesday. Thirty-one participants, mainly government officials, from Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Montenegro are participating in the 10-day seminar. Delegates will attend lectures conducted by experts on global economic trends, China's national development strategies and infrastructure investment. The speakers include Zhu Min, head of the National Institute of Financial Research at Tsinghua University and former vice-president of International Monetary Fund, and Jin Liqun, president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. BAGHDAD - Iraqis head to the polls this weekend for the first time since the government declared victory against the Islamic State extremist group. The May 12 election, the fourth since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, will be dominated by the same leaders and factions that emerged 15 years ago. But the atrocities committed by IS against fellow Sunnis, the hard-fought national campaign against the extremist group and new rifts among the dominant Shiite blocs seem to have eased the sectarian tensions that marked past votes. The main fault-line is between Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who has deftly balanced influences of the United States and Iran, and other Shiite politicians seen as closer to Iran. Iraqis, meanwhile, expect little from what is sure to be another fractious coalition government. Fifteen years after the US invasion, the country still suffers from widespread power outages and poor public services, and low oil prices have further eviscerated the economy. In Sunni-majority areas, where the war against the IS group destroyed vital infrastructure and countless homes, the challenges are even greater. The contenders Nearly 7,000 candidates are vying for 329 parliament seats. No single alliance appears capable of winning a majority, so the eventual government will be formed after horse-trading that could drag on for months. After the elections in 2010, it took eight months to form a new government. The candidates leading the most powerful alliances are al-Abadi, former prime minister Nuri al-Maliki and Hadi al-Amiri, a former minister of transport who also led paramilitary fighters against IS. Abadi, who assumed office shortly after IS swept across much of northern and western Iraq, presided over the campaign that eventually drove the group from virtually all the territory it once controlled. He's seen as an urbane technocrat who has maintained good relations with Washington and Teheran. He also appears best placed to reach beyond the country's Shiite majority and court Sunni votes, which could provide a margin of victory in a close-fought race. Maliki, who governed Iraq for eight years, remains a powerful figure despite having stepped aside in disgrace when the military crumbled in the face of IS. Amiri was a commander in the Popular Mobilization Forces, the mostly Shiite militias who helped push back the extremists. As with previous elections, Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who also commands a state-sanctioned militia, is expected to translate his popular following into enough votes to make him a key player during government formation negotiations. His fighters once battled US troops, and he remains opposed to any US presence in Iraq. The US-led coalition played a key role in the defeat of IS. But since Abadi declared victory over the group last year, there have been mounting calls for the US to withdraw. About 5,200 US troops remain in Iraq, according to figures released by the Pentagon in December. Associated Press (China Daily 05/09/2018 page11) NAIROBI - Kenya could be staring at a health crisis as raging floods that have wreaked havoc in many parts of the country threaten to unleash a wave of communicable diseases like cholera, typhoid, malaria and influenza. The Ministry of Health and relief agencies have sounded alarm over possible outbreaks in low lying parts of the country and major cities grappling with the aftermath of heavy rains. So far, the ministry has directed county governments to allocate funds toward reducing the threat of waterborne diseases. In its latest briefing, the Kenya Red Cross revealed that 112 people had died as a result of floods since mid-March, when the rains began. Abbas Gullet, the Secretary-General at the Kenya Red Cross, said at a media briefing on Friday that an estimated 260,000 people displaced by floods were at risk of disease. "We are monitoring the situation in the camps for people displaced by floods to ward off outbreaks. Our volunteers have been providing purification gadgets in flooded regions to keep water-borne diseases at bay," said Gullet. The Kenya Red Cross has already made a $5 million appeal for local and international aid to help provide emergency assistance to 150,000 flood victims in the western, northeastern and coastal regions. Gullet said the bulk of the money will be earmarked for food, clean drinking water and medical kits to families marooned by floods in low-lying plains. "Our immediate areas of intervention include supply of water treatment chemicals to prevent a cholera outbreak in flooded regions," said Gullet, adding that people will also be supplied with mosquito nets to minimize the risk of contracting malaria. Kenya and its neighbors in the greater eastern African region such as Rwanda and Somalia have been experiencing extreme rainfall accompanied by flash floods, which have left many people dead and destroyed transport, power and communications infrastructure as well as hospitals and schools. In Kenya, both the central government and relief agencies have scaled up emergency interventions in regions affected by flooding to prevent a humanitarian crisis. Local media reports indicate that counties in the west and the coastal region have sought additional financial support from central government and relief agencies to procure essential drugs and promote environmental hygiene in the wake of heavy flooding. Xinhua Villagers are evacuated by a Kenyas Red Cross boat from their flooded village on April 28.Andrew Kasuku / Agence Francepresse (China Daily 05/09/2018 page11) Zhou Enlai always held HK close to his heart Updated: 2018-05-10 05:59 (HK Edition) Wang Zhimin says photographic tribute is an opportunity for HK people to learn the late premier's deep commitment to their city Editor's note: This article is a translated excerpt of Wang Zhimin's speech at the opening ceremony of a commemorative photo exhibition in Hong Kong on Tuesday, marking the 120th anniversary of the late premier's birth. Today we celebrate the 120th anniversary of the birth of Zhou Enlai - the people's premier - and recall his extraordinary life with a grand exhibition. This faithfully details Zhou's unreserved dedication to realizing the communist ideal his whole life, and some of the most touching moments of his contribution to the well-being of the Chinese nation, including those residing in Hong Kong. At a symposium commemorating the 120th anniversary of Comrade Zhou Enlai held on March 1 in Beijing, Communist Party of China General Secretary Xi Jinping said in his speech: "Every time we hear the name Zhou Enlai we feel warm and proud. The outstanding achievements he made in serving the Chinese people's happiness and the Chinese nation's rejuvenation are enshrined in the hearts of us all and those around the world that pursue peace and justice." We will always remember Premier Zhou's profound spiritual connection with Hong Kong from a historical perspective and the importance he attached to Hong Kong regarding its special significance to the country. In the 1920s, when he was still a young man, Zhou came to Hong Kong three times on revolutionary missions and worked in locations such as Central and Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island, and Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon. After Japanese aggressors occupied Hong Kong on Dec 25, 1941, Zhou directed urgent efforts to secretly bring many well-known patriots and social elites out of Hong Kong to safety, including picking the safe routes and measures to help them settle down. Described by Mao Dun as the "greatest rescue mission since the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression broke out", it rescued more than 800 celebrities from Hong Kong over a period of 11 months; it helped more than 2,000 patriotic young people from Hong Kong and overseas reach the Chinese mainland to join the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. In the days when the War of Liberation was close to its triumphant conclusion, Zhou personally arranged safe trips for many leaders of democratic parties and patriotic organizations from Hong Kong and overseas to meet with CPC leaders in the liberated area in North China and discuss matters concerning national government. The meeting gave birth to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Premier Zhou also devoted his life to realizing the great reunification of the Chinese nation; we will never forget this - such as how much thought he gave about when the right time would be for China to resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and the best way to handle the transition of Hong Kong governance smoothly. He firmly believed in achieving the ultimate reunification of the Chinese nation. The former premier did everything in his physical and intellectual capacity to advance this great cause. When the People's Liberation Army reached the boundary between Guangdong and Hong Kong after liberating the rest of the country, the highest decision-making core, headed by Mao Zedong, decided to "plan for the long run and make full use (of Hong Kong as it was)" instead of taking the city back from the British by force. Zhou played an important role in that decision-making process. We will always remember Premier Zhou's advice in 1956 that "maintaining the status quo does not mean hands off (Hong Kong) forever, or else we will be sorry to our descendants as well as our forefathers". In April 1957, he said at a symposium with the business community in Shanghai that "our policies on Hong Kong are different from those on the mainland"; "Hong Kong must do things the capitalist way in order to exist and develop", and "Hong Kong and Macao compatriots need not worry about their future". He also emphasized more than once: "Hong Kong is a free port and should therefore play that role well." In the 1970s he was the first senior Chinese leader to tell foreign guests and the press in public that Hong Kong was part of China's territory and the country would eventually resume its sovereign rule over Hong Kong; the question of Hong Kong will be resolved through negotiation and consultation with all parties concerned when related treaties expire in due time; China would not take any sudden action unilaterally. These comments reflected Chairman Mao's strategic thinking. This paved the way for the "one country, two systems" principle put forward by Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s. We will always remember Premier Zhou's unconditional love for the people and his sincere dedication to leading the government in serving the people wholeheartedly. This includes his lifelong care for Hong Kong compatriots and the well-being of Hong Kong society. In the 1960s, when the mainland was plagued by widespread shortages of daily necessities caused by three years of natural calamities, Premier Zhou emphasized many times that all regional governments should do whatever they could to ensure a basic supply of daily necessities for Hong Kong compatriots, describing such efforts as "a political task". He also made the decision to supply Hong Kong and Macao with live poultry, livestock and produce onboard "three express freight trains" regularly. When Hong Kong was hit by the worst fresh-water shortage in history in 1963, Premier Zhou, after learning about the plight of Hong Kong people, immediately instructed Guangdong provincial authorities to do anything necessary to help. To ensure a long-term fresh water supply for Hong Kong, he decided to divert the Dongjiang River to Hong Kong via Shenzhen despite enormous difficulties and hardships facing people on the mainland at that time. The diversion project was completed on March 1, 1965. It began supplying Hong Kong with 60 million cubic meters of fresh water daily - accounting for two thirds of Hong Kong's annual demand. (HK Edition 05/10/2018 page8) JD's largest unmanned supermarket launches in Xiongan By Zhang Jie ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2018-05-08 China's leading e-commerce player JD's largest unmanned supermarket opened in Xiongan New Area during the Labor Day holiday , according to the firm's public WeChat account on Tuesday. The 246 square-meter supermarket contains multiple cutting-edge technologies, including biological recognition, artificial identification and internet of things, allowing customers to check prices on electric screens and pay their bill by facial identification. Last year, JD signed agreements with Chinese real estate developer China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd, with a goal to build hundreds of unmanned convenience stores in China's biggest cites. Currently, the unmanned supermarkets have opened in Beijing, Tianjin, Yantai, Dalian, Suqian, Xi'an and Changchun. Based on the latest master plan for Xiongan New Area to develop it into a modern city that is green, intelligent and livable, with relatively strong competitiveness and a harmonious human-environment interaction by 2035. Some high-tech companies and business giants such as Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu will set footprints in the place. Fun, Uplifting Drop Off Film, Tackles Greed, Discrimination, and Teen Envy From the Director of Walt Disney's "Where the Red Fern Grows" Contact: Stephen Penn, MONUMENT, Colo., May 9, 2018 / Pursued by the two criminals who disposed of the cash, the desperate teens soon learn that money doesn't bring happiness. When their pastor gently reminds them to seek the Truth, they realize there's only one way to find lasting peace. Written, directed and produced by Lyman Dayton, the Drop Off cast includes Youtube sensation and the Pepsi/Hard Rock Cafe "2017 Rising Artist of the Year," Alex Boye', as Pastor Aiken. America's Got Talent fans may also recognize Boye' from the show's 10th season. The humorous, heartwarming 90-minute film, Drop Off, also features Jacque Gray (Lana), Paul D. Hunt (Verdugo), Shawn Stevens (Winston Pruitt), Tyler Truman (Agent Benson), Nicole Weeks (Samantha) and introduces Lucas Van Orden as Tim Parker, Jimmy Linares as Cruz, and Porter Nielsen as Josh. Exploration Films signed on to release Drop Off in North America in September. The film is currently available for licensed broadcasting, and will be available on VOD and DVD following a nationwide broadcast on Daystar Network May 12th . Pre-orders are available at For more information about licensing or sharing Drop Off, please contact: Stephen Penn at 719.481.4599, or email Website Alex Boye: Alex Boye Youtube: Share Tweet Contact: Stephen Penn, Exploration Films , 719-481-4599, penn.stephen@explorationfilms.com MONUMENT, Colo., May 9, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- Exploration Films announces the upcoming release of Drop Off, a moral tale about three young, underprivileged teens who stumble onto a discarded duffel bag filled with cash. Faced with the choice of notifying the police, or hiding the much-needed stash in a remote cave the young teens turn to a new adult friend who "won't ask a lot of questions." Having experienced the tragic loss of his own wife and son, the troubled man (Wilson Pruitt) agrees to create a 'philanthropic fund,' to help avoid the potential loss of home (Tim), health (Cruz) and parents (Josh).Pursued by the two criminals who disposed of the cash, the desperate teens soon learn that money doesn't bring happiness. When their pastor gently reminds them to seek the Truth, they realize there's only one way to find lasting peace.Written, directed and produced by Lyman Dayton, the Drop Off cast includes Youtube sensation and the Pepsi/Hard Rock Cafe "2017 Rising Artist of the Year," Alex Boye', as Pastor Aiken. America's Got Talent fans may also recognize Boye' from the show's 10th season. The humorous, heartwarming 90-minute film, Drop Off, also features Jacque Gray (Lana), Paul D. Hunt (Verdugo), Shawn Stevens (Winston Pruitt), Tyler Truman (Agent Benson), Nicole Weeks (Samantha) and introduces Lucas Van Orden as Tim Parker, Jimmy Linares as Cruz, and Porter Nielsen as Josh.Exploration Films signed on to release Drop Off in North America in September. The film is currently available for licensed broadcasting, and will be available on VOD and DVD following a nationwide broadcast on Daystar Network May 12th . Pre-orders are available at www.explorationfilms.com . As a leading film distributor, Exploration Films brings quality faith and family documentaries and feature films to market. The Colorado-based team strives to deliver inspiring content that elevates the culture and evokes the best in the human soul.For more information about licensing or sharing Drop Off, please contact:Stephen Penn at 719.481.4599, or email penn.stephen@explorationfilms.com Website www.explorationfilms.com/dropoff.html Alex Boye: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Boy%C3%A9 Alex Boye Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCCdZ3uBYxb_wt85dvvt2kvQ Calley Continues Comeback Committee Screens New Film, 'On Duty' Today, 4:30 p.m. Contact: Jordan Gehrke, 586-799-2056 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 9, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today at 4:30 the CCC PAC will release a new film, "On Duty." The film shows Bill Schuette like you have never seen him before. You will not want to miss this. Film Release Press Call Info: Join the call: www.uberconference.com/ccc-pac Optional dial in number: 517-258-1156 No PIN needed FILM TEASERS: Every morning, like clockwork. "Good morning, Governor. It's Schuette on Duty..." Paid for with regulated funds by Calley Continues Comeback, Inc. PO Box 68232, Grand Rapids, MI 49516 Not authorized by any candidate committee. Share Tweet 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. AKRON, Ohio - In early results from the Summit County Board of Elections, voters in the Woodridge School district are rejecting a levy that would increase annual property tax bills $287 a year per $100,000 of home value. In a tight race, the levy is failing by 50.1 percent of votes. Residents in Macedonia are against raising city income tax .25 percent to pay for fire and police operations with 54 percent voting against Here's how issues in Summit County communities are faring in early voting results: School tax issues Norton City schools: Property tax Voters in the Norton school district are against a continuing tax of 3.5 mills for five years for current expenses with 63 percent voting against the tax. The tax raise taxes $123 per year per $100,000 of home valuation, beginning in 2019. Woodridge Local schools: Property tax In the Woodridge school district, 50.1 percent of voters are against a 8.19 mill tax for five years for emergency requirements of the district would amount to an increase of $287 per year per $100,000 of home value beginning in 2019. Income tax issues Hudson: Income tax Issue 3, a reallocation of .24 percent of a 1 percent income tax increase approved in 2004 in Hudson, 87 percent of voters are for the tax. The issue would allocate the full 24 percent for the fire department and emergency medical services combined, rather than divide the funds at 15 percent for fire and 9 percent for emergency medical services. The change would begin July 1, 2018. Macedonia: Income tax In Macedonia, 54 percent of voters are against a proposed 25 percent increase in the city's income tax to pay for fire department, police operations and service department operations. The increase would cost workers earning $50,000 per year about $125 per year. Charter amendment Stow: Charter amendment In Stow, 85 percent of voters are approving a charter amendment that would require any income tax increase in Stow to go before voters for approval. It would prohibit the city from increasing the income-tax rate or decreasing its credit for income tax paid to other cities. Municipal tax issues Twinsburg Township: Property tax Twinsburg voters are approving a 2.8 mill property tax increase with 54 percent of the vote. The tax would pay for police protection. If approved, the increase will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $98 annually and go into effect in 2019. Reminderville Village: Property tax A 3 mill property tax for five years to pay for streets, roads and bridges has 54 percent of voters for the tax in Reminderville Village. If it passes, residents will pay about $9 per year per $100,000 of home valuation, starting in 2019. Richfield Township: Two property tax issues Richfield Township's first property tax issue is being approved by 83 percent of voters. The 1.1 mill tax for five years would pay for waste collection and disposal, and cost a homeowner$38.50 per $100,000 valuation, starting next year. Voters are also approving a 2.3 mill tax renewal and decrease for three years with 92 percent of vote . The tax would pay for firefighting and emergency medical services and cost $24 per year per $100,000 in home value, starting in 2019. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. AKRON, Ohio - Here's how several prominent tax issues are faring with 300 of 420 precincts reporting in Summit County: School tax issues Norton City schools: Property tax Fifty-three percent of residents in the Norton school district are against a continuing tax of 3.5 mills for five years for current expenses. The tax raise taxes $123 per year per $100,000 of home valuation, beginning in 2019. But this total shows only early voting totals so it's still too soon to call a winner. Woodridge Local schools: Property tax Voters in the Woodridge School district are still rejecting a levy 51 percent to 49 percent. The levy would increase annual property tax bills $287 a year per $100,000 of home value beginning in 2019. Income tax issues Hudson: Income tax In Hudson, voters are approving Issue 3 with 88 percent of votes, a reallocation of .24 percent of a 1 percent income tax increase approved in 2004 in Hudson. The issue would allocate the full 24 percent for the fire department and emergency medical services combined, rather than divide the funds at 15 percent for fire and 9 percent for emergency medical services. The change would begin July 1, 2018. Macedonia: Income tax Fifty-four percent of percent of voters have cast their ballots in opposition to raising city income tax to pay for fire and police operations. The increase would cost workers earning $50,000 per year about $125 per year. Charter amendment Stow: Charter amendment In Stow, 87 percent of voters are approving a charter amendment that would require any income tax increase in Stow to go before voters for approval. It would prohibit the city from increasing the income-tax rate or decreasing its credit for income tax paid to other cities. Municipal tax issues Twinsburg Township: Property tax Twinsburg voters are approving a 2.8 mill property tax increase with 54 percent of the vote in favor. The tax would pay for police protection. If approved, the increase will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $98 annually and go into effect in 2019. Reminderville Village: Property tax In Reminderville Village, 53 percent of voters have cast ballots in favor of a 3 mill property tax for five years to pay for streets, roads and bridges. If it passes, residents will pay about $9 per year per $100,000 of home valuation, starting in 2019. Richfield Township: Two property tax issues Richfield Township's first property tax issue is passing with 83 percent of votes in favor. The 1.1 mill tax for five years would pay for waste collection and disposal, and cost a homeowner $38.50 per $100,000 valuation, starting next year. Voters are also approving a 2.3 mill tax renewal and decrease for three years with 92 percent of votes. The tax would pay for firefighting and emergency medical services and cost $24 per year per $100,000 in home value, starting in 2019. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. AKRON, Ohio - It was a tough night for several communities who asked voters for more money to pay for schools. Woodridge and Norton tax issues failed, according to final, unofficial results. School tax issues Norton City schools: Property tax Fifty-five percent of residents in the Norton school district voted against a continuing tax of 3.5 mills for five years for current expenses. The tax would have raised taxes $123 per year per $100,000 of home valuation, beginning in 2019. Woodridge Local schools: Property tax In a tight race, voters in the Woodridge School district rejected a levy 51 percent to 49 percent. The levy would have increased annual property tax bills $287 a year per $100,000 of home value beginning in 2019. Income tax issues Hudson: Income tax In Hudson, voters are approved Issue 3 with 86 percent of votes. It will reallocate .24 percent of a 1 percent income tax increase approved in 2004 in Hudson. The issue will allocate the full 24 percent for the fire department and emergency medical services combined, rather than divide the funds at 15 percent for fire and 9 percent for emergency medical services. The change would begin July 1, 2018.will Macedonia: Income tax Fifty-three percent of voters cast ballots in opposition to raising city income tax to pay for fire and police operations. The increase would have cost workers earning $50,000 per year about $125 per year. Charter amendment Stow: Charter amendment In Stow, 87 percent of voters approved a charter amendment that would require any income tax increase in Stow to go before voters for approval. It will prohibit the city from increasing the income-tax rate or decreasing its credit for income tax paid to other cities. Municipal tax issues Twinsburg Township: Property tax Twinsburg voters approved a 2.8 mill property tax increase with 62 percent of the voters in favor. The tax will provide for police protection. The increase will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $98 annually and go into effect in 2019. Reminderville Village: Property tax In Reminderville Village, 54 percent of voters were in favor of a 3-mill property tax for five years to pay for streets, roads and bridges. Residents will pay about $9 per year per $100,000 of home valuation, starting in 2019. Richfield Township: Two property tax issues Richfield Township's first property tax issue passed with 67 percent of votes in favor. The 1.1 mill tax for five years will pay for waste collection and disposal, and cost a homeowner $38.50 per $100,000 valuation, starting next year. Voters also approved a 2.3 mill tax renewal and decrease for three years with 79 percent of votes. The tax will pay for firefighting and emergency medical services and cost $24 per year per $100,000 in home value, starting in 2019. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Mayor Frank Jackson's administration is urging City Council to approve a plan that would allow the city to team with Cleveland schools and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District in a bid to cut their utility bills. City Council's Utilities Committee on Wednesday held hearings on an ordinance that would allow the partnership. The goal is to get better rates on gas and electric services, said Cleveland Public Utilities Director Robert Davis. The ordinance before council would allow the city to seek proposals for providing the utility services, as well as allow hiring of an energy consultant to help manage the program for up to three years. No cost figures are attached to the ordinance. The Utilities Committee voted Wednesday to send the ordinance to council's Finance Committee. It could be approved by the full City Council before it begins its summer recess in early June. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Voters in Tuesday's primary election chose four Democratic candidates to vie for open seats on the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas bench. There were no contested judicial primaries on the Republican ballot, so the match-ups are now set for the November general election. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections showed Democratic voters were on their way to choosing a 35-year-old prosecutor over the county party's chosen candidate, as well as a longtime defense attorney, a judicial staff attorney and a party-endorsed suburban assistant law director. The primary featured a gaggle of assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutors and defense attorneys, as well as candidates with some familiar last names, who sought the chance to run for the four seats that will be left open in January because judges Stuart Friedman, Carolyn Friedland, Michael Jackson and Janet Burnside all were barred from running again because of their age. Deborah Turner emerges among crowded field of attorneys Bedford Heights assistant law director and assistant prosecutor Deborah M. Turner, 64, appeared to defeat five other attorneys vying to replace Burnside, who was first elected to the bench in 1991. Turner, who had the support of U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge and the county's Democratic party, captured 34 percent of the vote, edging out the next closest candidate, longtime assistant prosecutor John J. Gallagher, by more than 16,000 votes. Cleveland Municipal Court Magistrate William Vodrey finished third, with Karrie Howard, Ronald "Mickey" Mottl Jr. and Thomas Rein rounding out the field. The winner of this contest will face Republican Lori Anne Dyke, unopposed on the Republican primary ballot, in November. Ashley Kilbane defeats Andrea Nelson Moore Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Ashley Kilbane, 35, edged Assistant Cuyahoga County Law Director Andrea Nelson Moore in the primary race to take over for Friedman, who is in his 30th year as a common pleas judge. Nelson Moore, 45, won the endorsement of Fudge and the county's Democratic party, despite quitting her previous job as the county's assistant inspector general in 2016, after she committed ethics violations in her first campaign to join the Common Pleas bench. She was losing her second campaign at the bench to Kilbane by a margin of more than 13,000 votes. quitting her previous job as the county's assistant inspector general in 2016, after she committed ethics violations in her first campaign to join the Common Pleas bench. The winner will face Republican Bradley Hull IV in the fall. William McGinty over Andrew Santoli In the closest of the four races, Democratic appeared to choose longtime defense attorney William McGinty over Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Andrew Santoli to run for Jackson's seat. McGinty, 65, is a career defense attorney and was elected in 2015 to be Fairview Park's law director. He was leading Santoli by a margin of 53 percent to 46 percent. McGinty will go on to face Republican Lorraine Coyne in the November general election. Emily Hagan defeats Michael Rendon and Retanio Rucker After running unsuccessfully for the Ohio Senate two years ago, 40-year-old judicial staff attorney Emily Hagan appeared on her way to securing a spot on the November ballot to replace Friedland. Hagan had 53 percent of the vote over defense lawyer Michael Rendon's 35 percent. Retanio Rucker, a juvenile court magistrate, captured just 10 percent of the vote. Hagan will take on lawyer Brian Darling, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, in November. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday denied the latest appeal brought by Richard Beasley, the condemned Summit County man convicted of luring three men to his home through fake job offers to kill them. The state's high court declined to reconsider its earlier decision that Supreme Court Justice Patrick DeWine did not have to recuse himself from hearing Beasley's earlier appeal because two lawyers in the office of DeWine's father, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, served as special prosecutors alongside county prosecutors at Beasley's trial. Beasley, 58, teamed up with a teenager to use the free classified ad website to put up postings promising jobs on a southeastern Ohio farm. He killed Ralph Geiger, David Pauley and Timothy Kern. He also shot Scott Davis, who survived. A Summit County judge sentenced him to death in 2013. The court in February upheld Beasley's conviction unanimously and upheld his death sentence by a 6-1 vote. To comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Rudy Giuliani's days as Trump's Legal Eagle may be numbered after he flew into his second window in a row on ABC's "This Week." Instead of doubling-down on damage control for his client, Giuliani doubled-down on doing more damage in another disastrous interview. Rudy once again revealed he's not be fully up to speed. In the interview with George Stephanopoulos, Giuliani dismissed Trump lying to the press as "political" and "not a crime." He said Trump may defy a subpoena, may plead the fifth and may have paid hush money to more women through Michael Cohen. According to multiple reports, Trump's new attack dog is now on a short leash. POLITICO writes, "The president has been griping to associates that Rudy Giuliani has failed to shut down the Stormy Daniels hush money saga. And he has expressed frustration that Giuliani's media appearances are raising more questions than they are answering." After bringing up Stormy Daniels in the Sean Hannity interview, and telling Hannity Trump paid back Cohen the $130,000. Giuliani tells Stephanopoulos, "You know, I'm not really involved in the -- in the Daniels thing. So I don't --I don't know. I mean, he denies that it happened. Then when asked if Cohen paid off more women, Giuliani says "if it was necessary, yes." Rudy Scaramucci POLITICO reports that some White House aides expect Trump to fire Giuliani if his behavior doesn't change. According to CNN, Giuliani's media blitz performance reminds some in the White House of Anthony Scaramucci's flame-out after just 11 days as communication's director. "I think this thing will burn out. Either he'll change his behavior, or he's not going to do it very long," a senior White House official told CNN of Giuliani's role representing Trump, which he called a "little charade." Giuliani, had wanted to be Secretary of State. He even weighed in on foreign policy issues in recent interviews. Trump reportedly rejected Giuliani for that role fearing he had lost a step and was too unhinged. His original instincts are proving to be correct. Today, Trump may try to distract from his attack dog Rudy chasing his tail with a "wag the dog" move of nuking the Iran Nuke Deal. The problem is, Secretary of State wannabe Rudy will likely offer his unsolicited opinion on that in his next interview. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Following President Trump's election day vote to withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal, the winners are hardliners in the United States, Israel and Iran. The loser is world security. Trump's baseless decision to scrap yet another international deal the United States agreed to, scraps the credibility of the nation as a negotiating partner who can be trusted to keep its commitments. The reckless move makes America, its allies and the world less secure. Calling the deal "defective at it's core" and based on a "giant fiction," Trump pointed to a recent Benjamin Netanyahu presentation where Trump said Israel's prime minister "conclusively" showed Iran negotiated in bad faith and violated the deal. Trump and Netanyahu's assertions were the real "giant fiction." Israel's military and security leaders have actually said Iran has been in compliance with the deal. Israel military chief of staff Lt. Gen Gadi Eisenkot told Haaretz Newspapers that he knows of no Iranian deal violations as Israel watches closely for them. "If its intentions change, we will know. Right now the agreement, with all its faults, is working and is putting off the realization of the Iranian nuclear vision by 10 to 15 years," Eisenkot told the paper, before Trump nuked the nuke deal. Tamir Pardo, the former head of Israel's Mossad spy agency said that "Iran is fully complying with the nuclear deal." Iran hasn't violated the deal, but the United States under Trump's direction has violated the deal with the decision to break it. For Trump, the Iran deal is "defective at its core" only because it was signed by President Obama and negotiated by his Secretary of State, John Kerry. Trump breaks one campaign promise by keeping another. Trump is keeping one of his campaign promises to break the deal, but he's also breaking from one of his campaign mantras by withdrawing from the deal. Even before he entered the 2016 election, Trump has consistently railed against the Iraq war, and those who led the nation into it based on falsehoods. But Trump named John Bolton, one of the Iraq war's chief proponents, his National Security Adviser and is now doing Bolton's neocon bidding by breaking the Iran deal. Bolton still defends the Iraq war and wouldn't mind getting into another one with Iran. He has advocated bombing Iran in the past and is pushing for a regime change strategy as he did in Irag. This is everything Trump once campaigned against. No one disagrees that the Iran deal was flawed. That was understood by every nation that was a party to it, along with the U.S. --Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. But there were better options for the U.S. and Trump than to completely withdraw. Trump's own new Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, had been among the many leaders who advocated for first trying to negotiate a new side/adjunct deal with Iran, and the other nations in the deal, to fix some of its known flaws. When it was first signed, it was thought a flawed deal was better and made the mideast and world safer, than no deal at all. That hasn't changed. Trump and Netanyahu have now made the hardliners in Iran stronger against Iran's more moderate leaders. They have given them an excuse and justification to aggressively pursue their nuclear ambitions. As the Trump administration prepares to enter talks with Kim Jong Un over North Korea's nuclear program, there is plenty of reasons not to trust North Korea. But now Trump has given Kim Jong Un and China real reason not to trust the United States while Trump is leading it. "The Art of a Deal" author has shown himself to be nothing more than a deal breaker, except when it comes to trying to enforce his Non-disclosure Agreements with Porn Stars and Playboy Playmates. MEDINA, Ohio -- A 0.2 percent Medina County sales tax to support criminal justice and administrative operating costs went down by a resounding vote of 14,388 to 8,442 May 8, based upon unofficial results from the Medina County Board of Elections. The sales tax would have generated an estimated $5.3 million a year. County Administrator Scott Miller was not available for comment on election night, but said earlier that the tax increase was part of the county's attempt to put a responsible capital improvement plan in place. In addition to county building repairs and updates, Miller said, the tax revenues would have been used to free up general fund dollars for the county's mental health, children's services and senior agencies. Following the defeat at the polls, it was unclear when, or if, the county would revisit the sales tax issue. School levies supported Meanwhile, voters across Medina County supported school renewal levies in the Medina, Highland and Brunswick districts. "We are extremely grateful for the continued support of our Highland families and residents," said Highland Local Schools Communications Director Dawn Marzano of voters' 2,014 to 1,333 support of the Highland levy. "This levy represents approximately 13 percent of our operating budget and is critical to the day-to-day operation of our school district. We are thankful that the community once again renewed this levy, which was originally passed in 1998," Marzano said. The Brunswick City Schools renewal passed by a slimmer 2,890 to 2,377 margin, and the Medina City Schools levy garnered a 5,071 to 3,341 vote win, based upon unofficial results from the Board of Elections. "We are pleased to have the community's support on Issue 2," said Brunswick Superintendent Michael Mayell. "While this was not a tax increase it was important to continue that $4.6 million of funding because it equals seven percent of our revenues and expenses. This will allow the district to maintain the excellence that has been established over the years and keep the district financially stable. We thank the community for their support of education and Brunswick City Schools." Medina Superintendent Aaron Sable said passage of the renewal levy was vital to the district's five-year plan process. "Part of this process was identifying the financial needs to allow our district to meet and or exceed the established expectations," Sable said. "It is due to the high level of fiscal responsibility during the term of the current emergency levy that is allowing us to fully implement our strategic plan without asking for additional funds. We will continue to insure that our schools meet our community's expectations in a fiscally responsible way. Thank you to all Medina Battling Bees for your support." Please take a moment and click here to help the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, a cleveland.com partner. Every dollar you give buys four meals for the hungry. CLEVELAND, Ohio -Cleveland Heights council member Cheryl Stephens defeated incumbent Cuyahoga County Council member Michael Houser in the District 10 Democratic primary. Stephens received 53 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. She currently faces no opposition in November. Houser was appointed to the seat vacated when Anthony Hairston was elected to Cleveland City Council. Stephens had sought the appointment. Cuyahoga County Council President Dan Brady defeated his primary opponent Lyonette Cintron. Brady garnered 63 percent of the votes. He is unopposed in November. Five other council members faced no primary opponents and are unopposed in November. They are: District 1: Incumbent Republican Nan Baker District 5: Incumbent Republican Michael Gallagher District 7: Incumbent Democrat Yvonne Conwell District 9: Incumbent Democrat Shontel Brown District 11: Incumbent Democrat Sunny Simon. County Executive Armond Budish faced no primary opponents. But Budish, a Democrat, will face Republican write-in candidate Peter Corrigan in November. Stephens will serve the remaining two years of Hairston's term. She is chief executive officer at the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation. Stephens, 59, had said she would resign from Cleveland Heights council, but would continue to work full-time while serving on County Council, as other members do. Houser, 29, left his position as special assistant to then-Cuyahoga County Chief of Staff Sharon Sobol Jordan to take the council job. Stephens said County Council's committees should take deep dives once a year on what issues face the county and nation and some best practices in other counties or states. She served as director of acquisition, disposition and development for the Cuyahoga Land Bank from 2009 to 2017 and said the county needs a strategy for re-developing commercial property and regaining housing values on Cleveland's East Side and in the eastern suburbs. District 10 includes East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, University Heights, Bratenahl and all or a portion of Wards 8 and 10 in Cleveland. In the District 3 race, Brady, who serves as council president, easily won. Citron, daughter of former Cleveland Council member Nelson Cintron, did not respond to requests for interviews and did not submit information to the editorial board for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. Brady, 64, has had a long political career and said this would be his last term of elected office. He is married to Cleveland City Council member Dona Brady. He has served on Council Council since 2011. He has served as council president since 2015. Brady said council needs to be an independent body and provide more oversight over the county executive's administration. District 3 includes Brooklyn, Linndale and several West Side Cleveland wards. The county executive serves for four years and is paid $175,000 a year. Council members serve four years and are paid $45,000 a year. Salaries for the part-time council members will increase to $52,000 a year beginning in 2019. The salary of the council president remains at $55,000. The salary increase for the council positions was approved by council in 2016. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County Council District 10 incumbent Michael Houser and Democratic primary opponent Cheryl Stephens are nearly tied, with 38 percent of ballots in the district counted, according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Houser has 50.1 percent of the vote and Stephens has 49.9 percent. Houser was appointed to the seat vacated when Anthony Hairston was elected to Cleveland City Council. Stephens, who sought the appointment, is opposing him in the Democratic primary. Cuyahoga County Council President Dan Brady has a large lead in his primary battle against Lyonette Cintron with 90 percent of the votes counted in the district. Brady is leading 63 percent to 37 percent. Five other council members faced no primary opponents and are unopposed in November. They are: District 1: Incumbent Republican Nan Baker District 5: Incumbent Republican Michael Gallagher District 7: Incumbent Democrat Yvonne Conwell District 9: Incumbent Democrat Shontel Brown District 11: Incumbent Democrat Sunny Simon. County Executive Armond Budish faced no primary opponents. But Budish, a Democrat, will face Republican write-in candidate Peter Corrigan in November. Houser or Stephens will serve the remaining two years of Hairston's term. Houser, who was appointed by Cuyahoga County Democratic precinct committee members in January to fill the vacated seat, faced Cheryl Stephens, chief executive officer at the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation and a Cleveland Heights City Council member. Stephens had sought appointment to the seat. Houser, 29, left his position as special assistant to then-Cuyahoga County Chief of Staff Sharon Sobol Jordan to take the council job. He said he does not plan to hold another job while serving on council. Stephens, 59, had said she would resign from Cleveland Heights council, but would continue to work full-time while serving on County Council, as other members do. Stephens said County Council's committees should take deep dives once a year on what issues face the county and nation and some best practices in other counties or states. Houser cited a "communication breakdown to a degree between the executive office and the council office," but added that steps are being taken to improve that. Stephens, who served as director of acquisition, disposition and development for the Cuyahoga Land Bank from 2009 to 2017, said the county needs a strategy for re-developing commercial property and regaining housing values on Cleveland's East Side and in the eastern suburbs. Houser said he will continue to support job creation. He said he also will make sure residents know what county resources exist, improve services for senior citizens and support health- and human-service programs. District 10 includes East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, University Heights, Bratenahl and all or a portion of Wards 8 and 10 in Cleveland. CLEVELAND, Ohio - A primary battle between Cuyahoga County Council District 10 incumbent Michael Houser and Cheryl Stephens is close, according to absentee votes. Houser has 56 percent of the vote and Stephens has 44 percent. Houser was appointed to the seat vacated when Anthony Hairston was elected to Cleveland City Council. Stephens, who sought the appointment, is opposing him in the Democratic primary. Cuyahoga County Council President Dan Brady has a large lead in his primary battle against Lyonette Cintron. Five other council members faced no primary opponents and are unopposed in November. They are: District 1: Incumbent Republican Nan Baker District 5: Incumbent Republican Michael Gallagher District 7: Incumbent Democrat Yvonne Conwell District 9: Incumbent Democrat Shontel Brown District 11: Incumbent Democrat Sunny Simon. County Executive Armond Budish faced no primary opponents. But Budish, a Democrat, will face Republican write-in candidate Peter Corrigan in November. Houser or Stephens will serve the remaining two years of Hairston's term. Houser, who was appointed by Cuyahoga County Democratic precinct committee members in January to fill the vacated seat, faced Cheryl Stephens, chief executive officer at the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation and a Cleveland Heights City Council member. Stephens had sought appointment to the seat. Houser, 29, left his position as special assistant to then-Cuyahoga County Chief of Staff Sharon Sobol Jordan to take the council job. He said he does not plan to hold another job while serving on council. Stephens, 59, had said she would resign from Cleveland Heights council, but would continue to work full-time while serving on County Council, as other members do. Stephens said County Council's committees should take deep dives once a year on what issues face the county and nation and some best practices in other counties or states. Houser cited a "communication breakdown to a degree between the executive office and the council office," but added that steps are being taken to improve that. Stephens, who served as director of acquisition, disposition and development for the Cuyahoga Land Bank from 2009 to 2017, said the county needs a strategy for re-developing commercial property and regaining housing values on Cleveland's East Side and in the eastern suburbs. Houser said he will continue to support job creation. He said he also will make sure residents know what county resources exist, improve services for senior citizens and support health- and human-service programs. District 10 includes East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, University Heights, Bratenahl and all or a portion of Wards 8 and 10 in Cleveland. CLEVELAND, Ohio - About 20 percent of registered voters in Cuyahoga County have cast a ballot in the primary election as of 5 p.m., according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Polls close at 7:30 p.m. The board provides live updates on its website, boe.cuyahogacounty.us. Officials had predicted a turnout of just under 30 percent. According to the most recent update, 71,894 absentee ballots have been cast compared to 100,625 at polling places. More than twice as many Democrats as Republicans have voted. The site also shows turnout by city and by precinct. Turnout ranges from 12 percent in Cleveland and East Cleveland to 34 percent in Seven Hills, where voters are casting ballots on a new tax for the Parma school district. The busiest times at the polls are in the morning and night as workers go to and from work. Absentee ballots can be returned to boards of elections by 7:30 p.m. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County voters on Tuesday approved a two-year renewal of one of two taxes that support health and human services. With 100 percent of votes counted, the issue passed 73 percent to 27 percent, according to unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. The 3.9-mill tax is one of two that fund health and human services, including foster care, services at the MetroHealth System, programs for senior citizens and support services for those suffering from mental illness. It generates $104 million a year and costs the owner of a $100,000 home $136.50 per year. Approval of the tax comes as a relief to county officials, who had feared that recent controversies might have a negative effect on the vote. The county's social services agencies have been criticized over the death of 4-year-old Aniya Day-Garrett. Aniya's mother and her mother's boyfriend have been charged with aggravated murder in the girl's death. County case workers have said they lacked evidence to remove the girl from her home. The county also is the focus of an ongoing corruption investigation. Prosecutors have subpoenaed records related to several county contracts and two administrators in the county's IT Department. The second health and human services tax, for 4.8-mills, was renewed by voters in 2016. The eight-year tax expires in 2024. Voters in 2020 will be asked to renew or increase the 3.9-mill tax for eight years, which would place a human services tax before voters every four years, officials have said. Officials said an eight-year cycle would decrease the number of times the county would have a tax before voters and reduce the chances the issue would be competing with other countywide tax issues. County officials have discussed seeking an additional tax to cover expenses related to the opioid crisis as well as increases in foster care, homelessness and other health and human services issues. CLEVELAND, Ohio - A two-year renewal of one of Cuyahoga County's health and human services taxes is receiving strong support by voters. With 30 percent of votes counted, the issue is passing by 73 percent, according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. The 3.9-mill tax is one of two that fund health and human services, including foster care, services at the MetroHealth System, programs for senior citizens and support services for those suffering from mental illness. It generates $104 million a year and costs the owner of a $100,000 home $136.50 per year. Approval of the tax would come as a relief to county officials, who had feared that recent controversies might have a negative effect on the vote. The county's social services agencies have been criticized over the death of 4-year-old Aniya Day-Garrett. Aniya's mother and her mother's boyfriend have been charged with aggravated murder in the girl's death. County case workers have said they lacked evidence to remove the girl from her home. The county also is the focus of an ongoing corruption investigation. Prosecutors have subpoenaed records related to several county contracts and two administrators in the county's IT Department. The second health and human services tax, for 4.8-mills, was renewed by voters in 2016. The eight-year tax expires in 2024. Voters in 2020 will be asked to renew or increase the 3.9-mill tax for eight years, which would place a human services tax before voters every four years, officials have said. Officials said an eight-year cycle would decrease the number of times the county would have a tax before voters and reduce the chances the issue would be competing with other countywide tax issues. County officials have discussed seeking an additional tax to cover expenses related to the opioid crisis as well as increases in foster care, homelessness and other health and human services issues. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Voters are supporting local tax increases for the Beachwood schools and Shaker Heights library, though measures are failing for Parma schools and North Olmsted, according to early voting totals. The Parma school district includes voters from Parma, Parma Heights and Seven Hills. The tax hike would pay to prevent further cuts for the school district, which is already financially unstable. The North Olmsted tax increase is to pay for improvements to parks and recreation including doubling the size of the North Olmsted Recreation Center. With only early results in -- no precincts reporting, see which tax increases are passing in your community. And keep up to date all Election Night here. SCHOOLS Beachwood Voters are passing a tax increase for Beachwood school district by 54.8 percent to 45.2 percent. The controversial 8.7 mills measure would in part make up for a loss in state funding and then also pay for a plan to consolidate the district's elementary schools. The total cost of the ballot issue would be $304.50 annually for the owner of a $100,000 home. Brecksville-Broadview Heights Brecksville-Broadview Heights schools are asking for money for an elementary school consolidation plan. The measure is currently passing by 52.43 percent to 47.57 percent. It would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $77 annually. Parma Early voters in the Parma school district are voting down a 7.4-mill increase thus far. Totals put the vote at 40.39 percent to 59.61 percent. The increase, which would cost the owner of a the owner of a $100,000 house $259, would help the school district balance their budget. The district has been struggling since finding a significant deficit in the fall of 2016. Solon Solon school district voters are passing a tax increase to help with operating costs. The measure would cost would amount to $298 a year for $100,000 of home value. The last time an operating levy was on the ballot was in 2010. The measure is passing 63.04 percent to 36.96 percent in early voting. Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn Heights early voting totals show voters are passing an income tax rate increase. If passed, this would bring the income tax rate in Brooklyn Heights to 2.5 percent. Early vote totals are 62.86 percent to 37.14 percent. North Olmsted North Olmsted is asking voters to approve a bond issue to pay for improvements to parks and the city's recreation center. The measure is failing 47.68 percent to 52.32 percent. If passed, the measure would cost the owner of a $100,000 house $126 annually. Shaker Heights Public Library Early voters are passing a tax increase to pay for Shaker Heights Public Library operating expenses. The current totals are 54.42 percent to 45.58 percent. The tax increase would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $66.70 a year. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man is charged in an early April shooting that wounded the uncles of a 10-year-old boy hurt in a series of drive-by shootings in the city's Hough neighborhood, according to police. Devaughn Taylor Jr., 18, is charged with felonious assault in the April 2 shooting that wounded the 27-year-old men. He is not in police custody and a warrant was issued Tuesday for his arrest. That shooting appears to be connected to at least some of the nine shootings that happened in a 24-hour stretch the Hough neighborhood in early May, including when gunmen opened fire on the home of a 10-year-old boy who suffered a gunshot would to his face and chest, according to police and court records. Taylor shot the two men about 6:30 p.m. April 2 inside an apartment at the Regency Apartment complex on Ansel Road, just south of Wade Park Avenue, according to court records. The 27-year-old men went inside an apartment looking for one of their nephews. When they walked inside, Taylor opened fire, shooting one man in twice in the right side of his chest, twice in the right thigh and once in the arm, court records say. He was treated and later released from University Hospitals. The second man suffered three gunshot wounds in the chest and once in the back, police reports say. He remains hospitalized, according to a University Hospitals spokesman, who said he could not provide an update on the man's condition. The two men's 33-year-old sister drove to the hospital with them. Her son is the 10-year-old boy shot during a 24-hour stretch on May 2 and May 3. Those first of shootings shootings happened about 9:40 p.m. May 2, when someone opened fire on a group of three women walking out of the M&A Food Mart in the 9300 block of Wade Park Avenue. At least nine bullets were fired from two guns, including one that hit an 18-year-old woman in the nose, police reports say. She was treated and released from University Hospitals. About three hours later and a half-mile to the south, someone drove by the 10-year-old boy's home and sprayed the house on East 93rd Street with gunfire, according to police. Neighbors told police that they heard between 20 and 40 gunshots from someone in a vehicle that drove down the street. At least 11 bullets ripped through the home. Two bullets hit the boy, who was sleeping in his mother's bedroom on the second floor of the home. He suffered gunshot wounds to the right side of his jaw and the left side of his chest, near his heart, according to police reports. He remains in critical condition at University Hospitals. Two other children -- ages 6 and 9 -- and the boy's mother were in the home when the shooting happened. They were not hurt, police reports say. Another home nearby on Kenmore Avenue was shot up about an hour later. No one was injured in that shooting and police said at the time they believed all three shootings could be connected. Four men wearing black masks shot up three homes about 6:30 p.m. that day on East 94th Street, just north of Wade Park Avenue. The men fired at least 20 gunshots at the homes, including one house that was hit with 11 bullets, according to police. No one was injured in that shooting. Someone fired gunshots about a half-hour later into two Cory Avenue homes, south of Wade Park, including one house where Taylor lived, according to police and court records. In that case, two men wearing all black opened fire from the backyard of one of the homes, according to police reports. Three children inside the home were not injured, according to police reports. That house was burglarized three days later, according to police reports. To comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments page. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio legislators want to appropriate $100 million to clean up Lake Erie and rid it of harmful algal blooms. Republicans Steve Arndt, a state representative from Port Clinton, and Randy Gardner, the Senate majority leader from Bowling Green, introduced the Clean Lake 2020 Plan in March. Democratic Rep. John Patterson of Jefferson and Sen. Sean O'Brien of Bazetta, joined as sponsors. While the legislators haven't released details on what the tax would cost each Ohioan, they have outlined where they could spend $100 million a year over 10 years. For more information, see cleveland.com's sister website, RocktheLake.com. And for more Lake Erie news, follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @rockthelakecle. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Parma schools must cut programs and staff after voters on Tuesday rejected a tax increase. This is the second tax increase failure for the district in the past two years. Superintendent Carl Hilling in a letter supporting the tax increase said the district would need to cut $9.5 million over the next two years if the tax issue failed. The increase would have cost the owner of a $100,000 house $259 a year. Residents of the school district include Parma, Parma Heights and Seven Hills. It failed by about 7 percent. In Beachwood, about 4,000 people voted, and a school tax issue was losing as of 11:30 p.m., by eight votes. However, late-arriving absentee and provisional ballots still need to be counted. Four school districts, two cities and a library asked voters for new money to complete projects or keep operations going. Here's a look at other tax issues across Cuyahoga County. Brooklyn Heights: According to unofficial vote totals, the city of Brooklyn Heights passed an income tax hike. This will increase the rate a half percent to 2.5. That matches Cuyahoga Heights and Cleveland, and exceeds suburbs such as Westlake and Cleveland Heights. Shaker Heights: The highly controversial Shaker Heights library tax, which will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $66.70 a year, passed by a margin of 51.8 to 48.2 percent. The vote will keep the library independent for now, although many residents advocate for integrating into the Cuyahoga County library system to save costs. North Olmsted: Unofficial totals show a North Olmsted bond issue failing by 23 votes. The issue would double the size of the North Olmsted Recreation Center, add features to the North Olmsted community parks as well as pay for improvements at Barton and Bradley Parks. Beachwood schools: Residents voted down an 8.7-mill tax increase with a vote of 49.90 to 50.1 percent. The money would have covered a loss in state funding and pay for the consolidation of the district's elementary schools. Some voters balked at having to vote for both on the same ballot measure. The money will pay to knock down Bryden and Hilltop elementary schools. Bryden would become a residential area and Hilltop would become a park. The measure would have cost $304.50 annually for the owner of a $100,000 home. Unofficial totals show the issue failing by eight votes, which means that uncounted provisional and absentee ballots could flip the outcome. Brecksville-Broadview Heights schools: Voters approved a tax increase in the Brecksville-Broadview Heights school district. It passed with a vote of 55.61 to 44.39. Residents also approved a 5.99-mill increase last May, 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent. The new money will go to consolidating elementary schools to address decreasing enrollment. Three of the schools -- Chippewa, Highland and Hilton -- would be demolished and then the Central building would be adapted. The 2.2-mill increase will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $77 annually. Solon schools: Solon voters approved new money to account for the phase-out of local tax reimbursements. According to unofficial results, the tax passed 67.15 to 32.85 percent. The approval means an increase that will amount to $298 a year for $100,000 of home value. The 8.5-mill tax increase will be phased in. The first incremental increase of 1.6 mills would go into effect at the same time as a 1.6-mill decrease due to a debt already retired by the board this year. Officials claim this means the net effect of the increase is only 6.9 mills. This was the first time an operating levy was on the ballot since 2010. MACOMB TOWNSHIP, Michigan -- A reopened cold case has led police to search for the bodies of several missing girls in a rural area north of Detroit. The Associated Press reports Warren police, the FBI and other agencies are looking for the remains of Kimberly King, who was 12 years old when she disappeared from Warren in 1979, as well as possibly six other girls. "We have probable cause to believe that (Kimberly) is buried there," Bill Dwyer, Warren's police commissioner, tells the AP. "We also believe that there's maybe four to six other girls that have been reported missing that are buried there. We certainly are convinced we have the right area. It's just a sad type of situation." Two other missing girls police believe might be buried in the wooded area are 15-year-old Kim Larrow, who went missing from Canton Township, Mich., in June 1981, and 17-year-old Kelli Brownlee of Novi, Mich., who went missing in May 1982, according to ABC News. Investigators were directed to the area by Arthur Ream, 68, who is serving life sentence for the rape and murder of 13-year-old Cindy Zarzycki, mlive.com reports. Cindy disappeared on April 20, 1986, in Eastpointe, Michigan. Her body was found in 2008 in the same area where investigators currently are searching, ABC News reports. Dwyer says the area was not completely searched in 2008. He says he's confident more bodies will be found although it might take days, according to ABC News. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments section. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In addition to the competitive races taking place across the state Tuesday, Ohio political observers were watching another statistic: turnout. Republicans have long dominated at the ballot box in Ohio's primary elections, and the bellwether state went for Donald Trump by 8 percentage points in 2016. That was no different on Tuesday, when GOP voters outnumbered Democrats who cast ballots. Democrats hoped a strong turnout on Tuesday would signal a partisan shift in the other direction, a sign that a "blue wave" would lift Democratic candidates to victory in November's general election. Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper claimed such momentum Wednesday morning, despite the Republican advantage in the number of ballots. Pepper noted that a larger number and percentage of voters cast Democratic Party ballots than in Ohio's 2016 presidential primary, and the state party did not run an aggressive get-out-the-vote effort. In May 2016, about 37 percent of voters cast Democratic ballots and 63 percent cast Republican ballots. On Tuesday, 679,738 voters cast ballots for Democrat Richard Cordray and 827,041 cast ballots for Republican Mike DeWine, or 45 to 55 percent of ballots cast for governor. That's a smaller gap than in the last several primary elections, but still shows a Republican advantage. "Thanks to voter enthusiasm and a robust ground and data operation already in place from the RNC and the Ohio Republican Party, we are in a prime position to help our nominees win," Republican National Committee Spokeswoman Ellie Hockenbury said in an emailed statement. Do primary results show one party has momentum going into the general? Probably not. Here's why. Which party cast the most votes? Map by Rich Exner, cleveland.com Some users may need to use this link instead. Ohio has a semi-open primary. Ohio voters don't register with a party. Instead, voters are affiliated with a party by choosing that party's ballot in a primary election. Someone who considered himself to be a lifelong Republican and always voted a Republican ballot could have chosen to vote a Democratic Party ballot on Tuesday. That makes it difficult to compare party turnout election to election, said Paul Beck, a political science professor emeritus at Ohio State University. Both Republicans and Democrats will likely spin the numbers of how many voters "crossed over" to their party when the secretary of state releases that information. Two years ago, Ohio Republicans spun the number of crossover voters -- those who previously voted a Democratic primary ballot -- as new Republicans. At the time, Pepper attributed the swing to Democratic voters who wanted to cast ballots for John Kasich and against Donald Trump. The Cordray campaign claimed Tuesday that, among early voters, almost three times as many 2016 Republican primary voters voted in Tuesday's Democratic primary as 2016 Democratic voters crossed over to vote in the GOP primary. Even if that trend holds true for Election Day voters, it's unknown whether those voters had been longtime Democratic voters before 2016 or if they were "Kasich Republicans," as the Cordray campaign claims. Tuesday can't be compared to 2016's presidential primary. Tuesday's numbers can't be compared directly to 2016's, accordin to Ohio elections statistics expert Mike Dawson. Dawson, who was DeWine's communications director when he was a senator, said primaries have an entirely different electorate in presidential years. "In the statistics world, nobody would compare it to 2016," Dawson said. Beck agreed: "There is really no good baseline. Maybe 2006, but that was so long ago, all bets are off." Pepper said Democrats have averaged about 660,000 votes in gubernatorial primary elections dating back to 2002, and Tuesday's 679,738 was an above average performance despite minimal support from the state party. Pepper boasted that Hamilton County saw more Democratic primary voters than Republican voters for the first time in 36 years -- 49,424 Democratic ballots to 49,174 Republican ballots. "Despite the Republican spin, we feel very good about the energy we saw yesterday especially given we weren't on the field given our neutrality," Pepper said. But Dawson said it's easy for either side to look at statistics through "rose colored glasses." For example, Democrats improved on their 2014 gubernatorial ticket by about 239,000 votes. But Republicans increased their share by 267,370. "Statistically, there was no surge in voting in the Democratic primary," Dawson said. The boost in Democratic Party votes was not significant. Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, said Tuesday's turnout doesn't help predict either way whether Democrats will show up in November. "We have been looking for signs of increased Democratic enthusiasm. This turnout disparity would not qualify," Kondik said. Maybe Ohio voters, overall, weren't enthused about Tuesday's races, Kondik said. Overall, about 21 percent of registered Ohio voters cast ballots Tuesday, according to unofficial results. That's greater than in 2014, when Gov. John Kasich sought re-election and Democrat Ed FitzGerald had little competition in his primary, but less than in 2010, when neither party had a contested gubernatorial contest. "In a state like Ohio, Democrats need a significantly more engaged electorate than they had in 2010 and 2014," Kondik said. "Having an unpopular Republican in the White House is a good way to get that turnout boost, but if that's coming, there wasn't a preview of that on Tuesday." Republicans didn't have a "surge" either. Republicans have outnumbered Democrats in Ohio primary elections going back to 2006. (In the 2006 primary, Democrats cast 2,366 more ballots than Republicans, overall, but cast 25,600 fewer votes for the Democratic gubernatorial candidates.) Yet Republicans on Wednesday were spinning the larger number of votes to support the argument their voters are more enthusiastic. "Ohio Republicans came out in force yesterday to register their displeasure with Sherrod Brown and his record of putting far-left politics ahead of the interests of his constituents," National Republican Senate Committee Spokesman Bob Salera said in a news release. Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, who was uncontested in Tuesday's primary, pooh-poohed that idea Wednesday, saying that there weren't many TV ads and "back and forth attacks to get people going" on the Democratic side. Meanwhile, the Republican side had DeWine and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor calling each other names, invoking Barack Obama and doing "whatever Republicans do in red meat primaries to gin up their base." "The enthusiasm is clearly on the side of people who want a different direction for this country and a different direction for this state," Brown said in a weekly phone call with reporters. Kondik agreed there was more action on the Republican side, which also had a competitive Senate primary, a couple of contentious U.S. House primaries and a "raging proxy war" for the next Ohio House Speaker. "It's almost guaranteed more was spent on the Republican side -- there was a clear disparity on the governor's race," Kondik said. "It may have just been Republicans had more reason to show up." Cleveland.com reporter Sabrina Eaton contributed to this story. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Issue 1 - Ohio's proposal to reform the way congressional districts are drawn - has won, according to the Associated Press and the Ohio Democratic Party. See updates at this link. The AP made the call just before 9 p.m. The Democratic Party issued a statement at about the same time. The proposal had support from both the state Democratic and Republican parties. With just over 425,000 votes counted by that point, Issue 1 led by 75 percent to 25 percent, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's website. Issue 1 is a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution aimed at creating fairer and more logical congressional districts. It would put rules in place aimed at creating districts that make geographic sense - rather than districts designed solely with political gain in mind. How often - and to what extent - counties can be split would be severely limited. And a new 10-year map could not be enacted without significant buy-in from both major political parties. The first map drawn under the new rules would be created after the 2020 census. "Ohio Democrats were proud to back Issue 1, Democratic and progressive activists from across the state worked with good-government groups to collect hundreds of thousands of petition signatures for the Fair Congressional Districts for Ohio campaign." party Chairman David Pepper said in a prepared statement. "Their activism pushed Statehouse Republicans to take action on an issue that has poisoned Ohio and national politics for decades. Today's resounding win -- nearly three years after a similarly wide victory for legislative redistricting reform-- shows the Ohio voters are desperate for fair districts and more competitive elections. Now we will work to ensure that we elect officials who will respect this crystal-clear mandate from Ohio voters of all stripes." CLEVELAND, Ohio - In a battle between two Democratic state representatives, Martin Sweeney of Cleveland held a slim lead over Lakewood's Nickie Antonio in the primary for the 25th District Ohio Senate seat. The two candidates have been running neck and neck all evening. Antonio was up initially. Sweeney pulled ahead. Antonio regained a lead. Sweeney now is ahead with about 75 percent of the vote scanning equipment processed. But the race remains tight with the two candidates separated by just 10 votes with more than 21,600 cast. CLEVELAND, Ohio - While gerrymandering disputes from other states have landed in the U.S. Supreme Court, Ohio voters apparently took the historic step Tuesday of passing a bipartisan proposal aimed at creating fairer and more logical congressional districts. See updates at this link. Results reported by 11 p.m. showed Issue 1 leading 75 percent to 25 percent. And both the Associated Press and the Ohio Democratic Party early in the evening declared victory for Issue 1. Ninety-two percent of the precincts were counted. Issue 1 would amend the Ohio Constitution by putting rules in place, where none exist now, aimed at creating districts that make geographic sense - rather than districts designed solely with political gain in mind. How often - and to what extent - counties can be split will be severely limited. And a new 10-year map cannot be enacted without significant buy-in from both major political parties. The first map drawn under the new rules would be created after the 2020 census. This would mark the first time that the party in power will not have almost total control over the process. "It should be a ray of hope for people in Ohio concerned with both political parties working together to get something done," said Rep. Kirk Schuring, a Canton Republican who worked on the proposal as part of a special bipartisan committee in the Ohio Legislature. "I think we will have fairer districts. I think we will have more competitive districts. If they are more competitive, people in Washington will have to be more conciliatory, not so partisan." Under Ohio's current map, drawn under Republican control in 2011, there are almost no competitive races, counties such as Cuyahoga and Summit are split four ways each, and some districts meander for more than 100 miles across the state. Results have turned out as planned, with 12 solid Republican districts and four solid Democratic districts - none changing party hands during any election. The closest race in 2016 was decided by more than 18 percentage points, leaving voters little opportunity to hold their elected representatives accountable. There were failed attempts at reform before, including: In 1981, In 2012, Finally, However, the 2015 issue did not address congressional redistricting. The legislature promised to revisit the issue, but didn't do so until pressure mounted last year from a petition drive and increased media scrutiny. Redistricting reform was the focus of a months-long cleveland.com series - Out of Line: Impact 2017 and Beyond. In the meantime, multiple cases from elsewhere landed in the Supreme Court. Among those, complaints from Wisconsin Democrats and Maryland Republicans upset with maps in those states are awaiting decisions. But in Ohio three months ago, a compromise was reach among Democrats and Republicans, plus the groups responsible for the petition drive. Then the proposal was placed on the ballot after bipartisan votes, 31-0 in the Ohio Senate and 83-10 in the Ohio House. As Election Day approached, backers of the separate petition drive, including Common Cause Ohio and the Ohio League of Women Voters, kept their petitions active - holding the threat to take their own proposal to the ballot in November if Issue 1 failed. Rep. Jack Cera, a Democrat from Bellaire who was part the working group with Schuring, said both the petition drive and the public's education on the ills of the current map led to reform apparently really happening this time. "The majority party down here realized they were going to have to deal with it (the petitions) at the ballot box," Cera said. "They didn't want that. The other thing is that this map was so blatantly gerrymandered. ... The terribly gerrymandered map was driving people to finally understand it and how that connected to the inability of Congress to do anything." Republicans in the General Assembly had the votes to put their own proposal on the ballot, but Sen. Matt Huffman, a Republican from Lima, insisted on bipartisan support before going to the ballot. Otherwise, he said it wouldn't win. How would it work Under Issue 1, the legislature would still hold control over approval of the next map in following the 2020 census. But the new rules for congressional maps require 50 percent support from members of each of the two major political parties. If that fails, the work would be turned over to a separate, seven-member commission of statewide elected officials and representatives from the legislature. But the commission could not approve a new map without at least two votes from each party. If that fails, the legislature eventually could approve a new map without any minority support, but that new map would be good for only four years - instead of 10 - and added requirements would be imposed in an attempt to protect local communities and the party in the minority. Other provisions are aimed at ending the practice of designing districts without regard to local communities. Issue 1 also requires compact districts and limits county splits. No more than five counties could be split three ways. No more than 18 counties could be split two ways. At least 65 counties would be kept whole. COLUMBUS, Ohio - Gov. John Kasich signed an executive order Wednesday morning that will allow companies to test autonomous vehicles on all public roads in Ohio. Kasich, a Republican, said he hopes the move will zoom Ohio to the front of the pack in the autonomous vehicle industry, creating jobs and keeping college graduates in the state. He also believes the industry's promise that the vehicles will make roads safer - resulting in fewer traffic accidents, injuries and fatalities. To test on Ohio roads, a company would be required to register with the state, providing information on the vehicle and roadway intended for testing. The vehicle would have to meet certain safety standards and be capable of complying with Ohio traffic law. Each car must have a company employee behind the wheel who has a valid driver's license. The operators would have to monitor the vehicle at all times and report any accidents that occur. Kasich's order also allows driverless vehicles to be tested in Ohio. Companies would have to notify the state and city where testing is occurring that the vehicle doesn't have a driver. "We're not going to permit, by the way at least as long as I'm here, communities to start blocking this," Kasich said, referring to his term ending as governor. Kasich's order also creates a voluntary pilot program for communities interested in vehicle testing. They could work with the state to create an inventory of testing locations that offer a variety of traffic and terrain scenarios. Kasich lost his parents in a traffic accident. They were killed by a drunken driver. He said the safety promises of the technology give him hope. The Republican described watching with envy as other communities, such as his hometown of Pittsburgh, inked deals with autonomous vehicle companies for testing and technology development. He asked his team to create a plan to make Ohio attractive to the companies. In January, the state unveiled Drive Ohio, which is where the companies will register to test. Then there was a fatality near Phoenix with an autonomous vehicle. But Kasich said he believes the cars are the future and if Ohio doesn't compete for the business, it will lose out. WASHINGTON -- Jim Renacci won Ohio's Republican primary Tuesday for U.S. Senate, setting the stage for a high-stakes conservative-vs.-liberal race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown in the fall. President Donald Trump, who endorsed Renacci, wants Brown gone, saying just last weekend that Brown "does not think the way we think." Many Ohio Republicans say the same. But Renacci might not be able to count on every Trump voter sticking with the GOP this year, considering Brown's appeal in past elections to blue-collar voters and crossover union households. Brown has pushed every challenger he's faced in the last two and a half decades onto a pile of the disappointed. A victory in November would make Renacci, currently a House of Representatives member, a rare exception. Renacci predicts he'll be just that. In a tweet Tuesday night, he said, "I'm coming for you, Sherrod Brown." "For those who voted for a different candidate in this race , I'm committed to earning your support in the weeks and months ahead," Renacci said in a statement after expressing gratitude to primary supporters. "Ohio deserves a voice in this Senate seat who will support rather than obstruct the president's agenda, and who will fight for Ohio families and businesses rather than the liberal special interests that Sherrod Brown serves in Washington. "I will be that voice for Ohio and I look forward to delivering that change in November." With nearly all Ohio precincts counted Tuesday night, Renacci won the Republican primary with a plurality of 47.4 percent of the vote. Running behind Renacci in the primary were Mike Gibbons, a Cleveland investment banker (winning 31.69 percent of the votes counted); Melissa Ackison, a Marysville business owner (13.05 percent); Dan Kiley, a former financial adviser from the Cincinnati area (3.99 percent), and Don Elijah Eckhart, a former government fiscal analyst from Galloway (3.88 percent). Gibbons, conceding his loss, said, "Tonight, Ohio has spoken. And it didn't turn out our way. But we came from nowhere. I started as an unknown. Just some business guy from Cleveland. And I'm proud of the campaign we ran - a grassroots campaign. I'm proud of the team we put together... Thank you, Ohio." Brown had no primary challenger. Congrats to my friend @JimRenacci on his #OHSen primary win tonight. I was for Jim Renacci before it was cool back when we served together in the House. @RealDonaldTrump and I are with you & look forward to working with you in the US Senate. #MAGA Mike Pence (@mike_pence) May 9, 2018 Ahead now for Renacci and Brown are months of fundraising for a November contest that could cost tens of millions of dollars, and that's not counting third-party spending on ads that are expected to swamp Ohio's airwaves. Brown already has $12.2 million on hand, to Renacci's $4.2 million, much of the latter a loan from the candidate himself, according to Federal Election Commission filings. This is Renacci's first statewide election, but he has waged several smaller campaigns successfully before. An accountant, businessman and former Wadsworth mayor, he won his first campaign for Congress in 2010 after losing his Chevrolet dealership in the auto industry bailout that President Barack Obama's administration orchestrated. The bailout required industry consolidation and dealership closings -- and General Motors picked Renacci's dealership to close. Democrats and industry analysts said the restructuring saved the American auto industry. Critics including Renacci said it put the government in the role of central planner, picking winners and losers. Unlike in other recent Brown races, Renacci's business background provides a real-world contrast for the coming general election. It's not that Brown, who was in the House of Representatives prior to the Senate and has not amassed great wealth, hasn't faced multi-millionaires before. Mike DeWine, whom Brown defeated in 2006, first winning the Senate seat, and Josh Mandel, Brown's unsuccessful challenger in 2012, had family money. But neither DeWine nor Mandel had the by-the-bootstraps biography of Renacci, the first in his family to graduate from college -- and now, according to Roll Call, the 16th richest member of Congress. Renacci says he paid for his education by working as a truck driver and on a road crew. Renacci is not a Tea Party, outsider-style candidate. But even with his establishment ways, he can tell personal and constituent stories about government standing in the way of what he and they thought best. He criticizes the Dodd-Frank financial bill and the Affordable Care Act, both written with Brown's input, as giving too much control to bureaucrats and interfering with community banks, small businesses, health insurers and consumers. While Renacci accuses Brown of favoring big government, Brown will criticize Renacci over foreign trade. Brown railed against trade deals long before Trump did, and that will stand in contrast to Renacci's support in the House for trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Renacci will criticize Brown for voting against individual tax cuts, while Brown will criticize Renacci for supporting cuts that are only temporary, in contrast to permanent tax cuts the Republican-led Congress gave to corporations. So which candidate is more Trump-like? It's a worthy question considering Trump beat Hillary Clinton in Ohio by 8 percentage points in 2016. Brown has been characterized by Washington media as having a lot in common with Trump because both criticize trade deals, both want more worker training and both want an expansive highway-and-bridge-building program. But Brown is no Trump, nor vice versa. Even when agreeing on broad outlines, they differ considerably on the details, including how to pay for infrastructure. One similarity, however, stands above others: Brown is known in Ohio for the same populist appeal as Ohio voters saw in Trump in 2016. Blue-collar, union-household voters -- the same ones who voted for Trump -- "like Sherrod," said David Cohen, a University of Akron political science professor. "They have always liked Sherrod. That's because Sherrod speaks their language and cares about the issues that are important to them." Renacci is giving up a four-term House seat to run for Senate. A Republican win in Ohio could expand the Republican Party's narrow Senate majority if the GOP doesn't lose seats elsewhere. But expansion is far from certain, given the traditional difficulty of a president's party holding seats in midterm elections. The relative popularity or public disfavor of Trump could bleed into the Senate election. A multi-pronged federal investigation related to Russian attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election has led to charges against former Trump advisers. This has intensified the nation's hyper-partisan political climate, with Trump calling the investigation a witch hunt. Where Trump stands in the investigation by November could influence the Renacci-Brown contest. "I think Trump's going to have a very large part in this race," Cohen said. "He'll have a very big impact." CLEVELAND, Ohio - State Rep. Nickie Antonio has regained the lead in a tight Democratic primary for the 23rd District seat in the Ohio Senate. Antonio, of Lakewood, has run neck and neck with Rep. Martin Sweeney of Cleveland all evening as results have been tallied. With 89 percent of the scanning machines processed, Antonio had captured 54.68 percent of the vote to Sweeney's 45.32 percent. She held a lead of about 2,400 votes out of 27,000 counted. Antonio and Sweeney are competing for a seat held by Sen. Mike Skindell, who was barred by term limits from seeking re-election. No Republican candidate filed for the election. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- State Rep. Nickie Antonio topped Rep. Martin Sweeney Tuesday in a tight Democratic primary contest for the 23rd District Ohio Senate seat. With 99 percent of the vote scanners processed, Antonio led Sweeney 54.65 percent to 45.35 percent. Her lead amounted to about 2,500 votes in a race with more than 27,000 cast. The two candidates were neck and neck for most of the evening as votes were tallied. Antonio, of Lakewood, grabbed an early lead. But all evening the lead shifted back and forth. At one point, Sweeney, of Cleveland, led by just 10 votes with more than 13,000 cast. Late in the evening, though, Antonio took the lead for good. Antonio and Sweeney were competing for a seat held by Sen. Mike Skindell, who was barred by term limits from seeking re-election. No Republican candidate filed for the election. CLEVELAND -- Charisma is a political asset, not a requirement. Voters in both parties proved that again Tuesday, advancing Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Richard Cordray to the general election contest for governor of Ohio. The Associated Press and other news organizations called the primary for both men less than an hour and a half after the polls closed in Ohio. The suggestion Cordray and DeWine are too dull to be governor was always based on flawed logic. George Voinovich hardly lit up a room when he walked in. But Voinovich found a way to win 28 of 30 elections, govern effectively, and, when he died in 2016, was arguably the most successful politician in Ohio history. Granted, DeWine, Ohio's present attorney general, and Cordray, a former one, will never excite voters. But in Election 2018, other forces are likely to do that for them. Supporters of President Donald Trump will be eager to avoid a Republican bloodbath; Democrats determined to cause one. In the early stages of the general election campaign, DeWine has the toughest task. To defeat Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor in the nastiest gubernatorial primary campaign in anyone's memory, DeWine had to inch perilously close to running as a right-wing extremist. Walling off the country in a way that goes against everything it stands for, and arming teachers to make it more likely classrooms turn into shooting galleries are hardly examples of political moderation. Worse yet, getting past Taylor required DeWine to become not only a devout worshipper of the president, but also to actively court the crackpot vote. Much of DeWine's record in public life has run counter to some of the crazy notions he floated in the primary. So the general election campaign will test his ability to distance himself from Trump without angering the president's base. Trump has the lowest approval rating in modern presidential history, but that base is willing to forgive his cruel and amoral nature. Unlike Taylor's well-funded challenge to DeWine from the right, Dennis Kucinich's run against Cordray was less personal, and woefully underfunded. Cordray will run as a left-leaning problem solver. And he will run with the full-throated support of Barack Obama and the nation's entire Democratic establishment. All this will test whether Ohio's rightwards momentum leaves room for the occasional Democratic win. If Cordray can remain competitive in fundraising, the race will be close from start to finish. And it won't take long for it to turn nasty. Most of the issues are obvious. Notwithstanding Gov. John Kasich's boasts, Ohio is a state with many unsolved problems. In the months ahead, Cordray and DeWine owe voters thoughtful details of where they stand on job creation, children, education, tax policy, the opioid crisis, aid to local governments, protecting our fresh water, Medicaid funding and guns. But they also owe them something every candidate for every office in 2018 should be required to address. Ohioans need candidates who remind them of the importance of having elected officials who tell the truth. Because without truth, democracy dies. As noted historian Timothy Snyder, an Oxford-trained professor at Yale University, wrote early last year: "Post-truth is pre-fascism .... To abandon facts is to abandon freedom." "You submit to tyranny when you renounce the difference between what you want to hear and what is actually the case," Snyder added. This is exactly the post-truth era Trump wants us to live in. A May 1 update by The Washington Post found that, in his first 466 days in office, Trump made 3,001 false or misleading claims. That's an average of nearly 6.5 misstatements, many of them lies, each and every day of Trump's presidency. Worse yet, many are aimed at the cornerstones of our democracy, institutions essential to its survival - the courts, law enforcement, a free press. Talk about truth makes Republicans uncomfortable. Most know the nation's 45th president lies far more than the 44 who preceded him. Maybe more than all 44 of them combined. So rather than issue a courageous and full-throated defense of the truth, Republicans try to change they subject. They try to argue that what a president says has nothing to do with being a good local official. They're wrong. When a president habitually fails to tell the truth, it undercuts everything America stands for. As historian Snyder also wrote, "To abandon facts is to abandon freedom." Anyone unwilling to acknowledge as much doesn't deserve your vote. 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 -- Despite a change in district leadership, residents in the Parma City School District on Tuesday voted down Issue 5. The 7.4-mill new-money levy went down in defeat, with 53.45 percent of Parma, Parma Heights and Seven Hills voters casting ballots against the plan. Vote totals were 11,587 against vs. 10,092 in favor, according to final, unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. It was exactly a year ago that residents voted down a 5.9-mill increase for 10 years that, if passed, would have added $206.50 in property taxes per $100,000 of home value. "I'm disappointed, but the district has spoken," Board of Education President John Schweitzer said. "Apparently, we didn't do a good enough job in getting our message out about the needs that we have for new money in the district. "We accept what the voters have said. We've got a lot of rough decisions to make in the near future." One of those decisions is tied to the district's current financial forecasts projecting a $3.6 million deficit next year and more than $9 million for 2020. Parma City Schools is under a state-mandated Fiscal Caution citation, with Schweitzer noting that the Board of Education must submit a new fiscal plan to the state by May 15. "We have that in the works already," Schweitzer said. "We'll be discussing the ins and outs over the next week. We have several options in front of us." Those options include different cuts to a school district that Schweitzer said has already over the last couple of years reduced $15 million from its budget. "There are going to be things on there that we have to downsize or eliminate," Schweitzer said. "Otherwise, the budget would remain the same. If you have to make $3.6 million in cuts for this next school year, that's what we'll do." Initially, Schweitzer was optimistic about the passage of Issue 5, considering the district's new leadership. Residents last fall voted into office three new Board of Education members, including Schweitzer, Amanda M. Karpus and Steven Vaughn. The Board of Education then hired new Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer Sean Nuccio and recently appointed Charles Smialek to take over as superintendent beginning this summer. "It's disappointing, I'm not going to say that's it's not, but I'm a realist," Schweitzer said. "I've been around for a while, and I've seen past results. I saw what happened last May, so realistically I was hoping we could move the needle obviously over the 51 percent mark. "In a realistic way, I was hoping we could move the needle to at least be close so we could continue to get our message out there and go after it again." As for when residents can expect to see a new-money levy again, Schweitzer said he thinks it will be back on the ballot this year. "We haven't discussed anything about when," Schweitzer said. "My guess at this point we're probably looking at the general election in November." PARMA, Ohio -- Two roofers are hospitalized, and one is in critical condition, after they were shocked by a live wire Tuesday afternoon at a Parma home, police said. A 29-year-old and 24-year-old men were hurt just before 4 p.m. while performing work at a home on Meadow Lane near Sherwood Drive, police said. The 24-year-old man is in critical condition at University Hospitals Parma Medical Center. The older man's injuries were less severe, police said. Investigators believe the cause was accidental. It appears the men came into contact with a live wire on the roof, police said. Parma Fire Department paramedics took the roofers to the hospital. No additional information was immediately available. To comment on this story, visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments page. SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Narrowly overcoming a long-running campaign aimed at a merger with the Cuyahoga County, the Shaker Heights Library unofficially won its battle for continued autonomy Tuesday by 331 votes. A 1.9-mill operating levy for the library won with 4,763 votes in favor (52 percent), compared with 4,432 votes (48 percent) against the additional funding. "We're gratified by the support Shaker Library received from voters," said Board of Trustees President Brian Gleisser. "Shaker residents have said that our Shaker Library is worth the investment." The victory on Issue 7 takes the library's tax rate from the current 4 mills to 5.9 mills and will generate an additional $1.5 million a year. "We will be turning immediately to making this investment pay off, bringing the community together to create a 21st century library for Shaker Heights," Gleisser added. But it proved to be a pitched battle over the first request for additional money in over 20 years in a bid to remain independent, rather than merging with the Cuyahoga County Public Library system to reduce taxes. Two-thirds of the proceeds ($1 million) are bookmarked for renovations and upgrades to the main library and the Bertram Woods branch, which trustees say need $4.1 million and $1 million in repairs, respectively. The remaining one-third of the new revenue ($500,000) will be used for operating expenses to offset state funding cuts totaling nearly 20 percent in recent years. It will also also provide for year-round Sunday hours at the main library. Opponents of the levy had formed the Committee for the Future of the Shaker Library, urging voters to "Stop. Study. Decide" -- and look a little deeper into consolidation with a library system that only has a 2.5-mill tax rate. Supporters of the levy pointed out that the Shaker Library only accounts for 2 percent of Shaker's current overall tax base. With Tuesday's unofficial passage, the library's percentage of total voted millage will now be 2.64 percent, effective in 2019. Local library backers, who had raised about $21,000 (an average of $123) as of their most recent campaign financing filing also pointed to the money trail that was blazed by the Committee for the Future. Their filing showed a war chest of about $32,000, but with four individual donations of $2,500 apiece, along with 10 donations of $1,000. It worked out to an average of $430, and four of those contributors were corporations. The new 1.9-mill levy will now cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $67 a year. In addition to a new roof at the former Moreland Elementary School and updated HVAC and energy efficiencies in both buildings, the new millage would be used to: -- improve accessibility -- enhance technology space -- upgrade meeting and study rooms -- improve space for children and teens Former Shaker Library Board President Chad Anderson, more recently a member of the "For 7 Committee," said he was proud of Shaker Heights when the votes were counted. "Our residents saw through the efforts to fool them and they focused on what really mattered: saving our Shaker Library," Anderson said. Anderson was also the lone dissenter in a 12-1 vote by the Mayor's Financial Task Force in August 2016 recommending a merger with the county library system. At the time, Anderson issued a 2 1/2 page rebuttal prior to the vote. In a Wednesday morning email, Shaker Library spokeswoman Margaret Simon said that with the passage of the levy, "we can improve our library buildings FOR everyone. And we thank our voters for continuing to place their trust in us." Calling it a "hard fought" campaign on many levels, Simon also credited an "amazing group of dedicated volunteers who love their Shaker Library" and worked hard to convey that message. "In this campaign, there were many words posted on social media," Simon stated. "And words have power -- the power to divide us and the power to bring us together. Shaker Library's mission is 'to bring people, information and ideas together.' Our doors are open to all." SOLON, Ohio -- The Solon City School levy met with resounding support from voters Tuesday, with an unofficial tally of 4,403 votes (69 percent) in favor to 1,952 (31 percent) against. "We could not be more thrilled on today's vote," school district spokeswoman Tamara Strom said Tuesday night as the votes were still being counted, but the measure already appeared to be well on its way to victory. Voter turnout was 37 percent in Solon and Glenwillow, roughly double the Cuyahoga County average. "This is a celebration of what happens every day in this school district for our kids," Strom said. "It's what makes the district what it is, and it could not happen without the support of our community." Strom heard reports of students voting for the first time and receiving cheers and applause at their polling places. District officials also thanked the Committee for Solon Schools, as well as Solon Mayor Ed Kraus and City Council, along with Glenwillow Mayor Mark Cegelka and Village Council, for their unanimous resolutions of support. "We have a citizen community of volunteers who spend the majority of their free time working to get our levies passed," Strom said. "They help make the case for the district so people understand why this is so important." This is the first "new money" the district has asked for since 2010 -- also the longest that the Solon schools have gone without a new levy. And while it appeared as 8.4 mills on the ballot, district officials pointed out that the increase would be phased in. With 1.6 mills in old debt officially retired in March, the school board opted to recapture that amount only with the first phase of the new levy, being assessed this year and next. Then, in 2020, the remaining 6.9 mills will kick in -- right in line with the millage Solon and Glenwillow voters approved eight years ago. Along the way, district officials took steps to stay off the ballot, including pay freezes and significant changes to employee benefit packages, as well as going with four-year contracts as opposed to three to provide a more stable, longer-term financial outlook. And the Solon schools also managed to secure the top ranking on the Ohio Department of Education's 2017 district "report cards," with the state's highest performance index score. Last summer, it was announced that Solon also ranked No. 1 in the nation in the Niche.com "2018 Best K-12 School District Ratings." Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investor Services also affirmed the Solon school district's fiscal solvency and credit worthiness last year, at "AA+" and "Aa1," respectively. Just recently, Solon was listed at No. 2 in Northeast Ohio (behind Hudson) and No. 11 in Ohio by U.S. News and World Report. At the same time, the district has been dealt a series of cuts in state funding that targeted and rerouted Tangible Personal Property (TPP) funding away from the school districts where the money is collected from local business and industry. Those TPP funds at one time added up to $11 million a year, about 17 percent of the Solon school district's operating revenue, district Treasurer Tim Pickana said. Solon school officials fought against the state's plans to phase out the TPP funding to local districts by 2017. They succeeded, in that the district was still collecting $4.9 million in TPP funds this year, although that amount was still expected to be phased out over the next few years. The loss of 17 percent of the district's budget was too much to shoulder without going back to the voters, Pickana said. In all, the passage of the new levy will add about $242 a year in additional taxes per $100,000 of assessed property valuation for Solon and Glenwillow property owners -- with assessed value adding up to 35 percent of a home's market value. "We had a great campaign," Strom said. "People have truly supported our schools and they know what we're facing with the state cuts." Strom said the district has also been "very accountable" to the community -- both those residents who have children in the schools as well as those who don't. "We're a 'destination community,' in that the prime reason that people moving here cite is the schools," Strom said. REYKJAVIK, Iceland - In between two continents, I slipped into the water, submerged my face, and looked around. There was no coral, no fish - just pieces of lava rock, submerged in glacial runoff, forming incredible underwater creations. In Iceland, a country that defines adventure travel, snorkeling ranks high on any list of unusual outdoor activities. I've never experienced snorkeling like this before. There's no bathing suit involved, but rather a base layer of clothing, followed by an insulating layer, followed by a tightly fitting dry suit - all to keep you warm and cozy for what's to come: swimming in water that never inches above 37 degrees (Fahrenheit). The experience is offered year-round by several outfitters, including Arctic Adventures, operating out of Thingvellir National Park, about 30 miles east of Reykjavik. My group gathered inside the park, near the Silfra fissure, a crack in the earth formed by the continuous movement of the North American and Eurasian plates, which both run through Iceland. The two continents are drifting apart at a rate of about an inch per year, creating new land mass -- including the Silfra fissure, as deep as 135 feet, spring fed with groundwater that originated from the nearby Langjokull glacier. The water, filtered through lava rock over decades, is crystal clear, offering visibility as far as 300 feet, said guide Giulia Marinello. "You can drink it," she said. (And I did.) It took nearly an hour to get outfitted in our gear - that was the hard part. Snorkeling was easy, buoyant in all this gear, aided by a mild current pushing us in the direction of Lake Thingvellir. At some points along the path, we could look down and see more than 100 feet into the earth. The minerals in the rocks, plus refractions from the sun, create a range of colors under the water, from gold to deep blue. In the spring and summer, there's also green from thin strings of algae that locals call troll hair. We're in the water for about 40 minutes, and that's enough. The dry suit worked well, keeping me warm and dry, for the most part - but my face was in the water; my hands got cold, too. Hot chocolate served at the end of the trip warmed up every finger. The rest of the Golden Circle: The snorkeling trip was the centerpiece of our drive around Iceland's Golden Circle - a 190-mile circular route, east of Reykjavik, which includes several natural wonders. Other highlights of the tour: A stop at Strokkur and Geysir, where the word geyser originated. The larger Geysir is dormant, but Strokkur still puts on quite a show, erupting every 5 to 8 minutes, shooting water 100 feet into the air. Gullfoss waterfall, a gorgeous, powerful cascade that was nearly dammed for its energy potential decades ago and is now a nature reserve. The rest of Thingvellir National Park, a geologically and historically significant land, the site of Iceland's first parliament. The rock formations and gorgeous vistas here are worth a visit, with or without the snorkeling experience. My daughter and I drove it ourselves, in a rental car, but many companies offer one-day tours of the Golden Circle from Reykjavik. Information: inspiredbyiceland.com. We paid about $140 each for the snorkeling experience. Information: adventures.is. More on Iceland: Editor's note: Plain Dealer Travel Editor Susan Glaser took one of the first Wow Air direct flights from Cleveland to Iceland, and will return May 16 on the first Icelandair flight to Cleveland. She'll be posting on cleveland.com from Iceland all week, and will compare the airlines and write more about Iceland in The Sunday Plain Dealer Travel sections May 20 and June 6. HALFMOON, N.Y. Republican State Sen. Kathleen Marchione announced Wednesday that she is not seeking re-election. Citing Scripture and her role as the primary caregiver for her mother, Marchione, R-Halfmoon, said the move was the right thing to do for her family. She added that she wants to spend more time with her four grandchildren also. After a great deal of careful consideration, reflection, discussion with my family and prayer, I have decided to not seek re-election this fall to another term as State Senator serving and representing the 43rd District, she said in a statement. Stepping away at the conclusion of her two-year term, she said, was the right time. Marchione represents the 43rd Senate District, which includes parts of Rensselaer, Saratoga and Washington counties and all of Columbia County. The district includes much of Saratoga Springs, and a portion of Troy. The 43rd Senate District has 67,676 enrolled Republicans, 62,339 enrolled Democrats, and 15,202 enrolled members of the Independence Party. Marchione, 63, said she began her political career at 25 when she successfully ran for Halfmoon Town Clerk. From that position she successfully ran for town supervisor and in 1997 left that post to successfully win multiple elections as Saratoga County Clerk. A conservative, Marchione was the first county clerk in the state to come out against the idea of allowing illegal immigrants in the state to obtain drivers licenses. She has also been a long and vocal opponent of the states SAFE law, and fought hard to get gun shows back to the Saratoga Springs City Center. In 2012 Marchione announced she would primary the more moderate state Sen. Roy McDonald, the incumbent, for the 43rd Senate District seat. McDonald, a fellow Republican, voted to allow gay marriage and was not as conservative on other issues as Marchione thought district voters were demanding. In a bruising primary battle Marchione beat McDonald by 99 votes to win the Republican line in that years general election. She later went on to win her first term in the state Senate by defeating McDonald, who ran on the Independence line and Democrat Robin Andrews. She won re-election by defeating Democrat Brian F. Howard in 2014 with 61.5 percent of the vote and again in 2016 defeating Democrat Shaun Francis by getting 61 percent of the vote. Saratoga County Republican Committee Chairman Carl Zeilman posted a statement on his Facebook page. It was a bittersweet discussion I had recently with our beloved state Senator Kathy Marchione, as she shared her intentions to retire. he wrote. Kathy has been a friend, mentor, inspiration, and role mode to so many throughout her four decades of dedicated public service. Our entire team in Saratoga County will miss her unrelenting enthusiasm and love for community, as well as her determination to always make it a better place. I wish her the best as she and her family move on to the next chapter in their lives. Thank you senator. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, said in a tweet later Wednesday, We will miss @KathyMarchione in the New York State Senate. She is truly a great lady and role model with whom I was lucky to have worked. I wish her well! Marchiones concluding sentence in her announcement, a quote from the bible, put her political journey in perspective. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, she wrote. Democrats were not unhappy to hear the news that Marchione would not run again in the fall. Saratoga County Democratic Committee Chairman Todd Kerner referenced her strongly-held conservative views in his statement. Sen. Marchione clearly sees that most New Yorkers are rejecting the extreme conservative agenda she stands for, he wrote. Voters want and demand a representative who will fight for their issues and concerns. People no longer want the chaos they see from extremists that are running Washington D.C. that extends all the way back to her. They want a state senator who finds common ground for the problems we all face each day. Kerner said he expects an announcement of the partys candidate for the seat to be made soon. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Highlights Engineering Plastics are group of plastic materials. The group of plastic such as polystyrene, PVC, polypropylene and polyethylene are used as Engineering Plastic. These materials have special properties such as higher impact strength, high abrasion, wear and fatigue resistance. Engineering Plastic are manufactured for special applications two to which they are expensive. The major driver for the growth of the Engineering Plastic Market The growth of the automotive industry. Engineering plastic helps to reduce its weight. It is replacing the conventional materials such as alloys, glass and metals because it has a similar property of metals. Key Players The key players of Engineering Plastic Market are BASF SE (Germany), Covestro (Germany), Solvay S. A. (Belgium), Celanese Corporation (U.S.), E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), LG Chem Ltd. (South Korea), Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Saudi Arabia), Evonik Industries AG (Germany), Lanxess AG (Germany), and Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corporation (Japan). Market Research Analysis The market is highly application driven. Automotive sector is dominating the Engineering Plastic Market because they are widely used in automotive industry for various applications like connectors, wheel well, lighting components like headlamp, fog lamps etc. Engineering Plastic helps in reduction of overall weight and which will eventually reduce the vehicle emission. Various companies are carrying out intensive research and development activities so as to innovate and develop new products. Get Sample of Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2161 Asia-Pacific region is expected to dominate the Engineering Plastic Market with highest CAGR due to rapid industrialization, End-use industries such as chemical, automotive manufacturer, electric & electronics have demanding more of Engineering Plastic. The government spending in infrastructure activities has increased due to which there is increasing demand for Engineering Plastic in this region. The Engineering Plastic Market is expected to grow higher in North America and Europe due to increasing penetration of Engineering Plastic in Asia, Middle East & Africa. Global engineering plastic market is expected to cross market size of USD 90 billion by the end of 2022. However the cost of the material is high which can hamper the growth of the market. Scope of the Report This study provides an overview of the Global Engineering Plastic Market, tracking three market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a five-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (ROW). The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market for the next five years for each region. The scope of the study the Global Engineering Plastic Market segments by its products, application and region. By Product Polyamide Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Thermoplastics Polyesters Polycarbonate Others By Application Construction Electrical & Electronics Automotive Consumer Goods Others By Region North America Asia Pacific europe Rest of the World Get Complete Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/engineering-plastic-market-2161 About Market Research Future: At the Market Research Future (MRFR), we provide our customers to unearth the complexity of our industries through our Cooked Research Reports (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 optimal quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Applications, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enabling our clients to see more important questions. Contact: Market Research Future +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com A new TV programme offered a look inside a pioneering school which helps so-called 'problem children' who have been excluded from the classroom. The Family School, in London, aims to help get pupils get back into mainstream education by inviting their parents to join them as they attend lessons and take part in therapy sessions. BBC One's Back to School with Mum & Dad told the stories of three primary school pupils, aged between seven and nine, who had been excluded from their own schools over violent outbursts, disruptive behaviour and low attendance. Cameras followed the children and their parents as they explored the reasons behind their issues, with all three coming to the realisation that it was rooted in complex family problems. Fatima is brought into The Family School to help professionals work out why her son Danish is misbehaving Nine-year-old Danish was forced to leave four schools in just three years because of his violent behaviour. He would lash out at teachers when they told him what to do and had even had to be physically restrained by staff. Cameras filmed his mother Fatima as she took part in a therapy session in which she leaned how Danish's anger stemmed from his father abandoning the family. He was just five years old when he discovered his father had a secret wife and son and kept the knowledge secret from his mother for an entire year. Fatima, who gave up her own education to support Danish, said she found it easier to communicate with her son once she understood the root of his problems. The Family School is the only place in the UK where excluded children and their parents are brought together to learn. Danish, nine, would react violently to teachers whenever they told him what to do The programme also followed eight-year-old Maia, who was prone to violent outbursts and was permanently excluded from her primary school having spent most of her education outside the classroom. As a working mother, Maia's mother Marina could only go into the school once a week, but her daughter appeared to work better when she was present. When Marina was not there, Maia's temper would quickly flare. On one occasion she screamed, swore and scribbled on the walls. On one school outing to the park he had to be restrained by his teachers when he argued with another pupil Danish, nine, had been to four schools in just three years before he was sent to The Family School due to his anger management problems WHAT IS THE FAMILY SCHOOL? The Family School works with children who have difficulty attending mainstream schools because of their behaviour return to their old schools. They teach children in smaller groups in specialised classrooms so they are able to give them more attention. Twelve children, each with their parent or carer, attend the school at any one time. The school works with Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, a children's mental health centre. They are given lessons to maintain their economic development, but will also receive therapy sessions individually and with their parents. Advertisement The therapists put Maia's anger issues down to insecurity, which she may have developed as a response to her father leaving the family when she was two. Even at that young age she was still aware of her parents' arguments, and recalled standing between Marina and her ex partner when they had a row. This shocked her mother, who said: 'Its surprising that she remembers so much, that she recalls those things and its upsetting because its negative. You understand that disagreements are a part of life but it's negative, it's a negative impact on a child.' The school resolved that Marina would call into the school to speak to Maia every day during her lunch hour, and would use her time off work to come into school for her daughter regularly. Meanwhile seven-year-old Logan had been excluded from school over his low attendance record. The schoolboy had separation anxiety when he was apart from his mother Bobbie, who suffers from severe depression and chose to keep her son out of school with her for moral support on her darkest days. He had not regularly attended mainstream school for two years. When he was at school, he would throw tantrums and wait outside his headteacher's office, demanding to be sent home to his mother. Maia, eight, was prone to violent outbursts and was permanently excluded from her primary school, but her working mum Marina couldn't make it into The Family School every day The little girl had a meltdown and began ripping displays off the walls after a disagreement with a teaching assistant The therapists put Maia's anger issues down to insecurity, which she may have developed as a reaction to her father leaving the family when she was two However the problems continued at The Family School, with his mother phoning in sick on his behalf and offering questionable excuses for his absence. When the mother and son sat down with therapists, Bobbie came to understand that she relied on her son for emotional support through her depression. She said: 'I had totally lost myself, I would get very depressed, I would stay in my bed. What I have batted around more is about my mental health and I thought I hid it quite well. 'Obviously the older kids knew sometimes that mummy was really not well, but I thought I managed to hide it for Logan. Obviously I never.' Logan, seven, has separation anxiety from his mother Bobbie, who suffers from severe depression, and would miss a lot of school Logan would throw tantrums and wait outside his old headteacher's office demanding to be sent home to his mum The school worked with Bobbie to manage Logan's attendance by asking her to seek help for her depression so he wouldn't feel guilty about leaving her The school worked with Bobbie to manage Logan's attendance by asking her to seek help for her depression so he wouldn't feel guilty about leaving his mother. They also took his attendance day by day, marking it down on a chart to measure when he'd done a full week. By the end of filming he was able to return to mainstream school. It stands among coriander, Vegemite and barbeque sauce as one of the most divisive and controversial food topics of all time. But now, after countless debates, Australians have weighed in on the pineapple on pizza debate once and for all. In a report by food ordering app Menulog, pineapple was revealed to be one of the top three pizza topping choices for 2017 alongside cheese and bacon. After countless debates, Australians have weighed in on the pineapple on pizza debate once and for all And while it was sometimes removed from toppings (alongside anchovies and olives), with 7,000 people choosing to remove it, far more people decided to add it, with a total of 200,000 selecting it as an extra topping. In total, 825,000 pizzas came with pineapple on them and Hawaiian was the second most popular pizza choice of the year, beating only margherita which came out on top. The stats come after more than four million pizzas were ordered via the app in 2017. In total, 825,000 pizzas came with pineapple on them and Hawaiian was the second most popular pizza choice of the year, beating only margarita which came out on top Poll Do you enjoy pineapple on pizza? Yes No Do you enjoy pineapple on pizza? Yes 288 votes No 239 votes Now share your opinion The report also revealed the food habits and trends of Australians and reported that Italian is the most popular food category across the nation and has been for the past 12 years. In the Northern Territory it was found that 'Singaporean' food was the number one choice while those in Western Australia were most likely to 'order food for a romantic night in' instead of heading out. South Australians are the most likely to have food delivered to their workplace while those in St Kilda, Victoria order more pizzas per year than anyone else in the country. The report also revealed the food habits and trends of Australians and reported that Italian is the most popular food category across the nation and has been for the past 12 years People in Randwick, New South Wales, order the most Chinese food each year while the 'best taco' was found to be in Queensland at Fiesta Modern Mexican Cuisine in Morayfield. The report also revealed the nation's 'favourite dishes' with the humble Pad Thai coming in number one followed by butter chicken and green curry. Margherita pizza, panang curry and vegetarian dishes also made the list. Advertisement They are among the most photographed families in the world - but these remarkable images show the royals as you've never seen them before. To commemorate the upcoming Royal Wedding on May 19, printing company PhotoBox has launched a nationwide project to create a 'photographic biography' of the House of Windsor - as seen through the amateur camera lenses of the British public over the past century. The campaign received a huge response, with thousands of images sent in by the British public, many of which came with fascinating stories and anecdotes - and some of which have never been seen before. The best 250 photographs, and their accompanying anecdotes, feature in a new book, The Crown from the Crowd which is published this week as 'the people's gift' to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with all profits set to be donated to Help for Heroes. Speaking about this snap of the Duchess of Cambridge, amateur photographer Gert-Jan Wit said: 'This photo is taken in Rotterdam with some typical Dutch things: tulips and stroopwafels. I always said, when Kate comes to the Netherlands I want to see her. In 2016 she came to the Netherlands for a one-day visit. I interrupted my holiday and went to The Hague and Rotterdam to see her. I had the chance to shake her hand twice and take some nice pictures' Sharon Libby, who took this snap of the Princess of Wales in October 1992 (left) said: 'Fantastic day when [Diana] was given Freedom of the City of Portsmouth... it was mesmerising to see her so close up'. Sarah Hillyar said of her submission, taken on 20 February 1990 (right) 'Help for Heroes Private dinner at Serles House, Winchester, with the Royal Hampshire Regiment. I was asked to photograph Diana on her visits to the Regiment while she was Colonel in Chief. Felt very honoured to be asked and Diana was a wonderful subject' The Prince of Wales in Bonn, Germany on November 2nd 1987. Amateur photographer Birgit Berg-Klug said: 'Someone told him something funny and I was able to capture that moment... Not only that, I was also very lucky, because he shook my hand' Describing his close-up snap of the bride-to-be taken in March 2018, Paul Ratcliffe said: 'Meghan Markle pictured on her visit to Birmingham's Millennium Point. One of the many engagements she and Prince Harry undertook prior to their wedding' Kevin Johnson, who captured this candid sequence of the monarch in November 2017, said: 'This was the moment that The Queen was standing right in front of me and happened to glance at my camera, which I had lowered out of respect. Moments before the picture we had made full eye contact and exchanged a "Hello". It was during a state visit to Hull and I never imagined I would ever get so close to her, never mind actually interact with her. It was a lifelong dream come true and a memory I shall treasure' This image was taken in 1992 by Jill James, who recalled: 'Princess Diana was visiting my daughter's nursery in [London] SW14. My daughter is the one on the end of the table looking at her friend as though to say, "Who did you say this was?" She is about six months old in the picture. Princess Diana was very amused at all the cornflour being thrown around and made sure she didn't get too close!' 'The photo was taken in July 2017 at the presentation of the new Queen's colour for the RAF Regiment, presented by HRH Prince Harry at RAF Honington. Prince Harry was greeting everyone so I managed to get this lovely picture as he was talking to us. It was such a great and exciting day,' says Brook Rose O'Brien 'April 17, 1982 Ottawa, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had signed Canada's new Constitution intolaw,' says the unnamed snapper. 'Her Majesty and Prince Phllip walked the red carpet, with Canadian Prime Minister PierreElliot Trudeau closely following. Philip noticed my son, Andrew Morris, age eight, perchedon a barrier, enthusiastically waving a bouquet of red and white carnations. Philipsuddenly veered towards us, repeatedly motioning Andrew to join the Royal party. Reluctantly,I hoisted Andrew over the barrier. He scampered towards His Majesty, and handed her hisprecious bouquet which she gently tugged from his hand! A delighted Prime Minister Trudeaulooked on. From the crowd, with Deputy Prime Minister Allan MacEachen blocking my view, I snapped my photo' Prince Charles snapped by Amanda Smyth in Templemore Avenue, east Belfast in May 2015. The book, which is published this week, captures candid snaps of the royals picked from the estimated 50,000 engagements they have completed since the Second World War Princes William and Harry visiting Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Botswana. Amateur photographer John Aves said: 'I was the Director of the Environmental Education Centre and took these photos of the two young royals (very rarely were they allowed to travel together) when on tour in June 2010' 'Her Majesty the Queen visits the city of Nottingham, going walkabout in the square in front of the Council House in the spring sunshine' (taken by Paul Ratcliffe in March 1997) 'This was taken at the opening of the New Covent Garden Market, Nine Elms. My father (the man she's shaking hands with) was the General Manager then and responsible for the move from the old site at Covent Garden. He died six and a half years ago... I love how one of the other men in the line up is giving my dad rather an odd look, and Prince Philip in the background appears to be looking over to see what Queen Elizabeth is up to' (taken by Claire Roberts in 11 November 1974) 'This was taken whilst the Queen Mother was on holiday at the Castle of Mey. She had turned up to watch the local sheep dog trials and support the event. As ever she was a dream to photograph, turning in her car seat to ensure l got the shot. She had a wonderful knack of making you feel very special and each time l was lucky enough to meet her, she was effortlessly charming' (snapped by David Butler in August 1992) 'While we were living in New Zealand Harry visited Wanganui, the small town we were living in. He was welcomed warmly by the Maori and paddled up our fabulous Aanganui river in a traditional Maori waka [canoe]. The town loved the fact that he visited such a small town instead of focusing on the large city centres. I was able to get up close and personal and will always remember it. He even noticed my Union Jack earrings,' comments Julia Maxwell 'This photograph was taken immediately after the Queen had celebrated her birthday at the Guildhall in Windsor with other nonagenarians. She and Prince Philip were driven around Windsor as Meghan and Harry will be on their Wedding Day. We were fortunate enough to be staying just opposite the Guildhall and enjoyed the Royal smile as the Queen acknowledged the crowds and their cameras and Prince Philips also spared a glance for the other nonagenarians and their families' (taken by Kathryn Phillips in April 2016) A mother who is so addicted to clay she carries chunks in her handbag on night out has quit her job as a science teacher to sell it on the internet. Mandisa Mayne, 36, from Birmingham, was told by her doctor that she has the rare disorder pica, which sees people compelled to eat non-food substances that are of no nutritional value. The mother-of-two has experienced cravings since she was a child - unlike many pica sufferers whose cases are triggered by pregnancy - when she would eat chalk from from the art classroom at her school. By the time she was an adult she had moved on from chalk to chunks of clay, which she says makes her feel 'healthy'. Mandisa - who insists the clay has a detoxing effect on her body - now says her earnings from selling clay online almost match her 32,000 per annum teaching salary. Mandisa Mayne, 36, from Birmingham, is so addicted to eating clay that she quit her job to sell it online, and is now almost matching her previous salary Admitting that her children, and business owner husband, who she does not wish to name, find her eating habits strange, she said: 'My cravings started with chalk. I used to steal it from the blackboards and nibble it during lessons as a child. 'The more I did it, the more I enjoyed it. By secondary school, I was full-on craving it and needed to eat more and more. 'I used to take the chalk from the art department and eat that. Then, when I started getting pocket money, I would go to the shops and buy my own supplies.' Buying ten packets of chalk at a time from her local Wilko shop, as she got older, Mandisa struggled to control her cravings at work. She was told by her doctor she has the rare eating disorder pica, which causes people to eat non-food substances with no nutritional value. Unlike many sufferers, whose unusual cravings are triggered by pregnancy, Mandisa Mayne's began in childhood She said: 'When I became a teacher, I'd eat clay and chalk in my classroom in my breaks. 'Before that, working in admin, I remember one time when I was pregnant, when my work building was being refurbished and plaster was hanging off the wall, I couldn't resist getting a screwdriver and hacking more plaster off, just so I could eat it. 'It was an uncontrollable craving - I just couldn't help it.' After she had been with her husband, who she met through mutual friends in 1999, for two weeks, she revealed her peculiar food choices. Remembering his reaction, she said: 'He was shocked, but that wasn't going to stop me - nothing would.' Mandisa discovered her new favourite snack after finding an online forum, where people discussed their non-nutritious eating habits - stumbling on the condition, pica While colleagues have warned her it could be dangerous for her body, the mother-of-two insists it actually detoxes her after junk food But, Mandisa's palette changed with age and, in 2011, when she discovered clay, it wiped clean her craving for chalk. She continued: 'I'd had enough of chalk, I'd got to the point where it really wasn't doing it for me. 'All the shops I was buying it in were cheap and it didn't taste like it used to. 'I tried everywhere to find something which was as good as the old stuff, but I had no luck.' Admitting that her husband and her kids still find her clay eating habit strange, she said: 'I'm passionate about clay. Starting with just a handful of customers from online forums, Mandisa set up her business called Earth's Clay Store In April this year, she quit her job as a science teacher to sell clay full-time from her three-bedroom home on the outskirts of Birmingham 'I started selling it, as I wasn't passionate about teaching anymore. I order in up to 40kg a week, keep it all around my house and then distribute it. 'Now I'm a successful businesswoman, selling it to people just like me. 'Eating clay makes me feel healthy, it's just like a detox. I even eat it off a spoon, sometimes, like yoghurt or ice cream.' Mandisa discovered her new favourite snack after finding an online forum, where people discussed their non-nutritious eating habits - stumbling on the condition, pica. 'I'd never heard of it before, but it sounded just like me,' she said. 'I asked if anyone had any other alternatives to chalk and someone mentioned clay. 'I ordered 300g of the stuff from Georgia, USA, for 30, and other types from Africa, Russia and the Ukraine ... and I was hooked.' Mandisa's palette changed with age and, in 2011, when she discovered clay, it wiped clean her craving for chalk Before she set up her business she was spending 20-a-week on a 500g bag. And Mandisa, who eats it as chunks, is particularly partial to a bite after a helping of fast food, like pizza. She continued: 'I'll take it to the cinema in a little bag and eat it after my popcorn, have it on a night out, after we've been to the chip shop, or nibble on a small amount if I have indigestion. 'It's always in my bag, wherever I go.' WHAT IS PICA? Pica is an eating disorder that is characterised by the desire to eat items with little or no nutritional value. These can include anything from stones, sand, paint and dirt to talcum powder. It is most common in people with learning disabilities and during pregnancy. It can cause a range of serious complications if the person is eating something that is poisonous or indigestible. These include being poisoned by toxic ingredients and having a part of the body obstructed (which is often seen in people who eat hair). It can also lead to excessive calorie intake, but also nutritional deprivation if the person eats a substance with no nutritional value instead of nutritious foods. The person can also damage their teeth and be infected with parasites Advertisement Mandisa has been warned by colleagues she could be damaging her body, but she remains adamant that her weird snack is good for her. She said: 'It's my body, and the clay is actually a real detox for me. People have been eating it for hundreds of years. 'I won't eat clay after I've had a healthy meal, but if I've just had a really junk-fuelled snack, it makes me feel so much better and healthier.' But at the end of April 2017, she became concerned about the amount she was shelling out on postage. She explained: 'I decided that, if I became a seller myself, I'd save money, as well as giving the pica community more choice of things to eat.' Starting with just a handful of customers from online forums, Mandisa set up her business called Earth's Clay Store, expanding her client base to include almost 500 names in a year. And in April this year, she quit her job as a science teacher to sell clay full-time from her three-bedroom home on the outskirts of Birmingham. Selling 190 types of clay, chalk and slate pencils to other people with pica, Mandisa is now close to matching her teaching salary. 'Starting to sell clay was the best decision I've ever made,' she insisted. 'Our house is a little over-run with my supplies and I'm at the Post Office most days, posting it around the globe, but it's the best job in the world for me.' Mandisa, who eats it as chunks, is particularly partial to a bite after a helping of fast food, like pizza Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were guests of honour at a sumptuous banquet in Athens on Wednesday night. The royal couple were flanked by women in traditional Greek dress as they posed for photos with president Prokopios Pavlopoulos and his wife Vlassia on the steps of a reception room at the presidential mansion. Camilla, 70, dazzled in an embroidered champagne-coloured gown by Fiona Clare at the event, while Charles, 69, looked dapper in a suit. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were greeted by women in traditional Greek dress as they arrived for a banquet at the presidential mansion, hosted by the President of Greece Prokopios Pavlopoulos and his wife Vlassia, pictured centre with the royal couple Camilla, 70, dazzled in an embroidered champagne-coloured gown by Fiona Clare The duchess beamed as she clinked glasses with the Greek prime minister at the event Camilla accessorised her floaty gown with a pair of drop earrings and a nude clutch bag Prince Charles was sat next to the president's wife, Vlassia, pictured, for the banquet The royal couple arrived in Athens this afternoon on the next leg of their five-day royal tour of France and Greece. The couple paid their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before going their separate ways, with Charles meeting the country's Left-wing prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, while Camilla visited the Benkai Museum with his partner, Betty Baziana. This morning the pair delighted royal watchers when they described next week's royal wedding as 'marvellous' and 'special'. Asked about his son Prince Harry's forthcoming nuptials to Meghan Markle at a flower market in Nice this morning, the heir to the throne said: 'Obviously marvellous. I'm sure it will be a very special day for everybody. ' Camilla looked elegant in a floor-length white gown for the occasion on Wednesday night The Duchess of Cornwall admired works of art before making her way into the banquet The royal was seen discussing one piece with the Greek president in the presidential palace Camilla and Charles both take a keen interest in art and appeared impressed with the display The couple looked in excellent spirits as they joined the Greek president and his wife for dinner The duchess looked the picture of elegance in the floor-length gown for the banquet Asked how it had been getting to know Meghan, the Duchess of Cornwall smiled enthusiastically and said: 'It's very nice. It's all very exciting. Can't wait. ' She also described her feelings at having a baby and a wedding in the family in one year, saying: 'Quite a lot. And more to go too. A few more babies to go, Zara has got a baby coming. ' As they toured the flower market, Charles, 69, and Camilla, 70, also told two American tourists of the 'great girl' that Harry is about to marry. Prince Charles with Betty Batziana, long-term partner of Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras Ms Batziana flashed a smile at the duchess as they raised a toast ahead of the meal The women appeared to get on very well and looked deep in conversation during dinner Prime minister Alexis Tsipras and his partner Betty Batziana, arrive for the banquet Charles and Camilla spoke to Chicago residents Keith Kohls and his wife, Lara, along with daughter Cassidy. Lara said: 'I just wished them both you know congratulations and good luck and that we're from Chicago and Harry's gonna be getting a really beautiful bride and they're gonna be getting a wonderful daughter in law. 'He said 'thank you very much and we're very excited. And Camilla said 'oh that's really sweet of you.'' She added: 'They did describe her as 'a great girl' and they're very excited, looking forward to the wedding.' Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Athens today as they continued their five-day royal tour of France and Greece. They first paid their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, pictured, before carrying out a busy day of royal engagements The royal couple were received by President of Greece Prokopios Pavlopoulos and his wife, Vlassia Pavlopoulou-Peltsemi at the Presidential Mansion in Athens The royal couple looked in good spirits as they chatted to the president and his wife today Charles and Camilla were on their last engagement of a three day official tour to France on behalf of the British Government and are flying onto Athens later. The royals looked in high spirits as they sniffed a rose while touring the market in the south of France. The pair were greeted by crowds of well-wishers as they arrived at the flower market this morning. Camilla was joined by Betty Baziana, the partner of the Greek Prime Minister, during a visit to the Benaki Museum The pair both opted for stylish white frocks for the engagement in Athens today The Duchess teamed her chic shift dress with a pearl choker and matching earrings Camilla looked relaxed as she chatted away to the partner of the Greek Prime Minister Camilla and Betty were given a tour of the Benaki Museum as part of the royal visit today Camilla was appropriately dressed in a green floral dress by Anna Valentine and a cream scarf as she met with stall holders. The Duchess was also seen doting over a cute baby as she met with well-wishers waiting to get a glimpse of the couple. As well as admiring the flowers on offer, the pair also paid a visit to a fruit and vegetable stall and a stall selling socca - a Nice speciality made from chickpea flour and olive oil. Prince Charles shook hands with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras ahead of their meeting Charles was seen in deep conversation with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during their meeting Charles and Camilla were also welcomed by Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and his wife Vlassia Pavlopoulou at the Presidential Palace Later in the day, Charles and Camilla arrived in Athens for the second leg of their tour of France and Greece. The couple were officially greeted in bright sunshine by the government of the Hellenic Republic of Greece by Kate Smith, the Queen's ambassador to the country. Charles and Camilla headed to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where Charles laid a wreath to honour the unknown and missing casualties of war. The couple's first stop in Athens was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where they paid their respects The pair spent a moment in silence as they remembered those who lost their lives Charles looked solemn as he paid his respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, pictured Later, the Prince of Wales told the Greek President he 'deeply appreciated' the chance to officially visit the country during a meeting at the Presidential Palace. Charles said they were 'enormously grateful' for the 'kind and generous' welcome. President Prokopis Pavlopoulos described Charles and Camilla's trip as 'historic' and one more link in the 'chain of friendship' between the UK and Greece. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have revealed their excitement about Harry and Meghan's wedding while visiting a flower market in Nice Camilla was seen doting on a cute baby as she was greeted by well-wishers in the French city Prince Charles described next week's royal wedding as 'marvellous' and a 'special day for everybody' during this morning's engagement Charles and Camilla were seen sniffing a rose as they toured the French market this morning Camilla appropriately wore a floral dress as she toured the flower market in Nice today The Duchess looked thrilled as she was handed a large bouquet of flowers this morning Camilla was seen accepting a bouquet of flowers from the stall holder during the visit He added that Charles was particularly welcome because of his father Prince Philip's 'Greek origins'. It comes after the couple completed a tour of France, which began in Nice on Monday morning, when they visited a monument paying tribute to the victims of the city's Bastille Day terror attack. The royal couple laid a bouquet and signed a book of condolence during a visit to the site where the atrocity took place two years ago. The Duchess of Cornwall commented on how it was 'quite a lot' to have a royal wedding and the birth of Prince Louis in the same year Charles looked delighted as he discussed the array of flowers on offer with a stall holder Charles and Camilla were greeted by crowds of well-wishers as they arrived this morning Camilla was seen shaking hands with a well-wisher as she and Charles arrived in Nice The royal couple were completing their final engagement in France, before flying to Greece Charles and Camilla then paid a visit to the French village of Eze, where they posed for a photo at a popular beauty spot. Charles and Camilla arrived in Lyon on Tuesday morning, where they paid their respects to fallen servicemen at a VE Commemoration. The couple visited Lyon's Parc Tete d'Or, where they were greeted by Georges Kepenekian, Mayor of Lyon and David Kimelfeld, President of Lyon Metropolitan Area. They also paid a visit to a refuge centre for victims of domestic violence, as well as sampling wine, cheese, chocolate and charcuterie at a local food market. Charles and Camilla were later seen tasting a Nice delicacy during their tour of the market Charles looked animated as he pointed out something to Camilla during the visit this morning The Prince of Wales was seen laughing as Camilla handed him a rose at the flower market Camilla said she it has been 'very nice' getting to know Meghan when asked about the royal wedding next week A plus-sized model who has built her career on her curvy figure and 36G boobs has shocked fans by having breast reduction surgery - because they were too big for her wedding dress. The 27-year-old lingerie model, who is 5ft 4in and a UK size 16 (US size 12), dubbed the new Ashley Graham, says she also suffered years of back pain which was caused by her enhanced chest. The LA-based model, raised in Boston, has previously starred in shoots for Elle, Maxim and Playboy, and is known for her catchphrase: 'Beauty Is Not A Size'. She says after years of feeling uncomfortable, she opted for surgery when her bridal gown wouldn't fit around her chest. Ashley revealed to her 1.3million followers that she underwent seven-hour surgery to remove 4lbs (1.8kg) of tissue (1.8kg) from her breasts, which are now a manageable 36DD. Scroll down for video Ashley Alexiss, 27, has carved a successful modelling career thanks to her curvy physique and 36G breasts; however, she's now revealed to her Instagram followers that she's undergone surgery to reduce her breasts to a 36DD Necessary: Alexiss, who's from Boston but now based in LA, pictured during the gruelling seven-hour surgery to remove 1.8kg of tissue from her chest The model's latest Instagram photographs show her reduced breasts; Alexiss told her followers that she would 'burn' with pain from standing too long because of the pressure her breasts put on her 5'4' physique Ashley is due to marry her long-term boyfriend Travis Yohe, 26, in September. The lingerie model explained how she came to the decision: 'Over the course of the last year, maybe longer, I've contemplated a breast reduction. 'As I'm getting older, I'm noticing the toll it's taking on my back and is actually causing physical issues with my trap muscles, shoulder grooving, and my posture. 'Not to mention I feel it's affecting my ability to truly do my job because my back would literally burn from standing too long - and come on, I'm only 27. 'That's not okay to me. So, after fighting with insurance for the last year, and getting sick of their nonsense, I decided to do it. Sharing photos of her new breasts with her 1.3million followers, she told MailOnline: 'The final straw was my boobs didn't fit in my wedding dress. I told some people beforehand and got some feedback I definitely didn't appreciate - "Why would you do such a thing? Your boobs are what you're known for! Isn't that going to hurt your career?" 'I mean, yeah, they're part of my curves, but I know I'm much more than a set of bodacious Bahama mamas. But this did cause a little more stress and a little more panic about what I was about to endure.' 'I'm much more than a set of bodacious Bahama mamas': The model, who has posed for surgery pictured six weeks before the op, left, and six weeks after Glamour...but Alexiss says her body was constantly under strain, affecting her posture and her back muscles A previous operation several years ago had seen Alexiss have her implants reduced in size...but she says it was a temporary solution that didn't solve her pain issues The LA-based model, who is a UK size 16 (US size 12), has already starred in shoots for the likes of Elle, Maxim and Playboy She said she made the decision to go under the knife at the beginning of March and had her boyfriend by her side 'and supporting me from eyes shut to eyes open'. Ashley explains: 'Most of these procedures are four to five hours but I had such a complex case it took seven hours. 'Yes, seven hours and four pounds of breast tissue. I had what was considered a minor reduction a few years ago where I sized down on implants and had some excess skin removed from the area but that only temporarily solved my issue. 'When I was 21 I decided to get implants, which my doctor at the time went bigger than what we discussed and caused a bigger problem which is why my case now was so complex. 'I was 21 and truly hated the anatomy of my chest and was convinced an implant would help. 'It actually made the situation worse because I wasn't done developing and had I just got a small reduction with a lift and a very small implant, I would've never had to have gone through this.' The plus-size model , who has been dubbed the new Ashley Graham, won her first lingerie campaign last year She says that the prospect of plastic surgery was terrifying and that she even wrote a small will in case she didn't come out of it. 'Going under that long has quite a bit of risk and it was hard to come to terms with that. Plus, my case was a reconstruction case. 'I'm all for doing what's best for you and what ultimately makes you happy, but don't think I'm proud of having to have my chest worked on three times being 27, because I'm actually embarrassed and just wish I had the right doctor when I was 21 to fully help me understand what I was doing.' Ashley, who says she was bullied at school, has quickly become known for her catchphrase 'Beauty Is Not A Size' When I was 21 I decided to get implants, which my doctor at the time went bigger than what we discussed and caused a bigger problem which is why my case now was so complex... Ashley Alexiss The healing process is expected to take six months but, just six weeks after surgery, she's already back in front of the camera. 'I'm thrilled. I cried and hugged my doctor while thanking him for finally helping me get to where I needed to be and for helping me not look like I'm going to fall over. 'There could be complications with how they settle due to my complex case, and if that happens, I may just have to accept that's what they are, but right now we are hopeful and things are looking better than expected. And it's all systems go for her upcoming nuptials too. She says: 'They fit in my wedding dress! Some people like to call me a hypocrite for having plastic surgery, but I see it as modifying myself for my own happiness, nobody else's. 'I'm not trying to fit society's normal, or what they expect me to be, I'm simply doing what's best for myself, hence my breast reduction. 'We need to stop making people feel bad for doing what is best for themselves. 'I don't mind my imperfections, they make me who I am and I feel others should embrace theirs as well.' Advertisement The Queen was all smiles today as she soaked up the atmosphere at one of her favourite equestrian events of the year in the private grounds of Windsor Castle. Flanked by aides, the 92-year-old monarch could be seen beaming with joy as she watched the action at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Berkshire on Wednesday, just a stone's throw from where the royal wedding will take place next weekend. Sporting a decidedly off-duty ensemble, the Queen swapped formal attire for a powder blue cardigan, white blouse and tweed skirt, carrying one of her many trusty patent handbags from Launer. The annual equestrian spectacular sees competitors taking part in a range of events from show jumping to dressage, along with displays from The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery and DAKS Pony Club. Her Majesty was later seen holding a pink rosette after one of her horses finished fifth, but even that did little to dampen her spirits. Scroll down for video All smiles! Flanked by aides, the 92-year-old monarch could be seen beaming with joy as she watched the action at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Berkshire in the sunshine on Wednesday Beaming: The Queen looked to be in high spirits as she arrived at the Royal Windsor Horse Show today in a power blue cardigan and tweed skirt. The RWHS, now in its 75th year, is one of the monarch's favourite equestrian events Favourite event: The beaming 92-year-old monarch looked to be deep in concentration as she watched the action at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, held on the private grounds of Windsor Castle, on Wednesday. She was carrying a Launder handbag Off-duty: The Queen looked animated as she watched the action, before getting a helping hand with putting on her gilet when it clouded over. The padded outerwear is likely to be by royal dressmaker Angela Kelly, and the Queen also has one in green Annual tradition: The five-day show, held in the private grounds at Windsor Castle, is now in its 75th year and the Queen is believed to have attended every single year since it began in 1943 Delighted! The Queen couldn't keep the smile from her face as she clasped her hands together and took in the action Proud owner: The Queen beamed as she watched one of her own horses compete in an event on day one of the competition Despite the bright sunshine, there appeared to be a slight chill in the air as one of the Queen's aides was forced to help her cover up with a padded gilet as she sat in the shade of her private box. The Queen mingled with fellow spectators at the prestigious show, which has long been an unmissable event in Her Majesty's diary. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding on May 19 will have been timetabled to allow the Queen to attend the show and to make sure the nuptials did not clash with its organisation. The Queen was at the horse show without the 96-year-old Duke of Edinburgh, who is recovering from a hip replacement operation, with his attendance at the wedding yet to be confirmed by the Palace. Last year, Philip was seen carriage driving with his ponies on the morning the Windsor Horse Show began. Making friends: The Queen mingled with horse trainers and fellow guests at the annual equestrian spectacular, which is regarded as an unmissable event in Her Majesty's diary All smiles: The monarch was seen beaming as she watched the action at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in the sunshine. Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh competed at it during their younger years Keeping warm: Despite the bright sunshine, there appeared to be a chill in the air as one of her aides was forced to help her cover up with a padded gilet in the shade of her private box Plenty to smile about! The monarch kept a close eye on her own horses as they competed on the first day of the horse show Powder blue perfection: The Queen looked ready for spring in her bright cardigan and crisp white blouse Unmissable: The Queen was all smiles as she soaked up the atmosphere at one of her favourite equestrian events of the year. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding on May 19 will have been timetabled to allow the Queen to attend the show Fashion forward: The monarch wore a powder blue cardigan and tweed skirt, and could be seen carrying one of her trusty Launer handbags. At certain points she looks completely engrossed in the action as she chatted to aides Royal highlight: It's a show intrinsically linked with the royal family; both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh competed at it during their younger years, with Prince Philip entering the Carriage Driving at Royal Windsor Horse Show for 30 years Will the Windsors be out in force again? Last year, the monarch was joined by son Prince Edward and his wife Sophie as well as grandson Peter Philips, Canadian great-daughter-in-law Autumn and their two children Discerning viewer: The Queen appeared a little less than impressed with how her horse was performing at one point High spirits: The Queen was seen laughing as she watched the action (left), before checking her watch during the show. She was dressed more casually than during her formal public engagements, where she is rarely seen without a colourful Angela Kelly suit and matching hat Family affair: This year, the Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor is believed to be taking part in the competition herself after she was spotted practising her carriage driving in Windsor The monarch looked to be in excellent spirits as she watched the day's proceedings, and could be seen laughing as one of her aides clapped. She teamed her off-duty outfit with a watch and a simple string of pearls In more recent years, the Queen has watched many of her own horses take part in the showing class competitions, and on Wednesday one of her horses finished fifth No fuss: The Queen watched the action from a wooden cabin just feet away from spectators - and an ice cream van The five-day event, held in the private grounds at Windsor Castle, is now in its 75th year and the Queen is believed to have attended every single year since it began as a wartime fundraising event back in 1943. The event is intrinsically linked with the royal family; both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh competed at it during their younger years, with Prince Philip entering the Carriage Driving at Royal Windsor Horse Show for 30 years, winning it just once in 1982. In more recent years, the Queen has watched many of her own horses take part in the showing class competitions. Last year, the monarch was joined by son Prince Edward and his wife Sophie as well as grandson Peter Philips, Canadian great-daughter-in-law Autumn and their two children. Relaxed: The Queen opted for a decidedly off-duty look as she arrived at the Royal Windsor Horse Show today. Last year, Philip was seen carriage driving with his ponies on the morning the Windsor Horse Show began Chatting away: The Queen, who is known to be a keen horse enthusiast, was seen speaking to competitors taking part. In her casual attire, she could very easily have gone unnoticed among the many spectators at Windsor Castle Keen interest: The Queen was seen inspecting one of the horses taking part in this year's equestrian event. The Queen was at the horse show without the 96-year-old Duke of Edinburgh, who is recovering from a hip replacement operation, with his attendance at the wedding yet to be confirmed And this year, the Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor is believed to be taking part in the competition herself after she was spotted practising her carriage driving in Windsor. The young royal inherited a love of horses from her grandmother the Queen, and was taught to ride at a young age. Lady Louise is already an accomplished horsewoman and has previously competed in carriage driving at the event. Last year she was responsible for leading the carriages of the Champagne Laurent-Perrier Meet of the British Driving Society into the showground. She has also joined her father Prince Edward, 53, on horseback as part of the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in Windsor in 2016. Prince Philip, 96, turned to carriage racing after he decided to stop playing polo at the age of 50. Competitors taking part in today's event. The annual equestrian spectacular sees competitors taking part in a range of events from show jumping to dressage, along with displays from The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery and DAKS Pony Club Meghan Markle's friend and former agent has told how the royal bride 'can't wait' to become a mother. Speaking in a documentary set to air on Sky tonight, Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne recalls how Meghan told her she would 'love to have children'. Gina said in Harry and Meghan: A Love Story that the pair were in the Cayman Island when talk turned to their futures, and the then Suits star opened up about her longing for a family. 'She said to me, "I would absolutely love to have children, and I can't wait to be a mother,"' Gina said in the documentary. The conversation took place in the summer of 2016, around the time Meghan, who will marry Harry on May 19th at Windsor Castle, met the Prince. Meghan Markle reportedly 'can't wait' to become a mother, a close friend has revealed in upcoming Sky documentary Harry and Meghan: A Love Story, due to air tonight Speaking in the documentary, Gina revealed she was with the Suits star in the Cayman Islands when she confided in her. 'Meghan and I were at an event in the Cayman Islands and Meghan discussed her future with me, and I said to her: "Meghan, what about kids? Would you like to have children?" Gina said. 'She said to me, "I would absolutely love to have children, and I can't wait to be a mother."' The claims were made by Meghan's close friend and former agent Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne (pictured) in the anticipated film Speaking in the documentary, Gina revealed she was with the Suits star in the Cayman Islands when she confided in her that she was due to go on a date with Harry, in summer 2016 This came as she first spoke about her budding romance with the Prince, gushing over an upcoming date with Harry to her close confidante. Sharing a glimpse into the documentary, Gina recalled her conversation with an excited Meghan on the day of her first date with the Prince. Having asked her why she was so giddy, Meghan told her 'I have a date tonight,' Gina said, before confiding that Prince Harry was the man she was meeting. Meghan and I were at lunch and she was really excited and I said to her you look fantastic Meghan whats going on you seem excited?. She revealed she had a date and I said really with who, do I know him, and she said in a whisper Im sure you know him Im meeting Prince Harry tonight. I said how exciting do you know what youre getting yourself into?. Gina revealed that Meghan, who is due to marry Prince Harry at Windsor Castle on May 19th, admitted she would 'love to have children' Gina revealed that Meghan's confession came as she first spoke about her budding romance with the Prince, gushing over an upcoming date with Harry to her close confidante The documentary also revealed that Meghan had been passionate about charity work from a young age, joining a soup kitchen for homeless people in LA during her time in high school. Speaking about Meghan, her former teacher Christine Knudsen at Immaculate Heart High School said: She got an A from me and was very articulate and always had something interesting to say. Remembering her time at the school, teacher Maria Pollia added: 'She volunteered for quite a long time at a kitchen. She continued long after her hours of service requirement was fulfilled and she continued on through her senior year as well.' And recalling her time at The Hippy Kitchen, Mike Wiesniewski, director at homeless kitchen, admitted you couldnt forget her face and kindness. Speaking of her compassion he said: 'She would come with her religion teacher and do what everyone else was doing.' Sharing a glimpse into the documentary, Sky report that Meghan told Gina of her upcoming date in hushed tones during their business trip (pictured on a holiday) This continued into her career, when she landed her breakthrough role on hit legal drama Suits. Suits creator Aaron Korsh revealed she made sure no more food was thrown away from the studio after she saw how much would go to waste. She went up the ranks and ensured nothing was thrown away but it was given to homeless people, he revealed. And during her time on Suits she met Prince Harry, something she was very discreet about. But despite her private attitude, she aroused peoples suspicions when during a Lifestylemag shoot in May 2017 she was described as noticeably very excited. The magazine's creative director Claudia Ribeiro said: She was very excited about something and the fact that she was texting all the time, we could see that something was happening. 'But she was very private and elegant about the details of the relationship- didnt say names or anything, but we knew that something exciting was going on. This picture was taken at the Cayman island Summit, when Gina says Meghan first spoke of her budding romance with Harry The revelation of Meghan's maternal side comes just months after Prince Harry said the couple hoped to start a family in the 'near future', in the interview that followed the couple's engagement in November 2017. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in the summer of 2016 after being set up on a blind date by a mutual friend, thought to be fashion designer Misha Nonoo. In November 2016 Harry confirmed their romance after he released a statement asking for his girlfriend's privacy to be respected, revealing she had been subject to a torrent of abuse amid rumours of their romance. Just weeks later the Prince visited the American actress on set of Toronto-based legal drama Suits, before the couple were first sighted together in London during December 2016. The duo then made a number of low key appearances together in 2017, and announced their engagement in November 2017, spending Christmas together with the Queen at Sandringham. The couple will marry on 19th May 2018 at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England. Harry and Meghan: A Love Story airs on Sky One at 9pm on Wednesday 9th May. The last known sighting of Ruth Wilson was through a rear-view mirror. It was a cold, wet night in November 1995 and the man watching the 16-year-old recede into the fading light was the taxi driver who had just dropped her off at a lonely spot on Box Hill, a wooded outcrop that dominates the landscape around the Surrey commuter town of Dorking. The driver later told police he was surprised to see the schoolgirl just standing there, not walking towards some rendezvous, possibly at a nearby pub, the Hand In Hand. Surprised, but not alarmed. The driver carried on to his next job. Ruth Wilson would never be seen again. Her disappearance was total she would make no phone call, send no letter, make no bank withdrawal. She simply vanished. The photograph of Ruth used on Missing posters and in newspaper reports freezes her in time a smiling girl with shoulder-length dark hair, dressed in school uniform and peeping out from behind large glasses. Shy-looking but with a hint of mischief. Detective Liam McAuley and journalist Martin Bright have begun re-investigating the disappearance of Ruth Wilson, 16, (pictured) in 1995 How difficult is it for a 16-year-old girl to disappear completely? asks retired police officer Liam McAuley. I would say it was nigh-on impossible. Mr McAuley, who lives in Surrey, is using his considerable experience to try to help solve the riddle of Ruths disappearance. I was so busy with my work in London that I missed the case until after my retirement in 2009, he explains. When I came across it I found myself being drawn into the mystery. Something didnt add up. And that unofficial inquiry, conducted with Martin Bright, a journalist who has followed the case for many years, has turned up something new: a family secret that provides an explanation for Ruths decision to leave home a decision that may have led to her death. The disclosure is made in a documentary, Vanished: The Surrey Schoolgirl, on YouTubes Real Stories documentary channel. Ruths childhood was based on secrets and lies, says her friend Catherine Mair. She only realised that when she examined her mums death certificate. Ruth was born in Surrey on January 31, 1979, to Ian and Nesta Wilson, and had a younger sister, Jennifer. Mr Wilson was a teacher and later head of a school science department. On December 4, 1982, when Ruth was three and Jenny less than a year old, Nesta died. Some believe Ruth grew up thinking her mother had died in a freak accident, breaking her neck after falling downstairs. Ruths father Ian and stepmother Karen (pictured five years after she vanished in 1995) A year later, Ian remarried. Ruth knew her stepmother Karen, also a teacher, as Mum. The Wilsons lived in a 17th-century cottage in the village of Betchworth, between Dorking and Reigate. Box Hill overlooks this affluent enclave. Ruth appeared to live a traditional middle-class life. Academic achievement was encouraged at home and Ruth enjoyed both pop and traditional music, combining singing in the choir, organ-playing and bell-ringing at her local church with electric guitar. She was a popular babysitter and worked in a music shop on Saturdays. A sixth-former at The Ashcombe School in Dorking, she was studying biology and chemistry and thinking of reading archaeology at university. How many female teens runaway from home? 71 per cent of teenage runaways aged 13-17 are female, but 73 per cent of all people who disappear over the age of 24 are male Advertisement Ruth wasnt cool, not one of the school in-crowd. She didnt talk about her ambitions, says Catherine Mair, who befriended Ruth in the sixth form. She worked hard, to the detriment of exploring the things that kids do at that age, like fashion. But she had this really wicked sense of humour. The Wilsons were pillars of the community, Mr Wilson becoming a parish councillor. But according to Catherine, who during their brief friendship was close to Ruth, all was not well at home. She was unhappy really unhappy, she says. She cried with me about things. She didnt want to be there. Just why is not clear. She was secretive about that. She didnt go into details, adds Catherine, who never visited Ruths home. Around October 1995, Ruths state of mind darkened. Somehow, she had developed the belief that her biological mothers death was not as depicted. According to Catherine, Ruth travelled to London to examine Nestas death certificate. Liam McAuley (pictured) believes a sinister explanation behind Ruth's disappearance may explain why she didn't have documents or baggage with her when she vanished A shock awaited her. Nesta had not died after falling downstairs, she discovered. Instead, she had hanged herself and was later declared dead in hospital. The shock of this revelation consumed Ruth, says her old friend. She was obsessed with what might have happened. When you keep things like that from your kids a mother killing herself a couple of weeks before Christmas with a one-year-old and a three-year-old there was stuff in Ruth that made her want to know what happened, says her friend. She was fixated on trying to find out. Catherine adds: She was definitely working up to some kind of boiling point. She is quite volatile: she wouldnt hold back. That boiling point seems to have been reached on Monday, November 27, 1995, two months before Ruths 17th birthday. She had run away from home for a week or so about a month previously and hinted at going away again - Ben Anderton On the Saturday before her disappearance, Ruth had worked at the music shop before going out for an Indian meal with her ex-boyfriend, Will Kennedy, and another friend, Neil Phillipson. Ruth and Will were still friends despite their split, and it is thought Ruth may have signalled her intention to leave home. On the Sunday, Ruth attended bell-ringing practice before heading to a youth club in Dorking, then to Wills home for supper, before returning home. Monday dawned cold and miserable. Ruths father had an Ofsted inspection to cope with and, in a rush, pushed past Ruth to leave the house. Surrey Police searched across 1,000 acres of Parkland (Pictured: Dorking area) to find Ruth after her disappearance using dog teams and a helicopter I remember being annoyed with her and said something like, Out of my way. Im in a hurry, he said later. Ill always regret those were the last words I ever said to her. Mrs Wilson, the deputy head of a primary school, also left for work early. Ruth and her sister Jenny usually caught the same bus to school, but Ruth suddenly announced that she would make her own way to school later. A short time after that, her friend Will turned up and offered Ruth a lift to school in his car. She declined, saying again that she would go in later. Instead, Ruth ordered a taxi and headed to Dorking Library, where she spent a few hours before popping into Thistles, a florists. There, she ordered a bouquet of flowers for her stepmother, instructing that they were to be delivered in two days and not before. There was no card attached. Ruth then headed to the nearby railway station, where she took another taxi to the Hand In Hand pub at the top of Box Hill. She asked to be dropped off near the entrance to a bridleway. It was 4.30pm and the sky was darkening. Rain started to fall. Mr Wilson penned a letter to Ruth in 2006 explaining how they raised their hopes over false leads since her disappearance. Pictured: A person who resembles the missing school girl Then, she was gone. That night, Surrey Police began a wide-ranging search across some 1,000 acres of parkland, using dog teams, heat-seeking equipment and a helicopter. Fellow pupils joined other members of the public in the search, but to no avail. Two days later, the flowers arrived for her stepmother. Catherine is in no doubt they were not a gesture of goodwill. It is thought but not confirmed by Surrey Police that within a few days of Ruths disappearance, officers found three notes hidden under a bush on Box Hill, one to her parents and two to friends. Near by were said to be an empty packet of paracetamol tablets and a bottle of vermouth. But there were no other effects at all. It appears that from the outset the police didnt treat the case as being particularly suspicious. According to the charity Missing People, only 1 per cent of children who go missing remain so for more than a year though that still means hundreds of cases. Most of the children identified on its website as missing for three years or more appear to be of overseas origin, and very few fit Ruths profile. Family liaison officer Mark Williams-Thomas believes Ruth (pictured) could still be in Dorking A spokesman for the charity explains: Trafficking is one of the key issues, which explains the significant number of foreign nationals who go missing long-term. Parental abduction is a risk, as is stranger abduction, though both are rare. When the two men who have reinvestigated the case, Liam McAuley and Martin Bright, sought more details from Surrey Police, they were told Ruth was still the subject of an ongoing investigation and that exact details were confidential. Both men regard this secrecy, after 23 years, as excessive. Its the circumstances that are so mysterious, says Mr Bright. A person just wearing the clothes theyre standing in one winters night, and they suddenly disappear off the face of the earth. 'I think this should have been treated as suspicious from the outset. Mr McAuley believes there may be a sinister explanation for Ruths disappearance. To be honest, Ruth could still be up there - Mark Williams-Thomas So, has Ruth gone up there to meet somebody? Or did she plan to commit suicide? he asks. It isnt a good starting-point to run away. If you wanted to do that, you would catch a train to London. 'She had no documents that would assist her in the future, or baggage. Mr McAuley sent a registered letter to Ruths father offering help, but there was no reply. The way the police are being tight-lipped is just adding to the mystery. If this keeps on, the file on Ruth will lie yellowing in a filing cabinet and one day will just be incinerated. Ruth (pictured) would be 39 years old now. Her school friend Ben Anderton believes she is safe and well somewhere as she had previously runaway from home There was clearly some disquiet about the conduct of the investigation, which maintained the character of a missing person inquiry. Catherine Mair points out that fully eight months after the disappearance, she was visited at her new home in Sheffield by police officers who broke off from questioning her to look in her wardrobe, as if she might have been harbouring Ruth. Mark Williams-Thomas, then the family liaison officer working with the Wilsons, subsequently produced an internal report critical of Surrey Polices approach to the case, known as Operation Scholar. The document, written five months into the search operation, received no official response. The search was just not done well enough, said Mr Williams-Thomas. To be honest, Ruth could still be up there. The officer also criticised the inadequate number of interviews and house-to-house inquiries conducted. Sightings of Ruth were recorded one in Canada but proved inconclusive. Catherine (pictured) believes it's important to bring up Ruth's disappearance again because something doesn't feel right In 2006, Mr Wilson penned an open letter to his missing daughter, published in the Mail. We still have the presents we bought you for Christmas in 1995, he wrote. Theyre safe in a drawer waiting for you to come back, though I expect your tastes have changed so much youd probably laugh at the music and clothes. Though the house is too large now your sister Jenny has moved out, we cant bear to move. Its your home, after all. Your disappearance is still a mystery. You were confident, independent-minded and, apart from the usual teenage frictions, seemed so happy at home. You can imagine our terror and how we searched month after month. I trawled London, hoping against hope Id find you. We wondered if you had a secret but your Filofax revealed nothing. The police discovered you had visited Box Hill before, but dont know why. There have been many false leads. Every time our spirits are raised, only to be dashed again. Its torture. Even now I find myself driving past bus stops and staring. Could that young woman youre 27 now be you? Catherine hopes accounts from Ruth's childhood friends (pictured) will help to understand her state of mind before the disappearance Catherine believes Ruths schoolfriends might have helped her parents understand her state of mind. Following Ruths disappearance, it transpired that she often went to Box Hill after school before going home. Did she meet someone? Catherine dismisses the idea: There was no man because we saw her at weekends. Box Hill was the place to go to be alone and have a think. It wouldnt be where you would go to disappear youd go to the station. And you would take a hat, some of your parents money and pack some clothes. As for abduction and murder, she is not convinced. All of a sudden, she goes up to Box Hill to disappear and, amazingly, somebody is there to abduct her? Today, Ruth would be 39 years old. Maybe she is alive somewhere. But how could her new life be constructed without documentation or money? And if she did take her own life on Box Hill that night in 1995, where is her body? Did she, perhaps, think better of her escapade and seek help? But what happened then? Detective Liam McAuley (pictured) has tried to contact Ruth's father for his investigation but has received no reply The case of Ruth Wilson is haunting, says Martin Bright. The mystery centred on why a happy 16-year-old would simply vanish. 'But our investigation has shown that, far from being happy, Ruth had just discovered that her birth mother had committed suicide when she was three years old. Already, the documentary has prompted more witnesses to come forward. A Facebook group set up by the documentary team has provided a forum for Ruths friends and schoolmates. One of those taking part, Ben Anderton, a schoolfriend of Ruths, says she ran away from home a month before her final disappearance and hid out at his house in Betchworth. I still believe shes safe and well somewhere, says Ben. She had run away from home for a week or so about a month previously and hinted at going away again a week or so before her disappearance, although [she] didnt give any details. She hid out at mine when she first ran away. She wasnt happy at home and wanted to escape. Though the Wilson family firmly declined to comment this week, they have previously issued a statement which read: Her family . . . do not recognise this view of Ruths childhood. Ruth always knew about her biological mothers death, but not the exact cause. Sadly, we now know that before her disappearance, Ruth had discovered the tragic circumstances of her mothers death but equally sadly, she chose not to discuss or question this with any family members. Ruths friend Catherine, a mother now, living in Yorkshire, says: Some people may ask, what is the point of bringing all this up again? But something doesnt feel right. As the most right-swiped people on Tinder, these genetically-blessed singletons are used to turning heads whenever they walk into a room. But they found themselves fighting each other for the spotlight when they all turned up at the same rooftop bash. Tinder joined with Cosmopolitan to celebrate the 30 most right-swiped UK singles with a party at the trendy Curtain hotel and member's club in Shoreditch, London, on Wednesday night. Starting out: PR account executive Charlotte, left, has gone on just four Tinder dates Standout singleton: Pablo Cremades, 34, from London, who works in trading services Gender neutral beauty: Student Sean, 18, from Birmingham, rocked a floral jumpsuit The soiree, which saw the outdoor swimming pool filled with oversized inflatable balls, was also attended by movers and shakers of the city's social scene, including Susanna Warren, a friend of Prince Harry, and events manager Sophie Moss. Among the group of Tinder standouts was Pablo, from London, who says on his profile that he is looking for 'Someone who looks natural whose pictures aren't selfies'. Clear type: Amy Horne, right, says she's attracted to tall men with a rugby player physique Feeling confident: Cabin crew manager Vitaljus, 33, from London, who wants chemistry The 34-year-old, who is head of trading services at an organisation, admits he would also be impressed by a date with an interest in wine. He was joined by fellow singleton Vitaljus, 33, also from London, who says he likes to keep things 'simple and honest'. The cabin crew manager is keen to have strong chemistry with a date but will only go for someone who's 'genuine'. The women were represented by Amy Horne, a marketing assistant who says her idea of a perfect date is a 'bar followed by more cocktails'. Movers and shakers: Susanna Warren, left, granddaughter of the Queen's great friend and racing manager, the 7th Earl of Carnarvon, and Sophie Moss joined singletons at the event Keeping it casual: Blogger and social media star Olivia Cox rocked denim and trainers Blondes have more fun: Finn Constantine, son of model Saffron Aldridge, at the event The 24-year-old, from London, is on the search for 'tall rugby player types'. PR account executive Charlotte was given the most right-swiped accolade after going on just four dates through the app. Commenting on her approach to dating, the 21-year-old says: 'I'm looking for a work hard, play hard individual whos not afraid to "jump all in". Lifes too short to go around in circles, youre either with me or youre out.' Student Sean, 18, from Birmingham, who was named the most popular gender neutral dater, looked stunning in a patterned jumpsuit. Sean is put off by 'someone who looks the part yet only exudes beige'. Donald and Melania Trump did all they could to put an end to reports that they spend 'little or no time together' by putting on an incredibly public display of affection during a White House event held - fittingly - in support of military spouses. The first couple embraced and kissed one another on the podium at the event, with Melania, 48, beaming happily as she hugged her husband, having just introduced him to the waiting crowd with several warm words. And her heartfelt introduction was quickly reciprocated by the President, 71, who immediately praised his wife for becoming such a 'popular first lady' after taking the podium. Scroll down for video Keep calm and carry on! Donald and Melania Trump put on a very affectionate display at the White House on Wednesday afternoon Happy as can be: Melania, 48, beamed with joy as she embraced her husband, having warmly introduced him to the waiting crowd Making a statement: The first couple's affectionate display comes just two days after it was claimed that they 'spend little or no time together' Lean in: Melania wore an elegant blue suit for the occasion, which perfectly matched her husband's outfit 'Thank you very much Melania, she's become a very, very popular first lady,' Donald said at the start of his speech. 'I'm reading all those stories and they love Melania.' The Mother's Day event was held to mark the signing of an executive order that recognizes the contributions of military mothers and spouses. In addition to promoting their employment, the government's personnel office is directed to increase awareness among military spouses and educate agencies about their hiring authority. Trump told the audience of military mothers and spouses that America owes them a debt of gratitude. He added that while they can never be fully repaid, their government should give them the opportunities they deserve. The first couple were joined at the event by the President's daughter Ivanka, and her husband Jared, who watched on as he signed the executive order in the East Room of the White House, along with Melania, who beamed happily while standing by her husband's side. And in keeping with the Mother's Day theme of the occasion, Trump made sure during his speech to pay tribute to some of the other women in his life, both personally and professionally, calling out Ivanka, Karen Pence and Kelllyanne Conway for their support. 'Thank you, Karen and Karen, and Ivanka, and Kellyanne,' he said after praising Melania's popularity. 'Thank you all for being here. Thank you very much.' The trio of women was also spotlighted during Melania's introduction; the mother-of-one, who looked elegant in a $2,995 belted navy blue jacket dress from Michael Kors, took the time to thank all three for 'all of the hard work they have done on the executive order that [my husband] will be signing'. Celebration: Melania introduced her husband at the event with several warm words, before he returned her tribute by praising her 'popularity' as first lady Laughter: During her introduction at the Mother's Day event, Melania joked that the holiday should be celebrated every day Support: Donald clapped enthusiastically when a smiling Melania noted that Mother's Day should be celebrated every day of the year Support: Melania stood on and clapped proudly as her husband discussed an executive order that encourages federal agencies to hire more military spouses Melania also paid tribute to her fellow mothers during the speech, praising the military wives and mothers 'not only for your love for your children, but for the dedication and sacrifice you make on behalf of our country each and every day'. The first lady, who has one child - 12-year-old son Barron - with her husband, also opened up about some of the more difficult aspects of motherhood, paying mind not only to the strong bond between a mother and her child, but to the 'fear' that can often come with that strong level of emotion and love. 'Mother's Day, which is this Sunday, is celebrated just one time per year,' she began after taking the podium. 'I don't know about all of you, but I think mothers should be celebrated each and every day. 'As a mother myself, I know what goes into raising a child. It takes an incredible amount of strength, a lot of time, a generous amount of patience, and all of your love. As moms, we are so incredibly privileged to be able to bring children into this world and be part of helping them grow into adults. 'Children bring us endless amounts of both joy and fear. They fill us with pride through their triumphs and they love us in a manner that only other mothers can understand. 'Because of the powerful bond between a mother and her child, when they feel emotions, so do we. Whether they are happy or nervous, sad or excited, we feel those things with them. I think it is one of the most powerful and beautiful parts of motherhood.' All smiles: Melania beamed as she and her husband exited the stage together Making friends: The couple also took the time to chat with some of the military servicewomen at the event By his side: The first lady watched on with apparent fascination as her husband signed on the dotted line of the order Right hand women: While signing the order, the President was joined by his wife, daughter Ivanka, Kellyanne Conway, and Karen Pence in the East Room of the White House Hard work: Second lady Karen, Ivanka, and Kellyanne were all praised by both the President and the first lady for their hard work in helping to push the executive order through Proud: After signing the order, which is aimed at supporting military wives, the president held it up for the cameras Donald and Melania's openly loving display comes just two days after a longtime friend of the president told the Washington Post that the couple actually spends 'little or no time together', despite what their public appearances might suggest. Although the pair are sometimes photographed smiling in public as when they attend joint events or board government aircraft en route to Mar-a-Lago, they spend considerable time apart. They have separate bedrooms inside the White House, and Trump awakes at early hours to lob tweets at his rivals. 'They are not that couple that holds hands just because; she is old-world European and it's not who she is,' said Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who previously held a volunteer White House job and whose firm got paid $1.62 million for consulting and production related to Trump's inauguration. Her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, knocked down a 'persistent rumor' that the first lady doesn't even live in the White House and stays with her parents near son Barron Trump's school. 'It's 1,000 percent false. We laugh at it all the time,' said Grisham. White House social secretary Rickie Niceta Lloyd called it an ''urban legend.' The two have carved out largely separate public lives. While the president makes regular appearances with his cabinet, staff aides, and world leaders, the first lady focuses on her own, less-frequent events. Awkward: Melania has been seen trying to wriggle her hand away from her husband's on many occasions, including during a visit from French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife When the couple travels to Florida for weekends, the only image of them together is frequently of them boarding and de-boarding an aircraft. President Trump sent his wife birthday wishes during an appearance on Fox News last month where he said: 'Maybe, I didn't get her so much. I got her a beautiful card, you know I'm very busy to be running out looking for presents.' And while she may not have openly addressed the recent Stormy Daniels scandal, her actions have spoken volumes. The first lady has been spotted on numerous occasions trying to swat her husband's hand away as he tries to reach for hers, with the most recent incident taking place during a visit from French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte last month. In a video of the two couples taken at the White House, Melania appears to try and wriggle her fingers away from her husband's as he tried to gingerly grasp her hand. She resisted his hand and, while their exact movements were unclear, appeared to wriggle away before he took a strong hold of her fingers. With Melania's hand firmly in his grip, President Trump mouthed an exaggerated 'thank you' then began walking past the press which had gathered to take their photographs. A Burger King restaurant is trolling for a prom date, so it turned to a rival fast food eatery as an option. One of the chain's restaurants in Lynn, Massachusetts, changed its outside sign earlier this week to say '@Wendy's, Prom?' The picture went viral with Wendy's responding on Twitter saying, 'OK, but don't get handsy and we have to be home by 10.' Wendy's is known for its clever (and savage) commentary on Twitter towards fellow competitors, McDonald's and Burger King. Hilarious: A Burger King restaurant in Lynn, Massachusetts, altered its outdoor sign to ask the Wendy's next door to prom Available: Wendy's responded hilariously on Twitter saying it was free to go to the prom Amazed: One Twitter user posted the picture of the sign and implored Wendy's to respond One person flagged the new sign and posted it on Twitter imploring a response from Wendy's. The post said: This is awesome! Wendy's don't leave Burger King hanging?!?' But Wendy's is not one to turn down an opportunity for more social media fame with its clever responses. People instantly reacted once the fast-food chain said it was in to go to the dance despite past beef with Burger King. One person said the restaurant had a 'better love life than I do', while someone else was jokingly disappointed Burger King would get the chance to take Wendy's out. The response from the chain has since been liked more than 34,000 on Twitter. It's not the first time that the fast food chains have taken part in some fun-filled banter; although this is perhaps the nicest interaction seen between them. Earlier this year, Wendy's dropped a mixtape, entitled We Beefin', where it called out competitors including McDonald's and Burger King. Funny: One person joked the restaurant has a better love life than her Disappointed: Another Twitter user joked that they were sad Wendy's said yet to Burger King Supportive: Another user posted a gif from Spongebob to show their support for Burger King 'The mixtape drops now. Not pulling punches. We Beefin,' read the tweet, which came with screenshots of the album on Spotify, iTunes and Google Play. The company has experienced attacks of its own after Burger King launched Spicy Chicken Nuggets last year to its menu just months after Wendy's axed the item from its stores, upsetting die-hard spicy nugget fans. And it was no coincidence, either: Burger King has made it quite clear it's looking to fill the whole in the spicy nugget market left behind by Wendy's and is even taunting the rival chain with new ads. The chain rolled out the item with several ads that target Wendy's, including one that taunted the chain for cutting the beloved food. 'Hey Wendy,' one ad reads. 'We've been listening. It sounds like you've been missing that spice in your life for long enough. So, we're bring the spice. Yeah, that's right, Spicy Nuggets are here at Burger King.' They've even bought billboards overlooking Wendy's restaurants, which one Twitter user called 'savage'. On fire: Burger King added spicy chicken nuggets to its menu for a limited time, months after Wendy's stopped selling its own spicy nuggets in most locations Missing them? In addition to strategically-placed billboards, Burger King has created ads like these 'We know there is an appetite for Spicy Chicken Nuggets,' said Alex Macedo, President, North America, for Burger King. 'Our competitors have launched similar products in the past, and fans will be excited for this delicious product at Burger King restaurants.' Burger King told USA Today that its version is spicier than Wendy's and uses a mix of cayenne pepper and other spices. But it has since discontinued the food item after offering the nuggets for a brief period. Earlier in 2017, Wendy's scrapped its own spicy nuggets from most of its stores, leaving some fans devastated and taking to social media to express their disappointment. 'Wendy's are you guys drunk?' wrote one fan. 'Getting rid of the spicy chicken nuggets is the worst thing you could possibly do!' 'Who gave Wendy's the right to stop the spicy chicken nuggets,' wrote another. No! Several fans took to Twitter to express their anger and disappointment Travel? The spicy nuggets are still available at Wendy's locations in some cities including Austin, Chicago, and St. Louis Protest! A Twitter account even popped up to campaign for the nuggets to be brought back Hearing the outrage, Wendy's responded but stood by the decision, citing low sales. They did, however, note that some cities where the nuggets are most popular still carry them. 'We do understand you're hurting right now and no logic or reasoning will satisfy your desire to, once again, taste those little nuggets of spice and fire,' they wrote in a 'break-up letter on the Wendy's blog. 'Simply put, not everyone in every city loved our spicy nuggets as much as you did,' they went on. 'This wasn't a snap decision or anything they (the nuggets) did. While this is hard, there is some good news in all of this and thats because not everyone felt the same way.' Stores in Austin, Dallas, and Waco, Texas, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison, Wisconsin continue to carry them. This is the incredible moment a young cystic fibrosis sufferer took her first steps after receiving a life-saving double lung transplant. Violet Gomez, 25, said she feels 'free' following the surgery, which means she can breathe deeply for the first time in her life. The young woman previously relied on oxygen 24/7 after a build of mucus in her organs reduced her lung capacity to 20 percent. While her friends graduated college and enjoyed life, Violet was so unwell she was unable to walk the length of her apartment without taking a break. Earlier this year, a series of infections left Violet virtually hospital-bound and hooked up to an oxygen tank to help her breathe. She was added to the transplant list in April and expected to be waiting three to six months for a new pair of lungs, in line with average wait times. But just six days later she received the all-important call and was rushed to hospital where she underwent the critical surgery in the early hours of April 12. Footage filmed at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, shows Violet taking her first steps fueled by healthy lungs full of oxygen, just two days after the op. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW Violet Gomez's lung capacity had plummeted 20 percent last year by the age of 24. In April, two days after getting a double lung transplant, she took her first steps through the hospital Agony: For months, Violet couldn't walk the length of her apartment without taking a break. She is pictured here pre-surgery with the oxygen tank she had to wheel around everywhere Violet, who is married to 25-year-old Erik Gomez, a record store vinyl buyer, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, an degenerative inherited disorder, at just 11 months old The aspiring fashion designer, who was unable to work before the transplant but now plans to go to school, said: 'It is freeing. I feel free.' 'I couldn't really live that much of a life before,' she added. 'I would be in hospital every two weeks and then home and then back in hospital because I was getting infections very frequently. 'The doctors were saying, "You are not quite ready for a transplant yet." 'They wanted it to be the last resort and felt I wasn't quite sick enough yet, but I didn't feel like I was too healthy. I felt awful. 'Finally, at the end of March, they said, "You are ready, we want to put you on the list". That was exciting and scary. Finally something could happen but it's also a huge surgery. 'Amazingly, six days after I was added they called and said, "We have lungs for you."' Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes persistent infections in the lungs and limits one's ability to breathe over time. A defective gene causes a thick, sticky buildup of mucus in the lungs, clogging airways and trapping bacteria that leads to infections, lung damage and eventual respiratory failure. Mucus buildup also occurs in the pancreas, preventing the release of digestive enzymes that allow the body to break down food and absorb vital nutrients. CF is typically diagnosed in infancy and has a life expectancy rate of 37 years old. There are approximately 30,000 cases of CF in the US, with roughly 1,000 new cases diagnosed each year. While exercise can help extend lifespan, a transplant is the only concrete effective treatment for people suffering from the incurable genetic disease that causes a build-up of mucus in the airways. It was a day she had been waiting for her whole life. And yet, the day she was getting hers, Violet couldn't believe it: 'Going into the surgery and being put under, I kept thinking, "Is this going to happen?" 'I remember waking up and being like, "Oh my gosh, this really happened." These are Violet's damaged old lungs, seen days after they were removed and analyzed Violet was allowed to hold her old lungs three weeks after the transplant, wearing a protective face mask Waiting: After receiving the call that she had lungs waiting for her, Violet and Erik sat in the hotel ward waiting, hooked up to oxygen pre-surgery She made it! Violet held up a 'peace' sign with her hands just a few hours after the transplant 'It was different. I could definitely feel that breathing was easier and I wasn't coughing. 'My first time getting up walking was two days after the transplant. 'The physical therapist said I was one of the best patients she's had when it comes to getting up and walking multiple laps after surgery. 'She said only about five percent of patients have been able to get up and walk as quickly as I did. 'Now I can actually walk around an entire mall and not have to sit down or catch my breath. 'I can do things I haven't been able to do in years and it has only been a few weeks, so the lungs aren't even fully inflated yet. 'It has been really life changing.' Violet, who is married to 25-year-old Erik Gomez, a record store vinyl buyer, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, an degenerative inherited disorder, aged 11 months. Violet and husband Erik with their cats Sushi and Taki Violet's scars after nine days. She will have to be on immunosuppressant drugs for life The disease causes thick mucus to build up in the lungs, pancreas and other organs, resulting in breathing problems. Violet had no choice but to take 'lots and lots' of pills and do four 30-minute breathing exercises per day, wearing a vibrating vest to shake the mucus loose. She would have been left performing that routine for the rest of her life were it not for the transplant. She said: 'Without this transplant I would have kept getting sicker and sicker and if I wasn't able to have it, within the next couple of years I wouldn't be alive. 'My life will be a lot better now. I will be able to go and do things with my friends again and keep up with everybody.' A young baby has been dubbed a 'little superhero' by her parents due to the black birthmark covering a third of her face, like a Batman and Robin-style mask. The parents of four-month-old Natalie Jackson refuse to have the blemish removed despite it being expected to 'grow as she grows'. Her birthmark is thought to be vascular, meaning it is made up of blood vessels, due to its dark colour. Although Natalie's parents worry the blemish may attract cruel comments, with the family already enduring shocked stares from strangers, they are determined for the youngster to be proud of her uniqueness. Natalie's mother Lacey, 35, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said: 'We know she will come up against some difficulties, but her mark means she is going to be strong no matter what life throws at her. 'We'll always tell her it's a part of who she is and who she is supposed to be. People will always know how special she is with her birthmark and how amazing she is inside and out.' Four-month-old Natalie Jackson has been dubbed a 'little superhero' by her parents after being born with a Batman and Robin-style mask birthmark across her face Natalie's mother Lacey (pictured) believes the blemish will make her daughter stronger The nickname came about when her two brothers (Devin, four, pictured) asked their mother what mark was covering their sister's face and Lacey said it made her a superhero WHAT ARE BIRTHMARKS? A birthmark is a blemish on the skin that is present at birth or develops in the first few weeks of life. The type of birthmark depends on the main cells involved. Most include melanin collected in one area to create a different colour to the rest of the body. Vascular birthmarks consist of vessels that have not formed properly and can look reddish or blue. Most birthmarks are caused by a change in a gene during early pregnancy when skin and blood vessels are forming. The majority of birthmarks do not require treatment. Those on the eyes, nose or mouth may need attention if they grow. Laser treatment can reduce the colour of some red birthmarks. Some blemishes fade with age, however, more prominent ones may affect people's self esteem and benefit from psychological therapy. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital Advertisement 'She can achieve anything she wants' Natalie's parents were initially 'filled with panic,' when they first saw the stain across their daughter's face. Lacey said: 'The nurse lifted our girl up, after my c-section, and I saw the big black mark on the left-hand side of her face. 'She was so beautiful, but it looked like a bruise and I was worried in case it was something I had done to her during my pregnancy. 'Medics said it was just a birthmark, though, and she was breathing and healthy.' While holding Natalie, who was born weighing 7lb 1oz, for the first time, Lacey feared what other people would think of the black mask-like stain. She said: 'As I cuddled our gorgeous baby girl, feeling enamoured by her, I worried that people might just see her for her birthmark, and not the beautiful person I knew she would grow to be. 'In that moment, I decided we would love her so much and give her all the confidence in the world, to make sure she could see how beautiful she is and how she can achieve anything she wants.' Natalie's parents will tell her how beautiful she is and that she can achieve anything Lacey insists it is good to be different and Natalie should embrace her uniqueness Despite wanting to give her daughter confidence, Lacey worries she will face cruel comments Strangers already stare at Natalie in shock when her family go out together 'She will be stronger because of it' Natalie's superhero nickname came about after her brothers Elliot, seven, and Devin, four, met their baby sister for the first time. Lacey said: 'One of the boys asked, "What's that on her face, Mummy? What's the black mark?" I told him it was her superhero mask. 'I told them that, because of it, she could achieve anything. 'People tell us how amazing her birthmark is and how gorgeous she is and we couldn't agree more. 'It's good to be different and as long as she embraces it, she will be stronger because of it.' Lacey initially worried she had done something wrong during pregnancy to cause the mark After holding her daughter she claims she felt 'enamoured by her' but still worried about the difficult future she may face (pictured with Natalie's father Andrew, 34) Natalie was born via Caesarean section on January 9 earlier this year At an increased risk of skin cancer When Natalie was just one week old, her parents took her to see an eye-disease specialist to ensure the birthmark was not damaging her vision. She also saw a skin specialist and had an MRI scan. Lacey said: 'The dermatologist told us it was a birthmark, but it would grow as she did, meaning it would always cover a large proportion of her face. 'Despite being told her birthmark means she will be at a slightly increased risk of developing melanoma, a type of skin cancer, because abnormal cells could grow, it was still a massive relief.' Although healthy, her birthmark means Natalie is at an increased risk of skin cancer Women wanting to start a family should take part in four hours of vigorous exercise each week, a new study suggests. Scientists discovered that 240 minutes of intense physical activity can boost fertility in all women with a history of miscarriages. But, when the researchers broke down the differences in results between women of different weights, they uncovered striking results. They found overweight women only need a regular 10 minute stroll to boost their chances of becoming pregnant by around 80 per cent within six cycles - and didn't need to take part in vigorous exercise. Walking has great potential as a lifestyle change because of its low cost and availability. It can also lead to other healthier lifestyle changes However, experts at the University of Massachusetts Amherst admit they don't know why - but believe it could be because exercise has an effect at the molecular level. They claimed the results offer evidence of the benefits of exercise for those women attempting pregnancy - especially walking among those with higher BMIs. Professor Brian Whitcomb, study co-author, said: 'We were happy to be able to add scientific evidence to general recommendations about physical activity. 'This is especially true for the results about walking for even limited blocks of time.' He continued: 'Walking has great potential as a lifestyle change because of its low cost and availability.' How was the study carried out? All of the 1,200 women in the study were followed over the period of six menstrual cycles while attempting to have a baby. The participants, who were aged between 18 and 40, had all also endured at least one miscarriage. The researchers wanted to discover how exercise could improve the women's fecundability - their ability to become pregnant within a certain time frame. WHAT ARE OTHER WAYS OF IMPROVING YOUR PREGNANCY CHANCES? Your diet and exercise: being overweight or underweight can affect your chances of conceiving. Your weight is healthy if your body mass index (BMI) is between 20 and 25. Women whose BMI is more than 30 or under 19 may have problems conceiving. If your partner's BMI is more than 30, his fertility is likely to be lower than normal. Alcohol and smoking: The Chief Medical Officers for the UK recommend that if you're pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all, to keep risks to your baby to a minimum. Complications and getting help: If you've been trying for a baby for more than one year without success, see your GP for advice. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement What did they find? The study published in Human Reproduction found the link varied significantly by BMI, shorthand for body mass index. They found among overweight women, walking for 10 minutes at a time was linked to an 82 per cent higher chance of becoming pregnant. However, there was no significant difference for skinny women. The effects of vigorous exercise for four hours In a secondary analysis, the researchers noted all women who exercised for at least four hours each had a 69 per cent higher success rate. Professor Whitcomb said: 'Lifestyle is definitely relevant to these outcomes because it can have an effect at the molecular level. 'What we eat and what we do are potential factors we can change to shape our health. 'So this sort of research is important because it helps provide information on the things people can actually do something about.' No relationship between other types of physical activity There was no overall relationship between most types of physical activity and the likelihood of becoming pregnant for any other types of exercise. Professor Whitcomb said: 'We don't know what to make of the finding that high intensity physical activity may have different biological effects than walking. 'But our study doesn't offer enough detail to get at why vigorous activity would work differently than other levels.' The researchers say physical activity is related to other behaviours and lifestyle factors. Women who do more may be different in many ways. In the UK and the US, more than half of pregnant women are overweight or obese, according to figures. The UK's Chief Medical Officer has warned we risk returning to a world where common infections and minor injuries are deadly if the antibiotic-resistance crisis continues. In a talk given today, Professor Dame Sally Davies described antibiotic resistance as 'biggest global health challenge we face'. Dame Davies is calling for better regulation of antibiotic prescriptions, as well as encouraging the new development of new medications. Figures suggest up to 50,000 people die each year due to antibiotic-resistant infections in Europe and the US alone. Globally, at least 700,000 people pass away annually due to antibiotic-resistance complications from illnesses such as malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis. Experts have previously warned antibiotic resistance poses 'as big a risk as terrorism'. A lack of new drugs combined with overprescribing is thought to have driven antibiotic resistance, which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 'has the potential to affect anyone, of any age, in any country.' The UK's Chief Medical Officer has warned we risk returning to a world where common infections and minor injuries are deadly if the antibiotic-resistance crisis continues (stock) WHAT IS ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE? Antibiotics have been doled out unnecessarily by GPs and hospital staff for decades, fueling once harmless bacteria to become superbugs. The World Health Organization (WHO) has previously warned if nothing is done the world is heading for a 'post-antibiotic' era. It claimed common infections, such as chlamydia, will become killers without immediate solutions to the growing crisis. Bacteria can become drug resistant when people take incorrect doses of antibiotics or if they are given out unnecessarily. Former chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies claimed in 2016 that the threat of antibiotic resistance is as severe as terrorism. Figures estimate that superbugs will kill 10 million people each year by 2050, with patients succumbing to once harmless bugs. Around 700,000 people already die yearly due to drug-resistant infections including tuberculosis (TB), HIV and malaria across the world. Concerns have repeatedly been raised that medicine will be taken back to the 'dark ages' if antibiotics are rendered ineffective in the coming years. In addition to existing drugs becoming less effective, there have only been one or two new antibiotics developed in the last 30 years. In September, the WHO warned antibiotics are 'running out' as a report found a 'serious lack' of new drugs in the development pipeline. Without antibiotics, C-sections, cancer treatments and hip replacements will become incredibly 'risky', it was said at the time. Advertisement 'Drug-resistant infections are the defining challenge of our age' Speaking at the annual Commemoration Oration at Kings College London, Dame Davies said: Drug-resistant infections are the defining medical challenge of our age. 'Political recognition and commitments have put this onto the global agenda but our focus now must be to turn these commitments into real, tangible actions on the ground. There is now a huge challenge for the pharmaceutical, research and medical sectors ahead. 'We must find ways to develop new antibiotics and alternatives as well as preserve the ones we have now otherwise we risk returning to the days where simple infections can kill. How serious is the antibiotic resistance crisis? Professor Sean Brady, from The Rockefeller University, New York, said: 'Despite the wide availability of antibiotics, infectious diseases remain a leading cause of death worldwide. 'In the absence of new therapies, mortality rates due to untreatable infections are predicted to rise more than tenfold by 2050.' The WHO has also classified antimicrobial resistance as a 'serious threat' to every region of the world. Penicillin, the first and most famous antibiotic, was discovered by the Scottish microbiologist Alexander Fleming in 1928. Fleming's discovery allowed doctors to treat and cure infected patients, saving millions of lives. Yet, less than a century after Fleming's discovery there are precious few antibiotics left and many superbugs are already resistant to all of them. New antibiotic has literally been unearthed This comes after research released earlier this year suggested that, for the first time in 30 years, a new type of antibiotic has been unearthed, buried in dirt. Experiments believe the antibiotic family, known as malacidins, can kill several 'superbugs', including the notoriously difficult-to-treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The antibiotics' unique approach to killing pathogens targets bacteria's cell walls, which did not cause drug resistance in the laboratory, a study by The Rockefeller University found. When tested on MRSA skin infections in rats, the rodents experienced no side effects, giving the researchers hope they may have discovered a non-toxic alternative to current antibiotics. Soil is thought to be a good source of antibiotics due to its low-nutrient content forcing different bacteria species to fight against each other for survival, making them 'stronger'. There is a shortage of life-saving EpiPens in America, the FDA has declared. The emergency allergy treatment, produced by Mylan NV, was added to the agency's list of drugs in short supply on Wednesday, with 'manufacturing delays' listed as the cause. While families can still get hold of the lower-dose version, EpiPen Jr, as well as generic versions, the news sparked panic for the XX Americans who rely on them day to day. The filing comes amid an identical shortage in Britain, Canada and Australia, where the product has been in short supply since January this year. The situation has become so dire in Australia that families have been driven to exchanging out-of-date EpiPens online. The FDA said manufacturing delays were creating supply constraints of EpiPens in the US Mylan, which had declined to comment for nearly a month about possible US EpiPen shortages, on Tuesday said it notified the FDA a few months ago of supply issues due to delays at manufacturing partner Pfizer Inc. This was Mylan's first acknowledgment of possible US supply issues following reports of EpiPen shortages in Canada and Britain last month. Erin Fox, senior director of drug information at University of Utah Health, said the FDA is in a tough spot because it relies on drug companies to provide information about shortages. 'If the intent of that notification is that the FDA can work on prevention and mitigation strategies before a shortage even happens, the FDA needs to know all the details,' Fox said. 'The FDA is not getting that from the pharma companies.' Mylan said it is receiving 'continual' supply from Pfizer unit Meridian Medical Technologies, which produces all EpiPens sold globally at a single plant near St. Louis. Meridian Medical has been hit by a series of manufacturing problems. In March 2017, Mylan recalled tens of thousands of devices after complaints that some had failed to activate and in September it received a warning letter from the FDA. EpiPen autoinjectors deliver a dose of epinephrine in the event of severe allergic reaction, such as to bee stings or exposure to peanuts. Experts say America's shortage has been a long time coming. Australia's shortage stems from supply delays in America, where the pens are exported from. 'We understand how important this potentially life-saving product is to patients, and are working tirelessly to increase production and expedite shipments as rapidly as possible,' a spokesman from Pfizer told Daily Mail Australia. While one doctor told Daily Mail Australia that out-of-date medications may still be safe to use, another warned that some doctors are going rogue. Maria Said, CEO of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, warned doctors against teaching patients how to draw up adrenaline using a needle, as some have reportedly been doing. 'This is very dangerous practise for lay people because mistakes can easily be made with drawing up the correct dose,' she said. 'This is a challenge for many health professionals that do not use the medication often and are not familiar with correct dosages.' It may seem like an innocent-looking tattoo. But the 'play button' inking on a British man's chest could have led to a catastrophic blunder that saw him operated on in the wrong place. The patient, whose identity is unknown, had already been marked on the eve of his lung surgery with an arrow on his right shoulder. But surgeons the next day were baffled when they saw his tattoo - and had to double check where he was supposed to be going under the knife. The team at St George's Hospital, London then used permanent marker on the man's right shoulder to indicate the correct site before the operation. It may seem like an innocent-looking tattoo. But the 'play button' inking on a British man's chest could have led to a catastrophic blunder that saw him operated on in the wrong place The bizarre case intrigued the team of doctors so much they decided to publish it in the prestigious British Medical Journal Case Reports. 'Potential to cause confusion' Writing in the journal, the team led by Joy Edlin explained how the patient's play symbol tattoo had 'the potential to cause confusion'. Even though the man's inking 'gave rise to quite a stir in the anaesthetic room and operating theatre', surgeons learned a valuable lesson. They wrote: 'It [the tattoo] reminded the entire team of the importance of correct site marking, the five perioperative communication.' What was wrong with the man? The man had suffered a primary spontaneous pneumothorax - the collapse of one of his lungs, caused by air entering the pleural cavity. Doctors decided to conduct video-assisted thorascopic surgery, so they could see inside his chest and lungs. He then underwent a bullectomy (removal of a dilated air space called the bulla) and pleurectomy (removal of the pleura - to prevent a build-up of fluid). WHAT IS A NEVER EVENT? Never events represent a fraction of the 4.6 million surgical procedures carried out each year and only occur in one in 20,000 cases of surgery. They include operating on the wrong body parts, mixing up organs and leaving surgical tools inside patients. Such incident have even led to deaths, including that of Frank Hibbard, who had undergone cancer surgery in October 2001 at Luton and Dunstable Hospital. Bungling medics left an 8cm-long piece of gauze inside his pelvis, which triggered a soft tissue cancer and led to the lorry driver's death, aged just 69. In 2015, Britain was called out for being one of the worst offenders for leaving items inside patients by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Advertisement The man 'recovered well' and was discharged two days later. The new case, co-authored by Robin Kanagasabay, was titled 'Risk of operating on the wrong site: how to avoid a never event'. A never event is defined as a catastrophic hospital blunders deemed so serious that it should never take place, such as operating on the wrong body parts. Following guidelines To avoid such a blunder, health officials advocate the use of standardised patient wristbands and the World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist. The WHO measure, introduced a decade ago, was launched as a tool to improve the safety of surgery and prevent unnecessary deaths. It helps medics ensure they don't operate on the wrong patient, perform the wrong procedure or operate on the wrong part of their body. The National Patient's Safety Agency published its own five-step checklist in 2010 in an attempt to make surgery safer, including the steps: briefing, sign-in, time-out, sign-out and debriefing. A staggering number of wrong site surgery events But, despite the interventions, figures show there was 84 wrong site surgery events at English NHS hospitals between April and September last year. Never events represent a fraction of the 4.6 million surgical procedures carried out each year and only occur in one in 20,000 cases of surgery. Such incident have even led to deaths, including that of Frank Hibbard, who had undergone cancer surgery in October 2001 at Luton and Dunstable Hospital. Bungling medics left an 8cm-long piece of gauze inside his pelvis, which triggered a soft tissue cancer and led to the lorry driver's death, aged just 69. In 2015, Britain was called out for being one of the worst offenders for leaving items inside patients by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Testosterone pellets sewed into men's skin are fast becoming a booming business in the healthcare industry - and 46-year-old actor Antonio Sabato Jr has offered Daily Mail TV an exclusive walk-through the treatment as he went under the knife himself. The past decade has seen an increase in awareness about how men - like women - suffer a significant hormone dip in their 40s and 50s, which can cause fatigue, anxiety, listlessness, and erectile dysfunction, among other things. As awareness has ramped up, prescriptions have boomed: a recent study showed the rate of men being prescribed testosterone has tripled since 2001, with the vast majority in their 40s. Experts warn many of these men may be mis-prescribed, since low testosterone levels can be affected by other things, like protein levels and weight gain. But for the right candidate who is properly screened, endocrinologists across the board agree it is an essential treatment, and that there is a need for a better alternative to the current mainstream options: a self-administered injection, or a gel, which could rub off on a partner or children. Sabato Jr, who competed on Dancing In The Stars and is now an aspiring politician, falls into that 'right candidate' bracket - and he is among the first wave to try the increasingly-popular method of surgically inserting testosterone pellets under the skin. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Antonio Sabato Jr, 46, pictured getting his testosterone pellet inserted into his buttock His doctor, Dr Chris Asandra, administers the pellets, which are increasingly popular The pellet - about the size of a tictac - is inserted 'right into the fatty tissue in the upper buttock or the hip area'. It then sits there for about five to seven months, before it needs to be replaced EXPLAINED: WHAT IS TESTOSTERONE THERAPY FOR MEN? HORMONES SHIFT IN MIDDLE AGE Men suffer a significant testosterone dip by their 40s and 50s. Levels start declining after men hit 30. Typically, levels range from 300 to 1,000 nanograms/deciliter of blood. This fluctuates during the day - they are higher in the morning and lower in the afternoon. A deficiency is characterized differently depending on the age range. For men in their 20s and 30s, they should be around the 700-800 mark at least. In their 50s, the 400-500 mark is an appropriate ceiling. THERE IS A BOOM IN MEN GETTING HORMONE REPLACEMENT. DO MORE HAVE TESTOSTERONE DEFICIENCY? No. Around 30 percent of men over 30 have a testosterone deficiency, according to official estimates. The majority of those with a deficiency only feel mild effects, compared to the few who will suffer erectile dysfunction and sleeplessness. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? The symptoms are often subtle. Aside from low libido and erectile dysfunction, it can cause: fatigue anxiety listlessness lack of energy lack of stamina HOW IS TESTOSTERONE TAKEN? For those who are identified as having a testosterone-specific issue, there are three first-line options (in the US; there are three in the Europe). While oral testosterone tablets are taken in Europe, it is barred in America for fears of its impact on the liver. That leaves three alternatives: a gel, an injection, or the pellet. The injection is thought of as the most popular, since the gel runs the risk of rubbing off on the user's partner or children. However, not every patient is excited about self-administering a shot. The new pellet formulation is widely tipped as a balanced blend of the benefits of the injection and the gel. Advertisement 'People want to look good but they also want to feel good too,' Sabato Jr's doctor Dr Christopher Asandra, of NuMale Medical Center, told DailyMailTV. As Dr Asandra explains, the pellet - about the size of a tictac - is inserted 'right into the fatty tissue in the upper buttock or the hip area'. It then sits there for about five to seven months, before it needs to be replaced. Sabato Jr told Daily Mail Online he had been feeling increasingly tired with low energy. The Italian-American model and actor, who was propelled to fame in a Calvin Klein ad in the early 90s, used to pump out hours in the gym willingly. As he hit 40, everything became a lot more difficult. His doctor referred him to Dr Asandra, who also performs anti-aging procedures all over the body. According to Sabato Jr, he felt a significant change straight away. 'Once you find out for yourself where you need to be it's changing your life forever,' he told Daily Mail TV. The pellets have been well-received by the endocrine community, but most caution that too many medics of other professions - including primary care doctors and urologists - are over-prescribing testosterone to men who don't necessarily need it. That's beside the issue of naturopaths and wellness therapists, who are not qualified in medicine, handing out testosterone prescriptions. 'It's a great option for the right patient who is screened correctly,' Dr Aren Skolnick, an endocrinologist who is currently training to use the pellets at Northwell Health in Great Neck, Long Island, explained to Daily Mail Online. 'As we age, testosterone levels tend to go down as well, but there are so many other reasons for low-testosterone levels, which their doctor may have already checked for,' Dr Skolnick says. 'It could be to do with the pituitary gland, or sleep apnea, or obesity, or they checked their testosterone levels in the afternoon when the levels go down. 'They shouldn't just be started on testosterone, they should be worked up befoe they commit to it, because it is a commitment. 'It's at least a few pellets inserted next to the belly button or on the thigh under the skin. It lasts anywhere from five to seven months before they need to be replaced.' He breaks down the step-by-step approach to determining whether or not patients need testosterone-replacement therapy, which can be arduous, with side effects. 'Before they commit to the pellet therapy, the patient should have a repeat testosterone level check in the morning,' he says. 'In addition, we check their levels of SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin), the protein which testosterone binds to. That can show if it really is a testosterone issue or a protein issue. 'The pituitary gland should be check to determine if it's a pituitary issue, along with a check of prolactin, which can be high in men, and would be an easy fix with medication - easier than testosterone.' For those who are identified as having a testosterone-specific issue, there are two first-line options (in the US; there are three in the Europe). While oral testosterone tablets are taken in Europe, it is barred in America for fears of its impact on the liver. That leaves two alternatives: a gel or an injection. The injection is thought of as the most popular, since the gel runs the risk of rubbing off on the user's partner or children. However, not every patient is excited about self-administering a shot. According to Dr Skolnick, the new pellet formulation is a balanced blend of the benefits of the injection and the gel. 'It's a steady dose of testosterone every day, without having those peaks and troughs of the injection,' he said 'Like the gel, it's nice and steady and balance without having to think about putting on a sticky substance that could rub off on your clothes, your partner or even your children.' They are expensive - running up to $1,300 for insertion every six months - but according to Dr Skolnick, it looks set to become the most popular form within a few years. The pellets have been well-received by the endocrine community, but most caution that too many medics of other professions - including primary care doctors and urologists - are over-prescribing testosterone to men who don't necessarily need it For those identified as having a testosterone-specific issue, there are two first-line options - a gel or an injection. But Sabato Jr says the new-fangled pellet form did wonders for him Sabato Jr performed on Dancing With The Stars in 2014 and is now an aspiring politicia 'I heard about the pellets two or three years ago as an alternative testosterone therapy,' he said. 'I think testosterone therapy has evolved over the years, partly because of more marketing. People didn't seek it out as much before as they do now. 'Stigma, maybe, but also people now hear more about the benefits for libido, fatigue - etc - from testosterone therapy.' The biggest issue with the surge in testosterone prescriptions is that many patients receive their prescriptions based on symptoms alone, rather than having a full testosterone work-up. 'Usually it's really non-specific symptoms that lead men to get their testosterone levels checked,' Dr Skolnick explains. 'You could have fatigue, low energy levels, difficulty concentrating, depression, decreased endurance. Men who could typically spend a couple of hours in the gym may find they can't any more. 'Most of the men come when it starts to affect their libido, fertility, or they have erectile dysfunction.' The danger, he says, is that putting a man straight on testosterone to cure those issues means the clinician can no longer reliably test their testosterone levels. As such, monitoring their health for all kinds of issues may become skewed and complicated. Another issue is that we still don't have much research on its long-term impacts. 'We have more on hormone-replacement therapy for women during menopause,' he explains. 'But it's only been in the last 10 to 15 years that men's hormone replacement therapy has been getting more popular.' Studies have shown HRT for men could have a myriad of down-sides, from increasing the red blood cell count (which could affect the patient's stroke risk) to causing depression and anxiety. 'A lot more research is needed,' he says. The E. coli outbreak from romaine lettuce has now left 149 people ill - nearly half of whom battling the infection in hospitals across 29 states. Of those, 17 are in kidney failure due to Shiga-toxin, a substance produced by E. coli and listed as a potential bioterrorism agent, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported today. Last week, the agency reported that the outbreak had claimed its first life, killing one person in California. It's unclear if new illness are still occurring. There's a lag in reporting, and the most recent illness began two weeks ago. The E. coli outbreak traced to romaine lettuce from Arizona has now sickened 149 people in 29 states and claimed the life of at least one person, according to the CDC's latest numbers Florida, Minnesota, North Dakota and Texas have joined the list of states reporting at least one E. coli illness linked to the outbreak. Health officials have tied the outbreak to romaine lettuce grown in Yuma, Arizona, which provides most of the romaine sold in the US during the winter. Women account for 63 percent of the infections reported so far. Although E. coli is typically to primarily pose a danger to elderly people and very young children, the median age of those affected in this outbreak is 29. Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli - the kind involved in this outbreak - is so potent that the Department of Homeland Security even lists it as a potential agent of biological warfare. The toxin binds to white blood cells, riding to them to the kidneys where it breaks into the heart of cells. Cell death triggers the body to send red blood cells to the kidneys, causing clots and kidney failure. Since last week, another four people have gone into kidney failure, and an additional 23 have been sickened overall. That number is likely to climb, however, as the CDC reports that it takes an average of three weeks between the time a person falls ill and when the additional case is reported to the agency. The CDC continues to track the progress of the outbreak, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) attempts to sleuth out its source. Last week saw the first major revelation in the FDA's efforts, as the agency revealed that the eight prisoners sickened by E. coli in Alaska had gotten eaten whole head romaine from Harrison Farms in Yuma, Arizona. Though the contaminated lettuce is thought to come solely from the Yuma area, another two dozen farms are under investigation, and the FDA currently believes that only the Alaska illnesses were related to Harrison's romaine. Some 90 percent of the leafy greens sold in the US during the winter months - between November and March - are estimated to come from the Yuma area. The contaminated romaine distributed by Harrison was harvested between March 5 and March 16. This means the greens are long expired, so Harrison has not been instructed to issue a recall. The farm is now growing grass where the lettuce once was. Last week the FDA confirmed that the harvesting season was over for romaine in Yuma, and that any lettuce picked then has now expired. However, as illnesses continue to pile up, regulators maintain tight guidelines for consumer, grocers and restaurants: when in doubt, throw it out. Oil prices have reached their highest level since 2014 after US president Donald Trump pulled the plug on US involvement in the Iran nuclear deal. A barrel of Brent crude oil rose to $77.16 in early morning trading. With world oil on the rise, motorists across the UK can expect to see prices at the pumps increase. A spokesman for the AA told This is Money: 'The industrys rule of thumb is that a $2 change in the price of oil, at a constant exchange rate, causes a 1p change at the pump. All change: Oil prices have reached their highest level since 2014 after US president Donald Trump pulled the plug on US involvement in the Iran Nuclear Deal 'Lower-income drivers are already under pressure from rising pump prices and any new increase makes their finances even more difficult. 'This could worsen if the Europeans fail to keep the Iran nuclear deal alive and the commodity market speculators cash in.' RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: 'Motorists are definitely feeling the effect of rising fuel costs, but things may be about to get a whole lot worse as a result of the United States' decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement. 'The price of oil has already jumped on the back of this news which will lead to even higher prices at the pumps. In numbers: The cost of a barrel of Brent crude oil from 2013 to the present day 'Last month saw almost 3p a litre being added to the average price of petrol and diesel making it the worst monthly fuel price rise since December 2016. 'And sadly, we fear we may see another couple of pence a litre going on as a result of the higher oil price and the fact the pound has slumped to a four-month low at $1.35. 'This could take the average cost of a litre of unleaded to 126.5p - a price last seen in October 2014 - which would make filling up a 55-litre family car cost nearly 70.' FTSE 100 listed oil producing groups, including BP and Royal Dutch Shell, have seen their share prices rise on the news. Outspoken: Donald Trump's tough stance on Iran could keep oil prices higher than they would otherwise be On the FTSE 250, Tullow Oil and Cairn Energy were among the biggest risers, up over 5 per cent and and 4.4 per cent respectively. The 2015 deal curbed Iran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of UN, US and EU sanctions. Pulling out of the deal means Trump could now re-instate a string of sanctions against Iran. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'Oil traders may have seen President Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the 2015 nuclear sanctions coming from some distance away, but confirmation of the move and American plans to exclude Opec's third-biggest producer from global markets is still giving a fresh lift to the price of crude.' On BP and Shell's share price boost, David Cheetham, chief market analyst at online broker xtb, said: 'Both these firms have seen their share price rise to its highest level in several years this morning and if the price of oil continues to rise on the tensions in the Middle East, then there could be more upside to come. 'The gains have boosted the broader index with the FTSE 100 close to its highest level since January. 'The oil and gas sector accounts for roughly one-sixth of the benchmark, and the recent gains in this area are lifting the whole index.' While Trump has pulled the US out of the Iran Nuclear Deal, Britain's government has vowed to stay put. Foreign secretary Boris Johnson said the UK had 'no intention of walking away' from the deal. The legal profession is facing a sexism storm after a string of blue-chip businesses were forced to sack top staff over harassment claims. Accusations of sleaze have even hit firms in the prestigious Magic Circle at the top of the City. Many lawyers blame a secretive culture of patronage where the only way to get ahead is to cultivate support from senior colleagues. The legal profession is facing a sexism storm after a string of blue-chip businesses were forced to sack top staff over harassment claims Some of them have been accused of demanding sexual favours in exchange for their backing. But even after sacking male lawyers who break the rules, several top firms appear to have protected them by making harassment victims sign gagging orders which prevent them from speaking out. The rising tide of allegations has forced regulators to warn against silencing staff who suffer at the hands of highly paid senior colleagues. And they have sparked fury among MPs and senior female lawyers. Tory MP Maria Miller, chairman of the Women and Equalities Committee, said: Concerns about serious sexual harassment and abuse are more common in sectors where there is a significant imbalance in men and women in senior positions. When it comes to lawyers, inappropriate sexual conduct is not only against the law, it is also a breach of professional standards. There is so much concern about harassment that law firms have launched a whistleblowing hotline for staff to anonymously report problems. Research by trade magazine Legal Week suggests two-thirds of female lawyers have suffered harassment, with over half being harassed twice or more Research by trade magazine Legal Week suggests two-thirds of female lawyers have suffered harassment, with over half being harassed twice or more. In one case, a senior partner at the London office of Baker McKenzie is alleged to have assaulted a junior colleague several years ago after inviting her back to his room following a drinks event. Recent #MeToo cases A London partner at Baker McKenzie quit after it dealt with a sexual assault by insisting the complainant sign a confidentiality agreement The head of multi-billion-pound firm Latham & Watkins quit over inappropriate sexual text messages Global business Dentons forced out a staff member who engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with women in the office A former partner at Magic Circle firm Linklaters was jailed for sexually assaulting a student intern When she complained, she was paid off in exchange for signing a gagging deal and agreeing to leave the business. The culprit involved, on the other hand, was promoted by the firm and offered to make a large donation to a charity to make amends for the ensuing scandal. The partner quit when his behaviour came to light in February this year. A Baker McKenzie spokesman said: This incident occurred several years ago and was reported by our HR team at the time. He added: We treated the allegation very seriously and immediately carried out a thorough investigation. Fellow legal titan Latham & Watkins global chairman and managing partner Bill Voge quit the practice in March after he admitted to conduct involving the exchange of communications of a sexual nature. Voge reportedly sent graphic sexual text messages to a woman, before claiming she would be jailed when she complained. The firm said his behaviour was not illegal and involved a woman with no connection to the business who he had never met. Elsewhere, Magic Circle firm Linklaters has been caught up in a scandal in which one of its partners was jailed for sexually assaulting a student. At UK firm Dentons, a partner was accused of inappropriate behaviour when he worked for Maclay Murray & Spens, after the two merged. A woman who spoke to the human resources department about what happened claimed she was asked if I really wanted to take him on. She called the response disgraceful. He was suspended and then quit after the claims were made public. Dentons said: We have found no evidence of sexual harassment. However, during the investigation it became apparent that the behaviour of the partner concerned fell well below the expectations that we have of our partners. We can confirm that he has now left the firm. It is the tech company that invented the smartphone more than a decade before the technology hit mainstream shelves, but you have probably never heard of it. General Magic invented the smartphone, which they dubbed the Pocket Crystal, in 1994 - 13 years before the iPhone was launched. But the company, which was owned by Apple, was far too ahead of its time. Nobody bought the device, and they soon went bankrupt. The Internet was not fast enough and consumers balked at the price of $800, which would be $1,200 now, ironically just over the price of a top of the range iPhone X today. General Magic invented the smartphone, which they dubbed the Pocket Crystal, in 1994 - 13 years before the iPhone was launched Even though the Pocket Crystal was a failure the spirit of General Magic inspired their staff who went on to become who's who of Silicon Valley and founded websites like eBay, LinkedIn, and created the Android operating system. Pictured, a drawing of the prototype Apple didn't launch its first iPhone until 2007 (pictured left). Over the years the product has had several advancements and the latest product is the iPhone X (pictured right) History would judge General Magic to be right about everything, including inventing emoticons and emojis, using a touch screen and icons for email, phone calls and the calendar. General Magic chief executive Marc Porat, who said he saw the smartphone in a vision, made a startling accurate prediction in the 1990s that it would 'offer the kind of personal satisfaction that a fine piece of jewelry brings'. Even though the Pocket Crystal was a failure the spirit of General Magic inspired their staff who went on to become who's who of Silicon Valley and founded websites like eBay, LinkedIn, and created the Android operating system. The youngest employee at General Magic, a 20-something called Tony Fadell, would later was part of the team which designed both the iPod and the iPhone. The story of General Magic is featured in a new documentary that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. What is most striking is how complete and accurate Porat's vision was which he articulated in an email to then Apple chief executive John Sculley. Porat wrote: 'A tiny computer, phone, a very personal object. It must be beautiful, it must offer the kind of personal satisfaction that a fine piece of jewelry brings. 'It will have a perceived value, even when it is not being used. It should offer the comfort of touchstone, the tactile satisfaction of a seashell, the enchantment of a crystal. 'Once you use it you won't be able to live without it, It's just not another telephone, it must be something else'. Along with Porat General Magic was founded by the original Macintosh developers Andy Hertzfeld and Bill Atkinson. General Magic was funded by chief executive Marc Porat (center) and original Macintosh developers Andy Hertzfeld (left) and Bill Atkinson (right) The company's smartphone device was too far ahead of its time, however, and General Magic eventually went bankrupt after no one bought the device The Internet was not fast enough and consumers balked at the price of $800, which would be $1,200 now, ironically just over the price of a top of the range iPhone X today. Porat is pictured above comparing a General Magic Smartphone with the latest iPhone Their head of marketing was another Mac veteran, Joanna Hoffman, who was played by Kate Winslet in the movie Steve Jobs about the Apple founder. As buzz built people would literally sleep on the doorstep to try and get an interview at General Magic - Fadell rang every day until he heard he had been hired. Once their team was assembled they set out with a hacker mentality that would become commonplace in Silicon Valley. For their first staff meeting people sat cross legged on the floor wearing sweaters and hoodies in a ramshackle office in Mountain View, California. The General Magic logo was a rabbit coming out a magic hat and they let a real life rabbit roam free around their office to inspire creativity. The company was named after Arthur C Clarke's maxim that 'the best new technology is indistinguishable from magic'. Rather than be motivated by profits, this was a team that wanted to create, to push the boundaries and to realize the future today. In the film there is footage of engineers playing around with bulky touch screens and clunky prototypes. One screen shows a desk with a number of icons on it including a postcard, a calendar and a phone which look like a distant cousin of the iPhone. Hertzfeld described General Magic staff as believing that 'our art could make a difference in the lives of everyone'. As buzz built people would literally sleep on the doorstep to try and get an interview at General Magic. For their first staff meeting people sat cross legged on the floor wearing sweaters and hoodies in a ramshackle office in Mountain View, California And staff members worked all hours of the day toward perfecting the smartphone, with some sleeping on the floor of the office (pictured above) Another former staffer called it a 'rocket ride with the freedom to do what they wanted to do'. Such was the hubris around the company that they brought in a camera crew to film them for posterity because they were so convinced they would create something amazing. General Magic operated under near complete secrecy because they were so paranoid about their designs leaking out. But Sculley, the chairman of Apple at the time, did it for them and announced what they were doing at the launch of Apple's own hand held device, the Newton. In the film, Hertzfeld says that General Magic felt 'completely betrayed' and that, even though the Newton was a complete flop, they had to release their product earlier than they had liked because it was sucking up all the publicity. General Magic was also coming under pressure from its corporate partners. They had charged 16 of the largest companies around at the time, including AT&T, Sony, Samsung and Motorola, up to $6million each to come on board. General Magic tried to get around this by going public to raise money from going public which became first 'Concept IPO' in Wall St history, raking in $96million in the opening even though their product was not ready. General Magic engineers were still overcoming technical problems like slow responsiveness and poor processor speeds. The phone was going to have a series of emojis for use, much like smartphones have in present day In what appears to be a prototype of sorts, General Magic employees worked to perfect the smartphone in the 1990s As the dream began to sour the rabbit roaming around their office defecated everywhere making a horrendous stench which mingled with the aroma of body odor from programmers pulling days-long shifts. The hacker spirit, which Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg would much later call 'move fast and break things', collided with the reality of having to get something ready to sell. As Hertzfeld put it, they were 'too dazzled by what it could possibly do to realize we were biting off more than we could possibly chew'. General Magic staff responded by working 24 hours a day, sleeping under their desks, on mattresses on the floor and in bunk beds they built in the office. In 1993 General Magic finally launched a device they called the Magic Communicator, which was about the size of a small portable TV. To applause, Porat said: 'My son and daughter, when they walk around with these things, they will be wireless'. The first device shipped the following year but it failed miserably. At Fry's, an electronics chain, the staff had not been trained to show off the devices which were put right at the back of the store. The cost of $800 put people off and consumers were confused by all the buttons. At the time only one in 100 people had mobile phones and the first SMS text message had been sent two years before. It was such a disaster that General Magic sold just 3,000 devices. Michael Stern, the company's general counsel, recalled going down the list of buyers and recognizing all of them as friends and family. eBay founder Pierre Omidyar (left) was General Magic's tech support engineer. Their head of marketing was another Mac veteran, Joanna Hoffman (right) Apple chief executive John Sculley, pictured in 2014, announced that General Magic was producing a smartphone at the launch of Apple's own hand held device The story of General Magic's failed smartphone has been turned into a documentary, which was screened at Tribeca Film Festival last month. Pictured above, founds of the company with the filmmakers at the screening on April 20 The stock price of General Magic plunged but Porat was undaunted in his determination and said at a shareholders meeting that in the future 'there will be smartphones and maybe intelligent watches for all I know'. General Magic tried to develop a few other technologies but it went bankrupt in 2004. Looking back the staff of the company admitted that they were so focused on their device that they missed wider developments going on around them, notably the Internet developing around them. The web at the time was basic but it had worldwide reach yet General Magic had partnered with AT&T for a closed network of their own, the opposite of what the Internet offered. The film tries to suggest that the failure of General Magic was a spark that inspired a generation of Silicon Valley rock stars, which is partly true. The company's tech support engineer, Pierre Omidyar, founded eBay while he was still working there - he asked others to join but they laughed at him. Kevin Lynch went on to become the designer of the Apple Watch and Andy Rubin created the Android operating system. As Porat puts it: 'Between Tony (Fadell) and Andy (Rubin) is 98 per cent of the world's smartphones, those two guys who sat 15ft apart. That's pretty amazing.' But that is not the whole story and there was a high personal cost for some. Porat describes in the film a feeling of 'profound humiliation' and never fully recovered, not least because his marriage fell apart in the same year General Magic collapsed. Hoffman says that she was never the same after General Magic and moved into nonprofit work after it collapsed. Even Fadell went through a decade of failure before he helped design the iPhone with Jobs and starting his own company Nest, which Google bought for $3.2billion. Advertisement The menagerie of animals that followed the Kennedy family into the White House in 1961 included seven horses, a mischievous cat, two parakeets, hamsters, a canary, and a chubby beer drinking Rabbit named Zsa Zsa who could play the trumpet. But it was John F. Kennedy's special love of dogs that played a key role in his family and in the White House. The Kennedy's canine pack grew from just one dog to nine as the president, First Lady Jackie, and children John Jr. and Caroline, settled into Washington, DC in 1961. Kennedy observed that the friendship of a dog often put his friendship with humans to shame - and that he was free to say what he wanted in the company of canines. 'He could actually be himself and not worry if what he said would be reported in the press the following day,' Margaret Reed and Joan Lownds write in The Dogs of Camelot: Stories of the Kennedy Canines, published by Lyons Press. The Kennedys' beloved canine pack grew from just one dog to nine as the president, First Lady Jackie, and children John Jr and Caroline, settled in to Washington, DC in 1961. Pictured above, John Jr (left), Kennedy, his secretary Evelyn Lincoln and dogs Wolfie (the gray dog to the left of Kennedy) and Shannon (the black and white dog in front of Kennedy) in the Oval Office in 1963 Jackie Kennedy poses her dog, Clipper, as her niece Christina Radziwell looks on outside the West Wing in January 1963 JFK and Jackie are seen petting the first lady's beloved dog, Clipper, left. Pictured right, Kennedy dog Charlie sits on the White House's South Lawn President Kennedy giving Wolfie, the Irish Wolfhound a treat while he and John Jr play with the Wolfhound and their other dog, Shannon (next to John Jr), outside the White House at an unknown date When Kennedy and Jackie moved to the White House, the multitude of pets was no surprise to anyone who know the couple. Pictured above, Evelyn Lincoln, personal secretary to Kennedy and others greet Clipper in the Lincoln Office in December 1962 While assessing what actions to take during the Cuban missile crisis and a Russian fleet poised to enter into what looked like imminent war with the United States, Kennedy called for Charlie, his Welsh Terrier. 'Charlie was regarded as a cherished family member and in some cases, he was treated better than the men in the president's administration,' Reed and Lownds write. 'After petting his Welsh Terrier for a while, President Kennedy relaxed, returned Charlie to the kennel keeper and calmly said, 'I suppose that it's time to make some decisions',' the authors quote the White House kennel keeper, Traphes Bryant, as saying. When the dogs weren't comforting Kennedy during tough decision-making moments, they were considered an integral part of family events and outings. One or more dog always accompanied the family to their Virginia country home in Atoka, or to their residences in Palm Beach, Florida, and Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The dogs rode on Air Force One, Marine One and the Kennedy's private plane, the Caroline. 'Some of the happiest times I observed President Kennedy were when he was with his wife, children, and their pets, away from the White House,' Clint Hill, who was assistant director of the Secret Service, assigned to the White House at the time of Kennedy's presidency, told Reed and Lownds. 'It is rare for a president to have such a relaxing time'. Senator Ted Kennedy confided to the authors in May 2008 that the Kennedy brothers 'were crazy about dogs because they have a hopeful spirit; they're smart, resilient, determined and optimistic'. Jackie Kennedy, John Jr and Clipper greet JFK after a day of sledding on the White House grounds in 1962. Clipper rarely left Jackie's side while at the White House John Jr and Caroline are seen laying with Charlie near a parking lot in March 1963. Charlie was gifted to Caroline in the summer of 1960 at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port and was the first canine to call the Kennedy White House home John Jr and Jackie Kennedy play with puppies as Caroline relaxes with the family's wolfhound, Wolfie, during a visit to Squaw Island in Hyannisport, Massachusetts in August 1963 John Jr hugs the family's cherished dog Shannon, while Jackie and David Powers pet Wolfie at Squaw Island in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, in August 1963. Shannon was the only dog the Kennedys kept after the president was assassinated Senator Ted Kennedy confided to the authors in May 2008 that the Kennedy brothers 'were crazy about dogs because they have a hopeful spirit'. Caroline Kennedy is pictured above with a puppy in Hyannisport, Massachusetts Kennedy and his siblings always had dogs in the house growing up. It all began with Buddy, a Newfoundland dog that grew up to be 'a huge black creature' weighing some 130lb or more. Buddy was John F Kennedy's dog until the family moved from Brookline, Massachusetts ,to Riverdale, New York - he was just too big for the confines of the new suburb and was re-homed to a family living on a farm near Cape Cod where he could run free. That didn't stop the Kennedys from frequently visiting Buddy, who would stand on his hind legs and throw his front paws on the shoulders of John and Joe Jr. In the summer of 1937, the future president took a three month tour of Europe with his friend Lem Billings and in Germany, he found a Dachshund puppy that he bought as a present for a girlfriend named Olive. 'Offie', as they called the puppy, was 'the nicest German they had ever met, but John was forced to leave the dog behind because it wasn't allowed to cross the border. Kennedy delayed parting as long as he could, until allergy test results came back as positive. For the remainder of his life, Kennedy needed to be treated by an allergist because of his allergic reaction to dog dander - but that didn't keep him from traveling with the beloved animals. 'Wherever the future president traveled, a dog was never far behind,' write the authors. A Doberman Pinscher named Moe accompanied Kennedy on a working vacation in Arizona he headed off to Harvard for college. After that summer, Moe was shipped back to Hyannis Port, where he once escaped from his crate and bit Teddy. Moe was eventually moved to Boston to be with Kennedy at the Bellevue Hotel. In the summer of 1937, the future president took a three month tour of Europe with his friend Lem Billings and in Germany, he found a Dachshund puppy, named Offie (pictured above with Kennedy), that he bought as a present for a girlfriend named Olive. But Kennedy was forced to leave the dog behind because it wasn't allowed to cross the border John F Kennedy, left, sits with brother, Robert Kennedy, right, and his dog, Mo, at their home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, in 1946 The Kennedy and Radziwill families celebrate Christmas with their dogs Clipper (front) and Charlie (in Jackie's arms) in Palm Beach, Florida, in December 1962 Caroline, John Jr and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's dog, Clipper, admire a Christmas tree in the Entrance Hall of the White House in December 1962 Kennedy married Jackie in 1953 and the couple moved from their residence in Georgetown to Hickory Hill in Virginia and an exuberant Golden Retriever named Tippy joined the family. Two years later, the young Senator Kennedy and his wife moved back to Georgetown. Tippy was too wired for living in such close inner city quarters and went to live with Jackie's mother, Janet Bouvier Auchincloss, in nearby McLean, Virginia, where Kennedy would often visit. 'He would come out and not even tell us he was there. He just wanted to pet his dog and talk to him. He really loved animals desperately,' Auchincloss once said. When Kennedy and Jackie moved to the White House, the multitude of pets was no surprise to anyone who know the couple. Along with the dogs, the Kennedys also had a pony, seven horses and a mischievous cat named Tom Kitten who escaped and was finally picked up by the Georgetown police. There was also a yellow canary who perched on the president's head, two parakeets, hamsters that got out of their cage and hid under the president's bed before one found his way into his bathtub where he met his demise, and a chubby beer drinking white Rabbit named Zsa Zsa. The family's love of animals spread quickly in diplomatic circles and gifts from foreign dignitaries suddenly became contagious. The Indian government presented Jackie with two tiger cubs when she visited in 1962. She envisioned they would be able to roam the White House grounds, but they were gifted to the National Zoo. Kennedy dogs Charlie (left) and Pushinka (right), pictured on the White House's South Lawn in 1961, mated and had four puppies Then Soviet Union Premier Nikita Khrushchev gifted the family with Pushinka, a puppy from Strelka, who rocketed into space on Sputnik V in August 1960. Pushinka is pictured above with her puppies on the White House lawn in 1963 Pushinka ended up mating with Charlie, the Welsh Terrier, and made headlines when four puppies arrived in June 1963. Newspapers reported on the birth of the 'pupniks' and over 5,000 letters arrived requesting one of the puppies. Kennedy and Caroline are pictured above with the puppies on the family yacht, the Honey Fitz in 1963 Newspapers reported on the birth of the 'pupniks' and over 5,000 letters arrived requesting one of the puppies. Pictured above, two of Pushinka's puppies in August 19 White House electrician and "dog wrangler" Traphes Bryant sits with Pushinka and her puppies - Butterfly, White Tips, Blackie and Streaker - on the South Lawn in July 1963 On the same trip, Indian President Ayub Khan presented Jackie with a horse named Sardar. She adored him and sent the animal to her and Kennedy's home in Middleburg, Virginia, where she often escaped alone and rode Sandar. Ireland's president, Eamon de Valera, jumped in on the animal parade with a Connemara pony named Leprechaun, a black and white Cocker Spaniel named Shannon and two spotted deer that ended up at the National Zoo. A priest in Ireland sent an Irish Wolfhound named Wolfie to the Kennedys, and, Joseph P Kennedy gifted Jackie with a German Shepherd named Clipper. Caroline already had a pony named Macaroni, and then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson gave her a second - a Yucatan Bay pony named Tex as a nod to his home state of Texas. Then Soviet Union Premier Nikita Khrushchev gifted the family with Pushinka, a puppy from Strelka, who rocketed into space on Sputnik V in August 1960. The dog was gifted after the Soviet Premier and the President met in Vienna in 1961, at the height of the Cold War. At the time, the CIA suspected the puppy might have been implanted with listening devices, and before taking up residence in the White House she was thoroughly inspected, poked and prodded, at Walter Reed Army Hospital. Pushinka was a 'nervous dog who bit everyone,' Caroline remembered. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie watch as Italian Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani gifts John Jr with a stuffed dog in January 1963 Pushinka is pictured playing on a slide on the White House's South Lawn. The dogs often roamed the property while JFK was president Dogs regularly traveled to Hyannisport, Massachusetts, and on other vacations with the Kennedy family. JFK is seen in his younger years, left, with his dog Bobby. Right, JFK's son, John Jr, carries a turtle as he walks toward Clipper and Wolfie in Atoka, Virginia, in October 1963 Dogs weren't the only pets the Kennedy's had. Among their myriad of animals was a mischievous cat named Tom Kitten (pictured in Caroline's arms in October 1963), who once escaped and was picked up by the Georgetown police Once when the little girl reached down to pet her and Pushinka growled, 'Caroline walked behind the dog and gave her a kick in the rear'. When nanny Maud Shaw told the story to the president, he responded, 'That's giving it to those damn Russians'. Pushinka learned how to the climb the ladder of Caroline's tree house and walk over to the slide and head down. In an interview in 1995, John Jr. said Pushinka's slide trick was his only recollection of those early childhood days at the White House. Pushinka ended up mating with Charlie, the Welsh Terrier, and made headlines when four puppies arrived in June 1963. Newspapers reported on the birth of the 'pupniks' and over 5,000 letters arrived requesting one of the puppies. Meanwhile, Clipper, the family's German Shepherd, became Jackie's loyal companion. He was allowed in the family's White House quarters when the president was traveling or in the West Wing and was often by Jackie's side. Shannon, the family's cocker spaniel, was presented to Caroline but adored by John Jr, and she was the only dog to stay with the family after Kennedy was assassinated. JFK plays with one of Pushinka's four puppies on Squaw Island in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, in August 1963 Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, and Caroline Bouvier Kennedy with Clipper, Wolfie, and Pushinka's puppies, on Squaw Island, Hyannis Port in August 1963 John Jr climbs down the ladder on the White House's South Lawn as Nurse Maude Shaw, an unidentified White House worker, and the family dog, Charlie stand nearby Their Welsh Terrier, Charlie, was the Kennedys' to dog and a cherished family member. Charlie was gifted to Caroline in the summer of 1960 at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port and was the first canine to call the Kennedy White House home. He had a stellar pedigree, appeared on magazine covers and in news stories and became the president's most beloved dog. The Dogs of Camelot, Stories of the Kennedy Canines, written by Margaret Reed and Joan Lownds, will be released on May 15 When Jackie was asked by White House social secretary Letitia Baldrige which men in the administration she wanted to send a Valentine, she said the only one was Charlie. Sadly, Charlie was never house trained and as much as he was adored, he had to take up residence in a doghouse under a magnolia tree behind the White House. He had been raised at the Kennedy's Georgetown house and Hyannis Port where he easily ran in and out of the house to the yard to do his duty. As smart as Charlie was, he never mastered the elevator needed to get to the family's residence on the second floor in the White House. He was gifted to Secret Service agent Bob Foster when Jackie and the children left the White House and eventually moved back to Ohio to live with the Foster family. Eventually, Charlie was given to a farm in Ohio where he could run free. White House Kennel Keeper Traphes Bryant recalled that Kennedy was very involved in the health of all of his dogs. 'Every time [the president would see me he would ask me questions about the dogs' health, if they were giving me a hard time, or if they were eating well,' Bryant recalled. 'Sometimes I saw him once a day.' Knowing how much Kennedy loved the dogs, Bryant had trained them all to line up on the White House lawn to pay their respect when the president stepped out of Marine One'. It was 'like a reception of distinguished heads of state'. 'The president would break into a broad grin, go through the line, salute and pat each canine,' write the authors of The Dogs of Camelot, Stories of the Kennedy Canines, which hits shelves on May 15. Morgan Summerlin, 25, (pictured) pleaded guilty to rape and trafficking a person for sexual servitude, cruelty to children and enticing a child for indecent purposes A Georgia mom has admitted to bringing her young daughters to the homes of elderly men to be molested and raped in exchange for cash. Morgan Summerlin, 25, pleaded guilty to rape and trafficking a person for sexual servitude, cruelty to children and enticing a child for indecent purposes on Friday. The court heard that Summerlin would take her two daughters, aged 5 and 6, to the home of 78-year-old Richard 'Pop' Office, WSVN reports. As Summerlin waited in the living room, Pop went to the bedroom with the girls, where he raped the five-year-old and got the other girl to rub his feet, according to the Fulton County District Attorney. He then gave them $100, which Summerlin then took off them, the court heard. Last week, Office was found guilty of rape, child molestation, trafficking a person for sexual servitude, enticing a child for indecent purposed and sexual battery, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 146 years. The mom also brought her daughters to the home of Alfredo Trejo who would also reportedly rape and molest them. Trejo was convicted February 26 of rape, child molestation, sexual battery, enticing a child for indecent purposes, trafficking a person for sexual servitude and aggravated child molestation. The court heard that Summerlin would take her two daughters, aged 5 and 6, to the home of 78-year-old Richard 'Pop' Office (pictured) He was sentenced to 25 years in prison, plus life on probation. 'It is difficult to imagine facts that are more horrific than those found in this case,' Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney Irina Khasin told news station WSVN. 'I am hoping these two little girls can somehow survive this abuse and grow into healthy adults who can lead a productive and fulfilling life.' Summerlin will be sentenced June 4. On Facebook, Summerlin, who also has a son, appeared like any other mother. She posted photos of her children, and announced plans to treat her kids. On Facebook, Summerlin, who also has a son, appeared like any other mother. She posted photos of her children, and announced plans to treat her kids The mom (pictured) also brought her daughters to the home of Alfredo Trejo who would also reportedly rape and molest them 'Goodnight fb gotta get up early taking kids to the final circus im(sic) so excited,' she wrote in one heartbreaking post in 2017. Little did her friends and family know what was going on behind closed doors, according to prosecutors. The girls' grandmother, Teresa Davidson, has also pleaded guilty to cruelty to children after she failed to act when they told her they were being abused. She was sentenced to five years, to serve one minus time served. The ex-girlfriend of a slain Rebels bikie boss has shared a pregnant selfie on social media, just hours before facing court on driving charges. Sarah Marie Gerrard, 27, fronted Southport Magistrates Court, on the Gold Coast, on Tuesday morning charged with one count of driving without a licence. Ms Gerrard dated outlaw bikie Michael 'Ruthless' Davey until he was gunned down as he stood in the driveway of his Sydney home about midnight, on March 30, 2016. But it was the former lingerie model who was in hot water this time as she appeared before a Magistrate - but not before posting an Instagram selfie of her outfit. Sarah Gerrard (pictured), the ex-girlfriend of slain bikie enforcer Michael 'Ruthless' Davey, put this photo on Instagram just hours before fronting a Gold Coast court over a driving charge Ms Gerrard (right) was dating Davey (left) up until he was gunned down in the driveway of his western Sydney home in March 2016 The former Zoo Weekly cover girl was pulled over by police on Thomas Drive, Surfers Paradise, on March 3, at which time she did not hold a driver's licence, according to court documents. She will return to court later this month for sentencing. Ms Gerrard did not comment on the matter, but on Instagram explained she had not updated her living address and 'never got the letter' about her suspension. According to her social media accounts she is currently six months pregnant. Ms Gerrard has kept a low profile since joining hundreds of mourners at the funeral of her murdered ex-boyfriend Davey, who was known as 'The Prince of Penrith'. That day, dressed in a sleeveless black dress, she watched on as Davey's white coffin was driven to a Sydney cemetery in the sidecar of a Harley Davidson. The 27-year-old former bikini model will return to court later this month for sentencing Davey (pictured) reportedly told Ms Gerrard he was going outside to meet a friend moments before he was gunned down in the execution-style killing Ms Gerrard holds up a copy of Zoo Weekly magazine where she stars on the front cover At the time, Ms Gerrard posted a tribute to Davey on Facebook: 'I can't believe its been a week since I was told I'd never hear from you or see your face again'. A father-of-one, Davey was widely regarded as one of the most feared bikies in New South Wales when he was gunned down. Less than 12 months earlierj, he was believed to have been the target of a shooting at a Penrith shopping centre, but escaped unharmed. Davey reportedly told his girlfriend he was stepping outside to meet a mate when he was shot dead. No one has ever been charged over his murder, but it has been reported it may have been an 'inside job' by a fellow Rebels member. Ms Gerrard posted a tribute to Davey in the days after he died, writing: 'I can't believe its been a week since I was told I'd never hear from you or see your face again' Ms Gerrard, who is understood to be six months pregnant, had her licence suspended Davey was reportedly working towards leaving the MC in the months before he was executed, keen to set a good example for his young son. Rebels do not take kindly to members leaving, with beatings and fines of thousands of dollars regularly required before their exit is accepted. Earlier this year the western Sydney home of Davey's parents was hit in a drive-by shooting, with his younger brother and fellow Rebels member Geoff reportedly the target. The US government is protecting the identity of a senior American diplomat who they determined sexually assaulted a 22-year-old woman at a party he hosted at his residence while stationed at an American embassy. A copy of a report obtained through a Freedom of Information Request by DailyMail.com shows the Treasury Department substantiated an allegation that a high-ranking financial attache forced the woman to perform oral sex on him by holding her head down in the maid's quarters of his taxpayer-funded home. The attache, who had a US government salary of up to $90,000 a year and was based in the Americas, also inserted his fingers into her vagina during the attack on New Years Eve, 2014, the report states. During his midnight toast to guests at the party, just before the alleged attack took place, the American attache supposedly said he was as hard as Lenins statue. The alleged victim, who was on vacation and visiting a relative at the embassy, told investigators she was too scared to resist his advances and couldnt pull away as he was holding her head. READ FULL REPORT BELOW The Treasury Department (headquarters in Washington D.C. above) is protecting the identity of a senior diplomat who they say sexually assaulted a 22-year-old woman at a party he hosted while stationed at an American embassy She waited until he stopped, thinking he would then leave her alone, the investigation states. The Treasury Department's Office of the Inspector General stated in their investigation that the attache was likely too drunk to notice the woman was trying to reject his advances. But the Treasury has refused to identify the man behind the supposed attack and will not reveal where he was stationed - even though the sex assault allegation was substantiated during an administrative investigation. Advocates for a more open government have said the cases raises serious concerns about transparency - especially during the #MeToo movement. The report obtained by DailyMail.com reads: (The investigation) determined that it is more likely than not that (the womans) version of the event is more accurate and that the sexual act was not consensual.' Also it is likely that (the woman) was too intimidated and scared to forcefully resist (the attaches) advances. The U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, declined to prosecute the case, citing the exacting standard of proof in criminal court. However, according to the report, officials in the Treasury Department decided against criminal proceedings' citing the 'exacting standard of proof in criminal court and the availability of administrative actions'.' It is not known whether or how the Treasury punished the attache. Jack Lew was Treasury Secretary at the time of the investigation. He was appointed by President Obama. DailyMail.com have tried to contact him for a comment on the story, but he has not yet responded. Treasury Department officials told DailyMail.com that releasing the identity of the attache would not be in the public interest, despite the ongoing scandal of men in positions of power sexually abusing and harassing women. Jack Lew was Treasury Secretary at the time of the investigation. He was appointed by President Obama. DailyMail.com have tried to contact him for a comment on the story, but he has not yet repsonded The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), which falls under The State Department, was also involved in the investigation. It is not known whether they conducted their own investigation or substantiated the claim. A State Department spokesman referred DailyMail.com to the Treasury for comment. People at the party on the night of the alleged assault told investigators that the attache was drunk. Others also said the pair were flirting throughout the night. According to the report, one person at the party remembered they were rubbed the wrong way when the attache made a joke about rape during a game of Cards Against Humanity a few weeks earlier. (The investigation) determined that it is more likely than not that (the womans) version of the event is more accurate and that the sexual act was not consensual. Also it is likely that (the woman) was too intimidated and scared to forcefully resist (the attaches) advances Included in the Treasury Department report After his midnight toast, the attache allegedly took the woman into a wing of his residency and assaulted her until he reached orgasm. The woman told department investigators that a few hours after the attack she texted a friend describing what had happened. She said she couldnt escape because he was holding her hair, she was scared and didnt have the guts to push him away. On January 3, 2014, she told her brother about the alleged attack. He then reported to his supervisor and sparked a series of interviews. On January 6, 2014, she had a medical examination, but doctors found no bruises, scratch marks, lacerations, bite marks of any other signs of trauma. DSS Special Agents subsequently conducted interviews with the complainant, the attache, 14 people who went to the party, and the medical professionals who examined the woman. Eight people at the party said they didnt notice any unusual contact between with the woman and the attache, but six said the attache was they were either drunk or very drunk. During his interview, the attache insisted the sexual contact was consensual and claimed the woman had several opportunities to resist either physically or verbally. An investigation by the Treasurys Official of the Inspector General, that was run by current head Eric Thorson at the time, concluded he likely did commit the sexual assault, but he was too drunk to notice her rejecting his advances. The Justice Department also chose not to prosecute the attache, so he could be disciplined within the department instead. An investigation by the Treasurys Official of the Inspector General, that was run by current head Eric Thorson (above) at the time, concluded he likely did commit the sexual assault, but he was too drunk to notice her rejecting his advances The Treasury Department confirmed to DailyMail.com that the attache no longer works with them, and left after the investigation into his conduct concluded. It is not known if he still works for the government or where he is employed. The attache joined the Treasury in 2009. He was promoted to salary bracket GS-13 - meaning he earned between $74,584and $96,958, in December, 2012. Only officials employed to a rank of GS-14 and GS-15 earn higher salaries as civil servants. In January 2013, while Jack Lew was Treasury Secretary, he was transferred from the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence and named a Financial Attache. There are approximately 18 financial Attache stationed in major financial capitals and high-risk jurisdictions around the world. Their aim is to monitor any international economic developments that would be benefit the US. In Afghanistan and Iraq, they are focused on restructuring efforts after the war and the collapse of their governments. Critics have said the decision to keep the name of the attache and the location of the incident secret undermines the need for more transparency. Alex Howard, Deputy Director of the Sunlight Foundation, a non-profit that pushes for a more open government, told DailyMail.com that the case brings up issues of transparency and ties into broader issues such as issues of repression and the #MeToo campaign. We need to address the secrecy. This incident looks like assault and could be prosecuted in other circumstances. Every level of government needs to be involved in this movement to lift up voices and say #MeToo. They should not be attempting to protect people that should have been held accountable Alex Howard, Deputy Director of the Sunlight Foundation There is public interest in the disclosure of poor behavior, the transparency of what happened and the accountability that followed. Citizens want to know what was done, if any reforms were put in place, and what will happen next time something like this happens. The victims identity should be kept a secret, but government could be trying to protect people in power so they can protect their institution. Every level of government needs to be involved in this movement to lift up voices and say #MeToo. They should not be attempting to protect people that should have been held accountable. If this happens, there is a gap in credibility and public trust. Howard also said the government departments sometimes use exemptions, including in the Freedom of Information Act, to avoid embarrassment. In December, 2017, it was revealed that The Treasury Department paid $174,000 over five years to settle sexual harassment cases, many involving members of Congress. It is not known if officials in the Treasury paid anything to settle sexual harassment claims involving its own staff. This isnt the first time a government department has protected the identity of a high-ranking overseas official accused of misconduct while stationed abroad. In January 2016, DailyMail.com uncovered that a US consulate employee had a child taken from his care because officials feared the minor was in danger following systematic abuse and neglect. A document exposed how the International Trade Administration staff member allegedly subjected the minor to shocking care while working abroad and living in a house owned by the government An investigation found the child was routinely underfed and encouraged to take their clothes off in the consulate residence so the man could allegedly take pictures of them naked. At the time the unidentified employee also allegedly harassed female colleagues during his posting and used a government email address to meet women online. Daily Mail Online obtained the damning document after submitting a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Commerce's Office of the Inspector General. The report revealed the employee had shared custody of the child. According to the report, he would routinely forget to pick up the child from other consulate employees houses, left the minor at home alone and would only give them one apple to take for their school lunch. He also, according to the document, took baths with the child, encouraging them to take their clothes off and would then take pictures of them while they were in a bath. Advertisement These stunning images released in colour to mark the 73rd anniversary of VE Day show the jubilation of celebrating crowds in the closing stages of World War Two. Britons are pictured waving Union Flags in the street after Allied forces secured victory in Europe over Hitler's Nazis in 1945. Separate pictures show triumphant US GIs being transported back to New York Harbour aboard the heavily crowded Queen Elizabeth after VE Day. Winston Churchill is also shown waving from a balcony in Buckingham Palace alongside King George VI, the monarch's wife and their daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Stunning images released in colour to mark the 73rd anniversary of VE Day show scenes of jubilation towards the end of World War Two. In one photo, Winston Churchill (centre) is shown waving from a balcony in Buckingham Palace alongside King George VI (second from right), the monarch's wife (second from left) and their daughters Princess Elizabeth (left) and Princess Margaret (right) on VE Day While there were celebrations across Europe, crowds also spilled out onto the streets in Moscow as Russian soldiers returned triumphant after Hitler's defeat. Servicemen are pictured being greeted by jubilant crowds at the city's Belorussky railway station in 1945 Huge crowds piled onto the streets after the Nazi surrender and waved US and British flags. The German surrender had been anticipated for some days, but when the news was confirmed it created waves of celebrations across Western Europe Coming home: Separate pictures show triumphant US troops being transported back to New York Harbour aboard the heavily crowded Queen Elizabeth after VE Day. So many troops crammed on to the ship's deck that it was standing room only as they waved to crowds on the shore Soldiers of America's 28th Infantry Division are pictured parading down the Champs-Elysees and under the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris on August 29, 1944. It was the first US division to enter the French capital after its liberation having been ruled by Nazi Germany since June 1940 Photos brought to life with colour also show Russian troops returning to Moscow and being welcomed with open arms by civilians. The scenes of joy compare dramatically with that of a German battalion tank set alight by American troops in the city of Leipzig. The photos were colourised by electrician Royston Leonard, 55, from Cardiff who spent between three and four hours colourising each picture. Soldiers of the 70th division of the American 7th Army hold up a Nazi flag and a portrait of Hitler outside a cafe as they celebrate victory over the German dictator's forces British troops cheering and waving their arms in jubilation from behind the barbed wire fence of Nazi prisoner of war camp Stalag 11B near Fallingbostel in the German state of Lower Saxony, the first POW camp to be liberated on April 16, 1945 A photo taken on May 2, 1945 in Berlin, Germany and now transformed with colour shows a Soviet soldier raising the Red Flag over the Reichstag, after the Allied forces entered the city A young boy called Leslie plants a Union Flag into a pile of rubble and debris after his home was destroyed following a Nazi bombing raid on London in 1940. This scene was typical of the defiance showed by Britons in the face of relentless Luftwaffe airstrikes An unconditional surrender was signed and then approved by the Allied forces on May 7, 1945. All German forces were ordered to cease operations once and for all at 10am the following day. The German surrender had been anticipated for some days, but when the news was confirmed it created waves of celebrations across Western Europe. Winston Churchill made a now famous radio broadcast at 3pm on VE Day in which he announced the cease fire. GIs of the 413th Infantry Regiment, 104th Infantry Division 'Timberwolf Division' are pictured resting on railway tracks after combat in Duren, town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on December 21, 1944. The photo was captured during the Battle of the Bulge - the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during the Second World War Four members of the military police take a break along a German road to read in the 'Stars and Stripes' newspaper about the Nazi surrender in May 1945. The front page carried the headline 'Nazis quit!' A tank burns at the intersection of Karl Heine street and Zschochersche street in the eastern German city of Leipzig in April 1945. A body is covered by a blanket inches from the tracks of the war machine. Weeks after the picture was taken, Europe celebrated victory over the Nazis in a wave of euphoria The scenes of jubilation were a far cry from the early days of the Second World War when Nazi Germany made crushing advances across Europe. Pictured is a German Heinkel He 111 on a mission above neighbouring Poland in 1939 'Morning Joe' Scarborough introduced a new theory for TV interviews by Rudy Giuliani that have aggravated President Trump suggesting the former New York mayor has a drinking problem. Speaking on his MSNBC show Tuesday, Scarborough criticized Trump for bringing Giuliani aboard his legal team 'despite his own reservations about him.' Then he added: 'Everybody around Donald Trump said he was drinking too much Donald Trump suggested as much that was two years ago.' Scarborough used to talk regularly with Trump, although the two have had a bitter falling out. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has kept the focus on the Stormy Daniels scandal with his TV interviews The host then went after Giuliani for his tactics. Among other things, Giuliani has acknowledged to Fox News host Sean Hannity that Trump reimbursed lawyer Michael Cohen for a $130,000 payment to buy the silence of porn star Stormy Daniels. He said Trump reimbursed Cohen through monthly payments in exchange for no work, and agreed when Hannity said the money got 'funneled' through a law firm. 'The fact that Donald Trump brought this guy in two years later despite his own reservations about him almost two years ago It's not 3-D chess. That's not even checkers,' Scarborough said, ripping the legal team's efforts. 'That's a monkey throwing poo against the wall, and it doesn't usually turn out well,' said Scarborough. Scarborough made the claim about Giuliani on his morning show He dismissed an idea floated by guest Mike Barnicle that it could be an effort to distract from other issues. 'Because every day Giuliani says something that is so odd and so at odds with what we know that you wonder, are they just continuing this thing to keep us preoccupied with things that are going on in public, Giuliani talking about Donald Trump?' Barnicle said, The Hill reported. But Scarborough said 'they're not that smart.' Donald Trump said during the transition that Rudy Giuliani was losing it. That he was a couple of steps behind. that he was falling asleep five minutes into meetings.' Trump feared Rudy Giuliani was 'drinking too much' before he hired him claims 'Morning Joe' anchor Scarborough as president revealed to be frustrated with his attorney's performance At one point, his wife and co-host Mika Brzezinski said there were things she shouldn't even mention about Giuliani. 'I can mention it,' Scarborough continued. 'Everybody around Donald Trump said he was drinking too much. Donald Trump suggested as much - that was two years ago,' he said. A day earlier, Brzezinski referred to Giuliani as a 'train wreck.' Giuliani later said none of Scarborough's remarks were true. 'Im not sleeping now,' he told Politico. Im in Dallas. Im wide awake. Ive handled numerous cases including some sensitive cyber matters. Im a lot more aware and intelligent than Joe has ever been and a lot more accomplished. Joe hasnt been knighted by the Queen of England. He hasnt run a U.S. attorneys office, much less a city that he turned around or went through 9/11.' Regarding drinking, he added: 'I'm not drinking for lunch. I may have a drink for dinner. I like to drink with cigars.' Trump is so irked by Giuliani's recent TV performances, which some experts say could land him in legal hot water, that he even considered benching him from further appearances, the Associated Press reported. After the reaction to his initial bombshell interview on Hannity, Trump said Giuliani should 'get his facts straight.' Among other statements, Giuliani said longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen 'takes care of situations like this, then gets paid for them sometimes.' The president told one advisor he thinks Giuliani should 'be benched,' according to the report. Giuliani's high-profile flubs occurred after Trump attorney lawyer John Dowd left his team and White House lawyer Ty Cobb also announced his departure. A forensic examiner was analyzing the cellphone of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens on Tuesday. The examination come days before the governor goes to trial in St. Louis on a felony invasion of privacy charge. Multiple local media outlets reported that the examiner was working in a locked courtroom. Greitens' attorneys declined to comment when leaving the courthouse Tuesday afternoon. Greitens is accused of taking an unauthorized and compromising photo of a woman with whom he had an affair. Scroll down for videos Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens speaks at a news conference in Jefferson City, Mo. on April 11, 2018 Greitens kisses his wife, Sheena, before giving his victory speech after winning the Missouri governor's race on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, at his election watch party at the Double Tree Hotel in Chesterfield Greitens is pictured with his family in this Facebook photo taken during the holidays Greitens admitted in January to an extramarital affair in 2015, before he was elected, but has denied criminal wrongdoing. Jury selection is set to begin Thursday. Prosecutors confirmed in court on Monday that they don't have the photo in question. Any evidence found on Greitens' cellphone would be turned over to Cole County Judge Richard Callahan, a former U.S. attorney in St. Louis. Callahan has been appointed 'special master' to review any data extracted from the cellphones of Greitens, the woman or her ex-husband. In an audio recording which hears the conversation between the unidentified woman and her then-husband, she explains intimate details of the sexual affair The distraught woman can be heard weeping in the audio as he explains the disturbing parts of the encounter that went from fun to frightening Greitens also faces a second felony charge of computer data tampering for his use of a donor list from the veterans charity he founded, The Mission Continues, for his 2016 gubernatorial campaign. Meanwhile, the Missouri Legislature will convene in special session later this month to consider impeachment. Republicans as well as Democrats have called for Greitens' ouster since release of a House report in April. The report included testimony in which the woman alleged that Greitens coerced her into sex acts, spanked and struck her. There was once a time when the Duke of Wellington was a title to inspire feelings of the most purple British pride. The first duke was a tremendous thumper of the French, the victor of Waterloo, later prime minister, a man of Albion beyond question. His bootship. Great man. But yesterday one of his successors, the ninth duke, markedly less martial, led another of the House of Lords' pinprick rebellions against the Government on Brexit. This latest one was on the date, in law, under which we will leave the EU. At present that date is March 29, 2019. Some of us are already preparing tremendous booze-ups for the day. But not this damn duke. He wanted the date removed from the statute books. He hated the idea of such certitude. How vulgar it was. 'A straitjacket.' The ninth Duke of Wellington (pictured) led another of the House of Lords' pinprick rebellions against the Government on Brexit Couldn't see the point of the thing. And so he helped bring about another defeat for Theresa May and her ministers. And us. Let us put to one side for a moment, with the air of a clubman keeping his juiciest bites of sausage to the end of his dinner, the persona of the duke himself. What of the Lords? What of the pro-EU gang who have been using the Upper Chamber as their vehicle in recent days? Yesterday the Chamber was not particularly full. The usual suspects were there those who spoke on the duke's little rebellion included that interminable Euro-groupie and former diplomat Lord Hannay, and his fellow crossbencher Lord Butler, once cabinet secretary. There may have been many more who voted when the House divided, but the actual debate was under-attended. Most peers know where they stand on Brexit, and it is not on the side of the majority who voted in the 2016 referendum. They were elsewhere on the parliamentary estate yesterday. I bet the bars were doing brisk business. He helped bring about another defeat for Theresa May (pictured) and her ministers. And us And so we come to the Duke of Wellington, nominally a follower of the Tory Whip but, on this issue, happy to ignore his political affiliation in favour of his apparently stronger loyalty to the European Elite Party. I merely note that his duchess, Antonia, is a Princess of Prussia. He himself, Charles Valerian Wellesley OBE, DL, with more titles than a champion boxer, after schooling at Eton, has had a business career, home and abroad. He is a member of Portugal's Order of Merit and he holds the Grand Cross of the Spanish Order of Isobel the Catholic. Ole! The first Duke of Wellington (pictured) was a tremendous thumper of the French, the victor of Waterloo, later prime minister Where once his illustrious forebear wore battle colours and carried a riding crop, this silk-suited patrician, purring in a voice that was pure gin and French, put it to their lordships that he was merely 'trying to help the Government and not in any way to thwart' Brexit. Noo noo, of course not. Dear heart, the thought never crossed our minds. He argued simply that it was a frightful bind for ministers to have to work with the burden of this set date for our departure. How much more they could achieve if that date were not there! Lord Butler, from what I could understand, sought to suggest that dropping the date might actually allow Brexit to be delayed for ever, but the duke did not want to pursue that idea. Eurosceptic opposition came from Lord Grocott, a Labour peer who has had to put up with some pretty bad heckling in recent months (his party colleagues at the far end of the Palace of Westminster hate him for siding with the voters). He recalled Parkinson's Law, which states that 'work expands to fill the time available' and he suspected that the Europhiles were merely attempting to hold up Brexit. His voice went unheeded and the duke's dismal little delay was approved by a House that, with every day, looks riper for the abattoir. Does this sort of thing help the Remainers? To have an hereditary peer, one of the most blue of all blue-bloods, helping their cause? I suspect not. A cattle farm has sold for hundreds of millions of dollars as property investors set their sights on Australia's housing expansion. The Laffan family recently sold their 600-hectare Deloraine farm in Beveridge, 40km north of Melbourne, to a Chinese development tycoon. Melbourne-based Zeng Xiong Lin paid an incredible $200 million for the highly sought after cattle property, which the Laffan family have run for 54 years. The land will be able to accommodate up to 6,000 homes when approved for housing, the Financial Review reported. The the 600-hectare (1,482.63 acre) Deloraine farm, 40km north of Melbourne, was sold to a Melbourne development tycoon for $200 million by the Laffan family The Laffan family first acquired the property at auction in 1964 for roughly $150,000, which is the equivalent of $13 million today. The sale was one of two recent property deals, totaling $400 million. A second property in Clyde North, 42km from Melbourne, was snapped up by Sydney based developer Goldmate Group led by Kim Ni for $200 million and will be able to support up to 1,300 residential lots. Industry professionals have forecast a boom for the northern regions outside Melbourne's suburbs, claiming property owners are sitting on 'a proverbial housing gold mine' due to the area being rezoned for residential housing. Once fully developed, the combined value of the two properties will be worth $4billion. Industry professionals have forecast a boom for the northern regions outside Melbourne's suburbs (stock image) As a result, developers will pay upwards of $1 million per hectare for property in the newly rezoned areas. Biggin & Scott Land managing director Frank Nagle told Commercial News that the sale of the property would be 'industry defining'. 'This land can accommodate 6,000 lots, together with a huge public park in Mt Fraser four schools, a major water feature and direct Hume Freeway access,' he said. A chance to buy property of such large scale and rezoned for residential dwellings was 'described' as rare by Taylors Strategists Nick Hooper. 'People talk a lot about creation of major townships and creating a vision and this is one of those opportunities for those developers who really want to make their mark,' he said. A father whose daughter was murdered by her babysitter after months of horrific torture has been sentenced to ten years' jail for the physical and sexual abuse of two children. Ike Mokohoria Te Awa, 33, pleaded guilty to sexually offending a six-year-old girl, as well as physically assaulting her, a young boy and an adult woman. His sentence was handed down in Auckland a decade after his 10-month-old daughter Jyniah was murdered by her babysitter after systematic torture, which included her being locked in a freezer, NZ Herald reported. Ike Mokohoria Te Awa (pictured), 33, has been sentenced to ten years' jail for sexually offending a six-year-old girl, as well as physically assaulting her, a young boy and an adult woman Tiana Mary-Anne Odessa Kapea, a relative and close friend of Te Awa, was jailed for life after killing Jyniah in September 2007. Jyniah had been hung on a clothesline, placed against a gas heater, left in a closed freezer and swung by her hair during her short life. She died from a fatal head injury that came after being kicked, thrown against a wall, shaken and smothered. Her father was sent to prison on March 5, and his separate offending revealed this week after a failed bid for his identity to be suppressed. Court documents, seen by NZ Herald, revealed he admitted to sexually violating a young girl, as well as assaulting a boy and a woman. His sentence was handed down in Auckland a decade after his 10-month-old daughter Jyniah (pictured) was murdered by her babysitter after systematic torture, which included her being locked in a freezer Judge Gerard Winter detailed the extent of Te Awa's child abuse at a sentence indication hearing last year. The abuse continued even when other adults were nearby, court heard. The documents revealed Te Awa would often become drunk before kicking the girl, stomping on her head, pushing her to the floor and punching her. Meanwhile, the young boy was kicked to the ground, punched and hit with a stick by Te Awa. The woman was regularly attacked, and on one occasion, had her ribs stomped on after an argument. Tiana Mary-Anne Odessa Kapea (pictured), a relative and close friend of Te Awa, was jailed for life after killing Jyniah in September 2007 Another occasion saw her suffer a miscarriage after Te Awa hit her in the stomach and back with a piece of wood as she lay defenceless on the ground. Judge Winter also detailed the impact Te Awa's offending had on the young girl. He said the girl 'blames herself' and describes being in a 'very paranoid and scared' state. Reports for sentencing were prepared for the court, revealing Te Awa only wanted to plea guilty to the assault charges but not the sexual offending, NZ Herald reported. One of the reports read: 'Ike has yet to accept and acknowledge responsibility for his offending, notwithstanding his guilty pleas, which he claims were to hurry things along.' Judge Winter agreed with the report, saying Te Awa displayed 'an absence' of remorse for his actions. He said difficulties in his personal life - which includes a 'lengthy' criminal past but only one violence conviction - contributed to his offending. Florida authorities have arrested the widow of a man who was reported missing after failing to return from a duck hunt in 2000 and whose remains were recovered just five months ago. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Denise Williams, 48, at her place of work at Florida State University on Tuesday after a grand jury indicted her for first-degree murder in the death of Mike Williams. State attorney Jack Campbell said Denise also faces a count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and a count of being an accessory after the fact. Williams was booked into Leon County jail and is being held without bail. Widow jailed: Denise Williams, 48 (left), has been arrested in the 2000 murder of her first husband, 31-year-old Mike Williams (right) in Florida Accomplice: A grand jury indictment alleges that Mike's best friend Brian Winchester (pictured in court), who later married Denise, was the one who pulled the trigger FDLE agent Mark Perez said in a statement that agents and analysts have logged over 3,000 hours on the case since taking it over in 2004. Mike, a real estate appraiser and married father-of-one, disappeared on December 16, 2000, after he had supposedly gone duck hunting alone on Lake Seminole near Tallahassee. The day coincided with his and Denise's sixth wedding anniversary. Six months prior, Williams' best friend, Brian Winchester, 47, helped him write a $1million insurance policy. Mike married his high school sweetheart, Denise, in 1994 and welcomed a daughter with her five years later; the child was just 18 months old when her father vanished and is now 18. The 31-year old's body wasn't found after a 44-day search in and around the lake. One theory at the time was that he drowned and was eaten by alligators, but that was later disproved. Six months after his disappearance, waders believed to belong to Williams were found floating in perfect condition in the search area, and reportedly showed no signs of an alligator attack. Picture-perfect: Mike married his high school sweetheart, Denise, in 1994 and welcomed a daughter with her five years later (family photo) Best of friends: Six months before his disappearance, Winchester (left) helped Mike (right) write a $1million insurance policy. All of his death benefits, which were later collected by his widow, came out to $2million Not long after, his widow had Williams declared dead and collected a total of $2million in death benefits, according to The Tallahassee Democrat. In 2005, Denise and Winchester who have reportedly known each other since preschool, married. They separated in 2012 and in 2015 Denise filed for divorce, against her second husband's wishes. Last year Winchester was charged with kidnapping Denise Williams at gunpoint. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. FDLE announced it had discovered Mike Williams' body the day after Winchester was sentenced Authorities said they were able to find Williams' remains buried beneath a dead-end road just five miles from his mother's house after receiving 'new information.' According to a Leon County grand jury indictment issued on Tuesday, Denise was a 'principal' in the murder and Winchester was the one who pulled the trigger. The document alleges that the pair planned Mike's killing for nine months. So far, Winchester has not been charged in connection to Mike's slaying. On Wednesday, a day after she was arrested in her FSU office where she worked as worked as an accountant, Denise Williams made her first appearance via teleconference but kept mum. A judge declined to set bail for her. Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra should prepare for a very cold few days as a blast of icy Antarctic air sends temperatures plunging below 10C across Australia's south-east. Melbourne is set to experience its coldest May weather since 1978 on Thursday and Friday as temperatures struggle to rise above 12C. The arctic blast will be unusually cold for this early in the year, with most areas south of Sydney to cool by 10C in just 24 hours, a Weatherzone spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. The cold snap will be an abrupt end to an uncommonly warm Autumn. Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra should prepare for an unusually cold set of days as a blast of Antarctic air sends temperatures plunging 10 degrees across the south-east A cold air mass sitting about 2,000km from the shores of south-east Australia is set to cross the mainland from Thursday (pictured) coming from a polar vortex sitting above Antarctica in the Southern Ocean Temperatures will sit at 2C to 6C below average for May across south-east South Australia, Victoria and southern NSW. Melbournians will feel the cold the most and should brace for strong wind chills and rain. The low pressure system could hit between 8pm and 10pm on Wednesday, bringing possible hail, thunderstorms and about a months worth of rain by the end of the week, the Bureau of Meteorology said. But it's good news for those who want to hit the slopes, with other parts of Victoria expecting heavy snowfall, dumping up to 40cm of powder and reaching about 900m over the Alps. The sudden drop is a far cry from last month when Sydneysiders enjoyed the hottest April day on record (view of Sydney city skyline pictured) Sydney will experience an abrupt change from a balmy 26C on Thursday to just 17C on Friday. But gusty winds are set to drop temperatures in the NSW capital even by another three degrees, a Weatherzone spokesman said. This is a far cry from last month, when Sydneysiders enjoyed the hottest April day on record. Canberra is forecast to shiver through its coldest May day in 18 years, barely reaching double figures, with some forecasters predicting a maximum of 9C. An autumn cold snap was the cause of snow interrupting the Canberra Raiders NRL match in May of 2000. An autumn cold snap was the cause of snow during the Canberra Raiders NRL match (pictured) in May of 2000 Canberra is forecast to have its coldest May day in 18 years, barely reaching double figures. Some residents recorded hail in their backyards last week (pictured) A cold air mass sitting about 2,000kms from the shores of south-east Australia is set to cross the mainland from Thursday Sydney and Melbourne have enjoyed a very warm start to May, with average maximum temperatures five degrees above usual levels. 'Sydney especially has had a very warm Autumn so far,' a Weatherzone spokesman said. 'So when this cold air comes through from Thursday, it will be a severe jolt.' Temperatures in the region are expected to come back into the 20s from next week, a Weatherzone spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. Melbourne will feel the the icy plunge as the city can expect a maximum of 13C on Thursday with heavy rainfall and the chance of thunderstorms (a Melbourne city view is pictured 30 minutes apart) Born at just 25 weeks, Alfie and his twin brother Ben were given a one in six chance of survival. Despite doctors fears, they defied the odds only for tragedy to strike ten years later following a basic medical blunder. Alfie Scambler-Holt was taken to casualty after his mother found him grey and struggling to breathe. The only consultant on duty in A&E started treatment for severe sepsis, but efforts to administer vital fluid and antibiotics were hampered by difficulties inserting a cannula. The story of Alfie and Bens fight for life, pictured with their mother, Candice, was featured in the Daily Mail a decade ago. Alfie was just 1lb 15oz with 15 holes in his bowel and bleeding on his brain. Born at just 25 weeks, Alfie and his twin brother Ben were given a one in six chance of survival. An inquest is being held into Alfie's death, after he stopped breathing while at hospital, and could not be resuscitated The boys' mother Candice told yesterdays inquest in Stockport that no one mentioned sepsis and she thought Alfie was being treated for a chest infection. Wiping tears from her eyes, she said: I just wish theyd told me how poorly he was. For the past couple of years of his life he was as fit and healthy as he could be' It took an hour to establish a stable line into his vein and begin treatment on Alfie. His condition appeared to stabilise, but ten hours after he was admitted he stopped breathing and could not be resuscitated. Their mother Candice told yesterdays inquest in Stockport that no one mentioned sepsis and she thought Alfie was being treated for a chest infection. Wiping tears from her eyes, she said: I just wish theyd told me how poorly he was. For the past couple of years of his life he was as fit and healthy as he could be. The story of Alfie and Bens fight for life was featured in the Daily Mail a decade ago. Alfie was just 1lb 15oz with 15 holes in his bowel and bleeding on his brain. The boy, who had cerebral palsy, became ill on June 3 last year and an ambulance took him to Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport. Paramedic Andrew Hibbs told the hearing it was clear Alfies condition was life-threatening. He sent ahead a red standby alert and Alfie was met on arrival by a resuscitation team. Ward staff briefly managed to insert a line and began giving Alfie vital fluids, but the line came out and took an hour to reinsert. Dr Leila Dilamy, the paediatric registrar who took over Alfies care, insisted the delay in inserting a cannula hadnt been a factor because antibiotics had still been commenced within an hour. Dr Dilamy also said she had wrongly assumed that on-call consultant paediatrician Carol Heal would see Alfie on her rounds. Asked by coroner Alison Mutch whether in retrospect she would have done anything differently, Dr Dilamy said she wished she had asked openly for Dr Heals help, for her to come and see Alfie. However, she stressed she had followed guidelines for sepsis throughout. Holding back tears as she looked across at Alfies mother she insisted: I was doing my best for Alfie and his family. Looking back on things it may be that we just hadnt got on top of it. The Daily Mails End the Sepsis Scandal campaign has battled to raise awareness of the condition, which is tough to diagnose until it is too late. It is the leading cause of avoidable deaths in Britain, claiming at least 44,000 lives a year. The hearing continues. Coroner Alison Mutch later recorded a narrative conclusion, saying the hospital had followed its protocol for sepsis cases and that even if Alfie had been seen by the on-call consultant the outcome would still have been the same. A lone bystander hurled abuse at an American police officer who allegedly shot dead an Australia woman when he briefly appeared in court on Tuesday. 'I hope you get locked up,' a man yelled at former Minneapolis policeman Mohamed Noor before he was escorted away by security, 9 News reported. Prosecutors will not offer a plea bargain to Noor, who allegedly shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond dead in her pyjamas last year, and will press on with murder charges. Scroll down for videos Prosecutors will not offer a plea bargain to Minneapolis policeman Mohamed Noor, 32, who allegedly shot and Australian yoga teacher dead in her pyjamas Prosecutors allege Justine Ruszczyk Damond, 40, was killed by a single shot Noor fired from his patrol car in a dark alley on July 15 after responding to her 911 call Documents filed with the court last month indicate he will plead not guilty to allegedly murdering the unarmed 40-year-old mother in a dark alley after responding to her 911 call on July 15. The Somali immigrant intends to argue he fired in self-defense and used reasonable force at his trial later this year. If found guilty, he is facing 25 years jail. The 32-year-old sat silently and stony-faced in court during Tuesday's short appearance. Wearing a navy blue suit and light blue shirt with a yellow tie, he was supported by a dozen family members. Neither he or his supporters had any comment for awaiting media as they entered and left court. They also refused to answer journalists' questions. No formal plea has yet been entered. 'I'm assuming there's been no (plea) offer yet, no negotiations,' the judge said during the three-minute omnibus hearing, indicating prosecutors are persisting with the trial. Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Amy Sweasy said a 'large volume' of evidence was obtained from his defence as part of discovery. Noor is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, with prosecutors earlier saying they were confident of convicting him. Dates for his murder trial will be discussed in the next few days in closed court sessions. Noor was released on US$500,000 bail on March 21 and was living with his parents while fighting the charges. He was fired from the police force last year. He is just the second police officer in Minneapolis to be charged with murder, according to 9 News. The 32-year-old said nothing as he made his brief appearance wearing a navy blue suit and light blue shirt with a yellow tie (pictured with lawyers Peter Wold and Tom Plunkett) Noor was in a squad car's passenger seat when he allegedly reached across his partner and shot Ms Damond through the open driver's side window, the court heard. When charges were announced, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said there was no evidence Noor encountered a threat that justified using deadly force. Prosecutors said Noor shot Justine in the stomach when she approached his squad car minutes after she called police to report a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her home. 'I can hear someone out the back and I, I'm not sure if she's having sex or being raped,' Ms Ruszczyk told the 911 operator, according to a transcript released by police. Charging documents reveal Justine said 'I'm dead' or 'I'm dying' as she clasped her stomach after being shot. Both Noor and his partner Matthew Harrity gave her CPR before help and back-up arrived, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. 'In the short time between when Ms Damond-Ruszczyk approached the squad car and the time Officer Noor fired the fatal shot,' Mr Freeman said. Prosecutors say Noor was in a squad car's passenger seat when he shot Damond through the open driver's side window after she approached the vehicle 'There is no evidence that officer Noor encountered a threat, appreciated a threat, investigated a threat or confirmed a threat that justified his decision to use deadly force,' Mr Freeman said. 'Instead, Officer Noor recklessly and intentionally fired his handgun from the passenger seat in disregard for human life. Such actions violate the criminal law,' he continued. Ms Damond was to marry her fiance Don Damond next month, just under a year after the shooting that claimed her life. Her family said in a written statement that they were pleased Mr Freeman decided to bring charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. JUSTINE DAMOND SHOOTING - A TIMELINE OF EVENTS July 15 - 11.27pm - Justine Damond calls 911 to report hearing sounds of distress from a girl or woman behind her house. She says it may be a rape. A dispatcher says officers should arrive soon. 11.35pm. - Justine calls 911 again to ask why police haven't arrived yet. She gives the dispatcher the address again. 11.41pm. - Officers Matthew Harrity and Mohamed Noor arrive and drive south down the alley behind Justine's house. Harrity, who is driving, is startled by a loud noise near his squad car. Justine approaches the driver's side window immediately afterward, and Noor allegedly fires his gun past Harrity, striking Justine through that window of the vehicle, according to Harrity in an interview with state investigators. 11.42pm - Radio report of one person down, starting CPR. 11.50pm - Radio report of police doing CPR for 'last four minutes'. 11.51pm - Justine is pronounced dead in the alley at the south end of her block. A medical examiner later says Justine was shot once in the abdomen. July 16 - Hundreds gather in Justine's southwest Minneapolis neighborhood to mourn her death. Mayor Betsy Hodges visits scene, says she is 'heartsick' and 'deeply disturbed' by shooting. State investigators say the officers involved in the shooting had not turned on their body cameras and squad car video didn't capture the shooting. July 17 - An autopsy shows Justine died of a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. Her fiance Don Damond says the family has been given no information about how the shooting happened. The officer who allegedly shot Justine is identified as Mohamed Noor, a Somali-American with less than two years of experience who became an officer after working in property management. In a statement from his attorney, Noor offers condolences to Justine's family. July 18 - State investigators say Noor declined to be interviewed. They say his partner, Matthew Harrity, told them Harrity was startled by a loud noise right before Justine approached the officers' SUV, and that Noor - in the passenger seat - shot her through the driver's-side window. July 20 - Police Chief Janee Harteau makes first remarks on shooting, says it 'should not have happened' but defends Noor's training. Harteau also says the city is reviewing its policy on body cameras and wants them to be used more often. July 21 - Harteau resigns at Hodges' request after the mayor says she no longer has confidence in the chief. Hodges names Assistant Chief Medaria Arradondo to take over. At a news conference to discuss the change, Hodges is shouted down by protesters who say she should resign, too. August 11 - Justine's family holds a public memorial service in Minneapolis. August 28 - Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says he expects to decide on charges by year's end. September 12 - Authorities announce that the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation has handed the case over to Freeman's office. November 18 - Council Member Jacob Frey defeats Hodges in the mayor's race. Much of the campaign focused on police-community relations. December 13 - Freeman is caught on video saying he doesn't have enough evidence to charge Noor and blaming investigators 'who haven't done their job'. December 28 - Freeman says he'll miss his self-imposed deadline of deciding on charges by year's end because he needs more time. January 24, 2018 - Attorneys say Freeman convened a grand jury and subpoenaed other officers to compel them to tell what they know. Freeman says he still intends to make his own decision on charges. March 20 - Noor turns himself in to the Hennepin County Jail on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Bail is set at $500,000. March 21 - Noor appears in court where bail is cut to $400,000 conditional on Noor surrendering his passport and not having contact with Harrity Source: AP Advertisement They said they hope a strong case will be presented and Noor will be convicted, calling the charges 'one step toward justice for this iniquitous act'. 'No charges can bring our Justine back,' Ms Damond's father John Ruszcyzk and Mr Damond said in the joint statement. 'However, justice demands accountability for those responsible for recklessly killing the fellow citizens they are sworn to protect, and today's actions reflect that.' The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is investigating the shooting, said in a statement that he had declined to be interviewed and that his attorney had not said if or when an interview would take place. Ms Damond was to marry her fiance Don Damond (pictured together) next month, just under a year after the shooting that claimed her life However, many of the key parts of Noor's narrative gel with the version of events released by the BCA, who had interviewed his partner, Matthew Harrity. Ms Damond was unarmed and had called 911 to alert police to what she believed may have been a rape taking place behind her home. It was confirmed that Ms Damond's cell phone was found alongside her during the tragedy. Noor told associates it was dark and the situation was already tense as the caller had been 'panicking' when making the 911 call reporting an assault in the alley beyond where Justine lived with her fiance and his son. Justine was unarmed and had called 911 to alert police to what she believed may have been a rape taking place behind her home The squad car, driven by Harrity travelled hastily down the unlit alley between Washburn and Xerxes avenues south from West 50th Street toward West 51st Street. The charge of third-degree murder carries a maximum of of 25 years in prison, although the presumptive sentence is 12 years. The second-degree manslaughter charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison, and the presumptive sentence is four years. Patients are finding it much more difficult to see the same GP each time they book an appointment, researchers have found. Only half of people are able to see their 'preferred' family doctor most of the time down from two-thirds five years ago. In the first study of its kind, the University of Leicester researchers analysed 6,243 surgeries from 2012 and 2017. Over that five-year period, they found that 'continuity of care' a measure of patients being able to see their preferred GP had dropped by more than a quarter. Lead author Professor Louis Levene said the trend was partly due to the rise of locum GPs in place of full-time doctors. Many GPs are choosing to work part-time or as locums, doing shifts to look after children or pursue other medical careers. Patients are finding it much more difficult to see the same GP each time they book an appointment, researchers have found In addition, increasing numbers of surgeries have merged to form 'super practices', with teams of doctors rotating between branch surgeries. On top of this, longer waiting times mean patients are fortunate to get a prompt appointment regardless of who they see. GP surgeries across England are struggling to cope with the ageing population, migration and a recruitment crisis of doctors. In 2014, the Government promised to improve care by providing the over-75s with a named GP. This was extended to all patients two years later. But the latest study found that patients' ability to see the same GP had actually declined over that time, particularly for the elderly. Professor Levene said: 'This study shows that continuity of care has declined markedly and widely in England, despite Government changes to GP contracts requiring a named doctor. Higher levels of continuity are associated with patients more likely to take their prescribed medication and being less likely to need an emergency hospital admission.' Only half of people are able to see their 'preferred' family doctor most of the time down from two-thirds five years ago Patients Association chief executive Rachel Power said patients with long-term conditions were having to 'start from the beginning' at each appointment. 'Continuity in relationships with GPs and other professionals is one of the key elements in ensuring that care meets each person's individual needs,' she said. 'All patients value their relationship with their own GP. 'General practice is facing the perfect storm of workforce pressures and rising patient demand due to demographic change, so it is unsurprising that continuity in GP-patient relationships is suffering.' Dr Richard Vautrey, chairman of the British Medical Association's GP committee, said: 'We cannot underestimate the importance and value of the long-term relationship with patients that a GP practice can provide, which benefits not only individual patients but also the wider healthcare system. Though GPs and staff at surgeries continue to work hard to provide a high level of service, these figures are an indication of the growing impact of unsustainable pressures on general practice. 'Through no fault of GPs, the needs and expectations of patients are increasingly being unmet, largely due to the failure to address increasing staff shortages and insufficient funding.' The study, published in the British Journal of General Practice, looked at satisfaction surveys from patients at 6,243 surgeries out of 7,600 in England. A total of 47 per cent of patients in 2017 said they had a preferred GP, down from 52 per cent in 2012. But only 55.5 per cent were able to see this preferred GP most of the time, compared to 65 per cent five years previously. The researchers calculated that continuity of care had fallen by 27.5 per cent between 2012 and 2017. Separate research last year found that elderly patients who saw the same family doctor were 12.5 per cent less likely to be urgently admitted to hospital. The academics said this was partly because patients trusted their GPs and were more likely to follow their advice and take their medication. But many patients are struggling to get an appointment with any doctor because surgeries are under so much pressure. Research commissioned by the Daily Mail last month found that half of patients cannot get an appointment within a week. This is partly because surgeries are closing or merging, with the remaining practices having larger list sizes. The Department of Health and Social Care said: 'We want to ensure that everyone has access to GP services, including routine appointments at evenings and weekends the latest statistics show more than half the population is currently benefiting from more flexible appointments. 'To improve access to patients and availability of appointments, we're investing an extra 2.4 billion a year into general practice by 2021 and will recruit an additional 5,000 doctors.' Nick Robinson's political differences with Boris Johnson go back to Oxford University in the 1980s (pictured together at the Oxford Union) when the BBC broadcaster was tipped to be prime minister and was said to consider the current incumbent too left-wing to be a Tory. It came as the BBC decided not to admonish Mr Robinson after he ordered Mr Johnson to 'stop talking' live on air yesterday. Sources at the Corporation have said the 300,000-a-year presenter has not been rebuked by bosses as Radio 4 declined to comment on the incendiary interview that has upset No 10 and Conservative MPs. It is not the first time the men have clashed with Robinson recently comparing him to a 'dictator' and accused him avoiding the scrutiny of journalists. Boris and Nick first met at Oxford University when Mr Robinson was president of the Oxford University Conservative Association and was nicknamed 'Blue Robbo' because of his staunch support for the Tories then led by Margaret Thatcher. He didn't think Boris was a Conservative at all because he appeared too liberal, those who knew them both at university in the 1980s have said, assuming instead that he was a supporter of the SDP/Liberal Alliance at the time, according to The Spectator. Neil Sherlock, who beat the young Johnson to become Oxford Union president in 1984, said recently: 'I always thought at university that Nick Robinson would be the big political star and that Boris Johnson would be a journalist. When I left Oxford, that's what I thought would happen'. He added: 'In 1984-85, if you told me that Boris Johnson was going to be prime minister, I would have been very surprised. If you'd asked me then, I would have said Nick Robinson'. Advertisement In yet another reason for Sydney residents to harbour resentment against the Sydney Light Rail project, it has now been revealed investors were told of huge delays seven months before the public. The Spanish contractors working on Sydney's $2.1billion light rail project told investors the project was massively delayed back in September last year. The public was formally told in April, seven months after contractors working on the embattled project knew its completion would be pushed back until 2020, the AFR reported. Heavy machinery was in place but not much was actually happening at a work site in the centre of the city recently The revelation is the most recent in a series of blows for the project, including transparency issues and court stoushes. The New South Wales government and the ALTRAC have been slammed for failing to provide updated timelines for the project, which was initially due to be finished in March next year. In April it was revealed the project contractors were demanding an extra $1.2 billion for works. The demands angered NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance who said the 12km network was over budget and behind schedule. Photos taken in April laid bare the extent of the city's $2.1 billion light rail disaster amid a ferocious court stoush and claims the Spanish subcontractor building it is on a 'go slow'. A hungry worker (olive oil and BBQ sauce nearby) is seen kicking off a breakfast cook-up at a tram construction office near Anzac Parade, in the city's east in late April Pictures snapped in late April show many CBD work sites, operated by Acciona, were deserted. It comes as the government was told the project is running a full year late and that the line, stretching from Circular Quay to Randwick, won't be operational until March 2020. The delay could have a devastating impact on business owners, many who say they are already being squeezed by landlords as foot traffic is 'smashed'. Breakfast is served in the form of sausage sandwiches, with labourers munching on bread and BBQ sauce before work This worker chilled out on his backhoe as traffic snarled and the city streets bustled with foot traffic The once-bustling heart of the city's CBD next to the Queen Victoria Building was (almost) deserted at midday Labourers leaned against a fence and had a yarn at one of several Circular Quay Acciona sites Angela Vithoulkas, owner of George Street's VIVO cafe and an independent councillor, said she had only seen a small work crew each day since January. 'It takes more than three men and a broom to build light rail,' she told Daily Mail Australia. She claimed business owners were initially told that each section would take six to nine months - and major construction works began in October 2015. 'I'm not a mathematician but three-and-a-half years is more than six to nine months - and there's no end in sight,' Ms Vithoulkas said. Steve Kulak, owner of Surry Hills' TITLE bookstore, said work is no longer being done around the clock. Labourers used to be slaving away for 12 to 18 hours a day. But now it is a 9am to 4pm operation, he said. 'At the beginning it was on, it was buzzing,' said Mr Kulak. 'Now nothing happens at night.' The government has blamed builder Acciona for hurting businesses with their 'actions and inactions'. Got an important call? A labourer takes a break and scrolls through messages on his mobile phone on George Street Major light rail construction began in October 2015 and the line itself may not start running until March 2020 or later Another barqueue was made available for staff based near Town Hall, in the centre of the city's business district The Sydney Light Rail route would run from Circular Quay in the city's CBD to Randwick, in the city's eastern suburbs Traffic and a lot of mess: Tourists in Sydney's Harbour-side hotel district are confronted with a large mound of debris 'It's very obvious there is a go-slow on this,' state Transport Minister Andrew Constance told reporters. 'They need to get to work and ramp it up. 'It was very obvious in the middle of last year they were laying more track than they are now and they need to get to work. 'They've made a claim they've got 1400 staff working - they need to prove it'. Meantime, Labor Opposition Leader Luke Foley branded the city a 'war zone'. 'This light rail line will be delivered in the 2020s - at the earliest,' Mr Foley said at a press conference. 'It may never be completed the way they're going. Helloooooo? Another George Street work site where there was not a single labourer about midday Some parts of the city tram sites have been opened for foot traffic for months. Above, a tradesman takes a break Midday traffic banked up along George Street towards the south of the city, close to Circular Quay It was all machinery and very few staff at Circular Quay - the location where the light rail will one day begin In a statement of claim lodged with the NSW Supreme Court, Acciona has claimed Transport for New South Wales withheld vital information about electricity infrastructure. It wants another $1.1 billion from the government to finish the project. The government is fighting the claim. The light rail was originally budgeted to cost $1.6 billion before a $500 million blowout. But Acciona's new demands would double the original cost. Mr Constance has said the government still wanted the light rail finished next year. 'We want to see it delivered in 2019 as per the project deed,' the minister told Radio 2GB. One of many traffic controllers and gate operators who are employed on the light rail construction project Four workers in hard hats laboured away between Essex and Hunter Streets in the CBD Sydneysiders shuffle between deserted work sites on George Street, late in the afternoon 'We have businesses and residents being hurt by (Acciona's) actions and inactions,' the state transport minister has said 'It is vital that (contractor) ALTRAC accelerate and get on with their program. 'We have businesses and residents being hurt by their actions and inactions.' ALTRAC said work on the project was taking longer than expected due to design changes and the discovery of 'unknown utilities'. The consortium has found more than 1600 unknown services but has still completed about 80 per cent of the utilities work, a spokeswoman said in a statement to the Australian Associated Press. Some 16 kilometres of track has been laid by Acciona to date amounting to 66 per cent of the route, ALTRAC said. Australia's oldest scientist has opened up about his incredible history as he plans to end his life at a voluntary assisted dying clinic in Switzerland - and revealed he believes people as young as 50 should be able to voluntarily die. World-renowned botanist David Goodall, 104, has travelled to Europe determined to die as his quality of life has worsened. Speaking from his hotel room in Basel, he told the Associated Press about living through two World Wars, his disbelief in the afterlife and his extended family who live across three continents. World-renowned botanist David Goodall, 104, has travelled to Europe determined to die as his quality of life has worsened Mr Goodall said he has been considering suicide for 20 years, and said a lack of mobility was one of the reasons he wanted to take his own life, despite not being sick (Pictured: Mr Goodall earlier in his career) 'My recent life has not been enjoyable,' he told reporters after arriving in Switzerland. 'I would like to see the system change, but I doubt it will happen within the next 10 years.' He met with Swiss doctors on Tuesday, and if deemed to be of sound mind he will be administered a lethal cocktail of chemicals. 'The message I would like to send is once one passes the age of 50 or 60, one should be free to decide for oneself whether one wants to continue living or not,' he said. Mr Goodall said he has been considering suicide for 20 years, and said a lack of mobility was one of the reasons he wanted to take his own life, despite not being sick. He said he has tried to kill himself three times but was now seeking professional assistance at the Life Circle clinic. Switzerland's assisted-suicide laws mean people are able to take their own lives, unlike in Australia. Mr Goodall said he doesn't believe religion should interfere with his personal choices. 'If people for religious purposes interfere with the free will of other people, I think that's most regrettable. By all means, let them follow their own choice in respect to the end of life, but don't impose it on other people,' he said. He plans to take his life with an injection of a chemical called barbiturate pentobarbitol. It is often used as an anesthetic but is considered lethal when administered in high doses. Mr Goodall believes people should be able to decide for themselves if they want to use medicine to die (Pictured: Mr Goodall saying goodbye to his grandson in Australia) Mr Goodall believes people should be able to decide for themselves if they want to use medicine to die. 'I wouldn't suggest that it's available to everyone, and just going and buying it off the shelf,' he said. 'I think there are plenty of people who might misuse that. But I would accept that it should be done by doctors' prescription but they should be free to prescribe.' Mr Goodall was born in London in 1914, and is an eminent botanist and ecologist. He came to Australia in 1948 taking up a lecturing position at the University of Melbourne. Mr Goodall turned 104 in April, and has since decided to access voluntary euthanasia in Switzerland. Karl Stefanovic has asked Bill Shorten why he still trails Malcolm Turnbull in the polls despite support for the current prime minister being at an all-time low. In a post budget interview on the Today Show on Wednesday morning, Stefanovic complimented Mr Shorten's success with recent policies but pointed out he was still behind Malcolm Turnbull as preferred prime minster. 'So you've been billed very successful from a policy point of view over the past couple of years in terms of what you're trying to achieve,' Stefanovic said. Scroll down for video Karl Stefanovic (left) has asked Bill Shorten (right) why he still trails Malcolm Turnbull in the polls despite support for the current prime minister being at an all-time low 'You called for Royal Commission. You got it. You called for Medicare to be protected. You got it. You opposed company tax cuts. You got that. All this policy success, but still you trail Malcolm Turnbull in the polls. 'Why don't Australians like you?' There was an awkward silence before the Leader of the Opposition fired back. 'I don't buy that at all Karl and I can't wait for an election,' Mr Shorten said. 'It's not about the day-to-day politics. It's about the national interest.' Mr Shorten labelled the Turnbull Government's third budget 'uninspired', saying it favours big business over battlers. In a post budget interview on the Today Show on Wednesday morning Stefanovic complimented Mr Shorten's (pictured) success with recent policies Stefanovic asked Mr Shorten: 'Why don't Australians like you?' 'This is a government who gave billions of dollars to the Commonwealth Bank as a reward, but can't find $360 a year for pensioners grappling with power (bills),' he told ABC on Wednesday. Mr Shorten confirmed Labor would support initial personal income tax cuts - that could deliver some Australians more than $500 a year - but would wait to see more detail of the government's seven-year overhaul of the system before making a decision. 'They want us to have a debate about a possible tax cut in the year 2024. That's two or three elections down the track,' he said. Karl Stefanovic asked Bill Shorten why he still trails Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) in the polls 'The government is up to tricky business in this uninspired budget that favours big business, not battlers.' Mr Shorten also dismissed the government's return-to-surplus strategy which will bring the budget into balance in 2019-2020, a year earlier than planned. 'This government has been in for five years and they've always said that they're the Superman of economic management.' he said. 'They haven't managed to deliver a surplus yet.' Mr Shorten warned any downturn in the trade with China would disrupt the budget strategy. A woman who killed a taxi driver when she sped through an intersection dressed in her pyjamas was mentally unstable at the time, a Melbourne court has been told. Natasha Karishma Sanyasi pleaded guilty in the County Court of Victoria on Tuesday to culpable driving causing the death of 32-year-old Dilawar Shah. The court was told that in the early hours of July 16, 2016, Sanyasi left her boyfriend, who she'd been dating for a week, at a motor inn after he declined to drive to Adelaide with her. She was driving at 137 km/h when she sped through a red light an intersection in Fawkner and 'T-boned' Mr Shah's taxi, which was turning right, the court heard. Natasha Karishma Sanyasi (pictured) pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing the death of Dilawar Shah Prosecutor Charlotte Duckett said a witness told her Mr Shah's taxi became airborne and rotated 180 degrees before it crashed into the fence of an unoccupied construction site. According to 9NEWS, the light had allegedly been red for at least six seconds when she sped through the light. Paramedics arrived at 5.02am and pulled Mr Shah from the car but were unable to revive him. Sanyasi was unharmed but appeared dishevelled and was wearing pyjamas, Ms Duckett added. Paramedics said Sanyasi climbed into the back of an ambulance and became aggressive when asked to get out. 'She suffered no physical injuries but was admitted as an involuntary psychiatric patient,' Ms Duckett said. According to Seven News, after the crash she walked around the site 'dazed and confused' instead of rushing to Mr Shah's aid. Dilawar Shah (pictured) was 500 metres from home when he was turning right and 'T-boned', sending his car flying through the air Before the crash she had allegedly been urged not to drive. Sanyasi had small amounts of alcohol, cannabis, sedative and painkillers in her blood when tested, the court heard. Psychologist Harvey Abbott told the court Sanyasi 'was clearly psychotic' at the time of the incident, with an ongoing borderline personality disorder exacerbated by cannabis use. Sanyasi allegedly told police she was given the drug GHB and raped just prior to the collision, that her boyfriend wanted to marry her, and that she thought she was pregnant and miscarrying. Sanyasi had small amounts of cannabis in her system and had been in a hotel room prior to the crash Mr Abbott also said Sanyasi had previously thought at times that 'the television was talking to her'. 'It seemed like her mental health was deteriorating quite rapidly leading up to the incident,' he said. Mr Abbott said Sanyasi tried to take her own life in August and thereafter suffered severe pain in her legs. Psychiatrist Vasilija Kojadinovic said Sanyasi had previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, substance use disorder and a history of post traumatic stress disorder resulting from childhood abuse. Sanyasi, who is on bail, has pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis and driving an unregistered car. According to 9news, she also pleaded guilty to culpable driving, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. She also allegedly told a pyschologist: 'I never meant to do something like that. I never meant to take someone's life.' The pre-sentence hearing continues on Wednesday. Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467. Black cab rapist John Worboys (pictured) has met with lawyers to discuss a renewed bid for freedom, it emerged last night Black cab rapist John Worboys has met with lawyers to discuss a renewed bid for freedom, it emerged last night. The serial sex attacker is hoping to win parole at a new hearing later this year, a fellow inmate has claimed. The 61-year-old was convicted of attacks on 12 women at his 2009 trial. But he is suspected of molesting and drugging as many as 100 women. The source told the Sun: 'He has been having strategy talks with his solicitors and on how best to deal with the psychiatric panel.' Last year the Parole Board ruled Worboys could be freed after finding he had learned 'not to hide negative thoughts and feelings' during 'positive' treatment with psychologists. But the decision was reversed and the board's chairman forced to quit after two victims appealed against the decision in a highly-charged court showdown in March. Worboys now hopes a fresh Parole Board hearing will be scheduled by summer after new psychiatric reports are prepared. The serial sex attacker is being held at Wakefield Prison in West Yorkshire (pictured) The rapist was reported to be 'keeping his fingers crossed he will get the all-clear'. However, one of his alleged victims told the Sun last night: 'I always feared he would go before the board again but this feels far too soon.' Worboys was convicted of the attacks on 12 women in 2009 but continued to protest his innocence, and had asked the Criminal Cases Review Commission to look at his case. But in May 2015 - nine months before he would become eligible for parole after serving his minimum term - he dramatically admitted he had carried out the attacks of which he had been convicted, although he continued to deny any other offences. The 61-year-old (pictured) was convicted of attacks on 12 women at his 2009 trial He is not likely to be allowed to return back to London, according to a source. Pictured, Worboys' black cab The Parole Board decides whether prisoners serving life or indeterminate sentences for public protection, fixed-length sentences of four years or more and some violent criminals who have re-offending should be released. Worboys is being held at Wakefield Prison in West Yorkshire. The source added: 'He's been working hard as a cleaner and has kept out of trouble. He's seen as a model prisoner.' But he is not likely to be allowed to return back to London, according to the source. Campaigning lawyer Rachel Krys told the Sun: 'We just hope that the new Parole Board speak to the victims and also consider the pattern of offending police suspect him of.' Social media users who share or comment on racist or anti-gay postings will face jail under rules proposed yesterday. Advice for judges and magistrates recommends harsh punishments for those found guilty of stirring up hatred against racial, religious or sexual minority groups. Among those jailed should be people who post comments or share online hate speech because they have been reckless as to whether they stir up hatred, say the proposals from the Sentencing Council. Social media users in the UK who share or comment on racist or anti-gay postings will face jail under rules proposed yesterday Those found guilty of hate trolling by commenting or sharing social media should typically receive a sentence of six months in jail. Anyone who is convicted of orginating hate speech that threatens anyones life or which is widely distributed should expect three years. Even someone whose words or material were judged as hateful, but were not considered to have threatened life or reached a big audience, is likely to be punished with a year in jail. But critics say the proposals will mean young people who heedlessly throw insults against racial, religious or sexual groups on the internet are at risk of prison sentences. The recommendations, which will be subject to a three-month consultation, come at a time of deepening sensitivity to racism and abuse about sexuality online. On top of long-standing concerns about material posted by extremists, accusations have been levelled against those in mainstream politics and other well-known individuals. Labour Party figures have been accused of anti-Semitism, while veteran feminist Germaine Greer and gay rights and free speech campaigner Peter Tatchell are among those who have been labelled as hate-peddlers for questioning the claims of the transgender lobby. Stirring up hatred is a crime under the 1986 Public Order Act. The councils proposals say the most serious hate offences include speeches given by public figures with the aim of stirring up hatred, online content inciting violence towards racial or religious groups, and websites that publish abusive and insulting material to a worldwide audience over a long period. Aggravating factors include activity in a particularly sensitive social climate or delivered to an impressionable audience. Using multiple social media platforms also makes an offence more grave. But knife offenders can walk from court The firm line taken by the Sentencing Council on hate speech posted online contrasts with its leniency to other groups of offenders. It ruled two years ago that young thugs including those who carry knives may be spared jail if they come from deprived or criminal family backgrounds. The guidelines gave a number of reasons why courts should not impose custodial sentences to a teenager guilty of threatening someone with a knife, including an unstable upbringing that may have involved numerous care placements, exposure to drug and alcohol abuse, victim of neglect and/or abuse, and exposure to familial criminal behaviour. Also under 2016 guidelines, muggers may escape prison if the robbery is found to have done no harm and was carried out with only minimal force. The council also recommends shorter sentences for criminals who admit their guilt in court. Those who plead guilty at their first appearance may have their custodial term cut by a third. Advertisement Professor Anthony Glees, director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies, described the guidelines as bizarre, saying they were not strict enough where they should be strict, too severe where greater leniency is called for. Only three years for hate speech that leads to people getting killed? Ridiculously soft, he said. But six months for hate trolling? Are there enough prison places to lock up these hate trolls? He said the law needed to distinguish between young and foolish individuals who say silly things and really dangerous radicalisers and purveyors of violence who exploit the social media to wreak havoc and death. Professor Glees said the cases involving Greer and Tatchell could lead to confusion. He said: Are these social critics guilty of hate speech for asking awkward questions about gender interest groups? Or are those who attack them the true guilty ones? A top prosecutor in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has been accused of repeatedly groping and sexually harassing two female colleagues. Deputy District Attorneys Beth Silverman and Tannaz Mokayef will receive $700,000 to settle a shocking lawsuit against Gary Hearnsberger. The women have accused Hearnsberger, the head deputy of the Major Crimes Division, of inappropriately touching them and making graphic sexual comments. Hearnsberger, who is married, allegedly once said he wanted to 'jack off' on Superior Court Judge Deborah Brazil while she 'strangled to death', according to TMZ. Gary Hearnsberger, a top prosecutor at the LA District Attorney's Office, allegedly once said he wanted to 'jack off' on Superior Court Judge Deborah Brazil while she 'strangled to death', a shocking lawsuit has claimed (Hearnsberger and Brazil are pictured here in 2011) Deputy District Attorneys Beth Silverman (left) and Tannaz Mokayef (right) will receive $700,000 to settle the lawsuit against Hearnsberger, who they claim repeatedly groped and sexually harassed them in the office and at work events The lawsuit claims Hearnsberger would repeatedly make comments about Silverman and Mokayef's sex lives, asking one of them after vacation if their 'p***y was sore'. Silverman and Mokayef said their supervisor would make gestures to them mimicking oral sex and compared the latter's cell phone vibrations to a sex toy. Mokayef also claimed that Hearnsberger one reached under her skirt at a restaurant during a work event and grabbed her crotch, the lawsuit states. Silverman alleged that Hearnsberger put his hands on her butt during another work event and said 'You know you like it'. The lawsuit also contains a photo of Hearnsberger at a 'Hillbilly party' for work in July 2012 that shows him dressed only in denim overalls. Attached to his crotch was a sheep stuffed animal made to look as if 'he was having anal sex with the sheep', according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims Hearnsberger (pictured with his wife) would repeatedly make comments about Silverman and Mokayef's sex lives, asking one after vacation if their 'p***y was sore' Mokayef and Silverman, who filed the civil lawsuit in 2015, said they were passed over for high-profile cases because they rejected Hearnsberger Hearnsberger also allegedly once told the women: 'You know what's a sign of a good boss it? One who will f**k the people that work for him and still not give them any good cases'. Silverman alleged that Hearnsberger put his hands on her butt during a work event and said 'You know you like it' Mokayef and Silverman, who filed the civil lawsuit in 2015, said they were passed over for high-profile cases because they rejected Hearnsberger. They also allege that Hearnsberger began to curse and scream at them in front of their colleagues as punishment for denying his advances, according to the Los Angeles Times. Silverman said four additional female colleagues also accused Hearnsberger of sexual harassment and misconduct and complained internally. She told two superiors about Hearnsberger's behavior, and was told by one male supervisor that he did not want to hear it, court papers state. District Attorney Jackie Lacey has denied that her office, which reportedly never launched a criminal investigation, ignored accusations against Hearnsberger. 'We have no tolerance for sexual harassment in this office,' she said in a statement. Silverman (pictured) said four additional female colleagues also accused Hearnsberger of sexual harassment and misconduct and complained internally Hearnsberger was placed on paid administrative leave in March 2015 and retired with a full pension on March 31, 2018, a week before the case had been settled 'My managers are trained through the county and as part of my leadership team to respect their colleagues and uphold the values of the office.' Hearnsberger, who has called the accusations 'completely and totally untrue', was transferred to run the District Attorney's Public Integrity Division after Silverman and Mokayef complained. He was placed on paid administrative leave in March 2015 and retired with a full pension on March 31, 2018, a week before the case had been settled. One of the women reportedly demanded that Hearnsberger leave the office for good as part of the settlement. The settlement will be paid by the District Attorney's Office. A horse rider who has been missing after going camping on Saturday afternoon has been found by police. Narelle Davies, a 52-year-old from Mansfield, was understood to have been camping near Howqua Track, in rural Victoria, with her horse 'Depict' over the weekend. When she failed to return to the campsite on Monday, other horse riders raised the alarm. Scroll down for video Narelle Davies, a 52-year-old horse rider, was found alive on Wednesday morning three days after she went missing during a camping trip in rural Victoria She was found in a 'good condition' according to 9NEWS but was taken Wangaratta hospital for observation She had been camping with her horse Depict (pictured) over the weekend before mysteriously disappearing three days ago Local officers and the police air wing conducted searches Monday night and throughout Tuesday with the assistance of the SES. Her vehicle and horse float remained at the camp site. Ms Davies was found at 8.30am on Wednesday not far from her campsite, according to a police statement. She was found in a 'good condition' according to 9NEWS but was taken Wangaratta hospital for observation. Ms Davies' son, Cam, said he was thankful for the outcome. Local officers and the police air wing conducted searches Monday night and throughout Tuesday of the areas surrounding Ms Davies' Howqua campsite The Australian Medical Association president has claimed doctors are moving into the private sector in droves because of bullying and staff shortages. AMA president Michael Gannon said bed shortages have forced doctors to discharge patients sooner than they would prefer 'on a daily basis', negatively impacting their care. 'There are staff shortages and doctors are being forced to sign off less-than-perfect care,' he told The Courier Mail. Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon (pictured) said the problem of bed shortages had become 'a joke' Mr Gannon also claimed workplace bullying had become an increasing problem in the sector. 'This atmosphere is pushing doctors into serious burnout and plays a part in the rising numbers of medics taking their own lives, some are so stressed they may take to drinking or become depressed, it hits everyone differently,' he said. Bullying has been seen in multiple areas of the industry, including the 'unit level, hospital level and Health Department level', he said. Doctors are discharging patients sooner than they would prefer 'on a daily basis', due to bed shortages, Mr Gannon said The Courier Mail recently highlighted bed shortages at the Lady Cilento Childrens Hospital, whose doctors said they felt patient care was at risk due to the hospital being at capacity. However, Childrens Health Queensland chief executive Fionnagh Dougan downplayed claims and said no patient requiring 'tertiary level specialist care' had gone untreated. Mr Gannon also said the emphasis on new 'shiny' hospitals was not always a sign of a healthy industry. A shortage of nurses in NSW in the future is anticipated to have an impact on patient care 'Hospitals are all about the people inside them the patients, nurses, doctors and other caregivers not about the fancy architecture. Unfortunately, there are unmet needs in our communities,' he said. A shortage of nurses in NSW in the future is anticipated to have an impact on patient care, ABC News reported in January. Figures indicate the 70,000 registered nurses in the state will not be able to meet patient demand. By 2030 there will be a need for 82,000 full-time registered nurses and midwives but 'only 74,000 will be available'. An 18-month old child has fallen to his death after climbing out of a second floor window as his mother was cleaning their apartment. Spencer, the infant child of Australian expat Holly Bishop, 28, and her British partner Robert Devlin, 32, fell to his death at their apartment in Lagos, Portugal on Saturday. He had reportedly been following his mother around the apartment as she was cleaning. But Ms Bishop was sent into a panic after turning round to see the toddler had disappeared. After frantically searching the apartment she rushed to a window which had been left open and was horrified to see her child lying on the pavement several metres below. Spencer (pictured), 18-months-old, died on Saturday after he fell seven metres from a second storey balcony in Portugal Spencer, the 18-month-old son of Perth woman Holly Bishop (pictured, left), 28, and her British partner Robert Devlin (pictured, right), 32, died on Saturday in Lagos, Portugal Spencer is pictured with his Australian mother Holly Bishop and British father Robert Devlin Ms Bishop's sister Jess Marach said her sister had opened the window slightly to help air the home out and could hear Spencer in the background, News.com.au reported. 'She then continued to clean the apartment and again couldn't see Spencer or now hear him either,' Ms Marach said. 'She thought he was getting up to mischief as kids do when they go quiet, so she went past the bathroom and didn't see him there, so then went into his room and found that he wasn't there either.' The young mother then noticed the window was all the way open and rushed over to look outside. '[Ms Bishop] ran over to look [and] saw little Spencer on the ground outside with people surrounding him and she ran straight down the stairs to him,' Ms Marach said. The infant was still breathing at the time, and neighbours reported seeing a young man attempting to save the boy with first aid. Police in Portugal are investigating the events leading up to the tragedy (pictured is Spencer) Spencer (pictured with Ms Bishop, right, and Mr Devlin, left) suffered critical injuries in the seven metre fall and was rushed to Algarve University Hospital Centre's pediatric intensive care unit 100km away, but later died Spencer suffered critical injuries in the seven metre fall and was rushed to Algarve University Hospital Centre's pediatric intensive care unit 100km away, but later died. Police in Portugal, where the family have lived for several years, are investigating the events leading up to the tragedy. A GoFundMe page has since been set up by friends of the couple to help them pay for their toddler's funeral. So far it $1,500 of the $5,000 target has been raised. 'Yesterday was the worst day of Rob and Holly's lives,' Tammy Dower wrote. 'Their little baby boy Spencer had a tragic accident and was taken to hospital in Portugal where they did all they could for him. 'But unfortunately, he just couldn't fight any longer and last night, their beautiful baby boy Spencer grew his little wings and left all of his family behind.' 'They are beyond devastated and would like to let everyone know but at the moment would just like some time to come to terms with their loss and be around family,' Ms Downer wrote. A GoFundMe page has since been set up by friends of the couple (pictured) to help them pay for their toddler's funeral. So far it $1,500 of the $5,000 target has been raised It's understood Spencer's parents Robert Delvin and Holly Bishop (pictured) have lived in Portugal for several years 'It honestly breaks my heart in a million pieces for Holly and her family.' Spencer's aunty Jess shared a photo of her nephew on the fundraising page. 'Forever in my heart Baby Spencer,' she wrote. Shocked friends took to social media to offer their condolences after Mr Devlin posted an old photo of the happy family enjoying a day at the beach. 'I am so sorry. There's no words to express how you must be feeling. Our thoughts are with you and your family at such a sad time,' one friend wrote. Another added: 'Thinking of you all and sending our love.' Members of Ms Bishop's Perth family are believed to have travelled to Portugal in recent days, Perth Now reports. According to the news website, Spencer was born in the resort town of Lagos, where Mr Devlin runs a business. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has said it will offer consular assistance if requested. RBS staff are taking customers to nearby post offices and showing them how to make financial transactions when their local branch shuts. Royal Bank of Scotland boss Ross McEwan said families hit by branch closures were being escorted to the nearest post office so they can learn about the services it offered, such as depositing cash and cashing cheques. His comments angered campaigners seeking to protect Britains shrinking branch network. Royal Bank of Scotland is axing 420 outlets this year in a push to save money, which has angered campaigners seeking to protect Britains shrinking branch network Labour MP John Mann, a member of the Treasury select committee, said: The reports that RBS staff in closing branches are escorting customers to post offices are Monty Python-style banking they would be funny if they werent true. This is one of many stories which prove that the banks line that customers no longer use branches is fiction. RBS is axing 420 outlets this year in a push to save money. It has always claimed that it is closing branches because customers do not want to use them any more and would rather go online instead. But Mr McEwan admitted that the lender offers customers training on how to use a mobile phone so they can go online instead suggesting many do not know what they are doing. Speaking to MPs on the Scottish affairs select committee, he said: We are asking all of our branch staff to have conversations with customers about the different ways of operating, be it online or through mobile. We have what we call text experts who are helping customers actually use a mobile phone. I make no excuses for that, this is our most popular channel now. He added that the bank uses a six-month window after a closure is announced to teach staff to tell customers where they can go instead including nearby post offices. RBS staff are taking customers to nearby post offices and showing them how to make financial transactions when their local branch shuts This is important in rural areas with poor internet coverage, where some customers struggle to get banking to work online. Mr McEwan said: Once weve made the decision to close a branch and weve given people time, we do then ask them to have a direct conversation about the other ways of banking which could be through a mobile, it could be through a post office. Ive been to see a post office myself, where the postmaster was delighted that we were escorting customers across. Where theres not broadband, our people are taking customers across to the Post Office to introduce them to the postmaster so they have a relationship going forward. Campaigners argue that bank branch closures drastically reduce footfall on high streets. Shopkeepers and vulnerable people are hit particularly hard, and forced to travel miles to access basic financial services. Mike Cherry, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: The fact that RBS is dedicating resources to switching former branch customers to other banking methods shows that the demand for in-person support is there. 'The best-resourced, highest-tech post offices are in urban areas, not in the rural communities where financial inclusion is more likely to be an issue. A purported son of cult leader Charles Manson is dropping his fight for the killer's estate and another possible heir is in jeopardy of being booted from the case. An attorney representing a purported son said in court Tuesday that he received notice that Michael Brunner is seeking to be dismissed from the case. Brunner's mother was an early member of the so-called Manson family and he was fathered by the cult leader, according to his birth certificate, though it misspelled Manson's middle name. But his legal claim to collect the remains of the convicted murderer was dashed because he had been adopted. His bid for the estate was likely to meet a similar fate. Another supposed son, Matthew Lentz, showed up to court late and has until a July 13 hearing to show why he shouldn't be dismissed from the case. Scroll for video Michael Brunner, 49, (pictured) whose birth certificate lists Manson and cult member Mary Brunner as his parent, was in on the fight for Manson's estate, but has since dropped out. He has stayed out of the public eye after giving the above 1993 interview about his infamous father Matthew Lentz, who says he was fathered by convicted murderer Charles Manson at an orgy, is still in the running to stake a claim in the killer's estate Manson (pictured left in 2017 and right on trial in 1970) was originally sentenced to death, but had his sentence commuted after California invalidated the state's death penalty statute Lentz claims he was fathered by Manson during a Wisconsin orgy. He is named as the sole beneficiary in a 2017 will that Manson apparently signed and sent to Ben Gurecki, another friend and memorabilia collector, who is named as executor. Who inherits Manson's estate - which could include potentially lucrative rights to the use of his image and songs he wrote, as well as his possessions - will be adjudicated by Los Angeles Superior Court. In March the world got one final glimpse of cult leader Charles Manson, whose body was put on display before he was finally cremated. Manson's open casket viewing preceded his cremation, four months after his death, during a memorial service in Porterville, California. The funeral came a week after Manson's grandson Jason Freeman was granted the rights to his body following months of legal battles. Freeman, a former professional mixed martial arts fighter from Florida, is the son of the late Charles Manson Jr., who was the child of Manson and his first wife. Although some raised questions about whether Freeman was really Manson's grandson, a judge determined he was 'the surviving competent adult next of kin'. Jason Freeman, Charles Manson's grandson (pictured), won a California court battle to retrieve Manson's remains in March for funeral services Manson, who died at 83, was hospitalized in Bakersfield while serving a life sentence for orchestrating the 1969 killings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and eight others. The fight over his corpse devolved into a circus of sorts with friends filing competing wills purportedly signed by the infamous inmate. Kin began to come out of the woodwork to stake a claim to the killer's body and estate. The case in Kern County was brought by the coroner's office, which said it wanted to quickly resolve the matter because bodies were piling up at the morgue from the methamphetamine and opioid epidemics. To prevent photos of the body from being leaked, the coroner's office stored Manson's remains under a pseudonym and only two employees were told its true identity. A former director of Britains special forces is to be named as the new head of the British Army, according to reports. Old Etonian Lieutenant-General Mark Carleton-Smith, 54, is expected to be named today as General Sir Nick Carters successor as chief of the general staff when Sir Nick is promoted to head of the armed forces next month. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is greeted by Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith on arrival at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan (stock photo) Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith is made a CBE for services in Afghanistan by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace in 2009 (stock photo) Lt Gen Carleton-Smith has been offered the job following interviews with defence secretary Gavin Williamson, a military source told the Times. He headed the SAS in 2002 when they pursued Osama bin Laden, then the world's-most-wanted man after masterminding the 9/11 terror attacks. He went on to serve as Director Special Forces, putting him in charge of all the UK's covert units. Sources said his CV indicates a desire to step up the war against ISIS and al-Qaeda militants as they disperse from the Middle East battlegrounds, The Sun reported. The other short-listed officers were Lieutenant-General Patrick Sanders, commander field army, and General Sir James Everard, Britains top officer at Nato, the newspaper reported. Lt Gen Sanders had been expected to get the role as he is well-liked by General Carter and came from the same regiment. Another source told the Times that Lt Gen Carleton-Smith was incredibly intelligent, urbane and polished. Hes also a career long special forces officer and war fighter. He will be made a four-star general when he moves into his new post from his current role as the senior officer in charge of military operations at the Ministry of Defence. Eleven children were hospitalized earlier this week after they all became mysteriously ill inside a Michigan home police said was filthy and covered in feces and food. Warren Mayor Jim Fotus described the conditions at the Jewett Street home as 'horrific, repulsive and inhumane' saying the children, all under the age of 11, were eating cereal and feces off the floor when they became sick. Three of the children were rushed to the hospital by an adult on Monday, police said. The other eight, who were being looked after by a 10-year-old child, were taken to the hospital later Monday after a little girl ran to a neighbor's house for help. According to Fox 2 Detroit, one of the kids went to a neighbor's house and asked to use the phone saying her six-year-old brother was choking and couldn't breathe. Police said 11 children at the home were hospitalized on Monday after they all became ill inside a Warren, Michigan home Three of the children were taken to the hospital by a family earlier Monday. The other eight, who were being watched by a 10-year-old child, were taken by ambulance to the hospital. One of the children is seen being carried to the ambulance Authorities said all of the kids are under the age of 11 and were malnourished and grossly underweight An officer is seen with two more children. Authorities said all the children, except a three-month-old baby, have been released from the hospital and are under the care of child protective services The home was covered in feces and food, namely cereal. Clothes and other items were found scattered on the outside of the house The neighbor, Wanda Lee, said she's a nurse so she dialed 911 and then ran to the home to help while the little girl called her grandmother. Warren Police said when they arrived to the scene they discovered the horrid living conditions. Lee told the outlet that there were no adults at the home. 'It's dangerous,' she said. 'It's scary.' Police said they discovered that the children were very ill, suffering from malnutrition and were grossly underweight. Authorities said the floor of the home was covered in cereal and feces. Warren Fire Commissioner Skip McAdams said three of the children were taken to the hospital on Monday by an aunt after displaying a number of unexplained symptoms including vomiting, weakness and disorientation. The other children were taken to the hospital for treatment by ambulances. All of the kids, except a three-month-old baby, have been released. Officials said the baby is in stable condition. Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said investigators are trying to determine what made the children sick and believe it could have possibly been chemicals or feces that was found all over the inside of the home. Toxicology tests were done on all the children, but the results haven't been conclusive yet. Dwyer said all of the kids will be under the care of child protective services. Neighbors said the family had only been living at the home for about three weeks. Police said the children belong to two mothers Officials have deemed the house unlivable and placed a 'unsafe structure' on the outside of the home. Authorities believe the children either got a sick from chemicals or feces found on the inside of the home One of the mothers, identified as Janique Thomas, said she was at work and her sister was watching the children. Police have arrested one of the mothers but have not revealed her identity or why she was arrested 'They weren't well taken care of, from what I could see,' neighbor Robert Bauss told Fox 2. 'They were running around all day, no shoes, dirty clothes, no supervision.' Other neighbors in the area said the family had only been living in the home for about three weeks. Authorities said the 11 children belong to two mothers. According to Click on Detroit, one of the mothers said she was at work when she got a call about the children. She said her sister was watching them. 'They called her grandma saying, "Get home. Your kids can't breathe. They're home alone." That's all I know,' Janique Thomas told the station. One of the mothers was arrested Tuesday, but police have not released her name or details on why she was arrested. So fa, no child abuse or child neglect charges have been filed but police said that could change soon. The home has since been declared unlivable and officials posted an 'unsafe structure' sign on the residence saying that it may be demolished if the landlord does not fix and clean the house by a certain date. The mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, who was tortured by the CIA after his arrest, wants to share secret information about Donald Trump's pick for CIA director during her time running a black-site prison in Thailand where he was held in 2002. Gina Haspel faces tough questions at Wednesday's confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee over her time running the covert detention site where terror suspects were brutally interrogated in the wake of the terror attacks in New York. The committee will also seek an explanation for why she wanted videos of the sessions destroyed. She has already pledged that she 'will not restart' brutal interrogation program if she is confirmed to lead the agency. Now Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, one of the key masterminds behind the al-Qaida attack on the twin towers, has asked a military judge at Guantanamo Bay for permission to share six paragraphs of information about Haspel with the committee, the New York Times reports. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed (pictured), the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, wants to share secret information about Donald Trump's pick for CIA director during her time running a black-site prison in Thailand where he was held in 2002 Gina Haspel (pictured) nominee to be director of the CIA, faces tough questions at Wednesday's confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee Mohammed was captured in March 2003 and tortured by the CIA, according to an intelligence report. The suspect, who was held in secret prisons in Afghanistan and Poland, was subjected to waterboarding 183 times over 15 sessions, given unnecessary rectal rehydrations, sleep deprived for a week and shackled into painful stress positions. He admitted a series of confessions during the torture, including an alleged attempt by terrorists to recruit black Muslims in Montana. The confessions later turned out to be fake, and he retracted them. It is not clear how, or if, Haspel was involved in Mohammed's torture. Mohammed submitted the motion, Additional Facts, Law and Argument in Support', about Haspel to a military judge, which contains 'six specific paragraphs of information' that the inmate, and his lawyers, believe the panel should know. The motion does not go into detail what information Mohammed has about Haspel. CIA spokesman Dean Boyd said he was not allowed to comment on Haspel's activities while running the secret prison, but added that the agency had submitted a set of classified documents about Trump's nominee 'including her time in C.I.A.'s Counterterrorism Center in the years after 9/11.' Mohammed, one of the key masterminds behind the attack on the twin towers (pictured), has asked a military judge at Guantanamo Bay for permission to share six paragraphs of information about Haspel with the committee Mohammed (pictured in an al-Qaida video) was captured in March 2003 and tortured by the CIA, according to an intelligence report Haspel appears before the committee panel for the confirmation hearing on Wednesday. But numerous Democratic senators are calling for Trump to declassify more information about her involvement in the controversial torture program. 'The American people deserve transparency regarding the background of a nominee who will be asked to represent them, and their values, around the world,' they wrote, adding, Kamala D. Harris and Dianne Feinstein, both of California; Ron Wyden of Oregon; and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico wrote in a joint statement. Boyd said the classified documents will be made available to all senators, and that the public would hear from Haspel herself at the hearing. Haspel was in charge of the black-site Thai prison in 2002 when Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, accused of plotting the Al Qaeda's attack on US destroyer Cole in 2000, was waterboarded. The CIA closed the prison later that year and she returned to the Counterterrorism Center outside Washington as a senior operations manager. But Haspel continued to do overseas assignments - and details of her activities at that time is not public. She was also helped destroy videotapes of interrogation sessions in 2005. Senator Richard Burr, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has already stated that the CIA records on Haspel will not be made public. Gina Haspel is meeting with Senators seeking support for her nomination to run the CIA Haspel has since vowed not to resurrect the torture programs of the early 2000s. 'I understand that what many people around the country want to know about me are my views on CIA's former detention and interrogation program,' Haspel said in excerpts of her planned speech tomorrow. 'I have views on this issue, and I want to be clear. Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program.' Haspel's vow to fight any attempt to resurrect the program could put her at odds with Trump, who spoke in the campaign about toughening the U.S. approach to fighting extremists and vowed to authorize waterboarding and a 'hell of a lot worse.' Trump's previous comments including saying that torture 'absolutely works' don't make it easier for Senate Democrats to cross the aisle to back a nominee who oversaw waterboarding of terror suspect Abu Zubaydah 83 times. 'As far as I'm concerned, we have to fight fire with fire,' Trump said last year in defense of waterboarding. President Donald Trump pushed back Monday against Haspel's detractors, saying they are opposing her because she was 'too tough on terrorists' President Donald Trump touted Haspel's nomination on Twitter Haspel, a 61-year-old career undercover spy who is acting CIA director, has been practicing her answers at mock confirmation hearings with former top intelligence officials. Many of them praise her 33-year tenure at the agency in foreign and domestic assignments, and she received glowing endorsements from Republican senators on the eve of the hearing. 'I know that some have requested the documents that deal with covert action be made public and declassified,' Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the Republican chairman of the intelligence committee, said Tuesday. 'That has never happened in the history of the CIA, and it's not going to happen with Gina Haspel's nomination.' A GOP colleague on the committee, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, lamented how Haspel's nomination fueled a 'toxic political environment.' He said Democrats and other opponents have engaged in 'character assassination' before giving her the opportunity to answer questions and defend herself. The Mormon church will sever all ties with the Boy Scouts of America by the end of 2019. Its remaining 425,000 boys will be placed into a gospel-focused youth program that is currently under development. The move that was announced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Tuesday ends a nearly century-old relationship that was based on their shared values. But it didn't come as a complete surprise after the religion last year removed 185,000 boys between the ages of 14 and 18, signaling that an end to the long-time alliance was near. Joining the Boy Scouts is practically automatic among Mormon boys, and the religion has long been the biggest sponsor of Boy Scout troops in the United States. The Mormon church (file image) will sever all ties with the Boy Scouts of America by the end of 2019 Its remaining 425,000 boys will be placed into a gospel-focused youth program (file image) that is currently under development The Mormon boys who will be leaving represent about 18.5 per cent of the 2.3 million youth in the organization. In a statement, the Mormon church said the move is about creating its own youth program that it can use for its increasingly global membership, but the two organizations' values clearly have been diverging in recent years. The Boy Scouts decided in 2015 to allow gay troop leaders and announced last year it would allow girls in its ranks. Last week, the organization said it will change the name of its flagship program next year to Scouts BSA to account for the inclusion of girls. Like other conservative faiths, the Mormon church opposes gay marriage and teaches that being in a homosexual relationship is a sin. The church initially said it was 'deeply troubled' by the Boy Scouts' policy change on gays but stayed with the organization after receiving assurances it could appoint troop leaders according to its own religious and moral values. The religion has also traditionally used separate youth programs for boys and girls. In 2020, the Mormon church will start its new program that will 'help all girls and boys, young women and young men discover their eternal identity, build character and resilience, develop life skills and fulfill their divine roles as daughters and sons of God'. The two organizations' values clearly have been diverging in recent years. The Boy Scouts decided in 2015 to allow gay troop leaders (file image) and announced last year it would allow girls in its ranks Last week, the organization said it will change the name of its flagship program next year to Scouts BSA to account for the inclusion of girls (file image) The still to be developed program that will likely include outdoor activities and character building similar to Boy Scouts, but it won't be modeled after Boy Scouts or use ranks. The 14-to-18-year-old boys that left the Boy Scouts already focus on church-related activities and community service. More than half of the church's 16 million members live outside the US. and Canada. The Boy Scouts of America in a statement thanked the thousands of Mormons who have served as scout leaders and wished the religion well on its new program. The organization said individual Mormons who wish to stay in Boy Scouts would be integrated into other troops. The Boy Scouts' move to allow girls, announced last October, marked the organization's latest momentous policy shift. The organization already has started allowing girls into the Cub Scouts. So far, nearly 4,000 girls have joined roughly 170 Cub Scout packs participating in the first phase of the new policy, and the pace is expected to intensify this summer under a nationwide multimedia recruitment campaign titled Scout Me In. Though the flagship program's name is changing, the parent organization will remain the Boy Scouts of America, and the Cub Scouts - its program serving children from kindergarten through fifth grade - will keep its title, as well. The Boy Scout movement had been entrenched in Mormon culture for as long as anyone can remember. In 2013, the church put on an extravagant theatrical production inside its 21,000-seat auditorium in Salt Lake City to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its alliance with the Boy Scouts. A Boy Scout training complex in West Virginia is named after former Mormon church President Thomas S. Monson, a longtime member of the Boy Scouts' executive board and a major supporter who died earlier this year. Blake Lively's dress may have taken 600 hours to make, but it was one priest who won praise at the Met Gala for the clothes he wears every day. Father James Martin, SJ stood out from the likes of Rihanna and Cardi B by sporting what some gala attendees believed was the costume of a 'sexy priest'. The priest tweeted some of the hilarious things that were said to him during the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala, which quickly went viral. Martin, a consultor to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communication, helped curator Andrew Bolton with the exhibit and reviewed plans before the big night Father James Martin, SJ stood out from the likes of Rihanna and Cardi B by sporting what some gala attendees believed was a 'sexy priest' costume at the Met Gala on Monday The priest tweeted some of the hilarious things that were said to him during the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala, which quickly went viral Martin, who fit right in with the 'Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination' theme, revealed that one person told him they loved his 'costume'. One attendee said the priest had a 'funky outfit' and another high-fived him and said 'You're the best dressed dude here, bro!' Another guest assured Martin, 57, he looked 'just like the real thing', while one person proclaimed: 'I love that you got dressed up as a sexy priest'. Martin, whose tweet received more than 21,000 likes, took the hilarious comments in stride on Monday night. Martin (pictured here with George Clooney and Timothy Cardinal Dolan on Monday) took the hilarious comments in stride. 'Occasionally, I meet people who don't seem to run into priests in their lives,' he told the Huffington Post after the event. 'As a result, they don't know what to say. So I try to take it in stride, and I give them the benefit of the doubt.' Martin, a consultor to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communication, helped curator Andrew Bolton with the exhibit and reviewed plans before the big night. The exhibit, which is being held in the museum's Anna Wintour Costume Center, features 40 rare papal objects that had never before left the Vatican archives. Glamour: Blake Lively chose a gold and burgundy embroidered frock, complete with a crown; she is wearing custom Versace Absolutely stunning: Rihanna (l) and Kim Kardashian (r) took over the Met Gala red carpet on Monday in New York City at The Metropolitan Museum Of Art Although he rubbed shoulders with some of the world's biggest stars, it was the choir that Martin was most excited about Martin said he hoped the exhibit would help people realize the 'influence the Catholic imagination has on art'. 'The Catholic imagination is very broad and includes not only priests and sisters working in the slums in the poorest countries, but also artists like Michelangelo and Caravaggio creating great works of art for the church,' he told Women's Wear Daily. 'So the Catholic church is very much both/and. It is not either the people, who work with the poor, or a church that influences art. Its both.' Although he rubbed shoulders with some of the world's biggest stars, it was the choir that Martin was most excited about. 'The highlight of the #MetGala for me was not the celebrities but the surprise appearance of the Sistine Chapel Choir,' he tweeted on Monday night. Overall, Martin said he found the entire event 'enjoyable'. 'They obviously can't control how everyone dresses, and only a few of the costumes were over the top,' he said. 'But overall, it was a pleasant night.' Daniel Heazlewood pleaded guilty over the death of his mother, Linda Sidon (pictured) The son of a woman who vanished nine years ago has pleaded guilty to her manslaughter and admitted to interfering with her corpse. Daniel Heazlewood was arrested in Brisbane in 2015 over the 2009 disappearance his 46-year-old mother, Linda Sidon. He faced a murder charge over her death but on Wednesday pleaded not guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court. The court accepted his guilty plea to the downgraded charge of manslaughter. Ms Sidon - a New Zealand-born part-time cleaner who had a history of anxiety, anorexia and depression - had originally been thought to have committed suicide. Heazlewood (pictured) was arrested in Brisbane in 2015 over the 2009 disappearance his mother A five-day search for Ms Sidon's body in the Gold Coast hinterland in 2015 came up fruitless But new leads increased police focus on her disappearance. A five-day search for her body in the Gold Coast hinterland in 2015 came up fruitless. Ms Sidon's body has never been found, despite her son assisting police with their search. His arrest came a day after police had completed a forensic search at the government housing unit where he lived with his mother. Heazlewood, who was 28 at the time of his arrest, reportedly wrote a series of posts on Facebook in 2012, saying women deserve to be blown up with live grenades. Heazlewood's arrest came a day after police had completed a forensic search at the government housing unit where he lived with his mother 'A lot of girls deserve a warm gift... such as a live grenade,' he wrote, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin. 'What do 80,000 battered wives have in common? They just don't know when to shut the f***up,' he wrote in another post. Heazlewood will remain in custody until his sentencing on May 14. Police are continuing to appeal for public assistance to help locate a 14-year-old girl reported missing from Redland Bay. The girl was last seen at an address on Hamilton Street around midday on April 28 but hasnt made contact with anyone since. Concerns are held for her welfare due to her age and the length of time she has been missing. Police are continuing to appeal for public assistance to help locate a 14-year-old girl reported missing from Redland Bay Police believe she may be in the company of a 26-year-old man (pictured) who is described as approximately 175cm tall, of a medium build with short hair She is described as Caucasian in appearance, of a medium build and has light brown hair. Police believe she may be in the company of a 26-year-old man who is described as approximately 175cm tall, of a medium build with short hair. Investigators believe they may be travelling in a grey 2004 BMW 318i. Anyone who may have seen the pair or the vehicle is urged to contact police. A new supermarket chain expected to enter the Australian market next year is projected to have stores double the size of a standard Coles or Woolworths. Germany's Kaufland supermarkets, a subsidiary of the Schwarz Group, has finalised its plans to open its first store in Australia. The chain, which is similar to Aldi and Costco in its bargain-driven ways, operates more than 1,200 stores across Europe, according to The Australian. Which city will host the first Australian store is unknown. But officials have revealed it will be about 4,000sqm - double the size of a standard Coles or Woolworth's. German supermarket chain Kaufland is expected to hit Australia shores next year (stock image) The first Kaufland supermarket in Australia is expected to be around 4000sqm (stock image) In 2017, it was reported by The Advertiser that Kaufland had spent $25million acquiring the Le Cornu site on Anzac Highway, Forestville in Adelaide. The Daily Telegraph revealed in December 2017 that $16.4million had been spent buying Bunnings Warehouse in Melbourne's Dandenong. According to the Australian Financial Review, a Morgan Stanley report expects that Kaufland will open seven to 10 stores between 2019 and 2020. The report also projects that in Kaufland's first full year it will generate sales of $480million. Kaufland chief executive Patrick Kaudewitz told the publication: 'We are focused on securing the plots of land and the building permission. 'Our store concept for Australia sees a planned selling area of 4,000sqm. 'This imposes an optimal framework on us in order to be able to offer the customer a strong outcome.' Kaufland is the world's fourth largest retailer, with up to 60,000 product lines including 'K-Classic' brands (stock image) Julia Kern, 28, has been appointed as the chain's Australian manager. Kaufland is the world's fourth largest retailer, with up to 60,000 product lines including 'K-Classic' brands. This includes Germany, Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria. The Kaufland Australia website describes the company as 'offering a unique shopping experience by bringing our values to life and making "a difference" in the lives of our customers'. Australia's early Budget surplus will be propped up by taxes which have pushed the cost of cigarette packets close to $40. The surprise surplus Treasurer Scott Morrison announced on Tuesday owes a lot to the nation's 2.5 million smokers who have paid for a series of tobacco excise hikes. Budget documents released this week said the government will rake in a whopping $17 billion in tobacco excise and customs duties in the next financial year. Consumers will feel the sting from September 1, when smokers are slugged with the second of four consecutive 12.5 per cent tobacco excise hikes. The tax hike is expected to result in a price increase of about $3 for a typical packet. Last year, the price of 30 Winfield Blues jumped $2.70, from $32.50 to $35.20. Smokers have given the Treasurer a helping hand by forking out billions in tobacco excise The rivers of tobacco excise gold started flowing after Scott Morrison, left, penciled hefty excise increases into his first Budget three years ago Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhjlem told Daily Mail Australia 'practically everyone' should thank smokers for their contribution to the Budget bottom line. '(It's) not just Scott Morrison but everyone who uses hospitals and schools and practically everyone else should be thanking smokers,' he claimed. '(It's) not just Scott Morrison but everyone who uses hospitals and schools and practically everyone else should be thanking smokers,' said Senator David Leyonhjelm The excise is not the only tobacco-related measure the Treasurer is using to get the Budget back in black. Mr Morrison announced the government will crack down on organised crime groups importing cheap, illegal tobacco, often known as 'chop chop'. The government is forming a task force dedicated to foiling illegal tobacco smuggling and the tax office will be given new powers to detect and destroy illegal crops in Australia. The Treasurer claims the effort will bring more than $3.6 billion into the government's coffers. Mr Leyonhjelm, a self-described libertarian, said the black market had only boomed in Australia in the first place thanks to the high cost of legal tobacco. He cast doubt on whether the money would ever arrive, arguing the government would need to both defeat illegal tobacco smugglers and drive their customers back into the legal market. Small increases in petrol excise are also contributing to the future Budget surpluses Beer and spirit excise duties are also fuelling the forthcoming Budget surplus 'The assumption they're making is all the smokers who currently smoke illicit tobacco will go back to smoking legal stuff, even though it's 2, 3, 4 times the price,' Mr Leyonhjelm said. If the funds don't arrive, there will be no surplus, he argued. Mr Leyonhjelm's party has previously received donations from tobacco giant Philip Morris. Two thirds of smokers will live shorter lives because of their habit, national health figures state. Meantime, beer and spirit drinkers and car owners are also doing their bit to help get the Budget into the black. Beer, spirits and petrol excise and customs duties will slightly increase year on year over the forward estimates. Mom-of-two, Shaliyah Toombs, was seven-months-pregnant when police say she was murdered by Joshua Finkbeiner, 30, and Staci Harjo, 42 Three people have been arrested in connection to the murder of a pregnant mother in Oklahoma. Shaliyah Toombs was 23-years-old and seven months pregnant with her third child, when Joshua Finkbeiner, 30, and Staci Harjo, 42, appeared at her house in Oklahoma City on April 29. The mother's acquaintance, Daniel Vasquez was already at Toombs' home when the pair arrived looking for a backpack that they alleged she had stolen, according to The Oklahoman. According to Vasquez, he later told investigators that Finkbeiner and Harjo forced him and Toombs into a pickup at gunpoint. Scroll down for video Shaliyah Toombs was 23-years-old, seven-months-pregnant, and the mother of two girls, when she was killed on April 29 Police have charged Joshua Finkbeiner, 30 (left) and Staci Harjo, 42 (right) with murdering the young, pregnant mother Police pictured at the scene of Toombs' apartment, where she was allegedly taken out of her home at gun point Vasquez told police they had drove around and Finkbeiner allegedly started strangling the pregnant mother, and continued to do so for about 20 minutes. Then, Vasquez says, Harjo allegedly ordered him to 'finish her off'. The pregnant woman's mother received a disturbing text message before she was killed. About 4.50am, Toombs' mother, Twyla Taylor, reported getting a text message from her daughter, which said, 'They gonna kill me mom help me.' After the young woman was dead, Harjo and Finkbeiner allegedly gave Vasquez $60 in gas money, got out of the pickup truck and told him to drive away, with Toombs' body in the vehicle. On May 2, Vasquez flagged down an officer. He told the officer he had run out of gas- and that there was a body in his car. 'The sheriff's office received a call from the Lighthorse Police Department, The Chickasaw Nation Police Department, that a gentleman had approached one of their officers claiming his pickup was on I-35 out of gas, and that there was a dead body inside,' said Lt. Chris Grace, McClain County Sheriff's Office, according to Oklahoma News 4. The young mother frantically texted her own mother at around 5:30am on April 29, saying 'They gonna kill me mom help me' Police allege Harjo (pictured) along with Finkbeiner took Toombs and her acquaintance out of her Oklahoma City apartment at gun point on April 29 Murderers? Police charged Harjo and Finkbeiner in connection to Toombs' murder 'We were able to get identification made on the deceased from the medical examiner's office through fingerprints. They identified her as Shaliyah Toombs,' Grace added. Vasquez was arrested on a complaint of accessory to a homicide, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, according to Fox 25 News. 'Anytime somebody's left in a vehicle for several days, that's definitely suspicious, especially with someone driving the vehicle around,' Grace added. On May 7, Finkbeiner and Harjo were arrested in Arkansas after deputies located a vehicle they were believed to be driving, and found them inside. They are being held on murder complaints and will be extradited to Oklahoma. Sydney beachgoers have spotted fins poking out of the water only metres away from surfers. The fins were spotted as close as 100 metres offshore along the northern beaches coastline from Sunday to Tuesday. Cromer local Mick Eady was at Long Reef Beach on Sunday with his daughter when he noticed something unusual in the water. The fins were spotted as close as 100 metres offshore along the northern beaches coastline from Sunday to Tuesday ORRCA (Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia) confirmed the creatures were a pod of three false killer whales 'I was taking photos of my daughter surfing when I saw this dorsal fin go in and out of the water,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'I've never seen anything like it before.' ORRCA (Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia) confirmed the creatures were a pod of three false killer whales. False killer whales appear similar to normal killer whales but have no white colour and are smaller. They are a species of dolphin and can grow as long as 6 metres and weigh up to 2.2 tonnes. The rare creatures have also been spotted at Narrabeen, Shelly Beach and Dee Why. False killer whales appear similar to normal killer whales but have no white colour and are smaller (stock image) Mr Eady said the spotting was a nice reminder that 'we co-exist with nature.' 'It capped off a great afternoon of surfing just to see that nature is still around us,' he said. 'It's good to know that people are still interested and intrigued by nature in this digital age.' New York Governor Andrew Cuomo designated a special prosecutor to investigate Attorney General Eric Schneiderman after four women came forward with harrowing physical assault allegations against the politician. Cuomo issued a letter Tuesday to appoint Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas to investigate all matters related to the claims as well as the prosecutor for criminal charges against Schneiderman if warranted. The attorney general, 63, was a no-show for work this morning after announcing it would be his final day hours following the damning New Yorker expose in which the publicly-elected official's former girlfriends claimed he had hit or slapped them without consent, often in bed, and frequently after drinking. The politician responded to the allegations by admitting that he 'engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity' but denying claims that he ever assaulted another person or had 'nonconsensual sex.' The Manhattan district attorney's office also announced it had opened a formal investigation. 'Our office has opened an investigation into the recently reported allegations concerning Mr. Schneiderman,' said Danny Frost, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. Amid the shocking allegations, Schneiderman ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham, and their daughter, Catherine Schneiderman, were spotted walking side-by-side Tuesday evening in Manhattan. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (right) issued a letter Tuesday appointing a special prosecutor to probe New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (left) Cuomo issued a letter Tuesday to appoint Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas to investigate the allegations against Schneiderman Schneiderman's ex-wife Jennifer Cunningham (right) and his daughter Catherine Schneiderman take a walk Tuesday evening, May 8, 2018 in Manhattan, New York The lawmaker's ex-wife and daughter appeared glum as they went for a stroll together in New York Catherine Schneiderman was formerly engaged to Australian actor Matthew Newton, who had been arrested twice for domestic violence (pair pictured above in September 2016) Cunningham appeared glum and sported gym attire while she strolled the city streets next to her daughter, who also appeared serious in dark lipstick, jeans and a beige jacket. The politician's daughter had previously been engaged to Australian actor, Matthew Newton, who had been arrested twice for domestic violence against former girlfriends Brooke Satchwell in 2006 and fiance Rachael Taylor in 2010. The 'Underbelly' star's charges were later dropped. Newton sought treatment for mental health issues. Newton and Schneiderman, who got engaged in 2016, have since split. The announcement about the Schneiderman probe came just five days after it was revealed his office was investigating Vance for his decision to not file sexual assault charges in the wake of a 2015 incident involving Harvey Weinstein and Italian model Ambra Battilana. That probe was requested by Cuomo, and Scneiderman said last week he would assign a special deputy to lead the inquiry. Schneiderman's successor will be picked by the State Assembly and Senate in a joint ballot in a process that will begin on Tuesday according to a spokesperson for speaker Carl E. Heastie. Whomever is elected will serve the remaining months of Schneiderman's term and then be eligible to run for attorney general in the upcoming November election. Allegations: Four women have accused Schneiderman (above), who is suing Harvey Weinstein, of physical abuse Victim: Tanya Selvaratnam said she first met Schneiderman in 2016 at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and said she was swept off her feet (pair above in April 2017) Chnaged man: Michelle Manning Barish alleges that about a month into their relationship, Schneiderman (pair above in 2015) slapped and choked her in the bedroom of his Upper West Side apartment. As of Monday, only one person had announced their intention to run against Schneiderman, who was seeking reelection for the second time after taking office back in 2010. Prior to that he served five terms in the Senate. Solicitor General Barbara D. Underwood was named acting-Attorney General on Tuesday. 'This morning, Im grateful to work with the best colleagues in the business - including Barbara Underwood, who will be acting NY AG. Shes argued 20 cases before SCOTUS, clerked for Thurgood Marshall, & much more. The work continues,' tweeted Amy Spitalnick, the spokesperson for the Attorney General's office. Two of Schneiderman's former romantic partners, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, came forward to share their allegations against him, which they classify as 'assault'. Neither filed a police report at the time but both sought medical treatment. A third former romantic partner, who was not named, shared similar stories of bedroom violence. A fourth woman, an attorney in New York, said Schneiderman made unwanted advances and then slapped her when she rebuffed him. Schneiderman issued a response to the allegations on Monday evening, stating: 'In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me. 'While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the offices work at this critical time. I therefore resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8, 2018.' In his initial statement to the magazine, Schneiderman said: 'In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in nonconsensual sex, which is a line I would not cross.' It was not long however before New York state's top lawmakers issued scathing responses to news of the Attorney General's alleged assaults. 'No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer, said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, like Schneiderman a Democrat, in a statement on Monday night calling on the attorney general to resign. 'My personal opinion is that, given the damning pattern of facts and corroboration laid out in the article, I do not believe it is possible for Eric Schneiderman to continue to serve as attorney general, and for the good of the office, he should resign,' Cuomo said. The Governor said that he would instruct a district attorney to open an immediate investigation and 'proceed as the facts merit'. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand also denounced Schneiderman and called for his resignation in the wake of the allegations, stating: 'The violent actions described by multiple women in this story are abhorrent. Based on this extensive and serious reporting, I do not believe that Eric Schneiderman should continue to serve as attorney general.' There was also deisbelief from Schneiderman's ex-wife, political advisor Jennifer Cunningham. 'Ive known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend,' said Cunningham. 'These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father.' The couple have one adult daughter, Catherine, and Cunningham has continues to advise Schneiderman in the years since their divorce. A spokesman for the NYPD said there were no criminal complaints on file against Schneiderman, who lives in Manhattan. 'If the NYPD receives complaints of a crime, it will investigate them thoroughly,' the spokesman said in a statement to DailyMail.com. Got to go: 'No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer, said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (above with Schneiderman in 2014) Old foe: Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance (above in 2011) is also being investigated by Scneiderman Shock: 'These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father,' said Schneiderman's ex-wife Jennifer Cunnigham (above at Trump Tower in Jaunuary 2017) Schneiderman was investigating Vance for his decision to not file sexual assault charges in the wake of a 2015 incident involving Harvey Weinstein and Italian model Ambra Battilana (above) In the article co-reported by Ronan Farrow, Manning Barish and Selvaratnam both said that Schneiderman threatened to kill them if they broke up with him. Selvaratnam also said that he claimed he could tap her phones or have her followed. Manning Barish was in a relationship with Schneiderman, who divorced years ago, from 2013 until New Year's Day in 2015. 'His hypocrisy is epic,' she told the New Yorker. 'He's fooled so many people.' Manning Barish alleges that about a month into their relationship, Schneiderman slapped and choked her in the bedroom of his Upper West Side apartment. They had both been drinking and began to remonstrate after he called her a 'whore', she said. 'All of a sudden, he just slapped me, open handed and with great force, across the face, landing the blow directly onto my ear,' she said. 'He then used his body weight to hold me down, and he began to choke me. The choking was very hard. It was really bad. I kicked. In every fibre, I felt I was being beaten by a man.' Solicitor General Barbara D. Underwood (above) was named acting-Attorney General on Tuesday Selvaratnam said she first met Schneiderman in 2016 at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and said she was swept off her feet. She says that as they began dating, 'it was a fairy tale that became a nightmare'. 'The slaps started after we'd gotten to know each other,' she recalled. 'It was at first as if he were testing me. Then it got stronger and harder... It wasn't consensual. This wasn't sexual playacting. This was abusive, demeaning, threatening behavior.' Selvaratnam, who is from Sri Lanka, claims that Scheiderman called her his 'brown slave' and demanded that she call him 'Master', slapping her until she complied. She said that he also choked her, 'cutting off my ability to breathe'. Like Manning Barish, Selvaratnam said that Schneiderman regularly consumed huge quantities of alcohol. Schneiderman was an ally to Hillary Clinton and had sued Donald Trump over his Trump University, and his mood grew dark and despondent after Trump won the presidential election, Selvaratnam said. The day before Trump's Inauguration, Selvaratnam said she rushed to the hospital after Schneiderman fell in a drunken stupor and cut his forehead, requiring stitches. A public appearance was canceled and the story at the time was that he'd fallen while running. Now a spokesman says Schneiderman 'fell in the bathroom while completely sober', but was embarrassed and so told staff he'd been running. Selvaratnam's relationship with Schneiderman ended in the fall of 2017. Tanya Selvaratnam also dated Schneiderman and has accused him of misconduct Michelle Manning Barish dated Schneiderman from 2013 to January 2015. She says 'his hypocrisy is epic' and alleges he slapped and hit her in the bedroom without consent Ironically, given the stunning claims against him, Schneiderman authored New York's law against strangulation while in the state Senate. His law created specific penalties for choking and targeted domestic abusers, for whom strangulation is known to often be a precursor to deadly violence. Schneiderman has long been a vocal advocate for women's rights and a loud proponent of the #MeToo movement. In February, Schneiderman filed a civil rights lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein and his company, after more than 80 women accused the film mogul of sexual misconduct. 'We have never seen anything as despicable as what weve seen right here,' Schneiderman said at the time. Last month, he praised the New York Times and the New Yorker for the reporting that initially brought the allegations against Weinstein to light. 'Without the reporting of the @nytimes and the @newyorkerand the brave women and men who spoke up about the sexual harassment they endured at the hands of powerful menthere would not be the critical national reckoning underway,' Schneiderman wrote in a tweet. He is also a committed foe of Trump who had attempted to change state law to allow him to prosecute any Trump campaign officials in the event they were pardoned by Trump. Trump, either through insight or luck, appeared to predict Schneiderman's downfall in a 2013 tweet. 'Weiner is gone, Spitzer is gone,' Trump wrote in reference to two New York elected Democrats brought down by sex scandals: Anthony Weiner for sexting and Eliot Spitzer for frequenting prostitutes. 'Next will be lightweight A.G. Eric Schneiderman. Is he a crook? Wait and see, worse than Spitzer or Weiner,' Trump wrote. The accusers against Scneiderman who came forward said they had long remained silent for fear of damaging the work was doing for leftist and feminist causes. Ultimately, it was DailyMail.com's reporting on domestic abuse allegations against former White House Secretary Rob Porter that convinced Schneiderman's accusers to come forward, they said. 'After Rob Porter, I was struggling about whether to come forward. I felt guilt and shame that I was encouraging other women to speak out but wasnt doing the same. I was a hypocrite. I was in tears,' said Manning Barish. She and Selvaratnam both said that the decision to come forward was anguishing. In a tweet shortly after the New Yorker published the report, Manning Barish wrote: 'After the most difficult month of my life-I spoke up. For my daughter and for all women. I could not remain silent and encourage other women to be brave for me. I could not...' It hasn't taken long for eagle-eyed motorists to pick up an embarrassing error on a Victoria freeway exit sign overlooked by road and traffic authorities before it was erected. Melbourne motorists have taken to social media this week to express a mix of dismay and humour about a new city bound sign on the Monash Freeway for the Springvale Road exit to 'Glen Waverly'. It's understood the sign was put up in the last few days. 'Hey VicRoads. You might want to fix the 'Glen Waverly' sign outbound at Springvale Road. We're not NSW,' one man commented on the VicRoads Facebook page. This city bound sign on the Monash Freeway for the Springvale Road exit to 'Glen Waverly' does not appear to have been checked by authorities before it was erected Glen Waverley residents don't like their suburb being misspelt The sign also caught the eye of Victorian state MP Michael Gidley, who is a Glen Waverley resident Another man added on the Glen Waverley Community Facebook page: 'What a disgrace!' 'Glen Waverly' is an alpaca farm stay in New South Wales' Northern Tablelands region, 1,400km away from Glen Waverley, a suburb in Melbourne's southeast. VicRoads thanked motorists for picking up the error and has asked for it to be corrected. It also caught the eye of Mount Waverley state MP Michael Gidley, who has requested that VicRoads fix the sign as soon as possible. 'I was so surprised that I had to look at the sign twice to believe it,' Mr Gidley told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's a significant typo that should never have happened. It's also become a road safety issue as it has lots of interested people are slowing down to look at the sign.' The spelling error has appeared to have frustrated Glen Waverley residents for years. 'The train station also had it spelt like that years ago. Not sure if they have since changed the sign,' one woman commented on the Glen Waverley Community Facebook page. However as a Glen Waverley resident himself, Mr Gidley told Daily Mail Australia the misspelling is not a common mistake. He doesn't find the sign offensive but doesn't find it funny either. 'It will cost money for a new sign, which could have been spent on other road projects,' Mr Gidley told Daily Mail Australia. VicRoads was approached for comment. A young girl has written a letter to police thanking them for their efforts to catch drunk drivers. Madison sent a handwritten letter to Counties Manukau police in New Zealand after she and her mother were stopped at a breath test checkpoint. Madison wrote: 'Today, I went through a breath test with my Mum and I was scared at first. Madison sent a handwritten letter to police in New Zealand after she and her mother went through a breath test checkpoint 'But then my mum told me you all are catching drunk people. 'I just wanted to thank you for helping everybody because a few weeks ago my dad was crashed into by a drunk lady. 'Lucky he was okay!' She even thanked them for standing out in the cold. The police were so touched by Madison's letter that they wrote her back. The image, uploaded to Instagram, had the caption: 'Never underestimate the power of saying thank you.' The image, uploaded to Instagram, had the caption: 'Never underestimate the power of saying thank you' The letter was typed on the computer but was signed by hand with 'Constable' and a smile emoticon (stock image) Police started the note by thanking Madison for reaching out. 'Your hand writing is beautiful and I am impressed with your spelling,' the letter read. 'I wish my handwriting was as pretty as yours.' The letter was typed on the computer but was signed by hand with 'Constable' and a smile emoticon. The officer said they were glad to hear that Madison's dad was okay and that police were happy to do all they could to keep families safe, even if it meant going out in the cold. The officer said they were glad to hear that Madison's dad was okay and that police were happy to do all they could to keep families safe (stock image) 'It is important to remember that we all make mistakes, but it is important that we learn from them and how we act afterwards that shows what type of person we are.' To keep warm, the Constable told Madison officers wear 'merino jumpers' and jackets. 'I like to wear fluffy, fuzzy socks with my boots just in case.' The streets of Melbourne have been turned fluoro yellow and orange, as thousands of workers protested against tax cuts to low-and-middle-income earners. Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison announced the tax cuts in Tuesday's federal budget that will see those earning up to $90,000 pocket anywhere from $200 to $530. But furious union members marched on Flinders Street Station on Wednesday saying the federal government's tax cuts were not enough - before celebrating their march at local bars and pubs. Scroll down for video Thousands of workers protested against tax cuts to low-and-middle-income earners, turning the streets of Melbourne yellow and orange Inflatable characters were featured in the enormous march to Flinders Street Station Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari likened the measure to throwing 'crumbs' to workers. 'The $10 tax (a week) relief for poor and working people is just not good enough. They can keep that $10,' he told reporters. 'What we actually want is a large pay rise. We don't want a tax cut.' An estimated 15,000 workers began marching from Trades Hall to Flinders Street Station, disrupting traffic and public transport. The march was part of a nationwide 'Change the Rules' union campaign to demand better pay and work conditions. Bureau of Meteorology employee Cameron Henderson said he and his coworkers were 'starving' for a fair pay deal. 'We haven't had a pay rise in nearly five years,' Mr Henderson told AAP. 'Over that time, CPI's gone up 10 per cent and we're being offered a deal that would see us remain at 10 per cent CPI until the end of 2021.' Speaker and AMWU delegate Troy Carter (pictured) stands in front of the enormous protest Workers unfurl the Eureka Flag at the intersection of Flinders Street and Swanston Street University of Melbourne employees earlier staged a rally in support of academic and intellectual freedom, and against a plan to put academic and professional staff on two separate workplace agreements. ACTU secretary Sally McManus said workers would keep fighting increased casualisation, low wage growth and inadequate job conditions. 'At the moment, profits are going up and so is productivity. But wages aren't,' she said. An emergency room nurse broke down in her first public appearance as she denied infecting two patients with Hepatitis C. Cora Weberg, a nurse at Puyallup's Good Samaritan Hospital, burst into tears as she insisted she had never 'intentionally or unintentionally' injected any patient with a needle that she had previously used on herself. She admitted taking leftover drugs from the hospital in an attempted suicide attempt, but said she's never injected herself with the drugs first. She also pointed to multiple blood tests and past blood donations which had all come up clean. 'I deny these horrible allegations,' said Weberg, speaking publicly for the first time at a press conference, according to King 5. Scroll down for video Cora Weberg, left, a nurse arrested in connection with a possible outbreak of hepatitis C at a hospital in Puyallup, Wash., looks toward Bryan Hershman, right, one of her attorneys, during her first press conference Cora Weberg, a nurse at Puyallup's Good Samaritan Hospital, burst into tears as she insisted she had never 'intentionally or unintentionally' injected any patient with a needle that she had previously used on herself Weberg admitted taking leftover drugs from the hospital in an attempted suicide attempt, but said she's never injected herself with the drugs first The nurse, pictured wiping away her tears while her attorney Bryan Hershman, right, watched on 'I have never thought I had Hepatitis C, and I never intentionally exposed anyone to Hepatitis C. 'In fact, as of this very moment, I do not believe that I am a contagious carrier of Hepatitis C.' Weberg, 31, who is accused of second-degree assault, has strongly denied infecting patients with the virus, either intentionally or accidentally, and denies she was ever told she had contracted the virus - contradicting statements from state health officials. The nurse said that after she was contacted by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, she voluntarily took two blood tests. The alleged incidents occurred while Weberg worked as a nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, Washington (Pictured) One came back negative for Hepatitis C and the other was inconclusive. She added that the tests found no genetic link between herself and the two patients who had Hepatitis C. 'Apparently there is a very low level of a pathogen in my blood that can constitute Hepatitis C but not at the low levels that are found in my blood,' said Weberg, adding that doctors told her some people can carry a small degree of the virus but not be considered Hepatitis C carriers. Weberg said that if she had used the same needles on patients as she had used on herself, as had been claimed, 'there would be a strong genetic indicator linking me to one or both of them. 'That didn't happen,' she added. Weberg was arrested at the Canadian border Thursday. She has denied she was attempting to flee the country, saying that she and her fiance had been taking a long-planned round-trip to Guam from Vancouver. She added she had evidence of the return tickets which had been booked well before the investigation, and that she'd informed the health department well ahead of time she was going on the trip. Weberg was released within a short time and still has not been charged. However, her nursing license has been suspended meaning she cannot practice until the charges are resolved. Cora Weberg (Pictured), 31, is currently being held at the Pierce County Jail on a charge of second-degree assault A investigation conducted by The News Tribune reports that police believe Weberg 'intentionally contaminated medicine or another substance with her own blood; she then administered the medicine or other substance intravenously; Cora Weberg knew or reasonably should have known that her blood was likely to contain one or more blood-borne pathogens; and Cora Weberg's blood did, in fact, contain and transmit Hepatitis C virus.' Puyallup police spokesman Ryan Portmann later told the Tribune that 'we feel confident we have probable cause.' Police said that they first became aware Weberg after an internal hospital audit found that the nurse had been removing an excessive amounts of narcotics from the emergency department's dispensing system. She later admitted to hospital officials that she had been using the drugs for her own use. Weberg denies, however, that she infected the patients with contaminated needles she had used on herself, according to her defense attorney Bryan Hershman. Patients that received emergency medical care from August 4, 2017 to March 23, 2018 are urged to contact the hospital immediately Weberg in turn, accused the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission of lying about allegations she had Hepatitis C. 'The state nursing commission suspended my license while reporting that I informed them that I knew I was a carrier of Hepatitis C and did nothing about it. This is false,' said Weberg. 'In fact, this is the exact opposite of what I told them.' 'We feel confident we have probable cause,' Puyallup police spokesman Ryan Portmann (Pictured) told the Tribune Hershman said the stress of his client's job in the emergency room was partially to blame for the multiple attempts on her own life, but said she only ever used leftover, discarded drugs in her attempt. She would divert leftover drugs to a syringe but changed her mind. Good Samaritan Hospital sent out an alert to 2,600 former emergency room patients after two patients tested positive for Hepatitis C. Patients that received emergency medical care from August 4, 2017 to March 23, 2018 are urged to contact the hospital immediately. One of those patients has filed a lawsuit against the hospital. Hershman says that there is no evidence that concludes his client purposefully injected patients with the infectious disease. 'On the one hand, my heart goes out to these infected people,' he said. 'On the other hand, this investigation has been going on for months. 'If there was a genetic link between these patients and Cora, you would certainly think it would be definitively announced or released by the Department of Health and that hasn't happened yet. 'This is this woman's life. This is a terrible allegation. I hope we all stand back and take a deep breath and really look at what the evidence says,' he added. The hospital said that they have performed hundreds of tests since an investigation into the incident began in March but are not publicly releasing the results at this time. More than 70 per cent of welfare cheats who are sentenced to prison terms for defrauding Centrelink don't actually serve time behind bars, it can be revealed. Over the past five years, 2012 convicted fraudsters have been sentenced to jail time for welfare rorts, according to data released to Daily Mail Australia by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. However only 572 actually end up serving their sentences in prison, with the rest being released due to a 'recognisance release order'. More than 70 per cent of welfare cheats who are sentenced to prison terms for defrauding Centrelink don't actually serve time behind bars, it can be revealed In 2013-14, 324 people were sentenced to a term of imprisonment but only 91 actually served time. The trend continued each year leading up to 2018. In 2014-15, 106 people out of 367 sentenced served time in prison, while in 2015-16 128 out of 464 ended up behind bars. Over the last two years, only 247 of the 857 who were convicted for defrauding Centrelink and sentenced to a spell in prison actually served out their sentence. Those who don't serve time are 'released forthwith' according to the CDPP. About 500,000 people have dobbed someone in who they believe is cheating the welfare system in the last five years. Since July last year the government has received 8,000 tips leading to the identification of more than $18million in debts. The information is revealed as welfare recipients with unpaid court fines or outstanding criminal warrants will be targeted under new hardline government measures laid out in the budget. Over the last two years, only 247 of the 857 who were convicted for defrauding Centrelink and sentenced to a spell in prison actually served out their sentence People with outstanding Centrelink debts of more than $10,000 will be aggressively pursued as the government tries to get money back from people who are no longer on welfare. 'We will ensure our targeted safety net helps people when they need it, but that people receive only what they are entitled to, nothing more and nothing less,' Social Services Minister Dan Tehan said in a statement on Tuesday. 'When welfare recipients have received money they are not entitled to, we will ensure those debts are repaid.' The Turnbull government has stared down demands from a rare alliance of business, industry and community groups calling for an increase to the Newstart allowance in the budget. What was supposed to be a day at the Happiest Place on Earth turned into horror for families who saw a young man get tackled to the ground by police at Disneyland. One woman named Claire witnessed and filmed the entire altercation, which she told DailyMail.com occurred near the ticket booth at the park's entrance. 'I heard a man screaming,' she said. 'When I looked over he was grabbing his head and throwing himself on the ground.' One woman, named Claire, filmed the moment a young man punched a security guard (pictured) and was then tackled to to the ground by police at Disneyland 'Some employees came over and he went from screaming at them to hugging a woman.' Claire's footage shows the young man trying to hug one of the female Disneyland employees as she gently tries to push him off. Three employees rush over to come to her rescue. They separate the man from their colleague and begin to talk to him and try to calm him down. But then the young man suddenly punches an elderly security officer nearby, sending him sprawling to the ground. The young man suddenly punches the elderly security officer sending him sprawling to the ground before another officer grabs the man and puts his arms around his chest Then two cops appear and throw the young man onto the ground as others look on and some scream 'Oh my god!' One woman can be heard screaming 'Oh my god, he hit the old man' in the clip. Chaos erupts as the young man begins yelling while the employees try to control him. 'His friends looked panicked and told someone that he had taken something,' Claire said. 'The police came and tried to restrain him and he put up a fight for about 20 minutes.' Claire's video shows a man who appears to be a security guard wrapping his arms around the young man's chest so that he cannot attack anyone again. One of the police officers then forcefully straddles the man as he tries to control him while the other cop appears to hold him down by the shoulders But then two cops appear and throw the young man onto the ground as others look on and some scream 'Oh my god!' One of the police officers then forcefully straddles the man as he tries to control him while the other cop appears to hold him down by the shoulders. 'Go ahead, enjoy your day,' one Disney employee can be heard telling Claire before the footage cuts out. Claire, who lives in California, said 'everyone seemed worried' and 'crowded around to watch'. 'Disney employees repeatedly tried to prevent people from watching,' she said. 'And covered my phone asking me to go inside.' Ex-convict and coal baron Don Blankenship, who gave Sen Majority Leader Mitch McConnell the moniker 'Cocaine Mitch,' lost his bid for the Republican Senate nomination in West Virginia. While several other primary elections of note transpired Tuesday across North Carolina, Ohio, and Indiana, none seemed to have quite the same interest as Blankenship's loss. The ex-con ran a contentious campaign for the seat, hitting out at McConnell, and his family, calling them the 'China family,' in a racist reference to his wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. McConnell, who flat out denied Blankenship's claims his in-laws had a connection to cocaine smuggling via Chao's father's shipping company, shot out a tweet following Blankenship's concession. West Virginia GOP Sen candidate Don Blankenship (pictured) conceded Tuesday, with Attorney General Patrick Morrisey taking the nomination. Blankenship's contentious campaign saw him giving Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell the moniker 'Cocaine Mitch' alleging his father-in-law had connections to cocaine smuggling McConnell took a jab at Blankenship shortly after he conceded- superimposing himself onto a Narcos advertisement with cocaine flakes flying about, adding a line 'Thanks for playing, Don' Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (pictured) won the primary election for the GOP Senate nomination for West Virginia over Blankenship The tweet read: 'Thanks for playing Don' with McConnell cropped over a Narcos advertisement with what appeared to be cocaine flakes flying about. Further adding fuel to the fire, the reps for the Netflix show about cocaine trafficking shot out this line on Twitter: 'Low blow, Mitch.' Blankenship was imprisoned for his role in a mine disaster that claimed the lives of 29 miners in 2010. McConnell, of course, urged voters to support Blankenship's opponents. The president also did not support Blankenship, with Morrisey thanking him for tweeting to voters asking them to shun the ex-con's candidacy. 'Mr. President, if you're watching right now, let me tell you, your tweet was huge,' Morrisey said in his nomination address. 'You've been to the state now four times. I'd like you to come back as many times as you can between now and November.' Former Rev. Mark Harris (pictured) took the North Carolina GOP nomination Tuesday over three-term incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger Greg Pence, older brother of Vice President Mike Pence took the GOP Congressional nomination for Indiana Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun won the nomination for Indiana on Tuesday Among the other primaries on Tuesday, in North Carolina, former pastor Mark Harris won the Republican Congressional primary against three-term incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger. In Indiana, Vice President Mike Pence's older brother, Greg Pence, won the Republican nomination for his congressional bid in Indiana. In the Senate primary in Indiana, Mike Braun won the Republican nomination, he is set to face Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in one of the biggest races for this year's midterm elections. The key Senate contests headlined primary elections across the four states on Tuesday that will help shape the political landscape in this fall's midterm elections. Control of Congress is at stake in addition to state governments across the nation. Protesters have picketed the Chinese consulate in response to the communist party's decision to delete 30,000 videos of the children's show because she's a 'subversive icon'. Protesters flocked to the consulate in Sydney on Wednesday to push back against the decision to remove episodes of Peppa Pig from Chinese video sharing sites. While the official reason for the ban remains unclear, state media suspect it was due to the cartoon's likely connection to the subversive sub-culture created among viewers in China. Scroll down for video 'China stop censoring freedom of speech': Protester dressed in a Peppa Pig suit to fight decision to delete the videos from sites in China About 30,000 videos were blocked from Chinese video-sharing apps after the main character morphed into a protest figure for young Chinese adults with some even tattooing the children's character on their bodies. The main character, Peppa Pig, became associated with the 'shehuiren' culture, which referred to people involved in organised crime or people who chose to 'run counter to the mainstream', The Global Times reported. Australian Strategic Policy Centre cyber policy analyst Fergus Ryan admitted the ban appeared strange but said it made sense when considering China's censorship. '[It's] this cultural phenomenon where young people who have grown up with high expectations are sort of hitting reality, and are being disappointed with their prospects,' Mr Ryan told the ABC. About 30,000 videos were blocked from Chinese video-sharing apps after the main character morphed into a protest figure for young Chinese adults with some even tattooing the children's character on their bodies People have tattooed Peppa Pig on their bodies - with some using it as a protest symbol The main character, Peppa Pig, became associated with the 'shehuiren' culture, which referred to people involved in organised crime or people who chose to 'run counter to the mainstream' 'So they are expressing this disappointment in this tongue in cheek way, and it's this kind of ironic sense of defeatism it's this sort of rebellion from China's 380 million-odd millennials against this intense pressure to succeed. 'There's a top-down call from the authorities in China for there to be more positive energy in online content.' Peppa Pig follows in the footsteps of cartoon character Bojack Horseman, which was also censored on Chinese internet. Mr Ryan said Bojack Horseman had a cynical side to his personality, which was why he became an icon in the Chinese subculture. Amnesty International supporters protest outside the Chinese Consulate in Sydney on Wednesday Last week the Chinese Government ordered the removal of some 30,000 Peppa Pig videos from the internet, in response to her development as a subversive subculture icon President Donald Trumps national security adviser praised the decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement because the deal negotiated by the Obama administration was too flawed and too dangerous for us. John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, told Laura Ingraham of Fox News that its in our security interest to get out of this flawed deal. Bolton, who recently replaced HR McMaster as national security adviser, criticized the deal as not tough enough on Iran. The objective should be to prevent Iran from getting deliverable nuclear weapons, Bolton said. The deal not only didn't accomplish that objective. In many ways it facilitated Iran's efforts. President Donald Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton (above), praised the decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement because the deal negotiated by the Obama administration was too flawed and too dangerous for us' What President Trump did by pulling out of the deal is get back to what the real objective should be - stopping this dangerous regime from threatening us and our friends around the world with nuclear weapons. Bolton also criticized John Kerry, the former secretary of state under President Obama, for his last-ditch efforts to salvage the deal. He said Kerry and Obama gave Iran economic advantages and that the government in Tehran has demonstrated in so many ways it couldn't care less about the restrictions of this deal. Bolton said the goal now was for America to bring Europe along and re-impose sanctions that not only address Irans nuclear program but also its ballistic missile development as well as its other activities against regional allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia. The national security advisers claim that the Iran deal failed to restrict the Islamic Republics nuclear ambitions has been refuted by American intelligence officials, European governments, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The leaders of Britain, Germany and France, which were signatories to the deal along with China and Russia, said in a joint statement that Trumps decision was a cause for 'regret and concern.' Trump reacts to a question from the media after announcing his decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal A Western diplomat was more pointed. 'It announces sanctions for which the first victims will be Trumps European allies,' the diplomat said, adding that it was clear Trump did not care about the alliance. Abandoning the Iran pact was one of the most consequential decisions of Trumps high-stakes 'America First' policy, which has led him to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord, come close to a trade war with China and pull out of an Asian-Pacific trade deal. It also appeared to reflect the growing influence within the administration of Iran hawks like new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Bolton. Both favored getting out of the deal but did not need to press their case as Trump had already made up his mind, a senior White House official said. Bolton looks on (left) alongside Vice President Mike Pence during Trump's announcement Trump had reluctantly been granting Iran sanctions relief every few months and by middle of 2017 was already furious at aides for trying to persuade him to stay in the deal, a source said. Bolton told reporters on Tuesday that Trump did not withdraw from the agreement until now 'because he gave repeated opportunities to try to fix the deal.' Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran would remain in the deal without Washington. Nevertheless, Trumps decision to exit the deal could tip the balance of power in favor of hardliners looking to constrain Rouhanis ability to open up to the West. Iran denies it has tried to build atomic weapons and says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. UN inspectors say Iran has not broken the nuclear deal and senior US officials themselves have said several times that Iran is in technical compliance with the pact. Iranian state television said Trumps decision to withdraw was 'illegal, illegitimate and undermines international agreements.' Renewing sanctions would make it much harder for Iran to sell its oil abroad or use the international banking system. Iran is the third-largest member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and pumps about 3.8 million barrels per day of crude, or just under 4 percent of global supply. China, India, Japan and South Korea buy most of its 2.5 million bpd of exports. According to the US Treasury, sanctions related to Irans energy, auto and financial sectors will be reimposed in three and six months. Oil prices recouped some losses after Trumps announcement, in a volatile session in which prices slumped as much as 4 percent earlier in the day. Police have charged a man with murder in relation to the stabbing death of another man outside a methadone clinic. Michael Graham Gale, 52, allegedly killed Steve Anthony Edwards, 39, during a fight outside a the clinic in Wollongong, south of Sydney, on Friday the Illawarra Mercury reported. Mr Edwards' body was discovered on Denison Street. Scroll down for video Michael Graham Gale, 52, (pictured) handed himself into Wollongong Police after the stabbing death of Michael Graham Gale and has been charged with murder Steve Anthony Edwards, 39, (pictured) was discovered with stab wounds to the chest on Friday morning on Denison Street Police claim a fight erupted between between Mr Edwards and Mr Gale on the footpath outside the clinic before 6am. Acting Superintendent Chad Gillies said officers tried valiantly to save Mr Edwards' life after he received several stab wounds. CPR was administered at the scene before Mr Edwards was taken to a Wollongong hospital, where he later died. Superintendent Gillies said a weapon is yet to be located and the motivation behind the alleged attack is still unknown. Mr Gale was refused bail and will face the Wollongong court on Wednesday. Police said the fight took place before 6am by the alleged attacker, 52-year-old Michael Graham Gale It is believed a fight broke out on the footpath outside the clinic before police found Mr Edwards with a stab wound to his chest Newly-resigned New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's daughter nearly tied the knot to a man accused of domestic abuse, like her father. The lawmaker's 25-year-old daughter, Catherine Schneiderman, got engaged to 41-year-old Australian actor, Matthew Newton, back in 2016 before the couple called off the wedding amid chatter about his financial troubles and debilitating mental health. Australian actor Newton had been arrested twice for alleged physical assault of two of his former lovers, Brooke Satchwell in 2006, and fiance Rachael Taylor in 2010. 'Transformers' actress Taylor spoke to Australian Women's Weekly about the toxic relationship she shared with Newton. New York state Attorney General is accompanied by his daughter Catherine Schneiderman after he delivered his nomination acceptance speech to the state's Democratic Convention, in Melville on May 21, 2014 The newly-resigned attorney general's 25-year-old daughter is pictured above in a Facebook photo US socialite Catherine Schneiderman (shown left on Facebook) was formerly engaged to 41-year-old Australian actor Matthew Newton (shown right in New York City February 14, 2017) 'I don't think any woman thinks that they will become an addition to these statistics,' Taylor said. 'I didn't. I thought I was exempt. I thought I was the exception to the rule. I was not. I am a survivor of domestic violence.' In this handout photo provided by Jailbase.com, Newton is shown in a mugshot after his arrest for trespassing and resisting arrest, on April 6, 2012 in Miami, Florida The 'Underbelly' star, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, checked into the Betty Ford Centre in California for 90 days of alcohol and drug treatment after the alleged assaults. The domestic violence charges against him had been dropped. Newton was also arrested twice in Miami, Florida in 2012 - first, for trespassing and resisting officers, and second, for battery and resisting arrest after he attacked a hotel receptionist during a dispute. Photographs provided to DailyMail.com show the US socialite and Newton appear to be disputing while standing outside in New York on September 7, 2016. Newton is seen standing with his arms crossed behind him as Schneiderman looks at him with her hand placed on her hip. Just last month, Newton and Schneiderman put on an affectionate display despite talk of their former split. Brooke Satchwell and Newton are seen arriving on the red carpet for the 45th annual TV Week Logie Awards 2003 held at the Crown Casino, Melbourne, Australia Rachael Taylor and Newton attend GUCCI celebrates 'Gucci Icon-Temporary' New York Store Opening at Gucci Icon-Temporary Store on October 23, 2009 in New York City They were spotted strolling through the cold and rain together before entering the Blue Pearl veterinarian clinic to pick up one of their cats. They were then seen laughing and gabbing while in the waiting room. Later, Newton was captured on camera putting his arm across his partner's back as the duo hopped in a cab. On Monday, the New Yorker released a damning expose in which four former girlfriends of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman alleged the politician choked, hit and threatened them. The 63-year-old resigned shortly after the report and did not show up to work on Tuesday. Newton and Schneiderman appear to be disputing in this September 07, 2016 photo captured in New York City The 'Underbelly' star (pictured left) was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He spent time in rehab He responded to the shocking abuse allegations by admitting he 'engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity' but denying claims he ever assaulted another person or had 'nonconsensual sex.' New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas to investigate the claims. The Manhattan district attorney's office also announced it had opened a formal investigation. Amid the allegations, Schneiderman ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham and their daughter were spotted walking side-by-side Tuesday evening in Manhattan. Cunningham appeared glum and sported gym attire while she strolled the city streets next to her daughter, who also appeared serious in dark lipstick, jeans and a beige jacket. Schneiderman's ex-wife Jennifer Cunningham (right) and his daughter Catherine Schneiderman take a walk Tuesday evening, May 8, 2018 in Manhattan, New York Advertisement Massive plumes of smoke have engulfed a popular New South Wales hot spot as fire authorities plan ahead to protect the region against bush fires. Large deliberately lit fires swept across the Blue Mountains Tuesday and into Wednesday, creating a hazardous scene in parts of Sydney the following day. Dramatic photos uploaded online showed the ghostly effect of the wide scale burn off, with images showing giant smoke clouds erupting above the tree line of the famous national park. Massive plumes of smoke have engulfed a popular New South Wales hot spot as fire authorities plan ahead to protect the region against bush fires Large deliberately lit fires swept across the Blue Mountains Tuesday and into Wednesday, creating a hazardous scene in parts of Sydney the following day Tourists to the Three Sisters in Katoomba witnessed a rare sight of black and brown smoke drifting across the area caused by about 20 individual fires. The Rural Fire Service set out to take advantage of the favourable conditions ahead of the cold snap predicted for Friday, according to spokesman Ben Shepherd. 'It's a real touch-and-go weather pattern,' he said, with more than 3500 hectares expected to be burnt. Mr Shepherd said the incoming wet weather could mean the fire service might not be able to complete its planned burning until later in spring. Air quality values plummeted to a 'hazardous' level in areas including Liverpool and St Mary's before 11am Wednesday, as Campbelltown and Earlwood registered as 'poor' and Prospect 'very poor'. The Rural Fire Service set out to take advantage of the favourable conditions ahead of the cold snap predicted for Friday The incoming wet weather could mean the fire service might not be able to complete its planned burning until later in spring Such large scale burns in the Blue Mountains had not taken place since 1955, making the spectacle one to remember for visitors of the Three Sisters. The city's warmest April on record is set to come to a roaring halt Friday, with forecast low temperatures and rain to sweep the state from this weekend. Friday is set to be a chilly 17 degrees and showers are expected both Saturday and Sunday according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Temperatures throughout April were 3.3 degrees above average, with rainfall slightly more than one quarter its normal level. A developer has deliberately kept brand-new townhouses vacant for nine months to sell them at a higher price echoing a situation at thousands of new housing spots across Australia. Melbourne-based group My Wealth Builders in August completed new three-bedroom townhouses at Bulimba near central Brisbane. However the company's founder Nelson Zhou, who is in charge of 60 projects, has admitted he held off selling the project on Lytton Road to get a better price. The reluctance of developers to sell to investors, until the housing market improves, means there's less supply of rental accommodation which forces up rent. A developer has deliberately kept brand-new townhouses vacant for nine months to sell them at a higher price echoing a situation at thousands of new housing projects across Australia Melbourne-based group My Wealth Builders in August completed new three-bedroom townhouses at Bulimba near central Brisbane 'Last year was probably a bit of a downturn,' Mr Zhou told 7News on Tuesday. Demand from investors dropped off last year after the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority imposed stricter lending rules on banks, which has also led investors to seek higher rent from their tenants. That saw demand for apartments fall, however buyers have gradually returned to the market in Brisbane on speculation the banking regulator would ease restrictions. The new townhouses in Bulimba are selling for $1.2 million in the upmarket suburb on the Brisbane River. They each have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and two car spaces. Mr Zhou said Bulimba and the neighbouring suburb of Norman Park now had a shortage of apartments. 'That pocket, very low stock and that's why we thought maybe it's a good time to release the stock,' he said. The Chinese-born migrant said Brisbane offered better cash-flow investment than Melbourne, where his company also has projects. Median townhouse prices in Melbourne stand at $700,000 yield rent of $500 a week which wouldn't cover the monthly mortgage repayments for an investor. But in Brisbane, the median price of a townhouse is much less at $600,000 with a weekly rental income of $600. Former Rev. Mark Harris took the North Carolina GOP nomination Tuesday over three-term incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger The brother of Vice President Mike Pence capitalized on his famous name to win an Indiana congressional primary against an entrepreneur who mostly self-funded his campaign. Columbus businessman Greg Pence has never held a public office. Still, he easily won the primary Tuesday, largely because of his younger brother, who represented the 6th District for a dozen years before becoming Indiana governor. Pence, 61, is a Marine veteran and owner of two antique malls. He once ran a now-bankrupt chain of Tobacco Road convenience stores. 'I'm ready to serve again,' Pence told supporters Tuesday night. 'This victory is thanks to you, the many Hoosiers who have helped build this campaign from the ground up and voted for us.' Several other notable primary elections transpired Tuesday, including races for nominations in both the House and Senate in North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana. Vice President Mike Pence's brother Greg Pence (pictured) wins the nomination for Republican Congressional contender in Indiana Vice President Pence's brother easily took the Republican Congressional nomination in Indiana Ex-convict and coal baron Don Blankenship lost his bid for the Republican Senate nomination in West Virginia to Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Hopelessly behind in West Virginia, Blankenship conceded defeat in the contest to determine Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's general election challenger. State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey claimed the nomination instead, promoting his record of challenging policies of the administration of former President Barack Obama and deflecting criticism of his roots in New Jersey, where he lost a 2000 congressional race. 'Mr. President, if you're watching right now, let me tell you, your tweet was huge,' Morrisey said in his nomination address, referring to Trump's election eve call for voters to shun Blankenship's candidacy. 'You've been to the state now four times. I'd like you to come back as many times as you can between now and November.' Vice President Mike Pence congratulated Morrisey on Twitter, saying, 'The great people of WV need a senator who supports the #MAGA agenda.' In North Carolina former pastor Mark Harris won the Republican Congressional primary against three-term incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger. In Indiana, Vice President Mike Pence's older brother, Greg Pence, won the Republican nomination for his congressional bid in Indiana. In the Senate primary in Indiana, Mike Braun won the Republican nomination, he is set to face Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in one of the biggest races for this year's midterm elections. The key Senate contests headlined primary elections across four states on Tuesday that will help shape the political landscape in this fall's midterm elections. Control of Congress is at stake in addition to state governments across the nation. In most cases, the Republican candidates on the ballot had competed to be seen as the most conservative, the most anti-Washington and the most loyal to the Republican president. West Virginia GOP Senate candidate Don Blankenship (pictured) conceded Tuesday, with Attorney General Patrick Morrisey taking the nomination. Blankenship's contentious campaign saw him giving Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell the moniker 'Cocaine Mitch' alleging his father-in-law had connections to cocaine smuggling Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (pictured) won the primary election for the GOP Senate nomination for West Virginia over Blankenship In Indiana, Democrat Donnelly will face off in November against Braun, a multimillionaire owner of a national auto parts distribution business who was highly critical of Trump throughout the 2016 general election. He has since come around, however, declaring that the president should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and voicing praise for the 'Trump agenda' - if not always the president's inflammatory rhetoric and tweets. In Ohio's high-profile governor's race, Democrats nominated Obama-era consumer watchdog Richard Cordray while Republicans selected state Attorney General Mike DeWine. An Ohio state senator won the Republican primary to succeed retiring Rep. Pat Tiberi. The race had become a proxy fight between Tiberi, a GOP moderate, and conservative Republican Rep. Jim Jordan. Tiberi's candidate, Troy Balderson of Zanesville pulled out a win. And on the local level, a woman who accused Trump of sexually harassing her more than a decade ago claimed the Democratic nomination in a race to represent an area southeast of Toledo in the state House of Representatives. Democrat Rachel Crooks, a 35-year-old university administrator, ran unopposed, but must next win a November general election to become the first Trump accuser to hold elected office. A bright spot for Republicans in swing-state Ohio: GOP turnout was considerably stronger than Democratic voting in the open governor's race. With nearly two-thirds of the vote counted, 567, 000 Republicans cast votes, to 412,000 Democrats. U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, with Trump's support, won the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. Yet none of Tuesday's other contests was expected to have more impact on the midterm landscape than West Virginia, where Blankenship had embraced Trump's tactics - casting himself as a victim of government persecution and seizing on xenophobia, if not racism - to stand out in a crowded Republican field that included Attorney General Morrisey and Congressman Evan Jenkins. Before his loss was official, Blankenship promised to explore his options in the general election - including whether state election law might allow him to launch a third-party bid that could undermine Morrisey's candidacy. State officials noted that West Virginia's 'sore loser' law leaves Blankenship with virtually no option to run in the general election. No matter Tuesday's winner, Trump's team was keeping pressure on Manchin. A pro-Trump political action committee America First was airing ads promoting Gina Haspel, Trump's nominee to be CIA director, and urging residents to call Manchin to support her confirmation. Manchin coasted to the Democratic nomination, but he remains a top Republican target this fall. Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun won the nomination for Indiana on Tuesday Former Rev. Mark Harris (pictured) took the North Carolina GOP nomination Tuesday over three-term incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger Speaking Tuesday night at his Charleston headquarters, he said he expects Trump to get involved in the contest, despite Manchin's 'good relationship' with the president. The Democrat said he would campaign as he always has: a bipartisan problem solver who works 'for West Virginians.' Trump and his party invested significant time and resources to attack Blankenship in recent weeks. The head of the Senate Republican campaign arm highlighted Blankenship's criminal history. And a group allied with the national GOP, known as Mountain Families PAC, spent more than $1.2 million in attack ads against Blankenship. The retired businessman was released less than a year ago from a prison term for a 2010 mine explosion that left 29 men dead. Blankenship led the company that owned the mine and was sentenced to a year in prison for conspiring to break safety laws, a misdemeanor. He repeatedly blamed government regulators for the disaster, casting himself as the victim of an overzealous Obama-era Justice Department - an argument Trump regularly uses to dismiss federal agents investigating his campaign's ties to Russia. Even as Blankenship rebuffed Trump's criticism this week, he described himself as 'Trumpier than Trump' and played up his outsider credentials. 'We just started from so far behind with the hangover of the explosion we couldn't make it up,' Blankenship said late Tuesday, noting that the probation stemming from his prison term would formally end in a matter of minutes. 'I haven't really thought about what I'm going to do tomorrow,' he continued. 'Probation ends at 12:01am tonight. Tomorrow, I may be in Aruba before sunset. I don't know.' A 2-year-old English mastiff led astray by an escape-prone hound dog is happy to be home, but still stinks after being found stranded in muck at a wastewater treatment plant in Colorado. Gidget's ordeal started when a walker coonhound named Buddy helped her escape from their house in Pueblo West, Colorado on Sunday evening. 'We have a hound dog that likes to play escape artist with the front door,' Mandi Smith said Tuesday. 'When he gets out Gidget, of course, follows.' This Monday, May 7, 2018, photo shows Gidget, an English mastiff holding onto a cement ledge as rescue members were on their way at the Pueblo West Wastewater Treatment Plant The hound came home about mid-day Monday, wet and muddy, without his partner-in-crime. While Smith was out searching, an employee at a wastewater treatment plant about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from Smith's house heard Gidget barking for help. Tony Campbell found the dog on the edge of an aeration pond. The aeration process makes it impossible for anything to float in the waste water, even a boat, said Pueblo West Fire Division Chief Brad Davidson, meaning it wasn't safe for Campbell to try and rescue Gidget herself. Fire crews used a ladder to get down to Gidget. They hosed her off and turned her over to Pueblo Animal Services, where she got two decontamination baths at the shelter before being returned to her owners. Gidget was led astray by an escape-prone hound dog but is now safely home Shelter workers gave Gidget two decontamination baths but she still smells 'Everybody at the shelter just loved her,' Smith said. 'She was a star.' Campbell, a friend of Smith's, had seen Buddy at the treatment plant, too, but was unable to catch up with him. Smith's 16-year-old son Henry Smithour went to pick up Gidget, who was reunited with Buddy and the family's other dog. 'Gidget is just ecstatic to be home,' Smith said. 'Out of all the dogs, she's the baby of the house.' Both escapees were smothered with love...and shampoo. 'They have gotten so many baths and they still smell,' Smith said. 'The poor bulldog is keeping her distance.' A Melbourne mechanic has been jailed for importing 'truly terrifying' machine guns from the United States. Paul Munro was handed a 10 year and three month jail sentence by Victoria's County Court on Wednesday but could be out within six years after serving 617 days in custody. The 64-year-old had imported Thureon fully-automatic machine guns and semi-automatic handgun parts between 2012 and 2016. Dozens of the weapons remain on Australian streets. Munro imported the Thureon machine gun, which can fire up to 1,000 rounds per minute, after attending a gun show in Las Vegas. Melbourne mechanic, Paul Munro, 64, was jailed on Wednesday for importing illegal machine guns from the US The mechanic asked Wisconsin based Thureon Defense owner Andy Huebschmann, to send him the machine guns hidden in the false base of containers holding engine parts. Munro also asked Huebschmann to send him triggers that would convert other semi-automatic guns into fully automatic weapons. 'The Thureon in fully automatic mode is a truly terrifying weapon,' judge Douglas Trapnell said. 'It has no use other than a mass killing machine and has no place in civil society.' Munro paid about $US1000 per assault rifle and $US2,000 for some of them to have their identifying marks removed. The mechanic was arrested in Geelong on August 30, 2016 after he set up a deal to sell 15 firearms for $110,000 to an undercover operative. Munro was selling the Thureon rifles for $15,000 a piece, and charging $5000 for handguns. Before his arrest, a local gun dealer warned the mechanic about selling illegal guns to strangers, advising him not to trust people who wanted to do business without a personal recommendation. Victoria's County Court (pictured) jailed the Melbourne man on Wednesday for importing illegal machine guns Judge Trapnell said police were yet to recover 40 firearms and firearm parts that Munro smuggled into the country, including five Thureon fully-automatic machine guns. Three Thureon machine guns were seized at Caroline Springs, Williamstown and Rockbank as police charged three men with trafficking a commercial quantity of methamphetamine. A fourth Thureon weapon was handed into police as part of a gun amnesty. According to Judge Trapnell, Munro ran his 'nefarious scheme' to support his lifestyle after numerous failed attempts at car restoration, and farming. Munro pleaded guilty to four charges of importing firearms and two counts of attempting to import firearms. A man has allegedly charged a beer bottle into the vagina of a woman who was performing a 'dildo firing exhibition' at his friend's bucks party. Kevin Glenn Willcocks, from the Northern Territory, pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent in court on Tuesday for the alleged June 10 offence, NT News reports. The 40-year-old allegedly said in a police interview three days after the alleged incident that things 'got out of hand' during the topless waitress's 'triple X dildo show'. Kevin Glenn Willcocks, from the Northern Territory, pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent in court on Tuesday for the alleged June 10 offence (stock image) The performance involved the 36-year-old, who had been hired by a friend of the groom, projecting a five-inch pink dildo out of her vagina towards guests, the court heard. Crown prosecutor Tiarni McNamee said it was fired towards the groom five or six times before being shot towards Willcocks, who caught it in his hands. Willcocks allegedly made his way to the victim to hand the dildo back, but inserted the beer he was holding in his other hand into her vagina instead. 'My beer ended up in her vagina, I took it out and said sorry to her,' Ms McNamee said Willcocks told police. Ms McNamee claimed the 40-year-old told police he did not have consent from the woman to commit the act. Jurors were encouraged to set aside whether or not they approved of the woman's job and consider the 'horrific' event that occurred while she was working. Defence counsel Mark Thomas argued the case was largely dependent on oral evidence. 'I appreciate that it's not every day that a you see a case in which a dildo firing exhibition occurs,' he said in court. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Moscow to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin, hours after US President Donald Trump announced he would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu has long opposed the 2015 nuclear deal, and applauded Trump's decision to withdraw, while Russia has reinforced their commitment to the agreement this morning. The Israeli leader was seen by Putin's side as they watched the annual Victory Day military parade in Moscow, held to celebrate the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Parade day: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu watch the Victory Day military parade at Red Square in Moscow The two leaders have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, mainly over Syria and the involvement there of Israel's arch-rival Iran. 'The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so,' Netanyahu said before departing for Moscow this morning. 'In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination between the Russian military and (that of Israel).' Russia's foreign ministry said it was 'deeply disappointed' by Trump's announcement on Tuesday that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president's 'bold' move. Netanyahu has long opposed the nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran. In talks: The two leaders are set to discuss Iran's presence in Syria, where they both back the government, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal Separately, Israel is deeply concerned over Iran's presence in Syria, where Tehran, like Moscow, backs President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Russia and Israel have set up a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria. Netanyahu has vowed not to allow Iran to entrench itself militarily in neighbouring Syria, where Israel has been repeatedly accused of carrying out deadly strikes, with reports of Iranian forces killed. Israel has not acknowledged those strikes, but admits carrying out dozens of raids in Syria to stop what it says are deliveries of advanced arms to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, another of its enemies. There have been fears in Israel of Iranian retaliation. Just prior to Trump's speech on Tuesday, the Israeli army asked authorities in the occupied Golan Heights to open and prepare missile shelters due to 'irregular activity by Iranian forces' over the demarcation line in Syria. A Meghan Markle waxwork has been unveiled by Madame Tussauds and has gone on display beside the actress' future husband ahead of the couple's wedding next weekend. The work was revealed on Wednesday at Madame Tussauds in London, as the wax imitation was complete with a replica of Harry's stunning engagement ring. Meghan's waxwork is dressed in an elegant green dress - an exact copy of the 437 designer dress worn when she and Prince Harry announced their engagement last November. A Meghan Markle waxwork was unveiled by Madame Tussauds went on display beside her future husband at the museum ahead of the couple's wedding next weekend In March, Madame Tussauds said the model had been under construction ever since Clarence House announced the couple's happy news Meghan's waxwork is dressed in an elegant green dress - an exact copy of the 437 designer dress worn when she and Prince Harry announced their engagement last November The work was revealed on Wednesday at Madame Tussauds in London, as the wax imitation was complete with a replica of Harry's stunning engagement ring The bride-to-be is on display standing next to a beaming wax Prince Harry. Harry's figure, originally created to mark his 30th birthday, has been updated for the occasion. Madame Tussauds London's general manager Edward Fuller said: 'Excitement ahead of the royal wedding is reaching fever pitch and we have been inundated with questions about when people can finally meet ''Their Royal Likenesses''. 'There is a lot of love out there for Meghan and Harry and we're following their lead by inviting the great British public to join the couple in their wedding celebrations here at Madame Tussauds London.' The attraction said it will offer free entry to guests named Meghan or Harry on the day of the royal wedding. Madame Tussauds London's sister attraction in New York will also reveal its own Meghan figure on Wednesday. In March, Madame Tussauds said the model had been under construction ever since Clarence House announced the couple's happy news. The bride-to-be is on display standing next to a beaming wax Prince Harry. Harry's figure, originally created to mark his 30th birthday, has been updated for the occasion Visitors took turns posing with the new waxwork after the reveal on Wednesday The attraction said it will offer free entry to guests named Meghan or Harry on the day of the royal wedding Visitors took turns posing with the new waxwork after the reveal, as anticipation grows for the royal wedding on May 19. One of the most stunning details of the waxwork is the attention to detail on the engagement ring. The real ring was made by Cleave and Company, Court Jewellers and Medallists to Her Majesty The Queen. At its centre is a diamond from Botswana, a country that holds special significance for Prince Harry who has visited many times since he was a child. It is also a place the couple has spent time together over the last year and a half. The ring features two outside stones, which are diamonds from the personal collection of Prince Harry's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Prince Harry later revealed in the couple's first joint television interview that he mounted the stones for the engagement ring on yellow gold because it is her 'favourite' Prince Harry later revealed in the couple's first joint television interview that he mounted the stones on yellow gold because it is her 'favourite'. He said: 'The ring is - is obviously yellow gold because that's what - her favourite and the main stone itself I sourced from Botswana and the - the little diamonds either side are from my mother's jewellery collection to make sure that she's with us on this - on this crazy journey together.' David Allen of 77 Diamonds said a ring of this size and quality would start at around 50,000 but with the use of the late Princess Diana's diamonds as side stones, this ring, like Kate's before it is of inestimable worth. A suspect being hunted by police over the theft of three diamond rings from an arts fair is believed to be part of a gang dubbed the 'Pink Panthers.' Scotland Yard detectives are trying to track down Vinko Osmakcic wanted in connection with the 'audacious' robbery at an event at Royal Hospital Chelsea in London last year. The rings were stolen from a cabinet at the Masterpiece London 2017 fair on July 4 at around 5.30pm. Balding Croatian national Osmakcic, believed to be in his 60s, has been linked to the Pink Panthers, an international jewellery thief network. One theory at the time was that the thieves used distraction techniques to trick guards watching the jewels before carrying out the robbery. Scroll down for video: Scotland Yard have released this image of suspect Vinko Osmakcic taken at the arts fair on the day of the theft in July last year The Evening Standard reports that Osmakcic, along with an accomplice, strolled over to the stand and used a key or another implement to unlock the cabinet and steal the rings. They then re-locked the cabinet, walked out and into a taxi into central London, and disappeared. The event, which attracts around 40,000 visitors a year, is said to be monitored by around the clock security teams. Osmakcic is said by police to have been responsible for a number of high value diamond robberies across Europe. The notorious Pink Panthers gang have stolen more than 290 million worth of jewellery in raids across the world over more than 30 years. The three diamond rings were stolen from a cabinet at around 5.30pm The theft of the rings, which all have diamond encrusted bands, was said by detectives to be 'well planned' and 'audacious' The organised network, made up of over 200 mainly ex-military personnel have used their skills to carry out daring robberies and prison breaks to free members caught by the police. Osmakcic has also served time in jail in the US for jewellery thefts in Las Vegas, Hawaii and California. Detective Sergeant Chris Taylor is leading the investigation. He said: 'This was a well-planned and audacious theft committed in the middle of a busy art fair. 'We are re-releasing the image of Mr Osmakcic in an attempt to trace him. The Masterpiece London 2017 event was held at the Royal Hospital Chelsea (pictured) 'It is highly likely that Mr Osmakcic may be out of the UK, possibly in Europe. He may also be known by the following name Vinko Tomic or Juro Markelic. 'I am asking anyone who knows his whereabouts to contact police or Crimestoppers so we can bring him to justice.' Who are the Pink Panthers? Jewellery heist gang 'made up of Bosnia war veterans' who have stolen 400million in art and gem raids across the world The Pink Panthers got their nickname after a 2003 London robbery when a thief hid a diamond in a pot of cream - similar to a plot from the Pink Panther films starring Peter Sellers. The gang was named after the Pink Panther films starring Peter Sellers (pictured) The gang is believed to be made up of 200 soldiers, veterans of the Bosnian war, and has been operating since the early 1980s. They have been linked to a series of high value diamond thefts across the world. Interpol say between 1999 and 2015 they stole more than 290million in jewels from 380 armed robberies. They include a raid at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes in 1984 when three gun-toting crooks stormed a jewellery ship and cleared its shelves of 39million in gems. The gang is also said to be responsible for the biggest jewel theft in Japan - with more than 22m worth of jewellery swiped from a Tokyo store in 2004. In July 2015, a thief linked to the network stole 100m worth of jewels from a diamond exhibition in Cannes. Advertisement So far there have been no arrests following the raid on July 4 last year. The Pink Panthers got their name following a heist in 2003, after the Graff jewellery store in London was robbed of more than 22.2million in diamonds. Police tracked down suspects in possession of a stolen ring worth 500,000. They found a ring buried in a jar of face cream - a trick also used by thieves in the first Pink Panther film. They have have been linked to raids in Paris, Dubai, Geneva, Monaco, Tokyo and Las Vegas. Most of the identified suspects, aged between 40 and 55-years-old, are from Serbia, Croatia or Montenegro. Osmakcic, was named in 2010 by the New Yorker as being part of the Pink Panther network. Other reports described him 'as one of the oldest and most persistent Pink Panthers around.' Using the alias Juro Markelic he was jailed in Las Vegas in 2003 for the theft of a million-dollar necklace. His passport showed he was 47 when he was arrested. He later admitted to heists in California and Hawaii, where he was sentenced to 21 months in jail. He has also been linked to other raids in Hong Kong, Switzerland and Tokyo. In 2013 a Bosnian member of the the Pink Panthers, Milan Poparic, serving time for a 2009 robbery, broke out of a prison in Orbe in Switzerland. Two accomplices used a van and two ladders to get him out of the prison enclosure, and they fired multiple rounds from AK-47's to prevent guards getting close. Police have today released information on the rings stolen in the raid last July. One is described as a cushion-shaped diamond ring, another is a vivid yellow cushion-shaped diamond ring encased in smaller oval and round-shaped diamonds. The third is an emerald-cut diamond ring with purple and pink stones, and four pear-shaped diamonds. Anyone who can assist police is asked to call Kensington and Chelsea CID on 020 8246 0122 quoting Operation Hestia or report information via Twitter @MetCC. To give information anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org. A portrait of Theresa May that hit headlines after its sudden removal from the walls of her old geography department at Oxford University is to be reinstalled so it can be seen as intended. The picture was taken down after left-wing students protested against it by pinning up notes around it, slamming her crackdown of illegal immigration while at the Home Office and the Windrush fiasco. It had been unveiled on the 'Wall of Women staircase last week as part of an exhibit that celebrates women who studied at the department and went on to be pioneers in their fields. The university has today said that it was removed temporarily because it was being obscured by posters bearing various messages rather than for political reasons and would be returned to the exhibit 'so it can be seen as intended'. The Oxford Student, however, reports that one second-year geographer questioned the reason for its reinstallation, saying I think its somewhat suspicious maybe it was the papers that scared the uni off. Also, a group of students wrote to the head of the geography department, voicing their disapproval of the decision to remove the portrait of Theresa May, as they wanted the geography department to remain a place of intellectual freedom. The university maintains it is 'proud of [Mrs May's] success' and pledged to return the picture Students had stuck up post-it notes venting their fury at the decision to hang the PM's portrait on the wall and their opposition to her policies when she was Home Secretary But within days of its unveiling, Theresa May's portrait had been removed from the wall after students slammed the decision to hang it there in the first place Theresa May's portrait was hung on the staircase as part of the 'wall of women' exhibit celebrating the achievements of female former students. Below the PM is an image of Doreen Massey who teaches Marxist and feminist geography In messages placed around her portrait, students had complained that Mrs May was a 'contentious figure in a department with many EU citizens and de-colonial scholars', and a group called 'NotAllGeographers' was set up to call for its removal. But the university said the portrait was taken down to because it was being obscured by posters and will go back up in a way to protect it. An Oxford University spokesman said earlier: 'The portrait was being increasingly obscured by posters bearing mainly humorous satirical messages. 'It has now been taken down and will be re- displayed so it can be seen as intended. Mrs May was included in a series of portraits to celebrate outstanding female graduates of the School of Geography and the Environment. 'We remain proud of her success and that of all the graduates celebrated in the display.' Tory MP James Cleverly questioned the decision on Twitter, saying: 'Please tell me this story about you removing an alumna portrait of the Prime Minister isn't true. @oxfordgeography.' While Mrs May's portrait sparked criticism and protests from students, the image just below her of the Marxist geographer Doreen Massey remained in place. Ms Massey has worked as an adviser to the late Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, who cited her in his speeches. Mrs May graduated with a second-class degree from St Hugh's College at Oxford University in 1977. She was originally one of twelve female former students to feature in the display which was intended to 'aim to inspire the next generation of women geographers to aim high in their future careers'. Tory MP James Cleverly was among those venting his opposition to the removal of the portrait online Students who had been campaigning against the portrait hailed its removal on their Twitter account In a note alongside the picture, Mrs May who studied at the university from 1974 to 1977 said: 'I remember the School of Geography as a great place to meet, learn and enjoy finding out more about our world 'A greater understanding of the diversity and complexity of our world and a respect for our environment, which I learnt in my degree, have stood me in good stead in my chosen career.' Announcing the exhibit last week, Claire Hann, the School's Equality and Diversity Officer, said: 'The aim is to show that the achievements of the few selected women represent and are linked with the achievements of a much wider group of women geographers. Andrew Dwyer, a cyber security and geography PHD student, criticised Theresa May's portrait in a post on Twitter How they snubbed Thatcher too Theresa May is not the only Tory prime minister to have faced issues over her legacy at Oxford. Margaret Thatcher, Britains only other female PM, has also been snubbed by the university. She was passed over for an honorary degree following protests by embittered academics over cuts to university funding. It meant she was the only Oxford-educated PM not to have been given an honorary degree. Mrs Thatcher received an invitation to allow her name to go forward for the degree in 1985, with the proviso that it had to be confirmed in Congregation a vote taken among all the universitys academics. Her principal private secretary, Robin Butler, warned her that Left-wingers will campaign against you before the vote. Against his advice Mrs Thatcher wrote a letter of acceptance. However, her aide now Lord Butler was right. The Congregation rejected the honour by 738 votes to 319. Mrs Thatchers only public reaction was succinct. She said: If they do not wish to confer the honour, I am the last person who would wish to receive it. But Mr Butler thought the snub deeply affected Mrs Thatcher. He felt that privately, the degree of hurt was huge. Advertisement 'We're keen to celebrate the successes of our women students and staff as much as those of men. 'It's been great to reconnect with many of our past students through this project, and we hope it will inspire our current students as they pass by the display each day.' On Friday students had stuck up pieces of paper around the picture, with a pen attached to a piece of string inviting others to 'share your thoughts'. One student wrote next to the picture 'School of Geography or Hostile Environment', referring to Mrs May's approach to illegal immigration when she was Home Secretary. One student wrote: 'School of Geography and (Hostile????) Environment' [sic], while another message said: 'Let in every refugee, throw the Tories in the sea.' Andrew Dwyer, a cyber security and geography PHD student, wrote on social media: '(Not so) Great to see Theresa May placed alongside Doreen Massey in [the School of Geography], apparently one of the best alumnae we have. 'I don't really wish to celebrate a hostile environment for immigrants, if I'm honest.' Number 10 declined to respond to questions about the removal of the portrait. Oxford University has been contacted for further comment. France has condemned Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal and vowed to ensure that the 2015 agreement is 'not dead'. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Trump had made a mistake and that the United States should not consider itself the world's 'economic policeman' as America reinstated financial sanctions on Iran. French President Emmanuel Macron, along with the UK and Germany, voiced a regret over Trump's decision and reinforced their commitment to the deal, words echoed by several nations, including China and Russia. The leaders of the UK, France and Germany spoke of their regret following US President Donald Trump's decision to torpedo the Iran nuclear deal (pictured from left: Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Merkel) European officials will 'do everything' possible to protect the interests of companies working in Iran, which may now be exposed to new US sanctions against the country, an official in the French presidency said Wednesday. The official added that European governments are going 'to do everything to protect the interests' of their companies, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'The deal is not dead. There's an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there,' French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian said. Le Drian said France, like others, was well aware that there were concerns about issues other than nuclear capability, namely topics such as Iran's ballistic weapons programme, but added they too could be addressed without ditching the nuclear deal. Le Drian, interviewed just hours after the announcement by Trump, said Macron's contact with Rouhani would be followed by meetings next week, probably on Monday, involving the Iranians and European counterparts from France, Britain and Germany. 'Yes, there is a real risk of confrontation,' he told RTL, regarding Trump's decision on Iran. 'I hope it will not be a setback for peace,' he added. Last night, Macron, along with Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel released a joint statement, in which they emphasised their 'continuing commitment' to the deal and said they regretted Trump's decision. I'm out guys: President Trump had previously fiercely criticised the Iran deal, which eased sanctions in exchange for commitments to abandon its nuclear weapons programme Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meanwhile said his country will remain in the deal, and will instead trade with the other countries which signed it Rules of the agreement: Behind the historic 2015 Iran nuclear deal 'It is with regret and concern that we ... take note of President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. 'We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility.' Iran meanwhile, has said it will remain in the deal, and will instead trade with the other countries which signed it, however its Supreme Leader has since said it needs 'solid' European guarantees that trade relations would continue. Addressing Iran's government in a televised speech, Khamenei said: 'If you don't succeed in obtaining a definitive guarantee - and I really doubt that you can - at that moment, we cannot continue like this.' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all state matters under the laws of the Islamic Republic. Israel - Iran's arch-nemesis - applauded Trump's decision to withdraw, but otherwise words of praise for Trump have been few and far between. China's said it regrets Trumps decision, and that pulling out of the deal raises the risk of conflict in the Middle East. A foreign ministry spokesman said China will safeguard the deal and it calls on all relevant parties to assume a responsible attitude. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said the United States will be 'the loser' from Trump's move, while Russia's acting Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin remains committed to the Iran nuclear deal. Iran nuclear deal - what happens next? Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal abruptly restores harsh sanctions on Iran, an any companies which trades with it, meaning major companies in the U.S. and Europe could be hurt, too. The sanctions seek to punish Iran for its nuclear program by limiting its ability to sell oil or do business overseas, affecting a wide range of Iranian economic sectors and individuals. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that licenses held by Boeing and its European competitor Airbus to sell billions of dollars in commercial jetliners to Iran will be revoked. New rules: US President Donald Trump, seen here shaking hands with National Security Advisor John Bolton, will impose sanctions on Iran, and companies doing business with Iran, immediately Certain exemptions are to be negotiated, but Mnuchin refused to discuss what products might qualify. He said the sanctions will sharply curtail sales of oil by Iran, which is currently the world's fifth largest oil producer. Mnuchin said he didn't expect oil prices to rise sharply, forecasting that other producers will step up production. The White House administration said it would re-impose sanctions on Iran immediately but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity. Companies and banks doing business with Iran will have to scramble to extricate themselves or run afoul of the U.S. government. In Iran, many are deeply concerned about how Trump's decision could affect the already struggling economy. In Tehran, Rouhani sought to calm nerves, smiling as he appeared at a petroleum expo. He didn't name Trump directly, but emphasized that Iran continued to seek 'engagement with the world.' Advertisement Former President Barack Obama, who championed the deal, wrote on his Facebook that Trump was turning his back on U.S. allies. 'Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on America's closest allies, and an agreement that our country's leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated,' he said. Former Cabinet minister Lord Hague said withdrawing from the agreement would 'broadcast a message that Washington does not honour its word'. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Lord Hague said that ripping up the deal would be a 'very great error'. He wrote: 'If he is wavering, he should picture himself sitting across from Kim (Jong-Un) in the near future. 'Ending the Iran deal would mean that what the US signs up to in one year, it can abrogate three years later. 'And that in turn would not bode well for an agreement with North Korea or the stability of the Middle East - and thereby for the peace of the world.' Former Cabinet minister Lord Hague (left) warned that Kim Jong-Un (right) would find it difficult to trust the word of the US if Trump rips up the Iran deal Iran president Hassan Rouhani has warned Mr Trump the West will regret 'like never before' if it sinks the nuclear deal with his country The world has reacted with outrage after Donald Trump pulled the plug on US involvement in the Iran Nuclear Deal. His White House Statement on Tuesday slammed the 2015 peace accords as 'disastrous', insisting they imposed 'no limits' on Iran's 'sinister' activities across the Middle East. The decision sparked fury in Iran with politicians setting fire to the American flag, chanting 'Death to America' and accusing Trump of 'lacking mental capacity'. Today the country's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would wait for the day Trump dies and 'snakes and ants eat his corpse'. The UK, France, Germany and Russia have condemned the 'regrettable' decision, with French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warning of a 'real risk of confrontation' if Europe doesn't act to counter Trump's 'rash' decision. MailOnline brings you all the latest updates here: Oscar-nominated director and former Monty Python star Terry Gilliam, 77, has won a lengthy legal battle over a disaster-plagued movie just days after suffering a stroke. French magazine Nice-Matin reported the the multi-award winning writer and director suffered the 'minor stroke' over the weekend as he was due to appear in court over a legal dispute surrounding the release of 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'. Gilliam was said to have been 'taken to hospital having suffered a kind of stroke' but is now 'recovering at home' after the scare - according to US website IndieWire. He was expected to attend a hearing on May 7 over whether or not his long-awaited fantasy comedy would be allowed to be shown at the Cannes film festival. The festival's lawyers revealed on Wednesday that a French court decided not to ban the film from being released - meaning it will close the prestigious festival on May 19. Scroll down for video Gilliam was said to have suffered a 'minor stroke' but is 'now recovering at home' after the scare Gilliam holds a trophy after receiving a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award in London back in 2009 The film has been in production for nearly 20 years after suffering a series of setbacks including the deaths of several leading actors, and legal battles. Paulo Branco, a former producer on the feature, sought an injunction to stop its screening after claiming he has held the rights to the film since 2016 and has every right to call a halt to its release. 'The work of each producer on this movie needs to be respected and not be trampled on by the director,' Branco had told reporters at the court. Branco and his production company, Alfama Films, had launched successful legal challenges against Gilliam in England and France. But Gilliam filed an appeal to the French ruling on April 4 and was due in court on Wednesday to hear the result - as the judge ruled in his favour. The Cannes festival lawyers and Gilliam's producers were jubilant after the result, declaring: 'We have won.' The festival's director Thierry Fremaux told reporters that 'the court ruled in favour of 'Don Quixote' being screened'. Terry Gilliam (third from left) with the other members of the Monty Python crew during their reunion tour Gilliam was instrumental in the success of Monty Python and has gone on to achieve significant personal acclaim Monty Python member Gilliam has struggled for nearly two decades to get the film, one of the most ill-fated in movie history, to the screen. Despite the fierce legal dispute taking place behind the scenes, the film had been added to the lineup of the festival as a late addition to the programme on April 19. On top of the legal problems, the film has suffered flooded sets, insurance woes, and the deaths of two actors once attached to the Quixote role - Jean Rochefort and John Hurt. Eventually, the film was completed with Jonathan Pryce and Adam Driver in the leads. Shocking video shows the moment a musclebound motorist stands outside his vehicle as police officers bounce off his bulky frame while trying in vain to force him to the ground. Police were so furious at Huseyin Ercan's passive resistance that they later claimed he had attacked them and was in possession of drugs. After the incident in Herford, Germany, officers demanded that Ercan be prosecuted but the move backfired after this footage from a police dash cam was used in evidence. It shows the motorist standing by his vehicle when he is suddenly grabbed. One of the officers is seen attempting to put Ercan's hands behind his back, and they also try to grab him round the neck to force him to the ground. He objects and is seen pushing them away and holding them off. At one point, a police officer even pepper sprays him in the face. An officer is caught on the police car dashcam tackling Huseyin Ercan as he stands by a car in Germany Mr Ercan resists the police and a number of officers try to physically restrain him The driver stands his ground - police later claimed he had attacked them and was in possession of drugs A cop even pepper sprayed Mr Ercan in the face in the incident. One officer was later sentenced to a one year and three month suspended sentence for aggressive conduct One officers was eventually charged with aggressive conduct. The policeman received a suspended sentence of one year and three months by the court in Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia about 10 miles from where the incident took place. The officer is now appealing that it be reduced to below one year so that he can keep his job. Officers demanded that Ercan be prosecuted but the move backfired after footage from the police dash cam was used in evidence Under German law, a conviction for more than a year, even if suspended, will result in instant dismissal from any civil service position. A court will rule on the appeal at the end of next week. Theresa May was taunted over Boris Johnson's extraordinary attack on her Brexit trade plans during a bruising PMQs today. The Prime Minister faced catcalls from Labour MPs as Jeremy Corbyn accused her of overseeing a shambolic negotiation with the EU. As Mr Johnson looked on sheepishly from the frontbench, Mrs May was forced to deny she had wasted weeks on plans that ministers could not agree on. But Mrs May hit back by pointing out that Labour is also deeply split on Brexit, and vowed: 'We will get the best deal for the UK.' Theresa May (pictured at PMQs today) has pushed back another showdown at the Brexit 'War Cabinet' from tomorrow to next week as she struggles to find a compromise The Prime Minister faced catcalls from Labour MPs today as Jeremy Corbyn accused her of overseeing a shambolic negotiation with the EU As Mr Johnson looked on sheepishly from the frontbench (pictured), Mrs May was forced to deny she had wasted weeks on plans that ministers could not agree on Speaking in the Commons immediately after the session, Mr Johnson also denied that he had breached Cabinet collective responsibility. 'I am completely in conformity with Government policy on the matter, since that policy has yet to be decided,' he said to laughter from the Labour benches. The bad-tempered exchanges came with Mrs May scrambling to find a 'third way' proposal for post-Brexit trade after Mr Johnson's outburst. The Foreign Secretary effectively dared the PM to sack him yesterday by bringing the bitter Cabinet row crashing into the open - branding the proposal 'crazy'. Downing Street sources have conceded that the blueprint - which would see Britain collect duties on behalf of the EU in an effort to minimise friction on trade and prevent a hard Irish border - will 'not go ahead in its current form'. Officials are looking at ways of overhauling the idea or coming up with a new option that can win over sceptical ministers. Mr Corbyn kicked off PMQs by asking: 'Does the Prime Minister agree with her Foreign Secretary that the plan for a customs partnership... is in fact crazy?' Mrs May dodged the question, insisting the government would 'ensure that we leave the customs union, that we can have an independent free trade policy, that we can maintain no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and we have as frictionless trade with the EU as possible'. Mr Corbyn then challenged Mrs May over Business Secretary Greg Clark's warning in an interview at the weekend that 'jobs would be at risk if we don't sort out a comprehensive customs deal'. But the premier retorted that Labour was 'letting Britain down' by taking the EU's side in the negotiations. Trimble condemns 'scaremongering' over Brexit threat to peace in Northern Ireland A former Northern Ireland First Minister today dismissed 'scaremongering' about the threat to peace from Brexit. Lord Trimble backed a new report suggesting that the Irish border issue could be solved with technology. The Policy Exchange study argues that GPS technology could be used to track lorry movements without the need for cameras or other infrastructure at the border. Lord Trimble, who led the Ulster Unionist Party, said a hard border could be avoided if all sides demonstrated the political will needed. He added: 'I hope that true friends of Northern Ireland including the partners in peace all those years ago will cease the scaremongering and work for a practical, prosperous future.' Advertisement 'They want to go into a customs union with the European Union with no say over trade policy, with Brussels negotiating trade deals in their interests, not our own,' she said. 'The Labour manifesto said it wanted to strike trade deals, now they've gone back on that policy. Typical labour, letting Britain down once again.' Mrs May stormed: 'He talks about the state of the negotiations. Before December he was saying the negotiations were not going to get anywhere. 'What did we get? A joint report agreed by the European Council. He said before March that we weren't going to get what we wanted from negations. What did we get? An implementation and an agreement with the European Union Council. 'We are now in a negotiation for the best deal for the UK for when we leave the EU and we will get the best deal for the UK for when we leave the EU.' Despite his incendiary intervention against the customs partnership plan in an interview with the Daily Mail, allies of Mr Johnson have insisted he will not quit but is determined to 'fight this from the inside'. Amid mounting pressure on Mrs May to break the impasse, leading Tory Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg said Mr Johnson had 'hit the nail on the head' - and also suggested Britain would be much more 'aggressive' in negotiations with Brussels if he was PM. But there was a backlash from Tory Remainers, who raged that Mr Johnson's breach of collective Cabinet responsibility was 'disgraceful' and he must 'wake up to reality'. In a sign of the delicacy of her position, Mrs May avoided reprimanding Mr Johnson at an awkward Cabinet meeting yesterday. Sources confirmed that the issue of Brexit had not been mentioned at all during the session. Asked whether Mrs May had urged ministers to carry out their discussions in private, the PM's spokesman said: 'Not in Cabinet, no.' Mrs May has pushed back another showdown at the Brexit 'War Cabinet' from tomorrow to next week as she struggles to find a compromise. At PMQs today, Mr Corbyn then challenged Mrs May over Business Secretary Greg Clark's warning in an interview at the weekend that 'jobs would be at risk if we don't sort out a comprehensive customs deal' Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson attended Cabinet yesterday after savaging Theresa May's post-Brexit trade plans Business Secretary Greg Clark, pictured left in Downing Street yesterday, has been pushing for a softer Brexit. David Davis (right) will also play a key role in thrashing out trade policy Under the partnership concept, officials would track shipments into the UK and collect tariffs for Brussels on goods ending up in the EU. A Whitehall source said: 'The customs partnership won't go ahead in its current form. 'There's a recognition that we can't simply re-badge one of the proposals and hope to get it through.' Allies of Mr Johnson told the Times his intention was to 'fight this from the inside'. What are the options on the table for a customs deal with the EU? With time ticking away on the Brexit negotiations, the Cabinet is still at daggers drawn on the shape for future trade relations with the EU. The government has set out two potential options for a customs system after the UK leaves the bloc. But despite a series of tense showdowns at Theresa May's Brexit 'War Cabinet' ministers continue to be deadlocked over what to do. Meanwhile, Brussels has dismissed both the ideas - and warned that negotiations could stall altogether unless there is progress by a key summit next month. Despite a series of tense showdowns at Theresa May's 'War Cabinet' (pictured in February) ministers continue to be deadlocked over what to do OPTION 1 - CUSTOMS PARTNERSHIP Under the so-called 'hybrid model', the UK would collect EU import tariffs on behalf of Brussels. Britain would be responsible for tracking the origin and final destination of goods coming into the country from outside the EU. The government would also have to ensure all products meet the bloc's standards. Firms selling directly into the UK market would pay the tariff levels set by Brussels - but would then get a rebate if Britain's tariffs are lower. Supporters of the hybrid plan in Cabinet - including Theresa May, Philip Hammond and Greg Clark - say keeping duties aligned up front would avoid the need for physical customs borders between the UK and EU. As a result it could solve the thorny issue over creating a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Mrs May has been advised by the chief whip that the hybrid option could be the only way of securing a majority in parliament for a Brexit deal. But Brexiteers regard the proposal as unworkable and cumbersome - and they were joined by Sajid Javid and Gavin Williamson in criticising it at a tense 'War Cabinet' meeting last week. There are fears the experimental system will either collapse and cause chaos, or prevent the UK from being able to negotiate free trade deals around the world after Brexit. Mrs May has instructed official to go away and revise the ideas. Eurosceptics are braced for her to bring back the plan with only 'cosmetic' changes, and try to 'peel off' Mr Javid and Mr Williamson from the core group of Brexiteers. They are also ready for Mrs May to attempt to bypass the 'War Cabinet' altogether and put the issue before the whole Cabinet - where she has more allies. OPTION 2 - MAXIMUM FACILITATION Boris Johnson (left) and Liam Fox have been pushing for the 'Max Fac' customs option The 'Max Fac' option accepts that there will be greater friction at Britain's borders with the EU. But it would aim to minimise the issues using technology and mutual recognition. Goods could be electronically tracked and pre-cleared by tax authorities on each side. Shipping firms could also be given 'trusted trader' status so they can move goods freely, and only pay tariffs when they are delivered to the destination country. Companies would also be trusted to ensure they were meeting the relevant UK and EU standards on products. Senior ministers such as Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Liam Fox believe this is the only workable option. But Remain minded Tories such as Mr Clark insist it will harm trade and cost jobs in the UK. They also warn that it will require more physical infrastructure on the Irish border - potentially breaching the Good Friday Agreement. It is far from clear whether the government would be able to force anything through parliament that implied a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. The EU has dismissed the idea that 'Max Fac' could prevent checks on the Irish border as 'magical thinking'. Stacy Bailey, 31, was put on administrative leave in September of last year after she showed her students a photograph of her future - now current - wife A lesbian Texas art teacher who was suspended after a parent complained that she was promoting a 'homosexual agenda' in class is suing the school district. Stacy Bailey, 31, was put on administrative leave in September of last year after she showed her students a photograph of her future - now current - wife. Now she is accusing the Mansfield Independent School District (MISD), and two of its employees, of violating the US Constitution by discriminating against her based on sexual orientation. She filed the suit at the Northern District of Texas federal court, which is in Dallas, after the district failed to reinstate her job at Charlotte Anderson Elementary School in Arlington. The district voted two weeks ago not to renew Bailey's contract and on May 1 gave her notice that she would be reassigned to a nearby high school. In a statement about the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Bailey explained she had been at the elementary school for 10 years and was twice voted 'Teacher of the Year'. Recounting the cause of her suspension, the statement explained: 'In August 2017, Bailey presented her students with a Get To Know Your Teacher slide show, as is customary in the first days of a new school year. She included photos of her parents, her best friends, a baby picture, and her then, future spouse Julie Vasquez. 'This was her 2nd year to show this type of slide show to her class. In a statement about the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Bailey explained she had been at the elementary school for 10 years and was twice voted 'Teacher of the Year'. Bailey is seen here with her wife, Julie Vazquez, in a photo shared to social media She filed the suit at the Northern District of Texas federal court, which is in Dallas, after the district failed to reinstate her job at Charlotte Anderson Elementary School in Arlington (pictured) 'A parent complained that Bailey was promoting the homosexual agenda to her students. Bailey met with school officials and was told she did nothing wrong. Bailey expressly asked Mansfield ISD to include protections for LGBT employees in their anti-discrimination policy.' The lawsuit went on to discuss her September 8 suspension and the requests from families whose children attended the school to return Bailey to class. It added: 'On April 24, 2018, Mansfield ISD renewed Baileys contract. By letter dated May 1, 2018, Mansfield ISD reassigned Bailey to teach in a secondary school, sending the message that it believed LGBT teachers were not acceptable to teach elementary students.' Third-grader Kain Hendrix (pictured), told board members that Bailey's suspension was unfair to the school's families, students and to Bailey, and that he was sad Bailey was no longer his art teacher Bailey was named 2016 Charlotte Anderson Elementary School's Teacher of the Year, according to a tweet by a colleague, posted on May 8, 2017 'Bailey seeks reassignment to Charlotte Anderson Elementary and acknowledgment that what Mansfield ISD did was illegal and wrong and should never be done again,' it concluded. But the district rejected the accusation from Bailey's team, stressing that there has 'never been an issue with her open sexual preference until this year'. The district's statement went on: 'That's when her actions in the classroom changed, which prompted her students to voice concerns to their parents,' adding: 'Teachers shall not use the classroom to transmit personal belief regarding political or sectarian issues.' The district voted two weeks ago not to renew Bailey's contract and on May 1 gave her notice that she would be reassigned to a nearby high school Superintendent of the district Jim Vaszauskas and associate superintendent of human resources Kimberly Cantu are also named in Bailey's suit. The suit accuses Cantu of telling Bailey that she 'can't promote [her] lifestyle in the classroom'. When Bailey responded to say her having a wife is merely 'a fact about my life, not a political statement', Cantu allegedly replied: 'Well right now it kind of is [a political statement].' Her suit demands her reinstatement at the elementary school and damages. Her suspension was implemented just a day after she reached out to counselors at another school in the district regarding adding protections for LGBTQ+ employees and students to MISD's nondiscrimination policy. Some parents were left wondering why their children were being deprived of one of their favorite teachers, who was named 2016 Charlotte Anderson Elementary School's Teacher of the Year, according to a tweet by a colleague, posted on May 8, 2017. Parent and school receptionist Jennifer Kureska is one of them. Bailey's suspension was implemented just a day after she reached out to counselors at another school in the district regarding adding protections for LGBTQ+ employees and students to MISD's nondiscrimination policy 'I have seen Ms. Bailey teach and even read some of her lessons before, and never have I seen anything inappropriate,' Kureska told the school board at a meeting on Tuesday. 'My daughters learned about Ms. Baileys family. They saw photos of them during her introduction. They learned about various artists. Not once did they ever say the conversation made them wonder about a gay lifestyle.' Charlotte Anderson elementary third-grader Kain Hendrix, told board members that Bailey's suspension was unfair to the school's families, students and to Bailey, and that he was sad Bailey was no longer his art teacher. 'Ms. Bailey was my teacher, my role model and someone who always cheered me up,' said the nine-year-old. 'Every time I go to art it is not the same.' Eleven University of Warwick students have been suspended after sending racist, misogynistic and anti-Semitic messages in a group chat. The male students joked about raping female students and claimed they would have 'surprise sex' with freshers, screenshots of Facebook chats revealed. One of the students allegedly joked it was 'fun to just go wild and rape 100 girls', while another message said: 'Rape the whole flat to teach them all (a) lesson.' A mock-up of some of the Facebook messages allegedly exchanged between the students Further messages are said to have used the racist terms 'P***' and 'c***s', while another post allegedly said: 'Love Hitler, hate n****s and Jews and Corbyn.' Another message read: 'What do we do with girls? RAAAAAAAAAPE.' and, at one point, a user wrote: 'Rape her in the street while everybody watches.' Discussing racism, one user said: 'Yeah racism is frowned upon at Warwick? F***ing bull.' Others replied 'EDL!' and 'racism is class'. The screenshots, which date back about a year, are taken from a group which was believed to have been called 'F*** Women, Disrespect Them All' for a period. The students have been suspended after sending racist and misogynistic messages in a chat The messages came to light after three formal complaints were made to the university, with dozens of screenshots of the alleged remarks provided as evidence. The chat allegedly included students in senior positions at academic and sporting societies, according to the university's student newspaper The Boar. A University of Warwick spokesman confirmed to MailOnline today that a 'student disciplinary matter is currently being actively investigated'. He added: 'We obviously cannot comment further on that matter until those investigations, and any subsequent disciplinary processes, are concluded.' The University of Warwick said the 'student disciplinary matter is being actively investigated' A member of the elite Russell Group, the University of Warwick is ranked 11th in the UK, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018. It comes a week after Exeter University students were expelled over racist and bigoted comments branding people 'P***s', 'n*****s' and calling for a 'race war'. WhatsApp messages sent by Bracton law society members also made positive references to slavery and gang rape while also calling for a 'whites-only' society. On one message they posted a picture of London Mayor Sadiq Khan posing in January this year with the messages 'I'm disgusted' and 'browns don't get it'. Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke has been discharged from hospital days after a suffering from a fall. The 88-year-old fell and hit his head on Monday and was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for tests in Sydney. Mr Hawke's wife, Blanch d'Alpuget, was seen at the hospital visiting the country's 23rd prime minister Wednesday morning. Scroll down for video Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke (pictured) has been discharged from hospital days after a suffering from a fall The 88-year-old (pictured) fell and hit his head on Monday and was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for tests in Sydney Mr Hawke's wife, Blanch d'Alpuget, (pictured together) was seen at the hospital visiting the country's 23rd prime minister Wednesday morning While it is still unclear what the 88-year-old was being treated for, Labor MP Chris Bowen said Mr Hawke suffered a 'relatively minor incident' of 'the wobbles', according to 9News. Mr Hawke's daughter, Sue Pieters-Hawke, told 7 News he was 'fine' and suffered 'no brain damage, no bleeds, no stroke, no nothing'. 'Just a break and we're arguing about whether the break is for him or Blanche,' she said. A person close to the former Labor leader, who once held a world record for sculling beer, told the Daily Telegraph Mr Hawke was 'anxious to get home and back to his cigar and crosswords'. Mr Hawke's health made headlines late last year after he opened up about his brush with death late two years ago which left him 'very crook'. The mystery illness struck in mid-2015 where the 88-year-old's second wife revealed he was 'so close to death', The Australian previously reported. Mr Hawke's daughter, Sue Pieters-Hawke (pictured), told 7 News he was 'fine' and suffered 'no brain damage, no bleeds, no stroke, no nothing' Mr Hawke, who once held the world record for the fastest drinking of beer (pictured), was reportedly anxious to get home to do 'crosswords' and have a 'cigar' The former prime minister, who celebrated his birthday in December last year, became the third person to achieve national life membership of the Labor party after leading the country for eight years. Often regarded as the country's most popular leader, Mr Hawke served from 1983 until 1991, leading the Australian Labor Party to four consecutive electoral victories. His major achievements in office include the creation of Medicare, the formation of APEC, and the initiation of national super, 9News previously reported. In addition to formerly holding the record for the fastest drinking of beer, he also launched his own range of Australian beer company called Hawke's Brewing Co. The former prime minister celebrated his 88th birthday in December last year (pictured, left, beside a wax figure of himself, right) High up on the agenda during the meeting were discussions of the Iran deal Saudi Arabia has heaped praise on President Trump following his decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday. The praise comes just a month after Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Washington in a meeting which included discussions about the Iran accord. Following Trump's announcement, the world's largest oil exporter said it will take all necessary measures to prevent oil supply shortages as Iran is expected to retaliate against the US with its own sanctions. Scroll down for video Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) speaks with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office 'The kingdom will work with major oil producers within and outside OPEC, and with major consumers as well to limit the impact of any shortages in supplies,' the Saudi energy ministry said in a statement late Tuesday. Saudi Arabia's assurance came just hours after US President Donald Trump announced the United States was withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal between world powers and Iran. Trump also reinstated US sanctions which could curtail Iran's ability to export oil, its mainstay for public revenues. Saudi Arabia also called upon the international community and parties in the Iran nuclear agreement to 'heed Mr Trump's call for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.' Donald Trump shows a chart highlighting arms sales to Saudi Arabia during a meeting with the Crown Prince Refineries in Saudi Arabia (pictured) are capable of compensating for the shortfall in supply if Iran decides to halt production Before international sanctions were lifted following the nuclear deal in late 2015, Iran's crude exports stood at just one million barrels per day, mostly to Asia and European countries. That figure has since soared to 2.5 million bpd. Saudi Arabia currently pumps around 10 million bpd, but has capacity of around 12 million bpd - a surplus of two million bpd. 'The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to support the stability of the global oil markets to serve the interests of both producers and consumers and also the sustainability of global economic growth,' the ministry statement said. Iranian politicians burning pieces of paper with the US flag on after the announcement on Tuesday Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran could reinstate the nuclear programme after the decision Major oil producers from OPEC and non-OPEC members including Russia, the world's top producer, are linked to a deal until the end of the year to cut output by 1.8 million bpd to support prices. Oil prices made key gains after Trump's announcement with Brent crude rising 2.4 percent to over $76.5 a barrel and US crude trading above $70 early Wednesday. The UAE and Bahrain also backed Trump's decision - with the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeting: 'Iran's rhetoric & aggressive regional actions were the background to a flawed deal. 'The veneer of Tehran's compliance contradicted its bellicose policies. President Trump's decision is the correct one'. Mr Trump said in his announcement that the United States consulted with our friends from across the Middle East. 'We are unified in our understanding of the threat and in our conviction that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon,' he said. Saudi Arabia has long accused its regional rival Tehran of supplying the Huthi rebels in Yemen with ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles over the capital Riyadh on Wednesday believed to have been fired from Yemen. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition said Saudi air defences hours earlier had also intercepted a ballistic missile originating from Yemen and targeting Saudi Arabia's southern city of Jizan. Colonel Turki al-Maliki blamed the 'Iran-backed Huthi' rebels in Yemen for the attack. Saudi Arabia launched a military coalition in Yemen in 2015, aimed at rolling back the Huthis and restoring the internationally recognised government to power. The Huthis have in recent months intensified missile attacks against Saudi Arabia. Iran nuclear deal - what happens next? Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal abruptly restores harsh sanctions on Iran, an any companies which trades with it, meaning major companies in the U.S. and Europe could be hurt, too. The sanctions seek to punish Iran for its nuclear program by limiting its ability to sell oil or do business overseas, affecting a wide range of Iranian economic sectors and individuals. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that licenses held by Boeing and its European competitor Airbus to sell billions of dollars in commercial jetliners to Iran will be revoked. New rules: US President Donald Trump, seen here shaking hands with National Security Advisor John Bolton, will impose sanctions on Iran, and companies doing business with Iran, immediately Certain exemptions are to be negotiated, but Mnuchin refused to discuss what products might qualify. He said the sanctions will sharply curtail sales of oil by Iran, which is currently the world's fifth largest oil producer. Mnuchin said he didn't expect oil prices to rise sharply, forecasting that other producers will step up production. The White House administration said it would re-impose sanctions on Iran immediately but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity. Companies and banks doing business with Iran will have to scramble to extricate themselves or run afoul of the U.S. government. In Iran, many are deeply concerned about how Trump's decision could affect the already struggling economy. In Tehran, Rouhani sought to calm nerves, smiling as he appeared at a petroleum expo. He didn't name Trump directly, but emphasized that Iran continued to seek 'engagement with the world.' Advertisement Advertisement The Duke of Cambridge today officially opened London Bridge station after a five-year 1billion redevelopment. Prince William unveiled a plaque following the transformation of Britain's fourth busiest railway station which is said to have nearly doubled its capacity and created two-thirds more space for passengers. The 35-year-old royal carried out his first engagement this morning after a break following the birth of his new son Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge, who was born on April 23, weighing 8lb 7oz. The Duke of Cambridge speaks to children before he officially opens London Bridge train station this morning Prince William looks at a model of the new London Bridge station following its 1billion redevelopment programme The Duke of Cambridge officially opens the revamped London Bridge railway station by unveiling a plaque this morning He was given a present for his family - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Louis - of a book about Southwark Cathedral's cat and laughed when the Network Rail chief joked Louis might one day have a career on the railways. William arrived by train at the station, which brings 56million passengers into London a year, before meeting apprentices and staff involved in the project, which began in 2012 with the old train shed's removal. The Prince was greeted by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling and Simon Blanchflower, Network Rail's Thameslink programme director, after arriving from Blackfriars station on a new Class 700 Thameslink service. Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail which carried out the redevelopment, began by mentioning the birth of Louis on St George's Day - April 23. He said: 'On behalf of everyone on Britain's railways I'd like to congratulate you and the Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of Prince Louis. The Duke of Cambridge signs the visitors' book as he officially opens London Bridge station this morning Prince William (centre) with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling (left) and Network Rail Chief Executive Mark Carne (right) William with Mr Grayling and Mr Carne at London Bridge station today, which has had a new track layout implemented 'I know that the royal family have always been tremendous supporters and users of the railway and I hope that Prince Louis will perhaps have a flourishing career as a railway engineer. 'I am immensely proud that we brought this wonderful station into service on the very day we said we would, more than five years ago. 'This station has been rebuilt from the Victorian foundations upwards, the team of engineers that achieved this had to carry out this huge project whilst still providing a service for 48million people who use this station every year.' All 15 platforms at the station can now be accessed from a single central point, while the street level concourse has become the largest in the country and is roughly the size of the Wembley Stadium pitch. During the project a major track upgrade was carried out, platforms were widened and extended and a new underpass built. The 35-year-old royal carried out his first engagement this morning after a break following the birth of his new son William spoke at the revamped station, where all 15 platforms can now be accessed from a single central point In October the Department for Transport (DfT) decided to delay the full introduction of new Thameslink services at London Bridge from December 2018 to December 2019. This reduced the risk of disruption but meant passengers in some locations would not receive the full benefits of the programme for up to a year later than scheduled. The Transport Secretary remained upbeat at the launch, saying the redevelopment was a 'fantastic project' that was going to make a 'huge difference to commuting in and around London'. Thameslink services are running at 18 trains per hour and will increase to 20 in December, with the full increase to 24 not reached until December next year. A modernisation scheme named Thameslink 2000 was first discussed in 1991 but did not begin until 2006 due to privatisation of the railways and complex planning inquiries. The Duke of Cambridge (left) officially opens London Bridge station today as people take photographs of the moment A British Transport Police officer watches crowds gathered before the arrival of Prince William at the station this morning The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their new son Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge on April 23 in London After William unveiled a plaque to mark the opening, the Bishop of Southwark Christopher Chessun and the Dean of Southwark Cathedral Andrew Nunn, whose cathedral is nearby, presented the duke with a book, Doorkins The Cathedral Cat - based on their pet cat. Bishop Chessun said: 'We do hope that he reads it to his children George, Charlotte and Louis. He expressed delight and pleasure when he received the book. When he heard that the Queen features in the book, he laughed and said he'd mention it to his grandmother. 'The book is based on a true story, when the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh came to Southwark Cathedral in 2013. She came to look at the Diamond Jubilee window and Doorkins the cathedral cat was curled up asleep underneath it. 'The dean said, 'This is one of your subjects Ma'am, who is not particularly impressed by your visit', which made her laugh. Doorkins is a real favourite, so much so that some people call her Magnificat.' India's Prime Minister refused to sign a deal to speed the removal of illegal immigrants from Britain when he met Theresa May last month, it has emerged. Narendra Modi signed a series of new agreements when he visited Britain during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. But a draft deal to streamline removals from the UK remained unsigned amid irritation in Delhi about whether more Indians will be allowed visas to Britain after Brexit. The draft was initialled by officials in January but now hangs in the balance. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to sign a deal to speed the removal of illegal immigrants from Britain when he met Theresa May last month, it has emerged The breakdown came at the height of the Windrush scandal, with the UK Government accused of wrongfully deporting people back to the Caribbean. Up to 100,000 people of Indian origin are thought to be living in Britain illegally, the highest number by nationality. The number removed either forcibly or voluntarily from the UK fell by 45 per cent from 7,724 in 2014 to 4,254 last year, Home Office figures reveal. Britain proposed a new process to streamline the system but Mr Modi refused to sign the deal at the last moment. Indian government officials told the Hindustan paper the premier's concerns included a 'fear of mass deportation, a consent clause and possible security breaches'. A spokesman for the British high commission in Delhi told The Times Britain would negotiate looser rules on legal immigration after Brexit but only in return for better systems to return illegal migrants. a draft deal to streamline removals from the UK remained unsigned amid irritation in Delhi about whether more Indians will be allowed visas to cross the British border (file) after Brexit He said: 'The government wants discernible progress on returns . . . It is not clear to us what they want.' The Home Office said: 'The agreement paves the way for a quicker and more efficient process for documenting and returning Indian nationals who are in the UK illegally. 'We look forward to further discussions with the government of India on this MoU and hope it will be ratified and implemented soon.' Pupils caught taking plastic water bottles into school could be punished in the same way as if they were caught smoking cigarettes behind the bike sheds. Under strict new rules any pupil found taking a plastic water bottle in to Brighton College could face a formal warning or worse. The move is part of radical new measures brought in by headmaster Richard Cairns as part of an environmental drive at the 12,000-a-year Brighton College, East Sussex. It is the first school in Britain to brand single-use plastics like water bottles, plastic straws or non-biodegradable cups as 'anti-social' and ban them from the premises. The move is part of radical new measures brought in by headmaster Richard Cairns (second from left) as part of a environmental drive at the 12,000-a-year Brighton College, East Sussex Mr Cairns will make the announcement at an education conference at the school tomorrow. And Mr Cairns warned all teachers and staff at the school to follow the new school rule as well. To ensure pupils have enough water, the school is currently installing more water fountains and water stations. It is also commissioning refillable bottles, each etched with key environmental messages, for all pupils. Mr Cairns said: 'We will treat plastic bottles, straws and non-biodegradable cups as anti-social, in the same way that for decades we have banned cigarettes. 'Initially, we will enforce the changes with a system of formal warnings for pupils breaking the rules but there is also the appetite, if it proves necessary, to use sanctions - in large part, because the potential for sanctions highlights the significance of the issue'. Mr Cairns (pictured middle) warned all teachers and staff at the school to follow the new school rule as well. The new environmental measures may eventually include banning parents and teachers who drive polluting diesel cars from from driving onto school premises. The move comes after sixth formers at the coastal school started campaigning for the use of less plastic after watching the BBC's Blue Planet series. Mr Cairns will say: 'Many pupils were really shaken by the terrible images on David Attenborough's Blue Planet 2 of marine animals being strangled by plastic. 'In 2016, more than 480 billion plastic drinking bottles were sold across the world, with millions ending up in our oceans. A recent survey by Plymouth University found that plastic was found in a third of all UK-caught fish, and the effect on humans of eating fish containing this plastic is still largely unknown.' Mr Cairns will also use his speech to condemn those manufacturers putting plastic straws in drinks aimed at children. The Marine Conservation Society has reported that plastic straws are blighting our beaches and seas. The plastics used take hundreds of years to decompose. Under strict new rules any pupil found taking a plastic water bottle in to Brighton College (pictured) could face a formal warning or worse The headmaster also plans to address the use of diesel at his school. He will tell gathered heads at the conference: 'The World Health Organisation has classified diesel as a class one carcinogen and the cause of thousands of premature deaths in Britain yet nearly all school minibuses are powered by diesel'. He will call on motor manufacturers pioneering electric vehicles to focus on producing electric vehicles for schools and has written to all major manufacturers seeking their support. He said: 'I have asked the school's science department to establish a research group of sixth formers, all able scientists, to research the evidence and advise me of possible ways forward. 'Educationally, this makes great sense for those individuals. It also flags up to the whole community that we are serious about this matter. In the meantime, we are incentivising the drivers of electric or hybrid cars by installing electric chargers in our school car park.' Tourists bombarding a Notting Hill bookstore with questions about the Hugh Grant movie has forced the staff to put up an angry sign to deter fans from asking about the flick. Owners of the Book and Comic Exchange posted the notice because of the sheer amount of tourists desperate to see backdrops from the popular film Notting Hill. Visitors are continually mistaking the bookstore for the Travel Bookshop, which was featured in the rom-com but closed in 2011. The fed-up store erected a sign that reads: 'This is not the shop from the rubbish film Notting Hill. So don't ask! We don't know where it is either!' Owners of the Book and Comic Exchange have put up an angry sign because tourists are continually mistaking the shop for the Travel Bookshop featured in the movie Notting Hill A shop worker at The Book and Comic Exchange (pictured) moaned that fans desperate to visit the real life bookstore, where the main characters met in the film, had become 'irritating' The actual bookshop from the blockbuster film was The Travel Bookshop (pictured), founded in 1979, which closed in 2011, after 32 years of business A shop worker at The Book and Comic Exchange moaned that fans desperate to visit the real life bookstore where the main characters met in the film had become 'irritating.' Some are even convinced they will bump into Hugh Grant if they loiter long enough, he said. The confusion has become a pain for the store's owners because the shop is so tiny and can only hold a few customers at a time. The Notting Hill film sees actor Hugh Grant playing the role of bumbling independent bookstore owner named Will Thacker. Julia Roberts stars as famous film actress Anna Scott. The pair eventually strike up an unlikely romance after a couple of chance encounters whilst she is in the area making a movie. The actual bookshop from the blockbuster film was The Travel Bookshop, founded in 1979, which closed in 2011, after 32 years of business. Director Richard Curtis was inspired to write the movie - released on May 21, 1999 - after frequently visiting the shop close to his home. On social media, customers have applauded the sign. On Instagram, therockmother said: 'That is such a brilliantly angry sign.' The confusion has become a pain for the store's owners because the shop is so tiny and can only hold a few customers at a time On TripAdvisor, some tourists appear to see the funny side of the sign, as in the case of reviewer Philip L And thecamouflagecompany added: 'Good marketing.' Catscoffeecreativity wrote: 'They might as well have a sign saying ''Please go away!'' And on TripAdvisor, others appear to see the funny side of the sign. Reviewer Philip L: 'Yes, we visited the 'blue door' and saw the Travel Bookshop (which is called that, but is a souvenir shop) and loved the sign in a bookshop at the southern end of Portobello Road claiming that it WASN'T the bookshop in that '@$*&!?' of a movie. Very funny.' Notting Hill - an area in west London - has been besieged with film fans ever since the flick was released. Many visit the famous blue door - the location of William Thacker's flat in the film. The Blue Door, a gift shop on Portobello Road, said they too have fans asking all the time if their shop is linked to the film. A spokesman for Kensington and Chelsea Council said they were aware of the book shop being mistaken for the one from the film. He added: 'Our borough is a hugely popular place for tourists and film buffs, which is great for the majority of our local and small businesses. 'If anyone needs guidance on where to really go to experience the magic of the movies, we have an interactive map on our website.' A wife suspected her husband of having an affair when she found a fake nail and drugs in his car - only to find the vehicle was being used by strangers overnight. Father-of-two Muhannad Kaddour, 32, struggled to explain why his vehicle smelled of cannabis each day. But after several days the mystery was solved when the software developer looked outside his house in Leytonstone, east London, to find a couple sitting in his car. Father-of-two Muhannad Kaddour could not understand why his car smelt of drugs each day despite sitting locked outside his home Mr Kaddour's wife (pictured) grew suspicious about the smell in her husband's car and he was unable to explain it because the vehicle had been locked Following several thefts from cars in the area, Mr Kaddour claims 150 worth of items went missing from his car last month including sunglasses and phone chargers. A week ago he then discovered a woman's nail in the footwell. He said: 'My wife was like every woman saying 'what the hell is that doing in there? Who was with you in the car?' and I didn't have any idea. 'Then she started smelling cannabis in the car too. I said I don't smoke it, and had to explain that no one had gotten in my car and smoked either. I was worried.' He claims he began double checking that the vehicle was locked each night by clicking his remote key from inside the house. Mr Kaddour said: 'The motion sensor came on meaning the car won't open from the inside anymore as it was deadlocked. 'I saw two people sat inside the car. I was so shocked I was checking the number plate to check it was my car as they looked so comfortable.' The dad believes the male and female were using a hi-tech signal jammer to access his car at will, leaving no sign of entry and swiping gadgets and sunglasses while smoking drugs in there He believes the pair were using a signal jammer to access his car. 'The car is keyless so they couldn't start it, but they could get in. 'I saw the signal replicating device in the woman's hands. She had a small grey device with buttons on it that she hid from the police. 'When I was trying to lock her in she was pressing it and it was unlocking the car doors. It deadlocked to trap them inside and I called the police.' However Mr Kaddour claims eight police officers arrived on the scene, unlocked the car doors and let the unwelcome pair out. He added: 'They claimed the car's window was open and they knocked on the neighbour's doors and when nobody answered, they sat in the car. Muhannad said: 'These two scumbags have been getting into my car, stealing my stuff, making it dirty, smoking their drugs in there, and now they are caught they are going to let them go' 'These two scumbags have been getting into my car, stealing my stuff, making it dirty, smoking their drugs in there, and now they are caught they are going to let them go. 'We are frightened now. We're having to get the locks changed on the house and get CCTV. '[The other day] I saw the woman walking past me. I think it's a gang operating in east London. 'She tried to ignore me, she tried to move past fast while putting sunglasses on quickly. She wouldn't speak to me. 'We're hard working people and this is costing me an arm and a leg. I can't afford to buy things like a phone charger on a daily basis. 'The criminals know there is a gap in the law where if they are just stealing from the car and not stealing the car itself, they can get away with it. 'I feel like there's nothing I can do within the law to make my community safer.' A Met Police spokesman said: 'Police were called to Leytonstone at 10.55pm on Friday, 4 May following reports of a suspected vehicle related offence and two people detained. 'Officers attended and spoke to two men and established that there were no offences. On the afternoon of the 6 May police received a complaint in relation to this incident. This complaint is being looked into.' Schneiderman's career collapsed just three hours after the 63-year-old Democrat was accused of choking, slapping, threatening or otherwise abusing four women during intimate encounters A journalist has claimed she was 'aggressively kissed' by former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman during a blind date in 2010 that ended on a sour note. The woman, who has refused to reveal her identity but asked to be known as 'Jennifer C', said she hadn't thought about Schneiderman in 'forever' but was reminded of the alleged encounter after other women came forward to accuse him of abuse. Schneiderman's career collapsed just three hours after the 63-year-old Democrat was accused of choking, slapping, threatening or otherwise abusing four women during intimate encounters. The allegations, which Schneiderman contests but which led him to resign, emerged on Monday in an article in The New Yorker, a publication he hailed just last month for reporting on Harvey Weinstein and starting a 'critical national reckoning' on sexual misconduct by powerful men. Speaking to the New York Daily News, the latest woman to accuse Schneiderman of misconduct said her date with the then-state legislator started pleasantly. She said he brought her flowers, picked her up and was 'good looking'. There was 'a lot of drinking' when they ate at Bette Midler's restaurant, New Leaf, in Fort Tryon Park, including champagne, a bottle of wine and whisky, she claimed. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (right) issued a letter Tuesday appointing a special prosecutor to probe New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (left) Cuomo issued a letter Tuesday to appoint Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas to investigate the allegations against Schneiderman Schneiderman's ex-wife Jennifer Cunningham (right) and his daughter Catherine Schneiderman take a walk Tuesday evening, May 8, 2018 in Manhattan, New York The lawmaker's ex-wife and daughter appeared glum as they went for a stroll together in New York Catherine Schneiderman was formerly engaged to Australian actor Matthew Newton, who had been arrested twice for domestic violence (pair pictured above in September 2016) When she questioned his offer to drive her to a party after the drinking, she claims he said: 'This is my city. I can do what I want'. She claimed that on the drive home she received a text from a man who invited her to a party. Schneiderman, she alleges, agreed to come along before leaning across the car at a red light and 'aggressively kiss[ing]' the woman before doing it again at another light. When she objected, saying she wouldn't have minded 'a little bit of tongue' but did not approve of the aggression, he allegedly replied: 'You like a little bit of d***, too?' She then claimed he became 'jealous' that she had been speaking to another man and, after her asking three times to be let out, stopped by the side of the road so she could walk to the party alone. Allegations: Four women have accused Schneiderman (above), who is suing Harvey Weinstein, of physical abuse It comes after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo designated a special prosecutor to investigate Schneiderman after four women came forward with harrowing physical assault allegations against the politician. Cuomo issued a letter Tuesday to appoint Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas to investigate all matters related to the claims as well as the prosecutor for criminal charges against Schneiderman if warranted. The former attorney general was a no-show for work this morning after announcing it would be his final day hours following the damning New Yorker expose in which his ex-girlfriends claimed he had hit or slapped them without consent, often in bed, and frequently after drinking. The politician responded to the allegations by admitting that he 'engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity' but denying claims that he ever assaulted another person or had 'nonconsensual sex.' Victim: Tanya Selvaratnam said she first met Schneiderman in 2016 at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and said she was swept off her feet (pair above in April 2017) The Manhattan district attorney's office also announced it had opened a formal investigation. 'Our office has opened an investigation into the recently reported allegations concerning Mr. Schneiderman,' said Danny Frost, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. Amid the shocking allegations, Schneiderman's ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham, and their daughter, Catherine Schneiderman, were spotted walking side-by-side Tuesday evening in Manhattan. The announcement about the Schneiderman probe came just five days after it was revealed his office was investigating Vance for his decision to not file sexual assault charges in the wake of a 2015 incident involving Harvey Weinstein and Italian model Ambra Battilana. Chnaged man: Michelle Manning Barish alleges that about a month into their relationship, Schneiderman (pair above in 2015) slapped and choked her in the bedroom of his Upper West Side apartment. That probe was requested by Cuomo, and Scneiderman said last week he would assign a special deputy to lead the inquiry. Schneiderman's successor will be picked by the State Assembly and Senate in a joint ballot in a process that will begin on Tuesday according to a spokesperson for speaker Carl E. Heastie. Whomever is elected will serve the remaining months of Schneiderman's term and then be eligible to run for attorney general in the upcoming November election. As of Monday, only one person had announced their intention to run against Schneiderman, who was seeking reelection for the second time after taking office back in 2010. Prior to that he served five terms in the Senate. Solicitor General Barbara D. Underwood was named acting-Attorney General on Tuesday. 'This morning, I'm grateful to work with the best colleagues in the business - including Barbara Underwood, who will be acting NY AG. She's argued 20 cases before SCOTUS, clerked for Thurgood Marshall, & much more. The work continues,' tweeted Amy Spitalnick, the spokesperson for the Attorney General's office. Two of Schneiderman's former romantic partners, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, came forward to share their allegations against him, which they classify as 'assault'. Neither filed a police report at the time but both sought medical treatment. A third former romantic partner, who was not named, shared similar stories of bedroom violence. A fourth woman, an attorney in New York, said Schneiderman made unwanted advances and then slapped her when she rebuffed him. Schneiderman issued a response to the allegations on Monday evening, stating: 'In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me. 'While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office's work at this critical time. I therefore resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8, 2018.' In his initial statement to the magazine, Schneiderman said: 'In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in nonconsensual sex, which is a line I would not cross.' It was not long however before New York state's top lawmakers issued scathing responses to news of the Attorney General's alleged assaults. 'No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer, said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, like Schneiderman a Democrat, in a statement on Monday night calling on the attorney general to resign. 'My personal opinion is that, given the damning pattern of facts and corroboration laid out in the article, I do not believe it is possible for Eric Schneiderman to continue to serve as attorney general, and for the good of the office, he should resign,' Cuomo said. The Governor said that he would instruct a district attorney to open an immediate investigation and 'proceed as the facts merit'. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand also denounced Schneiderman and called for his resignation in the wake of the allegations, stating: 'The violent actions described by multiple women in this story are abhorrent. Based on this extensive and serious reporting, I do not believe that Eric Schneiderman should continue to serve as attorney general.' There was also deisbelief from Schneiderman's ex-wife, political advisor Jennifer Cunningham. 'I've known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend,' said Cunningham. 'These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father.' The couple have one adult daughter, Catherine, and Cunningham has continues to advise Schneiderman in the years since their divorce. A spokesman for the NYPD said there were no criminal complaints on file against Schneiderman, who lives in Manhattan. 'If the NYPD receives complaints of a crime, it will investigate them thoroughly,' the spokesman said in a statement to DailyMail.com. Got to go: 'No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer, said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (above with Schneiderman in 2014) Old foe: Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance (above in 2011) is also being investigated by Scneiderman Shock: 'These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father,' said Schneiderman's ex-wife Jennifer Cunnigham (above at Trump Tower in Jaunuary 2017) Schneiderman was investigating Vance for his decision to not file sexual assault charges in the wake of a 2015 incident involving Harvey Weinstein and Italian model Ambra Battilana (above) In the article co-reported by Ronan Farrow, Manning Barish and Selvaratnam both said that Schneiderman threatened to kill them if they broke up with him. Selvaratnam also said that he claimed he could tap her phones or have her followed. Manning Barish was in a relationship with Schneiderman, who divorced years ago, from 2013 until New Year's Day in 2015. 'His hypocrisy is epic,' she told the New Yorker. 'He's fooled so many people.' Manning Barish alleges that about a month into their relationship, Schneiderman slapped and choked her in the bedroom of his Upper West Side apartment. They had both been drinking and began to remonstrate after he called her a 'whore', she said. 'All of a sudden, he just slapped me, open handed and with great force, across the face, landing the blow directly onto my ear,' she said. 'He then used his body weight to hold me down, and he began to choke me. The choking was very hard. It was really bad. I kicked. In every fibre, I felt I was being beaten by a man.' Selvaratnam said she first met Schneiderman in 2016 at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and said she was swept off her feet. Solicitor General Barbara D. Underwood (above) was named acting-Attorney General on Tuesday She says that as they began dating, 'it was a fairy tale that became a nightmare'. 'The slaps started after we'd gotten to know each other,' she recalled. 'It was at first as if he were testing me. Then it got stronger and harder... It wasn't consensual. This wasn't sexual playacting. This was abusive, demeaning, threatening behavior.' Selvaratnam, who is from Sri Lanka, claims that Scheiderman called her his 'brown slave' and demanded that she call him 'Master', slapping her until she complied. She said that he also choked her, 'cutting off my ability to breathe'. Like Manning Barish, Selvaratnam said that Schneiderman regularly consumed huge quantities of alcohol. Schneiderman was an ally to Hillary Clinton and had sued Donald Trump over his Trump University, and his mood grew dark and despondent after Trump won the presidential election, Selvaratnam said. The day before Trump's Inauguration, Selvaratnam said she rushed to the hospital after Schneiderman fell in a drunken stupor and cut his forehead, requiring stitches. A public appearance was canceled and the story at the time was that he'd fallen while running. Now a spokesman says Schneiderman 'fell in the bathroom while completely sober', but was embarrassed and so told staff he'd been running. Selvaratnam's relationship with Schneiderman ended in the fall of 2017. Tanya Selvaratnam also dated Schneiderman and has accused him of misconduct Michelle Manning Barish dated Schneiderman from 2013 to January 2015. She says 'his hypocrisy is epic' and alleges he slapped and hit her in the bedroom without consent Ironically, given the stunning claims against him, Schneiderman authored New York's law against strangulation while in the state Senate. His law created specific penalties for choking and targeted domestic abusers, for whom strangulation is known to often be a precursor to deadly violence. Schneiderman has long been a vocal advocate for women's rights and a loud proponent of the #MeToo movement. In February, Schneiderman filed a civil rights lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein and his company, after more than 80 women accused the film mogul of sexual misconduct. 'We have never seen anything as despicable as what we've seen right here,' Schneiderman said at the time. Jeremy Corbyn is facing a fresh row over anti-Semitism after appearing to backtrack on a pledge to visit Barnet and apologise to ousted Labour councillors. John McDonnell last night promised that he would visit the borough with the Labour leader to meet with activists furious at the local election defeat. But Mr Corbyn's official spokesman today said 'there are no plans' for him to visit the borough, which the Tories won control of after a major revolt by Jewish voters. Mr McDonnell, the shadow chancellor and a close Corbyn ally, last night held talks with two ousted Labour councillors in the north London borough. He admitted they are owed an apology and promised he and Mr Corbyn would come back to face them. Adam Langleben, one of the ex councillors, said the hour-long talks had been 'positive'. He added: 'He agreed that our young activists who knocked on doors deserve an apology and he agreed that he would call out fake news websites.' Ex Labour councillor Adam Langleben (pictured left) has demanded that Jeremy Corbyn (pictured right in Islington, north London, on election day) visit Barnet to apologise to activists for the local election defeat, which has been blamed on the anti-Semitism scandal Mr Langleben said he expected the shadow chancellor to return with the Labour leader to visit the area 'soon'. 'He agreed that he and Jeremy should make a visit to Barnet and he understood the abuse that our canvassers have received,' he said. The ex-councillor said Mr McDonnell had pledged to 'call out' anti-Semitism in the party. 'He showed he understood conspiratorial anti-Semitism, especially from the left,' he added. Labour was left humiliated last week after they failed to seize control of any of their target London boroughs in local elections - despite high hopes they would. John McDonnell (pictured on the BBC Andrew Marr show on Sunday) held talks with two ousted Labour councillors in Barnet last night. He has pledged to return to the borough with Jeremy Corbyn to apologise to activists, one of the councillors at the meeting said Ex Labour councillor Adam Langleben said the shadow chancellor 'gets' the problem with anti-Semitism and promised him it would be tackled One Labour MP told MailOnline that Labour had become the new 'nasty party' following the anti-Semitism row. While others told how voters who had backed Labour for years were deserting the party over the scandal. And speaking at the weekend, Mr McDonnell admitted the anti-Semitism scandal which has rocked the party contributed to their defeat in Barnet, which has a large Jewish population. Mr McDonnell told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: 'Anti-Semitism certainly had its effect, there's no doubt about it, in Barnet itself. 'I'm hoping that the measures we have put in place now, the Chakrabarti Report implemented in full, Jennie Formby the new general secretary - Jeremy Corbyn said to Jennie ''your first priority is tackling this issue''.' Advertisement This is the horrific moment a teenage girl writhes in agony after a noxious substance was squirted at her on a London bus. The girl, 18, collapses on the floor of food market stall in a shopping arcade desperately trying to rinse her mouth out with bottled water as shocked witnesses look on. Mohammed Raffiq told MailOnline how the teenage girl stumbled into his stall and screamed, 'Help me, I'm burning' as she slumped to the floor by the chiller cabinet and tried to cool herself down. She stumbled in to Mr Raffiq's stall in the Reliance Arcade moments after she was sprayed in the face with a on a bus in Brixton, south London. She is said to have been deliberately targeted by a female attacker, police believe. Firemen were pictured hosing her down behind a screen on the street before she was taken to hospital. This is the horrific moment a teenage girl writhes in agony after a noxious substance was squirted into her mouth on a London bus yesterday afternoon The girl, 18, is filmed slumped on the floor of food market stall in a shopping arcade desperately trying to clean her mouth out with water as shocked witnesses look on Witness Mohammed Raffiq (pictured right) told MailOnline how the teenage girl screamed, 'Help me, I'm burning' as she fell to the floor and tried to cool herself down The teenager (pictured) stumbled up to shopkeeper Mohammed Raffiq's stall (pictured) in the Reliance Arcade after she was squirted in the face with a corrosive liquid on a bus in Brixton Mr Raffiq is seen on the CCTV video trying to help her as another bystander calls an ambulance. He said: 'She was screaming and clearly in a lot of pain. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and was squirting it into her mouth and on to her face. 'She said, 'Someone gave me acid! Someone put it in my mouth! It's in my mouth!' He went on: 'I gave her five more bottles of water and she went into another shop to wash herself down.' Police said last night they were hunting a lone female suspect. The attack is being treated as grievous bodily harm and is believed to be targeted and not random, they added Footage online showed the woman sitting on the pavement as firemen hosed her down shortly before 2pm before surrounding her with a sheet while she was treated by paramedics Meanwhile the victim's sister told the Evening Standard: 'This is an issue. It's getting worse. I think she's ok. But how is this all going to stop?' The young woman, who is believed to have been involved in a fight on a bus, was taken into a woman's hairdressers shop. Hairdresser Sabrina Belachew told MailOnline: 'The poor young woman came into my shop. She was in terrible pain 'She was screaming: 'I'm burning, I'm burning.' 'She was asking for scissors to cut her hair. 'She said her attacker had sprayed something in her mouth and put something in her hair. 'I felt very sorry for her and worried for my own children. Everyone has to use the bus.' Mohammed Raffiq (pictured) was on the video trying to help her as another bystander called an ambulance. He said: 'She was screaming and clearly in a lot of pain. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and was squirting it into her mouth' The alleged attacker is on the run and is believed to have deliberately targeted the victim, spraying part of the substance in her mouth The woman wearing a white top and dark trousers is filmed collapsed on the floor while passers by discuss how best to help her Footage online showed the woman sitting on the pavement as firemen hosed her down shortly before 2pm before surrounding her with a sheet while she was treated by paramedics. Police said last night they were hunting a lone female suspect. The attack is being treated as grievous bodily harm and is believed to be targeted and not random, they added. A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: 'The woman was treated at the scene as she got off the bus. She was then taken to a central London hospital for treatment. 'Her condition is not life changing or life threatening. She has no major burns. 'Enquiries continue to trace the single suspect involved, who is now believed to be female. The spokesman added: 'This incident appears to be targeted and not a random attack. The bus - which is believed to be the scene of the attack - continues to be examined.' The attack follows a violent Bank Holiday weekend in the capital with a series of acid attacks, stabbings and shootings. Several teenagers were stabbed in separate incidents yesterday. The 'acid attack' is the latest violent incident to hit London in the past few days with a number of attacks including an incident in Woolwich during rush hour yesterday when a man in his late teens was also stabbed in the leg One victim, aged 16, suffered multiple stab wounds following what was reported as a 'large fight' in Hackney. An 18-year-old man was also taken to hospital with a serious leg injury after police were called to the Nightingale Estate at about 4.10pm. Scotland Yard said the younger boy was given treatment at a local surgery before being taken to a central London hospital. His condition was not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing. No arrests have been made. Another victim, in his late teens, was stabbed in the leg during an evening rush-hour incident near Woolwich Arsenal station, south-east London. Police had again received reports of a fight, and a man was later arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon. The extent of the victim's injuries is not known. Meanwhile, a man in his 50s died after he was found unconscious in a street in Barking, east London, at 6am this morning. His death is being treated as unexplained, Scotland Yard said. Kevin Cooper, 47, has been banned from teaching over a hotel stay with a girl An Oxford educated geography teacher who shared a hotel bed with a pupil and took her to restaurants has been banned from teaching for life. Kevin Cooper, 47, was a boarding master and teacher at the private St James School in Grimsby when he struck up an inappropriate relationship with a student. In 2016 Cooper exchanged messages with the girl on social media before meeting in private, a disciplinary panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) was told. The relationship at the 9,000 per year school escalated and in May 2016 he spent three nights in London with the girl, who he shared a hotel bed with. The girl claimed there was no sexual contact between the pair but Cooper's conduct was deemed to be 'sexually motivated' by investigators. Police officers also found the pair parked in a lay-by together, early in the morning in the same year. Cooper admitted to the panel he wanted a relationship with the student, but denied he was sexually motivated. He said: 'My intention was always to remain utterly professional - once it became clear that she felt as strongly for me as I did for her, I harboured the hope that after leaving the school, we might enter a romantic relationship'. Posh private school St James School in Grimsby employed Mr Cooper as a boarding master and geography teacher The teacher, who studied Geology at Oxford University was suspended in July 2016 was found guilty by a disciplinary panel of unacceptable professional conduct. He is now working in the wine industry, according to social media accounts. Kevin Cooper no longer works as a teacher after striking up a relationship with a student Cooper had denied the bulk of the allegations against him including that his conduct was sexually motivated. He had also denied that an assault conviction from 2015 was relevant to the case. But Ms Dandy said she considered that, in order to satisfy the maintenance of public confidence in the teaching profession, there should be no review period. The panel in their findings said they were 'unable to reconcile Mr Cooper's denial that he was sexually motivated with his actions.' They said : 'Mr Cooper was sexually motivated in his pursuit of an inappropriate relationship with a pupil, and as such this was serious sexual misconduct. In a separate incident, Mr Cooper was convicted of assault.' Mr Cooper can appeal to the High Court. A 45-minute commute between Sydney and Melbourne could soon be a reality, as NASA reveals plans for a supersonic aircraft that promises to cut commercial travel times in half. The proposed jetliner will fly faster than the speed of sound, says the air and space agency - so fast that it will create a sonic boom when it breaks the sound barrier. And the aircraft could be taking to the skies within a matter of years. NASA has revealed plans for a supersonic jetliner that could fly faster than the speed of sound and cut commercial travel times in half - reducing a flight from Sydney to Melbourne to a mere 45 minutes The air and space agency has developed quiet supersonic technologies to make the lightning-fast speeds possible without the unsettling noise of a sonic boom when the aircraft breaks the sound barrier As it stands, supersonic flight over land is generally prohibited by the Federal Aviation Administration, due to the 'unsettling' noise produced by the breaking of the sound barrier. But by implementing quiet supersonic technologies, NASA's so-called 'LBFD' - or low boom flight demonstrator - promises to hit those lightning speeds without the thunderous noise pollution. To test that theory, the agency will be conducting a series of flights later this year in order to test the technology's effectiveness 'in terms of public acceptance.' One major factor that prevented the Concorde high-speed airliner (pictured) from succeeding in the 70s and 80s was the amount of noise pollution it caused when it reached such high speeds One major factor that saw the Concorde go the way of the dodo back in the 80s, after all, was the unacceptable noise the French airliner made when it reached high-speed transit. What makes this plane different? Quiet supersonic technologies will allow NASA's LBFD jetliner to break the sound barrier without creating a noisy sonic boom Despite reaching speeds 10 per cent higher than those of a Concorde jetliner, the LBFD will produce a 'boom' much quieter than other supersonic aircraft It will also boast 55 premium seats, an all-business-class interior designed for comfort, privacy, and productivity and mach 2.2 speeds - all with business-class fares Advertisement The other was the extortionate cost to passengers. It is expected that a ticket on NASA's supersonic jet, conversely, will sit at a similar price-point to that of a first-class fare. It is also projected to reach speeds 10 per cent faster than the now-defunct Concorde. 'Supersonic flight has existed for over 50 years, but the technology to make it efficient and mainstream has only recently been accepted by regulators' says Boom Technologies, the firm producing the aircraft alongside NASA, on its website. The so-called 'LBFD' - or low boom flight demonstrator - will come with '55 premium seats,' an 'All-business-class interior designed for comfort, privacy, and productivity' and 'Mach 2.2 speeds with business-class fares' Further descriptions of the aircraft promise '55 premium seats,' an 'All-business-class interior designed for comfort, privacy, and productivity' and 'Mach 2.2 speeds with business-class fares... a game-changer for airlines and passengers.' The LBFD, developed by Lockheed's Skunk Works over 20 years, aims to produce a much lower 'boom' than other supersonic aircraft at speeds beyond Mach 1. In a written statement, a NASA spokesman previously said the aim was to create a boom 'so quiet it hardly will be noticed by the public, if at all... like distant thunder [or] the sound of your neighbor forcefully shutting his car door.' NASA is hoping to see the first flight tests take place in the first quarter of 2021. A father-of-three died form a gunshot wound in front of his twin daughters hours after celebrating their birthday. Roy Eunice was gunned down outside his home on Broadway in Sacramento about 10.30pm on Saturday night as he took out his garbage. Three bullets were fired by an unknown shooter, one going through his screen door, another through two walls, and the third hitting him in the chest. Scroll down for video Roy Eunice, 42, was gunned down outside his home on Broadway in Sacramento about 10.30pm on Saturday night as he took out his garbage He ran inside telling his 10-year-old twin daughters (pictured) to call their mother and 911, then collapsed and died in front of them The 42-year-old ran inside telling the 10-year-old girls to call their mother and 911, then collapsed and died in front of them. Hours earlier the family celebrated the twin's birthday and there cake was still on the table yards from where he died. Mr Eunice's sister Mary Thompson described his death as a 'senseless killing' and was pained to see her nieces crying after their ordeal. 'He came out of his house just to dump his garbage,' she told FOX40. Neighbors placed flowers, candles, and a photograph at his front door in a makeshift memorial Three bullets were fired by an unknown shooter, one going through his screen door, another through two walls, and the third hitting him in the chest 'To the person that did this, I forgive you. But if you have any remorse in your body, in your soul. You will come forward. 'Because I need to know why you would do this to my brother. It's not right.' Police have no suspects or motive for the shooting, which came just four months after 16-year-old Timothy Jeter was shot dead on the same block. Ms Thompson said her brother comforted the teenager by holding his hands as he lay dying, not knowing he would soon meet a similar fate. Police have no suspects or motive for the shooting that led to Mr Eunice's death It was just four months after 16-year-old Timothy Jeter was shot dead on the same block, whom Mr Eunice comforted by holding his hands as he lay dying 'He actually came out here, to comfort the person that was dying on the ground. This is the type of person that he is,' she said. Timothy's mother Heather Jeter said she was still 'in limbo' desperately waiting for news on why her son was shot. She said police needed to do more to curb drug dealing and violence in a park next to Mr Eunice's apartment building. A fundraiser for Mr Eunice's family has amassed more than $10,000 from 177 people in just two days. Film director and child rapist Roman Polanski has dismissed the #MeToo movement as 'mass hysteria' and 'hypocrisy', just days before he was expelled from the Oscars academy. The 84-year-old director was thrown out of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last week, along with convicted sex attacker Bill Cosby. Polanski has been on the run from U.S. justice since 1978, when he pleaded guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl after drugging her. Child rapist: Polanski compared #MeToo to 16th century massacres of protestant Christians in France, and branded the movement a 'mass hysteria' In the new interview, Polanski compared #MeToo, which has seen women all over the world speak out about sexual harassment and assault, to 16th century massacres of protestant Christians in France. Polanski told this week's edition of Newsweek Polska: 'I think this is the kind of mass hysteria that occurs in society from time to time.' 'Sometimes it's very dramatic, like the French Revolution or the St Bartholomew's Day massacre in France, or sometimes it's less bloody, like 1968 in Poland or McCarthyism in the US,' he added. 'Everyone is trying to back this movement, mainly out of fear... I think it's total hypocrisy.' The St Bartholomew's Day massacre saw as many as 70,000 Huguenots - French Calvinist Protestants - murdered by Catholic mobs across France in August 1572. Victim: Polanski pleaded gilty to unlawful sex with a minor, after raping the then 13-year-old Samantha Geimer, pictured right as a child, after drugging her Polanski's comment prompted outrage on social media, in particular on micro-blogging site Twitter,. User ShomahKhoobi wrote: Filmmaker Roman Polanski calls the #MeToo movement 'mass hysteria'. Because men who rape children, then flee the country should always be looked to for great wisdom and reason. User daisy_razor quipped that; 'Asking Roman Polanski about #metoo is like asking an arsonist what he thinks of the fire department.' American comedian Sean Kent posted: 'Roman Polanski drugged and anally raped a 13 year old girl. So whatever he says about #MeToo literally doesn't matter.' Singer-songwriter and activist Holly Figueroa O'Reilly wrote: 'Child rapist Roman Polanski calls the #MeToo movement 'collective hysteria' and 'total hypocrisy.' 'If standing up against everything from sexual misconduct to rape is 'hysteria and hypocrisy', I'm proud to be a hysterical hypocrite.' Reaction: A number of people vented their fury on Twitter in the wake of Polanski's comments Polanski, who is a dual Polish and French citizen and currently lives in France, remains wanted in the US for the 1977 rape of 13-year-old Samantha Geimer. Geimer testified that Polanski performed various sexual acts, including vaginal and anal penetration, after giving her a combination of champagne and quaaludes. Polanski pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor, but later fled the U.S. and has for years sought to negotiate a deal in the case with authorities. Geimer, who has said in the past that she has forgiven Polanski, dismissed the Academy's move to expel him as 'an ugly and cruel action which serves only appearance.' Before #MeToo: Roman Polanski holds the Best Director award for 'Venus in Fur' while actress Scarlett Johansson holds the Honorary Cesar award on stage during the 39th Cesar Film Awards in Paris in 2014 Polanski, who called the decision last week 'the height of hypocrisy', is set to appeal, his lawyer said. 'We want due process,' Polanski's attorney Harland Braun told Vanity Fair as he announced his client's decision to appeal. 'That's not asking too much of the Academy, is it?' 'Mr. Polanski was supposed to be given notice, and have 10 days to present his side. It was a complete debacle in the sense that they didn't follow their own rules.' The expulsions came as Hollywood reels from the assault allegations against disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein, which prompted an international uproar and encouraged legions of women to share their own experience of sexual harassment or rape under the hashtag #MeToo. Software developer Csaba Godeny, 52, photographed the intense battle at his friends house in the country Advertisement This is the tense moment a pair of hamsters face off in a heated fight as they brawl with one another in the dirt. Incredible close-up photos show the tiny animals circling one another like boxers waiting to strike as they size up their opposite number. They then leap ate each other, kicking up a haze of dirt as they both struggle to gain the upper hand. Software developer Csaba Godeny, 52, photographed the ferocious battle on a friend's farm near Kiskunsag National Park in Hungary. Csaba, from Budapest, Hungary, said: 'The hamsters had completely invaded the area, you could see them everywhere. Even around the farmhouse there were plenty of the little holes they make for their homes. 'They fought a lot, so we decided to photograph them in action. We found a nice place and waited for the nice light just before sunset. 'I'm not sure why these two decided to fight - I think there were just too many in one place, so they were not happy to be so close to each other. I guess it might have been territorial behaviour, but I'm not an expert. 'It was very exciting to see them so closely, but all the action happened in just a fraction of time so it was a little bit frustrating.' The wild hamsters can be seen sizing one another up from a distance initially as they work out the best way to attack each other They then get closer, throwing a few clawing attacks at each other as they angrily engage in the heated dust brawl Eventually, one of the tiny animals takes matters into his own paws and leaps at the other hamster sending a spray of dirt shooting into the air Csaba Godeny, who photographed the two creatures fighting, said he believed they were in a territorial dispute because of the sheer number of hamsters crowding the area Advertisement Russian President Vladimir Putin today said world peace is 'very fragile' as he addressed the traditional parade to commemorate the victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War. Russia showcased some of its most modern armaments at the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow's Red Square. The Russian President was joined by foreign dignitaries including Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic. Scroll down for video Fireworks explode over the Kremlin during celebrations marking 73 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany, in Moscow A firework display lights up the sky above the Kremlin as Russia marked the 73 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany Fireworks explode over the Saint Peter and Paul Fortress and the Neva River during a celebration of the 73rd anniversary of the end of the Second World War Fireworks explode over the statue Motherland Calls, a World War Two memorial located on the top of Mamayev Kurgan hill In a speech at the solemn event, he warned: 'Mankind has to realise that peace is very fragile. 'Russia is open to dialogue on all different aspects of global security.' The annual parade marks the tens of millions of Soviet soldiers and civilians who died in the Second World War, but it came at a period of unprecedented tension in the world since the end of the Cold War. Some 13,000 servicemen and women marched across Red Square as Putin watched from close to Lenin's mausoleum. Russian policewomen dressed in Soviet Army styled uniforms take part in the Victory Day parade The policewomen were taking part in a parade in Volgograd, one of the many parades taking place across Russia A total of 55,000 troops have been taking part in parades in Russia to mark the victory over Hitler The parade was one of many which took place across Russia on Wednesday involving a total of 55,000 troops, 1,200 weapons systems and 150 war planes in 28 Russian cities. This decorated veteran is pictured in Volgograd, formerly Stalingrad, the scene of one of the Red Army's greatest victories in the war Some 159 tanks and other military armaments were displayed and there was a flypast of 75 aircraft. Included were Russia's newest Terminator armoured fighting vehicle. From the country's new robot forces the display included for the first time the Uran-9 unmanned tank - war-tested in Syria - seen as capable of ambushing NATO forces and Korsar short range attack drones. Putin's new state-of-the-art Su-57 stealth fighter made its debut flying over the Kremlin fresh from war zone trials in Syria. On parade too were Russia's nuclear missiles including the TOPOL-M alongside armoured vehicles from the Second World War such as the T34 tank. Other weapons on display on Red Square included Russia's Yars mobile intercontinental nuclear missile launcher, its Iskander-M ballistic missile launchers, and its advanced S-400 air defence missile system, which Moscow has deployed in Syria to protect its forces There was also the first public outing of the Kinjal (Dagger) hypersonic missile, carried by advanced MiG-31K interceptor jets, was one of several world premieres for Russian weapons. Around 1.6 million people recognised as World War II veterans are still alive in Russia. 'This is a holiday which has always been, is now, and always will be sacred for every family,' Putin said, greeting a watching crowd including veterans decked out in medals on a bright sunny morning. Russian President Valdimir Putin attends a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier after Victory Day parade in Moscow Russian female cadets parading in a city square during the Volgograd commemorations The Volgograd policewomen lining up before they take part in the Victory Day commemorations in they city Other veterans of the Second World War attending the commemorations in Volgograd These World War II veterans are some of the 1.6 million still living in Russia. With their number declining, photographs of recently deceased veterans are also taken to parades marking the end of the war Russian President Vladimir Putin, with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on the far left and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu watch the Victory Day military parade Russia is marking the 73rd anniversary of the Soviet Union's defeat over Nazi Germany in the Second World War In his speech during the commemorations, Vladimir Putin said Russia is 'open to dialogue on all different aspects of global security' Russian women soldiers taking part in the parade in Kaliningrad to mark victory in the 1941-1945 war Their male counterparts, in combat gear, were marching through Volgograd Soviet Army veterans wearing their medals walking through Red Square after the parade Tigr-M multipurpose infantry mobility vehicle and S-24 Yars mobile intercontinental ballistic missile launchers roll down Moscow's Red Square A tank taking part in the commemorations in Volgograd to mark the Soviet Union's victory. Events took place across the country A World War II era T-34 tank drives past the assembled crowds during in the Victory Day parade in Volgograd The parade commemorates the tens of millions of Soviet soldiers and civilians who were killed in the conflict Mikoyan MiG-31 interceptor aircraft fly in formation over Red Square during the parade Russia's MiG-29 jet fighters of the Strizhi aerobatic team and Su-30 jet fighters of the Russkiye Vityazi aerobatic team The parade has traditionally been an opportunity for Russia to display its military hardware, such as these Msta-S self-propelled tracked howitzers Among the hardware on display was the Iskander-M missile launcher Some of the 13,000 Russian service personnel who took part in the parade in the heart of the Russian capital The parade marched across Red Square as President Putin watched from close to Lenin's mausoleum Women soldiers also took part in the parade in Moscow. They are pictured marching by the main area where guests were sitting Russia's most advanced fifth generation Su-57 stealth fighter, which has undergone testing in Syria, also took part in the parade for the first time, as did an unmanned armoured reconnaissance and infantry support vehicle, the Uran-9. Armed with a 30mm automatic cannon, a machine gun, anti-tank missiles and a rocket launcher, it looks like something out of a Hollywood science fiction film. An unmanned de-mining vehicle, the Uran-6, was also put on show, as were Russia's latest military drones and an armoured vehicle designed to support tanks on the battlefield dubbed 'The Terminator' by its maker. An advanced Russian military snowmobile fitted with a machine gun, the Berkut, built to bolster Moscow's Arctic ambitions, also traversed the cobbled square. The parade was also the first public outing of the Kinjal (Dagger) hypersonic missile, carried by advanced MiG-31K interceptor jets One of Russia's newest weapons, the Uran-9, an unmanned armoured reconnaissance and infantry support vehicle, was also on display Servicemen carry a Russian national flag and Victory Banner as they march in Red Square to the accompaniment of a military band The honour guard line up in Red Square. As well as a commemoration, Russia gets an opportunity to display weapons to potential buyers Much of the equipment on display has recently been put to the test in the conflict in Syria Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces, Colonel General Oleg Salyukov reviews the troops Russian Su-25 assault aircraft release smoke in the colours of the Russian flag while flying above the parade A Mil Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter and Mil Mi-8 combat helicopters flying in formation Russian National Guard officers taking part in the commemorations to mark the Soviet Union's victory in the Second World War Russian snipers kept a watchful eye on proceedings from the area around Red Square A Patrul armoured vehicle with a soldier sitting on top races down Red Square Members of Yunarmiya youth military organisation also took part in the parade Patrul (front) and Ural armoured vehicles driving through Moscow's Red Square Personnel from all the branches of the Russian military were represented at the parade. The country has sharply increased its military spending in recent years Putin steps in to intervene when elderly war veteran is pushed aside by Russian leader's bodyguard during Red Square military parade The retired major general (circled being pushed) tried to reach Putin to congratulate him - but he was physically barred from approaching the president by a burly security aide Vladimir Putin rescued an elderly military hero who was cruelly pushed aside by his bodyguard on Red Square. As the Russian president walked across the cobbles after a huge military parade marking victory over the Nazis, the retired major general tried to reach Putin to congratulate him. But he was physically barred from approaching the strongman by a burly security aide. Putin saw what had happened and went to shake the veterans hand. The retired major-general made clear to the Kremlin leader that he had been pushed away. The Russian leader then gave the old soldier - so far unidentified - the honour of walking beside him across Red Square to the nearby Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where Putin laid a wreath to the tens of millions who perished in the Second World War. The Ukrainian media claimed the incident was staged to let Putin rescue the white haired veteran who was bedecked in medals.. But Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov strongly denied this. The president had admonished his security detail over the blunder, he said. Advertisement Putin poured scorn on those, who he said, are trying to 'rewrite history' and downplay the Soviet Union's role in overcoming the Nazis. 'Today people are trying to erase the feat of our people in saving Europe from slavery, from extinction, from the horrors of the Holocaust,' Putin warned, saying they are trying to 'forge, rewrite and misinterpret the events of the war.' 'We won't ever let them do this.' The national leaders later took part in a ceremony with Putin at the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin walls. Hollywood action star Steven Seagal was also watching from the stands, after attending Putin's inauguration on Monday. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu makes the sign of the cross at the start of the proceedings Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu salutes as he rides in an open top car past the assembled troops Guest invited to the commemorations sit at the side of Red Square with St Basil's Cathedral in the background Former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev is helped with walking as he prepares to attend the event Vladimir Putin is joined by Benjamin Netanyahu and Aleksandar Vucic as they lay carnations at a memorial to the dead During his speech the Russian President said people are trying to 'erase' Russia's feat in freeing large parts of Europe from the Nazis Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during a wreath laying ceremony A new generation of Russian soldiers marching in Red Square to mark the sacrifice of their forebearers A girl in an army uniform stands in Red Square front of a military band A veteran of what the Russians call the Great Patriot War embraces a girl. There are 1.6 million people alive in Russia who are veterans of World War II A boy in a tank crew helmet and binoculars watches in the crowd as the troops and weapons parade past Russian sailors were also among the thousands of personnel marking the victory over Hitler Russian troops responded to President Putin's speech with a traditional shout of 'hurrah' Soldiers responding to President Putin's speech, in which he also warned against 'aggressive nationlism' Russian anti-aircraft systems in Arctic camouflage were among the armoured vehicles that took part in the parade Referring directly to the current political situation, Putin warned against a repeat of World War II, saying that 'behind new threats are the same ugly traits: egotism, intolerance, aggressive nationalism and claims to be unique.' His speech concluded with shouts of 'Hurrah!' from the assembled forces. Putin has sharply increased military spending over the 18 years he has dominated Russian politics, handed the Russian military significant policy-making clout, and deployed Russian forces in Ukraine and Syria, stoking tensions with the West. Marking one of the most heartfelt national holidays in Russia, thousands across the country were set to take part in marches through city centres holding up photographs of their relatives who fought in World War II, a new tradition that has taken root as the number of living veterans has dwindled. A mother was killed and her daughter is in a critical condition after plunging 33ft from a funfair ride. Horrifying footage caught the moment Irma Sanchez Albarran, 50, and her daughter Nayeli Morales Sanchez, 26, fell from the top of a fairground ride after a safety bar failed. The mum tragically died at the scene and her daughter is now fighting for her life in hospital. The fairground turned deadly in Penjamo, central Mexico while the city was holding its annual May celebrations. In the short video captured at the scene, the amusement ride turns and thrills its screaming occupants before the carriage flips upside down. The safety bar on one section suddenly springs loose and the legs of a woman appear at the bottom. A woman's legs could be seen dangling from the faulty ride in central Mexico during the city of Penjamo's May festivities As she falls, another woman plunges from the ride and both mother and daughter end up on the ground below. The State Attorney General's Office is investigating the cause of the accident at the Penjamo Fair. Authorities have been in contact with the family, but confirmed that no arrests have been made at the moment. Horrifying footage caught the moment Irma Sanchez Albarran, 50, and her daughter Nayeli Morales Sanchez, 26, fell from the top of a fairground ride after a safety bar failed The fatal accident happened three days after the annual fair opened. Sanchez Albarran's body was taken to Irapuato to undergo an autopsy while her daughter is still in intensive care. The investigation continues. A father deceived his teenage daughter into travelling abroad for an arranged marriage and threatened to 'chop her up in 18 seconds' if she refused, a court has heard. The girl's mother and father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, lured the then 18-year-old victim to a sham family holiday while plotting to force her to marry her cousin, a jury was told. Both of her parents are now on trial, accused of forcing marriage and using violence or a form of coercion to get their daughter to enter into the marriage without her consent, during the trip to Bangladesh in 2016. A Yorkshire schoolgirl was taken to Bangladesh and told she would be forced to marry, a court hearing her parents' trial was told. Pictured: Bangladeshi capital Dhaka in file photo Leeds Crown Court heard the victim, from Yorkshire, was taken out of her school during term time for what she was told was a family holiday to Bangladesh. Prosecutor Michelle Colborne QC told the jury less than one week after arriving in the country, she was told of the marriage plans. She said: 'So very, very quickly this was going to take place. She was stunned and she refused. 'He told her that [the groom] had been chosen for her, that he was suitable and talked of the plan. 'When she refused, she sought out the support of the other defendant, her mother, who made it clear that this was a shared plan for her future. 'Her mother swore at her, reminded her that no was not an option and that if necessary there would be violence against her. 'She was later to encourage her husband to strike her. At no point did she agree to the proposal and very quickly an impasse developed between them.' The defendants appeared in the dock on Tuesday, flanked by a Bengali interpreter. The victim had a boyfriend in Leeds at the time. An unusual prosecution has seen the girl's mother and father put on trial at Leeds Crown Court The court heard that once their daughter refused, her parents took her phone from her and after initially trying 'to be kind and persuasive', her father soon resorted to threats. Ms Colborne said: 'He would ask her for instance if she'd changed her mind yet and threatened to slit her throat if she didn't comply. She stopped eating and was deeply distressed. 'He made reference to the fact that he'd brought her up for 18 years with love, but that he'd chop her up in 18 seconds if she disrespected him.' The court was told that the woman was eventually rescued by authorities, after secretly contacting her boyfriend in the UK. Giving evidence in the first day of the trial, he told the court how the pair had planned a future together. He said: 'I thought they were going to Bangladesh to visit family. As far as I was concerned, they were just going to see family because they had not been for such a long time.' The jury was played a series of voice clips and shown messages, which were sent from the complainant's phone to her boyfriend in desperation after she learned of her parents's marriage plan. One of her text messages to her boyfriend said: 'They deceived me.' In one of the voice clips, she said: 'I don't know what to do.' The trial continues. An autistic boy was viciously beaten up with wrenches and repeatedly kicked and bashed in the head and body in a horrifying attack outside a high school. Quinn Lahiff-Jenkins, was attacked by five armed youths outside Northcote High School, in Melbourne's north. The 14-year-old was attacked in clear view of passing motorists on Tuesday. Confronting footage obtained by the Herald Sun, shows Quinn being thrown off his bike by one of the boys who was carrying a wrench, before jumping on him, pushing his head aggressively onto the pavement, before proceeding to punch him. Quinn Lahiff-Jenkins, was attacked by five armed youths outside Northcote High School Quinn was thrown off his bike by one of the boys who was carrying a wrench (pictured in black shirt) Quinn is seen defenceless, trying to block the punches coming from the attacker. The wrench falls out of the boy's pocket, and one of the other boys grabs it and starts beating Quinn's legs with it. Once he regains his footing, a boy grabs him to the head and knees him in the head before taking him to the ground again. He is then cornered between two boys armed with wrenches, who attack him from front and behind before chasing him toward traffic where he is held down and kicked to the head by three boys, the Herald Sun reported. Quinn's mother, Carmen, got the heartbreaking call from her son while he was in the ambulance, who was then taken to Austin Hospital. Quinn's mother, Carmen (pictured), got the heartbreaking call from her son while he was in the ambulance Victoria Police are now investigating the assault outside Northcote High School (pictured) Ms Lahiff-Jenkins took to Twitter to share the incident with her followers, posting, 'They had been bullying him on social and calling his phone threatening to rape his mother if he didnt come to meet them.' 'Over the phone the ambo was very mocking and said tell your mother the truth, that you organised a fight - and my son was howling and screaming and so distressed and the medic was very dismissive and was saying 'well you dont organise fights do you'. 'They had been using homophobic language to taunt him and he had been telling them off saying things like hes not ashamed to be gay, hes proud and things like that and the abuse escalated. 'All 4-5 of them punching kicking and whacking with spanners. 'And the effects on his mental health will be profound. Its so hard to be a teenage boy, let alone grapple with the social weight of autism without being targeted by bullies. 'My husband and I despair for our special boy in the s***** f****** world.' Quinn is now too afraid to leave his home. Ms Lahiff-Jenkins said Victoria Police is now investigating the assault. Cambridge University is to scrap its 300-year-old tradition of posting exam results in public to prevent students from suffering 'distress and harm' if they have not done well. Nearly three years after the campaign to stop the practice began, Cambridge students will be able to opt out from having their exam marks published publicly. Revealing exam results for all to see, known at the university as 'class lists', has been a tradition at the university dating back to 1748. Cambridge University is to scrap its 300-year-old tradition of posting exam results in public to prevent students from suffering 'distress and harm' if they have not done well The decision comes after nearly three years of campaigns and counter-campaigns which began in June 2015 when the 'Our Grade, Our Choice' protest, led by Nadine Batchelor-Hunt and Freya Sorrell, first launched. Cambridge is the only university in Britain to publicly display class lists after Oxford abolished them in 2009. The university's Student Union president Daisy Eyre today described the ruling as 'fantastic'. She said: 'It is clear that this is what students want and what makes sense for the future of the university. It's been a long time coming, but maybe we can turn the page on class lists for now.' In a tight vote, the fellows of Regent House, which include academics and other key figures, approved the call for students to have the opportunity to opt out from having their names and exam results published in the class lists. Cambridge is the only university in Britain to publicly display class lists after Oxford abolished them in 2009. Pictured: The Senate House and Kings College (left) Class lists are currently posted on notice boards outside Senate House, published in the Cambridge University Reporter, and are also published online. In the vote, 412 members of Regent House voted in favour, with 391 against, it was revealed today in Varsity, the university's in-house newspaper. Graham Virgo, pro-vice-chancellor for education said: 'I welcome the result of the ballot which means that all students are now able to choose to opt out from having their names published outside the Senate House or in the Reporter. 'This opt out will be implemented immediately. Faculties, departments and colleges will still have access to the full class list for their own internal purposes.' Previously, students could only opt out in exceptional circumstances, after a lengthy, bureaucratic process, and only 86 names were omitted last year. Campaigners at the university, which has about 21,000 students from all round the world, claimed having their result made public for all to see could affect the mental health of some people. They said the lists are 'damaging' to welfare, can trigger depression and 'promote a culture of naming and shaming'. But supporters said it would be sad if a tradition dating back nearly 300 years was abolished. Until now, applications from students wanting to have their names removed are only considered in 'exceptional circumstances. Under the new system, every student can simply tick a box which states they wish to opt out. Martha Krish, students' union education officer, said last year that the lists had caused 'distress and harm' to countless students and the new system was 'a massive improvement'. Oxford University has kept exam results private since October 2009 after 40 per cent of students opted out, citing the Data Protection Act. British businesses including Rolls-Royce, Vodafone and British Airways could be forced to pull out of Iran or scrap any lucrative deals with Tehran after Donald Trump tore up the nuclear deal last night. UK companies have been fighting for 450billion of business since crippling economic sanctions were lifted after the 2015 agreement between the Persian state and the US, UK, Russia,France, China, and Germany. Since then Vodafone did a deal to improve broadband and mobile internet in Iran, Rolls-Royce agreed to produce jet engines for Iran Air and British Airways re-started its flights to Tehran. BP has operated a joint gas field in the North Sea with Iran's state oil company since the 1970s, although it is set to sell its stake to British company Serica Energy for 300million later this year. Other British businesses are building hospitals, roads and other infrastructure including the world's largest solar energy farm in the country. Last night President Trump promised 'powerful' sanctions and experts have told MailOnline UK businesses could be fined and forced to choose between working in Iran and the US. Banks will also be asked not to accept any funds sent via Iran. Today Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei said he doesn't 'trust the UK' and that Trump will die and his body 'will be food for worms but the Islamic Republic will continue to stand'. UK companies have been fighting for 450billion of business in Iran (pictured) since crippling economic sanctions were lifted two years ago but many deals may now be in tatters Donald Trump last night tore up the Iran nuclear deal, which could force Britain's biggest businesses out of the country Trump blasted the Iran deal as a 'horrible' agreement as he announced the reinstatement of sanctions It is not clear yet how any British firms would be punished but in a clue about what is to come Richard Grenell, Trump's new ambassador in Berlin and a known ally of the President, said last night: 'German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately'. Boris Johnson is fighting to save the nuclear deal but British business has poured money into Iran since sanctions were relaxed in 2015. World's 'economic policeman' Donald Trump could force UK businesses to choose between Iran and US UK companies operating in Iran could be forced to choose between working in Tehran or the US, experts said today. Donald Trump will also have the power to levy huge fines and pressure banks not to accept cash out of Iran after bringing back sanctions. Details of how UK businesses will have to change will emerge in the coming days but Richard Grenell, Trump's new ambassador in Berlin said last night: 'German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately'. Alexandra Renison, Head of Europe and Trade Policy at Institute of Directors, told MailOnline businesses are right to be 'very worried' about the consequences. She said: 'The message sent by the new US ambassador to Germany is very worrying given that there were a number of companies already operating in Iran 'To issue an ultimatum that non-US companies should divest completely from the country sets a seriously concerning. No business wants to pull out of a multi-million pound investment altogether, but the US Government has a record of robust enforcement particularly with banks to date. 'Most of them have American branches and so are at risk of being forced to choose between offloading their operations in the US or Iran'. She added: 'It may be that discussions between Washington, Brussels and European capitals in the coming days provide further clarity about whether there will be any waivers or exemptions for individual firms'. Advertisement French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told French radio that Trump's decision on Iran was a mistake and that the United States should not consider itself as the world's 'economic policeman'. Former WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell called Iran 'one of the last great untapped opportunities for global business'. The Rhum North Sea gas field has been co-owned by BP and Iran's state oil company since the 1970s. It started producing gas in 2005, but this was suspended in 2010 due to sanctions. With the support of the UK government, an agreement was put in place that allowed production to resume in 2014 while still complying with sanctions. In 2016 the US Treasury renewed the licence to keep operating their joint gas field in the North Sea, and this was again renewed last year. BP was also reported to have bought crude from the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). It is about to sell Rhum in a 300million deal with Serica Energy, who will also pay for two other gas fields. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018 and sent Serica's shares tumbling today. A Serica spokesman said: 'The Company is evaluating the implications of these statements and how they relate to the Rhum field in which the Iranian Oil Company (UK) is a 50 per cent partner. We will update the market, as appropriate, in due course.' In December 2016 Rolls-Royce welcomed a $19billion deal between Airbus and Iran Air for the supply of 100 aircraft, which they make the jet engines for, including 16 Airbus A350s. Britain's Vodafone, the world's second-largest mobile phone company, did a deal with HiWEB in Iran to improve its broadband and mobile network infrastructure. With a young population and high levels of mobile ownership, Iran is seen as an opportunity for telecoms companies seeking to expand into frontier markets. A spokesman said today they are 'monitoring the situation'. Two years ago British Airways relaunched direct flights to Iran following the lifting of sanctions. The carrier operates six flights per week between London Heathrow and Tehran, which was suspended in October 2012. A spokesman said today: 'We constantly review our network to ensure that our routes match our customers' needs and are commercially viable. We are in regular contact with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.' And a Rolls-Royce spokesman said: 'We are examining the announcement and its potential implications. 'We conduct business in all countries, including Iran, in accordance with all relevant UK, EU or other national sanctions and export control regulations.' British businesses have also tapped into Iran's medical, energy and engineering sectors. International Hospital Group (IHG), a leading international healthcare services company based in Britain, signed an agreement worth 1.8 billion ($2.1 billion) with Iran to finance the construction of a network of cancer centres in the country. A London-based investment fund agreed a deal to build one of the world's largest solar power projects in Iran by 2020. The deal between Quercus and Iran's Ministry of Energy is worth over 440million. Rolls-Royce is helping to make engines for Iran Air for the supply of 100 Airbus aircraft BP has operated the joint Ruhm gas field in the North Sea (pictured is the neighbouring Bruce field ) with Iran's state oil company since the 1970s, although it is set to sell its stake to British company Serica Energy for 300million later this year Britain's Vodafone, the world's second-largest mobile phone company, did a deal with HiWEB in Iran to improve its broadband and mobile network infrastructure (a HiWeb advert in Tehran) The deal between Quercus and Iran's Ministry of Energy is worth over 440million and will see Iran's sunny climate (pictured) Businesses around the world face crisis over Iran sanctions AVIATION - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Airbus and Boeing Co will lose licences to sell passenger jets to Iran. - IranAir had ordered 200 passenger aircraft - 100 from Airbus, 80 from Boeing and 20 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR. All the deals are dependent on U.S. licences because of the heavy use of American parts in commercial planes. - Boeing said on Tuesday it will consult with the U.S. government on the 'next steps,' adding Boeing's 777 production plan 'is not dependent on the Iranian orders.' - Airbus said it needed time to study the impact of Trump's decision on Iran and will be evaluating next steps consistent with internal policies and in full compliance with sanctions and export control regulations. - Airbus shares fell 1 percent on Wednesday in response. CARMAKERS - France's PSA said it hoped the European Union would adopt a common position on Iran. - French automakers PSA and Renault have pushed hard into Iran after sanctions were lifted following the 2015 international nuclear pact. - PSA has signed production deals worth 700 million euros ($830 million) to reclaim the leading position it once enjoyed in the market, while Renault invested to increase its production capacity to 350,000 vehicles a year. - Germany's Daimler said it was closely monitoring any further developments and will then evaluate the potential impact on its business. - Shares of PSA and Renault were down more than 1 percent. MANUFACTURERS - German engineering group Siemens said it would closely monitor the situation in Iran and comply with all export controls that arise. - Siemens signed a contract in October 2016 to upgrade Iran's railway network and also to supply components for 50 diesel-electric locomotives to Iran. Shares were up about 5 percent on a bullish results forecast on Wednesday. OIL AND GAS - Britain's Serica Energy said it is looking into how renewed sanctions on Iran would affect a British gas field which it operates in partnership with the Iranian Oil Co (UK) Ltd. It is set to complete purchase of fields from BP in mid-2018. - Serica said it was evaluating the implications of Trump's statements on the Rhum field in Britain's North Sea, in which the Iranian Oil Co (UK) has a 50 percent share. - Shares of Serica Energy fell more than 7 percent in response. - Trump's decision could scupper French oil major Total's multibillion-dollar gas project in Iran unless it can secure a waiver. Total signed a deal with Tehran in July 2017 to develop phase 11 of Iran's South Pars field with an initial investment of $1 billion. TELCOS - Vodafone had deal with HiWeb, an internet and phone company and subsidiary of Iran's Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade in 2003 - South Africa's MTN Group said the U.S. decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran may limit the South African telecoms firm's ability to repatriate cash from MTN Irancell. - In 2018, MTN had repatriated about 88 million euros ($104.26 million) from MTN Irancell, with another 200 million euros due. - MTN shares fell more than 3 percent on Wednesday. Advertisement Donald Trump faced worldwide condemnation last night after he pulled the US out of the nuclear Iran deal in a move that inflamed tensions in an already volatile region. Today Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei said todat he doesn't 'trust the UK' and that Trump will die and his body 'will be food for worms but the Islamic Republic will continue to stand' Theresa May, French president Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Angela Merkel said his decision had been met with 'regret and concern'. In a joint statement they said 'the world was a safer place' because of the deal and pledged to remain committed to it. The US President said he was walking away from the 2015 pact in order to stop a 'nuclear bomb' being acquired by the 'world's leading state sponsor of terror'. Announcing 'powerful' sanctions, he warned that if he did not pull out from the deal which is 'defective at its core' then there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. And, in a fresh warning to Iran he said if the country developed nuclear weapons it would have 'bigger problems then it has ever had before'. Iran's president responded by saying that if negotiations fail over the nuclear deal, the Islamic Republic will enrich uranium 'more than before in the next weeks'. The announcement came despite desperate lobbying from a string of European leaders, including Prime Minister Mrs May, Mr Macron and Mrs Merkel. After a joint phone call, the leaders said the agreement which they remained committed to was 'important for our shared security'. 'The world is a safer place as a result', they said. The leaders also urged Iran 'to show restraint in response to the decision by the US'. They said: 'It is with regret and concern that we, the Leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom take note of President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.' In a much anticipated statement from the White House, Mr Trump said: 'If I allowed this deal to stand there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. 'Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs. 'We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotting structure of the current agreement. The Iran deal is defective at its core.' He went on: 'If we do nothing we know exactly what will happen. 'In just a short period of time the world's leading state sponsor of terror would be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons.' The deal was signed by world powers in 2015. Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in return for eased economic sanctions. Tehran claimed at the time it had been pursuing only nuclear energy rather than weapons. President Trump said that since the agreement 'Iran's bloody ambitions have grown only more brazen'. He said that the deal 'didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will'. At PMQs today, Theresa May said she had made her position 'clear' to Donald Trump before he announced his decision - and pledged to keep trying to win him over to the merits of a pact Mrs May joined French president Emmanuel Macron (left) and Angela Merkel of Germany (right) last night in voicing regret over Mr Trump's decision on the Iran nuclear deal The President pointed out that Iran a regime of 'great terror' had boosted its military spend, supported terrorism and 'caused havoc' throughout the Middle East and beyond. Controversial Iran deal that Trump tears up after calling it 'horrible' The 2015 nuclear deal was an agreement signed between Iran, the US, UK, Russia, France, China, and Germany. The deal lifted crippling economic sanctions on Iran in return for limitations to the country's nuclear energy programme, which many feared would be used to create a nuclear weapon. Under the deal, Iran agreed to keep its uranium enrichment levels at no more than 3.67 per cent, down from almost 20 per cent. The country's uranium stockpile was also to be kept at under 300 kilograms, which Mr Obama said would see a reduction of 98 per cent. Tehran also agreed to redesign a heavy-water nuclear facility it had been building that was capable of producing plutonium suitable for a nuclear bomb. The reactor would no longer produce any weapons-grade plutonium and no additional heavy-water reactors were to be built for 15 years. In order to ensure Iran stuck to the deal, the International Atomic Energy Agency was granted greater access and information regarding the country's nuclear programme. The agency was also given powers to investigate suspicious sites or allegations of covert facilities as well as having access to the supply chain that supports Iran's nuclear programme. Measures were put in place to ensure the 'break-out time' - the amount of time it would take Iran to create a nuclear bomb - was slowed dramatically, while its government agreed not to engage in activities, including research and development, that it would need to make one. In return, the lifting of sanctions meant Iran stood to gain access to more than $100bn in assets frozen overseas. It was also able to resume selling oil on international markets and use the global financial system for trade. But if the country was to violate any part of the deal, it was agreed that UN sanctions would 'snap back' into place for 10 years, with the possibility of a five-year extension. Advertisement He said he had talked to France, Germany, the UK and friends across the Middle East and said they were 'unified' in their conviction Iran must never deliver nuclear weapons. He went on: 'America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail. 'The US no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises I keep them.' He said he would be open to a new deal in the future. In a statement immediately afterwards, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said there was a 'short time' to negotiate with the countries remaining in the nuclear deal. He warned his country could start enriching uranium more than ever in the coming weeks. Mr Rouhani spoke live on Iranian state television. He said he would send Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to countries remaining in the accord. He said: 'I have ordered Iran's atomic organisation that whenever it is needed, we will start enriching uranium more than before.' He said Iran would start this 'in the next weeks'. The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply concerned by the US decision to withdraw from the deal. The EU's diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said the EU wanted to preserve the deal. She said: 'The European Union is determined to preserve it [the deal]. 'Together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal.' 'The nuclear deal with Iran is crucial for the security of the region, of Europe and of the entire world.' Mr Macron tweeted: 'The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake.' Tensions were already heightened in the region after Mr Netanyahu announced that Israeli spies had stolen thousands of files on Iran's nuclear programme. Israel has also struck Iranian forces in Syria several times in recent weeks. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had travelled to Washington on Saturday where he made a last-ditch bid to prevent the US pullout. Mr Johnson said Mr Trump would be in line for the Nobel Peace Prize if he can sort out the Iran nuclear deal. Earlier in the day the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council said Iran would not be 'passive' if President Trump left the nuclear deal. He said: 'It will not be in the American's interests if the JCPOA (Iran's nuclear deal) collapses by their offensive... 'We will not be passive if the United States starts confrontation with Iran.' Mr Trump has previously condemned the Iran accord signed by his predecessor Mr Obama as 'insane' and the 'worst deal ever'. Scrapping it was a commitment he made during his election campaign. Mrs May spoke to Mr Trump on the phone over the weekend. Then Mr Johnson yesterday urged the President not to 'throw the baby out with the bathwater' by walking away. He accepted the agreement was not perfect but warned that there was not a better alternative. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would rather face a military confrontation with Iran 'now than later'. He said his country was prepared for a war to stop Iranian forces embedding in neighbouring Syria. Mr Netanyahu said: 'We are determined to block Iran's aggression against us even if this means a struggle. Better now than later.' Islamic State fundamentalists claimed to have killed ten strike force police officers in Indonesia. Images of blood-shed are circulating social media as the terror organisation claim to have murdered officers during a riot at a high-security Dibuk prison in Jakarta. According to the ABC, five police officers and one inmate have been killed and another police officer is being held hostage. Images of blood-shed are circulating social media as the terror organisation claim to have murdered officers during a riot at a high-security Dibuk prison in Jakarta Islamic State fundamentalists claimed to have killed ten strike force police officers in Indonesia Police spokesman Muhammad Iqba confirmed the deaths but denied IS had an active role in the riot or that it was planned. He said the riot broke out between prisoners who objected to authorities making checks on food. 'We are securing the situation, containing inmates so this doesn't spread. We are still negotiating so that we don't have to go to the last resort,' he said. Despite this confirmation, gruesome images depicting the riot show armed men in IS garb, with an IS flag and some images of the dead. Police spokesman Muhammad Iqba confirmed the deaths but denied IS had an active role in the riot or that it was planned The terror group have said they killed the officers from the counter-terror squad Detachment 88 or Densus 88. One of the unconfirmed images circulating online appears to show a hostage blindfolded and with his hands bound behind his back. Terror suspects are being held at the high-security prison in Depok. A dangerous sex offender with a long history of violent rapes and assaults on women and children is currently at large after ripping off his ankle monitor. It's been more than 24 hours since police were able to pinpoint the exact location of Patrick Lennard Narrier, 45, last seen on Tuesday night in Forrestfield near Perth. Narrier was released from jail in November 2017 subject to 50 conditions - despite being considered a serious danger to the community and having repeatedly breached supervision orders in the past. Sex offender Patrick Lennard Narrier (pictured) is currently at large after ripping off his ankle monitor It's been more than 24 hours since police were able to pinpoint the dangerous criminal, last seen on Tuesday night in Forrestfield (pictured) near Perth It is understood that he has now cut off his ankle bracelet. Narrier's history of violent offending dates back to 1993, including sexually assaulting a woman when he was a teenager and shortly thereafter attacking a 12-year-old girl he had abducted from her home at knifepoint. Police officers are appealing for the public's help in finding Narrier through the crime stoppers hotline. Crime Stoppers WA: 1800 333 000 Narrier's history of violent offending dates back to 1993, including sexually assaulting a woman when he was a teenager and shortly thereafter attacking a 12-year-old girl he had abducted from her home at knifepoint British security firms could be banned from helping the EU develop its Galileo satellite system if the UK is locked out after Brexit. Brussels wants to exclude Brexit Britain from sensitive elements of the navigation system on security grounds. The Government has reacted with fury, insisting Britain has played a major role in funding and developing the rival to America's GPS and Russia's GLONASS systems. The network is used by the military and other security agencies but exclusion would leave Britain dependant on a foreign system. Ministers have been left furious after Brussels warned this year that Britains role in the 9 billion Galileo system (pictured) was up for negotiation in the Brexit talks despite the UK being one of the biggest investors in it To discourage Brussels, the Treasury is considering whether it can change licences held by UK firms to prevent them sending data into the system, the Times revealed. A Whitehall source said: 'There is concern about what this means for the future of our security partnership. 'The government said we were not going to make it a bargaining chip but the commission turning round and branding the UK a security threat has left us with concerns about what that means.' A government spokesman said: 'It is in our mutual interest to remain in [Galileo] as part of a strong security partnership with Europe.' It emerged last week Britain could develop its own 5 billion satellite navigation system if the row is now resolved. Downing Street said Theresa May had ordered officials to begin work on a British alternative to ensure that the UK could not be denied access to vital global positioning services. Officials are also drawing up plans to claw back the 1.2 billion the UK has poured in to the project. Downing Street said Theresa May had ordered officials to begin work on a British alternative to ensure that the UK could not be denied access to vital global positioning services A Downing Street source said the PM would never allow Britains security to be threatened by Brexit. The source said: The PM is clear our collective security is too important to haggle over. We want full access to Galileo, including the crucial secure elements that will help guide British missiles should they be needed to keep us all safe. But if we dont get access, we will find an alternative. Privately, Whitehall officials blame France for galvanising opposition to Britains continued participation in the scheme. And they warned that the EUs stance could backfire as the Galileo system relies on ground bases in far flung overseas British territories, which would instead be used to help run a British rival. UK anger has been fuelled by the EUs decision to freeze British companies out of tenders worth hundreds of millions earlier this year as part of the programmes ongoing development. Britain has already threatened to block key decisions on Galileo unless the European Commission issues a clear commitment that British businesses can fight for contracts. Boris Johnson's meeting with Ivanka Trump went 'fantastically' - until he posted photos of the exchange on Twitter where he was promptly accused of being 'a Donald impersonator'. The accusations appear to stem from the fact that in the photo, the former public schoolboy is doing Trump's trademark 'thumbs up' - while wearing a dark suit, maroon tie and with his characteristic blonde bouffant awry. Yesterday the Foreign Secretary posted two pictures on Twitter, and said: 'I had a fantastic afternoon in the White House yesterday, seeing the real spectrum of UK-US cooperation & discussing everything from the Syria crisis to the need for global women's empowerment with @VPPence, @IvankaTrump and Jared Kushner.' Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson posted this picture with his arm around Ivanka Trump One Twitter wag replaced Mr Johnson's head with that of Mr Trump - with eerie results But it was only when the US President's daughter retweeted the images today that people noticed the startling resemblance. A twitter said: 'This looks like Ivanka posing with a trump impersonator.' Another said: 'That tie. The hair. The thumbs up. Ivanka. Is Boris engaging in Trump cosplay? One Twitter user added: 'The creepier version of your daddy' and another said: 'Bloody hell. He's even doing the 'thumb''. Others were not happy with the MP's stance. One said: 'Get some self respect, don't ever do Trump's idiotic thumbs up thing ever again.' Mr Johnson also came under fire for the underwhelming results of his trip to Washington. He went on Fox and Friends - Mr Trump's favourite TV show - in a doomed bid to persuade the President to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. Mr Johnson's trip to the US did not go down well with all Twitter users as he failed to persuade Mr Trump to stay in the Iran nuclear deal The Foreign Secretary was also accused of only getting '10 minutes' with US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and the Ivanka photo opportunity Some thought his thumbs-up gesture was a 'weak' version of Mr Trump's body language But others were hopeful that the senior Tory would be invited back to the White House next year Some thought 'poor' Ivanka' may have herself been confused by the similarity between Mr Johnson and Mr Trump Mr Johnson's Fox and Friends appearance also came in for criticism from this critic And here he is slammed for his 'What a stud I am'-pose in his picture with Ivanka Trump Then his meeting with Ivanka came just 24 hours before Britain joined France and Germany in recommitting to the Iran nuclear deal after Mr Trump ignored their pleas and pulled the United States out of the accord. The US president said he would impose the 'highest level' of economic sanctions on Iran as he claimed the state was on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons. Tehran immediately responded by warning it would begin enriching more uranium than ever if negotiations with other countries in the pact failed. President Hassan Rouhani said he would send foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to visit each of the remaining countries involved in the deal. Former president Barack Obama said the decision was a 'serious mistake' that could leave the US facing 'a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East'. In a joint statement, Theresa May, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron said the decision was a matter of 'regret and concern'. Many said they mistook Mr Johnson fora professional Donald Trump lookalike While others added that politically Mr Johnson 'desperately' wants to be like Mr Trump One social media commentator compared Mr Johnson's appearance to 'Trump cosplay' Twitter users were stunned by Mr Johnson's resemblance to the 45th US President Twitter users were left reeling by the pictures posted of the meeting between Ivanka and Boris But Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Mr Trump for the 'bold' move and described the agreement as a 'recipe for disaster' that had brought the prospect of war closer. Britain, France and Germany had made strenuous attempts to persuade the US president to preserve the deal. On Monday Boris Johnson made a diplomatic dash to Washington in a last-ditch push to win over the president. The visit came soon after Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron made direct appeals to Mr Trump in face-to-face talks. But the diplomatic efforts failed to secure even a delay in the announcement. Speaking in the White House, Mr Trump said the agreement was 'disastrous' and a 'great embarrassment' to him. 'The Iran deal is defective at its core,' he said. 'If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. 'In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapon. 'Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.' Mr Trump said the move was a sign that the US 'no longer makes empty threats'. 'When I make promises, I keep them,' he said. In a joint statement, Mrs May, Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron said they remained committed to the deal. They said: 'It is with regret and concern that we, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, take note of President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). 'Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPOA. This agreement remains important for our shared security.' They added: 'We encourage Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the US; Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, co-operating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) inspection requirements.' Russia said it was 'deeply disappointed' by the president's decision, saying it was 'extremely concerned' that the US was acting in its own 'narrow' and 'opportunistic' interests and 'grossly violating the norms of international law'. Its Foreign Ministry added: 'Washington's actions undermine international confidence in the IAEA.' The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed by the US, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain with Iran in 2015. Under its terms, Iran is committed to a peaceful nuclear energy programme. Tory MPs today tore into ministers for ditching plans to stop British veterans who served in Northern Ireland being hounded through the courts. The Government was accused of 'pandering' to 'terrorists' amid reports it had bowed to pressure from Sinn Fein to shelve plans for an amnesty from prosecution for former troops. Conservative MPs warned they would stage a backbench rebellion over the plans if ministers push them through. But Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said that she is committed to protecting Britain's former troops from a witchhunt. While Theresa May admitted that it is 'patently unfair' British former troops have been hounded through the courts while terrorists have escaped justice. Theresa May (pictured in PMQs today) admitted that it is 'patently unfair' British former troops have been hounded through the courts while terrorists have escaped justice Speaking in the Commons in PMQs, Mrs May said British armed forces 'put their lives on the line day in day out' and the peace in Northern Ireland today is largely down to them. She added: 'We have an unfair situation at the moment....the only people being investigated for these issues are those in our armed forces or those who served in law enforcement in Northern Ireland. 'That is patently unfair - terrorists are not being being investigated - terrorists should be investigated and that is what the government wants to see.' The furious row has erupted over the future of legacy prosecutions for unsolved cases and claims of abuse dating back to The Troubles. Campaigners had wanted a statute of limitations imposed which would would have ruled out prosecuting veterans for deaths committed almost 50 years ago. But plans for the amnesty have now been ditched - paving the way for former troops to be hauled into court for crimes alleged to have been carried out decades ago. What is the row raging over legacy prosecutions in Northern Ireland? The thorny issue of the prosecution of those accused of committing crimes in Northern Ireland during The Troubles has sparked a major Cabinet row. The 1998 Belfast Agreement - which brought peace to the region - provided for the early release of republican and loyalist prisoners within two years. But British troops who served in Northern Ireland say they have been hounded through the courts for alleged crimes dating back many decades. Senior MPs have called for a statute of limitation which would effectively stop the prosecution of British troops. Ministers have been working on plans to deal with the conflict legacyissues. The proposals, including a new independent investigatory unit, a truth recovery body and an oral archive, have been on ice due to a small number of outstanding Stormont political disputes. The proposals are expected to be published soon. But ministers are understood to have ditched mooted proposals for an amnesty. Advertisement Mark Francois, Tory MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, raised the issue of 'the human rights of our brave servicemen who served in Northern Ireland for so many years, without whom there would be no peace in Northern Ireland today. He added: 'Can I tell the secretary of state in all candour, that there are many of us on these benches who would not be prepared to traipse blithely through the lobbies in order to support the setting up of any institution would scapegoat our military veterans to pander to Sinn Fein.' Mike Penning, Tory MP for Hemel Hempstead, echoed these concerns during the session in the House of Commons. He said: 'If we were to honour of the bravery of people ....who lost their lives in the province then the consultation should say we will protect our soldiers put the first and the terrorists second.' Ms Bradley told MPs there is 'no way' she would bring forward a plan that 'makes the situation worse for our veterans'. But she said the sytem does need tobe overhauled. She said: 'They served with incredible dignity and duty and I want to respect that. 'That's why I want to make sure that we deal with the situation. The status quo is not good enough. 'The only people today getting knocks on the door by police telling them hey face inquests are the military - we need to change that.' The 1998 Belfast Agreement, which largely ended decades of violence in which thousands were killed, provided for the early release of republican and loyalist prisoners within two years. Tory MP Mark Francois warned ministers that they would face a rebellion on their hands if they pander to terrorists and ditch proposals for an amnesty for UK troops who served in Northern Ireland during the troubles Some senior MPs had urged a statute of limitation which would prevent anyone from facing trial for offences that happened during the conflict, including former servicemen and paramilitaries. Victims' representatives, Sinn Fein, the DUP and the Irish Government voiced concerns. Mechanisms to deal with the conflict legacy were agreed in the 2014 Stormont House Agreement; an amnesty was not among them. The proposals, including a new independent investigatory unit, a truth recovery body and an oral archive, had been on ice due to a small number of outstanding Stormont political disputes. The proposals are expected to be published soon. Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles over its capital Riyadh on Wednesday that had been fired from Yemen, state media reported, after at least four blasts rocked the city centre. Yemen's Iran-allied armed Houthi movement said it had launched the missiles at economic targets in the Saudi capital. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage but dramatic pictures shot by civilians in the flight path of the stricken missiles claimed to show several casings which fell to earth in a Saudi town. The footage, uploaded to Twitter by Ghanem Almasarir, shows fragments of the exploded missile scattered in the sand in a jumbled wreck. The attack came a day after US President Donald Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal with Iran, partly over concerns the pact did not address Tehran's ballistic missile programme or its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria. Pictures shot by civilians claim to show the burnt carcass of the stricken missiles which fell to earth on a Saudi high street Close-up pictures seem to reveal the outer casing of the missile which has shattered into thousands of burning shards Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Donald Trump last month to discuss the Iran deal and Iran-backed Yemeni rebels The Houthis have stepped up missile attacks on the neighbouring kingdom in what they say is retaliation for air raids by a Saudi-led coalition fighting them in Yemen. Saudi Arabia and an alliance of Muslim states intervened in Yemen's civil war in 2015 to try and push back the Houthis after they drove the internationally-recognised government into exile in Riyadh. State media said separately that air defence forces had intercepted a missile launched at the southern city of Jizan. A coalition spokesman said the attack showed how Iran was continuing to support the Houthis. In an apparent effort to justify the attack, the Houthi movement said it fired missiles at 'economic targets' in Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday, the group's official channel al-Masirah TV reported. 'The missile force struck ... economic targets in Riyadh with a salvo of ballistic missiles,' it said in a newsflash. Saudi Arabia offered this morning to increase its oil production as it praised President Trump's decision to turn his back on the accord. The government in Riyadh said that it could push its oil supplies to make up for the expected shortfall from Iran as the country looks set to retaliate against the US for the sanctions. Both ballistic missiles were reportedly intercepted by Saudi forces with no damage inflicted BMW has announced a recall of 312,000 vehicles in Britain which are at risk of suddenly cutting out. The German manufacturer said it will contact owners of the affected models - BMW 1 Series, 3 Series, Z4 and X1 petrol and diesel models made between March 2007 and August 2011 - in the next three weeks. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said last week that BMW had failed to alert UK authorities to 19 cases of electrical faults in one of its models. BMW had already issued a safety recall in 2017 affecting 36,410 petrol cars, but the recall is now being extended amid concerns the issue could affect more models. Scroll down for video The vehicles being recalled are BMW 1 Series, 3 Series, Z4 and X1 petrol and diesel models made between March 2007 and August 2011 (pictured is the X1) German automaker BMW is recalling 312,000 of its cars in Britain due to concerns that they could cut out completely while being driven (pictured is the 320i) In 2013, it recalled more than 500,000 cars for the same issue in the US, Australia, Canada and South Africa, as the firm argued the fault was made worse by hotter climates. BMW refused to tell MailOnline if a further recall would be occurring elsewhere globally, as 'there are technical differences between cars in the UK and other markets'. What's the BMW fault and how can I solve it? The fault sees the car's battery lose its connection to the fuse box, meaning the car is left powerless and in danger of breaking down, with the driver unable to use the brake or hazard lights. This would be especially dangerous for cars travelling on roads during the night, as other vehicles would not be able to spot them. BMWs previous recall related to petrol vehicles built between December 2009 and August 2011. During this period of production, a particular design of wiring meant vibrations could potentially cause frictional corrosion on the plug of the power distributor. BMW said that it would be contacting all owners whose vehicles are affected. The firm said the fault could be fixed within two hours and involved replacing a plug. It has not advised customers to stop driving the vehicles. Advertisement BMWs previous recall related to petrol vehicles built between December 2009 and August 2011. During this period of production, a particular design of wiring meant vibrations could potentially cause frictional corrosion on the plug of the power distributor. Alex Neill, Which? Managing Director of Home Products and Services, said: 'This recall from BMW raises serious questions about the adequacy of the car recall system in this country. 'Drivers will be asking why it took so long for BMW to fully recall these potentially dangerous cars in the UK, several years later than recalls around the same fault in a number of other countries. 'The Government must ensure that the DVSA has the powers that it needs to hold manufacturers to account and protect road-users from the dangers of unsafe vehicles.' Former Gurkha soldier Narayan Gurung, 66, died on Christmas Day 2016 when he crashed his Ford Fiesta into a tree in Hampshire. He had been swerving to avoid a BMW car which had cut out due to an electrical fault. An investigation by BBC Watchdog Live has now found the issue could be in a wider number of vehicles than those covered by the original recall of 36,410 cars in 2017. Now, dozens of BMW drivers are demanding to know whether faults with their own cars are related to the reason behind the recall. Sky News commentator Alastair Bruce tweeted: 'This happened to me. Turning left onto big road - it stalled. How lorry swerved I dont know. '@BMW were very superior about it. Denied it was possible, so I no longer own the car, no longer trust the brand & avoid getting in them now.' And one driver told MailOnline: 'My car cut off on the motorway lost power without any warning other than battery sign coming on, interestingly over the hottest bank holiday weekend. The fault sees the car's battery lose its connection to the fuse box, meaning the car is left powerless and in danger of breaking down, with the driver unable to use the brake or hazard lights. Pictured: Where the battery and fuse boxes are located in a BMW X1 'According to the news and BMW themselves last time they recovered the cars they said hot weather made it worse hence cars recovered in South Africa and not UK.' BBC watchdog revealed that some BMW owners' vehicle randomly caught fire - even when the engines were switched off. A connector that was taken to an independent engineer by BBC Watchdog. Mike O'Sullivan told the programme: 'It is not fit to do the job it's been produced for' Appearing on the programme tonight, independent engineer Mike O'Sullivan analysed a component from one vehicle which had caught fire. He said: 'When we look at the connector we can see discolouration on the end which indicates an overheating. 'It is not fit to do the job it's been produced for.' BMW told Watchdog that the mystery blazes were potentially being caused by an electrical fault in the heating system and the 3 Series models affected were around seven to 11-years-old. In relation to the alleged fault that causes vehicle to suddenly cut out, A BMW spokesman said: 'Now we recognise the need to widen the recall to capture a larger cohort of cars. We are widening the net as a precaution.' He added the fault could be fixed within two hours and involved replacing a plug. The firm has not advised customers to stop driving the vehicles. Mwape Kambafwile told the BBC he stopped driving his BMW 3 Series car after it cut out completely while he was driving in December 2016. He said: 'I just thought to myself if I was driving on the motorway with my family in the car, that could have been very dangerous. Narayan Gurung, 66, died after swerving to avoid a faulty BMW on Christmas Day in 2016 'I took it to BMW. The next day they called me to say they had found a fault, it looks like the cable had burnt out and no current was passing through the fuse box. 'I felt so uncomfortable driving it that we took taxis, I walked to work every day. It was a nightmare, it wasn't safe enough to drive.' BMW allowed Mwape to take his vehicle home without, he says, any warning not to use it. Mwape was furious to discover that petrol versions of the same car had been recalled for the same fault while he was left shouldering the costs of repair himself. In the programme, independent engineer Mike O'Sullivan is seen examining Mwape's car to see if its parts are any different than those of the petrol model. He says: 'We can see that they're using the same connector on both vehicles. It doesn't look like there is any difference in the main connector to that fuse board.' Watchdog Live will air on Wednesday at 8pm on BBC One. A 10-year-old girl and 11-year-old girl are accused of conspiring to kill a fellow student in Virginia. Prince William County Police said the two girls communicated with each other in 'cryptic language' by text message and encouraged deleting threat-related messages. Police were called to a county school April 25, after a parent made a report to staff. A 10-year-old girl and her friend, 11, planned to kill a fellow classmate in Prince William County, Virginia The two girls were each charged as juveniles with conspiracy to commit a felony on Friday. Details of the texts weren't disclosed, but police say the target was another girl at the school. Police didn't release a motive. No threat was carried out and the victim was not harmed. The girls weren't identified because of their age. Their school has not been named. Two high school seniors were killed and a third hospitalized after the Tesla they were in crashed into a wall and burst into flames. Police in Fort Lauderdale say the single-car crash happened around 6.45pm on Tuesday. Two 18-year-old boys, identified as Barrett Riley and Edgar Monserratt Martinez, died at the scene. A third 18-year-old, identified as Alexander Berry, remains hospitalized. His condition is unknown. Fort Lauderdale Police spokeswoman Tracy Figone said Riley was driving a gray Tesla Model S on Seabreeze Boulevard when it veered off the roadway and crashed into a concrete wall and erupted into flames. Barrett Riley (left) and Edgar Monserratt Martinez (right) were killed on Tuesday when the Telsa they were riding in crashed into a concrete wall Alexander Berry, who was seated in the backseat, was ejected from the car and hospitalized. His condition remains unknown Police said the gray Tesla Model S was traveling on Seabreeze Boulevard Tuesday evening when it veered off the road, struck a concrete wall and burst into flames Officials said Riley, who was driving, and Martinez were trapped in the vehicle. Both teens were weeks away from graduating high school Riley and Martinez were trapped inside the car and Berry, who was seated in the backseat, was ejected from the car. He was rushed to Broward Health Medical Center. A neighbor who lives in the area told NBC6 that he arrived to the scene seconds after the crash but the flames were too intense and he was not able to help the trapped teens. 'It's bad,' the man is heard saying on a cell phone video he took at the scene as police and rescue workers arrived. 'Can't get them out. Come on, we gotta do something guys. Oh my God.' Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash but say speed may have been a factor. One resident, Wendy Mascolo, told television stations she witnessed the crash and stayed with several teens who had been following in a separate vehicle until their parents arrived. News outlets report that Riley and Martinez were students at Pine Crest, a $31,930-a-year private school in Fort Lauderdale. They were expected to graduate later this month. The school said grief counselors would be available for students. 'These two members of our senior class should be finishing their AP exams and celebrating things like the prom and their upcoming graduation. Instead, we are mourning their passing,' Pine Crest President Dr. Dana Markham said in a statement. 'There really are no words to express how deeply this has affected our entire community.' Telsa has come under scrutiny over the past few months for crashes. In a March crash, Apple engineer Walter Huang was killed and in a crash last year an Indianapolis woman and her boss were killed when they're Tesla crashed and then exploded. Pictured above is a Tesla Model S Tesla has come under scrutiny recently for several crashes. In March, Apple engineer Walter Huang was killed in Mountain View, California after his Tesla Model X crashed into a highway barrier. According to reports, Huang had complained several times to the dealer where he bought the car that the car's autopilot software veered toward the same barrier on multiple occasions. Last year, a Tesla exploded in Indianapolis after a crash that killed a young woman and her boss. Firefighters at the scene said individual batteries from the pack kept popping out and exploding which made putting out the car fire difficult. Prior to that crash, the company had reportedly said that measures had been taken to keep the car's lithium-ion batteries used to power the vehicles from catching fire, the Sun Sentinel reports. The manufacturer came under fire following the deaths on whether it had done enough. The family of acid attack thug Arthur Collins appeared in court today facing drugs and weapons charges. Collins, 25, the former boyfriend of Towie star Ferne McCann and father of her baby daughter, is currently serving a 20-year jail term for an acid attack in packed London nightclub. His parents, Arthur Collins Snr, 55, and Jackie, 53 and younger brother Thomas, 22, were arrested as police hunted Collins following the attack. Jackie and Arthur Collins Snr, the parents of acid attack thug Arthur Collins, were in court today charged with drugs offences Collins' brother Thomas was also in court over drugs and weapons charges Police allegedly discovered around 30 cannabis plants growing in an outbuilding at the family home in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire during the search for Collins after the acid attack, Stevenage Magistrates Court was told. Prosecutor Sophia Malik said the plants could have produced a potential yield worth between 9,000 and 25,000. The couple have given no indication as to their plea. Thomas Collins was charged with possessing 68.1g of cannabis as well as a weapon 'designed or adapted' for the discharge of CS gas and a weapon for the discharge of an electric shock. He also did not indicate any plea to the charges. Miss Malik told the court that the three had been arrested as a result of the police attending the family's home as they searched for Arthur Collins Jnr following the acid attack. Magistrates sent the case to St Albans Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing, which will take place on June 8. All three were granted unconditional bail. Collins brought terror to a London nightclub when he hurled acid across the dancefloor leaving revellers with horrific burns (right) Ferne McCann was celebrating her pregnancy with Collins on the day he carried out the attack The sister of the House of Horrors mother-of-13 claims their mother let a rich pedophile rape them for cash when they were children. Louise and David Turpin face 50 charges after their children aged two to 29 were found starved and chained to their beds in their Perris, California home. Teresa Robinette, 37, said her mother Phyllis Robinette effectively 'sold' her and Louise to a wealthy man to be frequently abused. Teresa Robinette, 37, (pictured) the she sister of House of Horrors mother Louise Turpin, claims their mother let a rich pedophile rape them for cash when they were children Louise and David Turpin face 50 charges after their children aged two to 29 were found starved and chained to their beds in their Perris, California home 'He would slip money into my hand as he molested me. I can still feel his breath on my neck as he whispered 'be quiet',' she told The Sun. 'We begged her not to take us to him but she would simply say: 'I have to clothe and feed you'. Louise was abused the worst. He destroyed my self-worth as a child and I know he destroyed hers too.' Ms Robinette last month said she was shocked by the disturbing allegations against her sister and brother-in-law and had no idea the children were being abused. Robinette said she always thought of Turpin as a 'good girl' who never drank, did drugs or smoked - and rarely even swore, Fox reported. Ms Robinette said her mother Phyllis Robinette effectively 'sold' her and Louise (pictured) to a wealthy man to be frequently abused David Turpin faced one count of lewd acts on a child under 14, one of his daughters, and had eight counts of perjury added last week David Turpin, 57, and Louise, 49, have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of torture, child abuse, dependent adult abuse and false imprisonment She never for a moment considered that her sister could be capable of such horrific cruelty, but did wonder why she distanced herself from her family. She said that she met the couple's four eldest children in person, the rest she only saw over video chat, and as the years went on even that dried up. 'I don't even know if you can say any of us had a relationship with the children,' she said. 'Never in a million years had we thought she was abusing the kids.' 'It came to a point when eventually she stopped letting them all come together. She would send a couple ones in, then send them out, and then get a couple more to come in. It got really strange. 'Then she would just start making up excuses of why she couldn't video chat. She would say: 'David and I are just so busy with 13 kids, we will get to it this weekend.' Officers arrived to find children shackled to furniture, a filthy house that stank of feces and malnourished and abused kids Prosecutors say the children were strangled, beaten and weren't even unshackled to use the bathroom Ms Robinette said that she and her half-brother tried to make plans to come and visit Louise so they could get to know their nieces and nephews, but somehow those plans were always cancelled. 'She would always come up with an excuse that something happened, that she had a bad dream about the flight, one of the kids got sick. She made up a big elaborate story about one of the girls who got into trouble with some friends one night, so she and David were aggravated. 'Everything she told us was a lie.' THE MOST SHOCKING ABUSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE TURPINS The children were made to stay awake all night and sleep all day, often going to bed at between 4am and 5am Their only permitted activity was to keep journals - hundreds of which were recovered and will likely be used as evidence David Turpin is accused of a lewd act against one child - one of his daughters, under the age of 14 The children had been planning to escape for two years before they were rescued The 17-year-old daughter who raised the alarm left the house with another sibling but that child became frightened and turned back The parents began using chains and padlocks to tie the children to their beds after one escaped with rope. They would sometimes be chained up for months One of the older boys was allowed out of the home to attend college classes but his mother accompanied him there, waited for him until it finished then accompanied him home The couple's youngest child, a two-year-old, was the only one they did not starve The 29-year-old woman who was rescued weighed just 82 lbs The children were tied up or beaten if they washed their hands 'above the wrist' because the parents said it amounted to them 'playing in the water' The Turpins kept toys that were still in their boxes at the house but never gave any to the children Advertisement The authorities were alerted when the couple's 17-year-old daughter managed to escape and call the police. Officers arrived to find children shackled to furniture, a filthy house that stank of feces and malnourished and abused kids. Their 29-year-old daughter weighed just 82 pounds when they found her. Prosecutors say the children were strangled, beaten and weren't even unshackled to use the bathroom. The couple were charged with 12 counts of torture and false imprisonment, nine counts of child abuse and seven counts of cruelty to a dependent adult. Ms Robinette last month said she was shocked by the disturbing allegations against her sister and brother-in-law and had no idea the children were being abused David Turpin is pictured with his 13 children, who are wearing matching T-shirts The court heard they were only allowed to take one shower a year and when they were interviewed, many lacked basic knowledge such as what medication was David Turpin faced one count of lewd acts on a child under 14, one of his daughters, and Louise Turpin one charge of felony assault. Prosecutors added eight counts of perjury to David's charges earlier this month but didn't say what they were in relation to. As a result of the new charges, the first preliminary hearing in the case, where police officers who found the Turpin children were expected to give evidence, was delayed to June 20. Investigators said the Turpins, who lived in Texas for 17 years, moved to California in 2010. The court heard they were only allowed to take one shower a year and when they were interviewed, many lacked basic knowledge such as what medication was. David and Louise are currently being held on $12 million bail and face up to life in prison if found guilty of torture and child abuse. All the children, pictured here with their parents, had been subjected to 'prolonged abuse', were not allowed to shower more than once a year, and barred from seeing a dentist or doctor The 13 siblings lived at this property in Perris, California after moving from Texas David Turpin, 57, and Louise, 49, have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of torture, child abuse, dependent adult abuse and false imprisonment. It has emerged the 13 siblings rescued will not live together again, despite pleading with the authorities to stay as a family. The six Turpin children among the 13 found shackled at their home in Perris have been told that they will be split up into two foster homes, unless they are adopted by their aunt. Meanwhile the seven adults, who have developmental issues, will be sent to an assisted living facility, CBS News reported. Theresa May today insisted she still believes in the Iran nuclear deal despite the dramatic withdrawal of the US. The Prime Minister said she had made her position 'clear' to Donald Trump before he announced his decision - and pledged to keep trying to win him over to the merits of a pact with Tehran. While Boris Johnson said Britain has 'no intention of walking away' from the accord -which eases sanctions on Iran in return for the country ceasing its nuclear development. The Cabinet put on a united front backing the deal after the Foreign Secretary visited the US last week in a last-ditch attempt to persuade the US president to stick to the deal. But while furious Labour MPs condemned the 'recklessness and 'idiocy' of Mr Trump's move, senior Tory MPs backed him. Former defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon slammed the deal as 'flimsy' and said it had enabled Iranian interference in neighbouring countries. At PMQs today, Theresa May said she had made her position 'clear' to Donald Trump before he announced his decision - and pledged to keep trying to win him over to the merits of a pact US president Donald Trump has fiercely criticised the agreement with Iran, which eased sanctions in exchange for commitments to abandon its nuclear weapons programme Mr Johnson told MPs the world should now hold Mr Trump to his stated aim of finding a new solution to the Iran nuclear issue Mr Trump said last night that he would impose the 'highest level' of economic sanctions on Iran as he claimed the state was on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons. Tehran immediately responded by warning it would begin enriching more uranium than ever if negotiations with other countries in the pact failed. Speaking at PMQs in the Commons this afternoon, Mrs May said the government recognised there were 'issues' with the Iran deal - which was negotiated under Mr Trump's predecessor Barack Obama. 'I have been very clear in a number of conversations with the President of United States about the belief of the United Kingdom that the JCPOA, the nuclear deal with Iran, should stay,' she told MPs. 'We accept that there are other issues in relation to the behaviour of Iran that need to be dealt with - ballistic missiles, the question of what would happen at the sunset clause at the end of the nuclear deal, and the destabilising activity of Iran in the region. 'Those are issues are need to be addressed and we are working with our European and other allies to do just that.' Mrs May went on: 'It is absolutely right that the Government in addressing the issue of the Iran nuclear deal with the United States government worked across all levels and made representations at a variety of levels and in a variety of ways. 'We continue to believe that the Iran nuclear deal was an important step forward in helping to keep the world safe. 'There are other issues that need to be worked on. The Foreign Secretary and I will be continuing to work on those with our European and other allies.' Britain had joined fellow European counties including Germany and France in urging the United States to stick to the agreement. Mr Johnson travelled to the US at the weekend as part of a charm offensive to try to convince Mr Trump to stick with it - appearing on the President's favourite TV show, Fox and Friends, in an effort to appeal to him. And he suggested that the US President should be awarded the Nobel peace prize if he made progress towards peace with Iran and North Korea. But his overtures fell flat and Mr Trump followed through on his election promise to pull out of the deal. Making a statement to MPs after PMQs, Mr Johnson also hammered home Britain's commitment to the deal - despite America's withdrawal. The Foreign Secretary said a watchdog had reported nine times that Iran had complied with the terms of the agreement. Former defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon said the 'rather flimsy agreement' should never have been considered comprehensive, adding Iranian interference has increased Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry attacked the 'recklessness and idiocy' of Mr Trump's decision Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said his country will remain in the deal, and will instead trade with the other countries which signed it Mrs May joined French president Emmanuel Macron (left) and Angela Merkel of Germany (right) last night in voicing regret over Mr Trump's decision on the Iran nuclear deal As long as it continues to comply, the UK will 'remain a party' to the accord, he said. Mr Johnson said the world should now hold Mr Trump to his stated aim of finding a new solution to the Iran nuclear issue. Sir Michael, who quit as defence secretary last year, said the 'rather flimsy agreement' should never have been considered comprehensive, adding Iranian interference has increased. 'Isn't the president right in his analysis of this rather flimsy agreement that should never have been called comprehensive and it does not include missiles?' he said. 'Far from constraining Iranian behaviour, it has enabled the Iranian regime to use its new financial freedom to interfere in Syria, in Iraq, above all in Yemen and to sponsor Houthi attacks on our friends in Saudi Arabia.' Mr Johnson replied: 'I don't recall him making those points when he served so well as secretary of state for defence when the deal was done. 'But I disagree with him because I think that the advantage of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), of course it has limitations as I readily conceded, is at the heart of it is this idea to stop the Iranians from acquiring a nuclear weapon in exchange for limited economic benefits. Sir Michael was joined by Tory former minister Robert Halfon, who urged the government to support the UK's oldest ally rather than 'appeasing' Iran. MPs considered the Iran nuclear deal row in response to a statement from Mr Johnson today Andrew Percy, another Tory former minister, also urged the Government to back the US after condemning Iran's 'increasingly malign and dangerous influence'. But shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry attacked the 'recklessness and idiocy' of Mr Trump's decision, telling the Commons that he had taken it without the 'slightest justification and without the simplest rational thought' about what would happen next. Conservative former minister Sir Nicholas Soames criticised Iranian interference although he labelled Mr Trump's decision 'very poor'. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable also said ministers had now discovered the 'limits of sycophancy' in dealing with Mr Trump as he sought assurances to protect British industry and motorists from a potential 'oil shock' In a joint statement last night, Mrs May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron voiced regret at the US move. 'Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPoA. This agreement remains important for our shared security,' they said. 'We recall that the JCPoA was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council in resolution 2231. This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear programme. 'We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility.' The Manchester survivor Schoolgirl Amelia Thompson (right with her mother Lisa) , who was caught up in the Manchester Arena suicide bombing last year, has found herself on the guest list. And in a touching gesture, the 12-year-old is planning to take a grandmother who lost a loved one in last year's terrorist attack. The youngster, from Dronfield Woodhouse, near Sheffield, has spent a year recovering from the trauma she suffered after she witnessed the aftermath of the bombing. But the invitation has helped to lift her spirits - indeed, Amelia said she was 'speechless' when she saw the message saying she was going to the wedding. She said she was 'so excited' she could not respond, and is already planning to buy a dress for the occasion. Movingly, she has decided to give her other ticket to grandmother Sharon Goodman, whose 15-year-old granddaughter Olivia Campbell-Hardy died in the attack. The homeless teenager Kai Fletcher (right) had a difficult childhood growing up in a household troubled by alcohol and domestic violence, and found himself homeless at the age of just 15. After turning to Bath-based charity Southside for help, the 18-year-old now works for the organisation as a young advocate team leader having turned his life around. 'It was a bit surprising. I am looking forward to going, really excited,' he said of his invitation. Mr Fletcher, who lives in Bath, said he would be taking his sister Louise with him to the wedding at Windsor Castle next month. He said he said: 'I am giving back to Southside what they have given to me, which was a new opportunity.' The rallying Royal Marine A former Royal Marine's love of rally cars led to him leading a charity helping ex-service personnel and has now seen him invited to the royal wedding. Grant White, 52, (right) spent 23 years as a commando, leaving in 2008 as a warrant officer after being medically discharged, and is now head of operations for the Race2Recovery charity. The charity, which runs an off-road team that has competed in the Dakar Rally, provides opportunities in motorsport for people who have suffered life-changing injuries. Mr White, who lost his right leg below the knee in a hit-and-run road accident, said: 'It was a very pleasant surprise and it caught me slightly off-guard, I must admit. 'It is a fantastic opportunity and a great occasion.' He has not met Prince Harry personally but has met other royals during his long military career. Mr White, who lives in Dorset but is originally from Leicester, started out as a beneficiary of Race2Recovery because of a keen interest in motorsport before working for the charity. 'The priority will always be wounded, injured and sick service personnel,' he said. 'The big area we are hitting on now is mental health and we are getting a lot of PTSD. In the old days it was all amputees, people like me, and wheelchair users. I am now trying to push people's mental boundaries.' The deaf teenage campaigner Fourteen-year-old Reuben Litherland's school support worker in Derby did not believe him at first when he informed her he would be among the congregation at the wedding, his mother said. The Saint Benedict Catholic Academy pupil (right), who is deaf and has set up a lunchtime sign language club at school, is still coming to terms with the news, she said. Jacinta Litherland, who will attend the wedding with her son, said: 'He is very excited, and probably a bit bewildered. It's just not quite sunk in.' She said she was 'very proud' of her son's achievements, which include campaigning for deaf friendly cinema screenings, at such a young age. 'He is raising awareness of the difficulties and struggles that deaf children face, and he's doing it very well,' she said. The charitable entrepreneur 'Miss Macaroon' Rosie Ginday, 34, (right) earned her invitation after Harry and Meghan were blown away by her Birmingham social enterprise and baking business on a visit to the city earlier this year. Set up in 2011, her sweet treats organisation reinvests profits into developing disadvantaged young people's potential, training them as chefs, and offering them real world experience. And the royal couple got the chance to sample some of her trainees' macaroons during their visit in March. The qualified pastry chef and former English teacher said: 'Harry and Meghan came to Millennium Point (Birmingham), and got to taste our macaroons which was really fun. 'They were both so passionate about meeting all the young girls there and took a real interest. 'They're accessible as well, and it's great to have a younger generation of royals showing they do care and they are invested in what young people can do.' Ms Ginday's organisation has worked with care-leavers, the homeless, lone single parents and those with mental health problems, introducing them to working life, at the firm's shop and bakery, and even giving some the chance to work at Michelin star restaurant Purnell's. The inspiring primary school teacher David Gregory (right) will be will be celebrating his first wedding anniversary on the same weekend as the royal wedding. Fortunately, though, the 28-year-old from Blyth, Northumberland, is taking wife Hannah to enjoy the festivities in the grounds of Windsor Castle on May 19. The pair married on May 20 last year and Mr Gregory described the invitation as the 'perfect' way to mark their own milestone. Mr Gregory, who teaches Year 4 at Newsham Primary School in Blyth, said : 'My mam wanted to go, the headteacher wanted to go, but the only thing that was ever going to happen was for me and my wife to head down.' He will be wearing his own wedding suit for the occasion, but joked that his 26-year-old wife is stopping short of turning up in her wedding gown. 'We'd always planned on celebrating our one-year anniversary as you'd expect, but I don't think it could have been any more perfect,' he said. 'I'm planning on going in very formal attire. I felt very comfortable and happy in my wedding suit so I think that's the right way to go. 'Obviously we thought about Hannah wearing her wedding dress as well but we're not going to try and steal any limelight.' Mr Gregory, who was put forward for an invitation by the Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland, was singled out for his work strengthening and celebrating his local community in Blyth. His recycling initiative with pupils won a Love Northumberland award, and he is a driving force behind the Port of Blyth's STEM hub, designed to encourage pupils' engagement with STEM subjects, and inspire their future careers. The youngsters in his school have yet to find out about his invite because they are on holiday. 'I can't wait to tell them. We're looking at how we can make this really relevant and real to the children,' Mr Gregory said. He is, however, planning to record a video diary of his experience on the day for them. The Welsh charity worker Zoe Ardunell (above) will be lucky enough to see the couple for a second time, having met them during a recent visit to Cardiff Castle. The 20-year-old from Penygraig in Wales described that as 'a very happy day' and said Harry told her she was 'definitely a role model' for her work with the Valley Kids charity which helps disadvantaged children and families. She will take as her guest her 62-year-old grandmother Pat Churches, who she said 'loves the royals'. Ms Arundell said she was relieved to see she had no plans that weekend, but quickly added: 'I think if I did have any plans they would be changed straight away!' Schoolgirl born with one leg A schoolgirl born with one leg who became a charity ambassador and mental health champion is now looking forward to buying a new dress. Jorja Furze, 12, (right) says she will go shopping with her mother, Gabrielle, 39, who will also accompany her on the day, for something to wear for the event. Describing her delight at receiving an email invitation last week, the schoolgirl said: 'I was really excited and shocked because I didn't think I would get an invite. 'I had been told my name had been mentioned to some people about the wedding, but I didn't think I'd get close to it.' The youngster, who was born with only a right leg, is an ambassador for the Steel Bones charity which supports civilian amputees, added: 'They thought I would be a good candidate. 'I've grown up without a leg and they thought having someone that younger children could relate to would be good.' Jorja, from the village of Isleham near Ely, Cambridgeshire, has also set up a quiet space at her high school where children with mental health issues can relax. She said: 'Me and my friend both suffer from anxiety and mental health, we decided we should do something because we knew a lot of people had similar problems and we convinced the teacher to let us start this up.' The community lunchers Tessa Hince (right), who lives near Banbury, Oxfordshire, and Hayley Ash, of Shipston-on-Stour, both 32, have been running the successful Shipston Christmas Community Lunch, since 2016. The community event brings together people who might otherwise be isolated at Christmas, drawing its funds and produce from public donations. Both had already got invitations to the Queen's garden party on May 15, and joked they now needed to find different outfits for the wedding. Miss Hince, who is taking along her best friend, said she was 'absolutely speechless' and 'so excited'. 'It's giving some coverage to this great cause,' she added. Miss Ash, who is taking her mother as a guest, said: 'It's crazy - it all feels like a bit of a whirlwind.' The amputee campaigner Ex-Royal Irish Regiment soldier Phillip Gillespie (right) says it is 'a wee bit surreal' to think he will be there next month with his girlfriend, Kirsty Crawford. The 30-year-old, who lost his right leg in Afghanistan in 2011, is also eagerly awaiting news as to whether he has made the rowing and archery teams for the next Invictus Games - a brainchild of Harry. Mr Gillespie, who is involved with ABF The Soldiers' Charity, said he was looking forward to a busy few months with the Invictus trial results, the wedding and then a royal garden party following his BEM award last year. He said he had not told many people yet but expected his friends' reaction to be muted, compared to the feedback his girlfriend was getting. 'I think Kirsty has got more of a reaction, I think it (a wedding) is more of a girl thing,' he laughed. He added: 'It's a massive privilege, it will be a huge spectacle.' President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that he might revoke White House credentials for some journalists, following the publication of a survey that showed a dramatic leftward tilt in television news coverage about him. The Media Research Center, a conservative watchdog group, tracked the evening newscasts on ABC, CBS and NBC for the first four months of this year and found more than 1,600 'explicitly positive and negative' statements about the president. The group determined that nine out of 10 of those broadcast statements were negative. It did not include CNN and MSNBC in its research. Trump vented, saying: 'The Fake News is working overtime. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials?' The president, though, ignored a journalist's question hours later when he was asked before a Cabinet meeting whether or not he would 'ban press from the White House.' President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the reporters who cover him, saying 91 per cent of coverage of him that the three major TV networks air is negative 'Take away credentials?' Trump asked, suggesting a heavy-handed approach to press freedom The Media Research Center found a massive disparity on ABC, CBS and NBC between positive and negative coverage of key issues since Trump became president Hours after he tweeted, Trump ignored a journalist's question about whether or not he would 'ban press from the White House' White House Correspondents Association president Margaret Talev, who covers the Trump administration for Bloomberg Politics, said that 'a president preventing a free and independent press from covering the workings of our republic would be an unconscionable assault on the First Amendment' The White House Correspondents Association, a group whose membership includes most of the Reporters who work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, pushed back hard against the idea of restricting access to the White House. 'Some may excuse the presidents inflammatory rhetoric about the media, but just because the president does not like news coverage does not make it fake,' Margaret Talev, the organization's president, said in a statement. 'A free press must be able to report on the good, the bad, the momentous and the mundane, without fear or favor. And a president preventing a free and independent press from covering the workings of our republic would be an unconscionable assault on the First Amendment.' The Media Research Center, which regularly blasts out signs of media bias on its 'Newsbusters' website, reported the '91%' statistic cited by Trump when it analyzed network news coverage in September, October and November. Internet news distribution pioneer Matt Drudge said he's concerned the president might be headed toward licensing all journalists Harvard University Kennedy School of Government's Shorenstein Center, no conservative lapdog, released a broader report after Trump's first 100 days in office and found a similar result. It analyzed all coverage of Trump in the print editions of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post; the main newscasts of CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC; and a trio of European outlets that included The UKs Financial Times and BBC, and Germanys ARD. The result: Fully 80 per cent of non-'neutral' coverage about Trump was negative, and just 20 per cent was positive. CNN, NBC and CBS in that order aired the least positive news about the president, each of them registering in the single-digit percentages. Trump has long been a critic of the White House press corps' coverage of him, branding some 'fake news' outlets 'the enemy of the American people' and saving his harshest criticism for The New York Times and CNN. Drudge also pointed out that Democrats in the U.S. Senate had suggested licenses for reporters in the past 'The Fake News is working overtime' to attack him, the president fumed Wednesday Harvard's Shorenstein Center at the Kennedy School of Government found last year that during Trump's first 100 days in office, negative coverage of him outstripped positive coverage by a 4-to-1 margin Matt Drudge, the Internet publisher behind the influential Drudge Report website, posted a rare personal tweet on Wednesday morning to warn about what might follow from the White House. 'I fear the future result of Trumps crusade on "fake news" will be licensing of all reporters,' Drudge wrote, noting that Democrats 'already floated this in the senate pre-Trump.' 'The mop up on this issue is going to be excruciating,' he predicted. In 2013, California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein proposed amending a media 'shield' law considered by Congress in order to declare that only 'paid' journalists should be protected. The U.S. Constitution's First Amendment says that the federal government cannot take any action 'abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.' Feinstein said at the time that she wouldn't 'support it if everyone who has a blog has a special privilege.' The president has taken his 'fake news' campaign against the political press corps to Twitter several times, including some statements that suggest challenging broadcast licenses and prompting congressional investigations into media bias Press shield laws preserve the right of journalists to refuse to disclose even in court their information sources. There is no federal press shield law, but laws in at least 40 states do cover reporters in that way. Trump's longstanding habit of sniping at journalists he loves to hate reached a fever pitch last fall when he floated a wide range of remedies for what he sees as a mass media that's stacked against him. 'Why Isn't the Senate Intel Committee looking into the Fake News Networks in OUR country to see why so much of our news is just made up-FAKE!' he tweeted on October 5. Hours later the president directly challenged the legitimacy of major broadcasters. 'With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License?' he asked. Trump was still at is six days later, tweeting that '[n]etwork news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked.' A school that paid a 1,500 ransom when they were hit by a cyber attack in the run-up to exams has been slammed after only some of its pupils' work was recovered. Cyber crime expert Phil Butler branded the decision to pay up 'madness' after students at Durham Sixth Form Centre lost valuable work when the computerswere targeted by ransomware shortly before the exam period last Spring. An investigation has revealed the school paid a ransom of 1,500 after a computer virus encrypted files which contained students work during the WannaCry attack, which the UK and US blamed on North Korea in December. A forensic officer branded the decision to pay up 'madness' after the attack hit the NHS in what the UK and US said was a hit masterminded by North Korea The payment, to a third party, was approved by the schools Chair of Governors Dennis Southwell. The cyber attack, which occurred at the end of April last year, left teachers and pupils unable to access work. Only some of the students work was recovered. Phil Butler, former police officer and cyber crime expect at Roxburgh Forensics, said submitting to the ransom left the school vulnerable and pointed out that both the UK and US blamed North Korea for the attack. 'Its madness really to start paying out to criminals who claim to have hacked your system because youre exposing yourself to a whole world of pain,' he said. 'Essentially you are becoming an easy target for future attacks. And not only that, your encouraging further criminality youre actually facilitating potential money laundering and its just madness essentially. 'That is why the police would never recommend that anyone should pay out and theres a number of things you can do. 'Its understandable that people essentially would emotionally think "what on earth can we do" and maybe panic but actually its a time for calm heads in a situation like this.' The NHS was also hit during the attack and Mr Butler said that coughing up opens institutions up to a 'world of pain' Phil said he would be 'very surprised' if the amount paid out by the school was just 1,500. 'I know anecdotally that other companies have paid out on occasions and to be fair never got anywhere, like the school, the school obviously never recovered its data, and those were in the figure of 30-60,000.' He said businesses, students and those using a computer at home should be backing up work, keeping software and anti-virus up to date and not installing software from unknown origins. 'We werent on this occasion dealing with computer nerds sitting in a dark bedroom somewhere,' he said. 'This is a state-sponsored attack, the Americans believe. The Department of Homeland Security believe it was actually North Korea behind this particular attack. 'It was a state-sponsored terrorist attack upon the western world essentially. So it wasnt just the school that was affected, it was a number of businesses, NHS and as youve heard Nissan etc. It was a real serious attack this.' Durham Six Form student Tommy believes he received a lower grade in his AS Level IT as his final pieces of coursework were never recovered following the attack. He has since left Durham Sixth Form to effectively start over with a different qualification at a college. 'When I got back after half term, this is when I learned about that over the half-term they got held to ransom, obviously all the works been lost,' he said. 'At this point we hadnt had anything back yet so it was about a week where we just didnt have a network at all, and then the next week we got it back but it was encrypted so none of us could access any of it so it was basically still all gone. The attack was blamed on North Korea and also affected the NHS as well as Sunderland's Nissan plant (pictured, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un) 'We tried to decrypt it but they were never able to so basically all the IT coursework I left over there to get marked was gone so I didnt really get the marks which Id actually done work for.' Another student Lewis, who was just about to take his A Levels when it happened, was able to recover his coursework and has since gone to university. 'We came back from the Easter holidays and the WiFi wasnt working and they said: "You cant go on the computers their down at the moment"', he said. 'A few days past and rumours started going around saying weve been hacked and they have took all of our files, which was quite alarming considering the fact I took lots of subjects where literally all my work was on the computers. 'I was like am I going to be able to get my work back, am I going to be able to finish my work properly before the exams. 'It was still a bit weird not having half of your work that you have worked on for the whole year not on you, especially at exam season as well.' In May last year malicious software locked up thousands of computers all over the world. The NHS became the victim of a cyber attack and thousands of operations were cancelled. Nissans plant in Sunderland was also targeted. Mother-of-two Savannah Hill (pictured with her children) has died after she was shot by a police officer during a traffic stop A Missouri mother-of-two was shot and killed by police on Saturday after she reversed into an officer during a traffic stop in Aurora. Savannah Hill, 21, was driving a red Kia when police pulled her over believing her front seat passenger, a 19-year-old man had outstanding warrants, Miami Herald reported. When two officers got out of their vehicle to approach the car, she reversed back, striking one. The other officer opened fire. Ms Hill was airlifted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Springfield Hospital, but her life support was turned off on Sunday, and she died on Monday afternoon. The officer hit by her car was taken to hospital, as was a third person in Ms Hill's car - a 29-year-old woman. The 19-year-old man was taken into custody - though no information has been released regarding the reason for his warrant. Her father, Chris Nethery, told the Springfield News Leader his daughter had married at 15 and dropped out of school when she fell pregnant with her first child. The devoted dad said Ms Hill worked hard to be a contributing member of society, and put herself through school to attain a qualification as a nursing assistant. Ms Hill is mother to Lilliannah, five, and Zandier, three. Ms Hill, 21, was pulled over on Saturday because her front seat passenger had outstanding warrants, but when officers approached, she reversed her car into one, causing the other to open fire Ms Hill was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition, and died on Monday afternoon after her life support was turned off Her father says he does not know how he will tell the youngsters their mother has died. In an emotional post shared to Facebook on Tuesday, Mr Nethery said he felt 'so lost' and could not come to terms with the idea his beloved daughter had died. 'I have your last mins playing through my head. It just don't feel real,' he wrote. 'I keep looking at the door waiting for you to come bouncing in saying "hi daddy". What I would give to hear your voice one more time. I wish I could get you to make me smile as you were always able to. 'Later today your mom and I have to try to find a way to tell your kids. You are and will always be daddy's girl. I love you Savannah more than you will ever know.' Her father, Chris Nethery (pictured) said on Facebook he had not come to terms with his daughter's death, and was struggling to work out how to tell his grandchildren Two officers involved in the traffic stop have been placed on administrative leave, and the Highway Patrol is investigating the shooting A GoFundMe has been set up to help pay for Ms Hill's funeral costs, with extra money to go to her young children. A spokesman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which is investigating the shooting, said two officers involved have been placed on administrative leave. The road was closed for only about four hours following the shooting, KY3 reported. Dailymail.com has contacted the Highway Patrol for more information. Saif Boudemagh created fake identities to claim benefits after he was given the right to remain in the UK A failed Algerian asylum seeker who used five fake identities to fraudulently claim 370,000 in benefits has been jailed for five years. Saif Boudemagh, 41, used a forged French identity card to illegally enter the UK in March, 2000 but his asylum appeal failed. Boudemagh continued to appeal and eventually obtained residency in 2004, two years after marrying UK citizen Paula Boudemagh. The father-of-one, was given a one-bed council flat in Upper Holloway, London and immediately began claiming benefits once he received his National Insurance number. He claimed to be the carer of his wife and since February, 2009 claimed Income Support as single-parent of their son, now aged fourteen years-old. The bogus claimant who received full British citizenship in October, 2007 was convicted of twelve counts of fraud by a Blackfriars Crown Court jury totalling 370,000. As well as his own bogus applications Boudemagh made up people and claimed benefits for them. Between June, 2007 and April, 2015 he made multiple claims using fake French identities for Housing Benefit. He used the same names to apply for council tax benefits, income support, carer's allowance, incapacity benefit, employment support allowance, (ESA) and disability living allowance, (DLA). He pocketed 16,798 for looking after non-existent friend called Jamel Bensaid, 42, whose id was used to get a staggering 174,000 in various benefits. Benefit claims were made in the name of Sidhamad Ayad, 39. This identity netted the con artist a 41,746 in employment support benefits after Boudemagh concocted a bogus tale this claimant needed a walking stick and toilet hand rails. Saif Boudemagh married a UK citizen after his asylum application failed. He then claimed almost 400,000 in benefits for himself and other fake identities The bogus claimant, 41-year-old Saif Boudemagh, even applied for a disability pass to use London's transport for free Another 14,251 was paid out in disability living allowance for the same man and 22,519 was given in housing benefit. He also used fake French identity documents to make benefit claims in name of Allel Zerabib, 44, and Taric Ziad, 45, and 'hijacked' the genuine identity of Frenchwoman Nadia Regad, 42. The married mum-of-two was living in Paris, but her identity was used to claim 4,235 as a carer for 'Mr Zerabib' who received 25,000 in disability benefits. This bogus identity was also exploited to collect 46,000 in housing benefit and council tax benefit. Boudemagh pocketed a further 14,626 in DLA using the Ziad identity. The DWP paid benefits on the basis the claimants had depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, varicose veins, lower back pain and in one case a disabled finger. He even used a disabled Freedom Pass in a false identity to enjoy free transport around the capital. Saif Boudemagh got hold of fake French passports in order to gain entry to Britain before his failed asylum claim Boudemagh's flat was raided on April 7, 2015 and documents were found in the names of the false claimants as well as bank cards for accounts the money was paid into. Boudemagh told the jury he was innocently completing benefit claim forms as an English-speaker for members of the close-knit north London Algerian community. But it was found the people did not exist. But the prosecution argued its case successfully, having the Algerian convicted on all but five counts. Prosecutor Mr Andrew Evans said: 'A false French passport was also submitted as proof of identity in support of these claims and the photo on this passport is that of the defendant. 'His mobile phone number is given as the claimants' contact number.' The conman's brother Redouane Boudemagh, 46, an illegal immigrant, receiving three years imprisonment for a 218,000 scam last year. Shockingly, Boudemagh was still in receipt of housing benefit and child tax credits up to the day of his imprisonment, but he will not face confiscation proceedings because no assets have been found. The Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) say the only way they can recover any money is by making small deductions to any benefits he receives after his release. 'This defendant played a leading role in the offending, involving at least one other,' said Mr. Evans. 'It was a sophisticated offence requiring planning and the hijacking of identities to claims benefits and completion of medical evidence.' Judge Jane Sullivan told him last week: 'It cannot be said you showed remorse. You fought the case in the face of overwhelming evidence.' A company has been accused of selling their 'highly-trained' service dogs for $27,000 but it turns out they were allegedly just puppies unequipped to help manage a life-threatening situation. Virginia's attorney general filed a lawsuit against Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers on Tuesday alleging that the company misled its clients by selling them 'little more than incredibly expensive pets' instead of the highly-trained dogs. The suit claims the company and its CEO Charles D. Warren Jr. charged between $18,000-$27,000 for its so-called 'diabetic alert dogs' that were supposed to be able to identify and alert owners to life-threatening low and high blood sugar. But the owners allegedly received dogs that were just poorly-trained puppies with significant behavioral issues. Virginia's attorney general filed a lawsuit against Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers on Tuesday. Some of the company's service dogs are pictured above 'In reality, the dogs were often poorly trained, ill-behaved, and unequipped to help manage a life-threatening situation, rendering them little more than incredibly expensive pets,' the suit states. An investigation into customer complaints revealed that clients had been given puppies that showed significant shortcomings, including an inability to walk properly on a leash, chewing and destruction, inability to respond when called, jumping on people, fear of noises, and frequent barking or whining. Some of the dogs did fail to alert diabetic customers to high or low blood sugar, the lawsuit claims. The suit also alleges that the CEO lied to customers and donors when he claimed to have trained dogs for the military when he served in the US Marine Corps. He allegedly claimed to have received a medical discharge because of a diabetes diagnosis. The lawsuit claims Warren never served in the Marine Corps or any other branch of the military. Attorney General Herring is suing the company for alleged violations of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act and the Virginia Solicitation of Contributions law. The lawsuit is seeking $5,000 in damages for each violation, as well as refunds for the affected clients. Video courtesy of NBC 29 The suit claims the company and its CEO Charles D. Warren Jr. charged between $18,000-$27,000 for its so-called 'diabetic alert dogs'. Pictured above is one of the company's service dogs 'This suit alleges not just dishonest and unlawful business practices, but a recklessness that could have endangered the lives of customers who relied on the claims made by Service Dogs and its owner,' Herring said. 'Our investigation shows that, in many instances, Service Dogs was simply selling a $25,000 pet, leaving customers with a huge bill and no protection against a potentially life-threatening blood sugar situation. 'Customers have a right to rely on the accuracy of a business's claims, especially when it involves a person's health and well-being. We will continue to hold businesses to the highest standards and take action whenever necessary to protect Virginia consumers.' Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers said they deny any allegation of wrongdoing. 'We absolutely deny that we have ever set out to mislead, cheat or defraud our many happy clients,' the company said. The Attorney General's office is calling for anyone who believes they may have been injured by Service Dogs to file a complaint on their website. A British woman has been seriously injured after allegedly being deliberately targeted by her boyfriend's ex-wife in a hit-and-run on Majorca. The 23-year-old victim was rushed to hospital after being hit by a car in the party resort of Magaluf on Tuesday evening. Local media reports that the driver is the ex-wife of the victim's boyfriend, and witnesses claimed she mounted the pavement at high speed to deliberately mow her down. Hit and run: The driver is reportedly the current partner of the 23-year-old victim's ex-boyfriend and is said to have deliberately run her over on this street in Magaluf Mallorca paper Cronica Balear reported that both women are British and currently living and working in the holiday resort, however police could not confirm the nationality of the driver. The 29-year-old driver was arrested shortly after the incident, and is currently being held on suspicion of attempted homicide. She is due to appear before an investigating judge this afternoon to be told whether she will be remanded in custody or released on bail pending an ongoing criminal probe. The victim had been standing on the pavement on Carrer Federico Garcia Lorca, a street near the infamous party strip, at around 7pm last night when she was hit. The victim suffered serious injuries and was rushed to Son Espases Hospital in Palma. Her condition today was not immediately clear. She is understood to have told police she saw a woman she recognised at the wheel of the car that hit her. Party island: The incident took place near the infamous party street Punta Ballena A spokesman for the Civil Guard said in a statement today: 'The Civil Guard has arrested a woman aged 29 as the suspected author of a crime of attempted homicide. 'Officers assisted a a group of people yesterday/on Tuesday in Magaluf who were around a woman they spotted lying on the ground. 'That woman was an injured British national. 'Witnesses said a car had run her over before speeding away from the scene. One of the witnesses said the car had mounted the pavement intent on running over the woman. 'Officers were told the vehicle was a small, white car and police patrols were alerted. 'Thirty minutes later a Civil Guard patrol searching for the vehicle in Cala Vinyes spotted a suspect car with two young women inside whose descriptions matched those of the people they were looking for. 'The two occupants were intercepted and identified. Officers discovered the hit-and-run victim is the current partner of the ex-husband of the driver of the vehicle they stopped and therefore the suspected author of the allegedly intentional hit-and-run.' Rihanna was not only the best dressed at Monday night's Met Gala in New York, but also the most authentically attired celebrity in attendance, The theme of this year's event was Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, and Rihanna turned up in a white-beaded minidress with a sweetheart neckline that was worn under a full skirt and jacket of the same design, all by designer John Galliano. To top it all off, Rihanna wore a bejeweled headpiece that was similar to the papal crowns of the middle ages, prompting Cardinal Timothy Dolan to joke on Tuesday that she had borrowed one of his mitres for the evening. Mitres can only be worn by individuals who have achieved the rank of bishop or abbot in the church. Scroll down for video Vatican vixen: Rihanna wore a headpiece similar to the papal tiaras worn by pontiffs in the middle ages to the Met Gala on Monday night (above) Holy host: On Tuesday Cardinal Dolan joked that she had in fact borrowed one of his mitres for the evening on SiriusXMs The Catholic Channel (Dolan above with hosts Stephen Schwarzman, Christine Schwarzman, Donatella Versace, Amal Clooney and Anna Wintour) Slide me Bish(op) better have my miter: Cardinal Dolan joked that he told his bishops, 'hey you guys should not complain because shes volunteered to do some confirmation' He spoke about the evening on SiriusXMs The Catholic Channel and brought up the look when someone mentioned Rihanna's showstopping coronet, saying: 'Yes, in fact the news said she was wearing a tiara, which no she was wearing a mitre and she gave it back to me this morning.' Cardinal Dolan's announcement led to much laughter, and he did not stop there, revealing that the pop star had also made him a sacred promise. 'I was teasing my auxiliaries, bishops, who were teasing me about Rihanna and I said, "hey you guys should not complain because shes volunteered to do some confirmation,"' said Cardinal Dolan. 'She was very gracious, everybody was I couldnt believe it.' Rihanna's hat, like her outfit, was all the work of Galliano. It was made under the Martin Margiela label, where Galliano is now employed, but actually made its runway debut almost 20 years ago. The same look opened the Christian Dior Haute Couture show back in 2000, though Rihanna did add a bit more beading and bling to her look for Monday night. She finished off the look with a pair of Louboutins, a pearl anklet and a bejeweled crucifix necklace. Rihanna's look was first seen back in 2000 on the runway for Dior Hayte Couture (above) And while her headpiece may not have been Cardinal Dolan's miter, it is still worth asking - who wore it better? Rihanna was an honorary host for the evening on Monday as was Cardinal Dolan. 'Apparently it is THE social event of the year,' Cardinal Dolan said on Tuesday. 'The Metropolitan Museum of Art which is a magnificent museum, right here in New York. Is it the first Monday of every May? And its sponsored by Anna Wintour who got me, she edits Vogue Magazine and its to benefit her fashion design at the museum, but everybody comes out for it.' He continued: 'It is glitteratisima and they always have a theme.' He went on to reveal that it 'was $30,000 a ticket' but he did not have to pay because of the theme this year and the hope by the museum that he would agree to attend the event. 'They did the Catholic imagination so theyre saying look theres something mystical and mesmerizing about the Catholic faith and that it enchants the imagination,' explained Dolan. He also gave his blessing to the exhibit. 'I didnt really see anything sacrilegious, I may have seen some things in poor taste, but I didnt detect anybody out to offend the church,' said Cardinal Dolan. 'In fact they seemed to be very, they were sure good to me, they were sure kind to me and a number of people came up and spoke about their Catholic upbringing and things they remembered and uh it was a powerful evening.' Avenatti is focused on $500,000 in payments linked to a Russian oligarch and $400,000 fro a pharmaceutical giant to an LLC controlled by Michael Cohen (pictured) Stormy Daniels lawyer MIchael Avenatti ridiculed longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen Wednesday for big corporate payments that showed up in his bank account for 'advice' after the 2016 elections. Avenatti went after Cohen online and on the airwaves hours after he revealed millions in payments that got funneled into an LLC set-up by Cohen weeks before the 2016 election. It was the same LLC Cohen used to transit $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with President Trump. 'Who knew Mr. Cohen was such a brilliant renaissance man?' quipped Avenatti online, in reference to all the firms lining up for his guidance on health, telecom, industry, and other policy matters. While Avenatti put the initial focus on a Russian oligarch connected to a firm that paid Cohen $500,000, major U.S. companies have confirmed they also made six-figure payments to Cohen after the election. 'Priceless = Watching all of the companies that sent money to the LLC slush fund come up with different alleged reasons for hiring Mr. Cohen 'accounting advice,' 'real estate consulting,' 'insight,' etc. Who knew Mr. Cohen was such a brilliant renaissance man? #nonsense #basta,' said Cohen. Stormy Daneils lawyer Michael Avenatti did a TV and Twitter tour Wednesday where he mocked longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen He was referencing corporate statements like one from AT&T, which said: 'Essential Consulting was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration.' Pharmaceutical giant also confirmed big payments to Cohen, but a spokesman said 'any agreements with Essential Consultants were entered before our current CEO taking office in February of this year and have expired,' NBC reported. Avenatti also took on the pharmaceutical firm. 'And now Novartis claims they hired Mr. Cohen for 'healthcare' matters (they paid him approx $1 Million). Wow - he's a doctor as well!! Very talented guy this Mr. Cohen. #basta,' Avenatti tweeted, using his signature hashtag for 'enough.' On ABC's 'Good Morning America' Wednesday, Avenatti tried to keep the pressure on President Trump and Cohen. 'Michael Cohen and the president can clear this up this morning very easily,' he said. Avenatti mocked Cohen as a 'brilliant renaissance man' Stormy Daneils lawyer Michael Avenatti did a TV and Twitter tour Wednesday where he mocked longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen 'Each company has given a different reason for retaining Michael Cohen,' Avenatti told host George Stephanopoulos. 'Real estate, business consulting health care consulting the list goes on and on,' he continued. 'There may in fact be something wrong. For the following reason: Hes not a registered lobbyist. He hasnt made required disclosures relating to lobbing activities.' Lobbying rules require disclosure when actively lobbying Congress or the administration, but not necessarily for consulting activities. When Stephanopoulos pointed out that AT&T says Cohen did not lobby for the firm, Avenatti responded: 'Then whatd they hire him for then? Its unclear right? Clearly its unclear. In fact the more you dig, the more stories we hear from this company,' he said. 'If hes taking money from a foreign national that could pose a significant legal problem for him as it relates to taking dollars from overseas companies,' he continued. Robert Mueller's team has questioned a Russian oligarch over a $500,000 payment made to Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen after he paid Stormy Daniels, it has emerged. Michael Avenatti, attorney for the porn star who claims she had an affair with President Trump, alleged on Tuesday evening that the oligarch, Viktor Vekselberg transferred approximately $500,000 to Cohen in 2017. The funds came in several installments in 2017. He says the payments came through a company called Columbus Nova, a U.S. investment vehicle that he claims is controlled by Vekselberg. The transfer came months after Cohen wired $130,000 to Daniels. A lawyer for Columbus Nova said the firm is entirely American although the statement did not address the prior composition of the firm before sanctions went into effect. The financial records cited by Avenatti were later confirmed as authentic by The New York Times and NBC News. In October of 2016, Cohen created an LLC that transmitted a $130,000 to Daniels, who claims she had an affair with President Trump, as part of a non-disclosure agreement. Following Avenattis allegations, CNN subsequently reported that special counsel Mueller's investigators have questioned the oligarch about the nature and reason for the payments. The network said it also had reviewed documents purporting to show the payments to Cohen. Adult film actress Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) and her lawyer Michael Avenatti. Avenatti produced an investigation he says shows suspicious payments to Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. Avenatti alleges that a Russian oligarch reimbursed longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen following his payment to the porn star who claims she had an affair with President Trump The payments to Cohen came from Vekselberg and his cousin, Andrew Intrater, in the form of eight installments, Avenatti claims. Intrater is the CEO of Columbus Nova, a U.S. subsidiary of Renova Group, a company Vekselberg founded which is focused on the Russian energy sector. While Vekselberg is barred by U.S. law from making political donations, Intrater has American citizenship. The FBI was able to interview Vekselberg after his private plane stopped in New York on travel. Agents also questioned Intrater, according to the network. Intrater has drawn scrutiny because he has no history of making significant donations to politicians before the 2016 elections. It has been reported that he donated $250,000 to Trump's inaugural committee; $35,000 to the Trump Victory Fund; $29,600 to the Republican National Committee; and $2,700 to the Donald J. Trump for President Campaign. The payments to Cohen came from Vekselberg (left) and his cousin, Andrew Intrater (right), in the form of eight installments, Avenatti claims. Intrater is the CEO of Columbus Nova, a U.S. subsidiary of Renova Group The donations are unusual given that in previous election cycles he had given quite modestly. In 2008, he donated $1,200 to Democrat Bill Richardson, who ran for the presidency. In 2014, he gave $2,600 to Chris Day, who ran for a Congressional seat in New York. Renova Group also donated between $50,000 and $100,000 to the Clinton Foundation, though it is not clear when those contributions were made. Columbus Nova released a statement to CNN after it reported the payments. 'Columbus Nova is a management company solely owned and controlled by Americans,' the statement said. 'After the inauguration, the firm hired Michael Cohen as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures. 'Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false. 'The claim that Viktor Vekselberg was involved or provided any funding for Columbus Nova's engagement of Michael Cohen is patently untrue. 'Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else other than Columbus Nova's owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement.' 'After significant investigation, we have discovered that Mr. Trump's atty Mr. Cohen received approximately $500,000 in the mos. after the election from a company controlled by a Russian Oligarc [sic] with close ties to Mr. Putin. These monies may have reimbursed the $130k payment,' Avenatti wrote on Twitter. The CEO of Novartis, Vas Narasimhan, is one of several company heads who met with Trump during the president's trip to Davos, Switzerland According to his seven-page document, Cohen 'inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the president and holding himself out at times as employed by the Trump Organization.' Aventti also outlines what he calls 'suspicious financial transactions in the amount of $400,000 from big pharmaceutical company Novartis that went to Essential Consultants, LLC, which was created by Cohen. Trump met with the CEO of the firm during his trip to Davos, Switzerland. The then-incoming CEO, Vas Narasimhan, is one of several company heads who met with Trump. Cohen had established an LLC, Essential Consultants, in October of 2016, just weeks before the presidential election, and used it as a vehicle to pay Daniels. Cohen negotiated the NDA with Daniels' then-lawyer, using pseudonyms for Trump and Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Avenatti's report notes that Cohen has claimed in the past he got the funds from a home equity loan. Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani has since said that Trump reimbursed Cohen. Avenatti writes that, 'Mr. Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the President and holding himself out at times as employed by the Trump Organization (with few other clients). This was occurring at the same time significant questions were being raised relating to (a) the involvement of Russia and Vladimir Putin in the 2016 Presidential Election and (b) the extent of the relationship between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump.' Avenatti also states that AT&T provided $200,000 in four payments to Essential Consutants in 2017 and 2018, while a company called Korea Aerospace Industries provided $150,000. AT&T confirmed the payments got made in a statement to Reuters saying they were made to gain 'understanding' of the new Trump administration. 'Essential Consultants was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration. They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017,' according to the telecom giant's statement. In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Tuesday evening, Avenatti said these payments had the hallmarks of a 'pay-to-play' scheme run by Cohen in order to 'sell access to the president of the United States.' 'From the series of payments made through the US entity of the oligarch, it appears this may be your typical pay-to-play scenario where you have someone close to the president of the United States selling potential access to [him],' Avenatti said. '[Cohen] had to have been receiving the money for something, and it's unclear what the excuse is as to why he was receiving this money.' When asked if the payments had any connection to the $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, Avenatti said it is possible. 'We don't know yet [for sure],' Avenatti said when asked if the payment was to 'replenish the coffers' that were emptied by the Daniels transaction. The payments to Essential Consultants were made months after the payment was arranged for Daniels just before the November 2016 elections. Soon after Avenatti posted the information on Twitter, Giuliani bashed the attorney. 'I have no idea how he would know that,' Giuliani told Bloomberg News. 'I have no reason to believe that anything he says is true,' Giuliani said. 'I consider [Avenatti] now sort of a guy who books for Saturday Night Live. 'The guy is a pretty unsuccessful lawyer - can't remember a case he's ever had that meant anything - and I think he's desperate for money.' The Saturday Night Live reference was made because of Daniels' appearance on the most recent episode in which she lampooned Trump. Avenatti responded angrily to Giuliani on Twitter. 'Mr. Giuliani - you just called me a 'pretty unsuccessful lawyer' and stated that you 'can't remember a case he's ever had that meant anything',' Avenatti tweeted on Tuesday. '1st, you obviously can't remember much. 2nd, check my bio and you will find over a BILLION worth of verdicts and settlements. #dumb' President Donald Trump thanked Kim Jong-un on Wednesday for freeing three Americans imprisoned under the North Korean regime. The Americans are on their way back to the United States and landed safely in Japan this morning alongside Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. 'I appreciate Kim Jong-Un for doing this,' Trump said today as he convened his Cabinet. With the American prisoners' release came the announcement from Trump that the location of his upcoming nuclear disarmament summit with Kim would be revealed in three days. The president offered that it will not be held in the demilitarized zone that separates the two Koreas. He said South Korean President Moon Jae-in 'was very, very happy to hear' the three prisoners had been allowed to leave Pyongyang. Anticipating a 2:00 a.m. touchdown at Joint Base Andrews in suburban Maryland, Trump predicted that it would be 'quite a scene' and 'represents something very important to this country.' Scroll down for video President Donald Trump thanked Kim Jong-un on Wednesday for freeing three Americans imprisoned under the North Korean regime Pompeo is returning from North Korea with three American detainees, as well as details of an upcoming summit between leader Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump. Pompeo (left) and Kim are seen during a meeting last month Touchdown: A U.S. government plane on which Pompeo and the three newly freed men are believed to be traveling (left) landed at Yokota U.S. Airbase in the outskirts of Tokyo on Wednesday before refueling for the long haul back to North America Trump said this morning on Twitter that Pompeo had secured the release of the three Americans imprisoned by the North Korean regime, and promised to greet them personally when they get to the U.S. in the middle of the night. 'I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health,' Trump wrote on Twitter. He added in a second tweet that 'Secretary Pompeo and his guests will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!' The three men released Wednesday are Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-chul; Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, who spent a month teaching at the foreign-funded Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) before he was arrested in 2017; and Kim Hak-song, who also taught at PUST. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump 'appreciates leader Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill.' 'The three Americans appear to be in good condition and were all able to walk on the plane without assistance,' she said. U.S. citizen Kim Hak-song was detained 'on suspicion of acts against the state' Kim Dong-chul, pictured above, left and right, had been detained since 2015. He was arrested for spying and had been sentenced to 10 years' hard labor Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton on Wednesday called the move 'a good step toward achieving a real, lasting peace,' but accused the North Korean government of committing 'a crime, unprovoked and unjustified.' Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Inhofe said in a statement that the three 'were wrongfully imprisoned.' But for the first time since December 2009, he added, 'we do not have an American citizen held by the regime.' Inhofe called the result 'a true reflection of the success of President Trumps campaign of maximum pressure.' Tony Kim, also known as Kim Sang-Duk, was a Korean-American professor and aid worker before his arrest Pompeo was in Pyongyang for meetings to settle on details of an upcoming summit between Trump and dictator Kim Jong-un, who may be willing to surrender elements of his nascent nuclear weapons program in exchange for economic sanctions relief. The president also said Wednesday on Twitter that the 'date & place' for that summit has been 'set.' Trump broke the news of Pompeo's trip during a speech Tuesday in which he suspended America's participation in a wide-ranging nuclear bargain with Iran. He said Tuesday that it would be a 'great thing' if the detainees were freed. Pompeo, speaking to reporters on his way to Japan before heading to North Korea, said he had not received any commitments but hoped North Korea would 'do the right thing.' Before Wednesday, the only American released by North Korea during Trumps presidency had been Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old university student who returned to the U.S. in a coma last summer after 17 months of captivity and died days later. Warmbiers death escalated U.S.-North Korea tensions, which were already running high at the time over Pyongyangs stepped-up missile tests. The groundwork for the potential release of the three remaining American detainees was laid two months ago when North Koreas foreign minister traveled to Sweden and proposed the idea, CNN reported earlier, citing an unnamed source. President Trump triumphantly announced the release of the trio of Americans in his own style with a pair of tweets Pompeos visit came a day after the despot whom the U.S diplomat referred to as 'Chairman Un' made his second trip to China in less than two months, meeting President Xi Jinping and discussing the ongoing international talks over North Koreas nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. At the direction of President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other representatives of the United States government traveled to Pyongyang, North Korea on May 9 to prepare for the Presidents upcoming meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. During Secretary Pompeos visit, the North Korean leadership released three American detainees. President Trump appreciates leader Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill. The three Americans appear to be in good condition and were all able to walk on the plane without assistance. All Americans look forward to welcoming them home and to seeing them reunited with their loved ones. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders During that visit, announced only after it was over, Kim told Xi he hoped relevant parties would take 'phased' and 'synchronized' measures to realize denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, according to Chinese state media. Separately, Trump and Xi discussed developments on the Korean peninsula and Kims visit to China during a phone call on Tuesday morning, the White House said. Trump hailed the emergence of new 'relationships' being forged in North Korea even as he blasted another regime Iran's as 'murderous.' He appeared to hold out the potential thaw as an alternate way forward for Iran, even as he blasted Tehran's support for terrorism and said the regime would never be allowed to have a nuclear bomb. 'Today's action sends a critical message. The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises I keep them,' Trump said, speaking from the White House to announce his decision. Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, on Wednesday from Japan and headed to the citys Koryo Hotel for meetings, ultimately securing the three Americans' release 'In fact, at this very moment Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un,' the president revealed. Then he talked up North Korea a regime frequently for held up to ridicule as among the most isolated, impoverished, and despotic on the globe but where U.S. officials hope to achieve real progress following a series of North Korea nuclear weapons tests. 'Plans are being made, relationships are building,' said Trump. 'Hopefully a deal will happen and with the help of China, South Korea, and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone,' Trump said. After his remarks, Trump addressed another nagging issue hostage taking of Americans, something he also called out Iran for. Asked about the potential release of three Americans held in North Korea, a subject of long negotiations by diplomats, Trump said: 'It would be a great thing if they are we'll soon be finding out.' 'Plans are being made, relationships are building,' Trump said Tuesday, acknowledging that he plans to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un soon 'He will be there very shortly in a matter of virtual, probably an hour,' Trump said. 'We have our meeting set. The location is picked. The time and date, everything is picked,' Trump said, speaking of his upcoming summit. 'And we look forward to have a really great success. WE think relationships are building with North Korea. We'll see how it all works out. Maybe it won't.' Pompeo also addressed the subject to reporters traveling with him. 'We have been asking for the release of these detainees for this administration for 17 months. Well talk about it again today. I think itd be a great gesture if they would choose to do so,' he said, asked about their release. Asked if he could have a summit if North Korea is still holding Americans, he said: 'Were hopeful we dont have to cross that road.' Trump has not yet said where the summit will be held, although on Twitter he floated the idea of doing it in the DMZ. Pompeo's trip to North Korea came in advance of a planned meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un New national security advisor John Bolton who was on hand for Trump's speech declined to say whether freeing of the U.S. hostages was a condition for the presidential-level talks to go forward. 'I'd rather not speculate on that. Secretary Pompeo is almost on the ground in North Korea. He is the president's negotiator,' said Bolton. 'The purpose of the mission is to prepare for the next meetings, the president has said on any number of occasions he wants the hostages released, and that hasn't changed,' he said, responding to a question from DailyMail.com about the reasons for Pompeo's visit. Trump's willingness to embrace North Korea on the eve of talks came in a speech laced with criticism of Iran for its own previous secretive nuclear program which never achieved the advancement the North Koreans were able to display with repeated ballistic missile launches and underground nuclear explosions. U.S. counterterrorism officials have warned that North Korea could likely reach the continental United States with a missile, and until the recent thaw, it routinely harassed neighboring Japan by lobbing missiles into the coastal waters. The nation has experienced widespread famines over the years, and Kim is believed to have killed his own uncle in a power struggle while constructing a cult of personality and iron rule. Trump made his announcement as he denounced the 'lunacy of an Iranian bomb.' He said of the Iran deal which subjected Tehran to sanctions and put sever limits on its uranium enrichment to try to hold it to peaceful purposes: 'The fact is this was a horrible one sided deal that should have never ever been made.' Pompeo tweeted long after Trump broke the news of his trip and even his arrival time: 'Headed back to #DPRK at the invitation of the North Korean leadership. I look forward to planning a successful summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un,' using the formal name for the country. A woman has been stoned to death by Somalian Islamist extremist group al-Shabab, after being accused of marrying 11 men. Shukri Abdullahi Warsame, 30, was reportedly stoned to death by masked al-Shabab fighters in a public square in Sablale town in Lower Shabelle region. Nine of her 'husbands' had reportedly testified against her in an ad-hoc Sharia court, which ordered her to be stoned to death for adultery. Murder: Shukri Abdullahi Warsame, 30, was reportedly stoned to death by masked al-Shabab fighters in the city of Sablale, Somalia 'Shukri Abdullahi and nine husbands, including her legal husband, were brought at the court, each saying she was his wife,' Mohamed Abu Usama, al Shabaabs governor for the Lower Shabelle region, told Reuters. A self-proclaimed judge said the woman had confessed to having secretly married 11 men in a row without seeking a divorce. Al-Qaida-linked Al-Shabab has been fighting for years to impose a strict version of Islam in the long-chaotic Horn of Africa nation. Al-Shabab fighters perform military exercises south of Mogadishu, Somalia (file photo) Sharia Law courts set up by the militants do not allow legal representation or appeals for defendants. The group often executes suspected spies and adulterers, or handout other brutal punishments for religious infractions, including hacking limbs for alleged thieves. Stoning suspected adulterers in one such punishment; the accused is buried neck-deep and then killed by rocks thrown by a crowd. Both men and women have been stoned . A 20-pound turkey injured two women after it smashed through their car's windshield last week. Vicki Wood was driving into Springfield, Missouri, with her son, Dustin and his girlfriend Pam Standfield when the turkey flew into the vehicle on Thursday. Dustin said that his mother was driving on Highway 60 when she 'noticed something flying on the left side'. A 20-pound turkey injured two women after it smashed through their car's windshield last week Vicki Wood was driving into Springfield, Missouri, with her son, Dustin and his girlfriend Pam Standfield when the turkey flew into the vehicle Photos of the car show guts all over the front side window along with feathers and blood Standfield (pictured), who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was partially struck in the face by the bird and shards of glass. She posted photos of her injuries on Facebook 'She thought it was a hawk. The next thing, there was a sound like a shotgun bang and it blew the windshield out of the van,' Dustin told the Springfield News-Leader. Standfield, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was partially struck in the face by the bird and shards of glass. She posted photos of her injuries on Facebook. 'Thank the Lord I'm alive from this accident. That 20-25 pound turkey really did damage,' she wrote in the caption of the photos. Standfield said she's 'still in recovery, but blessed to still be alive & thankful that everyone is okay'. Dustin, who was in the back seat of his mom's van, said his mother's face was also cut by flying glass. Standfield (right) said she's 'still in recovery, but blessed to still be alive & thankful that everyone is okay'. Dustin (left), who was in the back seat of his mom's van, said his mother's face was also cut by flying glass Photos of the van shows feathers in the seats with shards of glass Both women were taken to Mercy hospital. The turkey did not survive Both women were taken to Mercy hospital. The turkey did not survive. Vicki told the News-Leader that they were 'lucky that Pam was looking down for her phone when it hit'. She said the bird came in 'right where her head was'. 'If she had been looking up, it could have been a lot worse. It was a blessing she had her head down,' Vicki added. Standfield had to get stitches above her eyebrow. Her boyfriend said he only got a few pieces of glass stuck in his knee. 'I got hit so hard it knocked me out,' Standfield told the News-Leader. 'Never in my life would I think something like this could happen. It's a freak accident.' Photos of the van shows feathers in the seats with shards of glass. According to the family, 'guts were all over the front side window'. A woman who during the 2016 presidential election accused then-candidate Donald Trump of sexually harassing her more than a decade earlier won a Democratic primary Tuesday night for a seat in Ohio's state legislature. Democrat Rachel Crooks of Tiffin, a town near Toledo, ran unopposed and faces a tough challenge in November against Republican state Rep. Bill Reineke. The battle between the 35-year-old university administrator and the 63-year-old politician will decide Ohio's 88th House District. Crooks says she's running for the seat in part because Trump has escaped consequences for the harassment alleged by her and other women. She claims she was a 22-year-old receptionist at Trump Tower in 2005 when he kissed her 'directly on the mouth' against her will. Rachel Crooks, 35, ran unopposed in an Ohio Democratic primary Tuesday and will face a Republican incumbent in November for a seat in the state legislature; she has accused President Donald Trump of kissing her forcefully without consent in 2006 Crooks, pictured with feminist attorney Gloria Allred, spoke during an 'Accusers of President Donald Trump' press conference at the 2017 Women's March in Washington President Trump has denied Crooks' allegations and said to the best of his knowledge he had 'never met' her In February the president enlarged Crooks' claims by denying them forcefully, saying it 'never happened!' Trump denied the accusations when they surfaced a month before the 2016 election. The White House disputed Crooks' claims in December. Crooks said in February that the president 'should be afraid' of her because she's telling the truth. Crooks posted a photo Tuesday on Facebook after she voted in Ohio Her profile skyrocketed after Trump lashed out at her on Twitter. 'His whole approach to this has been to deny the allegation of myself and ... almost 20 women who have come forward. So it's not surprising,' Crooks told CNN at the time. 'But I would think as our president he would have more important things to do than tweet at me and try to discredit my story. I know what's true, he knows what's true and I think he should be afraid of that.' Trump swatted away Crooks' accusation in a pair of tweets, claiming that a Washington Post story about her claim was 'Fake News.' 'A woman I dont know and, to the best of my knowledge, never met, is on the FRONT PAGE of the Fake News Washington Post saying I kissed her (for two minutes yet) in the lobby of Trump Tower 12 years ago. Never happened!' he wrote on Twitter. 'Who would do this in a public space with live security cameras running. Another False Accusation.' Crooks first claimed a few weeks before the 2016 election that Donald Trump once forcibly kissed her in an elevator lobby at Trump Tower Crooks tweeted back at Trump, pinpointing the location of her claim and challenging him to release security footage; she also used the profile-enhancing tweet as a fundraising opportunity Trump insisted in February that the woman's story of unwanted kissing in 2006 is 'fake news' 'It absolutely happened,' Crooks insisted on 'CBS This Morning' Crooks then swept aside Trump's official shoulder-shrug, telling CBS that she is 'not surprised that he would deny the allegations, because that seems to be his common response.' 'But my response is it absolutely happened,' Crooks insisted. 'President Trump is the one that seems to be immune to all of this for whatever reason,' she added. 'Apparently, we don't want to hold the president accountable. But I think if anyone should be held accountable it should be him.' Crooks recalled the alleged kiss in a group conversation witnessed by a Post reporter. 'It happened right by the elevators,' she said, talking about an encounter at Trump Tower at age 22, where she was working as a receptionist at Bayrock Group, a company Trump sometimes did business with. 'He started kissing me on one cheek, then the other cheek. He was talking to me in between kisses, asking where I was from, or if I wanted to be a model. He wouldnt let go of my hand, and then he went right in and started kissing me on the lips.' 'It felt like a long kiss,' Crooks told the gathering, a confab of women intended to drum up support for her political campaign. 'The whole thing probably lasted two minutes, maybe less.' Crooks first made her claim to The New York Times about four weeks before the 2016 election. 'It was so inappropriate,' Crooks recalled at the time. 'I was so upset that he thought I was so insignificant that he could do that.' Crooks has said the incident happened in the elevator lobby near the Bayrock offices, in the early morning. It's a relatively secluded spot. Trump's tweet placed her accusation in the 'lobby of Trump Tower,' a far more public location. Crooks has asked Trump in the past to find and release security-camera video from that day. His company has never responded to those requests. Hours after Trump's tweets, she responded with her own. 'Please, by all means, share the footage from the hallway outside the 24th floor residential elevator bank on the morning of January 11, 2006,' she challenged the president. 'Lets clear this up for everyone. Its liars like you in politics that have prompted me to run for office myself.' Trump fumed on Tuesday about what he claims is a lack of media attention to the saga of Jill Harth (left), one of his accusers, who reportedly got a payoff arranged by feminist lawyer Lisa Bloom (right) in exchange for telling her story The tweet included a link to her campaign fundraising Web page. Trump also complained on Tuesday that the Fox News Channel has been the only major cable network to cover the story one accuser who was reportedly offered a payoff from lawyer Lisa Bloom to tell her story publicly. That woman is reportedly Jill Harth. Neither she nor Bloom has denied a financial transaction took place. 'Why doesnt @washingtonpost report the story of the women taking money to make up stories about me? One had her home mortgage paid off,' Trump tweeted. 'Only @FoxNews so reported...doesnt fit the Mainstream Media narrative.' A total of 19 women have claimed publicly that Trump subjected them in the past to sexual misconduct of some kind, running the gamut from harassment to assault. His presidential campaign was roiled in its final days when the Post published audio from a 2005 taping of 'Access Hollywood,' in which the future president told host Billy Bush that he was 'automatically attracted to beautiful women. I just start kissing them. Its like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. 'And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.' Crooks' accusations date to the year after Trump made those comments. Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 53, a resident of Hong Kong, was arrested at JFK airport in January. He is pictured in an undated official mug shot A former CIA agent accused of helping China unravel America's intelligence network in the country eight years ago has been charged by the US Justice Department with conspiring to commit espionage. Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 53, a resident of Hong Kong, was arrested at JFK airport in January, six years after US officials found the names and numbers of covert agents inside two notebooks within his luggage. Lee is accused of handing this information to the Chinese, allowing them to unmask 'at least a dozen' CIA sources and imprison six more from 2010 to 2012 in what was seen as one of the biggest US intelligence failures in decades. 'The allegations in this case are troubling,' said Tracy Doherty-McCormick, acting US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. 'Conspiring with foreign agents poses a real and serious threat toward our national security.' Lee's lawyer, Edward MacMahon, has refuted the charges. 'Mr. Lee is not a Chinese spy,' MacMahon said after his client's initial court appearance in February. 'He is a loyal American who loves his country' and served in the military and the CIA. Lee (pictured right, blue tie, on October 13, 2017) at an unveiling of a painting in Christie's, Hong Kong) is accused of handing the identities of American agents to the Chinese According to prosecutors, two Chinese intelligence officers approached Lee in April 2010, three years after he had left the CIA, and offered to pay him for information 'relating to the national defense of the United States'. The Chinese officers allegedly provided Lee with email addresses so they could communicate covertly. Lee is a US citizen who speaks fluent Chinese. He joined the CIA in 1994 and worked in a variety of overseas offices where he was trained in surveillance detection, recruiting and handling informants and classified material. A court affidavit states that in 2012, Lee traveled from Hong Kong with his family to Northern Virginia. After finding two notebooks containing the names of agents, FBI interviewed Lee five times but did not directly ask him if he had worked for the Chinese government. Agents then let Lee leave the country in 2013 so he could be monitored for more evidence to prove he had committed espionage. A court affidavit states that in 2012, Lee traveled from Hong Kong (file photo) with his family to Northern Virginia, where agents found two notebooks which named covert US agents The indictment alleges that Lee made 'numerous unexplained cash deposits, and repeatedly lied to the US government during voluntary interviews when asked about travel to China and his actions overseas.' Officials have not said why it took so long to bring charges against Lee, nor detailed what materials he gave to the Chinese agents. But the case takes place amid widespread concern in the US intelligence community that Beijing has been able to cripple their operations in China. The New York Times reported last year that starting in 2010, to the end of 2012, the Chinese killed 'at least a dozen' sources the CIA had inside China and imprisoned six or more others. A hunt for a 'mole' in the agency led to one person, a 'former operative' now living elsewhere in Asia, the Times said. But there was not enough information to arrest him. But others in the agency blamed sloppy work and not a mole. President Donald Trump's nominee to head the CIA told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday 'my moral compass is strong' and she would never resume the agency's harsh interrogation program, often denounced as torture, that has threatened to derail her confirmation. Gina Haspel, currently the spy agency's acting director, told her Senate confirmation hearing she would not carry out any order from Trump she found morally objectionable, though she did not say she would refuse an order to use waterboarding, a form of simulated torture, to get answers from a terrorism suspect. 'My moral compass is strong. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it,' Haspel told the Senate Intelligence Committee. The hearing was dominated by questions about Haspel's role at the CIA in the use of harsh interrogation methods during former President George W. Bush's administration, as well as the destruction of videotapes documenting the tactics. Acting CIA Director Gina Haspel testifies at her Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 9, 2018, where she faced repeated questions about the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes 'Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, on my watch, CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program,' Haspel testified. Haspel said U.S. law now clearly prohibits such interrogation methods, and 'I fully support the detainee treatment required by law.' Trump vowed as a candidate to resume waterboarding, a form of simulated drowning previously used by CIA interrogators but now banned, and promised techniques 'a hell of a lot worse.' Republican Senator Susan Collins asked Haspel what she would do if Trump gave her a direct order to use waterboarding on a 'high-value terrorism suspect.' President Trump sent out a fundraising appeal blasting Democrats for opposing Haspel under the subject line 'Gina' 'I do not believe the president would ask me to do that,' Haspel said, but did not say that she would refuse. Haspel said there are 'other U.S. government entities that conduct interrogations,' adding, 'We're not in the business of interrogating detainees' at the CIA and that she would not restart the interrogation program under any circumstances. Public questioning of Haspel on issues such as the effectiveness of the interrogations, CIA drone strikes and agency 'renditions' of suspected militants to third countries may be limited because the operations remain classified. 'CIA has learned some tough lessons,' Haspel said, explaining that in retrospect the agency was not prepared to conduct the detention and interrogation program employed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al Qaeda militants. Haspel needs 51 votes for confirmation as the first woman director of the CIA in the 100-seat Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans hold a 51-49 majority. The agency's former deputy director, she would succeed Mike Pompeo, a Republican former congressman confirmed last month as secretary of state. STRESS POSITION: Gina Haspel arrives to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on her nomination to be the next CIA director in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on May 9, 2018 Haspel already has the strong support of many Republicans. As he opened the hearing, the panel's Republican chairman, Richard Burr, praised Haspel. 'I believe your intellectual rigor, honorable service and outstanding judgment make you a natural fit to lead the CIA,' he said, urging that the hearing not be made 'a trial about a long-shuttered program.' But Haspel could face a difficult time being confirmed. At least one Republican, Senator Rand Paul, has said he opposes her, and others have said they will wait to see how she does at Wednesday's hearing. No Democrat has yet expressed support. 'MORALLY QUESTIONABLE BEHAVIOR' Senator Mark Warner, the committee's top Democrat, has said his vote on Haspel's confirmation will largely depend on how she expresses her current views on the harsh techniques and a 2005 decision to destroy tapes of interrogations when she was chief of staff to Jose Rodriguez, then the CIA's clandestine service chief. Democrats pressed Haspel on her role in destroying videotapes of the interrogation sessions before they could be made public. Under questioning, Haspel acknowledged she 'absolutely was an advocate' for destroying the tapes, saying she feared an 'irresponsible leak' of the video that would reveal the identities of CIA agents and put them at risk. Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich asked her, 'Doesn't that feel like a cover-up?' 'I never watched the tapes, but I understood that our officers' faces were on them and it was very dangerous,' she said. UP AGAINST THE WALL: CIA nominee Gina Haspel arrives to her confirmation hearing at the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, where she is expected to get grilled on her role in the enhanced interrogation program An undercover officer for most of her more than 30-year career, Haspel in 2002 served as CIA station chief in Thailand, where the agency ran one of the secret prisons where suspected al Qaeda extremists were interrogated using procedures that included waterboarding, which simulates drowning. Warner and other Democrats expressed frustration they have not been given more details of Haspel's long record with the agency, much of which remains classified. Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein said the agency was feeding 'small pieces' of information to senators to bolster her nomination while keeping any damaging records under wraps. Warner also said he would want Haspel's commitment to cooperate in investigations into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election. Trump has called those investigations a 'witch hunt.' Haspel's testimony was interrupted by a protester who yelled, 'Bloody Gina' and 'You are a torturer,' before being removed by police. Before the hearing, a small group of protesters shouted, 'Say no to torture,' before also being removed. Haspel said the United States needs to do more to address China's 'overt and illicit efforts to steal' U.S. technology. 'Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program,' Haspel said in excerpts of her testimony released ahead of the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing. Haspel could face a difficult time being confirmed. At least one Republican, Senator Rand Paul, has said he opposes her confirmation, and others have said they will wait to see how she does at Wednesday's hearing. No Democrat has yet expressed support for Haspel. Two sources familiar with preparations for the hearing said Haspel is regarded inside the CIA as a supporter of the so-called harsh interrogation techniques, and there is little if any record of her expressing objections or reservations about them. They said Haspel also agreed that harsh interrogation tactics produced valuable intelligence. ARE THERE WATER BREAKS? Acting CIA Director Gina Haspel arrives to testify at her Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 9, 2018 Protesters are removed before Gina Haspel testifies at the Senate Intelligence Committee on her nomination to be the next CIA director in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on May 9, 2018 A 2014 Senate Intelligence Committee investigation concluded that these methods were 'not an effective way of obtaining accurate information or gaining detainee cooperation.' An undercover officer for most of her more than 30-year career, Haspel in 2002 during President George W. Bush's administration served as CIA station chief in Thailand, where the agency ran one of the secret prisons where suspected al Qaeda extremists were interrogated using procedures that included waterboarding, which simulates drowning. Gina Haspel(C) arrives to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on her nomination to be the next CIA director in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on May 9, 2018 Gina Haspel met with Senators seeking support for her nomination to run the CIA President Donald Trump touted Haspel's nomination on Twitter In response to a complaint on Monday by the intelligence panel's top Democrat, Senator Mark Warner, that it was selectively declassifying information about Haspel's 32-year CIA career to make her look good, the agency on Monday turned over a stack of personnel records detailing Haspel's service. The documents are classified. Senator Ron Wyden, one of the committee Democrats most skeptical of Haspel's nomination, said the documents could, and should, be made public to answer questions about her record. 'The vast amount of her background can be declassified without compromising what are called sources and methods,' Wyden told reporters. Senator Richard Burr, the panel's Republican chairman, said there are no plans to make such documents public. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by John Walcott, James Dalgleish and Lisa Shumaker) Sometimes, real life is beyond parody. I was scrolling through Twitter today when my eyes alighted on a post that read: 'Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski says the #MeToo movement that sheds light on sexual misconduct of powerful men in Hollywood is 'mass hysteria' and 'total hypocrisy'. Sorry, WHAT? For a moment, I thought this had been tweeted by a satirical site like The Onion. Then I saw it had actually been put out by highly respected news wire service, the Associated Press. Roman Polanski, a fugitive child rapist, genuinely believes the global #MeToo movement to expose sexual predators exactly like him is just a load of silly, overblown nonsense Yes, Roman Polanski, a fugitive child rapist, genuinely believes the global movement to expose sexual predators exactly like him is just a load of silly, overblown nonsense. I wondered if he'd been misquoted, or misleadingly paraphrased. He hadn't. In a new Polish interview with Newsweek Polska, he says: 'I think this is the kind of mass hysteria that occurs in society from time to time. Sometimes it's very dramatic, like the French Revolution or the St Bartholomew's Day massacre in France, or sometimes it's less bloody, like 1968 in Poland or McCarthyism in the US. Everyone is trying to back this movement, mainly out of fear. I think it's total hypocrisy.' Polanski's comments emerged after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced it was (finally) expelling him and Bill Cosby. His lawyer said any comparison between the two men, who both drugged and raped women, was a 'total misunderstanding and harassment.' Hmmm. In fact the only difference is that Polanski's victim was a minor. At this point, it's worth reminding ourselves exactly what he did. Roman Polanski was 44 when he raped a 13-year-old girl. This is not an unsubstantiated claim; it's a cold hard fact. He admitted unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and was convicted of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. But before he received his full sentence, he fled America. He has never returned. The details of what Polanski did to that poor girl are appalling. On February 13, 1977, Polanski first met Samantha Geimer, then just 13, at her home in Los Angeles. The director asked her mother if he could photograph her for French Vogue. The mother agreed. A week later, Polanski took Geimer for the photo shoot a block from her home. He asked her to pose topless, which she did, though she said in her later testimony that she felt uncomfortable doing so. Polanski persuaded her to do a second shoot a few days later. He drove her to a private home, took some more photos, and then drove her on to Jack Nicholson's house. There, events took a sickeningly dark turn. Geimer said Polanski loaded her with champagne, then asked her to pose topless again. 'Towards the end, it got a little scary,' she recounted, 'and I realised he had other intentions, and then I knew I was not where I should be. I just didn't quite know how to get myself out of there.' Geimer said Polanski offered her part of a Quaalude, a prescription sedative, which she took. Then he asked her to get into a Jacuzzi, naked, before taking off his own clothes and joining her in the water. When he was 44 and she was 13, Polanski drugged Samantha Geimer, performed oral sex on her and then anal sex. He then drove her home while she cried Geimer said she grew uncomfortable when he grabbed her waist, and started to move her hips around. She jumped out, and said she wanted to go home. Instead, Polanski led her to a bedroom where she sat on a couch. Polanski tried to kiss her. 'No, keep away,' she cried. 'Let's go home.' Instead, Polanski then performed oral sex on her. 'I was ready to cry,' she said. 'I was going, 'No, come on, stop it.' Instead, Polanski began having intercourse with her, while asking her if she was on the pill and when her last period was. Then he performed anal sex on her. Later, he drove her home and she cried in the car. When Geimer got back to her house, her sister overheard her telling her then-boyfriend what happened, and immediately told their mother. She told the police, and Polanski was arrested the next day. Polanski was charged with a variety of offenses including rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious conduct upon a child under 14, and furnishing a controller substance to a minor. He initially denied everything but then took a deal, offered by Geimer's attorney because he said he wanted to protect her from a trial, and pled guilty to one count of engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. He spent 42 days in a California jail. Then, after his release on bail, he heard rumours that the judge in his case was preparing to sentence him to considerably more prison time. Polanski promptly jumped on a plane to Europe and has resisted all efforts to bring him to justice ever since. In 1988, Geimer sued Polanski, alleging sexual assault intentional infliction of emotional distress and seduction. The case was settled out of court for a substantial six-figure sum. Since then, there have been numerous other claims against Polanski alleging sexual misconduct with minors. In 2010, British actress Charlotte Lewis held a press conference to claim that Polanski 'forced himself' on her in his apartment in Paris when she was 16. 'He sexually abused me in the worst possible way,' she said. Last August, a woman identified only as Robin M. came forward to allege Polanski 'sexually victimised' her when she too was 16. 'The reason I kept it to myself it that I didn't want my father to do something that might cause him to go to prison for the rest of his life,' she said. A month later, the New York Times reported that a German woman, Renate Langer, spoke with police in Switzerland alleging Polanski raped her several times when she was 15. There have been numerous other claims against Polanski. In 2010, Charlotte Lewis, left, claimed that Polanski 'forced himself' on her when she was 16. Last year Renate Langer, right, told police in Switzerland Polanski raped her several times when she was 15 And then a woman named Marianne Barnard went public to allege she was molested by Polanski on a Malibu beach during a topless photo shoot when she was just 10 years old. Polanski has denied all the new allegations. But the police who first investigated him are in no doubt about what kind of man he is, and how they feel about the fact he has never been made accountable for his crime. 'It's outrageous,' said David Wells, a former Los Angeles assistant district attorney who worked on the case. 'This pedophile raped a 13-year-old girl.' That simple, indisputable fact didn't stop Hollywood from shamefully showering Polanski with work and awards. In 2003, when he won Best Director for The Pianist, Meryl Streep sprang to her feet and led a standing ovation for him in his absence. The same Meryl Streep who now claims to be so outraged and let down by her friend Harvey Weinstein. In 2003, Meryl Streep sprang to her feet and led a standing ovation for Roman Polanski in his absence when he won an Oscar for The Pianist. Hollywood has shamefully showered Polanski with work and awards There are legitimate concerns about the #MeToo movement that are shared by many men and women. Not least that in the rush and zeal to expose people for alleged misconduct, due and fair - process is sometimes being lost. But that is not the case with Roman Polanski. He is a self-confessed and convicted child rapist who has escaped justice for more than 40 years. As such, he is the very last person on earth who should be poking his disgusting head above the parapet to cry 'hysteria' and 'hypocrisy'. HE is the hypocrite, and all the hysteria about HIM is entirely justified. The man filmed forcing a school bus to stop on a Massachusetts freeway and climbing on the hood says he's not crazy - he was just worried about the children. Dorchester man Kevin Crowe, 42, is facing a list of charges after video emerged of him acting erratically on the Mass Pike on Tuesday evening. But he told the Boston Herald he felt he had to act because the tinted windows on the bus concerned him deeply. 'It takes a village to raise a child and that village is out of the loop when windows are tinted,' he said, noting he was still confused as to why the bus windows were tinted. 'I was not doing anything you can be concerned about... it was not road rage, just me being a concerned citizen... Im not this crazy guy.' Kevin Crowe, 42, was caught on a bus dash camera stopping in the middle of a highway and then confronting the bus driver on Tuesday evening Crowe said he acted the way he did out of concern for the young passengers because the bus windows were tinted (pictured) Video of the incident shows Crowe swerving in his lane and eventually stopping in the middle of the road, before getting out of his car and charging towards the bus about 7.30pm. He is seen trying to get the driver, Joe Rizoli, to open the doors before climbing on to the windshield. When Rizoli refused to let him in, the disheveled-looking man walked around to the front of the bus and jumped on the hood. Rizoli said the man kept screaming: 'Why are the windows on your bus dark?' Crowe told the Herald his actions were based on concern, not road rage. The bus driver said the man kept screaming: 'Why are the windows on your bus dark?' Crowe told WDHD he felt he needed to check on the passengers of the bus, and the vehicle's windshield was the least tinted window. 'I looked through the front windshield because that was the only window which was not so tinted,' he said. 'After confirming everyone on the bus was alright, I allowed the bus driver to proceed down the highway.' Massachusetts State Police said the man will be summoned to report to Newton District Court, on charges of disorderly conduct, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to use care in stopping and marked lanes violation. Driver Joe Rizoli said he thinks Crowe 'needs help' after watching the frightening incident Rizoli told WCBI that the situation was dangerous, but his main concern was for Crowe. 'He really broke a lot of rules here, a lot of laws,' he said. 'I just think he needs help. It was so dangerous for all of us, for him, for me, the people behind us could have smashed into us.' Police said the bus was headed back to Weston from Boston, and no school children were on board. Rizoli's twin, told the Boston Herald the windows were tinted to help keep the bus cool, as it did not have air conditioning. Rudy Giuliani says he's 'insulted' by MSNBC host Joe Scarborough's suggestion that he was drunk when he revealed President Trump's involvement in the Stormy Daniels payoff on national television. Scarborough said on his morning news program that Trump did not give Giuliani a Cabinet post initially because he was 'losing it' and 'falling asleep five minutes into meetings,' as well as 'drinking too much.' In a Politico interview, Giuliani said that 'none of that is true' as he slapped back at Scarborough, a former Florida congressman. 'Im a lot more aware and intelligent than Joe has ever been and a lot more accomplished. Joe hasnt been knighted by the Queen of England,' Giuliani charged. 'He hasnt run a U.S. attorneys office, much less a city that he turned around or went through 9/11.' Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has kept the focus on the Stormy Daniels scandal with his TV interviews The Queen of England bestowed honorary knighthood on Giuliani a month after the Twin Towers terror attack in 2001. She named him Giuliani Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. She said that Giuliani, then the mayor of New York, had earned the honorary title for 'outstanding help and support to the bereaved British families in New York. Giuliani's confusing claims about a $130,000 payoff to adult film actress Stormy Daniels weeks before the presidential election have landed the Trump attorney - and the president - in hot water. After a series of misstatements on what Trump knew about the payment that Michael Cohen, the president's personal attorney at the time, made to Daniels, on Sunday Giuliani said he was extricating himself from the situation and leaving that case to other Trump lawyers. Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, charged after the ABC News interview that Giuliani's appearances had been an 'absolute unmitigated disaster' for the president. On the same news network that Giuliani had just appeared on, Avenatti said the former U.S. attorney's performance had been 'absolute train wreck' and one of the 'worst TV appearances' by an attorney acting on behalf of a client that he may have ever seen. 'I mean this guys all over the map over the last 72 hours on some very simple facts that should be very straightforward,' Avenatti said. 'They dont know what to say because theyve lost track of the truth.' Daniels' attorney asserted, 'It is time for Rudy Giuliani to be put out to pasture.' Scarborough piled on during Tuesday's episode of Morning Joe. The ex-Republican congressman suggested the former New York mayor has a drinking problem. After criticizing Trump for bringing Giuliani aboard his legal team 'despite his own reservations about him,' Scarborough said, 'Everybody around Donald Trump said he was drinking too much Donald Trump suggested as much that was two years ago.' Scarborough used to talk regularly with Trump, although the two have had a bitter falling out. They were on good terms, however, at the time Trump was choosing his Cabinet. The host then went after Giuliani for saying on Sean Hannity's Fox News program that Trump reimbursed Cohen through monthly payments in exchange for no work, and agreed when Hannity said the money got 'funneled' through a law firm. 'The fact that Donald Trump brought this guy in two years later despite his own reservations about him almost two years ago It's not 3-D chess. That's not even checkers,' Scarborough said, ripping the legal team's efforts. 'That's a monkey throwing poo against the wall, and it doesn't usually turn out well,' said Scarborough. Scarborough made the claim about Giuliani on his morning show He dismissed an idea floated by guest Mike Barnicle that it could be an effort to distract from other issues. 'Because every day Giuliani says something that is so odd and so at odds with what we know that you wonder, are they just continuing this thing to keep us preoccupied with things that are going on in public, Giuliani talking about Donald Trump?' Barnicle said, The Hill reported. But Scarborough said 'they're not that smart.' Donald Trump said during the transition that Rudy Giuliani was losing it. That he was a couple of steps behind. that he was falling asleep five minutes into meetings.' At one point, his wife and co-host Mika Brzezinski said there were things she shouldn't even mention about Giuliani. 'I can mention it,' Scarborough continued. 'Everybody around Donald Trump said he was drinking too much. Donald Trump suggested as much - that was two years ago,' he said. A day earlier, Brzezinski referred to Giuliani as a 'train wreck.' Trump feared Rudy Giuliani was 'drinking too much' before he hired him claims 'Morning Joe' anchor Scarborough as president revealed to be frustrated with his attorney's performance Giuliani later said none of Scarborough's remarks were true. 'Im not sleeping now,' he told Politico. Im in Dallas. Im wide awake. Ive handled numerous cases including some sensitive cyber matters. Im a lot more aware and intelligent than Joe has ever been and a lot more accomplished. Joe hasnt been knighted by the Queen of England. He hasnt run a U.S. attorneys office, much less a city that he turned around or went through 9/11.' Regarding drinking, he added: 'I'm not drinking for lunch. I may have a drink for dinner. I like to drink with cigars.' Trump is so irked by Giuliani's recent TV performances, which some experts say could land him in legal trouble, that he even considered benching him from further appearances, the Associated Press reported. After the reaction to his initial bombshell interview on Hannity, Trump said Giuliani should 'get his facts straight.' Among other statements, Giuliani said longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen 'takes care of situations like this, then gets paid for them sometimes.' The president told one advisor he thinks Giuliani should 'be benched,' according to the report. Giuliani's high-profile flubs occurred after Trump attorney lawyer John Dowd left his team and White House lawyer Ty Cobb also announced his departure. Rose McGowan is making new claims about her allegations that she was sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein which finally came to light last year. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, McGowan says that she was the one who pulled her story from NBC despite the belief that executives at the network had killed it, forcing Ronan Farrow to take his reporting to The New Yorker. 'NBC took a lot of heat for killing the story. But I actually served Ronan with a cease and desist - two of them,' says McGowan. 'I did not want my rape spoken about over breakfast cereal on the Today show. Id heard about Matt Lauer. You cant tell me the people at the top of NBC arent aware. Come on.' NBC said soon after Lauer was terminated for sexual misconduct that no current executives were aware of any harassing or predatory behavior. Sources close to the story also claim that McGowan never mentioned having knowledge of any alleged misconduct by Lauer. Rose McGowan told The Hollywood Reporter she refused to let NBC run her sexual assault story 'I did not want my rape spoken about over breakfast cereal on the Today show,' McGowan said McGowan went on to state that she still wanted to make sure her story got out there, but with the right outlet. 'I was never going to let my story be on NBC, but I wanted to ensure that the Times would do it, and everybody before had folded,' explains McGowan. 'So I pitted [Farrow] against The New York Times. I understand how men work and how Hollywood works and how power works. People are going to be much more interested in going down the line with something if they know theyre competing with somebody else.' That story was the beginning of Weinstein's downfall, and followed soon after by the release of McGowan's memoir Brave. She decided to stop promoting the book however just a few days into her highly publicized tour. 'If I was Reese Witherspoon, would I be treated like I am? The answer is no,' states McGowan. McGowan said she forced Ronan Farrow (pictured on April 26) to take his reporting to The New Yorker. 'Id heard about Matt Lauer (pictured). You cant tell me the people at the top of NBC arent aware. Come on,' McGowan said 'But [the press] feels Im fair game. I think its because [Weinstein] paid off the media for 20 years to savage me.' She also doubles down on her claim that Jill Messick sold her out to Weinstein just before her assault after attending a screening of a film in which she had a topless scene. Messick took her own life earlier this year. 'We need to look at the real person whos behind this. That person has blood on his hands, and we all know, once again, who Im talking about,' said McGowan. McGowan speaks about her underwhelming experience meeting Barack Obama in the interview as well, with the two having attended the same conference in India. 'I was very disappointed in him. It was after everything had come out, the height of it,' says McGowan. 'I was sitting right in front of him, and he would not meet my eyes, and then at the last minute, he asked for Naomi Campbell to be put in a photo with us.' She then adds: 'All he said was: "You ladies sure know how to pose." I wanted him to be better.' McGowan has been criticized by some for her actions in the months after her claims were published, but her friend Asia Argento is quick to jump to her defense. 'There are people who say she's doing this for her own glorification. She's doing this to help other women,' says Argento. 'When I spoke to Ronan, I heard that Rose had the same experience I did. I reached out to her from Paris on September 28, and we spoke all night. Without her, I wouldn't have gone on the record. Rose is a hero to me.' A little girl who was allegedly raped at Tennant Creek earlier this year has tested positive to a sexually transmitted disease months after the horrific ordeal which left her in an induced coma in hospital. The two-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a person close to the family in February while her father was in prison for assaulting her mother, NT News reported. A report by the Northern Territory Children's Commissioner revealed the parents of the two-year-old girl, were 'well known' to several Tennant Creek authorities including Northern Territory Police and the Education Department. A little girl (pictured) who was allegedly raped at Tennant Creek earlier this year has tested positive to a sexually transmitted disease months after the horrific ordeal The two-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a person close to the family in February in remote Northern Territory town (pictured) while her father was in prison for assaulting her mother The toddler was flown the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide to be treated for the physical trauma of the alleged rape and has since been treated with post-exposure HIV medication, according to Sky News Australia. Before the victim was even born, substantial neglect and harm was allegedly inflicted on her older siblings where the parents have had more than 150 interactions with police. The horrendous findings of the investigation were heard in Parliament Wednesday night, revealing the alleged rape was not the 'only violence (the toddler) had been exposed to, and experienced, in her short life', ABC News reported. 'Some of these investigations resulted in prosecutions, with the perpetrator incarcerated,' the report stated. A 24-year-old man was arrested and charged with sexual assault in late February. The girl's siblings 'regularly' experienced 'substantial neglect and numerous harms' as well as sexual abuse between 2002 and 2018 where 52 child protection notifications were reported. Parliament heard there were 16 reports made directly to Territory Families, a state government run establishment, and 'critical intervention points' were ignored which 'failed her (the two-year-old) and her siblings', according to News Corp. The two-year-old girl was removed from her mother's care by the Department of Child Protection in South Australia last month. Before the victim was even born, substantial neglect and harm was allegedly inflicted on her older siblings where the parents have had more than 150 interactions with police Mary Berry's salad dressing has been removed from supermarket shelves Thousands of bottles of Mary Berry's salad dressing have been taken off of supermarket shelves because they were filled with the wrong sauce and contained 'undeclared egg'. A label blunder saw the salad dressing bottles with the TV chef's face on them filled with Thyme sauce - a product containing egg - and not Mary Berry's dressing. Consumers who have picked up the 3 dressing may unwittingly be using the wrong sauce. Thyme sauce contains egg which is a common allergen in the UK. The distributor of the celebrity cook's branded sauce said it was conducting a 'full investigation' into the error. On the label, the 83-year-old TV veteran is quoted as saying: 'A delicious, mellow, full flavoured special dressing. One of my favourites!'. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) ordered the recall of the 235ml bottles of the dressing because egg is missed out on the bottles' ingredients list. A spokesman for distributors RH Amar - whose brands include Starbucks, Nando's, Pizza Express, and Schwartz - said: 'Whilst we deeply regret the inconvenience caused to our consumers, we remain confident of our quality systems and production controls in place at our manufacturing site. 'We are carrying out a full internal investigation of this incident with our manufacturer. Mary Berry, 83, created the product with RH Amar which makes sauces with the likes of Starbucks and Nando's TV favourite Mary Berry's salad dressing has been recalled from supermarkets as it contains 'undeclared egg' Mary Berry's product has been recalled over fears it could give people an allergic reaction from the egg which has not been listed as an ingredient 'RH Amar announced that it is undertaking a product recall on Mary Berry's Salad Dressing 235 ml. 'This decision was taken after we were made aware of a possible allergen declaration issue due to a small amount of bottles of Lemon & Thyme sauce being incorrectly labelled as Salad Dressing by our supplier.' The line involved is Mary Berry's Salad Dressing 235 ml with a Best Before End date of June 2019. The company spokesman said a 'possible' allergen issue with 'Egg' had been discovered, warning people with a sensitivity to egg not to consume the sauce. 'No other product in the Mary Berry's Dressings range is affected,' he added. 'Customers are advised to return product either to their local store where they purchased the product from for a full refund, or to RH Amar LTD (HP12 3TF).' French holidaymakers are more likely to have gone up the London Eye than the Eiffel Tower because they think British tourist attractions are better than their own, according to a new survey. The extraordinary new research reflects a growing fascination in Britain thanks to factors including the Royal Wedding and the approach of Brexit. More French tourists went abroad and visited the London big wheel rather than the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre Museum and Notre Dame Cathedral, says a statement by flight comparison site Jetcost.com, which commissioned the survey. French tourists find that the attractions abroad have a richer history and are simply prettier, the French company adds, while suggesting that the development was a pity. The London Eye was high up on the bucket lists of French tourists who flocked to the capital for a ride French tourists find that the attractions abroad have a richer history and are simply prettier - according to the company who commissioned the study Many French questioned in the survey had never bothered visiting the main sites in their own capital, despite Paris being the most visited tourist city in the world. Instead they were far more likely to have enjoyed a spin on the London Eye, the 443ft high ferris wheel on the South Bank of the Thames, that was opened in 2000. Jetcost interviewed a representative sample of French people and found that only 39 per cent had gone up the 1063ft Eiffel Tower. Only 31 per cent had been to Versailles, the magnificent estate west of Paris where French kings and queens lived before the French Revolution of 1789. These figures compared to 46 per cent of French people who had been on the London Eye, and 44 per cent who had visited Buckingham Palace in London. When asked why they had travelled to such attractions in the UK, 37 per cent said they were internationally famous with a rich historical past, while 35 per cent said they were simply superb. A Jetcost spokesman said : Tourist attractions are always more attractive in other countries than in our own country of origin. It's a pity, we should put our national activities and attractions on top of the list. They are part of our culture, heritage and history. The Jetcost research team interviewed 2417 French people over the age of 18 who had travelled abroad by plane over the past five years. Despite their views, Paris regularly pips London to the title of the worlds most popular tourist city, with the biggest visitor group to the French city being the British. A large percentage of people surveyed said they had never been to Parisian tourist attractions like the Louvre (pictured) Police have released body cam video of officers joking with three black people, including Bob Marley's granddaughter, who say they plan to sue over what they say was an excessive response to a racially motivated 911 call. The footage was released by the Rialto Police Department in California on Tuesday showing a laid-back and, at times, light-hearted interaction between the officers and the group they had pulled over. The group, including Marley's granddaughter Donisha Prendergast, had been checking out of their Airbnb rental with luggage when a neighbor called police April 30 reporting a possible burglary. Body cam footage shows Prendergast and her two friends later disagreeing with police over whether the 911 call, which was made by an older white woman, was racially motivated. Police released body cam video of officers joking with three black people, including Bob Marley's granddaughter, (above) after they were pulled over in Rialto, California on April 30 Footage shared on Instagram by Prendergast's friend Kells Fyffe-Marshall showed a portion of the interaction with police and she wrote that they had been 'surrounded' by seven police cars and told to put their hands in the air. 'They locked down the neighborhood and had us standing in the street. Why?' she wrote alongside the footage. 'A neighbor across the street saw three black people packing luggage into their car and assumed we were stealing from the house.' The video quickly spread on social media. Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling shared the full body cam video of the interaction at a news conference, saying the department has been unfairly accused of racism and has been handling dozens of calls for burglaries in the area. 'The videos speak for themselves,' he said. 'Our officers handled the situation with professionalism, dignity and respect.' The videos show Officer Nick Besheer repeatedly joking with the women and reacting with excitement that one of them was Marley's granddaughter and that they were in town from Canada where he was actually born. Police released the footage, which shows Prendergast and the officers having a laid back conversation, after the department said they had been unfairly accused of racism The group had been checking out of their Airbnb rental with luggage when a neighbor called police April 30 reporting a possible burglary. Marley's granddaughter Donisha Prendergast is pictured in the backseat and her friend Kells Fyffe-Marshall is in the front seat Fyffe-Marshall is captured on the body cam commending officers at one point. 'The police in Cali, they're not Toronto police and I respect that,' she said. 'If you were Toronto police we'd all be on the floor, hands up and we wouldn't even have the chance to be like, "Guys, it's an Airbnb."' Prendergast took to Instagram after the incident saying they had been surrounded for 'being black in a white neighborhood' The women do say that they feel the 911 caller was motivated by race. When one officer radios in a 'code four,' Fyffe-Marshall says it's actually a 'code black'. Code four means no further assistance needed. Later, Marley's granddaughter expresses frustration that the matter isn't being cleared up faster and said they wouldn't have been reported if they were white. The women say they were held for 45 minutes while police investigated. Officer Besheer is filmed asking her what race had to do with it. Their conversation ends with the officer walking away, saying: 'Stop pulling it, guys.' Both Fyffe-Marshall and Prendergast didn't respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. Their attorney, Jasmine Rand, said that she put Rialto Police 'on notice of the potential for litigation.' Marie Rodriguez, the owner of the Airbnb the group was renting, defended her neighbor's call to 911 and the police response. Later, Marley's granddaughter expresses frustration that the matter isn't being cleared up faster and said they wouldn't have been reported if they were white Footage shared on Instagram by Prendergast's friend Kells Fyffe-Marshall (left) showed a portion of the interaction with police and she wrote that they had been 'surrounded' by seven police cars and told to put their hands in the air Rodriguez said it was the first time she rented out her home on Airbnb and that her neighbor was concerned when she saw strangers packing up suitcases. The neighbor told Rodriguez that when she approached the group, they behaved strangely. 'She walked over, smiled at them and waved and they basically looked at her like she was a Martian,' Rodriguez said. The police video captures the neighbor's reasoning for calling 911. 'They had luggage in their hands and they weren't really looking at me,' said the woman, who wasn't identified. 'They didn't behave like neighbors and I know the couple that owns the house and I didn't recognize them... I wasn't being nosy. I was just being observant.' Prendergast, who told officers she had plans to meet her grandmother when they were stopped, took to Instagram after the incident saying they had been surrounded for 'being black in a white neighborhood'. 'I'm sad and irritated to see that fear is still the first place police officers go in their pursuit to serve and protect, to the point that protocol supersedes their ability to have discernment,' she wrote. 'Many have suffered and died in moments like these. That's a crazy reality check. Give thanks for life, and the ability to stand our ground. We are stronger together. Use your voice collectively. 'We have a right to be right.' This is the moment Vladimir Putin rescued an elderly military hero who was cruelly pushed aside by his bodyguard on Red Square. As the Russian president walked across the cobbles after a huge military parade marking victory over the Nazis, the retired major general tried to reach Putin to congratulate him. But he was physically barred from approaching the strongman by a burly security aide. The retired major general (circled being pushed) tried to reach Putin to congratulate him - but he was physically barred from approaching the president by a burly security aide Putin, however, investigated the ruckus before going over to the elderly man and shaking his hand The president then walked the so-far-unidentified soldier across Red Square, where Putin laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Putin saw what had happened and went to shake the veteran's hand. The retired major-general made clear to the Kremlin leader that he had been pushed away. The Russian leader then gave the old soldier the honour of walking beside him across Red Square to the nearby Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Putin then laid a wreath to the tens of millions who perished in the Second World War. The war hero helped by Putin was later identified as 94-year-old Dmitry Syrkashev. The Ukrainian media claimed the incident was staged to let Putin rescue the white-haired veteran, who was bedecked in medals The president has also admonished his security detail over the blunder, according to his spokesman. Pictured: The old man is walked across Red Square The remarkable old soldier - decorated for his bravery in the Stalin era - thanked the Russian president for rescuing him. 'He saw how I was nearly trampled there. And he saved me,' he said. 'Then I went with him to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.' The veteran told Putin how he stormed Konigsberg (now Kaliningrad - where England will play next month in the World Cup), freed Smolensk, and was wounded in Belarus in the Second World War as he fought the retreating Nazis. 'He treated me in such a friendly way, very much, so I feel really good and warm inside,' he said. Putin is shown attending the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier after Victory Day parade in Moscow The parade marched across Red Square as President Putin watched from close to Lenin's mausoleum These veterans of the Great Patriotic War (Russia's name for WWII) are among the 1.6 million still alive in the country Later he clinked glasses with Putin, he revealed to celebrate the most sacred day in the Russian calendar commemorating the tens of millions of soldiers and civilians who gave their lives in the war. Syrkashev said he went through the pain barrier with his 'wounded legs' to complete his march alongside Putin to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 'You know, I overcame the pain in my wounded legs, so as not to fail, not to seem to the president that I was somehow frail.' The Ukrainian media claimed the incident was staged to let Putin rescue the white-haired veteran, who was bedecked in medals. But Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov strongly denied this. The president has admonished his security detail over the blunder, he said. Christopher Henry, 52, went to extreme lengths to avoid a 100 driving fine A driver who created an 'extraordinary web of lies' to avoid a 100 speeding fine has been jailed as a judge compared him to serial fantasist Walter Mitty. Christopher Henry from Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire was caught breaking a 30mph limit in February 2016, in his ex-wife's Land Rover Freelander but refused to accept the penalty. Henry, 52, went to 'extreme lengths' to dodge the payment and told outrageous lies which drew police and Interpol in France, into a complicated investigation lasting two years. When the fine was issued to his wife, the registered owner of the Freelander, Henry intercepted the mail and filled out the paperwork in her name. Henry claimed a French man living at his address was the driver and new owner, Winchester Crown Court heard. Paperwork was sent to the French national 'Mr Musee', but the documents were returned claiming a man named 'George Harris' from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides was in fact the driver. Police could find no record of either man and contacted Interpol. Interpol discovered the Frenchman had the same name as a wax museum in Paris and his listed address was a nearby hotel which had no record of a Mr Musee staying with them. The post mistress on the Isle of Lewis had no knowledge of a Mr Harris, a Mr Musee or Christopher Henry. It was later discovered the name Mr Musee had also been given to Avon and Somerset Police when an Audi TT registered to Henry was caught speeding in August 2016, months after the initial speeding in February that year. Police then swabbed the paper and found fingerprints on the paperwork did not match Henry's ex-wife but instead matched with him. He denied ever using his ex-wife's car but police obtained voice recordings of him calling the AA out on two separate occasions when he broke down in the Freelander. Henry provided false dates of sale to the DVLA, set up a false email address and doctored emails from insurers all in an effort to cover his tracks. A a mobile camera van captured Christopher Henry speeding on the A343 Newbury Road on Valentine's Day in 2016 A jury took just 40 minutes to convict him in his absence of three counts of perverting the course. He denied all charges. Today at Winchester Crown Court, Hants, Henry was jailed for 12 months. At a previous hearing for the original motoring offence in Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hants, he was fined 1,600, disqualified from driving for three months and given six points. He had been convicted of failing to provide information for not responding to the ticket. A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: 'From claiming a Frenchman with the same name as a famous wax museum in Paris was driving, to doctoring documents, to blaming a second mystery man in the most northern part of the British Isles, Christopher Henry went to extreme lengths to dodge the speeding offence. 'Despite all his efforts to avoid justice, the dedication and determination of a Hampshire officer has finally seen the 52-year-old behind bars following a two-year investigation.' PC Richard Jewell said: 'Hampshire police and our Safer Roads team takes road safety very seriously. 'It is not right that certain individuals will try and avoid their responsibilities under the Road Traffic Act by lying about who was driving to avoid police or court action. 'This case shows that such claims are investigated and, where evidence exists, prosecution will follow. 'In his sentencing, the judge has sent a clear message to those that might consider such deceitful actions. He would have got points and a fine but now he has a criminal record and time in prison! Is it really worth such a risk?' A five-year-old girl filmed as she was repeatedly molested and raped by a man over a period of six months was so traumatised she could not sleep in her own bedroom. Andrew Clive Willmot, 52, sexually abused the girl more than 100 times and later told police he forgot what he did when he was using methylamphetamine. His sexual offending was only discovered when police arrested him for possessing drug paraphernalia and also seized devices containing hundreds of child exploitation images and videos in February last year. A five-year-old girl filmed as she was repeatedly molested and raped by a man (stock image) over a period of six months was so traumatised she could not sleep in her own bedroom Andrew Clive Willmot, 52, sexually abused the girl more than 100 times and later told police he forgot what he did when he was using methylamphetamine (stock image) Willmot pleaded guilty to persistently engaging in sexual conduct with a child and producing child exploitation material between 2016 and 2017, and possessing child pornography. He was sentenced in the Western Australia District Court this week to 13-and-a-half years in prison. Judge Alan Troy described Willmot's crimes against the girl as 'brazen in the extreme', as well as calculated and a breach of trust. He said the offending was significantly aggravated by the recordings that preserved the 'appalling violation' of the girl. 'You would have caused this child significant physical pain, but you continued to offend against her time and time again to satisfy your need for sexual gratification, which in the circumstances can only be described as depraved,' he said. In a victim impact statement, the girl's mother said the child was so traumatised she could not sleep in her own bedroom or sit on the furniture in the house. The girl has since moved to another state, the court heard. Willmot was sentenced to 13-and-a-half years prison at Western Australia District Court (pictured) after 'appalling violation' of the young girl, who has been left traumatised Judge Troy rejected Willmot's claim he had 'no particular memory' of what happened. 'There may be periods when you would suffer memory loss because of your heavy drug use but, in my view, there is absolutely no way that you have lost a memory of repeatedly sexually offending against a five-year-old child in a manner that you clearly did on possibly more than 100 occasions,' he said. 'Rather, the position I'm quite satisfied is that you cannot bear to recall what it is you did and it is more palatable for you to say that you just do not remember it.' Willmot must serve at least 11-and-a-half years behind bars before he can be eligible for parole. Salim Mehajer has launched an appeal against his convictions for the public assault of a journalist and a taxi driver. The 31-year-old was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he jammed TV journalist Laura Banks in his car door. The property developer slammed his white Porsche door on the Seven News reporter on April 2 last year. Salim Mehajer (pictured) has launched an appeal against his convictions for the public assault of a journalist as well as a taxi driver Magistrate Joanne Keogh said Mehajer had been 'hunted' by a 'frenzied media pack' and escaped further penalty. She determined Mehajer was reckless by closing the door on Ms Banks but did not intend to hurt the journalist. The 30-year-old reporter denies obstructing or provoking Mehajer and said she was 'just doing her job'. Ms Banks had a heavily bruised hand after the incident outside of Sydney police station. The 31-year-old was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he jammed TV journalist Laura Banks (pictured) in his car door Mehajer was arrested only hours earlier after he threw an eftpos machine at a taxi driver. Nazir Syed was hit in the face with the machine outside of the Star Casino in Pyrmont. In March, the disgraced former deputy mayor was handed a three-year good behaviour bond after he smashed a woman's iPhone. He was ordered to undergo anger management training after the incident. Appeals against his convictions and a good behaviour order were set down for hearing on August 14 in NSW District Court. A schoolgirl who stabbed two other teenagers during an organised fight caught on a video that went viral today started a lengthy spell behind bars. The 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in a Young Offenders Institution after magistrates sent the case to the Crown Court after they deemed it out of their powers. It started with a row over a bike being kicked in an argument that escalated over Snapchat. A fight between the rivals was organised in a Berkshire field next to a leisure centre, as a group of 40 people looked on. The knife used in the fight was stolen from a bushcraft lesson the college runs. At the end of the day the school discovered a canoe knife was missing. She had taken the knife and used it during the fight and screams are audible in the shocking video as onlookers realised the defendant had a knife. The terrifying moments when the young girls clashed on the playing field, was captured in the above mobile phone footage which soon went viral on social media The pupil stabbed a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old, leaving one of the girls with injuries that would have been life-threatening had not received surgery. The other victim also required hospital treatment. Mobile phone footage showed the terrifying moments the young girls clashed on the playing field. At the previous hearing, prosecutor Charlotte Webster told magistrates: 'We say this is a pre-meditated attack, that left two people with serious injuries and is a very violent matter. 'Were she older she would not be appearing here on bail, but likely in custody. The starting point for an adult could be 12 years, or at the lower end nine. 'Even half of that would be four-and-a-half years and that is beyond the powers of the magistrates. 'The first victim received four stab wounds that required surgery. It could have been life-threatening if she had not been treated. A girl, 13, and another, 15, were hospitalised, with one of the girl's injuries described as life-threatening (pictured: one of the girls bleeding) 'The other victim received three stab wounds and was kept in hospital where she was observed closely.' The fight took place in on a playing field near the Rivermead Leisure Centre, beside the River Thames in Reading on November 9 last year. The schoolgirl previously admitted two counts of GBH with intent and a further charge of possession of a knife or bladed article in a public place at an earlier hearing and was sentenced at Reading Crown Court. Detective Constable James Woodcock, of Thames Valley Police, said today: 'This was a nasty attack on two teenage girls, one of whom sustained a serious injury which required immediate surgery. 'Thames Valley Police will not tolerate knife crime, and will always thoroughly investigate assaults such as these and bring offenders to justice. 'The offender had attended a pre-arranged fight and used a knife to cause these injuries, and I am pleased that she has been brought to justice and given a significant term of imprisonment.' 15-year-old Jazmyne Jeter (pictured) was shot dead in Chicago on Tuesday night A 15-year-old girl was shot to death in Chicago on Tuesday night as she sat on a porch chatting to other teenagers. Jazmyne Jeter was shot in the chest outside a home in Englewood on the South Side, and pronounced dead in hospital soon after. Police say the teenager, who lived just five miles away, was shot by someone standing in a gangway. Officers do not know if Ms Jeter was the intended target, and her killer remains on the run. Community activist Andrew Holmes told WGN nobody he spoke to in the neighborhood knew the girl, and said the area had been quiet in terms of shootings and crime. Family, friends and even former teachers took to social media to share their grief over losing the freshman student, who attended ACE Tech Charter and slam the shooter. 'This is definitely a tough pill to swallow. This is heartbreaking to our family,' one cousin wrote, while another described the killer as a 'coward with a gun'. Ms Jeter lived just eight miles from the area she was killed in - police have not found her shooter Pictured: Evidence markers are seen on the street nearby where Ms Jeter was killed Alison Clay, another cousin, shared her thoughts on the 'senseless gun violence' in Chicago. 'As I consoled [Ms Jeter's] mother and her siblings last night all I could think about was how could someone be so cruel to just start shooting where children were walking. 'This has definitely shook my family - they took one of our babies - Lord have mercy.' Shavonne Gaston, who once taught the teenage girl, said she was devastated. 'I am deeply saddened knowing another babys life was taken before her time,' she wrote. 'Please put the guns down! I am praying for and with the family that whoever pulled the trigger on this angel will soon be caught.' Another Chicago teenager was also shot to death Tuesday. An 18-year-old man was killed when someone opened fire from an automobile in Lawndale on the West Side. In Chicago this week alone, 36 people have been shot, and nine of those have died. Since the beginning of the year, 841 people have been shot and 168 have died. Dailymail.com has reached out to Chicago police for more information. The teenager's family are heartbroken, and said her death was nothing short of 'cruel' (pictured is the scene) Trailblazer jailed: Jiyayi Suleyman, 29, once touted as Nashville's first-ever Kurdish person to join the city's police force, is suspected of being a member of a Kurdish street gang A former Nashville detective who was once celebrated for being the first Kurdish person to join the city's police force has been charged with 57 counts of official misconduct and accused of being a gang member. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said the charges relate to allegations against 29-year-old Jiyayi Suleyman that have to do with misuse of government records. Suleyman is suspected of looking up information in the confidential police criminal justice data system on his days off. The statement from the TBI does not give a motive for accessing the records. It said Suleyman resigned from his job on March 30 while he was being investigated by the department. According to an internal investigation file obtained by Tennessean.com, Suleyman is accused of using the state's criminal justice database to look up fellow members of Kurdish Pride Gang - A Nashville street gang made up of the children of Kurdish war refugees that has been linked to illegal sales of drugs and firearms. Nashville is home to the largest Kurdish community in the US numbering about 12,000 people. According to the documents, police learned of Suleymans suspected double life when they executed a search warrant at the home of a known Kurdish Pride Gang member and seized photos of the young detective participating in gang activities, including flashing gang hand signs and wearing apparel that would associate him as a known gang member. The photos were taken before Sulyeman joined the police force in 2012, but he failed to disclose his alleged affiliation with the gang on his application. Inside man: As a police detective, Suleyman allegedly used confidential police criminal justice data system on his days off to look up information on fellow gang members Investigators later found records proving that Suleyman was in frequent contact with known KPG members, and that he was aware of the day-to-day operations of other members tasked with selling drugs and guns. According to a flattering profile published by Public Radio Internationals The World in August 2014, Suleyman was born in the mountain region of Kurdistan in Iraq, and his first name, Jiyayi, means 'mountaineer.' His father was a fighter in the Kurdish peshmerga militia in the 1980s and ended up fleeing the Saddam Hussein regime and immigrating to Nashville in 1991. Suleyman joined the Metro Police Department as a patrolman in 2012 the same year the MNPD sued the Kurdish Pride Gang and declared its members a public nuisance. I took this job to bridge the gap between not only the Kurdish community but the Muslim community with the police department, Suleyman told PRI in 2014. I wanted to be that one guy that makes a difference. During his time on the force, Sulyeman worked narcotics cases and received multiple letters of commendations from Chief Steve Anderson, including for breaking up a Mexican heroin distribution ring. Nashville jail records say Suleyman is currently being held on $75,000 bond. It was as captivating as it was confusing: An ageing pizza delivery man sat in the middle of the road, surrounded by police cars on national television, begging for help as a device locked to his neck ticked ominously. It was August 2003, and Brian Wells, a loyal employee of Mama Mia pizzeria in Erie, Pennsylvania, was becoming increasingly agitated. He had just robbed a bank, taking away less than $9,000, allegedly at the behest of unknown conspirators. He was pleading his case to the armed authorities around him, men who had retreated to a safe distance with their guns drawn, and he insisted the bomb around his neck was going to explode. Then, as the cameras and the cops watched, it did. Wells died in the street, his chest ripped open by the bomb. He was 46. If that situation wasnt crazy enough, however, Wells death only raised more questions. Police discovered hed been given a note directing him on an elaborate scavenger hunt meant to take place after the robbery, seemingly to help him unlock the device from his neck, and hed been carrying a cane that was actually a disguised loaded gun. Wells had no criminal history, and they had no idea whether hed been an active participant in the bank robbery or an unwitting victim of a plot. Then another pizza delivery man Wells coworker turned up dead under mysterious circumstances. Three weeks later, a local man called police to announce he had a body in his freezer, just steps away from the location where Wells had delivered his last pizzas. The media went wild and the authorities were flummoxed by the escalating violence in the normally sleepy town. Scroll down for video Images of the crime scene were seared into the public consciousness on August 28, 2003 after Brian Wells - who pleaded with authorities to help him remove a bomb from around his neck - was killed in front of cops and television cameras when the device exploded Authorities believed that Wells had been involved in the planning of the caper, though his family has always maintained his innocence and the new docuseries supports that assertion Earlier in the afternoon, Wells robbed a PNC Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania, wearing the device around his neck and carrying a gun disguised as a cane; he demanded $250,000 but left with under $9,000 The homemade collar bomb was strapped around Wells' neck, and began ticking before it exploded and killed him as armed police looked on Eventually, two people a former beauty named Marjorie Diehl Armstrong and her drug-dealing fishing buddy, Kenneth Barnes - were jailed in connection with the plot, which authorities decided had involved a number of co-conspirators, including Wells himself. They reasoned that Barnes, Wells, Diehl Armstrong, her ex-boyfriend Bill Rothstein and his then-roommate, Floyd Stockton, had hatched the plan for monetary reasons (Wells had demanded $250,000 at the bank), though how, when and why the pizza delivery man became involved was never fully explained. By the time authorities solidified their theory, Rothstein had died of cancer and Stockton was jailed on the West Coast on an unrelated charge. Barnes pleaded guilty to conspiracy and weapons charges in 2008 and was sentenced to 45 years in prison. He testified against Diehl-Armstrong, who was found guilty of armed robbery, conspiracy and using a destructive device in a crime of violence. She died last year while still serving her sentence. Fifteen years after the bizarre crime, the case remains shrouded in mystery and a new Netflix documentary, Evil Genius, re-examines the wild circumstances surrounding the death of Wells, whose family has always maintained his innocence. The film interviews retired authorities who investigated the case, and it includes a video interview with the mentally ill, highly intelligent Diehl Armstrong. But the whole scenario is, unquestionably, still stranger than fiction. As the investigation progressed, authorities identified a strange cast of characters they believed to be connected to the plot, namely (clockwise from top left) local drug dealer Kenneth Barnes; former beauty Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong; her ex-boyfriend Bill Rothstein; his roommate Floyd Stockton; fellow pizza employee Bob Pinetti; delivery man Brian Wells, who was killed by the bomb; and prostitute Jessica Hoopsick, who was close with Wells and bought drugs from Barnes Bill Rothstein, left, and Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, right, were both highly intelligent and had dated decades before the 2003 plot, though she was dealing with serious mental illness Something like this had never happened before in the history of the FBI where a potential hostage is sent into the bank with a device, or to rob the bank, and the device detonates, resulting in their death, says lead agent Jerry Clark in the film. This had just never happened. Somebody murdered Brian Wells that day. Whether he was involved or not, its still a murder. The crime fascinated Trey Borzillieri, an actor and producer who was living in Brooklyn at the time of the heist, and he embarked upon an investigation as a citizen journalist that would continue for more than a decade including a strange correspondence and relationship with Diehl-Armstrong herself. He eventually partnered with director Barbara Schroeder to make a film documenting the unbelievable saga, and the four-part docuseries showcases letters from Diehl-Armstrong and recordings, in addition to her video interview. It premieres on Friday. We were just stunned by these questions that remained, Schroeder tells DailyMail.com. This was an FBI major case that was technically closed, but it was still unsolved in so many ways. There was the question: Who, for sure, was the mastermind? Why was there this crazy scavenger hunt that happened after the bank heist? There were a couple of other deaths. There were more layers to this case. On August 28, 2003, Wells was nearing the end of his shift at the pizzeria when a delivery order came in. He agreed to take it and and drove to the remote site; not long afterwards, he turned up at PNC Bank, holding a cane and wearing a t-shirt that said Guess, and demanded $250,000. He got far less and the cops soon apprehended him in a nearby parking lot, where they waited for the bomb squad. Wells said hed been forced to wear the collar by unidentified black men but didnt seem overly upset until the device started ticking. It exploded and killed him before the bomb squad arrived. Four days later, another pizza delivery man at Mama Mias, Bob Pinetti who had been acting strangely and was due to be interviewed by the police the next day was found dead; an autopsy concluded he had died by either accidental overdose or suicide. The connection to Wells raised questions, but still no one seemed to have answers. On the day of the heist, Wells had agreed at the end of his shift to deliver pizzas to a rural location adjacent to Bill Rothstein's home Rothstein called police three weeks after the heist to announce that he had been keeping a body in his freezer which he insisted was unconnected to the Wells case; he said his ex-girlfriend, Diehl-Armstrong, had shot her live-in boyfriend and asked him for help Diehl-Armstrong had already been tried and acquitted in 1984 in connection with the death of another boyfriend; her husband, Richard Armstrong, had also died under mysterious circumstances Three weeks later, lifelong Erie resident Bill Rothstein, whose house was adjacent to the location of Wells final delivery, called police to say he had a dead man in his freezer but it was unrelated to the collar bomb case. He said the body was that of James Roden, and police should question the mans long-term girlfriend, Diehl Armstrong. She was already something of an infamous figure in Erie; shed been acquitted of killing a former boyfriend, and her husband had died after a fall at home under strange circumstances. She had also dated Rothstein, who told authorities that Diehl Armstrong had asked for help after fatally shooting Roden. She denied it and hurled allegations right back at Rothstein. He had a thing for her that went beyond just boyfriend/girlfriend kind of thing, Ray Borkowski, Rothsteins longtime friend, says in the film. It was like somehow she got into his psyche and just lived there. I mean, look what happened! No normal human being does that for somebody. You dont go to somebodys house and go and wrap up a dead body in a sheet and go and throw it in your freezer. Diehl Armstrong, while manipulative and controlling, was also dealing with serious mental illness, though she did her best to blame Rothstein for everything saying he couldnt have me, so he wants to destroy me; he wants to put me away for life. The lawyer who defended her in 1984, when she was prosecuted for killing her boyfriend, says in the film that Diehl Armstrong was his punishment on earth. She could be talking about one thing and then start talking about birds or God knows what or horoscopes, he says. She had to brush her teeth 32 times a day. Not 31,not 33. Its just amazing to me four times I had her committed; four times the mental health system found her to be competent. He adds: We shouldnt be talking about a collar bomb she was sick, she was disturbed, and anybody that was around her knew that. You have to deal with the disease, and if you have a disease its never going to get better and your thinking is way off. Why jeopardize society by putting the person on trial and run the risk theyll be acquitted? Rothstein testified that Diehl-Armstrong had killed her live-in boyfriend, Roden, over an argument about money, and he cut a deal on misdemeanor charges. Within a year, Rothstein was dead, as well, succumbing to widespread cancer; many investigators believed that he knew he was dying throughout the ordeal and reveled in taking the secrets of the bomb plot to the grave. When Agent Clark had first interviewed Rothstein, the overall-clad handyman informed him: I want you to know right off the top that Im the smartest guy in this room. I believe that Bill was definitely a manipulator in this whole case, retired officer Ron Morgan says in the film. And I think that Bill thought he could outsmart anybody, including law enforcement. Diehl-Armstrong, meanwhile, was serving time for killing Roden, and she was bragging in prison telling several fellow inmates that shed been involved with the collar bomb plot. Authorities were also zeroing in on her fishing buddy, Kenneth Barnes, who sold drugs to a prostitute with whom Wells had a relationship. Barnes eventually confessed, saying that hed conspired with Diehl-Armstrong, Rothstein and Rothsteins roommate, Floyd Stockton, to set the bank heist plan in motion. Kenneth Barnes, pictured in handcuffs, was a drug dealer and a fishing buddy of Diehl-Armstrong; he eventually confessed and gave details about the plot to authorities, painting Diehl-Armstrong and Bill Rothstein as the masterminds Diehl-Armstrong was found guilty of armed robbery, conspiracy and using a destructive device in a crime of violence; she died last year while still serving her sentence Rothstein died less than a year after the heist, before authorities brought charges, and always insisted he was not involved Barnes said Diehl-Armstrong and Stockton put the bomb on Wells, who believed it to be fake; his story wavered when it came down to whether Wells was a willing participant or not, however. Stockton also testified against Diehl-Armstrong in exchange for immunity. It was clear, however, that Diehl-Armstrong and Rothstein were the major players and brains behind the scheme. I think the whole plan initially started as a way for them all to make some money, but it developed into more than just making money, Clark says in the film. It became almost a game to them a diabolical, maniacal game, but a game where, Lets see how we can get away with this crime, were really smarter than everybody else, and were certainly smarter than law enforcement. The prostitute who was friendly with Wells, Jessica Hoopsick, also gave evidence in Diehl-Armstrongs trial, saying shed overheard plans one night at Barnes house to rob a bank, and a woman had been present though she did not directly implicate Diehl-Armstrong. Hoopsick agreed to a video interview for the Netflix documentary, and she insists on Wells innocence offering a few additional, and astonishing, revelations. There was definitely special feelings; Im not going to say it was love, but there was definite special feelings, she says in the film. He was a good guy; theres only a few of them left in the world. Through it all, Trey Borzillieri maintained his correspondence with Diehl-Armstrong, whose behavior and communication became more and more erratic. The sheer magnitude of the plot, and the strange cast of characters, continued to fascinate both Borzillieri and Schroeder as they put together the documentary. One of the big lessons was that the authorities did the best job that they could, Schroeder tells DailyMail.com. These were scrappy criminals who were able to outwit and outplay them, to some extent so it was pretty harrowing that they were able to pull this off. Its a little scary; everybody needs to be vigilant. A train station in Brussels was forced to evacuate following reports of an explosion this afternoon, which later turned out to have been caused by firecrackers. The 'detonation' was reportedly heard at the Gare du Midi station, also known as Brussels South, at just after 5.15pm local time. Panicking commuters fled the station after allegedly hearing 'a loud bang' from one of the tracks. Big bang: Commuters fled in panic after reports of an 'explosion' at Brussels Gare du Midi station, also known as Brussels South, at just after 5.15pm local time Police and emergency services were called to the scene in the Belgian capital and evacuated commuters. Meanwhile, subway trains were able to pass through the station, but did not stop, local news report. By 5.45pm local time, the police evacuation was called off and travellers were allowed back into the building. Back again: Commuters were allowed back in some 30 minutes later, as police confirmed that the explosion had been caused by firecrackers Two tracks remain cordoned off to the public as police investigate the cause of the explosion. Police and the Swiss army later announced that the cause of the ;'detonations' had been firecrackers. It is not known who or whom set off the explosives. No casualties have been reported. Amanda Knox has compared herself to model Amber Rose saying they both don't 'give a sh*t' about how the world perceives them after the sl*t-shaming they have endured. Sitting on Rose's couch at her home in Los Angeles, the pair compared their experiences of being shamed and vilified for an interview for Knox's new Vice Broadly show The Scarlet Letter Reports that aired on Wednesday. When questioning the 34-year-old model on what the media gets wrong about her, Rose said: 'I don't care. I really don't. We can say who we are until we're blue in the face.' Knox responded, saying: 'I feel like I'm a little bit similar to you where it's like, "you know what, if no one is trying to hunt me down and put me in a prison cell, I could give less of a sh*t".' Sitting on Amber Rose's couch at her home in Los Angeles, the pair compared their experiences of being shamed and vilified for an interview for Amanda Knox's Vice Broadly show The Scarlet Letter Reports The pair spoke of how they have both been sl*t-shamed in the media and how it can be difficult to overcome. 'People are just taking you away from you, that's what they're doing,' Knox said. 'It's hard to ignore when you're in a prison cell. It's hard to ignore when you're entire social group in school has all decided that you're this type of person and you're like "am I just f**king crazy or is the world right?"' Earlier, Knox noted that her and Rose were 'two women who have been rendered two dimensional by the tabloids'. 'I'm really inspired by how Amber's able to hold her head high despite everything that's putting her down,' she said. 'In my case, the Italian police justified arresting me for murder by portraying me as sexually promiscuous.' During the interview, Rose praised Knox saying: 'Your story helped a lot of women, I hope you know that'. 'The sl*t-shaming you had to endure and such a difficult time, it must have been extremely hard,' Rose said. Knox, pictured above on GMA last week, noted that her and Rose were 'two women who have been rendered two dimensional by the tabloids' When questioning the 34-year-old model on what the media gets wrong about her, Rose said: 'I don't care. I really don't. We can say who we are until we're blue in the face.' Rose spoke of her own experiences on being shamed for her sexuality and her former career as a stripper. 'They expect me to be like "I was a stripper and I had a hard life" - that was the best f**king time of my life. I wish I had a pole in the middle of my living room,' Rose told Knox. 'Going out on stage and getting that initial reaction, getting the money thrown on me in my early 20s, having a bunch of f**king friends. 'It was a form of business school for me. It gave me the gift of gab, it taught me how to get money... so don't be mad at me because I was young and beautiful and I made $150,000 to $200,000 in cash a year. 'Come on, you're just a hater at that point.' Rose added that as she got older she decided not to let derogatory labels bother her and opted to embrace them instead. She started an annual Sl*tWalk Festival in Los Angeles several years ago and it has increasingly grown more popular. 'I'm just happy that I have some type of platform for women,' Rose said. 'I tell all the women: "I will take all the punches for you guys". I use that as a tool to help other women.' Mr Moloney, a former army sniper, was awarded the CGC in July 2013 for fighting the Taliban for 90 minutes after he was very nearly killed A hero soldier who carried on fighting the Taliban despite being shot in the neck has today sold his prestigious bravery medal for nearly 160,000 so he can buy a house. Lance Corporal Simon Moloney said it had been a logical decision to part with his Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) to give him a better future and the chance to get on the property ladder. Mr Moloney who left the armed forces last December, currently rents a house in St Albans, Hertfordshire, which at an average of 390,000, is one of the worst places in Britain for first time buyers. His medal was sold by London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb for a hammer price of 130,000. With fees added on the overall price paid by the British buyer was 156,000. It is a record price for a Afghanistan CGC. Mr Moloney, a former army sniper, was awarded the CGC in July 2013 for fighting the Taliban for 90 minutes after he was very nearly killed. He said he spent 10 minutes preparing for death after a bullet had struck him in the neck. Luckily, it missed his vital arteries and airways by millimetres. The hero solider said he spent 10 minutes preparing for death after a bullet had struck him in the neck. Luckily, it missed his vital arteries and airways by millimetres A medic stemmed the bleeding and stabalised Mr Moloney who was back on his feet minutes later, engaging the enemy in the 40C heat L/Cpl Simon Moloney(left) and medic Wesley Masters (who was awarded Military Cross) A medic stemmed the bleeding and stabalised Mr Moloney who was back on his feet minutes later, engaging the enemy in the 40C heat. He pinned down and suppressed enemy snipers and helped to save his colleagues. Mr Moloney said: 'I am incredibly proud of my medals and what they represent. It has been a big decision to sell them but also a logical one. 'The money is life changing for someone in my position and is purely to give me and my future family a better life. 'I will 100 per cent use it to get on the property ladder. 'I rent at the moment and I will look to buy somewhere, a house, with the idea of letting it out grow it on until I need it.' A spokesman for Dix Noonan Webb added: 'This record price for a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross awarded for the Afghanistan campaign reflects the extraordinary story behind Simon Moloney's decoration. The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is the second highest award for gallantry in battle, with only the Victoria Cross ranking higher Mr Moloney was serving with the Blues and Royals, part of the Household Cavalry, on his second tour of Afghanistan when he was nearly killed in in Helmand province 'His amazing courage in fighting on after suffering a near-fatal neck wound was truly inspirational. That motivated bidders to compete strongly for his CGC and campaign medal.' The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is the second highest award for gallantry in battle, with only the Victoria Cross ranking higher. His is one of only 59 CGCs awarded since the decoration was instituted in 1993. Mr Moloney was serving with the Blues and Royals, part of the Household Cavalry, on his second tour of Afghanistan when he was nearly killed in in Helmand province. He and a machine gunner positioned themselves on the roof of a building to provide a watch and cover fire He was part of a 12 man troop flown into a Taliban stronghold to seek out insurgents. He and a machine gunner positioned themselves on the roof of a building to provide a watch and cover fire. But an enemy sniper picked him out and shot him through the neck. The bullet entered the left side of his neck, missed his trachea and carotid main artery and exited through the right side. The near-fatal blow knocked L/Cpl Moloney off the sloping roof. He plunged 8ft towards the ground but luckily a goat broke his fall. Medic Wesley Masters risked his life to dash 400 metres under heavy fire to provide first aid. One grenade went off just 12ft away from them. He was later awarded the Military Cross for his bravery. A Michigan man convicted of murder after he was accused of breaking into a home and shooting a woman while livestreaming the attack on Facebook has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. Twenty-year-old Anthony Gelia was given the mandatory punishment Wednesday. He was convicted in March of first-degree murder and other charges stemming from the November 2016 killing of 26-year-old Brittany Southwell. Jurors watched a Facebook Live recording recovered from Gelia's cellphone showing him kicking in a door and opening fire. Anthony Gelia appears in Jackson County Circuit Court during a sentence hearing in Jackson, Michigan, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Gelia was found guilty in the 2016 shooting death of Brittany Southwell, 26, where he streamed the shooting on Facebook Live Gelia has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the killing of Southwell (victim is seen above on Facebook) Karen Hammond, left, smiles, as her daughter Kayla leans on her as Anthony Gelia appears in Jackson County Circuit Court, in Jackson, Mich., during a sentence hearing in Jackson on Wednesday Gelia says he didn't mean to hurt anyone. But he also told a judge, 'I deserve to do this time.' Gelia's lawyer suggested at trial that involuntary manslaughter was a more appropriate charge. He says Gelia didn't know Southwell was behind the door. Police said Gelia kicked in the door of a house in November 2016 and fired several shots inside the home, one of which struck and killed Southwell. In a recording, Gelia can be seen sitting in a car with the woman he describes as his girlfriend. The film shows them drinking heavily and laughing with a gun in his hand while making numerous threatening statements according to MLive.com. As the recording progresses, Gelia becomes more aggressive and can be heard threatening to 'pop someone'. Convicted killer Gelia is pictured above in his mugshot provided by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office Just as the recording comes to an end, Gelia is seen knocking on the door of Southwell's home before the camera jumps around and goes black. In a chilling moment, just the sound of someone kicking in the door and firing multiple gunshots can be heard. Prosecutors said Gelia's voice can be heard screaming, 'What's up, who's crazy?' and, 'See you in prison,' while a panicked woman's voice is heard asking if he just shot someone. The video was streamed as it happened using Facebook Live, authorities say. Southwell died from a single gunshot wound. She was holding her infant child when she was shot, witnesses said. Gelia's attorney had attempted to block the recording from being seen during the trial, calling it 'extremely prejudicial'. 'Jurors will not be able to get past many of the statements he made in the video that have nothing to do with the crime he is on trial for,' Andrew Kirkpatrick previously said. But prosecutors disagreed arguing the recording in its entirety establishes Gelia's state of mind, showing he was aware of the consequences of his actions. The victim died from a single gunshot wound. She was holding her infant child at the time 'We cannot get better evidence in this case than what we just saw,' said Jackson County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kati Rezmierski. 'He worked himself into a murderous frenzy and owned what he was going to do.' Gelia was arrested the same night as the shooting after a Michigan State Police trooper and a Columbia Township police officer stopped him while he was driving a white SUV that matched that of a vehicle leaving the scene. During the stop, Gelia was seen to be suicidal as he was holding a gun to his head. Photographers rushed to the San Diego shore line to snap pictures of the waves that appear to be glowing in the dark because of a bloom in algae. An algae bloom filled with bioluminescent phytoplankton has been lighting up the ocean from La Jolla to Encinitas since Monday. The micro-organisms, which also includes dinoflagellates, light up along the face of the wave when it crashes near the shore, creating what it known as a red tide. An algae bloom filled with bioluminescent phytoplankton has been lighting up the ocean from La Jolla to Encinitas since Monday Stephen Bay, a Southern Californian based photographer, snagged a picture of the illuminating visual on Monday at Torrey Pines. 'It kind of looked like the color of a light saber,' Bay said, according to CBS News. 'It really was a bright blue color that was just fantastic to look at.' Bay shared on Facebook that the last red tide to show in San Diego came in 2013 and he made it a point to make sure he didn't miss this one. 'Once in every five years is not much of an opportunity, so I figured I may as well try,' he added. A massive influx dinoflagellates including 'ceratium falcatiforme' (left) and 'Lingulodinium polyedra' (right) are responsible for the red tides, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography based at the University California San Diego A massive influx dinoflagellates including 'ceratium falcatiforme' and 'Lingulodinium polyedra' are responsible for the red tides, according to theScripps Institution of Oceanography based at the University California San Diego. While it is unknown is how long the red tide will last - the one in 2013 lasted one week - it is predicted that this particular red tide could last between a week to a few months. Scientists recommend getting to the shore two hours after sunset in order to capture the full scale beauty of the red tides. 'The pictures don't do it justice and you have to see it in person to experience this amazing this phenomenon,' Bay said on Facebook. An Oklahoma mother's 18-month-old baby was nearly shot by a stray bullet that hit his crib after it was fired by a 'drunk' man from a half mile away. Andrea Johnson said the bullet was 'centimeters from going between the two railing in his crib and actually hitting him or even worse'. The incident happened in broad daylight around 1.30pm Saturday afternoon. Oklahoma mother, Andrea Johnson (pictured with her son, Axel), was left horrified after a stray bullet (top inset) hit her 18-month-old son's crib inside her home. She said the bullet was just 'centimeters away from hitting him or worse' The incident happened in broad daylight around 1.30pm Saturday afternoon. Johnson said she 'heard a loud noise' and went to look around the living room Johnson told KFOR that she 'heard a loud noise' and went to look around the living room. She said she looked out the front door and all downstairs 'to try to find out what it was, but I couldn't find anything'. Johnson, whose husband, Paul, was away at the time with the Army Reserves, said her dogs kept barking as she looked around her home. It wasn't until she went upstairs that she made the unsettling find. Near her son Axel's crib was a small piece of wood. 'I just assumed we had drug it in with our shoes,' she told the station. But a closer look revealed that something had struck her son's crib. Johnson, whose husband, Paul (together, left), was away at the time with the Army Reserves, said her dogs kept barking as she looked around her home. It wasn't until she went upstairs that she made the unsettling find. Near her son Axel's (right) crib was a small piece of wood Johnson said at first she thought it 'was kinda funny, well, he is teething, maybe he had chewed on it, maybe he ninja kicked it in his sleep. He kicks a lot' But as she tried to find the rest of the wood chips, she found the stray bullet behind his crib. 'That's when I just absolutely lost it,' Johnson said. According to police, the bullet traveled through three walls when it was finally stopped by the baby's crib Johnson said at first she thought it 'was kinda funny, well, he is teething, maybe he had chewed on it, maybe he ninja kicked it in his sleep. He kicks a lot'. But as she tried to find the rest of the wood chips, she found the stray bullet behind his crib. 'That's when I just absolutely lost it,' Johnson said. According to officers from the Moore Police Department, the bullet traveled through three walls when it was finally stopped by the baby's crib. Lt Kyle Dudley told KFOR that a man who lives a half mile away was allegedly drunk in his backyard when he fired nearly 30 rounds from his rifle. 'We do have a person of interest. There is probably some reckless conduct with a firearm related to this incident,' Dudley said. Authorities said another family in the area reported a similar incident and that the two cases may be related. On Monday, he shot himself after a seven-hour long standoff with police He told customers and neighbors he worked in the military and special forces The gunman who killed three people and then himself after his wife who he had been keeping hostage for days escaped on Monday used pseudonyms and claimed to have worked for a clandestine government agency, it has been revealed. Christopher Snyder, 41, killed himself after a standoff with police in Brookeville, Maryland, on Monday. He had already murdered his neighbor Mary Olson, 66, her friend Danny Murphy, 70, and Craig Shotwell, 54, a contractor who was working at Olson's home when Snyder burst in after his wife. The wife had run to Olson's home for help after being held hostage by her husband all weekend. She and three others were able to escape. Christopher Snyder, 41, called himself Chris Smith and worked at Core 3 Tactical gym in Maryland. On Monday, he killed three others and then himself Neighbor Mary Olson, 66, was shot dead. Snyder's wife, who he had been keeping hostage, ran to her house for help and he followed her with his gun Snyder worked at Core 3 Tactical gym where he trained children and law enforcement officers in self-defense. There, he went by the name Chris Smith. He also called himself Chris Vittek, according to online records. In an online video for the gym, he says: 'I train military. Ive done the private military contracting, 15 to 16 years, federal government, DOD side of it, 13 styles that I teach. 'Ive created my own defense tactics. Danny Murphy, 70, was also killed. He was Olson's friend and was visiting her. Craig Shotwell, a contractor who was working at the house, was also killed Snyder is pictured in his driver's license. Neighbors said he was 'private' 'Is it my duty as a human to help another human, and thats what I believe in, and thats what I teach people.' He and his wife lived in a large, four-bedroom home worth an estimated $700,000. It is not clear how long they have been married. In June 2017, Snyder was arrested for concealing a dangerous weapon and for drug possession. The outcome of that arrest is not known. Neighbors have since claimed that he told them he worked for secret government agencies and that he was 'private'. Dramatic footage shows the SWAT van crossing the lawn in front of the house before ramming the door down as cops raided the property Snyder had been keeping his wife hostage in their $700,000 home (pictured) for days before the mass killing In addition to working at the gym, he had a gun dealership called Black Widow Enterprises. After shooting dead his victims, Snyder returned to his home on Monday where he barricaded himself inside. He communicated with police for seven hours as they tried to calm him down and persuade him to surrender himself. At 11pm, he shot himself in the head as a SWAT team breached the door of his house. His last words over the phone were: 'Did they just break in the front door?' The British government has agreed a settlement with former Libyan dissident Abdul Hakim Belhaj over allegations the UK was complicit in his abduction and rendition to Tripoli under Colonel Gaddafi's regime, according to reports. MI6 has been accused of helping the US kidnap Mr Belhaj and his wife in Thailand and returning them to Libya in 2004, where they were then allegedly tortured. A statement by the Attorney General is expected in Parliament tomorrow, the BBC reports. It is unclear what the terms of the agreement may be, but Mr Belhaj, 52, has previously asked for an apology and a token 1 in damages. Mr Belhaj - a long-time opponent of Gaddafi - and his then-pregnant Moroccan wife claim they were kidnapped and tortured under the dictator's regime, when Straw was the UK foreign secretary. Ms Boudchar and her son will be in Parliament for Thursday's statement, human rights charity Reprieve claims. He spent six years behind bars but is now a politician in Libya. The government had gone to the Supreme Court to stop Mr Belhaj and his wife Fatima Boudchar suing over claims UK officials 'assisted and arranged' their unlawful rendition in 2004. The couple's action was against the Home Office and Foreign Office, while Sir Mark Allen - who was MI6's counter-terrorism chief when they were snatched - is also named as a defendant. Libyan rebels' Tripoli military commander Abdel Hakim Belhaj gestures during an interview in August 31, 2011 Jack Straw (left) could have faced legal action by Libyan dissident Abdel Hakim Belhaj (right) who claims the UK was complicit in his and his wife's abduction and rendition to Tripoli Jack Straw, who was Foreign Secretary at the time, said in 2017 that the actions taken at the time were 'fully consistent with his legal duties'. He said: 'I repeat what I said in the House of Commons in December 2013, that as foreign secretary I acted at all times in a manner which was fully consistent with my legal duties, and with national and international law. 'I was never in any way complicit in the unlawful rendition or detention of anyone by other states. ' He added that the judgment raised 'some important points of law' - including whether it is possible to bring the actions of foreign states into a court process in the UK - but that the merits 'had not been tested before any court'. 'That can only happen when the trial of the action itself takes place,' he added. During the appeal hearing at the Supreme Court last year, the court heard how Mr Belhaj, a Libyan national and opponent of Gaddafi, and his wife had attempted to take a commercial flight from Beijing to London using fake passports. But they were instead deported by the Chinese authorities to Kuala Lumpur where they were detained. It is alleged MI6 became aware of their detention and reported their whereabouts to the Libyan intelligence services, a plan which led to them being tortured in Bangkok and held against their will in Libya. Ms Boudchar was held until June 2004 while Mr Belhaj was incarcerated for six years until March 2010. Mr Belhaj - a leading member of the Islamist opposition to Colonel Gaddafi - and his wife have offered to settle for a token 1 from each defendant and an apology for what they suffered The couple claim the UK was involved in 'arranging, assisting and encouraging their unlawful rendition'. International human rights group Reprieve and the Belhaj family say their abduction was a direct result of a joint MI6-CIA operation following the 'deal in the desert' in which Tony Blair's government re-opened diplomatic links with Gaddafi. According to Reprieve, part of the deal involved the illegal kidnapping and flying of Libyan dissidents to Tripoli. They say cases came to light in 2011, when faxes written by Sir Mark, which described the rendition flights, were found in Libya's intelligence headquarters. Giving his judgment at the Supreme Court, Lord Mance said: 'They allege that they suffered mistreatment amounting to torture at the hands of US agents in Bangkok and in the airplane and at the hands of Libyan officials in Libya.' The judge said the couple were relying on the letter supposedly written by Sir Mark to Mr Moussa Koussa, head of the Libyan External Security Organisation. 'The letter congratulated Mr Moussa Koussa "on the safe arrival of (Mr Belhaj)",' said the judge. 'It said that "This was the least we could do for you and for Libya to demonstrate the remarkable relationship we have built over recent years". 'It indicated that British intelligence had led to Mr Belhaj's transfer to Libya, although the British services "did not pay for the air cargo".' Government lawyers had argued that the Belhaj claims should be barred under state immunity. They said the foreign 'act of state' doctrine prohibits the courts of one country sitting in judgment on the acts of the government of another within its own territory. The High Court agreed with the Government's stance and ruled that the claims should be struck out. Belhaj was allegedly transported to Libya and was tortured by forces of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi But Reprieve argued that the Government had already settled a related claim out of court by paying compensation to another family who were rendered to Libya in the same 'deal in the desert' conspiracy. The Court of Appeal then reversed the High Court ruling. It said the doctrine relied upon by the government might not apply to alleged breaches of international law or human rights obligations, even in cases involving the conduct of a foreign state. The appeal judges said there was a 'compelling public interest' in allegations of unlawful rendition and 'particularly grave violations of international law and human rights' being investigated by the English courts. UK Government lawyers then argued that the compensation claim could not be heard in a British court because it would damage relations with the US. But the argument was dismissed by the seven justices - court president Lord Neuberger, sitting with Lady Hale and Lords Mance, Clarke, Wilson, Sumption and Hughes. Lord Mance said that 'state immunity is no bar to the claims', and the defendants had not 'on the assumed facts shown any entitlement to rely on the doctrine of foreign act of state'. He said: 'The appeals are dismissed and the cases may proceed to trial.' He rules Russia with an iron fist, but Vladimir Putin has suffered a significant knock-back when it comes to world domination after being usurped by his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, who is now considered the most powerful person on Earth. Despite Putin topping every Forbes' list of the worlds most powerful people since 2013, the controversial leader has been relegated to second place after being pipped by Xi. Forbes said the Chinese president had seized the 'top spot for the first time ever after Chinas congress amended its constitution in March, broadening his influence and eliminating term limits. 'He enjoys a cult of personality not seen since Chairman Mao.' Chinese president Xi Jinping 'enjoys a cult of personality not seen since Chairman Mao' according to business magazine Forbes, which describes him as the most powerful person in the world for 2018 No longer the most powerful person in the world: Russian president Vladimir Putin is now in second place in Forbes' annual list, behind Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping He has seen 'limited success' one year into his term, so Forbes has dropped Donald Trump from second place into third This year's list, which shows 75 men and women 'who make the world turn', has also pushed American president from second to third place. Forbes explained that just one year into his term, Donald Trump 'has seen limited success pushing his agenda through a Congress controlled by his own party, is under investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies, and can't shake off scandals arising from his personal and business life.' And languishing in 14th place is Prime Minister Theresa May, who dropped one position from her 13th slot in the previous year's ranking, and is five positions down from the 8th position given to her predecessor David Cameron in 2015. Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany and de facto leader of Europe, is named as the fourth most powerful person in the world Explaining Mrs May's ranking, Forbes said that after her decision to hold a snap election 'backfired', she had to 'guide her country through this bumpy transition government with no time to waste' before Brexit in 2019. Well ahead of her is Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany and the de facto leader of Europe, named as the fourth most powerful person in the world. She won the accolade after her success in a 'hard-fought election in 2017 and created a grand coalition with political partners. She'll have to hold tight to the EU rudder as it faces oncoming storms from Brexit and growing anti-immigrant sentiment in Europe,' suggests the business magazine. Also placed above Mrs May were Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, 5th, Pope Francis (6th), Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates (7th), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (9th), Google founder Larry Page (10th) and Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg (13th). While this year's list highlights the consolidation of power in the hands of an elite few', there are also 17 new names including Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud (8th place), the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, known as "MBS". In 14th place, Prime Minister Theresa May, seen here in the House of Commons, has to 'guide her country through this bumpy transition government with no time to waste' before Brexit in 2019, said Forbes Pope Francis, aged 81, took 6th place, ahead of Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg in the annual list, which determines whether candidates are powerful in 'multiple spheres' He has consolidated power and, aside from taking control of the country, launched an anti-corruption campaign in November 2017 which resulted in the arrest of many prominent Saudis, who were forced to turn over their fortunes. 'The crown prince will be the fulcrum around which the Middle Eastern geopolitics moves for the next generation,' said Forbes. So how does the magazine compile its annual list? It looked at hundreds of candidates, and asked whether they had power over lots of people. Pope Francis, for example, who is ranked sixth, is the spiritual leader of more than a billion Catholics. Doug McMillon, in 23rd place, is the CEO of the world's largest private employer, Wal-Mart Stores, with more than 2.3 million workers around the globe. Forbes then assessed the financial resources controlled by each person. Are they relatively large compared to their peers? For heads of state it used GDP, while for CEOs, the magazine looked at the company's assets and revenues. American entrepreneur Jeff Bezos, 54, is founder and chief executive officer of Amazon.com. He was placed fifth in Forbes' list, ahead of British Prime Minister Theresa May 'Then we determined if the candidate is powerful in multiple spheres. There are only 75 slots on our list one for approximately every 100 million people on the planet so being powerful in just one area is often not enough. 'Our picks project their influence in myriad ways: Elon Musk (ranked 25th) has power in the auto business through Tesla Motors, in the aerospace industry through SpaceX, because he's a billionaire, and because he's a highly respected tech visionary', Forbes explained. Lastly, it made sure that candidates 'actively' use their power. North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un (in 36th place) has near absolute control over the lives of the 25 million people who live in his country, and is known to punish dissent with death. Individual rankings were averaged into a composite score: 'This years list comes at a time of rapid and profound change, and represents our best guess about who will matter in the year to come,' Forbes added. Forbes full list of the worlds most powerful people 2018: The president's lawyers are rallying behind Rudy Giuliani, the 73-year-old personal attorney to Donald Trump who was accused this week of drinking too heavily to be effective as counsel. Outgoing White House attorney Ty Cobb, the government lawyer who serves as the liaison to Trump's outside counsel, told DailyMail.com, 'I've never seen him impaired in any form, fashion or otherwise.' Trump's top personal attorney, Jay Sekulow, likewise said that Giuliani is 'fully engaged' and 'a valuable member of the president's legal team.' 'It is both an honor and a privilege to be working with him,' Sekulow said. The president's lawyers are rallying behind Rudy Giuliani, the 73-year-old personal attorney to Donald Trump who was accused this week of drinking too heavily to be effective as counsel MSNBC host Joe Scarborough on Tuesday said that Trump indicated two years ago that Giuliani had a drinking problem, and that's why he passed him over for his Cabinet Outgoing White House attorney Ty Cobb (left), the government lawyer who serves as the liaison to Trump's outside counsel, told DailyMail.com, 'I've never seen him impaired in any form, fashion or otherwise.' Trump's top personal attorney, Jay Sekulow (right), likewise said that Giuliani is 'fully engaged' and 'a valuable member of the president's legal team' MSNBC host Joe Scarborough on Tuesday said that Trump indicated two years ago that Giuliani had a drinking problem, and that's why he passed him over for his Cabinet. The 'Morning Joe' host said that Trump, during the presidential transition, said Giuliani was 'losing it' and was 'falling asleep five minutes into meetings.' 'Everybody around Donald Trump said [Giuliani] was drinking too much. Donald Trump suggested as much. That was two years ago,' Scarborough said. Scarborough was incredulous that Trump brought Giuliani, a former U.S. attorney, onto his legal team 'despite his own reservations about him' after the presidential election. 'Its not 3-D chess. Thats not even checkers,' he said. 'Thats a monkey throwing poo against the wall and it doesnt usually turn out well.' Giuliani told Politico he was insulted by Scarborough's suggestion that he's not up to the job of representing the president. The former New York City Mayor said 'none of that is true' as he slapped back at the former Florida congressman. 'Im a lot more aware and intelligent than Joe has ever been and a lot more accomplished. Joe hasnt been knighted by the Queen of England,' Giuliani charged. 'He hasnt run a U.S. attorneys office, much less a city that he turned around or went through 9/11.' 'Rudy is a great guy, but he just started a day ago. But he really has his heart into it,' Trump said of Giuliani last week. The president is seen here today at a Cabinet meeting The Queen of England bestowed honorary knighthood on Giuliani a month after the World Trade Center terror attack in 2001. She named him Giuliani Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. She said that Giuliani, then the mayor of New York, had earned honorary knighthood for 'outstanding help and support to the bereaved British families in New York.' As for the allegations about his alcohol consumption, Giuliani told Politico, 'Im not drinking for lunch.' He added, 'I may have a drink for dinner. I like to drink with cigars.' In New York, Giuliani is known to frequent Grand Havana Room on Fifth Avenue. Two sources told Politico that he was at the cigar bar prior to the interview last Wednesday evening on Sean Hannity's show during which he revealed the president's Stormy Daniels-linked reimbursement to attorney Michael Cohen. 'I sometimes go before,' he told Politico of his recollection of when he was at the club. 'I sometimes go after.' Cobb, the White House attorney who is retiring this month and is handing off his duties to Emmet Flood, told DailyMail.com that he's never seen Giuliani operate 'impaired' in any way. 'Rudy's been intensely engaged and getting up to speed on stuff,' he said. 'I've had only a couple of meetings with him, but he's always been very, very determined to understand things, ask tough questions, catch up.' Sekulow said, 'I have spent long hours on a regular basis with Mayor Giuliani. He is fully engaged, a valuable member of the president's legal team, and it is both an honor and a privilege to be working with him.' White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday afternoon that the president continues to have confidence in Giuliani as his personal attorney. 'Yes, he thinks he's done a fine job,' Sanders said during her daily news conference. Giuliani joined Trump's team of personal attorneys on April 19 alongside former federal prosecutors Jane and Marty Raskin. The trio of attorneys are representing Trump in the personal aspects of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into meddling in the 2016 election. Sekulow is overseeing Trump's legal strategy for handling Mueller, whose investigation has evolved to include allegations that Trump obstructed justice when he fired James Comey. Trump is also locked in a legal battle with former adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Giuliani landed himself - and the president - in hot water last week when he said Trump reimbursed his personal attorney the $130,000 that Cohen paid Daniels to keep her quiet about an affair she says she had with Trump in 2006. After a series of misstatements on what Trump knew about the payment that Cohen made to Daniels weeks before the presidential election, Giuliani said Sunday on 'This Week' that he was extricating himself from the situation and leaving that case to Trump's other representatives. Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, charged after the ABC News interview that Giuliani's appearances had been an 'absolute unmitigated disaster' for the president. On the same news program that Giuliani had just appeared on, Avenatti said the interview was an 'absolute train wreck' and one of the 'worst TV appearances' by an attorney acting on behalf of a client that he may have ever seen. 'I mean this guys all over the map over the last 72 hours on some very simple facts that should be very straightforward,' Avenatti said. 'They dont know what to say because theyve lost track of the truth.' Daniels' attorney asserted, 'It is time for Rudy Giuliani to be put out to pasture.' Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said that Giuliani would 'get his facts straight.' 'Rudy is a great guy, but he just started a day ago. But he really has his heart into it. Hes working hard. Hes learning the subject matter. And hes going to be issuing a statement too,' Trump said. 'But he is a great guy. He knows its a witch hunt. Thats what he knows. Hes seen a lot of them. And he said hes never seen anything so horrible.' Eric Schneiderman seemed unperturbed as he emerged from his Manhattan apartment on Wednesday a day after resigning as New York's attorney general amid claims he sexually abused four women. The 63-year-old exited a side entrance of his apartment building on the Upper West Side to get into a waiting, chauffeur-driven SUV. As he bypassed journalists, he said: 'Thank you, thank you very much,' he said as he got into the car and closed the door. Not long afterwards, it was announced by the New York Law Journal that he has hired lawyer Isabelle Kirshner. On Monday, Schneiderman's career was toppled by a New Yorker piece by Ronan Farrow which quoted four women, two of them on the record, who said he had been sexually abusive towards them. Their allegations included claims of hitting and choking. One woman said he referred to her as his 'brown slave'. Eric Schneiderman, 63, is pictured leaving his apartment on Wednesday. He got into a waiting SUV that was chauffeur-driven Schneiderman said 'thank you very much' to reporters as he got bypassed them. He announced his resignation as New York's attorney general on Monday night Schneiderman denied any wrongdoing and said in an initial statement that their dealings were all part of consensual, rough sex and role play. He stepped down on Monday night as the scandal grew. On Wednesday, Alec Baldwin revealed that Schneiderman was bracing for the accusations to emerge as early as last week. He interviewed the disgraced lawyer, of whom he is a great fan, for his NPR podcast but was told by Schneiderman's people to stay away from the topic of Harvey Weinstein, #MeToo and, tellingly, Schneiderman's past relationships. As reporters waited for Schneiderman to appear outside his apartment building on Wednesday, one of his neighbors playfully tried to capitalize on his shame. They sent a note, folded into the shape of a paper plane, down which read: 'Dear press, If you want me to come down, first send a large pepperoni pizza and a 6 pack of Heineken to apt 7G. 'Then, maybe Ill come down. E.' There was a man sitting in the backseat of the car that Schneiderman got into on Wednesday As reporters waited for Schneiderman to emerge, one of his neighbors tried to capitalize on his shame to get a free lunch Tanya Selvaratnam (left with Shneiderman in 2017) and Michelle Manning Barish (right) who dated him between 2013 and 2015 both alleged abuse Alec Baldwin (pictured on SNL on Saturday) was told not to ask Schneiderman about his past girlfriends or about #MeToo when eh interviewed him last week 'Looking back on our preparations with his office, there were signs maybe something was amiss. 'His communications director requested surprisingly to us that we not mention the Harvey Weinstein case, or #MeToo or the Attorney General's past relationships,' Baldwin told The New York Daily News on Wednesday. He said the accusations against Schneiderman, who he endorsed in 2010, were 'dreadful' but said they did not undermine his 'great' career. 'If he did these things and there's a strong possibility that he did or he wouldn't resign so quickly, if he did these things that's dreadful. 'You can sit there and be really upset and sad about it for a day, then you think, we have to move on. 'No one saw this coming, believe me. 'It's just so disturbing these things. It's beyond belief,' he went on. Baldwin compared his downfall to that of former NY AG Elliot Spitzer who resigned in 2008 amid a prostitution scandal. Schneiderman has hired attorney Isabelle Kirshner The actor said both men were 'great public servants' and seemed to suggest that neither of their personal woes would detract from that. 'It was two brilliant men who were great public servants who people had a lot of hopes for, in terms of the long games of their career. 'Eric Schneiderman was a great attorney general. Not good, great. 'Because of his personal demons whatever they may be, his career is derailed beyond what might have unfolded in whatever state office he might have sought,' he said. Two of Schneiderman's former romantic partners, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, came forward to share their allegations against him, which they classify as 'assault'. Neither filed a police report at the time but both sought medical treatment. A third former romantic partner, who was not named, shared similar stories of bedroom violence. A fourth woman, an attorney in New York, said Schneiderman made unwanted advances and then slapped her when she rebuffed him. Saudi Arabia will seek to develop its own nuclear weapons if Iran does, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told CNN on Wednesday, amid spiraling tension between the regional rivals. Asked whether Riyadh would 'build a bomb itself' if Tehran seizes on Washington's withdrawal from the 2015 Iran deal to resume a nuclear weapons program, Jubeir said: 'If Iran acquires nuclear capability we will do everything we can to do the same.' Oil-rich Saudi Arabia has long said it would match any Iranian weapons development, but Jubeir's renewed vow came after US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of an accord designed to prevent Tehran's alleged quest for the bomb. Scroll down for video Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, seen here at an Arab League meeting in Cairo in November 2017, said Iran would 'do everything' to match any Iranian bid to acquire a nuclear weapon And it came amid growing tension between the Sunni kingdom and the Shiite Islamic republic over Iran's support for the Huthi rebels in Yemen, who have been firing rockets across the border. Riyadh, which leads a regional coalition that intervened in Yemen's civil war to fight the Huthis, accuses Iran of supplying the militia with ballistic missiles. 'These missiles are Iranian manufactured and delivered to the Huthis,' Jubeir told CNN. Such behavior is unacceptable. It violates UN Resolutions with regards to ballistic missiles. And the Iranians must be held accountable for this. 'We will find the right way and at the right time to respond to this,' he warned. 'We are trying to avoid at all costs direct military action with Iran, but Iran's behavior such as this cannot continue. This amounts to a declaration of war.' Donald Trump said he was ready to work on a new nuclear accord, one that would also curb Iran's missile programme A other looming debacle is whether the US pullout from the Iran deal could trigger a nuclear arms race. Trump said his decision to leave the JCPOA was designed to counter that possibility. 'If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East,' he said. But minutes after he spoke, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran could resume uranium enrichment 'without limit' if its interests are not assured by the remaining signatories. 'Whether or not (the Iranians) go for a military programme, you're going to get a nuclear race in the Middle East,' said Dorsey. In March, Saudi Arabia's crown prince said if Iran gets a nuclear weapon, the kingdom would be compelled to follow suit. Trump said Tuesday that he was ready to work on a new nuclear accord, one that would also curb Iran's missile programme. Iranian demonstrators burn a picture of the U.S. President Donald Trump during a protest in response to his decision to pull out of the nuclear deal Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles over Riyadh on Wednesday, state media said, the latest in a series of attacks claimed by Iran-allied rebels in neighbouring Yemen. Riyadh has long accused its regional archfoe Tehran of supplying Yemen's rebels with ballistic missiles, a charge Tehran denies. Middle East analyst James Dorsey, a senior fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, believes Iran will not compromise on its ballistic missile programme 'because that is the core of their defence policy'. For Saudi Arabia, that is 'fine' because it means the return of sanctions and ratcheting up pressure on Iran in the region, including by Israel. 'It's about Iran,' said Dorsey, 'not about finding a solution.' A heartwarming video shows the moment a Texas man jumped into a lake to save a drowning deer. The Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables Office responded to a call about a deer needing to be rescued from Lake Conroe Sunday morning. When they arrived to the scene, a resident had already jumped into the lake to save the helpless deer. A heartwarming video shows the moment a Texas man jumped into a lake to save a drowning deer The Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables Office responded to a call about a deer needing to be rescued on Sunday morning The man is seen holding the male deer along with a lifebuoy as he swims to the steps of a pier. Authorities are then seen trying to help the man get the deer up the steps. 'Put her feet on the stairs and let her go if she has the energy left,' one officer is heard telling the resident. As the man tries to put the deer on the steps, he realizes that there were steps missing. An officer then lifts the deer up, carries him to the grass and places him down gently. 'He's going to need a little rest,' the hero resident is heard saying as the deer struggles to stand. 'We're going to give you some space buddy,' an officer says while the deer lies on the grass. When they arrived to the scene, a resident(pictured) had already jumped into the lake to save the helpless deer As the man tries to put the deer on the steps, he realizes that there were steps missing. An officer then comes over to assist The officer is seen lifting the deer up and carrying him to the grass Moments later, the deer is seen standing up on all four legs as he wobbles around. The deer walks a couple of feet before plopping back down on the grass. 'Take your time buddy,' the officer tells him. Police said the cute deer eventually regained enough energy to be on his way back into the woods. Constables Lieutenant Tim Cade reminded people visiting the lake to stay alert and keep their eyes open for people and wildlife struggling in the water. The officer was careful to place the deer on the grass gently 'He's going to need a little rest,' the hero resident is heard saying as the deer tries to stand The daughter of late Redskins owner Jack Cooke has avoided hate-crime charges following a bloody altercation downgraded Wednesday. Jacqueline Kent Cooke was accused of calling an older woman a 'Jew' before hitting lawyer Matthew Haberkorn in the head with a designer mirrored glass clutch purse on New Year's Eve at Manhattan eatery, Caravaggio. But prosecutors stated that there was no evidence that the fight was 'motivated by hate,' Page Six reports, and declined to bring hate-crime charges against her. Jacqueline Kent Cooke, seen here in court on Wednesday, was accused of calling an older woman a 'Jew' before hitting lawyer Matthew Haberkorn in the head with a mirrored glass clutch Prosecutors stated that there was no evidence that the New Year' Eve fight in Manhattan was 'motivated by hate'. She is seen here leaving court on Wednesday Haberkorn, 52, alleges that Cooke was waiting in line behind his mother at the coat check when she said: 'Hurry up Jew, I got places to be' The socialite, 29, faces third-degree assault charges, after previously facing assault with a weapon charges, according to Page Six. Cooke - who had a previous arrest in Boston for a DWI where she also called the cops 'gay' - left the courtroom in a simple navy dress accessorized with a brown belt and appeared to be teary eyed. 'It's been a lot,' she said to her lawyer, Robert Caliendo. The heiress was offered a three-month jail sentence if a plea deal was met but Cooke refused. She had suffered a dislocated finger during the spat and was forced to undergo surgery. But her cast wasn't seen at the hearing. 'Hate-crime charges were wholly unwarranted,' Caliendo said in a statement. 'The DA correctly decided against them. For a number of reasons, it's equally appropriate that all felony charges were tossed. After all, Jackie was badly injured after being stalked down the street by a middle aged man, who was aggressively spewing vile language towards her.' Cooke has filed a cross claim against Haberkorn and asserts that he injured her finger in their scuffle. The socialite, 29, will be charged with third-degree assault instead of assault with a weapon for the attack outside of Caravaggio The incident in question unfolded fifteen minutes before midnight on New York's Upper East Side. Haberkorn, 52, alleges that Cooke was waiting in line behind his mother at the coat check when she said: 'Hurry up Jew, I got places to be.' Her boyfriend allegedly chimed in with his own remark, telling Haberkorn's daughters: 'Happy bat mitzvah, girls.' Cooke told her own side of the story, insisting she had been misheard. 'We had a really nice dinner and were rushing to go to a friend's apartment before the clock struck midnight,' Cooke told Page Six. 'We were right behind Mr Haberkorn's family in the line, but they were taking a really long time looking for their tickets, so I - ticket in hand - told his mother, "Excuse me I have to get through".' 'She clearly didn't hear what I said and immediately screamed at the top of her lungs, "She called me a Jew!".' Weapon of choice: Cooke (above with Amanda Hearst) can be seen carrying the same Lulu Guinness Chloe Mirrored Perspex Box purse at an event last year Cooke, who says she didn't know they were Jewish, claims she immediately tried to diffuse the situation but the rest of Haberkorn's family started yelling at her. She claims she fled the restaurant but Haberkorn, who had been in the bathroom at the time, confronted her outside. 'He came out in a rage,' Cooke said. 'Mr Haberkorn tried to push my boyfriend around, and I didnt know what to do, so I hit him with my purse. I was defending my boyfriend, I was frightened, I was scared, but I never intended to hurt Mr Haberkorn.' The purse in question is believed to be at $300 Lulu Guinness Chloe Mirrored Perspex Box. What happened next was caught on video by one of Haberkorn's four daughters, who filmed Haberkorn scuffling with Cooke and her boyfriend on the sidewalk outside Caravaggio. Baleigh Bagshaw had returned from school to her home in Salt Lake City, Utah, when she was attacked on Monday. Undated pic A 15-year-old girl was speaking on the phone to her mother when she was 'brutally attacked' and killed, police said, as they appealed for help in finding a man accused of having a previous sexual encounter with her. Baleigh Bagshaw had returned from school to her home in Salt Lake City, Utah, when she was attacked on Monday afternoon. Her mother heard part of the assault before the line went silent. The mother alerted a neighbor, who went round to check on Baleigh before alerting police, who found her dead at just after 3pm. Shaun French, 24, has been named as a person of interest in the teenager's death, stemming from an unlawful sexual encounter he is accused of having with her. French, who is now on the run, used to live in the same house as Baleigh but was not living there at the time of her death. Baleigh always phoned her mother when she got home from West High school, Deseret News reported. Shaun French, 24, (left) has been named as a person of interest in the teenager's (right) death, stemming from an unlawful sexual encounter he is accused of having with her She was meant to be working at Leatherby's Family Creamery, an ice-cream shop, but her mother phoned to say she could not come in due to a 'family emergency'. Co-worker Gwendolyn Robinson described the teenager as 'very sweet', adding: 'She worked very hard. She was a good girl. 'I expect her to be walking into work still. It's not computing.' Salt Lake Police Sgt. Brandon Shearer said: 'While she was on the phone with her mother, she was brutally attacked while inside of her home. 'Her mother heard the attack going on and then the phone went dead. At that time, the mother called a neighbor to go check on Baleigh. 'I can't even guess what the mother would be going through right now. Our hearts and thoughts are with her.' Shearer called it a 'very violent attack' but police have not yet released a cause of death. Baleigh enjoyed building props and sets at West High's theater. French, who is now on the run, used to live in the same house as Baleigh but was not living there at the time of her death Friend Talia Zamir, 15, said: 'She was incredibly smart and talented and she always got along with people around her. She was really friendly and nice. 'And that's what makes everything so heartbreaking, honestly.' Sister-in-law Nichole Newman Cannon wrote: 'I will always remember the funny jokes at the times I needed my head lifted up. 'You will be greatly missed by your siblings. Love and miss you!' French was described as 'armed and dangerous' and is being hunted on three counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. His Facebook page says he works at Intermountain Plantings Inc. and attended high school in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. He is thought to be driving a camouflage-painted Daihatsu SUV with a Wyoming license plate number 19-13974 along the Interstate 80 towards Cleveland, Ohio. A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds Baleigh's funeral expenses. The total is currently approaching $9,000. Judge under fire: St John the Baptist Parish Judge Jeff Perilloux, 50, is facing accusations that he repeatedly molested a 15-year-old girl who was friends with daughter A Louisiana judge and father-of-two is facing accusations that he repeatedly molested a 15-year-old girl who was friends with one of his daughters. The Louisiana State Police have launched an investigation into St John the Baptist Parish Judge Jeff Perilloux after learning of an incident that allegedly took place in July 2017 during a trip to Destin, Florida. The alleged victim told police that she had joined Perillouxs daughters on the summer getaway and that the judge accompanied the girls as a chaperone. According to the girl, one day the 50-year-old judge slid his fingers inside her bathing suit bottoms, and then begged her to let him continue touching her when she backed away from him in fear, reported The Advocate. The teen's two friends told police they witnessed the girl crying afterwards and said that she confided with them about what Perilloux had done. The 15-year-old also described two previous incidents involving Perilloux, which had allegedly taken place in St John the Baptist Parish earlier that summer. On one occasion, the girl said the judge touched her breasts. In another instance, Perilloux allegedly stroked her breasts during a three-way massage involving another girl. The alleged victim said Perilloux (pictured with St John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre) put his fingers in her swimsuit bottom during a family trip to Destin, Florida, in July 2017 The same girl claimed the judge touched and strokes her breasts on two occasions that summer That girl corroborated the massage story but said she did not see what the judge was doing because the room was dark. Authorities in Okaloosa County, Florida, conducted their own investigation into the teenagers claims and handed their findings over to the persecution, but no charges have been filed so far. Perilloux spoke with the L'Observateur newspaper after learning of the allegations against him on Tuesday, saying that he has not heard anything from the State Police. I will spend every nickel that I have to defend myself and my family on these allegations, he told the paper. Perillouxs attorney David Courcelle stated that the judge categorically denies any wrongdoing. Not guilty: Perilloux said through his lawyer that he denies any wrongdoing, and he vowed to defend himself As part of the ongoing investigation, State Police have reviewed dozens of text messages that were exchanged between the judge and his daughter's teenage friends. Two of the girls told police Perilloux had made them feel uncomfortable by patting their buttocks, and one of them called the judge 'creepy.' In one text message obtained by the police, Perilloux reportedly asked a teenage girl: 'Hey, are we cool about what happened the other day?' According to an article in L'Observateur from July 2016 announcing Perilloux's run for the 40th Judicial District Division B, his ancestors settled in St John the Baptist Parish in 1748. He was raised in LaPlace, where he attended grade school and high school. He then went on to earn a Bachelors degree from Southeastern Louisiana University, followed by a law degree from Loyola University School of Law, where he excelled and was given an award for his academic performance. Perilloux has practiced law in St. John the Baptist Parish since 1994 and served as an assistant district attorney for 12 years. He also served as legal counsel for the parish government. In 2010, Perilloux was arrested for a DWI and was caught on a dashboard camera telling a state trooper: 'Do you know who I am? I am the parish attorney. I'm not some lowlife.' Perilloux later apologized for his drunken outburst and his DWI charge has since been expunged from his record. Perilloux ended up winning the judgeship with 55 per cent of the vote in a runoff election. 00:00 | Lima, May. 9. "A new temporary service will complement the four non-stop flights between Lima and Toronto . Plus, if we consider the two Lima-Montreal flights launched last December, flights to Canada will operate seven days a week," Air Canada Sales Manager Patricia Lucar stated. Alvin L Randlett (pictured) bequeathed his life savings to victims of child abuse after working in a school with underprivileged children for 32 years A Kentucky janitor who worked at an elementary school for 32 years has bequeathed his entire life savings to child abuse victims. Alvin L. Randlett did not finish 5th grade,The Enquirer reported, but saw the importance of education and spent more than three decades trying to look out for the children at the Sixth District School in Covington, most of who were underprivileged. He died a bachelor at the age of 75 in December 2015, and his generous donation of $175,000 was presented to the Kentucky Child Victims' Trust Fund on Tuesday. 'Although a man of limited education, Mr Randlett was both wise and generous in his heart,' a letter from the executor of his estate - his best friend Jeff Siska read. 'He knew he could lift a childs spirits with a smile, a kind word or a joke. 'Upon realizing the unfortunate circumstance of many of the children he served, he developed a passion for protecting children. '[Mr Randlett] left behind no children or spouse, but in his last will and testament he left the bulk of his life savings to the Kentucky Child Victims' Trust Fund, which he entrusts to advance the cause of children, such as those he cherished and served. 'This generous bequest will serve as a testimony and memorial to a man whose goodness, decency and love of children deserve everlasting remembrance and gratitude.' Mr Randlett was passionate about protecting children, and would look out for them in the neighborhood and at school Covington Independent Schools Superintendent Alvin Garrison said: 'Through Mr Randlett's act of kindness, he exemplifies how great the human soul can be' (pictured is the Sixth District Elementary School) Attorney General Andy Beshear attended the Sixth District School on Tuesday to accept the check in an assembly that honored the devoted custodian. In a statement, Mr Beshear said the generous donation, made up of Mr Randlett's untouched pension, property and personal belongings, deserved remembrance and appreciation. 'Mr. Randlett's act allows the Child Victims' Trust Fund to protect more Kentucky children from abuse and make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of Kentuckians for years to come,' he said. Former student at Sixth District Elementary and current instructional assistant, Renee Fuson, said the custodian would look out for the local kids not only at school, but around the neighborhood too. 'I remember seeing him walking home from work on a daily basis and he would always say hi and ask if everything was OK,' she said. Covington Independent Schools Superintendent Alvin Garrison said: 'Through Mr Randlett's act of kindness, he exemplifies how great the human soul can be.' Mr Siska said it was his friend's 'last wish to help those who can't help themselves.' Advertisement When Corporal of Horse Frankie OLeary rides through Windsor in full ceremonial kit a week on Saturday, he will not just be playing a key part in the royal wedding procession. He will be repaying a favour. For the 31-year-old soldier credits Prince Harry with helping him on his own journey to the altar some years ago. He rather kindly helped me get in with a young lady, explained Cpl OLeary yesterday, referring to his days serving as radio operator, cook and tea-maker to the junior officer known in the Household Cavalry Regiment as Mr Wales. The young OLeary was walking back to barracks in Windsor with his then girlfriend, Niina, when a car slowed down and stopped. Captain Tom Mountain, Colonel James Gaselee, Frankie O'Leary, Corporal Major Daniel Snoxell, Staff Sergeant Philip Bishop and Warrant Officer Class 1 Mark Quickfall at Hyde Park Barracks on May 9, in London, ahead of the Royal Wedding The driver lowered the window. See you later, Frankie, said Prince Harry affably. See you later, Sir, replied OLeary, as nonchalantly as he could. Niina was bowled over. I had to scrape her jaw off the floor, the soldier laughed, explaining that romance blossomed thereafter. Five years ago, they married. It was just one of many stories circulating at Londons Hyde Park Barracks, where wedding preparations are now well under way. In addition to the 800 guests at Prince Harrys marriage to Meghan Markle on May 19, there will be a cast of thousands including clergy, police and stewards. But for 62 of the 325 members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR), the ceremonial wing of the Household Cavalry, it is rather more personal. For they will be looking after one of their own. Yesterday, the Ministry of Defence allowed the cameras to meet a cross-section of all the military personnel earmarked for the occasion, including streetliners from the Royal Navy and the RAF. The starring role, however, will go to the Household Cavalry, with whom Prince Harry served from 2006 to 2009 before transferring to the Army Air Corps. Yesterday, they talked of their pride in their old comrade, not just for his service in the regiment but for his subsequent role in creating the Invictus Games for wounded troops. Soldiers being soldiers, there was the odd joke about falling standards, too. Hes got a very untidy beard, joked Cpl O Leary, who served with the Prince in Afghanistan in 2007. The Regimental Corporal Major would have him for that! All the men, however, voiced their admiration for the Princes choice of bride. As Cpl OLeary put it: Hes pulled a cracker and he gets to take her home! The regiment will provide the Travelling Escort that accompanies the bride and groom on their journey after the service from St Georges Chapel, through the streets of Windsor, on to the Long Walk and up to the castle for the reception. Warrant Officer 2nd class SCM Daniel Snoxell and Corporal of Horse Frankie O'Leary from the Household Cavalry who served in Afghanistan with Prince Harry in 2007 The regiment will also line the steps of St Georges Chapel and provide the State Trumpeters who will herald the arrival of both the Queen and the bride. It is really important for us because he [the Prince] served with us and he still wears our uniform on a regular basis, said Lt Col James Gaselee, commanding officer of the HCMR, who will ride alongside the newlyweds in the procession. When the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, his sister, Sarah-Jane Gaselee, was a bridesmaid at the invitation of the Prince (who had been taught to ride racehorses by her father). Lt Col Gaselees abiding memory of that occasion is the huge box of chocolates he consumed while watching events on TV at a friends house. This time, his sister will be watching on television while he takes centre stage providing he does not come a cropper this weekend. A proficient horseman in his own right, Lt Col Gaselee plans to compete in the team showjumping at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on Saturday. Might he not be tempting fate? I might break an arm just riding through Hyde Park, he said. Thats the thing with horses. There was a palpable buzz throughout the barracks yesterday. It will be a smaller operation than the 2011 wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton. Then the Queen was in the procession back from Westminster Abbey with a Sovereigns Escort, involving four divisions of 24 horses. As Prince Harry is not in direct line to the Throne, this is a reduced affair. The Queen will make the short journey from the chapel to the reception by car, while the Prince and his bride have a Captains Escort of 24 soldiers and two officers. But there is still a great deal to be done. From the tailors shop to the saddlery to the forge, things are gathering pace. Every horse on parade will receive a new set of steel shoes with tungsten tips. Every trooper will spend up to three hours the day before cleaning their upstairs kit (their uniform), another three hours cleaning their downstairs kit (the horses equipment) and the same again cleaning the horse (not forgetting white chalk to spruce up any horses with white markings). They will be up before dawn on the day to go over it all again. It costs around 20,000 to dress the average trooper and his horse to the requisite standard, and up to 40,000 for an officer. Both the mounted troops and the stair-lining party will also spend hours polishing their boots (always Kiwi polish, on top of the four pounds of molten beeswax which will have been worked in to the leather before any new pair is worn). Lance Corporal of Horse Charlie Leslie, 29, explained yesterday that, in one sense, it is just another day in the office. These are frontline combat troops who will also take part in the daily changing of the Guard at Horse Guards, and will all be on duty soon after the wedding at the Queens Birthday Parade. But having taken part in umpteen state visits and state openings of Parliament, L/Cpl Leslie said that he had never seen anything like the crowds which turned out for the 2011 royal wedding. What advice did he have for any new recruits? Dont fall off! he said, referring to the fate of a colleague who was thrown off at the last wedding after his horse tripped on a drain cover outside Westminster Abbey. The poor man immediately jumped to his feet and stood to attention alongside those lining the street, a textbook response which has gone down in regimental folklore. He was even sent a piece of wedding cake afterwards, added Leslie. Though the gesture was much appreciated, it is safe to say that Prince Harrys old comrades would rather go hungry. MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY MAKE LAST-MINUTE PREPARATIONS FOR THEIR KEY ROLES IN MEGHAN AND HARRY'S ROYAL WEDDING Soldiers from Prince Harry's former regiment, the Household Cavalry, have spoken of their pride at playing a pivotal role in his wedding to Meghan Markle. Based at Hyde Park Barracks, Knightsbridge, London, the Cavalry's ceremonial regiment will have an important part in the wedding on May 19 in Windsor - both during and after the nuptials. Famed for their plumed helmets and shining breastplates, 24 dismounted soldiers and two officers will line the staircase into St George's Chapel at the castle ahead of the ceremony. State trumpeters play in the Regimental Square during a photocall arranged to enable the media to see the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment preparations for the forthcoming Royal Wedding Billed as the Monarchs trusted guardians, members of the Household Cavalry are shown sitting on their horses above, ready for an inspection in the Regimental Square as part of the Royal Wedding preparations At major occasions like Trooping the Colour and the state opening of Parliament the ceremonial soldiers are a familiar sight. A source of some concern, however, is how the horses will handle the anticipated large crowds at the Royal Wedding, as the flags and noise may upset them Soldiers from the the Life Guards of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment ride their horses as they leave Hyde Park Barracks in London on May 9, during a photocall ahead of the Royal Wedding on May 19 A member of the Household Calvary grooms horses in the stable lines. Following the service on May 19, another soldiers and officers will ride on horseback - escorting the bride and groom as part of the carriage procession through Windsor A horse has new shoes put on following the inspection. The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is based at Hyde Park Barracks in Central London, while the Household Cavalry Regiment resides at Combermere Barracks in Windsor Following the service another 24 soldiers and two officers will ride on horseback - escorting the bride and groom as part of the carriage procession through the town. Commanding officer of the Household Cavalry Regiment Lieutenant Colonel James Gaselee will command the travelling mounted escort and will be at the side of the carriage. He said: 'He has asked us to be involved - it is really important for us because he served with us as the Household Cavalry at Windsor, and he still wears our uniform on a regular basis. 'It is a real sense of pride to be asked to be involved in what is going to be an amazing occasion and celebration.' For more than 300 years, the soldiers of Household Cavalry have acted as the monarchs trusted guardians, as well as being the public face of the British Army both at home and abroad A member of Household Cavalry works on dress tunics of soldiers from the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment at London's Hyde Park Barracks, during a photocall ahead of the Royal wedding The Household Cavalry is one of the oldest regiments in the British Army, with roots dating back to 1660. Up until the beginning of the Second World War, it acted as a heavy cavalry unit. Today, it functions as an armoured reconnaissance regiment, as well as carrying out its ceremonial duties Soldiers from Prince Harry's former regiment, Household Cavalry, have spoken of their pride at playing a pivotal role in his wedding to Meghan Markle Cutting material at the Hyde Park Barracks in the capital, a member of Household Cavalry works on dress tunics of soldiers from the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment Lt Col Gaselee said for both Harry and Meghan and the country as a whole, it is important to get their part in the day right, adding: 'We are demonstrating what Britain does best in many ways to the rest of the world.' He admitted that a source of some worry is how the horses will handle the large crowds, the flags and noises, which may upset them, but he said they will do everything they can to get the horses to behave. Lance Corporal of Horse Frankie O'Leary was Prince Harry's driver on operations in Afghanistan in 2007, and will also ride on horseback as part of the escort. Describing Harry, the 31-year-old from Windsor said he 'loved a good joke' and was quite comical, but that he was just a 'British Army officer'. 'Professional, done his job well, cared about his men a lot, succinct, to the point, a genuinely honest, kind man,' he said. Dress items to be used by soldiers from the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards of Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, pictured above, are located in the full dress store at the Hyde Park Barracks in London Dress helmets worn by soldiers from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment are pictured in the dress store at the Hyde Park Barracks. Soldiers from the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment will provide a mounted travelling escort for the wedding procession of Britain's Prince Harry and his US fiancee Meghan Markle Dress items to be worn by soldiers for this month's wedding procession of Britain's Prince Harry and his US fiancee Meghan Markle, when they marry at Windsor Castle on May 19 The Household Cavalry consists of two regiments, armoured reconnaissance and mounted ceremonial, with both units manned equally by soldiers from two regiments, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals Harry joined the Blues and Royals in April 2006 and served with the Household Cavalry Regiment, based in Combermere Barracks in Windsor, undertaking two tours of Afghanistan and rising to the rank of captain After being appointed the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines in December, Harry could choose to wear either a Royal Marines uniform or that of the Blues and Royals - something which is yet to be revealed. Lt Col Gaselee said whichever one Harry chooses, 'that organisation will feel an amazing sense of pride in it', adding: 'It won't lessen the pride we feel if he chooses a different uniform because we know he served with us on operations, which is really important.' Harry joined The Blues and Royals in April 2006 and served with the Household Cavalry Regiment, based in Combermere Barracks in Windsor, undertaking two tours of Afghanistan and rising to the rank of captain. The Household Cavalry consists of two regiments, armoured reconnaissance and mounted ceremonial, with both units manned equally by soldiers from two regiments, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. At major occasions like Trooping the Colour and the state opening of Parliament the ceremonial soldiers are a familiar sight. The troops take part in ceremonial events for a period but they are still fighting soldiers and many go on to the reconnaissance unit to serve on operations. Asked what it means to play a part in his nuptials, he said: 'I love big parades. This one is a little bit more special having known the man - and everyone loves a wedding.' On the morning of the wedding the soldiers will spend hours cleaning their breast plates, helmets, swords and the dreaded thigh-high jack boots they wear, which can take hours to turn from a dull surface to patent-like leather. They will also have to make sure all the tack on their horses is in pristine condition and ready to be seen by the thousands of spectators who will line the wedding route in Windsor. A member of Household Calvary polishes a helmet in the cleaning room. The Household Cavalry has also earned a formidable reputation on the battlefield, having served in iconic conflicts from Waterloo to Afghanistan. At home, its duties have ranged from providing security for the 2012 Olympic Games in London to assisting flood victims A helmet worn by soldiers from the Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, pictured in the full dress store at the Hyde Park Barracks in London on May 9, 2018, during a photocall ahead of this month's Royal Wedding Corporal Major Daniel Snoxell, who was in Harry's troop of 12 men after he passed out of Sandhurst and was a young commander of one of his vehicles, will form part of the staircase party. Stating how it was an 'amazing experience' to work with Harry, describing him as a boss he said Harry was 'very professional' and 'able to do the job', and how knowing him 'adds that extra layer of pride'. 'It is a normal day, normal event for the Household Cavalry, these are the sorts of things we do all the time,' he added. Lovebirds: Harry and Meghan are due to marry on May 19 in Windsor in the UK Asked how he will cope with not even being able to look around during the ceremony or at those arriving - including the bride - he said that is the brilliance of their training. 'At being professional and at having that moment not to be weak, looking around, and to be strong and just stand there and to take that moment in,' he said. 'It is not our day, it is not our chance to make a scene, it is being part of the furniture and that reliability of the nation and the country to stand there.' Police have resumed digging at a burial site in a Michigan forest for the third day as they search for the remains of up to seven girls who have been missing for decades. The search at the remote property in Warren, north of Detroit, began on Monday as authorities searched for the remains of 12-year-old Kimberly King who was last seen in the area in 1979. Police fear the area where they believe Kimberly's remains are is also the burial site for up to six other teenage girls. The search at the remote property in Warren, north of Detroit, began on Monday as authorities searched for the remains of 12-year-old Kimberly King who was last seen in the area in 1979 Authorities say the suspect in the decades-old slaying of Kimberly boasted to fellow prisoners that he killed several other girls. Detectives questioned Arthur Nelson Ream, 59, in prison about Kimberly's disappearance. Ream is serving life in prison for the slaying of another girl whose body was found nearby several years ago. 'The suspect in this case also did brag about murdering four to six people to inmates where he is being housed,' Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer. Dwyer added that authorities 'do have probable cause to believe' the area 'is a gravesite'. Kimberly was reported missing from the area back in September 1979 while she was staying with her grandparents. Police fear the remote area where they believe Kimberly's remains are is also the burial site for up to six other teenage girls Police have only mentioned the names of three other girls who could possibly be buried at the site: Kellie Brownlee, 17, from Novi, in 1982; Kim Larrow, from Canton in 1981; and Nadine O'Dell, 16, from Taylor, in 1982 Detectives questioned convicted child killer Arthur Nelson Ream, 59, in prison about Kimberly's disappearance. They say he boasted to prisoners that he killed several other girls King's sister, Konnie Beyma, said she has been in contact with detectives. 'I obviously am hoping for a recovery,' Beyma said. Police have only mentioned the names of three other girls who could possibly be buried at the site: Kellie Brownlee, 17, from Novi, in 1982; Kim Larrow, from Canton in 1981; and Nadine O'Dell, 16, from Taylor, in 1982. It is the same area where the body of 13-year-old Cindy Zarzycki was found in 2008 after she was murdered by Ream 22 years earlier. Zarzycki disappeared in 1986 when Ream tricked Zarzycki into meeting him at a local Dairy Queen after he told her he was planning a surprise birthday for his son. Zarzycki had been dating Ream's son at the time of her disappearance. Officials believe the bodies of four other teen girls may also be buried on the property and they fear they could be victims of convicted child murderer Arthur Nelson Ream The FBI and other agencies restarted the work at a site about 30 miles northeast of downtown Detroit in Macomb Township on Wednesday Authorities continue to excavate the wooded area near Detroit on Wednesday in the search for the missing bodies Ream was convicted of first-degree murder in her slaying. At the time of his conviction for Zarzycki's killing, he already was serving a 15-year sentence on an unrelated molestation charge involving a 14-year-old girl. He later was temporarily released from prison to lead police to Zarzycki's body. He told investigators that Zarzycki's body was buried near a creek. Ream also drew a map of the site and spent about an hour at the search scene with authorities before leading police to where he buried her body in a shallow grave. Police said Reams had a sick obsession with young girls. Ream's ex-wife was also at the search site on Monday but police would not reveal why. Josh Kushner headed off to the Met Gala on Monday night, marking the fourth straight year that the venture capitalist has accompanied his supermodel girlfriend to the annual fete. This year was a bit different however, with Jared Kushner's kid brother skipping the red carpet and opting instead to sneak into the event. He has not posed with Kloss in years past but has always walked her out on the carpet, choosing to then head up the stairs as she poses for photographers. Kushner did find himself posing for photos later in the night however alongside Kloss and friends, who posed snaps to social media. Scroll down for video Solo supermodel: Josh Kushner did not walk the red carpet on Monday at the Met Gala, which he was attending for the fourth straight year with girlfriend Karlie Kloss (above on Monday) Gala-vanting: He did pose for photos with Kloss and friends once inside the event on Monday Gang's all here: Multiple people shared a group shot of Kloss and Kushner with Mikey Hess, Scooter Braun and others The couple will soon be celebrating six years together after first meeting back in 2012. It was not until 2015 however that Josh was first spotted at the Met Gala with Kloss, accompanying the model for the China: Throught the Looking Glass exhibit. He was then back again in 2016 for Manus x Machina and 2017 for Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons. Kushner had the responsibility in 2016 of helping Kloss unveil her stunning laser-cut look from Brandon Maxwell, removing her cloak as she showed off the stunning creation. Maxwell once again outfitted Kloss on Monday, and accompanied her down the red carpet with actress Tiffany Haddish. It is common for guests to walk the carpet with the designer who outfitted them for the night. Kloss met Kushner once inside and the two were seen getting cozy during Madonna's performance later in the night and posing for photos with friends including Scooter Braun and Mikey Hess. Not present were Josh's bother and sister-in-law Jared and Ivanka. It is unclear if the two, who had been invited in the past, were not invited or simply chose not to attend. The host of the gala, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, did reveal in a recent interview that President Trump is the one person she would definitely not invite to the event, despite him having attended with wife Melania multiple times in the past. Helping hand: Kushner seldom poses for photographs but has almost always accompanied Kloss down the carpet (pair above at the 2016 Gala) Pre-dating: Kushner and brother Jared in 2011 (left); Kloss and Jared in 2010 at the Met Ball (right) She ready: Kloss and Tiffany Haddish (above) arrived at the gala with designer Brandon Maxwell As for the future of Josh and Karlie's relationship, the model is choosing to stay quiet. 'Its not like Ive ever wanted to be so secretive about my private life,' she recently said in an interview with Porter. 'Carolina Herrera always says, "A woman whos an open book is boring." Theres no mystery anymore. I know in my life what really matters to me. Im not trying to hide that from the world; I just really like having a more private private life.' She then added: 'Ive got nothing to hide, though!' The couple recently enjoyed a vacation in Jordan alongside Crown Prince Hussein and headed down to Washington DC to participate in the March For Our Lives in March. A South Carolina high school is warning parents not to clap or cheer at graduation - or risk getting slapped with a $1,000 fine. During a recent assembly at Greenville High School, students were shown a slide that told graduating seniors their parents and other family members could receive a citation for yelling at the upcoming graduation, the Greenville News reports. 'Since graduation is a dignified and solemn occasion, graduating seniors and their guests should behave appropriately,' the slide stated. 'Please ask your guests not to call out, cheer, whistle or applaud during the reading of names and presentation of diplomas.' Students were told that the citation 'for family members yelling' is $1,030. No clapping: Students at Grenville High School in South Carolina were told to ask guests not to clap, cheer, whistle or call out at graduation or risk a $1,030 fine The school said because the ceremony is a 'publicly sanctioned event' and held at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, officers can issue citations. Graduates are pictured at the 2017 ceremony District officials, however, told the outlet that school administrators won't actually fine family members for applauding and yelling at the ceremony, which will be held at the 19,000-seat Bon Secours Wellness Arena. 'It is not the district's nor Greenville High School's policy to cite parents,' Greenville County Schools spokeswoman Beth Brotherton said, adding that she was not aware how the school came up with that figure. 'This (Greenville High) slide was created to inform students that because graduation is a 'publicly sanctioned event' and is held at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, it is under the jurisdiction of the Greenville Police Department.' The commencement will be held June 4 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, which seats 19,000 Police in Greenville, however, said they have not and will not fine parents and family members for cheering on graduates Brotherton said officers will have the authority to issue citations to people who cause a 'disturbance or disruption', but the police department said it has not and will not fine family members for cheering on their graduates. 'Screaming somebody's name or congratulating them, that's not a police matter,' Sgt. Johnathan Bragg said. 'We would only get involved when it's actually a criminal matter. As far as charging someone for yelling, we have not done that.' Bragg said if someone becomes 'continually disruptive' during commencement they may be asked to leave, but it would be up to the arena staff on removing the person. 'We've made it very clear that we don't remove people,' he said. 'It's not our property. It's the arena's property.' Brotherton said the school wants to ensure graduation goes smoothly and that every parent gets to hear their child's name called. 'All seniors are given a set of expectations for behavior at graduation for both themselves and their guests,' Brotherton said. 'We want the name of every graduate to be heard. If there is cheering and disruption, it can ruin the moment for the next student in line who has also worked hard to achieve the recognition and deserves to have their moment.' The commencement ceremony will take place June 4 at 1pm at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville. Actor Woody Harrelson used to study theology at Hanover College and sparked quite a friendship with none other than Vice President Mike Pence. Speaking on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on Tuesday, the 56-year-old 'White Men Can't Jump' actor was asked if he and Pence, 58, were buddies when they went to the Hanover, Indiana, school. Hanover College is a small liberal arts college, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church that has just 1,133 students enrolled. Actor Woody Harrelson shared that while he attended Hanover College in the early 80s, he befriended future Vice President Mike Pence The way they were were: Pence, left, and Harrelson, right, seen in their high school yearbook photos just before they became friends in college 'I knew him, yeah. We were both very religious,' Harrelson said. 'It was a Presbyterian college at the time, and I was there on a Presbyterian scholarship, and he was involved with the church activities.' The Oscar-nominated actor added: 'I was actually considering being a minister and then I just kind of went a different way.' But Harrelson was not afraid to share that he was actually quite fond of Pence. 'I actually quite liked him. I thought he was a pretty good guy. He's, you know, very religious. Very committed,' he said. Harrelson said: 'It was a Presbyterian college (pictured) at the time, and I was there on a Presbyterian scholarship, and he was involved with the church activities.' He added: 'I actually quite liked him. I thought he was a pretty good guy. He's, you know, very religious. Very committed' 'Seeing as how I'm not quite in that ballpark now, I don't know how we'd get along, 'cause I think he's still quite religious and just a whole different brand of religious. That kind of fervor that you really don't want.' Harrelson was quick to point out that he soon fell out of his intense religious beliefs so that he could focus on living his life. He said: 'It was good for me at the time that I started to shift off. I had studied theology and I started to see how manmade the Bible was... I started to say, "I can put this whole thing on hold for a while... Let's just put this whole idea on hold so that I can have a 20s and 30s of extreme hedonism."' Pence has yet to comment on the remarks. Longtime Donald Trump lawyer Michael Cohen offered to provide access to President Trump when he reached a $1.2 million contract with pharmaceutical giant Novartis, firm members have revealed. Cohen, Trump's personal attorney and right-hand man, found himself in hot demand after the 2016 election as someone who could offer access to the new president. And the lawyer was quick to market himself to some big businesses to land some lucrative consulting deals. 'I don't know who's been representing you, but you should fire them all. I'm the guy you should hire. I'm closest to the President. I'm his personal lawyer,' a GOP strategist described Cohen's sales pitch to CNN. One of the companies Cohen sought out early on was pharmaceutical giant Novartis. He landed himself the $1.2 million contact with Novartis with just one meeting, where he promised to provide access to Trump and his administration. 'He was shopping himself around,' a source told CNN. A portion of the Navartis payments were first revealed by Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti as among part of what he said were $4 million in funds flowing through Cohen's LLC bank account in 2017 and 2018. The firm said the contract was 'focused on U.S. healthcare policy matters.' But anonymous members of the company now are claiming the deal was more about access. 'He reached out to us,' a Novartis employee told STAT amid the fallout from the revelations. Longtime Donald Trump lawyer Michael Cohen had a $1.2 million contract with pharmaceutical giant Novartis The outreach came as Trump's new administration was about to shake up Washington and as the candidate repeatedly said he would find a way to lower prescription drug costs. 'With a new administration coming in, basically, all the traditional contacts disappeared and they were all new players. We were trying to find an inroad into the administration,' the employee said. 'Cohen promised access to not just Trump, but also the circle around him. It was almost as if we were hiring him as a lobbyist.' But a March 2017 meeting with Cohen was a disappointment. 'At first, it all sounded impressive, but toward the end of the meeting, everyone realized this was a probably a slippery slope to engage him. So they decided not to really engage Cohen for any activities after that,' the employee said. Another company official told NBC: 'He contacted us after the new administration was in place. He was promising access to the new administration.' As Avenatti noted, the payments came in the unusual increments of $98,980per month. Telecommunications giant AT&T acknowledged this week that it hired Cohen to gain 'insights' into Trump and his administration, paying him at least $200,000 in 2017, according to sources. The conglomerate is currently seeking government approval for acquisition of Time Warner - CNN's parent company. Cohen is also accused of taking $500,000 from a company linked to Viktor Vekselberg, the Russian oligarch with ties to the Kremlin. He also reportedly took $150,000 from Korea Aerospace Industries. Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti first revealed the Novartis payments to Cohen The funds went into an LLC also used to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels as part of a hush agreement Critics like Michael Avenatti are already saying the payments violate Trump's pledge to 'drain the swamp' The drug giant hired Trump's longtime fixer as the future of Obamacare was up in the air Firm reported $8.6 million in lobbying in 2017. In the first quarter report on $3.2 million in lobbying for this year, the firm mentions such issues as gene therapy, drug importation, Medicare Part D drug benefits, and generic drug labeling among dozens of issues where they sought to influence the government. 'Michael Cohen was selling access to the highest office in the land,' said Avenatti. 'That Donald Trump knew about it. He knew that Michael Cohen was not a registere lobbyist,' he told CNN's Jake Tapper. Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan dined with Trump and other CEOs in Davos White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders got pressed repeatedly about payments by Novartis, AT&T, and other firms to Cohen, and was asked whether Trump knew about the marketing. 'I'm not aware. I would refer you to the outside counsel,' she responded. Cohen told reporters in New York Avenatti's report was inaccurate, but without giving details. The company said it paid Cohen for advice on 'how the Trump administration might approach certain U.S. healthcare policy matters, including the Affordable Care Act.' Trump vowed during the campaign to repeal Obamacare, and his first year in office featured a bitter fight over the health law enacted under his predecessor. 'As the contract unfortunately could only be terminated for cause, payments continued to be made until the contract expired by its own terms in February 2018,' according to a statement by the company. The company said the deal was made under prior CEO Joe Jimenez. Current CEO Vas Narasimhan was among corporate heads who met with Trump in Davos, Switzerland. At a dinner, he hailed Trump's Food and Drug Administration. The firm said it had been contacted by special counsel Robert Mueller's office in November 2017 about the payments to Esssential Consultants and cooperated fully, the Wall Street Journal Reported. Cohen and his lawyer did not respond to reporters' request for comment. Rob O'Neill, the Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden, has attributed waterboarding to leading special forces straight to his home The Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden has attributed waterboarding to leading special forces straight to his home. 'Waterboarding delivered special operators to bin Laden's house so they could serve justice. Under the authority of a democrat president,' Rob O'Neill wrote in a tweet on Wednesday. His tweet came during a debate about President Donald Trump's nominee for CIA director, Gina Haspel, and whether or not torture works, including waterboarding. Haspel said on Wednesday that she does not believe torture works and would not carry out any presidential order she thought was immoral. Facing tough questioning by members of the Senate intelligence committee, Haspel insisted her 'moral compass is strong'. If confirmed, she said she would not permit the CIA to restart the kind of harsh detention and interrogation program the spy agency ran at black sites after 9/11 and tainted American's image worldwide. Trump has said he supports subjecting terror suspects to harsh interrogation tactics like waterboarding, which simulates drowning, and a 'hell of a lot worse'. Scroll down for video O'Neill made the remark on Twitter on Wednesday. His tweet came during a debate about President Donald Trump's nominee for CIA director, Gina Haspel, and whether or not torture works, including waterboarding Haspel (left) said on Wednesday that she does not believe torture works and would not carry out any presidential order she thought was immoral. However, Trump (right) has said he supports subjecting terror suspects to harsh interrogation tactics like waterboarding Her nomination has become contentious because she was chief of base of a covert detention site in Thailand where terror suspects were waterboarded. 'The terrorists arent into the waterboard. They are more power rill and open flame types... dull knives,' O'Neill also said as he voiced his opinion on Twitter. O'Neill was part of SEAL Team Six, which stormed Osama bin Laden's secret Pakistan compound on May 2011. He fired the fatal shots that killed the Al Qaeda leader. He also took part in the headline-making mission to rescue the crew of the Mearsk Alabama, after they were taken hostage by Somali pirates in 2009. The incident was profiled in the Tom Hanks film Captain Phillips. The 16-year veteran of the elite squadron left the military in 2012, four years shy of retirement, voiding his right to a pension. He was deployed on more than a dozen tours of duty in active combat, in four different war zones, including Iraq and Afghanistan. O'Neill (right) was part of the SEAL team that raided Bin Laden's (left) Pakistan compound in 2012. O'Neill fired the fatal shots because he was one of the first into the room O'Neill was deployed on more than a dozen tours of duty in active combat, in four different war zones, including Iraq and Afghanistan O'Neill was decorated 52 times for his service, leaving as senior chief petty officer. He identified himself as the SEAL who killed Bin Laden in an interview with Fox News two years after he left the military and now works for the network as a contributor. O'Neill told DailyMailTV of his decision to come forward: 'The people who wanted to find out [who killed bin Laden] knew by the time we set foot back in the US I had heard my name in DC, Virginia Beach and San Diego. 'I could've pretended my name wasn't out there but that would have been complacent because it was.' A poignant meeting with family members of 9/11 victims also inspired him to come forward. 'I had donated my uniform anonymously to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum,' he said. Fun-loving O'Neill, who was decorated 52 times for his service, posted a photo of himself with a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle's bourbon Last summer, O'Neill, 41, married 27-year-old Jessica Halpin in a lavish wedding on Cape Cod 'I met around 35 family members of 9/11 victims and I told them the story for the first time. 'After the reaction I got from them, I figured if I could help them, I could help thousands more.' In the months that followed his revelation, O'Neill took on a public role as a motivational speaker and established a charity, Your Grateful Nation, to help fellow veterans transition from a military background to a civilian career. His now-wife Jessica Halpin said that when they first met, she was unaware of Rob's newly-acquired fame as the man who killed bin Laden. 'I remember a one-page description about him,' she said. 'It didn't say anything about the [Bin Laden] raid.' O'Neill, who now works for Fox News, was a supporter of Trump during the presidential campaign O'Neill (left), the former Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden, had dinner at the White House in October, along with his new wife Jessica (right) Last summer, O'Neill, 41, married 27-year-old Halpin in a lavish wedding on Cape Cod attended by the likes of Kid Rock, a close friend of the former SEAL. He was married once previously, and had kids, but divorced after returning to civilian life. Last year, O'Neill released a memoir, The Operator, which recounts his illustrious career and the 400 missions he completed. A conservative, O'Neill was a supporter of Trump during the presidential race - but he has also spoken highly of former President Barack Obama, a Democrat. 'He made the right call with Captain Phillips and he made the right call with Bin Laden,' O'Neill said of Obama in a 2015 interview with The Sunday Times. 'The two times I've been directly associated with a decision that he made, he made the right call'. He was even invited for dinner at the White House in October. Rob O'Neill posted a picture on social media after the meal, showing him on the White House South Lawn at night with Jessica. A North Carolina mother has been arrested for trying to murder her baby by squeezing his skull. Amanda Frances Hughes was taken into custody in Fayetteville, North Carolina, along with the baby's father and grandmother. On March 12, police say Hughes, 31, squeezed the three-month-old's skull so hard that it fractured. The infant suffered fluid in the brain as a result. She was not taken into custody straight away and the baby was given to Alfie Champagne, its father, and Hughes' mother Mary. In April, a second incident of abuse occurred which involved all three, Fayetteville Police Department said. Amanda Frances Hughes, 31, (left) was taken into custody along with the baby's father Alfie Champagne (right). Hughes is charges with attempted murder and Champagne is charged with child abuse It is not clear what exactly they did to harm him but on May 1, the baby suffered seizures while he was being looked after by a foster caregiver. The caregiver took him to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center where doctors alerted police to his injuries. The baby's grandmother Mary Hughes was also charged with child abuse Hughes has been charged with attempted murder. The baby's father and grandmother have been charged with child abuse. Authorities do not want any of the three to be granted bail. They say that after being arrested, the baby's mother 'expressed emotions of hatred, ill will and spite.' 'The mother actually took her fingers and pushed on the back of the child's skull and, of course, at that age your skull is not completely formed yet and by doing so she made the child's eyes bulge. 'This was purposeful. 'Most people, if you're doing those types of injuries to a child, there's more than just anger there,' Fayetteville Police Sgt. Shawn Strepay. Sgt. Strepay told ABC11. The baby's parents and grandmother are awaiting their next court date. The baby is in foster care. An Australian company has slashed working hours in half while paying its staff the same salary - and productivity has never been better. Financial firm Collins SBA, based in Hobart, at the end of last year started a trial at the which saw all employees work a five-hour day, as long as they got the job done. 'It's hands-down the most life-changing workplace initiative I've ever been involved in,' the firm's operations director Claudia Parsons told news.com.au. Forget the 9-5 grind: An Australian company has slashed working hours in half while paying its staff the same salary (stock image) 'Our staff produced the same workload, received the same pay, and had the same responsibilities. The idea was that if you could get all this done within a five-hour period, you were free to leave at 2.' Ms Parsons said the transition brought a significant change to office culture. Staff motivation soared, while the number of sick days taken fell dramatically. The company scrapped time-wasting meetings and abolished emails in favour of a messaging system similar to Facebook. While many employers encourage staff to put in long hours, Ms Parsons said the five-hour mark is an indication of a good worker. Last month, the company took time out from the working to day to visit a local winery 'There's this beautiful freedom to being able to walk out the door in the middle of the afternoon and know you're not being judged,' she said. Last month, the company's employees took time out from the working to day to visit a local winery. 'Proof that Collins SBA does foster a work/life balance culture,' the firm wrote alongside a photo of its staff on Facebook. 'The team took some time out to enjoy Puddleduck Vineyard. Only 20 mins from the office!' A visibly irritated White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Wednesday that they will continue to be welcome in 'one of the most accessible White Houses' even though President Donald Trump had threatened hours earlier to kick some of them out. 'The fact that I'm standing here taking questions, the fact that the president took questions from your colleagues just two hours ago, demonstrates this White House's commitment to accessibility and to providing information to the American public,' said Sanders. But she took the opportunity to lash out at two of the president's least favorite news outlets for recent 'outrageous' stories that rankled the West Wing. 'The New York Times accused the secretary of state of being AWOL. AWOL! When he was flying across the globe to bring three Americans home,' Sanders said, reacting to a headline the paper printed before Trump announced Tuesday that he was en route to North Korea. The Times story fretted that senior State Department officials had no answer for why Secretary Mike Pompeo was not in Washington for the president's announcement that the U.S. would be withdrawing from the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal. A visibly irritated Sarah Sanders told reporters on Wednesday that they'll continue to be welcome at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue even though the president had threatened to kick some of them out just hours earlier President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the reporters who write about him, saying 91 per cent of coverage of his administration aired by the three major TV networks is negative and asking if he should revoke their privileges to enter the White House complex While the editors knew Pompeo was headed to Pyongyang, they were in the dark about the purpose of his mission: to bring back three Americans help prisoner by the North Korean dictatorship. Sanders also fumed Wednesday about The Washington Post's coverage of first lady Melania Trump, who the paper described as the subject of 'persistent rumors' that she was sleeping at a house near her son Barron's school. The Post 'accused the first lady of not living in the White House. That outrageous claim was then repeated again in this room,' she said, referring to Monday's press briefing. 'Just when you think The Washington Post can't get things any more wrong, they do,' she said then. 'The First Lady lives here at the White House. We see her regularly. And I think that's something that belongs in tabloid gossip.' The two newspaper episodes have frustrated communications professionals in both the West and East Wings, but it was television newscasts that drove the president to his latest 'fake news' explosion. Trump suggested Wednesday morning on Twitter that he might revoke White House credentials for some journalists, pointing to a survey that showed a dramatic leftward tilt in TV news coverage about him. He ignored a journalist's question hours later, though, when he was asked before a Cabinet meeting whether or not he would 'ban press from the White House.' Sanders denounced The Hew York Times for running this headline about Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was not in Washington when Trump made his announcement about the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday because he was en route to North Korea to bring 3 Americans home Pompeo was pictured shortly after the Times headline ran, greeting an unidentified North Korean general on arrival in Pyongyang The Washington Post reported on 'a persistent rumor' floating around Washington 'that Melania [Trump] doesnt really live in the White House' 'The Fake News is working overtime' to attack him, the president fumed Wednesday White House Correspondents Association president Margaret Talev, who covers the Trump administration for Bloomberg Politics, said that 'a president preventing a free and independent press from covering the workings of our republic would be an unconscionable assault on the First Amendment' The Media Research Center, a conservative watchdog group, tracked the evening newscasts on ABC, CBS and NBC for the first four months of this year and found more than 1,600 'explicitly positive and negative' statements about the president. The group determined that nine out of 10 of those broadcast statements were negative. It did not include CNN and MSNBC in its research. Trump vented in a tweet, saying: 'The Fake News is working overtime. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials?' When one reporter asked Sanders during Wednesday afternoon's briefing whether journalists could possibly ask questions in an 'accessible' White House without press credentials, the Trump spokeswoman glared back. 'You are. So you're clearly sitting right here asking them right now,' she said. The White House Correspondents Association, a group whose membership includes most of the Reporters who work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, pushed back hard against the idea of restricting access to the White House. 'Some may excuse the presidents inflammatory rhetoric about the media, but just because the president does not like news coverage does not make it fake,' Margaret Talev, the organization's president, said in a statement. 'A free press must be able to report on the good, the bad, the momentous and the mundane, without fear or favor. And a president preventing a free and independent press from covering the workings of our republic would be an unconscionable assault on the First Amendment.' Sanders sniped at a reporter who asked how she could ask questions of the administration if her press credentials were revoked as Trump had suggested: 'You are. So you're clearly sitting right here asking them right now' 'Take away credentials?' Trump asked, suggesting a heavy-handed approach to press freedom The Media Research Center found a massive disparity on ABC, CBS and NBC between positive and negative coverage of key issues since Trump became president The Media Research Center, which regularly blasts out signs of media bias on its 'Newsbusters' website, reported the '91%' statistic cited by Trump when it analyzed network news coverage in September, October and November. Harvard University Kennedy School of Government's Shorenstein Center, no conservative lapdog, released a broader report after Trump's first 100 days in office and found a similar result. Internet news distribution pioneer Matt Drudge said he's concerned the president might be headed toward licensing all journalists It analyzed all coverage of Trump in the print editions of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post; the main newscasts of CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC; and a trio of European outlets that included The UKs Financial Times and BBC, and Germanys ARD. The result: Fully 80 per cent of non-'neutral' coverage about Trump was negative, and just 20 per cent was positive. CNN, NBC and CBS in that order aired the least positive news about the president, each of them registering in the single-digit percentages. Trump has long been a critic of the White House press corps' coverage of him, branding some 'fake news' outlets 'the enemy of the American people' and saving his harshest criticism for The New York Times and CNN. Drudge also pointed out that Democrats in the U.S. Senate had suggested licenses for reporters in the past Harvard's Shorenstein Center at the Kennedy School of Government found last year that during Trump's first 100 days in office, negative coverage of him outstripped positive coverage by a 4-to-1 margin Matt Drudge, the Internet publisher behind the influential Drudge Report website, posted a rare personal tweet on Wednesday morning to warn about what might follow from the White House. 'I fear the future result of Trumps crusade on "fake news" will be licensing of all reporters,' Drudge wrote, noting that Democrats 'already floated this in the senate pre-Trump.' 'The mop up on this issue is going to be excruciating,' he predicted. In 2013, California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein proposed amending a media 'shield' law considered by Congress in order to declare that only 'paid' journalists should be protected. The U.S. Constitution's First Amendment says that the federal government cannot take any action 'abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.' Feinstein said at the time that she wouldn't 'support it if everyone who has a blog has a special privilege.' The president has taken his 'fake news' campaign against the political press corps to Twitter several times, including some statements that suggest challenging broadcast licenses and prompting congressional investigations into media bias Press shield laws preserve the right of journalists to refuse to disclose even in court their information sources. There is no federal press shield law, but laws in at least 40 states do cover reporters in that way. Trump's longstanding habit of sniping at journalists he loves to hate reached a fever pitch last fall when he floated a wide range of remedies for what he sees as a mass media that's stacked against him. 'Why Isn't the Senate Intel Committee looking into the Fake News Networks in OUR country to see why so much of our news is just made up-FAKE!' he tweeted on October 5. Hours later the president directly challenged the legitimacy of major broadcasters. 'With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License?' he asked. Trump was still at is six days later, tweeting that '[n]etwork news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked.' The annual Met Gala proved to be the perfect date night for Dasha Zhukova and her boyfriend of a year Stavros Niarchos. The pair were spotted headed out to the annual fete on Monday, departing the Mark Hotel for the Metropolitan Museum of Art around 6pm. The two then headed back to the Mark after the event for the official afterparty, hosted by Donatella Versace. This comes one week after they made their first public appearance together, attending the DKMS Love Gala 2018 at Cipriani Wall Street. Met fete: Dasha Zhukova (above on Monday) and her boyfriend of a year Stavros Niarchos attended the Met gala together on Monday night in New York City Going public: Charlotte Santo Domingo, Dasha Zhukova, and Stavros Niarchos at the DKMS Love Gala on May 2 (above) The relationship was all but confirmed back in January when Niarchos spent New Year's Eve with Zhukova's friends in Peru, joining music magnate David Geffen, supermodel Karlie Kloss and her venture capitalist boyfriend Josh Kushner, jeweler Jennifer Meyer and her frequent companion Mikey Hess, and screenwriter Erin Foster on a journey through the Amazon. Niarchos, 32, was careful to avoid being snapped with Zhukova, 36, in the many group shots posted by the social-media loving crew, but still managed to pop up on Geffen's Instagram in a single photo, posing alongside the Dreamworks founder, Hess, Kushner, and writer Derek Blasberg. A month later, Blasberg posted the first photo of Zhukova and Niarchos together, as he and the couple enjoyed a Super Bowl Sunday dinner alongside financier and art collectors Richard Sachs and Arpad Busson at the Nusr-Et Steakhouse. The couple have managed to both show up at the same events with increasing frequency since September 2016, when Zhukova attended the US Open with Ivanka Trump and Kloss while Niarchos was seated with his younger brother Theo in a separate section. Just a week later however, Niarchos and his model girlfriend Jessica Hart attended the nuptials of Alberto Mugrabi and Colby Jordan at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes. Zhuoka also attended and was pictured with her close friends, Niarchos' sister Eugenie. The two have been close friends for a decade, and both women were also friendly with Hart during Narchos' relationship with the model. Niarchos stopped by Zhukova's holiday party that December which she hosted with Blasberg at Russian eatery Mari Vanna and in January of last year, the two both popped up at a dinner in St. Moritz to celebrate a new show curated by Bob Colacello at Vito Schnabel's gallery. Exes: Zhukova and ex Roman Abramovich (above in March 2017) have two children, a son, Aaron Alexander, born in 2009 and daughter, Leah Lou, born in 2013 The couple was also spotted on Instagram several months ago with Elle Macpherson and Uma Thurman's ex Arpad Busson, left, and Derek Blasberg right Photographs from the event show that Niarchos was without his model girlfriend Jessica Hart while Zhukova's fiercely private husband Roman Abramobvich was also nowhere to be seen that night. Two months later the pair traded the Swiss Alps for the canals of Venice as they both turned up sans-significant other at the April opening of Damien Hirst's exhibit Treasures From The Wreck Of The Unbelievable in Venice. Niarchos posed for photos with his mother Victoria while the red-carpet loving Zhukova kept things very low key, appearing in just one photo alongside designer Miuccia Prada. The previous month Zhukova, 36, was seen for the final time with her husband of almost a decade Roman Abramovich. In a rare public outing the two posed together in Moscow at the spring exhibition season at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Zhokva's art space in the city. And just one week after the pair turned up at the same party in Venice, Niarchos' model girlfriend Jessica Hart began popping up around town without her engagement ring. In the following months the two were spotted at numerous art events together, including a cocktail party at the penthouse of Jean Pigozzi to celebrate the opening of the Met's Ettore Sottsass exhibit, a dinner at Jeff Koons' studio to celebrate the launch of Garage's digital site, the Acquisitions Fund Benefit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the launch party of of Colby Mugrabi's site Minnie Muse. There were no photos of the two together at any of the events though Niarchos' sleeve could be seen as he sat next to Zhukova at the Minnie Muse launch party. It was Vanity Fair Espana who first picked up on the relationship in August, just after the split between Abramovich and Zhukova was confirmed in a statement. The two said at the time that they were committed to jointly raising their children together and working together as co-founders of the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art and the New Holland Island cultural center in St Petersburg. That island is being built up as cultural hub by the two, having long been abandoned in the middle of the city. It was also around this time Abramovich began being seen with his rumored new girlfriend, Polina Deripaska. She is the estranged wife of another billionaire oligarch, Oleg Deripaska. Zhukova and Abramovich have two children, a son, Aaron Alexander, born in 2009 and daughter, Leah Lou, born in 2013. Both children were born in the USA and live their with their mother in Manhattan while attending school in the city. The White House ripped former President Obama and his secretaries of state on Wednesday after they derided President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran deal as mistake. Obama in his statement slamming sitting President Donald Trump's sanctions on Iran called for 'principled, fact-based, and unifying leadership that can best secure our country and uphold our responsibilities around the globe.' Clinton crowed that American's 'credibility is shot' and 'Iran is free to do what it wants' now that the U.S. has no leverage. Kerry argued that Trump's announcement 'weakens our security, breaks America's word' and 'isolates us from our European allies,' among other things. 'I think based on each of those individuals' lack of success in this entire process on foreign affairs, they would probably be the last three people that we would look to for advice and counsel, and whether or not we had made the right decisions,' spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Wednesday at her daily briefing. Former President Barack Obama reemerged on Tuesday to chide his predecessor for withdrawing the United States from an international agreement regulating Iran's nuclear activities Former Secretaries of State John Kerry and Hillary Clinton blasted Trump's decision on social media, as well Obama said in a long statement that he posted to social media accounts that Donald Trump had 'a serious mistake' in reneging on the United States' end of the accord If the deal falls apart because of Trump's action, Obama warned, 'We could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it' Obama rarely comments on his successor's policies, even when they directly oppose positions he took in his two terms as president. He re-emerged on Tuesday, however. to chide Trump for withdrawing the United States from an international agreement regulating Iran's nuclear activities. Obama said in a long statement that he posted to social media accounts that Donald Trump had made 'a serious mistake' in reneging on the obligations the U.S. agreed to when it signed on to the accord. 'Without the JCPOA, the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East,' he said. If the deal falls apart because of Trump's action, Obama warned, 'We could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it.' Lecturing the sitting president, Obama explained that his administration knew that the 2015 accord it helped to negotiate would not address every Iranian threat. 'We were clear-eyed that Iran engages in destabilizing behavior including support for terrorism, and threats toward Israel and its neighbors,' he said. 'But thats precisely why it was so important that we prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.' 'Every aspect of Iranian behavior that is troubling is far more dangerous if their nuclear program is unconstrained. Our ability to confront Irans destabilizing behavior and to sustain a unity of purpose with our allies is strengthened with the JCPOA, and weakened without it.' 'They would probably be the last three people that we would look to for advice and counsel,' spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Wednesday at her daily briefing The former secretary of state who lost out on the presidency to Trump, said it was a 'big mistake' to abandon the accord Clinton crowed that American's 'credibility is shot' and 'Iran is free to do what it wants' now that the U.S. has no leverage In a tweet commenting on Obama's post to Facebook, she asserted, 'It will also be harder to deal with other threats like ballistic missiles and terrorism. Now we have no leverage and Iran is free to do what it wants' Late in the evening on Tuesday, Clinton decided to chime in on Twitter. The former secretary of state who lost out on the presidency to Trump, said it was a 'big mistake' to abandon the accord. 'It makes America less safe and less trusted. Iran is now more dangerous. What's plan B? Anyone who thinks bombing is the answer is woefully misinformed.' A follow-up tweet said: 'As Secretary of State, I helped negotiate the crippling international sanctions that brought Iran to the table. It would be much harder a second time, now that our credibility is shot.' In a tweet commenting on Obama's post to Facebook, she asserted, 'It will also be harder to deal with other threats like ballistic missiles and terrorism. Now we have no leverage and Iran is free to do what it wants.' Kerry, the United States secretary of state at the time the U.S. and Europe joined the alliance with China, Russia and Europe, also spoke out against Trump's decision. 'Instead of building on unprecedented nonproliferation verification measures, this decision risks throwing them away and dragging the world back to the brink we faced a few years ago,' Kerry said in a statement. 'The extent of the damage will depend on what Europe can do to hold the nuclear agreement together, and it will depend on Iran's reaction.' Obama's secretary of state at the time the U.S. and Europe joined the alliance with China, Russia and Europe - John Kerry - also spoke out against Trump's decision Kerry could run afoul of the Logan Act, a 200+ year-old federal law that made it a felony for civilians to conduct foreign policy without authorization Kerry said that Trump, who he did not reference by name, should not have outsourced that responsibility to Europe. 'This is not in America's interests,' he added. Trump has personally assailed Kerry for settling for the deal at hand instead of pushing for something that had more teeth. He mocked the ex-diplomat in a Friday speech for a bike accident Kerry had during talks with Iran in 2015 in France. The president had already spoken out about Kerry's 'shadow diplomacy' on Monday following news reports that the Obama administration official has secretly met with foreign governments in a bid to save the much-maligned deal. 'The United States does not need John Kerrys possibly illegal Shadow Diplomacy on the very badly negotiated Iran Deal,' the president wrote. 'He was the one that created this MESS in the first place!' He blasted Kerry again on Tuesday morning for huddling with foreign dignitaries, including the foreign minister of Iran and the presidents of France and Germany, in the lead-up to the announcement. 'John Kerry cant get over the fact that he had his chance and blew it! Stay away from negotiations John, you are hurting your country!' Trump said. Since leaving office, Obama has kept a promise to extract himself from the political debate, except in instances when Trump has taken direct aim at policies that defined the two-term Democrat's presidency. He said when he left office that although he would remain living in Washington, D.C. he planned to leave the duly elected president to the business of running the government. Obama has only inserted himself in the conversation on two notable occasions last year: when Congress sought to unravel Obamacare and when Trump announced his decision to rip the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement. His statement on Trump's intent to bring Iran to its knees by slapping it with a load of sanctions noted that there will inherently be changes in U.S. policy from one administration to the next. 'But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers,' he said. 'Going forward, I hope that Americans continue to speak out in support of the kind of strong, principled, fact-based, and unifying leadership that can best secure our country and uphold our responsibilities around the globe,' he challenged. The heroic female pilot who safely landed a Southwest Airlines plane after an engine exploded midair says that the crash reminded her of her time as a Navy fighter pilot. Tammie Jo Shults, a former Navy fighter pilot and one of the first women to fly an F-18, brought the Dallas-bound Southwest Flight 1380 to land at Philadelphia International on April 17 after the explosion at 32,000ft. One passenger, mother-of-two Jennifer Riordan, from Albuquerque, died after being partially sucked out of an airline window which smashed in the engine blast. Shults, 56, who was praised for her incredible calm under pressure, is speaking out for the first time since she landed the plane saving the lives of more than 100 passengers and crew. Scroll down for video Tammie Shults, 56, who was praised for her incredible calm under pressure, is speaking out for the first time since she landed the plane saving the lives of more than 100 passengers and crew Shults (left) also praised her copilot Darren Ellisor (right) who appears alongside Shults in the interview Southwest pilot Tammie Jo Shults speaks out for the first time in exclusive interview on @ABC2020 with @ABC's @MarthaRaddatz https://t.co/wXzcKYC86D WATCH: Friday at 10p ET #ABC2020 pic.twitter.com/5WyJj9fWUs ABCNews PR (@ABCNewsPR) May 9, 2018 'My first thoughts were actually, 'oh, here we go'. Because it felt like a flashback to some of the Navy flying we had done, she told ABC News in a teaser of the interview, which airs at 10pm on Friday. 'We had to use hand signals because it was loud and it was just hard to communicate for a lot of different reasons.' Jennifer Riordan (pictured), 43, died after her upper body was sucked out of the window Pilot Tammie-Jo (pictured) stayed on the plane after the incident and spoke with every single passenger before disembarking She also praised her copilot Darren Ellisor, who appears alongside Shults in the interview. 'Darren was very easy to communicate with,' she added. Ellisor said they were flying at 32,000 ft 'when we had a large bang and rapid decompression.' 'The aircraft yawed and banked to the left a little over 40 degrees and we had a very severe vibration from the number one engine. There was shaking, everything. And that all kinda happened all at once.' What caused the engine to fail remains under investigation. This was the terrifying view as Tammie-Jo made her descent to Philadelphia airport This was the seat Riordan was sitting in when shrapnel from the exploding engine smashed her window Shults was one of the first female fighter pilots in the US Navy and first to fly an F-18. She later became an instructor, as the Navy did not allow women to fly in combat, and she finally resigned in 1993 when she joined Southwest Airlines. A mother-of-two, originally from New Mexico, Shults now lives with her husband Dean, a fellow pilot, in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas. 'She has nerves of steel. That lady, I applaud her,' said passenger Alfred Tumlinson, of Corpus Christi, Texas. 'I'm going to send her a Christmas card, I'm going to tell you that, with a gift certificate for getting me on the ground. She was awesome.' Southwest Captain Shults, other members of the crew of Flight 1380 and several passengers who were on the aircraft met were invited to the Oval Office to meet President Trump earlier this month. 'I'm honored to have the heroic crew and passengers of Southwest Flight 1380 at the White House,' Trump said. 'Tammie did an incredible job,' he said. 'I especially want to commend you for your life-saving actions. 'Everyone's talking about it,' Trump said. 'You drew from years of training and safety and you knew how to land that plane. 'We salute you and every member of this crew.' Twelve people were injured in the midair explosion, with seven treated at the scene for minor injuries, while the woman who was sucked out the plane, was immediately taken to hospital The Boeing 737-700, which took off from New York's La Guardia Airport for Dallas was traveling at 32,500ft when the engine on the left side of the plane exploded. Passengers said they heard a loud 'boom' and the plane immediately dropped, they said, by what felt like 100ft. Riordan was sitting next to the smashed window was drawn towards it and others next to her held her down for 12 minutes until the plane landed. Despite the crisis on board, Shults was calm as she told Air Traffic Control: 'So we have a part of the aircraft missing.' Shults is pictured with her first officer Darren Ellisor. President Trump said they both did an 'incredible' job President Trump shakes hands with Southwest pilot Tammie-Jo Shults in the Oval Office on Tuesday two weeks after she successfully landed flight 1380 after a mid-air engine explosion which caused the death of a passenger Asked if the plane was on fire, she said: 'No, it's not on fire but part of it's missing. They said there is a hole and someone went out.' She added that 'we have injured passengers' as she requested medical staff to meet them on landing. Passengers say that after landing the plane, the pilot took the time to speak to all those aboard personally. 'Tammie Jo Shults, the pilot came back to speak to each of us personally,' Diana McBride Self wrote. 'This is a true American Hero. A huge thank you for her knowledge, guidance and bravery in a traumatic situation. God bless her and all the crew.' Terrified passengers shared videos and photos from on board before the plane landed as they descended at 3,000ft per minute until they leveled out at 10,000ft. One passenger filmed himself as he fitted his oxygen mask. 'Something is wrong with our plane! It appears we are going down! SOUTHWEST AIRLINES STATEMENT We are deeply saddened to confirm that there is one fatality resulting from this accident. The entire Southwest Airlines Family is devastated and extends its deepest, heartfelt sympathy to the Customers, Employees, Family Members, and loved ones affected by this tragic event. We have activated our emergency response team and are deploying every resource to support those affected by this tragedy. Advertisement 'Emergency landing!! Southwest flight from NYC to Dallas!!' Marty Martinez said as he broadcast live from the plane on Facebook. He is the passenger who later told CBS the woman's injuries left 'blood everywhere.' Martinez added that the plane 'smelled like ash' once the window was open. He said flight attendants rushed over in shock and pleaded with passengers to cover up the hole. The first sign of trouble was a loud noise which happened when the engine exploded. Timothy Bourman, 37, was sitting at the back of the plane when he said he heard a loud 'boom'. 'All the sudden, it felt like we dropped 100 feet. Everybody knew something's going on. 'This is bad, like really bad.' A lot of people started panicking and yelling, just real scared. 'We were kind of out of control for a while. It seemed like the pilot was having a hard time controlling the plane. Honestly I think we just all thought we were going down,' he told Philly.com. Iconic Australian designer brand Metalicus has been forced into voluntary administration after almost five decades of success. Metalicus, which was founded by Melma Hamersfeld in the 1970s, revealed the news in an email to its customers on Wednesday night. The designer brand said it would launch a huge sale in-stores and online on Thursday. 'Metalicus has long been recognised as an iconic Australian fashion brand and we would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their ongoing loyalty and support over the years,' it said. Iconic Australian designer brand Metalicus has been forced into voluntary administration after almost five decades of success (model wears Metalicus clothing) Instagram model and influencer, Steph Claire Smith, models the brand's clothing 'Metalicus has long been recognised as an iconic Australian fashion brand and we would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their ongoing loyalty and support over the years,' the email said (model wears Metalicus) 'Whilst this is a difficult period for our staff and customers, tomorrow we will be launching a sale event at all of our flagship stores, Myer concessions and online with significant savings on all pieces.' Administrators have been appointed and a meeting for creditors will be held in Melbourne on May 14. The news comes after Pas Group sold Metalicus to the General Pants Group in 2016. The apparel retail group made the sale in an attempt to free up more capital, Inside Retail reported. At the time Pas said Metalicus was struggling to make a profit despite $25 million in sales in 2016. Metalicus was founded by Melma Hamersfeld (pictured) in the 1970s The designer brand said it would launch a huge sale in-stores and online on Thursday Dramatic CCTV footage has emerged showing a screaming man being dragged into a car, as police desperately appeal for information on his whereabouts. Witnesses reported seeing a man being forced into a dark-coloured hatchback by two other men on Lakemba Street in Sydney's south-west about 5am on Sunday. They said the men was trying to get away from the other men and was screaming. Dramatic CCTV footage has emerged showing a screaming man being dragged into a car, as police desperately appeal for information on his whereabouts Police were alerted however when they arrived the car had driven off with the man inside it. CCTV footage shows the man walking along the street before being grabbed. It appeared he was suffering from serious injuries, and also possibly had his hands bound together. Police are concerned for the man's welfare. Witnesses reported seeing a man being forced into a dark-coloured hatchback by two other men on Lakemba Street in Sydney's south-west He is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, aged 20 to 30, of a slim build and with short, dark hair. He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and pants. Police believe the vehicle he was forced into may have been a Toyota Yaris. Investigators are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. No missing person reports have been made in the area. Avenatti is focused on $500,000 in payments linked to a Russian oligarch and $400,000 fro a pharmaceutical giant to an LLC controlled by Michael Cohen (pictured) The Treasury Departments inspector general has launched an investigation into the source of leaked documents that made their way into lawyer Michael Avenatti's hands and onto the internet. Avenatti is the attorney to Stormy Daniels - the porn star alleging she had an affair with Trump before he was president. He revealed millions in payments that were funneled into an LLC set-up by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen weeks before the 2016 election. Avenatti published documents detailing the payments, then used them to ridicule Cohen Wednesday for big corporate payments that showed up in his bank account for 'advice' he provided. Cohen used the same LLC to transmit $130,000 to Daniels. 'Who knew Mr. Cohen was such a brilliant renaissance man?' quipped Avenatti online, in reference to all the firms lining up for the Trump confidant's guidance on health, telecom, industry, and other policy matters. Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti did a TV and Twitter tour Wednesday where he mocked longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen While Avenatti put the initial focus on a Russian oligarch connected to a firm that paid Cohen $500,000, major U.S. companies have confirmed they also made six-figure payments to Cohen after the election. 'Priceless = Watching all of the companies that sent money to the LLC slush fund come up with different alleged reasons for hiring Mr. Cohen 'accounting advice,' 'real estate consulting,' 'insight,' etc. Who knew Mr. Cohen was such a brilliant renaissance man? #nonsense #basta,' said Avenatti. He was referencing corporate statements like one from AT&T, which said: 'Essential Consulting was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration.' A pharmaceutical giant also confirmed big payments to Cohen, but a spokesman said 'any agreements with Essential Consultants were entered before our current CEO taking office in February of this year and have expired,' NBC reported. Avenatti replied: 'And now Novartis claims they hired Mr. Cohen for "healthcare" matters (they paid him approx $1 Million). Wow - he's a doctor as well!! Very talented guy this Mr. Cohen. #basta.' '#Basta' is Avenatti's signature hashtag for 'enough.' The Washington Post said Wednesday afternoon that Treasury Inspector General Eric Thorson had launched an investigation into the document leak in response to media report's on Cohen's banking records. Avenatti declined to tell the Post how he obtained the documents that he'd been asking the Treasury Department to make public. He's said for weeks the government entity should share copies of all of Cohen's suspicious transactions. Cohen is currently under investigation by the feds. The FBI raided his dwellings over the payment he made to Daniels that he said at the time he had not been financially compensated for by the president. The government could find that the payoff amounted to an illegal campaign contribution because it was made with the presidential election in mind. Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani revealed last week that the president paid Cohen back for the favor -- and wrote him checks for a whole lot more. On ABC's 'Good Morning America' Wednesday, Avenatti tried to keep the pressure on President Trump. 'Michael Cohen and the president can clear this up this morning very easily,' he said. Avenatti mocked Cohen as a 'brilliant renaissance man' Stormy Daneils lawyer Michael Avenatti did a TV and Twitter tour Wednesday where he mocked longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen 'Each company has given a different reason for retaining Michael Cohen,' Avenatti told host George Stephanopoulos. 'Real estate, business consulting health care consulting the list goes on and on,' he continued. 'There may in fact be something wrong. For the following reason: Hes not a registered lobbyist. He hasnt made required disclosures relating to lobbing activities.' Lobbying rules require disclosure when actively lobbying Congress or the administration, but not necessarily for consulting activities. When Stephanopoulos pointed out that AT&T says Cohen did not lobby for the firm, Avenatti responded: 'Then whatd they hire him for then? Its unclear right? Clearly its unclear. In fact the more you dig, the more stories we hear from this company,' he said. 'If hes taking money from a foreign national that could pose a significant legal problem for him as it relates to taking dollars from overseas companies,' he continued. Giuliani told the Huffington Post on Wednesday afternoon that Cohen's latest legal woes had nothing to do with Trump. 'Theres not involvement of the president in any of that,' he said. 'We cant be responsible for what Michael Cohen is doing.' The former New York mayor said he wouldn't appreciate finding out that his attorney had been accepting large sums of money in exchange for access to his office, but he said, 'I wouldnt be investigated for it.' Avenatti also alleges that the payout to Daniels could be linked to a large sum of money Cohen received for a Russian oligarch. He said Tuesday evening that the oligarch, Viktor Vekselberg transferred approximately $500,000 to Cohen in 2017. The funds came in several installments in 2017. Daniels' lawyer was the first to reveal that payments came through a company called Columbus Nova, a U.S. investment vehicle that he claims is controlled by Vekselberg. The transfer came months after Cohen wired $130,000 to Daniels. A lawyer for Columbus Nova said the firm is entirely American although the statement did not address the prior composition of the firm before sanctions went into effect. The financial records cited by Avenatti were later confirmed as authentic by The New York Times and NBC News. Following Avenattis allegations, CNN subsequently reported that special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators had questioned the oligarch about the nature and reason for the payments. The network said it also had reviewed documents purporting to show the payments to Cohen. Adult film actress Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) and her lawyer Michael Avenatti. Avenatti produced an investigation he says shows suspicious payments to Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. Avenatti alleges that a Russian oligarch reimbursed longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen following his payment to the porn star who claims she had an affair with President Trump The payments to Cohen came from Vekselberg and his cousin, Andrew Intrater, in the form of eight installments, Avenatti claims. Intrater is the CEO of Columbus Nova, a U.S. subsidiary of Renova Group, a company Vekselberg founded which is focused on the Russian energy sector. While Vekselberg is barred by U.S. law from making political donations, Intrater has American citizenship. The FBI was able to interview Vekselberg after his private plane stopped in New York on travel. Agents also questioned Intrater, according to the network. Intrater has drawn scrutiny because he has no history of making significant donations to politicians before the 2016 elections. It has been reported that he donated $250,000 to Trump's inaugural committee; $35,000 to the Trump Victory Fund; $29,600 to the Republican National Committee; and $2,700 to the Donald J. Trump for President Campaign. The donations are unusual given that in previous election cycles he had given quite modestly. In 2008, he donated $1,200 to Democrat Bill Richardson, who ran for the presidency. In 2014, he gave $2,600 to Chris Day, who ran for a Congressional seat in New York. The payments to Cohen came from Vekselberg (left) and his cousin, Andrew Intrater (right), in the form of eight installments, Avenatti claims. Intrater is the CEO of Columbus Nova, a U.S. subsidiary of Renova Group Renova Group also donated between $50,000 and $100,000 to the Clinton Foundation, though it is not clear when those contributions were made. Columbus Nova released a statement to CNN after it reported the payments. 'Columbus Nova is a management company solely owned and controlled by Americans,' the statement said. 'After the inauguration, the firm hired Michael Cohen as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures. 'Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false. 'The claim that Viktor Vekselberg was involved or provided any funding for Columbus Nova's engagement of Michael Cohen is patently untrue. 'Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else other than Columbus Nova's owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement.' 'After significant investigation, we have discovered that Mr. Trump's atty Mr. Cohen received approximately $500,000 in the mos. after the election from a company controlled by a Russian Oligarc [sic] with close ties to Mr. Putin. These monies may have reimbursed the $130k payment,' Avenatti wrote on Twitter. The CEO of Novartis, Vas Narasimhan, is one of several company heads who met with Trump during the president's trip to Davos, Switzerland According to his seven-page document, Cohen 'inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the president and holding himself out at times as employed by the Trump Organization.' Aventti also outlines what he calls 'suspicious financial transactions in the amount of $400,000 from big pharmaceutical company Novartis that went to Essential Consultants, LLC, which was created by Cohen. Trump met with the CEO of the firm during his trip to Davos, Switzerland. The then-incoming CEO, Vas Narasimhan, is one of several company heads who met with Trump. Cohen had established an LLC, Essential Consultants, in October of 2016, just weeks before the presidential election, and used it as a vehicle to pay Daniels. Cohen negotiated the NDA with Daniels' then-lawyer, using pseudonyms for Trump and Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Avenatti's report notes that Cohen has claimed in the past he got the funds from a home equity loan. Avenatti writes that, 'Mr. Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the President and holding himself out at times as employed by the Trump Organization (with few other clients). This was occurring at the same time significant questions were being raised relating to (a) the involvement of Russia and Vladimir Putin in the 2016 Presidential Election and (b) the extent of the relationship between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump.' Avenatti also stated that AT&T provided $200,000 in four payments to Essential Consutants in 2017 and 2018, while a company called Korea Aerospace Industries provided $150,000. AT&T confirmed the payments in a statement to Reuters saying they were made to gain 'understanding' of the new Trump administration. In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Tuesday evening, Avenatti said these payments had the hallmarks of a 'pay-to-play' scheme run by Cohen in order to 'sell access to the president of the United States.' 'From the series of payments made through the US entity of the oligarch, it appears this may be your typical pay-to-play scenario where you have someone close to the president of the United States selling potential access to [him],' Avenatti said. '[Cohen] had to have been receiving the money for something, and it's unclear what the excuse is as to why he was receiving this money.' When asked if the payments had any connection to the $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, Avenatti said it is possible. 'We don't know yet [for sure],' Avenatti said when asked if the payment was to 'replenish the coffers' that were emptied by the Daniels transaction. The payments to Essential Consultants were made months after the payment was arranged for Daniels just before the November 2016 elections. Soon after Avenatti posted the information on Twitter, Giuliani bashed the attorney. 'I have no idea how he would know that,' Giuliani told Bloomberg News. 'I have no reason to believe that anything he says is true,' Giuliani said. 'I consider [Avenatti] now sort of a guy who books for Saturday Night Live. 'The guy is a pretty unsuccessful lawyer - can't remember a case he's ever had that meant anything - and I think he's desperate for money.' The Saturday Night Live reference was in response to Daniels' appearance on the most recent episode in which she lampooned Trump and called on him to resign. Avenatti responded angrily to Giuliani on Twitter. 'Mr. Giuliani - you just called me a 'pretty unsuccessful lawyer' and stated that you 'can't remember a case he's ever had that meant anything',' Avenatti tweeted on Tuesday. '1st, you obviously can't remember much. 2nd, check my bio and you will find over a BILLION worth of verdicts and settlements. #dumb' BMW was accused of covering up a potentially lethal electrical fault for seven years yesterday after it was forced to announce the recall of more than 300,000 cars. The German firm warned owners of 312,000 vehicles sold in Britain from March 2007 to August 2011 to return them to dealers for an urgent repair. The fault can cause vehicles to stall without warning while they are in motion, and prevents the brake lights and hazard lights from working. An inquest heard last week that the fault was to blame for the death of a former Gurkha who crashed into a BMW in front that stopped suddenly after losing power. Safety fears: The BMW Z4, one of the cars that may have the fault It also emerged during the hearing at Woking Coroners Court in Surrey that BMW had first been alerted to the fault by drivers as far back 2011, but only decided to recall 36,000 petrol cars in 2017. The pressure mounted yesterday when an investigation by BBC1s Watchdog programme claimed the problem also involved diesel cars and affected models manufactured over a longer period. BMW faced calls last night to reveal why it failed to act sooner, as it finally acknowledged the scale of the problem and expanded the safety recall almost ten-fold to include 1 Series and 3 Series cars, the Z4 and its X1 petrol and diesel models manufactured between March 2007 and August 2011. BMW has warned that if one of the affected cars stalls, the driver should not try to restart the vehicle. Pictured: BMW 1 Series are among the cars which may have the fault The car firm is advising customers with affected cars to call its emergency services number on 0800 777109. Pictured: BMW 3 Series are among the cars which may have the fault BMW said it will write to all 312,000 customers in the recall within three weeks to advise them to book their car into a local dealer for a free, 90-minute fix. It also said drivers can call its helpline number on 0800 083 4397. Pictured: A BMW X1, which could be one model among the cars which may have the fault Safety recalls are only issued when a fault is liable to cause significant risk of injury or death but some BMW owners may have been driving dangerous cars for more than a decade. Last night the boss of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) accused the firm of keeping quiet about electrical failure in its cars between 2011 and 2014, and then providing incorrect information about the faults. One MP said the firm should have instigated a wider recall when the issue came to light. The fault makes a car batterys connection to the fuse box fail when the wires rub together, meaning the car is left powerless. The fault sees the car's battery lose its connection to the fuse box, meaning the car is left powerless and in danger of breaking down, with the driver unable to use the brake or hazard lights. Pictured: Where the battery and fuse boxes are located in a BMW X1 - which is among one of the models that could be affected BMW recalled three quarters of a million vehicles in the US, Japan, Canada and South Africa in 2013 over a similar fault. But initially it recalled just 36,410 British petrol cars made from December 2009 to August 2011 and only after former Gurkha Narayan Gurung died on Christmas Day, 2016. The 66-year-old was travelling with his wife in Hampshire when their Ford Fiesta crashed into a tree to avoid a BMW in front after it stalled on a dark A-road. A connector that was taken to an independent engineer by BBC Watchdog. Mike O'Sullivan told the programme: 'It is not fit to do the job it's been produced for' The BMWs brake lights also failed, giving him no time to stop safely. After the accident the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency asked BMW to carry out a full safety recall of 370,000 cars. But BMW only agreed to recall around a tenth of these in April 2017. The admission that the fault may affect far more cars follows fresh complaints from drivers that were highlighted in an investigation by Watchdog last night. Drivers of the diesel version of models which were recalled by BMW last year complained that their cars also stopped suddenly. They include Mwape Kambafwile, whose 3 Series cut out completely while he was driving in December 2016. He told the programme: If I was driving on the motorway with my family, that could have been very dangerous. DVSA chief executive Gareth Llewellyn said BMW had breached safety regulations by failing to tell it about 19 cases of electrical failure between 2011 and 2014. HOW THE SCANDAL UNFOLDED Fatal crash: Mr Gurung 2011: BMW is first alerted by motorists that their cars suddenly lose power while driving. FEBRUARY 2013: BMW recalls 750,000 vehicles in the US, Japan, Canada and South Africa due to the chance of an electrical failure that may cause cars to stall. OCTOBER 2014: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency first becomes aware of problem following report from a single consumer. But it takes no action after receiving assurances from BMW. CHRISTMAS DAY 2016: Narayan Gur-ung, a 66-year-old ex-Gurkha, dies after his car hits a tree when he swerved to avoid a stalled BMW in front. His wife is seriously injured. APRIL 2017: BMW issues first safety recall of just 36,410 petrol BMW 1 Series, Z4 and X1 cars produced from December 2009 to August 2011. MAY 2018: Inquest into death of Mr Gurung is told BMW was first alerted to problem in 2011. DVSA says BMW failed to make it aware of 19 cases of electrical failure between 2011-2014. BBCs Watchdog reveals more cases involving diesels. BMW recalls 312,000 cars built between March 2007 and August 2011. Advertisement He said the DVSAs response might have been different if it had known about the extent of the problem earlier, adding: BMW did not make DVSA aware of electrical failure in its cars between 2011 and 2014, as it is required to do. It then provided us with incorrect information about the faults, so we were not able to make an informed decision. The DVSA said it only became aware of the issue in October 2014 following a report from a consumer. It then warned BMW about a potentially fatal fault. Steve Double, a Tory MP on the Commons transport committee said: It is concerning the manufacturer did not recall all vehicles that might have been affected when this issue came to light. The DVSA can ask a manufacturer to recall vehicles it believes may be unsafe, but it cannot force them to do so. Alex Neill, of the consumer group Which?, said: This recall raises serious questions about the adequacy of the car recall system. Drivers will be asking why it took so long for BMW to fully recall these potentially dangerous cars in the UK, several years later than recalls in other countries. BMW said: We have neither provided incorrect information to the DVSA nor have we been silent on faults. 'The initial decision on the extent of the recall was made in agreement with the DVSA. We now recognise that there may have been some cases of similar power supply issues in vehicles not covered by the original recall. 'To reassure customers, we are voluntarily extending the recall. The Department of Transport, which oversees the DVSA, said: We are working with the DVSA at ways to strengthen its enforcement powers so it can... protect drivers from unsafe vehicles. Carrying a mobile phone could be made compulsory in order to cut crime, one of the countrys most senior judges predicted yesterday. Sir Geoffrey Vos said a law which forced people to carry a mobile phone that was permanently switched on would make it easier to track and catch criminals. He said that since Britons have accepted growing levels of surveillance, a compulsory mobile phone law may not seem a radical idea in ten years time. The suggestion from Sir Geoffrey, who as Chancellor of the High Court is the countrys chief property and financial judge, echoes George Orwells novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, in which everyone is closely monitored by the state. A law which forced people to carry a mobile phone that was permanently switched on would make it easier to track and catch criminals, said Sir Geoffrey Vos The judge said that most of us already share our location using smartphones, and that surveillance by using mobiles could play a major role in tackling crime. In a lecture to solicitors professional body the Law Society, Sir Geoffrey said: We live in a world of increasing levels of surveillance. 'We can and do photograph, film and record everything that happens to us. I think there will be far fewer contested criminal cases in the future, mainly because of the surveillance. Sir Vos said that already most of us already share our location using smartphones, and that surveillance by using mobiles phones could help in tackling crime The idea comes at a time when judges are pushing through a 1billion scheme to shift large numbers of legal hearings from courtrooms to online and video procedures 'Most people carry their smartphones on their person at all times with their GPS location switched on. 'They do this voluntarily, but if the legislators were, for example, to require citizens to carry phones at all times, it would be even more difficult to avoid detection. As society seems to accept more and more surveillance, I wonder how radical the change I have mentioned will seem to the population in ten, 15 or 20 years time. The idea comes at a time when judges are pushing through a 1billion scheme to shift large numbers of legal hearings from courtrooms to online and video procedures. This is the heartwarming moment a couple finally meet their long-lost son after a 22-year search across China. Li Mingzhao and his wife, Chen Zhen, have spent all their savings looking for their son since he was snatched away by a co-worker of Li's on a construction site in 1996. With the help of police and volunteers across provinces, the family got together through a DNA match test. Li Mingzhao (right) and wife Chen Zhen (middle) finally reunited with their son Pengpeng (left) Pengpeng was abducted by his father's colleague and sold to a couple in north China A video released by the police captures the couple meeting the son they had missed day and night on May 3. The moment they saw each other, they hugged and cried in joyful tears. 'I remember this scar he had on the brow bone. He fell on the ground when he was two,' said the mother. Mr Li recalled the fateful day when he lost his son, known as Pengpeng. He brought Pengpeng to a cement factory to work and a colleague, surnamed Yang, volunteered to look after Pengpeng. However, Pengpeng did not go home that night. The couple went to Mr Yang's home, but he had already fled. Mr Li had not changed his mobile phone number ever since and the couple stayed in the same shabby brick house over the decades hoping to wait for their son's return. Mr Li and his wife shed tears the moment they met their 26-year-old son at a police station Mr Li said he had not moved out from his old house in a bid to wait for Pengpeng's return According to China News, the couple reported the incident to the police in Maojian district. They travelled to Henan Province, a neighbour province, then up north to Hubei Province and Shanxi Province in the past two decades to look for Pengpeng. In 2010, police caught the abductor in Sichuan. The couple has learnt that their son was sold to another abductor, who is also surnamed Yang. The police caught the second abductor eight years after and found out Pengpeng got sold to a couple, according to the police statement. The couple gave the police a picture of young Pengpeng (left) to sketch a current portrait of Pengpeng at 26 years old (right) Pengpeng said he would try to visit home more often and take care of his parents Police officer also asked their sketch artist, Lin Yuhui, who previously helped a taxi driver found his long-lost daughter, to sketch Mr Li's son based on the then four-year-old boy's picture. In April, Mr Li and his wife were told by the police that they had a match in a DNA sample test. It's confirmed that their son to be a 26-year-old man, surnamed Liu, living in Wuan city of Hebei Province. During the reunion, Pengpeng mentioned to his parents that he is married and has two children. Mr Li told China News: 'We won't ask him to move back and live with us. We understand that he has his job and his own family in Hebei Province.' Pengpeng said he would take care of his parents the way as he looks after his adopted parents. A customer left a food stall in China in a hurry after accidentally paying more than 140,000 yuan (16,215) for his steamed bun. The stall owner has been looking for the customer for more than a month, hoping to refund the money. He Liuzhu, who owns the food stall in Zhengzhou city in China's Henan province, was auditing the store's monthly sales when he discovered the large amount of extra money. The owner of the food stall has been looking for a customer who paid too much for his buns A message showing that a total of 147,258 yuan (17,056) was paid to Mr He, the stall owner The customer mistakenly transferred 147,258 yuan (17,056) via Chinese mobile payment Ali Pay to him when he paid for his steamed stuffed bun on April 2. Each bun in the store only costs around 1 yuan (0.12) to 1.4 yuan (0.16). To pay for the food via mobile payment, customers would scan the store's QR code and enter their password to authorise the transaction. A message would then indicate the transaction is successful. The customer might have mistakenly entered his PIN into the amount field as the password is also six digits, Mr He told China News in a video. A customer scans the food stall's QR code with her mobile phone to pay for her steamed buns The QR codes displayed at the food stall. Customers can pay via Ali Pay and Wechat Pay 'I was too busy at the time to check all the transactions,' he said. 'Usually customers just scan and go - this rarely happens.' A month has passed but it seems that the customer still hasn't realised his money is missing. He also tried checking surveillance footage, but the customer bought the buns at around 5pm - the busiest time at the store and he could not be identified among the crowd. 'It's just too much money,' Mr He said. 'I don't feel comfortable knowing that it's not mine.' He added that 140,000 yuan is equivalent to an entire year's income. 'I couldn't sleep at night,' he said. 'I just want to give the money back to the owner.' Mr He takes the stuffed buns out of the steamer at his store in Zhengzhou, Henan province He Liuzhu, who owns a food stall in Zhengzhou city in China's Henan province, was auditing the store's monthly sales when he discovered the large amount of extra money Someone claiming to be the customer has reached out to Mr He on Tuesday, Beijing Youth news reported. Mr He said they have agreed to meet on Wednesday morning for the refund. He will also seek the police's help as witness. Net users said the payment system may be confusing to some users and this is not a unique case. 'I've done the same thing before - entering the password as the amount,' said one. 'Luckily, I didn't have that much money and the transaction didn't go through!' A zookeeper has been mauled to death by a tiger at a zoo in south China. The 50-year-old man was cleaning the cage alone as the beast charged in and launched an attack. The zoo, which claims to keep about 1,300 tigers of different species, has confirmed and reported the incident to local police. The tiger (pictured) rushed into the enclosure and attacked the 50-year-old man in China A zookeeper was mauled to death by a tiger while cleaning in the enclosure at a zoo According to Nanguo Morning Post, the unnamed worker was working along with one colleague to clean the tiger enclosure at a Bear & Tiger Zoo in Guilin, Guangxi Province on the afternoon of May 8. As his colleague walked out of the cage, one tiger suddenly ran in and attacked the man. It was not sure of the attacking tiger's species. The zoo later confirmed that the man died at the scene. One female worker told Pear Video: 'It's true, one of our workers got mauled to death.' A notice board in the zoo introduced that there are 1,300 tiger kept in the enclosures, including Siberian tigers, South China tigers, Bengal tigers and white tigers. The zoo was under renovation and closed to the public since November 1 last year. The Bear & Tiger zoo reported the incident to the man's family and also the local police There are 1,300 tigers of four different species kept in the enclosures at the zoo Huang Tibiao, an officer from the Forestry Bureau at Lingui district, told China News that they had launched an investigation and would be looking into the matter. About two months ago, a zookeeper in Fuzhou, southeast China was mauled to death by a tiger that he raised since it was a cub. The carer, surnamed Wu, was with the tiger inside a big metal former circus performance cage used for training and exercise before it pounced on him and suffocated him. Workers at a secondary school in east China's Anhui province was surprised to find an unexpected trespasser on Monday. A rare hairy-fronted muntjac deer was seen running amok on the school grounds in Jixi County before being trapped in a classroom. Video footage shows the deer panicking and wreaking havoc in the room, smashing two windows in an attempt to escape. The panicking deer was filmed jumping to the classroom window and breaking it The deer was seen trying to leap out a window after being trapped in the school's classroom It finally darted out from one of the broken windows. The school called emergency services and wildlife management personnel for help. With several school workers, three policemen were able to corner and retrain the deer without hurting it. Wildlife authorities then released it back to a nearby forest. Originating in South-east Asia, the agile muntjac deer belong to the Class I Protected and endangered mammal species in China. Only an estimated 7,000 muntjac deers, also known as 'barking deer', live in the wild today The muntjac deer are also known as 'barking deer' from the repeated loud bark given under a number of circumstances. An alarmed muntjac may scream whereas maternal does and kids squeak, according to the British Deer Society. Only an estimated 7,000 muntjac deers live in the wild today, with most sightings only seen through camera traps due to the species' shy nature, according to The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The organisation classifies the species as 'Vulnerable' on its comprehensive Red List of Threatened Species. A team of Chinese urban police was caught on camera smashing tables with sledgehammers outside two eateries in south-east China. Shocked diners, mostly students, were forced to leave as the officers barged in and flipped the chairs and tables over. The bureau had to apologise to the public and the students for the officers' rude behaviour as the footage being posted online and viewed 1,690,000 since it was uploaded yesterday. Pictured: A team of urban police officers swept the diners' meals onto the floor and used a sledgehammer to break the furniture on the street in China According to People's Daily Online, the incident happened outside a noodle shop in Shantou, Guangdong Province on May 8. Footage shows about five groups of students from nearby secondary school sitting on the tables on the street as the urban police patrol around the area. The notorious urban police swept the dishes off the table and flipped the table upside down. It's claimed the noodle shops have taken up public space on the street and caused disturbance to the public. One officer can be seen using a sledgehammer to break the foldable chairs as onlookers watch. Web users criticised the officers for abusing their power. Fang Lixu, coucillor of Shantou city launched an investigation to the urban police officers. Two urban officers apologised to the students and the shop owners for the rude behaviour The noodle shop owners agreed to put the tables back into the shop after the incident Shantou Urban Police Bureau apologised to the shop owner and the students at a meeting, stated Guangzhou Daily. 'We understand that what we have done on the day had probably "crossed the line". We will deeply reflect on it and re-train our staff,' said Zhang Jiqiang, team leader of the urban police. The noodle shop owners said they had received verbal warnings and fines previously but they did not take put the chairs and tables back into the shop, stated the report. 'We know that it's illegal to do so, we won't put them out on the street again,' one owner said. The Pink Panthers got their nickname after a 2003 London robbery when a thief hid a diamond in a pot of cream - similar to a plot from the Pink Panther films starring Peter Sellers. The gang was named after the Pink Panther films starring Peter Sellers (pictured) The gang is believed to be made up of 200 soldiers, veterans of the Bosnian war, and has been operating since the early 1980s. They have been linked to a series of high value diamond thefts across the world. Interpol say between 1999 and 2015 they stole more than 290million in jewels from 380 armed robberies. They include a raid at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes in 1984 when three gun-toting crooks stormed a jewellery ship and cleared its shelves of 39million in gems. The gang is also said to be responsible for the biggest jewel theft in Japan - with more than 22m worth of jewellery swiped from a Tokyo store in 2004. In July 2015, a thief linked to the network stole 100m worth of jewels from a diamond exhibition in Cannes. Iranian President Hassan Routhani Iran is largely Shia Muslim, while Saudi Arabia sees itself as the leading Sunni Muslim power. The dominance of both countries in the region's politics means smaller Shia and Sunni nations often group together with the two superpowers. Historically Saudi Arabia, a monarchy and home to the birthplace of Islam, saw itself as the leader of the Muslim world. But since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Iran has been on the rise - amassing an ever more powerful arsenal of weapons. Iran has also been able to spread its influence into Iraq in recent years following the overthrow of Sunni figurehead Saddam Hussein in the US-led invasion of 2003. The Arab Spring in 2011 also saw both sides seek to increase their influence in the region - striking major cooperation deals with newly established governments. What developed was a series of 'proxy-wars' with neither side fighting each other on the ground - but battling for control of smaller nations. One of the most notable of the recent proxy wars is the conflict in Yemen - which has seen Iran back the Houthi-insurgency during the civil war which began in 2015. In response, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has ramped up military action against the Yemeni rebels - although Saudi troops have made little progress in crushing the uprising. Iran's critics say it is intent on establishing itself or its proxies across the region, and achieve control of a land corridor stretching from Iran to the Mediterranean. The strategic rivalry is heating up because Iran is in many ways winning the regional struggle. In Syria, Iranian (and Russian) support for President Bashar al-Assad has largely routed rebel group groups backed by Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has been emboldened by support from the Trump administration while Israel, which sees Iran as a mortal threat, is in a sense 'backing' the Saudi effort to contain Iran. The Navy SEAL veteran shared with DailyMail.com his decision to pen a memoir about his 16-year career and 400 missions including the raid on Osama bin Laden's hideout in 2011. The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior, was released in April. Rob told DailyMail.com: 'I kept many journals during my time in the Navy and there was a lot to tell. 'I couldn't swim when I first joined the Navy but I went on to complete the hardest training in the world and somehow end up on one of the greatest military teams ever assembled. 'My team rescued Captain Richard Phillips [a mission that inspired the Tom Hanks-led movie by the same name] and I was part of the big team that rescued the lone survivor, SEAL Marcus Luttrell. I was on the base when Bowe Bergdahl walked off. 'This was a great American story about how it doesn't matter where you come from, what you look like - you can achieve anything you want as long as you stay positive, get away from negativity and never quit.' When he had finished writing the book, the Pentagon had to approve it. Rob said: 'That was the right way to do it. They made some redactions and got approvals from the right people for certain missions. We made the changes they recommended. 'They had me change some words and names but they left a lot of the key stuff in there. 'I think they did that because I was honest and I was fair to both sides. It wasn't a partisan book or all about me.' He added: 'I was a means to an end - I did what any other operator would have done [on killing bin Laden]. It was all about my team. I was so impressed by them and so proud to be part of them.' Rob said that no classified information was included in the book and that it wouldn't have necessarily made for an interesting read. 'The stuff that you are not supposed to talk about isn't interesting to most people. There's a lot of technology out there that I personally wouldn't understand. 'People want to know what it smelled like climbing up the stairs to bin Laden's room. Well, it smelled like gunpowder and smoke. And my heart beating through my chest - that's what it sounded like. 'Reading it back, I thought to myself, did all this really happen? It's an interesting process.' The most difficult part of writing the book, Rob said, was reliving the stories of those fellow service members they lost. 'I was fortunate that I've never had a friend die in front of me,' Rob said. 'But one of my biggest regrets is that I never had a last drink with my friend, Robert J. Reeves. He was on the helicopter that was shot down on August 6, 2011.' Navy Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator, Reeves, 32, was one of 30 American servicemen, including 22 SEALs, who were killed when their Chinook transport helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan. He was also a member of Seal Team 6 which conducted the raid on bin Laden's compound. All 38 people on board were killed in the helicopter crash including 30 Americans, seven Afghan commandos and an Afghan interpreter. Google has found another way to put its artificial intelligence technology to work. At its annual I/O developer conference, the search giant unveiled a new tool within its Google Photos app that allows you to breathe some new life into vintage family pictures. With just the push of a button, AI analyzes the photo to magically add color to old black-and-white photos. At its annual I/O developer conference, the search giant unveiled a new tool within its Google Photos app that allows you to breathe some new life into vintage family pictures Unfortunately, the feature is currently in development, so it won't be available for all users just yet. However, Google is launching some other nifty tools in its Photos app that can still transform your photos. A new feature allows you to automatically turn the background of photos into black-and-white, while singling out one object -- identified by AI, of course -- to remain in color. That tool will roll out to the Google Photos app starting this week. Google is also bringing 'Suggested Actions' to the Photos app beginning on Tuesday, which offer up 'smart actions' on the screen for users to act on. A new feature allows you to automatically turn the background of photos into black-and-white, while singling out one object -- identified by AI, of course -- to remain in color The firm says the suggestions are powered by machine learning and may include things like options to share a photo with a friend, brighten a dark picture or hide a screenshot from your library. Google Photos can also convert photos into PDFs from right inside the app. Those weren't the only photo and camera-related updates announced on Tuesday. Google also unveiled some new features for its popular Lens smart app, which was first unveiled at last year's I/O conference. The firm has been working hard to make Google Lens even smarter. Google's goal is to make Lens a 'visual browser for the world around you', according to Wired. To that end, Google is furthering that cause by bringing Lens to more smartphones. After launching it for the Pixel phone, Lens is now available on a variety of smartphone cameras including Sony, Nokia and LG models, among others. The updates are centered around enabling Lens to 'answer more questions about more things, more quickly,' according to Google. A new feature called Smart Text Selection allows you to highlight words on a real-life item, and the camera will automatically bring up search results. Aparna Chennapragada, vice president of product for AR and VR at Google, gave an example of scanning the word 'Ratatouille' on a menu. It will automatically generate a definition of Ratatouille, as well as show a photo of what it looks like. After launching it for the Pixel phone, Lens is now available on a variety of smartphone cameras including Sony, Nokia and LG models, among others. Pictured, Google Lens is able to identify landmarks around you, including Chicago's Wrigley Building ANDROID'S EYES: GOOGLE LENS Google Lens uses the firm's AI to process images, and can do everything from recognise a sign and help you buy tickets to translate menus in another language Google Lens uses the firm's AI to process images and Google will also add the Google Lens app to its assistant, allowing users to instantly translate menus, for instance. In conjunction with Assistant, Google Lens also allows users to point their phone at a sign for a concert and automatically add that event to their calendars, or even purchase tickets right then and there. The software will be able to recognise plants and even log onto wifi simply by pointing the phone at a password. Later on in the keynote, another example showed Google Assistant using Lens' technology to translate Japanese writing to English just by having the camera pointed at the Japanese sign. Scott Huffman talks about improvements to the Google Assistant Advertisement 'You can copy and paste text from the real worldlike recipes, gift card codes, or Wi-Fi passwordsto your phone,' Google explained in a blog post. 'Lens helps you make sense of a page of words by showing you relevant information and photos'. Aparna Chennapragada, vice president of product for AR and VR at Google, gave an example of using Lens to define the word 'Ratatouille' on a menu Another tool called Style Match lets you hold your camera up to mannequin or clothing item and it will show you options for similar items. 'Sometimes your question isn't what's that exact thing, it's what are things like it,' Chennapragada said. Users can see all the things that match the item and even see prices and purchase options within the Lens app. Chennapragada also gave a glimpse into some advanced features that could be coming to Lens soon. Google wants to incorporate real-time results into the Lens app so that users can see information about objects in their camera view automatically on the screen. She added that Google's powerful Tensor Processing Units, or machine learning chips, are partly what enables Lens to serve up real-time results. For example, if a user points their smartphone camera at a concert poster, Google Lens may soon be able to play a music video from the artist automatically. 'Over time, we want to overlay live results on things,' Chennapragada said. 'The camera isn't just answering questions, but putting answers right where the questions are'. The announcements were made at Google's annual I/O developer conference in California, which kicked off with a keynote by CEO Sundar Pichai (pictured) and runs through Thursday Star-gazers are in for a treat as Jupiter swoops closer to Earth this month than it has in almost two years. The gas giant is moving away from opposition, the position occurring once a year when Earth sits directly between the planet and the sun, making it easier to spot. During this week's peak opposition Jupiter swung within 409 million miles (660 million km) of Earth - 5 million miles (8 million km) closer than last year's event. While peak opposition has now passed, astronomers said the planet will still be visible as a full Jupiter throughout May. Scroll down for video Star-gazers are in for a treat this month as Jupiter swoops closer to Earth than it has been in years. This picture shows images of Mars (left), Jupiter (centre) and Saturn (right) taken yesterday evening and stitched together During full opposition Jupiter was brightest in Britain between 9:30pm BST on May 8 and 4:30am BST on May 9. In the US it peaked on May 9 between 1:10am and 6:20am ET. Over the weeks following full opposition, Jupiter will reach its highest point in the sky four minutes earlier each night, appearing as a bright, star-like object. It will appear as the fourth brightest object in the sky behind the moon, Mars and Venus. The planet will gradually recede from the pre-dawn morning sky while remaining visible in the evening sky until June. Tanya Hill, an astronomer at the University of Melbourne, wrote in the Conversation: 'Opposition means that Jupiter sits opposite the Sun in the sky. It's lovely and bright, outshining all the stars of the night sky. 'In fact, opposition also means that Jupiter is at its closest to Earth, making the planet shine even more brilliantly than usual. The gas giant is currently moving away from its opposition, the position directly opposite the sun from the Earth that occurs once a year, making it easier to spot. This image of Jupiter was taken by Nasa's Juno probe earlier this year WHAT IS JUPITER'S OPPOSITION AND WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VIEW THE PLANET IN 2018? The effect of opposition is similar to the effect of the full moon seen once a month when Earth is positioned directly between our natural satellite and the sun. This orbital arrangement means Jupiter appears as the largest disc in the sky and will be visible from sundown to sunrise. While the planet was visible to the naked eye during its peak opposition on May 8, for the next few weeks star-gazers should be able to spot it through binoculars or a telescope. The effect of opposition is similar to the effect of the full moon seen once a month when Earth is positioned directly between our natural satellite and the sun During its full opposition the planet was brightest in Britain on May between 9:30pm and 4:30am BST while in the US it peaked on May 9 between 1:10am and 6:20am ET. Over the weeks following full opposition, Jupiter will reach its highest point in the sky four minutes earlier each night, appearing as a bright, star-like object. It will appear as the fourth brightest object in the sky behind the moon, Mars and Venus. Advertisement 'Be sure to look east over the next few weeks to catch Jupiter at its best.' The effect of opposition is similar to the effect of the full moon seen once a month when Earth is positioned directly between our natural satellite and the sun. This orbital arrangement means Jupiter appears as the largest disc in the sky and will be visible from sundown to sunrise. While the planet was visible to the naked eye during its peak opposition, for the next few weeks star-gazers should be able to spot it through binoculars or a telescope. Scientists are busy studying Jupiter up close using data collected by Nasa's Juno space probe. Last month, the space agency shared an amazing animation that revealed a glimpse of what it would be like to dive into the planet's hellish North Pole. The flyby gave viewers a close-up of the 'lava-like' cyclones that whip across the polar regions, boasting wind speeds as high as 220 miles per hour (350 kph). Each cyclone ranges from 2,500 to 2,900 miles (4,000 to 4,600km) in diameter. Unveiled at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna, Austria, the 80-second flyby was put together using images taken by Juno. Cameras aboard the 0.8 billion ($1.1 billion) spacecraft captured the planet's stormy poles in infrared light, which is invisible to human eyes, as part of ongoing research into the mysteries of Jupiter's inner workings. Wombats chase each other around and take turns biting the other's bottom when they are keen to mate, scientists found. The sex lives of vulnerable southern hairy-nosed wombats were revealed for the first time in a study aimed at making more babies in captivity. University of Queensland researchers discovered female wombats were also more active and urinated less when they were in heat. Scroll down for videos The sex lives of vulnerable southern hairy-nosed wombats were revealed for the first time in a study aimed at making more babies in captivity (mother pictured with baby) Wombats chase each other around and take turns biting the other's bottom when they are keen to mate, scientists found Associate Professor Stephen Johnston said the females would bite males on their rumps, often tearing off clumps of fur, as a come-on. Males would then chase the females around in a figure-eight pattern and return the love bites before they started the mating ritual. The researchers also found a way to map the reproductive cycle of the female wombat by measuring hormone levels in their urine. Wombat urine was collected in frying pans placed in their burrows and their behaviour monitored with CCTV cameras. 'Through round-the-clock monitoring over multiple breeding cycles, we detected subtle behavioural changes associated with the fluctuations in this hormonal mapping,' Professor Johnston said. Wombat urine was collected in frying pans (pictured) and their behaviour monitored with CCTV cameras Males would then chase the females around in a figure-eight pattern and return the love bites before they started the mating ritual Wombats placed in small enclosures together while in heat to encourage them to mate The size and aggressive temperament of wombats made their mating habits difficult to study and it was hoped the research would help breeding programs. 'These behaviours could be used to identify when animals in captivity should be brought together for breeding,' he said. Nine wombats at the Australian Animals Care and Education wombat research facility in Mount Larcom, central Queensland were part of the study in the August to December mating seasons of 2013 and 2014. Professor Johnston hoped the research would also help save the critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombats. The size and aggressive temperament of wombats made their mating habits difficult to study and it was hoped the research would help breeding programs 'With only about 200 northern hairy-nosed wombats remaining, being able to breed these animals may one day ensure the survival of the species,' he said. 'There has been no captive breeding of the northern hairy-nosed wombat, and even the southern species fails to breed regularly in captivity.' It would also help create an artificial insemination program to breed more wombats, like was already done with koalas. The findings were published in the Reproduction, Fertility and Development journal on Thursday. . @MartinVizcarraC: La Salud es una prioridad de mi gobierno. Estoy muy interesado y dispuesto a trabajar de la mano con la ministra y con todos los servidores para mejorar este servicio. pic.twitter.com/20SWhfJMMR Apple and Amazon were passed over in a program spearheaded by the Trump administration that would have given them a greater say in how the drone industry is regulated. On Wednesday, the US Transportation Department announced 10 winning drone pilot projects that will help more unmanned aerial vehicles take to the skies. Among the winners were Silicon Valley tech giants Google, Intel, Qualcomm and Microsoft. Scroll down for video Apple and Amazon were passed over in a program spearheaded by the Trump administration that would have given them a greater say in how the drone industry is regulated However, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said there are 'no losers' and she thinks dozens of the applicants not chosen could be greenlighted by the FAA in the coming months. Selected winners will be able to conduct experimental drone flights that are beyond the rules outlined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In doing so, they'll have access to faster regulatory approval for package delivery, infrastructure inspection and some life-saving drone experiments, like delivering medical supplies such as blood and defibrillators. They'll also be able to conduct drone experiments in potentially dangerous settings, such as flying over crowds, environments that are out of the drone operator's field of vision and at nighttime, all of which are scenarios that are typically prohibited by the FAA. The FAA still must decide questions before the pilot projects begin including whether drone deliveries should follow city streets or cross backyards. 'The enthusiastic response to our request for applications demonstrated the many innovative technological and operational solutions already on the horizon,' Chao said in a statement. Apple was reportedly one of dozens of tech firms vying for approval of a drone pilot project. Winners of the FAA competition will be able to conduct experimental drone tests Amazon said it was 'unfortunate' that it was passed over in the list of winners announced by the Transportation Department. However, it has pledged to continue working on its drone efforts 'Data gathered from these pilot projects will form the basis of a new regulatory framework to safely integrate drones into our national airspace'. Chao added that drone use in the US is surging, with 1.1 million drones already registered with the FAA. The 10 pilot drone test projects selected from 149 applications are in California, Tennessee, North Dakota, Nevada, Kansas and other states. Amazon, which hopes to one day deliver packages with a fleet of drones, said it was unfortunate its applications were not selected but supports the U.S. efforts. How are drones changing the world? Drone use is already growing across an array of applications. They range in size from something that could slip into your pocket right up to the behemoth weaponry used by militaries around the world. And they are not only in the skies - they can also be found driving on the ground, inspecting sub-sea pipelines, crawling into tight gaps too dangerous for humans or even rocketing off to outer space. They are used by emergency services, including search and rescue and tackling fires, through to innovations in agriculture, construction, humanitarian aid, wildlife preservation and personal security. It is predicted that drones will spawn a 70billion ($100bn) industry by 2020. E-commerce, package and fast food delivery have yet to fully develop in this sector but companies such as Google and Amazon are investing heavily in the application of drones. Advertisement 'We're focused on developing a safe operating model for drones in the airspace and we will continue our work to make this a reality,' said Brian Huseman, Amazon's vice president of public policy. Asked why the Transportation Department had not selected Amazon or DJI, Deputy Transportation Secretary Jeff Rosen told Reuters that the projects had gone through a rigorous review process. 'There were no losers -- only winners,' Rosen said. 'This is an important first step in the process of drone integration.' The company has worked with the FAA on policy as it tested drone technology around the world. It began limited drone deliveries in the United Kingdom in 2016. Much of Apple's drone plans remain a mystery, however, it did receive FAA approval in 2016 for a proposal to fly drones to improve its Maps app with more accurate data on road closures and street signs. That year, it also filed a patent titled 'Apple Invents an Improved Graphics System for Gaming or Possibly an Autonomous Drone Device,' suggesting it is exploring tests around unmanned aerial vehicles. Microsoft Corp is among the partners for a Kansas project, while Qualcomm Inc is joining a winning bid from the City of San Diego to test a wide range of public safety, commercial and emergency response applications. FedEx will use drones to inspect aircraft at a Memphis airport, as well as parts deliveries for aircraft and some package deliveries. The department also confirmed it had sent two planned rules to the White House to regulate the increased use of unmanned aerial vehicles. Microsoft is partnering on a Kansas project, while Qualcomm is joining a winning bid with San Diego to test a wide range of public safety, commercial and emergency response applications HOW COULD DRONES BE USED TO SPEED UP DELIVERIES? Impatient shoppers will be pleased to hear that Amazons drones could significantly speed up the speed at which deliveries can be made. The plan is for Amazon's PrimeAir service to eventually deliver small packages weighing up to 5lbs (2.27kg) in 30 minutes or less. Amazon got British approval for three new types of tests, including flying drones that are no longer within sight of their operators in rural and suburban areas. The other two are having one person operate several highly automated drones and testing devices to make the drones able to identify and avoid obstacles. During the test the drones will be only allowed to fly an altitude of 400ft (122m) and kept away from operating near airport flight paths. Advertisement One rule submitted would allow drones to fly over people while another proposal submitted would allow for remote identification and tracking of unmanned aircraft in flight. After both are formally proposed, it would take months or possibly more than a year before they are finalized. The FAA has said regulations are necessary to protect the public and the National Airspace System from bad actors or errant hobbyists. Several incidents around major airports have involved drones getting close to aircraft. France boasts some of the most-visited, and most eye-catching tourist attractions in the world. But a new survey has revealed that more French tourists have visited the London Eye and Buckingham Palace than sites in their homeland such as the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame Cathedral. Many said that they had not visited attractions in France because they think they will be overrun with foreigner visitors. A new survey has revealed more French tourists have visited the London Eye, pictured, than sites in their homeland such as the Eiffel Tower Only 39 per cent of the French residents asked said they had visited the Eiffel Tower in Paris Researchers made the discovery while quizzing French airline passengers about their experiences when flying. The team from Jetcost.com asked 2,417 French residents aged over 18 which top attractions in their home country they had visited in their lifetime. Thirty-nine per cent said they had been to the Eiffel Tower, 27 per cent revealed they'd visited the Louvre Museum and 23 per cent said they'd marvelled at Notre Dame Cathedral. When the researchers asked about attractions outside central Paris, they discovered that 31 per cent had been to the Palace of Versailles and 45 per cent had paid a visit to Disneyland Paris. The study also found that 27 per cent had visited the Louvre Museum and 23 per cent has been to Notre Dame Cathedral, pictured Those who hadn't visited the key attractions were asked why, with 39 per cent responding by saying it would be 'too crowded with foreign tourists'. Other responses included 'I've heard they are not that impressive' (33 per cent) and 'they're too expensive to visit' (16 per cent). Researchers then provided those taking part in the study with a list of tourist attractions outside of France and asked which they had visited. And it showed that 46 per cent of people had visited the London Eye - more than had visited the top French attractions. The survey also revealed that 44 per cent had also visited Buckingham Palace while in London. Another popular attraction was Buckingham Palace, pictured, with 44 per cent of those responding saying they had visited Rounding off the top five most-visited attractions outside of France were the Statue of Liberty (28 per cent), the Colosseum in Rome (21 per cent) and Barcelona's Sagrada Familia cathedral (20 per cent). Researchers said that when asked why these attractions were so popular, respondents cited 'they're world-famous monuments with rich history' (37 per cent) and 'they're magnificent to look at' (35 per cent). Commenting on the study, a spokesman for Jetcost said: 'It's always the case that tourist attractions are more exciting in other parts of the world than in your home country. 'But the ones in your home country should be top of your list to visit they're a part of your culture and your history.' Canadian airline WestJet has been forced to apologise to staff after asking passengers to rate the service given by its cabin crew by taking pictures and videos of them. The Calgary-based carrier had reportedly also asked its frequent flyers to capture on-board experiences with its competition. It is understood that they were asked to gather feedback and submit it via an app. Canadian airline WestJet has been forced to apologise to staff after asking passengers to rate the service given by cabin crew by taking pictures and videos According to Canadian broadcaster CBC, staff became aware of the research programme when a flight attendant posted on one of the company's internal forums that she had spoken with a passenger who said he had been asked to take part in the scheme. It is reported that the passenger was also asked if he would be comfortable recording any experiences on WestJet he was not happy with. The Canadian Union of Public Employees, who represent flight attendants with Air Canada and are trying to do the same at WestJet, said it was a 'basic violation' of workers' privacy, adding that the move was unacceptable. And at the airline's annual general meeting yesterday, it was confirmed the programme had been shelved and that there had been no intention to upset any WestJet flight attendants. WestJet CEO Ed Sims explained: 'I apologise to any flight attendants, unreservedly, for those who were upset or offended by that action.' He also added that the airline would ask passengers not to film inside aircraft in the future. WestJet CEO Ed Sims, pictured, apologised and added that there had been no intention to upset any WestJet flight attendants A spokeswoman for Westjet told MailOnline Travel: 'WestJet is committed to protecting and respecting the privacy of both our guests and our employees. 'In an effort to capture the service moments that are most meaningful to our guests, over the course of a seven-day period we asked 14 guests who were part of a larger online survey to capture their flying experiences. 'During this timeframe, we operated approximately 7,000 flights. None of these respondents provided video of any WestJet employees or inflight experiences. 'WestJet apologizes for any upset this has caused WestJetters or its guests. Although the intent was to highlight the positive guest experiences our WestJetters provide, we regret that we did not consult with WestJetters prior to the study being conducted. 'We confirm that this specific research program is not something we intend to repeat.' At the same meeting yesterday, Mr Sims also revealed that pilots are completing a vote on strike action and that the possibility of labour disruption has caused a drop in bookings. Later the airline's shares plunged on the Toronto Stock Exchange, falling nearly 10 per cent. WestJet is a low-cost Canadian carrier that was founded in 1996 and is the second-largest in the country behind Air Canada. It flies to destinations all over Canada, the USA, Mexico, the Caribbean and even to London Gatwick, Glasgow, Dublin and Paris Charles de Gaulle. A holiday flight from Manchester to Egypt was forced to divert to Greece after reports of a drunk passenger on board. Passengers claimed that the man had become abusive and had threatened cabin crew - prompting the unscheduled stop. The Thomas Cook flight had left Manchester Airport at 2.05pm yesterday en route for Hurghada Airprot in Egypt, where it was due to land later that evening at 8.30pm. A picture posted on social media showing a police car meeting the Thomas Cook flight in Athens after it was diverted due to reports of a drunk and violent passenger But flight MT486 was forced to land at Athens International Airport, where the allegedly disruptive passenger was met by police on the tarmac. It meant the aircraft was delayed three hours while passengers waited for Greek police officers to arrest the man and haul him off the plane. It is understood the captain and crew members were forced to restrain the man and his passport was seized. Flight MT486 was forced to land at Athens International Airport, where the allegedly disruptive passenger was met by police on the tarmac A decision was then made to remove the man from the plane. In a tweet, passenger Carole Lamborn said: 'On our way to Egypt Hurghada from Manchester violent drunk restrained, emergency landing and he's removed by the police, currently on tarmac, pilot and member of cabin crew has had to go police station to make a statement.' It is understood the flight captain and cabin manager assisted the Hellenic Police in Greece. A Thomas Cook Airlines spokesperson said: 'Flight MT486 from Manchester to Hurghada diverted to Athens due to a disruptive passenger on board. 'The safety of our customers and crew is always our first priority and we are very sorry for the delay and inconvenience caused to our customers.' Hellenic Police have been contacted for a comment. Advertisement Budding surfers can now chase the swell times as they sleep thanks to a new quirky beach-geared hotel on wheels. Portuguese surfers Daniela Carneiro and Eduardo Ribeiro got their hands on a Mercedes Benz truck and modified it so that it expands into a double storey structure while stopped. Photos and video footage show the mobile hotel in action with guests enjoying the inside space, which includes five bedrooms, a kitchen, social room, and bathroom with shower. Scroll down for video Budding surfers can now chase the waves as they sleep thanks to a new quirky beach-geared hotel on wheels Portuguese surfers Daniela Carneiro and Eduardo Ribeiro got their hands on a Mercedes-Benz truck and modified it so that it expands into a double storey structure while stopped Stays at the Truck Surf Hotel currently start from just 437 a week. The hotel on wheels has an innovative hydraulic system that enables the walls and ceiling to expand upwards and outwards once parked. Carneiro, formerly an environmental engineer and surf photographer, and Ribeiro, an award-winning surfer from Espinho, say they're thrilled with how their project turned out. Together with a company that specializes on mobile homes, they transformed the heavy-duty truck into a movable hotel that they live in full-time while driving their guests around Portugal and Morocco. Photos and video footage show the mobile hotel in action with guests enjoying the inside space, which includes five bedrooms, a kitchen, social room, and bathroom with shower Stays at the novel expanding hotel on wheels currently start from just 437 a week Revealing what inspired their design they said: 'We have been travelling for many years in a camper van through Europe and Africa, exploring different cultures, surf spots, making new friends, with the freedom to live each adventure as one. 'We wanted to create something different to share this lifestyle and offer people the flexibility to travel with comfort and the best outdoor experiences. 'So, we created the Truck Surf Hotel that gives the opportunity to explore uncrowded surf spots with the best waves, different natural parks and mountains, live different cultures with a luxurious hotel on wheels that goes everywhere. 'Our commitment to the local culture and environment spreads with us to our destinations.' The hotel on wheels has an innovative hydraulic system that enables the walls and ceiling to expand upwards and outwards once parked Carneiro, formerly an environmental engineer and surf photographer, and Ribeiro, an award-winning surfer from Espinho, say they're thrilled with how their project turned out Together with a company that specializes on mobile homes, Carneiro and Ribeiro transformed the heavy-duty truck into a movable hotel that they live in full-time while driving their guests around Portugal and Morocco The Truck Surf Hotel operates from June to October in Portugal with weekly tours beginning every Saturday on the south-west coast between Sines and Lagos The Truck Surf Hotel operates from June to October in Portugal with weekly tours beginning every Saturday on the south-west coast between Sines and Lagos. During the winter season the hotel travels to Morocco where it does surf and adventure trips between Agadir and Essaouira. Prices for the hotel vary but the cheapest price available during the high season in Portugal is 588 per person for a shared double room while prices in Morocco start at 437. Prices include breakfast, transportation, surf sessions and equipment as well as accommodation. On the upper floor, there are five bedrooms - four shared double rooms with bunk beds, and one private double room. Carneiro and Ribeiro concluded: 'This project is all about sharing travel experiences, making new friends and connecting with each other, combining surf, nature and adventure in a new way of travelling. 'A unique experience you will never forget.' Stays at the quirky hotel include breakfast, transportation, surf sessions and equipment as well as accommodation During the winter season the hotel travels to Morocco where it does surf and adventure trips between Agadir and Essaouira In the 1950s, scientists discovered that caged rats they were experimenting on became addicted to giving themselves mild electric shocks, just to give themselves something to do. The same results occurred when scientists performed a similar experiment on humans in 2014. Rather than be alone with their thoughts, they preferred to induce pain. At the beginning of this week's episode of The Handmaid's Tale, titled 'Other Women', this concept is something we are reminded of repeatedly, not lest because June (Elisabeth Moss) utters it while she is shackled to a bed, back under the control of Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), but because now that she has been recaptured after a small taste of freedom, she is like the caged rats. June begins the episode shackled to a bed, saying: 'Caged rats will give themselves electric shocks, just for something to do' When Aunt Lydia calls June Offred, she spits back: 'It's June, you know my f***ing name' Returns: June is told she will be executed after she has the baby if she does not behave, so she is forced to relent and go back to the Waterford's house as their handmaid Story: Back at the Waterford's, we learn the party line is that terrorists kidnapped Offred 'Caged rats will give themselves electric shocks for something to do...There are 71 flowers on the comforter, 71,' June thinks to herself. But as we see, June's body might be captured, but her mind is still somewhat free as she refuses to take back the role of handmaid easily. When Aunt Lydia calls her Offred, she spits back: 'It's June, you know my f***ing name.' We later see her speak out of turn in front of Serena several times and spit out a vitamin shake that she is forced to drink. But these small victories will not last, of course, as Aunt Lydia informs her: 'June will be chained in this room until she gives birth, and then June will be executed. Offred has an opportunity, that would be better for the baby.' And so she is back in her red uniform and wings, on her way back to the Waterford's under the watchful eye of Aunt Lydia, who reminds her: 'You'll have to earn your place, prove you're worthy.' Arch-nemesis: Serena Joy appears to be unraveling by the minute after the return of Offred Attack: Serena chokes June when they are alone and screams in her face, '92 days...' June still doesn't know what happened to Nick and a glance at his quarters shows nothing Guardian and keeper: Aunt Lydia is keeping a watchful eye over June both to make sure she is OK and stays in her place Back at the Waterford's, we learn the party line is that Offred had been kidnapped by terrorists and the Commander's forces rescued her, thus saving face for the couple in the eyes of the community. For no handmaid would dare run away from the almighty Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes). Everyone is happy and 'blessed' that 'Offred' has been returned safely. Everyone that is, except Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski), who seems to unravel by the minute throughout the episode, seething with rage at the mere sight of June, who we learn had been gone for 92 days when Serena tries to choke her. Rather than recoil however, June says: 'Serena, remember as long as my baby is safe, so is yours.' A bizarre baby shower is then held for Serena, who is joined by the other Wives as they drink champagne and offer gifts while their handmaids stand to attention. June sits in the corner, flanked by Aunt Lydia who is determined not to leave her side an action that is both sinister and motherly. As the Wives coo over Serena and swap baby notes, June announces she felt the baby kick for the first time right after Serena says it's too early to feel movement. She can pretend the baby is hers, but June will remind her whose flesh and blood it is. The caged rat strikes again. Later when the party has ended, June says she and her husband Luke gave away half of their baby gifts when they had Hannah. In retaliation, Serena slaps Rita (Amanda Brugel) since she can't punish June, at least not in front of Lydia, who later tells her: 'Shes strong, but that means your child will be strong. You understand that everything that happens now must be for the good of the child.' Celebration: A bizarre baby shower is held for Serena, as she is joined by the other Wives who drink champagne and offer gifts Prisoner: June is forced to sit in the corner and watch while Aunt Lydia stands guard Revolt: June shocks everyone by announcing she felt the baby kick for the first time, despite Serena saying it was too early for any movements Strength: Something has changed in June, she is back at the Waterford's but she refuses to stay silent and comply like she did the last time In flashback scenes this week, we see June come face-to-face with Luke's wife Annie, giving more of an insight into why June became a handmaid in the first place. Annie implores June to leave her husband alone so they can work through their marital problems. But as she scurries off to her car without really answering her or even talking to her, Annie shouts: 'You can't just wreck peoples lives like they dont matter. Did you ever think about me? About what you were doing to me? 'Do you think about me when you're screwing my husband you selfish bitch. F***ing whore.' June is one of the 'other women' of the episode's title. Flashback: June comes face-to-face with Luke's wife Annie for the first time since he left her Attack: She implores June to leave her husband alone so they can work through their marital problems before calling her a f***ing whore Back at the Waterford's, Aunt Lydia realizes it's time June is forced to see that her actions are not without consequences not just for her, but others around her. She takes her to the Wall where a man hangs, not an unfamiliar sight in Gilead, but this particular body holds particular significance for June. 'I believe you know him, he drove a bread delivery truck,' Aunt Lydia says, as June realizes it's the man who helped her escape. Like a punch to the gut, she immediately collapses to the ground. 'The wife will redeem herself by serving as a handmaid. The boy will never see his mother again, he has been placed with new parents. Gilead has shown them mercy,' Aunt Lydia continues. 'Of course, if you asked them, this wouldn't be the path they chose. But you didnt ask them. You chose for them. Such a selfish girl. 'Who killed him? Whose fault was it?' June is forced to look again at the limp body of the good Samaritan who helped her and whispers: 'My fault.' 'Why did God allow such a terrible thing to happen? To teach JUNE a lesson,' Aunt Lydia continues. 'June did this. June ran away. June consorted with terrorists. 'Not Offred. Offred was kidnapped. Offred is free from blame. Offred does not have to bear Junes guilt.' In this powerful scene, a seismic shift is made. This is the straw that broke the camel's back for June. The caged rat will no longer shock itself. June has stopped fighting. She will behave and do what she's supposed to and live as a handmaid. Be the 'good girl' that Aunt Lydia wants her to be. Consequences: 'I believe you know him, he drove a bread delivery truck,' aunt Lydia says, as June realizes it's the man who helped her escape and collapses to the ground Fate: Aunt Lydia reveals the man's wife is now a handmaid while his son is with new parents Lydia asks: 'Who killed him? Whose fault was it?' as she forces June to look again at the limp body of the man who helped her before she whispers, 'My fault' Mind games: 'June did this. June ran away. June consorted with terrorists. Not Offred. Offred was kidnapped. Offred is free from blame,' Lydia tells her Nick tells June: 'I'm sorry, I did everything I could to get you out,' but she ignores him Seismic shift: By episode end, June returns to her role of Offred as she repeats the phrase, 'We've been sent good weather' In the next scene, it's as if a switch has been flipped. June is on her knees in front of the Waterford's pleading for forgiveness: 'Commander and Mrs Waterford, I would very much like to stay here at home. If you'll have me. Please. Im not worthy yet, I am so grateful for everything you have done for me. Please let me try to be good.' Later in her bedroom, Serena lies next to June and cradles her stomach saying over and over again: 'And all will be well, and all manner of things will be well. Mama loves you.' Following another flashback to Luke's wife Annie seeing them with Hannah when she was a baby, June lies in the closet crying, as she realizes she is being punished for being an adulteress. She says: 'I have done something wrong, something so huge I can't even see it, something thats drowning me. I am inadequate and stupid, without worth, I might as well be dead. Please God, let Hannah forget me. Let me forget me.' The episode has an almost Lynchian end to it, with the song Hate by Cat Power playing, as June, who seems to have reverted full back to Offred the handmaid, says over and over: 'We've been sent good weather.' He's the newest addition to the Made In Chelsea cast; and Miles Nazaire has already created a splash amid the residence of the Royal Borough. Within a month of joining the show he's already circulated rumours about Digby Edgley's Instagram activity, enjoyed a midnight Sri Lankan dip with Olivia Bentley and 'rolled around shirtless' with pal Sam Prince's on/off girlfriend. And yet the reality newbie insists he's not in it for the dramatics. New kid: Miles Nazaire has already created a splash amid the residence of the Royal Borough 'I didnt go in to cause drama,' he told MailOnline. 'I happened to have information [about Digby] though. But I genuinely wanted to go in and just sort of go with it and get to know people. 'When you come on a show like this, its about drama and relationships. It's just the lives of normal people, it just happens to be televised.' In addition to his already adventurous first few episodes on the show, Miles, 22, was seen attempting to romance fellow cast member Sophie Hermann, 31. And despite her noting that he looks vaguely like Johnny Depp, this was a non-starter. Yet, Miles insists he's still got his eye on the German beauty: 'I will never give up on Sophie, she is gorgeous! Catching his eye: Miles, 22, was seen attempting to romance fellow cast member Sophie Hermann, 31. And despite her noting that he looks vaguely like Johnny Depp, this was a non-starter She wants THAT one: The fashionista recently recruited Miles to push her around in a wheelchair following her recent foot injury, clearly having wrapped him around her little finger 'She is such a lovely person, she's down to earth and someone you can talk to. And if she ever changes her mind she knows where to find me and she has my number.' Indeed, she does. The fashionista recently recruited Miles to push her around in a wheelchair following her recent foot injury, clearly having wrapped him around her little finger. But it was Liv Bentley whom viewers suspected Miles had a crush on, going by his recent antics in Sri Lanka. While boyfriend Digby stayed at home, not invited on the trip, Liv was seen enjoying a midnight dip in the pool with Miles, much to her man's chagrin. Risky moves: While boyfriend Digby stayed at home, not invited on the trip, Liv was seen enjoying a midnight dip in the pool with Miles, much to her man's chagrin Making waves: Within a month of joining the show Miles already circulated rumours about Digby's Instagram activity and enjoyed a midnight Sri Lankan dip with Liv 'I dont care,' Miles said of the swimming session. 'I didnt think of [Digby]. I dont hate the guy, but we were all there for Liv. And if that swim made her feel better then good. 'Liv was in a bad state, she needed to change something in that relationship, she needs to break up with Digby and deal with it. He wasnt listening to her and thinking about her feelings. 'Sri Lanka was about making her feel better. Theres a big part of Liv that I havent seen yet, and I saw it in Sri Lanka.' Yet Miles insists he didn't have romantic intentions for the blonde. Not his type? Miles insists he didn't have romantic intentions for Liv Not a fan: 'Ive been through what theyve been through, and I saw how it all happened with Liv and Digby and I just had an opinion. Shes not the only one going through something like that,' Miles said 'I dont think I had my eye on her, and I would never go "oh yeah I can sweep in". I always said I find her attractive though,' he went on. 'When youre on a vacation together you have drinks, there's flirting, and I didnt think twice. Nothing did happen though and it wouldnt. 'Ive been through what theyve been through, and I saw how it all happened with Liv and Digby and I just had an opinion. Shes not the only one going through something like that.' Miles insisted that it wasn't intimidating joining the widely-watched reality series: 'It was actually not bad. I guess it's always scary to go onto quite a big show. 'My first week my friend James [Taylor] was like "be yourself, youre the guy, everyone will love you, get to know people and youll be fine". And that advice was good.' Pals: Miles insisted that it wasn't intimidating joining the widely-watched reality series [pictured with Harry Baron and James Taylor] Sage advice: 'My first week my friend James [Taylor, pictured] was like "be yourself, youre the guy, everyone will love you, get to know people and youll be fine". And that advice was good,' Miles explained Of his future on the show, it seems Miles is planning on sticking around for a while, as the cast gear up for their annual summer series. He said: 'Right now Im enjoying the show, the places, the people, the cast, the crew. Its important to get along with everyone and when you try and be in a hierarchy youre never going to make any friends. 'I just want people to know that Im a single guy whos enjoying it and enjoying life.' Made In Chelsea season 15 airs on Mondays at 9PM on E4. She is known for regularly sporting quirky ensembles. However Saoirse Ronan opted for sophisticated glamour as she attended the premier of her latest film, On Chesil Beach, in London on Tuesday. The Irish actress, 24, donned a figure-hugging black jumpsuit featuring sheer sections across her chest and arms, a far cry from her usual kooky style. Effortless: Saoirse Ronan opted for sophisticated glamour as she attended a premier of her latest film, On Chesil Beach, in London on Tuesday She kept her make-up fresh looking, with a hint of pale pink blush across her cheeks, highlighting her porcelain complexion. In keeping with the baby pink theme, Saoirse added a pair of chunky hooped earrings to her look as well as a swipe of shimmering shadow across her lids. Her cropped hair looked effortlessly cool as her sun-kissed tresses were styled in an unkept bob. Sheer sensation: The Irish actress, 24, donned a figure-hugging black jumpsuit featuring sheer sections across her chest and arms, a far cry from her usual kooky style Sophisticated: She kept her make-up fresh looking, with a hint of pale pink blush across her cheeks, highlighting her porcelain complexion Earlier in the day Saoirse was seen leaving BBC studios in a psychedelic co-ord after appearing on a radio show. She rocked the quirky ensemble as she stepped out of the studios and into the London sunshine. Her shocking pink blouse and flared trousers combo was adorned with an equally bright floral pattern. Absent: She was noticeably absent from the Met Gala on Monday evening with many fans on Twitter were demanding to know where Saoirse was The three-time Academy Award nominee added a pair of black bejewelled platform sandals to her retro look. The starlet wore her locks in her signature cropped style with minimal make-up, keeping the attention on her daring outfit. Many of Saoirse's fans on Twitter were demanding to know why she wasn't attending the annual Met Gala on Monday evening. Stepping out: However it appears the Irish actress gave the event a miss this year as she was spotted leaving BBC studios in London on Tuesday However it appears the Irish actress gave the event a miss this year as she attended both the appearances at BBC studios and her premier on Tuesday. Many social media users were disappointed by the non-attendance of Saoirse at annual fashion extravaganza, as famous faces descended on the Heavenly Bodies themed event. One Twitter user commented: 'What I want to know is where TF Saoirse Ronan was.' Before adding: 'WHY WAS SAOIRSE RONAN NOT AT THE MET GALA.' Another fan, also disappointed at her absence, wrote: 'Where is Saoirse Ronan at the Metgala?:(' While another added: 'Where is she? I'm waiting #MetGala' She previously admitted to spending a whopping $47,000 on cosmetic procedures. And while holidaying in Thailand this week, Bachelor In Paradise star Megan Marx revealed just how much she has changed in the past decade. In a video she posted to her Instagram Story on Tuesday, the 29-year-old looked completely wrinkle-free and displayed a notably plump pout Scroll down for video Too much Botox? Megan Marx looks VERY different in recent photos (left) as she shows off her completely wrinkle-free complexion and plump pout. Pictured right in her youth Too much Botox? Megan Marx looks VERY different in recent photos (left) as she shows off her completely wrinkle-free complexion and plump pout. Pictured right: Megan as a teenager In the clip, Megan has her hair pulled back away from her face and asks her followers for advice on what to wear to Fashion Week. Looking back at photos from Megan's youth, she appeared to have much thinner lips and less prominent cheeks. She even looks noticeably different today compared to promotional photos taken just two years ago, for the 2016 season of The Bachelor. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Megan for comment. Ongoing transformation? Megan even looks noticeably different today compared to promotional photos taken just two years ago, for the 2016 season of The Bachelor In April, the reality TV star told NW magazine that she went under the knife for a second nose job the previous month. The bisexual divorcee, who had an earlier 'liquid nose job' done with fillers, had her latest rhinoplasty procedure done by plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Zacharia. 'I like to eat healthy and work out, but no matter how much of that you do, your nose doesn't get any smaller,' she told the publication. Megan, who revealed she didn't wear a bikini 'until I was 24' due to being raised in a religious cult, admitted she did have breast augmentation surgery when she was 18. Honest: Megan, who revealed she didn't wear a bikini 'until I was 24' due to being raised in a religious cult, admitted she did have breast augmentation surgery when she was 18 'It's bizarre right? I hadn't even had sex yet and I saved up and didn't tell a single person I went to get them done,' she explained. After having her boobs done, Megan had fillers put in her cheeks, a 'lip lift' and Botox injected around her eyes - but told NW she was 'done with plastic surgery now'. When asked if she thought her male co-stars on Bachelor In Paradise had had similar work done, she was coy, saying: 'I'm not going to comment, sorry!' Extensive: After having her boobs done, Megan had fillers put in her cheeks, a 'lip lift' and Botox injected around her eyes Surgery: 'I like to eat healthy and work out, but no matter how much of that you do, your nose doesn't get any smaller,' Megan previously said She was much more open when it came to dishing on her fellow female contestants. 'Oh yeah! Lots of the girls (on Paradise) have probably had something done,' she said. Megan was introduced to TV audiences on The Bachelor in 2016. During the show, she dramatically quit despite being a front-runner to win Richie Strahan's heart. She's the stunning wife of Carlton captain Marc Murphy who became a first-time parent in January, giving birth to their son Max. And just 14 weeks after welcoming her bundle of joy, AFL WAG Jessie Murphy (nee Habermann) has stunned fans with her slender post-baby body. Posing in a figure-hugging pastel blue frock for an Instagram snap, Jessie's followers quickly praised the 28-year-old for looking 'flawless' as a new mother. 'If only I could look this good before a baby, let alone after!' AFL WAG Jessie Habermann stuns fans as she flaunts her slender figure in a short dress 14 weeks after welcoming her first child The gushing comments included: 'Most stunning mumma', 'she is flawless' and 'Wowsers. Love this outfit on you. Gorgeous mum'. Another fan wrote: 'If only I could look this incredible before a baby, let alone after!' 'You look amazing! I just gave birth (and) it'll take me a while before I get back into shape,' read a similar comment. Proud parents: The stunning wife of Carlton captain Marc Murphy (left) became a first-time parent in January, giving birth to their son Max Pretty in pink! As a fashion blogger, Jessie never shied away from wearing stylish numbers and impressive heels during her pregnancy. Pictured Jessie at nine months pregnant Jessie looked effortlessly chic in the light blue ensemble, which showed off her svelte waist and trim pins. As a fashion blogger, Jessie never shied away from wearing stylish numbers and impressive heels during her pregnancy. The Melbourne socialite has been busy doting over her newborn in the past few months, recently taking the bub for a walk in his stroller in an all-white ensemble. Bonding with bub! The Melbourne socialite has been busy doting over her newborn in the past few months, recently taking Max for a walk in his stroller in an all-white ensemble Jessie married Marc in a lavish ceremony in Melbourne in December 2016, after confirming their engagement in September 2015. She announced the birth of Max in January, writing on Instagram: 'Welcome to the world Max Murphy, born 14.01.18. @marcmurphy3 and I are so in love with you!' Since welcoming their adorable son, the couple have already debuted Max at an AFL game and on the red carpet. Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller has reportedly undergone 'six or seven chemotherapy treatments' since being diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, last month. 'She has a bunch more to go. The doctors are confident they caught it in time,' an insider told People on Tuesday. 'It's an awful situation, and she's really focusing on getting healthy now.' Scroll down for video Health woes: Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller has reportedly undergone 'six or seven chemotherapy treatments' since being diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, last month (pictured April 11) The 51-year-old ex-convict's health woes surfaced soon after her release from Victorville Women's Federal Prison Camp where she served a 366-day sentence for bankruptcy fraud. Abby believed she had a spinal infection after experiencing 'excruciating neck pain,' but Dr. Hooman M. Melamed discovered it was cancer after doing an emergency multi-level laminectomy on her April 17. 'If we didn't do something, she was going to die,' the orthopedic spine surgeon at Cedar Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital explained to People. 'Her blood pressure was bottoming out. She was not doing well.' An insider told People: 'She has a bunch more to go. The doctors are confident they caught it in time. It's an awful situation, and she's really focusing on getting healthy now' (pictured Friday) Stress: The 51-year-old ex-convict's health woes surfaced after her release from Victorville Women's Federal Prison Camp where she served a 366-day sentence for bankruptcy fraud 'She was going to die': Abby believed she had a spinal infection after experiencing 'excruciating neck pain,' but Dr. Hooman M. Melamed discovered it was cancer after doing an emergency multi-level laminectomy on her April 17 Miller - who lost 100lbs behind bars - posted images from her recovery for her captive, combined 4.2M social media followers, but she's said nothing about chemotherapy. On Sunday, the Pittsburgh native publicly cheered on members of her Abby Lee Dance Company and wrote: 'I want to be by the side of these kids but unfortunately I can't right now but I will be soon!' Aside from serving hard time for hiding $775K of Dance Moms income in secret bank accounts, the tyrannical choreographer was fined $40K and ordered to pay a $120K judgment last year. 'This gives a whole new meaning to being stabbed in the back!' Miller - who lost 100lbs behind bars - posted images from her recovery for her combined 4.2M social media followers, but she's said nothing about chemotherapy Her Home and Away character, Jasmine Delaney, is currently enjoying an on-screen romance with newcomer Tim Franklin, who plays policeman Colby. But Sam Frost appears to have found a new man in Summer Bay, as she shared a passionate kiss with Jake Ryan's character Robbo while filming on Monday. The 29-year-old actress flaunted her enviably slim figure in a pink bikini as she smooched the Summer Bay bad boy on set in Sydney's Palm Beach. Scroll down for video SPOILER ALERT: Moving on from Colby? Sam Frost (left) flaunted her bikini body while sharing a kiss with Jake Ryan (right) on set of Home and Away in Sydney's Palm Beach on Monday The pair looked utterly smitten as they greeted each other with a kiss on the lips during a romantic scene set in a park. After changing into different outfits, they later filmed a picnic scene. Sam opted for summer chic as she donned a white playsuit with sheer details and chic embroidery. Sticking to a stylish monochrome palette, she completed her look with a pair of white leather T-bar sandals. Looking good! The 29-year-old actress flaunted her svelte figure in a pink bikini Packing on the PDA! The pair looked utterly smitten as they greeted each other with a kiss on the lips during a romantic scene set in a park New couple alert? They seemed to be in happy spirits as they strolled along, with Jake slinging an arm around Sam's shoulders Meanwhile, Jake cut a laid-back figure in a denim shirt, which he teamed with black jeans and trainers. The on-screen lovebirds appeared to be thoroughly enjoying each other's company as they held hands and cuddled. They eventually settled on a blanket with beers and takeaway boxes, before sharing a sweet kiss. Come here, you! The characters didn't seem to care who saw them as they flaunted their new romance Beach babe: Former Bachelorette Sam showcased her lithe physique in an embellished bikini top and white sarong Sam and Jake, 34, are believed to be good friends - with the actor reportedly giving Sam tips on how to deal with the pressures of fame. 'Jake has been giving Sam advice on how to deal with the negativity, which comes with starring on such a huge show,' a source told Woman's Day last October. The insider added: 'They often catch up off screen and really make each other laugh.' Cute date: After changing into different outfits, Sam and Jake later filmed a picnic scene Steamy: They settled on a blanket with beers and takeaway boxes and shared a sweet kiss How sweet! The on-screen lovebirds appeared to be thoroughly enjoying each other's company as they held hands and cuddled Sam, who is in a long-term relationship with navy diver Dave Bashford, recently sparked rumours her character, Jasmine, could be pregnant. While filming scenes in Palm Beach last month, she was seen looking downcast as she placed her hands across her stomach. Sam stared thoughtfully into the distance and appeared to have a lot on her mind. Advice: Sam and Jake, 34, are believed to be good friends - with the actor reportedly giving Sam tips on how to deal with the pressures of fame Helpful: 'Jake has been giving Sam advice on how to deal with the negativity, which comes with starring on such a huge show,' a source told Woman's Day last October Last July, Channel Seven made the announcement that Sam would be joining Home and Away as a permanent cast member. Producers insisted the former reality TV star had blown them away with her audition, but the decision was nonetheless controversial. Some fans even accused the long-running show of stunt casting. Good pals: The insider said, 'They often catch up off screen and really make each other laugh' Exciting! Last July, Channel Seven made the announcement that Sam would be joining Home and Away as a permanent cast member However, Home Ada Nicodemou defended the decision, telling Daily Mail Australia at the time: 'I just think everyone should give the girl a break and enjoy watching her.' In December 2017, Sam made her debut on the Channel Seven soap. Home and Away airs on Seven weeknights from 7pm Summer Bay style: Sam opted for summer chic as she donned a white playsuit with sheer details and chic embroidery She's been jetting across America recording interviews for Channel Ten's The Project. And Lisa Wilkinson is now gearing up to take London by storm as she covers Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding on May 19. Having covered Kate Middleton and Prince William's royal wedding seven years ago, Lisa took to Instagram to gush about her second royal gig. 'So excited to be heading to London!' Lisa Wilkinson has gushed about the royal wedding as she gears up for her stint in London covering Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's big day on May 19 Posting a picture of the Duchess of Cambridge on her wedding day, Lisa captioned the post: 'So excited to be heading to London next week to cover the royal wedding of Harry and Meghan for The Project and Ten Daily.' Continuing, she wrote: 'Cant wait to see what Meghan creates with Aussie designers @ralphandrusso, but heres a reminder of just how exquisite Kates @alexandermcqueen dress was...' Meanwhile, fellow veteran TV star Ita Buttrose, 76, has reportedly been 'snubbed' from fronting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's big day. A royal affair! Lisa captioned the post: 'So excited to be heading to London next week to cover the royal wedding of Harry and Meghan for The Project and Ten Daily' Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Ita said she 'doesn't have a clue' why she's staying put while Ten's showbiz reporter Angela Bishop is allegedly being sent over, simply adding: 'Cest la vie'. Ita was previously sent to London to cover the royal weddings of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson and and Kate Middleton. Not long after news hit that she would not be at the wedding, Ita sensationally quit Network Ten's daily morning show, Studio 10, making her final appearance on Anzac Day. No gig? Meanwhile, fellow veteran TV star Ita Buttrose, 76, has reportedly been 'snubbed' from fronting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's big day Swiftly following Jessica Rowe's exit from the show in March, Ita shared: 'I have had a long involvement with Network Ten, stretching back many years. I've had five great years on Studio 10, but it is time for me to move on and focus on other parts of my life, including spending more time with my grandchildren and writing.' As for Channel Nine, Today co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Georgie Gardner are said to be leading the royal coverage in the British headquarters. The network will be joining forces with its British and American affiliates to host the coverage, and will have Allison Langdon, Lizzie Pearl, Laura Turner, Michael Best and Seb Costello on the ground. Geena Davis's husband Reza Jarrahy has filed for divorce after 16 years of marriage. The craniofacial surgeon, 47, cited irreconcilable differences in legal documents fled Tuesday, according to TMZ, and stated the couple have been separated since November. It was the 62-year-old actress's fourth marriage. Split: Geena Davis, 62, and Reza Jarrahy, 47, are divorcing after 17 years of marriage. The doctor filed legal documents Tuesday citing irreconcilable differences and saying they have been separated since November 2017 (pictured that month in LA) Jarrahy is seeking spousal support and also joint legal and physical custody of the couple's three children - twin 14-year-old sons Kaiis and Kian and daughter Alizeh, 16. TMZ says the doctor is asking the judge to deny any request from Davis for spousal support and filed the divorce petition under the names Rob Doe vs. Veronica Doe. The Iranian-American was 27 when he met the Thelma & Louise star, then 42, at a party. They married on September 1, 2001, and started their family the following year. Jarrahy is seeking spousal support and joint legal and physical custody of the couple's three children - twin 14-year-old sons Kaiis and Kian and daughter Alizeh, 16, pictured May 2017 Most recent appearance: Davis took part in the 4th Annual Bentonville Film Festival, which she co-founded, in Arkansas this past Saturday Prior to meeting Jarrahy, Davis had married and divorced three times. She first wed restaurant owner Richard Emmolo in March 1982after living together for three year sbut the marriage fell apart the following year as her acting career started to take off. In 1987, the actress tied the knot with actor Jeff Goldblum with whom she starred in 1985's Transylvania 6-5000 and 1986's The Fly. They went on to make Earth Girls Are Easy together released in 1989 but divorced in 1990. From 1993 to 1998, Davis was wed to director Renny Harlin for whom she starred in Cutthroat Island and The Long Kiss Goodnight. Husband no. 2: Davis married her The Fly co-star Jeff Goldblum in 1987 after the failure of her first marriage. The couple are pictured at the Oscars in 1990, divorcing later that year Husband no. 3: From 1993 to 1998, Davis was wed to director Renny Harlin for whom she starred in Cutthroat Island and The Long Kiss Goodnight. They're pictured in 1993 Speaking in 2006 about her relationships prior to meeting Jarrahy, Davis said: 'I was always in the type of relationship where everything was about the other person. I'd find my worth through sacrificing everything for his sake.' 'And that had everything to do with my own feelings about myself; the guys I was with felt pretty great about themselves all on their own -- they didn't need me to fix them because they weren't damaged. But I sure was,' she told Good Housekeeping. She acknowledged that the age gap between herself and Jarrahy seemed to be a stumbling block to any relationship at first, but explained to Good Housekeeping, that the more time they spent together, the less important it seemed. In fact, she felt that the romance with the handsome young doctor was the healthiest one she had ever been in. 'I really did feel that I had turned a corner, that I had pulled off changes that were real and permanent,' she told the publication. 'And it was exciting to know I was marrying someone who I can be cranky or selfish in front of and he doesn't run screaming from the room or judge me for it. It's like I discovered a whole other way to live.' No obstacle: Davis acknowledged that the age gap between herself and Jarrahy seemed to be a stumbling block to any relationship at first, but explained to Good Housekeeping in 2006, that the more time they spent together, the less important it seemed She has reportedly 'cut off' any of her former castmates who are seen in public with her ex-husband Telv Williams and his new girlfriend. But it seems Married At First Sight's Sarah Roza, 38, remains on good terms with co-stars Ashley Irvin and Charlene Perera, with the trio putting on a friendly display as they attended Miss Ping's Thai Eatery Launch in Melbourne on Tuesday. Showing no signs of bad blood, the trio were all smiles as they posed arm-in-arm on the media wall at the exclusive launch party. Friendly display: It seems Married At First Sight's Sarah Roza, 38, remains on good terms with co-stars Ashley Irvin and Charlene Perera, with the trio putting on a friendly display as they attended Miss Ping's Thai Eatery Launch in Melbourne on Tuesday Wearing her new pastel pink locks down, Sarah paired her new hair colour with a matching tight-fitted dress. Working the salmon-hued dress, the beauty therapist added an edgy touch to her look with a leather jacket. Ashley also left her long blonde locks down, wearing a sexy all-black ensemble. Sweet as candy: Wearing her new pastel pink locks down, Sarah paired her new hair colour with a matching tight-fitted dress Think pink! Working the salmon-hued dress, the beauty therapist added an edgy touch to her look with a leather jacket LBD: Ashley also left her long blonde locks down, wearing a sexy all-black ensemble Strike a pose: Meanwhile, Charlene opted for a crisp-white shirt with bell-sleeve detailing Wearing a pair of heeled ankle-high boots, the 28-year-old added a pop of cherry-red lipstick to her lips. Meanwhile, Charlene opted for a crisp-white shirt with bell-sleeve detailing. Keeping her look understated the reality star added a pair of simple black skinny jeans and a some heeled boots. Girl gang: Later on, the trio were seen chatting away and enjoying each other's company inside the venue Later on, the trio were seen chatting away and enjoying each other's company inside the venue. It comes after a source close to Sarah told Daily Mail Australia that she has been 'blacklisting' anyone who spends time with Telv and his new love interest, Maddie Carolan. 'Sarah has p**sed a lot of people off. If any of the MAFS guys are even seen with Telv and his girlfriend she cuts them off and won't be seen out with them,' the insider said. 'Sarah has p**sed a lot of people off': It comes after a source close to Sarah told Daily Mail Australia that she has been 'blacklisting' anyone who spends time with Telv and his new love interest, Maddie Carolan She's preparing to give birth to her first child, a son, any day now. And Eva Longoria was absolutely glowing when she stepped out with husband Jose Baston, 50, on Tuesday. Enjoying a lunch date at Beverly Hill's E Baldi, the 43-year-old was all smiles while showcasing her burgeoning baby bump. Scroll down for video She's got that pregnancy glow: Eva Longoria was absolutely glowing on Tuesday when she stepped out with husband Jose Baston on Tuesday for a lunch ate in Beverly Hills Eva sported a forest green maxi dress for the outing. The frock donned a low v-neck which showcased her ample cleavage. The stunner completed her look with a black bomber jacket. Stylish: Eva sported a forest green maxi dress for the outing Beauty: She had her signature brunette locks out and effortlessly flowing over her shoulders Eva kept comfortable with flat white sandals. She had her signature brunette locks out and effortlessly flowing over her shoulders. The Desperate Housewives star donned a radiant complexion with flushed cheeks and dark liner around her eyes. Radient: The Desperate Housewives star donned a radiant complexion with flushed cheeks and dark liner around her eyes Not long to go: Eva is expecting her first child, a boy, any day now Chic and trendy: Eva accessorized with a cross-body designer Chloe bag Eva accessorized with a cross-body designer Chloe bag. Hand-in-hand with the mother-to-be, Jose led the way in a navy polo shirt and light grey trousers. The media mogul had his hair tied back off his face and he sported a well-groomed beard. Over the weekend, Eva celebrated her baby shower. Loved up: Hand-in-hand with the mother-to-be, Jose led the way in a navy polo shirt and light grey trousers Happy times: Over the weekend, Eva celebrated her baby shower Wearing angelic white, the stunner overcame tears of joy when surrounded by her friends and families including a surprise visit from Jose. A source told People: 'Eva wore a strapless, white dress and was glowing. She kept laughing and touching her baby bump.' 'They played several baby games and Eva was in the best mood. At the end of the shower, Pepe showed up and Eva got very emotional. He thanked the guests for coming and said that they can't wait to meet their baby. It was a very special baby shower,' continued the source. Surrounded by love: Wearing angelic white, Eva was overcome by tears of joy when she was surrounded by her friends and families including a surprise visit from Jose during her baby shower So much love: A source told People: 'Eva wore a strapless, white dress and was glowing. She kept laughing and touching her baby bump' Guests - including the likes of Marcia Cross, Melanie Griffith, Sophia Bush, Elizabeth Banks and Roselyn Sanchez - were treated to a day of pampering with neck massages and manicures as they cooled down with wine and Bloody Marys. After dating for two-and-a-half years, Jose proposed to Eva during a December trip to Dubai in 2015. The pair wed in a Mexican celebration in May 2016 before confirming at the end of last year that they were expecting a baby boy. Brynne Edelsten enjoyed a 'date night' with her boyfriend Leno Cachia in Melbourne last week. And on Tuesday the brand new couple were spotted packing on the PDA at Miss Ping's Thai Eatery launch in Melbourne. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday the 35-year-old confirmed the burgeoning romance: 'Yes, I am in a relationship with Leno Cachia. We met on New Year's Eve and have been seeing each other romantically since March.' Scroll down for video Get a room! Brynne Edelsten packs on the PDA with boyfriend Leno Cachia as they attend Miss Ping's Thai Eatery launch in Melbourne During the pair's appearance at the VIP event, the busty socialite planted a kiss on the cheek of her male suitor. Dressed in a thigh-skimming pink lace frock, the bubbly blonde beamed as her boyfriend canoodled her neck. In true Brynne style, she sported full-coverage makeup and styled her platinum blonde locks into pageant queen curls. Meanwhile Leno cut a casual figure in a button-up shirt and a pair of whiskered denim jeans. Racy display: Dressed in a thigh-skimming pink lace frock, the bubbly blonde beamed as her boyfriend canoodled her neck Casual: Meanwhile Leno cut a casual figure in a button-up shirt and a pair of whiskered denim jeans He added hard-edged detailing to his outfit by stringing a silver chain between his belt loops. At one point during the impromptu photo shoot, the smitten pair playfully posed in pink visors provided by the ping-pong themed venue. Last week, the busty socialite was spotted walking hand in hand with Leno in Melbourne. High-octane glam: In true Brynne fashion she sported full-coverage makeup and styled her platinum blonde locks into pageant queen curls Cute: The pair continued to put on an amorous display for onlookers as Leno was pictured placing his hand on the busty blonde's belly During the evening Byrnne took to Instagram to share a number of photo's of the pair, accompanied by the hashtag: 'date night.' Earlier this year, Brynne - who was once married to Geoffrey Edelsten - announced her split from Coby Boatman, 25, after just two months of dating. 'I actually broke up with Coby and moved out late last year. I wish her the best but have nothing to do with her,' she told Daily Mail Australia in January. Pretty in pink! At one point during the impromptu photo shoot, the duo playfully posed in pink visors It's over! Earlier this year, Brynne announced her split from Coby Boatman, 25, after just two months of dating Tensions are high on House Rules, as the teams battle to renovate an entire house in one week. And on Wednesday's episode, Chiara exploded at husband David as they worked on former AFL star Jared Petrenko's home. 'I don't have time for this s**t!' Chiara raged. Scroll down for video 'I don't have time for this s**t!' House Rules' Chiara EXPLODES at husband David (pictured together) as they renovate AFL star Jared Petrenko's 'lad pad' The couple bickered over the floor space for their areas, which are the entry and master bedroom. Chiara was happy to give up floor space to rivals Leigh and Kristie - but David wasn't impressed. 'I don't have time for this s**t, I need to get the f**king room done,' Chiara yelled. Crunch time! The couple bickered over the floor space for their areas, which are the entry and master bedroom She added: 'We've already sorted out zones with them, why can't you just go with that?' Meanwhile, contestants Kim and Michelle observed how much the couple 'bicker'. Chiara and David made amends later in the episode and agreed to speak to their rivals about the floor space, resolving the issue. Fuming: Chiara was happy to give up floor space to rivals Leigh and Kristie - but David wasn't impressed 'It meant a lot to Chiara and myself to see how nice they could be,' David said. The teams are renovating Jared and his partner Jess' home, and trying to turn it into a 'love nest' for them. The 'house rules' for their property are: 'to bring New York to the suburbs with warehouse style', 'colour with dark green and pale pinks', 'find iconic black and white photography', 'do something different with feature walls in every room' and to 'flow timber and brick throughout'. Her ex-boyfriend Grant Kemp sensationally claimed that she 'cheated' on him with his friend while staying at his Los Angeles home. And now some viewers are calling for Ali Oetjen to be replaced as Bachelorette after she was accused of being unfaithful. Following Grant's bombshell KIIS FM interview on Tuesday, fans took to social media to urge Network Ten to find somebody new. Scroll down for video Will Ali Oetjen be replaced? Fans are divided over the new Bachelorette after her ex-boyfriend Grant Kemp made extraordinary claims about their breakup earlier this week Responding to Grant's 'cheating' claims about Ali, 32, one viewer commented: 'Pretty sure she won't be the Bachelorette if that's legit. 'She's limited the comments on her Instagram - don't think Channel Ten will want her series sabotaged before it starts.' Another vented: 'Very disappointing. The people making decisions need to be reviewed. The choices for Sophie Monk were disappointing and now this. Wont be watching.' One fan even called for Ali to be replaced by Bachelor In Paradise's Lisa Hyde. Allegations: Ali's ex-boyfriend Grant Kemp sensationally claimed that she cheated on him with his friend while staying at his Los Angeles home back in March Debate: Some viewers are calling for Ali Oetjen to be replaced as Bachelorette after she was accused of being unfaithful 'Before you start taping, you should consider changing who the Bachelorette is... Lisa all the way,' they suggested. However, other Bachelorette fans flocked to Ali's defence, insisting that they 'can't wait' to see her find love on the show. 'You deserve so much better. You're such a darling. God bless you, can't wait to see you on the Bachelorette. Go girl,' one supporter wrote. Support: However, other Bachelorette fans flocked to Ali's defence, insisting that they 'can't wait' to see her find love on the show A similar comment read: 'People are being mean for the sake of being mean. Good luck you deserve to find love.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Network Ten for comment. The fan discussion comes after Grant made extraordinary claims about Ali 'cheating' on him during a trip to Los Angeles in March. The American firefighter, 29, told The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday that Ali had only been staying at his house for four days before she was allegedly unfaithful. 'I had left to go and find my friends. I came back inside and [a man] was going down on her on my stairs. So I kicked her out of my house that night,' he said on-air. 'I ended up kicking her out of my house': The fan discussion comes after Grant (left) made extraordinary claims about Ali 'cheating' on him during a trip to Los Angeles in March Explaining the 'incident', Grant claimed that he and Ali had returned to his home with several other friends after visiting a nightclub in LA. That night, at around 2:15am, he briefly left the house to greet other guests, as he lives in a gated community, and was gone for just 'five minutes'. He returned to the house with a friend, Sabrina, and claimed they both walked in on Ali receiving oral sex from a male house guest. Grant said: 'Her plan was to get a job in LA and move in with me. What basically happened was, she was there for four days before this whole thing went down and I ended up kicking her out of my house.' 'Betrayal': The American firefighter, 29, told The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday that Ali had only been staying at his house for four days before she was allegedly unfaithful Grant explained he was in love with Ali before her alleged infidelity and demanded that she pack her suitcases and leave. 'She went to a hotel and I guess she left the next night,' he added. According to Grant, Ali repeatedly messaged him that night and so he blocked her. 'She was like, "Please, please, I hate myself for this. I'm so sorry, I can't believe I did that. That's not me,"' he said. 'It's like, "Dude you did it, I don't care if you were drunk or not, that's no excuse."' Elsewhere in the interview, Grant said he'd noticed some 'red flags' about Ali before he supposedly caught her cheating. He explained he had not seen Ali drunk on Bachelor In Paradise because alcohol was moderated on set, and was surprised by her behaviour. Claims: Grant explained he was in love with Ali before her alleged infidelity and demanded that she pack her suitcases and leave Grant claimed that he wanted to speak out publicly because it had previously been reported that Ali broke up with him after he suggested a threesome. He denied this was the case, however, telling KIIS FM that was the 'opposite' of what happened. 'I was getting attacked because of the articles that went out about the threesome offer and Ali running home scared. That's not what happened,' he said. Ali and Grant had decided to stay together at the end of Bachelor In Paradise. However, at the conclusion of the episode, it was revealed that the couple had split shortly after Ali flew to visit Grant in Los Angeles. The blonde reality TV star was then announced as Australia's new Bachelorette. She joyfully announced last month she was expecting her first child with her British advertising executive husband Howard Moggs. Now seven months along in her pregnancy, former Home And Away actress Esther Anderson has proudly put her baby bump on display a mirror selfie. In the snap shared to Instagram on Tuesday, the star was seen in a tiny black bikini which showed off her growing body, with a smiling Esther looking carefree. Oh, baby! Former Home And Away star Esther Anderson proudly shows off her growing baby bump in a mirror selfie wearing a tiny black bikini Captioning the post shared with her 76,900 followers, the 38-year-old wrote: ' Lovin it!' Completing her post, she added a baby emoji, in addition to a smiley faced one. The sweet image rallied more than 7,000 likes and counting, with one fan offering: 'Pregnancy definitely suits you. You look amazing.' Bumping along! Esther's first child is due in July this year During an appearance on The Morning Show in late April, the mum-to-be revealed she was cast in her first Hollywood movie just weeks after discovering she was pregnant. 'It was something that we had hoped for and planned,' Esther explained to the hosts of the show. 'However, I'd just got offered a film role the month we got pregnant so we weren't trying at that specific time.' Hollywood baby! During an appearance on The Morning Show in late April, the mum-to-be revealed she was cast in her first Hollywood movie just weeks after discovering she was pregnant Due to give birth in July, the rising star added: 'The baby wanted to come so we're really happy.' Esther also explained on the show that it was near the end of filming her role that she was forced to reveal she was expecting as she was no longer able to hide her growing baby bump. 'Towards the end of the shoot I was five months pregnant, so I had to tell the producers, "Is this going to be a problem?" And they were amazing. We shot behind desks and you know, we hid it well,' the actress said. Esther's first Hollywood flick is Method in the Madness, where she is gearing up to star alongside familiar faces including Teri Hatcher, Kevin Smith and Danny Trejo. The United States extended congratulations to Nikol Pashinyan as the new Prime Minister of Armenia. May 9, 2018, 09:27 USA congratulates Nikol Pashinyan as new PM of Armenia STEPANAKERT, MAY 9, ARTSAKHPRESS:The United States congratulates Nikol Pashinyan as the new Prime Minister of Armenia. We look forward to working closely with the new government and with the people of Armenia on the many areas of shared interest between our countries, including increasing trade, working in support of democracy and rule of law, and safeguarding regional and global security, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press statement. She's the PR queen known to splash her hard-earned cash on designer outfits, expensive jewellery and luxury vehicles. But on Wednesday, Roxy Jacenko appeared to spend $1,000 on a pair of shoes that she didn't even like as part of a bizarre office joke. Trying on a pair of Balenciaga Crocs at the Sweaty Betty HQ in Sydney, Roxy teetered around the room in the 10cm-high pink platforms. Scroll down for video What a Croc! PR queen Roxy Jacenko laughed while teetering around in $1,000 10cm-tall platform Balenciaga shoes she bought as a JOKE on Wednesday The charm-embellished clogs retail for $1,195 on Balenciaga's Australian website. Roxy's staffers Grace Garrick and Holly Asser couldn't help but comment on their boss' new purchase, writing: 'WTF' and 'love the fox'. The blonde publicist captioned the photo of herself wearing the quirky shoes: 'I was always fond of Crocs so these Balenciaga ones were a given.' Fashion faux pas? The 37-year-old appeared to spend $1,000 on a pair of shoes that she didn't even like as part of a bizarre office joke Money well spent? Roxy's staffers Grace Garrick and Holly Asser couldn't help but comment on their boss' new purchase, writing: 'WTF' and 'love the fox' In a close-up snap, fans could see the various charms - including a pug, a shooting star, flowers, the Eiffel Tower and an avocado - that adorned the shoes. In another video, Roxy pleaded with Grace not to share the clip to social media, complaining that her legs were 'too white'. The shoes divided Roxy's fans, with some claiming they were 'hideous' and 'horrible', and users asking: 'You are kidding! Right?!' Charmed life? In a close-up snap, fans could see the various charms - including a pug, a shooting star, flowers, the Eiffel Tower and an avocado - that adorned the shoes Some of her followers saw the funny side, writing comments such as: 'LOL sexy', 'this is gold', 'OMG' and 'they're very "extra"'. The shoes were made available for pre-order in the US on the Barney's website on February 1st, where they initially sold out in just a few hours. When Balenciaga showed off their platform Crocs on the catwalk during Paris Fashion Week last year, they sparked fierce debate on social media. They made Monday night's Met Gala a family affair. And Kris Jenner was surrounded by her beautiful daughters once again on Tuesday in New York, where she attended a dinner hosted by The Business Of Fashion in honor of its latest print edition featuring the one and only Kim Kardashian. The notorious momager, 62, paraded her legs in a V-neck cocktail dress, fishnet tights, and sparkling Christian Louboutin heels while celebrating Mrs. West's magazine with her youngest girls Kendall and Kylie Jenner. Great gams! Notorious momager Kris Jenner, 62, attended a dinner hosted by The Business Of Fashion in honor of its latest print edition featuring Kim Kardashian on Tuesday night in New York Kris's dress dipped low to show off a hint of cleavage while the twice-married businesswoman drew extra attention to her bust with a diamond choker. Long puffed sleeves with ruffles offset her frock's thigh skimming hem. She added a bit of extra glitz with diamonds on almost every finger. Guest of honor Kim K was pure sunshine in a yellow Versace gown which cinched her waist with a corset-like bodice and ribbons. Date night! Kris brought along beau Corey Gamble, 37, who looked handsome in a black velvet jacket and navy blue shirt Diamonds are a girls best friend! Kris's dress dipped low to show off a hint of cleavage while the twice-married businesswoman drew extra attention to her bust with a diamond choker Family matters! Kris was surrounded by her beautiful daughters Tuesday in New York The social media starlet also let her legs take some attention, as a dramatic slit crept up her thigh. Adding a 90s touch, Kim pinned her long, sleek tresses out of her face with two gold hairpins. Kris brought along beau Corey Gamble, 37, who looked handsome in a black velvet jacket and navy blue shirt. Inside, the ex of Caitlyn Jenner posed with fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger and his wife Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger. Fashion elite: Inside, the ex of Caitlyn Jenner and her arm candy posed with fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger and his wife Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger Huff and puff! Long puffed sleeves with ruffles offset the thigh skimming hem on Kris's dress Bright idea! Guest of honor Kim K was pure sunshine in a yellow Versace gown which cinched her waist with a corset-like bodice and ribbons Earlier in the day, Kris took over 20-year-old daughter Kylie's social media to reveal her upcoming makeup collab with the beauty mogul. The collection is due out Mothers Day and features a collection of mini lip colors, a palette of eyeshadow, another set with highlight and blush, as well as a signature lipstick and matching liner. The momager extraordinaire is the latest family member to collaborate with Kylie on a cosmetics line. Last month, new mom Kylie unveiled a full line of eyeshadows and lipsticks with sister Kourtney to celebrate her 39th birthday. She's a doting mother to two children - one-year-old Dominic and four-year-old Violet. And Rachael Finch hinted on Wednesday that she might be a pregnant for a third time, as she confessed that she was getting suspicious cravings. The 30-year-old model and presenter admitted she'd already eaten three times before 1pm that day - a habit that she only ever had when she was pregnant. Hmm: Rachael Finch hinted on Wednesday that she might be a pregnant for a third time, as she confessed that she was getting suspicious cravings 'These hunger pangs are the same as pregnancy for some reason,' she admitted, while appearing on The Daily Edition with Sonny and Violet. When probed, she admitted worriedly: 'I haven't checked yet! Trip to the chemist on the way home maybe.' The Miss Universe 2009 finalist then seemed keen to clarify things, and insisted: 'I'm not pregnant, just to set the record straight.' The brunette beauty also discussed her relationship with husband Michael Miziner, who she married in 2013 - three years after they met on Dancing With The Stars. Interesting: The 30-year-old model and presenter admitted she'd already eaten three times before 1pm - a habit that she only ever had when she was pregnant (with husband Michael Miziner) Sweet: She's already a doting mother to two children - one-year-old Dominic and four-year-old Violet She admitted that the 'most interesting thing' about him was that he leaves his 'dirty underwear' everywhere. 'He really enjoys putting his dirty socks and underwear wherever he wants to. I have really had to learn to let that go,' Rachael joked. She then added seriously: 'And how important teamwork is in a relationship. 'We do everything together, all of our businesses and the program and 24 hours and seven days a week it is us together. I think that has helped shape the relationship and help us grow as a couple.' Oh dear: 'These hunger pangs are the same as pregnancy for some reason,' she admitted, while appearing on The Daily Edition with Sonny and Violet Eek! When probed, she admitted worriedly: 'I haven't checked yet! Trip to the chemist on the way home maybe' Asked if they ever get sick of each other, she confessed: 'I am shamed to admit this, but not really. I think we have a good yin and yang personality. 'There are definitely moments when I want to go off and do my yoga class or read a book on the beach. But it is rare.' Rachael also admitted that she had assumed dancer Michael was gay when they first met on Dancing With The Stars. Cute couple: The brunette beauty also discussed her relationship with husband Michael Miziner, who she married in 2013 - three years after they met on Dancing With The Stars 'I remember standing in that rehearsal studio before the show, not having a clue who my partner was,' she recalled. 'And I look at him and thought no-one this good-looking and manicured from top to toe can be straight.' The pair hit it off straight away and sat chatting in a cafe downstairs for hours until it closed after their first rehearsal. 'They were sweeping us out of there. I think that I knew then that is when I got to know him a lot and three weeks later I had my toothbrush in his apartment and it was amazing,' she gushed. She's the busy footy WAG balancing motherhood with a media career and activewear business. And Rebecca Judd offered a glimpse into her family life on Wednesday, sharing a preview of her Mother & Baby photo shoot. The mum-of-four, 35, debuted the magazine cover via Instagram, telling her followers to pick up a copy 'just in time for Mother's Day'. Family life: Footy WAG Rebecca Judd stuns on the cover of Mother & Baby alongside her 19-month-old twins Tom and Darcy for a Mother's Day photo shoot In the photo shoot, Rebecca looked simply sensational in a white slogan T-shirt, jeans and knitted pink cardigan. She styled her hair in glossy waves and accessorised with gold statement earrings. The Postcards host posed alongside her 19-month-old twin sons, Tom and Darcy, who wore cute matching outfits. Cover girl: The mum-of-four, 35, debuted the magazine cover via Instagram, telling her followers to pick up a copy 'just in time for Mother's Day' She captioned her Instagram post: 'Oh hey! Grab yourselves a copy of Mother & Baby which hits shelves tomorrow (Thursday) just in time for Mother's Day.' During a recent interview with The Australian Women's Weekly, Rebecca admitted she didn't feel an instant bond with her first son Oscar, now six. 'When Oscar came out, I didn't have that instant bond,' she admitted. 'It was a shock. You hear when this baby comes out and it's all tears and it's almost like you can hear this magical music playing, and it wasn't like that.' Struggles: During a recent interview with The Australian Women's Weekly , Rebecca admitted she didn't feel an instant bond with her first son Oscar, now six She added: 'The obstetrician was saying, "Take your baby," and it dawned on me with a thud: he's your responsibility.' However, Rebecca revealed that once her maternal side kicked in and she fell in love with her newborn, the experience of being a mother was both 'overwhelming and amazing'. Mother & Baby is available in newsagents now Bachelor In Paradise's Grant Kemp accused his ex-girlfriend Ali Oetjen of 'cheating on him' during an explosive interview on Tuesday's The Kyle and Jackie O Show. And on Wednesday, radio hosts Kyle Sandilands, 46, and Jackie 'O' Henderson, 43, attempted to call up the new Bachelorette to hear her 'side of the story'. After failing to get through, Kyle left a voicemail on Ali's ARN work phone, advising her to 'front' the allegations and forgo the 'bulls**t'. Scroll down for video 'I just want all the bulls**t gone!' Kyle and Jackie O called up Ali Oetjen demanding to know her side of the story after Grant Kemp accused the new Bachelorette of 'cheating on him' He began: 'Hi Ali, Kyle and Jackie O from KIIS in Sydney, what's happening? We wanted to get you on to get your side of this well very one-sided story we heard yesterday. 'What I'd suggest to you - being the guy that knows everything about media in this country - I'd get out in front of this. 'Don't let it drag you through the dirt. Get out in front of it. Come on with us and get it all sorted out. What do you think Jackie?' Bombshell claims: Bachelor In Paradise's Grant accused his ex-girlfriend Ali of 'cheating on him' during an explosive interview on Tuesday's The Kyle and Jackie O Show 'Well, I think that would be nice... we'd love to chat to you again,' Jackie responded. 'The last chat was a bit stilted, I just want all the bulls**t gone!' Kyle added, referencing their awkward interview with Ali late last month. 'We'll munch through all this stuff, we'll figure it out, we'll get to the bottom of it,' Kyle added. Earlier this week, Grant made more extraordinary claims about Ali 'cheating' on him during a trip to Los Angeles in March. He said what?! The American firefighter, 29, claimed that Ali had only been staying at his house in Los Angeles for four days before she was allegedly unfaithful The American firefighter, 29, told The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday that Ali had only been staying at his house for four days before she was allegedly unfaithful. 'I had left to go and find my friends. I came back inside and [a man] was going down on her on my stairs. So I kicked her out of my house that night,' he said on-air. Explaining the 'incident', Grant claimed that he and Ali had returned to his home with several other friends after visiting a nightclub in LA. That night, at around 2:15am, he briefly left the house to greet other guests, as he lives in a gated community, and was gone for just 'five minutes'. He returned to the house with a friend, Sabrina, and claimed they both walked in on Ali receiving oral sex from a male house guest. Allegations: Grant explained he was in love with Ali before her supposed infidelity and demanded that she pack her suitcases and leave Grant explained he was in love with Ali before her alleged infidelity and demanded that she pack her suitcases and leave. 'She went to a hotel and I guess she left the next night,' he added. According to Grant, Ali repeatedly messaged him that night and so he blocked her. 'She was like, "Please, please, I hate myself for this. I'm so sorry, I can't believe I did that. That's not me,"' he said. 'It's like, "Dude you did it, I don't care if you were drunk or not, that's no excuse."' 'Don't let it drag you through the dirt. Get out in front of it. Come on with us and get it all sorted out. What do you think Jackie?' Kyle suggested that Ali clear the air in a follow-up interview Ali and Grant had decided to stay together at the end of Bachelor In Paradise. However, at the conclusion of the episode, it was revealed that the couple had split shortly after Ali flew to visit Grant in Los Angeles. It was then announced she was going to be Australia's next Bachelorette. The professional Dancing With The Stars dancer gave birth to twins two weeks ago with husband Robert Herjavec. And on Monday, Australian TV star Kym Johnson Herjavec was spotted displaying her slender post-baby body as she stepped out for some food in Los Angeles. The mother, 41, cut a casual figure in pink shorts and a loose-fitting blue button-up shirt as she carried a takeaway bag and cup from Shake Shack. DWTS pro Kym Johnson Herjavec shows off slender post-baby body as she's seen out for first time since welcoming twins in April with Shark Tank star husband Robert Herjavec It marks Kym's first public outing since she welcomed her twins; son Hudson Robert and daughter Haven Mae. Kym welcomed her first children into the world with American Shark Tank investor husband on April 23, after the couple turned to IVF in hopes of starting a family. The ballroom dancer and media personality showed off her slender legs in the thigh-skimming bubbly skirt, as she carried the paper bag of food. Opting for comfort, Kym traded heels for a stylish pair of white sneakers. She teamed her ensemble with tan aviator sunglasses and a brown handbag. Keeping it casual! The ballroom dancer and media personality showed off her slender legs in the thigh-skimming bubbly skirt, as she carried the paper bag of food from Shake Shack Two weeks ago, Kim announced the birth of her twins on Instagram with a picture of husband Robert with two bundles of joy in his arms. '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,' she captioned the sweet shot. The dancer married the Canadian businessman in 2016 after they fell in love while partnering on the American ABC reality dancing competition in 2015. They're here: Kym Johnson shared this black and white snap to her Instagram in April showing husband Robert Herjavec holding their newborn twins Kym recently told People that she was 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 before giving birth. Robert already has three children - two daughters and a son - from his first marriage to Diane Plese. 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 The couple 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. He accompanied his wife Nicole Kidman to the hospital to visit her 78-year-old mother Janelle on Tuesday. But it was back to work for Keith Urban a day later, as he appeared in a photoshoot to promote his ninth album, Graffiti U. The 50-year-old crooner, whose album nabbed the top spot in the country charts this week, looked utterly at home as he posed with his guitar. Man of the hour: Keith Urban cut a suave figure as he appeared in a photoshoot to promote his ninth album, Graffiti U Discussing the impressive reception to his new release, he gushed that he was 'so grateful' to his fans. 'My audience, including those that have found my music more recently, has given me an amazing gift,' Urban told Billboard. 'They've connected with the music, come out and seen us live and given so much to the shows, and they've come with me on this ongoing journey.' He continued: 'They're the ones that have made Graffiti U No. 1 and, for that, I'm so grateful.' Here he is: The 50-year-old crooner, whose album nabbed the top spot in the country charts this week, looked utterly at home as he posed with his guitar Taking centre-stage: Discussing the impressive reception to his new release, he gushed that he was 'so grateful' to his fans The good news comes after he accompanied his actress wife Nicole Kidman to Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital on Tuesday, shortly after touching down in Sydney. The country crooner was seen leaving the facility with the Big Little Lies star after they both visited Nicole's 78-year-old mother Janelle. Nicole's longtime publicist Wendy Day revealed to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that Janelle had been in hospital for 'routine tests'. 'She's been in for a couple of days but she's coming home today, I believe,' she said. Grateful: 'They've connected with the music, come out and seen us live and given so much to the shows, and they've come with me on this ongoing journey,' he said Keith arrived in Sydney on an early flight on Tuesday, and appeared to waste no time in heading to the hospital to support his wife. He cut a casual figure in jeans, boots and a grey hooded sweatshirt and wore dark shades to conceal his eyes from onlookers. Nicole and Keith were later seen leaving the Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital in a chauffeured car. Supportive: It comes one day after he accompanied his wife Nicole Kidman to the hospital to visit her 78-year-old mother Janelle (PICTURED: Nicole with her mother Janelle in 2004) In March, Nicole posted a gushing tribute to her mother on her 78th birthday, writing: 'You've loved me, guided me and taught me and I am so blessed to have you.' During her Golden Globes acceptance speech earlier this year, the actress also took the opportunity to praise Janelle, gushing: 'My mumma was an advocate for the women's movement when I was growing up, and because of her I'm standing here. 'My achievements are her achievements. Antonia Kidman, my sister, and I say thank you Janelle Kidman for what you fought for so hard.' Real Housewives Of Melbourne star Susie McLean recently confirmed her split from comedian Mick Molloy. And the reality star recently hit the beach in an effort to mend her broken heart. The 49-year-old is currently enjoying a trip to Currumbin, on Queensland's Gold Coast and she shared a saucy selfie on Wednesday. Showing Mick what he's missing! Real Housewives Of Melbourne star Susie McLean is currently enjoying a beach trip to Currumbin. She shared a saucy bikini selfie to Instagram on Wednesday In the photo, the brunette poses looking away from the camera as she showcases her ample assets in a tiny navy bikini top. 'Straight out of the blue #surf #sun #blue #beach #pacificocean #heaven,' she wrote in the caption. Fans of the socialite loved her bold image showing herself enjoying her life, post break up, including one who wrote: 'Smoking hot mumma.' 'Looking firm Susie xx,' another complimented. Over: Her 49-year-old bikini photo comes after she recently confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that she and the Triple J drive time host, 51 had called it quits This comes after she recently confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that she and the Triple J drive time host, 51 had called it quits. The pair had officially been dating since March 2017, but on Wednesday Susie revealed she had parted ways with the popular 51-year-old comedian a few months ago. 'Mick and I broke up in September last year,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Not meant to be: 'Mick and I broke up in September last year,' she told Daily Mail Australia 'Where's Mick Molloy?' Her fans were left baffled after she posted a pictured of herself cuddling up to a her 'bookie' at Royal Randwick Her statement comes after she posted an Instagram picture of herself cuddling up to a gentleman in a suit at Royal Randwick over the weekend, alongside the caption: 'My bookie... great tips!' Before long, fans had begun asking what happened to her boyfriend. 'Where's Mick Molloy?' asked one follower. Another commented: 'What happened to Mick Molloy?' Other fans wondered if the man in the photo was the suitor that fellow RHOM star and psychic Jackie Gillies had 'predicted.' She also added speculation they had broken up when she she was pictured enjoying a night out with two girlfriends on Valentine's Day, earlier this year with the caption: 'All the single ladies, all the single ladies.' Mick last appeared on Susie's Instagram account back in September when the couple attended an AFL game in Melbourne. Billionaire James Packer's ex-fiancee appeared in Victor Harbor Magistrates Court, south of Adelaide, on Tuesday, where she pleaded guilty to assaulting her ex-partner Guy Vasey during an argument in January. And Tziporah Malkah (formerly known as Kate Fischer) appeared in a celebratory mood later that day, as she announced she would have 'no conviction' recorded. The former model and TV star, 44, appeared in good spirits as she was spotted smoking an unhealthy cigarette and drinking from a tall glass at a nearby pub. Scroll down for video 'No conviction! Thank God!' Tziporah Malkah is spotted wearing a moonboot as she puffs on a cigarette and drinks from tall glass at pub as she celebrates court outcome with her 'dream team' of lawyers and friends Tziporah was dressed in an all-black ensemble, pairing a casual black dress with long cardigan. The former I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! star also appeared to be wearing a minor moonboot on her right foot from a mystery injury. Her hair and makeup was in good condition, with Tzipoirah previously praising her friend on Instagram for glam court look. After court was dismissed, she took to Instagram with a selfie with three others, writing: 'No conviction! Thank G-d! Heres the dream team: me, Michael Kuzilny lawyer, Mitchell Fraser paralegal, Kate Kirby good friend.' Celebrating into the night? Tziporah was dressed in an all-black ensemble, pairing a casual black dress with long cardigan as she was potted at the Victor Harbor pub when the sun went down 'Heres the dream team': The former model and TV star, 44, appeared in good spirits after she received no recorded conviction, posing for a cheery selfie with her lawyer Michael Kuzilny, paralegal Mitchell Fraser and good friend Kate Kirby It's believed she was at the Victor Harbor venue with friends and council after she received no recorded conviction and was fined $1200 from a South Australian magistrate who took into consideration her good record and early guilty plea. According to News.com.au, she told reporters outside court she was pleased with the outcome: 'I think I got off fairly.' She answered to assault allegations she assaulted her then-partner during an incident in January during the court proceedings. 'I think I got off fairly': According to News.com.au, she told reporters outside court she was pleased with the outcome after she pleaded guilty o assaulting her ex-partner Guy Vasey during an argument in January Heard in court: The two had been arguing over marijuana and Malkah had tormented Mr Vasey about his sick cat, threw groceries at him and poured milk over his head. She then hit Mr Vasey's face four to five times in a 'cat scratching-like motion' before he left the property to call the police The court heard Malkah was drunk when police were called to the house she shared with Guy, with whom she had been in a relationship with for less than a year. The two had been arguing over marijuana and Malkah had tormented Mr Vasey about his sick cat, threw groceries at him and poured milk over his head, the court heard. She then hit Mr Vasey's face four to five times in a 'cat scratching-like motion' before he left the property to call the police. Malkah pleaded guilty to one count of assault, one count of resisting police, three counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of disorderly behaviour. Magistrate Brian Nitschke fined Malkah $1,200 plus a victims of crime levy and placed her on an 18-month good behaviour bond. She will mark her one-year anniversary with Matty Johnson later this month. And on Wednesday, Laura Byrne looked to be enjoying the perks of reality TV fame. Clad in a bikini top and loose-fit trousers, the 31-year-old took to Instagram to share an image of herself standing on a cliff top, at Bali's Nusa Penida Island. Scroll down for video Reality star perks! The Bachelor's Laura Byrne, 31, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a stunning image of herself on vacation in Bali Laura revealed her petite upper frame in a black bikini top, which she teamed with patterned pyjama-style pants. The Channel Ten personality had her wavy locks styled into an effortless high ponytail, and had her face obscured from view. Standing on a cliff top and looking out onto Bali's stunning landscape, Laura captioned the photo: 'The old my mountain's bigger then your mountain game [sic],' alongside the hash-tags #nusapenida and #bali. Enviable figure: The brunette also took to her Instagram Story, revealing her cleavage and taut torso in a skimpy floral bikini An Instagram Story also saw the brunette in a skimpy floral bikini, reclining on the back of beau Matty Johnson. The 31-year-old hunk, who went shirtless and sported just a pair of black board shorts, appeared engrossed in a video on his iPhone. Laura humorously captioned the moment: '@matthewdavidjohnson in his natural habitat.' The couple's Bali adventure comes a week after Matty told Daily Mail Australia that Laura will move into his Bondi abode in Sydney, in June. 'She's moving into my house,' the marketing executive revealed, before going on to cheekily add that he 'kind of got' his way. Famous beau: Laura also poked lighthearted fun of her beau Matty Johnson, who was engrossed in his iPhone Taking things to the next level: The couple's trip comes after Matty told Daily Mail Australia that Laura will move into his Bondi abode in Sydney, in June: 'She's moving into my house' Matty continued: 'It's a nice little bit to look forward to, we were always umming and ahhing if I would move to Rushcutters Bay or she would move to Bondi and the way it's worked out, we decided Bondi. 'At the moment it's all looking really exciting, but we haven't got down to the nitty-gritty yet. 'It's always tricky when you move in together and you've kind of got double the furniture. We're like "will I lose my couch in favour of her couch?" That's what we haven't figured out yet,' Matty went on to say. Matty chose Laura on the 2017 grand finale episode of The Bachelor. Foreign Minister of Sweden Margot Wallstrom congratulated newly elected Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. May 9, 2018, 17:45 Foreign Ministries of Canada and Sweden congratulate Armenia PM STEPANAKERT, MAY 9, ARTSAKHPRESS:Congratulations to Nikol Pashinyan on the election as Prime Minister of Armenia. Welcome the peaceful nature of this political transition. Important to continue inclusive dialogue for the democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights that the people of Armenia demand, she tweeted, NEWS.am reports. Canadas foreign office also extended congratulations to Nikol Pashinyan and the people of Armenia on a peaceful and democratic transition of power. Canada looks forward to working with the new government to build on longstanding ties and to support political dialogue, rule of law, human rights and constitutional democracy to benefit all Armenians, Foreign Ministry tweeted. Diversity star Jordan Banjo has welcomed a son with long-term girlfriend Naomi Courts. The dancer, famous for winning Britain's Got Talent with his troupe in 2009, announced the arrival a son named Cassius on Wednesday, two days after the birth. Jordan declared himself 'the luckiest man there is' as he shared the happy news on Instagram, along with a first picture of the tiny newborn. New dad: Diversity's Jordan Banjo announced the arrival of his first child on Wednesday He explained: 'Myself and @naomiella21 havent shared this straight away because we wanted to take some time to appreciate and enjoy the beautiful moment that we had as a family. 'On the 07.05.2018 at 12:29am our beautiful son was born! Words cannot describe the feeling of seeing your future come into this world. 'Im so proud of mum & baby, both are doing absolutely amazing and @naomiella21 you are a super woman. Cute couple: Jordan's girlfriend Naomi gave birth to a baby boy named Cassius on Monday but the couple decided to keep the news to themselves for the first few days 'If I didnt know it before, I do now, I am the luckiest man there is. Welcome to the world Cassius Ashley Banjo.' His first picture was a black and white snapshot of the moment he carried his son out of the hospital to the car. A second picture, shared by Naomi featured the precious moment that Cassius arrived home with the family. Taking baby home: The dancer carried the baby home in his first Instagram since the birth Cradled by muscular Jordan, the newborn looked tiny by comparison as they shared a father-son bonding moment. Jordan and Naomi announced their baby joy in January, admitting that they were shocked to be starting a family 'so soon'. He told OK! magazine: 'It took a bit of time for me to get excited about becoming a dad because it's going to be a huge lifestyle change. Right now my greatest responsibility is making sure my phone is charged!' New arrival: The Diversity dancer took to Instagram to share his happy baby news, declaring himself 'the luckiest man there is' Naomi conquered, saying: 'We always said we wanted kids together, we just didn't think it would happen this soon. We're over the moon, though!' The couple met in Essex in 2013 and started dating two years later. They say marriage is 'in the future' but not for now. Jordan featured on the 2016 series of jungle reality show I'm A Celebrity, and confessed afterwards that distance definitely made the heart grow fonder. He explained: 'That show gives you a lot of time to think about things and it made me realise Naomi is the girl I want to marry.' Roxy Jacenko has morphed into a business mogul, since founding Sweaty Betty PR at just 24-years-old. And the now 38-year-old joked that her daughter Pixie, six, was 'born to hustle' in a throwback snap shared to Instagram on Wednesday. The image saw the youngster in her toddler years standing outside a luxury vehicle with a toy phone held up to her ear. Scroll down for video 'Born to hustle': PR powerhouse Roxy Jacenko, 38, shared a snap of daughter Pixie as a toddler on the phone, to Instagram on Wednesday Pixie wore a blue summer top in the snap, which was paired with a nautical-print skirt and metallic sandals. Her red locks were tied back and a straw round-rimmed hat worked as an accessory. Holding one hand on her hip and pulling a rather serious expression, Roxy captioned the photo: 'It's in the blood born to hustle it would seem!!' In the blood: Roxy joked in the caption that Pixie, six, is 'born to hustle' and following in the footsteps of her famous mother Sharing that the comment was in a joking manner, the author added in an emoji of a face with tears of laughter. Roxy shares daughter Pixie with husband Oliver Curtis, who she married in 2012. The high-profile couple are also proud parents to son Hunter, with the tot celebrating his fourth birthday last week. Family: Roxy shares daughter Pixie with husband Oliver Curtis, who she married in 2012. The high-profile couple are also proud parents to son Hunter, four Roxy revealed her parenting style in an interview with 9Honey on Monday. The talent manager said that she allows her children to go to bed at 11pm on a school night, so that she can spend more time with them. 'I get home at six sharp every night now but I want to spend time with both Pixie and Hunter, and that means that they go to bed late,' Roxy told the publication. The entrepreneur added that the routine might not work for some mothers: 'I think the reality is there's no set formula, it has to be what works for you as a parent and what works for your kids.' Jesinta Franklin [nee Campbell] has a penchant for fashion. And the 26-year-old made a bold statement at InStyle and Audi's Women of Style Awards in Sydney on Wednesday. The model showed off her cleavage in a halterneck frock, that featured retro images of the late Marilyn Monroe. Making a statement! Jesinta Franklin [nee Campbell] showed off her cleavage in a Marilyn Monroe print frock, as she led the star arrivals at InStyle's Women of Style event, in Sydney on Wednesday Jesinta revealed her slender figure in the retro-style frock, which she teamed with jewelled perspex heels. The brand ambassador accessorised further with a box clutch and slicked her cropped locks back off her face. Jesinta finished off the look with a dewy complexion, bold brows, a soft smoky eye and a matte lip. Slender: The model revealed her cleavage and tiny waist in the retro-style frock Details: Jesinta accessorised with a black box clutch and her sparkling wedding rings Ksenija Lukich, 28, showed off her cleavage in a gold print wrap dress, with a thigh split also offering a glimpse of her trim pins. The journalist elongated her already statuesque frame with a pair of gold pointy-toe heels and accessorised further with delicate jewels. Ksenija styled her brunette locks into a sleek fashion at the nape of the neck, and enhanced her striking facial features with a flawless complexion, bold brows, a smoky eye, a false set of lashes and a nude lip. Home And Away's Sam Frost looked elegant in a plunging navy silk frock by designer Lee Matthews. Taking the plunge! Ksenija Lukich, 28, showed off her cleavage in a wrap dress with a gold print In profile: The E! presenter enhanced her striking facial features with a glamorous makeup palette Beauty: Home And Away's Sam Frost, 29, looked elegant in a plunging navy silk frock by designer Lee Matthews Accessory: Sam wore a pair of black strappy heels, complementing the overall look The 29-year-old accessorised with Georg Jensen jewels and styled her blonde locks in a chic plait with ribbon detailing. Opting for a vampy makeup look, the former Bachelor and Bachelorette star lined her eyes with kohl and added a slick of burgundy lipstick. Jessica Gomes, 33, wore a plunging lace top, tucked into a pair of high-waisted black leather shorts. The model-turned-actress accessorised with a tailored blazer, pointy-toe heels, a choker-style necklace and leather clutch. Chic: Sam styled her blonde locks in a plait with ribbon detailing Edgy: Jessica Gomes, 33, showed off her leggy figure in an edgy black ensemble with gold detailing No faults here: The model-turned-actress elongated her frame with black pointy-toe heels and added a tailored blazer to the look Stunning: The David Jones ambassador styled her locks in soft waves, framing her pretty facial features Her brunette locks were parted in the centre and styled in soft waves, framing her pretty facial features. Jessica later posed for photos with Victoria's Secret model Victoria Lee who covered her slender figure in a pastel-hued frock with burgundy panels and puffy sleeves. Delta Goodrem, 33, donned a floor-length, layered polka dot frock that brought to mind hippy chic looks of the past. Wide, sheer sleeves showed off a peek of skin, and featured a unique pattern of white and red silk dots. Model behaviour: Jessica later posed for photos with Victoria's Secret model Victoria Lee Unique style: Victoria covered her slender figure in a pastel-hued frock with burgundy panels and puffy sleeves Ready for her close-up: The David Jones ambassador styled her locks in a chic chignon and added a dark matte lip Spot on: Delta Goodrem, 33, donned a floor-length, layered polka dot frock that brought to mind hippy chic looks of the past Delta's brunette locks fells in relaxed waves, and a bold red lip added a pop of colour. The Bachelor's Anna Heinrich looked elegant in a black Toni Maticevski frock that offered a glimpse of her delicate decolletage. The criminal lawyer carried her belongings in a black quilted clutch, and added a touch of flair in the form of gold hoop earrings. Layers: The unusual dress gathered at the waist, with black lace-edged, sheer layers of polka dot fabric flowing down to her ankles Semi-sheer: Wide, sheer sleeves showed off a peek of skin, and featured a unique pattern of white and red silk dots Flawless: The Bachelor's Anna Heinrich looked elegant in a black Toni Maticevski frock that offered a glimpse of her delicate decolletage Glam: Anna accessorised with a black quilted clutch and gold hoop earrings Anna's blonde locks were swept into a topknot, and her makeup palette consisted of a flawless complexion, defined brows, kohl-rimmed eyes and a glossy lip. Seven's Melissa Doyle, 48, looked elegant in a strapless floral print metallic frock, teamed with nude strappy heels and delicate jewels. The journalist styled her blonde locks in soft waves and a deep side part, and her makeup look consisted of a bronzed complexion, defined brows, lashings of mascara and a matte nude lip. While The Morning Show's Kylie Gillies, 51, sported a chic black jumpsuit by Carla Zampatti that revealed her toned arms. Blooming beauty: Seven's Melissa Doyle, 48, looked elegant in a strapless floral print metallic frock, teamed with nude strappy heels and delicate jewels Style: Melissa styled her blonde locks in relaxed waves and a deep side part And pose: The Morning Show's Kylie Gillies, 51, sported a chic black jumpsuit by Carla Zampatti Kylie slicked her brunette locks back of her face, and lined her eyes with kohl. The Block's Elyse Knowles made a statement in a strapless latex frock that revealed her toned arms, cleavage and slender waist. Elyse accessorised with perspex heels, a black clutch and slicked her locks into a tight chignon. Va va voom: The Block's Elyse Knowles made a statement in a strapless latex frock that revealed her cleavage and toned arms Slick: The bikini model had her locks slicked back tightly off her face, and her eyes were enhanced with kohl Beautiful: Sunrise's Samantha Armytage, 41, opted for a metallic frock by Toni Maticevski In profile: The presenter swept her fair locks into a chic up-do, and added a touch of bling with delicate drop earrings The bikini model's eyes were enhanced with kohl and lashings of mascara. Sunrise's Samantha Armytage cut an elegant figure in a metallic frock by Toni Maticevski that featured a hemline of varying lengths. The 41-year-old swept her fair locks into a chic up-do, and added a touch of bling with delicate drop earrings. Trim and terrific: Michelle Bridges, 47, wowed in a semi-sheer polka dot black frock with layers and layers of tulle Ready for her moment: Michelle tucked her semi-straight brunette locks behind her ears and added gold hoop earrings Head-to-toe black: A belt cinched in at the trainer's slender waist, and black strappy heels elongated her frame Star couple: Guy Sebastian, 36, and wife Jules embraced each other on the red carpet Michelle Bridges wowed in a semi-sheer polka dot black frock with layers and layers of tulle. The 47-year-old added a belt that cinched in at her waist, black strappy heels and gold hoop earrings. Michelle's semi-straight locks were left out, and her makeup look took on an elegant note. Guy Sebastian, 36, and wife Jules embraced each other on the red carpet. Standing out: The singer-songwriter opted for quite the retro look, while Jules dazzled in a glitzy thigh-skimming frock, with a belt cinching in at her waist White on the mark: Terry Biviano, 43, stole the show in a structured white frock with a bodice cinching in at her tiny waist Primped: Terry tucked her long locks behind her ears and her makeup look consisted of a false set of lashes, a winged eyeliner, a touch of highlighter and a glossy pink lip She's a vision: Sally Obermeder, 44, swathed her frame in black polka dot fabric that featured ribbon tie detailing The singer-songwriter opted for quite the retro look, while Jules dazzled in a glitzy thigh-skimming frock, with a belt cinching in at her waist. NRL WAG and shoe designer Terry Biviano stole the show in a structured white frock with a bodice cinching in at her tiny waist. The 43-year-old tucked her long locks behind her ears, and her makeup look consisted of a false set of lashes, a winged eyeliner, a touch of highlighter and a glossy pink lip. Looking good: The mother-of-two teamed the look with a black clutch and drop earrings, and styled her balayage locks in an effortless do Picture-perfect: Sally enhanced her striking facial features with kohl-lined eyes, lashings of mascara, a touch of highlighter and a glossy nude lip Lean: Actress April Rose Pengilly, 30, stunned in a dramatic navy frock that cinched in at her slender waist Sally Obermeder, 44, swathed her frame in black polka dot fabric that featured ribbon tie detailing. The mother-of-two teamed the look with a black clutch and drop earrings, and styled her balayage locks in an effortless do. High jumper and model Amy Pejkovic, 25, showed off her sensational figure in a strapless black and blue frock with a daring thigh split. If you've got it: High jumper and model Amy Pejkovic, 25, showed off her sensational figure in a strapless black and blue frock with a daring thigh split Effortless: The blonde beauty styled her locks in a deep side part, and kept to a minimal makeup palette In the blue: Fashion designer Pip Edwards stunned in a blue two-piece by Lillian Khallouf that revealed her toned arms, cleavage and a glimpse of her washboard stomach Signature look: The P.E Nation co-founder had her shoulder-length blonde locks styled in messy waves While fashion designer Pip Edwards stunned in a blue two-piece by Lillian Khallouf that revealed her toned arms, cleavage and a glimpse of her washboard stomach. Layne Beachley, 45, and husband Kirk Pengilly, 59, coordinated their red carpet looks. Actress and model April Rose Pengilly, 30, stunned in a dramatic navy frock that cinched in at her slender waist. And fashion designer Collette Dinnigan, 52, looked chic in a black long-sleeved frock with panel detailing and layers of black lace from the hips down. In sync: Layne Beachley, 45, and husband Kirk Pengilly, 59, coordinated their red carpet looks Black to basics: Fashion designer Collette Dinnigan, 52, looked chic in a black long-sleeved frock with panel detailing and layers of black lace from the hips down Good as gold: Fashion blogger Nadia Fairfax, 29, revealed her cleavage in a plunging black and gold print frock, accessorised with tiger print heels The leader of the Roman Catholic Church and his predecessor were reunited on Tuesday, for the reenactment of Pope Benedict's election in Netflix's The Pope. Anthony Hopkins - who plays Pope Benedict XVI, formerly Joseph Ratzinger - and Jonathan Pryce - who plays Pope Francis, formerly Jorge Bergoglio - wore matching black cassocks when they were seen filming together in the Vatican City, this week. The veteran actors gathered with other stars of the TV drama in Saint Peter's square, in scenes expected to focus on 2005, when Ratzinger became Pope Benedict at the age of 78 - the oldest person to be elected pope since 1730. In character: Sir Anthony Hopkins - who plays Pope Benedict XVI in a new Netflix drama - was seen on set with and Jonathan Pryce - who plays Pope Francis - for the first time on Tuesday in the Vatican City Last week, Sir Anthony was pictured getting out of a black Mercedes-Benz to shoot a scene where Pope Benedict and Pope Francis meet for the first time, however Pryce was not pictured. On Tuesday, the duo came together both wearing scarlet cinctures and black cassocks, indicating that Benedict had not yet achieved papacy. Hannibal actor Anthony, who has already been seen filming multiple times, wore a long gold crucifix and gold rings on his hands, with his white hair slicked back in the style of his character. Dramatic moment: Though the duo have filmed together, Pryce has not yet been seen on set Pope Benedict was elected in 2005 following the passing of his predecessor John Paul II. After his election, Pop Benedict traditionally wore plain papal whites, which he has so far been seen wearing throughout filming. The drama will portray the relationship between Benedict and Francis, before the latter took over in 2013, during Benedict's resignation. Role of a lifetime: The movie will tell the story of Pope Benedict's election in 2005 following the passing of his predecessor John Paul II Pryce, known for his work in the likes of Game Of Thrones and Pirates of the Caribbean, begins the drama as Bergoglio, before he is elected. According to Deadline Hollywood, the resignation of Pope Benedict from the papacy 'opened the door for Jorge Mario Bergoglio'. 'The Argentinian Cardinal who became the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas and the first Pope from outside Europe since the 8th Century. Netflix drama: The project and its stars were announced in September of last year and began shooting in Argentina in November 'The drama conveys his reluctance to take the top post in 2013. His humility and devotion to the poor has made him a galvanising force for tolerance and change.' The project and its stars were announced in September of last year and began shooting in Argentina in November. The film is being directed by Fernando Meirelles, while the script has been written by Anthony McCarten. The Pope's release date is yet to be confirmed. She dazzled on the red carpet for the premiere of her new Spanish-language psychological thriller flick Everybody Knows (Todos lo saben) on Tuesday night. And Penelope Cruz continued to wow the style brigade as she slipped into a striking black gown for the photocall of her movie, which opened the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival, on Wednesday. The 44-year-old Spanish actress looked incredible in her silk midi length garment alongside her husband and co-star Javier Bardem. Scroll down for video Style savvy: Penelope Cruz continued to wow the style brigade as she slipped into a striking black gown for the photocall of her movie, which opened the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival , on Wednesday The Assassination of Gianni Versace star featured layered fabric detailing across the bodice and skirt that accentuated her petite physique. Penelope's halterneck number featured a dramatic lace train which fanned from the back of her look and fell in dramatic fashion to her ankles. Taking the French Riviera photocall in her stride, she highlighted her slender pins in the knee-length look and added inches to her diminutive frame in her strappy black heels. Head-turning: The 44-year-old Spanish actress looked incredible in her silk midi length garment Skirting around: The Assassination of Gianni Versace star featured layered fabric detailing across the bodice and skirt that accentuated her petite physique Drama: Penelope's halterneck number featured a dramatic lace train which fanned from the back of her look and fell in dramatic fashion to her ankles Frame: Taking the French Riviera photocall in her stride, she highlighted her slender pins in the knee-length look and added inches to her diminutive frame in her strappy black heels Adding to the glamorous occasion, the brunette beauty accessorised her look with dazzling diamond drop-earrings and rings while she entertained the photographers with her fashionable appearance. The Vicky Cristina Barcelona star worked her glossy locks into a deep side parting which fell into a sleek style down her back. She complemented her demure look with a dramatic smokey eye and nude lip for the star-studded photocall. Letting his leading lady take centre stage, Javier, 49, looked stylish in a blue suit which he teamed with a midwash denim shirt. Showing off: She playfully held onto her train as she walked through the photocall Walk it out: She strutted her stuff as she made her way to the venue Stunned: She showcased her ruby encrusted diamond earrings Mane attraction: The Oscar winner brushed her glossy locks off her face In the nude: Penelope accentuated her plump pout with a slick of nude lipstick Glam gal: Adding to the glamorous occasion, the brunette beauty accessorised her look with dazzling diamond drop-earrings and rings while she entertained the photographers with her fashionable appearance Fashion fiend: The Vicky Cristina Barcelona star worked her glossy locks into a deep side parting which fell into a sleek style down her back Academy Award winner Javier appeared in jovial spirits as he matched his dapper look with a pair of white trainers while posing with his other half. Speaking to Variety at the event, Penelope revealed she received an equal paycheck to her beau for their flick after the publication asked and she responded 'Actually, yes'. Reflecting on working with her other half, she said: 'We dont take the characters home at the end of the day. We have similar ways of work. The fact that we know each other and trust each other helps.' However she admitted working together is something she's not planning on any time soon: 'Its not something we plan on doing every two years. That will be once in a while, if we feel its right. I dont think it will be too often.' Beauty: She complemented her demure look with a dramatic smokey eye and nude lip for the star-studded photocall Chit chat: Javier whispered into her ear as they posed for the camera Smoldering: The couple dazzled for the cinematic event Beaming: The film star duo looked sensational together Denim: Letting his leading lady take centre stage, Javier, 49, looked stylish in a blue suit which he teamed with a midwash denim shirt Flower power: Penelope later changed into her second outfit of the day, slipping into a pink and white floral midi-dress as she strolled around Cannes Chic: The talented actress teamed her striking dress with a pair of white stiletto heels Girl about town: It was a busy day for the star, who has been hard at work on the promotional trail for her latest movie The great and good of Hollywood have descended on the French Riviera for the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival and the beauty's flick Everybody Knows (Todos lo saben) opened the cinematic event on Tuesday night at the Palais du Festivals. Everybody Knows follows the story of Spanish Laura, played by Penelope, a woman living in Buenos Aires, who comes back to her hometown outside Madrid with her Argentinian husband, played by Ricardo Darin, and their children. An unexpected turn of events sees the trip turn on its side an unleash a host of secrets. Javier plays Paco in the movie. Camera ready: Actor Ricardo Darin, Penelope, director Asghar Farhadi and Javier posed for photographers Cast: Ricardo Darin, Penelope, Carla Campra, Sara Salamo, Asghar Farhadi, Inman Cuesta, Barbara Lennie, Javier ad Eduard Fernandez posed together (Pictured L-R) Delight: The cast and director looked happy at the event Picture perfect: The trio got a photo inside the venue Helping hand: The couple happily took photos at the event and even helped co-star Inma Cuesta after her shoe fell off going to the photocall Shoes: The Spanish actress managed to get her foot back into her heels Laughing: The pair couldn't help but laugh after the rib-tickling moment Stars: The Academy Award winner posed with co-stars Carla Campra and Sara Salamo Vibrant: Barbara Lennie stunned in a colourful floral print midi dress Plait's nice: Carla worked her locks into a hair braided 'do While Everybody Knows is opening the festival, much of the drama at this year's festival is in fact happening off screen. After two Netflix films played in competition as last year's Cannes festival - prompting protests from French exhibitors - the Cannes board of directors ruled that a film in competition at Cannes must have French distribution. French law prevents a film that plays in theaters to appear on streaming services for three years. Suit you: President of the Un Certain Regard jury, Benicio Del Toro looked dapper in his two piece suit Pose: He happily posed for photos at the photocall Monochrome: Fellow jury member Virginie Ledoyen looked stunning in a monochrome ensemble Panel: (L-R) Julie Huntsinger, Virginie Ledoyen, Benicio Del Toro, Annemarie Jacir and Kantemir Balagov posed together for a photo Faced with only showing its films out of competition, Netflix withdrew its films from Cannes. Several Netflix titles, including Alfonso Cuaron's Roma and the recently completed Orson Welles film"The Other Side of the Wind, had been expected to premiere this year. Since then, both sides have expressed some regret over their disagreement. Also likely absent from the festival will be two filmmakers living under house arrest in their home countries. The festival has asked that exceptions be made so that Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov and Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi can attend the premieres of their films, but that appears unlikely. Trio: Sheila Munyiva, Samantha Mugatsia and Wanuri Kahiu posed for the photocall of Rafiki Cate Blanchett has continued to impress in her role as President of the jury at the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival. On Wednesday, the veteran Australian actor, 48, was seen leading her fellow jurors out the back entrance of the Hotel Barriere Le Majestic in Cannes, France. But it wasn't just Cate's presidential prowess earning praise, as her ornate black lace gown and stunning natural beauty was equally applauded. Scroll down for video Leading the way! Cannes Film Festival Jury President Cate Blanchett looks stunning in a black lace gown as she's spotted leaving the back entrance of the Majestic Hotel with fellow jurors After mixing it up with Hollywood elites inside, the actor was seen ducking out the back entrance of The Majestic, stepping out onto a stretch of red carpet. The remaining members of the prestigious film festival's jury followed soon after. Cate clutched the hems of her lacy, partially see-through gown to prevent any wardrobe disasters as she stepped from the raised doorway. The small crowd of media and event attendees immediately rose to attention as the the Ocean's 8 star strolled by. Hidden in plain sight! On Wednesday, the veteran Australian actor, 48, was seen leading her fellow jurors out the back entrance of the Hotel Barriere Le Majestic in Cannes, France Cate completed her ensemble with a pair of oversized earrings, which sparkled with gem stones and diamonds. The actor had her hair tied up, in order to draw attention to the backless portion of her gown. Perhaps her most devoted fans may have identified the fact that Cate had worn the exact same dress four years ago, at The Golden Globes. Hold it! Cate clutched the hems of her lacy, partially see-through gown to prevent any wardrobe disasters as she stepped from the raised doorway However Cate's fashion faux pas had a deeper meaning, as she claimed to the The Hollywood Reporter that throwing beautiful garments to landfill sites seems 'willful and ridiculous'. In a climate where sustainability proves to be a hot topic, the actor told the news outlet that landfills are now full of discarded couture. Cate's stylist, Elizabeth Stewart, added: 'We couldn't see any reason not to re-wear a dress we love so much and so many reasons.' Back at it! Perhaps her most devoted fans may have identified the fact that Cate had worn the exact same dress four years ago, at The Golden Globes Sally Obermeder has voiced her support for Camilla Franks, following her shock breast cancer diagnosis. The 44-year-old journalist told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that the fashion designer is 'surrounded by so much love.' 'We're all here for her,' the Seven presenter said while at InStyle and Audi's Women of Style event in Sydney. Scroll down for video 'She's surrounded by so much love': Cancer survivor Sally Obermeder [L], 44, voiced her support for Camilla Franks [R], 42, following her shock diagnosis 'I sent her a note on Instagram like all of us did,' Sally said, revealing she reached out to Camilla following the designer's breast cancer diagnosis. 'She's an incredible woman and she's surrounded by so much love, and that love and support and strength is only going to increase,' the mother-of-two continued. Sally went on to say that Camilla will face this head-on, just like every other challenge in life. Support: 'She's an incredible woman and she's surrounded by so much love, and that love and support and strength is only going to increase,' Sally told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday 'We're all here for her. She is a true warrior woman. She'll do this like she does everything with grace and humility and such compassion and openness. She's a beautiful woman,' Sally added. Camilla, 42, revealed the shock news on Wednesday morning that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and will begin treatment 'very shortly.' The creative director of kaftan empire CAMILLA said: 'I start on this journey humble but resilient; I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared but I am fearlessly determined to do whatever it takes by focusing on my body, mind and spirit as I take my first trusting steps towards recovery.' Camilla continued: 'As you know, my beautiful daughter Luna arrived a few months ago, and it is her smile and warmth that remind me this is a challenge I will embark on with courage - for her and my fiance [JP Jones] as well as myself. Sally added: 'We're all here for her. She is a true warrior woman. She'll do this like she does everything with grace and humility and such compassion and openness' Shock news: Camilla revealed the shock news on Wednesday morning that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and will begin treatment 'very shortly' 'With the incredible love and support of my little family I have no doubt I will beat this.' Camilla's breast cancer diagnosis comes just four months after she gave birth to her first child, daughter Luna Gypsy Jones. Meanwhile, Sally certainly has insight to provide Camilla, having been diagnosed with breast cancer the day before she was due to give birth to first daughter Annabelle, in October 2011. She was able to beat the deadly disease with chemotherapy and surgery. Fashion designer Stella McCartney was pictured displaying her style credentials on Tuesday as she headed out for dinner with her nephew Arthur in New York. The 46-year-old designer wore a red and white midi dress which was belted at the waist and had a frill section at the neckline. One half of the dress had a striped pattern and the other half had a zig-zag print. Stunner: Stella McCartney wore contrasting red and white belted midi dress and quirky shades as she headed out for dinner with her nephew Arthur in New York She wore a pair of quirky sunglasses which matched her look perfectly with their red oversized lenses. Paul McCartney's daughter also wore a pair of white ankle boots which completed the look nicely. Stella was seen stepping out of her Tesla car ahead of her dinner date with Arthur, 18 - who is the son of her sister Mary McCartney. Trend-led: She wore a pair of quirky sunglasses which matched her look perfectly with their red oversized lenses Style sensation: One half of the dress had a striped pattern and the other half had a zig-zag print. Arthur is the spitting image of grandfather Paul McCartney in his youth, but has different aspirations. Instead of following in the Beatles star musical footsteps, he has gone on to to study at the prestigious Yale University in Connecticut. His mother Mary is Sir Paul's eldest biological child with his late wife Linda Eastman, who he was married to from 1969 until she died of breast cancer at age 56 in 1998. Doing their own thing: Arthur is the spitting image of grandfather Paul McCartney in his youth, but has different aspirations The rocker adopted Linda's daughter from her first marriage Heather, 54, and the couple raised three biological children together: Mary, 48, Stella, 46, and James, 40. Meanwhile, Stella's outing comes after she wowed at the Met Gala on Monday evening, where she dressed up for the fashion party of the year. The theme of the night was Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. The controversial theme saw celebrities juxtaposing fashion with religious iconography - with Madonna performing Like A Virgin on stage at the party. Standing out: The theme of the night was Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination and Stella wore this magnificent green creation A-listers: Stella shared a star-studded selfie on the night, with the likes of Pharrell Williams and Ariana Grande all cosying up for the picture Stella was pictured wearing a dark green outfit which had oversized sleeves and complemented her red hair perfectly. She spent much of her night with Paris Jackson and Miley Cyrus at the star-studded bash, held at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art. Stella shared a star-studded selfie on the night, with the likes of Pharrell Williams and Ariana Grande all cosying up for the picture. Coveted wardrobe: Stella continued to look perfectly put together a day after the Met Gala She admitted that 'beauty was pain' on Monday night, when she drew blood from a broken link in her glamorous Met Gala gown. But Olivia Munn was dressed in a far more comfortable fashion on Wednesday, as she was seen arriving in London from New York City, where the gala took place. Losing her glittering gold dress, Olivia wore the perfect, loose-fitting ensemble for a long-haul flight, and seemed to have packed four huge hard suitcases for her trip. Dressed down: Olivia Munn arrived at Heathrow Airport in London from New York on Wednesday, following the Met Gala The brunette looked effortlessly stylish, pairing striped trousers with a wide-neck cream knit that sat just off her shoulders. Carrying a Chanel backpack for all her in-flight essentials, the actress strutted through Heathrow arrivals in pointed boots and kept her shades on indoors. Olivia swerved an appearance at nearby Cannes Film Festival in France, with a visit to the British capital. Spectacular: Olivia rocked the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art on Monday night in a glittering golden gown Laidback: Ready for a flight, Olivia dressed in a slouchy jumper, striped trousers and pointed heels Essentials, packed: She carried her in-flight essentials in a Chanel backpack She was fresh from Monday night's red carpet appearance at the star-studded Met Gala. Abiding by the fashionable theme, this year Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme, Olivia said her look was inspired by the Crusades. She was dressed by high street giant H&M in a floor-sweeping gown that featured chains along the thigh split and a chain mail headpiece. Leaving New York: Olivia swerved Cannes for an arrival in London 'They had to sew me in on the way here,' Olivia told New York Times after arriving on the red carpet. She confessed to beginning her preparation for the red carpet photocall at 10:30am that morning, just under seven hours before the event commenced. During the car journey, she also split her leg on one of the links of the dress split, drawing blood, but she joked: 'It's just a little nick. It happens.' Channel Ten's The Sunday Project has certainly lived up to the work-in-progress implication of its show title. On Thursday, co-host Tommy Little defended the current affairs program's declining ratings, insisting: 'we will get there.' Speaking to News Corp, the 33-year-old claimed the program's ratings were going up and insisted the Lisa Wilkinson-fronted offering was not in danger of cancellation. 'It's not like we took over a spot that was rating well anyway': The Sunday Project's Tommy Little defends the show's dire ratings and failure to achieve success under Lisa Wilkinson 'It's not like we took over a spot that was rating particularly well anyway,' he said. Tommy's assertion is true, but ignores the fact that prior to The Sunday Project's premiere on August 27 2017, Ten was filling the slot with cheap re-runs of various sitcoms. Lisa Wilkinson's reported multi-million deal, as well as studio hire and staffing cost indicates Ten is spending far more on The Sunday Project than on the old episodes of Modern Family it was previously running. 'We're going up, we're just slowly building our numbers,' he added. Going up? Speaking to News Corp, the 33-year-old claimed the program's ratings were going up and insisted the Lisa Wilkinson fronted offering was not in danger of cancellation Yes, but... Tommy's assertion is true, but ignores the fact that prior to The Sunday Project's premiere on August 27 2017, Ten was filling the slot with cheap re-runs of various sitcoms Tommy cited the fact the show competed with 'juggernauts' such as Nine's The Voice in the time-slot as another contributing factor. He believes they have the team and format down relatively well - it's just the viewers they need now. When Lisa defected from the Today show at the end of 2017, she was snapped-up by The Project, where she co-hosts on certain weekdays, and hosts on Sundays. Her premiere episode on January 21 was the Sunday edition's highest-rated episode ever, netting 583,000 metro viewers. The Sunday Project's ratings since Lisa Wilkinson joined Date Metro Ratings Series premiere (August 2017) 327,000 28/01 583,000* 11/02 390,000 18/02 411,000 04/03 281,000 11/03 347,000 18/03 250,000 25/03 424,000 01/04 234,000* 08/04 358,000 15/04 405,000 22/04 343,000 29/04 423,000 06/05 343,000 * = highest (green) and lowest (red) Sunday Project premiered 27/08/17, Lisa Wilkinson joined 28/01/18 It hasn't come close to achieving those numbers since - last Sunday, the show ranked 11th in ratings overall, with 343,000 viewers. The figure largely mirrors a typical ratings rank and viewer count from episodes prior to Lisa's acquisition. Lisa reportedly secured a $2.3 million salary to front The Sunday Project on weekends and helm the new digital site Ten Daily for Channel 10. Speaking to The Herald Sun around the time news of her defection broke, media analyst Steve Allan expressed his doubts about her chances of success. Media analyst Steve Allan told the publication: 'Today and The Sunday Project have vastly different audiences, and I see little chance of changing that.' 'So yes, the challenge is huge as reinvention is definitely required. But so too Ten know they need to change and to offer something different,' he continued. 'I think the whole Sunday Project is an odd place to start. In my view, it will be nearly impossible to break through in any meaningful way,' he added. by J.B. An Dan The archbishop of Hue and president of the Bishops Conference made the announcement. The event will end on 24 November, feast day of the 117 Vietnamese martyrs, who were part of the 300,000 Christians killed under the Nguyen dynasty. There are also martyrs today, under communism. The opening celebrations will take place in three historical locations: So Kien, in the northern province of Ha Nam; La Vang shrine, in the central province of Quang Tri; and the Ba Giong pilgrimage centre, in the southern province of Tien Giang. The goal is to experience the spirit of the martyrs and visit sick and prisoners. Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) The Catholic Bishops Conference of Vietnam (CBCV) has just announced that the 30th anniversary of the canonisation of 117 Vietnamese martyrs will be celebrated starting on 19 June until 24 November 2018, the feast day of the martyrs. During their ad limina in March 2018, Vietnamese bishops asked The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura for the permission to hold a Jubilee on the occasion of 30th Year of the canonisation of 117 martyrs. Their request has been approved, said Mgr Giuse (Joseph) Nguyen Chi Linh, archbishop of Hue, and president of the Vietnamese Bishops' Conference. Saint Pope John Paul II beatified the 117 Vietnamese martyrs on 19 June 1988 in St Peter's Square. The group included 96 Vietnamese, 11 Spanish and 10 French. Up to that time, that was the single largest number of martyrs beatified at a single occasion, surpassing the 103 Korean martyrs beatified in Korea in 1984. This record was only broken when the Polish pope beatified 120 Chinese martyrs in 2000. Anti-Christian persecution broke out almost immediately when the Gospel was proclaimed in Vietnam in the mid-16th century. However, it reached a peak under the Nguyen Dynasty Vietnams last ruling family. Their rule lasted a total of 143 years, beginning in 1802, when Emperor Gia Long ascended to the throne after defeating the Tay Son dynasty. During this period, more than 300,000 Vietnamese Catholics were killed. A gradual lessening of persecution occurred when the French occupied the whole of the country by 1886. But waves of more terrible persecution occurred again during the communist era. So far, the Church in Vietnam has not yet been able to count the exact number of people killed, and the number of people imprisoned for their beliefs during the current communist era, not to mention the large number of Catholics discriminated and marginalised because of their faith. The Jubilees opening ceremonies will take place at three separate historical sites in three ecclesiastical provinces: Ha Noi, Hue and Saigon. The opening ceremony for the Archdiocese of Hanoi and nine dioceses in the northern Vietnam will take place in the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in So Kien, Ha Nam Province. The Basilica was built 135 years ago in the hometown of two martyrs Father Peter Truong Van Thi and Brother Peter Truong Van Duong. Our Lady of La Vang Pilgrimage Centre in Quang Tri Province where Our Lady appeared to console the faithful who had fled to the jungle to avoid waves of persecution 220 years ago was chosen to host the opening ceremony for the Archdiocese of Hue and the five dioceses in central Vietnam. Catholics in Saigon Archdiocese and ten dioceses in southern Vietnam have been invited to come to the Ba Giong Pilgrimage Centre in Tien Giang Province for the opening ceremony of the Jubilee. Tien Giang is the hometown of thousands of 18th and 19th century martyrs. Mgr Joseph Nguyen called on believers to live the martyr's spirit in today's environment and bear witness to God and the Gospel. The prelate encourages them to visit people living in distress, illness, imprisonment, old age, loneliness, disability as part of a pilgrimage to Christ. He said that people should reduce their spending on unnecessary things to help the poor, the religious and welfare bodies as well as engage in activities for the common good of their community. She went on a shoe shopping spree in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Julianne Hough, who kept it casual in a pair of cropped khakis and a green tank, paid a visit to Amanu Studio to purchase a few pairs of custom-made sandals. The 29-year-old's stylist, Anita Patrickson, is the founder and CEO of the West Hollywood shoe shop. Scroll down for video All smiles: Julianne Hough, who kept it casual in a pair of cropped khakis and a green tank, was spotted out and about in Los Angeles on Tuesday Natural beauty: Julianne's red locks were styled in soft waves and her nails were painted a subtle nude color Julianne was all smiles as she left the store with a bag full of sandals. Her red locks were styled in soft waves and her nails were painted a subtle nude color. Over one shoulder was a small red purse and hanging from her lobes were two large hoop earrings. Shopping spree: Hough paid a visit to Amanu Studio in West Hollywood to purchase a few pairs of custom made sandals 'Super spoiled': The 29-year-old's stylist, Anita Patrickson, is the founder of the shoe shop Hough walked away from Amanu with three different sandal styles that were each built in a matter of 30 minutes. 'So happy and proud of you @anitapatrickson for your constant effort to keep us fashionable yet still protect our planet as your top priority,' she said on Instagram. The 'perfect-fitting sandal' experience is by appointment only. Accessorized: The professional dancer wore a pair of large hoop earrings and John Lennon inspired shades 'So happy and proud of you @anitapatrickson for your constant effort to keep us fashionable yet still protect our planet as your top priority,' she said on Instagram The outing was ahead of Violet Grey's lip sync campaign launch on Wednesday. The new video series features Julianne singing along to Ocean Park Standoff's latest single If You Were Mine as she wears 'stunning lipstick shades by coveted makeup brands including Chanel and MAC.' Amber Valletta and Stella Banderas are also involved in the campaign. Ronnie Ortiz-Magro thinks baby Ariana Sky might not be his. The Jersey Shore star wants to undergo a paternity test following his bitter split from Jen Harley, In Touch has reported. 'They had only been dating for a few months when Jen discovered she was pregnant,' an insider told the magazine. 'Pals are telling him to get a paternity test.' Not his? Ronnie Ortiz-Magro 'wants a paternity test' for baby Ariana following his bitter split from Jen Harley The source claimed the 32-year-old 'will honor his commitment' if he is found to be the true father. However they added there is 'no way' he will change his mind about getting the test. 'He feels so angry and betrayed right now,' the insider said. 'He's determined to go through with it.' Earlier this month the two engaged in a brutal social media fight before ending their relationship. Over: Earlier this month the two engaged in a brutal social media fight before ending their relationship 'Note to self, can't turn a natural born HOE, into a HOUSEWIFE. If you find them in the gutter then leave them in the gutter,' Magro said to kickoff the social media rampage. 'Not all people can be saved when they are so far gone. All you can say you did ur best and keep it moving.' Harley - better known as @tt_kittymeow - responded: 'Can't turn a coke head into a father! Yeahhh buddy.' Questions: 'They had only been dating for a few months when Jen discovered she was pregnant,' an insider told the mag. 'Pals are telling him to get a paternity test.' Caught in the middle: The source claimed the 32-year-old 'will honor his commitment' if he is found to be the true father Ron continued the public humiliation by polling his audience. 'If your significant other keeps sex videos of their ex, shouldn't they show enough respect to delete them, esp after being in a new relationship for over a year?' Friend and reality co-star Deena Cortese seemed shocked in their private text conversation, which he also shared. Public arena: The former couple exchanged unpleasantries via social media Shots fired: Jen appeared to suggest her ex was a drug abuser 'Wow that's insane,' she said. 'What girl even keeps that lol.' But the public fight escalated further the following day when an intense Instagram LIVE video led to a physical altercation. In the clip Ronnie dared Jen to zoom into his phone, which he claims contained explicit content of her, before the two appeared to tussle over the phone. Coronation Street fans have been campaigning for Shayne Ward to be recognised at the 2018 British Soap Awards, after the shortlist was announced before his suicide storyline aired. Led by Shayne's sister Emma Ward, fans have tweeted that Shayne should be honoured for his heartbreaking performance as Aidan Connor, after his final scenes showed the Underworld owner break down in tears before taking his own life. Shayne missed out on a nomination for Best Actor as the final shortlist for the awards was announced just a week before his final scenes, leading fans to demand the panel reconsider his performance. Give him one! Coronation Street fans have been campaigning for Shayne Ward to be honoured at the 2018 British Soap Awards, after leaving viewers in tears with his suicide storyline Following the broadcast of Aidan's final scenes in Monday's double bill, sister Emma praised him on social media before asking the Soap Awards take note. She tweeted: '@soapawards I think the rules need too be bent a little here... Shayne missed out on best actor due to timing and the sensitive storyline being withheld... he needs to be recognised! Do the right thing #shaynewardAWARD.' Fans of the ITV soap seemed to agree, responding that Shayne's performance should be honoured for its raw nature, after he was praised by viewers and co-stars alike for his heartbreaking portrayal of male suicide and mental health. Honest: Fans were left in tears after Shayne's character Aidan Connor took his own life off-screen, with the aftermath to be shown in a one hour special on Wednesday Campaigning: Leading the tweets was Shayne's sister Emma, who asked the Soap Awards voters to consider a late nomination for Best Actor One wrote: 'I think the rules need to be bent a little here... Shayne missed out on best actor due too timing and the sensitive storyline being withheld.. he needs too recognised! Do the right thing.' Another added: 'Deff needs recognition here.. Well played by @shayneTwardvery well done.. So emotional, he deserves this.' A third also tweeted: 'You are by far the best and my favourite actor in any of the soaps! gutted you have left corrie but you did a beautiful job with this story. Every award possible should be coming your way! fantastic.' Shayne's fiancee - ex-Hollyoaks star Sophie Austin - also pledged her support by retweeting Emma's and several other fan's messages. Backing the cause: Many fans joined Emma in demanding Shayne be honoured, as the shortlist was announced a week before his final scenes aired Heartbreaking: Aidan's final scenes saw the character break down in tears alone in his flat Shayne made the longlist of nominations for Best Actor but missed on one of the five shortlist spots, which were awarded to his Corrie co-stars Jack P Shepherd (David Platt) and Connor McIntyre (Pat Phelan) along with Emmerdale's Ryan Hawley (Robert Sugden) and Michael Parr (Ross Barton) and Hollyoaks' Theo Graham (Hunter McQueen). Fans will get to see the aftermath of Aidan's suicide in an hour-long special on Wednesday night (9th May) as father Johnny (Richard Crawley) discovers his son's body in the bathroom along with a suicide note. Heartbreaking scenes aired on Monday saw Aidan break down in tears alone in his flat, taking his own life off-screen. The storyline was confirmed last week by Corrie bosses to raise awareness of male mental health, working closely with charities Samaritans and CALM. Coronation Street continues on Wednesday 9th May at 7:30pm on ITV. Advertisement Irina Shayk and Julianne Moore were among the first celebrities to walk the red carpet at the Yomeddine premiere on Wednesday, during the 71stCannes Film Festival in France. The Russian supermodel, 32, and the Oscar-winning actress led the glamour in equally glamorous plunging black gowns as they posed for cameras at the star-studded event. The duo were attending to celebrate to release of Abu Bakr Shawky's Yomeddine, which follows the story of a leper in Egypt, and is nominated for the coveted Palme d'Or award at the 2018 festival. Leading ladies: Irina Shayk (L) and actress Julianne Moore (R) were among the first celebrities to walk the red carpet at the Yomeddine premiere on Wednesday, during the 71st Cannes Film Festival in France Working her magic: The Russian supermodel, 32 (above), and the Oscar-winning actress led the glamour in equally glamorous plunging black gowns as they posed for cameras at the star-studded event Flashing her ample assets in the stand-out gown, mother-of-one Irina first commanded attention as she posed for cameras with her hands placed casually in her pockets. The gown had a waterfall hemline at the front of the dress, which showed off a glimpse of her golden, long limbs. She completed her look with a pair of strappy sandals which elongated her figure. Irina added some further sparkle to her look with a statement diamond necklace which she wore with a pair of matching drop earrings. Her locks were styled in an elegant up-do and she looked naturally beautiful as she beamed for cameras, adding a slick of ruby red lipstick for a pop of colour. Effortless: Flashing her ample assets in the stand-out gown, mother-of-one Irina first commanded attention as she posed for cameras with her hands placed casually in her pockets Striking: The gown had a waterfall hemline at the front of the dress, which showed off a glimpse of her golden, long limbs, as well as a flowing train Hint of glitz: Irina added some further sparkle to her look with a statement diamond necklace which she wore with a pair of matching drop earrings Say cheese: Her locks were styled in an elegant up-do and she looked naturally beautiful as she beamed for cameras - adding a slick of ruby red lipstick for a pop of colour All eyes on me: Irina commanded the attention of cameras as she posed fiercely on the carpet Julianne next arrived in an equally stunning strapless gown, which featured a daring asymmetric neckline to display her decolletage and tease at her cleavage underneath as she posed. Keeping all eyes on the statement bodice, the frock cinched in at the Magnolia star's waist, before skimming her enviably svelte frame to the floor. Making the look even sexier, the gown then cut into a daring side split, to give a flash of her leggy frame beneath - elongated by barely-there heeled sandals. Chic: Julianne next arrived in an equally stunning strapless gown, which featured a daring asymmetric neckline to display her decolletage and tease at her cleavage underneath as she posed Stunning: Keeping all eyes on the statement bodice, the frock cinched in at the Magnolia star's waist, before skimming her enviably svelte frame to the floor All that glitters: She effortlessly tied her look together with a silver ring and dazzling emerald and diamond necklace, which glinted in the light as she posed for cameras Strike a pose: Julianne proved to be a natural on the carpet as she posed for cameras Slinky: The gown remained classic in style, to keep all eyes on her show-stopping jewellery as she posed She effortlessly tied her look together with a silver ring and dazzling emerald and diamond necklace, which glinted in the light as she posed for cameras. Styling her hair sleek and straight and opting for minimal make-up, the 57-year-old displayed her glowing and youthful complexion to all as she beamed on the carpet, before heading inside. A number of other guests made glamorous arrivals on the carpet, including young actress Chantel Jeffries and British singer Tallia Storm. Chantel, 24, showed off her sensational figure in a sizzling white gown, formed of raunchy semi-sheer mesh and crochet to flash plenty of skin underneath. A bit of all-white: A number of other guests made glamorous arrivals on the carpet, including young actress Chantel Jeffries (above) and British singer Tallia Storm Confident: Chantel, 24, showed off her sensational figure in a sizzling white gown, formed of raunchy semi-sheer mesh and crochet to flash plenty of skin underneath Glamorous girl: She co-ordinated her show-stopping frock with strappy gladiator heels, and kept her hair and make-up natural as she posed, to ensure all eyes remained on her eye-catching look The dress pulled into a low-cut bra at the front to give a glimpse of her cleavage, before cutting into daring cut-outs at the waist and a thigh-high split, to let her slender frame take centre stage as she posed. She co-ordinated her show-stopping frock with strappy gladiator heels, and kept her hair and make-up natural as she posed, to ensure all eyes remained on her eye-catching look. Proving her prowess on the carpet, the brunette beauty, who has previously been linked to Justin Bieber, first posed with a leg fiercely cocked, before playfully flipping her skirt for cameras. Meanwhile Tallia put on an equally head-turning display as she arrived at the event, in a revealing black gown formed entirely of glittering sequins. Making an entrance: Meanwhile Tallia put on an equally head-turning display as she arrived at the event, in a revealing black gown formed entirely of glittering sequins Raunchy: The budding pop star, 19, was the picture of confidence in the slinky dress, which featured a large mesh panel across the bodice to tease at her braless frame underneath Dramatic: Clinging to her slim figure all the way down, the frock then cut off at her thigh to leave her legs on show, and instead extended into a statement train of black and silver embroidery Give the girl a hand: While it looked stunning on the carpet, Tallia appeared to struggle with her look as she posed for cameras Smile! She kept her accessories simple with black patent court shoes and delicate drop earrings, and swept her hair stylishly away from her face to draw attention to her bronzed and glowing beauty look The budding pop star, 19, was the picture of confidence in the slinky dress, which featured a large mesh panel across the bodice to tease at her braless frame underneath. Clinging to her slim figure all the way down, the frock then cut off at her thigh to leave her legs on show, and instead extended into a statement train of black and silver embroidery. She kept her accessories simple with black patent court shoes and delicate drop earrings, and swept her hair stylishly away from her face to draw attention to her bronzed and glowing beauty look as she waved for cameras. Other guests included Christoph Waltz, who happily signed autographs for fans and posed playfully on the carpet, as well as model Leomie Anderson, who turned heads in vibrant yellow. Cheeky chappie: Other guests included Christoph Waltz, who happily signed autographs for fans and posed playfully on the carpet with artistic director and Co-President of Chopard, Caroline Scheufele Cutting the mustard: Model Leomie Anderson turned heads in a vibrant yellow gown Feminine: The dress pulled into a delicate lace neckline, before extending into a stylish skirt of pleats and matching lace panels Effortless: Leomie proved her model prowess as she posed fiercely for cameras, and strutted her stuff on the carpet The stars were out in force to celebrate the release of Yomeddine, the new comedy up for the coveted Palme d'Or by Egyptian-Austrian director and writer Abu Bakr Shawky. The flick tells the story of a leper and his orphaned apprentice, who leave the confines of the leper colony for the first time and embark on a journey across Egypt to search for what is left of their families. It stars Rady Gamal, as Beshay and Ahmed Abdelhafiz as Obama. Deadline reports: 'Its been a long road to the Cannes Film Festival for Egyptian-Austrian filmmaker A.B. Shawky and his feature debut Yomeddine. 'The feel-good road movie was a passion project that he developed as his thesis out of NYUs Tisch School for the Arts, shot in Egypt with his wife, first-time producer Dina Emam, and stars non-actors with no reading or memorizing skills. 'The challenge landed him rejections from some festivals before Cannes offered an Un Certain Regard slotand then bumped him up to competition, a rare berth for a neophyte.' Big event: The carpet was packed with people (above) ready to celebrate the release of Yomeddine, the new comedy up for the coveted Palme d'Or by Egyptian-Austrian director and writer Abu Bakr Shawky She was a vision in Versace on Monday night at the Met Gala. But on Wednesday, Cindy Crawford took to the streets of NYC in a causal ensemble that included a black leather motorcycle jacket and comfortable white loafers. The 52-year-old former supermodel, who was joined by a female friend, hid behind a pair of cat-eye sunglasses. Casually clad: Cindy Crawford rocked a leather jacket and comfy white loafers as she wandered the streets of NYC on Wednesday Cindy teamed her moto jacket with a flowing black skirt and a graphic 'love' tee. The Illinois native was seemingly makeup free as she wandered the Big Apple with sleek, straight hair. And across her body was a small black purse. Rock on: Cindy teamed her moto jacket with a flowing black skirt and a graphic 'love' tee Shady lady: The 52-year-old former supermodel, who was joined by a friend, hid behind a pair of cat eye sunglasses Traveling light: Cindy carried her belongings in a black cross-body purse Later in the day Cindy was spotted with her husband Rande Gerber. The Malibu-based couple were checking out of the Mercer Hotel after a whirlwind weekend in NYC. Restaurateur Rande was casual in a white shirt unbuttoned to reveal a chain necklace dangling down his chest. Checked out! Later in the day Cindy was spotted after checking out of the Mercer Hotel with husband Rander Gerber So sweet: The couple walked hand in hand, still smitten after 20 years together The couple walked hand in hand, still smitten after 20 years together. Crawford and company spent Tuesday night in as she watched the sunset from a towering terrace in NYC. 'Winding down with the sun,' she said on Instagram. The night prior, she and hubby Rande attended the infamous Met Gala hosted by Vogue's Anna Wintour. Chain in vain: Restaurateur Rande was casual in a white shirt unbuttoned to reveal a chain necklace dangling down his chest Cindy stunned in a form-fitting, red Versace gown that closely resembled the dress she wore during the 1991 Academy Awards. She paired the sparkling ensemble with a set of dangling earrings and a matching ring. Gerber and Crawford spent the evening mingling with their good friends George and Amal Clooney. On Tuesday night, Crawford spent a night in as she watched the sunset from a towering terrace in NYC. 'Winding down with the sun,' she said on Instagram Showstoppers: Cindy and husband Rande Gerber attended the infamous Met Gala hosted by Vogue's Anna Wintour on Monday night Ryan Serhant has been happily married Emilia Bechrakis since July 2016. And now it looks as if the Sell It Like Serhant star is ready to take the necessary steps to start a family with the beauty. In a teaser from the next season of his show Million Dollar Listing New Year, the 33-year-old reality TV star asked his wife, 'Are you ready to go down the IVF steps?' Ready for babies: Ryan Serhant reveals in a teaser for Million Dollar Listing that he and wife Emilia may try IVF; seen at their wedding in July 2016 in Greece Emilia is seen saying, 'I've been looking forward to being a mom but I just always expected that it was going to be easy' in a clip provided to People. That is when Serhant sayss, 'Are you ready to go down the IVF steps?' Earlier this year Ryan told DailyMail.com exclusively that he and his wife 'talk about kids all the time.' He also seemed clearly in love. The struggle is hard: Emilia is seen saying, 'I've been looking forward to being a mom but I just always expected that it was going to be easy' in a clip provided to People 'I do it all for her, she is the love of my life,' said the real estate wiz. 'She is everything to me, she is everything I work for. She makes me better every day. She keeps me grounded and happy and pushes me. She is tough in all the right ways.' And married life is turning out to be great. 'She a better wife than I ever could have imagined,' the Hamilton college graduate gushed. They want little ones: Earlier this year Ryan told DailyMail.com exclusively that he and his wife 'talk about kids all the time.' Seen in April They met at a Hannukah party and hit it off. And though she didn't even live in New York at the time, he pursued her. Serhant proposed in Times Square in 2015, closing the busy NYC area for an hour. 'It's only happened once before, for the movie Vanilla Sky. It took six months to plan,' he said. And they wed the following year in Greece. Looking back: Fredrik Eklund and Serhant with Luis Ortiz during season five of Million Dollar Listing New York Also in the Million Dollar Listing teaser, co-star Fredrik Eklund and his husband, Derek Kaplan talk about their twins Milla and Fredrik Jr, who they welcomed in November. Fredrik also discussed how it's 'hard' to balance all his work with a spinoff of with Real Housewives Of New York star Bethenny Frankel. 'I can't screw this up. I have to be there,' he said. Eklund is also seen telling rapper 50 Cent that his mansion is 'too big for it's own good.' Million Dollar Listing New York debuts June 12 at 10:00 pm EST on Bravo. She proved her chic sense of style at the photocall for her new thriller Everybody Knows earlier that day. And Penelope Cruz showed no signs of stopping on Wednesday, as she slipped into another show-stopping look for her next event at the 71st Cannes Film Festival. The actress, 44, was the picture of elegance in a pleated floral midi dress as she embarked on further promotion for her new film. Elegant: Penelope Cruz slipped into another stylish look on Wednesday for her next event at the 71st Cannes Film Festival Leading lady: The actress, 44, was the picture of elegance in a pleated floral midi dress as she embarked on further promotion for her new film Everybody Knows The actress was stylish and sophisticated in the midi dress, patterned with feminine pink roses all over. Making the look more striking, the frock was styled like a blazer on top - complete with bright white lapels and double-breasted button detailing. Clinging to her slim figure with its suit-style fit, the dress then expanded out into a chic pleated skirt at her hip, before cutting off at a demure knee-length. Flower power: The actress was stylish and sophisticated in the midi dress, patterned with feminine pink roses all over Suits you! Making the look more striking, the frock was styled like a blazer on top - complete with bright white lapels and double-breasted button detailing Maintaining the elegant feel from head to toe, Penelope tied her look together with matching white court shoes and simple silver drop earrings, for a hint of glitz. She styled her hair into big, bouncy waves and sported a bronzed make-up look and nude lip, to draw attention to her smooth and glowing complexion as she stepped out. The sighting marked yet another busy day at the festival for Penelope - who has already attended both the premiere and photo call for her new psychological thriller Everybody Knows in its opening days. Everybody Knows follows Penelope as Laura - a woman living in Buenos Aires, who returns to her hometown outside Madrid with her Argentinian husband, played by Ricardo Darin, and their children. Style queen: Clinging to her slim figure with its suit-style fit, the dress then expanded out into a chic pleated skirt at her hip, before cutting off at a demure knee-length Finishing touches: Maintaining the elegant feel from head to toe, Penelope tied her look together with matching white court shoes and simple silver drop earrings, for a hint of glitz Natural beauty: She styled her hair into big, bouncy waves and sported a bronzed make-up look and nude lip, to draw attention to her smooth and glowing complexion However, an unexpected turn of events sees the trip turn on its side an unleash a host of secrets. Penelope also stars alongside her husband Javier Bardem in the flick, and recently revealed to Variety that the pair received equal pay for their work on the project. Reflecting on working with her other half, she said: 'We dont take the characters home at the end of the day. We have similar ways of work. The fact that we know each other and trust each other helps.' However, she did admit that working with her husband is not something she plans to do again any time soon. 'Its not something we plan on doing every two years,' she added. 'That will be once in a while, if we feel its right. I dont think it will be too often.' Isle of MTV is returning to Malta again and this year the lineup is bigger and better than ever before. On Wednesday the network's European branch released the full list of who will be performing at Isle of MTV this year. Jason Derulo, Hailee Steinfeld and Sigala were among a few names listed. They'll be joined by other major artists descending upon the tiny island haven. Hailee Steinfeld is one of many stars listed as performing at Isle of MTV in Malta in 2018 The festival is free, depending on the package you want to purchase, but you will have to register if you wish to be there. Here's what you need to know about Isle of MTV 2018. Check it out. Here are your 2018 #IsleofMTV headliners! Be sure to get free tickets to the main show 27 June: https://t.co/HOVykka5nS pic.twitter.com/jKPdRLLW9G Isle of MTV Malta (@IsleofMTV) May 9, 2018 What is Isle of MTV? Isle of MTV is an annual music festival. It takes place over the course of several days and is organized by MTV Europe. The concert has been on going since 2002, popping up in Portugal, France, Spain and Italy. In 2007 it landed in Malta and has remained there ever since. As a rule, about 50,000 people attend Isle of MTV each year. Isle of MTV lineup Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike Jason Derulo Hailee Steinfeld Sigala Paloma Faith Ella Eyre Daydreaming about floating around the beautiful coast of Gozo, Malta on this #traveltuesday. Be sure to get your tickets to #isleofmtv: https://t.co/HOVykka5nS pic.twitter.com/BMX4XzrYHc Isle of MTV Malta (@IsleofMTV) May 8, 2018 When is Isle of MTV? Isle of MTV will take place from June 27, 2018 to July 1, 2018. Where is Isle of MTV being held? Isle of MTV will be held at the Granaries in Malta. Isle of MTV 2018 tickets Tickets to Isle of MTV are free to the public for general admission. Tickets went on sale at no charge on April 12, 2018. Pre-registered hopeful attendees were able to get their freebie tickets on April 11, 2018. Free tickets are still available, according to the website. While you don't have to pay to attend Isle of MTV, you'll get to experience far more if you do. No complaints here Join us in paradise for the #IsleofMTV concert and music week: https://t.co/HOVykka5nS pic.twitter.com/8qQoyOx4On Isle of MTV Malta (@IsleofMTV) April 24, 2018 Their 153.60 (134.38 and $182.13) package will give you access to all the Music Week events leading up to and during Isle of MTV. You must be 17 or older to purchase this package. The Music Week standard ticket package costs 74.20 (64.92 and $87.98) and will get you access to all Music Week events. With this package, you must still register to attend Isle of MTV and you must be 17 years old or older. If you wish to attend the concert and then you want to party with the stars at The Official Isle of MTV after party at Uno, you can purchase tickets for and additional 21.20 (18.55 and $25.15). VIP tickets to the after party are 37.10 (32.46 and $44.01). Find other Isle of MTV and/or Music Week events here. In 2017 she was arrested on charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest, battery of an officer, and making threats against a public servant. But in an interview with Dr Oz on Wednesday, Luann de Lesseps claimed that alcohol was not entirely responsible for her infamous Palm Beach, Florida arrest last year. 'I almost think that somebody slipped me something, because I dont remember a thing,' the 52-year-old told the talk show host. Scroll down to see video Candid: Luann de Lesseps has told Dr Oz about her fragile mental state in the lead-up to her arrest for assaulting a police officer after she was found intoxicated in the wrong hotel room The reality TV star told Oz the details that led to the incident at The Colony hotel last Christmas eve. 'I had a rose at lunch with my girlfriend, we split a bottle of Whispering Angel, which is normal.' 'And then there were some people there that were fans, so they send me more rose. So I drank more than I usually would.' 'And on the way, we stop and have not one martini but two.' But the Real Housewives Of New York regular denied the drinking alone would have caused her to act the way she did subsequently. 'Thats kind of a regular kind of thing. You know what I mean? In terms of the drinking path that I was on. So I almost think that somebody slipped me something, because I dont remember a thing after that.' Tears: 'I think, this last thing just did it for me. I just cracked, I just cracked,' the 52-year-old Real Housewives Of New York told the talk show host. Seen here in a May episode of her show A sordid tale: The former Countess then recounts the circumstances of her arrest. Seen here in May on RHONY The former Countess then recounts the circumstances of her arrest. 'I'm a drunk woman in a hotel room in my own hotel, but the wrong room, granted,' she told Oz. 'So they come after me and I was drunk, so I wasn't equipped to handle it. And I got scared and I ran like a child to the bathroom.' 'And so I locked myself in the bathroom and then he tried to open the door and he opened the door and then I closed the door and it hit him in the forehead. So that's battery that I did on a police officer.' The mother-of-two was charged with battery for the incident, as well as being for her threats to 'kill' another arresting officer. Tough to admit: 'I'm a drunk woman in a hotel room in my own hotel, but the wrong room, granted,' she told Oz She went on. 'Disorderly, that's for sure.' Dr. Oz then said, 'Intoxication,' and the emotional housewife replied, 'Totally, I cop to it.' Of the situation, she explained her guilt, 'Yes. It's all true. It's ridiculous, but it's true. And I feel so terrible, because it's so not me.' Luann's 2017 arrest mugshot after the Palm Beach arrest On her state of mind leading up to the arrest, de Lesseps was candid in her answers to Dr. Mehmet Oz's questions. 'I checked into Deepak Chopra [a Californian wellness center] for two weeks after the end of my first marriage, which was devastating for me, devastating, never got over that, really.' The Connecticut-born socialite was married to Count Alexandre DeLesseps from 1993 to 2009. The pair have two children - son Noel, 21; and daughter Victoria, 23 'What else? There was a car accident. I tumbled down a mountainside with the two children in the car in Switzerland, and I thought I killed myself and my children. I really did. I thought I was going to be dead. 'It was really rough.' Oz then hands her a handkerchief from his pocket. 'You're such a gentleman. I think, this last thing just did it for me. I just cracked, I just cracked.' Real talk: 'I checked into Deepak Chopra [a Californian wellness center] for two weeks after the end of my first marriage,' said Luann On the fateful night of the incident, de Lesseps was found trespassing in a hotel room with an unidentified man, according to a police report. The duo had entered the wrong room at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach but allegedly refused to leave. Police then attempted to detain De Lesseps and remove her from the bathroom, at which time De Lesseps shoved an officer with an 'open palm to the chest,' then slammed the door on his face, striking him in the forehead. The arrest came shortly after de Lesseps announced her divorce from husband of less than a year Tom D'Agostino Jr. She married him in Palm Beach and has previously said she was drinking more than usual on the night of her arrest because being at the location of her wedding made her emotional. Kourtney Kardashian enjoyed a romantic vacation in Arizona with her beau Younes Bendjima earlier this week. First the 39-year-old TV star was seen hiking and climbing rocks in the picturesque Antelope Canyon. Then on Wednesday the mother-of-three posted two images where she was in a swimsuit while on a boat. The images are older as the cover girl has already returned to Los Angeles. Time in the sun: Kourtney Kardashian poses in a swimsuit and Emporio Armani sunglasses while enjoying time off in Arizona this week The ex of Scott Disick had one leg up and one leg down as she showed off her toned figure in a mint green suit with cut outs on the chest and stomach. The beauty added Emporio Armani sunglasses and wore her raven locks down. Behind her were the striking walls of Lake Powell that have earned their marks from glaciers. Kourtney's caption simply read 'Ethereal.' Hard-won curves: The ex of Scott Disick showed off her toned figure in a mint green suit with cut outs on the chest and stomach Enjoying the wild ride: Days earlier the petite lady shared this shot while the boat was running On Monday Kourtney was seen in bright orange attire as she walked in Arizona's desert. The beauty added Oakley glasses and workout shoes. The reason for the getaway was Younes' 25th birthday. Though Kourtney and Younes have 14 years between them, it doesn't seem to have caused them any issues thus far. Orange crush: The pinup dressed in orange with Oakley as she posed inside a rock formation while touring Arizonas Antelope Canyon on Monday Times two: The beauty, 39, has been on vacation with her young beau Younes Bendjima to celebrate his 25th birthday The sister of Kim and Khloe Kardashian captioned her hiking shot '2020' for some reason. Perhaps that is the year she plans on tying the knot with Younes. There were two photos in all, one of her standing and the other of her crouching down while modeling chic sunglasses. Postcard from AZ: On Sunday Kardashian and Bendjima gave fans a look at their desert experience with a few Snapchat videos On Sunday the vegan shared plenty of images from the trip. She and Younes appeared to be on a daring day trek as they soaked up the scenery in Arizona. They were all kitted out for hiking and rock climbing. Small one: The 5ft1in siren could also be seen from the backside as she looked out at the natural rocky scenery Nice view: Kourtney admired the view during their outdoors getaway as she wore a helmet and a harness Kourtney was in a green workout outfit with a backpack on and Younes was clad in a T-shirt and shorts. They held hands as they stood in front of a beautiful rock formation. The 5ft1in siren could also be seen from the backside as she looked out at the natural rocky scenery. The pair were crossing a narrow, rickety bridge that connected two mountains. Kourtney said they were 409ft up. Scary: The pair were crossing a narrow, rickety bridge that connected two mountains. Kourtney said they were 409ft up Dreamy: Kourtney shared several clips to social media that revealed the location. In one video she was in a bikini while on a speedboat. She also shared views of the lake making it look like she was in Lake Powell, which is in Arizona Kourtney shared several clips to social media that revealed their vacation location on Saturday. In one video she was in a bikini while on a speedboat. She also shared views of the lake making it look like she was in Lake Powell, which is in Arizona. Then she posted a photo where they were driving over the Colorado River. Digs: There were also a few images from her very modern looking hotel which is likely the five-star Amangiri Resort in Utah, located about 40 minutess drive from Arizonas Antelope Canyon Incredible beauty: The pool looked fit for royals with it's modern design and fancy umbrellas A sanctuary: The hotel is known for its modern look and incredible views Nailed it: Then she posted a photo where they were driving over the Colorado River There were also a few images from her very modern looking hotel, which is likely the five-star Amangiri Resort in Utah, located about 40 minutess drive from Arizonas Antelope Canyon. Kendall Jenner visited the area just months ago and raved about it on social media. The star also wished her handsome beau a happy 25th birthday on social media. private jet. One word: The reality star wrote 'wow' above one of her landscape shots Climbing gear: The outdoor activities included some climbing The sister of Kim Kardashian and the catwalk king have been dating for just over a year. In several of the photos, the two look as happy as can be as they enjoy some of their more exotic vacations. In one shot, they are both in the ocean. She has on a bikini and is smiling as he stands next to her, then later wraps his arms around the ex of Scott Disick. On Friday the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star revealed some of her secrets to staying youthful and slender. At age 39, she is only 98lbs. On her site KourtneyKardashian.com, the sister of Kim and Khloe Kardashian listed the supplements she is taking every day. Her post began: 'At the moment, I'm all about everything in moderation. 'I try to eat healthy when I'm at home in my everyday routine and have a good balance of fresh, organic vegetables and fruits, healthy fats and protein. I've found the way I eat affects everything from my skin to my mood to my energy levels.' Backup plan: Kourtney shared that they were going on a hike but went on a climb instead The mother of three then listed what she puts in her body. 'First thing every morning, I take collagen supplements mixed with a glass of water. I also try to drink a lot of water throughout the dayespecially during my workout. 'Then, I have my morning smoothie with added supplements like bone broth protein powder, MCT oil and E3Live algae.' Then it was back to food. 'For lunch, I focus on eating organic greens and usually have a salad. Lately, I've been having my signature salad with avocado, hard boiled eggs, cucumber and tomatoes. 'In the afternoon, I usually have hot green tea and a little snack. I recently discovered these BBQ chips made with chickpeas that I really like. 'For dinner, I usually have grilled salmon or chicken, mashed cauliflower with garlic, roasted carrots and broccoli, along with white rice. I have been doing white rice at night because it's easier to digest in the evening (my nutritionist said it's best to have brown rice at lunch, then white rice for dinner).' On 14 May at the inauguration, Ivanka Trump and her husband will be present. Palestinian official calls for a boycott of the ceremony. Explosions of violence are feared for the situation in Gaza. Disillusioned Palestinians. Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The municipal employees of Jerusalem yesterday installed a new road sign, with the inscription "US Embassy" in Hebrew, English and Arabic. The signs indicate an American consular building in the Arnona neighborhood, from next week destined to host a ceremony that has been expected for months. On May 14, the anniversary of the 70th anniversary of Israel's creation, Israeli and American authorities will inaugurate the new American embassy, announced last December 6 by US President Donald Trump: for the White House, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Trump will not be present at the ceremony, which will be attended by his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner. The decision had triggered protests by the Palestinians and the Islamic world, the appeals of Pope Francis and the Christian communities, as well as the condemnation of the international community, which does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the disputed city and states that its status should be determined in a peace treaty. For their part, the Palestinians claim the eastern area of the city as the capital of a future independent state. Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian official, asks the diplomats, "civil society organizations and religious authorities to boycott the inauguration ceremony": participation in the event would be a message of encouragement for the violation of international law and the inalienable rights of the Palestinians. In the context of the repetition of the "Marches for the Return" along the border between Israel and Gaza - in which more than 40 Palestinians have died - some fear that the inauguration will be the occasion for demonstrations and clashes. Israeli Defense Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, argues that Israel is "ready to pay any price". Similar concerns emerged in December after Trump's announcement, but they proved to be unfounded, as the Palestinians reacted mostly peacefully amid great disillusionment. Jeremy McConnell has reportedly launched a legal bid for joint custody over the son he shares with Stephanie Davis. The reality star has reportedly started the process to see Caben-Albi, 17 months, as he believes he is now in a good space to become a father. The reports will come as a shock to some as it comes just three months after Stephanie claimed her ex 'didn't pay a penny' towards their son, and 'used Caben for fame'. Battling: Joint custody: Jeremy McConnell has reportedly launched a legal bid for joint custody over the 17 month old son, Caben Albi, he shares with Stephanie Davis A source told The Sun: 'Jeremy has worked hard the last few months to get his life back on track. 'He always made it clear that he didn't want to start this process until he was in a good place and now he feels like he's in a stable position. 'It is an extremely complicated situation given his history with Stephanie but everyone's hoping that in time he can start to be included in Caben's life.' Jeremy's representatives told MailOnline: 'It must be appreciated that this is a complicated matter and given the age of the child involved and the future proceedings we are unable to comment.' Stephanie's spokesperson also declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. Speaking out: The reports will come as a shock to some as it comes just three months after Stephanie claimed her ex 'didn't pay a penny' towards their son, and 'used Caben for fame' Stephanie and Jeremy welcomed son Caben in January 2017 following months of public make-ups and break-ups after meeting on Celebrity Big Brother. Discussing Jeremy's relationship with Caben - who Jeremy initially contested was his biological son - Stephanie said on Lorraine in February: 'I have never stopped him seeing Caben, but he hasn't shown an interest and hasn't paid a penny to him. 'He doesn't care. He used him for fame. He's running out of things to use for fame.' However, a source close to Jeremy denied Stephanie's claims at the time, telling MailOnline: 'What a load of rubbish! He did not throw a charger at her and I've seen emails where he has tried to talk about child support. 'Good to see that Steph hasn't lost her acting skills.' Turbulent: Stephanie and Jeremy welcomed son Caben in January 2017 following months of public make-ups and break-ups after meeting on Celebrity Big Brother Happier times: Following a paternity test over Caben last year, the pair reconciled, and seemed to be in the throes of young love until photographs emerged of the pair battered and bruised following a late-night bust up in their hotel Stephanie and Jeremy's turbulent romance has hit the headlines on several occasions. Following a paternity test over Caben last year, the pair reconciled, and seemed to be in the throes of young love until photographs emerged of the pair battered and bruised following a late-night bust up in their hotel. In March last year, a court heard how Jeremy had thrown the soap actress 'around like a rag doll' during the attack, and was handed a 20 week suspended sentence and 200 hours community service in August. Jeremy was later sentenced to 18 weeks in prison after skipping out eight community service sessions while jetting off to Turkey for a hair and beard transplant. Shocking: In March last year, a court heard how Jeremy had thrown Stephanie 'around like a rag doll' during a domestic dispute between the pair Meanwhile, Stephanie was arrested in July after Dubliner Jeremy reportedly suffered a broken nose, fractured eye socket and concussion, yet she was cleared over alleged GBH. Following the court case, Stephanie checked into rehab for alcohol addiction, and explained: 'It was the best decision of my life. It changed everything. It was a big eye-opener. 'I had a vision of an alcoholic in my head as being a homeless person, I didn't think it could be me. I've always had a problem with drink, it's never agreed with me. 'Especially with Jeremy, when he would do things to me, I would drink to block it out.' Just when you thought you'd seen all the Royal Wedding coverage you could handle, Channel 4 announces a new documentary series called Meet the Markles. According to The Sun, the show will see host Amelia Dimoldenberg, known for her YouTube series Chicken Shop Date, travel to the United States in the hopes of scoring an invitation to the Royal Wedding. In doing so she'll be meeting with people from bride-to-be Meghan Markle's past as well as members of her extended family. It's unclear who will be participating in the project at this stage. Channel 4 will be releasing a new series in which YouTube sensation Amelia Dimoldenberg attempts to score an invite to the Royal wedding from people in Meghan Markle's past The YouTube sensation will also be exploring Royal Wedding chaos as it exists across the pond. Interested? Here's what you need to know about Meet the Markles on Channel 4. When is Meet the Markles on Channel 4? Meet the Markles will air on Channel 4 on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 10pm BST. Who will appear on Meet the Markles? It's unclear at this time who will appear on Meet the Markles. We can say for certain that Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, Prince William, The Queen and the rest of the Royal family will probably not be participating. Royal Wedding called off? Meghan Markle's estranged brother Thomas Markle Jr. shared a letter he penned to Prince Harry with In Touch magazine. In it, the 51-year-old warned the young Royal that he should call the wedding off, adding that it was not 'too late'. 'As more time passes to your royal wedding, it became very clear that this is the biggest mistake in royal wedding histroy,' the bizarre letter read. 'Meghan Markle is obviously not the right woman for you. I'm confused why you don't see the real Meghan that the whole world now sees.' The letter continued: 'Meghan's attempt to act the part of a princess like a below C average Hollywood actress is getting old.' Prince Harry has not heeded Meghan's brother's advice, however. The Royal Wedding will go on as planned. Royal Wedding 2018 date The Royal Wedding will take place on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in west London. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be marrying over a weekend, which is rare for royals. What time is the Royal Wedding? The Royal Wedding ceremony is due to start at 12pm BST. It should last about an hour and will be followed by the Royal Procession, a reception at Windsor Castle and a private evening with family and friends hosted by Prince Charles. Royal Wedding coverage 2018 The BBC has decided to allow one-off dispensation to anyone in the UK, which means the Royal Wedding can be screened at viewing parties in many venues across the country without a TV license. The Royal Wedding will be covered on radio, TV and is being streamed online. Streaming the Royal Wedding in the US American's who wish to partake in the Royal Wedding madness can tune in to a number of popular stations for coverage. CBS will begin their Royal Wedding coverage at 4am ET. Gayle King and Kevin Frazier will be hosting. At 8pm ET, Tina Brown will appear for more Royal Wedding commentary along with a special, called Royal Romance: The Marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. If you have to tune in online, you can catch all of that on CBSN, CBS's streaming site. NBC will have Today Show correspondents Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb coming to you live from Windsor Castle at 4:30am ET. They'll also be hosting a show on Friday, May 18, 2018 related to the Royal Wedding. PBS, E!, ET and Fox will also be broadcasting the Royal Wedding or programs related to the Royal Wedding over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding weekend. Get more information here. Will Ferrell Royal Wedding Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon will be getting into character as Cord and Tish again to cover the Royal Wedding for HBO. The event is being called The Royal Wedding Live with Cord and Tish! It's produced by Funny or Die and is due to air live on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 7:30am ET. A repeat will air on HBO at 9:45pm ET that night. Is the Royal Wedding a bank holiday? The Royal Wedding is not a bank holiday. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be getting married on a Saturday. Although you won't get time off from work from the Royal Wedding, you'll have plenty to celebrate and more time to do it. Pubs have been permitted to stay open later on Friday, May 18, 2018 and Saturday, May 19, 2018. Rather than closing at 11pm BST, they'll close at 1am BST. Margot Robbie has confirmed she'll star in Quentin Tarantino's forthcoming film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. The 27-year-old actress told IndieWire it would fulfill a longtime dream to work with the Pulp Fiction director, in his take on the Manson Murders that terrorized Los Angeles in 1969. 'Tarantino is one of my bucket-list directors,' she told the website on Tuesday. Next gig: Margot Robbie has confirmed she'll star in Quentin Tarantino's forthcoming film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Seen here in May 2018 Robbie acknowledged the importance of portraying the wife of infamous Polish director Roman Polanski, who was murdered at the hands of cult leader Charles Manson's followers. 'I feel a responsibility with every character I play, whether they're fictional or real life,' said the I, Tonya actress. 'To play her right, play her truthfully, and kind of understand her emotional journey.' Pressure: 'I feel a responsibility with every character I play, whether they're fictional or real life,' said the 27-year-old I, Tonya actress. Seen here in 2016 on the Suicide Squad set The Academy Award nominated actress said she's most excited about seeing how the Jackie Brown filmmaker runs his film set. Auteur: Tarantino pictured on set in 2012 'Beyond anything, I've just always wanted to see him work,' said the Suicide Squad starlet. 'So it's going to be a crazy experience to witness it firsthand. It's something I've always dreamed of doing.' The Australian actress will be joining an all star cast, headlined by herself, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. Also confirmed for the Kill Bill auteur's ninth feature film are Burt Reynolds, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, and Michael Madsen. Tarantino has previously asserted he would only make ten films in his career, leaving him with only one more to make after Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. The new series has received rave reviews from critics, ahead of its debut on Sky next week. And star of the show Benedict Cumberbatch showed no signs of nerves on Wednesday, as continued to promote his new drama Patrick Melrose in London. The 41-year-old looked typically slick in a navy suit as he attended the series' launch dinner at Searcys, with his wife Sophie Hunter by his side. Feeling good: Benedict Cumberbatch showed no signs of nerves on Wednesday as he arrived at the Patrick Melrose launch dinner with his wife Sophie Hunter Benedict cut a suave figure at the event in a perfectly tailored blue suit, teamed with a matching spotted tie and smart shoes. Adding a crisp white shirt and coiffing his hair to one side, the British actor looked every inch the leading man as he posed for cameras, beside a bright yellow taxi from New York - where much of the series is set. First standing alone, he later joined his wife Sophie on the carpet, who stunned in a sophisticated polka dot blouse and figure-skimming cigarette trousers. Main man: Benedict cut a suave figure at the event in a perfectly tailored blue suit, teamed with a matching spotted tie and smart shoes In the mood: The British actor looked every inch the leading man as he posed for cameras, beside a bright yellow taxi from New York - where much of the show is set Stylish: He later joined his wife Sophie on the carpet, who stunned in a sophisticated polka dot blouse and figure-skimming cigarette trousers Adding chunky heeled sandals, but sporting loose waves and a soft pink lip, the theatre director was effortlessly chic as she supported her husband at the event. The new Sky Atlantic series follows Benedict as the lead character Patrick Melrose, who attempts to overcome his addiction to drink and drugs, stemming from his distant mother and abusive father. Speaking to Radio Times last week, the actor revealed he felt far removed from his new character, as he has never been interested in such substances. He said: 'Ive had the opportunity; but even with that thing of having a glass of wine when the kids have gone to bed, Im like, "Im quite tired, and I dont really fancy that glass of sugary alcohol," boringly. By his side: Adding chunky heeled sandals, but sporting loose waves and a soft pink lip, the theatre director was effortlessly chic as she supported her husband at the event Loved-up: The pair married in 2015, following a 17-year friendship, and share two sons Troubled: The new Sky Atlantic series follows Benedict as the lead character Patrick Melrose, who attempts to overcome his addiction to drink and drugs 'Im very happy with near-sobriety. I have the odd blow-out, now and again a big birthday, or crazy weekend at a festival but I prefer yoga and meditation.' While Benedict was educated at the famous Harrow school - which costs 34,590-a-year - he also admitted he had to 'posh up' to play Patrick. He said of his character: 'He's properly posh. I know everyone goes on about the posh thing with me - but despite looking it, I am not that class. That class is landed gentry. I had to posh up for this.' Brought up in affluent Kensington, the Sherlock star has previously made fun of his 'toffee name' - but insists he is not a hereditary peer, and is 'desperately proud' of his working actor parents for paying for his education. Here she is! Celia Imrie also attended the event in a glittering silver chiffon shirt and flared trousers Casually chic: Jessica Raine turned heads in a printed crop top and midi skirt (L) while Anna Madeley slipped into a summery culotte jumpsuit (R) Well, theres no denying Josh OConnor has the ears for the role. Already known as Larry in ITVs series The Durrells, the actor has, I can disclose, been lined up to play Prince Charles in series three and four of The Crown. Josh will appear alongside Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret and Olivia Colman as the Queen. The third series covers the years 1964-1970, when Charles was between the ages of 16 and 22, so OConnor, who is 28 later this month, will need to appear remarkably youthful. At least the producers will save on prosthetics . . . I can disclose that Josh OConnor, left, has been lined up to play the role of Prince Charles, right, in the new series of The Crown Josh will appear alongside Helena Bonham Carter, right, as Princess Margaret, left, in series three and four of the hit Netflix show Queen Elizabeth, left, will be played by Olivia Colman, right. The third series covers the years 1964-1970 Claire Foy, centre, and Matt Smith, right, in a scene from Netflix's historical drama, The Crown. Series three is slated for a 2019 release Hands up anyone who can spot the obvious mistake Michael Noakes' portrait of Judi Dench Dame Judi Dench is a woman of many parts and hands, judging by this portrait of the 83-year-old actress by royal artist Michael Noakes which has just been unveiled at the Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition on the Mall. Noakes, whose portrait of the Queen graces Prince Charless wall, explains: Judi was impossible to pin down to do the sitting and now when her portrait is unveiled in Mall Galleries she tells me she wont be there because she has to go to hospital for an eye appointment. That is why I portrayed Judi with three arms, showing her in a rushed state. Advertisement Irish model Vogue Williams, who is engaged to Pippa Middletons brother-in-law Spencer Matthews, says her pregnancy is the reason clients have not renewed her contracts. A couple of brands that I loved working with, and was contracted to work with for another year, dropped me, she says. It just felt like, its hard enough to be a woman without having to put up with this s*** too. MP challenges Duke to a kippers at dawn DUEL Tory Mp and Brexiteer Ian Liddell-Grainger, right, is challenging the Duke of Wellington to a kippers at dawn duel Tory MP and ardent Brexiteer Ian Liddell-Grainger is so angered by the Duke of Wellingtons anti-Brexit shenanigans in the House of Lords that he is challenging the Duke to a duel. Liddell-Grainger, a cousin of the Queen, happens to be distantly related to the 9th Duke. I am going to challenge him to a duel on a lawn with seconds and all that, he says. His weapon of choice? Kippers. 'They can smack each other round the face with the smoked fish. Like an increasing number of Tories, Liddell-Grainger now backs substantial reform or abolition of the Upper House. So even if the Duke wins the duel, he might still be a smelly herring politically. There is a downside to sharing your name with someone in the eye of a media storm. Just ask film director Sir Alan Parker. He says that he gets confused with the other Sir Alan Parker, the former chair of Save The Children, who resigned from the charity amid claims of a cover-up of sex abuse allegations against two of his friends. When I try and make a restaurant reservation they say: Is it the Alan Parker? Now with all the news reports about him Im worried that Ill never get a table again. She attended the Met Gala on Monday where she posed with Justin Theroux then later was in the same car with him as they left an after party. But Emma Stone was back on the job this Wednesday filming her upcoming Netflix series Maniac, which also stars Justin. The 29-year-old, whom Forbes named the world's best-paid actress, smiled as she shot a scene with a man holding a suitcase. Post-Met Gala: Emma Stone was back on the job this Wednesday filming her upcoming Netflix series Maniac, which just so happens to also star Justin Theroux At another point, she held up an open newspaper and looked at the same man with rather more consternation on her face. While spotted on the outdoor shoot of the 10-episode first season, she sported her character's usual platinum blonde hair and camel-toned coat. Emma had thrown a loose-fitted navy hoodie over a lighter blue tee, slipping into a pair of sky blue jeans with folded-up hemlines. Her trousers were high enough to offer a full view of her lace-up brown boots - and when she sat down of her dull blue socks. Head of the list: The 29-year-old, whom Forbes named the words best-paid actress last August, smiled as she shot a scene with a man holding a suitcase The La La Land Oscar winner was spotted at one point sitting on a director's chair and checking her phone between takes. At the Catholic-themed Met Gala on Monday, Emma bared her cleavage in a gold-fringed navy Louis Vuitton gown with slits up each side. That night, she emerged grinning from the after-party with Justin, and the pair of them clambered into the same car to head off. Dramatic tension: At another point, she held up an open newspaper and looked at the same man with rather more consternation on her face A few evenings earlier, Jenna and Justin were seen heading to dinner together at Blue Ribbon Sushi in the SoHo area of Manhattan. Justin, 46, and his wife Jennifer Aniston, 49, announced their separation in February, less than three full years after their Bel-Air wedding. Maniac, a dark comedy, is created and directed by Cary Fukunaga and is based on a three-year-old Norwegian sitcom of the same name. In repose: The La La Land Oscar winner was spotted at one point sitting on a director's chair and checking her phone between takes The original half-hour series centers on the fantasy life of a hospitalized mental patient called Espen. Emma reunites with her old Superbad co-star Jonah Hill to head up the cast of the new version, alongside a cast including Sally Field and Justin Theroux. Patrick Somerville is writing the English-language Netflix edition, which is scheduled to be released on a publicly unspecified date in 2018. Nautical chic: At the Catholic-themed Met Gala on Monday, Emma bared her cleavage in a gold-fringed navy Louis Vuitton gown with slits up each side. Justin looked handsome in a black suit with a white shirt and no tie With their friends: Emma and Justin with (L-R) Doona Bae, Jennifer Connelly, Michelle Williams, Riley Keough, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Alicia Vikander, Laura Harrier and Ruth Negga at the gala She's been making glamorous appearances all over Cannes Film Festival. And Penelope Cruz continued her stylish streak as she attended the Vanity Fair Party at the Marriott hotel on Wednesday in an ethereal baby blue dress. The 44-year-old actress was a vision of beauty as she made her way into the glitzy bash, which was also attended by the likes of Kristen Stewart. Blue-tiful! Penelope Cruz continued her stylish streak as she attended the Vanity Fair Party in France on Wednesday in an ethereal baby blue dress Showcasing her sensational figure, the Oscar-winning actress dazzled in the pastel coloured mini dress which showed off her enviably toned pins. Featuring layers of ruffles, the garment skimmed over her petite frame, with delicate spaghetti straps offering a look at her toned arms. Penelope added to the glamour with a pair of bronze satin Roger Vivier heels that were adorned with pink feather detailing which complemented her Roger Vivier clutch bag. The Spanish actress finished off the look by styling her glossy chestnut tresses in a slick centre parting that framed her pretty features. Dressed to impress@ The 44-year-old actress was a vision of beauty as she made her way into the glitzy bash, which was also attended by the likes of Kristen Stewart Leggy lady! Showcasing her sensational figure, the Oscar-winning actress dazzled in the pastel coloured mini dress which showed off her enviably toned pins Kristen looked equally as glamorous in the bash in her head turning ensemble. The actress showcased her long legs in a pearl encrusted co-ord which sexily grazed her thigh and she further elongated her stems with her Perspex heels. All the precious jewels sewn into the dress shimmered as Kristen made her way through the party bursting with the great and the good of the showbiz world. No arm done: Featuring layers of ruffles, the garment skimmed over her petite frame, with delicate spaghetti straps offering a look at her toned arms On the move: Penelope added to the glamour with a pair of bronze satin Roger Vivier heels that were adorned with pink feather detailing which complemented her Roger Vivier clutch Keeping up with the hottest catwalk finds, the Twilight star slipped her feet into towering Perspex boots as she sashayed through the plush five-star venue. The Snow White And The Huntsman star pinned her locks back, added electric blue eye-shadow and she wore silver jewellery. Keen to delight her fans, the actress stopped in her tracks to sign autographs and snap selfies for her number one admirers. Dazzling: Kristen Stewart looked equally as glamorous in the bash in her head turning ensemble as she sauntered into the party Leggy lady: Kristen paraded her legs in a tiny shimmering pearl dress at star-studded Vanity Fair dinner Lights, Cannes, action! All the precious jewels sewn into the dress shimmered as Kristen made her way through the party bursting with the great and the good of the showbiz world Dazzling diva: She is showing off her fashion choices at the biggest showbiz bonanzas as well as weighing in her taste in film on the jury panel How sweet! Keen to delight her fans, the actress stopped in her tracks to sign autographs and snap selfies for her number one admirers Check her out: The actress showcased her lengthy legs in her pearl encrusted number which sexily grazed her thigh and she further elongated her stems with her Perspex heels The sighting marked yet another busy day at the festival for Penelope - who has already attended both the premiere and photo call for her new psychological thriller Everybody Knows in its opening days. Everybody Knows follows Penelope as Laura - a woman living in Buenos Aires, who returns to her hometown outside Madrid with her Argentinian husband, played by Ricardo Darin, and their children. However, an unexpected turn of events sees the trip turn on its side an unleash a host of secrets. Penelope also stars alongside her husband Javier Bardem in the flick, and recently revealed to Variety that the pair received equal pay for their work on the project. Glamorous: Also at the bash was Louise Bourgon who dazzled in a black satin maxi skirt Reflecting on working with her other half, she said: 'We dont take the characters home at the end of the day. We have similar ways of work. The fact that we know each other and trust each other helps.' However, she did admit that working with her husband is not something she plans to do again any time soon. 'Its not something we plan on doing every two years,' she added. 'That will be once in a while, if we feel its right. I dont think it will be too often.' On the move: The sighting marked yet another busy day at the festival for Penelope - who has already attended both the premiere and photo call for her new thriller Everybody Knows Going dotty: Earlier in the day, the stunning actress sported a cream mini dress with a polka dot pattern in the sexy silk material that grazed her toned thighs Leggy lady! Penelope had boosted her model frame with a pair of white Louboutin heels She is showing off her fashion choices at the biggest showbiz bonanzas as well as weighing in her taste in film on the jury panel. And Kristen Stewart, 28, was beyond beautiful in her bejeweled dress at The Vanity Fair dinner party hosted inside the Marriott hotel, in Cannes, on Wednesday evening. The actress showcased her lengthy legs in her pearl encrusted number which sexily grazed her thigh and she further elongated her stems with her Perspex heels. Leggy lady: Kristen Stewart paraded her legs in a tiny shimmering pearl dress at star-studded Vanity Fair dinner, hosted at the Marriott hotel in Cannes during the festival All the precious jewels sewn into the dress shimmered as Kristen made her way through the party bursting with the great and the good of the showbiz world. Keeping up with the hottest catwalk finds, the Twilight star slipped her feet into towering Perspex boots as she sashayed through the plush five-star venue. The Snow White And The Huntsman star pinned her locks back, added electric blue eye-shadow and she wore silver jewellery. Lights, Cannes, action! All the precious jewels sewn into the dress shimmered as Kristen made her way through the party bursting with the great and the good of the showbiz world She's sensational: The actress was beyond beautiful in her bejeweled dress at The Vanity Fair dinner party, attended by a whole host of stars Amazing accessorises: The Snow White And The Huntsman star pinned her locks back, added electric blue eye-shadow and she wore silver jewellery Keen to delight her fans, the actress stopped in her tracks to sign autographs and snap selfies for her number one admirers. While Kristen was flying solo, she has been spending an increasing amount of time with Cannes' Jury President Cate Blanchett. Also on the jury that will decide this year's Palme d'Or top prize are Ava DuVernay and Lea Seydoux, who says disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein had made unwelcome advances on her. Dazzling diva: She is showing off her fashion choices at the biggest showbiz bonanzas as well as weighing in her taste in film on the jury panel Burundian songwriter Khadja Nin, Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev, Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, French director Robert Guediguian and Chinese actor Chang Chen complete the line-up. The shadow of Weinstein is looming over this year's Cannes. For two decades, Weinstein had been an omnipresent figure at the festival, where several of his alleged sex crimes took place. In the light of the scandal which rocked Hollywood's elite, Cannes has established a hotline for sexual harassment victims at the festival. Kristen skipped one of the biggest annual fashion extravaganzas, New York City's Met Gala, as she made her glamorous arrival in Cannes in recent days. How sweet! Keen to delight her fans, the actress stopped in her tracks to sign autographs and snap selfies for her number one admirers Check her out: The actress showcased her lengthy legs in her pearl encrusted number which sexily grazed her thigh and she further elongated her stems with her Perspex heels Peace out! Kristen flashed the peace sign to waiting cameras as she made her way up the stairs into the venue Also in attendance at the exclusive dinner was French actress, Sonia Ben, who stunned in a frilly detailed mini dress. The 19-year-old rising star, who previously dated Brooklyn Beckham, wore the eye-catching number with a ruffled jacket in shades of blue, slung around her lower arms. Sonia, who has led campaigns for Miu Miu and Dolce & Gabanna, teamed her striking evening look with a pair of monochrome heels. Sultry: Also in attendance at the exclusive dinner was French actress, Sonia Ben, who stunned in a frilly detailed mini dress Leggy: The 19-year-old rising star, who previously dated Brooklyn Beckham, wore the eye-catching number with a heavily ruffled jacket in shades of blue, slung around her lower arms Her chic ensemble was accentuated by her sleek raven locks, which were worn half swept away from her face in a stylish fashion. Sonia, who was heavily make up for the event, sported winged liner and a bold oink lip, which added to her summery vibe. Brooklyn and Sonia dated for five months from October 2015 to March 2016. The teenager originally met the model daughter of Tunisian producer and director Tarak Ben Ammar, who counts Silvio Bellusconi and the late Michael Jackson among his circle, the previous year. Strut: Sonia, who has led campaigns for Miu Miu and Dolce & Gabanna, teamed her striking evening look with a pair of monochrome heels Stepping in: Her chic ensemble was accentuated by her sleek raven locks, which were worn half swept away from her face in a stylish fashion She may have just released a book titled 'The Baby Bible', but Rebecca Judd has admitted that she's not as maternal as one might expect. Speaking to Mother & Baby magazine this week, the AFL WAG, 35, spoke about her how she struggled to adjust to life after welcoming four children in the space of five years with husband Chris Judd. 'Yes, it's been a huge adjustment. I have never really been that maternal... I'm not the sort of person who needs to hold the baby all the time,' she confessed. 'It's been a huge adjustment': Speaking to Mother & Baby magazine this week, the AFL WAG, 35, spoke about her how she struggled to adjust to life after welcoming four children in the space of five years with husband Chris Judd Despite her prior reservations, Rebecca is now the proud mother of son Oscar, six, four-year-old daughter Billie and twin sons, Tom and Darcy, one. When quizzed by the publication about her favourite motherhood duty, Rebecca explained that she simply adores picking her two eldest children from school. 'Billie runs to me every single time yelling, 'Mummy!' She's so energetic, she bowls me over every time,' she mused. Proud parents: Rebecca and her Chris share four children together, son Oscar, six, four-year-old daughter Billie and twin sons, Tom and Darcy, one Read more! Rebecca's interview appears in this week's edition of Mother & Baby magazine Discussing motherhood with The Australian Women's Weekly last week, the Postcards host admitted that she struggled to feel a connection with her first child Oscar after he was born. 'When Oscar came out, I didn't have that instant bond,' she admitted. 'It was a shock. You hear when this baby comes out and it's all tears and it's almost like you can hear this magical music playing, and it wasn't like that.' 'I didn't have an instant bond with Oscar when he was born': Rebecca spoke candidly about her early struggles with motherhood in an interview with Australian Women's Weekly last week Rebecca continued: 'The obstetrician was saying, "Take your baby," and it dawned on me with a thud: he's your responsibility.' However the blogger's maternal side soon kicked in and she fell in love with her newborn, an experience she described as 'overwhelming and amazing'. The Channel Nine personality is refreshingly honest when talking about motherhood, and after having three other children - Billie, four, and one-year-old twins Tom and Darcy - she is something of a parenting expert. Much better! Despite not feeling an 'instant bond' with her son Oscar, now six, after he was delivered, the Channel Nine personality quickly fell in love with motherhood Rebecca's new pregnancy book The Baby Bible details the less-than-glamorous side of carrying a child and offers helpful tips to mothers-to-be. The qualified speech pathologist recently told Daily Mail Australia that the key to managing a big household successfully is organisation. 'My kids are amazing and I'm very much a routine mum. I have been on a routine from day one, so that's how I do it,' she explained. Top tips: Rebecca's new pregnancy book The Baby Bible details the less-than-glamorous side of carrying a child and offers helpful tips to mothers-to-be She and co-host Susanna Reid are known for their glamorous senses of style on Good Morning Britain. But Charlotte Hawkins well and truly stole the show on Wednesday, as she made a stunning arrival at the Hello! Magazine x Dover Street Market anniversary party. The 42-year-old was effortlessly chic in a pink floral jumpsuit as she posed for cameras outside the star-studded bash, which was sponsored by Ciroc. Leading lady: Charlotte Hawkins stole the show on Wednesday, as she made a stunning arrival at the Hello! Magazine x Dover Street Market anniversary party The TV star showed off her enviably svelte frame in the one-piece, patterned with bold pink and orange flowers all over. The jumpsuit featured mesh lace shoulders and a ribbon belt, as well as a sexier diamond cut-out at the chest to tease at her cleavage underneath. She maintained the glamorous feel of the look with glittering heeled sandals, which she co-ordinated with gold drop earrings and a beaded nude clutch. Flower power: The 42-year-old was effortlessly chic in a pink floral jumpsuit as she posed for cameras outside the star-studded bash, which was sponsored by Ciroc Styling her hair into loose waves, Charlotte drew attention to her youthful complexion as she posed outside the event - accentuated by glowing make-up and a soft pink lip. Charlotte is best known for hosting Good Morning Britain with Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan, but shot to further prominence when she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing last year. Speaking to Health & Wellbeing magazine, the presenter revealed she has been inspired to keep fit and hit the gym since her stint on the BBC show. Memories: Charlotte is best known for hosting Good Morning Britain, but shot to further fame when she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing last year (pictured with Brendan Cole) She said: 'It's always been something that I've done regularly, but I've reassessed my fitness since doing Strictly because that's the fittest I've ever been in my life. 'Even though I was doing loads of physical activity, I had so much energy and I noticed how my figure and my overall well-being changed. 'Fitness is now much more central for me for the first time in my life I feel like I can do this and enjoy it, whereas before it used to be a chore.' She went on to reveal her love of yoga, which she does once a week, due to its physical and mental benefits. BY PHILIP FITZPATRICK A COUPLE OF weeks ago I wrote about the early days of Papua New Guinea literature and the state of play today. PNG has a similar problem to Australia , with a low population making it difficult for writers to get published. As an outcome of that original article, a suggestion was made that perhaps PNG Attitude and its readers could sponsor a competition for new writers in PNG. We considered the best option to be a short story competition with a limit of about 1,500 words. A number of readers pledged contributions towards the prize, including yours truly and KJ. As a result, well be able to offer $1,000 for the winning story. Meanwhile, Patrick Big Pat Levo of the PNG Post-Courier had been scouting around for articles for his Independence Day supplement and I penned something on the writing theme and sent it to him with a request that the paper also publish the winners of the competition. (KJ has also submitted some hastily-cobbled-together yarn.) Big Pat delivered in spades yesterday - with the Post-Courier agreeing to publish the winners stories. But my efforts to get the University of PNG to help with the judging, despite Reg Renagis persuasive abilities, has so far come to naught. I thought UPNG would be a starter because it was the institution that kicked off creative writing in PNG in the 1970s. Its deafening silence led me to think that the competition should be for a popular story rather than anything too deep and literary. And Pats readers would probably prefer that. It also occurs to me that, if we get a good range of stories, it would be worth publishing the best works in an anthology. This means raising a bit more dough, but is not beyond the realms of possibility. Finally, if it all comes off, we will make it an annual event culminating around Independence Day each year. Im getting encouraging noises from some possible corporate sponsors and hope to get more than noises. As Alex Harris knows, involvement in such community enterprises enhances corporate reputation and is good for the bottom line. Were still open to ideas and, of course, promises of financial support. Hospitals have been put on notice about doctor burnout and told the workplace culture has to change. Stress, burnout, fatigue and the working hours of doctors and medical specialists are in the spotlight at the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists' annual scientific meeting of local and international anaesthetists in Sydney. According to visiting US Professor Karen Domino, half of all US physicians in nearly 30 medical specialties claim to be "burned out", while about 60 per cent are considering leaving the profession because of the issue. The figures would be very similar among Australian doctors, Professor Domino warned. Hospital doctors aren't bullet-proof and workplace culture must change, Professor Domino says. "Many doctors in hospitals are under extreme stress, seeing patients every five minutes," she said. "Hospitals and departments need to think about how they can prevent burnout for their staff and think about how they can change the hospital environment to make it less stressful," she said. So concerned about the issue of burnout and the high suicide rates among doctors, ANZCA president David Scott revealed on Tuesday he had launched a review of 10-year-old guidelines on fatigue to ensure anaesthetists had adequate rest and effective breaks between shifts. Professor Scott says the days of doctors working 72 hours straight have gone and he wants to provide medicos with an evidence-based "toolkit" on how to manage fatigue. "We need to recognise that healthy doctors provide safer medical care," Professor Scott said. "Yes we are putting the hospital system on notice because this is important, this is about safe health delivery and the evidence is out there; the tired, stressed, burnt-out doctors deliver less effective health care and their are more adverse outcomes and patient complaints," he said. Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467. QUESTION TIME IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT WHAT WE LEARNED * The most recent Labor budget surplus was delivered in 1989, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reminded opposition MPs as they sought to hammer his government over another deficit and rising debt. * It was "entirely appropriate" for the royal commission to turn its microscope "scrupulously" over any bank that seeks to prevent witnesses appearing before the inquiry because of non-disclosure agreements, Attorney-General Christian Porter said. * The risk of espionage, sabotage or coercive influence in Australia's domestic liquid fuel refinement component of the supply chain had been assessed as relatively low, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told MPs. WHAT WE DIDN'T LEARN Whether the PM agrees with Kerry Schott, architect of the government's national energy guarantee, that an investment case for building new coal-fired power plants no longer exists. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SPIN Every element of our budget is built on the foundation of a strong economy. WHAT LABOR WANTED TO TALK ABOUT Can the PM confirm gross government debt has increased by $10,000 for every man, woman and child in Australia? THEY SAID WHAT "There isn't a tax the Labor Party doesn't want to increase," the PM chides opposition MPs. TWEETED @AdamBandt: WTF?? Why is Labor trying to resurrect Abbott's 'debt and deficit' hysteria? We shd attack the Libs' Budget for its big business tax cuts & failure to fund public healthcare & schools, not reheating conservative garbage #qt @TimWattsMP: It's a bit like the crowd at the Gabba at the moment. Malcolm Turnbull insists the next federal election will be held next year, despite what many see as a pre-election budget. When asked by various media on Wednesday morning whether he'd go to the polls earlier, the prime minister said the government would "absolutely" run its full term to an election in the first half of 2019. "You should be planning your election coverage for next year," he said. Treasurer Scott Morrison - who will introduce legislation to cut personal income tax to parliament on Wednesday morning - said his third budget wasn't about the election but about making people's lives easier. "It's about them. Not about me. It's not about the prime minister. It's not about you," Mr Morrison told the Nine Network. "It's actually about Australians who are working hard and they should get the relief from their hard earned work." But Opposition Leader Bill Shorten wasn't buying it, and said he "can't wait for an election". "You and I know if Mr Turnbull thought he could win an election this Saturday he'd race off," he told "We're ready for one whenever it's called." The federal budget is a "hoax" and a dud for Queensland, and is all about getting the Turnbull government re-elected, the deputy premier and treasurer says. Jackie Trad says Scott Morrison's pre-election budget is a bitter disappointment for Queensland, with most of the $5.2 billion for infrastructure projects across the state announced before. "There's a lot of shiny, gold promises in the budget last night, but once you dig a little bit deeper, you see the details don't actually match the rhetoric. It's actually a hoax, I think," Ms Trad told ABC radio on Wednesday. Four teenagers and a man have been charged following a series of car thefts and burglaries in Melbourne's east. Police allege the group stole four cars between Sunday and Tuesday. It is further alleged that armed offenders attempted to gain entry into two service stations in Burwood and Burwood East on Tuesday. A 20-year-old man from Lalor and an 18-year-old man from Bundoora, have been charged with multiple theft-related offences and are due to front Dandenong Magistrates court on Wednesday. A 17-year-old Mill Park boy has been charged with multiple counts of aggravated burglary, burglary and car theft and a 16-year-old Thomastown boy has also been charged with car theft. Both are expected to appear at a children's court. A Craigieburn boy, 17, was charged with theft of motor vehicle and bailed to appear at a children's court at a later date. A woman who caused the death of a taxi driver when she sped through an intersection dressed in her pyjamas was mentally unstable at the time, a Melbourne court has been told. Natasha Karishma Sanyasi pleaded guilty in the County Court of Victoria on Tuesday to culpable driving causing the death of 32-year-old Pakistan national Dilawer Shah. The court was told that in the early hours of July 16, 2016, Sanyasi left her new boyfriend at a motor inn after he declined to drive to Adelaide with her. She drove at 137 km/h through a red light at the intersection of Sydney Road and Lorne Street at Fawkner before she "T-boned" the taxi, which was turning right. Prosecutor Charlotte Duckett said a witness described Mr Shah's taxi as airborne and rotating 180 degrees before crashing into the fence of an unoccupied construction site. Paramedics arrived at 5.02am and pulled Mr Shah from the car but were unable to revive him. Sanyasi was unharmed but appeared dishevelled and was wearing pyjamas, Ms Duckett added. Paramedics said Sanyasi climbed into the back of an ambulance and became aggressive when asked to get out. "She suffered no physical injuries but was admitted as an involuntary psychiatric patient," Ms Duckett said. Sanyasi had small amounts of alcohol, cannabis, sedative and painkillers in her blood when tested. Psychologist Harvey Abbott told the court Sanyasi "was clearly psychotic" at the time of the incident, with an ongoing borderline personality disorder exacerbated by cannabis use. Sanyasi allegedly told police she was given the drug GHB and raped just prior to the collision, that her boyfriend wanted to marry her, and that she thought she was pregnant and miscarrying. Mr Abbott also said Sanyasi had previously thought at times that "the television was talking to her". "It seemed like her mental health was deteriorating quite rapidly leading up to the incident," he said. Mr Abbott said Sanyasi tried to take her own life in August and thereafter suffered severe pain in her legs. Psychiatrist Vasilija Kojadinovic said Sanyasi had previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, substance use disorder and a history of post traumatic stress disorder resulting from childhood abuse. Sanyasi, who is on bail, has pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis and driving an unregistered car. The pre-sentence hearing continues on Wednesday. Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467. pa Emma Raducanu hungry for more success as she looks to move on from US Open win Raducanu will take on Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open. A federal registration scheme for heavy vehicles was well intentioned but is now fundamentally outdated, federal politicians agree. The Federal Interstate Registration Scheme for heavy vehicles is set to be phased out over the next 12 months to be replaced by a system with less red tape. Labor is supporting a government bill to repeal the scheme that cabinet minister Josh Frydenberg says was introduced 30 years ago to address a lack of uniformity between state and territory registration schemes for large vehicles. The scheme's closure would make way for a modern national registration system that better served the needs of the transport industry, he told parliament on Wednesday. The existing scheme would be closed to new entrants and for re-registration from July 1 this year, and closed completely from June 30 next year. Labor's transport spokesman Anthony Albanese said the transition period was sensible and the change to a new scheme was a logical next step. "Our road transport system needs one set of laws, one set of registration and compliance papers, one logbook and as little red tape as possible," he said. Three boys are accused of putting dry grass in a shopping trolley and setting it alight, sparking a bushfire that authorities failed to alert nearby residents to until two hours after video was posted on social media. Police say the teenagers tipped the trolley over in an effort to extinguish the fire but the flames ignited more scrub and was spread by strong winds, burning about 25 hectares in Aveley on Saturday. A 15-year-old boy and two 14-year-old boys, all from Ellenbrook, have been charged with breach of duty. The Turnbull government is calling for the resignations of four MPs after the High Court disqualified Labor senator Katy Gallagher over her dual citizenship. Attorney-General Christian Porter says therefore it's time for Labor MPs Susan Lamb, Justine Keay and Josh Wilson, as well as independent Rebekha Sharkie to stand down, given their British ancestry. "Bill Shorten must require the resignation of those three Labor members today, and that must occur before close of business today," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. The team heads to Marshall's apartment. They're too late. Marshall is dead. But while they are there, they find a dossier on Abby in the apartment. It's clear she was the target and it wasn't a mugging. It was a hit. The investigation continues and they determine that Marshall was a gun for hire. But who hired him? One person of interest is Terry Spooner. Remember Spooner? He was the guy in season 3 whose embezzlement trial Abby testified in. She was the target of an assassination attempt then, too. McGee is still at the hospital with Abby. DiNozzo makes an appearance in the form of a phone call to McGee. He was checking in on Abby. McGee could tell he was concerned because he didn't call him a "McNickname." It's another emotional scene with McGee and Abby. McGee tells Abby he needs her stop sleeping and to wake up. The team brings Spooner in for questioning. He acknowledges he's done questionable things in the past, but he denies ordering a hit on Abby. He seems to be a changed man. He has six months left on his probation and has nothing to hide. He has an ankle bracelet the authorities use to monitor his movements. It's clear he's not behind the plot to kill Abby. Supporters of Cardinal George Pell can help pay his legal costs as he fights historical sexual offence charges. The Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and The Catholic Weekly newspaper have shared bank account details where donations can be made, but the archdiocese said it didn't establish the fund and isn't managing it. The 76-year-old cardinal denies any allegation of wrongdoing but has been ordered to stand trial and the archdiocese said "many supporters" want to help. Those wanting to make a payment are directed to a trust account managed by Ferdinand Zito & Associates, a law firm in Melbourne. While the archdiocese helps with Pell's living expenses and accommodation, it's not responsible for his legal bills. "When Cardinal Pell took leave from his role as Prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy to voluntarily return to Australia nearly 12 months ago to fight the charges, many supporters wanted to contribute to his legal costs," the archdiocese said. Pell will become the world's highest-ranked Catholic cleric to stand trial over historical sexual offences. On May 1, a Melbourne magistrate struck out some of the initial charges against Pell. He has formally pleaded not guilty to the remaining charges. Australians are 150 times more likely to get killed by lightning than win on overseas lottery betting, a form of gambling federal MPs want banned. Government and opposition MPs have united against synthetic lotteries, in part over concerns they would entice people away from traditional lotteries and the revenue they generate for newsagents, pubs and clubs. "There is a genuine cause for concern that any increase toward lottery betting will be at the expense of consumers, small businesses and community and other government causes funded by official lotteries," Labor frontbencher Michelle Rowland told parliament on Wednesday. Legislation to ban so-called synthetic lotteries passed the lower house unopposed on Wednesday and with bipartisan support will get through the Senate. Lottoland chief executive Luke Brill has said the Gibraltar-based lottery betting company would consider a High Court challenge. "With 700,000 customers in Australia we're going to continue to fight this," he said. But Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher said the coalition believed lottery betting was a "gambling bridge too far". "Over $350 million is earned by some 4000 newsagencies and official lottery agents across Australia from sales of traditional lottery products. It is clear a shift away from official lotteries would have a negative impact on small businesses," he said. Labor backbencher Matt Keogh said while the likes of Powerball offered a one in 76 million chance at a win, it a win was far more unlikely in lottery betting. "The chance of winning the jackpot prize in an overseas lottery of this nature are minuscule with the odds usually less than one in 250 million," he said comparing it to the one in 1.5 million chance of dying from a lightning strike. Lottery betting is already banned in South Australia, while the Northern Territory doesn't allow betting on Australian lottery. The National Gallery of Victoria is asking for the public's help to buy what would be Australia's first and only painting by Salvador Dali. The gallery has secured $4 million for Trilogy of the desert: Mirage 1946 but is calling on the public to contribute $1.5 million more to buy the surrealist artist's work so it can remain in the country. The painting, which depicts a woman plucking a flower from a bust of a Renaissance sculpture, is on display at the gallery after being kept in a private collection overseas since the mid-1960s. A morbidly obese Melbourne man has been jailed for importing "truly terrifying" machine guns from the United States, but dozens of the firearms he smuggled remain on the streets. Paul Munro, 64, was on Wednesday jailed for at least six years by Victoria's County Court for importing Thureon fully-automatic machine guns and semi-automatic handgun parts between 2012 and 2016. Munro decided to illegally import the Thureon machine gun, which can fire up to 1000 rounds per minute, after he went to a gun show in Las Vegas. The mechanic later asked Thureon Defense owner Andy Huebschmann, based in Wisconsin, to send him the machine guns hidden in the false base of containers holding engine parts. Munro also asked Huebschmann to send him triggers that would convert other semi-automatic guns into fully automatic weapons. "The Thureon in fully automatic mode is a truly terrifying weapon," judge Douglas Trapnell said. "It has no use other than a mass killing machine and has no place in civil society." Munro paid about $US1000 per assault rifle and $US2000 for some of them to have their serial numbers or identifying marks removed. Back in Australia, Munro was arrested at Geelong on August 30, 2016 after he set up a deal to sell 15 firearms for $110,000 to an undercover operative. The mechanic was selling the Thureon rifles for $15,000 a piece, and charging $5000 for handguns. Before Munro was arrested, a local gun dealer warned the mechanic about selling illegal guns to people he didn't know. The dealer advised Munro not to trust people who want to do business without a personal recommendation. Judge Trapnell said police are yet to recover 40 firearms and firearm parts that Munro smuggled into Australia, including five Thureon fully-automatic machine guns. Three Thureon machine guns were seized at Caroline Springs, Williamstown and Rockbank as police charged three men with trafficking a commercial quantity of methamphetamine. A fourth Thureon weapon was handed into police as part of a gun amnesty. Judge Trapnell said Munro ran his "nefarious scheme" to support his lifestyle after various failed stints in farming and car restoration. Munro pleaded guilty to four charges of importing firearms and two counts of attempting to import firearms. He was sentenced to 10 years and three months in jail and has already served 617 days in pre-sentence detention. A man and woman have been charged after police allegedly found a stash of medical supplies at a southwest Sydney home, including prescription forms and doctors' stamps. Police say they raided a property on Sutton Road at Ashcroft about 9am on Tuesday and uncovered the unusual collection that also included personal medical details of individuals and prescription drugs. A 43-year-old woman faces nine charges including possessing prescribed restricted substances and forging a prescription for restricted substances. Her co-accused, a 47-year-old man, was charged with ten offences including dispensation of a substance by false representation. They were both due to appear before Liverpool Local Court on Wednesday. A Victorian zoo is blowing its trumpet after executing a two-year, million-dollar plan to move a three-tonne elephant to the United States in less than 24 hours. Seven-year-old Ongard became the first elephant to leave the continent, flying from Melbourne to Miami to start a new life as the local zoo's stud-in-waiting. "We had to sort of pave the way with logistics and figure it out ... because nobody had ever done it before (and) we didn't have a manual," Melbourne Zoo's elephants manager Dominic Moss told reporters on Wednesday. Federal members of parliament who signalled they would quit over their dual citizenship will be able to use their taxpayer entitlements until they formally resign in writing. Leader of the House Christopher Pyne asked Speaker Tony Smith on Wednesday to ensure the four MPs who declared they were resigning did not use their travel and other entitlements any longer. Mr Pyne said the MPs had publicly indicated they were not eligible to be in parliament and "as a consequence they should not be able to use their entitlements". However, Mr Smith said they would continue to be MPs, and allowed to use their entitlements, until they wrote to him with their resignations. This is expected on Friday. Mr Smith said the Special Minister of State was responsible for entitlements. "I don't have the power to dismiss members from the House and I don't think the House would like me to have that power," Mr Smith added. A series of police raids in south Queensland have seen 22 people, including numerous alleged bikies, charged with more than 100 drugs and firearms offences. Police say they executed search warrants across the Darling Downs where they seized quantities of ice, cannabis, steroids and prescription medications, along with paraphernalia. The state's Organised Crime Gang Group's anti-bikie taskforce and local police also allegedly seized unlicensed firearms including a handgun, several long arms, body armour and ammunition. Police say a number of known bikies and associates would appear in the Warwick and Stanthorpe Magistrates Courts on drugs and weapons charges as well as breaches of domestic violence orders. Bill Shorten gave a "rolled gold guarantee" none of his MPs would be caught up in the citizenship crisis, but now he's facing three by-elections and replacing a senator. The Labor leader faced tough questioning over his insistence that his MPs would be fine, after the High Court disqualified Labor senator Katy Gallagher on Wednesday. That led Labor's Susan Lamb, Josh Wilson and Justine Keay to announce they would quit because they were also British citizens when the 2016 election writs were issued. Mr Shorten said he relied on the Labor party's lawyers when he guaranteed his MPs would be fine, but he refused to release their advice. "If you get your lawyers, you do take their advice, it's been the same advice for 20 years," he told reporters on Wednesday. "Political parties don't release their legal advice." Ms Lamb still hasn't renounced her British citizenship, which means she's been claiming her parliamentary salary for more than six months while knowing she was breaching the rules. Mr Shorten said Labor relied on legal advice that said if candidates took "all reasonable steps" to renounce their citizenship then they would be eligible to sit in parliament. All three MPs said they intended to run again. They are unlikely to be forced to pay back any of their salary or entitlements, in keeping with the precedent set in other citizenship cases. Mr Wilson was asked if he felt let down by Labor's legal team, to which he responded: "No. In no way." A NSW man who allegedly drove through the crime scene of a fatal accident and told police to "just drag the dead body off and open the road" has been fined more than $1300. A 42-year-old man was killed when his motorbike collided with a car on Monday morning south of Casino, in the state's northern rivers region. Police and the local council set up roadblocks to preserve the crime scene as they investigated the lead-up to the crash. About three hours after the incident, an 80-year-old man grew impatient when he was advised he couldn't drive through, NSW Police said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. He allegedly said "that's f***ing bullshit I am headed to Grafton" and proceeded on the wrong side of the road past barricades. At a second roadblock the motorist swore at council staff and at a third roadblock, which was manned by police, he was told about the nature of the crime scene. "You should just drag the dead body off and open the road again," he allegedly replied. Police said the man was issued with three infringement notices, a $1320 fine and 12 demerit points. The seven-member state Senate Republican Women's Caucus has an idea for what former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman should do with the more than $8.5 million in his re-election campaign account. In a statement Tuesday, the caucus slammed Schneiderman, a Democrat, and suggested he donate his campaign funds to programs that support domestic violence victims. The proposal extends to any recipient of money from Schneiderman's campaign committee. Schneiderman resigned Tuesday after four women accused him of mental and physical abuse. The allegations were detailed in a story published Monday by the New Yorker. There is a possibility Schneiderman could face criminal charges for his alleged conduct. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has appointed Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas as the special prosecutor responsible for investigating any potential offenses committed by Schneiderman. The seven women GOP senators believe Schneiderman should be prosecuted. A dangerous sex offender who was released from jail in November subject to 50 conditions, despite being considered a serious danger to the community, is being sought by WA police. They said Patrick Lennard Narrier, 45, was last seen on Tuesday night in Forrestfield and they want to speak with him relation to a current investigation. Narrier's history of violent offending includes sexually assaulting a woman when he was a teenager, and shortly after being released from jail for that offence, attacking a 12-year-old girl he had abducted from her home at knifepoint. Australian BMX cyclist Bodi Turner is banned until March next year after breaching the strict Whereabouts rules. ASADA announced that the Rio Olympian must serve his suspension until March 3. "Turner accumulated two missed tests, and one filing failure between November 2016 and August 2017," the anti-doping body said in a statement. Competitors who are registered in the Whereabouts system must provide their location for testing in a one-hour window each day. ASADA said Turner was banned because of three Whereabouts violations in a 12-month period. Turner, 23, made his Olympic debut two years ago in Rio and finished 20th. Keith Urban was thrown by how his song Female, an ode to respecting women, was seen as a response to sexual harassment. Urban performed the song at the Country Music Awards in November and many people assumed it was inspired by the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the #MeToo movement. The song, which features on Urban's new album Graffiti U, alludes to harassment in one verse but he says it's about much more than that. "Having young girls, nine and seven, I felt that was just a really important song. I wanted that song captured and I was thrown that it got labelled a sort of sexual harassment response song," Urban told AAP. "There's two lines in the second verse that speak to that and everything else in that song is just this beautiful prayer of hope and gratitude, it's that and so much more. So it's been an interesting thing trying to have that singular tag move away from the song that it's not just about that." The empowering song is just one of 13 new tracks on Urban's album, which has already gone to the top spot in the US country charts. It's a continuation of the genre-hopping Urban experimented with on his last two albums Fuse and Ripcord, but Graffiti U pushes Urban even more into the realm of pop and even reggae at times. "It's not really country. Not much of the record is. It's its own thing. I think genre is dead, I think you just make music that's really honest and all my music has always been that way, it's just my muse has moved a little bit to wherever it is now and I just don't question it," Urban said. He says his Emmy-Award winning wife Nicole Kidman inspired him with her fearless approach to her own art. "Nic will try anything. She doesn't filter anything when she's trying something," he said. "All that stuff can come afterwards I think, choosing whether you want to say that or do that afterwards but not while you're doing it. She's been so great at changing the way that I create." In fact, several of the songs on the album were written with Kidman in mind, in particular the song Gemini which describes her as "a maniac in the bed, but a brainiac in her head". Julia Michaels, who co-wrote Justin Bieber's Sorry and Ed Sheeran's Dive, collaborated with Urban on the track and encouraged him to include that line. "She goes 'It's a fun song, just sing it'. I couldn't argue with that logic which is 'you feel that way about your wife, it's about your wife, it's super fun it's super sexy. Just f***ing say it'," he said. *Graffiti U is out now Regional hospitals are struggling to cope with the extra time and resources it requires to treat obese patients, creating tension between doctors and patients, a large medical conference has been told. Dr Jamie Beit, the Director of Anaesthesia at Toowoomba Hospital in regional Queensland has given a clinical snapshot of 250 elective surgery patients to highlight the impact the obesity epidemic is having on surgical wards. According to the figures, just 10 per cent of the 141 females were considered in the healthy weight range according to the body mass index (BMI), while 60 per cent were classified obese. A concerning 23 per cent were severely obese (Class 3). Of the 109 male patients, 22 per cent were in the healthy weight range. "We have over twice as many people who are class 3 obese than normal weight and from a service provision point of view that does create significant problems," Dr Beit said. With 35 per cent of all adults living in regional areas of Australia, Dr Beit suspects this is just not an issue isolated to Toowoomba Hospital. Senior Specialist Dr Rebecca Wood at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney agreed. "Obese patients come through very, very frequently for elective and emergency surgery and you have to manage that appropriate for the clinical setting," Dr Wood said. The biggest issue that comes with treating an obese patient is the time and resources it requires to prep them for surgery. This in turn can create frustration among the busy often time-poor staff, affecting doctor/patient rapport, said Dr Beit. "We take longer to provide a safe service because it takes us longer to put in drips, it requires more time for surgery and can often take longer for the (obese) patient to wake up," said Dr Beit. "Where you see frustration and problems occurring is when extra time is not allowed for this and staff become time pressured." "Part of my job as director of anaesthesia is to deal with complaints from patients and staff and I am very aware of the sensitivities involved but the numbers are what they are," said Dr Beit. But rather than shaming the patients, Dr Beit said hospitals have a duty of care to implement practices to manage the extra demand. One simple step is to add the patients' weight to daily surgical lists to ensure more time was allocated in advance to prepare for the needs of obese patients. "The majority of morbidly obese patients are acutely aware that they have a weight problem. It is my impression that most of them have tried to lose weight. We need to be receptive and accepting of this, and do all that we can to provide them with the best care possible." Dr Beit was a speaker at the being held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney from May 7-11. The Greens' bid to sink changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan has failed in the Senate. The changes to the plan will mean less water is returned to the environment in the southern basin. Labor's struck a deal with the government earlier in the week to vote against Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young's disallowance motion. The South Australian senator said the "dirty deal" had sold out her state and the river amid allegations of water theft in the northern basin. "There are stories and stories of how water is being stolen from the environment by greedy corporate irrigators," Senator Hanson-Young told parliament on Wednesday. Almost 40 water-saving projects will replace 605 gigalitres which would have been returned from irrigators' entitlements after the disallowance motion was defeated 46 votes to 11. Assistant Water Minister Anne Ruston said the changes were based on science and would deliver environmental, social and economic outcomes. "The sensible money is on the facts," Senator Ruston said. She said blocking amendments would have put the entire basin plan in doubt. "This is a win for basin communities and a win for the environment." Under the deal with Labor, the coalition guaranteed its commitment to 450GL of environmental water for the basin with no negative social or economic impacts. There will also be a range of compliance and transparency measures undertaken in response to the allegations, which Senator Ruston described as "very, very serious". More than a year after the federal government committed to keeping private the details of farmers who employ foreign workers it's proceeded with the plan. The privacy of an employer register was one of the commitments the government gave last February to secure support for its backpacker tax, charging working holiday makers a base rate of 15 per cent tax from the first dollar they earn. Assistant minister to the treasurer Michael Sukkar told parliament on Wednesday employers of foreign workers would still have to register with the tax office, but the register would not be searchable. The proposal also prevents information sharing between the tax office and the Fair Work Ombudsman where a business is reasonably suspected of non-compliance. Despite calls from opposition MPs for the register to be transparent, legislation passed the lower house on Wednesday evening. Four people have been charged after a police raid at a home in Adelaide's north-west allegedly uncovered a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, cannabis, LSD, cocaine and more than $35,000 cash. Police say it's believed the haul included 331 tablets and capsules of methamphetamine, about 131 grams of powder methamphetamine, 17 grams of cocaine, 850 LSD tabs and approximately 56 grams of cannabis plus the cash. They arrested three men, aged from 26 to 42, and a 22-year-old woman, who will all face court on June 7 charged with a number of drug offences. The use of surgeon "league tables" in Australia will be debated among a large meeting of medical professionals. British cardiothoracic anaesthetist Andrew Klein will on Thursday tell the annual scientific meeting of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists that the performance data of 5000 surgeons in the UK has been publicly available as part of a government campaign since 2014. Dr Klein said while the publication of the data by the National Health Service had been controversial, it was a useful tool for patients and their families. In the UK, surgeon performance is measured against a set of professional standards such as patient survival rates and the number of operations performed. "There is no doubt that some surgeons believe the publication of this data is unfair because they may stop getting referrals, but the availability of this information can have very important implications for patients and patient choice," Dr Klein, chairman of the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, said. The specialist anaesthetist said some surgeons had been stopped from working because of the high mortality rates published by the NHS. "If it was my mother or my wife or any member of my family, I would want to know which hospital they are going to and details about the surgeon, including their patient mortality rates. For the patient looking at outcomes, if the surgeon has nothing to hide, then it should be published." A landmark study in 2015 led by Dr Klein examined the effect of 127 surgeons and 190 anaesthetists on the mortality of 110,000 cardiac patients over 10 years at 10 UK hospitals. Overall, the study found surgeons accounted for four per cent of the risk of death, while the patient's health accounted for 96 per cent of the risk of death. Dr Klein argues a similar study could be replicated in Australia. "It would be worthwhile because then you could look at the variability between surgeons and anaesthetists in Australian hospitals to see whether there are any noticeable differences and then see if it should be reported in the public domain." The 104-year-old Australian scientist who has chosen to end his life at a Swiss clinic says he would have preferred to have done so in Australia. "Australia is behind Switzerland in this move, as are most countries," Professor David Goodall said at a final press conference in the Swiss city of Basel on Wednesday. He was accompanied by Dr Philip Nitschke, founder of Australian right-to-die group Exit International, and Swiss clinic Life Circle's lawyer Moritz Gall. "At my age, or less than my age, one wants to be free to choose the death when the death is at an appropriate time," Prof Goodall said. "My abilities have been in decline over the past year or two, my eyesight over the past six years. I no longer want to continue life. I'm happy to have the chance tomorrow to end it." Prof Goodall flew from his home in Western Australia, where his daughter, son and grandchildren also live, to France last week to see relatives before arriving in Switzerland. "Luckily my family who are in various parts of Europe and America have rallied round and come to see me, and I welcome the opportunity to see them, which I probably wouldn't have had if I hadn't pursued this Swiss option." Prof Goodall was cleared by two Swiss doctors, including a psychiatrist on Wednesday who said he was of sound mind, to proceed with the "Swiss option". The esteemed botanist and ecologist, who does not believe in the afterlife and has been a member of Exit International for 20 years, said he tried clumsily to take own his life at least three times, and then finally decided to get professional help. He hopes to his story will help countries like Australia change their laws to be more accepting of assisted suicide. "I certainly hope my story will increase the pressure for people to have more liberal view on the subject [of voluntary euthanasia]," he said. "I think there probably will be a step in the right direction." Victoria was the first state to pass a euthanasia bill last November but it doesn't become legal until the middle of 2019. Prof Goodall will make his final journey on Thursday local time in the presence of family members. Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467. A Sydney woman has been charged with high-range drink-driving and assault after she crashed her car and then punched an off-duty police officer. The 43-year-old car's allegedly hit the kerb on a street near Quakers Hill in Sydney's west on Tuesday afternoon - her two children aged 10 and 11 were in the vehicle at the time. When the officer, who witnessed the incident, spoke to the woman, she allegedly became aggressive and punched him. She will appear at Blacktown Local Court on May 28. Moravia Middle School will hold a ceremony to celebrate it being named a "school to watch" by the Essential Elements program of the state Department of Education. The ceremony will take place from noon to 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, and will include an unveiling of the school's newest "school to watch" banner, an appearance by a representative of state Sen. James Seward's office, and performances by the school's marching band and middle school chorus. The school is located at 68 S. Main St., Moravia. It is the fourth time Moravia has earned the Essential Elements designation. The program identifies schools that adhere to a set of criteria and are on a path to continuous improvement. The designation can be re-earned every three years. "We could not be any prouder to know our middle school program has once again been deemed exemplary in serving the academic and personal development needs of young adolescents," Superintendent John Birmingham said in a news release. For more information, visit moraviaschool.org. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A former Newcastle bikie wanted over a parole violation has been found in Adelaide after a three-month search during which he mocked NSW police. David Brooks, 48, was expected to report to police in Newcastle after being released on parole after serving time for drug offences, but never showed. In the following weeks, he used social media and online videos to taunt the detectives trying to find him. Brooks was arrested by South Australian Police at Gawler, north of Adelaide, on Wednesday and charged under a NSW parole warrant. He's due to appear in Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Thursday. Newcastle detectives are due to travel to SA within days to seek his extradition to NSW. Federal Labor wants a Liberal MP to resign, arguing archive material shows his father declared his Polish nationality when he emigrated to Australia. Backbencher Jason Falinski still insists he is not entitled to Polish citizenship after three Labor MPs and the Centre Alliance's Rebekha Sharkie were all forced to quit parliament on Wednesday. Their resignations follow a High Court ruling that ACT senator Katy Gallagher was ineligible to sit in parliament over dual-citizenship. Mr Falinski was born in Australia, but his father Stanley was born in 1943 in Tokmok, then part of Russia, to Polish-born father Leon and Russian-born mother Maria. Having previously lodged legal advice with the MPs citizenship register, Mr Falinski on Wednesday uploaded a new letter from the Polish Embassy. "I can confirm that according to our records you have never had a Polish passport, or a Polish identity card, and you have never applied through our Embassy to relevant Polish authorities to confirm the possession of Polish citizenship," the ambassador wrote on April 27. "Pleased to have received a letter from the Polish Government confirming what I have always said - I am not entitled to the rights or privileges of Polish citizenship," the MP said. But Labor is struggling to reconcile the letter with documents held by the National Archives, showing Mr Falinski's father and paternal grandparents all declared their nationality as Polish in 1958. "If what is in The Australian today is accurate then he should just resign and we have all the by-elections on the one day," Labor frontbencher Tony Burke told Sky News. Mr Burke said he did not believe the ambassador's letter to Mr Falinski was explicit. Mr Falinski's lawyers have used his father Stanley's status as an illegitimate child to argue the MP could never have inherited citizenship. "It continues to be our view that Stanley was born out of wedlock (and therefore would have been considered illegitimate under Polish law). Stanley did not inherit Leon's citizenship on that basis and it is therefore unlikely that you have acquired Polish citizenship by virtue of your paternal grandfather's nationality," they say. Malcolm Turnbull insists high-income earners will continue to pay the bulk of income tax under his government's plan to restructure the system. An analysis of the plan - which reduces the number of income tax brackets from five to four - shows the top 10 per cent of earners getting 40 per cent of the value of its tax cuts, while the bottom 30 per cent of earners will get just 7 per cent. "We have a very progressive tax system and people on higher incomes pay more tax than people on lower incomes, in fact a lot more tax," the prime minister told ABC radio on Thursday. CCTV images of a teenager who police believe may be able to help with an investigation into a Melbourne primary school fire have been released. The fire broke out in the gymnasium at the Endeavour Hills primary school at about 5pm on April 29. No other buildings were damaged in the fire. Investigators on Thursday released images of a young male riding a bike and holding what appears to be a long stick who they think may be able to help them. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is adopting a wait-and-see position on the likely outcome of Malaysia's general election. Veteran strongman Mahathir Mohamad is set for a return to the prime minister's office he occupied for 22 years after leading a coalition of opposition parties to victory. "We will wait and see. It is the decision of the Malaysian people and we have always worked well with the government of Malaysia and we look forward to the results of the election," Mr Turnbull told ABC radio on Thursday. SDF fighters are seen with US soldiers (L) as they prepare to relaunch a military campaign against the Islamic State group in Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria A US-backed Kurdish-led alliance this week launched a new offensive against holdouts from the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, an official said Tuesday. Kurdish members of the Syrian Democratic Forces -- made up of Kurds, Syrian Arabs and other groups -- had quit the Middle Euphrates River Valley in February after Turkey sent troops into Syria and launched an operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in its Afrin enclave. But the SDF last week announced it was relaunching efforts to clear IS from the few areas in Syria where they maintain a presence, including in the eastern oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor near the border with Iraq. "This week, following an increase in coalition strikes against the final ISIS controlled areas in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces resumed offensive operations to clear the final ISIS held territory in eastern Syria," British Army Major General Felix Gedney, a deputy commander of the US-led coalition fighting IS, told Pentagon reporters. The first phase of operations aims to secure the southeast portion of the Syria-Iraq border in coordination with the Iraqi security forces, Gedney said. He did not say how many IS fighters remain, though noted that local jihadists are abandoning the fight, causing tension among those remaining. "Observations from eastern Syria suggest that morale among ISIS fighters is sinking," Gedney said. "Frictions are mounting between native- and foreign-born ISIS fighters as ISIS's privileged leadership continues to flee the area leaving fighters with dwindling resources and low morale. ISIS fighters continue to surrender rather than face certain death." He added that more than 400 IS fighters are now in SDF custody. IS jihadists swept across large parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq in 2014, declaring a so-called "caliphate" in areas they controlled. But the jihadists have since lost most of that territory to various offensives in both countries. Viktor Vekselberg, left, has reportedly been questioned by FBI agents over hundreds of thousands of dollars his company's US affiliate paid to President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney A recently sanctioned Russian oligarch used his company to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, deposited into an account used to pay off a pornographic film actress, US media reported Tuesday. CNN said Renova Group chairman Viktor Vekselberg was questioned along with his cousin Andrew Intrater, who heads the firm's US affiliate Columbus Nova, by agents investigating Russian interference in the 2016 American presidential election. Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing porn actress Stormy Daniels, released a dossier alleging that Vekselberg and his cousin transferred "approximately $500,000" to Cohen in eight payments. "Mr Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the president," the document said. The New York Times and NBC News said they had reviewed financial documents that corroborated Avenatti's claims. Vekselberg was among seven Kremlin-linked oligarchs the Trump administration slapped with sanctions in April. Daniels, born as Stephanie Clifford, was paid $130,000 by Cohen as part of a non-disclosure agreement just before the 2016 presidential election, over an alleged affair with Trump a decade earlier. Several other corporations paid hundreds of thousands of additional dollars to the company Cohen used to pay Clifford, The New York Times reported. Among those payments were $200,000 from AT&T, whose proposed merger with Time Warner is currently before the courts after the Justice Department sued to block the sale. "Essential Consultants was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration," AT&T said in a statement, referring to what media reports said was a shell company set up by Cohen. "They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017." - Large corporate payments - In all, transactions totaling at least $4.4 million flowed through Essential Consultants from shortly before Trump won the presidential election until January 2018, according to the Times. It said Novartis Investments S.A.R.L., a subsidiary of Switzerland-based pharmaceutical giant Novartis, made four payments of $99,980 each to Cohen's company between October and January. Aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries paid the company $150,000 in November, the Times added. Clifford is suing Trump for defamation, and has also sought to be released from the non-disclosure agreement. Cohen insists Clifford has repeatedly violated the accord, but she argues it is invalid because Trump did not sign the document. Special counsel Robert Mueller's team of investigators is probing whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, and whether he illegally tried to obstruct the investigation. Gina Haspel is President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Central Intelligence Agency Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the CIA, will pledge Wednesday to prevent the restart of the 2002-2005 interrogation program that saw detainees tortured. The three-decade veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency's covert operations is facing opposition over her role at a secret CIA prison in Thailand in 2002 where Al-Qaeda detainees were waterboarded. "I understand that what many people around the country want to know about are my views on CIA's former detention and interrogation program," she will say, according to prepared testimony for her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. "I have views on this issue, and I want to be clear. "Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program." Haspel, who if approved would become the first woman to lead the premier US spy agency, is facing tough questioning over her involvement in the torture of Al-Qaeda detainees in her confirmation hearing before the powerful Senate panel. Critics from rights groups, a significant number of retired general and admirals, and some from the intelligence community, have opposed the nomination over her ties to the secret detention and interrogation program that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks. Under the program, major Al-Qaeda suspects Abu Zubaydah, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri and Khalid Shaikh Mohammed all went underwent brutal treatment, including waterboarding. Former CIA officials say Haspel was present when Nashiri was tortured at the CIA's Bangkok "black site" in 2002. According to her prepared testimony, released by the CIA, Haspel will commit herself to firm oversight by Congress, which in the early days of the torture program was not informed despite questions over its legality. "Experience has taught us that CIA cannot be effective without the people's trust," the prepared remarks read. "And we cannot hope to earn that trust without the accountability that comes with Congressional oversight. If we can't share aspects of our secret work with the public, we should do so with their elected representatives." Two Auburn unions announced their endorsements for the school district's board of education candidates. Cheryl Miskell, president of the Auburn Teachers Association, said the group endorsed longtime incumbent and board vice president Kathleen Rhodes and first-time candidate Ian Phillips. The group's executive committee made their choices following a forum Monday, where candidates introduced themselves and fielded questions from the committee. Miskell said the committee landed on those two based on how they handled the question and answer session and feeling "they talked about the right issues and issues that concerned us the most." The association chose not to spotlight a third candidate, despite five candidates running for three three-year seats. The association has gone without supporting a hopeful for every open spot in the past, Miskell noted. "I guess we just felt that we best aligned with two of them," Miskell said. "We had confidence in the fact that they were the folks that would represent us the best, represent our community the best," Miskell said. Both candidates have ties with community teachers, as Rhodes was a longtime area educator before retiring and joining the board in 2012. Phillips is a New York State United Teachers union employee. Gina Haspel, the veteran intelligence operative nominated to become director of the CIA, faces a tough grilling by lawmakers over her role in a controversial interrogation program Facing tough opposition over her own record, CIA director nominee Gina Haspel will pledge Wednesday to never revive the interrogation program that saw Al-Qaeda detainees tortured. In excerpts of her prepared testimony for a confirmation hearing at the Senate Intelligence Committee, Haspel glancingly refers to her role in the 2002-2005 program. The CIA whisked detainees to secret "black sites" around the world where a number were beaten, waterboarded and underwent severe stress. Ordered by George W. Bush's administration at the time, the program has since been judged deeply illegal, violating both US and international laws against torture. "I understand that what many people around the country want to know about are my views on CIA's former detention and interrogation program," Haspel will say, according to the testimony. "I have views on this issue, and I want to be clear. Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program." Haspel has lived most of a 33-year career at the Central Intelligence Agency in the shadows as part of its clandestine service. - Torture record questioned - President Donald Trump tapped the 61-year-old, who currently serves as deputy director of the CIA, to head the spy agency, after Mike Pompeo vacated the post to become secretary of state. If confirmed, Haspel would be the first woman to lead the CIA -- but equally significant, she would be the first director ever to come for a career almost entirely undercover. But confirmation has not been certain. Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee want to know more about her role in the 2002-2005 interrogation program, and her views of it. Democrats worry that Trump and top aides, including Pompeo, are not opposed to the use of outlawed techniques like waterboarding in interrogations. Underscoring the issue, Trump appeared to extol her past involvement in the post-9/11 interrogation program this week. "Gina Haspel, my highly respected nominee to lead the CIA, is being praised for the fact that she has been, and alway will be, TOUGH ON TERROR! This is a woman who has been a leader wherever she has gone," Trump said. Democratic senators have also sought to use the occasion of her nomination to force the CIA to make more public about the torture program. "What I want to have happen at this session is that the American people see who this nominee is, and what her role was in this particular period," said Democratic Senator Ron Wyden. "There is a substantial amount here that can be declassified without compromising sources and methods." - Veteran of CIA covert ops - A man crosses the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) seal in the lobby of CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia A specialist in Russian and Eastern European affairs, Haspel has served in several countries in the region and has run the CIA's European operations out of London. But most focus on her role in the interrogation program. In 2001-2004, she was a deputy group chief of the Counterterrorism Center, which ran the program, and then chief of staff to Jose Rodriguez, who directed the program. During part of that period, she oversaw the CIA's secret prison in Bangkok, where Al-Qaeda suspects Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri were repeatedly waterboarded during lengthy interrogations. While she is endorsed by many top former CIA and intelligence officials -- including a number critical of Trump -- human rights groups and former military officers have criticized her nomination, saying the use of torture only serves to empower US enemies and endangers US troops. "The torture of detainees in US custody during the last decade was one of the darkest chapters in American history," said Republican Senator John McCain, who was tortured as a North Vietnamese prisoner of war from 1967 to 1973. "The Senate must do its job in scrutinizing the record & involvement of Gina Haspel in this disgraceful program," he said. Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, a Republican, expressed confidence Haspel's nomination would get approved. "It is clear to most members, if not all members, that Gina Haspel is the most qualified individual that I've seen in the 24 years that I've served in Congress to head that agency," he said. "Some have requested that documents that deal with covert action be made public and declassified. That has never happened in the history of the CIA and it's not going to happen with Gina Haspel's nomination." Greg Pence, the older brother of US Vice President Mike Pence, easily won an Indiana Republican primary for a US House of Representatives seat up for grabs in the 2018 mid-term elections Greg Pence, the older brother of US Vice President Mike Pence, cruised to victory in a Republican primary Tuesday, leaving him in prime position to become a member of Congress next year. Should he prevail as expected in November's mid-term elections in the conservative Indiana district that his brother represented for a decade, the political novice Pence will provide President Donald Trump's administration with a valuable personal ally in the House of Representatives. Pence, a religious conservative, entrepreneur and former US Marine, was far ahead of nearest challenger Jonathan Lamb, by 64 percent to 24 percent, with most precincts reporting. He aims to replace Republican congressman Luke Messer, who on Tuesday lost his own bid to win Indiana's bitterly contested Republican Senate primary. The winner of that race, businessman and former state legislator Mike Braun, will take on incumbent Senate Democrat Joe Donnelly in November, when Republicans hope to hold their slim majority in the Senate. Pence, 61, has given few media interviews during the race. In campaign materials he calls himself a trusted conservative and insists Trump is "bringing back the American dream." He also has pledged to "fight for Hoosier (Indiana) values, not DC values," even though his brother is first in line to the presidency. Anglophone demands have been a core of debate in the university since it was created in 1993 Six months ago, southwest Cameroon plunged into violence as English-speaking separatists fought troops and police ordered in by the country's francophone-majority government. The pathway leading to that trauma can be traced in part to events nearly a quarter of a century ago at the University of Buea, in the capital of the country's Southwest Region. In 1995, students Cho Ayaba and Ebenezer Akwanga set up a pro-independence association that claimed violence was the only way to achieve a separate state for Cameroon's two English-speaking regions. Their organisation was banned, but their activism had a resounding impact on events. At Cameroon's biggest English-speaking university, they nurtured the separatist culture, focussed resentment on perceived discrimination and later became leaders of the armed insurgency. Other alumni of the university include Mark Bareta, an influential pro-separatist propagandist, and Tanku Ivo Tapang, a former journalist who lives in the United States. "At the University of Buea, we think," said a student preparing his master's degree who asked not to be named. "We can look to our history and when we do, we see that things are not good." Marginalisation "you can see everywhere, in every trade and profession," said another graduate student, who used John as a fake name. A professor of political science, again anonymous, said the many anglophone grievances were sharpened by the failure of the central government in Yaounde to respect a 1961 referendum on self-determination. Cameroon was once a German colony that after World War I was divided between Britain and France. In 1960, the French colony gained independence, becoming Cameroon, and the following year, the British-ruled Southern Cameroons was amalgamated into it. Anglophone activists, though, complain this was a forced marriage. The insurgency began in 2016, when activists in the anglophone minority, comprising about a fifth of the country's population of 22 million, stepped up a campaign for greater autonomy. President Paul Biya rejected their demands, prompting radicals to make a full-blown but symbolic declaration of independence last October 1. Separatists began attacking police and soldiers and symbols of state power, sparking a violent crackdown. Scores have been killed on both sides -- the full toll remains unclear -- and tens of thousands have fled their homes. - Trigger - Outside the world's view, events at the university in 2016 played a key part in the mechanism of escalation. In late November 2016, a peaceful march to demand payment of a bonus promised by Biya along with the lifting of a 2012 ban on a student union met with a brutal response from authorities. "For the first time in the university's history, the police came on to the campus in 2016. Girls were raped, others humiliated and young people arrested in their lodgings," "John" said. Images of the crackdown rapidly went viral. The International Crisis Group (ICG) thinktank holds that the sight of police excesses on social media helped "push the population to the end of their tether" and opened the "Pandora's box of the anglophone problem". It was the second violent episode in a decade at the 12,000-student campus. In 2006, the creation of a department of medicine in Buea led to riots that claimed two lives and left several wounded. Students walk by the entrance of a university which a Dutch reseracher said used 'authoritarian rule' to impose loyalty to the central government Initially, only anglophones were allowed to take entrance exams to study in the new department. The central government rejected this on the grounds of "national unity" and enforced admittance of francophones, sparking a revolt. - 'Authoritarian' - Today, the university's management has a dour reputation, say critics. It exercises "authoritarian rule rather than democratic governance, to ensure political control and loyalty" to Yaounde, according to a study in 2009 by Piet Konings, a Dutch researcher at the University of Leiden. A government crackdown has exacerbated the crisis "At the university, like everywhere in Buea, many responsible jobs are held by francophones, who are most often members of the ruling party," the political science professor told AFP, adding that he "felt a lot of frustration among my anglophone students". A student said that when it came to political issues, "we don't discuss them in class, because our professors can be francophone, but among ourselves we still talk". "For a long time, we knew how to keep this frustration to ourselves," said 'John'. Cameroon "But with the events of 2006 and those of 2016, people are saying 'enough is enough'. There's going be a revolution at UB (the university) and in anglophone Cameroon." Mahathir Mohamad's return to frontline politics started when he fell out with his one-time protege Najib over allegations huge sums were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB At the age of 92 Malaysia's former strongman leader Mahathir Mohamad is poised to become the world's oldest prime minister after a stunning election victory against scandal-haunted leader Najib Razak. In a win that overturns decades of dominance by the country's main coalition, Mahathir has secured an unlikely second act in the twilight of his political career. A former doctor who entered politics in 1964, Mahathir governed Malaysia with an iron fist for 22 years, with accusations of rights abuses overshadowing a period that also saw Malaysia transform from a sleepy Southeast Asian backwater into a relatively affluent country. His return to frontline politics started when he fell out with his one-time protege Najib over allegations huge sums were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. In a volte-face that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago Mahathir teamed up with parties that he suppressed while in power to take on the party he once led. It was a gamble for the opposition coalition Pact of Hope to join forces with Mahathir, a divisive figure in the country. He is remembered fondly by some as a champion of country's Muslim Malay majority and the father of modern Malaysia, credited with policies that helped the economy blossom. But he was also criticised for disregarding human rights, undermining the judiciary, jailing political opponents and pushing policies that exacerbated racial divisions in the multi-ethnic country. He was notorious for his acid-tongued attacks on his foes and what he saw as Western neo-colonialism -- in one outburst, he described Europeans as greedy, warmongering sexual deviants. - Ace card - But the bet paid off -- he succeeded in eroding the key Malay support base of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, helping to bolster the opposition alliance's core supporters in urban areas and among minority groups, in particular ethnic Chinese who make up about a quarter of the population. During a vicious election campaign, he energetically toured the country, attacking Najib over his mismanagement of the economy and the 1MDB financial scandal. Mahathir was spurred out of retirement over allegations huge sums were looted from 1MDB, which Najib set up. Najib and 1MDB deny any wrongdoing. "The biggest mistake that I have made in my life is choosing Najib," he said in one broadside. "I want to fix this mistake." The most remarkable aspect of Mahathir's political comeback has been his reconciliation with former nemesis Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar was Mahathir's heir-apparent until the premier sacked him in 1998 over political differences, and he was subsequently jailed on charges of sodomy and abuse of power. His conviction was widely condemned by rights groups and the international community as politically motivated. After being released Anwar led the opposition to its best-ever showing in 2013 elections, but was imprisoned again in 2015 under Najib's government. Mahathir has vowed to hand power to Anwar once he is released. Kim Dong-chul is one of three US citizens who were detained in North Korea Three Korean-Americans held by nuclear-armed North Korea have been released, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, and were heading home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Despite years of hostility between Washington and Pyongyang, hundreds of Americans visited North Korea every year until the US State Department finally issued a travel ban on the country last September. Americans made the journey to North Korea for a range of reasons, from holidays and business trips to humanitarian work and missionary purposes. Seoul is also pushing for the release of six South Koreans held by Pyongyang including three defectors originally from North Korea, and three Christian missionaries -- the first of whom was detained in 2013. Pompeo's visit to North Korea comes with Trump preparing for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks, as a dramatic diplomatic thaw on the peninsula quickens. These are the US citizens who were released: Kim Hak-song Kim Hak-song had been working for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) undertaking agricultural development work with the school's farm. He was arrested at Pyongyang railway station in May 2017 on suspicion of committing "hostile acts" against the government, as he was boarding a train headed for his home in Dandong, China. Kim, who is in his mid 50s, was born in Jilin, China, and educated at a university in California, CNN reported, citing a man who had studied with him. He said Kim returned to China after about 10 years of living in the US. PUST was founded by evangelical overseas Christians and opened in 2010. It is known to have a number of American faculty members and students are generally children from the North's elite. Kim Sang-duk Kim Sang-duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested in April 2017 at the capital's main airport as he tried to leave the country after teaching for several weeks, also at PUST. Kim is a former professor at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China, close to the Korean border. Its website lists his speciality as accounting. South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported Kim is in his late 50s and said he had been involved in relief activities for children in rural parts of North Korea. It cited a source who described him as a "religiously devoted man". In a Facebook post, Kim's son said since his arrest his family has had no contact with him. His family said Kim will soon become a grandfather. Kim Dong-chul Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born American businessman and pastor who is in his 60s, was sentenced to 10 years' hard labour in April 2016 after being charged with subversion and espionage. He was arrested in October 2015 after he reportedly received a USB stick containing nuclear-linked data and other military information from a former North Korean soldier. In a interview with CNN in January 2016, Kim said he was a naturalised American who had lived in Fairfax, Virginia. He said he once ran a trading and hotel services company in Rason, a special economic zone near the North's border with China and Russia. A month before his trial, Kim had also appeared at a government-arranged news conference and apologised for attempting to steal military secrets in collusion with South Korea. The South Korean spy agency has denied involvement. Dhlakama died last week in his hideout in the Gorongosa mountains aged 65 without nominating a successor The death of Mozambique's former rebel supremo turned opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama has piled pressure on his Renamo party ahead of local elections and ongoing peace talks with an increasingly authoritarian government. Dhlakama died last week in his hideout in the Gorongosa mountains aged 65 without nominating a successor. Two days after his death, the party picked Ossufo Momade, a Renamo general as its interim leader until the next party congress whose date has not yet been fixed. "It's a provisional leader to close the ranks until the congress," said researcher Michel Cahen. "This choice clearly shows that the generals are the guardians of power". Dhlakama for 39 years kept a tight grip on Renamo, which waged a 16-year civil war against the formerly Marxist and Soviet-backed Frelimo rebel group. Frelimo took power when Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975. The conflict ended in 1992 after killing an estimated one million people. The problem for Renamo is that "no potential successor has Dhlakama's stature," said Ed Hobey Hamsher, an analyst with Maplecroft. Whoever succeeds him "will struggle to unify Renamo's factions," Hamsher said. - 'Game changer' - With local elections due in five months and a general election scheduled next year, Renamo is racing against time. Ossufo Momade has been appointed interim leader until the next Renamo congress "His party is significantly weakened by his death and unlikely able to fully recover but needs to try and reach consensus quickly on a successor, as it will also compete in municipal elections in October and was expecting significant gains," said Chatham House's analyst Alex Vines. "The unexpected death... is a game changer for Mozambiques politics and an almost-completed peace process," Vines said. "The local elections will be the real testing point for ...(Renamo) to what kind of support they have without him," said Johanna Nilsson, another expert on Renamo. The choice of a new leader will also weigh on the future of the peace talks that had been taking place between Dhlakama and President Filipe Nyusi. After a 20-year hiatus and following a slew of election defeats, Renamo supporters took up arms again and began a low-level insurgency in late 2013, attacking buses and cars on the main north-south highway after government forces raided Dhlakama's bush hide out. Dhlakama declared a truce in 2016 and opened talks with President Nyusi that appeared close to a successful conclusion. An agreement was announced in February to amend the constitution for reforms that will allow voters to directly elect the 10 provincial governors who at present are appointed by the president, a move that Renamo had repeatedly lobbied for over a number of years. The last outstanding point in the peace talks before Dhlakama died concerned the thorny reintegration of Renamo fighters into the state security forces. But many said internal succession debates would not necessarily torpedo the peace talks. - Uncertain future - "I know the people in Renamo, they will first seek to respect the wishes of and honour president Dhlakama - and that means respecting the ceasefire," said Daviz Simango, the mayor of Beira, the capital of Dhlakama's home province. But some experts said it could be the government which will withdraw from negotiations. "Renamo's weaknesses can also embolden Frelimo hardliners to seek a return to the unilateral domination of Mozambique's political landscape and to undermine the peace process," said Vines from Chatham House. "The ball is in the government's court," said Beira mayor Simango, warning that "the ruling party must not take advantage of the circumstances to fulfil its whims." Mozambique's 16-year civil war claimed about one million lives In recent years, the government has often appeared to prefer aggressive tactics to arm-twist its opponent. Weakened by the country's economic woes and the so-called "hidden debt" scandal, the government could be tempted to crush Renamo, 18 months ahead of the next presidential and legislative elections. "For Frelimo, it is inconceivable to lose power. They consider the country as theirs," said Cahen. Alibaba founder Jack Ma on the first day of trading for Alibaba on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014. Strict rules essentially prevented the first wave of unicorns from listing in China Having lost the likes of Alibaba and Baidu to Wall Street, China is hatching a plan to woo them back and make sure it keeps a new generation of technology titans closer to home as it battles the US for supremacy in the sector. New share offerings worth tens of billions of dollars are in the pipeline for 2018, setting it up as a blockbuster year with a number of so-called "unicorns" -- tech start-ups valued at least $1 billion -- lining up to cash in. China dominates the line-up of the world's biggest unicorns expected to list, including mobile-payments pioneer Ant Financial -- valued at an estimated $100 billion -- as well as ride-sharing firm Didi Chuxing and online-services platform Meituan-Dianping, both put in the tens of billions. Strict rules essentially prevented the first wave from listing in mainland China, with Alibaba and Baidu instead opting for New York and Tencent heading to Hong Kong. But authorities are now planning to ease those rules, which analysts say is part of Beijing's goal of developing domestic champions into global leaders in artificial intelligence, big data, and other sectors -- with state support. And this comes at a time of heightened trade tensions with Washington, which already complains of a skewed playing field in China's domestic markets. "This is absolutely part of China 2025," said Peking University economics professor Christopher Balding, using shorthand for China's tech-dominance plan. "One of the things that Beijing has made very clear is that they want to control and strengthen their tech companies. It has its thumb on the scale at every step." - National strategies - Firms must show at least three years' profit before they can list in China, ruling out cash-burning start-ups. But Beijing is mulling a waiver for high-tech companies valued above 20 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) and also allowing foreign-listed firms like Alibaba to offer securities in China -- Chinese Depositary Receipts (CDRs) -- which are linked to their main shares. Details and timing remain sketchy, but authorities said in March the plan targets industries that are "in line with national strategies" in internet, big data, artificial intelligence and related industries. Ride-sharing firm Didi Chuxing is among several Chinese firms valued in the tens of billions of dollars that are lining up a listing in China this year The enticements fit with President Xi Jinping's desire to harness all facets of national power to compete with the United States, said analysts. "It does fit together broadly with China promoting high-tech and developing its financial markets," said Fraser Howie, author of "Red Capitalism", an analysis of China's economy. The benefits for China include allowing domestic investors to profit from unicorn success while enhancing Beijing's grip on a tech sector that is already "quasi-nationalised" through state-linked funding and other means, said Balding. Such listings are expected to be vigorously embraced, potentially reinvigorating Chinese share markets dominated by financials or industrials. They will "increase the depth and activity of the market," said Jackson Wong of Huarong International Securities. "That's the (government's) main focus and they are trying to get that done quickly." Tech companies, meanwhile, could open a spigot of cash as their shares are typically priced much higher in China than elsewhere. - Relaxed rules - A Wall Street Journal report quoted sources who estimate Chinese tech IPOs could put new shares worth $50 billion on markets, while Bloomberg News cited analyst estimates that companies eligible to issue CDRs could raise $235 billion. Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent and JD.com have all expressed interest in listing CDRs in China. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi recently chose Hong Kong over New York for what could be the world's biggest IPO since Alibaba's $25 billion coming-out in 2014, after the southern Chinese financial hub relaxed rules that had deterred some big IPOs. As China increases its grip on Hong Kong, a listing there is just fine with Beijing, said Balding. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi recently chose Hong Kong over New York for what could be the world's biggest IPO since Alibaba in 2014, after the southern Chinese financial hub relaxed rules that had deterred some big IPOs US-China tensions may also further push Chinese tech companies to list at home, to curry favour with Beijing and avoid getting caught in the middle of the big-power tug-of-war, analysts said. One such victim of the battle is Chinese telecom equipment ZTE, which has been banned from selling to US firms for seven years after falling foul of Washington over illegal sales to Iran and North Korea. "The current Sino-US trade conflict has made up their minds to come back," said Liao Qun, chief economist with China's Citic Bank International. "We should begin to see action very soon." But greater shareholder control over tech firms by Beijing or its actors could exacerbate US tensions if state-backed Chinese unicorns seek to expand overseas with acquisitions, Balding said. "When Beijing, through its tech companies, then goes out to buy firms and control their data while not allowing foreign competition in its own market, there is a very valid (US) concern both from competitiveness and a national security standpoint," he said. The guilty verdicts followed a major investigation. Australian racing chiefs have hailed a court ruling that found five trainers and three stablehands guilty of doping offences in a major scandal involving more than 100 races over several years. In one of Australia's biggest horse-racing controversies, high-profile trainer Robert Smerdon was among those found guilty of an unprecedented 271 breaches of race-day rules between 2010-17. Most of the offences related to dosing horses with a banned mixture of sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, before top races, which helps reduce the build-up of lactic acid, allowing them to run for longer. Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board chairman Judge John Bowman said at a hearing in Melbourne's County Court on Tuesday that it was "probably the biggest scandal and the most widespread investigation in the history of Australian racing". "This was a long-running systematic conspiracy to try and obtain an unfair advantage in well over a hundred races over seven years," it said. "There has been dishonest, corrupt or fraudulent, improper or dishonourable actions of the highest order." It found Smerdon and stablehand Greg Nelligan were the driving force behind the scam, with all those involved having links to the Aquanita Racing stable. It followed a four-month investigation by Racing Victoria stewards. Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson said in a statement that it "sends a very strong signal to anyone who thinks they can undermine the integrity of the sport by actively breaching the rules of racing". "It also is a ringing endorsement of the investigative work of our integrity services team who found these breaches and ran an exhaustive four-month investigation before laying charges against these eight people," he added. "We are committed to ensuring that the very small minority who seek to breach the rules of racing and undermine our sport are found, investigated and ultimately prosecuted. That is what our participants, our customers and the wider public expect us to do." Sentencing is expected on Thursday, with the main culprits facing life bans. Norwegian virtuoso Leif Ove Andsnes, seen here at the piano in Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall May 2, 2018, tackles Chopin's famous Ballades in his latest CD When he sat down to his longtime goal of recording Chopin's famously demanding Ballades, the pianist Leif Ove Andsnes knew he had to choose the right space. The Norwegian virtuoso, who has spent the past season as the artist-in-residence at the New York Philharmonic, has developed an intuition on the relationship between settings and the great composers whose works he brings to life. "With Beethoven, for instance, I feel that he speaks to the crowd -- he's sort of delivering a speech in an extremely profound way. But with Chopin -- and the same with Schumann -- you feel it's very much between two persons," Andsnes told AFP over lunch near the Philharmonic's home at Lincoln Center. Andsnes had recorded well-regarded CDs of Sibelius and Stravinsky in Berlin's Teldex studio but he found its reflection from the walls and floor ill-suited to Chopin and the intimacy he requires. Instead Andsnes headed to the Sendesaal studio in Bremen, whose building-within-a-building design makes it thoroughly sound-proof. But the CD also features live recordings from the studio, which Andsnes described as "liberating" after days of solitary sessions. "The problem with recording is that you're always thinking about how you did things and you become self-conscious about how it's going, because obviously you're recording all the time for things to be perfect on tape and for things to be good and intense," he said. "But in concerts, you're naturally thinking much more forward -- you're thinking about what is coming and what you have to tell." - Life quest on Chopin - Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes says playing Chopin "you feel it's very much between two persons" Andsnes, 48, had been playing the first three of Chopin's Ballades since he was a teenager. He only six years ago attempted the especially challenging fourth Ballade but has since played it frequently. "How it is possible to tell so much and with so much diversity within 10 minutes, it's quite a miracle to me," he said. Considering the Ballades to be too passion-rich to play in a single cycle, Andsnes is interspersing them with Chopin Nocturnes for the CD, which will be released in September on Sony Classics. Throughout his residency at the New York Philharmonic, Andsnes highlighted works by major composers that often go overlooked. Andsnes, who plays with forcefulness yet grace, selected Rachmaninoff's modernist fourth concerto, Britten's often overlooked piano concerto and Debussy's "Fantaisie for Piano and Orchestra." The "Fantaisie," the French master's sole work for piano and orchestra, was never played in Debussy's lifetime. The 1890 premiere was scrapped when the conductor said there was no time to prepare and Debussy later balked at attempts to perform it. The "Fantaisie" presents a fine balancing act for the pianist, who has little scope for outward showmanship. Andsnes instead forged a rich blend with the New York Philharmonic, conducted with subtlety in the orchestra debut of Bergen-based British conductor Edward Gardner. Andsnes -- who described the "Fantaisie" as "wonderful" yet indicative of a still-young Debussy -- will perform the work again next month in Paris with the Orchestre Philharmonic De Radio France. - Looking back at World War I - Recording Chopin's Ballades required finding just the right space, says Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, artist-in-residence at the New York Philharmonic Andsnes attaches particular importance to remaining active in Norway. A father of three, Andsnes briefly stepped back from curatorial roles but since 2016 has put together a summer festival in the western coastal village of Rosendal. The latest festival in August will examine music written during World War I on the conflict's centennial. One featured work, Janacek's "Violin Sonata," reproduced the sounds of bombs but most of the works, such as Ravel's "La Valse," tread more obliquely on the bloodshed. Andsnes said he remained fascinated by the richness of music at a time of such carnage. "There was so much great music written in those years and it's interesting to see how the war affected the lives of so many of the composers. But nevertheless they just wrote music, and not necessarily music reflecting the war." Women walk past a mural on the wall of the former US embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran on May 8, 2018 Iran's press on Wednesday condemned US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from a multi-party nuclear deal but was divided over whether Tehran should react with patience or withdraw itself. "The nuclear deal without the trouble-maker," was the headline in one of the leading reformist papers, Etemad. It reprinted a tweet by President Hassan Rouhani on its front page: "We have been freed from the evil of someone who does not respect their commitments. The nuclear deal will continue if Iran's interests are assured." Another reformist daily, Aftab, spoke of "Tehran's logical decision" to stay in the landmark 2015 deal with the help of the other signatories -- Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the European Union. The conservative dailies took a sharply different tack. "Trump has torn up the nuclear deal, it is time for us to burn it," said the hardline Kayhan newspaper, echoing a recent threat by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Kayhan has been one of the fiercest critics of the agreement, under which Iran vowed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump announced his decision to pull out of the deal on Tuesday, saying he would reimpose "the highest level of economic sanction" on Iran. "Iran will be united and will resist," was the headline of conservative paper Javan. "It is time for unity and not for blaming others. It is the occasion for a renewal of Iran. Our slogan 'Death to America' is not just a slogan -- the United States is effectively dead in our eyes," it said in an editorial. Other conservatives were sceptical about the ability of Iran's government to salvage the agreement with the help of European powers. "Europe does not have the capacity to maintain the nuclear deal," said daily Farheekhtegan. "The result of all their bargaining with Trump has just been more pressure on Iran." AUBURN Days after the Herman Avenue Elementary School playground was closed, the Auburn school district announced the park will reopen. With the exception of a couple pieces of equipment, the playground will be ready for use Wednesday afternoon, Auburn Enlarged City School District Superintendent Jeff Pirozzolo said. Pirozzolo and district director of facilities, Larry Garuccio gave the update at a board of education meeting Tuesday night. The playground was closed May 4 immediately after a representative with Parkitects, a company which sells and installs playground equipment, deemed the playscape to be unsafe. The district was set to install a new Parkitects swing set, so the representative visited May 4 to advise where the swing set should have been. The Parkitects representative spotted safety hazards such as bolts that had broken through the fiberglass. Pirozzolo said an Auburn district facilities worker has been making repairs to the playground, such as cutting and filing down bolts and adding rubber coating to equipment stairs. Plywood will be placed at the exits and entrances of two Herman slides until the equipment can be brought in about six weeks. Australia's citizenship crisis has forced several opposition MPs to resign, giving PM Turnbull's government hope of boosting its slim majority A constitutional crisis blighting Australian politics resurfaced Wednesday with a string of forced resignations among opposition Labor party MPs, handing the government hope of boosting its slim parliamentary majority. The High Court in Canberra ruled upper house senator Katy Gallagher ineligible to hold her seat as she had not renounced her British citizenship prior to the last election in 2016. The decision triggered the resignation of three more opposition parliamentarians and a member of the minority Centre Alliance party, who all believed the court ruling would also apply to their circumstances. The four MPs all sit in the lower house of parliament, forcing by-elections in their constituencies. "In good faith, our candidates and the Labor party and I have relied on advice that's been the same advice for over 20 years," embattled opposition leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Canberra. "But the High Court has looked at the facts in Senator Gallagher's matter, they have developed a new test, a stricter test, and we have accepted that." Adding to Labor's woes, another MP quit due to family commitments, which in total forces five by-elections. The marginal Queensland seat of Longman appears most at risk with Labor MP Susan Lamb securing it at the last election with less than a one percent margin. The citizenship crisis came to a head in October when the High Court reaffirmed an obscure provision in the country's 1901 constitution that forbids dual citizens from serving in federal parliament, forcing a slew of resignations. Most were from the Senate, the upper house, but two were from the lower House of Representatives, where the ruling Liberal-National coalition holds only a one-seat majority. Then deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce was among those forced to step down after he discovered he had automatically acquired New Zealand citizenship through his father. Joyce and a fellow coalition MP were successfully re-elected after contesting by-elections, preserving the government's wafer-thin majority. The conservative ruling-party has accused Labor of harbouring potential dual citizens since the saga began, calling for the resignation of those they believed could not prove their status. The drug trade has continued to flow through Myanmar's Rakhine state despite the heavy security presence there A Myanmar soldier and two others in northern Rakhine state have been arrested over a cache of methamphetamine pills worth $3.6 million, authorities said, as a lucrative drug trade courses through a region reeling from the army's brutal expulsion of Rohingya Muslims. Army Private Aung Kyaw Naing and villager Aung Than Htay were arrested at a checkpoint in Rakhine's Rathedaung township on May 7 with nearly 200,000 meth tablets, according to a Facebook post from the government's Information Committee. Police then searched the home of the villager's mother and found eight massive bags of stimulants on the top floor, amounting to a total of 1.7 million pills worth $3.6 million, the statement said. The three have been detained at a police station where they will face legal action. "We were able to make the seizure in the village based on follow-up information from the first arrest," an anti-drug officer told AFP, confirming the case but requesting anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. Myanmar's Rakhine state is already reeling from the military's brutal crackdown, which has forced more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee The pills were branded with the letters "WY" -- the stamp of the ethnic Wa drug gangs that churn meth and heroin out of Myanmar's lawless northeast. The drugs are smuggled from that "Golden Triangle" zone south to Thailand and beyond, but a westward route to Bangladesh -- the gateway to other South Asian markets -- has also flourished. The trade has continued to flow through Rakhine despite the heavy security presence in place since the military unleashed its ruthless crackdown on the Rohingya community last August. More than 700,000 of the Muslim minority have fled the violence for neighbouring Bangladesh. The UN says the campaign amounts to ethnic cleansing, but Myanmar says it was targeting Rohingya militants. Hanoi asserted Vietnam's historical and legal rights to the Spratly Islands, which it calls the Truong Sa islands Hanoi has demanded Beijing remove military equipment from contested islands in the South China Sea, saying reported missile installations are a "serious violation" of Vietnam's sovereignty. The warning follows a report from US network CNBC last week that China had installed anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles on the Spratly Islands, an archipelago in the resource-rich waterway also claimed by Vietnam. Hanoi called the latest moves a threat to peace and asserted Vietnam's historical and legal rights to the islands, which it calls the Truong Sa islands. "Vietnam requests China... not to militarise (and) withdraw military equipment that were illegally deployed on structures under Vietnam's sovereignty," foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said in a statement late Tuesday. Vietnam and China have long sparred over who owns what in the South China Sea, which is believed to hold oil and gas deposits. Tensions reached a fever pitch in 2014 when China moved an oil rig into waters claimed by Hanoi. That sparked violent protests in Vietnam, though much of the wrangling between the communist neighbours over the disputed waterway has taken place behind closed doors since then. The Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have also claims in the sea, but Vietnam has remained the most vocal opponent to Beijing's build up in the waterway. Beijing hit back after Hanoi's demand to remove the missiles, with foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang telling reporters Wednesday, China has "indisputable sovereignty" over the islands -- which it calls the Nansha islands -- and surrounding waters. Washington last week warned Beijing of unspecified "consequences" over its militarisation of the disputed waterway. Japan has by far the hardest line of the three countries on North Korea East Asian powers on Wednesday threw their weight behind breakneck diplomacy to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons, setting aside their differences on the process to endorse an intra-Korean deal. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is hosting his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in as preparations for a summit between Washington and Pyongyang heat up. On Wednesday, top US diplomat Mike Pompeo was in Pyongyang to prepare for the summit, which builds on talks between the two Koreas and a deal signed in the truce village of Panmunjom last month. Moon said the three Asian leaders had agreed to endorse the outcome of the neighbours' talks. "We reached the common recognition that the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, (and) the permanent establishment of peace and development of the intra-Korean relations are crucial," he said in a statement after the trilateral talks. "I would like to thank the leaders for welcoming and supporting the Panmunjom declaration," he added -- a position the trio are expected to formalise in a joint statement later Wednesday. At the historic Panmunjom summit less than two weeks ago Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to pursue a permanent peace treaty and also vowed to work towards the "complete denuclearisation" of the divided peninsula. But the phrase is a diplomatic euphemism open to interpretation on both sides. Pyongyang has long wanted to see an end to the US military presence and nuclear umbrella over the South, but it invaded its neighbour in 1950 and is the only one of the two Koreas to possess nuclear weapons. Japan has by far the hardest line of the three countries on North Korea, and has found itself largely watching from the sidelines as the diplomatic frenzy unfolds. It has been left uneasy by the pace of events, and by what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang. After the talks, Abe said he hoped to see the international community press "North Korea to take concrete steps towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, and peace and stability in northeast Asia". He also once again called for a resolution to the hugely emotive issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by the North. "If the issues of abduction and nuclear and missile programmes are comprehensively resolved and if the North Korea follows the right path, we will aim for the normalisation of relations," he said. Saudi Energy Minister Khaled al-Faleh attends a meeting of OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers in Jeddah on April 20, 2018 Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has said it will take all necessary measures to prevent supply shortages following the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. "The kingdom will work with major oil producers within and outside OPEC, and with major consumers as well to limit the impact of any shortages in supplies," the Saudi energy ministry said in a statement late Tuesday. The kingdom's assurance came just hours after US President Donald Trump announced the United States was withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal between world powers and Iran. Trump also reinstated US sanctions which could curtail Iran's ability to export oil, its mainstay for public revenues. Before international sanctions were lifted following the nuclear deal in late 2015, Iran's crude exports stood at just one million barrels per day, mostly to Asia and European countries. That figure has since soared to 2.5 million bpd. Saudi Arabia currently pumps around 10 million bpd, but has capacity of around 12 million bpd -- a surplus of two million bpd. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to support the stability of the global oil markets to serve the interests of both producers and consumers and also the sustainability of global economic growth," the ministry statement said. Major oil producers from OPEC and non-OPEC members including Russia, the world's top producer, are linked to a deal until the end of the year to cut output by 1.8 million bpd to support prices. Oil prices made key gains after Trump's announcement with Brent crude rising 2.4 percent to over $76.5 a barrel and US crude trading above $70 early Wednesday. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in North Korea on an unannounced visit to advance preparations for the unprecedented Trump-Kim meeting America's top diplomat Mike Pompeo held meetings with senior North Korean officials in Pyongyang Wednesday, with speculation swirling around the fate of three US detainees ahead of a planned US-North Korea summit. Pompeo was dispatched on an unannounced visit -- his second in weeks, but first as secretary of state -- to advance preparations for Donald Trump's unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong Un over North Korea's nuclear arsenal. He told reporters that he hoped to agree a date and venue for the summit -- even though Trump said they had already been chosen. But optimism over the process was dealt a blow by Trump's pullout from a nuclear deal with Iran Tuesday. Pompeo's visit came with rumours flying over three US citizens being held in the North, fuelled by South Korea where the president's office said they expected the men to be freed. The trio are a significant domestic political issue in the US and Trump hinted last week of imminent news after sources said they had been relocated. In previous cases, detainees have been set free into the care of high-profile US visitors, but there was no immediate indication they would be released after Pompeo held talks with Kim Yong Chul, director of the North's United Front department, one of the organisations handling relations with the South. The US hoped "we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and make your country have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve", Pompeo told him, but added: "There are many challenges along the way." The rapid detente on the Korean peninsula triggered by the Winter Olympics is a marked contrast from last year, when Kim and Trump traded personal insults and threats of war over the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. "We think relationships are building with North Korea," Trump said in televised comments from the White House. "We will see how it all works out. Maybe it won't. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea and the entire world." But the American president spoke as he yanked the US out of a nuclear deal with Iran, complicating the prospects of persuading Pyongyang to surrender its atomic arsenal. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord, reached after a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, describing it as an "embarrassment" to the United States. Other signatories and the International Atomic Energy Agency say Iran has complied with its obligations under the deal, and Adam Mount of the Federation of American Scientists said: "Amazing to think that Secretary Pompeo will arrive in Pyongyang today bearing the following message: 'If you eliminate your nuclear weapons, we'll lift sanctions and won't attack you. You can trust us'." - 'Chairman Un' - The details of any North Korean deal appear to be still under discussion. Kim Jong Un flew to China on Tuesday, his second visit in six weeks, for talks with President Xi Jinping At a historic meeting in the Demilitarized Zone last month, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed their commitment to a "common goal" of "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula in their Panmunjom Declaration. On Tuesday, Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in China -- the second time in six weeks -- highlighting efforts by the Cold War-era allies to mend frayed ties, and with Beijing keen to avoid being left out in the cold. China's official Xinhua news agency cited Kim as telling Xi there was no need for North Korea to be a nuclear state "as long as relevant parties abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against" the country. Kim also expressed hope that the US and North Korea would take "phased and synchronous measures", signalling Pyongyang wanted a quid pro quo. Pompeo's itinerary -- including whether he would meet the North Korean leader in Pyongyang -- was not clear. He told reporters he would look to prepare for the summit between Trump and "Chairman Un", prompting mockery from observers. "Pompeo doesn't know the surname is Kim, but he's definitely on top of all the conceptual and semantic nuances associated with the phrase 'denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula'," arms control specialist Jeffrey Lewis tweeted derisively. - Three-way summit - Also Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang backed the Panmunjom Declaration at a tripartite summit with Moon in Tokyo, Seoul said. Despite consensus on 'complete denuclearisation', China, Japan and South Korea have different positions on the North But the three neighbours have differing positions on the North, with Japan taking by far the hardest line but finding itself largely watching the diplomatic frenzy from the sidelines, left uneasy by the pace of events and by what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang. The North should not be given a reward for closing its nuclear test site or not launching long-range missiles, Abe said after talks with Moon, according to the Blue House. "The North should take additional and concrete actions," it cited him as saying. US President Donald Trump signed a document reinstating sanctions against Iran on May 8 European powers scrambled Wednesday to save a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Trump sparked an international outcry by ditching the accord, a move that risks overturning years of diplomacy and adding to instability in the Middle East. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord in an address to the nation from the White House on Tuesday. He described it as an "embarrassment" to the US that does nothing to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. In response, the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany will meet with Iranian representatives next Monday "to consider the entire situation," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio. French President Emmanuel Macron will also speak with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani by telephone on Wednesday afternoon about "our wish to stay in the agreement," Le Drian said. He added that European powers would "try to preserve" the economic benefits Iran has gained from the lifting of sanctions under the deal. In separate comments, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said that it was "not acceptable" for the US to be the "economic policeman of the planet". - 'Bomb threat' - Behind the historic 2015 Iran nuclear deal Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called for a "new and lasting deal". He said that would have to include not just deeper restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. "We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement," he claimed. "We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction and we will not allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth." Iran's Rouhani -- whose standing at home now risks being undermined by the deal's collapse -- was furious, accusing Trump of "psychological warfare". Rouhani said Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" in response to Trump's announcement, but that it would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Trump's demands and his warning that Iranians deserve better than their current "dictatorship" will fuel suspicions that his ultimate goal is regime change. "If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before," he warned. - Blow for Europe - President Hassan Rouhani said Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" in response to Trump's announcement The decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders begged the US leader to think again. In a joint statement, Germany's Angela Merkel, Britain's Theresa May and France's Macron voiced their "regret and concern" at Trump's decision. European firms doing business in Iran now have a six month deadline to wind up investments, or risk US sanctions, Trump's advisor John Bolton said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Washington was acting "under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities". That meant that European firms with investments or operations in the United States could be targeted if they continue to trade with Iran. Plans are already being drawn up in Brussels to introduce measures blocking US sanctions -- an extremely rare move against an allied government. But Bolton said that cooperation with Europe on Iran was not over. The US will "work with the Europeans and others not only on the nuclear issue but on Iran's ballistic missile development, its continuing support for terrorism and its military activities that jeopardise our friends," Bolton told Fox News. - 'Bold decision' - The decision on Iran fulfilled one of Trump's long-standing campaign promises While Iran's arch foes in Israel and Saudi Arabia welcomed Trump's decision, signatories to the existing deal vowed to plough ahead without the US. The European Union's chief diplomat Federica Mogherini, who helped oversee the accord, insisted it was "delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesn't develop nuclear weapons." "The European Union is determined to preserve it," she added. Trump's decision offers him a domestic political victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise. But the long term impact for US foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Some analysts also warned the move would complicate US efforts to reach an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over his country's own more advanced weapons programme. Former CIA director John Brennan said Trump's move "gave North Korea more reason to keep its nukes". Former US president Barack Obama -- whose administration inked the deal -- made a rare public criticism of his successor. "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility, and puts us at odds with the world's major powers," he said. Elsewhere, Russia's foreign ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" by the decision. And a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, warned on Twitter that Trump's move "will cause instability and new conflicts". But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly supported the move. "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal," Netanyahu said in a televised address. Independence hero and former president Xanana Gusmao vowed to support rapid economic development of the impoverished country if his bloc win's weekend elections East Timor is set to hold weekend elections after a campaign marred by violence and political mudslinging as the impoverished country struggles to buoy its oil-dependent economy. It will be the second general election in less than a year after a months-long political impasse saw the 65-member parliament dissolved in January. Political parties on the tiny half-island nation of 1.2 million people made their final pitch to voters Wednesday, wrapping up a tension-filled campaign. Violent weekend clashes broke out between supporters of the Fretilin party and backers of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) led by former president and independence hero Xanana Gusmao. Some 16 people were injured and a couple of vehicles were torched, according to the Australia Timor-Leste Election Observer Mission. East Timor -- a former Portuguese colony which won independence in 2002 after a brutal, 24-year occupation by neighbouring Indonesia -- has been wracked by violence before. In 2006, dozens were killed as political rivalries erupted into open conflict on the streets of the capital Dili. The fragile democracy wobbled again this year as parliament was dissolved and new elections called amid tensions between former prime minister Mari Alkatiri's minority government and the opposition centred around Gusmao's CNRT. Alkatiri's Fretilin party, which narrowly won last July's poll, collapsed after its bid to introduce a policy programme and new budget were thwarted by a hostile opposition. - 'Spend less, deliver more' - For decades, the so-called 1975 Generation of independence heroes, including Alkatiri and Gusmao, have played an outsized role in the political landscape. Former prime minister Mari Alkatiri's Fretilin party has also promised to boost development Gusmao, a leader of the resistance against Indonesia, was East Timors first president between 2002 and 2007 and then prime minister from 2007 to 2015. Alkatiri, who was forced into exile following the Indonesian invasion in 1975, served as East Timor's first prime minister between 2002 and 2006. Ahead of the vote on Saturday, Gusmao has been leaning on his role as the lead negotiator in settling a maritime boundary with Australia in March. The treaty, which ends a decades-long dispute over oil rights in the Timor Sea, could open the door to billions of dollars in royalties in a potential revenue-sharing deal from the Greater Sunrise offshore gas fields in the Timor Sea. Gusmao's CNRT has an alliance with the People's Liberation Party (PLP) and the youth-based Khunto, making the so-called Parliamentary Majority Alliance (AMP) the largest political bloc in the country. "If AMP wins we will support rapid economic development and bring oil to Timor Leste," Gusmao told tens of thousand of flag waving supporters at rally Tuesday, using an alternate name for the country. With oil and gas reserves fast disappearing, any new government will be under pressure to diversify the economy Alkatiri, a Muslim politician in the majority-Catholic country, has also promised to boost development, with the clock ticking on fast disappearing oil and gas reserves -- putting pressure on any new government to diversify the economy. Oil and gas pay for the bulk of government spending, but oil revenues are in steep decline, and the country has few other productive economic sectors. About 60 percent of East Timor's population is under 25, according to the World Bank, while some 40 percent of its people live in poverty. Providing jobs for the enormous amount of young people and reining in public spending -- especially on large infrastructure projects -- will be key tasks for the new government, analysts say. "Everyone in Timor Leste has been talking about economic diversification and a focus on agriculture, but it is still unclear what they are going to do about it," Guteriano Neves, an independent policy analyst based in Dili, told AFP. "You have to spend less and deliver more -- that is the hard task the future government will have to face." An Emirates Airbus A380 bearing the portrait of the UAE's founder and president, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, appears at the Dubai Airshow on November 12, 2017 Leading Middle East airline Emirates said on Wednesday its net profits had more than doubled last year, mainly on improved cargo business. The Dubai flagship carrier posted a 124 percent increase in net profit to $762 million (644 million euros) in the fiscal year ending in March. Despite the sharp increase, the profit is still way below the $1.9 billion the airline recorded in the 2015-16 financial year. "We benefitted from a healthy recovery in the global air cargo industry, as well as the relative strengthening of key currencies against the US dollar," said chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum. He said the positive results came despite tough business conditions in the last fiscal year due to political instability, currency volatility, devaluations in Africa and rising oil prices. The company said profits were also boosted by the lay-off of some 3,000 employees. The announcement came a few months after the airline struck multi-billion dollar deals with Boeing and Airbus to buy dozens of long-haul jets. Emirates concluded two significant deals for new aircraft -- a $15.1 billion purchase of 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners and a $16 billion agreement for 36 A380 superjumbo jets, including an option for 16 more. The airline, which currently operates 268 aircraft, had blamed fierce competition, currency devaluations and US travel restrictions for the 82.5 percent plunge in its profits the previous fiscal year. Emirates, which is the world's largest operator of Boeing 777 and A380 aircraft, said its revenues increased by 8.5 percent to $25.2 billion. The decline of the US dollar against currencies in most of Emirates' key markets for the first time in years added $180 million to its profits, it said. The rise came despite a 15 percent hike in fuel costs due to the increase in global oil prices, the company added. It said it raised $4.9 billion of debt in the year, using a variety of financing structures including a $600 million sukuk issuance to finance its purchases. Emirates made its biggest revenue from Europe, which contributed $7.3 billion, up 12 percent from 2016-17. The East Asia and Australasia region followed closely with $6.9 billion, up 12 percent, the statement said. Revenues from the Americas rose seven percent to $3.7 billion, while those from the Gulf and Middle East decreased two percent to $2.3 billion, it said. The airline's cargo division reported revenue of $3.4 billion, an increase of 17 percent over the last year and accounting for some 2.6 million tonnes of freight. The airlines also transported 58.5 million passengers last year, up 4.3 percent on 2016-2017. The airline's parent company, Emirates Group, recorded its 30th consecutive year of profit last year, earning $1.1 billion, up 67 percent. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} "Though the woman the committee selected was ultimately a woman of color, Wells College choose not to support their current, much loved faculty of color in order to fulfill a diversity statistic," the press release said. The press release also claimed a "lack of support and bias from administration and colleagues" had caused former faculty members of color to flee the college. The group's demands include that Karbhari be given a four-year full-time contract with the college, all committees involved in faculty hiring processes undergo diversity and inclusion training and at least two students are added to every faculty hiring committee. Many of the students in the protest, which took place during the college's finals week, were typing on laptops in the hall. A thick pile of blankets could be seen on one side of the room, with snacks and portable electrical outlets scattered around. A couple of students laid on each other's shoulders. While some of those who entered the building's front doors greeted the protesters with smiles and waves, others looked at the students, swiftly lowered their heads and went about their business. Glimpses of the jet's interior are rare The plane that flew Kim Jong Un to China this week is officially known as "Chammae-1", or Goshawk-1, after the national bird of North Korea -- but the leader's personal jet is perhaps more memorably dubbed "Air Force Un". North Korea's official name and flag appear on the ageing Soviet-made aircraft, which first emerged four years ago and has carried Kim on various trips across his country in the past. Glimpses of the jet's interior are rare, but images carried by the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Wednesday showed Kim seated in a plush leather armchair, looking out of the window and waving at his Chinese hosts. The Cold War-era Ilyushin-62 is adorned with a red-and-yellow national emblem, ringed with the phrase "Chairman of the State Affairs Commission", a lengthy moniker that is Kim's main political title. Kim, who is in his 30s, is not president of the reclusive state as the role is still filled by his grandfather Kim Il Sung, despite his death in 1994. This week's China visit was Kim's first overseas trip by air since inheriting power in 2011 -- he took the train to Beijing in March when he made his international debut. North Korea's official name and flag appear on the ageing Soviet-made aircraft But despite its comfortable furnishings, analysts have raised doubts about the aircraft's reliability due to its age and questions over its maintenance. That could be a possible issue in the choice of venue for the forthcoming summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, with possible locations for the meeting reportedly including Singapore and Mongolia, with Switzerland mooted previously. In the images, cabled devices that looked like a telephone, an intercom and a router were neatly lined up on the polished wooden desk, as Kim sat in front of a silver laptop. A colour monitor apparently displaying the travel route appeared to be installed above the window next to his seat. Kim and his wife were first photographed disembarking onto a red carpet from the jet in May 2014. Since then he has regularly flown domestically, displaying a passion for air travel that is in stark contrast to his father and predecessor Kim Jong Il, who hated flying and only used high-security trains for overseas trips during his 17-year term. Buhari's health is likely to become a major issue as he seeks re-election in February 2019 Nigeria's main opposition party has said President Muhammadu Buhari is unfit to run the country after he again left for London on medical grounds. The 75-year-old former military ruler last year spent five months in London seeking treatment for an undisclosed illness that he said required multiple blood transfusions. He flew out again on Tuesday, citing a request from his doctor, and pledged to be back in Nigeria on Saturday. But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said in a statement on Tuesday evening it was an admission that he was "unwell, ailing and unfit to attend to state matters". The disclosure had "put to rest speculation on the health status of the president, as well as his attendant inability to effectively govern". The party also hit out at what it said were the "deception, lies and beguiling" of the president's office about the head of state's health. Before the last election in 2015, the PDP -- then in power under president Goodluck Jonathan -- claimed that Buhari had terminal prostate cancer. Buhari rejected the assertion and claimed a leaked medical report showing he was being treated for the condition was faked. But with so many absences and uncertainty about his condition, his health is likely to become a major issue as he seeks re-election in February next year. In particular, there will be questions about whether he will be able to manage months of rigorous campaigning. A handout picture provided by the Iranian Parliament on May 9, 2018 shows Iranian MPs burning a US flag in parliament in Tehran Iranian lawmakers burned an American flag and cried "Death to America" in parliament on Wednesday to protest President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the multi-party nuclear deal. Images shown on various Iranian media showed an MP brandishing the paper flag and burning it in the centre of the parliament chamber. A conservative lawmaker, Mojtaba Zolnour, joined him and burned a copy of the nuclear agreement. Several dozen deputies joined them in shouting "Death to America", a favoured slogan of Iranian conservatives. "Be careful not to burn down the parliament," speaker Ali Larijani said from the podium. Iranian officials have condemned Trump's decision to pull out of the 2015 deal, which had lifted sanctions in exchange for curbs to Iran's nuclear programme. Turkish Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rebuked the US for ripping up the 2015 Iran nuclear deal Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that the United States will "lose in the end" for withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal with Iran. President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled the United States out of the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Tehran, prompting European powers to scramble to rescue the landmark 2015 pact. Erdogan told CNN International in an interview to be broadcast in full on Wednesday evening that he feared fresh crises would break out in the region as a result of the move. "We don't need new crises in the region," he said, according to a partial transcript on the CNN website published late Tuesday. But he said that it was Washington who risked losing as Tehran would fulfil its side of the bargain and stick to the accord. "The US would be the ones to lose," he said. "Iran will never compromise on this agreement, and will abide by this agreement to the end... that's what I think. However, the US will lose in the end." Erdogan rebuked Turkey's NATO ally for ripping up the agreement, which was signed under the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama. "This is not how the international mechanisms work," he said. "International covenants and international conventions cannot be annulled at will. If any document bears your signature, you need to respect that. You need to abide by that," Erdogan was quoted as saying. Erdogan said even if the US may be able to enjoy windfalls from rising oil prices as a result of the move it would have a negative effect on the world economy. "Many of the countries, in poverty, will be hit even harder and deeper," he said. Turkish-US relations are already strained over US backing for a Kurdish militia in Syria which Ankara says is linked to the outlawed PKK group, as well as the jailing of an American pastor in Turkey. Ankara also has a sometimes troubled relationship with Tehran, but the two sides have been working closely -- along with Russia -- over the last year in a bid to bring peace to Syria. Aman Abdurrahman, an Islamic radical jailed for orchestrating an attack in Jakarta in 2016 that left eight people dead, is being held in a different part of the facility to where the riot broke out Five Indonesian police officers and a prisoner were killed in clashes at a high security jail that saw Islamist inmates take an officer hostage, authorities said Wednesday, with negotiations underway to secure his release. The deadly riot broke out late Tuesday at the facility inside the Mobile Police Brigade headquarters in Depok on the outskirts of Jakarta. It comes several days after the arrest of three terror suspects accused of plotting to attack the police headquarters and other facilities in the same area. "There have been six fatalities -- five of our comrades are dead and one of them also (died)," said national police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal. "One of our officers is still being held hostage. To prevent things from getting worse, we're going to keep negotiating so we don't have to go to the last resort," he added, without elaborating. A dispute broke out after several prisoners demanded that they be given food sent to them by their families and managed to grab some of their jailers' firearms, authorities said, adding that the secure facility was on lockdown. Some of the prisoners involved in the clashes are Islamist militants jailed on terror-related charges, according to police. However, authorities rejected a claim from the Islamic State (IS) group made through its Amaq News Agency that it was responsible for the riot. "Those (IS) claims are not true at all," Iqbal told reporters on the scene. "The trigger (for the riot) was food, which must be checked to make sure there is not other stuff hidden inside it." Police said they would hold a press conference later Wednesday. Among the facility's prisoners is Aman Abdurrahman, an Islamic radical jailed for orchestrating an attack in Jakarta in 2016 that left eight people dead. Former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who was sentenced two years in prison for blasphemy after losing a re-election bid, is also held in the jail. Abdurrahman and Purnama, better known as Ahok, are not housed in the part of the prison where the riot broke out. Indonesia's overcrowded prisons are notorious for their poor conditions and outbreaks of violence. Two years ago, nearly 500 inmates broke out from a prison after complaining about overcrowding and extortion. The second of two Kabul attacks Wednesday took place in front of a police station in Shar-e-Naw neighbourhood in central Kabul Suicide bombers and gunmen launched apparently coordinated attacks on two Kabul police stations Wednesday, killing at least five people, with security forces still searching for assailants as the city braces for more violence. A series of loud explosions rocked the Afghan capital in the late morning and were quickly followed by volleys of gunfire as police engaged in fierce battles with militants. Another explosion was heard in the late afternoon. The Taliban and Islamic State group each claimed responsibility for one of the attacks. But Afghanistan's intelligence agency blamed the Taliban's Haqqani Network and Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for both incidents. At least five people were killed and 16 were wounded in the attacks, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. The health ministry said seven people were killed and 17 wounded. Police were among the casualties, including two of the dead, Danish told Tolo News. After an easing of attacks in Kabul in February, Taliban and IS militants have stepped up raids in the city in recent months. IS claimed the first attack on a police station in a heavily Shiite-populated neighbourhood in the city's west, which interior minister Wais Barmak said ended after roughly an hour. Barmak told reporters three attackers were killed in that incident, after they used grenades to set fire to a room in the police compound. Ariana TV footage showed a thick plume of black smoke rising into the sky while a photo posted on Twitter purportedly of the west Kabul police station showed a building on fire. The second attack, claimed by the Taliban, took place in front of a police station in Shar-e-Naw neighbourhood in downtown Kabul. "A suicide bomber detonated his vest at the entrance of the street and a car dropped four other attackers nearby," Barmak said. Four attackers fled to a nearby building and were killed after an hours-long search operation by security forces, police spokesman Hashmat Estanikzai told AFP. A "clearance operation" is still under way, he added. A travel agency that handles Indian visa applications is located on the same street as the Shar-e-Naw police station. The Indian embassy and some of its consulates in Afghanistan have previously been targeted by the Taliban. "There were about 300 people inside Shaheer travel agency. Had the police not stopped the attackers they would have caused a disaster," Barmak said. A police source told AFP the blast in the afternoon was caused by an attacker blowing himself up. Pakistan condemned the attacks as "blatant terrorism targeting innocent civilians" in a statement from the country's foreign affairs ministry. - Increased attacks - The attacks came as a strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Afghanistan, shaking buildings in Kabul where people were already on edge. The assaults happened just over a week after twin blasts in Kabul killed 25 people, including AFP chief photographer Shah Marai and eight other journalists. Those attacks were claimed by IS. The Taliban recently launched their annual spring offensive, in an apparent rejection of a peace talks overture by the Afghan government. Afghanistan Their Operation Al Khandaq will target US forces and "their intelligence agents" as well as their "internal supporters", a Taliban statement said on April 25. Barmak said the Taliban had taken control of two districts in the past 24 hours, one in the northern province of Baghlan and the other in the northwestern province of Faryab. Kabul has long been one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. A suicide bomber targeting a blood drive for victims of recent attacks blew himself up in a city park on Monday after being spotted by police, causing no other casualties. On April 22, a suicide bomber detonated himself outside a voter registration centre in the city, killing 60 people and wounding more than 100. That was among a series of attacks across the country in places where people were signing up to vote. The Taliban and IS have made clear their intentions to disrupt the parliamentary and district council elections scheduled for October 20. General John Nicholson, who leads US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said previously that protecting Kabul was a priority for foreign troops. But he acknowledged that preventing attacks would be challenging in the sprawling city that is poorly mapped and extremely porous. A picture released by Syria's official news agency SANA early on May 9, 2018 shows what it says is the aftermath of two intercepted Israeli missiles near Damascus Eight Iranians were among 15 foreign pro-regime fighters killed in a suspected Israeli strike in Syria on a weapons depot of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, a war monitor said Wednesday. The raid struck the area of Kisweh south of Damascus late Tuesday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. Syria's official news agency SANA said the army had intercepted two Israeli missiles fired towards Kisweh, with state television broadcasting images of fires in the nearby area. "The death toll of the missile strike has risen to 15 pro-regime fighters -- eight from Iran's Revolutionary Guards and others not of Syrian nationality," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. The monitor previously reported nine pro-regime combatants had died in the raid, without specifying their nationality. SANA quoted a medical source saying that two civilians had died on a highway linking Damascus with the southern city of Deraa as a result of an explosion linked to "the Israeli aggression". Late Tuesday, the Israeli-occupied section of the Golan Heights was placed on high alert due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" across the demarcation line in Syria. It is not the first time that Kisweh has been targeted. In December, Israel reportedly bombed military positions in the area south of Damascus, including a weapons depot. Since the start of Syria's civil war in 2011, Israel has repeatedly targeted positions of the Syrian army and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement backing it inside the country. On April 29, missile strikes -- "probably Israeli" -- fired on regime military positions killed at least 26 mostly Iranian fighters, according to the Observatory. On April 9, missiles targeted the T-4 air base in the central province of Homs, killing up to 14 fighters, including seven Iranians, two days after an alleged chemical attack carried out by the Syrian regime. Damascus accused Israel of carrying out the strike. Israel and Syria are still officially in a state of war, though the armistice line on the sector of the Golan Heights which the Jewish state seized from its Arab neighbour in 1967 was largely quiet for decades until the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011. In an interview late last month, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman vowed to strike at any attempt by Iran to establish a "military foothold" in Syria. Ultra-orthodox Jews stand in the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit as Palestinian labourers work at a construction site on February 14, 2018 In the streets of the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit, most men wear the traditional black suits of the ultra-Orthodox, a familiar sight in the strictly religious Jewish neighbourhoods of nearby Jerusalem. The ultra-Orthodox make up a growing percentage of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, a sign of the rapidly expanding population of strictly religious Jews as Israel approaches the 70th anniversary of its founding on May 14. With more than 56,000 residents, Beitar Illit is one of the most populated settlements in the West Bank, the Palestinian territory under Israeli occupation for more than half a century. Most residents are ultra-Orthodox and strictly observe Jewish law in all aspects of daily life. Men dress in black suits while women wear long dresses and cover their heads. There are no movie theatres, and traffic comes to a halt for 24 hours from Friday evening to mark Shabbat, the weekly day of rest. During the week, young children are easy to spot, reflecting ultra-Orthodox preferences for large families. Beitar Illit, established in the 1980s on the land of a former Palestinian village, is different from most settlements in the West Bank, which tend to be more secular and politically right-wing. Along with Modiin Illit, another West Bank settlement with 70,000 mainly ultra-Orthodox residents, it illustrates a key demographic change taking place in Israel and its settlements. Ultra-orthodox Jews walk in the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit as Palestinian labourers work at a construction site on February 14, 2018 While the ultra-Orthodox make up around 10 percent of the population among all Israelis, they now count for a third of those in the West Bank, which many Israelis refer to by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria. "Despite our geographic situation, the population of Beitar Illit keeps going up," the municipality's website says. - 'Housing crisis' - It adds that there are around 40 births per week, or around 2,000 yearly, well over the Israeli average. At that rate, Jerusalem risks becoming a suburb of Beitar Illit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joked during a visit in 2017. But 50 years after the planting of the first Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the ultra-Orthodox are not choosing to live in Beitar Illit for ideological reasons, unlike many other settlers. "The reason why people live here is the housing crisis," said city hall spokesman Moshe Glasner. "An ultra-Orthodox family would not live here as a first choice if they could live elsewhere." Economic considerations are accompanied by community and religious concerns. Binyamin Kluger, 45, a community worker who has lived in Beitar Illit for seven years, said he wanted to "live in the midst of the Torah." Ultra-orthodox Jews walk in the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit as Palestinian labourers work at a construction site on February 14, 2018 "It is the ideal area to live as a religious Jew," he said. Israeli settlements are viewed as illegal under international law and a major obstacle to peace as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Israel's government disputes that. More than 600,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem in near constant conflict with some three million Palestinians there. - 'Motivations are different' - Beitar Illit's residents say they have a peaceful relationship with the Palestinians surrounding them -- though the Palestinians see all settlements as theft of their land. Israeli cars in the area surrounding the settlement are sometimes targeted by Palestinians throwing stones. Residents point out that some 1,500 Palestinians work daily in the settlement without incident, though Palestinians have few other options for solid employment in the economically struggling West Bank. "All you have to do is come here to see how we work together to understand that it is different from the usual image of settlements," said Yoram Cohen, who works in a grocery store and has lived in Beitar Illit for 18 years. Nadav Shragai of the Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs said the increase in the West Bank's ultra-Orthodox population would be welcomed by those in favour of settlement building. A view of the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit on February 14, 2018 "When the ideologues founded communities in the territories, they hoped that the population that came to live there would represent all segments of society, and that is what is happening," he said. Due to its location, Beitar Illit may be among the settlements that would remain in place in a peace deal with the Palestinians. Hagit Ofran of the Peace Now settlement watchdog said the ultra-Orthodox are among the least likely to oppose a peace deal with the Palestinians. "Their motivations are different and there is a strong possibility that in the event of a peace deal, they would remain in place," she said. "As a result, they are not concerned with territorial matters, unlike the more ideological settlers." Ahead of Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections, an Al-Fath Alliance poster (top) reads: "Ahmad al-Assadi, the Spokesman". Pictured in Baghdad on May 8, 2018 With campaign posters cluttering the streets of Iraq, the almost 7,000 candidates running for parliament in upcoming elections are resorting to increasingly wacky pitches to woo voters. As they bid for one of the 329 seats up for grabs the would-be MPs seem to be outdoing each other with eye-catching slogans, ranging from the amusing to the downright bizarre. "Vote for Anuar al-Waili, her cousin owns a tyre shop in Australia," reads one full-page newspaper advert published ahead of the May 12 nationwide poll. Like other candidates who use their professions to highlight their qualifications for parliament, Ahmed al-Assadi's posters proudly display his title. "Official spokesman", it reads -- but for what, it does not say. The reason is that Assadi represented the Hashed al-Shaabi, paramilitary units that fought alongside Iraq's regular forces against the Islamic State group. Like a large number of his former comrades-in-arms who are running for election, Assadi has had to officially quit his military position to stand -- meaning that he can't spell out the details of his job in full. For others, vagueness seems to form an even more important part of their pitch to voters. A picture taken on May 8, 2018 in Baghdad shows an electoral campaign billboard of Aisha al-Massari, proudly boasting that she has "accomplished 1,000 deeds" Aisha al-Massari, a candidate for the National Alliance of Vice President Ayad Allawi, proudly boasts that she has "accomplished 1,000 deeds". Exactly what those deeds are remains a total mystery. - 'Light of the heavens' - Another question mark for Iraqis is the absent face of Hanae Turki, number two on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's Victory Alliance list. Her posters are blank except for her name and family title -- Umm Zine Al Abidine, or "the mother of Zine Al Abidine". In the head-spinning world of Iraqi politics, some of the alliances that this election has thrown up have sparked humour among locals -- especially the unlikely pairing of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr and the communists. When the annual workers' day holiday on May 1 coincided with a major Shiite holy day, jokers quipped that it was all thanks to the new hook-up and urged "workers of the world to unite in prayer". In a nod to the split personality of the political union, one of its candidates in Baghdad has even gone so far as to produce two sets of posters. One version hanging up around majority Shiite neighbourhoods shows Hasna al-Janabi dressed conservatively in a traditional headscarf. In another poster displayed elsewhere around the city her hair is uncovered. Some of the zanier attempts to drum up attention haven't ended too well. In the southern agricultural province of Zi Qar, one candidate was arrested after proclaiming himself the "founder, leader and winner of the party of God, light of the heavens and Earth, prophet, lord, imam and holy warrior". Even with election hopeful Yasser Nasser Hussein in detention, internet users have not tired of sharing a video in which he announces his run after a "divine revelation". An electoral campaign poster of Democratic Civil Alliance candidate Momeim Hitler al-Jabri hangs in central Baghdad on May 8, 2018 Others, meanwhile, have tried their hardest to end any controversy surrounding their candidacies. Lawyer Moneim Hitler al-Jabri chose to address his unfortunate middle name head on to nip any potential mockery in the bud. "Hitler is just a name, not a way of life," he wrote in a Facebook post to his followers. - Boozing appeal - Another candidate Fayeq al-Sheikh Ali found an unusual constituency to reach out to as he seeks to cling onto his seat at the head of a secular alliance. "Don't laugh, but I appeal to all those who love good wine in Iraq, to those who appreciate good arak, who has defended you in parliament?" he said at a press conference, referencing attempts to ban alcohol. "It's your turn to support me today, just as I have supported you." All the public slogans and declarations are just the tip of the iceberg. Posters of candidates in Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections are seen with Arabic slogans in the streets of Baghdad on May 8, 2018 A photographer in southern Iraq recounts how a candidate showed up at his studio dressed in his undershirt and demanded that "a suit be photoshopped" over the top to create his official portrait. "I am keeping a photo of him in his vest, just in case," the photographer laughs. All of these machinations and publicity stunts have proved rich pickings for comedians. In his videos and shows, Ahmed Wahid lays into the foibles of Iraq's politicians. But he says the joke might really end up being on the country's voters. "All these stories are not the fault of the politicians, but of the electorate," he tells AFP. "They insult the politicians all day, every day, and then they turn around and elect them." Australian scientist David Goodall, 104, does not have a terminal illness but says his quality of life has deteriorated and that he wants to die A 104-year-old Australian scientist, resentful that he was forced overseas to die, is set to address the media in Switzerland on Wednesday, a day before he is due to end his life. David Goodall does not have a terminal illness but says his quality of life has deteriorated and that he wants to die. He was barred from seeking help to end his life in Australia, so he was forced to travel to Switzerland. "I don't want to go to Switzerland," Goodall told broadcaster ABC before he set off on his final voyage a week ago, adding that he had to "get the opportunity of suicide which the Australian system does not permit". "I feel very resentful," said the honorary research associate at Perth's Edith Cowan University, who arrived in Switzerland on Monday. He will speak to the media in the northern Swiss city of Basel later Wednesday alongside the head of Exit International, the Australian right-to-die group that helped Goodall make the trip. - Final exit - "This conference will be Professor Goodall's first and last conference before his final Exit appointment" on Thursday, the organisation said in a statement. Goodall, who according to Exit International attempted but failed to commit suicide on his own earlier this year, secured a fast-track appointment with assisted dying foundation Eternal Spirit in Basel. Assisted suicide is illegal in most countries and was banned in Australia until the state of Victoria became the first to legalise the practice last year. But that legislation, which takes effect in June 2019, only applies to terminally ill patients of sound mind and a life expectancy of less than six months. According to Swiss law meanwhile, anyone who is of sound mind and who has over a period of time voiced a consistent wish to end their life can request so-called assisted voluntary death, or AVD. Eternal Spirit, one of several foundations in Switzerland that assist people who want to end their lives, said Wednesday that Goodall had undergone two medical visits by different doctors since arriving in the city. "Tonight the board of the foundation will study the documents and also judge the wish to die of David Goodall," Eternal Spirit head Erika Preisig said in an email. "So his wish to die is checked by two doctors and three people of the foundation's board. If all five persons give their ok, Goodall will be able to open the infusion tomorrow." "That all five will accept his wish to die is quite likely, as David Goodall is in a very advanced age, suffering from several degenerative illnesses and most important of all, he is of sound mind," she added. - Patient must do the deed - In assisted dying, the person must be physically capable of carrying out the final deed on their own. Most Swiss foundations ask patients to drink sodium pentobarbital, an effective sedative that in strong enough doses causes the heart muscle to stop beating. Since the substance is alkaline and burns a bit when swallowed, Eternal Spirit has instead opted for intravenous infusions. A professional prepares the needle, but it is up to the patient to open the valve that allows the short-acting barbiturate to mix with a saline solution and begin flowing into their vein. Eternal Spirit is advocating for all countries to introduce systems like the Swiss one, allowing people to choose to die "in dignity". "I do hope the law in all countries will change, so the fights of very brave people like David Goodall... will be successful and no-one will have to travel to Switzerland any more for a peaceful self-determined death," Preisig said. Pakistani police said Italian national Sana Cheema was strangled to death, after her body was exhumed and an autopsy performed Pakistani police Wednesday said an Italian woman who died under suspicious circumstances last month was strangled to death, in a case that made headlines in Italy over claims she was murdered in a so-called honour killing. Police in the eastern city of Gujrat launched an investigation into the death of Sana Cheema -- of Pakistani origin and believed to have been in her mid-twenties -- after allegations she had been murdered by relatives spread online. Her body was later exhumed and an autopsy performed, leading to the discovery she had been brutally assaulted. "It has now been confirmed that she was strangled to death. And according to the report, her neck was also broken," Irfan Sulehri, a senior police officer in Gujrat told AFP. A second police officer from Gujrat, Waqar Gujjar, confirmed the findings of the forensics report. "The accused persons are already in police custody," Sulehri added. Cheema's father, brother and uncle were taken into custody for questioning after the investigation was launched. According to family members, Cheema died in early April after succumbing to an unspecified illness. Police said Cheema's father Ghulam Mustafa brought her back to Pakistan to get married. According to the woman's family, this led to a confrontation with a nearby family who spurned the offer of a match. Because of the rejection Cheema refused to eat, fell ill and died, relatives told police. However, reports in Italian newspapers alleged Cheema was murdered because she wanted to marry a man in Italy against her family's wishes. Hundreds of women in Pakistan are killed by their relatives each year after allegedly bringing shame on their families in the deeply conservative Muslim country. Under previous legislation the culprits -- usually men -- could escape punishment if pardoned by members of their own family. A new law removes the power to forgive culprits in such cases but critics contend some loopholes still exist. Syrians surround a charred car following an explosion in Damascus on May 9, 2018 Rocket fire in the Syrian capital killed four people and wounded dozens of others on Wednesday, state media said. State news agency SANA said four people were killed and 24 wounded in "attacks on the Damascus Tower and Maysat Square". "A rocket fired by terrorists on Damascus city struck a car crossing Maysat Square, killing two civilians and wounding 11 others," SANA reported a source in the Damascus police as saying. "Another rocket fired by the terrorists fell on the high floors of the Damascus Tower in the Marjeh area, killing two people and wounding 13 civilians," the source said. State television had earlier reported shelling on the tower in central Damascus and suggested the car in Maysat Square in the northeast of the city could have been booby-trapped. It was not immediately clear who was responsible. The attacks came as regime forces battle to oust Islamic State group jihadists from the southern districts of the capital, including Yarmuk and the adjacent Hajar al-Aswad neighbourhood. An AFP correspondent in Damascus heard two large explosions. State television broadcast images of security forces gathering around the mangled, burnt-out skeleton of a car in Maysat Square. A few metres away, the metal shell of a small bus also appeared blackened. Bassam al-Dahni, a government employee, said he had run to the scene after hearing what he described as a "large blast". Those who arrived found "wounded on the ground and we helped to get them to a hospital", he told AFP, blood visible on his hands. The body of the car's driver was found burnt through, he said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, says IS fighters have previously targeted the capital in recent weeks. "IS in southern Damascus has fired rockets intermittently on the capital" since April 19 when pro-government forces ramped up their fight against the jihadists, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The Damascus regime set its sights on Yarmuk and nearby areas after retaking the former rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta east of the capital last month. US President Donald Trump signed a document reinstating sanctions against Iran on May 8 US President Donald Trump faced diplomatic isolation on Wednesday as world powers scrambled to save a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear program that he has rejected. Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord and reimpose sanctions on the Islamic republic overturns years of diplomacy, could worsen instability in the Middle East and threatens business in Iran worth billions of dollars. While Tehran's regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel applauded Trump's decision to pull Washington out of the 2015 accord, Iran reacted furiously to the move, with lawmakers burning a US flag and chanting "Death to America." French President Emmanuel Macron and Iran's Hassan Rouhani agreed Wednesday to work toward the continued implementation of the nuclear deal despite the US decision, which Macron called "a mistake". Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran too would quit the nuclear deal unless Europeans offered solid guarantees that trade relations would continue Earlier German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European signatories would "do everything" to ensure the agreement's parameters remain in place. The pledges came as Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the government in Tehran it too should quit the nuclear deal unless Europeans offer solid guarantees that trade relations would continue. Other signatories, including major trade partner Beijing, also promised to work to uphold the accord. China insisted it would maintain "normal economic and trade exchanges with Tehran" and "continue to devote itself to safeguard and implement the deal." - Iran 'upholding commitments' - Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called Tuesday for a "new and lasting deal." French President Emmanuel Macron planned to speak with his Iranian counterpart about preserving the nuclear agreement He described the existing accord as an "embarrassment" to the United States that did nothing to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. But the UN's nuclear watchdog, which is charged with ensuring Iran abides by the terms of the deal, said Wednesday Tehran was upholding its "nuclear-related commitments." "Iran is subject to the world's most robust nuclear verification regime," said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Yukiya Amano. Trump said a deal with Iran would have to include not just deeper restrictions on its nuclear program, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. In response, Rouhani warned Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit". Behind the historic 2015 Iran nuclear deal But he also said Iran would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Stoking fears of a Middle East arms race, Saudi Foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir told CNN the kingdom would pursue its own nuclear weapons if Iran resumed its alleged quest for the bomb. Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic program was for civilian purposes. Doubling down on Wednesday, Trump told reporters at the White House there would be "very severe consequences" if Iran were to resume its nuclear enrichment program, which the 2015 deal curbed in exchange for sanctions relief. - Oil rallies - President Hassan Rouhani said Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" in response to Trump's announcement Trump's decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders urged the US president to think again. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis insisted Wednesday that the US would keep working with its allies to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons -- despite Trump's withdrawal from a deal designed to do just that. "We will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, and will work with others to address the range of Iran's malign influence," Mattis told a Senate panel. Macron, who in recent weeks made a deliberately public effort to talk Trump around, said in an interview with German media that it was vital for the deal's other parties to reaffirm their commitment. "The Europeans' decision allows us to prevent Iran from immediately restarting their (nuclear) activities and to avoid escalating tensions," Macron said. The decision on Iran fulfilled one of Trump's long-standing campaign promises Rouhani for his part said Iran's economic interests would however need to be "guaranteed" in light of Trump's decision, the Iranian presidency's website said. Trump's advisor John Bolton said earlier that European firms doing business in Iran have a six-month deadline to wind up investments or risk US sanctions. The move offers Trump a domestic victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise, and sent oil prices surging to levels not seen in three years -- but the long-term impact for US foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the United States will "lose in the end" from its decision, while Russia's Vladimir Putin expressed his country's "deep concern" over the US withdrawal. Iranian MPs burn a US flag in parliament in Tehran on May 9, 2018 Iranians reacted with a mix of sadness, resignation and defiance on Wednesday to US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal, with sharp divisions among officials on how best to respond. "It makes people angry. Sanctions impact the people, not the regime. People worry it will be even more difficult to find medicine when they are sick. This was an issue in the past," said one young woman in Tehran. Asked how she felt about Trump's claim that he stood with "the long-suffering Iranian people" against their government, she said: "That makes them even more angry." For many, Trump's decision on Tuesday to pull out of the landmark nuclear deal marked the final death knell for the hope created when it was signed in 2015 that Iran might finally escape decades of isolation and US hostility. "The first feeling I got, my family and I, was that we should not stay here anymore," said Katayoon Soltani, an accountant. "Even without sanctions, our economy was terrible. With this decision, I don't know what will happen. All my friends want to leave Iran," she said. - Counting on Europe - Still hoping to salvage something from the deal, President Hassan Rouhani has instructed his foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to hold negotiations with the other five parties -- Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia. They have all signalled their consternation at Trump's withdrawal, which includes an order for foreign businesses to wind down their Iranian operations within six months or face US penalties. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reads a statement during a meeting with students on May 9, 2018 But while European leaders have defiantly said they will work to protect their trade ties, Iran's leaders are sceptical. "You want to continue the nuclear deal with the three European countries; I don't have confidence in these three countries," said supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a televised speech, addressing the Iranian government. "If you don't succeed in obtaining a definitive guarantee -- and I really doubt that you can -- at that moment, we cannot continue like this," he said. Parliament speaker Ali Larijani said Europe had caved to US pressure before, having shut up shop under previous international sanctions in 2012-15. "We can't put much confidence in their statements about preserving the agreement, but it's worth testing for a few weeks so that it's clear to the world that Iran has tried all the avenues to a peaceful political resolution," Larijani told parliament. - Military welcomes withdrawal - For many conservatives in Iran, Trump's decision was a vindication. "I welcome the withdrawal of the United States from the nuclear deal. It was clear from the start that the United States is not trustworthy," said General Mohammad Ali Jafari, head of the elite Revolutionary Guards, in several media. An Iranian man reads a newspaper in Tehran on May 9, 2018 a day after US President Donald Trump announced the US is pulling out of the nuclear deal He said the nuclear question was just a pretext to curb Iran's defensive capabilities and the "power and influence of the Islamic revolution in the region." The divisions were clear in the Iranian press on Wednesday morning. Reformist daily Etemad welcomed a "nuclear deal without the trouble-maker", while the ultra-hardline Kayhan opted for: "Trump has torn up the nuclear deal, it is time for us to burn it". Some hardline lawmakers did just that on the floor of the parliament chamber, burning a copy of the agreement and a paper American flag. Outside the old US embassy -- now a museum -- around 200-300 conservative students held a protest, also burning the flag and chanting "Death to America". - 'Enrichment without limit' - Seeking to show that he was not taking Trump's announcement lying down, Rouhani said he had ordered Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation to prepare to resume uranium enrichment "without limit". An Iranian woman walks past a mural on the wall of the former US embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran on May 8, 2018 "We will wait several weeks before applying this decision. We will speak with our friends and allies, the other members of the nuclear agreement," he said in his televised speech immediately after Trump's announcement. Larijani warned that Trump only understood the "language of force" and that, if the negotiations with the other parties failed, Iran would have to use its nuclear programme to force the world "to see reason". On the streets, some were proudly defiant. "I was asleep when Trump made his speech. It's not important to us, we don't care. We are Iranian and we have our way and we don't care about Trump's actions," said bus driver Ali Bigdeli. One businessman in Iran said the renewed sanctions would certainly add to Iran's economic woes, but could never be as bad as the previous period under Barack Obama. "The Iranian people are tired from all the pressure but the new sanctions cannot be worse than last time, because now the Europeans are not on America's side and neither are the Asians," said Mohammad Reza Behzadian, former head of Tehran's chamber of commerce. Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and seen here on December 29, 2017, is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict The US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem has damaged President Donald Trump's push for what he calls the "ultimate deal" -- a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Here is a look at the state of talks between the two sides: What are the negotiations over? Seventy years after the creation of Israel, peace with the Palestinians remains elusive. Israel has occupied Palestinian territory since 1967 and the Jewish state has fought three wars with Palestinian militants in Gaza since 2008. Decades of diplomatic efforts have failed to find a solution to one of the world's longest-running conflicts. How are talks going? In short, they aren't. There have been no formal peace talks since 2014, following the collapse of efforts by the previous US administration to broker a deal. Since then the two sides have discussed new talks multiple times but have never agreed. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas accuses Israel of failing to fulfil previous promises, while Israel says Abbas is not ready to make the tough choices needed for peace. What are the issues? The toughest issues remain the same as they have been for decades -- settlements, refugees and Jerusalem. Israel has occupied the Palestinian territories for more than 50 years, building homes for more than 600,000 Israelis in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Such settlements are considered illegal under international law. The Palestinian government exercises limited self-government in Palestinian cities in the West Bank. Millions of Palestinian refugees live in Gaza, the West Bank and countries surrounding Israel and demand the right to return to the land their families fled from during the war surrounding Israel's creation. Israel rejects this so-called right of return out of hand, saying it would mean the end of the Jewish state. Both the Palestinians and Israelis see Jerusalem, holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims, as their capital. Israel seized control of east Jerusalem in a 1967 war, but its control over the area and its mostly Palestinian population is considered illegal under international law. In December Trump declared Jerusalem as Israel's capital and announced the embassy move, prompting the Palestinians to cut ties with his administration. What is Trump's plan? Nothing has been released yet officially but indications are that Trump's plan will be more favourable to Israel than previous peace proposals by US administrations. The White House has yet to commit itself to the two-state solution and Trump's ambassador to Israel has been a supporter of settlements. Abbas continues to refuse to talk with the Trump administration and has said the US can no longer be the sole mediator between Israel and the Palestinians. Relations are close to rock bottom -- Abbas recently called Trump's ambassador to Israel a "son of a dog". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Abbas of walking away from a chance for peace, but has focused more heavily on the threat of Iran when addressing American officials. Gospel music played as some mourners wept and others chanted "Viva Afonso Dhlakama" Mozambique's president set aside political differences to pay tribute to his archrival Afonso Dhlakama and pledged to continue the fragile peace talks he had been holding with the ex-rebel supremo turned opposition politician. President Filipe Nyusi joined thousands of mourners who flocked to the port city of Beira on Wednesday to pay their last respects to Dhlakama, a towering figure in the country's political history who died last week. "Were here to genuinely pay homage to the man who Ive been talking to in recent days in search of lasting peace," said Nyusi in a eulogy at a memorial service for Dhlakama. "I will continue the walk we started together for peace. I'm available to do this," Nyusi, urging cooperation from the new Renamo leadership. "Well be happy if we successfully continue the peace project we started together," he said, adding: "We can't have democracy without a strong opposition." Ossufo Momade, Renamo's interim leader until the next party congress whose date has not yet been fixed, vowed to carry the baton from Dhlakama. "We will continue your struggle. You, father, taught us how to sacrifice ourselves to fight for the country," Momade said. "You did everything for this country. Now is our time to take forward your struggle," he added. - Elections looming - Dhlakama led Renamo for nearly 40 years before his unexpected death at the age of 65. He played a central role in Mozambique after it gained independence from Portugal in 1975. Dhlakama led Renamo, created in 1976, through a deadly civil war against the Marxist-inspired Frelimo government until the conflict ended in 1992. He then gradually transformed Renamo into an opposition party, which failed to take power from Frelimo in elections and again took up arms between 2013 and 2016. In December 2016, Dhlakama announced a surprise truce with the government, taking the major first step towards a formal peace deal. Dhlakama had recently held talks with Nyusi and he was seen as playing a key role in advancing the nascent peace process. His departure has cast a shadow over the negotiations, five months ahead of local government elections and 18 months to the next presidential and legislative elections. In a fiery tribute, Dhlakama's niece and head of Renamo's parliamentary group Ivone Soares lauded her uncle for not caving in to incessant attacks by the "system and this indigent regime". Dhlakama "protected us from the tyranny, dictatorship, of those who abuse the wealth of country for their own benefit". -'Let us all be Dhlakamas' - "Hes gone but we are here to continue his fight. We will continue the fight with bravery. Let us all be Dhlakamas". Draped with the national flag, the casket bearing Dhlakama's remains was borne into the square by soldiers Soldiers wearing camouflage fatigues and white gloves bore the casket bearing Dhlakama's remains, draped with the national flag, into the square. Dhlakama died of a suspected heart attack last Thursday at his hideout in the Gorongosa mountains in the centre of the country. The memorial service was held in Beira, capital of Dhlakama's home province of Sofala. "It is an irreparable loss. Afonso Dhlakama is the founder of democracy in Mozambique. His fight ended with the communist regime created just after the country's independence," said Eufrasia Jordao, a mourner who came from nearby Zambezia province. There is "nothing more to do at this moment than to pay homage to the founder of democracy, which he deserves. It was Renamo who founded democracy," said Jose Chitula, a former Renamo member. "The death of Afonso Dhlakama should not be an excuse to end democracy and return to a one-party regime," added Chitula, who joined another opposition party, the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM). Posters bearing images Dhlakama from various moments of his political life were plastered around the square. Gospel music played as some female mourners wept and others chanted "Viva Afonso Dhlakama". Dhlakama will be buried in his native village of Mangunde, southwest of Beira, on Thursday. Two explosions were heard in the Saudi capital Riyadh, according to an AFP photographer Two ballistic missiles were fired at the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday, according to the coalition battling rebels in neighbouring Yemen who claimed the attempted attack. Saudi Arabia's air defences "intercepted" one of the missiles, while another crashed into a desert area south of Riyadh, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said. The missiles were "unquestionably" fired at the city "with the intention of hitting inhabited areas", he added. Maliki blamed the attack on "militiamen and terrorists, vassals of Iran" who try to "threaten the security of Saudi Arabia, the region and the world". Earlier on Wednesday Al-Ekhbariya state television said the country's air defences had intercepted the two missiles over Riyadh. Two explosions were heard in the city, according to an AFP photographer. Yemen's Huthi rebels quickly claimed responsibility for attacking "Riyadh Dry Port and other economic targets" in the Saudi capital with Burkan 2H ballistic missiles. State-run Saudi Press Agency said the country's air defences hours earlier had also intercepted a ballistic missile targeting the southern city of Jizan. The rebels also claimed the Jizan attack, via their Al-Masirah TV. Maliki accused the Huthis of firing the missile from the northern Yemeni province of Saada and of "deliberately targeting populated civilian zones". He said such "hostile action" proves the involvement of Iran in the Yemen conflict, repeating Riyadh's long-standing claim that regional rival Tehran is supplying the Huthis with ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia launched a military coalition in Yemen in 2015, aimed at rolling back the Huthis and restoring the internationally recognised government to power. The Huthis have in recent months intensified missile attacks against Saudi Arabia. The latest salvo came a day after US President Donald Trump exited the Iran nuclear agreement, which he criticised for excluding measures to curb Tehran's ballistic missile programme. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a speech on Iran's nuclear program at the defence ministry in Tel Aviv on April 30, 2018 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gained a long-sought personal victory with US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, but the move could further ramp up tensions between his country and Tehran. Netanyahu gave a televised address minutes after Trump's announcement on Tuesday to express his strong backing for the "historic" decision, announced in a speech in Washington that reflected many of the Israeli premier's positions. The announcement came after Netanyahu's elaborate unveiling of tens of thousands of intelligence documents on Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions last week, which Trump mentioned in his speech. Supporters of the nuclear deal say there was little new information in the intelligence documents and that they in fact illustrated the importance of the accord -- points that Netanyahu disputes. Within Israel, Trump's decision won enthusiastic support. Many Israelis are concerned over Iran and its threats against their country, frequently highlighted by Netanyahu. "US President Donald Trump read out a synopsis of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech. Word for word, and with no mistakes," Israeli analyst Ben Caspit wrote in Maariv newspaper. "Every rational Israeli should today cheer Trump and admit honestly, with no relation to political affiliation, that this is also Benjamin Netanyahu's resounding victory." US President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House on March 5, 2018 in Washington, DC With that victory in hand and heavy sanctions set to be reinstated against his country's main enemy, Netanyahu got down to tough diplomacy Wednesday, travelling to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, who supports the nuclear deal. Their talks were likely to centre on Syria and by extension, Iran. Netanyahu could call on Moscow to use its relative influence to try to curb Tehran, said Emily Landau of Israel's Institute for National Security Studies think tank. - 'Irregular activity' - Beyond the nuclear deal, Israelis are deeply concerned over Iran's presence in neighbouring Syria. Iran, like Russia, backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's seven-year civil war. Israel has pledged not to allow Iran to entrench itself militarily next door and has been accused of carrying out a series of air strikes there that have killed Iranians. The latest came on Tuesday night, when a suspected Israeli strike hit an alleged Iranian weapons depot on the outskirts of Damascus. Eight Iranians were among those killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. The strikes have raised fears in Israel of potential Iranian retaliation, and on Tuesday -- just before Trump's speech -- Israel's military asked authorities in the occupied Golan Heights to open and prepare missile shelters. Israeli Merkava Mark IV tanks take position near the Syrian border in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on May 9, 2018 The notice was due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" over the demarcation line in Syria, the military said. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, particularly related to Syria. The two countries have established a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in the war-torn country. Israel has not acknowledged the recent strikes that have killed Iranians, but it does admit to carrying out dozens of other raids in Syria to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Iran-backed Hezbollah, another of its enemies. It hopes to maintain the ability to do so. - 'A better agreement' - Netanyahu has long made it his personal quest to change or cancel the nuclear deal, going as far as to defy then-president Barack Obama and address the US Congress in 2015 to lobby against the accord, which was still being negotiated. Israel will now be closely watching Iran's response to Trump's decision, particularly over uranium enrichment, which was constrained under the deal. "The policymakers in Jerusalem and in Washington must prepare and plan strategy for far more problematic Iranian responses," Amos Yadlin, director of the Institute for National Security Studies, wrote in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. "A likely Iranian response, even if not an immediate one, would be a return to the enrichment policy that was in place before 2013." All other parties to the agreement -- Russia, France, Britain, Germany and China -- still support it and say it is the best way to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. President Donald Trump signs a document reinstating sanctions against Iran, at the White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2018 Trump and his allies in the Middle East, particularly Israel, argue the agreement was too weak and needs to be replaced with a more permanent arrangement supplemented by controls on Iran's missile programme. For Yaakov Nagel, Netanyahu's former national security adviser, "no agreement is better than a bad agreement". On a scale of one to 10, he told journalists, he rated Trump's decision "a little bit more than 10". US President Donald Trump is hinting he may revoke the press credentials of journalists who criticize his presidency Tired of negative coverage, US President Donald Trump hinted Wednesday that he was ready to take his battles with the news media a step further by revoking journalists' credentials. "The Fake News is working overtime. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake)," Trump tweeted. "Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials?" Journalists are required to obtain and present press credentials in order to enter and report from the White House, government agencies, Congress and the Supreme Court. Trump has frequently attacked the media and its coverage of him since his days as a presidential candidate when he appeared to condone or even encourage violence against journalists. In a July 2017 tweet, he included doctored video showing him body-slamming and punching a World Wrestling Entertainment whose head was covered with the CNN logo. Since taking up the presidency, Trump has strongly favored news outlets that provide glowing coverage such as Fox News, the Daily Caller, Newsmax and Sinclair, a group of almost 200 local TV stations. He often uses Twitter to tout day-to-day stock market increases, jobs data and other positive economic indicators as evidence of his administration's success. He routinely attacks the news media as "dishonest" and brands critical media outlets and reports as "fake news." For the second year in a row, he skipped the prestigious White House Correspondents' Dinner, an event traditionally attended by the American president. "Why would I want to be stuck in a room with a bunch of fake news liberals who hate me?" Trump said ahead of the event in a fundraising email authorized by the Republican National Committee. Trump has attended the dinner before, but as a guest. Then a reality TV star, Trump was in the audience in 2011 when Barack Obama famously mocked him for renewing the "birther" conspiracy about the nation's first black president. "No one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than The Donald," Obama quipped, as Trump scowled in his seat. "And that's because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter, like, did we fake the moon landing?" US President Donald Trump personally welcomed three American detainees who were released by North Korea as they arrived at an airbase near Washington US President Donald Trump greeted three Americans released by North Korea at an air base near Washington early Thursday, underscoring a much needed diplomatic win and a stepping stone to a historic summit with Kim Jong Un. Trump and first lady Melania made the short helicopter ride from the White House to Joint Base Andrews to personally welcome Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul back to the United States, after their release from North Korea on Wednesday. The president and his wife strode up the steps into the blue and white plane to greet them privately before coming out before TV cameras in the middle of the night. Trump praised Kim Jong Un for freeing the Americans ahead of a planned summit between the US and North Korean leaders, scheduled to take place within weeks. One of the former prisoners waved his arms from atop the steps, and another while down on the tarmac. US President Donald Trump shakes hands with former detainee Tony Kim as US Vice President Mike Pence and Melania Trump look on at Joint Base Andrews "It was understood that we would be able to get these three terrific people during the meeting and bring them home after the meeting," Trump said. "He was nice in letting them go before the meeting. Frankly, we didn't think this was going to happen. And it did." Remarking on the sudden shift in US relations with North Korea, Trump said: "We're starting off on a new footing... he released the folks early. It's a big thing. Very important to me. "And I really think we have a very good chance of doing something very meaningful and if anybody would have said that five years ago, 10 years ago -- even a year ago -- you would have said that's not possible." He added: "A lot of very good things have happened." - Freed American speaks - The North Korean regime granted the three men "amnesty," a US official said, removing a major point of friction between Washington and Pyongyang and a potential obstacle to talks between the Cold War foes. The men flew home with the new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. A large US flag was strung over the tarmac. Two of the men, agricultural expert Kim Hak-song and former professor Tony Kim, were arrested in 2017, while Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born American businessman and pastor in his 60s, was sentenced to 10 years' hard labor in 2016. On their arrival, a reporter asked the men how they were treated in North Korea. Kim Dong-chul spoke up, and through a translator said: "Yes, we were treated in many different ways. For me, I had to do a lot of labor. But when I got sick, I was also treated by them." The White House said all three men were able to walk unassisted onto the US Air Force plane that carried them and the Secretary of State out of North Korea. US citizens freed by North Korea A second plane, with more robust medical equipment, accompanied them. "All indications are at this point that their health is as good as could be given that they've been held," Pompeo told reporters. The trio also released a statement of thanks via the State Department. "We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home," they said. "We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world." The family of Tony Kim also voiced gratitude to "all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home" -- and specifically thanked Trump for "engaging directly with North Korea." - Game on - Before the plane's arrival Trump described the men's release as "a gesture of goodwill." The White House said Trump spoke with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in on Wednesday about Pompeo's visit to North Korea, and that the two presidents welcomed the release of the Americans and "expressed hope for joyful family reunions." Donald Trump praised Kim Jong Un repeatedly for freeing the Americans, ahead of a planned summit between the two men Trump supporters declared the release an unbridled political victory, evidence, Vice President Mike Pence said, that "strong leadership and our America First policies are paying dividends." The development appears to pave the way for the much-anticipated summit between the two leaders. "It was absolutely imperative that the Trump Administration secure the release of the three Americans well before any summit," said Jean Lee, an analyst at the Wilson Center. In his first reported comments on the summit, Kim said his sit down with Trump "would be a historic meeting" and an "excellent first step" according to state media. - Summit details to follow - Trump says a time, date and location have been decided for his historic summit, although US officials say there is still some fine-tuning to be done. The most likely location appears to be neutral Singapore. The president told reporters the administration would announce the details "within three days", but revealed it would not be at the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea. "I think that Chairman Kim is trying to set good conditions for the summit. I think we are having good conversations, productive conversations," Pompeo said. Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born American businessman, is one of three US citizens who were detained in North Korea "We're planning on it will be a single day, but in the event that there is more to discuss, there'll be an opportunity for it to extend into the second day as well." The meeting will discuss North Korea's nuclear and ballistic weapons program, which may soon give Pyongyang the capability of striking the continental United States. Since coming to office Trump has embarked on a campaign of "maximum pressure" on the North Korean regime. A series of provocative North Korean missile tests have been met with US sanctions and a tougher Chinese stance on cross border trade. Officials in Washington believe the measures have prompted fuel shortages in North Korea and increased tension inside the regime. North Korea official Kim Yong Chul, who met Pompeo in Pyongyang, insisted the country's openness to talks was "not the result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside," but a change in regime focus. "We have perfectedour nuclear capability. It is our policy to concentrate all efforts into economic progress in country," he said. Aurora Police Department(AURORA, Illinois) -- Surveillance video from a gas station in Aurora, Illinois, showed the harrowing moment an 11-year-old jumped out of a moving car while it's being carjacked. In the video, a rear passenger door can be seen opening as the car began to drive away from the gas pump. Then, some of the vehicle's contents are seen coming out of SUV, before the girl jumped out and rolled on the pavement below. The girl's father then jumped on the hood of a dark sedan that had pulled up on the driver's side of the SUV, and the sedan drove out of view of the camera with the father still on it. Seconds later, the father walked back in view of the camera and embraced his daughter. The incident occurred on the morning of May 4, according to the Aurora Police Department. Police were able to catch the suspect, 20-year-old Chicago resident Tyrelle L. Pulley after he crashed the 2018 Jeep Cherokee he allegedly carjacked, the police department wrote on Facebook. Pulley had allegedly gotten out of the blue Dodge Charger seen in the surveillance video and jumped into the SUV as the owner was getting ready to fill it with gas, police said. Soon after, police pursued the SUV after spotting it near Interstate 88 and the Eisenhower Expressway, which resulted in a crash, according to the police department. Pulley was charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle and fleeing and eluding police. He was taken to the DuPage County jail, where he's being held on $15,000 bond, a jail spokesperson told ABC News. His next court appearance has been scheduled for June 4, according to the jail website. Police are still trying to identify and locate Pulley's accomplice. The Aurora Police Department released the video Tuesday after "a lot of requests" from the public, it wrote on Facebook. "Miraculously," neither the girl nor her father were hurt in the incident, police said. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Please log in to keep reading. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Euna Lee and Laura Ling were released from custody in 2009 after former US President Bill Clinton met officials in Pyongyang From journalists to missionaries, most Americans held by North Korea have been released after high-profile interventions. The latest release of three US detainees is no exception, with the men travelling home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday. It comes as preparations build for an expected summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks. Here are some examples of how previous releases have taken place: - Former presidents - Former US president Bill Clinton made a trip to Pyongyang in 2009 to secure the release of journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were sentenced to 12 years' hard labour for illegally crossing the border. Former US President Jimmy Carter helped secure the 2010 release of American missionary Aijalon Mahli Gomes And in 2010, Jimmy Carter personally obtained the release of Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who had been handed eight years' hard labour for illegal entry. Clinton met with then-leader Kim Jong Il, while Carter also held talks with top officials -- and in both cases Pyongyang came away with major propaganda opportunities but little to show for the process in diplomatic terms. The North's official KCNA news agency reported that Clinton had an "exhaustive conversation" over dinner with Kim and passed on a verbal message from then-president Barack Obama. US officials said Clinton -- who travelled in an unmarked jet -- went to North Korea as a private citizen with the authority to negotiate only for the release of the Americans. - Spy chief - US citizens Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller were released after a secret mission to North Korea by James Clapper, then the Director of National Intelligence. Missionary Kenneth Bae was released from prison in North Korea after the intervention of James Clapper, at the time the US Director of National Intelligence Clapper spent less than a day in Pyongyang, conducting talks with senior officials, but did not meet Kim Jong Un before flying out with the two freed men. Clapper told CBS that he carried a short letter from Obama identifying him as the presidential envoy but made it clear that his mission was recovering the two US citizens. He noted that the North Koreans were disappointed that he did not come bearing a "breakthrough" from the US government, but did not detail what offers the hosts were hoping for. - Congressman - In 1996, US Congressman Bill Richardson brought home American Evan Hunziker, who had swum naked and drunk across the Yalu River from China to North Korea, where he was arrested and charged with spying. Bill Richardson with former North Korean captive Evan Carl Hunziker in 1996 Richardson went to North Korea as a private citizen, but was accompanied by US officials. The North Koreans initially demanded $100,000 for Hunziker's illegal entry into the country but later agreed to free him after his $5,000 hotel bill was paid. Less than a month after his return, however, Hunziker committed suicide. - Diplomat - The release of American student Otto Warmbier last year was secured after Joseph Yun, the State Department's then-special representative for North Korea policy, made a secret trip to Pyongyang. Former North Korean captive Otto Warmbier arrived back in the US in a coma and died a week later It came after a flurry of covert diplomatic contacts between Washington and Pyongyang amid an escalating war of words between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump. But after nearly 18 months in captivity, the 22-year-old arrived home in a state of coma and died a week later. US officials were infuriated by Warmbier's death and Trump has accused North Korea of brutally abusing the American student. Rather than providing a diplomatic opening, Warmbier's release prompted Washington to issue a travel ban to the isolated country and put Pyongyang back on its list of state sponsors of terrorism. Walmart says it will pump $2 billion into Flipkart, giving the Indian e-tailer a bigger war chest to fight off a huge challenge from Amazon US retail behemoth Walmart said Wednesday it will buy a 77 percent stake in Indian online sales giant Flipkart for $16 billion in the world's biggest e-commerce deal. The blockbuster takeover, which is also Walmart's most expensive acquisition, threatens a major blow to rival Amazon's lofty ambitions in India. Flipkart and Amazon have been going head-to-head in a costly battle for domination of one of the fastest growing online retail markets since 2013. The deal, announced in a joint statement, values Flipkart, India's largest e-tailer by sales, at just over $20 billion. "India is one of the most attractive retail markets in the world, given its size and growth rate, and our investment is an opportunity to partner with the company that is leading transformation of e-commerce in the market," Walmart president Doug McMillon said. The announcement ended months of speculation that Walmart, the world's biggest retailer, was preparing to take over Flipkart. Both had repeatedly declined to comment on the talks. Walmart said it would pump $2 billion of new equity into Flipkart, giving the Indian e-tailer a bigger war chest to fight off a huge challenge from Amazon, which is rapidly expanding its reach. Binny Bansal, Flipkart's co-founder and group chief executive officer, said the deal "is of immense importance for India and will help fuel our ambition to deepen our connection with buyers and sellers and to create the next wave of retail in India". The announcement came a day after Amazon said it was injecting an extra 26 billion rupees ($386 million) into its Indian subsidiary. Boss Jeff Bezos has committed more than $5 billion to grabbing a big slice of India's e-commerce pie after failing to make inroads in China. E-commerce sales in India hit $21 billion last year according to market research company Forrester, and are expected to soar as its population of 1.25 billion people make greater use of internet access. Flipkart was founded in 2007 by former Amazon employees Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, who are not related. Like Amazon, it started as an online bookstore. Flipkart now sells everything from mobile phones, televisions and juicers to running shoes, sofas and beauty products. - 'Unable to compete' - Masayoshi Son, chief executive of Japan's SoftBank, had earlier confirmed to reporters in Tokyo that the Walmart-Flipkart deal had been agreed. He said SoftBank's $2.5 billion stake in the company would be worth $4 billion with the acquisition. Small stakes will be held by existing Flipkart shareholders, including Binny Bansal, Tencent Holdings, Tiger Global Management and Microsoft. The companies said the board makeup was yet to be decided but that Flipkart and Walmart would remain distinct brands. They added that the deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year, subject to regulatory approval. Venture capitalists have pumped billions of dollars into Flipkart over the past few years but the company is still posting massive losses. Flipkart saw losses rise 68 percent to 87.71 billion rupees ($1.31 billion) in the financial year that ended 31 March 2017. Analysts said the deal helps Walmart gain a foothold in Indian retail without having to open commercial stores which is problematic under Indian foreign direct investment rules. It currently runs 21 wholesale stores in the country. Walmart's logistics expertise will greatly help Flipkart reach customers in more remote corners of India, according to experts. "Flipkart lacks the expertise in mom-and-pop stores while Walmart understands retail and 'kirana' (small family-run) stores. "It has infrastructure in place for supply chain management and stocking which Flipkart doesn't," Sanchit Vir Gogia, chief executive of Greyhound Research, told AFP. The deal has faced opposition from independent traders, however. The Confederation of All India Traders, which represents thousands of small businesses, has written to the government urging it to block the deal. "It will adversely affect both online and offline retailers as the Indian e-commerce space is already crippled with malpractices and predatory pricing," Pravin Khandelwal, the body's secretary general, told AFP. "The deal will create an uneven playing field with retailers unable to compete," he added. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has been a staunch advocate of working with allies The United States will keep working with allies to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday, a day after President Donald Trump withdrew from a deal aimed at doing just that. Mattis, a retired four-star general who saw his Marines killed by Tehran-backed militias in Iraq, has frequently lambasted Iranian actions in the Middle East. But he has been a staunch advocate of America's long-standing alliances and became a quiet defender of the Iran deal as Trump mulled pulling out. "We will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, and will work with others to address the range of Iran's malign influence," Mattis told a Senate panel. "This administration remains committed to putting the safety, interests and well-being of our citizens first." Trump defied the wishes of major world powers by announcing Tuesday that the United States would pull out of the historic nuclear accord and impose new sanctions on Tehran. The agreement puts limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions. Mattis, who is seen as a voice of moderation in Trump's cabinet and enjoys broad bipartisan backing, is now in a minority among the president's increasingly hardline coterie of close aides. Along with former secretary of state Rex Tillerson and former national security advisor HR McMaster, as well as chief of staff John Kelly, Mattis was one of the original "axis of adults" seen as tempering Trump's volatility. But with Tillerson and McMaster both out, and Kelly's relationship with Trump reportedly strained, Mattis must now navigate potentially more precarious waters. McMaster's replacement John Bolton is an Iraq War-era hawk who has advocated military action in both Iran and North Korea, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was an opponent of the Iran deal. - 'Malign activities' - In October, the Pentagon chief said it was in the US national interest to remain in the Iran deal, and in January, he said it was "imperfect" but added that "when America gives her word, we have to live up to it and work with our allies." Then last month, he said the deal allowed for "pretty robust" inspections of Iranian facilities. Still, Mattis blasted Iran for its "malign activities," including its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and for backing Huthi rebels in Yemen. "We have not seen any drawdown or reduction in Iran's malicious activities and malign activity across the region," Mattis said. "At the same time we have walked away from the JCPOA because we found it was inadequate for the long-term effort," he added, using the formal abbreviation for the accord. Senators asked Mattis if the US withdrawal from the deal presaged a military conflict with Iran. While the Pentagon always maintains military options, there is no "default" to war, Mattis responded, saying diplomacy remains the preferred path. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said Trump's decision to pull out of the deal was "not only wrong but reckless," and questioned whether the United States would be able to convincingly work with allies in the future on Iran. "Now that the United States is walking away from it, I cannot believe it will inspire any confidence among our allies about our word and our reliability in the future when it comes to these agreements," Durbin said. A file picture shows Saudi investors monitoring stock market prices in Riyadh Gulf Arab countries were on Wednesday bracing for the economic and security fallout after President Donald Trump announced the United States was exiting the Iran nuclear deal. Three countries led by Saudi Arabia immediately backed Trump while Qatar reacted cautiously. Oman and Kuwait also gave circumspect positions. Trump dealt a hammer blow to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Tuesday, removing key sanctions relief for Tehran and casting its future into doubt. "We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction," Trump said, warning that any nation could suffer American economic wrath for aiding the Islamic republic. Oil prices rose after Trump's announcement, prompting Saudi Arabia to pledge it would work to prevent supply shortages. While Gulf petro-states stand to benefit from a rise in prices, the US move could mean new fissures in the region. Saudi Arabia applauded Trump's announcement, but said it would seek to develop its own nuclear weapons if Iran does. Asked whether Riyadh would "build a bomb itself" if Tehran seizes on the US move, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told CNN: "If Iran acquires nuclear capability we will do everything we can to do the same." In remarks an hour before Trump's declaration, senior Kuwaiti diplomat Khaled al-Jarallah said his country stood by the JCPOA as the best option for "stability" in the region. Qatar, alienated by a Saudi-led boycott, said priority must be given to non-proliferation and preventing a nuclear arms race. "All parties have an interest to act with restraint and wisdom in the face of this situation and to try to resolve conflicts through dialogue," its foreign ministry said. Dubai, whose volume of trade of trade with Iran is in the billions of dollars, saw its stock market dip a noteworthy two percent. Oman, the back-channel for US-Iran talks that paved the way for the 2015 accord, said Wednesday "the option of confrontation is not in the interest of any party". - US clout in doubt - Anxious Gulf states will be closely monitoring the Russian, Chinese and European response to the US financial gauntlet in the coming weeks and months. Middle East analyst James Dorsey, a senior fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said any economic showdown will force Gulf states to weigh their responses. Saudi Arabia, whose heir to the throne Mohammed bin Salman is seeking foreign investment for his "Vision 2030" programme of reforms for a post-oil era, may not put all his eggs in Trump's basket. President Donald Trump signs a document reinstating sanctions against Iran after announcing the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal on May 8, 2018 Washington's allies may find formulas to avoid sanctions exposure. Oman has plans in the works for a sea pipeline that will import Iranian natural gas. "The deal has been structured in a way that it is shielded from any potential liability or prosecution under the American sanctions," said an Omani analyst, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the subject. The analyst told AFP the sultanate has drawn up contingency plans for various scenarios, even an economic boycott by hawkish Gulf neighbours. He said the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have recently imposed barriers on movement of people and goods "on and off". While Muscat is sceptical its neighbours would resort to a total embargo, "everything is possible". Should new cracks emerge in the region, ambitious economies, namely China, could seek zones of influence. The concern, the analyst said, is the Gulf becoming "the new playground for a revived Cold War". - Going nuclear - The other looming debacle is whether a US pullout from the Iran deal could trigger a nuclear arms race. Trump said his decision to leave the JCPOA was designed to counter that possibility. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks with Emirati Vice President, Prime Minister, and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on the sidelines of an Arab League summit on April 16, 2018 "If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East," he said. But minutes after he spoke, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" if its interests are not assured by the remaining signatories. "Whether or not (the Iranians) go for a military programme, you're going to get a nuclear race in the Middle East," said Dorsey. In March, Saudi Arabia's crown prince said if Iran gets a nuclear weapon, the kingdom would be compelled to follow suit. Trump said Tuesday said he was ready to work on a new nuclear accord, one that would also curb Iran's missile programme. Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles over Riyadh on Wednesday, state media said, the latest in a series of attacks claimed by Iran-allied rebels in neighbouring Yemen. Riyadh has long accused its regional archfoe Tehran of supplying Yemen's rebels with ballistic missiles, a charge Tehran denies. Analyst Dorsey believes Iran will not compromise on its ballistic missile programme "because that is the core of their defence policy". For Saudi Arabia, that is "fine" because it means the return of sanctions and ratcheting up pressure on Iran in the region, including by Israel. "It's about Iran," said Dorsey, "not about finding a solution." Iraqis take part in a spring festival in the former jihadist bastion of Mosul on May 8, 2018 Some 10 months after the Islamic State group was driven out of Mosul, residents in the war-scarred Iraqi city are marking their first traditional spring festival in years. Banners in the jihadists' former Iraqi capital now proclaim that "spring has returned to Mosul" as the celebrations are held for the first time since the 2003 US-led invasion. Cardboard floats representing famous landmarks, including the city's famed minaret destroyed in the fight with the jihadists, paraded in the streets to the accompaniment of patriotic songs. Young girls in pink and white dresses danced in front of a small crowd as men in traditional outfits or military uniforms marched by. The spring festivities in the millennia-old city were launched back in 1969 under the Baath Party of Saddam Hussein, but they have their origins in the rites of the ancient Assyrians who once ruled. Iraqis in Mosul take part in the city's first spring festival for 16 years on May 8, 2018 "The last festival took place in 2002" under the watch of senior Baath Party officials, said this year's organiser Shamel Mohammed Dhaker. The violent upheaval unleashed by the US-led overthrow of the former dictator forced the festival into a deep hibernation and saw jihadists rise to prominence in Mosul, nicknamed the city "of two springs". Akram Ahmed, 54, watched a float heralding the city as the "paradise of Iraq" pass by with his four children. "I came back every year in the 1970s and 1980s," he told AFP. "It was a major celebration that we would wait for for ages." Local governor Nawfel Sultan said from a stage that the return of the festivities "sends a message to the entire world that Nineveh (province) is returning to life." Iraqis take part in spring festivities in the millenia-old city of Mosul on May 8, 2018 But with people still struggling to rebuild their lives and the historical centre of Mosul in ruins after the ferocious fight to turf out IS, not everyone was in the mood to celebrate. Streets remain devastated, corpses are still rotting under the rubble and unexploded ordnance poses a constant threat. "People have lost their houses and all their possessions and the state has not given them any compensation," said 26-year-old Amr Ismail. "It would have been better to just hand out the money spent on all this to the affected families." Gina Haspel testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee on her nomination to be the next CIA director Gina Haspel, Donald Trump's nominee to lead the CIA, vowed Wednesday that the spy agency will not engage in torture of detainees under her watch, even if ordered by the president. Facing opposition over her role at a secret CIA prison in Thailand in 2002 where Al-Qaeda detainees were waterboarded, Haspel made clear she would not support such activity in the future if she is confirmed as CIA director. "Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program," she told the Senate Intelligence Committee. "In retrospect it is clear... that CIA was not prepared to conduct a detention and interrogation program." Haspel said that the CIA is now -- unlike during the years following the September 11, 2001 attacks -- bound by the Defense Department's Army Field Manual, which specifically forbids torture like waterboarding. "My parents gave me a very strong moral compass. I support the higher moral standard that this country has decided to hold itself to. I would never, ever take CIA back to an interrogation program," Haspel told the panel. "I support the law. I would not support a change in the law," she said. Democrats worry that Trump and top aides are not opposed to the use of outlawed techniques like waterboarding in interrogations -- and Trump has appeared to extol Haspel's past involvement in the post-9/11 interrogation program. Pressed over whether she would resume an interrogation program, and allow torture, if ordered by Trump, she said she would not. "My moral compass is strong. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it." "America is looked at all over the world as an example to everyone else in the world, and we have to uphold that. And CIA is included in that," she added. Loyalists of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse voted against the bill to create special courts for major graft cases Sri Lanka's parliament Wednesday voted to set up special courts to try multi-billion dollar graft cases under former president Mahinda Rajapakse. The move aims to accelerate several high-profile cases following criticism over the slow pace of justice since President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in 2015 promising to stamp out corruption. Parliament voted 119-52 to create high courts to take up white collar crimes and reduce the backlog of cases. "The new courts will reduce pressure on the criminal justice system and help speed up hearings," Justice Minister Thalatha Atukorale said. The choice of which cases will be taken up by the new courts will be made by the chief justice to ensure that no political pressure is involved, she added. Sirisena came to power three years ago pledging to punish members of the former administration accused of stealing vast sums during Rajapakse's decade in power. Rajapakse loyalists in the 225-member parliament voted against the bill. Sirisena has said up to half of all public procurement contracts under the Rajapakse administration were corrupt, and his government has renegotiated several multi-billion dollar projects. Rajapakse's chief aide Lalith Weeratunga has already been convicted of misappropriating $4 million and sentenced to three years in prison. Two of the former president's three sons have been charged with money-laundering and other relatives face corruption allegations. Rajapakse, who is not under investigation, denies any wrongdoing and accuses his successor of a witch hunt. A screenshot taken from a propaganda video shows Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi addressing followers at a mosque in the Iraqi city of Mosul on July 5, 2014 Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is hiding in eastern Syria and moves around with only a small group of followers, including one of his sons, an Iraqi intelligence official said Wednesday. IS retains territory in the desert plains along the Iraqi frontier despite losing the vast bulk of its cross-border "caliphate" to various military offensives. The senior Iraqi official said Baghdadi was in the Hajin, Shaddadi, Suwar and Markadah areas and "travels accompanied by four or five people, including his son and son-in-law". "His movements are discreet and he never travels in a convoy," the official said on condition of anonymity. Originally from Iraq, Baghdadi has been dubbed the "most wanted man on the planet" and the United States is offering a $25 million reward for his capture. The intelligence official said the noose was closing around the jihadist leader after Iraqi forces captured five top IS commanders in an unprecedented raid into war-torn Syria on March 24. "Officers from Iraqi intelligence entered Syrian territory and gained access to the zones controlled by IS," he said. The five men had featured in IS execution videos filmed while the group ruled over vast swathes of Iraq, the official said. One of those detained, former Syrian anti-government fighter Saddam al-Jamal, allegedly confessed to Iraqi forces that he had supplied IS with arms stolen from the Syrian army. The official said 39 IS fighters had been killed in cross-border air raids by Iraqi forces in Syria over the past few weeks and that the group had seen a "sharp decrease" in numbers. Iraq's interior ministry said in February that Baghdadi was being treated at a field hospital for wounds sustained in an earlier air strike. In mid-2017, Russia said it had probably killed Baghdadi in a late May air raid near Raqa in Syria, but later said it was still trying to verify his fate. In September, an American military chief said the jihadist chief was still alive and probably hiding in eastern Syria's Euphrates Valley. President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton has never made any secret of his desire to see Iran's Islamic revolutionary regime ousted In quitting the Iran nuclear deal President Donald Trump cast aside years of painstaking diplomacy and took the US stand-off with Iran into dangerous new territory. America's European allies were dismayed by the decision, which fell even as London, Paris and Berlin were trying to negotiate a tougher accord to placate Trump. And in Washington, even the sternest critics of the 2015 accord caught their breath as they digested the news -- and wondered what new escalation might come next. Senior administration figures insisted that Washington is still determined to work with its humiliated allies to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb. But it is hard to square Trump's professed quest for a "new and lasting deal" with his scornful dismissal of the "decaying and rotten" original agreement. The US leader is increasingly surrounded by hawkish voices like those of his new national security adviser, John Bolton, and his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo. Their public position is that Iran can be forced by economic pressure into even greater concessions than those it grudgingly accepted under the 2015 deal. But Trump's decision opened a rift with European allies that weakens the common front against Iran, and it is far from clear that Tehran can ever accept a tougher deal. Some now say the logic of Trump's "maximum pressure" tactics leads not to a new quest for an accord but an attempt to crush Iran's already weak economy and to topple its regime. "We have a president who is tough," Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani told exiled Iranian opposition figures at the weekend. "We have a president who is as committed to regime change as we are." But the 38-year-old Iranian revolution will not go down without a fight, and the risks of renewed regional war -- or a renewed nuclear arms race -- are growing alongside once taboo talk of regime change. - Iraq debacle - Celia Belin, a former policy adviser to the French foreign ministry and a visiting fellow to the Brookings Institution in Washington, says Europe will not reimpose its own sanctions on Iran. "Europeans are slowly discovering Trump's 'hot potato' doctrine," she said, describing how Trump's habit of provoking unnecessary diplomatic battles then daring others to resolve them. "However, it is unclear whether the Trump administration truly seeks a 'better deal,' or whether he and his administration are aiming for regime change," she warns. So is Trump's true goal regime change? "Oh, I'm sure he would love that," says Rob Malley, a former adviser to president Barack Obama who helped negotiate the deal. "I don't claim to be a Trump expert," Malley, now head of conflict resolution think tank the International Crisis Group, told AFP. "But I'm sure that people around him -- he just hired or promoted two people, Bolton and Pompeo, who never made a secret of their view that the only way to change this issue is by changing the regime and taking military action." The phrase comes with a lot of baggage in Washington, where the 2003 US campaign to oust Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein and change his regime is now widely regarded as a mistake. Saddam's fall and the subsequent insurgencies in Iraq is seen as having encouraged the spread of jihadist groups and created an opening for Iran's influence to grow. Trump himself says he opposed the war but some veterans of former president George Bush's administration -- notably the newly elevated Bolton -- defend it to this day. And, in their attacks on the Iran deal, some see an attempt to rewrite history. For these conservative war hawks, Tehran's rising regional influence is a byproduct of Obama's decision to drop sanctions, and not of Bush's destruction of Iran's enemy in Baghdad. With Bolton in the Oval Office, these voices are getting louder, and with them the chance of a new deadly confrontation is growing. As it became clear that Mahathir had won, supporters took to the streets waving flags of the opposition alliance Malaysia's veteran ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad, 92, won a historic election victory Thursday, in a political earthquake that toppled the country's scandal-plagued premier and ousted a regime that had ruled for over six decades. In a stunning political upset that took pundits by surprise, Mahathir's opposition alliance ended the long hold on power of the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has been in power in Malaysia since its birth as an independent country in 1957. The thumping victory capped a dramatic political comeback for Mahathir, who previously ruled the country with an iron fist for 22 years and came out of retirement to take on Prime Minister Najib Razak after the leader became embroiled in a massive corruption scandal. When he takes power, Mahathir will be the oldest prime minister in the world. Despite the shock result there were no reports of trouble on the streets, where pockets of celebration erupted overnight. A flag-waving crowd of supporters gathered on a field outside the headquarters of Mahathir's party near Kuala Lumpur. Suva Selvan, a 48-year-old doctor, said he felt the country had just won its independence. "I feel that with this change we probably can see something better in the future... our hope for the future is a better government, fair, free and united," he told AFP. Defeat could just be the beginning of Najib's troubles. Mahathir has vowed to bring him to justice over allegations that billions of dollars were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, which the scandal-hit leader set up and oversaw. But at a press conference after his win, Mahathir vowed: "We are not seeking revenge. We want to restore the rule of law." When he takes power, Mahathir Mohamad, 92, will be the oldest prime minister in the world He said he would be sworn in Thursday. Mahathir's return to the political frontlines saw him throw in his lot with an opposition alliance filled with parties that he crushed while in power, and which includes jailed opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim -- his former nemesis. Anwar is due to be released from prison in June. Mahathir has vowed to get him a royal pardon, and later hand over the premiership to him. As well as seizing control of the national government, several state legislatures across the country fell into opposition hands for the first time, including the highly symbolic bastion of Johor, the birthplace of Najib's party that was the lynchpin of the ruling coalition. - Dramatic defeat - Official results from the Election Commission showed that Mahathir's opposition grouping Pakatan Harapan, along with a small ally, had secured 121 parliamentary seats. 112 are needed to form a government. BN got 79 seats -- a dramatic drop from the 133 they held previously. Malaysia Najib was nowhere to be seen as the evening wore on, and was believed to have holed up inside his house for talks with senior members of BN. The opposition win was particularly striking as critics said that Najib tried everything he could to cling to power. His government was accused of pushing a redrawing of electoral boundaries through parliament that created constituencies packed with the country's Muslim Malay majority, who have traditionally supported BN. He called the election on a weekday -- polls are typically held at the weekend in Malaysia -- in what observers said was an effort to keep turnout down, which would hurt the opposition. In the event, voters flocked to the polls in huge numbers. Ultimately the explosive allegations of corruption, coupled with anger at rising living costs, proved too much for Malaysia's 15 million voters, already sick of racially divisive politics in the multi-ethnic country and graft scandals under years of BN rule. In Mahathir, the opposition found the perfect person to take on Najib. He is a staunch Malay nationalist who could appeal to the country's biggest ethnic group, and whose years in power were remembered as a prosperous period in the country's history. The initial euphoria at the opposition victory will likely give way to some apprehension. Mahathir was also a accused of being an authoritarian leader, and political opponents were thrown in jail during his time in office. Shanghai (Gasgoo)-According Nielsen global automotive consumer brands research, consumers in Mexico, America, Chile and Egypt, Africa have comparatively higher purchase intention on Chinese branded cars and over 1/4 of them are considering to purchase Chinese branded cars. Central and South America or Africa may become the most potential market for Chines car brands. According to data from China Customs, Chinese whole vehicle export volume in year 2017 hit a new record, reaching 1,060,000 units, up 31% YoY. Vehicles exported to the Belt and Road (B&R) countries were 641,000 units, increasing 23.8% YoY, and accounting for 60.2% of the gross vehicle export. Asia was still the main market for the vehicle export while the South America and North America were the main force for the sales growth. From the view of the export structure, the passenger vehicle accounted for over 70% of the exported Chinese branded vehicle. Besides, Chinese new energy vehicle sale is increasing, with its sales volume reaching over 1/2 of the global sales in recent two years. Dominated by the low-price electric vehicles, Chinese new energy vehicles were exported 105,000 units in year 2017, accounting for 14% of the total export volume. However, the Chinese new energy vehicle has an unbalanced export destinations and sale distribution. The export to Bangladesh ranked first and took up 77.2% of the total export sales. India came second with 13.4%. In fact, the consumer demands for the vehicle models and their eye-catching performance are variously different due to the difference in the geographical and social environment. An aerial picture of Lake Chad, around 200kms from Chad capital city N'Djamena in 2016 Revitalising Lake Chad will stop Boko Haram from gaining a long-term foothold in the region, experts said on Wednesday, as four countries wrapped up talks aimed at ending in the conflict. The insurgency began in 2009 and has killed at least 20,000 in northeast Nigeria alone, spreading to neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger, prompting a regional military response. But 11 governors from four countries surrounding the lake plus local and international aid agencies were told that fighting alone would not stop the conflict. "The whole of the Boko Haram problem has its roots in the drying of the lake, which has left millions with no means of livelihood," said Mamman Nuhu, executive secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Development Commission. "Poverty has no frontier, the people around Lake Chad face the same challenges," he told AFP on the sidelines of the Lake Chad Governors' Forum in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria. "Once the lake is restored, the Boko Haram problem will permanently be taken care of." Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the UN secretary-general's special envoy for West Africa and the Sahel, said the shrinking of most of the lake's surface was one of the main causes of poverty. "It is a major factor for the lack of jobs and other employment opportunities for young people, which makes the region a fertile recruitment ground for terrorists," he added. - 'Huge task' - The freshwater lake and its fertile hinterland once provided a living for fishermen and farmers but in the last 40 years has seen a staggering 90 percent of its surface area shrink. Climate change and mismanagement have been blamed. Loss of employment opportunities, a lack of access to education, poor governance and corruption has fostered resentment, anger and a desire to fight back. Boko Haram tapped into such disaffection with the promise of financial rewards in a largely lawless region where drugs and arms flowed through porous borders. In February, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria met in Abuja to discuss with international experts and development agencies how to salvage the lake. One plan mooted was the revival of a project to dig a 2,600-kilometre (1,600 mile) canal from the Democratic Republic of Congo across the Central African Republic. The canal would meet the Chari River that feeds into the lake. Proponents say it also could attract back cattle herders whose migration further south because of desertification has led to clashes with farmers. The flow of migrants from Africa to Europe could also slow, they argued. Some estimates put the cost of the project as much as $14 billion (12 billion euros) but the governor of Niger's Diffa region, Bakabe Mahamadou, said there was a lack of funds. "We don't have the money to execute this project, it is a huge task that will take years to accomplish," he added. - Security concerns - Efforts to tackle the source of radicalisation in the northeast have been floated before, not least in 2014 at the height of the insurgency under president Goodluck Jonathan. Then, the government proposed a "soft-power" plan to encourage local communities to shun extremism as well as "de-radicalise" suspected militants. The plan, widely praised by analysts tracking the conflict, was seen as a recognition that military might alone was not enough, particularly against Boko Haram's guerilla tactics. As the conference opened on Tuesday, two female suicide bombers were shot dead in a botched attack on a mosque in the Jiddari Polo area of Maiduguri. But even if funding was not an issue, implementation of any environmental scheme for Lake Chad would have to take a back seat initially to security operations. According to the commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, Major-General Lucky Irabor, military action was targeting Boko Haram on the islands of Lake Chad. "The security situation within the Lake Chad basin is improving... we want to return civil authority to the area so that we can bring concrete development to the people," he said. 21 foreign tourists were killed at Tunis' National Bardo Museum in a 2015 attack claimed by the Islamic State group Germany on Wednesday expelled a Tunisian man accused over a 2015 museum attack in his country, after his claim that he faced the death penalty back home was thrown out by the courts. Haikel Saydani, 37, "has been handed over to the authorities there," said Hesse interior minister Peter Beuth. The expulsion paves the way for Germany to also deport Osama bin Laden's former guard, named only as Sami A., likewise a Tunisian who has argued against his return over the threat of torture in his country of origin. Following Saydani's expulsion, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said he "aimed to achieve the deportation as well in the case" of Sami A., who lives in Bochum. Saydani was arrested in February 2017 in Hesse during an anti-terror raid. German investigators accuse him of building an Islamist network in Germany for a possible attack. In Tunisia, Saydani is also accused of participating in the 2015 attack at the National Bardo Museum in Tunis that killed 21 foreign tourists. The assault was claimed by Islamic State group militants. On Monday, German judges threw out Saydani's appeal, finding that he did not face the threat of the death penalty as Tunis has had a moratorium on implementing capital punishment since 1991. On the same day, he lost a last-ditch bid for a stay at the European Court of Human Right. Beuth said the expulsion showed that "despite the lengthy process, it is possible to expel foreign criminals and dangerous Islamists". The case would "hopefully greatly shorten the length of the (expulsion) process," he added. Benin's Sebastien Ajavon in March 2018 launched his own political party and made known he wants to stand at the next election that is expected in 2020 Benin opposition politician Sebastien Ajavon on Wednesday took the country's government to court, demanding nearly $990 million in damages after a string of arrests and prosecutions. One of the failed presidential candidate's four lawyers, Julien Bensimhon, told the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights in Arusha, Tanzania, that his client needed its protection. Benin's courts "were not in a position to do it", he said, adding that Ajavon's right to liberty, property, a fair trial and the presumption of innocence had been infringed, he added. The damages were for psychological damage and harm to his commercial interests, the court was told, according to a live stream of proceedings broadcast online. Ajavon's lawyers said their client had been subjected to "harassment" and a "calculated plot" for the last two years, they added. In particular, they noted the seizure of 18 kilogrammes of cocaine in a container belonging to his import business. The case was later dropped. But they also highlighted the suspension for several months of two media organisations belonging to Ajavon and more recently a tax adjustment of more than $300 million (254 million euros). Two out of three witnesses who were due to testify on Wednesday did not travel to Tanzania and said they had received threats, according to statements they made seen by AFP. Defence lawyers for Benin's government said "all internal legal avenues had not been exhausted" and there was no need to go to the African court. "The claimant's appeal is inadmissible in your jurisdiction, said Elie Kponou, who called Ajavon's accusations "outrageous". Ajavon, dubbed Benin's "Chicken King" after he made his fortune in livestock, contested the last presidential election in the tiny West African nation in 2016. He came third with 23 percent of the votes behind the eventual winner, businessman Patrice Talon, and the former prime minister and investment banker, Lionel Zinsou. Ajavon in March launched his own political party and made known he wants to stand at the next election that is expected in 2020. Talon defeated Zinsou in the second round with the help of Ajavon but then promptly sacked three ministers close to his rival in his first months in power. Questions have been raised about payments President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen received from a Russian oligarch and several major companies The White House on Wednesday brushed aside reports that Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, received millions of dollars from a Russian oligarch and corporations seeking access to the administration. "I haven't heard the president express any specific concerns about that," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said when asked about the revelations of the payments to Cohen. "I would refer you to the president's outside counsel to address those concerns," Sanders said at the daily press briefing. She also said she was not aware of any actions taken by the Trump administration to benefit the companies which made payments to Cohen. Cohen, Trump's attorney and fixer for the past decade, is under criminal investigation in New York and his home and office were raided by the FBI last month. The probe was prompted by a tip from the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who has been looking into Russian interference in the 2016 election, but the authorities have not said what crimes Cohen is suspected to have committed. The various payments to Cohen were revealed by Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing porn star Stormy Daniels, who was paid $130,000 just days before the November 2016 election to keep quiet about an affair she claims to have had with Trump a decade earlier. The New York Times and NBC News said they had reviewed financial documents that corroborated the payments made to Essential Consultants, the Delaware company set up by Cohen to pay Daniels. The Avenatti document revealed a series of payments to Essential Consultants beyond the "hush money" payment to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Essential Consultants received $500,000 from Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg and money from telecom giant AT&T, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company Novartis and South Korea's Korea Aerospace Industries. - 'This is a big deal' - Michael Avenatti, the attorney for Stormy Daniels, released a document outlining payments made to a shell company set up by President Donald Trump's personal lawyer and fixer AT&T and Novartis confirmed having made the payments and Avenatti suggested that Cohen may have been seeking to profit from his longtime ties to Trump. "It appears that this may be your typical pay-to-play type scenario, where you have someone close to a politician... selling access, potential access, to the president of the United States," Avenatti told CNN. "Michael Cohen should not be selling access to the president of the United States." "I don't believe that Michael Cohen is registered as a lobbyist," Avenatti continued. "I don't believe that he's registered, as he should be, in order to represent any foreign agents or foreign interests. "This is a big deal," Avenatti said. "I mean, he had to be receiving the money for something." Eight payments totaling $500,000 were received between January and August 2017 from Columbus Nova, the US arm of the Renova Group controlled by Vekselberg, the oligarch who has close ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and attended Trump's January 2017 inauguration. "Mr Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the president," the Avenatti document said. It alleged the funds "may have replenished the account following the ($130,000) payment to Ms Clifford." Vekselberg was placed under US sanctions in April and has been questioned by Mueller's team investigating Russian meddling in the US presidential election. In a statement, Columbus Nova said it had retained Cohen as a consultant "regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures." - 'Unable to provide the services' - Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg (c), seen here with Russian President Vladimir Putin, is among those alleged to have made payments to President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen Among the other payments to Cohen were $200,000 from AT&T, whose proposed merger with Time Warner is currently before the courts after the Justice Department sued to block the sale. "Essential Consultants was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration," AT&T said in a statement. "They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017." Novartis Investments acknowledged making four payments of $99,980 each to Essential Consultants. In a statement, Novartis said it entered into a one-year agreement with Essential Consultations in February 2017. "With the recent change in administration, Novartis believed that Michael Cohen could advise the company as to how the Trump administration might approach certain US health care policy matters, including the Affordable Care Act," Novartis said. "In March 2017, Novartis had its first meeting with Michael Cohen under this agreement," the company said. "Following this initial meeting, Novartis determined that Michael Cohen and Essential Consultants would be unable to provide the services that Novartis had anticipated related to US health care policy matters and the decision was taken not to engage further." Novartis also said it had been contacted by Mueller's office in November 2017 regarding the agreement with Essential Consultants. "Novartis cooperated fully with the special counsel's office and provided all the information requested," it said. "Novartis considers this matter closed." Aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries paid Essential Consultants $150,000 in November 2017. Another payment came from a Republican fundraiser who entered into a hush agreement with a Playboy playmate. In all, at least $4.4 million flowed through Essential Consultants from shortly before Trump won the November 2016 election until January 2018. Mueller's team is probing whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to get him elected, an allegation the president has repeatedly and vehemently denied. Indian officials stand alongside two men dressed in 'space suits' who were arrested for alleged fraud, after claiming to work for NASA, in New Delhi The alleged scam was out of this world but Indian police brought a father and son duo down to earth Wednesday when they paraded them in the fake space suits used to convince a businessman to hand over more than $200,000. New Delhi police released pictures and video of the two accused wearing the silvery suits, after the men were apprehended over claims that they could sell "magical" copper plates to US space agency NASA. Already on bail accused of selling snakes with "medicinal qualities" for more than $25,000 each, the pair told potential victims they were developing a device which could be used to generate "electricity from thunderbolts". They promised it would be sold to NASA and India's space agency for hundreds of millions of dollars, police said. Images of the accused fraudsters in radiation suits alongside crime branch investigators were widely shared on Indian social media, where comments compared the duo's antics to "a low budget C-grade Bollywood movie". Police say that in addition to the New Delhi businessman, the father and son may have got money out of up to 30 people across northern India. Their fake device was apparently based on rare copper "that had been struck by a thunderbolt" so that it could magnetise rice, police explained. A copper plate covered in a thin magnetic liquid and rice mixed with iron filings were used to show off the machine. The pair, who employed actors to wear radiation suits and staged fake tests, had said they needed money to develop the invention, detectives said. The New Delhi businessmen became suspicious when promised experiments were repeatedly called off, mainly because of bad weather. He went to police and acknowledged he had handed over more than $200,000. It is not known how much the other victims paid. Roman Polanski has dismissed the #MeToo Movement against sexual harassment as "mass hysteria" and "hypocrisy" Film director Roman Polanski is threatening to sue the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences after it voted to expel him from its ranks, arguing that the move was illegal and demanding a fair hearing. In a letter sent to the academy this week, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, Polanski's attorney Harland Braun said the body that hands out the Oscars had failed to follow proper procedure in deciding to expel his client without a hearing, as required by law. "We are not here contesting the merits of the expulsion decision, but rather your organization's blatant disregard of its own Standards of Conduct in, as well its violations of the standards required by California Corporations Code, Section 7341," California-based Braun wrote in the letter sent on Tuesday. He added that the 84-year-old Oscar-winning director of "Rosemary's Baby" had "acknowledged his legal and moral responsibility" in the 1977 sexual assault case against then 13-year-old Samantha Geimer and that she had accepted his apology and appeared in court to support him. The academy's board of governors, which includes some of the biggest names in the industry -- among them Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks -- last week voted to expel Polanski and disgraced comedian Bill Cosby. The decision was in line with the organization's new standards of conduct adopted following the sexual harassment scandals that have shaken the industry and given rise to the #MeToo movement. Braun said the only notice Polanski had received from the academy was an unsigned letter informing him he was expelled. "I hope that the Academy understands Mr Polanski only asks for a fair hearing to present his side of all the issues which will also provide members who support expulsion a forum (to) argue their position," Braun said in his letter addressed to the academy's president John Bailey. Bailey could not be immediately reached for comment on Wednesday. Polanski, who lives in France, this week dismissed the #MeToo Movement as "mass hysteria" and "hypocrisy" in an interview with Newsweek Polska. "I think this is the kind of mass hysteria that occurs in society from time to time," Polanski, who holds dual Polish and French citizenship, told the weekly when asked what he thinks of the movie industry's recent reckoning with sexual misconduct. "Sometimes it's very dramatic, like the French Revolution or the St Bartholomew's Day massacre in France, or sometimes it's less bloody, like 1968 in Poland or McCarthyism in the US," he added. "Everyone is trying to back this movement, mainly out of fear... I think it's total hypocrisy." Polanski in 1977 pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with Geimer. However, he fled the United States after learning that the judge in the case planned to sentence him to a harsher prison term than that agreed upon in a plea deal. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured last month, said Canada, Mexico and the United States' NAFTA retooling is focusing on car manufacturing content rules US, Canadian and Mexican trade ministers currently are focusing on new content requirements for autos as they race the clock revamp their 24-year-old free trade pact, according to Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland Wednesday. Freeland told reporters she has met with auto industry and labor representatives to discuss the competing proposals, as well as talking with her counterparts from the North American Free Trade Agreement. "We met yesterday and we also have been spending a lot of time with stakeholders, both labor and industry as the rules of origin conversation advances," she said. "What's really important for us is to talk through the emerging details with industry, with labor, to it be sure that we are coming up with something that is going to work." She has been in Washington since Monday for talks with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo. The US has been pressing for an increased share of parts produced in high-wage countries in order for vehicles to enjoy duty free access throughout the three countries. But Mexico has balked at that and instead proposed an increase in NAFTA content but without a wage-linked requirement and with a longer phase-in period of 10 years, according to press reports. "This is definitely an issue that all three countries need to be working together on. The auto sector is important for all of us," Freeland said. Trade officials have been meeting throughout the month to clear the way for a deal on a new NAFTA before the political and legislative calendars in the three countries derail the process. And The Washington Post cites US officials saying May 18 is the cutoff for reaching a deal that President Donald Trump can submit to Congress in time for them to consider it before his trade negotiating authority expires. Canadians will vote in provincial elections in June, while the Mexican presidential ballot is on July 1 and the US has midterm legislative elections in November. Trump triggered the NAFTA renegotiation last year after labeling the trade agreement a "disaster" that has destroyed US jobs. He has repeatedly threatened to leave the pact if a satisfactory deal is not reached. If the agreement is not finalized by May 18 he will have to decide whether to keep the current agreement until talks can resume next year, or try to submit a partial deal to Congress. But Democratic legislators who sit on a key trade committee warned Trump not to try to strong arm Congress into quick approval. "A new NAFTA should pass Congress based on its merits and not on the threat of withdrawing from the existing agreement," Representatives Sander Levin of Michigan, and Ron Kind of Wisconsin, said in a letter to Trump on Tuesday. Canada and Mexico also have balked at American demands to scrap a dispute resolution mechanism and implement a "sunset" clause that would require the pact be renewed every five years, but those issues will have to wait until the auto rules of origin are settled. Models walk on the catwalk displaying designs by Amato Couture during Arab Fashion Week in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on May 9, 2018 As the abaya witnesses a global resurgence, the sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week opened Wednesday with fallen angels, Rococo corsets, cupcake headbands and nary a kaftan in sight. Billed as an official fashion week alongside the famed Paris, Milan and London shows, the Arab edition of fashion week is the sole event dedicated entirely to ready-couture and pre-collections. Hosted on the Queen Elizabeth II cruise ship, the show, which prides itself on its Arab name, opened with angel-inspired and baroque kitsch collections by designers from Russia, Portugal, the UAE, the Philippines, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and more. Designer Furne One of Amato Couture, loved in Dubai for his ethereal designs, opened the four-day affair with his "White Noise" resort collection, inspired by angels both cherubin and fallen. A model walks on the catwalk displaying designs by Amato Couture during Arab Fashion Week in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on May 9, 2018 With winged white liner, pearl teardrops beneath their eyes and nude fishnet stockings, his models walked the runway in hot-pants, tea-length dresses, mermaid gowns and sheer flowing capes, draped head-to-toe in lace, voile and crystals. "The inspiration about this collection is angels. White angels, fallen angels all kinds of angels, who are here on earth -- because we dont know," said One, whose popular collections are frequently inspired by mythical creatures. "Angels are with us. Theyre with everybody." Russia's Tatiana V. Lyalina paid tribute to Marie Antoinette with a Rococo-inspired collection featuring pink heart-print pantsuits underneath bright blue fur stoles, teal velvet gowns with brooches, glitter knee boots, corsets and cupcake headbands. The Arab Fashion Council has openly said it aims to spread ready-couture across the region -- a form of fashion that is financially more accessible than haute couture, but pricier and slightly more exclusive than ready-to-wear. The spread of ready-couture has not sat particularly well with traditional gatekeepers in the fashion world, but the growing influence of social media has seen its popularity continue to skyrocket. The Arab Fashion Council is banking on that popularity to make its mark on the global scene. "With the change of the market and the economy and the business of fashion, we have noticed that ... even in Paris, in the last fashion week, there were many designers trying to shift from haute couture to ready-couture," said Jacob Abrian, head of the Arab Fashion Council. "It is because of the economy, because of the financial status, because of social media, because of your social life. You tend to go to more events than before and you tend to spend less... but you will keep a certain level of luxury," Abrian told AFP. "I believe this is a very important tool in our hands, that we can push Arab Fashion Week to become one of the first, most important fashion weeks in the next 10 years." For five seasons exclusive to Dubai, Arab Fashion Week now has two editions: Dubai Arab Fashion Week, and Riyadh Arab Fashion Week, less than one month apart. Saudi Arabia last month hosted its own version of the event, drawing press from around the world to a lineup that included trunk shows by Jean Paul Gaultier and Roberto Cavalli but did not include men or cameras. An Alexander McQueen dress ensemble on display for the "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" exhibition, which explores how legendary couture houses have been inspired by church imagery Think embroidered papal mantles inspiring a John Galliano masterpiece for Dior, Joan of Arc armor refashioned as sexualized corsetry by Jean Paul Gaultier or the monk habit re-styled as eveningwear by Valentino. There are plenty of tiaras, but few tantrums at New York's hottest museum ticket this spring, "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic imagination" which is after all, causing little backlash from religious conservatives. Opening on Thursday, it is the Metropolitan Museum of Art's largest exhibition, exploring how legendary couture houses have been inspired by church imagery, clerical dress and belief during the 20th and 21st centuries. But if some worried it might ruffle feathers, even in ultra-liberal New York where Catholics are the dominant faith group, the Vatican has given its stamp of approval, lending 40 ecclesiastical objects from the Sistine Chapel sacristy. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, himself attended the Met Gala "Oscars of the East" to inaugurate the exhibition, mingling with celebrities flashing their flesh in outre outfits to a "Sunday Best" theme. "You may be asking 'What's the church doing here?" he told the press event. "It's because the Church and the Catholic imagination, the theme of this exhibit, are all about three things: truth, goodness and beauty." An evening dress by Valentino on display during the annual fashion exhibition "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" at The Metropolitan Museum of art The exhibition spans 25 galleries at the museum's Beaux-Arts Fifth Avenue headquarters and Cloisters outpost, perched atop a northern Manhattan hill, and will be open through October 8. "It's based on the concept and experience of the pilgrimage," says Andrew Bolton, curator in charge at the Met's Costume Institute. "In a way, it's a dialogue between art and fashion," he told AFP. The gowns are displayed in the museum's Byzantine and Medieval galleries, and the monastic environs of the Cloisters, rooting the frocks in their cultural reference points and emphasizing the mantra that fashion is, after all, art. - 'Provocation, nostalgia' - Gowns by the world's top designers are on display, but it is the objects from the Vatican that dazzle -- hand-embroidered mantles and papal mitres studded in jewels so bling that they would be beloved by a fashion-obsessed celebrity today "Many of the designers are no longer practicing, but never less the idea of Catholicism has had a big impact on their imagination," Bolton told AFP. "Sometimes it's provocation, sometimes it's adulation, other times it's just nostalgia for a time in their childhood." There are the virginal, contemplative wedding dresses by Chanel, Balenciaga and Dior, beaded, crucifix-studded jackets by Gianni Versace mimicking mosaics, angel-wing flamboyance from Alexander McQueen and an Yves Saint Laurent silk brocade ensemble made to clothe a statue of the Virgin in a Paris church. Yet it is the objects from the Vatican that dazzle -- hand-embroidered mantles that look every bit couture and papal mitres studded in jewels so bling that they would be beloved by a fashion-obsessed celebrity today. For example, the tiara given by Queen Isabella II of Spain to Pius IV in the 19th century -- cloth of silver embroidered with gold metal thread, is studded with 19,000 precious stones, most of them diamonds. It took years and multiple trips to Rome to negotiate the loan, according to The New York Times. Many have never before left the Vatican and belong to more than 15 papacies -- the earliest a mantel worn by Benedict XIV, pope from 1740-58, and the latest a pair of red shoes worn by John Paul II. They are also housed separately from the frocks, confined to the Anna Wintour Costume Center, named after the Vogue legend who has turned the Met Gala into the hottest party of the year and raised millions for the Institute. "Although some might regard fashion as a frivolous pursuit far removed from the sanctity of religion, most of the vestments worn by the secular clergy and religious orders... have their origins in secular dress," Bolton has written. Still it's worth noting that the grandeur on display could not be further removed from the simplicity and austerity projected by current Pope Francis. "This is not a procedure where the pope gets involved, or has to give his OK," The New York Times quoted Vatican spokesman Greg Burke as saying. In mid-March, ESPN published the final column of Jim Bradys tenure as public editor, in which Brady ruminated on the state of the networks journalism, its relationship to politics, its ratings, its rights fees, its love of LaVar Ball and more. As it turns out, that was not only Bradys final dispatch as public editor but also the final piece ever from an ESPN public editor/ombudsman. On Wednesday, Undefeated editor-in-chief and ESPN Editorial Board chair Kevin Merida announced that ESPN will discontinue its public editor role, claiming it has outlived its usefulness, largely because of the rise of real-time feedback of all kinds. Here is Meridas full statement on the public-editor position: After careful consideration, it was recommended by ESPNs Editorial Board to discontinue the position of Public Editor (originally begun as an Ombudsman). In recent years, both the Washington Post and the New York Times eliminated their Ombudsman role in recognition that the position had outlived its usefulness, largely because of the rise of real-time feedback of all kinds. While ESPN has valued the input and dedication shown by everyone who held the position, we too have seen how access to the Internet and its social platforms has created a horde of watchdogs who communicate directly with us to share observations and questions. Beyond our users, our multi-faceted newsgathering operation is made up of a diverse collection of seasoned journalists who engage in spirited discussion and respectful disagreement to land in the best possible place. No one holds our journalists to higher standards than we do. Our Editorial Board meets regularly and discusses current journalistic issues and best practices. ESPNs commitment to quality, impact journalism is as strong as ever and we welcome the continued scrutiny our fans and critics offer and we vow to continue the dialogue. ESPN began its ombudsman position in 2005, hiring George Solomon for the role. Solomon was followed by Le Anne Schreiber, Don Ohlmeyer, The Poynter Institute and Robert Lipsyte, before Brady took over the renamed public-editor position in 2015. Some of those ombudsmen were better than others, but all seemed to question how much ESPN actually responded to their suggestions and criticisms. It seems likely that ESPNs decision not to hire a new public editor owes in part to how things went for the last one. Brady had an unusually explosive tenure, taking criticism over a column about Grantland in 2016 and then attracting a swarm of backlash on Twitter for his take on Jemele Hills anti-Trump tweets last summer. He faced further controversy when the company he runs, Spirited Media, ended its relationship with a freelancer who had been critical of him in his public-editor role (in a way that Brady found to be nasty and overly personal). As Merida points out, ESPN is not alone in moving away from this kind of position, as both the New York Times and Washington Post have made similar decisions in recent years. Merida and company might be right that the public editor position has outlived its usefulness (to the extent it ever truly had usefulness). But to take a step away from accountability at a time when the network is under a more intense microscope than ever seems like quite an audacious move. While there is certainly more real-time feedback now than ever, particularly on social media, that real-time feedback largely comes from people outside the industry, who lack access to network executives and who dont always understand the complexities of decisions facing ESPN. ESPNs ombudsman/public editor role never really fulfilled its potential, but it will be missed nonetheless. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenberg emphasized the importance of free trade for his company at an event hosted by the Economic Club of Washington in the US capital Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenberg on Wednesday emphasized the importance of free trade agreements for the aerospace giant -- deals under scrutiny by President Donald Trump's administration. Muilenberg, speaking at a meeting of The Economic Club of Washington, said that his company is a major US job generator and exporter. "We have about 90 percent of our manufacturing here in the US. We sell about 70 percent of our products outside the US," he said. The aerospace industry is a leading US exporter, contributing towards a trade surplus. "So we need trade agreements that allow us to compete globally, to sell globally, and that is a part of creating manufacturing jobs," he said. The Trump administration's steel and aluminum tariffs are not currently affecting Boeing sales. "We have a combination of domestic and international suppliers," he said. "But this is something we are watching." On March 8, Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports in the name of national security. But on April 30 Trump said he was holding off the levies, offering a 30-day reprieve to major metals exporters Canada, Mexico and the European Union. Regarding China, the United States has threatened tariffs targeting $150 billion in Chinese imports, while China has warned $50 billion in US goods are in the firing line. Trump has long accused China of using unfair practices to gain an advantage over US exporters, thus costing US jobs. Map of the Democratic Republic of Congo, locating a new outbreak of Ebola virus near the town of Bikoro, on the shores of Lake Tumba in the north-western Equateur province. The Nigerian government on Wednesday said it was acting to prevent the spread of Ebola from Democratic Republic of Congo where an outbreak of the disease has killed 17 people. The federal government had put in place an emergency programme to monitor all border activity to keep Nigerians safe, Health Minister Isaac Adewole said after a cabinet meeting. "We will be screening incoming passengers, particularly passengers from DRC and neighbouring countries. (The) Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will also consider sending some team to DRC as part of building capacity for managing the outbreak," he added. Nigeria, which does not share a border with DR Congo, is the only country in West Africa with a mobile laboratory for haemorrhagic fevers. Funded by the European Union it can carry out rapid testing even in the most remote areas. Ebola is one of the world's most notorious diseases, being both highly infectious and extremely lethal. How the Ebola virus attacks There is no current vaccine to prevent Ebola or licensed treatment for it. An Israeli artillery unit takes position near the Syrian border in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on May 9, 2018 Iranian forces in Syria have fired around 20 rockets and missiles at Israeli army positions in the part of the Golan Heights occupied by Israel, the Israeli army said early Thursday. The missiles, some of which were intercepted by Israel's anti-missile system, did not cause any casualties, army spokesman lieutenant-colonel Jonathan Conricus told journalists. He added that the Israeli army responded, but did not explain the nature of the retaliation. The rockets were fired shortly after midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday) by men from the Iranian al-Qods brigade at the front lines of the Israeli army in Golan. "We know that comes from the al-Qods force," Conricus said, adding: "The Israeli army takes very seriously this Iranian attack against Israel." This incident comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran over the situation in Syria after several operations attributed to the Israeli army against Iranian interests in the war-torn country. ROME, Ga. (AP) - A northwest Georgia woman is dead after police say she shot it out with officers following a high-speed chase. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identifies the dead person as 55-year-old Kimberley Ray McCann of Cedartown. Investigators say police began chasing McCann when she sped through a school zone in Cave Spring. They say McCann crashed into multiple vehicles at a busy intersection on the outskirts of Rome. There, they say McCann began shooting at officers and four officers fired back. McCann died there from her injuries. No officers were injured. Three Floyd County officers and a Georgia state trooper were involved. It's the 11th shooting in 11 days by a Georgia officer. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation continues its inquiry, which will be presented for grand jury review once complete. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - The Latest on Malaysia's election (all times local): 10:45 p.m. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad have made their final appeals to voters on the eve of what may be the country's most closely fought election in decades. Flags from different political parties are hung along a street in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday May 7, 2018. Malaysian scandal-plagued Prime Minister Najib Razak is seeking a third term in office during the May 9 general election, but faces an unprecedented challenge from a rejuvenated opposition led by his former mentor and strongman Mahathir Mohamad. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) Najib, whose reputation has been battered by a corruption scandal, announced handouts to woo voters. He promised to exempt Malaysians under age 26 from income tax - many don't earn enough to pay income tax in any case - and give everyone two days' public holiday if his ruling coalition wins the election and suspend road tolls for five days at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Mahathir, who was Malaysia's authoritarian leader for 22 years until 2003, repeated the themes of a campaign that said a vote for the opposition would save Malaysia from a corrupt elite. The 92-year-old Mahathir emerged from political retirement and joined the opposition in attempt to oust Najib, his former protege, after a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal at a state investment fund set up by Najib. The ruling National Front coalition has been in power for 60 years but has lost support in the past two elections. Najib told supporters: "We are not a party of the past, we do not play with retired leaders." Najib's speech was broadcast live on television while Mahathir's was delivered over Facebook. ___ 1:30 p.m. Malaysia's Human Rights Commission says the recent redrawing of electoral boundaries, which opposition parties said favored the ruling coalition, is an "epic breach" of democracy. In a strong statement issued on the eve of the country's general election, the commission's chairman, Razali Ismail, said Tuesday that a level playing field for the election is also undermined by money and gifts being distributed by Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling coalition, a practice long discarded by many democratic countries. It also criticized disqualification of several opposition candidates on nomination day. Razali said the commission has been informed of various instances where people have had their right to vote curtailed and complaints of postal ballots not being received up to 48 hours before the election and other discrepancies. Malaysia was ranked 125 out of 197 countries worldwide in the 2018 World Electoral Freedom Index, which the right's commission says reflects the flawed democratic process in the country. ___ 9 a.m. Voters have a stark choice in Malaysia's election on Wednesday: resurrect the country's 92-year-old former authoritarian leader or give a third term to Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose alleged role in the multibillion-dollar ransacking of a state investment fund has battered Malaysia's standing abroad. Najib's ruling party is likely to hold on to power due to an electoral system that gives more weight to rural voters, analysts say, but at the price of reduced legitimacy. The contest pits Najib against his former political mentor, Mahathir Mohamad, who joined forces with the opposition due to the corruption scandal. Voters also are concerned about the impact of a newly imposed tax, but racial politics remain a powerful subterranean force. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday backed a state requirement that voters provide a photo ID at the polls, the latest decision in a nationwide battle between voting rights advocates who say the laws are aimed at suppressing turnout and conservatives who say the protections are needed to prevent voter fraud. The court upheld a lower court ruling 8 to 0 with one justice recusing. "The Oklahoma Voter ID Act is a reasonable procedural regulation to ensure that voters meet identity and residency qualifications and does not cause an undue burden," according to the 8-0 ruling, with one justice recusing, which upholds a lower court ruling in the lawsuit. FILE - In this June 28, 2016, file photo, an elections clerk cuts from a strip of "I Voted" stickers at a polling place in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Supreme Court has upheld a voter ID law that was passed by voters as a constitutional amendment in 2010. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File) The law, approved by voters in 2010, took effect in July 2011 and requires a voter to provide a federal or state government issued ID that includes a photograph and an expiration date that is after the election in which a person is attempting to vote. It also allows a voter to present an ID card issued by the county election board, or to cast a provisional ballot that would be counted after the person's identity is confirmed following an election. The lawsuit by Delilah Christine Gentges of Tulsa was filed in 2012, alleging it creates a "new barrier" for voters. A phone number listed for Gentges was disconnected and an attorney for her did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment, but had previously said he believes the law would prevent voters from casting their ballots. "Any condition that affects the right of suffrage is unreasonable in our minds," Tulsa attorney William Thomas, who represents Gentges has said. "It's a barrier to voting similar to the poll tax, which is unconstitutional." The court's ruling acknowledged there is no evidence of voter fraud in past Oklahoma elections, but said that does not mean the potential for fraud cannot be addressed. "(t)he Voter ID Act was intended as a procedural regulation to prevent future in-person voter fraud," the ruling states. "Neither the Legislature, nor the People of the State of Oklahoma, have to wait for a problem to directly arise before they take action to address it." Since Jan. 1, voter ID laws in Texas and Alabama have been upheld while laws in Arkansas and North Dakota were struck down, however the Arkansas law is being enforced pending an appeal and the Alabama and North Dakota rulings are being appealed. The Texas law was supported by the U.S. Justice Department - a move that amounted to a complete reversal for the federal government, which under former President Barack Obama had joined minority rights groups in suing over the law. But two months after Donald Trump took office, the Justice Department abandoned the argument that Texas passed voter ID rules with discrimination in mind. ___ Associated Press writers Tim Talley in Oklahoma City and Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report. A Roman Catholic priest was arrested and charged Tuesday with sexually abusing at least two boys during his four decades in the Erie, Pennsylvania, diocese, and making one of them say confession after the alleged assaults. State Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the arrest of the 64-year-old Rev. David Poulson, of Oil City, as part of a statewide grand jury investigation. According to court records, Poulson is facing at least eight charges, including indecent assault and child endangerment for incidents dating to 2002. Court records did not list an attorney for Poulson, and a phone call to a number listed for him was not answered Tuesday. Poulson was being held Tuesday on $300,000 cash bail. He faces a maximum of 64 years, if convicted, and $135,000 in fines. Prosecutors said Poulson resigned from the diocese in February after a phone call was received a month earlier from a military chaplain in Fort Hood, Texas, saying a 23-year-old had disclosed he was abused by Poulson starting when he was 8 years old. Poulson allegedly abused one of his victims in multiple church rectories more than 20 times while he served as an altar boy, according to a release from the attorney general's office. Poulson would then require the boy to make confession to him and confess the sexual assault to receive absolution, it said. "This was the ultimate betrayal and manipulation by Poulson - he used the tools of the priesthood to further his abuse," Shapiro wrote in a release about the charges. The allegations also state Poulson took that victim and another boy at separate times to a secluded hunting camp without electricity or running water, where he would watch horror movies with them on his laptop then assault them. Prosecutors said the Erie Diocese had received complaints about what they say were Poulson's "sexual predator tendencies" as far back as 2010 but did not report him to law enforcement until the grand jury issued a subpoena in September 2016. The diocese produced a May 24, 2010, "secret memorandum" that showed leaders had received complaints about Poulson's inappropriate contact with minors. The attorney general's office release said the memo contained an admission from Poulson that he was "aroused" by a boy and shared sexually suggestive texts with other boys. The diocese, "did nothing to stop this abuse. They did nothing throughout those years until very recently to alert law enforcement. They did nothing to alert other parishioners, especially parishioners who had young children," Shapiro said at a news conference Tuesday. Bishop Lawrence Persico released a statement late Tuesday denying that the diocese knew of these specific allegations until January of this year when the chaplain called. Persico, whose tenure started in 2012, said the 2010 memo mentioned by Shapiro was a third-party report that Poulson had exhibited what are known as grooming tendencies with a boy not related to Tuesday's charges. The boy named in the memo declined to talk to investigators, Persico said. The bishop said the diocese promptly reported the January allegations, relieved Poulson of any duties including those related to children and has cooperated with the attorney general's investigation. Shapiro said the abuse and cover-up largely occurred under a previous bishop's tenure. Last month, the diocese released a list of priests and lay people who it had received credible accusations against over several decades. Poulson's name was on that list. Shapiro said nine other possible victims spoke to the grand jury, but a criminal statute of limitations prevented the office from filing charges. He called on the governor and state legislature to abolish the statute of limitation on child sexual assaults. The statewide investigative grand jury looking into the response to clergy abuse in six of the state's eight Roman Catholic dioceses began in 2016, shortly after a comprehensive grand jury report on the Altoona-Johnstown diocese was released. That report included a description of canon law dictating that criminal allegations against priests be kept under lock and key accessible to only the bishop. The statewide grand jury was scheduled to end its term on April 30. Shapiro would not discuss Tuesday when a final report would come out or whether more charges in the other dioceses might be possible. The Philadelphia District Attorney's office released one of the most comprehensive and earliest of such grand jury reports on the Philadelphia diocese in 2005 and revisited concerns about priest abuse in a second grand jury report in 2011. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A prosecutor in Utah told jurors Tuesday that a young girl's testimony about being raped by three men while her mother was in a nearby garage smoking methamphetamine should be sufficient to find them guilty. The testimony of the girl, who was 9 at the time of the alleged assault and is now 11, was consistent, clear and damning, Uintah County attorney Mark Thomas said in a Salt Lake City courtroom during closing arguments. "This is not someone who's making up a story," he said after the five-day trial. "There was no motive for this child to make this up." FILE - This combination of file photos released by the Uintah County Sheriff's Office shows Larson RonDeau, from left, Randall Flatlip and Jerry Flatlip. Uintah County attorney Mark Thomas told jurors during closing arguments Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in the men's trial that a young girl's testimony about being raped by the men while her mother was in a nearby garage smoking methamphetamine should be sufficient to find the men guilty. (Uintah County Sheriff's Office via AP, File) Last week, the girl testified via video link that the three men raped her after a 2016 Easter egg hunt at a rural home then threatened to kill her and her family if she told anyone. The Associated Press generally does not identity people who say they were victims of sexual assaults. Defense lawyer Loni DeLand argued that the rape was fabricated by the mother, who was paranoid from smoking meth and angry at one of the defendants, former boyfriend Jerry Flatlip, 31. "That's pretty strong motive," DeLand told jurors. The other defendants are Larson RonDeau, 38, and Randall Flatlip, 28. All three men face felony charges of rape and sodomy of a child. They have denied the allegations. Prosecutors did not offer any physical evidence such as blood or hair showing the girl had been assaulted. If prosecutors are relying solely on testimony from the girl and her mother, "I don't think you or any reasonable juror could conclude that that's sufficient evidence or proof beyond a reasonable doubt," DeLand told the jury. The mother has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor child abuse charge for leaving the girl while she used drugs, and was sentenced to jail and drug treatment. The Associated Press is not naming the mother to protect the identity of the child. The girl is now in the care of her Native American tribe, authorities have said. Thomas compared the girl's testimony to that of women who leveled sexual assault allegations against comedian Bill Cosby. "Bill Cosby has been convicted by the testimony of somebody who claimed to be his victim," he said. "No other evidence" was necessary. Cosby was convicted of drugging and molesting a woman in 2004. The three defendants in Utah sat largely stone-faced during the proceedings, though Jerry Flatlip seemed to become emotional as his lawyer made the final appeal to the jury. Flatlip rocked in his chair, sniffled and wiped his nose with a tissue. Charges were initially filed against a fourth man but dropped when the girl's mother could not be found to testify at an evidence hearing in 2016. Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Wednesday: 1. TRUMP: US LEAVING 'HORRIBLE' IRAN DEAL The president withdraws the U.S. from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran, declaring he is making the world safer by restoring the "highest level" of economic sanctions. Authorities work near a rural wooded area in Macomb Township, Mich., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Authorities excavating woods in southeastern Michigan, about 30 miles from downtown Detroit, for the remains of a 12-year-old girl last seen in 1979, also could be looking for the bodies of up to half a dozen others who have been reported missing over the years. The search started Monday for the remains of Kimberly King, but Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said there could be others buried in the area. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) 2. WHO'S JETTING TO PYONGYANG U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo heads to North Korea to finalize details of a planned historic summit between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. 3. JOB-SEEKERS, TAKE NOTE For the first time in two decades, there are roughly as many open jobs in the United States as there are unemployed people. 4. WHERE GRUESOME SEARCH IS UNDERWAY Authorities excavating woods in Michigan for the remains of a 12-year-old girl last seen in 1979 say they believe the bodies of up to half a dozen other girls may be buried there. 5. SHOCK FOLLOWS POLITICIAN'S FALL New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's resignation caps a stunning turnabout from defender of women to alleged abuser of them. 6. EVACUATIONS FOR VOLCANO COULD LAST WEEKS The Kilauea eruption creates uncertainty for Hawaiians who have to leave their homes without knowing when they can come back. 7. WHAT'S THREAT TO US FARMERS With the possibility of tariffs looming, Chinese buyers are canceling orders for American soybeans. 8. FRESH GUIDANCE ON MEN'S HEALTH Whether to get screened for prostate cancer is a question that men aged 55 to 69 should decide themselves in consultation with their doctors, according to a panel of health experts. 9. WHY 70, NOT 65, MAY BE AGE TO RETIRE Working a few more years or drawing your Social Security benefits later can significantly boost income, some experts say. 10. OFF-SCREEN, LOTS OF DRAMA The Cannes Film Festival opens within the shadow of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. News microphones are mounted on a stand as reporters wait for a possible sighting of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman outside his home in New York on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. In a New Yorker article published Monday evening, the 63-year-old Democrat was accused of choking, slapping, threatening or otherwise abusing four women during intimate encounters. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Families of several Americans currently detained in Iran are hoping President Donald Trump's decision announced on Tuesday to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal will not make it harder to get their loved ones freed. At least five Iranians, all dual-American citizens or green-card holders, have been sentenced to prison in Iran on espionage-related charges, as has Chinese-American Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University graduate student in history. Wang's wife Hua Qu said her family did not want to be in the middle of the dispute over the nuclear deal, calling it "a humanitarian issue for our family." Hua Qu, the wife of Chinese-American Xiyue Wang, poses for a photograph with a portrait of her family in Princeton, N.J., Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Families of several Americans currently detained in Iran are hoping President Donald Trump's decision announced on Tuesday to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal will not make it harder to get their love ones freed. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) "My hope is to be reunited soon with my husband, the father of our child," she said. "We urge the American, European, Chinese, Russian, and Iranian governments to find a humanitarian solution, clemency or otherwise, to help bring Xiyue home." She said their lives have been very difficult since her husband was detained in August 2016. She's concerned Wang, 37, may go on a third hunger strike while being held as the only non-Iranian in the prison where he is incarcerated. Their son is now 5. The family of Bob Levinson, who disappeared from an Iranian island in March 2007, issued a statement that said Trump's announcement should mean Levinson's return "needs to be a priority in any new negotiations with Iran." Levinson's son David told The Associated Press on Tuesday that although the family isn't political and has no opinion on the Iran deal, "we do hope what this initiates and what it sparks is a renewed conversation about Bob Levinson, and that in the future in any negotiation between Iran and the United States that he becomes a priority and is at the forefront of any discussions." He added, "If our administration believes in America first, they can make a strong statement and a strong step in the right direction by advocating for the release and return of an American citizen." For years, U.S. officials said Levinson had been working for a private firm, but The Associated Press reported in December 2013 that he had actually been on a mission for CIA analysts who were not authorized to run spy missions. Photos and videos released in 2010-11 showed a gaunt and bearded Levinson wearing an orange jumpsuit. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif said last month the U.S. government would have to change its attitude and engage in a respectful way before meaningful negotiations can take place. Zarif said Iran could be open to discussing a prisoner release if Washington's approach changed, particularly if it is on health or humanitarian grounds. One of the prisoners, 81-year-old Baquer Namazi, is said to be in poor health. ___ Associated Press writer Josh Replogle in Orlando, Florida, contributed to this story. This Dec. 24, 2015, photo provided by Hua Qu, right, shows her Chinese-American husband Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University graduate student in history, posing for a photo with their son Shaofan at a friend's home in Massachusetts. Wang has been detained in Iran since August 2016. Families of several Americans currently detained in Iran are hoping President Donald Trump's decision announced on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal will not make it harder to get their love ones freed. (Hua Qu via AP) Hua Qu, the wife of Chinese-American Xiyue Wang, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Princeton, N.J., Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Families of several Americans currently detained in Iran are hoping President Donald Trump's decision announced on Tuesday to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal will not make it harder to get their love ones freed. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) This summer 2015 photo provided by Hua Qu shows her Chinese-American husband Xiyue Wang in Turkey. Wang has been detained in Iran since August 2016, Wang, a Princeton University graduate student in history who was visiting Turkey to study historical material written in Turkish during the Ottoman Empire. Families of several Americans currently detained in Iran are hoping President Donald Trump's decision announced on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal will not make it harder to get their love ones freed. (Hua Qu via AP) This Dec. 20, 2015, photo provided by Hua Qu, right, shows her Chinese-American husband Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University graduate student in history, posing for a photograph while visiting New York. Wang has been detained in Iran since August 2016. Families of several Americans currently detained in Iran are hoping President Donald Trump's decision announced on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal will not make it harder to get their love ones freed. (Hua Qu via AP) HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Montana authorities ordered the evacuation of 60 homes Tuesday as the rising Clark Fork River submerged a neighborhood west of Missoula and potentially threatened hundreds of additional residences. The Missoula County Sheriff's Office issued the evacuation order for the houses and trailers closest to the river in the Orchard Homes neighborhood in the state's second-largest city. Authorities have set up a shelter at a Missoula church and asked people who leave their homes to check in with the sheriff's office. Just a day earlier, sheriff's deputies went door to door in the neighborhood to warn people of possible evacuations. Sheriff's spokeswoman Brenda Bassett said she didn't know how many people left as a result of those warnings - or how many are likely to defy the order. Evacuation warning notices hang on a row of mailboxes in front of a flooded area Monday, May 7, 2018, on the outskirts of Missoula, Mont. Sheriff's deputies in Montana went door to door Monday in a neighborhood along the rising Clark Fork River warning residents to prepare to leave, with the river expected to reach major flood levels in Missoula for the first time in 37 years. (Kurt Wilson/The Missoulian via AP) "We don't have a gauge of that just yet," she said. The river has been rising for days as the near-record snow high in the mountains surrounding the city melts in the warm spring weather. The Clark Fork is at moderate flood level and is expected to keep rising until Friday, with forecasters predicting it will surpass 13 feet (3.96 meters) for only the sixth time in recorded history. If that happens, the flooding could affect at least 800 homes from eastern Missoula to west of the city where the Clark Fork meets the Bitterroot River. Bassett said there is no timeline to expand the evacuation order. Outside Helena, water from the flooding Tenmile Creek has entered an unknown number of homes, Lewis and Clark County emergency coordinator Reese Martin told Gov. Steve Bullock in a briefing Tuesday. Martin said officials have handed out 38,000 sandbags as residents in the valley use them to line roads and encircle homes and a school that are threatened. County officials have rented two 8-inch (203-millimeter) pumps to divert some of the water, which has contaminated at least one well in a trailer and RV park, Martin said. The Flathead and Yaak rivers in northwestern Montana are also threatening to spill from their banks and cause minor flooding near Columbia Falls and Troy, according to the National Weather Service. Most rivers are expected to crest Thursday and Friday, but the flooding around Missoula is expected to continue for a week or longer, according to the weather service. LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Los Angeles man who helped evade taxes on 143 million cigarettes has been sentenced to federal prison. Un Hag Baeg got a 46-month sentence on Monday for conspiracy and was ordered to pay more than $7 million to the government. Baeg ran a company that provided supplies to cargo vessels. Authorities say he evaded millions of dollars in excise taxes due on cigarettes sold in the United States by claiming they were for export only and would be provided to ships sailing out of the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. The cigarettes were kept in an L.A. port warehouse and sold in the U.S., with paperwork faked to indicate they'd been exported. Another man, Isaac Rojas of El Monte, also pleaded guilty last year and awaits sentencing. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department on Tuesday indicted an ex-CIA case officer suspected of passing information to Chinese intelligence agents. Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 53, a resident of Hong Kong, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to gather or deliver national defense information to aid a foreign government. He also was charged with two counts of unlawfully retaining documents related to U.S. national defense. Prosecutors say Lee, who speaks fluent Chinese, illegally retained classified documents that included names and numbers of covert CIA employees and locations of covert facilities. Some news reports, citing anonymous sources, have suggested that Lee's actions went much deeper, and that he was a mole responsible for exposing a network of U.S. assets working in China. "The allegations in this case are troubling," said Tracy Doherty-McCormick, acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "Conspiring with foreign agents poses a real and serious threat toward our national security." Lee's lawyer, Edward MacMahon, has refuted the charges. "Mr. Lee is not a Chinese spy," MacMahon said after his client's initial court appearance in February. "He is a loyal American who loves his country" and served in the military and the CIA. The indictment alleges that three years after Lee left the CIA in 2007, two Chinese intelligence officers approached him and offered to pay him for information, including documents on U.S. defense, until at least 2011. The Chinese intelligence officers allegedly provided Lee with email addresses so they could communicate covertly. The indictment alleges that Lee made "numerous unexplained cash deposits, and repeatedly lied to the U.S. government during voluntary interviews when asked about travel to China and his actions overseas." Lee is a U.S. citizen. He joined the CIA in 1994 and worked in a variety of overseas offices. He was trained in surveillance detection, recruiting and handling informants and classified material. A court affidavit states that in 2012, Lee traveled from Hong Kong with his family to Northern Virginia, where he lived until 2013. When he flew to Virginia, the FBI obtained a warrant to search Lee's luggage and hotel room. Agents found two small books with handwritten notes containing names and numbers of covert CIA employees and locations of covert facilities, according to the affidavit. After being under investigation for more than five years, Lee was arrested in January at JFK International Airport in New York. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on the death of George Deukmejian (all times local): 6:45 p.m. Former Gov. Pete Wilson describes his predecessor George Deukmejian (dook-MAY'-jihn), who died Tuesday, as a dear friend who encouraged him to run for his first political office. FILE - In this May 20, 1987 file photo Democratic presidential, Michael Dukakis, the Massachusetts governor, left, and Republican California Governor George Deukmejian, chat at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. A former chief of staff says two-term California governor Deukmejian, whose anti-spending credo earned him the nickname "The Iron Duke," has died at age 89. Steve Merksamer says Deukmejian died Tuesday, May 8, 2018, of natural causes. (AP Photo/Walt Zeboski, File) Deukmejian died of natural causes. He was 89. Wilson says they shared many of the same values, including a commitment to public safety and fiscal responsibility. Wilson says Deukmejian led a full and very good life. He describes the late Republican governor as having "almost courtly" manners and strong determination. Deukmejian spent three decades in state politics as an assemblyman, senator, state attorney general and finally as California's 35th governor. ___ 6:10 p.m. California leaders are remembering George Deukmejian as a popular governor who emphasized public safety and fiscal prudence. The two-term Republican governor, whose opposition to spending earned him the nickname "The Iron Duke," died Tuesday of natural causes at 89. After his election in 1982, he expanded the state prison system, brought the liberal state Supreme Court to the center and supported tough anti-crime legislation. California Chamber of Commerce President Allan Zaremberg said Deukmejian also led the state through natural disasters including the San Francisco Bay Area's Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown recalled that he made friends across the political aisle. Brown ordered Capitol flags to be flown at half-staff. ___ 4:26 p.m. A former chief of staff says two-term California governor George Deukmejian (dook-MAY'-jihn), whose anti-spending credo earned him the nickname "The Iron Duke," has died. He was 89. Steve Merksamer says Deukmejian died Tuesday of natural causes. The Republican spent three decades in state politics as an assemblyman, senator, state attorney general and finally as California's 35th governor. Deukmejian ran a law-and-order administration from 1983 to 1991, expanding the state prison system, bringing the left-leaning California Supreme Court to the center and supporting tough, anti-crime legislation. He earned his nickname from his Republican supporters in the Legislature for his resistance to spending increases and his willingness to veto spending proposals. FILE -- In this June 20, 2001 file photo, Republican gubernatorial candidate, Secretary of State Bill Jones, left, looks on as former California Gov. George Deukmejian answers questions during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. A former chief of staff says two-term California governor George Deukmejian, whose anti-spending credo earned him the nickname "The Iron Duke," has died at age 89. Steve Merksamer says Deukmejian died Tuesday, May 8, 2018, of natural causes. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) FILE - In this Sept. 21, 1987 file photo Gov. George Deukmejian talks with reporters at his office in the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. Two-term California governor Deukmejian, whose anti-spending credo earned him the nickname "The Iron Duke," died Tuesday, May 8, 2018, of natural causes, a former chief of staff said. He was 89. (AP Photo/Walt Zeboski, File) FILE - In this April 14, 1986 file photo, remarks by California Gov. George Deukmejian, right, brings a laugh from San Francisco Giants great Willie Mays as he declared to be Willie Mays Day. Deukmejian, who served as California Governor from 1983 until 1991, passed away from natural causes Tuesday, May 8, 2018, a former chief of staff said. He was 89. (AP Photo/Walt Zeboski, File) PHILADELPHIA (AP) - An associate of the convicted son of a former Philadelphia congressman has been convicted of ripping off the Philadelphia School District and using the money to pay for improvements at his home and vacation condo. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports David Shulick was found guilty on Tuesday of skimming $800,000 from a $2.1 million contract his former company had to run an alternative school. He's the ex-president of a defunct for-profit education firm with ties to Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr. His lawyers tried to pin the blame on Fattah, who served as his No. 2 for a time at the Delaware Valley High School Management Corp. Fattah was sentenced to prison for misspending loans and some of the nearly $1 million in education funds he got as a school management subcontractor. JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - A riot at a police detention center near Indonesia's capital left five officers and a prisoner dead and another officer held hostage Wednesday. The Islamic State group said its fighters were involved in the violence, which officials said was triggered by a dispute over food. Negotiations were underway for the release of the hostage, said national police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal. He did not rule out harsh action as a "last resort" if the negotiations fail and the inmates refuse to surrender. The prison houses a large number of militant inmates. Indonesian Police officers man a roadblock outside the headquarters of elite police force Mobile Brigade, following a prison riot inside the compound in Depok, West Java, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. A riot injured prisoners and some officers at a the police detention center south of Indonesia's capital, police said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) Iqbal said an inmate was fatally shot after grabbing weapons and threatening officers. A counterterrorism investigator said four police officers were wounded and were being treated at a hospital. The riot erupted late Tuesday in Depok, on Jakarta's southern outskirts, where four days earlier police arrested three Islamic militants they say planned to attack a police headquarters and other police stations in the town. Authorities said it began when an inmate shouted and banged on the walls to protest a delay in getting food from his family that was being checked by officials. Other inmates broke into the ammunition room and seized long-barreled weapons, leading to a shootout with counterterrorism officers, they said. The Islamic State group's Amaq News Agency said its fighters took part in the riot. In an interview with MetroTV station, police spokesman Setyo Wasisto said the inmates who provoked the riot were members of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, a network of Indonesian extremist groups formed in 2015 that pledges allegiance to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The network of about two dozen groups has been implicated in a number of attacks in Indonesia over the past year. "There are about 30 to 40 hardliners and inmates from JAD who provoked other inmates," Wasisto said. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on Islamic militants since the 2002 Bali bombings by the Jemaah Islamiyah network that killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. The network was neutralized following the arrests of hundreds of its militants and leaders. But new threats have emerged recently from Islamic State group-inspired radicals who have targeted security forces and local "infidels" instead of Westerners. It was the second riot in the detention center since November, when detained militants attacked prison guards who were searching for contraband and cellphones. Indonesian Police officers walk past roadblock outside the headquarters of elite police force Mobile Brigade, following a prison riot inside the compound in Depok, West Java, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. A riot injured prisoners and some officers at a the police detention center south of Indonesia's capital, police said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) Indonesian Police officers walk past roadblock outside the headquarters of elite police force Mobile Brigade, following a prison riot inside the compound in Depok, West Java, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. A riot injured prisoners and some officers at a the police detention center south of Indonesia's capital, police said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Once he got ahead, Aaron Nola had an easy time finishing off hitters. Nola struck out a career-high 12 batters in seven stellar innings, Odubel Herrera had two hits to extend his career-best on-base streak to 37 games, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2 on Tuesday night. Nola (5-1) allowed one run and five hits while walking none. He focused on getting ahead of batters and then used his arsenal of two-seam and four-seam fastballs, curveball and changeup to silence the Giants' bats. Philadelphia Phillies' Aaron Nola pitches during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) "He shut us down," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Aaron Altherr, Carlos Santana and Jorge Alfaro hit solo home runs for Philadelphia. Nola went at least seven innings for the fourth straight start, improving to 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA in that stretch. The Giants went down swinging on nine of Nola's K's. The right-hander recorded nine consecutive outs via strikeout between the second and fifth innings, ending with a pickoff of Gregor Blanco at first for the final out in the fifth. "My main key was getting ahead," Nola said. "I had all of my pitches working." Hector Neris got the last two outs, striking out both batters, for his seventh save in nine chances. Manager Gabe Kapler elected to leave Tommy Hunter in for the first batter in the ninth rather than go to Neris, who blew a save in Sunday's 5-4 loss at Washington. Although it is uncommon for a late-inning reliever to come out for a second inning, Kapler said he will do it again if the matchups are right. Pablo Sandoval homered off reliever Edubray Ramos for the Giants while pinch-hitting in the eighth. The Giants took a 1-0 lead in the second on Brandon Crawford's RBI grounder. The run halted Nola's scoreless streak at 14 1/3 innings, but that is all San Francisco got off the Phillies' ace. "He was throwing any pitch at any time," Bochy said. The Phillies tied it in the bottom of the second when Altherr hit an 82-mph slider from Derek Holland (1-4) to deep left. Philadelphia went ahead an inning later with a pair of runs. Alfaro drove a 79-mph slider from Holland over the fence in left, and Herrera's single up the middle drove in Cesar Hernandez to make it 3-1. Santana, robbed of hits during his first two at-bats, made sure no one could catch the ball in his third trip, leading off the sixth with a homer to right off Cory Gearrin to make it 4-1. "Right now we're having a tough time keeping the ball in the ballpark," Bochy said. Philadelphia has seven homers while outscoring San Francisco 15-2 over the last two games. Third baseman Evan Longoria made a diving snare of Santana's liner in the second and Austin Jackson made a leaping catch in center in the fourth on Santana's fly ball. Holland gave up three runs and six hits with three strikeouts and two walks in five innings. STREAKING Herrera's streak is Philadelphia's longest since Jimmy Rollins reached base in 38 straight games overlapping the 2005 and 2006 seasons. NOT STREAKING San Francisco's Buster Posey went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts to end his 23-game hitting streak against the Phillies. In 40 career games against Philadelphia, Posey is batting .388 (62 for 160). SLUMPING Jackson made an error in the third when he failed to pick up the ball cleanly on the warning track, allowing Hernandez to reach third on a double and giving the center fielder 11 miscues in the last five games for San Francisco. The Giants entered second in the majors behind Texas with 28 errors this season. NOT SLUMPING Alfaro has three homers and six RBIs over his last nine games while batting .313. TRAINER'S ROOM Phillies: RHP Jerad Eickhoff (strained right lat) threw in an extended spring game on Tuesday. Eickhoff has been out all season and Kapler indicated he couldn't guarantee Eickhoff's spot in the rotation upon his return. ... SS J.P. Crawford (right forearm strain) hit off a tee on Tuesday. UP NEXT Phillies RHP Nick Pivetta (1-2, 4.76) faces Giants RHP Chris Stratton (3-2, 3.99) in the third contest of the four-game set on Wednesday night. Philadelphia Phillies' Aaron Altherr, right, reacts after hitting a home run off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Derek Holland, left, during the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies' Aaron Nola pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies' Carlos Santana hits a home run off San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Cory Gearrin during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 4-2. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies' Odubel Herrera, right, follows through after hitting a run-scoring single off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Derek Holland as catcher Buster Posey, left, looks on during the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Edubray Ramos, right, reacts after giving up a home run to San Francisco Giants' Pablo Sandoval, left, during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 4-2. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Derek Holland adjusts his hat after giving up a home run to Philadelphia Phillies' Aaron Altherr during the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies' Odubel Herrera, right, follows through after hitting a run-scoring single off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Derek Holland as catcher Buster Posey, left, looks on during the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies' Jorge Alfaro, left, reacts past San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey after Alfaro hit a home run off starting pitcher Derek Holland during the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) San Francisco Giants' Derek Holland pitches during the third inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Three-term incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger of North Carolina narrowly lost Tuesday to a Southern Baptist pastor in a GOP primary rematch focused on their evangelical Christian credentials and loyalty to President Donald Trump. Two years ago, the Rev. Mark Harris of Charlotte's First Baptist Church lost by just 134 votes to Pittenger, a wealthy land developer. This time, Harris came out on top by a slightly wider margin, and Clarence Goins of Fayetteville finished third. Pittenger, the first incumbent congressman to lose this year, told supporters he called Harris and conceded. FILE - In this April 20, 2018, file photo, U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC) speaks at an event on tax policy in Charlotte, N.C. Pittenger and the Rev. Mark Harris were only 134 votes apart two years ago in the race for the GOP nomination in a newly redrawn 9th District that attached affluent Charlotte with poor, rural counties along the South Carolina border, then up to Fort Bragg. Harris, the longtime pastor of First Baptist Church in Charlotte, decided to run again this year. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File) Harris, a former president of the Baptist State Convention in North Carolina, now must pivot toward a general election campaign against Iraq War veteran and Harvard graduate Dan McCready, who won Tuesday's Democratic nomination. The focus on Trump could be precarious given the president's tepid approval ratings since winning 54 percent of the vote in the Republican-leaning district in 2016. McCready had $1.2 million in unspent campaign donations in mid-April and was already eyeing the fall vote in the 9th District, which fuses affluent parts of Charlotte and its suburbs with poor, rural counties along the South Carolina border to the edge of Fort Bragg. Pittenger also touted his evangelical credentials: He once worked for Campus Crusade for Christ and talked fondly about connections to the Rev. Billy Graham and his son, the Rev. Franklin Graham. But Harris assailed Pittenger's vote for a March spending bill that ended a brief government shutdown, saying Pittenger wasn't working to get spending under control and sent Trump a bill the president criticized for its largesse. The measure beefed up military spending as Trump sought, but domestic spending demanded by Democrats grew, and the nation's $21 trillion debt is expected to increase. Pittenger said his voting record since getting elected in 2012 reflects a commitment to fiscal responsibility. He said he backed the spending bill because it contained Trump's military request as America faces dangers around the world. Pittenger tried to undermine Harris' full-throated support for Trump. One Pittenger campaign ad used a radio interview from March 2016, when Harris was supporting Ted Cruz in the North Carolina presidential primary, to suggest his rival wanted to stop Trump from being the presidential nominee. At the time, Pittenger was supporting Marco Rubio. Trump didn't endorse either candidate, but Pittenger got to bask in something like his glow when Vice President Mike Pence came to an April campaign rally. On Tuesday, Pittenger got the vote of Joe Jones, a 74-year-old management consultant, who said he believes the congressman would more regularly support Trump. "I like Trump, so I don't want to take an arrow out of Trump's quiver, so to speak, by electing Harris," Jones said. But Harris was the candidate of Ancil Overbey, the 62-year-old CEO of a Gaston County crisis pregnancy center, who steered voters to Harris outside a polling station. "I think he'll be a fiscal conservative," Overbey said. "I think he's concerned with our national debt. I know he's pro-life. I know he's pro-family." ___ Associated Press writer Tom Foreman Jr. in Charlotte, North Carolina, contributed to this report. This photo taken March 21, 2018, shows Rev. Mark Harris. The rematch of an extremely close 2016 North Carolina congressional primary may hinge as much on which Republican candidate more vigorously supports President Donald Trump as who more successfully mobilizes Christian conservatives. Only 134 votes separated U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger and the Rev. Harris two years ago in the race for the Republican nomination in a freshly redrawn 9th District that grafted parts of affluent Charlotte onto poor, rural counties along the South Carolina border and extends north to Fort Bragg, the largest military installation in the world. (John D. Simmons /The Charlotte Observer via AP) This photo taken March 21, 2018, shows Rev. Mark Harris. The rematch of an extremely close 2016 North Carolina congressional primary may hinge as much on which Republican candidate more vigorously supports President Donald Trump as who more successfully mobilizes Christian conservatives. Only 134 votes separated U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger and the Rev. Harris two years ago in the race for the Republican nomination in a freshly redrawn 9th District that grafted parts of affluent Charlotte onto poor, rural counties along the South Carolina border and extends north to Fort Bragg, the largest military installation in the world. (John D. Simmons /The Charlotte Observer via AP) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Wednesday to finalize details of a planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. A look at recent events in U.S.-North Korea relations: Jan. 1, 2017: Kim Jong Un says in a New Year's address that preparations for launching an intercontinental ballistic missile have "reached the final stage." Jan. 2: President-elect Donald Trump tweets, "North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won't happen!" FILE - This July 4, 2017, file photo distributed by the North Korean government shows what was said to be the launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM, in North Korea. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, to finalize details of a planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. North Korea conducts its first flight test of an ICBM, the Hwasong-14, which Kim calls the North's "package of gifts" for the U.S.'s Independence Day.(Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File) July 4: North Korea conducts its first flight test of an ICBM, the Hwasong-14, which Kim calls the North's "package of gifts" for the U.S.'s Independence Day. July 28: A second Hwasong-14 is launched with an estimated range reaching into the U.S. mainland, including cities such as Chicago. Aug. 9: Trump says North Korea had best not make more threats or "they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen." North Korea hours later announces a plan to launch a salvo of missiles toward the U.S. territory of Guam, a major military hub in the Pacific. The North does not carry out on the threat. Aug. 29: An intermediate-range North Korean missile flies over Japan and plunges into the northern Pacific. Sept. 3: North Korea carries out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date, saying it was a hydrogen bomb designed for use on ICBMs. Sept. 19: Trump tells the U.N. General Assembly the United States would "totally destroy North Korea" if forced to defend itself or its allies. He refers to Kim as "Rocket Man" and that he's "on a suicide mission for himself." Sept. 22: Kim accuses Trump of "mentally deranged behavior." He says he will "surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged U. S. dotard with fire." Nov. 29: North Korea's third ICBM test demonstrates a potential range that could reach Washington, D.C. Jan. 1, 2018: Kim says in his New Year's address that he has a nuclear button on his desk, but also calls for improved relations with South Korea. Trump soon responds that he has a bigger and more powerful nuclear button, "and my Button works!" Jan. 9: North and South Korean officials meet in the border village of Panmunjom, and agree on North Korea sending athletes and delegates to the Winter Olympics taking place in the South the following month. March 7: A top South Korean official visits Pyongyang and says Kim is willing to discuss the fate of his nuclear arsenal with the United States and has expressed a readiness to suspend nuclear and missile tests during such talks. March 9: Trump accepts Kim's invitation to meet, which the White House says will take place by the end of May. March 27: Kim makes a surprise visit to Beijing for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in an apparent move to strengthen his leverage ahead of his negotiations with Trump. April 18: Trump confirmed that Pompeo, then the CIA chief, secretly met with Kim in North Korea and said "a good relationship was formed" heading into the adversaries' anticipated summit. April 21: North Korea says it has suspended nuclear and long-range missile tests and plans to close its nuclear test site as part of a move to shift its national focus and improve its economy. Trump tweeted, "This is very good news for North Korea and the World" and "big progress!" April 27: Kim holds a summit meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. May 7: Kim meets Xi again in China's Dailan and calls for stronger "strategic cooperation" between the traditional allies amid shifts in the region's political environment. May 9: Pompeo arrives in Pyongyang for meetings ahead of Trump's planned summit with Kim. The Kim-Trump meeting is anticipated for May or June. FILE - In this Sept. 3, 2017 file photo, a man watches a TV news program on a public screen showing an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un while reporting North Korea's possible nuclear test in Tokyo, Japan. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, to finalize details of a planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File) FILE - This combination of two file photos shows U.S. President Donald Trump, left, speaking during a roundtable discussion on tax cuts in Cleveland, Ohio, May 5, 2018 and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, talking with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Panmunjom, South Korea, April 27, 2018. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, to finalize details of a planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, Korea Summit Press Pool via AP, File) FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2017 file photo, people walk by a TV news program reporting North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo, Japan. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, to finalize details of a planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. On Aug. 29, 2017, an intermediate-range North Korean missile flies over Japan and plunges into the northern Pacific. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File) FILE - In this April 27, 2018 file photo, 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. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Wednesday, May 9, to finalize details of a planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP, File) KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, killing at least five people and wounding 16, officials said. Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak said a total of eight suicide bombers took part in the attacks, one of which was claimed by the Islamic State group and the other by the Taliban. In the first attack, in western Kabul, the attackers hurled hand grenades and blew themselves up, setting part of the station on fire, Barmak said, adding that a third suicide bomber was shot and killed by police. He said two police were killed in the attack and two police and a civilian were wounded. IS claimed the attack in a brief statement carried by its Aamaq news agency. Afghan security personnel inspect at the site of suicide attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) The second attack unfolded in the city center, where a suicide bomber struck the entrance to a police station in order to clear the way for another four bombers. Barmak said "two or three" more attackers were holed up in a nearby building, trading fire with security forces. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to media. Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said a total of seven people were killed and 17 wounded in the attacks, with the toll expected to rise. Both the Taliban and IS frequently target Afghanistan's Western-backed government and security forces. Twin suicide bombings claimed by IS last week killed at least 25 people, including nine journalists who had rushed to the scene of the first attack. It was the deadliest assault on reporters since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban advanced on a district compound, officials said Wednesday, with one reporting the capture of the northern district by the insurgents and another saying heavy fighting was still underway. The battle for the compound in the Bilchirgh district, in the northern Faryab province, came a day after the insurgents captured the district compound in the remote Tala wa Barfak district, in the northern Baghlan province. The Taliban have captured several districts in different parts of the country from Afghan security forces since 2014, when the U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission and shifted to a supporting role. Mohammad Hashim, a member of parliament from Faryab province, said the Taliban captured the district headquarters in Bilchirgh early Wednesday after more than 40 security forces retreated under heavy fire. He said the Taliban also captured several villages nearby. Provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yuresh said the fighting is still underway and that government forces still hold the compound. The Taliban issued a statement saying they control the district and claiming to have killed 10 security forces. The Taliban also attacked a school being used as a voter registration center, killing eight soldiers in the latest in a series of attacks targeting preparations for elections later this year. Abdul Aziz Beg, head of the governing council in the western Badghis province, said two other soldiers were wounded and one is missing. "There are many areas in the province under a high security threat, and this site was one of those areas," he said, adding that the center was some 30 kilometers (20 miles) west of the provincial capital of Qala-e Now. In the eastern Nangarhar province, a rocket fired by insurgents struck a market, killing two people and wounding 19, according to Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor. He said another four other civilians were killed and 15 wounded in a gunbattle in the same district, in which two insurgents were killed and seven wounded. It was unclear who was behind the attacks, but the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are both active in the province. ___ Associated Press writer Amir Shah contributed to this report. Afghan security personnel inspect at the site of a suicide attack, in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel inspect at the site of a suicide attack, in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel inspect at the site of a suicide attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) An Afghan security personnel stands at the site of a suicide attack, in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel inspect the area of a suicide attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) An Afghan man left, runs from a site of a suicide attack, in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghans run from the site of a suicide attack, in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel inspect the area of a suicide attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Ambulances arrive in the area of a suicide attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel inspect the area of a suicide attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Ambulances are parked near the area of a suicide attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Hours after Indiana Republicans selected wealthy former state lawmaker Mike Braun as their Senate nominee, Democrats were hard at work using the harsh rhetoric from a nasty GOP primary race against him. An online ad by the Democrat-affiliated group American Bridge, released shortly after Braun clinched the nomination, previewed what could be a major line of attack. Titled "Can't Trust Mike Braun," the ad repackages blistering criticisms from GOP Reps. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer, who were defeated Tuesday. The clip includes everything from their attacks on Braun's vote in the Indiana Legislature to raise taxes, to Chinese goods imported by his national auto parts distribution business. Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun thanks supporters after winning the republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. Braun advances to a November matchup with Democrat Joe Donnelly, who is considered one of the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) "He imports from China and Mexico, then displaces Hoosier workers," Rokita said in one snippet. In another, Messer asks: "How can any Hoosier conservative trust you?" Whether that will prove effective in a general election campaign that could top $100 million is far from certain. Still, it's the kind of attack some Republicans worry could jeopardize their chances in November of taking down Democrat Joe Donnelly, who is widely considered one of the most vulnerable Senate incumbents. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have scheduled a campaign rally on Thursday - just two days after the primary, signaling a push to unify the GOP behind Braun. That visit - in Elkhart, near Donnelly's home turf - will be followed next week with another visit to the state by Pence, Indiana's former governor. Braun's campaign did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. But he didn't seem to show any concern Tuesday night while basking in the glow of supporters after his double-digit victory. Braun said his victory is a sign voters are disenchanted with "business as usual" and pointed to several other Republican "outsider" senators who entered politics from the business world. "If we get enough of us there, I think we'll actually start to solve some of these issues that have been vexing politicians," Braun said. Democrats, who need to retain seats like Donnelly's and make gains elsewhere to regain Senate control, have cautioned Republicans that they shouldn't get too cocky. While the GOP candidates were tearing each other apart for the better part of a year, Donnelly was flying under the radar and raising money. In recent days, he has been touring the state in an RV, a campaign move borrowed from popular former GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels. On Tuesday, Donnelly said he was puzzled by Braun's claim of being an outsider, telling reporters, "as far as I know he served in the state Legislature." He also questioned the campaign's focus on loyalty to Trump, stating that his own campaign would be about issues like jobs and health care. At the same time, he highlighted his record of bipartisanship and noted that he often votes in line with the president. "The people of Indiana are my boss," he said. "You don't work for the president, you don't work for a party - you work for the people of Indiana." Braun's victory was an outcome few expected when he launched his campaign in August against the more established political brands of Messer and Rokita. Part of Braun's success hinged on a more than $5 million loan he made to his campaign, which was used to carpet bomb television with ads characterizing himself as an "outsider." Tom Mote, 66, of Indianapolis voted for Braun. But he was less optimistic about his party's chances of beating Donnelly in November. "Donnelly's been very low-key and not very controversial," said Mote. "It's hard to beat an incumbent." Over the past year, Braun and other Republicans have attacked Donnelly over stock he held in a family business that outsourced jobs to Mexico - stock the longtime outsourcing critic sold in the wake of a story by The Associated Press on the arrangement. But Braun, too, has his own liabilities when it comes to free trade, with records showing that his company regularly does business with manufacturers in China. Republicans insist the two situations are different and said they have no intention of letting up on the issue. "Mike has spent his career creating jobs for Hoosiers, while (Donnelly) profited from his family business's outsourcing, even as he called the practice 'un-American,'" said National Republican Senate Committee spokesman Bob Salera. "Hoosiers will continue to be reminded of Mexico Joe's blatant hypocrisy." Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun and his wife Maureen greets supporters after winning the republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun enters with his wife Maureen to celebrate with supporters after winning the Republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. Braun advances to a November matchup with Democrat Joe Donnelly, who is considered one of the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun thanks supporters after winning the republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. Braun advances to a November matchup with Democrat Joe Donnelly, who is considered one of the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) WASHINGTON (AP) - The former security chief for EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is offering a different reason Pruitt and his staff missed a flight during a trip to Morocco last year. Congressional aides tell The Associated Press that the retired security chief explained to Hill staffers that a weapons glitch led to the delay. They say Pasquale "Nino" Perrotta told them that the security detail's weapons and other gear couldn't be transferred between planes in time. The EPA has blamed weather for the delay. FILE - In this Thursday, April 26, 2018, file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt listens to questions as he testifies before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. On a trip to Morocco in 2017, Pruitt and his staff missed a connecting flight and spent a day in Paris because his security detail's weapons and other gear couldn't be transferred between planes in time. That's according to what his former security chief told congressional investigators. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) While it is true that Pruitt's departure from Washington was delayed by snow, a review of flight records by the AP shows he could have made a connecting flight and a reserved back-up flight to Morocco if not for the complications over his security team's weapons and gear. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's CIA nominee said Wednesday at her confirmation hearing that she doesn't believe torture works as an interrogation technique and that her "strong moral compass" would prevent her from carrying out any presidential order she found objectionable. Under questioning by members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, acting CIA Director Gina Haspel said she would not permit the spy agency to restart the kind of harsh detention and interrogation program it ran at black sites after Sept. 11. It was one of the darkest chapters of the CIA's history and tainted America's image worldwide. Senators asked how she would respond if Trump - who has said he supports harsh interrogation techniques like waterboarding and "a hell of a lot worse" - ordered her to do something she found morally objectionable. CIA nominee Gina Haspel testifies during a confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) "I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal," said Haspel, a 33-year veteran of the agency. "I would absolutely not permit it." When asked if she agrees with the president's assertion that torture works, Haspel said: "I don't believe that torture works." She added that she doesn't think Trump would ask the CIA to resume waterboarding, which simulates drowning. Haspel, vying to become the first female CIA director, faces what will likely be a close confirmation vote in the full Senate. While she has deep experience, her nomination is contentious because she was chief of base of a covert detention site in Thailand where terror suspects were waterboarded. There also have been questions about how she drafted a cable that her boss used to order the destruction of videotapes of interrogation sessions conducted at the site. After the hearing, Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a leading voice against harsh interrogation, issued a statement urging his colleagues to vote against Haspel's confirmation. "I believe Gina Haspel is a patriot who loves our country and has devoted her professional life to its service and defense. However, Ms. Haspel's role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture's immorality is disqualifying," said McCain, who was detained and beaten in prison during the Vietnam War. He is at home in Arizona while battling brain cancer and is not expected to be able to vote. While it's unclear what effect McCain's stance will have on Haspel's confirmation, his views carry clout as a voice of principle from the only senator now serving who has been held captive during wartime. Protesters disrupted the hearing shouting, "Prosecute the torturers!" and "Bloody Gina!" Haspel remained stone-faced as police escorted them out of the room. "I realize that there are strong disagreements on the effectiveness of the CIA's detention and interrogation program," Haspel wrote in answers to more than 100 questions submitted by committee members and released at her hearing. "In my view - a view shared by all nine former directors and acting directors - the CIA was able to collect valuable intelligence that contributed to the prevention of further terrorist attacks. That said, it is impossible to know whether the CIA could have obtained the same information in another way," she wrote. She also said there is little question that the program harmed CIA officers who participated and that it damaged U.S. relations with allies. Being in the public spotlight is new for Haspel. She spent more than 30 years working undercover, acquiring secret information from dead drops and at meetings in dusty back alleys of third-world capitals. Still, the 61-year-old intelligence professional portrayed herself as a "typical middle-class American" with a "strong sense of right and wrong." She said she was born in Kentucky as the eldest of five children. While her family has deep roots there, she grew up as an Air Force brat, following her father to postings all over the world. She staunchly defended her role in the 2005 destruction of the videotapes. She said that she never saw the videos and was not depicted on them, but that the destruction was important at the time to protect the CIA personnel showed on the tapes from being targeted by militants. She said, however, that she would not support destroying them today. The Justice Department investigated the destruction of the tapes, but no charges were filed. Six Democratic senators wrote Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday saying that all senators should be able to see the Justice Department's investigative report on the destruction of the tapes. The Democrats wrote that they "believe that no senator can consider Ms. Haspel's nomination in good conscience without first reviewing this document." The CIA investigated too. Last month, the CIA released a 2011 memo summarizing a disciplinary review conducted by then-CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell. He said that while Haspel was one of the two officers "directly involved in the decision to destroy the tapes," he "found no fault" with what she did. While the CIA director technically reports to the director of national intelligence, Haspel would be the face of the nation's top spy agency and a top Trump adviser. She has received strong backing from former top intelligence officials and most Republicans. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., also announced his support Wednesday. But Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, who announced he will vote against Haspel, and several Democrats on the committee said they thought she was not as forthcoming in her responses as they had hoped. Haspel's opponents outside Congress include Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. More than 100 former U.S. ambassadors who served both Republican and Democratic presidents sent the Senate a letter opposing Haspel, saying that despite her credentials, confirming her would give authoritarian leaders around the world the license to say U.S. behavior is "no different from ours." The CIA director position opened up after Mike Pompeo was named secretary of state. ___ Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. A protester is removed by Capitol Police officers during confirmation hearing for Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, at the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, smiles as she testifies at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Washington. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) A protester is removed by Capitol Police officers as she shouts at Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., right, questions Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, as she testifies at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, testifies at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) CIA nominee Gina Haspel is greeted by Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., before a confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., right, questions Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, as she testifies at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) CIA nominee Gina Haspel testifies during a confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) CIA nominee Gina Haspel, center, with Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., left, and Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., right, are seated prior to the confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. Bayh, right, is reaching out to shake hands with committee chairman Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Malachy Kilbride, of Camp Springs, Md., center, holds a sign against the nomination of Gina Haspel to head the CIA, Wednesday, May 9, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington, as two protesters wear orange jumpsuits and black hoods to represent Guantanamo detainees. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, pauses while testifying at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) A man in the audience is removed after disrupting Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, as she testifies at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Washington (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) CIA nominee Gina Haspel greets supporters at the conclusion of the confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) CIA nominee Gina Haspel testifies during a confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) CIA nominee Gina Haspel testifies during a confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) A protester is removed during a confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee for CIA nominee Gina Haspel on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The nearly 40 million Americans who are expected to hit the road for the Fourth of July holiday have been warned about the surge in criminals stealing credit information at gas pumps. The Secret Service said the criminals are installing a tiny device called a skimmer inside gas pumps. Skimmers steal more than a billion dollars from US consumers annually, money that often funds organized crime, according to the agency. Most credit card skimmers work by installing an extra 'read head' inside or outside a machine. The nearly 40 million Americans who are expected to hit the road for the Fourth of July holiday have been warned about the surge in criminals stealing credit information at gas pumps (file image) The Secret Service said the criminals are installing a tiny device called a skimmer (top left) inside gas pumps. Skimmers steal more than a billion dollars from US consumers annually, money that often funds organized crime, according to the agency This extra read head allows criminals to make a copy of the card's information as a consumer swipes it. But authorities are working on ways to combat the problem. Patrick Traynor, a cybersecurity expert and professor at University of Florida, said a new technology called the Skim Reaper was built to detect when more than one read head is present. Traynor, who had his own information stolen while he was in New York, has been working with police for several months to help identify a way to detect credit card skimmers on ATMS. After three years of study, Traynor and two Florida graduate students invented the Skim Reaper, a credit-card thin gadget that slides into card reader slots and can easily and quickly detect if an ATM or gas pump has been compromised. The New York Police Department is testing the Skim Reaper with some early success in its effort to rid the streets of the pervasive devices. Authorities are now working on ways to combat the problem. Patrick Traynor, a cybersecurity expert and professor at University of Florida, said a new technology called the Skim Reaper (pictured) was built to detect when more than one read head is present The New York Police Department is testing the Skim Reaper (pictured) with some early success in its effort to rid the streets of the pervasive devices The AP was given exclusive access to the lab where the Skim Reaper was made, as well as NYPD tests of it in the field. The NYPD has four full-time, trained detectives tasked with finding credit-card skimmers installed on ATMs at bodegas, but say the problem is too widespread to be stopped with those resources. 'The problem is that it's transient, they come in and place the device and move on. In early January we were getting killed,' Deputy Inspector Christopher Flanagan of the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force said, referring to a January spike in skimming-related crimes. In February, Traynor gave NYPD five Skim Reapers to test. The device looks like a long credit card that can be slid into a card slot in a gas pump or ATM. It's attached by a wire to a cellphone-sized box with a small readout screen that says 'possible skimmer!' when multiple read heads are detected. After three years of study, Traynor and two Florida graduate students (pictured) invented the Skim Reaper, a credit-card thin gadget that slides into card reader slots and can easily and quickly detect if an ATM or gas pump has been compromised Part of the attraction to the Skim Reaper is its simplicity. Flanagan said officers in New York recently found the first skimmer using the device at an ATM in Brooklyn. 'I've been doing skimming for approximately five years now and I have never used anything like this or have known of anything like this,' said NYPD Det James Lilla of the Financial Crimes Taskforce. 'It's definitely an assist we can use to combat ATM skimming.' The advent of debit and credit cards with protective chips that inserted into special readers have helped some retail businesses combat skimming. But the higher cost of the new readers and complexity of switching over to a new technology has been an obstacle for small retail businesses and gas stations where criminals have flourished. Steven Weisman, a cybersecurity expert and professor at Bentley University in Massachusetts, said the Skim Reaper could be a 'revolutionary, watershed moment' in the battle against skimmers. 'If indeed this new technology could be done on a cost effective basis, it could put the skimmers out of business. It would save people tremendous amounts of money and aggravation,' Weisman said. Right now, it costs about $50 to make each Skim Reaper, Traynor said, but his team is working daily to get that number down. A researcher in a lab at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, holds a magnetic credit card 'read head' that is used to read information from cards during retail transactions Detective James Lilla, with the New York Police Department's Financial Crimes Task Force, uses a detection device that indicates if a credit card skimmer is in use at an ATM machine at a New York convenience store A variety of tools used to skim information from credit cards are displayed at the office of the New York Police Department's Financial Crimes Task Force In New York, NYPD's Flanagan said more testing needs to be done but he is impressed with early results. Mainly, it allows untrained officers to be employed in the anti-skimming effort, where before trained investigators were needed to identify the illegal devices. 'I have four detectives who do the ATM skimming full time,' he said. 'They're all extremely busy with the amount of work we do, so when I can take someone who is untrained, or has some more free time to go out and do these inspections, it certainly is a help.' Nolen Scaife, one of the graduate students who designed the device with Traynor, said the team is working to improve the Skim Reaper's design so that it is wallet-sized. Then, consumers would be able to carry the device and dip it into a card reader before they get gas or use the ATM to ensure they aren't being skimmed. 'There's no greater feeling than feeling the work you're doing has wide-ranging impact,' Scaife said. 'We're glad to be able to produce something that will curb the tide.' TOKYO (AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. reported Wednesday that its quarterly profit rose 21 percent as cost cuts and booming sales in some markets offset the toll from higher U.S. incentives. January-March profit at Toyota, which makes the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, totaled 480.8 billion yen ($4.4 billion), up from 398 billion yen the same quarter the previous year. Quarterly sales rose nearly 2 percent to 7.58 trillion yen ($69 billion). The absence of past costs related to the massive Takata air-bag inflator recall, which has slammed automakers around the world, also helped results, said Koji Kobayashi, Toyota's executive vice president and chief financial officer. FILE- This Feb. 15, 2018, file photo shows the Toyota logo on the trunk of a 2018 Toyota Prius on display at the Pittsburgh Auto Show. Toyota Motor Corp. is reporting its quarterly profit rose 21 percent as cost cuts and booming sales in some markets offset the damage from higher U.S. incentives. Toyota, which makes the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, reported Wednesday, May 9, 2018, January-March profit of 480.8 billion yen ($4.4 billion), up from 398 billion yen the same quarter the previous year. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) Toyota reported a 2.49 trillion yen ($23 billion) profit for the fiscal year, up 36 percent on-year, on 29.38 trillion yen ($268 billion) sales, up 6 percent. Toyota released results before the Tokyo markets closed, which was surprising. Many big Japanese companies wait until after trading ends to announce earnings - a practice that has been standard for decades. Kobayashi, tapped by President and Chief Executive Akio Toyoda to help guide Japan's top automaker, said the company hopes to grow leaner, staying true to its practice of valuing grassroots input from its workers - a trademark Toyota work style that has inspired manufacturers around the world. Much waste still could be eliminated, he said, pointing to the custom of "nemawashi," the traditional Japanese effort to form a consensus before making a decision. The company also creates a lot of internal reference materials that no one really looks at, he said. "All workers must think like a Toyota person," he told reporters. Toyota will pursue growth with a strategy of seeing itself as a "mobility company," not just an automaker, spending aggressively on research, according to the company. It is banking on artificial intelligence and networking technology, as in connected and self-driving vehicles, to woo consumers. All top automakers and many technology companies are working on similar products and services. Ecological vehicles are another area where competition is heating up. Toyota leads the world in selling gas-electric hybrid vehicles, but has lagged in electric vehicles. It has been working hard to catch up in recent years. Toyoda called his new management team "the seven samurai," after the Akira Kurosawa film classic. He said he hopes to turn the major changes happening in the auto industry into a big opportunity for the company. Being a "mobility company" means more than pushing ahead with more of the same, but pursuing "a future that we forge ourselves," he added. Just like his grandfather Kiichiro Toyoda turned a loom company into an automaker, he must also take up new challenges, Akio Toyoda said. "We will do more than just survive. We will build toward the future," he said. In the fiscal year through March, Toyota sold 10.44 million vehicles around the world, up from 10.25 million vehicles the previous fiscal year. It expects to sell 10.5 million vehicles for the year through March 2019, with sales growing in regions other than its main U.S., Japanese and European markets, such as South America and Africa. ___ Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama Her work can be found at https://www.apnews.com/search/yuri%20kageyama Toyota's President and Chief Executive Akio Toyoda delivers a speech during a news conference on the automaker's quarterly result in Tokyo Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Toyota Motor Corp. reported Wednesday that its quarterly profit rose 21 percent as cost cuts and booming sales in some markets offset the toll from higher U.S. incentives. (Masanobu Kumagai/Kyodo News via AP)/Kyodo News via AP) Koji Kobayashi, right, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Corp., and Senior Managing Officer Masayoshi Shirayanagi, attend a press conference on the automaker's quarterly result in Tokyo Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Toyota Motor Corp. is reporting its quarterly profit rose 21 percent as cost cuts and booming sales in some markets offset the damage from higher U.S. incentives. Toyota, which makes the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, reported Wednesday January-March profit of 480.8 billion yen ($4.4 billion), up from 398 billion yen the same quarter the previous year. (Kyodo News via AP) CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Republican voters rejected ex-convict Don Blankenship in a West Virginia Senate primary in which he sold himself as "Trumpier than Trump" but was vigorously opposed by Trump himself. GOP voters in Indiana, meanwhile, chose wealthy businessman Mike Braun over two sitting congressmen to lead the party's charge against a vulnerable Democratic senator in the fall. President Donald Trump and his allies cheered the West Virginia result, which helped avert a potential political disaster for a GOP already bracing for major losses in the November midterm elections. Trump said on Twitter Wednesday that Republicans "had a great night." He added: "Tremendous voter energy and excitement, and all candidates are those who have a great chance of winning in November." Denise Morrisey stands next to her husband, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, as he speaks at his campaign headquarters Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Kearnesville, W.Va. (Ron Agnir/The Journal via AP) In both cases, Trump's party appears to have avoided the missteps that doomed candidates in high-profile Senate races in the past. Clinging to a 2-seat Senate majority, Republicans are well positioned to challenge at least two Senate Democrats this fall - West Virginia's Joe Manchin and Indiana's Joe Donnelly - who are facing re-election in the heart of Trump country. The day's slate of early season elections tested the limits of the anti-establishment fervor that has defined the Trump era. Hopelessly behind in West Virginia, Blankenship conceded defeat in the contest to determine Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's general election challenger. The Republican president fought in the campaign's final days to defeat Blankenship, a retired coal executive, who remained popular among some West Virginia Republicans despite having served a year in prison for his role in a deadly mine disaster and attacked the Asian heritage of the top Senate Republican's wife. State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey claimed the nomination instead, promoting his record of challenging policies of the administration of former President Barack Obama and deflecting criticism of his roots in New Jersey, where he lost a 2000 congressional race. "Mr. President, if you're watching right now, let me tell you, your tweet was huge," Morrisey said in his nomination address, referring to Trump's election eve call for voters to shun Blankenship's candidacy. "You've been to the state now four times. I'd like you to come back as many times as you can between now and November." Vice President Mike Pence congratulated Morrisey on Twitter, saying, "The great people of WV need a senator who supports the #MAGA agenda." The key Senate contests headlined primary elections across four states on Tuesday that will help shape the political landscape in this fall's midterm elections. Control of Congress is at stake in addition to state governments across the nation. In a possible sign of party unrest, however, Rep. Robert Pittenger lost in North Carolina to the Rev. Mark Harris, a Baptist pastor he narrowly beat two years ago. Pittenger is the first incumbent to lose his seat this primary season. In most cases, the Republican candidates on the ballot had competed to be seen as the most conservative, the most anti-Washington and the most loyal to the Republican president. In Indiana, Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly will face off in November against Braun, a multimillionaire owner of a national auto parts distribution business who loaned more than $5.4 million of his own money to his campaign. Braun credited his victory to voter disenchantment with "business as usual" and said he hoped to join other Republican senators who came from outside politics. Another Indiana contest was less contentious: Greg Pence won the primary for the congressional seat his younger brother, Vice President Mike Pence, once held. Greg Pence is a Marine veteran and owner of two antique malls who once ran the now-bankrupt chain of Tobacco Road convenience stores. He'll be the favorite to win the seat in November. In Ohio's high-profile governor's race, Democrats nominated Obama-era consumer watchdog Richard Cordray while Republicans selected state Attorney General Mike DeWine. An Ohio state senator won the Republican primary to succeed retiring Rep. Pat Tiberi. The race had become a proxy fight between Tiberi, a GOP moderate, and conservative Republican Rep. Jim Jordan. Tiberi's candidate, Troy Balderson of Zanesville pulled out a win. And on the local level, a woman who accused Trump of sexually harassing her more than a decade ago claimed the Democratic nomination in a race to represent an area southeast of Toledo in the state House of Representatives. Democrat Rachel Crooks, a 35-year-old university administrator, ran unopposed, but must next win a November general election to become the first Trump accuser to hold elected office. A bright spot for Republicans in swing-state Ohio: GOP turnout was considerably stronger than Democratic voting in the open governor's race. With nearly two-thirds of the vote counted, 567, 000 Republicans cast votes, to 412,000 Democrats. U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, with Trump's support, won the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. Yet none of Tuesday's other contests was expected to have more impact on the midterm landscape than West Virginia, where Blankenship had embraced Trump's tactics - casting himself as a victim of government persecution and seizing on xenophobia, if not racism - to stand out in a crowded Republican field that included Attorney General Morrisey and Congressman Evan Jenkins. Before his loss was official, Blankenship promised to explore his options in the general election - including whether state election law might allow him to launch a third-party bid that could undermine Morrisey's candidacy. State officials noted that West Virginia's "sore loser" law leaves Blankenship with virtually no option to run in the general election. No matter Tuesday's winner, Trump's team was keeping pressure on Manchin. A pro-Trump political action committee America First was airing ads promoting Gina Haspel, Trump's nominee to be CIA director, and urging residents to call Manchin to support her confirmation. Manchin coasted to the Democratic nomination, but he remains a top Republican target this fall. Speaking Tuesday night at his Charleston headquarters, he said he expects Trump to get involved in the contest, despite Manchin's "good relationship" with the president. The Democrat said he would campaign as he always has: a bipartisan problem solver who works "for West Virginians." Trump and his party invested significant time and resources to attack Blankenship in recent weeks. The head of the Senate Republican campaign arm highlighted Blankenship's criminal history. And a group allied with the national GOP, known as Mountain Families PAC, spent more than $1.2 million in attack ads against Blankenship. The retired businessman was released less than a year ago from a prison term for a 2010 mine explosion that left 29 men dead. Blankenship led the company that owned the mine and was sentenced to a year in prison for conspiring to break safety laws, a misdemeanor. He repeatedly blamed government regulators for the disaster, casting himself as the victim of an overzealous Obama-era Justice Department - an argument Trump regularly uses to dismiss federal agents investigating his campaign's ties to Russia. Even as Blankenship rebuffed Trump's criticism this week, he described himself as "Trumpier than Trump" and played up his outsider credentials. "We just started from so far behind with the hangover of the explosion we couldn't make it up," Blankenship said late Tuesday, noting that the probation stemming from his prison term would formally end in a matter of minutes. "I haven't really thought about what I'm going to do tomorrow," he continued. "Probation ends at 12:01 a.m. tonight. Tomorrow, I may be in Aruba before sunset. I don't know." ___ Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Charleston, West Virginia, and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report. GOP Senate candidate and former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship speaks to the media about current polling results in the Marriott Charleston Town Center on the night of primary Election Day in Charleston, W.Va., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. (Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun and his wife Maureen greets supporters after winning the republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) FILE - In this March 21, 2018, file photo, Rev. Mark Harris speaks in Charlotte, N.C. Three-term incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger of North Carolina narrowly lost Tuesday, May 8, 2018, to Harris, a Southern Baptist pastor, in a GOP primary rematch focused on their evangelical Christian credentials and loyalty to President Donald Trump. (John D. Simmons /The Charlotte Observer via AP, File) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray shakes hands with supporters during an election night event Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. Republican Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, one of the state's best-known politicians, and Democrat Richard Cordray, who headed the federal consumer protection bureau under President Barack Obama, prevailed Tuesday to head into a fall faceoff to succeed Republican Gov. John Kasich. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) JERUSALEM (AP) - Iranian forces based in Syria fired 20 rockets at Israeli front-line military positions in the Golan Heights early Thursday, the Israeli military said, triggering a heavy Israeli reprisal and escalating already heightened tensions in what appeared to be the most serious violence in years. The Israeli military said its Iron Dome rocket defense system intercepted some of the incoming projectiles, while others caused only minimal damage. There were no Israeli casualties. Syria's capital of Damascus shook with sounds of explosions just before dawn, and firing by Syrian air defenses over the city was heard throughout the night. An Israeli official said Israel was targeting Iranian positions inside Syria. Syria's state news agency SANA quoted a Syrian military official as saying Israeli missiles hit air defense positions, radar stations and a weapons warehouse, but claiming most incoming rockets were intercepted. This frame grab from video provided on Wednesday, May, 9, 2018 by Syria News, shows people standing in front of flames rising after an attack on an area known to have numerous Syrian army military bases, in Kisweh, south of Damascus, Syria on Tuesday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing nine people. (Syria News, via AP) The Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted an unidentified security official as saying Israel's attacks inside Syria were the most extensive since the two nations signed a disengagement agreement after the October war of 1973. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said earlier that Iran's Al Quds force fired the rockets at several Israeli bases, though he would not say how Israel determined the Iranian involvement. The incoming attack set off air raid sirens in the Israeli-controlled Golan, which was captured from Syria in the 1967 war. Israel "views this Iranian attack very severely," Conricus told reporters. He said Israel had responded, but did not provide details. "This event is not over," he said. Syria's state media said Syrian air defenses intercepted "hostile Israeli missiles" early Thursday that were fired over southwestern Damascus. Hours later, state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV broadcast a live feed of Syrian air defenses firing into the sky above the capital, and loud explosions and air defense firing were heard through the night. Syrian activists reported Israeli airstrikes hitting targets near Damascus. One video posted online showed a large explosion and shrapnel flying in the air. Residents reported loud sounds that rocked their buildings. It was not immediately clear what was hit. An Israeli army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said on Twitter that Israel was "acting against Iranian targets inside Syria," a rare admission by an Israeli official. Al-Ikhbariya TV said Israel also targeted military posts in southern Suweida province, including an air base, and struck near Homs in central Syria. The state TV station said the attacks were foiled. Iranian officials offered no immediate comment on Israel's claim about the missile fire. Iranian state media reported on the attack and the subsequent Israeli strikes in Syria, relying on foreign news reports. Syrian media earlier said the hostilities began with Israeli fire at Syrian positions in southern Syria from across the border. Pro-Syrian media said Syrian missiles then fired at Israeli forces. One TV station, Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen, said at least 50 missiles were fired from Syria at Israeli forces in the Golan Heights. Al-Ikhbariya TV said missiles targeted 10 Israeli positions. Syrian media said it was the first time in years that Syrians had fired at Israeli forces in the Golan Heights. Israel has been on heightened alert in recent days, anticipating an Iranian attack following Iranian vows to retaliate to what it says are recent Israeli strikes in Syria targeting Iranian outposts. Late Tuesday, Syrian state media said Israel struck a military outpost near the capital of Damascus. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, killing at least 15 people, eight of them Iranians. Last month, an attack on Syria's T4 air base in Homs province killed seven Iranian military personnel. On April 30, Israel was said to have struck government outposts in northern Syria, killing more than a dozen pro-government fighters, many of them Iranians. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied most of the airstrikes. But for months, it has repeatedly said 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 entered Israeli airspace. Israel responded by attacking anti-aircraft positions in Syria, but an Israeli warplane was shot down during the battle. Iranian forces moved into Syria after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011 to back the forces of President Bashar Assad. As that war winds down, and Assad appears to be headed toward victory, Israel fears that Iran, along with tens of thousands of Iranian-backed Shiite militiamen, will carry out attacks against Israel. President Donald Trump's announcement Tuesday that the U.S. was withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Moscow on Wednesday to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discuss military coordination in Syria. Russia has also sent forces to Syria to back Assad. But Israel and Russia have maintained close communications to prevent their air forces from coming into conflict. Together with Putin, Netanyahu toured a parade celebrating the anniversary of the World War II victory over the Nazis and then met the Russian president at the Kremlin for consultations. After 10 hours together, Netanyahu said he conveyed Israel's obligation to defend itself against Iranian aggression. "I think that matters were presented in a direct and forthright manner, and this is important. These matters are very important to Israel's security at all times and especially at this time," he said. Israel views Iran as its archenemy, citing Iran's calls for Israel's destruction, support for militant groups across the region and growing military activity in neighboring Syria. Israel has warned that it will not allow Iran to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. Israel's military went on high alert Tuesday and bomb shelters were ordered open in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights following reports of "irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria." After an uneventful night, the military on Wednesday called on residents to return to "full civilian routine," meaning studies and excursions would continue as usual, although the shelters would remain open. Amos Gilead, a retired senior Israeli defense official, told a security conference in the coastal town of Herzliya that Iran's intentions in Syria meant a wider conflagration may only be a matter of time. "They want to build a second Hezbollah-stan," he said, referring to the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group that last fought a war with Israel in 2006. "They are determined to do it and we are determined to prevent it. It means we are on a collision course." ___ Associated Press writers Sarah El Deeb and Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report. This photo released on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows flames rising after an attack in an area known to have numerous Syrian army military bases, in Kisweh, south of Damascus, Syria. Syrian state-run media said Israel struck a military outpost near the capital Damascus on Tuesday, saying its air defenses intercepted and destroyed two of the incoming missiles. The reported attack came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, calling Tehran a main exporter of terrorism in the region. (SANA via AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talk to each other during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. (Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool Photo via AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. (Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool Photo via AP) LOS ANGELES (AP) - One of the purported sons of Charles Manson could soon be out of the legal battle over the late cult leader's estate after failing to show up in court. Matthew Lentz, who claims he was fathered by Manson at a 1967 orgy, looked disheveled and frazzled when he arrived Tuesday at Los Angeles Superior Court after the brief hearing concluded in the probate case of the late cult leader. Another supposed son, Michael Brunner, filed papers to drop his claims as an alleged heir to the convicted murderer. If the two drop out, it would pit a purported grandson against a pen pal who has filed a will that names him as sole beneficiary to the potentially lucrative estate. Matthew Lentz, who says he was fathered by convicted murderer Charles Manson at an orgy, stands outside Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday, May 8, 2018. He carried letters he said Manson sent him from prison and hoped to show them to a judge at a hearing over claims on Manson's estate. But he arrived too late for the hearing, and has until July 13 to show cause why he shouldn't be dismissed from the case. (AP Photo/Brian Melley) At least three people claiming kinship to the killer and two so-called murderabilia collectors who befriended the inmate have emerged in the court fight since Manson, 83, died in a hospital in November while serving a life sentence for orchestrating the 1969 killings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and eight others. Lentz, who doesn't have a lawyer, lamented his late arrival and said he feared he would be out of luck because he had hoped to forge an alliance with Brunner, who has been represented by counsel. "I blew it," Lentz said outside court. "I wasted how many years of my life for this dumb crap? For what?" Lentz is listed as sole beneficiary in a 2017 will that names memorabilia collector Ben Gurecki as executor. Others have claimed the will is a fraud. Wearing an inside-out plaid shirt, Lentz clenched a hard plastic case overflowing with the rambling letters from Manson that he hoped would sway a judge to believe he was his son. "You got the same father I got - a Hobo just left on a midnight train," one letter said. "Your mom's father ran me off saying you bad bandit OUTLAW BIKE TRASH - stay out of her life. It's not that I didn't care. It was free love and you paid the price." Lentz, a musician, said he was hoping to get the rights to a song Manson said he wrote for him. The judge said Lentz had until a July 13 hearing to show why he shouldn't be dismissed from the case. A lawyer for Brunner filed papers to dismiss his case. Attorney Daniel Mortensen was not in court and did not return phone calls seeking comment on why he was dropping out. Brunner's mother was a former Manson family member and he is widely believed to be Manson's offspring. Mary Brunner was in jail on credit card fraud case in August 1969 when Manson instructed his followers to carry out killings that he hoped would spawn a race war. Michael Brunner had been among those who also fought in court over the right to collect the body of Manson for burial. That round was won by Jason Freeman, a purported grandson and former mixed martial arts fighter from Florida. He had the remains cremated and scattered the ashes after a brief private funeral in March. Brunner lost that fight because he surrendered his right to be deemed an heir when he was adopted by his maternal grandparents, a judge said. His bid for the estate was likely to meet a similar fate. Lentz faces the same problem - and, unlike Brunner, he doesn't have a birth certificate naming Manson as his father. Lentz was also adopted and later pieced his paternity together after tracking down his biological mother. Michael Channels, who befriended Manson by mail and sold his songs and artwork, is also fighting for the estate. The will he filed names him as executor. The court that ruled against Channels in the body case, though, said the will presents a possible conflict of interest because he was one of the two witnesses while also sole beneficiary. Channels said he's upset because Manson didn't get his last wish and ended up being dumped in a Central Valley farm town. "Manson never made it to Death Valley like he wanted. He's by the side of some road in Porterville," Channels said outside court. "It was like robbing someone's grave." FILE - This Aug. 14, 2017 file photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Charles Manson. On Tuesday, May 8, 2018, a purported son of Manson dropped his fight for the killer's estate and another possible heir is in jeopardy of being booted from the case. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP, File) Matthew Lentz, who says he was fathered by convicted murderer Charles Manson, stands outside Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday, May 8, 2018. He carried letters he said Manson sent him from prison and hoped to show them to a judge at a hearing over claims on Manson's estate. But he arrived too late for the hearing, and has until July 13 to show cause why he shouldn't be dismissed from the case. (AP Photo/Brian Melley) Matthew Lentz, who says he was fathered by convicted murderer Charles Manson at an orgy, stands outside Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday, May 8, 2018. He carried letters he said Manson sent him from prison and hoped to show them to a judge at a hearing over claims on Manson's estate. But he arrived too late for the hearing, and has until July 13 to show cause why he shouldn't be dismissed from the case. (AP Photo/Brian Melley) SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - In the race for California governor, two Republicans have shunned the center and are running to the right in a bloody fight for a segment of the electorate that loves President Donald Trump and loathes Democrats who have proudly committed to being his foil. Democrats dominate California's government and far outnumber Republicans in the state. But Assemblyman Travis Allen and businessman John Cox haven't altered their messages to try to appeal to them in a June 5 primary where every registered voter can cast a ballot for any candidate. Eight years ago California voters rewrote the state's election laws so that the top two finishers in the primary, regardless of party, advance to the general election in November. It was pitched as a way to give moderates a path to victory, but in this race the Democrats are running to the left and the Republicans to the right. FILE - In this March 8, 2018 file photo, California gubernatorial candidate, businessman John Cox, a Republican, speaks at a conference in Sacramento, Calif. In the race for California governor, Republicans Cox and Travis Allen have shunned the center and are running to the right in a bloody fight for a segment of the electorate that loves President Donald Trump and loathes the Democrats who have proudly committed to being his foil. Polls show one of them could very well finish second in the June 5 primary, earning a spot in the November general election. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) Cox and Allen went at each other repeatedly in Tuesday night's debate in San Jose that also included the four leading Democratic candidates. The conflict between the Republicans became heated enough that moderator Chuck Todd of NBC News quipped that they should take their battle outside. Allen called Cox "my angry opponent from Chicago," a reference to his native city that many Republicans identify with crime and Democratic corruption. Cox called Allen "my young immature opponent." They talked over each other and Allen accused Cox of lying in a dispute about how Allen voted on a 2013 bill that granted driver's licenses to people living in the country illegally. Allen and Cox fought over who has pushed harder to repeal a recent increase in gas taxes and vehicle registration fees. Both backed competing initiatives, though only Cox's turned in a substantial number of signatures, which are being verified. Both committed to fighting California's new "sanctuary state" law that restricts cooperation between law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. And they argued about their support for Trump. "I'm the only person on this stage that voted for, supported, even wrote op-eds in favor of the Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump," Allen said. Cox voted for Libertarian Gary Johnson, but said he regrets it. He doubted whether Trump was truly conservative, he said, but has been satisfied. "I think this whole fight between California and the Trump administration is not productive," Cox said. Larry Gerston, a professor emeritus of political science at San Jose State University, noted California's two most recent GOP standard-bearers for governor - Meg Whitman in 2010 and Neel Kashkari in 2014 - took more moderate positions and still lost to Democrat Jerry Brown. The Republican Party's base has moved to the right, and the GOP candidates were clearly speaking to them at the debate, he said. Allen and Cox "realize they don't have much to lose, so they're going to go out with guns blazing," Gerston said. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is the odds-on favorite to win on June 5. Republicans hope Newsom and the other three major Democrats - former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, state Treasurer John Chiang and former state education Superintendent Delaine Eastin - drain away enough votes from each other that Allen or Cox can make it to November. Allen is a three-term state assemblyman from Huntington Beach and was previously a financial adviser. He's struggled to raise money - he reported just $150,000 in the bank last month, a pittance in sprawling California. But he's fired up many grassroots activists and cultivated relationships in local GOP committees and conservative groups. He speaks their language, decrying what he calls "leftist propaganda" in public education and the "Bay Area liberal elites" he says run California. He paints a bleak picture of cities run by Democrats with dense urban living and decay caused by rising homelessness. Cox is an accountant, former attorney and investor who owns apartment complexes. He ran unsuccessfully for U.S. House and Senate and county recorder in his native Chicago, and even for president. Cox bought his house in California in 2007 and moved here full time in 2011, spokesman Matt Shupe said. He's highlighted his business experience and touted his plan to create thousands of neighborhood-level districts with elected representatives who would choose the members of the state Legislature. Despite his prior attempts at public office, he calls himself a political outsider and blames elected officials from both parties for making California an expensive place to live. "I'm sick and tired of what the politicians have done to this state," Cox said. "They've mismanaged just about every aspect of life here. They've made it unaffordable." Cox has poured $4 million of his own money into his race and has lined up support from much of the GOP establishment, including Newt Gingrich and the state's most powerful Republican, U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, who hopes to be the next House speaker. Neither Cox nor Allen obtained the state GOP endorsement at the party's convention last week in San Diego, though Cox came close. FILE - In this May 5, 2018 file photo, California gubernatorial candidate Travis Allen, a Republican Assemblyman from Huntington Beach, Calif., speaks during the California Republican Party convention in San Diego. In the race for California governor, Republicans Allen and John Cox have shunned the center and are running to the right in a bloody fight for a segment of the electorate that loves President Donald Trump and loathes the Democrats who have proudly committed to being his foil. Polls show one of them could very well finish second in the June 5 primary, earning a spot in the November general election. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom speaks during a debate at the California Theatre, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. (Aric Crabb/San Jose Mercury News-Bay Area News Group via AP) Republican gubernatorial candidate Travis Allen speaks during a debate at the California Theatre, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. (Aric Crabb/San Jose Mercury News-Bay Area News Group via AP) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa speaks during a debate at the California Theatre, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. (Aric Crabb/San Jose Mercury News-Bay Area News Group via AP) Democratic gubernatorial candidates Gavin Newsom, left, and Antonio Villaraigosa shake hands after a debate at the California Theatre, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. (Aric Crabb/San Jose Mercury News-Bay Area News Group via AP) Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Chiang waves during a debate at the California Theatre, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. (Aric Crabb/San Jose Mercury News-Bay Area News Group via AP) Republican gubernatorial candidate Travis Allen, left, talks with Democratic candidate John Chiang during a debate at the California Theatre, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. (Aric Crabb/San Jose Mercury News-Bay Area News Group via AP) Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, from left, Democratic candidate Delaine Eastin, Republican candidate Travis Allen, and Democratic candidates John Chiang, Gavin Newsom and Antonio Villaraigosa, participate in a debate at the California Theatre, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. (Aric Crabb/San Jose Mercury News-Bay Area News Group via AP) BERLIN (AP) - A regional branch of the nationalist Alternative for Germany says a party tribunal has rejected a call for the expulsion of a prominent member who suggested the country end its tradition of acknowledging and atoning for its Nazi past. In February 2017, the party leadership voted to start expulsion proceedings against Bjoern Hoecke, its leader in eastern Thuringia state. Hoecke had said Germany needs to perform a "180-degree turn" when it comes to remembering its past, and said the Berlin memorial to the millions of Jews killed in the Holocaust is a "monument of shame." Expulsion proceedings were championed by then-party leader Frauke Petry, who left the party last fall. The party's Thuringia branch said Wednesday that a party tribunal in the state threw out the call for Hoecke's expulsion. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Latest on the war in Afghanistan (all times local): 5:20 p.m. An Afghan official says attacks on two police stations in the capital killed five people and wounded another 16. Afghan security personnel inspect at the site of a suicide attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said the toll from Wednesday's attacks is expected to rise as fighting is still underway at one of the police stations. The Islamic State group claimed the first attack, which other officials had earlier said killed two police. The two are believed to be among the five dead reported by the Public Health Ministry. The Taliban claimed the second attack in a statement sent to media. ___ 2:45 p.m. An Afghan official says at least two police were killed in a suicide bombing at a police station in the capital. Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish says the two were killed in Wednesday's attack in western Kabul Kabul police chief Gen. Daud Amin says another two policemen were wounded in the attack. He says a separate attack in central Kabul set off fighting that is still underway. In that attack, he says a suicide bomber struck at the entrance to a police station. He says gunmen occupied a nearby building, from which they were firing at security forces. ___ 1 p.m. Afghan officials say at least three suicide bombers have struck two police stations in the capital, Kabul, wounding at least six people. Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish says the first suicide bomber struck a station in the western part of the city on Wednesday. He says there was sporadic gunfire after the blast, as a "cleanup operation" is underway. He says another two suicide bombers struck at the entrance of a police station in the city center. Asam, the head of the Kabul ambulance service, who only has one name, says six people have been transferred to hospitals. The Taliban and IS frequently target Afghanistan's Western-backed government and security forces. ___ 12:15 p.m. Several loud explosions could be heard in Afghanistan's capital, where the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate have carried out a series of massive attacks in recent months. Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai confirmed an explosion near one police station on Wednesday and said a gunbattle was underway there. He said another explosion occurred near a different police station. He did not have any immediate word on casualties. The Taliban and IS frequently target Afghanistan's Western-backed government and security forces. Twin suicide bombings claimed by IS last week killed at least 25 people, including nine journalists who had rushed to the scene of the first attack, in the deadliest assault on reporters since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. ___ 8:30 a.m. An Afghan lawmaker says Taliban fighters have captured a second remote district compound in two days. Mohammad Hashim, a member of parliament from the northern Faryab province, says the insurgents early Wednesday seized the compound in Bilchirgh district. Hashim says more than 40 government forces retreated. He says the Taliban also captured several villages nearby. Provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yuresh says intense fighting is taking place near the compound, adding it's still in government hands. The Taliban have confirmed in a statement they control the district and say they also killed 10 government forces. The Taliban on Tuesday captured another district compound in northern Baghlan province. Afghan security personnel inspect at the site of suicide attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel inspect at the site of a suicide attack, in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel inspect at the site of a suicide attack, in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, wounding at least six people, officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Unlike his dictator father, who famously shunned air travel, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un jetted off to the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian this week, becoming the first North Korean ruler to fly abroad in 32 years. Since taking office in late 2011, Kim has occasionally flown inside North Korea. The recent foreign trip, albeit not far from the North Korean border, comes ahead of his expected summit with President Donald Trump aimed at ending the North Korean nuclear problem. Was Kim trying to test his jet's flight capacity because his summit with Trump could happen in Singapore? Did he simply want to show that he's different from his flight-averse father? Or perhaps he had urgent matters to discuss with Chinese President Xi Jinping that precluded the time-consuming train he took in March to Beijing to meet Xi. In this Monday, May 7, 2018, photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, arrives at an airport in Dalian, China. Unlike his dictator father, who famously shunned air travel, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un jetted off to the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian this week, becoming the first North Korean ruler to travel abroad in that manner in 32 years. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) Some things to know about the Kim family's travel habits: ___ THE GOSHAWK Kim's official plane is a remodeled version of the Soviet-made IL-62. North Korea calls it "Chammae-1," named after the goshawk, North Korea's national bird. South Korean media say the plane can fly at a maximum speed of 900 kilometers (560 miles) per hour and carry about 200 people. Its maximum flight range is about 9,200 kilometers (5,720 miles) but it has reportedly never flown that far. Some experts say one reason why North Korea apparently wants to have a Kim-Trump summit in Pyongyang, the North's capital, is that Kim's plane might not be able to fly to faraway places like Switzerland, Sweden or Washington. Kim's younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, used "Chammae-2," the same kind of aircraft as her brother's, when she visited South Korea in February to attend the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. She became the first member of North Korea's ruling Kim family to visit South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. ___ PREVIOUS AIR TRAVEL Schooled for several years in Switzerland, Kim is believed to have traveled by air often as a teenager. After he became North Korea's leader, state media said he was aboard Chammae-1 when he reviewed air force planes taking part in combat aeronautics contests and inspected construction work in Pyongyang. North Korean media photos also showed Kim looking out the windows of his plane; walking down the stairs from the plane, and walking with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, on a red carpet placed on an airstrip. Other photos showed Kim in the cockpit of a fighter jet. ___ DIFFERENT FROM HIS FATHER Before Kim's Dalian trip, no North Korean leader had publicly gone abroad by air since Kim's grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, flew to the Soviet Union in 1986. Kim Jong Il flew by plane to a conference in Indonesia with Kim Il Sung, his father, in 1965. But after that he reportedly never flew because of a fear of heights. During his 1994-2011 rule, Kim Jong Il made about a dozen known overseas trips, mostly to China, and conducted countless inspections of military posts, factories and other places - all by train. Analysts say Kim Jong Un's air travel may be aimed at showing he's a confident, normal leader who meets international standards. South Korean media say Kim Jong Il had several luxurious trains equipped with reception halls, conference rooms and high-tech communication facilities. To guard against possible attacks, his train reportedly traveled with two other trains, with one running ahead of his to check the safety of the rail line while another carried security agents and followed behind. According to state media, Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack during a train trip. When Kim Jong Un visited Beijing, which is much farther than Dalian, in March for talks with Xi in his first overseas trip since his inauguration, he took a deep green special train reminiscent of his father's. Last month, he took a black Mercedes limousine to return home after a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a village along the Koreas' border. FILE - In this March 27, 2018, file photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, waves as he was given a send-off at the Beijing station in Beijing. Unlike his dictator father, who famously shunned air travel, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un jetted off to the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian, becoming the first North Korean ruler to travel abroad in that manner in 32 years. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File) PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) - Hundreds protested in Montenegro on Wednesday after unknown assailants shot and wounded a prominent crime and corruption reporter, the latest attack on journalists in the small Balkan country that is seeking EU membership. Carrying banners reading "Stop violence," or "For a life without fear," the protesters demanded that the authorities find the assailants who opened fire late Tuesday on Olivera Lakic, who works for the independent Vijesti daily. Lakic, 49, was shot in the leg outside her home in Podgorica, the capital. She remains in a local hospital following the attack which has drawn U.S. and European Union concern. Montenegro man holds banners reading "Stop violence," left, and "For a life without fear," right, during protest in Montenegro's capital, Podgorica, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Some hundreds gathered outside the Montenegrin government building, carrying protest banners after unknown assailants shot and wounded a prominent crime reporter, Olivera Lakic, the latest attack on journalists in the small Balkan country.(AP Photo/Risto Bozovic) Protesters who gathered outside the government building in Podgorica accused the authorities of doing little to solve a series of attack on journalists in recent years. Those included another attack on Lakic six years ago and a bomb explosion outside another crime reporter's home last month. Zeljko Ivanovic, general manager of Vijesti, said there have been a total of 25 attacks on the paper's journalists and offices. The daily is known for its independent and critical journalism. "They (government) created an atmosphere in which there are state enemies and traitors," said Ivanovic. "Can this society survive without a single free media, journalist or intellectual?" Olivera Ivanovic, a fellow journalist from the national TV Montenegro, said the attack "is not just a message to her, it's a message to the entire media community." "We need to unite and confront this danger," she said. "We are all exposed." The man who beat Lakic six years ago was briefly jailed and she had police protection for a while. But Ivanovic said those behind the attack have not been named. Lakic has written about alleged murky businesses involving top state officials and their families. Montenegro's long-ruling Democratic Party of Socialists have faced repeated accusations of corruption and crime links, which they deny. The party on Wednesday announced plans to introduce tougher sanctions for attacks on journalists, saying they "must be most harshly punished." Montenegro last year joined NATO and has promised to boost media freedom and the rule of law, and implement other reforms necessary for the country to join the European Union. Top Montenegrin and international officials in Montenegro condemned the attack on Lakic and urged a swift investigation. U.S. embassy Charge d'Affaires Judy Kuo, who visited Lakic in the hospital Wednesday together with the top EU official in Montenegro, said "this crime requires a swift, determined investigation to bring those responsible to justice." "The United States calls on Montenegro to foster a safe environment for journalists to fulfill their important role," she added. Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said Wednesday he is "shocked and saddened" by the shooting. "The work of journalists and free media are essential to the functioning of any democracy," he said. "Attacks on journalists are therefore also an attack on democracy." FILE- In this file photo dated July 20, 2012, Monenegro's prominent crime reporter Olivera Lakic accompanied with her husband walks on a street in Podgorica. Olivera Lakic, a journalist who has written about crime and corruption in the small Balkan country, was wounded in a gun shooting outside her home Wednesday May 9, 2018.(AP Photo/file) Montenegro people holding banners "Stop violence," left, and "For a life without fear," right, during protest in Montenegro's capital, Podgorica, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Hundreds gathered outside the Montenegrin government building, carrying protest banners after unknown assailants shot and wounded a prominent crime reporter, Olivera Lakic, the latest attack on journalists in the small Balkan country. (AP Photo/Risto Bozovic) GAUHATI, India (AP) - A homemade bomb exploded Wednesday in India's remote northeast, killing two paramilitary soldiers and wounding two civilians, police said. The explosion occurred at a Border Security Force post near the residence of the top elected official in Manipur state, but it was unclear whether he was the target, police officer K. Meghachandra said. The northeast region is home to dozens of separatist groups that accuse the government of exploiting the area's natural resources while doing little for the indigenous people. They often stage hit-and-run attacks. The rebels say the local population is ignored by the federal government in New Delhi. Most residents are ethnically closer to groups in Myanmar and China than to the rest of India. Meghachandra said a grenade attack Tuesday night outside the office of the Assam Rifles, another paramilitary force, in the state capital, Imphal, injured one soldier. No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts. ROSELLE PARK, N.J. (AP) - Police in New Jersey rescued a Washington state man who resisted their efforts as smoke and flames consumed his car. Roselle Park officers arrived on the scene Saturday to find the auto's engine compartment engulfed in flames and the passenger compartment obscured by dark tinted windows. Police video shows officers grabbing the man while he was slumped over the wheel and refusing to get out. Police Chief Paul Morrison says the 42-year-old Everett, Washington, resident was alert and speaking. He was evaluated at a hospital. His name was not released. Police say the driver was observed sleeping in the vehicle and may have pressed the gas pedal causing the engine to overheat and catch fire. CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - The Latest on Tuesday's primaries in four states (all times local): 7:35 a.m. President Donald Trump says the GOP "had a great night," after West Virginia Republicans rejected ex-convict Don Blankenship in state's Senate primary. GOP Senate candidate and former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship speaks to the media about current polling results in the Marriott Charleston Town Center on the night of primary Election Day in Charleston, W.Va., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. (Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) Trump says on Twitter Wednesday: "The Republican Party had a great night. Tremendous voter energy and excitement, and all candidates are those who have a great chance of winning in November. The Economy is sooo strong, and with Nancy Pelosi wanting to end the big Tax Cuts and Raise Taxes, why wouldn't we win?" The West Virginia result helped avert a potential political disaster for a GOP already bracing for major losses in the November midterm elections. In Indiana, Republicans chose wealthy businessman Mike Braun over two sitting congressmen to lead the party's charge against a vulnerable Democratic senator in the fall. __ 1:34 a.m. Republican voters have rejected ex-convict Don Blankenship in a West Virginia Senate primary in which he sold himself as "Trumpier than Trump" but was vigorously opposed by the president. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey claimed the nomination instead. Meanwhile, GOP voters in Indiana chose wealthy businessman Mike Braun over two sitting congressmen to lead the party's charge against a vulnerable Democratic senator in the fall. In a possible sign of party unrest, however, congressman Robert Pittenger lost in North Carolina to a Baptist pastor, the Rev. Mark Harris, he narrowly beat two years ago. Pittinger is the first incumbent to lose his seat this primary season. Denise Morrisey stands next to her husband, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, as he speaks at his campaign headquarters Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Kearnesville, W.Va. (Ron Agnir/The Journal via AP) Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun and his wife Maureen greets supporters after winning the republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) FILE - In this March 21, 2018, file photo, Rev. Mark Harris speaks in Charlotte, N.C. Three-term incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger of North Carolina narrowly lost Tuesday, May 8, 2018, to Harris, a Southern Baptist pastor, in a GOP primary rematch focused on their evangelical Christian credentials and loyalty to President Donald Trump. (John D. Simmons /The Charlotte Observer via AP, File) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray shakes hands with supporters during an election night event Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. Republican Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, one of the state's best-known politicians, and Democrat Richard Cordray, who headed the federal consumer protection bureau under President Barack Obama, prevailed Tuesday to head into a fall faceoff to succeed Republican Gov. John Kasich. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) - A Greek court has released on bail a Turkish man wanted by his home country for attempted extortion, ruling that he is living in Europe legally and can be released pending an extradition hearing. The court in the northern city of Thessaloniki ruled Wednesday that Haydar Mengi, who has said he intends to run in Turkey's June early elections as a Democrat Party candidate, could be released on 20,000 euros ($23,700) bail and a ban on leaving the country. He will also have to appear twice a month at a local police station. Mengi, 62, was detained on the Greek-Macedonian border in April on an international arrest warrant issued by Turkey. He was sentenced in absentia in Turkey in 2005 to six years in prison for attempted extortion. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey's state-run news agency says prosecutors are seeking life in prison terms for more than 200 people, including former generals, who are accused of being the ringleaders of the 2016 failed military coup. Anadolu Agency said prosecutors on Wednesday demanded that Akin Ozturk, a former air force commander, and other alleged leaders of the failed coup be each given harsh life in prison terms. The suspects are on trial on charges of crimes against the state, leading an armed terror group, attempting to assassinate the president and the deaths of 249 people. The trial is one of several underway in Turkey in relation to the coup attempt that the government says was carried out by followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. The cleric denies involvement. ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Britain's Prince Charles embarked Wednesday on an official visit to Greece, the birthplace of his father and kingdom of his paternal great-grandfather. The heir to the British throne met Greece's left-wing prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, who told Charles that the three-day visit was a landmark in the relations between their two countries. Charles was accompanied by his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Britain's Prince Charles, right, is welcomed by the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prior their meeting in Athens, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. The Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are paying a three-day visit to Greece, where Charles' paternal ancestors once reigned. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Greek public opinion is staunchly anti-royalist. The country has been a republic since 1973. The prince is due to meet the head of Greece's Orthodox Church on Thursday, and visit a 108-year-old warship that now serves as a floating museum berthed in Athens. The Greek armored cruiser was used in 1946 to carry the body of Charles' paternal grandfather, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, from southern France where he died to Athens, for burial in a royal estate outside the city. On Friday, the royal couple will visit the southern island of Crete. The Prince of Wales has visited the country several times in a private capacity. The Greek Orthodox monastic community of Mount Athos - a wooded peninsula forbidden to women for the past 1,000 years - particularly has captured his interest. His father, Prince Philip, was born on the northwestern Greek island of Corfu, but left while very young after his own father was banished. Charles' great-grandfather was King George I of Greece, the country's longest-reigning monarch. Britain's Prince Charles, right, shakes hands with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prior their meeting in Athens, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. The Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are paying a three-day visit to Greece, where Charles' paternal ancestors once reigned. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Britain's Prince Charles, right, shakes hands with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prior their meeting in Athens, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. The Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are paying a three-day visit to Greece, where Charles' paternal ancestors once reigned. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Britain's Prince Charles, left, speaks next to Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall looks on during their meeting in Athens, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. The Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are paying a three-day visit to Greece, where Charles' paternal ancestors once reigned. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Britain's Prince Charles, right, shakes hands with greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prior their meeting in Athens, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. The Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are paying a three-day visit to Greece, where Charles' paternal ancestors once reigned. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) - Firefighters helped one of their own pull off a marriage proposal. Fayetteville, North Carolina, firefighter Ashton Hanway asked Lauren Wood to visit Station 17 on Friday to take some pictures. His captain suggested they stand on top of a truck. An alarm sounded and two firefighters got into an adjacent truck. When they pulled out, they revealed a fire hose on the floor that spelled out: "Will you marry me?" Hanway tells The Fayetteville Observer he was trying to write in cursive and it took several hours to do everything. Wood, who said yes, says it was a complete shock. She described it as an "out-of-body experience." The couple, who have been together for six years, are planning a 2019 wedding. ___ Information from: The Fayetteville Observer, http://www.fayobserver.com WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the release of three Americans from North Korea (all times local): 7:20 p.m. The three American detainees freed by North Korea say they would like to express their "deep appreciation" to the United States government, President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the American people "for bringing us home." FILE - This combination of two file photos shows U.S. President Donald Trump, left, speaking during a roundtable discussion on tax cuts in Cleveland, Ohio, May 5, 2018 and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, talking with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Panmunjom, South Korea, April 27, 2018. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, to finalize details of a planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, Korea Summit Press Pool via AP, File) They add, "We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return." The State Department released the statement as the former detainees returned to American soil. Pompeo had been in North Korea to finalize details of a summit planned between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The three men boarded Pompeo's plane on their own. They were transferred in Japan to another plane for the trip to Joint Base Andrews outside Washington. Trump plans to greet them when they land. __ 6:30 p.m. North Korea's state-run media is calling U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit a successful one and - for the first time - mentioning plans for the two countries' leaders to hold a summit. A report early Thursday by North Korea's official news agency, KCNA, says Pompeo and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held "in-depth" discussions of the practical matters involved in holding the "historic meeting." It says the two reached a "satisfactory consensus," but is not giving further details. The report also refers to the release of three Americans who headed home Wednesday with Pompeo. It says Kim decided to grant them amnesty at the "official suggestion" of the U.S. president. Pyongyang has been exceptionally cautious about its public framing of Kim's recent diplomatic moves. __ 4:25 p.m. President Donald Trump is set to greet three Americans who were detained in North Korea when they return to the U.S. early Thursday. Trump is promising "quite a scene" at a middle-of-the-night arrival ceremony outside Washington. Their release is the latest sign of improving relations between two longtime adversaries as they prepare for a historic summit. The detainees were released after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for a summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un, the North's leader. Trump has ruled out the Korean demilitarized zone as a site for the summit, and promises the summit's date and place would be announced within the next three days. __ 4 p.m. Three Americans who had been detained by North Korea are on their way back to the United States. Their release was only sealed about an hour before the top U.S. diplomat left Pyongyang. The three men - Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim - walked on their own from a van and onto the plane of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the end of his daylong visit to North Korea. After meeting leader Kim Jong Un, Pompeo had given a fingers-crossed sign when asked if there was good news. A North Korean emissary came to the hotel shortly after to say the detainees were being freed. The three men finally left custody at 7:45 p.m. local time, and by 8:42 p.m. they were flying home. __ 12:33 p.m. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says he's glad to see three detained Americans returning home from North Korea. At the same time, he is warning the Trump administration not to use Americans being held abroad as bargaining chips in negotiations. The New York Democrat says he hopes President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are clear in their talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other countries that "no regime has the right to hold Americans in captivity without cause." He added that "under no circumstances should Americans be viewed as bargaining chips." Schumer made the remarks Wednesday in the Senate. ____ 11:55 a.m. President Donald Trump is ruling out the Korean Demilitarized Zone for his upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump had said he was interested in holding the historic meeting on the heavily fortified border separating North and South Korea. He had said the DMZ was appealing "because you're there" and any celebration would be memorable if the talks proved successful. But he ruled that option out Wednesday as he kicked off a Cabinet meeting at the White House. Trump said details of the Kim meeting will be announced in the next two or three days. The meeting is expected to be held in late May or early June. A number of other countries have also been considered, including Singapore. __ 11:50 a.m. President Donald Trump is hailing the release of three Americans detained in North Korea as they make their way back home. Trump says as he kicks off a Cabinet meeting at the White House that he "appreciates" North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's decision to release the detainees ahead of the leaders' planned summit. He says he's looking forward to the meeting and believes it's going to be a great thing for North Korea. Trump broke the news on Twitter earlier Wednesday that the detainees were on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Trump said he would be greeting them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. He says of the arrival: "I think it will be a very special time." __ 10:53 a.m. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is welcoming North Korea's release of three Americans as a hopeful sign ahead of President Donald Trump's meeting with leader Kim Jong Un. The Kentucky Republican says he's hopeful that "by approaching our ongoing negotiations with clear eyes, we can build on this progress and pursue a verifiable agreement to dismantle North Korea's nuclear arms." McConnell spoke Wednesday as he opened the Senate. Earlier in the day, Trump announced that the three detainees were on their way back to the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo was briefly in the country this week making plans for the leaders' upcoming summit. ____ 9:40 a.m. The White House says President Donald Trump views North Korea's release of three American citizens "as a positive gesture of goodwill." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the three Americans "appear to be in good condition" and says they were "able to walk on the plane without assistance." Trump announced Wednesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on his way back from North Korea with the three American detainees. Sanders says, "All Americans look forward to welcoming them home and to seeing them reunited with their loved ones." ____ 9:39 a.m. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he had a "good, lengthy" conversation with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and that a date and time for a summit with President Donald Trump has been set. After departing Pyongyang Wednesday, Pompeo said the summit details will be announced "in the next handful of days." He said the two sides need to coordinate in the days ahead on setting conditions for a successful meeting. Pompeo says the three American detainees freed as a goodwill gesture seem to be in good health "given all they have been through." Pompeo was on the ground in North Korea for 13 hours. That included a 90-minute meeting with Kim - their second meeting in little more than a month. Pompeo spoke to reporters during a stop-over in Japan on his way back to the U.S. ____ 9:39 a.m. Vice President Mike Pence says the U.S. "will not let off the pressure" on North Korea "until we achieve full denuclearization." Pence says President Donald Trump's "tough minded diplomacy" has led to the release of three Americans detained in North Korea. Trump announced Wednesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was returning from North Korea with the three Americans. Pence says Pompeo did a "remarkable job" overseeing their release and calls it a "proud and memorable moment for America." ____ 9:35 a.m. A U.S. official says that "substantial progress" has been made on plans for a U.S.-North Korean leadership summit during Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Pyongyang. While Pompeo met with top North Korean leaders, including Kim Jong Un, lower-level officials from the two countries were planning the nuts-and-bolts logistics for a meeting between Kim and President Donald Trump. The U.S. official, who was involved in those talks, said the two sides would meet once again to finalize the details. No specifics were offered although other officials said Singapore is emerging as the most likely venue. The unprecedented meeting has been slated for this month or early June. Before seeing Kim, Pompeo met twice with the head of the North's United Front department that oversees relations between North and South Korea. __ 9:20 a.m. The family of one of the Americans freed from North Korea is expressing gratitude for his release. The family of 59-year-old Tony Kim is thanking "all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home." In a statement, the family credited President Donald Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. "Mostly, we thank God for Tony's safe return," the statement said. It added that the family appreciates "the support and prayers of friends and even strangers during this challenging year." The statement was forwarded to The Associated Press by Randall Brandt, a spokesman for the family, shortly after Trump announced Wednesday that three Americans were coming home. The statement urged people to "continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held." __ 8:40 a.m. President Donald Trump says Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on his way back from North Korea with three American detainees, saying they "seem to be in good health." Trump made the announcement on Twitter Wednesday, saying "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting." Trump added that Pompeo had a "good meeting" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump is planning a historic summit with the North Korean leader. In another Tweet, Trump said Pompeo and the detainees will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. He says "I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!" __ 1:52 a.m. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in North Korea to finalize plans for a historic summit between President Donald Trump and the North's leader, Kim Jong Un. U.S. officials say Pompeo will also be pressing North Korea for the release of three detained American citizens, whose imminent release Trump has been hinting at. The trip is Pompeo's second to North Korea this year. It had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington under cover of darkness late Monday aboard an Air Force 757. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out the case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. When the flight arrived Wednesday morning in Pyongyang, North Korean officials were on hand to greet Pompeo. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivers remarks with Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray at the State Department, Monday, May 7, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has left North Korea with three Americans released from North Korean detention ahead of an upcoming summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump. A look at the detainees, who were accused of subversion, espionage and other unspecified hostile acts: ___ KIM DONG CHUL FILE - In this May 3, 2018 photo, people watch a TV news report on screen, showing portraits of three Americans, Kim Dong Chul, left, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song, right, detained in the North Korea, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea. President Donald Trump says Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on his way back from North Korea with three American detainees, saying they "seem to be in good health." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Kim, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, was the longest-serving detainee among the three. According to North Korea's state media, Kim, 64, ran a company in the North's northeastern Rason special economic zone before his arrest on Oct. 2, 2015. He received a 10-year prison term with hard labor in April 2016 for allegedly "perpetrating state subversive plots and espionage against" North Korea. Before his sentencing, the former Virginia resident publicly apologized for slandering North Korea's leadership, collecting and passing confidential information to South Korea, and joining a smear campaign against the North's human rights situation. Other foreigners have been presented at news conferences in North Korea and admitted crimes against the North, but many said after they were released that their confessions were given involuntarily and under duress. ___ TONY KIM Tony Kim, who also goes by the Korean name Kim Sang-duk, was detained on April 22, 2017, at the Pyongyang airport for committing "criminal acts of hostility aimed to overturn" North Korea, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency. It didn't say what specific criminal acts Kim was alleged to have committed. Kim taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which has been the only privately funded college in North Korea since its founding in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. The school said Kim's detention had nothing to do with his work at the university. He previously taught Korean at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in Yanji, China, not far from the North Korea border. Kim graduated from the University of California, Riverside, with a master's degree in business administration in 1990. He made at least seven trips to North Korea to teach. His wife accompanied him on the visit when he was arrested. She was allowed to leave the country. ___ KIM HAK SONG Kim worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. He was detained on May 6, 2017, for engaging in unspecified "hostile acts" against North Korea, KCNA reported. It didn't say whether his case was related to Tony Kim's. The university also said his detention wasn't related to his work at the school. It wasn't known whether Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were formally convicted and sentenced. In this May 3, 2018 photo, people watch a TV news report screen showing portraits of three Americans, Kim Dong Chul, left, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song, right, detained in the North Korea, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea President Donald Trump says Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on his way back from North Korea with three American detainees, saying they "seem to be in good health." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) FILE - In this April 29, 2016, file photo, Kim Dong Chul, center, a U.S. citizen detained in North Korea, is escorted to his trial in Pyongyang, North Korea. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has left North Korea with three American detainees, one of them Kim Dong Chul, who were released ahead of an upcoming meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the U.S. president said in a tweet Wednesday.(AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon, File) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Big-spending Chinese team Shanghai SIPG is close to elimination from the Asian Champions League after losing to Japanese club Kashima Antlers 3-1 in the first leg on Wednesday. Shanghai, which was playing without the injured Hulk, trailed 2-0 after a pair of corners led to goals for Yuma Suzuki and Daigo Nishi. Yu Hai then scored an own-goal before Elkeson pulled one back for Shanghai. The second leg will be next Wednesday, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals. Also, Ulsan Hyundai Horangi defeated Suwon Samsung Bluewings 1-0 in a match between two South Korean teams. Kim In-sung scored the only goal for the 2012 champions. Michigan-based Boyne Resorts has completed its purchase of six ski resorts it was operating under long-term lease agreements from Maine to British Columbia. CEO Stephen Kircher called the closing with Oz Real Estate this week "exceptionally gratifying" because he'd long wanted to own the properties outright. Boyne now owns Brighton Resort near Salt Lake City; Cypress Mountain in British Columbia; Loon Mountain in New Hampshire; Sugarloaf and Sunday River in Maine; and The Summit at Snoqualmie near Seattle. Also included is the scenic Gatlinburg Sky Lift in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. Boyne also has three ski resorts in Michigan and the Big Sky Resort in Montana. In a statement, the company described its portfolio as the most geographically diverse among North American ski companies. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's nominee to be CIA director (all times local): 8:50 p.m. Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona is urging his colleagues to vote against the confirmation of Gina Haspel as CIA director. CIA nominee Gina Haspel testifies during a confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) McCain was detained and beaten in prison during the Vietnam War and is a leading voice against harsh interrogation. He is battling brain cancer and is not expected to be able to vote. He says that he respects Haspel but that her testimony at Wednesday's confirmation hearing failed to fully explain her involvement in the CIA's enhanced interrogation program after 9/11 and account for the mistakes the U.S. made in torturing detainees. He says the methods the U.S. employs to keep the nation safe must be as right and just as the values that Americans aspire to live up to and promote in the world. ___ 6 p.m. Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine says he will vote against President Donald Trump's nominee for CIA director. King said Wednesday that Gina Haspel is an experienced and respected intelligence officer. But he says he must also weigh issues regarding her role in the CIA's now-defunct harsh interrogation program and the destruction of videotapes showing some interrogation sessions. King says that the CIA, under acting director Haspel's leadership, has been slow to disclose information about her career. He also complained that some of her responses during Wednesday's confirmation hearing were "narrowly crafted and evasive." King says a vote for Haspel would, in essence, be a condoning of the destruction of the tapes, which occurred when Congress was starting to look into the interrogation program. King caucuses with the Democrats. ___ 3:15 p.m. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia says he has decided to vote to confirm Gina Haspel as the next director of the CIA. Most Republicans, except Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, are expected to vote for Haspel. But support is not certain, which means she would need at least one Democratic vote to be confirmed by the Senate. Vice President Mike Pence, as president of the Senate, can be called on to break a tie vote. Manchin says he has found Haspel to be a "person of great character" and he has the utmost respect for the 33 years she has spent working for the CIA all over the world. Manchin issued his statement shortly after attending Haspel's confirmation hearing as a member of the Senate intelligence committee. ___ 11:45 a.m. President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as CIA director says "I don't believe torture works." Gina Haspel's response comes in response to a question from Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, who noted that President Donald Trump has said he believes torture works. She asked whether Haspel would agree with that statement. Haspel says she believes CIA officers did extraordinary work to protect the country given the legal tools it was authorized to use. ___ 11:20 a.m. Senators want to know from Gina Haspel what she would do if President Donald Trump ordered her to waterboard a detainee. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine notes that the president as a candidate repeatedly expressed his support for waterboarding. Haspel says during her confirmation hearing that she doesn't believe Trump would ask her to do that, but she says the CIA is not the right place to conduct interrogations. She says, "we don't have interrogators and we don't have interrogation expertise." She says that other agencies have that expertise. She says Trump has selected her to give him advice and that she would not "under any circumstances" restore an interrogation program at the CIA. ___ 11 a.m. Gina Haspel - who's been nominated to be CIA director - says she wouldn't put in place any presidential order that she thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal. A Senate committee is holding a hearing on Haspel's nomination, and Virginia Democrat Mark Warner asked whether she'd carry out any order from President Donald Trump that she found morally objectionable. Haspel said she wouldn't. She's pledged not to restart the CIA's now defunct detention and interrogation program, even though Trump has said he supports harsh interrogation tactics such as waterboarding. Haspel said she doesn't believe Trump would ask her to resume waterboarding. She said her "moral compass is strong" and that the CIA must undertake activities consistent with American values. ___ 10:25 a.m. President Donald Trump's nominee to be the next CIA director says the spy agency learned "tough lessons" from its use of harsh detention and interrogation tactics on terror suspects after 9/11. Gina Haspel says that in hindsight it's clear that the spy agency was not prepared and did not have the expertise to use techniques like sleep deprivation and waterboarding, which simulates drowning, to get terror suspects to talk. Haspel is giving her opening remarks at a hearing before the Senate intelligence committee. She says that if she's confirmed, she will follow the clear and legal framework the U.S. has since imposed that bans any corrosive tactic not spelled out in the Army Field Manual. ___ 10:20 a.m. The woman nominated to be the next CIA director says that when she saw a video of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center in New York, she knew "in my gut" that al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was to blame. Gina Haspel says she got up from her desk on 9/11 and, like many other CIA officers, walked over to the spy agency's Counterterrorism Center to volunteer to help. She says she didn't leave for three years. She says that after 9/11, man men and women at the CIA worked seven days a week and that some postponed weddings and having babies. She says the first CIA personnel on the ground in Afghanistan were her colleagues. ___ 10:10 a.m. Former senators Evan Bayh and Saxby Chambliss have introduced CIA nominee Gina Haspel at her confirmation hearing. Bayh, a Democrat from Indiana, and Chambliss, a Republican from Georgia, served on the Senate intelligence committee during Haspel's tenure at the CIA. Chambliss says he traveled overseas extensively during his time on the committee, and never were lawmakers "less than significantly impressed by the leadership" she provided to the CIA. He says criticism from some of her work at the CIA's counterterrorism center is "very troubling." He says responsibility for the center's work rested with the commander in chief of the United States and senior CIA leaders, "not Gina Haspel." Bayh says that for 33 years Haspel has worked to defend America from those who would harm it. ___ 9:55 a.m. The chairman of a Senate intelligence committee is praising President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as the next director of the CIA. GOP Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina is telling Gina Haspel that she is "without a doubt, the most qualified person the president could choose to lead the CIA and the most prepared nominee in the 70-year history of the agency." Haspel is facing opposition from some Democrats and many rights groups who are critical of her activities related to the shredding of interrogation videotapes in 2005 and her stint at a covert detention site in Thailand where two detainees were waterboarded, which simulates drowning. Burr says some may seek to turn her nomination into a trial about a long-shuttered program. But he says Haspel has acted "morally, ethically and legally" over her 30-year career. ___ 9:30 a.m. Some protesters are being arrested before a confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as director of the CIA. The protesters began yelling, "stop the torture, stop the torture" and "don't reward torture." U.S. Capitol Police quickly removed them from the hearing room where members of the Senate intelligence committee are holding a confirmation hearing for Gina Haspel. The protesters were among the first to be allowed into the hearing room and wore signs that read "No Torture No Gina" and "Don't Reward Torturers." Haspel is facing opposition from some Democrats and many rights groups who are critical of her activities related to the shredding of interrogation videotapes in 2005 and her stint at a covert detention site in Thailand where two detainees were waterboarded, which simulates drowning. CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago police say a 15-year-old girl was shot to death while chatting with other teenagers on the front porch of a South Side residence. Police say Jazmyne Jeter was shot in the chest at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Englewood neighborhood. She was pronounced dead a short time later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Police have not determined if the girl who lived about 5 miles (8 kilometers) away was the intended target of the gunman who apparently opened fire from a gangway. Police said Wednesday that no arrests have been made. Another Chicago teenager was also shot to death Tuesday. An 18-year-old man was killed when someone opened fire from an automobile in Lawndale on the West Side. NEW YORK (AP) - There was one place Scottish actor James McArdle had to visit when he came to New York to perform in a critically acclaimed revival of Tony Kushner's masterpiece "Angels in America." That would be Central Park. More specifically, Bethesda Fountain, which has so much meaning in the seven-hour play. It has transferred from London to Broadway under the direction of Marianne Elliott. McArdle said the visit made him "a wee bit emotional." He stood and thought of lines from the play. "It was just moving because I can't stop thinking about the lines of the play and it's just symbiotic now for me, New York and the play. It's just so in my blood now and always will be." This April 20, 2018 photo shows Scottish actor James McArdle during an interview in New York. McArdle plays the neurotic New Yorker Louis Ironso in Tony Kushner's seven-hour masterpiece "Angels in America" on Broadway. (AP Photo/John Carucci) McArdle plays the neurotic New Yorker Louis Ironson, a character partly based on Kushner himself. McArdle recently told The Associated Press why it's important to bring the play to New York now and how he handles performance days. Q: How do you view this powerful work? A: This is not a gracious, easy, submissive play. You need to wrestle this demon to the ground. It's like a train and if it gets away from you, you are running to catch a train and it is not pretty. So you have to really battle. It is not friendly. But that's the only way I can describe it. Q: When were you first aware of the play? A: I remember being 14 or 15 at a youth theater and the play coming into my life and being frightened of it. I remember being frightened of it. It just spoke with such ferocious truth. I remember thinking it was almost uncouth how truthful it was and not really being ready for that. Every subject in the play was just like, 'That is so angry.' I wanted just nice things to learn about acting. Q: Was it important for you to bring the play back to America? A: This play has to be performed now. In New York, in America, now. It needs it. That's exhilarating because there's not many opportunities for that in one's career or in art in general, when art is a business and business is an art. There are not many opportunities when it all galvanizes into a moment that is necessary, like America needs 'Angels in America' to be onstage now. Q: What is it like to have the playwright both available and encouraging? A: Before I came over to Broadway, I found some sort of resistance to the fact that I was going to be playing Louis from certain areas, just because I'm so different from him and where I'm from, blah, blah, blah. Tony and Marianne's backing was all I really needed. I had Tony's 100 percent approval and he's been very lovely to me about playing Louis. That's all I needed. Because he is Louis and it's his play. It's just wonderful having him there. Q: How do you handle these marathon days? A: You have to be really disciplined. I went to see a show the other night and the cast was talking about going out drinking. I just don't think we could do that. I really don't think we could. It's not that type of play. Q: It's a great play but it's not an easy one to be in, especially if you're Louis, right? A: It isn't necessarily enjoyable or easy and is arduous, fraught with anxiety from everyone and just difficult. I just find it difficult. More than I ever have any other job. But the reward is doing the thing and the reaction from the audience. I can't think of anything more satisfying as an actor than playing, for me anyway, for playing this part. Q: What's one of the best reactions to the show, either in London, Broadway or the filmed version by NT Live? A: I had a friend that went to see a screening in this quite rough area in Glasgow. And he said that, at the end, people were hugging and crying. And men were holding hands on the escalator out. And this is a rough area where that wouldn't ordinarily happen. Weirdly for me, that is an audience story that's come to me that I can't get out of my head and that I remember more than anything that we've ever had live. I'm really proud of that. ___ Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Two parents are elated that their eldest son is recovering from nearly drowning and anguished that his younger brother remains missing two weeks after falling into a river. The atmosphere is often upbeat in 10-year-old Maxim McFarland's room at The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center, where the boy's mother, Helena Gagliano-McFarland, was told that he's "defying all the odds" after being pulled unconscious from the Androscoggin River on April 24. But there's no hiding the parents' distress over their other son, the Sun Journal reports . Jason McFarland, the father, said two tours in Afghanistan didn't prepare him for the last look into the eyes of his 5-year-old son, Valerio, before he disappeared from view. For the past two weeks, the family has essentially lived at the hospital where Maxim arrived in a LifeFlight helicopter. As Maxim improved - first breathing on his own, then talking and walking - his grandparents stayed with him while his parents ventured out to the river to look for Valerio. Cpl. John MacDonald of the Maine Warden Service said wardens will not give up until they find the boy. But the McFarlands believe authorities are not doing enough, like calling in the National Guard and using specially trained cadaver dogs to search. In recent days, the McFarlands taught themselves about river currents, how a body reacts in the river, where other bodies have been found along the Androscoggin. In the meantime, the family splits time between the river and Maine Med, where Maxim is improving steadily. He is expected to be released from the hospital soon. The parents don't know what'll happen then. They'd just moved to Auburn with the boys and a daughter, and they're not sure whether it makes sense to start school this late. "We take it one day at a time," McFarland said. "Tomorrow we'll be back out there again." BEIRA, Mozambique (AP) - Thousands of people on Wednesday attended the funeral of Mozambican rebel and opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama, with the country's president and Dhlakama's successor pledging to forge ahead with peace talks. Dhlakama died at age 65 last week in his rural hideout in central Mozambique, where he had run a renewed military campaign against the southern African nation's government after pulling out of a 1992 peace accord that ended 16 years of civil war that killed up to 1 million people. His death came not long after he had renewed negotiations with the government. Soldiers carry the coffin of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama during his state funeral in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) President Filipe Nyusi said those talks should continue. "I want to make it clear that I will carry on with the work that we began, the peace and strengthening of our democracy," Nyusi said at the funeral in the port city of Beira. Dhlakama, who turned the Mozambique National Resistance, or Renamo, from a rebel group into a competitive political party after the 1992 peace deal, had demanded the decentralization of power as a condition to lay down arms. His group, which never fully disarmed, was repeatedly defeated in elections and alleged fraud. Renamo's interim leader, Ossufo Momade, repeated the demand for more autonomy on Wednesday but committed the movement to negotiations, saying discussions also should focus on integrating Renamo's fighters into the national army. Nyusi said he accepted the need to finalize the two demands. "I confirm my availability for the process," the president said, adding that the fighters should disarm and join the national army. In March, Nyusi proposed constitutional changes to redistribute power to the provinces as part of peace efforts. Renamo's interim leader also alleged that Dhlakama had died in the bush because of the military's attempts on his life. The Portuguese news agency Lusa has reported that Dhlakama was ill prior to his death, citing an unnamed Renamo official. Nyusi has said he had hoped to help transfer Dhlakama out of the impoverished country for medical treatment, but it was too late Dhlakama's supporters, some wearing T-shirts with his picture, lined up on Wednesday to view the body of a man loved by some and hated by others for his role in the civil war. Dozens of people climbed trees, while others followed the proceedings from the balconies of nearby apartments. The coffin was draped in the national flag while uniformed soldiers - once the main targets of rebel attacks - stood guard. Speakers described Dhlakama as a visionary, a democrat and a negotiator. "He was a man of the people. He died fighting for the freedom of the people," Sarah Zhuwawo, who said she was a relative, told The Associated Press. Others were less charitable. "He was a bandit. He was a dangerous man, that one. He wanted this country to collapse," said Lucas Chikweya, who was selling boiled eggs on the street. In the city of Mutare in neighboring Zimbabwe, some criticized Dhlakama for sending his fighters across the border to attack innocent villagers in the 1980s. Hordes of Mozambicans fled into Zimbabwe and neighboring Malawi as refugees during the fighting. Between 2013 and 2016, Renamo resumed low-intensity sporadic attacks on Mozambican police, the military and civilians after Dhlakama left his Beira residence for rural Gorongosa, citing renewed attacks on him by the government. However, tensions eased in 2017 as Dhlakama met Nyusi in Gorongosa to discuss differences between the two sides. "What matters most is that he was working toward peace at the end. It is important that negotiations are completed before next year's elections," said Zimbabwean opposition politician Chris Sibindi, who attended the funeral. Mozambique is set to hold presidential, legislative and provincial elections in October 2019. Dhlakama will be buried Thursday in his home village. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa Family members of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama react during his state funeral in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Soldiers carry the coffin of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama during his state funeral in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Supporters of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama shout out during his state funeral in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Armed police keep a close eye on the crowd during the state funeral of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Soldiers carry the coffin of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama during his state funeral in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi delivers his speech during the state funeral of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama, in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Supporters of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama line up to view his coffin during his state funeral in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi delivers his speech during the state funeral of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama, in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Soldiers carry the coffin of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama during his state funeral in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) A portrait of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama is displayed during his state funeral in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Family members of Mozambique's opposition leader, Alfonso Dhlakama react during his state funeral in Beira about 700 kilometres south of the capital Maputo, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018. Dhlakama, who led a rebel group during the devastating civil war that ended in 1992 died on May 3. He was 65. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) DETROIT (AP) - U.S. safety regulators are looking into complaints that steering wheels can fall off on some Toyota Highlander SUVs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into 732,500 Highlanders from 2008 through 2013. The agency says it has three complaints that the upper steering column separated from the lower part while drivers were adjusting steering wheels. Documents posted this week say there haven't been any crashes or injuries. One driver complained that the wheel came off April 1 while an SUV was traveling on a freeway near Sacramento, California. The driver was able to slow and get into the breakdown lane. Investigators will determine if a recall is needed. Toyota says it's cooperating with the probe. Customers who believe they have the problem should contact a Toyota dealer. HONG KONG (AP) - Chinese telecommunications company ZTE has halted its main operations after U.S. authorities cut off its access to American suppliers as President Donald Trump steps up pressure over trade and technology issues with Beijing. "Major operating activities of the company have ceased" as a result of the U.S. Commerce Department "denial order" issued last month, ZTE said in a statement issued late Wednesday. The Commerce Department has imposed a seven-year sales ban on ZTE in a case involving exports of telecom gear to Iran and North Korea. FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2012, file photo, a salesperson stands at counters selling mobile phones produced by ZTE Corp. at an appliance store in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province. Chinese tech company ZTE said Sunday, May 6, 2018 that it applied to the U.S. Commerce Department to suspend a seven-year ban on doing business with U.S. technology exporters (Chinatopix Via AP, File) ZTE, a major supplier of telecoms networks and smartphones based in southern China, earlier said the ban threatened its existence by choking off access to U.S. suppliers of key technology and components like microchips. The suspension came amid worsening trade tensions between the U.S. and China centered on technology-related intellectual property, though ZTE's case dates back to before President Donald Trump took office in January 2017. A U.S. delegation traveled to Beijing last week to discuss the brewing trade conflict with their Chinese counterparts. During the meetings, Chinese officials said they also raised their objections to ZTE's punishment with the U.S. team, who they said agreed to report them to Trump. ZTE "maintains sufficient cash and strictly adheres to its commercial obligations subject to compliance with laws and regulations," it said in the statement issued to the Hong Kong stock exchange. "The company and related parties are actively communicating with the relevant U.S. government departments in order to facilitate the modification or reversal of the Denial Order by the U.S. government and forge a positive outcome in the development of the matters." The announcement comes days after ZTE said it had asked the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security to suspend the ban and had submitted extra information to bolster its case. U.S. authorities imposed the penalty after discovering that Shenzhen-based ZTE had misled regulators involving the illegal shipments to North Korea and Iran. The company paid a $1.2 billion fine in the case but failed to discipline employees involved and paid them bonuses instead. The company has more than 70,000 employees and has supplied networks or equipment to some of the world's biggest telecoms companies. NEW YORK (AP) - Media company Twenty-First Century Fox is buying seven TV stations from Sinclair Broadcast Group for $910 million. The move comes as Sinclair is selling some stations to meet regulatory approval for its pending $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media. Meanwhile, Disney is pursuing a $52 billion takeover of much of Fox, though TV stations will stay with Rupert Murdoch's family under a new Fox company. Two of the stations are in California. The others are in Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Utah and Washington. FILE - In thisOct. 12, 2004, file photo, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.'s headquarters stands in Hunt Valley, Md. Media company Twenty-First Century Fox is buying seven TV stations from Sinclair Broadcast Group for $910 million. The move comes as Sinclair is selling some stations to meet regulatory approval for its pending $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark, File) Fox says the deal will let it compete in 19 of the top 20 markets, with a larger presence in the West. In April, Sinclair sold off nine TV stations to Standard Media Group for $441.7 million. Both of the sales are contingent on the acquisition of Tribune Media closing. ___ This story has been corrected to state that Fox TV stations will remain with Murdoch family. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - George Jones was against the Mountain Valley Pipeline from the start. The natural gas pipeline is routed to run through the southwest Virginia farm his family has owned for seven generations. The 88-year-old Navy veteran never considered signing an easement agreement with the developers, because he thought the whole thing seemed an affront to his property rights. But state law meant he couldn't even keep surveyors out. As work chugs along toward having the pipeline in service by the end of the year, Jones and a coalition of more than a dozen other like-minded Virginia and West Virginia landowners have taken their fight to court. In this Thursday, May 3, 2018 photo, Becky and Roger Crabtree pose next to a downed tree on the route of the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline on their property in Lindside, W.Va. The Crabtree's are part of a coalition of Virginia and West Virginia landowners opposed to what they call an unconstitutional land grab and have taken their fight to a federal appeals court. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) They sued project developers and the federal regulators who approved the pipeline, arguing that taking their property through eminent domain is an unconstitutional land grab. They say regulators have "run wild," granting developers of the approximately 300-mile-long (480-kilometer-long) project land acquisition powers, which are usually reserved for government entities. "He fought in the Korean War for other countries' freedom, and then he comes back home ... and he's fighting for his own freedom, for his own land," said son Donald Jones, who has power of attorney after his father suffered a stroke that limited his speech. A hearing Thursday before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond comes as other legal challenges against the project proliferate and protests escalate, with some opponents camped out in trees along the pipeline's path in an attempt to prevent construction work. Mountain Valley, part of a pipeline boom underway to carry natural gas out of the Appalachian Basin, would run south through the center of West Virginia. It would cross steep mountains, old-growth forests, hundreds of bodies of water and the Appalachian Trail before connecting in southern Virginia to the more than 10,000-mile (16,000-kilometer) Transco pipeline system. A 70-mile extension into North Carolina was recently proposed. Developers say the buried pipeline, 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter, is intended to serve markets in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. They insist it will boost local economies through new jobs and tax revenue and aid the transition from dirtier-burning coal. Wade Massie, an attorney representing the pipeline in the lawsuit, declined to discuss the case and referred questions to a spokeswoman who works for lead developer EQT Corp. She didn't respond to requests for comment. The landowners, however, insist the pipeline won't do a thing to help them, their families or their neighbors. Many believe the gas is destined for export overseas. "If it were a school or hospital or highway or a library, we'd probably give them the land," said Becky Crabtree, a retired teacher in West Virginia who along with her husband, Roger, is a plaintiff in the lawsuit. "But this is not going to do anybody in the area or in our family any good at all." In signing off on the pipeline, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission noted that the pipeline's capacity - 2 billion cubic feet (0.06 billion cubic meters) a day - been claimed by companies that want to ship the gas. But critics say that because the shippers are affiliates of the companies developing the pipeline, that doesn't show a true market need. "Basically, the corporations have taken power to do whatever they want over individual rights. We have to say, where does this end?" said Constantine Chlepas, another plaintiff who worries his organic apiary will be harmed. The landowners seeking relief hope the appeals court will reverse the decision of a lower court judge, who didn't rule on the constitutional issues in the case but dismissed them, saying she lacked subject matter jurisdiction. U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Dillon said the landowners must first apply for a rehearing before the commission and, after receiving a hearing there, seek review in a federal appeals court. Some of the plaintiffs and other pipeline opponents have done just that - asked the commission to reconsider its decision - but they say the way that process plays out leaves them with no meaningful opportunity for judicial review. The commission has issued what's called a "tolling order," a decision that allows members more time to consider appeals but also allows work on the pipeline to continue. FERC spokeswoman Tamara Young-Allen said the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation. Justin Lugar, an attorney for the landowners, said his clients face a high hurdle in the lawsuit and the clock is ticking. "Even if we win the jurisdiction argument, the pipe could be in the ground by the time this thing could be heard," he said. Crabtree, though, said she's holding out hope. She pointed to the numerous legal challenges and the growing number of tree sitters who have blocked work on the project, saying she feels public sentiment against the pipeline is growing. "The fire is spreading," she said. In this Thursday, May 3, 2018 photo, beekeeper Constantine Chlepas sits on a section of downed trees on the route of the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline near his property in Lindside, W.Va. Chlepas is part of a coalition of Virginia and West Virginia landowners opposed to what they call an unconstitutional land grab and have taken their fight to a federal appeals court. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) In this Thursday, May 3, 2018 photo, a section of downed trees sits atop a ridge near homes along the route of the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline in Lindside, W.Va. Mountain Valley Pipeline will have a day in court this week in their eminent domain lawsuit against the project. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, May 10, before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond in their case. The landowners sued developers of the project and the federal regulators who approved it, arguing that the taking of their property through eminent domain is an unconstitutional land grab. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) In this Thursday, May 3, 2018 photo, downed trees mark the route of the proposed Mountain Valley pipeline in Lindside, W.Va. A coalition of Virginia and West Virginia landowners opposed to what they call an unconstitutional land grab have taken their fight to a federal appeals court. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) In this Thursday, May 3, 2018 photo, Becky Crabtree displays a flyer that she posted on a fence on the route of the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline on their property in Lindside, W.Va. The Crabtree's are part of a coalition of Virginia and West Virginia landowners opposed to what they call an unconstitutional land grab and have taken their fight to a federal appeals court. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) PRATTVILLE, Ala. (AP) - An Alabama man wanted on child pornography charges has been arrested in New Mexico. News outlets cite a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement release that says 35-year-old Kenneth Earl Hooks was arrested Monday. Authorities say Hooks has been on the run since his girlfriend was arrested at a Walmart in California, accused of filming children in the store's bathroom. A search of her phone revealed videos of Hooks sexually assaulting multiple children. Investigators determined the videos were produced in Alabama. ICE spokesman Bryan D. Cox says Homeland Security Investigations special agents and U.S. Marshals Service deputies took Hooks into custody near Las Cruces. He'll have a court hearing in New Mexico before extradition to Alabama. He's also wanted on multiple charges in California. It's unclear whether he has a lawyer. SANTA NINFA, Sicily (AP) - Enrico Battaglin surged ahead at the perfect moment to win the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia on Wednesday as Chris Froome and most of the other favorites finished in the main pack. Rohan Dennis held onto the overall leader's pink jersey with a 1-second lead over defending champion Tom Dumoulin, with four-time Tour de France winner Froome 55 seconds back in 19th place. Giovanni Visconti, a Sicilian looking to impress before his home fans, led coming around the final turn with 200 meters (yards) to go before Battaglin accelerated to take his third career Giro victory. Italy's Enrico Battaglin celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race from Agrigento to Santa Ninfa, Italy, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Enrico Battaglin surged ahead at the perfect moment to win the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia on Wednesday as Chris Froome and most of the other favorites finished in the main pack. (Daniel Dal Zennaro/ANSA via AP) Battaglin, who rides for Team LottoNL-Jumbo, finished third in a slightly tougher stage on Tuesday. "The finish was a bit different to yesterday. Yesterday was really a powerful sprint on a really steep climb," said Battaglin, who also won Giro stages in 2013 and 2014. "Today was a steep climb but at two kilometers to go, and I had a little bit of time to rest and recover and do a really good sprint." Visconti crossed second and Jose Goncalves of Portugal finished second, both with the same time as Battaglin. Battaglin clocked slightly more than four hours over the 153-kilometer (95-mile) leg from Agrigento to Santa Ninfa in southwestern Sicily. The start of the stage was delayed for 15 minutes due to an accident on the racing route that left a motorcycle driver in serious condition. Simon Yates, the Briton who won the young rider classification at last year's Tour de France, sits third overall - 17 seconds behind Dennis, who claimed the lead after the second stage. "It was a nice day on the bike, on quite a slow pace because of the head wind," said Dennis, an Australian with BMC. "I felt a bit of stress every now and then but I am glad to be in the Maglia Rosa. We're only on day five, that means sixteen days to go. Tomorrow will be another story with the Etna. I'm looking forward to see how I'll go up there." Stage 6 concludes with an arduous ascent up Mount Etna that should shake up the overall standings. Then the race heads over to mainland Italy and climbs up the peninsula to the defining legs in the Alps. The only overall contender who struggled on Wednesday was Astana rider Miguel Angel Lopez, who misjudged a turn with six kilometers to go, rode straight off the road and fell into a patch of high grass. He finished 42 seconds behind. Four riders - Ryan Mullen, Laurent Didier, Eugert Zhupa and Andrea Vendrame - were involved in an early breakaway. Vendrame, the last survivor of the breakaway, was caught by the main pack with three kilometers to go. While the first half of the stage was not very challenging, the second half included three fourth-category climbs. The final two kilometers were mostly uphill, including one demanding section at a gradient of 12 percent. The stage began near Agrigento's Valley of the Temples archaeological site and concluded in the valley of Belice to commemorate the 50th anniversary of an earthquake that killed more than 200 people. Santa Ninfa was one of the hardest hit towns by the quake. The Giro ends in Rome on May 27. Britain's Chris Froome, left, and his SKY teammates arrive to sign the starting list prior to the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race, from Agrigento to Santa Ninfa, Italy, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. (Daniel Dal Zennaro/ANSA via AP) Italy's Elia Viviani waves ahead of the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race from Agrigento to Santa Ninfa, Italy, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. (Daniel Dal Zennaro/ANSA via AP) Britain's Chris Froome, 2nd from left, and his SKY teammates sign the starting list prior to the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race, from Agrigento to Santa Ninfa, Italy, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. (Daniel Dal Zennaro/ANSA via AP) WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts state trooper has rescued a dog running loose in the middle of an interstate with the bribe of a homemade snack. Trooper Nick D'Angelo responded to a report of a pup running loose along Interstate 190 in Worcester on Wednesday morning. State police say the dog, named Dozier, was "hot doggin' it," down the highway as stopped motorists tried to capture him. D'Angelo lured Dozier to safety with some homemade deer jerky. Dozier has been reunited with his owner. Massachusetts State police say it's always great making new friends, two- and four-legged. ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) - Paraguay's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that the country will shift its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, following the U.S. and Guatemala in a change long sought by Israel's government but opposed by Palestinians. The ministry said in a statement that it "has begun the process" of carrying out the order by President Horacio Cartes. Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said earlier this week that Cartes would attend the opening ceremony, which he said would occur by the end of May. However, the spokeswoman for Paraguay's Foreign Ministry, Elvio Venega, said no date has been determined. The Paraguayan statements did not indicate if Cartes would go to Israel for the ceremony. The president, whose five-year term ends Aug. 15, is expected to resign within a few weeks so that he can be sworn into a seat to which he was elected in Paraguay's Senate. The constitution forbids officials to hold two posts simultaneously. The U.S officially opens its embassy in Jerusalem on May 14 followed two days later by Guatemala. President Donald Trump overturned decades of U.S. policy last year by announcing the Jerusalem move. Israel claims the entire city as its eternal capital. Palestinians want east Jerusalem as their future capital and were infuriated by the declaration. Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv and have balked at moving them until the international legal status of the city has been resolved. Cartes' decision irked some within Paraguay as well. Luis Castiglioni, who has been designated as the future foreign minister by President-elect Mario Abdo Benitez, told the Mil radio station that "it would have been better to consult with the president-elect in this case, which could have geopolitical consequences." RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - A Brazilian politician is denying allegations he was involved in plotting the death of a fellow Rio de Janeiro city council member who was a prominent social activist. Councilman Marcello Siciliano told reporters on Wednesday that he had a good relationship with Marielle Franco, who was killed on March 14. The O Globo newspaper reported on Tuesday that a witness told police he overheard Siciliano and a former police officer begin plotting Franco's murder in June. The witness said the former officer belonged to a police-linked militia. FILE - This April 14, 2018 file photo shows an image of slain councilwoman Marielle Franco projected on a wall, where people gather to protest at the site where Franco and her driver Anderson Pedro Gomes were killed a month earlier, during a protest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Councilman Marcello Siciliano is denying allegations he was involved in plotting the death of his fellow Rio de Janeiro city council member, telling reporters on Wednesday, May that he had a good relationship with Franco, who was killed on March 14. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File) Brazil's Public Security Minister Raul Jungmann has said that militias may have been responsible for killing Franco. Militias include current and former police officers who vie with criminal gangs for control of Rio's poor communities. They've been accused of summary executions. In this April 2, 2018 photo, a photo of slain council woman Marielle Franco is seen through a banner during a vigil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A Brazilian politician is denying allegations he was involved in plotting the death of a fellow Rio de Janeiro city council member who was a prominent social activist. Councilman Marcello Siciliano told reporters on Wednesday, May 9 that he had a good relationship with Marielle Franco, who was killed on March 14. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) BERLIN (AP) - German authorities have deported a suspected Islamic State member to Tunisia, days after Germany's highest court rejected his appeal. Hesse state Interior Minister Peter Beuth says the 37-year-old Tunisian, identified as Haikel S., was handed over to authorities in his homeland Wednesday. Beuth said he hoped the deportation would set a precedent and allow Germany to speed up such procedures in future. The man was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of being a recruiter and smuggler for IS and of planning an attack. Tunisia accused him of involvement in the 2015 attack on a Tunis museum and a 2016 attack on the border town of Ben Guerdane. Germany is also trying to deport a 42-year-old Tunisian alleged to have once been a bodyguard for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden. MEXICO CITY (AP) - Human rights and immigrant advocates are calling on the Mexican government to devote more resources to supporting the growing number of Mexicans deported from the United States. Mexican government data show that the U.S. deported 53,764 Mexicans in the first three months of the year, up 40 percent over the same quarter a year earlier. Deportations had fallen during President Donald Trump's first year in office, but this year's figures have now surpassed the total for the same period in 2016, the final year of Barack Obama's administration. Eunice Rendon of Migrant Agenda said Wednesday at a news conference with Mexico's National Human Rights Commission that Mexico must provide additional funding for reintegration. FILE - In this Feb. 23, 2017 file photo, Lucio Cervantes, a Mexican citizen who said he lived in the U.S. for 25 years, arrives to the airport after being deported to Mexico City. Cervantes said he was detained in Portland, Oregon where he made a court appearance for a previous infraction, which he didn't specify, and was held for two months before his deportation. Deportations had fallen during President Donald Trump's first year in office, but in 2018 deportations have surpassed the total during the first three months of 2016, the final year of Barack Obama's administration. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File) Rendon says the longer immigrants have lived in the U.S. the fewer ties they have in Mexico. Luke Winslow-King, "Blue Mesa" (Bloodshot Records) Don't look for ferocious twists and turns on Luke Winslow-King's "Blue Mesa." Though he well knows life is usually far from trouble-free, this is a collection of soulfully simple and effective songs with a wide range of guitar sounds and a mix of blues, rock, folk and boogie. Returning to his native Cadillac, Michigan, after a long stint in New Orleans, Winslow-King recorded the album in the Tuscan region of Italy with a band including guitarist Roberto Luti, drummer Chris Davis, keyboard player Mike Lynch and Christian Carpenter on bass. This cover image released by Bloodshot Records shows "Blue Mesa," a release by Luke Winslow-King. (Bloodshot Records via AP) While its predecessor, "I'm Glad Trouble Don't Always Last" from 2016, dealt with the breakup of his marriage, the source of his melancholy this time were the deaths of his father and of "Washboard" Lissa Driscoll, one of his New Orleans mentors. The title track is a gentle road song in farewell mode with a weeping slide guitar, while the character on "Born to Roam" probably won't even bother saying goodbye. In any case, he's settled down considerably by "Better for Knowing You," an admission that things are better when you have someone to share them with. "Thought I Heard You" is ZZ Top-style boogie with a heart of stone, while "Chicken Dinner" (written with Driscoll) has some cool horns and playful interplay between the guitars. "After the Rain" is another laidback tune, like something from the early 1970s by Taj Mahal or Ry Cooder. Driscoll also co-wrote opener "You Got Mine" and the album ends fittingly with "Farewell Blues." Written after his dad's diagnosis, a combination of violin, slide guitar and accordion bears the burden of the emotions and leaves Winslow-King to express his hurt with a deceptive calm in his voice. Winslow-King has raised the bar a few notches with every new album and it's the unadorned and heartfelt sincerity of the songs that elevates "Blue Mesa" above the horizon. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on Indiana's Senate race (all times local): 3:15 p.m. Democrats are already using harsh rhetoric from Indiana's nasty GOP Senate primary against wealthy former state lawmaker Mike Braun, just hours after he won the nomination. Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun and his wife Maureen greets supporters after winning the republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Whether that will prove effective in a general election campaign is far from certain. But an online ad by the Democrat-affiliated group American Bridge, released shortly after Braun clinched the nomination previewed what could be a major line of attack. Titled "Can't Trust Mike Braun," the ad repackages blistering criticisms from GOP Reps. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer, who were defeated Tuesday. The clip includes everything from their attacks on Braun's vote in the Indiana Legislature to raise taxes, to Chinese goods imported by his national auto parts distribution business. Braun's campaign did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. ___ 12:16 a.m. Indiana Republicans who picked wealthy former state lawmaker Mike Braun as their Senate candidate now are hoping he's not too battered from a grueling primary to mount an effective challenge against a vulnerable Democratic incumbent. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have scheduled a campaign rally on Thursday - just two days after the primary. It's a signal the GOP is trying to unify behind their nominee ahead of a pivotal fall campaign against Sen. Joe Donnelly. If Braun's concerned, he wasn't showing it Tuesday while basking in the glow of supporters after his double-digit victory over two congressmen - Todd Rokita and Luke Messer. Braun, the owner of a national auto parts distributor, says his victory is a sign voters are disenchanted with "business as usual." Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun thanks supporters after winning the republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. Braun advances to a November matchup with Democrat Joe Donnelly, who is considered one of the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun enters with his wife Maureen to celebrate with supporters after winning the Republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. Braun advances to a November matchup with Democrat Joe Donnelly, who is considered one of the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun thanks supporters after winning the republican primary in Whitestown, Ind., Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Braun faced Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary race. Braun advances to a November matchup with Democrat Joe Donnelly, who is considered one of the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen (all times local): 7:45 p.m. AT&T says the company was contacted last year by special counsel Robert Mueller's office about President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. In a statement Wednesday, the company says it was contacted by the office investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election. AT&T says it "cooperated fully, providing all information requested in November and December of 2017." AT&T says its consulting contract with Cohen expired at the end of the year and it has received no questions since. AT&T told employees Wednesday that it paid Cohen, beginning in early 2017, to consult on how Trump might approach a range of policy issues, including antitrust enforcement. A report released by an attorney for former porn star Stormy Daniels details four payments totaling $200,000 that AT&T made to a company controlled by Cohen. __ 6:40 p.m. Lawyers for President Donald Trump's personal lawyer say much of the financial information in a report released by a lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels is "completely inaccurate." The lawyers for Michael Cohen told a New York judge Wednesday that Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, has made "numerous incorrect statements" publicly since releasing information related to Cohen on Tuesday. They say Avenatti made statements "in an apparent attempt to prejudice and discredit Mr. Cohen" after April 9 raids on his home and office. The raids were carried out by federal agents looking for evidence in a criminal probe. Cohen's lawyers say Avenatti is seeking to create a "toxic mix of misinformation." Avenatti is responding on Twitter, calling Cohen's filing Wednesday "baseless, improper and sanctionable." __ 6:05 p.m. AT&T says it paid President Donald Trump's personal lawyer beginning in early 2017 to consult on how Trump might approach a range of policy issues, including antitrust enforcement. But in a memo to employees sent Wednesday, the telecommunications giant says it didn't pay Michael Cohen for legal or lobbying work. It says its contract with him expired in December 2017. A report released by an attorney for former porn star Stormy Daniels details four payments totaling $200,000 that AT&T made to a company controlled by Cohen. The Wall Street Journal first reported that Cohen used the same company to pay Daniels $130,000 days before the 2016 presidential election. An AT&T spokeswoman didn't respond when asked how AT&T learned of Cohen's consulting services or whether it paid Cohen more than $200,000. ___ 3:15 p.m. Swiss drug giant Novartis says it met with President Donald Trump's personal lawyer only once as part of its $1.2 million payout to his company. Novartis spokesman Eric Althoff says in an emailed statement that Novartis hired lawyer Michael Cohen for $100,000 a month to consult on health care matters, but determined after a single meeting with Cohen that he wouldn't be of use. Althoff says "the decision was taken not to engage further." But he says the contract couldn't be terminated, so Novartis kept paying Cohen's company, Essential Consultants, for a full year. Cohen has no background in health care or public policy. Novartis didn't respond to questions about what services it expected Cohen would provide and why it would have agreed to pay Cohen $1.2 million before hashing out the details of the work. Althoff says Novartis complied with requests for information about the payments from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators in November. ___ 2:55 p.m. The Treasury Department's internal watchdog says it's investigating how detailed allegations about the banking records of President Donald Trump's personal lawyer became public. At issue is an account of bank transactions involving Trump attorney Michael Cohen. The financial information was disclosed on Tuesday night by lawyer Michael Avenatti, who represents adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 in October 2016 to stay silent about her alleged tryst with Trump in 2006. Word of the investigation comes from Rich Delmar, general counsel for the department's inspector general. Under federal law, financial institutions must monitor their customers' activities and report suspicious transactions to the government. But that information is supposed to remain confidential. Delmar says that "if there's been unauthorized release" of such information, "that is of concern to us." CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia enters the general election campaign with a huge financial advantage as he prepares to defend his seat in November against Republican Patrick Morrisey. Morrisey, a two-term state attorney general, defeated a congressman and a former coal company executive with deep pockets in the Republican primary Tuesday to earn the chance to challenge Manchin. The incumbent easily won the Democratic primary as he seeks his second full six-year term in a race that's widely regarded as one of the best GOP takeover opportunities. Manchin, who has held elected office in West Virginia for the better part of three decades, is expected to face the most difficult re-election campaign of his career against the comparative newcomer Morrisey. Denise Morrisey stands next to her husband, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, as he speaks at his campaign headquarters Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Kearnesville, W.Va. (Ron Agnir/The Journal via AP) "Batten the hatches. It's going to be a long ride," Robert Rupp, a political history professor at West Virginia Wesleyan College, said Wednesday. Manchin outraised Morrisey by a more than 2-to-1 margin during the primary campaign. The difference in cash on hand was much greater - Manchin's campaign reported $5.3 million in his latest federal filing, compared to $835,000 for Morrisey. Rupp said money may not be that much of a liability for Morrisey, who can expect a boost from outside groups to cut into Manchin's advantage in individual contributions, which were $3.1 million in the primary. Manchin's campaign has said he had more than 11,000 donors in the primary. Morrisey also must deal with another disparity - 43 percent of West Virginia voters are registered Democrats, compared to 32 percent registered Republicans. Yet West Virginia gave President Donald Trump his largest margin of victory in 2016 and has trended hard toward Republicans in recent years. Rupp said Manchin will have to "stand against the red tide" in West Virginia. "It's going to be hard for him to do it," Rupp said. Morrisey was the lone Republican to hold statewide office after he was elected in 2012. The GOP now controls five of the six offices. In the 2014 election, Republicans claimed majorities in both houses of the Legislature for the first time in eight decades, and Shelley Moore Capito became the first GOP U.S. senator elected in West Virginia in more than a half century. In his primary win, Morrisey credited a Monday tweet from Trump, who told Republican voters to support him or Rep. Evan Jenkins and not former coal executive Don Blankenship. Trump now must decide how aggressively he'll back Morrisey over Manchin, who is one of Trump's only allies among Senate Democrats on many votes. In his Tuesday night victory speech, Morrisey invited the president to make frequent visits between now and November. "I think the president is going to be a huge ally in this race," he said in an interview. Manchin touts himself as a bipartisan problem solver who works "for West Virginians." He said he has a "good relationship" with the president and is always willing to work with him. He expects GOP leaders to make sure the White House backs his opponent but has a message for Republicans who have supported him. "If it makes sense for West Virginia, makes sense to me, I vote for it, doesn't matter whether it's Democrat or Republican," Manchin said. Manchin at times has expressed frustration with partisan gridlock in Washington, including in 2016 when he weighed a campaign to return to the governor's office. That theme played out again during this year's primary campaign, when Manchin used the phrase "Washington sucks" in advertising and again in his nomination statement. "Some people in Washington care more about dividing us and playing politics than getting to work and solving these problems," he said. "I've always believed you can't build anything up if you're tearing each other down. That's got to change." Immediately after his primary win, Morrisey went after Manchin, saying he "has failed our state." Morrisey said he'll put his record of fighting the state's opioid epidemic up again the former governor's. Morrisey took heat from Jenkins during the primary about his New Jersey roots but doesn't expect that to be a problem in the fall campaign. "My record reflects the strong West Virginia values that most people have," Morrisey said. BOSTON (AP) - The silversmith best known for his midnight ride to alert the colonial militia of approaching British forces is being celebrated more than two centuries later in Boston. The Paul Revere Memorial Association will commemorate the bicentennial of Paul Revere's death in a public ceremony Thursday at his burial site downtown. Revere is known for his successful effort to warn the militia of British General Thomas Gage's intent to destroy military supplies in Concord during a horseback ride from Boston to Lexington on April 18, 1775. Revere had 16 children and died in 1818 at age 83. The event will host dignitaries, masons and Revere's descendants, including Paul Revere III, his fourth great-grandson. The program will include a reading of Revere's obituary. Claims that Clint Eastwood is donating a Northern California ranch and other assets to President Donald Trump's 2020 re-election campaign are false, according to representatives of the actor. False reports circulating on social media claim Eastwood's donations include 40,000 acres of Nevada grazing land and $7 million in cash. The sites say the campaign will use the ranch as a Pacific Northwest command center "far from the prying eyes of Obama and the deep state." Daily World Update, a self-dubbed satirical site, is among the sites making the claim. In an April 27 story, it quotes the actor as saying his doctors have urged him to get his affairs in order and that he'll be fortunate to still be around next year. The false story claims the actor says he's taken financial care of his family and wants his personal estate to go to something bigger. FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2018 file photo, actor-director Clint Eastwood appears at the awards ceremony of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif. Claims that Eastwood is donating a Northern California ranch and other assets to President Donald Trump's 2020 re-election campaign are false, according to representatives of the actor. False reports circulating on social media claim Eastwood's donations include 40,000 acres of Nevada grazing land and $7 million in cash. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) The claims are "false in every respect," attorney Kevin Marks wrote in an email to The Associated Press. ___ 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 MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama should remove a statue from its Capitol grounds honoring a 19th century doctor who operated on slaves without anesthesia as he sought new ways to treat childbirth complications, a group led by a state lawmaker said Wednesday. The statue, erected in 1939, lauds Dr. J. Marion Sims as the "father of modern gynecology." However, Sims' legacy has been tarnished because he developed his technique through operations on enslaved black women in Alabama, without anesthesia. New York City officials last month relocated a statue of Sims from Central Park to the Brooklyn cemetery where Sims is buried. A statue of Dr. J. Marion Sims is seen, Wednesday, May, 9, 2018, on the grounds of the Alabama Capitol, in Montgomery, Ala. State Sen. Hank Sanders, and others, on Wednesday called for the state to take down the statue of Sims, a 19th century doctor who did experimental surgery without anesthesia on enslaved African-American women. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler) State Sen. Hank Sanders, a Democrat from Selma, and other members of the group Save Ourselves Movement for Justice and Democracy held a press conference calling for the removal of the statue from the Capitol grounds. "This statue needs to be removed, just as it was in New York," Sanders said. "Sims lived here in Montgomery, and it was in Montgomery that he did these operations on enslaved women without any anesthesia. They said white women couldn't stand the pain, but they decided black women could." A local activist was arrested last month on misdemeanor criminal trespassing charges after performing a skit in which ketchup, used as a prop to symbolize blood, was smeared on the statue pedestal, according to a police affidavit included in court records. The skit was performed on Confederate Memorial Day, which remains a state holiday in Alabama, shortly before another group held a ceremony on the grounds to honor Confederate veterans. "The other side of the history needs to be told. They were just telling the other side of the history," Sanders said. Sims' statue sits on the state Capitol grounds, along with an 88-foot monument honoring Confederate veterans, a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and a bronze star that marks the spot where Davis took the oath of office. But Sanders said the memorial to Sims, which sits beneath a large oak tree, has drawn less attention Alabama lawmakers in 2017 approved legislation prohibiting the removal or alteration of longstanding monuments and markers unless approved by a state committee. The law was approved as some Southern cities began moving to take down Confederate monuments. A spokesman for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who has praised the law in her election ads, said any request to take down the statue would go through that process. "Governor Ivey believes in the process and supports the committee and their decisions," her press office said in an email. An Alabama physician is scheduled to go on trial Friday on charges that he improperly prescribed fentanyl and other drugs to 3 Doors Down guitarist Matthew Roberts, who died of a drug overdose. Dr. Richard Snellgrove of Fairhope faces a 13-count federal indictment in Mobile alleging unlawful distribution of controlled substances and health care fraud. An indictment alleges he prescribed the drugs that killed Roberts, who was found dead in August 2016 in a hotel hallway near Milwaukee. Roberts was to perform a charity concert there. Court papers state Snellgrove began prescribing drugs to Roberts as early as 2005 and knew Roberts had addiction problems. FILE - In this May 17, 2005, file photo, 3 Doors Down member Matt Roberts arrives at the BMI Pop Music Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. Dr. Richard Snellgrove of Fairhope, Ala., an Alabama physician, is scheduled to go on trial Friday, May 11, 2018, on charges that he improperly prescribed fentanyl and other drugs to 3 Doors Down guitarist Matthew Roberts, who died of a drug overdose. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File) Snellgrove has pleaded not guilty. He faces up to 240 years in prison and up to $2.8 million in fines if convicted. Roberts' family is also suing Snellgrove and Rite Aid Corp. and others in a civil lawsuit in state court in Alabama. Court records show that case is stayed pending the outcome of Snellgrove's criminal case. Roberts was a founding member of 3 Doors Down when the rock group began in 1996 in south Mississippi. He co-authored the band's hit song "Kryptonite," which in 2001 was nominated for a Grammy award for best rock song. Snellgrove began treating Roberts in 2005, according to the indictment, which specifically cites prescriptions of oxycodone, lorazepam and fentanyl that Snellgrove wrote for Roberts and someone else referred to as "J.R." A DEA agent has testified that Snellgrove wrote prescriptions to "J.R." because Roberts' insurance wouldn't pay for fentanyl. Roberts left the band after its 2012 European tour, but continued to play guitar. He had gone to Wisconsin to perform with another band in a benefit concert involving the military when he died. On Aug. 20, 2016, Roberts was found dead in the hallway of a hotel in West Bend, Wisconsin, with a guitar case beside him and a patch that delivers fentanyl on his body, a special agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration wrote in an affidavit. A medical examiner later ruled the cause of death to be an overdose involving fentanyl, hydrocodone and alprazolam, the affidavit stated. Both the prosecution and the defense plan to call expert witnesses to testify about whether Snellgrove was prescribing medicine properly. The two sides have clashed in pretrial motions over the use of those experts. MEXICO CITY (AP) - High-ranking defense and military officials from a dozen countries in Latin America are meeting in El Salvador to analyze how to combat street gangs and drug cartels. Salvadoran Defense Minister David Munguia said Wednesday that "the power of transnational criminal organizations has outstripped the power of any one country to contain or defeat them." He said international cooperation is needed to confront the gangs. The Central America Security Conference was attended by officials from Central America, the United States, Canada and Mexico. The gangs have brought some of the highest homicide rates in the world to countries like El Salvador and Honduras. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Actors Robert DeNiro and Alec Baldwin are giving some fundraising help to a Democrat hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi. Howard Sherman is one of six Democrats in the June 5 primary. He is married to actress Sela Ward, and they have a home near Meridian, Mississippi, where she was raised. The couple previously lived in Los Angeles. Sherman's campaign spokesman David Davis confirms that DeNiro and Baldwin helped host a cocktail party Tuesday in New York, with suggested campaign donations of $1,000 to $5,400 per person. Howard Sherman, husband of famed actress Sela Ward, and candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Roger Wicker, arrives at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience Center in Meridian, Miss., for the Grand Opening Gala, Friday, April 27, 2018. (Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star via AP) Wicker faces one challenger in the GOP primary. He sent out his own fundraising email Wednesday, calling DeNiro and Baldwin "mega liberals" who have insulted President Donald Trump. "Alec Baldwin is popular among liberals for his malicious and inaccurate portrayal of President Trump on Saturday Night Live," the Wicker email says. "Robert DeNiro has said the following about our president: 'I'd like to punch him in the face. This is somebody that we want for president? I don't think so.'" DeNiro also has appeared on "Saturday Night Live," playing special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. Like many incumbents, Wicker has received campaign contributions from a variety of political action committees, including those pooling money from insurance, energy and financial firms. He also got a $5,000 contribution from Sherman last year, according to Federal Election Commission records. Sherman has said he donated because Wicker was facing the prospect of a primary challenge at the time by Chris McDaniel, a tea party-backed state lawmaker who nearly unseated longtime U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran in a bitter 2014 Republican primary. Cochran resigned from the Senate in April amid health concerns, and Republican Gov. Phil Bryant appointed the state agriculture commissioner, Cindy Hyde-Smith to temporarily fill the Senate seat. McDaniel had qualified to challenge Wicker this year, but switched races to challenge Hyde-Smith instead this November for the final two years of Cochran's term. Two Democrats are also in that race. Sherman was registered to vote as a Republican in California until 2016, when he enrolled in Mississippi, where people don't register by party. He's been his own biggest donor so far. A finance report shows that through the end of March, he had put $500,000 into his own campaign, and had received just one donation, from his campaign manager, for $1,000. ____ Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus . WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon on Thursday will release the final report on the Niger attack that killed four Americans last October, concluding that the Army Special Forces team did not get required command approval for the initial risky mission to go after a high-level insurgent linked to the Islamic State group. Defense officials said they will lay out how the mission unfolded, leading to the gruesome ambush, and then explain what is being done to correct the problems brought to light by the incident. Families of the fallen troops have been briefed on the investigation, including details of their loved ones' final moments as they battled as many as 100 insurgents in a fierce firefight. "The whole thing was a screwed-up mess," said Arnold Wright, father of Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright of Lyons, Georgia, who was killed in the attack. He said he's concerned that the Army may be pinning the blame on lower-ranking soldiers and not accepting responsibility high enough up the chain of command. These images provided by the U.S. Army show, from left, Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; Sgt. La David Johnson of Miami Gardens, Fla.; and Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Ga. All four were killed in Niger, when a joint patrol of American and Niger forces was ambushed by militants believed linked to the Islamic State group. The Pentagon on Thursday is releasing the final report on the Niger attack that killed four Americans last October, concluding that the Army Special Forces team did not get required command approval for the initial risky mission to go after a high-level insurgent. (U.S. Army via AP) The briefing, he said, gave the impression "that the captain, the team leader, that he mischaracterized the mission" as one to reach out to local leaders rather than a mission to target the insurgent. The Associated Press reported in early March that the team received information about the location of Doundou Chefou, who was suspected of involvement in the kidnapping an American aid worker, and acted on what they considered was a fleeting chance to get him. But the team did not disclose that mission to higher-level commanders, and instead outlined a lower-risk mission to meet with tribal leaders, U.S. officials told the AP. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation ahead of its release. The report is expected to detail missteps in the mission's approval process and whether that contributed at all to the ambush that erupted many hours later. Its findings will put renewed focus on U.S. military activity in Africa, particularly the role of special operations forces who've been advising and working with local troops on the continent for years. Extremists linked to IS and al-Qaida carry out increasingly bold attacks in West Africa's vast Sahel region. The investigation was led by U.S. Africa Command's chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier Jr. Officials spent months trying to unravel the complex incident, conducting dozens of interviews across the U.S., Europe and Africa. The Pentagon will also unveil recommended changes, including greater oversight to ensure proper mission approval and risk assessment, as well as improved security measures, more heavily armored vehicles, and better weapons and training, U.S. officials said. Killed in the attack were: Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida; Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Washington; Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; and Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Georgia. Four Nigerien troops were killed and two American soldiers and eight Nigerien forces were wounded. Officials have said the investigation doesn't draw a direct link between the team's failure to get appropriate approval of the initial kill or capture mission and the attack that came much later, once commanders had approved other changes to the mission. The team was called off before they got to the location where Chefou was believed to be, because he had left. The troops, however, were later sent to collect intelligence at a location where Chefou had been, and then they stopped at the village of Tongo Tongo for supplies before heading back to their base. "They had a mission to go to a location that was like four hours away and they went on that mission and the target was gone," Wright told the AP in an interview, recounting what Cloutier told him. "They started back and they got like two hours or so from their home base and they got a change of mission to go to another location back north like four hours away to act as a blocking force for another team was coming in with helicopters to hit the target." Bad weather forced the helicopters to abort, Wright said, and his son's team went on to the site, where they destroyed motorcycles, ammunition and other equipment before heading to Tongo Tongo. After leaving the village, they were ambushed about 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Niamey, Niger's capital, by as many as 100 Islamic State-linked militants carrying small arms and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Wright, an Army veteran, said he was told the troops tried to stand and fight, leaving their vehicles so they could use them for cover. But as fighting intensified and more enemy fighters came, the American-led team decided to flee, using smoke for cover. The two U.S. trucks with machine guns went first, Wright said, leaving behind the truck his son Dustin was driving that had no mounted gun. As his son tried to get away, Wright said Staff Sgt. Black was firing from the front passenger seat and Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson was shooting from the back of the truck. Then Black got shot. "So Dustin stops the vehicle, runs around and grabs Bryan Black by collar and pulls him behind the vehicle," Wright said. As Johnson tried to help Black, Dustin Wright fired across the hood of the truck. Wright said Black died and the vehicle was disabled, so his son and Johnson fled on foot. Johnson was shot and Dustin Wright got hit after running back to help Johnson. Both died. La David Johnson became separated from the others as he fought and ran for cover in the brush. He was gunned down, but his body wasn't found until two days later. The battle, said Arnold Wright, lasted 40 minutes or more. ___ Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. BOLIVAR, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to letting her blind, autistic son die in a southwestern Missouri field. Kimberly Lightwine of Missouri's Polk County pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter in the death of her 19-year-old son, Austin Anderson. The Springfield News-Leader reports that the 43-year-old Lightwine will enter a 120-day substance abuse program. If she successfully completes the program, she will be released on five years' probation. If not, she could spend seven years in prison. Anderson was found dead in a field in August 2016. He had a swollen brain from dehydration and possibly went into shock without his medication. Prosecutors say Lightwine was lying next to her dead son when deputies arrived, and her leg and jaw were broken. ___ Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A Mississippi man pleaded guilty Wednesday to a fraud scheme that prosecutors say took in well over $100 million and victimized more than 300 people, including U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker. Arthur Lamar Adams pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in federal court in Jackson in an agreement with prosecutors after earlier waiving indictment. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which is pursuing a separate civil suit against Adams, says he began defrauding investors as early as 2004. Authorities say the 58-year-old Jackson resident persuaded investors to loan him money, promising interest rates of 12 percent to 15 percent a year and repayment over 12 to 15 months. Adams told investors he was buying rights to cut timber cheaply and then selling them for higher prices to sawmills. Arthur Lamar Adams leaves federal court in Jackson, Miss., on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud. Federal officials say Adams ran a scheme which took in more than $100 million from more than 300 victims, including U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy) U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves set sentencing for Aug. 21. Adams faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Prosecutors say they also want Adams to forfeit his gains and make restitution. He remains confined at home. As the hearing began, Adams told Reeves, "I'm here to plead guilty." He said little after that, answering Reeves' questions about whether he understood what he was doing with "Yes, sir," and "No, sir." Adams didn't comment to reporters afterward. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Fulcher told Reeves that Adams confessed to FBI agents. Fulcher said that "except in a few instances," Adams had no timber rights, and knew that he would use some of the money to repay investors and keep the fraud going in a classic Ponzi scheme. Federal officials say Adams skimmed some of the money to pay personal expenses and used some to begin real estate developments near the Mississippi towns of Oxford and Starkville. Adams offered notarized deeds to cut timber as collateral, but as one of the first lawsuits filed in state court shows, those deeds were bogus. A plaintiff named Sherri Hughes says Adams and a salesman for the scheme persuaded her to loan Madison Timber Properties nearly $170,000, but when she tried to cash her monthly check after the SEC froze Adams' accounts, she was turned away by a bank. Hughes' company, Highway 22 LLC, then tried to file its deed for a purported 400-plus-acres (160-plus-hectares) of timber rights in Monroe County, only to be told by courthouse workers that no such parcel or landowner existed in county records. Although prosecutors say "well in excess" of $100 million was invested, it's unclear how much was lost. Rumors have swept affluent Mississippi circles in recent days. The original federal judge recused himself, saying a number of friends are among purported victims. Adams used some of investors' money to pay commissions to other people who solicited new investments. Wicker, for example, bought his interest through an entity controlled by Jackson lobbyist Brent Alexander - to whose children Wicker is godfather - and Jackson lawyer Jon Seawright. The Associated Press discovered Wicker's investment listed in U.S. Senate disclosures. A lawyer for Alexander and Seawright says they were conned too. The criminal charge against Adams says one unnamed recruiter got $2.4 million in commissions in 2017 and another one got $1.6 million. Those salesmen and their employers could be sued by disgruntled investors. They could also face lawsuits from securities officials or even criminal charges. Adams' lawyer, John Colette, has declined to say whether Adams is providing evidence against others. "This criminal conduct will not be tolerated in our state, and if others were involved, we will continue to dig until all those responsible have been brought to justice," Mike Hurst, U.S. attorney for southern Mississippi, said in a statement. ___ Follow Jeff Amy at http://twitter.com/jeffamy . Read his work at https://www.apnews.com/search/By%20Jeff%20Amy . Advertisement After years of diligent duty sniffing out illegal drugs and rescuing earthquake survivors, 61 police dogs in Ecuador are finally turning in their badges. The loyal pups were celebrated in an official ceremony in Quito on Wednesday that included an honor band and a red carpet. It also included a solemn moment in which the officers prayed for their canine partners and remembered those who had been killed in the line of duty. A police dog plays for the last time with his handler before being handed over to his new owners in an official ceremony where 61 police retired in Quito, Ecuador on Wednesday Police officers remove the badges that identified dogs as police dogs, during the official retirement ceremony The loyal pups were also treated to a red carpet and an honor band. A newly retired police dogs sits with his new family after the ceremony After shaking hands with their handlers, each dog was then walked down the red carpet to his new family as the band played Ecuador's national anthem. The majority of the dogs - Labradors, German shepherds and Golden Retrievers on the whole - are being taken in by their former trainers. But the rest were adopted by supportive families who had to go through a rigorous selection process. The majority of the dogs - Labradors, German shepherds and Golden Retrievers on the whole - are being taken in by their former trainers Anahi and her new dog Osi leave el Centro de Adiestramiento Canino. New families had to go through a rigorous selecton process before they could bring the dogs home Ecuador police wanted to ensure that each canine, who on average served for about nine years, had a dignified retirement in a loving home They even had to get their home inspected before adopting one of the precious dogs. Ecuador police said they wanted to ensure that each canine had a dignified retirement in a loving home. On average, police dogs in Ecuador serve for about nine years total. Canine police officer Nicki and his new family Boris Almeida and his wife rest together after attending the ceremony After shaking hands with their handlers, each dog was walked down the red carpet to his new family as the band played Ecuador's national anthem A police officer receives his new pet after the adorable pup is walked down the red carpet during the ceremony Most of their work revolves around finding cocaine that is smuggled through the country. But 16 of the dogs that retired in this week's ceremony helped locate victims trapped under rubble following a 2016 earthquake that left more than 600 people dead. One officer said he was sad to see his canine partner go, but was happy that the dog was being taken in by a loving home. And he planned to stay in touch, of course. Sixteen of the dogs retired in this week's ceremony helped locate victims trapped under rubble following a 2016 earthquake that left more than 600 people dead WASHINGTON (AP) - It was all there on paper in black and white, down to the precise number of centrifuges: the terms of a potential "fix" that President Donald Trump had demanded for the United States to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. Dragged kicking and screaming into five months of negotiations, America's closest allies in Europe had finally agreed in principle to the toughest of Trump's demands. They conceded that some expectation could be put into place in perpetuity that Iran should never get closer than one year from building a bomb. All that was left was to figure out creative language for how that constraint would be phrased that everyone could support. Trump walked away from the deal anyway. Announcing the U.S. was out, he called the 2015 pact his predecessor brokered "defective at its core" and said the U.S. would immediately re-impose sanctions lifted under the deal. President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the Iran nuclear deal from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) "We can't allow a deal to hurt the world," Trump added Wednesday, as the world scrambled to figure out what comes next. Behind the scenes, though, the Trump administration had been actively preparing for a pullout since January, when Trump declared that he would withdraw if an "add-on" deal wasn't reached. To many U.S. officials, it was as clear then as now that the president would not be swayed to accept even a toughened-up version of the accord. This account of how Trump withdrew from the deal draws on interviews Wednesday with a dozen White House officials, senior State Department officials, foreign diplomats and outside advisers to the Trump administration involved in the negotiations. Most were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. ___ Trump had just celebrated the anniversary of becoming president in January when he issued his ultimatum: If there's no fix to the deal by May 12, the U.S. would be out. There was no chance that three of the deal's members - Iran, Russia and China - would consider changes, so Trump focused on the Europeans - Germany, the U.K. and France - in hopes that the rest would go along once a fix was agreed to by the rest. "This is a last chance," Trump said. Right away, a team led by Brian Hook, the State Department's policy chief, began intensive negotiations with the Europeans on the issues Trump insisted must be fixed: new penalties on Iran's ballistic missile inspections, expanded access for U.N. nuclear inspectors and an extension of the restrictions on Iran's enrichment beyond the current life of the deal. Before long, the U.S. found the Europeans were amenable to dealing with the first two. The third was a nonstarter. After all, the terms of the 2015 deal explicitly say that the restrictions "sunset" over time. Any extension without Iran's explicit consent would put the Europeans themselves in breach of the deal. A supplemental agreement was drafted, and tweaked, and tweaked again, even as negotiations continued about what mechanism to use to hold the Iranians to the restrictions indefinitely. At least one draft included footnotes specifying that the same nuclear parameters in the 2015 deal should continue to be in place: no more than 5,060 IR-1 centrifuges, no uranium stockpiles larger than 300 kilograms, no enrichment beyond 3.67 percent and no advanced centrifuges, according to an individual who read the draft. ___ At the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley led a parallel effort to get France and the U.K. to toughen up on other Iranian behavior, such as its support for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and for Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen. Haley's argument to the Europeans: Helping us with these side issues can only help you make your case to Trump to stay in the deal. But at the White House, senior staffers were skeptical that anything would satisfy Trump. After all, the president had already told aides he refused to waive sanctions on Iran again. So White House and National Security Council staff began laying the groundwork for a U.S. withdrawal, even as the negotiations with the Europeans were underway. ___ As the May deadline drew closer, the Europeans grew increasingly alarmed that Trump seemed determined to scrap the deal. And so began a parade of visits by their leaders to the White House to make the case in person. First came French President Emmanuel Macron, the European leader closest to Trump. Not only did he raise the issue during a state visit, but he also took the extraordinary step of hammering the point in a speech to a joint session of Congress. "We signed it, both the United States and France," Macron said of the pact. "That is why we cannot say we should get rid of it like that." The Germans followed days later, with Chancellor Angela Merkel emphasizing Europe's openness to working with Trump to crack down more comprehensively on Iran. The closing pitch was left to British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who even appeared on Trump-friendly "Fox & Friends" to urge him not to walk away. Johnson and the others came to Washington armed with clever solutions to the remaining hang-up over extending restrictions on Iran permanently. The Europeans were firm on one point: They could not unilaterally impose on Iran what it had not agreed to in the deal. But there were ideas to use other mechanisms that don't expire, such as supervision of Iran's civil nuclear needs, to ensure it stayed within the bounds and didn't approach a bomb. ___ By the time Johnson arrived, it became clear that the negotiations, while still ongoing, were futile. And on Monday, Trump tweeted that he'd announce his decision at 2 p.m. Tuesday - almost a week before his deadline. His decision was kept closely quarantined until the end, with even most White House, State Department and Treasury Department officials unsure what he'd decided. The State Department and Treasury prepared three versions of the public statements and technical guidance that would have to be released with his decision: one for staying in, one for full withdrawal and one midway option in which only some sanctions would be immediately re-imposed, potentially preserving the possibility that the U.S. could later reverse course and stay in. Trump's administration also didn't explicitly tell the Europeans he was withdrawing. In a call with Macron just ahead of his announcement, Trump made clear he was still ardently opposed to the deal but left Macron guessing about precisely what he would do. He and the other Europeans learned when everyone else did: on Tuesday, when Trump appeared on live television in the Diplomatic Reception Room and said he was out. "The fact is this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made," Trump said. "It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will." ___ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report. ___ Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the Iran nuclear deal from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Washington. Trump says the United States is withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, which he called "defective at its core." (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan's elections bureau on Wednesday rejected challenges to the candidacy of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, declaring that he has been a continuously registered voter in the state for 15 years. The challenges were brought by another Democrat running for governor - Shri Thanedar - and three other residents. They raised questions because El-Sayed studied, worked and voted in New York before moving back to Michigan in 2015 to run Detroit's health department. Provisions in the state constitution and election law say a gubernatorial candidate must have been a registered and "qualified" voter in Michigan for four years before the election. In letters to the challengers, Bureau of Elections Director Sally Williams wrote that they cited no evidence to support allegations that he violated the four-year voter registration requirement. They alleged El-Sayed has not resided in Michigan for 22 years. She acknowledged that El-Sayed obtained a New York driver's license. But she added that his Michigan voter registration could not have been canceled unless the state received specific written confirmation that he changed his residence for voting purposes or until two straight federal elections passed without him voting in Michigan - neither of which occurred. "As we expected, the Secretary of State has rejected this baseless political attack in an unprecedented confirmation of Abdul's eligibility to serve as governor in his state," El-Sayed spokesman Adam Joseph said in a statement. "While we anticipate that this definitive statement of fact by the Bureau of Elections won't stop political opponents from persisting in their baseless smear campaign, Abdul's supporters and everyday voters can be fully confident in their support of Abdul." El-Sayed and Thanedar, a wealthy businessman who is self-funding his campaign, are among three Democratic candidates along with former legislative leader Gretchen Whitmer. Asked if he would contest the election bureau's determination, Thanedar said: "We are thankful the Secretary of State's office reviewed this matter and look forward to an open and vigorous debate on how we can move our state forward and help working families rise up." In March, El-Sayed went to court asking a judge to rule on his eligibility at the request of the Michigan Democratic Party. The case is pending before Court of Claims Judge Christopher Murray. El-Sayed's attorneys have argued that while he was physically living in New York City on Nov. 6, 2014 - four years before the general election - he remained at all times a resident of Michigan "because he had chosen Michigan (as) his permanent home, and maintained an intent to return." In a filing Wednesday, the state again urged that El-Sayed's lawsuit be dismissed, contending that Republican Secretary of State Ruth Johnson is not authorized to look beyond the registration information contained in a voter's file and is not empowered to interpret the state constitution's requirement that a gubernatorial candidate be a registered voter for four years before the election. ___ Follow David Eggert on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/David%20Eggert A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after an armed siege ended peacefully in the early hours. The incident in Oxford was sparked by reports of a man with a gun. Thames Valley Police said shots were fired from a property in Paradise Square in the city centre, with officers returning fire. Shortly before 3am today a 24-year-old man from Oxford was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the incident. He is currently in police custody. TVP Oxford (@TVP_Oxford) May 8, 2018 Nearby streets were cordoned off by officers who were called to the scene at about 1.15pm on Monday. Negotiations with the man continued until about 3am on Tuesday. The force said the incident had been resolved and that road closures in the area had been lifted. Police near Paradise Square where armed police were locked in a stand-off with a gunman after a shootout in Oxford city centre (Steve Parsons/PA) One person was treated for non-life threatening injuries, paramedics said. A force spokesman said: Shortly before 3am today (8/5) a 24-year-old man from Oxford was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He is currently in police custody. (PA Graphics) He added: Armed response officers were present in Paradise Square following a report shortly after 1.15pm that a man had access to a firearm. A firearms incident in Paradise Square, Oxford, has ended peacefully. All road closures have been lifted in the area. A small scenewatch remains in place. TVP Oxford (@TVP_Oxford) May 8, 2018 Shots were fired from the property and police returned fire. The incident was contained and no-one sustained any serious injuries. There had also been a large police presence in the area and a number of road closures, all of which have been lifted. Thank you to everyone for your understanding and patience while we worked to resolve the incident safely. We are grateful for the support of members of the public and local businesses. If you're coming in to Oxford today you should not experience any further disruption. TVP Oxford (@TVP_Oxford) May 8, 2018 Superintendent Joe Kidman said: I would like to thank the community for their understanding and patience while we worked to resolve the incident safely. Officers are particularly grateful for the support of members of the public and local businesses. While the investigation is ongoing, people travelling in to Oxford should not experience any further disruption. Britain joined France and Germany in recommitting to the Iran nuclear deal after Donald Trump ignored their pleas and pulled the United States out of the accord. The US president said he would impose the highest level of economic sanctions on Iran as he claimed the state was on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons. Tehran immediately responded by warning it would begin enriching more uranium than ever if negotiations with other countries in the pact failed. President Hassan Rouhani said he would send foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to visit each of the remaining countries involved in the deal. Prime Minister @Theresa_May has made a joint statement with President Macron and Chancellor Merkel on the Iran nuclear deal: https://t.co/gpLevdyu65 UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 8, 2018 Former president Barack Obama said the decision was a serious mistake that could leave the US facing a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East. In a joint statement, Theresa May May, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron said the decision was a matter of regret and concern. But Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Mr Trump for the bold move and described the agreement as a recipe for disaster that had brought the prospect of war closer. .@POTUS Trump to the long-suffering people of #Iran: The people of America stand with you. The future of Iran belongs to its people. They deserve a nation that does justice to their dreams. #JCPOA pic.twitter.com/MMeIpZEG8p Department of State (@StateDept) May 8, 2018 Britain, France and Germany had made strenuous attempts to persuade the US president to preserve the deal. On Monday, Boris Johnson made a diplomatic dash to Washington in a last-ditch push to win over the president. The visit came soon after Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron made direct appeals to Mr Trump in face-to-face talks. But the diplomatic efforts failed to secure even a delay in the announcement. Israel fully supports @realDonaldTrumps bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. The deal didnt push war further away; it actually brought it closer. The deal didnt reduce Irans aggression; it dramatically increased it. pic.twitter.com/sxJHocLqu7 Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) May 8, 2018 Speaking in the White House, Mr Trump said the agreement was disastrous and a great embarrassment to him. The Iran deal is defective at its core, he said. If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the worlds leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the worlds most dangerous weapon. Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. Mr Trump said the move was a sign that the US no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them, he said. In a joint statement, Mrs May, Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron said they remained committed to the deal. Deeply regret US decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. UK remains strongly committed to the JCPoA, and will work with E3 partners and the other parties to the deal to maintain it. Await more detail on US plan. Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 8, 2018 They said: It is with regret and concern that we, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, take note of President Trumps decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). (PA Graphics) Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPOA. This agreement remains important for our shared security. They added: We encourage Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the US; Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, co-operating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) inspection requirements. France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 8, 2018 The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed by the US, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain with Iran in 2015. Under its terms, Iran is committed to a peaceful nuclear energy programme. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in North Korea to finalise details of a historic summit planned between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Mr Trump announced the mission in Washington on Tuesday just minutes before Mr Pompeo arrived in Japan to refuel before flying on to Pyongyang, and as the president declared he was withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with another bitter US adversary, Iran. US officials say Mr Pompeo will also press North Korea for the release of three detained American citizens, whose imminent release Mr Trump has been hinting at. His trip comes just days after North Korea expressed displeasure with Washington for comments suggesting that massive US pressure had pushed Mr Kim to the negotiating table. Mr Pompeo, who first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which it is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright in 2000 who went as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Mr Kims father Mr Kim Jong Il. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April (Andrew Harnik/AP) At this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un, Mr Trump said at the White House. Plans are being made, relationships are building, hopefully a deal will happen and with the help of China, South Korea and Japan a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone, he said. Mr Pompeo flew out of Washington under cover of darkness late on Monday aboard an Air Force 757 accompanied by a handful of senior aides, a security detail and two journalists: one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, who were given roughly four hours notice of his departure. The flight arrived on Wednesday morning and North Korean officials were on hand to greet the American diplomat. Headed back to #DPRK at the invitation of the North Korean leadership. I look forward to planning a successful summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 8, 2018 Mr Pompeos first trip to Pyongyang over Easter weekend before he was confirmed as secretary of state was a closely held secret. News of it did not emerge just before his Senate confirmation vote less than two weeks ago. Shortly afterwards, the White House released photographs of Mr Pompeo and Mr Kim posing for cameras. It was not clear if Mr Kim would meet Mr Pompeo on Wednesday. Mr Pompeo told reporters aboard his plane that his first visit was to test the North Koreans seriousness of pledges to South Korea on easing tensions. This trip is to put in place a framework for a successful summit, he said. Although there were no guarantees that the American prisoners would be freed during Mr Pompeos visit, US officials said their release would be significant goodwill gesture ahead of the Mr Trump-Mr Kim summit that is expected later this month or in early June. Mike Pompeo met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a Easter weekend trip (White House/AP) I think it would be a great gesture if they would agree to do so, Mr Pompeo said, adding that it would be difficult to hold a leaders summit if the prisoners remained captive. The three Korean-Americans Mr Kim Dong Chul, Mr Kim Hak Song and Tony Mr Kim are all accused by the North of anti-state activities. Mr Trump has said that a time and place for the summit have been decided but has not said where and when it will be. Mr Pompeos visit to Pyongyang aims to lock down the date and venue for a formal announcement to be made. It came just a day after Mr Kim returned from China, his second trip to the neighbouring country in six weeks to meet with President Xi Jinping. A Trump-Mr Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Koreas development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea have moved to ease tensions, including with their own leaders summit late last month. In March, Mr Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Mr Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss denuclearisation. According to South Korea, Mr Kim says he is willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Mr Kim was quoted as saying on Monday by Chinas official news agency Xinhua: I hope to build mutual trust with the US through dialogue. He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearisation should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But his exact demands for relinquishing weapons that his nation spent decades building remain unclear. Previous US efforts to negotiate an end to the Norths nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Mr Pompeo and officials travelling with him said the Mr Trump administration would not repeat mistakes of the past, which they described as accepting gradual, incremental and long-term disarmament in exchange for immediate benefits. One senior official said Mr Trump and Mr Pompeo were looking for a bold approach that would fundamentally alter the security situation. We are not going to head back down the path that we headed down before, Mr Pompeo said. We will not relieve sanctions until such time as we have achieved our objectives. Were not going to do this in small increments where the world is essentially coerced into relieving economic pressure. An inquest will be held later into the death of a teacher murdered and secretly buried by republican paramilitaries more than 30 years ago. The remains of Seamus Ruddy, a Disappeared victim of the Northern Ireland Troubles, were discovered in a French forest last year. The 32-year-old from Newry, Co Down was found at Pont-de-lArche, near Rouen in northern France in May 2017. The inquest into his death will be heard on Wednesday at Dublin Coroners Court. A mourner holds an order of service during the funeral of Seamus Ruddy at St Catherines Dominican Chapel in Newry (Niall Carson/PA) Mr Ruddy was abducted in Paris in 1985 by the republican paramilitary group the INLA (Irish National Liberation Army). He was murdered and then secretly buried. Mr Ruddy was a former member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) the political wing of the INLA. It is believed he was murdered amid a dispute with INLA members about an arms dump. The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (ICLVR) recovered Mr Ruddys remains. The ICLVR was set up during the peace process by the UK and Irish governments to find the bodies of those secretly buried, mainly by the IRA, in the 1970s and 1980s. Three of the 16 Disappeared victims are still to be recovered. The remains of Columba McVeigh, Joe Lynskey and Robert Nairac have yet to be found. China, Japan and South Korea have agreed to cooperate on ending North Koreas nuclear programme and promoting free trade, two hot-button issues challenging their region. The agreements came at the first summit for the Northeast Asian neighbours after a hiatus of more than two years, bringing together Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese premier Li Keqiang and South Korean president Moon Jae-in. Mr Abe said they discussed how they can get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, but he did not provide any details. China and Japan, in particular, have differences over how best to achieve North Koreas nuclear disarmament. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Mr Moon on April 27 and Chinese president Xi Jinping earlier this week, in a surprise visit to the Chinese coastal city of Dalian. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to Pyongyang, North Koreas capital, early on Wednesday to finalise details of a summit planned between President Donald Trump and Mr Kim. We must lead the ongoing momentum toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and achieve peace and stability in Northeast Asia, Mr Abe told a joint news conference in Tokyo. The summit is expected to focus on North Koreas nuclear programme (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Japanese deputy chief cabinet secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said the three leaders also agreed to work toward two free trade agreements, a free trade pact among themselves and the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with Southeast Asian nations. Mr Trump has threatened all three countries with tariffs in a bid to seek trade concessions from them. His moves have raised fears of a trade war between the US and China. Mr Li, the number two official in China after President Xi Jinping, said earlier that free trade is a good way to promote a global economic recovery. We are willing to work with Japan and South Korea to jointly maintain regional stability and push forward the development of the three countries, he said before the meeting started. The leaders also agreed to hold trilateral summits on regular basis and set up a secretariat. The summits, which started in 2008, are supposed to be held annually, but Wednesdays was the first since November 2015. Analysts say Japan is trying to showcase improved ties and cooperation with China and South Korea so its views will be represented in any negotiations with North Korea. Mr Abe reiterated Japans position that it would normalise ties with North Korea only if the latter took concrete steps toward abandoning its nuclear and missile programs and resolved the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korean agents. Japans leader was to hold talks separately with Mr Moon and Mr Li later on Wednesday. The summit hopes to improve the sometimes-frayed ties among the three north-east Asian neighbours (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Japanese officials said they plan to propose a free and peaceful East China Sea, but do not plan to raise contentious issues such as South Korean comfort women forced to provide sex to Japans wartime military. Mr Moon is to leave Japan after half a day. After that, Mr Abe will host a dinner and lunch for Mr Li and join him on the northern island of Hokkaido on the final day of his four-day Japan visit. Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said they want to improve Japans strained relations with China, with the eventual goal of realising a visit by Mr Xi. While Japan, China and South Korea are closely linked economically, anti-Japanese sentiment runs deep in China and South Korea because of territorial and historical disputes dating back to Japans colonisation of the Korean Peninsula and invasion of China in the first half of the 20th century. China, Japan and South Korea have agreed to cooperate on ending North Koreas nuclear programme and promoting free trade. The agreements came at the first summit for the north-east Asian neighbours after a hiatus of more than two years, bringing together Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Mr Abe said they discussed how they can get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, but he did not provide any details. China and Japan, in particular, have differences over how best to achieve North Koreas nuclear disarmament. The meeting comes amid a flurry of developments on the Korean Peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Mr Moon on April 27 and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this week, in a surprise visit to the Chinese coastal city of Dalian. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo flew to Pyongyang, North Koreas capital, early on Wednesday to finalise details of a summit planned between US President Donald Trump and Mr Kim. The summit is expected to focus on North Koreas nuclear programme (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) We must lead the ongoing momentum towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and achieve peace and stability in north-east Asia, Mr Abe told a joint news conference in Tokyo. Japanese deputy chief cabinet secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said the three leaders also agreed to work towards two free trade agreements, a free trade pact among themselves and the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with south-east Asian nations. Mr Trump has threatened all three countries with tariffs in a bid to seek trade concessions from them. His moves have raised fears of a trade war between the US and China. Mr Li, the number two official in China after President Xi Jinping, said earlier that free trade is a good way to promote a global economic recovery. We are willing to work with Japan and South Korea to jointly maintain regional stability and push forward the development of the three countries, he said before the meeting started. The leaders also agreed to hold trilateral summits on a regular basis and set up a secretariat. The summits, which started in 2008, are supposed to be held annually, but Wednesdays was the first since November 2015. The summit hopes to improve the sometimes-frayed ties among the three north-east Asian neighbours (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Analysts say Japan is trying to showcase improved ties and cooperation with China and South Korea so its views will be represented in any negotiations with North Korea. Mr Abe reiterated Japans position that it would normalise ties with North Korea only if the latter took concrete steps towards abandoning its nuclear and missile programmes and resolved the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korean agents. Japans leader was to hold talks separately with Mr Moon and Mr Li later. Japanese officials said they plan to propose a free and peaceful East China Sea, but do not plan to raise contentious issues such as South Korean comfort women forced to provide sex to Japans wartime military. Mr Moon is to leave Japan after half a day. After that, Mr Abe will host a dinner and lunch for Mr Li and join him on the northern island of Hokkaido on the final day of his four-day Japan visit. Japanese foreign ministry officials said they want to improve Japans strained relations with China, with the eventual goal of realising a visit by Mr Xi. While Japan, China and South Korea are closely linked economically, anti-Japanese sentiment runs deep in China and South Korea because of territorial and historical disputes dating back to Japans colonisation of the Korean Peninsula and invasion of China in the first half of the 20th century. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has travelled to North Korea to finalise plans for a historic summit between President Donald Trump and the Norths leader, Kim Jong Un. US officials said Mr Pompeo will also press North Korea for the release of three detained American citizens. Mr Trump has been hinting at their imminent release. Mr Pompeo discussed the agenda for a potential summit in a meeting with the vice chairman of the central committee of North Koreas ruling party. Later, at a lunch of poached fish and duck hosted by Kim Yong Chol, Mr Pompeo said the senior official had been a great partner in working to make the summit a success. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April (Andrew Harnik/AP) For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, Mr Pompeo said, adding that there are many challenges along the way. Mr Kim noted the improved relations between the Koreas, as well as the Norths policy to concentrate all efforts into economic progress in the country. This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside, he added, citing the will of the Korean people. Mr Trump has said that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. The trip, Mr Pompeos second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington under cover of darkness late Monday aboard an Air Force 757. Mr Trump announced the mission on Tuesday afternoon as he laid out the case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter US adversary. Minutes later, Mr Pompeo arrived in Japan to refuel before flying on to Pyongyang. Accompanying him were a handful of senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, both given roughly four hours notice of his departure. Headed back to #DPRK at the invitation of the North Korean leadership. I look forward to planning a successful summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 8, 2018 When the flight arrived on Wednesday morning in Pyongyang, North Korean officials were on hand to greet Mr Pompeo. A motorcade took Mr Pompeo and his delegation to the Koryo Hotel, the main hotel for foreigners in Pyongyang. The trip came just days after North Korea expressed displeasure with Washington for comments suggesting that massive US pressure had pushed Kim Jong Un to the negotiating table. Mr Pompeo, who first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which the US is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-president Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il. Plans are being made, relationships are building, hopefully a deal will happen and with the help of China, South Korea and Japan a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone, mr Trump said at the White House as he announced Mr Pompeos visit. Mike Pompeo met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during an Easter weekend trip (White House/AP) Mr Pompeos first trip to Pyongyang, over Easter weekend before he was confirmed as secretary of state, was a closely held secret. News of it did not emerge until just before his Senate confirmation vote less than two weeks ago. Shortly afterwards, the White House released photographs of Mr Pompeo and Mr Kim. Mr Pompeo told reporters aboard his plane that his first visit was to test North Koreas seriousness of pledges to South Korea on easing tensions. This trip is to put in place a framework for a successful summit, he said. Although there were no guarantees that the American prisoners would be freed during Mr Pompeos visit, US officials said their release would be a significant goodwill gesture ahead of the Trump-Kim summit that is expected later this month or in early June. I think it would be a great gesture if they would agree to do so, Mr Pompeo said, adding that it would be difficult to hold a leaders summit if the prisoners remained captive. The three Korean-Americans Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim are all accused by the North of anti-state activities. Mr Trump has said that a time and place for the summit have been decided, but has not said where and when it will be. Mr Pompeos visit to Pyongyang aims to lock down the date and venue for a formal announcement to be made. It came just a day after Mr Kim returned from China, his second trip to the neighbouring country in six weeks to meet with President Xi Jinping. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Koreas development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea have moved to ease tensions, including with their own leaders summit late last month. In March, Mr Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Mr Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss denuclearisation. According to South Korea, Mr Kim says he is willing to give up his nuclear missiles if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Irans supreme leader has challenged US president Donald Trump over America pulling out of the nuclear deal, saying: You cannot do a damn thing. Ayatollah Ali Khameneis comments came as he met a group of school teachers in Tehran, a day after Mr Trump announced he was renewing sanctions on Iran. Khamenei described Mr Trumps speech on Tuesday night as having over 10 lies. He also said Mr Trumps remarks threatened Irans people and its theocratic government. Under Irans Islamic Republic, Khamenei has the final say on all state matters. The exhortation from Khamenei follows a pattern of Iranian leaders declaring their nations ability to resist foreign pressure or interference. Iranian MPs burn two pieces of papers representing the US flag and the nuclear deal (AP) Meanwhile, Iranian legislators set fire to a US flag inside parliament, shouting: Death to America! The government backlash reflected public anger in Iran over Mr Trumps decision, which threatens to destroy the landmark 2015 agreement. Iranian officials, including the parliaments speaker, have said they hope Europe will work with them to preserve the deal, but many are pessimistic. MPs, including a Shia cleric, held the flaming flag alight as their colleagues joined their chants. They also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal and stomped on the papers ashes. While US flag-burning is common in Iran and harsh criticism of America has been a staple of Iranian parliamentary politics for years, it was the first time political observers could remember anything being burned inside the parliament itself. The 2015 agreement imposed restrictions on Irans nuclear programme in return for the lifting of most US and international sanctions. However, the deal came with time limits and did not address Irans ballistic missile initiative or its regional policies in Syria and elsewhere. Mr Trump has repeatedly pointed to those omissions in referring to the accord as the worst deal ever. Proponents of the deal have said those time limits were meant to encourage more discussion with Iran in the future that could eventually address other concerns. On Tuesday night, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said he would send foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the countries still in the deal China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. Iran hopes the European Union will pass laws to protect European firms from any potential US sanctions. EU officials have suggested they will do what they can to salvage the agreement. There are few issues more important to the security of the US than the potential spread of nuclear weapons or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Todays decision to put the JCPOA at risk is a serious mistake. My full statement: https://t.co/4oTdXESbxe Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 8, 2018 Mr Rouhani also made a point of stressing that Iran, at any time, could resume its nuclear programme. So if necessary, we can begin our industrial enrichment without any limitations, the Iranian leader said. Until implementation of this decision, we will wait for some weeks and will talk with our friends and allies and other signatories of the nuclear deal, who signed it and who will remain loyal to it. Everything depends on our national interests. On Wednesday morning, parliament speaker Ali Larijani said responsibility for saving the deal fell on the EU and other world powers still in the accord. Pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal is a big mistake. It makes America less safe and less trusted. Iran is now more dangerous. What's plan B? Anyone who thinks bombing is the answer is woefully misinformed. Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 9, 2018 He said: The period is only a window in which the EU can prove if it has enough weight for settling down international issues or not. Mr Larijani also urged the countrys nuclear department to prepare for resumption of all aspects of nuclear activities The Iranian rial is already trading on the black market at 66,000 to the dollar, despite a government-set rate of 42,000 rials. Many Iranians say they have not seen any benefits from the nuclear deal. The countrys poor economy and unemployment levels sparked nationwide protests in December and January that saw at least 25 people killed and, reportedly, nearly 5,000 arrested. An exiled Russian businessman was among anti-Putin protesters at the countrys London embassy as voters queued to vote in the presidential election. Yevgeny Chichvarkin, 43, a mobile phone tycoon who left Russia for the UK in 2008, said he believes the Kremlin is behind the incident in Salisbury, adding that a change is needed. Mr Chichvarkin, who now runs a wine shop in the capital, said the current relationship between the UK and Russia is worse than relations during the Cold War. Russian citizens queue outside the Russian embassy in London on the day of their presidential elections (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The businessman led anti-Putin chants in front of the Russian Embassy in Notting Hill, and was joined by about 30 other protesters. He said he left Russia due to serious pressure from Russian authorities, and on the subject of whether he was afraid about being so vocal just a few metres from the embassy, he said: I feel that I have to. Asked if he thinks he is being watched, he said: Of course, a lot of people who work for FSB are around, of course. But the entrepreneur added: We need change. We, as the world, we need change. Mr Chichvarkin said the Kremlins reaction to the Salisbury incident is the normal reaction of criminals, and asked if he believes the Kremlin is behind the incident, he said: Yes. For sure. Among the protesters standing opposite the embassy was Victoria who moved to the UK from Moscow. I believe that the current elections are fake. I feel like my vote has been taken away from me. And this is the only way I can be honest to myself, she said. The 30-year-old who did not want to give her surname said she feels Britain should take more serious measures against Russia, adding that she believes it is highly likely that the Kremlin was behind the Salisbury attack. Commenting on a tweet posted by the UK Russian Embassy on Sunday a picture of Poirot with the caption In absence of evidence, we definitely need Poirot in Salisbury! Victoria said that joking about an incident in which people almost lost their lives was very inappropriate. Protest outside the Russian embassy in London (Stefan Rousseau/PA) She described the state-backed RT TV channel as a propaganda machine, and said Britain should limit RTs presence. Also among the protesters was Paulina Konkina, 23, who is originally from Moscow. She said: Obviously Russia is my country, its my home country, so I really want whats best for it, and I dont think Putin is what is best for it. Ms Konkina said she thinks Russias reaction to the Salisbury incident has been a form of bravado. Meanwhile, a woman queuing to vote, who gave her name as Julia and said she was 56, spoke up for Mr Putin, crediting him with building Russia from scratch. She said Russia is acting according to international law, adding: It is disrespectful to make accusations which are complete lies and slander. Julia said she does not think the Kremlin was behind the Salisbury incident, adding: Who wants to do such a thing before the election? Its like to put a gun to your head basically before an election. Asked about what she thinks of what the British government is saying about Russia, she said: I think its disgusting. Its unprofessional. Its not according to international standards. Another woman in the queue, who gave her name as Vera and said she was 53, said: I just feel that the accusations are so completely unsubstantiated and ridiculous. She mentioned Boris Johnson and referred to Gavin Williamsons shut up and go away comment, adding: I just think its completely unacceptable and its double standards all over the place. And I just feel its important to be here. Vera said it would be really nice if the British media included the other point of view, adding: Its just all one narrative, which I think is Russophobia and its some part of a big plan and nobody knows what this big plan is. Valeria Karpova, 47, originally from Moscow, was also at the embassy to vote, and said: Number one, Im a Russian citizen and I totally agree with whats happening in Russia at the moment. I totally disagree with all lies produced by British press without any evidence, accusing a man personally, and the country altogether this is appalling, absolutely appalling. Ms Karpova, who is married to an English man, said they are both really sorry to see relations between the two countries deteriorate. Suicide bombers have struck two police stations in Afghanistans capital, killing at least two officers and injuring several other people, officials said. Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the first suicide bomber attacked a station in the western part of Kabul, killing at least two police officers. He said there was sporadic gunfire after the blast as a clean-up operation was carried out. Kabul police chief General Daud Amin said another two policemen were wounded in the attack. Gen Amin said a separate attack in central Kabul, in which a suicide bomber struck at the entrance to a police station, triggered fighting that was still under way. He said gunmen occupied a nearby building, from which they were firing at security forces. Afghans run from the site of a suicide attack (AP) Six people have been transferred to hospitals, though the toll is expected to rise. No-one immediately claimed the attack, but the Taliban and a local Islamic State (IS) affiliate frequently target Afghanistans Western-backed government and security forces. Twin suicide bombings claimed by IS last week killed at least 25 people, including nine journalists who had rushed to the scene of the first attack. It was the deadliest assault on reporters since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban advanced on a district compound, with one reporting the capture of the northern district by the insurgents and another saying heavy fighting was still under way. The battle for the compound in the Bilchirgh district, in the northern Faryab province, came a day after the insurgents captured the district compound in the remote Tala wa Barfak district, in the northern Baghlan province. Two police officers were killed in the first attack (AP) The Taliban have captured several districts in different parts of the country from Afghan security forces since 2014, when the US and Nato formally concluded their combat mission and shifted to a supporting role. Mohammad Hashim, a member of parliament from Faryab province, said the Taliban captured the district headquarters in Bilchirgh early Wednesday after more than 40 security forces retreated under heavy fire. He said the Taliban also captured several villages nearby. Provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yuresh said the fighting is still under way and that government forces still hold the compound. The Taliban issued a statement saying they control the district and claiming to have killed 10 security forces personnel. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a school being used as a voter registration centre, killing eight soldiers in the latest in a series of attacks targeting preparations for elections later this year. Abdul Aziz Beg, head of the governing council in the western Badghis province, said two other soldiers were wounded and one is missing. In the eastern Nangarhar province, a rocket fired by insurgents struck a market, killing two people and wounding 19, according to Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor. He said another four civilians were killed and 15 wounded in a gun battle in the same district, in which two insurgents were killed and seven wounded. It was unclear who was behind the attacks, but the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are both active in the province. The current situation for investigating soldiers and police in Northern Ireland is patently unfair, Theresa May has said, as senior Tories hit out at proposals which could see British soldiers prosecuted for offences during the conflict. Thousands were killed or injured during 30 years of violence, most by paramilitaries but a significant number at the hands of security forces members. MPs had urged a statute of limitations which would prevent anyone from facing trial for offences that happened during the conflict, including former servicemen and paramilitaries. The PM said the peace in Northern Ireland today is `very much due to the work of our Armed Forces and law enforcement in Northern Ireland (PA) But the Government has insisted there will be a consultation on the proposals to the dismay of some Tory backbenchers. The Prime Minister said the peace in Northern Ireland today is very much due to the work of our Armed Forces and law enforcement in Northern Ireland after she was asked about the issue during PMQs. But she added: We have an unfair situation at the moment the situation we have at the moment is that the only people being investigated for these issues that happened in the past are those in our Armed Forces or those who served in law enforcement in Northern Ireland that is patently unfair. Terrorists are not being investigated, terrorists should be investigated and that is what the Government wants to see. Her comments came after Tory Julian Lewis (New Forest East) asked: Does (Mrs May) recall that the previous secretary of state for Northern Ireland suggested that the possibility of dealing with legacy cases by a statute of limitations, coupled with a truth recovery process, would be included as an option in the forthcoming consultation exercise? Does she accept that that is a legitimate option for consideration and will she ensure that therefore it is not excluded from that consultation exercise? Earlier, during Northern Ireland questions, Sir Mike Penning, a former Northern Ireland and defence minister, told ministers if they wanted to honour the memory of service personnel killed in the conflict then the consultation flatly should say were not having a conversation, we will protect the soldiers and put them first and the terrorists second. Former defence minister Mark Francois added: Id like to ask a question about the human rights of our brave servicemen who served in Northern Ireland for so many years without whom there would be no peace in Northern Ireland. Can I make a submission to the consultation early on, can I tell the Secretary of State in all candour that there are many on these benches who will not be prepared to traipse blithely through the lobbies in order to support the setting up of any institution which would scapegoat our military veterans to pander to Sinn Fein. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said: He is absolutely right and I agree with him, there is no way as Secretary of State that I am prepared to do anything that makes the situation for our veterans, for who he says we have so much to thank them for the peace that we see today in Northern Ireland they served with incredible dignity and duty and I want to respect that. That is why I want to make sure that we deal with this situation. The status quo is not good enough, the only people today who are getting knocks on the door from the police telling them that they face inquests are the military, we need to change that and thats why we need to issue a consultation. Over the last year, the concept of an amnesty has gained traction among a number of Westminster backbenchers, who claim recent prosecutions of former British soldiers are tantamount to a witch-hunt. Prosecutors and police in Northern Ireland insist such allegations simply do not stand up to scrutiny, with a breakdown of figures showing no disproportionate focus on ex-security force members. Mechanisms to deal with the conflict legacy were agreed by Northern Ireland politicians in the 2014 Stormont House Agreement; an amnesty was not among them. The agreed proposals, including a new independent investigatory unit, a truth recovery body and an oral archive, are on ice due to a small number of outstanding disputes. Former Northern Ireland minister Dr Andrew Murrison said there was a very real danger that the Stormont House Agreement institutions may act against the interests of servicemen, former members of the security services and give an unfair advantage to former paramilitaries. He asked: Does she share my concern about the possibility without checks and balances those institutions may create a form of historical revisionism that casts members of the security services in an unfairly poor light? Ms Bradley replied: The status quo that we see at the moment sees a disproportionate emphasis on the actions of the military and law enforcement during the Troubles and really very little emphasis on the actions of paramilitary terrorists who were responsible for 90% of the killings during the Troubles. That is why I do want to see a consultation on the institutions so we get exactly right those points that he has raised. Mrs Mays official spokesman later told a Westminster media briefing: There is a long-standing position of the Government going back over a number of years. We are bringing a consultation forward. That work is ongoing. Wait for the consultation to be published. Around 3,500 people were killed in the Troubles 90% were murdered by terrorists. Many of those cases required further investigation, including the deaths of hundreds of members of the security forces. We are committed to establishing a method for dealing with this in a balanced and proportionate way and that will be set out in due course. Until that happens, there is nothing further I can add. What the Prime Minister is clear about is that the current system is unfair, its not working and we need to move to an arrangement which is proportionate. A senior Labour spokesman said: We want to see the full implementation of the Stormont House agreement of 2014, including the historical legacy unit. We want to see those decisions implemented. Of course we fully support the armed forces, and any proposals on a statute of limitations would need to be looked at and would need to have the support of both communities. US president Donald Trump has said secretary of state Mike Pompeo is on his way back from North Korea with three American detainees. Mr Trump said the three seem to be in good health. The US president tweeted: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. The US president hailed the move as `very exciting (AP) Mr Trump added that Mr Pompeo had a good meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The American leader is planning a historic summit with Mr Kim. In another Tweet, Mr Trump said Mr Pompeo and the detainees will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2am on Thursday (7am BST). He said: I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! Police are investigating the death of a child at the centre of a public inquiry in Northern Ireland. Claire Roberts, nine, died in hospital in 1996 from a medical condition called hyponatraemia caused by a lack of sodium in the bloodstream. A public inquiry was set up in 2004 to investigate the deaths of Claire, Adam Strain, Raychel Ferguson, Lucy Crawford and Conor Mitchell. Copies of the findings of the hyponatraemia inquiry (PA) It said the childrens deaths were avoidable and Northern Irelands attorney general, John Larkin QC, ordered a new inquest into Claires death. A preliminary hearing at a coroners court in Belfast on Wednesday was told a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) investigation was at an early stage. Another preliminary hearing was scheduled for September. The son of former House of Commons Speaker Lord Martin of Springburn has told mourners he hopes his late father will be an inspiration to people who feel the odds are stacked against them. Speaking at a funeral mass for the former Labour MP who died on April 29 after a short illness at the age of 72, Paul Martin praised his fathers achievements, going from a sheet metal apprentice to the House of Lords. Senior politicians attended the funeral at St Aloysius Church in the centre of Glasgow, including Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, Lord Martins successor as Speaker, John Bercow, and Lord Keen, representing the Prime Minister. Lord Martin died after a short illness aged 72 (Eddie Mulholland/PA) Archbishop Mario Conti led the service and quoted a tribute from Lord Foulkes: Speaker Martin was of humble origins who rose to hold one of the highest offices in the land but most of all he should be remembered for his kindness. Archbishop Conti paid tribute to a family man loved by his constituents, adding: High office did not lead Michael to assume airs and graces, he did not need to he had a natural grace. He said Lord Martin was the first Catholic to become Speaker since the Reformation, adding: It was, I believe, the twin influences of Catholic social teaching and trade union activism which forged Michael and prepared him for the great office he would ultimately hold. John Bercow was among the mourners at the Glasgow service (John Linton/PA) Lord Martins son Paul, a former MSP, said: He was comfortable with Tony Blair, comfortable with Ian Paisley, comfortable with Alex Salmond. They were good friends because he ensured their views were heard in the democracy that we should be proud to live in. He added: From such humble beginnings he achieved so much. I hope he can be an inspiration to all who feel the odds can be so stacked against them. Archbishop Mario Conti greets Lord Martins widow Mary (John Linton/PA) Following Lord Martins death, tributes were paid by a number of former colleagues and senior figures at Westminster, including Mr Bercow, who said he was a decent, public-spirited man. Ex-prime minister Gordon Brown said: I knew him as a successful young trade union organiser, a dedicated member of Parliament, a conscientious Speaker of the House of Commons and latterly as a member of the House of Lords and no matter the position he occupied, he never forgot the debt he owed to his upbringing and the people he had been elected to serve. Former Labour MP Douglas Alexander paid his respects at the service (John Linton/PA) Michael Martin was the son of a merchant seaman and a school cleaner, and previously worked as a sheet metal worker in his home city. Known latterly as Lord Martin of Springburn after the Glasgow constituency he represented from 1979 to 2005, he was Speaker from 2000 to 2009. When he was speaker, however, he was criticised for leading efforts to block the publication of MPs expenses, and for his handling of the affair once the disclosures began. He was the first Commons speaker to be forced to resign in 300 years. A working corn windmill described by a millwright as the only one of its type in the UK has had a new sail fitted as part of a maintenance project. Wicken Village Windmill, in Cambridgeshire, was a complete ruin when a group of volunteers took it on 31 years ago. They gradually restored it to working order and now grind grain to make flour which they sell to help fund ongoing maintenance work. A new sail is fitted to the windmill (Joe Giddens/PA) Millwright Dave Pearce described the 12-sided smock, or wooden tower, windmill as the only surviving, workable one of its type in the UK. The retired engineer, aged 69, was among those who formed the Wicken Windmill Partnership and began to restore the mill. We took on the mill in 1987 when it was a complete ruin and gradually repaired it, he said. The mill was built in 1813 and the business closed in 1933, though it was still worked occasionally by engine until 1942. Shutters are painted before being fitted to the new sail (Joe Giddens/PA) Explaining why he wanted to help restore the mill, Mr Pearce said: I think initially it was seeing the last surviving working mills in the landscape. I thought theyre going to disappear, they dont have a commercial reason for existing any more, what a pity. It was a slippery slope from that point. Its a good job my wife is interested in mills too. Clamps are adjusted after the new sail is fixed into place (Joe Giddens/PA) The mill operates for around eight days per month, making seven tonnes of flour per year, or around 5,000 bags, Mr Pearce said. He added that all proceeds are ploughed back into maintenance, including the latest work to replace a 22-year-old sail that had come to the end of its life. The replacement sail was built on site and lifted into place using a system of winches and pulleys. Miller Dave Pearce looks out from the windmill (Joe Giddens/PA) Mr Pearce said he hoped it will be around 20 years before another sail needs to be replaced. The list of jobs has been a long one, and he expects to have to replace the odd gear cog in coming years. Before the mill could start making flour, he said he also had to screw shut the original cat flap from 1813 to comply with modern food hygiene regulations. Dan Carrick (left) and millwright Bill Griffiths inspect the clamps and supporting beams (Joe Giddens/PA) It wouldnt have occurred to the original miller that this was a problem, he said. The mill, in the heart of the village near the pub and village green, will open to the public this weekend for National Mills Weekend. It also opens to the public on the first full weekend of each month. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said Britain will not walk away from the Iran nuclear deal following the dramatic withdrawal of the US from the agreement. European diplomats were scrambling to salvage the three-year-old accord amid fears that Donald Trumps threat to impose the highest level of sanctions on Tehran could trigger a new confrontation in the region. Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany remained committed to the agreement while the French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, insisted it was not dead. Boris Johnson makes a statement in the Commons In Tehran, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei voiced defiance, saying Mr Trump cannot do a damn thing, while legislators in the Iranian parliament burned a paper US flag. At Prime Ministers questions, Theresa May told MPs the European powers were working to address the concern which had led Mr Trump to pull out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Deeply regret US decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. UK remains strongly committed to the JCPoA, and will work with E3 partners and the other parties to the deal to maintain it. Await more detail on US plan. Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 8, 2018 Mr Johnson said the Government continued to believe the agreement was vital to UK national security and had done its utmost to persuade Mr Trump not to abandon it. He said it was up to the US to spell out the way forward and he urged the administration not to take any action which would hinder the efforts of the other parties to make it work. For as long as Iran abides by the agreement then Britain will remain a party to the JCPOA. Britain has no intention of walking away, he said. Instead we will co-operate with the other parties to ensure that while Iran continues to restrict its nuclear programme, then its people will benefit from sanctions relief in accordance with the central bargain of the deal. In a statement, the International Atomic Energy Authority the global watchdog responsible for monitoring the agreement said as of today Tehran was continuing to honour its commitments. Mr Johnsons comments came amid fears that the reimposition of US sanctions could hit European firms which have led the way investing in Iran under the JCPOA particularly hard. Earlier Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said there was a need to de-escalate tensions after President Hassan Rouhani warned Iran could restart enriching uranium a key element of a nuclear weapons programme without any limitations within a matter of weeks. Prime Minister @Theresa_May has made a joint statement with President Macron and Chancellor Merkel on the Iran nuclear deal: https://t.co/gpLevdyu65 UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 8, 2018 With tensions already running high, Mr Burt sought to play down suggestions that the US was ready to launch an attack on Iran, possibly using proxies such as the Israelis or the Saudis, who also remain highly suspicious of Tehrans nuclear ambitions. He acknowledged however that the US presidents decision despite appeals from Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel not to abandon the accord had shown the limits of European influence in Washington. On this issue he has not listened, Mr Burt told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. We wont be seeking to make him go back on something. He wont do that. But there are other ways forward and it is our job to make sure those other ways work and work in a non-confrontational fashion, no matter how difficult that is in a tricky region. Mr Le Drian said he and his British and German counterparts would meet Iranian representatives on Monday to discuss the next steps. .@POTUS Trump to the long-suffering people of #Iran: The people of America stand with you. The future of Iran belongs to its people. They deserve a nation that does justice to their dreams. #JCPOA pic.twitter.com/MMeIpZEG8p Department of State (@StateDept) May 8, 2018 Speaking in the White House on Tuesday, Mr Trump said the agreement seen as the key diplomatic legacy of his predecessor Barack Obama was defective at its core. If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the worlds leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the worlds most dangerous weapon, he said. In a joint statement, Mrs May, Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron expressed their regret at the US decision while emphasising their continuing commitment to the JCPOA. The agreement with Iran was signed by the US, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain in 2015 following years of tortuous negotiations. Under its terms, Iran agreed to scale back key elements of its nuclear energy programme associated with the development of a nuclear weapon in return for the easing of economic sanctions. Asked what advice the Government had for UK firms trading with Iran who fear they may fall foul of the US sanctions regime, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: We are doing everything possible to minimise the impact on British business. At this stage, we are working closely with our US and our European partners to that end. We are at an early stage in this process. The details are just now emerging, but we are working closely with the US and European partners. The UK continues to be party to the JCPOA and, as such, the UK Government continues to fully support expanding our trade relationship with Iran and encourages UK businesses to take advantage of the commercial opportunities that arise. However, with the reimposition of US sanctions, UK businesses may wish to consider the implications for their business activities in Iran and, where necessary, seek appropriate legal advice. The spokesman confirmed that Mr Johnson would be engaging with European counterparts to discuss the next steps. One of the so-called Disappeared victims of the Northern Ireland conflict was unlawfully killed, a coroners court in Dublin said. Seamus Ruddy, 32, from Newry in Co Down was murdered by republican paramilitaries, the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), and secretly buried. His remains were found in Ponte-de-lArche, near Rouen on May 6 2017, during a fourth search attempt. An inquest jury found that he was unlawfully killed by a person or people unknown having been shot twice in the head in France. Seamus Ruddy, one of the so-called Disappeared (Family handout/ WAVE Trauma Centre/PA) Mr Ruddys sister Anne Morgan, 64, said: As a family, we would like our heartfelt appreciation (to go out) for those who have stood with us over all those many years. We acknowledge that the people who had the information about where Seamus was buried, we want to thank them for coming forward. Mr Ruddy was one of 16 of the Disappeared who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during Northern Irelands 30-year conflict. Three are still to be recovered. He moved to Paris in 1983 to work as an English teacher, but was reported missing in 1985 and his remains were not found until 2017. Ms Morgan thanked the coroner Dr Myra Cullinane for handling proceedings sensitively. She added: Seamus was taken in Paris 33 years ago to the day, this year. For the first time in 33 years we were able to attend the cemetery on Sunday and pray at the grave of Seamus rest with his mother and father in Newry. The inquest heard that Mr Ruddy had been politically active and produced a news sheet. His then girlfriend, Cecilia Moore, had moved back to Ireland for a period before his disappearance. Mr Ruddy phoned his brother Terence on May 9 to tell him he was to meet with three people. The 73-year-old told the inquest on Wednesday that he had pleaded with his brother not to go. Mr Ruddy said: When he said he was going to meet people I just thought that he was telling that for a reason. I asked him not go, obviously he did. It was a few weeks later when Cecilia rang me, my gut instinct was that he was dead because it was completely out of character for him (not to keep in touch). An order of service during the funeral of Seamus Ruddy (Niall Carson/PA) Clothes belonging to the victim were later found in a river, after he was reported missing. These were identified by Ms Morgan, who said paramilitary group the INLA had refused to give her permission to go to France and she received death threats. Officers made the discovery last year after a confidential tip-off as part of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains. Previous operations in 1999, 2000 and 2008 had proved unsuccessful, but came within 20 metres of his body. Forensic analysis found the remains had a more than one in one billion chance of not being those of Mr Ruddy. Pathologist professor Marie Cassidy told the inquest Mr Ruddy died after being shot twice in the head. The jury agreed that the body was that of Mr Ruddy, who died on or about May 9 1985 at Ponte-de-lArche due to gunshot wounds in an unlawful killing by a person or persons. Dr Cullinane said: This process is the public completion of many long years of anguish and unresolved grieving for the family and friends of Seamus. The remains of Columba McVeigh, Joe Lynskey and Robert Nairac have yet to be found. Prime Minister Theresa May has said the system for investigating soldiers and police in Northern Ireland is patently unfair. She claimed some terrorists were not being pursued, as senior Tories hit out at suggested proposals which gave British soldiers no protection from prosecution for offences during the conflict. Thousands were killed or injured during 30 years of violence, most by paramilitaries but a significant number at the hands of security forces members. Prime Minister Theresa May claimed some terrorists were not being pursued (Christopher Furlong/PA) MPs had urged a statute of limitations which would prevent anyone from facing trial for offences that happened during the conflict, including former servicemen and paramilitaries. But such a law is not expected to feature in Government proposals for addressing Northern Irelands toxic past and the DUP has urged that a new law covering a number of wars and conflicts be kept separate from the legacy suggestions in case IRA offenders pressed for an amnesty. The Prime Minister said: We have an unfair situation at the moment the situation we have at the moment is that the only people being investigated for these issues that happened in the past are those in our armed forces or those who served in law enforcement in Northern Ireland that is patently unfair. Terrorists are not being investigated, terrorists should be investigated and that is what the Government wants to see. Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) figures previously obtained by the BBC suggested investigations into killings by the Army account for about 30% of the PSNIs legacy workload, with the remainder concerning republicans or loyalists. It is investigating more than 1,000 deaths not previously fully reviewed. Senior members of the Cabinet including Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson are among those understood to have expressed concern at any proposals on addressing the past which did not seek to prevent soldiers from being prosecuted. Over the last year, the concept of an amnesty has gained traction among a number of Westminster backbenchers, who claim recent prosecutions of former British soldiers are tantamount to a witch-hunt. Prosecutors and police in Northern Ireland insist such allegations simply do not stand up to scrutiny, with a breakdown of figures showing no disproportionate focus on ex-security force members. Mechanisms to deal with the conflict legacy were agreed by Northern Ireland politicians in the 2014 Stormont House Agreement; an amnesty was not among them. The agreed proposals, including a new independent investigatory unit, a truth recovery body and an oral archive, are on ice due to a small number of outstanding disputes. DUP Lagan Valley MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said a statute of limitations for the armed forces should also cover conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan. A statute of limitations is a much broader issue. We believe it should be dealt with separately from the legacy proposals. If you introduce a statute of limitations which relates only to Northern Ireland and our troubled past, organisations like the IRA would then press for an amnesty for their members and we believe it would be completely unacceptable to equate members of the armed forces with members of an illegal terrorist organisation. Under a confidence and supply arrangement, the DUPs 10 MPs are supporting the minority Conservative Government on key votes such as Brexit. Sinn Feins leader in Northern Ireland, Michelle ONeill, said the British government had committed to begin a consultation on a draft legacy bill, and a paper had been circulated to the political parties with the expectation that it would be published this week. She said: However, it is now being reported that it could be delayed yet again due to opposition within the clearly dysfunctional British Tory cabinet. That simply isnt good enough. Victims have already been waiting far too long and they should not be held to ransom by Tory party in-fighting. Victims are frustrated and angry at the constant delays and prevarication from the British government. This is being compounded by the ongoing refusal to release the legacy inquest funding requested by the Lord Chief Justice. Beavers can help reduce soil erosion and pollution in rivers, research on a family of the mammals in south-west England suggests. The study looked at beavers which have lived in a fenced site at a secret location in west Devon since 2011 as part of a trial by Devon Wildlife Trust to assess their impact on wildlife and water management and quality. The aquatic mammals have built 13 dams on the site, creating a series of ponds along what was once a small stream. Beavers can help stem pollution and soil loss, a study suggests (Michael Symes/Devon Wildlife Trust/PA) University of Exeter scientists assessed the impact their activities have had on reducing the flow of tonnes of soil and nutrients from nearby agricultural land into the local river system. They found the pond and dam network had trapped more than 100 tonnes of sediment, around 70% of which is thought to be soil washing away from the intensively managed grassland fields upstream. The ponds are also storing tonnes of carbon in the sediment, along with nitrogen and phosphorus which are nutrients that can cause problems for wildlife and water quality in streams and rivers. The team has also found that the water leaving the site had lower levels of suspended sediment and nitrogen than the water flowing in. Beavers were hunted to extinction in the UK by the 16th century, but populations have been reintroduced, released or escaped into the wild in Scotland and Devon. Conservationists back the return of the aquatic mammals, which manage the landscape by cutting down trees and damming rivers, for the benefit they can provide in preventing flooding, and boosting water quality and other wildlife. The findings that beavers could help reduce soil erosion and pollution come in the wake of research in 2009, which estimated soil loss from UK agricultural land cost 45 million a year, largely due to sediment and nutrient pollution downstream. Busy beavers. One beaver family has removed 100tonnes of polluting sediment from one Devon stream. New research by @UniofExeter shows positive impact #beavers can have on pollutants in our water supplies. https://t.co/yyqEm5aU38 #cleanwater #naturebasedsolutions pic.twitter.com/NeCInmSdKI Devon Wildlife Trust (@DevonWildlife) May 9, 2018 The new research, published in the journal Earth Processes And Landforms, was led by Professor Richard Brazier, who said: It is of serious concern that we observe such high rates of soil loss from agricultural land, which are well in excess of soil formation rates. However, we are heartened to discover that beaver dams can go a long way to mitigate this soil loss and also trap pollutants which lead to the degradation of our water bodies. Were beaver dams to be commonplace in the landscape, we would no doubt see these effects delivering multiple benefits across whole ecosystems, as they do elsewhere around the world. In addition to its enclosed beaver trial, Devon Wildlife Trust is running another project involving Englands only wild beavers on the River Otter in east Devon, where a pair were released in 2016 to boost the genetic diversity of the population which has been living on the river for a decade. Devon Wildlife Trusts Peter Burgess said: Our partnership with Exeter University working on both our fenced and unfenced beaver trials is revealing information which shows the critical role beavers can play, not only for wildlife, but the future sustainability of our land and water. Soldiers from Prince Harrys former regiment, the Household Cavalry, have spoken of their pride at playing a pivotal role in his wedding to Meghan Markle. Based at Hyde Park Barracks, Knightsbridge, London, the Cavalrys ceremonial regiment will have an important part in the wedding on May 19 in Windsor both during and after the nuptials. Famed for their plumed helmets and shining breastplates, 24 dismounted soldiers and two officers will line the staircase into St Georges Chapel at the castle ahead of the ceremony. Following the service another 24 soldiers and two officers will ride on horseback escorting the bride and groom as part of the carriage procession through the town. Commanding officer of the Household Cavalry Regiment Lieutenant Colonel James Gaselee will command the travelling mounted escort and will be at the side of the carriage. He said: He has asked us to be involved it is really important for us because he served with us as the Household Cavalry at Windsor, and he still wears our uniform on a regular basis. It is a real sense of pride to be asked to be involved in what is going to be an amazing occasion and celebration. Lt Col Gaselee said for both Harry and Meghan and the country as a whole, it is important to get their part in the day right, adding: We are demonstrating what Britain does best in many ways to the rest of the world. He admitted that a source of some worry is how the horses will handle the large crowds, the flags and noises, which may upset them, but he said they will do everything they can to get the horses to behave. After being appointed the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines in December, Harry could choose to wear either a Royal Marines uniform or that of the Blues and Royals something which is yet to be revealed. Lt Col Gaselee said whichever one Harry chooses, that organisation will feel an amazing sense of pride in it, adding: It wont lessen the pride we feel if he chooses a different uniform because we know he served with us on operations, which is really important. A member of the Household Calvary re-shoes a horse (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Harry joined The Blues and Royals in April 2006 and served with the Household Cavalry Regiment, based in Combermere Barracks in Windsor, undertaking two tours of Afghanistan and rising to the rank of captain. The Household Cavalry consists of two regiments, armoured reconnaissance and mounted ceremonial, with both units manned equally by soldiers from two regiments, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. At major occasions like Trooping the Colour and the state opening of Parliament the ceremonial soldiers are a familiar sight. A member of the Household Calvary works at Hyde Park Barracks during the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment preparations for the royal wedding (Kirsty OConnor/PA) The troops take part in ceremonial events for a period but they are still fighting soldiers and many go on to the reconnaissance unit to serve on operations. Lance Corporal of Horse Frankie OLeary was Prince Harrys driver on operations in Afghanistan in 2007, and will also ride on horseback as part of the escort. Describing Harry, the 31-year-old from Windsor said he loved a good joke and was quite comical, but that he was just a British Army officer. Professional, done his job well, cared about his men a lot, succinct, to the point, a genuinely honest, kind man, he said. Asked what it means to play a part in his nuptials, he said: I love big parades. This one is a little bit more special having known the man and everyone loves a wedding. On the morning of the wedding the soldiers will spend hours cleaning their breast plates, helmets, swords and the dreaded thigh-high jack boots they wear, which can take hours to turn from a dull surface to patent-like leather. Horse-grooming in the Stable Lines in preparation for Prince Harry and Meghan Markles wedding (Kirsty OConnor/PA) They will also have to make sure all the tack on their horses is in pristine condition and ready to be seen by the thousands of spectators who will line the wedding route in Windsor. Corporal Major Daniel Snoxell, who was in Harrys troop of 12 men after he passed out of Sandhurst and was a young commander of one of his vehicles, will form part of the staircase party. Stating how it was an amazing experience to work with Harry, describing him as a boss he said Harry was very professional and able to do the job, and how knowing him adds that extra layer of pride. It is a normal day, normal event for the Household Cavalry, these are the sorts of things we do all the time, he added. Polishing a helmet in preparation for the royal wedding at Windsor Castle (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Asked how he will cope with not even being able to look around during the ceremony or at those arriving including the bride he said that is the brilliance of their training. At being professional and at having that moment not to be weak, looking around, and to be strong and just stand there and to take that moment in, he said. It is not our day, it is not our chance to make a scene, it is being part of the furniture and that reliability of the nation and the country to stand there. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to visit the UK for talks with Theresa May on May 15, Downing Street has announced. Number 10 said that his trip would be an opportunity for Britain and Turkey to demonstrate their close relationship. Mrs May met Mr Erdogan in Turkey on a one-day visit in January last year, when they agreed a 100 million defence deal to help develop fighter jets for the Turkish air force. Prime Minister Theresa May with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Mr Erdogan has been widely accused of a campaign of repression against perceived opponents in the press, academia and judiciary following an unsuccessful coup in 2016. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: The visit is an opportunity for the UK and Turkey to demonstrate our close bilateral relationship and to have important discussions about issues of shared interest. Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas MP, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign against a hard Brexit, said: As we hurtle towards Brexit its clear that the Government is increasingly willing to cosy up to repressive leaders from across the world. President Erdogan is an autocrat, who inflicts serious harm on his own population yet weve flogged him millions of pounds worth of weapons and now were inviting him over for tea. It would be utterly appalling if Theresa May doesnt take this opportunity to stand up to Erdogans human rights abuses, and if the only outcome from these meetings was smiling photos with a leader who were desperately trying to court before the Brexit crunch begins. A fantasist who used the name of a French waxworks museum as part of an extraordinary web of deceit in a bid to avoid a speeding ticket has been jailed for 12 months. Christopher Henry also doctored documents and created a second fake identity of a man living in the most northern part of Britain to try to avoid prosecution. Sentencing the 52-year-old at Winchester Crown Court, Judge Andrew Barnett described him as a fantasist akin to Walter Mitty. Hampshire Police said that Henry, of Church Road, Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire, was caught speeding by a mobile camera on the A343 Newbury Road in Hurstbourne Tarrant in February 2016 while driving his ex-wifes Land Rover Freelander. Christopher Henry (Hampshire Constabulary/PA) But in an attempt to avoid the 100 fine and three points on his driving licence, he intercepted the fines letter and first claimed a French man, named after the Musee Grevin in Paris, had been driving before then claiming that a man called George Harris from the Isle of Lewis had been at the wheel. A force spokesman said: When officers could find no record of either man, they made contact with Interpol who found that the name of the French man was the same as that of a wax museum in Paris, and his address was a nearby hotel. Inquiries with the hotel showed that a Mr Musee had never stayed or worked there. They then spoke to the post mistress on the Isle of Lewis, who had lived on the island her whole life, and she knew nothing of a Mr Harris, Mr Musee or Christopher Henry. The spokesman said that investigations revealed that fingerprints found on the paperwork were Henrys and not his ex-wifes and that the French mans name had also been given to Avon and Somerset Police when an Audi TT registered to Henry was caught speeding in August later the same year. He added: Henry, who consistently denied having driven or had any access to the Freelander, was then caught out when officers got voice recordings of him calling the AA out on two separate occasions when he broke down in the Freelander. During the trial the court was given evidence showing how Henry had also provided false dates of sale to the DVLA, set up a false email address and doctored emails from insurers, all in an effort to cover his tracks. Pc Richard Jewell said: In his sentencing, the judge has sent a clear message to those that might consider such deceitful actions. He would have got points and a fine but now he has a criminal record and time in prison. Henry did not respond to the original speeding notice and was prosecuted for failing to provide information. He was given six points and fined 800, which was raised when he appealed to 1,600, with a three-month disqualification from driving. Donald Trump has defended his decision to withdraw the US from the Iran nuclear deal, saying bedlam and death follow wherever Iran is involved. Speaking during a cabinet meeting, the US president said he is open to negotiating a new deal with Iran, but added: Were going to make either a really good deal for the world, or were not going to make a deal at all. Mr Trump disregarded the pleas of US allies to remain in the agreement, and instead announced that he would reinstate sanctions on Iran in the coming months. The US leader said the Iran deal was one-sided and would have led to nuclear proliferation. He added that he would advise Iran not to start their nuclear programme. Earlier, Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei chastised Mr Trump, while MPs set fire to a US flag inside parliament, shouting, Death to America! The government backlash reflected broad public anger in Iran over the decision. While Iranian officials, including the parliament speaker, say they hope Europe will work with them to preserve the deal, many are pessimistic. In comments before school teachers, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Mr Trump: You cannot do a damn thing. The exhortation from Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, follows a pattern of Iranian leaders declaring their nations ability to resist foreign pressure or interference. Iranian demonstrators burn representations of the US flag during a protest in front of the former US Embassy (AP) Khamenei described Mr Trumps announcement as having over 10 lies, without elaborating on them. He also said Mr Trumps remarks threatened both Irans people and its theocratic government. Khamenei said: The body of this man, Trump, will turn to ashes and become the food of the worms and ants, while the Islamic Republic continues to stand. Earlier, MPs, including a Shia cleric, held the flaming flag alight as their colleagues joined their chants in parliament. They also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal and stomped on the papers ashes. Later, dozens of hardliners set fire to a US flag during a protest in front of the former US embassy and called for a retaliatory response. The family of one of the Disappeared victims of Northern Irelands Troubles has thanked those who came forward to help locate his body, after more than 30 years. On Wednesday, an inquest jury found Seamus Ruddy was killed, having been shot twice in the head in France. He moved to Paris in 1983 to work as an English teacher, but was reported missing in 1985 and his remains were not found until 2017. Seamus Ruddy, one of the Disappeared (Family handout/ WAVE Trauma Centre/PA) The inquest was the public confirmation the body was that of Mr Ruddy and how he had been killed. Speaking outside Dublin District Coroners Court, sister Anne Morgan thanked those who came forward to give confidential information. The 64-year-old said: We want to thank the Dublin Coroners Court for the sensitive way the inquest has been carried out. What has brought us here was the murder of our brother. Seamus was taken in Paris 33 years ago to the day, this year. For the first time in 33 years we were able to attend the cemetery on Sunday and pray at the grave of Seamus rest with his mother and father in Newry. As a family, we would like out heartfelt appreciation (to go out) for those who have stood with us over all those many years. We acknowledge that the people who had the information about where Seamus was buried, we want to thank them for coming forward. The inquest heard that Mr Ruddy had been politically active and produced a news sheet. His then girlfriend, Cecilia Moore, moved back to Ireland for a period before his disappearance. Mr Ruddy phoned his brother Terence on May 9 to tell him he was to meet with three people. The 73-year-old told the inquest on Wednesday that he pleaded with his brother not to go. Mr Ruddy said: When he said he was gong to meet people I just thought that he was telling that for a reason. I asked him not go, obviously he did. It was a few weeks later when Cecilia rang me, my gut instinct was that he was dead because it was completely out of character for him (not to keep in touch). An order of service during the funeral of Seamus Ruddy (Niall Carson/PA) Clothes belonging to the 32-year-old from Newry, Co Down were later found in a river after he was reported missing. These were identified by Ms Morgan, who said paramilitary group INLA (Irish National Liberation Army) refused to give her permission to go to France and she received death threats. His body was found in Pont-de-lArche, near Rouen on May 6 2017, during a fourth search attempt. Officers made the discovery last year after a confidential tip-off as part of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains. Previous operations in 1999, 2000 and 2008 proved unsuccessful but came within 20 metres of his body. Forensic analysis found the remains had a more than one in one billion chance of not being those of Mr Ruddy. Professor Marie Cassidy told the inquest Mr Ruddy died after being shot twice in the head. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane asked the jury to determine the identity, date of death, cause of death and manner. They agreed that the body was that of Mr Ruddy, who died on or about May 9 1985 at Pont-de-lArche due to gunshot wounds in an unlawful killing by a person or persons. Dr Cullinane told how the purpose of the inquest was not to attribute blame. She added: This process is the public completion of many long years of anguish and unresolved grieving for the family and friends of Seamus. We hope that the successful identification of Seamus remains, his repatriation, his return to his family and loved ones in some way gives comfort to those of you who have suffered so much. Three of the 16 Disappeared victims are still to be recovered. The remains of Columba McVeigh, Joe Lynskey and Robert Nairac have yet to be found. Ms Morgan added: We pray that (their families) will get the same as we have got. We have got him home, we have been able to bury him and now we have had an inquest. President Donald Trumps nominee to be CIA director says that she does not believe torture works and would not carry out any presidential order she thought was immoral. Facing tough questioning by members of the Senate intelligence committee, Gina Haspel insisted her moral compass is strong. If confirmed, she said she would not permit the CIA to restart the kind of harsh detention and interrogation programme the spy agency ran at black sites after 9/11 and tainted Americans image worldwide. CIA nominee Gina Haspel (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal, said Ms Haspel, a 33-year veteran of the agency. I would absolutely not permit it. Ms Haspel, who is currently acting CIA director, was responding to a question about what she would do if President Trump ordered her to do something she thought was morally objectionable. President Trump has said he supports subjecting terror suspects to harsh interrogation tactics like waterboarding, which simulates drowning, and a hell of a lot worse. I dont believe that torture works, Ms Haspel said, adding that she does not think President Trump would ever ask her to resume waterboarding. The 61-year-old intelligence professional, who has served in undercover assignments both domestically and abroad for more than three decades, faces what will likely be a close confirmation vote in the full Senate. Her nomination has become contentious because she was chief of base of a covert detention site in Thailand where terror suspects were waterboarded. There also have been questions about how she drafted a cable that her boss used to order the destruction of videotapes of interrogation sessions conducted at the site. Yaya Toure said farewell to the Manchester City fans as he made his final home appearance for the club in Wednesdays clash with Brighton at the Etihad Stadium. Here, Press Association Sport looks at some highs and lows during his eight years at the club. High: Winning 2011 FA Cup Toure steered City to FA Cup glory in 2011 (Anthony Devlin/PA) Toure was outstanding as City announced their arrival on the big stage by ending a 35-year trophy drought with FA Cup success. The Ivorian played match-winning roles in both the semi-final and final, revelling at Wembley to score the decisive goals in 1-0 victories over Manchester United and Stoke. High: 2012 title success Toures performance at Newcastle put City in sight of title glory in 2012 (Mike Egerton/Empics) Toure shone in the 2012 title run-in as City, having lost the initiative to United, wrestled it back from their control. He delivered a dominant display as City beat United on a tense night at the Etihad Stadium in April and then scored two in the penultimate game at Newcastle to put his side on the brink of glory. High: 2014 title success Toure scored 20 goals in the 2013-14 title success (Andrew Matthews/PA) Performing at his rampaging best, Toure was the driving force behind Citys second Premier League title win. He top-scored for the club with 20 goals in the campaign and delivered when it mattered. He produced a match-winning display at Crystal Palace as City seized the initiative from Liverpool on a dramatic April day and then scored an outstanding goal in a 4-0 win over Aston Villa in the penultimate game. Low: Birthday cake row Toures title celebrations in 2014 were quickly followed by an odd row about cake (Mike Egerton/PA) Citys title celebrations in 2014 quickly turned sour for Toure as he became involved in a bizarre row about a birthday cake. It blew up after his outspoken agent, Dmitry Seluk, claimed Toure was under-appreciated at the club. Among his complaints were a lack of acknowledgement of the players 31st birthday. Low: Frozen out by Guardiola Toure had a spell frozen out of the side after Guardiola took charge (Nigel French/PA) Toures future was thrown into doubt after the arrival of Pep Guardiola as manager in 2016. The Spaniard had been in charge at Barcelona when Toure was allowed to leave the Nou Camp. Guardiola initially left Toure out on fitness grounds and then froze him out completely after a row with Seluk. The issue was eventually resolved, with Toure performing well enough in the second half of 2016-17 to earn a new one-year deal. CALGARY, Alberta, May 8 (Reuters) - A judge has sentenced a Canadian man to life in prison for killing four people, two of them in a school, and injuring seven more in a rare mass shooting in Canada, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) reported on Tuesday. The man's identity is protected by a court-ordered publication ban because he was a minor during the January 2016 killings in the isolated and impoverished town of La Loche in northern Saskatchewan. He was sentenced after pleading guilty last year to killing a teacher and teaching assistant in a local school and two teenage brothers in their home in La Loche, 850 kilometres (528 miles) northwest of Saskatchewan's capital, Regina. Judge Janet McIvor sentenced the man as an adult even though he was 17 at the time of the shooting. She ruled earlier this year that a lighter youth sentence was inappropriate. He will be eligible for parole in 10 years, CBC reported. "I can't undo what I did. I'm sorry," the man said in a Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan courtroom, according to the CBC report. CBC reported that the publication ban on his identity remains in place until the appeal period lapses. The man pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder. Mass shootings are less common in Canada than the United States, which has less stringent gun laws. A gunman killed six people in a January 2017 Quebec mosque shooting. (Reporting by Rod Nickel in Calgary, Alberta; editing by Jim Finkle and Susan Thomas) WASHINGTON, May 8 (Reuters) - The United States Air Force has ordered its aircraft to stand down for one day within the next few weeks for a safety review after a string of deadly aircraft crashes. Some aircraft might be exempted from the one-day pause in flights, such as those carrying out strikes in Iraq and Syria, said Major General John Rauch, the Air Force's chief of safety, on Tuesday. The operational pause must carried out by May 21 and comes after a Puerto Rico Air National Guard cargo plane crashed near Savannah, Georgia last week, scattering fiery debris over a highway and railroad tracks, and killing all nine people aboard. The crash was at least the fifth deadly accident involving a U.S. military aircraft since early April. According to Air Force data, there has been a 48 percent increase in the rate of aircraft crashes in fiscal year 2018 where someone was killed, permanently disabled or that caused over $2 million in damages. U.S. military officials have said the crashes across the different branches of the military are not a crisis. "This is not a crisis. But it is a crisis for each of these families... these are across services, and these are different individuals and different circumstances," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said last week. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) CARACAS, May 8 (Reuters) - A little-known independent candidate withdrew his bid for Venezuela's presidency on Tuesday to back Henri Falcon, who is the main challenger to incumbent leader Nicolas Maduro. With Luis Ratti scoring less than 1 percent in polls, his decision to support Falcon is more of a symbolic boost than likely to make a tangible difference in the socialist-ruled OPEC nation's May 20 vote. Campaigning has been lackluster. Most Venezuelans are preoccupied with finding food amid a desperate economic crisis, and the mainstream opposition is boycotting the vote on grounds it is rigged in advance to assure Maduro's re-election. Falcon, a 56-year-old former soldier and state governor, has broken with the main opposition coalition, arguing that abstention is tantamount to voting for Maduro. "I'm clear who my adversary his: Nicolas Maduro and his model," Falcon said at a meeting in Caracas to welcome into his camp Ratti, a 39-year-old leftist businessman. "Nicolas Maduro should save Venezuela from more tragedies and resign." Despite his personal unpopularity, Maduro, 55, is favorite to win given his powerful party machinery, the vote-winning capacity of state food giveaways, the barring of the opposition's two most popular figures, and the presence of government loyalists in the election board and judiciary. "Who elects the president of Venezuela? Donald Trump? Mike Pence?" Maduro asked a crowd in a rally on Tuesday in southern Amazonas state, condemning the U.S. president and vice-president for sanctions on his government. "No. The sovereign people of Venezuela elect their president in a secret and direct vote," he added, in what has become a mantra of his campaign stump speech. (Reporting by Vivian Sequera, Deisy Buitrago and Leon Wietfeld Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) he root cause. People like to throw that phrase around when talking about problems and their resolutions. Its a decent enough proposition, the assumption being that if root causes are identified and fixed, not only will the problem be sorted but its reincarnation, so to speak, would be preempted. The problem with root causes is that it naturally takes us to the past. Thats about history and archaeology, literally and metaphorically. This takes us to readings, subjectivity, the distortion caused by outcome preferences and such. It also comes down to how far down you want to dig, because some roots go a long way down and their excavation can not only be arduous but can reveal truths that make the particular digger uncomfortable. Take the ethnic conflict for example. Where does one begin? The year 1983 and the July riots is a valid beginning to some. Even that can be written in many ways. One can focus on the role of the then UNP Government, the deployment of the partys trade union arm, the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) and the non- deployment of forces that could have effectively prevented or at least minimized the loss of life and damage to property. It was just the Sinhala Buddhists who have racism, chauvinism and intolerance in their DNA doing their thing, some can say (as some have said). Recounting is also about exaggeration and down-playing, this too we know. Was it 1977 when the TULF became the largest party in the Opposition? Was it 1976 and the Batakotte (Vadukkoddai) Resolution of the TULF? Was it 1975 when Prabhakaran murdered the SLFP Mayor of Jaffna Alfred Duraiappah? How about 1949 when S.J.V. Chelvanayagam founded the Federal Party or 1939 when G.G. Ponnambalam made his (in)famous 50-50 demand? Shouldnt we begin with the Pan Sinhala Cabinet that was set up under the Donoughmore Constitution in 1936, one might offer. How about how the British elevated the non-Sinhala and non-Buddhist sections of the population as per their divide-and-rule preference? When Ponnambalam Ramanathan demanded in the 1920s that the first university be set up in Jaffna, didnt it indicate some kind of nascent Tamil chauvinism, one could ask. It was all because of Anagarika Dharmapala, someone might insist. Really, but then Arumugam Navalars Hindu Revivalism pre-dates Dharmapala, the latter being just 15 years old when the former died at the age of 57, another could counter. Forget all that! Its Bandaranaikes Sinhala Only business in 1956 that set the country down this mad road to self-destruction. This and nothing else is the root cause. It is the Mother of all Root Causes, in fact! Somehow, over the years, this root has taken root. Now if this were the true root then dealing with it makes absolute sense. If, on the other hand, it is not The Root or if it is only One of Many Roots then rooting for it amounts to barking up the wrong tree, so to speak. "An exhaustive exploration would have to examine all claims and weigh their weight in the conflict-equation" An exhaustive exploration would have to examine all claims and weigh their weight in the conflict-equation. Each has merit and each, in isolation, tells a partial story. We also need to seek out the less talked of and the absented in all this. Having said that, lets consider this Sinhala Only Root. Sinhala Only is the term used for the Official Language Act No. 33 of 1956. It replaced English as the official language of Ceylon with Sinhala. A language thats mother-tongue to almost two-thirds of a population is as national as any. When it is spoken by a further 10-15% theres no question about its primacy. That said, it was not only ill-conceived but went against the grain of the philosophy embedded in the coinage of the name Sinhala, which comes from Siv-Hela, or the four Helas (Yaksha, Raksha, Naga and Deva), essentially speaking of and to integration and accommodation as opposed to exclusivity. It is not taken that way by many Sinhalese, this has to be acknowledged. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, a demagogue and a political manipulator if ever there was one, played to the worset sentiments of this community. His wife did not, but his daughter went to the other extreme, vilifying Sinhalese and Buddhists in a way that the United National Party has never done; but thats a different story. Why did the Sinhalese embrace Sinhala Only and why were they ready to drop it and acknowledge that Tamil should also be a national language? The root cause of all that, I offer, is the English Only that preceded that ill-conceived and ill-formulated Act in 1956. English was the language of the conqueror, who was also a mass murderer, a brigand, a sacker of villagers, poisoner of wells and reservoirs, breacher of dams and perpetrator of cultural genocide and ethnic cleansing. English was the vehicle used by those forces that came along with the gun-toting thugs from Britain ready to civilize the heathens not only by making religious conversion a prerequisite for education and employment but even razing temples and kovils to the ground, burning libraries and stealing manuscripts. "Sinhala Only is the term used for the Official Language Act No. 33 of 1956. It replaced English as the official language of Ceylon with Sinhala" Bandaranaike brought Sinhala Only against that history. Naturally the majority of the disenfranchised found in the proposal an opportunity for betterment. It is easy to say, after the fact, that he could have included Tamil and need not have dumped English, but that wont get us anywhere. Whats relevant is that this lack of vision only served to alienate Tamils while doing little to uplift the lot of the Sinhalese because the structures of control remained English-laden. Things have not changed over the years. Opportunity is spelled in English, so to speak. The simple truth that theres a way to lose culture and self by dropping mother-tongue and theres a way to deny oneself the advantages of being fluent in other languages by misplaced sense of identity and nationalism. In any case, it was a landmark for reasons other than this root-cause business (which, arguably, it is not). And if one was hesitant to accept one cause for multiple problems, if one were ready to consider the multiplicity of causes and the complexities of historical processes and the outcomes they generated, theres nothing more simplistic, erroneous and dangerous as reducing our ills to Sinhala Only. Indeed, I offer, that English Only has a better case (though incomplete) for the title Mother of all Root Causes. The Cabinet of Ministers yesterday approved the proposal presented by Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake to lift the ban on the glyphosate weedicide for the tea and rubber industries for a period of 36 months. The approval was conditional on setting up a proper mechanism within one month to monitor the glyphosate usage, a top state official told Mirror Business. The Tea Research Institute (TRI) and Rubber Research Institute (RRI) are expected come up with a mechanism within a one-month period to monitor the usage of glyphosate by the regional plantation companies (RPCs) and smallholders in order to ensure that glyphosate is not used on other crops and to avoid mixing the weedicide with water sources, the official said. Once the mechanism is in place, the RPCs will be able to import glyphosate for their plantations. The TRI and RRI will monitor the glyphosate usage cooperating with the other regulatory agencies such as the Central Environmental Authority and National Water Supply and Drainage Board. Dissanayake last week announced that President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe agreed to lift the ban on glyphosate for the tea and rubber industries after considering its economic cost to the country. The Plantation Industries Ministry estimates the loss of the annual yield for the tea industry due to the glyphosate ban to be around Rs.33.2 million, while the reduction in export earnings is estimated at Rs.26.7 billion per year. Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved a proposal to commence a programme to find organic alternatives to glyphosate to reduce the dependency on the controversial weedicide. Dissanayake earlier said that the government is planning to replace glyphosate with an organic herbicide within the next three to four years. (NF) Prof. Ven. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera Q All the leaders have pledged to abolish the executive presidency since 1994. The JVP has taken an initiative to abolish it this time. What are your views? It is a popular political topic and slogan. There is no constructive benefit for the country from it, though. This is, in fact, a rotten political topic. Under the pretext of abolishing the executive presidential system, the country is now driven down the path of separatism. May be, the JVP is unaware of its repercussions. It is obvious from the court ruling on the 19th Amendment that it is not easy to abolish the system merely with parliamentary approval. I listened to JVP MP Vijitha Herath saying that the President would be elected by the MPs instead of the people, at a public vote, in terms of the new provision. It will amount to an infringement of the universal franchise of people. The peoples franchise is proposed to be entrusted with Parliament in this manner. We noticed how the MPs voted for certain legislations and motions despite harms that entailed for the country. They never looked at those matters from the peoples point of view. They were merely induced by cash offerings, probably in terms of US dollars, and others perks such as luxury vehicles. Nevertheless, peoples minds are pure in this instance. Though politicians get carried away by inducements, people act with mental purity. In case the power of electing the President is vested with Parliament, the MPs will get their bargaining power increased for inducements. As the Prime Minister survived the no faith motion, the President will also get elected in the same fashion of offering cash inducements to the MPs. The parties representing the minority communities will flex their muscles increasingly, creating an anarchical situation in the country further. So, we stress that the abolition of executive presidency should not be taken up, even for discussion. In the enactment of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, many clauses were incorporated during the committee stage of the debate. Parliamentary power was usurped in a fraudulent way to enact what they wanted in the recent past. Q What are the instances you can cite to support your argument? I can cite the manner in which they enacted the Office of Missing Persons Act, the Act on the enforced disappearances. They were withheld for months and months. Finally, they were enacted. When the countrys attention was directed towards the violent incidents in Kandy, the government, with the participation of only 53 MPs in Parliament, enacted the bill on the enforced disappearances. Maybe, the violent incidents have been well-orchestrated for this purpose. The credibility of Parliament has suffered as a result. We know the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that provided for the establishment of provincial councils was a dangerous piece of legislation. Despite intense pressure from India, there were safeguards included in it to prevent the partition of the country. Then President the late J.R. Jayewardene introduced provincial governors as a result. A Governor is a nominee by the President. Any statute passed by a provincial council can be turned down by the Governor concerned. This power will be taken away in the case of executive presidency being abolished. If there is a clause included in the new amendment that the Governor should be appointed with the concurrence of the Chief Minister, that is it. In such an eventuality, a governor loyal to the Chief Minister but inimical to the country, can be appointed. Then, the country will become a Federal state virtually. We have the concurrent list in the current Constitution envisaging the powers vested both with the centre and the provincial councils. In case this list is abolished, the power will be clearly demarcated between the centre and the provincial councils. The provincial councils may even have powers for taxation. It will make the way for them to have a separate state later on. Only the Security Council should decide on the land use when it comes to national security. Today, we see the President and the Prime Minister deciding on lands and distributing them among Tamil people. There is nothing wrong with Tamil people being given back their lands. In the construction of highways and expressways, the Sinhala people compromised with their lands, making way for such development projects. As for national security, people should be ready to make compromises on their lands. People can be given alternative lands, instead. "I listened to JVP MP Vijitha Herath saying that the President would be elected by the MPs instead of the people, at a public vote, in terms of the new provision. It will amount to an infringement of the universal franchise of people" Q How do you talk with certainty when even the final draft of the amendment is not ready yet? There is a demand for the change of the character of the constitution from unitary to united country. We are aware of the Singapore resolution adopted by the parties clamouring for constitutional changes here. This is a part of this Singapore resolution being adopted here, now. The JVP says the 20th Amendment, if incorporated, will apply only to future Presidents but not to President Maithripala Sirisena. President Sirisena is not the protector of this country. Also, the incoming President will not be someone inimical to the country. The President is appointed by the votes from people throughout the country. But, someone elected by the votes of people from one particular district is chosen as the Prime Minister. The President is someone who polls more than 51% or more votes from people in the entire country. That is the difference between the two. The peoples sovereign right has to be protected. The Prime Minister does not account for the country today. The President is also the same. Whenever a serious issue is raised in Parliament, the Prime Minister mockingly laughs at it and dodges the problem. The entire country has become a mockery as a result. The President should be held answerable to the whole country. Today, the President has submitted himself to the Prime Minister. Q Why do you say so? Today, two key officials assigned to the Presidents Office have been arrested. It is not something that happened by chance. It is a well-orchestrated plan. Otherwise, action should have been taken to arrest those responsible for the Central Bank bond frauds. The government remained silent till the biggest fraudster of the bond scam fled the country. The presidential post lost its shine today. There is a perception now built that anybody can become a President. If there was any measure of dignity left, that was also taken away when his Chief-of-Staff was arrested by bribery sleuths. In some countries, people do not care for their Presidents. These countries have fallen into anarchical situation. The same is happening here now. No President ever compromised the dignity of his post. Now, the current President has compromised the dignity of his profession. By arresting the Chief-of-Staff, there is a message sent to the world that the key officials of the President who vowed to root out corruption, are also indulgent in frauds. "In case the power of electing the President is vested with Parliament, the MPs will get their bargaining power increased for inducements. As the Prime Minister survived the no faith motion, the President will also get elected in the same fashion of offering cash inducements to the MPs" Q The present President keeps contacts with you. Have you discussed this matter with him personally? I normally discuss the matters relevant to the country with him. I asked him not to alienate the national assets of the country. When the government tried to lease out the Hambantota Port to a Chinese company, I asked the President not to allow that to happen. Then, he asked how the government could settle the debt burden. It is not a question to be directed at us. He, as the President, should have an action plan for it. We discussed about the war heroes. Today, our intelligence chief is incarcerated. The government has launched a witch-hunt on war heroes. It is as if all wrongdoings have been committed by war heroes. No one from the LTTE has been arrested. Politicians are involved in so many frauds. But, none of them are arrested. The government is doing all these things to please the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora. "If anybody tries to abolish the executive presidency to make Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa the executive Prime Minister, we do not agree. Mr. Rajapaksa is not an immortal. Who is there to look after this country after him?" Q There is a perception that some are opposed to the abolition of the executive presidency because they plan for making Gotabhaya Rajapaksa the next President. What is your view? We are opposed to the abolition of executive presidency because it is needed to protect the country. Otherwise, it is not because we wanted to make someone the President. There is no heir to the executive presidency. Nobody thought Mr. Sirisena would become the President. Actually, consequent to Mr. Sirisenas presidency, a lot of unworthy people also harbour presidential ambitions today. The executive presidency is part and parcel of the current Constitution. The country cannot be governed without the executive presidency. Now the government has breathed life into the tiger by enacting the 13th Amendment. Yet, the tiger is caged. In fact, the tiger is caged to the post called executive presidency. If you abolish the executive presidency, the live tiger is untethered. It will run amok and cause havoc. The tiger is the allegory for separatism here. In the run-up to the presidential election in 2015, there were those who vowed that they would be in the forefront to protect the country in the event of any attempt to divide the country. They are not to be seen even today. They talked about a new country within 100 days. Today, we have a police that charge at women in temples with wooden poles. This is in stark contrast to what they promised to people ahead of the presidential elections. I respect Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa the most, not because of anything but because of the fact that he resurrected the country from terrorism. If anybody tries to abolish the executive presidency to make Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa the executive Prime Minister, we do not agree. Mr. Rajapaksa is not an immortal. Who is there to look after this country after him? "Today, we see the President and the Prime Minister deciding on lands and distributing them among Tamil people. There is nothing wrong with Tamil people being given back their lands. In the construction of highways and expressways, the Sinhala people compromised with their lands, making way for such development projects" Q You keep contact with the joint opposition. That is also divided on the abolition of executive presidency. How do you see it? Already, Indias RAW is in operation, cultivating both sides. They are asking the Joint Opposition to be neutral. They are asking the other side to implement the promises made to people in this regard. If Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is assigned the task of abolishing the executive presidency, there will be a major public uproar. Therefore, they are using a cats paw for it. That is, JVP Anura Kumara Dissanayake and others in the party. The JVP is a set of soul-less creatures in the political sense. They also face bribery charges by Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. They have politically drifted towards the right of centre from left of centre. Anura Kumara Dissanayake is virtually the spokesman for UNPs Sirikotha. Higher arrivals from Asia & Pacific and Europe Chinese and Middle Eastern arrivals slow down Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka for the month of April rose 12.6 percent year-on-year (YoY) to 180, 429 amid higher arrivals from Asia & Pacific and Europe, the data released by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) showed. Arrivals from Asia & Pacific, which include North East Asia, South East Asia, Oceania and South Asia grew 8.5 percent YoY to 82, 976, with South Asia accounting for the larger share. Arrivals from South Asian nations rose 4.7 percent YoY to 38, 299 with India leading the pack with 29, 860 tourists, up 13.4 percent YoY. Arrivals from China, which represents the North East Asia region, dropped 11.9 percent YoY to 17, 462. Japanese arrivals also grew by only 3.2 percent YoY to 3, 512. Arrivals from Oceania, which include mainly Australia and New Zealand saw a 101.3 percent YoY surge to 15, 585. A large Sri Lankan expatriate community lives in both Australia and Sri Lanka and they tend to visit Sri Lanka during April to celebrate Avurudu with their family members living here. Tourist arrivals from Europe during the month of April rose 9.7 percent YoY to 76, 366, led by United Kingdom and Germany. Tourists from UK rose 46.1 percent YoY to 26, 063 while arrivals from Germany fell by 9 percent YoY to 10, 803. Arrivals from Central and Eastern European countries fell 7.2 percent YoY 11, 597 with tourists from Russian Federation declining 12.5 percent YoY to 4, 027. Tourists from Middle East fell 26.1 percent YoY to 3, 736 with lower arrivals from all the countries in the region except for Bahrain. The anti-Muslim riots that broke out in Sri Lankas central hills may have contributed to this decline. Tourist arrivals from Indonesia, which is the worlds largest Islamic nation, also fell 81.3 percent YoY to 352. Meanwhile, for the first four months of this year, tourist arrivals rose 16.1 percent YoY 888, 353. Sri Lanka achieved 2.1 million tourists in 2017 despite the partial closure of the countrys main airport for about three months. The floods and the dengue epidemic also contributed to the lower than expected arrivals. The government aims to attract three million tourists this year. A fire broke out at an electrical home appliance shop in the Duty-Free shopping mall at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning, Airport duty manager said. He said the fire was immediately doused by the fire brigade attached to the Katunayake Airport with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Army fire brigade. Electrical home appliances such as refrigerators, televisions and washing machines were destroyed due to the fire. One floor of the duty-free shopping complex was filled with a dark smoke so we had to use a backhoe to break down a wall of the shopping mall," the manager said. The cause of the fire has not been identified and officials are yet to calculate the estimated loss of electrical items that were destroyed in the fire. Katunayaka police are investigating the incident. (T.K.G.Kapila) Video by Prasad Muthukuda The key technical evidence presented by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to the Mount Lavinia Magistrate Court in connection with the investigations into the 2008 abduction and assault on Senior Journalist, former Deputy Editor The Nation newspaper Keith Noyahr and the 2009 murder of Editor-in-Chief of The Sunday Leader newspaper LasanthaWickrematunge was originally gathered prior to the 2015 change in Government, according to former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Speaking to the DailyMirror last week, Rajapaksa recalled that the records of telephone conversations and other evidence were unearthed during their time (Government). According to Rajapaksa, immediately after these incidents, they were able to unearth all this evidence. He further said that he ordered all the intelligence agencies to conduct investigations to identify the perpetrators. He specifically recalled doing so in connection with the murder of Wickrematunge and the abduction and assault of Noyahr. Referring to the current leadership and investigators conducting these inquiries and investigations into other attacks during the previous regime, Rajapaksa accused the CID officers of trying to show that this evidence was found by them. They have found nothing. These are all what we found. They are manipulating evidence we found, Rajapaksa affirmed. Rajapaksa also said that despite he himself having personally ordered the investigations that led to the initial gathering of the evidence now being presented by the CID to court, the CID was using this evidence to make arrests and is now trying to coerce those who were arrested into wrongfully implicating him in order to earn their freedom. They are arresting them and telling them that if you say Gotabaya Rajapaksas name then you can get out, the former Defence Secretary charged. CID Director Shani Abeysekara provided a brief statement in response to questions in this regard from the Daily Mirror. The CID does not comment on ongoing criminal investigations. All material findings are reported to the court of law with appropriate jurisdiction as provided for by the Code of Criminal Procedure Act. Most of the time, facts so reported to court are part of the public record. Regarding the investigations on the murder of Mr. Lasantha Wickrematunge and the abduction of Mr. Keith Noyahr, the CID reports regularly to the Mount Lavinia Magistrates Court under Case Numbers B 92/2009 and B 1535/2008 respectively. The CID is not currently aware of any material facts in these criminal investigations that were discovered during 2008 2014 period that have not yet been reported to court, the CID Director said. Asked specifically about the allegation by Rajapaksa that the CID is now presenting material discovered during his time and presenting it as new, Director Abeysekara declined to respond directly to Rajapaksa, but said in his statement, Any current or former public officer with knowledge of material facts relevant to a criminal investigation has a legally binding duty to share such information with the police, who are required to record a statement to that effect and report the material to court. Even today, we urge any citizens or current and former public officers who possess such information, reports or other material that could lead to the arrest of any suspects in these cases to contact the CID and share this information in accordance with the law. Having perused the reports filed in these cases in the Magistrate Court by the police from 2008 to date, the Daily Mirror was unable to find any indication that the findings described by the former Defence Secretary were reported to court prior to 2016, a year after the dormant investigations were reactivated by the Sirisena-Wickremasinghe Government. For his part, Rajapaksa states that he shared all the information he had with the CID when they recorded his statement last year regarding the Keith Noyahr investigation, but maintains that the police have been deliberately picking and choosing which parts of the investigation should be reported to court. I went and gave evidence. I told them, but the issue is it is up to them. When they file a B report, they put only what they want to tell the judge. They dont put the whole story. This is very unfair, he charged, further alleging that the CID is instead planting accusations against him in the media. Recently in one of the State run newspaper, an article appeared about Noyahr with a big headline, with all what the CID has given them. Now its not fair for the CID to do it. When the CID gives B reports to the judge, they only paint the picture that they want. The CID is there to find the culprits. They cant first paint a picture and then try to fit all these things according to their picture. Then they will be going behind innocent people rather than getting hold of the culprits Rajapaksa said. Last year, the CID arrested seven current and former military intelligence officers whom they accused of participating in the May 2008 abduction and assault of Keith Noyahr from outside his residence on Waidya Road in Dehiwala. The seven suspects arrested are Major Prabath Bulathwatte, Lance Corporal Hemachandra Perera, Corporal Duminda Weeraratne, Corporal Lasantha Wimalaweera, Private Nishantha Jayatillake, Lance Corporal Nishantha Kumara and Corporal Chandrabhaya Jayasuriya. When the suspects were produced before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate Court, the CID submitted a report detailing telephone tower records and calls that implicated them in surveilling Noyahr for several hours as he moved through Colombo. They later abducted him and transported him to a safe house in Dompe. The CID later reported that they had located the safe house, and produced a rental agreement signed by two military intelligence officers who served under the first suspect, Major Bulathwatte. Though former Defence Secretary Rajapaksa could not recall whether the evidence gathered during his term in office directly implicated Major Bulathwattes team, he referred questions on specifics to his Chief of National Intelligence Kapila Hendawitharana. Weekly intelligence meetings According to Rajapaksa, the heads of each intelligence agency were asked to investigate all attacks against journalists, including Wickrematunge and Noyhar, and they regularly briefed him and Hendawitharana on their evidence and conclusions at the weekly intelligence meetings at the Ministry of Defence. The former Defence Secretary recalled in particular getting briefings from former DIG Chandra Wakishta, who headed the Terrorist Investigation Division and the State Intelligence Service, the then CID leadership and former Chief of National Intelligence, retired Maj Gen Kapila Hendawitharana. Every Tuesday we had that meeting so they came out with what they had found, Rajapaksa said. Former Chief of National Intelligence Hendawitharana, however, told the Daily Mirror that he vividly recalls the Defence Secretary ordering all the intelligence agencies to investigate these crimes, and that they regularly reported their progress to both the Defence Secretary and him. I remember the heads of CID, TID, SIS and DMI definitely attended these meetings, the former National Intelligence chief recalled adding The armed forces chiefs may have also been present. While Hendawitharana could not recall the conclusions reached following these investigations, Rajapaksa was unequivocal on where the blame lay, according to the reports received from intelligence agencies. I knew, definitely, that Sarath Fonseka was behind these crimes, the former Defence Secretary charged, pointing the finger unequivocally at the former Army Commander. According to Rajapaksa, despite he knew that the former Army Commander was behind these incidents, he still allowed the CID to obtain the correct evidence and conduct investigations. According to Rajapaksa the reason he did not take action, is that as the Secretary of Defence, he did not want to gain political advantage over it. Responding to Rajapaksa charge, former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka told the Daily Mirror that anyone in the country knows that if the Rajapaksa Government had any evidence implicating him in any of these attacks on journalists, he would have been dragged to the prison in chains after the January 2010 presidential elections, by the Defence Secretary without sparing a thought to the criminal justice system, for no other reason than to fulfill a political vendetta. If Gotabaya Rajapaksa is a self-respecting person, he should come out and reveal the truth and make available the information he has to the CID instead of levelling wild accusations against me in the media, Fonseka said. When the police are closing in on him this is what he does. Rather than defending himself, he sends his lawyers running to the Supreme Court to get rulings preventing him from being arrested. The day I am accused, I will defend myself like a lion, not like a coward, Fonseka asserted. Motive behind attacks on journalists Hendawitharana, however, while agreeing with Rajapaksa that the evidence available at present implicates the former Army Commander, does not recall reaching any such conclusions as the investigations were not completed during his tenure in office. It is very significant to note that all such victims did not write anything against me nor Gotabaya Rajapaksa, but they were written against the Army. It is very obvious that the Army Commander has to take the responsibility for the attacks if army troops were involved. Further I did not have any command nor responsibility over army troops, Hendawitharana added. When questioned what the motive was behind ordering these attacks on journalists such as Wickrematunge and Noyahr, Hendawitharana asserted that such victims did not write anything against him nor Rajapaksa (Gotabaya), but did write against the army. In fact, the former Defence Secretary was in the middle of a bitter legal dispute with Lasantha Wickrematunge at the time the latter was killed. The dispute was over a civil defamation case filed by Rajapaksa against the slain editor in the Mount Lavinia District Court in 2008 over articles written alleging impropriety in the 2006 MiG Deal, which is currently under investigation by the Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID). After Wickrematunge was murdered, the ownership of the newspaper changed hands and The Sunday Leader admitted fault, apologized to Rajapaksa and settled the suit. Former Defence Secretary, for his part, points out that each time he was accused of threatening a journalist, his actions had been prompted by complaints he had received from then army commander Sarath Fonseka, who he said was used to complain to him about journalists writing against the army. The former Defence Secretary was referring to accusations that he had made a death threat over the telephone to former daily newspaper Editor in 2007, and later personally threatened Lake House journalists Poddala Jayantha and Sanath Balasooriya with death after summoning them to his office at the Ministry of Defence. In the latter instance, Rajapaksa insisted that Sarath Fonseka had complained to him that these journalists were protesting against the army. However, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, speaking to the Daily Mirror , strenuously denies charges that he had any involvement in these attacks or threats. Field Marshal Fonseka took specific issue with the accusation levelled in a recent column in The Island newspaper that his motivation to attack Noyahr may have been an article written in The Nation titled An Army is not its Commanders Private fiefdom. What Keith Noyahr had stated in his column, that the army is not its commanders private fiefdom is exactly right, Fonseka said. It was Mahinda Rajapaksa and his younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa who believed that the forces are their private fiefdoms and had constant disputes with journalists, but no one else, said the former army commander. Fonseka specifically charged that the weekly intelligence meeting referenced by Rajapaksa was used to supervise all intelligence operations in and around Colombo from the Ministry of Defence, through a separate chain of command packed with loyalists, bypassing the normal organizational structures of the three armed forces and the police. According to the former army commander, it is through this group and even with former LTTE cadres that the Rajapaksas formed a faction to plan high profile assaults, abductions and murders of media personalities and others under the auspices of the targets being a threat to national security. White van culture Although military intelligence came directly under the army commander, the Defence Secretary handled the Colombo intelligence operations unofficially from the Defence Ministry. They were involved in various unscrupulous activities including the white van culture, Fonseka said. For his part, Rajapaksa points out that to accuse him or his Chief of National Intelligence of having any command responsibility over any military or intelligence unit is ludicrous. The Army has infantry regiments such as the Singha Regiment or Gajaba Regiment, engineering Regiments, and other specialized units. The Army intelligence regiment is just one other such regiment. How can anyone say that an Army Commander doesnt have control over the intelligence regiment? Then can they say they dont have control over the Singha Regiment also? Rajapaksa argued. The Daily Mirror reached out to the Army to resolve the dilemma posed by the disagreement between the countrys two top wartime defence officials. However, army spokesman Brigadier Sumith Attapattu told the Daily Mirror that the Army is unable to officially clarify what the correct position is regarding the command responsibility for military intelligence officers in Colombo vis-a-vis former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Army Commander Sarath Fonseka during this period, saying it is a complex and controversial issue. False confessions When asked about the degree of command responsibility that could be attributed to Secretary Rajapaksa and CNI Hendawitharana, Field Marshal Fonseka told the that the former officials could not have it both ways. If they claim that they have no responsibility for what the troops did, why do they claim that the war was won by them? he opined. He alleged that after the 2010 Presidential Election, the TID arrested 17 military intelligence officers and tried to force them to make false confessions that they had killed Wickrematunge on his orders, releasing them only months after these efforts failed to pan out. Last month, the CID arrested the former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), Maj Gen Amal Karunasekara, who was named the 8th suspect in the Keith Noyahr abduction case. It was this arrest that has sparked the trade of charges between the former Defence Secretary and the Army Commander as to who had given orders to Karunasekara, who is accused by the CID of having coordinated the abduction of Noyahr. This abduction is alleged to have been carried out by Major Bulathwattes platoon of military intelligence officers. Rajapaksa points to the Army chain of command and the official procedures in place in his defence, whilst the former Army Commander points to the unofficial command structures, procedures and murky world of intelligence that he says existed during the height of the war. According to Rajapaksa, the CID is choosing to follow Fonsekas interpretation in the face of all available documentary evidence. The CIDs arrest of former Director Military Intelligence (DMI) Amal Karunasekara was sparked by his telephone contact with the alleged abductors while they had Noyahr in custody at Baduwatte Wallauwa, a safe house in Dompe, as well as the statement a former military intelligence officer turned state witness had given to the CID that the rent and upkeep for the safe house was allegedly paid for by Karunasekara in his official capacity as DMI. According to Rajapaksa, upon being told of Noyahrs abduction by the former Nation Editor Lalith Allahakkoon, he had immediately contacted DIG Jayantha Wickremaratne and Chief of National Intelligence Kapila Hendawithara to order them to begin an investigation. He says that these calls, which amount to him doing his duty when informed of a crime, are now being used to frame him with culpability. Regarding the murder of Wickrematunge, Rajapaksa too recalled a specific breakthrough on the telephone numbers used in the crime which, according to him, the CID has yet to act on. During our time, the CID found a corporal who had influenced a Tamil person to get the SIM cards. They found that person was a corporal from the military intelligence. When he was in custody a Fundamental Rights (FR) application was filed and he (suspect) got released. It was Mr. JC Weliamuna that appeared for the suspect and obtained bail, Rajapaksa claimed. The former Defence Secretary was referring to Military Intelligence Lance Corporal Kandegedera Piyawansa, who was arrested by the TID in February 2010, based on a statement recorded by the CID in January 2010 from a motor mechanic in Nuwara Eliya- Pitchai Jesudasan implicating Piyawansa in the purchase of SIM cards that were used during Wickrematunge murder. Piyawansa was a member of the Military Intelligence team led by Major Bulathwatte, who was arrested in connection with the Keith Noyahr abduction. They didnt pursue that line at all, Rajapaksa alleged. However Piyawansa was awarded a promotion to corporal while in remand custody after his 2010 arrest, and the army continued paying his salary in violation of establishment procedures. The CID also discovered in 2016 that Piyawansa had been granted several loans from the army while he was in custody. Piyawansa was granted relief by the Supreme Court last year in the form of an order that TID Inspector Bogamuwa pays him Rs. 100,000 for violating his fundamental rights according to the court submissions by the CID. The CID has charged in court, in oral submissions made in both Noyahr and Wickrematunge investigations that the former regime deliberately botched the investigation into Piyawansas role and protected him from facing a serious inquiry. Reports filed by the CID in the Mount Lavinia Magistrate Court, however, reveal that sleuths conducted a wide-ranging investigation into the circumstances of Piyawansas arrest in 2016, which led to the discovery of his promotions and financial concessions received from the Army whilst in remand which included the payment of his salary. Despite all these there was a failure to interdict him. Instead he was granted multiple loans on concessionary terms, none of which had been brought to the Armys attention prior to the CID investigation. In a series of oral submissions supported by written reports to the Mount Lavinia Magistrate Court, the CID has taken up the position that the platoon led by Major Bulathwatte acted under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence, bypassing the Army chain of command, as suggested by Sarath Fonseka. The officer on the ground, who was responsible for several of these investigations in 2010, was retired DIG Chandra Wakishta, who was in charge of both the TID and SIS in 2010. Speaking to the Daily Mirror from Germany, Wakishta verified that one year after the murder of Wickrematunge, the Defence Secretary had wanted the TID to take over the investigation jointly with the CID. We were able to unearth the five SIM numbers used by the assailants and these phones had been topped up from a place in front of the Tripoli Military Intelligence Camp in Maradana, recalled DIG Wakishta while concluding that they had obtained information that Fonseka was behind Wickrematunges attack. Asked why the TID then failed to question Fonseka if this was the case, Wakishta replied that while his presumption is that these attacks had been carried out by the Army, he was unable to gather enough evidence to justify questioning Fonseka in 2010. Wakishta stressed that the TID was planning to make a breakthrough in the Wickrematunge and Noyahr cases based on information that they were jointly carried out by the Kohuwala team, but they never gathered sufficient evidence to proceed from there onwards. We questioned former DMI Amal Karunasekara, who is now in remand custody, to obtain details for a breakthrough, but he did not cooperate with us, Wakishta added. Wakista says that a place near the Tripoli Intelligence Camp, where Wickrematunges assailants had reloaded their prepaid SIM cards, is the same camp in which Major Bulathwattes team including Corporal Piyawansa belonged. However the police failed to investigate this team nor question Bulatwatte until the change in Government. In the end, former Army Commander Fonseka and the CID charge that intelligence and security operations in Colombo, and these attacks in particular, were handled directly outside the Ministry of Defence. While several current and former defence officials do corroborate the assertion that there was a grey area where defence officials including Rajapaksa and Hendawitharana could issue orders to intelligence units, especially in Colombo. Both of them deny having any formal or informal command responsibility. All current and former police, defence and military officers contacted by the Daily Mirror in connection with these investigations agree on only one point that the murder of Wickrematunge and the abduction of Noyahr were carried out by Army intelligence personnel. Beyond that point, the public will have to wait for the CID and the courts to decide on which of the denials by our former Defence Secretary and former Army Commander is the more credible, based on the evidence and testimony available now. Held at Institute of Policy Studies in Colombo Norwegian Ambassador Thorbjrn Gaustadsther addressing the gathering. The International Conference on Right To Information (RIT) commenced yesterday (May 08) at the Institute of Policy Studies in Colombo. The conference organised by the Sri Lanka Press Institute in collaboration with the Norwegian Embassy is being held to mark the first year anniversary of the implementation of RTI Act in Sri Lanka and the World Press Freedom day. The conference ends today. RTI experts from Norway, India, Mexico, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar, along with Sri Lankan experts from the RTI Commission, advocates from the civil society organisations, good governance promoters and leading journalists are scheduled to speak at the thematic sessions. Representatives of ministries, civil society organisations, internationally and locally renowned RTI activists are expected to attend the conference. Norwegian Ambassador Thorbjrn Gaustadsther, Kumar Nadesan, Chairman of SLPI, Kumar Lopez CEO of the SLPI and C. Dodawatta Convener of Free Media Movement at the inauguration. The Judicature (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament a short while ago without a vote at the third reading. The government earlier said the Judicature (Amendment) Bill would provide provisions to set up a special trial-at-bar. The legislation is expected to make the judiciary efficient as the new trial-at-bar will sit daily and hear cases on corruption. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana) Presidents former Chief of Staff I. H. K. Mahanama and former State Timber Corporation (STC) Chairman P. Dissanayaka, who were in remanded custody over accepting a bribe of Rs. 20 million, were further remanded till May 22 by Colombo Chief Magistrate Buddhika Sri Ragala today. Officials of the the Bribery Commission had arrested Dr. Mahanama and Mr. Dissanayake while accepting a bribe of Rs.20 million from an Indian businessman on May 3. They were later remanded till today. The suspects had allegedly solicited a bribe of Rs.540 million from the businessman promising that they would provide him with the approval needed to obtain machinery and building space for business purposes. However, after negotiations were held between the two parties, it was decided to reduce the asking price to Rs.100 million.(Farook Thajudeen) andBeyond officials in town to meet with SLTDA Investments likely within next two years Luxury African safari operator andBeyond is likely to make some large-scale investments in Sri Lanka in the next two years, giving new impetus to the island nations wildlife tourism, Mirror Business learns. Tourism sources said andBeyond Director for South Asia Toby Sinclair and Managing Director for South Asian region Shail Gupta met with Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Kavan Ratnayake in Colombo this week to discuss possible investment opportunities. andBeyond, which has extensive interests throughout Africa and South America entered India, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka in 2006, extending its touring expertise. However, up to now, the company has not made any significant investment in Sri Lanka by way of setting up its own safari camps or lodges. According to andBeyond official website the company was established alongside rising international demand for ecotourism and wildlife experiences, and in the belief that, through business enterprise, wildlife conservation could be placed on a sustainable economic footing. Sri Lankas wildlife tourism currently is in a pathetic state due to the scant regard of safari operators and lodge owners and even the tourists towards the flora and fauna of the countrys wildlife sanctuaries open for tourism. According to local tourism sector stakeholder, the entry of international players like andBeyond, whose business model revolves around sustainable tourism, will be a boon to the local tourism landscape, setting up new benchmarks. Munich (dpa), MAY 08 2018 - At least two people have been killed and 14 injured in a collision between a freight train and a passenger train in Bavaria, German rail officials said late Monday. The two fatalities have been identified as the train driver and a passenger. A spokesman said two of those hurt had serious injuries. The two trains crashed into each other around 9:20 pm on a single stretch of track near Aichach station on the route between Ingolstadt and Augsburg, Deutsche Bahn said. The trains were not derailed by the crash. The cause of the accident is not yet known and will be investigated. Rescue crews were at the scene. Rail traffic on the line has been suspended. When rail traffic can resume is unclear. A rail replacement service with buses has been set up. The driver of the car and a passenger were killed. The train driver was not hurt. One person on the train was injured. The Cabinet has been shuffled and reshuffled but no one is happy! The burning question is why are they so afraid to give Law and Order to Sarath Fonseka? Lets take a look at the Presidents Chief of Staff facing violent corruption charges and sabotage of US$100 MILLION FOR OVER 2 YEARS, MANIPULATION OF DISCARDED MACHINERY SCRAP IRON ETC, AND YET WAS MADE CHIEF OF STAFF! WHAT A HIDEOUS GAFF! Why are all these known corruptions and sabotages set aside and positions of power given to these rogues? It smacks of the position of Finance Minister being given to Ravi K! The Heads seem to thrive in having them around! Mahanama and Dissanayake were apparently produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate and remanded till May 9 pending further investigation. The question here is, despite this knowledge, why were they given such positions of power? Who is hiding what? I guess we will never know! Mahanama had blocked both projects in regard to the Kantale Sugar Factory. Following negotiations, Mahanama and Dissanayake had agreed to accept the 100 million in installments! Initiate a SCAM and wham, you are in business, or so it seems from things that are happening in this country! Mahanama had purposely thwarted the joint venture undertaken by M.G. SUGARS LANKA (PVT) LTD., AND SRI LANKA FOR REVIVAL AND RESTRUCTION OF THE KANTALE SUGAR FACTORY! While all the other SCAMS remain unresolved, we have another new one on our hands! But, that is not enough, the price of Milk Powder, Gas and other products have also risen and the beauty of it is they seem to be rising, bit by bit, little by little! Lets not hit the people with all that we are trying to give them, lets do it gradually so they feel how thoughtful and kind-hearted we are! The Yahalpalana leaders are aware of all that is happening in the country but they dont seem to give a damn! They are only interested in what can be GOT before TIME runs out! Make no mistake, the President who is now saying he will not resign in 2020, is the same man, the very same man, who promised to do away with the Executive Presidency in 100 days! Didnt someone say ABSOLUTE POWER, CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY! We have a glaring example in front of us today but what are we going to do about it? What should we do about it? We cant ask them to do the EXEMPLARY THING AND RESIGN, which in reality they should have done long ago! The country is in chaos, the Cabinet is in a bigger chaos, and we seem to be thriving on SCAMS! Why dont the people demand answers? People power is what we have, it is our power that put these rogues into POWER which they are now using to their own personal advantage!!! In the Philippines, when the people had enough of the desecration of power, they came out on the streets and threw Ferdinand Marcos out! Absolute unmitigated People Power! Why cant our people do the same here??? THROW THEM ALL OUT, HAVE A GENERAL ELECTION AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT??? "Unless we, the people of this country stand up and demand what is our inalienable right, nothing is going to happen. We need to work together as brothers and sisters, as one family, to bring this country to the paradise it was in the days gone by" Last week, they laid Dr. Lester James Peiris to rest! What a man among men he was, a doyen if ever there was one, yet they had to wait for him to die before they sang his praises! People of the culture, the finesse and men among men that they were, will never grace this country again! All we have are uncultured Yakkos with no education, no culture, no background. To emphasize the immortal words of John Kennedy, we must now say: Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. We must indeed ask what we can do for our country as those who were elected with the sacred trust are doing NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR THE COUNTRY, JUST ONLY FOR THEMSELVES! We have talked about SCAMS, so many of them, CHILD ABUSE AND THE PUNISHMENT SUCH ABUSE DESERVES, and then we read that a young girl from a Home for Girls has been ABUSED OVER 16 TIMES! WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT? Why are these maniacs allowed to get away with this? What is happening in our Justice System? Why does not someone with a spine get up and say COME DOWN HARD ON THESE PERVERTS, GIVE THEM A PUNISHMENT THEY WILL NEVER FORGET; BECAUSE FOR SURE, THAT POOR GIRL, IS NEVER EVER GOING TO FORGET THAT SHE WAS RAPED! Do we do anything? NO! Probably send the pervert to jail to live a life of common place luxury, while this poor girl has to live with the horrifying nightmare of THE FACT THAT SHE WAS RAPED REPEATEDLY! It is not a nightmare that will easily go away, so she has to learn to live with it because you see it is imprinted on her subconscious forever! It is not just RAPE that is rampant, MURDERS TOO. Continuously we are told STERN ACTION WILL BE TAKEN! WHEN AND WHERE? IT IS A LONG TIME COMING! Forget the politicians, what is the Judiciary about? Dont they realize there is no LAW AND ORDER in the country? Unless we, the people of this country stand up and demand what is our inalienable right, nothing is going to happen. We need to work together as brothers and sisters, as one family, to bring this country to the paradise it was in the days gone by. When anyone and everyone could move about freely with no fear, when children went unharmed, when murders took place just once or were never heard of. Selfishness, Greediness, Inhumanity and most of all MANS INHUMANITY TO MAN MUST CEASE, IF WE ARE TO CALL THIS COUNTRY PARADISE AGAIN! 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 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will stay in the Iran nuclear deal at least until he sees if European countries are prepared to stay in. His foreign minister try to encourage those countries. especially the UK, France and Germany, to negotiate a revised deal after the US decision to pull out. Otherwise, he will restart enriching uranium in the next weeks. It is seen as a doubling-down for the cleric who has seen his signature foreign policy achievement threatened. Trump signed a presidential memorandum withdrawing from the 2015 agreement and he is planning to reinstall sanctions on the Iranian regime. Plan to sell Boeing jets to Iran will be cancelled. Marvalene Hughes back at her Del Mar home after being recognized as one of the world's foremost female educators at a conference last month in China. Sebastian Montes When Marvalene Hughes was escorted onstage last month at a conference in China for female university presidents from around the world, little did she know that she and two others were about to be recognized for reaching the pinnacle of their careers. The 8th World Women University Presidents Forum bestowed Hughes with the honor in recognition of four decades in higher education, during which time her prodigious fundraising skills helped her navigate a political landscape tilted against any woman or person of colorlet alone both. I was escorted to the stage, and I was looking around to see what was happening, Hughes recalled recently in her Del Mar home. Then they made their announcementI wasn't prepared, not for that. I fell apart. An ironic reaction for someone whose career has been to build universities. From her doctoral work at Florida State University, Hughes has been on a path that went through San Diego State University and the University of Minnesota before taking over as president of Cal St. Stanislaus in 1994, making her the first woman of color to lead a CSU schooland one of the first female university presidents in the country. For 11 years she tapped into deep pockets of the Central Valley, funding seven new buildings by finding revenue streams where none were thought to exist. After leaving Stanislaus, Hughes took the reins at Dillard University, a historically black college in New Orleans. Weeks after arriving, Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city and left the Dillard campus in ruins. For six years she tirelessly lobbied federal officials and private donors as she lifted Dillard from the murky depths. At those two schools alone, she raised several billion dollars. Over the past five years, the administrative phase of her career has given way to being a mentor and role model for up and coming generations of female educators. It was during her time at Stanislaus that she was asked to be a founding member of the World Women University Presidents Forum. Meeting every other year at a rotating lineup of Chinese cities, the conference has become an unparalleled forum for women educators to share perspectives, challenges and needs. This newspaper talked with Hughes upon her return from China about the necessity of a Me Too movement overseas and why the U.S. seems to lag behind when it comes to women in higher education. DMT: You've been to all eight UCWP conferences. Why is it important to you to keep going? Hughes: There's not another international women's university conference anywhere. Women don't have a separate conference in the United States, but often I think we should. We go to the regular big conferences like the American Council on Education, and the American Association of State Universities and Colleges, but within those, women form an internal, separate group that meets for a few hours each day during the conference. To me that signals the need for some identity that relates to gender and also race. DMT: What do you see the conference accomplishing? Hughes: From my own perspective, I have an opportunity to meet with women and discuss their agendas from around the world. There were 58 countries represented in this group of people. And they are the heavy hitters. I learn a lot from it, and I wish we had one in America. I think a lot of what's going on now around the Me Too issues and all of that, that's not going to happen in those countries because the women there are on top of it. Almost for every university vice president in China, there is a woman appointed to be a vice president for women. So there are women in positions of power there unlike in the United States. It's those women who have access to all this money. And I'm thinking about a woman from the poorest part of India: when we started out, she had just been appointed, and she didn't ever believe she would get a building or be able to do anything for education. Now, 10 years or so later, she's gotten her building and she's just beaming about the kind of education she's able to provide. DMT: What has been your secret to fundraising? What is the knowledge that you're passing down? Hughes: There are three things people identify -- and I've gone back and looked at my records and they are true -- the ability to fundraise and build a university and focus it; the ability to understand how to cultivate faculty, students, staff and make them part of the process, make it all-inclusive. I've gotten all kinds of awards for that, and the ability to understand how to manage the unions that want to make distractions on campus. It's rampant here, and if they trap you, of course you can get fired. California has the strongest union, and the founder of that union was on my campus in Stanislaus when I got there. I befriended him, caught him off guard, so we didn't have a problem until after I left. After I left, the union went wild and the two presidents after me were fired. DMT: Over the 16 years of the conference, how have the topics changed and what new issues are they talking about? Hughes: Women are reaching back to understand whybecause of biology in the first placethey were told they were not supposed to be presidents or leaders. And what we see now is that those women who are leaders are exceeding a lot of men. So we're trying to pull that dynamic together and not allow the world to revert to what it was. Politically, economically, socially, it shouldn't happen again. Women were silenced. DMT: So it's about solidifying the gains that have been made? Hughes: It's that, and it's creating new avenues and building networks. I have networks around the world now. When I go to Australia and New Zealand, somebody's waiting for me. I spent several days of my trip to New Zealand in the library this past summer because I wanted to understand how they were so far ahead of America politically in terms of including women. DMT: How do you feel when you see how far the conference has come? Hughes: It's one of the most refreshing things I've had the opportunity to experience. Just sitting back listening to all those women from all those different countries, I thought, 'This is it. It's coming, it's coming.' You don't get that going to the conferences that we have here. DMT: Why do you think that it's been so hard to change here? Hughes: Because we were the founders of discrimination. We say we are a democracy, but we were the founders of discrimination, and we haven't overcome a lot of it. It's out there in the streets. But the people who founded this country decided that was the way it was supposed to be. So I think we've found an avenue now to impact the world, but it has taken a lot, it has taken a lot. In America we are materially fortunate, but we don't have all of the right values driving what we do sometimes. DMT: What still frustrates you in education? By Michael Malay 9 May 2018 (Dark Mountain) Today we bring you the last in our series of extracts from our thirteenth book, an anthology of new writing and art exploring what being human means in an age of rapid ecological and social change. Dark Mountain: Issue 13 is now available through our online shop for 15.99 or for less if you support our work by subscribing to future issues.We finish the series with Michael Malays essay on poetry and extinction, accompanied by an image by Bruce Hooke.In Blacksmith Shop, Czeslaw Milosz describes a childhood visit to the local smithy. He remembers the blacksmith standing above the anvil, hammering away at a piece of iron, and the incredible heat of the furnace. A group of horses stand outside, ready to be shod, while a collection of tools await repair: plowshares, sledge runners, harrows. I liked the bellows operated by rope, Milosz writes, and that blowing and blazing of fire. Transfixed, he watches as the iron is bent glowingly into a horseshoe.Miloszs catalogue of objects is mundane. The poem lists the normal accoutrements of a blacksmith shop: bellows, a pair of tongs, an anvil. Yet there is an intensity to the speakers gaze, and a tenderness to the poets voice, that transfigures what it names. Held lovingly in the space of the poems recollections, the scene is restored to the primacy of the present tense. I stare and stare, Milosz writes, recalling the gusts of heat at his chest. It seems I was called for this: / To glorify things just because they are.I had reason to think of Milosz recently, when, early last summer, the Polish government defied an EU court order to halt logging in Biaowieza, one of Europes last primeval forests and home to the rare European bison. And the thought emerged: if one task of the poet, as implicitly defined by Milosz, is to glorify things just because they are, what might it mean to write poetry today, in an era of climate change, environmental degradation and mass species extinction? How might one bear witness to a disappearing world? (Daffodils at the end of January! a friend remarked, uttering a sentence his grandparents would not have understood. Meanwhile, current rates of extinction are 1,000 times higher than normal background levels, with dozens of species dying off every day. In a few decades, whole forms of life whole ways of understanding have changed.) []Today, one might say that the criminals are the Murdochs, Kochs, and Tillersons of the world, as well as the multinational companies the BPs, Monsantos, and Cargills who continue to plunder earths resources at a time of swift ecological unravelling. All the same, the marvels of reality continue too, in the form of great fish and bird migrations, the standing miracles of ancient forests, or the simple but mysterious thereness of the earths elements: air, water, earth, fire. Were Milosz still writing today, his ledger would still contain two columns: one for beauty, one for justice.For all his exemplariness as a poet of witness, however, Milosz did not and could not foresee the complications of the current moment. Witness poetry implies the hope of restitution and redress a rebalancing of the scales, even if that rebalancing is enacted aesthetically, through poetry, rather than institutionally, in the political sphere. But what hope for those countless creatures who perish without word or witness? What representations legal, poetic, or otherwise do they receive? Equally, how might one identify the deed, let alone the date of the crime, when the drivers of extinction and climate change are so widely distributed and its effects so unimaginably large? O my love, where are they, where are they going, Milosz writes in one of his poems, recalling a night when his friend pointed to a hare running across a wintry road. I ask not out of sorrow, but in wonder, his poem concludes but its an emphasis we might be tempted to reverse. In a landscape where brown hares are critically endangered in the UK, their population has declined by 80% in the past 10 years we do ask (appropriately, I think) out of sorrow. []It is easy to become despondent, indeed sorrowful, about these losses: each day we are confronted with appalling statistics about the loosening footholds (and wing-holds) of mammals and birds in the UK, not to mention thousands of insect species whose habitats are being fundamentally changed by human intervention. As Ursula Heise reminds us, however, narratives of ecological decline, which often borrow from genre conventions such as tragedy and elegy, can easily turn into narratives of human decline. Environmental crisis typically becomes a proxy for cultural concerns, she writes in Imagining Extinction, a way of telling stories about the fallen experience of modernity. We therefore need to understand when sorrow is misplaced when it is a projection of cultural anxieties onto nature and when it stems from a genuine reckoning of what is being lost. The risk of not doing so is to tell a story that begins to tell us a hopeless story about inevitable decline.The other risk of declensionist narratives is that they ignore the capacity of certain creatures to adapt during times of change. As Chris Thomas argues in Inheritors of the Earth, some animals seem to be thriving in the present era. We have damaged the planet beyond any reasonable measure, he admits, altering its great chemical cycles and acidifying its oceans, but we are still surrounded by large numbers of species, many of which appear to be benefiting from our presence and adapting to this human-altered world. He also argues that we should situate todays changes in their appropriate historical context, which involves time spans much longer than we are used to thinking about in our everyday lives. This is necessary because the story of life on Earth is one of never-ending change: be that the arrival and disappearance of species from a particular location (ecological change) or the longer-term formation of new species and extinction of others (evolutionary change).This is not to discount the losses of anthropogenic extinction, which are immense, nor the profligacy with which capitalism exploits human and non-human life. The long view that Thomas takes may also come with a subtle danger. Deep time consoles us by reminding us of earths endurance and continuity, but such a view may also desensitise us to the present, to the precious and fragile life being lost now. [more] Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Subscriber content preview By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer The major U.S. stock indexes partially recovered from a daylong slide in the final minutes of trading Tuesday to finish essentially flat. The indexes had been drifting slightly lower as investors weighed the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reinstate sanctions on the country. . . . Subscriber content preview RENTON An industrial building at 2701 E. Valley Road has sold for $5.95 million, according to King County records. The seller was Flashers LLC, which acquired the property in 2003 for almost $2.9 million. Flashers is governed by the owners of Sound Building Supply, the sole tenant. The buyer was Terreno East Valley LLC, which is associated with Terreno Realty of San Francisco. . . . Michigan Republicans have pending legislation that would make our states Medicaid rules, as LOLGOP put it, the most regressive requirements in the entire nation. They would force hundreds of thousands of poor residents to either find a job that will allow them to work no fewer than 29 hours a week or theyd lose their benefits. It would also impose a four-year cap on benefits. This could result in over 100,000 Michiganders being thrown off this crucial support. They know that Gov. Rick Snyder is unlikely to sign their bill into law so, rather than coming together with him and Democrats in the legislature to craft a compromise, theyve decided to resort to blackmail: The Senate on Thursday approved a $56.6 billion budget that would suspend salaries for Director Nick Lyon and other top officials in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services if the Snyder administration does not request and secure a federal waiver to implement Medicaid work requirements. [] The budget includes a separate provision directing the state to end expanded eligibility for residents who earn between 100 percent and 133 percent of the federal poverty level after theyve been on the Healthy Michigan plan for 48 months, eliminating an option to extend coverage by completing healthy behaviors. [] Under the budget, the state would withhold a combined $294,000 in salaries from unclassified employees in the state health department until a work requirement waiver is submitted. The state would withhold another $294,000 unless or until the federal government approves the waiver. Current unclassified employees include Lyon, Senior Assistant Nancy Grijalva, Chief Medical Executive Eden Wells, senior communications deputy Geralyn Lasher and Cindy Kelly, a design coordinator at the state-operated Caro Center psychiatric hospital, department spokesman Bob Wheaton said. As Charles Gaba at ACASignUps.net puts it, They arent threatening Snyder and [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema] Verma themselvestheyre actually holding the salaries of five state employees hostage, refusing to release them until both Gov. Snyder and Administrator Verma agree to their demands. Dont forget that this is in addition to the fact that 12 of the 14 legislators representing the 17 counties which would be exempted from the GOP work requirements just happen to be Republicans. Ive seen Michigan Republicans do some pretty outrageous things over the years like restoring our Emergency Manager law just weeks after voters overturned it but this is the most egregious and despicable thing I have seen them do in a very long time. As Sen. Curtis Hertel, a Democrat from East Lansing, the move is severely unconstitutional. I look forward to seeing these pawns in Gov. Snyders administration sue the pants off the state if they try to move forward with their hostage/ransom/blackmail plan. 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Given the booming export business to the EU and Japan, Thailand's poultry industry is growing rapidly, producing nearly two million tonnes of poultry meat in 2017, according to a report from GIRA Meat Club. Charoen Pokphand and GFPT are both playing a significant role in this area. "We are happy to be back in Thailand to enjoy the hospitality of our customers," said Mohammad Ismail, senior sales director of Cobb Asia Pacific. "With the launch of MV male, we are seeing great broiler results in the field, which keeps our customers ordering more chickens from Cobb. "Customers are reporting excellent feed conversion and improved meat yield with the Cobb MV male, which is proving very adaptable to different weight requirements, nutritional programmes and environments." May Sirimongkolkasem, GFPT vice president, said: "Cobb has been a great partner for our company as the product from Cobb performs well. We appreciate the fact that Cobb operates with transparency and they always support us. This seminar is a great source of information on chicken production for our customers." Choosak Namwong, vice president of Charoen Pokphand, commented: "Cobb is the breed of choice in the Asia-Pacific region and there is a good reason for it. With the unparalleled support on technical service, Cobb is in the driving force of our industry." The seminar covered a wide range of topics including breeder and broiler nutrition, female rearing and production management, MV male management, hatchery techniques and brooding principles. Charoen Pokphand Group is Thailand's largest chicken processor, operating from grandparents down to meat processing. With its ambition to provide safe and high quality protein foods for consumers worldwide to support a rapidly growing population and adapt to changing trends, the company places great importance on every step of its operations. GFPT produces and distributes frozen chicken meat, processed chicken and by-products under customers' and its own brand labels for domestic and overseas markets. In 2015, GFPT had a chicken processing capacity of 122,000 tonnes per year and cooked chicken products capacity of 32,000 tonnes per year from its plant at Samutprakarn. Kendall Jenner clearly still had Met Gala fever the morning after the evening rendezvous as evidenced in her recent social media post. The model indulged in a few carbohydrates and sugar while wearing a red gown. Hangover On Tuesday, Jenner enjoyed breakfast glam style. The 22-year-old model shared an Instagram photo that shows her sitting at a rooftop in New York City wearing a bright red gown with a plunging neckline. She had the dress' fabric spread all around the lounge chair. Jenner also donned on a pair of sunglasses and looked lovely even with her messy hair. She had her hair in a half-up/half-down hairstyle. The Victoria's Secret model posed for the camera with one hand holding a knife at the pancakes before her on the table and the other hand holding her chest. A fork dangles from her mouth. "Heavenly hungover," Jenner captioned the artistic shot with a nod at the 2018 Met Gala theme, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. The post has since received over 3 million likes and 12,000 comments as of this writing. Fans all complimented the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star with heart emojis. Fellow model and Jenner's BFF Bella Hadid also showed love on the picture. "Wow this photo?" Hadid wrote on the pic. 2018 Met Gala Jenner attended the Met Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art wearing a more sophisticated look this year. She arrived at the event wearing an all-white jumpsuit by Off-White. The silk, off-the-shoulder pantsuit featured tulle gloves and a long train. Jenner accessorized with a pair of Tiffany & Co. diamond earrings and rings. She had her hair parted in the middle and swept back. However, not everyone was impressed with Jenner's wardrobe. Some thought she looked bland and wore chic toilet paper to the Met Gala. "Kendall Jenner shows up to the #MetGala in the most bland toilet paper outfit and had the nerve to push one of the handlers out of the way who was just doing his job on the carpet #rude," wrote an eyewitness who commented about her pushing a security guard out of her camera shot on the red carpet. Regardless, the model was in good company at the Met Gala since her sisters Kylie and Kim Kardashian-West and mother Kris were at the event too. Rapper Travis Scott escorted her girlfriend and baby mama Kylie to the rendezvous. This is the first time the couple made their red carpet appearance and a first for the Life of Kylie star following the birth of their daughter Stormi in February. Kanye was clearly missing from the event. Roman Polanski is threating to file a lawsuit against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the alleged illegal expulsion of his membership from the organization. 'Fair Hearing' Polanski's attorney Harland Braun sent a letter to the Academy's president John Bailey on Tuesday with threats about a legal suit over the unfair treatment his client received. In the letter, Braun asked for a "fair hearing" instead of the immediate expulsion of the director's membership. Braun clarified that he and Polanski are not contesting the merits of the expulsion decision. Instead, they are calling out the Academy for its blatant disregard of its own Standards of Conduct when it removed the filmmaker from the organization without due process. Braun likewise said that the Academy violated the standards required by California Corporations Code. For these reasons, Braun is asking for a fair trial be imposed on his client. "I am writing this letter to you to avoid unnecessary litigation. Mr. Polanski has a right to go to court and require your organization to follow its own procedures, as well as California law. The only proper solution would be for your organization to rescind its illegal expulsion of Mr. Polanski and follow its own Standards of Conduct by giving Mr. Polanski reasonable notice of the charges against him and a fair hearing to present his position with respect to any proposed expulsion," reads the letter. Academy Standards Of Conduct The Academy Standards of Conduct implemented in January calls for its members to submit a written rebuttal in 10 days following the receipt of a complaint. The committee then makes a recommendation on discipline and the accused member has 10 days to make an appeal on the board's decision. However, the Academy's bylaws also state that the Board of Governors can expel or suspend any member for cause. This decision is dependent on the number of affirmative votes from not less than two-thirds of the Governors. The accused member can no longer make an appeal under this provision. "The Board of Governors retains its independent duty and authority as outlined in the bylaws to address and take action on any matter, whether submitted by the process outlined above or not, related to a member's status and to enforce the Academy's Standards of Conduct," reads Section 8 of the bylaws. The Academy stripped Polanski (The Pianist, Rosemary's Baby) of his membership in accordance with the organization's ethical standard of valuing the respect for human dignity. The director pleaded guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977 and spent 42 days in jail and on probation as part of a plea deal. A fan who only wanted to get an autograph from Cardi B gets a beating instead from Offset's entourage after he heckled the rapper outside a Manhattan hotel. Cardi B stunned and wowed the crowd during her appearance at the 2018 Met Gala in New York City when she arrived wearing an ornate headpiece and a beaded golden Moschino gown that showcased her baby bump. The rapper's wardrobe is a nod at the event's theme, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and The Catholic Imagination. Autograph Seeker However, the ruckus that happened after the engagement is getting the media attention now. Apparently, Cardi B and her fiance Offset got themselves involved in a brawl between a fan and Offset's entourage on Monday night. The commotion happened when the couple stepped out of The Mark Hotel in New York. A video of the said altercation has now been making the rounds online, courtesy of TMZ. In the clip, the autograph seeker, identified as 33-year-old Giovanni Arnold, asks for the "Bodak Yellow" rapper's autograph. Cardi B did not entertain his request nor did she stop to acknowledge him but proceeds to her waiting car. "Just asked for an autograph, damn! Don't shoot me over an autograph, now. Don't beat me up over an autograph," Arnold says in the video. Offset happens to pass by and tells the fan to shut up or he will beat him up. "Shut up, bro, before a n***a beat you out here," Offset tells the fan. The Beat Up Arnold literally asks for the beating when he responded to Offset's taunt. "Aw man, for an autograph? Damn, that's serious. I'll take all your money bro. Please beat me up! Please, brother! Be a fool man," Arnold replied. He also gives the rapper some advice about investing his money instead of spending it on jewelry. As Arnold continues to heckle Offset, a couple of men emerge from the same SUV Cardi B and Offset are in. They approached him and started to beat him up. A third man stomped on him. Onlookers were shocked to see the SUV speed away after the men beat Arnold. Authorities are now investigating Offset and Cardi B's entourage over for misdemeanor assault. Arnold sustained back and neck injuries but is in stable condition after he was rushed to NY Presbyterian Hospital. Arnold accused Offset of ordering the three men to beat him up because he did not like the way he approached the pregnant Cardi B. His attorney, Daniel Szalkiewicz, said that his client only wanted to get an autograph and called the beating an "unjustified ambush." 9 May 2018 EPO President Benoit Battistelli and Moroccos Minister of Industry Moulay Hafid Elalamy On 8 May EPO President Benoit Battistelli met Morocco's Minister for Industry, Investment, Trade and the Digital Economy, Moulay Hafid Elalamy, in Rabat. The meeting is part of a major co-operation programme between the Moroccan Office for Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC) and the EPO which has been running for a number of years with a view to setting up a patent and innovation system to foster the competitiveness of Moroccan businesses and the development of foreign investment. Mr Elalamy took the opportunity to stress Morocco's status as a regional African hub for investment in the industrial sector, highlighting the increasingly important part played by OMPIC in support of his country's standing, particularly in terms of the development of industrial and commercial property, an essential factor in corporate competitiveness. He went on to observe that Morocco now had an industrial property system compliant with international standards, allowing right holders, innovative national enterprises and foreign investors to gain protection and enforce their rights. Mr Battistelli emphasised that, as shown by the amount of European patent applications taking the validation route three years after the launch of the validation system, growing numbers of potential foreign investors now saw the Kingdom of Morocco as a channel for the development of their technologies, thereby confirming its industrial dynamism. "We are delighted that the number of European patent applications designating Morocco has doubled over the past three years, and now stands at 2 000 applications a year," President Battistelli said. On the margins of the meeting, the EPO President and OMPIC's Director-General Adil El Maliki hosted a round table in Fez with industrialists, researchers, academics and public officials from the Fez-Meknes region. This was a chance to showcase the contribution that IP-intensive industries make to economic growth. "Co-operation with the EPO is a win-win situation, as the validation system shows," Mr Maliki said. "OMPIC benefits from the expertise of 4 400 EPO patent examiners for foreign applications. Moroccan patents gain in quality, and OMPIC's examiners focus on improving national industry's utilisation of the patent system," he said. More information: Donald Trump is pulling the United States out of the Iranian nuclear deal, thus dismantling his predecessors key foreign policy initiative. The US President called the deal horrible, one-sided and disastrous when speaking in the White House yesterday (8 May). Mr. Trump said he planned to re-impose sanctions on Tehran and added that the US would sanction any nation that helps Iran develop nuclear weapons as well as US and foreign companies and banks that do business with the country. The White House said that the sanctions are immediately back in effect and any new deals and financial contracts are banned. The US administration said that firms and banks have either 90 or 180 days to wind down any existing business relations and transactions. European leaders have jointly rejected the US decision and announced that they were committed to the nuclear deal and urged Iran to stay compliant. EU diplomacy chief Federica Mogherini commented on the latest development: Let me conclude with a message to the Iranian citizens and leaders: Do not let anyone dismantle this agreement. This agreement remains important for our shared security, said British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, adding that they saw Mr. Trumps with regret and concern. While the US withdrawal is yet another blow to the trans-Atlantic ties, Saudi Arabia and Israel have welcomed President Trumps decision. However, with Washington and Brussels fundamentally at odds, diplomatic efforts to constrain Tehrans nuclear program have entered uncharted territory, analysts say. The nuclear deal limits Irans capacity to enrich uranium and makes it possible to monitor its nuclear program. European leaders have, however, pointed out that the US has yet to explain how it plans to monitor Irans nuclear activities if they are withdrawing from the current deal. Hello everyoneI previously posted something about the tax return form (section 6) and while I am still confused by the question about being domiciled in France in 2017, I am more confused by section 8, the section about non-residents and income from outside France. Is anyone else confused by this? I know that residency is a difficult area and usually needs professional advice, but it seems that I was a fiscal resident in France for at least 6.5 months of 2017, maybe 8.5, but for the rest of that year I was in the UK, so when would I have ceased to become tax resident of France? I'm not tax resident of France now but at the time I was working there I was, so how do I fill this form in? I.e. do I consider my residency statusor my residency status when I was living and working in France?Again, thanks to anyone who has been in a similar position and can suggest something.Thanks and have a good evening http://www.expatforum.com/expats/images/smilies/smile.gif I don't know how it works in France either, but I do know how it works in UK and Switzerland. And the answer is - Not like that! Finance company is not required as a beneficiary on the insurance because their contract is with you personally, not usually secured on the car. (Unless it is HP in the UK). Most plans these days are actually rentals where you don't own the car either. This includes a risk factor in the pricing. Regards Ian Nope - your first inclination is correct. You should report your worldwide income on both your US and French tax declarations. Under the France-US tax treaty, your gov't service pension and US Social Security are taxable ONLY by the US. On your French returns you report your pensions as pensions on the regular tax form (2042) and then again on the foreign source income form (2047). It basically goes in two places on each of the two forms. On the 2047 form, there is a section to indicate that US pensions are the type of income that is taxable in France (in theory) but subject to a tax credit equal to the French tax on the amount in question. You should ultimately receive a tax bill for 0 (if this is your only income) - but hang onto the "bill" because it comes in handy for all sorts of administrative functions down the road. The thing about paying the difference between the US taxes and the French taxes is only for French sourced income you have to declare on your US returns. But absent that, there's no problem. Cheers, Bev We camped a few years ago on the Dordogne River near Carsac-Aillac. It was a great location - there was a swimming area on the river and you could rent canoes/kayaks and there was a bicycle path that took you into Sarlat - I think it was something like 26 miles long, an old railroad paved over? My memory is a bit foggy, but I really enjoyed the place. Very popular best to book, I believe we were there in July - more Dutch than French at the time. It may have been Le Rocher de la Cave but there are quite a few campgrounds in the area. We used the ACSI book back then.I remember there was a cannabis farm nearby with signs saying it was impotent only grown for industrial hemp. Had a lot of fun pics taken in that field We will be spending a month in San Felipe summer of 2018. We have three questions: 1. We have an 1998 Toyota Sienna that is only worth 300 USD in Utah where we live. It has a bad piston but everything else is great (even the AC). Is there a parts yard in Mexicali or San Luis Colorado that would pay more for the van than 500 USD? (because environmental regulations may be different). Is there anyone near the boarder that would like a reliable used car? 2. The van will be empty. Would anyone like to risk putting some cargo in it? South bound only 3. The wife and kids will be in a 2015 Honda Pilot towing a trailer full of water toys and bikes. There is room for more cargo. Would anyone like to put something in the trailer (North or south bound) 4. We would love to hangout with anybody in SanFelipe this summer. Just message me. It is very hard to get a job offer without a visa. Some tips: - When applying, make sure you stress the point that you are eligible for a CSV. Employers usually don't entertain foreigners without permits because they know it's nearly impossible for them to get a general work permit (because of the company has to prove that they couldn't find any local with the same qualifications, etc...)...but a critical skills visa doesn't require employers to do this....however, most employers either don't know or they just don't want the hustle and would rather settle for locals or those with work permits. - Apply to big companies, especially multinational companies. They are much more likely to give you an offer despite not having a CSV - If getting an offer proves to be too hard, you can try to apply for the CSV without a job offer. You will get a 12-month visa which you can use to apply for a job. Be warned that if you fail to get a job within those 12 months, you will most likely be rejected when you apply for an extension (because you failed to get a job). Ciara Scully, Matt Lawless, Guinness Storehouse, Martina Bromley, Failte Ireland and Neil Cullen Seasons at the Guinness Storehouse and Dalkey Castle have today (Wednesday, 9th May) become the first Visitor Attraction Centres in Dublin to complete the Failte Irelands Accredited Services Excellence Programme. The Programme is aimed at helping tourism businesses reach the highest standards in customer care, which can result in major benefits such as business growth, additional repeat business, increased visitor spend and positive recommendations. Speaking at the presentation of the accreditations, Martina Bromley, Head of Enterprise & Hospitality at Failte Ireland said that the Programme is an important aspect of Failte Irelands business development and training supports. The Accredited Service Excellence Programme is aimed at helping tourism businesses strengthen competitiveness and to help differentiate Ireland from its international competitors as a location where the customer is at the centre of everything a business will do. It provides an opportunity for the Irish tourism industry to be recognised for best in class customer service and great visitor experiences and we are delighted to present Seasons at the Guinness Storehouse and Dalkey Castle, two of the citys finest attractions with their accreditation. Matt Lawless, Deputy General Manager, Seasons at Guinness Storehouse said that the presentation of the award was recognition of the hard work of staff to maintain excellence in customer service and provision. Todays accreditation from Failte Ireland is testament of the hard work and dedication of our staff. Our focus has been and must always be on providing the very best in customer care and service to the 1.7 million visitors a year that experience Seasons at Guinness Storehouse for first time as a visitor or corporate client. Speaking at the presentation, Margaret Dunne, Manager of Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre said that she was delighted to accept the award on behalf of the seventeen staff who undertook the course. At Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre we have always placed the customer at the core of our business, and for the staff that have undertaken the course it gives them a real sense of affirmation that indeed we are doing things the right way. It will also help to ensure that customer service is at the forefront of everything we do and at the centre of all our interactions with visitors. I must complement the Programme itself as it was excellently pitched for front facing staff and everyone was left enthused to go that extra mile for every single visitor. The Accredited Service Excellence Programme is suitable for all management and front facing staff in a tourism related business who come into contact with visitors. The Award can be achieved in three ways: Individual Award for individual staff upon completion of a full day or online workshop; As a Business Award whereupon 75% of front facing staff have completed the Programme; As a Destination Award - where a number of set criteria are met and where an agreed level of key businesses in the area have achieved the business award. Jump to top Matias Heino, Aalto University, Finland. IMPROVED predictive systems may be able to allow climate forecasters to predict potential climatic events, such as El Nino / La Nina as far as a year out. The Australian cropping industry has long wanted more lead time in identifying potential climate drivers that could influence weather through the growing season. At present, the period around winter crop sowing, in mid-autumn, is a time of low skill for forecasting events such as El Nino (ENSO) However, Matias Heino, a doctoral candidate at Aalto University, Finland, which has conducted research into large scale weather cycles and their influence on cropping systems globally, said a newly proposed method, based on network analysis, had increased the potential forecasting range of El Nino to up to 12 months. However, the improvements will not extend to other important climate drivers such as the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) or the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), where the forecasting skill is not as high. Mr Heino said the development of better climate driver forecasting would aid agriculture worldwide. There is great potential to increase the resilience of the global food production system by coupling this increased forecasting skill with knowledge about the impacts of these oscillations, he said. The Aalto University research has highlighted the massive impact climate cycles have on crop production across the globe. Mr Heino said ENSOs impact on grain production in Australia and North and South America was well documented, with El Nino phases drier than average in general in Australia, wetter than average in the Americas and vice versa for La Nina. ENSO has the biggest impact on crop production globally, however, other climate drivers less well known in Australia, such as the NAO, significantly affect crop production, not only in parts of Europe, which directly border the North Atlantic, but in many parts of Mediterranean Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The NAO is similar to ENSO in that it mainly impacts the flow of moist air onto land masses. When the air pressure in Iceland is significantly lower than in the Azores, stronger winds increase the transport of warm, moist air from the Atlantic to Europe. Britain is one area impacted by the North Atlantic Oscillation. When the Atlantic air pressure difference has been high, the productivity of crops in Europe have reduced by two per cent compared to the average. The impact has been particularly strong in places like Spain and the Balkans, where the decrease in productivity has been as much as 10pc. During the other phase of NAO, when the air pressure difference is weaker, the same areas have shown positive changes, in crop productivity. The IOD has a similarly profound impact on cropping in Australia. Crop productivity may, depending IODs phase, be up to 8pc smaller or 6pc larger than average. Drilling down, Mr Heino said various phases had subsets that could impact weather patterns differently. For instance, in Australia he said there was a difference in the impact on rainfall between an eastern Pacific and central Pacific El Nino. The eastern Pacific El Nino events are characterised by strong sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the eastern Pacific, while during a central Pacific El Nino event strongest SST anomalies are observed close to the dateline, he said. Australia seems to be impacted especially by central Pacific El Ninos, which is related to decreased rainfall over its eastern parts. Mr Heino said the impact of weather phases varied from region to region, not only according to the intensity of the event, but also by prevailing conditions. For instance, in Australias case, where most cropping systems are generally limited in moisture, he said any decrease in rainfall would have a stronger impact compared to an area where crop growth is not limited by water availability. Into the future, Mr Heino said researchers were unsure what impact climate change would have on weather phases. Climate change can have a significant effect on the fluctuation of these oscillations, however, understanding these effects is still on the science agenda, he said. A greater incidence of Indian Ocean Dipole positive years would be bad for Australian broadacre farmers. For example, it is not certain whether the eastern tropical Pacific (source of El Nino Southern Oscillation) will warm permanently or whether the nature of the fluctuations between El Nino and La Nina will change, Mr Heino said. Regarding Indian Ocean Dipole and the North Atlantic Oscillations it seems that climate change might lead to an increase in the frequency of their positive events, which also suggest increasing occurrence of the climate and weather events related to their positive phase. This would be bad news for Australian farmers, as IOD positive events are correlated with drier than average conditions here. The Aalto University study has been conducted in collaboration with researchers from Columbia University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), and University of Bonn. IN the heart of the Mid West city of Geraldton, a magnificent building stretches into the sky. St Francis Xavier Cathedral has been part of the local scenery on Maitland Street since work began on the place of worship in 1916. The heritage-listed Catholic church was blessed and rededicated last December after undergoing a major seven-month conservation project to restore both the interior and exterior. Its impressive design was the work of English architect Monsignor John Cyril Hawes, who was also an ordained Catholic Priest. Known as Father Hawes at the time, he arrived in the Mid West of WA as a parish priest in November 1915, and travelled around the Murchison over the summer months before being recalled to Geraldton to start work on the cathedral. While the first stage of the cathedral was completed in 1918, work was halted after the death of the Bishop of Geraldton, Bishop Kelly, and did not recommence until 1926, meaning the building was not completed and officially opened until 1938. What was created, however, was an impressive structure that would not be out of place in many other countries around the world. According to the Diocese of Geraldton, the laying of the western portion of the building began in 1916 and used stone from the nearby Chapman Valley. The foundation or cornerstone used formed an historical link with Geraldtons first Catholic church, old St Francis Xaviers which was built by the coast in 1870 by Father LeCaille but was later pulled down to make room for railway extensions. The first building stage including the completion of Twin Towers, and the Nave, while unfinished walls of the central octagon and south transept were covered by a temporary roof of wood and corrugated iron. For a 10 pound donation, station owners were able to have the names of their properties engraved on circular columns on either side of the nave. Domed roofs were later put on the towers. In 1926 the crypt was extended eastwards and the sanctuary finished above it. These were linked by a temporary wooden structure. In 1927 the Sisters Chapel was built on the south side of the High Altar, but it wasnt until 10 years later that the building was completed, in August 1937, and officially opened on August 28, 1938. In designing the cathedral, it is said that Hawes chose size and solidity rather than pettiness and elegance in his unique design. The Diocese of Geraldton said he gave character and expression to the building by using austere simplicity of design and by the harmonious proportions of the several parts. Any useless ornamentation and elaboration that would make it more expensive, such as traceried windows, pinnacles or carved decorations were avoided. While unique, the cathedral design has been likened to the round-arched classical style of ancient Rome, with some features from the Romanesque or Norman 11th Century variation and some from the Renaissance 17th Century. It is said the twin towers on the west of the building are very much like the Californian Mission Church in Santa Barbara, and the big central dome over the crossing resembled Brunellescis famous Cupola in Florence. Inside, the cathedral has quite striking colour schemes of grey stripes with orange markings, similar to many churches and cathedrals in Italy, while many visitors who have visited the Great Mosque at El Cordoba in Spain believe there is a likeness to the interior and colour scheme. Tours are held at the cathedral, and are co-ordinated by Gerry Eastman through the Monsignor Hawes Heritage Centre, which includes a museum and cafe, and was opened in 2016. The tours are held each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday at 2.30pm, and each Friday at 4pm for $5 per person, and provide the 20,000 tourists visiting the cathedral each year with a greater understanding of the history of the building, along with an insight into Monsignor Hawes. Ms Eastman believes the cathedral is an important icon for not only the Catholics in Geraldton, but the whole community. Visitors to Geraldton are overwhelmed by its beauty, and marvel at the story of Monsignor Hawes, Ms Eastman said. Geraldton was not the only place where Monsignor Hawes left his mark, having designed and built 29 significant creations throughout the region, including what has been referred to as the jewel in his crown in Mullewa. While different in size and structure, the Our Lady of Mt Carmel and Saints Peter and Paul Church on Doney Street is yet another magnificent building which is in keeping with the local landscape. Appointed the first parish priest of Mullewa in 1916, Hawes began designing a church for the town in 1920, which included travelling to England where he drew up the initial plans. Construction began in 1921 but was stopped for some time, before resuming in October 1923 following another overseas trip by Hawes through France, Spain and Italy, and the completed church was blessed and dedicated in May 1927. The church was built almost entirely by Monsignor Hawes, who was assisted by volunteer labour from within the Church community, including local farmers carting stone from a neighbouring quarry. Labourer Tim OBrien was employed in 1924, while Hendry Cutton James was employed to make timber frames for some of the arches, and mason David Blackwell built the Nave walls. According to the Spirit from Stone project, a heritage project established in 2006 aimed at promoting and protecting Hawes legacy, the church has a Romanesque type of architecture similar to churches in the south of France, while the exterior has long low proportions reminiscent of the Spanish Franciscan Mission churches. A description of the interior on the Spirit from Stone website is as follows: The nave consists of five bays spanned by transverse pointed arches which support the roof timbering. The dome over the sanctuary is constructed of handmade concrete blocks, on the summit of the dome is a circular lantern with glazed windows which filter natural light over the altar. The base of the bell tower has a purpose-built squint in the wall so that the bell ringer can sound the consecration bell at the correct time. The tower contains seven bells. An increase in the local population of Mullewa led to the addition of the northern transept St Michaels in 1962 to blend in with the existing building. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. An American man has eaten 30,000 Big Mac burgers during his lifetime. Burger milestone Retired prison officer Don Gorske - who achieved the landmark feat in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin - is tremendously proud of his jaw-dropping accomplishment, which has seen him hailed as a ''Big Mac maniac''. The Fond du Lac Reporter quoted Don as saying that he'd been ''looking forward to'' the milestone burger. Gorske also made an appearance in the well-known documentary 'Supersize Me'. At the time, he explained to the cameras: ''As soon as I got my first car, this is the first place I came to. ''The first day I came here I ate nine Big Macs. It was like I couldn't get enough hamburger at that time.'' It seems to be Barbara Coles very nature to defy convention, an innate quality that quite literally surfaces throughout her life and career. Studious but driven in her own direction, as a teenager Cole set out to become a model. Time in front of the camera piqued her curiosity as to what might happen if she stepped behind the lens. Only a few years after leaving high school, Cole built a career as the lead fashion photographer for The Toronto Sun. Being submerged not only in the world of fashion but also of art, Cole began to dive deeper into photography. 'Emulsion' Coles transition from modeling to writing and then photography took place in the 70s when only a few female photographers were working. No matter how bold and talented Cole and her peers were, conventions persisted. In the 80s she opened a commercial photo studio, eager to take her talent to new and varied depths. However, Cole recalls that she often worked on quintessentially female campaigns (i.e. skin care, feminine hygiene, children) while her male counterparts received the higher paying jobs with car campaigns and the like. Not only was she at a disadvantage financially but Cole also felt frustrated by the unfairness of the gender barrier. Nevertheless, this gender block ultimately bolstered her career. Rather than her imagination taking flight, it went for a swim. Multiple aspects led to Coles current underwater fine art photography, aside from industry gender constructs, having a pool was a helpful convenience. Over the years she has refined and adapted her technique and of late Cole has moved from her four-foot-deep pool to the open ocean. For the pool shoots, Cole checks water clarity days in advance and referencing her earlier days as a fashion editor, Cole designs the costumes for all of her shows. Perhaps it is that departure from reality, diving below the surface, away from everything that constantly surrounds us. Maybe it is the element of water itself - its fluid uncontrollability. By defying Earths stasis, with its rules, habits, and definitions, her underwater photography has led to a variety of partnerships. Coles extensive resume ranges from emotive fine-art series to active sportswear shoots for brands such as Gravis as well as a collaboration with the National Ballet of Canada. (She has yet to photograph a car plunging into water). While shes no longer confined to female campaigns, Cole often chooses to work with women. Working in an unconventional environment, often cold, wet, and exhausted from staying submerged, Cole bonds with and mentors the women she works with. A beautiful collaboration, as she puts it, exists when women come together in new and divergent scenarios, while holding the common ideals of pursuing dreams and building something new. In some ways this special atmosphere speaks to Cole - her refusal to follow a distinct path, her ability to adapt to and overcome anything that might try to step in her way. At this point in her career, Cole now notes and expresses gratitude for the independence she has. It was hard earned but she now challenges and inspires women, photographers, models, creative minds, and anyone who witnesses her work to dive into the unknown, even when theres a chance of sinking, because you will come up swimming. Cole is exhibiting with Bau-Xi Gallery at Photo London. She is also launching a second monograph of her work and showing her work at Scotiabank for the CONTACT Photography Festival in Toronto. The photographer was recently the recipient of the International Color Awards 2017 and a number of honorable mentions (Tokyo International Foto Festival for her series Figure Painting and London International Creative Competition 2017 for series Falling Through Time). Scarlett Johansson has defended her decision to wear a Marchesa dress to the Met Gala, ending a celebrity boycott against the brand which was co-founded by Harvey Weinstein's estranged wife Georgina Chapman. Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost The 33-year-old actress dazzled at the event held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Monday (07.05.18) in a flowing burgundy gown created by the label, giving Marchesa its first high-profile red carpet appearance since the Weinstein scandal broke last year. Following the avalanche of sexual harassment allegations made against the movie producer last year, most A-list actresses made the choice to spurn garments made by Marchesa - which was created by Georgina and Keren Craig - even though the couple separated soon after the accusations began to mount. Scarlett - who has been an outspoken supporter of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements - has now explained why she chose Marchesa and insists she was proud to "support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers". In a statement, the 'Avengers: Infinity War' star - who attended the event with her boyfriend Colin Jost - said: "I wore Marchesa because their clothes make women feel confident and beautiful, and it is my pleasure to support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers." Scarlett - who worked with Weinstein on 2008 film 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' - personally commissioned the dress to fit the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme and representatives for Marchesa have responded to her statement explaining her choice. A spokesperson for the label said: "We are truly honored that Scarlett chose to wear Marchesa for the Met Gala. She is an amazingly talented actor who has incredible style and presence. It was wonderful to work so closely with her in creating this custom look." This week, Netflix will play host to brand new series Safe, starring the brilliant Amy-Leigh Hickman alongside the likes of Michael C. Hall, Amanda Abbington, Freddie Thorp, Amy James-Kelly, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, and a whole host of other brilliant talents. Ahead of the shows premiere, we caught up with the brilliant Amy-Leigh Hickman, to find out a little bit about what to expect from the series, her character, and more Amy-Leigh Hickman stars as Sia in new Netflix series Safe What can you tell us about new series Safe, and the character you play on the show? Safe is a new eight-part drama for Netflix made by Harlan Coben; its a thrilling series about a man whose daughter goes missing in the first episode and the series is based around trying to solve that mystery and many others that occur over the course of the series. I play the character Sia. Sia is a 17-year-old girl who seems to have it all going for her. The most popular girl in school, wealthy family and a girl who pretty much always gets what she wants. However, the reason I became so fascinated with playing this character is because she has so much more depth to what meets the eye. She has this real dark side to her which we see more and more throughout the series. Sia is an only child described as popular and privileged is this something well see seeping out of her personality? You definitely do see these sides to her. Especially being an only child from a highly privileged family, she is always used to getting what she wants, but in Safe we see her in situations where her parents cant just flash the cash and save her from certain situations. However popular and privileged are not the traits that define her character. There is so much more to her. Sia is a dark and mischievous soul in addition to insanely intelligent. This is what makes her so unique. Which is why Sia is one of my favourite characters I have ever played. I think the audience will be really shocked by who she really is. Whats her relationship like with the other leading characters in the show? The majority of my story took place with Nigel [Lindsay] and Laila [Rouass] who played JoJo and Lauren my parents and the three of us got on great in real life, so we were all really lucky. Sia is a bit of a daddys girl and definitely has JoJo wrapped around her little finger. However, in Safe we see the Marshalls struggle being in a situation they never thought they would ever be in, in a million years. Therefore, Lauren, JoJo and Sias bond gets stronger, as they have no other choice but to protect one another. Can you tell us a little about a typical day on the set of the series? If indeed there are any typical days? That was the great thing about working on Safe; that every day was so different! We got to film in some really interesting places and locations. One of my favourite places to film was in the Marshall house where the party in episode one takes place. It was such a beautiful house; one room actually had its own bar and disco-lighted ceiling! There were so many other different locations which added to how exciting and different each day at work was. How was it working with the likes of Amanda Abbington and Michael C. Hall on the show? Both Amanda and Michael were such lovely and gracious people who I felt I learnt loads from simply by watching them do a single take. They both give so much as actors which really inspires me to watch and work. I feel super lucky to be a part of such an incredible cast. The entire cast worked so beautifully together to create such a special final product. How hands on was Harlan Coben when it came to the filming of the series? From day one, Harlan was really involved with everyone and everything that was going on. He was super hands-on in making sure everyone was up to date and kept in the loop with every script and story. I love his care and passion for the series; he was such a great person to work with. The show will air on Netflix in territories outside of France what are some of your favourite Netflix shows? Im such a huge fan of Netflix! So working on a Netflix series especially one as magical as Safe was a total dream come true for me. Most recently I have been watching Stranger Things which I am fascinated by and inspired by all the cast as performers. I am a huge fan also of Orange is the New Black and the new comedy The Good Place. Thats the great thing about Netflix you can binge watch any genre you want which for me is great, because when I am obsessed with a series, I want to watch them all at once, which you can do with Safe! Weve also seen you in Channel 4s drama series Ackley Bridge what can you tell us about the upcoming second series of that show? The great thing about series 2 is that we have double the amount of episodes as we did in series 1, which is amazing. We get to delve deep into the stories we touched on when we only had six episodes, and be braver in the stories we are telling. We have some amazing new members of cast and incredible scripts and stories. Im super proud of this series. Finally, whats next for you in the coming months? Over the next couple of months, I will still be in Halifax shooting for Ackley Bridge! So right now I am enjoying being back up north! - Safe will be available on Netflix from Thursday, May 10, 2018. by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk find me on and follow me on Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category CStone Pharmaceuticals, a Suzhou, China-based biopharmaceutical company, completed a $260m (about RMB1.65 billion) Series B funding. The round was led by GIC Private Limited, with participation from new investors including Sequoia China, Yunfeng Capital, 6 Dimensions Capital, CITIC PE, Taikang Insurance Group, ARCH Venture Partners, Hillhouse Capital, King Star Capital, 3W Partners, AVICT, and Terra Mafnum Capital Partners and existing investors Oriza Seed Venture Capital , Boyu Capital, and WuXi Healthcare Ventures (currently a 6 Dimensions Capital fund). Founded in 2016 and led by Dr. Frank Jiang, Chief Executive Officer, CStone is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative drugs and combination therapies in immuno-oncology. As of today, the company has built a portfolio of more than ten assets, including four in various clinical stages. In particular, CS1001, a human anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, is completing Phase I dose escalation study and will soon enter registrational trials. The company wil use the funds for clinical development of CS1001 and other clinical stage assets, expanding its pipeline through internal R&D and external partnerships, and recruiting talents. FinSMEs 09/05/2018 . , (), , . ... To the editor: I am writing to let you know about a potential real estate development in the south Fort Myers area. I live in a community named Palm Acres, a group of about 120 homes surrounded by the Shell Point community. A Canadian developer owns a parcel of land adjoining Palm Acres and has been trying for several years to get permitting for development. His last attempt was through South Florida Water Management District, but they dropped his application as he never complied with requests for more information. He is now asking Lee County to rezone the parcel from Agricultural to Residential. The residents of Palm Acres are limited in their ability to comment in person about this project, as one must attend in person the May 18 hearing in order to be allowed to speak to Commissioners before a final vote is taken at a later date. Many of our residents have already left for their northern homes. The timing and choice of asking for a rezoning is troublesome. If you are interested in the details of this proposed project, you may email me (marytracysigman115@gmail.com) or Rae Ann Wessel of SCCF (rawessel@sccf.org). Either of us has several documents we can share. This development would increase traffic and be hazardous in the event of another evacuation. Eden Oak proposes to add at least 50 homes to one new access road. No other street in Palm Acres has that many homes on it. The removal of mangroves and disruption of critical aquatic habitat is terrible. The Rezoning Hearing will take place on May 18 at the Hearing Examiner Hearing, 1500 Monroe Street, downtown Fort Myers, second floor at 9 a.m. I encourage those of you that feel this issue is important to attend and voice your opinion or concern. There has been so much development in Lee County this past year, and so many permits have been granted. I fear Eden Oak may pass, too. There is no need for this project, and there is a lot to say against it. Mary Tracy Sigman Fort Myers The rain may have put a little bit of a damper on things, but the skies cleared up in time for the main event to take the stage at the Rock the Arches Music Fest on Saturday at Bonita Bills. David Rojas Jr. and Jenny V. led off with original acoustic material, John and Mary Sherman did some cover music from the 60s and 70s, and hard rock cover band Bad Latitude were the featured acts at the event that raised funds in the continuing quest to rebuild the Fort Myers Beach arches. The event was a fundraiser to get 3-D imaging done on the original Fort Myers Beach gateway arches, which were a landmark in the area for more than 50 years before they were demolished nearly 40 years ago. Ray McDonald, president of Restore Fort Myers Beach Arches, a non-profit organization devoted to restoring the historical landmark, said the organization was formed over a Facebook conversation set up by founder Paul Sessions. We want to bring in the University of Florida 3-D imaging team to see how we can incorporate the remains of the arches and make them larger, wider, taller and longer, McDonald said. Fort Myers is the City of Palms, Fort Myers Beach is the city of Arches. McDonald said the cost of the imaging is more than $6,000. The imaging is set for Oct. 13, when McDonald said the arches will be raised for the first time since 1979. Jane Luchi, vice-president, said the group is working hard, with this being the first big fundraiser, but there is still much to do. Were trying to get the imaging, working with the government, you know how that goes, Luchi said. We got sponsors throughout the entire beach. These arches are historical and we want our history back. The remains of the arches are in the yard of the grandson of the man who took them down, as they knew the historic significance of the arches. Some of the people who lived there at the time picked up some of the remains and kept them for themselves. There was a 50/50 raffle as well as raffles for gift certificates and other prizes as the event ran up against two other big events, Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby. The event was sponsored by Oyster Bay RV Park and Sign Tech. Also there live was 96K-Rock. McDonald said he couldnt control the weather, but he did raise money and awareness for their cause. I still want to know where you found me, Sherman asked. Im from Bonita Springs and Ive never seen this guy before. McDonald said he went to high school with one of the members of Bad Latitude and he was more than happy to help out the cause. Preet Bharara, former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, is being mentioned as a potential replacement for New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who resigned in disgrace earlier this week amid claims he abused women. But viewers who rely on CNNs AC360 for their news would ind themselves at a loss, because host Anderson Cooper failed to mention the Schneiderman scandal when Bharara was live in his studio on Tuesday night. Bharara, who is now a CNN legal analyst, joined Cooper to discuss news regarding Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and the attorney representing adult-film star Stormy Daniels, who has alleged she had an encounter with Donald Trump before he was president. Cooper didn't mention the Schneiderman case, despite it being arguably the biggest story of the day. Cable news insiders have privately pondered whether CNN agreed not to ask Bharara about allegations surrounding Schneiderman as the former lawyer for the Southern District would presumably have keen insight on the situation. Schneiderman resigned this week after The New Yorker published the accounts of four women who said the progressive Democrat slapped or choked them during intimate encounters. He denied abusing anyone but said he had engaged in consensual "role playing." Schneiderman now faces a criminal investigation. Bharara was live on AC360 the evening that Schneiderman formally stepped down, on hand for a five-minute segment, but the duo of Cooper and Bharara didnt take a break from obsessing over Cohen to discuss the fast-unfolding scandal of the day. New York State Reform Party Chairman Curtis Sliwa wants Bharara to replace Schneiderman, according to the New York Daily News. It would have arguably been interesting for a prime-time audience to hear Bhararas thoughts on potentially succeeding Schneiderman. It might have been even more interesting if Cooper had asked Bharara if'd heard rumblings about Schneidermans alleged mistreatment of women. Media Research Center Managing Editor Curtis Houck told Fox News that Cooper should have asked about Schneiderman, regardless of the rumors about Bharara filling his job. It was naturally incumbent on Anderson Cooper as a journalist to ask Bharara and give him a chance to respond, Houck said. For all of Bharara's celebrity, Schneiderman seemed to be right up there in terms of stardom in the liberal New York legal circles and lawyers to lead the Resistance. CNNs Wolf Blitzer was more thorough earlier in the day, when he asked Bharara if he would consider running for New York State attorney general. Its very flattering that other people have put the thought out there. Im not putting it out there, Bharara said. Houck added, Even if there weren't any rumors about Bharara's future, Cooper should have asked the former U.S. attorney for his thoughts on the matter. CNN did not respond to a request for comment. Jerry Seinfeld said Tuesday that taking routine shots at President Trump doesnt interest him as much as some of his comedic colleagues. Seinfeld, speaking to former late-night host David Letterman at Netflixs FYSee space in Los Angeles, said hed rather talk about raisins than Trump. JERRY SEINFELD KEEPS HOPE ALIVE FOR POSSIBLE SITCOM REVIVAL "No, it doesn't interest me. I do a lot of raisin stuff," he said. "I have a lot of raisin material. Because you know you have the Sun-Maid company, and you have the Raisinet people." The My Next Guest Needs No Introduction host then asked Seinfeld whether he sides with the Sun-Maid people, according to Complex. "I just think that its interesting that after 80 years, Sun-Maid finally went, 'Hey, why dont we put some chocolate on it?' Imagine not thinking of that for 80 years. So that really gets me excited, that people pay me to talk about those kinds of things, Seinfeld said. JERRY SEINFELD EXPLAINS KESHA SNUB: 'I'M 63, I DON'T KNOW EVERY POP STAR' Letterman and Seinfeld also discussed Michelle Wolfs performance at the recent White House Correspondents Dinner, which was widely panned. I really had great admiration for the fact that she was able to just walk into that room and decimate the place, Letterman said. Seinfeld added that he doesnt know Wolf, but likes people who are working on their stuff every night. Whats next for Meghan Markle after her royal wedding to Prince Harry on May 19? Motherhood at least thats what her former agent is betting on. In a new documentary slated to air Wednesday on Sky One network, Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne detailed her relationship with the American actress before her November 2017 engagement to the British royal. According to UKs Daily Mail, in Harry and Meghan: A Love Story, Cowne claims she and the 36-year-old were vacationing in the Cayman Islands during the summer of 2016, the same year when the star met Harry, and the Suits star opened up to her about her longing for a family of her own. Meghan and I were at an event in the Cayman Islands and Meghan discussed her future with me, said Cowne. I said to her, Meghan, what about kids? Would you like to have children? She said to me, I would absolutely love to have children and I cant wait to be a mother. Her dreams for the future werent the only thing Markle was excited about. Cowne also recalled how the star was giddy on the day of her first date with the British royal during one of their last meetings together. Meghan and I were at lunch and she was really excited that day, she said. I said to her, You look fantastic Meghan. Whats going on in your life, you seem excited? And she said, Well yes, I have a date tonight. "And I said Really, with who? Do I know him? And she said, Yes, Im sure you know him, Im meeting Prince Harry, in a [sort of] whisper. And I said, Who? And she said, Prince Harry, Im meeting Prince Harry tonight. And Markle isnt the only one who has had babies on the brain. Back in 2012, Harry told ABC News he was eager to become a father. Ive longed for kids since I was very, very young, he said. Im waiting to find the right person. Someone who is willing to take on the job. But in 2016, Harry seemed to have doubts about fatherhood, which he expressed to People Magazine. There have been moments through life, especially when doing a tour abroad, when I think, Id love to have kids now, he said. And then there are other times when I bury my head in the sand going, All right, dont need kids! Theres no rush. I think, I tell you what: There have been times Ive put off having children." However, Harry was singing a different tune just a year later with The Telegraphs Mad World podcast. Of course, I would love to have kids, said Harry, who is 33. When asked if he was a good godfather already, he replied, Id like to think so. I think the key to that is to be able to grow up but also be able to stay in touch with your childhood side, he added. Princess Dianas biographer Andrew Morton, who recently published a Markle tell-all, told Fox News in April that while time will tell what the future has in store for the couple, he did have one prediction. By this time next year, we will probably be talking about a pregnancy, said the British journalist. The clock is ticking. She is going to be 37 in August Shes got a lot to give to the monarchy and she will help shape its future. NBC Universal released its highly anticipated internal report on Matt Lauer on Wednesday, seeking to clear NBC News management of any responsibility for the sex pests pervy behavior in the workplace. We found no evidence indicating that any NBC News or Today show leadership, News HR or others in positions of authority in the News Division received any complaints about Lauers workplace behavior prior to Nov. 27, 2017, the report concludes. Lauer was spectacularly fired days later, at the zenith of the #MeToo movement, for inappropriate sexual behavior with young women in the workplace. The internal review states that four women who came forward regarding Lauer did not tell their direct manager or anyone else in a position of authority about their sexual encounters with the now-disgraced Today star. The findings of the internal review directly contradict a recent Washington Post bombshell that Ann Curry complained to two senior managers about Lauers behavior. On April 26, the Posts Sarah Ellison reported the exact opposite of NBCs review. I told management they had a problem and they needed to keep an eye on him and how he deals with women, Curry told the Post on the record. The NBC report does not specifically mention Ellisons reporting. But the contradiction didnt go unnoticed inside NBCs 30 Rock headquarters. This is a complete whitewash, a disgrace, and a disgustingly transparent defense of Andy Lack. [NBCUniversal CEO] Steve Burke should be ashamed of himself, a current NBC staffer who works closely with Today told Fox News. This is a complete whitewash, a disgrace, and a disgustingly transparent defense of Andy Lack." Current NBC employee Andy Lack is the embattled chairman of NBC News who has been fending off accusations not only of covering up for his close friend Matt Lauer, but also of quashing two blockbuster sexual harassment exposes about Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump. Ive just spoken to several women there who are furious, a former NBC News executive told Fox News. The Lauer review was headed by NBCUniversal General Counsel Kim Harris, as opposed to a white-shoe law firm, despite numerous calls for an outside investigation which has essentially become the industry standard on similar matters. On Nov. 28, 2017, Lauer was interviewed by senior members of NBCUniversal corporate HR and legal. During the interview, Lauer admitted to engaging in sexual activity with the complainant. The company determined that his conduct violated company policy and terminated Lauers employment on November 28, effective immediately, the report states. Two days later, Burke ordered Harris to determine whether or not any current members of NBC News or Today show leadership, News HR or anyone else in a position of authority in the news division had any information about inappropriate workplace behavior by Lauer prior to November 27, 2017 and, if so, what was being done about it. Harris was also asked to determine if there have been other incidents of inappropriate behavior at NBC News, if such incidents are addressed appropriately and if staffers are comfortable reporting the issues. The final report claims that the investigation team consulted with two outside law firms, and both firms have concluded that the investigation team took appropriate investigative steps. It would have been best to simply allow the outside groups to operate independently in the first place. Media analyst Jeffrey McCall Media analyst Jeffrey McCall told Fox News that he appreciates that NBC gathered input from outside firms, but feels it would have been best to simply allow the outside groups to operate independently in the first place. The reports findings were met with widespread derision by NBC insiders, especially regarding its contention that no one at NBC News had any knowledge of Lauer having consensual affairs with co-workers. This report is a total joke, said a former on-air NBC News personality. Someone has to say that." NBC claims the investigation included interviews with all levels of current and former employees, 68 individuals in total but Fox News has learned that three former Today senior staffers who worked on the show within the last five years, and who had direct knowledge of what they say were Lauers multiple consensual affairs with co-workers, were not interviewed. A former senior Today staffer told Fox News that it was absurd for the investigators to conclude that no one had any knowledge of any sexual activity by Lauer in the workplace. The internal review claims that most witnesses interviewed simply heard or read about rumors regarding Lauers personal life. Those witnesses believed, with limited exceptions, that the rumored extramarital affairs were with women outside of the company, NBCs review claims. Lack who is a peer of general counsel Harris was essentially his own judge and jury for the probe, while CBS recently enlisted prestigious Proskauer Rose LLP to look into similar accusations made against former anchor Charlie Rose. Fox News, which also had its struggles with sexual harassment, hired equally esteemed firm Paul Weiss. Many other media organizations have hired outside firms to investigate their workplace cultures in the wake of #MeToo. But Lack and his top deputy, NBC News President Noah Oppenheim, successfully long fought off calls for an independent investigation. Last year, two separate groups of anonymous current and former NBC News female staffers reached out to Fox News to express concerns that Lack and Oppenheim werent being transparent about a toxic environment at NBC News. One thing that is transparent are the walls of NBCs human resources department, according to the report, which was mocked by Wall Street Journal media reporter Joe Flint. My takeaway from NBC News report on Matt Lauer: Glass offices for HR in the newsroom probably not a great idea, Flint wrote. Let that be a lesson to all the open space advocates! The somewhat defensive review to some extent threw former Today management under the bus, allowing Lack and Oppenheim to go unscathed despite the Washington Post portraying the NBC News honchos as sitting atop a culture in which women were afraid to report serious acts of harassment. The internal review stated that two of the four complainants who came forward said that they believe former NBC News or Today show leadership knew or must have known about Lauers alleged inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace, but went on to note former leaders with whom we spoke denied any such knowledge we were unable to otherwise substantiate it. The majority of Today show leadership prior to 2012, when Today lost its No. 1 position in the ratings after disastrously firing Curry, are no longer with the show and most no longer work at NBC. NBCs in-house review describes Lauer as a flirtatious but likeable co-worker who would openly engage in sexually-oriented banter in the workplace. Several women told the NBCUniversal investigators that Lauer often spoke to them in sexually suggestive ways, but the findings are quick to claim these women stated that they did not report this behavior to anyone in a position of authority. This report seems to get NBC's top leadership off the hook by indicating that people in authority had no prior knowledge about Lauer's misbehavior before November 27. We can take that conclusion at face value, but it is hard to square that statement with an acknowledgement in the report about Lauer's jokes and sexually-oriented banter being commonly known in the workplace, McCall said. NBCs counsel also conducted a culture assessment, that claims nobody with a position of authority knew about Lauers pervy behavior, but did admit that several staffers are afraid to report misconduct to human resources because of fears of retaliation. The result, after a six-month review, is a series of bureaucratic efforts such as additional workplace harassment training and efforts to improve communication from management. The recommendations look like boilerplate responses when an organization has to deal with such workplace allegations. It will be good for NBC to conduct these steps, but these moves should not be viewed as heroic or necessarily solving the image problems that have been created, McCall said. Now that NBC has investigated NBC and found no wrongdoing by NBC, NBC is relieved to put this whole ugly chapter at NBC to rest. Fox News contributor Stephen Miller Several media watchdogs took to Twitter to mock the internal review. Fox News contributor Stephen Miller wrote, NBC higher ups investigated NBC higher ups & found that NBC higher ups had no knowledge of misconduct of one if its highest paid stars. Daily Caller media reporter Joe Simonson called it a joke, while CNNs Hadas Gold said there is a lot to criticize. HLNs Carol Costello said that Curry was thrown under the bus, while Adweek editor and former NBC News employee Josh Sternberg said the network is essentially calling Curry a liar. Miller added, Now that NBC has investigated NBC and found no wrongdoing by NBC, NBC is relieved to put this whole ugly chapter at NBC to rest. Ari Wilkenfeld -- the civil rights attorney representing the first woman to accuse Lauer of sexual misconduct -- issued the following statement to Fox News: The report tells us something important that a number of employees feel they cannot come forward with harassment allegations. It also makes an important point of why we need an independent investigation so that there wont be any seeds of doubt about what really happened. It is important to realize that innocent-seeming sexual banter in the workplace by someone powerful can chill women from coming forward. Both companies and their employees are best-served when employees feel comfortable coming forward. While this report fails to hold anyone accountable, it does make important recommendations about the next steps - including moving away from computer training to in-person training and strengthening the mechanisms for responding to harassment reports. My hope is that NBC implements these recommendations and goes beyond them when necessary to change their workplace culture. As the New York Times was bashing Mike Pompeo for being missing in action while President Trump tore up the Iran nuclear deal, it turned out the secretary of state was busy rescuing three Americans who have been held captive in North Korea. In an apparent jab at the administration, The Times headline said, At a Key Moment, Trumps Top Diplomat Is Again Thousands of Miles Away. The Times story noted that Senior State Department officials were momentarily speechless on Tuesday when asked why Mr. Pompeo did not delay his trip by a day to be in Washington during Mr. Trumps Iran deal announcement. It became clear on Wednesday morning why Pompeo didnt delay his trip to Pyongyang when Trump took to Twitter. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health, Trump wrote. Secretary Pompeo and his guests will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! The Times story noted that Pompeo was expected to return from his trip with the detainees in the caption of a photo accompanying the story, so it's curious why the headline attempted to paint his trip in a negative light. The New York Times did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The story, written by Gardiner Harris, focused on Trumps top diplomat being absent when Trump made what could be the most significant diplomatic announcement of his presidency by pulling out of the Iran nuclear agreement. The absence of Mr. Pompeo and other top State Department officials left perplexed European diplomats privately complaining that they were having trouble getting answers from Washington, Harris wrote. The Times story also mocked Pompeos plane, reporting that it has such poor equipment that calls are often dropped midsentence. It turned out that Pompeos absence was more than justified, and any aging technology on his plane didnt prevent him from leaving Pyongyang with three Americans that have been held captive overseas. The detainees -- Tony Kim, Kim Hak Song and Kim Dong Chul -- are presumably thankful that Pompeo didnt push back his trip to satisfy European diplomats In addition to rescuing three Americans, Pompeo also helped arrange a date and location for Trumps meeting with Kim Jong Un, according to Trump. President Trump on Wednesday reacted to The Times article on Twitter saying "The Failing New York Times criticized Secretary of State Pompeo for being AWOL (missing), when in fact he was flying to North Korea. Fake News, so bad!" In a follow-up tweet, the president said he was "looking forward to greeting the Hostages (no more) at 2:00 A.M." Fox News Adam Shaw and Elizabeth Zwirz contributed to this report Nikki Bella is relying on twin sister Brie following her shocking breakup with John Cena. Ive been staying at Bries because you all know why, Bella, 34, said in a video posted Tuesday from San Diego, where Brie resides with pro wrestler husband Daniel Bryan. Bella gave a brief tour of her new space and revealed that shes trying to lose weight because she thinks shes been snacking a lot lately and put on a few pounds. I know Ive been kind of MIA. Ive just been kind of hiding out but I wanted to reach out to yall and just thank you for all your love and support, she said. I cant tell you how much its meant to me especially through a really difficult time. She also touched on the upcoming premiere of Total Bellas on May 20. Its a really good season. Its going to be really tough for me to watch, but thats life, right? Its been a really tough time. The show reportedly documents Bella and Cenas painful breakup after six years together. Bella and Cena, 41, got engaged on live TV during Wrestlemania last year. They called off their engagement in April, just weeks before what would have been their wedding day. Cena previously said of the split, I love Nicole with all my heart, and the split is very tough. But thats life. We all go through highs, we all go through lows. Im going to get through it. I love her. Ill always love her. The fact that my heart hurts for her I know I was in love. So Ill always have that. This story originally appeared in the New York Post. Paul Newman may be celebrated as one of most iconic movie stars of the 20th century, but one of the achievements the actor was most proud of was helping others when cameras werent rolling. Newman passed away in 2008 at age 83, but his legacy in giving back lives on. VINTAGE HOLLYWOOD FLASHBACK: THE GOLDEN GLOBES IN THE '50S, '60S AND '70S In October 2017, Newmans Own Foundation (NOF), the nonprofit founded by the screen legend, announced they were committing $6.7 million in grants to veterans organizations. Bob Forrester, President and CEO of NOF, told Fox News its a decision his beloved friend would have applauded. NOF launched 35 years ago, in 1982, when Newman decided to sell his homemade salad dressing and donate 100 percent of the profits to charity. Forrester revealed the organization recently reached a milestone of $500 million in donations, helping thousands of charities for people in need. Both Forrester and Newman have close connections to the troops. Forrester was an army officer in Vietnam and Newman served in World War II. He didnt talk about that much, said Forrester. People whove been in combat dont talk about things like that so much. But it had a profound impact on him. He just knew he was lucky. He had a huge respect for the men and women of our military. "He believed in the concept of luck. He would say he was lucky to be born in America with so many opportunities and he was lucky to work for the movies. Newman joined the Navy Air Corps after less than a year at Ohio University in hopes of becoming a pilot. After a test showed he was colorblind, he was made an aircraft radio operator. Here you have a young man who volunteers to go to war to help preserve the United States and its opportunities, said Forrester. At the same time, he thinks hes going to be a pilot but has the bad luck of not being a pilot because of his blue eyes, or his color blindness. "Which also happened to be one of the things that got him such good movie roles, aside from being a great actor, of course. But it was his experience out there that made him realize the difference between people was circumstance. And Newman never took the luck he had for granted. Vanity Fair previously reported that while he was in the Pacific serving as a radioman on a torpedo plane, his aircraft was grounded because the pilot he regularly flew with developed an ear problem. The rest of his squadron was transferred to another aircraft carrier, which was hit by a kamikaze, killing the members of his team. He believed veterans deserved our support, said Forrester. They are easily forgotten in our society. It was a privilege to support them We want to bring attention to those veterans that are likely to get missed in the long term Sometimes family members have to take care of these people for life. Forrester added that since 2010, about $18.5 million has been committed to programs that support veterans. We look for smaller organizations that more likely link to the community and the veterans theyre trying to serve, he explained. Maybe this will demonstrate to the bigger organizations that this can be done. Thats our philosophy. "It doesnt change the fact that these men and women are putting themselves in harms way The organizations we support all depend on private donations. In addition to veterans, the foundation also supports organizations and programs that encourage philanthropy, children with life-limiting conditions, equal access to human rights and nutrition in underserved communities. Newman, who went on to become a sought-after leading man in movies, never allowed fame to interfere with his life. Forrester, who first met the star in 1992, said he was always passionate about pursuing philanthropic work. He had his craft, which was acting, he explained. He had his family, which he really loved. But if you look at one thing that tied it all together, it was his sensitivity in his generosity. He knew he was lucky in his life and he just felt it was right to share his good luck. Forrester said Newman always enjoyed working throughout his life. His first business was actually a laundry that he started when he got back from WWII, he said. He went to Kenyon College, a little school outside of Ohio. All boys. He got the idea to start a laundry business. And in order to get young college males to wash their clothes, he gave away free beer. "And of course, he made a lot of money. He always had this entrepreneurial instinct and always had a respect for small businesses. His father owned a sporting goods store and he worked in that, too. One of Forresters favorite memories of Newman was his ability to always find a reason to smile. We both shared the same juvenile sense of humor, chucked Forrester. We planted jokes on each other [I remember] waking up in a plane finding a grape in my shoe and him claiming he didnt put it there but was the only there. That was his 12-year-old sense of humor. Forrester also admired Newmans ability to stay active. When we would travel, and I traveled a lot with him, he would pick his hotels not by how many stars they had, but by how many stairs, he explained. Because every morning we would run the stairs. He worked out every morning. He was very active. [But in March 2007] we were working out one morning and Paul was lagging. He was usually way ahead of us. Later he was coming to a board meeting, but he said, Im really exhausted. We told him to go see a doctor and he did. "Then a series of other things happened. But you couldnt really tell he was sick until 2008, when you could see the effects of the chemo. But it didnt affect his personality. Forrester said the foundation is determined now more than ever to keep Newmans legacy alive and inspire others to follow his giving spirit. I lost a great friend, but were carrying on his work the best way we can, said Forrester. Just after threating to take legal action against The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his recent expulsion, the disgraced director has criticized the #MeToo movement as "collective hysteria" and "total hypocrisy." According to ABC News, Polanski made the comment in an interview published this week in the Polish edition of Newsweek.The interview was said to have taken place just a few days after the Academy revoked the director's 50-year membership. In the interview, the Oscar-winning filmmaker called #MeToo a "collective hysteria of the kind that sometimes happens in the society." He continued on to compare the movement to that of a North Korean public mourning ceremony and said, "everyone is trying to sign up, chiefly out of fear." "To me this is total hypocrisy," he concluded. The Academy gave Bill Cosby and Polanski the boot per its news standards of conduct, the 84-year-old director is threatening to take legal action to reverse the decision. In a letter to the Academy President John Bailey, Polanskis attorney, Harland Braun, explained that the decision was made in violation of the organizations standards of conduct as well as California state law. He claims that Mr. Polanski should have been given a fair hearing in which he could explain his side of the story before being expelled. I am writing this letter to avoid unnecessary litigation, Braun wrote in the letter, obtained by Fox News. Mr. Polanski has a right to go to court and require your organization to follow its own procedures, as well as California law. The only proper solution would be for your organization to rescind its illegal expulsion of Mr. Polanski and follow its own Standards of Conduct by giving Mr. Polanski reasonable notice of the charges against him and a fair hearing to present his position with respect to any proposed expulsion. Polanski, who won the Academy Award for Best Director in 2003 for The Pianist, has been in a sort of exile in Europe after fleeing the United States in 1978 after being convicted of raping a then 13-year-old girl. His French citizenship has prevented him from being taken back to the U.S. and, despite his conviction, has been a prominent filmmaker for the last 40 years. Braum is not denying or re-litigating Polanskis controversial verdict, merely asking for the Academy to give him a chance to explain the situation before making its decision. Mr. Polanski has acknowledged his legal and moral responsibility for his misconduct in 1977. He has apologized to Samantha Geimer who has accepted his apology and appeared in court to support Mr. Polanski. We are not here contesting the merits of the expulsion decision, but rather your organizations blatant disregard for its own Standards of Conduct in, as well as its violation of the standards required by California Corporations Code, Section 7341. Woody Harrelson has opened up about his connection to someone in the White House: Vice President Mike Pence. Harrelson spoke about his former Hanover College classmate with Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week. I knew him! Harrelson told the late-night host on Tuesday. We were both very religious. He continued, It was a Presbyterian college at the time, and I was there on a Presbyterian scholarship. Pence, Harrelson said, was involved with the, you know, church activities. Later in the interview, Kimmel asked about Harrisons recollection of the current vice president. Do you have any memories of a young Mike Pence? Like were you guys hanging out together? he said. JERRY SEINFELD NOT INTERESTED IN TRUMP JOKES You know what, I remember -- I actually quite liked him, Harrelson told the late-night host. The A-lister said he thought he was a pretty good guy before calling him very religious and very committed. I see, Kimmel said. So, you know, seeing as how Im not quite in that ballpark now, I dont know how wed get along, cause I think hes still quite religious, Harrelson said. Just a whole different brand of religious, that kind of fervor that you really dont want. Pence graduated from Hanover College in 1981, with Harrelson graduating two years later. Both men are listed on the school's notable alumni webpage. A waitress at a restaurant in Chelsea, Mass. was stabbed by a man who tried to dine and dash. The waitress, who is identified as a 34-year-old woman, was working at Las Pupusas Del Chino at 11 pm and chased after the patron after he ran out on his restaurant tab. The woman confronted the thief at his vehicle. CALORIE COUNTS TO BE DISPLAYED AT ALL RESTAURANT CHAINS IN AMERICA According to Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes, once the woman got to the suspects vehicle, he pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the neck and cut her right hand. She suffered two serious slash wounds -- one to her neck and one to her wrist, said Chelsea police Capt. Keith Houghton to WCVB. The woman was found bleeding about a block away, WCVB reported. Everything just happened all of a sudden. When I walked up to the front, they said she's running to this customer. He went without paying. And so, that's when I came out, said restaurant manager Gilberdo Ramos, who arrived on scene as emergency crew was placing the woman into the ambulance, the news site reported. The woman was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and treated for non-life threatening injuries. She was later released, according to reports. Ramos told WCVB the woman is one of his best servers and has worked for him for two years. [The servers] just probably got tired of people just running out without paying, you know? We get that a lot. But until now, we've never had any problems like that, he said. It is unclear how much the mans bill was. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Police say they are investigating the case and are actively pursuing a suspect, The Boston Globe reported, though no arrests have been made. Police said the man fled westbound in a red sedan with a possible Colorado license plate, WCVB reported. A 25-year-old angler in New Zealand caught himself a monster marlin during a fishing trip late last week but the fish was so large he couldn't even haul it into his boat. It was an epic day, recalled Josh Roberts, a Whangarei resident, of his 321-pound catch. "I've caught other fish but I've never caught a striped marlin. I've been targeting one for the past 10 years," he added. SEE IT: 50 LIVE CROCODILES SEIZED AT LONDON'S HEATHROW AIRPORT Roberts, an oil refinery worker by trade, was out on the water Friday for about 90 minutes before the striped marlin snagged his bait, Stuff.co.nz reported. He then wrestled to reel in the fish for a good hour as it thrashed and danced across the water. "It had a lot of fight in it, so I got the fish to the boat in about half an hour, then tried to pull it in but failed because it still had plenty of energy left in it," said Roberts, according to the New Zealand Herald. TOURISTS WARNED NOT TO FEED KANGAROOS THEIR LEFTOVER MCDONALD'S Eventually, Roberts was able to pull the marlin close enough to sink a hook into it, but another problem reeled its sharp, pointy head: The marlin was too big for his 13-feet boat. "I basically tied it up alongside the boat so it would drag through the water, said Roberts, adding that he raced back to shore to avoid having his catch stolen by sharks. Once safely back on land, Roberts had the marlin weighed at 321 pounds or around 70 more than he had figured. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Roberts hauled his catch home and used a relatives smoker to cook the fish. He said he plans to give much of it away to co-workers and family, and then its right back out to the water. "The forecast looks pretty good again for Friday, so I think I'll be out there again, Roberts told the Herald. I just love being out there on the water. A first-time mother is warning parents never to leave their baby unattended on top of a bed even for a few minutes. Paige Ferguson, of Trumann, Arkansas, was at a friend's house with her fiance, Blake Linton, in March when she decided to put her nearly 6-month-old son, Colton, down for a nap. Like many parents, Ferguson placed him in the center of the 2-foot tall bed surrounded by pillows, left the door open a crack and walked to the other room. Moments later, Ferguson heard a loud thud. "We heard him hit the floor and Blake dropped everything and ran in there. I was right behind him," Ferguson, 26, told Fox News. "Naturally, as a first time mom ... I am paranoid." Paige Ferguson Linton scooped up a crying Colton up and examined his head. He had a small bump, but after a few minutes of gentle rocking, the boy smiled and seemed fine. "Naturally, as a first time mom ... I am paranoid," Ferguson said. "He's still a baby and it's his head. I wanted to get him evaluated to be sure [he was alright]." So, the couple rushed the baby to NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro, where he got a CT scan. Afterward, Colton vomited, and Ferguson knew something was terribly wrong. "The doctors said he had fractured his skull and there was bleeding on the brain," Ferguson recalled. He was then airlifted to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis for surgery. "The fall made him bleed half his blood volume into his brain and when they did his brain surgery, the loss of that much blood caused cardiac arrest," Ferguson explained. "The cardiac arrest cut off oxygen to the brain causing cerebral palsy and cerebral atrophy." He then had to undergo a second brain surgery, as well as a procedure to replace his feeding tube. Ferguson recalls Colton getting MRIs, CTs, X-rays, blood tests and EEGs. "He's definitely not the same baby he was before. I love him still more and more everyday. But, I still grieve the loss of who he was and who he would be." Paige Ferguson "There was all kinds of treatment," Ferguson said, adding that Colton was hospitalized for about a month. The parents said their lives and Colton's are forever changed. Colton is now in physical, occupational and speech therapy. Ferguson and Linton are also working with doctors to get the proper medications to get the now nearly 8-month-old's seizures under control. "He's definitely not the same baby he was before. I love him still more and more everyday. But, I still grieve the loss of who he was and who he would be," Ferguson said. Though it's difficult, Ferguson said she wants to share Colton's story so other parents don't have to live through the same heartbreak. "Never leave babies on a bed ... no matter how safe you think they are and to not listen to old wives tales about bumps to the head. Get kids checked out even if they look okay," she warned. A California man offered up his prized possessions, including a kidney, in the hopes that someone would be able to save his wifes life. In a plea to Facebook users last week, Verlon Robinson initially offered to give up his 2004 Dodge pickup truck and a tent trailer to anyone who would be willing to donate a piece of their liver to his sick wife. However, hes since been contacted by the hospital and said he isnt allowed to offer material goods in exchange for an organ donation. In the post, he added a postscript that said he has good kidneys and would also be willing to throw in one. For anyone who can help his wife, that offer still stands, he said. Robinson, 55, has been married to Marie for 25 years, he told Fox News on Tuesday. About three years ago, Maries doctor noticed some spots on her chest. After some tests, she was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis can occur when a liver is damaged, forming scar tissue, according to the Mayo Clinic. But the more scar tissue that forms, the less functional a liver becomes. Marie and Robinson often travel from their home in Sanger, California, to San Francisco -- more than three hours away -- for doctors' appointments and tests. Marie, who is also diabetic and has recently lost about 70 pounds, is on a transplant list, but she isnt high enough to receive a liver from on organ donor who has died yet, her husband said. And by the time she is high enough on that list, Robinson worries that shell be out of time to wait. So Robinson is taking matters into his own hands. He has asked that anyone who has O-positive or O-negative blood type to apply to the UCSF Medical Center to see if they could qualify to donate a piece of their liver to his wife. His insurance would cover the procedure, he said. I just love my wife. If I could take her place, I would, Robinson told Fox News. I believe God put her in my life and changed me and gave me a new heart for life. Robinson said hes been fielding messages left and right ever since his Facebook post began to go viral. Some people have applied to see if they can donate; others share messages of encouragement or advice. Many said they would not have taken his truck if they are a match. I just love my wife. If I could take her place, I would. For now, Marie, 61, sleeps in a hospital bed in their home with her husband right beside her in a recliner. And despite her health battles, shes still smiling, Robinson said. She wants to live, and I see her going through all this, and it breaks my heart, he said. According to the UCSF Medical Center, a recipient can get a piece of a liver from a living donor because that organ is able to regenerate and grow. It said livers can regenerate within eight weeks. Acceptable donors must be between 18 and 55 years old and in good health, meaning not overweight, no psychiatric illnesses and no smoking habits, according to the medical center. The liver must also be a gift and not coerced. The process to become a donor can take from four to six months, according to UCSF. In April, the Robinsons celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. But if Marie can get a new liver, Robinson plans to take his wife out to really celebrate. Those who wish to do so can apply to become a living liver donor through the UCSF Medical Center. Maries date of birth is January 12, 1957. This story has been updated. A Shallowater, Texas woman whose kidneys are failing will likely receive a transplant from a woman who said it was on [her] heart" to donate. Melany Conner, 27, was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease shortly after she gave birth to her twin sons roughly three years ago. The disease, called chronic interstitial nephritis, causes inflammation of the kidney's tubules and surrounding structures, according to the Mayo Clinic. In October, the disease took a turn for the worse and caused Conner to go into kidney failure. I thought I had the flu. But I went to the doctor and I was told that my kidneys were failing, Conner told Fox News. The week before Thanksgiving, Conner was informed she needed a transplant. She started dialysis to support her kidney function as she anxiously awaited a donor. Little did she know, that call would come sooner than expected -- and in a serendipitous way. Months later, Conner was admitted to the hospital due to a complication with a separate condition, called Crohn's disease. That same day, a 26-year-old Petersburg woman was approved to donate one of her kidneys. I literally woke up one day and it was on my heart to donate. I dont know why, its just something that I knew I had to do, Jen Walker, Conners potential donor, told Fox News. At first, the nurse and mother of two said she pushed the thought out of her mind -- until she started seeing commercials and hearing testimonies from those who had either received or donated an organ. I kept feeling led to do it, she said, adding to KCBD-News that it was a divine calling. After she posted on Facebook that her application to donate had been approved, she said she was contacted by a former nursing instructor who said she knew of a woman who desperately needed a kidney. Thats when Walker was connected with Conner. As the two began to chat, they realized they were the same blood type, meaning there was a good chance Walker could be Conners perfect match. "She was picked for me a long time ago. Shes my organ soulmate." Melany Conner Walker immediately called to see if she could donate to Conner. But because she was listed as an altruistic donor, Walker was informed she would be unable to give her kidney to someone without having an emotional connection to the recipient first. The two, who already were forming a friendship at this point, became even closer. Melany was a complete stranger, but now we talk every day, go out for dinner, text about everything -- weve become best friends through this, Walker said. A couple of days later, Conner called Walker to tell her she had been matched with an altruistic donor listed through a donation center in Fort Worth. Thats when Walker realized Conner was unknowingly referring to her. It was insane. We were trying to get around the system, and they ended up putting us together anyway, said Walker. On Wednesday, the two were approved to move forward with the procedure. They hope to set a date in June for the surgery. "Our entire story has been all about timing. This is the cherry on top," Conner said after getting the news. I am nervous, but Melanys excitement overtakes that, Walker said. God is in control. At first, Walker said her family and friends were trying to talk [her] out of it. They would say what if this, or what if that.' But I couldnt live in what if. For the recipient, its not a what if, its their reality. Once Conner came into the picture, however, Walker said shes had endless support. God handpicked Melany for me, she said. Conner echoed this sentiment. She was picked for me a long time ago. Shes my organ soulmate, Conner laughed. Im going to take care of that kidney like a newborn." A group of Idaho mail carriers are going under the blue dye bottle for a good cause, as they look forward to discussing their bright cerulean locks with civilians and raising awareness for the Stamp Out Hunger campaign They will join over 212,000 U.S. Postal Service workers across the country who on May 12 will go above the call of duty for the 26th Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive and will collect food donations along their routes. The participating carriers belong to the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). TEEN'S POST-SPRAY TAN SELFIE GOES VIRAL Candace Lincoln, who is coordinating the effort for the Boise chapter, told Fox News that her NALC chapters blue hued initiative began last year when Postmaster Dan Corral dyed his hair the bright shade before the drive. Blue, naturally, was selected as the shade of choice, in honor of the postal workers longtime signature color. Though she donned a blue wig in solidarity last year, Lincoln is going all out this time around for the collection goal of 175,000 pounds of food and has dyed her hair blue as well. When I see people leaving food outside their home, it brings a tear to my eye. The level of generosity people have in this community, it just replenishes your heart in a way, she said. The working poor is everyone youth to teens to college to elderly on tight budgets its just really nice to see [the participation.] AUSTRALIAN BIKINI DESIGNER REVEALS BATTLE WITH ECZEMA On May 7, Lincoln and some of her fellow Boise NALC members went blue at local salon The Beardsmith with complimentary, temporary spray dye jobs. Now, the group is more ready than ever for the big event on Saturday. Youd think, Oh no, thats more stuff to carry, but it gives us a great feeling to know that people are supporting us out there, John Paige, president of the Idaho state association of the NALC, told Yahoo Lifestyle. We have the hungry among us in our community. People are glad to do it. If you can, give a can Lincoln chimed in agreement. The drive has delivered more than one billion pounds of food over the past 25 years. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS A notorious diamond thief said to part of a crime cartel called the 'Pink Panther Network' is wanted by police after around $2.7 million worth of jewelery was stolen in London. Police named Vinko Osmakcic as the prime suspect in connection with the theft of three diamond rings from an art fair at the Royal Hospital Chelsea last July. Osmakcic is believed to be a ringleader of the organized crime network, wanted all over the world following a series of high profile jewel heists. MEGHAN MARKLE IS 'SHOE MAD,' HAS EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF EXPENSIVE HEELS, FRIENDS SAY Scotland Yard say the Croatian national who uses a series of aliases could be responsible for a number of high-value diamond thefts throughout Europe. The three rings were taken from a cabinet at the Masterpiece London 2017 event at around 5:30 p.m. on July 4 last year. The stolen items included a cushion-shaped diamond ring, a yellow diamond ring encased in a smaller oval and round-shaped diamond and an emerald-cut diamond ring with pink and purple stones, and four pear-shaped diamonds. The bands on all three rings are diamond-encrusted. Detective Sergeant Chris Taylor, of Kensington and Chelsea CID, said: This was a well-planned and audacious theft committed in the middle of a busy art fair." "We are re-releasing the image of Mr Osmakcic in an attempt to trace him. It is highly likely that Mr Osmakcic may be out of the UK, possibly in Europe. He may also be known by the following name Vinko Tomic or Juro Markelic," he said. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS DS Taylor added: I am asking anyone who knows his whereabouts to contact police or Crimestoppers so we can bring him to justice. The Pink Panther gang were said to be behind a separate heist in 2003 at Graff in New Bond Street, Mayfair. Two people made off with more than $31 million worth of jewelry in under three minutes. The Pink Panthers are responsible for what have been termed some of the most glamorous heists ever, and one criminologist even described their crimes as "artistry". They have targeted several countries and continents, and include Japan's most successful robbery ever amongst their thefts. A film documentary based on their heists called Smash and Grab was released in 2013. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Results of Republican primaries in four states Tuesday provided fresh evidence that President Trump changed the way to win a Republican nomination with his victory in the crowded 2016 GOP presidential primaries. Candidate Trump spoke to Republican concerns for economic and personal security. His business background of creating jobs drove his wins among Republican primary voters, including social conservatives. His ideas for driving job creation centered on lowering taxes, reducing government regulations and getting fair trade deals for American workers. Accordingly, Patrick Morrisey in West Virginia, Mike Braun in Indiana, and Jim Renacci in Ohio each followed the Trump playbook and won the Republican Senate nominations in their states Tuesday. They understood that connecting with voters on the issues that mattered most in deciding how to cast their ballots was the key to victory. In West Virginia, Morriseys campaign pushed his support for lowering taxes, eliminating regulations put in place by President Obama and creating jobs. Morrisey defeated U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins and former coal executive Don Blankenship, who sharply attacked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. in an insurgent campaign. Republican primary voters in West Virginia heeded the guidance of President Trump, who urged them not to vote for Blankenship, saying Blankenship could not defeat Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in the November election. Blankenship served a year in prison for a misdemeanor conviction of conspiring to violate mine safety laws involving the explosion at a West Virginia mine that killed 29 workers in 2010. Patrick Morrisey in West Virginia, Mike Braun in Indiana, and Jim Renacci in Ohio each followed the Trump playbook. They understood that connecting with voters on the issues that mattered most in deciding how to cast their ballots was the key to victory. GOPAC Election Fund polling found that 87 percent of Republican voters in West Virginia were less likely to vote for Manchin when they learn that he voted against President Trumps tax cuts. This issue presents problems for Manchin with his own supporters, as 12 percent of Manchin voters are less likely to support him based on his tax vote. The survey also discovered that more than 71 percent of Republican voters agreed with the following statement: President Trumps recent moves on better trade deals are designed to create and protect jobs. Fifty-three percent of total voters agree with this statement, including 60 percent of independents. Of note, almost 4 in 10 (37 percent) of Democrats agree with it as well. In Ohio, Renaccis first ad promoted his experience, stating his business was responsible for creating 1,500 jobs. In Indiana, Mike Braun talked about bringing jobs that were lost to foreign countries back to his state and touted his success at creating hundreds of jobs. The primary returns also offered a cautionary message to those candidates and consultants believing that simply repeating the refrain drain the swamp is the path to victory. As of this writing, only a handful of Republican incumbents at the federal or state level failed to earn Republican nominations. Republican voters may want to drain the swamp, but they havent concluded that their current lawmakers are the snakes and alligators that live there. This is notable, as only one incumbent Republican U.S. senator avoided a primary challenge. Further, primary challenges to Republican state legislative incumbents has increased nearly 13 percent and contributed to the more than 17 percent increase in Republican primaries, according to Ballotpedia. Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina and West Virginia have now launched us into the 2018 primary season. The results bring to mind the old saying the more things change the more they stay the same. Republicans who follow the path carved by then-candidate Trump and speak to voters concerns for personal and economic security will join the history being written of how to win Republican primary races. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! President Trumps nominee for CIA director, Gina Haspel, faces a confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday, but despite her impeccable track record of success as an intelligence officer she has been hit with an onslaught of attacks from the presidents political opponents. Isnt it ironic that those who complain so loudly about the so-called war on women are often the ones perpetuating it? If confirmed, Haspel would be the first woman to head the CIA, but Democrats bitterly opposed to anything and everything President Trump does are determined to sink her nomination simply because she was nominated by this president. When President Trump nominated Betsy DeVos to become secretary of education we saw the radical lefts visceral hatred for Trump nominees and for conservative women all too well. Democratic senators browbeat DeVos absurdly claiming that she lacked of qualifications despite her outstanding career as a generous philanthropist who supported charter schools and other innovative educational solutions aimed particularly at benefiting disadvantaged students. And during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., sharply attacked and yelled at Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, accusing her of sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. CNN gave him a pat on his back for his impassioned remarks. Most recently, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders had to sit through an appalling excuse for a comedy act, when leftist comedian Michelle Wolf repeatedly mocked Sanders physical appearance at the White House Correspondents Dinner. The Washington Posts Molly Roberts published an opinion piece about Wolfs vile obscenity-filled routine headlined Michelle Wolf got it just right. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that Haspel has come under immense scrutiny from the left, despite her outstanding career of service to our nation. Haspel has spent more than 30 years at the CIA, earning stellar marks for her work. While one would think that the left which continuously postures itself as the great champion of womens rights would celebrate the historic appointment of the first woman CIA director, the response has been quite the contrary. Democratic senators including Ron Wyden of Oregon, Diane Feinstein of California and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico have thrown around inflammatory statements about Haspel, while hypocritically continuing their narrative that President Trump, and the Republican Party at large, are rife with sexism and misogyny. If Haspel is confirmed, Senate Democrats know it will expose their political slander of the president and conservatives in general as perpetrators of the war on women. Haspel will go down in history as a pioneer for female achievement, and President Trump will be credited with appointing the first female CIA director. Senate Democrats and the leftist media dont want to allow that to happen. Haspel, despite her decades of excellent service keeping our country safe, is now at the receiving end of the leftist smear machine, as it attempts to redefine her reputation as some sort of torture queen simply because she was doing her job and protecting America from its enemies. Opposition to Haspel began when ProPublica published a story claiming that Haspel oversaw a clandestine base where waterboarding took place, and that she mocked the prisoners suffering in a private conversation. This was not true, and ProPublica had to retract parts of its story and apologize to Haspel for its errors. The truth is that Haspel did not become the chief of base at an overseas terrorist interrogation camp until after the waterboarding of terrorist suspects had ended. Likewise, she was cleared of any wrongdoing regarding the disposal of terrorist interrogation video tapes while serving at this overseas post. President Trump defended Haspel when he tweeted Monday: My highly respected nominee for CIA Director, Gina Haspel, has come under fire because she was too tough on Terrorists. Think of that, in these very dangerous times, we have the most qualified person, a woman, who Democrats want OUT because she is too tough on terror. Win Gina! The spiteful attacks against Haspel reveal something particularly troubling about the way the left views women, particularly women who take a strong stance against terrorism. As a woman who also takes a strong stance against terrorism in the field of national security, I too have experienced visceral attacks from the left firsthand. There is an unmistakable bias that exists from the left that says women are not allowed to be tough on matters of national security. Women are only allowed to function within the ideological box that the left wants them to exist. Any female, or racial minority, who escapes from their politically correct prison must be destroyed. When the left accuses conservatives of wanting to turn-back-the-clock on women, what theyre really saying is that anyone who doesnt agree with them politically must be painted as a sexist or if youre a woman, a traitor. A strong-minded, intelligent woman such as Gina Haspel is one of the most dangerous threats to the lefts war on women narrative, which is thankfully dying a faster death with every hypocritical attack it makes against those of us who choose to think for ourselves. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Another constitutional controversy was set off when President Trumps attorney former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said Sunday that the president might refuse to obey a grand jury subpoena. According to the Wall Street Journal, Special Counsel Robert Mueller threatened to compel the president to sit for questioning about allegations that the Trump campaign or the president himself may have colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election, or may have engaged in other improper conduct. But Giuliani argued that President Trump could not be compelled to testify. He's the president of the United States, Giuliani told ABC News. We can assert the same privilege as other presidents have. President Clinton negotiated a deal in which he didn't admit the effectiveness of the subpoena. (Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr) withdrew it. Given the media criticism that has come raining down on Giuliani, a passing observer might think that President Trump through Giuliani has devised a brand new challenge to the constitutional order. But if you thought President Trump was the first president to argue that he did not have to obey a judicial order youd be wrong. Guess which president first raised the issue. President Clinton famously agreed to be questioned over whether he had an affair with intern Monica Lewinsky but he appeared under a deal with Starr to avoid a subpoena. And he was not the first president faced with this issue. Some might respond that the first president who said he did not have to obey a judicial order to testify was Richard Nixon, who challenged the right of the courts to demand the Watergate tapes. President Nixon claimed the president has the right to keep secret his communications with other members of the executive branch. However, the Supreme Court unanimously ordered that President Nixon produce the tapes because the constitutional rights of the Watergate defendants (they argued that the tapes would show their innocence) outweighed the presidents right to confidential discussions. President Nixon, for the good of the country, obeyed the Supreme Court rather than fight the judiciarys claim to authority over the chief executive. OK, so we have to look further back in history before any of us alive today was born to find the first president who claimed he couldnt be forced to testify in a court proceeding. History junkies might offer Abraham Lincoln, who refused to obey a writ of habeas corpus to free a Confederate leader, John Merryman, at the start of the Civil War. It did not hurt Lincolns case that Union forces seized Merryman while he was seeking to force Maryland to secede, and that the judge who issued the writ was none other than the infamous Chief Justice Roger Taney, who had authored the Dred Scott opinion. Lincoln argued that in time of war, Union forces could seize Confederate officials as prisoners of war, rather than arrest them as criminal suspects, and that the president had the right to interpret the Constitution within its spheres of constitutional responsibility. Lincoln and his generals not only did not release Merryman, but expanded their military detentions throughout the Civil War. But Lincoln was not the first president to claim the right of executive privilege to refuse court orders. The first was none other than the founder of the Democratic Party, Thomas Jefferson. President Jeffersons refusal to appear in court during the treason trial of his former vice president, Aaron Burr, set an important, but unappreciated, precedent for President Trumps claim today. In 1806, having been left off the Democratic ticket and been dishonored for his killing of Alexander Hamilton, Burr ventured to the new Western territories of the Louisiana Purchase and attempted to start a rebellion. Arrested and indicted, Burr appeared at his trial before Chief Justice John Marshall, who was sitting as a circuit judge in Richmond, Virginia at the time. Burr claimed that President Jefferson knew of his plans and demanded presidential documents that might prove his innocence. Chief Justice Marshall issued a subpoena to President Jefferson, who initially offered to provide information in writing. But Jefferson refused to appear in court, because he said the presidents paramount duties to the nation at large required that he not be subject to the judiciarys every whim. To comply with such calls would leave the nation without an executive branch, whose agency, nevertheless, is understood to be so constantly necessary, that it is the sole branch which the constitution requires to be always in function, Jefferson wrote to the U.S. attorney leading the Burr prosecution. Jefferson also believed a greater principle to be at stake than just convenience. The leading principle of our Constitution is the independence of the Legislature, executive and judiciary of each other, and none are more jealous of this than the judiciary, Jefferson wrote. But would the executive be independent of the judiciary, if he were subject to the commands of the latter, & to imprisonment for disobedience. Jefferson declared the right to withhold information, which, in the presidents judgment, the public interest required to remain secret. Marshall seems to have accepted the argument, but gave instructions to the jury that prompted an acquittal. Jeffersons claim of executive privilege puts the current Trump-Mueller struggle in its historical light. While the Supreme Court in U.S. v. Nixon declared that it had the constitutional authority to force the president to obey a subpoena, President Jefferson believed that no branch of government could force one of the others to appear before it. Under Jeffersons argument, just as Congress cannot force the president to testify, President Trump could not demand that Chief Justice John Roberts show up in the Oval Office to explain his ObamaCare decisions, which many of us believe were mistaken. In the same way, President Jeffersons contention would mean that the courts cannot compel the president or the leaders of Congress to appear before them. This is precisely the issue Giuliani has raised on behalf of President Trump. So neither the Supreme Court nor Congress has settled the issue raised by President Jefferson and now by Giuliani: whether the president has the authority to ignore a subpoena. Jeffersons theory of the equality of the three branches a theory shared by other great presidents, such as George Washington, Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt would support Giuilianis claim. On the other hand, President Jeffersons example marks out a path that could lower the political and constitutional temperatures. While Jefferson asserted the presidents right to interpret the Constitution in the course of performing his executive functions, he also sought to compromise with his judicial nemesis. President Jefferson turned over much of what Marshall wanted, though not everything. While President Trump may have the right of executive privilege, and could ignore a subpoena, he should ask himself as did Jefferson whether the public interest would be better served if he were to cooperate. Rather than trigger another constitutional crisis, President Trump could instead put his television instincts to work and agree to a head-to-head interview with Mueller broadcast on live TV. And then the president could decide at the end whether to exercise his other executive power: the power to fire Mueller. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! President Trumps unilateral withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal has driven yet another wedge between Washington and its closest European allies a longstanding goal of Iranian policy and a major gift to Russia. The decision announced Tuesday by President Trump flouted public appeals from French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson. All of them came to Washington in recent days to plead with President Trump not to walk away from the Iran deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The Europeans argued that abrogating the agreement threatens the solidarity of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and a united front against Russia. President Trumps humiliating indifference to the views of Macron, Merkel and Johnson now threatens to weaken their governments at home and European support for the embattled NATO alliance. Tuesdays decision plays into Moscows aims by deepening Euro-American tensions and forcing Europeans to negotiate with Tehran on their own. The U.S. presidents action, therefore, is a boon to Russia, whose twin strategic goal have long been to undermine the moral authority of the West and fracture the alliance aimed at containing Russian aggression and reassertion of its influence in Europe. The decision is the latest and most dramatic step by President Trump that has pressured the alliance. Since his election, President Trump has repeatedly undermined NATO by bullying allies to pay more for their mutual defense, withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, and threatening a trade war with America absent major European concessions. Tuesdays decision plays into Moscows aims by deepening Euro-American tensions and forcing Europeans to negotiate with Tehran on their own. President Trump made clear Tuesday that he intends to enforce so-called secondary sanctions those on European companies that do business with Iran. That will force traditional allies to choose between siding with what many Europeans consider a rash, erratic American president and their own economic interests. In his brief announcement explaining his decision, President Trump did not say that Iran was violating the nuclear deal that President Obama considered his crowing non-proliferation agreement. Although White House National Security Adviser John Bolton argued after the announcement that Iran was violating portions of the agreement, President Trump did not make that argument, since several of his key national security advisers had testified on Capitol Hill that Iran was abiding by the agreement it signed in 2015. Instead, President Trump reiterated his view that the accord was a disaster and fatally flawed because it does not constrain Irans development of long-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, does not require Iran to end its support for Hezbollah and other terrorist groups, and has ignored Irans destabilizing actions in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and throughout the Middle East. This view was echoed in Saudi Arabia and Israel, both of which applauded what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Presidents Trumps historic decision. In a dramatic presentation last week, Netanyahu disclosed that the Mossad (Israels foreign intelligence service) had stolen 55,000 pages of Iranian nuclear documents and 183 CDs from a warehouse in Tehran and flown them out of the country. The documents showed that Iran had lied about not having had a nuclear weapons program on its initial declaration to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is charged with monitoring Irans compliance with the nuclear agreement and its other non-proliferation obligations. Though Netanyahu has long opposed the nuclear deal and staged his presentation to encourage President Trump to abandon the agreement, some non-proliferation experts urged the president to use the stolen Iranian material to try to strengthen the nuclear deal, rather than withdraw from it. Specifically, several who opposed and supported the Iran deal (One of us, Miller, was a deal supporter, the other, Tobey, a skeptic) hoped that President Trump and his European allies might have taken the revelations of Irans past nuclear weapons activity to the joint commission established by the Iran deal to resolve compliance disputes. We wanted the U.S. and European nations to demand more intrusive IAEA inspections in Iran, and to insist that the group investigate Irans initial misstatements about its nuclear program. Such a move would have strengthened the IAEAs mandate. And by showing that Iran had lied on its initial declarations, the U.S. could have used Irans lies to demand that it accept restraints on its ballistic missile work and more intrusive inspections, particularly at military sites. These actions alone might have helped achieve what President Trump claims to want and substantially strengthened and enforced the Iran nuclear deal. They also would have corrected a serious flaw in the agreement Iran was never required to account completely and correctly for its past work on a nuclear bomb. But President Trump chose not to take this course, opting instead for reapplying powerful economic sanctions that Europeans are likely to resent and resist. Irans President Hassan Rouhani, who promoted the nuclear deal against his governments own hardliners, said that Iran would continue abiding by the agreement, but seek negotiations to preserve the accord and avoid sanctions with the deals European signatories, as well as with China and Russia. If those talks fail, he warned, Iran was prepared to resume enriching uranium at higher levels than ever before. In ignoring Europes pleas and choosing instead to fulfill his campaign promise to undo President Obamas signature arms control accord, President Trump, once again, is letting Moscow take the seat at the negotiating table that America is now abandoning. What, if any strategy, underlies such a move remains unclear. William Tobey was deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration from 2006 to 2009. He directs the U.S.-Russia Initiative to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism at Harvards Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! President Trumps nominee to lead the CIA, Gina Haspel, faces an uphill battle this week as Democratic senators push back against her confirmation to become Americas top spy. Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein of California and Ron Wyden of Oregon have accused Haspel, who has spent her entire career at the CIA, of grave misconduct in supporting the agencys interrogation programs involving suspected Al Qaeda operatives in the early 2000s. While Haspels involvement certainly deserves appropriate scrutiny, theres no question that she remains well-qualified for the job of CIA director. Indeed, Haspel has had a long, successful career battling Americas traditional enemies most especially the Russians along with newer threats like ISIS and other organizations engaging in radical Islamic terrorism. Shes also earned broad, bipartisan support from former intelligence professionals who understand both her tenacity and intellect. In short, Haspel would be ready to fight for America on Day One. Yet for the rank and file of the CIA, Haspel also represents something of personal importance: a trusted, inspired sister-in-arms who has thrived in a culture not known for its embrace of women. In fact, Haspel is the agencys best chance to break its stubborn glass ceiling and build a diverse spy service thats forever one step ahead of Americas enemies. Heres why that matters. In 2013, the CIA released an internal report that offered a stark picture for female operatives at the agency. Only 19 percent of the most senior leaders were women. The official reasons varied a lack of mentorship, devaluing certain career paths, and an inflexible work schedule. Left unsaid, however, were the many anecdotes of sexual harassment that I heard from female officers during the course of my CIA career. Consider the story of a woman I will call Lauren to keep her identity undisclosed. Lauren was an analyst focused on thwarting rogue nations as they sought to acquire nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Early on in Laurens career, a supervisor Ill call him Jim explicitly told her that he could get her promoted more quickly if she agreed to have sex with him. If, however, she refused, Jim warned that her career would go nowhere. When I asked Lauren whether she had reported Jim to agency authorities, she said she had not. She explained that there was a culture of retaliation for officers who alleged sexual harassment and she highlighted Jim as an example. He harassed another woman a few years ago and she reported him, just like she was supposed to, Lauren told me. But you know what Human Resources did? Lauren took a deep breath and told me: They asked her if she had worn provocative clothing. Apparently, Jim had offered this up as rationale for his behavior. Unfortunately, he went unpunished. And the woman who complained? Her career tanked. Nobody wanted her, Lauren said flatly. She was labeled a troublemaker. Laurens experience and the agencys anemic response werent isolated instances. During my time at the CIA I spoke with women across the agencys departments and at different stages in their careers. Many relayed similarly painful stories. While some chose to soldier on in silence, others simply left. It may be tempting to label these womens experiences as common, even if horribly so. Yet these stories are far more. They are national security issues. When America handicaps or loses its female spies, the country has fewer clandestine officers to keep us safe. This includes operational giants like Virginia Hall, a fabled spy who worked behind enemy lines in World War II to organize agent networks and assist escaped prisoners of war. Later, as the Soviet empire grew, she helped lead resistance movements against the Communist forces sweeping Eastern and Central Europe. Or consider Jennifer Matthews, a tenacious counter-terrorism officer and mother of three who was killed when a triple agent ignited a hidden suicide vest in Afghanistan back in 2009. The death of Matthews was deeply personal for many younger officers, including me. She was one of my first managers and leaders on a special project targeting a terrorist network soon after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Gina Haspels elevation as CIA director would thus be a key milestone for the agency, and a tribute to women like Lauren, Virginia, and Jennifer. It would signal that these brave officers and all those who remain in silent service are second to none. Indeed, their sacrifices are no less notable or commendable than those of their male counterparts. And as for those predatory men and their protectors that still report for duty at the agency? Making Haspel CIA director would be put them on firm notice that a new day has dawned. Consequences await. Yet its not just those at the CIA who would benefit from a boost in morale and inspiration. Making a qualified woman CIA director would also be an important boost for the country. America needs all of us women and men alike to serve and protect our great nation. With a profoundly qualified female director at the helm, it would be a proud reminder that there is a seat at Americas table for anyone who is willing to devote themselves to a higher cause. So let our senators ask Haspel tough questions. But let us also remember that in these times of turbulence from the troubled Iran nuclear deal to North Korean peace talks, not to mention Russian and Chinese aggression a CIA Director Haspel would know our adversaries well. She and my former colleagues would use their experience and fortitude to break them. In doing so, Gina Haspel would also break one of Americas last and most enduring glass ceilings. No matter your political party, that would be a moment worth celebrating. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! It was one of the Clinton administration's biggest counterterrorism successes. Just weeks after Al Qaeda terrorists trained by Iran blew up U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, Gina Haspel's phone rang in the middle of the night. She was in her final weeks as station chief in what the CIA describes as an "exotic and tumultuous capital" in central Eurasia, and intelligence had just emerged that two senior Al Qaeda associates linked to the embassy bombings were on their way to the country where she was stationed. Haspel swung into action, devising an operation to capture the terrorists. She worked around the clock, sleeping on the floor of her office, as agents tracked the terrorists to a local hotel, where the men were apprehended after a firefight. According to the CIA, "The successful operation not only led to the terrorists' arrest and subsequent imprisonment, but to the seizure of computers that contained details of a terrorist plot." For her efforts during the operation, which ultimately disrupted a terrorist cell, Haspel in 1999 received the George H.W. Bush Award for Excellence in Counterterrorism. This is as much as the CIA has revealed, but according to press accounts, several senior Al Qaeda associates were captured in Baku, Azerbaijan, just weeks after the embassy bombings. They included Ihab Saqr, a top lieutenant of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, and Essam Marzouk, who also worked for Zawahiri and had trained two of the embassy bombers. Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency, had reportedly intercepted signals indicating that Saqr was headed to Baku to meet an Iranian intelligence operative. We should be thrilled that the woman behind this major counterterrorism success has been nominated to become the first female director of the CIA -- and only the second person ever to rise to the agency's top post after spending her entire career in clandestine operations. But instead of being grateful that a seasoned, experienced intelligence operative has been chosen, Senate Democrats are threatening to kill her nomination. We should be thrilled that the woman behind this major counterterrorism success has been nominated to become the first female director of the CIA -- and only the second person ever to rise to the agency's top post after spending her entire career in clandestine operations. This is insane. Gina Haspel is quite possibly the most qualified person ever nominated to lead the CIA. She has experience in virtually every agency discipline, from counterterrorism to counterintelligence and offensive intelligence operations -- including personally recruiting spies and directing covert operations. "She has served in some really tough places, high-risk hardship posts, and has performed some extraordinary operations," said former CIA official Henry "Hank" Crumpton, who was Haspel's boss in the agency's National Resources Division. According to a source familiar with her career, Haspel was once deployed in a conflict zone, when military officials from a hostile nation arrived without warning at an event she was attending. As she left, they fired at her vehicle, blowing out a tire. She still keeps the bullet as a reminder of the risks CIA officers take each day to protect the country. She knows their sacrifices firsthand. For her, some of the stars on the CIA's Memorial Wall represent the names and faces of friends she has lost in the line of duty. "She's truly a spymaster," said one retired senior intelligence official who knows Haspel well. "She's managed intelligence operations against the hardest targets, Russia in particular. She has earned great respect from intelligence leaders around the world; even people like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin would have to respect her operational savvy." Yet despite her many accomplishments, colleagues say, she is a paragon of humility with zero political ambition. "She's never lobbied for a job," one of her former CIA bosses told me. "The jobs searched for her." Little wonder that so many senior Obama-era intelligence officials -- including Leon Panetta, John Brennan, Michael Morell, James R. Clapper Jr. and Jeremy Bash -- have urged the Senate to confirm her. To vote down someone so obviously qualified as political retribution for the CIA's now-defunct interrogation program would be a travesty. President Barack Obama's Justice Department concluded that no crimes had been committed. Moreover, as CIA veterans point out, Brennan was himself deeply involved in the interrogation program, and was confirmed 63-34 as Obama's CIA director, with only two Democrats and one independent voting against him. Why the double standard for the first woman nominated to lead the agency? Democrats complain that President Trump has repeatedly attacked our intelligence community. But derailing Haspel's nomination would be a greater attack on our intelligence professionals than anything Trump has done. Haspel is beloved by the CIA's rank and file because she is one of them. Were the Senate to reject her, the nominee's former colleague said, "it would send a really chilling, devastating message." Haspel, and the men and women of the CIA, deserve better. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! North Koreas release of three Americans it has been holding as prisoners is evidence of the success of President Trumps get tough policy in dealing with dictator Kim Jong Un, while at the same time agreeing to negotiate with Kim. The North released the three Americans Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk (also known as Tony Kim) Wednesday. Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song arrested in April and May of 2017 were charged by North Korea with carrying out hostile acts while working at a North Korean university. Kim Dong Chul was arrested in 2015 and accused of being a South Korean spy. President Trump tweeted Wednesday morning: I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air an on his way back with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Pompeo was flying back to the U.S. with the three men after visiting North Korea to finalize plans for the Trump-Kim summit. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, now a member of President Trumps legal defense team, predicted the imminent release of the three, saying on Fox & Friends last week that we got Kim Jong Un impressed enough to be releasing three prisoners. President Trump deserves high praise Nobel Peace Prize, anyone? not only for securing the release of the three U.S. citizens, but also for prompting Kim Jong Un to hold talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in recently, and for setting up a Trump-Kim summit in the near future. These steps have hopefully averted what could have been a nuclear war. The U.S. is seeking an agreement in the talks for North Korea to destroy its nuclear weapons and agree to never build new ones. Kim Jong Un speaks of denuclearization but is highly unlikely to go as far as the U.S. wants in getting rid of his entire nuclear arsenal. The North Korean leaders goal is to end crippling international economic sanctions against his country and normalize relations with the U.S., South Korea and other nations around the world. Despite the welcome news of the prisoner release, we must never forget who are dealing with in North Korea. No amount of pretty photo ops and smiles from King Jong Un can cover up the real nature of his totalitarian regime, which today holds over 100,000 people in miserable conditions in political prison camps. Kim Jong Un is a brutal murderer, ruthless dictator and proven liar. He cannot be trusted, so the Trump administration should demand that any agreement Kim makes be verifiable. We should never forget about the poor souls who have never escaped the Kim regimes evil clutches. Specifically, one person comes to mind: University of Virginia student Otto Warmbier, who somehow became deathly ill after he was imprisoned and most likely tortured by the North and died soon after he was released at the age 22 in June 2017. The North Koreans sentenced Warmbier to 15 years in prison with hard labor after claiming he had stolen a propaganda poster. Kim Jong Uns grandfather and father who ruled before him compiled a record of lying, cheating and stealing whatever they needed to survive, along with a human rights rap sheet filled with millions of innocent dead men, women and children. Kim Jong Un has proudly carried on the family tradition. While I am hopeful that Kim Jong Un truly wants to give up his nuclear weapons and potentially open his nation economically and politically, history cries out for us to cautious. And the Kim familys victims Otto Warmbier and millions more demand such skepticism from us. Lets hope the new prisoner release signals that Kim is choosing a new and verifiable path. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! The allegation that New York Attorney General and #MeToo champion Eric Schneiderman assaulted several women has New York and the Democratic Party reeling. The stories are horrific and, in this time of #MeToo, disgustingly familiar. Within a few hours of the Jane Mayer and Ronan Farrow New Yorker Magazine allegations going public, Mr. Schneiderman denied the accusations and then tried to explain himself by saying he engaged in consensual role playing with sex partners. An unbelievable excuse for many, and directly refuted in the story itself, that evening he announced his resignation, effective the end of Tuesday. Here is another story of a super-powerful liberal man, who touted himself a savior of women, friend and leader of the Democratic hero class, and slayer of evil, misogynist conservatives, who ends up being all that he condemned. But now we also have some honest reflection in the report about the political nature of the decision for some women to remain silent, even in the face of horrific abuse. While sexual harassment and domestic violence transcend politics, the #MeToo movement emerged when the liberal, feminist establishments massive infection with misogynist abusers was exposed. An alarming development for so many, the Weinstein scandal exposed the depth of a fraud difficult for many to comprehend. But now we know and understand more. Its about monsters using politics to gain power while cultivating a liberal environment that will protect them. In the immediate aftermath of the allegations, this columnist noted on Fox News that All these liberal men clothe themselves in the cloak of feminism. Weinstein did the same thing, Bill Clinton was doing the same thing. It was all about were your protectors, were your advocates. And that had kept them safe. In this new expose, Ms. Mayer and Mr. Farrow valiantly bring to light this core of the scourge. During a television interview, Mr. Farrow explained how it was party politics that kept the women, in part, from coming forward, A lot of their friends and loved ones said, Dont do it. Dont speak out against him. And in some cases, that was because they feared the risk of reprisals. They feared him threatening people, using his office and power to say he could wiretap people or he could come after people. But also in some cases those friends warned them off of talking because they thought that he had the power to do too much good for the Democratic Party. The height of irony, but also an indication how manipulated liberals have become by their own leadership: Some women are willing to look away from physical and emotionally abuse, rape, and beatings and say nothing, in the name of saving women from violence and abuse. The psychological trauma of abuse is significant. The process itself sneaks up on you until you are conditioned under threat of a wide variety of harm to comply with whatever your abuser asks or demands. One of Mr. Schneidermans alleged victims noted that she understands how incomprehensible it may seem that she stayed in such an abusive relationship for more than a year. But, she says, now I see how independent women get stuck in one. The physical abuse, she notes, happens quickly. Its so disorienting. You lose a little of who you are, the New Yorker Magazine reported. The women Mr. Schneiderman allegedly assaulted are confident, independent, secure women, powerful in their own right. They, too, are liberals and committed to causes they believe will help make the future a better place. When confronted with being abused, one of his victims appealed to friends for advice. After the former girlfriend ended the relationship, she told several friends about the abuse. A number of them advised her to keep the story to herself, arguing that Schneiderman was too valuable a politician for the Democrats to lose. She described this response as heartbreaking, the magazine reported. Another victim, described as being prominent in the legal field, was direct about her decision-making process about whether or not to report his alleged behavior, I thought, Hes a good attorney general, hes doing good things. I didnt want to jeopardize that. Some argue this is about hypocrisy, but its more than that. Liberal women must begin to reject the training theyre put through that convinces them anyone who does not pay allegiance to the liberal agenda is the enemy. The liberal leadership insistence that those who are not liberal are to be hated must be jettisoned. This action could inspire, as Kanye West might note, more free thinking, but also more independence, better relationships and safer lives. This column originally appeared in The Washington Times. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Tuesdays Republican and Democratic primaries in West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina provided some clues about what to expect in the upcoming November midterm elections including warning signs for Democrats. In West Virginia, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey emerged as the Republican senatorial nominee in a contentious primary marked by the unusual candidacy of the controversial former coal executive Don Blankenship. Blankenship was convicted and sent to prison for a year for his role in a coal mine explosion that killed 29 workers in 2010. The surprising popularity of Blankenship in pre-election polling despite his loss Tuesday demonstrated the continued appeal of anti-establishment candidates nationwide. Blankenship consistently and harshly attacked his own party's leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and very recently used derogatory language that some characterized as racist. Even President Trump urged voters not to cast ballots for Blankenship, despite the candidate's suggestion that he is Trumpier than Trump. A Democratic Party campaigning simply on the premise of resistance to President Trump and the Republicans is not enough to maximize gains in this election and beyond. In Indiana, meanwhile, three Republicans competed to face incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly, with Mike Braun emerging as the winner. The robust Republican primary may signal trouble for Donnelly and the Democrats in November, as President Trump carried the state by 19 points in 2016. In terms of the results in Ohio, it appears the Republicans will most likely be able to also retain GOP Gov. John Kasichs seat. The apparent winner of the Republican nomination for governor in Ohio, Mike DeWine, is a former U.S. senator and current state attorney general. He already beat the 2018 Democratic candidate for governor Richard Cordray the former head of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the race for attorney general in 2010 and will likely be able to do so again for governor in November. Further, Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci's victory in the race for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination in Ohio poses a serious challenge to Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown. There are, however, some promising takeaways from Tuesday's primaries that may provide a guidebook for the Democrats. For instance, there continues to be a fresh crop of exciting new Democratic candidates, such as Dan McCready, a 34-year-old Marine veteran and solar energy entrepreneur running for Congress in North Carolinas Ninth District. He has drawn comparisons to some of the most promising and compelling young Democrats in Congress like Seth Moulton of Massachusetts and Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania. For the Democrats to capitalize on broad disapproval of President Trump, they must support candidates like McCready and help produce a new generation of Democratic leaders with new ideas and effective policy alternatives to the Republicans, rather than relying on the same leaders who have served for as many as four decades. Simply put, a Democratic Party campaigning simply on the premise of resistance to President Trump and the Republicans is not enough to maximize gains in this election and beyond. Instead, the Democrats need to focus on fresh faces and fresh ideas. They must present effective proposals for inclusive economic growth, showing voters nationwide how voting Democratic will benefit them, their states and our nation. And they must shake off the ghosts of 2016, handing the gavel to new voices in the party. If the Democrats are able to accomplish this, they stand a good chance of making significant gains in November. But if not, dreams of a blue wave returning control of the U.S. House and Senate and more governorships to Democratic hands may be nothing more than wishful thinking. West Virginias attorney general, Patrick Morrisey, pulled off an upset in the states Senate Republican primary on Tuesday, defeating former coal executive Don Blankenship and U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins in the combative and colorful race that saw a last-minute appeal from President Trump. The results could be seen as a victory for Trump, who had urged Republican voters to reject Blankenship as doomed to lose to incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in November. It could also be seen as a win for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who clashed with Blankenship during the campaign. Meanwhile, Indiana businessman Mike Braun and Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci will also both win their states Republican Senate primaries, according to the Fox News Decision Desk. In all three states, voters picked Republican nominees to take on some of the most vulnerable incumbent Senate Democrats in this years midterm elections. Republicans hold a slim 51-49 advantage in the Senate. In recent days, the contest in West Virginia has received the most national attention, with Blankenship portraying himself as a true conservative outsider. Blankenship made waves in recent days for airing a campaign ad referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as cocaine Mitch. On Monday, Trump appealed to the states primary voters to oppose Blankenship, arguing he cant win in the general election. Blankenship served a year in prison on a misdemeanor conviction for conspiring to violate mine safety laws, in connection with the Upper Big Branch Mine explosion in West Virginia in 2010 that killed 29 workers. At his election night gathering on Tuesday, Blankenship told Fox News that he thinks the overhang of bad headlines about the Upper Big Branch explosion had the biggest impact. The West Virginia Senate race is considered a toss-up in the midterm elections, as Republicans hope to unseat incumbent Joe Manchin, a Democrat who first won the seat in a 2010 special election. Manchin easily defeated challenger Paula Jean Swearengin in Tuesdays Democratic primary. Meanwhile in Indiana, Braun, a former state legislator who poured his own money into the race, defeated Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita. Braun will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly. Braun spent millions on ads arguing hes an outsider, but his primary rivals attacked him over voting records indicating he voted in Democratic primaries until 2012. Braun has responded by saying he is a conservative Republican, but he voted in past Democratic primaries to have a say in local races dominated by Democrats. His rivals have asked who he voted for in the 2008 Democratic primary race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, but Braun claims he voted for neither. Braun was elected to the Indiana State House as a Republican in 2014. In Ohio, Renacci, who has been endorsed by President Trump, defeated businessman Mike Gibbons in the Buckeye States Republican Senate primary and will face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. CLICK FOR COMPLETE FOX NEWS MIDTERMS COVERAGE Also in Ohio on Tuesday, Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Richard Cordray won their partys primaries in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. John Kasich. In North Carolina which also held primaries Tuesday a Republican congressman, Rep. Robert Pittenger, lost the Republican primary to challenger Mark Harris, a Baptist minister. Fox News Peter Doocy, Ellison Barber, Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Republican Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Democratic former state Attorney General Richard Cordray are projected to face off against each other in the race to replace GOP Gov. John Kasich, having won their parties' respective primaries Tuesday, Fox News projects. With nearly 65 percent of precincts reporting, DeWine, a former two-term senator, had 59.68 percent of the vote and Cordray had 62.51 percent, according to the office of the Ohio Secretary of State. Kasich faces a term limit and cannot run again for governor. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Cordray tweeted after the race was called. The 59-year-old Cordray on Tuesday night has defeated former Ohio congressman and Cleveland Mayor Dennis Kucinich -- in a primary battle seen as a larger fight for the Democratic Partys liberal base. Cordray was backed by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Wall Street reformer and progressive champion who helped start the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that Cordray ran until last year. CLICK FOR COMPLETE FOX NEWS 2018 MIDTERM COVERAGE Kucinich was backed by Our Revolution, the self-described next step in the Bernie Sanders' movement. Victory and defeat are a part of life, Kucinich said in conceding defeat and congratulating Cordray. They are opposite sides of the same coin... And so we move forward. The 71-year-old DeWine defeated Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor. He had a double-digit lead entering the race and was expected to win. DeWine and Taylor, Kasichs lieutenant governor, supported President Trumps agenda and spent a combined $10 million since December. DeWine and Cordray are moderates who, respectively, fought off challenges from the Republican right and the Democratic left. While Kucinich had the support from perhaps the partys most liberal wing, Taylor likened DeWine's record to that of Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and questioned his loyalty to Trump. DeWine and Cordray have already faced each other once in a head-to-head race -- when DeWine narrowly won in their 2010 race for attorney general. And Cordray lost in a 2002 Democratic primary to deny DeWine his second Senate term. DeWine was endorsed by the Ohio Republican Party and was bolstered by his partnership with Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted, who dropped his own governor bid to become DeWine's running mate. Cordray, who started as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under former President Obama and finished under Trump, featured Obama in his ads and campaigned with Warren. Kucinich, also a two-time presidential candidate, attacked the low-key Cordray as an "establishment Democrat" and energized voters with a liberal anti-gun, pro-environment, single-payer health care platform. He won his first political race at 23 when elected to the Cleveland City Council. But Kucinichs strong challenge was hurt by revelations that he had taken a $20,000 speaking fee from a group sympathetic to Syrian President Bashar Assad, despite saying hed return the money and arguing, the purpose of the conference was to bring peace and reconciliation to Syria, not to support the current regime. Cordray's victory buoys Democratic hopes of reclaiming control of a battleground state, which Trump won in 2016 by 51.69 percent. With former Rep. Betty Sutton as his running mate, Ohio Democrats have perhaps their strongest statewide ticket in recent memory into the fall. The Cordray-Sutton campaign is expected to focus on the candidates' efforts against consumer fraud, political corruption and voter disenfranchisement. The Democratic primary also feature state Sen. Joe Schiavoni and former state Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The older brother of Vice President Mike Pence won the Republican nomination Tuesday for the Indiana U.S. House seat that his sibling held for a dozen years. Greg Pence easily defeated Muncie entrepreneur Jonathan Lamb and three other opponents in the 6th District GOP primary. Pence, a Columbus businessman who has never held public office, held a major money advantage over Lamb -- raising $1.2 million and spending nearly $1 million as of mid-April. Lamb, 36, criticized his opponent for relying on the Pence name and dodging debates. He said he has a hard time telling where Pence stands on issues, although both profess support for most of President Donald Trump's agenda. In contrast to Pence's fundraising success, Lamb loaned his own campaign around $800,000 in an effort to keep pace, making the 6th District race the most expensive in the state. Meanwhile, Pence has said his family name is a "good name" and that he prefers meeting voters instead of debating. Pence, 61, is a Marine veteran and owner of two antique malls. He once ran a now-bankrupt chain of Tobacco Road convenience stores. He has said he would focus on issues such as infrastructure, veterans' affairs, fixing the immigration system and health care. Mike Pence tweeted congratulations to his brother on Tuesday night, saying he was "making Hoosiers and the Pence family proud." "Good luck in November!" the Vice President added. Pence will face Democrat Jeannine Lake in the November general election. Mike Pence was first elected to represent the 6th District in 2000. He served in the House of Representatives for 12 years before he was elected governor in 2012. The seat is open in this cycle because Rep. Luke Messer unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea on Tuesday, following earlier remarks by President Trump who said he was going to the country to prepare for the upcoming meeting with leader Kim Jong Un. The president also hinted at the possible release of three American prisoners. Pompeo is at the Koryo Hotel in the rogue nation's capital for meetings, Fox News has learned. Trump made the surprise announcement at the White House at the same time he announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. The visit will mark Pompeos second to North Korea, and Trump said that his new secretary of state had meetings scheduled. Plans are being made, relationships are building, he said. Hopefully a deal will happen and, with the help of China, South Korea and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone. Pompeo confirmed his trip on Twitter, writing that he was "headed back to #DPRK at the invitation of the North Korean leadership. "I look forward to planning a successful summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un," he tweeted. Trump also struck an optimistic but cautious tone, saying: well see how it all works out -- maybe it will, maybe it wont. He expressed similar sentiments when asked about the possible release of the prisoners. We will soon be finding out, he said. It would be a great thing if they are, well soon be finding out. Trump had hinted that the release of the prisoners was imminent last week, saying in a tweet: stay tuned. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said last week that it would be seen as a sign of good will if North Korea released the prisoners. Kim Dong Chul, a South Korea-born U.S. citizen and former Virginia resident, was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea's border with Russia. Tony Kim was detained at Pyongyang's airport in April 2017 and was accused of unspecified "hostile acts" against the North Korean state. He taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. Kim Hak Song, an ethnic Korean who was born in China, was detained in May 2017 and also accused of "hostile acts." He worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. A fourth American detainee, Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017 -- just days after he was brought back to the U.S. with severe brain damage. He had been arrested in January 2016 and accused of stealing a propaganda poster and was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. Pompeos trip comes amid a rapidly moving diplomatic situation in the Korean Peninsula. Kim met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China on Tuesday, the second meeting in recent months. Trump announced on Twitter on Tuesday morning that he was due to speak with Xi on North Korea. Kim also had an historic meeting recently with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in South Korea. During the summit, the two discussed denuclearization and declared a formal end to the Korean War. The North Korean regime has also said it will end its nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile testing program. Fox News Samuel Chamberlain, Nick Kalman and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Senate Intel Committee released a report Tuesday saying Russian-affiliated actors did in fact conduct coordinated attacks against the U.S. during the 2016 elections, and that despite successfully penetrating voter databases, there was no evidence any election results were manipulated. In a preliminary summary of its investigation into Russian involvement during the 2016 election, the committee found that cyber actors, connected with the Russian government, targeted election systems of at least 18 states, and breached their infrastructures in some cases. Russian actors scanned databases for vulnerabilities, attempted intrusions, and in a small number of cases successfully penetrated a voter registration database, the memo read. This activity was part of a larger campaign to prepare to undermine confidence in the voting process. The investigation found that at least 18 states were targeted with the possibility of three other targets. There was evidence of other suspicious activity that that committee was unable to connect with those Russian actors. Of the states involved, six were exposed to malicious access attempts on voting-related websites. SENATE CRACKS DOWN ON ELECTION HACKING, PUSHES BILLS TO PROTECT THE VOTE Perhaps the most alarming finding was evidence pointing to the hackers' access to restricted elements of election infrastructure. According to the committee, such access put these hackers in a position to alter or delete voter registration data. Despite the breaches, there was no evidence to show that the actors changed any votes, proving that election results were accurate, lawmakers said. While our investigation remains ongoing, one conclusion is clear: the Russians were relentless in attempting to meddle in the 2016 election, and they will continue their efforts, committee member Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said. The summary also noted that while evidence showed these actors were in a positon to manipulate state election infrastructure, it was unclear whether they decided against acting or if they were gathering information. RUSSIAN HACK OF 2016 VOTER ROLLS LEAVES GALESBURG, ILLINIS, REELING The Committee does not know whether the Russian government-affiliated actors intended to exploit vulnerabilities during the 2016 elections and decided against taking action, or whether they were merely gathering information and testing capabilities for a future attack. The committee's vice chairman, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., shared his concerns as voters prepare for upcoming midterm elections. Elections at all levels are central to our democracy, to our institutions, and to our government's legitimacy, and I remain concerned that we as a country are still not fully prepared for the 2018 midterm elections. To ensure that the upcoming elections are more secure from cyberattacks, committee members also released a list of preliminary recommendations including improving information sharing on possible threats, increased cybersecurity, replacing outdated and venerable voting systems and assistance from the federal government in the form of grants. The committee intends to release a more comprehensive report which will be submitted for declassification review and released to the public when approved. Fox Business Adam Shapiro contributed to this report. Three American prisoners held in North Korea have been released and are en route to the U.S. after a surprise diplomatic mission by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Trump announced Wednesday. Pompeo is returning with the Americans, said to be in "good health," after a brief visit to Pyongyang. Trump said he plans to greet them at Andrews Air Force Base when they arrive outside Washington. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting, Trump tweeted, referring to the prisoners. They seem to be in good health. Pompeo told reporters during the initial leg of the flight to Japan that hes thrilled to have the Americans back. Trump also said that a date and location have now been set for his meeting with Kim Jong Un, later telling reporters that it would not be at the Korean Demilitarized Zone. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump appreciates leader Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill. The three Americans appear to be in good condition and were all able to walk on the plane without assistance, she said. Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Tuesday to prepare for the upcoming summit between the two leaders. Trump, announcing Pompeos visit, had hinted at the possibility of the prisoners' release. We will soon be finding out, he said Tuesday when asked at the White House whether the prisoners would be freed. It would be a great thing if they are, well soon be finding out. Pompeo was heading to North Korea just as Trump announced the U.S. would pull back from the Iran nuclear agreement. Trump is hoping to now make headway against North Koreas nuclear weapons program. Ahead of the planned summit, Trump hinted last week that the release of the prisoners was imminent, saying in a tweet: stay tuned. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that it would be seen as a sign of good will if North Korea released the prisoners. The Americans were all detained or sentenced within the last couple years. Kim Dong Chul, a South Korea-born U.S. citizen and former Virginia resident, was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea's border with Russia. Tony Kim was detained at Pyongyang's airport in April 2017 and accused of unspecified "hostile acts" against the regime. He taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. In a statement, Kim's family thanked "all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home." Kim Hak Song, an ethnic Korean born in China, was detained in May 2017 for "hostile acts." He worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. Another American detainee, Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017 -- just days after he was brought back to the U.S. with severe brain damage. He had been arrested in January 2016 and accused of stealing a propaganda poster and was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. Pompeos short trip is the latest move in a constantly evolving diplomatic situation in the region. Kim met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China on Tuesday, the second meeting in recent months, and also met this month with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in South Korea. During the summit, the two discussed denuclearization and declared a formal end to the Korean War. The North Korean regime has also claimed it will end its nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile testing program. Fox News' Caleb Parke and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, like the Senate intelligence panel's Democrats, has come out against President Donald Trump's nomination of Gina Haspel to lead the CIA. Both Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the Democrats question whether Haspel, a longtime CIA agent, is fit to run the agency given her involvement in the torture of prisoners following the attacks in 2001. Haspel is due to appear Wednesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee for her confirmation hearing. The Al-Qaeda leader, who was captured in March 2003 and was reportedly tortured, asked a military judge Monday at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to share an attachment titled "Additional Facts, Law and Argument in Support" with the intelligence committee, the New York Times reported. The attachment contains "six specific paragraphs of information" regarding Haspel and was written by Mohammed himself. Marine Lt. Col. Derek A. Poteet, one of Mohammed's lawyers, claims his legal team believes the information is important. I am not able to describe the information, he said, noting that the information came from the detainee himself and not from files turned over by the government to the defense lawyers regarding Mohammed's treatment in the CIA custody. Multiple Democrats have criticized Haspel's nomination, with U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana saying he opposes her because he objects to waterboarding, a controversial enhanced interrogation technique deemed torture by many opponents. Four Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee -- Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, both of California; Ron Wyden of Oregon; and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico -- also asked to declassify all CIA information regarding Haspel's role in the program. The American people deserve transparency regarding the background of a nominee who will be asked to represent them, and their values, around the world, they wrote in a letter to Daniel Coats, director of national intelligence. Without making this information available to the American people, Ms. Haspels nomination cannot be fully and properly considered by the Senate. Haspel in 2002 was a chief of base at a black-site prison in Thailand, where detainees were subjected to harsh interrogation, including waterboarding. Some outlets have accused Haspel of taking part in the waterboarding of Abu Zubaydah, an alleged Al-Qaeda terrorist. News site ProPublica, originator of the allegations, has since retracted the article, saying Haspel arrived to the base after the interrogation of Zubaydah ended. It remained unclear if Mohammed, who was detained at sites in Afghanistan and Poland before arriving at Guantanamo bay, was at any point under supervision of Haspel. The recently declassified timeline of her clandestine career hasn't specified if she worked in those countries. The Associated Press contributed to this report. California has become the first state in the nation to mandate solar panels for all new homes, in a move to cut greenhouse gas emissions that critics say will end up raising home prices in the already expensive market. In a unanimous 5-0 vote Wednesday, the California Energy Commission approved the policy. The regulation will require all homes and apartments built after 2020 to have solar panels, adding an average of roughly $10,000 to construction costs for a single-family home. On the flip side, the commission says, the panels could yield much more in energy savings. Spokeswoman for the Energy Commission Amber Beck told Fox News that under the new standards, new homes would be expected to reduce energy use by more than 50 percent. She argued that the change will lead to savings in the long run. For residential homeowners, based on a 30-year mortgage, the Energy Commission estimates that the standards will add about $40 to an average monthly payment, but save consumers $80 on monthly heating, cooling, and lighting bills, Beck said in a statement. On average the 2019 standards will increase the cost of constructing a new home by about $9,500 but will save $19,000 in energy and maintenance costs over 30 years. Few industry groups outwardly oppose the plan after working for years with the commission to shape the regulations. But Republican legislative leaders said Californians can't afford to pay any more for housing in the state's already expensive market. "That's just going to drive the cost up and make California, once again, not affordable to live," said Assemblyman Brian Dahle, the chamber's Republican leader. The solar panel decision is just the latest example of what critics see as the states ever-evolving nanny-state policies. California often is at the leading edge of government mandates and bans, having recently prohibited everything from plastic bags to foie gras and even flirting with phasing out internal combustion engines. Bill Watt, a homebuilder and design consultant, told The Orange County Register the added solar panel costs, in addition to other building mandates, will make homeownership out of reach for many buyers. Were not building enough housing already, Watt, former president of the Orange County Building Industry Association, told The OCR. Why not just pause for a little while, focus on the affordability and housing issues, then circle back? Despite the increase in construction costs, the California Building Industry Association generally supports the plan, but expressed a preference to delay the launch. [W]e would prefer that this had been put off for a few more years, but the fact is that the California Energy Commission has been working on this, with us, for the past 10 years, the associations technical director, Robert Raymer, said in a statement, noting that the group worked with the states energy commission to alter the policy. We know this is coming, we did everything we could to push down compliance costs and increase design flexibility. The mandate is the latest win for the solar industry, despite past controversies tied to companies' use of taxpayer funds. The most notorious example was California company Solyndra, which filed for bankruptcy in 2011. An Energy Department inspector general report in 2015 said the company misrepresented facts in order to secure a $535 million loan guarantee from the federal government. Taxpayer lost most of that money in the deal. The new California measure would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 700,000 metric tons over three years, according to the commission. The Energy Commission said this would be equivalent to taking 115,000 cars off the road. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trumps nominee for CIA director Gina Haspel on Wednesday defended her moral compass as she brushed back Democratic criticism of her handling of the post-9/11 detention and interrogation program -- while sharing gripping details about her credentials as a lifelong spy. Haspel spoke at her confirmation hearing to replace now-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the agency's helm, and sought to head off criticism about her role in the interrogation of terror suspects. While GOP lawmakers and bipartisan voices from the intelligence community have strongly backed her bid, Democrats have threatened to stall her nomination over the Bush-era programs. But under repeated questioning from Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee who were critical of that phase in her career, Haspel did not hesitate to remind them of the important role played by the intelligence community after the 9/11 attacks. After 9/11 I stepped up. I was not on the sidelines, I was on the frontlines in the Cold War and I was on the frontlines in the fight against Al Qaeda, she said in response to grilling from Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., a possible 2020 presidential candidate, also repeatedly pressed her to give a yes or no answer as to whether the prior interrogation program was immoral, and scolded her when she wouldn't: "You also, in this hearing, have a responsibility to answer the questions being asked of you." But Haspel pledged early on the hearing that under her leadership, post-9/11-era interrogation would not be resumed. I have views on this issue, and I want to be clear. Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership on my watch CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program, she said. Haspel, currently the deputy CIA director, was chief of a base at a black-site prison in Thailand in 2002, where controversial interrogation techniques were used on detainees -- including waterboarding. Senate Democrats have questioned her fitness to run the agency due to their objections to interrogation techniques. They have also complained that the CIA has failed to declassify enough information about her career, leaving the public in the dark about what sort of CIA director she may be. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has also said he will not vote for her confirmation. At the hearing, Haspel said she was confident she would not allow the CIA to engage in illegal or immoral activity, even if it came from a presidential order. My moral compass is strong, I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral even if it was technically legal -- I would absolutely not permit it. But some Democrats challenged her answers, particularly what Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., described as legalistic responses -- but Haspel refused to criticize actions by colleagues. Im not going to sit here with the benefit of hindsight and judge the very good people who made hard decisions who were running the agency in very extraordinary circumstances at the time, she said. It did little to stop the criticism, however. Where was that moral compass at the time? Heinrich asked. Haspel was also grilled about her role in the 2005 destruction of over 92 interrogation tapes. She testified that they were destroyed on the order of her supervisor at the time Jose Rodriguez and that she was not on the tapes, though she told senators she was an advocate for destroying the tapes to protect the identity of CIA agents. In her opening remarks, the Kentucky-born Haspel described herself as a "typical middle-class American -- one with a strong sense of right and wrong and one who loves this country." "I know CIA like the back of my hand. I know them, I know the threats we face, and I know what we need to be successful in our mission," she said. If confirmed, Haspel would be the first woman to lead the agency and said she had seen an "outpouring of support from young women at CIA who consider it a good sign for their own prospects." She also offered dramatic and rare insight into her career as a spy, including her recollections of 9/11 as well as shadowy meetings with foreign contacts. "I recall my first foreign agent meeting was on a dark, moonless night with an agent Id never met before," she said. "When I picked him up, he passed me the intelligence and I passed him extra money for the men he led. It was the beginning of an adventure I had only dreamed of." She also said she excelled in "finding and acquiring secret information that I obtained in brush passes, dead drops, or in meetings in dusty back allies of third world capitals." Despite Democratic objections, Haspel has won strong support from the intelligence community and bipartisan former officials including from the Obama administration. At the beginning of the hearing, Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., called her a natural fit for the role, and warned her opponents on the panel of turning the hearing into a "trial about a long-shuttered program." Those who have issued with programs or operations conducted years ago should address those concerns and questions to former presidents, former directors and former attorneys general, he said. During the hearing, a number of protesters interrupted Haspel's testimony and were removed from the committee room, yelling no more torture and say no to Gina. A number of Code Pink protesters remained in attendance throughout. The tough questioning, meanwhile, has spurred accusations that Haspel is being held to a different standard than past nominees. In his 2013 hearing, former CIA director John Brennan, who supports Haspel, was asked about the same interrogation program and said he did not take steps to stop the CIA's use of those techniques. Some outlets have accused Haspel of taking part in the waterboarding of Abu Zubaydah, an alleged Al Qaeda terrorist. News site ProPublica, originator of the allegations, has since retracted the article, saying Haspel arrived to the base after the interrogation of Zubaydah ended. But Leon Panetta, former CIA director and secretary of defense, said in a quote issued by the White House: Im glad its Gina because frankly she is someone who really knows the CIA inside out. She has also found significant support from Republicans, some of whom have made full-throated endorsements of her nomination. Haspels opponents have tried to use a small sliver of her career against her by arguing, essentially, that she was just too tough on Al Qaeda for this country to bear, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said in an op-ed for FoxNews.com. But Id argue that her willingness to serve in what was a highly stressful post only enhances the case for her confirmation. Fox News is told that the full committee likely wont vote on her confirmation until next week. Haspel was reportedly preparing for the tough hearing by practicing her answers at mock confirmation hearings with former intelligence officials. With the absence of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and the lack of support from Paul, it means that there is a maximum of 49 GOP votes for Haspel -- meaning that for her to be confirmed, some moderate Democrats would need to back her. A senior Senate Democratic source indicated that Haspel would win support of several Democrats, and that it was unclear if the Democratic leadership would whip against Haspel. Haspel's is the latest in a series of tough Trump-era confirmation fights. Pompeo was confirmed only after a contentious vote, while nominee for VA secretary, Dr. Ronnie Jackson, withdrew from consideration after allegations over his conduct as White House doctor. Fox News Jason Donner, Chad Pergram, Lukas Mikelionis and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Gina Haspel, President Trumps pick for CIA director, moved a big step closer to confirmation Wednesday as moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said he would support her -- just hours after she was grilled by the senator's colleagues on the Intelligence Committee. While GOP lawmakers and former intel chiefs have backed Haspel, she faced significant skepticism from Democrats unhappy at her role in the post-9/11-era interrogation and detention program. Haspel would not be drawn into criticizing her CIA colleagues, but she pledged early on in her confirmation hearing that under her leadership, those interrogation techniques would not be resumed. CIA PICK HASPEL DEFENDS 'MORAL COMPASS' AMID DEM ATTACKS, DETAILS SPY CREDENTIALS Her responses, which included her affirming her moral compass, appeared to have persuaded Manchin that she is a person of great character. She has earned the trust of her colleagues in the intelligence community and her intellect, steady temperament, vast knowledge of threats we face, and dedication to our country are undeniable, Manchin said in a statement. These attributes make her supremely qualified to serve as our next CIA Director. Manchin, who sits on the committee, represents West Virginia. The hearing came one day after his state held its primaries, setting the stage for what could be a tough reelection fight. Manchin is one of several moderate Democrats who could flip to back Haspel, even as most in the caucus withhold support. Democratic critics have also complained that the CIA has failed to declassify enough information about her career, leaving the public in the dark about what sort of CIA director she may be. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has also said he will not vote for her confirmation. Haspel, currently the deputy CIA director, was chief of a base at a black-site prison in Thailand in 2002, where controversial interrogation techniques were used on detainees -- including waterboarding. Her defenders on both sides of the aisle say she is supremely qualified for the CIA's top job, however. Pauls no vote, as well as Arizona Sen. John McCains absence, means that if all other Republicans vote yes, Haspel would still need one Democratic vote to secure confirmation. Manchin's endorsement puts her in solid position to be confirmed, if all other Republicans hold together in support. A senior Democratic source told Fox News that it was unclear if the Senate Democratic leadership would whip against Haspel, and that several Democrats may eventually vote for her. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, is one Democrat who may vote for her, as well as Angus King, I-Maine. Other Democrats in play are Sens. Doug Jones, D-Ala.; Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.; Bill Nelson, D-Fla.; Joe Donnelly, D-Ind.; and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, told Fox News that he expects Haspel to pick up the votes of a number of Democrats and be confirmed handily. Should she be confirmed, she would be the first woman to lead the agency. Haspel's is the latest in a series of somewhat grueling Trump-era confirmation fights. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who Haspel would succeed as CIA chief, was confirmed only after a contentious vote. Last month, nominee for VA secretary Dr. Ronnie Jackson withdrew from consideration after allegations over his conduct as White House doctor. Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report. Gina Haspel, President Trumps pick to run the CIA, is expected to field tough questions Wednesday during her confirmation hearing before the Senate intelligence committee, as many officials in her corner provide glowing endorsements of the woman who spent decades as a career undercover spy. Haspel, 61, is expected to say that if she is confirmed by the Senate, the spy agency will not restart a detention and harsh interrogation program like the one used to get terror subjects to talk after 9/11 which generated controversy worldwide. She will say: Our strategy starts with strengthening our core business: collecting intelligence to help policymakers protect our country and advance American interests around the globe. It includes raising our investment against the most difficult intelligence gaps, putting more officers in the foreign field where our adversaries are, and emphasizing foreign language excellence. And, finally, it involves investing in our partnerships both within the U.S. government and around the globe. In other excerpts, Haspel pledges to work closely with the Senate oversight committee. And, she says there has been an outpouring of support from young women at the CIA who hope she becomes the first woman to run the agency. Many former top intelligence officials also praise her 33-year tenure at the agency in foreign and domestic assignments. She has served in some really tough places, high-risk hardship posts, and has performed some extraordinary operations, former CIA official Henry Hank Crumpton, who was Haspels boss in the agencys National Resources Division, told The Washington Post. As The Hill reported, 36 former CIA chiefs, intelligence community leaders and lawmakers signed a letter of endorsement to the Senate Intelligence Committee, calling her a critical asset for our nation at this time in our history... when our intelligence community is under significant pressure at home and abroad. The letter reiterated that although Haspel was often called upon to make tough choices and to work on matters that some find deeply controversial ... she did so with dedication and commitment to the cause of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. Meantime, dozens of defenders from both parties have pulled out the stops to support her nomination process, as Fox News previously reported. The White House released talking points Tuesday night ahead of the confirmation hearing insisting that Haspel has served her nation honorably and acted legally, and that any objections were putting political interests ahead of national security and her tenure of defending Americans. Quoting her backers from the intelligence community, the White House called Haspel the best choice to safeguard the U.S. a woman of integrity with a high moral character, who is unfailingly honest and committed to the rule of law. Shes never lobbied for a job, one of her former CIA bosses said in The Post. The jobs searched for her. At the hearing Haspel is expected to face a grilling from senators who want details of her connections to the controversial enhanced interrogation program, which critics have called torture. Critics have argued that while U.S. military personnel had been punished for human rights abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and elsewhere, few intelligence professionals during previous administrations were reprimanded for their activities with the detention and interrogation program that had been approved by the White House and reviewed and approved by the Justice Department. Last month, the CIA released a memo showing Haspel was cleared of wrongdoing in the destruction of videotapes at a covert detention site in Thailand, after her boss dispatched the order in 2005. The memo, written in 2011, summarizes a disciplinary review conducted by then-CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell. He said that while Haspel was one of the two officers directly involved in the decision to destroy the tapes, he found no fault with what she did. As the hearing nears, Haspels critics have stepped up their opposition, arguing that anyone who willingly participated in one of the CIAs darkest chapters should not be at the helm of the spy agency. Theyve argued that having Haspel as the face of U.S. intelligence would undercut Americas effort to champion human rights. A confirmation of Haspel could be interpreted overseas as implicit approval of a harsh detention and interrogation program, Robert Ford, former U.S. ambassador to Syria and fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton refuted oppositional claims in a commentary in Fox News. Instead of demonstrating a troubling tendency to go rogue, Haspels tenure shows a fierce dedication to the CIAs mission and to keeping this country safe, the Arkansas senator wrote. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Longtime Hillary Clinton aide Philippe Reines was ripped on Twitter Wednesday after launching a bizarre attack on Donald Trump Jr. over his estranged wife's reported youthful romance with a member of the Latin Kings street gang. Reines tagged the president's eldest son in a tweet linking to a New York Post report about the relationship between the then-Vanessa Haydon and Valentin Rivera. "Vanessa being with a Latin King must've driven you insanely jealous," Reines wrote. "The machismo, the passion. Tough act to follow. Did you wonder if she fantasized about Valentin Rivera when intimate with you?" "She did," Reines concluded. "Every time." Trump Jr. did not respond to Reines' taunt on social media, but many other prominent Twitter users did. One of them was former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, who called it "vile." "There are certainly worse people in America than Philippe Reines," tweeted New York Post op-ed editor Seth Mandel. "Like, five or six, maybe." Left-wing writer Noah Berlatsky joined the criticism, calling Reines "horrible." Reines defended his jab at Trump Jr. in an email to The Daily Caller. "The Right whining a Tweet about a Trump is mean is comical," he wrote. "So as Sarah Slanders says, the Tweet speaks for itself. For Trumpflakes who spew vitriol but cant handle it: yes, I bet his wife who was cheated on while pregnant, just like her father-in-law fantasized about ex-boyfriends. Or anyone not named Don Jr." Vanessa Trump filed for divorce from Donald Trump Jr. in March. The couple had been married since 2005 and have five children. The head of Iran's parliamentary committee on national security said Wednesday that the country is preparing to continue spending on its ballistic missile program, a direct response to President Donald Trump's decision to pull the U.S. out of an Obama-era nuclear deal. "With America's decision, Iran's missile program will not change at all," Alaeddin Boroujerdi said. "With America's decision, Iran's missile program will not change at all." Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran's parliamentary committee on national security Iranian lawmakers in parliament on Wednesday set fire to a paper American flag after Trump's announcement that the U.S. was pulling out of the 2015 nuclear accord, which the president said was defective at its core. Ali Larijani, the parliament speaker, called Trumps move a diplomatic show. He said it is obvious that Trump only understands the language of force. The state-run IRNA news agency referred to Trump as the troublemaker. The hard-line daily Kayhan wrote: Trump tears apart the nuclear deal; It is time to set it afire! Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Trump's speech on Tuesday announcing his decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement"silly and superficial." "You heard last night that the president of America made some silly and superficial comments,'' Khamenei said, according to Reuters. "He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened the regime and the people, saying you're doing this and that. Mr. Trump I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake.'' Iranian President Hassan Rouhani sought to calm nerves inside his country, smiling as he appeared at a petroleum expo. He didn't name Trump directly, but emphasized that Iran continued to seek "engagement with the world." He called Trumps decision unacceptable and said Iran could restart enriching uranium without any limitations within weeks. Iran's economy and unemployment sparked nationwide protests in December and January that saw at least 25 people killed and, reportedly, nearly 5,000 arrested. "I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain," he said. Shortly after the Trump announcement, Syrian state media accused Israel of launching missiles at a target near Damascus, which put Israel on high alert, Reuters reported. Israel did not comment on the report. The Iran nuclear deal, signed under President Barack Obama, came with time limits and did not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its regional policies in Syria and elsewhere. Obama issued a rare public criticism, saying trump's withdrawal would leave the world less safe. Trump has repeatedly pointed to the accord's omissions in referring to the accord as the "worst deal ever." Proponents of the deal have said the time limits were meant to encourage more discussion with Iran in the future that could eventually address other concerns. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In the hyperpartisan media climate surrounding President Trump, I've detected a rare spot of agreement. It's certainly not in the way the president is being covered. In a new Axios/Survey Monkey poll, 87 percent of Republicans say the media are too critical of Trump, compared to 13 percent of Democrats. Forty percent of Demsbut just 4 percent of GOP respondentssay the media aren't critical enough. But if journalists are "obsessed" with the president, as Reince Priebus told me in a "Media Buzz" interview"Trump is money for the media," he saidthere is a fallout that affects both the right and the left. Kellyanne Conway and other White House officials have repeatedly told me in interviews that the media focus on Russia, Stormy, Twitter feuds and the like have drained attention from the serious issues facing the country. In this view, the news business gives short shrift to taxes, immigration, health care and other matters important to everyday Americans because its easier to get clicks for scandal and sensationalism. Leaving aside the question of whether Trump in part fuels these distractionswere we supposed to ignore Rudy Giuliani's media blitz?similar complaints are now being heard on the left. They make the parallel argument that their causes are being overshadowed by the "all Trump all the time" culture. Liberal New York Times columnist Nick Kristof says the media are "collectively addicted" to Trump and "locked in a symbiotic relationship" because "he is part of our business model in 2018," with the result that other issues dont get adequate attention ... "The nonstop scandals and outrages suck us in; they amount to Trump porn," he writes. And while the president is "enormously important ... there's so much else happening as well. Some 65,000 Americans will die this year of drug overdoses, American life expectancy has fallen for two years in a row, guns claim a life every 15 minutes and the number of uninsured is rising again even as a child in the U.S. is 70 percent more likely to die before adulthood than one in other advanced nations. Those issues are rather more important than the question of whether Stormy Daniels slept with Trump." Kristof, who also mentions suffering in Myanmar and Syria, makes this confession: "Progressive snobs like me bemoan Trump's inattention to these global issues, but the truth is that we don't pay attention, either. At cocktail parties, on cable television, at the dinner table, at the water cooler, all we talk about these days is Trump. So we complain about Trump being insular and parochial but we've become insular and parochial as well. We've caught the contagion that we mock." Good for Kristof for looking beyond his self-described snobbery and accepting some of the blame. Obviously, this presidentany presidentplays an important role in every foreign and domestic issue. But so much of today's coverage is driven by palace intrigue and soap-opera plots. So Kristof is agreeing with many conservatives and White House aides who say the level of reporting and commentary in the Trump era is pretty bad, and the fault lies not in our stars but in ourselves. This is a ruff pill to swallow. An Illinois county official reportedly told a local paper that if the state legalizes marijuana, it may lead to the euthanasia of K-9s trained at seeking out the drug. Chad Larner, who heads training at the K-9 Training Academy in Macon, reportedly made the comments to the Bloomington Pantagraph. Larner reportedly told the paper that retraining the dogs would likely lead to extreme abuse. The biggest thing for law enforcement is, you're going to have to replace all of your dogs, Macon County Sheriff Howard Buffett told the paper. So to me, its a giant step forward for drug dealers, and its a giant step backwards for law enforcement and the residents of the community." Buffett told the paper that law enforcement would likely have to replace all of its dogs. Illinois lawmakers are considering a proposal that would expand the use of medical marijuana to fight the states opioid crisis and make Illinois the 10th state to legalize the drug. The Senate bill would allow individuals who qualify for opioid prescriptions to apply for the states medical cannabis program, the Southern Illinoisan reported . The proposal would create a pilot program where patients can take a physician certification to a dispensary to receive medical marijuana. Dispensaries would have to verify the certification and be required to dispense medical cannabis in set amounts tied to the recommended duration of the opioid prescription. The bill overwhelmingly passed in the Senate. The Illinois House Rules Committee has now been asked to review the legislation. A recent poll showed that 66 percent of the states residents support the move. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A firm linked to a Russian oligarch made payments totaling more than $1 million to Michael Cohen, the personal attorney of President Donald Trump, according to a report out Tuesday. Cohen allegedly utilized shell company Essential Consultants LLC to pay money to adult-film star Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair with the president in 2006. The company, according to The New York Times, also was used for a series of business transactions and around $4.5 million ran through it from approximately November 2016 until January 2018. Of that money, payments totaling approximately $500,000 were made by investment firm Columbus Nova in 2017, The Times reported. One of that firms biggest clients is a company helmed by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Vekselberg reportedly was questioned at an airport this year by members of Special Counsel Robert Muellers team investigating alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential election. An attorney for the company said the money was for a consulting fee and was unconnected to Vekselberg, The Times reported. Andrey Shtorkh, a separate spokesman for Vekselberg, issued the following statement: Neither Victor Vekselberg nor Renova [Vekselberg's company] has ever had any contractual relationship with Mr. Cohen or Essential Consultants. As to [the] relationship between Columbus Nova and Mr. Cohen, you have to ask Mr. Andy Intrater, because Columbus Nova is a company owned and managed by him. Vekselberg, a billionaire businessman, reportedly attended Trump's inauguration last year. Details on the transactions appeared in documentation that Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Daniels, posted to Twitter on Tuesday. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, allegedly received $130,000 in a non-disclosure agreement from Essential Consultants to stay mum on her alleged affair with Trump. The president has denied the relationship and Daniels has sued to get out of the deal. "After significant investigation, we have discovered that Mr. Trumps atty Mr. Cohen received approximately $500,000 in the mos. after the election from a company controlled by a Russian Oligarc with close ties to Mr. Putin. These monies may have reimbursed the $130k payment," Avenatti tweeted. The FBI raided Cohens home, office and hotel room last month to seize a collection of documents -- a development that Trump slammed as a disgrace. He is being investigated for a series of allegations, including potential violations of election laws and bank fraud. According to reports of the raid, agents obtained documents related to several issues, including Cohen's payments to Clifford. "Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen have a lot of explaining to do," Avenatti wrote. A lawyer for Columbus Nova confirmed payments to Cohen, but denied that Vekselberg had anything to do with them. "Columbus Nova is a management company solely owned and controlled by Americans," the statement said. "After the inauguration, the firm hired Michael Cohen as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures. "Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false. The claim that Viktor Vekselberg was involved or provided any funding for Columbus Novas engagement of Michael Cohen is patently untrue. Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else other than Columbus Novas owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement." Meanwhile, Reuters reported Wednesday that South Korea's Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) claims it paid $150,000 for consulting services on accounting matters to a firm set up by Cohen. The arrangement came as the company was competing to sell trainer jets to the U.S. Air Force in an auction potnetially worth up to $16 billion, the report said. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy have been invited to the Justice Department Thursday for a classified briefing about Nunes' latest requests for classified information related to the Russia investigation, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Fox News has learned this is a direct result of a meeting at the White House on Tuesday between Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, his deputy Ed O'Callahan and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Rosenstein had been on official travel in New York but raced back to Washington for the meeting. A source familiar with the situation tells Fox News that after the meeting the three held a speakerphone call with Nunes and Gowdy and told the lawmakers the DOJ would work with them in an effort to get them the information they have been seeking. The Californian Republicans committee has been looking into allegations that the Justice Department and the FBI abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in their scrutiny of the Trump campaign. But is not clear exactly what information Nunes is seeking. Things have been tense in recent weeks between Nunes and the Justice Department, with Nunes at one point threatening to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt. "On Thursday we discovered that they are not going to comply with our subpoena," Nunes said on "Fox and Friends" last weekend, adding, "The only thing left to do is we have to move quickly to hold the attorney general of the United States in contempt and that is what I will press for this week." The Justice Department, though, has previously told Nunes in a letter that it "is not in a position to provide information responsive to your request regarding a specific individual." "The Department and its intelligence community partners would welcome the opportunity to discuss whether there are other ways to accommodate the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence's oversight inquiry," Assistant Attorney General Stephen E. Boyd wrote in a recent letter to Nunes. Fox News Alex Pappas and Christopher Carbone contributed to this report. Mike Pompeo is expected to secure the release of the three American detainees held in the country, a South Korean official said, according to Reuters. U.S. officials said the move would be significant goodwill gesture ahead of the President Trump-Kim Jong Un summit expected later this month or in early June. Pompeo, who arrived in North Korea on Tuesday, said it would be difficult to hold a leaders summit between Trump and Kim if the prisoners remained captive. The three U.S. detainees still being held are Korean-Americans Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song, and Tony Kim, who also uses the name Kim Sang Duk. Dong Chul, a former Virginia resident, has been held the longest, sentenced in April to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), which was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. He was detained last May for alleged anti-state activities and accused of hostile acts, Fox News reported. Sang Duk taught accounting also at PUST and was detained a year ago at the Pyongyang Airport. He was accused of committing unspecified hostile criminal acts intended to overthrow the North Korean government. The only American released by North Korea during Trumps presidency has been the late Otto Warmbier, 22, who returned to the U.S. in a coma last summer after 17 months of captivity, Reuters reported. Warmbier died days after his return in June 2017, which escalated U.S.-North Korea tensions, the report said. On Tuesday, Kim met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China, the second trip to China in less than two months. Trump and Xi discussed Kims visit to China in a phone call Tuesday morning, the White House said, according to Reuters. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Donald Trumps announcement Tuesday that the United States would withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement marks just the latest development in the president's ongoing effort to undo predecessor Barack Obama's legacy -- including trying to dismantle Obamacare while making drastic changes to U.S. immigration and military policies. In his address to the nation announcing the pullout, Trump said the Iran deal had been so poorly negotiated that even if Iran fully complies, the regime can still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time. Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has repealed or rescinded dozens of regulations, executive orders and international agreements implemented by the Obama administration over the eight years of his presidency. That effort began three days after Trump was inaugurated, when he signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. The president had argued on the campaign trail that the agreement, known by the acronym TPP, was hurting American workers and the economys manufacturing sector. We're going to have trades, but we're going to have one-on-one, Trump vowed at the time. If somebody misbehaves, we will send a letter and they'll have 30 days to work it out. The next day, Trump directed agencies to approve the Dakota Access and Keystone XL oil pipeline projects. Construction on the pipelines had been stalled by the Obama administration under pressure from environmental groups. In April 2017, Trump ordered his interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, to review all national monuments designated since 1996 that cover more than 100,000 acres, after accusing his White House predecessors of a massive federal land grab. Zinke ultimately recommended scaling back four national monuments in the West including Bears Ears in Utah, comprising 1.3 million acres designated for protection by Obama. Republicans in Utah had asked Trump to reverse the decision, claiming Obamas designation would stymie growth by closing the area to new commercial and energy development. The Antiquities Act [of 1906] does not give the federal government unlimited power to lock up millions of acres of land and water, and its time that we ended this abusive practice, Trump said in April. The Iran nuclear deal isn't even the only multinational agreement from which Trump has withdrawn the United States. In June 2017, he announced that the U.S. would pull out of the Paris climate accord, to which Obama had committed the United States via executive order. Then, in September, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos rescinded Obama-era guidance for how colleges should deal with campus sexual assault investigations. Conservatives and libertarians had complained that the guidelines denied due-process rights to the accused. Trumps efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act, have so far been unsuccessful. But the president used his executive authority to strip away key parts of the 2010 legislation, a signature law of the Obama administration. In October 2017, the Trump White House announced that it would roll back a mandate requiring employers to provide health insurance that included certain contraceptives, such as birth control, Plan B, intrauterine devices and sterilization procedures. The move granted further protections to nonprofit groups, higher-ed institutions and private companies that objected to the mandate. That same month, Trump announced that the administration would end certain payments to health insurers that partially subsidized copays and deductibles for low-income Americans who purchased health insurance through the federal marketplace. But the biggest change to Obamacare came just before Christmas, when the Republican tax reform legislation waived the penalty levied against Americans who didn't buy health insurance, eliminating the individual mandate. Not all of Trumps moves to dismantle the Obama legacy have gone unchallenged. In July, the president surprisingly announced that he planned to reverse the previous administrations decision to allow transgender people to serve in the military. In February, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis recommended that transgender people be allowed to serve, provided that they could deploy overseas. The following month, Trump formally authorized the Pentagon to ban transgender people from military service with limited exceptions. However, the ban is being challenged in court by transgender rights organizations. Perhaps the biggest fight for the Trump administration has involved the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, implemented by Obama in 2012. DACA provided a reprieve from deportation for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants brought to this country illegally as children, but Republicans claimed the programs creation was an unconstitutional circumventing of Congress. In September, Trump announced that he was ending the program, and he challenged Congress to come up with a replacement which has not yet occurred. Complicating matters, three federal judges have ruled against the administrations attempt to wrap up the program. Last month, a federal judge in Los Angeles gave the Department of Homeland Security 90 days to explain the rationale behind Trumps announcement, saying that the department had "failed adequately to explain its conclusion that the program was unlawful. Over its first 100 days, the Trump administration also made extensive use of the little-known Congressional Review Act to wipe out a wave of last-minute rules enacted by the Obama administration. Those overturned rules, among other things: required oil and gas companies to report payments made to foreign governments; put limits on the number of unemployment applicants states could subject to drug testing; and prohibited states from withholding federal family planning dollars from clinics that provide abortion services. Rachel Crooks, who accused President Trump of sexually harassing her more than a decade ago, won the Democratic primary in an Ohio state legislature race. Crooks, a 35-year-old university administrator, won the uncontested primary Tuesday and will face incumbent Republican state Rep. Bill Reineke in the state House race in November. During the 2016 election, Crooks claimed Trump forcibly kissed her directly on the mouth against her will back in 2005. At the time, she was working as a receptionist at Trump Tower. After The Washington Post ran her story on its front page, Trump denied the allegations on Twitter. A woman I dont know and, to the best of my knowledge, never met, is on the FRONT PAGE of the Fake News Washington Post saying I kissed her (for two minutes yet) in the lobby of Trump Tower 12 years ago, Trump said in the February 2018 tweets. Never happened! Who would do this in a public space with live security cameras running. Another False Accusation. TRUMP DENIES FORCIBLY KISSING WOMAN IN TRUMP TOWER During her campaign for the state House seat, Crooks hasn't shied away from the allegations. She spoke about the alleged encounter in an ad featured on her campaign website, saying the experience shaped her future for years to come. Mine was a story all too common for women so I had a choice to make, Crooks said in a video. I could either keep quiet or speak up. I spoke up. I said, 'Me Too.' She called Trumps presidency demoralizing for a moment. Then the people got to work. The women got to work, Crooks said as the video panned to the Womens March. Ohios 88th congressional district is in northwest Ohio, just outside of Toledo. While the district went blue for former President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, voters in the district changed course and picked Trump in 2016, according to Politico. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A group of seven pro-DACA House Republicans on Wednesday started a process to go over the head of the House Republican leadership and force debates and votes later this year on a series of bills related to immigration and the Obama-era program affecting young illegal immigrants. The Republican brass, and many rank-and-file GOPers, are reluctant to descend into a debate about immigration just before the midterm elections in November. But this process could very well trigger that. Reps. Carlos Curbelo, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida; Jeff Denham and David Valadao of California; Will Hurd of Texas; and Mia Love of Utah initiated a discharge petition on the floor on Wednesday. If 218 members sign the petition, the House will be forced to consider a set of four immigration bills on the floor. Its likely that most, if not all, 193 House Democrats will sign on, meaning just 25 Republicans are needed to initiate this rare maneuver. The gambit would compel the House to consider a conservative immigration plan drafted by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte; the Democrats DREAM Act, backed by California Democratic Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard; a plan from the House Republican leadership; and a bill by California Democratic Rep. Pete Aguilar and Hurd that grants legal status to many recipients of DACA. DACA is short for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program that provides a level of amnesty to young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Under the discharge petition, the House would debate and vote on each proposal. The one securing the most votes would be designated queen of the hill. The House would later take an additional vote on the queen bill. If the House approves the measure a second time, it will truly emerge as king of the hill, thus earning passage by the House. That said, just because a measure succeeds at the queen level doesnt mean it will win at the king one, too. In other words, passage of anything is far from guaranteed under this process. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has resisted this process and had an animated conversation on the floor earlier this week with Curbelo. I dont think thats the right way to go, Ryan said when asked about the strategy a few weeks ago. I dont want to bring up legislation that wont get signed into law. I dont think it makes any sense to bring a bill through a process that would produce a bill that will get a presidential veto. I just dont think thats in anyones interest. Discharge petitions aren't typically successful in the House. A bipartisan group of lawmakers circumvented the leadership in October 2015 to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Before that, the last successful discharge petition involved a campaign finance law in 2001. The president could veto something that emerges from the queen of the hill approach. Theres also no guarantee that the Senate would consider any bill. The problem for some Republicans is that Denhams approach puts them on the record as voting for or against a nettlesome issue like immigration and DACA policy months before the midterm. Theres also another problem with discharge petitions. The House will only consider discharge petitions on the second and fourth Mondays of every month. Days that could work include June 25, July 23 and maybe Dec. 10. Its unclear if any of those dates would be politically advantageous to the push, though some might make the case that there's a clear benefit in the date that falls after the elections. But its also close to the end of Congress' business for the year. Such a plan would have to get through the Senate, too, and so it could run out of time. A Russian company accused of being a troll farm pleaded not guilty in federal court on Wednesday after being indicted earlier this year in Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe into 2016 election interference. Defense Attorney Eric Dubelier was in court to represent Concord Management and Consulting, one of three companies indicted by Mueller in February. Dubelier entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States of America. The government has indicted the proverbial Ham sandwich, Dubelier told Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey. A federal grand jury in February indicted 13 Russians and three Russian companies for allegedly interfering in the election, in a case brought by Mueller that detailed a sophisticated plot to wage information warfare against the U.S. On Wednesday, there were no lawyers in court for the other two companies, nor were any of the Russian individuals present. During Wednesdays hearing, Dubelier complained that the special counsel has access to all of our confidential files, calling that development disturbing. 13 RUSSIAN NATIONALS INDICTED FOR INTERFERING IN US ELECTIONS A status hearing in the case was set for May 16. The Russian nationals indicted in the probe are accused of setting a strategic goal to sow discord in the U.S. political system." The indictment was the first filed against Russian nationals as part of Muellers probe. The other two entities charged in the indictment are Internet Research Agency LLC and Concord Catering. The indictment says Internet Research Agency registered with the Russian government as a corporate entity in 2013. It employed hundreds of individuals for its online operations and had an annual budget equaling millions of U.S. dollars, the filing said. Prosecutors accuse the Russians of communicating with a real U.S. person affiliated with a Texas-based grassroots organization. They learned from that person to focus their activities on purple states like Colorado, Virginia and Florida," the indictment says. It also says the groups employees referred to as specialists created social media accounts to look like they were operated by Americans. They created group pages on Facebook and Instagram with names like Secured Borders, Blacktivist (to promote the Black Lives Matter movement), United Muslims of America, Army of Jesus, South United and Heart of Texas. The U.S. Justice Department sued California over its alleged interference with federal immigration policies and its gotten some support from the states own municipalities. Multiple local city or county councils have voted to join the Trump administrations lawsuit or fight the state's policies in some way. Californias so-called sanctuary laws limit police cooperation with federal immigration authorities a move passed by the nations largest state to resist increased efforts to deport people living in the country illegally and to stop President Trumps plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The sanctuary policy, pushed by Gov. Jerry Brown and the states Democratic-controlled legislature, has received some backlash at the local level. Read on for a look at some of the cities and counties that have joined the Trump administrations efforts to deem Californias law unconstitutional. Los Alamitos The Los Alamitos City Council voted 4-1 in March to opt out of Californias sanctuary law. It voted again in April to opt out as the city's law requires the council to have a second reading of the measure before approving it. The adopted ordinance said state laws may be in direct conflict with federal laws and the Constitution. It said it finds that it is impossible to honor our oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States if it did not opt out of the policy. Mayor Troy Edgar, a Republican, told Fox News the policy is a huge overreach. Los Alamitos is able to opt out of the law because it is a charter city. Hesperia With a 3-1 vote, the Hesperia city council voted in March to join an amicus brief with the Trump administrations lawsuit against California, the Desert Dispatch reported. We are not anti-immigrant there is no one on this Council thats anti-immigrant, Councilman Paul Russ said, according to the newspaper. But for immigrants, wed like to see it done legally. I can also say without a doubt that we are anti-criminal. Its not about the immigrants, its about the criminals in the community. Orange County With a unanimous vote of 3-0, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted in March to join the Justice Departments lawsuit against California. This legislation prevents law enforcement from removing criminals from our community and is a threat to public safety, Supervisor Shawn Nelson said. The county previously made efforts to further comply with federal immigration authorities by publishing the release dates of inmates online. Mission Viejo In March, the Mission Viejo City Council voted to support the Los Alamitos City Councils decision to opt out of the states sanctuary policies and join an amicus brief in support of the federal governments lawsuit against the state. Of the sanctuary laws, the city council said it believes this legislation is a threat to both local control of businesses in the state and the individual liberty and public safety because it prevents law enforcement from performing their duties as necessitated by local circumstances. Huntington Beach Huntington Beach City Council voted 6-1 in April to file its own lawsuit against the state of California over its sanctuary laws, calling the policies a constitutional overreach. Mayor Mike Posey said his could become the first city to sue the state itself. Escondido After a heated meeting, the Escondido City Council voted 4-1 in April to support the Justice Departments lawsuit with a legal brief. This is the right thing to do. I was elected mayor to keep the Constitution, uphold the Constitution and keep our community safe," Escondido mayor Sam Abed told Fox News. I am committed to do that and that is what the council did today. The county Board of Supervisors will vote on a similar brief later in April, according to KSWB-TV. Fountain Valley After an assist from U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., the Fountain Valley City Council voted 3-1, with one abstention, to file an amicus brief in support of the Trump administrations challenge to Californias law, the Orange County Register reported. The council voted to support a legal brief after Rohrabacher offered to raise or provide the funds to do so. Aliso Viejo The Aliso Viejo City Council voted 4-1 on April 4 to join a lawsuit against the state of California over its sanctuary laws, KCBS-TV reported. We had a robust discussion and Im proud of my colleagues for their stamina and attention through 6.5 hours of testimony, Aliso Viejo Mayor Dave Harrington said in a statement. We did the right thing. Orange After a heated meeting, the Orange City Council voted in April not to comply with the states sanctuary laws, KCBS-TV reported. Newport Beach In a unanimous vote, the Newport Beach City Council decided to join the Trump administrations lawsuit. The vote, held in a closed session, allows the city to support the lawsuit, including, but not limited to an amicus brief, said Deputy City Manager Tara Finnigan, KCBS-TV reported. Councilman Scott Peotter told Fox News the vote wasnt about immigration but illegal alien criminals. Westminster In April, the Westminster City Council voted 3-1 to join the Trump administrations lawsuit against the state, KABC-TV reported. San Juan Capistrano The San Juan Capistrano City Council voted 4-1 to condemn California's sanctuary laws, the Orange County Register reported. Mayor Sergio Farias, who voted against it, said that he is the "mayor of everyone who calls San Juan Capistrano home, regardless of their legal status." San Diego County The all-Republican San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted in April to support the Trump administration's lawsuit against California, 3-1. The county is expected to file an amicus brief soon. It is the biggest county thus far to back the lawsuit. Santa Clarita After debating until 1 a.m., the Santa Clarita City Council voted in May to join the Trump administration's legal fight against the state's sanctuary policies. All five of the city council members voted to create a brief in support of the federal government, KHTS radio station reported. Carlsbad In a 4-1 vote, Carlsbad's City Council voted in May to support the Trump administration's lawsuit. Our laws are becoming more difficult to enforce, said Mayor Matt Hall. It takes many agencies working together to keep us safe. Fox News Paulina Dedaj, Lukas Mikelionis and The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are in Singapore where they will meet one-on-one for a historic summit Tuesday. After some back-and-forth on whether the meeting would actually happen, the two leaders arrived in Singapore on Sunday. They are scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. local time (9 p.m. ET Monday) with only translators present, according to the White House. The meeting will later expand to include other officials, such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, chief of staff John Kelly and national security adviser John Bolton. SEE KIM JONG UN'S BIZARRE NORTH KOREA PROPAGANDA PHOTOS The summit will be the first-ever meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader. Its important because of the potential opening it has; there is potential diplomatic progress, former Vice Adm. Robert B. Murrett, a professor of practice, public administration and international affairs at Syracuse University, told Fox News. This is something we havent been able to do for many years, said Murrett, who also serves as deputy director of the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism at the college, specializes in national security, international relations, military and defense strategy. Why is this meeting significant? Aside from the potential diplomatic benefits between the U.S. and North Korea, the summit could benefit other countries. It not just about the United States, he said, explaining that the meeting could have also been a win for our partners in the east, such as South Korea and Japan, but also areas in the South Pacific region such as Australia. He added, "These talks have the ability to reduce security tensions in East Asia and present an opportunity for the U.S. to reinforce the strong links with South Korea, Japan and even China." TRUMP CANCELING NORTH KOREA SUMMIT DECRIED BY SOME LAWMAKERS, PRAISED AS 'RIGHT CALL' BY OTHERS What topics are Kim and Trump expected to discuss? Denuclearization will be at the fore, Murrett said. North Koreas nuclear weapons and ability to deliver them at long distances should be central, said Murrett, who added that recent talks between North and South Korea would suggest that it would remain a core issue. But Murrett also expected discussion of the Hermit Kingdom's role in the global economy. Despite various sanctions placed on the country, North Koreas economy grew by 3.9 percent in 2016. But Murrett said diplomatic talks represent the prospect of North Korea rejoining the family of the Asians if only from an economic standpoint, potentially opening the door for the country to trade with more than just China. It would be in the interest of the people of North Korea, Murrett added. Does Trump deserve credit for the summit? In short: Yes, in part. While Trump deserves credit for agreeing to meet with Kim, his decision to do so was likely sparked by the window of opportunity that has existed because of ongoing pressure on North Korea to better its relations with surrounding countries and beyond, Murrett said. South Korean President Moon Jae-in also deserves a fair amount of credit, he said, citing the recent summit between the two Koreas and the display of unity at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang as one of several steps toward unification in some fashion or another. Trump is one of many important players, said Murrett, noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were also key players. Abe met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in April, where the two affirmed their strong determination to strengthen our shared resolve on North Korea, and increase the capability of the U.S.-Japan Alliance to confront all emerging threats to peace, stability, and an international order based on the rule of law, the White House said at the time. And President Xi and Kim secretly met in May in China, Chinese state television announced after the North Korean leader had already left the country. "[The leaders] had an all-around and in-depth exchange of views on China-[North Korea] relations and major issues of common concern," the Chinese news agency reported, while Kim was quoted saying that he hopes to build mutual trust with the U.S. through dialogue. Fox News' Serafin Gomez, Kathleen Joyce, Katherine Lam, Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Zoe Szathmary, Elizabeth Zwirz and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The historic summit planned between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to take place in Singapore in early June, Fox News has learned. That summit would be the first-ever meeting between a U.S. president and a North Korean leader. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea to finalize details of the meeting and secure the release of three detained American citizens. President Trump is expected to meet those citizens when Pompeos plane lands early Thursday morning. Pompeo flew out of Washington under cover of darkness late Monday aboard an Air Force 757 accompanied by a handful of senior aides, a security detail and two journalists: one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, who were given roughly four hours' notice of his departure. The flight arrived Wednesday morning, and North Korean officials were on hand to greet the American diplomat. AMERICAN PRISONERS HELD IN NORTH KOREA ON THEIR WAY HOME AFTER POMPEO VISIT, TRUMP SAYS A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago, when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and a string of ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy has built this year; North and South Korea have moved to ease tensions, including with their own leaders holding a summit late last month. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss "denuclearization." According to South Korea, Kim says he's willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. On Monday, China's official news agency, Xinhua, quoted Kim as saying, "I hope to build mutual trust with the U.S. through dialogue." He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But his exact demands for relinquishing the weapons his nation has spent decades building remain unclear. Previous U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the North's nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Fox News Madeline Farber and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Throughout the first year of his presidency and even as he campaigned for the office President Trumps rhetoric regarding North Korea has been harsh. He warned earlier this year that Americas nuclear capabilities were much bigger [and] more powerful than that of the Asian nation. And at the end of 2017, Trump designated North Korea a state sponsor of terror again a classification that came with additional sanctions. On the heels of a planned, historic summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trumps tone softened, saying great progress has been made. But Trump ultimately cancelled that meeting, citing "open hostility" from North Korea. From agreeing to meet with Kim to dubbing him Little Rocket Man, heres a look at what Trump has said about North Korea and its leader over time. Back together again After meeting with a North Korean official in the White House for more than an hour, Trump announced the June summit with North Korea is back on. We'll be meeting on June 12 in Singapore," the president told reporters after the meeting. Let's call the whole thing off Trump announced on May 24 that he has decided to pull out of the June summit with North Korea. "We were informed that the meeting was requested by North Korea, but that to us is totally irrelevant," Trump said in a letter to Kim. "I was very much looking forward to being there with you. Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting." "You talk about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used," Trump said. "I felt a wonderful dialogue was building up between you and me, and ultimately, it is only that dialogue that matters. Some day, I look very much forward to meeting you," he added. "In the meantime, I want to thank you for the release of the hostages who are now home with their families. That was a beautiful gesture and was very much appreciated." Deal or no deal? After speaking with the South Korean president amid threats from the rogue regime to cancel talks, Trump suggested the historic summit between him and Kim might not happen after all. If it doesnt happen, maybe it will happen later. You never know about deals. Ive made a lot of deals, Trump said on May 22. You never really know. It may not work out for June 12. Trump said he wants the Korean peninsula to be denuclearized in an all in one manner. I can guarantee Kims safety. He will be safe. He will be happy, Trump said. His country will be rich. Trump also said hes noticed a change in Kims attitude recently. I cant say that Im happy about it, he added. Save the date Trump officially announced that he would meet with Kim in Singapore on June 12. We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace! Trump said in a tweet. The announcement came hours after Trump and the first lady welcomed the three Americans freed from detention in North Korea at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland early on May 10. After Trump met with the three men, he publicly thanked Kim for releasing the prisoners. Were starting off on a new footing, Trump said. Positive gesture of goodwill In announcing that a date and place has been set for his much-anticipated meeting with Kim, Trump also confirmed three American prisoners have been released. The three Americans Kim Dong Chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song are returning to the U.S. with newly-confirmed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump said in a tweet. The president confirmed the three men are also in good health. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORIC SUMMIT BETWEEN TRUMP, KIM JONG UN White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump appreciates Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill. Another American detainee, Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017 after he was released back to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Good relationship formed Trump has confirmed that CIA Director Mike Pompeo his pick to lead the State Department secretly met with Kim in April and a good relationship was formed. He said the meeting went very smoothly. The president also disclosed that the U.S. and North Korea have held direct talks at extremely high levels in preparation for the summit. Kim will do what is right After Kims first reported visit to China, Trump said there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility, Trump said in a March tweet, adding that he is looking forward to his upcoming meeting with the North Korean leader. He also gave North Korea the benefit of the doubt earlier that month, saying he believes the country will abide by its pledge to suspend missile tests. When Trump delivered a speech in Pennsylvania, the crowd booed the mention of Kim, but the president stopped them. No, it's very positive ... no, after the meeting you may do that, but now we have to be very nice because let's see what happens, let's see what happens, Trump said. Invitation accepted Trump accepted an invitation from Kim to meet, the White House said. While a time and place has yet to be determined, the two leaders are expected to meet by June. The invitation to convene was extended by Kim. Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached, Trump said on social media. Meeting being planned! The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined, he later said. Possible progress As North Korea is reportedly willing to negotiate its nuclear weapons, Trump cautiously acknowledged possible progress. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned, Trump said on Twitter. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction! At a later White House news conference, Trump said he believed North Korea, which has a long history of deception and threats to target U.S. cities with nuclear missiles, is sincere. We have come certainly a long way, at least rhetorically, with North Korea, Trump said. Of the possibility for peacefully resolving the nations deep differences, he said: Itd be a great thing for the world, would be great for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula. But well see what happens, Trump said. Spirit of the Olympics At the conclusion of the 2018 Winter Olympics, North Korea sent the U.S. a message through South Korea, saying it has ample intentions of holding talks with America. During a meeting with the nations governors at the White House in February, Trump said those talks will only occur under the right conditions. The administrations position has been that North Korea must get rid of its nuclear and missile programs first before any talks can take place. Relationship status: Its complicated In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump reportedly said he probably has a very good relationship with North Korea. Trump also suggested that he is open to diplomacy with the country hes spent years criticizing, the newspaper reported. I have relationships with people. I think you people are surprised, Trump said. The Wall Street Journal released the audio and transcript of the interview after Trump denied making the comments. 'Success for the world' Trump told South Korea that he would be open to talks with its northern neighbor under the right circumstances, the White House said. Trump also took credit for the talks between North and South Korea ahead of next months Winter Olympics. At a January Cabinet meeting, Trump said it was his administrations pressure on North Korea that caused the rogue nation to negotiate with the South. "Without our attitude that would have never happened," Trump said of the inter-Korean dialogue. "Who knows where it leads. Hopefully it will lead to success for the world not just for our country but for the world, and we'll be seeing over the next number of weeks and months what happens." Whose button is bigger? After Kim warned Trump about North Koreas nuclear capabilities, Trump hit back on social media, arguing that his Nuclear Button is bigger [and] more powerful. North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times,' the president tweeted. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works! Kim previously warned the U.S. should know that the button for nuclear war is on my table. The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range, he said. The United States can never start a war against me and our country. Good news or bad news? Trump insinuated at the start of the new year that sanctions and additional pressures are having a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea, Trump said. Kim now wants to talk to South Korea for the first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not we will see! In his tweet, Trump was seemingly referring to the recent, dramatic escape of at least two North Korean soldiers across the heavily militarized border into the southern country He also alluded to Kims recent comments indicating he would send a delegation to the Winter Olympics to be hosted in South Korea. Trump also took credit for the talks between North and South Korean leaders. With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North, Trump said in a Jan. 4 tweet. Fools, but talks are a good thing! 'Sick puppy' While giving a speech on tax reform at a Missouri event in November, 2017, Trump digressed from the topic to call the North Korean leader a "sick puppy." His comments drew hoots from the crowd. State sponsor of terror Trump re-designated North Korea a state sponsor of terror on Nov. 20, 2017, citing its support of international terrorism, including assassinations on foreign soil. During a Cabinet meeting, Trump announced the designation came along with new sanctions on the murderous regime as part of the administrations maximum pressure campaign in dealing with North Korea. He said these sanctions will be the highest level of sanctions on the North. North Korea was on the list but was taken off by the Bush administration in 2008. Why can't we be friends? In a series of tweets while in Vietnam, Trump said he doesn't know why the North Korean dictator would "insult" him. Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me old, when I would NEVER call him short and fat? Trump said. Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen! The comment came after Kim referred to Trump's speech in South Korea as reckless remarks by an old lunatic. 'Dont try us' In Asia, Trump issued a stern warning to North Korea, saying it would be a fatal miscalculation for the country to attack the U.S. or an ally. This is a very different administration than the United States has had in the past. Do not underestimate us. And do not try us, Trump said during an address at South Koreas National Assembly. North Korea has interpreted Americas past restraint as weakness, Trump said. 'Lets make a deal' While on his Asia trip, Trump implored North Korea to come to the table for talks on its nuclear weapons program. Trumps request for North Korea to make a deal was in stark contrast to his previous hardline rhetoric when it comes to the rogue nation. "It makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea and for the world," Trump said during a news conference alongside South Korean president Moon Jae-in in November 2017. Trump also said hes seen a lot of progress in dealing with North Korea but still called the country a worldwide threat. In a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo the day before, Trump repeated his assertion that the era of strategic patience with North Korea was finished. Some people say my rhetoric is very strong but look what has happened with very weak rhetoric in the last 25 years, Trump said then. 'Rocket Man' is on a 'suicide mission' After dubbing him Rocket Man in a tweet, Trump eventually tried out the new nickname for Kim during his inaugural address to the U.N. General Assembly. During his speech, Trump vowed to totally destroy North Korea if the country so provokes him. He also said Kim was on a suicide mission. No more talking After North Korea said it successfully launched a missile over Japan, a U.S. ally, and into the Pacific Ocean, Trump initially had a subdued response. "Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said in a written statement after North Koreas missile soared almost 1,700 miles into the Pacific Ocean, triggering alert warnings in northern Japan and shudders throughout Northeast Asia. "All options are on the table." The missile launch was said to be a precursor to North Koreas containment of the U.S. territory of Guam by Kim, according to state-run media. But in a tweet, the president suggested the U.S. is finished talking to North Korea. The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer, Trump tweeted. The U.S. is 'locked and loaded' Trump took to social media in August 2017 to proclaim that the U.S. military is locked and loaded in case North Korea act[s] unwisely. 'Fire [and] fury' isn't 'tough enough' With the threat of nuclear violence growing, Trump warned North Korea on Aug. 8, 2017 that he would unleash fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before. But when tensions continued to rise and North Korea threatened to attack Guam, Trump said maybe that comment wasnt "tough enough." "Lets see what [Kim] does with Guam. He does something in Guam, it will be an event the likes of which nobody has seen before what will happen in North Korea," Trump said. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Trump was "sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un can understand, because he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language." Kim Jong Un is 'not getting away with it' Trump said Kim has disrespected our country greatly. He has said things that are horrific. And with me, hes not getting away with it, Trump said. He got away with it for a long time, between him and his family. Hes not getting away with it. Its a whole new ball game. 'Strategic patience is over' After meeting with the South Korean president in Washington, D.C., in June 2017, Trump said that the era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed. Frankly, that patience is over, he said. As Trump made these comments, the U.S. was rocked with the death of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old American college student who suffered extensive brain damage while being held captive in North Korea for more than a year. There are 'worse things' than assassinating Kim Jong Un In an interview with CBS News during the presidential campaign, Trump said he could get China to make [Kim Jong Un] disappear in one form or another very quickly. When asked if he was talking about assassinating the North Korean dictator, Trump shrugged. Well, you know, Ive heard of worse things, frankly. I mean, this guys a bad dude and dont underestimate him, Trump said. Any young guy that can take over from his father with all those generals and everybody else that probably wants the position, this is not somebody to be underestimated. 'What the hell is wrong with speaking?' Trump told supporters at a campaign rally in Atlanta that should Kim want to come to the U.S., he would be accept[ed]. I wouldnt go there, that I can tell you. If he came here, Id accept him, but I wouldnt give him a state dinner like we do for China and all these other people that rip us off when we give them these big state dinners, Trump said in June 2016. What the hell is wrong with speaking? Trump said, referencing the criticism he received for being willing to talk with North Korea. Its called opening a dialogue. 'Maniac' During a GOP presidential debate in September 2015, Trump railed on the maniac in North Korea while answering a question about Planned Parenthood and womens health issues. Nobody ever mentions North Korea, where you have this maniac sitting there, and he actually has nuclear weapons and somebody better start thinking about North Korea and perhaps a couple of other places. But certainly North Korea, Trump said. You have somebody right now in North Korea who has got nuclear weapons and who is saying almost every other week, Im ready to use them, and we dont even mention it, he continued. China needs to solve the problem Even before he was president, Trump urged China to step in and help alleviate problems with North Korea. North Korea is reliant on China. China could solve this problem easily if they wanted to but they have no respect for our leaders, Trump tweeted in March 2013. In April 2013, Trump continued that line of thinking, adding that North Korea cant survive, or even eat, without the help of China. He then accused China of taunting the U.S. As president, Trump has said he is very disappointed in actions China has taken regarding North Korea, particularly allowing oil to go into the nation. He also said a Chinese envoy to North Korea had no impact on Kim. Additionally, Trump has said hes spoken to Chinas President Xi Jinping regarding the provocative actions of North Korea as well as the planned meeting between Trump and Kim. President Xi told me he appreciates that the U.S. is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative, Trump said in March 2018. China continues to be helpful! 'Wack job' In April 2013, Trump urged then-President Barack Obama to be very careful with the 28-year-old wack job in North Korea. At some point we may have to get very tough, he tweeted. 'Negotiate like crazy' Trump warned that the U.S. needed to do something to stop North Korea in 1999 during an interview with the late Tim Russert on Meet the Press. "Do you want to do it in five years when they have warheads all over the place, every one of them pointing to New York City, to Washington and every one of us, is that when you want to do it, or do you want to do something now? Trump said. You'd better do it now. And if they think you're serious they'll negotiate and it'll never come to that. He said then that if he ever became president, the first step he would take would be to negotiate like crazy to make sure that the country would get the best deal possible. Trump also predicted then that in three or four years, North Korea would have weapons aimed all over the world, including at the U.S. Fox News' Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trump touted the latest batch of GOP primary winners Wednesday morning, confidently predicting they'd have little trouble beating Socialist and other Democratic candidates come November. The presidents tweet comes after four states held primary elections on TuesdayOhio, North Carolina, Indiana and West Virginia. The voters chose nominees for major Senate races in all but North Carolina. The Republican Party had a great night. Tremendous voter energy and excitement, and all candidates are those who have a great chance of winning in November. The Economy is sooo strong, and with Nancy Pelosi wanting to end the big Tax Cuts and Raise Taxes, why wouldnt we win? Trump tweeted early Wednesday. Minutes later, Trump congratulated Ohios Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine on his gubernatorial primary victory against Ohios Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor. Congratulations to Mike Dewine on his big win in the Great State of Ohio. He will be a great Governor with a heavy focus on HealthCare and Jobs. His Socialist opponent in November should not do well, a big failure in last job! Trump tweeted. VOTERS IN BOTH PARTIES SNUB FRINGE CANDIDATES AS THEY LOOK TOWARD NOVEMBER DeWines general election opponent is former Democratic state Attorney General Richard Cordray. The two will face off in November to replace GOP Gov. John Kasich, whose term expires this year. Trump secured a significant win Tuesday night in the Senate primaries, when West Virginias Republican attorney general, Patrick Morrisey, defeated former coal executive Don Blankenship and U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins in the race. Early Monday, Trump urged voters to offer their support to Jenkins or Morriseynot fringe, anti-establishment candidate Blankenship. To the great people of West Virginia, we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, cant win the General Election in your StateNo way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey! Trump tweeted just one day before voters cast their ballots. Blankenship had attacked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., throughout his campaign, calling him Cocaine Mitch. But following his defeat, McConnells Senate campaign tweeted a smiling photo of the GOP leader with a caption that read: Thanks for playing, Don. Morrisey will now go up against Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, whom Republicans are hoping to oust in November. In Ohio, Rep. Jim Renacci, who has been endorsed by Trump, also defeated businessman Mike Gibbons and will face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. In Indiana, businessman Mike Braun will face Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly. Also Wednesday morning, Trump took aim at the corrupt Fake News media, suggesting taking away journalists media credentials. The Fake News is working overtime. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials? Trump tweeted. President Donald Trump tweeted that he will be there to greet the three Americans freed from North Korea when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington early Thursday morning. The freed Americans told the State Department upon touching down in Alaska on Wednesday: We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home. We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo left North Korea early Wednesday morning with the three American detainees, whom the Trump administration had described as hostages. The release capped a dramatic day of diplomacy in Pyongyang. After Pompeos 90-minute meeting with Kim Jong Un, he gave reporters a fingers-crossed sign when asked about the prisoners as he returned to his hotel. It was only after a North Korean emissary arrived a bit later to inform him that the release was confirmed. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, was only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the rogue nation. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il. The three American detainees were released ahead of an upcoming meeting between Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un set to focus on North Koreas nuclear weapons. The summit is expected to take place in Singapore in early June, Fox News has learned. The Trump administration had been critical of North Koreas refusal to grant consular access to the three men, other than a brief visit by a U.S. envoy last June. Trump made a point of publicly thanking North Koreas leader for the prisoners release I appreciate Kim Jong Un doing this and hailed it as a sign of cooling tensions and growing opportunity on the Korean peninsula. Kim decided to grant amnesty to the three Americans at Trumps official suggestion, according to North Koreas official media agency, KCNA. Kim appreciated that Trump has shown deep interest in settling the issue through dialogue, KCNA added. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Koreas development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted the offer of talks after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss denuclearization. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump appreciates leader Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill. She added, The three Americans appear to be in good condition and were all able to walk on the plane without assistance. Also Wednesday, Trump spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the White House said. The two leaders welcomed North Koreas decision to release three American detainees, and expressed hope for joyful family reunions. Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, is the longest-serving detainee among the three. According to North Koreas state media, Kim, 64, ran a company in the Norths northeastern Rason special economic zone before his arrest on Oct. 2, 2015. He received a 10-year prison term with hard labor in April 2016 for allegedly perpetrating state subversive plots and espionage against North Korea. Before his sentencing, the former Virginia resident publicly apologized for slandering North Koreas leadership, collecting and passing confidential information to South Korea, and joining a smear campaign against the Norths human rights situation. Other foreigners have been presented at news conferences in North Korea and admitted crimes against the North, but many said after they were released that their confessions were given involuntarily and under duress. Tony Kim, who also goes by the Korean name Kim Sang-duk, was detained on April 22, 2017, at the Pyongyang airport for committing criminal acts of hostility aimed to overturn North Korea, according to the Norths Korean Central News Agency. It didnt say what specific criminal acts Kim was alleged to have committed. Kim taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which has been the only privately funded college in North Korea since its founding in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. The school said Kims detention had nothing to do with his work at the university. He previously taught Korean at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in Yanji, China, not far from the North Korea border. Kim graduated from the University of California, Riverside, with a masters degree in business administration in 1990. He made at least seven trips to North Korea to teach. His wife accompanied him on the visit when he was arrested. She was allowed to leave the country. Kim Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. He was detained on May 6, 2017, for engaging in unspecified hostile acts against North Korea, KCNA reported. It didnt say whether his case was related to Tony Kims. The university also said his detention wasnt related to his work at the school. It wasnt known whether Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were formally convicted and sentenced. They are the latest in a series of Americans to be held in North Korea for alleged anti-state activities in recent years, only to be freed during the visit of a high-level U.S. official or statesman. American detainee Otto Warmbier died in June 2017 just days after he was brought back to the U.S. with severe brain damage. He was arrested in January 2016 and accused of stealing a propaganda poster and was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. We are happy for the hostages and their families, the Warmbiers said in a statement Wednesday. We miss Otto. Fox News Kristin Brown, Nick Kalman, John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Three-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger, R-N.C., narrowly lost Tuesday to a Southern Baptist pastor in a GOP primary rematch highlighting their evangelical Christian credentials and loyalty to President Donald Trump. He becomes the first incumbent to lose in the 2018 primary cycle. Two years ago, the Rev. Mark Harris of Charlotte's First Baptist Church lost by just 134 votes to Pittenger, a wealthy land developer. This time, Harris came out on top by a slightly wider margin, and Clarence Goins of Fayetteville finished third. Harris, a former president of the Baptist State Convention in North Carolina, now must pivot toward a general election campaign against Iraq War veteran and Harvard graduate Dan McCready, who won Tuesday's Democratic nomination. Pittenger also touted his evangelical credentials, speaking fondly about connections to the late Rev. Billy Graham. But Harris assailed Pittenger's vote for a March spending bill that ended a brief government shutdown, saying Pittenger wasn't working to get spending under control and sent Trump a bill the president criticized for its largesse. Pittenger said his voting record since getting elected in 2012 reflects a commitment to fiscal responsibility. He said he backed the spending bill because it contained Trump's military request as America faces dangers around the world. Pittenger tried to undermine Harris' unflinching support for Trump. One Pittenger campaign ad featured a radio interview of from March 2016, when Harris was supporting U.S. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in the presidential primary, to suggest his rival wanted to stop Trump from being the nominee. At the time, Pittenger was supporting U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Tuesday's GOP primary results showed both Republicans and Democrats moving toward the center as voters look ahead to this fall's midterm elections. Republicans are looking to increase the party's Senate majority and maintain control of the House, while Democrats snubbed progressive candidates in favor of moderates -- including one who backed Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Patrick Morrisey, West Virginia's attorney general, came out the winner of the state's contentious GOP Senate primary, defeating controversial former coal executive Don Blankenship. In Indiana's GOP Senate primary, businessman Mike Braun, who mostly self-funded his campaign, won against U.S. Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita. Jim Renacci won the GOP Senate primary in Ohio. The Ohio results were attributed to the influence of President Trump, who endorsed Renacci over businessman Mike Gibbons. Trump also made a last-minute appeal to West Virginia voters to reject Blankenship in a bid to avoid the repeat of December's Senate race in Alabama, where Democrat Doug Jones turned the deep-red state blue -- for the first time in decades. "To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, cant win the General Election in your State...No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey" Trump tweeted Monday. But Tuesday's results also seemed to vindicate Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the subject of multiple personal attacks during the primaries. Blankenship branded McConnell "Cocaine Mitch" and referring to his Asian-American in-laws as "his China family." The McConnell team could not hide its glee after the results. They taunted Blankenship with a photo of a smiling McConnell, with the caption reading, "Thanks for playing, Don." McConnell has long sought to put the Republican house in order before the midterms, admitting that the party faces some tough fights in November. "This is going to be a challenging election year, McConnell told Kentucky Today in April. We know the wind is going to be in our face. We dont know whether its going to be a Category 3, 4 or 5. But as Republicans show signs of getting serious and choosing candidates that can appeal beyond the Trump voters, Democrats on Tuesday -- much to the chagrin of the progressive base -- favored blue-collar, middle-of-the-road candidates. In West Virginia's 3rd District, state Sen. Richard Ojeda clinched the victory in the Democratic primary. The win was a defeat for progressive supporters of the party, as Ojeda famously said he backed Trump over Clinton in 2016, the Washington Post reported. Democrat Richard Cordray, meanwhile, was declared the party's nominee for Ohio governor after he defeated former congressman and ex-Cleveland Mayor Dennis Kucinich. Kucinich had criticized Cordray as a "Republican-lite" candidate who was too moderate on key issues concerning most Democrats, and was once backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA). Kucinich ran on a platform of single-payer health care, gun control and criminal justice reform. But Cordray, who once ran the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under President Barack Obama, fought back and pointed out that Kucinich accepted $20,000 from a group with links to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Kucinich bothered me because of the whole Assad thing, voter Robert Halpin, 57, told the Post. I didnt like Cordray because of the NRA. But in the end, weighing it, I dont like Assad more [than I dont like the NRA], so I went with Cordray. In Indiana's 2nd District, former Republican and health care executive Mel Hall cruised to victory against candidates advocating for universal health care. Moderate Democrats also won Tuesday in two North Carolina districts, defeating far-left challengers. Fox News Alex Pappas, Peter Doocy, Ellison Barber, Brooke Singman and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Breakthrough Listen, a $100 million project designed to seek out potential signals from intelligent extraterrestrial life, took a giant leap forward Monday (May 7) with a new campaign to search for life in the cosmos faster than ever before. Using the Parkes radio telescope in New South Wales, Australia, Breakthrough Listen will scan millions of stars in the Milky Way's galactic plane over the next 60 days. This will allow researchers to survey a greater area of the galaxy more quickly, which will increase their chances of finding signals of interest. The Parkes telescope (which is operated by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, or CSIRO) has a new "multibeam" receiverwhich uses 13 beams to observe large pieces of sky, Breakthrough Listen representatives said in a statement. [13 Ways to Search for Intelligent Aliens] "With these new capabilities we are scanning our galaxy in unprecedented detail," Parkes project scientist Danny Price of the University of California, Berkeley, said in the statement." By trawling through these huge datasets for signatures of technological civilizations, we hope to uncover evidence that our planet, among the hundreds of billions in our galaxy, is not the only where intelligent life has arisen." The Breakthrough Listen initiative was started in 2016 by entrepreneur Yuri Milner and astrophysicist Stephen Hawking (who died in March) to use instruments like the Parkes radio telescope to survey the Milky Way's galactic plane, along with nearby galaxies. The initiative's main goal is to find evidence of intelligent, technologically capable life beyond Earth. Using radio surveys with instruments like Parkes, scientists aim to distinguish between human-made signals and "signals of interest," or signals whose origins could be extraterrestrial. The new Parkes campaign will continue Breakthrough Listen's search at a whopping 130 gigabits per second bandwidth that your laptop could only dream about. In addition to increasing the speed and scope of the search, the new multibeam receiverwill also give scientists the ability to better distinguish between signals of interest and human-made signals, such as radio interference from airplanes, cellphones and satellites. During the new 60-day campaign, the Parkes telescope will spend 1,500 hours listening for extraterrestrial signals. Scientists will then sift through the resulting mountain of data for any true signals. Most of the signals observed will be human-created radio frequency interference (RFI), or signals from technologies like cellphones, satellites, and airplanes, but scientists are hoping that within this sea of data lie signals of interest, according to Breakthrough Listen. Researchers are especially interested in locating fast radio bursts (FRBs). These quick and vibrant radio pulses have intrigued scientists for years, as they are both unusual and certainly extragalactic. FRBs have mysterious, far-off origins the closest observed FRB was 1.6 billion light-years away. There is no evidence of the alien involvement in FRBs, but they do originate from sources with extremely powerful magnetic fields, according to Breakthrough Listen. Previously, Breakthrough Listen scientists listened for radio signals from 'Oumuamua (pronounced oh-MOO-ah-MOO-ah), the first interstellar object ever observed in our solar system. They did not detect any signals from the strangely shaped space rock, which looks like a giant cigar. Still, if there is intelligent life beaming signals from a nearby galaxy, or even our own, Breakthrough Listen aims to find them. Original article on Space.com. SpaceX is set to debut the latest, most advanced version of its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket this Thursday (May 10). The company determined that its first Falcon 9 "Block 5" booster is ready to go, after analyzing data from a routine prelaunch static-fire test that occurred Friday (May 4) at historic Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Targeting Falcon 9 Block 5 launch of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 on May 10 from Pad 39A in Florida," SpaceX representatives wrote on Twitter today (May 7). [6 Fun Facts About SpaceX] Bangabandhu 1 is a communications satellite that SpaceX is launching for the government of Bangladesh. The two-stage Block 5 Falcon 9 is designed to take reusability to new heights. SpaceX has landed and re-flown numerous Falcon 9 first stages over the past few years, but none of these individual boosters has launched more than twice. Block 5 first stages, however, are designed to fly 10 times with just inspections between landing and liftoff, and 100 times with some refurbishment involved, SpaceX representatives have said. "Block 5 basically summarizes all that we learned on reusability," Hans Koenigsmann, SpaceX vice president of build and flight reliability, said last month during a news conference before the launch of NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, which lifted off atop a Falcon 9 Block 4. "It's a reliability upgrade that combines reliability and reusability." When asked to provide an example of one of the Block 5's improvements, Koenigsmann cited materials in the first stage's heat shield, near the engine base. "But there's a lot of details here that are very technical," he added. The Block 5 has also been designed to meet NASA's crew-carrying requirements. Like Boeing, SpaceX holds a contract to ferry agency astronauts to and from the International Space Station; such flights could begin in the next year or so. Reusability is key to SpaceX's long-term vision, which involves helping humanity become a multiplanet species. Full and rapid reuse of rockets and spacecraft could eventually slash the cost of spaceflight enough to make such ambitious goals economically feasible, company founder and CEO Elon Musk has said. SpaceX has Mars in its sights. The company is developing a huge, reusable rocket-spaceship combo called the BFR, which Musk envisions helping set up a million-person city on the Red Planet in the next 50 years or so. If everything goes well, the first BFR flights to Mars could lift off in the mid-2020s, SpaceX representatives have said. The BFR will also be capable of launching satellites to Earth orbit, taking people on superfast "point-to-point" trips around the planet and doing pretty much everything else that SpaceX needs to do. Indeed, SpaceX plans to phase out all of its spaceflight systems except the BFR over time, Musk has said. Editor's note: This story was updated at 5:10 p.m. EDT to include the targeted launch date of May 10. Originally published on Space.com. In a first, an international team of scientists has discovered an exoplanet with no clouds. The team, led by Nikolay Nikolov, an astronomer at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, detected this hot gas giant, known as WASP-96b, using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile. The team determined the atmospheric makeup of the exoplanet by studying it as it passed in front of its host star and measuring how the planet and its atmosphere affected light from the star. A planet's atmospheric makeup influences the light that scientists can measure as it passes by its host star. This creates a spectrum, which is like a unique fingerprint. Typically, clouds obscure the light released by a planet and affect the spectrum that researchers can study from Earth, according to a statement released yesterday (May 7) by the University of Exeter. [The Biggest Mysteries of Saturn] But for WASP-96b, an extremely clear signature for the element sodium was observed. Because clouds typically obscure such signatures, the clarity of this spectrum suggested that the planet's atmosphere has no clouds at all. With its his is the first evidence of an entirely cloudless planet and the first time a planet with such a clear sodium signature has been found, the researchers said.With its uniquely clear signature, WASP-96b is the first-ever cloudless planet discovered. Being the first of its kind, the exoplanet is now considered "a benchmark for characterization," Nikolov said in the statement. This characterizing spectrum appears in the shape of a camping tent. This uncommon and easy-to-identify shape had never been seen before "because the characteristic 'tent-shaped' profile can only be produced deep in the atmosphere," Nikolov said. He added that for most planets, clouds get in the way, making this shape difficult to discern. Aside from having an unusually cloudless, sodium-rich atmosphere, WASP-96b is extremely hot, at 1,300 kelvins (1,900 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1,000 degrees Celsius), and extremely large 20 percent larger than Jupiter. The planet's mass is similar to Saturn's, so researchers classify the alien world as a "hot Saturn." In addition, the sodium levels in WASP-96b's atmosphere are similar to those found throughout our solar system. Sodium is the seventh most abundant element in the universe, and for a long time, scientists have thought that large gas giants had sodium-rich atmospheres, according to the statement. But until now, such clear evidence to support this idea has not existed, so the observance of WASP-96b solidifies scientists' understanding of gas giants. Because of WASP-96b's cloudless skies, studying the exoplanet will provide researchers with a "unique opportunity to determine the abundances of other molecules, such as water, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, with future observations," Ernst de Mooij,a researcher at Dublin City University and a co-author of a new study describing the findings, said in the statement. So, by identifying the signatures of other molecules using telescopes like Hubble and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, scientists can gain a better understanding of planets both within and outside our solar system, the researchers said. The new work was detailed yesterday (May 7) in the journal Nature. Original article on Space.com. Apple is reportedly kicking third-party apps that share users' locations out of the App Store, as privacy remains in the spotlight in the wake of the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal and pending regulation across the Atlantic. 9to5Mac reports that Apple has recently been removing apps that are sharing location data with third parties and sending the app developers a notice that the app is violating two different parts of the App Store Review Guidelines. The two sections in question are Legal 5.1.1 and Legal 5.1.2 which state: The app transmits user location data to third parties without explicit consent from the user and for unapproved purposes. APPLE'S SIRI IN THE SPOTLIGHT FOR POTTY MOUTH 9to5Mac noted that Apple also wants developers to explain what the location data is used for, how it is shared, as well as asking for permission. The Apple-focused website highlighted one developer who has received the letter from Apple and has made it public. Apple has not responded to a request for comment from Fox News. The crackdown by Apple comes ahead of the new privacy laws in Europe, known as General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR. The GDPR was passed in April 2016 and is slated to go into effect later this month, regulating how companies protect EU citizens' personal data. If companies are found in violation of the GDPR, they can be fined $23 million (20 million) or 4 percent of annual revenue, whichever is greater, according to the law. Apple has ramped up its privacy focus in recent months, in light of the aforementioned Facebook/Cambridge Analytica data breach. A reported 87 million Facebook users had their accounts improperly accessed by Cambridge Analytica, a data marketing research company with ties to the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign. GOOGLE HITS HARD ON PRIVACY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AT I/0 2018 As part of its iOS 11.3 update, Apple unveiled a new privacy icon that lets users know when an Apple feature is asking for a user's personal information. After installing the update, Apple added a message saying that it believes "privacy is a fundamental human right, so every Apple product is designed to minimize the collection and use of your data, use on-device processing whenever possible, and provide transparency and control over your information." In March, Apple CEO Tim Cook called for stronger privacy regulations to prevent the abuse and misuse of data. I think that this certain situation is so dire and has become so large that probably some well-crafted regulation is necessary, Cook said, speaking at the annual China Development Forum in Beijing, which he co-hosted. AFTER MEETING WITH TRUMP, APPLE CEO TIM COOK 'OPTIMISTIC' TRADE WAR WON'T HAPPEN He continued: "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 lifefrom my own point of view it shouldnt exist. Fox News' Chris Carbone contributed to this story. Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @Chris_Ciaccia Seismologists in China are planning to build an underground monitoring system with up to 2,000 stations that will help to detect earthquakes up to three weeks in advance, state media reported Wednesday. Earthquake early-warning laboratory Institute of Care-Life will use sensors in the seismically active regions of the Sichuan and neighboring Yunnan Provinces to create the cloud-based system, according to the Global Times. Wang Tun, the project's lead scientist, told the news outlet the sensors will detect stress and energy dynamics in an area between 4 to 12 miles underground, where most destructive quakes originate. Data collected by scientists will help to create public forecasts for earthquakes with magnitudes 5.0 and above up to three weeks in advance, according to Wang. The Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, located in the southwest part of the country, have a high incidence of quakes, with an average of more than three quakes above magnitude-5.0, according to China Daily. MAGNITUDE 6.2 EARTHQUAKE ROCKS AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN The system in the two provinces is expected to be completed by the end of 2019, and then be rolled out nationwide. The first monitoring station of the planned network was installed last week at the Yingxiu Earthquake Station in Sichuan, site of the deadly 8.0 magnitude earthquake in 2008 that killed nearly 70,000 people and left over 17,000 missing. It's official: The repeal of net neutrality took effect on June 11. The Federal Communications Commission narrowly voted to dismantle the Obama-era Internet regulations in December. The rules imposed utility-style regulations on Internet service providers (ISPs) and prevented them from favoring their own services or certain customers over that of competitors. On Monday, the FCC touted the implementation of what it calls the "Restoring Internet Freedom Order," saying the order "replaces unnecessary, heavy-handed regulations dating back to 1934 with strong consumer protections, increased transparency and common-sense regulations that will promote investment and broadband deployment." "The 2015 decision to impose these heavy-handed utility-style regulations on the Internet was a mistake," FCC chairman Ajit Pai said in a video, adding that the rules were a "solution in search of a problem." FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel called the rollback "misguided" and "bad news" in a statement. ISPs "will have the right to discriminate and favor the Internet traffic of those companies with whom they have pay-for-play arrangements and the right to consign all others to a slow and bumpy road," she said in a statement. "Plain and simple, thanks to the FCCs rollback of net neutrality, Internet providers have the legal green light, the technical ability and business incentive to discriminate and manipulate what we see, read, and learn online." Prior to the rollback, nationwide protests were held as consumers worried cable and phone companies would suddenly have greater control over what they see and do online. But the broadband industry has promised users the Internet experience will not change. In May, senators voted to restore net neutrality, but President Trump's signature would be needed to bring back the regulations, and the House didn't advance the legislation. Heres a look at what net neutrality is and how the FCC's move could impact consumers nationwide. What is net neutrality? Net neutrality is the idea that ISPs must treat all legal Internet data the same regardless of where it comes from or who it is going to. Harold Feld, senior vice president with the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Public Knowledge, compared net neutrality to an on-ramp to the internet, meaning ISPs are not allowed to interfere with what the subscriber wants to do or where the subscriber wants to go. Under net neutrality regulations, ISPs are not allowed to block or throttle meaning slow down websites or applications. What did the FCC do? Trump-appointed FCC chairman Ajit Pai led the charge to repeal net neutrality regulations. Pai, 45, said he believes net neutrality rules adopted during the Obama administration discourage ISPs from making investments in their network that would provide even better and faster online access. "Under my proposal, the federal government will stop micromanaging the internet," Pai said in a statement. How could a full repeal impact consumers? Repealing net neutrality regulations means consumers could start paying more for their Internet services, critics have said. Consumers could also see ISPs start to bundle services such as certain websites or applications and charge more depending on what a person wants access to, experts said. Right now, the FCC has designated [the Internet] as a telecommunications service like a phone service, which includes all of the rules that apply to prevent [a company] from blocking or throttling or favoring one company over another, Feld told Fox News ahead of the vote. The real question, to some degree, is, Is the Internet going to work like the old telephone where you get to decide who you called and what you do or is it going to become more like cable? If its one thing that cable companies have proven to be good at over the years, its more ways to get money out of consumers and into their own pockets, he continued. Primary broadband providers will take advantage of this to find new ways to charge customers if they want to get high quality service. Julian Sanchez, a senior fellow at the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, said broadband providers would presumably try some things consumers dont like and others that prove to be popular. But he dismissed the notion of predicting just what exactly providers would do should the regulations be scaled back. "The truth is we wont know until providers start experimenting: Presumably theyll try some things consumers dont like, and others that prove popular." Julian Sanchez, Cato Institute Theres plenty of scaremongering around steps broadband providers could take in the absence of neutrality regulation blocking off certain sites, or charging extra fees to access certain services but not a ton of reason to think they would do these things, which would antagonize customers, be technically tricky to enforce against sophisticated users, and invite the re-imposition of regulations, Sanchez told Fox News. Whats more realistic is the introduction of plans that provide higher speeds for specific bandwidth-intensive services, he said, pointing to streaming high-definition Netflix videos as an example of such a service. Or, similarly, content providers might end up subsidizing higher-speed access to their services for subscribers whove only paid for slower all-purpose Internet access. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The U.K.s Royal Navy is harnessing a sophisticated autonomous robot minesweeper to clear high-tech sea mines. The system developed by Atlas Elektronik UK was recently handed over to the Royal Navy after successfully completing four months of trials. Officials say that the technology will destroy modern digital mines that cant be tackled by existing mine hunting techniques. Naval mines can be moored to the seafloor or floating. The minesweeping system uses an Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) to pull Coil Auxiliary Boats, containing electrodes that emit magnetic, electric and acoustic signals to detonate mines. WATCH: ROYAL NAVY DETONATES 1,100-POUND WORLD WAR II BOMB FOUND IN THE RIVER THAMES Designed to keep naval personnel out of harms way, the technology can be operated from a safe distance, either from ship or shore. The minesweeping system also has a sense and avoid capability to prevent collisions with other vessels and potential hazards such as buoys. This autonomous minesweeper takes us a step closer to taking our crews out of danger and allowing us to safely clear sea lanes of explosives, whether thats supporting trade in global waters and around the British coastline, or protecting our ships and shores, said U.K. Defence Minister Guto Bebb, in a statement. Easily transported by road, sea and air, the high-tech design means a small team could put the system to use within hours of it arriving in theatre. The system will now undergo a series of more detailed trials with the Royal Navy. RUSSIA SET TO SHOWCASE NEW ROBO-TANK AT MOSCOW VICTORY DAY PARADE Militaries across the globe are looking deploy more and more remotely operated and autonomous technologies. Earlier this year, for example, a revolutionary prototype vessel that could traverse thousands of miles of open sea without a single crew member on board was handed over to U.S. Navy researchers. The 132-foot demonstration ship, christened Sea Hunter, was transferred from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Russia is also ramping up its efforts in this space, deploying its new Uran-9 robo-tank during operations in Syria. The remotely operated tank is armed with anti-tank guided missiles, 30-mm automatic cannon and 7.62-mm machine gun. Elsewhere in the Middle East, Israel has deployed unmanned military vehicles along the countrys dangerous border with Gaza. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers This is a rush transcript from "Your World," May 9, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: This is the scene right now. These aren't protesters in Iran yelling out "Death to America," burning our flag. These are government officials. These are their top leaders ranting about the United States backing away from this deal. Reaction now from Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations -- or United States -- I apologize -- Ron Dermer. Ambassador, good to have you. What did you think of that reaction? They're not happy. RON DERMER, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: Well, the Iranian leadership have been burning American flags for 38, 39 years. So that's not new. They have been at war with the United States since then. They took over your embassy when that regime came into power. They're responsible for the blowing up of your embassies. They have -- because of their actions, they have supported those who have murdered hundreds of Americans. They have supported Hezbollah in blowing up the Marine barracks about 35 years ago. So they have been in a constant war with the United States. That hasn't changed. So, that really is not news for me. The big news is that President Trump has actually changed the whole trajectory, I think, of the Middle East. And that's our hope, because this deal, Neil, put us on cruise control heading over a cliff, because it doesn't really block Iran's path to the bomb. It ultimately paves it. And by removing all of the sanctions on the Iranian regime, billions of dollars were pouring in Iranian coffers. And they were using it to fuel their war machine throughout the Middle East, in Iraq, in Syria, in Lebanon and in Yemen. So this is a big shift in policy. And we're very grateful for the president for standing up and for courageously making the decision he made yesterday. CAVUTO: All right, that might be so, but so far, the other five nations that signed on to this, including Britain and Germany and France and Russia and China, have all said they're going to stick with the agreement as it stands. Now, that might just all be posturing. But what do you think of that, if it's just the United States that now has to act unilaterally? DERMER: Well, first of all, I take note that your allies in the region, both Israel and some of the leading powers in the Arab world, we're both opposed to this deal. And we both publicly supported President Trump's decision. And I think that should count for something, because we were the guinea pigs. CAVUTO: No, but you're quite right about that. Not a single nation in the Middle East signed onto this. But go ahead. DERMER: That's right. And we were the guinea pigs in this failed experiment. So imagine that you were doing a deal with North Korea, and the Japanese and the South Koreans were totally opposed to it, but the British, the French and the Germans were happy with the deal. Look, we're the ones who paid the consequences for this deal. We were told three years ago that this deal would make the region safer. It's made the region far more dangerous. We were told that it was going to push further away. It actually has brought war closer, literally to our borders. So we're very grateful for the news. The Arab parties are grateful for the news. And I think, as the U.S. ratchets up economic pressures, I don't think German banks are going to choose to do business with Iran, rather than the American banking system. And I don't think French oil companies will choose to do business with Iran over getting access to American markets. So I think the president has it within his power to unite a lot of parties to this deal. Maybe people don't want to go there, but I think he has the leverage to force them over to his side. CAVUTO: You might be right. Right now, they are universally against what he is doing. But that could change, to your point. But let me ask you a little bit about what was going on. Oil prices were rocketing today, Ambassador, on the belief that this going to add to more tensions, tighten supply in the market, especially if Iranian oil is knocked off the market, a good chunk of it. I think it's 2.5 million barrels a day. And it's going to boomerang on everyone. What do you think? DERMER: Well, you know prices have been rising about 50 percent over the last couple of years. CAVUTO: True enough. DERMER: They have been relatively low, which has actually hidden the dire consequences of this deal, because as oil prices go up, if they would have gone up to where they were three or four years ago, much -- much more money would be going into the Iranian coffers. This deal, Neil, under this deal, Iran is allowed to sell oil. When the restrictions were in place, when the sanctions were in place, Iran was selling about a million barrels a day. Because of this deal, they're now selling over 2.5 million barrels a day. That's an extra 1.5 million barrels a day. At $70 a barrel, that's over $100 million a day, $3 billion a month, $35 billion a year. Now, I would love to tell you that all that money is going to establish a G.I. Bill returning members of the Revolutionary Guard. But instead it's using it to fuel this war machine. So there's no question that if you do not have a change, as more money pours into the coffers, as they increase oil production, that's going to be very dangerous for the region. What I think will happen, to your point and your question, is, I think that the Saudis and others can actually increase their capacity. And they could fill those needs, and ultimately supply and demand will settle where it is. You do not need Iran to be selling their oil. You can constrict Iran's oil sales. I think that's good for the region. I think it's good for America. And it may be good for people in Texas as well. CAVUTO: All right, we will have to watch. Ambassador, thank you for taking the time. We appreciate it. DERMER: Thank you. CAVUTO: All right. END 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. This is a rush transcript from "Your World," May 9, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: We have Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst. Without getting into the nomination battle -- it's assumed, I guess Senator-- and it's very good to have you -- that she will get in there one way or the other. SEN. JONI ERNST, R-IOWA: Yes. CAVUTO: But these battles are such Herculean ones. And they're no longer like the votes they used to be. I mean, everything is a fight, even in the case of Mr. Pompeo at State and what have you. What is going on? ERNST: Well, Neil, I think, it's hyper-partisanship at its best. We know that had a number of these nominees, especially Ms. Haspel, is eminently qualified. And so I do think that we will take up her nomination. We will continue to take up other nominations in the future. We will continue to see the pushback coming from our colleagues across the aisle. It shouldn't be this way. It shouldn't be this way. I do believe our president needs to have these positions filled. And he is the president. And he should be able to have those in these levels of authority that he deems necessary. CAVUTO: You know, there was some concern, Senator, talking about this president, and managing to help get these hostages released from North Korea -- they're en route now to the United States -- that that might not happen, that after turning away from the Iranian deal, that the North Koreans might say, well, we can't trust the Americans to stick to any agreement. Why should we stick to this one to release these hostages? They didn't do that. What do you think of that? ERNST: I think quite the opposite. I do think that we are sending a very clear message to North Korea to keep itself straight, or we will come after them. So we see this with Iran as well. And when the president pulled out of that agreement yesterday, we have to remember that this is not an agreement that was signed by United States Congress. This was an agreement that was a very bad deal from the beginning that was put into order by President Barack Obama. He was the one that entered into the agreement with Iran and the other members of that JCPOA. So I think that our president had every authority to pull out of it. It was a bad deal. We can do better, and we should do better for the American people. CAVUTO: Do you think, whatever the president comes up with or is able to cobble together should be handled as a treaty agreement, one that needs the muster and the approval of Congress? ERNST: Well, I think it would be wise to do that, to get buy-in from Congress. I think that Iran is -- it in a near peer adversary. It is an enabler for Hezbollah and Hamas and other terrorist organizations. So, I think we need to take a very serious look at any agreement that's drawn up. And hopefully he does that with the authority of Congress. CAVUTO: Very quickly, Senator. John McCain, your colleague, is making some waves of late as he deals with brain cancer and everything else. ERNST: Yes. CAVUTO: And he has talked about even his funeral arrangements, down to not wanting to invite President Trump. What did you think of that? ERNST: Well, it is, of course, entirely up to Senator McCain. And I admire him very much. He is known as the maverick. And he will continue to be known as the maverick. But I do appreciate the great service that he has given to our country, not just during his time in the service, armed services, but also as a senator. Of course, we didn't agree on absolutely every policy position. But, certainly, as a member of our Armed Services Committee and as the chair of that committee, he was fighting every day for our men and women in uniform. I admire him greatly. I know he is struggling right now. And I just want to wish him the best. CAVUTO: So, you feel he's free to invite who he wants and doesn't want at his funeral? ERNST: Absolutely. Of course. CAVUTO: OK. ERNST: Again, it's his arrangements. And he may do so at his own pleasure. CAVUTO: All right, Senator, thank you very, very much. Very good seeing you. ERNST: Thank you. Thanks, Neil. CAVUTO: Senator Joni Ernst. END 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. This is a rush transcript from "Your World," May 9, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: All right, well, so much for talk that Gina Haspel would have a tough time finding any Democratic senator to support her. Enter Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who has already indicated he will. He joins me right now. And very good to have you, Senator. Thank you. SEN. JOE MANCHIN, D-WEST VIRGINIA: Neil, it's good to be with you. CAVUTO: You said yea to her. Why? MANCHIN: Well, let me tell you. I have met with her twice personally. And we went in lot of in-depth conversations. And then, Neil, she's been an open -- an open hearing, which you saw on television today. And then we went in closed, the very closed high-profile meeting. She answered every question. This lady is the real deal. I'm telling you, we hit her with everything we possibly could. She answered, didn't flinch at all. She has had 33 years of experience. There's nobody else that comes to this job prepared like she's prepared. So I have said, hey, a person that can be a role model of how you should run your intelligence agency, a person who has respect for everybody out in the field because she's been there. Put her in the toughest spot, she has survived. She's done everything she can to protect the United States of America and keep us as safe as we possibly can. And I just feel very comfortable with her. And I encourage all my colleagues to sincerely vote for this lady, because she is the best. CAVUTO: Senator, how disappointed are you that Don Blankenship is not your Republican challenger? (LAUGHTER) MANCHIN: Let me just say. I want to be very clear on this, Neil. There was only one truly conservative Republican West Virginian in the race, and that was Don Blankenship. We have had our differences on many issues. But Don -- you cannot question Don's conservatism and also him being a Republican in West Virginia. He's the only one. So, with that being said, I kind of handicapped this race. I thought it would be Patrick Morrisey, for this reason. He's run two times. He is known in 55 counties. So, he had a little bit more exposure than what Evan. Evan and I have worked together for 20 years. We have been in the same party. He's a very conservative Democrat at that time. He had become a committed Republican. I respect that. And -- but I just thought Morrisey would -- at the end of the day, he would come out on top. CAVUTO: And, indeed, he has, the West Virginia attorney general. But let me ask you something about what you were mentioning what about Mr. Blankenship. And he has actually said some positive things about you. And he has not indicated that he's remotely willing to support Mr. Morrisey. So it does beg a question, is he throwing his support behind you, or have you and he talked about it? (CROSSTALK) MANCHIN: No. We have had no conversations whatsoever. No. Don -- and, like I said, we have had our differences. But you cannot questions Don's West Virginia Republican conservative roots. And we have been head to head down on many issues. I just -- with the horrible tragedies we have had, it's just -- my heart still aches for all the families. And I think you know how close I have been to the families. But on other issues on that, we have had our differences, and there have been some things we have agreed on politically. So, no, we have not talked. And I haven't had any phone calls from Don. CAVUTO: If he were to come out -- we should remind people he's the former Massey Energy CEO who spent a year in prison for willfully violating safety standards. We know the story there, that killed 29 miners back then. But would -- would you want his support, if he announced it to West Virginia tomorrow, I'm supporting Joe Manchin? MANCHIN: I have no control over that whatsoever. CAVUTO: OK. MANCHIN: And I would say Don has to make his decision, what he's comfortable with. The only thing I have said about this, I hope that, in time, Don -- the good lord lets Don find peace in his heart, because these people need to move on with their lives. That's all I have ever said. And I hope that happens. I hope Don finds peace in his life and allows these families to find peace in theirs. CAVUTO: You were considered on very lists either the most or certainly one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection in the Senate. MANCHIN: I disagree, Neil. I disagree. CAVUTO: Well, who would be more? Sherrod Brown in Ohio, or what? MANCHIN: Well, first of all, no. I say, no, no, I'm telling you this. The reason I disagree is this. I have been down this road before. In 2012, when Barack Obama got beat by Mitt Romney in West Virginia by 35 points, I won reelection by 25 points. That's a 60-point swing. It's unheard of. So the bottom line is, they don't look at me as a Democrat. They look at me as a West Virginian. CAVUTO: Well, what happened between you and Donald Trump? For a while, you were his favorite Democrat. I guess, when you voted no on the tax thing, maybe you were persona non grata. What happened? MANCHIN: Well, hold on. No, no. And we get along fine. We just have a difference there. Two things. Health care. If I know you can fix something and repair it, I'm not going to throw 200,000 West Virginians off. I'm going to work to fix that. And that's all I'm doing. I know we have a fix in right now, if we could just get it and vote on it. We had 12 D's in 12 R's led by Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray. That's why I thought there was a better way to do it. CAVUTO: Well, famously, John McCain nixed their rework on that. The president's never gotten over that. You have probably heard that John McCain has some rather pointed remarks to make about the president, down to the point where he doesn't even want him at his funeral. What do you think of all that? MANCHIN: I'm not -- I'm not going to get into that whatsoever. I will say this about the tax bill. The president knows I'm for tax cuts. I'm for tax relief. In West Virginia, I did more than any governor. I privatized workers comp. I changed the tax... CAVUTO: Well, why didn't you vote for this package? MANCHIN: Basically, we went to 21 percent, and I thought 25 was more than sufficient, a permanent 25. We went an extra $4000 billion more than we should have. It should have been permanent for the people on the end of the... (CROSSTALK) CAVUTO: So, if they have another tax measure, a second phase of it, where they talked about making the individual rates permanent, would you back that? MANCHIN: I'm going to be there to fix it. CAVUTO: Would you back that? MANCHIN: I am definitely. I'm going to be there to fix things. I have watched on both sides, both parties... (CROSSTALK) CAVUTO: So, you would back that? Senator, I just want to be clear here. They have a phase two, where they want to make permanent the tax cuts for individuals. You would back that? MANCHIN: I absolutely would. But would we have to look at the fiscal responsibilities. For some reason, we're throwing caution to the wind. When I was governor, we balanced every budget and had surpluses and built up a billion-dollar rainy day fund. (CROSSTALK) CAVUTO: Anyone in your party, just like anyone in the Republican Party, shouldn't talk about fiscal stewardship here, right? You have both been disasters, right? (CROSSTALK) MANCHIN: You're absolutely correct. Both sides are at fault. But, pretty soon, someone ought to kiss their kids at night and forgive daddy and mommy, for they don't know what they do. CAVUTO: So, when the president is looking at shaving $15 billion in spending, recision cuts, in that $1.3 trillion measure, what did you think of that? MANCHIN: I'm happy to look at anything. But when you start cutting the most vulnerable and programs for the most vulnerable, let's look and see. Let's look and see what programs and where we have most of the growth in that. It hasn't been in some of the program I'm hearing about. I haven't seen anything on paper. I'm willing to look at anything that puts our financial house in order. But, also, you based your -- your priorities should be based on your values. If you can't take care of your children, your seniors and your veterans, God help us. CAVUTO: All right. Senator, always good having you. Thank you, sir, for taking the time. MANCHIN: Always good to be with you, Neil. CAVUTO: Congratulations on your victory last night. MANCHIN: Thank you. Thank you very much. CAVUTO: All right, Senator Joe Manchin. And he did surprise folks back in 2012. Anyone's guess what happens now in 2018, but all bets are off on this entire election. We did reach out to his opponent. And hope springs eternal we will get his Republican opponent to come on. We always try, because we feel you're due that. END 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. Kelsey Myers may have received an apology from American Airlines after staffers humiliated her for trying to board with a breast pump and ultimately forced her to pay to check the medical device, but the Illinois mom isnt satisfied with the carriers weak amends. On May 6, Myers was traveling from LAX to Chicagos OHare International Airport with a friend when an employee stopped her from boarding Flight 1243 with her carry-on, a personal item and a breastfeeding bag, claiming that she had too many items. When a supervisor arrived to resolve the matter, the woman chastised Myers before 50 of her fellow passengers and mockingly asked How many boobs do you have? in reference to her belongings. In the days since, Myers has voiced her frustration on American Airlines Facebook page, in a post that has since garnered nearly 800 reactions and a slew of heated comments. ROMANTIC GESTURE AT ZURICH AIRPORT ENDS IN FAINTING, BIG BILL FOR TRAVELERS As a new mom, Ive been nervous traveling, so ... I made sure everything I was taking was OK. I did the same this past weekend when I left him, and had to pump all weekend, so what I was bringing was allowed, Myers told Fox News on Wednesday. According to both the TSA and American Airlines, breast pumps are allowed through security and onboard planes as medical devices. I have never felt more harassed, disrespected and humiliated in my life." Kelsey Myers We got to the gate, and there ended up being a 2 1/2-hour delay, and I had to pump on the plane. I went to board and the attendant stopped me, saying I had 'too many bags.' Explaining that she had a carry-on, a personal item and a breast pump, the American Airlines staffer Myers identified on Facebook as Daniel insisted No, you have to check that bag. Maintaining that she did not, Myers said that Daniel told her to step aside as he phoned the supervisor. I was anxious to get on the flight because my girlfriend was on the flight with me, and I didnt have a seat next to her, and to help a little bit with privacy, Id rather have her next to me than a stranger, to see if the person sitting next to me would switch seats with me, Myers shared. Further revealing that Daniel was rude to her as they waited for the manager, initially ignoring her questions and yelling Youre interrupting my boarding process, Myers said things only got worse when a supervisor named Juliette arrived. She doesnt even ask me, 'What do you have? Whats going on? Whats the problem?' she just says, 'You need to check the bag.' Im like 'No, I dont, this is a breast pump, I need to bring this on with me,' Myers recalled. She explained the situation and confirmed to Juliette that she did indeed have additional breast pump supplies in her carry-on, when the American Airlines staffer condescendingly asked, How many boobs do you have? Appalled, Myers and her friend were left speechless. Everyone was flocking around the gate, anxious to get on the flight, there were literally only 50 people in front of her, Myers said of the embarrassing scene. I have never felt more harassed, disrespected and humiliated in my life. Im shocked that a supervisor would show such disrespect. Im also very surprised that a supervisor would have no knowledge of what seems to me like a simple policy, she later wrote on Facebook. DELTA FLIGHT EVACUATED IN DENVER BECAUSE OF SMOKE IN CABIN Myers said that when she finally stepped on to the plane, there was lots of overhead bin space, as one guy even came on with a skateboard and two bags. Do I want to be carrying around 60 ounces of breast milk and ice and a pump? No, Im doing it for my baby. I was already stressed to be away from my baby, stressed about the pump, and to have to deal with people who are so are disrespectful and a woman on top of it, its kind of mind-blowing, Myers told Fox News. Later sharing her story on Twitter, Myers said that a customer service representative for the airline reached out, saying Were sorry about what happened, we want to offer you a $75 voucher, to which Myers said she laughed. I dont even care about the money, I want people to be held accountable for what happened, I want an apology, I want people to be trained so this doesnt happen again, she said. The fact that [American Airlines] told NBC that they had compensated and apologized, I hardly call that either. A voucher for an airline that Im never going to fly again, what does that do for me? Myers mused. I just hope that there can be light brought to this situation and other people dont have to be humiliated like I was," she said. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS American Airlines returned Fox News' request for comment with the following statement: "A breast pump is considered a medical device and is allowed as a carry on item. We continually strive to make sure that our team members understand this policy and treat all of our customers with dignity and respect," a representative said. "We have reached out multiple times to Ms. Myers to apologize and offer compensation as a gesture of good will." A Florida police detective reportedly discovered a few furry stowaways hiding in her car Monday morning, which she said prompted an hours-long effort to free the meowing kittens. Detective Michelle Grogan with the Ocoee Police Department was pulling out of her driveway when she heard the tell-tale cry of a kitten, she told Fox 35. "Got in [the car], didn't have the radio on, I put it in reverse, backed up a little bit, and I heard it, she said. The 'meow meow'. I was like ... are you kidding me? After jumping out to check, she reportedly found four kittens lodged beneath the hood of her car, stuck between the engine and front bumper. She told the outlet that she called in reinforcements. It reportedly took a fellow officer, local mechanics, a sanitation worker and Animal Control officers to finally free the tiny critters. The Ocoee Police Department shared photos of the adorable kittens on Facebook, saying that they were recovered safely from the engine by our City personnel. Grogan told Fox 35 that she recognized the animals from the area, saying they had recently taken shelter underneath our cars in the drive way. I put it together, she continued. Im a detective, you know, detective skills. The furry foursome will live in foster care until theyre old enough for adoption, the outlet reported. The six-year-old girl who died Monday night after falling out of the third-floor window of her New Jersey apartment while jumping on her bed has been identified as Yodia Encarnacion. Essex County prosecutors said Tuesday that a preliminary investigation into the young girls death indicated that she was jumping on the bed with other children when, just before midnight, she fell out of an open window. She was taken to University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, in critical condition were she was pronounced dead, WABC reported. Although no criminal charges have been filed yet, it remains unclear why the unit did not have window guards. The building super told WABC that every unit is supposed to have window guards. Homicide and major crimes task force continue to investigate the young girls death. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Vermont woman has been accused of killing her live-in boyfriend and stashing his body in a trash bin on her front porch before finally dumping his body months later. Erika Guttilla, 31, told police that she and her mother shot and killed Troy Ford, 35, of Brooklyn, New York, after a month-long decision because they had both reached their breaking points, authorities said. She told investigators he manipulated family members with drugs, was an alcoholic and raped her, court papers released Tuesday said. It was inevitable what was going to happen, she told police. Guttilla told police she killed Ford, who had been living with her at her parents home in Highgate, near the Canadian border, in early December right before his birthday. She stuffed his body head first in a trash bin and kept it on her front porch for a while before dumping it, police said. Fords remains were found in the woods in Highgate on Saturday by people walking their dogs, police said. Guttilla and her mother, Carmen Guttilla, are facing charges related to the killing while Erika Guttillas current boyfriend, 28-year-old Corey Cassani, is facing accessory charges after police said he helped dump the body. The couple appeared in Vermont Superior Court on Tuesday, several hours after they were arrested by police. According to police, Erika Guttilla said her sister brought Ford into her parents home and after a while he began manipulating everyone in the family by plying them with drugs. She told police that the living situation was unbearable and escalating, but that her father allowed Ford to stay because he supplied him with drugs. Erika Guttilla, who began a relationship with him, said she reached a breaking point after he confronted her in the bathroom at her house and raped her, an incident that she did not report to police. She advised [Ford] was one of the worst people that she had ever met and the world was a better place without him, the affidavit said. She told police the decision to kill him took a month and that her mother knew she was going to shoot him. The mother placed her gun on the dresser that night, police said. Carmen Guttilla told police that Ford drank until he passed out the night of his death and that her daughter shot him. [Erika Guttilla] said she held the gun right up next to his face when she pulled the trigger, police said, according to the Burlington Free Press. After she shot him, the two women wrapped the body in plastic and put it in a garbage bin on the porch. A former boyfriend of Erika Guttilla, Edward Bennett, told police from the Northwest State Correctional Facility where he's incarcerated that Guttilla told him that she had killed Ford and when he didn't believe her, she showed him a garbage bin and said Ford's body was in it, according to a state police affidavit. He said when he still didn't believe her, she showed him her former bedroom with a large blood stain on the bed. She said: "If I could bring him back to life again and kill him again, I would," the affidavit said. Erika Guttilla said her current boyfriend helped load Fords body into a van to move the body to an abandoned playground. He also helped her clean up the bedroom several times, the affidavit said. Cassani pleaded not guilty to being an accessory after the fact, unauthorized burial or removal of a dead body and obstruction of justice. He was being held on $50,000 bail. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Residents near the lava zone on Hawaiis Big Island having been leaving Ti leaves and flowers in front of their homes and near the cracks on the ground as an offering to the fiery volcano goddess Pele in hopes she will spare them from destruction. Scientists and experts have tried to predict whats going to happen but theyve been wrong, resident Shannon Malina told Fox News Tuesday. We are in (Peles) hands now. Shes coming back. Malina, who has been living in a Red Cross shelter in Pahoa, was forced to evacuate her home four days ago because of a volcanic eruption spewing bubbling lava and swallowing up residential neighborhoods. She believes its the work of Pele, who is coming back to right the wrongs of humanity. And shes not alone. Several people on the island in recent days told Fox News they believe the volcanic instability rocking the Big Island is a warning from Pele. Pele the goddess and the Pele the lava are one in the same, UH Manoa Hawaii language professor Kaliko Baker told KHON2.Its important to know that Pele is as natural to us, Hawaiians, the aboriginals of this island, as the wind that blows, as the ocean that crashes on the shores, as the lava that flows out of the volcano. Its our norm and when Pele comes we just move because shes got the right of way. Even as she wept over the destruction, resident Linda Jones told Fox News, Madame Pele: I have love and respect. So just who is this all-powerful Pele? It depends on who you ask. Pelehonuamea, or Pele as she is more commonly known, is the goddess of fire, lightning, wind and volcanos. Passionate and moody, legend has it that she lives at the summit on Kilauea. Depending on which version of the story is told, Pele spent her most of her life locked in fierce feuds with family members and was prone to epic jealous outbursts that usually ended with her burning down everything in her path. In one narrative, Peles father exiled her to Hawaii because of her fiery temper. She fought with her elder sister, the water goddess, and went so far as to seduce her sisters husband. Peles brother, the king of sharks, pitied Pele so he built her a canoe so she could escape and finally bring an end to the bickering between the two sisters. In another version, Pele wanted to travel so she borrowed a canoe and came to the islands with her siblings in search of a fire pit to call home. She landed in Lehua, a small crescent-shaped island north of Kauai, but it fell short of her expectations. She went down the chain of Hawaiian islands, testing out Oahu, Molokai and Maui before settling on the summit of Kileua. One day, Pele hears the sounds from a hula festival. She follows the drumbeat and finds a handsome chief named Lohiau. After spending several days and nights together, Pele tells him she has to go but promises to come back for him. She doesnt. Instead, she recruits her youngest sister, Hi`aka. Hi`aka agrees but only if Pele promises to guard her beloved forest of Lehua trees and keep her friend Hopoe safe. But patience isnt a virtue for Pele, so when her sister doesnt return fast enough, Pele burns down the forest and kills Hopoe. When Hi`aka finally returns with Lohiau and sees what her older sister has done, she decides its payback time and gives into Lohiaus romantic advances. In a fit of jealous rage, Pele sets fire to her lover and turns his body into a pillar of rock. Then she turns her wrath on her sister. No one said Pele was nice, Malina says with a little laugh. But shell protect her children, I know she will. The legend of Pele has mystified and terrified residents and visitors for many years. According to Hawaiian folklore, anyone who takes a piece of rock, sand, soil or flower from what is now the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, will have to face Peles anger. There have been thousands of cases of people pocketing souvenirs only to return them to the island after falling victim to horrible bouts of bad luck. Malina believes they deserve it. They are stealing from Pele, she said. What did they think was going to happen? A man serving a life sentence for killing a Michigan teenager in 1986 bragged to inmates that he murdered at least six other girls, police said Wednesday. Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer said the alleged admission by Arthur Ream, 68, prompted investigators to reopen several missing girl cases that had long gone cold. Dwyer said investigators are confident they could find bodies in a wooded area they began digging up this week. The desolate area, near 23 Mile Road and North Avenue, was where Ream buried the body of 13-year-old Cindy Zarzycki after he killed her. The police commissioner said there is no question that 12-year-old Kimberly King, last seen in 1979, and four to six other girls are also buried at the site. Ream has a lengthy rap sheet with two convictions. He was convicted of raping a 15-year-old hitchhiker in 1974 and was released from prison four years later. He was free on parole on Sept. 15, 1979, when King went missing. In 2008, he was convicted for Zarzyckis murder. Dwyer said investigators are carefully sifting through the old case files so they can finally solve the missing person cases. This is a major effort out here, Dwyer said. We are going to take our time out here this is a very important case to all of us. Fox News reported on Tuesday that the other possible victims include 17-year-old Kellie Brownlee, who disappeared in 1982, and Kim Larrow, who was last seen in Canton Township in 1981 at the age of 15. We are trying to bring closure to the families of the victims, Dwyer said. He said investigators consider Ream to be a serial killer and could find even more remains. The police commissioner said the cold case into Kings disappearance was reopened in November and had to wait until the weather changed before they could start digging. He said that during the initial investigation, Ream was interviewed and flunked a polygraph test. Ream has been uncooperative throughout the process, Dwyer said. Our entire investigation targets right in on him. He is our person of interest, Dwyer said. Today is his birthday. I hope its his last birthday, quite frankly. King was reported missing while she was staying at her grandparents home in Warren, Mich. She had planned to sleep over a friends house across the street. But she never made it to her friends home. Kings sister, Konnie Beyma, told reporters on Wednesday that finding her sisters remains and the bodies of other victims would being a lot hope to many families. The Denver mayor whose son was caught on video using an anti-gay slur directed at a police officer during a traffic stop says he hopes his son can meet face-to-face with the officer again -- to apologize. The comments from Michael Hancock on Tuesday came hours after a local news station published a video showing his 22-year-old son, Jordan, telling an Aurora cop my dads the mayor, you f-----g f----t during a March traffic stop. "The last thing we want is young men interacting with our police officers in that manner, particularly African American young men, and so he recognizes that and he certainly understands that the officer didn`t deserve the interaction that he had. So hes written an apology to the officer and he hopes that one day he gets a chance to personally apologize," the elder Hancock said Tuesday night. Jordan Hancock was ticketed for driving 65 miles per hour in a 40-mph zone and agreed in court Monday to pay a $250 fine. Auroras police department, meanwhile, doubled down Tuesday on its hunt for the person who leaked the video, which was published online by The Denver Channel. In this matter, a portion of the video was improperly copied and disclosed. It remains of great concern to the Department that the video was released without departmental authorization, Aurora Police Chief Nicholas Metz said Tuesday. It is not appropriate for any officer to disclose evidence, video or otherwise, publicly when a matter is pending prosecution. A Houston resident whose home was hit hard by the floodwaters of Hurricane Harvey suffered another blow when thieves sacked the house just before she was due to move back in. Linda Wade had several items of furniture and appliances recently delivered to her home in Bear Creek, located in the northwest section of the city. When she stopped by Monday to see what workers accomplished over the weekend, she was shocked to discover her recently repaired home had been ransacked. "I think theyre terrible," she told FOX26 on Monday about the intruder. "Its the most disgusting thing somebody could do, especially when someones already down on their luck like this." Only two residents on her street have moved back into their homes since floodwaters filled the area. Many homes are still being repaired, leading Wade to describe the neighborhood as a "ghost town." The Houston resident told FOX26 whoever broke in stole her dining room set, refrigerator, dishwasher and bedroom furniture. HOUSTON PREPS FOR HURRICANE SEASON BUT CAN'T HANDLE RECORD RAINFALL AGAIN "The washer and drier was just delivered Friday. They took it, too, she said, wiping away tears. Her oven door was also dented, she said, as if someone tried to take that, too. "Everything I had delivered so far they took," she said. Wade and her son, who is quadriplegic, have lived in the home for 18 years and needed to borrow money to buy the items initially destroyed by Harvey's floodwaters. The 67-year-old said she did not have flood insurance, and is unsure when she can move back home due to the latest setback. My son needs to be home. I need to get home. Eight months living with someone else, even though I love my daughter to death, its just hard to live with someone else," she said. A Duke University official who just last month tweeted about the importance of freedom of expression is now under fire after his complaints about rap music at a campus coffee shop led to the firing of two of the shops employees. The complaints by Larry Moneta, Dukes vice president for student affairs, were reportedly triggered by the song Get Paid, by Young Dolph, the News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C., reported. Moneta told the newspaper in an email that he was particularly concerned about a song lyric that says, I f---ed her up real good. "I expressed my objections to the staff with whom Ive always had a cordial relationship. I insisted on paying for my purchase and left the store, Moneta wrote about his Friday visit to the Joe Van Gogh shop. I then contacted the director of Duke Dining to express my concerns and that was the end of my involvement. He then added: To those who feel that Ive flipped on my positions on free expression, I say this: The artist who wrote, recorded and performed the music is absolutely entitled to do so, however offensive I might find the lyrics. To those who feel that Ive flipped on my positions on free expression, I say this: The artist who wrote, recorded and performed the music is absolutely entitled to do so, however offensive I might find the lyrics. Larry Moneta, Duke University vice president of student affairs Nevertheless, shop baristas Britini Brown and Kevin Simmons both found out this week that they had been fired, the News & Observer reported. According to Indy Week, Brown was working the cash register that day, and offered to let Moneta have a muffin for free after he complained about the music. Brown said she turned off the song immediately when Moneta complained, the website reported. Simmons told Indy Week that Moneta appeared to be verbally harassing Brown about the matter. Harrassing is definitely the word I would use, Simmons told the website. Harrassing is definitely the word I would use. Kevin Simmons, former employee at Joe Van Gogh coffee shop Moneta claimed he bore no responsibility for the employees losing their jobs. The employees who chose to play the song in a business establishment on the Duke campus made a poor decision which was conveyed to the JVG management, Moneta wrote in his email. How they responded to the employees behavior was solely at their discretion. On April 27, the News & Observer reported, Moneta had tweeted in defense of the First Amendment. Freedom of expression protects the oppressed far more than the oppressors, he wrote. Editor's Note: After this story was published, Robbie Roberts, owner of the Joe Van Gogh coffee shop, issued the following statement to Fox News: "Joe Van Gogh apologizes to our employees, customers and community for how we handled a situation involving our Duke University store. As you have read, it is true that Joe Van Gogh is a contractor to Duke. We attempted to understand Dukes position in this case, but we should have taken a different approach in making personnel decisions. As the owner of the business, I take full responsibility for Joe Van Goghs actions. I apologize to all of the people directly involved and those who have been touched or offended, of which there are many. We are taking steps to remedy this matter, but all company personnel issues are private and will remain private. Again, my truly sincere apologies." Duke University responded to Roberts' statement: "We appreciate Mr. Roberts statement and his commitment to remedy the matter with the individuals involved, and regret the pain this incident caused to those who look to Duke to uphold the highest values of fairness and equity to all members of our community." A former CIA officer was charged Tuesday with allegedly trying to give the Chinese government classified information, the U.S. Justice Department said. Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 53, worked for the CIA between 1994 and 2007. After leaving the agency, Lee reportedly moved his family to Hong Kong. According to the Justice Department, two Chinese intelligence officers approached Lee in 2010 and offered to pay him for information. During trips Virginia and Hawaii in 2012, FBI agents secretly searched Lees hotel rooms and found evidence that he was in possession of classified information whose disclosure potentiated grave damage to the National Security of the United States, according to an FBI affidavit. Lee was previously arrested in January at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for unlawfully possessing top secret information. The information supposedly revealed the names of numbers of spies and CIA employees, Reuters reported. Prosecutors say Lee made unexplained cash deposits, and repeatedly lied to the U.S. government during voluntary interviews when asked about travel to China and his actions overseas. Lee was charged Tuesday in the Eastern District of Virginia. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. Family members of Tony Kim, one of three Americans reportedly released from North Korea after Secretary of State Mike Pompeos visit, are thanking God and President Trump for his release, over one year after he was detained. Trump tweeted about the release of the three Americans early Wednesday morning, saying that they seem to be in good health and he will be there to greet them when they land at Andrews Air Force Base. AMERICAN PRISONERS HELD IN NORTH KOREA ON THEIR WAY HOME AFTER POMPEO VISIT, TRUMP SAYS We are very grateful for the release of our husband and father, Tony Kim, and the other two American detainees. We want to thank all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home. We also want to thank the president for engaging directly with North Korea, the family wrote in a statement Wednesday morning. Mostly we thank God for Tonys safe return. Tony Kim, also known as Kim Sang Duk, 59, was detained at Pyongyangs airport in April 2017 and accused of unspecified hostile acts against the regime. He taught business accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. We appreciate all of the support and prayers of friends and even strangers during this challenging year. You are dear to our hearts. We ask that you continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held, the Kim family wrote. Thank you. The Kim family launched a social media campaign, Free USA 3, ahead of the Winter Olympic Games to help bring them home. Tonys son, Sol, made several videos online and spoke out about his father. My family and I miss my dad, Sol Kim said in April, one year after his father was detained. My 91-year-old grandfather would like to see his son again as well. Upon returning to the U.S., Kims arrival means he will be able to meet his first grandchild in person for the first time and also see his 91-year-old father. He returns with two other Americans that were being detained, Kim Hak Song and Kim Dong Chul. Kim Hak Song, an ethnic Korean born in China, was detained in May 2017 for "hostile acts." He worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. Kim Dong Chul, a South Korea-born U.S. citizen and former Virginia resident, was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He was accused of running a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea's border with Russia. American detainee Otto Warmbier died in June 2017 just days after he was brought back to the U.S. with severe brain damage. He was arrested in January 2016 and accused of stealing a propaganda poster and was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. Fox News Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The widow of a man who was reported missing in 2000 after supposedly going on a hunting trip alone was arrested Tuesday after she was indicted on a first-degree murder charge. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers arrested Denise Williams, 48, at her Florida State office, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. Williams also faces a count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and a count of being an accessory after the fact, state attorney Jack Campbell said. Williams was booked into Leon County Jail and was being held without bail. Mike Williams disappeared in December 2000 after he supposedly went duck hunting alone on a lake near Tallahassee. Williams body wasnt initially found after an extensive search in and around Lake Seminole and a theory spread that he was eaten by an alligator. The theory was debunked when Williams body was discovered in December 2017, buried under muck near a boat landing in Tallahassee, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. Oh, my gosh, Clay Ketcham, Mike Williams boss and friend, told the newspaper. I never thought this day would get here. Its horrible. But its a feeling of coming to resolution. The case had been considered suspicious for years. Brian Winchester, another friend of Mike Williams, helped him write a $1 million insurance policy before he disappeared. Five years later, Winchester married Denise Williams. Winchester was charged with kidnapping Denise Williams at gunpoint. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Authorities discovered Mike Williams body a day after Winchester was sentenced. I never thought this day would get here. Its horrible. But its a feeling of coming to resolution. Clay Ketcham Its unclear whether anyone else will be charged in the murder. Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent Mark Perez praised the efforts of investigators. "Weve had this case for 15 years, and the relentless effort in working with prosecutors and then ultimately the grand jury in bringing those responsible for Mike Williams [death] to justice is a great reward," Perez said. "Hopefully, this will bring peace and resolution to the Williams family. Denise Williams was expected to be arraigned Wednesday. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Welcome to Fox News First. Not signed up yet? Click here. Developing now, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 President Donald Trump says the U.S. will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal; critics see decision as Trumps latest move to undo the Obama legacy Ex-con mining boss Don Blankenship fails in his U.S. Senate run in West Virginia, losing to state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey; Indiana businessman Mike Braun and Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci win their GOP Senate primaries, while incumbent U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger loses in North Carolina to the Rev. Mark Harris Gina Haspel, President Trump's choice to head the CIA, is expected to face Senate Intelligence Committee questions Wednesday as her confirmation hearing gets underway Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in North Korea, making preparations for Trump's anticipated summit with Kim Jong Un A firmed linked to a Russian oligarch made more than $1 million in payments to Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, a report says THE LEAD STORY - TRUMP REJECTS IRAN DEAL - AND OBAMA: President Trumps announcement Tuesday that the United States would withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement marks just the latest development in the president's ongoing effort to undo predecessor Barack Obama's legacy -- including trying to dismantle ObamaCare while making drastic changes to U.S. immigration and military policies ... In his address to the nation announcing the pullout, Trump said the Iran deal had been so poorly negotiated that even if Iran fully complies, the regime can still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time. Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has repealed or rescinded dozens of regulations, executive orders and international agreements implemented by the Obama administration over the eight years of his presidency. Meanwhile, the head of Iran's parliamentary committee on national security said Wednesday that the country is preparing to continue spending on its ballistic missile program, a direct response to Trump's decision. PRIMARY ROUND-UP: West Virginias attorney general, Patrick Morrisey, pulled off an upset in the states Senate Republican primary on Tuesday, defeating former coal executive Don Blankenship and U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins in the combative race that saw a last-minute appeal from President Trump ... The results could be seen as a victory for Trump, who had urged Republican voters to reject Blankenship as doomed to lose to incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in November. It could also be seen as a win for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who clashed with Blankenship during the campaign. Meanwhile, Indiana businessman Mike Braun and Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci will also both win their states Republican Senate primaries, according to the Fox News Decision Desk. Also in Ohio, Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Richard Cordray won their parties' primaries in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. John Kasich. And in North Carolina, U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger, lost the Republican primary to challenger Mark Harris, a Baptist minister. Pittinger is the first incumbent to lose his seat this primary season. CIA PICK FACES GRILLING: Gina Haspel, President Trump's pick to run the CIA, is expected to field tough questions Wednesday during her confirmation hearing before the Senate intelligence committee, as many officials in her corner provide glowing endorsements of the woman who spent decades as a career undercover spy ... Haspel, 61, is expected to say that if she is confirmed by the Senate, the spy agency will not restart a detention and harsh interrogation program like the one used to get terror subjects to talk after 9/11 -- and generated controversy worldwide. Sen. Tom Cotton: Gina Haspel has spent her life defending our country Bryan Dean Wright: Making Gina Haspel CIA chief would send a message SUMMIT PREP IN NORTH KOREA: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea on Tuesday, following earlier remarks by President Trump, who said he was going to the country to prepare for the upcoming meeting with leader Kim Jong Un ... The president also hinted at the possible release of three American prisoners. Trump had hinted that the release was imminent last week, writing in a tweet: Stay tuned. Pompeo's visit to North Korea is his second; he secretly met with Kim during Easter weekend this past March. Hopefully a deal will happen, Trump said, and, with the help of China, South Korea and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone. CASH PAID TO COHEN?: A firm linked to a Russian oligarch made payments totaling more than $1 million to Michael Cohen, the personal attorney of President Trump, according to a report ... Cohen allegedly utilized shell company Essential Consultants LLC to pay money to adult-film star Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair with the president in 2006. The company, according to the New York Times, also was used for a series of business transactions and around $4.5 million ran through it from approximately November 2016 up until January 2018. Of that money, payments totaling approximately $500,000 were made by investment firm Columbus Nova in 2017, the Times reported. One of that firms biggest clients is a company helmed by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, who reportedly was questioned at an airport this year by members of Special Counsel Robert Muellers team. Senate Intel panel finds Russian-affiliated hackers targeted at least 18 states' 2016 election systems AS SEEN ON FOX NEWS THE LEFT'S 'RANK HYPOCRISY': "The left, while claiming to be the true champions of women, consider them disposable when they become politically inconvenient. Eric Schneiderman was a stalwart political ally of the left. But he's out of the picture now, so move on, quickly move on! And it's back to vilifying Trump and any woman who supports his agenda." Laura Ingraham, on "The Ingraham Angle," slamming liberals' reaction to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman resigning amid allegations of violence against women. WATCH SALUTING PRESIDENT TRUMP: "Thank you Mr. President, I really appreciate it." Retired Staff Sgt. Robert Bartlett, who was seriously wounded by a roadside bomb manufactured by Iranians, on "The Story with Martha MacCallum" praising President Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. WATCH THE SWAMP Pelosi says Dems will work to roll back Trump tax cuts if they retake Congress. Howard Kurtz: Lack of substance: Media liberals say 'Trump Porn' is hurting them, too. Effort to eliminate florist licenses in Louisiana becomes a thorny issue. ACROSS THE NATION Mormons to end long association with Boy Scouts of America. Hawaii volcano triggers more evacuations as two new vents appear. 'Inclusive' cheerleading policy rolled out at high school after parent complained child missed the cut. Man nearly dies from sepsis infection caused by biting his fingernails. George Deukmejian, ex-governor of California, dies. MINDING YOUR BUSINESS Midterm elections and stocks: How to gain no matter who wins. Vodafone to buy Liberty assets in four European countries for nearly $23 billion Michelin promotes tire care as rival Goodyear faces safety investigation. Japan's Recruit to buy U.S. job-hunting site Glassdoor for $1.2 billion. Sean Combs' Revolt Media and TV lays off one-third of staff. FOX NEWS OPINION John Stossel: What haters don't get about Betsy DeVos. Liz Peek: Eric Schneiderman, #MeToo champion, is new poster-child for the hypocrisy of New Yorks liberal elites. Lauren DeBellis Appell: Melania Trump shows why America is falling in love with her. HOLLYWOOD SQUARED Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal wedding guest list. Katy Perry tries to end feud with Taylor Swift. 'Lethal Weapon' reportedly fires main star, seeks to recast for Season 3. DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS? PHOTOS: Northern lights shine over Michigan's Mackinac Bridge. North Carolina researchers catch 9.5-foot alligator in Kitty Hawk canal. Personal trainer sets burpee world record, but critics say she wasn't doing burpees. STAY TUNED On Fox News: Fox & Friends, 6 a.m. ET: A breakdown of Tuesday's primary results and what they mean for November midterms. Why the man who helped develop the CIA's enhanced interrogation program is endorsing Gina Haspel's nomination for CIA director. Sen. Tom Cotton weighs in on President Trump's Iran deal decision, and National Security Adviser John Bolton on Trump's nixing the Iran deal and Secretary of State Pompeo's trip to North Korea. On Fox Business: Mornings with Maria, 6 a.m. ET: Guests include: Mohamed El-Erian, Allianz chief economic adviser; Victoria Coates, special assistant to President Trump on the U.S. National Security Council; Sen. James Lankford. Varney & Co., 9 a.m. ET: Rep. Louie Gohmert; Chuck DeVore, vice president for National Initiatives for the Texas Policy Foundation. Cavuto: Coast to Coast, Noon ET: Amb. Paul Bremer. After the Bell, 4 p.m. ET: Rep. Chris Stewart; Kyle Hupfer, Indiana GOP chairman. The Evening Edit, 5 p.m. ET: Guests include: Rep. Doug Collins; Lt. Gen Thomas McInerney. Lou Dobbs Tonight, 7 p.m. ET: Reps. Jim Jordan and Diane Black. On Fox News Radio: Benson & Harf, 6 p.m. ET: Don't miss the new show hosted by Guy Benson, political editor at Townhall.com and Marie Harf, former senior adviser of strategic communications at the State Department. The Fox News Rundown podcast: Gina Haspel, President Trump's nominee for CIA director, faces her confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Her role at the CIA after 9/11 has caused some controversy. Fox News chief intelligence correspondent Catherine Herridge weighs in. President Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. is pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal. Fox News' Rich Edson discusses the potential impact of Trump's decision. Plus, commentary by Karol Markowicz, columnist for FoxNews.com and the New York Post. Want the Fox News Rundown sent straight to your mobile device? Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher. The Brian Kilmeade Show, 9 a.m. ET: Monica Crowley is guest-hosting. Nation Review columnist Andrew McCarthy and Victoria Coates, special assistant to President Trump on the U.S. National Security Council, on Trump withdrawing from the Iran nuke deal. Paul Lavelle, president of Operation Restored Warrior, reveals how his organization intervenes with the most-at risk military veterans. #OnThisDay 2017: President Trump fires FBI Director James Comey, ousting the nation's top law enforcement official in the midst of an FBI investigation into whether Trump's campaign had ties to Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election. 1958: "Vertigo," Alfred Hitchcock's thriller starring James Stewart and Kim Novak, premieres in San Francisco, 1914: President Woodrow Wilson, acting on a joint congressional resolution, signs a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. Fox News First is compiled by Fox News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Enjoy your day! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Thursday morning. A Georgia man was arrested after a grandmother claimed he tried to buy her 7-year-old granddaughter for $200. Einodd Samimi, of Marietta, allegedly made an initial offer of $100, but raised the price, WXIA-TV reported. The girl's grandmother told police he followed the two around a Kroger grocery store in Cobb County on Monday night. DELIVERY DRIVER LEAVES CUSTOMER WITH MANGLED FACE AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY ATTACKS HER Samimi made "inappropriate comments about the child" which reportedly included talking about "how pretty the child's hair was" according to the woman, who told police he "asked to purchase the child for $200." The man had previously requested to "have" the 7-year-old for $100 at a Walmart earlier in the night, the news station reported. UTAH GIRL, 15, WAS ON PHONE WITH MOM WHEN SHE WAS 'BRUTALLY ATTACKED' AND KILLED; SUSPECT ARRESTED The grandmother confronted Samimi at the Kroger and a "large crowd" of people chased him through the store out to his car, police said. Samimi was reportedly arrested Tuesday and charged with enticing a child and criminal solicitation. A fugitive wanted for murder whos been on the run for 22 years has been captured in El Salvador, the FBIs Atlanta field office announced Wednesday. Hector Ulises Garay, 51, was taken into custody Tuesday in the Central American country, where he was believed to be living. Garay is wanted in the death of Adalberto Salines, who was killed during an attempted robbery at his home in Norcross, Georgia, in January 1996. The FBI obtained a warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution 10 days later after Garay was believed to have left the country. Gwinnett County records indicate Garay is currently being held at the county jail on a felony murder charge with no bond. The Associated Press contributed to this report. JERICHO, N.Y. (AP) _ Getty Realty Corp. (GTY) on Tuesday reported a key measure of profitability in its first quarter. The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The real estate investment trust, based in Jericho, New York, said it had funds from operations of $16.8 million, or 42 cents per share, in the period. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for funds from operations of 47 cents 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 $10 million, or 25 cents per share. The real estate investment trust posted revenue of $32.1 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $28.3 million. Getty Realty expects full-year funds from operations in the range of $1.68 to $1.74 per share. The company's shares have dropped nearly 6 percent since the beginning of the year. The stock has increased 1 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 GTY at https://www.zacks.com/ap/GTY Chicago police say a 15-year-old girl was shot to death while chatting with other teenagers on the front porch of a South Side residence. Police say Jazmyne Jeter was shot in the chest at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Englewood neighborhood. She was pronounced dead a short time later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Police have not determined if the girl who lived about 5 miles (8 kilometers) away was the intended target of the gunman who apparently opened fire from a gangway. Police said Wednesday that no arrests have been made. Another Chicago teenager was also shot to death Tuesday. An 18-year-old man was killed when someone opened fire from an automobile in Lawndale on the West Side. A New York grandmother died in her apartment Wednesday morning after sustaining traumatic injuries to her back, police said. The 64-year-old woman who lived in Astoria, Queens, a borough of New York City, was said to have been stabbed in her back with a knife, WABC reported, citing police. WAITRESS STABBED, CUT BY CUSTOMER WHO RAN OUT ON BILL The NYPD would only confirm to Fox News that the deceased woman, identified as Donna Blanchard, had traumatic injuries to her back, and added that the medical examiners office would ultimately determine the cause of death. Officers were called to the scene in the morning, police said, responding to a report of an unconscious female inside the apartment. They said they found an unconscious and unresponsive woman, who emergency medical services pronounced dead at the scene. TENNESSEE TEEN STABS MALE STUDENT WITH SCISSORS AFTER HE PULLS UP HER DRESS, POLICE SAY Police confirmed that the call for help came after a medical aide went to the residence but wasnt able to get in with her key. Afterwards, the aide sought out Blanchards daughter, who lives in the building as well, police said. Blanchard lived with her 16-year-old granddaughter, police confirmed, but the girl was in school when the incident occurred. They added that the womans family had been notified of her death. The NYPD said an investigation is underway. A possible motive wasnt clear and no arrests were immediately made. An American man wanted on charges related to a large-scale drug smuggling operation was arrested by border patrol agents when he tried to enter the U.S. from Canada after nearly 30 years on the run. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday that agents responded to an April 15 report of two suspicious individuals emerging from the trees about a quarter mile from the U.S.-Canada border, near Rexford, Montana. The two men were detained and after some questioning, agents learned one of the men, Jacob Moritz, was a naturalized U.S. citizen with an outstanding arrest warrant dating to 1989. According to CBP, the arrest warrant against Moritz stems from a 1989 indictment charging him and others with various counts related to a large-scare drug smuggling operation. Officials said Moritz used an ocean-going freighter to smuggle large quantities of marijuana, hashish and heroin into the U.S. between 1970 until his arrest in 1989. At the time of the indictment, Moritz fled the U.S. This is another example of our agents doing their job to protect our country from those who are here to conduct illegal activities, Patrol Agent in Charge Paul Farmer said in a statement. It should also be known that Mr. Moritz was uncooperative during questioning, however, that will never stop us from finding out who you are or what you have done in your past. If that includes conducting criminal activities 30 years ago, you will be turned over to the proper authorities and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Mortiz was turned over to the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office and the U.S. Marshals Service later took him into custody. The man who attempted to enter the U.S. with Moritz was only identified as being a Canadian citizen. Agents began the process for his removal. A state trooper gave one dog something to chew on this week. Massachusetts State Police described an incident involving a wandering dog in a Facebook post on Wednesday. This morning, several motorists called to report a loose dog running down the middle of I-190 in Worcester, it said. Trooper Nick DAngelo responded and found several motorists stopped attempting to capture the dog, to no avail, the post explained. CUTE KITTENS REPORTEDLY FREED FROM FLORIDA DETECTIVES CAR DAngelo, however, was able to rescue the canine. State police revealed that he had brought some homemade deer jerky, and lured the dog to safety, who seemed very grateful for the morning snack! The Facebook post, which came with several photos, said that Dozier the dog has since been reunited with his owner. The Associated Press contributed to this report. So how bad is the pollen this season across the Northeast? A New Jersey resident decided to find out Monday, reaching a conclusion that may cause some to grab a box of tissues. Jennifer Henderson, of Millville, N.J. posted a video to Facebook showing her husband tapping a tree while driving a backhoe loader. Shortly after tapping the tree, a massive cloud of pollen being held by the tree is slowly released and descends as the backhoe quickly reverses away. "When my husband said the pollens bad, I probably shouldve taken his word for it," she wrote. "Crazy!" Julia Lowe Ehrhardt, program coordinator at the Tyler Arboretum in Philadelphia, told FOX29 that blooming maple, birch, and oak trees are the main culprits. A cool April has led to many late-blooming plants, according to Ehrhardt. "It was like three seasons in one week. Well the plants couldnt make up their mind, so the early plants are late meaning the cool spring kind of delayed them," she said. STORMS FIRING UP ACROSS THE MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES, SIZZLING TEMPERATURES ACROSS ARIZONA It's not just the Northeast suffering from high tree pollen, according to AccuWeather. A large swatch of the country, from the Great Plains to the Mid Atlantic, is listed as "moderate" to "high." Experts advise those suffering from allergies should keep windows closed to prevent the pollen from getting inside, and people should wash their hands and faces after going outside. Police are charging a Mississippi man with murder because they say his actions caused an officer to shoot his brother. Jackson police spokesman Sgt. Roderick Holmes says 30-year-old Elliot Reed died Wednesday after a traffic stop at a gas station. Holmes says Elliot and his brother, Chauncy Reed, were stopped. A video obtained by WJTV-TV shows Chauncy Reed exited the SUV and began shooting while the officer wrestled with his brother. The officer fired back, wounding Elliot Reed, who died hours later at a hospital. Chauncy Reed is charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and capital murder. Police justify the murder charge, saying the 26-year-old caused his brother's death. It's unclear if he has a lawyer. The officer wasn't injured. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation leads the inquiry. The mother of a 16-year-old girl who was taken out of her Pennsylvania high school and brought to Mexico by a man with whom she reportedly had a secret relationship is suing him and the girls school for financial and emotional damages. The aggrieved mom, Mui Luu, filed suit on Monday. In the lawsuit, she alleged that Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School, the school that allowed Amy Yu to be repeatedly signed out of class by Kevin Esterly, 45, violated her constitutional right to her daughters safety by letting him be listed as Yus stepfather on an emergency form. According to court documents, he signed Yu out of school 10 times between November 2017 and February of this year. Esterly is also named in the lawsuit, accused of interfering with the custody of Luus daughter and thus causing psychological and reputational damage. The suit calls for unspecified punitive damages. Last month, federal agents and Mexican authorities located the missing teen and Esterly in Playa del Carmen, a Mexican coastal resort town. Yu was escorted back to the United States, and plans to extradite Esterly back into the country were made. MISSING PENNSYLVANIA TEEN WILLINGLY WENT TO MEXICO WITH 45-YEAR-OLD MAN, POLICE SAY Police say they believe the young girl, who went missing on March 5, left willingly, and that she and Esterly had indulged a romantic relationship after meeting at church a few years ago. Esterly is facing a third-degree felony charge, accused of interfering with the custody of a child. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Three bikers were indicted on murder charges Wednesday stemming from the 2015 shooting outside a restaurant in Texas that left nine dead -- the deadliest biker shooting in U.S. history. The indictment by McLennan County prosecutors marks the first murder charges in the Waco, Texas case and comes just eight days before the statute of limitations runs out. More than 20 other bikers were re-indicted on new charges, ranging from rioting to tampering with evidence. The charges came a day after prosecutors dismissed more than 60 cases from the shooting at a Twin Peaks restaurant that left nine people dead and 20 injured. Investigators said the incident was sparked by rivalries between the Bandidos and Cossacks motorcycle clubs. Waco police officers monitoring the gathering also fired on the bikers, and nearly 200 ended up arrested after the melee. TEXAS PROSECUTORS DROP DOZENS MORE CASES FROM WACO SHOOTING According to Waco police incident reports reviewed by the Associated Press, Jeff Battey, a former Marine, and another Bandido charged with murder Wednesday, Ray Allen, were seen "triangulated" over Matthew Smith, a Cossack who died at the scene from gunshot wounds. The third Bandido member indicted Wednesday was Glenn Walker. All the bikers arrested following the shooting were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a felony, but prosecutors have dropped 154 of those cases in the last four months, saying they wanted to focus on those who were "more culpable." DOCUMENTS: POLICE DID LITTLE TO STOP WACO BIKER SHOWDOWN Only one biker -- Jake Carrizal, a locomotive driver and the president of the Dallas chapter of the Bandidos -- has been tried. His trial ended in a hung jury and a mistrial last fall. The county's district attorney said in a statement in February announcing the first round of disposed cases that information gleaned during Carrizal's trial was "invaluable" in his office's decision to narrow the focus of its investigation. Late last year, evidence obtained by the AP showed that law enforcement had intelligence of impending violence at the showdown but did little to prevent the meeting from taking place. A state police agent who also spoke to the Twin Peaks restaurant owner three days before the shootout did not report any request to cancel the event. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Dolly Marshall spent nearly a decade searching for clues about her family. That search poring through old photographs, municipal records and ancestry reports eventually led her to the gravesite of her great-great-grandfather, a Civil War veteran who was buried at Mount Peace Cemetery in Lawnside, N.J., just 10 minutes away from her Camden home. I knew my ancestors were more than just slaves and that, if I remained steadfast, I would find them, Marshall said. One of several sites in the historically African American Camden County community, Mount Peace, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But what Marshall found on her visit was a far cry from the honor. Years of neglect have taken a toll on the grounds. Many graves have sunken into the earth, headstones toppled, overgrown by wild weeds. The cemetery is littered with trash and leaves. Due to segregation practices during the Civil War, African American soldiers who bravely fought with the Union Army were not usually laid to rest alongside many of their fellow soldiers in the cemeteries that were created after the battle. Rather, community members often buried African American veterans in unclaimed lands, along highways, many of which have long since been forgotten. But a group of volunteers in New Jersey is trying to revitalize this one cemetery that for decades has suffered from neglect. Marshalls great-great grandfather, William Waters Hegamin, a seaman from Philadelphia, died in 1911 and, like so many African American soldiers from the region, Mount Peace had become his final resting place after being denied access to one of the 116 U.S. Civil War graveyards. Seeing his grave in this condition lit a fire, Marshall said. I knew immediately, sadness wasnt going to do anything. Energized by her discovery, Marshall wanted to help. She reached out to Yolanda Romero, whose father had compiled a list of Civil War Veterans buried at Mount Peace. For nearly two decades, Romero and a small group of volunteers have tried to maintain the integrity of the cemetery, which covers more than 11 acres along the adjacent highway and strip mall. The last two years have been the hardest. We just dont have the manpower, said Romero, a retired human resources manager, who serves on the board of the Mount Peace Cemetery Association. Historians believe that the remains of as many as 125 Civil War veterans are buried at Mount Peace, along with veterans of the Spanish American War, World Wars I and II, and the Korean War but many of their graves have not been located. Burial records and plot maps were lost when a fire destroyed a caretakers house on the property, making it hard to confirm exact numbers, Romero said. Its a lot of work. There are a lot of tombstones back in the woods that we cant see, but now that we have this young lady to help organize [Marshall], maybe we can attract some more folks to help, said Romero. A three-acre stretch near the back of the cemetery is covered with growth and inaccessible. Romero said years ago, a group of Boy Scout volunteers had discovered more tombstones and plots in the area. As with many African Americans cemeteries of this time, there were no perpetual care funds in place, said Linda Shockley, president of the Lawnside Historical Society. It was the tradition for families to picnic near the graves of their ancestors and maintain care. Shockley estimates that 3,000 people are interred at Mount Peace but acknowledges a firm number is unknown sine there are so many unmarked markers. Many families marked their loved one's burial spot with seashells or spiky yucca plants, said Shockley. The Mount Peace association has $100,000 in its maintenance and preservation fund. But under state law, caretakers are only allowed to spend the interest, which has dropped to about $16 a year, Romero said. Unable to accept new burials, the board relies on donations and community organized cleanups. We need fencing but that could be a couple hundred thousand dollars and we havent finished clearing it, Romero said, I just hope to see is it finished in my lifetime. The Mount Peace board hopes to restore the cemetery and identify the remaining gravesites so tourist can learn more about the significance of the site. This is hallowed ground, Marshall said. They [the veterans] have names and faces, their lives are important. When firefighter Dustin Reid arrived at the scene of a car crash last month, he was horrified to learn his wife and two young children were involved. The moment was a total nightmare, Reid, with the High Point Fire Department, told FOX8. A man, later identified as Kenneth Gordon, allegedly overdosed while driving a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado. He merged onto a local highway heading south, slamming into the bumper of a 2008 Jeep. The impact caused the Jeep to spin out and overturn into a ditch, authorities told the news station. Inside the Jeep was Reids wife, who has not been identified, and their two young children. They were reportedly on their way to visit Reid at work. Thankfully, however, neither Reids wife nor his children were injured in the crash. Still, arriving at the scene was any firefighters worst dream. To see your wife and kids and the vehicle that badly smashed, he added. Authorities later said Gordon, who was arrested and charged with felony child abuse in November 2017, was going at least 65 miles per hour when he crashed into the Jeep. He was not injured in the accident, FOX8 reported. While his family left the crash unscathed, Reid's wife and children are still shaken up," according to FOX8. "We're very blessed, my kids they were fine, not a scratch," Reid said. A spokesperson with the High Point Police Department was not immediately available when contacted by Fox News on Wednesday. BLACK REPUBLICAN BLOG - The Republican Party is the party of civil rights and the four Fs: faith, family, freedom and fairness. The Democratic Party is the party of the four Ss: slavery, secession, segregation and socialism (Quote By Author Michael Scheuer). A Wisconsin thief seemed to struggle to stay awake while stealing a cart full of Red Bull worth nearly $250. The unidentified man was captured on surveillance video rolling boxes of the energy drink out of a grocery store. Burlington Police Department released photos on Monday that indicated the yawning bandit was seen stealing the Red Bull around 1:38 p.m. Saturday. Stealing can be exhausting.....Which is probably why this guy cant stop yawning and why he has nearly $250 worth of stolen Red Bull in his cart! the police department said. Details about where the crime happened and which direction the suspect fled were not released. Police urged anyone who recognized the person to call Officer Talbert at (262) 342-1100. A Rutgers University student was found dead on campus Monday -- just days after another student died at the New Jersey school. Kyle Gotchel, a sophomore majoring in business, was discovered outside one of the dorm buildings on the New Brunswick campus Monday, NJ.com reported. Campus officials said they were investigating the death but do not believe foul play was involved. Officials were reportedly investigating whether Gotchel fell or jumped from his second-floor window. "This tragic incident remains under investigation, but foul play is not suspected. The university extends its sincerest condolences to Kyle's family and friends," the school said in a statement. INCLUSIVE CHEERLEADING POLICY ROLLED OUT AT HIGH SCHOOL AFTER PARENT COMPLAINED CHILD MISSED THE CUT A GoFundMe account has been set up for Gotchels family and to help pay for the students funeral costs. Meanwhile, Akash S. Taneja, a graduate student studying medicinal chemistry, was discovered dead Friday at Rutgers Busch Campus in Piscataway, officials told students. Tanejas body was also found outdoors, like Gotchels, and on the campus, Patch.com reported. The Middlesex County Prosecutors Office announced it was investigating Tanejas death, although it was not considered suspicious. Tanejas cause of death was not immediately clear. "The deceased was a graduate student and member of our community," the university said in a statement. "While the investigation is ongoing and the cause of death is yet to be determined, no foul play is suspected." NEW JERSEY TEEN DIES AFTER COLLAPSING DURING GYM CLASS "I am still in shock that he is not with us anymore," Ahsan Anwar, a Rutgers student who said Taneja was a lab assistant, told NJ.com. "He was a very smart and nice young man -- always smiling and ready to help. This loss can't be recovered at any cost." The school announced there were counselors on campus for students who wanted a consultation. An administrator at South Carolina high school allegedly said those who cheer at an upcoming graduation ceremony could be fined more than $1,000. The administrator allegedly told Greenville High School students and parents that cheering during the schools upcoming graduation ceremony could result in a $1,030 fine. "Since graduation is a dignified and solemn occasion, graduating seniors and their guests should behave appropriately. Please ask your guests not to call out, cheer, whistle, or applaud during the reading of names and presentation of diplomas, a slide at a recent assembly also read, according to the Greenville News. The Citation for Family Members yelling out is $1,030, it continued. It is not currently clear how that amount came about, the Greenville News reported. A spokesperson for Greenville County Schools told the newspaper that the graduation ceremony is under the jurisdiction of the Greenville Police Department because the event will be held at a the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. "Greenville Police have the authority to cite and/or fine people in the audience who create a disturbance or disruption, the spokesperson said, adding that "all seniors are given a set of expectations for behavior at graduation for both themselves and their guests. We want the name of every graduate to be heard. If there is cheering and disruption, it can ruin the moment for the next student in line who has also worked hard to achieve the recognition and deserves to have their moment. While that may be true, anyone who cheers at the event shouldnt be too worried about receiving a fine, Sgt. Johnathan Bragg told the Greenville News. He added that congratulating a graduate or yelling their name is not a police matter. We would only get involved when it's actually a criminal matter. As far as charging someone for yelling, we have not done that, he said. Only when a graduation-goer exhibits disorderly conduct would the police department get involved. "If someone starts yelling obscenities, that's a different story. That would get into the 'disorderly' realm, he said. A Bronx spiritualist was arrested Tuesday and accused of sexually assaulting four people and brutally inducing a miscarriage, law enforcement sources said. Christian Robles, a 32-year-old who lives in the Fordham Heights neighborhood, was charged with two counts of criminal sex acts, five counts of sex abuse, criminal possession of a weapon and illegally performing an abortion. Robles called himself a spiritualist to his victims, they told police. Two women, 26 and 39, and three men, 20, 24 and 29, walked into a Bronx police precinct on Monday to tell cops how Robles abused them, sources said. The 29-year-old woman said she was six weeks pregnant when Robles allegedly made her lay on her back as he stood on her stomach for 10 minutes, according to sources. He then told her to flip over and he stood on her back, eventually forcing a miscarriage, she told police. Click for more from the New York Post. The suspect in a brutal sex assault on a New York City mother that led to the creation of a 40-member task force was arrested Tuesday at a South Carolina motel, NYPD officials announced. Ronald Williams, 21, was arrested in the violent, random sexual assault on a 52-year-old woman just after she dropped off her son at school. The April 30 attack left the victim unconscious in a basement stairwell, where police officers found her with trauma to her face and body, according to officials. It was unusually brutal -- she was physically assaulted, very badly, Capt. Elisa Anders, of the NYPDs Special Victims Unit, told WABC-TV of the crime. Shes still hospitalized. A 40-member special task force assigned to the case was utilizing technical and social resources in the search for Williams, according to the station. A case like this, leaving a victim as brutally beaten as she was is extremely troublesome, Anders said. Williams was extradited to New York from Columbia, S.C., on a probation violation. A $10,000 reward had been offered for information leading to an arrest in the case. A Texas art teacher who was suspended for discussing her sexual orientation filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the school district for discrimination. Stacy Bailey, a former teacher at Charlotte Anderson Elementary School in Arlington, alleges she was discriminated against by the Mansfield Independent School District and two employees because shes gay, according to the New York Daily News. Bailey was suspended with pay in September for discussing her sexual orientation with her students, the Dallas Morning News reported. The school district said in a statement to the newspaper at the time Bailey was suspended over insisting that it is her right and that it is age appropriate for her to have ongoing discussions with elementary-aged students about her own sexual orientation, the sexual orientation of artists, and their relationships with other gay artists. A parent complained to the schools principal in August 2017 about Bailey promoting a homosexual agenda and talking about her future wife whom she married in March the New York Daily News reported, citing the lawsuit. The parent complained again in September, which led to the suspension. The school district is sending the message that it believed LGBT teachers were not acceptable to teach elementary students, her attorney Jason Smith said at a news conference, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The lawsuit named Mansfield superintendent Jim Vaszauskas and associate superintendent of human resources Kimberly Cantu and will be filed under the equal protection clause of the Constitution, the Star-Telegram reported. "I'm disappointed in MISD," Trisha Savage, a parent of a Charlotte Anderson student, told the Star-Telegram. "They handled this horribly and now will be fighting a battle that could have been avoided. What would the harm have been to have reinstated her in her classroom at the school she loves who loves her?" Baileys contract was renewed April 23 and the school told her May 1 she had been reassigned to a secondary school, the newspaper reported. Bailey is still listed as the art teacher on the Charlotte Anderson school website. U.S. allies in Europe are lamenting President Donald Trump's move to abandon the multinational nuclear deal with Iran. Trump criticized the agreement reached by the Obama administration as "defective at its core" and declared Tuesday that by pulling out he is making the world safer. The agreement in 2015 lifted most U.S. and international economic sanctions against Iran. In exchange, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program, making it impossible to produce a bomb and establishing rigorous inspections. Facing renewed sanctions from the U.S., Iran's leader ominously warned Tuesday that his country might "start enriching uranium more than before." Officials of Germany, France and Britain tried but failed to persuade Trump to keep the U.S. in the deal. China and Russia are also parties to the agreement. A 15-year-old Utah girl was on the phone with her mother when she was brutally attacked and killed inside her home, police said prior to capturing a person of interest who had been accused of a previous unlawful sexual encounter with the teen. Baleigh Bagshaw was found dead inside her Salt Lake City home just after 3 p.m. Monday when cops conducted a welfare check, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported. Authorities said the 15-year-olds mother was on the phone with the girl when someone attacked her. The mother heard part of the assault before the phone went dead. "She was on the phone with her mother, she was brutally attacked while inside her home," said Sgt. Brandon Shearer with the Salt Lake Police Department. "The mother heard the attack going on, and then the phone went dead. At that time, the mother called a neighbor to go check on Baileigh, and who also contacted police." FLORIDA WIDOW ARRESTED IN 2000 COLD-CASE MURDER OF HUSBAND Shaun French, 24, was initially identified as a person of interest in Bagshaws death prior to his arrest on Wednesday, according to Salt Lake City police. They added that he was "now a suspect." There had been an active warrant out for Frenchs arrest stemming from a previous unlawful sexual encounter he had with the teen, police said. He also used to live in the same house as Bagshaw, but didnt live there at the time of the teens death, Deseret News reported. Authorities in Colorado said they took French into custody. He will remain in the state until he can be extradicted to Utah, Fox 13 reported. French, who was described as having a beard and wearing glasses, was believed to have been traveling along Interstate 80 and heading to Cleveland, Ohio, where he has contacts. He also has relatives in Evanston, Wyo., and Denver, Colo. Bagshaw had just returned from West High School and called her mother to let her know she was OK, a routine thing she did, FOX13 reported. Its unclear if the attacker was waiting inside or outside of the home at the time. Police have not released her cause of death. "I can't even guess what the mother would be going through right now. Our hearts and thoughts are with her, Shearer said. Talia Zamir, who knew Bagshaw from school, said the teen was well-liked. "She was incredibly smart and talented and she always got along with people around her. She was really friendly and nice," Zamir told Deseret News. "And that's what makes everything so heartbreaking, honestly." Fox News' Elizabeth Zwirz contributed to this report. At least one school district in Pennsylvania will receive some relief for its taxpayers after a teachers union agreed to cover all future costs associated with the controversial ghost teacher practice. The Reading Education Association, the union at the center of the controversy, has agreed to a memorandum of understanding with Reading School District to reimburse the school district for all future costs. It did not, however, agree to repay nearly $600,000 in salary and benefits accrued by the unions presidents since 2011. Fox News reported on the original lawsuit, which was filed by Americans for Fair Treatment, a nonprofit public employee watchdog group, in 2017. The Fairness Center, a nonprofit law firm which primarily focuses on public employee unions, assisted in the litigation. The Fairness Center focused on the cost of the salary and benefits accrued by the former REA presidents, which totaled $583,213 from 2011 to 2016. Going forward, the union will be made to pay the district for those costs until the current collective bargaining agreement expires. I think the major point here is that while things have gotten better for the kids in Reading, this is a statewide problem and this going to take a statewide solution. David Osborne Theyve negotiated for certain privileges, and thats what this is, David Osborne, president and general counsel for the Fairness Center, said. This is a privilege for one or more people to leave their full-time job and go work for the union full time. The problem with the decision in Reading is that the memorandum of understanding doesnt set a legal precedent that would be binding for other districts. I think the major point here is that while things have gotten better for the kids in Reading, this is a statewide problem and this going to take a statewide solution, Osborne said. I think it puts them on a level playing field. Patrick Stefano This controversial arrangement is allowed through collective bargaining under current Pennsylvania state law; its a practice that Republican State Sen. Patrick Stefano hopes to end through legislation. He currently has a bill on the Senate floor that would bar the practice of school districts shouldering the costs of teachers who take full-time union leave. I think it puts them on a level playing field, Stefano said. They cant keep getting their workers at the taxpayers' costs. Its a double cost for a school district. Those are tax dollars out the door without any educational benefit. "When resources are already strained, it just makes a bad situation worse. The bill would still allow for teachers to be granted paid time off to vote over union functions, attend conferences or lobby state lawmakers. The threshold for full-time union work would be defined as more than three consecutive days in a week or 30 days in a school year. In an emailed statement, Rebecca Titus, president of the REA, said shes pleased the lawsuit is being discontinued so we may focus our efforts on educating the students of Reading. Reading, long-maligned as economically depressed, has had its share of education problems. A 2016 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment study found that the town ranked 494 out of 500 districts in math proficiency, and No. 493 in reading proficiency. These numbers follow students into high school, where only 65 percent graduated in 2016. Those rates are stark when compared with the statewide graduation rate of 89 percent. Thanksgiving dinner may never be the same for some Missouri residents, who earned a trip to a hospital Monday after a bizarre accident involving a wild turkey. Vicki Wood was driving on Highway 60 near the James River, back to Springfield from neighboring Seymour, with her son Dustin Wood in the back seat and his girlfriend Pam Standfield in the front passenger seat, when a 20-pound turkey headed for their car, the Springfield News-Leader reported. "My mom was driving and noticed something flying on the left side. She thought it was a hawk. The next thing, there was a sound like a shotgun bang and it blew the windshield out of the van," Dustin Wood told the paper. The two women were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were treated for cuts from flying glass, the paper reported. Standfield was knocked out after being hit by the turkey. "After it hit us, I was spitting glass," Vicki Wood said. "We're very lucky that Pam was looking down for her phone when it hit. ... It came in right where her head was. If she had been looking up, it could have been a lot worse. It was a blessing she had her head down." Standfield, who received some stitches for her injuries, said the freak accident left her feeling differently about eating the traditional Thanksgiving food. "I don't think I even want to eat turkey at Thanksgiving anymore," she said. Her boyfriend was struck by a few pieces of glass in his kneecap, according to the paper. Unfortunately, the turkey did not survive. Two women were arrested Tuesday after throwing the ashes of a woman who died in police custody at Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck during a meeting at police headquarters, officials said. The women, identified by Black Lives Matter activists as Melina Abdullah and Sheila Hines-Brim, were arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer, the Los Angeles Times reported. Hines-Brim, the aunt of Wakeisha Wilson, who died in police custody in 2016, was the one who threw the substance at Beck, Officer Mike Lopez told the newspaper. Abdullah, a Cal State Los Angeles professor, was the one who assaulted an officer, Lopez added. Hines-Brim told KTLA that she threw the ashes at Beck to grapple with the death of Wilson. She told reporters that she felt vindicated. "I used her ashes so they could be with him, so he can feel her, because he murdered her," she said. "I feel satisfied, because I completed what Wakiesha told me to do." Beck wasnt hurt in the incident and officials didnt immediately confirm the mysterious substance was Wilsons ashes, according to the Los Angeles Times. Beck called the incident disrespectful. "This only created chaos and fear for any Angelenos who wanted to voice their opinion about policing in our city," he said. The police account of Wilsons death had been challenged by activists. Police said Wilson committed suicide while in a jail cell in March 2016. Activists contend she died as a result of a confrontation with police. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada's government will formally apologize for turning away a ship full of Jewish refugees trying to flee Nazi Germany in 1939. The German liner MS St. Louis was carrying 907 German Jews fleeing Nazi persecution and it also been rejected by Cuba and the United States. The passengers were forced to return to Europe and more than 250 later died in the Holocaust. Trudeau said in speech to a sold-out Jewish fundraising event Tuesday that the decision to turn away the St. Louis was a blight on Canada's past. In the run-up to World War II and the ensuing Holocaust, the Canadian government heeded anti-Semitic sentiment and severely restricted Jewish immigration. From 1933 to 1945, only about 5,000 Jewish refugees were accepted. Two mass graves containing at least 20 bodies have been discovered in the sewage system of this former Islamic State stronghold, a sickening reminder of the lasting devastation caused by the groups three-year occupation of northern Iraq. Human bones in the uniform of an Iraqi soldier and the remains of seven civilians were found Sunday at a site in the residential Ayadia neighborhood, under a home that once served as the local headquarters of the Islamic State (ISIS). Local officials who had been tipped to the presence of the remains on Friday said the victims were likely held in the basement of the home, which has yet to be "de-mined" and secured. Across the street, at a second location, another 12 decomposed civilian bodies have been exhumed in recent days. Among the remains found were those of at least two children, and dismembered heads without other body parts. Thick black cloths, likely used as blindfolds, and handcuffs were also found among the remains. Most of the victims appear to have been killed execution-style, with a bullet to the back of the head. It was a massacre. More and more of the same, one police official told Fox News, which accompanied the recovery workers through their day's work on Sunday. It is never-ending. Officials here have become all too familiar with the discovery of ISIS victims. Our duty is to the innocent people under the rubble, Saad Hamadi al-Hussein, commander of the Nineveh Civil Defense Corps Emergency Convoy unit, told Fox News in an interview the night before the remains were exhumed. ISIS kills them and throws them into the sewage one by one, and covers it over with cement. This is their way. Our duty is to the innocent people under the rubble. Saad Hamadi al-Hussein, commander of the Nineveh Civil Defense Corps Emergency Convoy unit A team of roughly a dozen men in bright red suits from the convoy unit undertook the painstaking work, having been notified of the grave location less than two days earlier. At the first house, that began by cutting a four-foot square above a portion of the sewer. The sewer was then drained. One person entered in a hazardous-materials suit and oxygen mask to survey the situation. The recovery then commenced with a few hooks, a ladder and gloved hands. After several grueling hours, and with small children watching from low-lying rooftops above, 20 body bags were sealed and handed over to the Iraqi Federal Police. Law enforcement took them to a specialized committee established for examining the bodies. Whenever possible, surviving family members of the victims are notified. Tel Afar, about 40 miles west of Mosul, had a population of about 100,000 before being captured by ISIS in June of 2014. The city was liberated last year, in October. Remnants of war are nearly everywhere. Bodies found around and under homes are not uncommon. Neither is the smell of putrefied flesh, to those workers who spend their days and nights in the recovery efforts. Hussein said that in many cases, families living under ISIS rule were forced to bury bodies in their own homes and backyards, as well as in local public squares. Civil defense officials have since begun recovering remains that can be identified for proper burial. The 43-person Emergency Division is tasked only with removing civilian remains. A larger group, the 700-person-strong Nineveh Civil Defense Corps, sweeps up bodies from the streets, and collecting them from within individual homes. The corps was established in 2003 under the U.S.-led Coalition Provincial Authority (CPA), and many received training from Americans in Bahrain. Members now say they dont have adequate tools to do their jobs as effectively as possible, and claim requests for help, direct to both the Baghdad Central Government and international humanitarian organizations, have gone unanswered. But the corps' situation is certainly better than it was under ISIS, when the group remained operational but its efforts were routinely sabotaged. Sometimes ISIS would make us go away after an attack, and they knew it was only civilians killed, Hussein recalled. Or if they knew their fighters were there, they would let us go in. Other times, they would come and force us to recover their dead fighters for them. For Daoud Salem Mahmood Ali, a 44-year-old rescue worker from Mosul -- he's considered something of a hero among his peers, since hes been unearthing bodies for some 27 years its a job that never gets easier. Sometimes, its five or six entire families all buried in one house, he said after hosing himself off behind the fire truck at the end of a shift in Tel Afar. As a father, especially when I see women and children, it hurts. I have had to pull out many pregnant women, too. Ali said he and the team have recovered 2,400 bodies since Mosul was liberated last July, with more than 2,000 of those coming from the Old City, on the west side. In Tel Afar, they have since recovered about 640 bodies, many of whom are still unidentified. Another 500 bodies were discovered last year in a mass grave between the two strongholds, at the Badush prison. But it isn't just recovery that's required of the dedicated team. Ali is also encumbered with de-mining bodies, typically those of ISIS fighters. I can tell straight away if they are ISIS. They are usually booby-trapped and often have foreign passports strapped to them, Ali said. We dont remove them. Our command after de-mining is then to leave them, and authorities take those. But with an Iraqi federal election looming on Saturday, the cleanup and recovery effort in this blasted city is temporarily taking a back seat to politics. A large poster of the head of an Iran-backed group, striking a battlefield pose with the leader of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force leader, adorns the gates at the city entrance. Other candidate posters are everywhere, even on bombed-out buildings. The national focus on the campaign, Ali said, makes his work a mere afterthought to many. If it is our intention to put a poster in the street, cleaning will take at least another two years, Ali said. But if our intention is a humanitarian one, we can remove all the remains in a year. A proposal for bringing international environmental law under one legally binding treaty at the United Nations will be up for a preliminary vote later this week at the U.N. General Assembly. The United States U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley tells Fox News in a statement that the U.S. wont support the measure. The Global Pact for the environment has the backing of French President Emmanuel Macron and the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and is being sponsored by France at the world body. It seeks to consolidate what it calls the fragmented nature of environmental law, and codify it, and make it accessible to all citizens. In a statement to Fox News, Haley said that, When international bodies attempt to force America into vague environmental commitments, its a sure sign that American citizens and businesses will get stuck paying a large bill without getting large benefits. The proposed global compact is not in our interests, and we oppose it, First launched in Paris just weeks after President Trump took the U.S. out of the Paris agreement on climate change, the pact was drawn up by a group of 80 legal experts from 40 countries. At the opening event Macron was joined by the former Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, who offered his support to it, telling Agence France-Presse that the issue was not a political one. In September, Macron set out the goals of Global Pact at the United Nations. He said the framework would establish rights, but also duties for mankind. Macron urged quick adoption in his speech, I very strongly believe that the world is ready for this and that its our responsibility. Guterres also gave his support to the pact at the meeting. Marc Morano, publisher of Climate Depot, and author of the new book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change, charged that, This new global environmental pact will have more teeth and cover more aspects of human civilization than the U.N.-Paris climate pact. This new environmental pact is looking to be the U.N. Paris agreement on steroids because they are making it binding, and it appears even wider in scope. One United Nations diplomat told Fox News that, the unknowing and uncertainty is what makes us so nervous, because you just never know where this can go and it could open up a Pandoras Box. That Pandoras Box, critics fear, includes fears over national sovereignty and new regulations and costs on businesses. Catherine Tinker, visiting associate professor at Seton Hall Universitys School of Diplomacy and International Relations, and an expert in international environmental law, pointed to the hundreds of multilateral agreements that are already in place. Tinker told Fox News, While the global pact for the environment is well-intentioned, and may well serve as a guideline for some states, I am unconvinced of the need for a general treaty of this sort. There are in the neighborhood of 1,500 multilateral environmental agreements negotiated and ratified by various states in the last 40 years these are binding. There are numerous voluntary commitments such as the Paris Agreement and the U.N.s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We dont need new laws, what we need is implementation. A vote on the French draft resolution is likely to take place this coming Thursday. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 The Latest on Malaysia's election (all times local): 8:30 a.m. Long lines are forming at polling booths in Kuala Lumpur and other cities as voting begins in Malaysia's general election. The election pits an opposition led by former authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad against the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose image has been sullied by corruption allegations and an unpopular goods and services tax. Morning newspaper headlines focused on Najib's election eve promises of tax exemptions for young people, extra public holidays and a five-day break from road tolls if his coalition wins. Analysts say the ruling National Front, in power since independence from Britain in 1957, might lose the popular vote for a second consecutive election. But it could still win a majority of seats in parliament due to an electoral system that gives more power to rural Malays, its traditional supporters. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 South Korean President Moon Jae-in has arrived in Japan for a summit with Japan and China that is expected to focus on North Korea's nuclear program and on improving the sometimes-frayed ties among the three northeast Asian neighbors. Wednesday's summit is the seventh since the three-way meetings started in 2008 but only the first since 2015. Japanese officials say the meeting comes at a crucial time, sandwiched between an inter-Korean summit and planned talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Moon is expected to brief Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang about his recent summit with Kim. Japanese officials say they hope the talks will also promote regional trade. A riot has injured prisoners and some officers at a police detention center south of Indonesia's capital. Muhammad Iqbal, a national police spokesman, said none of those injured in the riot late Tuesday was in serious condition. He said some from both sides were injured but didn't give a number and refused to provide more details except to say no one died. Unconfirmed reports said the riot began when some terrorist convicts tried to grab weapons from guards on the counter-terrorism squad. Iqbal was speaking to reporters early Wednesday outside the elite police force's headquarters in Depok, on Jakarta's southern outskirts, where the riot occurred. It happened four days after the arrests of three Islamic militants who planned to attack the headquarters and other police stations in the same town. A junior officer on the destroyer USS Fitzgerald has pleaded guilty to a dereliction of duty charge in connection with a collision that killed seven sailors last year, the Navy announced Tuesday. Lt. j.g. Sarah Coppock will forfeit a half-months pay for three months and receive a punitive letter as punishment, according to a Navy statement. Our Sailors personify honor, courage, and commitment, the statement read, in part. The Navy will not accept complacency, negligence, or other behaviors contrary to its core values. According to the Navy Times, Coppock was serving as officer at the deck at the time the Fitzgerald struck a commercial ship off the coast of Japan early on the morning of June 17. She was accused of failing to follow the commanding officers standing orders and international navigation rules. In August, the Navy announced that the Fitzgeralds commanding officer, Cmdr. Bryce Benson, would be removed from duty, along with the ships second-in-command and the top senior enlisted sailor. NAVY FAULTS US WARSHIPS IN SUMMER PACIFIC COLLISIONS THAT KILLED 17 SAILORS A Navy report released in November found that the Fitzgerald was at fault for the collision. In the 30 minutes leading up to the collision, neither Fitzgerald nor [the commercial ship] Crystal took such action to reduce the risk of collision until approximately one minute prior to the collision, the report said. The report added that Fitzgeralds officer of the deck, now identified as Coppock, intended to take no action in the minutes leading up to the collision until realizing it was too late. The Officer of the Deck, the person responsible for safe navigation of the ship, exhibited poor seamanship by failing to maneuver as required, failing to sound the danger signal and failing to attempt to contact CRYSTAL on Bridge to Bridge radio. In addition, the Officer of the Deck did not call the Commanding Officer as appropriate and prescribed by Navy procedures to allow him to exercise more senior oversight and judgment of the situation, the report said. A Navy spokesman declined to tell the Navy Times whether Coppock would be discharged from service, telling the publication: As of right now, she remains on active duty. Fox News Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report. Vietnam has requested China to withdraw its military equipment from South China Sea outposts, saying their deployment seriously violates Hanoi's sovereignty, increases tension and destabilizes the regional situation. The comments came after CNBC reported last week that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three outposts in the contested Spratly Islands, which are also claimed by Vietnam among others. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang says in a statement Vietnam has sufficient legal basis and historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over the Spratlys and the Paracels in the South China Sea. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Friday "peaceful constructions and deployed defensive facilities" aimed to "meet the need of safeguarding national sovereignty and security, which is also the right of a sovereign state." Everyone knows that big businesses collude in order to raise consumer prices and the larger the business, the more it can demand. In that case, what is everyone to do with the merger of two UK supermarket titans, Sainsburys and Asda, which is forecast to lower food prices for British families? The merger would see number-two supermarket Sainsburys purchase number-three competitor Asda, which is currently owned by Walmart. The 7.3 billion ($9.9 billion U.S.) tie-up (which consists of 3 billion in cash and 42 percent of the companys stock) would edge out Tesco as the largest supermarket in the UK. Together, they would share 31 percent of the market and a combined revenue of 51 billion ($70 billion). The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is currently investigating whether the deal serves the national interest. Obviously, with a larger share of the food industry a commodity everyone needs to survive their first act will be raising prices, right? In fact, Sainsburys CEO Mike Coupe has promised to lower the price of everyday household items 10 percent by leveraging the buying power of the combined business. That pledge, provided he keeps it, would save families an estimated 500 million ($650 million U.S.). But why would a larger business lower prices? Even a true monopoly may lower prices if it serves its own interests to do so. Companies are in business to make money, not to punish consumers. As Ludwig von Mises explained, if cutting prices will let a true monopoly generate higher profits by selling more items (or increasing business volume) than it can at a higher price, it will cut the final cost. It only makes sense. Of course, the combined Sainsburys-Asda business will be a long way from a monopoly, even if Coupe keeps his vow not to close any of the 2,800 stores and let them remain separate brands. I have no concerns at all about the size of these retailers, said Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon. They have found that economies of scale and increased buying power allows them to make a higher profit while reducing the amount people have to spend to feed their families. Experts say their action may just trigger a round of grocery price reductions across-the-board. Part of the reason behind the merger is to compete with German discount grocery stores Aldi and Lidl, which have seen massive growth and intend to roughly double the number of their combined stores in the UK by 2022. Discounters Aldi and Lidl have suggested the margin they make was dictated by prices at other supermarkets, said James Brown of pricing specialist Simon-Kucher, which means if Sainsburys and Asda drop their prices, the discounters will follow. In other words, as the market price drops, discount chains must drop their prices even lower to maintain their competitive advantage. It only makes sense. These discounts take place before any Brexit dividend as the UK leaves the EU customs union which imposes tariffs of up to 18 percent on imported goods and strikes free trade agreements with exporters. That lowers UK food bills and helps developing nations prosper. However, that dividend would disappear if the UK remains inside the customs union, as proposed by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and some Tories. On Sunday night, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson called the idea of staying in a customs union crazy, because it would make it very, very difficult to do free trade deals. If the EU decides to impose punitive tariffs on something the UK wants to bring in cheaply, theres nothing you can do, he added. Those who care about human flourishing should support measures that lower food costs, which fall heaviest on the poor. (Photo credit: Elliott Brown. CC BY 2.0.) German authorities have deported a suspected Islamic State member to Tunisia, days after Germany's highest court rejected his appeal. Hesse state Interior Minister Peter Beuth says the 37-year-old Tunisian, identified as Haikel S., was handed over to authorities in his homeland Wednesday. Beuth said he hoped the deportation would set a precedent and allow Germany to speed up such procedures in future. The man was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of being a recruiter and smuggler for IS and of planning an attack. Tunisia accused him of involvement in the 2015 attack on a Tunis museum and a 2016 attack on the border town of Ben Guerdane. Germany is also trying to deport a 42-year-old Tunisian alleged to have once been a bodyguard for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden. Iranian forces based in Syria fired approximately 20 rockets toward Israeli positions in the Golan Heights, triggering a retaliatory bombardment that rocked Syria's capital late into the night Wednesday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its Iron Dome missile defense system had intercepted "some" of the incoming rockets. No injuries were reported. Damascus shook with the sounds of explosions just before dawn, and firing by Syrian air defenses over the city was heard throughout the night. Syria's state news agency SANA quoted a Syrian military official as saying Israeli missiles hit air defense positions, radar stations and a weapons warehouse, but claiming most incoming rockets were intercepted. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said earlier that Iran's Al Quds force fired the rockets at several Israeli bases, though he would not say how Israel determined the Iranian involvement. The incoming attack set off air raid sirens in the Golan Heights, which were captured from Syria in the 1967 war. Israel "views this Iranian attack very severely," Conricus told reporters. He said Israel had responded, but did not provide details. "This event is not over," he added. In a statement to Fox News, the IDF asked residents of the Golan Heights to remain in special "safety zones" for the time being. Syria's state media said Syrian air defenses had intercepted "hostile Israeli missiles" early Thursday that were fired over southwestern Damascus. Hours later, state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV broadcast a live feed of Syrian air defenses firing into the sky above the capital, and loud explosions and air defense firing were heard through the night. Syrian activists reported Israeli airstrikes hitting targets near Damascus. One video posted online showed a large explosion and shrapnel flying in the air. Residents reported loud sounds that rocked their buildings. It was not immediately clear what was hit. An Israeli army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said on Twitter that Israel was "acting against Iranian targets inside Syria," a rare admission by an Israeli official. "Any Syrian involvement against this move will be faced with extreme seriousness," Adraee added. Al-Ikhbariya TV said Israel also targeted military posts in southern Suweida province, including an air base, and struck near Homs in central Syria. The state TV station said the attacks were foiled. Syrian media earlier said the hostilities began with Israeli fire at Syrian positions in southern Syria from across the border. Pro-Syrian media said Syrian missiles then fired at Israeli forces. One TV station, Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen, said at least 50 missiles were fired from Syria at Israeli forces in the Golan Heights. Al-Ikhbariya TV said missiles targeted 10 Israeli positions. Syrian media said it was the first time in years that Syrians had fired at Israeli forces in the Golan Heights. Israel has been on heightened alert in recent days, anticipating a possible Iranian retaliation for a series of deadly strikes on its military positions in Syria. Syrian state media said Israel struck a military outpost on Tuesday near the capital of Damascus. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing at least 15 people, eight of them Iranians. Just before midnight Wednesday, Syria state news agency reported that rockets suspected to be coming from Israel hit southern Syria's Quneitra province. Activists said it was artillery fire from Israeli positions in the Golan Heights. There were no reports of any deaths. Tensions between Israel and Iran are high over Iran's efforts to expand its military presence in Syria, where it is a key ally of President Bashar Assad. Repeated airstrikes attributed to Israel have killed Iranian fighters and prompted threats of reprisal from Tehran. Meantime, President Donald Trump's announcement Tuesday that the U.S. would withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East. "This just further shows that the Iranian regime cannot be trusted," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told Fox News' "The Story." "Israel absolutely has a sovereign right to defend itself and we support them in whatever efforts they have in order to defend themselves. But again, I think this activity and this action is just further demonstration that the Iranian regime cannot be trusted and another good reminder that the president made the right decision to get out of the Iran deal." Fox News' Martha MacCallum and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Iranian lawmakers shouted Death to America! and burned the United States flag Wednesday, just hours after President Trump announced he was withdrawing from the nuclear deal championed and agreed to by former President Barack Obama's administration. Iranian lawmakers held the impromptu demonstration at the parliament building in Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic, where officials also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear accord. The chant "Death to America" has long been used in Iran, going back at least to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It also has been common to hear the slogan shouted within parliament. IRANS BALLISTIC-MISSILE SPENDING WILL CONTINUE, OFFICIAL SAYS AFTER TRUMPS NUKE-DEAL PULLOUT The protest came as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that Iran continued to seek engagement with the world and hoped European leaders would continue to preserve the deal. However, he cautioned that the Islamic nation could restart its nuclear program whenever it wanted, USA Today reported. Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called Trump's decision to withdraw from the nuclear agreement "silly and superficial. He also challenged Trump over his announcement --and knocked his presidential powers -- by saying you cannot do a damn thing." Meanwhile, under Irans laws, Khamenei has final say on all state matters. "You heard last night that the president of America made some silly and superficial comments,'' Khamenei said, according to Reuters. "He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened the regime and the people, saying you're doing this and that. Mr. Trump, I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake.'' Khamenei's comments continued on Twitter, where he took a swipe at past U.S. presidents and said Trump's "corpse will be worm food while IRI (Islamic Republican of Iran) stands strong." Iran's 2015 nuclear deal imposed restrictions on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of most U.S. and international sanctions. TRUMP VOWS TO WITHDRAW FROM IRAN NUCLEAR AGREEMENT, CALLS PACT DEFECTIVE AT ITS CORE However, the deal came with time limits and did not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its regional policies in Syria and elsewhere. Trump has repeatedly pointed to those omissions by calling the "terrible" accord the "worst deal ever." Proponents of the deal have said those time limits were meant to encourage more discussion with Iran in the future that could eventually address other concerns. Many Iranian citizens are worried about what Trumps decision could mean for the country's financial future. Many say they have not seen any benefits from the nuclear deal. Iran's poor economy and unemployment sparked violent nationwide protests in December and January that saw at least 25 people killed and, reportedly, nearly 5,000 people arrested. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Latest on President Donald Trump's decision to pull America out of the Iran nuclear deal (all times local): 9:50 a.m. President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iranian nuclear deal is dominating newspaper front pages and discussions across Iran, with some saying the accord will go on "without the troublemaker." Iranian moderate newspapers on Wednesday sought to buoy embattled President Hassan Rouhani, with the daily newspaper Asr-e Eghtesad proclaiming: "Iran's diplomacy has blunted Trump's blade." The state-run IRNA news agency referred to Trump as "the troublemaker." Meanwhile, the hard-line daily Kayhan went with: "Trump tears apart the nuclear deal; It is time to set it afire!" President Hassan Rouhani warned Tuesday that Iran could restart enriching uranium "without any limitations" within weeks, after President Donald Trump pulled America out of the nuclear deal, though the Iranian leader said world powers still in the accord could potentially save the pact. ___ 9:45 a.m. Iran's parliament speaker is saying his country will evaluate the European Union's ability to protect the nuclear deal. In an opening speech Wednesday expressing pessimism about future of the deal, Ali Larijani said: "The period is only a window in which the EU can prove if it has enough weight for settling down international issues or not?" He also said that Iran will examine diplomatic ways at first, but he also urged the country's nuclear department to prepare for "resumption of all aspects of nuclear activities." Larijani added Iran is not after hasty "reaction and adventurism." ___ 9:35 a.m. Iranian lawmakers have set a paper U.S. flag ablaze at parliament after President Donald Trump's nuclear deal pullout, shouting, "Death to America!" Lawmakers held the impromptu demonstration inside parliament on Wednesday, the day after Trump's decision. They also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal. The chant "Death to America" long has been used in Iran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution. It also has been common to hear it within parliament. However, Wednesday's demonstration shows the public anger coursing through Iran after Trump's decision. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 The latest on tensions between Israel and Syria (all times local): 12:40 a.m. The Israeli army says air raid sirens have sounded in the Golan Heights. The sirens went off shortly after the Syrian state news agency and activists reported rocket fire from Israel into southern Syrian just before midnight Wednesday. The Israeli army says it is investigating and has no further details. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says aircraft flew over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, adjacent to southern Syria. There are no immediate reports of airstrikes. Israel's military has been on heightened alert in recent days, fearing an attack from Syria. Syria and Iran have accused Israel of carrying out a series of airstrikes on Iranian targets in Syria in recent weeks. Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement. ___ 9:25 a.m. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has traveled to Moscow where he and President Vladimir Putin will discuss military coordination amid new strikes in Syria blamed on Israel. His trip Wednesday came as Syrian state-run media said Israel struck a military outpost near the capital, Damascus, the previous night. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing nine people. President Donald Trump's announcement Tuesday that the U.S. would withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East. Tensions between Israel and Iran are high over Iran's efforts to expand its military presence in Syria, where the Iranians are a key ally of President Bashar Assad. Repeated airstrikes attributed to Israel have killed Iranian fighters and prompted threats of reprisal from Tehran. Syria's state news agency says insurgents fired three mortar shells on the center of Damascus, killing one person and wounding 10. SANA says Wednesday's attack struck the Damascus Tower area and Maysat Square in the capital. The shells were apparently fired by Islamic State fighters in the southern part of the city, where the extremists have been battling government forces for more than two weeks. Syrian troops are advancing in the southern neighborhood of Hajar al-Aswad and the nearby Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk. The World Intellectual Property Organization, an obscure United Nations agency in Geneva, has twice dismayed much of the world by its cavalier disregard for U.N. sanctions against North Korea. Now WIPO, as it is known, has found something else important to ignore: the constraints of the U.N.s cushy payroll system. Diplomatic representatives from the U.S. and 17 other WIPO member nations known as the Geneva Groupmostly rich and Western, but including the Russian Federationcalled on Francis Gurry, the autocratic Director General of WIPO, to reconsider immediately his announcement last month of a bonus of about $2,000 each for virtually everyone in his 1,200-person agency. Total value: about $2.4 million. So far, he appears unlikely to do any such thing. The reason for the groups dismay: Gurrys burst open his bonus pinata without advance notice at a WIPO town hall meeting in April, and linked it to a WIPO program to reward efforts linked to exceptionally meritorious performance, outstanding productivity or exceptional act of service. But since everyone at his agency with six months or more on the job got the money, that seemed unlikely. Instead, outsiders believed the gusher was mostly intended to override one of the few pay cuts recently imposed at the U.N., a roughly 4.7 percent decrease in the cost-of-living formula for some 9,500 U.N. employees in Geneva, after a recalculation by an independent body known as the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). The U.N.s pay and benefits system, known as the U.N. Common System, is one of the few threads that link together the more than 60 U.N. agencies, funds, programs and major offices around the world. The system is ostensibly linked to the pay and benefits of the U.S. Foreign Service. But through the post-adjustment calculations and other perksplus the fact U.N. salaries are essentially tax-freeit is much more generous. ICSC officials say the cost-of-living post adjustments that form a vital element in the U.N.s maddeningly opaque system of salaries and allowances, which even the U.S. State Departments has said it does not understand, change all the time. But in Geneva, the allowances mostly move up: the last time the post adjustment was cut was in 1983, according to an ICSC fact sheet. The context of WIPOs action is important, a U.S. State Department official told Fox News in an email response to questions. The decision to issue an agency wide bonus creates the impression that WIPO is trying to circumvent this reduction, and would set an unhelpful precedent unlikely to be lost on other organizations. In other words, at a time when the Trump Administration and many cash-strapped Western nations are looking at ways to limit their U.N. spending, the worry is that he may have found a new way to hit the financial accelerator. Gurry and WIPO did not respond to questions from Fox News about the bonus and the Geneva Group letter. Several Geneva Group members contacted by Fox News also declined to answer questions. One reason for the reticence, perhaps, is that Gurry apparently informed no one outside his agency in advance about the moveespecially not U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who has no direct authority over the decision -- or over Gurry -- but is in the throes of a sensitive blitzkrieg effort to streamline and better coordinate his own stolid and sprawling U.N. Secretariat bureaucracy. We are not going to comment on this as WIPO has its own governing body and the Secretary General has no authority over WIPO, Guterres spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric de la Riviere, told Fox News. WIPO is, however, a member of what the U.N. calls its Chief Executives Board for Coordination, or CEB, a group of 31 heads of major U.N. organization that meets to coordinate, among other things, management and human resources policy, and harmonization of business practices. The most recent CEB meeting was on May 3-4. Gurry also didnt give advance notice to WIPOs 191 member states, including the influential Geneva Group, who sit in various combinations on the organizations governing bodies. Nor did he tell the ICSC itself. The organizations executive secretary, Regina Pawlik, says she first heard of the bonus announcement from Fox News. One reason Gurry may feel he didnt need to tell anyone is that his organization, by U.N. standards, is rich as well as independent. WIPO depends on money from its member states far less than other U.N. organizations, because it hauls in hefty fees from its main line of business, the facilitation of international patents. The biggest factor of all, however, is that for years, Gurry has boggled the international community and his own staff with the high-handed and arbitrary way he does many things. In 2012, he caused an uproar among Western governments when documents emerged showing WIPOP sent sophisticated computers and firewalls to North Korea and to Iran, both under sanctions for their illegal and threatening nuclear weapons programs. A subsequent investigation found WIPO had not technically broken U.N. sanctions, but investigators said they simply cannot fathom why Gurry went ahead without informing U.N. sanctions committees of the move. Yet another internal U.N. report declared in 2016 that Gurry, an Australian native, had bent his agencys procurement rules and steered an ultrasensitive cybersecurity contract to a business acquaintance. And in 2017, Gurry again boggled U.N. sanctions experts when WIPO routinely facilitated a North Korean international patent for the industrial production of hydrogen cyanide, a chemical used in nerve gas production long on U.N. prohibited lists, without ever informing U.N. sanctions experts. Gurry declared WIPO had no obligation to let the sanctions experts know. In their annual report this year on the success and failure of U.N. sanctions against North Korea, the experts emphatically said he was wrong. Throughout it all, Gurrys high-handed methods of firing or freezing out those who have blown the whistle on his behavior, or who he apparently believes have done so, have made WIPO unique in another way. It is the only U.N. organization that has ever been sanctioned by the U.S. State Department under a law that withholds a portion of U.S. financial contributions to such bodies when whistleblower protection policies do not meet best practices. The U.S. money withholding, even though it does not cramp Gurrys financial style, continues. It may be that Gurrys cost-of-living Santa Claus decision was part of an equally high-handed strategy to smooth the edges of staffer discontent with dollops of money. But if so, he has added a roster of important nations to the discontented category. Will Gurry get away with it? The ICSC says it will take up the issue of the bonus bonanza at its next meetingin July. By that time, all the bonus money will likely be out the door. Despite his many reckless provocations, Gurry is apparently confident that he wont go with it. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may be fully engaged in his so-called "charm offensive," talking with the United States and South Korea about denuclearization and economic opportunities -- but the Hermit Kingdom's propaganda arm continues to slam the U.S. for "misleading the public" and "stupid behavior." Wednesday's statement from the state-run Korean Central News Agency was put out just as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was leaving North Korea with three American detainees released by Kim as a goodwill gesture ahead of scheduled talks with President Trump. The regime appeared to have been upset U.S. analysts have given Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy credit for driving Kim to the negotiating table. "It is a stupid behavior just like a saying that curses, like chickens, come home to roost, the KCNA statement read. "The U.S. is persistently clinging to the hostile policy toward [North Korea], misleading the public opinion. Such behavior may result in endangering the security of its own country." North Korea also urged the U.S. to refrain from making words and acts that may destroy the hard-won atmosphere of dialogue. The official date and location of the upcoming Trump-Kim summit has not been released, though Trump tweeted Wednesday those details have been sorted out. Pompeo who made his second trip to North Korea already this year said working with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the central committee of North Koreas ruling party, has been essential in ensuring the summit is a success. "For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict," Pompeo said. Kim also said relations between the two Koreas have been improving, adding North Korea is focused on economic progress. That would be a change from the last several years, in which Kim's government was obsessed with developing nuclear weapons and missiles that could deliver them to the United States. Pompeo also pressed North Korea for the release of three detained American citizens, whose imminent release Trump and other administration officials had been hinting at for days. As Pompeo's plane got in the air, Trump tweeted the release of the trio had been secured and the men seemed to be "in good health." The Associated Press contributed to this report. As President Trump prepares for a sitdown with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, denuclearization is the No. 1 priority but it is not the only issue that needs to be addressed at a meeting that could become one of the most historic diplomatic achievements in decades. Retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane acknowledged in an interview with Fox News that discussions over the North's nuclear program are just the beginning, and that there are also other "critical issues" that he believes will eventually be addressed. "The resolution of the nuclear issue, while it's the most important issue to be sure and it's the one that threatens the region and the U.S. . . . these other issues are of vital interest," he explained. "I think we'll go in there with our eyes wide open, and understanding that we're dealing with a liar, a cheater, a manipulator . . . " Gen. Jack Keane "I think we'll go in there with our eyes wide open, and understanding that we're dealing with a liar, a cheater, a manipulator. But we are also dealing with a potentially historic diplomatic achievement," according to Keane, who serves as Fox News senior strategic analyst. Convincing Kim Jong Un to give up his nuclear program in an "irreversible" and "verifiable" way, as the White House and others have demanded, "could be the most historic diplomatic achievement since WWII, if it happens," he added. Fox News spoke with Keane and other experts about some of those topics, and came up with a list of at least 10 different items that the world will likely want to know more about if the veil of secrecy that surrounds almost all aspects of the Hermit Kingdom is finally lifted. CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS In December, Fox News reported on North Korea's "other weapons" that keep experts up at night. "They have a large stockpile of chemical weapons, but the one that gets the least attention, and that I worry most about, is their biological weapons program," said Andrew Weber, the former U.S. assistant secretary of defense for nuclear chemical and biological defense programs from 2009-2014. North Korea has denied producing or stockpiling things like smallpox and anthrax, which can deliver lethal results when used in incredibly small amounts (think ounces, or a few pounds at most). ASSASSINATION OF NORTH KOREAN OFFICIAL OUTSIDE KIM'S BORDERS The apparent assassination of the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong Un not only reads like something out of a spy novel, it is a specific and recent case that many experts point to when debating whether or not North Korea actually possesses chemical or biological weapons. Kim Jong Nam died as a result of being exposed to VX nerve agent while in Kuala Lumpur's airport in February 2017. A Vietnamese woman and an Indonesian woman have been accused of murdering him, but have argued in court that they believed they were taking part in a reality television prank when they were given a rag and an unidentified liquid, and asked to smear the man's face. "Kim and his regime have portrayed themselves as innocent, while they intentionally destroyed our sons life." Fred Warmbier The State Department announced new sanctions in March in response to the incident, stating explicitly that "the government of North Korea used the chemical warfare agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong Nam, in the Kuala Lumpur airport. CONCENTRATION CAMPS & CRIMES AGAINST ITS OWN PEOPLE Human rights commissions estimate there are more than 100,000 people in North Korea's concentration/detention camps, and that upwards of 400,000 people have died in those camps as a result of "torture, starvation, disease and execution." According to Joshua Stanton of the One Free Korea blog, "these reports, in the context of estimates that North Korea has allowed between 600,000 and 2,500,000 of its people to starve to death while its government squandered the nations resources on weapons and luxuries for its ruling elite, suggest that North Koreas oppression and politically targeted starvation of its people collectively constitute the worlds greatest ongoing atrocity, and almost certainly the most catastrophic anywhere on Earth since the end of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979." Stanton argues that this is where the discussions with North Korea should begin, and he thinks he knows a way to hold Kim to account as negotiations progress. "I think we should demand that the NK government allow the transparent delivery of food aid to its 'expendable' people as a test of their willingness to accept transparency," Stanton told Fox News. DEATH OF AMERICAN OTTO WARMBIER The death of American student Otto Warmbier served as a stark reminder of the brutality that people experience inside the prison camps as recently as last year. In 2017, the previously healthy 22-year-old was unceremoniously released to his family in the United States after being detained for some 17 months. Warmbier had been sentenced to 15 years hard labor for allegedly stealing a political banner, but was medically evacuated and suffering from severe brain damage. North Korea denies medical evaluations conducted in the U.S. that suggested Warmbier was tortured, but a lawsuit filed by his parents on April 26 suggests that is exactly what happened. The filing alleges the North "tortured [Otto], 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." "A key issue not yet covered involves not the remains of Americans, but an account from North Korea for Americans last known alive in their hands and not returned." Mark Sauter DISAPPEARANCE OF AMERICAN DAVID SNEDDON David Sneddon's family hasn't seen or heard from him since his disappearance in 2004 while hiking through China. His parents, as well as sources inside Japan and South Korea, believe Sneddon -- a devout Mormon fluent in Korean who would be in his late 30s now -- was kidnapped by North Korean agents to serve as an English tutor, possibly to Kim Jong Un himself. The Chinese government claims Sneddon -- an experienced traveler who had served as a missionary in South Korea -- plunged to his death while backpacking through Tiger Leaping Gorge and drowned. But Sneddon's body was never found and his family members -- several of whom retraced his footsteps -- do not believe China's explanation. "There's no evidence of that zero," said Kathleen Sneddon, noting her son is the "only American missing in China since World II whose body has not been found and whose whereabouts remain unknown." THREE AMERICANS STILL BEING DETAINED ON QUESTIONABLE CHARGES FROM 2015-2017 Korean-Americans Kim Hak Song, Kim Dong Chul and Tony Kim were detained in three unrelated cases between 2015-2017, and all of them have been accused of a variety of vaguely described "hostile" acts. Gen. Keane says "if Kim Jong Un is serious, he's going to give us the three American hostages relatively soon as a sign of good faith." It appears that could actually be in the works, after President Trump suggested in a tweet on the evening of May 2 that "the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!" The three were even transferred out of a labor camp last month, according to a report from South Koreas Yonhap News Agency. (Update - On May 9, 2017 Kim Hak Song, Kim Dong Chul and Tony Kim were released.) AMERICAN POWs HELD BY NORTH KOREA, AND NEVER RETURNED The three Korean-Americans detained in North Korea aren't the only American detainees that people are looking for more information about. "There is unquestioned evidence that five specific Americans were held alive by the North Koreans after the Armistice but never returned," says Mark Sauter, co-author of "American Trophies: How U.S. POWs Were Surrendered to North Korea, China, and Russia by Washingtons 'Cynical Attitude.'" Sauter says President Trump should demand information about the group, known as the Ashley Five, and others like them -- including the South Korean soldiers captured around the same time, believed to number in the hundreds. And that's just scratching the surface, he says. "A key issue not yet covered involves not the remains of Americans, but an account from North Korea for Americans last known alive in their hands and not returned," Sauter said. JAPANESE ABDUCTEES Ahead of his meeting with Kim Jong Un at the end of April, South Korean President Moon Jae-in stated his intention to discuss the issue of the Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea decades ago. Japan has suggested as many as 17 of its citizens were snatched back in the 70s-80s. Much like the claims from David Sneddon's family, it is believed these citizens were abducted as part of a plan to help teach Japanese customs to North Korean spies. Back in 2002, five of those people were actually allowed to visit Japan. Unsurprisingly, they never returned to the Hermit Kingdom. BALLISTIC MISSILES & OTHER HEAVY FIREPOWER In November 2017, shortly before Kim Jong Un kicked off his whirlwind of unexpected diplomacy, North Korea tested a ballistic missile with the capability of hitting any city within the United States. Kim has promised that the testing of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles is currently on hold, but that doesn't mean the Hermit Kingdoms arsenal has disappeared. Joshua Stanton points out that it's not just missiles the U.S. and its allies should be worried about. "We should also raise the issue of NK artillery aimed at Seoul," Stanton says. DECADES OF ANTI-U.S. SENTIMENT Kim Jong Un may be suggesting that he is coming around to the idea of working with the United States, but it only comes after decades of heavily anti-U.S. rhetoric straight from not only his mouth, but that of his father, and his father's father before that. In a piece for the History Channel website, one long-time North Korea watcher points out that "for the Kim family, there has never been any doubt who the boogeyman must be. Its the United States," says Blaine Harden, the author of several books on the Hermit Kingdom and a longtime Washington Post correspondent. Harden says these sentiments were perhaps best explained by the man known as the Great Leader, who Harden calls the country's "founding despot," Kim Il Sung. In remarks to American journalists in 1972, Harden says the eldest Kim blamed the "strong anti-U.S. sentiments" among his citizens on the fact that "they suffered great damage at the hands of the U.S. imperialists during the war... Since the situation is tense, we cannot but continue stepping up preparations for war. We make no secret of this. Who can guarantee that the U.S. imperialists will not attack this country again? What is most important in our preparations is to educate all the people to hate U.S. imperialism. COULD KIM BE PUNISHED? If and when Kim Jong Un is forced to take responsibility for the issues listed above (among others), there is still a sense that he may escape any kind of punishment because of the gravity of his promise to denuclearize. According to Gen. Keane, "if Kim Jong Un denuclearizes and starts to make other changes, certainly he'll get credit for that and I don't think there will be any attempt to drag him into international court as a war criminal or anything like that." Fox News' Cristina Corbin contributed to this report. An Afghan lawmaker says Taliban fighters have captured a second remote district compound in two days. Mohammad Hashim, a member of parliament from northwestern Faryab province, says the insurgents early Wednesday seized the compound in Bilchiragh district. Hashim says more than 40 government forces retreated. He says the Taliban also captured several villages nearby. Provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yorish says intense fighting is taking place near the compound, adding it's still in government hands. The Taliban have confirmed in a statement they control the district and say they also killed 10 government forces, whose bodies lay on the ground. The Taliban on Tuesday captured another district compound in northern Baghlan province. Have Catholics sacrificed the integrity of their faith tradition by allying with conservative evangelicals (like me)? Matthew Walther, a national correspondent at The Week, thinks so. Walther claims the alliance between Catholics and evangelical Protestants was born of supposedly shared values. In fact, few shared values exist, says Walther. Seemingly in exchange for the cooperation of evangelicals, conservative American Catholics have abandoned one of the great jewels in the crown of the Church, her modern social magisterium, the tradition that runs from Pope Pius IXs denunciation of Victorian-era classical liberalism to Pope Francis Heideggerian assault on the merciless logic of globalized technocratic capitalism. For evangelicals, the idea that there is a common good toward which the political order must be oriented and that this mutual flourishing cannot be conceived of as the mere aggregate of millions of individuals pursuing their own material interests with limited interference from the state has no basis in theology. In return for evangelicals acknowledgement of one evil, Catholics have learned to ignore what the Church has to tell them about how we are to live in the world with one another. Walthers disparagement of evangelical theology, whether borne out of animus or ignorance (or possibly both), is not particularly surprising. Walther is among the young firebrand traditionalists whose primary pose is to be more Catholic than thou. For example, Catholics who deny that government is responsible for providing everyone with healthcare are, as Walther implies, essentially Protestants. When someone has such uninformed disdain for Catholics who dont read the social encyclicals the way he does, you cant expect him to have much respect for us lowly evangelicals. If Walther had a better understanding of both evangelicalism and Catholicism, hed be able to see our common ground is based on common grace and a common creed. Abraham Kuyper (18371920) was about a big a fan of Romanism as Walther is of Protestantism. But Kuyper agreed there are two specific realmscreedal confession and moralsthat are not subject to controversy between Rome and ourselves. [W]hat we have in common with Rome concerns precisely those fundamentals of our Christian creed now most fiercely assaulted by the modern spirit, said Kuyper. As J. Daryl Charles explains, Kuyper contend that differences of theology and ecclesiogy were not now the points on which the struggle of the age is concentrated. Rather, the lines of battle are drawn as follows: Theism versus atheism and pantheism Human fallenness versus human perfectibility The divine Christ versus Jesus the mere man The cross as a sacrifice of reconciliation versus a mere symbol of martyrdom The Bible as inspired by God versus a purely human product The Ten Commandments as ordained by God versus a mere archaeological document The eternally established ordinances of God versus an ever-changing law and morality spun out of human subjectivity The character of common grace in Kuyperian thought is mirrored in its accent on our shared humanity, common moral ground, and public responsibility based on the created order, says Charles. As a theological reality, it has its roots in the absolute sovereignty of God, a sturdy doctrine of creation, and a full-orbed, all-encompassing understanding of redemption. He adds, In addition to Kuypers insistence that two realmscreedal confession and moralityare the basis for ProtestantRoman Catholic unity, a further bit of evidence indicates that natural law represents common ground between Kuyper and Roman Catholicism. In 1897, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his editorship of De Standaard, Kuyper stated what was his one great passion in life: to affirm Gods holy statutes in all of life and to engrave Gods holy order, known through creation and Scripture, upon the nations public conscience. Walther is probably right in claiming that few shared values exist if that requires Catholics and evangelicals to submit their consciences to a particularly left-leaning interpretation of Catholic social teaching. But I believe that Kuyper is correct in claiming that shared creeds, common grace, and natural law are the more natural basis for ecumenical cultural engagement. And I agree with Charles that, If we update Kuypers program where needed and push it in a fuller ecumenical direction, the fruit might be rich beyond measure. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Freed after more than a year in prison, three Americans flew homeward from North Korea late Wednesday toward a big middle-of-the-night celebration featuring President Donald Trump the latest sign of improving relations between longtime adversaries in the buildup to a historic summit between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. Trump promised "quite a scene" at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington for the detainees, who were released as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for the summit. Singapore was the likely site, late this month or in early June, for Trump's most ambitious foreign policy effort yet. Shortly after they touched down on American soil in Alaska for a refueling stop Wednesday afternoon the State Department released a statement from the freed men. "We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home," they said. "We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world." The men had boarded Pompeo's plane out of North Korea without assistance and then transferred in Japan to a separate aircraft with more extensive medical facilities. They are expected to arrive at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington in the wee hours of Thursday morning. Trump made a point of publicly thanking North Korea's leader for the prisoners' release "I appreciate Kim Jong Un doing this" and hailed it as a sign of cooling tensions and growing opportunity on the Korean peninsula. Kim decided to grant amnesty to the three Americans at the "official suggestion" of the U.S. president, said North Korea's official news agency, KCNA. North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities. Their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation's nuclear weapons. Trump entered office as an emboldened North Korea developed new generations of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of hitting the continental U.S. Those advances were the subject of President Barack Obama's starkest warning shortly before Trump took office, and this is a crisis he's convinced his negotiating skills can resolve. Crediting himself for recent progress, Trump has pointed to Kim's willingness to come to the negotiating table as validating U.S. moves to tighten sanctions branded "maximum pressure" by the president. The wee-hours ceremony Thursday was to be an early celebration for an issue that has already put the prospect of a Nobel Peace Prize on Trump's mind. "Everyone thinks so, but I would never say it," he said Wednesday when asked if the award was deserved. The release capped a dramatic day of diplomacy in Pyongyang. After Pompeo's 90-minute meeting with Kim Jong Un, he gave reporters a fingers-crossed sign when asked about the prisoners as he returned to his hotel. It was only after a North Korean emissary arrived a bit later to inform him that the release was confirmed. The three had been held for periods ranging from one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016, accused of stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. "We are happy for the hostages and their families," the Warmbiers said in a statement Wednesday. "We miss Otto." Of the newly released detainees, Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, had been held the longest. The former Virginia resident was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea's border with Russia. The other two detainees hadn't been tried. Kim Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST. The university is the only privately funded college in North Korea and was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. He was detained last May for alleged anti-state activities. Tony Kim, who also uses the name Kim Sang-duk, was detained in April 2017 at the Pyongyang airport. He taught accounting at PUST. He was accused of committing unspecified criminal acts intended to overthrow the government. The family of Tony Kim thanked all those who worked for his return and also credited Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. "Mostly we thank God for Tony's safe return," the family said in a statement. On Capitol Hill, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the detainees' return but warned that "we'll see many more hostages" if the administration provides an incentive for imprisoning Americans. "We are happy they've returned, but North Korea shouldn't gain by taking Americans and then releasing them," he said. During his visit, Pompeo discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim Jong Un summit. Pompeo said the summit is scheduled to last one day but could be extended by a day depending on how talks progress. North Korea's state-run media explicitly mentioned plans for the summit for the first time. Pyongyang has been exceptionally cautious about its public framing of Kim's recent diplomatic moves, which are a major shift from the more aggressive focus on missile launches and nuclear development that drove tensions to a boil last year. Pompeo's trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. Accompanying Pompeo were a few senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, was only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the nation with which the U.S. is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss "denuclearization." ___ Lee reported from Pyongyang, North Korea. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Catherine Lucey, and Ken Thomas in Washington and Eric Talmadge in Pyongyang contributed to this report. Revealed: Palestinian Journalist Killed at Gaza Border was a Terrorist | Main | Journalist: Hezbollah Shows More Maturity Than Israel May 08, 2018 Hamas Telegram Channel Celebrates Bin Laden on the Anniversary of His Death A telegram channel named for Hamas Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades heralded Osama bin Laden, the founder of al-Qaeda, on the seventh anniversary of the terror leaders death. Hamas, an antisemitic U.S.-designated terrorist group that rules the Gaza Strip, is sometimes inaccurately portrayed in the press as merely a Palestinian nationalistic resistance movement? to Israel; often minimizing or obfuscating on the groups Islamist agenda. A May 8, 2018 report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a non-profit organization that translates Arab, Russian, and Iranian media, noted that the telegram channel published several messages about the late Al-Qaeda leader? on May 2, 2018. That channel has approximately 3,000 members. Additional eulogies were also posted on a separate Hamas forum. Messages on the channel called Bin Laden a lion,? an educator? and an innovative imam,? among other accolades. One message stated: "On that day [May 2, 2011], we lost one of the knights of our nation, which only Hamas lamented at the time.? Attached to that message were several death notices that the group published following Bin Ladens May 2, 2011 death. Images of Bin Laden, along with several poems, were also posted on the channel and in Hamass forum. Al-Qaeda and Hamas both call for Israels destruction and the genocide of Jews. The two groups also share an Islamist agenda; opposing secular rulers and seeking to impose their brand of Islam upon every segment of society. Matthew Levitt, a former U.S. Treasury Department terror analyst, noted in his 2006 book Hamas: Politics, Charity and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad, that Bin Laden identified Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin,? as one of his prominent ideological influences.? Bin Laden's brother-in-law, Muhammad Jamal Khalifa, even maintained "relations with Hamas members" while working for a a charity called the Muwafaq Foundation in the Phillipines. Levitt also pointed out that although the two groups dont formally share an affiliation, there is enough significant overlap in Hamas and al-Qaeda financing networks that informal person-to-person cooperation? in the area of funding is probably inevitable.? Nonetheless, some policymakers and pundits often seek to downplay Hamas Islamist sympathies and agenda. Journalists such as Robert Fisk and Max Blumenthal often whitewash Hamass objectives and tactics. In truth, the two groupswhile having some significant differencesstill have many important similarities, including a hatred of the West and Israel and a virulent antisemitism. Posted by SD at May 8, 2018 03:12 PM I have been trying to contact Hamas to find out where to send flowers. Posted by: Lorensacho at May 10, 2018 11:29 AM 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 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. TUPELO, Miss. -- Sharon Caples McDougle of Moss Point has been selected to receive an award at the 16th annual Mississippi Trailblazers Award Ceremony at the BancorpSouth Conference Center in Tupelo, Miss. on Saturday, May 12. McDougle, a 1982 Moss Point High School graduate and U.S. Air Force veteran, was NASA's first female African American Crew Escape Equipment (CEE) suit technician and was the "suit tech" for Dr. Mae Jemison, NASA's first female African American to travel into space. In 1994, she was named NASA's first female and first African American Crew Chief in the CEE department and in 1998, McDougle led the first and only all-female suit tech crew supporting a NASA mission. Because of her endeavors, the Mississippi Trailblazers Vision Group announced that McDougle will receive the McDougle will receive the Calvin "Buck" Buchanan "FIRST" Award, named after the state's first United States Attorney for the Northern District. During her enlistment, McDougle was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (two devices), Air Force Good Conduct Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Air Force Training Ribbon, NCO Professional Military Education Ribbon, and the Air Force Longevity Service Award. Since 2003, The Mississippi Trailblazers Awards has recognized outstanding Mississippians for their contributions to diversity and multicultural exchange. The full list of 2018 Mississippi Trailblazers recipients include: Mississippi Trailblazer of the Year - Mr. Derrick Horne, Athletic Director, Alcorn State University Tupelo Trailblazer of the Year Award - Mr. Tommy Morgan, Tommy Morgan, Inc., Realtors Dr. Robert C. Khayat Distinguished Award for Diversity and Racial Reconciliation, and Representative Leonard Morris Award for Public Service and Integrity - Dr. Vaughn Grisham, Director Emeritus, McClean Institute - Sociology Professor, University of Mississippi Mississippi Trailblazers Leadership Award - Bishop Bobby McCarter, Bishop of Mississippi, Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship The Dr. Cindy Ayers Legacy Award and The Attorney Calvin "Buck" Buchannan "First" Award - Sharon Caples McDougle Tupelo Civic and Community Service Award - Walter Stanfield, Community Activist The evening begins with a 5:30 p.m. Board of Governor's Reception with the awards ceremony set to begin at 7 p.m. Additional ticket information is available at trailblazersofmississippi@aol.com or phoning 662-213-3027 or going to the WTVA-TV website, WTVA.com. News Teacher fired over profane message about student TEXAS CITY A Texas City Independent School District teacher has been fired after inadvertently sending a profane text message complaining about a 13-year-old special-needs student to the boys mother. Tiffany Lynn Elfstrom was on the phone with the Levi Fry Intermediate School teacher when she got two text messages from the teacher that were apparently meant for someone else. In the messages, the teacher used expletives, referring to Elfstroms son, Jayden. The text, screenshots of which said: This lil m----------r is crying like a baby for mommy because he wants to go home. The second text said: OMG I just want to omggggggg pull all my damn hair out. After receiving these messages, Elfstrom notified the schools principal, she said. I am still heartbroken that she sent what she sent, Elfstrom said. I do have some concerns as far as with the school and I did express those concerns with the principal. Texas City Independent School District investigated the incident and the teacher no longer has a contract with the school district, spokeswoman Melissa Tortorici said. Justice has been served in Elfstroms mind, she said. I was very surprised with how quick they were able to handle the situation, she said. I am happy with the outcome. Im not happy that she lost her job. But in this situation, I am very happy that she is no longer working with special-needs children. Its hard to deal with special-needs students, but you have to have patience with children, Elfstrom said. I understand that he is autistic and its hard, she said. I understand that at the end of the day she might need someone to talk to, but through a text message and only to send it to me? Who does that? Elfstroms son will be shown respect and care when he returns, Tortorici said. We are going to provide the learning environment for him and our job always is to provide excellent staff, she said. The excellence wasnt shown in this situation, which is why that employee is no longer with us. While she is comfortable sending her son back to school, she is fearful of situations like this happening again, Elfstrom said. I dont want to go through it again, she said. Its been hell. OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- After coming in third the past two years, Ocean Springs High School has finally climbed the hurdle and been named the best high school in Mississippi in the U.S. News & World Report annual rankings of all U.S. high schools, released Wednesday. The annual study examines 22,000 public high school in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Schools are awarded gold, silver or bronze medals on the basis of state assessments, graduation rates and how well they prepare students for college. None of Mississippi's 250 public high schools earned gold medal status, but Ocean Springs was one of only three in the state to earn a silver medal and the only one from Jackson County to do so. "We're absolutely thrilled with the ranking," said OSHS principal Vicki Tiblier. "I am so proud of my staff, my students and my administration, because it takes hard work on everybody's part to gain this kind of recognition. "Our staff works hard everyday with the kids and the kids give their all. Our kids are major high-achievers. They want to be great and their work ethic reflects that. They're just as proud of this as we are, and rightfully so. It's an honor for everyone." Only two percent of the nation's high schools earn gold medal status, with 11 percent -- including Ocean Springs -- gaining silver medal recognition. Another 16 percent are named bronze medal schools, while the remaining 71 percent do not qualify for medal status. U.S. News uses a four-step process in evaluating each school and selecting those worthy of medal status: Examining whether each school's relative performance in its state reading and mathematics assessments exceeded expectations, factoring in the proportion of its student body that is economically disadvantaged and projected to score lower. Next, each school's reading and mathematics assessment scores are compared among their historically underserved students -- black, Hispanic and low-income -- with the average statewide results for those subgroups. Schools which outperformed their state averages were selected. Schools were excluded from consideration if they had a graduation rate lower than 80 percent. For schools which passed the first three steps, U.S. News calculated a College Readiness Index based on the percentages of each school's students who took and passed Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. Tiebreakers determined the ranks of schools achieving the same CRI. Ocean Springs, second place Lewisburg High School -- which was the state's top-ranked school a year ago -- and third place Petal High School were the only Mississippi schools to earn silver medal status and given a national ranking. OSHS ranked #1476 out of the 22,000 schools examined, meaning it ranked among the top seven percent of all high school nationwide. In addition to her staff and students, Tiblier credited the support from the Ocean Springs community for her school's success. "It takes support from everyone," she said. "The city supports us, the families support us -- even those people who don't have kids in school still support us. Our parents are very interested in their children's education and it shows in how the students perform. They want to see their children do well and they want to see Ocean Springs do well." Gautier High School was the only other Jackson County school to appear in the state rankings and earn a medal status, coming in at #12 statewide -- an identical ranking to a year ago -- and earning a bronze medal. All other Jackson County high school were listed among the remainder of the unranked state high schools in alphabetical order. Ocean Springs College Readiness Index score of 33.3 was tops in Mississippi and far exceeded that of all other Jackson County schools, with Pascagoula High School the next highest at 18.8. Gautier's 90 percent graduation rate topped Ocean Springs' 87 percent, but Gautier only received a 13.4 CRI. The full U.S. News rankings can be found here. This story will be updated. Reporter Before coming to work for The Daily News as a staff reporter, Connor worked for us as a freelance correspondent throughout 2017. He has written for other publications such as the Washington Post. Sol705 - an hilarious point and click graphic adventure in the best spirit of the good classics from the '90s is live now on Kickstarter! [This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.] Sol705 is a 2D point n click graphic adventure with a unique setting: a small town from Argentina in the 1970s. UFO sightings, progressive rock and a bunch of wacky rascals ready for all kind of challenges and puzzles are just some of the things this story has to offer. The Kickstarter Campaign The graphic adventure is the focus of a Kickstarter Campaign (that includes free demo for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android) is now live with the goal to reach 10000 USS for further development. The campaign includes some awesome rewards! Kickstarter page link https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/782397044/sol705 Demo episode is free on Steam for PC and Mac or sur Itch.io for PC, Mac and Linux or sur the Appstore for iOS or Google Play Store for Android More info on the Press Kit and on the Game Website The plot The story will unfold during the 70s, over the course of a young boys winter break in a remote town called Tucana Lake, located on a land at the very end of the world known as Argentina. Mystery and references around every corner, a distorted reality that mixes american, european and out of this world pop culture influences and lots of amazing wacky sci-fi situations has been set to provide you hours of pure pixelated ecstasy! Join a group of eccentric friends looking to sneak out from duty and spend all their free time at their own secret extraterrestrial research club: Sol705. Making contact with an alien race? Easy. Getting a date with one of their classmates, well let just call it a top priority at the club's hidden agenda! Features 2D graphics with animations of great quality with the pixel-toon style. Exquisite hand-drawn backgrounds and dozen of ultra weird characters. An original soundtrack that goes from punk to the most awkward symphonic rock from the 70s. Super funny puzzles and amazing vintage stuff to collect and use!. Full english voiced with spanish, french, english, russian and german dialogues. This adventure plays honor to the great Lucas Arts, Sierra and Delphine software of yore. Developer: Land Patricio Based in Geneva, Switzerland Website: www.sol705.com Press Kit http://www.sol705.com/press/index.html Contact: [email protected] Social: twitter.com/@land_patricio twitter.com/@patosol705 facebook.com/sol705game Trailer https://vimeo.com/257239212 Platforms: Steam or PC, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS The Author Patricio Land was born in Buenos Aires (Argentina) he started programming as a hobby back in the '90s for the Sinclair Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amiga 500. One of his early games was pirated even before finished...and he ended up buying it without knowing! Even though, those were really great times and with Sol705 he wanted to bring back those feelings of joy and madness after spending several years into game press journalism. His passion for adventure games, pop culture, manga, anime, classic sci-fi movies, cheap magazines and model making are the main influences for Sol705 the point and click adventure that now he is bringing to Kickstarter. On 2002 he moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where he lives with his wife, his 3 kids and a very bad cat. The Texas State Securities Board has issued a pair of emergency orders against two separate entities that have reportedly been scamming investors through a bitcoin mining operation and a bitcoin foreign exchange investment fund. Both startups Bitcoin Trading & Cloud Mining Ltd. (BTCRUSH) and Forex EA & Bitcoin Investment LLC are accused of promising unrealistic returns. Thus far, the Board has brought actions against nine cryptocurrency-related companies, including the aforementioned. From CCN: Joseph Rotunda, Director of the Enforcement Division at the Texas State Securities Board, told CCN that the latest emergency orders were part of a sweep that the agency launched at year-end 2017 when the bitcoin price was trading in the stratosphere. The sweep targets projects that raise red flags and that are promoting to Texas residents. The number of open investigations into cryptocurrency startups including ICOs has doubled since that time, from about 30 to approximately 60. Weve seen this before when a new market emerges and people want to get rich quick at the expense of others. They infiltrate the market we are trying to weed out those folks. Their schemes are very fragile, like a house of cards waiting to tumble. Something comes along to offers that gust of wind and everything collapses, Rotunda told CCN. In Texas, that gust of wind is increasingly taking the form of emergency cease-and-desist orders. The suspect return promises included a 100% satisfaction guarantee along with the freedom to change the interest terms at will at BTCRUSH. Rotunda told CCN: They werent just putting out a website and letting investors come to them. They werent just discussing investments on a message board. Their sales agents were specifically advertising and sending materials to Texas residents. They were communicating, come to our website, register an account, purchase an investment. Non-compliance with the cease and desist orders could result in up to a decade in a Texas prison. - Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com On Monday morning, dozens of workers in hazmat suits could be seen picking up globs of oil from the shoreline at Huntington State Beach. Editors Note: Educators around the country and indeed, the world, are teaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to engage students in taking action on global issues. Ligaya Beebe, Emma James, and Jennifer Russell of iEARN-USA share ideas on how to help youth get started. By guest bloggers: Ligaya Beebe, Emma James, and Jennifer Russell The United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or Global Goals, are a call to action for countries and citizens to work collectively to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. A key component of the SDGs is that they are a global partnership, and as such, achieving them is a worldwide effort. Making a Global Impact Through the SDGs The Global Goals emphasize that everyone has the potential to make a positive impact, regardless of where one lives in the world. From students in the U.S. calling for legislative action , to youth in Bangladesh rising up to end gender discrimination, there is a role that every individual can assume in the effort to achieve the SDGs. As 50 percent of the worlds population is under 30, it is especially important that we, as educators and community members, engage youth to develop their knowledge and skills to contribute to this global partnership. Schools and teachers have risen to the challenge to teach youth about the Global Goals. For the world to achieve the SDGs by 2030, not only do we need to teach students about them, we must also guide youth to engage with and take action on the SDGs as part of their education. As Dana Mortenson, CEO and Co-Founder of World Savvy, said in an appearance on PBS Newshour , Young people dont only have the potential to lead in the futurethey already have that ability right now. Helping Youth Take Action How can schools and communities support youth to be leaders and take action to achieve the SDGs? Check out the following pathways and resources to get started: Bring the SDGs into the Classroom Before youth can take action and make meaningful change, they need to have a solid understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals. A great starting resource for introducing students to the Global Goals is The Worlds Largest Lesson . This lesson plan and resource repository helps educators teach young people about the SDGs and the role that children and young people everywhere have to play to become the generation that changes the world. Start by hanging an SDG poster in your classroom and watching a few videos , followed by a more in-depth exploration of each of the 17 Global Goals. The SDG Tracker presents progress toward these goals around the world. In addition, Teach SDGs connects global educators around the world with other interested global educators, resources, and projects to not only teach about SDGs but also inspire a call to action. Participate in a Global Project One of the most effective ways to inspire lifelong passion for and commitment to the Global Goals is by participating in a global project. Through hands-on learning, students can become familiar with the SDGs. Collaborative project-based learning allows students to communicate and learn with their peers around the world while addressing a challenging problem and connecting their learning to the community. For example, the iEARN Water is Life project brings schools together to collaborate in active research, reflection, planning, and community action to help achieve Global Goals 14 and 6, which pertain to the sustainability and health of the worlds water. Classes identify a water-related challenge in their community, share their research, and give each other feedback on their action plans. The project culminates with students showcasing their work in their local community through the Community Action Day. Check out the Teachers Guide to Global Collaboration for ongoing project opportunities from global education organizations to connect your class with the world. Share Leadership and Training Programs Connect your students with enrichment and exchange programs to grow their global leadership skills. There are many great programs for youth that include leadership training on how to collaborate on and address the SDGsincluding many sponsored opportunities from the State Departments Bureau of Cultural Affairs for both U.S. and international students. For example, the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program brings students from countries with significant Muslim populations to the United States for an exchange year. Students are encouraged to adopt the mindset of service and volunteering, and they return home taking this spirit of community service with them. YES alumni around the world receive training and support to work collaboratively in fulfilling the SDGs. For example, YES alumni in Bangladesh are working toward gender equality through a grant-winning project, 3.5 Billion Reasons . Youth in Mali encourage young students to learn foreign languages, and in Liberia , youth are hard at work raising environmental awareness. All the projects are created by youththey identify serious unmet needs in their community and develop strategies that are aligned with the SDGs. Promote Networking Opportunities for Youth Youth are looking for opportunities they can engage in on their own to follow their interests, take action, and make a difference. There are many youth-organized groups and initiatives that you can share with your students. For example, TakingITGlobal provides youth with a digital platform to network with one another and take collaborative action on global issues. In July 2018, iEARN youth are organizing a Youth Summit in Winchester, Virginia, for more than 100 youth who will present their own sessions, lead their own workshops, and collaborate on solving the SDGs. Another opportunity that emphasizes the importance of youth led initiatives is Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) . GYSD celebrates the contributions youth from all corners of the world make toward bettering their own community and ultimately achieving the SDGs. GYSD celebrates and encourages youth to identify an issue within their own community and develop a service project that can align with the SDGs. GYSD takes place every April, and youth can search through previous GYSD projects, register their own plans, share impact stories, and take a global pledge. As this is a global day of service, it cultivates a community of active and motivated globally minded youth, who together through their own projects, are making the world a more just and sustainable place. Keep the conversation going! Connect with iEARN-USA and the Center for Global Education on Twitter. Photo credit: iEARN-USA. (This is the second post in a three-part series. You can see Part One here .) The new question-of-the-week is: If you had to do it all over again, would you still become a teacher? Why or why not? In Part One , Shaeley Santiago, Anne Jenks, Sarah Thomas, Dr. Margarita Bianco and Stephen Lazar shared their answers. You can listen to a 10-minute conversation I had with PJ, Stephanie and Megan on my BAM! Radio Show . You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here. By the way, you can also now listen to the show on Google Play and Stitcher , in addition to iTunes. Today, Debbie Silver, Julia G. Thompson, Jenny Edwards, Roberta Israeloff, George McDermott, and Kara Vandas contribute their responses. Response From Debbie Silver Debbie Silver is a former Louisiana State Teacher of the Year and an internationally known presenter. She is the author of the best-selling books, Drumming to the Beat of Different Marchers: Finding the Rhythm for Differentiated Instruction and Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8: Teaching Kids to Succeed. She co-wrote Deliberate Optimism: Reclaiming the Joy in Education and Teaching Kids to Thrive: Essential Skills for Success. She can be reached at www.debbiesilver.com : Those You Can - Do Teach! At a gathering a few years ago someone asked me if I had always known I would eventually be a teacher. I candidly answered that I most assuredly had other plans for myself as I grew up. As a small child, I decided I would dedicate my life to being a missionary. I had visions of traveling to Japan (I have no idea why I picked that country), living among poor people, and doing selfless acts to make their lives better. Early in school I found I had a flair for writing so I added to my plan; from elementary through high school I aspired to be a highly-acclaimed novelist. And finally, there was that irrepressible class clown in me that thrived on attention and laughs. Late in high school and early in college I decided I was meant to be a stand-up comedienne. Ah, but as Robert Burns taught us, The best laid plan o mice and men . . . So, I shook my head and told the questioner that I had never fulfilled my dreams, but I was grateful I had found my way into teaching, and Ive never doubted that path. Overhearing the conversation, my husband laughed, Uh, Debbie, dont look now, but you are doing all those things your dreamed about. I like to think of myself as a relatively astute person, but I must admit I had never considered how my teaching career has helped me follow my original aspirations. I never made it to Japan, but Ive worked with hundreds of disadvantaged children and their families. I didnt write that best-selling novel, but Ive been able to write several books about teaching. I havent yet appeared in a comedy club, but Ive had the privilege of delivering humor to my students and other educators since I my first entered the profession. Teaching has given me the opportunity to use my interests and talents in ways far beyond what I originally envisioned. Lest someone read this and think, Well, there it is again, those who cant - teach, let me assure you that I think quite the opposite is true. Those who can - DO teach. I didnt choose teaching, it chose me. The signs were always there, I just didnt pay attention. I always loved helping others discover and accomplish things. It was almost a reflex action to learn something and immediately want to share it with others. I dont remember ever playing school, but I wrote endless short stories in elementary school, and just recently I found one of my first novelettes, Little Teacher. Almost every teacher I know tells the same story. We have always felt a compelling desire to connect with others and help them learn. Thankfully we teachers dont have do it in the same way nor are we attracted to the same level of learners or the same subject areas. We can follow our individual interests and abilities as we help meet the needs of our diverse students. What unifies us is that we are sustained by the joy we derive from helping others achieve. Our jobs are demanding, our hours are long, and we are often thwarted by policies put in place by those far removed from the field. We have had our hearts broken by students and appalling circumstances, but we continue to teach because believe we are helping to shape the future and that what we do is significant. Being teachers is more than what we do - its who we are. Despite popular opinion, not everyone can be an effective teacher. All educators can better hone their crafts and elevate their skills with practice, but I believe that people are predisposed to be teachers or they are not. As a college professor, I cautioned my education majors that if they did not have a genuine passion for the discipline they selected, did not feel they could connect with all students, or were not willing to commit to a lifetime of ongoing training to improve their practice, they were choosing for the wrong profession. Teaching should be a mission and not a default career choice. Sharing my journey with students has enhanced both my achievements and my fulfillment in life. I like it that I can write and entertain and use my strengths to enhance my teaching. I am happy that my teaching achievements have provided me with opportunities to write and to speak. However, when I look back on my many years as a classroom teacher, what I remember best are those precious aha moments with students, the shared laughter with them, feeling a genuine connection with them, and having students tell me, Someday I will be a teacher just like you. I dont think that everyone can or should be a teacher, but I always tell those who ask me, If you feel the calling, you should definitely DO it. Response From Julia G. Thompson Julia G. Thompson received her BA in English from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg and was a classroom teacher for forty years. As a seminar leader for the Bureau of Education and Research, Julia currently works with educators to determine the best ways to help challenging students. Author of Discipline Survival Guide for the Secondary Teacher and The First-Year Teachers Survival Guide, Thompson also provides advice on a variety of subjects through her Web site, www.juliagthompson.com ; on her blog, juliagthompson.blogspot.com ; and on Twitter at //twitter.com/TeacherAdvice . You can contact her at thompsonteacheradvice@gmail.com : Absolutely. I just retired a few short months ago after being a classroom teacher for f-o-r-t-y years. Even though its easy to feel overwhelmed by the intense and often unfair scrutiny that is aimed at educators and by ridiculously unhelpful advice from people who have scant knowledge of what happens in a classroom, teaching remains a noble profession. How many other jobs allow workers to say that they made a difference in the life of a child? I always thought of myself as a missionary from the civilized, adult world whose job it was to show students that there is hope. That they can have a worthwhile future. That their efforts are appreciated. That they matter. Knowing that on some days, I would be the only person to speak a students name out loud--and I made sure I said it with affection and respect--made the effort to get up, get dressed, and go to school worth it. Research shows over and over again that, while at school, the most significant factor in a childs success is a classroom teacher. What a responsibility. What a burden. What a privilege. Just think of what that research means. It is a classroom teacher who teaches a student to read, to do math, to cooperate with others, to think. It is a classroom teacher who protects students from bullies, and who is the first line of defense in the battle against racism, ignorance, and poverty. Every day classroom teachers with care and deliberation go about making the world a better place. No matter what, no one can take that away from us. What a joyful way to live a life. Response From Jenny Edwards Jenny Edwards, PhD has taught at the elementary and middle school levels. She is presently serving as Co-Lead for the Infant and Early Childhood Development PhD program at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, CA. She has written Inviting Students to Learn: 100 tips for talking effectively with your students (ASCD, 2010) and Time to Teach: How do I get organized and work smarter? (ASCD, 2014). She served as co-editor for Invitational education and practice in higher education: An international perspective (Lexington, 2016): If I had to do it all over again, I would definitely still become a teacher! I would do it because of the reasons I originally went into teaching, as well the reasons that kept me in the teaching field. I went into teaching because I enjoyed being with children and seeing their faces light up when they were learning. In addition, I wanted to influence the next generation. I felt that I had something to give children and their parents, and I wanted to do the best job that I could possibly do. I stayed in teaching because of the many joys it brought to my life. I enjoyed watching the childrens faces light up as they were learning to read. I used a method of teaching reading that made it easy to teach children to read (Mooney, 2014) in addition to a variety of other methods. I learned to determine what each child needed and provide it. I stayed in teaching because of the many opportunities to be creative in planning lessons. I had fun creating experiences for children to learn and carrying them out. I enjoyed experimenting with new ideas and watching the childrens faces light up. I stayed in teaching because I enjoyed creating a love for learning in my students. When I was enthusiastic about the lesson I was teaching, the students were enthusiastic. I was a salesperson of learning, and I wanted my students to buy what I was selling. I stayed in teaching because of the variety in the day. In schools, each day is different. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities to learn and grow. Each interaction with children and parents brings new possibilities for forming relationships and building people up. I stayed in teaching because of the many opportunities to learn and refine the craft of teaching. I was passionate about attending seminars, learning new teaching strategies, and implementing them in my classroom. Most of all, I stayed in teaching because of the enormous satisfaction that I felt at the end of the day. When the children were gone and I looked around the classroom, I remembered the many events that had taken place that day and basked in the wonderful feelings of success. References Mooney, E. P. (with Edwards, J.) (2014). See me read: A phonetic approach for teaching beginning readers of all ages. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. Response From Roberta Israeloff & George McDermott Roberta Israeloff and George McDermott are authors of What Went Right: Lessons from Both Sides of the Teachers Desk (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017)--a continuation of the conversation begun when they met as an 11th-grade student and her English teacher in a Long Island high school. Roberta is now Director of the nonprofit Squire Family Foundation, dedicated to encouraging the teaching of philosophy at pre-college levels. George, now mostly a writer, spends much of his time trying to figure out whats happening to public education: Call us crazy, but the answer is yes, we would--more than ever. And not just because our country is facing a dangerous, nationwide teacher drought. Enrollment in teacher education programs has slowed to a trickle; entire programs are closing. And no wonder. Teachers have never been held in lower esteem; in fact, they are being scapegoated and held responsible for an impossible list of societal woes. Theres no money in it, thats for sure, and with tenure on the chopping block, no security. So whats left? Whats left is that some of us teach because we have to. Because its the way we discharge the debt we owe to our own teachers, and pay forward what we owe to our children. And for us, in fact, this is not just theory. It happened. We met many years ago, when Roberta was in eleventh grade and George was her English teacher. George left a couple of years later, and spent decades as a speechwriter and ghostwriter. And then, after thirty years out of the classroom, he did do it all over again: he went back to teaching, and it was a revelation. He hadnt been involved in the changes that occurred during the intervening decades, so he didnt experience them incrementally, like the teachers who stayed in teaching. Instead, the cumulative impact was like someone flicking a switch. It wasnt the students. They were different, of course--different era, different community, different backgrounds, different challenges. But the crucial changes, mostly negative, were in the job itself. And those changes continue: Funding is tighter than ever--not just for things like computers and video and smartboards, but for fundamentals like textbooks and copier paper. Teacher evaluations are increasingly tied to standardized testing, so that teaching itself becomes increasingly standardized--call it robo-teaching"--even to the extent of imposing scripted lessons. More and more government entities are casting education as an instrument of social change and upward mobility--and thus judging teachers on their ability to accomplish what decades of speeches, sermons and legislation have not. Charter schools, voucher programs, and privatization initiatives proliferate--irrespective of verifiable, objective effectiveness--as if their mere existence is somehow a solution to the alleged failures of our public schools. Teaching, which was once an underpaid but secure and respected position, is now much less secure and much less respected--but still underpaid. There are some school districts where teachers have been working for years without contracts or even nominal raises. The result of all these continuing changes? They all argue persuasively against doing it all over again. Becoming a teacher is clearly a much less attractive career choice today. But the same factors make it more important and more worthwhile. And more necessary. Like it or not, our public schools today are a reflection of what our society has become: a fragmented, contentious culture that trashes the core ideas of education--clear thinking, constant questioning, challenging assumptions. No campaign to fix American public schools can succeed if its based on such an anti-intellectual platform. So yes, we would do it all over again--and again. We would do it with the intention of becoming teachers who not only instruct, but also influence. It is teachers who must influence American schools to strive for flexibility, not standardization. For open inquiry, not didacticism. For intellectual vigor, not lockstep rigor. For asking questions, not memorizing answers. Response From Kara Vandas Kara Vandas is an author and consultant, specializing in the Visible Learning Research and building student ownership of learning. She currently works with teachers and principals at school districts around the county and is passionate about supporting educators in having the greatest impact possible: Absolutely YES! While the pay isnt great, the rewards and the outcomes are worth everything. One of the most exciting things is to watch former students become teachers themselves! Teaching is a precious and powerful opportunity to impact lives. Wouldnt change my career for the world! Thanks to Debbie, Julia, Jenny, Roberta, George and Kara for their contributions! Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post. Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at lferlazzo@epe.org . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if its selected or if youd prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind. You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo . Anyone whose question is selected for this weekly column can choose one free book from a number of education publishers. Education Week has published a collection of posts from this blog, along with new material, in an e-book form. Its titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching . Just a reminder--you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email or RSS Reader. And, if you missed any of the highlights from the first six years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below. They dont include ones from this current year, but you can find those by clicking on the answers category found in the sidebar. This Years Most Popular Q&A Posts Classroom Management Advice Race & Gender Challenges Implementing The Common Core Best Ways To Begin The School Year Best Ways To End The School Year Student Motivation & Social Emotional Learning Teaching Social Studies Project-Based Learning Using Tech In The Classroom Parent Engagement In Schools Teaching English Language Learners Student Assessment Brain-Based Learning Reading Instruction Writing Instruction Education Policy Issues Differentiating Instruction Math Instruction Science Instruction Advice For New Teachers Author Interviews Entering The Teaching Profession Administrator Leadership Teacher Leadership Relationships In Schools Professional Development Instructional Strategies I am also creating a Twitter list including all contributers to this column . Look for Part Three in a few days. Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2018 3:00 pm Community Blood Center of the Ozarks will host two upcoming blood drives in Polk County. Area blood reserves currently are critically short of O-negative and B-negative blood types. First is a blood drive from 1 to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 10, at Citizens Memorial Hospital, 1500 N. Oakland Ave., Bolivar. Next is a blood drive from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, May 11, at Pleasant Hope High School, 303 N. Main St., Pleasant Hope. To be eligible to give blood, you must weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and present a valid photo ID. For more information, visit cbco.org or call 1-800-280-5337. Posted Saturday, May 5, 2018 3:52 pm Polk Countys Rep. Mike Stephens, R-Bolivar, has joined a growing number of Missouri lawmakers calling on Gov. Eric Greitens to voluntarily step down. In a statement issued Friday evening, Stephens said he believes the governor should resign. In light of the recent revelations concerning our governor and future legal problems they will cause, I no longer believe that Gov. Greitens can effectively lead our state, Stephens said. There comes a time in public service when personal ambitions must be put aside for the good of the people. I call on him to resign. The statement came one day after Missouri legislative leaders announced they had gathered enough signatures on a historic petition calling for a May 18 special session to consider impeaching the governor. Its signatures included those of Stephens and Sen. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo. Greitens has been criminally charged with felony invasion of privacy and felony computer tampering. The announcement was made during a Thursday joint press conference called by Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard and House Speaker Todd Richardson and broadcast via social media. This was not a decision made lightly and certainly not without great deliberation, Richardson said, adding the action required the signatures of three-fourths of members of both the Senate and General Assembly. The special session is set to take place the same day the legislature concludes its regular session. Area residents weigh in News of calls for the governors resignation and the upcoming special session sparked social media debate over the weekend among Polk Countians. Several residents called for Greitens to have his day in court. These legislators dont want the man to have his day in court knowing full well hes not been found guilty of anything whatsoever, Bolivar resident Philip Canole said via Facebook. Bolivars John and Janice Powell warned others to beware. You that throw stones may be the next one to step on someones toes, they commented. Give the man his day in court. Because if its your turn, youre going to be wanting a fair shake. A fair shake is exactly what an impeachment is, Cathy Cox of Bolivar responded. He has the right to defend himself. And impeachment does not mean he will be removed from office. That comes only by vote after the articles of impeachment, the investigation, the defense, etc. If indeed he behaved as is alleged, you really dont want someone of that character making decisions. Via social media, Fair Play resident Brenda Hatfield predicted the governor will not resign. He will not resign for an affair they both contributed to 50 Shades of Grey movie role playing, she said. Its done and over. Move on. Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2018 5:00 am There's no better greeting to receive than a big, Welcome home. Polk County is offering area veterans a warm welcome at the fifth annual Polk County Welcome Home from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12, in the Bolivar Community Outreach Ministries parking lot on South Springfield Avenue next to Bolivar City Fire Department's Station 1. Showing support for veterans, Rep. Mike Stephens, R-Bolivar, will speak following the event's opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. Event organizer Gary Christopher said the primary focus of the event is to reach local veterans and those who support them. {{tncms-inline alignment="left" content="" id="0bbac931-6b1b-4252-b181-f753319b4b27" style-type="fact" title="Schedule of events" type="relcontent" width="half"}} With veteran claim counselors from the Missouri Veterans Commission and the Mobile Vet Center from Columbia VA Medical Center staffed by counselors from Springfield Vet Center, the event is designed to give veterans, family members and friends up-to-date information on services, support and benefits. Community members can enjoy other activities, including a car/truck/motorcycle show, a drawing, charity auction, children's scavenger hunt, local foods and crafts, and art demonstrations. Bolivar High School's USAF JROTC drill team will also perform exhibitions throughout the day. All proceeds will benefit Honor Flight of the Ozarks, a volunteer non-profit group dedicated to transporting World War II, Korea and Vietnam War veterans to visit their memorials in Washington, D.C. at no cost to the veterans, an event news release said. According to Christopher, the event, hosted by the Polk County Council on Veteran Affairs, is the product of multiple agencies including local and federal government, area businesses, local churches and charities and veteran service organizations working toward a single purpose. {{tncms-inline alignment="right" content="

The Welcome Home Veterans Car Show is set for 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 12, in the parking lot between University of Missouri Extension office and the Bolivar Post Office.
Entries will be placed into three classes, car, truck and motorcycle, with prizes for each class and best of show. They will be judged by those attending the event.
Entry fee is by donation with proceeds benefiting Honor Flight of the Ozarks.
For more information, leave a message at 326-6747.


" id="215e3bcb-fd8b-44ea-8ce2-f6887f996973" style-type="fact" title="Car show information " type="relcontent" width="half"}} We strive to recognize local veterans' accomplishments, personal sacrifices and raise public awareness of veterans' challenges in an atmosphere of fellowship and fun, Christopher said. For a tiny group of dedicated volunteers from a small community, we are proud of our efforts. The release said the event coincides with Armed Forces Week, established in conjunction with Armed Forces Day in 1949 by Department of Defense Secretary Louis Johnson, with the support of President Harry S Truman, to celebrate the creation of the Department of Defense and the joining of the individual military services. According to a news network focusing on Christian persecution, last week Nigerian Christians were massacred for the second time within a few days. Armed herdsmen Muslim Fulani attacked several villages in Benue State of Nigeria and killed at least 39 people. Morning Star News reported on a few recent attacks targeting Christian communities in the state, including those in Tse-Umenge, Mbkpase and Tse-Ali on the night of April 24th. In total, a staggering160 houses were burned down. Alice Terwase, a resident of Mbakpase, told reporters that the attackers were fully armed and carried AK-47 firearms. "More than 60 houses in our village were destroyed," Terwase said. "Three members were killed." In the village Tse-Ali, more than 70 houses were set on fire and 21 Christians were killed. The victims came from reformed Christian churches or Roman Catholic churches. John Umenge of Tse-Umenge Village revealed that more than 50 houses were burned and 15 Christians were killed. Umenge recalls, "This terrorist attack started on April 24th Tuesday night around 11pm and lasted till Wednesday early morning." Another attack happened earlier on April 24th morning. Armed herdsmen of Muslim Fulani attacked a Catholic church in Mbalom. According to local sources, at around 5:30am, believers started to enter the church for morning mass and when the mass was about to begin, rapid gunshots were heard. The gunmen took 19 lives, including Father Joseph and Father Felix who were leading the mss. Several others were also wounded. President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, gave condemnation regarding the incident and called it "shameful" and "evil." "To break into places of worship and kill priests and believers are not only evil, degrading and shameful. At the same time, it is obviously an act planned to trigger religious conflicts and could lead to countless blood shredding events." "On Wednesday morning 12:20am, seven Christian villagers who were seeking refuge at an African church in Mbamondo were also killed. These extremists not only murder people but also burn houses." Richard Nyajo, Chairman of the regional council of the local government in Logo, told Morning Star News. Morning Star News pointed out that the total number of people killed in the series of attacks could not be confirmed at the moment. Despite the Nigerian government's promise to take act, the situation in Bukhari is increasingly unstable. Christians are filled with indignation towards the repeated and prolonged blood shredding attacks by the armed herdsmen of Muslim Fulani. In recent years, the deadliest attack by armed herdsmen of Fulani happened on February 21st, 2016 in Benue State. More than 500 villagers were slaughtered and 7,000 villagers from more than 10 villages were dispersed. The Nigerian Christian Association condemned as "immoral status" and called on all the churches in the country and around the world to hold a peaceful protest on April 29th to say "NO" to the bloodshed in Nigeria. "Now is the time for the government to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to protect the citizens. There should no longer be any excuse for this kind of evil behavior." Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, Chairman of the Nigerian Christian Association, stated, "In the same way, we must call for the immediate release of imprisoned Leah Shalib and the other four girls through peaceful protests. All prisoners must be released immediately." What he mentioned was an abduction case of another terrorist organization in Nigeria called, Boko Haram. "We have reached the limit and we are almost out of control," he added. In 2015, the Global Terrorism Index described Fulani's armed herdsman as the fourth largest deadly terrorist group. The 2016 index report mentioned that the death toll of the attack of Fulani's armed herdsmen in Nigeria was higher than that of another extreme organization Boko Haram. Since 2001, Fulani's armed herdsmen have killed an estimated 60,000 people. In the past year alone, they razed more than 50 villages. In the past four months, 516 Christians were killed. Boko Haram is another Islamic fundamentalist terrorist organization in Nigeria, which vowed to promote Sharia law throughout Nigeria. In recent years, they continued to carry out bomb attacks, kidnap young girls and attack western educational organizations, such as schools and churches, in Nigeria. They take radical measures to object any non-Islamic education or ideas. More than 51% of the Nigerian population is Christians, while Muslims account for about 45% in the northern and central regions of the country. (Translated from Chinese.GospelHerald.com) Christians in eastern India were worshipping on April 29 when Hindu extremists attacked and had them arrested on baseless accusations of operating a "conversion racket," sources said. Three of seven Christians arrested have been in jail since then, and yesterday a judge in Danapur, Bihar state, rejected their plea for bail. Some 60 Hindu extremists stormed into the house church service where 50 Christians had gathered to worship, 19-year-old Angel Pariyar told Morning Star News. "It was a difficult and tense moment for us," she said. "A huge crowd surrounded our house, and they stopped us from even going inside our own house. We were made to stand outside as they called up police and reported against us, calling our worship service a 'conversion racket.'" The mob, members of the Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bajrang Dal and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (student wing of RSS), harassed and attacked women, but when police arrived they arrested Pariyar's parents and other Christians, she said. Her parents, Subash Kumar and wife Sarah, along with Ravi Singh, Rajni Pradhan, Suraj Pradhan, Amit Kumar and Santoshi Devi, were taken into custody by Rupaspur police after the assault. Her parents and aunt, Rajni Pradhan, remain incarcerated. "60 Hindu youth activists showed up at the entrance of our house and started shouting at us, 'Why are you converting people?' and abused my family in filthy language," Pariyar said. "My mum told the youths that we are only worshipping in our house and asked, 'Why are you interfering in this?'" Pariyar's family, of Nepalese descent, has lived in India for generations, and the assailants used highly derogatory language as they accused them of coming from Nepal to convert Indian Hindus, she said. "They issued threats to my parents, 'We will kidnap your daughter - we will take her away,'" Pariyar told Morning Star News. "My father told them that if they have anything against us, let that be against the parents and not children. 'Please don't involve children in this,' he pleaded with them." She told them her grandfather served with the police in India as her father does now, and that she was proud to be Indian, she said. "That angered them, and soon they started beating my mum and both my aunts," she said. The Hindu extremists continue to taunt her when she visits her father, a respected officer with the Bihar Military Police, in jail, she said. "'Oh! Her dad was caught drunk,' they say and burst into laughter, and another remarks, 'No, it is a case of robbery,'" Pariyar said. "I go there daily and pass by the same people, yet they make sure to say something demeaning to hurt me, and I quietly gather myself and move on. That few feet walk from the prison gate to the visiting room is the most burdened one. It takes lots of patience, but I will bear it all because at least I get to meet my dad daily." Her 10-year-old brother does not know where his mother and father are, she said. "I wake him up, get him ready for school, complete the house chores, visit dad at Danapur sub-jail, pick up my brother from school and get back home," she said. "This has been my routine for the past 10 days." Pariyar told Morning Star News that she appeases her brother by telling him that their parents have gone to a prayer meeting. "He would say, 'Okay,' but come back again and would ask me over and over, 'When will they be back home?' But I have no answer." She requested prayers for the release of her parents and aunt. "My mum and aunt are kept in the women's cell, and their rules are very strict," Pariyar said. "They don't allow us to meet the inmates. I am glad that I at least get to meet my papa daily." Furious, Uncooperative Police At the Rupaspur police station, the station house officer initially said only that the Christians were accused of "anti-social activities." "We received a complaint that the Christian couple are involved in anti-social activities and hence have apprehended them," Dipak Kumar told Morning Star News. Asked what exactly the anti-social activities were, Kumar became furious. "They are abusing Hindu gods and goddesses and are forcefully converting people," he said. Asked what kind of "force" they were using, Kumar said, "I filed the FIR [First Information Report] already. No more questions on this." He declined to provide a copy of the FIR or disclose the details in it. Christian advocacy groups flooded the police station in Rupaspur with calls asking him to reveal grounds for the arrest and charges against the Christians, but Kumar remained adamant that "he will drag the Christians to court," sources said. Attorney Nisha Singh rushed to the police station to initiate the bail procedure, only to have Kumar refuse to begin the process, Singh said. "I was accompanied by two other lawyers, but the SHO [Kumar] was very uncooperative," she said. "There was severe pressure on him by the RSS, Bajrang Dal and ABVP groups." He did not allow application for bail, let the families know reasons for the arrest, or issue a copy of the FIR, the attorney said. "At last he looked at me in rage and said, 'I filed the charge sheet - see you in court!" Singh told Morning Star News. The Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Danapur, rejected the plea for bail by the three Christians still in jail on Tuesday morning (May 8). The Hindu mob, led by Nagesh Singh and Deepak Singh, chanted "Jai Sri Ram [Hail Lord Ram]" after the court announced that it rejected bail, Pariyar said. Attorney Sagar Suman, along with Singh defending the Christians, said police violated procedure as outlined in the Criminal Procedure Code. "It is the duty of the government to look into the matter, investigate it properly and only then an FIR must be registered," Suman said. "But in this case, it is simply a matter of hijacking someone's privacy and violating their constitutional right of freedom to practice a religion of their choice." The Indian Constitution grants the fundamental right to practice, profess and propagate one's faith under Article 25, and that was what Subash Kumar, his family and others were doing within their house, the attorney told Morning Star News. "All of a sudden the extremist forces forcefully intruded on their privacy, without any permission they entered their house by force, and instead of filing a case against them, the police filed a case against the minority alleging that they [Christians] are spreading 'communal hatred,'" he said. "It is completely an abuse of the process of law by the police and the lower court." A police source who requested anonymity said a local politician is exerting intense pressure to mobilize Hindu extremists. "There is severe pressure from an elected representative from the area who is now a central minister in [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi's government," the source told Morning Star News. "He backs up the youth, encourages them to attack Christians and funds their activities. He just wants to create some sensation, this is their way of expressing loyalty to the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party]." Abused in Custody Ravi Singh, nephew of Subash Kumar, told Morning Star News that police had mistreated the Christians while in custody. SHO Kumar was irritated that so many advocates called asking what was happening, said Ravi Singh, who spent an entire day in police custody. "He was scolding my uncle, mocking him, saying, 'Calls are coming from all over India for you today. Even I want to see who can set you free from here.'" SHO Kumar was doing everything a responsible police officer would not do, he said. "My mother, Santoshi Devi, was seated on a chair, and the SHO pulled the chair away, and she fell down," Singh said. "Not just that, Kumar thrashed my uncle, Subash Kumar, several times while he continued ridiculing and mocking him for being a Christian." By 8 p.m. the attorney could get only four of the arrested Christians released on bail: Ravi Singh, Suraj Pradhan, Amit Kumar and Santoshi Devi, attorney Nisha Singh told Morning Star News. A counter-FIR was filed against the assailants only after the judge rejected the bail plea submitted by the Christians. Fake News Pariyar said local newspapers published false statements by Hindu extremists that a non-profit her mother heads, the Prerna Foundation Trust, was converting Hindus to Christianity. "Nobody tried to contact us to find out the truth," she said. "It is not true; my mother only works for women's empowerment. She never mixed religion with her work." The foundation has been successful in forming self-help groups and micro-enterprises that provide employment to women in Bihar, she added. Pariyar said that the smile on her jailed father's face gives her hope. "My papa always told us that following Christ is not an easy path and that we need to be ready for everything," she said. "Now I can recall him telling us, 'There will be suffering, oppression, but we must stand for Christ. Christ, and Christ alone.'" The hostile tone of the National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist BJP, against non-Hindus, has emboldened Hindu extremists in several parts of the country to attack Christians since Modi took power in May 2014, religious rights advocates say. India ranked 11th on Christian support organization Open Doors' 2018 World Watch List of countries where Christians experience the most persecution. As the Trump administration clamps down on undocumented immigrants, more and more state and local governments are getting involved by funding legal services for those fighting deportation. But should they?Thats the question before Montgomery County, Md., a Washington, D.C., suburb, which is considering giving $374,000 in public funding to a nonprofit that provides legal services to immigrants facing deportation. If the county approves funding, it will join neighboring Prince Georges County and the cities of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. in doing so. Nationally, more than a dozen state and locali governments in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington state and Wisconsin have taken similar actions.At a public hearing in last week, many residents who lined up in opposition questioned whether the effort was a proper use of taxpayer money. Its a legitimate question, says Councilwoman Nancy Floreen. Who does government service?But its not one that comes with an easy answer, says Floreen, who points out that there are many instances in which the government is required to provide services regardless of status. There was a certain argument that we're here to serve the residents who are here under legal circumstances rather than residents whose status is less certain, she says. But most of what we do as a county is unrelated to citizenship. Schools are a big one -- they have to let you in no matter what your status is.Montgomery County is far from the first to wrestle with these issues. When Los Angeles unveiled its $10 million fund for immigrant defense in December 2016, for instance, some anti-illegal immigration activists called it a waste of taxpayer dollars. L.A. officials should be focused on assisting the citizens, [not] taking tax dollars to pay for services to assist illegal residents countywide, Robin Hvidston, executive director of We the People Rising, said at the time.But proponents of funding counter that this is a government expense. What these [government funding] programs are trying to do is provide due process, says Annie Chen, who heads up the SAFE Cities Network at the nonprofit Vera Institute for Justice. Its giving people a fair shake and helping them access what theyre already entitled to under immigration law.A study by the Vera Institute found that immigrants represented by an attorney increase their chances of avoiding deportation by as much as 48 percent. To Chen, thats important because it shows the defendants in these cases often arent just people who entered illegally and have tried to stay under the radar. Some have entered the country under Temporary Protected Status and have since been asked to leave. On average, she says, these immigrants have been in the United States for more than a decade, pay taxes, and have friends and family.In Montgomery County, the proposed funding would support the Capital Area Immigrants Rights Coalition, which says it habitually falls short of finding pro bono legal services for Maryland residents facing deportation. Of the 65 Montgomery County residents detained for deportation proceedings in 2016, for example, the coalition could only represent four of them.In fact, a Montgomery County man was recently detained for 10 months before the coalition could find anyone to take his case pro bono. The man, who was ultimately released last week, is married to a U.S. citizen. While he was in custody, his child was born and had to undergo surgery. You have family members in extreme hardship. Hes a member of his community, says Claudia Cubas, litigation director for the coalition. And despite how strong [his case] was, we had difficulty placing it. In February, reported that, in light of the federal repeal of the individual mandate, nine states and the District of Columbia were looking into implementing their own mandates.Just three months later, such talk has all but disappeared. As states wrap up their legislative sessions, only New Jersey has passed a bill mandating residents to have health insurance coverage.The federal mandate, which required every American to have health insurance or face a fine during tax season, was repealed in December as part of the federal overhaul of the tax code. In lieu of dismantling the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Congress targeted the mandate, which was always one of the more controversial pieces of the law.Now New Jerseys bill reinstates it, with one major exception: Revenue generated from tax penalties will go into a reinsurance program, where it will be used to help insurers pay some of the costliest claims. Officials, in turn, hope the program will help bring down costs for consumers.The New Jersey Health Insurance Market Preservation Act passed in April and is still awaiting Gov. Phil Murphys signature -- although his office has said they are moving forward with some of the provisions in the bill. Once signed, the state will also need to get federal approval in the form of a waiver.With the bill, lawmakers hope to preserve gains made as a result of the mandate. Were already seeing a decrease in Medicaid enrollment because of the anticipation that the federal mandate is going to go away," says Ray Castro, health policy director at the think tank New Jersey Policy Perspective. "We also have a pretty robust charity care system in New Jersey, which has saved $400 million [since the ACA took effect].Lawmakers also wanted to act quickly to avoid the individual mandate being seen as a new tax should it be re-implemented down the road. We didnt want to wait, we wanted to make it as seamless as possible," says Castro. "Thats something that other states will run up against if they pass it in the years to come. Were just saying we are maintaining what is the federal status quo.There is still a possibility that the District of Columbia will enact their own mandate this year. A working group of industry stakeholders, appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser, unanimously voted to implement one. Now the city council has to weigh in. But even if they approve it, Congress could override the mandate.Several health experts say that 2018 is a tricky time to pass individual mandate legislation anyway. That's because it's too soon to say how a federal repeal of the law will impact health insurance premiums in the marketplace and uninsured rates.Early filings among health insurance carriers in states such as Maryland and Virginia show premiums are growing by the double digits. If this uptick continues, it could end up building the case for the individual mandate for 2019, says Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.But Corlette cautions against looking at the abandonment of the individual mandate in isolation. While the individual mandate is still a political hot potato, there are several other fixes states are actively considering. There are a range of things that states are doing to make the marketplace more palatable, like addressing short-term plans and reinsurance programs," she says. "I would not want to suggest that states are doing nothing. Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2018 1:30 am What if Pres. Richard Nixon had owned the Watergate burglary problem from the outset and promised to never do it again instead of resigning? Would he have avoided impeachment proceedings by the House and a Senate trial for removal from office? Maybe not, given that Democrats were in control of both the House and Senate and his administration already had been rocked by the resignation of his first vice president. But much has long been made about Nixons troubles mostly being rooted in the cover up rather than the original crime. So, what if the cover up had never happened? Would he have completed his second term? Well never know. Just like we may never know if the current scene in Jefferson City would be playing out as it is if Gov. Eric Greitens had not only owned his pre-election affair but been forthright about his alleged campaign deeds, which might have been easy enough for many to write off as what can happen when a political rookie runs for such a high office. (Disregarding the huge, experienced political money behind his rookie campaign.) One has to like his chances better than Nixons, given that his party has dominant control of both the House and Senate. But, wait. That would be the same party he has done little to align himself with other than wearing the brand. He has made no friends on either side of the aisle, but at least the majority would have been eager to avoid the black eye of an impeachment fight. Which is why GOP lawmakers would love it now if he would simply do as Nixon did resign and spare the party and the state from the prolonged fight and ineffective governing. Of course, he is owed due process, which comes in court starting next week and continues in the Legislature in special session. But the damage is already done. Nixon ended the fighting in Vietnam (even though some would say too long after he prolonged it), brought home POWs and stopped the military draft. He opened doors to China and scored a number of other wins that might have left him ranked among the best presidents. Instead, he is remembered for resigning in shame as a pardoned burglary and cover up orchestrator. How much good might Greitens have done in one and perhaps two terms if only he had done what is mentioned in paragraph five above? Sadly, probably not so much, since he had already declared war on all lawmakers during his campaign and did next to nothing to mend any fences after winning. Again, well probably never know, even if he doesnt resign, is not impeached and subsequently removed from office, and is not convicted of any of the felonies he faces. Even if he survives it all, he might resemble The Winner described in Bobby Bares song from 1984 far more than a prospective great governor. Voters decided state Rep. Duane Hall, a Democrat facing sexual harassment allegations and calls to resign, should not have the chance to return to the legislature next year.First-time candidate Allison Dahle trounced Hall in a state House primary, winning about 68 percent of the vote in unofficial returns.Hall had been seeking a fourth term.Dahle didn't expect to win, she admitted after she saw the returns. Hall spent about twice as much as she did and was considered the favorite.And yet she was surrounded by a small crowd applauding her at her party at Fortnight Brewery in Cary."I think women are tired," Dahle said in an interview shortly after her victory speech. "I think there's a lot more to the story" than just the women quoted in the media, she said. President Trump's immigration policies are having an effect in unexpected places -- namely, local elections for sheriff.The question of local cooperation with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement was central to the outcome of three races for sheriff in North Carolina on Tuesday. Many voters objected to the program known as 287(g), under which local law enforcement agencies contract with the feds on immigration enforcement."In the sheriff's race, that was the main issue that got voters out to the polls," says Oliver Merino, an organizer with Comunidad Colectiva, an immigrant rights group in Charlotte. "The fact that we had two candidates committed to ending the program, while the current sheriff didn't want to hear anything about ending the program, that gave a clear choice."Mecklenburg County Sheriff Irwin Carmichael was defeated soundly on Tuesday, taking just 20 percent of the vote. No Republican is running, so by winning the Democratic primary, former police detective Garry McFadden was in effect elected sheriff. "287(g) is going to be history in Charlotte-Mecklenburg," McFadden declared on election night.It's a template that could be imitated elsewhere, with progressive voters in increasingly liberal metropolitan areas demanding that sheriffs refuse to cooperate with ICE or the Trump administration in general. "Sheriff Carmichael's massive defeat in Mecklenburg Cty NC sends a strong message to local law enforcement nationwide," tweeted Mark Mellman, a prominent Democratic consultant and pollster. "Cooperate with Trump's deportation squad and voters will punish you."The American Civil Liberties Union spent $175,000 on the Mecklenburg race, marking the first time the group had run a voter education campaign in a sheriff's election. It won't be the last."It could be that the ACLU, or the Democrat Party, has decided that this is something that works in certain scenarios," says Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, a conservative research group. "It sounds like the Democrats want to use the 287(g) issue in the way Republicans have used the sanctuary cities issue."Durham County Sheriff Mike Andrews was also decisively beaten on Tuesday, taking just 31 percent of the vote against Clarence Birkhead, a former police chief for Duke University and Hillsborough. "I thank my immigrant community, my Latino community," Birkhead, the de facto new sheriff, told supporters on Tuesday. "We have to do everything we can possibly do to keep our families together [and] not cooperate with ICE."In Buncombe County, which includes Asheville, outgoing Sheriff Van Duncan had endorsed Captain Randy Smart to succeed him. But Smart lost to Quentin Miller, a sheriff with the Asheville Police Department, who pledged not to enter into a 287(g) agreement. Miller will face Republican Shad Higgins in November.Cooperation with ICE wasn't kryptonite for every sheriff in the state. In 2012, the Obama Justice Department ended its 287(g) arrangement with Alamance County, finding high rates of racial profiling. But Sheriff Terry Johnson, who is working with the Trump administration to restore the agreement, is running unopposed for reelection.Vaughan says immigration proponents often exaggerate the effects of the 287(g) program. "Regardless of how you feel about what the level of legal immigration should be, the 287(g) program is a pretty small corner of the entire immigration issue," she says. "It's one that's focused on identifying and facilitating the deportation of the immigrant population that has committed crimes, and most voters across party lines want to see immigration laws enforced against criminals."But 287(g) is becoming a proxy in the larger fight over immigration issues. In more liberal precincts, it has resonance with voters who opposed Trump's stepped-up deportation efforts. "Buncombe County and more specifically the city of Asheville have been moving farther left recently," says Chris Cooper, a political scientist at Western Carolina University. "Even mainstream Democrats have been forced out."In a radio ad, the ACLU of North Carolina made the connection between Trump and Sheriff Carmichael explicit. "Sheriff Carmichael works with Trump's deportation force, detaining people for deportation, tearing families apart," the ad said. "The Trump-Carmichael immigration agenda wastes our law enforcement resources," it continued, while noting about the sheriff's opponents, "they pledge to stop working with Trump's deportation forces.""We think the results on Tuesday show that when voters are presented with information about civil liberties issues, they will respond," says Mike Meno, spokesman for the ACLU of North Carolina.The complaints about 287(g) distort the case, contends Ron Woodard, who directs NC Listen, a group that combats illegal immigration. The program doesn't affect people unless and until they are arrested, he says.He's also dubious that the outcomes in three counties are representative of the mood of the state as a whole. "Certainly, in the more liberal counties, the case has been made that it's racial profiling," Woodard says. "That's misleading, but that's the way it's been presented by liberal groups who want no enforcement of our immigration laws."Immigration was not the sole focus in any race. Carmichael's opponents derided him for putting juveniles into solitary confinement, while requiring loved ones to visit inmates by video, rather than in person.But immigration also conjoined with other racial issues. In Buncombe County, Miller promised to provide de-escalation training, following a locally notorious incident in which a black man who was stopped for jaywalking was beaten and strangled by a deputy.Durham County Sheriff Andrews had sought felony charges against protesters who toppled a Confederate monument last August, costing him support among some black Democratic clubs, although charges were later dropped. On Election Day, Andrews apologized after a campaign worker wrote "amen" to a comment posted on his campaign's Facebook page that warned that black voters, "immigrants and minorities will flock to the polls," leading to an ethnic takeover of the county."Immigration was certainly important for all three elections, but there were also discussions about racial bias in policing and equality in each of those communities," says Mirya Holman, an expert on local politics and sheriffs at Tulane University.The fact that McFadden, Miller and Birkhead are all black men who defeated white candidates is significant, she says. The ranks of sheriffs are dominated by white men, who hold roughly 95 percent of the posts nationwide.It also mattered that each of the challengers has already had a long career in law enforcement. Sheriffs generally have extraordinarily high reelection rates, in part because there's no one with the right background willing to take them on. "I'm really hopeful that the focus on these questions is going to mean a whole new group of people with law enforcement experience are going to run for sheriff," Holman says.Issues surrounding race and immigration clearly helped motivate local activist groups to get involved -- something that is often not the case when it comes to elections for sheriff. Given the extremely low turnout often involved in these races, local groups that can motivate even a small percentage of voters to cast a ballot can have an outsized impact. "It all started with local people questioning the sheriff," says Merino, the Comunidad Colectiva organizer. "National attention brought more resources."There may be no politics more local than a campaign for sheriff, but the charged national issue of immigration is suddenly salient to races that typically have been decided mostly on the basis of which candidate can claim to be toughest on crime."Sheriffs' cooperation with ICE is a national debate," Holman says. "This is something that every sheriff needs to make a decision about." Eric Schneiderman's career is finished, but the accusations that brought him down will have continuing ramifications for New York politics, including this year's election to succeed him as state attorney general and the race for governor.In recent years, the state has been as bombarded with more scandals and resignations than any other. "Once again, a blow has been struck against the idea of government as a positive force, or public officials as public-spirited, ethical people," says Doug Muzzio, a Baruch College political scientist.Schneiderman announced his resignation just hours after the publication of a damning article in. Its allegations of abuse and alcoholism from multiple women may not relate to official duties in the way that financial transgressions might, but at some level it seems in keeping with the culture of corruption in the state. "Even though it's private, it has to bleed into the public sphere," Muzzio says. "It shows a duplicity of character."In the decade since Eliot Spitzer resigned as governor amid reports he had solicited and slept with a prostitute, more than two dozen New York state legislators have stepped down or been convicted in a variety of corruption cases, including former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. In March, Joseph Percoco, a former top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was convicted on corruption charges."On the one hand, this is obviously a personal failing," says Iona College political scientist Jeanne Zaino, referring to the allegations against Schneiderman. "But I suppose you can say that about other people who were embroiled in scandals. We have to see it as part and parcel of this Albany culture."The accusations against Schneiderman grew directly out of the #MeToo movement, with activist Michelle Manning Barish, one of the accusers, praising actress Rose McGowan for her example and bravery in speaking out against harassment. "Prominent men in powerful positions are being outed as sexual harassers, and this is one of them," says Gerald Benjamin, a political scientist at SUNY-New Paltz.Needless to say, sex scandals involving powerful politicians predate the current movement. And certainly, endemic corruption appears to be a problem in other states. Last month, Cliff Rosenberger resigned as Ohio House speaker amid an FBI investigation that may be widening. Over the past couple of years in Alabama, the governor, state House speaker and chief justice have all stepped down or been removed from office.But no state has matched New York's recent record in terms of sheer volume of scandal."New York's great for many things, but democracy and clean politics are not among them," says Daniel DiSalvo, a political scientist at City College of New York. "Something about the structure and incentives of New York's political system means that those who rise ultimately have to do things that compromise their character in one way or another."For years, analysts have pondered why New York politics are so prone to corruption. Some academic work has suggested that states with capitals that are distant from major media and population centers are more likely to have problems, due to lack of oversight and public interest. What happens in Albany -- often based on decisions made only by the governor and top legislative leaders behind closed doors -- can feel distant to people living in New York City.Given the Empire State's size -- and the amount of money flowing through the political process, particularly in Manhattan -- there's a real temptation for politicians to hide or redirect spending in ways that will benefit them personally, says Grant Reeher, director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute at Syracuse University. Given Democratic dominance of statewide politics and the lopsided partisan nature of most legislative districts one way or the other, there's little by way of real political competition to check or even blow the whistle on many offenses.What's more, the state's political culture remains deeply imprinted with the secretive and self-serving habits of the political machines that once ruled. "That whole kind of Tammany Hall culture, which is very insular and very closed and very tribal, is something that's been imprinted onto the capital's political culture," Reeher says.The problems with Albany's culture have been a major focus of the Democratic primary challenge brought against Cuomo by actress Cynthia Nixon. Cuomo promised to clean up the capital, but he shut down an anti-corruption commission the year after he appointed it. While Cuomo himself has not been implicated in any wrongdoing, other politicians and close associates have been. "In the corruption Olympics that is Albany, I think Andrew Cuomo is winning himself some gold medals," Nixon told theshortly after launching her campaign in March.Schneiderman's offenses are of a different kind than, say, Percoco's conviction for receiving bribes from a state contractor, Benjamin says. But these discreet offenses become conflated in the public mind. Nixon remains a long shot, but Schneiderman's downfall will add resonance to her complaints.Cuomo immediately called for Schneiderman's resignation on Monday, perhaps in part because he sensed the potential for political fallout that might damage his own campaign. "It's bad timing for the governor, even though I think he's still going to win the primary," Reeher says. "It will go into that box in people's minds about, 'This is what's wrong with Albany.' It will give Nixon something more to reference, either obliquely or directly."As soon as Schneiderman announced that he was stepping down, speculation turned to the question of who legislators might appoint to replace him, whether it might be an insider from within their own ranks or whether Cuomo would seek to persuade them to appoint his counsel, Alphonso David. State Solicitor General Barbara Underwood is now serving as the acting attorney general.Depending on who the legislature chooses, that person could face a primary challenge from the left. Possible candidates drawing attention and speculation include Zephyr Teachout, Cuomo's primary opponent in 2014, and former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who convicted a number of legislators and once railed against the "show-the-money culture in Albany.""All have called the governor out on his failure to deal with what is a corrupt culture in Albany," says Zaino, the Iona College professor. "For progressives, who have seen this as an office standing against President Trump, this is going to play much larger than a race for AG normally would." 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 Our Lady of Graces Catholic Church, Carina, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC attended the State Funeral Service for the Honourable Terry Mackenroth. In the afternoon, at Government House, the Governor hosted a Reception to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the 4MBS Festival of Classics, and the Governor addressed guests. Description GIS 09 May 2018: The Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) for Low Carbon Island Development Strategy for Mauritius will assist in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in a more integrated and sustainable way towards achieving the target of reducing the emissions by 30 % by 2030. The Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity, and Environment and Sustainable Development, Mr Etienne Sinatambou, made this statement today at Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa in Balaclava at the inauguration of a two-day inception workshop on NAMA. This project forms part of the Government Programme for the elaboration of a Mitigation Strategy and Action Plan for Mauritius. In his address the Minister pointed out that climate change remains one of the most serious and pressing challenges that mankind is facing. It represents a major impediment on the pathway of sustainable development and with the worsening tendency, it is most likely that climate change and its adverse impacts would be among the most serious hurdles in the achievement of sustainable development goals for vulnerable countries such as Mauritius, he cautioned. He recalled that the main cause of global warming and sea level rise is the increasing emission of greenhouse gas from industrialised countries. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations report, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide reached a new record of 408 parts per million in March 2018. With the rise in greenhouse gas emissions, the surface temperature is going up steeply and that extreme climatic events are being observed daily in every corner of the planet. In a bid to tackle climate change Mr Sinatambou called for collective actions and united commitment from all countries. A stage has been reached, he pointed out, whereby the urgency of climate mitigation action requires efforts beyond commitment taken by the developed nations. He added that solidarity in terms of actions by developed and developing countries is critical. Speaking about Mauritius, Mr Sinatambou said the countrys contribution to global emissions of greenhouse gases stood only at around 0.01% but that it is among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. He recalled that the country has been experiencing warmer temperature, more intense cyclones and frequent torrential rains with recurrent flooding and landslides. As per the World Risk Report 2017, Mauritius is ranked the 13th country with the highest risk to disaster and 7th country exposed to natural hazards worldwide, he said. The Minister underscored that the priority for Mauritius is adaptation to climate change adding that several measures have been implemented in this regard. He pointed out that mitigation and adaptation are complementary strategies for reducing and managing the risks of climate change. Substantial emissions reductions over the next few decades can reduce climate risks in the 21st century and beyond, increase prospects for effective adaptation, reduce the costs and challenges of mitigation in the longer term and contribute to climate-resilient pathways for sustainable development, he said. According to him, mitigation can also be in terms of simple actions in our daily lives such as composting, tree planting and sustainable consumption. Mauritius has already implemented national schemes for adoption of solar water heaters, composters for household, energy efficient bulbs and is undertaking on-going sensitisation campaigns for a change in the mindset of our population, he added. NAMA project The NAMA project extends over four years and is expected to be completed in 2021. Estimated at 1.6 million US dollars, the project is being implemented with the assistance of international partners namely the Global Environment Facility, United Nations Environment Programme and the Denmark Technical University. This project will allow Mauritius to comply with the obligations under the Paris Agreement which requires the setting up of an Enhanced Transparency Framework for domestic Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system to track and report on mitigation actions to meet the Nationally Determined Contributions. The inception workshop will kick start the project under which wind farms and a MRV system for the energy sector will be set up. The ultimate aim is the elaboration of a Mitigation Strategy and Action Plan for Mauritius in line with the Government Programme. Description GIS 09 May 2018: There is a growing need for Green Finance as Mauritius is engaged in promoting a shift to an Inclusive Green Economy, particularly in view of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with Governments ambitions listed in its three-year strategic plan. Developing Green Bonds market will enable Government and private sector operators to issue and list Green Bonds on the Stock Exchange Mauritius (SEM) so as to raise capital for their green projects. The Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Mr. D. Sesungkur, made this statement today in Ebene at the opening ceremony of the Green Bonds and Green Economy Forum that will last till 11 May 2018 . This joint initiative of the Office of the UNEP Resident Coordinator, in collaboration with the SEM, and support of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) , will focus on environmental concerns and the possibilities of transition to Greener Economies at the forefront of political and regulatory agendas. Minister Sesungkur highlighted that the finance community has a central role to play in addressing environmental issues and chart the course of businesses towards resilience and sustainability. Government has made provision in the 2017/2018 budget so that the interest income derived by both individuals and corporates from debentures issued to finance renewable energy projects would be granted tax-exempt status, he said. According to him Green Bonds have emerged as an innovative financial instrument since 2007 and are helping economies to address infrastructure, climate and broader economic challenges. He added that the rapidly growing market for green bonds offers investors an effective way to enhance their green credentials and provides new sources of capital funding for issuers. To this end, the Minister underlined that the SEM is actively engaged in the development of a Green Bonds market in Mauritius by providing public and private sector issuers with a regulated platform to finance their green projects. He pointed out that the SEM can be an ideal platform for the listing of green bonds issued by African issuers to raise capital from international investors given its multicurrency listing, trading and settlement as well as the numerous fiscal and tax advantages of the Mauritius jurisdiction. With regard to dire climatic changes, Mr. Sesungkur recalled that it is time for world economies to switch from Development and Exploitation mode to a more Sustainable Development and Conscious mode. We need to embrace conscious leadership and at the same time, learn the importance of responsible investments, he added. Speaking on the relevance of capacity building the Minister said that this will help raise awareness on Green Bonds and urge domestic as well as international investors to use them as a financing instrument to create a policy conducive environment. Description GIS 09 May 2018: Government does not envisage the replacement of the Pay Research Bureau (PRB) by a new institution or commission. This reply was given by the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, to a Parliamentary Question pertaining to the replacement of the PRB yesterday in the National Assembly. As regards the expected date of the publication of the next PRB Report, the Prime Minister underlined that the PRB has already embarked on the exercise for the next general review of pay and grading structures and conditions of service in the public sector. The Report is expected to be released sometime in October 2020 and the recommendations will be effective on 01 January 2021, he added. He informed that Government is also considering a request from the Trade Unions for the PRB report to be published in 2019. Prime Minister Jugnauth highlighted that in the context of this exercise, the Bureau has had consultations with the Executive Members of the 10 Federations from 09 to 13 April 2018. Moreover, he said, the PRB has already issued Circulars to all public sector organisations covered by its next Report with a view to collecting fresh and relevant data necessary to carry out the general review exercise. He further pointed out that the Federations of Civil Service Unions have also been requested, by way of circulars, to submit their proposals on conditions of service in the public sector. The Bureau is providing them with any required assistance for the preparation of their submissions, he concluded. Description GIS 09 May 2018: The Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) , Ms. Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, yesterday afternoon, at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. In a statement, the Assistant Director-General of ILO highlighted that she had fruitful discussions with the Prime Minister on key issues such as employment, migration, brain-drain and skills. She commended the Prime Minister for addressing employment as a national issue, adding that it is being effectively dealt through the National Employment Policy of Government. According to Ms. Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, addressing employment challenges remains at the core of Governments agenda as reflected in laudable initiatives such as the National Minimum Wage. She further pointed out that the approach of the Prime Minister in discussing the employment-related issues with key actors and stakeholders underpins his intent to establish an inclusive social framework. On that note, she observed that the Mauritian experience should be used to support other countries in addressing similar challenges. She recalled that ILO will be celebrating its 100th anniversary while Mauritius will be marking its 50th year as a member of the ILO in 2019. This is not only an opportunity to celebrate past achievements but also to reflect on changes needed regarding shifting the world of work for next generation, she said. She reiterated the responsibility of Africa to contribute with its experience to help other countries to shift the world of work by ensuring international labour standards, social protection, and work opportunities for everyone. Biobot Analytics, a startup spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that is collecting data from sewage to monitor opioid use, has raised its first round of seed funding.The company pulled in $2.5 million, with the Chicago venture firm Ekistic Ventures acting as the leader. Also participating were Y Combinator, Refactor Capital, Liquid 2 Ventures and several other investment firms.The influx of cash comes as Biobot Analytics searches for some of its earliest clients. It has already conducted pilot programs in Boston, Kuwait and South Korea, and it recently started a project in Cary, N.C., but it has also launched an open competition among cities to find five partners to work with in 2018.The company works by sending robotic collection systems into sewers to get samples, which the company can then analyze in order to get measurements of opioid use. The process is inherently anonymous, since it taps into shared sewers, and it can deliver the government information about how consumption of the drugs has changed over time.Its a largely untapped data source for fighting the opioid addiction and overdose crisis.Biobot Analytics is fresh off winning a pitch competition at this years South by Southwest, and the Bloomberg Mayors Challenge also recognized Cary for its work with Biobot.Opioid analytics is just the first use case the company is tackling sewage can be used for a lot more.We believe our data can be the new standard by which to evaluate the opioid epidemic across all cities, counties and states, said Mariana Matus, CEO and co-founder of the company, in a press release. But whats more exciting it so imagine all the other types of public health data we can produce from sewage, such as levels of antibiotic resistance or exposure to environmental contaminants. These insights will provide the first proactive dashboard to address the public health crises that affect all communities, and do so in a way that protects individual privacy and avoids bias based on financial, race, ethnic or other characteristics. Advocates: Broadband is social justice issue Councilor: City setting 'tangible goals' (TNS) The city of Cambridge, Mass. is looking to provide affordable broadband services to thousands of low-income residents by 2025. But some argue the city's goals should be more ambitious.The city council voted Monday to have City Manager Louis DePasquale work with the Cambridge Housing Authority and other agencies to ensure the city's public housing complexes have affordable broadband access, analyze the feasibility and impact of utilizing or expanding the city-owned fiber optics network, and review the city's dig-once policy to ensure optimal installation of conduits for leased access by third-party ISPs, according to the policy order. High-speed broadband is currently not available in Cambridge, and more than 5,000 residents do not have internet service.The proposal would provide residents with internet access ranging from $15 a month for the slowest speed and $100 for the fastest speed, according to the policy order. The council is also aiming to ensure all high school students have access to affordable internet service by 2020.Kevin Donaher, of Chestnut Street, said he pays Comcast more than $1,000 a year for internet access, which he said is more than he pays for electricity or transit. He called telecommunications a "natural monopoly" and not treating it as such has resulted in slower, more expensive service than other parts of the developed world."Relying on privatized communication infrastructure is a Reaganite fever dream that is as fundamentally insane as privatized sewers," Donaher said.He also said councilors should be more ambitious with their goals."Our definition of affordable broadband access should include net-neutrality and privacy protections," Donaher said. "Because the internet should be the most open, democratic communication method in human history, not a distribution method for a small range of sponsored content or a means of giving advertisers NSA-like spying powers."Christopher Schmidt, a Laurel Street resident who spoke on behalf of Upgrade Cambridge , which advocates for municipal broadband access, lauded the council for setting quantitative goals and deadlines to meet them. However, he called the policy order insufficient because it aims for the program to be revenue-neutral or revenue-positive."It is extraordinary that the city would consider working on a critical social justice issue only if it doesn't cost money," Schmidt said. "The council should demand an explanation from the city on why it considers this issue one in which no money should be spent when we spend on so many other important social justice issues to make the city a better place."Saul Tannenbaum, co-founder of Upgrade Cambridge, said the policy order is the first step the city has taken toward digital equity in a dozen years."It is critically important that the city take the step of assessing its digital equity issues," Tannenbaum said.Councilor Quinton Zondervan acknowledged that the the exact pricing for internet services listed in the policy order may change over time, and that those figures were chosen to give a definition of what affordable internet access is now."It's really more a definition of what do we mean by affordable right now," Zondervan said. "It's certainly not meant to say this is going to be true forever.""That's why we have very short-term goals in here for 2020 and 2025 to say we're willing to address this inequity right now, but the conversation will continue as to how we can over the longterm provide faster service as that comes online," Zondervan said.While Vice Mayor Jan Devereux acknowledged that the comments from members of Upgrade Cambridge and other residents is what the city should strive for, she also said that she doesn't want to see "the best be the enemy of the good.""[We're] at least starting to put some tangible goals on paper and work toward those, while at the same time we're also looking at the bigger picture," Devereux said. Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2018 7:00 am A little-covered issue this year to extend the age of persons under juvenile court jurisdiction is related to a long history of which I suspect few lawmakers realize. It's an issue that goes back decades when there was a proposal to establish a uniform legal age for Missouri adulthood. It was a sweeping idea. Under the laws of Missouri and other states, there were different ages for when one can sign a legal contract, register to vote, be charged as an adult for a criminal offense or purchase an alcoholic drink. It became a national debate during the Vietnam War when the question was raised that if a teenager could be drafted or recruited to put his or her life at risk, why couldn't that soldier vote or purchase a can of beer. In Missouri, one response came from one of the most committed civil libertarians I've covered Sen. A. Clifford Jones, R-St. Louis County. He sponsored a bill that would set the uniform legal definition of being an adult at 18 years of age. His proposal won easy legislative approval, but for one complication what about booze? The Senate approved Jones' uniform-legal-age bill, but the House exempted alcohol, keeping the minimum age at 21. On the last night of that year's legislative session, Jones accepted defeat and agreed to make the motion for final approval of the House version that exempted alcohol from the adult rights to be extended to those at least 18 years of age. But when the bill came to the Senate for the final vote, there was a problem. Jones appeared to have consumed too much alcohol during the late-night session and seemed unable to make what should have been a routine motion to pass the bill in the closing hours. Senate leaders instructed staff to bring cups of coffee to Jones, but he waived them off. Since that bill's failure, there's been no subsequent serious legislative effort to establish a uniform legal definition of adulthood. There's an irony in Jones' failure. He had a statehouse reputation for being a heavy drinker whose legislative performances while appearing to be under the influence became classic stories. I've since wondered if Jones' performance that night actually was a deliberate act to send an iconic and pointed message to his colleagues that problems with booze were not limited young people. That is not as absurd as you might think. Jones often used misdirection to make a point. He was one of the smartest and unpredictable legislators I've covered. He often engaged in outrageous behavior to make a point including even launching into Greek language during a Senate filibuster. So in hindsight, I've wondered if he was just pretending to be too drunk to make a final-passage motion to demonstrate his opposition to the leadership pressure to exempt alcohol from the standard adulthood definition. I confess, I hesitated writing this column. Cliffy, as his friends called him, was a mentor for me when I first started covering the statehouse. I learned so much from him about process, politics and policy. But there is something else about Cliffy, who passed years ago, that comforts me in writing his column. He was brutal in demanding honesty and disclosure -- including about himself. One of my journalism students discovered that candor from an assignment to interview Cliffy for a profile on the closing days of his last year in Missouri's legislature. My student was uncomfortable when I advised she had to ask about the decades of truly entertaining stories about his drinking. Cliffy's answer was illustrative of what made him so special for reporters. "Of course you have to ask that question. I'm not proud of it, but it is part of my legacy," was how I remember the student telling me of Cliffy's response to her near apology for asking the question. Phill Brooks has been a Missouri statehouse reporter since 1970, making him dean of the statehouse press corps. He is the statehouse correspondent for KMOX Radio, director of MDN and an emeritus faculty member of the Missouri School of Journalism. He has covered every governor since the late Warren Hearnes. (TNS) - If Congress doesnt step up with comprehensive and effective legislation to confront sea-level rise and its already-evident effects, were sunk, South Florida.Sunk, literally, as the ocean encroaches upon our shores in the decades ahead. Besides the emotional upheaval, the financial toll is going to be staggering.At the moment, the federal government tries to protect many Americans from the financial shock of flood damage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But the program is in the crosshairs of a Congress that has temporarily extended the program six times, most recently until July 31. Facing a $25 billion deficit in the program, members say theyre tired of subsidizing coastal communities with cheap insurance and want big change.What they dont say is that Florida is a donor state in the flood insurance program. Last year, Florida made up about 35 percent of NFIP policies, but weve received just over 7 percent of its payouts during the past 40 years.Truth is, Floridians are subsidizing repairs in states that experience river flooding states that dont participate in the program, yet regularly get emergency disaster funding.But that part of the story doesnt get told. Instead, we hear that NFIP is going broke and people need to pay actuarially sound rates. Well, we got a glimpse of what actuarially sound rates look like in 2012 when Congress passed the Biggert-Waters Act to fix the flood insurance program. In the Keys, some property owners saw their premiums increase ten-fold.The outcry led Congress in 2014 to lessen the hit to primary-residence owners, though second homes and rental units remain a different story. And the programs premiums are still set to increase 8 to 10 percent a year. How long can we afford that?NFIP has dramatic implications for our community, said Jennifer Jurado, Browards chief resiliency officer, during a meeting with South Floridas three editorial boards. If insurance and flood insurance accounts for 10 percent of a mortgage today but will account for 50 percent in 20 years because of whats happening with escalating rates it changes what an individual can afford. It affects who can afford to live here, the ability to attract a workforce and sustain a workforce. Were concerned about that.There is a solution that makes much more sense for Floridians and all Americans a national disaster fund, which would spread the risk and force private insurers to participate in this vital effort to protect all Americans from the huge cost of natural disasters.The flood insurance program served its purpose, but after 50 years, it hasnt aged well.Congress created the program in 1968 to give property owners in flood-prone locations government-subsidized protection after private insurers left the market. The expectation was that premiums would pay for the programs operating expenses and claims.But lawmakers didnt anticipate the increase and severity of flooding disasters and the aggressive development along coastlines and in areas that flood repeatedly.To cover its liabilities, NFIP borrows money from the U.S. Treasury. Storms such as Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy cost the program far more than it had in reserves. In 2017, Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria added to the financial crisis.Besides the rash of costly storms, NFIP is plagued by what are called repetitive flood loss properties. According to FEMA, 1 percent of insured properties account for about 25 percent of the money paid out in claims. Clearly, we can no longer afford to insure properties that repeatedly flood.Last year, Rep. Sean Duffy sponsored the 21st Century Flood Reform Act to stabilize NFIPs finances and increase the role of private insurers in the program. However, it also would have raised costs for homeowners whose homes were not in FEMA-designated flood zones when they bought them, but were grandfathered into the program. Duffy wants to phase out grandfathering by 2021. The entire South Florida House delegation voted against the bill.Its got to be fair for everybody, said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, whose district takes in Miami Beach and other coastal areas in central Miami-Dade County. To have a home that you cant find anybody to insure, that doesnt do anyone any good.Still, the proposed overhaul passed in the House 237-189. The Senate has yet to act.Old technology and flawed flood-zone mapping also hamper NFIP. Those FEMA maps that tell homeowners, homebuyers and insurers where flooding is most likely to occur are unreliable, says a review conducted by the Nature Conservancy, which partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.The study says that the FEMA maps dont come close to capturing the true amount of flood risk across the nation. More than 40 million Americans could face 100-year flooding and the amount of property at risk is more than double current estimates, according to the study.FEMA acknowledges the difficulty of presenting a clear picture of flood risk and wants to do better. After hurricanes Harvey and Irma, FEMA has been cautioning homeowners not to use its maps as reliable blueprints for risk.These maps are intended to inform flood insurance requirements and regulate development standards in high-risk areas, said Eileen Lainez, FEMAs deputy director of public affairs. They are not intended to show absolute lines where flooding will and will not occur.Now they tell us.Ros-Lehtinen is right: The system must be fair. Right now, its not.Duffy is right, too: Private insurers must play a bigger role in providing flood-insurance coverage. Right now, theyre not.A national disaster fund would help address both concerns.First, NFIP would cease to exist. The new fund would require private insurers to participate in the calamity market, making them cover all disasters, including floods. The goal is to remove the federal government as the flood-insurer of first resort.As envisioned by insurance regulators, the fund would offer reinsurance, which is insurance for insurance companies because a catastrophic natural disaster could bankrupt an insurer.Florida has a working model, the Hurricane Catastrophe Fund that provides reinsurance to private insurers, who are required use it. The fund gets its money from a surcharge on property and casualty insurance policies in the state, not from the states treasury.At the moment, it has $17 billion in assets. Should it run out of money, however, there is an assessment against all other insurance policies that would cover any deficit.With a national fund, states would be required to create or maintain a similar layer of coverage for homeowners. The federal government would provide the final layer of coverage if any area were hit with a Katrina-like disaster.In addition, this fail-safe would allow private insurers to diversify and invest their money elsewhere, boosting their bottom lines and lowering policyholders premiums.There are pitfalls. For example, if a national fund is not based on actuarially sound costs of losses, it wont work. The flawed FEMA maps make that clear. And local communities are going to have to be accountable, pushing back against development in vulnerable areas and hardening their building codes.Although Harvey, Irma, Maria and the California wildfires captured most of the nations attention last year, there were more than 1,200 tornadoes in the United States last year. Montana saw a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in July, and the earth is trembling in Hawaii. Last year, the Ohio River overran its banks and flooded Cincinnati.Natural disasters affect most of the nation at one time or another. A national disaster fund is the fairest way to spread the risk among insurers, the government and property owners, who would be required to participate.Taxpayers already are providing disaster-recovery funds through FEMA. This has become a costly and inefficient model, as the agencys debt shows.Hurricane Irma wasnt just another wake-up call warning that South Florida and other parts of the state remain vulnerable to sea-level rise. Hurricane Irma was yet another call to action one that Congress should heed this time.2018 Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) With some predictions already out for an above average hurricane season in 2018, authorities gathered on Wednesday to urge people to be prepared for storms that may lie ahead.In 2017, devastating storms dealt destruction to parts of the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean, said Gov. John Bel Edwards. Louisiana escaped most of the storms' wrath by luck alone."We cannot control what the weather will do, but we can control how we prepare," Edwards said from Baton Rouge Metro Airport, flanked by municipal authorities, military leaders and federal meteorologists."It's not a matter of if but when" said newly sworn-in New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell.The airport served as a backdrop for the 2018 NOAA Hurricane Awareness Tour, which gave local residents and news reporters an opportunity to view the "Hurricane Hunter" aircraft used to track hurricanes and talk to hurricane experts, scientists and local and state first responders.Ken Graham, recently selected to head the National Hurricane Center in Miami, told attendees that they need to be ready for a big hurricane."Even with a good forecast, the storm still comes. ... It only takes one to make a busy season," he said.Coastal residents need to be ready to fend for themselves for 72 hours after a devastating event, Brock Long, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told those attending Wednesday's event.Edwards encouraged residents to visit GetAGamePlan.org for information on how to prepare for the immediate aftermath of a disaster before the National Guard, State Police and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are able to mobilize."This is critically important. ... Every season brings new uncertainty," the governor remarked.Hurricane season officially begins June 1 and runs through November. The federal government has not yet released it's seasonal outlook, but watchdogs at Colorado State University have predicted an above-average 2018 season with 14 named storms.Military scientists showed politicians and members of the public the aircraft they'll use to keep tabs on bad weather.Hurricane hunters are ready to fly into the eye of the storm with special aircraft, they said.2018 The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La.Visit The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. at www.theadvocate.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Liza Lowery Massey, a veteran of state and local government IT, has been named Marin Countys new chief of the Department of Information Services and Technology (IST). Massey begins her new position May 21. Assistant County Administrator Dan Eilerman has served as IST's interim director since January.Most recently, Massey was chief information officer for Tennessee's Department of Human Services. Her team provided technical and business solutions for the purposes of temporary economic assistance, work opportunities and protective services.Before her state position, Massey led the nonprofit Nashville Technology Council, worked as an independent consultant, and founded and managed a private consulting firm for the public sector. Earlier in her career, she led the information technology departments for San Francisco, Los Angeles and Milpitas. Massey has also served as an adjunct university professor and in advisory roles related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs at the high school level. She has also written books, research papers and magazine articles on government technology.Massey said she joined Marin due to her renewed desire to work in local government and relocate back to the West Coast. Her annual salary will be $203,299.Marin's former CIO, Charlie Haase , took the position of CIO for Modesto in January. Haase had been with Marin County since November 2012. Before that, he was Shasta Countys chief technology officer for nearly 14 years. He also has IT experience in the private sector.Haase is taking over a department that has had its issues. John Dickey, the former CIO, was removed from running the department last May after a city investigation found morale and management problems in the department. Dickey has said he stepped into a difficult role, and the department had had several CIOs in the past decade. (TNS) WASHINGTON Officials from top tech companies including Alphabet Inc.s Google, Amazon.com Inc., and Facebook Inc. are among those planning to attend a meeting at the White House Thursday on artificial intelligence.The White House is inviting over 100 business leaders, senior government officials, and experts for an AI summit to address issues including development, regulatory barriers and specific applications. Business executives will represent sectors ranging from tech to food and agriculture, energy and manufacturing, financial services, health care, transportation and logistics, according to a White House official.Other companies sending representatives include Microsoft Corp. and Nvidia Corp., as well as Mastercard Inc. and Pfizer Inc., according to a person familiar with the meeting.Intel Corp.s Chief Executive Officer Brian Krzanich will attend, said the person, who asked not to be identified because details of the meeting arent yet public. Facebook said it plans to send Jerome Pesenti, the vice president of AI, while Amazon confirmed Rohit Prasad, the vice president and head scientist for its Alexa device unit, will attend the meeting.Nvidia, which designs 3D graphics processors, will send Ian Buck, the vice president of its $2 billion Tesla business unit, which focuses on AI, according to another person who is familiar with the companys plans.The meeting, which The Washington Post reported earlier, comes as lawmakers and officials increasingly weigh AIs effect on jobs, and the build-up by U.S. adversaries including China. Other issues that have raised concerns range from the use of AI in policing controversial content online and making financial decisions. Still, many in the industry believe both regulation and legislation are likely years away.The meeting represents an important step toward building collaboration between government and industry in the realm of artificial intelligence, said Dean Garfield, president and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council, a trade group that includes several of the companies attending the meeting.The tech sector is committed to ensuring that all Americans reap the benefits of this transformative technology, which has the potential to save lives, improve how we harvest food, transform education and more, Garfield said in a statement. In order to maintain Americas leadership on AI, the administration should continue to invest in research and development, and advance programs that equip the workforce with skills of the future.(With assistance from Naomi Nix and Toluse Olorunnipa.). Risk is low; security high Hacking your confidence (TNS) At a recent conference on election security, Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said hed asked former CIA Director Michael Hayden if Russian hackers will try to disrupt the 2018 mid-term elections.He didnt hesitate, Kelley recounted. He said, They will be targeting congressional races.In Southern California, home to some of the nations most-competitive congressional contests, that threat is being taken seriously. Consider just a few of the many new security protocols being adopted by election officials in the four-county region.Office emails are being encrypted and networks buttressed. Election employees are randomly being mock phished to see if theyll fall for simulated online invaders. Federal officials are being invited to inspect and test the regions many voting systems.Even the seemingly oldest of old-school safety protocols counting up some election results by hand is expected to play an expanded role in the 2018 midterms.The local upgrades are part of a national response to Russias meddling in Americas 2016 elections. Intelligence agencies have determined that, among other things, Russian agents and their operatives executed a cyberattack on a U.S. voting software supplier, sent spear-phishing emails to election officials, and targeted voter rolls in at least 21 states, breaching a small (but undisclosed) number of them.Since then, Congress has authorized $380 million to help states strengthen voting systems digital defenses, including $34 million earmarked to protect the integrity of elections in California. In the last weeks of the Obama administration, the Department of Homeland Security also designated state-run election systems as critical infrastructure, elevating them to the same classification as nuclear reactors and the Hoover Dam. And the FBI and other federal officials are offering free cybersecurity assessments to local election offices.To date, theres no evidence that votes were changed or voting machines infected during the 2016 cyberattacks. And election security experts say such threats are remote in any specific jurisdiction, and nearly impossible on a substantial scale.But the upcoming midterms are the first national election since 2016. And those same election experts caution that attacks remain feasible in some American elections systems, particularly if existing vulnerabilities arent fixed.Californias voting infrastructure is, in many ways, far more secure than those of most other states. Counties in California are legally required to keep paper ballots as fixed records of electronic voting tallies and to hand-count the ballots cast at one percent of all precincts to verify digital totals. That means even if voting machines are compromised, theres a physical backup to warn of a discrepancy.Thats not true in 11 states, where voting equipment cant be audited manually and a hack that alters voting results could go entirely undetected. (Interestingly, most of the un-auditable, all-digital machines in those states were put into use after Floridas hanging-chad debacle during the 2000 presidential election scared officials away from punch-card voting systems to what were perceived as more reliable electronic machines.)Despite Californias superior safeguards, cybersecurity experts say the states voting systems remain susceptible to some forms of attack. Recognizing the threat, election officials in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties all said recently that theyve become more vigilant since the 2016 campaign and have welcomed help from federal agents to assess their systems.But implementing fixes has happened at different speeds across the region, with some counties addressing potential vulnerabilities more aggressively than others.The leader of the pack seems to be Orange County, where four congressional contests in longtime GOP-held districts are being targeted by national Democrats in their effort to take control of the House of Representatives.In April, Kelley released a 28-page 2018 Election Security Playbook outlining new security protocols his office has implemented: from improving its ability to detect network intrusions and malware, to encrypting its emails, to enhancing building security, to implementing a third-party cybersecurity audit, to randomly testing its employees by sending them faux phishing emails and seeing if they bite.The most substantial of the countys new fixes is its risk-limiting audit a protection that verifies electronic tallies with an even higher degree of certainty by hand-counting a random sample of paper ballots, with the number of votes scrutinized corresponding to the margin of victory in a given race.Kelley knows firsthand that malicious actors are constantly probing local voting systems.At the election security conference, held at UC Irvine in March, Kelley revealed that he and Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Dean Logan were contacted by federal officials in spring 2016. They warned Kelley that people using overseas IP addresses had prodded his offices networks in a move that was described as checking to see if the front door of your house was locked.Kelley said his offices defenses withstood the test, but he immediately worked to strengthen protections anyway.Weve reevaluated every piece of the voting system and process, identified potential vulnerabilities, and made sure those are solid and secure, said Kelley, who serves on a recently created federal 25-member election security council.Even though the risk is low, (the potential for hacking) is being taken very seriously, he said. And that should inspire voter confidence, just to know that theres a different approach being taken to elections than there was in 2016.In Los Angeles County, home to another one of the nations most competitive congressional races, Logan has educated his staff on cyber threats by having them see firsthand how voting machines can be hacked.Last year, he sent members of his team to DEF CON in Las Vegas, one of the worlds largest hacker conventions. There, at something called the Voting Machine Hacking Village, they watched white-hat hackers go through and show the vulnerability of voting systems, a process that helped Logans office identify its own potential shortcomings. Since the 2016 elections, the office has upgraded its malware protection and mandated cybersecurity training for staff. It soon will implement vulnerability-assessment and phishing exercises to further test its new systems.If we dont know those vulnerabilities, we cant respond to them, Logan said at the conference.San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters Michael Scarpello was more cryptic about what hed done to enhance election security in his jurisdiction.Scarpello said his office had been working with federal agents and the countys IT department to harden its voting systems, website and local voter registration database from attack. He noted the effort was partially in response to a heightened level of scrutiny, based on whats going on at a national level. Scarpello declined to identify any specific security system or protocol changes and even refused to disclose the federal agency his office worked with.And in Riverside County, election officials say the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are helping to monitor their network traffic and supplying a list of IP addresses to watch out for.Riverside County Registrar of Voters Rebecca Spencer said the increased vigilance isnt in response to a July 2017 Time magazine cover story. In that article, the Riverside County District Attorney stated that hackers had changed a small number of county residents voter registration data in advance of the 2016 primary. And unnamed national cybersecurity officials said the incident may have been a test run by the Russians (to see) what kind of chaos they could unleash on Election Day.Since then, that version of events has been rebuffed by election officials. California Secretary of State Alex Padillas office, which operates the states voter registration database, said his office had no evidence that voter rolls were breached. And Spencer said her office had identified the cause of nearly all the voter roll changes, many of which occurred because voters simply forgot they had updated their information.Despite all the recent upgrades to Southern Californias election infrastructure, cybersecurity experts say most voting systems even bolstered local ones still have vulnerabilities.Many Southern California polling places use 15-to-20-year-old voting machines with outdated operating systems that officials acknowledge are less secure than modern versions. While voting machines are tightly protected, some need to be programmed with a separate memory card, which, depending on the offices protocols, could be a vehicle for malicious code. And experts say some voting machines are serviced by outside vendors with varying security protocols, sometimes via computers that might occasionally be connected to the internet, providing a pathway for attack.Another feasible mode of attack, experts say, could target the states voter registration system. Intruders might seek to change or delete portions of voter rolls in a way to deter citizens from voting similar to what was alleged in Riverside County. To prevent such a breach, Padillas office has buttressed its information systems in advance of the 2018 elections by conducting an agency-wide security audit, enhancing its server security and replacing antiquated infrastructure. The state also has implemented increased 24/7 monitoring to detect and block potential strikes.I think were in a much better place in 2016 because we really have our antennas up, UC Irvine law professor Jack Lerner, who studies electronic voting, said of Californias system.I dont think were totally safe unless we have a (mandatory risk-limiting) audit, the way experts have recommended. But were in way better shape than other jurisdictions.Even if the elections systems are never breached, though, many election-security experts worry the intrusions and hacking attempts are damaging elections in a more intangible way.Mary Beth Long, a former CIA intelligence officer and Assistant Secretary of Defense, said at the UC Irvine conference that a central aim of Russias efforts is to foster distrust of the democratic process and amplify divisive dialogues by causing voters to think elections are able to be rigged.It sows discord, controversy and a real lack of confidence in our system And that has a tremendous impact in how we conduct ourselves, and how we move forward with our elections, Long said.Well definitely see more (attempts) in 2018 and 2020.That knowledge has put election officials and others in a delicate position when deciding whether or not to sound the alarm about potential election security threats and the need to safeguard and modernize voting systems. Tread too softly, and the fixes might never come. Announce the vulnerabilities too loudly, and you risk cultivating skepticism among voters.There are election officials who worry that if voters know what the risks are, they might not come to the polling place, said Alex Halderman, a University of Michigan computer scientist who in 2017 testified before U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence about cyber threats to U.S. elections.Although studies show that voters who are more aware of cybersecurity issues are just as likely to vote, I think theres a concern that even talking about these problems is somehow negative, Halderman said at the UC Irvine conference.But if we dont talk about them, nothing is ever going to get done. (TNS) When cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes started automating its quality assurance testing last year, it knew that the move could put more than four dozen employees out of work.Rather than simply replace them with tech, though, the Santa Clara, Calif., firm turned to tech to save their jobs.The company signed up with Udemy, an online learning platform that teaches courses ranging from data science to sourdough bread-making. Malwarebytes identified the skills its quality assurance testers would need to stay relevant in the rapidly changing cybersecurity industry.Then it told its staffers to buckle in it was time to get up-skilled.As automation becomes ubiquitous, education start-ups such as Udemy, Coursera and General Assembly are positioning themselves as the nexus between todays workforce and tomorrows jobs.Unlike traditional college programs that can take anywhere from two to four years and tens of thousands of dollars to complete, the online schools frame themselves like vocational programs for the Silicon Valley set. They offer training in a specific skill say, learning a programming language in months, rather than years. Coursera offers some of its courses for free but also has programs where it charges upward of a few hundred dollars. Udemys courses for individuals start at $10.99, while its enterprise-facing arm, Udemy for Business, offers group rates for companies that want to sign up entire teams.Online learning and micro-certification are increasingly appealing to individuals and businesses seeking to future-proof themselves against automation, or introduce automation without having to fire and rehire a more highly skilled workforce.Its completely changed how we think of training, said Brent Boeckman, global learning and development manager at Malwarebytes. In the past, youd have to budget to send employees across several states to do a course, youd have to think about travel and hotel costs, and if you only had the budget to send three people youd have to think, who are the three I can send?With automation predicted to displace as many as 73 million, or a third, of U.S. workers by 2030, futurists and automation experts say that retraining at every stage of a persons career will probably be the most viable path for those who intend to keep working.The quality assurance testers at Malwarebytes, for example, previously tested the companys software manually: They would run a program, check to see if it logged any errors, lather, rinse, repeat. A computer now handles those mundane tasks, which frees the up-skilled workers to take on the more complex tasks. With their newfound programming knowledge, theyre able to identify errors in the companys codebase and contribute to a solution with the companys developers.The level of understanding between teams is now more on an even par, said Noah Christianson-Stafford, 47, a software quality assurance engineer who started at Malwarebytes five years ago as an entry-level tester and now, having learned coding languages Python and PowerShell, can handle more challenging work.In San Francisco, bonds trader David Gagnon, 50, has done more than a dozen courses in programming and machine learning on Coursera to protect his own career. In his more than 20 years in the business, hes seen global trading desks go from employing 10 traders and 10 assistants, to 10 traders and a handful of computer programmers who, working together, do 10 times the trades.Weve had huge productivity gains, and almost all of that is driven by electronic trading, Gagnon said.Rather than wait around for automation to render his role obsolete, Gagnon pursues online retraining in his spare time, which helps him understand how the electronic systems work. Automation is far from perfect, Gagnon said, which is why having basic programming and data science skills lets him spot errors and vulnerabilities before they balloon and cause mayhem making him a more valuable bonds trader.It used to be that you could go to law school or medical school and, boom-boom, you were done, Gagnon said. Now you have to think about how youre going to up-skill yourself every couple of years.Futurists who say that automation will ultimately improve society rather than lead to mass unemployment have said that if everyone can do a job slightly more complex than what theyre currently doing, then most people will remain employed in the automation age. But even the most optimistic of futurists arent convinced that Americas education system is equipped to retrain the nations more than 126 million full-time workers.The jobs of the future will probably need more education than the K-12 system currently provides, according to Byron Reese, author of The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity. This is where education platforms such as Udemy, Coursera and General Assembly seek to make a mark, helping individuals and employers plug skills gaps that will arise from automation and profiting from it.Already, the online schools have seen a surge in sign-ups from businesses that want to retrain entire teams within their workforce.Since launching its business-facing service nearly two years ago, Coursera, which is backed by venture capital firms such as Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers and New Enterprise Associates, now has more than 1,000 employers on board.Udemy, which has raised funding from firms such as Stripes Group and Norwest Venture Partners, declined to say how many companies it currently works with, but said it counts PayPal, Lyft, Oracle and Ernst and Young among its customers. Udemy for Business has grown 265 percent in the last year.General Assembly, best known for its in-person coding boot camps, has seen its business customers double over the last year to more than 300 companies. It was acquired by one of the largest temp staffing agencies in the world, Adecco, last month for nearly half a billion dollars.Individuals have also sought out these platforms to bolster their skills, or to change careers entirely.The for-profit education sector has faced growing scrutiny over its costs and efficacy, and some start-ups have failed to pass muster.Silicon Valleys Coding House, for instance, promised to teach students programming languages and guaranteed high-salaried job placements, but failed to deliver, according to regulators. The school was fined $50,000 by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education in 2016 for making false statements and ordered to shut down.And even if schools do right by students and dont overpromise, they still arent a panacea. Reese likened them to home exercise equipment completion rates are low, and you only get as much out of it as you put into it.Theres also irony in the fact that these online schools purport to help students stay relevant in the labor market while they themselves pose a potential threat to the relevance of the existing education industry. Where traditional education institutions might hire many instructors to teach a course, online learning allows for lessons to be disseminated to an endless number of students, bypassing the faculty-intensive model.A more radical idea is to make junior college free for everyone, or to extend high school through grade 14, Reese said. The extra two years could be vocational for some students and pre-university for others. It wouldnt be unprecedented: At the dawn of the 20th century when most American children left school before eighth grade, America was one of the first countries in the world to guarantee a high school education under the premise that the jobs of the future would require more education.This, as much as anything, propelled the U.S. into the preeminent economic position it continues to enjoy, Reese said. Now we are at that same place again.In lieu of major shifts in the public education system, Gabe Batstone, chief executive of Contextere, a company that provides artificial-intelligence tools to blue-collar workers to increase their productivity, says companies, individuals and government need to be proactive in training workers and finding ways to support those who cant retrain.Companies have a responsibility to their employees, governments have a responsibility to their constituents, and we all have individual accountability, Batstone said.We all have to take ownership of what we want to do, assess the skills we have and the ones we dont but want, and go get them. My brother is an addict. I am raising his daughter. That is one of the many responses I received when I asked constituents of the 4th Congressional District how opioids and heroin abuse have affected people in our community. The responses are eye-opening to the heartbreaking cost of the opioid crisis in Central Washington: The opioid crisis is destroying my familys life, and my adult child has battled addiction for 20 years after taking post-surgery opioids at 18 are two more responses that are truly a call to action. Families are struggling due to this epidemic: Lost brother to heroin overdose is another tragic comment that I received. While there is no single cure-all, this is a crisis that demands a concerted, long-term, bipartisan response at the federal, state, and local levels. During the 114th Congress, I voted in favor of legislation, the bipartisan 21st Century CURES Act, to increase state grants for treatment from $500 million to $1.5 billion. Now, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is following up on many hearings that closely examined the problem and is expected to advance further legislation in the next two weeks, with the goal of bringing legislation for a full House vote by Memorial Day. I asked for what kind of policies Congress should respond with to address the complex problem, and the feedback was very helpful: Dont punish people who just had surgery, and more education, better control of prescription abuse, and more efforts to help victims of addiction. Some pointed out that we must also be aware of the potential impacts of policy solutions for people who suffer from chronic pain: It has made it more difficult for those with chronic pain to get the relief they need is one response. These are the kinds of questions and solutions that I am encouraging constituents to share with me as your representative in Congress. To respond to requests for better public education on this crisis, I am inviting constituents in the 4th Congressional District to a free Opioid Summit I am hosting in Moses Lake on Friday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PDT. The Summit will be held at Moses Lake Civic Center on 401 South Balsam Street. I have invited a panel of experts from Moses Lake Police Department, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Washington State Department of Health, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to discuss efforts to combat the crisis and answer questions. There will also be information provided on the prescription drug take-back program and drop-off center locations. Another constituent comment testified that families can gain the upper hand in their fight: Our nephew battled this addiction for several years. Fortunately, with help, he has beaten this. The voices I have heard from Central Washington are clear. Families need assistance to beat this epidemic, and equipped with more information and resources, we can offer help that makes a difference. Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2018 3:30 am We are waiting for photos before using the news article, but two more Polk County residents have joined the list of senior citizen volunteers honored by Missouris lieutenant governor. Leonard and Linda Zanatta are carrying on a local tradition of evolving from work life to volunteer life. And their latter lives earned them recognition Monday by Lt. Gov. Mike Parson as Senior Service Award recipients. They were among the record 90 seniors from throughout the state honored at the Missouri State Capitol Monday afternoon. They are not Bolivars first. The list dates back to even long before Parson, also from Bolivar, came to hold the office. Again, more details will be available later, but we didnt want to delay tipping a hat to two people who have given many hours of service to the CMH Auxiliary and, no doubt, to other good causes after productive careers. They are examples of the kind of people who for many years have earned for the CMH Auxiliary many honors as an organization at the top of its game. Congratulations! Dave Berry Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2018 5:15 pm CRIMINAL CHARGES The following new felony charges have been filed in Polk County Circuit Court: Jeffery Donald-Kent Houseman, 22, Fair Play; class A felony assault - first degree; class E felony resisting arrest; held on $125,000 bond. Houseman is accused of hitting a victim in the head and face on May 5, allegedly causing serious physical injury in the 300 block of East Second Street in Fair Play. CIVIL ACTIONS The following civil suit has been disposed in Polk County Circuit Court with Associate Circuit Judge Elizabeth V. Rohrs (unless otherwise noted) presiding: Stacey Weeks, Halfway, vs. Shawn Parrigon, Forrest City, Arkansas; administrative order; other final disposition. CIVIL PETITIONS The following civil cases have been filed in Polk County Circuit Court: Katherine M. McIntosh and James L. Othick; CS UIFSA responding. Midland Funding LLC vs. Melissa Sherrer; suit on account. Midland Funding LLC vs. Dan Kozlowski; suit on account. Capital One Bank (USA) NA vs. Nicole Bullard; breach of contract. Midland Funding LLC vs. Laurie Evans; suit on account. LVNV Funding LLC vs. Angela Heimerman; suit ton account. LVNV Funding LLC vs. Shari Savage; suit on account. World Acceptance Corp. vs. Kolin L. Lindsay; suit on account. World Acceptance Corp. vs. Debbie Duryee; suit on account. World Acceptance Corp. vs. Mark R. Williams; suit on account. DISSOLUTIONS The following couples have filed for dissolution of marriage in Polk County Circuit Court: Kerry Renee Ross and Joseph N. Ross. Kelly Moss and Randy D. Steeves. SHERIFFS REPORT The Polk County Sheriffs Dept. released the following reports for: Wednesday, May 2 Brian Burks, 53, of Marionville was arrested on warrants for traffic violations. Megan Matney, 47, of Springfield was arrested on a warrant for tampering. Paula Simmons, 55, of Flemington was arrested on a warrant for passing a bad check. Matthew Kolb, 32, of Osceola was arrested on a warrant for a traffic violation. A report of unlawful use of a weapon was reported on Rt. O, Flemington. Thursday, May 3 John Goff, 30, of Bolivar was arrested on warrants for non-support. Steven Volner, 23, of Springfield was booked into jail on a Department of Corrections commit. Dustin Shelton, 21, of Sparta was arrested on warrants for traffic violations. Friday, May 4 Dawson Ifland, 17, of Bolivar was arrested on a warrant for a traffic violation. Korey Williams, 39, of Reeds Spring was arrested on warrants for child neglect and a traffic violation. Orlando Thomas, 46, of Springfield was arrested on warrants for traffic violations. Larry Cleveland, 24, of Bolivar was arrested on warrants for traffic violations. Zachery Vaughn, 22, of Springfield was arrested on warrants for various traffic violations, resisting arrest and tampering with a vehicle. A 32-year-old Springfield man was arrested on suspicion of traffic violations. Stealing was reported on East 505th Road, Halfway. Stealing was reported on South 230th Road, Humansville. Saturday, May 5 Lee Neil, 57, of Halfway was arrested on warrants for stealing and a traffic violation. Matthew Hovey, 44, of Bolivar was arrested on warrants for passing bad checks and traffic violations. Christopher Myrick, 17, of Bolivar was arrested on a warrant for a seat belt violation. John Lockhart, 21, of Halfway was arrested on a warrant for attempting to purchase liquor by a minor. Jeffery Houseman, 22, of Fair Play was arrested on a warrant for assault, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. An assault was reported on East Second Street, Fair Play. Sunday, May 6 A 23-year-old Fair Play man was arrested on suspicion of assault. A 64-year-old Bolivar man was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Burglary was reported on South 145th Road, Bolivar. FOOD INSPECTIONS The following food service establishments were inspected by the Polk County Health Center on the dates shown, and the following violations were noted (critical violations involve handling of food; non-critical violations primarily involve housekeeping issues): Monday, April 23 Hannahs No. 5, 1164 Maple St., Morrisville; routine; 1 critical (sanitizer not provided for wiping cloths, corrected on site); 1 non-critical (food labeling, corrected on site). Panther Inn, 5298 S. Main St., Morrisville; routine; 1 critical (unapproved pest control spray in storage room, corrected on site); 0 non-critical. Marion C. Early High School, 5309 S. Main St., Morrisville; routine; 1 critical (insufficient temp on milk cooler, corrected on site); 0 non-critical. Wednesday, April 25 Woods Supermarket, 701 E. College St., Bolivar; routine; 3 critical (date marking, out of date product and air freshener stored in flour bin, all corrected on site); 9 non-critical (food contact items stored under drain lines of hand sink in deli, COS; clean utensils stored with handle down; hand wash sink storing dirty utensils, COS; fan guards dirty in walk-in freezer; I-beams rusting; no hot water (turned off) at hand sink in meat department, COS; wiping cloths not stored in sanitizer, COS; hole in wall; missing light shields). Thursday, April 26 Fullerton Ballfields, 1710 W. Broadway St., Bolivar; routine; 0 critical; 1 non-critical (thermometers needed in coolers). Friday, April 27 Historic Bolivar Speedway, 4829 S. 133rd Road, Bolivar; pre-opening; 0 critical; 4 non-critical (mop sink designated; metal thermomoter reading up to 220 degrees F needed, coolers and hot hold food storage need thermometers and screen torn in grill area). In 2016, Audi, in collaboration with Traffic Technology Services (TTS), launched Traffic Light Information in Las Vegas. Now, with the addition of Phoenix and Kansas City, 10 cities and more than 2,250 intersections across the US use the service. Enabled cities include: Dallas and Houston, Palo Alto and Arcadia, California; Portland, Oregon and Denver, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. Traffic Light Information, an Audi connect PRIME feature available on select 2017 and 2018 models, enables the car to communicate with the infrastructure. When one of these select Audi models approaches a connected traffic light, it receives real-time signal information from the traffic management system that monitors traffic lights via the on-board 4G LTE data connection. When the light is red, the TLI feature will display the time remaining until the signal changes to green in the instrument cluster in front of the driver or in the head-up display (if equipped). This time-to-green information helps reduce stress by letting the driver know approximately how much time remains before the light changes. Future iterations of V2I technology could include integration within the vehicles start/stop function, Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory (GLOSA), optimized navigation routing, and other predictive services. All of these services are designed to help reduce congestion and enhance mobility on crowded roadways. A research group from the University of Turku, Finland, has developed a new protocol to deliver sustained hydrogen photoproduction in green algae under a train of strong white light pulses interrupted by longer dark phases. As reported in a paper in the RSC journal Energy & Environmental Science, under the new protocol, hydrogen photoproduction proceeds for up to 3 days with the maximum rate occurring in the first 6 hours. Photobiological water splitting to molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) and oxygen (O 2 ), also known as direct water biophotolysis, has been considered as one of the most promising and environmentally friendly approaches for generating bulk quantities of clean H 2 biofuel. Many species of cyanobacteria and eukaryotic green algae, including the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, are capable of catalyzing this reaction. Efficient H 2 photoproduction in green algae occurs in the light after a period of dark anaerobic incubation. The reaction is transient due to a rapid, within seconds, inhibition of H 2 ase by O 2 , which is co-produced in the water-splitting reaction. One of the approaches to achieve sustained H 2 photoproduction in C. reinhardtii cultures is to deprive them of sulfur. Sulfur deprivation prevents the efficient repair of the light-damaged D1 reaction center protein of PSII, thus leading to a gradual loss of the water-splitting activity in algal cells over time. As a consequence, the actively respiring algae establish an anaerobic environment in the sealed photobioreactor, induce the H 2 ase enzyme(s) and continuously produce H 2 gas for several days. Although the loss of active PSII centers sustains H 2 photoproduction in algae, it also downregulates the direct, water oxidation-dependent flow of electrons to the H 2 ase, resulting in low overall efficiency of the process. Sulfur-deprivation requires extensive and time-consuming centrifugations, which make this protocol difficult for application even in laboratory scale projects (yet a few alternatives have been suggested). In the current work, we demonstrate that efficient H 2 photoproduction can be sustained in growing C. reinhardtii cultures for at least three days by switching the algal suspensions from continuous light to a train of short strong light pulses superimposed on either darkness or permanent low light illumination. The protocol is very simple, non-damaging to algae and reproducible even under strict autotrophic conditions. Kosourov et al. For decades, researchers believed that the main obstacle to the longer-term hydrogen production in algae in light was the destruction of the hydrogenase enzyme, a key element in this process, which is caused by oxygen. Since algae constantly release oxygen during their photosynthesis that occurs simultaneously with the production of hydrogen, maintenance of anaerobic conditions in illuminated cultures has been particularly troublesome, said Senior Researcher Sergey Kosourov, a member of the research group and lead author of the paper. This led to techniques such as sulfur-deprivation to extend hydrogen production. The researchers at the University of Turku showed that the production of hydrogen could be significantly extended by simply exposing the anaerobic algal cultures to a train of strong yet short light pulses, which are interrupted by longer dark periods. Under these conditions, algal cultures exposed to sunlight do not accumulate oxygen in the medium. In addition, algae steer the electrons resulting from the decomposition of water and charged by sunlight into hydrogen production instead of biomass accumulation. The process lasts for, at least, several days and the maximum rate of the production of hydrogen occurs during the first eight hours, Kosourov said. The research indicated clearly that a major obstacle to efficient hydrogen production is not oxygen but a strong competition between two metabolic pathways: carbon dioxide fixation leading to the biomass accumulation and the hydrogenase enzyme catalyzing photoproduction of hydrogen. The study opens up new possibilities for the construction of efficient living cell factories for the production of biofuels and different chemicals directly from sunlight, carbon dioxide and water. The research provides important information on how to avoid wasting solar-driven energy in biomass production and how to apply this energy directly for the production of useful bio-products, said Yagut Allahverdiyeva-Rinne, leader of the research group and Associate Professor of Molecular Plant Biology. The new method developed by the researchers is valuable both for the basic research of the photosynthesis of algae and for the research and development work of the industrial sector when producing new technologies for the large-scale production of carbon-neutral biofuels. The research is funded by Kone Foundation and the NordAqua Nordic Centre of Excellence of NordForsk Bioeconomy programme. The project is part of the Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology of Primary Producers funded by the Academy of Finland and led by Academician of Science Eva-Mari Aro from the University of Turku. Resources Researchers from Virginia Tech developed an in vitro artificial enzymatic pathway that can produce hydrogen at extremely high rates by splitting water energized by carbohydrates (e.g., starch). As reported in a paper in the RSC journal Energy & Environmental Science, the pathway delivered up to a 1,000-fold enhancement in volumetric productivity of hydrogen, achieving a milestone of more than one gram of hydrogen per liter per hour. With a volumetric productivity of more than 1.0 g H 2 /L/h achieved, an anaerobic bioreactor of 62.5 m3 could produce 1,500 kg H 2 per day, the researchers concluded. It is highly expected that green, cost-competitive, distributed H 2 will be produced via water splitting powered by solar energy directly or indirectly. Hydrogen production via high-speed water splitting may be energized by renewable carbohydrates (e.g., starch and biomass, a point energy source) with in vitro artificial enzymatic pathways other than nonpoint energy sources (e.g., insolation with an average energy flux of ~200 W/m2), along with other benefits, such as low H 2 transportation costs, easy H 2 harvesting, and low capital expenditure of distributed H 2 generation bioreactors. the theoretical H 2 yields of dark fermentation are two or four H 2 per glucose, called the Thauer limit, depending on the catabolic pathways and fermentation conditions. Although intensive efforts in H 2 -producing microorganisms by metabolic engineering and synthetic biology they cannot break this limit due to the basic bioenergetics and thermodynamics of living organisms. In vitro enzymatic H 2 production systems have been demonstrated to split water energized by carbohydrates and catalyzed by enzymatic pathways comprised of more than ten enzymes. This approach is one of the most promising means for distributed H 2 production because it achieves the theoretical yield of hydrogen generation, i.e., 12 moles of H 2 from one mole of hexose along with water, with potentially-high volumetric productivities. Because carbohydrates are produced through plant photosynthesis, this indirect water splitting energized by carbohydrates is nearly carbon-neutral in terms of the whole life cycle. Recent efforts have expanded the types of carbohydrates, such as, glycogen, starch, and biomass sugars. These efforts have also led to great increases in volumetric productivity, as well as decreases in biocatalyst costs through utilization of thermostable enzymes with facile heat treatment purification, enzyme immobilization, and replacement of costly coenzymes. However, these in vitro enzymatic pathways are based on prohibitively expensive and unstable NADPH, which is generated from the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). A major breakthrough urgently needed to replace NADP with the much more stable and less costly NAD, and that was one of the goals of this study. Kim et al. The latest work, led by senior author Yi-Heng Zhang (now at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology) represents an evolution of work in which he and his colleagues demonstrated in vitro synthetic enzymatic biosystems to generate theoretical yields of hydrogen energized by numerous carbohydrates. (Moustafa et al. 2016) Despite the results, the approach faced barriers to scale-up, including enzyme production cost; enzyme stability; coenzyme cost and stability; (slow) reaction rates; and scale-up feasibility. The latest work address those issues at the laboratory scale. The new artificial pathway comprises fifteen hyperthermophilic enzymes, including ATP-free starch phosphorylation, an NAD-based pentose phosphate pathway, and a biomimetic electron transport chain consisting of a diaphorase, an electron mediator benzyl viologen (BV), and a [NiFe]-hydrogenase. Fast electron transfer was facilitated by utilizing a BV-conjugated diaphorase. The highest reaction rate of 530 mmol H 2 /L/h was accomplished at 80 C. Two NAD-conjugated dehydrogenases were further applied to enable nine-day hydrogen production with a total turnover number of NAD of more than 100,000, along with hyperthermophilic enzymes. The researchers attributed the very significant increases in volumetric productivity to numerous factors, including the use of hyperthermophilic enzymes that allow increased reaction temperatures, thereby increasing enzyme activities and decreasing H 2 solubility and H 2 inhibition and the introduction of biomimetic NAD-based ETC to facilitate electron transfer. Other factors included optimizing fast electron transfer, optimization of the enzyme ratios by mathematical modeling, and the use of highly active enzyme BioBricks. It is anticipated that volumetric productivity of H 2 could be enhanced by another order of magnitude in a few years by 1) developing more efficient enzyme complexes, including SHI and dehydrogenases, 2) the use of small and more stable biomimetic coenzymes for better mass transfer) the use of enzymes with higher specific activities, for example, the replacement of [NiFe]-hydrogenase SHI with a more active [FeFe]-hydrogenase, and 4) the construction of thermostable multiple-cascade enzyme machines such as the Krebs cycle metabolon. Kim et al. Cost analysis. The team performed an economic analysis using the H2A production model from the US Department of Energy (DOE). The hypothetical 1,500 kg H 2 /day of the plant will be produced from 10,125 kg of starch and 7,875 kg of water catalyzed by 15 kg of enzymes needed. The production costs of H 2 include three major components: (1) carbohydrate costs, (2) enzyme costs and (3) coenzyme costs as well as other expenditures. One kg of hydrogen production costs includes $2.025 from starch and $2.00 from enzymes. The team estimated that in vitro biohydrogen production costs including substrate, enzymes and coenzymes could be less than $5.35/kg H 2 . This study was mainly supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Fuel Cell Technologies Office under Award Number DE-EE0006968. Resources Could not establish database connection. DB: bostonimc and SQL: --> The administrator has been notified and will resolve the problem ASAP. *M*ake what you will of this. In the modern era of partisan polarization, which can be dated back to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, only the presid... Posted 4/25/18 More than 50 years ago two hitchhikers were murdered and left in a field in Dallas County where they were found two months later. Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice announced last week that the Posted 5/8/18 Plad CemeteryA workday at Plad Cemetery will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 12.Memorial Day services will be Sunday, May 27, at Plad Cemetery. There will be a basket dinner at 12:30 p.m., followed by What Did Jane Austen's and Charlotte Bronte's Obituaries Look Like? Today, Jane Austen, Lord Byron, Charlotte Bronte, and Charles Dickens are generally recognized as four of the greatest authors in English literature. But how did their contemporaries view them? Were their works appreciated? And how did the 19th century public feel when three of them, still in their prime, met an untimely end? To discover the answers to these questions, one might delve into the legions of biographies written over the years or have a look at their letters, journals, or contemporary reviews of their poems and novels. However, since it is less than a week until Halloween, I thought we might instead take a brief look at their obituaries. ADVERTISEMENT Jane Austen died at Winchester in the early morning hours on Friday July 18, 1817. She was only forty-one years old. In a letter written to Fanny Knight, Janes sister, Cassandra, describes Janes final hours: She felt herself to be dying about half an hour before she became tranquil and apparently unconscious. During that half-hour was her struggle, poor soul! She said she could not tell us what she suffered, though she complained of little fixed pain. When I asked her if there was anything she wanted, her answer was she wanted nothing but death, and some of her words were: God grant me patience, pray for me, oh, pray for me! Image via Jane Austen: Her Life and Letters, 1914 Reports of Janes death appeared in newspapers across England. Most were brief, containing only a line or two and no mention of her novels at all. The following notice appeared in the Salisbury and Winchester Journal, Monday July 28, 1817. It is one of the lengthier obituaries and one of the only ones I could find that mention her books: Jane Austens obituary. Salisbury and Winchester Journal, Monday July 28, 1817. (2015 British Newspaper Archive) George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, died of fever at Missolonghi, Greece at six oclock in the evening on April 19, 1824. He was only thirty-six years old. News of his death did not reach England for nearly a month. A courier finally arrived with the sad tidings on May 14, 1824. The next day, Londons Morning Chronicle printed an obituary which proclaimed: Thus has perished, in the flower of his age, in the noblest of causes, one of the greatest Poets England ever produced. After a lifetime of notoriety and scandal, Byron had travelled to Greece and joined the fight against the Ottoman Empire in the Greek War of Independence. The Morning Chronicle lauded his noble sacrifice in the final lines of his obituary: It is fortunate for the great when they can escape from themselves into some pursuit, which, by firing their ambition, gives a stimulus to their active powers.We rejoiced to see Lord Byron engaged in a cause which afforded such motives for exertions, and we anticipated from him many days of glory.But it has been otherwise decreed. Lord Byrons obituary. Morning Chronicle, Saturday May 15, 1824. (2015 British Newspaper Archive) Charlotte Bronte died at Haworth Parsonage, along with her unborn child, early on Saturday morning, March 31, 1855. She was only thirty-eight years old and had been married less than a year to her fathers curate, Arthur Bell Nichols. Seriously ill for six weeks prior to her death with perpetual nausea and ever-recurring faintness, her death was, at the time, attributed to tuberculosis. According to author and biographer Elizabeth Gaskell, the last words Bronte ever wrote were in a February 15th letter to a school friend, which she closed as follows: I cannot write more now; for I am much reduced and very weak. God bless you all.Yours affectionately, C. B. Nicholls. Haworth Parsonage, home of the Brontes. (Image via The Life of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1857.) On April 7, 1855, the Leeds Mercury printed an obituary for Currer Bell. Currer Bell was the pen name under which Bronte was first published. The Leeds Mercury stated: Others now mourn her, in a domestic sense; and, as for the public, there can be no doubt that a pang will be felt in the midst of the strongest interests of the day, through the length and breadth of the land, and in the very heart of Germany (where her works are singularly appreciated), France, and America, that the Currer Bell, who so lately stole as a shadow into the field of contemporary literature has already become a shadow again,vanishing from our view, and henceforth haunting only the memory of the multitudes whose expectation was fixed upon her. Charlotte Brontes obituary . Leeds Mercury, Saturday, April 7, 1855. (2015 British Newspaper Archive) Amongst our four authors, Charles Dickens was the only one to live past fifty. He died at his residence at Gads Hill, near Rochester, at twenty past six in the evening on June 9, 1870. He was fifty-eight years old. Modern biographers attribute his death to complications arising from a stroke he had had the previous week, while contemporary reports stated that the cause of his death was apoplexy. Image via Dickens: A Sketch of his Life and Works, 1870 Dickens was already famous when he died and the news coverage of his death was extensive. Within days, reports of his literary achievements would take up column upon column in popular papers of the day. One of the earliest notices, and therefore the briefest, was in the Friday June 10, 1870 edition of the London Daily News which declared: There is not a home in the United Kingdom in which the sad news of to-day will not be received with the deepest and most heartfelt regret, while across the Atlantic and amongst the distant populations in our vast colonial possessions a similar feeling will be experienced. Mr. Charles Dickens is dead. Charles Dickens obituary. London Daily News, Friday June 10, 1870. (2015 British Newspaper Archive) The posthumous fame of Jane Austen, Lord Byron, Charlotte Bronte, and Charles Dickens has far eclipsed the celebrity each experienced while they were alive. Still, it is nice to know that, however brief the obituary, those in the 19th century mourned the untimely loss of these literary luminaries and valued the novels, poems, and plays that they left behind as much as we value them today. This post originally appeared on MimiMatthews.com and is reprinted here with permission. top photo: Jane Austen, 1873; via Wikimedia Commons More from BUST 10 New Feminist-Friendly Books To Read This Spring Why Are Miniature Portraits Everywhere In Books By Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte? Here's What Elizabeth Bennet Would Have Worn in "Pride & Prejudice" Mimi Matthews is the author of The Pug Who Bit Napoleon: Animal Tales of the 18th and 19th Centuries and A Victorian Ladys Guide to Fashion and Beauty. Her articles on nineteenth-century history have been published on various academic and history sites, including the Victorian Web and the Journal of Victorian Culture. When not writing historical non-fiction, Mimi authors exquisitely proper historical romance novels. Her latest Victorian romance The Matrimonial Advertisement can be ordered at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. To learn more, please visit www.MimiMatthews.com. The easy-drinking caipirinha is given a Middle Eastern bent with preserved lime. Mexican chili salt, jicama, and cane syrup also go into the cachaca drink. Photo: Melissa Hom The world keeps getting weirder: Tonight, a new rooftop bar will open in New York and unlike many other high-priced, wholly mediocre open-air drinking destinations this one promises to be really, really good. In fact, Broken Shaker, one of the biggest names in mixed drinks today, is the New York cocktail worlds most exciting opening so far this year. First started as a pop-up in 2012 at the original Freehand in Miami, it became a permanent fixture there and one of the most celebrated bars on the international cocktail circuit. As one bartender and Miami native recently put it to Grub, Its the bar I wish I had when I lived in Miami. It created something that was entirely its own thing. Founders Gabriel Orta and Elad Zvi have since exported their South Beachrooted, Middle Eastern and Latin Americaninflected tropicality to the Freehand in Chicago, then Los Angeles, and at long last, Manhattan. Both barmen have moved to this city for the opening, and brought in Evan Hawkins (formerly of Mothers Ruin and Basik) to help run the show. The bar is outwardly laid-back, but this belies Orta and Zvis meticulousness. We dont care how much money you have; we dont care where youre from; we dont care about none of that, Zvi says. What we are very, very picky with is our product. With the food, with our drink, with our service, with our music, with our decor. Many of the drinks pull from the tropical pantry, but theyre a mishmash of influences with an emphasis on the Middle East and Latin America. Sometimes those converge, as in their caipirinha with preserved lime. Food, and especially savory food, also serves as a main source of inspiration for drinks: In the past, theyve created cocktails like the Fish and Rye, a Sazerac made with fish sauce. (Its not on this menu.) We want to make something thats fun and outside the box, but not trying too hard to be way outside the box, Orta says. A Florida specialty, the frita burger with yuca fries and mojo mayo. The burger is topped with chorizo jam, Swiss cheese, shoestring French fries, and pickles. Photo: Melissa Hom Here in New York, there is a Strawberry Rye Tai, which incorporates a strawberry-vanilla-oat-milk orgeat. Its as much inspired by classic tiki mai tais as it is by the current oat-milk moment so hot right now! that the bartenders have come to love. More overtly, theres the Poppyseed Bagel Fizz from the Lost in New York section of New Yorkspecific drinks. We love Black Seed Bagels, we love everything bagels, so we were like, lets make a bagel Gin Fizz, Orta says. Other drinks in that section have more abstract inspirations, like Curry Hill and Upland chef Justin Smillie. The grab-bag mentality carries over into Jimmy Lebrons food menu, which places the Yemeni fried bread malawach alongside Floridas Cuban frita burger and Haitian griot and pikliz. If youre looking to splurge, the dish to get is the uni tray which will be sold at market-price, so be careful with your credit cards after a couple of drinks with furikake chicharron, sour orange ponzu, and egg-yolk custard. Custom glasses were made for the drinks. Photo: Melissa Hom The Freehand occupies an entire city block, and Broken Shaker makes ample use of that real estate. There are four bars and two distinct indoor rooms one meant to feel more like a living room and the other outfitted with a DJ booth each flanked by an outdoor space. Those outdoor areas have cloistered tables for large groups, and are linked by a long terrace that has more intimate and date-night-appropriate tables. Dont expect an Epcot Center version of Miami decor, either. Outdoors its all brick walls and potted plants, and inside its an eclectic mix of fake plants, wood-paneling, and decorations that pull from three years of collecting and traveling. Still, an attention to detail is evident, including the care thats been given to the soundtrack: The funky, R&B-centric soundtrack (think Isaac Hayess Walk on By and Shin Joong Hyuns Moon Watching) comes from the audio experts at Chicagos Uncanned Music on custom tape reels with names like Cosmic Cocaine Comedown. The music is just such an important part of the design, Orta says. The music is also your doorman. The Strawberry Rye Tai with rye, dry orange curacao, strawberry-vanilla-oat-milk orgeat, and fresh citrus. Photo: Melissa Hom Malawach bread with spreads. Photo: Melissa Hom The uni tray comes with furikake chicharron, sour orange ponzu, and egg-yolk custard. Photo: Melissa Hom Nice views for a date. Photo: Melissa Hom Its a time machine of a space. Photo: Melissa Hom Can you feel the tropical breeze? Photo: Melissa Hom Welcome to our abode. Photo: Melissa Hom Broken Shaker, in the Freehand Hotel, 23 Lexington Ave., nr. E. 23rd St.; 212-475-1920 News SIFF to show 48 films curated for young audiences Young movie buffs in the region and beyond are in for a true cinematic treat this year at the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF). SIFF patrons will get to watch 48 exciting films across 7 categories that are being premiered for them exclusively at the eighth edition, which unveils on October 10, 2021. The Vineyard Cellars adds two Napa Valley wineries By Lisa Riley The Vineyard Cellars has been appointed exclusive UK agent for Napa Valley boutique wineries Somnium and Revana Estate both specialists in Cabernet Sauvignon. The deal marks the first time the wineries will export outside the US, with the UK the sole market beyond California. Somnium produces just one red wine and Revana makes a small number of Cabernet expressions; only 60 bottles of Somnium and 48 bottles of each wine from Revana will be available for the UK market. The wines, which are targeted at independent merchants and fine dining establishments (rrp: 76 to 132), would satisfy growing appetite for top Napa Cabernets", said The Vineyard Cellars. Over the last 18 months we have seen the appetite for Napa Cabernets grow significantly, despite the economic downturn, with our top end wines often selling out in a matter of days from release date, said wine director James Hocking. Hand-farmed and organic, Somniums six-acre Howell Mountain estate has a terroir distinguished by diverse mountain terrain with volcanic rock soil and small microclimates - the vineyards planted at an altitude of 1,300 feet, Located in St. Helena, the Revana Estate is in an ideal spot for growing Cabernet Sauvignon thanks to the areas moderate temperatures and combination of warm days and cool nights. The estate comprises nine separate blocks totalling nine acres, with each block farmed and vinified separately. UK wine export set to soar By Lisa Riley WineGB has set the bar high, predicting the value of UK wine exports could reach up to 350 million by 2040. Thats no mean feat with export accounting for just 5% of production in 2017 a figure that is expected to rise to 25% by 2025. But with the amount of planted hectares of vines in the UK having doubled in the past eight years to around 2,500ha, and with expectations that this could increase to 3,000ha by 2020, this could be achievable in terms of production. And, with many of the current 20-odd English producers exporting their wares having revealed ambitious export targets for the next few years, and many others keen to push their homegrown tipples abroad, UK wine is no doubt gaining traction overseas. This is not just in the key US market, but also in other countries worldwide, including Scandinavia, Japan, Australia, Netherlands, Hong Kong and in Ireland. There has been a natural progression into exporting from UK producers driven by a thirst for high-quality wines in other markets, said Julia Trustram Eve, WineGB marketing director. The reputation of British goods generally has opened up opportunities, with the food and drink sector continuing to successfully promote its products across the globe, she added. Indeed, if the UK wine industry is to reach the 2040 export prediction, which is based on how Oregon has grown, it is imperative it continues to focus on this quality reputation the driving force for the future of English and Welsh wine, said Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA). This is echoed by Digby Fine English, which has had its eye on export from day one. Sheer quality that knocks the socks off even the most experienced buyers abroad is making English sparkling so popular, together with continuing coverage from respected wine critics and publications, said co-founder and CEO Trevor Clough. Britishness in all its wonderful, serious, quirky, humorous, luxurious facets is also playing in favour of the industry, he added. He warned, however, that UK producers taking the export route must have a bedrock long-term strategy for what they are trying to achieve abroad as it takes huge investment in relationships to make export a long-term success, with securing an importer only the beginning. Beale, meanwhile, points to the importance of actual investment: The expansion of the English wine industry relies on huge investment, as we are years behind the established growers, for example in France, Italy and the US. The English and Welsh producers are keen to export, and some are already going great guns, but they need more wine to share with the rest of the world. This can only happen if the UK government lends its support to a growing and ambitious British success story, he said. In light of the referendum, the WSTA has been exploring any new opportunities presented by Brexit, with increasing exports to non-EU countries, particularly the US and east and south east Asia, identified as a priority for English wine producers, said Beale. We are working hard to help English and Welsh wine producers fulfil their export goals and not just through export promotion missions. We are also looking at other means to facilitate trade, such as the UK joining the World Wine Trade Group, he said. WineGB, which is currently working on an export development programme to support producers, said there were many opportunities to further highlight the sector, pointing to increased promotional opportunities at key events and exhibitions around the world, in addition to ensuring that embassies and high commissions serve English wine. Its fair to say the UK wine industry has been on a steep learning curve during the past 15 years, and having now cracked the code when it comes to growing grapes best suited to the soil and climate, the biggest hurdle lying ahead is to meet demand for the international audience, said Beale. Helicopter overflight of a fast-moving lava flow emerging from fissure 20 on May 19, at 7:52 AM HST. The flow is advancing to the southeast. Lava fountaining is visible in the background. The audio is the sound of the helicopter. VIDEOS: LAVA NEWS HTH 5-20-2018: Volcanologist: Effects of laze could reach 15 miles downwind SA 5-20-2018: Presence of andesite means the lava that came up in fissure 17 could have come from magma stored in an underground reservoir dating back to before the 1955 eruption, possibly as early as the 1924 eruption or an eruption in 1840. HTH 5-20-2018: Two lava flows enter the ocean off Highway 137; Coast Guard enforcing safety zone HTH 5-20-2018: Lava crosses Highway 137 and enters the ocean in lower Puna Lava entering ocean at MacKenzie St Park morning of May 20, 2018 PHOTO:USGS HTH 5-19-2018: Lava flows cause brush fires to spread toward Kamaili Road; residents advised to evacuate immediately SA 5-19-2018: Lava flow is currently heading in the general direction of MacKenzie State Park may cross highway within 5-6 hours HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Monday, May 21, 2018, 1:57 AM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED Kilauea Volcano Summit A small explosion occurred at 12:55 AM at Halema'uma'u crater at Kilauea's summit. It produced an ash plume that reached about 7,000 ft asl and was carried by the wind to the southwest. Additional explosive events that could produce minor amounts of ashfall downwind are possible at any time. Information on ash hazards and how to prepare for ashfall maybe found here: http://www.ivhhn.org/information#ash * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Saturday, May 19, 2018, 4:13 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED Kilauea Volcano Lower East Rift Zone Eruption of lava and ground cracking in the area of Leilani Estates subdivision continues. Beginning yesterday and into today, the rate of lava eruption has increased. Fissure 17 is weakly active now, and Fissures 16-20 have merged into a continuous line of spatter and fountaining. Flows from the consolidated Fissure 20 crossed upper Pohoiki road late yesterday afternoon and continued flowing southward. This afternoon two flows from the merged fissure complex have joined less than a mile from the coast and continue to flow southward between Pohoiki and Opihikao Rds. The lava flow from Fissure 18 is stalled. It is unknown whether the flows will continue to advance, or stop, and new lava flows are likely given the rate of activity seen at the rift zone. Volcanic gas emissions remain very high. For recent maps of activity, see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html Additional ground cracking and outbreaks of lava are possible in the area. Residents downslope of the region of fissures should heed all Count of Hawaii Civil Defense messages and warnings. Magma continues to be supplied to the lower East Rift Zone; however, a GPS instrument near the Lower East Rift Zone is no longer moving suggesting that the rift zone is no longer inflating in this area. Elevated earthquake activity continues, but earthquake locations have not moved farther downrift in the past couple of days. USGS/HVO continues to monitor the lower East Rift Zone activity 24/7 in coordination with Hawaii County Civil Defense, with geologists onsite to track ongoing and new fissure activity and the advance of lava flows. Kilauea Volcano Summit Small ash emissions from the Overlook crater have occurred intermittently today. Moderate trade winds were blowing to the southwest and noticeable ashfall may happen in downwind locations. Additional explosive events that could produce minor amounts of ashfall downwind are possible at any time. Volcanic gas emissions at the summit remain high. For forecasts of where ash would fall if such an explosion occur, please consult the Ash3D model output here: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/activity_2018.html Information on ash hazards and how to prepare for ashfall maybe found here: http://www.ivhhn.org/information#ash * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Saturday, May 19, 2018, 9:16 AM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED Kilauea Volcano Lower East Rift Zone Eruption of lava and ground cracking in the area of Leilani Estates subdivision continues. Beginning yesterday and continuing overnight, the rate of lava eruption has increased. Fountaining is occurring at Fissure 17, and Fissures 16-20 have merged into a continuous line of spatter and fountaining. Flows from the consolidated Fissure 20 crossed upper Pohoiki road late yesterday afternoon and continued flowing southward. This morning, the wide flow is very active and is advancing at rates up to 300 yds per hour. A second flow from the same fissure complex is also flowing southward between Pohoiki and Opihikao Rds. The lava flow from Fissure 18 continues to advance more slowly. Fissure 17 and its flow are still active but the flow is advancing even more slowly. It is unknown whether the flows will continue to advance, or stop, and new lava flows are likely given the rate of activity seen at the rift zone. For recent maps of activity, see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html Additional ground cracking and outbreaks of lava are possible in the area. Residents downslope of the region of fissures should heed all Count of Hawaii Civil Defense messages and warnings. Magma continues to be supplied to the lower East Rift Zone; however, the GPS instrument near Pu`u Honua`ula is no longer moving suggesting that the rift zone is no longer inflating in this area. Elevated earthquake activity continues, but earthquake locations have not moved farther downrift in the past couple of days. USGS/HVO continues to monitor the lower East Rift Zone activity 24/7 in coordination with Hawaii County Civil Defense, with geologists onsite to track ongoing and new fissure activity and the advance of lava flows. Kilauea Volcano Summit An explosion occurred around midnight last night at Halema'uma'u with the plume extending 10,000 ft a.s.l. Moderate trade winds were blowing to the southwest and noticeable ashfall was reported from downwind locations. Additional explosive events that could produce minor amounts of ashfall downwind are possible at any time. Volcanic gas emissions at the summit remain high. For forecasts of where ash would fall if such an explosion occur, please consult the Ash3D model output here: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/activity_2018.html Information on ash hazards and how to prepare for ashfall maybe found here: http://www.ivhhn.org/information#ash * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Saturday, May 19, 2018, 1:33 AM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED Kilauea Volcano Summit At 11:58 PM Local time, a short-lived explosion at from Halema'uma'u created an ash cloud that reached up to 10,000 ft asl and was carried southwest by the wind. Possible trace ash fall may have occurred along Highway 11. Additional explosive events that could produce minor amounts of ashfall downwind are possible at any time. Volcanic gas emissions at the summit remain high. For forecasts of where ash would fall if such an explosion occur, please consult the Ash3D model output here: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/activity_2018.html Information on ash hazards and how to prepare for ashfall maybe found here: http://www.ivhhn.org/information#ash Kilauea Volcano Lower East Rift Zone Eruption of lava and ground cracking in the area of Leilani Estates subdivision continues. A fast-moving pahoehoe lava flow that emerged from fissure 20 this afternoon continues to flow southeast. The flow has three main lobes. The easternmost is east of Pohoiki Road and is moving about 230 yards per hour. The westernmost of the lobes is near Malamaki Road and is moving at about 40 yards per hour. These rates may change with time and USGS crews are in the area to monitor flow advance. Other fissures remain weakly active and volcanic gas emissions remain elevated throughout the area downwind. Smoke from burning vegetation as lava flows advance is also contributing to poor air quality. For recent maps of activity, see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html Additional ground cracking and outbreaks of lava are possible in the area. Residents downslope of the region of fissures should heed all Count of Hawaii Civil Defense messages and warnings. Magma continues to be supplied to the lower East Rift Zone as indicated by the continued northwest displacement of a GPS monitoring station. Elevated earthquake activity continues, but earthquake locations have not moved farther downrift in the past couple of days. USGS/HVO continues to monitor the lower East Rift Zone activity 24/7 in coordination with Hawaii County Civil Defense, with geologists onsite to track ongoing and new fissure activity and the advance of lava flows. SA May 18, 2018: People airlifted out of area isolated by fast-moving lava Residents from Isaac Hale Beach Park to Kalapana are advised to prepare for voluntary evacuation should Highway 137 become threatened. HTH May 18, 2018: "1.86 miles from Highway 137" HTH May 19, 2018: Another explosive eruption reported at Kilaueas summit SA May 19, 2018: Lava flow moves 1,000 feet in an hour, Lower Puna residents told to prepare to evacuate HTH May 19, 2018: Everyone accounted for after lava isolated homes on Pohoiki Road, according to Civil Defense * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Friday, May 18, 2018, 7:53 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED Kilauea Volcano Lower East Rift Zone Eruption of lava and ground cracking in the area of Leilani Estates subdivision continues. Late this afternoon, a fast-moving pahoehoe lava flow emerged from fissure 20 and traveled southeast where it crossed Pohoiki Road. Estimates from Hawaii County Fire Department aerial video at 6:30 pm indicate advance rate of 300-400 yards per hour; this rate may change with time and USGS crews are in the area to try and monitor flow advance. Other fissures remain weakly active and volcanic gas emissions remain elevated throughout the area downwind. Smoke from burning vegetation as lava flows advance is also contributing to poor air quality. For recent maps of activity, see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html Additional ground cracking and outbreaks of lava are possible in the area. Residents downslope of the region of fissures should heed all Count of Hawaii Civil Defense messages and warnings. Magma continues to be supplied to the lower East Rift Zone as indicated by the continued northwest displacement of a GPS monitoring station. Elevated earthquake activity continues, but earthquake locations have not moved farther downrift in the past couple of days. USGS/HVO continues to monitor the lower East Rift Zone activity 24/7 in coordination with Hawaii County Civil Defense, with geologists onsite to track ongoing and new fissure activity and the advance of lava flows. Kilauea Volcano Summit For much of the day, a steady, white steam plume rose from the Overlook vent within Halema'uma'u. Several minor emissions of ash were observed in web cameras. No significant explosions and no earthquakes greater than magnitude 3.5 have occurred in the summit area in the past 24 hours. Background seismic levels have been increasing slowly over the course of the day. Additional explosive events that could produce minor amounts of ashfall downwind are possible at any time. Volcanic gas emissions at the summit remain high. For forecasts of where ash would fall if such an explosion occur, please consult the Ash3D model output here: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/activity_2018.html Information on ash hazards and how to prepare for ashfall maybe found here: http://www.ivhhn.org/information#ash * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Friday, May 18, 2018, 3:59 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED Kilauea Volcano Summit No explosions and no earthquakes greater than magnitude 3.5 have occurred in the summit area in the past day. Background seismic levels have been increasing slowly over the course of the day. Volcanic gas emissions at the summit remain high. Kilauea Lower East Rift Zone The lower (eastern) end of the fissure system is the most active area today. This afternoon, fissure17 is actively spattering and the flow is active but is not covering new ground. In addition, fissures 18, and 20 are active, and the flow from fissure 18 has traveled approximately 0.6 miles in a southeast direction. An area 50-100 yards wide, parallel to and north of the line of fissures between Highway 130 and Lanipuna Gardens, is disrupted with many cracks. This long cracked area is currently being filled by pahoehoe lava flows from fissures 20 and 21. Fissure 15 was active and produced a lava flow that crossed Pohoiki Road between Leilani and Hinalo Streets. Volcanic gas emissions remain elevated throughout the area downwind of the fissures. Magma continues to be supplied to the lower East Rift Zone as indicated by the continued northwest displacement of a GPS monitoring station. Elevated earthquake activity continues, but earthquake locations have not moved farther downrift in the past couple of days. USGS/HVO continues to monitor the lower East Rift Zone activity 24/7 in coordination with Hawaii County Civil Defense, with geologists onsite to track ongoing and new fissure activity and the advance of lava flows. * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Thursday, May 17, 2018, 4:54 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED Kilauea Volcano Summit After the explosive eruption early this morning seismic levels have been gradually increasing, but as of this report no additional explosions have occurred. No earthquakes greater than magnitude 3.5 have occurred in the past day. Volcanic gas emissions at the summit remain high. Kilauea Lower East Rift Zone This afternoon, fissure 17 is still actively spattering but the flow is nearly stalled. In addition, fissures 18, 19, and 20 have reactivated and a new fissure (21) has opened between fissures 7 and 3. An area 50-100 yards wide, parallel to and north of the line of fissures between Highway 130 and Lanipuna Gardens, has dropped slightly. This long depression is currently being filled by pahoehoe lava flows from fissures 20 and 21. Volcanic gas emissions remain elevated throughout the area downwind of the fissures. Magma continues to be supplied to the lower East Rift Zone as indicated by the continued northwest displacement of a GPS monitoring station. Elevated earthquake activity continues, but earthquake locations have not moved farther downrift in the past couple of days. USGS/HVO continues to monitor the lower East Rift Zone activity 24/7 in coordination with Hawaii County Civil Defense, with geologists onsite to track ongoing and new fissure activity and the advance of lava flows. * * * * * May 16, 2018 Eruption of Kilauea HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED From Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Thursday, May 17, 2018, 6:33 AM HST Volcanic Activity Summary: At about 0415 this morning, an explosion from the Overlook vent within Halemaumau crater at Kilauea Volcano's summit produced a volcanic cloud that reaches as high as 30,000 ft asl and drifted northeast. Continued emissions from the crater are reaching as high as 12,000 ft asl. At any time, activity may again become more explosive, increasing the intensity of ash production and producing ballistic projectiles near the vent. Resource on volcanic ash hazards: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanic_ash/ Resource on vog: https://vog.ivhhn.org/ Current NWS information on ashfall: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/watchwarn/ Recent Observations: [Volcanic cloud height] up to 30,000 ft asl [Other volcanic cloud information] Drifting generally northeast Hazard Analysis: [Ash cloud] The ashcloud is drifting downwind to the northeast. [Ashfall] Ashfall has been reported in Volcanoes National Park, and may occur further downwind. [Other hazards] Ballistic projectiles may be produced should steam-driven explosions occur. Impacts will be limited to an area around Halemaumau. [Volcanic gas] Vog or volcanic air pollution produced by volcanic gas has been reported in Pahala. Remarks: Photos of this activity may be found here: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/kilauea_multimedia_15.html * * * * * PHOTO: 1924 Eruption of Kilauea. HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT U.S. Geological Survey Wednesday, May 16, 2018, 4:47 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED Kilauea Volcano Summit Ash emission from the Overlook crater within Halema`uma`u has generally decreased since yesterday. Although varying in intensity, at times the plume contains enough ash to be gray in color. The cloud is rising an estimated 3 to 4,000 feet above the ground, but altitudes are varying with pulses of emission. The ash cloud is drifting slowly northward from the Kilauea summit and ashfall may occur in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and Volcano Village. Communities downwind may receive ashfall and should take necessary precautions. Several magnitude 3 or stronger earthquakes occurred beneath the summit today. The earthquakes were at shallow depth and resulted in cracks in Highway 11 near the entrance to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Some facilities within the National Park were damaged as well. The explosive eruption of 1924 at the Kilauea summit was also marked by hundreds of felt earthquakes as magma drained from the caldera. * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY INFORMATION STATEMENT U.S. Geological Survey Wednesday, May 16, 2018, 2:35 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED KILAUEA INFORMATION STATEMENT Strong earthquakes within the summit of Kilauea Volcano continue in response to ongoing deflation and lava column drop. As of the afternoon of May 16, the floor of Kilauea caldera has dropped approximately 3 feet (90 cm). This movement is stressing faults around the caldera of Kilauea, causing them to move and resulting in strong earthquakes of up to magnitude 4.4 thus far. Employees at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and nearby residents are reporting frequent ground shaking and damage to roads and buildings. Hawaii County Police reports cracks across Highway 11 between mile markers 28 and 29. Although these are passable, motorists are urged to use caution. As deflation continues, strong earthquakes in the area around Kilauea Volcano's summit are expected to continue and may become more frequent. Areas further from these earthquakes may feel some ground motion as well, but much less severe. The shallow depths of these earthquakes make them more damaging in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter, and individuals need to take precautions to minimize damage from the shaking, including the removal of unstable items from walls and shelves. Steep slopes should be avoided as they may become destabilized during strong earthquakes. * * * * * HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: RED Previous Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Issued: Tuesday, May 15, 2018, 1:23 PM HST Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Volcanic Activity Summary: As of early this morning, eruption of ash from the Overlook vent within Halemaumau crater at Kilauea Volcano's summit has generally increased in intensity. Ash has been rising nearly continuously from the vent and drifting downwind to the southwest. Ashfall and vog (volcanic air pollution) has been reported in Pahala, about 18 miles downwind. NWS radar and pilot reports indicate the top of the ash cloud is as high as 10,000 to 12,000 feet above sea level, but this may be expected to vary depending on the vigor of activity and wind conditions. Ash emission from the Kilauea summit vent will likely be variable with periods of increased and decreased intensity depending on the occurrence of rockfalls into the vent and other changes within the vent. At any time, activity may become more explosive, increasing the intensity of ash production and producing ballistic projectiles near the vent. Resource on volcanic ash hazards: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanic_ash/ Resource on vog: https://vog.ivhhn.org/ Recent Observations: [Volcanic cloud height] 10,000 - 12,000 feet [Other volcanic cloud information] Drifting generally southwest with tradewinds. Hazard Analysis: [Ash cloud] The ashcloud is drifting downwind primarily to the southwest with the Trade Winds. Wind conditions are expected to change in the next 24 hours and other areas around Kilauea's summit are likely to receive ashfall. [Ashfall] Ashfall has been reported in the community of Pahala, at locations along Highway 11 from Pahala to Volcano, and in the Ka'u Desert section of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. [Other hazards] Ballistic projectiles may be produced should steam-driven explosions occur. Impacts will be limited to an area around Halemaumau. [Volcanic gas] Vog or volcanic air pollution produced by volcanic gas has been reported in Pahala. Remarks: Photos of this activity may be found here: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/kilauea_multimedia_15.html * * * * * KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Kilauea Lower East Rift Zone This morning, eruptive activity remained concentrated at fissure 17, with intermittent lava spattering at fissure 18. Earlier this morning, a new fissure (20) located near fissure 18 produced two small pads of lava. The aa flow spreading from fissure 17 advanced about 380 m (1,250 ft) since 2:30 p.m. HST yesterday. The advance of the flow has slowed significantly since yesterday afternoon. At 6:45 a.m. the flow was nearly 2.5 km (1.5 mi) in length. VIDEO: Helicopter Flyover of Puna Makai Lava Field Volcanic gas emissions remain elevated throughout the area downwind of the fissures. Magma continues to be supplied to the lower East Rift Zone as indicated by the continued northwest displacement of a GPS monitoring station. Elevated earthquake activity continues, but earthquake locations have not moved farther downrift in the past couple of days. USGS/HVO continues to monitor the lower East Rift Zone activity 24/7 in coordination with Hawaii County Civil Defense, with geologists onsite to track ongoing and new fissure activity and the advance of lava flows. * * * * * Ash plume at KILAUEA summit nearly continuous this morning Activity at Halemaumau crater increased this morning to include the nearly continuous emission of ash with intermittent stronger pulses that form occasional higher plumes 1-2 kilometers (3,000 to 6,000 feet) above the ground. This photo shows the ash plume at about 9 a.m. HST. Tradewinds this morning are blowing the ash generally to the southwest toward the Ka`u Desert. The dark area to the right of the ash column rising from the Overlook crater is ash falling from the ash cloud to the ground. PHOTO: HVO May 15, 2018 HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Tuesday, May 15, 2018, 9:41 AM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Kilauea Volcano Summit Ash emission from the Overlook crater within Halemaumau has generally increased this morning compared to previous days. Although varying in intensity, at times the plume contains enough ash to be gray in color. The cloud is rising an estimated 3 to 4,000 feet above the ground, but altitudes are varying with pulses of emission. The ash cloud is drifting generally west and southwest from the Kilauea summit and ashfall is occurring in the Ka'u Desert. Communities downwind are likely to receive ashfall today and should take necessary precautions. The National Weather Service has issued a Special Weather Statement regarding ashfall, please see: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/ For information on the hazards of volcanic ash and how to prepare your home or business, please see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanic_ash/ Earthquake activity in the summit remains elevated with several strongly felt events at HVO today. Most of these earthquakes are related to the ongoing subsidence of the summit area and earthquakes beneath the south flank of the volcano. For information on volcanic ash, please see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanic_ash/ * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Sunday, May 13, 2018, 8:28 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Lower East Rift Zone Eruption Eruption of lava continues from the northeast end of the active fissure system. Residents in lower Puna should remain informed and heed Hawaii County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and messages (http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts). As of late today, activity was dominated by lava fountaining, explosion of spatter bombs hundreds of feet into the air, and several advancing lava flow lobes moving generally northeast from fissure 17 at the downrift (northeast) end of the new fissure system. As of about 7 pm, one lobe was 2 yards thick and advancing roughly parallel to Highway 132. The flow front was just over a half mile southeast of the intersection of Highway 132 and Noni Farms Road. Based on overflight images late this afternoon, additional lava from fissure 17 was also moving slowly southeast. Volcanic gas emissions remain elevated. For the most recent map showing the locations of activity, please see https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html HVO field crews are on site overnight tracking the lava flow as conditions allow and reporting information to Hawaii County Civil Defense. This eruption is still evolving and additional outbreaks of lava are possible. The location of future outbreaks could include areas both uprift (southwest) and downrift (northeast) of the existing fissures, or, existing fissures can be reactivated. Communities downslope of these fissures could be at risk from lava inundation. Activity can change rapidly. For information on volcanic air pollution, please see: http://www.ivhhn.org/vog/ Kilauea Volcano Summit Deflationary tilt continues. A robust plume of steam and volcanic gas, occasionally mixed with ash, has risen from the Overlook crater within Halemaumau. Over the course of the day, rockfalls from the steep walls enclosing the Overlook crater generated ash clouds mixed with steam and gas intermittently throughout the day. These ash clouds have been relatively low concentration and have risen at most only a few thousand feet above the ground, a few generating very localized ashfall downwind. More explosive activity generating larger ash clouds remains possible and can occur with no warning. Earthquake activity in the summit remains elevated with several strongly felt events at HVO today. Most of these earthquakes are related to the ongoing subsidence of the summit area and earthquakes beneath the south flank of the volcano. For information on volcanic ash, please see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanic_ash/ * * * * * East Rift Zone Eruption Update For Saturday May 12 At 7 PM This is a Civil Defense Message for Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 7 PM. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports a new fissure, number 17, is opening up about 100 meters below fissure 16. At this time, steam and lava spatter activity has started from this new fissure. Minor spattering activity from fissure (16) is diminishing and no significant lava flow was issued from this area. In addition, HVO has cautioned about the possibility of an explosive eruption at Halemaumau Crater due to the ongoing withdrawal of lava from Kilauea summit lake. This could generate dangerous debris very near the crater and ashfalls up to tens of miles downwind. Due to the volcanic activity, the following are issued: Under Emergency Provisions, any looting or vandalism during an emergency is treated as a felony. Hawaii Police Department is enforcing the Federal Aviation Administrations Temporary Flight Restriction for lower Puna area. No helicopter or drone activity is allowed without approval. Residents of lower Puna between Kapoho and Kalapana, are advised to be on the alert in the event of possible gas emissions and volcanic eruption. There may be little to no advance notice to evacuate, so take this time to prepare. If you evacuate voluntarily, the Pahoa Community Center and Keaau Community Center are open. Food will be provided and the shelters are pet-friendly. The residents of Puna are going through a very difficult time. We ask for your help and understanding. County, State and Federal partners continue to monitor the situation. You will be informed of any conditions that affect your safety. Thank you for listening. Have a safe day. This is your Hawaii County Civil Defense. SA: Residents of Halekamahina Loop Road have been ordered to evacuate this morning after an 18th fissure was verified by the Department of Public Works and police. HNN: Officials urge Lower Puna residents to prepare for possible evacuation * * * * * HVO Reiterates Warning About Explosive Summit Event From Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, May 11, 2018 The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory again cautions the public about the possibility of an explosive eruption at Halemaumau. This is caused by the withdrawal of lava from Halemaumaus summit lake, which leads to a phreatic (steam-driven) eruption. Such an eruption could generate ash plumes as high as 20,000 feet. The area affected by ash plumes could be as wide as 12 miles. Should this occur, the following are advised: The danger from this eruption is ash fallout. The major response is to protect yourself from fallout. If this event occurs while you are at home, stay indoors with the windows closed. Turn on your radio and listen for updates from authorities. If you are in your car, keep the windows closed. Ash fallout may cause poor driving conditions, due to limited visibility and slippery driving conditions. Drive with extreme caution, or pull over and park. After the hazard is passed, do check your home, and especially your catchment system, for any impact that may affect your water quality. This is precautionary information for your safety in the event that there is a Halemaumau explosive event. Hawaii County Civil Defense wants everyone in the Volcano area to be ready, and to remain safe. Keep yourself informed and on the alert. * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey, Friday, May 11, 2018, 4:39 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Lower East Rift Zone Eruption Volcanic unrest in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano continues. While no lava has been emitted from any of the 15 fissure vents since May 9, earthquake activity, ground deformation, and continuing high emission rates of sulphur dioxide indicate additional outbreaks of lava are likely. The location of future outbreaks is not known with certainty, but could include areas both uprift (southwest) and downrift (northeast) of the existing fissures, or resumption of activity at existing fissures. Communities downslope of these fissures could be at risk from lava inundation. Residents in lower Puna should remain informed and heed Hawaii County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and messages (http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/ active-alerts). For maps showing the locations of eruption features, please see https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_ maps.html Hawaii County CD Volcano Map: LINK For information on volcanic air pollution, please see: http://www.ivhhn.org/vog/ Kilauea Volcano Summit Tiltmeters at the summit of Kilauea Volcano continue to record deflationary tilt. Based on this and field observations of the past two days, the lava lake level continues to drop. Rockfalls from the steep crater walls have generated small ash clouds mixed with white condensed water vapor intermittently throughout the day. These ash clouds have been relatively low concentration and have risen only a few thousand feet above the ground generating very localized ashfall. More explosive activity generating larger ash clouds remains possible. Earthquake activity in the summit remains elevated. Many of these earthquakes are related to the ongoing subsidence of the summit area and earthquakes beneath the south flank of the volcano. For information on volcanic ash, please see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ volcanic_ash/ * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Thursday, May 10, 2018, 6:51 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Lower East Rift Zone Eruption High levels of unrest related to the intermittent eruption of lava in Leilani Estates in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano continue. While no lava was noted erupting today from any of the 15 fissure vents formed thus far, earthquake activity, ground deformation, and continuing high emission rates of sulfur dioxide indicate additional outbreaks of lava are likely. The location of future outbreaks is not known with certainty, but could include areas both uprift (southwest) and downrift (northeast) of the existing fissures, or resumption of activity at existing fissures. Earthquake activity was high in the area today. Continuing ground deformation and located earthquakes were mostly in the area around and northeast of Fissure 15 at Pohoiki Road indicating that the intrusion is migrating further to the northeast. Steaming ground cracks in the vicinity of Highway 130 continue. * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 4:55 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Lower East Rift Zone Eruption The intermittent eruption of lava in Leilani Estates in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano continues. Visible activity this early afternoon was again focused on the northeast portion of the fissure area. Fissure 15 broke ground across Poihiki Road, generating a pahoehoe flow about 20 m (66 ft) long. During an overflight of the area about 3 p.m. HST, geologists observed a new steaming area uprift (west) of Highway 130. During a second overflight at 4:30 p.m., the area was still steaming. Rates of motion increased late this morning on a GPS station 1.5 km (1 mile) southeast of Nanawale Estates. The direction of motion is consistent with renewed movement of magma in the downrift direction (to the northeast). Rates of seismicity changed little throughout the day; located earthquakes were mostly uprift (west) of Highway 130. Gas emissions remain elevated in the vicinity of fissures. Residents should remain informed and heed Hawaii County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and messages ( http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts ). For maps showing the locations of eruption features, please see https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html For information on volcanic air pollution, please see: http://www.ivhhn.org/vog/ Kilauea Volcano Summit Tiltmeters at the summit of Kilauea Volcano continue to record the deflationary trend of the past week and the lava lake level continues to drop. At about 8:32 a.m. HST, a large rockfall from the steep crater walls into the retreating lake triggered an explosion that generated an ash column above the crater; the ash was blown toward the south-southwest. Rockfalls and explosions that produce ash columns are expected to continue. A 3D model of the Overlook crater was created from thermal images collected during an early afternoon helicopter overflight on May 8. Based on the 3D model, the lake level was about 295 m (970 feet) below the floor of Halemaumau Crater. Earthquake activity in the summit remains elevated. Many of these earthquakes are related to the ongoing subsidence of the summit area and earthquakes beneath the south flank of the volcano. * * * * * HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m) From Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 8:02 AM HST Volcanic Activity Summary: The steady lowering of the lava lake in Overlook crater within Halemaumau at the summit of Kilauea Volcano has raised the potential for explosive eruptions in the coming weeks. If the lava column drops to the level of groundwater beneath Kilauea Caldera, influx of water into the conduit could cause steam-driven explosions. Debris expelled during such explosions could impact the area surrounding Halemaumau and the Kilauea summit. At this time, we cannot say with certainty that explosive activity will occur, how large the explosions could be, or how long such explosive activity could continue. Residents of the Kilauea summit area should learn about the hazards of ashfall, stay informed of the status of the volcano and area closures, and review family and business emergency plans. Resource on volcanic ash hazards: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanic_ash/ Remarks: HAZARDS Primary hazards of concern should this activity occur are ballistic projectiles and ashfall. BALLISTIC PROJECTILES During steam-driven explosions, ballistic blocks up to 2 m (yards) across could be thrown in all directions to a distance of 1 km (0.6 miles) or more. These blocks could weigh a few kilograms (pounds) to several tons. Smaller (pebble-size) rocks could be sent several kilometers (miles) from Halemaumau, mostly in a downwind direction. ASHFALL Presently, during the drawdown of the lava column, rockfalls from the steep enclosing walls of the Overlook crater vent impact the lake and produce small ash clouds. These clouds are very dilute and result in dustings of ash (particles smaller than 2 mm) downwind. Should steam-driven explosions begin, ash clouds will rise to greater elevations above ground. Minor ashfall could occur over much wider areas, even up to several tens of miles from Halemaumau. In 1924, ash may have reached as high as 20,000 feet above sea level. Small amounts of fine ash from these explosions fell over a wide area as far north as North Hilo (Hakalau), in lower Puna, and as far south as Waiohinu. GAS Gas emitted during steam-drive explosions will be mainly steam, but will include some sulfur dioxide (SO2) as well. Currently, SO2 emissions remain elevated. WARNING TIME Steam-driven explosions at volcanoes typically provide very little warning. Once the lava level reaches the groundwater elevation, onset of continuous ashy plumes or a sequence of violent steam-driven explosions may be the first sign that activity of concern has commenced. BACKGROUND Kilaueas lava lake began to drop on May 2, 2018. From its peak on May 2 to the most recent measurement at 9 pm on May 6, the lava lake surface dropped a total of more than 200 m (656 ft). The subsidence was at a relatively constant rate of about 2 meters (yards) per hour. Measurements of subsidence have not been possible since May 6 because of thick fume and the increasing depth to the lava surface. However, thermal images indicate continued lowering of the lake surface since that time, consistent with deflationary tilt recorded at Kilaueas summit. Therefore, we infer that the lake surface continues to drop at roughly the same rate. So, while HVO cannot report exact depths of the receding lava lake, we can monitor the overall trend. USGS and HVO scientists are monitoring changes at the summit 24/7 and watching for signs that hazardous conditions have increased, or may increase. HVO is working closely with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Hawaii County Civil Defense to respond to this situation. * * * * * This map shows the locations of fissures and an aa flow erupted since May 3 in the order that they occurred in Leilani Estates as of 7:00 p.m. HST, May 8. The purple areas are lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015. (see large map) VIDEO: Drone over Leilani Estates at Night Contribute: Salvation Army Volcano Relief Fund HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT U.S. Geological Survey Tuesday, May 8, 2018, 11:18 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Lower East Rift Zone Eruption The intermittent eruption of lava in Leilani Estates in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano continues. Activity today was focused on the northeast portion of the fissure area; two new fissure segments (13 and 14) broke ground between fissures 7 and 6. Fissure 13 cut across Leilani Street. By 5:00 pm, fissures 13 and 14 were inactive; late this evening geologists reported loud jetting and booming sounds, and some spattering, at fissure 13. At about 6:00 p.m. reports of booming sounds were reported in the vicinity of Black Sands Beach Subdivision. When HVO geologists arrived soon after, no such sounds were occurring. Earlier this morning, geologists reported the widening of cracks of about 1 to 4 cm (0.4 to 1.6 in) of cracks on Highway 130 and Aliili road. Rates of seismicity changed little throughout the day, but increased during the fissure activity in the afternoon. Gas emissions remain elevated in the vicinity of fissures. HVO field crews successfully completed the installation of two new co-located seismometers and GPS receivers on the north and south sides of the East Rift Zone. Mahalo to landowners for allowing access and use of their property. HVO geologists will be in the area overnight to track and report to Hawaii County Civil Defense on the activity, and other scientists are tracking the volcano's overall activity 24/7 using various monitoring data streams. Residents should remain informed and heed Hawaii County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and messages ( http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts ). For maps showing the locations of eruption features, please see https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html For information on volcanic air pollution, please see: http://www.ivhhn.org/vog/ Kilauea Volcano Summit Tiltmeters at the summit of Kilauea Volcano continue to record the deflationary trend of the past week and the lava lake level continues to drop. Rockfalls from the steep crater walls into the retreating lake continue to produce occasional ashy plumes above Halemaumau crater. These plumes are expected to continue. Earthquake activity in the summit remains elevated. Many of these earthquakes are related to the ongoing subsidence of the summit area and earthquakes beneath the south flank of the volcano. * * * * * HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT From U.S. Geological Survey, Monday, May 7, 2018, 5:59 PM HST KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010) 1925'16" N 15517'13" W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE Lower East Rift Zone Eruption The intermittent eruption of lava in the Leilani Estates subdivision in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano continues. The location of activity today was focused on the southwest portion of the area. This morning, two new fissure segments broke ground. The first (fissure 11) opened in a forested area southwest of Leilani Estates about 9:30 am and was active for only 3 hours. The second (fissure 12) opened about 12:20 between older fissures 10 and 11. By 3:15 pm, both new fissures were inactive but the west end of fissure 10 was steaming heavily. Cracks on Highway 130 widened from 7 cm to 8 cm over the course of the day and additional cracks were found just west of the highway on trend with the eruptive fissures. For map of recent features discussed above, see https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html Rates of seismicity and deformation changed little throughout the day. Gas emissions likely remain elevated in the vicinity of fissures. Residents should remain informed and heed Hawaii County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and messages ( http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts ). For maps showing the locations of eruption features, please see https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html For information on volcanic air pollution, please see: http://www.ivhhn.org/vog/ HVO geologists will be in the area overnight to track and report to Hawaii County Civil Defense on the activity, and other scientists are closely tracking the volcano's overall activity using various monitoring data streams. Kilauea Volcano Summit Tiltmeters at the summit of Kilauea Volcano continue to record the deflationary trend of the past several days and the lava lake level continues to drop. Rockfalls from the steep crater walls into the retreating lake continue to produce occasional ashy plumes above Halemaumau crater. These plumes are expected to continue. Earthquake activity in the summit remains elevated but has decreased over the past few days. Many of these earthquakes are related to the ongoing subsidence of the summit area and earthquakes beneath the south flank of the volcano. This message will be updated tomorrow morning or earlier should conditions change. HVO Contact: askHVO@usgs.gov MORE INFORMATION Activity Summary also available by phone: (808) 967-8862 Subscribe to these messages: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/ Webcam images: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_webcams.html Photos/Video: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_chronology.html Lava Flow Maps: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html Definitions of terms used in update: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/extra/definitions.pdf Overview of Kilauea summit (Halemaumau) and East Rift Zone (Puu Oo ) eruptions: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/extra/background.pdf Summary of volcanic hazards from Kilauea eruptions: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/extra/hazards.pdf Recent Earthquakes in Hawai'i (map and list): https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/earthquakes/ Explanation of Volcano Alert Levels and Aviation Color Codes: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/activity/alertsystem/index.php https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3139/ HVO Contact: askHVO@usgs.gov CONTACT INFORMATION: askHVO@usgs.gov Habitat for Humanity of Dalton-Whitfield and Murray has appointed a new president, Brian Wright, replacing Larry Harrison after he rotated off the board in April. Mr. Harrison served on the board for 12 years, and in that time saw Habitat for Humanity of Dalton-Whitfield and Murray grow as a non-profit under his leadership. Mr. Wright has served on the board for two years, but in that short time has been dedicated to the Habitat mission. (Bloomberg) Deutsche Bank AGs Barry Bausano, a longtime senior executive overseeing its relations with hedge fund clients, is leaving as the firm shakes up its U.S. operations. Bausano, 54, has helped lead efforts to retain big trading clients in recent years, after some grew concerned about the banks strength as a counterparty. To read this article: Mikko Kiesilainen, the managing director of the right-leaning think tank, claims that many of the reforms the country has implemented since the turn of the millennium have not been in compliance with the Bologna Process, a series of agreements to ensure the comparability of higher-education qualifications across Europe. Finland has typically set the example in implementing reforms. It is odd that we have opted out of the European development in a sector we are proud of, he states. Kiesilainen views that the most significant of the five proposals is that to separate undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. The current system, he argues, makes academic performance in the first three years of higher education virtually irrelevant as students are guaranteed a place in masters degree programmes. If you are admitted at the age of 18 to the University of Helsinki, which in a number of fields is the best university in Finland, your average grade in the first three years is irrelevant. The door will be open for you to the best masters programme in Finland, he explains. Even if students complete a bachelors degree with the highest grades at the University of Lapland, they have no chance of getting into the best masters degree programme in their field of study because all the places have been reserved for students of the University of Helsinki. Grades are irrelevant in both universities. This, he adds, also disincentivises universities from developing more attractive postgraduate programmes as the programmes will be entered almost exclusively by the same students who begun their undergraduate studies three years earlier. With universities not having to compete against each other and students not having to make a genuine effort, the situation does not promote the development of top talent, according to Kiesilainen. He also encourages students to enter the working life after completing their undergraduate degrees and to decide which postgraduate degree to pursue only after a few years in the working life. Such changes are opposed particularly by different interest groups, he says. There are interest groups, such as student associations, that are incentivised to keep the current systems intact. Policy makers, on the other hand, do not have the courage to shake up the system, says Kiesilainen. Libera Foundation also proposed in its pamphlet that the division into universities and universities of applied sciences be eradicated, that the university network be rationalised, that universities be allowed to charge student contribution fees for masters programmes, and that entrance examinations be abolished. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Vesa Moilanen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi He points out that the opposition parties have singled out two proposals for criticism despite the fact that the proposals are part of a larger package of measures. Opposition parties have demonstrated their lack of understanding of how jobs are created with their latest interpellation against the proposals drafted by the government to improve the employment situation in Finland, says Harri Jaskari (NCP). The opposition draws in its interpellation attention especially to the proposal to allow businesses with no more than 20 staff to lay off employees on personal grounds and the proposal to allow businesses to hire under 30-year-old job seekers who have been jobless for at least three months on fixed-term contracts without justification. Its claim that making it easier to lay off staff on personal grounds would destroy the labour markets is incredulous, according to Jaskari. No one hires employees just to be able to lay them off later. For employers, the value of a good employee cannot be measured in gold. When the threshold to hire is lower, businesses tend to hire more, he explains. He reminds that laying off individual employees even ones who do not bother working on personal rounds is currently extremely difficult in Finland. Employee protection is strong even in such circumstances: the grounds for lay-offs are met only after a very serious violation or negligence of duties, he says. Jaskari expresses his confidence that the proposal would succeed in encouraging businesses to hire more employees. The Federation of Finnish Enterprises, he points out, has conducted a study indicating that 37 per cent of businesses, including 74 per cent of microbusinesses, would consider hiring new employees if the proposal was carried out. Finland is presently home to roughly 270,000 businesses with no more than 20 employees. Jaskari also estimates that the opposition parties are on the wrong track when it comes to the youth unemployment situation. The new possibility to hire on fixed-term contracts would concern young people who have already been hit by the curse of long-term unemployment. The longer the unemployment period for young people, the harder it is to find a job and the higher the risk of social exclusion. This would improve not weaken the possibilities of young people who find themselves unemployed on a long-term basis, he says. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Vesa Moilanen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Over 600 elementary students competed today in the 12th Annual Elementary Science Olympiad. The third through fifth graders who participated spent weeks of preparation to build machines like rockets and catapults and to study various sciences in order to compete in 12 different events. Examples of competitions include 3-2-1 Blastoff, Marshmallow Catapult, and Chopper Challenge. The Olympiad began in 2006 as a partnership between Chattanooga State, Hamilton County Schools and Tennessee American Water to spark an interest in the sciences at an early age. We began this program before STEM was mainstream, because we recognized the importance of getting kids interested in sciences at an early age, said Tennessee American Water engineering manager Kurt Stafford. The Science Olympiad is one of the most popular events that our employees help with because the enthusiasm of the students is so energizing, said Mr. Stafford. We hope that these students continue their love of science into their futures as they consider career choices. A restaurant is being planned in a long-abandoned house on Willow Street. Matthew Ballard said he bought the house at 1302 Watkins in 2016 at an IRS tax sale. The City Council on Tuesday night approved UGC zoning for the property so the restaurant operation can go forward. Mr. Ballard said the restaurant will be operated by a resident of nearby Kirby Avenue. He said the sous chef for the establishment also lives in the neighborhood. He said the home, which he called "a beautiful old house," had been boarded up for about 12 years. Mr. Ballard said after he bought it someone broke in and started a damaging fire. He said neighbors are excited about the project and have been keeping an eye on the property since then. In 1775, the Continental Navy needed sharpshooters to give their frigates an advantage over the then-superior English Navy. It didnt take long for an extraordinary fighting force to prove its mettle. The Continental Marines successfully executed their first amphibious landing just weeks after this new military branch was formed. Captain Samuel Nicholas and 234 Marines sailed to the Bahamas where the British forces had been stockpiling huge supplies of gunpowder for use against the 13 American colonies. Within minutes, the British troops were overwhelmed by the Marines. They surrendered to Captain Nicholas, who laid claim to the gunpowder, cannons and other military supplies. A new IMAX film, We, The Marines, takes viewers on an action-packed adventure into the unparalleled experience of becoming and serving as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. Special screenings of this inspiring documentary will be offered at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater May 25 through 28 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. each day. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor and former Marine, Gene Hackman, the film uses the giant screen to honor the dedication, the service and the first-hand experiences that create the undeniable bonds among Americas first responders. The result is an inspirational and moving tribute to the lives and legacy of the men and women who honor and defend our country. This film needed to have a documentary-newsreel kind of immediacy, an unstaged, unpolished, raw approachlike the Marines themselves, said the films director Greg MacGillivray. The result is less a set-up Hollywood-style filmwith carefully laid-out and rehearsed shotsand more a spontaneous, immediate, organic film that comes from real-life experience. Committing to the Marine Corps is not for the faint of heart. Audiences will discover the grueling feats in boot camp that prepare Marines for the stresses of life on the front lines. Theyll also witness mountain training, parachute jumping, rappelling from helicopters and how K-9 units train side by side with Marines, becoming excellent four-legged soldiers. The Corps central values of honor, courage and commitment are brought to life on the giant screen. Along with tributes paid to the brave men and women who have served on the front lines in combat, Marines are just as often the first boots on the ground when humanitarian relief efforts are needed around the world. Viewers will not only feel the thundering jolt of a Drill Instructors commands, theyll also see the outpouring of love and appreciation waiting every time Marines return home from duty. ============================== ========================= Special Screenings of We, The Marines May 25, 26, 27, 28 at 2 pm and 5 pm For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit https://www.tnaqua.org/imax/we -the-marines . Official Trailer: https://youtu.be/-23GeURN68U ============================== ========================= Four facts about the U.S. Marines - To become Marines, every recruit must complete a 54-hour, 48-mile journey with 29 grueling challenges call The Crucible. In We, The Marines, viewers experience eager recruits fighting to the finish of this 54-hour, 48-mile journey called the Crucible. It consists of 29 intense team-building exercises, 6 hours of sleep, and 2 meal rations. It is the defining moment of a Marines boot camp experience. - The first woman joined the Marine Corps in 1918. Orpha May Johnson joined up August 13, 1918 before she was even allowed to vote. For nearly 100 years, women have been serving in the Marine Corps, and in January 2017, three female Marines made history when they were the first women to join a ground combat unit. - Working dogs have been vital to the success of the armed forces dating back to before the American Revolution. In recent years, service dogs have proudly worked as sentries, messengers, and even bomb detectors. The record for dogs finding explosives is better than the most sophisticated electronic equipment. - The Marine Corps motto is Semper Fidelis, meaning Always Faithful. In the giant screen film, We, The Marines, viewers discover that loyalty is a key hallmark of the U.S. Marine Corps. Marines are trained to move, act, think, and feel as a unit. Even after service, individuals never stop being a Marinethey know they are stronger together. St. Martin of Tours will be having an estate sale on Saturday, at 8 a.m. Items from several estates will be included. St. Martin of Tours is at . The estate sale will coincide with a luncheon at the church. Hamburger platters are $8, Hotdog platters are $7. Proceeds will go to the support the church and its ministries. For more info, email , or call 423 892-9131 7547 East Brainerd Road Pigtails & Crewcuts Chattanooga-Northshore salon is now open for business. The new salon is at 205 Manufacturers Road near Renaissance and Coolidge Parks and Whole Foods Market and is the second Chattanooga location for the Atlanta-based franchise. The franchise also has salons in Germantown and Knoxville. Pigtails & Crewcuts has over 50 childrens hair salons across the country, offering children and families a fun and exciting approach to haircuts. The new Chattanooga-Northshore salon will offer the same delightful experience found at other Pigtails & Crewcuts locations, including whimsical, vehicle-shaped chairs, bright colors, and a variety of books, movies, toys, and video games to enjoy before, during, and after the haircut. The salon also features a retail section filled with childrens hair products, accessories, and gifts and offers birthday party services as well. The Chattanooga-Northshore location is owned by Sharon Hogan and Kelly Hailey, who also own the Pigtails & Crewcuts salon on East Brainerd Road. Ms. Hailey says the decision to open their first Pigtails & Crewcuts salon came from her experience with her sons fear of haircuts five years ago. He cried and it was hard to find a place where we could get his haircut here in town where he wasnt afraid. We started going to a Pigtails & Crewcuts in Georgia and realized that we probably werent the only family in Chattanooga with a child that struggled with haircuts, so we decided to bring the experience here, she said. Ms. Hailey says the decision to open a second salon came very easily and that she is excited to reach a new part of the Chattanooga community. We are excited to be downtown and serve more kids. The Northshore salon is in a very family-friendly area. Its within walking distance of parks, and there is an ice cream store next door and a coffee shop nearby. Its a really cool location that families will love exploring, she said. Its a fun place for all kids to get haircuts and we cant wait to meet our new customers. Were happy to open another location in Tennessee and meet the needs of families in another part of Chattanooga, said Theresa Underwood, vice president of Franchise Support. The salon is already open, but Ms. Hailey is still adding stylists to the salons team to accommodate the growing customer base. If you love children and want to be a part of something fun, we would love to speak with you, she said. Pigtails & Crewcuts Chattanooga-Northshore is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. For more information about the salon and services, call 423 498-5700. Hamilton County Schools is considering school calendar options for the 2019-2020 school year, and the public's opinions are needed to help build the best possible calendar for the community, officials said. Discussions with parents and a calendar committee made up of parents, teachers and community leaders led to the consideration of adopting two calendars this year to put the system a year ahead in calendar development. Approving the school calendar a year in advance will allow families and community programs involving students to more easily plan trips and events. There are two options to consider in the survey. Both calendars begin teacher in-service on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, and the first day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019. Christmas break is the same beginning Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, and students returning to school on Jan. 6, 2020. Both calendars end school on Thursday, May 21, 2020. Fall break, Thanksgiving break, and spring break are where there are differences in the calendars. Calendar option #1 has a three-day fall break with two days in the second week of October on Thursday, October 10, and Friday, Oct. 11, 2019; and Monday, Oct. 14, 2019, in the third week. The Thanksgiving break is a full week from Monday, November 18, thru Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. Spring break is the third week in March from Monday, March 16, to Friday, March 20, 2020. Spring break would coincide with the end of the third quarter and the UTC spring break. Calendar option #2 has a full week for fall break the second week of October from Monday, October 7, thru Friday, Oct. 11, 2019. The Thanksgiving break will be a three-day break from Wednesday, November 20, thru Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. Spring break will be Friday, April 3, thru Friday, April 10, 2020. This spring break positioning will coincide with the Easter holiday. Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/ r/WNC7YV6 Officials said, "The survey is very short and will take just a few minutes to complete. The survey will be open until next Tuesday at 5 p.m. but go ahead and take a few minutes to complete it today. The survey deadline for completion was extended from Monday to Tuesday to allow for more participation." The Hamilton County Board of Education will review the results of the survey and plan to approve a school calendar for the 2019-2020 school year at the regular meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 17, 2018. Chattanooga State Community College held its 52nd Annual Commencement exercises on Sunday, awarding more than 1,600 degrees and certificates to 1,500-plus graduates. The Class of 2018 ranged in ages from 17-75 and included 371 students graduating with honors and 338 graduating Tennessee Promise students. 63% of graduates are female; 37% are male while 42% are over the age of 25. 16 international countries were represented. Chattanooga State alumnus Gary Ainscough presented the 2018 commencement address. Mr. Ainscough, a member of Chattanooga States inaugural graduating class of 1967 and a current Alumni Association Board member, said during his commencement address, "Consider us as family members. Stay in touch. Return for visits. Marking her first Chattanooga State Commencement as president, Dr. Rebecca Ashford shared encouraging words with the Class of 2018: I hope you continue to push yourselves, to learn more, and to be more than you ever thought possible. Hamilton County Collegiate High at Chattanooga State had 53 high school graduates with a number of college-credit courses completed while 17 of these graduates also earned enough credit to receive an associate degree. Collegiate High is a five-year Tennessee Reward School for outstanding performance. Student Government Association President Courtney Scott, a member of the Class of 2018, advised her fellow classmates: though we may be doubtful, we are prepared. And though we may be leaving today, we are ready. We set standards, we raise bars, and we exceed expectations, because that is what Chattanooga State has pushed us to do and that is what we will continue to do. Today we have proven to ourselves that we cannot be stopped from achieving our goal. Also recognized during commencement this year were Faculty Fellows: Evelyn Mobley, Michael Waterson and David Wollert, Dr. Gladys Crates Fellows; Joel Henderson and Ken Cardillo, Amanda Wynn Fellows; Leesa Ross, Dr. Howard Yarbrough Fellow. Faculty and Staff Excellence Award Winners: Julie Bennett, Professional Staff; Antoinette Dobbs-Taylor, Support Staff; David Burgess, Teaching Excellence, TN College of Applied Technology; Michael McCamish, Excellence in Advising; David Wollert, Faculty Excellence in Teaching. Retiring faculty and staff for 2017-18 include: Rebecca Cantrell, Philip Cioni, Joan Couvillon, Teresa Curl, Darlene Florence, Cynthia Hammond, Donnie Hardy, Judith Harper, Garry Holland, Don Hunt, Judy Mabe, Diane Norris, Claire Peacock, Ronald Peck, Deborah Rudd, George Ryan, Ann Schide, Gloria Sines, David Stanislawski, Brenda Stocker, Kenneth Storrs, Lisa Swift, Pamela Temple, Louie Thompson and Margaret Venable. To view the entire commencement program online, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpFiOnt1_8Y Chattanooga State Community College consistently offers a high quality education with an 18:1 student-to-teacher ratio, 97 percent job placement rate, and 98 percent licensure pass rate. For more information, visit www.chattanoogastate.edu. Dr. Steve and Reita Ball, lead pastors of the multi-cultural and multi-generational Metro Tab Church, 2101 West Shepherd Road, invite everyone to join them for Sunday Fire, where revival happens. This Sunday's guest speaker is Bishop Clint Brown. He is the Pastor of Judah Church in Orlando, Fl. Bishop Brown will be preaching at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. "The atmosphere will ... (click for more) In verses nine through thirteen of Jeremiah 2, God made it clear that He was not happy with those men who had been charged with shepherding the people of Israel because they were mixing idol worship with the worship of the one true God. Obviously, God would not, could not, should not stand for that. Thus, God identified Himself as the One True Living God, the Creator of the universe. ... (click for more) John Hancock signed his death warrant that day. In April 1897, John Hancock and Winifred Winny Myers, along with Myers 6-year-old son, set out from Perris, California, for Salt Lake City, Utah, in a miserable excuse for an outfit drawn by four inferior horses. One of their animals gave out at Daggett, California, but Hancock acquired another plug and continued on. When they could go no farther, Hancock took a job at a ranch in the Pahrump Valley of Nevada. Hancock had been working on the ranch for three weeks when Dr. George Engelke, a veterinary surgeon, and Pete Canadian Joe Edmiston, his driver, arrived from Los Angeles in a first-class outfit drawn by a fine team, accompanied by a racehorse and two bloodhounds. They were on their way to Ogden, Utah, where Engelke planned to surprise his sister and mother, whom he had not seen in years. Hancock decided it was time for him to leave with Winny Myers and her son, and Engelke did not object to the trio traveling with him. Before leaving the ranch in mid-May, Hancock stole a revolver. Hancock brooded over Engelkes disclosure that no one expected him at Ogden and that he had been quite successful at his practice in Los Angeles. On the third day on the trail, May 18, Hancock shared his thoughts with Myers. Winny, Im broke, and I think that Engelke has a lot of money on him. Im going to kill them, take their money and their team, and leave ours on the desert. Myers pleaded with him not to commit murder, and he seemed to weaken in his resolve. That evening, Engelke chose a campsite, but Hancock encouraged his well-to-do traveling companion to keep going, until they found a secluded spot in a small basin surrounded by sand dunes. The wagons were positioned 6 feet apart, and all parties turned in earlyEngelke and Edmiston sleeping near their wagon, and Myers, her son and Hancock sleeping near theirs. Hancock rose often during the night to check on the animals, so Myers was not concerned when Hancock got up again a little before 3 a.m. But a peculiar noise roused her, and she soon witnessed a nightmarish scene. Hancock, ax in hand, stood over their two traveling companions, both of whom were bleeding from head wounds. He had crushed their skulls with the blunt end of the ax, but the men were not dead, so Hancock pulled his stolen revolver and shot each man twice. When they continued to moan, he pounded and slashed at them with the blunt and sharp edge of the ax until they finally fell silent. The two bloodhounds went to the dead men, sniffing about and licking at the wounds, so Hancock used his last two bullets to kill the dogs. Hancock ordered Myers to help him load the dead men and dogs into their old wagon. The murderer then drove the bodies some distance from the camp amid the sand dunes. When he returned, he told Myers he had buried the remains. Next, Hancock sorted through the goods in each wagon, keeping everything they could use or sell and packing it into the good outfit. He put the rest into their old outfit and set it ablaze before setting out toward Salt Lake City. At Pioche, Nev., Hancock sold the racehorse. Hancock traveled with Myers and her son for more than a year, first to Salt Lake City, then to Portland, Ore., and finally back to southern California. In Utah, John passed Winny off as his sister; everywhere else he introduced her as his wife. Myers tried to get away from Hancock, but he watched her every move. Hancock eventually forced Myers to get a job in California; it is unclear where, but presumably in Perris, where Hancocks mother and sister lived. One day John went to Winnys place of employment and attacked her for reasons unknown. One of her co-workers, a Mr. Gross, stood up for her and received a serious gash from Hancocks knife for his chivalry. Hancock fled to avoid arrest, and Myers also left Perris, traveling to Los Angeles with Gross, whom she later claimed to marry. When she told her new husband of the ghastly double murder in the desert, Gross encouraged her to tell authorities. Hancock learned that Winny had revealed his crimes and decided to beat it out of the state. To get a stake for his escape, he robbed a store in Santa Ana. Hancock didnt get far. Lawmen soon arrested him, and he was indicted for robbery. To try to avoid extradition, he pled guilty before the facts of the double murder in Nevada came to light. On November 28, 1898, Hancock was at the Southern Pacific Railroad depot, awaiting transfer to San Quentin Prison, where he had been sentenced to serve 10 years. Extradition proceedings had been initiated, but Nevada would have to wait; California Governor James Budd refused to hand over the prisoner until Hancock had served his sentence for robbery. His prison term ended early, but that was not good news for Hancock. He was released into the custody of Nevada lawmen and taken to Pioche for prosecution. Hancock told Sheriff H.E. Freudenthal where the bodies were buried and provided a map, and the sheriff was able to unearth the larger bones and skulls, which had survived scavengers. Thanks to Winnys testimony, along with the physical evidence and Hancocks own confession, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang. The usual appeal and application for commutation were denied. In 1901 the Nevada Legislature had ordered that all legal executions from 1903 on would be conducted in the state prison near Carson City. No funds had been authorized for construction of a gallows; regardless, one was constructed at the south end of the shoe shop, which offered thick, whitewashed stone walls and a high ceiling. Workers laid a strip of carpeting from the door to the foot of the gallows and set out seats for prison officials. On September 8, 1905, 39 invited spectators were admitted to witness the first execution at the prison. When the moment arrived for Hancocks walk to the scaffold, Warden J.L. Considine and the Reverend B.J. Darneille were first to enter, followed by the condemned man, his arms pinioned and head bowed. Three guards brought up the rear. Hancock seemed unconcerned until he lifted his eyes and saw the dangling noose. He paused and asked to see the audience; when the warden hesitated, Hancock claimed it as his right. He slowly scanned the faces, making several faint signs of recognition, until he saw Dr. W.L. Berry. What Hancock said to Berry was not recorded, but the remarks caused the doctor to lose his composure and cry uncontrollably. The condemned man then ascended the stairs and stood on the trap. Warden Considine held the death warrant, but Hancock waived the reading. Dr. J.J. Circe and Dr. S.J. Sullivan of Virginia City joined Dr. Berry beneath the gallows. Following prayers, guards pinioned Hancocks legs, adjusted the black cap and cinched the noose around his neck. The Rev. Darneille delivered the benediction, ending with, and may God have mercy on your soul. At 10:41 a.m., the trap was sprung. Everyone watched his clenched hands, as Hancock had said that if he were conscious after the drop, he would relax one of his hands. Both remained clenched. Dr. Circe first reported no heartbeat, but then a pulse returned and fluctuated for six minutes. Thirteen minutes after the drop, Dr. Circe pronounced death, and John Hancocks body was cut down soon after. A postmortem examination revealed that the neck had been dislocated at the first cervical vertebra. On Saturday, the day after the execution, the reverend conducted an Episcopal funeral service. Interment followed at 1 p.m. in the prison burial grounds. Originally published in the December 2008 issue of Wild West. To subscribe, click here. Body&Soul have revealed the details of the talks and debates which will take place during the festival, including wide-ranging discussions about masculinity, social media, the abortion referendum and Irish activism. The talks, which aim to inspire change and ignite debate, will take place at both the Wonderlust and Library of Progress stages. It kicks off on Saturday morning, June 23, with The Irish Times Breakfast Club on the Woodlands Stage. Arts and Culture Editor of the Irish Times, Hugh Linehan, will later explore the underlying absurdities of artificial borders with the help of DJ Calvin James and musician Constance Keane (FEARS). A live recording of the Irish Times Womens podcast will also be broadcast, where in 'The People Have Spoken' host Kathy Sheridan will review the result of the referendum on the eighth Amendment with Anna Cosgrave, founder of the REPEAL Project, and Ailbhe Smyth, co-director of Together For Yes. Delete Your Account will examine whether its time to delete all social media while Activism: Then and Now will look at 50 years of protest movements. Advertisement Another noteworthy talk will see former GAA player Diarmuid Lyng, Blindboy Boatclub of Rubberbandits fame, Colm Mac Con Iomaire and John Cummins discuss the crisis in masculinity. The festival takes place at Ballinlough Castle, Co Westmeath between June 22 and June 24. 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. 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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. Morocco is sensitive about perceived threats to the Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony it annexed in 1975. "Hezbollah sent military officials to Polisario and provided the front with. weapons and trained them on urban warfare", Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told reporters. Polisario fought a guerrilla war for independence until a UN-backed cease-fire was established in 1991. The Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry said Moroccan authorities took time to meticulously examine all the information they have before they made the decision, in all responsibility, to break ties with Iran. The Foreign Affairs' spokesperson responded to the allegations made, the day before, by Morocco's minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nasser Bourita, who announced at a news conference in Rabat that Morocco had chose to cut diplomatic relations with Iran over its "support" to the Polisario Front, the legitimate and only representative of Western Sahara people. Hezbollah denied the allegations, saying Morocco was acting under American, Israeli, and Saudi pressure. Khadad denied any military relations with Iran, saying "the Polisario Front has never had military relations, has never received arms and has never had military contacts with Iran or Hezbollah". Morocco will close its embassy in Tehran and will expel the Iranian ambassador in Rabat, he added. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said it "strongly condemns Iranian interference in Morocco's internal affairs through its tool, Hezbollah's terrorist militia, which is training the elements of the so-called "Polisario" group". The Western Sahara has been split by an earthen wall separating an area controlled by Morocco that it claims as its southern provinces and territory controlled by the Polisario, with a United Nations -mandated buffer zone between them. Morocco and Iran had only recently restored relations after years of enmity stemming from Morocco's support for Bahrain's Sunni monarchy, which quashed a 2011 Arab Spring uprising supported by that country's Shiite majority. The Polisario Front, which dubbed "big lie" Morocco's allegations of military relations between the Polisario and Iran, defied Rabat to produce evidence for its "false allegations". Jay Z Forced To Testify In SEC Stock Fraud Investigation A New York federal judge has granted the Securities Exchange Commissions demand to question rapper Jay-Z without a time limit next week as part of a major securities fraud investigation. I do not intend to tolerate any further delay. U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe ordered the enforcement of the SECs subpoena to press Jay-Z in person on the details of his involvement with the Iconix Brand Group as part of the commissions investigation into possible securities fraud. Claiming that Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has failed to comply with two subpoenas in the last six months, the SEC asked a federal judge in Manhattan last week for an order to show cause. Jay-Z fired back with an 18-page opposition brief drafted by his attorneys. Observing aloud that Jay-Z had skirted the SECs requests for months, Gardephe concluded Tuesday afternoon, I do not intend to tolerate any further delay. The judge said he found that SECs investigation was being conducted for legitimate purposes and that the administrative steps had been followed properly. Jay-Z will appear for one day of SEC questioning at an undisclosed location on May 15, with the possibility of a second day if one is not enough. Gardephe noted that it appears unlikely that the questioning would take more than one day, but shot down any requests for any type of cap, insisting that time limits sometimes incentivize the respondent to waste time. Gardephe issued his order following a dry 20-minute summary of the SECs multiple requests for cooperation from Jay-Z and his attorney Alex Spiro from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP. The rapper did not appear Tuesday in the sepia-hued, first-floor courtroom of Manhattans Thurgood Marshall Courthouse. Following Gardephes order, SEC lawyer Tom Bednar assured the court that the commission would make every effort to get done in one day. The SEC is investigating the New York-based Iconix Brand Group Inc., which bought certain rights associated with Jay-Zs Rocawear apparel brand for more than $200 million in 2008. This past March meanwhile, Iconix announced a $34 million write down of Rocawear that compounds a $169 million write down from 2016. A class action suit against Iconix was held before Judge Gardephe in 2015. In a June 2016 press release announcing DJ Khaled as Rocawears newest brand ambassador, Iconix issued a correction regarding previous claims of Jay-Zs participation in Rocawear, stating, Iconix Brand Group would like to clarify that Jay Z is no longer a stakeholder in Rocawear, nor does he own shares in Iconix Brand Group. Iconix fully oversees the marketing, licensing and production of the Rocawear brand. Along with Rocawear, Iconix owns a diverse portfolio of other fashion brands including London Fog, Ed Hardy, Zoo York, and Madonnas Material Girl line. Jay-Zs attorney, Spiro, said he was satisfied with the decision but otherwise did not take questions from reporters as he left the courthouse Tuesday. Courthouse News Share on: By Mila Gasco-Hernandez Over the past few decades, the challenges faced by local governments, like urban growth and migration, have become increasingly complex and interrelated. In addition to traditional land-use regulation, urban maintenance, production and management of services, governments must meet new demands from different actors regarding water supply, natural-resources sustainability, education, safety, and transportation.2,16 Moreover, cities today compete with one another for companies, tourists, and especially human talent18 while addressing unprecedented socioeconomic crises. Innovation, particularly technological innovation, can help local governments address the challenges of contemporary urban governance, improve the urban environment, increase their competitive edge, and cope with environmental risks. To prevent and manage them, cities must innovate and become smart. Back to Top Key Insights Although current research regarding cities is rich in references to the smart city, it is also fragmented, as smart city is still a fuzzy term that is not used consistently, even by experts.13 This fragmentation is also reproduced in terms of the strategies that different cities follow to become smarter. There is no single route to being smart, and different cities have adopted different approaches that reflect their own very local circumstances. Barcelona, Spain, is viewed as being among the top most advanced smart cities in the world, according to several recent surveys and is thus often considered a model for other cities to follow. Exactly what makes Barcelona smart is a topic worth exploring and could help guide other cities in their own development processes. Barcelona is particularly interesting because it has reinvented itself over the past 30 years. Following an era of traditional manufacturing (mainly textile) and commerce, its economy was near collapse in the 1980s, with stagnation and widespread unemployment. The challenge for Barcelona's governmental leaders was to transform the economy and social profile, moving to a new economy based in knowledge industries, modern-city tourism, and quality infrastructure for residents, investors, and visitors alike. Technology has been an essential tool supporting the multi-faceted innovation process at different times, facilitating an evolution from a 2.0 modela based on e-government initiatives aimed at taking government to citizens through more flexible, straightforward, efficient service, to a 5.0 model, aiming to make the city more inclusive, productive, self-sufficient, innovative, and community-oriented.6,9 Here, I assess Barcelona's smart-city strategy from 2011 to 2014 when Mayor Xavier Trias of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia Party, a liberal, regionalist Catalonian party, was elected, took office, and promoted a political strategy of government-driven innovation based on technology to tackle the city's socioeconomic challenges. Back to Top Characterizing Smart Cities Despite academic attempts to define and conceptually describe a smart city,1,8 there is thus far no universally accepted definition. However, several articles and reports have identified certain urban attributes that can help give us an idea. For example, in 2007, Giffinger et al.10 ranked 70 European cities on six dimensions: smart economy (competitiveness); smart people (human and social capital); smart governance (participation); smart mobility (transport and ICT); smart environment (natural resources); and smart living (quality of life). As a result, they defined a smart city as "a city well performing in a forward-looking way in these six characteristics, built on the 'smart' combination of endowments and activities of self-decisive, independent and aware citizens." Likewise, in 2012, Cohen5 said smart cities could be understood and evaluated through a different set of six dimensionsenvironment, mobility, government, economy, society, and quality of lifeto account for several working areas measured by one or more quantitative indicators. Taking a simpler view, Nam and Pardo15 identified three conceptual dimensions of a smart citytechnology (the key to transforming life and work in a city), people (human capital and education), and community (or support of government and policy)concluding, "A city is smart when investments in human/social capital and IT infrastructure fuel sustainable growth and enhance a quality of life, through participatory governance." In 2014 and 2015, respectively, the IESE Cities in Motion project in Spain11,12 launched a benchmarking effort focusing on smart cities, producing a more complex model because it included 11 dimensions: human capital, social cohesion, economy, public management, governance, mobility, transportation, environment, urban planning, international outreach, and technology. Each one includes multiple different indicators. Meanwhile, in 2012, Chourabi et al.4 presented one of the most comprehensive and integrative frameworks for analyzing smart-city progress, characterizing smart cities based on eight dimensions, both internal and external, affecting design, implementation, and use of smart-city initiatives (see Table 1). It is now used by the Smart Cities Smart Government Research Practice Consortium at the Center for Technology in Government (at the University at Albany-SUNY; https://www.ctg.albany.edu/projects/smartcitiesconsortium) to assess "smartness" in cities worldwide, including Medellin in Colombia, Seattle and Philadelphia in the U.S., and Milan in Italy. I thus consider it to be a valuable tool for analyzing Barcelona's own smart-city strategy. Table 1. Smart-city integrative framework. Back to Top Barcelona's Smartness Although technology has always been at the core of the Barcelona City Council's modernization processes, a notable effort has sought to evolve from an e-government focus to a smart-city focus, gaining momentum after 2011, a year involving a change of the city's government. The new government proclaimed its desire to reinforce Barcelona's smartcity brand as a promoter of a new economy of urban services. The goal was to promote Barcelona as an essential reference for all cities seeking to redirect their economies and external views of themselves following this paradigm.9 The Smart City Expo and World Congress, held for the first time in 2011, helped launch and promote this policy. During the first two years under Mayor Trias, the Barcelona City Council had begun planning new projects, in addition to finishing ones that had already begun (such as the Smart City Campus at 22@ and development of the City Protocolb). Different projects, with links to one another that were not spelled out explicitly, were individually implemented and together made Barcelona smart. However, in 2013, the City Council recognized the importance of having a comprehensive yet explicit smart-city strategy and declared its willingness to become the first truly smart city in Spain. The City Council thus established this definition of a smart city: "a self-sufficient city of productive neighborhoods at human speed, inside a hyper-connected zero emissions metropolitan area." Technology and built infrastructure, economy, people and communities, and natural environment were key components in this characterization. Barcelona's aim was twofold: use new technologies to foster economic growth and improve the well-being of its citizens. The strategy to achieve it included international positioning, international cooperation, and 22 smart local programs implemented primarily by public-private partnerships (see Table 2). The unit in charge of realizing it was Urban Habitat, which is responsible for the maintenance of the city and improving the urban landscape, including urban transformation and regeneration. Table 2. Barcelona's 22 smart local programs following Ferrer6 and Gavald a and Ribera.9 In terms of general results, Ferrer6 reported 85 million of added GDP impact in 2014, as well as 21,600 jobs, of which 1,870 were the direct result of smart-city programs. The City Council invested 53.7 million in smart projects in 2014; in return, for each invested euro from the municipal budget, an additional 0.53 euros were invested by third parties, including private businesses. As reported by Ferrer,6 the projects added 43 million to the city's economic activity between 2011 and 2014. The smart-city projects were also expected at the time to save 9,700 tons of CO2 and 600,000 liters of water consumption annually.6 Galvada and Ribera9 were more skeptical of such projections, arguing that most of the initiatives did not make a clear contribution to environmental sustainability and lacked bottom-up approaches involving people and communities. They also argued that specific projects aimed at making the economy more dynamic had a socially negative impact, because they favored the concentration of talent and an influx of new types of residents in certain districts while displacing people already there, mostly of low-middle socioeconomic status who were vulnerable to increased costs for housing. Barcelona's aim was twofold: use new technologies to foster economic growth and improve the well-being of its citizens. Barcelona is still viewed worldwide as a leading smart city, with several studies ranking it among the smartest in Spain, Europe, and internationally. Additionally, in March 2014, the European Commission awarded it the European Capital of Innovation, or "iCapital," prize for introducing new technologies to stay better connected to citizens (http://ec.europa.eu/research/prizes/icapital/index.cfm?pg=2014). This recognition helped make Barcelona the "Mobile World Capital" through 2023. Meanwhile, the United Nations established its international office for urban resilience in Barcelona and, along with IESE Business School, the Center of Excellence for PPP [public-private partnerships] in Smart Cities. And the World Bank identified Barcelona as a knowledge hub for exploring the use of ICT in city management. Analysis. Table 2 outlines the city's comprehensive strategy, including programs and projects aimed at developing the eight dimensions of the Chourabi et al. framework.4 However, many specific projects focused mainly on technology and built infrastructure, which was consistent with the city's previous expertise in the use of technology. I analyzed the program's specific contributions to the various dimensions by conducting 19 semistructured interviews with Barcelona city officials and stakeholders, including the former deputy mayor for urban development of the Barcelona City Council, former e-government and smart cities directors of the Barcelona City Council, managing director of 22@, and several academic experts. Regarding management and organizational issues, Barcelona's management and organizational structure were part of a broader management model based on new public management and thus on territorial decentralization, service externalization, and adoption of managerial tools (such as strategic plans), an approach with technology at its core. Castells and Olle3 wrote that for a long time, Barcelona's governance paradigm focused on deployment of the Internet to help increase internal efficiency in local government, improving public services, and rearticulating city governance processes. Meanwhile, Mayor Trias actively supported development of the smart city. So did the Urban Habitat department, politically and technically. The Computer Municipal Institute also helped implement the strategy, adapting to its evolution, from siloed to citywide effort. Technology was, and still is, at the core of the Barcelona urban-development model and essential crosswise tool supporting the innovation process. Unlike many other cities, Barcelona's key smart projects reflected and continue to reflect the strategic use of technology in development of a smart city.8 Regarding governance, Barcelona involved several local and regional stakeholders in the definition and implementation of its smart-city strategy, particularly businesses and universities. Indeed, public-private partnerships and collaboration with other public administrations proved highly effective in the implementation of the various local programs, though each such program has been managed differently. In the case of Barcelona, a lot of support/cooperation thus came from the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, particularly in relation to wider projects that included other areas in Catalonia, in addition to Barcelona. Cooperation with other cities in Spain, along with European Union support, was also important. However, this involvement essentially took place by adopting a top-down perspective, with the Barcelona City Council leading efforts in the city: though other actors participated, the City Council provided explicit direction regarding strategy, programs, and projects in the smart-city effort. In terms of policy context, the smartcity strategy clearly expanded while always keeping in mind the need to prioritize urban-transformational projects. However, the strategy's political and institutional components proved fragile after a new government took office in May 2015, replacing Mayor Trias. The new officials, including the new mayor and her appointees, offered no enthusiasm for or agreement with the smartcity strategy, resulting in cancellation of most of its projects and development of another vision for the city (called Barcelona Digital City http://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/digital/en). Even under Mayor Trias, Barcelona had rarely implemented projects that required the participation of individuals and groups or communities. Generally speaking, there was a lack of bottom-up approaches. The failed electronic consultation on the 2010 transformation of Diagonal Avenue, the city's main street, forced the City Council to be cautious regarding any citizen participation. Additionally, citizens were not aware what it means to develop a smart city, with many not knowing what a smart city even is, thus further inhibiting their participation. Barcelona has a dynamic economy. The city was awarded the European Capital of Innovation (iCapital designation) in March 2014 for promoting a broad-based innovation culture. Other economic factors also made it particularly competitive, including an entrepreneurial culture and promotion of technology-based economic activities in specific districts. The economic boost Barcelona experienced followed the same pattern as its smart strategy, following both the City Council and the Autonomous Government of Catalonia. Over the past 30 years, Barcelona has prioritized development of technological infrastructure. In particular, following the Barcelona 2.0 model framework and local elections in 2007, it implemented several projects, including Barcelona WiFi (a service allowing citizens to connect to the Internet through WiFi access points) and the WiFi mesh network (a municipal network for ubiquitous services). In 2011, it further invested in physical and technological infrastructure. The projects under the 22@ umbrella regarding urban transformation and urban innovation motivated development of a modern network of energy, telecommunications, district heating, and pneumatic garbage-collection systems. Figure. Torre Agbar (Agbar Tower) in Barcelona is covered with more than 4,500 luminous devices capable of creating 16 million colors. Regarding the natural environment, many Barcelona smart-city projects were designed to help deliver environmental sustainability but achieved no clear goals. Gavalda and Ribera9 reported, "The effects of the economic crisis have put in standby the achievement of higher levels of quality of life and have paralyzed investments in environmental sustainability at macro level." It is a revealing statement for a city aiming to achieve sustainability, including self-sufficiency, eco-efficiency, and zero emissions. Back to Top Conclusion Three main conclusions arise from the analysis I have presented here. First, Barcelona's smart-city strategy has evolved over time. Before 2011, but also during the first two years of Mayor Trias's term, 2011 to 2013, the model the city pursued was intended to make Barcelona a smarter city by providing a local public administration that was simple, effective, closely connected to citizens, ubiquitous, and innovative. Barcelona was getting smart essentially through e-government/e-governance programs and projects, but there was no overall smart-city strategy that embraced these projects, linking them and giving them purpose. However, in 2013, such links and direction did start to attract public attention and support. Second, two years of financial and political investment was not enough by itself to make the city smart. Although several projects were implemented in 2013 and 2014, by the end of 2014, there were still no clear results. Moreover, most smart-city-related accomplishments were reported in terms of output (such as number of things done and number of users) rather than outcomes (such as economic growth or environmental improvement). Also, although Barcelona's approach to urban transformation followed a long-term vision, the change of government in May 2015 when Mayor Trias was voted out of office showed his vision was not shared, hindering its sustainability and the possibility to earn a greater return on the financial and political investment already made. Even so, Barcelona's reputation as a smart city remains positive. Indeed, Barcelona is viewed by urban planners and scholars, as well as progressive politicians worldwide, as a leading smart city to which many other cities turn for inspiration and real-world guidance. Barcelona invested financially and politically to build a smart city, with mixed results but successfully established a brandthe Barcelona Smart Cityby following a city-management model that had already proved successful. Finally, following Mintzberg,14 Barcelona's smart-city strategy was driven more by deliberate components than by emergent components, or learning and interacting with stakeholders. It was the City Council that conceptualized the smart-city strategy and implemented it, involving other actors, mainly businesses and research centers and universities, to pursue what it thought was best. However, ordinary citizens did not have a say nor did they understand the smart-city concept. The city's aim was to become smarter for the benefit of its citizens but without including or educating them. No smart city can involve its citizens only as recipients of its interventions but include them as partners deciding the type of city they want to live in when designing, implementing, and evaluating related projects. What lessons can Barcelona teach other public managers and politicians? My research found that management and organization, governance, people, and communities are especially important dimensions when planning a smart-city initiative. On one hand, Barcelona's experience shows that real projects matter but that public image and marketing are also important. Barcelona's smart-city marketing strategy has indeed proved even more successful than the city's "real" strategy. Clear vision and strategy are also crucial. On the other hand, a smart city's sustainability depends on sharing the vision and goals with key stakeholders who might end up being responsible for continuing work begun by others. A smart city is not just another technological project but long-term urban transformation defining the type of city the public wants to live in, a decision that cannot be changed with each new election. Finally, no smart city can involve its citizens only as recipients of its interventions but include them as partners deciding the type of city they want to live in when designing, implementing, and evaluating related projects. No matter how advanced a city is technologically, what drives smartness is the capacity of public organizations and public servants to plan, implement, and assess a strategy, as well as engage citizens and other stakeholders in its development. From a practical point of view, this entails developing a city model co-conceptualized and co-implemented with ordinary citizens and other stakeholders. Figure. Watch the author discuss her work in this exclusive Communications video. https://cacm.acm.org/videos/building-a-smart-city Back to Top References 1. AlAwadhi, S. and Scholl, H.J. Aspirations and realizations: The Smart City of Seattle. In Proceedings of the 46th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (Maui, HI, Jan. 710). IEEE Computer Society Press 2013, 16951703. 2. Albrechts, L. Shifts in strategic spatial planning? Some evidence from Europe and Australia. Environment and Planning A 38, 6 (2006), 11491170. 3. Castells, M. and Olle, E. El Model Barcelona II: L'Ajuntament de Barcelona a la Societat Xarxa. Research Report. Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, 2004; http://www.uoc.edu/in3/pic/cat/pdf/PIC_Ajuntament_0_0.pdf 4. Chourabi, H., Nam, T., Walker, S., Gil-Garcia, J.R., Mellouli, S., Nahon, K., Pardo, T., and Scholl, H.J. Understanding smart cities: An integrative framework. In Proceedings of the 45th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (Maui, HI, Jan. 47) IEEE Computer Society Press, 2012, 22892297. 5. Cohen, B. What exactly is a smart city? Fast Company (Sept. 9, 2012); https://www.fastcodesign.com/1680538/what-exactly-is-a-smart-city 6. Ferrer, J.R. Barcelona 5.0. A Roman Village Transforming into a Smart City. PowerPoint presentation. Smart Cities: Innovating in City Management (Apr. 15, 2015). 7. Gasco, M. Smart cities: Un fenomeno en auge. ESADE Alumni Magazine (Feb.-Mar. 2015), 2022. 8. Gasco, M., Trivellato, B., and Cavenago, D. How do Southern European cities foster innovation? Lessons from the experience of the smart city approaches of Barcelona and Milan. Chapter in Smarter As the New Urban Agenda: A Comprehensive View of the 21st Century City, J.R. Gil-Garcia, T. Pardo, and T. Nam, Eds. Springer, New York, 2015, 191216. 9. Gavalda, J. and Ribera, R. Barcelona 5.0: From Knowledge to Smartness? Working Paper Series, WP12-002. Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain 2012; http://in3-working-paper-series.uoc.edu/in3/en/index.php/in3-working-paper-series/article/download/1590/1590-4557-1-PB.pdf 10. Giffinger, R., Fertner, C., Kramar, H., Kalasek, R., Pichler-Milanovic, N., and Meijers, E. Smart Cities: Ranking of European Medium-Sized Cities. Research Report. Center of Regional Science, Viena UT, Vienna, Austria, 2007; http://www.smart-cities.eu/download/smart_cities_final_report.pdf 11. IESE Cities in Motion. Cities in motion Index 2015. IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain 2015; http://www.iese.edu/research/pdfs/ST-0366-E.pdf 12. IESE Cities in Motion. Cities in motion Index 2014. IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain, 2014; http://www.iese.edu/research/pdfs/ST-0396-E.pdf 13. Meijer, A. and Rodriguez-Bolivar, P. Governing the smart city: A review of the literature on smart urban governance. International Review of Administrative Science 82, 2 (2016), 392408. 14. Mintzberg H. The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning. Free Press, New York, 1994. 15. Nam. T. and Pardo, T. Smart city as urban innovation: Focusing on management, policy, and context. In Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (Tallinn, Estonia, Sept. 2628). ACM Press, New York, 2011, 185194. 16. Naphade, M., Banavar, G., Harrison, C., Paraszczak, J., and Morris, R. Smarter cities and their innovation challenges. Computer 44, 6 (June 2011), 3239. 17. Yin, R. Case study research. Chapter in Design and Methods, Fourth Edition. SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2009. 18. Zenker, S., Eggers, F., and Farsky, M. Putting a price tag on cities: Insights into the competitive environment of places. Cities 30 (Feb. 2013), 133139. Back to Top Author Mila Gasco-Hernandez (mgasco@ctg.albany.edu) is the Associate Research Director of the Center for Technology in Government and a research associate professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at Rockefeller College at the University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA. Back to Top Copyright held by the author. Publication rights licensed to ACM. Request permission to publish from permissions@acm.org The Digital Library is published by the Association for Computing Machinery. Copyright 2018 ACM, Inc. Why? The National Smart City Strategy aims to improve the overall quality of life in Dutch cities and introduce innovative solutions to increase our international competitive strength. As Dutch towns and cities are expanding and the pressure on public services and infrastructure increases, it is vital to take action now. The cities involved agree that investment in smart technology is necessary to respond to these major social challenges. It can potentially also contribute to the economic vitality. The contributors of the National Smart City Strategy perceive a great need for high-end digital infrastructure and room to experiment. This will allow pilot programs to develop into large-scale projects across a range of different areas. These include mobility and accessibility of cities, sustainable and low-energy homes and buildings, improvements of air quality and smart, healthy urbanization. Global smart city market growth will accelerate in 2018 according to a new report from business information provider IHS Markit. The report reveals that options are quickly expanding in the market, thanks to narrowband-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) and Long Term Evolution category-M1 (LTE Cat-M1) deployments. In its Market Insight report, IHS Markit divides the IoT market into the following categories: connect, collect, compute and create. The following describes the top four trends within these categories, which will shape the smart city market in 2018 and beyond. Funding on the rise Lack of funding has been one of the main issues within the smart city market; however, new public and private initiatives are tackling this problem fostering market growth for 2018 and beyond. Few initiatives were launched in 2017, but more are expected to come in the following years. Australia and other governments recently launched national challenges and funding in order to speed the growth of their smart city sectors. The industry is also providing funding. For example, in November 2017, Cisco announced a $1 billion financing program to help cities develop smart city solutions. Smart city platforms gather momentum The smart city platform is the brain enabling the creation of a smart city, shattering siloes and unlocking its real data-driven potential, said Pablo Tomasi, senior analyst, smart cities and IoT, IHS Markit. They are a key element for the long-term smart city vision, and companies of all types are focusing on them. Multiple competitors have found opportunity in the platform space, including network vendors, telecom operators, software vendors and application providers. Along with market expansion in 2018, competition among platform developers is ramping up. A new wave of technologies rises on top of the IoT New technologies are also expanding on top of the IoT. Machine learning and artificial intelligence, edge computing, drones and blockchain, are now part of smart cities, Tomasi said, Their importance will grow in 2018 and they will doubtless play a defining role in the future. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) include video analytics and chatbots, like those deployed in Los Angeles this year, to provide citizens with information and answers about city services. There is also increasing industry attention on edge computing, as Microsoft, Huawei and Dell focus on these types of solutions. Drones, used for maintenance and security, and blockchain, used to improve government services, will also accelerate in smart cities. Smart cities are blurring the line between smart homes and smart regions Smart cities are now entering the smart home through mobile apps and digital assistants. To communicate with their citizens, Los Angeles and Las Vegas both launched Alexa skills in the last two years, and Las Vegas even created its own channel, bringing city content to owners of Apple TV and Roku. These types of developments are not the end of the road, but rather the starting point, Tomasi said. Future industry evolution will facilitate payments and permitting through a smart-city to smart-home axis. Source: http://www.smartbuildingsmagazine.com/news/global-smart-city-market-growth-to-accelerate-in-2018 Residents living around Placa del Sol joke that theirs is the only square where, despite the name, rain is preferable. Rain means fewer people gather to socialise and drink, reducing noise for the flats overlooking the square. Residents know this with considerable precision because theyve developed a digital platform for measuring noise levels and mobilising action. I was told the joke by Remei, one of the residents who, with her citizen scientist neighbours, are challenging assumptions about Big Data and the Smart City. The Smart City and data sovereignty The Smart City is an alluring prospect for many city leaders. Even if you havent heard of it, you may have already joined in by looking up bus movements on your phone, accessing Council services online or learning about air contamination levels. By inserting sensors across city infrastructures and creating new data sources - including citizens via their mobile devices Smart City managers can apply Big Data analysis to monitor and anticipate urban phenomena in new ways, and, so the argument goes, efficiently manage urban activity for the benefit of smart citizens. Barcelona has been a pioneering Smart City. The Councils business partners have been installing sensors and opening data platforms for years. Not everyone is comfortable with this technocratic turn. After Ada Colau was elected Mayor on a mandate of democratising the city and putting citizens centre-stage, digital policy has sought to go beyond the Smart City. Chief Technology Officer Francesca Bria is opening digital platforms to greater citizen participation and oversight. Worried that the citys knowledge was being ceded to tech vendors, the Council now promotes technological sovereignty. On the surface, the noise project in Placa del Sol is an example of such sovereignty. It even features in Council presentations. Look more deeply, however, and it becomes apparent that neighbourhood activists are really appropriating new technologies into the old-fashioned politics of community development. Community developments Placa de Sol has always been a meeting place. But as the neighbourhood of Gracia has changed, so the intensity and character of socialising in the square has altered. More bars, restaurants, hotels, tourists and youngsters have arrived, and Placa del Sols long-standing position as venue for large, noisy groups drinking late into the night has become more entrenched. For years, resident complaints to the Council fell on deaf ears. For the Council, Gracia signified an open, welcoming city and leisure economy. Residents I spoke with were proud of their vibrant neighbourhood. But they recalled a more convivial square, with kids playing games and families and friends socialising. Visitors attracted by Gracias atmosphere also contributed to it, but residents in Placa del Sol felt this had become a nuisance. It is a story familiar to many cities. Much urban politics turns on the negotiation of convivial uses of space. What made Placa del Sol stand out can be traced to a group of technology activists who got in touch with residents early in 2017. The activists were seeking participants in their project called Making Sense, which sought to resurrect a struggling Smart Citizen Kit for environmental monitoring. The idea was to provide residents with the tools to measure noise levels, compare them with officially permissible levels, and reduce noise in the square. More than 40 neighbours signed up and installed 25 sensors on balconies and inside apartments. The neighbours had what project coordinator Mara Balestrini from Ideas for Change calls a matter of concern. The earlier Smart Citizen Kit had begun as a technological solution looking for a problem: a crowd-funded gadget for measuring pollution, whose data users could upload to a web-platform for comparison with information from other users. Early adopters found the technology trickier to install than developers had presumed. Even successful users stopped monitoring because there was little community purpose. A new approach was needed. Noise in Placa del Sol provided a problem for this technology fix. Through meetings and workshops residents learnt about noise monitoring, and, importantly, activists learnt how to make technology matter for residents. The noise data they generated, unsurprisingly, exceeded norms recommended by both the World Health Organisation and municipal guidelines. Residents were codifying something already known: their square is very noisy. However, in rendering their experience into data, these citizen scientists could also compare their experience with official noise levels, refer to scientific studies about health impacts, and correlate levels to different activities in the square during the day and night. The project decided to compare their square with other places in the city. At this point, they discovered the Councils Sentilo Smart City platform already included a noise monitor in their square. Officials had been monitoring noise but not publicising the open data. Presented with citizen data, officials initially challenged the competence of resident monitoring, even though official data confirmed a noise problem. But as Rosa, one of the residents, said to me, This is my data. They cannot deny it. Thick data Residents were learning that data is rarely neutral. The kinds of data gathered, the methods used, how it gets interpreted, what gets overlooked, the context in which it is generated, and by whom, and what to do as a result, are all choices that shape the facts of a matter. For experts building Big Data city platforms, one sensor in one square is simply a data point. On the other side of that point, however, are residents connecting that data to life in all its richness in their square. Anthropologist Clifford Geertz argued many years ago that situations can only be made meaningful through thick description. Applied to the Smart City, this means data cannot really be explained and used without understanding the contexts in which it arises and gets used. Data can only mobilise people and change things when it becomes thick with social meaning. Noise data in Placa del Sol was becoming thick with social meaning. Collective data gathering proved more potent than decibel levels alone: it was simultaneously mobilising people into changing the situation. Noise was no longer an individual problem, but a collective issue. And it was no longer just noise. The data project arose through face-to-face meetings in a physical workshop space. Importantly, this meant that neighbours got to know one another better, and had reasons for discussing life in the square when they bumped into one another. Attention turned to solutions. A citizen assembly convened in the square one weekend publicised the campaign and discuss ideas with passers-by. Some people wanted the local police to impose fines on noisy drinkers, whereas others were wary of heavy-handed approaches. Some suggested installing a childrens playground. Architects helped locals examine material changes that could dampen sound. The Council response has been cautious. New flowerbeds along one side of the square remove steps where groups used to sit and drink. Banners and community police officers remind people to respect the neighbourhood. The Council recently announced plans for a movable playground (whose occupation of the centre of the square can be removed for events, like the Festa Major de Gracia). Residents will be able to monitor how these interventions change noise in the square. Their demands confront an established leisure economy. As local councillor Robert Soro explained to me, convivial uses have also to address the interests of bar owners, public space managers, tourism, commerce, and others. Beyond economic issues are questions of rights to public space, young peoples needs to socialise, neighbouring squares worried about displaced activity, the Councils vision for Gracia, and of course, the residents suffering the noise. The politics beneath Smart City platforms For the Council, technology activists, and residents of Placa del Sol, data alone cannot solve their issues. Data cannot transcend the lively and contradictory social worlds that it measures. If data is to act then it needs ultimately to be brought back into those generative social contexts - which, as Jordi Giro at the Catalan Confederation of Neighbourhood Associations reminds us, means cultivating people skills and political capacity. Going beyond the Smart City demands something its technocratic efficiency is supposed to make redundant: investment in old-fashioned, street-level skills in community development. Technology vendors cannot sell such skills. They are cultivated through the kinds of community activism that first brought Ada Colau to prominence, and eventually into office. Adrian Smith is Professor of Technology and Society at the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex, and Visiting Professor at the Centro de Innovacion en Tecnologia para el Desarrollo Humano at the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid. This blog comes from a European research project analysing the knowledge politics of smart urbanism. He is on Twitter as @smithadrianpaul Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2018/apr/18/smart-cities-need-thick-data-not-big-data Certain smart cities around the world are leading by example. By examining the solutions that are delivering the highest impact, these best practices can be more widely adopted to replicate their success. This smart city portrait provides an overview on the smart city strategy and intelligent solutions implemented in the City of Barcelona. Barcelonas Smart City Strategy Barcelona is no newcomer to the smart city scene. In 2011 it launched a project designed to make the city more innovative, listing the sustainability of energy use and of mobility, open data initiatives, flexible smart services and social initiatives as key areas for development, and it encouraged connections among researchers in both the public and private sectors with a focus on these topics. One major early step for Barcelona was to establish new technological infrastructure on a massive scale to support and improve upon the citys services. It created citywide networks of different types of sensors, providing real-time feedback on everything from air quality to noise, energy and waste management. Coupled with free WiFi around the city, this new level of connectivity and data collection allowed Barcelona to become a testbed for smart projects driven by the Internet of Things. Barcelona was officially recognized as a smart city back in 2014 by the European Commission, taking the very first European Capital of Innovation prize for "introducing the use of new technologies to bring the city closer to citizens".[1] The city had indeed pursued the application of technology to generate smart solutions for the problems most relevant to its citizens but with mixed results. Barcelona shows us that it is people, not technology, that make a city smarter" , says Dr. Alexander Gelsin, Managing Director at bee smart city. The Catalonian capital is now taking steps to re-focus its smart city strategy toward a less top-down-style, more citizen-centric approach, in agreement with bee smart citys assessment of the use of technology to make cities smarter.[2] It plans to sort out the successes from the failures and to ask how its technology and its initiatives can be applied differently to better serve its citizens. This new focus was confirmed in June 2016 with the appointment of a new Chief Technology and Digital Innovation Officer, Francesca Bria, to the Barcelona City Council. Brias strong background in digital ecosystems, in terms of their collaborative creation and their socio-economic impact,[3] puts her in a good position to respond to the brief she was given for the council position: to rethink the smart city from the ground up.[4] Barcelona A Smart City Getting Smarter Brias task is to ensure that the development and implementation of smart technologies in Barcelona matches the evolving goals of the city, starting with an examination of what worked and what didnt. There are a few clear success stories: based on feedback from its sensor networks, the city has been able to make reductions in its water use on public lands and consequent monetary savings and to improve its public transportation services, including providing live updates to travelers so that they can make smarter transport choices. One less helpful outcome involved the use of electromagnetic street-side parking sensors, which were intended to show the availability of spaces (smart parking) but which were triggered by the presence of trains stopping in underground rail stations, leaving empty spaces to be incorrectly signed as occupied. Results like these are now allowing both the city of Barcelona and its US-based technology partner Cisco to refine their smart systems, or to abandon the projects which had negative outcomes in favor of supporting the more useful ones. Smart city efforts often fail in the implementation of smart city solutions. The key to getting smarter is to connect strategy design with delivery. It begins with asking the right questions and ends with a clear view of who is accountable , knows Bart Gorynski, Managing Director at bee smart city. But Barcelonas smart city strategy is being adapted not only to further serve its citizens, but to include them more directly in the development of their city. Through both face-to-face and electronic consultation, the city aims to increase the transparency of its government, and has proposed the creation of an open platform where the data being gathered by its vast Internet of Things can be shared with the people and companies responsible for producing it (see also: benefits of open data for smart cities). Barcelonas Internet of Things An important next step for Barcelona will be to unify its platforms so that more of its technological systems can be integrated, allowing new functionalities and enabling the generation of a single go-to point for the volumes of collected data. Data ownership and data protection issues must then be addressed so that Barcelona can make this important resource its city data commons[5] available to its people and businesses, who could use the information to strengthen their economic position. Some of the citys more recent plans reveal Barcelonas focus on its key problems, and they promise to make even better use of its established Internet of Things. Examples include: The Air Quality Improvement Plan, involving various political and technological initiatives designed to reduce the level of air pollution in the city. The Urban Mobility Plan, set to ensure "safe, sustainable, equitable and efficient mobility".[6] Affordable Housing Barcelona is putting together a register of rental properties and vacant properties, which it plans to make available as a map online. The creation of this map and listing should make it easier to identify affordable housing, which is a major problem in many cities worldwide.[4] The city will also target businesses whose practices can lead to rises in housing prices.[7] Barcelonas Smart City Solutions These three broad plans are by no means the limit of Barcelonas smart city initiatives. It has invested heavily in technology-based smart city solutions to tackle the biggest problems for its citizens. Making the city greener has been a clear positive outcome of many of these projects. Sustainability Initiatives The citys official website[8] offers access to several smart city services directly. For example, up-to-date assessments of air quality, in terms of NO 2 and PM 10 concentrations, are provided on the city websites home page for different locations around the city.[9] The monitor is color-coded and links directly to a page displaying a map of the air quality across the city, accompanied by explanations of the sources of pollution, with a big finger pointed at the use of cars. This has become one of the key concerns for Barcelonas citizens, who live in the city with the highest vehicle density in Europe.[10] The regulations governing pollution sources are also outlined, along with how they are being applied and developed to reduce pollution and improve the citys air. As mentioned previously, sensors on public lands have helped to reduce water consumption in those spaces, which has led to both big water and cost savings for the city. Street lights across Barcelona were replaced with a sensor network and LED-based lighting (read more on: smart lighting), which is significantly more energy efficient, reducing the waste heat given off by the old lamps and leading to cost savings for the city. Allowing control over the level of lighting also offered the unexpected benefit of being able to attract people toward specific locations of interest around the city. Barcelonas smart waste disposal system sees its citizens depositing their household waste into smart bins, which suck the waste into underground storage using vacuum.[11] This reduces noise pollution from collection vehicles and the smell of rubbish waiting to be collected. It also allows the city to monitor the level of waste coming from different areas and to optimize waste collection, which reduces both the time and resources required for this important service. The incineration of waste is later used to generate energy for heating systems. Enabling Initiatives Barcelonas Fab Labs, hosted by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, are classrooms where citizens can learn about the principles, applications and implications of digital manufacturing technology.[12] The Fab Labs allow citizens access to the information and tools needed to innovate technologically, allowing their engagement with and informed participation in the citys tech-driven smart city projects. For those who already have the skills, Barcelona has created 22@Barcelona,[13] a space designed to attract startups, concentrating talent in order to develop new technologies that make the most of the data being produced by its Internet of Things (IoT). This has already led to several successful pilot projects, including some market successes centered on mobility and parking. Barcelonas technology partner Cisco also plans to establish an innovation center there to research the Internet of Everything, its third in the world and the only one in Europe. Encouraging the further participation of citizens in government processes, Decidim.Barcelona[14] is Barcelonas participatory democracy platform. It allows the people to see and discuss proposals being put forward by their government, as well as to submit their own. Mobility Initiatives The improvements to Barcelonas public transportation system mentioned above also include an increase in the frequency of buses, making it a more effective system, and the addition of USB charging stations at its new interactive, solar-powered bus stops. Back in 2007, Barcelona set up a bike sharing program for city residents, Bicing, which now boasts over 120,000 subscribers. Each subscriber is provided with a card to unlock any of the citys bikes, which are free to use for short journeys of up to thirty minutes. While longer journeys using the bikes are not encouraged, such use attracts only a small hourly fee thereafter.[15] Barcelona now encourages the use of electronic cars to reduce reliance on the more polluting variety, and the city has now initiated a pedestrian-first policy in a certain area known as its superblock, restricting all vehicular traffic to no more than 10 kph.[16] Cities that embark on the journey to become smart cities should start by harvesting low-hanging fruit. By adapting or replicating the best practices of leading smart cities and communities, quick wins can be generated with minimal resources, providing more time, money, and personnel for follow-up projects , recommends Thomas Muller, Co-Founder at bee smart city. FREE ACCESS TO ADAPTABLE & REPLICABLE SMART CITY SOLUTIONS Explore more than 300 solutions that have been implemented successfully in over 100 cities around the world. Subscribe to THE SMART CITY SOLUTIONS DATABASE. Sources: [1] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-239_en.htm, accessed Jan 3, 2018. [2] https://hub.beesmart.city/strategy/towards-a-new-paradigm-of-the-smart-city, accessed Jan 6, 2018. [3] https://francescabria.wordpress.com/, accessed Jan 3, 2018. [4] https://www.ft.com/content/6d2fe2a8-722c-11e7-93ff-99f383b09ff9, accessed Jan 3, 2018. [5] http://accio.gencat.cat/cat/binaris/ajuntament-bcn-francesca-bria_tcm176-246943.pdf, accessed Jan 8, 2018. [6] http://mobilitat.ajuntament.barcelona.cat/en/, accessed Jan 3, 2018. [7] https://www.greenbiz.com/article/barcelona-technology-means-end-smart-city, accessed Jan 9, 2018. [8] http://lameva.barcelona.cat/en/home, accessed Jan 3, 2018. [9] http://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/qualitataire/, accessed Jan 3, 2018. [10] http://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/qualitataire/en/noticia/did-you-know-that-barcelona-is-the-city-with-the-highest-vehicle-density-in-europe, accessed Jan 3, 2018. [11] https://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/4175829/20140226/ten-reasons-why-barcelona-is-smart-city.html, accessed Jan 8, 2018. [12] https://fablabbcn.org/about_us.html, accessed Jan 6, 2018. [13] http://www.22barcelona.com/content/blogcategory/43/848/lang,en/, accessed Jan 8, 2018. [14] https://www.decidim.barcelona/, accessed Jan 9, 2018. [15] https://www.barcelonayellow.com/bcn-transport/78-bicing-city-bikes, accessed Jan 9, 2018. [16] https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/barcelona-smart-city-technology/, accessed Jan 8, 2018. Source: https://hub.beesmart.city/city-portraits/smart-city-portrait-barcelona Airport Manager Gloria Bouillon outlined the airport's recent past and future on Tuesday. Pittsfield Airport Manager Sees Growth In The Future A repaving project is underway at the airport now. PITTSFIELD, Mass. When the 2008 recession hit, the airport saw a significant decrease in users. Its revenues were down. The number of planes housed there was down. The planes flying in and out were down. But a few years later, the state Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, and the city launched a $22 million project to expand the main runway. That project called or a massive amount of excavation and rebuilding to level out the grounds -- the airport sits on somewhat of a plateau from its surrounding areas. The runway was extended by 1,400 feet and extended buffer zones were added at the end of each side for safety. What that meant was that the Pittsfield Municipal Airport could not attract larger planes. Jeff DeCarlo, administrator of MassDOT's aeronautics division, said the airport is now similar in size to that in Orange County where he once would land 757s. "This is really a super airport," DeCarlo said. "They can fly a global jet out of here." Now, five years after that was completed, Airport Manager Gloria Bouillon says the airport struggles to keep up with the demand. There are a dozen jets based there and 39 smaller planes. That's nearly as many as the airport had at its peak. "With the heavy jet operations, we are considered a business, corporate airport. And we've been increasing our numbers," Bouillon said, and later adding, "we've had a 40 percent growth in three years and we are at maximum capacity due to the inability to hangar an aircraft. We have a need for smaller hangars and more infrastructure to meet the demand. We have a waiting list of 30." She said she's seen an increase in businesses looking to fly in and out, manufacturers, and colleges and universities. With that, Boulion is hoping to continue with the growth. But, that will take more capital project in the future -- particularly hangars and a new administration building. "We have hangars needing capital improvements. Some of our constraints is trying to develop the capital funding to better serve our tenant and meet the demand," she said. And there is plenty of room. The airport has some 600 acres. About 32 of the acres left to be developed is proposed to be used for solar arrays, which have been cited as a major gamechanger for the airport's finances. "It is going to be the biggest municipal airport project in Massachusetts. We are looking at around 32 acres," Bouillon said, estimating that over the course of a 30-year agreement the airport will see some $6.8 million in lease income and the city will see $6.5 million in taxes. For years the city had been subsidizing the airport's enterprise budget. The airport, even with only a couple staff members, was costing the city more than the airport was taking in. That trend is slowly reversing, Bouillon said, with more landing fees and an increased cost for landing. The airport operates on a $270,000 budget and for the last three years, revenues have increased by $38,000. Administrator Jeff DeCarlo praised the work that has been done. Right now, the airport is closed for another capital project. While the main runway was extended, the secondary and the existing primary runway still had old pavement. For the next 85 days, the airport is closed for a $6.6 million renovation. "There has been a lot of rehabilitation, a lot of cracks repaired for this runway. As a pilot, when you land on the runway you can feel each bump," Bouillon said. The airport has put new fencing up, installed security cameras, and have begun crafting a new master plan to help guide the future growth. Next up, Bouillon said the construction of a new administration building is in line for 2021. The existing building was constructed in 1964 and is not only outdated, but the use of the airport has changed significantly since then, she said. That project is eyed to relocate the building to make way for a new taxiway renovation. That'll help aircraft get off the airport faster. MassDOT has shown continual support for all of those construction projects. Thmajorityy of the funds for each project had come from the FAA and MassDOT. But Bouillon said there is still a lot to do to keep up with the trends. "The airport property is very vast so we do have the ability to expand," Bouillon said. Bouillon gave a presentation about the airport to MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack on Tuesday. Pollack toured the airport after the briefing. She was joined by Mayor Linda Tyer, Director of Community Development Deanna Ruffer, and numerous construction and airport officials. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) Fast-food giant Jollibee Food Corporation (JFC) will invest in nearly half of the buyer of the dim sum chain Tim Ho Wan master franchise holder for Asia Pacific, a venture that will eventually allow substantial control of the master franchise. In a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday, JFC announced it will invest up to SG$45 million, or around P1.74 billion, in Singaporean company Titan Dining LP. Titan is a private equity fund that will acquire 100 percent of the Asia Pacific franchise holder of the Tim Ho Wan brand, Tim Ho Wan Pte. Ltd. (THWPL), and its affiliate Dim Sum Pte. Ltd. (DSPL), which owns and operates Tim Ho Wan stores in Singapore According to the disclosure, THWPL holds the exclusive long-term master franchise to operate the "Tim Ho Wan" food and beverage business within the Asia Pacific region, excluding Hong Kong. Aside from DSPL in Singapore, THWPL also has franchisees in Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and the Philippines. Jollibee said Titan has a fund size of SG$100 million (around P3.88 billion). JFC's planned investment will result in a 45 percent share, and the rest from other investors. "This agreement provides JFC the opportunity to acquire a substantial ownership in Tim Ho Wan's master franchise in the Asia Pacific region when the term of the fund ends in 7 years, through a purchase mechanism that is provided for in the agreement with Titan Dining LP. To prepare for this eventuality, JFC will operate as a franchisee of Tim Ho Wan in Shanghai, People's Republic of China," the fast-food giant said. The company is looking forward to growing its investment in the future. "This investment gives JFC the opportunity to have a significant interest in the Tim Ho Wan franchise in the long term and will bring very healthy financial returns to JFC," said JFC Chairperson Tony Tan Caktiong in a statement. Tim Ho Wan began in Hong Kong in 2009. It is a dim sum restaurant that earned the coveted Michelin star -- an international ranking for restaurants -- the same year it was established. It has several branches in malls in Metro Manila, often attended by long lines to get in during peak hours. "Our long term interest in Tim Ho Wan is in line with JFC's mission: to serve great tasting food and spread the joy of eating to everyone," Caktiong added. JFC is no stranger to serving Chinese cuisine. Chowking, Yonghe King and Hong Zhuang Yan in China, three brands under JFC, account for nearly a fourth of the company's profits last year. It operates 2,895 restaurant outlets in the Philippines, including the brands Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal and Burger King. JFC operates an additional 943 stores abroad. As of last month, JFC also acquired a sizeable share in U.S. fast-food chain Smashburger. The Adams Cheshire Regional School Committee publicly congratulated first-grade teacher April Mazzeo at its May 7 meeting. Hoosac Valley Elementary First-Grade Teacher Honored April Mazzeo received her award on May 3 at MCLA. CHESHIRE, Mass. On May 3, Hoosac Valley Elementary School first-grade teacher April Mazzeo was one of several teachers who received a Berkshire County Educator Recognition Award. On Monday night, the Adams Cheshire Regional School Committee publicly congratulated her at its meeting. Mazzeo met with the school committee Monday after receiving the award, given by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in collaboration with Berkshire County K-12 superintendents and Berkshire Community College. The award, now in its eighth year, was created to honor the region's exceptional teachers. "I am honored to receive this award for myself as well as the district. This is the place I think of as my forever home," Mazzeo said. "I love it here and it is an amazing place to work." Hoosac Valley Elementary School Principal Michele Colvin said Mazzeo came to the district in 2014 and is "that teacher." "She is the one who played school as a little girl and dreamed her whole life of becoming a teacher one day when she was all grown up," Colvin said. "In her teaching career, April is still that teacher." Colvin said Mazzeo helped completely revamp and align the district's kindergarten through fifth-grade STEAM programming with state standards. She added that she is also an asset for other teachers, the district and the community. "She is a transformative, dynamic and an inspirational first-grade teacher," she said. "She has found a way to encourage, motivate, energize and engage our students, their families and our community." In other school committee business on Monday, interim Hoosac Valley Middle School Principal Chris Sposato was named the permanent principal. Sposato was named the interim principal in April of last year when the unanticipated departure of Hoosac Valley Elementary School Principal Peter Bachli triggered a reorganization of the administrative staff. Superintendent Robert Putnam said the position was posted for the month of March and the district received applications from five qualified candidates. Putnam said three of these candidates were interviewed by three separate interview committees: a Parent Committee, a Staff Committee and an Administrators Committee. The school committee hears from students Adam Bush, Kelsey Wohrle and Douglas LaDouceur about a recent trip abroad. Putnam said Sposato was the chosen candidate and will be offered a three-year contract. The school committee also heard from students Adam Bush, Kelsey Wohrle and Douglas LaDouceur, who recently went on a school trip to England and Scotland. Bush said it was an eye-opening experience. "You study history in school all of the time and with traveling you actually see these historic places and can make that connection," Bush said. "But I think the most important thing about these trips is the cultural experience and it makes you a fuller person." LaDouceur added that it was interesting to experience a new culture. "The pictures can only say so much of how great that experience was just being there and seeing all of the different architecture that they have that is so completely different," he said. "Different accents, restaurants and beyond, that is the first time a lot of us even left the country." Wohrle agreed and said her favorite part of the trip was walking around in Edinburgh, Scotland. "My favorite part was just walking around the city and seeing the differences," she said. Manila (CNN Philippines Life) Miko Revereza is illegally residing in Los Angeles, California. His family relocated to the U.S. for better economic opportunities and the promise of working and being sponsored for a green card. Its a common story, he says. When Revereza was in high school, he realized he was undocumented, and so he became acutely aware of the lack of opportunities to get a lucrative job or even go to college after graduation. At that time, he already studied black and white photography, but he was also interested in making images move, so he bought a VHS camcorder at a thrift store. This gave me license to be creative and experimental, to earnestly mess around and immerse myself in underground culture with no promise of a future career, he explains. His illegal immigrant status in the U.S. has since informed his work, particularly his 2014 documentary short film Droga!, which explores the cultural erasure of his being Filipino and the Americanization of his identity. His 2017 essay film Disintegration 93-96 also reflects on his experience of immigration, diaspora, and the blurring of individual identities. Both these films, he says, are typically screened and discussed in the context of experimental film. He shares that Droga!, for instance, is part of the Philippine experimental cinema Kalampag Tracking Agency, a curatorial initiative of filmmaker Shireen Seno and artist Merv Espina. This project has also featured works of filmmakers such as Rox Lee, Raya Martin, and Tad Ermitano. For Revereza, experimental cinema is especially empowering because anyone would be able to make it. You dont have to be a pro or even have access to a camera. You can make art films with the materials that available to you, he says. Experimental cinema in the Philippines is thriving and is getting international recognition by the most prestigious film festivals. It will be part of our cultural heritage. Hes been living in Los Angeles for eight years, and over this period of time, he says that hes gained a reputation of being the VHS guy within the emerging art and music scenes. Because of this, his work with experimental filmmaking, and with VHS specifically, caught the interest of one of the producers of Christina Aguileras latest music video Accelerate. The lead single from Aguileras latest studio album Liberation includes vocals from Ty Dolla $ign and 2 Chainz, and is co-produced by Kanye West. The video, reminiscent of Aguileras Stripped persona from over a decade ago, opens with the analog visuals of Revereza. CNN Philippines Like talked to Revereza about his work on the music video, how his illegal immigrant status has influenced his art, and his thoughts on controversial artists like Kanye West. Below are edited excerpts from the interview. Revereza's immigrant status informs his work, and has led him to pursue experimental film projects that tackle subjects like immigration, diaspora, and the blurring of individual identities. He says using VHS gives him license to be creative and experimental, to earnestly mess around and immerse myself in underground culture with no promise of a future career. Photo courtesy of MIKO REVEREZA You moved to America and have lived there illegally and it was also mentioned here that your "life long struggle with documentation and exclusion it imposes" informs your craft. Can you elaborate on this or give examples of how your status in the States has influenced your films or your writing? As a TNT it is custom to settle for whatever you can get in America, even if you are exploited and the wages are unlivable. I take issue with blindly accepting allegiance to a country that exploits me. There is privilege and class to even being here, but without papers, I cannot legally work, drive, fly, take out a student loan, vote, have social security, or travel outside the country I am put in a situation that doesnt allow me to have a decent life. The undocumented voice has long been an underrepresented one because of the fear of being captured by immigration police and processed like criminals. Now we are speaking up and telling our stories. As a filmmaker, I am sharing a perspective from an undocumented lens. I am grappling with questions of identity, what Filipino means to me and how our history has lead me here to America. Film is the medium which allows me to think about my situation and history and to document that thought process. When you are classified as an "experimental filmmaker" what does that mean for you? Experimental film is the classification of films that deviate from the standard methods of producing mainstream narrative and documentary cinema. The first films ever produced were naturally experimental and rudimentary. They were studies of what the film camera can do and how one sees the world through a movie camera lens. This classification can be loosely applied to my films that explore themes of migration and identity through a Filipino-American undocumented lens. I didnt hold back and go for a basic VHS look; there are apps for that, says Revereza on his work in Accelerate. I went full on experimental punk film. Screenshot from CHRISTINA AGUILERA/YOUTUBE You mentioned that it was your work with VHS that enabled you to work with the team behind Christina Aguileras video? What was the experience like and what sort of directives were given to you? In this case, I worked with the producer years ago on a fashion editorial where I shot behind the scenes footage on VHS. Hearing from her again was a nice reunion and the opportunity was too good to pass up. I grew up in the same era as Christina Aguileras debut and remember taping some of her music videos onto VHS. The direction given to me was to be creative and do my thing. I was given ultimate freedom which is rare. There were no monitors for people to see what I was shooting so they trusted me and it allowed me the confidence to push the boundaries. How did the VHS analog visuals come to life? Did you encounter any roadblocks given that its an old technology? VHS and any old analog formats can be technically problematic and prone to sudden failure. Its scary to shoot on such a finicky camera for something this big. I had one fully charged battery but made it through the shoot. After the shoot, I processed this footage through my old analog machines that colorize and deteriorate the image even further to my liking. I didnt hold back and go for a basic VHS look; there are apps for that. I went full on experimental punk film and Im excited to see how it turned out. On his collaboration with "Accelerate" director Zoey Grossman, Revereza says "They just let me go off and do my experimental VHS thing with so much trust in whatever that vision would be. As an artist, those are the best words to hear. I was surprised and pleased with how much of the footage made it into the video." Screenshot from CHRISTINA AGUILERA/YOUTUBE The song has a very synth-heavy production. How did you ensure that your visuals were in tune with the melody? The song is very catchy. [Its] one of my favorite Xtina songs Id have to say, so it was easy to vibe with. Rather than the synths that recall 80s cliches, I found the lyrics more inspiring. Try to play us we gon start a riot up in here, Accelerate, come on babe, pick up your speed, Stamina, fill me up, that's what I need. Basically, I wanted the VHS footage to look completely destroyed. How collaborative was the process with director Zoey Grossman? Zoey was cool and so was the entire production company and crew. It was a chill and supportive environment and I made friends there. They just let me go off and do my experimental VHS thing with so much trust in whatever that vision would be. As an artist, those are the best words to hear. I was surprised and pleased with how much of the footage made it into the video. Kanye West, who produced the track, continues to have several controversial opinions; the latest being about how slavery, he says, was a choice. Do you consider these certain aspects of the people you work with when you decide to work with them? Or do you consciously isolate the work and whatever controversy that may plague the artists you work with? This is a difficult question for me because in all honesty Kanye has been an influential cultural figure who I've felt like I could always relate to. As an immigrant we struggle for a seat at the table and dream of breaking through the glass ceiling. I think Filipinos can relate to the obsession with class and the insecurities and prejudices it breeds. Having a cultural heritage handed down from Spanish and American colonial rule, our instincts are programed to erase our violent history and trauma and be part of the colonial hallucination itself. To desire being mistaken as mestizo or American only reflects the continued subordination in our minds. When asked about how the project is true to who he is as a filmmaker, Revereza says, "The content of the video has nothing to do with the fact that Im an undocumented immigrant but check it out yall, Im [a] TNT and proud to be an immigrant! This is an example that migration is beautiful and grows culture and innovation in the world." Screenshot from DISINTEGRATION 93-96 There is a Facebook group, Memories of Old Manila, and there was a comment thread about how Spanish colonization was not that bad. In relation to Kanyes comments on slavery being a choice, who does it serve when we (people of color) begin to erase the violence, theft and exploitation in the hands of white society from our history books? Yeezus is one of my favorite albums of all time because it reflects that crab mentality in America and the desire to conquer the glass ceiling just to spite that it even exists. He makes the idea of hijacking luxury seem like a radical act. For someone so knowledgeable about culture, it's astonishing to me why he would say something so dangerously uninformed. I hope that if there is anything to be gained by Kanyes comments, its that more people will educate themselves and our pop stars, that America was founded on the theft of land and continues to be built on the exploitation of free labor. Going back to your life as an immigrant filmmaker in the U.S., what factors do you consider that make you feel that the project is true to who you are as a filmmaker? I am proud I had a creative hand in this project. Its not one of my personal films about migration and at the end of the day this was just another gig to help me get by and pay for grad school. The content of the video has nothing to do with the fact that Im an undocumented immigrant but check it out yall, Im [a] TNT and proud to be an immigrant! This is an example that migration is beautiful and grows culture and innovation in the world. Let's open all the borders! Lets make all passports equal! Lets make migration a human right and stop the exploitation of immigrants! New York, worldwide! LA, worldwide! Paranaque, WORLDWIDE! In recent months, oil market dynamics have been shaped by strong growth in demand, compliance by countries party to the Vienna agreement to cut output, and the crisis in Venezuela, leading to tighter overall market conditions. The restoration of sanctions on Iran, which exports 2.5 million barrels of oil a day and is the worlds fifth-largest exporter, may have implications for the market balance. The International Energy Agency, whose mandate is to support and safeguard global energy security, is monitoring the situation very closely. As ever, the IEA stands ready to act if necessary to ensure markets remain well supplied. A Nanny of Valor The Fellowship | May 9, 2018 A Nanny of Valor Antonina Gordey Life: 1907-1978 As World War II dawned, Antonina Gordey spent her days as the nanny of two Jewish children in Minsk, Belarus. Six-year-old Rafail and three-year-old Raya were the son and daughter of Mordukh Ledvich, a civil engineer, and his wife Fanya, who ran a kindergarten. On the very day the war began, Mordukh was drafted into the Red Army, leaving his family to fend for themselves. But as the violence began, Fanya also had her kindergarten students to care for. Early one June morning in 1941, bombing began and Fanya evacuated her pupils. But young Rafail and Raya were not brought to the meeting point in time, and were left behind, two Jewish children in a city soon occupied by the Nazis. The Ledvich familys apartment building was destroyed, so the children and their nanny had nowhere to go. Antonina took Rafail and Raya to stay at a friends home, but soon the two youngsters were taken to the orphanage in the Minsk ghetto. Antonina often visited her two charges in the ghetto orphanage, bringing them food and promising to take them from the horrible place once she was able to. Tragically, that day never came for little Rafail. One day when Antonina came to the ghetto for a visit, she could not find the boy. She learned that the Nazis had been drawing blood samples from him, which ultimately caused his death. The nanny feared she would lose Raya, too, and stole the little girl from the ghetto that very day. Raya had no winter clothes and was starving. The nanny had no job or income so she brought the girl to her own sisters home, where Raya was hidden until Antonina was married. Antonina did not divulge Rayas true Jewish identity to her husband, letting him believe the girl was her illegitimate child. Antoninas husband believed the lie, but snooping Nazis required a birth certificate as proof that the girl was not a Jew. So when Germans came around, Antonina hid Raya from them. In 1943, Antonina gave birth to her own son, but still loved and cared for Raya as her own, sheltering the girl until wars end. And after the war was over, Mordukh and Fanya returned to Minsk and found their daughter still alive. Antonina told the parents the few details she knew of Rafails tragic death, and kept in contact with Raya until the girls nanny died in 1978. In 2007, Yad Vashem posthumously named Antonina Gordey Righteous Among the Nations for her selfless years of devotion to Raya Ledvich, the Jewish girl whose life she saved. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) Incoming Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is ready to take on the challenge of President Rodrigo Duterte to keep her name clear from corruption issues. Puyat on Wednesday said Duterte told her she is ideal for the job because there are no corruption allegations against her despite working for the government for over a decade. "'I think you are perfect. You are honest. No corruption,'" she told CNN Philippines. She added, "The only message of the President to me when I accepted it was, 'I don't want any corruption. It is one of the controversial departments (Department of Agriculture) and you've kept your name clean. I'm confident you can keep it the same way.'" Puyat said Duterte informed her Tuesday night that she was being appointed to replace resigned Tourism Chief Wanda Teo. She has been working with the Department of Agriculture for 12 years, and will be leaving her post as agriculture undersectetary to become the tourism department head. She is also a former consultant at the Presidential Management Staff during the Arroyo administration. Puyat, who has a Master's degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines, handles agri-business and organic agriculture as agriculture undersecretary. She said she was in shock when the President offered her the post on Tuesday. "I was briefing him on the rice situation, then he suddenly asked me. I was surprised. He told me, 'Have you heard that Secretary Teo resigned? I think you are fit for that job.' I thought he was joking because the president sometimes jokes around," she said. "I will not disappoint him (Duterte)," the incoming Tourism Chief said. One of Duterte's campaign promises was to eradicate corruption in government, and he has said he would fire officials at the "first whiff of corruption." Puyat, the daughter of former senator Alberto Romulo, said she will focus on farm tourism and culinary tourism as the new head of the department. "Because of my background, we should continue what's already working and what I'm familiar with," she said. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser Ranbir Kapoor in and as YRFs Shamshera. The actor said the film allows him to do everything that he had imagined and its exactly the film he was looking for. (YouTube screenshot photo) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was all smiles as she went back to work Wednesday, two months after taking an indefinite leave at the request of her fellow magistrates. Sereno's camp shared a photo of the embattled chief justice doing paper work on her first day back in her office. She went out of the Supreme Court building on Padre Faura Street in Manila at around 11 a.m. and waved at the crowd of mostly supporters and members of the media. "She's smiling, happy to be back," said lawyer Jojo Lacanilao, one of Sereno's spokespersons. "She is going to stay here to the bitter end," Lacanilao added, describing Sereno as "unfazed" despite two proceedings seeking her ouster: a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court and a possible impeachment trial at the Senate. Lacanilao said Sereno spoke with Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who took over the chief justice post when Sereno went on leave on March 1 at the request of all 13 justices present in a February 27 en banc session. But Lacanilao stressed, Sereno did not have to ask permission from anyone to return to work. "She has all the right to come back. She's still the Chief Justice," Lacanilao said, adding that Sereno was ready to fulfill her constitutional mandate as the country's top magistrate. Despite President Rodrigo Duterte declaring himself an enemy of the Chief Justice and asking for her ouster, Malacanang on Wednesday said it will let the Supreme Court handle issues about Sereno. "The Executive recognizes judicial independence and respects the separation of powers of the three branches of government, including a functioning judiciary," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement. Facing quo warranto Sereno will preside over the High Court's en banc session on Friday, but will inhibit herself from deliberations on the ouster petition filed against her by Solicitor General Jose Calida, according to Lacanilao. Her camp insisted that six associate justices - Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, Samuel Martires, and Teresita Leonardo-de Castro - should also inhibit themselves from the case. Sereno earlier said these justices had "manifested actual bias" against her during impeachment proceedings at the House Committee on Justice and the ouster hearing in the Supreme Court. Her lawyers said Sereno would file a motion for reconsideration if the Supreme Court grants Calida's quo warranto petition. The Solicitor General said that Sereno should be removed from office failing to file her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) for ten years before applying for the Chief Justice post in 2012. During the ouster proceedings on April 10, Sereno argued her case before her colleagues and said she would only present her SALNs before the Senate impeachment court. Sereno has repeatedly said impeachment is the only way to remove a chief justice from office, asking lawmakers to "give me my day in the Senate impeachment court." SALN issues also topped the articles of impeachment of the House justice committee report. The panel impeached Sereno and the Lower House is set to vote on the complaint this month. If the complaint is approved by one-third of the House, it will be brought to the Senate for an impeachment trial. Carpio earlier said the Supreme Court justices would vote on the quo warranto petition against Sereno on May 17. A majority vote of the justices or eight out of 14 would grant the petition to oust Sereno. CNN Philippines' Anjo Alimario contributed to this report. A toran blessed by a Hindu priest (pictured) that hangs on the door frame of Akhilesh Tripathis condominium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been ordered taken down by the Murano Homeowners Association. The Indian American has filed a religious discrimination suit, noting in part that items of the Jewish faith are permitted. (lawsuit exhibit photo) Rutgers student Akash Taneja (pictured in casket) was found dead May 4 on the Busch campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, New York. Investigators have ruled out foul play but have not stated the manner in which the young Indian American medicinal chemistry student died. (gofundme photo) Noted development economist Jean Dreze participates May 8 in a protest in Ranchi against the horrific rape and murder of two teenage girls in two separate incidents in the Chatra and Pakur districts of Jharkhand. (IANS photo) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti consoles the relative of 22-year old R. Thirumani, who was killed in a stone pelting incident on the Srinagar-Gulmarg highway, in Srinagar May 8. (IANS photo) Facebook, whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg is seen above, has admitted that the data of nearly 560,000 Indian users may have been "improperly" shared with British political analytics company Cambridge Analytica. (Twitter/Facebook photo) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) Is another government official on the way out? In his speech at the presentation of new banknotes and coins in Malacanang Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte said another official will be on his way out. He did not name the official, but he talked about those who often fly out of the country for unnecessary trips,especially ones related to climate change forums. "There's another one coming up. I think you know, if you go to other places to attend important meetings that may affect the country, I would appreciate it...Pero kung climate change dito sa Brussels, then climate change sa Tokyo, climate change dito sa Indonesia, climate change sa Africa nandun ka. Tapos t*******g 'yan ang bagyo...dito yung isa, palabas yung isa, and there's blood and everything. You've spent millions for that and I've not seen any improvement," Duterte said. [Translation: There's another one coming up. I think you know, if you go to other places to attend important meetings that may affect the country, I would appreciate it...But if you attend a climate change forum in Brussels, a climate change forum in Tokyo, a climate change forum in Indonesia, a climate change in Africa. Then these f*****g storms...one is here, another one is leaving, and there's blood and everything. You've spent millions for that and I've not seen any improvement. Earlier the President lamented how officials he fired were the very same officials who pushed him to run for president. Duterte said this Tuesday where he revealed another government official was fired because of corruption. One of Duterte's campaign promises was to eradicate corruption in government, and he has said he would fire officials at the "first whiff of corruption." Connecting mining company CEOs and investors 1-2-1. 121 Mining Investment Singapore offers a carefully curated forum where 30 mining company management teams can connect with funds and family offices in SE Asias leading investment and finance hub. Supported by The Singapore Mining Club, 121 Mining Investment Singapore is dedicated to miners and sophisticated investors and not open to service providers, ensuring that you get a very pure event with meaningful meetings with mining investment opportunities. Our events have become key in many investors schedules as they waste no time and get to see a large number of mining corporates on a 1-2-1 basis through our meeting planner. By building the event around a focused and targeted meeting programme, 121 Mining Investment Singapore provides a time and resource efficient way for miners to meet new investors and for investors to appraise a range of opportunities. Why attend? The 121 event model is a highly efficient use of delegates time connecting the mining finance community outside of the usual sell side corporate access channels. This is a rare occasion for an unparalleled bill of thirty ASX, TSX, AIM listed and private mining companies to meet with investors in the heart of Singapore. The 1-2-1 meeting planner opens 1 month before the event, enabling you to pre-arrange investment meetings with the companies that fit your criteria. Unlike other events, we are also very proactive in matchmaking investors with miners so that we ensure you make the most out of your visit. And registration for institutional and sophisticated investors is free. In the last year alone, 121 events have featured more than 350 mining companies bringing them together with over 1400 investment firms to discuss the latest trends and investment opportunities. Investor registration is now open for those looking to meet with a host of new mining investment opportunities. Limited places are available and you can secure your place today by registering here for your FREE investor pass. How Will Europe React to Trumps Dumping the Iran Deal? By Gary Leupp May 09, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - People are asking how Iran will respond to Trumps announcement about U.S.withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed by Iran, the U.S., UK, France, Germany, China and Russia in July 2015. I wonder how Germany, the worlds fourth largest economy, will react. Last month in her summit with Trump, Angela Merkel reiterated German strong support for the agreement. I wonder how France will respond. Emmanuel Macron, who also had a summit with Trump last month, reiterated French ongoing support. I wonder how Britain will respond. Theresa May has called the agreement vital and British foreign minister Boris Johnson is in Washington urging continuation of the deal. Germany and France are among Irans top ten trade partners (despite the sanctions). They want to expand trade with and investment in the worlds 27th largest economy. With a huge territory, well-educated population of 80 million, rich natural resources and receptiveness to foreign capital, Iran looks like an attractive investment opportunity. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Germany comprises 60% of EU investment in Iran. It sells machinery, metals, chemicals and vehicles, and agricultural products and has a substantial trade surplus with the country. Its investments have been increasing by about 25% annually in recent years. German capitalists have been looking forward to this day. In January the Iranian Khodro auto manufacturer signed an agreement with Daimler to produce Mercedes-Benz cars in Iran beginning this year. These are the kind of deals the U.S. now wants to thwart by discouraging their international financing and applying sanctions of those who defy its geopolitical objectives. One can expect mounting resentment to the U.S. in Germany if the U.S. is seen as consistently demanding that German capitalists defer to U.S. policy in Iran and elsewhere. Friction over Iran policy occurs as the German economy remains hurt by the application of sanctions against Russia. These were demanded by Washington following the events of 2014, supposedly in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. (In fact, a U.S.-backed coup designed to produce regime change, NATO membership, the expulsion of Russia from its historic naval bases in Crimea and their acquisition by NATO provoked a predictable Russian response, whereupon Washington howled in protest, applied sanctions and demanded its western partners do so too.) A study completed last last year states that the sanctions had cost Russia some $ 65 billion, while counter-sanctions had cost the U.S. and Europe over $ 50 billion. 40% of the latter were German losses. Many prominent Germans oppose the sanctions. Former chancellor Gerhard Schroder (Merkels predecessor for seven years) opposes the sanctions (and indeed says he can understand the reasons for the Russian seizure of Crimea). The minister presidents of Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia have both called for an end to the sanctions, which are particularly damaging to their economies. They are widely understood to have been adopted by the EU under U.S. pressure (aided by the UKso long as it was a memberas Washingtons main agent within the EU) steering the union towards unwanted confrontation with Russia at U.S. behest. Meanwhile multiple imperialist wars in the Middle East are flooding Europe, especially Germany, with refugees. Its as though the U.S. has demanded that Europe handle the human cost of its reckless, disastrous interventions in adjoining regions. (Why cant we just bomb them out, then you folks take them in? Or if not, build yourself some walls, and if the Muslims dont go away, lock em up!) As the U.S. seriously opposes trade (free trade) between Iran and Europe, demanding renewed secondary sanctions, U.S.-European frictions already at an unprecedented high (given such idiotic decisions as leaving the Kyoto Accord and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, to say nothing of the general disgust with Trump as U.S. president), general inter-Atlantic tensions will likely rise. Trump is already abysmally unpopular in Europe, and most Europeans for the first time tell pollsters that their view of the U.S. is more negative than positive. Italy and Greece buy Iranian crude oil and also support the JCPA. In fact, everybody does, except for Binyamin Netanyahu (who has Trump tied around his finger), Trump, the U.S. Congress, and ferociously anti-Shiite Sunni Arab monarchs, most notably King Salman of Saudi Arabia. It was affirmed by the United Nations by the UNSC resolution 2231 (2015). If the U.S. successfully sabotages it (not that this will be possible, as Condi Rice has recently remarked) Europe will be pissed. So will Russia and China, who are deepening ties with Iran. China is the first or second top trading partner with Iran, rivaling the UAE. It has plans to integrate Iran into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. In withdrawing from the agreement, Trump outrages the European corporations hoping to profit from massive new opportunities. He annoys Russia and China, but their dealings are less susceptible to U.S. obstruction. He annoys India, another top Iranian trade partner, although Trump has cultivated Prime Minister Moti so far. And Japan, which buys Iranian crude (and up until recent years was Irans #1 trade partner, before being overtaken by China). Much of the world thinks: That air-head of a U.S. president is breaking with the entire world in order to cater to that lying Netanyahus bellicose anti-Iran (regime change) agenda. This is not good for free trade or world peace. Tehran will benefit from global sympathy, viewed (again) as a victim of U.S. bullying. What Trump does on Iran could crack the Atlantic alliance. That would be one positive result. It is time for the Shock and Awe unilateralism of the post-Cold War era to give way to a multilateral world in which vicious figures like Trump and John Bolton can no longer call the shots. This article was originally published by " Counterpunch " - ===== Join the Discussion Trumps Decision on Iran Deal Spells Disaster for the Middle East By Cesar Chelala May 09, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of the deal with Iran creates, unnecessarily, a new source of tension in a region besieged by conflicts. Given the level of legal troubles that President Trump is facing now, his decision could be based to some extent in creating the conditions to fog his personal drama. President Trumps move was heartily supported by Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and opposed by all other governments that are part of the deal. In March 2015, in front of both houses of the U.S. Congress, Netanyahu said, Weve been told that no deal is better than a bad deal. Well, this is a bad deal. Its a very bad deal. Were better off without it. For the last several decades, relations between the U.S. and Iran and between Iran and the West have been shrouded in misconceptions and prejudices. They have done nothing to achieve a peaceful relationship with that country, and only led to a permanent state of distrust that can lead to war at any moment. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Conflicting relations with Iran can be traced to a large extent to 19 August 1953, when both the United Kingdom and the U.S. orchestrated a coup that overthrew Irans democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh. The reason: Mossadegh was trying to audit the books of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), a British corporation, to change the terms of that companys access to Iranian oil. Following the refusal of AIOC to cooperate with the Iranian government, the Iranian parliament voted almost unanimously to nationalize AIOC and expel its representatives from Iran. The anti-government coup that ensued led to the formation of a military government under General Fazlollah Zahedi, which allowed Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to return and rule the country as an absolute and ruthless monarch. 60 years after the coup, the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) finally admitted that it had been involved in both the planning and the execution of the coup that caused mostly civilian casualties. That coup and the U.S. behavior towards Arab governments throughout the region are behind the anti-American sentiment not only in Iran but throughout the Middle East. I wonder how we, in the United States, would have reacted if China and Russia, for example, would have plotted to overthrow a democratic American government, leaving a chaotic situation in its wake. In addition, while Iran has not invaded another country in centuries, both the U.S. and Israel, Irans enemies, have led brutal wars against other countries and peoples. U.S. interference in Iranian affairs didnt end there. In September 1980, Saddam Hussein started a war against Iran that had devastating consequences for both countries. The war was characterized by Iraqs indiscriminate ballistic-missile attacks and extensive use of chemical weapons. The war resulted in at least half a million and probably twice as many troops killed on both sides, and in at least half a million men who became permanently disabled. The U.S. actively supported Saddam Hussein in his war efforts with billions of dollars in credits, advanced technology, weaponry, military intelligence, and Special Operations training. Given this background, however, rather than following a policy of appeasement, President Donald Trump nixed the nuclear agreement with Iran that goes contrary to the U.S.s own long term political and economic interests in the region. And they have a faithful ally in Israels Prime Minister Netanyahu. Not all Israeli military and intelligence officials share Netanyahus negative view on the nuclear deal. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, the current Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff, said in an interview to mark Israels 70th anniversary, Right now, the agreement, with all its faults, is working and is putting off realization of the Iran nuclear vision by 10 to 15 years. With the deal in place, the window of strategic opportunity is still open in our favor. A similar opinion was stated by Amos Gilad, former research chief at Military Intelligence and former director of the policy and military affairs division at the Defense Ministry. He went as far as to say that the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 agreement would probably benefit Iran more than Israel and added, If the Americans abandon the agreement, they have to prepare for alternatives, and I dont see this being done. Re-imposition of sanctions will certainly affect Irans capacity to conduct economic deals with other countries and as a result worsen that countrys already serious economic situation. But it would also raise tensions in the Middle East, deepen the conflict between Israel and Iran, and even affect a possible agreement with North Korea, which may consider the U.S. to be unreliable and unable to keep its word. Dr. Cesar Chelala is a winner of an Overseas Press Club of America award and a national journalism award from Argentina. He has written extensively on Iranian issues. ===== Join the Discussion Trump Vindicates Iranian Hardliners And Victimizes Ordinary Citizens By Trita Parsi and Ryan Costello May 09, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - When the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was announced in 2015, the Iranian people poured into the streets to celebrate what they thought was the beginning of a new era. Long squeezed by both U.S. pressure and their own government, they had just cause for optimism. The threat of war was receding, and the sanctions that had stifled Irans economy were soon to be lifted. Many hoped that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vindicated by his success at the negotiating table would leverage his political capital and ease Irans harsh security environment at home. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Today, as U.S. President Donald Trump tears up the agreement, the Iranian people are once again those who will suffer most. Iranian hardliners, empowered by the deals failure, are sharpening their knives for Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, and the chances of catastrophic war are undoubtedly greater. The hardline narrative that the United States cannot be trusted and will never lift the sanctions has been vindicated by Trumps shortsighted and self-serving decision. Iran did everything it needed to to comply with the accords terms, destroying the core of its reactor at Arak, empowering International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and dramatically limiting its uranium enrichment program. Sanctions were initially lifted under President Barack Obama, and Iran saw some limited relief. But that long-overdue optimism was quickly halted by the election of Trump, who vowed to terminate the agreement struck under his predecessor. Irans hopes for a brighter future had been turned over to a reality TV star turned demagogue. Doubts about whether Trump actually meant what he said during his volatile campaign were put to rest in the first week of his presidency, when he banned Iranians and many others from entering the United States on the basis of little more than bigotry. Shortly after the ban, Trump began subjecting the nuclear deal to a death by a thousand cuts. Major deals with international companies like Boeing never came to fruition. European banks, fearful of U.S. sanctions that remained on the books, refused to re-enter the Iranian market. Moreover, Trump and his top officials repeatedly violated the accord, warning foreign companies against doing business with Iran while leaving the implementation of U.S. commitments in doubt. And in March, Trump began elevating the most caustic voices on Iran to key national security positions. John Bolton, who has never stopped calling for bombing Iran and took money from a despised Iranian terrorist cult that seeks regime change, became national security adviser. Mike Pompeo, one of the foremost opponents of the nuclear deal, is now secretary of state. The threat of war has returned, this time more imminent than ever before. Many Iranians are again feeling hopeless due to a variety of factors, not the least of which is an economy stifled by sanctions a fact that manifested in December and January when Iran was rocked by the largest protests since the 2009 Green Movement. Yet, many stayed home not out of support for the regime but out of fear for what might come next. Now the hardline narrative that the United States cannot be trusted and will never lift the sanctions has been vindicated by Trumps shortsighted and self-serving decision to abrogate the nuclear accord. The hardliners seek to seize back all levers of power from moderates like Rouhani and Zarif, to destroy hopes for reform and to ensure the elevation of a hardline successor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. If they succeed in doing so, it will mean greater repression at home and escalation abroad. Yet, much like hardliners in Washington, Iranian hardliners have no good plan B for what comes after the deal. And, given the suddenness of Trumps decision to rip up the deal without an Iranian violation, Rouhani and Zarif have been given one last chance to salvage nuclear compromise and to prevent Trumps war cabinet from finding a justification to put their war and regime change plans into place. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has vowed that Europe will stick with its commitments under the deal, acting within its security interests and protecting its economic investments. French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that Trumps decision threatens the very fabric of the nonproliferation regime. Critically, Rouhani as well has indicated that Iran can achieve benefits under the JCPOA without the United States. This sets the stage for a last-ditch effort for Europe, Russia, China and Iran to negotiate a follow-on deal, with Europe taking steps to mitigate the effects of U.S. sanctions re-imposition and protecting companies doing business with Iran. But the chances for such a follow-on agreement, even absent Trump, are slim. Europe, in particular, is extremely vulnerable to U.S. sanctions, and Europe has been slow to recognize that its best hope for keeping the nuclear deal rests not with cultivating Trump but in blocking Trump. Israel and Saudi Arabia also hold many cards that could short-circuit diplomacy and drag the United States into direct military confrontation. The majority of the Iranian people, though, have little choice but to hope that Rouhani and Zarif can navigate these treacherous waters, lest Iran be torn apart by outside powers, just like Iraq and Syria before them. Trita Parsi is the president of the National Iranian American Council. Ryan Costello is assistant policy director of the National Iranian American Council. ===== We fact checked Trump's speech about the Iran deal Buckle up pic.twitter.com/I2A98pt2T2 NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 9, 2018 'Israel lobby calling the shots in Trump's rollback policy on Iran' Max Blumenthal In case you missed it: Australian Politicians Disqualified From Parliament For Having Dual Citizenship 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. Ray McGovern Kicked Out Of Gina Haspels Confirmation Hearing In Anti-torture Protest By Alex Lubben May 09, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The protester who just got thrown out of Gina Haspels confirmation hearing used to brief Ronald Reagan every morning. Former CIA operative turned activist Ray McGovern got up and demanded answers from Haspel, President Donald Trump's nominee to replace Mike Pompeo as head of the CIA. While she promised not to create another torture program, she also wouldnt condemn the last one. When McGovern spoke up, at least five Capitol Police officers quickly detained him, warned him to stop resisting, and threw him out of Wednesdays hearing in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The hubbub started when Sen. Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, asked Haspel about the morality of enhanced interrogation techniques (read: torture) and how she would react if one of her own officers were tortured. Would she consider a CIA officer being waterboarded by terrorists to be immoral? Reed wanted to know. Sorry to interrupt here, McGovern said, standing up in the audience. Senator Wyden, you deserve a direct answer. Wyden, however, wasnt questioning Haspel at the time, so its unclear what McGovern was referring to. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter At that point, Sen. Richard Burr, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, ordered Capitol Police to escort McGovern out of the room. And that they did, as McGovern yelled something inaudible about waterboarding. Former CIA officer Ray McGovern was just forcibly removed from a Senate hearing for protesting Trump's CIA director nominee Gina Haspel. Haspel has been linked to the use of torture at CIA black sites. pic.twitter.com/osTQgQ6Sd0 VICE News (@vicenews) May 9, 2018 In the days leading up to the hearing, McGovern wrote an opinion piece denouncing Haspels nomination, headlined, Will a Torturer Become CIA Director? In it, he claims that not only is torture immoral, but it doesnt work: It simply produces false intelligence from the victim, who will say just about anything to put an end to their torture. When asked if she agrees with President Donald Trump that torture works by Sen. Kamala Harris, a Democrat from California, Haspel said no but also added: I believe, as many directors who have sat in this chair before me, that valuable information was obtained from senior al Qaeda operatives that allowed us to defend this country and prevent another attack. McGovern served in the CIA for 27 years, between 1963 and 1990. In the eighties, he delivered a daily briefing to Reagan and prepared the Presidential Daily Brief, known colloquially in the intelligence community as the newspaper with the worlds smallest circulation. Its a summary of all of the international goings-on the the intelligence community thinks the president ought to know about. But in 2003, McGovern turned to activism and started an organization called Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, a group of former CIA employees who called out then-president George W. Bush for peddling false information that would push the U.S. into a war with Iraq. After McGovern was forced out of the room, Haspel continued to answer Reeds question. I dont believe the terrorists follow any guidelines, or civilized norms, or the law. She insisted there was no comparison to be made between CIA agents and terrorists, even if both employed torture. This article was originally published by " Vice News " - ===== Another protester has been forcibly dragged outwho appears to be Ray McGovern. (H/t @attackerman) pic.twitter.com/KaOyyV4GVc Katie Bo Williams (@KatieBoWill) May 9, 2018 Join the Discussion Chinas Determined March Towards the Ecological Civilization By Andre Vltchek May 09, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - There is no time for long introductions. The world is, possibly heading for yet another catastrophe. This one, if we, human beings will not manage to prevent it, could become our final. The West is flexing its muscle, antagonizing every single country that stands on its way to total domination of the Planet. Some countries, including Syria, are attacked directly and mercilessly. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people are dying. Political and potentially military disaster is simultaneously complemented by the ecological ruin. Mainly Western multi-national companies have been plundering the world, putting profit over people, even over the very survival of the human species. Political correctness is diluting the sense of urgency, and there is plenty of hypocrisy at work: while, at least in the West and Japan, people are encouraged to recycle, to turn off the lights in empty rooms and not to waste water, in other parts of our Planet, entire islands, nations and continents are being logged out by the Western corporations, or destroyed by unbridled mining. The governments of the Wests client states are getting hopelessly corrupt in the process. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Western politicians see absolutely no urgency in all that is taking place around the world, or more precisely they are paid not to see it. So, are we now dealing with the thoroughly hopeless scenario? Did the world go mad? Is it ready to get sacrificed for the profit of the very few? Are people simply going to stand passively, watching what is happening around them, and die, as their world goes literally up in flames? It appeared so, until few months ago. Then, one of the oldest cultures of Earth, China, stood up and said No! There are different ways to go forward. We could all benefit from the progress, without cannibalizing, and fully destroying our Planet. China, led by President Xi, accelerated implementation of the concept of so-called Ecological Civilization, eventually engraving it into the constitution of the country. A man who did tremendous work in China, working tirelessly on the Ecological Civilization concept in both China and in the United States, John Cobb Jr., has been, for years, a friend and close comrade of mine. A 93-year-old Whiteheadian philosopher, one of the most acknowledged Christian progressive theologians, and a self-proclaimed supporter of Revolution, John Cobbs is a brave alternative and optimistic voice coming from the United States. We first met on a bus from Pyongyang to DMZ, in DPRK, several years ago, and became close friends, presently working on a book and a film together. In this difficult, extremely dangerous, but also somehow hopeful time for our planet, it is clear that John Cobbs voice should be heard by many. Chinas Growing Commitment to Eco-Civ I recalled our meeting in Claremont, when John expressed worries that China and its leadership could go either way, in regard to the Ecological Civilization, possibly even against it. Inside China and her leadership, there were apparently voices defending pure economic growth approach. Now the Chinese Parliament has written the goal of ecological civilization into the national constitution. I wanted to know what does it mean, practically? Is there a reason to celebrate? John replied via email: Something like fifteen years ago, the Chinese Communist Party wrote the goal of an ecological civilization into its constitution. Although the formulation is remarkable, the motivation is not hard to understand. The Party was responding to the distress of hundreds of millions of Chinese who longed for clean air and blue skies. To maintain the popularity of the party, it had to assure the people that it shared their concerns. Everyone agreed that lessening pollution was a good thing. Nevertheless, the phrase meant more than just trying to minimize the ecological damage done by rapid economic growth. It expressed an understanding that the natural world was constituted of ecologies rather than just a collection of individual things. And it clearly indicated the desirability of human activity fitting into this natural world rather than replacing it. Many who supported this goal, however, did not suppose that announcing it committed China to major changes in the present. Many argued that Chinas first task was to modernize, meaning especially to industrialize, and become a wealthy nation. Then it would have the luxury of attending to the natural environment. Few, if any, thought it meant that China would turn away from the goal of economic growth to pursue something different. However, Chinese leaders did recognize that simply postponing the work for clear skies and a healthy environment would not work. The nation needed to pursue economic growth and a healthy natural environment simultaneously. It began evaluating the success of provincial governments by their achievements in these two distinct realms. Goals for growth were set below what would be possible, so that it could be channeled in less environmentally harmful directions. Experiments with ecovillages received encouragement. The talk of moving toward an ecological civilization also encouraged reflection about civilization alongside market. That supported those Chinese who saw that the narrow concern for wealth at all costs was not healthy for human society. Marxism had always emphasized economic matters, but it was concerned to move society away from competition toward cooperation. It was always concerned with the distribution of goods, so that the poor would be benefited, and workers would be empowered. The idea of recovering traditional Chinese civilizational values gained in acceptance. The extent to which the health of the natural environment and cultural goals gained status as policy goals bothered some party members. For them Chinas wealth and power were crucial. An observer could not be sure that the extent to which the goal of ecological civilization was broadening the aims of government would continue. Leadership is subject to change every five years. However, the changes at the recent Party congress tended to strengthen commitment to ecological civilization. President Xi, who has been central to the moves toward ecological civilization was given another five years. He and others reiterated the goal and affirmed steps in its direction. Now it seems likely that in the next five years he will not be a lame-duck president since the limitation to two terms has been removed. To reinforce the Chinese commitment, the Parliament has written the goal of ecological civilization into the national constitution. Since the national government is regularly guided by the Party, this may not seem to make much practical difference. But the way it occurred does make clear that the nation, on the whole, is not resentful. The Chinese people do not feel that the Partys commitment to ecological civilization is oppressive or foolish. We can have considerable confidence that China as a nation is genuinely committed and that the people share the hope for becoming an ecological civilization. Predicting the future is never safe, but as these matters go, we can have confidence that China is committed. Given the likelihood that it will supersede the United States as the global leader, this can give us grounds for hope. John Cobbs Role in China John Cobb is a well-known figure in the PRC. His thoughts are having great impact on an influential group of Chinese leaders. But how would he, personally, summarize his involvement in the Ecological Civilization project? What impact did he have, personally, on what is happening in China, in this particular field? Through most of my life, the last thing I anticipated was to have a role in China. As a Protestant theologian, any hope for influence went in quite different directions. Although my theology is deeply shaped by the prophetic tradition of ancient Judaism, and I understand Marx also to have been deeply informed by that tradition, I did not expect Chinese Communists to recognize that kinship. Yet in the end, I consider that, through a remarkable sequence of chances, my role in China has been the most important part of my life. I will first describe my trajectory, then the trajectory of China, and then the wholly improbable intersection. In my studies at the University of Chicago in the late nineteen forties, made possible by the GI bill, I was introduced to Alfred North Whitehead. Over the years, I have been more and more impressed by the way his philosophy of organism answered my questions and provided me the holistic vision that I craved, one quite contrary to the mechanist and materialist thinking that dominated American education and culture. In the late sixties, I was awakened to the fact that the dominant modern culture was leading the world to self-destruction, and my attachment to Whitehead, as one who offered a far more promising alternative, was confirmed and deepened. Meanwhile interest in any alternative to mechanism was fading in American universities. Together with David Griffin, I seized an opportunity in 1973 to create a center to keep Whiteheads thought alive and display its relevance to the crises of our time. This Center for Process Studies has sponsored conferences and lectures and publications displaying how Whiteheads organic and processive thought provides a more promising pattern of thinking in many fields. Ecological concerns played a large role throughout. Although many individual scientists and professionals worked with us, the universities tightened their commitment to the modern vision we were trying to get beyond. We sometimes called ourselves postmodernists, but when that term was given wide currency by French intellectual deconstruction of modernity, David Griffin began calling us constructive postmodernists. By the opening of the twentieth century, thoughtful Chinese saw that the Western colonial powers together with Japan were nibbling away at China and that classical Chinese culture was unable to compete with the West in science, technology, and military power. To maintain Chinese independence, China must modernize. It adopted the dominant Western form of modernity, bourgeois capitalism. The suffering of the poor led many to seek a better form of modernity in Marxism, and during and after World War II the Marxists replaced bourgeois democracy with rule by the Communist Party. Mao Tse Tung made a serious effort to end Chinas class society in what is called then Cultural Revolution. This evoked so intense an opposition from the urban middle class, that it was a painful failure, never repeated. When the Communist Party gave up this Marxist goal, what was left was rule by the party and commitment to rapid modernization as the road to national wealth and power. At a time when French intellectuals were engaged in impassioned deconstruction of modernity, Chinese intellectuals were not comfortable with Chinas dedication to it. Some of them followed the French in calling themselves postmodernists, but the French postmodernists gave little guidance in relation to Chinas biggest problem with modernization the pollution and degradation of the environment. When they discovered that there was another form of postmodernism that gave a great deal of attention to the natural world and made positive proposals for change, many of them were interested. One Chinese postmodernist, Zhihe Wang, came to Claremont to complete his studies with David Griffin, and it was his leadership that led to the intersection of developments in China with my life. Dr. Wang decided that he could be most effective living in the United States and frequently visiting China. His wife, Meijun Fan left a prestigious professorship in Beijing to work with him. As a result of their effective introduction of process thought to China, thirty-five universities have established centers focusing on the relevance of Whiteheads thought to a wide range of topics, such as education, psychology, economics, science and values, and the legal system. Meanwhile, partly, I assume, to assuage the distress of many urbanites with the pollution of the air, the Communist Party wrote into its constitution the goal of becoming an ecological civilization. Because of their reputation, the Chinese leaders in Claremont were encouraged to hold conferences on this topic here, primarily for Chinese scholars. These gave me and other American constructive postmodernists an opportunity to participate in shaping the meaning of the initially rich and suggestive, but rather vague, term. This has probably been our major contribution. There has been one very important shift in Chinese policy due to the commitment to ecological civilization. As part of its goal of modernization, China planned to industrialize agriculture. At many of the conferences here and at others in China, we argued that China could not build an ecological civilization on an industrial agriculture. The Communist Party was persuaded to shift its policies from the continuing depopulation of rural China to the development of the thousands of villages that were slated for destruction. Policies have changed, and in 2016, for the first time, more people moved from cities to countryside than from countryside to cities. Development of villages has been emphasized along with the goal of ecological civilization in last falls crucial meetings of the Communist Party. And I believe that the Chinese parliaments writing the goal of ecological civilization into the national constitution implies its support of the changed rural policies. It seems highly probable that this important shift in Chinese society will endure. Obviously, the shift was primarily due to the work of many Chinese. However, harsh criticism by Americans of the consequences of industrializing agriculture in the United States probably played a role. Again, my voice was only one of many. Partly, no doubt, because of my age, I am given far more credit than I deserve. But I am very proud of whatever contribution I made to this shift that affects hundreds of millions of Chinese and gives some concrete meaning to ecological civilization. Centralized Power In many ways, China became the leader, when it comes to ecology, as well as combining traditional culture with modernity. It is determined to build the entire civilization around its ecological and cultural concerns. It appears that in the future, the markets and financial considerations may play important but secondary role. Is it mainly possible because of the centralized/Communist nature of the Chinese political and economic system (including the central planning)? I have neither study nor experience qualifying me to address this question. But I still have opinions; so, Ill share them. Clearly in China it has been the leadership of the central government that has set the course, done the planning, and implemented what it planned. For those of us who believe the world needs urgently to move toward ecological civilization, this has worked well. Prior to the meetings last fall, I remained unsure about whether everything depended on a particular leader who might be replaced. That he emerged from the fall events with increased power was reassuring, especially because he strongly expressed determination to continue implementing policies favoring the move toward ecological civilization. There was still the possibility that representatives of other factions in the Communist Party, who sought to replace Xi, might treat him as a lame duck. Now that the impossibility of a third term has been removed, that danger also is gone. An extended period of leadership can probably make some policies so identified with the nation that they will continue even if a successor is not personally committed to the goal of ecological civilization. All of this is to say that centralized power is currently working in a remarkably promising way not paralleled by other countries with less centralized political power. Some European countries achieved a considerable move toward ecological civilization earlier than China. That they are not currently leading may be because they are already farther along on the needed trajectory. They have made significant desirable policy changes without centralized power. In these countries, the public as whole is well informed and capable of making wise decisions. Governments are sufficiently democratic that they express the public desires. In some cases, commitment to sustainable practices and meeting the basic needs of all citizens has become the common sense of the people sufficiently that it is likely not to be radically abandoned by changing officials. It was impressive that, when Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Accords, there was very little interest in such withdrawal in Europe, even though the reasons for withdrawal applied equally there. Apparently, the corporate world in Europe has adjusted to new needs and expectations as it has not in the United States. Even so, I have more confidence in endurance in China with its centralized control than in European countries more directly subject to popular opinion. Thus far, European countries have been fairly prosperous. Pollution control and other ecologically valuable policies have not led to unemployment or economic immiseration. Thus, the level of commitment to ecological needs has not been seriously tested. In contrast, the need to accept large numbers of refugees has been sufficient to weaken consensus on a range of issues. It is not hard to imagine that corporations that have thus far been cooperative with good policies might take advantage of dissident public opinion to seek the kinds of changes that the United States is currently experiencing. These corporations often control the media and thus can shape public opinion to support their ends. As I compare Chinas success in giving serious attention to the well-being of its natural environment and needy citizens with that of European countries, my reason for betting on China is that I have some confidence that it will maintain governmental control of finance and of corporations generally. If it does this, it can also control the media. Thus, it has a chance of making financial and industrial corporations serve the national good as perceived by people not in their service. Less centralized governments are less able to control the financial and other corporations whose short-term interests may conflict with the common good. Of course, the concentration of power in countries like China does not guarantee the continuation of governmental service of the common good. There is an old adage in the West: power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I think the Communist Party in China works hard to socialize its members to resist corruption. I think it has been largely successful. But if the government relaxes its anti-corruption efforts, there is a danger that Chinese policies will tend to support Chinese billionaires as happens in capitalist countries. My hero, Jesus, asserted that no one can serve God and money. If we understand that Gods desire is for the common good, we can translate, no one can serve both money and the common good. I think that at the present time, the Chinese Communist Party is more successful in cultivating a commitment to the common good than are the churches in the West. That may be more important than the question of how centralized the power may be. 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 . This article was originally published by " NEO "- ===== Join the Discussion The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has said that the president is the only person who can reveal his ailment or details about his health. He made the remark during a phone-in-interview on the Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, while reacting to a question about the presidents ailment requiring another trip to London, United Kingdom. Adesina, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said: That is something private and personal. The fact that a man is a president does not remove his right and privileges to privacy. So, unless Mr. President comes out voluntarily and willingly to tell the country that this is what I have suffered from, this is what I have been treated foreven the medical doctor does not have the right to say it It is in the Hippocratic oath that the medical doctors take. They cannot disclose the ailment of the patient without the permission of that patient. Adesina also allayed fears saying, There is no cause for alarm because he (the president) is up and about and doing his duties. What he is going for is a review. We all need that from time to time. There is nobody that is 100 per cent healthy. He is just going for a review. I want to believe that he will come back on Saturday as planned. Also, there was no slowing down for Buhari, despite the announcement that he was going to embark on medical vacation in the UK from today. Hours before he jetted out to meet his doctor in London, the Nigerian leader was still busy at work at the Villa as he received letters of credence from ambassadors of Lebanon and The Netherlands and the High Commissioner of Botswana. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed dismay over what it described as deception, lies and beguiling that have trailed the handling of President Buharis unabating health issue. The party said the presidency has confirmed that the president is unwell, ailing and unfit to attend to state matters, resulting to his latest journey to the United Kingdom for medical attention. The party said the admission, though belated and coming after intense public pressure, has now put to rest, speculations on the health status of the president, as well as his attendant inability to effectively govern. Addressing a press conference yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it was unfortunate that the president and his handlers had chosen to shroud the issue of his persistent illness in secrecy under a government that prides itself on claims of transparency and integrity. PDP drew Nigerians attention to the fact that shortly before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in April, Mr. President, without transmitting a letter to the National Assembly, as required by the constitution, undertook a private visit to the UK, where his doctors are known to reside, five clear days ahead of CHOGM. The PDP spokesman said Nigerians were left in the dark for the period despite demands for full disclosure by the PDP. Only last week, two days after his departure from the United States where he had gone for a state visit, Mr. President went missing again. When concerns began to mount on his whereabouts, the presidency claimed he had a technical stopover in the UK, citing flight issues, only for revelations to emerge from the same presidency, on Monday, that Mr. President was actually in the UK to see his doctors. In these circumstances, Nigerians were taken for granted, deceived and treated like lesser men and women without reasoning capacity, while our nation, at those periods, was left with no leadership as Mr. President refused to transmit power as required by the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Whereas we have nothing against Mr. Presidents decision to take care of his ailing health as we are all subject to human frailties, Nigerians detest the deception, lies and beguiling that had trailed the handling of his unabating health issue, he said. The opposition party scribe said Nigerians are not even aware of the ailment our president is suffering from and the identity of the doctors and the hospital attending to him. According to Ologbondiyan, it is unfortunate that President Buhari would always embark on medical tourism abroad when his administration has completely refused to address the poor state of the health sector in Nigeria, for which medical personnel are currently on strike across the nation. The PDP also spoke on an alleged escalation of impunity carried out by the federal government. While condemning the Presidencys reaction to its petition to the United Nations as arrogant and distasteful, the PDP spokesman said it smacks of insensitivity to critical issues bordering on direct violation of constitutionally guaranteed welfare, personal liberty and lives of citizens is completely reprehensible and further demonstrates the level of official arrogance We want to draw the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the import of the response by the presidency to the petition filed by our party to the UN, detailing the gross violation of human rights, mass killings, state sponsored violence, persecution of opposition, subversion of democratic tenets and large scale In conclusion, we urge the presidency to note that shrouding the issue of President Buharis illness in secrecy, just for political gains, is neither in the interest of the President nor that of our nation at large. Sordidly, the handlers of Mr. President appear to be more concerned about the next election instead of the consequences of a failing health and the blatant breaches of our constitution. The PDP therefore counsels President Buhari to be well guided and take charge of his health challenges by the President Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) federal government. It is incontrovertible that our petition which was signed by our National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, embodies the pains, anguish, mood, wishes and voice of the generality of Nigerians across board, particularly the victims of extra-judicial killings, state instigated violence, arrests and detentions, economic hardship occasioned by large scale corruption and government incompetence. You are already aware of the international outcry against the impunity and high-handedness for which various reputable international agencies, including the Amnesty International (AI), Transparency International and the US Department of State had issued reports exposing these atrocities, while exhaustively indicting the Buhari This gruesome response by the Buhari Presidency on critical issues bordering on direct violation of constitutionally guaranteed welfare, personal liberty and lives of citizens is completely reprehensible and further demonstrates the level of official arrogance, high-handedness, dictatorial proclivities and spurn with which the Buhari presidency and the APC hold our citizens and the international community. This obstinate position of the presidency at a time it should be showing remorse, retracing its steps, apologising and making effort to end the atrocities, clearly shows that what obtains in our country now is a deliberate enthronement of official overbearingness and intolerance to dissent, as if Nigerians are no longer citizens but subjects of a conquest, he said. Source: www.thisdaylive.com Cee-C has taken to her Instagram page to share more photos she took with Chioma and Davido on Davidos private jet. Cee-C, Chioma and Davido were all in Abuja yesterday during an ad shoot. While returning to Lagos, Cee-C joined the musician in a private jet. She has shared more photos writing; And we deserve some good after all the Struggles weve been through #KingCee See her post below: Recall that after sharing photos of themselves on social media and Davido complimenting the two beauties by calling them twins, Cee-c, Davido and Chioma are seen on new photos in a private jet on their way back to the centre of excellence. This should be good for Cee-C and her brand. Leave a Comment comments The police in Niger State have apprehended a 15-year-old housewife, Fatima Adamu, and her ex-lover, Usman Mohammed, of Egbati village in the Agaie Local Government Area of the state for the murder of her daughter identified as Hauwa. Northern City News gathered that Mohammed assisted Adamu to prepare a concoction which was administered on the five-year-old child, causing her death. Checks revealed that after allegedly killing Hauwa, Adamu and her lover dumped the corpse in a nearby bush with some parts missing. The suspect told Punch correspondent in an interview on Tuesday that she poisoned the minor with the cooperation of her ex-boyfriend who prepared the concoction that was administered on her. I purposely killed my step-daughter because I didnt like her, she irritated me a lot; I planned with Mohammed to poison her to death, she confessed. The suspect added, I just woke up one morning to take her life and I cannot tell what had come over me to kill an innocent child that had not offended me in any way. May Allah forgive me; it is the worst offence against humanity. Mohammed admitted participating in the killing of the girl, saying I have ruined my life. Mohammed said, I prepared the poison which I gave to Adamu to kill the girl. I regret my action. The Niger State police spokesman, Muhammad Abubakar, said the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation. Abubakar said they would be arraigned in court after investigation. The post I Killed My Step-Daughter Because She Irritates Me- 15year old Housewife Speaks appeared first on vidi360.ng. A Nigerian migrant identified as Evans William, has revealed how he sold everything to make the trip to Europe. In a chat with BBCs Colin Freeman, William said he sold his bed, fridge, TV, spare clothes and mobile phone. After borrowing yet more cash, he finally had enough to pay a smuggling gang to take him from Nigeria across the Sahara to Libya. In all, it cost him $1,000, but he wasnt worried. Once in Europe, he figured, he could quickly earn enough to pay off his creditors, and eventually return home to start a business of his own. It didnt quite work out like that. After six miserable months in Libya, where the gang forced him to work for nothing, he finally boarded a rickety boat to cross the Mediterranean. It got stopped by the Libyan coastguard, who threw him and 140 other passengers into a detention centre. By then hed had enough. He has now returned home to Benin, Edo State, among hundreds of migrants staying in a government-requisitioned hotel. I still dont want to stay in Nigeria Evans He said ; Theyd been flown back by the International Organization for Migration, a UN body that helps illegal migrants who want to return home. I still dont want to stay in Nigeria, Although next time, Ill try to go to Europe by legal means,. Leave a Comment comments Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) Fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corporation has indefinitely closed its online delivery service to comply with the order of the National Privacy Commission (NPC). "In compliance with the NPC order, we have temporarily taken our Jollibee delivery website offline. As an additional precaution, we have voluntarily taken offline the delivery websites of our other brands, with the exception of Burger King which is on a different platform," it said in a statement on Wednesday. Aside from the Jollibee online delivery, other fast food chains under JFC, such as Chowking, Greenwich, and Red Ribbon, have also temporarily shut down their online delivery services. Jollibee Foods Corporation said the temporary closure will help them update the website's security to strengthen data protection. The National Privacy Commission on May 4 ordered JFC to indefinitely suspend the operation of its website "until the site's identified vulnerabilities are addressed." Jollibee in December 2017 reported that vulnerabilities surfaced during a testing by a marketing firm. "There is a very high risk that approximately 18 million people currently on the database will be exposed to harm," NPC said. Meanwhile, fast food chain Wendy's Philippines also reported its website has been hacked, exposing over 80,000 records including the personal data of its customers and job applicants. Wendy's Philippines on Tuesday revealed that names, email addresses, home addresses, contact numbers, and resumes might have been compromised. Related: Wendy's PH website hack exposes thousands of personal data In a separate advisory, the NPC said account passwords, transaction details, and modes of payment were also exposed. Here is Colin Freeman, a BBC Correspondents report about Evans Williams, a Nigerian man who sold his TV, bed, refrigerator and other items to pay some smuggling gangs to help him cross the Sahara to Libya. In all, it cost him 750 ($1,000), but he wasnt worried. Once in Europe, he figured, he could quickly earn enough to pay off his creditors, and eventually return home to start a business of his own. It didnt quite work out like that. After six miserable months in Libya, where the gang forced him to work for nothing, he finally boarded a rickety boat to cross the Mediterranean. It got stopped by the Libyan coastguard, who threw him and 140 other passengers into a detention centre. By then hed had enough. When I met Evans last month, hed just returned home to Benin City in southern Nigeria, where he was among hundreds of migrants staying in a government-requisitioned hotel. Theyd been flown back by the International Organization for Migration, a UN body that helps illegal migrants who want to return home. READ ALSO: Lady Assaulted By Her Baby Daddy In Lagos Cries Out For Help As well as a free plane ticket, they get a few nights hotel accommodation, and 200 in pocket money while they find their feet. Theyre also offered job training, to give them a better chance of a livelihood. The scheme is partly bankrolled by a 3bn fund set up by the European Union in 2015, the year the migrant crisis dominated the news. The EU hopes that by offering migrants better prospects in their own countries, they can be persuaded to leave Libya where up to 700,000 are still thought to be waiting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe and turn back. More than 3,000 Nigerian migrants have already returned, and a further 20,000 are due to do so this year. Yet for those who take up the offer, arriving back home can be a depressing experience. Trending Now: Evans, for example, doesnt even want to go back home even though it may be the only place hell get a bed once his pocket money runs out. I still dont want to stay in Nigeria, he tells me. Although next time, Ill try to go to Europe by legal means. The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has again for the third time turned down the Senates invitation. As a result of this, the lawmakers have decided to declare the IG persona non grata, stressing that he is not fit to hold any public office anywhere in the world . Senate President, Bukola Saraki, after a closed-door session on Wednesday, made the announcement. Kylie Jenner & Travis Scott attended the MET Gala in NYC on Monday and hit the streets to shop for Sneakers in a downtown store the very next day. The parents-of-one kissed each other publicly, with Travis grabbing Kylies butt in the process. More photos below: Recall that Twitter users have begun pushing the theory that reality TV star, Kylie Jenners baby daddy isnt Travis Scott, but her handsome bodyguard, Tim Chung. According to some tweets, Stormi bears a striking resemblance to Tim and looks more Asian. The resemblance is striking though some claim babies look like the person the mother was often with during her pregnancy. Read more here. Leave a Comment comments So Globacom chairman and billionaire, Mike Adenuga, celebrated his 65th birthday recently. His beautiful daughter, Abimbola Adenuga happens to be born on the same day as her father and so they celebrated the birthday together. Without any iota of doubt, Mike Adenuga has made a success of his business so also is he blessed to have brilliant and hardworking children who are making him proud in all the fields of their endeavors. While many of them are the helms of affairs of his many companies, some have also take a step further to pursue some of their personal businesses. They most occupy key sectors of his various businesses and doing well at it. His beautiful daughter, Abimbola Micheal Adenuga is doing so well. She reportedly played a prominent role in celebrating with her father when he turned 65 a few weeks ago. She also turned 32 on the same day. (April 29th). She has successful siblings like Adetutu Oyindamola Emilia, Eniola EnnyBoy, Folashade ShadyGirl, Adeniyi NiyiBoy,Prince Michael jnr Bobo Babajide, Tunde PaddyAbolade and Belinda Bella Olubunmi Ajoke. The in house classy birthday was a double one as she was also very well celebrated with her dad. This has been the trend all the years as they always celebrate their birthdays together. She looked beautiful on that Sunday evening and was the cynosure of all eyes as everyone kept congratulating her with her dad. The beautiful cake also had her name inscribed on it with her dads name. Abimbola Adenuga caught a picture of a very successful young lady who is doing so well for herself. She has been at the helms of affairs at her dads company, CONOIL Plc for many years now and has exhibited unrivaled performance. She is the group executive director and she is the only child on the board of directors at CONOIL Plc. Her large and compassionate heart has made her benefactors to many top NGOs in Nigeria. Tall and beautiful are some of the apt words to describe her ,she schooled in Ivy League university like her other siblings too. Leave a Comment comments Punch The police in Niger State have apprehended a 15-year-old housewife, Fatima Adamu, and her ex-lover, Usman Mohammed, of Egbati village in the Agaie Local Government Area of the state for the murder of her daughter identified as Hauwa. Vanguard A Governorship Aspirant on the platform of All Progressive Congress, Senator Ayo Arise on Tuesday expressed optimism that the party would win the forthcoming governorship election notwithstanding the crisis the party is passing through. The Sun The Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Professor Kolapo Olusola yesterday emerged winner of a keenly contested Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary. Thisday After ignoring the summons of the National Assembly, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, is expected to appear before the Senate Wednesday to brief the lawmakers on efforts being made by the police to quell the rising insecurity in different parts of the country. Daily Times Ogaminana in Adavi local government area of Kogi state was thrown into confusion following the alleged torture to death of a commercial motorcyclist (Okada rider), Onimisi Ilori by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC). Daily Trust The former Interim National Chairman of the ruling APC, Chief Bisi Akande, hinted yesterday that a decision that would give best advantage to the party and the country had been taken on the inconclusive governorship primary election in Ekiti State. Tribune A 60-year old man identified as Mudashiru Adejumo Akede, was on Tuesday, arraigned before a Magistrate Court, sitting in Osogbo for allegedly being involved in N500,000 fraud. The Nation Senate President Bukola Saraki met face to face with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu in Abuja. Guardian As part of its community service, the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State is partnering with Ebonyi State government to build the entrepreneurial capacity of wives of police officers serving in the state. A woman has divorced her husband after he sponsored her to school from Grade 9 to University level. When asked by the court why she was divorcing her husband Vincent, Maria Tembo said she was no longer interested in marrying someone who was not educated, adding that her friends were laughing at her because the husband was illiterate. According to Zambian media reports, the two got married in 1997 and the man had to sell his house he built in 1995 in order to take back his wife to school. The wife from Mansa started Grade 9 and went to university in the school of education. And after being employed, she decided to divorce her husband in favour of a man she met at university. The court has since ordered the woman to pay her ex husband K10,000 for abandoning him after sacrificing for her for 10 years. Leave a Comment comments Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) Kuwait has released four Filipino drivers arrested for taking part in Philippine officials' rescue operation for distressed Filipino workers in the Gulf state, Malacanang said on Wednesday. This comes after a meeting between Philippine and Kuwaiti officials to iron out the two nations' diplomatic row, according to a statement from the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson. In a press briefing in Kuwait, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said charges against the four drivers would also be dropped. The four drivers hired by the Philippine Embassy were arrested after a video showing embassy officials on a rescue mission in Kuwait went viral. The video had prompted Kuwait to declare Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa persona non grata and expel him. Warrants of arrest were also issued against Filipino diplomats who participated in the rescue effort. Roque said, however, they are still coordinating with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior on the charges against the three diplomats. Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said the proposed labor deal that will protect Filipino workers from abuse by their employers would be signed on May 11. Filipino officials wanted provisions to include that employers not confiscate workers' passports and for the documents to instead be deposited with the Philippine Embassy. They also asked that workers be allowed at least seven hours of sleep, a day off, permission to cook food, and not to be physically abused. Government officials have interchangeably used memorandum of understanding and memorandum of agreement to refer to the labor deal. "Also, Kuwait agreed to create a Special Unit within the Police that the Philippine Embassy can liaison with regarding complaints of Filipino workers which will be available 24 hours and a Special Number that Filipino workers can call for assistance (also available 24 hours)," the Palace statement added. The Philippine delegate that met with the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry was composed of Roque, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, former Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, Labor attache Rustico dela Fuente, and Deputy Chief of Mission in Kuwait Mohd Noordin Lomondot. In addition to the four drivers coming home, Roque said over 500 undocumented Filipino workers may also come home, with the Kuwaiti government shouldering the expenses. At least 150 of them could join Philippine officials when they return home on Saturday, while 62 others will remain in Kuwait due to pending cases, Roque added. Kuwait is a top destination for overseas Filipino workers, with some 260,000 Filipinos working there as of 2018. Remittances from Kuwait for the first two months of 2018 amounted to P5.5 billion, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. In 2017, a total of P42 billion were remitted from the Gulf state. May 9, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) The common shares of Sante Veritas Holdings Inc. have been approved for listing on the CSE. Listing and disclosure documents will be available at www.thecse.com on the listing date. The Issuer is focused on developing its business in the emerging cannabis market, with a specific focus on the wholesale sector of the medical cannabis market in Canada. The Issuers wholly-owned subsidiary, Sante Veritas Therapeutics Inc. ("SVT"), is a late-stage applicant for a license to cultivate cannabis at its facility under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations and expects to obtain Licensed Producer status later in 2018. Health Canada recently issued SVT a "confirmation of readiness" for a license under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations confirming its initial annual cultivation request of 2,835,000 grams of cannabis flower. ________________________ Les actions ordinaires de Sante Veritas Holdings Inc. ont ete approuvees pour inscription a la cote du CSE. Les documents d'inscription et de divulgation seront disponibles sur www.thecse.com a la date de negociation. L'Emetteur se concentre sur le developpement de ses activites sur le marche emergent du cannabis, en mettant l'accent sur le secteur de la vente en gros du marche du cannabis medical au Canada. La filiale en propriete exclusive de l'Emetteur, Sante Veritas Therapeutics Inc. (SVT), est une demande en vue d'obtenir une licence pour cultiver du cannabis dans ses installations en vertu du Reglement sur l'acces au cannabis a des fins medicales et s'attend a obtenir le statut de producteur autorise plus tard. en 2018. Sante Canada a recemment emis une SVT comme confirmation de l'etat de preparation d'un permis en vertu du Reglement sur l'acces au cannabis a des fins medicales confirmant sa demande annuelle de culture annuelle de 2 835 000 grammes de fleurs de cannabis. If you have any questions or require further information please contact Listings at (416) 367-7340 or E-mail: Listings@thecse.com Pour toute question, pour obtenir de l'information supplementaire veuillez communiquer avec le service des inscriptions au 416 367-7340 ou par courriel a l'adresse: Listings@thecse.com The Canadian Securities Exchange, or CSE, is operated by CNSX Markets Inc. Recognized as a stock exchange in 2004, the CSE began operations in 2003 to provide a modern and efficient alternative for companies looking to access the Canadian public capital markets. http://thecse.com/ Investorideas.com is a listed service provider on the Canadian Securities Exchange http://thecse.com/en/services/services-for-listed-companies/investorideascom 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. 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Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Edmonton, Alberta - May 9, 2018 (Newsfile Corp.) (Investorideas.com Newswire) Grizzly Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: GZD) (OTC Pink: GZDIF) (FSE: G6H) ("Grizzly" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Kinross Gold Corporation's wholly owned subsidiary, KG Exploration (Canada) Inc. ("Kinross"), has provided Grizzly with the proposed 2018 work program on the Grizzly Greenwood property, located near Greenwood in southern British Columbia. Kinross is planning a 1,200 metre (m) drill program at the Midway target in summer 2018. The program is a continuation of the 2017 proof-of-concept drilling which intersected silicification, alteration, anomalous geochemistry and minor quartz veining in 2 out of 3 holes along strike, warranting follow-up exploration. The portion of Grizzly's 100% owned Greenwood Project being explored by Kinross consists of 131 claims that form a contiguous package totaling approximately 27,346 hectares, representing approximately one third of Grizzly's land holdings at Greenwood. Under the terms of a September 2015 option agreement, KG Exploration (Canada) Inc. can earn a 75% interest on this portion of Grizzly's land holdings by incurring US$3 million in exploration expenditures including a minimum of 3,000 m of diamond drilling by the fifth anniversary of the option agreement (September 23, 2020). Kinross has met the second anniversary requirements and incurred over US$750,000 in expenditures including 1,129 m of diamond drilling. Highlights of 2017 Kinross Exploration Program at Midway The Midway target is hypothesized to be an Eocene-aged system developed within Triassic clastic sediments and limestone, and Jurassic (possibly) hornblende diorite intrusions, all unconformably overlain by Eocene Kettle River Formation sediments and Marron volcanics. A thick blanket of massive silica occurs at the basal Eocene unconformity, with remnant outcrops dispersed intermittently over a 1 x 1 km area, in some places replacing Triassic limestone. The massive silica contains anomalous trace element geochemistry, with common disseminated marcasite and uncommon cm-scale banded marcasite clasts. Widespread alteration and local silicification occur in the footwall of the unconformity. Two separate zones have been discovered: zone 1 is a 200 m long by 50-75 m wide zone of silicification, with peripheral alteration and multiple narrow (up to 0.5 m) chalcedonic quartz (+/-quartz breccia) veins. A second similar zone of alteration and veining is located 200 m to zone 1. The target areas were further delineated via a large soil anomaly over the exposed target area. Rock chip and drill hole results indicate predominately argillic, and lesser propylitic alteration. Kaolinite dominates the argillic suite. The strongest zone of alteration is centered on a silicified fault near the irregular clastic/intrusive contact. Multiple narrow (to 0.5 m) chalcedonic quartz (+/- quartz breccia) veins occur within the broader zone of silicification. Values of up to 4.2 ppm Au have been recovered from these veins. Kinross Planned Activities for Evening Star and Generative Exploration Additional field exploration and generative work is planned throughout the Greenwood property in 2018, to identify exploration targets for testing. Evening Star is a geochemically anomalous basin that forms the headwaters of Skeff Creek (a known placer gold creek) and is located immediately north and adjacent to the Attwood drusy quartz veins (drill tested by Kinross in 2017). Glacial dispersion may contribute to the geochemical footprint, however exploration will continue until the source is identified. 2017 work involved detailed geologic mapping of over 900 outcrops, and rock chip sampling of specific alteration and mineralization styles. The mapping provided geologic context to the soil anomalies at Evening Star, which will be evaluated further in 2018. Grizzly 2018 Proposed Work Programs Grizzly has submitted three Notices of Work (NOW) programs to the BC government. The planned programs cover planned exploration including drilling at the Ket 28, Motherlode and Dayton target areas, all of which lie outside of the option agreement with Kinross. The Company will provide updates as funding and acceptance of these NOWs progress. ABOUT GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC. Grizzly is a diversified Canadian mineral exploration company with its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange with 59.2 million shares issued, focused on developing significant Potash assets in Alberta and its precious metals properties in southeastern British Columbia. The Company holds over 180,000 acres of precious-base metal properties in British Columbia; more than 160,000 acres of properties which host diamondiferous kimberlites in the Buffalo Head Hills region of Alberta; and metallic and industrial mineral permits for potash totaling more than 60,000 acres along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. The content of this news release and the Company's technical disclosure has been reviewed and approved by Michael B. Dufresne, M. Sc., P. Geol., who is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. On behalf of the Board, GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC. Brian Testo CEO, President Tel: (780) 693-2242 For further information, please visit our website at www.grizzlydiscoveries.com or contact: Nancy Massicotte, Investor Relations IR PRO COMMUNICATIONS INC. Tel: 604-507-3377 Toll Free: 1-866-503-3377 Email: ir@grizzlydiscoveries.com www.irprocommunications.com Ian Lambert COO, Grizzly Discoveries Inc. Tel: 416-840-9843 Email: ilambert@grizzlydiscoveries.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. Caution concerning forward-looking information This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information and statements address future activities, events, plans, developments and projections. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information and statements are frequently identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and similar terminology, and reflect assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management of Grizzly in light of its experience, current conditions, expectations of future developments and other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information and statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Grizzly's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements and accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary include but are not limited to the availability of financing; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes to and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including environmental laws and obtaining requisite permits; political, economic and other risks; as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. Grizzly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements except as may be required by law. 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 The Ames Main Street Farmers Market is a local market that has been a staple of downtown Ames for the past eight years. The market Google I/O is Googles developer conference. Its a place for Google to reveal developer tools and consumer-facing features that are coming to their platform in the next couple of weeks and months. Its Googles version of WWDC, just a couple of weeks earlier. And no, Google I/O is not all about Android. In fact, Android P was only a small part of the keynote. Google focused a lot more on its apps like Maps and Photos and services like Google Assistant. Google has taken a hard at all their major services and added a heavy sprinkling of AI and Machine Learning on the top. This, of course, is not a new thing. Weve been seeing these buzzwords for at least 3 years. But now, Google is starting to transition from talking about AI to actually shipping smart features. So even if youre an Apple fan and you cant ever imagine using Android, you should care about these new Google features. Because so many of these updates are cloud-based, theyll be rolled out to Googles iOS apps as well. Youll start seeing them slowly crop up in the Google apps you use on your iPhone and on the web in Gmail, Google Photos, Google Maps, and Google Assistant. 1. Converse With Google Assistant To personalize your #GoogleAssistant even further, we've used AI to create six new voices that will start rolling out todaywith familiar voices coming later this year https://t.co/SXa4jo5Rw0 #io18 pic.twitter.com/ouDDoyZuSW Google (@Google) May 8, 2018 Google Assistant is starting to take a leaf from the Siri for a change (ok its only for one feature but its a nice change to the narrative). Google Assistant will now come with 6 new voices (both male and female). And of course, the voices are incredibly natural sounding. One of the coolest things we saw in Google I/O was a demo of Google Assistants Duplex feature. It brings together years of research and development in speech-to-text, machine learning and AI.. to help you make appointments. It sounds silly but its amazing what a robot can pull off. Take a look at the video below. Based on the demo, you can ask Google Assistant to make an appointment for you for a place that doesnt have online booking and Google Assistant will actually place a call for you and have a conversation with a human being on the other side and will make the appointment for you. Assistant will talk in different voices and in a natural voice, even adding a little umm and uhums in the middle to make it sound real. Its going to be interesting to see how well this feature works in real life. Theres also a new feature called Continuous Listening. Now, you wont have to Ok Google every single time you want to ask something. Once you ask something, Assistant will keep listening and when you ask follow up questions, it will determine them as such and will reply to you. This is, of course, a huge privacy risk and based on the language used in Googles blog, it looks like users will have to expressly enable the feature. Were not sure how well this feature will work in the Assistant app in iOS. Google Assistant is adding Multiple Actions, which is another first in the voice assistant landscape. Youll now be able to ask Assistant two things at the same time. For example, you can ask Whats The Weather in San Francisco and San Jose. Youll also be able to order food right from Google Assistant app. You can browse the entire menu, choose what you want and get it delivered all from Google Assistant. In the beginning, the service will support DoorDash, Dominos, 7-Eleven, Panera Bread, Starbucks, Applebees, Just Eat, and Dunkin Donuts. Assistants Routine has been a popular feature with automation power users. Routines let you string together multiple items. Now, Assistant will support customized routines as well. Read more: Top 10 Google Assistant Tips and Tricks for iPhone 2. Take Quick Actions with Google Photos Google Photos is already one of the best photo backup and management systems on the iPhone. Now, Google is adding little features to make the experience better. When youre viewing a photo, youll now see suggested actions in the bottom. The suggestion will depend on the photo but it will make your photo a whole lot better. For example, Google might suggest using auto brightness feature on a dull photo. It's easier than ever to take action on your pictures in @googlephotos. Rolling out today, you may start to see suggestions to brighten, archive, share, or rotate your photos, right on the image. #io18 pic.twitter.com/NPT0l0GuBy Google (@Google) May 8, 2018 Assistants photo editing suggestions are also going to get better. Now, youll be able to automatically make the background black and white while keeping the subject in full color. In a future update, Google Photos will also add the ability to accurately colorize black and white photos. 3. Find Similar Things with Google Lens In a few weeks, a new Google Lens feature called style match will help you look up visually similar furniture and clothing, so you can find a look you like. #io18 pic.twitter.com/mH4HFFZLwH Google (@Google) May 8, 2018 Google Lens is an incredibly useful tool built right into the Google Photos app. Google Lens on iOS is still in preview but you can use it to identify objects in a picture, and you can copy text from images as well. Google is directly going to integrate Google Lens on many Android phones but of course, thats not possible with iOS. Instead, well get the next best thing. In coming months, the improvements in Google Lens will start tricking to the iOS app. Google Lens will be able to scan a picture and show you related products. For example, you can click a picture of an outfit and see clothes in the same style. Lens OCR abilities are also going to get better. Now, after scanning the text, Google Lens will show you intelligent options. If its a number, you can directly call it and so on. 4. Let Gmail Write Your Emails For You Lets be honest, youre probably using Gmail as your email service on your iPhone. And it looks like this is the year Gmail gets a huge upgrade across all platforms. Theres no word when the feature is coming to Android or iPhone but Gmails Smart Compose feature will start rolling out in the next couple of weeks. Upgrade to the redesigned Gmail inbox and you might just get the feature soon. Smart Compose takes the traditional autocomplete feature to a whole new level. When you start writing an email, Gmail will give you intelligent, context-aware suggestions in grey color. If you like what Gmail is suggesting, just press the Tab key to integrate it into your email and continue writing. This little wont just save you tile but will also upgrade your grammar game. Read more: How to Set up Your Email Accounts on iPhone or iPad 5. Explore and Plan Your Dinners With Google Maps Google is making Google Maps personal. According to Googles surveys, what users want the most from Google maps is more exploration options. So Google is adding a whole new For You section in the app that will help you do just that. Explore section will work like a customized feed for your area. Youll be able to find new places to go, editorial lists, events, activities and a lot more. A new Your Match score will quickly tell you if this place is to your liking (similar to Netflixs suggestion feature). But the most exciting feature is Group Planning. And its going to be a game changer when youre trying to plan a dinner with your friends. All your friends will be able to suggest and vote for the best place right inside Google Maps (it will work on both Android and iOS). No need to copy and paste links, no need to jump between apps. Google Maps is also bringing an AR experience right inside the app. Combining Street View data with your location and visuals from the camera, Google Maps will now give you real-time walking directions right inside the app. The directions will be superimposed on your live camera view so youll always know which way youre going. To make it even cuter, Google is adding animated characters that will guide your way. 6. Get The Nuance with Google News Google News is getting its biggest update in 15 years and this time, its rolling out on Android, iOS and on the Web, in 127 countries, from today. This ambitions update brings together the best of human curation and Googles AI. The brand new Google News app will replace the Google Play Newsstand on App Store once its released. The For You feed will give you the days briefing and the news that youre interested in. The more you use the app, the better the prediction and your feed will get. The app aims to give you both a quick look at the news and a full coverage. When you click the Full Coverage button, youll be able to see the same news from different sources. A fact-checking source, an overseas source, and opinion pieces as well. This feature should help you understand the news with more nuance. Your Favorite Google I/O Releases What are some of your favorite new features and updates from Google I/O 2018? Share with us in the comments below. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) Eleven police officers who hit Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde on social media will be relocated to Mindanao, the PNP announced Wednesday. "They have been relieved and reassigned to Sulu because Sulu lacks personnel for the maintenance of peace and security in that area," PNP spokesperson John Bulalacao said. He maintained that the reassignment is "not punitive and is never a form of punishment." "They will be appropriately charged for conduct unbecoming of a police officer," he added. Albayalde on Tuesday said the officers could face administrative charges, such as insubordination. Nine of the 11 policemen reported to him at Camp Crame on Tuesday. "I talked to them. And I made them realize na mali ang ginagawa ng mga ganyan [what they are doing is wrong]," said Albayalde. The policemen used false names to hide their identities while posting on a Facebook page called "Buhay Lespu." They came from various units of the PNP. "May tamang paraan para mag-express ng grievance mo -- hindi sa Facebook, hindi sa social media na parang tinataga mo ang kasamahan mo at commander mo... sa maling paraan," said Albayalde. [Translation: There is a proper way to express your grievances -- not through Facebook or social media, where you hit your colleagues and commander... in the wrong way.] He maintained the posts were like "(washing) dirty linen in public" and willfully put the organization in bad light. "On the day we signed-up for the police service, in effect, we waived certain civil liberties and political rights that private citizens enjoy," he said. PNP Memorandum Circular No. 2008-0116 details the systems for uniformed personnel to raise their grievances. It also maintains that no member of the PNP "ventilate their grievance, direct to any forum outside of the PNP organization." Under the circular, those who violate the guidelines can be held administratively liable. Supervisors and heads of offices who refuse to act on the grievances can also be held liable for neglect of duty. Non-uniformed personnel can refer to PNP Memorandum Circular No. 2016-077 when airing their grievances, a PNP statement added. The Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management is investigating 20 police personnel for alleged violation of these regulations. Albayalde, who succeeded former PNP Chief Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, has vowed to prioritize the discipline and reform of police officers during his term. He told his men his office was open to those who sought an audience and they should "sound-off if there is anything so urgent that I should know." CNN Philippines' correspondent Gerg Cahiles contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) President Rodrigo Duterte's son, former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, is under investigation for graft and four other cases, sources at the Ombudsman confirmed on Wednesday. A list of the cases show the younger Duterte is also charged with perjury, forfeiture, violation of the code of conduct and ethical standards, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of government service, grave misconduct, and serious dishonesty. Of the five cases, two are criminal, two are administrative, and the one on foreiture involves ill-gotten wealth. The sources did not specify the actual cases or their details, but said investigators found sufficient basis to elevate them to the preliminary investigation stage. Paolo Duterte, in a Facebook post, said this was an old, "recycled" story. A case on the alleged involvement of the former vice mayor in the smuggling of P6.4 billion shabu to the country was excluded as this was already dismissed on May 2. Related: Ombudsman Investigators recommend filing of charges vs. Faeldon over 6.4 billion shabu smuggling case Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Tuesday confirmed there were other pending cases against Paolo Duterte in her office, but declined to provide details. Morales, who is due to retire in July, said she had already inhibited herself from all cases against the Duterte family. A nephew of the Ombudsman is a son-in-law of President Duterte. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Ombudsman is exercising its power to investigate and initiate proper action against public officers. "We see this as part of the Ombudsman's constitutional mandate to ensure public accountability," he said in a statement. CNN Philippines' AC Nicholls contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) Senators called for an investigation on the P60-million tourism advertisement controversy hounding former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo. Senator Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV on Wednesday filed Senate Resolution 726, which urges the Senate Tourism Committee to look into the alleged anomalous placement, which paid for advertisements that ran on Kilos Pronto on the government network. The show is hosted by Teo's brothers, Ben and Erwin Tulfo. "We must know the extent of corruption at the (Tourism Department) under her watch," Trillanes said in a statement on Tuesday. "Moreover, appropriate cases must be filed against her and those involved in the ad scam and other anomalies." The resolution is the second one that called for the probe. Senate Tourism Committee Chair Nancy Binay on Monday announced she filed a similar resolution that calls for an investigation on how the Tourism Department spends its advertising and marketing budget. "Siguro kailangan natin alamin kung paano nila nira-rationalize ang [We need to know how they rationalize] local advertising placements and if they are congruent with the strategic marketing and media plans of the department," said Binay. Senator Sonny Angara supports a probe, and suggested focusing on "systems and safeguards," leaving liability issues with the Ombudsman. "It's still surprising as to how the husband and wife were able to occupy approximate positions," Angara told CNN Philippines' The Source. "Maybe we have to see what are the safeguards... so these types of arrangements are avoided in the future." Angara was referring to Tulfo-Teo holding office while her husband, Roberto, sits in the board of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), which is under the supervision of the Tourism Department. Malacanang has said Teo has resigned from TIEZA. Tulfo-Teo resigned on Tuesday amid the controversy, but her lawyer said it was done "out of delicadeza" for her family and the President. Her lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, insisted the President did not fire her. President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat as new Tourism Chief. Tulfo-Teo is the fifth official to leave the Cabinet after the resignation of former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre. Others were Commission on Higher Education Chair Patricia Licuanan, Information and Communications Technology chief Rodolfo Salalima, and former Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Chairman, Vice President Leni Robredo. Angara said Teo should not be appointed to another position. "It leaves a bad taste in the mouth... The fact that a person was asked to resign, that means they failed the test," he said. Former Customs Chief Nicanor Faeldon and Social Security System (SSS) Commissioner Pompee La Vina were also accused of corruption. However, both were re-appointed Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator and Tourism undersecretary, respectively. CNN Philippines Correspondent Cecille Lardizabal, senior digital producer Lara Tan, and multi-platform writer Regine Cabato contributed to this report. Metro Nashville Police Department(NASHVILLE) -- The man who thwarted the deadly rampage inside a Tennessee Waffle House by a half-naked gunman last month was honored today by his alma mater. James Shaw Jr., the 29-year-old AT&T worker and father of a 4-year-old girl, was feted on Monday by Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover for his "bravery and courage" and a scholarship was established in his name. Shaw was inside a Waffle House near Nashville on April 22 when authorities claim Travis Reinking, also 29, targeted the eatery during the pre-dawn hours and shot four people to death with an AR-15 rifle. According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police, 29-year-old Waffle House employee Taurean Sanderlin, 20-year-old Joe Perez, 23-year-old Akilah Dasilva and 21-year-old Deebony Grove were killed in the attack. Four others were wounded by either fired bullets or shattered glass. Shaw hid behind a door near the Waffle House's bathroom as he eyed the gunman reloading his weapon. He then confronted Reinking and wrested control of his gun, tossing it over the counter, Shaw told ABC News. Disarmed, Reinking then ran off and dropped his coat, leaving him completely naked, authorities aid. The coat, authorities confirmed later, was loaded with more ammunition. He was captured a day later. He faces four counts of attempted homicide and one count of using a firearm while committing a dangerous felony. Authorities believe Reinking would have killed or wounded more had Shaw not stepped in. But Shaw has refused to call himself a hero, saying he only took on the gunman to save his own life. After the heroics, Shaw set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for the families of the victims. As of Tuesday, almost $231,000 had been donated. After receiving the accolades from his university, Shaw told reporters he wanted to unplug and possibly take a family adventure. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Focus on Lisa Netz, co-owner of The Lavish Loft Submitted by Haleh Rabizadeh Resnick, Federation Business and Community Development Director For the Voice What was your path to South Jersey? I grew up in... Focus on Peter Hecht Partner at Magna Legal Services Tell me about your connection to the South Jersey Jewish Community? I actually grew up in East Brunswick, Exit 9 off the Turnpike. But weve... Focus on Abigail Dahan: Owner of the Bake School Tell me a bit about your life in South Jersey. I grew up in Cherry Hill. We moved here from Paris when I was six... When we address the subject of dominant sires in racing today the name that is mentioned the most is Tapit, followed by a wide variety of stallions who shine on a sporadic basis, such as the most recent star, the now deceased Scat Daddy. Looking beyond the sires are the dominant influences, headed by Mr. Prospector, Northern Dancer, Fappiano, Storm Cat, and A.P. Indy. These are the names we see in most pedigrees. But there is a sire we tend to overlook as a dominant influence, but who produced two daughters that are responsible for the majority of todays top stars. To demonstrate that dominance, of the 20 starters in this years Kentucky Derby, 17 of them have Secretariat in their pedigree, the vast majority through Big Reds daughters Terlingua, the dam of Storm Cat; and Weekend Surprise, the dam of A.P. Indy. The other daughter of Secretariat we see quite often is Secrettame, the daughter of top sire Gone West, who is the sire of leading stallion Speightstown, whose broodmare sire is Storm Cat. Also, the aforementioned Tapits paternal grandsire is A.P. Indy. Breaking down Secretariats influence on this years Derby, 13 starters have Terlingua in their pedigree through her son Storm Cat, seven have Weekend Surprise through her son A.P. Indy, three have Secrettame through her son Gone West, one has Sister Dot through her son Dehere, and one has Take Heart, the third dam of Lone Sailors sire Majestic Warrior. To add to Secretariats influence over the weekend, the first four finishers of the Kentucky Oaks have Big Red in their pedigree. The winner Monomoy Girl has Weekend Surprise on top and Terlingua on bottom; runner-up Wonder Gadot has Secrettame; third-place finisher Midnight Bisou has Sister Dot on top and Medaille dOr on bottom; and fourth-place finisher Eskimo Kisses has Weekend Surprise on top and Secrettame on bottom. In short, Secretariat is everywhere in todays bloodlines. One of the Derby starters who will go on to the Preakness is Louisiana Derby runner-up Lone Sailor, who has Secretariat in his pedigree an amazing four times. ******** On another stallion front, Damascus, who was once thought of as the savior of the Teddy line and who was the horse who inspired my love of racing, went many years without having any influence on the Kentucky Derby. Then came Big Brown followed by Orb and Damascus had finally made his mark on the Run for the Roses. This year, Damascus broke out, with his name in the pedigrees of seven of the Kentucky Derby starters, including the winner Justify through his son Ogygian on top and third-place finisher Audible through his son Timeless Moment and Timeless Moments son Gilded Time, who is Audibles broodmare sire. ******** You have to admire WinStar Farm and China Horse Club for running a top-class horse against Justify in the Preakness, considering how many people feel Justify has a great chance to be the next Triple Crown winner. With Quip, who is trained by Rodolphe Brisset, withdrawn from the Kentucky Derby to await the Preakness, WinStar could easily have changed paths and possibly gone for Saturdays Peter Pan Stakes instead. But they obviously feel Justify can beat anyone or they just believe Quip deserves his chance in a classic race. WinStar president, CEO, and racing manager Elliott Walden said on At the Races with Steve Byk, they felt it wasnt right to manipulate the Triple Crown, and if Quip defeats Justify, then there was a good chance Justify would not have won the Belmont Stakes anyway. The decision makes one think of the 1931 Triple Crown when Greentree Stables Twenty Grand rallied from 10th to win the Kentucky Derby by four widening lengths. In the Preakness, Greentree decided to run a longshot named Surf Board as an entrymate with Twenty Grand. The race drew only seven entries, and as the chart footnotes read: Twenty Grand went up inside and was blocked by his stablemate Surf Board at the head of the stretch, and, responding gamely under punishment, was wearing down the winner (appropriately named Mate). Then in the Belmont Stakes, Twenty Grand won by 10 lengths over only two opponents. So, that was one case where running an entrymate in the Preakness cost a horse the Triple Crown. And it is interesting to note that Justify and Quip have the exact same running style. So, that shows the confidence WinStar and China Horse Club have in Justify, deciding not to make it easier for him by not running a horse they feel belongs in the race and has earned his way in. ******** There has been a great deal of talk regarding Justifys minor foot bruise, which he already seems to have gotten over. Well, lets not forget that Sunday Silence developed a foot bruise after winning the Kentucky Derby over a muddy track. Only this bruise was bad enough to bring noted veterinarian Alex Harthill up from Kentucky to treat the horse, which he did behind closed stall doors. It reached a point where Sunday Silence had to work and work well at Pimlico in order to run in the Preakness. With all eyes watching intently, the colt turned in a brilliant work and, as everyone knows, went on to out-duel Easy Goer in one of the greatest stretch battles of all time. ******** Bolt dOro and his sire Medaglia dOro, although considered bluebloods, were both raised in Montana, about 220 miles apart Bolt dOro in Bigfork, population 4,270, and Medaglia Oro in Great Falls, whose previous visitors included Lewis and Clark and Jim Bridger. After being broken, Medaglia dOro was sent to a small ranch in Arizona, located pretty much in the middle of nowhere, between Cave Creek and Carefree. There wast even a rail, so Medaglia dOro was ridden through the desert every day, out with the cacti and sagebrush. Yes, Derby horses and Derby sires can come from anywhere. ******** Returning to the sires represented in this years Derby, Scat Daddy had four horses in the field (Justify, Mendelssohn, Flameaway, and Combatant), Medaglia dOro had two (Bolt dOro and Enticed), and Into Mischief had one (Audible). Of course, Justify and Audible finished first and third. Well, Medaglia dOro, Scat Daddys sire Johannesburg, and Into Mischiefs sire Harlans Holiday all competed in the 2002 Kentucky Derby, won by War Emblem. So that one Derby certainly had a major effect on another 16 years later. Also, Scat Daddy and Curlin, the sires of the first two finishers, Justify and Good Magic, both ran against each other in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. ******** Speaking of Scat Daddy, the day he won the Florida Derby, owner Jim Scatuorchio and trainer Todd Pletcher watched the race together on a computer in their hotel lobby at about 2 a.m. in Dubai, having seen their English Channel finish 12th in the Dubai Duty Free hours earlier. As Scat Daddy was rallying down the stretch, the computer froze, and they had to wait to confirm that he had won. ******** As most people know by now, Justifys opening fractions of :22 1/5 and :45 3/5 were the fastest ever run by the winning horse. ******** Finally, if Good Magic runs, this years Preakness will have four starters who are sired by Breeders Cup Classic winners Good Magic and Tenfold (Curlin) Sporting Chance (Tiznow), and Bravazo (Awesome Again). The last two are trained by Wayne Lukas. If youre looking for history to repeat itself, Lukas last Preakness victory was in 2013 with 15-1 shot Oxbow, who is by Awesome Again, out of a Cees Tizzy mare and owned by Calumet Farm. Bravazo is by Awesome Again, out of a Cees Tizzy mare, and owned by Calumet Farm. Both horses used the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds as one of their Kentucky Derby preps. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] announced [press release] Tuesday that a former CIA officer has been charged with unauthorized possession of classified material and conspiracy to commit espionage. In the indictment by a federal grand jury in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia [official website], Jerry Chun Shing Lee is believed to have helped Chinese intelligence dismantle a spy network from the US, which led to the imprisonment and death of informants. In an announcement of the charges, Assistant Attorney General of National Security John Demers [official profile] stated: When government officials violate their oath to defend our nation and protect its secrets, the National Security Division will hold them accountable. Lees alleged actions betrayed the American people and his former colleagues at the CIA. We will not tolerate such threats to our country or its national security. Lee was arrested [press release] by federal officials in January after returning to the US. If convicted, Lee faces life in prison. The US House of Representatives voted [roll call] 234-175 on Tuesday to overturn a rule [text] implemented to prevent discrimination in auto lending. Implemented in 2013 by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFRB) [official website], the rule ensures that auto lenders cannot charge higher fees to borrowers based on race, national original or credit score. Republican lawmakers have invoked the Congressional Review Act [text] that allows Congress to get rid of regulations shortly after they are imposed. The Senate voted [JURIST report] to repeal the rule in April. The resolution will now go to President Donald Trump for approval. The Pineville Police Department has arrested four subjects in connection with an armed robbery that stemmed from solicitation of prostitution. The preliminary investigation showed that on May 5, arrangements were made for two subjects to meet at Days Inn, 11 Lord of Lords Avenue, for an exchange of sexual intercourse for narcotics. The subject arrived at the hotel room occupied by three individuals where he was held at gunpoint and robbed. Contact was made with all four parties involved and they were arrested on scene. Taylor Danielle Roberston, 21, of Pollock was arrested for illegal possession of stolen firearms, possession of marijuana, armed robbery, illegal carrying of weapons with drugs, criminal conspiracy, possession of CDS II and prostitution. Landon Blain Jordan, 25, of Dry Prong, was arrested for illegal possession of stolen firearms, possession of CDS I (marijuana) with intent to distribute, possession of CDS II (methamphetamine) with intent to distribute, armed robbery, illegal carrying of weapons with drugs, criminal conspiracy, possession of a firearm by a felon, inciting prostitution, entering contraband into a penal institution, possession of CDS II, simple battery, possession of CDS II, illegal length shotgun and possession of marijuana. Jeffery Edwards Chelette, 36, of Colfax, was arrested for illegal possession of stolen firearms, possession of CDS II (methamphetamine), armed robbery, illegal carrying of weapons with drugs, criminal conspiracy, possession of a firearm by a felon and inciting prostitution. Christian Daspit, 24, of Dry Prong, was arrested for soliciting for prostitutes. At the time of this release, mug shots were available only for Chelette and Jordan. Once the other two mug shots are released, we will update the story. Jonas Cullwick, a former General Manager of VBTC is now a Senior Journalist with the Daily Post. Contact: [email protected]. Cell # 678 5460922 Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. My Japan Lifestyle Haul Hi dearies! Hope everyone's having a great week so far. I miss writing this kind of blog post. When I was starting, I write a haul post weekly because I want to share what I bought from my weekend shopping. I'm always on the look for new and exciting things thus I'll buy them and feature here on the blog. Shopping for beauty products is my kind of retail therapy that I seldom do these days. What we shop weekly now are necessities because of adulting! Anyhoo, I'm a fan of Japanese culture. I love everything- Japan!!! From food, toys, fashion, and my fave- beauty, I always make sure to try the latest in these categories. When I was in Japan last March, I had a chance to shop for items that I rarely found here in the Philippines. Read more below to see my Japan haul, enjoy! My Japan Lifestyle Haul I was able to fit in my stuff and haul inside this medium luggage :) Back in Manila, I already created a list of what to buy for pasalubong and for myself. Chocolate is life so that's the number one on the list. To make it easy for you and the Japanese SA (sales assistant), make sure to have a photo handy with complete details either in English text or Nihonggo. Not all Japanese SA's can understand English so be ready with that. Back in Manila, I already created a list of what to buy for pasalubong and for myself. Chocolate is life so that's the number one on the list. To make it easy for you and the Japanese SA (sales assistant), make sure to have a photo handy with complete details either in English text or Nihonggo. Not all Japanese SA's can understand English so be ready with that. Don Quijote and Yodobashi. Some of the pasalubongs were bought at Kansai airport like the Daiso store and a random shop. My Japan Lifestyle Haul photo from kyotostation.com I only visited two malls in Kyoto-and. Some of thewere bought at Kansai airport like the Daiso store and a random shop. DON QUIJOTE Don Quijote- this is the biggest discount store in Japan. You'll find almost everything you need there. Name it, they have it all!!! The Donki (short for Don Quijote) store where I shopped is located across the Kyoto Train Station (Directly outside the Hachijo Exit of JR Kyoto Station) at the second floor of Avanti Shopping Mall. The store opens 8:00 AM and closes at 12:00 midnight. This is just a few minutes walk from Ibis Styles Kyoto Station that's why I didn't get lost. Food Chocolates- Meiji Macadamia, Dars Milk and Dark Chocolate, KitKat Japan Green Tea which I find the texture richer and tastier compared to the one sold in supermarkets, Tirol is an assortment of chocolates that the kids and the adults will love, Furuta is an affordable chocolate and okay for my sweet tooth. My Japan Lifestyle Haul Chocolates, chocolates, chocolates!!! Haribo Cherries which I can't find in membership stores and imported goods section of the supermarket that's why I bought one and Mintia Coldsmash because I find the packaging so sleek and handy. My Japan Lifestyle Haul The infamous Nissin Cup Seafood Noodles will always be on the list plus I want to try out the Royal Milk Tea and Nescafe Gold Blend that's an impulse buy. My Japan Lifestyle Hau Beauty Most of the items here are pasalubongs. I want to give my relatives and friends something that they will use every day. DHC Lip Gloss, Moist Labo BB Cream, Dolly Angel Eyeshadow, and Shiseido Brow Pencil surely fits the bill. On the other hand, My Lash Mascara is highly recommended by Liz of The Project Vanity. Knowing Liz, I have to get it asap! Hahaha :) I also found a refill of the discontinued Majolica Majolica Pore Remaker Cover Powder Foundation in one of the shelves. It's my HG face powder for years now before going back to MAC. I have a review HERE. Most of the items here areI want to give my relatives and friends something that they will use every daysurely fits the bill. On the other hand,is highly recommended by Liz of The Project Vanity. Knowing Liz, I have to get it asap! Hahaha :) I also found a refill of the discontinuedin one of the shelves. It's my HG face powder for years now before going back to MAC. I have a review My Japan Lifestyle Haul Makeup Out of the six items here, mine's four! The lip balm was given as a gift by Wacoal Corp. It's called Bee Honey and it's sooo good in fixing chapped lips. I will definitely purchase this again when I back to Japan this December. I got an undereye pad Kose Cosmeport Clear Turn that was recommended by the Camille Co :) DHC Eyelash Tonic for my thin and short lashes. This product ranked Best of the best (2006) in Cosme so I gotta try this. It's my sister who convinced me to try the Meishoku Del Clear Bright and Peel Facial Peeling Gel which I find similar to Cure. The Cow Beauty Soap is for my dear mother who is into anti-aging because she's already a senior citizen. My Japan Lifestyle Haul Skincare I swear by Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler that's why I bought another one not for me but for my sister. I have three sisters by the way and these eyelash curlers were for them. I also bought a Shiseido Eyelash Curler for my other sisters to try. I'm a contact lens wearer since I was in Grade Six and it was only two years ago that I've tried Japanese Eyedrops. I have Rohto Lycee and trying out the Rohto C3 and Lion Smile Whiteye that claims to make eyes whiter and clearer. Hmm, let's see :) My Japan Lifestyle Haul Makeup tools and eye care Souvenirs If you don't know what to buy for pasalubong and have a simple but rare collection at home, then your last resort are ref magnets and keychain. I think this is a no-brainer stuff to buy when visiting a new city or country. A default remembrance/souvenir for everyone :) My Japan Lifestyle Haul Ref magnets and keychain If you don't know what to buy forand have a simple but rare collection at home, then your last resort are ref magnets and keychain. I think this is a no-brainer stuff to buy when visiting a new city or country. A default remembrance/souvenir for everyone :) YODOBASHI CAMERA I also went to another mall named Yodobashi to hunt for my son's toy. He requested for a limited edition Tomica to add to his collection and I found a few in this mall. The toy store is located on the third floor. Yodobashi is a camera store. The first and second floors are dedicated to all things camera and tech. For the kids I decided to buy these body bags for the pre-schoolers in the family. I have a big family and my parents already have ten grandchildren. The Mickey Mouse towel's for my godchild Isha while the Tomica Diecast Cars were for my son. He requested for Tomica Limited Vintage Neo Nissan GT-R Premium Edition 2017 Model, Dream Tomica- Initial D FC3S RX-7 and Initial D Skyline GT-R (R32). My Japan Lifestyle Haul For the kids For the babies, I bought these soaps which are also a product of Cow Beauty- Kewpie Baby Soap plus the Shiseido Baby Powder and unbranded toothbrush with timer and nasal spray. My Japan Lifestyle Haul For the babies I decided to buy these body bags for the pre-schoolers in the family. I have a big family and my parents already have ten grandchildren. Thetowel's for my godchild Isha while thewere for my son. He requested for TandFor the babies, I bought these soaps which are also a product of Cow Beauty-plus the Sand unbranded toothbrush with timer and nasal spray. KANSAI DUTY-FREE Upon checking my list, there are still few items that I need to buy. I can't think of what to give to my brothers and in-laws. Duty-Free is a lifesaver. I was able to score this Calvin Klein Miniature Perfumes, a set of Stationery and United Colors of Benetton purse. I also got curious on Chocola BB, an l-cysteine supplement with Vitamin C that's why I decided to buy it and give it a try. My Japan Lifestyle Haul Perfumes and other items from Kansai International Airport By MATTHEW LEE and CATHERINE LUCEY , Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday in the latest sign of improving relations between the two longtime adversary nations. Trump said on Twitter that Pompeo was returning with "the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting." The president, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. "I appreciate Kim Jong Un doing this and allowing them to go," Trump said Wednesday before a meeting of his Cabinet. The release of the detainees came as Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for a historic summit between Trump and Kim, the North's leader. Trump told reporters that the summit would not take place at the inter-Korean demilitarized zone, and that the venue would be announced within the next three days. Singapore has emerged as the most likely place for the meeting late this month or in early June, officials have indicated. North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities but their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation's nuclear weapons. The family of Tony Kim thanked "all those" who worked for his return and also credited Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. "Mostly we thank God for Tony's safe return," the family said in a statement, and they urged people to "continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held." White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that Trump viewed the release "as a positive gesture of goodwill." The release capped a dramatic day of diplomacy in Pyongyang for Pompeo. After his 90-minute meeting with Kim Jong Un, he gave reporters a fingers-crossed sign when asked about the prisoners as he returned to his hotel. But it was only after a North Korean emissary arrived a bit later to inform him that the release was confirmed. The three had been held for periods ranging between one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016. He was accused of stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. On Capitol Hill, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the detainees' return but warned that "we'll see many more hostages" if the administration provides an incentive for imprisoning Americans. "We are happy they've returned, but North Korea shouldn't gain by taking Americans and then releasing them," he said. Of the newly released detainees, Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, had been held the longest. The former Virginia resident was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea's border with Russia. The other two detainees hadn't been tried. Kim Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST. The university is the only privately funded college in North Korea and was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. He was detained last May for alleged anti-state activities. Tony Kim, who also uses the name Kim Sang-duk, was detained in April 2017 at the Pyongyang airport. He taught accounting at PUST. He was accused of committing unspecified criminal acts intended to overthrow the government. Pompeo, in his visit, discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim Jong Un summit in his meeting with Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the central committee of North Korea's ruling party. Kim Yong Chol noted improved relations between North and South Korea and pushed back against the idea that U.S. pressure led to the likely summit. "This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside," he said. That contradicted Trump, who has said repeatedly that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Pompeo's trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. Accompanying Pompeo were a few senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which the U.S. is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea moved to ease tensions, including the North sending a contingent to the Winter Olympics in the South. The Koreas' leaders' held their own summit last month. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss "denuclearization." According to South Korea, Kim says he's willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Kim was quoted by China's official news agency Xinhua as saying on Monday, "I hope to build mutual trust with the U.S. through dialogue." He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But his exact demands for relinquishing weapons that his nation spent decades building remain unclear. Previous U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the North's nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Pompeo and officials traveling with him said the Trump administration would not repeat mistakes of the past, which they described as accepting gradual, incremental and long-term disarmament in exchange for immediate benefits. Trump has said that withdrawing U.S. forces from South Korea is "not on the table." Some 28,500 U.S. forces are based in the allied nation, a military presence that has been preserved to deter North Korea since the war ended in 1953 without a peace treaty. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Zeke Miller, and Ken Thomas in Washington contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to correct that crossed fingers came after meeting with Kim Jong Un. UPDATE: According to Oregon State Police (OSP), the investigation of the two sex offenders began when Major Crimes detectives were tipped off to a married couple using false identities living near Bonanza. The tip source thought they may have been on the run due to sex-related crimes in Texas. Detectives identified the couple as 43-year-old Shawn Cowan and 46-year-old Rachel Guttry of Beaumont, Texas. They both had arrest warrants from Texas for parole violations and failing to register as sex offenders. Cowan and Guttry were living in a rural, wooded area outside of the town of Bonanza. As previously reported, Cowan and Guttry were arrested on Tuesday, May 8. OSP deployed an aircraft to assist with surveillance of the densely wooded area, and OSP troopers were assisted by the U.S. Marshal Service and the Klamath County Sheriff's Office. Authorities were able to arrest the two without incident. BONANZA, Ore. One of Texas 10 most wanted sex offenders was arrested Tuesday in Bonanza. Oregon State Police arrested Shawn Monroe Cowan shortly before 4 p.m. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS), In March 2011, while out on parole, Cowan was convicted in Walker County of Indecency with a Child Sexual Contact after an incident involving a 9 year-old girlOn September 27, 2017, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office issued a warrant for Cowans arrest for Sex Offender Registration Violation. Arrested along with Cowan, 43, was Rachel Ann Guttry, also a registered sex offender from Texas. In March of 2018, Cowan was believed to be in the area of Redding, Californiawhere local authorities circulated his image in an attempt to track the man down. TDPS offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his capture. Cowan was considered to be armed and dangerous at that time. Both Cowan and Guttry are currently lodged at the Klamath County Jail. This article will be updated when more information becomes available. FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2017, file photo, a barista pours steamed milk in a coffee at a cafe in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle issued his final decision Monday, May 7, 2018, that Starbucks and other coffee companies failed to show that benefits from drinking coffee outweighed any risks. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File) FILE - In thisOct. 12, 2004, file photo, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.'s headquarters stands in Hunt Valley, Md. Media company Twenty-First Century Fox is buying seven TV stations from Sinclair Broadcast Group for $910 million. The move comes as Sinclair is selling some stations to meet regulatory approval for its pending $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark, File) A blog about life under, and resisting, a dictatorship Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu rises in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Friday, October 27, 2017. Gladu says that while she supports Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to apologize for Canada turning away Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust in 1939, the number of apologies he's delivered makes people question his sincerity.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld The Bank of Canada building is pictured in Ottawa on September 6, 2011. The Bank of Canada is raising its conventional mortgage 5-year interest rate from 5.14 to 5.34 after all Big Six banks raised their posted rates.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Le Manoir Richelieu is shown in La Malbaie, Quebec on Wednesday, May 2, 2018. The federal government will to spend more than $2.2 million to fly around 3,000 police officers and dozens of German Shepherds from all around the country to Quebec City to help secure the sites for next month's G7 leaders' summit.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick xMathFanx said: @Bubba Before even getting into other content of your post, you must understand--I have heard numerous girls my age who, in public, shamelessly (and even proudly) openly discuss that they are highly sexually promiscuous with strangers, only occasionally use contraceptive of some sort, and that if anything happens (i.e. pregnancy), then they would "abort the sh*t out of it". Also, I know girls who have done exactly that, and then continue the same pattern of behavior. What do you even say about something like that? Click to expand... And what kind of parents do you think those girls would make ?? Especially if they were FORCED to carry the pregnancy to term ??And, in truth, WHAT does it matter to you ?? Are their actions going to change YOUR life ?? Beyond the fact you might not want to date them ??As I said, I AM NOT GOD, I am not the arbiter of morality. It is not fro me to decide for someone else. I don't have to like their attitude or the choices they make. But frankly I'd rather them "abort the shit out of it" than wind up hating the child or simply dumping it off on the welfare system.Let's not even discuss the bigger issues of planetary over population and the fact the Trump has reinstated the global gag order, meaning organizations that get any amount of federal funding for women's health care ANY WHERE in the world can't mention abortion. We're talking about countries that can barely feed themselves now, in some cases can't feed themselves, where rape is rampant, and what do we do ?? We sentence millions of the worlds poorest, least educated, least nourished, women to making babies in countries tht have no welfare system and few or no adoptions. Especially if those babies are brown !!It's easy to sit in your comfort, with your running water and electricity keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, not sitting in the dark, food in the fridge which doesn't spoil thanks to refrigeration, with grocery stores and all sorts of restaurants just down the street, and judge people who literally don't know where their next meal is coming from. People who live in grass huts or bare walled concrete tenements. Yet we, the U.S. at least the more conservative among us, feel obliged to dictate our first world morality onto third world people. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, left, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, pose for photographers prior to their summit in Tokyo Wednesday, May 9, 2018. The summit is expected to focus on North Korea's nuclear program and on improving the sometimes-frayed ties among the three northeast Asian neighbors. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool) FILE - In this April 21, 2016, file photo, Matt Lauer, co-host of the NBC "Today" television program, appears on set in Rockefeller Plaza, in New York. NBC has concluded in an internal investigation ordered after Lauer's firing that it does not believe there is a culture of sexual harassment in its news division. The network says that more needs to be done to ensure employees know how to report complaints about misconduct and not fear retaliation. To that end, NBC News Chairman Andy Lack said Wednesday, May 9, 2018, that he's creating a way for employees to make such complaints to a figure outside the company. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2017 file photo, American screenwriter, film director, and producer, Oliver Stone, walks on the red carpet to receive the Sarajevo Film Festival's top honor, the Heart of Sarajevo Award, in Sarajevo. Iranian media are saying director Oliver Stone has arrived Tehran to attend an international film festival. The Monday, April 22, 2018 report by the semi-official Tasnim news agency says Stone briefly visited historical city of Isfahan a day earlier. Stone will host a workshop for filmmakers during the festival. He will have a news conference later on Wednesday. This is the first visit by Stone to Iran.(AP Photo/Amel Emric, File) FILE - In this Thursday, April 26, 2018, file photo, Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' attorney, talks to reporters outside of federal court in New York. Avenatti says he has information showing that President Donald TrumpAos longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, received $500,000 from a Russian billionaire within months of paying hush money to Daniels. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) Mahathir Mohamad speaks to media a press conference at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Unofficial results from Malaysia's general election Wednesday show the opposition alliance led by former authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad is making strong gains at the expense of the ruling coalition. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Ong) Indonesian Police officers walk past roadblock outside the headquarters of elite police force Mobile Brigade, following a prison riot inside the compound in Depok, West Java, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. A riot injured prisoners and some officers at a the police detention center south of Indonesia's capital, police said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) The majority of US Jews (80%) voted against Trump, who promised to finally solve Israeli-Arab disputes, which harm both sides of the Middle East conflict. Previous US President Obama, who received In advance the Nobel Peace Prize, managed to only exacerbate the situation by exerting pressure on Israel and encouraging anti-Semitic propaganda tricks of Palestinians. In the past, the democrats Jimmy Carter and John Kerry declared Israel apartheid, that is, a state that does not have the right to exist. Obama, together with Kerry, concluded a deal with Iran, which unleashed the hands of the Ayatollahs aggression.Thus, why do these clever and often wealthy Jews of the US vote against the peace and interests of the Jewish state? As a pretext, explanations are about humanism and the suffering Palestinian people. I placed above the title a pic of the American Jewish anti-Zionist Noam Chomsky. By definition, this person is not stupid, he is a scientist and confesses leftist views. It seems that most American Jews support his anti-Israeli criticism, posing as a pretext the need for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. In fact, this critical approach harms the desired peace, since it encourages pro-Palestinian anti-Semitism. So, lets figure out whats really going on.The Israeli 2005 disengagement from Gaza teaches us that the cessation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine inspires the Palestinians to resume their attempts to destroy Israel. The feasibility of the Palestinian hope for the destruction of Israel is based on almighty global anti-Semitism, from anti-Semitic ayatollahs of Iran to Jewish anti-Zionists.The more support the Palestinians receive, the less they are ready to compromise and peace. The reasoning of the Jewish humanists at the expense of Israel is, that the cessation of Israeli occupation of Palestine will automatically bring peace, but in the real life, such a reasoning is obviously wrong. In fact, it is impossible to help Palestine by encouraging Palestinian aggression against Israel. After all, it was this help that led the Palestinian people into a stalemate of permanent war and backwardness.The Palestinian people suffer only because of their own mistakes. In the years 1936-39, the Palestinians tried to destroy the Jews by their own force. Then the Palestinians rejected the British-proposed Palestinian state with the Arab majority and the Jewish minority, as they sought Palestine, cleansed of Jews.Similar is the current demand of Mahmoud Abbas to cleanse the West Bank from Jews. Trump has not yet published his peace plan, but the Palestinians have already rejected it. They are only interested in Palestine, which will be Judenfrei, and are not ready to compromise.The Nakba of 1948 was the result of Palestinian attempts to genocide of Jews, first of all with the help of Hitler (1939-1945). According to the diary of the Palestinian leader Amin al-Husseini, Hitler promised him, in a proper time, to occupy the Middle East and crack down on the Jews. By the way, Amin asked Hitlers consent to solve the Jewish question not only in Palestine, but throughout whole Middle East. Hitler replied: Jews are yours, that is, let do to them what you wish.It is known that in 1941 the Nazis created (in Athens) Einsatzkommando Aegipten, whose task was the forthcoming genocide of Jews in the Middle East. This group waited in vain in the course of a half of the WWII. Rommel failed to break into Palestine in 1940. After that, as the main direction of the attack on the Middle East, Hitler chose the path through the Caucasus, but this plan also fell because of the Stalingrad defeat.On the other hand, the Jews of Palestine were preparing to meet the Nazis. The leadership of Yishuv planned to evacuate all the Jews of Palestine to Mount Carmel and to keep there the defenses.So, just in Palestine, the Nazis did not succeed in the Holocaust. But Great Britain, with the assistance of de Gaulle, freed Amin al Husseini from imprisonment (1946), and gave him the opportunity to lead the Palestinian people. For what purpose did they do this? It turns out that the British colonial officials tried to arrange the genocide of Jews at the hands of the Palestinians. Since the commander of the British forces in Palestine unequivocally stated that his army would not carry out the order to annihilate the Jews, the Foreign Ministry and intelligence tried to employ in the cause the Palestinians and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood , and finally the British Arab allies. Stalin thwarted these plans, giving Israel support at the most critical moment.At the call and under the command of Husseini, the Palestinians tried to arrange massacres for Jews in the winter and spring of 1948, but failed, and began to flee in panic. This was the Nakba. In this first direct confrontation with Jewish self-defense, the Palestinians were defeated and began to place all their hopes on the external intervention of the Arabs. The intervention of Britain and Arab states on the side of the Palestinians in the 1948 war, and then the expulsion of Jews from the Arab countries as a result of the wave of anti-Semitism that the Palestinians inspired, turned the Nakba irreversible.Then it became obvious that the Palestinians are instigating anti-Semitism outside of Palestine, I would say, on their own misfortune.The Nachsa of 1967 was the result of another Palestinian attempt to destroy Israel, this time with the help of the USSR, Nasser and other Arab nationalists.In the 1990s, having received support from both Iran and the West, the Palestinians blew up the Oslo process and since then they have only demanded to destroy Israel, not agreeing to any compromises. Such is the only explanation of the election results, where Hamas has won with its Charter of the destruction of Israel. Palestinian realists are in the minority, and they are incapable to convince the Palestinian people, in particular because of well known Palestinian obsession with the destruction of Israel is supported by the entire anti-Semitic world.All the so-called gestures that Israel has agreed to pacify the Palestinians, have always led to another improvement in the appetite of the Palestinian people, and to the aggravation of Palestinian propaganda and terrorist attacks. It is noteworthy that as the appetite of the Palestinians increased, former peace advocates ceased to promise to Israel peace in exchange for concessions, and now they demand our complete destruction, declaring us apartheid and colonizers. The compromise that Trump proposes has suddenly become unacceptable for the humanists.In fact, in order to secure their legitimate rights, the Palestinians must abandon their eternal desire to destroy Jews and Israel, and to cease cooperation with anti-Semitic forces such as a united Europe, American democrats, Iran, Hezbollah, BDS and Islamists who seek the genocide of Jews.The Israelis do only what the Palestinians impose on them, with the help of all the other anti-Semites. We cannot change our behavior, that is, to give up our self-defense. No pressure, through war, terror, sanctions, boycott and de-legitimization, will not stop our resistance to genocide. Only a secure, guaranteed peace will make it possible to end the occupation of the West Bank. In this case, the withdrawal of Israeli troops may be the last, but not the first step towards peace. This is the reality created by anti-Semitic aggression against Israel, which Palestinians participate.This condition should also be understood by Trump when developing his peace plan. Measures to limit the aggressiveness of Hamas must continue, and here the international intervention will be necessary. I believe that it is necessary to introduce to Gaza the same inter-Arab forces that Trump would like to introduce into Syria.The Jews of the West must finally understand that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. You cannot save yourself from anti-Semitism, by demonstrating your love for anti-Semitic Palestine. Cowardly Jewish traitors will be punished not by Israel, but by the anti-Zionists themselves, who are in fact classical anti-Semites.Settlers take care of the Jews of the Diaspora, trying to preserve a place for those refugees who will be forced to flee from anti-Semites (and this situation becomes more and more real). Instead of criticizing the settlers, humane Jews should explain to everyone that the settlers did not violate any laws. All settlements correspond to the Oslo peace agreements. Destroying Jewish villages and cities, and forcefully evicting Jews from their homeland this will be another anti-Semitic crime that will only encourage the aggressiveness of the Palestinians. The experience of Gaza, where Jews were evicted in order to save them from terror , is very convincing.The Palestinians can be compensated for their losses by land swaps, which were already discussed during the previous peace talks.The IDF defends Israel, inter alia, as a refuge for all Jews. We try to fulfill this task while observing the laws. It is Hamas that violates the laws, using a massive human shield. Hamas turned the civilians of Gaza and Israel into their hostages, refusing any co-existence with the Jews. Let humanists explain to the Palestinians that only the peace can solve the problems of Gaza, including the problem of overpopulation.Hamas deliberately creates the suffering of the population in Gaza as an excuse for the war to destroy Israel, and delivers these sufferings as a spiritual food to the whole world. Anti-Semites distribute and consume propaganda materials created by Palestinians.Politicians like Ali Khamenei, Erdogan, George Galloway or Jeremy Corbin, misuse Palestinian propaganda to achieve their personal and party goals. Well, yes, Hitler achieved great success due to his anti-Semitic propaganda, so many politicians try to imitate his success using an anti-Semitic pro-Palestinian horse.As a result, Palestinian propaganda creates the basis for a new explosion of anti-Semitism. Those Jews who support the Palestinian cause are digging their own grave. Anti-Semites do not distinguish between good or bad Jews. They use the support of the Jews as long as it is useful to them, and then they will throw these stupid traitors into a trash, or worse.There are several explanations for mental aberration, which leads enlightened Jewish humanists to obviously idiotic conclusions:1.The general atmosphere of anti-Semitism, pressure and fear of disapproval from all around,2.Career and monetary interest,3.Extreme naivety, subject to mass anti-Israel brainwashing by the media,4. Well known Jewish self-hating,5.A combination of mentioned factors.But what could be the realistic reaction of the Jews to their justified fear of the old and new anti-Semites? In fact, the Diaspora Jews have only one opportunity to repel anti-Semitic attacks: to expose the immoral anti-Zionist lies of Palestinians and to endorse Israel by Hasbara, that is, clarification. You can criticize Israel, but only after a thorough study and analysis of history and current facts. 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KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -- Klamath Falls Major Crimes detectives arrested a married couple wanted by the state of Texas for parole violations and failing to register as sex offenders. At about 8 a.m. Monday, the detectives received information regarding the couple, Shawn Monroe Cowan, 43, and Rachel Ann Guttry, 46, from Beaumont, Texas. They were living in a rural wooded area outside of Bonanza and using false identities, according to a news release from the Oregon State Police. Cowan was listed as one of the top 10 wanted sex offenders in Texas. The two were taken into custody without incident Tuesday. During the arrest, an OSP aircraft assisted with surveillance on the wooded area. The U.S. Marshal Service and the Klamath County Sheriffs Office assisted OSP. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A federal prosecutor nominated to fill a judicial vacancy in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has apologized for the tone of opinion pieces he wrote as a college student that mocked multiculturalism. Appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Ryan Bounds said Wednesday the rhetoric he used in campus politics was often overheated, overbroad and not respectful of opposing viewpoints. Bounds, a politically conservative assistant U.S. attorney in Portland, received his bachelor's degree from Stanford in 1995. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the committee was split along party lines at Wednesday's hearing. Republican senators downplayed the significance of the Stanford pieces while Democrats quoted from some of the most alarming passages. Oregon's two U.S. senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, oppose Bounds' nomination. They say he misled a committee that vetted candidates by not divulging that he wrote controversial articles at Stanford. SALEM, Ore. -- A couple of local businesses are traveling to China with the Oregon Department of Agriculture to help to encourage trade and agricultural exports. More than a dozen businesses statewide will travel to Shanghai, China, from May 12-17. The Department of Agriculture says they want to strengthen the relationships with current buyers and connect with new ones. Representatives from Harper Farms in Junction City and the Oregon Cattlemen's Association/K-bar Ranches in Myrtle Creek will be along for the trip. The ODA said last year more than $290 million in Oregon food and agricultural products were shipped to China. The country is Oregon's fourth largest market for products behind Japan, South Korea and Canada. LA PORT CITY, Iowa (AP) Hundreds of candles cast a glow over people who gathered to remember an eastern Iowa teenager who's been missing for more than a month. The vigil Monday night at Wolf Creek Landing in La Porte City was held for 16-year-old Jake Wilson, who on April 7 told his family he was headed for the creek. A search began less than an hour later, when he didn't return home. Searchers have found no trace of him. His mother has said Jake has autism with a mild intellectual disorder and functions at the level of a 9-year-old. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that vigil organizer Anthony Gasco told the people who gathered that Jake's family wanted to thank them for "showing support for a missing piece in their life their son." ROCHESTER, Minn. - A seven-week-old baby is in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary's Hospital after being hit in the head with a softball. The Shell Rock infant was life-flighted for a skull fracture and two brain bleeds. According to the family's Facebook page, "Healing for McKenna," the accident happened May 2nd, while at a softball game. More than 150,000 people are following McKenna Hovenga's journey on social media. Family and friends are updating the page daily through the use of social media. Facebook posts detail the timeline of events that landed the Shell Rock infant, McKenna, in the hospital. According to posts from McKenna's mom, Kassy was sitting behind the fence in the stands on the third-base line at her husband Lee's softball game. Lee had his back turned to the field as he helped Kassy get situated to breastfeed. They never saw the stray ball coming. We have reached out to the family and are working to speak with them. At last update on the Facebook page, McKenna was making some slight improvements. The family has started a Youcaring page where you can donate to help pay for McKenna's medical bills by clicking here. Or click here to follow their facebook journey. Otherwise, the family is asking for cards. "Healing For McKenna" PO Box 308 Shell Rock, Iowa USA 50670 AUSTIN, Minn. - A local company is donating $500,000 to the Austin Community Rec Center project. I couldnt be more proud to make this donation, through our Family Foundation, on behalf of our employees, says Chris Astrup, Co-owner, Astrup Companies. We believe that the Austin Community Rec Center will be a fantastic addition to Austin and the surrounding communities and we wanted to do our part to help bring this vision to reality. Rec Center supporters call this a "key contribution" to reach their $5 million public fundraising goal. This generous donation from Astrup is just incredible, says Sandy Anderson, interim director of Vision 2020. We are moving closer to reaching our fundraising goal every day, and it is gifts like this that are really making a difference. The Austin Community Rec Center is planned to be a year-round facility offering state-of-the-art fitness opportunities. Construction is expected to begin in July. Donations to the project can be made by clicking here. Beginning in 1952 with the opening of the first Sterling Drug Store in Austin, Astrup Companies now owns and operates 21 retail and long-term care pharmacies and other businesses in Minnesota and Iowa. The Astrup Family Foundation was created in 2014 after the death of company founder Leonard Astrup. MASON CITY, Iowa - The man accused of secretly recording school employees in the bathroom has withdrawn a motion to dismiss the charges against him. David Joe Bemis, 47 of Mason City, is charged with four counts of invasion of privacy. Authorities say while Bemis was a janitor at Clear Creek Elementary School in May 2013, he hid a video camera in a staff restroom and recorded four staff members in states of partial nudity. Bemis wanted those charges dropped, arguing he wasn't charged until after the three year statute of limitations expired. The Cerro Gordo County Attorney's Office responded that a provision of the law says the statue of limitations does not start running for public employees who comitted crimes on the job until they are no longer public employees. Since Bemis remained a janitor for Clear Lake Schools until 2018, prosecutors argue the three year time-limit lasts until 2021. After the prosecution filed its response, Bemis withdrew his motion to dismiss the charges. His trial is scheduled to begin on June 5. AUSTIN, Minn. - A man shot Monday night in Austin has been released from the hospital. Austin Police Chief Brian Krueger says the investigation continues into how the 28-year-old wound up with a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. Hospital staff at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin says the man was dropped off at the facility around 11 pm Monday by someone in a silver, four-door-vehicle. The man reportedly walked into the hospital and was eventually transferred to St. Mary's Hospital emergency room in Rochester. Krueger says there is no reason to believe the public is in any danger after this shooting but has not released any other information about what happened. ALBERT LEA, Minn. - An investigation is underway into a string of burglaries Monday in Freeborn County. Authorities say it appears the timing of the burglaries could have been connected to the funeral of a well-known Albert Lea man. The first report of a break-in was around 8:50 am. Someone apparently forced thier way through the side of a garage at 1720 Bay Oaks Drive and gold cufflinks were reported stolen. A house at 319 Willamor Road was then reported burglarized at 1:19 pm, with a jewelry box being rifled through. At 1:38 pm, there was a call about drawers being searched and jewelry taken at 18255 U.S. Highway 69. Albert Lea Deputy Director of Police J.D. Carlson says there are indications the burglaries may have been timed to take place while memorial services were underway for Arnold Stadheim, founder of Stadheim Jewelers in downtown Albert Lea. His memorial began 11 am on Monday. Law enforcement is also investigating a possible connection to an incident in Mason City, Iowa. Anyone with information about this crimes is asked to call Albert Lea police at 507-377-5215. AUSTIN, Minn. Hormel Foods Corporation is being triply honored as a workplace. The company is announcing that it is ranked #16 on the 19th annual Corporate Responsibility Magazine Best Corporate Citizens List. We are honored to be recognized, once again, as one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens, said Jim Snee, Hormels chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer. This recognition is a tribute to the efforts of our 20,000 inspired team members who are committed to making the world a better place. At Hormel Foods, we know that building corporate social value and creating economic value do not have to be competing goals. We will continue our focus on being a great corporate citizen because it is simply the right thing to do. This is the 10th consecutive year Hormel has made the Best Corporate Citizens list and the fourth time it has been in the top 20. In addition, Hormel says it was ranked #75 on the Military Times Best for Vets Employers list. Hormel says this is the 6th consecutive year theyve made the list for best employers of veterans. The company also says it recently received a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon award from the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs for the companys long tradition of supporting American troops, both in peacetime and war. Hormel says it actively recruits veterans and service members every year. OSAGE, Iowa - By 2030, the Association of American Medical Colleges believes there will be a doctor shortage of about a 150,000 across the U.S. That leaves Shelly Russell of Mitchell County Regional Health Center asking county supervisors for recruitment money to get doctors to call towns like Osage home. It's expensive to recruit new providers to your community. Many physicians are coming out with student loan debt so the money would be used for that, Russell said. Around $40,000 is being granted in total in order to move a surgeon and family practice provider to Mitchell County. Russell explains those at the hospital are going to residencies and medical schools to pitch the idea to soon-to-be graduates. The U.S. Census Bureau projects in 2050 there will be nearly 84 million Americans over the age of 65, and with more health issues that means a need for more physicians to help. People going out. They may have a niece, a nephew, son, daughter, cousin, uncle who practice medicine and recruiting them to this area is critical, Russell said. According to Nerdwallet, in 2013 an average new doctor will be nearly $170,000 in school debt. OSAGE, Iowa A Mitchell County man is pleading not guilty to 3rd degree kidnapping and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Timothy Hines, 43 of Osage, was arrested on April 17. Sheriffs deputies say he held a 14-year-old girl against her will and attacked her. No trial date has been set. MASON CITY, Iowa A man is facing a first-degree harassment charge after he allegedly told a victim if I get arrested Ill kill you. Justin Rieck, of Mason City, is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on charges of harassment, failure to appear, interference with official acts and domestic abuse assault, second offense. Police say they were dispatched to a domestic call at 18th St. and S. Coolidge Ave. at 8:19 p.m. Tuesday and located a male subject on a bike. The subject told police his name was Jason Reck before taking off running. After a short foot pursuit, the subject was identified as Rieck, who had two valid warrants out of Cerro Gordo County. Rieck stated that he gave a false name and ran because he did not want to go to jail, the criminal complaint states. Rieck was also charged with domestic abuse assault in March. CLARION, Iowa - A Wright County man is going to prison for sexual abuse. Steven Wayne Nelson, 62 of Clarion, was sentenced Wednesday to up to five years behind bars and must pay over $2,000 in fines, penalties, and surcharges. He must also serve 10 years of post-release supervision. Nelson pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Authorities say he forced two teenage girls to drink alcohol and then had unwanted sexual contact with them at a property in rural Goldfield. ROCHESTER, Minn. The "all clear" was given at John Marshall High School just before noon Wednesday after a reported bomb threat. "RPD executed a thorough sweep with the K9 Unit during the evacuation. RPD did not locate anything that would indicate the bomb threat was credible. Students are returning to the school and we are working on alternate lunch schedules for all of our students. We appreciate the support from Rochester Police Department and thank all of our students, staff, and families for their patience during this morning's evacuation," the school said on Facebook. A full sweep of John Marshall High Schools took place after authorities responded to the threat. More details: John Marshall threat stemmed from two calls threatening to 'blow up the school.' We evacuated all JM students and staff to multiple sites. Our seniors were in an outdoor location. Because it is beginning to rain, we are busing the senior students from their current location to John Adams Middle School. John Marshall is still undergoing a full sweep with the Rochester Police Department K9 Unit. We will provide additional updates as we have them. All of our students and staff are safe, the school said just before 11 a.m. John Marshall High School posted on social media just after 9:35 p.m. that an anonymous bomb threat was called into the school this morning. We take all threats very seriously, as a result, we are evacuating the building and working the Rochester Police Department to sweep the building. We will provide more details as soon as we have them. All of our staff and students are safe. The Rochester Fire Department, the Rochester Police Department and Gold Cross Ambulance are on scene. Last week, John Marshall High School was under a soft lockdown after a student allegedly brought a BB gun to school. We will have more on this story as it develops. Once again, a strong U.S. dollar has curtailed any sustained upside move in gold. Today, for example, traders bid up spot gold by $5.20. However, dollar strength took away $4.60 of that move. This resulted in gold pricing gaining only $0.60 in the physical market, according to the Kitco Gold Index (KGX). Gold prices did, in fact, firm in trading today after President Trump said that he is canceling the Iran nuclear agreement. It was widely believed the Trump would pull out of the agreement. However, until it was officially announced, traders and market participants largely disregarded the repercussions of this announcement, with the exception of recent sharply higher oil pricing. According to the New York Times, President Trump declared on Tuesday that he was pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, unraveling the signature foreign policy achievement of his predecessor, Barack Obama, and isolating the United States among its Western allies. This was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made, Mr. Trump said at the White House in announcing his decision. It didnt bring calm, it didnt bring peace, and it never will. While this news is bullish for gold, it seems at least for now that it is incredibly bullish for the U.S. dollar also. As such, todays activity is resulting in a strongly higher U.S. dollar and modestly higher gold pricing. As of 4 PM Eastern standard time, gold futures are trading up $0.80 on the day and currently fixed at $1,314.80. This extremely modest uptick has occurred after gold traded under dramatic pressure in overseas trading last night. Gold prices traded to a low of $1,306.20 before recovering. The lows achieved in intraday trading came within $0.10 of the 200-day moving average which is currently residing at $1,306.10 a support level that has been tested throughout the last five trading days and held. Gold prices did break below the 200-day moving average briefly on April 30 and traded to a low $1,302 before recovering. On a technical basis, the intersection between the 200-day moving average and a 50% Fibonacci retracement has been a key and critical area of support. Recent upticks in gold pricing have widened the gap between those two technical indicators with the 200-day moving average moving higher. The net result is that the 200-day moving average is four dollars above the Fibonacci retracement at $1,302. The ultimate repercussions from todays announcement will be factored into market sentiment over the next few days. Traders will also need to include negotiations with North Korea, with a summit planned to occur in the next several weeks. For those who would like more information, simply use this link. Wishing you as always, good trading, (Kitco News) - Golds price rally has been a product of demand-side economics, and there is still a considerable amount of interest in gold that is not fully tapped, according to Tom Brady, chief economist at Newmont Mining. The trend that weve seen over the last couple of years has continued, this was very much an investor-driven market since 2016, Brady told Kitco News on the sidelines of the Mines & Money New York conference. Gold prices rose from $1,050 an ounce in 2016 to $1,314.20 as of Tuesdays close, and according to Newmont economist, a large part of that rally is due to investor interest in the precious metal, rather than physical demand. It has been an investor-driven story, physical demand, the demand for jewelry, bars, and coins, are relatively muted, he said. Gold has been range-bound for most of the year, and according to Bloomberg Intelligence, has seen the tightest range since 2005. Brady noted that in order for gold to break out, traders will need to see heightened economic uncertainty and geopolitical risks. Were just at a heightened level of economic uncertainty in the U.S. and abroad, and that is really continuing investors interest in safe havens and gold, he said. Bradys comments come as U.S. president Donald Trump announced a withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Accord on Tuesday, stating that financial sanctions will be reinstated on the Islamic Republic. Markets fell sharply immediately after Trumps announcement, but rebounded by market close, ending the session relatively unchanged from the previous days close. The S&P 500 is maintaining its hold above 2,600, continuing the second longest bull market in its history. Brady said that heightened volatility should be expected this year, more so than last, which is bullish for gold. Year-to date [has been] very much a sideways trend. Lots of heightened sense of volatility in the markets, and thats all driving investors towards safe havens, he said. PYONGYANG (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday to prepare an unprecedented summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump, while the U.S. president signaled the possibility that three Americans detained in the country could soon be released. Trump earlier broke the news of Pompeos second visit to North Korea in less than six weeks and said that the two countries had agreed on a date and location for the summit, though he stopped short of providing details. A U.S. media pool report said Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, from Japan and headed to the citys Koryo Hotel for meetings. While Trump said it would be a great thing if the American detainees were freed, Pompeo, speaking to reporters en route to Pyongyang, said he had not received such a commitment but hoped North Korea would do the right thing. Pompeo said his visit was intended to finalize a summit agenda that could enable a historic, big change in relations between long-time foes. The detainees release could signal an effort by Kim to set a more positive tone for the summit, which is being planned for late May or early June, following Kims recent pledge to suspend missile tests and shut Pyongyangs nuclear bomb test site. While Kim would be giving up the last of his American prisoners, whom North Korea has often used as bargaining chips with the United States, a release could also be aimed at pressuring Trump to make concessions of his own in his bid to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal, something it has not signaled a willingness to do. Plans are being made, relationships are building, Trump said of the planned summit during remarks otherwise focused on his decision to pull the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Hopefully, a deal will happen. And with the help of China, South Korea and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone, Trump said. Pompeo made a secret visit to North Korea over the Easter weekend, becoming the first U.S. official known to have met Kim, to lay the groundwork for the planned summit. The meeting occurred before Pompeo, who was then head of the CIA, had received Senate confirmation as secretary of state. Trump suggested that dropping out of the Iran nuclear accord, which he has frequently denounced as a bad deal, would send a critical message not just to Tehran but also to Pyongyang. The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them, Trump said. But critics of Trumps decision to leave the Iran deal say it could undermine his credibility in North Koreas eyes, fueling doubts whether he would abide by any nuclear agreement. FATE OF THREE DETAINEES Pompeos trip this week raised the prospects that the three Korean-American detainees - Kim Hak-song, Kim Sang-duk and Kim Dong-chul - could be turned over to him. Asked whether that could happen, Trump told reporters: Well soon be finding out. It would be a great thing if they are. Pompeo, whom aides say has played a key role in negotiations with North Korea on the issue, said, We have been asking for the release of these detainees for ... 17 months, according to a transcript provided by the State Department of his remarks to reporters aboard his plane. Well talk about it again today, he said. I think itd be a great gesture if they would choose to do so. Pompeo said he was hoping to nail down a framework for the summit, the first-ever meeting of sitting U.S. and North Korean leaders. Trump has said the meeting could take place at either the heavily fortified demilitarized zone between North and South Korea or in Singapore. Pompeo met Kim on his first trip but said he did not know whom he would meet this time. If he does see Kim again, he would be only the second secretary of state to sit down with a North Korean leader. The last was Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who made an unsuccessful trip in 2000 to arrange a meeting between President Bill Clinton and Kims father, Kim Jong Il. Pompeo said he hoped to set out conditions to allow Trump to achieve the goal of complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of North Korea, but insisted that sanctions would not be lifted before that. We are not going to head back down the path that we headed down before, he said. Were not going to relieve sanctions until such time as we achieve our objectives. A senior State Department official said Washington would be looking for bold steps by North Korea rather than incremental agreements on nuclear disarmament that Pyongyang has violated in the past. Pompeos latest visit followed talks between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27 at the demilitarized zone, the first summit for the two Koreas in over a decade. The North-South summit produced a declaration of goodwill but was short on specific commitments and failed to clear up the question of whether Pyongyang is really willing to give up nuclear missiles that now threaten the United States. U.S. officials have been pressing Kim to free the three remaining American detainees as a show of sincerity before the summit. Trump and Kim have exchanged insults and threats over the past year but tensions have eased in recent months. Until now, the only American released by North Korea during Trumps presidency was Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old university student who returned to the United States in a coma last summer after 17 months of captivity and died days later. Warmbiers death escalated U.S.-North Korea tensions, already running high at the time over Pyongyangs stepped-up missile tests. The three still being held are Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-chul; Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, who spent a month teaching at the foreign-funded Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) before he was arrested in 2017; and Kim Hak-song, who also taught at PUST. Pool reporring from Pyongyang; additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick, Leslie Wroughton, David Brunnstrom, David Alexander and John Walcott in Washington; editing by James Dalgleish and Leslie Adler WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday he had not received a commitment from Pyongyang that three American prisoners would be released when he visits North Korea. President Donald Trump said earlier that Pompeo was on his way to North Korea in a surprise visit. Speaking to U.S. reporters en route to Pyongyang, Pompeo said he would raise the issue of the three imprisoned Americans during his talks and hoped that North Korea would do the right thing. Weve been asking for the release of these detainees for 17 months, Pompeo said. Well talk about it again. Itd be a great gesture if theyd agree to do so. He said he was hoping to finalize the agenda for talks between Trump and North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un. Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; editing by Jonathan Oatis WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed ongoing trade issues on Tuesday, as both sides continue to position themselves amid a heated feud over tariffs between the worlds two largest economies. The two leaders spoke after high-level U.S. and Chinese officials in Beijing last week failed to reach a consensus, with talks set to resume next week in Washington. Trump struck a positive tone in announcing the call earlier on Tuesday, calling Xi my friend and pledging in a post on Twitter that good things will happen on trade. Chinese state television said Xi told Trump China-U.S. relations were in an important phase. I attach great importance to bilateral relations, and cherish the good working relationship with Mr. President, it quoted Xi as saying. In a statement after the call, the White House said the U.S. president affirmed his commitment to ensuring that the trade and investment relationship between the United States and China is balanced and benefits American businesses and workers. Chinese state media said Xi told Trump the two countries should strive to find a way to properly resolve trade disputes. Xi said trade and economic relations had always been the ballast and propeller of U.S.-China relations. He described their talks last week on trade as frank, efficient and constructive. The two sides teams can maintain communication, and strive to find appropriate ways to resolve issues and achieve win-win outcomes, Xi said. Chinas top economic official, Vice Premier Liu He, is scheduled to visit Washington next week to resume negotiations sparked by the Trump administrations threat to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese imports. Beijing has countered with its own planned tariffs on American goods. The tariff threats have roiled U.S. and other stock markets in recent weeks amid fears that a trade war between the two economic powerhouses will hit global markets. Trump won the White House in part over his harsh rhetoric on China and trade, and vowing to press Beijing over economic issues and make trade fair for the United States. Since taking office, he has also touted his personal relationship with Xi. Last week, a seven-member U.S. delegation returned to Washington and briefed Trump on their meeting. American negotiators, led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, issued a lengthy list of demands, according to people familiar with the talks that the White House later called frank discussions. Chinese state media, after the meeting, struck a positive note. Trump and Xi also discussed North Koreas nuclear program during their call, according to both the White House and Chinese state media. Reporting by Susan Heavey and Makini Brice in WASHINGTON; additional reporting by Michael Martina in BEIJING and David Brunnstrom in WASHINGTON; editing by Bernadette Baum and James Dalgleish OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadas most populous province looks set to elect as premier in June a plain-spoken Progressive Conservative often compared to U.S. President Donald Trump, setting the stage for a fight on many fronts with Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Doug Ford, the bombastic brother of Torontos late, crack-smoking mayor, Rob Ford, enjoyed a strong lead in opinion polls ahead of Ontarios June 7 election. Ontario is Canadas economic engine and is critical to Trudeau re-election efforts next year. The provinces current premier, Kathleen Wynne, on Wednesday officially kicked off the three-way race between her center-left Liberals, the right-leaning PCs, and the left-leaning New Democrats. Ford, a 53-year-old businessman known for blunt speech and a combative relationship with news media, has promised to cut taxes, balance the budget, and spend C$5 billion ($3.9 billion) on Toronto subways - all without cutting jobs. If elected, Ford would end 15 years of Liberal government rule in Ontario, home to a third of Canadas population of 36 million, and mark a pendulum swing since the 2015 national election of Trudeau, who needs support from Ontario to win a second term in autumn 2019. Im going to make sure we run a government that respects the taxpayers. You know me; Im for the little guy, Ford said on Monday when the three leaders faced off for the first time in a televised debate. Trudeau and Ontario Premier Wynne have been strong allies in recent years, and Trudeau would face opposition from Ford on major policies including carbon pricing and taxation. But the bigger problem for the prime minister may be the message from voters that the Liberals have moved too far left of center. An Ipsos poll released on Tuesday showed Ford would get 40 percent of the decided popular vote if an election were held on Wednesday. The New Democrats would win 29 percent and the ruling Liberals would come third with 26 percent. All three major parties have tried to appeal to Canadas large ethnic vote, which holds political sway in many of Torontos burgeoning suburbs. For Doug Ford to win, he just has to make sure he doesnt make a mistake and hope the populist economic anxiety and fatigue with the Liberals propel him to victory, said pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos Research. Polls have also shown that Trudeaus federal Liberals have faded in popularity. According to the CBC Poll Tracker, an aggregation of public polling data, the Liberals trail the opposition Conservatives by three percentage points. This election will send strong signals to Prime Minister Trudeau that he may want to trim his sails somewhat and move back to the political center, said Ian Lee, a professor at Carleton Universitys Sprott School of Business. Wynne, 64, struggling against low approval ratings, likened Ford to Trump soon after he won the leadership of the center-right PC Party in March, calling him a bully who tells lies. Doug Ford sounds like Donald Trump and thats because he is like Donald Trump, Wynne said in April, adding that she is not Hillary Clinton and Ontario is not the United States. Others say the comparison to Trump is overblown - noting that Ford does not share Trumps rhetoric against immigration or ethnic minorities. Doug Ford is not the radical that Trump is; hes just your fiscal conservative type, said Lee. Primero Mining Corp. (TSX: P) reports that the Comision Federal de Competencia Economica has provided antitrust clearance for a planned merger in which First Majestic Silver Corp. (TSX: FR; NYSE: AG) will acquire Primero. Officials say this was the final government agency approval required before closing. Primero says closing of the deal is expected on Thursday. The companies announced the all-stock merger in early January, in which First Majestic will gain Primeros San Dimas silver-gold mine in Mexico. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com SEMAFO Reports 1Q Net Loss; Gold Output Eases SEMAFO Inc. (TSX, OMX: SMF) reports a bigger net loss in the first quarter as production eased from a year ago due to the content of the ore. The net loss for the January-March period was put at $4.7 million, or a penny per share, compared to net loss of $2.7 million, also a penny, for the same period in 2017. Gold production fell to 45,500 ounces from 55,400 in the year-ago quarter. The company says the number of tones processed declined by 11% due to the hardness of the ore. There was also a decline in head grade, as reflected in the mine plan. In the first quarter of 2018, the all-in sustaining cost reached $1,083 per ounce sold, compared to $892 per ounce sold in the same period in 2017. This is due to a lower head grade and higher cash operating cost per tonne, the latter being mainly caused by negative foreign-exchange fluctuations, the company says. SEMAFO reports that as of the end of April, commissioning of the Boungou mine was 57% complete. The company says it remains on line for a first gold pour early in the third quarter. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Premier Gold Mines Reports 1Q Loss Premier Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: PG) reports a net loss for the first quarter as output fell from a year ago. The company produced 30,550 ounces of gold and 59,826 ounces of silver, compared to 50,979 ounces of gold and 98,382 ounces of silver during the first quarter of 2017. Premier lists $39.2 million in revenue and income from mining operations of $9.6 million. Officials say this is down from a year ago primarily due to decreased production from South Arturo, where mining of the phase-two pit was completed in 2017. Programs to support the companys longer-term objective of increased annual production over the next three to five years resulted in $6.5 million in exploration expense, that when factored with the reduction in mine operating income during the period, contributed to a net loss of $2 million, the company says in its earnings statement. The company had a profit of $5.1 million in the same quarter of 2017. Total capital spending was $5.3 million. Ewan Downie, president and chief executive officer, says the company expects to meet or beat 2018 guidance. He adds: Our continued strong cash position will fund the near-term development of three additional deposits from within our project portfolio, including the construction of two new mining operations at the South Arturo [joint venture with Barrick Gold Corp.] in Nevada. Premiers production guidance for 2018 is 85,000 to 95,000 ounces of gold. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Torex Gold Resources Posts Profit In First Quarter Torex Gold Resources Inc. (TSX: TXG) reports a profit for the first quarter, even though operations were hampered for months by a blockade of the ELG complex that has finally ended. Net income was put at $10.2 million, or 12 cents per share, while adjusted earnings came in at $6.6 million, or 8 cents. The company produced 67,167 gold ounces in dore and an additional 8,887 ounces in carbon fines. (Kitco News) - Before slowing down, Irans gold demand will see a surge in the short-term in response to U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, according to one Metals Focus analyst. Whats going to happen initially, people will try to convert whatever they have into dollars or gold or whatever is of value thats not going to depreciate, Metals Focus analyst Cagdas Kucukemiroglu told Bloomberg on Wednesday. Then next year the demand will gradually start to go down but its not going to be drastic. The base is already very low. In the next few months gold demand is looking to be strong in Iran, Kucukemiroglu added, pointing to historical examples. Based on the World Gold Councils (WGC) data, when a previous set of sanctions was imposed on Iran in 2012, gold demand began to drop only after two years. And in 2016, demand for the yellow metal hit a six-year low, reaching only 45.1 metric tons, which was 65% lower than in 2013. A year later there was a recovery, with demand hitting 64.5 metric tons last year, according to the WGC. On Tuesday U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he is withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and reinstating U.S. nuclear sanctions on the Iranian regime as well as introducing the highest level of economic sanctions. Trump described the 2015 international agreement as a decaying and rotten structure that is defective to its core. Here Is How To Properly Diversify Amid Increased Iran Tensions - Analyst https://t.co/kFh2izWTGJ pic.twitter.com/CRrXaG025N Kitco NEWS (@KitcoNewsNOW) May 9, 2018 American sanctions on Iran will be re-introduced after 90 days, said the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Also, when making gold demand estimates it is important to keep in mind Irans weak rial currency, which has been boosting bar and coin demand, said Kucukemiroglu. In the first quarter of 2018, gold bar and coin purchases more than tripled as rial tumbled to record lows against the U.S. dollar. But, weak currency in the long-term might force Iranians to sell their gold for cash, Kucukemiroglu pointed out. If sanctions stay, the economy will get poorer. Gold is a good way to get cash when you need it, he said. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexicos economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo said all the issues are on the table as talks between the United States, Canada and Mexico to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) continued on Wednesday. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Guajardo are in Washington pushing to hammer out an agreement on NAFTA after more than eight months of negotiations. Rules for the automotive sector have been the biggest stumbling block facing negotiators. Still, Guajardo said the countries are taking all factors into consideration. Obviously, in order to really solve an issue, you have to go more or less in groups of items, he told reporters. But all the items are on the table. Makini Brice, Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that three Americans detained by North Korea have been released and are on their way home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Trump said he will greet Pompeo and the Americans when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington at 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT) Thursday morning. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health, Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. South Korea heralded the move as positive for upcoming talks between Trump and Kim and called on Pyongyang to also release six South Korean detainees. Pompeo had arrived in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, earlier on Wednesday from Japan and headed to its Koryo Hotel for meetings. The three U.S. detainees being released are Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-chul; Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, who spent a month teaching at the foreign-funded Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) before he was arrested in 2017; and Kim Hak-song, who also taught at PUST. Until now, the only American released by North Korea during Trumps presidency has been Otto Warmbier, a 22year-old university student who returned to the United States in a coma last summer after 17 months of captivity. He died days later. Warmbiers death escalated U.S.-North Korea tensions, already running high at the time over Pyongyangs stepped-up missile tests. The upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit has sparked a flurry of diplomacy, with Japan, South Korea and China holding a high-level meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday. However, North Korea reminded the United States on Wednesday there still was tension between them, warning it against making words and acts that may destroy the hard-won atmosphere of dialogue, the Norths state media said. The U.S. is persistently clinging to the hostile policy toward the DPRK, misleading the public opinion. Such behavior may result in endangering the security of its own country, it added, referring to the Norths official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Reporting by Makini Brice and Susan Heavey; Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and Christine Kim in Seoul; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Paul Tait and Bill Trott Angus McDowall, Jeffrey Heller BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday an Israeli attack on Iranian military facilities south of Damascus had killed at least 15 people, including eight Iranians. The reports of an Israeli attack in Kisweh late on Tuesday emerged after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was pulling out of the Iranian nuclear deal. The UK-based Observatory said the missile strikes hit depots and rocket launchers, killing 15 individuals including eight Iranians. Reuters could not independently verify the report. A commander in the regional alliance fighting alongside Damascus said that Israel had hit a Syrian army base without causing casualties. Trumps hard tack against the nuclear deal, while welcomed by Israel, has stirred fears of a possible regional flare-up. Within hours of the White House announcement on Tuesday night, Syrian state media said that its air defenses had brought down two Israeli missiles. Israels military declined to comment on the reports, shortly after it said it had identified irregular activity by Iranian forces in Syria and went onto high alert. The military had instructed authorities in the Golan Heights bordering Syria to ready bomb shelters and mobilized some reservist forces. Iran and its ally, Lebanons Hezbollah, have helped Syrian President Bashar al-Assads military with critical support in the seven-year-old war, beating back rebels and Islamic State. Tehrans growing clout in Syria alarms arch foe Israel, which has struck what it describes as Iranian deployments or arms transfers to Hezbollah scores of times during the conflict. Last month, an air strike on the T-4 air base near Syrias Homs city killed seven Iranians. Tehran blamed Israel and vowed to retaliate. Israeli-Iranian confrontation would likely remain limited after Washington abandoned the nuclear deal, but conflict between the two regional powers will flare on in Syria, experts said on Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Russia to press its leader, Vladimir Putin, to rein in the Iranians along the Syrian front. FLARE UPS Ghaleb Kandil, a Lebanese political analyst with close ties to Hezbollah and Damascus, said he expected the two enemies to exchange limited, calculated attacks in Syrias war as deterrents. Its clear that everyone realizes the risks of a big confrontation ... Iran does not want (this) confrontation, and Israel knows its consequences, he said. The occupied Golan, which Israel captured from Syria in a 1967 war, was quiet on Wednesday. The children are in kindergartens and the crop pickers are out in the fields, all agricultural work is continuing as normal and tourists are arriving. There have been very few tour group cancellations, said Diti Goldstein, a local tourism official. Still, experts said they expected flare ups to persist. Israel has military dominance and free hand to carry out those kinds of attacks on targets inside Syria, said Gary Samore, who served as a deputy national security adviser to former U.S. President George W. Bush. Sooner or later, Shiite militias which Tehran has deployed in Syria will also likely attack Israeli military sites near the border, he said at an annual security conference near Tel Aviv. But Samore added that Russia, a leading powerbroker in Syria and key Assad ally, wants to keep things under control and avoid a big war between Israel and Iran on Syrian territory. In 2015, Russia and Israel set up a hotline to prevent accidental clashes between their forces in Syria. In an interview with Israeli news site YNet, Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said the governments strategy was to get Iran out of Syria without starting a war. We want the Iranians to be forced into making the decision to strategically retreat from Syria, Katz said. Reporting By Angus McDowall in Beirut; Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem; Additional reporting by Ellen Francis in BeirutWriting by Ellen Francis in Beirut; Editing by Angus MacSwan, William Maclean WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he will announce the site for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un within three days and it will not be held at the demilitarized zone along the border between the two Koreas. It will not be there, he told reporters at the start of a Cabinet meeting at the White House when asked if the planned meeting would be at the DMZ. Were going to announce it within three days. Trump, who scrapped a visit to the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone due to bad weather during a visit last year, suggested in April that the DMZ would be an excellent venue for his summit with Kim. Kim met South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the end of April at a building in Panmunjom known as the Peace House. Trump suggested that having the summit at Peace House would carry a symbolic value that having it in a third country would not. But the U.S. president also has said the two sides were considering other places as a possible site for the summit, including Singapore. People never thought you were going to have a situation where were having serious and positive communications with North Korea. And we are, Trump told reporters as his top diplomat was en route home from North Korea, where he was given three U.S. citizens who had been detained there. What happens? Who knows, Trump said. We have a chance at something very great for the world. North Korea released three American prisoners and handed them over to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, clearing a major obstacle to the summit. LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. asset manager MFS Investment Management said it will seek permission to create a European Union hub in Luxembourg as it positions itself for Britains exit from the bloc. MFS, which is owned by Canadian insurer Sun Life Financial (SLF.TO) and traces its roots to the launch of the first U.S. investment trust in 1924, has yet to make a final decision on the scale of any move, Madeline Forrester, managing director, UK Institutional Business, told Reuters. The plan, which requires approval from Luxembourg regulators, would see MFS build up its existing Luxembourg office, currently staffed by 7 people, through internal company moves or local hires. MFS has taken no decision yet on the type of roles to move to Luxembourg or how many. The company employs 1,900 staff globally, of which around 140 are in Britain, and runs a number of actively managed funds for retail and institutional clients. It said London would remain MFSs main office in Europe after Brexit. At present, MFS has a Luxembourg fund range with 36 equity, multi-asset and fixed-income sub-funds that are sold primarily into Europe, Britain and Latin America. Britains vast financial services looks set to be one of the most divisive areas in the Brexit negotiations, with Britain demanding a generous deal while the EU refuses to shift from its insistence that Britains red lines such as ending the free movement of workers from the EU make that impossible. While a transitional deal between Britain and the EU could create more time for asset managers to determine final plans, most say they are already beginning to take permanent action to open or bulk up operations elsewhere. We have to plan for next March [when Britain is set to officially leave the bloc]. That means preparing for the worst, thats the frustrating bit, and were not the only industry that feels this way, Im sure, Forrester said. Were all investing time and money planning for the most unfavourable outcome. We view this as making a long-term investment in our Luxembourg office, but whatever the result of the final deal, we have to look after our clients and that means preparing for a hard Brexit. Luxembourg has been among the chief beneficiaries from the uncertainty caused by Brexit, with a number of insurers and asset managers choosing it for their EU base, including Blackstone and Carlyle. MFS staff roles and numbers in Luxembourg will in large part depend on the Luxembourg regulator and how many employees with investment or risk management responsibility it requires to be based there - a sensitive subject that has already seen the country pitched against rivals such as Dublin. By Yoon Ja-young The government and lawmakers are moving to revise the commercial act to better represent small shareholders, but it is triggering concern among businesses that it will enable speculative funds to hurt their managerial control. The Ministry of Justice recently submitted a report about the commercial act revision plan to the legislation and judiciary committee of the National Assembly, which focuses on enhancing the rights of small shareholders while restricting the power of large shareholders. It includes obligating companies listed on the bourse with over 2 trillion won of assets to adopt a cumulative voting system in elections of new board members. According to Chaebul.com, a business information provider, only 10 percent of the top 138 listed firms here have adopted the system. In cumulative voting, shareholders are given votes equal to the number of board members to be elected. If the company is to choose three board members, for instance, the shareholders will be given three votes for each share they have. The shareholders can freely exercise their votes, including casting all their votes to a single candidate. Previously, they could only vote "yes or no" on each candidate. As a result, large shareholders could fill the whole board with the persons of their choice. With the adoption of the cumulative voting system, however, small shareholders will be able to elect a board member they want by joining forces, reining in power abuses of large shareholders. The revision would also allow multiple derivative actions. A shareholder with more than a 0.1 percent stake in the mother company can raise suit against executives of subsidiaries where the mother company holds over a 50 percent stake. It also plans to increase the independence of company auditors from large shareholders. According to commercial law, listed companies with over 2 trillion won in assets should designate at least three of the board members as auditors. Following the revision, one of the auditors should be selected independently from the board members. Since the law will also restrict the voting rights of the largest shareholder to 3 percent when electing new auditors, at least one auditor will be selected according to the will of the small shareholders. The revision is also likely to obligate companies to use electronic voting systems, so that small shareholders can have their say even if they do not attend the general shareholders meetings. The move for the commercial law revision comes amid growing social anger toward the power abuse scandals of conglomerate owner families. The country's top 10 conglomerate families hold on average of only a 2.5 percent stake in their businesses, but they have been controlling the whole group by filling the board room with their people. The alleged abuse of Korean Air employees by the family members of company chairman Cho Yang-ho added to these voices. The governing Democratic Party floor leader Woo Won-shik said that the scandal symbolically shows how the conglomerates despise law and order due to the lack of restrictions and supervision. "To prevent similar incidents, the commercial law revision is essential," he said. Businesses, however, are concerned about the revision which would deprive them of being shielded from outside attackers. They can be exposed to hostile M&As when speculative funds take seats at the board. "While the revision of the commercial law will lessen the power of the large shareholder, businesses will be threatened by speculative funds from overseas. It is dangerous to discuss the revision of commercial law without equipping businesses with measures to protect their managerial control," said Sohn Kyung-shik, chairman of the Korea Employers Federation. The country's conglomerates have a history of being threatened by speculative funds. For instance, U.S. billionaire investor Carl Icahn purchased a 6.59 percent stake of the tobacco and ginseng company KT&G in 2006 in collaboration with other hedge funds. As the company had a cumulative voting system back then, he could name a board member he wanted. He made diverse demands that the company could not accept through this system. KT&G had to pour in 2.8 trillion won to protect its managerial control, and the investor walked away with a 148 billion won profit. "Previously, hedge funds used to maximize short-term profit by selling off core assets after taking over half of the seats on the board through a hostile M&A. Recently, however, they purchase the minimum amount of a stake in a company with which they can name new board members, who will then demand the company sell its key assets or businesses to lead to a rise in stock prices. They then leave after cashing in on their gains," said Shin Seok-hoon, a senior researcher at the Korea Economic Research Institute. According to the institute, hedge funds are expected to be allowed to name at least one new board member in at least four out of the top 10 conglomerates here, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors and Hyundai Mobis, following the revision. Some experts point out that the revision plan adversely discriminates against large shareholders. The three percent rule which restricts the voting rights of the largest shareholder to 3 percent when electing new auditors is cited as an example. Yoo Ju-seon, a professor at Kangnam University, pointed out that a hedge fund may divide its stake into small pieces to avoid such a restriction, freely exercising its right as a shareholder. Large shareholders, meanwhile, will have their rights infringed upon. "Though these measures intend to protect the rights of small shareholders, they may lead to diverse side effects. The administration thus should be cautious in the introduction the new regulation," he said. Other developed countries initiated cumulative voting in the 1950s, but they started scrapping it or leaving the decision to the businesses due to side effects such as conflict between shareholders, inefficiency, and intervention by speculative funds. Those supporting revision, however, say the conglomerates' fear is groundless. "The problems conglomerates that have faltered or suffered crisis had, stem from a poor decision-making system, coupled with the power abuse and incompetence of the owner family," said Rep. Chae Yi-bae of the centrist opposition Bareun Mirae Party. "Small shareholders and institutional investors should have stronger rights. Even if one or two people recommended by small shareholders enter the board, they won't dominate the board." The concern of conglomerates, however, is turning into a reality, as the U.S. activist hedge fund Elliott Management _ known to have around a $1 billion stake in Hyundai Motor Group _ recently demanded the group adopt a cumulative voting system and restrict the voting rights of large shareholders. Conglomerates have been demanding adoption of shields for them, such as poison pills and golden parachutes, but it remains to be seen whether they get approval at the National Assembly. I am a retired newspaperman. I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 44 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather. Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com Strategy and Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon By Yoon Ja-young The country's top economic policymaker is stressing the need to slow the pace of economic cooperation with North Korea, pointing to a number of prerequisites such as lifting of the international sanctions and the summit between North Korea and the United States. "I was glad economic issues were included in the Panmunjeon Declaration," Strategy and Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon said in a radio interview with TBS, Wednesday. President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a joint announcement following the historic inter-Korean summit held at Panmunjeom on April 27, including plans for economic cooperation for balanced development and joint prosperity. The finance minister, however, said there are priorities. "The World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Asia Development Bank (ADB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) contacted us to show their will to participate in North Korea's economic development if it opens or reforms," the minister said, adding that these international organizations have much experience in helping countries that went through similar transformations, such as Russia. However, he said diverse discussions and consensus in the international community should preclude inter-Korean economic cooperation, going beyond North Korea's nuclear problem. "North Korea should join the IMF first to receive such development funding from international organizations. All international organizations demand IMF membership as the priority," he said. He added that it usually takes around three years for a country to be admitted to the IMF since the organization should analyze economic conditions and diverse statistics of prospective member countries. "We are considering diverse ways of working with North Korea since there have been cases of technical assistance offered for non-member countries," he said. "Haste makes waste. The government will calmly prepare for diverse scenarios, taking into account international factors." The minister also pressured the National Assembly to approve a 3.9 trillion won supplementary budget plan that aims at creating jobs for young people. "The job market has structural problems, but since it is in seriously poor condition we should take measures that can be done in the short term. The extra budget is part of it," he said. He added while there could be criticism that the current administration's job market policy is falling short of expectations, all of society should tackle structural problems together. Regarding GM Korea, he said measures have already been prepared to make the carmaker contribute to the economy for at least 10 years. There has been concern that GM may eventually desert Korea as it did from a number of other countries after getting government support. The state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), which is the troubled carmaker's second-largest shareholder, had agreed to further invest 800 billion won on condition that GM headquarters turns its 3 trillion won loan for GM Korea into an equity and provides an additional 4 trillion won in loans. The government is scheduled to sign an MOU with GM Thursday to cooperate on developing the car industry here. Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Choi Jong-ku, left, shakes hands with Financial Supervisory Service Governor Yoon Suk-heun on the sidelines of Yoon's visit to the FSC headquarters in the central government complex, downtown Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Choi Jong-ku hailed General Motors' (GM) decision to inject $6.4 billion into its unprofitable Korea affiliate to keep it afloat. "The agreement between GM and related parties is ideal," Choi said in a press conference held in the central government complex, downtown Seoul, Wednesday. Last month, GM and the government reached a preliminary deal to inject $4.35 billion into GM Korea. The U.S. automaker had previously closed one of its four Korean plants and announced plans to cut its workforce by 3,000 workers. The FSC chairman said GM "guaranteed" the money because it has no plans to exit Korea. "GM has guaranteed its commitment to turning its Korean business around and as far as I know, the total financial support package will be $6.4 billion. GM became an equity holder in GM Korea after agreeing to provide $3.6 billion in fresh funding," Choi told reporters, adding the deal wasn't only intended for debt restructuring. "Given the amount of investment, it's fair to say GM is one of the largest foreign investors in the country; therefore, the FSC and related parties approached the issue from a different standpoint," said Choi. "The Korea Development Bank's (KDB) stance was to act as a policy branch." In this file photo released by the U.S. Government on April 26, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (right) shakes hands with the former CIA Director, now U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo in Pyongyang over the 2018 Easter weekend. / AFP-Yonhap U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday to prepare an unprecedented summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, while the U.S. president signaled the possibility that three Americans detained in the country could soon be released. Trump earlier broke the news of Pompeo's second visit to North Korea in less than six weeks and said that the two countries had agreed on a date and location for the summit, though he stopped short of providing details. A U.S. media pool report said Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, from Japan and headed to the city's Koryo Hotel for meetings. While Trump said it would be a "great thing" if the American detainees were freed, Pompeo, speaking to reporters en route to Pyongyang, said he had not received such a commitment but hoped North Korea would "do the right thing." Pompeo said his visit was intended to finalize a summit agenda that could enable a "historic, big change" in relations between long-time foes. The detainees' release could signal an effort by Kim to set a more positive tone for the summit, which is being planned for late May or early June, following Kim's recent pledge to suspend missile tests and shut Pyongyang's nuclear bomb test site. While Kim would be giving up the last of his American prisoners, whom North Korea has often used as bargaining chips with the United States, a release could also be aimed at pressuring Trump to make concessions of his own in his bid to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal, something it has not signaled a willingness to do. "Plans are being made, relationships are building," Trump said of the planned summit during remarks otherwise focused on his decision to pull the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. "Hopefully, a deal will happen. And with the help of China, South Korea and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone," Trump said. Pompeo made a secret visit to North Korea over the Easter weekend, becoming the first U.S. official known to have met Kim, to lay the groundwork for the planned summit. The meeting occurred before Pompeo, who was then head of the CIA, had received Senate confirmation as secretary of state. Trump suggested that dropping out of the Iran nuclear accord, which he has frequently denounced as a bad deal, would send a "critical message" not just to Tehran but also to Pyongyang. "The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them," Trump said. But critics of Trump's decision to leave the Iran deal say it could undermine his credibility in North Korea's eyes, fueling doubts whether he would abide by any nuclear agreement. Fate of three detainees Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and apanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrived in Japan on Wednesday to join leaders from Japan and China in a summit that is expected to focus on North Korea's nuclear program and on improving the sometimes-frayed ties among the three northeast Asian neighbors. Japanese officials say the meeting comes at a crucial time, sandwiched between an inter-Korean summit and planned talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Wednesday's summit is the seventh since the three-way meetings started in 2008 but only the first since 2015. It also follows Kim's surprise visit this week to China's northern port city of Dalian for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Moon is expected to brief Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang about his April 27 summit with Kim. The leaders of North and South Korea agreed to work toward reconciliation, but didn't achieve any breakthroughs in North Korea's denuclearization. Analysts say Japan is trying to showcase improved ties and cooperation with China and South Korea so its views will be represented in any negotiations with North Korea. Japanese officials hope the trilateral summit will produce a joint statement seeking North Korea's complete, verifiable and irreversible abandonment of nuclear weapons, affirming China's and South Korea's support for the return of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea decades ago, and promoting a three-way free trade agreement. Abe told a parliamentary session Tuesday that he hoped to have an ''in-depth discussion of North Korea problems'' at the meeting to seek a comprehensive solution. Differences remain over how to pursue North Korea's nuclear disarmament. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said Friday the summit would focus on three-way cooperation rather than the North Korea issue. Abe will also hold talks separately with Moon and Li. Japanese officials said they plan to propose a free and peaceful East China Sea, but do not plan to raise contentious issues such as South Korean ''comfort women'' forced to provide sex to Japan's wartime military. Moon is to leave Japan after half a day. After that, Abe will host a dinner and lunch for Li and join him on the northern island of Hokkaido on the final day of his four-day Japan visit. Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said they want to improve Japan's strained relations with China, with the eventual goal of realizing a visit by Xi. Li is China's No. 2 official, after Xi. While Japan, China and South Korea are closely linked economically, anti-Japanese sentiment runs deep in China and South Korea because of territorial and historical disputes dating back to Japan's colonization of the Korean Peninsula and invasion of China in the first half of the 20th century. (AP) South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, left, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pose for photographers prior to their summit in Tokyo, Wednesday. / Reuters By Kim Rahn The leaders of South Korea, Japan and China have pledged to cooperate in pushing for the denuclearization of North Korea and creating permanent peace in Northeast Asia. President Moon Jae-in, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Premier Li Keqiang agreed on the joint efforts in a special statement they adopted following their trilateral summit in Tokyo, Wednesday. The meeting came nearly two-and-a-half years after the previous one in November 2015. It also took place while talks have been underway among relevant nations over the North's denuclearization and the establishment of a peace regime. Moon, Abe and Li welcomed the two Koreas confirming the goal of "complete denuclearization" of the peninsula in the Panmunjeom Declaration announced after Moon's April 27 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The leaders expressed expectation for the success of the upcoming Washington-Pyongyang summit, and agreed to make joint efforts so the inter-Korean summit can lead to peace and stability. Moon expressed his gratitude to Abe and Li for supporting the Panmunjeom Declaration, adding the three countries' cooperation will boost regional peace and prosperity. "I hope we can dissolve the world's last remaining Cold War politics and bring peace to the world," he said at the beginning of the summit. The President told the two leaders that through candid talks with Kim at the inter-Korean summit, he could confirm his willingness for complete denuclearization. "Kim's promise to disclose the shutdown of its Punggye-ri nuclear testing site to the international society shows his determination for success of the Washington-Pyongyang summit," Moon was quoted as saying by presidential chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan. Abe praised Moon's efforts that led to the inter-Korean summit. But said the three leaders agreed on the thorough implementation of the U.N. Security Council's sanctions on the North. "Using this situation as momentum, (the involved nations) will have to make efforts to completely and verifiably dismantle all of North Korea's weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons," Abe said during a joint press conference after the meeting. Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun South Korea will continue to make active efforts to secure the release of six South Koreans detained in North Korea, the Unification Ministry said Wednesday, amid reports that the release of U.S. citizens held in the communist country is imminent. "Our government has worked to resolve the detainee issue through inter-Korean talks and cooperation with the international community, and it will continue to make active efforts to bring back those detainees as soon as possible," Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said during a regular press briefing. Currently, six South Koreans are held in North Korea, most of whom were said to have been taken to the country near the North-China border. They include three pastors -- Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kuk-gi and Choe Chun-gil -- who were sentenced to hard labor for life on charges of spying for South Korea's spy agency. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier arrived in Pyongyang to prepare for a summit between the two countries and possibly to bring three U.S. citizens detained in the North home. His trip to Pyongyang came in the wake of a surprise summit earlier this week between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Chinese northeastern city of Dalian. The spokesman said the summit, the second of its kind in more than a month, will be helpful in achieving denuclearization of the North and building lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap) U.S. President Donald Trump announces his intention to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement during a statement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House in Washington, Tuesday (local time) / Reuters President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is a major setback to US negotiating credibility and will complicate efforts to reach an agreement with Pyongyang over its own more advanced weapons programme, analysts say. Trump is set to hold a much-anticipated and unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the coming weeks to negotiate over Pyongyang's arsenal, after it last year carried out by far its most powerful nuclear test to date and launched missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. But the US president Tuesday pulled Washington out of the 2015 accord with Teheran, pouring scorn on the "disastrous" agreement and describing it an "embarrassment" to the United States although European signatories and the IAEA say Iran has complied with its obligations. Antony Blinken, who was deputy secretary of state under Barack Obama, said the White House move "makes getting to yes with North Korea that much more challenging". "Why would Kim ... believe any commitments President Trump makes when he arbitrarily tears up an agreement with which the other party is complying?" he asked on Twitter. MIT political science professor Vipin Narang added: "Today is a stark reminder across the world: Deals are reversible and can have expiration dates, while nuclear weapons can offer lifetime insurance." North Korea remains technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a ceasefire rather than an armistice, and Pyongyang has long insisted that it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself from a possible U.S. invasion. Two weeks ago Trump's new national security advisor John Bolton said "We have very much in mind the Libya model," for the denuclearisation of North Korea. Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi agreed to abandon his pursuit of nuclear weapons in the early 2000s, but his government was later overthrown by rebel forces supported by Western air strikes, and he was killed. Pyongyang regularly cites the fates of Kadhafi and Saddam Hussein in Iraq whose government was overthrown in a U.S.-led invasion as evidence of the need for nuclear arms. Former CIA director John Brennan said Trump's "madness" had "undermined global confidence in U.S. commitments, alienated our closest allies, strengthened Iranian hawks, & gave North Korea more reason to keep its nukes". Some were more sanguine. In this May 3, 2018 photo, people watch a TV news report on screen, showing portraits of three Americans, Kim Dong-chul, left, Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song, right, detained in the North Korea, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul. President Donald Trump says Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on his way back from North Korea with three American detainees, saying they "seem to be in good health." / AP U.S. government plane, left, lands at Yokota U.S. Airbase in outskirts of Tokyo, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday in the latest sign of improving relations between the two longtime adversary nations. / AP Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday in the latest sign of improving relations between the two longtime adversary nations. Trump said on Twitter that Pompeo was ''in the air'' and was with ''the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting.'' The president, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. The release of the detainees came as Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for a historic summit between Trump and the North's leader, Kim Jong-un. Trump said on Twitter that there had been a ''good meeting with Kim Jong-un,'' adding: ''Date & Place set.'' North Korea had accused Kim Dong-chul, Kim Hak-song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities but their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation's nuclear weapons. They had been held for periods ranging between one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. Pompeo, in his visit, discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim summit in a meeting with Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the central committee of North Korea's ruling party. Later, Pompeo said the senior official had been a great partner in working to make the summit a success. ''For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict,'' Pompeo said, adding that ''there are many challenges along the way.'' Kim noted the improved relations between the Koreas, as well as the North's policy to ''concentrate all efforts into economic progress'' in the country. ''This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside,'' he added, citing the will of the Korean people. That contradicted Trump, who has said repeatedly that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Pompeo's trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. Minutes later, Pompeo arrived in Japan to refuel before flying on to Pyongyang. Accompanying him were a handful of senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, both given roughly four hours' notice of his departure. When the flight arrived Wednesday morning in Pyongyang, North Korean officials were on hand to greet Pompeo. A motorcade took Pompeo and his delegation to the Koryo Hotel, the main hotel for foreigners in Pyongyang. President Moon Jae-in / Yonhap South Korea welcomed the release of three American citizens held by North Korea on Wednesday, calling for the release of six of its own held captives in the communist state. "We welcome North Korea's decision to return the three American captives," Yoon Young-chan, chief press secretary to President Moon Jae-in, said in a released statement. "In addition, we believe it has a significant meaning in that all three American captives are Korean descendants," he added. U.S. President Donald Trump announced earlier that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on the way to the U.S. with the three Korean Americans. Trump also said Pompeo had a "good meeting" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the date and place of his summit with Kim have been set. "The North's such decision will work as a very positive factor for the success of the North Korea-U.S. summit," Yoon said. Graphics by Cho Sang-won By Kim Hyun-bin From 2022, pharmacology colleges around the nation are expected to implement a six year program which will allow even freshman to take pharmaceutically relevant courses. Since 2009, the "2 + 4 year" system was first introduced to the College of Pharmacology nationwide, where a student was only eligible to transfer to a four year pharmacy school upon completion of two years of undergraduate core classes. The Ministry of Education (MOE) submitted a revised higher education act and is scheduled to start going through the legislative process on May 21st. The move allows pharmacologyschools to go back to the six year program that was in effect before 2009. Many criticized that the "2 +4 year"' system was ineffective as the first two years of core classes' lack relevance to Pharmacology studies. They also point out that many natural science and engineering majors have applied for a leave of absence to prepare for and apply to the College of Pharmacology. The Ministry of Education will give pharmacology colleges in the nation the choice to choose from the "2 +4" system or change back to a six year curriculum. Most of the 35 Colleges of Pharmacology in the nation have called in favor of the six year curriculum. "We have conducted a survey on all 35 institutions that provide pharmacology studies and all were in favor of the six year curriculum," said an official at the MOE. "However, there will be some schools that might not be able to implement the plan starting 2022." If all 35 institutions enforce the six year curriculum, an increase of 1,700 freshman pharmacy majors is expected to enroll each year. The colleges are expected to go through drastic changes as the institutions will have to accommodate two additional student classes, so colleges will need to hire more professors and expand their campuses, or reduce student quotas in other majors. To enhance social responsibility, the MOE and the Korea Association of Pharmacy Education set up regulations to help low income families and revitalize the local economy. The government will make it mandatory for any pharmacy schools that implement the six year curriculum to enroll at least seven percent of their students from vulnerable social groups such as low income families each year. Provincial pharmacy schools will also be required to enroll 30 percent of local high school graduates. For Gangwon Province and Jeju, 15 percent of local students need to fill the entrance quota. By Park Si-soo Koo Bon-moo Prosecutors searched the LG Group's finance team office in Seoul on Wednesday in an investigation of alleged tax evasion involving "family members of the group's chairman." They secured tax and accounting documents and related computer files needed for the investigation, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in charge of the operation said. A prosecutor familiar with the case said the chairman's family is suspected of having dodged taxes worth "tens of billions of won" in the process of transferring the family's shares in LG affiliates to others. He did not give further details. The prosecutor said the office started the investigation after receiving information from the National Tax Service last month. He said LG Group Chairman Koo Bon-moo and his younger brother Koo Bon-neung, chairman of Heesung Electronics, are "not directly involved in the case." He said the chairman's residence was not searched. An LG spokesman said the raid was "something unexpected" and the company will "fully cooperate with the investigation." He said the company is trying to determine "the reasons and targets of the investigation." Lee Myung-hee / Yonhap Police on Wednesday banned the wife of Korean Air Lines Co.'s chief from leaving the country pending a probe into allegations that she verbally and physically assaulted company employees. Police are investigating the string of alleged assaults by Lee Myung-hee, the director of Ilwoo Foundation and wife of Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, after numerous tips were lodged by employees of the national flag carrier and the group's hotel affiliate accusing her of the crimes. Korean Air is the flagship affiliate of Hanjin Group, an airline-to-hotel conglomerate. Lee is suspected of verbally insulting construction workers in May 2014, when one of the hotels owned by the family-run conglomerate was being remodeled for an expansion. She is also alleged to have thrown blueprints at the workers, pointed fingers at them and obstructed their operations. She is also accused of committing similar verbal assaults against her chauffeur and other Hanjin employees. In a statement released Wednesday, Korean Air made an apology for the physical assault that took place at the hotel construction site in Incheon, just west of Seoul. But the company denied a series of other allegations about verbal and physical assaults on employees of its own and from its partner companies. Police said they plan to summon Lee for questioning over the allegations. Police have obtained testimonies from the alleged victims and announced that Lee became a suspect in a criminal case as of last Friday. The controlling Cho family of the country's biggest full service carrier has been under scrutiny for ballooning scandals involving its family members. Cho's younger daughter, Hyun-min, is also being investigated for allegedly assaulting an advertising company official because she was not pleased with their work performance. Cho's eldest daughter, Hyun-ah, has already become infamous for the "nut rage" incident, in which she forced a flight back to the boarding gate at a New York airport in 2014 as she was upset about the way her macadamia nuts were served. (Yonhap) Inha university students, faculty and alumni association protest against Hanjin Group owners. / Courtesy of Incheon Network for Peace and Welfare By Kim Hyun-bin Inha University students and faculty are protesting against Hanjin Group owners, calling for their resignation from the school's board. Inha's students along with its alumni association have joined hands with local civic groups to stand against Hanjin Chairman Cho Yang-ho and his family. To this end, Incheon Network for Peace and Welfare and Inha University in Incheon have established a countermeasure committee. "Hanjin Group's unethical management and the family's abuse of power are not only found at Korean Air but also at Inha University," said the committee in a press statement. "We will fight against Hanjin Group's influence over the university's management and rule out corruption at our institution." This comes as the Cho family has allegedly exerted its influence within the university's management. The chairman and his eldest son and daughter have tried to control the university's board, select its president and have interfered in its management, the committee said. In 1998, the chairman's eldest son Cho Won-tae, currently Korean Air President, allegedly transferred to Inha University without satisfying the institution's transfer requirements. The committee plans to submit an official request to the Ministry of Education to look into this case. The university denied these allegations. "The university has abided by the education ministry's regulations. We have appointed our university presidents through legitimate procedures," said Inha University in a statement. "Korean Air President Cho Won-tae also went through regular procedures and passed the transfer exam. We went through a thorough review of his transcript and gave transfer credits accordingly. Therefore, the committee's claim is simply not true." Last week, Korean Air employees held a candlelit rally. They plan to hold a second rally soon. The second rally is expected to be larger as civic groups and Inha university members are also expected to participate. SNU student protest Meanwhile, more than 600 students from Seoul National University held a candlelit rally, demanding it fire a social science professor following his misconduct. The students gathered at the university's administration building and called on its disciplinary committee to stop covering up the professor's indecent acts and urged it to immediately fire him. Shin Jae-yong, the university's student body president, vowed to continue his hunger strike until the professor is fired. The professor used abusive language toward his students and co-workers, calling them "trash" and saying, "People like you should be beaten up." He has also been accused of sexual harassment and making students clean his fridge. He allegedly funneled 15 million won ($13,900) of the social science department's research funds to himself over the past three years. Last March, his alleged immoral acts were submitted to the campus human rights center. But the university sentenced him to just three months suspension, which created an uproar on campus. The Ministry of Education conducted a separate inspection on the matter and found the professor guilty of abuse of authority and embezzlement. The ministry reported the case to prosecutors. The student body said the three month suspension did not fit the results of the inspection by the education ministry. The student body added that it will not recognize the three month suspension as an official punishment. "If the professor is not fired, sexual assault issues will continue," said Shin. "We will fight until the university guarantees our basic human rights." By Kang Seung-woo The prosecution searched the headquarters of LG Group, Wednesday, over allegations of tax evasion by family members controlling the nation's fourth-largest conglomerate. Prosecutors are investigating whether the family of LG Chairman Koo Bon-moo dodged 10 billion won ($9.25 million) of capital gains tax after the family unloaded and increased their equity holdings in LG affiliates. The raid came after the National Tax Service filed a complaint against the family of LG Chairman Koo Bon-moo in April and investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office confiscated evidence including accounting documents and computer hard drives. "We never expected the search and it is not proper to comment on the ongoing investigation," a senior official of the business group said. Later, the conglomerate issued a statement saying it would fully cooperate with the prosecution. After dissecting the confiscated evidence, the prosecution plans to summon LG officials or some family members. However, the LG chairman and his brother, Heesung Electronics Chairman Koo Bon-neung, are not targeted for investigation. Investigators did not raid houses of the owner's family members. The raid comes as a big surprise due to the business group's solid reputation after avoiding a lot of corruption scandals that are common in the Korean business sector. LG was one of the few "chaebol" that were not involved in the corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye and her close confidant Choi Soon-sil, in which they twisted the arms of the nation's conglomerates to fund two private foundations run by Choi. The scandal eventually led to Park's impeachment last year. Recently, several leading conglomerates Samsung, Hyundai Motor and Lotte have been facing prosecutors' investigations, while Hanjin Group, the largest share holder of Korean Air, is also under fire for its owner family's alleged abuse of employees. "As even LG is facing the prosecution's investigation, the business sector is in huge shock," an official of the business industry said. By Kim Jae-heun Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling is looking to expand its presence in the Asian market through hallyu, or the Korean wave. "We signed an exclusive contract with actor Song Joong-ki to wear our watch in the popular TV series Descendants of the Sun. We worked with actor Ji Sung last year and we are continuing to look for Korean models with masculine appeal," Breitling CEO Georges Kern said Wednesday during a press conference at The Westin Chosun in Seoul. The CEO made his very first exclusive visit to Korea to present its new products. Previously, Kern would only stop by Seoul when visiting China or Japan. "We know how much influence hallyu has in the Asian market. We are positive about sponsoring our products in Korean TV series," Kern said. Korea has become one of Breitling's most important markets in Asia along with Japan and China in the last few years. The company's sales in the first quarter increased by 87 percent year-on-year. "Korea and Japan are the countries with the most developed luxury market in Asia. Korea, in particular, owns both a lucrative domestic market as well as duty free business, which are important for us too," Kern said. Korea is one of Breitling's fastest-growing markets in the world. "We only introduced the Navitimer 8 at the watch and jewelry show Baselworld in Switzerland in March. This is the first time we are unveiling it in a particular country and we chose Korea," Kern said. Kern is considered a "living legend" in the industry. He has worked for global luxury watchmakers such as IWC and Richemont, before he took the CEO position at Breitling last year. Leaders and business representatives of South Korea, China and Japan participate in a trilateral business summit held on the sidelines of the three-way summit in Tokyo, Wednesday. Leaders of lobby groups agreed to cooperate for a free trade pact and a comprehensive economic partnership between the three countries. From left are Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Park Yong-maan, President Moon Jae-in, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japan Business Federation Chairman Sadayuki Sakakibara and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Chairman Jian Zengwei. / Yonhap By Park Ji-won Business lobby groups of South Korea, Japan and China agreed Wednesday to cooperate for an early signing of a trilateral free trade deal on the sidelines of the three-way summit held in Tokyo. In a joint declaration adopted in a trilateral business summit, the business leaders vowed to work together on a free trade pact and a comprehensive economic partnership between the three countries according to a statement of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) released Wednesday. KCCI Chairman Park Yong-maan represented South Korea in the business summit alongside his counterparts Sadayuki Sakakibara, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, and Jiang Zengwei, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). Doctors give a medical checkup to Liberty Korea Party floor leader Kim Sung-tae, who has been on a week-long hunger strike, Wednesday. / Yonhap By Choi Ha-young Rep. Kim Sung-tae, floor leader of the largest opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), has staged a hunger strike for seven days as of Wednesday, in the face of hostile public opinions against him and even a physical assault last Saturday. The lawmaker began the protest calling for special prosecutors to investigate an opinion-rigging allegation involving a ruling party lawmaker. Rep. Kim Sung-tae, floor leader of the largest opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), has staged a hunger strike for seven days as of Wednesday, in the face of hostile public opinions against him and even a physical assault last Saturday. The lawmaker began the protest calling for special prosecutors to investigate an opinion-rigging allegation involving a ruling party lawmaker. Rep. Kim's protest, however, only brought about mountains of mockery, despite his determination to risk his life. Netizens cursed the move, with some even ordering him pizza to taunt him and sending "text bombs." On Monday, Rep. Kim said he received about 1,000 text messages from citizens lashing out at him. In Korea's modern history, hunger strikes have been considered a sublime resistance against dictatorship, primarily adopted by democratic activists and religious figures here. "Successful" hunger strikes require few conditions it should be a last resort in resolving the problem, along with justification to persuade people. Future President Kim Young-sam effectively stood up against the military dictatorship in a 1983 hunger strike. As a fruit of his 23-day long hunger strike, he was released from house arrest, and the world branded then-President Chun Doo-hwan, who seized power in a military coup, a brutal dictator. "Unlike the ongoing hunger strike of Kim Sung-tae, Kim Young-sam was totally ostracized by local media, under the government's control," said Im Hyug-baeg, a retired political science professor at Korea University. That's why the ongoing hunger strike has failed to gain public sympathy, Im noted. As floor leader of the largest conservative party with 115 lawmakers, he has various options other than a hunger strike. "The Assembly can pick a special prosecutor, if the prosecution fails to look squarely into the opinion-rigging case. So far, there's no sign of interruptions of Cheong Wa Dae to hamper the ongoing investigation," Im said. The ex-president's precedent explains the flood of negative views toward Kim. "He doesn't look that desperate. Amid lack of support, Rep. Kim's move is viewed as an election strategy," Im said. According to a Realmeter poll issued April 23, 52.4 percent of respondents said the prosecution's investigation would be enough to reveal the facts, while 38.1 percent of them backed the idea of forming an independent counsel. The most memorable hunger strike in recent days would be the one staged by bereaved families of victims of the 2014 ferry Sewol disaster, during the Park Geun-hye administration. Kim Young-oh, who lost a daughter named Yu-min, continued his hunger strike for 46 days, calling for a thorough investigation of the disaster. The hunger strike had justification amid the Park administration's attempts to cover up certain facts. Rep. Kim is not the first politician who was mocked for a hunger strike. In October 2016, Rep. Lee Jung-hyun, former chairman of the Saenuri Party predecessor of the LKP aroused widespread mockery over his "closed-door" hunger strike. Instead of being concerned about his physical condition, all eyes were on whether he was eating behind the door or not. Lee, the first known conservative politician to attempt a hunger strike, carried out his protest demanding the resignation of National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun. However, the staunch loyalist to then-President Park was chairman of the ruling party, and one of the most powerful political figures here. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks and Chinese President Xi Jinping listens during a banquet Xi hosted for Kim in Dalian during the latter's surprise two-day visit, in this photo released Wednesday. / Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung China is expected to play a bigger role in the ongoing denuclearization talks with North Korea, with the regime's leader Kim Jong-un showing signs of enhancing "strategic partnerships" with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping ahead of the Washington-Pyongyang summit. According to the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), Tuesday, the young dictator met with Xi on his two-day state visit to the Chinese eastern port city of Dalian. The regime's mouthpiece has particularly underlined the rapidly thawing bilateral relations between the two countries. "Kim Jong-un thought highly of the unprecedentedly strategic communication with Xi," the KCNA said. "The two leaders exchanged in-depth opinions on resolving crucial issues shared by both sides in times of the rapid political change taking place on the Korean Peninsula," it added. This is the second time that Kim has held a summit with the Chinese leader this year. In March, Kim visited Beijing for a closed-door dialogue with Xi. This came at a critical time when North Korea makes global headlines for its rare peace signal under which the regime pledged to carry out a complete nuclear disarmament. The meeting between leaders from North Korea and China is seen as a move for the regime to take advantage of the Chinese political influence ahead of the Washington-Pyongyang summit slated for sometime around early June. "The summit has served as a key momentum to vitalize amicable relations between the two countries and improve the bilateral trust and kinship," it said, underlining that both sides maintain a close alliance. "The latest summit between Kim and Xi will help tighten strategic cooperation between the two countries and contribute to building permanent peace and stabilization on the Korean Peninsula," the KCNA said. This came a few weeks before the planned summit between Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump. Leaders from Washington and Pyongyang will discuss details on ways to achieve a verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea during the first-ever summit. China also hopes to have a bigger influence on the peace momentum on the peninsula by engaging in more dialogue with North Korea. The North's state-controlled media, however, did not share details on China's responses during the recent meeting between Kim and Xi. The recent summit between Beijing and Pyongyang also made headlines on the regime's Rodong Sinmun on Wednesday. It said: "The traditional fellowship between the two countries is a valuable asset for both sides." On Wednesday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in a three-way summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that Beijing will continue to play a constructive role in the denuclearization and lasting peace on the peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe enter a banquet hall for a luncheon as part of a bilateral summit held on the sidelines of a tripartite meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Tokyo on Wednesday. / Yonhap By Kim Bo-eun President Moon Jae-in stressed Wednesday the need for improved relations between Japan and North Korea in achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. "I believe that to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, not only inter-Korean dialogue, but also dialogue and normalization of relations between Japan and North Korea are necessary," Moon said ahead of the meeting with Abe, held on the sidelines of a tripartite summit with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Relations between Tokyo and Pyongyang remain strained as the two have yet to resolve issues relating to Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of Korea, and North Korea's holding of Japanese nationals that the regime is believed to have abducted. Tokyo has been calling for Pyongyang to resolve the abduction issue, and reached out, seeking to hold a summit between the leaders. Progress is yet to be seen on holding a bilateral summit. In a recent interview with Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, Moon said Kim Jong-un is willing to talk with Japan, from what he could tell from the inter-Korean summit held on April 27. Abe stated he "highly evaluated weighty developments" toward North Korea's denuclearization, and pledged Japan's cooperation in drawing out concrete actions from Pyongyang in its summit with Washington. Abe commented on the timing of lifting economic sanctions imposed on the North Korean regime. He stated Pyongyang should not be rewarded for shutting down its Punggye-ri nuclear testing site or for suspending intercontinental ballistic missile launches. By Bae Eun-joo Koreans seem to have a talent for creating acronyms and the Korean language has just the right rhythm for them. "Halma" and "halppa" seem to be the hottest acronyms trending at the moment. "Halma" is an acronym for "halmeoni" (grandma) and "omma" (mom) and "halppa" is a combination of "halabeoji" (grandpa) and "appa" (dad). They refer to grandmothers and grandfathers who babysit their grandchildren whose mothers and father are away at work. A growing number of children seem to be raised by their grandparents as the number of double-income families is rising these days. According to Statistics Korea, 50 percent of working parents leave their children with their grandparents for daycare. This increased to 63.8 percent in 2016, which reflects that six in 10 double-income families heavily rely on the grandparents to look after their children. The situation does not seem to be much different in other countries. A recent survey conducted in Japan of 1,000 grandparents aged between 55 and 75 showed 66.4 percent of respondents took care of their grandchildren. And 80 percent of them lived together with their sons or daughters or within a 30-minute distance. Also, 70 percent of grandparents found babysitting strenuous but accepted the task reluctantly for the sake of their children. Over 20 percent of grandparents in Italy and 15 percent in Spain babysit their grandchildren while it reaches over 30 percent in Romania, according to a survey. The British government announced in 2015 that parents will be able to transfer part of their maternity leave to their grandparents starting 2018. The shared parental leave aims to allow more grandparents to remain employed and encourage more mothers to end maternity leave early to return to work and reduce childcare costs. Grandparental leave already exists in Russia and Bulgaria. In 2011, Seoul's Seocho-gu Office launched a "grandchildren sitter project," paying 360,000 won monthly to grandparents who take care of their grandchildren. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family attempted to expand this project nationwide but the effort was soon scrapped after it was criticized for "buck-passing the responsibility of childcare to grandparents." Although the public demand is growing for the government to come up with a childcare plan that will relieve "halma" and "halppa" of their burden and will reward them properly, I was discomforted recently to learn grandparents are still discriminated against when it comes to funeral leave policy. A petition posted on the Cheong Wa Dae website called for equal bereavement leave for grandparents, saying many companies offer three to six days of funeral leave when paternal grandparents die but one day or no time off when maternal grandparents pass away. Many businesses offer condolence payment when a paternal grandparent dies but none for maternal parents. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea raised the issue in 2013, calling for companies to desert this practice and change the policy. It said 61.2 percent of large- or medium-sized businesses have discriminatory bereavement leave policies. Most U.S. companies state employees are entitled to paid bereavement leave in the event of the death of a "parent," "stepparent," "parent-in-law," "an adult who stood in loco parentis to the employee," "grandparent" or "spouse's grandparent." The guideline does not discriminate whether "grandparents" are from the mother's or father's side. May 8 was Parents' Day in Korea, which is observed and celebrated throughout the world. I hope a small change in our perception on equal rights for grandparents would make many "halma" and "halppa" happier when we mark Parents' Day next year. By P.H. Yu BEIJING The global balance of power is shifting. As the United States retreats from global leadership, China is expanding its international influence. Now, many in the West fear a China-led attempt to overhaul the rules and norms that underpin the existing world order. Are they right to be afraid? The re-emergence of China as a major regional and even world power certainly poses profound challenges to the U.S.-led international order that was created after World War II. But Chinese leaders' goal is not explicitly to upend that order, which did, after all, prove flexible enough to enable the impoverished China of the 1970s to become what it is today. Instead, the goal is to ensure that the existing order can adequately accommodate the interests and objectives of both China and the U.S. China's objectives are ambitious, to say the least. Deng Xiaoping's policy of "reform and opening up" enabled an economic miracle that has lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty. President Xi Jinping's task is not only to complete what Deng started and eradicate poverty, but also to forge an economy that returns China to its position, held for most of recorded human history, as a major world power. It is that vision what Xi calls the "China dream" that really seems to unsettle the West, to the point that some advocate a kind of coordinated containment strategy. But the fact is that China's domestic economy, like that of the U.S., is already strong enough to secure the country's future influence. In that context, a backward-looking strategy of rigid containment is bound to fail. Worse, it could drive China to mount a more fundamental challenge to the existing international order. The only way to preserve that order is thus to prove that it remains flexible enough to respond to China's needs and aspirations. Of course, this is easier said than done, not least because the West already feels blindsided by the scope and pace of China's rise. But if the West was understandably unprepared for a development that is unprecedented in world history, its own complacency also played a major role. After the Soviet Union's fall, Francis Fukuyama declared that the "end of history" in the teleological Hegelian sense had arrived. From then on, he argued, building a modern society would demand a market economy and a democratic political system. In the ensuing decades even as China grew and modernized Western thinkers treated this self-indulgent delusion as an empirical certainty. They confirmed their biases and obscured reality further by relying on rigid and outdated academic models that were inadequate to explain China's success. Increasingly, however, people are recognizing reality. This was confirmed at a recent international conference in Beijing entitled "China and the West: The Role of the State in Economic Growth," organized by Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Many participants agreed that China's top-down decision-making structure, by enabling the government to invest in painful but needed reforms, confers a powerful development advantage. Some openly questioned the current U.S. economic model, which is increasingly characterized by the monopolization of resources and distortion of political decision-making by vested interests. Yet this recognition may be part of the problem: Though China continues to reassure the West that it is not nurturing imperial or expansionist ambitions, Western political leaders remain dubious, if not outright suspicious. They fear being blindsided yet again and losing control of a system that they have painstakingly built in their own image. But China's rise will continue, whether the West is ready or not. It might help if Western thinkers developed new analytical frameworks to help political leaders better comprehend China's development model. They can start by recognizing that China's economic model which has proved effective in boosting growth and reducing poverty in a sustained way is a genuine alternative to the Western approach. Refusing to acknowledge reality will only generate more tension and more risk, because failing to accommodate China will destabilize the rules-based order on which the world has come to rely. Instead of clinging to outdated assumptions and rigid ideas, the West should work with China to reform the existing global order in ways that benefit all. Otherwise, Western leaders' worst fears will be realized. ). P.H. Yu is chairman of the Council of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate ( www.project-syndicate.org On Tuesday, President Donald Trump added Iran to his very short list (two names) of major nuclear crises that demand immediate and relentless focus. He defied European allies and made good on long-telegraphed threats to withdraw the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The president didn't mince words. "It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement," he said. "The Iran deal is defective at its core." Trump says the U.S. will now begin reinstating stifling sanctions on Iran's still-staggering economy. We supported the deal as negotiated. But our endorsement was reluctant, essentially for the reasons Trump now cites. We share his goal of perpetually denying Iran the ability to build nuclear weapons and launch an attack. But at each suggestion of nixing the deal, we've asked the question now resonating in capitals worldwide: What happens if Iran is freed to pursue nukes? Trump's high-stakes gamble to break with allies and reimpose sanctions could be the first major step to a renegotiated pact with Tehran that will satisfy his demands: to rein in Iran's ballistic missile program, eliminate sunset clauses in the pact, and expand inspections of Iranian military sites. Or scuttling the deal could unleash Iran's drive to build a nuclear weapon and trigger a military conflict. Or ... something in between. Much depends on how Western companies doing business with Iran react, how Russia and China attempt to exploit this crisis (and they will), and whether European countries grudgingly go along with Trump. Early indications Tuesday: European governments, some of them sensitive to losing business opportunities, won't go along. President Emmanuel Macron of France, Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany called the U.S. pullout a matter of "regret and concern." They said they remain committed to the accord and urged Iran to do the same. Remember, Iran's economy is a basket case, so the Tehran government has incentives to placate the West by keeping its nuke program muted. In January, protesters surged and seethed in street protests over prices and the fumbling leadership of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the coming weeks, Iran's leaders may elect to bluster angrily, blame the Great Satan, but not actually do much. There's plenty of diplomatic drama to come. But the context here the stability of the world in the age of devastating weaponry is more bracing than the endless push and pull of geopolitics. For more than six decades, the U.S. and its allies have sought to halt the spread of nuclear weapons. In 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower promoted the paradoxical "Atoms for Peace" initiative: Give countries nuclear know-how for energy purposes to stop them from developing nuclear weapons. It didn't work as well as the U.S. hoped. Peaceful nuclear expertise spread but so did weapons knowledge to India, Israel, Pakistan and, more recently, North Korea. How long before Iran has nuclear bombs? As each new rogue member expands the nuclear club, so does the prospect of a mushroom cloud over New York or Chicago or Paris or Berlin or London or Moscow or Beijing. As does the possibility that affiliated terror groups will obtain a nuke and use it without providing a return address for retaliation. On Tuesday, Trump mentioned the other nuclear crisis on his short list North Korea. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is talking with Pyongyang to prepare for Trump's meeting with dictator Kim Jong-un. The goal: Persuade Kim to surrender his nuclear arsenal which threatens not only the region, but U.S. cities, including Chicago. But tearing up the Iran deal arguably proving the U.S. is untrustworthy doesn't give Kim incentive to strike an accord with Trump. Trump says "America no longer makes empty threats." Nor, as the world sees, does it keep all its commitments. Beyond the boundaries of Iran's laboratories, that breaking of this nation's word could be the most perilous side effect of Trump's action Tuesday. Trump now confronts two rogue regimes, one a nuclear wannabe, one a growing nuclear power. His goal is to find a combination of incentives and threats to turn back the nuclear doomsday clock. We're skeptical that Trump helped that cause by his bombastic exit from the treaty without America's allies in tow and without an answer to that crucial question: What happens if Iran is freed to pursue nukes? The above editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. US plays hardball with North Korea over denuclearization Breathtaking developments are taking place over how to denuclearize North Korea before U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Kim Jong-un next month. The first notable thing is Trump's announcement of a decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. It is necessary to focus on how the announcement will affect the Trump-Kim summit. The U.S. pullout from the Iran deal is likely to send a strong message to Pyongyang that Washington will force the North to commit to "permanent, verifiable and irreversible dismantling (PVID)." The term PVID is certainly a stronger demand than what Trump has so far called for: complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID). PVID reflects Trump's firmer determination to permanently dismantle all fissile materials and nuclear sites in the North so that the country can never revive its nuclear program. This was well expressed in his remarks. "The United States no longer makes empty threats," he said. Regarding the negotiations with the North, he added: "When I make promises, I keep them." This indicates Trump wants to strike a far more comprehensive and stronger deal with Pyongyang to ensure its immediate and complete denuclearization. Yet, such a deal is easier said than done because North Korea has already developed nuclear warheads, while Iran has not. And it will be much more difficult to verify the North's denuclearization process than that of Iran. Against this backdrop, Trump sent Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Pyongyang to have last-minute negotiations with the Kim regime over the terms of the denuclearization. Pompeo's visit came after his first visit to the North from March 31 to April 1. His second trip to the North Korean capital followed Kim Jong-un's second visit to China, about 40 days after he traveled to Beijing and held a summit with President Xi Jinping to ask for Chinese help for his diplomatic offensive and on a denuclearization formula. In the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian, Xi and Kim reaffirmed the North's phased and simultaneous method, which calls for rewards for every step the North takes. Kim is certainly playing the China card to counter the growing U.S. pressure for PVID or CVID. He is apparently trying to form a united front with China to take a more advantageous position before the summit with Trump. However, Trump was quick to make clear that there would be no compensation before the North completely dismantles its nuclear and missile development programs. Immediately after the Xi-Kim meeting, Trump had a phone conversation with the Chinese leader and reaffirmed that the U.S. will continue the maximum pressure campaign until the full denuclearization of the North. Despite mounting skepticism, there is still hope for a dramatic breakthrough in the Washington-Pyongyang talks. Secretary Pompeo will likely return home from the North after getting the release of three Americans held in the reclusive country. The release could serve as a positive sign for the talks. Yet it remains to be seen whether the U.S. and the North will narrow differences over the thorny issues and strike a landmark deal to end the decades-long nuclear standoff. It certainly depends on Kim's willingness to move toward peace and coexistence. Naver CEO Han Seong-sook speaks at a press conference held at the Naver Partner Square in Seoul's Gangnam-gu, Wednesday, announcing measures to address a controversy over what critics said was the firm's 'overpowered' news editing. / Courtesy of Naver By Jun Ji-hye Naver will stop selecting and arranging news articles on its main portal page and news section later this year, to handle criticism about its neutrality, the firm's CEO said Wednesday. "From the third quarter, Naver will stop editing a list of news articles," Han Seong-sook said in a press conference in Seoul. Naver will instead give each media company authority to select and arrange its stories to be displayed on the nation's top portal. "Naver will offer media companies related advertising revenue and data on readers," Han said. The announcement came amid mounting controversy over an opinion-rigging scandal, in which a "power blogger" nicknamed Druking and two of his followers allegedly manipulated voting on news articles and reader comments displayed by the web portal in an attempt to manipulate public sentiment in favor of or against certain political figures. Han said the company has discussed structural problems involving the ongoing controversy and came up with measures to improve this. She noted one of the core problems was structure whereby its 30 million users concentrated on a few "top stories" selected by the portal. Han said the improvement measures were designed to diversify ways for users to read the news. Naver will also remove a list of articles from its start page and provide only a search engine feature there, Han said. This will be applied from the third quarter as well. News articles selected by media companies will be located on a second page, and users can select certain media firms to read their stories. "This measure is to offer users news articles selected in accordance with each media firm's editorial rights," Han said. "Users will be able to read more diverse news articles that match with their interests." The firm will create another news section powered by its artificial intelligence (AI) news recommendation technology, AiRS. The CEO also said the firm will actively push to introduce the outlink system used by major portals such as Google. Some politicians have called on the Korean firm to use this system, claiming it is more effective at preventing opinion-rigging. Under the current "inlink" system, Naver hosts articles and runs the comments section within its website, in contrast to an outlink system that links users to a specific article hosted on the website of a media company. "In principle, I agree with the need to introduce the outlink system," Han said. "But it is difficult to adopt the system comprehensively as media companies have differing opinions. We will actively push to introduce the system through consultation with each firm." She added it was premature to talk about when the relevant guidelines for such a system will be drawn up as there was much to be discussed. However, Rep. Kim Kyung-jin of the Party for Democracy and Peace said Naver's improvement measures still seem insufficient. If the portal gives each media firm a choice on whether to move to the outlink system, not many companies will join it as the influence of Naver's platform is still powerful, the first-term lawmaker claimed. By Baek Byung-yeul With just weeks to go before a new data privacy rule takes effect in Europe, Korean companies are sharpening their focus on it. Starting May 25, the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force giving European residents more control over their personal data. Under the GDPR, personal data is anything that relates to an identified or identifiable individual. It includes name, address, email address, location data and computer IP address. With the new data privacy rule, companies that control and process data of EU residents will be responsible for safeguarding their consumers' personal data. For example, companies must request permission to use detailed information of users. Also the new rule gives individuals the right to have personal data erased. Ahead of the introduction of the GDPR Korean companies are also preparing themselves with a GDPR response system. Samsung Electronics formed its compliance team to stay up-to-date on the GDPR. The company has also documented its own data and has prepared reporting procedures in case of data breaches. LG Electronics also formed a GDPR response team in European branches. Nexon, which is servicing online games in European countries, is also strengthening its data protection efforts. The gaming firm invested 500 million won last year in its global security section and invested another 6 billion won this year in response to the GDPR. In case of data breaches, companies must notify data protection authorities, and if the breaches carry a high risk for individuals then the company must notify the affected people. If a company violates the new data protection rule, it will be hit with a fine of 20 million euros or 4 percent of the organization's worldwide revenue, whichever is higher. Companies also have to appoint a dedicated data protection officer called (DPO). The GDPR describes appointing a DPO as mandatory for those controllers and processors whose core activities consist of processing operations which require regular and systematic monitoring of data. The GDPR doesn't specify the precise credentials they are expected to have but the officers should have management experience and expertise in cybersecurity. Naver, the country's largest portal operator, is at the frontline regarding this issue as it appointed its chief information security officer (CISO) Lee Jin-kyu as its DPO last month. The government is also helping domestic companies regarding the new data privacy rules. The state-run Korea Internet and Security Agency has provided a Korean translation of the GDPR and has held conferences for local companies twice a month. The state agency that responds to cyber security will also open GDPR response centers in Korea and Europe next year so that it can directly help Korean companies regarding the new data privacy law. Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon / Yonhap Rescue negotiations over General Motors Co.'s Korean operations are in their final stage, the country's chief economic policymaker said Wednesday, with the Detroit-based carmaker having agreed to maintain its operations here for at least 10 years. GM and the South Korean government have been engaged in talks over the self-rescue plan since February, when the U.S. automaker announced a massive job cut and a plan to shut down one of its four plants here. "We are in the final stage, and talks are underway," Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon said in a radio interview. "We are talking about GM's normal operations here over the long haul and its dedication to our economy." The minister emphasized the U.S. automobile giant has agreed to keep its operations here for at least 10 years. Late last month, GM signed a conditional agreement with Seoul to help resolve the liquidity problems facing its South Korean unit. Cho Hyun-min, left, then a senior executive of Jin Air, serves passengers aboard a plane in this July 17, 2012, photo. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo A notorious Korean Air heiress' alleged tantrum has spawned widespread fallout, the latest development being the possible cancellation of its budget carrier's license. The nation's largest full-service airline also has Jin Air, the No. 2 player in the low-cost carrier (LCC) sector, under its wing. Cho Hyun-min, a former marketing executive at the airline, is embroiled in allegations she threw water in the face of an ad agency executive during a business meeting in March. Police questioned her about the incident last week. The fallout is looming large as the transport ministry carried out an internal review, last week, on whether to strip Jin Air of its air operator's certificate after finding Cho served on its board of directors for six years from 2010 to 2016 -- despite being ineligible for the post. According to the transport law, a foreign national cannot hold a post on the board of a domestic or international logistics company and a violation can invalidate the license for the budget carrier. Cho is a U.S. citizen. Initially, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was reluctant to punish the budget airline, citing she no longer retains the position. According to a relevant regulation, an airline can avoid any punitive actions if a foreign board member steps down within a three-month grace period after the government's notification. However, amid growing public outcry, the government body seems to have changed its stance on the issue. The ministry is said to have already asked three local law firms to review relevant laws regarding Cho's board membership. If their conclusions should lead to revocation of the license, it plans to hold a public hearing and take additional follow-up measures. "As it is an inspection by the ministry, we are not in a position to comment on it," said a spokesman for the low-cost airline. "We are fully cooperating with the ministry." However, should the ministry cancel Jin Air's license, its fallout is expected to bring huge adverse effects that may take the case to court. Firslty, the airline currently employs more than 1,900 employees who may lose their jobs. Worse, Korean Air is likely to retain them, according to the airline industry. Jin Air was launched in 2008 as a subsidiary of Korean Air, but the two have wholly separate operations. The budget carrier chalked up 97 billion won ($90 million) for a full-year operating profit in 2017 -- an 85.5 percent gain from the previous year. In addition, it went public last December -- the second LCC player to do so after industry-leading Jeju Air in 2015. In the wake of the ministry's internal review, speculation is rampant that the transport ministry is taking drastic actions to cover up its failure to properly oversee Jin Air in 2013, when the budget carrier changed its air transport license. Meanwhile, the so-called "water rage" incident has stretched out to other family members, accused of abusing their power over subordinates. Cho's mother Lee Myung-hee, the director of the Ilwoo Foundation and wife of Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, received a travel ban, Wednesday, pending a probe into allegations she verbally and physically assaulted company employees. H.E. Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, talks to reporters at a press conference at the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum at Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Abu Dhabi Investment Office By Lee Suh-yoon A team of government and business representatives from Abu Dhabi visited Seoul to attract Korean investors from different sectors. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Korea International Trade Association (KITA) held an investment forum at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul, Wednesday. The forum comes shortly after President Moon Jae-in's visit to the UAE just two weeks ago, during which the two countries signed a "special strategic partnership." "During this visit, there was a lot of MOUs being signed by the two countries in different fields," said H.E. Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, UAE ambassador to Korea. "KITA recently opened an office in UAE to promote business between the two countries." During this visit, the ADIO led a delegation of 16 state-run firms and 15 private firms from Abu Dhabi. The delegation also visited India and Japan before arriving in Korea. Economic exchange between the UAE and South Korea started in 1980, when diplomatic ties were established between the two countries. The economic partnership deepened after Abu Dhabi signed a massive $40 billion nuclear power deal with the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO). Representatives of Abu Dhabi's economic delegation emphasized future economic cooperation between the two countries should also focus on new high-tech sectors like ICT and renewable energy, in line with Abu Dhabi's long-term plan for economic diversification. "Whatever feeds into these (Abu Dhabi's) industries from a high-tech perspective, we encourage and adapt as well," said Ahmad Mohammad Bin Ghannam, CEO of ADIO. "Korea provides a good source of technology, of knowledge." Past economic cooperation between the two countries was mostly confined to oil and construction. Korea imports around 10 percent of its crude oil from the UAE while conglomerates such as Samsung and Hyundai were responsible for some of the most notable landmarks in the UAE, such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai which was built by Samsung C&T. The CEO said Korean investors can use the UAE as "a platform to go international" by gaining access to not just the UAE market but also markets in the rest of the Middle East and Africa. He also added the UAE's demographic diversity with over 200 nationalities provides "a good platform for any business." Around 150 Korean firms are currently listed with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce. South Korea's exports to the UAE accounted to $2.95 billion in the first half of 2017, according to figures by the South Korean embassy in UAE. "We are very aware of Korean experience of the '60s, from a country that's been ravaged by war, have no natural resourcesand you have built a great country," Ghannam said. "We respect Korea for that and we can learn from Korea in this area." Amorepacific Chairman Suh Kyung-bae / Korea Times file Amorepacific Corp., South Korea's leading cosmetics maker, said Wednesday its first-quarter net profit declined 20.9 percent from the previous year, due mainly to a sharp drop in the number of Chinese tourists. Net income came to 176.7 billion won ($163 million) in the January-March period, compared with 223.5 billion won tallied for the previous year, the company said in a regulatory filing. Operating profit fell 25.5 percent to 235.9 billion won, and sales declined 8.8 percent to 1.43 trillion won during the cited period, it said. The company attributed the weak performance to the decrease in inbound tourists from China, which followed the Beijing government's ban on sales of Korea-bound package tours amid a diplomatic row over the deployment of a U.S. missile system here. The combined net income of Amorepacific Group, which includes smaller brands like Innisfree and Etude, reached 216 billion won in the first quarter, also down 18.9 percent from a year ago. Total operating profit was down 26.5 percent to 278.1 billion won, and sales decreased 10.3 percent to 1.66 trillion won during the cited period, it said. (Yonhap) U.S. President Donald Trump announces his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., Tuesday (local time). / Reuters President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran on Tuesday, abruptly restoring harsh sanctions in the most consequential foreign policy action of his presidency. He declared he was making the world safer, but he also deepened his isolation on the world stage and revived doubts about American credibility. The 2015 agreement, which was negotiated by the Obama administration and included Germany, France and Britain, had lifted most U.S. and international economic sanctions against Iran. In exchange, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program, making it impossible to produce a bomb and establishing rigorous inspections. But Trump, a severe critic of the deal dating back to his presidential campaign, said in a televised address from the White House that it was ''defective at its core.'' U.S. allies in Europe had tried to keep him in and lamented his move to abandon it. Iran's leader ominously warned his country might ''start enriching uranium more than before.'' The sanctions seek to punish Iran for its nuclear program by limiting its ability to sell oil or do business overseas, affecting a wide range of Iranian economic sectors and individuals. Major companies in the U.S. and Europe could be hurt, too. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that licenses held by Boeing and its European competitor Airbus to sell billions of dollars in commercial jetliners to Iran will be revoked. Certain exemptions are to be negotiated, but Mnuchin refused to discuss what products might qualify. He said the sanctions will sharply curtail sales of oil by Iran, which is currently the world's fifth largest oil producer. Mnuchin said he didn't expect oil prices to rise sharply, forecasting that other producers will step up production. Iran's government must now decide whether to follow the U.S. and withdraw or try to salvage what's left with the Europeans. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he was sending his foreign minister to the remaining countries but warned there was only a short time to negotiate with them. Laying out his case, Trump contended, ''If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons.'' The administration said it would re-impose sanctions on Iran immediately but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity. Companies and banks doing business with Iran will have to scramble to extricate themselves or run afoul of the U.S. government. Meanwhile, for nations contemplating striking their own sensitive deals with Trump, such as North Korea, the withdrawal will increase suspicions that they cannot expect lasting U.S. fidelity to international agreements it signs. At UCOM only: Tv sets at 10% discount + 1 month free UMIX package + 4k tv channel Ameriabanks Special Offer for New Clients of Hrazdan Branch "Fall forward": Gurgen Khachatryan, the Co-Founder of the Galaxy Group of Companies, addressed a message to young people in Armenia UCOM hosted interns of Russian CBOSS corporation for a month Google Ad 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 Google Ad For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate road Call on the international community for an adequate response against azerbaijani aggresssion Transformation and trust are important for success in modern banking. Artak Hanesyan UCOMS LEVEL UP 1700 REGIONAL TARIFF PLAN USERS TO RECEIVE MORE THAN THOSE IN YEREVAN Joint statement Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Covid-19: 163 new cases in Armenia Armenia: Remarks by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi at the press point with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan The United States Welcomes Azerbaijans Release of Armenian Detainees and Armenias Actions to Facilitate Demining 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 Angola, IN (46703) Today Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Big heroes of small nation (video) Who are the heroes of our future defenders of homeland? "Monte, Njdeh, Andranik," twelve-year-old Ruben says. His grandmother Sonya Sirunyan was a sniper. "She exploded 39 tanks and reached Berlin," Ruben proudly said. Every year on this Victory day, he with his family visit museum where the picture of his grandmother is on one of the stands. Parents have told about the heroes of the Great Patriotic War; the school program does not include it. The Mother Armenia Museum of the Ministry of Defense has no shortage of visitors. And not only on May 9. Senior researcher Narine Khachatryan says that schoolchildren, military men, tourists and even journalists visit the museum. The museum donors are not few as well. "As the life is transforming, the museum is also transforming,"said Hamlet Gevorgyan, a senior researcher at the museum. A few days ago, a new exposition of the exhibition hall dedicated to Marshal Baghramyan was completed. "We should proudly and with great dignity mention, remember and convey to our generations that such a small nation has never given such a quality and quantity of military commanders and brave soldiers to humanity," says Hamlet Gevorgyan. More than two dozen Armenian fighters participated in the defense of Stalingrad. Hrachya Kochar, who fought in the 51st Guard Division, will commemorate the Armenian soldiers' heroic deeds in his book entitled The Children of Great House. Auburn, IN (46706) Today Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Avellino, May 9 - An 18-year-old student told off for driving his scooter dangerously in the school yard allegedly slapped the teacher in the face in Avellino near Naples Wednesday. He did not, as erroneously reported previously, break the teacher's nose, nor was the prof taken to hospital. The student said the teacher slapped him first, and he responded in kind. The teacher claimed that he affectionately brushed the student's face. Udine, May 9 - A 16-year-old student was seriously injured while training in a factory near Udine in northern Italy on Wednesday. the student was using a cutter and semi-amputated a hand at Pavia di Udine. Islamabad, May 9 - Sana Cheema, a 25-year-old Brescian of Pakistani origin who died in Pakistan in April, was strangled, according to the results of an autopsy conducted by a Punjab laboratory. The autopsy report, extracts of which ANSA has received, shows that the "neck bone was broken", suggesting Cheema was strangled in a suspected honour killing. The woman was killed by relatives for refusing an arranged marriage, according to her friends. Her father, Ghulam Mustafa, brother, Adnan Mustafa, and uncle, Mazhar Iqbal, were arrested weeks ago. The father, brother and uncle have reportedly been charged with murder and unauthorized burial. The father and brother risk the death penalty, police inspector Furqan Shahzad told ANSA. Another two people are reportedly involved, the doctor who signed the death certificate and the driver who drove a car to the burial site. Sana's cousin was said to be the driver. Cheema, who became an Italian citizen in September after living for years in the northern city of Brescia, had returned to her birth country two months ago where she died of "natural causes", according to initial reports from Pakistan. However, members of the Pakistani community in Italy have said she was "killed by her father and brother because she refused an arranged marriage". Local media outlets also said she had a boyfriend in Brescia. Rome, May 8 - It is "unacceptable" that centre-right Forza Italia (FI) leader Silvio Berlusconi should step aside and only provide external support for a government between the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the anti-migrant, Euroskeptic League, FI Lower House Whip Maria Stella Gelmini said Tuesday, knocking back a proposal from League House Whip Giancarlo Giorgetti. The M5S says it would team up with the League if the latter ditches Berlusconi, its chief ally. For the anti-establishment group, it would be enough if the three-time ex-premier and media magnate agrees not to be in the government but only lend the FI's external support to it. Berlusconi has repeatedly ruled this out. NBC News management was unaware of any incidents involving former Today co-anchor Matt Lauer before four women came forward with accusations of sexual harassment against him in November, according to an internal review whose findings were released Wednesday. Lauer was fired Nov. 29 after a female employee complained to NBCs human resources department that the NBC News star had engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace with her on several occasions in 2014. After his firing, three other women came forward with allegations about incidents involving Lauer that they said occurred between 2000 and 2007. But the review, conducted by legal counsel at NBCUniversal with the assistance of two outside law firms, determined that before November, there had never been a complaint to management or human resources regarding the former anchor, who had worked at the network for 23 years. Advertisement Two of the four women who complained about Lauer said his former bosses at NBC News were aware of his behavior. Those executives and producers, who are not named in the investigation, denied any such knowledge, and investigators were unable to substantiate the claims, the report said. We were also unable to establish that any of those interviewed, including NBC News and Today leadership, News HR and others in the position of authority in the news division, knew that Lauer had engaged in sexual activity with other employees, the report stated. Every such individual credibly responded that they had no such knowledge. The investigation included reviews of the email accounts and texts of Lauer and managers at NBC News and Today. Former and current Today and NBC News executives were interviewed as well. According to the report, most witnesses said they had heard or read rumors about Lauers personal life, including tabloid stories about troubles in his marriage and extramarital affairs. One of those reports said Lauer had an extramarital affair with a colleague at NBC News. But the colleague, who is not identified in the report, told investigators the relationship never happened. Some of those interviewed speculated about other women in the company who may have had a sexual relationship with Lauer. But investigators were unable to corroborate those statements. Former Today co-anchor Ann Curry recently told the Washington Post that she alerted NBC News management in 2012 that it should be concerned about Lauers behavior toward women. Curry said she gave the warning after a woman came to her with a claim that Lauer had harassed her. But Curry told investigators she never told management that she received a specific complaint. Curry also declined to name the woman who complained to her or the member of NBC News management team she spoke to about Lauer. Investigators did find that Lauer engaged in sexual banter or joking in the presence of other employees, which created the perception that any inappropriate behavior by him was ignored by management. While the nature and frequency of that conduct did not rise to the level of creating a hostile work environment it may have contributed to an atmosphere where some employees who may have had concerns assumed nothing would be done to address them, particularly given Lauers perceived importance to the news division, the report stated. While the report did not cite any failure by management to deal with harassment issues related to Lauer, the investigators said a number of employees interviewed said they had concerns about reporting inappropriate workplace conduct to human resources, a fear of retaliation and a belief that their complaints would not be kept confidential. NBC News Chairman Andy Lack told employees the company is taking measures to make it easier for employees to raise concerns about behavior in the workplace. We are going to inject more immediacy and measurable transparency into the process of raising and resolving concerns, Lack said in a memo sent Wednesday to his staff. Lauer acknowledged engaging in sexual activity with the woman who filed the complaint that led to his dismissal. But he has denied other allegations of predatory sexual behavior toward female employees during his run at NBC, including a lengthy Washington Post article in which 12 women interviewed said they were sexually harassed by Lauer but did not report it. I fully acknowledge that I acted inappropriately as a husband, father and principal at NBC, Lauer told the Post in a statement. However I want to make it perfectly clear that any allegations or reports of coercive, aggressive or abusive actions on my part, at any time, are absolutely false. stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio UPDATES: 12:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details from the report, including interviews with Ann Curry, and comments from Andy Lack. This article was originally published at 8:20 a.m. Two Southern California men filed suit against Gilead Sciences on Tuesday, saying they were harmed when the drug company intentionally delayed development of a safer version of a crucial HIV medicine so that it could continue to profit from its lucrative monopoly. The lawsuit and a similar case that seeks class-action status says that Gilead executives knew as early as 2000 that the companys scientists had developed a less toxic form of its HIV medicine tenofovir that was less harmful to patients kidneys and bones. But instead of continuing to develop the safer alternative, the lawsuit claims, the Foster City company decided to hide tenofovirs risks while earning billions of dollars as it became one of the worlds most prescribed medicines for HIV. A Gilead spokesman said Tuesday the company was thoroughly reviewing the complaints and would not comment until that process is complete. Advertisement The lawsuit says that HIV patients suffered from as many as 10 years of additional accumulated kidney and bone toxicity while using the drug as the company kept the safer version on a shelf in its lab. A company I trusted with my life took advantage of that trust by misrepresenting the side effects, said Michael Lujano, a Los Angeles County resident who is one of the plaintiffs. Gilead shelved a far safer drug simply to increase its long-term profits. The lawyers for the men bringing the personal injury lawsuit are being funded by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a nonprofit headquartered in Los Angeles. They filed a parallel case Tuesday that seeks class-action status for all California patients who took the medicine from Oct. 26, 2001, until the present. Earlier the foundation filed a lawsuit attempting to invalidate the drugs patents, which is on appeal in federal court. The drugs history goes back to the 1980s, when it was discovered by European scientists. Gilead, then a small biotech firm, bought the rights to sell the drug. In 1997, the company showed that it fought HIV. The original formulation of the drug held little sales potential, however, because it had to be given intravenously. Gilead scientists modified its chemical composition to create a drug that could be taken orally. That medicine called tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, or simply TDF was approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration in October 2001. It was originally sold under the brand name Viread. Later it was combined with other HIV medicines and sold under additional brand names, including Atripla, Truvada, Stribild and Complera. The lawsuits say that Gilead knew when Viread was approved in 2001 that it had to be given in high doses to be effective, which meant it could damage the kidneys and bones. Yet the company failed to adequately disclose those dangers in the medicines label, the lawsuits say. At the time of the drugs approval, Gilead scientists were already working to reduce its adverse effects. In April 2001, the scientists published research on a different chemical version of the medicine called tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, or TAF. That animal study showed TAF had a thousand-fold greater activity against HIV than the original medicine invented in Europe, raising the possibility that it would have far less toxicity. Gilead then paid doctors across the country to give TAF to patients in small clinical trials. The positive results of those studies were not published for years secrecy that the lawsuits filed Tuesday say was an act of extreme malice. Instead, in October 2004, Gilead abruptly announced that it was ending research on TAF after an internal business review. And it continued to pour money into selling the older drug, which was bringing in billions of dollars each year. The company also continued to quietly apply for new patents on TAF the drug it had said it would no longer be developing. More than six years after that 2004 announcement, with the older drugs patent running out, an executive told investors about an interesting new molecule the company had added to its research plans. That drug was TAF. The company then began publishing the results of the earlier studies. In November 2015, the FDA approved TAF in a combination pill with three other medicines. The drug was called Genvoya. Other new pills also containing TAF include Odefsey and Descovy. The companys sales force is now urging doctors to switch their patients to the new drugs to reduce possible harm to their kidneys and bones. The lawsuits claim that Gilead delayed the development of TAF in order to extend the number of years where patents shielded the medicines from competition, allowing it to charge high prices. By holding on to its research and shelving TAF, Gilead could patent TAF separately and save it for development when their patent and exclusivity on TDF ran out, in 20 years, the lawsuit claims. Lujano, one of the plaintiffs, said he took medicines containing the older TDF from 2004 to 2015. In 2016, at age 35, Lujano was diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis of the spine, neck and hip. The other plaintiff in the personal injury suit is Jonathan C. Gary of San Diego County, who took the drug for 10 years, beginning in 2001. Gary was diagnosed with Fanconi syndrome, a rare kidney disorder, in 2010. Last year, he was diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis at age 59. The lawsuits, both filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, seek damages for those harmed by the drugs. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which owns clinics that care for HIV patients, says it isnt seeking to recover money for itself other than reimbursement of attorneys fees. In 2016, the foundation filed a similar lawsuit against Gilead, arguing that the company had intentionally delayed research on the safer form of the medicine in order to keep out competition and preserve its high prices. That case asked the court to invalidate the patents protecting the new drug TAF. A judge ruled in July 2016 that Gilead had not illegally manipulated the U.S. patent system. The foundation then appealed. That lawsuit is pending in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington. melody.petersen@latimes.com Follow @melodypetersen on Twitter California regulators on Wednesday mandated that all newly built single family houses have solar panels, part of the states aggressive push to combat climate change. The California Energy Commission voted 5-0 to approve the measure, which also applies to multifamily buildings of three stories or fewer. The mandate is set to take effect in 2020 and does not need the approval of the Legislature. The requirement is expected to save consumers money in the long run through reduced utility bills, but also make a new house more expensive to purchase at a time many families already struggle to afford a mortgage. In addition to the solar mandate, the commission approved new insulation and air filter requirements for newly built homes. In all, the new residential requirements are expected to make a single-family house $9,500 more expensive to build on average, but save $19,000 in reduced utility bills over a 30-year period, according to the Energy Commission. Advertisement Monthly mortgage payments should rise by an average of $40, but utility bills should fall by $80, a commission analysis says. The cash flow position of the homeowners is actually improved in these homes, Commissioner Andrew McAllister said in an interview this week. Currently, about 20% of new single-family houses have solar panels, according to the California Building Industry Assn. In 2017, builders pulled permits to build 56,111 single-family houses and 57,328 multifamily units of all sizes. The mandates received support from much of the home building industry, which has been expecting such a rule for several years and believes there is adequate design flexibility in the regulations so builders can more easily meet the mandate. For example, its possible a builder could create a community solar system that would power multiple homes, rather than put panels on every single roof. The California Building Standards Commission still must sign off on the new rules. However, approval there is expected to be a formality. andrew.khouri@latimes.com Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter For American consumers, the effect of President Trumps announcement Tuesday that the U.S. would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal was already apparent at their local service stations days ago. Gas prices nationally have climbed about 11% since March, to an average of $2.85 a gallon last week, reflecting higher global petroleum costs partly in anticipation of Trumps withdrawal and move to reimpose sanctions against the worlds fifth-largest oil producer. But just how much is already baked into fuel prices today is uncertain and risks abound. The resumption of what Trump called the highest level of economic sanctions against Iran will take place over the next several months. But regulatory uncertainty could cause some importers of Iranian oil to cut shipments immediately, particularly allies such as Japan and South Korea, said Paul Sheldon, chief geopolitical advisor at S&P Global Platts Analytics, an energy research firm. Advertisement Irans share of global oil output is less than 5%, but crude prices typically move on the margins. And any sizable cut in Iranian oil production could exacerbate what has been a tightening global oil supply. Recently, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has curtailed output, which has been a factor in the run-up in crude prices. And its unclear how the petroleum cartel will respond to the renewed sanctions. Meanwhile, Venezuela, another big oil country, is in an economic depression. It also remains to be seen how European countries and their companies will comply with Trumps exit from the 2015 multilateral agreement that lifted the sanctions in exchange for Tehran agreeing to limit is nuclear program and allow regular inspections from international officials. Given disagreement with Trumps decision in much of the international community, Sheldon said, firms with little or no U.S. exposure could choose to ignore the sanctions, while some governments could test the appetite of the Trump administration to sanction its companies and banks. Then there are concerns of heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East from the unilateral U.S. withdrawal. Whats hard to gauge is whether or not there would be some sort of broader reaction in financial markets, some sort of tightening in financial conditions because investors became more concerned about risk, said Lewis Alexander, chief U.S. economist at Nomura Securities in New York. Its going to depend on how other countries respond to all of this. More shoes could drop. With the reinstatement of sanctions, the trickling of U.S. business activities and involvement in Iran will come to a halt. European companies such as French car maker Renault had been more aggressive in investing or signing deals there since the restrictions were lifted, whereas even American firms that were hopeful of doing business in Iran had largely put their plans on hold, given the uncertainty that came with Trumps election. Boeing Co. agreed to sell dozens of planes at a price of almost $20 billion, but had not delivered any aircraft yet. Richard Aboulafia, aviation analyst at Teal Group, said there probably would be no effect on Boeings business since the company never booked orders. They played it very conservatively, Aboulafia said of Boeing. As analysts see it today, theres as much a chance that U.S. gas prices could go down from here as up. That reflects the strong U.S. oil production capability, thanks to advances in fracking, as well as the expected gradual reimposition of sanctions. Saudi Arabia will probably rev up production and exports, said Brenda Shaffer, senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils Global Energy Center. The benchmark Brent crude futures moved little Tuesday on the news, steadying at about $76 a barrel. It was about $50 a year ago. So far, financial markets have taken the jump in oil prices largely in stride, as the U.S. economy has been performing well behind solid job gains and strong consumer confidence. But rising pump prices have pinched consumer spending, and some analysts argue that the Iranian sanctions could spoil much of the expected gains from the Republican tax cuts. In an environment of increased global supply tightness, this will put further upward pressure on prices, said Gregory Daco, head U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. Hours before Trumps announcement, Democratic lawmakers warned that gas prices, which have risen almost 50 cents a gallon in the last 12 months, were poised to climb higher with Trumps withdrawal. With Memorial Day and the beginning of the summer driving season just a few weeks away, higher prices could limit travel and dampen tourism, said the Democratic staff of the Joint Economic Committee, in a blog post. Economists point out, however, that higher crude prices should spur greater investment in the domestic energy industry, just as depressed oil prices in 2014 resulted in a sharp pullback in fracking states such as North Dakota and Texas. On net, analysts figure the recent jump in oil prices is likely to be a wash for the U.S. economy, or modestly negative. But taken together with increasing tensions on trade, with large tariffs possibly coming against China, there is growing wariness among some investors. Analysts expect that will be reflected in commodities and financial markets. I think were going to have a lot of volatility, said Shaffer, of the Atlantic Council . Its going to be a roller coaster in coming months. Times staff writer Samantha Masunaga in Los Angeles contributed to this report. The latest from Washington More stories from Don Lee don.lee@latimes.com Follow me at @dleelatimes Cannes notebook: The wonderful, improbable Palme dOr triumph of Hirokazu Kore-edas Shoplifters Director Hirokazu Koreeda winner of the Palme dOr award for Shoplifters. (Andreas Rentz / Getty Images) On the last day of every Cannes Film Festival, word begins to leak out about which filmmakers from the competition have been called back for the closing-night awards ceremony. Many of us already knew, going into Saturday nights show, that Pawel Pawlikowskis Cold War, Alice Rohrwachers Happy as Lazzaro, Spike Lees BlacKkKlansman, Nadine Labakis Capernaum and Hirokazu Kore-edas Shoplifters were certain to go home with awards, though which film would win what remained a mystery. Festival juries are notoriously difficult to predict, but several other critics shared my hunch that the Palme dOr, the festivals top prize, would go to either Capernaum or BlacKkKlansman. Both were among the most enthusiastically touted films in the competition, and they offered the jury a chance to anoint either Labaki, a Lebanese director who had just launched herself into the big leagues, or Lee, a veteran American auteur who had famously (and angrily) lost the Palme nearly 30 years ago for Do the Right Thing. Would they go with the striking new talent or the overdue veteran? In the end, they chose the overdue veteran, though not the one some of us were expecting. In a development as startling as it was altogether marvelous, the jury president, Cate Blanchett, announced that the Palme dOr had gone to Kore-edas Shoplifters, one of the quietest, loveliest and most emotionally enduring films in the competition. Did anyone see this coming? To judge by his genially shell-shocked reaction, Kore-eda himself certainly didnt. Read more on this years winners The 71st Cannes Film Festival is underway (May 8-19), and L.A. Times critic Justin Chang is there, seeing as many movies as possible and writing about it for a day-by-day, film-by-film diary. This is one in a series of entries spanning from the opening festivities to closing night. For more entries and reviews, click here. In May 1968, Jean-Luc Godard and a few of his French New Wave contemporaries famously brought the Festival de Cannes to a halt, an act of solidarity with striking students and workers who were taking France by storm. Fifty years later, Godard still looms large at Cannes, quite literally. The official poster for the 71st festival is graced with the immortal image of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina kissing in the directors 1965 classic, Pierrot le Fou. This year, the 87-year-old Godard will likely limit his disruptive gestures to the unveiling of his new movie, The Image Book, which promises to shake up the main competition; its said to be a characteristically unorthodox reflection on the modern Arab world. The festival itself, which opened Tuesday night with the world premiere of Asghar Farhadis Everybody Knows, shows no signs of coming to a premature conclusion, though there are some who probably wish it would. In my own previous 12 years of attending, I cant remember the last time Cannes commenced under such a cloud of grumbling, suspicion and all-around anxiety or any time the festival took such a widespread beating in the media before it even had a chance to roll out its famous (if now selfie-free) red carpet. With headlines such as Has Cannes Lost Its Luster?, the Hollywood Reporter and Variety bemoaned the absence of much-anticipated new films by major world auteurs, the festivals highly publicized clash with Netflix and the relative dearth of Hollywood stars on the carpet, the presence of Solo: A Star Wars Story and a Cate Blanchett-led competition jury notwithstanding. Kristen Stewart, Ava DuVernay, jury president Cate Blanchett, Lea Seydoux and Khadja Nin all serve on the jury of this year's film festival.* Shootpix/ABACA / TNS READ MORE: Cannes jury speaks out on the first festival of the #MeToo era These and many other pieces echoed the growing fear in the film industry that Cannes, due to its position on the calendar, has become a less attractive destination for high-profile Oscar-hopefuls. Films angling for an awards-season run increasingly prefer the fall festivals Venice, Telluride and Toronto. Notably, this years best picture Oscar winner, The Shape of Water, began its much-laureled run by winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, Cannes biggest European rival. Meanwhile, by taking such a firm stance on laffaire Netflix, Cannes has positioned itself at the center of an existential crisis in the movie industry. While the festival and the streaming giant are said to be having amicable ongoing discussions, for now, Cannes is upholding a requirement that all Palme dOr contenders must have French theatrical distribution. As a result, Netflix bypassed the festival altogether: Neither Alfonso Cuarons Roma, which the festival had been eyeing for a competition slot, nor Orson Welles long-unfinished The Other Side of the Wind, which would have been shown out of competition, will be screening on the Croisette. In other contentious developments, the festival plans to close with the world premiere of Terry Gilliams endlessly delayed, years-in-the-making The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, though whether that screening takes place depends on the outcome of a lawsuit between Gilliam and producer Paulo Branco, to be announced Wednesday. And well before closing night, the festival will mark the long-awaited return of the Danish provocateur Lars von Trier, whose ill-considered jokes about being a Nazi at his post-Melancholia press conference led the festival to declare him persona non grata in 2011. General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival Thierry Fremaux applauds as he arrives on stage during the opening ceremony of the festival. VALERY HACHE / AFP/Getty Images READ MORE: A kiss is not just a kiss at Cannes, where the mood is edgy this year The sheer range of potential Cannes-troversies has been so unprecedentedly dizzying this year that Monday, the festivals delegate general and longtime artistic director, Thierry Fremaux, took the rare step of holding a press conference. Sitting alone on the dais, somehow resembling both a monarch greeting his subjects and a prisoner facing a firing squad, Fremaux veered between diplomacy and defensiveness as he held court on subjects ranging from his attitude toward the press (We need the press, we love the press) to the festivals new sexual harassment hotline. How would the festival, routinely criticized for not programming enough female-directed films in competition, address issues of gender parity, in the wake of the #MeToo movement a movement that has notably drawn significant backlash from French celebrities? Now that Roman Polanski had been kicked out of the motion picture academy, would his Palme dOr for The Pianist be revoked? (Fremauxs reply: Non.) And what of the festivals 4,200 accredited journalists, who have long been accustomed to seeing films in advance, but would now have to attend press screenings held during or after the public premieres a move intended to delay potentially buzz-killing reviews and reactions? Its easy to look at just about every issue plaguing Cannes this year and conclude that this is a festival that keeps stumbling on its own stubbornness. Hamstrung by tradition and protocol, it appears either unable or unwilling to adapt to the shifting winds in technology, in distribution, in financing and in representational diversity that are presently sweeping the industry. Even the recent banning of selfies on the red carpet, the most frivolous of Cannes many rules, provides a curiously revealing metaphor. Here is a festival that, true to its French cultural roots, insists on some modicum of elegance and dignity in the face of technological change. The irony, of course, is that every year, Cannes takes an unintentional selfie of its own, and the image its projecting to the world is one that many find wanting. Beset on all sides by so much criticism, what is the worlds most important and prestigious film festival to do? The only thing it can: Show some damn good films and maybe even a few great ones. And it is on this point that, despite my own disappointment over some of the conspicuous absences from this years lineup (starting with Claire Denis hotly anticipated science-fiction drama High Life, which will now likely make its debut in Venice) I find myself urging a spirit of optimism and open-mindedness toward the program that Fremaux and his selection committee have assembled. As Fremaux said at his press conference, journalists have long complained that Cannes favored the usual suspects the same respected auteurs, year after year while this years competition lineup is being criticized for doing just the opposite. The absence of bigger names makes room for a number of lesser-known filmmakers, among them Japans Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Frances Eva Husson and Yann Gonzalez, Russias Kirill Serebrennikov and a first-time director, Egypts A.B. Shawky. (The usual suspects are on hand as well, including stalwarts such as Godard, Farhadi, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Matteo Garrone, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Jia Zhangke and Lee Chang-dong.) Is this shift a sign of Cannes waning relevance? Only the movies themselves will tell, but I would venture to suggest the opposite. Whether or not these new filmmakers represent the next generation of world-class auteurs, it is Cannes unique power to galvanize the attention of the global film world that implores us to take this selection seriously. Or, at the very least, to grant these films the courtesy of our undivided attention rather than our hasty, premature dismissals. Only a person fundamentally incurious about world cinema which is to say, a person who has no real business attending Cannes in the first place would argue otherwise. No, this festival probably wont be a major awards-season launchpad, and thank God for that. The proper appreciation of the movies can only improve when you dont have the constant din of Oscar buzz ringing in your ears. French movie maker Pierre Rissient in a 2005 photo. Jacques Demarthon / AFP/Getty Images The man of Cannes The pall that greeted me as I arrived in Cannes this past weekend was far different, and more sobering, than what Id expected. On Sunday, two days before the festival was set to begin, the news broke that Pierre Rissient, the most important name in movies youve possibly never heard of, had died in Paris at age 81. It is not enough to like a film. You must like it for the right reasons, Rissient was fond of saying, a belief that cut to the heart of his passionate, sometimes dogmatic but always bracing cinephilia. A filmmaker, a scout, a historian, a publicist and above all an advocate, he spent his career behind the scenes of the industry, working tirelessly to discover great filmmaking talent and bring it to the attention of the press and the public. If you have ever seen a film directed by Mike Leigh, Jane Campion, Clint Eastwood, Abbas Kiarostami, Hou Hsiao-hsien and countless other world-cinema titans, whether you know it or not, you are in Pierre Rissients debt. His was the great, invisible guiding hand of world cinema, though at film festivals the world over, from Telluride, Colo., to Busan, South Korea, he was anything but invisible. He was enormous in every way. I still remember Todd McCarthy, then chief film critic at Variety, bringing me to my first Cannes in 2006 and introducing me to the man himself on day one. Pierres personal kindness and generosity toward this fledgling reviewer were hardly unique. If you loved movies and happened to find yourself in his company, there was no warmer, more knowledgeable or more irrepressible companion. Film critic Todd McCarthy directed a 2007 documentary on Pierre Rissient. I have my own treasure trove of memories of Pierre. Piling into the Salle Bunuel at Cannes in 2007 for the premiere of McCarthys lively, affectionate documentary portrait Pierre Rissient: Man of Cinema. Receiving a DVD box set of Maurice Tourneur crime pictures in the mail from Pierre, including Justin de Marseille (1935), which became his nickname for me thereafter. Having lunch with him at Chinese restaurants (always, always Chinese restaurants) in Paris and Toronto, which he began, as he did most conversations, with the same inquiry: What new pictures have you seen? Running into him at Cannes in 2014, mere minutes after the mind-blowing world premiere of Godards 3D marvel Goodbye to Language. Did you like it? he asked. When I told him I had, he said, Its funny, isnt it? Rissients death will cast a long shadow over this festival, particularly since his fingerprints are all over it. Mere days before his passing, he emailed several critics a passionate endorsement of the competition entry Burning, whose director, Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine, Poetry), he has long championed. Another Rissient-promoted title, this one playing in the festivals Un Certain Regard program, is Long Days Journey Into Night, from the innovative Chinese filmmaker Bi Gan (Kaili Blues). Five and the Skin (Cinq et la Peau), a 1982 French drama that Rissient himself directed, will screen in the festivals retrospective Cannes Classics sidebar, an event that he was planning to intend, and which will now serve as one of his many upcoming memorials. It is for such occasions, the celebration of cinema old and new, that Cannes exists. And the festivals particular strategy this year to shed light on a surprising new wealth of filmmaking talent from all over the world seems particularly consistent with what Rissients advocacy accomplished year after year. Perhaps its worth revisiting and even revising his most famous dictum: It is not enough to like a film festival. You must like it for the right reasons. ALSO calendar@latimes.com From afar, the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival always appeared to be one of the most glamorous places on Earth. Sure, there are plenty of red carpets in Hollywood -- Id venture to guess one is literally rolled out somewhere in Los Angeles every night -- but the ones in Cannes looked like nothing Id ever experienced. If youre anything like me, you spend far too many hours every May rapidly clicking through photo galleries from the festival, judging beautiful people in outfits you could never afford. Every movie premiere seemed like its own miniature Met Gala, replete with haute couture, dramatic trains and millions of dollars worth of diamonds. So this year, when I was given the green light to head to the south of France for the first time, I was disappointed to read a slew of articles decrying the death of all things glitzy at the festival. With just two American films competing for the Palme dOr, fewer big-name celebrities would head to the two-week event. Because festival organizers did not allow Netflix productions to vie for the top prize, the streaming platform pulled out of Cannes entirely -- meaning no bashes thrown by them. Vanity Fair and Amazon decided not to host any parties either, while the annual amFAR bash -- where Harvey Weinstein was a massive presence -- will no doubt be indelibly changed in the wake of the disgraced moguls history. Advertisement And yet in the weeks leading up to my departure, the party invites kept flowing into my inbox from brands like Chopard, Magnum, Grey Goose and Kering. I kept seeing names of models completely unrelated to the film industry -- a.k.a. a Cannes staple -- mentioned: Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Naomi Campbell. And many of said black-tie affairs were to take place on yachts. Was this not business as usual? Judging by the opening night, anyway, Cannes does not appear to have lost an ounce of glamour. OK, so I dont exactly have a point of comparison -- but Ive been to all of the major awards shows in Los Angeles. And what I experienced on the Croisette on Tuesday night felt way fancier than the Academy Awards. So if, like me, youve always wondered what its like to walk the red carpet at Cannes, allow me to be your guide. The opening-night film at the festival this year was Everybody Knows, a Spanish-language thriller starring Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Asghar Farhadi. In the film, Cruz plays a mother whose daughter is mysteriously kidnapped at a family wedding in Spain, and she enlists her ex-lover (Bardem) to help track down her child. As you may have heard, selfies -- and amateur photos of any kind, really, have been banned at the festival this year. Thierry Fremaux, the festivals artistic director, called such photos grotesque, saying they tripped people on the carpet and never came out well anyway. In other words: Anyone hoping to snap a picture of Cruz or Bardem was out of luck. Penelope Cruz alongside her husband and Everybody Knows costar Javier Bardem. (Nicholas Hunt/Pool/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock ) Stubborn? Arrogant? Irrelevant? The 2018 Cannes Film Festival weathers the storm As I arrived at the entrance of the carpet -- begrudgingly wearing high heels, another frustrating Cannes dictum -- it was clear the festival was not kidding around with this new rule. Simply holding my phone in my hand with its screen illuminated was a problem, as an usher immediately noticed and told me to turn it off. I did not see anyone even attempt to take a photo of themselves. But there were still plenty of people being photographed. At Cannes, the red carpet is lined with photographers only -- none of us pesky reporters camped out seeking sound bites from the talent. This allows stars to pose in their full glory, which is important, since many have been paid by designers to wear specific jewelry or gowns. Just a few hours after the event, I received a press release that Brazilian global style influencer Camila Coelho -- she has 7.1 million followers on Instagram -- had walked the carpet in an outfit worth upwards of $1 million. Apparently, the look took 500 hours to complete and included a hand-appliqued asymmetric, 7ft silk organza frill train and a necklace with 79 carats of diamonds. I, meanwhile, was just hoping I wouldnt be reprimanded for wearing pants. After Coelho and others of her ilk had bypassed the shutterbugs, the heavy-hitters came out: the eight-member jury, headed this year by Cate Blanchett, walked down the carpet holding hands. Martin Scorsese, who is receiving a special prize from the festival, was there too. And Cruz and Bardem were literally the last to walk up the stairs. Each stars arrival is given an added importance because the carpet has a mysterious emcee who announces the names and brief resumes of everyone, scored to lovely French Europop. You cant actually hang out on the red carpet to watch all of these fine individuals with your own eyes of course -- I was ushered into the Palais rather quickly. But inside, a massive screen plays live footage from the carpet, which was unfortunate for one woman who tripped and had her fall broadcast to an entire theater full of strangers. When Cruz and Bardem made their way to their seats, the crowd stood to applaud. And thus began an opening presentation unlike, well, anything Ive ever seen. Edouard Baer, a French actor, served as the master of ceremonies. He launched into a monologue entirely in French while a piano played in the background. There was no translation, despite the fact that many in the audience did not speak French, including Benicio Del Toro, whom Baer awkwardly singled out: Mr. Del Toro, youre not into French talking. Why not? he kidded. Baer then moved on to introducing the jury, each of whom had their important film credits mentioned before they walked out onto the stage as if in a beauty pageant. The jury members, including Kristen Stewart and Ava DuVernay, then sat on the side of the stage on couches for the rest of a presentation, which included a career reel of Blanchett. Im extremely proud to be president of the jury this year, Blanchett said as she walked out to a standing ovation. I hope we can open our hearts and minds and check our agenda and preconceptions and expectations at the door. Scorsese then emerged to join Blanchett in officially launching the ceremony, commencing the festival as if it were a ribbon-cutting. Then things took a less glamorous turn. The stars walked off stage and dozens of crew members emerged to break down the set. This wasnt just moving a piano -- this was roughly 40 minutes of loud, construction-like work, replete with drills and vacuum cleaners. All while the audience in their gowns and tuxedos -- including attendees like Julianne Moore and Ryan Coogler -- sat waiting. The film finally began at around 8:45 -- about 90 minutes after the evening ceremony had commenced -- meaning moviegoers poured out onto the Croisette around midnight. Farhadis film received a warm, if muted response, but by morning news had already emerged that Focus Features acquired the movie for distribution. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem in a scene from Asghar Farhadis Everybody Knows. (Memento Films International ) Eight films to watch out for at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival At a press conference the following morning, Cruz and Bardem praised the Iranian directors dedication to the project, with the actress noting he even moved to Spain two years ago to immerse himself in the culture and language. He produced one of the most Spanish films a director could make -- even more Spanish than a film by a Spanish director, Bardem insisted. Its very gratifying to see in the cinema that you can have someone from outside, from a totally different country, to do such a wonderful piece of work. What is important is people and people know no borders. After praising his married costars -- whom he referred to as the very symbol of a happy couple -- Farhadi took the opportunity to note that he felt odd being at the festival when another Iranian director in the competition had been banned from attending. Jafar Panahi, whose film Three Places is also playing in Cannes competition this year, is unable to leave Iran due to a 2011 ruling barring the filmmaker from making propaganda -- any movie -- for 20 years. (Panahi has managed to make four features since the decision was made seven years ago.) I spoke to him yesterday, Farhadi told journalists at Wednesdays press conference, asking for his microphone back after the moderator had ended the event. I would like to send out this message: I hope that the decision will be taken for him to be allowed to come. ...Whats important for him is not to be able to catch a flight, but for him to be able to see how spectators view his film. Its a very strange feeling for me to be able to be here whereas he cannot be here. This is something that I have difficulty living with. Its wonderful that hes continued his work in the face of such adversity. Given the gravity of Panahis situation, the mood on the Three Places red carpet on Saturday will no doubt be far different than the one at Everybody Knows. But that will likely be the exception rather than the rule. Even in her opening remarks, Blanchett noted that Cannes is not a political festival, saying she and her other jurors would try their best to separate current affairs from the films they were watching. In other words: The fantasy world of Cannes hasnt gone anywhere. But we are all far more keenly aware of how its just a dream. amy.kaufman@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @AmyKinLA Although its title might imply some intrepid action movie, writer-director Dominic Savages intimate, deeply emotional drama The Escape proves, in its own way, just as daring and harrowing an experience. This observational look at Tara (Gemma Arterton), a suburban London wife and mother whose boredom and depression has turned her into a kind of domestic zombie, takes a page from 1970s-era, shes-come-undone films such as A Woman Under the Influence and Diary of a Mad Housewife, with coincidental mommy-meltdown echoes of the current Tully. Thanks to Savages immersive, often improvisational approach and a compellingly raw, internal turn by Arterton (Gemma Bovery, Their Finest) as an everyday woman who seemingly has it all nice home, two cute kids (real-life siblings Teddy and Florrie Pender), and a handsome and passionate, if rather flummoxed husband (Dominic Cooper) Taras claustrophobic world and increasingly checked-out mindset feel undeniably authentic. Its also all a bit grueling to watch. The films story and shooting style thankfully lighten and soften an hour in when Tara escapes to Paris by Eurostar for some much-needed mental and artistic inspiration. If theres inevitability to Taras museum meet-cute with a sexy Frenchman (Jalil Lespert) and, later, her prophetic encounter with a wise stranger (Marthe Keller), they credibly help lead Tara back to her reality which will hopefully now include a really good therapist. Advertisement ------------- The Escape Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 41 minutes Playing: Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica; also on VOD See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com For chef Adam Perry Lang it began in 1996 in Alsace, France, when Olivier Nasti was showing the young American around the kitchen of Nastis restaurant Le Caveau dEguisheim. He had a deaf person working there, Perry Lang says. And I was blown away, because this kid was jamming. [Nasti] really didnt do sign language, but he was explaining, and the kids nodding. This kid is having this opportunity to work with this top chef. The image planted a seed in his mind: a vision of a kitchen that was inclusive to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. I said, I want to do this one day. Its taken more than two decades, but when Perry Lang on Thursday opens APL, his old-school Hollywood steakhouse, a hard-of-hearing employee will be helping run the restaurants takeout counter. Her name is Zia Hughes, and shell be crammed into 62 square feet of space with Marcus Lewis, who has worked with Perry Lang for the last five years. Together, Hughes and Lewis will be responsible for turning out a three-item menu: a Texas toast taco; a limited-edition high-stacked beef sandwich, which Perry Lang describes as expensive but worth it; and the perfect chili dog, an homage to Langs obsession with hot dogs and his teenage years working the night shift at a Long Island 7-Eleven. Advertisement Lewis was the final piece in a puzzle that has been 20-some years in the making. Though he and Perry Lang had been working together since 2012, it was only when they were headed to Austin, Texas, for the 2017 Hot Luck festival that Perry Lang discovered that Lewis could sign. Lewis was on his iPad, chatting with his aunt, whose deaf twins had taught his extended family how to communicate with them. Perry Lang realized that Lewis could be the glue, as he puts it, that would make his longstanding dream come true someone familiar with kitchen operations in one of Perry Langs restaurants, who could communicate with a deaf employee and integrate her into them. (Lewis is probably one of the only people, says Perry Lang, whose competence with and instinct for barbecue allows the chef to take a few hours off to nap during an overnight cooking session.) Asking her to pilot a brand-new program is a lot of pressure to put on one person, Perry Lang knows, and he wanted to set her up for success as much as possible. Cooks Marcus Lewis and Zia Hughes stand inside the take-away area of APL restaurant in Hollywood. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times ) Perry Lang was particularly determined to make sure that APL his first solo restaurant since the rib shack Daisy Mays, which opened in Manhattan in 2003 had some social consciousness to it. To have that privilege to [open a restaurant], you search yourself in terms of whats important to you, he says. So I sat down with Sarah Kim, my director of operations, and I said, I want to have a firm commitment. Not just like, we give 10%, or Ill go donate myself to a dinner. How do we integrate a program that is meaningful to our staff and employees? What type of positivity does it radiate to the rest of the community? Kim reached out to the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD), which helped put her in touch with Hughes, who already had a background in the culinary world. RELATED: An exclusive first look at APL, Adam Perry Langs new Hollywood restaurant and meat palace Ive been in the food industry for a long time, actually, Hughes says through interpreter Monique Johnson. I really just love cooking all my life, you know? So thats kind of how I got into it. In her previous jobs, there was no Lewis in the kitchen with his sign language knowledge, no Perry Lang trying to figure out how best to integrate a hard-of-hearing employee (which is how Hughes identifies) into the kitchen, so she had to fend for herself. Work as a prep cook is very stressful, Hughes says, regardless of whether or not you can hear. When she took jobs in other organizations, I pretty much told them from the beginning that I was hard of hearing. I tried to teach them some signs, some hand gestures and pointing. Thats how we got around it, teaching signs and hand gestures. But sometimes they forget Im hard of hearing so its a little bit frustrating. Hughes and Lewis are already working on teaching the APL crew some basic restaurant signs: meat, stew, fish. I dont want to be your stereotype young person, Lewis says. Because of Perry Lang and APL and the work that theyre creating together making opportunities for people not traditionally welcomed into the food world I have something and someone to fight for until my hands say different. 1680 Vine St., Los Angeles, (323) 416-1280, www.aplrestaurant.com. food@latimes.com The anti-sanctuary movement continues to burn through Southern California, as one city after another bucks Sacramento and sides with the Trump administration on the topic of illegal immigration. But will any of the adopted resolutions make a difference in federal or state policy in the end, or is this just a lot of political theater and a waste of time in communities that have more important problems to address? To answer the question, Costa Mesa City Councilman John Stephens walked into a coffee shop Tuesday morning in his hometown and dropped a 4-inch pile of legal documents on the table. Check this out, Stephens, an attorney, said as he began to flip through his research on the federal governments lawsuit against California for so-called sanctuary laws that offer some legal protections to people in the country illegally. Included in the stack were a Yale University Law and Policy Review on immigration enforcement and summaries of a U.S. Supreme Court case. Advertisement His conclusion? At the end of the day it doesnt matter what the City Council of Costa Mesa thinks about a constitutional issue in a pending federal court case, Stephens said. He was in the minority, however, when the City Council voted 3 to 2 last week, after a seven-hour meeting, to declare official opposition to Senate Bill 54. Also known as the California Values Act, SB 54 limits cooperation between local officials and federal agents in some cases when illegal immigrants are released from custody but not if those immigrants have committed serious crimes. The vote drew chants of USA! USA! from supporters in the audience, while dissenters groaned. On Monday, I sent queries to all five council members to see if they were up for a chat about the significance of the citys stand. Regardless of how anyone feels about illegal immigration, I thought Stephens made a good argument at last weeks meeting about there being no practical purpose to a resolution and saying it could backfire if the city loses influence with legislators who support SB 54. Stephens and council member Katrina Foley, who also opposed the resolution, agreed to meet with me. I didnt hear back from Mayor Sandy Genis and Councilman Jim Righeimer. The third member who voted for the resolution, Councilman Allan Mansoor, couldnt make it but spoke to me later by phone. Stephens said he respects differing views but didnt see a good reason for Costa Mesa to get involved in a heated, polarizing national discussion. There is no evidence, to his knowledge, of an increase in the number of undocumented people living in Costa Mesa and no evidence of an uptick in crime related to such people. And he argued, as many law enforcement officials have, that there is a risk to public safety if undocumented residents fear cooperating with local police. Stephens reached for the citys 88-page staff report on SB 54 and turned to a memo from the Costa Mesa Police Department. The memo said that since SB 54 went into effect in January, these new parameters have not substantially affected the Costa Mesa Police Departments normal operational practices, nor have they impeded our ability to provide quality services to the community. The report said that on immigration holds and release dates, SB 54 had no impact because arrestees in Costa Mesa are generally processed and transported to the Orange County Sheriffs Department. Its a little bit ridiculous because we have so many things to address in our city, to spend 7 hours on one item, which weve never done before, Stephens said. So why have public officials in Costa Mesa and elsewhere become amateur federal litigators when theyd be better off stepping up the pace on fixing streets, mowing park lawns and picking up the trash? Its purely symbolic, said Charis Kubrin, a UC Irvine professor of criminology, law and society. I think its been a very effective move in some ways because the story has become how divided California is, when in fact its not. SB 54, Kubin said, was a response to increased attempts by the federal government to get local police more involved in enforcement of federal immigration law, despite reduced crime and immigration rates. It was needed, she argued, because having local cops do the work of feds was ripping communities apart. Council member Foley, who, like Stephens, is an attorney, said many of the people who spoke out against SB 54 at the City Council meeting dont live in Costa Mesa. Although some people have legitimate questions about the impact of illegal immigration, she said, others are exploiting in the darkest way a political opportunity created by President Trump. Two moms who spoke at that meeting were terrified by the issue, and when they were speaking, people were yelling at them, Were gonna get ICE. Go back to Mexico. Get out of here. These are [agitators] who dont even live in our city, Foley said. And one of the women was born and raised here and the other has lived here for decades. It hurts. Foley said in Costa Mesa, and elsewhere, these flare-ups over immigration are all about politics. This is just a Republican stunt to activate the core base. Thats all it is, she said. Hard to argue with that, but Californias left knows a few tricks too, and the sometimes sanctimonious sanctuary movement certainly plays to the base. And as Democrats try to flip congressional seats their way, any principled foe of illegal immigration runs the risk of being branded just another Trump stooge. What bugs me about the resolutionary movement is that theres no need for it other than to fan the flames. Council races in Costa Mesa and other towns and cities are nonpartisan. Fix the streets, upgrade the sewage treatment plant, do something about real crime rather than rant about imaginary threats. Foley is a Democrat and Mansoor is a Republican, and they both want to be mayor. She thinks his tough stand on immigration is an attempt to give himself an edge, although the former sheriffs deputy has always been outspoken on the subject. When Mansoor and I talked by phone, he had a different take on why Costa Mesa took up SB 54. A resolution is a statement, he said, even if, like Costa Mesas, its nonbinding. He said he would have supported an even stronger stand, like joining a lawsuit against the state. But if a resolution is nothing but a statement, whos it for, and what does it communicate? That we support upholding our laws, Mansoor said. Its a statement to the Legislature, to the governor, to the citizens who live in our community. Statement delivered, fears stirred, time wasted. Another angry cry, and no one the better for it. Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez It was a first for the Los Angeles Police Department: A helicopter was dispatched to where a 29-year-old man was barricaded inside a home on the top of a hill, surrounded by brush and debris. During the hours-long standoff, the man fired at SWAT officers and they fired back from the helicopter, striking Anthony Soderberg. He died at the scene. This week, an oversight panel determined in closed session that 12 officers violated department rules on lethal force in the incident. The decision puts the Los Angeles Police Commission at odds with Chief Charlie Beck, who determined that all aspects of the May 8, 2017, shooting in Sunland were in policy, according to a report made public Monday. The police commission voted 3 to 1 to find the officers out of policy in the fatal shooting. One officer was found to have acted within policy. Advertisement In a report to the five-member commission, Beck said that Soderbergs actions presented an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, and that the use of lethal force would be objectively reasonable. One officer fired as many as 14 rounds, according to the report. At least 40 rounds were fired during the standoff and multiple rounds were fired from a distance of 500 feet or more. Its unclear why the commission found the 12 officers out of policy. President Steve Soboroff declined to comment on the decision, and other commissioners did not respond to a request for comment. The office of the inspector general is expected to issue a report on the shooting shortly. The police union that represents rank-and-file officers said in a statement that it is extremely disappointed with the commissions decision and that the officers involved should be getting a thank you instead of a rebuke. This armed suspect fired his weapon at LAPD officers, he fired at an LAPD helicopter with officers on board, putting all of their lives, and anyone on the ground at risk if his shots struck the pilot or damaged the aircraft, according to the statement. Our officers operated with full authorization from command staff to try and contain this incident and only used appropriate force to protect their own lives and the lives of civilians on the ground. The names of the officers involved were redacted in the report, but the LAPD previously identified all 13: Canaan Bodell, Cliff Chu, Jeremy Escamilla, Juan C. Flores, Jerry Fritz, Robert Gallegos, Joseph Goosby, David Keortge, Billy Lee, Gregory Martin, Michael Messenger, Jonathan Pultz and Mario Rios. Its unclear which officer acted within policy. About 9 a.m. on the day of the shooting, a woman woke to find a man in her kitchen. She escaped through a bedroom window and called police. Officers responding to the 11300 block of Alethea Drive were told there was a handgun, a rifle, a shotgun and ammunition inside the home, according to review of the incident by Beck. Officers from the Metropolitan Division SWAT team determined that since Soderberg was in an elevated position at the end of a cul-de-sac in hilly terrain he posed more of a threat. A lieutenant contacted a captain and asked permission to bring in a helicopter. The request was relayed up the chain of command and approved, according to the report. A commander said that the helicopter with armed officers was the safest means to contain Soderberg if he began shooting. A crisis negotiation team was also brought in to negotiate with Soderberg. Two gunshots were heard inside the residence, and Soderberg yelled profanities and said, Ill put a bullet in your head. A person communicating with Soderberg through a robot asked him to put down the gun. Multiple shots were heard, and Soderberg responded again with profanity and said, Ill kill all those SWAT officers that are out there. The officers deployed tear gas into the home, then heard on a police radio that Soderberg was outside the home with a gun in his hand, according to the report. An officer saw Soderberg with a blue steel handgun in his right hand and fired two to three rounds. Soderberg fired at least one round in return. Multiple rounds were fired from officers before Soderberg was approached by a police dog and determined not to be a threat. The tactic of opening fire from the air has been considered only four times since 2012, police previously told The Times. The May 8 shooting marked the first time an LAPD officer used it. nicole.santacruz@latimes.com For more crime news, follow @nicolesantacruz on Twitter. 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 A Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy shot and wounded a man carrying a replica firearm in El Monte late Tuesday night, authorities said. Deputies from the Temple sheriffs station were driving in the area of Seaman Avenue and Giovane Street around 11:30 p.m. when they noticed a man acting suspiciously, according to Nicole Nishida, a Sheriffs Department spokeswoman. One of the deputies shined his flashlight toward the man, described only as an adult male, Nishida said. The man took a few steps away, and deputies ordered him to raise his hands after noticing what they thought was a handgun tucked into his waistband, authorities said. The man then drew the weapon and a deputy opened fire, Nishida said. Advertisement He was struck once in the upper body and was taken to a local hospital, where he remained in stable condition Wednesday morning, authorities said. A realistic-looking large pellet gun pistol was recovered at the scene, Nishida said. james.queally@latimes.com Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California. UPDATES: 11 a.m.: This article was updated with additional information from the Sheriffs Department, noting that authorities say they recovered a realistic-looking large pellet gun pistol at the scene. 9:25 a.m.: This article was updated with additional information from the Sheriffs Department. This article was originally published at 6:35 a.m. When a contaminated aquifer in Orange County made U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitts list of top priority sites for immediate, intense action, the local water district was quick to highlight the announcement. But questions of political favoritism are swirling over Pruitts decision in December to prioritize cleaning the Orange County North Basin groundwater pollution plume beneath Anaheim and Fullerton using the federal Superfund program. Newly disclosed records show the action occurred soon after a meeting among Pruitt, the Orange County Water District and its lawyers that was arranged by conservative radio and television host Hugh Hewitt. The October meeting, documented in emails released under a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, was first reported Monday by Politico. In line for cleanup is a water pollution plume stretching more than 5 square miles below Orange County. Decades of industrial operations allowed chlorinated solvents and other chemicals to migrate through the soil and pollute the underlying groundwater in a basin that supplies drinking water to 2.4 million people in 22 cities. Advertisement Under the Superfund program, the companies responsible for the pollution would be forced to reimburse the federal government for the cost of remediation. The EPA named the North Basin site to Pruitts personal Superfund priority list in December, explaining at the time that that basin-wide groundwater cleanup needed quickly to protect drinking water for millions of residents. It was a move heralded by the Orange County Water District, which said the listing would allow the cleanup of the site to proceed after many years of negotiations and legal proceedings. The following month, the EPA formally proposed placing the site on the Superfund list. If the decision is finalized, the area will join nearly 100 others in California that are among the nations most hazardous sites and in line for remediation. Experts on environmental regulation said the events preceding the sites fast-tracking raise concerns about the motivation behind the EPAs decision-making. Pruitts responsiveness to a political ally, they say, contrasts with his stance against other California environmental priorities and his push to dismantle protections elsewhere. Though the Orange County site may warrant federal attention, its expedited selection is unusual, procedurally fishy and looks like a process shortcut that sent this request to the top of the list, said Sean Hecht, an environmental law professor at UCLA. The Pruitt EPA in general has not been particularly responsive, to say the least, to other requests made by Californias environmental officials, making it look more likely that Hewitt may have influenced the process in some way, Hecht said. EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox said Pruitt was originally scheduled to meet with the water district during a trip to California last fall that was later canceled. The water district requested the Washington, D.C., meeting to brief EPA on the Superfund sites cleanup efforts and request expedited cleanup, Wilcox said. Hugh Hewitt was not present for the meeting. Hewitt could not be reached for comment. He told Politico that his law firm represented the water district regarding the site for years, but that he had not participated in that work. Hewitt said he requested the meeting because the water district wanted to brief the new EPA team, and that as a former Orange County resident he wanted the site remediated as soon as possible. On his radio show Tuesday, Hewitt, a supporter and longtime friend of Pruitt, dismissed media scrutiny of the meeting as unbelievable and said I just didnt think it was a story. Mike Markus, general manager of the Orange County Water District, said the October 2017 meeting was timely and appropriate and consistent with OCWDs responsibility to manage the basin. Who got the meeting is irrelevant, Markus said. It was a legitimate meeting to discuss an issue that is a core function of the EPA. Instead of focusing on Mr. Hewitts opinion or his involvement in connecting us with Mr. Pruitt, the focus should be on the fact that federal, state, and local government agencies are working together to clean up pollution in a water-starved region ... This is about making sure a communitys drinking water is safe, the contamination does not spread and that the cost to make that happen is not the burden of innocent citizens. Markus described the North Basin groundwater contamination as an ongoing issue for more than a decade and said discussions with the EPA date back to 2014 during the Obama administration. Over many years, he said, district representatives have met with numerous regulatory staff and elected officials from both sides of the aisle to ensure ratepayers are not strapped with paying for the cleanup. State and local agencies in 2014 and 2015 asked for federal help cleaning polluted groundwater. The water districts meeting with Pruitt followed a 2016 agreement with the EPA, under which the district agreed to fund a $4-million study of the extent of the contamination and how to address it. In June 2017, California sent a letter to the EPA formally recommending Superfund status for the North Basin site. Industrial factories, metal processing businesses and dry cleaning facilities in the 1950s, 60s and 70s left a legacy of spilled and leaked pollutants mostly volatile organic compounds including chlorinated solvents, degreasers and other contaminants. Groundwater in the area is polluted with trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and 1,1 dichloroethylene at levels above Safe Drinking Water Act standards, according to an EPA fact sheet published in January. Contamination from the migrating plume, according to the EPA, has shut down five drinking water wells in the area and threatens dozens of others. Among the companies that may have contributed to the pollution and could be held liable for cleanup, water district officials said, are Northrop Grumman Corp., Alcoa Corp. and Chicago Musical Instruments. The North Basin site was assigned a score of 50 on the zero-to-100 hazard ranking system the EPA uses to screen Superfund sites for the threats they pose to health or the environment. Several other California sites with higher hazard scores were not placed on Pruitts personal priority list. A Q&A posted by the agency described it as a fluid list that does not reflect the largest or most contaminated Superfund sites. Considered instead were those with critical milestones or site-specific issues that will benefit from the administrators direct engagement. The California Environmental Protection Agency said five sites in the state have been listed under the federal Superfund program since 2011. The most recent addition, made in 2016 by the Obama administration, was the Argonaut mine site where a structurally unstable, century-old dam in the Amador County city of Jackson threatens nearby residents. tony.barboza@latimes.com @tonybarboza A Huntington Beach woman who was removed from two school district committees after she allegedly referred to minorities as colored people in a YouTube post defended herself before the City Council on Monday night, denying allegations that she is racist and telling members that liberals have become increasingly intolerant of diverse viewpoints. As a researcher, I ask myself how did we get to this place, where my words have been attacked and twisted so viciously by the left in an attempt to remove me from positions, threatened by ideological differences? Gracey Larrea-Van Der Mark said during the public comment period of the council meeting. Larrea-Van Der Mark came under fire in April after she reportedly made the comment in a post with a video she uploaded to YouTube in 2017 showing protesters crashing an anti-racism workshop in Santa Monica by a group called Committee for Racial Justice. According to the OC Weekly, Larrea-Van Der Mark wrote: This meeting was being ran by the elderly Jewish people who were in there. The colored people were there doing what the elderly Jewish people instructed them to do. Advertisement Larrea-Van Der Mark said that when she attended the workshop she was physically assaulted and said she described what happened using terminology used at the event. I consider myself to be a colored person. I am not offended by the term, said Larrea-Van Der Mark, who is Latina. She added that the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People also uses the phrase. In my opinion, all people of all colors should be accepted, all political sides should be accepted, she said. But school boards should be nonpartisan. Larrea-Van Der Mark also addressed allegations of being a Holocaust denier because she saved a video on her YouTube account that questioned the Holocaust. She said she saved the video to question the content, not support it. It was the first time Larrea-Van Der Mark had attended a City Council meeting recently. In April, she spoke in support of Huntington Beach filing a lawsuit to challenge Californias Senate Bill 54, a sanctuary law that expands protections for immigrants in the country illegally. She was flanked Monday by several longtime friends and colleagues who for more than an hour described her as passionate, patriotic and without a racist bone in her body. Weeks before Mondays meeting, a Facebook event page was created by Patriot Voice Rising calling on friends of Larrea-Van Der Mark to defend their patriot sister. People planning to attend were asked not to wear clothing that could be deemed tactical. We want to ensure we make a positive impression in showing our support for our sister and to not give the other side ammo to try and use against her in the future, Patriot Voice Rising wrote. Several of Larrea-Van Der Marks supporters called the allegations against her a political blow initiated by Ocean View School District trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin, who last year appointed Larrea-Van Der Mark to a district bond oversight committee but last month called for her removal from the panel and from the city Finance Commission after the alleged colored people comment surfaced. Clayton-Tarvin said the remark promoted bigotry and did not reflect the school district. Im personally insulted as a Latina, because Gracey is an inspiration to me, Valentina Bankhead said. Ive volunteered in a Trump campaign. Ive dealt with so much racism to be part of the political sphere, to be advocates for our Constitution, our president. ... We deal with this constantly. The Ocean View school board voted April 24 to remove Larrea-Van Der Mark from its Citizens Oversight Committee for Measure R. A week later, the Huntington Beach City School District removed Larrea-Van Der Mark from its Measure Q Citizens Bond Oversight Committee. Both panels oversee expenditures related to voter-approved bond measures for school facility improvements. Huntington Beach City district officials said Larrea-Van Der Mark was removed after hearing concerns from parents and community members. She was assigned to that committee in 2016 by the Orange County Taxpayers Assn. City Councilman Patrick Brenden, who appointed Larrea-Van Der Mark to the Finance Commission in 2017, said last month that he would investigate the allegations after he received pressure from residents, school board members and the Anti-Defamation League. Asked Monday night whether he had reached a decision on whether to keep Larrea-Van Der Mark on the panel, Brenden declined to comment but said he would in two days. Larrea-Van Der Marks online activity has received heightened attention since she spoke in support of Huntington Beachs plan to file its lawsuit over SB 54. The OC Weekly reported on the colored people comment days after the City Council approved the lawsuit early last month. A chance encounter in Rome led a Minnesota woman to seek spiritual solace from a San Diego man studying for the Roman Catholic priesthood, Jacob Bertrand. She received his prayers and a sexual relationship that Bertrand later described as the second holiest sacrifice next to Jesus and Mary on Calvary. In a Minnesota courtroom Monday, Bertrand was sentenced to 10 years probation and a $1,000 fine for criminal sexual conduct. He was also ordered to complete an assessment as a sex offender and then undergo any recommended therapy. Under the terms of a plea agreement, Bertrand would face up to four years imprisonment if he violates the terms of his probation. Advertisement The plea agreement in this case was entered into after considerable discussions with the victim and upon receiving her consent, said the prosecutor, Dakota County Attorney James C. Backstrom. We are pleased that Mr. Bertrand has been held accountable for his actions. Bertrand, now 35, was ordained a priest in 2010. During a private Mass celebrated in a Minnesota home later that year, he had sex with the woman he had met while studying in Rome. She complained to church officials in Minnesota in 2012 and 2014, the latter complaint being forwarded to the San Diego diocese. In April 2016, she went to the police and made a criminal complaint. Bertrand was indicted in Minnesota in October 2016. This January, he pleaded guilty to the single charge of criminal sexual conduct. For the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, Bertrand served in four parishes: St. Rose of Lima in Chula Vista (2010-2013), Santa Sophia in Spring Valley (2013-2015), and St. Vincent de Paul in Mission Hills and St. John the Evangelist in Hillcrest (both 2015-2016). He also gave talks to college students at San Diego State Universitys Newman Center. In August 2016, he took a leave of absence. Father Jacob is not expected to return to active ministry, Kevin Eckery, a diocesan spokesman, said Monday. Bertrand faced maximum penalties of 15 years in prison and $30,000 in fines. Rowe writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. When Donald W. Seldin arrived in Dallas in January 1951, he asked a gas station attendant for directions to the countrys newest medical school. A Yale University graduate and retired Army doctor, Seldin had just accepted an appointment at what was then Southwestern Medical School, part of the University of Texas system. He had never seen the school, and when he followed the attendants directions, he found only converted, dilapidated military barracks, an old brick building and a pile of garbage. Thats it, the gas jockey told Seldin, who had doubled back to make sure he had the directions right. Thats the medical school. Seldin, who already had given up his youthful love of poetry for the more lucrative career of medicine, then realized he had traded a faculty position at Yale for what appeared to be a broken-down, backwater posting in internal medicine. Advertisement Despite the pocked floors, busted windows and dispirited faculty all of his fellow physicians deserted him within a year Seldin remained at the school and, as chairman of internal medicine from 1952 to 1988, built it into one of the countrys premier research institutions. Seldin died April 25 at his home in Dallas, said his wife, Ellen Taylor Seldin. He was 97 and had lymphoma. Now known as UT Southwestern Medical Center, it is home to a medical culture acclaimed for its combination of academic rigor and humane caregiving; the faculty has received six Nobel Prizes. Known as the institutions intellectual father, Seldin created a vision of medicine that was based on science, and he brought it to fruition, said one of those Nobel laureates, geneticist Michael S. Brown. In a 2013 interview with Dallas D Magazine, cardiologist and Harvard University professor Eugene Braunwald called Seldin one of the most impactful figures in the history of modern medicine. His innovations included an approach to medicine that placed an equal emphasis on medical research, teaching and the treatment of patients a tripartite method that wasnt obvious to a lot of people at the time, Braunwald said. As a physician-scientist, Seldin helped establish the kidney-focused specialty of nephrology and with Yale physiologist Gerhard Giebisch co-authored one of the earliest authoritative textbooks on the subject. But he spent much of his time outside the lab, assembling a team of world-class physicians and researchers from scratch. Establishing the medical equivalent of a farm system, he encouraged ambitious young students many of them West Texas farm boys, Seldin observed to enter the academy. Upon graduation, he sent his wards to the National Institutes of Health or to more established universities for additional training, with the promise that if they returned in a few years, theyd have senior positions on the faculty. Seldin urged one student, Joseph L. Goldstein, to study genetics rather than neurosurgery and, according to Texas Monthly, told him he could run the schools genetics division if he returned in six years. When Goldstein came back, Seldin helped woo Brown to join him, as well laying the groundwork for a research partnership that resulted in the schools first Nobel Prize for medicine or physiology. The duo shared the honor in 1985 for their work on cholesterol metabolism and the treatment of heart attacks and cholesterol-related diseases. A decade later, after Nobel wins by biochemist Johann Deisenhofer in 1988 and pharmacologist Alfred G. Gilman in 1994, UT Southwestern boasted more Nobel laureate faculty members than any medical school in the world. Seldin was not alone in establishing UT Southwestern as a first-rate institution. His decision to remain in Dallas was greatly influenced by the hiring of George Aagaard, who served as dean at the same time funding was furnished to replace the schools shacks with a proper building in the mid-1950s. Two decades later, Seldin joined with Charles Sprague, the schools newly appointed president, to expand UT Southwestern into a full-fledged research institution. As chairman of the schools internal medicine department and even as chairman emeritus, the title he held until his death Seldin was the embodiment of UT Southwesterns culture of discipline and ambition, known for sleeping just four hours each night and performing his rounds well past midnight. Donald Wayne Seldin was born in Brooklyns Coney Island neighborhood on Oct. 24, 1920. His father was a dentist from the Eastern European region of Bessarabia, and his mother was a homemaker from Vienna. When a bad investment pushed the family into bankruptcy after the 1929 stock market crash, Seldin began working as a delivery boy to help pay the bills. He graduated from high school at 16 and studied the humanities at New York University, until he decided literature and philosophy would lead nowhere. He graduated from the Yale School of Medicine in 1943 and that same year married Muriel Goldberg. She died in 1994, and four years later, he married Ellen Lee Taylor, a former student who practices emergency medicine in Dallas. In addition to his wife, Seldin is survived by three children and two grandchildren. Airstrikes killed at least 23 civilians on Tuesday in one of the last pockets of Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria, according to Syrian state media and an opposition-linked monitoring group, as U.S.-backed forces in the area announced they have resumed their campaign against the extremists. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not clear if the airstrikes in the Hassakeh province were carried out by the U.S.-led coalition or the Iraqi air force. It said the strikes killed 10 children, six women and seven elderly people. The state-run Syrian News Agency said 25 civilians were killed in the airstrikes south of the town of Shadadi, blaming the U.S-led coalition. The strikes took place in an area where the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are battling the Islamic State. In an email to The Associated Press, the U.S-led coalition said initial reports suggest there were no coalition airstrikes in the area where the deadly airstrikes are said to have taken place. Advertisement Lelwa Abdullah, an SDF spokeswoman in the adjacent Deir el-Zour province, said Tuesday the final phase of a large operation against IS in eastern Syria has begun. She said the SDF will liberate those areas and secure the Syrian-Iraqi border and end the IS presence in eastern Syria once and for all. The SDF had redeployed hundreds of its forces to western Syria after Turkish troops attacked the Kurdish-held Afrin enclave earlier this year, effectively putting operations against IS on hold. In a statement Tuesday, the U.S-led coalition praised the SDFs focus on fighting IS, calling it critical to achieving a lasting defeat of the extremist group. Abdullah said IS attacks have increased in recent weeks in parts of eastern Syria near the border with Iraq as the extremist group seeks to regroup. She said the clearing operations will take place with the help of the U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi forces across the border. Elsewhere in Syria on Tuesday, more than three dozen Syrians held for years by al-Qaida-linked insurgents in the countrys northwest were released as part of a deal to hand over areas around Damascus to the government, state media reported. State-run Al-Ikhbariya TV broadcast images of the released men, women, children, who arrived by bus at a government-controlled checkpoint in Aleppo province. Many were in tears, and they could be seen kissing and hugging Syrian soldiers. The captives had been held by the insurgents in northern Syria since 2015. It is the latest in a series of evacuation deals for areas around the capital that have been besieged for years and subjected to heavy bombardment by government forces. The U.N. and rights groups have criticized the deals, saying they amount to forced displacement. The latest deal concerns Yarmouk, a Palestinian refugee camp that was a built-up residential area before the civil war. IS militants still control parts of the camp and a neighboring area, where they are battling government forces. The 42 people freed on Tuesday are the first batch of more than 80 to be released. Under the deal, fighters from the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group will withdraw from Yarmouk, while about 5,000 people in Foua and Kfraya, two northwestern villages besieged by insurgents, will be allowed to relocate to government-held areas. Al-Ikhbariya said nearly 20 wounded or ill from the two besieged villages were evacuated Tuesday. But the evacuation has apparently stalled amid security concerns, with the residents asking that they all be evacuated together instead of in batches. The Observatory said five buses carrying around 200 insurgents from Yarmouk arrived at the handover area south of Aleppo. The U.N. has warned of catastrophic consequences for the remaining inhabitants of Yarmouk as the fighting continues. The camp was established in 1957 for Palestinians who fled the 1948 war with Israel, and later evolved into a densely populated urban neighborhood that was home to tens of thousands of Palestinians and Syrians. It has seen heavy fighting since the early days of the seven-year-old civil war, and IS pushed into the district in 2015. Yarmouk and its inhabitants have endured indescribable pain and suffering over years of conflict, Pierre Krahenbuhl, the head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, said last week. The latest fighting has displaced around 5,000 civilians from Yarmouk into the neighboring area of Yalda, the U.N. said. Its not clear how many civilians remain in Yarmouk. A century-long relationship will soon come to an end. The Mormon Church and the Boy Scouts of America announced they will sever ties next year, the latest move in whats been a slow separation between the two groups as their ideological differences have widened. In a joint statement released late Tuesday, the church said its membership is increasingly living outside the United States and it felt the need to create and implement a uniform youth leadership and development program that serves its members globally. As a result of the split, which formally takes place in December 2019, the Mormon Church plans to place the 425,000 boys currently enrolled in the Boy Scouts it is the largest participant in Scouting in the U.S. into a Gospel-focused youth program it is creating. Advertisement The Scouting program has benefited hundreds of thousands of Latter-day Saint boys and young men, and BSA has also been greatly benefited in the process, read the statement. We jointly express our gratitude to the thousands of Scout leaders and volunteers who have selflessly served over the years in Church-sponsored Scouting units, including local BSA districts and councils. Boy Scouts march in an annual gay pride parade in Salt Lake City in 2014. (Rick Bowmer / Associated Press ) The separation between the two groups comes as the Boy Scouts has evolved on several issues, including allowing gays and transgender people into the organization, which has caused an uproar among some religious groups with ties to Scouting. In 2010, the groups executive board began what would become a two-year review of its policy on gays. Three years later, as the group faced criticism from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights groups, the Boy Scouts formally announced an end to its ban on gay Scouts. And in January 2017, the Boy Scouts announced that it would allow transgender children who identify as boys to enroll in its boys-only programs. In response, the Mormon Church last spring removed 185,000 boys between the ages of 14 and 18 from Scouting programs, signaling that an end to the longtime alliance was near. Like many other conservative religions, the Mormon Church opposes same-sex marriage and teaches that being in a homosexual relationship is a sin. Shortly after the Boy Scouts shifted its position on gays, the church issued a statement saying it was deeply troubled. Matthew Bowman, a historian of the Mormon faith who is a professor at Henderson State University in Arkansas, said the announcement of the separation is a big deal, but its also one thats been predicted for quite a while. The BSAs decisions to allow gay Scout leaders have made it difficult for the BSA to serve as the Mormons de facto young mens program, Bowman said. He added that since the 1950s the number of Mormons outside the USA has risen dramatically, and since 1995 the churchs membership has been majority non-American, a ratio that has only continued to grow. It has been apparent for quite a while that the church needs to develop a program for its young men that is less overtly American and more flexible, capable of providing a unified experience to young men in Africa and Argentina and Arizona while also being capable of adapting to local situation and circumstance, Bowman said. Indeed, more than half of the churchs 16 million members live outside the U.S. and Canada, according to statistics provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For the Boy Scouts, the separation signals a continuing decline in membership in recent years. The group currently has 2.3 million members, having decreased by nearly a third since 2000. The Mormon boys who will be leaving next year represent about 18.5% of the organization membership. (The church had automatically enrolled every boy who attends a Mormon congregation as a Boy Scout.) In an effort to stanch a shrinking membership, the Boy Scouts recently announced it would admit girls into the Cub Scouts. And last week, the group, in a major shift, said it plans to change its name to the gender-neutral Scouts BSA. Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout who co-founded the group Scouts for Equality, which pushed the organization to end its ban on gay Scouts, said the end of the partnership is a sad day for Scouting. Speaking as an Eagle Scout, Im disappointed the Boy Scouts program will no longer be the primary boys program of the LDS church, Wahls said. That being said, this is still an exciting time for the Boy Scouts, with the launch of its coed Scouting BSA program and continued innovation with new programs. Scoutings timeless values, ethic of service and lifelong lessons are vitally important now more than ever. But some are more dismayed by the separation, which breaks a bond that began in 1913. In 2013, the church put on an extravagant theatrical production in its 21,000-seat auditorium in Salt Lake City to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its alliance with the Boy Scouts. Moreover, a Boy Scout training complex in West Virginia is named after former Mormon Church President Thomas S. Monson, a longtime member of the Boy Scouts executive board and a major supporter who died this year. Steve Rinehart, 42, an attorney from the Salt Lake City area who is a Mormon and an Eagle Scout, said that in the last couple of decades there has been a decline in enthusiasm for Scouting within the church. Like popular culture, things just go in and out of style, Rinehart said Wednesday. This has been a natural progression. People have just lost enthusiasm, which can be expected. Nothing lasts forever. UPDATES: 3:20 p.m.: This story has been updated with a staff-written report. This article was originally published at 8:20 a.m. He once stood at the center of an international political scandal, becoming a household name for destroying government documents and lying to members of Congress. That was more than three decades ago. Now, Oliver North, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, has a new job: president of the National Rifle Assn. On Monday, the NRAs board of directors announced that the organization would now be headed by North, who many gun rights supporters are banking will be able to rally the base at a time when gun control groups believe momentum is on their side in the highly polarized national debate over firearms. In recent months, the powerful special-interest group has faced an onslaught of criticism from gun control organizations and has seen pushback in polls following mass shootings at a Florida high school and a country music festival in Las Vegas. Advertisement Robert Spitzer, who has written extensively on politics and gun control, said North is a sort-of celebrity who raises the organizations visibility among its base, which is helpful ahead of the November election. North is well-known in conservative circles as a longtime NRA board member, author and Fox News personality, said Spitzer, chairman of the political science department at the State University of New York at Cortland. Since 2001, North has hosted War Stories with Oliver North; he announced he will step aside from the program to lead the NRA. He wont do anything to help broaden the NRAs appeal, but rather to try and bring in people already sympathetic who may be susceptible to an appeal. Known for his no-nonsense, understated style, North has been a popular figure in the NRA who, for several years, elicited rousing applause when speaking at the groups annual convention. As a gun rights activist, he often comes across as diplomatic, calmly referencing the Constitution in showing his support for the 2nd Amendment. For leaders of the NRA, the groups new president is a much-needed jolt of energy. Wayne LaPierre, chief executive officer of the NRA, said Norths appointment was the most exciting news for our members since Charlton Heston became president. Heston, the renowned Hollywood actor who led the NRA from 1998 until 2003, often said his gun could only be taken from his cold, dead hands. The NRA has had seven presidents since Heston, but none have had the same marquee appeal. North succeeds Pete Brownell, who owns an Iowa-based company that manufactures gun parts but is not widely known in national political circles. Oliver North is a legendary warrior for American freedom, a gifted communicator and skilled leader, LaPierre said in a statement. In these times, I can think of no one better suited to serve as our president. Marion Hammer, the first female president of the NRA, echoed LaPierres sentiments. He will stand and fight for our country, our flag, our Constitution and the 2nd Amendment, said Hammer, who led the group from 1995 to 1998. On his Fox show, North appeared as a buttoned-down, serious figure. He would often sit stoically, questioning veterans about experiences in battle. But his reputation over the years has not always been wholesome. North came to the forefront of American politics in the mid-1980s during the Iran-Contra scandal. As a military aide to the National Security Council during the Reagan administration, he was eventually exposed for his role in arranging the secret sale of weapons to Iran and for diverting the proceeds to the anti-revolutionary Contra rebels in Nicaragua. At televised congressional hearings during the summer of 1987, he admitted to shredding documents associated with the affair and acknowledged that he had lied during previous meetings with members of Congress. Lt. Col. Oliver North is sworn in for Iran-Contra hearings in July 1987. (Lana Harris / Associated Press ) During the closely watched hearings, North faced a barrage of questions from lawmakers and attorneys. George Van Cleve, the committees senior Republican counsel at the time, prompted North at one point, according to a CBS News transcript: Youve also admitted you altered some of the documents in which you clearly describe your role. I did, North admitted. You intended to mislead Congress, Van Cleve added. I did, North replied. Two years later, North was convicted of obstructing Congress during its investigation, destroying government documents and accepting an illegal gratuity. Those convictions were overturned in 1991. An appeals court found that witnesses may have been swayed by testimony he had given Congress on the promise that it would not be used against him in court. In the years since the fallout, North, who did not respond to requests for an interview, didnt shy away from the public spotlight. Before the 1994 midterm election, he won the Republican primary for Senate in Virginia. He narrowly lost the general election to Democratic incumbent Charles S. Robb. The NRAs announcement of North as its next president a position that carries a two-year term was assailed by gun control groups, who focused on his past admissions to lying to lawmakers. We think this choice shows an NRA committed to doubling down on its false rhetoric, said Kris Brown, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Momentum is building like never before for policies that ensure that dangerous people do not have ready access to guns, and the American people are focusing on the midterms. Since 17 students and staff died in the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., several states have passed stricter gun control measures, even as Congress has sidestepped the issue. In Florida, the GOP-controlled Legislature passed a measure that, among other things, raises the minimum age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21. It was signed into law in March by Republican Gov. Rick Scott. Under Norths leadership, the NRA is poised to have a staunch defender of gun rights ahead of the November election. Last week, North delivered a politics-tinged invocation before a speech by President Trump, whom North supported during the 2016 election, sometimes introducing the candidate to crowds in his home state of Virginia. Lord, he said before the bowed heads at the NRA convention, give us the strength and perseverance to guard all our God-given liberties enshrined in our Bill of Rights. kurtis.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @kurtisalee The Trump administration says scrapping a nuclear agreement with Iran strengthens its hand in negotiations with North Korea, signaling that President Trump will accept only a real deal that eliminates Pyongyangs nuclear arsenal. But Trumps exit from the Iran deal may in fact make reaching its goal with North Korea more difficult, leaving U.S. credibility in doubt as it embarks on an even tougher negotiation. For the record: An earlier version of this story referred to Mike Pompeo as secretary of Defense. He is secretary of State. Unlike with Iran, which halted its nuclear program before testing a weapon, Trump is asking North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to give up dozens of weapons and missiles that already exist while demanding intrusive inspections in a closed country with a long history of cheating on international agreements. Pyongyang likely sees the decision as proof the United States cannot be trusted that any deal reached with one president can be discarded by the next, said Ivo Daalder, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. That will make reaching any agreement with North Korea that much more difficult. Advertisement Trump, speaking to reporters Wednesday at the White House ahead of a Cabinet meeting, sought to rebut such criticism, portraying his strategies toward Iran and North Korea as parts of the same policy. We have a chance at something really great for the world and great for North Korea, and great for everyone, Trump said, adding that people never thought hed be able to pull it off. Within minutes, he also was lambasting the Iranians. So we have terminated a terrible, terrible deal that should have never, ever been made, he said, adding that future talks with Tehran might be difficult because I dont think they do understand life. Its bedlam and death [in the Middle East] and we cant let that happen. The dual nuclear crises, confronted by Trump so differently, will test a president inexperienced in diplomacy and uninterested in detail who prefers an ad-hoc govern by gut approach. Yet the stakes could not be higher. Administration officials say they do not believe Kim is necessarily watching the Iran episode. If he is, they say, the message he will take away will be one of U.S. resolve that will make him more eager to sit down with Trump in a nuclear summit expected to take place within weeks. U.S. officials, however, have little direct insight into what the North Koreans think. An equally plausible case is that Kim would be reluctant to agree to a pact without assurances the U.S. would stick to it, or that hed be willing to agree to provisions for which he does not think the U.S. could verify his countrys compliance. Trumps criticism of the Iran deal as a weak compromise could make it harder for him to accept anything short of permanent, verifiable and irreversible nuclear disarmament, the goal U.S officials have set. Kim has said his goal is denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, but it remains unclear whether he is willing to give up his entire stockpile in a way that meets the U.S. demands and what he will demand in return. In the past, Kims definition of disarmament has included the removal of U.S. troops from South Korea, although he has not issued that demand this time around, so far. Trump wants an all-or-nothing deal, Daalder said. Anything like the Iran agreement no weapons, but allowing limited, verifiable production of some nuclear materials would be unacceptable. Yet reaching an Iran-like deal with Pyongyang one requiring Kim to give up his entire arsenal of nuclear warheads, destroy his large uranium and plutonium production facilities and permit inspectors on the ground would be a miraculously grand achievement that seems beyond reach, Daalder said. Other analysts, however, minimized the risk for Trump. If the talks collapse, Kim can blame the U.S. as untrustworthy, said Patrick McEachern, a North Korea expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Washington think tank. But the fact of the matter is that the U.S. and North Korea fundamentally lack trust anyway, so I dont see the Iran deal affecting North Korea in terms of how much they trust the U.S. Trump might feel cornered into reaching a pact with Kim because of the importance attached to their summit and because he would be determined to prove his deal-making ability. Some critics fear he might be willing to make more concessions than would be advisable. But administration officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security advisor John Bolton both of whom advocate a hard line on North Korea are likely to press Trump to demand more far-reaching terms than Iran agreed to. The message to North Korea is the president wants a real deal, Bolton told reporters Tuesday. The Iran deal did not do that. Bolton added that robust inspections and verification would be absolutely essential. Another aspect of the withdrawal [from the Iran pact] is to establish positions of strength for the United States, Bolton said. Even if Kim agrees in principle to give up all or part of his nuclear stockpile and accept limitations on his missiles, he is unlikely to agree to unrestricted inspections, making verification of the deal difficult if not impossible, analysts said. Trump will have to insist on a deal with Pyongyang that is of an even higher standard than was reached with Tehran, tweeted Abraham Denmark, a former Pentagon official responsible for Asia in the Obama administration. Yet it is unlikely that North Korea would agree to an agreement similar to [the Iran deal], let alone above and beyond it. Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Americas division of the International Institute of Strategic Studies, was among many experts who said Trumps withdrawal from the Iran deal eroded Washingtons bargaining powers and made the already tough goal of reaching agreement with Kim more remote. Beyond Europe, American credibility worldwide will go down the tubes, with this administration being seen as senseless and arrogant, said Fitzpatrick, a former senior State Department official who handled nonproliferation issues. Trumps abrogation gives a new writ to nuclear lawlessness, since Irans having abided by the agreed rules will be proven to have been in vain, he added. Whether deliberately timed or just fortuitous, Trump is leaving the Iran agreement, and being blasted by allies and the foreign-policy establishment for doing so, at the same time he can point to successes involving North Korea. On Wednesday, Trump was able to announce the release of three U.S. citizens imprisoned for months by Pyongyang whom he said Pompeo was bringing home. Trump had revealed the day before as he told the world he was dumping the Iran deal that he had dispatched Pompeo to North Korea to discuss summit details with Kim. I think our diplomacy in North Korea speaks for itself, a senior State Department official traveling with Pompeo said. Trump is now showing what weve said all along: We are committed to a diplomatic solution to the nuclear crisis. tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter President Trump has roiled international politics by pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, which he called decaying and rotten. What happens next is less clear. TOP STORIES Out of the Deal As he promised many times on the campaign trail, President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal and will reinstate an array of economic sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the 2015 accord. But the big question is: What comes next? Trump didnt offer specifics on how he would replace the deal or rein in Iran. For now, Tehran said it would stay in it and open negotiations with the remaining signatories about keeping the deal. Trumps decision was more severe than diplomats had expected; though it could isolate the U.S. from its largest European allies, who had implored Trump to work through the deals flaws, Israel and Saudi Arabia were pleased. In Congress, the reaction split mostly along party lines. How it will affect oil prices and the economy at large remains to be seen. Advertisement More Politics -- The shell company used by Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to pay off porn actress Stormy Daniels received about $500,000 last year from a business linked to a Russian billionaire who is close to President Vladimir Putin. -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made his second unannounced visit to North Korea in just over a month to complete plans for a summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Meanwhile, Kim made a second surprise trip to see Chinese President Xi Jinping in China. -- Republican voters in West Virginia picked state Atty. Gen. Patrick Morrisey over wealthy felon Don Blankenship to run for the U.S. Senate. Blankenship, who had run racially charged ads aimed at Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell and his family, came in third. -- Gina Haspel, Trumps nominee to run the CIA, will face a tough Senate confirmation hearing today. Requiem for the Iron Duke George Deukmejian built his political career on law and order and fiscal responsibility, eventually becoming a popular two-term Republican governor of California in the 1980s. His no-nonsense style earned him the nickname Iron Duke and his vetoes of 2,298 bills, none of them overridden, brought him another moniker: Governor No. But Deukmejian, who died Tuesday at age 89, took some surprising positions, including working out a deal with Democrats to ban military-style assault weapons and persuading the University of California to divest its retirement funds from firms that did business in apartheid South Africa. Gov. George Deukmejian shakes hands with supporters on Nov. 2, 1986. (Joe Kennedy / Los Angeles Times ) And Then There Were Three Who will succeed L.A. police Chief Charlie Beck when he retires June 27? Though officials including Mayor Eric Garcetti have declined to name the three finalists, sources say they are Robert Arcos, Michel Moore and Bill Scott a racially diverse group of LAPD veterans. Take a closer look at each. Notably absent: female candidates. Californias Solar Flare California is trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; its also trying to provide more affordable housing. Those two issues are colliding head on as the states Energy Commission is expected today to approve new rules that would bring California closer to becoming the first state to require solar panels on all newly built single-family houses. The commission says that would raise the cost to build a house by $9,500 on average, but that buyers would save money in the long run on electricity bills. A Contretemps in Cannes Cannes has long been the worlds most important and prestigious film festival, but this year the doubters have come out to proclaim its irrelevance. The lineup lacks star power, they say, and the festivals tete-a-tete with Netflix shows how stubborn it can be. Cannes has even banned quelle horreur! the red-carpet selfie. But Times film critic Justin Chang is betting that the rumors of Cannes demise are premature. Sign up to get Todays Headlines delivered to your inbox. MUST-WATCH VIDEO -- Trumps full remarks on pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal. -- Actor Noah Schnapp talks about the early days of the show Stranger Things. At first it was awkward, but within a week, the young cast mates were best buddies. CALIFORNIA -- Opposition to the sanctuary state law has been gaining ground in various cities, but is it a pointless political ploy? Columnist Steve Lopez explores. Last night, that very topic was discussed in Santa Clarita. -- At a debate among the candidates for governor last night, the personal and political attacks were flying fast. -- FBI agents served search warrants at Adelanto Mayor Rich Kerrs home, City Hall and a local marijuana dispensary amid an investigation into corruption in the city. -- Be prepared: A magnitude 4.5 earthquake on Tuesday morning was another warning of the power of the San Andreas fault. HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS -- A bankruptcy judge has approved the planned sale of Weinstein Co., the studio co-founded by Harvey Weinstein, to a Dallas-based private equity firm. -- Director Roman Polanski, who is considered a fugitive by the U.S. criminal justice system, is threatening to sue the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences after it expelled him. -- Last nights Roseanne had perfect timing: It looked at how Roseanne Conner fears that her new Muslim neighbors may be terrorists. -- Meanwhile, the second season of FXs otherworldly series Legion found an unlikely home in Los Angeles this week. CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD Sunset Boulevard is big, even if the pictures got smaller. The 1950 Billy Wilder classic will be ready for its closeup in numerous Southern California theaters Sunday and May 16. NATION-WORLD -- A Pentagon investigation into an ambush that killed four U.S. soldiers in Niger in October found that two officers in charge misinformed higher-ups about the missions danger, yet no punishment was recommended against them. -- The Nevada Supreme Court heard arguments for and against using an untested paralytic drug in a death penalty case. -- Armenias Velvet Revolution has culminated in the election of an opposition leader as prime minister. -- Experts have new advice on prostate cancer screening, saying that men ages 55 to 69 should weigh the potential harms and benefits, then judge whether getting tested feels right to them. BUSINESS -- The fight over net neutrality is back. Supporters of the rules, struck down by the Federal Communications Commission, are starting a long-shot campaign to resurrect them. -- All systems are go for SpaceXs BFR rocket facility at the Port of Los Angeles after the City Council approved the companys plan. Production is scheduled to begin in two to three years. SPORTS -- Episode 2 of HBOs documentary series Being Serena delves into Williams difficult childbirth. -- Injured Dodgers pitching ace Clayton Kershaw could resume throwing this week. OPINION -- Did Trump pull the plug on the Iran deal and put the world in danger for little reason other than to stomp on President Obamas legacy? -- Cal State Long Beachs 49ers have a complicated history, but columnist Gustavo Arellano says its one worth rooting for. WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING -- EPA chief Scott Pruitt, conservative radio and television host Hugh Hewitt, and how the cleanup of a polluted Orange County site got put on the fast track. (Politico) -- Dessert in a shoe? A meal at the official residence of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe leaves a bad taste. (Washington Post) -- A look back at how author Ayn Rand gained a following thanks to a literary salon. (Smithsonian) ONLY IN L.A. L.A.s roads are in notoriously bad shape, which is why officials have been touting a plan to spend more money fixing them. But some of the worst offenders arent even on the citys to-do list. The reason? More than 200 streets were officially withdrawn from public use under an ordinance passed during the Depression, because the city said it didnt have money to fix them way back then. Decades later, they still arent eligible to be repaved. The more you know ... If you like this newsletter, please share it with friends. Comments or ideas? Email us at headlines@latimes.com. Voters in Southern Californias 29th Senate District will cast ballots in a rare recall election on June 5, and heres some guidance: Just say no. Thats right. Say no to recalling state Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), who was legitimately elected to represent this district less than two years ago and has done nothing to merit being tossed from office in mid-term. Say no to the six people three Republicans and three Democrats (for shame!) hoping to profit from this abuse of the ballot box by being selected as Newmans replacement. And say a big heck no to the Republican architects of the recall election, who are using one controversial vote by Newman as a pretext for trying to terminate the Democrats supermajority in the state Legislature before the November elections. Recall elections are an extreme and unusual form of political decapitation, and Newman is not being targeted for anything so fundamental as committing a felony, reneging on crucial promises to voters or exhibiting unhinged or inappropriate behavior. Instead, the recall effort is ostensibly based on Newmans vote in favor of SB 1, which raised vehicle registration fees and put a 12-cents-a gallon tax on gasoline to fund a $52-billion transportation package. (Republicans are also trying to repeal the gas tax in November; that will be the subject of another editorial.) But Newman was one of 27 senators to cast a yes vote, including one Republican, and all of them are equally responsible for SB 1s passage. His crime, if you can call it that, was to vote like a Democrat which is exactly what the voters in his district should have expected he would do when they sent him to Sacramento in 2016. Advertisement Like any bully, Republicans are picking on Newman because he is vulnerable. No, like any bully, Republicans are picking on Newman because he is vulnerable. The first-term legislator won a narrow victory in 2016 against former Republican Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang to replace termed-out Republican Bob Huff in this historically GOP district that encompasses parts of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties. He hadnt been in the job six months when conservative talk radio hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou on KFI-AM and former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio started focusing on Newman as the weak link in the Democrats chain of power. The Republicans want a rematch (as does Chang, who is running again), hoping that another election will return the seat to their control. Thats why both political parties have put in millions of dollars and engaged in some dirty tricks in this race. What might the voters in the district want? The instigators of this recall effort dont care. Typically, the Editorial Board weighs in on a race only after examining the fitness of the various candidates. In this case, however, we did none of that. We disagree with the premise of the campaign and dont think any of Newmans would-be successors ought to replace him at this point. Newman won this seat fair and square in 2016 and has done nothing that justifies his ignoble removal. In fact, Newman deserves credit for supporting SB 1. It was and is unpopular because it hits Californians in their wallets, but it was the responsible thing to do. The states transportation infrastructure has been underfunded for years. Bad roads and lack of public transportation options also hit Californians in their wallets, not to mention diminishing their quality of life. But that fact seems to be conveniently left out of the gas-tax debate. Nothing in the states Constitution or elections code sets out criteria for recalling a legislator. California law allows any state elected official to be recalled for any reason. But that doesnt mean all recalls are appropriate. And this one is not. Vote no on the recall of Newman on June 5. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook President Trump on Tuesday finally did what wiser heads in his administration have been trying to keep him from doing almost from the time he was sworn in: He announced that he would withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear agreement. In doing so, he rejected the pleas of Americas closest allies and more than 100 current and former senior diplomats. He even turned a blind eye to his own Defense secretarys conclusion that the agreement has allowed robust monitoring of Irans activities. But as alarming as the action itself was the deceitful and demagogic speech in which he attempted to justify it. It was virtually indistinguishable from the sort of rant Trump delivered on the campaign trail utterly uninformed by the sort of appreciation for complexity that experience confers on most occupants of the Oval Office. And much as we would like to think the president was motivated by a belief, however wrongheaded, that tearing up this agreement would lead to a better one, its hard to escape the suspicion that he was more influenced by a compulsion to besmirch the legacy of his predecessor. Trump spoke four days before he must decide whether to again waive the economic sanctions against Iran that the U.S. lifted to comply with the agreement, which Iran negotiated in 2015 with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, Germany and the European Union. In his speech, Trump said not only that he wont waive the sanctions but that the U.S. will withdraw from the agreement, which he called a disastrous deal that has caused great embarrassment to me as a citizen. Trumps attack on the agreement was characteristically misleading and short on detail. Advertisement But Trumps attack on the agreement reminiscent of his irresponsible decision to pull the U.S. out of the Paris agreement on climate change was characteristically misleading and short on detail. For example, he described the limits on Irans nuclear activities as very weak, a laughable characterization in light of the elaborate requirements of the agreement. Heres one illustration: Iran had to give up most of its ability to enrich uranium and agreed to place the vast majority of its centrifuges in storage under the oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Trump is rightly concerned that several provisions of the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action expire or sunset after 10 or 15 years, a condition he called totally unacceptable. Ideally the agreement would have made those provisions permanent. He also was right to complain in his speech about Irans development of ballistic missiles and its support for militant groups in the region. But those were the compromises required to strike the deal in the first place. There is nothing about abrogating or repudiating the agreement that puts the U.S. in a stronger position to command concessions. In a statement issued after Trump spoke, the leaders of Germany, France and Britain acknowledged the need to address what happens to Irans nuclear program after some of the provisions of the current agreement expire, as well as their concern about Irans ballistic missile program and its destabilizing regional activities, especially in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. But the European leaders suggested that that new approaches could be identified without violating the agreement. Trump offered no convincing argument to the contrary. What was perhaps most bizarre about Trumps speech was that it both flirted with advocating regime change in Iran the president referred to the Islamic government there as a dictatorship that had seized power and simultaneously offered to engage it in negotiations toward a new nuclear agreement. Why would he think Iran would be inclined to accept his overture? In their statement, the European leaders noted as they likely did in their private conversations with Trump that the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded that Iran continues to abide by the restrictions set out by the JCPOA, in line with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The world is a safer place as a result. Therefore, Britain, France and Germany will remain parties to the agreement and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement. The full consequences of Trumps decision cannot be known, but they almost certainly will include a further erosion of Americas credibility with its allies and others, and tacit encouragement for Iran to revive its nuclear program. That will be bad for the country and for the world. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook President Trump probably wouldnt appreciate the comparison, but his nominee to head the CIA seemed to be channeling Barack Obama in some of her testimony at her Senate confirmation hearings. As expected, Acting CIA Director Gina Haspel, a career intelligence officer and a veteran of the agencys clandestine service, was questioned about her role in the enhanced interrogation of suspected terrorists after 9/11. Haspel reportedly supervised a black site in Thailand during the interrogation of Abd al Rahim al Nashiri, a Saudi suspected of involvement in the 2000 bombing of the U.S. destroyer Cole. According to the Senate Intelligence Committee, Nashiri was waterboarded at least three times. Haspel promised the same committee Wednesday that under my leadership CIA will not restart a detention and interrogation program such as the one the CIA pursued during the George W. Bush administration. She noted that the law provides that no individual in U.S. custody may be subjected to any interrogation technique or approach that is not authorized by and listed in the Army Field Manual a stricture that rules out waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation methods. Advertisement Haspel also said that I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral even if it was technically legal. But, in a riveting back-and-forth, she resisted an attempt by Californias Sen. Kamala Harris to get her to condemn what the agency did in the past. Harris: Its a yes or no answer. Do you believe the previous interrogation techniques were immoral? Im not asking, Do you believe they were legal? Im asking Do you believe they were immoral? Haspel: Senator, I believe that CIA did extraordinary work to prevent another attack on this country given the legal tools that we were authorized to use. Harris: Please answer yes or no. Do you believe in hindsight that those techniques were immoral? Haspel: Senator, what I believe sitting here today is that I support the higher moral standard we have decided to hold ourselves to. Listening to this exchange, it was hard not to be reminded of a much-criticized statement by Obama. Asked about a possible investigation of the excesses of the Bush administrations war on terror, Obama said that while clear acts of wrongdoing should be punished, Im more interested in looking forward than I am in looking backwards. As part of that forward-looking policy, Obama banned waterboarding by executive order, ordered the closing of secret CIA prisons abroad and promised to shut down the prison at Guantanamo Bay. (Congress had other ideas.) But Obama avoided actions that would have held his predecessor accountable for migrating to what former Vice President Dick Cheney once called the dark side. The look forward, not backward policy was an exercise in pragmatic politics on Obamas part, but it also amounted to a sort of amnesty for extreme, even immoral measures taken in the post-9/11 panic. The problem for Haspel is that senators inclined to extend such a dispensation to her for her role in those frightening times must contend with the fact that she would be serving a president who looks back at those days and apparently likes what he sees. I would bring back waterboarding, Trump said during the campaign, and Id bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding. Fairly or not, Haspel has to bear the weight of those words as well as her own actions. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook. To the editor: The article, At the Israeli-Gaza Strip border, a growing sense of anxiety and fear, reports anxiety building in an Israeli town as the Palestinians continue to protest the military occupation of what remains of Palestine. Whereas the Israelis anticipate possible violence, the Palestinians have already experienced violence, with more than 40 of their people shot dead and more than 1,000 injured with live ammunition because of their protests. The reality is that Palestinians were forced from their homes and villages the Nakba (a word meaning catastrophe) on May 15, 1948, the upcoming anniversary of which is making the Israelis who live close to the Gaza Strip border nervous. The Palestinians protests are peaceful, and what they want has been affirmed by the United Nations through numerous resolutions that have been passed addressing the occupation and the right of return. The Times readers deserve to know the truth. Advertisement Joseph Tillotson, Redondo Beach .. To the editor: The Times bias is evident as you continue to call the weekly Palestinian Friday events (like burning tires, breaking border fences and sending off kite fire bombs) protests when they are really violent attacks against Israel and Israelis. Can you write that? Here it is: violent attacks. Flo Ginsburg, Santa Monica Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: President Trumps decision Tuesday to exit the Iran nuclear deal is problematic in the same way his withdrawal from the Paris climate accord was. Both decisions ignore the reality of globalization. Trump says canceling the agreement will make America safer. As far as Iran is concerned, time will tell if hes right. But whats clear right now is that America has affirmed itself as an unstable force in the world. We have frightened and antagonized our enemies and our allies, and in doing so have jeopardized the support we might otherwise have counted on for unknown future events. Trump apparently believes the United States will never need anyone elses support. Tuesdays decision may prove to be a grave miscalculation, brought about by our presidents dangerous mixture of hubris and ignorance. David Herlich, Morgan Hill, Calif. Advertisement .. To the editor: One of candidate Trumps strongest promises was to get the U.S. out of the horrendous Iran nuclear deal. It was one of the reasons he was elected. The president has kept that promise. So why are the media so incredulous? Many Democrats in Congress opposed President Obamas executive decision on Iran in 2015, so why are they now whining about our current presidents action to repeal it? Are they hypocrites? Obama and former Secretary of State John Kerry are also lamenting the presidents announcement. They should understand the meaning of the term former and accept the fact that they no longer are in authority. Jim Blumel, Santa Clarita .. To the editor: Despite the urging of allies (Great Britain, France and Germany), adversaries (Russia and China) and even Defense Secretary James Mattis, Trump has withdrawn the United States from a nuclear agreement that was eminently effective. This is a manifestation of Trumps narcissism. He has never gotten over Obamas tweaking of the birther in chief at the 2011 White House Correspondents Assn. dinner. Trump is determined to destroy anything and everything that Obama achieved for the sole purpose of feeding his very fragile ego. From climate change to healthcare to foreign policy, this president is not serving the nation or the world at large but simply his own petty self-interest. Heaven help us. Barbara H. Bergen, Los Angeles .. To the editor: Trumps action is rightly and roundly denounced for many reasons, but here is one we dont hear about enough: the economic damage. The immediate loss is that suffered by those U.S. companies now hampered by new sanctions in completing contracts or entering new ones. But the much greater loss is for our future. Indications are that the other countries will continue to honor the agreement, as will Iran because it needs the economic benefits that come with the sanctions being dropped. One such party is China. We may be in first place when it comes to the size of our economy, but China is hot on our heels. And Trump has now turned over to it the second-largest, and perhaps hungriest, economy in the Middle East. Rick Dunn, San Diego .. To the editor: Trumps message to Iran: Get nukes first, then Ill talk to you, just like North Korea. Chris Norby, Fullerton Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Newsoms budget proposes $3 million for Alzheimers research, brain task force By Melody Gutierrez Amyloid plaques, shown here in human brains, are a hallmark of Alzheimers disease. (UCLA School of Medicine) Gov. Gavin Newsom will call for the creation of a brain health task force and dedicate $3 million annually from the states general fund to Alzheimers disease research in the budget proposal he will release Thursday, a source close to the administration said. The money for Alzheimers research would target the new grants at understanding why the disease is more prevalent in women and people of color. Former California first lady and Alzheimers activist Maria Shriver pushed for the funding to be included in the state budget. Shriver said in a statement Wednesday that the funding would make California the first state to make understanding our brains a priority. The states former first lady, whose late father Sargent Shriver was diagnosed with Alzheimers, founded the Womens Alzheimers Movement, an advocacy group raising awareness about womens increased risk for developing the disease. In 2011, she wrote a comprehensive assessment on the disease, to which Newsom then mayor of San Francisco contributed a portion called What one city is doing. This is personal to me, just like it is to millions of California families, Shriver said. Alzheimers is one of the largest medical, social and economic crises in our state, and of our time. I am so proud that, once again, California is leading the way. Wiping out Alzheimers is going to require bold thinking, and there is no doubt in my mind that California is home to bold thinkers who can make this happen. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Gavin Newsom orders reinvention of troubled California DMV By Patrick McGreevy A line of people stretches around the South L.A. location of a California Department of Motor Vehicles Office on Aug. 7. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered an overhaul of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which has been plagued by hours-long wait times at field offices, computer crashes and voter registration errors involving tens of thousands of customers. Just a few days after taking office, Newsom appointed a top advisor to a new DMV Reinvention Strike Team to revamp the beleaguered agency over the next six months. By any metric, California DMV has been chronically mismanaged and failed in its fundamental mission to the state customers it serves and the state workers it employs, Newsom said in a statement, adding Its time for a reinvention. The governor appointed state Government Operations Agency Secretary Marybel Batjer to lead the strike team with a goal of modernizing the agency and enacting changes that improve customer satisfaction, employee performance and transparency. Newsom also ordered an accelerated review of initial findings of an ongoing audit ordered last year by Gov. Jerry Brown. The action was welcomed by lawmakers who have been critical of the DMV, including Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield). The egregious management failures of the DMV have been self-evident, which is why I have been calling for new leadership and a comprehensive independent audit of this troubled state agency over and over again as the problems grew significantly worse, Fong said. Last summer, Californians seeking new driver licenses complained of wait times of four to six hours at DMV offices, which the agency blamed partly on snafus caused by a rush of people trying to get Real IDs, a new identification card design required for airline passengers starting in late 2020. Delays were also blamed on computer crashes at DMV offices as the agency struggled to update its aging automation systems. The DMV also admitted that there were an estimated 23,000 errors as people either were unknowingly registered to vote or mistakes were made in their registration status as part of the states new motor voter program. The agency registered to vote as many as 1,500 people with legal U.S. residency but no citizenship. Last month, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto retired from the agency. Legislators were angered earlier this week when the DMV said it needed an additional $40 million to prevent the return of long lines at its field offices. In addition, the agency has been under fire for issuing driver licenses in the last year that do not comply with the federal Real ID standards requiring two forms of identification by applicants. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California police unions are preparing to battle new transparency law in the courtroom By Maya Lau Just as a landmark police transparency law is going into effect, some California police agencies are shredding internal affairs documents and law enforcement unions are rushing to block the information from being released. The new law, which begins to unwind Californias strictest-in-the-nation protections over the secrecy of law enforcement records, opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. But the lawsuits and records destruction, which began even before the law took effect Jan. 1, could tie up the release of information for months or years, and in some instances, prevent it from ever being disclosed. The fact that police unions are challenging this law is on some level not surprising, said Peter Bibring, director of police practices at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, one of the principal supporters of the new law. They have a long history of fighting tooth and nail against transparency. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Secretary of State Alex Padilla begins second term with challenge to ensure every Californian is counted By Jazmine Ulloa Secretary of State Alex Padilla takes the oath of office as his family stands by his side on Monday in Sacramento. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Secretary of State Alex Padilla was sworn in for a second term on Monday, saying he would continue the battle to protect the right to vote at a time when voter suppression efforts, online disinformation campaigns and interference from foreign adversaries have polarized the public and threatened to undermine trust in U.S. elections. I am doubling down on our fight here in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C., to defend our democracy, he said. Working on the front lines with so many of you, I know that our collective resolve has never been stronger. But the loudest applause came when Padilla promised to fight back against the Trump administrations changes to the U.S. census, saying he will ensure every Californian gets counted. Padilla, a former state senator and Los Angeles City Council member from the San Fernando Valley, led the cause for a new motor voter registration law in 2015, and a new system for online business registrations. But the programs have had experienced problems: More than 23,000 Californians were registered to vote incorrectly by the state DMV, the agency reported last year. On Monday, Padilla said he would continue to push back against false claims of voter fraud in California and pointed to the states voter turnout as proof that his office was involving more people in the democratic process, a promise he made when he was first sworn in four years ago. More than 12.7 million voters cast ballots in the Nov. 6 midterm election, representing roughly 65% of the states registered voters, the highest number of any midterm election since 1982, according to state certified results. I made that promise based on a shared belief that we are a stronger democracy and a better California when we hear all voices from all corners of California, and when those voices are not just heard but counted, Padilla said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Ricardo Lara, Californias first statewide officeholder to come out as gay, sworn in as insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara on the floor of the state Senate in 2016. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Ricardo Lara took the oath of office as California insurance commissioner on Monday, pledging action to boost healthcare coverage and combat climate change. Lara, a Democrat from Bell Gardens, is the first elected statewide officeholder in California who has come out as gay. He began his speech in downtown Sacramento by thanking LGBTQ leaders who came before him and celebrated the occasion. Today, because of you, weve shattered the pink ceiling, Lara said. In his inaugural speech, Lara announced the creation of an executive position in his office to address climate change. There is no other industry that has the necessary expertise to ensure that California is prepared to mitigate and reduce risk to our communities and our environment, Lara said. Our planet cant wait. Im ready, and I hope you are too. Lara served as a state legislator and in 2017 introduced a bill to create a single-payer healthcare system in the state. He promised to work with new Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand coverage across California. Lara was sworn in by retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, who declared unconstitutional Californias Proposition 8 gay marriage ban. State Sen. President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) was on hand for the ceremony along with multiple other state lawmakers. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis says she will help expand access to universities in the state New Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, center, is shown in June talking with attendees at the Power to the Polls rally in Sacramento. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) More Californians should be given access to public universities, Eleni Kounalakis said as she took the oath of office Monday to become the states first woman elected lieutenant governor. Kounalakis was given the oath of office by Gov. Gavin Newsom, her predecessor in the job, who pledged they would work together. As lieutenant governor, Kounalakis serves on the University of California Board of Regents and the California State University Board of Trustees, she noted in a speech at her swearing-in ceremony at the main Sacramento Library. In that role, she said, she will be committed to expanding access to affordable public higher education here in our state. Its wise, its smart and it is the best way to address our rapidly changing digital economy. Kounalakis is former president of a development company founded by her father, Angelo Tsakopoulos, and served during the Obama administration as the U.S. ambassador to Hungary. In November, she won her first run for statewide office. Also attending the ceremony were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California meets Dutch Newsom, who steals the show at his fathers inauguration By Taryn Luna Gov. Gavin Newsom gives his inaugural address while holding his youngest son, Dutch. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) In the California political world, all eyes were on Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday until his 2-year-old son stole the show. Dutch, the youngest of four children in the Newsom brood, climbed onstage in the middle of his fathers inaugural address in a tent outside the Capitol on Monday. The unplanned moment saw the 51-year-old governors big day interrupted by the toddler, bringing levity to the ceremony. Newsom was recounting Gov. Jerry Browns last inaugural speech and reference to the Sermon on the Mount, a biblical story about two men who built separate homes on sand and rock, when Dutch approached his father, a pacifier in his mouth and blanket in hand. Now more than ever we Californians know how much a house matters and children matter, Newsom said, improvising as he scooped the boy into his arms. The governor kissed Dutch on the cheek and held him for several minutes as he continued with the speech. This is exactly how it was scripted, Newsom joked. Newsom eventually put his child down and Dutch walked to the edge of the stage before retreating behind the podium to hide from his mother, First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The crowd roared. Siebel Newsom was able to briefly divert her son only for him to return to the stage minutes later. She grabbed him again and this time, the crying toddler did not reemerge. When fires strikes, when kids cry and the earth shakes, well be there for each other, Newsom said. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who said the moment humanized Newsom, threw cold water on any theories that Dutchs cameo was planned. No, I know it was not, Garcetti said with a laugh after Newsoms speech concluded. I could see that look of absolute abject terror [on Newsoms face]. Weve all been there. Kids always think its about themselves and theyve proved it. California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) agreed. I worked in early childhood education for 20 years and theres no way you can ever get a child to do anything when you want them to do it, Rendon said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Fiona Ma takes oath as Californias new treasurer By Liam Dillon State Treasurer Fiona Ma. Fiona Ma took the oath of office in Sacramento on Monday as the states 34th treasurer, promising to boost Californias economy. Ma previously served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, in the state Assembly and on the California Board of Equalization. I want to thank everyone for entrusting me with this important job. I understand my role here as your state treasurer is to build that financial wall around California so that we will remain the fifth-largest economy, Ma said in brief remarks. That is my promise to you. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye administered the oath to Ma. Following the ceremony, Ma held an ice cream social for guests. On Wednesday, she will host a public event in San Francisco to celebrate her swearing-in. State Treasurer Fiona Ma takes the oath of office. (Liam Dillon / Los Angeles Times) Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Expectations are high for newly sworn-in state schools chief Tony Thurmond Tony Thurmond shakes hands with retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco after taking the oath of office. (Melody Gutierrez / Los Angeles Times) Tony Thurmond took the oath of office as Californias state superintendent of public schools on Monday, promising a labor-friendly agenda before the teachers, students and Democratic officials who filled an auditorium at McClatchy High School in Sacramento to watch him being sworn in. We cant close the achievement gap without a great teacher at the head of every class, Thurmond said Monday to applause. We have to make sure we provide quality compensation and support to our teachers and our classified staff and all the educators who support our kids. Thurmond, a Bay Area Democrat who served in the state Assembly, won a hotly contested and expensive race with the help of labor leaders against charter school executive Marshall Tuck. The race took several days to sort out after Tuck held an initial lead in early returns on election night before falling behind thereafter. Thurmond was sworn in Monday by retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco. He was joined on stage by labor rights leader Dolores Huerta and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount). Thurmonds former colleagues in the state Assembly took turns praising him and promising to be an ally in improving schools. Many said they expected Thurmond would be a strong leader focused on improving student outcomes. We know we are going to work hard to give you the money you need and the budget you need to fully fund education and our schools so we can put our money where our mouth is and make sure our children have everything they need, Assemblywoman Connie Leyva (D-Chino Hills) said. As state superintendent, Thurmond will oversee the education of 6.2 million students at 10,000 schools. Thurmond was a member of the West Contra Costa County School Board and a Richmond city councilman before he was elected to the state Assembly. Tony is the right man at the right time to fight the federal, Donald Trump, Betsy DeVos anti-child, anti-education, anti-civil and -human rights agenda, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said. Tony is going to do that for us. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print State Controller Betty Yee takes oath of office with call for more affordable housing and healthcare State Controller Betty Yee California Controller Betty Yee took the oath of office Monday for a second term, saying she still has work to do addressing problems that include a lack of affordability in housing, healthcare and higher education. A San Francisco native, Yee is the chief financial officer of California the fifth-largest economy in the world having first won election to the post in 2014 before winning reelection in November. No region is spared from the widening inequality and increased poverty that plague our state, fueled by the lack of affordable, stable housing, the cost of healthcare and transportation, limited educational opportunities, student loan debt, displacement caused by disasters and more, she said. Yee was administered the oath of office by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento before an overflow crowd that included state Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and San Francisco Mayor London Breed. As a public official it is about governance that delivers results and stays accountable while upholding the underlying value of dignity for all, Yee said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra begins new term promising to fight Trump policies California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on Monday took the oath of office for a new term, saying he would continue his role as a leading challenger to Trump administration actions that he believes are counter to the states interests. Becerra, a former 12-term congressman, has become a national opposition figure to Trump, having sued the federal government 45 times since he was appointed as the states first Latino attorney general in 2017. Weve been a little busy stopping the dysfunction and insanity in Washington, D.C., from infecting California, Becerra told an audience during a swearing-in ceremony at the California Museum in Sacramento. Whether its the criminals on our streets or the conman in the boardrooms or highest office of the land, Becerra said, the California Department of Justice, well, weve got your back. Becerra won his first statewide election as the states top cop in November, two years after he filled the post vacated when predecessor Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate. He has peppered the Trump administration with lawsuits challenging federal policies on healthcare, the U.S. census, the environment and immigration. Our state builds dreams, not walls, he said in a direct criticism of Trumps proposal to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Just last week, Becerra led a coalition of 17 Democratic attorneys general in announcing an appeal of a federal judge in Texas that ruled the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. The ACA has been the law for nearly a decade and is the backbone of our healthcare system, Becerra said last week. This case impacts nearly every American workers covered by employers, families, women, children, young adults and seniors so we will lead the ACAs defense as long and far as it takes. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California Democratic Party Vice Chairman Daraka Larimore-Hall announces bid to lead group By Christine Mai-Duc Daraka Larimore-Hall. (Dominic Parisi / Courtesy of Daraka Larimore-Hall) Daraka Larimore-Hall, a top official at the California Democratic Party, said Monday hes running to replace former chairman Eric Bauman, who resigned abruptly in November after being confronted with allegations of sexual misconduct. Larimore-Hall, a longtime state party activist and former chairman of the Democratic Party of Santa Barbara County, was one of the party leaders who urged Bauman to resign following the allegations. In an email to supporters announcing his bid, he urged both structural and cultural change at every level of our Party. He also repeated his call for a top-to-bottom investigation of the allegations, the party and its culture. In a Times investigation, 10 party activists and staff members said Bauman made crude sexual comments and engaged in unwanted touching and physical intimidation in professional settings. In order to be where we need to be for 2020, we have to confront the culture of abuse and fear that allowed someone to behave in such a vile way for so long, Larimore-Hall said in an interview. We cant brush it aside or think that our activists or our candidates or our donors are going to forget about this overnight. Larimore-Hall said his first priority would be to fully investigate the allegations and restore rank-and-file confidence in the partys leadership. The second would be to refocus the party on political priorities as the 2020 presidential election nears. The Bauman episode, Larimore-Hall said, threatens to derail the Democrats plans to help defeat President Trump and keep the seven congressional seats gained in the midterm elections. Its definitely a crisis, Larimore-Hall said. But the component parts the energy, the enthusiasm, the volunteers, the infrastructure its still there. We just need to direct it toward something. Larimore-Hall was elected vice chairman of the state party in February following Baumans razor-thin victory over Bay Area activist Kimberly Ellis. Ellis has announced another bid for the chairmanship and former state Senate leader Kevin de Leon is also mulling a run. The vote will take place at the partys May convention in San Francisco. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom will vow to seize this moment, and swipe at Trump in Monday inaugural address By Melanie Mason Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family attend an Inauguration Family Event at the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Building on the theme of California exceptionalism that defined his campaign, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will depict the state as a guardian of progressive values and a counterweight to President Trump in his inaugural address Monday, according to excerpts of his prepared remarks. What we do today is even more consequential, because of whats happening in our country, read the excerpts obtained by The Times. Peoples lives, freedom, security, the water we drink, the air we breathe they all hang in the balance. The country is watching us. The world is waiting on us. The future depends on us. And we will seize this moment. The speech casts Californias political stakes in a decidedly national scope, promising an agenda that will unify and be an example to the rest of the country. It contrasts the governing goals of Newsom, a Democrat, with that of Trump, the incoming governors perennial foil. We will offer an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House, the excerpts say. Our government will be progressive, principled, and always on the side of the people. Newsom campaigned on an ambitious and wide-ranging platform, promising sweeping solutions on housing, healthcare, education and other issues that rank among Californians top concerns. In the weeks after his election, he struck a more muted tone, taking pains to emphasize his fiscal caution and need for patience in achieving those goals. The inaugural excerpts indicate a return to lofty pledges. While Newsom will vow to prepare for uncertain times ahead by building budgetary reserves and paying down debt, the prepared remarks quickly turn to a vow to be bold. Newsom has already floated several proposals for his first budget that carry significant price tags, including a nearly $2-billion plan to boost early childhood development for low-income families and a dramatic expansion of paid family leave from six weeks to six months. When asked for a preview of his inauguration speech during a news conference Sunday evening, Newsom predicted pundits would criticize his address as short on specifics. Well, of course, Im at an inaugural, Newsom said. But Ill be very detailed in the budget, a few days later. And then we will architect, in much more nuance and detail, in state of the state. I really see this as three opportunities to communicate over the next few weeks our agenda, our vision for the state. Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom-hosted benefit concert raises nearly $5 million for wildfire victims By Taryn Luna Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom speaks at a concert to benefit wildfire victims at the Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) On the eve of the gubernatorial inauguration, Californias political class rubbed elbows in Sacramento for a benefit concert hosted by Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and headlined by the rapper Pitbull. Newsom told the crowd gathered at the Golden 1 Center on Sunday evening that the fundraiser brought in nearly $5 million for the California Wildfire Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that supports the families of fallen firefighters and communities affected by wildfires. You know, a lot of folks feel anxious about not just politics, but government, Newsom said on stage before introducing the rapper and activist Common. But those firefighters, they are the antidote to the fear and cynicism; they are the manifestation of why government matters and why you should care. Top sponsors, including Salesforce, Kaiser Permanente and other interest groups, paid up to $1 million each to support the cause and curry favor with the new administration. Nathan Click, a spokesman for Newsom, said organizers sold more than 7,000 tickets. Several state lawmakers attended the concert alongside Capitol staff, lobbyists and business types, who mingled on the floor of the arena and offstage in private VIP areas. The rock band X Ambassadors and a duo called the Cold Weather Sons from the town of Paradise, which was destroyed by fire in November, were among several performers who entertained the crowd during the four-hour event. The California Rises concert is the final in a series of festivities held Sunday to celebrate the inauguration of Californias 40th governor. Earlier in the day, Newsom attended a private brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum and his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Newsoms inauguration is set to begin at 11 a.m. Monday on the steps of the Capitol. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Inauguration fever hits Sacramento as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom prepares to take office By Phil Willon Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom holds his son, Dutch, as he and his family attend an inaugural event at the at the state Railroad Museum Sunday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom doesnt officially take the oath of office until Monday, but the parties celebrating his inauguration were in full swing all day Sunday. Newsom and his family were mobbed by well-wishers at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront in the afternoon, where his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families. He just has charisma. Hes able to really connect with people, said Rosielyn Pulmano, an attorney from Elk Grove who came to see Newsom with her husband, two sons and her niece. I think he cares about working Californians and a lot of their issues. Newsom arrived with his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and their four young children, and the governor-elect spent a good deal of his time wading through crowds, taking selfies with supporters and signing autographs as music boomed in the background. As the family toured the inside of the museums locomotives and the bevy of exhibits, Newsoms two-year-old son, Dutch, was wide-eyed, impressed by all the train cars and seemingly a little overwhelmed by the crowd. Newsom said that for his son, all that was missing from the museum was Thomas the Train, popular fictional locomotive in childrens books and cartoons . If theres one thing I can contribute to Sacramento maybe its getting a Thomas the Train exhibit for the two years olds, Newsom joked when talking with reporters afterward. Newsom said he wanted to include such an event in his inaugural festivities to highlight families and children, whose wellbeing will be among the top priorities of his administration. Youll see that not only as a preamble to the inaugural and the budget that well be submitting next week, but I think itll be a big part of the administration, Newsom said. The museum event followed a private, high-dollar brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum. A steady rain failed to dissuade as many as 200 guests who sipped wine and dined on chicken and salmon while waiting for a photo with Californias new first couple. Seen at the event were representatives of some of the states most powerful political interests, among them organized labor, healthcare companies and tribal gaming interests. A few other high-profile guests attended, too, including Larry Baer, CEO of the San Francisco Giants, and Erika Jayne, a singer and cast member of the reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Im excited to see someone like Gavin young, vibrant taking over the state and leading us into the future, Jayne said after attending the brunch with her husband, attorney Tom Girardi. Hes got a lot of great plans. Attendees said the event, which was closed to reporters and held under a tent in the museums outdoor atrium, did not include prepared remarks by Newsom. Among those seen leaving the event were representatives of AT&T, the California Medical Assn., Uber, Kaiser Permanente and the State Building and Construction Trades Council. A fundraising invitation obtained by The Times offered bundled tickets to all of the inauguration events, including those on Sunday and the Monday ceremony, ranging in price from $25,000 to $200,000. The money will be collected by a committee specifically organized to pay for Newsoms inaugural weekend. Sundays festivities are scheduled to end with a benefit concert headlined by Pitbull at the Golden 1 Center, home of the NBAs Sacramento Kings, to raise money for the victims of Californias recent deadly wildfires. Among the attendees at @GavinNewsoms pre-inaugural leadership brunch: Real Housewife of Bev Hills @erikajayne. Im excited to see someone like Gavinyoung, vibranttaking over the state and leading us into the future. Hes got a lot of great plans. pic.twitter.com/561NHiy2XQ Melanie Mason (@melmason) January 6, 2019 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement As Newsom inaugural events begin, he unveils more state budget promises on education and paid family leave Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, seen here last April, will propose new state budget efforts on paid family leave and education subsidies. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Californias incoming governor, who must send his first state budget plan to the Legislature this week, has already signaled a significant new focus on programs to help families and children from infancy to college. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom campaigned on a platform that included a number of child-focused efforts specifically aimed at helping lower-income families. The price tag for the initial efforts is expected to approach $2 billion a cost paid out of an unrestricted tax revenue windfall that could be one of the largest in state history. Newsom may also seek help for families through new subsidies paid by California employers. The governor-elect is expected to propose a dramatic expansion of paid parental leave from six weeks to six months according to an internal document provided by a source close to the Newsom transition team, first reported on Sunday by the New York Times. The document doesnt offer a full explanation for how the program will be funded, saying instead that the budget will set a goal of ensuring that all newborns and newly adopted babies can be cared for by a parent or a close family member for the first six months. Employers across the state are currently assessed a payroll tax that helps offer a subsidy to parents who temporarily leave their job to care for a newborn. Newsoms plan, according to the document, would pay for some of the new costs by shrinking the mandated cash reserve of the state fund that administers the program, allowing more of the money to be paid in benefits. The increase in paid leave would not all happen at once but instead be phased in over a multi-year period. A task force to help implement the expanded care plan is also envisioned, according to the document. It would determine whether two parents could split the six months of paid leave and whether an extended family member could be enlisted to help care for the child of a single parent over the six-month period. The incoming administrations focus on young children will also include $1.8 billion in new spending on early childhood education programs, with a particular focus on training childcare workers and pushing for more California schools to offer full-day kindergarten. Those costs, according to an overview memo obtained by the Los Angeles Times, are considered to be a one-time expense while leaving the long-term costs of the effort to be determined later. More community college students would get free tuition under a third initiative expected in the new governors budget plan. Newsom will propose spending $40 million to offer a second year of tuition-free college to California students, according to an outline provided by a transition official, first reported by Politico. Students are already eligible for a single year of paid tuition under a plan agreed to by Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers in 2017. The incoming governor embraced the idea of free community college during the 2018 campaign as part of a broader focus on additional investments in higher education. Education is an economic development strategy, Newsom said at a higher education forum last spring. We need to significantly increase the investment from the general fund of this state on higher education. Theres no greater higher return on investment. Whether the proposal would be targeted to students based on a familys financial need is unclear. Many low-income students are already eligible for fee waivers at community colleges. The new governor must submit his full state budget plan to lawmakers no later than Thursday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gavin Newsom and his family decide Sacramento is the place to be The Old Governors Mansion State Historic Park in Sacramento. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will move his family into the mansion. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family will give up the Marin County life and move to the Victorian-style governors mansion in Sacramento after he takes the oath of office Monday. Newsom and his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, had debated whether or when to relocate to the state capital since his election in November. The couple have four young children and expressed reservations about moving in the middle of a school year. To best serve the people of California while also maximizing family time together, the Newsoms have therefore decided to move to Sacramento, said Newsoms spokesman, Nathan Click. On Monday, they will move into the Governors Mansion along with their four children, their two family dogs, and their family bunny rabbit and reside there for the immediate future. The Newsoms currently live in Marin County. Gov. Jerry Brown and his wife, Ann Gust Brown, moved into the grand house in 2015 after it underwent $4.1 million in renovations to update electrical and plumbing systems, as well as to remove lead-based paint and install a fire sprinkler system and other security features. The mansion was built in 1877 and has been home to 14 governors, but before Brown it had not housed a California governor for nearly half a century. The state bought the mansion from a wealthy Sacramento hardware merchant, Albert Gallatin, in 1903 for $32,500. It was one of the few California homes at that time to have indoor plumbing. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom announces top labor, business liaisons as he prepares to take office Julie Su will be secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency for Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday named two advisors on issues related to the California economy, each recognized for their expertise on business and labor. The incoming governor will appoint Julie Su as secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and Lenny Mendonca as chief economic and business advisor and director of the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development. Su, 49, has served as state labor commissioner under Gov. Jerry Brown since 2011 and has led an office tasked with the enforcement of Californias labor laws. She won a MacArthur Foundation genius grant in 2001 and previously worked as a civil rights attorney representing low-wage workers. In her new position, Su will be tasked with coordinating the work of several workforce departments in state government, including those that administer unemployment benefits and oversee the relationship between agriculture workers and employers. Mendonca, 57, has been a longtime advocate for rethinking government operations as co-chairman of the nonprofit organization California Forward. Previously, he was partner at McKinsey & Co., a global management consulting firm. While he will be a key advisor to Newsom on the states economy, Mendonca will also lead the office often referred to as Go-Biz, designated as a high-level way to encourage job growth and economic development. In his new role, Mendonca will help ensure that California is rolling out the welcome mat to current and future California businesses and growing a sustainable economy for every Californian, said a statement from the Newsom transition team. Newsom will take the oath of office as governor Monday. He has previously selected key advisors on the state budget, legislative affairs and the executive branchs wide array of agencies and departments. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Joshua Groban, aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, sworn in to California Supreme Court By Taryn Luna California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban gives remarks after he is sworn into the court by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday. (Taryn Luna) California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban, a lawyer and longtime aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, was sworn into the states highest court Thursday in Sacramento. The ceremony marked Browns fourth appointment to the state Supreme Court and gave the seven-member bench a Democratic majority. We live in a highly chaotic, ever-changing and ever-confusing world, Groban said in prepared remarks at the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building. But Im happy to report that Im joining an institution whose fundamental purpose, at core, is to provide stability and consistency amidst this chaotic place we live. I look forward to doing that with a sense of reflection, respect, fidelity to the law and compassion. None of Browns appointees, Groban included, have judicial experience. Groban served as legal counsel to Browns 2010 gubernatorial campaign and joined the administration as a senior advisor to the governor, overseeing the appointments of some 600 judges over the last eight years. Prior to working with Brown, Groban, 45, practiced law for more than a decade. In perhaps his final public appearance before his successor, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, takes office next week, Brown pushed back on notions that he stacked the court. I dont want this to be known as a Brown court, the governor said before administering the judicial oath of office. First of all, the so-called Brown appointments do not agree with themselves and nor should they. They are individuals. They will differ. Its not anybodys court. The governor called the court a high calling and said Groban possesses the values for the job. Probably, next to my wife, Ive talked to no person as much as Ive talked to Josh Groban, Brown said. I think youve talked to him more, Californias First Lady Anne Gust Brown interjected. I cant tell you what the hell hes going to do, Brown later quipped. I warned him, dont screw up, at least not at first. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California campaign watchdog agency seeks law barring use of campaign funds to fight harassment claims Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). ( (Steve Yeater / Associated Press)) Elected officials accused of harassment or discrimination would be barred from using political contributions to cover their legal defense costs under legislation proposed by Californias campaign watchdog agency. The state Fair Political Practices Commission has agreed to pursue a law change to clear up confusion after an attorney for one former state lawmaker argued political funds could be used in such legal defenses. Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said putting a prohibition into the law would provide some much needed clarity. As chair, I would like to show the public their lawmakers are held to a standard that is above reproach, Germond said in a statement. People dont give money to campaigns for lawmakers to use it to defend their own bad behavior, so lawmakers shouldnt be able to use it in that manner. The issue came up a year ago when an attorney for former Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) sought a formal opinion from the FPPC after the Senate launched an investigation that later concluded Mendoza likely engaged in a pattern of harassment against female aides. Mendoza resigned in February under threat of expulsion by the Senate. In a Jan. 10, 2018, letter, Cassandra Ferrannini, an attorney for Mendoza, wrote to the FPPC that she believed Mendoza should be allowed to establish a legal defense fund able to defray his legal expenses in defending himself against the allegations. The use of campaign funds for attorneys fees under these circumstances would fall squarely within the scope of legislative matters, since it involves the alleged conduct of a legislator with regard to legislative staff that he supervised, Ferrannini wrote. The commission staff originally issued an advice letter that said Mendoza may use campaign and legal defense funds to defend himself from claims of sexual harassment that arose directly out of his activities or status as a candidate or elected officer. But the panel later rescinded the letter after some members questioned using campaign funds to fight sexual harassment claims. That left uncertainty about what was allowed, which Germond said could be cleared up by a new law. The FPPC is still looking for a legislator to carry the bill, a spokesman said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias landmark police transparency law takes effect after court denies police union effort to block it California Supreme Court building (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) A new state law allowing the public disclosure of internal police shooting investigations has gone into effect after the California Supreme Court on Wednesday denied a bid by a police union to block it. The law opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. challenged the law last month, asking state Supreme Court justices to decide that the law only apply to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. The court rejected that request Wednesday, allowing members of the public to seek all applicable records held by police departments. Union president Grant Ward said in a statement that his organization was disappointed with the decision and is now seeking other legal options. We feel this is a statewide issue and should be considered accordingly, Ward said. Last month, the city of Inglewood authorized the destruction of more than 100 police shooting investigations and other records in advance of Jan. 1, when the disclosure law was scheduled to take effect. California law requires police departments to keep such records for five years, and Inglewood City Council voted to destroy records older than that. Mayor James T. Butts has said the decision had nothing to do with the new law. In Los Angeles, Police Chief Michel Moore has said that complying with the new disclosure rules could take hundreds of thousands of hours of work. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of the transparency law, has said she has no immediate plans to propose changes to it. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Few complaints of racial profiling are sustained by police agencies in California, state panel finds CHP Officer J. Nelson stands outside the office of Gov. Jerry Brown as activists in 2015 support requiring the tracking of police stops. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Law enforcement agencies in California sustain few citizen complaints of racial or identity profiling, according to a report Wednesday by a state panel set up to help reduce bias in policing. The states Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board recommended in its annual report that law enforcement agencies improve training and adopt clear guidelines for tracking and reporting data on who is stopped by officers. The panel said that 453 law enforcement agencies in the state received 9,459 civilian complaints in 2017, including 865 complaints alleging racial or identity profiling. Of the racial and identity complaints that reached a disposition that year, 1.5% were sustained, 14.6% resulted in officers being exonerated and 83.9% of complaints were not sustained or were determined to be unfounded, the report said. A clearer picture of the issue is expected from a 2015 law that requires police agencies to report demographic data on all detentions and searches. The first reports by the eight largest agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, are due to be submitted in April. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, whose office oversees the board, said tracking of all detentions and searches will be helpful to understand the scope of the issue. The Boards recommendations will help make our law enforcement agencies more transparent and promote critical steps to enhance, and in some cases, repair the public trust, Becerra said in a statement Wednesday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California housing crisis podcast: What Minneapolis decision to end single-family zoning might mean for California A view of downtown Minneapolis in 2014 (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images) Theres a national movement brewing to roll back zoning rules in cities that only allow one house on a plot of land. The epicenter of that movement is Minneapolis, which passed a plan last month to eliminate single-family zoning citywide and let landowners build duplexes and triplexes on residential property. On this episode of Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast, we talk about the reasons why Minneapolis leaders took this action, including their desire to combat a history of racial exclusion and spur more housing density to fight climate change. We also debate how Minneapolis decision might affect housing politics in California. Our guest is Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender, who helped shepherd the new zoning rules to passage and a former San Francisco city planner. The episode also crowns 2018s Avocado of the Year the most ridiculous story exemplifying Californias housing woes and includes our predictions for the most under-the-radar important themes in housing politics in 2019. Gimme Shelter, a biweekly podcast that looks at why its so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CALmatters. You can subscribe to Gimme Shelter on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Play and Overcast. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement How young immigrant Dreamers made flipping control of the House a personal quest By Jazmine Ulloa Gabriela Cruz, who was brought to the U.S. illegally when she was 1, couldnt vote, but in the final hours before the Nov. 6 election, she was making one last run to get people to the polls. The sun was setting in Modesto when she found Ronald Silva, 41, smoking a cigarette on a tattered old couch behind a group home. He politely tried to wave her off until she reminded him he had a right that she as an immigrant without citizenship didnt have. It could really make a change for us, said Cruz, 29. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose almost $2 billion for early childhood programs (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Seeking to frame his new administration as one with a firm focus on closing the gap between children from affluent and poor families, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose spending some $1.8 billion on an array of programs designed to boost Californias enrollment in early education and child-care programs. Newsoms plan, which he hinted at in a Fresno event last month, will be a key element in the state budget proposal he will submit to the Legislature shortly after taking office Monday, a source close to the governor-elects transition team said. The spending would boost programs designed to ensure children enter kindergarten prepared to learn, closing what some researchers have called the readiness gap that exists based on a familys income. It would also phase in an expansion of prekindergarten and offer money to help school districts that dont have facilities for full-day kindergarten. The fact that hes making significant investments with his opening budget is really exciting, Ted Lempert, president of the Bay Area-based nonprofit Children Now, said Tuesday. Whats exciting is the comprehensiveness of it, because its saying were going to focus on prenatal through age 5. A broad overview document reviewed by The Times on Tuesday shows that most of the outlay under the plan $1.5 billion would be a one-time expense in the budget year that begins July 1. Those dollars would be a single infusion of cash, an approach favored by Gov. Jerry Brown in recent years. Most of the money would be spent on efforts to expand child-care services and kindergarten classes. By law, a governor must submit a full budget to the Legislature no later than Jan. 10. Lawmakers will spend the winter and spring reviewing the proposal and must send a final budget plan to Newsom by June 15. Though legislative Democrats have pushed for additional early childhood funding in recent years a key demand of the Legislative Womens Caucus those actions have typically come late in the budget-writing season in Sacramento. Quite frankly, to start out with a January proposal that includes that investment in Californias children reflects a new day, state Sen. Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) said. The governor-elect will propose a $750-million boost to kindergarten funding, aimed at expanding facilities to allow full-day programs. A number of school districts offer only partial-day programs, leaving many low-income families to skip enrolling their children because kindergarten classes end in the middle of the workday. Because the money would not count toward meeting Californias three-decades-old education spending guarantee under Proposition 98, which sets a minimum annual funding level for K-12 schools and community colleges, it will not reduce planned spending on other education services. Close behind in total cost is a budget proposal by Newsom to help train child-care workers and expand local facilities already subsidized by the state, as well as those serving parents who attend state colleges and universities. Together, those efforts could cost $747 million, according to the budget overview document. An expansion of prekindergarten programs would be phased in over three years at a cost of $125 million in the first year. The multiyear rollout would, according to the budget overview, ensure the system can plan for the increase in capacity. Lempert said the Newsom proposal is notable for trying to avoid the kinds of battles that in recent years pitted prekindergarten and expanded child care against each other for additional taxpayer dollars. The reality is we need to expand both simultaneously, he said. Another $200 million of the proposal would be earmarked for programs that provide home visits to expectant parents from limited-income families and programs that provide healthcare screenings for young children. Some of the money would come from the states Medi-Cal program, and other money from federal matching dollars. Funding for the home visits program was provided in the budget Brown signed last summer; the Newsom effort would build on that. Emphasizing a policy area with broad appeal in his first state budget could reflect Newsoms political sensibility about the challenges ahead. Democratic lawmakers and interest groups will be especially eager to see how Newsom addresses the demand for an overhaul of healthcare coverage in California especially after a 2017 effort to create a single-payer, universal system fizzled. The path forward on healthcare is complex and costly, making early childhood education a more achievable goal in the governor-elects early tenure. Newsom is likely to face considerable demands for other additional spending. In November, the Legislatures independent analysts projected that continued strength in tax revenues could produce a cash reserve of some $29 billion over the next 18 months. Almost $15 billion of that could be in unrestricted reserves, the kind that can be spent on any number of government programs. Kim Belshe, executive director of the child advocacy organization First 5 LA and a former state health and human services secretary, said the initial Newsom budget proposal suggests the next governor will focus on a comprehensive approach to improving outcomes for children from low-income families. School-ready kids deserve quality early learning, strong and well-supported families, and access to early screening services, Belshe said. Newsom understands the whole child, multifaceted needs of our kids and is clearly ready to lead. Mitchell, the chair of the Senate budget committee, said shes eager to see the details of the governor-elects proposal to determine whether it might signal the beginning of an even broader expansion of early education efforts. Similar efforts have been hindered by a lack of money and ongoing debate over which services to help children 5 and younger need state funding the most. Universal preschool, in particular, has been debated for more than a decade. California voters rejected a ballot measure to fund a full prekindergarten system in 2006. Its clear theres a new movement afoot trying to engage on investment for universal preschool, Mitchell said. How we invest, and how we prioritize that investment, is going to be a great conversation for the coming months. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Politics Podcast: A final conversation with Gov. Jerry Brown No Californian has served longer as governor, signed more laws, granted clemency to more felons or waged more high-profile campaigns than Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown will leave behind a unique legacy when he packs his last belongings for the trip from the governors mansion in Sacramento to his Northern California ranch. His final two terms in office could be his most consequential. The governor reviewed some of the more notable moments from the past eight years in a far-reaching interview with The Times on Dec. 22. This weeks podcast episode includes extended portions of that conversation. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement A sagging economy could doom a 2020 ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes, Gov. Jerry Brown says Gov. Jerry Brown, at his Colusa County home on Saturday, said a ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes could struggle in 2020. (Randall Benton/For The Times) An effort to remove commercial property in California from the tax limits imposed by the landmark Proposition 13 could be felled by an economic slowdown, Gov. Jerry Brown said. In a Saturday interview with The Times at his Northern California ranch, Brown said liberal activist groups that have successfully placed the proposal on the November 2020 statewide ballot shouldnt read too much into early poll numbers showing support for the plan. That isnt as easy as you think, Brown said. Because youre going to be in a downturn of the business cycle. And youre talking many kinds of business. And the cost of doing business in California is already high. The ballot measure would allow counties to more frequently assess the market value of commercial property in California than allowed under Proposition 13, a 1978 ballot initiative that amended the state constitution to place strict limits on assessing property values and taxation for both homeowners and businesses. An analysis of the new measure, which qualified in October for the 2020 ballot, estimates it could bring in some $10.5 billion a year in new tax revenue. The business community will fight it, Brown said. And the minimum wage, the family leave, the environmental rules business[es] have left California, thats going to be the big argument. And I think thats something you really have to think a lot about. The governor, who leaves office early next month due to term limits, declined to either endorse or oppose the ballot measure. He said Californias economic health in two years time could be a key factor in how voters weigh the proposal. Well be in a recession by then, Brown said. So its anybodys guess. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Inglewood to destroy more than 100 police shooting records that could otherwise become public under new California law By Jack Dolan Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) The city of Inglewood has authorized the shredding of more than 100 police shooting and other internal investigation records weeks before a new state law could allow the public to access them for the first time. The decision, made at a City Council meeting earlier this month, has troubled civil liberties advocates who were behind the state legislation, Senate Bill 1421, which takes effect Jan. 1. The law opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The legislature passed SB 1421 because communities demanded an end to the secrecy cloaking police misconduct and use of force, Marcus Benigno, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said in a statement. Inglewood PDs decision to purge records undermines police accountability and transparency against the will of Californians. California law says police departments must retain records of officer shootings and internal misconduct investigations for five years. The city of Inglewood, however, had kept records longer than that, including case files of police shootings dating to 1991. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of SB 1421, intended for her bill to allow public access to all qualifying records held by a department, no matter the date of the incident. Inglewood City Council approved the destruction of records that have been in the police departments possession more than 100 cases longer than required by law. The city staff report and council resolution describing the action makes no mention of the new police transparency law. Instead it says the affected records are obsolete, occupy valuable space, and are of no further use to the police department. It added the traditional method of destroying such records is to shred them. It is unclear whether the records have since been destroyed. A spokesman for the Inglewood Police Department along with Inglewoods city manager, attorney, clerk, four council members and Mayor James T. Butts, a former Santa Monica police chief, did not respond to requests for comment. Inglewoods City Hall is closed the last two weeks of December. The Inglewood Police Department has a reputation for secrecy and using excessive force. In 2008, the departments officers fatally shot four men in as many months, three of whom turned out to be unarmed. The U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights probe and found significant flaws in the way the department oversaw use-of-force cases and investigated complaints against officers. Civil rights advocates still question why Inglewood police opened fire on a couple found sleeping in a car in 2016, killing them both. California police have a long history of shredding records to avoid scrutiny of their actions. In the 1970s, the LAPD famously destroyed more than four tons of personnel records after defense attorneys began requesting them as part of criminal cases against their clients. The move resulted in the dismissal of more than a hundred criminal complaints. In response, the Legislature demanded that records be preserved but then took other measures, supported by police unions, to ensure the public had very little access to them, making California the most secretive state in the nation when it comes to police misconduct. Skinners legislation begins to unwind those laws, which have been on the books since 1978. No video or audio of the Dec. 11 council action is available on the citys website and neither are meeting minutes or any record of the decision. A city spokeswoman, Courtney Torres, confirmed that the council had voted in favor of the police records purge, and said all the relevant reasons for the decision were included in the city staff report. The Jan. 1 implementation for SB 1421 has prompted other police officials to act. A police union in San Bernardino is asking the state Supreme Court to determine that Skinners bill only applies to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner earlier this month warning that complying with the law in regard to older records in the departments possession could take hundreds of thousands of work hours. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Federal officials question California DMVs process for issuing Real IDs (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has notified the California Department of Motor Vehicles that its process for providing residents with federally recognized identification cards is not adequate. DMV spokesman Armando Botello said Friday that 2.3 million residents who received Real IDs under the current process will have to submit additional documentation when their cards are renewed in five years but will be able to use them in the meantime. The DMV is developing a way for residents to submit more documentation online or via email to comply with the stricter federal requirement, he said. But some state legislators are upset about delays in notifying them of the problem and say Homeland Security could eventually require additional documentation provided by current holders. The DMV has known for a month that millions of Real IDs theyve been dolling out are potentially invalid, Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) said. The DMVs only hope is that the Department of Homeland Security takes pity on California and gives the DMV more time to fix this mess. Real IDs are a new kind of driver license and identification card that federal law will require legal residents to present when boarding domestic flights or visiting military bases and other federal facilities starting Oct. 1, 2020. The DMV has only been requiring one form of documentation, including a current lease or utility bill, to verify the residence of a card applicant. But the federal government said in a Nov. 21 letter to the agency that two such documents are needed. On Friday, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto released a letter defending the current process but said her agency will start requiring a second document to prove residency in April. In order to minimize confusion among our customers, the CADMV will work to inform individuals who have been issued a Real ID under the current process that their card will be accepted for official federal purposes, even if their renewal occurs after the October 1, 2020, final enforcement date for Real ID, Shiomoto wrote to the federal agency. Legislative officials worry there is still a possibility that those issued Real IDs in the past might be required to present a second document to have their cards designated as compliant. The more complex process for obtaining Real IDs has led to hours-long waits for customers at DMV field offices this year, although wait times have been reduced recently by an increase in staffing. Shiomoto last month announced that she is retiring amid problems with the motor voter registration system and after the governor ordered an audit of her agency in response to the long wait times. On Friday, Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido blasted the DMV for waiting a month to tell legislators of the problem. This is unacceptable and flies in the face of security for our citizens, which is what Real ID was created for in the first place, she said in a statement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom taps Keely Bosler to be his finance director Keely Bosler, the director of the California Department of Finance, will continue in that role under Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (California Department of Finance) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday appointed Keely Martin Bosler as director of the California Department of Finance, continuing the role she has served under Gov. Jerry Brown since August. Bosler will become Newsoms chief fiscal advisor, and will play a pivotal role in shaping Newsoms spending plan for the state that will lay the foundation for his top policy priorities. Newsom must roll out his first budget plan within days of taking office on Jan. 7. Californias brighter future depends on a strong, stable fiscal foundation, Newsom said in a statement released Friday afternoon. Keely is an accomplished public servant of sound fiscal judgment. She understands that state budgets are more than numbers on a page they are value statements affecting the fate and future of millions of families reaching for the California Dream. We are fortunate to have her on our team. Prior to being appointed finance director, Bosler served as Browns cabinet secretary for two years and, before that, as the chief deputy director for budget in the Finance Department for three years. Earlier this year, Brown picked Bosler to lead an audit of the Department of Motor Vehicles, which had come under fire for long wait times at DMV field offices and numerous computer problems, including errors in the new motor voter program that registered Californians to vote. As we have discussed, long wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles do not reflect the high standards of service that Californians expect from their state government, Bosler wrote in a letter in September to DMV Director Jean Shiomoto. The audit is still ongoing, but Shiomoto has since announced she will retire at the end of the year. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias legislative analyst, after decades of nonpartisan research for lawmakers, calls it a career Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, who has led the state research unit since 2008, will retire on Dec. 31. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Only five people have led the independent research office of the California Legislature since its creation in 1941. And each of them has had a pretty simple mantra to live by in reviewing public policy proposals and government programs: Call it like you see it. The job of any analyst, to me, is you maintain that nonpartisanship, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor said. Taylor, 65, will retire from the post at the end of December after a four-decade career with the research team that began, as he likes to tell it, just after the passage of the landmark property tax rollback, Proposition 13, in 1978. He became the leader of the office, with the title of legislative analyst, in October 2008. Two months later, state government found itself in arguably the worst fiscal crisis in its history a projected shortfall that ultimately grew to $42 billion by the following winter. There were forces beyond our control, Taylor said of that time. But dont underestimate the policy changes that were made afterward. Those changes, most notably a boost in taxes paid by high-income earners and a robust state budget cash reserve fund, have helped lead to successive years of fully funded government services. The state is projected to have some $24 billion in reserves by the end of the current fiscal year. Taylor announced his intention earlier to step down this year. Leaders from both houses of the Legislature select the analyst, who leads a staff of almost five dozen researchers. The office provides in-depth reports on pending legislation, as well as on broader policy topics like education and healthcare, and produces an independent analysis for every proposed ballot measure. A succession of lawmakers and governors alike have praised or panned the work of the Legislative Analysts Office based on their own political worldview. Taylor said his staff is mindful that they work for legislators, but try to ignore the rhetoric that follows the release of a major report. People are going to do what theyre going to do with our information, he said. They dont always like it, but they appreciate that we give them our best advice. Taylor oversaw a transformation in the way the Legislative Analysts Office distributes its information, embracing the release of research reports through social media instead of relying on traditional printed copies and journalist roundtable events. But he said the work of the researchers has remained largely unchanged through the decades. Having an independent take on things, I think, is good for the Legislature, he said. No replacement for Taylor has been announced, which means a short transition for his eventual successor before Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom sends his first budget proposal to lawmakers in early January. Taylor, who lives in the Sacramento suburbs, said he will honor the tradition of his predecessors in stepping away from public policy debates in order to give the new analyst space to lead the team as he or she sees fit. He said he hopes to travel in the coming years and spend time with his children who have moved to the East Coast. Forty years in state government, Taylor said in why he was stepping aside now. Isnt that enough? Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown sues to save California sentencing laws By Don Thompson, Associated Press (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown sued Thursday to protect one of his signature actions in office, a voter-approved measure that allows most prison inmates to seek earlier release and participate in rehabilitation programs. His administration filed a lawsuit challenging a pending 2020 initiative that seeks to toughen criminal penalties as part of an effort to roll back reforms adopted by voters within the last decade. Browns lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court contends the measure lacked enough valid signatures to overturn a previously approved constitutional amendment. County officials and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla certified the signatures in July but said they were submitted too late to qualify for last months election. The lawsuit names Padilla and the ballot measures official proponent, Nina Salarno Besselman, president of the advocacy group Crime Victims United. Padilla said the measure exceeded the required roughly 366,000 valid signatures, equal to 5% of votes cast for governor in 2014. Browns lawsuit says he used the wrong threshold. It says changing the state Constitution requires 8%, or more than 585,400 signatures. That makes the pending initiative more than 150,000 signatures short, the lawsuit says. Hes wrong, said Jeff Flint, a spokesman for the campaign backing the measure. He predicted a judge will be reluctant to reject a measure that already has qualified for the ballot. The secretary of state told us how many signatures are required, and thats how many we collected, Flint said. Padillas office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The measure would reverse reforms adopted by voters through Proposition 47 in 2014 and Proposition 57 in 2016. Proposition 57 allows most inmates to seek earlier paroles, and Proposition 47 reduced some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. The combination has helped keep Californias inmate population below a population cap set by federal judges. Corrections department spokeswoman Vicky Waters said the measure gives corrections and parole officials broad discretion to protect our communities and fashion a rational system of rehabilitation and punishment. This new initiative unlawfully seeks to supplant the departments constitutional authority to implement these critical reforms to our criminal justice system. The pending initiative would shorten the list of crimes that qualify for earlier parole and change some theft crimes from misdemeanors back to felonies. It would also increase the number of crimes for which DNA is collected, a list that was limited when some crimes went from felonies to misdemeanors. Those supporting the tougher penalties say easing criminal penalties has increased the number of dangerous criminals on the streets, but those backing the changes say they have helped reduce mass incarceration and rehabilitate convicted criminals. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Supreme Court orders records unsealed in pardon of ex-state Sen. Roderick Wright Former state Sen. Roderick Wright (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) The California Supreme Court has granted a request to unseal court records involving Gov. Jerry Browns decision last month to pardon former state Sen. Roderick Wright for felony convictions involving lying about living in his legislative district, officials said Thursday. The court order was in response to a request by the nonpartisan First Amendment Coalition, which argued that the public has a right to know what information went into the governors decision to grant clemency to Wright. This is an important victory for public access to court files involving the exercise of executive clemency, said coalition spokesman Glen A. Smith. We are gratified the court has recognized that these decisions should be subject to the same public access rules that apply to other judicial records under California law. The court gave Browns office until Jan. 2 to redact confidential material before giving the court documents that can be released to the public. The court files submitted by the governors office include letters of support for a pardon and an internal review of Wrights case. The court denied a motion to unseal the records of all clemency cases but left open consideration of requests on other individual cases. Browns office is currently evaluating the courts decision, said spokesman Brian Ferguson. The governor argued against unsealing records in a recent court filing that said confidentiality is consistent with historical practice and is supported by state law. In pardoning Wright on Nov. 22, the governor wrote: He has shown that since his release from custody, he has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character, and conducted himself as a law abiding citizen. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California political watchdog agency fines BART, urges prosecution over using public funds for campaign A Bay Area Rapid Transit train leaves the station in Oakland in this 2013 file photo. (Ben Margot / AP) Californias state political watchdog agency on Thursday imposed a $7,500 fine against the Bay Area Rapid Transit District and called for a possible criminal or civil prosecution over allegations the district used public resources to campaign for a 2016 bond measure. The state Fair Political Practices Commission levied an administrative fine against BART for its failure to disclose spending on YouTube videos, social media posts and text messages to promote Measure RR, which authorized $3.5 billion in general obligation bonds. Though the panel lacks authority to seek criminal charges over the misuse of public funds, it also urged county district attorneys in the BART service area and the state attorney general to pursue possible criminal or civil charges over the spending of taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes, Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said. It is the concept of misusing public funds that I think we all here are very disturbed about, and we want to send a warning and not create a precedent that is a minor, little slap on the wrist, Germond said, adding that the referral to criminal prosecutors would further send a message that this is wrong. Commissioner Brian Hatch also called for the state Legislature to consider granting the FPPC power to go after public agencies that spend taxpayer money on campaigns. Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) called on the agency to increase the fine to the maximum level of $33,375. The proposed $7,500 fine represents a slap on the wrist for a very serious violation of the law and the publics trust, Glazer said in a letter to the panel. In supporting the fine recommended by the staff, Germond said BART has agreed to pay the penalty. Somebody did something wrong and they have admitted it, she said. A staff report said there were factors in favor of a fine below the maximum. Although the Commission considers BARTs violations to be serious, the absence of any evidence of an intention to conceal, deceive, or mislead; the voluntary filing of the delinquent campaign statement; and the absence of a prior record are mitigating, the report said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California police union seeks state Supreme Court review of new law disclosing internal investigation records Los Angeles Police Department officers. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A police union is asking the California Supreme Court to block the release of internal officer investigations before a new state law takes effect next year. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. filed a petition Tuesday asking justices to rule that only investigations of incidents that occur after Jan. 1 would be available under the law and not those the department has on file from years prior. The litigation comes after this years passage of Senate Bill 1421, which opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, and the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department has told the union it intends to make available in response to public records requests all the information it has. The union is very concerned about any plans to retroactively apply Senate Bill 1421, Grant Ward, the unions president, said in a statement. We believe retroactive application violates our members rights and we hope the California Supreme Court will consider the serious issues raised by our legal challenge. The bills author, Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), does not agree with the unions interpretation. She has said her legislation should apply to all the records in a police departments possession because the law simply declared that affected records were no longer confidential. If the record exists, its disclosable, Skinner said. A decision on what records will be available under the law is key to how far-reaching it will be. If the court restricts access to incidents that occurred prior to 2019, those cases will not be subject to public scrutiny. The police union in San Bernardino County is not the only one raising concerns about the law. Earlier this month, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner expressing concern that his agency would be overwhelmed if the law required the department to disclose older incidents. Even if the law only applied to the previous five years, Moore wrote, it could take nearly 300,000 hours of work to comply with its provisions. The LAPD operates with a guiding principle of Reverence for the Law; as such, we will diligently comply with SB 1421, Moore wrote. We maintain, however, that a retroactive implementation of SB 1421 will be exceptionally burdensome and would require significant reallocation of front-line investigative personnel. Skinner said if complying with the law becomes untenable for law enforcement agencies that maintain records for a long time, she would consider modifications. But she said agencies did not raise this concern during discussion over the bill. SB 1421 went through multiple committee hearings, multiple floor debates, extensive opportunity for all parties to weigh in on concerns with its structure, she said. That was not an issue that was raised by law enforcement at the time. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Brown warns of backlash for Republicans in 2020 if Obamacare repeal is upheld Gov. Jerry Brown at the National Press Club in April. (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown warned Republicans on Tuesday that repeal of the Affordable Care Act would devastate the partys political chances in the 2020 election. Brown, speaking at a Sacramento Press Club event moderated by Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton and Brown family historian Miriam Pawel, said a federal judges ruling last week to strike down the 2010 law if upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court will build such a backlash that the Democrats will not only take over the Senate, theyll win the presidency and will win with the kind of momentum, particularly on the issue of healthcare, that [the law] will be replaced probably with something even better. The governor, who leaves office in less than three weeks, said he did not believe the ruling by a Texas judge would ultimately prevail. I think the decision will probably be overturned, Brown said. Few states have embraced the law championed by former President Obama more than California, both through its healthcare exchange, Covered California, and by expanding access to government-funded services under Medi-Cal. Some 12 million Californians now receive healthcare through Medi-Cal, and Brown said a final ruling affecting the federal dollars that subsidize that care would be a serious blow. California would not be able to afford it without the subsidy, the governor said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Bars in Los Angeles, San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks (acuna-hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses, and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors, and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Bars in Los Angeles and San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks. (Acuna-Hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias DMV director announces retirement amid problems with motor voter program (Kent Nishamura/Los Angeles Times) The director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles will retire at years end with a number of questions unanswered about the implementation of a major voter registration system and long wait times experienced by customers for much of the past summer. Jean Shiomoto will not continue in her current role as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom takes office, and announced to staff several weeks ago her intent to retire at the end of the year after 38 years in state service, spokesman Armando Botello said in an email to The Times on Friday. Newsoms transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on who might lead the department in 2019. Shiomoto was appointed DMV director by Gov. Jerry Brown in the fall of 2013, having served in prior leadership roles with the department. DMV officials have been sharply criticized by lawmakers in recent months for delays in serving customers at its field offices across the state. Last week, DMV officials revealed errors in registering California voters for the November election mistakes that followed a series of problems in the rollout of the states new motor voter registration system. Secretary of State Alex Padilla last week said he had lost confidence in Shiomotos leadership as a result of the voting registration problems. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement New law could break the stalemate over housing on the site of a near-vacant Cupertino mall By Liam Dillon For more than a decade, developers have tried to build new housing on the site of an all-but-empty mall in Cupertino, a city in the heart of Silicon Valley and home to Apple headquarters. A well-organized group of neighbors, upset about traffic, building heights and the potential loss of the communitys suburban lifestyle, turned away every plan. Now, for the first time, the stalemate might be broken thanks to a decision made in the state Capitol. In an effort to address Californias housing affordability problem, legislators passed a law last year that requires cities and counties to approve housing projects if they comply with local zoning rules and other standards, forcing some resistant communities to agree to new homebuilding. In September, the city of Cupertino, citing the state law, approved developer Sand Hill Property Co.s proposal to build an office park and more than 2,400 homes where the Vallco Shopping Mall sits. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Local government was a last bastion for struggling California Republicans. Not anymore By Mark Z. Barabak Theres no shortage of watery metaphors to describe the disaster that befell California Republicans this midterm election. A blue wave. A Democratic tsunami. But the most apt may be a flood, with the casualties steadily rising as the vote count climbed in the days and weeks following Nov. 6. Eventually half the GOP congressional delegation was washed away, along with the entire slate of statewide Republican candidates. In Sacramento, Democrats claimed 29 of 40 state Senate seats and seized three-quarters of the 80-member Assembly the largest number since 1883, when Chester A. Arthur was serving in the White House. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print For the Republicans left in Californias Legislature, fewer lawmakers will have to do more work By John Myers From January to late summer every year, the California Legislature is a perpetual motion machine. And in the new year, the people most likely to struggle in keeping up will be Republicans, vastly outnumbered but still responsible for representing millions of the states residents. There are 22 standing committees in the state Senate, plus at least a dozen more subcommittees or special committees. And after Novembers election, only 11 Republican senators will be left to divvy up the work. To the victors go the spoils. To the vanquished go the extra assignments. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Californias DMV failed to finish registering 329 new voters before November election (Los Angeles Times) Officials at the California Department of Motor Vehicles said Friday that the agency failed to send information for 329 new voters to state elections officers in time for the November election, the latest revelation in a string of mishaps regarding voter registration. Secretary of State Alex Padilla responded with a blistering letter, calling on Gov. Jerry Brown or Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom to replace Jean Shiomoto, the DMV director. The Director of DMV has lost my confidence and trust, Padilla wrote. In all, the agency revealed that 589 mailed voter registration records that should have been processed under election deadlines werent sent to Californias secretary of state until late November, including forms from 260 drivers who had intended to update their address on existing voter registration records. The DMV had been instructed to not send registration forms that came in after Oct. 22, but the voters in question had forms that were postmarked before the deadline. In some cases, when the postmark wasnt legible, the agency said, documents inside indicated the voter had intended to finish their registration in time for the Nov. 6 election. The DMV recognizes the pause in transmittals was an error and affected the timing of the registration of the 589 individuals referenced above relative to the November election, Shiomoto wrote in a letter to Padilla on Friday. The pause was due to a misunderstanding on the part of the department, for which we take responsibility. Those who were trying to update their address for voter registration would not have been blocked from casting ballots. But officials said its unclear whether any of the 329 new voters were able to participate in the election. Shiomoto said in her letter that DMV will work with elections officials. The errors were not related to previous DMV mistakes about registering voters, problems associated with the rollout of the states new motor voter law. In those cases, multiple registration forms were sent to local elections offices for some voters, some people were assigned the wrong political party preference and others who are noncitizens were incorrectly placed on the list of registered voters. DMV officials have yet to respond to questions posed by The Times over the last several weeks about who knew of those mistakes and when. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom appoints a labor advocate and a former staffer as his chief deputy Cabinet secretaries By Taryn Luna A labor advocate and a San Francisco political operative have accepted positions in Gov.-elect Gavin Newsoms new administration. Angie Wei, a Capitol insider with deep ties to organized labor in California, will serve as a chief deputy Cabinet secretary with a focus on policy development. As a legislative director and chief of staff at the California Labor Federation, Wei has represented more than 1,200 unions and 2.1 million workers in Capitol fights over a host of policy issues, including drug-pricing transparency and paid family leave. The governor-elect also tapped Jason Elliott, a policy advisor to Newsom during his time as mayor of San Francisco and a chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, as another chief deputy Cabinet secretary overseeing executive branch operations. Elliott and Wei will serve under Ana Matosantos, Newsoms previously The shell company used by President Trumps lawyer Michael Cohen to pay off porn actress Stormy Daniels received about $500,000 last year from a business linked to a Russian billionaire who is close to President Vladimir Putin. Cohens company, Essential Consultants LLC, received the money from a U.S. offshoot of the business empire of Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. The payment from Columbus Nova LLC came to light in a seven-page report by Daniels attorney, Michael Avenatti, who did not say how he got Cohens financial records. The document disclosed a wide array of previously secret payments that Cohen received last year from companies with an interest in Trump administration business. Avenatti called it a pay-to-play scenario that might have involved bank fraud. Advertisement Novartis, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, paid Cohens company nearly $400,000; AT&T, $200,000; and Korea Aerospace Industries LTD, $150,000. Novartis often seeks drug approvals from federal regulators, AT&T is fighting a Justice Department lawsuit to block its proposed merger with Time Warner, and Korea Aerospace Industries is a defense contractor. Novartis said it hired Cohen in February 2017 under a one-year contract involving U.S. healthcare policy. It disclosed that investigators for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III questioned the company in November about its payments to Essential Consultants. Novartis cooperated fully with the special counsels office and provided all the information requested, Novartis spokeswoman Sofina Mirza-Reid said. Novartis considers this matter closed as to itself and is not aware of any outstanding questions regarding the agreement. AT&T spokeswoman Megan Ketterer said that Essential Consultants was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration. Cohen, who is under federal criminal investigation for potential bank fraud, did not respond to an email seeking comment on the payments, nor did his lawyer. The payments from Columbus Nova appear to entangle Cohen deeper in Muellers investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the U.S. election. Vekselberg is one of the oligarchs and senior Russian officials sanctioned last month by the Trump administration. Vekselberg attended Trumps inauguration in January 2017. He also went to Putins inauguration this week in Moscow. In 2015, Vekselberg was one of the guests at a dinner in Russia where Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor, was seated next to Putin, according to the New York Times. Flynn, who is cooperating in the Mueller investigation, has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Investigators for Mueller questioned Vekselberg early this year about the payments to Essential Consultants after they stopped him at a New York-area airport for questioning when he arrived on a private jet, according to CNN. FBI agents raided Cohens home, office and hotel room last month under court-approved search warrants, seeking evidence for a criminal investigation of potential fraud in the hush-money payment to Daniels and other matters. On Twitter, Avenatti suggested that the money from Columbus Nova may have reimbursed Cohen for the $130,000 that his company paid Daniels in October 2016 to keep quiet about her alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. After significant investigation, we have discovered that Mr. Trumps atty Mr. Cohen received approximately $500,000 in the mos. after the election from a company controlled by a Russian Oligarc with close ties to Mr. Putin. These monies may have reimbursed the $130k payment. Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 8, 2018 Columbus Novas payments began in January 2017, and continued for eight months, according to Avenattis report. Cohen has told reporters that he used his own money to pay off Daniels, drawing on a personal home equity line. Michael Cohen leaves federal court in New York last month. (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press ) Rudolph W. Giuliani, another Trump lawyer, said last week that the president had reimbursed Cohen for the payoff through monthly retainer payments of $35,000, contradicting the presidents previous statement that he knew nothing about the hush money. In addition to the $130,000 reimbursement, Giuliani said, Trump gave Cohen another $300,000 or more to cover taxes and other expenses, including possible hush payments to someone other than Daniels. Avenattis report alleges that Cohen made false and fraudulent representations to First Republic Bank when he opened an account there for Essential Consultants in October 2016. Among other things, Cohen told the bank his company was in the real estate and investment consulting business, the report said. Renova Group, Vekselbergs Russian conglomerate of energy, telecommunications and other companies, is the largest investor in Columbus Nova, a private equity firm in New York. Andrew Intrater, an American cousin of Vekselberg, is the chief executive of Columbus Nova. Intrater donated $250,000 to Trumps inauguration. He also gave $29,600 to the Republican National Committee in June 2017. Richard D. Owens, an attorney for Columbus Nova, released a statement saying the company was solely owned and controlled by Americans and that Vekselberg played no role in its decision to pay Cohen. Trump meets his match: Stormy Daniels combative lawyer Michael Avenatti After the inauguration, the firm hired Michael Cohen as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures, the statement said. Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false. As recently as last year, the Renova Groups website listed Columbus Nova as one of its companies. michael.finnegan@latimes.com Twitter: @finneganLAT UPDATES: May 9, 10 a.m.: The article was updated with a statement from Novartis. 8:45 p.m.: The article was updated with details on Novartis, AT&T and Korea Aerospace Industries. 7:15 p.m.: The article was updated with background on Michael Flynn, Columbus Nova and Andrew Intrater. 6:15 p.m.: The article was updated with more details about Viktor Vekselbergs background and the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels. The story was originally published May 8 at 5:45 p.m. 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 In a contentious confirmation hearing that reopened the painful debate over CIA abuse of terrorism suspects, Gina Haspel pledged Wednesday she would not revive the use of secret prisons and harsh interrogations if she is confirmed to lead the nations premier intelligence agency. The Senate Intelligence Committee hearing served as an uncomfortable public debut for Haspel, a veteran but controversial CIA officer who spent nearly all of her 33-year career recruiting and managing spies as an undercover operative in Africa, Europe and Central Asia as well as at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. She came under fire from Democrats and some Republicans clearly nervous about whether endorsing Haspel would amount to whitewashing what the CIA called enhanced interrogation tactics, and what critics called torture, after the Sept. 11 attacks. The practices are now banned. In 2002, Haspel briefly ran the CIAs then-secret black site prison in Thailand, where detainees were waterboarded and subjected to sleep deprivation, body slamming and other abuses. Her role there is still mostly classified, and protesters interrupted the hearing by chanting Bloody Gina and Dont reward torture. Advertisement I want to be clear, Haspel told the committee. Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program. Haspel tried to assure skeptical senators that she wants to leave the discredited program in the past, even as she defended her career in the shadows and sought to protect other intelligence professionals who might face legal jeopardy after participating in authorized operations. The balancing act meant her answers sometimes grew tangled under pointed questioning. She pledged to follow her moral compass in the future, but declined to say whether she believed previous CIA practices were immoral. She said she supports laws that outlaw torture, but said the harsh interrogations were permitted under legal guidance at the time. Im not going to sit here, with the benefit of hindsight, and judge the very good people who made hard decisions in extraordinary circumstances, she said. Her testimony failed to satisfy Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), an avowed critic of torture who is being treated for brain cancer in Arizona. The former Navy pilot was tortured as a prisoner of war after he was shot down over North Vietnam in 1967, and human rights activists have urged him to speak out against Haspel. In a statement, McCain said Haspel is a patriot who loves our country but her refusal to acknowledge tortures immorality is disqualifying. McCains opposition could harden resistance to Haspel, but its unclear whether it will doom her nomination. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has said he will vote against Haspel, eliminating the Republicans 51-49 majority, but at least one Democrat has vowed support. After the hearing Wednesday, Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) said he will vote for her, saying he has the utmost respect for the sacrifices she has made for our country. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), left, and Richard M. Burr (R-N.C.), the leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee, confer after the hearing. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images ) Haspel pushed back at times during the hearing, calling it a tragedy that the interrogation controversy had cast a shadow on the CIAs efforts to prevent another mass casualty terrorist event while the nation was still reeling from the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Haspel has drawn unusual support from current and former members of the intelligence community dozens have publicly endorsed her as she seeks confirmation in the full Senate. Questions about CIA interrogations dominated the hearing almost to the exclusion of other major concerns. Haspel was not asked how the CIA should respond to Trumps decision Tuesday to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, for example. Nor was she asked about Trumps efforts to stage a nuclear summit with North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un, even though she has played a role in planning. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington Supportive Republicans said the focus on a few episodes from Haspels long career was regrettable. Many want to make your nomination about one small piece of the agencys past, said Sen. Richard M. Burr (R-N.C.), the committee chairman. He praised Haspel as perhaps the most qualified nominee ever nominated for this role. Democrats said they targeted her role in the interrogations because Trump said last year that he would bring back waterboarding, a painful process that involves pouring water on a prisoners face to simulate drowning. You should consider carefully how you might deal with morally questionable results in the future, warned Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), the committee vice chairman. If confirmed you will face a White House, frankly, in my view, a president who does not always seem interested in hearing, much less speaking, the truth. An activist is removed from the hearing room during Haspels testimony before the committee. (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images ) The Senate hearing was marked by sharp exchanges with the two California Democrats. Sen. Dianne Feinstein asked Haspel whether she had advocated for destroying videotapes of interrogations at the CIA site in Thailand. Haspel helped draft a memo in 2005 for a supervisor who then ordered officers to feed dozens of tapes into an industrial shredder. Subsequent internal and criminal investigations resulted in no charges. I absolutely was an advocate, Haspel responded. She said she was motivated to protect the CIA officers who participated in the interrogations. I never watched the tapes. But I understood that our officers faces were on them. Sen. Kamala Harris pushed her further. The president has asserted that torture works. Do you agree with that statement? she asked. I dont believe that torture works, Haspel said. But she added a caveat. We got valuable information from debriefing of Al Qaeda detainees, and I dont think its knowable whether interrogation techniques played a role in that. At another point, Haspel sidestepped repeated questions from Harris about the morality of waterboarding and other now-banned tactics. Do you believe in hindsight that those techniques were immoral? Harris asked. I think Ive answered the question, Haspel responded. No, you have not, Harris said. Haspel joined the CIA in 1985 and served undercover, mostly overseas, until February 2017, when she became the deputy director. She has been acting director since Mike Pompeo was confirmed as secretary of State last month. If confirmed, she would be the first operations officer in five decades to rise through the ranks to lead the agency. She also would be the first woman to head the CIA, as she pointed out in her opening remarks. It is not my way to trumpet the fact that I am a woman up for the top job, but I would be remiss in not remarking on it not least because of the outpouring of support from young women at CIA who consider it a good sign for their own prospects, she said. Haspel pitched herself as someone with the loyalty of the agencys workforce and the knowledge to run its espionage and other operations around the globe. I know CIA like the back of my hand, she said. Senators seeking to publicize additional information about Haspel, however, have run into a wall of secrecy. The CIA made classified records available Monday, but Democrats want more declassified. They noted at the hearing that Haspel, as the acting director, could help provide documents but has not done so. Haspel defended the decision to keep the specifics of her role in the interrogation program, and other details about her career, under wraps. She disclosed no new details during the hearing. I have chosen to follow the guidelines, Haspel said. I am electing not to make an exception for myself. chris.megerian@latimes.com Twitter: @chrismegerian UPDATES: 6:10 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from Sen. John McCain. 3:45 p.m.: This article was updated with additional quotes and details. 9:44 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details from the hearing. 8:05 a.m.: This article was updated with details from the confirmation hearing. This article was originally published at 5 a.m. A bipartisan group of House members led by California Rep. Jeff Denham, a Republican from Turlock, filed a petition Wednesday to force a vote on four immigration bills over the objections of GOP leadership. Its rare for a Republican lawmaker to attempt to circumvent the wishes of a House speaker from his or her own party. Getting the backing of enough colleagues to actually take advantage of the arcane maneuver is almost unheard of. For the record: The story has been changed to reflect that 25, not 18, Republican signatures are needed. The petition needs signatures from a majority of House members to be considered. If at least 25 Republicans sign the so-called discharge petition, it is expected that all Democrats also will sign, providing the signatures needed to force a vote. Seventeen House Republicans had signed as of Wednesday evening, and Denham said he was extremely confident that the rest of the GOP members he needed would follow closely behind. Advertisement A discharge petition can be brought up only on the first and third Monday of the month when the House is in session. June 25 is the next time the House is in session on one of those Mondays. Denham hopes the petition will pressure House Speaker Paul D. Ryan to voluntarily allow a debate and voting on an immigration bill, rather than face the embarrassment of being forced to do so. The speaker can still bring up a bill any time he wants, but if he doesnt, June 25 is coming, Denham said. Democrats and some rank-and-file Republicans say they are frustrated that Ryan wont allow consideration of bills to address the status of hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally as children, including many Californians. These so-called Dreamers were provided temporary deportation relief and work permits under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump ended the program last fall and told the House and Senate they had until March 5 to fix it. Congress attempts at a solution stalled after a federal judge temporarily stopped the program from shutting down amid pending legal challenges. The Supreme Court refused the Trump administrations request to expedite the case, and it could be fall at the earliest before it makes its way through the normal appeals process. House GOP leaders have been urging lawmakers not to sign the petition. Ryan has said voting on the four bills is a waste of time because President Trump may not be willing to sign whatever the House passes. We continue to work with our members to find a solution that can both pass the House and get the presidents signature, said Ryans spokeswoman, AshLee Strong. The White House on Wednesday declined to weigh in on the procedural move and instead reiterated the presidents priorities for an immigration bill, which have been a nonstarter in Congress. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield, told reporters Wednesday that he didnt believe in discharge petitions because they took precedence over normal House procedures. Some members have outwardly chafed at Ryans assertion that the House should follow the presidents lead on the issue. Im not abdicating my responsibilities to the White House, said Utah Republican Rep. Mia Love, among those who signed the petition. This is about making sure that we have a vote on the floor. If the discharge petition gets the backing of more than half of all House members, it would trigger what is called a queen of the Hill vote on four immigration bills: one favored by the Trump administration, one preferred by Democrats, one bipartisan proposal and an immigration bill of Ryans choice. If more than one is passed, the bill with the most votes would move forward to the Senate. All four would help Dreamers to some degree, though they differ on how much border security or immigration enforcement they include in exchange. For example, the Trump-backed bill also would dramatically reduce legal immigration and provide money to build a wall at the southern border, while the Democrats favored bill would deal only with legal status for Dreamers. Denham got 247 House members to sign on as co-sponsors of an earlier resolution requesting a vote, including all 39 California House Democrats and five of the states 14 Republicans. But some of those supporters oppose using the more aggressive tactic of a discharge petition. Denham and Rep. David Valadao, a Republican from Hanford, are the only two California Republicans to sign onto the discharge petition so far. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican from Richvale, in Butte County, who co-sponsored the resolution, said he was not signing the petition because its not really good team ball to go around the leadership of your own party. A vote will come around the corner on this eventually, LaMalfa said. Its a patience thing. Pushing the issue like this, I think, is just hurting our own cause. Democrats said they were waiting for Republicans to take the lead, because if Democrats had tried to force a vote through a discharge petition, it would be seen as partisan. Denham said he asked them to wait to demonstrate how many Republicans wanted a vote. Rep. Pete Aguilar, a Democrat from Redlands and the sponsor of one of the bills that would be considered, said frustration had grown since there has been no corresponding movement in the House after the Senate voted on several immigration bills in February. None of the Senate bills got enough support to pass. At least the Senate debated and discussed some competing measures. Here in the House, the peoples House, its sad that we dont even get an option because one individual, the speaker, doesnt want that to happen, even if committee chairs want to have debate, even if rank-and-file members want to have debate, Aguilar said. I think that frustration is fairly palpable on both sides of the aisle among rank-and-file members. Denham and Valadao represent heavily Latino and agricultural districts and have worked behind the scenes on immigration issues for years. While theyve publicly disagreed with party leaders on immigration before, a discharge petition is a dramatic escalation of the difference of opinion. Both are being heavily targeted by the national Democratic Party in 2018. A discharge petition has been successfully used only twice in the last 20 years in 2002 to pass campaign finance legislation, and in 2015 to renew the charter of the Export-Import Bank. The latest from Washington More stories from Sarah D. Wire sarah.wire@latimes.com Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter Read more about the 55 members of Californias delegation UPDATES: 3:05 p.m.: The article was updated with the latest signatures and reaction from McCarthy, Love and others. 9:10 a.m.: The article was updated with reaction from Paul Ryans office. 8 a.m.: The article was updated with reaction from Democrats and additional context. The article was originally published at 7:28 a.m. For the past three years, it has been Hollywood Burbank Airports goal to raise awareness of the airfields existence to travelers outside Southern California to increase its passenger numbers. After several months of marketing campaigns geared toward leisure and business travelers, the rebranding efforts by the airport appear to be paying off, officials said. Michael Fiore, co-founder of the South Pasadena-based branding firm Anyone Collective, told the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Monday that, although his company cannot take full credit for the rising passenger numbers at Hollywood Burbank, the marketing campaigns appear to be working. He said the social-media campaign his firm started this past fall reached more than 1.6 million people, and the marketing ads it placed on those platforms were viewed almost 3.2 million times. The main demographic that saw the ads were between the ages of 18 and 34 years old, with about 60% of them being men and 40% women. The marketing campaigns heavily revolved around current events in and around Southern California. For example, the branding firm pushed out numerous social-media ads regarding spring training games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels that took place in Arizona. Anyone Collective also used March Madness, spring break and the local weather as reasons why travelers should use Hollywood Burbank for their travel needs. Fiore said the paid ads his company purchased from Google were also successful in educating travelers about the airport. Of the roughly 205,000 people who saw the paid ad in a Google search, about 20,000 clicked on the ad, which led to Hollywood Burbanks website. Fiore said the click-through rate, which is how often someone clicks on an ad after seeing it, for the airports ads was about 13.5%, which is well above the travel industry standard of 4.6%. The branding firm isnt the only company that has noticed the effectiveness of its marketing campaign. Fiore said Alaska Airlines has started using similar ads to try to convince travelers to fly with the company. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio Volunteers from Viacom and Nickelodeon helped paint a mural on the sixth-grade patio at Jordan Middle School recently. The artwork features a cougar and cub, along with a message of Kindness is Courage. They also built benches around the trees on the patio to make additional seating for sixth-graders who eat lunch there. Volunteers also helped put mulch around existing flower beds. mark.kellam@latimes.com Twitter: @LAMarkKellam Passenger numbers at Hollywood Burbank Airport climbed once again by 12.3% in March as officials reported another increase over last years statistics. The airport reported 430,470 passengers during March, a hike of 47,218 over the same month in 2017, said Nerissa Sugars, manager of air service development for Hollywood Burbank, during a meeting of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Monday. Southwest Airlines, the largest carrier operating at Hollywood Burbank, reported 320,222 passengers during the month, a jump of 36,568 over last years figures. Sugars said the increase can be attributed to the airline offering additional flights to San Jose, San Francisco and a new flight to Salt Lake City. Alaska Airlines also had a strong month, tallying 52,639 passengers, which was 12,691 more than last year. The improvement could be due to a buy-one, get-one-free deal the airline offered, Sugars said. Delta Air Lines showed modest growth, reporting 10,849 passengers in March, an increase of 864 people compared to the same month in 2017. JetBlue Airways and United Airlines both had a relatively flat month. JetBlue had 8,030 passengers, 21 people fewer than the year before, and United had 26,672 passengers, 74 fewer people than last year. American Airlines, which has been focusing on its project at Los Angeles International Airport, continues to watch its numbers at Hollywood Burbank fall. The airline reported 12,058 passengers in March, which was 2,810 fewer than in 2017. Other airports in the region also performed well during March. LAX reported 7,230,087 passengers for the month, an increase of 450,687. Ontario International Airport tallied 415,007 passengers for the month, a 35,351-passenger rise compared to last year. Long Beach Airport had 356,291 passengers in March, which was 36,265 more than the previous year. John Wayne Airport reported 898,418 passengers, a hike of 42,393 more than in 2017. Parking revenue is slowly working its way up as passenger numbers continue to increase. Denis Carvill, the airports deputy executive director of engineering, maintenance, operations and airline relations, said all of the parking facilities and services generated about $1.7 million in March, which is about $200,000 more than the previous year. Mike Duong, the airports senior manager of business and compliance, added that Hollywood Burbank received $230,691 from ride-sharing companies, such as Lyft and Uber. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio A man and woman from Valencia are said to be responsible for a series of bank robberies across Southern California, including two in Burbank, according to authorities. James Hamill, 27, was charged on Monday with six counts of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office, while 22-year-old Samantha Yaworski was charged with one count of attempted robbery. The charges stem from a two-month bank robbery spree that began in March, according to Sgt. Derek Green, a spokesman for the Burbank Police Department. Green said the spree reached Burbank on April 20 when the U.S. Bank at 1720 W. Olive Ave. was robbed. A man allegedly entered the building and handed over a note, demanding money. A witness inside the bank attempted to detain the suspect but was unable to, Green said. It was learned the suspect was armed with a pellet gun resembling a real handgun, which he left behind at the scene. On April 30, the same man reportedly robbed the U.S. Bank at 240 N. San Fernando Blvd., where he also handed over a note, demanding money. Police identified James Hamill, 27, as a suspect in a series of bank robberies across Southern California including two in Burbank. (Courtesy of the Burbank Police Department ) Authorities eventually discovered the man was connected to bank robberies in Newhall, Valencia, Orange and Pico Rivera as well as an attempted bank robbery in Van Nuys. Green said evidence left behind by the man at the first robbery led police to identify Hamill as a suspect. He also said detectives identified Yaworski as his getaway driver in at least one of the robberies. The two were then arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on May 4 after entering a bank in North Hollywood. Hamill is being held in lieu of $400,000 bail, while Yaworskis bail is set at $50,000. andy.nguyen@latimes.com Twitter: @Andy_Truc Removing trees in Laguna Beach without permission is poised to become a painful endeavor for offenders. The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that seeks to prevent property owners from illegally removing three types of trees ones on the citys heritage list; those that are part of a landscape plan that went through a design review process; and ones that are privately maintained but located in a public right of way such as a sidewalk. Removing a tree without authorization would incur an administrative penalty ranging from $1,000 to $30,000. Larger trees would bring higher penalties, as would heritage trees and repeat offenses. The ordinance, modeled after laws in San Marino and San Jose, also would include a citation fee ranging from $100 to $500, plus a to-be-determined recouping of the citys costs to enforce the ordinance. The ordinance states that applicants would need a special permit to remove one of the three specified tree types and do the uprooting at their own cost. Replacement trees would have to be planted within 30 days. The ordinance would postpone the removal if the tree has a bird nest or eggs from a species identified in a state migratory bird law. Permission to take out heritage trees would be determined by the council. Removing landscape plan trees would be up to the city Design Review Board, and removing trees in a public right of way would be up to a city official. Among the possible reasons for tree removal are that the tree is unsuitable because it has outgrown its area or it has damaged public infrastructure. The ordinance would not affect trees on private property that arent otherwise one of the three protected types, nor would it deter removal of trees deemed imminent threats to public safety. Council members and city staff said the policy is not designed to be purely punitive but is a reminder that removing some trees requires City Hall authorization. Laguna residents will receive mailers about the ordinance later this year. Tuesdays approval followed a council discussion on the matter in October, when members approved city staff time to draft the ordinance. Laguna Beach resident Ruben Flores said the citys older trees, dating back 50 to 70 years, are invaluable. He said any replacement tree should be of similar size so it can attract birds that sought out the original tree. The Village Laguna board wrote a letter to the council approving of the ordinance, which it said could go a long way toward mitigating tree removal emergencies. BRADLEY ZINT is a contributor to Times Community News. As a property owner in Huntington Beach, I applaud the efforts of a fellow resident to address the issue of automatic and semi-automatic gun sales in our city by using procedural due-process to get an initiative on the ballot (Huntington Beach sues to stop residents petition proposing local ban on semiautomatic and automatic weapons). What I dont applaud is the vindictive and overreactive measure taken by City Attorney Michael Gates in suing Dan Horgan. These bullying tactics, obviously copied from the bully-in-chief, are an attempt by Mr. Gates to get his name in front of the public prior to the election. A simple call to see that there were not nearly enough signatures secured to make it to the ballot would have been sufficient. Victoria Ahumada Oceanside Celebrate the life of Mark Chamberlain In the past year weve lost in succession three longtime community members digital publisher Stu Staffer (May 20), poet John Abbott Gardiner (October 24), and now photographer and gallery owner Mark Chamberlain (April 23) who each contributed mightily to Lagunas legacy in their own significant ways. Their lives are reminders of how great communities are built on visionary leaders. Gardiner, Staffer and Chamberlain, as well as their predecessors, will be cheering on Lagunas next torchbearers. A celebration of Chamberlains life is scheduled for 2 p.m. June 3 at the Neighborhood Congregational Church, 340 St Anns Drive, Laguna Beach. Ellen and Roger Kempler Laguna Beach Look at Uptown before approving Koll Uptown Newport, the Shopoff Groups residential and affordable housing project on Jamboree Road, is under construction. When complete, this enormous development will include over 1,200 residential units ranging in height from 30 to 150 feet. As part of the development agreement with the city, the Shopoff Group promised pedestrian-friendly design and a mixed use, including retail and food services. The project anticipates over 8,000 vehicle trips a day and this delay will certainly increase traffic on our local streets, which negatively alters the estimated impact of the project. Many of us wrote letters to the city and attended public hearings to express just such concerns, and now they are a reality. The Shopoff Group is now pushing a second massive residential project in very close proximity to Uptown. In comparison, the newly proposed Koll Residences project would exceed heights in Uptown, with three massive monolithic buildings, 160 feet in height. Though the citys vision was for mixed use and pedestrian-friendly design, Koll Residences will put 580 residents in the middle of a functioning business park with few services and likely nothing more than a coffee shop for its mixed use component. It is imprudent for the city to allow the Koll Center Residences to move forward based upon an outdated General Plan and without a coordinated vision of the airport area and without first assessing the impact of Uptown Newport project on the community. Jim Hasty Newport Beach How to get published: Email us at dailypilot@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length. The city of Newport Beach will pay $150,000 to a former assistant city attorney to settle her claim that her one-time boss, City Attorney Aaron Harp, discriminated against her and created a hostile workplace. Leonie Mulvihill, who worked for the city from December 2009 to January 2017 before leaving for a similar job in Anaheim, alleged ageism and sexism during what she said were years of mistreatment and retaliation from Harp. The settlement, finalized May 2 and announced Tuesday night, denies Mulvihills claims and heads off a potential lawsuit. Harp has previously denied wrongdoing. Mulvihill filed a complaint with the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing in May 2017. Mulvihill, who has not disclosed her age but says she is older than 40, detailed work reassignments and exclusion from previous duties, including interviewing potential counsel, moving her from land use and planning to risk management and litigation, and giving planning assignments to a male attorney with less experience in the area. The claim also described deteriorating performance reviews, a decision to assign the duties of acting city attorney to a lower-ranking deputy city attorney when Harp went on vacation, and a pattern of abuse that she said caused other employees to leave. According to the claim, after Mulvihill spoke to Harp about the way attorneys in the office were treating support staff, he started questioning her about her work hours, which she said he didnt do to younger male attorneys, and gave her a letter saying her job performance was a problem. She said she complained to the city in 2014 and got no response and wrote a grievance to the city in 2016 but never heard anything further after being interviewed by an outside investigator. The city said in a previous statement that the 2016 investigation called for by then-Mayor Diane Dixon and led by two women closed after months of work with the conclusion that Mulvihills allegations were unsubstantiated and that she voluntarily resigned during the investigation. hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD Good morning. Its Wednesday, May 9. Heres whats been happening around O.C. Top story O.C. grand jury: Some schools are not as safe as they could be The Orange County grand jury told area school districts to report back on how they have studied and improved safety at their campuses. Jurors recommended that all districts require their schools to conduct site safety assessments, identify security deficiencies, determine what is needed and recommend improvements to control risks. Wide disparities exist among schools in the way they control access to their campuses, and some schools are not as safe as they could be, the grand jury said. Daily Pilot Around the county Student-run InSight Magazine explores poverty and inequality InSight Magazine, a student-run publication out of UC Irvines Blum Center for Poverty Alleviation, focuses on poverty and inequality in Southern California. Its not about you being a savior for anyone, its about you engaging with poverty and understanding how poverty is constituted, regulated and lived, said Aditi Mayer, InSight Magazine founder and editor-in-chief. TimesOC Irvine mom who survived assault now helps other crime victims In 2003, about a year after surviving a violent attack, Patricia Wenskunas founded Crime Survivors, an Orange County-based nonprofit that seeks to empower crime victims. TimesOC Anaheim 6th-graders donate all-terrain wheelchair to outdoor school At 6,500 feet up in the San Bernardino Mountains, San Gorgonio Outdoor Science School is natures classroom, where hiking along rugged terrain is part of the curriculum. When a group of sixth-graders from Lord Baden-Powell Elementary School in Anaheim attended the camp last year, many were disheartened when one of their classmates, who uses a wheelchair, was unable to enjoy the entire experience the way they could. TimesOC Politics Costa Mesa is O.C.s latest city to oppose sanctuary state law The Costa Mesa City Council became Orange Countys latest governing body to declare official opposition to Senate Bill 54, a California sanctuary state law that provides expanded protection for undocumented immigrants. Daily Pilot Faith Catholic leaders take up mental health mantle A grassroots effort that began in Orange County following the 2013 suicide of Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warrens son has yielded a spirited call to action for Roman Catholics throughout California to help addicts and the mentally ill. TimesOC Life & arts Santa Ana Sites spotlights immigration stories in a multimedia opera What started as a listening party in a downtown Santa Ana loft has blossomed into a popular gathering of artists, performers and art fans that changes location with every new show. Santa Ana Sites, founded in 2013 by Allen Moon and Grand Central Art Center, is gearing up for its 20th production, Cancion del Inmigrante. TimesOC Voices of Hawaii will bring traditional music to Irvine Barclay Theatre Hundreds of Hawaiian shirt-clad mainlanders will stream into the Irvine Barclay Theatre later this month to get a taste of the island life with a performance by music group Voices of Hawaii. TimesOC Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to dailypilot@latimes.com. As a lifelong Democrat who moved here 34 years ago, I never got involved in O.C. political races because I deemed doing so hopeless. In June 2017, I went to a meet and greet for Dr. Hans Keirstead, whos challenging Rep. Dana Rohrabacher for Congress. I was blown away and have been volunteering for his campaign since August. A scientist, a highly successful businessman, an environmentalist and an expert in healthcare, Keirstead is the perfect candidate to unseat Rohrabacher. The California Democratic Party recognized that by endorsing him on Feb. 25. The good news is theres never been a better opportunity for a Democrat to win the 48th Congressional District. The bad news for Dems is we could end up with two Republicans on the November ballot and no Dem. How? Rules changed. Primary rules now state the two contenders with the most votes will be on the ballot in November no matter their party affiliation. Unfortunately the seven Democrats who vied for the partys endorsement and lost the California Democratic Partys endorsement to Keirstead will still be on the June 5 ballot. So Democratic voters could dilute the vote, helping assure that come November Rohrabacher or Scott Baugh, another conservative Republican, are the only choice voters have. If it werent for too many candidates on the ballot, the race would be a slam dunk for Keirstead. God knows we need a scientist. We need a congressman who accepts facts. We need someone who has a wealth of experience in health care. Keirstead has worked with the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, etc. That kind of experience in perhaps the most important and complex domestic issue facing the country is sorely lacking in Congress. We can change that by making sure Keirstead is the winner June 5. Be sure to vote in this crucial primary. And vote for Keirstead hes a class act. VIRGINIA CASSARA lives in Corona del Mar. Two Northern California men were found guilty on Tuesday of the 2016 murder of a man outside a Glendale apartment complex. It took a jury only two days of deliberation to convict Suisun City resident Laquan Parker and Brandon Perkins of Stockton for the murder of Phillip Niles Jr. Parker was found guilty of first-degree murder while Perkins was guilty of second-degree murder. The incident began on the night of June 24 when Niles, a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Florida, was out with friends at a Hollywood nightclub, according to previous court testimony. Niles had met two women at the club, Dezerae Lyons and Daniela Love, and the group Niles, his friends and the two women eventually made their way back to an apartment complex in the 1700 block of North Verdugo Road. Both Lyons and Love testified in 2017 that Niles became angry at the pair after he found out they worked as pornographic actors and an argument ensued. Lyons said in court last year she then called Parker to pick her and Love up from the apartment. As the two women headed to a car driven by Parker, Niles reportedly followed them out of the apartment to continue the argument. It was there that Niles was confronted by Parker and Perkins. Police first received reports of gunfire in the neighborhood around 4 a.m. on June 25, according to a department spokesman. Niles had been shot multiple times and was found on the front lawn of a home in the 1600 block of Midway Street. Parker and Perkins were arrested later that day at a hotel in Monrovia where they were staying with Lyons. Police said two handguns were recovered from the scene. The two are scheduled to be sentenced on June 22. andy.nguyen@latimes.com Twitter: @Andy_Truc Glendale police say they have arrested two men responsible for three commercial burglaries that occurred earlier this year. The burglaries occurred in an industrial complex in the 800 block of Thompson Avenue between Jan. 25 and Feb. 22, according to Tahnee Lightfoot, a spokeswoman for the Glendale Police Department. She said three people can be seen in security camera footage driving up to the complex, entering it and leaving with stolen items. Equipment stolen from one of the businesses eventually turned up at a pawn shop in North Hollywood, according to Lightfoot. Detectives eventually identified two of the suspected thieves as 49-year-old Michael Martinez and 22-year-old Luis Cortes. Detectives located Martinez, and he was placed under arrest after he was observed driving the same vehicle that was captured on video during the Glendale burglaries, Lightfoot said. She added that Cortes was arrested at a home in Sylmar, where he was avoiding probation for a burglary conviction. Authorities then discovered the pair were connected to a commercial burglary incident that occurred in Los Angeles. Martinez has since been charged by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office with four counts of burglary, one count of forging or possessing a government seal and one count of identity theft. Cortes was charged with four counts of burglary and a parole violation. The third suspect in the burglaries has not been identified. andy.nguyen@latimes.com Twitter: @Andy_Truc Encouraged by keynote speaker Chris Erskine to discover what makes them sing inside during their college years, 13 La Canada students were feted Sunday as Thursday Club scholarship winners during a tea held at the organizations Woodleigh Lane clubhouse. Twelve of the days honorees were given the clubs Scholarship Foundation awards: Patrick Gibbons, Bryan Guan, Justin Hogan, Conrad Jensen, Jonathan Le, Camille Lorenz, Leonard (Lenny) Pieroni, Naomi Stephen, Holly Stoner, Ryan Van Slooten, Daniel Wang and Tyler Yang. The club also awards each year the Greenawalt Foundation Scholarship, named for the late Denise Greenawalt, to someone who exhibits spirit, energy and tenacity in overcoming obstacles. This years Greenawalt Scholarship went to Sahar Shirbacheh. Gibbons, Jensen and Pieroni attend St. Francis High School; Lorenz, Stoner, Van Slooten, Stephen, Guan, Yang and Shirbacheh are graduating from La Canada High School; Hogan is a senior at Polytechnic School, while Wang goes to Flintridge Preparatory School. Keynote speaker Erskine, a La Canada resident, Los Angeles Times columnist and author whose most recent book, Daditude was published this spring, told humorous stories and gave heartfelt advice to the teens. Each of the scholarship winners briefly spoke of their high school experiences and aspirations. All have made their college selections and, for a photo opportunity, held banners depicting the name of those schools. According to Becky Lankey, chairman of the scholarship program, her committee received a record number of applications this year. Not only are the winners academically high-achieving, with a combined GPA of over 4.0, but they have been involved in community service and show a potential for future successes. Serving with Lankey on the scholarship committee were Sharon Combs, Jean Chubb, Mary Ann Hesseman, Patrice Fontes and Vita Avanesian. carol.cormaci@latimes.com Twitter: @CarolCormaci Choose carefully which sunscreen you bring on your next Hawaiian vacation. Hawaii will become the first state in the U.S. to severely restrict sales of certain sunscreen products if the governor signs a bill sent to him last week. The bill, which cleared its final legislative hurdle May 3, would ban the sale, as of Jan. 1, 2021, of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate. The legislation says the intention is to preserve marine ecosystems. Studies have found that Hawaiis already fragile coral reefs are harmed by oxybenzone, also known as BP-3. It washes off sunbathers and swimmers and drifts onto coral, contributing to problems such as DNA damage and deformities in baby coral. A 2015 report from the National Ocean Service, a federal agency, revealed that oxybenzone is highly toxic to juvenile corals and other marine life. Advertisement The chemical is a core ingredient in more than 3,500 skin-care products sold around the world. So what sun protection should you use instead? A Live Science blog article said mineral sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to physically block the suns rays are still allowed. These sunscreens have fallen out of favor because they often leave a white sheen on the skin, but marine biologists say its worth looking a little goofy to save reefs. Scientific studies have found that the sunscreens worn by most people can harm marine life, particularly young coral. (Tor Johnson / Hawaii Tourism Authority ) Also, a handful of sunscreens that dont contain BP-3 are on the market. One is Raw Elements, whose marine-friendly products are sampled and sold at a number of resorts across Hawaii. Raw Elements also has partnered with Hawaiian Airlines in a program to protect the reefs. Through June, the airline will sell Raw Elements products at discounted prices on flights between the U.S. mainland and the islands. Other reef-safe sunscreen brands identified by the Environmental Working Group can be found on this list. Hawaii Gov. David Ige has not said whether he will sign the bill. Spokeswoman Cindy McMillan said the measure is going through the usual policy and legal review. travel@latimes.com Twitter: @latimestravel ALSO Parts of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park reopen to visitors Vegas new Park MGM to make its debut Wednesday Fewer people are visiting Las Vegas. One insider thinks hotel resort and parking fees are to blame REI Adventures gives outdoor lovers a chance to explore the dramatic west Texas landscape for a week by foot and by kayak and save money. The deal: For a limited time, the travel outfitter will take $600 off a weeklong trip to Big Bend National Park and other places in the area. The discounted price is $2,999 per person for members (REI membership costs $20) and $3,339 for nonmembers. Hikes on this trip, including those in the Chisos Mountains and the Chihuahuan Desert, range from 2 to 14 miles. Participants also kayak on the Rio Grande, stay in lodges and historic hotels in small towns, and learn the local lore from local guides. When: You must book between Friday and May 28 to get the discount. Its good for trips in 2018 (dates from October through December) and 2019 (dates in winter, spring and fall). Advertisement Details: The tour starts in El Paso and ends in Austin. Ground transportation, lodgings and some meals are included. Airfares to El Paso and from Austin are not included. Info: Texas Hiking: Big Bend & Beyond, (800) 622-2236 ALSO Parts of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park reopen to visitors That stretch of Californias Highway 1 that was supposed to reopen in May? Its delayed until September So long Monte Carlo. Vegas new Park MGM to make its debut Wednesday travel@latimes.com @latimestravel The homeless family of seven had been ordered to leave the hillside. The family had erected a tent and hoped to build a home on the site. This photo was published in the April 24, 1948, Los Angeles Times. The accompanying story explained: For a place to live, a family of seven waged a desperate battle against a California hillside for three weeks. Yesterday, as far as the City Health Department was concerned, the battle was a lost cause. John Groves, 43, unemployed truck driver; his wife Helen, 34, and their five children dug valiantly, but in vain, to establish a level spot on the steep hillside upon which to build their home. Advertisement All they were able to accomplish in the three weeks was to clear a few square feet for an Army-surplus tent, plus a little more. Because of a lack of sanitary facilities, because the only cooking that can be done is upon an open cookstove, because of the danger to children on the 45-degree hillside in the event of rain, the Health Department has issued an order directing the Groveses to leave the tent within 30 days. The tent is situated at 1412 Davis St., near Elysian Park. Clinging to her faith in her husband, Mrs. Groves pleaded: If theyd only give us more time. Hed build a good home. The family was evicted from its former home when their landlord decided to tear down the house and in its place set up another structure which had been moved from the Hollywood Freeway. We were evicted, explained Mrs. Groves while her husband and two of their sons walked seven miles to take baths in the home of a friend. We didnt have any money. this was the only place we could find with no money down and $25 a month. They moved into their tent March 31. Since then the four school-age children have not attended school. The tent has no electricity gas, water or plumbing. The family must use an outdoor water tap belonging to a neighbor. Meanwhile, a Health Department spokesman declared: The only cease and desist orders we give are in such unusual and dangerous circumstances where we have no choice. A followup story in the April 25, 1948, Los Angeles Times reported that the family had received several offers of help. After this article, theres no further mention of the Groves family in the Los Angeles Times. This photo was originally published on March 23, 2016. See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here Malaysias opposition and its 92-year-old autocrat-turned-reformer prevailed in Wednesdays election, upsetting the coalition that has ruled the country for the last six decades. Pakatan Harapan, or Alliance of Hope, won 113 seats in the countrys parliament one more than needed to form a government and dislodge Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has been in office since 2009 and whose Barisan Nasional, or National Front, has held power since the country gained independence from Britain in 1957. By 10 p.m. Wednesday, thousands of opposition supporters had poured into the streets of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and other cities in anticipation of a formal announcement of victory. We have in fact achieved a substantial majority, Mahathir Mohamad, the former prime minister who became a front man for the opposition, said at a news conference at 2:30 a.m. Thursday. I hope tomorrow we will have a swearing in of the prime minister. Advertisement That would be Mahathir 15 years after his retirement. During his 22 years in office, he oversaw Malaysias economic modernization but used draconian laws to lock up opponents and critics. Out of office, he became a behind-the-scenes kingmaker within the ruling coalition. But he turned against the National Front in 2015 after newspaper reports alleged that Najib stole $700 million in public money. Najib, who was never charged with a crime, said the money was a Saudi Arabian donation and that he had returned most of it. In opposition protests against Najib in 2016, Mahathir appeared in front of thousands of his former enemies to join their cause. With the main opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, jailed on charges of sodomy with a former employee, Mahathir was recruited to lead the oppositions election campaign. Anwar is scheduled to be released from prison on June 8 and sometime after that, Mahathir is expected to offer a pardon, help him win a seat in parliament and hand over power. The two men have a complicated history. Anwar served as Mahathirs deputy prime minister in the 1990s before rebelling and leading the protests that accompanied the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. Then Mahathir had Anwar jailed for six years. Chinese Malaysians, a relatively well-off minority making up about a quarter of the population, and others who opposed Mahathirs often authoritarian rule were taken aback at first by the return of the 92-year-old to lead the opposition. But making Mahathir the frontman was, in part, a calculated move to draw Muslim Malays, who make up 60% of the population, away from his former political allies. It appears to have worked. Though the majority of Malaysians live in cities, rural areas also played a big role in the election, because smaller, less-populated constituencies could elect the same number of MPs as more populated urban areas. The opposition had alleged that this system was designed to favor the National Front, which had narrowly prevailed in the 2013 election despite losing the popular vote by 4%. The unusual midweek vote, which made it difficult for Malaysians working in cities such as Kuala Lumpur and in neighboring Singapore to travel to their home towns to vote, was also expected to reduce the turnout from a 2013 high of 85% and make it more difficult for the opposition to win. But voting went smoothly despite long lines and soaring temperatures and humidity. K.T. Lim, a 56-year-old businessman, said he arrived at the polling station in Kuala Lumpur at 7:45 a.m. 15 minutes before opening and waited more than three hours to vote. It is no big deal, he said. Corruption, corruption, he said, explaining his vote for the opposition. Before the result was officially announced, Khairy Jamaluddin, a popular young politician and ally of the current prime minister, appeared to accept that there would be a change in government. All the best Malaysia and thank you to all voters for exercising your responsibility, he tweeted. President Trump scored a diplomatic victory on Wednesday as North Korea freed three imprisoned U.S. citizens to return to the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a goodwill gesture from the Norths dictator, Kim Jong Un, ahead of his summit with the president. Trump announced the mens freedom on Twitter early Wednesday, and two reporters traveling with Pompeo later saw the three Korean American men boarding the secretarys plane without assistance as he was set to return to Washington. Trump said he and Vice President Mike Pence would meet the plane at 2 a.m. Thursday at Joint Base Andrews. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting, Trump tweeted. Later, talking briefly to reporters before a Cabinet meeting, Trump thanked Kim in language that was unimaginable just months ago, as the two exchanged threats of nuclear annihilation. I appreciate Kim Jong Un doing this and allowing them to go, Trump said. Advertisement The president also credited the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea for their help in nudging the North Korean leader, and Trump indulged in some self-congratulation as well. Asked if he thought he personally deserved a Nobel Peace Prize, Trump replied, Everyone thinks so but I would never say it. Later Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that the mens plane had touched down in Alaska for a refueling stop, and the State Department released a statement from them. We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo and the people of the United States for bringing us home, they said. We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world. The administration was eager to win the mens release to provide good diplomatic news to offset the international opprobrium after Trump on Tuesday withdrew the United States from the 2015 multinational nuclear agreement with Iran. Last week the president had tweeted that the three mens freedom was imminent. Despite the gesture from Kim, Trump acknowledged that his meeting with the North Korean leader the first between a sitting American president and a leader of the long-isolated country could still be scuttled. The U.S. is demanding that North Korea unilaterally give up its nuclear arsenal and building program, something Kim is widely expected to resist. Everything can be scuttled, Trump said. People never thought you were going to have a situation where were having serious and positive communication with North Korea, and we are, he added. What happens? Who knows? We have a chance at something really great for the world. Kims overture on the prisoners, two of whom were detained last year and one late in President Obamas tenure, came after he and Pompeo met for 90 minutes in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, to finish plans for Kims meeting with Trump. Trump told reporters that the two sides had agreed to a place and time. It would not be held in the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea, he said; Trump previously has mentioned Singapore, the Southeast Asian island state, as a possible venue. Pompeos short trip his second visit to Pyongyang in just over a month came a day after Kim traveled by plane to northeast China to confer with President Xi Jinping of China, North Koreas closest ally and protector. It was Kims second meeting with Xi in recent months as China has sought to exert its influence over its client state. The administration had faced questions for weeks about whether it would demand that the imprisoned men be freed as a precondition for the summit. The three citizens are Kim Dong-chul, a businessman arrested in 2015 and serving 10 years on espionage charges; and Kim Sang-duk and Kim Hak-song, professors associated with Pyongyang University of Science and Technology who were captured last year. Kim Sang-duk, who also goes by Tony Kim, graduated from UC Riverside with a masters degree in 1990. Trump and Pompeo said the men appeared to be in good health. Doctors are with them now, Pompeo told the two reporters aboard his plane once it took off. All indications are that their health is as good as could be, given what they have been through. Their release comes just under a year after the death of Otto Warmbier, an American college student detained on theft charges in Pyongyang in 2016. The North released Warmbier in a coma, and he died a week after returning to the United States. His father, Fred Warmbier, sought to remind the world about the case amid the diplomatic glow celebrating North and South Koreas seeming rapprochement during the recent Winter Olympics held in the South. He traveled in February to the games site in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and attended the opening ceremony to highlight North Koreas record of human rights abuses. For Pompeo, just two weeks into his job as the nations top diplomat, the release of the three men together with planning what could be a historic summit meeting has made for a heady start. His previous visit with Kim was over Easter weekend, when Pompeo was still CIA director, awaiting Senate confirmation to become secretary of State. The release was not without last-minute drama. After his 90-minute discussion with Kim, Pompeo returned to his hotel, and when reporters asked if there was good news on the detainees, he crossed his fingers. A North Korean official later sought out Pompeo at his hotel and informed him that Kim had granted the men amnesty, according to an account from a senior U.S. official present for the exchange. Were granting amnesty to the three detained Americans, the North Korean emissary told Pompeo. We issued the order to grant immediate amnesty to the detainees. Thats great, Pompeo said. It should be a very brief ceremony, the North Korean continued, referring to something of a legal process. He added in closing, You should make care that they do not make the same mistakes again. This was a hard decision. The emissary told Pompeo the men would be released at 7 p.m. local time. Carl Risch, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs and a doctor, then went to another hotel to pick the men up and accompanied them to the airport. Forty minutes after leaving the hotel, they arrived at the airport at 8:25 p.m. local time. The former prisoners were in the air with Pompeo, headed for the U.S., less than an hour after leaving custody. All three men were accused by Pyongyang of subversion and anti-state activities. That is a catchall phrase the North Koreans use to incarcerate people, often foreigners, for a range of supposed crimes, big and small. Yoon Young-chan, a spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, welcomed the Norths action as a positive step toward a successful summit between Kim and Trump. He also noted that the Norths decision to release the three ethnic Koreans could signal that Pyongyang might release six South Koreans detained there, as Moon recently requested during a summit with Kim. South Korean officials expressed hope that the United States would help. According to the reporters with Pompeo, he also met with Kim Yong Chol, the Norths former military intelligence chief, and Ri Su Yong, its former foreign minister, on Wednesday. Alex Gladstein, the chief strategy officer at the Human Rights Foundation, said, As an American, Im thrilled that these people are coming home to their families. Yet Gladstein, who works with North Korean defectors, hoped the release wouldnt distract from the documented evidence of the states continuing human rights abuses against its people, including forced labor camps, torture and political executions on mass scales. The government is at war with them every day, he said of the North Korean people. Yet, Gladstein added, North Koreas threat to South Korea and other countries is the war that people are excited to end. Although uncertainty even skepticism about the summit and its outcome persist, the diplomatic developments in recent months since North Korea accepted the Souths Olympics invitation have been striking to many experts. The North provocatively had launched dozens of ballistic missiles and conducted three underground nuclear tests in recent years all violations of international norms to build its weapons program. Last year, North Korea launched three missiles into space that showed it could strike the United States mainland, provoking an international crisis and new rounds of economic sanctions from the United Nations. Kim proclaimed on New Years Day that his nation had achieved a national nuclear force that could counter any aggression by the United States, its main security concern. He also noted his desire to have his country participate in the Olympics, signaling the months of subsequent diplomacy that led to the current warming. Times staff writers Wilkinson and Bierman reported from Washington and special correspondent Stiles from Seoul. tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com noah.bierman@latimes.com UPDATES: 6:30 p.m.: Updated with the plane landing in Alaska and a statement from the State Department. 1:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional Trump quotes. 10:50 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details and quotes from Trump. 8:15 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 6:30 a.m. For more than 25 years, the Phnom Penh Post was one of Cambodias most important publications, among the few institutions trying to hold an increasingly authoritarian government to account. It published scoops on illegal logging, unearthed irregularities on voting lists and exposed corrupt officials, winning awards for its coverage and attracting young journalists from the U.S. and Europe, many of whom jump-started their careers working alongside Cambodian reporters. Though its print circulation is small, the Post had exploded in popularity online in recent years, racking up more than 6 million Facebook followers in a country of about 15 million. Our stories routinely embarrassed the government, said Chad Williams, who was editor in chief for three years until 2017. Not because we were trying to push them through some prism of outrage, but because the basic facts were genuinely awful. But the papers sale this month to a Malaysian businessman who once did public relations work for the government has cast serious doubt on whether that legacy of hard-hitting reporting will continue. Advertisement A day after the sale to Sivakumar S. Ganapathy was announced, the Post published a critical report of the deal, sparking demands from his representatives for the article to be removed from the papers website. Editors refused, and the backlash was swift. Monday saw an exodus of staff including the editor in chief, the chief executive and the entire senior editorial team of the English-language version of the newspaper. Seven more journalists all foreigners resigned Tuesday. With families to support and few jobs left in journalism in the country, most Cambodian staffers decided to stay. I felt very shocked to see what happened, said Ben Sokhean, a Cambodian reporter there. I never expected it would happen to the Post. The papers convulsion comes less than a year after the ruling party which has held power since the fall of the genocidal Khmer Rouge government in 1979 forced the closure of the Cambodia Daily, which was also known for its aggressive coverage. The Daily was shuttered by its owners, who were unable to pay a $6.3-million tax bill they say was politically motivated. The Post was also facing a $3.9-million bill, which was settled as part of the sale. Prime Minister Hun Sen has also shut down dozens of radio stations and forced the U.S.-backed Radio Free Asia and Voice of America key sources of news for the countrys largely rural population off the air. In the latest annual press freedom index by Reporters Without Borders, Cambodia slid 10 places to 142 out of 180 countries. Whats astonishing is the international community just sat by and watched as Cambodias free press was dismantled piece by piece, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch. Cambodias once-vibrant media landscape is now a sparse desert, emptied by hook or by crook by Prime Minister Hun Sen. Edgardo Legaspi, executive director of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, which advocated for press freedom, called the Post the last bastion of independent media in Cambodia. The crackdown on a free press is part of a wider assault by Hun Sen against his critics. In November, his government dissolved the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, which posed the biggest threat to his rule. Its leader, Kem Sokha, is being held in a maximum-security prison on charges of treason. Most of the partys senior members have fled into exile abroad. Lee Morgenbesser, a researcher on authoritarian regimes at Australias Griffith University, said the crippling of the Post further undermines the credibility of elections that are scheduled for late July. There will be far less of the government being held to account for its various misdemeanors including nepotism and corruption, land grabbing and repression, he said. The coverage of the election was always going to be biased, but theres no active defender of the Fourth Estate anymore. Theres no newspaper or radio station to do that. Hun Sen became the countrys leader in 1985, prevailed in United Nations-backed elections in 1993 and has won reelection four times. He has become increasingly brazen in his authoritarianism despite billions of dollars in assistance that the U.S. and Europe have poured into Cambodia over the last two decades. Increasingly he has turned to China which does not tie its support to human rights for financial and political backing. It is unclear whether his government played any role in the sale of the Post. Government spokesman Phay Siphan could not be reached for comment. Morgenbesser said it appears to be a classic move of modern dictators. They all use this tactic, he said. They get friends or distant friends to buy newspapers or radio or TV stations under the guise of a legitimate, independent sale. And they get these individuals to come in and gut the paper or station, and this is usually how its done in a legal way. But Marcus Holmes, the ousted CEO, said he believes that the sale was not politically motivated and that the clash between management and staff boiled down to culturally divergent views on authority. Fundamentally I think its a difference in philosophy from the Western way of looking at things, where journalists are free to pursue the truth and free to write whatever they like, and a much more Asian idea about what press freedom means where the publisher tells the journalist what they want to [see] and controls, ultimately, what is printed in the paper, he said. The article that sparked the mass resignations at the Post reported that the new owner was the executive director of Asia PR, a firm based in Malaysia whose website list several former clients, including Hun Sen, the Cambodian government, the Central Bank of Malaysia and several international brands. The article has since been removed from the newspapers website. In a statement, more than 20 staff members condemned the decision to pull the article as made in contradiction to the values of a free press that our hardworking staff have upheld since 1992. For his part, Sivakumar released a statement slamming the article as a disgrace and bordering on internal sabotage, saying that the reporting was careless and smells of malice. He denied any links to the government, saying that Asia PR worked for Hun Sen more than 25 years ago. The Post quoted Sivakumar as saying that the new ownership was fully committed to upholding the papers editorial principles/independence without infringing any relevant laws. The journalists who stayed on published another front-page article Tuesday about turmoil at the newspaper. But the newly installed editor in chief Joshua Purushotman, who spent a decade working in PR, according to LinkedIn removed references to the broader crackdown on press and civil society in Cambodia, according to reporter Erin Handley, an Australian. After a series of meetings with the papers new management, she and six other reporters followed their editors out the door. We made a decision that we wouldnt be continuing, as editorial independence couldnt be guaranteed anymore, she said. Robertson is a special correspondent. Iran lashed out Wednesday at President Trumps decision to pull the United States out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei relaying a scornful message to Trump: You cannot do a damn thing! With repercussions of the long-anticipated move by Trump rippling across the Middle East and elsewhere, Israel said its forces were in a high state of readiness against potential strikes by Iranian forces across the border in Syria. Shelters were opened in the Golan Heights and Israel deployed Iron Dome missile-defense batteries. In Tehran, shouts of Death to America! rang out in Irans parliament as some lawmakers set fire to a paper U.S. flag. Trump, in Washington, warned of very severe consequences if Iran resumes its nuclear program in response to the United States pulling out of the deal, which was signed by five other nations. Khamenei, who wields the final say in all affairs of state, employed considerably harsher rhetoric than President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif did a day earlier in criticizing Trumps announcement. Advertisement The body of this man Trump will turn to dust and his corpse will be fed on by snakes and insects, while the Islamic Republic continues to stand, Khamenei said in remarks delivered to a group of schoolteachers and carried by state Iranian media outlets. He accused Trump of telling repeated lies and engaging in ugly and petty behavior. Irans defense minister, meanwhile, issued a warning that appeared aimed at least in part at Israel. Many analysts have suggested that the unraveling of the nuclear accord might embolden Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act in confronting Iran, which he has repeatedly described as the greatest threat to regional security. With attention to the defensive power of our country, we are in a position in which Islamic Iran cannot be militarily threatened by any foreign power, the Iranian minister, Amir Hatami, said in comments carried by the official Islamic Republic News Agency. Late Wednesday, Syrias state news agency and activists reported rocket fire from Israel into southern Syria, the Associated Press reported. Israeli officials, meanwhile, said about 20 projectiles were fired at Israeli positions by Iranian forces based in Syria, with defense systems intercepting several of them. There were no Israeli casualties. Sirens sounded in the Golan Heights. Earlier, Syrias state news agency blamed a missile strike outside its capital, Damascus, on Israel, reporting that two projectiles were shot down at Kiswah, a military outpost. The agency reported two civilian deaths, but a Britain-based monitoring group said the target was an Iranian weapons depot, and reported eight Iranian fatalities. Israelis were rattled by the heightened state of alert. Over the course of the day, two senior Cabinet officials Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Education Minister Naftali Bennett attempted to quell public fears, with each saying he did not believe the country was on the verge of war. Netanyahu, meanwhile, flew to Moscow for consultations with Russian President Vladimir Putin about continued coordination between the Israeli and Russian militaries against the backdrop of the civil war in Syria. In a statement, Netanyahu said he discussed with Putin Israels obligation and right to defend itself against Iranian aggression from Syrian territory in which Russia is the dominant military force. Moscow is one of the signatories to the nuclear accord with Iran. Israel, Saudi Arabia and its Persian Gulf allies voiced approval of Trumps pullout. The potential disintegration of the Iran nuclear accord was expected to play out in proxy conflicts across the region. In Riyadh, officials said missiles were fired overnight toward the Saudi capital by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, but were intercepted. European allies, dismayed by Trumps decision, repeated determination Wednesday to try to salvage the accord. French President Emmanuel Macron conferred by phone with Rouhani, Iranian reports said. But the U.S. pullout could prove a crippling blow to the pact, a signature foreign-policy achievement of President Obama, Trumps predecessor. Even some U.S. allies in the Mideast expressed disapproval of Trumps move. Iraqs foreign ministry on Wednesday called the decision hasty and rash. In his fiery speech, Khamenei accused Trump of telling at least 10 lies in a bellicose address from the White House a day earlier. Before the supreme leader spoke, the same lawmakers who torched and waved aloft a paper U.S. flag also burned a document representing the nuclear deal and ground the ashes underfoot. Such symbolic public expressions of disdain for the United States are common in Iran, but unusual inside the parliament building. Late Tuesday local time, following Trumps remarks, Rouhani said Zarif would be speaking with envoys from the deals remaining signatories: France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China. But he also said if efforts to save the accord were unsuccessful, Iran would resume industrial-scale uranium enrichment. Britains foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, on Wednesday challenged Trump to detail any plans to replace the nuclear deal. No such proposals have been unveiled in Washington. The Iranian parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, echoed Rouhanis warning that there was a narrow window of time for reaching terms to keep the accord in place. The period is only a window in which the [European Union] can prove if it has enough weight for settling international issues, he said. Irans economy is already staggering along, and many ordinary citizens worried that Trumps decision to reimpose harsh sanctions and try to force other trading partners to do the same could do devastating economic harm. Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and special correspondent Tarnopolsky from Jerusalem. Los Angeles Times staff writer Laura King in Washington contributed to this report. UPDATES: 4:10 p.m.: This article was updated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus visit to Moscow, with information about Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, with Israeli Cabinet members comments on the military alert, and with reports of rocket fire in Syria. 9:05 a.m.: This article was updated with Times staff reporting. This article was originally published at 4:45 a.m. In the days after his deportation, Victor Cruz Ortega wandered the crowded streets of Mexico City in an escalating panic. His kids, his job and every other fiber of life were back in Redondo Beach, the sun-soaked California community he called home for three decades. Now he was alone and penniless in a teeming Latin American metropolis he had not seen since leaving for the United States at age 11. Pinche Gringo is a popular Mexico City barbecue joint whose American owner has made a special effort to hire deportees and other returnees from the U.S. (Meghan Dhaliwal / For The Times ) Cruz, 45, applied for every job that he saw advertised: cook, hotel worker, tour guide. At times, he broke down crying in public. He tried to give himself pep talks. He prayed. And then, finally, after months of looking, an unforeseen blessing arrived, and in a most unlikely form. Advertisement Cruz was rescued by Texas-style barbecue. This month, he started working as prep cook at Pinche Gringo, a popular Mexico City barbecue joint whose American proprietor has made a special effort to hire deportees and other Mexicans who have returned after long stints north of the border. Owner Dan Defossey says its his answer to President Trumps hard-line immigration policies, which last year resulted in the deportation of more than 11,000 Mexicans each month. Thats our government. I feel responsible for it, said Defossey, a native New Yorker who fell in love with barbecue and the border while teaching high school in South Texas. You ask yourself, What can I do? Seven of Defosseys 50 employees were either deported to Mexico or came back for personal reasons. They are part of a growing influx of returning citizens who have struggled to reintegrate into Mexican society, a vulnerable population that Mexican officials have been slow to acknowledge and assist. The staff at Pinche Gringo huddles before opening for the day. (Meghan Dhaliwal / For The Times ) Set apart by their American accents and clothing style, and unaccustomed to the much lower wages, many returnees view Mexico as a kind of exile. Pinche Gringo, with its live country music, English-language comedy nights and icy bottles of Michelob and Budweiser, offers its workers a slice of Americana that many sorely miss. I left part of my heart there, said Miguel Martinez, 30, who spends evenings monitoring a long row of meat smokers at one of the restaurants two locations. The U.S. is my second country. Its where I learned to be an adult, how to pay my rent. I feel half-American. Martinez left his working-class Mexico City neighborhood at age 14 to toil illegally in the U.S., where he ascended from washing dishes at an uncles restaurant in New York to running a gourmet kitchen in Boston. He was in the process of applying for a work visa with the help of his boss a few years ago when he came back to Mexico to help his girlfriend, another former immigrant, who had fallen ill. Returning was tough. Youre not from here, Mexicans told him, making fun of his Spanish accent, which had changed from spending so much time with Central Americans in restaurant kitchens. There were times when he felt like an alien. Hearing English at Pinche Gringo, which is popular with Mexico Citys large expatriate community, makes him smile. Its like youre in the U.S., he said. I can escape my reality for a little while. Lalo Jimenez lived in Arizona for 10 years before returning to Mexico in 2011. (Meghan Dhaliwal / For The Times ) Other restaurant employees include Lalo Jimenez, 40, who was deported after working for a decade in Arizona and now invites his family to the restaurants annual Thanksgiving meal, and Miguel Angel Sanchez, 43, who started two barbecue restaurants while living illegally in Oklahoma City and returned to Mexico to apply for a green card that never came through. And theres Hugo Hernandez Gonzalez, 38, who worked in Florida kitchens for 10 years before being deported in connection with a DUI. Tattooed on both arms, he struggled to find work in Mexico, where tattoos are taboo. At Pinche Gringo, he helped create the recipes for the restaurants famous side dishes crispy cole slaw and gooey mac and cheese using cups instead of the metric system typically used in Mexican kitchens and Fahrenheit instead of Celsius. Pinche Gringo, he said, recognizes that returnees with experience in the U.S. have something special to offer and arent to be feared. It has changed my life, he said. Defossey and his Mexican partner, Roberto Luna, opened the restaurant in 2014. They wanted to introduce authentic American folk culture to a country more familiar with American imports such as Walmart, Chilis and other corporate chains. Defossey says the restaurants mission is to bring the two countries closer together, an ethos he calls barbecue diplomacy. He says the restaurants name, which is not quite an F-bomb but translates to a crasser version of Freakin Gringo, was designed to signal a certain humility and self-deprecation that hasnt always been present in U.S.-Mexican relations. Defossey didnt seek out American returnees at first. He hired a few shortly after opening without thinking too much about their immigration histories. Now job applicants with experience in the U.S. have a leg up over others. When he interviewed Cruz for the job last month and heard his story, Defossey said, he started crying. Cruz said he was deported in February after being arrested for running a red light. He started work last week at the restaurants first location, in a brick building lined with picnic tables and lit with red neon in the middle-class neighborhood of Narvarte. The air is thick with smoke from cooking brisket, pulled pork and ribs. He prepares and serves sides from inside an old Airstream trailer to the thump of classic rock songs. Pinche Gringo is a popular Mexico City barbecue joint whose American owner has made a special effort to hire deportees and other returnees from the U.S. (Meghan Dhaliwal / For The Times ) He is still getting used to the changes. In California, he made $20 an hour as a chef at a trendy restaurant near the beach. Here he earns about that much in a full day, which is still much better than most jobs in Mexico, where the minimum daily wage is about $5. Cruz still cries easily. He did so during a recent employee meeting where he was being introduced to his new colleagues. He blurted out his story, wiped his eyes, and said he is looking forward to traveling to Tijuana someday to meet up with his American-born kids, 15-year-old Oliver and 9-year-old Hannah. Several workers embraced him afterward and gave him affectionate slaps on the back. On a recent day, Cruz stopped Jimenez. Do you miss the U.S.? he asked. Yes, Jimenez said. But it gets easier with time. I lost everything. I never expected to be here, Cruz said. But I have to make a life here. At the end of his shift, he often finds himself lingering at the restaurant. I dont like being alone, he said. Sometimes, I dont want to go home. kate.linthicum@latimes.com Twitter: @katelinthicum A second grade class at Lehigh Elementary School received the Do The Right Thing Award for a video they created highlighting childhood cancer. Lehigh Elementary School second grade teacher Rachel Mas said she met Jared Wallace, a fifth grade teacher, and his family when she started working at the school seven years ago. When I started to teach fifth grade we became very close as a team, she said, adding that his daughter and her son attended the same daycare. One day, Wallace had to call off work to take his daughter, Addy, to the doctor, which Mas said made them all concerned. Wallace said his daughter, Addy, who is now 5, was originally diagnosed with a Wilms tumor Oct. 31, 2015. He said the tumor was found on her right kidney. She was fine. Never sick a day of her life, he said. Addy was starting to go to the bathroom on her own when her father noticed a lot of blood in the toilet. At first the thought was it might be a urinary tract infection, but when it happened again later her parents became concerned. When Addy went to the bathroom later there was no more trace of blood. Unfortunately when Wallace checked her pull-ups blood was spotted again. They saw a doctor. The doctor had her go to the bathroom in a cup. There were blood clots in the cup, he said. When the doctor touched Addys stomach for five seconds he said he could feel a mass on her kidney. The ultrasound confirmed the mass and the Wallace family was referred to the All Childrens Hospital in St. Petersburg. The tumor, Wallace said was large enough that they were able to remove the right kidney to get rid of the main mass. Addy, as well as her parents spent a lot of time in the hospital while she underwent chemotherapy and radiation. At the end of the six month period we went through six month follow-up scans and she had relapsed, he said. It came back as bilateral lung cancer. She had it in both lungs. From there Addy had a very progressive protocol to follow, which meant more chemotherapy, this time three different drugs, instead of two, as well as radiation. Within the first month the lesion and mass had disappeared, Wallace said. With following protocol, Addy had to go through the induction, consolidation and maintenance phase. Wallace said the induction was the full brunt of the treatment. She was supposed to go through it for a year, but her body wasnt tolerating the medication well, he said, due to her blood count becoming super low. After the second of six rounds, the doctors called it quits. Wallace said the doctor reassured them that if Addy made it this far, one round is as good as six. Now Addy is celebrating one year of being cancer free. The youngster is now doing great and has more energy than ever. Mas said the idea of creating a video stemmed from new curriculum she was following, with one unit talking about being change makers in the world and community. She said her students learned about different change makers, such as Theodore Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr. and Susan B. Anthony. With all of the historical big figures being discussed, Mas said she asked her students if they thought children can be change makers as well. They were like, yeah, kind of. Some had mixed feelings. One of them said kids cannot be heroes, she said. Mas reassured her students that children can be heroes, which resulted in some of her students agreeing. She told her students, I know a kid hero. She fights and is an inspiration to others, who looks danger in the eye and is brave enough to face their fears. Who has been through a lot of pain. There is a teacher whose daughter is a hero. From that point, Mas said the idea was formed, creating a video. I tied it into our character writing, writing a narrative. Each student had a part to write about Addy. They wrote their section. We tweaked it and edited it, she said. Once edited, Mas and her students recorded it a few times before it was perfect. Afterwards, she said she received word from another teacher about the Do The Right Thing Award, doing something awesome for the community and bringing awareness of something. The video was submitted in October. She sad it was a wonderful surprise when they found out they received the recognition. It all started with a question, Mas said. It was a wonderful learning experience for myself and my children. Throughout the process, she said her students learned about cancer after witnessing Addys hair grow back following her treatment. I had to explain the process of cancer, she said. The kids were very concerned. Mas explained the different types of cancer, the process of what happens when one is diagnosed. She said the project went deeper than teaching the standards of curriculum and narrative writing. The project helped them understand and experience empathy for someone. Kids like them can make a difference giving the situation that they are in, especially with Addy. She made the best of it. Im teaching them the value of empathy and caring, being brave and strong. That went further than the academics. That helped them realize that they can be better and try to inspire others, Mas said. The video Fight Like a Princess Dedicated to Addy and the Wallace Family earned the class a Do The Right Thing certificate award from Sheriff Mike Scott. Mas said the children received a certificate of special recognition, as well as Lehigh Elementary School receiving an award. We also got a trophy, which the kids were super pumped about. We got to be on the school news, they were so pumped about that. They were excited, Mas said. The video can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh0tYXbVIjw I cant say enough about her (Mas) and the compassion, Wallace said. He said he is very touched by everyone at Lehigh Elementary School, his family. Wallace said the school raised a couple thousand dollars for them through a field day, as well as a T-shirt drive. Lehigh was awesome. We had people making dinner for us nightly, Wallace said. In addition, the Fort Myers Brewery Company held a fundraiser, also raising quite a bit of money for his family after one of his friends, another teacher, approached them. Wallace said the brewery created Addytude, a raspberry beer. They bring it back every now and again, he said. The Do The Right Thing Award has been spotlighting students since 1997 when the Lee County Sheriffs Office wanted to reward students who were making healthy decisions and positive choices, as well as volunteering in their community. A majority of Allentown council members said Tuesday night they support making the city the first in the Lehigh Valley to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana. City council met as a committee of the whole to review the proposal, introduced last week, to create a local summary charge rather than the misdemeanor established by state law. The committee voted 4-3 to send the measure "favorably" to council for a vote May 16. Allentown is the county seat of Lehigh County, where District Attorney Jim Martin is dead set against a local marijuana law. His viewpoint comes into play in Bethlehem, as well, where a similar measure is pending in that city divided between Lehigh and Northampton counties. "This body has absolutely no authority to change anything," Allentown Councilman Edward Zucal said Tuesday. "We cannot say it's OK to commit murder in Harrisburg for a life sentence but in Allentown if you commit murder the most you get is five years." Bethlehem City Council members are scheduled May 22 to take up creating a summary charge for possession of a small amount of marijuana. Easton council rejected a similar proposal Feb. 28. Allentown City Council is also scheduled May 16 to consider a recommendation that state lawmakers change state law on possession of a small amount of marijuana, similar to a resolution passed 6-1 by Easton council. Allentown council members voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend passage of the message to the state. During Tuesday night's meeting, Zucal joined Councilman Daryl Hendricks in siding with Martin. Both retired police officers, as is council President Roger MacLean, Zucal and Hendricks acknowledged they aren't opposed to the idea of decriminalization. "I belive this is the wrong bill at the wrong time for the wrong reasons," Hendicks said. Zucal, Hendricks and MacLean all voted against recommending council passage of a local summary charge for marijuana. Four members on the seven-member council voted in support. "Times have changed," Council Vice President Candida Affa said. "I just think it's ridiculous to have someone who is going to smoke a joint and have an arrest. I think a summary ticket would be: We're not saying we're legalizing it. I just want to decriminalize it." Councilman Julio Guridy said a misdemeanor arrest for marijuana affects students pursuing college and people looking for a job. "I think that there have been arrests where for a small amount of marijuana people's records are unfortunately damaged, their criminal records," Guridy said. Councilman Courtney Robinson said he's proud to support the summary offense, and noted there have been no legal challenges to other Pennsylvania cities that have made the change. "The time has come to stop feeding ourselves lies, lies that marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco," he said. Councilwoman Cynthia Mota said she has seen people self-medicate with cannabis during her career in mental health treatment, while tobacco and alcohol are accepted as legal. "I care deeply about the issue of mass incarceration and re-entry that disproportionately impact communities of color," Mota said. "By decriminalization we will begin to heal wounds ... and send a message to all of the families fractured by this practice that we care, hear their concerns and share their pain." Allentown council heard from residents unanimously in support of the summary offense, which would apply to possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana or up to 8 grams of hashish; possession of drug paraphernalia and personal use of marijuana. Violators would face a fine of $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second in one calendar year, $100 for a third offense in a year and $150 or up to eight hours' community service for a fourth offense. The proposal earmarks any revenue from the new law for recreation and police community engagement. One resident, the daughter of a retired Allentown police officer, spoke of how a misdemeanor charge for $5 worth of marijuana has followed her around like a "ball and chain," cropping up every time she fills out a job application. "We all know what house arrest is," she said. "Well this is life arrest for me." Marijuana advocate Chris Goldstein also addressed council. He said he helped craft Philadelphia's decriminalization measure in 2014 and has worked on every similar measure passed since then in Pennsylvania, in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, York, State College and Erie. He shared an analysis of police crime data showing Allentown police made 315 arrests last year for possession of a small amount of marijuana, compared to 31 for all other drugs. "That's costing you at least $2,200 per arrest," he said, citing a RAND Corp. study commissioned for Vermont. "The real question for Allentown is how much do you want to keep spending to put cannabis consumers in handcuffs and send them over to the courthouse," Goldstein said. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Bethlehem Township police led a drug raid Tuesday afternoon that took down a marijuana grow house and recovered several hundred thousand dollars worth of the drug, according to a news release. It was a joint operation with Pennsylvania State Police -- both organizations received information and worked together on the probe, township Capt. Greg Gottschall said Wednesday morning. The captain wouldn't say if neighbor complaints led to the action. No one was in custody as of Wednesday morning, but the investigation was continuing, police said. It is the largest marijuana haul Gottschall can remember in his 29 years on the township force, he said. The home at 3103 Applewood Drive has been owned by Kenny Nguyen since 2005, records show and police confirmed. A listed phone number for Nguyen wasn't immediately available. Records show he was living in the home as recently as September. No one answered the door Wednesday afternoon. A maroon Acura sat in the driveway with an "Associate Fraternal Order of Police" button to the left of the license plate. No one was home when a search warrant was served about 2 p.m. Tuesday, police said. The grow operation revealed 256 lives plants and 279 plants being dried after harvest, police said. In addition, several trash bags were found containing multiple pounds of marijuana, which had been packaged and prepared for distribution, police said. Marijuana sells in Allentown for $1,000 to $1,200 a pound, according to narcoticsnews.com, which tracks such things. The street value of the seized marijuana in Bethlehem Township "is estimated to be several hundred thousand dollars," police said. At that figure it likely would have been delivered in amounts far less than a pound. Vice officers from other area law enforcement agencies and records and identification specialists from state police assisted in the raid, township police said. Neighbors on the well-kept blocks around the home were reluctant to talk Wednesday afternoon, but no one had an unpleasant word about the resident. One man called the Emerald Hills subdevelopment, which began going up in 2000, "peaceful" and pointed out that the mix-and-match architecture was intentional to feel more like a neighborhood and avoid the look of the cookie-cutter homes some blocks away. The man who lived at 3103 -- no one was certain of his full name -- had been there for years, neighbors said. The one neighbor who spoke on the record but declined to give his name said the man would wave if their cars approached at the intersection nearer the top of the hill on Applewood. He'd say "hi" if someone was passing his home, the neighbor added. On a block where conversations were going on Wednesday afternoon from one side of the street to the other, the man's quiet nature was out of place, the neighbor said. "He stayed to himself," the neighbor added. They thought he owned a restaurant out of state, the neighbor said. There was absolutely no indication anything illegal was going on, all agreed. Police on Tuesday told residents that the drugs would have smell like skunks, but the rock gardens in the neighborhood host the stinky animals, so that odor wouldn't stand out, the neighbor said. There was a rumor that there were surveillance cameras on the property, the neighbor said, and devices above the twin garages and near the front door could have concealed such pieces of equipment. It seemed odd that there appeared to be a piece of furniture against one of the rear windows, the neighbor said. But not odd enough to assume anything was wrong. There weren't an unusual numbers of visitors, he added. The shed door in the backyard was open on Wednesday and potting soil was sloppily piled near the small concrete front porch. Residue of dirt from plants laid out Tuesday on the driveway remained on Wednesday. Windows near the front door appeared covered in paper and a water house dangled haphazardly nearby. In a neighborhood of deep, well trimmed rear lawns and small, manicured flower gardens, the two-story home at 3103 Applewood -- with yellowish siding and tan stoneface on the front of the first floor -- stood out as being slightly rough around the edges. The roof needed some shingles, the neighbor said, adding maybe the resident didn't want roofers around the place, he added. But the grass was cut. The neighbor, who was away as the police action went into the evening, said there's seldom excitement in the subdevelopment a few blocks south of William Penn Highway and less than a mile from Notre Dame High School. And that's a good thing, he added. He came home to see street barricades pulled off to the side and, curious at the unusual sight, got filled in by his across-the-street neighbor. "You never know," he said with a shrug. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A 41-year-old Phillipsburg man wanted in a Dec. 19 attempted homicide in Easton was arrested Wednesday morning on Interstate 78 East in Newark, police Lt. Matthew Gerould reports. Shareef Boston. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) Shareef Boston was in a vehicle that was stopped at mile marker 58 by the New Jersey State Police fugitive unit, Gerould said. Since obtaining a warrant April 12 for Boston's arrest, city police had been working with the fugitive unit on the investigation, Gerould said. The stop was part of the probe, not random, and went off without incident, Gerould said. The state police unit "has been of great assistance to us," Gerould said, adding he wouldn't provide more details of the investigation. Boston will be held in Essex County jail as a fugitive from justice awaiting proceedings that will likely lead to extradition to Northampton County, Gerould said. Boston, who allegedly had been harassing a former girlfriend, shot a 53-year-old man in the leg about 8:15 p.m. Dec. 19 as that man walked toward a home in the 1000 block of Washington Street where the ex-girlfriend lived, police said. The wound wasn't life-threatening, police said. It was believed the gunfire came from a Jeep SUV and the home was hit as well as the man, police said. Witnesses reported hearing between four and eight gunshots. The incident was reported at 8:16 p.m. and occurred on the sidewalk near South Warren Street, police said. Boston is also charged with aggravated assault and three firearms-related offenses, records show. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Candidates for U.S. Senate for New Jersey in 2018, from left, incumbent Robert Menendez, Lisa McCormick, Bob Hugin and Brian Goldberg. Jersey Journal/lisamccormick.org/NJ Advance Media/goldberg2018.com | For lehighvalleylive.com By Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com Voters in Warren and Hunterdon counties face contested local and Congressional races in the June 5 primary election. The deadline to register to vote is May 15. Don't Edit How to register To register in New Jersey you must: Be a United States citizen; at least 17 years old, though unable to vote until reaching 18; and a resident of the county in which you plan to vote for 30 days before the election. Not be serving a sentence, probation or parole because of a felony conviction. Complete a Voter Registration Application and/or Party Affiliation Form. Mail or deliver the Voter Registration Application and/or Party Affiliation Form to the County Commissioner of Registration or Superintendent of Elections for your county. New Jersey has a closed primary election, meaning only voters registered as Republicans or Democrats can cast a ballot in their respective party's race. The Warren County Board of Elections, 202 Mansfield St. in Belvidere, will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. May 15 to accept voter registrations. Not sure of your registration status in New Jersey? Visit voter.njsvrs.com to check and to find your polling place. Don't Edit Your ballots Here is a look at the candidates in contested primary elections, according to the Warren and Hunterdon county clerks' offices and New Jersey Division of Elections: Don't Edit U.S. Senate Incumbent U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-NJ, faces a Democratic primary challenge from Lisa McCormick, a community newspaper publisher from Rahway. Menendez, of Harrison, is fresh off a January mistrial on federal corruption charges, which prosecutors declined to refile. Menendez is seeking a third six-year term. He was appointed to fill a vacancy in January 2006 before retaining his seat that November. On the Republican side, former Celgene Corp. executive Bob Hugin, of Summit, is battling businessman Brian Goldberg, of Livingston, to take on the Democratic primary winner this November. Don't Edit U.S. House of Representatives All 12 of New Jersey's House seats are up for grabs in 2018. These are the races Warren and Hunterdon county voters will help to decide. Don't Edit Don't Edit 5th Congressional District Two Republicans are running to derail Democratic U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer's bid for re-election to a second two-year term. Gottheimer, of Wyckoff, unseated the veteran Republican incumbent, Scott Garrett, in 2016. The Republican candidates are former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, who lost a special election for U.S. Senate to Democrat Cory Booker in 2013, and John McCann, general counsel to the New Jersey Sheriffs Association. Both are from Hackensack. Don't Edit 7th Congressional District U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance, a Republican from Lebanon, faces two challengers in his party's primary: physician Raafat Barsoom, of Clinton Township, and digital project manager Lindsay Brown, of Clark. Lance is seeking a sixth two-year term. The list of Democratic challengers was cut to three from seven, as the party coalesced behind former Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Tom Malinowski, who has the backing of all six county party committees, according to nj.com. Malinowski's primary opponents are Peter Jacob, the 2016 Democratic nominee from Pluckemin, and lawyer Goutam Jois, of Summit. Don't Edit Warren County municipal races Alpha Running for two three-year terms on borough council are Democrats Lisa LaCaruba, John Schmidt Sr. and Alan Singleton and Republicans Louis J. Cartabona, Jennifer E. Gable and Jodie Smith. Belvidere Running for two three-year terms on town council Republicans Joseph P. Roth, Linda H. Stettler, Deborah S. Tutka and Adam Znigrodski. Unopposed on the Democratic ballot is Carolyn Cerbone. Also, unopposed for a single one-year term on council is Republican Charles A. Makatura Jr. Frelinghuysen Township Running for two three-year terms on the township committee are Republicans David C. Boynton II, Alan De Carolis, Todd Mc Peek, Debra Natyzak Osadca and Christopher Stracco with no Democrats filed. Greenwich Township Running for one three-year township committee term are Republicans Lillian McDermott and Will Spencer. Stephanie Huff is the only Democrat who filed. Washington Borough Running for four four-term terms on borough council are seven Republicans: Scott E. Fulloon, Ronald A. Hartrum, Michael Paul Heinrich, Caren E. Hric, Paul E. Jones, Dewayne Keith Norris and Adam G. Zimmer. Four Democrats are unopposed in the primary: Ethel Conry, Chelsea Duchemin, Josephine Noone and Christopher Vitalos. Don't Edit Hunterdon County municipal races Bethlehem Township Running for two three-year township committee terms are Republicans Walter Baumgarten, Chris Connors Steve Keefe and John R. Logar. No Democrats filed. Clinton Township Running for two three-year terms on township council are Republicans Thomas Kochanowski, Dan McTiernan and Marc H. Strauss. Two Democrats are unopposed: Michael Lennick and Robert Parkanyi. Delaware Township Running for two three-year terms on the township committee are Republicans Alan C. Johnson, Daniel Kwasnik and James Waltman. No Democrats filed. Flemington Running for two three-year terms on borough council are Republicans Alan P. Brewer, Marc D. Hain and Brooke Warden. Two Democrats are unopposed: Caitlin Giles-McCormick and Christopher Runion. Glen Gardner Running for two three-year terms on borough council are Republicans Stephen G. Bulger, Richard J. Mitterando, Donald Robertella and Susan Welch. No Democrats filed. Lambertville Running for one three-year term as city mayor are Democrats David M. DelVecchio and Julia Fahl. No Republicans filed. Union Township Running for two three-year terms are Republicans Charles Neary, Matt Severino and David C. Stothoff. Democratic candidate Bryna Elder is unopposed. Don't Edit What about freeholders? The Warren and Hunterdon county ballots are uncontested in the primary, but will be contested in the Nov. 6 general election. In Warren County, Republican Pohatcong Township Mayor James Kern III and John Massaro, a Democrat from Allamuchy Township, are running to succeed Freeholder Director Ed Smith, who did not seek re-election. The term is three years. Hunterdon County Freeholder Director J. Matthew Holt, seeking a fifth term, and Susan Soloway are unopposed in the Republican primary to face Lynn McClintock and Cullen McAuliffe, the candidates on the uncontested Democratic primary ballot for two seats. The term is for three years. Freeholder John King, a Republican, did not seek re-election. Don't Edit Don't Edit Editor's note: This article was updated from its original version to correct the hometown of U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. UPDATE: How the felon killed at Walmart got his handgun Lehigh County's district attorney has ruled a Pennsylvania State Trooper was justified in using deadly force to stop a masked theft suspect who reportedly tried to shoot first. Aaron Ibrahem, of Berks County, was shot multiple times by Trooper Brian Bird on March 28 in the Walmart parking lot in Lower Macungie Township. Ibrahem died at the scene in a white van, with a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol in his lap, state police said. A total of seven projectiles were removed from his body, and his death was ruled a homicide. State police previously said the trooper who opened fire was a four-year state police veteran who just joined the Fogelsville barracks that week. On Wednesday, District Attorney Jim Martin identified Bird as the trooper, and said he was justified in using deadly force in the confrontation. State police previously said Ibrahem fired a shot at Bird, but the report on the incident reveals Ibrahem aimed the gun and pulled the trigger, but no round was fired. Bird shot nine times from his state police-issued .45-caliber handgun and mortally wounded Ibrahem, Martin said. Police said that night Ibrahem, in a red wig and mask, went into the store at 1091 Mill Creek Road in Lower Macungie Township. Ibrahem matched the description of a theft suspect in two previous shoplifting incidents at a Walmart in Schuylkill County, one on Dec. 22 and the other on March 15. In the March 15th incident, the suspect pulled a handgun on a loss prevention officer. State police were called to the Lower Macungie store and Bird was the first to respond. Ibrahem saw the trooper, abandoned the cart and tried to leave the store, when Bird confronted him and told him to stop, state police said. Ibrahem took off across the parking lot, while Bird repeatedly yelled for him to stop, authorities said. When Ibrahem got to the white van, he allegedly pulled the pistol out of his waistband and tried to fire it; Bird reported he heard a "click" noise. Ibrahem got into the van and closed the door, when Bird fired eight or nine times through the window and side door of the van, authorities said. "I thought I was going to die...he would have probably killed anybody else who was in his way as he tried to escape," Bird said in his interview with investigators. Investigators said Ibrahem's pistol had one round in the chamber and nine rounds in the ten-capacity magazine. Authorities believe Ibrahem manually loaded the pitol by pulling the slide before he died. The cartridges in the firearm did not have any pin impressions in the primers, state police said, so there was no cartridge in the chamber when Ibrahem tried to fire the pistol and Bird heard the "click" sound. "It is unfortunate that Mr. Ibrahem was mortally wounded; however, it is abundantly clear from the investigation that his actions in failing to comply with the commands of Trooper Bird and in pulling and pointing a gun at Bird and attempting to fire at him, brought about his being shot and killed," Martin wrote in his report. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan attends the Third Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, May 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan attended the Third Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation here on Tuesday, saying China is ready to contribute to Africa's development with its own development. In a speech at the opening ceremony, Wang said that China and Africa have always stuck with each other through thick and thin and supported each other. The local governments' exchanges and cooperation on poverty alleviation and sustainable development will help promote the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnerships between China and African nations. Wang said that China will unswervingly implement the strategy of opening up to the outside world for mutual benefit so as to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. He noted that China is still a developing country and faces the principal contradiction of unbalanced and inadequate development. It is arduous task and big challenge for China to win the battle of targeted poverty alleviation and achieve an all-round well-off society, Wang said. On the sidelines of the forum, Wang also met with Nigerien Prime Minister Brigi Rafini and former Tanzanian Prime Minister Salim Ahmed Salim, respectively. When meeting with Rafini, Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's sincere greetings to Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou, saying that China will make efforts to lift bilateral ties to a new high. Rafini also conveyed the Nigerien president's greetings to President Xi, saying that Niger appreciates China's help and support and hopes to learn from China's experiences on development. When meeting with Salim, Wang conveyed President Xi's cordial greetings to Tanzanian President John Magufuli. Wang said he expects China-Tanzania ties will continue to advance through concrete cooperation projects under the guidance of the leaders of both sides. Salim also conveyed the Tanzanian president's greetings to President Xi, saying that China has sincerely helped Africa's development and is a true friend of Tanzania. He hoped that the two sides will conduct in-depth exchanges and cooperation at all levels, and continue to consolidate and develop the traditional friendship between Tanzania and China. 4 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Aaron Ibrahem was a felon prohibited by federal law from buying the handgun he leveled at police at a Walmart Supercenter, drawing a barrage of bullets that left the 26-year-old dead. That's according to Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin, who announced Wednesday that Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Brian Bird was justified in fatally shooting Ibrahem during the incident March 28 in Lower Macungie Township. Ibrahem exploited a "serious 'loophole'" in federal firearms laws to legally purchase key components of the firearm that was assembled by hand and which he carried that night, Martin says in his report on the shooting. "I intend to forward this report to area Federal and State Legislators in the hope that corrective legislation may be promulgated," Martin says in the report. At issue is Ibrahem's legal purchase over the internet of the serial-numbered slide/barrel, also known as an upper, for a Glock .40-caliber handgun, according to Martin. "Ironically, this integral part of the pistol may be purchased legally on the internet (eBay) without scrutiny -- no ATF form required," Martin wrote. "It is not considered to be a firearm." It must be mated to a frame/receiver, or lower, to function. Ibrahem "could not have legally purchased the frame/receiver," according to the DA. "But he could (and did) legally purchase the slide/barrel on the Internet. "It is believed that he then 'manufactured' a firearm by obtaining the lower portion (frame/receiver) of the weapon by purchasing a so-called 'Polymer 80' on the internet." A Polymer 80 refers to a polymer-of-plastic frame that is 80 percent of a complete handgun, Martin said. According to polymer80.com, this 80 percent lower receiver may be transferred without a U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives federal firearms license. The Polymer 80 is a do-it-yourself project without the holes needed to complete a firearm. A frame/receiver that has the necessary holes pre-drilled requires an ATF firearms transaction record designed to prevent purchase by a convict like Ibrahem. "The manufacturing process can be easily completed by drilling or machining out the holes to attach the slide/barrel, trigger parts and other necessary parts," Martin wrote. "All of those can be acquired on the internet." Likewise the instructions are available on YouTube or the how-to section of polymer80.com, which does note "a strict policy against selling 80% receivers to convisted (sic) felons." Somehow, Ibrahem got one, despite crimes in his past "punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year," according to Martin; that made Ibrahem a person not to possess firearms under federal law. "The point I am making ... is that you can legally purchase everything but a frame without submitting an ATF form, but in place of a frame that you would have to submit an ATF form for you can buy one of these Polymer 80s on the internet," Martin told lehighvalleylive.com. It's a common practice, Martin said, citing firearms experts. "And in my opinion it represents a serious 'loophole' that should be closed by legislation at both the federal and state levels," he wrote in his report. "Why permit the purchase of firearm parts without any scrutiny whatsoever by Persons Not to Possess, which they may then easily assemble into a functional firearm?" This is a Glock 17 9mm handgun, depicted in a photo from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is similar in shape to a Glock 22 .40-caliber handgun. Walmart shoplifting suspect Aaron Ibrahem was killed by police March 28, 2018, outside Walmart in Lower Macungie Township after he leveled a handgun built with a Glock 22 slide/barrel and Polymer 80 frame/receiver, investigators found. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) Ibrahem, who was from Mertztown in Berks County, drew the attention of Walmart staff alerted to be on the lookout for him, following a previous theft incident at a Walmart in St. Claire, Schuylkill County. Loss prevention called police, and the responding trooper -- Bird -- confronted him. The suspect ran off toward his van, ignoring Bird's threats he would be Tasered, then pulled the homemade handgun, rotated around clockwise and pointed it at Bird, according to Martin's report. It didn't fire. Bird heard a "click." "Now I don't know manipulated a safety or racked the slide, or if he actually pulled the trigger and it didn't fire, but I heard some type of manipulation of that weapon," Bird told investigators, according to Martin's report. Bird determined he had to shoot Ibrahem, based on the potential threat to him and others were he allowed to continue to flee. Bird fired nine rounds from his .45-caliber duty weapon, striking Ibrahem eight or nine times, killing him. "The 'click' sound heard by Trooper Bird would be consistent with the sound of Ibrahem's firearm when the trigger is pulled and the chamber is empty or the cartridge in the chamber did not discharge," according to the DA's report. Police found Ibrahem's firearm in his lap, with one round in the chamber and nine rounds in the 10-round-capacity magazine. "Trooper Bird saw Ibrahem point the gun at him, heard a 'click' in an unsuccessful attempt by Ibrahem to fire his weapon and then saw him retreat inside the vehicle," the report states. "Ibrahem had to have manually loaded the Glock by pulling the slide to the rear prior to expiring. "The cartridges for Ibrahem's firearm were analyzed and did not have any firing pin impressions in the primers; thus, there could not have been a cartridge in the chamber at the time the trigger was pulled and the 'click' heard." Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. v The Lehigh Valley is receiving $3.7 million of $66.8 million awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for projects aimed at improving pedestrian and bike safety, and mobility. The funds are part of the Surface Transportation Block Grant program aimed at transportation alternatives. Allentown and Coopersburg received the most money -- $1 million each from the state. Allentown's money is for a path from Jordan Basin Park through Jordan Creek Park, connecting with a segment of the trail that was constructed last year and runs through Whitehall to the 476-acre Jordan Creek Parkway. Coopersburg's funds will go toward pedestrian, bike and traffic improvements on North Main and West State streets. The $1 million is the biggest grant the borough has received so far for its multi-phase improvement plan that began in 2010. Borough manager Timothy Paashaus said officials are looking at design plans now for the the North Main and West State street section by borough hall, but are ready to go to bid soon for similar plans for East Station Avenue, from the Saucon Valley Rail Trail to Main Street. The borough previously received $938,000 from PennDOT's Transportation Alternatives Program funding for the $1,080,000 East Station Avenue project, and $127,000 in Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources funding for improvements to the grassy old trolley line that runs parallel to Main Street, Paashaus said. The borough has applied for another multi-modal grant for North Main Street, heading toward Fairmont Street, and for Department of Community and Economic Development Greenways, Recreation, and Trails grants to complete the Saucon Valley Rail Trail to the Lehigh County border. Lehigh County will receive two checks. The biggest will give $838,188 to build a trail to close a 1.45-mile gap on the D&L Trail from the Lehigh County-Northampton County line to Hanover Township's Canal Park. The second is $74,100 to help rehab Geiger's Covered Bridge, built in 1860 over the Jordan Creek in North Whitehall Township. Lastly, Hellertown will receive $792,427 for improvements to six un-signalized intersection on Main Street (Route 412). Main Street and Thomas Avenue will receive striped crosswalks and button-activated flashing signs to notify oncoming traffic when a pedestrian is in the roadway. Main Street intersections with Hampton Avenue and Clark, Division, Saucon and Chestnut streets will each get pedestrian-activated lighted crosswalks. Hellertown is in the middle of the preliminary design of the project, said borough manager Cathy Hartranft. It expects to bid the project next March, with construction during summer 2019. Hartranft said the borough wants to involved the community in the process, and will either have presentations before the planning commission and council, or a special meeting. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The mother of a Pennsylvania 16-year-old girl who police say was taken out of school and to Mexico by a 45-year-old man is suing him and the school, claiming she suffered financial, psychological and emotional harm. Federal agents found 45-year-old Kevin Esterly and 16-year-old Amy Yu in Playa del Carmen in March. He faces charges including interfering with the custody of a child, and was ordered last month to stand trial in Lehigh County Court. Mui Luu's federal lawsuit, filed Monday, seeks unspecified punitive damages. It alleges Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School in Hanover Township, Northampton County, violated Luu's constitutional rights to her daughter's safety by allowing Esterly to be listed as Yu's stepfather on an emergency form. The suit also alleges Esterly interfered with the custody of her daughter and caused her psychological and reputational damage. Messages seeking comment from the school and Esterly's lawyer weren't immediately returned. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Industries Promising Packaging: Ceresana Report on Printing Inks Market Study: Printing Inks - Europe 09.05.2018 11:02:30 - Ceresana analyzed the European market for printing inks, which also includes toners for electrophotography (laser printing). (live-PR.com) - How can manufacturers of printing inks hold their own in their shrinking market? The rapid ascent of online printing plants has revolutionized the printing industry in recent years. In more and more segments, digital printing is more efficient and faster than analogue printing processes, says Oliver Kutsch, managing director of the market research institute Ceresana. Besides substitution effects between the - How can manufacturers of printing inks hold their own in their shrinking market? The rapid ascent of online printing plants has revolutionized the printing industry in recent years. In more and more segments, digital printing is more efficient and faster than analogue printing processes, says Oliver Kutsch, managing director of the market research institute Ceresana. Besides substitution effects between the particular printing processes, especially publication printing is exposed to a high competition with digital publishing processes. Ceresana analyzed the European market for printing inks, which also includes toners for electrophotography (laser printing). The analysts expect the market for printing inks to decrease to a level of 1.17 million tonnes until 2024. Some segments, however, will experience growth. Colorful Prospects For Eastern Europe In various Eastern European countries, total demand for printing inks is expected to increase in the upcoming years. Publication printing also has to face the problems of decreasing print circulations, a lack of advertising budgets, and the migration to competing digital products. However, these losses will be more than compensated by a very dynamic packaging market. In Russia for instance, the demand for printing inks in the segment newspaper printing will most presumably decline by about 3.8 % per year, but the demand in the segment packaging printing will increase by 4.2 %. Digital printing: Trend Towards Inkjet Unbroken There is a trend towards smaller circulations, a higher number of printing orders and personalized contents in an ever shorter time which favors digital printing that enables enormous time savings due to a fast production, adaption, and transmission. Digital printing systems can fully demonstrate their strengths in the case of job printing of advertising inserts and other occasional printed materials. Digital printing is also gaining ground in letterpress, label printing, and other packaging applications, especially since steel, aluminum, and plastics can now also be printed on. The technological progress is constantly increasing the printing quality and speed, while the costs are declining: Digital printing is becoming competitive in more and more application areas. Investments in new inkjet systems are reaching new record levels across Europe. Packaging Printing: Demanding But Worthwhile Packaging printing is gaining importance for manufacturers of printing inks: There is no digital replacement for packaging. The packaging effort even increases. The labeling obligations become stricter. Internet trade strengthens the mail order business and thus the demand for shipping packaging. These are very good conditions for further growth: For the upcoming eight years, analysts at Ceresana expect demand for packaging inks to increase at 2.0 % per year. Regulations regarding the migration of pollutants are an important aspect in food packaging. Green Printing: UV-Curing Printing Inks Are In Demand A growing health and environmental awareness is leading to the development of new printing inks and processing methods, for example the use of UV and other radiation-curing printing inks. Complete curing prevents photoinitiators from being released by low-migration UV inks. More and more effective barrier layers are being integrated in packaging to prevent the migration of printing inks. While the demand for conventional solventborne products is declining, the market for modern, inks low in harmful substances is developing dynamically. The Study in Brief: Chapter 1 analyzes demand, production, import, and export as well as revenues in regard to printing inks for 21 countries. Furthermore, the study analyzes the demand for printing inks in the individual application areas as well as split by printing processes. Chapter 2 offers a detailed analysis of various application areas of printing inks: Data on the development of demand in the application areas newspapers, books, magazines, advertising, packaging as well as other applications. Chapter 3 examines the demand for printing inks split by the printing processes offset, gravure, flexo, digital, and other printing processes. Chapter 4 provides useful profiles of important manufacturers of printing inks clearly arranged according to contact details, turnover, profit, product range, production sites, and profile summary. In-depth profiles of 67 manufacturers are provided, including Agfa Graphics N.V., Altana AG, Colorgraf S.p.A., DRUCKFARBEN HELLAS S.A. Group, Flint Group SA, FUJIFILM Europe GmbH, hubergroup, Inx Europe Limited, Sicpa Holding SA, and Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA. Further information: About Ceresana: Ceresana is a leading international market research institute and consultancy company for chemicals, plastics, industrial goods, and packaging. The company has been providing more than 10,000 customers from trade and industry in 60 countries with up-to-date analyses for over 15 years. The services of Ceresana for manufacturers, processors, and associations include implementation oriented consulting, customized single-client studies, and more than 100 market studies independent of the order. More about Ceresana at particular printing processes, especially publication printing is exposed to a high competition with digital publishing processes. Ceresana analyzed the European market for printing inks, which also includes toners for electrophotography (laser printing). The analysts expect the market for printing inks to decrease to a level of 1.17 million tonnes until 2024. Some segments, however, will experience growth.Colorful Prospects For Eastern EuropeIn various Eastern European countries, total demand for printing inks is expected to increase in the upcoming years. Publication printing also has to face the problems of decreasing print circulations, a lack of advertising budgets, and the migration to competing digital products. However, these losses will be more than compensated by a very dynamic packaging market. In Russia for instance, the demand for printing inks in the segment newspaper printing will most presumably decline by about 3.8 % per year, but the demand in the segment packaging printing will increase by 4.2 %.Digital printing: Trend Towards Inkjet UnbrokenThere is a trend towards smaller circulations, a higher number of printing orders and personalized contents in an ever shorter time which favors digital printing that enables enormous time savings due to a fast production, adaption, and transmission. Digital printing systems can fully demonstrate their strengths in the case of job printing of advertising inserts and other occasional printed materials. Digital printing is also gaining ground in letterpress, label printing, and other packaging applications, especially since steel, aluminum, and plastics can now also be printed on. The technological progress is constantly increasing the printing quality and speed, while the costs are declining: Digital printing is becoming competitive in more and more application areas. Investments in new inkjet systems are reaching new record levels across Europe.Packaging Printing: Demanding But WorthwhilePackaging printing is gaining importance for manufacturers of printing inks: There is no digital replacement for packaging. The packaging effort even increases. The labeling obligations become stricter. Internet trade strengthens the mail order business and thus the demand for shipping packaging. These are very good conditions for further growth: For the upcoming eight years, analysts at Ceresana expect demand for packaging inks to increase at 2.0 % per year. Regulations regarding the migration of pollutants are an important aspect in food packaging.Green Printing: UV-Curing Printing Inks Are In DemandA growing health and environmental awareness is leading to the development of new printing inks and processing methods, for example the use of UV and other radiation-curing printing inks. Complete curing prevents photoinitiators from being released by low-migration UV inks. More and more effective barrier layers are being integrated in packaging to prevent the migration of printing inks. While the demand for conventional solventborne products is declining, the market for modern, inks low in harmful substances is developing dynamically.The Study in Brief:Chapter 1 analyzes demand, production, import, and export as well as revenues in regard to printing inks for 21 countries. Furthermore, the study analyzes the demand for printing inks in the individual application areas as well as split by printing processes.Chapter 2 offers a detailed analysis of various application areas of printing inks: Data on the development of demand in the application areas newspapers, books, magazines, advertising, packaging as well as other applications.Chapter 3 examines the demand for printing inks split by the printing processes offset, gravure, flexo, digital, and other printing processes.Chapter 4 provides useful profiles of important manufacturers of printing inks clearly arranged according to contact details, turnover, profit, product range, production sites, and profile summary. In-depth profiles of 67 manufacturers are provided, including Agfa Graphics N.V., Altana AG, Colorgraf S.p.A., DRUCKFARBEN HELLAS S.A. Group, Flint Group SA, FUJIFILM Europe GmbH, hubergroup, Inx Europe Limited, Sicpa Holding SA, and Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA.Further information: www.ceresana.com/en/market-studies/industry/printing-inks-europe/ About Ceresana:Ceresana is a leading international market research institute and consultancy company for chemicals, plastics, industrial goods, and packaging. The company has been providing more than 10,000 customers from trade and industry in 60 countries with up-to-date analyses for over 15 years. The services of Ceresana for manufacturers, processors, and associations include implementation oriented consulting, customized single-client studies, and more than 100 market studies independent of the order.More about Ceresana at www.ceresana.com Contact information: Ceresana Mainaustrasse 34 78464 Konstanz Germany Contact Person: Martin Ebner Press Contact Phone: +49 7531 94293 0 eMail: eMail Web: http://www.ceresana.com Author: Martin Ebner e-mail Web: http://www.ceresana.com Phone: +49 (0)7531 94293 10 09.05.2018 11:02:30 - 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 Burberry tanks as Belgian billionaire Albert Frere sells entire stake 09-05-2018 08:15 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Stock Market News Director dealings: Smith and Nephew's new CEO makes 2.95m share purchase 09-05-2018 15:08 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Stock Market News Europe midday: Gains for Oil&Gas buoy indices 09-05-2018 12:38 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 Marshalls revenue rises 10% despite bad weather 09-05-2018 09:12 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 Standard Lithium signs brine testing deal with Lanxess 09-05-2018 14:24 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 Vipera narrows losses as it receives cash offer 09-05-2018 15:33 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 8, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump said here on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw his country from the Iran nuclear deal, a decision that immediately drew global frustration and outcry. The pullout of the United States from the deal, which eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for the country limiting its nuclear program, risks sparking an arms race in the Middle East, experts said. In a televised speech from the White House, Trump announced the exit. He said that he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, but re-impose sanctions lifted under the accord against Tehran and nations it has business links with. Trump repeated his rhetoric against Iran and the deal, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism in the region. The JCPOA "allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium" and "lifted crippling economic sanctions" on Iran in exchange for "very weak limits" on its nuclear activity, "and no limits at all" on its efforts to expand regional influences, he said. "The deal's sunset provisions are totally unacceptable," He said. "If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs." The United States will impose "the highest level" of economic sanctions on Tehran, he said. "Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States." As for the possible exacerbation of trans-Atlantic division over his decision, Trump only said that "we are unified in our understanding of the threat, and in our conviction that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon." Trump's decision came on the heels of visits to the United States by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. Macron even proposed a last-ditch side plan to appease Trump, but had failed to convince him. UNILATERAL SANCTIONS TO COME The White House said later that Trump had "directed his administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA," and "the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors." "Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran," it added. "Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences." U.S. Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin noted in an announcement that "sanctions will be reimposed subject to certain 90 day and 180 day wind-down periods." "At the conclusion of the wind-down periods, the applicable sanctions will come back into full effect. This includes actions under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities," he added. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States "will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat." GLOBAL OUTCRY Trump's decision to abandon the Iran deal signed between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States has sparked domestic and global concerns. In a joint statement released by Macron's office, French, German and British leaders regretted the U.S. decision. Macron, Merkel and Theresa May reiterated their "continued commitment" to the Iran nuclear deal, stressing that it "is of particular importance to our shared security." Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, under whose administration the deal was signed, said in a Facebook post that Trump's announcement is "so misguided" and "a serious mistake." "The JCPOA is working," Obama said, adding that "the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East" without the landmark deal. Europe will abide by the JCPOA, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said, adding she was "particularly worried" about the possible repercussions of Trump's decision. For his part, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that his country will remain in the deal, adding he has asked the Iranian foreign minister to initiate negotiations with the European partners as well as China and Russia over the fate of the deal. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on April 27 that China expects the deal to remain intact and be treated seriously. "China calls for all related parties to strengthen dialogue and coordination" over the deal, she said. Experts from the Washington-based Arms Control Association also denounced the decision. Daryl G. Kimball, the group's executive director, said Trump's announcement "is an irresponsible act of foreign policy malpractice" and "a twofold abrogation of U.S. commitments." "Through his reckless actions, Trump is precipitating a proliferation crisis rather than working with our allies to develop a long-term diplomatic strategy to build on the agreement in the years ahead," Kimball said. Brookings Institution senior fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that "the risk is his decision will spark an arms race in the Middle East." "Iran may restart its nuclear program and that could propel Saudi Arabia to develop its own nuclear program. The region is likely to become more volatile and chaotic as a result of the deal nullification," he said. (Matthew Rusling from Washington also contributed to the story.) 8 1 [ Editor: Xueying ] Stressing positive developments in Vietnam-Israel defence relations, Senior Lieutenant General Vinh showed his hopes that the visit of the SIBAT delegation will help to further enhance ties. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Defence Ministrys leaders will create all the favourable conditions for the delegation to meet and seek cooperation opportunities with Vietnamese partners in line with Vietnams laws. He suggested that both sides speed up collaboration in education, training, search and rescue missions, and the defence industry. For his part, Baruch informed the host of the outcomes of his working session with representatives of the Vietnamese Defence Ministrys Department of Foreign Relations. The Israeli side is willing to boost defence cooperation with Vietnam, especially in education-training, search and rescue missions, and the defence industry, he affirmed. The PCC agreed, through a vote, to allow Tran Quoc Vuong, Politburo member, and permanent member of the Secretariat and Chairman of the Central Inspection Commission, to leave the posts as the agencys member and chairman. The PCC elected Tran Cam Tu, standing vice chairman of the Central Inspection Commission, as its new chairman. Hoang Van Tra, deputy secretary of the Party committee of Phu Yen province, was elected to the Central Inspection Commission. The other new member of the Secretariat is Tran Thanh Man, who is currently President of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front. The PCC also decided to expel Dinh La Thang from the Party after he was charged with serious economic mismanagement while chairman of PVN. In the afternoon, the PCC discussed the plan on reforming salary policies for cadres, public servants, the armed forces and employees in enterprises, under the chair of Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Politburo member and Chairwoman of the National Assembly. Son spoke highly of the Ecuadorian governments decision to open an embassy in Hanoi and believed that bilateral ties will further grow in the coming time. Vicuna, for her part, expressed her wish that the Vietnamese government will actively consider the opening of an embassy in Quito. The host conveyed regards of President Lenin Moreno and Ecuadorian people to President Tran Dai Quang and Vietnamese people. Earlier on May 7, the Vietnamese ambassador also had a meeting with acting Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Jose Luis Jacome, during which Ecuador affirmed that its Foreign Ministry will work closely with Vietnamese embassy in the South American country to realise measures to develop bilateral and multilateral ties. Both sides spoke highly of the efficiency of the political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries and agreed to facilitate the exchange of all-level delegations. They vowed to offer mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums on the basis of sharing common values of development, peace, stability and social equality. On the occasion, Son held a working session with Ecuadorian Deputy Foreign Minister in charge of Africa, Asia and the Pacific Lourdes Puma to discuss specific plans in the near future. Imogen Fowler, Mireille Buydens, Ellen Shankman 168 The legal industry is going through big changes affecting how firms think and operate. Aside from keeping up with technological innovation, many firms are also increasing their efforts towards understanding diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Managing IPs Women in IP Global Network highlights the work of some of the worlds leading female IP practitioners and their views on certain thought-provoking issues. We asked our interviewees about their experiences and what advice they would offer to up-and-coming IP practitioners. From left to right: Imogen Fowler, Mireille Buydens and Ellen Shankman Be bold Imogen Fowler is a partner in Hogan Lovells Alicante office. Alongside law she studied French and Italian languages and philosophy. Fowler was previously a general litigator before she started working with an IP practitioner, an experience that convinced her to specialise in IP. She says her IP practice, which primarily focuses on trade mark and design, is fun and challenging. Do not be afraid to ask for what you want Imogen Fowler, Hogan Lovells Going straight into the issues, I asked Fowler about her personal experiences and whether she thought there are particular barriers for women seeking to enter the IP industry. She responded: No. I think that IP is a legal practice area which has a lot of women. Everyone has been very supportive, and when I joined the founding partner of the office was a woman. I work in a firm where diversity is incredibly important. Fowler advises students thinking about a career in IP law to get exposed to as many types of law and people as possible, explaining that it is a decision one has to make by trial and error. To those already in IP she says: Do not be afraid to ask for what you want. She picks out flexible working as one example. Men tend to ask for the things that they want more than women. Women tend to be more reluctant. She explains that no matter the reason for wanting flexibility, especially part-time working, some partners would prefer a trainee or employee speak up rather than struggle at work without saying anything. She implores all up-and-coming practitioners to find a really good mentor. Fowler continued: If youre not getting what you want from your mentor, then go and find others. Based on her own personal experience, she emphasised that the mentor does not need to be someone in IP. No perfect formula Mireille Buydens, head of IP at Janson Baugniet, was always certain of her ambition to be one of the best IP lawyers in Belgium. After completing two PhDs, the first in philosophy and the second in IP, she started practising IP. I asked her about what it is like to be an IP lawyer and whether there was anything she disliked about the job. No dislikes, Buydens said, adding: I love that I am in touch with the most recent developments in technology and law. During our conversation about work highlights and career, it became clear why Buydens found IP so fulfilling. There is no perfect formula. It is a mix of chance and meeting the right people Mireille Buydens, Janson Baugniet She says that gender is not a barrier to legal career development in Belgium, though perceptions still exist. Buydens recalled two occasions (outside Belgium) where she was presumed to be a secretary or personal assistant. She also recognises that there can be indirect pressure on female lawyers who would like to have children to postpone doing so for the sake of their career. She went on to explain that these issues are not specific to IP and they concern women in society as a whole. When asked for her advice to those considering a career in IP or law in general, she said: There is no perfect formula. It is a mix of chance and meeting the right people. She added that aspiring lawyers should also consider how technological innovation will affect the industry in years to come: Im not sure I would advise my daughter to study law. I am pretty sure they will develop AI [artificial intelligence] to do some of the work. The average lawyer will have a tough time and only a few super lawyers will survive. But if she still wanted to, I would advise going into IP because it is fun. Do what you love Ellen Shankman, founder of the brand protection boutique Ellen B Shankman & Associates, originally practised law in the US before relocating to Israel. It was a requirement that Shankman qualified for the bar to practise in Israel, during which time she worked on a fascinating trade mark case and has been practising in the area ever since. She gave me an insight into why she decided to set up her own firm and her motivation to persevere: If I could do more of what I love and less of what I dont love, and still put food on the table then that is being damn successful. Shankman said that the trade mark business is a fantastic place for women because it offers more flexibility and creativity. If I could do more of what I love and less of what I dont love, and still put food on the table then that is being damn successful Ellen Shankman, Ellen B Shankman & Associates Some aspects of business in the IP industry have become more difficult in the digital age. Shankman said that, as information and technology have become readily available, some services have become commoditised and IP practitioners can be replaced in some areas of business where they used to be crucial. However, according to Shankman, most clients still see the value in having a trusted advisor and maintaining this reputation is important. When I asked about how she deals with the pressures of juggling business and private life, Shankman said that it is important to have a support network, often of other women, to speak to. If you ask a female lawyer how she makes it through the day, she may mention her calendar, her to-do lists, and so on. But if you push her on how she really makes it through her day, she is likely to mention her girlfriends. Although she never had a mentor, Shankman believes it is useful to have one because a women-owned law firm in the legal industry can be a lonely place. She concluded: Whats really important to me is to try and be the mentor I wish I had. Imogen Fowler, Mireille Buydens and Ellen Shankman were featured in Managing IPs Top 250 Women in IP (2018). 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 Ranni: In a latest development in the missing case of Jasna Mariam, a degree student of St Dominic's college Kanjirappally, a report suggested that she was cited in Ashwas Bhavan in Bengaluru. The Ashwas Bhavan officials said that a girl who looked just like Jasna reached out there in search of a room. They also added that she reached there along with a boy and later they left for Mysore. The officials, who recently saw her pictures in the newspapers and social media cites informed a Kanjirappally vicar regarding the issue. The police had been searching in dark for the past 48 days regarding her missing. The launch of the GEMMES model in Vietnam was secured under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the MONRE and the AFD as part of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs visit to France in March of this year. The project reflects the French Governments reaffirmation to support Vietnam in developing a long-term strategy in responding to the impacts of climate change as well as facilitating the countrys implementation of the objectives of the Paris Agreement and its commitments to the international community. The model was developed by AFD economists as a quantitative modelling tool helping in making informed macroeconomic decisions regarding climate change and energy transition. There are currently three versions of GEMMES: one at the global level, one at the European level, and a third version adapted to the national level, in which GEMMES model applications are being adapted in Brazil, Cote dIvoire, Vietnam, Tunisia, and Colombia. The following article was written at the end of February and the first days of March, just before the world was hit by the crash of the stock markets on the 9 March and the full impact of the coronavirus pandemic. This sharp change in the situation obviously also changes the plans of the ruling class. But the underlying economic and political tendencies at play are still the same, although the issue of climate change obviously was pushed to the background. In the case of the Green parties, their character as parties of the ruling class is even-further confirmed in these times of crisis. The conference is part of the annual Rencontres du Vietnam programme held at the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education. According to Professor Tran Thanh Van, an organiser, the conference will discuss the status of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its future perspectives as seen from the world of science, technology, and innovation. At the conference, there will be roundtable discussions on the social and economic impacts of science, their relation to policy-making, and possible links with the industrial revolution 4.0. Professor Van said that five Nobel Prize-winning professors had originally agreed to attend the conference but at the time of the event, three were unable to attend due to health reasons. Gerard t Hooft is a Dutch theoretical physicist and professor at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. He shared the 1999 Nobel Prize in Physics with his thesis advisor Martinus J. G. Veltman "for elucidating the quantum structure of electroweak interactions". Finn Kydland is a Norwegian economist, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2014 along with Edward C. Prescott for their contributions to dynamic macroeconomics: the time consistency of economic policy and the driving forces behind business cycles. As part of their visit to Vietnam, the two professors will also engage in conversations with students in Da Lat and Ho Chi Minh City. MGM Resorts International's plans to build a casino along the Long Island Sound in Connecticut appears dead in the water, at least for now. The Hartford Courant reports that the bill regarding the MGM project in Bridgeport will not be called for a debate in the state Senate this year. Rep. Charlie Stallworth, a Democrat representing Bridgeport, told the Courant "that we would do the process again next year.'' Earlier this month, the Connecticut House narrowly approved legislation to allow for the submission of casino proposals, including the MGM project in Bridgeport, though in following days it was not called for a debate. MGM executives announced in September a plan to build a $600 million casino, creating 7,000 jobs in Bridgeport. "A year ago, the bill never received a floor vote,'' MGM said in a statement, of the matter. "This year, it passed the House. That is significant. We realize that change is hard and takes time, and we respect the delegation's preference not to dominate debate with this issue with much to accomplish in a short time in the session's final hours.'' Plans for the gaming resort include 2,000 slot machines, 160 table games, a 300-room hotel, a 700-seat theater, retail stores and restaurants. Casino officials said it would open within 30 months of groundbreaking. From the start, the project faced the poltical battle of needing approval from the legislature and governor, officials whom had already offered support to the East Windsor casino project being built to compete with MGM Springfield. MGM Resorts International has spent about $3.8 million on lobbying efforts in Connecticut, three times the amount of any other gaming entity. Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes -- operators of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino, respectively -- joined together to open the third casino in Connecticut at the former Showcase Cinemas building in East Windsor. They've accused federal officials of blocking their expansion efforts. Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed legislation in June allowing the establishment of the East Windsor casino, but federal approval is still required for the casino to open. Florence Parly told French radio RTL the deal was not perfect but had successfully suspended Iran's nuclear military programme and the Iranians had respected the agreement. Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the deal, which eased economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program, unless France, Germany and Britain - which also signed the agreement - fix what he has called its flaws. A US official said on May 7 it was unclear if efforts by European allies to address Trump's concerns over the pact would be enough to save it. "The 2015 Vienna agreement is not perfect but allowed the suspension of the Iranian nuclear power programme and weakening it would be a factor of aggravation in a very eruptive region," Parly said. Clayne Crawford has been fired from the "Lethal Weapon" TV series and producers are scrambling to find an actor to replace him should it be renewed for a third season. Crawford confirmed the multiple media reports on Tuesday of his dismissal tweeting, "Wait, wait, wait......you can't fire me on my day off!" His ouster comes just six days before Fox is scheduled to announce its fall 2018 lineup, Deadline reported. Crawford, who plays the Martin Riggs role made famous in four movies by Mel Gibson, came under fire for his behavior on the set, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor recently apologized for two incidents for which he was reprimanded during the sophomore season and linked them to unsafe working conditions. Straight No Chaser has announced plans for a fall / winter tour that includes a date in Connecticut. The group will play Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT on Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are on sale beginning Friday, May 11 at 10 a.m. through all Ticketmaster locations and outlets including ticketmaster.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000. The a cappella group is also slated for some summer shows in the region as they will play the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, Ma on July 21 and the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis, Ma on July 22. The upcoming "One Shot" tour coincides with the 10th Anniversary of Straight No Chaser signing with Atlantic Records and the release of their RIAA gold certified debut album, "HOLIDAY SPIRITS" after a video of the group performing "12 Days of Christmas" went viral on YouTube and became the most viewed video of 2007. An investigation by Arlington Police found 14 male students were responsible for the break-in and vandalism at Arlington High School last week. In a statement shared Tuesday night, Police Chief Frederick Ryan and Arlington Superintendent Kathleen Bodie reported the findings of a joint investigation between the police department and public school system. The investigation stemmed from an incident last Wednesday morning, May 2, when police responded to Arlington High School shortly before 6 a.m. for reports of vandalism. Police reported that a group of people had broken into the school, likely sometime overnight, and spray-painted hateful messages inside and outside of the school, including a swastika and anti-gay slur. Officers also reported damage to fire extinguishers, vending machines, display cases and an emergency defibrillator. "These actions represent a terrible breach of the peace and harmony we seek to instill as a welcoming, tolerant, and safe community," Superintendent Brodie said in a statement. "Whether these students intended to or not, their words and actions are hateful and hurtful, and we must respond appropriately." Police say their investigation is ongoing. The 14 male suspects, who are also students at the high school, have been identified and will face discipline by Arlington Public Schools, police say. The Arlington school district and police department are consulting with local advocacy groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, on how to best address the situation. Reports, this one from WBZ, show that some have drawn messages of support outside the school following the incident. On the brick exterior, scrawled in rainbow chalk, someone wrote, "LOVE NOT HATE." Chelsea police say Geraldo Reyes is the man who slashed a waitress's throat after she confronted him about skipping out on his bill Monday night. Now, they are looking to arrest him on a charge of armed assault with intent murder. Police say Reyes ate at Las Pupusas Del Chino restaurant Monday night and left the restaurant around 11 p.m. without paying his bill. His waitress followed him to the parking lot where he stabbed her in the neck and ran away, police said. Late Tuesday night police released a photo of Reyes, asking for the public's help in identifying him. The woman, who has not been identified, was taken to the hospital for injuries described as non-life-threatening. Authorities identified the man shot and killed on a Haverhill street corner Sunday as 40-year-old Jeffrey Larkin, the Eagle-Tribune reported. The Essex County District Attorney's Office released the victim's name late Monday after notifying his family. Haverhill police said they responded to the intersection of Grand Avenue and Emerson Street for the report of shots fired Sunday night, to find Larkin lying near the corner with a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was transported to Holy Family Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Haverhill police and Massachusetts State Police detectives attached to the District Attorney's office are continuing their investigation. A high-speed crash killed two people in Stoughton late Tuesday afternoon, WCVB-TV reported. The two were riding in a pickup truck when it left the roadway and slammed into a tree in the vicinity of 522 Plain Street just after 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. The violence of the crash was evident from debris thrown from the crash site. The rear axle and wheels ended up half a block from the main wreckage. The names of those killed have not been released pending notification of next of kin, police said. The Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and State Police detectives attached to the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office are assisting Stoughton police in the investigation. Incensed at a proposed deal that has their sister campus in Amherst acquiring Mount Ida, a small private college in nearby Newton, a group of UMass Boston faculty members are saying they're "deeply dismayed" over the "superfluous" proposal. "It is superfluous to build a branch of UMass Amherst in Boston, since there is already a Boston campus in the UMass system," the UMass Boston Faculty Council, a group of faculty leaders, said in a lengthy statement posted online Wednesday. "We submit that if UMass Amherst would like to provide its students with access to the Boston metro area and its opportunities, the UMass system should encourage intra-system student exchange and resource-sharing, rather than having one branch acquire an additional campus that will only compete with us for enrollment, programming, internships, and student employment opportunities," they added. UMass President Marty Meehan has repeatedly defended the deal, saying UMass Amherst students would live on the Mount Ida campus and have access to internships and co-ops in an area that has a number of technology companies. "This place was closing whether UMass got involved or not," he said during an interview on WBZ Radio. MassLive first reported that University of Massachusetts officials were in talks with Mount Ida College on April 4. Massachusetts higher education officials and a state Senate oversight panel are scrutinizing the proposed deal as the acquisition experiences a backlash from Mount Ida parents and students who were taken aback by the small college's financial troubles. After meeting behind closed doors on April 6, UMass officials in Amherst announced the broad outlines of the deal, which involves UMass Amherst purchasing Mount Ida's 74 acres and routing Mount Ida students primarily to UMass Dartmouth, an hour away. "Everyone at UMass Boston--from administration to faculty to staff and students--found out about the acquisition deal from the press," the UMass Boston Faculty Council said in its statement. "This disregard is all the more outrageous given that, as the only public 4-year university in the greater Boston area, we are in fact extremely valuable and do very important work," the council said. "Along with traditional college students, UMass Boston also serves first-generation college students, immigrants, many different communities of color, veterans, and adult learners, among many others." In a letter responding to the Faculty Council, Meehan said he agreed that UMass Boston does "valuable and important" work in providing an education to students. "Given those factors, I do not believe that UMass Amherst's decision to make a strategic property acquisition for the purpose of expanding experiential learning opportunities for its students by closing the geographic distance between its students and the Greater Boston workforce interferes with UMass Boston's mission or limits its opportunities in any way," he said in his letter. The council said in their statement that they are "surprised and baffled" that they weren't included in negotiations about offering programs and transfer credits to Mount Ida students. But Meehan said top UMass Boston officials, including interim chancellor Barry Mills, were involved in the UMass Amherst decision to absorb Mount Ida. "Chancellor Mills determined that UMass Boston's time and resources should remain focused on Columbia Point, which is the best campus location in the UMass system and where a phase of heavy construction resulting from significant capital investment is coming to a close," Meehan said. About 80 Mount Ida students are coming to the Boston campus, according to Meehan. The Mount Ida/UMass Amherst deal comes as UMass Boston, saddled with debt, is undergoing budget cuts, layoffs and an increase in campus parking fees. In a protest of the budget cuts and the Mount Ida deal, UMass Boston students and faculty staged a walk-out on Tuesday. University officials brought in Mills, the former president of Bowdoin College, as an interim chancellor in 2017 before launching a search committee to find a new permanent chancellor. MassLive reported on April 26 that Gina McCarthy, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama, had applied for the chancellor job. The head of the MBTA's fiscal control and management board, Joe Aiello, had also applied. The search committee is scheduled to meet Friday, May 11, at 12:30 p.m. inside the UMass Club in Boston. The committee could come out of executive session and discuss finalists at the meeting. Meehan has stressed that UMass Boston's future is bright, as dorms open this fall and the campus prepares to sell off the site of the former Bayside Exposition Center for tens of millions more than it paid for in 2010. This post was updated at 1:40 p.m. with the letter from President Meehan. HARDWICK -- A 19-year-old town resident who allegedly shot and killed a turkey from a vehicle Tuesday morning had his firearms identification card suspended by the police chief and faces multiple wildlife violations. Environmental police assisted in the investigation and posted an account of the incident on their Facebook page. It was determined the turkey was shot within 150 of a roadway, within 500 feet of a dwelling and on posted private property. The shooter and the driver of the vehicle were later found processing the untagged turkey at their residence. The turkey and the hunter's shotgun were seized, The driver, a 19-year-old woman from Barre, also faces wildlife violations, according to the post. Hardwick Police Chief James Ayotte was not immediately available for comment. LONGMEADOW - Town Meeting voters approved funding for construction of a new $14 million Council on Aging facility at the site of the Greenwood Center. The affirmative vote marks a victory for advocates of the project, which failed at Town Meeting three times over the past five years, most recently in 2016. In a presentation of the proposed construction, Marybeth Bergeron, chairwoman of Longmeadow's Building Committee and an Adult Center board member, told voters that the Greenwood Center, a former elementary school, isn't adequate to house the Longmeadow's senior center. "(Seniors) represent today 29 percent of the population, the state average for a municipality is 11 percent," Bergeron said, pushing back against the idea that residents typically leave Longmeadow after their children go through the school system. "We stay because we have a great quality of life in Longmeadow!" John Catlin, of Catlin + Petrovick Architects PC, who is designing the project, presented a plan for a two-floor facility that would include a senior center with upgraded rooms for games and socialization as well as a separate gymnasium. The facility could be used by seniors and the wider community. "It's really key that we exercise when we age," Catlin said. But some Town Meeting voters expressed concern about the size and cost of the proposal, with some asking whether the plan should be put on hold since the town last year approved another large project, a $21 million Department of Public Works facility. John White, who lives just down the street from the proposed senior center on Maple Road, said that while he thinks the town needs a new senior center, it should be scaled back so that it doesn't include facilities that could be used by the wider community. "I don't think anyone here is really opposed to an updated Adult Center," White said. "I don't think the current proposal is the answer. ... Why can't this town just advocate for a senior center for seniors?" But several residents voiced support for the project, noting that the proposed new Adult Center is the best of several proposals over the years. Larry Starr, who jokingly asked that Town Meeting members keep secret the fact that he is now a senior citizen, said plans for the new Adult Center look like a place he would visit, unlike the current Greenwood Center. "I never went to the old one. It wasn't a senior center, it was a kludge," Starr said. "This is not a replacement, it's our first senior center." When the measure came up for a vote, it easily garnered more than the two-thirds majority needed to pass. It will now appear on the town election ballot on June 12. If passed by voters, construction of the project likely will begin in the next year to 18 months, Town Manager Stephen Crane said. Update: After the publication of this story, MassDOT released data about its funding of the Massachusetts State Police. MassLive is reviewing the information and will follow up with additional reporting. For over a month, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has failed to answer questions about its funding of the Massachusetts State Police, as dozens of troopers have retired or been suspended for allegedly clocking no-show shifts on MassDOT's dime. Thirty troopers linked to the now-dissolved Troop E -- the MassDOT-funded unit of the state police responsible for patrolling the Massachusetts Turnpike -- have been implicated in the alleged scheme, which has bruised a law enforcement agency already reeling from scandals involving a scrubbed arrest report and a trooper with a history as a marijuana dealer. State Police have declined to say how much money was stolen, citing the ongoing investigation. And even basic information about how much was at stake has remained obscured, as MassDOT has not answered questions about its overall funding of Troop E and blown past deadlines for public records requests. Common Cause Massachusetts Executive Director Pam Wilmot, whose organization helped craft the state's 2016 update to its public records law, said it is "disturbing" when agencies do not respond promptly to records requests. "It's our government. We need to be able to hold it accountable and see what action has been taken on our behalf," Wilmot said in an interview. "Financial records are perhaps the most clear and obvious information that is in the public interest [to be disclosed.]" On March 29, MassLive asked MassDOT for funding records of Troop E's AIRE program, the overtime traffic patrols allegedly abused by dozens of troopers. On April 3, a MassDOT spokesman responded, confirming the question had been filed as a public records request -- a procedure under state law that requires agencies to respond within 10 business days. Thirty-five days later, MassLive has not received any formal response to the request. On Wednesday, State Police spokesman David Procopio said in an email that the state police fiscal section was working on breaking down the data and would provide it "as soon as possible." Under the public records law, records created or maintained by state agencies are presumed public with limited exemptions, including some personnel information and "investigatory materials necessarily compiled out of the public view by law enforcement or other investigatory officials" whose release would compromise ongoing law enforcement operations. And agencies are required only to provide records that already exist, not create new documents to answer questions. But budget materials are presumptively part of the public record -- and MassDOT should have reports on-hand detailing MassDOT's Troop E funding, according to the agency's 2010 agreement with state police on state highway operations. In that agreement, which MassDOT provided to MassLive, the agency agreed to fully fund Troop E, which was responsible for patrolling the MassPike, Boston's Callahan, Sumner, CANA and Ted Williams Tunnels and the Metropolitan Highway System. The agreement also sets out requirements for financial reporting and accountability. "MassDOT agrees to provide the State Police with a written report demonstrating the approved funding for Troop E operations for the following fiscal year," the agreement says. "MassDOT agrees to provide this report within 60 days prior to the beginning of each fiscal year. The State Police agrees that MassDOT may review and/or audit any and all documents or other materials that form the basis for reimbursement under this MOU." After receiving a copy of this agreement on May 2, MassLive requested copies of those mandated reports, and asked whether the agency ever exercised its right to audit Troop E reimbursements. "I know that we have been seeking information for you on these questions and will find out where your inquiry stands," a MassDOT spokeswoman wrote in an email that day. A week later, MassDOT has neither released the reports nor provided any explanation for the delay. "I know you both have records requests regarding Troop E funding," a MassDOT spokesman wrote to two MassLive reporters on Monday. "We are continuing to actively work on this topic and answer your questions on the AIRE patrol and expenditures as a whole." Asked to explain the delayed response -- or whether the requested financial reports exist at all -- MassDOT repeated earlier replies. "We are continuing to actively work with MSP to get you this information and we will ensure you receive this as soon as possible," the spokesman wrote. "I will keep you updated as I learn more. In the wake of the overtime scandal, State Police Col. Kerry Gilpin and Gov. Charlie Baker announced a series of reforms, including disbanding Troop E and distributing its responsibilities among the other state police units and activating GPS tracking in all state police cruisers. MassLive staff reporters Gintautus Dumcius and Scott Croteau contributed to this report. Xi Jinping (R), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, holds talks with Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, on May 7-8. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) DALIAN, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, met Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, on May 7-8. Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, attended related activities. Dalian sees lush mountains, blue seas and drifting clouds in May. Xi held talks with Kim and hosted a welcome banquet for him. Together, they also took a stroll and attended a luncheon. In a cordial and friendly atmosphere, the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries had an all-round and in-depth exchange of views on China-DPRK relations and major issues of common concern. Comrade Chairman made a special trip to China to meet me again just after 40-odd days, Xi said, at a crucial time when the Korean Peninsula situation is undergoing profound and complex changes. This embodies the great importance that Comrade Chairman and the WPK Central Committee have attached to the relations between the two parties and the two countries, and to their strategic communication. "I speak highly of it," Xi said. "After the first meeting between me and Comrade Chairman, both China-DPRK relations and the Korean Peninsula situation have made positive progress. I feel happy about it," he said. Xi said he was willing to meet Kim again to make joint efforts to push the healthy and stable development of China-DPRK relations, realize long-lasting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and promote regional peace, stability and prosperity. For his part, Kim said both the DPRK-China friendship and the Korean Peninsula situation have undergone meaningful progress since March this year. "These are the positive outcomes of the historic meeting between me and Comrade General Secretary," he said. At a crucial time when the regional situation is developing rapidly, Kim said he came to China again to meet with General Secretary and inform him of the situation, hoping to strengthen strategic communication and cooperation with China, deepen DPRK-China friendship, and promote regional peace and stability. Xi stressed that he and Kim held their historic first meeting in Beijing in March this year, during which they had a long and in-depth communication, and reached principled consensus in four aspects on developing China-DPRK relations in the new era. Firstly, the China-DPRK traditional friendship has been a treasure of both countries. It is an unswerving principle and the only correct choice for both countries to develop the friendly and cooperative China-DPRK relations. Secondly, both China and the DPRK are socialist countries, and their bilateral relations are of major strategic significance. Both sides need to enhance unity, cooperation, exchanges and mutual learning. Thirdly, high-level exchanges between the two parties play an irreplaceably significant role in guiding bilateral relations, Xi said. The two sides should maintain frequent exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, deepen understanding and mutual trust, and safeguard common interests. Fourthly, cementing the people-to-people friendship foundation is an important channel to advance the development of China-DPRK relations, Xi said. The two sides should, by multiple means, enhance people-to-people communication and exchanges to create a sound foundation of popular will for the advancement of China-DPRK relations. Xi said that with concerted efforts of both sides, all of these consensuses are being well implemented. Within a period of more than one month, he and Kim met twice and they have been keeping in close contact, Xi said. He said that he is willing to work together with Kim to continue to guide relevant departments of the two sides to soundly implement the consensuses they have reached, promote the continuous advancement of China-DPRK relations, benefit the two countries and two peoples, and make positive contributions to the peace and stability of the region. Xi also extended sincere gratitude to Kim for his great attention and earnest attitude demonstrated after a major road accident in the DPRK which resulted in casualties of the two countries' citizens. WORCESTER -- Federal prosecutors are seeking five-year sentences for the last of five local mobsters teed up for sentencing in an extortion and conspiracy case. Francesco "Frank" Depergola, 60, of Springfield, and Richard Valentini, 52, of East Longmeadow, will be the last of five organized crime members to be sentenced for mob-related offenses charged in a 2016 indictment. Two sentencing hearings are scheduled for May 11 in U.S. District Court in Worcester. Prosecutors did not bring RICO charges -- typically the goal for federal mob cases -- but they got far enough. They ensnared Depergola and Valentini, plus alleged Springfield Crew leader Ralph Santaniello and underlings Giovanni "Johnny Cal" Calabrese and Gerald Daniele. All were arrested during pre-dawn raids on Aug. 4, 2016. The group was charged in connection with two separate schemes: a $20,000 shakedown of a Springfield tow company operator in 2013 and the pursuit of an offshore debtor two years later. Santaniello and Depergola also were charged in New York related to a $30,000 street loan they arranged for a gambling debtor in a pizza shop in Chicopee. The two collected "juice" on the payments - along with New York-based Genovese crime boss Eugene "Rooster" Onofrio. The debtor was from that state. According to federal prosecutors' pre-sentencing memo for Depergola, he has been a bag man for the mob for decades. He served as a go-between for Sanataniello and local towing magnate Craig J. "CJ" Morel, and also for mobsters in New York seeking a street loan from Greater Springfield. In 2014, Onofrio hit up Depergola and Santaniello for the $30,000 loan to cover a gambling debt owed to Onofrio. Depergola initially balked, according to court records. "I've been to the can already once for this . . . I try to learn by my mistakes," Depergola told a cooperating witness who accompanied Onofrio to Chicopee to pick up the money. "Every time we did big packages of money those are the guys who end up turning on us and f---in' ratting . . . Where I come from . . . we agreed on a limit of no more than 5 g's." Depergola, who previously served a two-year sentence for loansharking, said he would nonetheless "go back and check with my other guys because they got the bankroll for the south," referring to New York. Unbeknownst to the others, Depergola and Santaniello later met with Onofrio and an undercover FBI agent to hand over the cash. Onofrio later complained to the agent that he'd prefer not to go to his cohorts up north for money. "I don't want to deal with these Springfield guys. They're like girls. I mean, I'm the boss but ..." Onofrio told the government witness. Valentini was the only of five defendants to take his case to trial in December. He was convicted of conspiracy and extortion in connection with the Morel shakedown despite his defense lawyer's argument that Valentini only attended a single meeting with Morel and never threatened him. Santaniello, Calabrese and Daniele have already pleaded guilty to extortion and sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy Hillman. They received five-, three- and two-year prison sentences respectively. Calabrese, of Longmeadow, has yet to report to prison. Santaniello has been held without bail since his arrest two years ago and has been held at prisons in Rhode Island and Manhattan. Daniele recently arrived at Fort Dix in New Jersey, according to U.S. Bureau of Prison records. EASTHAMPTON -- The number of entities hoping to sell recreational marijuana in the city now stands at four. Holistic Industries, Inc. has announced plans to open an adult-use recreational cannabis shop at 155 Northampton St., the former Hairy's Pet Supply. A "community outreach meeting" is set for Wednesday, May 9 at 5 p.m. at the Boylston Room, located in the Keystone Mill at 122 Pleasant St. Such outreach meetings are required by the state's Cannabis Control Commission, and must be held before any local permitting begins. The property, with its highway business zoning, is owned by Peter Boruchowsky of Easthampton. According to papers filed with the state, Holistic Industries on Dec. 27 executed a purchase and sale agreement with Boruchowsky to buy it for $900,000 if all permitting goes through. The chief officers of Holistic Industries are Jonathan Genderson, Josh Genderson, and Richard Genderson of Washington, D.C., according to corporate records. Other directors of the corporation are listed as Michael Don and Beni Golan of Maryland. Holistic Industries has been trying since 2015 to gain a certificate from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for a registered medical marijuana dispensary at the Easthampton site, according to state records. It's not clear if the medical plans are still moving forward, or whether the entity wishes to jump straight into the recreational market. City Planner Jeffrey Bagg said Wednesday's outreach meeting will give people a chance to gather information and ask questions of the cannabis entrepreneurs. Three other entities have signaled intent to sell adult-use marijuana in Easthampton: * INSA in February opened its medical marijuana facility at 122 Pleasant St., and in March, hosted its outreach meeting for recreational sales. The former "Hampden Care Facility" is under CEO Mark Zatyrka of Connecticut. * The Herbology Group plans a recreational cannabis facility at 195 Northampton St., site of the former Cook Building Supply. The group held a community outreach meeting in April, according to notice posted by CEO Jane Hawman of Sandy Hook, Connecticut. * Green Life Dispensary, which won Planning Board approval to build a medical dispensary and grow room at 19 Wemelco Way, held its outreach meeting for recreational sales in April. The adult shop will be called "Apical," according to notice posted by CEO Kot Kasom of Southampton. The city in April finalized zoning rules for recreational cannabis businesses, capping the number of retail licenses at six. LONGMEADOW - A proposal to ban single-use plastic bags will appear on Longmeadow's annual election ballot after Town Meeting voters approved the measure Tuesday night. The citizens petition sparked debate on the Town Meeting floor at Longmeadow High School, but ultimately passed by an overwhelming margin. In a presentation, Katherine Labella, who introduced the proposal, told voters plastic bags do not biodegrade, are harmful to the ozone layer and are often mistaken for food by animals. "These bags are made of petroleum and natural gas," Labella said. The article proposes a prohibition on "lightweight, non-biodegradable, single use, plastic carryout bags which are typically made of synthetic polyethylene and non-renewable fossil fuels." The ban would allow exceptions for dry cleaning, newspapers, fish, meat, produce and other product bags selected by the consumer to deliver items to the point of sale, according to the article. Seventy-three Massachusetts communities have passed legislation banning certain plastic bags, according to Massgreen.org. However, several Longmeadow residents, including Armand Wray, said they don't think an outright ban on the bags, which many people reuse, could do more harm than good. "I think it's well-intentioned," Wray said. "(But) I don't think this is the right thing for our town." But other Town Meeting voters spoke out in favor of the proposed ban. "This is not rocket science, this is the right thing to do," Mary Freedman said. SPRINGFIELD -- Amid the recent dispute between Mayor Domenic Sarno and the City Council over the distribution of state money for road repair projects, Councilor Justin Hurst weighed in Wednesday to say he wants the city to come up with a plan to repave a number of roads in Old Hill that remain torn up from utility work over the last two years. Until that happens, Hurst said he favors the council not acting to accept $3.7 million in state Chapter 90 funds. The council this week voted to postpone acceptance of the money, which is directed toward municipal road repair projects, until its Maintenance and Development Committee could review the package. Sarno on Tuesday urged the councilors to "come to their senses" and accept the money as soon as possible. "This has always been a routine acceptance and not only could this jeopardize the funding but just as important delay and/or postpone any neighborhood streets," Sarno said. The council is expected to act on the matter next week. Hurst said he supports delaying the vote further until the city comes up with a plan to repave every street in the Old Hill neighborhood that was torn up over the past two years for utility repair projects by the Springfield Water and Sewer Department and Columbia Gas. He said the Chapter 90 funds are being directed to just three streets in Old Hill -- Eastern Avenue, Quincy Street and King Street -- but several others that are in need of repair are instead left in limbo. He mentioned in particular Union, Tyler, Pendleton, Lebanon and Nelson streets. "These utility companies tore up over 10 blocks from Union Street to Hickory Street including every side street off of Eastern Avenue," he said. "The proposal that came before us only allotted money to repave three of them. Putting lipstick on a pig is not something I can vote in favor of." People in Old Hill have had to deal with roads that are horrible for more than a year and a half. "That would not be permitted in any other area of the city," he said. Christopher Cignoli, head of the city Department of Public Works, said the streets in that neighborhood are so bad because the city has had to wait for the utility work to be completed first. With that done, the city is prepared to repave Eastern Avenue and Quincy and King streets. Cignoli said two other streets that Hurst mentioned, Pendleton and Tyler streets, have already by resurfaced by the utility companies at the conclusion of the underground line work. He said work is slated to begin on Eastern, Quincy and King around July 1. If the council delays action on the Chapter 90 money, roadwork may be delayed until at least August, he said. "As soon as that money is appropriated, we will begin paving. If the money is not available, we will not pave," he said. The 2018 street paving list contains the names of five major arteries and 17 residential streets for a total distance of 7.27 miles. Streets on the list are selected based on overall condition. "It's got to be approved Monday. If it's not, all this other stuff is going to come to a stop," Cignoli said. 2018 list of repaving projects for the City of Springfield by Patrick Johnson on Scribd SPRINGFIELD -- A Springfield man is being held on $25,000 bail, charged with a gruesome machete attack that nearly severed both of the victim's hands. Giovanni Buchanan, 24, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Springfield District Court to attempted murder, mayhem and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The assault took place on Oct. 9 when Buchanan, on the pretext of selling the victim $30 worth of crack cocaine, agreed to meet him outside the Hillcrest Arms apartment complex in West Springfield, according to the arrest report. Instead, Buchanan attacked the man with a machete, leaving him with severe wounds to his hands and his head. The victim staggered back upstairs to his girlfriend's apartment, leaving "blood spatter on the walls and stairwell all the way to the third floor," West Springfield police detective Brian Duffy wrote in the report. In addition to having a large gash on his skull, the victim's right hand was "cut almost in half from between the fingers to the wrist. His left hand ... had been almost completely cut off at the wrist," the report said. When police arrived, the victim said someone in the parking lot had attacked him, before adding: "I am not going to say anything else right now," the report said. The man eventually told police his assailant's street name was "Hunter," but he didn't know his real name. The attack was was likely "payback" for him having sex with a woman who was either Hunter's girlfriend or the girlfriend of Hunter's father, the victim told police. The woman falsely claimed she had been raped, the victim said. In February, an anonymous caller told police that Buchanan was the assailant, and that his father had fled to North Carolina after learning the victim had not died. By then, Buchanan was facing drug and firearms charges in Lynn District Court and was being held on high cash bail, the report said. The victim identified Buchanan's photo, leading to a criminal complaint being issued in late March. On Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Colleen Monroe asked for $25,000 bail, citing the new charges and Buchanan's extensive criminal record. Defense lawyer Michael Gillingham asked for $2,000 bail, noting that his client is already in custody in Essex County. Judge Michele Ouimet-Rooke set bail at $25,000 and ordered the defendant to return for a pretrial hearing next month. NORTHAMPTON -- Steven J. Connor, a city native and director of Central Hampshire Veterans' Services, is making a write-in bid for the state Senate seat formerly held by Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst. "I believe in public service and that government truly ought to be of, for, and by the people," Connor said in a campaign announcement. "I have advocated with legislators in Boston to raise the profile of western Massachusetts' veteran community, including the Holyoke Soldiers' Home." Connor is vying for the Hampshire-Franklin District seat along with Northampton resident Chelsea Sunday Kline, who was the only candidate to meet the May 1 deadline to return nomination papers to run for state legislative office, and write-in candidate Ryan O'Donnell, president of Northampton's City Council. Like O'Donnell, Connor initially planned to run for the 1st Hampshire District seat help by the late state Rep. Peter Kocot. Both men changed directions after Rosenberg resigned amid a sexual misconduct scandal involving his husband, Byron Hefner. Connor, who was born and raised in the city's Florence neighborhood, has worked in a number of roles providing services to area veterans. He said he wants to "advocate for equity" and "govern with empathy." The open seat left by Rosenberg's resignation, he said, offers "... an opportunity to bring this advocacy to all the communities where I have lived and have worked in during my career as a Veteran Service Officer and as an advocate for adults, children, and their families who live with significant challenges." After graduating from Northampton High School, Connor joined the Navy and served on the on the Yokusaka, Japan-based USS Midway in the 1970s. Connor became Northampton's veterans services officer in 2004, and is now the director of Central Hampshire Veterans Services. The agency offers services in 11 Western Massachusetts communities, including Amherst, Hadley and Northampton. He has also been a member of the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness-Veterans Steering Committee, as well as the Western Mass Network to End Homelessness. He is a founding member of the Western Mass Veterans Justice Partnership, a program of the Northwestern district attorney's office. He has also worked at nonprofits including Amherst Community Childcare and The United Arc of Franklin and Hampshire counties. Connor complimented Rosenberg's work over the years. "There's no question that Senator Rosenberg has been a great advocate for our communities for decades," Connor said. "Senator Rosenberg's voice will be sorely missed in the State House and I will do my level best to fill that void. The relationships I've built in Boston over the years will help me hit the ground running." Connor plans to hold a campaign kickoff in June, at a time and place to be determined. Saying they would fight until the end, Worcester's City Council backed one last effort to save the historic Notre Dame des Canadiens Church from the wrecking ball. On Tuesday, the council voted to support a three-month demolition delay of the structure. Although the vote in non-binding, Mayor Joseph Petty and City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said they would once again meet with property owner Hanover Insurance Group Inc. to ask that no irreversible work be done for three months while further options for saving the church are explored. "I don't believe any one of my colleagues wants to see this beautiful structure come down," District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson said. "I think that somebody said tonight we have to put our last best effort, and that's why I stand here tonight." Members of Save Notre Dame Alliance - the group behind the three-month delay request - met with Congressman Jim McGovern, the city manager and mayor, Hanover Insurance and others last week to discuss the possibility of saving the church. Although Hanover declined to halt the process, Petty and Augustus said they would ask again. The effort received widespread support from city councilors. "You fight until the end and I'm standing here tonight to say I believe we should fight until the end, if there is someone out there to help us, we need to try," Mero-Carlson said. Ted Conna of Save Notre Dame Alliance said although the council's action is non-binding, it's still an important display of support. He said the city needs to broaden its efforts to save Notre Dame, adding that public and philanthropic funding has not been adequately explored. "We know the economics of Notre Dame are challenging, but with public money, a philanthropic campaign, possible use of naming rights, perhaps new construction linked to saving Notre Dame, we do believe it's possible," he said. Toni Ostrow, also of the alliance, said when the group met with city officials and Hanover last week, they were told a redevelopment project wouldn't be profitable at this time. "How short-sighted and sad it would be to lose this special Worcester landmark because our market timing is off by a few years," she said. Ostrow added that with a subsidy of $6 million, a private developer could profitably save Notre Dame today. "That's a lot of money, but the successful redevelopment of the Hanover Theatre cost over $31 million, more than half of which was public funding and charitable gifts," she said. The church at 5 Salem Square was closed in 2007 by the Diocese of Worcester. While developers have said the church is too far gone to repair, preservationists have advocated for redevelopment of the church into a mixed-use property with potential for a brewery or other uses. The demolition of the structure began last week with an environmental abatement of the interior. That work is expected to take six to eight weeks; then, the church will be dismantled piece-by-piece. Salem-based engineering consulting firm Structures North assessed the structural integrity of the building and in September conducted a visual inspection of the property and found deteriorated interior masonry, rusted structural elements, cracked concrete, a collapsing chimney and a leaking roof, but also came to an optimistic conclusion about the building's prospects, finding that it could be saved. Pamela Jonah, a spokeswoman for developer CitySquare II, previously told MassLive that cost estimates for repairing the facade, roof, windows, doors and more have been between $8 and $10 million. She said CitySquare II will continue to consider "fair and reasonable" offers from serious investors. These days, normalcy comes as a surprise. In primaries in several states on Tuesday, the whackier candidates were mostly sidelined by voters, who instead favored those who are more or less from the mainstream. Though there was one notable exception, this was the case in both Democratic and Republican primaries. What's not known at the moment: Does Tuesday's balloting reflect a return to the expected, a rejection of the extremes, or was it merely a one-off? That cannot be immediately known, of course, but it's a question that many will be looking to answer going forward. Since Donald Trump's shocking election as president 18 months back, it has seemed only reasonable to expect the unexpected. Democrats have been faring much better than they ought to in many special elections, even winning a race for a seat in the U.S. Senate from Alabama, which hasn't been at all normal in a very long time. The big question going into Tuesday's primaries: Would candidates from the extremes win a few races, thus making it difficult to win in the general election in November? The short answer: Not much. In West Virginia, where Republicans are hoping to defeat Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, Don Blankenship, a problematic candidate who'd been touted as potentially viable, finished well off the pace in the GOP primary. Republicans had been hoping against hope that Blankenship, a disgraced former coal executive and jailbird who frequently put his foot in his mouth on the campaign trail, wouldn't win the party primary. They got their wish. In the Democratic Party's gubernatorial primary in Ohio, a mainstream liberal candidate, Richard Cordray, squared off against a, well, less-than-mainstream liberal, former congressman and occasional fringe presidential candidate Dennis "the Menace" Kucinich. Cordray came out on top, giving Democrats a lift. There was one Tuesday surprise, however. In North Carolina, Republican primary voters turned against Representative Robert Pittenger, a third-term member of Congress, favoring instead Mark Harris, a pastor who has denounced same-sex marriage. Pittenger became the first incumbent of this cycle to go down to defeat. Will that eventually become little more than a footnote, or does it spell trouble for more GOP incumbents ahead? With primaries in four states, including Pennsylvania and Oregon, slated for May 15, election watchers and political junkies won't have to wait very long for more clues. Anyone who wonders why President Trump is so committed to reducing government regulations should consider the $8 million that the taxpayers must shell out to add 6 inches to a several-foot-long portion of a platform at the new Union Station, as described in a May 9 Republican story, "$8M contract awarded for wider rail platform," just to meet the "letter of the law" under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA was a well-intentioned law designed to force employers and public accommodations to make "reasonable" adjustments to help support people with disabilities. "Reasonable" originally meant "reasonable", and was focused on the reasonableness of costs necessary to comply. Today, if a corporation is big enough, or if a public accommodation is taxpayer-supported, there is no amount of cost that can be deemed unreasonable. Hence, the taxpayers must cough up $8 million for 6 inches. Why can't the station qualify for a waiver? The "6-foot-wide" standard under the law is admittedly arbitrary, not scientific. But if the State DPU granted a waiver, activists for the disabled would assuredly sue, and liberal courts would always side with them, since the $8 million is "not an unreasonable burden on the taxpayers". Multiply this thinking by 100 or 1,000 and you will know why America is being strangled by arbitrary, expensive, inflexible, ever-expanding, and always well-meaning regulations at every level. R. Patrick Henry, Jr., East Longmeadow President Donald Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen was hired last year by the U.S.-based affiliate of a Russian business magnate who attended Trump's inauguration and was recently sanctioned by the U.S. government, the company said Tuesday. The New York investment firm Columbus Nova said it retained Cohen as a consultant "regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures." Though Columbus Nova has been described in federal regulatory filings as an affiliate of the Renova Group, founded by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, the company said Vekselberg was not involved with hiring or paying Cohen. The company's confirmation came after Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, circulated on Twitter a document purporting to show a detailed accounting of wire transfers made to Essential Consultants, a company established by Cohen in October 2016. The payments listed in the document began in the months after Cohen paid $130,000 to Daniels just before the November 2016 election, as part of an agreement that required her to not speak publicly about an affair she says she had with Trump a decade earlier. In the document, Avenatti claims that Cohen received $500,000 from Columbus Nova between January 2017 and August 2017. Avenatti did not provide supporting documentation for his claims, though Columbus Nova and AT&T, another company named in the document, both released statements in the hours after Avenatti's disclosure confirming that they had business relationships with Cohen. Avenatti alleged that Vekselberg might have provided funds that "replenished the account" following Cohen's payments to Daniels. In a statement, a spokesman for Vekselberg said neither the Russian billionaire nor the Renova Group has any "contractual relationship" with Cohen. The payments from Columbus Nova point to a potential new financial tie between the president's personal lawyer and a U.S. representative of a key Russian figure. Vekselberg, who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was one of two dozen Russian businessmen and government officials sanctioned in April as part of the U.S. response to the poisoning of an ex-Russian intelligence officer in London. Columbus Nova hired Cohen as U.S. investigators were ramping up their inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The chief executive of the U.S. affiliate is Vekselberg's cousin, Andrew Intrater, a U.S. citizen who donated $250,000 to Trump's inauguration, and made additional contributions to a Trump campaign committee and to the Republican National Committee. More broadly, the revelations show that companies with business interests before the U.S. government hired Cohen, a longtime Trump associate, by paying him through Essential Consultants, which he also used to pay Daniels before the election. The document from Avenatti says AT&T paid Cohen $50,000 a month for four months starting in October 2017, just weeks before Trump's Justice Department filed suit to block AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner. A spokesman for AT&T confirmed that the company engaged Essential Consultants, a company formed by Cohen in early 2017 "to provide insights into understanding the new administration." "They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017," the spokesman added. Cohen was receiving payments from Columbus Nova during the same months that Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani has said Trump was paying Cohen $35,000 a month in legal fees. Giuliani has said Trump's money served as a reimbursement for the funds Cohen provided to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Stephen Ryan, a lawyer for Cohen, did not respond to requests for comment. Cohen's finances are of intense interest to federal authorities in New York, who last month served search warrants on his home, office and hotel room, gathering documents related to the Daniels payments as well as Cohen's personal businesses. Cohen's lawyers have fought in court to restrict prosectors' access to the material seized in those raids. As part of that legal fight, they told a judge that in 2017, Cohen had three legal clients and seven clients to whom he provided "strategic advice and business consulting." Avenatti's document might provide a road map to those clients. He claims that Cohen also received payments from the drug company Novartis Investments and Korea Aerospace Industries. Each has important business considerations with the U.S. government. Shortly after the last transaction from Novartis identified by Avenatti, in January, Trump took a meeting with executives including the incoming CEO of Novartis, Vas Narasimhan, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. A Novartis spokesman said any agreements with Essential Consultants took place before the new CEO took over in February and have since expired. Representatives for Korea Aerospace did not respond to a request for comment. The company is in contention for a multibillion-dollar joint contract with Lockheed Martin to produce jet trainers for the U.S. Air Force. Vekselberg is a Russian billionaire who regularly participates in gatherings of Russian business leaders with Putin and sometimes meets one on one with the Russian president, according to news accounts and people familiar with his role. In March 2017, the two sat down to discuss infrastructure projects, according to Russian state news reports. Vekselberg funds several critically important prestige projects, including Skolkovo, the business incubator touted as Russia's answer to Silicon Valley. Vekselberg's spokesman Andrey Shtorkh confirmed to The Washington Post in January that Vekselberg had attended Trump's inauguration as a guest of one of his American business partners. A person familiar with the inauguration said the partner was Intrater, and the New York Times has reported that Intrater and Vekselberg have both been interviewed by prosecutors working for special counsel Robert Mueller III. Two people familiar with Mueller's probe told The Post that the special counsel is investigating whether foreign money helped fund Trump's inauguration. By law, only U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents can donate to a U.S. inaugural committee. In addition to Intrater's donation to Trump's inauguration, an additional $1 million to support the inauguration came from Access Industries, which was founded by Leonard Blavatnik, a Soviet-born American British billionaire who is a longtime friend and business associate of Vekselberg. Shtorkh told The Post in January that Vekselberg had met the past three U.S. presidents as part of his efforts to expand Russia's international economic relations but that this was the first time the magnate attended a presidential inauguration. Photographs also show that Vekselberg attended a December 2015 dinner in Moscow to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Russian television network RT. Another attendee of the dinner was former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was seated next to Putin. BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that China and the United States should maintain communication to try to find a way to properly solve their trade issue and achieve mutually beneficial and win-win results. Xi made the remarks during a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders also exchanged views on China-U.S. relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Xi said the development of China-U.S. relations is now at an important stage, adding that he highly values the development of bilateral ties and cherishes his good working relationship with Trump. Xi said he hopes that the two countries will earnestly implement the consensus reached by him and Trump during the U.S. president's visit to China last November. China and the United States should maintain high-level exchanges and those at all levels under the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit, Xi said, adding that the two sides should focus on cooperation and work to manage differences so as to promote healthy and stable development of bilateral ties. Economic and trade cooperation has always played the role of ballast and propeller in the China-U.S. relations, Xi said, adding that the two sides had open, efficient and constructive negotiations last week in Beijing on the trade issue. For his part, Trump said Washington attaches great importance to the U.S.-China relations and he is looking forward to continuing keeping close contacts with Xi. Trump expressed his willingness to make concerted efforts with China to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields, properly handle the U.S.-China trade issue, promote the U.S.-China relations to achieve greater development so as to benefit the two peoples. The two heads of state also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula issue. Xi reaffirmed China's stance, stressing that China supports a planned meeting between leaders of the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). China hopes that Washington and Pyongyang can meet each other halfway, build on mutual trust, take phased approach and resolve each other's concerns through dialogue, so as to jointly push for a political solution to the Korean Peninsula issue, Xi said. He asked the U.S. side to consider Pyongyang's reasonable security concerns. Xi said China is willing to continue playing an active role in realizing the denuclearization of the Peninsula as well as the lasting peace and stability in the region. Trump said the U.S. side highly values China's stance on the Korean Peninsula issue and appreciates China's important role, noting that his country will enhance communication and coordination with China to jointly push forward a solution through talks and negotiations. Cyber security is a growing problem, and there are not enough trained professionals to protect Massachusetts' computer systems, experts say. "We have a severe talent gap in the cyber industry," Dr. Carol Leary said Wednesday at a hearing on cyber security held by the Legislature's House Committee on Technology and Intergovernmental Affairs and Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. Leary is president of Bay Path University in Longmeadow, a leader in training students in cyber security. The hearing comes amid national concern about cyber security, in the wake of the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. There have been high-profile data breaches at the credit monitoring service Equifax and other private companies. Cyber security also has real local implications. Rep. Harold Naughton, D-Clinton, chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, said he was a victim of a cyberattack at the company he owns. "I realized I don't have money in my budget to pay for anything beyond Norton or McAfee," Naughton said, referring to commercial virus protection software. Delcie Bean, founder and CEO of Hadley-based information technology consulting firm Paragus IT, said small businesses in Western Massachusetts struggle with cyber security. Bean said small businesses do not have the resources to keep up with government regulations or with the requirements of their larger clients. Bean said two of his clients went out of business because audits found they were unable to keep up with information technology requirements established by their customers. Businesses that have data breaches are at risk of bankruptcy, due to the resulting financial expenses and bad public relations. Bean said the inability for businesses to keep up with cyber security also has serious ramifications for local residents. "Massachusetts residents' data is easy to be stolen from small businesses," Bean said. Richard Sullivan, president and CEO of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts, said 80 percent of information breaches originate in a company's supply chain -- in small and medium size companies, particularly manufacturers. Precision manufacturing is particularly vulnerable because companies work in sectors like aviation, medical devices and defense. Sullivan worried that if breaches continue, larger companies will take over these functions, and smaller companies will go out of business. Bay Path University and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts are proposing a study to develop a set of cyber security standards to create an audit tool that suppliers could use to measure their security. "If you don't address it today, there is a real risk of these jobs," Sullivan said. A report from Cybersecurity Ventures estimated that by 2021, there will be 3.5 million unfilled cyber security jobs, up from 1 million openings in 2016, Leary said. Leary, who is a member of a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council, said LinkedIn currently lists over 750 Cyber Security positions open within Route 128 in Massachusetts. Bay Path University was one of the first universities to offer a degree in cyber security and the first to focus on training women. Leary said there are few entry-level jobs in cyber security, because companies want experienced candidates. At the same time, as larger businesses and the U.S. government vie for trained workers, smaller businesses and state governments find it hard to hire experts. Leary suggested creating more internships and virtual internships could help people enter the field. She said community colleges and universities need to teach cyber security. Companies should provide mentorship, leadership opportunities and equal pay policies to female professionals. Today, the rate of women in the field is 11 percent globally and 14 percent in North America. "We need to encourage more women to enter the profession because it will shrink the workforce gap," Leary said. Bean said the state should provide money for regional trainings for business staff on cyber security. Lawrence Snyder, director of Bay Path's cyber security program, said someone also needs to work with businesses to help them figure out what types of professionals they need and what credentials are realistic. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions against the country, arguing that the 2015 agreement has failed to address Tehran's ballistic missile program and does not permanently bar the development of nuclear weapons. The president, who has repeatedly criticized the agreement -- hailed as the Obama administration's signature foreign policy achievement -- unveiled his long-awaited decision to exit the deal and again impose sanctions against Iran during an afternoon White House event. Arguing that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known as the "Iran deal," has failed to stop Tehran from pursuing nuclear weapons, supporting terrorism and expanding its influence in Yemen and Syria, Trump said he could not keep the United States in the current agreement. "The United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. In a few moments I will sign a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating U.S. nuclear sanctions on the Iranian regime ... America will not be held hostage to nuclear black mail," he said. "We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction and we will not allow a regime that chants 'death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth." The president added that his action should send the message that the United States "no longer makes empty threats." Trump, who called the 2015 agreement "a one-sided deal that should never have been made," however, said he's open to a new version of it. "They are going to want to make a lasting deal, one that benefits all of Iran and the Iranian people. When they do, I am ready, willing and able," he said. "Great things can happen for Iran and great things can happen for the peace and stability that we all want in the Middle East." The United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, and China struck the nuclear deal with Iran in July 2015 after more than two years of negotiation. The agreement ended decades of western sanctions and isolation against Iran in exchange for Tehran removing nearly all of its nuclear fuel from the country and agreeing to end production of new nuclear fuel for more than a decade. International inspectors have reportedly found no violations, aside from minor infractions, since the deal took effect, according to the New York Times. The Trump administration told Congress in July 2017 that Iran was complying with the nuclear deal, the Associated Press reported. Despite that, Trump announced in October that he would not re-certify the Iran nuclear deal because he felt Tehran was not following the spirit of the agreement and had committed "multiple violations." The president doubled down on that claim Tuesday, stressing that documents recently released by Israel offered "definitive proof" that Iran was still pursuing nuclear weapons. Trump previously said his administration would work closely with Congress to address its "many flaws." If Congress failed to come up with new legislation, however, the president said he would terminate the deal. With Trump facing a May 12 deadline to decide on whether he would continue to abide by the agreement's terms, former Secretary of State John Kerry -- who helped strike the deal -- reportedly engaged in shadow diplomacy over ways to preserve it. The president slammed reports that the former Massachusetts senator was lobbying world leaders behind-the-scenes, offering that he "can't get over the fact that he had his chance and blew it!" "Stay away from negotiations John, you are hurting your country," Trump tweeted Tuesday. John Kerry cant get over the fact that he had his chance and blew it! Stay away from negotiations John, you are hurting your country! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2018 This is a breaking news story and will be updated when more information is made available. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, praised reports that North Korea released three detained Americans Wednesday, saying it represents as "positive step" as the two countries prepare for an upcoming summit. Markey, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's East Asia sub-panel, offered that while he believes the release of American citizens Tony Kim, Kim Hak-Song and Kim Dong Chul is "long-overdue," it represents a "positive step and removes an obstacle to a successful summit between President Donald Trump and (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un." The senator, who has repeatedly urged the Trump administration to take a more diplomatic approach to North Korea, added that the release of detained Americans ahead of the upcoming summit "also demonstrates that the combination of pressure and direct engagement is critical for making progress with North Korea." Trump announced early Wednesday that the Americans had been released and were returning the the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who had traveled to North Korea to negotiate details for the countries' summit. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the three wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting," he wrote. "They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date and Place set." I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Trump added that he will greet Pompeo and the detained Americans, who are expected to land at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. News of the Americans' possible release surfaced last week after Trump hinted at the scenario on Twitter. "As everybody is aware, the past administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!" he posted. As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018 Shortly after, former New York City Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani told Fox and Friends that the administration had "got (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un impressed enough to be releasing three prisoners." The three Americans were detained in North Korea for several months prior to their release. Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song were arrested last Spring after being accused of carrying out "hostile acts" against the North Korean regime, while Kim Dong Chul was arrested in 2015 for allegedly spying on behalf of South Korea, according to CNN. NEW YORK -- Manager Alex Cora said he considered using Mitch Moreland as a pinch hitter in the Red Sox's 3-2 loss to the Yankees last night. He said he considered it in a few spots but he just couldn't find the right spot to use him. Moreland is batting .347 with a .407 on-base percentage, .653 slugging percentage, 1.060 OPS, five homers, seven doubles and 17 RBIs in 81 plate appearances this season. "Just the spot," Cora emphasized. "It's kind of hard just to burn him in certain situations. But we thought about it. Him, even Brock (Holt). They were ready. I think at the end, man at first, one out, it's a tough one just to go ahead there. I think the situation didn't come up for him to go out and hit." Potential pinch-hitting spots came in the seventh and ninth innings. Eduardo Nunez, the No. 7 hitter, singled to begin the seventh. No. 8 Jackie Bradley Jr., who is batting only .173, struck out swinging. No. 9 hitter Christian Vazquez, who is hitting .196, flied out. Cora could have used a pinch hit for either Bradley or Vazquez there. He also had the chance to pinch hit Moreland for either Bradley or Vazquez in the ninth inning against closer Aroldis Chapman. Le Bureau du Directeur des Poursuites Publiques a publie la 101e edition de son courrier electronique le 9 mars 2020 qui fait la part belle a la violence dans le lieu de travail, le trafic humain entre autres. In 2019 in a landmark decision given by a court in France, three former senior employees of France Telecom were found guilty of implementing policies which led to the suicide of several employees in the 2000 s This is an important decision because the court considered the idea of moral harassment at work What do our laws have to say on bullying at work? At the outset, violence at work is recognised as an offence in our law For a long time, it was the Employment Rights Act ( which criminalised both physical and verbal violence under section 54 1 The Employment Rights Act has since, been replaced by the Workers Rights Act ( In this piece of legislation, bullying is considered as a form of violence at work Section 114 1 is a replica of section 54 and it reads as follows No person shall (a) harass, sexually or otherwise (b) assault (c) verbally abuse, swear at or insult (d) express the intention to cause harm to (e) bully or use threatening behaviour towards (f) use aggressive gesture indicating intimidation, contempt or disdain towards (g) by words or act, hinder, a worker, in the course of or as a result of his work Violence at work can be in different forms It can be physical or verbal The offender is a which means that the he may be an employee, employer or someone who is not a party to the contract of employment. (1,9 MiB, 700 hits) Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn La ministre de la Securite Sociale est intervenue sur les trois projets de loi concernant les enfants lors de la seance parlementaire du 15 decembre 2020. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 8, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump said here on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark international agreement signed in 2015. In a televised speech at the White House, Trump announced the exit, adding he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, re-imposing sanctions lifted under the accord. Moments later, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced "deep concern" over Trump's decision to pull America out of the Iran nuclear deal. "I am deeply concerned by today's announcement that the United States will be withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and will begin reinstating U.S. sanctions (against Iran)," said Guterres in a statement, using the official name of the July 2015 agreement between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. "I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other (UN) member states to support this agreement," said Guterres. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Tuesday that the Islamic republic will remain in the nuclear deal with other signatories of the JCPOA without the United States. "From this time on, the nuclear deal is an accord between Iran and five countries," Rouhani said in live speech broadcast from state TV. Iran proved that it has been committed to its international obligations, Rouhani said, adding that "our experience shows that over the past 40 years the United States has never been reliable vis-a-vis its commitments." In his Tuesday speech, Trump repeated his tough stance on the deal, or the JCPOA, saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism in the region. The JCPOA "allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium" and "lifted crippling economic sanctions" on Iran in exchange for "very weak limits" on its nuclear activity, "and no limits at all on its other malign behavior," he said. "The United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal" and impose "the highest level" of economic sanctions on Tehran, he said. At the end of his remarks, he signed a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating U.S. nuclear sanctions on the Iran. After Trump's speech, the White House said in an emailed message to the media that Trump has "directed his administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA," and "the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors." "Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran," it added. "Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences." U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said in an announcement that "Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking immediate action to implement the President's decision." Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the United States "will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat." Trump also said after his speech that Pompeo is on the way to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to prepare for his meeting with the country's top leader Kim Jong Un. In response, former U.S. President Barack Obama, whose administration brokered the deal, said in a Facebook post Trump's announcement is "so misguided" and "a serious mistake." "The JCPOA is working," Obama said, adding that "the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East" without the landmark deal. U.S. President Donald Trump signs a presidential memorandum at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 8, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump said here on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) U.S. President Donald Trump displays a signed presidential memorandum at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 8, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump said here on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) In this undated file photo, China's Y-20 heavy transport aircraft takes part in an airborne and air delivery training. China's Y-20 heavy transport aircraft has undergone its first airborne and air delivery training, said the Chinese air force on Tuesday. According to Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the air force, it marked a leap in the air force's strategic delivery and long-distance airborne combat abilities. (Xinhua) BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- China's Y-20 heavy transport aircraft has undergone its first airborne and air delivery training, said the Chinese air force on Tuesday. According to Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the air force, it marked a leap in the air force's strategic delivery and long-distance airborne combat abilities. The air force is a strategic service, and its strategic capability should be in line with the constantly expanding national interests so it can carry out diverse military missions, said Shen. The strategic capability of the air force should be able to extend wherever China's national interests reach to provide reliable air security assurance for the country's development, he added. The Y-20, which joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force in July 2016 and has a maximum takeoff weight of around 200 tonnes, is ideal for transporting cargo and people over long distances in diverse weather conditions. In this undated file photo, China's Y-20 heavy transport aircraft takes part in an airborne and air delivery training. China's Y-20 heavy transport aircraft has undergone its first airborne and air delivery training, said the Chinese air force on Tuesday. According to Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the air force, it marked a leap in the air force's strategic delivery and long-distance airborne combat abilities. (Xinhua) China on Wednesday launched Gaofen-5, a hyperspectral imaging satellite, as part of the country's high-resolution Earth observation project. The Gaofen-5 satellite is launched off the back of a Long March 4C rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province at 2:28 a.m. Beijing Time on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. [Photo: China Plus] The Gaofen-5 satellite was launched off the back of a Long March 4C rocket at 2:28 a.m. Beijing Time from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province. It was the 274th flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket. The satellite can be used for comprehensive environmental monitoring. The satellite is developed and produced by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and has a designed life of eight years. According to Tong Xudong, chief designer of the Gaofen series, Gaofen-5 is the first China-developed satellite that can monitor air pollution. It can dynamically reflect the state of air pollution in China through the monitoring of air pollutants, greenhouse gases, and aerosols. The Gaofen-5 satellite [Photo: China Plus] Gaofen-5 is able to obtain spectral information from ultraviolet to long-wave infrared radiation. It is the world's first full-spectrum hyperspectral satellite for comprehensive observation of the atmosphere and land. Gaofen-5 has the highest spectral resolution among China's remote sensing satellites. It is equipped with six advanced observation payloads, such as shortwave infrared hyperspectral camera and a greenhouse gas detector. It can investigate material composition through spectral imaging technology. Wang Qiao, an official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said the satellite can detect inland water, land surface environment and altered minerals, providing reliable data for China's environmental monitoring, resource exploration, and disaster prevention and mitigation. It will help reduce China's dependence on foreign hyperspectral satellite data. Since the Gaofen project began in 2010, China's view of the planet has become clearer. China will also launch Gaofen-6 this year to form a constellation with other Gaofen satellites in orbit. Mammograms free for those in need Audio Article Several community businesses and healthcare organizations are partnering to offer free mammograms to those who cant afford one due to lack of insurance, being under-insured or not having the ability to pay. Coconis Furniture, WHIZ TV, Genesis HealthCare System, Muskingum County Community Foundation, Southeastern Ohio Breast and Cervical Cancer Project, and... Malta Council hears from Kimble Recycling and Waste Disposal Audio Article The following persons were in attendance to meet council and discuss their services: Julie Monroy, Kevin Lee and Ed Ramey. They represent Kimble Recycling and Waste Disposal. Kevin oversees Malta. Monroy said they have been working with Mayor Hill and VA Drake for the last few years. They enjoy working... HINDSIGHT 2021 Audio Article 10 Years Ago (2011) James and Patricia Brannon celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house at the Malta United Methodist Church. The former Patricia Greuey and James Brannon are the parents of four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Patty was the owner of Pats Body Shop... IT Director working to prevent ransomware attacks to county offices Audio Article This is the September 2021 report from Jeff Babcock, IT Director The title for County Courts old car was transferred to the Morgan County Commissioners so that it can be reassigned to another office. After reading FBI reports, it appears that a recent ransomware attack in this area was accomplished... Hunters Fund seeking to support projects of young innovators Audio Article Hunters Grants, a program of The Hunter Watson Memorial Fund (Hunters Fund) is seeking grant applications from young entrepreneurs and creatives. Applications are due by November 15, 2021, and selected grantees will be announced in January 2022. You must be between 16 and 25 years old to apply. Since 2017,... Morgan County Sheriffs Office Daily Call Reports Audio Article Editors Note: The following are initial incident reports from callers to a Morgan County Sheriffs Office Dispatcher. Any details, charges or situations may have been distorted by the caller, or perhaps may have been found to be different after the officer further investigated the incident. Thursday, July 1, 2021 ... The lately imposed tariffs by the United States on steel and aluminum do not aim at protecting the so-called "national security", but serve to protect commercial interests of U.S. domestic industries, said Chinese Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Zhang Xiangchen, in a meeting on Tuesday. According to the report released by the U.S. Department of Commerce and statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, "it is obvious that the reason of these measures is not national security", Zhang said in a meeting of WTO General Council, adding that the imports subject to the latest imposed tariffs account for only 5 percent of U.S. steel consumption. Zhang noted that the U.S. import of steel accounts for around 16 percent of its consumption, and about 70 percent of its import comes from the members exempted, temporarily or permanently, from the new tariff measures. "Such measures should be considered as safeguard measures under the Agreement of Safeguards, and meet necessary requirements as set in that agreement," underlined the Chinese diplomat. Despite worldwide objection, the U.S. administration decided in March to impose a 25-percent tariff on steel imports and a 10-percent tariff on aluminum imports. The U.S. then provided temporary exemptions for EU member states as well as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and South Korea. It is reported that the United States sought quotas or voluntary export restraints during its negotiations with economies requesting permanent exemption from U.S. steel tariffs. Zhang said that those actions are explicitly prohibited by the WTO rules and put the global trade back to the old era of quotas. China would call on the whole membership to urge the U.S. to honor its obligations under the WTO Agreements and to immediately withdraw its tariff measures, he concluded. Construction of a high speed railway linking Jakarta and Bandung in Indonesia, built by China Railway Group Limited, is now being carried out with full force, reports Xinhua on Tuesday. A construction site of the Jakarta Bandung high speed railway in Indonesia is seen on May 3, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua] Technicians from China have held discussions with construction workers on the construction sites on the Jakarta Bandung railway. Lu Dongfu, General Manager of China Railway Group Limited, inspected the sites between May 1 to May 5 and said that the company would try its best to construct a modern and standardized railway for the Indonesian people. The Jakarta Bandung railway is a project under the China-proposed "Belt and Road Initiative." Once completed, the railway is 142 km long, linking Indonesia's capital city Jakarta and its fourth largest city Bandung. The highest speed can reach 350 km per hour, and the railway can shorten the travel time between the two cities from the current over 3 hours to 40 minutes. Construction on the project began on January 21, 2016. A gigantic digging machine has flown off the production line this April in east Chinas Jiangsu province. The machine can shovel 50 tons of coal in one go, and is Chinas largest hydraulic excavator that is 100 percent domestically produced. The machine is able to compete with world-class players, not only in terms of its eye-catching look, but also in the 52 self-developed technologies used to make it, said a person working for its manufacturer Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd. (XCMG). The enormous machine is designed to excavate at least 30,000 tons of material per day and operate safely for no less than 60,000 hours. Without a high-standard chassis that level of performance would be unlikely. XCMG had thought about buying core technologies, such as the chassis, from overseas companies, but none of them were willing to sell, fearing the Chinese company would catch up with them. Then XCMG decided to develop a chassis independently. Five years later, they succeeded. Buying one chassis could cost upwards of 15 million yuan. But according to Zhang Hong, deputy general manager of XCMG excavating machinery division, manufacturing a chassis on their own costs about 5 million yuan. This excavator makes China the fourth country to develop and manufacture hydraulic digging machines independently, after Germany, Japan and the US, said Xu Donghai, deputy mayor of Xuzhou, where the headquarters of XCMG are located. Another core part of the excavator, the hydrocylinder, is also self-developed. The hydrocylinder has not only broken the monopoly of foreign companies, but also helped to lower prices of their products. Before, importing a 700-ton hydrocylinder cost 3 million yuan, but now the price is reduced to around 2 million, said Chen Dengmin, head of XCMG Hydraulics Co. Ltd. China wants 40 percent of necessary parts and machinery to be supplied domestically in the aerospace, telecommunications, power generation and machine industries by 2020, according to the Made in China 2025 initiative. Core technologies are not to be borrowed or bought. XCMG makes sure that every part of the machine is self-made, so that they wont concede to foreign companies, Chen Dengmin said. XCMG Chairman Wang Min said the target of Chinas engineering machinery is to become medium-and high-end, and to be high-end, the country must achieve self-innovation. XCMG spends over 5 percent of the total sales revenue on research and development. In the past, Chinese companies like XCMG spent as much as 40 percent of their manufacturing costs on importing foreign parts, giving 70 percent of profits in the industry to foreign providers. But the situation is changing. Presently, XCMG products are being exported to 158 countries and regions around the world. In 2017, the company saw substantial growth in exports to countries along the Belt and Road. China should ramp up investment and channel more energy into research and development to spur the development of the equipment manufacturing sector, Chinese President Xi Jinping said when visiting XCMG in December 2017. In contrast to rumors of stagnation, the construction project of Jakarta to Bandung high-speed railway is proceeding well and has recently made breakthroughs, Xinhuanet.com reported on May 8. Photo taken on May 3 shows the construction site of the Walini tunnel project of the High-Speed Railway (Xinhua/ Liang Hui) China was selected by the Indonesian Government to build the countrys first high-speed railway, linking the capital Jakarta and one of the countrys major hubs, Bandung. Commencing in 2016, the project was previously delayed as a result of complicated land compensation issues, which slowed things down for the construction team. But now, several tunnel projects have started construction. Up to now, we have accelerated the land requisition and demolition, alongside making sure that project funds and loans are put in place, said a person from China Railway, adding that both sides will work in close cooperation so as to get construction underway as soon as possible. China, as a major investor in the project, was still committed to the agreement although the stagnation problem was with ourselves, claimed Maritime Affairs Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan earlier on The Jakarta Post, the largest English newspaper in Indonesia. President Joko attends the groundbreaking ceremony, Jan 21, 2016. President Joko requested the government evaluate the project at the beginning of this year. Chinese firms will do the best to build a modern high-speed railway for Indonesia, said Lu Dongfu, general manager of China Railway, when he met to inspect the construction site with the Chinese consortium from May 1 to 5. The Indonesian side expressed thanks to China for this high-speed railway technology training. The 142-km-long railway is the first such railway in Indonesia as well as Chinas first overseas high-speed rail project. The cooperative rail project under the Belt and Road Initiative adopts the technically advanced CR400 trains, and takes local climate and customs into consideration in its design. With the highest designed speed of 350 km per hour, the Jakarta-Bandung high speed rail would shorten the travel time between the two hubs from three hours to 40 minutes and drive forward economic development along the line. Seldom in Chinas history could a foreign scholar leave as powerful an impact on the nations political landscape as Karl Marx. The thinkers epoch-making analyses of history, especially those on political economy, continue to shine in the modern era, spurring a rise in the worlds most populous country. Karl Marx (File photo) During a grand gathering in Beijing to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, reiterated Chinas adherence to Marxism, proving that a man who died 135 years ago can still have remarkable relevance today. Born on May 5, 1818, Marx was largely ignored in academic circles during his own lifetime, but his social, economic and political ideas gained rapid acceptance after his death in 1883. His theories, which deal with the volatility and shape of capitalism, have become the CPCs founding ideology. Since the CPC's birth, it has combined the fundamental principles of Marxism with the reality of Chinese revolution and construction, transforming the Chinese nation from "the sick man of East Asia" to one who has stood up, by uniting and leading the people through long-term struggle. "This tremendous transformation serves as cast iron proof that only through socialism can we save China," Xi said. Since reform and opening up, the CPC has combined the fundamental principles of Marxism with the reality of China's reform and opening up, and the nation who stood up has grown rich. A series of events have been conducted to celebrate Marxs 200th birthday in China. A statue of Marx, donated by China, was erected in his hometown Trier, Germany, while many of his works have been translated and compiled for Chinese readers. The 200th birthday of Marx is not only a memorial for a great thinker, but also a look back on Chinas opening and reform since the 1970s, experts noted, adding that China has proven the feasibility of Marxism through practice. Forty years after Opening Up to the world, China has made remarkable social and economic achievements. One of the most important secrets for its success is the adherence to Marxist standpoint, ideas and methodologies, which will further promote Chinas influence worldwide, Su Wei, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, told Peoples Daily Online. Old theories modern relevance New technologies are now reshaping our world. Both capitalism and socialism with Chinese characteristics are now facing unprecedented historical changes, 21st century Marxism is needed to reveal the new law of historical development, as well as better promoting global economy and development, said Su. Marxism is not a changeless doctrine, but a theory that advances with the times, Su added. Under the guidance of modern Chinese Marxism, the CPC plans to basically realize socialist modernization in the first stage from 2020 to 2035, before developing China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful after another 15 years. Experts have said that modern Marxism is also expected to encourage China to further embrace globalization and international cooperation, as well as tackling the rising trade protectionism and isolation in the Western World. The Communist Manifesto has long revealed the inexorable trend of globalization. For centuries, economic globalization was led by the western world, who wish to keep the unreasonable old order and their dominance, while such resistance will be proven vain by modern Marxism, said Su. Sus opinion is shared by many of his foreign counterparts. Ben Fine, an economics professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London, told Xinhua that what Marx put forward over 100 years ago still has far-reaching impact, while Hans Van Duysen, chairman of the Belgium-China Association, pointed out that despite the world entering a new modern era, Marxism is not out of date and the West must reflect on its own crises. For westerners, Marxs analysis of capitalism is worth studying, said Fine. China has no plan to export its ideology. Its time to drop the biased cold war mentality and cooperate to promote the welfare of all humankind despite ideological differences, just like Xi mentioned in a community with a shared future for mankind, Su noted. BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Around 100 museums in Beijing will be open for free on May 18, International Museum Day, including 17 museums that charge visitors usually. According to the municipal administration of cultural heritage, among the museums that will stop charging on that day are the Geological Museum of China, the Beijing Planetarium and the Zhoukoudian Site Museum. Over 90 activities, such as exhibitions and lectures, will be launched in the city's museums to celebrate the day. Currently there are 179 museums in Beijing. The administration will open a webpage on May 18, offering chances for people to have a virtual museum experience, through texts, pictures and video. Yu Ping, deputy head of the administration, said the activities were aimed at inviting more people to museums, and making museums more popular among citizens. TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Wednesday that the China-Japan ties are at a crucial stage for improvement, as this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the bilateral treaty of peace and friendship. Li made the remarks during his talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. US President Donald Trump's new ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, arrived in Berlin early Tuesday and presented his credentials after a nearly 16-month gap since his predecessor John Emerson left the country. Grenell, a vocal critic of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran that Germany helped to negotiate, arrived on the day that Trump is expected to pull out of the deal and reinstate sanctions against Tehran. A Republican foreign policy writer and avid Twitter user, Grenell was an aide to Trump's new national security adviser, John Bolton, when Bolton was former Republican President George W. Bush's ambassador to the United Nations. Grenell served as the US spokesman at the United Nations from 2001 to 2008, and then worked as a contributor to Fox News. The US Senate confirmed Grenell on April 26, making him the highest-ranking openly gay official in the Trump administration. The next day, he joined Trump at the White House to welcome Chancellor Angela Merkel for talks that produced little movement on trade disputes or the Iran accord. Trump had nominated Grenell in September but key Democrats help up his confirmation, citing concerns about what they called Grenell's history of making statements insulting to women politicians on the Internet and during television appearances. Asked about such comments during his confirmation hearing, Grenell said he was trying to be funny, not insulting, and would not have made such statements while serving as a US official. Search Keywords: Short link: A group of Iranian lawmakers have said the parliament will oblige the government to react "fiercely" if the United States tries to impose what they called its "illegitimate demands" on Tehran over a 2015 nuclear deal, state TV reported on Tuesday. "We parliamentarians, of different political affiliations, support the establishment's stance against renegotiating the (nuclear) deal. America cannot impose its illegitimate demands on Iran ... and ignore Iran's rights," they said in a letter addressed to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. President Donald Trump was expected to announce at 1800 GMT on Tuesday that he was pulling out of the multinational nuclear deal with Iran. Search Keywords: Short link: Syria "strongly condemns" US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement, saying it will increase tensions in the world, state media reported on Tuesday citing the Foreign Ministry. Syria is a close ally of Iran, which has helped President Bashar al-Assad in his war against rebels trying to unseat him. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt is following with great concern the developments of the US decision on Tuesday to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCOPA) agreement between the P5+1 countries and Iran, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the ministry stated although Egypt appreciates the US and international assurance to address concerns about regional interference by Iran, it also asserted the necessity of Iran's adherence to international obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The statement said that in accordance with the goal of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East, Iran should obtain nuclear weapons. The ministry also asserted the necessity of safeguarding the security and stability of the Middle East and its people, and expressed its extreme concern about policies that aim to extend foreign influence into the Arab region. The statement emphasized the importance of engaging in regional dialogue in regards to possibility of amending the JCOPA, and also called on all regional powers, including Iran, to stop adopting policies that interfere in the security of the Arab region. On Tuesday, US president Donald Trump said the United States would pull out of the JCOPA, saying that one-sided deal that should have never been made and that it has not, and will never, bring peace. The JCOPA agreement was reached in July 2015 between Iran and the P5+1, or five permanent members of the United Nation's Security Council: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, plus Germany. The agreement arranged for the easing of international economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for sharp reductions in its nuclear enrichment capabilities and allowing regular International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to all facilities. The pact is seen widely seen by western experts and leaders as the best way to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capabilities. Search Keywords: Short link: An Egyptair official told Ahram Online on Wednesday that the flagship airliner is considering resuming flights between Cairo and Libya's Benghazi this summer, following four years of suspension due to turmoil in Libya. The source said EgyptAir will also consider the resumption of Cairo-Tripoli flights this year. Local Egyptian and Libyan media reported earlier that EgyptAir will begin operating three weekly Cairo-Benghazi flights and four weekly Cairo-Tripoli flights after ensuring that they are cost effective and that conditions are stable at Libyan airports. Egypt has been a key player in the political process to solve the conflict gripping the North African country since 2014. Nearly 250,000 Egyptians work and reside in Libya, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) reported in 2015. Egypt halted direct flights between Egyptian cities and the Libyan capital Tripoli in 2014. Search Keywords: Short link: UPDATE: A week removed from a fire at a Michigan-based auto parts factory, Ford is halting production of its best-selling F-150 at all of its facilities due to a shortage of die-cast components made at the affected plant. The Associated Press reports the fire occurred early morning May 2, at the Meridian Magnesium Products of America in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. Two people were injured in the fire, and A.P. reports the plant's roof was destroyed in the process. Rumblings from the explosion at the plant could be reportedly felt by people from miles away. Ford says in a Wednesday, May 9 news release that it only accounts for less than a third of the output from the Meridian plant. The Detroit News reports that Fiat Chrysler, General Motors and BMW have also had to suspend production of some vehicles thanks to the large factory fire. "This is a fluid situation, but we are working closely with our supplier partners to do everything we can to limit the impact on our production," Joe Hinrichs, executive vice president and president of Global Operations for Ford, said in the release. "It's a full team effort and we're confident that any impacts will be short term. The good news is we have strong inventories of our best-selling F-Series pickups and other vehicles, and customers won't have a problem finding the model they want." I think its safe to say were going to see an impact for several days, but we cant say beyond that, Joe Hinrichs, Ford EVP, said in a Wednesday evening conference call. We do not see the situation impacting sales at all.https://t.co/Tgzv1KZ4uM via @detroitnews Ian Thibodeau (@Ian_Thibodeau) May 9, 2018 These measures will go into effect at the end of Wednesday's afternoon shift at the Kansas City Assembly Plant and the Dearborn Truck Plant. Also hindered is the automaker's F-Series Super Duty production at its Kentucky Truck Plant, but Super Duty work is expected to continue at the Ohio Assembly Plant. Foord says that this halt in production is expected to "have an adverse impact" on its short-term results. The Lansing State Journal reports the cause of the fire remains under investigation, and that Magnesium Products of America could announce hundreds of layoffs as soon as this week. Employees based in Eaton Rapids were told of planned layoffs at a local VFW last week. The State Journal reports Wednesday that officials at the plant have said they hope to have the entire factory rebuilt and reopened in four months. The plant is said to employ more than 400 people, and that it is expected to "recall some employees and use them to give back to the community and/or charities as a thank you and to help support others in need." -- ANN ARBOR, MI - Fashion eyewear company Warby Parker is opening a new location in downtown Ann Arbor in the former Life is Good space. A spokesperson confirmed to The Ann Arbor News on Tuesday, May 8 that the New York City-based company is planning to unveil its third Michigan location at 304 S. Main in Ann Arbor. Warby Parker does not have an opening date set but said it would be in 2018. The company is already hiring for the Ann Arbor location with postings for a store leader and both full and part-time opticians and is also hiring for its stores on Woodward Avenue in Detroit and at the Somerset Collection in Troy. Warby Parker has more than 65 retail locations in the United States and Canada and employs more than 1,400 workers across those locations. The company sells prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses, and offer customers in-house eye exams and consultations along with online products. A shelling and a car bomb blast in Syria's capital Damascus killed two people and wounded several others on Wednesday, state television said. It reported "two killed and 14 wounded in terrorist attacks on Damascus Tower and Maysat Square". The shell struck at the tower in the central Marjeh Square district while the car bomb went off in the northeast of the city. Search Keywords: Short link: WYOMING - With a bid awarded and a budget amendment passed, the city is set to make a significant investment in its Clean Water Plant, replacing a centrifuge that has been in use since the mid-1980s. City Council approved the move at its Monday, May 7, meeting, awarding the project to DHE Plumbing & Mechanical, whose bid came in at $898,400. Mayor Jack Poll called the investment a large but necessary one. "This is equipment that has the date on it from 1984 that we're updating," he said. "So I think we got our useful life out of that equipment, but it needs to be updated." The city entered into an agreement with Donohue & Associates Inc., a consulting firm specializing in drinking water, wastewater, storm water, transportation and general municipal engineering services, back in August to provide insight and to help carry out the bid process, according to Jon Burke, superintendent of the Clean Water Plant. Referring to the centrifuge that will be replaced as "obsolete, difficult to maintain, and very costly to run," Burke wrote in a report dated April 24 that Donohue worked with plant staff to complete bid specifications over the winter and that a bid package was sent out on March 22. DHE Plumbing & Mechanical was one of two companies to submit a bid for the project on April 17, according to Burke. After reviewing both bids, plant staff and Donohue recommended DHE for the job. When it comes to treating water at the plant, Burke said efficiency matters in terms of both keeping costs down and protecting the environment. "The sludge thickening system at the Clean Water Plant is the main means of removal of residual solids from the city's wastewater treatment plant," his report said. "A more efficient operation means better environmental safeguards." Likewise, efficiency improvements have a direct impact on cost, Burke wrote. "By improving the efficiency of this treatment system, the costs to run the system will be lowered. Even a modest increase in efficiency can reduce electrical power costs by thousands of dollars a month." The city's passing of a budget amendment ensured that sufficient monies are available in the Sewer Fund to cover the cost of the project. ALLEN PARK -- The deadline has passed for compensatory picks to factor into free-agent decisions, and the Detroit Lions currently project to be on the right side of the equation for the first time under GM Bob Quinn. As things stand right now, Detroit is expected to receive a fifth-round comp pick in 2019, according to OverTheCap.com, which tracks these things every year. Comp picks are awarded based on a team's net loss or gain in free agency. The more a team loses in free agency, the better they'll do in the compensatory process the following year. The Lions haven't been awarded a comp pick since 2016, based on their net losses in 2015 under former GM Martin Mayhew. But they could add one next year after losing cornerback D.J. Hayden, linebacker Tahir Whitehead, tight end Darren Fells, center Travis Swanson, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and safety/gunner Don Carey. The club balanced those losses by signing: Running back LeGarrette Blount, linebacker Devon Kennard, linebacker Christian Jones, offensive lineman Kenny Wiggins and tight end Luke Willson. (Note: Players who were cut don't factor into the formula, which is why you don't see Eric Ebron on the lost side of the ledger, or Levine Toiolo on the gained side.) Of course, rosters are far from decided, and those decisions could still affect Detroit's comp payout. For example, according to OTC, the club could add another comp pick by cutting one of its free agents. Wiggins is the most vulnerable, given the Lions just used their first-round pick on another interior offensive lineman (Frank Ragnow). Conversely, the Lions could lose their projected comp pick if one of their lost free agents doesn't make his new team. Based on money and ability, Swanson probably has the toughest route to making a roster. The Lions already have nine picks on the books for next year. They have their original seven picks, minus a third-rounder (dealt to New England in the draft-day trade for fourth-rounder Da'Shawn Hand), plus an extra fifth-rounder (via San Francisco in the Laken Tomlinson trade), sixth-rounder (via New England in the Johnson Bademosi trade) and seventh rounder (via Miami in the Akeem Spence trade). VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, MI - A mother and son were among three people killed in a six-car crash Tuesday evening in Wayne County's Van Buren Township. Authorities were dispatched about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, May 8 to the intersection of Ecorse and Belleville roads for multiple reports of a crash, Van Buren Township Director of Public Safety Gregory Laurain said. The intersection is just north of Belleville. Police found one vehicle fully engulfed in flames with two people dead inside, Laurain said. The two victims were identified as 39-year-old Naomi Uselam, of Canton and her 10-year-old son, Dominick, Laurain said. Their KIA sedan was reportedly heading southbound along Belleville Road and was stopped at a traffic light at Ecorse Road when a Ford Edge SUV rear-ended their vehicle at a high rate of speed, Laurain said. The KIA exploded upon impact and the mother and son were fatally injured, Laurain said. The SUV was driven by 44-year-old Robert Dulin III, of Canton, who was also killed at the scene, Laurain said. Dullin's 10-year-old son was in the vehicle but survived. He was in stable condition and transported to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital as a precaution, Laurain said. Four other vehicles were involved in the crash, but no other injuries were reported, Laurain said. "I've been here 37 years and have seen my fair share of accidents, but you don't get ones like this with multiple deaths very often," he said. "Thank God." The crash remains under investigation. Police were assisted at the scene by the Van Buren Township Fire Department and paramedics from Huron Valley Ambulance. ANN ARBOR, MI - A nonprofit group has filed a lawsuit against the University of Michigan, alleging that its disciplinary codes prohibiting harassment and bullying "capture staggering amounts of protected speech and expression." Speech First, a Washington D.C.-based group claiming to combat restrictions on free speech and other civil rights at colleges and universities, filed its lawsuit Tuesday, May 8, in the U.S. District Court's Eastern District against UM. The lawsuit alleges more than 150 reports of alleged "expressions of bias," through posters, fliers, social media, whiteboards, verbal comments and classroom behavior have been investigated by the university's Bias Response Team since April 2017. The group claims free speech is being attacked on college campuses by implementing "free speech zones," giving opponents of unpopular speech a "heckler's veto," and the use of civility requirements to create "safe spaces." The group claims it wants to defend speech of all kinds - "left, right, popular, unpopular," according to its website. "A student who voices a controversial or unpopular opinion - or who seeks to use humor, parody, or satire when discussing sensitive topics - could face severe punishment,'" the lawsuit states. "Many students will inevitably choose not to speak - or to speak less forcefully about controversial topics - rather than face the risk of disciplinary proceedings and punishment if another student takes offense at their words and files a complaint alleging violations of the Statement's ban on 'bullying,' 'harassment,' and 'bias-motivated misconduct,'" the lawsuit states. UM Spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen said the university had not yet been served the lawsuit and had no comment Tuesday. According to UM's Bias Response Team website, bias comes in many forms. It can be a hurtful action based on who someone is as a person. "The most important indication of bias is your own feelings," the website states. "If you feel like you may have experienced something that is wrong and would like to discuss the incident." The website, which allows students to submit bias reports online, includes explanations of what constitutes hate crimes and other bias incidents. A bias incident, the website states, is conduct that discriminates, stereotypes, excludes, harasses or harms anyone in our community based on their identity, including race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age or religion. UM's Bias Response Team is comprised of representatives from a number of units including the Dean of Students Office, Office for Institutional Equity, Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Division of Public Safety and Security, Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, Office of Student Conflict Resolution and University Housing, Diversity and Inclusion. Speech First asserts that the lack of clear and meaningful standards in both the school's speech code and bias response system present a serious risk that it will be enforced in an arbitrary or discriminatory manner and may be used to target speech based on a speaker's viewpoint. "Speech codes like Michigan's flagrantly violate the First Amendment," Speech First President Nicole Neily said. "Moreover, a bias response system has no place in America, much less on a modern-day college campus. Because it's impossible to know what comments might be 'perceived' by others as offensive, students don't contribute to conversations and debates, ask questions, write papers, or invite speakers they might otherwise. This is not a real educational experience, and Michigan students deserve better." Speech First has asked the court to declare that UM's speech code is unconstitutional and to enjoin the bias response system. ANN ARBOR, MI - The reports are alarming, but police say a recent string of break-ins in Ann Arbor - two involving sexual assault - aren't indicative of a rise in home invasions in the city. Ann Arbor police believe at least five reported break-ins since early April, one which was reported as an attempted rape, are connected. In addition, police have received two reports of University of Michigan students waking up to someone in their homes. In one incident, the student was sexually assaulted. Though comparative numbers weren't immediately available, Ann Arbor police Detective Sgt. Earle Fox said anecdotally that home invasions for the year seem to be occurring at their typical rate. The first break-ins were reported April 5 in the 1200 block of Patricia Avenue, on April 6 in the 400 block of South Seventh Street, and April 6 in the area of Newport Road and Miller Avenue. In the first and last of those three reports, the suspect is believed to have entered through unlocked doors, not taken anything and fled when confronted. The incident on South Seventh Street was reported as a rape attempt, with the suspect shaking a woman awake from her couch and telling her to bend over before she fought him off. A scaly green mask was left behind. Another break-in, reported several days later, also is believed to have occurred in the same time frame in the 2500 block of North Maple Road, Fox said. Nothing was taken, the suspect fled the home when spotted and it's believed the door was unlocked. Another break-in believed to be connected was reported about April 13 in the 2900 block of South Signature Boulevard after a man awoke to a stranger in his room. A $500 reward has been offered for information in those incidents. The suspect is described as a white man, between the ages of 20 to 30 years old, about 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall with a small build. He was described as wearing dark clothing and having his face covered in several of the incidents. In incidents believed unrelated to the West Side break-ins, two University of Michigan students had their homes broken into. A female University of Michigan student woke up to find an unknown man in her bedroom at an off-campus housing unit on April 12 in the 200 block of South State Street at Washington Street. On May 2, a 19-year old student told police that she awoke to an intruder sexually assaulting her in her home in the 1000 block of Church Street. Though the recent break-ins involving sexual assault are troubling for police, so are all home invasions, Fox said. "Home invasions in general are alarming for us, because you don't know the intent," Fox said. They also can also make for more complex investigations - sometimes no suspect is seen and sometimes home invasion suspects travel in groups through various cities to commit their crimes, quickly moving on, Fox said. He pointed to a Texas clan charged in 2014 with home invasions across the country. Police use forensics and DNA from the scenes to try to locate suspects and crime data analysis to track home invasion patterns, Fox said. They also partner with other law enforcement agencies and the FBI when necessary. Sometimes police can arrest an intruder as they leave the scene of the crime, and sometimes it might take years for police to find a suspect, he said. When police do catch a single suspect, however, they might solve more than one case, as Fox said it's common for them to commit several break-ins. Ann Arbor police once placed a home invasion suspect in a car and drove around, Fox said, with the suspect pointing to the various homes he broke into. Though police have their own tactics for solving home invasions, he said community involvement is often necessary to both solve and prevent the crime. "These things, a lot of times, they get solved with tips," he said. "There is somebody out there that knows who's doing this." In the meantime, he said residents can keep from becoming a target by locking their doors and cars - all of the reported break-ins were connected to unlocked doors, though the point of entry in the latest sex assault is under investigation. Police also ask that residents call police if they see any suspicious behavior and immediately call police after a home invasion, without delay, as police might be able to stop the perpetrator nearby. Those who see any suspicious activity are asked to call 911. Those with information on the incidents are asked to call the Ann Arbor police tip line at 734-794-6939 or email tips@a2gov.org. SPRING ARBOR, MI - Caitlin Stout laughs at telling her mom she'll lay low for a while. That hasn't happened yet. The 22-year-old lesbian from Jackson has become increasingly outspoken this academic year, advocating for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students in Christian higher education. Stout completed her sociology degree at Spring Arbor University in January. She's headed to Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville this summer to begin a master's program. Stout reflected on her time at Spring Arbor one day in January, sipping coffee from her mug featuring "famous gays" that she retrieved from behind the counter of the on-campus coffee shop where she worked last semester. She sees her role on campus as a bridge between students and the administration, and she's "willing to make noise and make things messy if it's going to draw attention to people who need help." See what Stout had to say to other LGBTQ students at Christian colleges and to university administrators. Applause filled the Spring Arbor University chapel as the visiting pastor paused in his message on the power of prayer. He had just given examples of transgender people, lesbians, murderers and drug dealers who were "changed by the power of God." But the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people in the audience that day this past November were not inspired. They were filled with sadness and frustration. And they wanted to do more than sit in silence. So, they did the unthinkable. A small group of LGBTQ students organized a protest. They sat shoulder-to-shoulder on the concrete steps of the university library following the chapel service. They waited to see how people would react as they held up a rainbow flag - a gesture meant to force people to acknowledge the existence of LGBTQ students at Spring Arbor University. The protest lasted only 20 minutes. But, it took guts. Students can be dismissed from Spring Arbor University for being openly gay or transgender or violating other expectations outlined in the university's "community standards." Spring Arbor University goes further than most in setting parameters on how LGBTQ students can express themselves, but many Christian colleges have similar policies specifying that sexual activity should be reserved for marriage between a man and a woman. Those policies are putting Christian colleges increasingly at odds with a growing societal pressure to affirm the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. The result is a tangle of theology and practice as college administrators try to find a middle ground. They proclaim love for all people but condemn same-sex relationships and "conspicuous cross dressing." They support LGBTQ students but do not affirm aspects of who those students are. They welcome students to campus but only if students act a certain way. Read the full story and join the conversation: LGBTQ students at Christian colleges refuse to choose between sexuality and faith Christian colleges are increasingly at odds with a growing societal pressure to affirm the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. ANN ARBOR, MI - Authorities were investigating a bank robbery in Ann Arbor on Tuesday evening. Police were dispatched just before 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 8 to a Chase Bank branch at 3500 Plymouth Rd. near Green Road for a reported bank robbery, Ann Arbor police Sgt. Patrick Maguire said. Witnesses told police a masked man entered the branch and demanded money before fleeing the area, Maguire said. Detectives and FBI agents were on scene as of 8:30 p.m. looking through surveillance footage to try and identify the suspect, Maguire said. "We're waiting on the return of some surveillance video to come up with a better suspect description," he said. "We don't think there is an immediate danger to the community at this point." No one was injured and it was unclear whether the lone suspect had a weapon, Maguire said. There was also no word on how much money he took. ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan intends to cancel its current contract with its Lecturers' Employee Organization if an agreement on a new deal isn't reached by May 29. Contract negotiations, which began in October 2017, are expected to resume in mid-May, according to the university. The current contract, which expired April 20, calls for automatic renewal unless either party gives a 30-day notice of intent to terminate, which was done by UM on April 29. During its most recent bargaining session with the LEO, UM proposed increases to both minimum salaries and base salaries of existing lecturers. UM also offered one-time equity raises for most lecturers based on years of service, as well as annual increases for all lecturers over the life of the proposed three-year contract. Those increases would raise average annual salaries over three years to an estimated $79,000 in Ann Arbor, an increase of 16 percent; $46,000 in Dearborn, an increase of 18 percent; and $49,000 in Flint, an increase of 14 percent. Currently, the average annual salary of a lecturer, for eight months of teaching, is $68,000 in Ann Arbor, $39,000 in Dearborn and $43,000 in Flint. The university noted it has proposed raising minimum salaries by 30 percent over three years, with an increase of $10,500 in Ann Arbor and $8,700 in Flint and Dearborn. That would raise the minimum annual salary in the first year to $43,000 in Ann Arbor, $35,000 in Dearborn and $34,000 in Flint. In the third year of the contract, the minimums would increase to $45,000 in Ann Arbor, $37,000 in Dearborn and $36,000 in Flint. LEO President Ian Robinson said that while it is true the university has presented pay raises at the bargaining table that caused the union to back away from threats of striking in early April, there is still work to be done to reach adequate levels across all three campuses. "It is accurate that after months of bargaining, the University has put some pay raises on the table; that's why we were able to avoid a strike in April. But we still have a long way to go to make up for the years and years that teaching faculty have been underpaid, which has resulted in the current crisis in our classrooms," Robinson said. "LEO members have given our bargaining team a clear mandate to address chronic underpayment and long-term inequities with a contract that lifts all UM lecturers out of poverty," he added. Overall, UM's most recent salary proposal would represent an $11.8 million increase across all three campuses to the salary base for lecturers, representing a 16 percent increase over a three-year contract. The university has proposed annual increases as follows: In the first year, on all three campuses, a guaranteed increase of at least 3 percent when taking into account equity and minimum salary increases. For Ann Arbor, in year two, the annual increase would be 2.5 percent and in year three, 3 percent. For Flint and Dearborn, annual increases in years two and three would be tied to the salary program for tenure-track faculty on their respective campuses, or 2 percent, whichever is higher. The LEO's current five-year contract saw incremental raises ranging from zero percent in the first year of the contract in 2013 to 2.75 percent in 2017. Members of the union include nearly 1,700 non-tenured faculty on each of UM's three campuses. On the Ann Arbor campus, non-tenured lecturers in most schools and departments teaching three classes per semester are considered to be teaching a full-time load, while some others, like the School of Social Work, requires four courses per term to be considered full time. On the Flint and Dearborn campuses, the "norm" is four classes per semester, LEO Spokesman Roger Kerson said. In other words, an instructor in the School of Social Work who teaches two classes per semester would receive 50 percent of full-time pay for their appropriate job class. Kerson said because there are so many different classes of lecturers with different work loads, it would be difficult to estimate any sort of average number of classes per semester or hours per week LEO members work. ANN ARBOR, MI - The nation's largest single-day food drive returns to Washtenaw County this weekend. Local letter carriers will deliver special orange bags to homes across the county to remind residents to participate in the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive, organized by Food Gatherers and the National Association of Letter Carriers. Residents may fill the bag or any other bag with non-perishable foods such as canned soup and stew, canned vegetables, peanut butter, pasta, rice or cereal, and leave it next to their mailbox before their regular mail delivery time on Saturday May 12th for letter carriers to collect, according to organizers. Food Gatherers' staff and volunteers will be on-site at the post office to accept all the bags and deliver them to the warehouse on Carrot Way. "Stamp Out Hunger" will help one in seven of local neighbors struggling with hunger who include children, senior citizens, individuals with disabilities, and working adults, according to organizers. The orange bags, provided by local stores and restaurants, also provide information for those individuals in need of food assistance by directing people to contact United Way 2-1-1 to get information about and referrals to human services. Residents who decline to participate in the drive should recycle their bags. According to Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap, more than a third of food insecure people in the U.S. are children--13,118,000 total. In Washtenaw County, 9,000 of the more than 49,000 people who experience hunger are children, according to food drive organizers. Last year, letter carriers collected 75.3 million pounds of food for local food banks. "Stamp Out Hunger" was created in in 1993 to encourage communities to help stock the shelves of food banks and pantries nationwide. The event is held every year on the second Saturday in May. Fifteen years after the ouster of Saddam Hussein, Iraq is still falling short of being a working democracy Iraqi voters will go to the polls this weekend to elect a new parliament, the fourth since the fall of former dictator Saddam Hussein at the hands of US-led invading forces, as the country remains engulfed in a deep political crisis and amid fears of renewed ethnic and sectarian violence. Not all Iraqis are celebrating, and some are not particularly optimistic about the election results. The three administrations that have been elected since 2003, have been marked by endemic corruption and mismanagement, while the risk of the countrys collapse has gone largely unchecked. However, one thing remains clear: the ultimate goal of these elections, like the three rounds before them, is to re-establish the power of the same ruling class and to set its rules of engagement for the next four years. This seems to be a tough conclusion in the light of the Iraqi peoples need to realise that the failure of their so-called democratic system is largely behind the domination of sectarian groups over affairs of state and the continuation of internal conflicts. Iraqs fresh elections are preposterously flawed, and they will do little to improve the ruling cliques legitimacy or performance. Iraqis seem angrier than ever, and the focus of their anger is the countrys political class, which is readying itself to stay in office for four more years. Since campaigning started a month ago, tensions have been on the rise in the country amid controversies over the balloting and fears of failure to ensure credible elections. The campaigns have been marred by political mudslinging from all sides and public perceptions that none of the candidates are fit for the job. Candidates including frontrunner Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi have been met with angry protests during campaign rallies resulting in scuffles with bodyguards. In one incident, former prime minister and Iraqi Vice-President Ayad Allawi was caught on video in a heated exchange with a man who was complaining about the politicians performance and corruption. The exchange ended when Allawi, a politician who has been touted by the Western media as a liberal, walked away from the crowd after swearing that we will destroy you. In a sign of mounting frustration, many Iraqis have called for a boycott of the 12 May vote. But the leaders of the countrys political blocs have appealed to their electors to ignore the boycott and imams of government-run mosques have called participation in the ballot a religious duty. Iraqs elections are being held under a proportional voting system, and a low turnout could be an effective way to punish the ruling elite by reducing the chances of their blocs receiving more seats. In a landmark statement on 4 May, the prominent Shia cleric Ayatollah Ali Sistani urged the voters to decide whether to cast their votes on merit, warning them not to fall into the traps of those... who are corrupt and those who have failed, whether they have been tried or not. Today, as many Iraqis fear an uncertain future after the elections, democracy is hardly the first word that springs to mind when one examines the behaviour of Iraqs post-Saddam rulers. United, stable, and flourishing are hardly words one associates with Iraq. Indeed, ethno-sectarian struggle, political stagnation, violence, economic mismanagement, and insidious and chronic corruption have brought the country to near ruin in recent years. The question arises of why Iraqs post-Saddam democracy, which triumphalist US policy-makers trumpeted after 2003, has plummeted into such frightening stagnation. The seeds of todays disaster were sown in 2005, when the former Bush administration in the US, despite its rhetoric about democracy, imposed its own political structures on Iraq in collaboration with the Iraqi political elites it had brought to power after Saddams fall. Iraqs current political system has significant flaws, the main one being that it is based on a quota system that distributes power and wealth among the countrys ethnic and religious communities. In theory, US strategists aimed at creating a system based on political consensus that would bring all Iraqs communities into a national project to rebuild the country. However, in practice, the sharing system has triggered an endless spiral of sectarian violence that has torn Iraqs social fabric. At the heart of the problem of the election system is that it is something of a smokescreen for sectarian policies and efforts by the different political groups representing various ethnicities and sects to tailor the ballot to maximise their gains in parliament. This does not make Iraqis vote along sectarian and ethnic lines, but it does have the even worse effect of making sectarianism the driving force behind national politics and even social dynamics. Unlike in democracies where people go to vote in order to choose or to replace their government and elect representatives through free and fair voting, Iraqs election system has turned into a process of looking into the ethno-sectarian identities of the candidates and their blocs and not their potential for political leadership. In addition, the US-designed system of consensus democracy in Iraq has created an oligarchy that is aligned with warlords that have almost turned the political blocs into fiefdoms in which MPs become party cronies. As a result, elections in Iraq have been used to recycle the countrys corrupt and incompetent political class that has turned Iraq into fragments and has continued to produce the sectarian wasteland that gives terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS) group fertile soil to make a comeback. Iraqs 2018 elections may show the clear dangers ahead by producing the same overbearing majority in the countrys parliament, which will then use its superior number to violate the rules of consensus democracy and the rights of minor parties and individual citizens. There are thus realistic expectations that these elections will produce another troubled parliament that will increase the extent to which instability in the country will impact on the fragility of the state. A new round of political chaos will not only nurture the cancer that is eating away at Iraqs democracy, but will also destroy opportunities for ending Iraqs 15-year-old crisis and increase the risk of further conflicts. Iraqs ruling cliques, fearing losing control of the country, have refused to heed demands for a more democratic election process that could ensure stability and pave the way to economic development. One thing is clear: Saturdays deeply flawed elections will not produce a clear winner to form a government and they will instead lead to a political stalemate similar to those after previous elections. Like in the past, all sides will be under mounting pressure from foreign governments, especially Iran and the United States, to strike a deal that could end the bitter and often dangerous deadlock that will hang over the country. Last time, Al-Abadi was named as prime minister after seven months of standstill that paralysed the government while IS jihadists swept through the north of the country. If the political stagnation in Iraq repeats itself this time, the result will not be pretty and will take the form of renewed instability and violence. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 May 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly with headline: Iraqs impossible democracy Search Keywords: Short link: By Lauren Slagter | MLive.com May 9, 2018 The pastor's booming voice filled the Spring Arbor University chapel as he grew more passionate, testifying to students about the power of prayer. "I don't have the time to tell you the history of those who have come to our church transgender and given their heart to God and changed," the visiting pastor said during the hour-long service on Nov. 6, moving around the stage in jeans and a button-down shirt as he spoke. He held a Bible in one hand and gestured with the other to underscore his points. "I don't have time to tell you the stories of lesbians that come to our church and repent of their sins and now are living straight lives. I don't have time to tell you about murderers who walk in and they get changed by the power of God," he continued, his voice rising with each refrain. "I can't tell you the drug dealers who actually hand me drugs and say, 'I don't want to do this anymore.' And it's not by my might, it's not by my power, it is by the spirit of the Lord." He paused. Applause filled the room. But the LGBTQ people in the audience who'd just been compared to murderers and drug dealers were not inspired. They were filled with sadness and frustration. And they wanted to do more than sit in silence. So, they did the unthinkable. This small group of students organized a protest. They sat shoulder-to-shoulder on the concrete steps of the university library following that chapel service. They waited to see how people would react as they held up a rainbow flag - a gesture meant to force people to acknowledge the existence of LGBTQ students at Spring Arbor University. The protest lasted only 20 minutes. But, it took guts. Students can be dismissed from Spring Arbor University, which is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church, for being openly gay or transgender or violating other expectations outlined in the university's "community standards." "It's very much a profound frustration with wanting to be able to stand up for yourself and not knowing what you're allowed to do and not knowing to what extent you're allowed to stand up for yourself without facing consequences," said Caitlin Stout, a 22-year-old lesbian from Jackson who finished her sociology degree at Spring Arbor University in January. Stout wasn't at that chapel service, but she agreed to help her friends take a stand against the words that hurt them. As a recent graduate and prominent figure in Spring Arbor's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, Stout no longer fears consequences from the administration. Spring Arbor University goes further than most in setting parameters on how LGBTQ students can express themselves, but many Christian colleges have similar policies specifying that sexual activity should be reserved for marriage between a man and a woman. Those policies are putting Christian colleges increasingly at odds with a growing societal pressure to affirm the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. The result is a tangle of theology and practice as college administrators try to find a middle ground. They proclaim love for all people but condemn same-sex relationships and "conspicuous cross dressing." They support LGBTQ students but do not affirm aspects of who those students are. They welcome students to campus, but only if students act a certain way. Like Spring Arbor University, Hope College, in Holland, saw student demonstrations this academic year calling attention to campus instances of homophobia and racism. LGBTQ students at these schools don't know how "out" they can be, and they often feel undervalued or ignored within the Christian community. The basic premise of queer pride is claiming your value and demanding respect, said the Rev. Elizabeth Edman, a queer priest with the Episcopal church. "I view it as a spiritual crime," she said. "It is a type of gas lighting. It messes with your mind to be told this integral part of you simply does not exist." 'Potentially unpopular view of the world' The majority of American Christians now say homosexuality should be accepted, although Christian colleges and universities are among the last institutions to fully affirm LGBTQ rights. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2014 found 54 percent of U.S. Christians say homosexuality should be accepted by society, which is up 10 percentage points, compared to a similar survey from 2007. Young Christians are leading that shift, with 51 percent of Millennial Evangelical Protestants (those born between 1981-96) saying in 2014 that homosexuality should be accepted, according to Pew. That compares to one-third of evangelical Baby Boomers (now ages 54 to 72) and one-fifth of evangelicals ages 76 to 93 who felt the same. Christian institutions are not afraid to go against the grain of popular opinion. A guiding principle for the followers of Jesus is not to conform to the ways of the world. "At Spring Arbor University, we hold what we understand to be an increasingly polarizing and potentially unpopular view of the world," states an internal email sent by Spring Arbor University to the campus community following a couple of pro-LGBTQ student demonstrations last fall "... We understand that this belief and instruction may be in conflict with the practice or the vision of the larger culture, as Christian beliefs have been in other times and places." Transgender, gay students will not be discriminated against under Title IX exemption Some people will not recognize any progress on LGBTQ issues unless Christian universities change their theological stances, said Shapri D. LoMaglio, vice president of government and external relations for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Others see any effort to welcome LGBTQ students to campus as a betrayal of traditional religious principles, she added. The CCCU is an association of 180 Christian higher education institutions worldwide, including Calvin College, Cornerstone University, Kuyper College and Spring Arbor University in Michigan. The council wants to help colleges improve the experience of all minority groups on campus while staying true to their religious foundation, LoMaglio said. Isolated on campus Andrew Deeb, a transgender man, felt isolated at Spring Arbor University. Deeb, now 25, fully transitioned to male in 2013. As a result, he said university officials told him he had to live off-campus for the 2013-14 academic year, his third year of college and second year at Spring Arbor. The move presented a financial hardship because Deeb's university scholarship couldn't be used for off-campus housing. He also was not allowed in either the male or female dorms on campus beyond the common rooms or outside of visiting hours. A university administrator "very heavily implied" that he should not use the restrooms on campus, Deeb said. "I was by myself most of the time. I couldn't go visit my friends in the dorms really," Deeb said. "They classified me as this third group that wasn't really allowed in a lot of spaces on campus." Deeb filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education in the fall of 2013 that alleged Spring Arbor University was violating Title IX by discriminating against transgender people. He was not happy when SAU received an exemption from complying with Title IX in 2014. Title IX is the federal law saying education institutions receiving federal funding cannot discriminate against people on the basis of sex, although the law allows for exceptions for religious organizations if compliance would violate their religious tenets. "(There's an idea that) the legal right of an LGBTQ person somehow trumps religious right," said LoMaglio, with the CCCU. "Actually, the religious right for an institution that teaches or promulgates the faith ... that actually trumps this other thing." Deeb decided to transfer from community college to SAU because he wanted to major in worship arts, and he wanted to be part of the Christian community he saw there. Deeb then transferred to Concordia University in his hometown of Ann Arbor in the 2014-15 school year. He said he felt more welcome on that campus, and he graduated from Concordia in spring 2016 with a degree in pre-seminary studies and theological studies. He now attends seminary in San Francisco with plans to go into ministry. "At least as far as my personal faith, before I transitioned, I needed assurance from God that God would be with me through the transition or I wasn't going to be able to do it," Deeb said. "I had that assurance, so I was able to hold onto that throughout all my experiences at Spring Arbor." No longer a taboo topic Today's LGBTQ students say they are tired of the theological gymnastics required to navigate what it means to be gay but not act gay, in order to play a respectable role in the church. They refuse to choose between being Christian and being LGBTQ. Spring Arbor University President Brent Ellis speaks during commencement ceremonies on May 16, 2018. (Courtesy Spring Arbor University) Spring Arbor University President Brent Ellis said sexuality is becoming more widely discussed within the church in general. SAU is having conversations on the topic more frequently, he said, although the university has not changed how it treats students in the past decade. The university intentionally sets clear expectations for students, he said. "We do not attempt to be all things to all people. We are not a place that every person would want to be a part of," Ellis said. "We create an intentional community that we believe is most conducive for young men and young women to be successful and live a fully-integrated Christian life." A professor who taught at SAU for more than a decade - who requested anonymity to avoid repercussions for differing with the university's official stance on LGBTQ issues - credited the current generation of college students, and specifically the LGBTQ community on campus, with forcing a conversation about LGBTQ issues there. "The positives I have to say about the Millennial generation is that they are highly motivated, and they have a strong sense of justice," the professor said. 'Certain type of gay' Joshua Chun Wah Kam spent much of his teen years praying to be straight. During middle and high school, he went to counseling once or twice a month with his family to address his same-sex attraction. He committed to remaining celibate, but even then, he said some members of the counseling group told him he still needed to renounce his attraction to men as sinful. Chun Wah Kam, now 21, stopped going to counseling when he started attending Hope College. By his senior year, he had publicly come out as gay. He graduated from Hope last December, with a double major in history and classics. Born in Montana and raised in Malaysia, Chun Wah Kam says he is an orthodox Christian. After applying to a mix of Christian and secular colleges, he decided to attend Hope due to its financial aid offerings and the "genuine warmth" he experienced during his campus visit. Hope College, in Holland, is affiliated with the Reformed Church and enrolls about 3,200 students. Hope recognizes the sanctity of marriage between a man and woman and believes the unmarried are called to a "life of chastity." The college will not recognize or support a group whose aim "is to promote a vision of human sexuality that is contrary to this understanding of biblical teaching." This winter, Chun Wah Kam spearheaded a "95 Stories" project at Hope - a campaign coordinated by students to share via social media 95 anonymous stories of instances of homophobia and racism on campus. He easily hit his target. Group tweeting experiences of racism, homophobia at Hope College This spring, students and alumni involved with the 95 Stories project coordinated a "Love Thy Neighbors Day" to welcome prospective students to campus during Hope's Admitted Student Day and let them know about the unofficial support system available for LGBTQ students and people of color on campus. While Hope College staff and faculty have been willing to talk about LGBTQ issues, Chun Wah Kam said, in his experience, the Christian community accepts only a "certain type of gay." "The harmless gay is always accepted ... But let that never cost me anything, let that never inconvenience me in the form of protest or any LGBT students being too loud on campus," he said. One of the goals of the 95 Stories project is to break down the divide between the church and gay community, he said. In April, the group published a list of eight proposals for ways the college could provide more support for LGBTQ students and students of color. Ideally, they would like to see the college eliminate its statement on sexuality, recognize a Gay-Straight Alliance on campus, add gender identity and sexual orientation to Hope's non-discrimination policy and offer gender-inclusive housing options to make transgender and non-binary students feel more comfortable. "We're not interested in pitting the church against the gays," Chun Wah Kam said. "... This is our home and we're part of that home as Christians. This is our home and we're part of that home as gay people." Hate the sin, love the sinner Many Christian colleges and universities frame their stance on LGBTQ issues in the context of affirming the dignity of all people and recognizing everyone is worthy of love and respect. "I do believe actually that it's that primary teaching of the dignity and worth of all people ... that is the leading value for the community," said Gretchen Jameson, senior vice president of student affairs for Concordia University, which is affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and has 10 campuses across the country, including Ann Arbor. The philosophy can be summed up by a common Christian cliche: Hate the sin, love the sinner. "'Hate the sin, love the sinner' is probably my least favorite because it's a license to not only be fake, but to hurt people in a way. ... It gives a license to say some people are not fully human beings, and just tolerate them," said Aubs Thompson, 26, a 2014 Calvin College graduate who is a lesbian and works as a social worker in Grand Rapids. The Rev. Elizabeth Edman agrees that mindset can be damaging to Christians who identify as LGBTQ. Edman authored the book, "Queer Virtue," which talks about the parallels between the Christian community and queer community and how those two identities complement each other. "There's a lie embedded in the trope (of loving the sinner and hating the sin), which is that the way one lives one's sexual life is a choice as if it were external to who a person is," said Edman, 55, who lives in New York. "So, when Christian communities say to people, 'We love you, but we don't love this thing that you do' ... what they're doing is splitting people right down the middle." Changing perspective Alexandria Alveshere thought she would probably go to hell when she realized she is attracted to women. Alexandria Alveshere (left) poses with her wife Mandi. (Photo provided by Alexandria Alveshere) It was a Friday evening during Alveshere's sophomore year at Calvin College. She and a group of friends were sprawled on a couch, chairs and the floor of a dorm room talking. As she listened to a friend describe a guy she had a crush on, Alveshere realized she had those same feelings for a female friend. She quickly left the room, not wanting to draw attention to herself as she sorted out her emotions. "From the way I was raised, I grew up thinking that being gay was a choice and that all of the gays weren't necessarily going to hell, but probably were going hell," said Alveshere, now 24, who grew up attending Presbyterian and non-denominational churches. Ever the academic, Alveshere said she began reading books and essays on the topic of same-sex attraction from a Christian perspective and looking for answers in the Bible. After praying about the issue, she eventually came to terms with her sexual identity. "At no point did I ever just wake up one day and decide to put my gay pants on," she said. "It was never something I chose." Alveshere, originally from Peoria, Illinois, was more worried about how her friends would react to expressions of her sexuality than how Calvin College's administration might respond. She saw Calvin College as a good place to grow as a person in addition to getting a quality education, and she graduated in 2015 with a degree in chemistry. She now lives in Vermont with her wife. Calvin College's student conduct code prohibits sexual relationships "in conflict with biblical teaching." The conduct code applies to all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, and violations of the policy are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, said Julia Smith, the sexuality series director at Calvin, which enrolls about 3,900 students in Grand Rapids and is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church. Smith pointed to Calvin's Sexuality And Gender Awareness student organization and an LGBT+ support group run by college chaplain Mary Hulst as signs that all students are welcome on campus. The visibility of LGBTQ students on campus humanizes what otherwise could be limited to a theological debate, Smith said. Alveshere came out publicly as a lesbian during her junior year. She thought it might negatively impact her chances of being elected president of Calvin's choir, but it proved to be a non-issue, she said. Toward the end of her time at Calvin College, Alveshere said there was more discussion about the role of LGBTQ people in the church and the campus community - which she said was both helpful and stressful. Future of the LGBTQ church SAU President Ellis says the university is not changing its policies. The best way to show students love is to help them obey the known will of God, he said, acknowledging that may be more difficult for people who experience same-sex attraction. "Some people say love equates to license and acceptance, but Scripture is clear that love is obedience," Ellis said. "We create an environment that helps all people try to figure out what that looks like for them to walk in obedience to the will of God." The belief that people who openly identify as LGBTQ cannot be Christians tends to push people who defy that dichotomy to one of two extremes. Some renounce their faith and walk away from the church. "You can only feel marginalized for so long before you don't want anything to do with those people and what they're doing," said Scott Greife-Wetenhall, a gay 2009 SAU graduate raised with Christian beliefs who now identifies as agnostic. Caitlin Stout is leader of LGBTQ community at Spring Arbor University 20 Gallery: Caitlin Stout is leader of LGBTQ community at Spring Arbor University Others like Stout, the SAU graduate, and Deeb, the Concordia graduate, are propelled into ministry because they want to give other LGBTQ people a better experience than they had at their Christian schools. "It reinforced that's not how the church should be and it's not how the church should treat people," said Deeb. Stout has become increasingly outspoken in advocating for equality for LGBTQ people in Christian higher education, since she came out publicly on her blog in June 2017. Spring Arbor was a natural choice for her since she lives nearby in Jackson and wanted a Christian education. Now, the top priority for pro-LGBTQ students at Spring Arbor University is to get the university to drop the clause of its policy that says students cannot promote, advocate for or defend activities that violate its student code - including homosexual activity. "We're not asking them to change theology or anything like that, but just make it so these conversations can happen," said Stout, who recently received a full-ride scholarship to Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville, where she will begin a master's program this summer. Seeing LGBTQ people go to seminary gives Stout hope for the future of the church, but she is not optimistic that Evangelicals or institutions like Spring Arbor University will change. "But they are only one tiny, tiny sect of the church," Stout said. "The church is a rainbow, and there is room at Christ's table for everyone. I think that queer Christians will be the ones to preach that good news to the rest of the world." Lead reporter Leanne Smith contributed to this report. David A. Schwartz BAY CITY, MI -- A Bay City man is heading back to prison for a South End robbery spree. Bay County Circuit Judge Joseph K. Sheeran on May 7 sentenced 34-year-old David A. Schwartz to two terms each of nine to 30 years and 80 months to 10 years in prison, plus one term of 32 months to four years. All five terms are to be served concurrently. The judge gave Schwartz credit for 97 days already served in jail and ordered he pay $353 in restitution and $530 in court costs and fines. He had been free from a previous prison sentence for about two years. Schwartz in April had pleaded no contest to all five counts prosecutors had initially charged him with -- two counts of unarmed robbery and single counts of armed robbery, unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle, and assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police. Schwartz's spree began the night of Jan. 29 when he entered the 7-Eleven at 1510 Kosciuszko Ave. After receiving an undisclosed amount of money, he ran outside and stole an employee's vehicle that been idling in the parking lot. Police later recovered the vehicle. The following morning, Schwartz entered King's Party Store at 1029 S. Madison Ave. and demanded cash but left empty-0handed. He then went to the McDonald's at 2200 Broadway St. and stole an undisclosed sum. On spotting a police officer, Schwartz took off running. The officer chased after him, caught him, and arrested him. The pilfered money from McDonald's was still in Schwartz's possession. Schwartz later made admissions to police that he was indeed the guilty party. At his arraignment, Schwartz said he dropped out of school in sixth or seventh grade. Schwartz has a lengthy rap sheet, dating back to a juvenile court in 1998. A Bay County judge in September 2014 sentenced Schwartz to 25 months to 10 years in prison on a conviction of larceny from a person. The Michigan Department of Corrections discharged Schwartz on Aug. 18, 2016. Kim Larrow, Kimberly King and Kellie Brownlee Update: Investigators dig up evidence that missing girls buried at rural 'grave site' Police are searching a 24-acre wooded plot of land along a river about 25 miles north of Detroit on a hunch that Arthur Ream, who is currently serving life in prison for the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl in 1986, may have been a serial killer. Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said Tuesday there may be up to six bodies buried at what he referred to as the killer's "grave site," according to the Detroit Free Press. Dwyer, who also said on Tuesday that no remains had yet been found, plans to hold a press conference at the location near 23 Mile and North Avenue in Macomb County's Macomb Township about 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 9. The FBI, Warren police, state police and Macomb County Sheriff's Office are among the agencies assisting in the search that commenced Monday, May 7, and continues at least through Wednesday. Several pieces of heavy machinery have been spotted at the site digging and clearing vegetation. Ream, 68, led police to the location a decade ago in 2008 after confessing to the rape and murder of Cindy Zarzycki. Cindy was last seen alive on April 20, 1986 in Eastpointe, about 15 miles from the burial site. Investigators believe Ream abducted the girl after offering her a ride to his son's surprise party. Ream, at the time of his confession, was serving up to 15 years in prison for the criminal sexual assault of another 14-year-old girl in Gladwin County. Three other victims Ream is suspected of killing include: Kim Larrow, who was 15 when she disappeared from Canton Township in 1981; Kimberly King of Warren, who disappeared in 1979; and Kellie Brownlee of Novi, who was 17 when she disappeared in 1982. Warren police, who are investigating the cold case involving Larrow, are heading the search effort. Ream's crimes involving children trace back to 1975, when he was convicted of indecent liberties with a child sentenced to five years in prison, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records. Authorities haven't disclosed exactly what drew them back to the site to search for more girls, but Warren police recently re-opened the investigation into the death of Kimberly King and tell the Free Press Ream failed a polygraph when questioned about the case. LINDEN, MI - Residents are being warned of a phone scam involving a caller using the Linden Police Department phone number while impersonating a law enforcement official. The department was contacted on Saturday, May 5, of a possible scam in which the caller stated he'd received a phone call from a man claiming to be a Linden police officer. City officials confirmed the phone number that appeared on caller ID is that of the police department. The caller used the identity of an actual Linden officer during the conversation. The caller claimed the resident had was a warrant for his arrest and if a specific amount of money was paid the issue would be resolved, while asking for a debit card number. Residents are advised to not respond to any of the caller's request or instructions. "The Linden Police Department does not contact individuals by phone regarding outstanding warrants, nor do they ask individuals for money," reads a statement. "If someone has an outstanding warrant, they will receive a letter in the mail instructing them to turn themselves in at the Linden Police Department or the Genesee County Court complex." The scam mirrors one reported last week by the Lapeer County Sheriff's Office. Two physicians in Lapeer called the sheriff's office on Wednesday, May 2, about receiving fake phone calls from a man claiming to be a deputy, according to a statement released from the sheriff's office. The man claimed he was calling to settle outstanding warrants for arrest by collecting $1,000 and used the names of actual deputies from the sheriff's office as well as fake court docket numbers. The sheriff's office is attempting to identify the person making these fraudulent calls. MUNDY TOWNSHIP, MI - A groundbreaking date has been set for work to begin on a new $16 million, four-story Hyatt Place hotel project along US-23 in Mundy Township. The 106-room facility will be located at 5481 Hill 23 Road and feature a business center, indoor pool, fitness room, bar/lounge, outdoor patio with fire pit, guest laundry and 1,400 square-foot meeting room. Callie Cain, vice president of sales and marketing for Mt. Pleasant-based Lodgco Hospitality, said the location was chosen due to the need for additional hotels in the greater Flint and Genesee County area. "The proximity to the highway and the airport is also a benefit," Cain said. Lodgco Hospitality will own and manage the hotel and is franchising the use of the Hyatt Place brand, Cain said. "We also own and manage the Hampton Inn Flint/Grand Blanc that has performed really well for us," she said. Lodgco owns and manages 19 hotels, including 16 in Michigan and three in Florida. Their portfolio includes Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Hyatt hotels. Officials have planned a May 17 groundbreaking ceremony at the site. ST. IGNACE, MI -- About five weeks after it began, the response to a spill of toxic dielectric fluid in the Straits of Mackinac has concluded, the U.S. Coast Guard reports. With the capping of two broken, retired power cables owned by Consumers Energy on Tuesday, May 8, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that the group overseeing the response to the April 1 spill has concluded its work. Coast Guard response was triggered after Wisconsin-based utility American Transmission Company reported damage to its network of high-voltage electric cables crossing the Straits of Mackinac. The cables were severed, causing the release of an estimated 600 gallons of dielectric fluid into the water. The substance, which acts as an insulator in the system, is potentially fatal for humans if swallowed and "very toxic to aquatic life," according to the manufacturer's safety data sheet. Investigations by state and federal officials did not find any sign of an oil sheen or confirm any harm done to local wildlife, according to information provided by the Coast Guard's unified command. The group of local, state and federal regulators, representatives from Michigan Native American tribes and the companies involved was formed to work the the Coast Guard in coordinating a response to the incident. "Since the beginning of this response, the unified command, together with the many federal, state, local and tribal partners, worked diligently to mitigate any pollution threat to our Straits and precious wildlife, and to be transparent in our efforts," said Coast Guard Cmdr. Shaun Edwards, who served as incident commander. "Although our mission is complete, we all remain committed to learning the cause this incident and doing our best to eliminate any threat of something like this happening again." Shortly after response efforts began, the Coast Guard began a marine casualty investigation into "vessel activity" as a potential cause of the spill. The Coast Guard has declined to release any details about that investigation, which it is completing in tandem with the National Transportation Safety Board. In a lawsuit filed by the state on April 19, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette's office accused an Escanaba-based shipping company of operating a tugboat and barge that dragged an anchor across the lake bottom and causing damage to the American Transmission Company cables and other Straits of Mackinac utility crossings. A spokesperson for the company, VanEnkevort Tug and Barge Inc., confirmed the company had a tugboat and barge passing through the straits on April 1, but did not admit responsibility for the damage to underwater crossings. The lawsuit alleges the company violated Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act and seeks to levy civil fines of up to $25,000 per day of violation and to require VanEnkevort to implement "protective measures to ensure this sort of event does not happen again," according to a press release from Schuette's office. Response to the spill initially focused on efforts to seek out any pollution or negative impacts to local wildlife tied to the spill. Contractors were also called in to pump out the dielectric fluid still inside the ruptured American Transmission lines. Later, inspections revealed the nature of the damage to the operational electric cable network as well as damage to a set of retired power cables owned by Consumers Energy and new damage to the twin oil and gas pipelines operated by Enbridge Energy, a part of its Line 5 pipeline. Last week, contractors completed the work of pulling up the broken American Transmission Company cables, capping them and lowering them back into the water, where the capped ends were secured by placing concrete mats atop them. Afterward, American Transmission Company reconfigured the remaining undamaged cables running along the lake bottom and, on May 1, used the new three-cable circuit to restore the electrical connection between Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. "This connection is essential for reliability for the eastern U.P. and the northern portion of lower Michigan," said Mark Davis, chief operating officer for ATC. "We were able to maintain reliability by implementing conservative operating procedures during the month the connection was lost, but re-establishing this powerline will give us greater flexibility and an added measure of reliability to help us keep the lights on." American Transmission Company is preparing a long-term plan to remove the damage cables under the oversight of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the Coast Guard reports. The company also reports it is making plans to construct two brand new circuits to carry electricity across the straits using a solid dielectric insulator rather than fluid-filled cables. Though no timeline or cost estimate has yet been released by American Transmission Company, the utility hopes it will eventually allow for the decommissioning of the remaining fluid-filled cables. A similar process for capping and weighing down the broken Consumers Energy cables was completed on Tuesday, May 8, according to a press release from the U.S. Coast Guard. Unlike the American Transmission Company cables, the retired Consumers cables contained no dielectric fluid. As part of the process, a sample of the Consumers cable was collected to test for chemical properties within. Damage to the Line 5 pipes was initially described by Enbridge as "three dents." Later, visual inspections by divers described "marring on the surface of the pipelines," according to state officials. While formulating plans to address the newly found damage, Enbridge is also operating under a new, lower pressure restriction. The 645-mile Line 5 pipeline, built in 1953, runs from Superior, Wisc., to Sarnia, Canada, and transports up to 540,000 barrels of light crude oil and natural gas liquids per day. Previous inspections of the section of Line 5 crossing the straits have revealed bends and deformations of the pipe and numerous gaps in its protective coating. Some have pointed to the dielectric fluid spill as a warning of what could be a much more catastrophic ecological disaster if Line 5 were to rupture and begin spewing oil into the Straits of Mackinac. News of the possible anchor strike, identified in a recent report as the greatest single risk to the aging pipeline, and confirmation of the damage has prompted advocacy organizations and others to renew calls to permanently decommission Line 5. WYOMING, MI - Godfrey-Lee Public Schools voters Tuesday, May 8, approved a 3-mill sinking fund tax to tackle safety and security, energy and technology needs. The measure passed with 126 to 73 votes. The 3 mills will be collected for 10 years, 2019 to 2028, and generate approximately $315,000 the first year. Two mills would go toward maintenance, energy and safety and security with 1-mill slated for technology. The previous levy, 1.9976-mill, approved in 2009 is expiring this year. The average home value for a residence in the district is $67,169. A homeowner with a homestead exemption currently paying $67 per year will see an increase of $34 for a total of $101. "On behalf of the Godfrey-Lee Board of Education, I thank our community for their support and investment in our school district," said Superintendent Kevin Polston. "Once again the Godfrey-Lee community has demonstrated their tremendous support for our public schools." He said the sinking fund will make the district safer more secure, and connected with technology upgrades, throughout the district. Funds will become available to the district in 2019 after the summer tax collection and will provide a sustainable source of funding for technology and facilities for 10 years. "We value the partnership we have with our community and we will continue to provide an excellent education for our students while enhancing their experience at our schools,'' Polston said. In 2016, the Michigan Legislature passed legislation that allows school districts to use sinking fund taxes for technology and security upgrades, in addition to building repairs and renovations. Voters also supported a sinking fund renewal request for Kent City Community Schools but just for repairs and renovations, not the expanded uses. Voters also renewed the district's operating millage of 17.9766 mills for four years, 2019 to 2022, and an increased by .0234 mill for same period to provide a total of 18-mills for operations. The millage, set to expire this year, will generate approximately $3.4 million in in 2019. Tri County Area Schools, which is primarily in Montcalm County, also passed a request to renew its 18-mill operating millage. Kent and Newaygo county voters also cast ballots because the district crosses boundaries. The request was to renew 17.8885 mills for two years, 2019 and 2020, plus an increase .1115-mill for the same period to receive the full 18-mills for operating purposes. The millage will generate approximately $2.27 million in 2019. The measure passed in Kent County's Nelson Township by 45 to 42 votes; in Newaygo by 95 to 78 votes, and in Montcalm with 783 votes to 425. Four Ottawa County school districts passed tax proposals for sinking funds and/or operating millage: Hudsonville, West Ottawa, Zeeland, and Grand Haven. KALKASKA, MI -- A village president in a small Northern Michigan community who gained national attention in June 2017 for controversial social media posts was recalled from office this week. Voters in the village of Kalkaska, a community of about 2,000 in Kalkaska County, ousted Village President Jeff Sieting and, in his place, elected Harley J. Wales on Tuesday, May 8. Wales received 326 votes to Sieting's 215, according to unofficial results from the Kalkaska County Clerk's office. A petition to recall Sieting was filed in November by a group called Kalkaska For Peace. It listed three complaints against Sieting, including his refusal to apologize for controversial social media posts. Some of the posts posted on Sieting's personal Facebook page suggested violence against Muslims and members of the Black Lives Matter movement, and at least one called transgender a mental illness. The village president has stood by his comments, which he said are protected by the First Amendment. Sieting has been village president since 2010, and would have been up for re-election in November. KALKASKA, MI -- For years, Harley Wales listened to stories of the good old days from the seniors he cares for at the Kalkaska Memorial Health Center. Their stories were bittersweet, told with pride for what the village once was, and sadness for what it has become. Their memories inspired Wales, and sparked his run for village president ahead of Tuesday's May 8 special election. "From the 90s up to now it's been a slowly dwindling town," Wales said of the small village that blossomed in the late 1970s thanks to the oil industry. "Then in the last year, with all of the hatred and bigotry being projected on the town, it only got worse. I knew it needed a really big change." On Tuesday, the village voted for Wales, 45, to unseat former president Jeff Sieting in a recall election. Wales earned 326 votes to Sieting's 215. If the votes are certified Wednesday, Wales will be sworn in at 5 p.m. ahead of a special village council meeting. He'll hold the position until the November election when he'll have to run again. "Last night was absolutely fabulous," Wales said. "It was so nice to see the community come out and make the right decision. We had a huge turnout for our little village and the people sent a message that we're not a little, hateful, bigoted village." Sieting gained national attention in June 2017 for controversial posts on his personal Facebook page in which he suggested violence against Muslims and members of the Black Lives Matter movement, and called transgender a mental illness. Sieting, who has been village president since 2010, has stood by his comments as protected by the First Amendment. But in November, a group called Kalkaska For Peace filed a petition to recall Sieting. It listed three complaints against the village president, including his refusal to apologize for his controversial social media posts. Attempts by MLive to reach Sieting were unsuccessful Wednesday. Wales said he was one of three individuals approached by the group looking to oust Sieting. The trio determined that Wales had the most available time and ability to have a positive effect if elected to replace Sieting. Born and raised less than 24 miles from Kalkaska in the village of Kingsley, he moved to Kalkaska 12 years ago and has lived there ever since. He calls it his home. "I love this town, it feels more like my hometown than my hometown," Wales said. "It's like any other Midwestern small town where neighbors care about each other. "Everyone knows everyone. I've never experienced any expression of hatred until that news hit the media last year. Those who feel that way aren't proud of it and they keep it real hidden. That's not my perception of the town by any means." Wales is a certified nursing assistant for Kalkaska Memorial Health Center's Green House Home, which provides long-term care to 10 senior citizens who reside at the home. His nursing job requires 32 hours of work each week, leaving much of his nights and weekends free to handle additional responsibilities that come with being president. On Tuesday, as the final votes were being cast, Wales was joined by a group of his supporters about a block away from the polling center. Elizabeth Dunham, chairperson of Kalkaska For Peace, said Wales was the ideal candidate to replace Sieting because he's "open and friendly" and willing to meet with all types of people to listen to what's important to them and how they'd like to see the village grow. She said the leadership change would not have been possible without residents of different backgrounds and political affiliations. "Kalkaska is a very conservative community so this victory shows we can be united on the issues that are important to us as a community and we're not just divided on party lines," Dunham said. "We were overjoyed to know the community supported a positive future." Wales said Sieting called him right after voting concluded Tuesday to wish him luck. "We joked about finally getting some sleep," Wales said. "It seemed as though he was tired and ready for it. There were no hard feelings. I think the last year has been heavy on him." HOLLAND, MI - Voters in Ottawa and Allegan counties have decided to renew a 1-mill property tax that helps fund the Holland Community Aquatic Center. Residents who live in the counties voted 1,854 to 368 in favor of renewing the tax, according to unofficial results. The tax will generate revenue of about $1.29 million for the Holland Area Community Swimming Pool Authority in the 2019 calendar year, according to the ballot proposal. Amanda Duimstra, general manager at the aquatic center, said the property tax funding represents 60 percent of the center's annual operating budget. Duimstra said tax dollars go toward a lot of safety services and swimming lessons. The tax will levy a tax of $1 for every $1,000 of a home's taxable value. So it will cost $100 annually for a home with a taxable value of $100,000. US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out from the international nuclear deal with Iran is "hasty and rash", Iraq's foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. The ministry said it was following with "deep concern the dangerous developments" resulting from Trump's decision. It said the nuclear agreement "had contributed to Middle East peace" and Washington's withdrawal "goes in the direction of escalation which would bring nothing but destruction and war desolation" in the Middle East. Shi'ite-led Iraq lies on the faultline between Shia Iran and the mostly Sunni Muslim Arab world. Iran became the main foreign power broker in Iraq after the withdrawal of US forces in 2011, with its local allies controlling the security services. The ministry statement welcomed the decision of the other signatories of the agreement, including Iran and European nations, to stick with the 2015 deal despite the US pullout. Trump said on Tuesday that the 2015 deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for measures restricting its nuclear programme, did not go far enough in removing the threat posed by Iran to the United States and its allies in the Middle East. During his four-year term in office, Iraqi Prime Minister Haier al-Abadi has cautiously trodden a diplomatic middle course between Tehran and Washington, ensuring the cooperation of both in the war against Islamic State group hardline Sunni militants. Abadi is seeking a second term in elections due on Saturday. He is facing two allies of Iran, ex-prime minister Nuri al-Maliki and Shia militia leader Hadi al-Amiri. Iraqi President Fuad Masum earlier in the day expressed concern at the American decision. "The (nuclear) agreement marked a major achievement in bolstering the chances of peace and progress for all the states of the region and the international community," said Masum, an ethnic Kurd whose position as president of the republic is largely ceremonial. The executive powers in the country are concentrated in the hands of Abadi, who belongs to the Shia Arab majority. Search Keywords: Short link: HUDSONVILLE, MI - Voters on Tuesday, May 8, passed two proposals for Hudsonville Public Schools to renew its operating millage and a sinking fund tax for repairs, security and technology upgrades. The school district's operating millage expired in 2017. The measure passed by 1,968 to 720 votes. The district will levy approximately $4.4 million this year for the people, programs and services to support students. Only non-homestead properties -- second homes, rental properties and businesses - pay the operating millage of 18 mills, not primary residences. The Hudsonville community also supported a building and site fund proposal to pay for repairs such new roofs and boilers, as well as technology and security, by a vote of 1,451 to 1,236. The district will not levy more than 1-mill annually for five years, 2018 to 2022. The measure will generate approximately $1.4 million this year. "We are so grateful for our community's long-standing affirmation on Hudsonville Public School's Annual Non Homestead Millage Renewal and Building and Site Sinking Fund,'' said Superintendent Nicholas Ceglarek. "Our commitment to parents and the community is to continue our efforts to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars while providing a quality education for our children. Our school community excels, in large part, due to the strong partnership with our parents and residents.'' Three other districts in the Ottawa Area ISD had tax proposals on the election ballot that passed: West Ottawa, Zeeland, and Grand Haven: West Ottawa Public Schools 18-mill operating millage renewal request for 18 mills for 2018 passed with 1,838 to 556 votes. It will generate approximately $12.1 million this year. The previous millage expired with the 2017 levy. Grand Haven Public Schools voters renewed its operating millage of 18-mills for one year, 2018, by a vote of 2,780 to 748. The district will receive approximately $17.7 million in revenue. Zeeland Public Schools received authorization from voters to renew the current millage rate limitation of 18.776 mills for 2019. The measure passed with 1,730 to 426 votes. The estimated revenue the school district will collect next year is approximately $7.7 million. The maximum 18 mills will be levied. The existing millage will expire with this year's tax levy. Kent ISD tax proposals also passed in Kent City and Godfrey-Lee school systems. Challenges to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed's eligibility based on residency are invalid, Michigan's Bureau of Elections concluded Wednesday. In letters to Shri Thanedar - another Democratic candidate for governor who formally challenged El-Sayed's eligibility last week - and others who filed challenges, Elections Director Sally Williams said El-Sayed filed an affidavit of identity with the state that indicates he's resided in Michigan for 22 years. Williams said state records show El-Sayed has been continuously registered to vote in Michigan since 2003, adding that the challenges don't provide any evidence to the contrary. At issue is El-Sayed's residency. The state constitution requires a candidate for governor to "have been a registered elector in this state for four years next preceding his election." El-Sayed, according to voting records obtained in a Bridge investigation, lived in New York and was registered to vote in New York as late as in 2015. He re-registered to vote in Michigan in 2016. When challenging El-Sayed's campaign, Thanedar said in a press release that the move "should not be construed as a personal attack," but rather an attempt to resolve the matter. El-Sayed's campaign has said repeatedly he is eligible to run and says he maintained a residence in Michigan throughout his time in New York. The Michigan Democratic Party had previously asked El-Sayed to get a ruling on his eligibility in order to avoid a potentially lengthy and costly residency challenge later on in the cycle. El-Sayed did so in March, filing suit against Secretary of State Ruth Johnson claiming he had been a continuous resident of Michigan, despite having worked in New York. In light of the challenges, Judge Christopher Murray asked El-Sayed and the Secretary of State to submit briefs on what effect those challenges have on the Secretary of State's argument. The Secretary of State argued the lawsuit was premature, since no actual controversy existed. Secretary of State spokesperson Fred Woodhams said Wednesday the department's position on the lawsuit remains unchanged. In a brief, an attorney for El-Sayed said the claim that there isn't controversy surrounding the issue "simply rings hollow, so long as Dr. El-Sayed remains without a definitive ruling from this Court confirming his eligibility to serve as Governor of Michigan if elected." El-Sayed's attorney in a brief asked the court to deny the Secretary of State's motion for summary judgement and rule El-Sayed is eligible to serve as governor if elected. Adam Joseph, communications director for the El-Sayed campaign, reacted to the Secretary of State's determination by maintaining El-Sayed was eligible to serve. "As we expected, the Secretary of State has rejected this baseless political attack in an unprecedented confirmation of Abdul's eligibility to serve as governor in his state," Joseph said. MLive reporter Emily Lawler contributed to this report. Note: This story has been changed to add additional comments. Michigan re-defined its political landscape in 2016. As our state moves toward a wholesale change in leadership with this year's mid-term election, MLive is looking to have a thoughtful conversation with women from across the political spectrum. The conversation, called "The Many," sets out to explore the idea that we are more alike than different. Michiganders from many different backgrounds have shared concerns about our roads, families, finances, safety, health care and education. As the state moves toward an election that can help set those priorities, we want to hear from you. The nationwide project is a partnership between MLive.com and Spaceship Media, a company that works to convene people on all sides of difficult social and political issues into sustained, moderated, journalism-supported conversations. MLive previously partnered with Spaceship Media in reporting "Guns: An American Conversation," an experience that brought people together in-person and online to talk about guns. What we're looking for in "The Many" is a core group of Michigan women to share their ideas, passion and energy through discussions in a private, online community. Are you committed to conversations that move the needle? Do you wish you knew more about what women across the state and nation were thinking? Do you have experiences to share and things to learn? Apply to be a part of this project by filling out this form. We encourage you to share this form with anyone you think might be interested. JACKSON, MI - Jakob Lininger has two favorite childhood memories of Cascade Falls Park -- sledding in the winter and playing on the concrete animal statues in the summer. Now the 37-year-old owner of American Patch and Paint is helping color similar experiences for the next generation. Lininger returns to those statues in the park every spring, adding a few coats of paint to bring back life to the faded animals. "They take a lot of abuse throughout the year," Lininger said. "So I come back every year and keep them looking good." He wasn't asked to help and had no contact with county officials to do so. Lininger just saw a problem and decided to fix it himself. Lininger was back at the park this week, spending five to six hours repainting the six animals again. The local Sherwin-Williams store donates the paint for the project, which Lininger said costs roughly $300. "They were looking pretty bad. And that's all it takes - when you see something that looks bad, you make it look better," Lininger said. "I can remember the stuff as a kid. And now I'm grown and have the ability to take care of it." The vibrant statues are almost always in use when Lininger drives by, and he often sees photos on social media of families enjoying the space. "It warms my heart, for sure," Lininger said. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI - Jessica Heeringa had her share of issues and struggles, including with drug use, but she wouldn't have run away from them, her boyfriend testified at Jeffrey Willis' trial for her murder. Dakotah Quail-Dyer was called by the prosecution as a witness during the second day of testimony in the kidnapping and murder trial Wednesday, May 9. Heeringa disappeared from her job at an Exxon gas station on April 26, 2013. Her body has never been found. Quail-Dyer said Heeringa had been stealing from the gas station to support her drug habit. The prosecution asserts that Willis abducted, sexually assaulted and killed Heeringa, and that he intended to do the same to murder victim Rebekah Bletsch and a teen who was kidnapped and escaped. Willis was convicted last year of Bletsch's murder and awaits trial for the kidnapping, the victim of which identified Willis as her abductor. Quail-Dyer testified that he and Heeringa had a "rocky" relationship. They were living together when she disappeared, and had done so for several years - even before their son, who was 3 when Heeringa vanished, was born. "We both had jealousy issues I guess," Quail-Dyer said, adding later that he knew she was "talking" to other men but is certain she wasn't having a relationship with anyone else. He said both he and Heeringa had "drug problems." They both used methadone, and she used heroin, which Quail-Dyer said made him angry and over which they often fought. She had a secret cell phone and one time Quail-Dyer "screamed" at her drug dealer during a phone call, he testified. "We fought about it a lot," he said "There were times I washed things down the toilet." But Heeringa, who was 25 when she vanished, had good relationships with her grandmother, mother and sister, with whom she was especially close, Quail-Dyer said. She never would have left without telling them, he said. And Heeringa was a good mother, who didn't struggle with parenting and who wouldn't have willingly left her son, he said. Quail-Dyer said he twice asked Heeringa to marry him, but "she never really gave me a specific answer." The last time he talked to her, about 9:30-10 p.m. on the night she disappeared, Heeringa was happy and in a good mood, he said. Susan Elliott Mosely, the last known person to see Heeringa alive, testified that she visited the station that night to purchase a lighter. She knew Heeringa from her frequent stops at the station and also said Heeringa was in "a great mood" that night. It had been three weeks since Mosely had last been at the station because she didn't like a "creepy, creepy dude" who often was there, Mosely said under cross examination from Willis' attorney Fred D. Johnson. She said she was so upset with the man that she had complained to management, saying she shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable when she goes to get her gas, she testified. She offered to stay one night with Heeringa while the "creepy" man was there, but Heeringa said she was fine, Mosely said. "She looked at him and said 'You need to behave or you won't be able to come here and visit me in the evening,'" Mosely said, adding she was alarmed because she didn't think Heeringa was safe around him. Mosely's purchase of the lighter was made at 10:52 p.m. Around 11 p.m., motorcyclist Eric Barber testified he drove past the station and saw a suspicious van driving around the back of the station with its headlights off. Barber was riding motorcycles with his then wife, Susan Follett, who also worked at the station, Barber said. Follett became so alarmed that they turned around and parked where they could watch the van that had parked behind the station, he said. That was about 11:03 p.m., he said. They watched as the rear hatch of the van was closed, reopened and closed again before it drove off. They briefly followed the van, which Barber testified looked like Willis' van, before driving off in the opposite direction on Grand Haven Road, he said. Shortly after arriving home about 15 minutes later, Follett's boss called and they returned to the station to talk to police, Barber testified. At about 11:08 p.m., customer Craig Harpster arrived at the station to purchase some gas, he testified. When the pump wouldn't activate, he went inside the station and found no one around. He checked all throughout the station and called out, but no employee was there, he testified. "My gut told me to call 911, and that's what I did," he said. MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP, MI -- Orchard View Schools voters said 'no' the district's 1-mill sinking fund during the election on May 8, 2018. A 10-year, 1-mill tax that would have created a sinking fund for capital construction, building repairs and security improvements was voted down by 566 to 481. The millage was estimated to raise $282,335 in the first year. A tax of 1 mill equals $50 a year for the owner of a home with a market value of $100,000. The district tweeted and posted on Facebook about the results. "We appreciate all of those who supported the millage, and we respect the community's decision to turn down our request," the Facebook post reads. "At the same time, we will be diligent to do what we believe is best for the students in our classrooms. As state funding for schools continues to not keep pace with the increases to our district's expenses, we will need to find a solution to maintain our buildings." A group of Belgian monks hoping to open a microbrewery have put their plans on hold as they search for a beer formula that has been missing for more than 200 years. The beer itself is a dark brew that was last made back in 1797, prior to the French Revolution claiming the monks of Grimbergen their "communal life" and abbey's walls. While they rebuilt their homes on the original grounds, they did not revive the brewery or brew its beer again. But, if four volunteer researchers are successful in tracking down the recipe lost for more than two centuries then that could change. The Guardian reports the monks are hoping to open a brewery where the original one stood up until 1797, but that the search continues for its long-lost beer recipe. For the past year, these researchers have been searching for a needle in the haystack of some-35,000 books and documents stored at the abbey's library that was founded in 1128. "Because we know the location, we have already found it in our archives," Karel Stautemas, the abbey's subprior, told The Guardian. "We also have documents showing that the fathers then bought barley from local farmers. We even know all the ingredients. The only thing we do not know is how much we have to take from each. The composition is unavailable for now." While hunting down ancient documents in an ancient library sounds like a tough task to begin with, Stautemas said that some of the records are written in Old Dutch. After a year of digging, the team of four volunteers are not even halfway done with the records at the abbey. The Belgian monks of Grimbergen, whose beer is mass-produced and sold under the Carlsberg label, are frequently asked where the brewery stands on its abbey's grounds. While this might get old telling people there is no brewery, the questions reportedly served as bit of an inspiration in reviving the microbrewery. Stautemas said that a visitor asks where the brewery is every day, and that "this is how the idea of re-establishing that tradition came to fruition." "Founded in 1128, Grimbergen Abbey was destroyed in a terrible fire in 1142, then again in 1566 and 1798," the Grimbergen beer website reads. "Every time it was destroyed, it was rebuilt. The monks of Grimbergen took the phoenix as their symbol, a sign of their abbey's perpetual rebirth, and adopted a motto in its honour: Ardet nec consumitur, Burned but not destroyed." While the monks' beer has been brewed and sold since 1958, it is done so under a more modern recipe and not the long-lost original. Reuters reports that Alken-Maes brewery and Carlsberg supported the project from the abbey that houses 20 monks. Carlsberg currently sells 22 products bearing the "Grimbergen" name, and this new perspective product from the monks would reportedly sell beside these. "But there is good hope that the recipe will turn up. And then there is the question: do we still like that medieval beer today?" the subprior reportedly said. "If everything goes as we hope and if we find the recipe quickly, we will drink our new Grimbergen at the New Year's reception in 2020." The consequences of Trumps decision to pull out from the Iran nuclear deal and imposing high level economic sanctions are ominous US president Donald Trump: The United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. It is a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made I will sign a presidential decree to reinstate the highest level of economic sanctions against Iran. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani: If we achieve the deals goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place... By exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty The US has never fulfilled its commitments and Donald Trump has a history of undermining international treaties. French president Emmanuel Macron: France, Germany and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity, and stability in the Middle-East, notably Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu: For months now, Iran has been transferring lethal weaponry to its forces in Syria, with the purpose of striking at Israel. We will respond mightily to any attack on our territory. EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini: The 2015 agreement is delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesnt develop nuclear weapons, the European Union is determined to preserve it. Saudi Foreign Ministry statement: Iran used economic gains from the lifting of sanctions to continue its activities to destablise the region, particularly by developing ballistic missiles and supporting terrorist groups in the region. We would open the Pandoras Box. There could be war, warned French President Emmanuel Macron, expressing his fear, in an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel, about uncertainty surrounding the Iran nuclear deal that US President Donald Trump described as the worst deal in history, ridiculous and insane. There are genuine fears in Europe about President Trumps all or nothing approach to the Iran nuclear deal, a prominent European official who participated in the negotiations that led to the deal in 2015, told Al-Ahram Weekly. Abandoning Plan A with no Plan B is not a strategy. The Iranian deal was a difficult one to achieve. We negotiated for months. At one point no one was getting any sleep. But we got there in the end. We agreed with the Iranians to build the most robust monitoring system on their nuclear activities. Tehran is complying with the deal. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is satisfied with the implementation. So, abandoning the deal is a huge mistake. If Trumps administration has issues with Irans other activities in the Middle East, that should be addressed separately from the nuclear deal, he said. Trumps approach complicates the options of his European allies and EU leaders are angry at Trump, the European official told the Weekly. In a last-minute bid to convince Trump not to withdraw from the deal, the French president and German Chancellor Angela Merkel made back-to-back visits in April to press Trump to consider his options. Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson spent Monday in Washington meeting with administration officials to make a case for the deal. Appearing on Fox News, Johnson urged the US president not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. He added Trump was right to see the flaws in the deal, but argued they could be fixed. Johnson also emphasised that Plan B does not seem, to me, to be particularly well developed at this stage. If you do that, you have to answer the question, what next? What if the Iranians do rush for a nuclear weapon? Are we seriously saying that we are going to bomb those facilities at Fordo and Natanz? Is that really a realistic possibility? Or do we work around what we have got and push back on Iran together? There doesnt seem to me at the moment to be a viable military solution. Johnson also wrote a New York Times op-ed emphasising that only Iran would gain from abandoning the nuclear deal whose provisions handcuff its nuclear activities. Under the deal, Iran has placed two-thirds of its centrifuges in storage and relinquished about 95 per cent of its uranium stockpile. The break out time has been extended to at least a year and the agreement is designed to keep it above that minimum threshold, Johnson wrote. Moreover, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have been given extra powers to monitor Irans nuclear facilities, increasing the likelihood that they would spot any attempt to build a weapon. Now that these handcuffs are in place, I see no possible advantage in casting them aside. Only Iran would gain from abandoning the restrictions on its nuclear programme, he added. It should be noted that while in Washington, Johnson managed only to meet Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, but did not get to see President Trump. Britain, France and Germany have been working behind the scenes for weeks to preserve the agreement and it is not difficult to see why the EU, Russia and China are desperate to protect it. Will Trump kill the deal? Could he simply refuse to continue waiving sanctions against Iran, but stop short of declaring the deal void? No one knows, and that makes it very complicated, especially for the UK, France and Germany. If Trump decided to impose sanctions on Iran immediately, it would present European states with a difficult dilemma: do they follow suit and re-impose sanctions, or refuse and risk facing American sanctions against their companies that deal with Iran? Uncharted Territory: Trumps move will also pose a test for Iran. What will happen to Irans existing obligations to allow nuclear inspections? How would Tehran react to the re-imposition of sanctions? Under the international deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran has limited its nuclear activities in return for eased economic sanctions. For the EU, killing the deal with no alternative is a political disaster. How can we convince Iran in the future to come to the table to negotiate its ballistic missiles programme? How can we invite Iran to change its behaviour in the Middle East? asked the European diplomat in conversation with the Weekly. Without incentive, we cant convince Iran to cooperate. Pulling the plug from the deal will only make it very difficult to affect Irans behaviour in all sort of issues, he added. And the signs the EU is getting from Tehran only emphasise the difficult road ahead. An Iranian diplomat in London laughed off the possibility of renegotiating the existing deal or a new deal. That is out of question. No one in Iran, moderates or conservatives, will accept to go down this road. The deal is a good deal for everyone involved. We are happy to keep it as long as it serves us well and protect our interests and dignity. But we are ready for all options. Because to be honest, as we see it, the problem is not the deal but Iranian influence. We are a big county and we are influential and there is nothing America and her allies can do about that, he told the Weekly. President Hassan Rouhani warned this week that the United States would face historic regret if it pulled out of the accord. In remarks carried live on state television, he said Iran had a plan to counter any decision Trump may take and we will confront it. But he also hinted Iran could work out a deal with other signatories, excluding the US. If we can get what we want from a deal without America, then Iran will continue to remain committed to the deal. But if not, Tehran will continue its own path, President Rouhani said. It is early days to specify the implications of a possible US departure from the agreement. However, there would be some predictable outcomes. First, US withdrawal would send a message to other nations particularly North Korea about the reliability of the US as a negotiating partner. Second, the move could potentially lead to an arms race in the Middle East if Iran were to decide to leave the deal and re-start its nuclear programme. Third, feeling exposed and vulnerable, Iran would likely be even more assertive in the Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi and Yemeni proxy wars. And with no deal or incentive, it would be very hard for the West to confront Irans regional activity. Trump has repeatedly said the deals terms are too lenient as it limits Irans nuclear activities for only a fixed period and fails to stop the development of ballistic missiles or to address Tehrans regional activities. But withdrawing from the deal is not the way to address its flaws, according to Johnson. Far better to police the deal with the greatest rigor and the IAEA has certified Irans compliance so far while working together to counter Tehrans belligerent behaviour in the region. In a final attempt to save the deal, President Macron raised last month the possibility of a new deal addressing Irans ballistic missiles programme and regional activities. This prospect was highly welcomed by Democrats in the US Congress and many Republicans as support for exiting the deal is thin. This agreement is highly flawed, but it is functional, said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East peace negotiator for Democratic and Republican presidents, on CNN. Walking away from it without a Plan B, I think, is a political interest of the president, but it is not in the national interest, he said. Obama Complex: Trumps stand and his determination to break the deal left many analysts in Washington arguing, It is not the deal, stupid. It is Obama. Since arriving at the White House more than a year ago, Trump made it his priority to demolish Obamas legacy. He started with Obama Care, or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and failed spectacularly. Even his own party voted against his plan to sink the act because the president did not have an alternative. Then Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord and the Trans-Pacific Free Trade Agreement. The 2015 nuclear deal is the signature foreign policy achievement of Obamas presidency, and his close association with the deal put it in the crosshairs of his successor. With a new foreign policy team, including National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who both oppose the deal, President Trump is less and less persuaded by his European allies to keep the deal. But now is not the time for bad calculations. The region more than ever needs stability. The consequences of leaving the deal could be far worse than staying in. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 May 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly with headline: Opening Pandoras Box Search Keywords: Short link: Europe has a "limited opportunity" to preserve the nuclear deal with Tehran, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani told French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call on Wednesday, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency. "Under the current conditions, Europe has a very limited opportunity to preserve the nuclear deal, and must, as quickly as possible, clarify its position and specify and announce its intentions with regard to its obligations," ISNA quoted Rouhani as telling Macron in the phone call. Macron traveled to the United States in late April in an attempt to convince U.S. President Donald Trump not to withdraw from the nuclear deal. Rouhani told Macron that Iran's rights under the deal related to the selling of oil, banking, investment and insurance must be "guaranteed" in a transparent and clear way, ISNA reported. Foreign companies who have contracts with Iran must also announce their decision after Trump's withdrawal from the deal, Rouhani told Macron, according to ISNA. He also said Iran has met its obligations under the deal and has never enriched uranium for a weapons program. In a speech on Tuesday, Trump said the nuclear deal would allow Iran to enrich uranium to "reach the brink of a nuclear breakout." "Despite what Trump thinks, enrichment in Iran has never been for obtaining a nuclear weapon but instead has been for scientific and technical pursuits," Rouhani told Macron, according to ISNA. Search Keywords: Short link: Man sentenced to life, plus 9 to 18 years, for depraved killing of ex-girlfriend in Whitemarsh Malaysia's veteran ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad, 92, said Wednesday he was confident of victory as almost-complete results showed his opposition alliance with a strong lead in its fierce election battle against scandal-hit Prime Minister Najib Razak. A win for the opposition would amount to a political earthquake in Malaysia, which has been governed by the same ruling coalition for decades. Votes were still being counted after the closely-fought poll and the Election Commission did not confirm Mahathir had won. But addressing reporters in Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir -- who came out of retirement to take on his former protege Najib and the party he himself led for years -- said he believed his coalition had achieved the number of parliamentary seats needed for victory. "There is no way they can catch up," Mahathir said, referring to the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition which has led Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957. It was an incredible development in an electrifying election race, that has seen Mahathir throw in his lot with an alliance packed with parties that he crushed while in power, which includes jailed opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim -- his former nemesis. Analysts had widely predicted that Najib's BN would retain power. They have been accused of manipulating the electoral system for decades to tilt polls in their favour, and also exercise strong control over the media. But with 176 out of 222 parliament seats counted, Mahathir's opposition alliance, Pact of Hope had 89 seats while BN had 68, with smaller parties taking the others, the Election Commission announced. A total of 112 seats are needed to win the election. The opposition also made strong gains in Sarawak state on Borneo island, a long-time BN stronghold. Key BN figures, including the head of the coalition's ethnic Indian and Chinese parties, also lost their seats, according to unofficial tallies on Bernama. Journalists had flocked to the headquarters of Najib's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the lynchpin in the ruling coalition -- but he failed to turn up to give a victory speech and the media were told to leave. Mahathir had earlier accused the Election Commission of delaying the release of results "because we believe from our unofficial counting that they (BN) are left far behind and the likelihood is that they will not be forming the government". He said the opposition had achieved the number of seats needed to win the election. However the commission insisted it was not keeping back the results due to "bad faith" and urged people to be patient. Huge numbers of voters earlier flocked to the polls across the country, despite Najib having called the election on a weekday in what critics said was a bid to keep turnout down. Some voters complained they were forced to queue up outside polling stations for hours, sparking concerns they may not be able cast their ballots. Najib had been under pressure to score an emphatic win after the government lost the popular vote for the first time at the last elections in 2013. Observers say his position as prime minister could be under threat if he does not do well. The controversy surrounding 1MDB has dogged Najib since the story exploded in 2015. Billions of dollars were allegedly stolen from the fund, which was set up and overseen by Najib. The leader and 1MDB deny any wrongdoing. But in rural areas, the rising cost of living, which has hit poor Malays hard, has been the main concern particularly after the introduction of an unpopular sales tax in 2015. The opposition has faced an uphill battle for victory. Critics have accused the BN of gerrymandering with a redrawing of electoral boundaries that created constituencies more likely to back them, while activists have alleged numerous irregularities in the electoral roll. The opposition has been targeted by authorities during the campaign, with police launching a probe into Mahathir for allegedly breaking a controversial new law against "fake news" after he claimed a plane he chartered was sabotaged. Search Keywords: Short link: Of All Things: How to keep your brain busy May 09, 2018 Blumenthal, Norton, Khalek - The Turncoats Deliver A Poor Excuse - by Daniel by Daniel lifted from a comment I see bs Twitter linked to the "Moderate Rebels" discussion of Blumenthal / Norton / Khalek. I hope yall dont mind my posting the below. I originally wrote it as an "open letter" to the above triumvirate, but changed pronouns for this audience. Max Blumenthal, Ben Norton and Rania Khalek talk about their late evolution on the war against Syria in this episode of Moderate Rebels. For those who dont know, each was pro-"opposition", anti-Syrian government for years, but changed positions sometime in around 2016. I'm glad to hear Max finally directly address his anti-Syrian stance from 2011 to 2016. He acknowledges that Sharmine Narwani was correct all along. It would be nice to hear him actually apologize to Sharmine and other journalists he disparaged, but especially to the Syrian people who sure could have used the support of a well known Arab/Palestinian Rights advocate with a large audience and influence. Yes, Max "didnt take a serious look at what was actually going on" in Syria. And didn't for five more years. He began writing for Al Akhbar in Lebanon in July, 2011. As a journalist, he was obligated to inform himself about what was happening before writing about it. Syrian police and military had already been massacred by then. Post office workers had been thrown to their deaths from the roof because they were "government supporters." The violence of the "protesters" was even being reported in Israeli newspapers. He says he "didnt think it was going to become, you know, the 7-year devastating conflict that it became." That is apparent. Libya was already descending into the F-UK-US Mission Accomplished with NATO bombers warming up to finish the job. Perhaps Maxs dad had assured him that Syria would follow the same pattern his emails with Hillary Clinton show he had helped plan and define in Libya. BTW: Has he ever addressed his father's role in the destruction of the once most prosperous country on the African continent? I haven't read or heard anything from Max on Syd Blumenthal's pre-Qaddafi "removal" explanation that Libya had to be destroyed to: Steal their nationalized oil. Confiscate the hundreds of tons of gold and silver Libya held. Prevent Libya from establishing a gold-backed currency and pan-African development bank to compete with the US petro-dollar and IMF, and lift Africa out of neo-colonial subservience. Yeah. Max was "pretty quiet on Libya and not really - didnt really make any coherent statements on that either." That newspaper that Max publicly maligned and quit ("grandstanding" as he now says) "had taken an anti-imperialist agenda." Did that paper ever reject any articles Max wrote defending "the Syrian revolution"? I didnt think so. Who had "an agenda"? Because it sure sounds like it was Max who was so focused on his new book release and two upcoming book tours that at the least he abandoned journalistic values. Or did he fear that "being associated" with a paper that also published articles critical of "the revolution" could hurt book sales? After all, he thought it was all going to be over soon anyway. It would also be nice for Max to explain why, once he changed his position on Syria after Russia had helped turn the tide, he, Ben and Rania scrubbed all their anti-Syrian/pro-"rebel" posts from the internet without explanation. How Orwellian. But he "just havent really had the chance to sit down and write" an apology and explanation. And once Russia stepped in, Max was "pretty relieved" he didnt "have to engage in" the Syrian disaster and so he "sort of tapped out." Wait. I thought he just said that was when he finally "tapped in" and began investigating and writing about what had really been going on. So, he goes on to say that after the "eastern Aleppo operation", he "started to come to" his "senses" "BECAUSE I STARTED TO REALIZE THAT AN INTERVENTION AT THIS POINT BY THE US WOULD BE A RECIPE FOR CATASTROPHE"! Wait! What? It was too late for "intervention", so Max changed horses? And then he finally took a few weeks to read what he could about Syria and do his "due diligence." Another BTW: Why did Max write those articles on the White Helmets without crediting Cory Morningstar, Vanessa Beeley and other journalists whose work he so obviously relied on? I read those articles, and saw NOTHING that I hadnt already read at 21st Century Wire. What "independent investigative journalism" did Max and Ben do? Rania says she has Druze Syrian relatives, and somehow that kept her from investigating and reporting on the sectarian "rebels" in Syria. Huh? Everything I hear is that most Syrians dont really classify people by their religion. Yes, as she says, the Syrian war has engendered the most deluded propaganda. Yes, the reporting (MSM that is) was horrible. But those are not excuses to avoid it. Those are reasons for her to have deeply investigated and reported the truth. Ben notes that the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine always supported the Syrian government against the Zionist-supported "rebels" and wrote that quite clearly by 2013. Ben specifies that one cannot support Palestinian Liberation AND the "rebels" in Syria. Yet, he did. For years. Ben's explanation of his "evolution" on Syria is the least legitimate of this group. But they ran out of time while Ben was talking, so maybe hell do better in episode 3. [Daniel added an additional comment here.] b says: Here is an earlier piece on Moon of Alabama which includes evidence for the claims Daniel makes: Syria - The Alternet Grayzone Of Smug Turncoats - Blumenthal, Norton, Khalek The most abhorrent issue with their talk is that these folks whine and lament how they are being condemned by supporters of war on Syria for their "brave stand" against the war. This from the folks who for five long years harshly condemned everyone who was pro-Syria in their writings and public talks. From the folks who in two years have found no time to write an apology to those who they condemned or publish an explanation for their deleting of the tweets and blog-posts that documented their former position. For a further discussion of the turncoats self-serving exculpation in the Moderate Rebel (what a stupid name) podcast see this partial transcript by Red Kahina and these threads (also 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) by her as well as this one by Nyusha. Posted by b on May 9, 2018 at 19:54 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Hollywood actor Matt Damon has been spotted doing a quick shop in a Kmart store in New South Wales, Australia. Krystle McIntosh and her daughter Taylah bumped into the Bourne Identity star while he had a couple of stuffed toy animals in-hand. A picture of the meeting was posted on Instagram, with the caption: "Kmart is where you get the best Matt Damons from." Morgan Hill Unified School District officials moved closer to finalizing a draft of a $75 education parcel tax, which is targeted for the November election, after the Board of Trustees reviewed the resolution May 1. The seven-member board is expected to vote on the final ballot measure resolution May 15 before it is submitted to the Santa Clara County Registrars Office. After that submittal, a local Political Action Committee can begin campaigning for its approval by Morgan Hill voters. No action was taken by the board May 1, only a tweak to the wording of the resolution as trustees gave their input on what would be most effective in swaying voters to approve the property tax, which is estimated to generate $1.5 million annually over five years if it passes. The parcel tax draft outlines four key areas that the revenues will be used for. Those are: Core academic programs that focus on skills like science, technology, engineering and math; Ability to attract and retain quality teachers and staff; Programs to help children with special needs; and Programs focused on the arts. At the Feb. 6 meeting, the board of trustees did not move forward with a $75 parcel tax for the June election after learning the results of a second community survey. The results of the polling indicated that not enough support existed to pass a $75 (parcel tax) in June, and it was suggested to move the measure to the November ballot, where prior polling indicated a higher likelihood of passing, according to the staff report. It also states that MHUSD is the lowest funded unified school district in the county and other districts have locally-approved parcel taxes which generate additional funds to support important programs such as class size reduction, arts, libraries, and technology. Morgan Hill schools are in the midst of trimming about $5.5 million from the districts 2018-19 budget without any additional revenues coming in, and the parcel tax is aimed at negating any future cuts. Local political advocate Swanee Edwards has expressed interest in forming the PAC as soon as possible to begin fundraising to ensure the parcel taxs passing on Nov. 6 ballot, according to district staff member Jim Carrillo, who is leading a group of people advocating for the parcel tax. The proposed parcel tax allows for exemptions to taxpayers who are at least 65 years old (on or before June 30), and it also includes an independent oversight committee to keep tabs on the districts spending of the $1.5 million. As written in the resolution, the funds generated cannot go to administrator salaries or benefits. I want to accept (the parcel tax resolution) as is, said Trustee Donna Ruebusch, after listening in on some minor adjustments suggested by other board members. I know from past elections.that people are more willing to vote for something if they know it will not go to administrator salaries. A parcel tax is a form of property tax assessed at a rate based on the characteristics of a parcel, rather than on the assessed value of the property, which is the standard method for levying property taxes, according to ballotpedia.org. It can be used for any type of spending, including construction costs, employee salaries and other projects or needs. Principal Recognitions In other MHUSD business, Jackson Academy of Math & Music Principal Patrick Buchser was recognized by the Santa Clara County Office of Education as one of two recipients of the 2018 Artspiration Principal Arts Leadership Award, according to the district report. He will receive an a-PAL Award on May 22 at the Young Artist Showcase Celebration. Buchser is known for his advocacy for the arts, his support of equitable arts access for all students, and his leadership in our districts mission to implement a new Strategic Arts Plan, the May 1 agenda reads. Los Paseos Elementary School Principal Debbie Stewart will be recognized May 11 at the Association of California School Administrators Awards dinner as a Region 8 ACSA 1st Year Administrator Superstar, according to district staff. She has a passion for ensuring all students have access to a quality education and that teachers have the tools and support they need to help their students succeed, the agenda item reads. A third annual Cinco de Mayo fiesta of sorts for Morgan Hill and Gilroy students with special needs was hosted by teachers from both programs May 4 at Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy. The celebratory event was a bit of a send-off for teacher Justin Barbettini, who is in his second and final year heading up the post-secondary program for adult students with special needs for Morgan Hill Unified School District. He was joined by teacher Mike Luke, who runs the moderate to severe disability program at Gilroy High School. They have a great group of kids down there in Gilroy, said Barbettini, who started his special education career as a paraprofessional/aide in Lukes classroom. At that time, I knew I wanted to be a teacher but the kids in that class are the reason I got into special education. This year, 20 students (nine from Morgan Hill and 11 from Gilroy) gathered for a fun-filled day with some Cinco de Mayo flair, including Mexican trinkets Barbettini bought from La Placita gift shop in Gilroy, BBQ-d carne asada tacos and other holiday fixins. Activities included music, pinatas and a water balloon fight. Its the kids that I really have memories with and connections with, said Barbettini, who is moving to Maine and plans to continue his work in post-secondary special education. My class has been great. Ive enjoyed it. Ive made a lot of things happen. Barbettini works with his students, who range in ages from 18-22 and are transferred in from Live Oak and Sobrato high schools, to build confidence, feed independence and further life skills. A major objective is to build a relationship with local businesses and organizations through the students on-site volunteerism with the hope of acquiring a part-time job. He has worked out partnerships with Rosys at the Beach, We Dog Care, GVA Cafe, Goodwill and the City of Morgan Hill. The students get compensated for their hours (up to 10 per month) through the Workability 1 program, which is funded by the State Department of Rehabilitation. They receive a salary of $10.50 per hour for their work. The post-secondary program does not get any additional funding from the school district and uses their paychecks to fund other class activities and excursions. Its all about just focusing on the kids and helping them out, Barbettini said. The Egyptian Ministry of Military Production signed a $2 billion investment agreement with Chinese green energy supplier Golden Concord, Ltd. (GCL) to build a solar panel manufacturing facility in Egypt, state-run MENA news agency reported. The Chinese company will supply Egypt with the know-how to manufacture solar panels according international standards and will provide training to Egyptian technicians for work in the 5 gigawatt-per-year facility. The Egyptian government and GCL will also cooperate on research and development, Minister Mohamed El-Assar said. Egypt aims to obtain 22 percent of its total energy production from renewable sources by 2020. Search Keywords: Short link: Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. The Ambassadors of Singapore, Serbia, Norway, and a representative from the Swiss Embassy in Cairo participated on Tuesday in a session held by the Egyptian-European Business Council (EEBC) to discuss Egypt's latest steps in economic reform in light of its 2030 development strategy. The session was headed by Egyptian Ambassador Ehab Srour, and administered by Mona Zaki with the attendance of several members of the EEBC's board of directors and other public figures. During the meeting, the attendees stressed the importance of cooperating with foreign partners and drawing upon their experience to help Egypt's reforms suceed. Egypt began an economic reform plan in 2014 in hopes of boosting an economy battered by years of political upheaval. The foreign ambassadors highlighted their countries' economic cooperation with the Egyptian government in several fields, foremost among them being education reform, vocational training, and sporting exchange. The EEBC, which is chaired by prominent businessman Mohamed Abou El-Enein, often meets European business partners to discuss attracting foreign investment to Egypt. Egypt Vision 2030, launched in 2016, aims to implement a programme of sustainable development policies involving the country's youth, to be implemented regardless of any changes in government or leadership. Search Keywords: Short link: Investing in companies that have lower than average exposure to fossil fuel involvement makes good business sense. Companies face increasing pressure to lower their carbon emissions from many sources, such as regulators, customers, and investors. Implementing changes to a company's process that move it away from being reliant on fossil fuels can be a costly endeavor. And it's a transition that is already under way, says head of sustainability research Jon Hale. To find funds focused on companies that have less economic value at risk in the transition to a low-carbon economy, we developed the Morningstar Low Carbon designation. The first step in the process is an assessment of a company's exposure to carbon risk, which comes mainly from carbon emissions in its own operations and from the use of its products. The second step is an assessment of a company's management of that exposure--its actions and its strategy, if there is one, to lower emissions and develop products and services that are less carbon intensive. This process yields a score for a company that reflects its remaining unmanaged carbon risk. We rely on Sustainalytics, our environmental, social, and governance research partner, to supply this company-level information. We believe the recent drop in Fluors (FLR) share price is an overreaction to disappointing first-quarter results. While we reduced our fair value estimate to reflect the quarterly shortfall and our updated forecasts, we still believe investors have an excellent opportunity to own an industry leader trading at a modest valuation near a cyclical inflection point in industry demand. Fluor reported a cost overrun at a gas-fired Florida power project and a $1.00 reduction in its 2018 earnings per share outlook to $2.10-$2.50. We believe the cost issue is specific to the project and the region and does not impair Fluors broader project portfolio. A few investors have mailed us regarding our view on the change in ownership at DSP BlackRock. The concern was with regards to the impact on the investment process of the AMC now that BlackRock, the worlds largest asset manager, is pulling out. The Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) that we spoke to all echoed the identical sentiment, irrespective of whether or not they recommend the funds to their clients: DSP has a good legacy and they will do well even without BlackRock. Just like L&T AMC has done very well after the exit of Fidelity. Larissa Fernand, editor of Morningstar.in, and Himanshu Srivastava, senior fund analyst, look at two aspects; the team and the AMC. THE TEAM Last year, Naganath exited the fund company. He was an old hand and contributed to the success of the funds. Apoorva Shah moved out of the domestic mutual fund unit to the fund houses offshore division. And now there are rumours and reports in the media of Anup Maheshwari moving out. No one is underestimating the impact of the above personalities, but DSP BlackRock does have a solid team in place. What stands out is how different investment styles have been allowed to exist and thrive. Harrish Zaveris style is definitely a buy-and-hold approach but he is not at all averse to taking concentrated bets to match his conviction. He wont shirk from a 10% exposure if need be. In his fund, DSP BlackRock Top 100 Equity, HDFC Bank now corners 11.91% of the portfolio while Maruti Suzuki follows at 9.13%. Atul Bhole shuns concentrated bets and prefers erring on the side of caution and having a diversified spread. DSP BlackRock Equity has a top holding of 5.41% (HDFC Bank) followed by Bajaj Finance (3.85%) and L&T (3.53%). It is hard to nail down Rohit Singhanias style since he functions best with an unconstrained process. He believes in his style being relevant to the market cycle and accordingly taking overweight or underweight positions. He has no bias towards growth or value but may go heavy with a value bent when valuations are rich or pick up cyclical stocks when he sees a recovery on that front coming up. Something Harrish and Atul would not do since cyclical themes are not their cup of tea. Rohit manages DSP BlackRock Equity Opportunities, DSP BlackRock T.I.G.E.R and DSP BlackRock Tax Saver. Vinit Sambre, known famously for DSP BlackRock Midcap and DSP BlackRock Small Cap, is convinced that macros have zero impact on the long term and limited impact on the short term. He has an extreme focus on fundamentals - how promoters think, how they run their business, and how capital efficient they are etc. Which, of course, makes tremendous sense since his hunting ground is the mid-, small- and micro-cap space. This brings enormous depth to the investing team. Regarding the investment teams compensation, roughly 60-70% is variable in nature. While computing the variable portion, the funds performance (1- and 3-year time frame) is given more importance than factors such as growth in assets and the fund companys profitability. (The above funds are not a complete list; only the ones analysed by Morningstars analysts have been mentioned and linked to the research note. The portfolios are as on March 31, 2018.) THE AMC We have always maintained that DSP BlackRock Investment Managers is one of the best asset managers in the country. In the past, regulations permitted asset managers to use a substantial portion of a new funds assets for marketing and distribution expenses. In effect, these expenses were charged to the fund. This fund company was among the few that chose to bear a portion of the expenses, which was an investor-friendly move. When other companies over a decade ago were launching funds to grow their AUM, this fund house refused to join that race. At one time, they stopped accepting fresh inflows into DSP BlackRock Microcap Fund given its large asset size. The move to benchmark its funds against a more competitive Total Return Index was also an investor-friendly move. All these point to a commitment to protecting investor interest. A decade ago, in line with the realignment of Merrill Lynchs business globally, the Indian asset management outfit DSP Merrill Lynch Fund Managers transferred 40% ownership to BlackRock. While a collaboration with a behemoth like BlackRock would offer notable gains in various aspects, what would turn out to be most significant would be the impartation of technology and risk frameworks. In an interview in 2010 with MoneyLife, Hemendra Kothari referred to Larry Fink as the guru of risk management. And rightly so. In 1988, BlackRock developed an internal risk tool called Aladdin, shortened from the Asset Liability And Debt & Derivative Investment Network. Aladdin started off as a technology to analyze risk but has evolved to support a range of business functions and processes, combining risk analytics, portfolio management, trading and operation tools on to one system. Last year, the Financial Times referred to it one of the best known pieces of technology in the fund industry; one that is widely outsourced to hundreds of firms, even rivals such as Deutsche Asset Management, Schroders and New York Life Investors. Over the past decade, the India team used a portion of the technology relevant to the Indian market and customized it to the domestic environment and portfolio management approach. In collaboration with BlackRock they designed IMPACT, a software module employed for portfolio analysis, attribution, live monitoring of portfolios, stress testing and scenario building. The Risk and Quantitative Analysis (RQA) team was set up to analyse the multiple facets of risk investment risk, portfolio risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, enterprise level risk and organizational risk; in other words, risk in its complete gamut. While initially it conducted post mortem exercises, it shifted its focus to premortem, an approach that helps identify problems early on and reduces the damn-the-torpedoes attitude often assumed by people who are overinvested in a project. For instance, if a cyclical recovery is projected, the premortem will look at whether the portfolio has sufficient beta. This 6-member team was initially headed by Pankaj Sharma who relinquished responsibility to Aparna Karnik after he took over the fixed income portfolio at the fund house. That does not mean the fund house was straddled only with BlackRock technology. They did employ MSCI Barra for their fixed income risk models. And going ahead, they will not be constrained by BlackRock. But the fund house has worked hard to ensure that processes are homegrown and in place. And while they leveraged the BlackRock technology and processes, they adapted and evolved from it. The point we would like to make is that this fund house is stable and committed to its investors. While we encourage you to engage with your financial adviser regarding your apprehensions, our advice is to not panic and not make any decisions in haste. Egypt has approved an exploration agreement with Italys Eni and the Egyptian Tharwa company to search for oil and gas in the Mediterranean off the coast of northern Sinai, the Egyptian oil minister said on Wednesday. Under the deal, Eni and Tharwa will spend $105 million in two stages over six years, which involve drilling one well in the first stage and another in the second, Minister Tarek El Molla told journalists. The inked deal comes a few days after Eni announced a new oil discovery at the A-2X exploration prospect, located in the South West Meleiha license in Egypt's Western Desert. The discovery was made in the first well drilled by Eni to explore the deep geological sequences of Faghur Basin. The Italian gas giant is best known for the 2015 discovery of Egyptian mammoth Zohr gas field -- the largest offshore field in the Mediterranean. In January 2018, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attended the inauguration of the first stage of production at the super giant gas field. Eni announced last week the start of production at the field's second production unit (T-1), which will pump at a production capacity of 400 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD). Egypt hopes to halt gas imports by 2019 and achieve self-sufficiency in gas. It has rapidly increased its production of natural gas and hopes to become a hub for exporting to Europe after making a series of big discoveries in recent years, including Zohr. Egypt is targeting about $10 billion in foreign investment in the oil and gas sector in the 2018/19 fiscal year, which begins in July, according to statements by the oil minister last month. Search Keywords: Short link: LOS ANGELES (AP) In a story May 7 about a court ruling that will require cancer warnings on coffee sold in California, The Associated Press erroneously reported some details about the chemical acrylamide. As part of a court settlement, potato chip makers agreed to reduce the chemical from their product, but did not completely remove it. And while the judge referred to acrylamide as a carcinogen and the state of California lists the chemical as cancer-causing, other groups classify it as a "probable" carcinogen. A corrected version of the story is below: California judge affirms ruling for coffee cancer warnings A Los Angeles judge has issued a final ruling requiring coffee to carry cancer warning labels in California By BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) A court ruling that gave coffee drinkers a jolt earlier this year was finalized Monday when a Los Angeles judge said coffee sold in California must carry cancer warnings. Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle said Starbucks Corp. and other roasters and retailers failed to show that benefits from drinking coffee outweighed any risks from a chemical that is a byproduct of the roasting process. He had tentatively made the same written decision in March. A nonprofit group sued about 90 coffee companies, including Keurig Green Mountain Inc. and Peet's Operating Co. Inc., under a state law that requires warnings on products and in places where chemicals that can cause cancer are present. The chemical in question, acrylamide, is listed by the state of California as cancer causing, but other groups classify it as a probable carcinogen. Lawyers for the coffee industry argued acrylamide was found at harmless levels and their product should be exempt from the law because the chemical results naturally from cooking necessary for flavor. The final ruling clears the way for the Council for Education and Research on Toxics to seek a permanent injunction that would either lead to ominous warning labels or a commitment by the industry to reduce the chemical from their product as the potato chip industry did years ago when sued by the same group. Attorney Raphael Metzger, who represents the nonprofit, said he hopes mediation will lead to some settlement of the case that has been brewing for eight years. If no agreement is reached, another phase of trial would determine civil penalties as high as $2,500 per person exposed each day since the suit was filed in 2010. "In all the years I've been practicing, I've never had a case that got to this point," Metzger said. "They've lost all their defenses and we proved our case. The only issues left are the nature and form of the injunction and the amount of penalties to be assessed. It's not a pretty place for them to be." Berle had ruled about two years ago against the industry's best defense before issuing the tentative decision March 29 that rejected a secondary defense. At the time, the coffee industry said it was considering all options, including appeals. It said that cancer warnings would be misleading and said numerous studies have shown health benefits of drinking coffee. The industry and lawyers in the case did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment sent after business hours. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) The Latest on Google's at its annual developers conference (all times local): 11:45 a.m. Google is introducing a navigation system feature with its Google Maps app that uses augmented reality to help guide people to their destination. When Google Maps users pull up directions, they can look through their camera in Maps and get turn-by-turn directions while viewing the actual street. They can also get information about buildings and shops that can be seen through the camera. Google says the technology is called VPS, or visual positioning system. It was unveiled Tuesday at the company's annual developers conference in Mountain View, California. ___ 11:25 a.m. Google outlined its latest improvements to its Android operating system, including more adaptive brightness settings and battery function. Called Android P it's the ninth major version of the Android operating system. The battery will now use machine learning to adapt to how you use apps in order to conserve energy and have what Dave Burke, Android vice president of engineering, calls a more "consistent" battery experience. It will also have something called "adaptive brightness" that learns how bright a user likes their screen based on manual adjustments, instead of automatically adjusting based on the how bright it is in the environment. Another feature called "shush" mode automatically turns on the "Do Not Disturb" function if someone turns their phone face down on a table. And "Wind Down Mode" will fade the screen to greyscale at a designated bed time to help users disconnect before bed. The features were discussed Tuesday at Google's annual developers conference. ___ 11:05 a.m. Google is working on technology it's calling Google Duplex that will use artificial intelligence to call businesses to make appointments and other tedious calls. In two demonstrations, one setting up a hair appointment and another a restaurant reservation, a realistic-sounding automated voice used pauses and "ums" and "mmm-hmms" to sound more human during interactions with people. "Hi, I'm calling to book hair appointment for a client," the AI voice said in the demo and then negotiated a time and date for the appointment. At its annual developers conference Tuesday, Google emphasized the technology is still in development and rolling out as "an experiment" in coming weeks. "We really want to work hard to get this right," CEO Sundar Pichai said. ___ 10:30 a.m. Google is introducing an autocomplete feature in its Gmail email service. The feature called "smart compose" uses machine learning to offer suggested ways to finish sentences users start typing. For example, "I haven't seen you" might be autocompleted to "I haven't seen you in a while and I hope you're doing well." Users can accept the completion by hitting tab. The "smart compose" feature that was introduced Tuesday at Google's annual developers conference should be available to all users this month. For its photos service, Google is starting a new service called "Suggested Actions." If it recognizes a photo of someone who is a Google contact, it can suggested sending it to the person. It can also convert photos to PDFs and automatically add color to black-and-white photos or make part of a color photo black and white. The changes are coming in the next two months. ___ 9:45 a.m. Google is showing off what it's like to experiment with artificially intelligent music. Two performers are using synthesizers infused with what the company says is machine learning to warm up the crowd ahead of a keynote by CEO Sundar Pichai at Google's annual developers conference. The music is a mix of electronic dance music and bells. Graphics suggest the sounds are meant to mimic a sitar, guitar, a piano and something called a "resopad." Other than starting a wave, the attendees at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, don't seem that into it. Some people are waving when their images appear on giant screens around the stage. ___ 12:01 a.m. Google is likely to again put artificial intelligence in the spotlight at its annual developers conference. The company's digital concierge, known only as the Google Assistant, could gain new abilities to handle tasks such as making reservations without human hand-holding. Google may also unveil updates to its Android mobile operating system, enable better AI-powered suggestions from Google Maps, and push further into augmented reality technology, which overlays a view of the real world with digital images. Google aims to make its assistant so useful that people can't live without it or the search results that drive its advertising business. But it's also showcasing how its AI is being used by developers to improve health care, preserve the environment and make new scientific discoveries. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. NEW YORK (AP) There was one place Scottish actor James McArdle had to visit when he came to New York to perform in a critically acclaimed revival of Tony Kushner's masterpiece "Angels in America." That would be Central Park. More specifically, Bethesda Fountain, which has so much meaning in the seven-hour play. It has transferred from London to Broadway under the direction of Marianne Elliott. McArdle said the visit made him "a wee bit emotional." He stood and thought of lines from the play. "It was just moving because I can't stop thinking about the lines of the play and it's just symbiotic now for me, New York and the play. It's just so in my blood now and always will be." McArdle plays the neurotic New Yorker Louis Ironson, a character partly based on Kushner himself. McArdle recently told The Associated Press why it's important to bring the play to New York now and how he handles performance days. Q: How do you view this powerful work? A: This is not a gracious, easy, submissive play. You need to wrestle this demon to the ground. It's like a train and if it gets away from you, you are running to catch a train and it is not pretty. So you have to really battle. It is not friendly. But that's the only way I can describe it. Q: When were you first aware of the play? A: I remember being 14 or 15 at a youth theater and the play coming into my life and being frightened of it. I remember being frightened of it. It just spoke with such ferocious truth. I remember thinking it was almost uncouth how truthful it was and not really being ready for that. Every subject in the play was just like, 'That is so angry.' I wanted just nice things to learn about acting. Q: Was it important for you to bring the play back to America? A: This play has to be performed now. In New York, in America, now. It needs it. That's exhilarating because there's not many opportunities for that in one's career or in art in general, when art is a business and business is an art. There are not many opportunities when it all galvanizes into a moment that is necessary, like America needs 'Angels in America' to be onstage now. Q: What is it like to have the playwright both available and encouraging? A: Before I came over to Broadway, I found some sort of resistance to the fact that I was going to be playing Louis from certain areas, just because I'm so different from him and where I'm from, blah, blah, blah. Tony and Marianne's backing was all I really needed. I had Tony's 100 percent approval and he's been very lovely to me about playing Louis. That's all I needed. Because he is Louis and it's his play. It's just wonderful having him there. Q: How do you handle these marathon days? A: You have to be really disciplined. I went to see a show the other night and the cast was talking about going out drinking. I just don't think we could do that. I really don't think we could. It's not that type of play. Q: It's a great play but it's not an easy one to be in, especially if you're Louis, right? A: It isn't necessarily enjoyable or easy and is arduous, fraught with anxiety from everyone and just difficult. I just find it difficult. More than I ever have any other job. But the reward is doing the thing and the reaction from the audience. I can't think of anything more satisfying as an actor than playing, for me anyway, for playing this part. Q: What's one of the best reactions to the show, either in London, Broadway or the filmed version by NT Live? A: I had a friend that went to see a screening in this quite rough area in Glasgow. And he said that, at the end, people were hugging and crying. And men were holding hands on the escalator out. And this is a rough area where that wouldn't ordinarily happen. Weirdly for me, that is an audience story that's come to me that I can't get out of my head and that I remember more than anything that we've ever had live. I'm really proud of that. ___ Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. NEW YORK (AP) The Washington Post has told columnist Hugh Hewitt not to write about Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt after it was revealed that Hewitt helped arrange a meeting with the EPA chief and lawyers interested in cleaning pollution in California. MSNBC, where the conservative commentator hosts a weekend show, also said Wednesday that it has given Hewitt a "verbal warning" against such activities. Hewitt, who also has a syndicated national radio show, calls it a non-story. His interactions with Pruitt were disclosed in documents received by the Sierra Club after a Freedom of Information Act request and first written about in Politico. Hewitt emailed Pruitt to set up a meeting with colleagues in his law firm who represent the Orange County Water District, who want a site in the Anaheim area to get priority for a cleanup. After the meeting, the site was listed in EPA's National Priorities list, which makes Orange County eligible for federal help in cleaning it up, according to Politico. On the radio, Hewitt has been a supporter of Pruitt, who has received negative attention for questionable ethics regarding spending at the EPA. The issue for the news organizations he also works for is the propriety of him seeking assistance from a government official that he might be talking about in those outlets. Fred Hiatt, editorial page editor at The Washington Post, said he was disturbed to learn of the story. Hewitt has agreed not to write about Pruitt in the future for the Post, he said. Hewitt has never written a column solely about Pruitt, Hiatt said. The columnist has given Pruitt, who he has called a friend, a few favorable mentions. In one column last July, Hewitt called Pruitt one of the domestic policy stars of the Trump administration. He's also called him "very able" and said he's pursuing a much-needed agenda of rolling back regulations. Hewitt has disclosed, in his columns, that his son James works at the EPA. He works in the press office there. Hewitt has told of his friendship with Pruitt and his son's job on several occasions on MSNBC, spokeswoman Lorie Acio said. Because of those relationships, Hewitt has stopped discussing EPA-related matters on MSNBC. But when network executives learned of Hewitt's role setting up the meeting, "he was given a verbal warning as such activity is a violation of our standards," she said. On his radio show, Hewitt seemed bewildered that it was a story, laughing as he read a description that said he "brokered" the meeting. "I sent him an email to meet with the Orange County Water District," he said. "They're very proud of their plan. There's nobody who opposes this, by the way. It's an Obama-era plan. We just wanted to get it going. It's five square miles of polluted water. Yes, I'm all in favor of cleaning up the Superfund site in my home county." He said, "we have real scandals out there. It's just amazing to me." Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A 2-year-old English mastiff led astray by an escape-prone hound dog is happy to be home, but still stinks after being found stranded in muck at a wastewater treatment plant in Colorado. Gidget's ordeal started when a walker coonhound named Buddy helped her escape from their house in Pueblo West on Sunday evening. "We have a hound dog that likes to play escape artist with the front door," Mandi Smith said Tuesday. "When he gets out Gidget, of course, follows." The hound came home about mid-day Monday, wet and muddy, without his partner-in-crime. While Smith was out searching, an employee at a wastewater treatment plant about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from Smith's house heard Gidget barking for help. Tony Campbell found the dog on the edge of an aeration pond. The aeration process makes it impossible for anything to float in the waste water, even a boat, said Pueblo West Fire Division Chief Brad Davidson, meaning it wasn't safe for Campbell to try and rescue Gidget herself. Fire crews used a ladder to get down to Gidget. They hosed her off and turned her over to Pueblo Animal Services, where she got two decontamination baths at the shelter before being returned to her owners. "Everybody at the shelter just loved her," Smith said. "She was a star." Campbell, a friend of Smith's, had seen Buddy at the treatment plant, too, but was unable to catch up with him. Smith's 16-year-old son Henry Smithour went to pick up Gidget, who was reunited with Buddy and the family's other dog. "Gidget is just ecstatic to be home," Smith said. "Out of all the dogs, she's the baby of the house." Both escapees were smothered with love...and shampoo. "They have gotten so many baths and they still smell," Smith said. "The poor bulldog is keeping her distance." Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) A riot at a police detention center near Indonesia's capital left five officers and a prisoner dead and another officer held hostage Wednesday. The Islamic State group said its fighters were involved in the violence, which officials said was triggered by a dispute over food. Negotiations were underway for the release of the hostage, said national police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal. He did not rule out harsh action as a "last resort" if the negotiations fail and the inmates refuse to surrender. The prison houses a large number of militant inmates. Iqbal said an inmate was fatally shot after grabbing weapons and threatening officers. A counterterrorism investigator said four police officers were wounded and were being treated at a hospital. The riot erupted late Tuesday in Depok, on Jakarta's southern outskirts, where four days earlier police arrested three Islamic militants they say planned to attack a police headquarters and other police stations in the town. Authorities said it began when an inmate shouted and banged on the walls to protest a delay in getting food from his family that was being checked by officials. Other inmates broke into the ammunition room and seized long-barreled weapons, leading to a shootout with counterterrorism officers, they said. The Islamic State group's Amaq News Agency said its fighters took part in the riot. In an interview with MetroTV station, police spokesman Setyo Wasisto said the inmates who provoked the riot were members of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, a network of Indonesian extremist groups formed in 2015 that pledges allegiance to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The network of about two dozen groups has been implicated in a number of attacks in Indonesia over the past year. "There are about 30 to 40 hardliners and inmates from JAD who provoked other inmates," Wasisto said. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on Islamic militants since the 2002 Bali bombings by the Jemaah Islamiyah network that killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. The network was neutralized following the arrests of hundreds of its militants and leaders. But new threats have emerged recently from Islamic State group-inspired radicals who have targeted security forces and local "infidels" instead of Westerners. It was the second riot in the detention center since November, when detained militants attacked prison guards who were searching for contraband and cellphones. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. WASHINGTON (AP) Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday in the latest sign of improving relations between the two longtime adversary nations. Trump said on Twitter that Pompeo was returning with "the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting." The president, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. "I appreciate Kim Jong Un doing this and allowing them to go," Trump said Wednesday before a meeting of his Cabinet. The release of the detainees came as Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for a historic summit between Trump and Kim, the North's leader. Trump told reporters that the summit would not take place at the inter-Korean demilitarized zone, and that the venue would be announced within the next three days. Singapore has emerged as the most likely place for the meeting late this month or in early June, officials have indicated. North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities but their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation's nuclear weapons. The family of Tony Kim thanked "all those" who worked for his return and also credited Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. "Mostly we thank God for Tony's safe return," the family said in a statement, and they urged people to "continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held." White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that Trump viewed the release "as a positive gesture of goodwill." The release capped a dramatic day of diplomacy in Pyongyang for Pompeo. After his 90-minute meeting with Kim Jong Un, he gave reporters a fingers-crossed sign when asked about the prisoners as he returned to his hotel. But it was only after a North Korean emissary arrived a bit later to inform him that the release was confirmed. The three had been held for periods ranging between one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016. He was accused of stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. Of the newly released detainees, Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, had been held the longest. The former Virginia resident was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea's border with Russia. The other two detainees hadn't been tried. Kim Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST. The university is the only privately funded college in North Korea and was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. He was detained last May for alleged anti-state activities. Tony Kim, who also uses the name Kim Sang-duk, was detained in April 2017 at the Pyongyang airport. He taught accounting at PUST. He was accused of committing unspecified criminal acts intended to overthrow the government. Pompeo, in his visit, discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim Jong Un summit in his meeting with Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the central committee of North Korea's ruling party. Kim Yong Chol noted improved relations between North and South Korea and pushed back against the idea that U.S. pressure led to the likely summit. "This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside," he said. That contradicted Trump, who has said repeatedly that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Pompeo's trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. Accompanying Pompeo were a few senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which the U.S. is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea moved to ease tensions, including the North sending a contingent to the Winter Olympics in the South. The Koreas' leaders' held their own summit last month. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss "denuclearization." According to South Korea, Kim says he's willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Kim was quoted by China's official news agency Xinhua as saying on Monday, "I hope to build mutual trust with the U.S. through dialogue." He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But his exact demands for relinquishing weapons that his nation spent decades building remain unclear. Previous U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the North's nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Pompeo and officials traveling with him said the Trump administration would not repeat mistakes of the past, which they described as accepting gradual, incremental and long-term disarmament in exchange for immediate benefits. Trump has said that withdrawing U.S. forces from South Korea is "not on the table." Some 28,500 U.S. forces are based in the allied nation, a military presence that has been preserved to deter North Korea since the war ended in 1953 without a peace treaty. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Zeke Miller, and Ken Thomas in Washington contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to correct that crossed fingers came after meeting with Kim Jong Un. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. MACOMB TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) The Latest on police excavations in Detroit area as part of cold case investigation (all times local): 3 p.m. Authorities say a man serving life for the 1986 killing of a Detroit-area girl could be responsible for cold-case slayings of other girls reported missing decades ago. Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer told reporters Wednesday that investigators suspect 69-year-old Arthur Ream is a serial killer. The FBI and other agencies are digging in a forest in Macomb Township for the remains of 12-year-old Kimberly King. She was last seen in 1979. Ream was convicted in 2008 in the slaying of 13-year-old Cindy Zarzycki, who was last seen in 1986. After his conviction, Ream led police to her remains in the same wooded area, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Detroit. Police questioned Ream last year after other prison inmates said he boasted about killing several other girls. ___ 2 p.m. Police say a suspect in the decades-old slaying of a 12-year-old Michigan girl boasted to fellow prisoners that he killed several other girls. Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer told reporters Wednesday that "the suspect in this case also did brag about murdering four to six people to inmates where he is being housed." Police have said detectives questioned 69-year-old Arthur Ream in prison about Kimberly King who was last seen in 1979. The FBI and local agencies are excavating woods about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Detroit in Macomb Township, near where Ream led police in 2008 to the remains of 13-year-old Cindy Zarzycki. Ream is serving life in prison for killing Zarzycki who disappeared in 1986. Dwyer says authorities "do have probable cause to believe" the area "is a gravesite." ___ 10:50 a.m. Authorities have resumed excavating a wooded area in southeastern Michigan, hoping to uncover the remains of a 12-year-old girl and up to six other girls reported missing decades ago. Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer says crews are digging Wednesday morning at the site in Macomb Township for the remains of Kimberly King. The FBI and other agencies spent Tuesday at the site about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of downtown Detroit. King was last seen in 1979 in Warren. Police began searching the site after interviewing a man serving life in prison for killing another girl whose body was found buried nearby. Dwyer says four to six other girls could be buried there. King's sister, Konnie Beyma, told The Associated Press that she has contacted detectives and is hoping to recover Kimberly's remains. ___ 12:20 a.m. Authorities are set to resume excavation work in a wooded area northeast of Detroit for the remains of a 12-year-old girl and the bodies of up to six other girls reported missing. Warren police, the FBI and other agencies spent Tuesday digging through dirt and vegetation at the site in Macomb Township for the remains of Kimberly King. The work is expected to restart on Wednesday. King was last seen in 1979 in Warren. Police began searching the Macomb Township site after speaking with a man serving life in prison for the slaying of another girl whose body was found near the wooded area about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of downtown Detroit. Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer says the bodies of four to six other girls reported missing may be buried at the site and that the excavation may take several days. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tuesday's interim Pulse memorial unveiling marked a poignant moment for survivors and advocates. Survivor Richard Negron says memorial is 'fitting tribute' Carlos Guillermo Smith was also at unveiling RELATED: 'Take away a kinder heart': Interim Pulse memorial unveiled It was very emotional, Im not going to lie. I still feel it in my chest," said Ricardo Negron. I think its a very fitting memorial and a testament not only to the lives that were lost that day, but also to how the community came together. Negron was at Pulse nigthclub the night of the attack and escaped physically unharmed. But the wounds he suffered ran deep, so the Puerto Rican transplant sought out counseling. He now spends him time helping others at the Hispanic Federation and Proyecto Somos Orlando. Theres my work life then being a survivor, its kind of like, mixed. I do think about it. I try not to dwell on it," he said. Negron thought the memorial was a fitting tribute, the panel doing well in taking in feedback. Its kind of what I envisioned, a place very beautiful. It allows for reflection," he said. Others like Carlos Guillermo Smith, who represents Florida House District 49, felt the same way. It felt really surreal that its already been close to two years," Rep. Smith said. I know that the OnePulse Foundation is doing everything they can to build something lasting that future generations will be able to reflect on. Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, too, attended the AM ceremony @ #Pulse: It felt really surreal that its already been close to two years. More reaction to the interim memorial unveiling w/ @MyNews13 team coverage @ 5pm @CarlosGSmith @citybeautiful @onePULSEorg @NewsGuyGreg pic.twitter.com/bnzABWfB8X Julie Gargotta (@juliegargotta) May 8, 2018 <_script charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"> The first LGBTQ Latinx legislator from Florida attended the morning ceremony, hugging victims and family members as he made his way to his seat. But it was a moment during the final performance of the ceremony -- a song by Janet Jackson -- which especially resonated with Smith: clouds forming curious heart-like shapes above the stage. Smith took to Twitter to share the revelation. It just gave me goosebumps everywhere. And it made us all realize that the 49 angels were present," he said. Negron remembers other significant moments of support following the attack, like when the bandshell at Lake Eola got a rainbow-colored facelift in October 2016. It was like, people really care. This really impacted people," Negron said, staring up at the colorful backdrop in the park. You can see from how people come together, from how people still want to be involved in helping the community," he said. Orlando is going forward the way it has to, we can only hope every other place follows our lead." ORLANDO, Fla. -- As the weather begins to shift we find ourselves in the middle of kitten season. Thats right -- hundreds of kittens and cats are pouring into shelters all over Central Florida. Shelters see influx of kittens, cats amid weather shift One Orange County shelter is running out of space Learn more: Orange County Animal Services foster program In Orange County, as one shelter is running out of space they find themselves in desperate need of foster parents. I know that I have given that animal the time that he or she needs to be adopted and go on to a forever home; its worth it, Orange County Animal Services foster parent Caroline St. Clair said Tuesday. St. Clair has been a foster parent for years and loves her work taking in kittens and cats from around Orange County. However, dependable foster parents like St. Clair are becoming harder and harder for Orange County Animal Services to find. Want to see more kittens? Tune into @MyNews13 at 11 where Ill tell you about a huge spike in kitten pop and no where for them to go pic.twitter.com/2AswFI2UJW Bailey Myers (@BaileyMyers_) May 9, 2018 <_script charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"> The shelter takes in all animals, and during the summer they see a huge spike in the amount of kittens rushing through their doors. In the first two days of this week, the shelter received more than 100 cats and kittens, like Peanut pictured above, in need of care. The sudden influx in animals means the ones at the shelter already in their care may have a shorter timeline for adoption, unless someone like St. Clair steps in and helps these kittens grow up until they are ready for adoption. However, theres a big shortage of people willing to take the time to house and play with these little ones, which is why St. Clair is sending out her positive message. If we can give those kittens a safe place to go until they get a little bigger itll make all the difference in the world -- they save lives, absolutely, St. Clair said. Ever thought about fostering kittens? NOWs the time because @OCAS_Orlando is inundated with kittens! Learn more tonight on @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/owQB4yBSpS Bailey Myers (@BaileyMyers_) May 9, 2018 Visit the Orange County Animal Services foster program website to find out more information on how to foster. They have orientations twice a month. SOUTHINGTON Two people were hospitalized following a two-car crash on West Queen Street Wednesday afternoon. The accident occurred about 3 p.m. at West Queen Street and Redstone Street. A person trapped in a car and was extricated by firefighters. Fire officials said two people were taken to Hartford Hospital. A section of the road was briefly closed while firefighters and police were on scene. Record-Journal staff Sign up to receive the First Reading newsletter, your guide to the world of Canadian politics. First Reading is your guide to the world of Canadian politics. Sign up now> NASA captures Hawaii's new volcanic fissures from space, releasing satellite photos of the new and dangerous hot spots in the islands. The Kilauea Volcano has been erupting for over 30 years, but when powerful earthquakes hit Hawaii starting April 30, the seismic activity prompted gas and lava to burst through the ground in newly created fissures. The NASA Photos NASA's Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on the Terra satellite shot the images of the fissures on May 6. In the image above, the newly formed fissures and new lava flow are identified as the yellow areas as detected by ASTER. A second photo from NASA show yellow and green streaks that represent the plumes of sulfur dioxide gas. The images allow scientists to track the movement of lava and sulfur dioxide. New Volcanic Activity In Hawaii NASA's Earth Observatory revealed that a lava lake overflowed numerous times in the last week of April 2018. When the crater partially collapsed, the lake drained and magma traveled underground causing earthquakes to hit Kilauea's East Rift Zone. Within days, a number of fissures cracked the ground open, spewing lava and wreaking havoc in the Leilani Estates subdivision. Scientists are still not sure what caused the crater to collapse or the magma to get drained from the system, but volcanologist Wendy Stovall of the U.S. Geological Survey offers two possibilities for the occurrence. "Either there's an increase in magma supply, or something blocked the system, something blocked the pathway out of the system," she tells NPR. More sulfur dioxide are also being released as the magma reaches the surface. "The process is similar to what happens when a bottle of soda is opened," Ashley Davies, a volcanologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, explains to Earth Observatory. "The bubbles of sulfur dioxide and other volatiles, including water and carbon dioxide, begin to rise through the liquid magma and concentrate in the magma closest to the surface, so the first lava to erupt is often the most volatile-rich. There's usually an increase in sulfur dioxide output right before lava reaches the surface, as the gas escapes from the ascending magma." The dramatic changes in the island's volcanic landscape have proven to be a devastating event for Hawaii. The latest Hawaii's Civil Defense Agency alert reported 14 volcanic fissures as of Tuesday, May 8. The lava spans 104 acres with 35 structures already destroyed. Carroll County Independent Corrections officer to fund K9 training by Mellisa Seamans Reporter Reporter write the author OSSIPEE A County corrections officer has offered up his own GI Bill education funding to bring a drug sniffing canine to work at the county jail. Justin Corliss, employed at the jail since 2012 and recently promoted to sergeant, will spend two weeks in Texas in training with the K9. Corliss brought the offer to the county commissioners' May 2 meeting. The board voted unanimously to cover the cost of Corliss' airfare and lodging while in San Antonio. The 80-hour course, offered through Universal K9, begins in June will provide a trained dog and train Corliss to be its handler. According the company's website, Corliss will learn the proper techniques in canine safety and care; obedience training; detection dog training; patrol dog training; search patterns; scent theory; safe handling of explosives and narcotics; and validation and legal considerations. In exchange for Corliss paying for the dog and the initial training, he asked that the county fund the dog's annual veterinarian appointment and future annual three-day trips to Texas for training. Corliss will own the dog and will be responsible for its care and any other related expenses. He will not find out what type of dog it is German Sheppard, Dutch Sheppard, or Malinois until he gets to Texas in June. Jail Superintendent Jason Henry said there has been a "huge" rise in substance use issues at the jail and having the K9 will be of great benefit to the staff and the inmates. In fact, he said, in all of his years in law enforcement he has never been bombarded with so many substance use-related issues as are happening right now at the jail and he doesn't see the problem going away anytime soon. Henry said the K9 is not a "silver bullet" but one tool in the effort to slow the issues down and make everyone at the facility safer. The dog will be specifically trained to detect the drugs Fentanyl and Suboxone and perhaps others. County Administrator Ken Robichaud inserted that Suboxone is "the thing we find most often at the jail and on the side of the road" and added that "it's easy, it's thin and it's in a waterproof packet. Suboxone, or its generic equivalent buprenorphine is approved by the Federal Drug Administration for use in the treatment of opioid dependence. While it is a legal prescription drug, it is not used or allowed inside the jail. In addition to its drug sniffing expertise inside the jail, the dog will be used to patrol the county grounds seeking out illegal substances and will also be trained in detesting explosives and searching for missing people. Commissioner Amanda Bevard lauded Corliss, and said the fact he is willing to go through the training and provide his dog to the County is "just remarkable." The commissioners will not meet May 9 due to county heads and other staff attending a two-day summit at Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods. Corliss is expected to attend the May 16 commissioner's meeting to present a memorandum of understanding, addressing the details of the K9 agreement, including the costs and liability. OSSIPEE A County corrections officer has offered up his own GI Bill education funding to bring a drug sniffing canine to work at the county jail.Justin Corliss, employed at the jail since 2012 and recently promoted to sergeant, will spend two weeks in Texas in training with the K9. Corliss brought the offer to the county commissioners' May 2 meeting. The board voted unanimously to cover the cost of Corliss' airfare and lodging while in San Antonio.The 80-hour course, offered through Universal K9, begins in June will provide a trained dog and train Corliss to be its handler. According the company's website, Corliss will learn the proper techniques in canine safety and care; obedience training; detection dog training; patrol dog training; search patterns; scent theory; safe handling of explosives and narcotics; and validation and legal considerations.In exchange for Corliss paying for the dog and the initial training, he asked that the county fund the dog's annual veterinarian appointment and future annual three-day trips to Texas for training. Corliss will own the dog and will be responsible for its care and any other related expenses. He will not find out what type of dog it is German Sheppard, Dutch Sheppard, or Malinois until he gets to Texas in June.Jail Superintendent Jason Henry said there has been a "huge" rise in substance use issues at the jail and having the K9 will be of great benefit to the staff and the inmates. In fact, he said, in all of his years in law enforcement he has never been bombarded with so many substance use-related issues as are happening right now at the jail and he doesn't see the problem going away anytime soon. Henry said the K9 is not a "silver bullet" but one tool in the effort to slow the issues down and make everyone at the facility safer.The dog will be specifically trained to detect the drugs Fentanyl and Suboxone and perhaps others. County Administrator Ken Robichaud inserted that Suboxone is "the thing we find most often at the jail and on the side of the road" and added that "it's easy, it's thin and it's in a waterproof packet. Suboxone, or its generic equivalent buprenorphine is approved by the Federal Drug Administration for use in the treatment of opioid dependence. While it is a legal prescription drug, it is not used or allowed inside the jail.In addition to its drug sniffing expertise inside the jail, the dog will be used to patrol the county grounds seeking out illegal substances and will also be trained in detesting explosives and searching for missing people.Commissioner Amanda Bevard lauded Corliss, and said the fact he is willing to go through the training and provide his dog to the County is "just remarkable."The commissioners will not meet May 9 due to county heads and other staff attending a two-day summit at Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods. Corliss is expected to attend the May 16 commissioner's meeting to present a memorandum of understanding, addressing the details of the K9 agreement, including the costs and liability. Coos County Democrat Petition received to shutter Carroll shooting range CARROLLLocal business owner Jack Catalano has urged the Select Board to close an open-air, town-owned shooting range, which sits across from his Living Waters Campground on Route 302. The range in is a sand and gravel pit with a high backdrop near the center of town, less then 1,000 feet from Catalano's campground. By law, shooting may be allowed in such areas if the earthen backdrop is high and durable enough to catch stray bullets. The parcels meets this standard, though as a piece of town-owned property, it falls under the ultimate authority of the Select Board. It is adjacent to the Carroll Recreation Area, which includes trails and play areas. Accompanied by some several neighbors and supporters, Catalano told the Select Board that the shooting range made his guests feel unsafe, and questioned the sense of allowing firearms near to where children play. Residents have also reported hearing more louder sounds, as if from large explosions. Catalano said that such noises rattle his windows. In his letter to the Select Board, Catalano complained that the loud, unpredictable noises harm the peace of mind of his campground's guests, and threaten his business, which he has owned for some 28 years. "That open air firing range is destroying everything that I have worked to build over all those years," he wrote, and argued that disgruntled and frightened visitors would spread the word, harming Carroll's reputation as a destination town. "We might as well rename our town 'Little Syria'," he continued. Catalano emphasized that he was a gun owner, but that that were better locations for such activities. According to resident Vern Amirault, gunshots from the range can be heard in many parts of town. Public complaints about the range have been few, according to Carroll Police Chief John Trammell. Planing Board member Richard Kropf has suggested that a more precise schedule might allay some of he concerns. However, Catalano rejected the idea at last month's Select Board meeting, and argued that the sound was problematic at any time of day. According to Chair Dave Scalley, the Select Board has the power to determine whether firearms and explosions will be allowed on public parcels like the firing range. At last month's meeting the Board declined to make a final decision on the issue. CARROLLLocal business owner Jack Catalano has urged the Select Board to close an open-air, town-owned shooting range, which sits across from his Living Waters Campground on Route 302.The range in is a sand and gravel pit with a high backdrop near the center of town, less then 1,000 feet from Catalano's campground. By law, shooting may be allowed in such areas if the earthen backdrop is high and durable enough to catch stray bullets. The parcels meets this standard, though as a piece of town-owned property, it falls under the ultimate authority of the Select Board. It is adjacent to the Carroll Recreation Area, which includes trails and play areas.Accompanied by some several neighbors and supporters, Catalano told the Select Board that the shooting range made his guests feel unsafe, and questioned the sense of allowing firearms near to where children play.Residents have also reported hearing more louder sounds, as if from large explosions. Catalano said that such noises rattle his windows.In his letter to the Select Board, Catalano complained that the loud, unpredictable noises harm the peace of mind of his campground's guests, and threaten his business, which he has owned for some 28 years."That open air firing range is destroying everything that I have worked to build over all those years," he wrote, and argued that disgruntled and frightened visitors would spread the word, harming Carroll's reputation as a destination town."We might as well rename our town 'Little Syria'," he continued.Catalano emphasized that he was a gun owner, but that that were better locations for such activities.According to resident Vern Amirault, gunshots from the range can be heard in many parts of town.Public complaints about the range have been few, according to Carroll Police Chief John Trammell.Planing Board member Richard Kropf has suggested that a more precise schedule might allay some of he concerns. However, Catalano rejected the idea at last month's Select Board meeting, and argued that the sound was problematic at any time of day.According to Chair Dave Scalley, the Select Board has the power to determine whether firearms and explosions will be allowed on public parcels like the firing range. At last month's meeting the Board declined to make a final decision on the issue. Coos County Democrat Whitefield selectmen hold public hearing on solar arrays Spartan harriers tackle challenging course at Newfound Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Littleton Courier Littleton National Guard post unveils historic exhibit by Justin Roshak This past Sunday, the Meadow Street's Readiness Center and National Guard Armory unveiled an historic display in celebration of its more then half-century in town. The projects caps the Armory's expansion of recent years, and provides an opportunity to reflect on the Guard's changing role in local, state, and national service. (Photo by Justin Roshak) (click for larger version) LITTLETONThis past Sunday, the Meadow Street's Readiness Center and National Guard Armory unveiled an historic display in celebration of its more then half-century in town. The projects caps the Armory's expansion of recent years, and provides an opportunity to reflect on the Guard's changing role in local, state, and national service. Located just inside the new glass entrance-way, the historic exhibit includes a half-century of Army mottos, from famous standbys like the Korea and Vietnam-era "Look Sharp, Be Sharp, Go Army!" and "Be All You Can Be" (1980 -2001), to less enduring attempts, such as the post-draft "Today's Army Wants to Join You" and the more recent "Army of One," which lasted only five years, and proved unpopular with tight-knit teams of soldiers. The exhibit features historical photographs of every vehicle and weapon the Littleton post's soldiers have trained with with 1955: 90 mm anti-aircraft cannons and radar vans in the 1950's, artillery pieces and machine guns in the Vietnam era (including at one point, white phosphorus shells) as well as other tools like jeeps, camouflage nets, and ammunition cranes. It is a snapshot of US military history, as experienced by Littleton's first line of defense. "I hope it gets a lot of attention from current and past soldiers," said Lt. Col. Justin Strevig. He said it was "A reflection of the pride and comradery they had for service." Strevig pointed out that the New Hampshire National Guard's roots go back to colonial times, and that its mission has changed to reflect the threats faced by the state and nation. Littleton's National Guard Armory opened in 1955, funded by the 1950 National Civil Defense Act, which invested millions in federal dollars in local defense and preparedness facilities in response to rising Cold War tensions with the then-Soviet Union. In our own era, the September 11th, 2001 attacks shifted the Guard from a largely strategic reserve role to its highest level of active duty since World War II. As a result, many units outgrew their Eisenhower-era buildings, and Littleton's post was no exception. The Armory's expansion, largely completed in 2016, added an entire new wing, and the base welcomed its new occupants, Alpha Battery. Composed of some 100 personnel, Alpha Battery is one of four batteries which constitute the Third Battalion of the 197th Fires Brigade, which includes elements from the Rhode Island, Michigan, Massachusetts, and West Virginia National Guards. Organized as field artillery, the Littleton post's soldiers train with truck-mounted M142 HIMARS, or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. The armory expansion was overseen by the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources and the Guard's own Environmental Office. Among other changes, they encouraged the post to return its architecture to its original 1950's design. As a result, the old section of the Armory looks more like it did under Eisenhower then it has in decades. A recent internal audit examined conditions and procedures at 20 Guard locations in New Hampshire, of which three received the highest possible marks (i.e. no mistakes); Littleton was one. The Littleton Readiness Center and local Guard Armory is located at 350 Meadow St.; visitors and citizens are welcome to visit the display. LITTLETONThis past Sunday, the Meadow Street's Readiness Center and National Guard Armory unveiled an historic display in celebration of its more then half-century in town. The projects caps the Armory's expansion of recent years, and provides an opportunity to reflect on the Guard's changing role in local, state, and national service.Located just inside the new glass entrance-way, the historic exhibit includes a half-century of Army mottos, from famous standbys like the Korea and Vietnam-era "Look Sharp, Be Sharp, Go Army!" and "Be All You Can Be" (1980 -2001), to less enduring attempts, such as the post-draft "Today's Army Wants to Join You" and the more recent "Army of One," which lasted only five years, and proved unpopular with tight-knit teams of soldiers.The exhibit features historical photographs of every vehicle and weapon the Littleton post's soldiers have trained with with 1955: 90 mm anti-aircraft cannons and radar vans in the 1950's, artillery pieces and machine guns in the Vietnam era (including at one point, white phosphorus shells) as well as other tools like jeeps, camouflage nets, and ammunition cranes. It is a snapshot of US military history, as experienced by Littleton's first line of defense."I hope it gets a lot of attention from current and past soldiers," said Lt. Col. Justin Strevig.He said it was "A reflection of the pride and comradery they had for service."Strevig pointed out that the New Hampshire National Guard's roots go back to colonial times, and that its mission has changed to reflect the threats faced by the state and nation.Littleton's National Guard Armory opened in 1955, funded by the 1950 National Civil Defense Act, which invested millions in federal dollars in local defense and preparedness facilities in response to rising Cold War tensions with the then-Soviet Union. In our own era, the September 11th, 2001 attacks shifted the Guard from a largely strategic reserve role to its highest level of active duty since World War II. As a result, many units outgrew their Eisenhower-era buildings, and Littleton's post was no exception.The Armory's expansion, largely completed in 2016, added an entire new wing, and the base welcomed its new occupants, Alpha Battery. Composed of some 100 personnel, Alpha Battery is one of four batteries which constitute the Third Battalion of the 197th Fires Brigade, which includes elements from the Rhode Island, Michigan, Massachusetts, and West Virginia National Guards. Organized as field artillery, the Littleton post's soldiers train with truck-mounted M142 HIMARS, or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.The armory expansion was overseen by the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources and the Guard's own Environmental Office. Among other changes, they encouraged the post to return its architecture to its original 1950's design. As a result, the old section of the Armory looks more like it did under Eisenhower then it has in decades.A recent internal audit examined conditions and procedures at 20 Guard locations in New Hampshire, of which three received the highest possible marks (i.e. no mistakes); Littleton was one.The Littleton Readiness Center and local Guard Armory is located at 350 Meadow St.; visitors and citizens are welcome to visit the display. Littleton Courier Downtown Littleton buzzes with weekend activity Mittersill to gain $50,000 in slope improvements Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Newfound Landing Partnership with LRPC may save on fuel costs by Thomas P. Caldwell BRISTOL The Bristol Board of Selectmen has agreed to participate in a regional bidding process in an attempt to decrease the town's oil and propane costs. The Lakes Region Planning Commission, which successfully negotiated lower electric rates for participating towns last year, is launching a similar effort to use group buying power to negotiate better rates for heating fuel. Bristol did not participate in the earlier experiment, but this time decided it was worth exploring. The towns that joined in the regional planning commission's bulk buying plan last year realized an estimated $75,000 in savings on electricity, with a negotiated rate that was about 2 percent lower than what the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative was charging, and 48 percent less than Eversource's electric rates. Barnstead, Center Harbor, Danbury, Moultonborough, Northfield, Sanbornton, and Tuftonboro had signed on as being "very interested" in bulk energy purchasing, while Alton, Belmont, Effingham, Gilford, Meredith, Tilton, and Wolfeboro were "somewhat interested." Bristol negotiated its own contract for electricity. This time around, Town Administrator Nik Coates said it made sense to see what the planning commission could come up with for fuel costs. There is no obligation for a town to accept the negotiated rate, and because the process is getting underway on May 18 with a June 29 deadline for towns to return signed contracts, Bristol still will have time to pursue its traditional contract negotiations if the town does not like the LRPC's figures. Bristol normally signs its fuel purchase agreements in August, Coates said. During a short meeting on May 3, the selectmen also authorized the signing of several contracts: an ambulance contract providing services to Alexandria, Danbury, and Hill as well as Bristol; a geotechnical contract for test borings at the Bristol Fire Station; and a construction contract for work at the Bristol solid waste transfer station. Last month, Fire Chief Ben LaRoche had come to the selectmen with a single bid for the architectural and engineering work at the fire station in anticipation of future expansion of the building. Warren Street Architects came in with a price of $15,000, but selectmen pointed out that town policy calls for three bids. This month, LaRoche and Coates had three bids for the geothermal work, with M&W Soils Engineering Company of Charlestown coming in with the lowest cost, to win the contract. M&W's price was $4,650, compared to $6,700 for Nobis Engineering of Concord and $6,000 for Ward Geotechnical Consulting of Bow. Selectmen had previously discussed Morrison Construction's bid for work at the transfer station. Coates said the town had made some revisions in the contract to meet the recommendations of Bristol's insurance provider, and selectmen agreed to give Coates the authority to sign the contract. Selectman J.P. Morrison abstained from the vote, and Selectman Rick Alpers was not present to vote. The selectmen also agreed to allow the Tapply-Thompson Community Center hire a swimming instructor for the summer, with Selectman Les Dion, the community center's executive director, abstaining from the vote. The two-week classes will operate in four sessions beginning June 25, with each class meeting for 45 minutes, five days a week. As it did last year, the town will issue temporary parking permits to the participants' families to allow them to park at the beach while classes are in session. Selectmen agreed to sign a petition by the Newfound Lake Region Association, asking for a lake level study to find out why the lake seems to be higher than it used to be. State law outlines the procedure for requesting such a study of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services' Dam Bureau, and Bristol signed on as an abutter. Board members did not take Coates up on his suggestion of "going paperless" for meetings. He noted that selectmen receive their board packages by email ahead of time, and said the town could save money if it did not also print out all of the documents. Acting Chair Don Milbrand said he objected because that tends to have everyone staring at their laptops during meetings, and Dion concurred, saying she has seen officials stare at their computers and fail to make eye contact with one another and with their constituents attending meetings. Coates reported that the new company that won the information technology contract has been assessing the needs of the town personnel. He said they will be installing e-ticketing software that allows them to remotely address any computer problems, which should save the town money that formerly went to travel by the technicians. Coates also noted that he has been receiving calls about the new utility poles that have been put in place without the installation being completed or the dirt around the poles removed. He said they are waiting for the fire department to complete its work on the alarm system the complete the project. BRISTOL The Bristol Board of Selectmen has agreed to participate in a regional bidding process in an attempt to decrease the town's oil and propane costs.The Lakes Region Planning Commission, which successfully negotiated lower electric rates for participating towns last year, is launching a similar effort to use group buying power to negotiate better rates for heating fuel. Bristol did not participate in the earlier experiment, but this time decided it was worth exploring.The towns that joined in the regional planning commission's bulk buying plan last year realized an estimated $75,000 in savings on electricity, with a negotiated rate that was about 2 percent lower than what the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative was charging, and 48 percent less than Eversource's electric rates.Barnstead, Center Harbor, Danbury, Moultonborough, Northfield, Sanbornton, and Tuftonboro had signed on as being "very interested" in bulk energy purchasing, while Alton, Belmont, Effingham, Gilford, Meredith, Tilton, and Wolfeboro were "somewhat interested." Bristol negotiated its own contract for electricity.This time around, Town Administrator Nik Coates said it made sense to see what the planning commission could come up with for fuel costs. There is no obligation for a town to accept the negotiated rate, and because the process is getting underway on May 18 with a June 29 deadline for towns to return signed contracts, Bristol still will have time to pursue its traditional contract negotiations if the town does not like the LRPC's figures. Bristol normally signs its fuel purchase agreements in August, Coates said.During a short meeting on May 3, the selectmen also authorized the signing of several contracts: an ambulance contract providing services to Alexandria, Danbury, and Hill as well as Bristol; a geotechnical contract for test borings at the Bristol Fire Station; and a construction contract for work at the Bristol solid waste transfer station.Last month, Fire Chief Ben LaRoche had come to the selectmen with a single bid for the architectural and engineering work at the fire station in anticipation of future expansion of the building. Warren Street Architects came in with a price of $15,000, but selectmen pointed out that town policy calls for three bids.This month, LaRoche and Coates had three bids for the geothermal work, with M&W Soils Engineering Company of Charlestown coming in with the lowest cost, to win the contract. M&W's price was $4,650, compared to $6,700 for Nobis Engineering of Concord and $6,000 for Ward Geotechnical Consulting of Bow.Selectmen had previously discussed Morrison Construction's bid for work at the transfer station. Coates said the town had made some revisions in the contract to meet the recommendations of Bristol's insurance provider, and selectmen agreed to give Coates the authority to sign the contract. Selectman J.P. Morrison abstained from the vote, and Selectman Rick Alpers was not present to vote.The selectmen also agreed to allow the Tapply-Thompson Community Center hire a swimming instructor for the summer, with Selectman Les Dion, the community center's executive director, abstaining from the vote. The two-week classes will operate in four sessions beginning June 25, with each class meeting for 45 minutes, five days a week. As it did last year, the town will issue temporary parking permits to the participants' families to allow them to park at the beach while classes are in session.Selectmen agreed to sign a petition by the Newfound Lake Region Association, asking for a lake level study to find out why the lake seems to be higher than it used to be. State law outlines the procedure for requesting such a study of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services' Dam Bureau, and Bristol signed on as an abutter.Board members did not take Coates up on his suggestion of "going paperless" for meetings. He noted that selectmen receive their board packages by email ahead of time, and said the town could save money if it did not also print out all of the documents. Acting Chair Don Milbrand said he objected because that tends to have everyone staring at their laptops during meetings, and Dion concurred, saying she has seen officials stare at their computers and fail to make eye contact with one another and with their constituents attending meetings.Coates reported that the new company that won the information technology contract has been assessing the needs of the town personnel. He said they will be installing e-ticketing software that allows them to remotely address any computer problems, which should save the town money that formerly went to travel by the technicians.Coates also noted that he has been receiving calls about the new utility poles that have been put in place without the installation being completed or the dirt around the poles removed. He said they are waiting for the fire department to complete its work on the alarm system the complete the project. Newfound Landing Faith Smith named U.S. Youth Ambassador to Special Olympics Volleyball Bears hit their way to three more wins Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Plymouth Record Enterprise Fun and fundraising go hand in hand at Baker River Regatta by Donna Rhodes write the author Danielle, Lutra, Corva and Heron Hannon waved to those on shore as they headed out for the Baker River Regatta last weekend, which helped raise money for Mountain Village Charter School. (Photo by Donna Rhodes) (click for larger version) PLYMOUTH Jamie Hannon's suggestion to hold a boat regatta on the Baker River turned out to be a fun and environmentally friendly fundraising idea for Mountain Village Charter School last Saturday morning. Hannon is the president of the Board of Trustees for the school, and said he remembers a time when there was a regatta on the river in Wentworth. "There hasn't been a race here in almost 40 years though and this seemed like a great opportunity for us to bring that back. I'd love to see more paddling here on the river," Hannon said. A total of 57 canoes, kayaks and paddleboards registered for the race in a wide array of categories. Beginning with novice paddlers, groups headed out one at a time from the launch site just below Millennium Bridge. From there they paddled the waters of the Baker River all the way to the junction of the Pemigewasset River where they eventually disembarked 4.75 miles later at the amphitheater on Green Street. Costumes were encouraged and many were happy to oblige. Tiny fairy princesses rode along with their parents, some paddlers donned crazy hats and a few had a patriotic theme. There was even a costumed "beaver" aboard one boat and Nick Boccia, a brave paddleboarder from Plymouth State University, arrived wearing an "Ariel" mermaid costume for his adventure. River clean up was also encouraged and as each boat left they were armed with garbage bags to collect any litter they spotted along the way. "I had about five teams sign up for this today just to do the river cleanup, which was great," one of the volunteers reported. There was even an award handed out at the end of the day for the boat that brought back the most trash. Other awards presented at the conclusion of the race included groups or individuals with the best time in each division and, of course, there were also awards for the best costumes. Katy Gautsch is the Head of School for Mountain Village Charter School and said Hannon's idea for a boat regatta really fit the school's mission in promoting environmental learning. "Each year, we have one big fundraiser and this one is amazing. It's unique and it really captures who we are," said Gautsch. "Another nice feature is, it brings the whole community together." Besides participants from the school, there were students from PSU, local residents and a team from Mountain Valley Treatment Center. Also supporting them in the first ever Baker River Regatta was the Baker River Watershed Association. Mountain Village Charter School is a nature-based Montessori learning environment that strives to meet the needs of the whole child. Board members said charter schools have free enrollment open to all and there are currently 70 children enrolled at the school from 17 different communities. Fundraising activities, like this year's regatta, are important to their operations however because the state provides charter schools with only 38-percent of the funding per student as public schools. For more information on Mountain Village Charter School, their educational programs, summer camp opportunities and more, please visit them online at PLYMOUTH Jamie Hannon's suggestion to hold a boat regatta on the Baker River turned out to be a fun and environmentally friendly fundraising idea for Mountain Village Charter School last Saturday morning.Hannon is the president of the Board of Trustees for the school, and said he remembers a time when there was a regatta on the river in Wentworth."There hasn't been a race here in almost 40 years though and this seemed like a great opportunity for us to bring that back. I'd love to see more paddling here on the river," Hannon said.A total of 57 canoes, kayaks and paddleboards registered for the race in a wide array of categories. Beginning with novice paddlers, groups headed out one at a time from the launch site just below Millennium Bridge. From there they paddled the waters of the Baker River all the way to the junction of the Pemigewasset River where they eventually disembarked 4.75 miles later at the amphitheater on Green Street.Costumes were encouraged and many were happy to oblige. Tiny fairy princesses rode along with their parents, some paddlers donned crazy hats and a few had a patriotic theme. There was even a costumed "beaver" aboard one boat and Nick Boccia, a brave paddleboarder from Plymouth State University, arrived wearing an "Ariel" mermaid costume for his adventure.River clean up was also encouraged and as each boat left they were armed with garbage bags to collect any litter they spotted along the way."I had about five teams sign up for this today just to do the river cleanup, which was great," one of the volunteers reported.There was even an award handed out at the end of the day for the boat that brought back the most trash. Other awards presented at the conclusion of the race included groups or individuals with the best time in each division and, of course, there were also awards for the best costumes.Katy Gautsch is the Head of School for Mountain Village Charter School and said Hannon's idea for a boat regatta really fit the school's mission in promoting environmental learning."Each year, we have one big fundraiser and this one is amazing. It's unique and it really captures who we are," said Gautsch. "Another nice feature is, it brings the whole community together."Besides participants from the school, there were students from PSU, local residents and a team from Mountain Valley Treatment Center. Also supporting them in the first ever Baker River Regatta was the Baker River Watershed Association.Mountain Village Charter School is a nature-based Montessori learning environment that strives to meet the needs of the whole child. Board members said charter schools have free enrollment open to all and there are currently 70 children enrolled at the school from 17 different communities. Fundraising activities, like this year's regatta, are important to their operations however because the state provides charter schools with only 38-percent of the funding per student as public schools. For more information on Mountain Village Charter School, their educational programs, summer camp opportunities and more, please visit them online at www.mountainvillagecharterschool.org Plymouth Record Enterprise Vintage Market brings antique treasure hunters to the shores of Squam Lake by Donna Rhodes write the author Sue Smith and Stacey Lucas were excited to welcome the hundreds of shoppers who stopped by Cottage Place in Holderness for their first ever Vintage Market on Squam Lake event. (Photo by Donna Rhodes) (click for larger version) HOLDERNESS In the spirit of the renowned Brimfield Outdoor Antique Show in Massachusetts, two local women brought treasure hunting in New Hampshire to the forefront when they hosted the Vintage Market on Squam Lake last Saturday and Sunday. Stacey Lucas, owner of Fig Tree Art Gallery in Ashland, and her friend Sue Smith, who owns Cottage Place, itself a vintage resort on Route 3 in Holderness, developed the idea for a semi-annual market place and it was well-received by both vendors and antique-lovers alike. Lucas said she and Smith are like-minded "Vintage Mamas," always out shopping for items that can be repurposed, used as decor or unique art. Then one day they realized Cottage Place was the perfect spot to host a marketplace of their own. The pair began to take note of vendors from all over New England who sold the types of goods they felt best suited their plans and invited them to Holderness last week. Vendors had two options available for the market. They could have a "Pop Up" shop outdoors under a tent on the grounds of the resort or chose the "Residential" option. Through the residential option, they could transform one of Smith's quaint cottages into a two-day only shop for their wares. "This is a weekend early enough in the year when I don't have any business here and it's worked out so well," said Smith. "We're thrilled so many people have come out to the market but this event wouldn't be as good as it is without the quality of vendors we have." Antiques of all kinds, repurposed furniture, vintage signs, toys, collectibles and unusual crafts were among the thousands of bargains shoppers found last weekend as they strolled the grounds and wandered in and out of the cottages. "This has been a great," commented one woman visiting from Connecticut. "I found this beautiful little table and now I'm excited to see how it looks in my home." Hundreds of shoppers were also spotted loading up their cars with vintage dressers, old tools, art and lots of other fun finds. "I think this birdcage will make a beautiful hanging planter," said another happy shopper. Anyone who missed last weekend's marketplace need not despair though. Smith and Lucas said they plan on hosting another in the fall, and better yet, they'll be back again next year. "This was the first ever of what we want to make a semi-annual event. On the last weekend in October we'll have another market that will have a whole different flavor to it, with lots of pumpkins, hayrides and Christmas-y things," she said. Smith was glad that her cottage colony has turned out to be the perfect venue for this type of off-season use and looks forward to making it a vintage-lover's destination each year. "I think what makes this great is the consistency we can provide as people come to know the market will be here the first weekend each May and the last weekend every October," said Smith. HOLDERNESS In the spirit of the renowned Brimfield Outdoor Antique Show in Massachusetts, two local women brought treasure hunting in New Hampshire to the forefront when they hosted the Vintage Market on Squam Lake last Saturday and Sunday.Stacey Lucas, owner of Fig Tree Art Gallery in Ashland, and her friend Sue Smith, who owns Cottage Place, itself a vintage resort on Route 3 in Holderness, developed the idea for a semi-annual market place and it was well-received by both vendors and antique-lovers alike.Lucas said she and Smith are like-minded "Vintage Mamas," always out shopping for items that can be repurposed, used as decor or unique art. Then one day they realized Cottage Place was the perfect spot to host a marketplace of their own.The pair began to take note of vendors from all over New England who sold the types of goods they felt best suited their plans and invited them to Holderness last week.Vendors had two options available for the market. They could have a "Pop Up" shop outdoors under a tent on the grounds of the resort or chose the "Residential" option. Through the residential option, they could transform one of Smith's quaint cottages into a two-day only shop for their wares."This is a weekend early enough in the year when I don't have any business here and it's worked out so well," said Smith. "We're thrilled so many people have come out to the market but this event wouldn't be as good as it is without the quality of vendors we have."Antiques of all kinds, repurposed furniture, vintage signs, toys, collectibles and unusual crafts were among the thousands of bargains shoppers found last weekend as they strolled the grounds and wandered in and out of the cottages."This has been a great," commented one woman visiting from Connecticut. "I found this beautiful little table and now I'm excited to see how it looks in my home."Hundreds of shoppers were also spotted loading up their cars with vintage dressers, old tools, art and lots of other fun finds."I think this birdcage will make a beautiful hanging planter," said another happy shopper.Anyone who missed last weekend's marketplace need not despair though. Smith and Lucas said they plan on hosting another in the fall, and better yet, they'll be back again next year."This was the first ever of what we want to make a semi-annual event. On the last weekend in October we'll have another market that will have a whole different flavor to it, with lots of pumpkins, hayrides and Christmas-y things," she said.Smith was glad that her cottage colony has turned out to be the perfect venue for this type of off-season use and looks forward to making it a vintage-lover's destination each year."I think what makes this great is the consistency we can provide as people come to know the market will be here the first weekend each May and the last weekend every October," said Smith. By Express News Service DAVANAGERE: Continuing their series of raids the Income Tax sleuths on Tuesday night raided the house of the BJP candidate from Channagiri Madal Virupakshappas house located at Channeshapura. The raid continued till morning. The raid is termed as eyewasher by the opposition Congress, which is constantly alleging that the Prime Minister Modi led central government has constantly targeted the opposition Congress by initiating Income Tax raid during the elections and making all efforts to defeat it. It can be recalled that the IT raids were conducted on the house of Congress candidate from Sirsi- Siddapur Congress candidate Bheemanna Naik, MLA B Shivanna of Anekal, Krishna Resort owned by Congress candidate from Vijayanagar Anand Singh. Before this there were also IT raids against the Congress leader D K Shivakumar, MLC G Raghu Achar which all led to the doubts that Congress candidates were targeted. ALSO READ | Election Commision seizes over 9,000 voter ID cards from RR Nagar flat Understanding the raid hundreds of BJP workers assembled at the house of the Ex-MLA, however they were not allowed to meet Virupakshappa till the raid was over. Speaking to Express, candidate Madal Virupakshappa said, The opposition Congress is having an hand behind this raid, based on the complaint lodged by a Congress worker the raid has been initiated, however, the candidate Vadnal Rajanna is behind all this episode. Narrating the raid incident, Virupakshappa said, the congress worker lodged a complaint with Tahsildar by 4 PM and it was handed over to the Deputy Commissioner by around 5 PM and the raid started around 6 PM, the episode clearly shows the motive of the opposition. The raid was conducted by Seven officials of the IT department of Hubbali and Davangere and they returned empty handed, as there were no differences in the accounts. Administrative machinery mis-used The quick move of the complaint clearly indicates the rampant mis-use of the administrative machinery by the Congress government in state. The opposition which is rattled by the popularity of BJP is making all out efforts to defeat me, he alleged. He also said that he has got almighty power and no one can prevent him from winning Channagiri constituency. Planned raid Ex-Chairman of KSIC and Congress leader D Basavaraj described the IT raid as well planned to protect the BJP and Narendra Modi from the allegations that the IT raids during election time in Karnataka was not an act of vengeance and it was a routine functioning of the department. He termed the raid as just a eyewasher. He said that, people of the state are closely watching the happenings in the state and will teach the BJP a fitting lesson as these type of acts of vengeance is not good in a democratic set-up, instead the elections should be fought on ideologies and not through immoral means. Basavaraj challenged the IT department and the central government to conduct raid on the houses of B S Yeddyurappa, K S Eshwarappa, R Ashok, Jagadish Shettar, Ananth Kumar who have looted the country and catch them. BJP which has come to know that they are going to loose badly in the general elections are trying to use back door methods to prevent Congress surge in Karnataka, which will turn futile. The acts are clear political and will not yield any benefit for the BJP as they are not coming to power in Karnataka. By PTI BANGARPET: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi after he publicly declared his prime ministerial ambition, and wondered whether the country will ever accept such an "immature and naamdar (famous)" leader for the post. "The naamdar who does not have confidence in his alliance partners who doesn't care for Congress' internal democracy, whose arrogance has reached cloud seven, and is declaring himself that he would be the prime minister in 2019. Will the country ever accept such an immature 'naamdar' leader?" Modi told an election rally here. READ | Time for Karnataka to say goodbye to Congress: PM Modi Modi's attack came a day after Gandhi said he was ready to occupy the prime minister's post if his party emerged as the "biggest" party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, making known his ambition for the topmost executive post. "Yesterday in Karnataka and India's politics something happened. All of a sudden one person came and he declared. Did not care about others who are standing in the line. Did not care about other coalition partners." "There are leaders waiting for 40 years. He came all of a sudden and placed his bucket, and said I will become the primeminister," Modi said during the final lap of his campaign blitz in election-bound Karnataka, where voting will be held on May 12. The prime minister asked the gathering whether it was not a reflection of the Congress president's "arrogance". He also wanted to know whether it did not show the state of internal democracy in the Congress party. Speaking about attempts to forge and anti-BJP front, Modi said, "big, big meetings are happening, big, big stalwarts are meeting" to remove him from power, but keeping them all in the dark Gandhi declared he will be the prime minister. READ | Congress president Rahul Gandhi says he is ready for Prime Minister post "Doesn't this show the level of no-confidence within the (proposed) coalition?" he asked. Continuing his tirade against the Congress, he called it a "deal party." Modi said during Manmohan Singh's tenure as the prime minister, the remote control of the government was with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, but in the four years of the his rule, the it was with people. He also said "Congress culture, communalism, casteism, crime, corruption and contract system" were the six Cs "destroying" Karnataka's future. Modi told the crowd that it was now Karnataka's turn to bid "goodbye" to the Congress. On Tuesday, Mr Gandhi has said in Bengaluru that the BJP is unlikely to form the next government at the Centre and indicated that in the event of Congress coming back to power he could be the next Prime Minister. Speaking at 'Samruddha Bharat' an independent platform to promote liberal and secular values, he said if opposition led by Congress join hands in the next Lok Sabha election in 2019 BJP will be wiped out. "It is next to impossible that Mr Narendra Modi can become Prime Minister again. It is already showing on his face,'' Mr Gandhi had said. Modi, launching a broadside against the state's ruling party ahead of elections on May 12, labelled the Congress a 'deal party'. Congress culture, communalism, casteism, crime, corruption and contract system were the six Cs destroying Karnataka's future, Modi added at the rally. (with input from agencies) By Express News Service BHOPAL: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan features as Angad and Congress state chief Kamal Nath is Ravan in a video that went viral in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. Promptly, the Congress lodged a complaint with the police against Chouhan, BJP IT cell in-charge Shivraj Singh Dabi and BJP state president Rakesh Singh. The ruling BJP accused the Opposition of running away from issue-based politics. The one-minute video was reportedly tweeted by Dabi on Monday evening. The video begins with excerpts of BJP chief Amit Shahs recent speech where he tells party workers that BJP and its government are like Angad, who cannot be dislodged by anyone. Chouhan dressed as Angad perches his foot firmly at the court of Kamal Nath who is dressed as Ravan. Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jeetu Patwari and Arun Yadav are shown as courtiers. The Congress chief and his fellow colleagues are seen unable to move the foot of Chouhan. Taking strong objection, a Congress team submitted a complaint to MP polices cyber cell in Bhopal on Tuesday. The team led by JP Dhanopiya alleged that the morphed video was first posted on social media by MP IT cell in-charge Shivraj Singh Dabi at around 7 pm on Monday. Posting the morphed video on social media amounts to disrespect to the Ramayana as well as defaming senior Congress leaders by showing them at CM Shivraj Singh Chouhans foot, said Congress state spokesperson NS Saluja. BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal denied any BJP role in entire episode. Congress doesnt believe in politics based on issues like development and governance, which is why its raking such episodes, said Agrawal. He admitted that Dabi is a BJP member. Congress is free to complain to police about any individual, but dragging the CM and state BJP chiefs name in the complaint is hilarious. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Thunderstorms, some heavy this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms, some heavy this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Chief Executive Carrie Lam It is a great pleasure to be here, an honour to serve as Reviewing Officer for the Hong Kong Fire Services Department's 150th anniversary grand parade. I was pleased to be here just over two years ago at the formal opening of the Fire & Ambulance Services Academy, another milestone in the long, proud history of the department, which began life as the Hong Kong Fire Brigade on this very day in 1868. From a brigade of some 100 personnel to today's elite force of more than 10,000 professionals is a compelling statement of the Fire Services Department and its unwavering vision - that has always been to serve Hong Kong, to make our city, our community, a safe place in which to live and work. In pursuit of that goal, the department has over the years established a number of specialist teams. They work to enhance operational safety and efficiency, while promoting fire safety and ensuring quality ambulance services. Those efforts received a rousing boost with the opening of this state-of-the-art academy, with its specialised training facilities and more than 500 residential training places. The academy, I should add, welcomes our Mainland and overseas counterparts for fire and ambulance training. Here, they can also exchange professional views and insight on different areas, from firefighting and safety to rescue and paramedic ambulance services. Apart from enhancing professional standards, the academy's work will help strengthen the ties between Hong Kong and other places. I encourage the academy to continue its efforts. The 150th anniversary of the Fire Services Department features a year-long parade of special events - for the public as well as industry professionals. That includes the three-day Fire Asia Conference, right here at the academy. The conference has attracted fire brigades and industry experts from all over the world. Once again, let me say how grateful I am to the Fire Services Department, proudly serving Hong Kong now for 150 years. Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave these remarks at the Hong Kong Fire Services Department 150th anniversary grand parade at the Fire & Ambulance Services Academy. iStock/Thinkstock(CHICAGO) -- The man arrested for allegedly shooting a federal agent in the face last week appeared in a Chicago court today to face formal charges. Ernesto Godinez, 27, was held without bond after appearing in federal court Tuesday morning in connection with what law enforcement officials have called an "ambush" on an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) who was shot in a Chicago neighborhood known as "Back of the Yards." The unnamed agent that Godinez is alleged to have shot on Friday was working with the Chicago Crime Gun Strike Force, an ATF task force formed last summer in response to a surge in Chicago-area shootings. The injured agent was transported to a hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, according to ATF officials. Godinez is a member of the Almighty Saints gang, ABC Chicago station WLS reported. Authorities confirmed that Godinez voluntarily surrendered to federal agents Monday night. The criminal complaint charging Godinez identified him as the only person in the vicinity of the wounded undercover agent around 3:15 a.m. on May 4. The complaint states that just before 3 a.m, three surveillance cameras captured "a stocky male with what appears to be long hair... wearing dark shorts and a dark t-shirt" getting into and later exiting a white Kia SUV. The details of the man in the footage are "consistent with the description of Godinez," according to investigator accounts in the complaint. The strike force team members were tasked with covertly replacing a tracking device on a vehicle parked in an area nearby Godinez's mother's home, where the suspect reportedly lived, according to court documents. When agents saw that there were no civilians in the area, they attempted to switch out the device. One of the agents was walking near the operation when "he was shot in the face." The complaint also asserts that "approximately seven shots were fired" -- relying on a sensor device known as a "Shot Spotter" which determines both the time and location of fired gunshots. Law enforcement officers collected five shell casings near that spot, just "across the alley from Godinez residence." Another casing was recovered close to where the ATF agent was shot. The complaint also says that responding officers returned fire. It's unclear how many response shots were fired. Minutes after the shooting, however, investigators report seeing Godinez on the surveillance video entering his home while "wiping his face, and holding what appears to be a cell phone," according to the affidavit. In court on Tuesday, Godinez did not enter a plea after being charged with having forcibly assaulted a federal agent ... and of having used a deadly and dangerous weapon in the alleged assault. If convicted, Godinez could be sent to prison for two decades and be fined as much as $250,000, authorities said. The surrender of Godinez ended a widespread manhunt in response to the ATF agent's shooting. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. TWO people were reportedly injured yesterday when a pirate taxi they were travelling in was hit by a goods train after failing to stop at a railway crossing point in Gweru, Southern Eye has learnt. The injured were ferried to Gweru Provincial Hospital where their condition could not be ascertained, while the driver of the vehicle was said to have escaped unhurt. Debris of the damaged car was strewn at the scene of the crash. Acting police provincial spokesperson assistant inspector, Ethel Mukwende referred questions to National Railways of Zimbabwe spokesperson, Nyasha Maravanyika, who said they were still investigating the matter and had not yet received a police report of the accident. We havent got the accident report yet, Maravanyika said. Investigations are still underway and our traffic section members are working with the police. So at the moment we are not sure what really happened. Maravanyika, however, urged drivers to stop at railway crossings. Eye witnesses said the accident occurred in early morning when the driver of a Honda CVR coming from Mkoba failed to stop at the railway level crossing, leading to the collision with a Masvingo-bound goods train. Other cars had lined up after stopping at the railway crossing, said a vendor, Joshua Magaba. The driver of the CRV who was behind the cars suddenly encroached in the opposite lane and when he reached the crossing, he was sideswiped by the goods train, resulting in the passengers being injured. Newsday Get the news faster. Tap to install our app. Access Newser even faster. Click here to install our app on your desktop. X (Newser) Google showcased its plans for the next several months as it kicked off its annual developers' conference Tuesday, the AP reports. Many of the new features center on the use of artificial intelligence to help save time. Highlights: Google Duplex: This service will use Google's digital assistant to take on the task of making appointments and other tedious calls with actual people at businesses. In two demonstrationsone setting up a hair appointment, the other a restaurant reservationa realistic-sounding automated voice used pauses and "ums" and "mmm-hmms" to sound more human during interactions with people. Google says the technology is rolling out as "an experiment" in coming weeks. (This piece was getting some of the biggest attention online, with commenters calling the demo "stunning" and "mindblowing" and saying it "really feels like next-level AI stuff.") story continues below Google Assistant: Google's digital assistant will get six new voices, including one based on that of singer John Legend, later this year. The voices aim to sound more natural and will include pauses that convey meaning. Google is also unveiling ways to let you issue multiple commands without having to say "Hey Google" each time. And it will reward kids who say "please," similar to a feature Amazon is bringing to its Alexa voice assistant. Google's digital assistant will get six new voices, including one based on that of singer John Legend, later this year. The voices aim to sound more natural and will include pauses that convey meaning. Google is also unveiling ways to let you issue multiple commands without having to say "Hey Google" each time. And it will reward kids who say "please," similar to a feature Amazon is bringing to its Alexa voice assistant. Lens: Google's visual assistant will be built into the camera. Just point the camera at a building or sign to get more information. Or copy text from images of menus, documents and other sources into another app on your phone. Google's visual assistant will be built into the camera. Just point the camera at a building or sign to get more information. Or copy text from images of menus, documents and other sources into another app on your phone. Android P: The version of Google's Android phone software will infuse basic functions with AI smarts. The battery will adapt to how you use apps in order to conserve energy. "Adaptive brightness" will learn how bright you like your screen based on manual adjustments, instead of automatically adjusting based on the how bright it is. The version of Google's Android phone software will infuse basic functions with AI smarts. The battery will adapt to how you use apps in order to conserve energy. "Adaptive brightness" will learn how bright you like your screen based on manual adjustments, instead of automatically adjusting based on the how bright it is. Well-being: Android P also includes features to combat overuse. A "shush" mode automatically turns on the "Do Not Disturb" mode when you turn your phone face down on a table. And "Wind Down Mode" will fade the screen to greyscale at a designated bed time to help you disconnect before bed. Android P also includes features to combat overuse. A "shush" mode automatically turns on the "Do Not Disturb" mode when you turn your phone face down on a table. And "Wind Down Mode" will fade the screen to greyscale at a designated bed time to help you disconnect before bed. Maps: Google will use augmented reality to help guide you to your destination. When you pull up directions on Google Maps, you can look through the camera and get turn-by-turn directions while viewing the actual street. The app will also orient you and verify your position using local landmarks such as buildings and shops viewed through the camera. Google calls the technology VPS, or visual positioning system. Click for more from the conference , including changes to photos, Gmail, and Google News. (Read more Google stories.) (Newser) Michael Cohen's legal woes appeared to deepen Tuesday night with a bombshell release from Stormy Daniels' attorney. According to financial records reviewed by the New York Times and NBC News, a company linked to a Russian oligarch targeted by US sanctions deposited around $500,000 into an account controlled by Essential Consultants, the shell company Cohen used to pay hush money to Daniels before the 2016 election. Michael Avenatti alleges that funds from oligarch Viktor Vekselberg may have "replenished the account" in a series of payments in 2017 after the Daniels settlement, though Columbus Nova, a US affiliate of a Vekselberg company, denies that he was involved in its payments to Trump's personal lawyer, the Washington Post reports. The purpose of the company's payments is unclear. story continues below Sources tell CNN that Robert Mueller's investigators have already quizzed Vekselberg about the payments to Cohen's company. Records reviewed by the Times show that around $4.4 million flowed through the Essential Consultants account between its creation weeks before the 2016 election and January this year, including hundreds of thousands of dollars from pharmaceutical firm Novartis, AT&T, and Korea Aerospace. AT&T confirmed the payments late Tuesday, saying Cohen's firm was among those it "engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration," the AP reports. Cohen isn't a registered lobbyist, and while the unusual payments may not have broken any laws, Trump and his attorney "have a lot of explaining to do," Avenatti said in a tweet Tuesday. (Read more Michael Cohen stories.) (Newser) He claimed be "Trumpier than Trump"but he couldn't overcome President Trump's opposition to his candidacy. Retired coal baron and ex-federal convict Don Blankenship finished in third place in West Virginia's hard-fought Senate primary on Tuesday. State Attorney General Patrick Morrissey won and will face incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin in November, the New York Times reports. Blankenship, seen by Trump and other Republicans as having no chance in the general election, noted in his concession speech late Tuesday that his probation for skirting safety rules before an explosion that killed 29 miners was minutes away from ending. "I havent really thought about what Im going to do tomorrow, he said. "I may be in Aruba before sunset." In other results: Incumbent loses in NC. Republican Rep. Robert Pittenger lost to former Baptist pastor Mark Harris in a North Carolina race, becoming the first sitting House member to lose in a primary this year, reports the Washington Post. story continues below Easy win for Pence . Greg Pence, older brother of Mike Pence, easily won the Republican primary for the vice president's old House seat in Indiana, which was vacated by Rep. Luke Messer's Senate run, CNN reports. "Hes making Hoosiers & the Pence family proud. Good luck in November!" tweeted Mike Pence. . Greg Pence, older brother of Mike Pence, easily won the Republican primary for the vice president's old House seat in Indiana, which was vacated by Rep. Luke Messer's Senate run, CNN reports. "Hes making Hoosiers & the Pence family proud. Good luck in November!" tweeted Mike Pence. Outsider wins in Indiana . In the state's GOP senate primary, businessman Mike Braun cruised to victory over Messer and Rep. Todd Mokita despite their attacks on his history as a Democratic voter, Politico reports. Braun attacked his rivals for entering politics at a young age and spending their working lives collecting government paychecks. . In the state's GOP senate primary, businessman Mike Braun cruised to victory over Messer and Rep. Todd Mokita despite their attacks on his history as a Democratic voter, Politico reports. Braun attacked his rivals for entering politics at a young age and spending their working lives collecting government paychecks. It'll be Cordray vs. Dewine in Ohio . In Ohio, Obama-era Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chief Richard Cordray defeated former Rep. Dennis Kucinich for the Democratic nomination to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. John Kasich, the AP reports. In November, he will face state Attorney General Mike DeWine, who was likened to former President Obama and Hillary Clinton by Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor during a bitter GOP primary campaign. . In Ohio, Obama-era Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chief Richard Cordray defeated former Rep. Dennis Kucinich for the Democratic nomination to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. John Kasich, the AP reports. In November, he will face state Attorney General Mike DeWine, who was likened to former President Obama and Hillary Clinton by Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor during a bitter GOP primary campaign. Trump's Ohio choice wins. Rep. Jim Renacci, a former car dealer endorsed by Trump, defeated businessman Mike Gibbons and other Republicans in Ohio's Senate primary, the Dayton Daily News reports. He will face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. (Read more Election 2018 stories.) (Newser) More than a decade ago, Air Force Col. Bruce Hollywood got to Dulles International Airport well before his flight. It would change his life. The Washington Post recounts the incredible tale of the now 57-year-old, who was adopted by an American couple stationed in Japan and never really considered his birth mother until a 2005 heart attack spurred him to look for her. He found only dead ends, even after reaching out to the US Embassy in Tokyo and working with a private detective. But while passing the time at a bar at Dulles, he met Adm. Harry Harris, and they started swapping stories. Harris insisted he could help Hollywood track down his biological motherand to Hollywood's disbelief, he did. A week and a half later he got a call from the Japanese Embassy informing him Nobue Ouchi would be phoning him in 10 minutes. story continues below The story gets even more poignant. As his mother sobbed on the call, an interpreter explained she had spent her life dreaming of this dayand that the next day was Nobue's 65th birthday. So great was her faith that she'd one day reconnect with her boy, the interpreter translated, that she had never married, "because she said in her heart there was only room for one man. And it was you, and she knew you would be back." Her lifelong commitment to a son a world away extended to her work: Hollywood's adoptive mother had sent Nobue a baby photograph and told her they named the child Brucethe name Nobue gave to the restaurant she ran. Read the full story at the Post for touching details about their meeting and how his adoption came to be; Nobue died three years after they reconnected, in 2009. (Read more mothers stories.) (Newser) A shouting match between a Democrat and a Republican over the firing of House chaplain Rev. Pat Conroy became so heated Tuesday evening that witnesses thought one of them might throw a punch. It began when GOP Rep. Tom MacArthur walked to the Democratic side of the floor and accused Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley of "politicizing" the firing with a resolution for a special investigation of it, CNN reports. During the ensuing squabble, Crowley banged his fist on the table, gestured for MacArthur to get back to his side of the chamber, and shouted that he was offended by the firing of the chaplain, adding that House Speaker Paul Ryan was the one who had politicized things by forcing Conroy to resign. story continues below A source tells Politico that MacArthur, an Episcopalian, told Crowley, who is Catholic, that it wasn't a partisan issue because he is a Republican and he regularly prays with the Catholic chaplain. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer eventually calmed the men down. "In New Jersey, we don't back down from people," MacArthur later said, per ABC7. "You know he's 6'4'', I'm 5'6''. If he wants to take a punch at me, you know let him have at it." Crowley's office says the argument would never have come to blows. Conroy was reinstated this week after rescinding the resignation he said Ryan had asked him to sign. Ryan says he met with Conroy over a cup of coffee Tuesday and they "absolutely" agreed to put the episode behind them. (Read more House of Representatives stories.) (Newser) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is making his second visit to Pyongyang and South Korean officials say he will probably bring three detained Americans home with him. Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday for meetings with Kim Jong Chol, director of the North's agency for inter-Korean relations, reports Reuters. An official at South Korea's presidential Blue House said Pompeo is expected to finalize the details of President Trump's summit with Kim Jong Un, and Pyongyang is expected to release the three American prisoners to him. "We expect him to bring the date, time, and the captives," the official told the Yonhap news agency. story continues below Pompeo, speaking to reporters travelling with him, said it would be a "great gesture" if the captives were released, though he couldn't guarantee it would happen. The former CIA chief, who met Kim Jong Un during his previous trip over Easter weekend, said he planned to set a date and location for the Trump summitand to clarify expectations. "We are not going to head down the path we headed down before," he said. "We will not relieve sanctions until such time as we have achieved our objectives." The New York Times notes in his comments to reporters, Pompeo stumbled over Kim's name, referring to him as "Chairman Un"with Un being part of Kim's first name, not surname. The Times shares one tweeted take: "Thats like, I dunno, calling Winston Churchill 'Prime Minister Spencer.'" (Read more North Korea stories.) (Newser) On Monday, Israeli celebrity chef Segev Moshe proudly posted a pic on Instagram showing off his latest creation: what looked to be a man's shoe filled with a "chocolate selection from the world." Per the Washington Post, it was Moshe's dessert offering for a May 2 dinner he oversaw for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wife Sara, and their guests of honor: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, Akie, who were making their second official visit to Israel. Observers were quick to point out, however, one big problem with Moshe's display of confections, as explained by an anonymous senior Israeli official who has served in Japan to the Yediot Aharonot newspaper, via the Jerusalem Post: "There is nothing more despised in Japanese culture than shoes." story continues below That belief extends to etiquette that requires taking off one's shoes before entering a Japanese home. The official says that Moshe's dish was "stupid," "insensitive," and "equivalent to serving a Jewish guest chocolates in a dish shaped like a pig." A Japanese diplomat adds "we were offended on behalf of our prime minister." Abe was said to have handled the incident "gracefully," however, per USA Today, and a source tells YA that Abe and his wife even invited Moshe to come whip something up in Japan, per the Times of Israel. Meanwhile, Moshe's publicist says in a statement that what the chocolates were served in was a "high-quality piece of art made of cast metal in the shape of a shoe," a creation by artist Tom Dixon. "It is not a real shoe." (Why a dot on a mousse dish recently made Japan furious.) (Newser) A professor in Brooklyn was murdered by an intruder on Monday, police sayand his wife and daughter may have been saved by a sharp-eyed neighbor. Doreen Giuliano says she noticed a man apparently casing the home for hours and then saw him enter through a side door. Giuliano tells CBS2 that she texted the wife of professor Jeremy Safran asking if they had a tenant or work being done on the home; when the answer was negative, she told the wife an intruder had entered the home. After the women fled the home and called 911, police found the 66-year-old professor dead in the home's basement. Police say they found Mirzo Atadzhanov, 28, hiding in a closet, covered in blood. Sources say Safran was beaten and stabbed to death. As he was escorted to booking, Atadzhanov claimed he had been "defending himself." story continues below "This is very scary that someone could climb into your house and hide in the basement," Giuliano tells the New York Daily News. "I think he was waiting to get the ladies. ... If I was a few minutes sooner, I think I could have saved Jeremy, too," she added, crying. Police haven't uncovered a connection between Atadzhanov and the psychology professor, who had taught at the New School for decades, though sources tell the New York Post that the suspect is believed to have followed Safran's 18-year-old daughter to the home. The Daily News reports that Atadzhanov was charged with attempted rape and assault in Dec. 2016 after allegedly attacking a Canadian tourist who stayed at his apartment through couchsurfing.com, though the charges were dropped at his first court appearance. (Read more murder stories.) (Newser) President Trump's decision to pull the US from the Iran nuclear deal drew a fiery response from conservative Iranian lawmakers Wednesdayduring the opening session of the country's parliament, they burned a paper American flag and the text of the 2015 deal, chanting "Death to America." But they were scenes of celebration, not anger, the Guardian reports. Hardliners in Iran view the US pullout as an opportunity to gain power over moderates who pushed for the 2015 deal, analysts say. The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards issued a statement Wednesday congratulating the country over the US move, saying it "was proved once more that US isn't trustworthy in regards its commitments." story continues below Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, challenged Trump over the withdrawal Wednesday, saying "You cannot do a damn thing," CNBC reports. But while hardliners are calling for the country to immediately restart its nuclear program, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the deal can still be salvaged. He announced late Tuesday that he will send his foreign minister to visit the other signatories: China, France, Germany, Russia, and the UK. Jean-Yves Le Drian, France's foreign minister, said Wednesday that "the deal is not dead," the BBC reports. "There's an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there," he said. Russian officials said they were "deeply disappointed" by Trump's decision, though it was cheered by Tehran foes Israel and Saudi Arabia. (Read more Iran stories.) (Newser) A Florida woman is accused of killing her husband more than 17 years after he vanished ahead of a celebration for their sixth wedding anniversary. Denise Williams, 48, was arrested Tuesday on first-degree murder charges, reports the Tallahassee Democrat. It was a dramatic turn in a cold case broken wide open by the discovery of Mike Williams' body in December. It turned out the 31-year-old hadn't fallen from a boat while duck hunting on Lake Seminole in 2000 and been eaten by alligators, as was long speculated. He was instead murdered, his body dumped near a boat landing in Tallahassee, reports Fox News. The announcement of its discovery came a day after Mike's best friend, Brian Winchester, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the armed kidnapping of Denise, whom he married in 2005. story continues below In June 2001, Mike had been declared dead by "accidental drowning" at Denise's request, per the Democrat. She collected more than $2 million from life insurance policies, including a $1 million policy sold to Mike by Winchester. Though Denise and Winchester would later marry, the pair divorced in 2015, and in 2016, Winchester kidnapped Denise at gunpoint. Documents from his sentencing show he was fearful of what Denise might tell police about Mike's disappearance. An indictment now says Denise conspired with Winchester to shoot and kill her husband, per WCTV. Says Winchester's lawyer, "we don't anticipate him being charged," and "if he's subpoenaed or granted immunity, he will cooperate and testify truthfully." Denise's lawyer says she'll fight the charges. "There's been a drum beat against her for years, but she has nothing to do with Mike Williams' death," he says. (Read more murder stories.) (Newser) The Mormon church said Tuesday it will sever all ties with the Boy Scouts of America at the end of 2019 and place its remaining 425,000 boys into a gospel-focused youth program it's developing. The move ends what USA Today calls a "long, symbiotic relationship," one based on shared values that has endured for more than 100 years. The announcement by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Boy Scouts didn't come as a complete surprise after the religion last year removed 185,000 boys between the ages of 14 and 18, signaling that an end to the long-time alliance was near, per the AP. Joining the Boy Scouts is practically automatic among Mormon boys, and the religion has long been the biggest sponsor of Boy Scout troops in the US. The Mormon boys who will be leaving represent about 18.5% of the 2.3 million youths in the organization. story continues below The Mormon church said in a statement the move is about creating its own youth program it can use for its increasingly global membership, but the two groups' values have been diverging of late. The Boy Scouts moved in 2015 to allow gay troop leaders and announced last year it would allow girls to join. Last week, the group said it's changing the name to Scouts BSA to account for the girls. The Mormon church opposes gay marriage, and has traditionally used separate youth programs for boys and girls. The still-to-be-developed program will likely include outdoor activities and character building similar to Boy Scouts but not be modeled after Boy Scouts or use ranks. In a statement, the BSA thanked the thousands of Mormons who've served as scout leaders, wished the religion well, and said individual Mormons who wish to stay in Boy Scouts will be integrated into other troops. (Read more Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stories.) (Newser) "OMG. This cop is talking to the freaking groundhog." So begins a video posted to Facebook that shows a Maryland sheriff's deputy trying to get a groundhog out of a roadway, where it was backing up traffic on Monday. Justyna Olkowska, the woman talking over the video, soon turns from a giggling OMG to a gasping one as she films the Carroll County Sheriffs Office deputy eventually shoot and kill the animal as it advances toward him. The Baltimore Sun reports the first shot didn't stop the animal from moving, so the deputy fired a second one and then returned to his car. WBAL reports the Humane Society later retrieved the remains but does not plan to test them for disease. story continues below CBS Baltimore has a statement from the sheriff's office, which explains the deputy "realized that it was not responding as expected for an animal that was not being cornered or trapped. Believing the groundhog to be either sick or injured, the deputy then put the animal down for the publics safety." In her video post, Olkowska isn't as calm. "This just happened. And Im soooo distraught!!!! Like I cannot believe I just witnessed this. ... I may be wrong and he might have been doing his job but all I kept thinking was what if my little niece and nephew were in the car with me seeing this." Her video has been viewed 100,000 times. (Read more animal stories.) (Newser) American prisoners Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song, and Kim Sang Duk are once again free men and on their way home following their release Wednesday from North Korea. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump tweeted early Wednesday. story continues below Trump later tweeted that the plane would be touching down stateside at 2am Thursday, and "I will be there to greet them." CNN notes that Kim Dong Chul has been imprisoned since before Trump's election. (Read more North Korea stories.) (Newser) Richard Grenell's first day on the job may not have gone exactly how he imagined it. The brand new US ambassador to Germany arrived in Berlin on Tuesday, and in the span of little more than an hour, three things occurred: Grenell handed his credentials to Germany's president, President Trump announced the end of America's participation in the Iran nuclear deal, and Grenell raised some German ire. It's all due to this tweet, made shortly after Trump spoke: "As @realDonaldTrump said, US sanctions will target critical sectors of Irans economy. German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately." Reuters notes Grenell has himself long-opposed the nuclear deal. story continues below That sentiment aligns with the White House'sindeed, Grenell, a former Fox News contributor who Page Six notes had an "A-list" going away bash, subsequently tweeted that he directly lifted the language from documentation provided to him by the administration. But the Washington Post observes that "the timing and tone struck some German politicians, journalists and businessmen as offensive and inappropriate." It characterizes the tweet as coming off as a threat and rounds up plenty of reaction, including this from the leader of the country's Social Democratic party: "Its not my task to teach people about the fine art of diplomacy, especially not the US ambassador. But he does appear to need some tutoring." Grenell, the administration's top-ranking openly gay official, fills an ambassadorship that has been empty for 16 months. (Read more ambassador stories.) (Newser) David Goodall is now in Basel, Switzerland, and he'll only be there one more day: He plans to end his life via assisted suicide on Thursday. Though he welcomes death, the 104-year-old Australian botanist and ecologist hopes his legacy will soon be strengthened by the legalization of assisted suicide in countries that ban the practice outright or limit it to those with terminal illnesses. Goodall doesn't have onehe speaks of poor eyesight and mobility issues that keep him confined to a wheelchairand thus had to fly 8,600 miles from his home in Perth to end his life at Basel's Life Circle clinic. More details and highlights from what will be Goodall's last interviews: "I am glad to arrive," Goodall told reporters Monday at an airport in Switzerland, after a short visit with relatives in France, per the Local. The trip was made possible with $20,000 from a GoFundMe campaign. Of his newfound celebrity, he added, "I'm happy about it. People should talk about what I am doing." Goodall tells the AP that life-ending drugs should be free and available with a doctor's prescription after middle age. The scientist, who doesn't believe in an afterlife, said he has tried to take his own life at least three times, "clumsily," per the AP. He tells CNN that his last attempt took place just a few weeks ago; he came to in a hospital. story continues below It's "cruel" that "they oblige one to stay alive, when one hasn't got anything to live for," Goodall says to CNN, which cites him as saying he would have preferred to die when his driver's license was revoked a decade ago. "At my age, I get up in the morning. I eat breakfast. And then I just sit until lunchtime. Then I have a bit of lunch and just sit. What's the use of that?" SBS reports two doctors, an anesthesiologist and a psychiatrist, examined Goodall on Tuesday and Wednesday and found he makes his decision with a lucid mind. Doctors will put an intravenous needle in Goodall's arm Thursday, but he will be the one to administer the fatal dose of sodium pentobarbital, reports the AFP. The sedative, which can also be swallowed, causes the heart to stop beating. "Falling asleep occurs within a few minutes. Death usually follows within half an hour," per Life Circle. "I'm looking forward to it," Goodall tells CNN, which captures him dressed in a sweater reading, "Aging Disgracefully." When the time comes, "I'll be thinking about the needle and hoping they aim right!" At his final news conference Wednesday he said he has no doubts "whatsoever" about what is to take place Thursday. USA Today reports he was asked what he would choose as his last song and answered by singing "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in German. Goodall added that he would spend his final hours with his grandson Daniel. CNN also looks back at Goodall's life. Among his accolades: an Order of Australia medal. (Read more assisted suicide stories.) (Newser) President Trump's controversial pick to lead the CIA is testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesdayand the man behind the 9/11 attacks is hoping to weigh in. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, currently detained at Guantanamo Bay, this week asked a military judge at Gitmo for permission to share six paragraphs of information on Gina Haspel with the committee, the New York Times reports. Though his lawyers won't describe what's in the paragraphs, they say the information came directly from Mohammed and that they agreed his request was important. Mohammed was tortured by the CIA after his capture in 2003, and Haspel ran a black-site prison in Thailand in 2002 where detainees were waterboarded, the BBC reports. It's not clear whether she played any role in Mohammed's torture, nor is it clear whether the judge will rule on Mohammed's request before her confirmation hearing is over. More coverage: story continues below The hearing was interrupted by a protester who called Haspel "bloody Gina" before being led away by Capitol Police, reports the Independent, which has video. Haspel pledged not to restart the CIA's "enhanced interrogation" program, the Washington Post reports. "I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that is immoral, even if it is technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it." She said she wouldn't torture a suspect if Trump asked her to, though she added that she didn't think the president would ask her to. She said the "tumultuous time" during which the CIA ran its controversial detention and interrogation techniques had taught the agency "tough lessons," and that in retrospect, the agency "was not prepared to conduct" such a program. The CIA does not have the proper expertise and "is not the right place to conduct interrogations," she said. Trump once said torture works; asked if she agrees with that, Haspel said no, but then continued, per CNN: "I believe that in the CIA's program, and I'm not attributing this to enhanced interrogation techniques, I believe, as many people, directors who have sat in this chair before me, that valuable information was obtained from senior al-Qaeda operatives that allowed us to defend this country and prevent another attack." Sen. Kamala Harris asked if that was a "yes," which Haspel denied before continuing, "We got valuable information from debriefing of al-Qaeda detainees, and I don't think it's knowable whether interrogation techniques played a role in that." Per CBS News, Haspel repeatedly dodged the question of whether she considers torture immoral. Haspel also addressed her role in a 2005 controversy involving the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes; she said she supported destroying them due to a security risk to officers seen on the tapes, but that she herself did not appear on the tapes and she does not know if other tapes exist. After the public hearing ended, lawmakers began a closed-door session to discuss classified information with Haspel. (Read more Gina Haspel stories.) (Newser) In a case of Dre versus Drai, the US Patent and Trademark office has handed a win to ... Drai, thus ending a three-year dispute that pitted Dr. Dre (real name Andre Young) against Dr. Drai (real name Draion M. Burch). One, of course, is the rap mogul who discovered Snoop Dogg. The other is a Pennsylvania gynecologist and media personality who appears on webinars like "What Your Mama Didnt Tell You About Making Babies." The trouble started when Dr. Drai, whose speaking fees run about $5,000, according to the BBC, sought to trademark "Dr. Drai" and "Doctor Drai OBGYN and Media Personality." Dr. Dre objected and argued that his own name is similar and appears on the same type of media, such as MP3 files and "other types of public performance," reports the Washington Post. story continues below Dr. Drai shot back that he wasn't interested in trading on Dr. Dre's name and that people were unlikely to confuse the two as Dr. Dre is not an actual doctor, "nor is he qualified to provide any type of medical services. ... When I became a physician and I graduated from medical school, I became Dr. Drai, obviously because Im actually a physician." Dr. Drai also took issue with the rappers lyrics, which he said contain "misogyny and homophobic things," per the Post. The case was dismissed last week, but it sounds like Dr. Drai won't be celebrating his victory by dancing to Dr. Dre's music. "Being an OB-GYN, I cannot be associated with anyone that has any kind of misogynistic speech because its a bad reflection on me as a doctor," he said. (Read more Dr. Dre stories.) (Newser) In a move that is roiling the telecom industry worldwide, a global telecom equipment-maker has halted its main business operations. The announcement comes after ZTE, Chinas second-largest telecom equipment company, was found by the US to have illegally shipped its products to Iran, per Reuters. In response, the US Department of Commerce banned US firms from supplying tech and parts to the company until 2025, according to the New York Times. ZTE relies heavily on US companies to supply as much as a third of its components. Those companies include San Diego-based Qualcomm, which supplies processors for more than half of ZTE's smartphones, per Quartz. ZTE, the fourth-largest smartphone vendor in the US, does business with more than 160 countries and employs 75,000 people; the Times calls it the "biggest electronics maker you've never heard of." story continues below Saying it has improved its compliance, ZTE has asked for a stay on the ban and supplied supplemental data bolstering its case to the Commerce Department. But the Commerce Department has asserted that ZTEs practices were egregious and included a surreptitious system to sell American-made goods in Iran. Then, to hide its activities, ZTE allegedly lied and deleted emails to cover its tracks and actively sought to resume shipments during the investigation. ZTE had settled its sanctions case with the US with a record $900 million fine, but the US reactivated sanctions last month after the company allegedly violated settlement terms. For other companies thinking about how to follow the rules and manage internal risks, I think this is going to serve as a wakeup call, a market researcher tells the Times. For now, ZTE's manufacturing is halted, leaving employees to attend every-other-day training sessions and hang out in company dorms. (Read more ZTE stories.) (Newser) Baleigh Bagshaw, 15, had just gotten home from school on Monday and called her mom to check in. Then, the unthinkable: "While she was on the phone with her mother, she was brutally attacked while inside of her home. Her mother heard the attack going on and then the phone went dead," a Salt Lake City police sergeant tells Deseret News. Bagshaw's mother heard screaming and called a neighbor, who went to the house and called police. Police found the teen dead at the house, Fox 13 reports. After a manhunt, suspect Shaun French was taken into custody Wednesday in Colorado, KUTV reports. Police say he was "lying in wait" for the teen. story continues below French, 24, once lived in the same house as Bagshaw and her family, but did not live there when Bagshaw was murdered. Police say he and the teen had a consensual but illegal relationship, but it's not clear how long the relationship lasted or when French lived in the house. An arrest warrant charging him with three counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor was issued Tuesday; he has not yet been charged in Bagshaw's death. Police have not said how Bagshaw was killed or if weapons were involved, simply saying she died in a "very violent attack." Says the police sergeant, "I can't even guess what the mother would be going through right now. Our hearts and thoughts are with her." A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for the family. (Read more murder stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region New Delhi: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation comprising Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda, SS Ahluwalia and Dharmendra Pradhan met the Election Commission (EC) at around 6 pm on Wednesday. The meeting took place in order to discuss the issue of fake voter identity cards found in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar Assembly constituency in Karnataka on Tuesday. "We are trying to reach the truth at the earliest. However, one thing is certain that nobody has broken into our system & no new voter ID cards have been made," ANI quoted Sanjiv Kumar, Chief Election Officer. Talking about the latest development BJP MP Smriti Irani said, "voter IDs are proof of voter confidence and to reinstate that, elections to Rajarajeshwari constituency must be countermanded and we've put forward this demand to EC". Earlier in the day, the Congress petitioned the Election Commission (EC), demanding action against the BJP over the fake voter ID scam. "A delegation of the Congress party has just met the EC officials. We have submitted a detailed memorandum about the malpractices of the BJP and a concerted attempt by the ruling party, with the assistance of central agencies, including the Income Tax department, to subvert the process of free-and-fair elections, target Congress candidates, carry out midnight raids and enact conspiracies," senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told PTI after his meeting with EC officials. #Visuals: A BJP delegation comprising Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan & SS Ahluwalia reach Election commission over the issue of 9,746 voter identity cards found in bundles in a Bengaluru flat. #KarnatakaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/kXBGySUIOP ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018 Read | Karnataka polls: Political blamegame after 10,000 voter IDs found in Bengaluru flat; EC orders probe Last night, 9,746 voter ID cards were found from a flat in SLV Park View Apartment in Bengaluru's Jalahalli locality. The Election Commission's revelation of the scam at midnight was followed by political sparring, as both BJP and Congress alleged the other's links with the concerned flat. While BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar accused the Congress of attempting to rig the elections, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that Nanjamuri rented her own flat to his son Rakesh, who contested corporation election on a BJP ticket in 2015. However, Sridhar Nanjamari on Wednesday rebuffed such allegations and told ANI he was the only son of Manjula Nanjamuri. "I am the only son of Manjula Nanjamari. Rakesh is my mother's nephew's son and he has got no connections with the flat in Park View apartment, as is what claimed in media," Sridhar said and added that the flat has been rented to Rangaraju who pays rent for it every month. Read | Rahul Gandhi's 'ready to be PM' remark shows his 'arrogance': Modi The election in Karnataka will take place on May 12 in 223 constituencies out of 224 of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The election for one constituency has been postponed following the death of B.N. Vijay Kumar, Jayanagar BJP candidate. The counting of votes and announcement of result will take place on May 15. (With inputs from agencies) New Delhi: Just three days ahead of Karnataka Assembly elections 2018, nearly 10 thousand voter ID cards were found from a Bengaluru apartment that allegedly belonged to a BJP leader. While the Elections Commission acted swiftly and ordered an inquiry into the matter, a political blamegame started between the Congress and the BJP. Union Minister Prakash Javdekar demanded countermanding of elections in the constituency and accused the Congress of engineering a conspiracy to rig election in face of imminent defeat. BJP demands countermanding of elections in AC 154 Raj Rajeshwari Nagar in light of latest revelations of tens of thousands of fake voter ID and empty packets of hard currency. This is Congress conspiracy to rig election, in face of their imminent defeat, Javdekar tweeted. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed that the flat where the voter IDs were found, belonged to BJP leader named Manjula Nanjamuri and her son Rakesh was living there. To prove his claims, Surjewala shared a list of BJP candidates of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections 2015, in which Rakesh was a candidate of the party from Jalahalli ward. "This is the BJP MLA candidate Muniraj Gowda with BJP leader Rakesh, in whose flat the voter IDs were recovered. Election Commission has clearly said that Manjula Nanjamari had rented the flat to her son Rakesh. BJP's lies stand exposed," he added. The Congress spokesperson demanded the resignation of Javdekar, who is the BJP's incharge of Karnataka elections, and accused the saffron party of running a "factory of lies". "Union Minister Prakash Javdekar had the audacity to lie by saying Manjula Nanjamari & her son Rakesh don't belong to the BJP. They are running a factory of lies. We have exposed their drama," Surjewala said. New Delhi: On the penultimate day of election campaigning in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday rebuked Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his ready to be PM in 2019 remark. While addressing an election rally in Karnatakas Bangarapet, Modi said that Naamdar Rahuls self-declaration of becoming a PM in 2019 despite the fact that were more senior leaders in Congress than him, showed nothing but his arrogance. Yesterday someone made an important declaration- he said, "I am going to be PM!" He came like those bullies, barging his way ahead when there are others who have many years of experience. How can someone just declare himself as the PM? This is simply nothing but arrogance, Modi said. Early on Tuesday, Rahul had said that he was ready to become the Prime Minister of India if his party won the majority in 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. During his rally, Modi launched a scathing attack on Congress and accused the grand old party of communalism, crime and corruption. There are the six evils that the Congress has brought on the nation - Congress culture, Communalism, Casteism, Crime, Corruption, Contractor system, he said. The prime minister said that Karnataka election was not limited to victory or defeat and will decide the future of the southern state. He asked people of the state to say goodbye to the Congress and bring BJP for the overall development of the state. Modi took a jibe at former prime minister Manmohan Singh and said that his government was being controlled by a remote. During the UPA government, there was one Prime Minister and one remote control. In the NDA Government, our remote control and the high command are the 125 crore people of India, the PM added. New Delhi: If you are thinking that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has accepted defeat just days before Assembly elections in Karnataka, you are wrong. The Gandhi scion is a little more hard nut to crack than we all think. The Congress president, who is getting wittier each day, actually took a dig at the saffron party when he said that the BJP wins hands down in Karnataka. When he declared the BJP winner, he didnt mean Karnataka Assembly elections but corruption where the saffron party defeated Congress. In Karnataka, when it comes to corruption, its a No Contest as this graphic shows. The BJP wins hands down! Rahul tweeted on Wednesday. Along with the tweet, Rahul shared a picture comparing Congress five years in Karnataka with BJPs five-year rule in the southern state. Rahul claimed that during the 2013-18 tenure of Siddaramaiah government, Karnataka became the top job creator state in the country, while during BJPs government (2008-13), its chief minister BS Yeddyurappa was jailed in Denotification Scam. He said that while Siddaramaiah government launched Anna Bhagya scheme which was feeding four crore people, the erstwhile Yeddyurappa-led BJP government was involved in Indias largest poaching scandal Operation Kamala. On one hand, Siddaramaiah government built Asias largest drip irrigation project, on the other, Yeddyurappa government pioneered cashless corruption by taking bribe in cheque, the Congress leader claimed. During the Congress rule, worlds largest solar park was built in Karnataka, while in BJPs tenure, partys minister Krishnaiah Shetty was jailed in a land grab case, he added. New Delhi: With just two more days of election campaignA remainingA in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold four back-to-back rallies across the southern state on Wednesday. On the penultimate day of the campaigning, Modi will address poll rallies in Bangarapet, Chikmagalur, Belagavi and Bidar districts of Karnataka. BJP president Amit Shah will seek peopleas votes in Bengaluru by holding a roadshow. Meanwhile, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will begin the third day of the 9th phase of his Jana Aashirwada Yatre on Wednesday. Rahul will visit the Dodda Ganapathi Temple in Basavanagudi. Later in the day, he will also visit a garment factory in Bengaluru to interact with women workers. Highlights: # 06:54 PM: More visuals from Amit Shah road-show: # 05:00 PM:A Karnataka: Congress President offered prayers at Anjaneya Swamy Temple in Bengaluru. # 04:53 PM: BJP president mocks at Congress and JDS:A Congress and JDS are supporting each other. This just shows their desperation to win the elections. # 04:50 PM: Amit Shah on Voter ID scam:A Who is Congress to accuse us in voter ID scam? Their corporator has been arrested, it is their deed. # 04:42 PM:A BJP President Amit Shah holds a road-show in Bengaluru. #WATCH: BJP President Amit Shah says 'We would like to assure that we will provide a clean govt, one which focuses on development, in Karnataka'. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/Zgp3CQfMg0 a ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018 # 02:23 PM: Rahul attacks BJP-RSS: "We will never let the BJP-RSS tear apart the pluralistic fabric of our country," said Rahul Gandhi. # 02:15 PM: The unbecoming of a PM: Modi thinks his strategy of personal criticism and mocking would benefit him. But the truth is that his comments are unbecoming of a PM and do not suit his position, said Rahul. # 02:05 PM: Rahul declares BJP's victory in Karnataka:A In Karnataka, when it comes to corruption, itas a aNo Contesta as this graphic shows. The BJP wins hands down In Karnataka, when it comes to corruption, itas a aNo Contesta as this graphic shows. The BJP wins hands down! pic.twitter.com/nP578fLJzC a Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 9, 2018 # 02:00 PM: After visiting a temple,A Rahul Gandhi alsoA visited the Dargah of Hazrat Tawakkal Mastan Shah in Bengaluru. # 12:25 PM: Watch:A Congress president Rahul Gandhi's interaction with women employees of garment industry. # 11:40 AM: Congress' soft Hindutva!: Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, continuing his temple visits and went toA Dodda Ganapathi Temple in Basavanagudi. # 11:35 AM: PM asks how will big leaders react to 'Naamdaar' Rahul's announcement:A To remove Modi, there are big meetings being held. How will the big leaders who attend these meetings react to this sudden announcement by one 'Naamdaar' that he is going to be PM. # 11:30 AM: Rahul's ready for PM remark, shows hisA arrogance:A Yesterday someone made an important declaration- he said, "I am going to be PM!" He came like those bullies, barging his way ahead when there are others who have many years of experience. How can someone just declare himself as the PM? This is simply nothing but arrogance. # 11:20 AM: Modi sharpens his attack:A During the UPA government, there was one Prime Minister and one remote control. In the NDA Government, our remote control and the high command are the 125 crore people of India. # 11:10 AM: PM starts with a blistering attack on Congress: Modi said, "Congress has not done justice to the aspirations of the people of Karnataka. It is time for Congress' departure from Karnataka.There are the six evils that the Congress has brought on the nation - Congress culture - Communalism, Casteism, Crime, Corruption, Contractor system." # 11:05 AM:A LIVE : PM Narendra Modi addresses public meeting in Bangarapet, Karnataka. # 11:00 AM:A Hello and Welcome to News Nation Live updates.A Karnataka Assembly election campaigning will come to an end Tomorrow and both the BJP and Congress have intensified their election campaign for the high-stake polls in the southern state. From PM Modi to Amit Shah to Rahul Gandhi, star campaginers of both parties will hold rallies and roadshows to woo the voters. We will bring you all the latest updates and happenings from their rallies in Karnataka.A New Delhi: The government has rejected the proposal for merger of Jet Airways and its subsidiary Jet Lite, Jet Airways said on Wednesday. The merger proposal was announced by the airline service carrier three years ago after it was approved by the board of Jet Airways in September 2015 and was later cleared by the airline's shareholders in April 2016. The merger scheme stands revoked and cancelled as the Civil Aviation Ministry has not approved the merger of Jet Lite Ltd with itself, the airline said in a BSE Filing today. "Jet Lite (India) Ltd and Jet Airways (India) Ltd shall continue their respective operations as two separate legal entities with their respective Air Operator Certificates," the filing said. A Jet Airways spokesperson said it respects the ministrys decision even as the reasons for the rejection of approval for the merger could not be immediately ascertained. In April 2007, Jet Airways had acquired Sahara Airlines for Rs 1,450 crore after an arbitration award and the latter was renamed as JetLite. The merger would lead to greater efficiency in cash management of the merged entity and "unfettered access to cash flow generated by the combined business which can be deployed more efficiently to maximise shareholder value", the airline had said in April 2016. Shares of Jet Airways declined 2.36 per cent to close at Rs 499.80 apiece on the BSE. (With inputs from agencies) For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Delhi government has served de-recognition notice to a private school for not providing free uniform and books to students admitted under the EWS category and directed two schools to withdraw fee hike. "For the first time in the country, schools are being disciplined, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet. The de-recognised school is located in East Delhi. If other schools do not abide by the order, they will also face de-recognition, according to government officials. "The school was directed by the department of education to provide books and uniforms as per norms but it defied the lawful directions and did not comply. The School has now been served with a de-recognition notice for violating norms related to the EWS/DG category," the chief minister said. They are not being allowed to hike fees arbitrarily. Many schools are being made to return hiked fees. Because there is an honest government in Delhi," he said. The government has also directed Mahavir Senior Model School, Sangam Park and Queen Mary's Public School, Model Town III to roll back fee hike. "The government took a strong note of the complaints of arbitrary fee hike in violation of the judgment of the Supreme Court and the High Court and also the directions of the education department. The schools have also been asked to refund the increased fee to the parents," a senior Delhi government official said. The government action came after the parents of the children studying in these schools met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, during Janta Samvad at his residence. "A complaint was lodged before the Chief Minister against a private school, Victor Public School, Maujpur, that the school was not providing free uniform, books & other stationeries to the students belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category," the official said. In another complaint submitted to the chief minister, parents informed him of hiked fee being charged by the Bal Bharti Public School, Pitampura in the name of implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission. The school was asked to clarify its position by the CM office. "Bal Bharti Public School in its reply said that it has not increased any fee during the year 2016-17 and 2017-18. It said that the school will abide by directions and instructions of the education department in this regard and all extra funds collected have been kept separately and would be adjusted," the official added. New Delhi: Alia Bhatt's Raazi is all set to hit the silver screens this week and the movie has been hogging the limelight for several reasons. The movie revolves a Kashmiri girl Sehmat who turns spy for India during the 1971 war. But apart from the intriguing storyline, it is the cast of Raazi that is also catching the audience's interest. In Raazi, Alia Bhatt will be sharing the screen space with mother Soni Razdan for the first time. The mother-daughter duo will be reprising their real-life bond on the big screen. Indeed, it would have been one of a kind experience for both. Talking about the same, Soni Razdan told DNA, "Its a small part but I couldnt let it go for emotional reasons. When Meghna told me that I would be playing Alias mother, I agreed immediately. Then, I read the script, which is so powerful. I have an emotional role as the father (Rajit Kapur) has allowed his daughter to be a spy for India and go to Pakistan, but Im the only one who opposes the idea initially". Soni also revealed that the two have shot some emotional sequences for Raazi. "We have quite a few such scenes. However, I dont think all of it could be retained due to the length of the film. There was a breakdown scene which we had shot, but that hasnt made it to the final cut. That was tough, but now, you have to watch it in the deleted portions," she added. The veteran actress admitted being proud of daughter Alia's Bollywood journey who has managed to impress the audience everytime she hits the silver screen. "Alia has believed in whatever she has done and made the right choices. Shes not someone who will consult us about her movies. She obviously asks us for suggestions when she wants to, but that has never affected her decision. Shes a headstrong, but sensitive girl. After all, who would have expected she would do a Highway after Student Of The Year? That in itself was an acting course for her and Im happy that today, everyone knows me as Alias mother. As a family, all of us are very proud of what she is doing," Soni said. This is not all. Proud mother Soni is also willing to work with Alia once again but with a condition. She said, "I hope that we get another film together. Raazi was the first offer that came to Alia and me, and I jumped at it. But the next one should have equal opportunity for both of us. It will be interesting to do a relationship drama with Alia, where I get to play her mother again". Helmed by Meghna Gulzar, Raazi is based on Harinder Sikka's novel Calling Sehmat. The movie also stars Vicky Kaushal, Rajit Kapoor and Jaideep Ahlawat in key roles. Raazi will hit the screens on May 11. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Tollywood star Vijay Deverakonda is celebrating his 29th birthday on May 9. The young star, who is still enjoying the success of his 2017 release Arjun Ready, came up with a unique way to celebrate his big day. Unlike his colleagues in the industry who host grand parties on their respective birthday, Vijay chose to treat the entire city with icecream. Yes! It's true. On his birthday, three ice cream trucks named aThe Deverakonda Birthday Trucka traveled across the Hyderabad city and distributed ice cream to people. Vijay even shared pics of the ice cream trucks on micro-blogging site Twitter and wrote, "A few days of shooting in the Sun made me think of this. What if I got 3 ice cream trucks to drive around the city and give out free ice cream to everyone going about their day in the heat. The traffic cops, the street vendors, students, employees". A few days of shooting in the Sun made me think of this. What if I got 3 ice cream trucks to drive around the city and give out free ice cream to everyone going about their day in the heat. The traffic cops, the street vendors, students, employees. pic.twitter.com/tisrb8Ot6m a Vijay Deverakonda (@TheDeverakonda) May 9, 2018 So say Hi to the #TheDeverakondaBirthdayTruck I am throwing the city a party, these trucks will be travelling through most of #Hyderabad. We will be giving away IceCream to as many as possible nd If you spot them, don't be shy just go and take some IceCream:) smile and enjoy it. a Vijay Deverakonda (@TheDeverakonda) May 9, 2018 Indeed, it is a sweet way to celebrate a birthday. Talking about the same, Vijay was quoted as saying, "I like attention for things I do, like a good film or performance or an interview even, But yeah, this ice cream truck gives some meaning to the day". Meanwhile, the birthday star also released the first poster of his upcoming movie Dear Comrade on social media. Mythri Movie Makers. Big Ben Cinemas. & Your Man @Thedeverakonda. Bring you an action drama you will not forget - #DearComrade directed by Bharat Kamma. Shoot starts this June. pic.twitter.com/O7dM72HYKX a Vijay Deverakonda (@TheDeverakonda) May 8, 2018 Helmed by Bharat Kamma, the action drama will hit the floors in June this year. New Delhi: The third season of popular comedy show Khichdi has managed to hog the light since the first episode and has been getting positive reviews from the audience. While each episode is coming up with new surprises for the viewers, the show is going to have a new addition to its cast now. According to the reports, television actor Amit Dolawat will soon be entering Khichdi 3 which is produced by JD Majethia. The reports suggest that Amit will play the role of a chef who will be hosting a cooking competition with Hansaa (played by Supriya Pathak) as one of its contestants. Interestingly, this is the second time that the young actor will be a part of the show in this season. Talking about the same, Dolawat told IWMBuzz.com, My first stint in Khichdi was hilarious and the episode rated well. Within a span of two months, I have been called again for a role. This episode was also a laugh riot and I am sure it will turn out to be one of the best episodes of Khichdi Season 2. The actor is indeed excited to share the screen space with the Khichdi ream, but what adds on to his excitement for Khichdi 3 is that Amit will be retaining his surname onscreen as well. "It came as a surprise to me when Writer and Producer Aatish Kapadia told me that he is going to make me and my name famous. I was happy to see my surname DOLAWAT being retained in the script. It was interesting to see people calling me by my script name," Amit added. Apart from Khichdi 3, Amit Dolawat is busy shooting for his upcoming crime drama Dev season 2 in which he plays the role of a police inspector. Also starring Ashish Choudhary in the lead, Dev's first season has been a huge hit amongst the audience and the team has high hopes for the second season too. It will be interesting to see how Amit and Ashish will resolve some mysterious crime cases in Dev season 2. New Delhi: Just as three days are left for the Assembly elections in Karnataka, the two key contenders--Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congresshave plunged into heavy mudslinging after nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat on . The issue snowballed into a massive controversy that rocked the state, prompting the BJP to demand countermanding of the election claiming Congress was behind the racket, while the latter dismissed the charge as a "lie". Interestingly, each claimed the flat belonged to a woman associated with the rival party. Early in the day, Union minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters that Congress candidate and sitting MLA Munirathna Naidu was behind the alleged racket, which was exposed by BJP worker Rakesh. Reacting to it, Congress spokesman Rajdeep Singh Surjawala hit right back, alleging that the flat owner Manjula Nanjamari and Rakesh had BJP connections and both contested Bengaluru Municipal Corporation elections on BJP tickets. Amid the blamegame, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said a Deputy Election Commissioner rank official was being rushed from the national capital to Bengaluru for probe into the matter. Maintaining that prima facie the I-cards looked genuine, he said only a thorough inquiry will reveal the truth. "It was earlier suggested that somebody was trying to break into our (computer) system to prepare fake ID cards.... that is not so," Kumar said, adding it was for the Election Commission to take a decision on countermanding the election. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress over adopting such tactics to win the election, in his campaign speech. "Thousands of voter ID cards were seized, 1 lakh voters slips were seized in just one place. They must have planned such games in 40-50 constituencies. You (voters) be alert. Such sin cannot be allowed during the celebration of democracy (polls)," he told elections rallies. The police seized thousands of fake cards with hologram, lamination machines and computers after BJP workers informed about the racket, Javadekar said. "This is the philosophy of the Congress....if voters do not vote for you, create fake voters," he said, claiming a "fake voter ID printing factory" was being run in Manjula's flat. Manjula, he said, was once associated with the BJP but was now with the Congress, and demanded her immediate arrest. Manjula had campaigned for the sitting Congress MLA from the seat and its candidate for the current Assembly election Munirathna Naidu in the last polls, the BJP spokesman said. The Congress hit back, claiming the BJP was making false allegations in view of its imminent defeat. "They are making such allegations because of their imminent defeat, and after their workers and leaders were caught red-handed influencing voters in collating and collecting fake ID cards in order to influence the results of the elections," Surjewala told reporters. Surjewala claimed the flat belonged to a BJP worker and the ID cards and equipment were not recovered from the flat by the police but BJP workers. "Prakash Javadekar had the audacity to lie, mislead the people of Karnataka by saying Manjula does not belong to the BJP. She is a former BJP corporator and Rakesh also contested corporation election on BJP ticket in 2015," he said. "Javadekar runs a factory of lies. Rakesh was a tenant of flat No. 115 and its is mentioned in the list of BJP candidates who contested the corporation elections. Manjula is a former BJP corporator from Jalahalli," he said, citing newspaper reports. While some TV news channels claimed Rakesh was Manjula's son, and others said she was his adoptive mother, the women at the centre of the controversy insisted they were relatives but had "no contact". She told TV channels in Kannada, which was translated into English, that since she owned the land on which the apartment building stood, she had entered into a joint venture with a builder. Manjula said she had rented or leased out the flats. The flat under question was given on rent to a woman named Rekha Ranjan and not Rakesh for office-cum-residence. When asked whether Rakesh was her son or adopted son, she said he was a nephew and that they had "no contact due to strain in family ties". Javedakar, accusing the Congress of "telling lies loudly", said Manjula and Rakesh were "at loggerheads" and that he did not stay in her flat. "The Congress ran an a fake I-Card issuance office there....this is what they are best at," he said. Deputy leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said the entire episode was "stage-managed". He claimed Manjula was associated with the BJP and her "son" Rakesh had contested the municipal corporation election on a BJP ticket. "The Election Commission must take action, and a police case be registered," he told reporters in New Delhi, adding the BJP was up to such tactics as defeat was staring it in the face. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: India Meteorological Department (IMD) hinted that the severe weather condition over northern India were moving towards the Northeastern states. The Met department warned that a thunderstorm accompanied by squall and heavy to moderate rains would hit parts of eastern India on Wednesday. In fresh warning, the IMD said that a thunderstorm with gusty winds was very likely to hit the parts of east Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh. A similar weather pattern is likely to be witnessed in West Bengal, and in six of the seven northeastern states except Mizoram, the Met department said. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also predicted thunderstorm and squall in 12 states. Teams of the NDMA were put on alert in wake of the thunderstorm warning. LIVE Updates # 10:45 AM: Do's and Don'ts during disaster: 1. Stay away from storm-damaged areas; 2. Listen to local radio/TV stations for updated information or instructions on weather and traffic updates; 3. Help children, women, elderly and differently-abled; 4. Stay away from fallen trees/power line and report them to nearest tehsil/district headquarts immediately. # 10:35 AM: Pre-Disaster Preparation Guidelines: 1. Prepare an emergency kit with essential items for safety and survival; 2. Secure your house, carry out repairs, don't leave sharp objects loose; 3. Secure outside objects that could blow away and cause damage; 4. Remove rotting trees/broken branches that could fall and cause injury or damage; 5. Listen to radio, read news papers and watch News Nation for latest updates and warnings. # 10: 30 AM: South India to also witness the freak weather phenomenon: South-interior Karnataka, north-coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema region of the state, Tamil Nadu and Kerala will also witness the thunderstorm, said the IMD. # 10: 15 AM: More rains in higher regions: The IMD has predicted more rain, dust storm, hail storm in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Wednesday. #10:00 AM: Hello and Welcome to News Nation Live updates. The severe weather condition over northern India were moving eastward as IMD predicted a powerful thunderstorm with squall at six of the seven northeastern states except Mizoram on Wednesday. The NDMA has also predicted similar weather conditions in 12 states. We shall keep you alert about all the weather related information and alerts. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The verdict of a UK court allowing a consortium of 13 Indian banks to collect from the embattled Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya a whopping $1.55 billion to be recovered through the sale of his assets in England and Wales is a shot in the arm for Indian efforts to bring him to book for massive fraud committed in India. The speed of the UK trial is in contrast with the dilatory tactics used in litigation in India where cases take years upon years in delivery of justice. The litigation in the Queens Bench division of the commercial court in Englands High Court of Justice lists the State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu &a Kashmir Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co Pvt Ltd as the applicants seeking to recover their debts. In dismissing Mallyas application to disregard the plea of Indian banks in courts, the High Court has demonstrated its willingness to recognise judgments granted by courts in other jurisdictions, giving parties opportunities to enforce their judgments against any assets held here, said Paul Gair, partner at TLT, a UK-based law firm that represented the 13 Indian banks, including in securing the freezing order on November 23 last year. This case also sets a strong precedent for parties to secure a worldwide freezing order when enforcing judgments against wilful defaulters. Mallya, who swears by the British legal system and displays contempt for Indian justice system should have no justification to look down upon the judgment which in effect emanates from Indian understanding of his liabilities. Judge Andrew Henshaw in London on Tuesday gave the green signal to the lender banks to enforce an Indian court ruling that relates to allegations that Mallya willfully defaulted on about $1.4 billion in debt for his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. The Judge refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Mallyas assets. The asset freeze order had forced Mallya to live on 5,000 pounds a week, but his allowance was increased to roughly 20,000 pounds a week earlier this year. Mallya had been arrested after he had fled to London a year ago after things were beginning to get hot for him amid allegations of money laundering on a massive scale. The media was pursuing him leading him to charge that he was being hounded and subjected to media trial in India. Mallya is waging another battle to stave off extradition in a different court in the UK. Attorneys at law firm TLT said the ruling will allow them to enforce the underlying judgment by the Indian debt recovery tribunal immediately. With Parliament in India up in arms over Mallya having been allowed to flee India despite the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate investigations into his frauds at the time he moved to London, the Narendra Modi government has been relentlessly pursuing Mallyas extradition. Prime Minister Modi has been making all-out efforts to get the Brits to have him extradited. British attorneys representing the flamboyant Mallya have been claiming in court that conditions in Tihar jail in Delhi where he is expected to be kept if extradited are appalling and since he is a British citizen, they fear that he needs to be shielded from extradition. To meet this objection, the Indian Government has assured him of basic facilities and security from attacks by fellow inmates. With the Lok Sabha elections just a year away, the Modi government is keen to have Mallya back to face trial in India. If the extradition comes about with the removal of all hurdles, it would give a psychological boost to the BJP. New Delhi: The Hawaiian lawmakers on Tuesday passed a bill that bans the selling of sunscreens containing hazardous compounds. The step is being seen as a major step towards preserving coral reefs. The compounds present in the sunscreens are extremely hazardous for the environment, especially the coral reefs, according to a lot of scientists. The Hawaii lawmakers took notice of the harmful impact of sunscreen compounds to the coral reefs and elected to restrict it. The bill has to be signed by Gov. David Ige in order to ensure it is registered as a law. If it happens, then the law will take effect from 1, Jan, 2021 and Hawaii will be the first ever nation of the nation to set a ban on sale of sunscreens. Mile Gabbard introduced Senate Bill 2571, which bans the sale and supply of sunscreens comprising oxybenzone and octinoxate in Hawaii. The bill was up for unemployment by House and Senate. Surprisingly, this is really a first-in-the-world law. Thus, Hawaii is on the leading edge by banning those harmful substances in sunscreens, Sen. Gabbard composed in an email. They are claiming that the sunscreen ban may damage human health and may boost the cancer probability of cancer in individuals. Hawaii welcomes approximately 9 million sunscreen spread tourists per year and may become the first US state to prohibit the ingredient. The state legislature passed a bill to restrict the sale of sunscreen with more than 3,500 oxybenzone goods available on the market. The bill was in the due clearance for than a year and a signature by the state governor is expected soon. Hawaii visitors and residents will only be able to purchase sunscreen through a prescription from their physician. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A series of explosions hit Afghanistans capital Kabul on Wednesday, said Hasmatullah Stanikzai, spokesperson, Kabul police. According to the initial reports, the first blast occurred in Dasht-e-Barchi area in Kabuls PD13 Police Headquarters. A plume of smoke was seen rising above the police headquarters' building. Heavy clashes were ongoing between the security forces and gunmen close to the PD13 Police Headquarters, Tolo news quoted Kabul police as saying. The security forces surrounded the area and all roads leading to the PD13 police Headquarters were closed, the spokesperson said. Eyewitnesses said that the gunfire stopped after several minutes. So far, there were no reports of death or injured but authorities feared casualties. The blast and gun battle in PD13 was followed by one more explosion in Shahr-e-Naw area in Kabul's PD10, according to the sources. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Takeda Pharmaceutical agreed to buy London-listed Shire for 45.3 billion pounds ($62 billion) on Tuesday, the biggest yet in a wave of deals sweeping the drugs industry. Assuming it wins the backing of shareholders, the deal will be the largest overseas purchase by a Japanese company and propel Takeda, led by Frenchman Christophe Weber, into the top 10 rankings of global drugmakers. The tie-up crowns a hectic few months of M&A activity as big drugmakers, including Novartis and Sanofi, have brought in promising medicines developed by younger firms. The enlarged group will be a Japanese national champion in pharmaceuticals and a leader in gastroenterology, neuroscience, oncology, rare diseases and blood-derived therapies, used for serious conditions such as hemophilia. Shire has profitable businesses selling drugs for hyperactivity and rare disorders but the size of the deal will make Takeda one of the most indebted drugmakers, prompting Standard & Pooras to warn of a potential credit downgrade. To pay off debts quickly, Takeda plans to slash thousands of jobs and cut back on duplicated drug research. The deal, struck on the last day Takeda had to make a firm bid, is around 46 percent cash and 54 percent stock, leaving Shire shareholders owning around half of the combination. Shire had rejected four previous offers, due to price concerns and the fact that the Japanese company is proposing to pay for much of the acquisition in stock. Shire investors will receive $30.33 in cash and either 0.839 new Takeda shares or 1.678 Takeda American depositary shares for each share, valuing the offer at 48.17 pounds a share based on the latest price and exchange rate. That is a 60 percent premium to the price before Takeda first declared its interest six weeks ago. Japan Airlines is set to launch a budget airline with the aim of offering medium- and long-haul international flights by 2020, when Tokyo is set to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. JAL will also consider providing the first low-cost flights between Japan and Europe, as well as Japan and the U.S. The envisioned users are both Japanese outbound travelers and foreign visitors to Japan. By opening its own routes, the carrier will expand competition in the low-cost carrier business. The company aims to shift its management focus to growth from reconstruction, after series of business troubles in recent years. JAL will establish the LCC in the near future, after which it intends to secure and train pilots, and work out detailed business plans, including brand strategies and flight routes. The possible flight routes to and from Narita International Airport include those to North America, Europe and other parts of Asia, but these are not expected to overlap with JAL's existing major international flight routes. Since filing for bankruptcy protection in 2010, JAL has been forced to make reconstruction the priority, and has been under pressure to turn a profit. Under such circumstances, where the room to take risks was limited, Jetstar Japan was the only LCC in which JAL held a stake. JAL and Australia's Qantas Airways both hold a 33.3% stake in Jetstar. In April 2017, the situation changed for JAL, when the Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry lifted restrictions on the company's investments, and on the introduction of additional air routes, allowing the airline to jump into the LCC market. Japan's LCC market began flourishing in 2012, when domestic and foreign air carriers launched a number of operations. The share cut-rate carriers have of Japan's domestic routes remains at around 10%, however, compared with Southeast Asia and Europe, where the shares of budget flyers are around 60% and 40% respectively. Budget airlines, however, hold a 20% share of international flights to and from Japan, greater than the share of domestic flights. The number of low-cost international flights is expected to rise, as Japan aims to increase the number of foreign visitors to 40 million by 2020. Most of the international budget routes to and from Japanese airports are relatively short distance, with many of the destinations in Southeast Asia. JAL's longer-distance flights are expected to offer leisure and business flyers more options, and to better acquaint customers with discount airfares. JAL plans to target segments it has mostly overlooked so far, such as families and younger travelers, in addition to the business customers that are its current focus. The world's major carriers are bolstering their low-cost operations. ANA Holdings, JAL's archrival in Japan, plans to merge Peach Aviation and Vanilla Air by the end of March 2020. Germany's Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines are also expanding their budget operations. Elsewhere in Asia, NokScoot, owned by Thailand's Nok Air and Singapore's Scoot, is about to start service between Narita and Bangkok, while Airasia X will begin Narita-to-Jakarta flights. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to Moscow on Wednesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, hours after US President Donald Trump announced he would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal.Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, mainly over Syria and the involvement there of Israels arch-rival Iran.The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so, Netanyahu said before departing.In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination between the Russian military and (that of Israel).Russias foreign ministry said it was deeply disappointed by Trumps announcement on Tuesday that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US presidents bold move.Netanyahu has long opposed the nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran.Separately, Israel is deeply concerned over Irans presence in Syria, where Tehran, like Moscow, backs President Bashar al-Assads regime.Russia and Israel have set up a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria.Netanyahu has vowed not to allow Iran to entrench itself militarily in neighbouring Syria, where Israel has been repeatedly accused of carrying out deadly strikes, with reports of Iranian forces killed.Israel has not acknowledged those strikes, but admits carrying out dozens of raids in Syria to stop what it says are deliveries of advanced arms to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, another of its enemies.There have been fears in Israel of Iranian retaliation.Just prior to Trumps speech on Tuesday, the Israeli army asked authorities in the occupied Golan Heights to open and prepare missile shelters due to irregular activity by Iranian forces over the demarcation line in Syria. Seventeen Nigerian migrants who survived a deadly sea crossing last year have filed a lawsuit against Italy for violating their rights b... Seventeen Nigerian migrants who survived a deadly sea crossing last year have filed a lawsuit against Italy for violating their rights by supporting Libyas efforts to return them to North Africa, their lawyers said on Tuesday.The plaintiffs, two of whom have returned to Nigeria, petitioned the European Court of Human Rights last week, Violeta Moreno-Lax, a legal advisor for the Global Legal Action Network, told reporters. She was among four lawyers and several humanitarian groups involved in the case.The migrants, who were not identified, said Italy violated multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, including that people not be subjected to torture, held in slavery, or have their lives put in danger.The United Nations, rights groups and news organizations say migrants face these conditions in Libya.According to Global Action Network, on 6 November 2017, the Libyan Coast Guard interfered with the efforts of the NGO vessel Sea-Watch 3 to rescue 130 migrants from a sinking dinghy. At least twenty of them died.The Libyan vessel was donated by Italy a few months before. The intervention was partly coordinated from Rome by the Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (MRCC), an Italian Government agency. An Italian navy ship was nearby, part of the Mare Sicuro operation which has operated in Libyan territorial waters facilitating interceptions by the Coast Guard.The Libyan Coast Guard pulled back the survivors to Libya, where they endured detention in inhumane conditions, beatings, extortion, starvation, and rape. Two of the survivors were subsequently sold and tortured with electrocution.The two Nigerians said they were starved of even basic food and healthcare, before returning to Nigeria with the International Organization for Migration.All the plaintiffs were rescued at sea, but at least 20 migrants drowned when a part of their rubber boat deflated.German humanitarian ship Sea Watch 3 rescued 59 people that day and collected the body of a small child, all of whom were brought to Italy.The Libyan naval vessel, which had been donated by Italy and was operated mainly by a crew trained by the EU, returned 47 to Libya. In a video shot by Sea Watch, the Libyans are seen beating the migrants they intercepted with a rope, and the vessel then speeds off with a man clinging to the side.This is the first lawsuit to be filed against Italy for its decision to back the Libyan Coast Guard. The country lost a case in the same court in 2012 for directly handing over migrants intercepted at sea to Libyan authorities.The legal process can take up to three years but should the migrants win they can be awarded damages, and Italy would be forced to abandon its policy of equipping, training and coordinating the Libyan Coast Guard, Moreno-Lax said.Using the Libyan Coast Guard as a proxy to turn back migrant boats is just a new way of camouflaging (Italys) strategy of fighting irregular migration in the Mediterranean by trapping them in what the Italian Foreign Ministry itself has qualified as the hell of Libya, Moreno-Lax said.The lawsuit highlights a stand-off between humanitarian groups seeking to save lives on the open seas and Italian authorities backed by the European Union who are trying to stop people from making the dangerous crossing in the first place.A spokesman for Italys Interior Ministry, which has spearheaded the policy, had no immediate comment.Libyan naval spokesman Ayoub Qassem said the coast guard does its job within the terms agreed with Italy.Regarding the abuse and violations against the migrants, these are all considered as individual acts We cant say Libyan state institutions commit these acts, Qassem said.SEA CROSSINGS DOWNItaly has supplied Libya with seven refurbished vessels so far, and three more have been promised, while the EU has trained about 190 Libyan coastguards.Italy is also coordinating communications with the Libyan Coast Guard about possible boats in distress, according to court documents filed recently in Sicily.Between 2014 and 2017, more than 600,000 migrants arrived on Italian shores, but crossings have fallen dramatically since Italy and Libya signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at stemming the migration flow in February of last year.During the first five months of this year, arrivals from Libya fell more than 80 percent versus last year to 6,700 during, official data show. Over the same period, the Libyan Coast Guard intercepted almost 6,000 migrants and refugees. In 2017, the Libyans turned back almost 19,000. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday warned the Presidency against shrouding President Muhammadu Buharis health challenges in ... The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday warned the Presidency against shrouding President Muhammadu Buharis health challenges in secrecy. PDP warned that hiding Buharis health challenge will have adverse effect on his re-election bid in 2019. The former ruling party gave the warning, in reaction to the Presidencys latest disclosure that Buhari will today, Tuesday, embark on a medical trip to London. A statement by PDPs spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan blasted the presidency for decieving Nigerians over Buharis health. He said citizens were being taken for granted, deceived and treated like lesser men and women without reasoning capacity. The statement reads, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) notes the confirmation of the Presidency that President Muhammadu Buhari is unwell, ailing and unfit to attend to state matters, resulting to his latest journey to the United Kingdom for medical attention. This admission, though belated and coming after intense public pressure, has now put to rest speculations and anxiety on the health status of the President, as well as his attendant inability to effectively govern. It is however very unfortunate that the President and his handlers had chosen to shroud the issue of his persistent illness in secrecy under a government that prides itself on claims of transparency and integrity. Nigerians will recall that shortly before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in April, Mr. President, without transmitting a letter to the National Assembly, as required by the constitution, undertook a private visit to the UK, where his doctors are known to reside, five clear days ahead of CHOGM. Nigerians were left in the dark for the period despite demands for full disclosure by the PDP. Only last week, two days after his departure from the United States where he had gone for a state visit, Mr. President went missing again. When concerns began to mount on his whereabouts, the Presidency claimed he had a technical stopover in the UK, citing flight issues, only for revelations to emerge from the same Presidency, on Monday, that Mr. President was actually in the UK to see his doctors. In these circumstances, Nigerians were taken for granted, deceived and treated like lesser men and women without reasoning capacity, while our nation, at those periods, was left with no leadership as Mr. President refused to transmit power as required by the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Whereas we have nothing against Mr. Presidents decision to take care of his ailing health as we are all subject to human frailties, Nigerians detest the deception, lies and beguiling that had trailed the handling of his unabating health issue. Even as we speak, Nigerians are not aware of the ailment our President is suffering from and the identity of the doctors and the hospital attending to him. Moreover, it is unfortunate that President Buhari would always embark on medical tourism abroad when his administration has completely refused to address the poor state of the health sector in Nigeria, for which medical personnel are currently on strike across the nation. President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday departed Abuja for London, the United Kingdom on yet another medical trip. President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday departed Abuja for London, the United Kingdom on yet another medical trip.This is just as the Peoples Democratic Party alleged that the President is unfit to continue in office.Buhari was accompanied to the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by some top government officials and presidential aides.The Presidents security officials and a few close aides accompanied him on the trip.The presidential aircraft marked 5N-FGW which conveyed the President left the airport at about 3.20pm.Those who saw the President off to the airport included his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had in a statement on Monday, announced that Buhari would on Tuesday embark on a four-day medical trip to the UK.Shehu had said the President would return to the country on Saturday.The statement read, President Muhammadu Buhari will tomorrow (Tuesday) undertake a four-day trip to the United Kingdom.In the course of the technical stop-over for aircraft maintenance in London on his way back from Washington last week, the President had a meeting with his doctor.The doctor requested the President to return for a meeting which he agreed to do.President Buhari will return on Saturday, May 12th.Buhari had on many occasions travelled abroad for medical reasons. He returned to the country on March 10, 2017, after a 49-day medical sojourn, saying he had never been that sick in his life.He then gave an indication that he would return to London for further checkup.Buhari, on May 7, 2017, travelled back to London for medical consultation only to return to the country on August 19, 2017.However, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, who spoke at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, wondered why the Presidency was shrouding the health of the President in secrecy.He said, The Peoples Democratic Party notes the confirmation of the Presidency that President Muhammadu Buhari is unwell, ailing and unfit to attend to state matters, resulting to his latest journey to the United Kingdom for medical attention.This admission, though belated and coming after intense public pressure, has now put to rest speculations and anxiety on the health status of the President, as well as his attendant inability to effectively govern.It is, however, very unfortunate that the President and his handlers had chosen to shroud the issue of his persistent illness in secrecy in a government that prides itself on claims of transparency and integrity.Ologbondiyan said that the PDP had in April, shortly before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the President undertook a private visit to the UK, where his doctors reside.He said that the President was there five days ahead of CHOGM, without telling Nigerians his itinerary.He added that two days after his departure from the United States where he had gone for a state visit, the President went missing.Ologbondiyan said, When concerns began to mount on his whereabouts, the Presidency claimed he had a technical stop-over in the UK, citing flight issues.But later, revelations emerged from the same Presidency, on Monday, that Mr. President was actually in the UK to see his doctors.Ologbondiyan, however, decried the situation whereby Nigerians are not aware of the ailment our President is suffering from and the identity of the doctors and the hospital attending to him.He knocked the President for embarking on medical tourism abroad when his administration had completely refused to address the poor state of the health sector in Nigeria, for which medical workers are currently on strike across the nation. The Federal High Court in Lagos Division has ordered a temporary forfeiture of N7.3billion and $8.4million allegedly belonging to form... The Federal High Court in Lagos Division has ordered a temporary forfeiture of N7.3billion and $8.4million allegedly belonging to former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.Justice Mojisola Olateregun made the order based on a fresh application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).A copy of the order made on April 20 was obtained yesterday.The judge had on April 13 struck out an ex-parte application seeking the moneys forfeiture on the basis that a similar suit was pending in another court.However, EFCC returned with another ex-parte application for temporary forfeiture.The money is said to be in Skye Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank and First Bank Plc.Justice Olatoregun directed EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper within 14 days, adding that the respondents should be served.Mrs Jonathan, Esther Oba, Globus Integrated Services Limited, Finchley Top Homes Limited, AM-PM Global Network Limited, Pagmat Oil and Gas Limited and Magel Resort Limited are the respondents.In a supporting affidavit, an EFCC investigator Huleji Tukura said the money was allegedly moved from Bayelsa State when Mrs Jonathan was a permanent secretary.He said Mrs. Jonathan first opened a First Bank account and then procured former Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to fund the account with proceeds of unlawful activities.The said Dudafa Waripamo-Owei procured one Festus Isidohomen Iyoha and Arivi Eneji Peter, who were domestic staff attached to the State House, Abuja, to deposit the funds, reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, in to account of the first respondent.The said domestic staff, in a bid to conceal their identity, deposited the funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful act using fictitious names.The total sum of $4,036,750.00 reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities were deposited into account No. 2022648664 domiciled in First Bank Plc in the name of the first respondent.On the 28th day of September, 2016, the first respondent, in dissipating the property sought to be forfeited, transferred the sum of $3,640,794.72 to the first respondents account No. 2031277178 domiciled in First Bank Plc.On the 5th day of October, 2016, the first respondent withdrew the sum of $1,000,000.00 cash from the said account leaving the balance of the sum of $3,645,013.73As at the time the various sums were deposited, the first respondent was a serving permanent secretary in the employment of the Bayelsa State Government.The funds sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria are not the first respondents lawful earnings but are rather reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, the deponent said.Tukura said the companies were not into any legitimate income-yielding business venture but were incorporated for the purpose of warehousing proceeds of unlawful activities for the former First Lady.The depositors into this account are domestic staff of State House, Abuja, who was procured by the said Dudafa Waripamo-Owei to deposit the funds sought to be forfeited in a bid to conceal the true origin of the funds, Tukura said.EFCC said none of the directors of Globus Integrated Services Ltd, for instance, were signatories its account.The commission said an account numbered 2110002269 was opened with Skye Bank and others with Diamond Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC solely to retain funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.Account No. 0016971559 was opened in the name of the fourth respondent (AM-PM Global Network Limited) with Stanbic IBTC and was used to warehouse N317, 397, 458 .26 reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, the deponent said.Justice Olatoregun adjourned until May 11. The leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom have expressed regret and concern over President Donald Trumps decision to withdr... The leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom have expressed regret and concern over President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.In a joint statement from Prime Minister May, Chancellor Merkel and President Macron following President Trumps statement on Iran, the leaders said: Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPoA.This agreement remains important for our shared security. We recall that the JCPoA was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council in resolution 2231.This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear programme.We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility, the joint statement read.Trump had, in his remarks withdrawing from the deal, accused the Iranian regime for being the leading state sponsor of terror and for not abiding by its own side of the deal.It exports dangerous missiles, fuels conflicts across the Middle East, and supports terrorist proxies and militias such as Hezbollah, Hamas, the Taliban, and al Qaeda, Trump said.However, European leaders said: According to the IAEA, Iran continues to abide by the restrictions set out by the JCPoA, in line with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.The world is a safer place as a result. Therefore we, the E3, will remain parties to the JCPoA.Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement.We urge the U.S. to ensure that the structures of the JCPoA can remain intact, and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal.After engaging with the U.S. Administration in a thorough manner over the past months, we call on the U.S. to do everything possible to preserve the gains for nuclear non-proliferation brought about by the JCPoA, by allowing for a continued enforcement of its main elements.They, however, encouraged Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the U.S., adding Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA inspection requirements.The E3 added that IAEA must be able to continue to carry out its long-term verification and monitoring programme without restriction or hindrance.They also said that in turn, Iran should continue to receive the sanctions relief it is entitled to whilst it remains in compliance with the terms of the deal.There must be no doubt: Irans nuclear programme must always remain peaceful and civilian. While taking the JCPoA as a base, we also agree that other major issues of concern need to be addressed.A long-term framework for Irans nuclear programme after some of the provisions of the JCPoA expire, after 2025, will have to be defined.Because our commitment to the security of our allies and partners in the region is unwavering, we must also address in a meaningful way shared concerns about Irans ballistic missile programme and its destabilising regional activities, especially in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.We have already started constructive and mutually beneficial discussions on these issues, and the E3 is committed to continuing them with key partners and concerned states across the region, the countries said.(NAN) The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday directed the Ministry of Health to step up surveillance at all the nations entry points to prevent the spread of Ebola to the country, following the outbreak of the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the councils meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.We want to assure Nigerians that the government is determined to keep the country safe, the minister said. A former Governor of Abia, Dr Orji Kalu, on Wednesday said Nigeria was now being respected by the international community due to the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari and his efforts to re-position the country.Kalu, who made the assertion while speaking with newsmen in Lagos, described Buharis recent visit to the United States of America as a success.He noted that Buhari was invited to the US by President Donald Trump only few weeks after the Nigerian leader met with the British Prime Minister, Theresa May.Kalu said:It is only showing the position and confidence the world powers are reposing on Buhari and that shows that the door is opened.Some other presidents needed state visits to the US but they didnt get it. A matter of less than three years, Buhari is being given red carpet in the White House.So, we are very proud that our image is changing and everybody is respecting Nigeria. The world powers have confidence in what he is doing for us.The APC chieftain also noted that the Buhari-led government was working assiduously toward stabilising the economy and ensuring that Nigerians were feeling positive impact of its programmes and policies.The ex-governor advised Nigerian youths to continue to put in the hard work needed to develop the country to the desire level.On the spate of insecurity in the country, Kalu urged the state governors to live up to their responsibility of being the chief security officers of their respective domains.According to him, it is wrong for people to blame Buhari or Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo for security challenges across different parts of the country.He also debunked the claim that the governors were not in control of the security apparatus, adding that they were being economical with the truth.Kalu said: The recipe is for the governors to stand up. I have been a governor before. They should use the security votes they have to fight against insecurity.As a state governor, I summoned the Commissioner of Police, I summoned the Brigade Commander at any time of the day and they must come for us to discuss security issues.I get angry when people keep blaming Buhari for everything. Look at Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, he is not calling anybody for anything. He is a good governor.Those governors who are complaining should do their job. They should put the security funds where they are supposed to be. Buriji Kashamu, the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District has filed two notices of appeal at the Supreme Court seeking to set... Buriji Kashamu, the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District has filed two notices of appeal at the Supreme Court seeking to set aside the recent Court of Appeal judgment. He also alleged that the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami was planning to abduct and transport him to the United States to face trial. Kashamu, through his counsel, averred that the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing his objections. The lower court misdirected itself when it held that the appellant has not made out a case of breach or likelihood of a breach of his fundamental rights, Kashamu said. It is unfortunte that these persons have chosen to channel their energies towards blackmailing the AGF to punish an innocent citizen and achieve a personal vendetta against someone who is seen as their political foe. Their pursuit is of interest to them even when all right-thinking members of the society know that I have a right of appeal against the judgment, which right I have immediately exercised, Kashamu said. He urged the AGF not to allow his office to be used to punish an innocent Nigerian. His office should not be used to punish and unjustly persecute an innocent and patriotic Nigerian, in a bid to satisfy the desire of some political opponents or external forces whose interest is to seek and gain political advantage. To do that will be tantamount to unjustly prosecuting another mans battle either directly or indirectly. The facts of the case speak for itself. I can no longer be the subject of any extradition case when I had on two occasions faced extradition proceedings in a foreign land and I was exonerated and freed to go home. The Government of the United Kingdom has testified through the British High Commission in a letter dated 27th of April, 2015 and addressed to former Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase that I was freed from extradition proceedings in their country between 1998 and 2003. I am however surprised at the efforts to blackmail the AGF to entrench the persecution of the last administration and legalise their illegality. If the AGF should painstakingly study the files with him, he would realise that there are better things to expend public funds on that engaging private lawyers to pursue a failed course, which only seeks to satisfy my political foes that have no goodwill in the society. The two British courts gave judgments in my favour after taking oral and documentary evidence from agents of the United States Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria, including top officials of the NDLEA who were summoned by the British courts. The NDLEA, in particular, gave positive evidence that I was not the person involved in the alleged crime and they have given some evidence here in Nigeria. So, why the sudden change? Former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has condoled with the family and people of Kano State over the death of Tijjaniya Muslim leader and Kano businessman, Khalifa Isiyaku Rabiu.Rabiu died in a London hospital on Tuesday evening, aged 89, after a protracted illness.Noting that the demise of the Islamic leader was a great loss to Nigeria, Makarfi described the renowned religious scholar as a quintessential leader.The former governor noted this in a statement by his spokesman, Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo and made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Wednesday.Makarfi, who was the immediate past National Caretaker Committee of the PDP, said: An industrialist, a philanthropist per excellence and a renowned religious scholar and spiritual leader, Khalifa Ishaq Rabiu was a quintessential good man and always a voice of reason whose interventions had had a soothing and calming effect on issues that needed wise counselling.Khalifas death at this time when moderating voices such as his are sorely needed, is indeed painful, but Senator Makarfi derives solace from the fact that he lived a good life; doing what he wanted to do best, which was deploying his all in the service of Allah.His very good legacies will eke his memory in the sands of time such that even generations yet unborn will pray to Allah for the repose of his soul.Senator Makarfi conveys his most heartfelt condolences to his family, Emir of Kano, Government and people of Kano, all Nigerians and indeed all adherents of the Tijjaniyyah Brotherhood over this irreparable loss.He also prayed to Allah to grant Khalifah Ishaq Rabiu eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus, and all of us the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. Five years after being released from prison for possession of hard drugs, a 40-year-old man, Olakunle Ayo, has been sentenced to three y... Five years after being released from prison for possession of hard drugs, a 40-year-old man, Olakunle Ayo, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for the same offence.Ayo was sentenced by a Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti after being found guilty of the offence preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).NDLEA counsel, Mr Charles Nwagua, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on January 29, at Oke Ode Street, Ilasa-Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area.He alleged that the defendant, on the said date, without lawful authority possessed 400 grams of Cannabis Sativa, Narcotic drugs similar to cocaine Heroin and LSD.According to him, the offence contravened Section 19 of the NDLEA Act Cap N30,Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004.While delivering her judgment, Justice Uche Agomoh said the counsel for the defendant had pleaded for leniency saying the defendant didnt waste the time of the court by pleading guilty to his crime.Agomoh said: The record before me showed that the defendant had once been convicted for the same crime in 2013, this shows that the defendant still persist in the same offence.The court convicts you as charged.The judge thereafter sentenced him to three years imprisonment with hard labour.She added that this would serve as deterrent to others in the habit of illicit drugs. Members of the Senate raised various security issues at the plenary on Tuesday, making the lawmakers to resolve that heads of all securi... Members of the Senate raised various security issues at the plenary on Tuesday, making the lawmakers to resolve that heads of all security agencies in the country be summoned to explain the reasons for the proliferation of arms in Nigeria.The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, also announced that the chamber had given the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, another invitation to appear before the lawmakers at the plenary on Wednesday (today), which will be broadcast live on the Nigerian Television Authority.Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu-North) raised a point of order to inform the Senate about the bombing of the home of the President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo.Nwodos house at Ukehe, in the Igboetiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, was on April 29 attacked with an improvised explosive device, which destroyed parts of the building.Utazi urged the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Bukar Ibrahim, to engage with the police to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack for us to know this matter has been taken with the seriousness that it deserves.Also, Senator Tijjani Kaura (APC, Zamfara-North) raised a point of order to lament the rising spate of killings and kidnappings in Zamfara State.Saraki, in his remarks on the issue of Zamfara, restated the need for the IG to address the Senate on the security crises across the country.He said, Again, it is an unfortunate incident in Zamfara, which is on a daily basis. It is of a great concern to us. We, at the National Assembly, must play our role to see what we can do to tackle this insecurity issue.It is unfortunate, as we said last time, we expect the IG here. We have given him again till Wednesday to come here so that we can truly engage and address these problems. This is the biggest problem we are facing today in the country.We saw what happened in Kaduna State some days ago, and now it is Zamfara. Im told that there is a Police Bill we might have to look at. We will do our best despite the level of lack of cooperation (from the police boss), but we must play our role and I can assure you that we would do something to bring a change and make this country more secure.The IG had twice failed to appear before the Senate to explain the alleged inhuman treatment of Senator Dino Melaye during his arrest and detention by the police over alleged gunrunning.The police boss was also asked to brief the lawmakers on efforts being made to check the spate of killings by armed herdsmen and militias across the country.The resolution on Tuesday to summon the security chiefs followed the adoption of a motion titled, Proliferation of Dangerous Firearms in Nigeria by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC, Kaduna-North).Granting prayers of the motion, the Senate unanimously resolved to invite all service chiefs, the Director General, Department of State Services; the National Security Adviser; the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service; and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service for discussion on the way out of this unfortunate situation.Moving the motion, Hunkuyi said the Senate had noted the tribal, communal, religious and other sectarian clashes, including the farmers/herdsmen crises which were now more devastating due to wrongful and easy acquisition of firearms in violation of due process as laid down by the enabling laws and regulations. Sir Alex Fergusons first words after emergency brain surgery, were reportedly on Doncaster Rovers result.The legendary Manchester United manager was rushed to hospital after suffering from a brain haemorrhage last weekend.The UK Sun reports he is now out of a coma and talking to his family, who have remained with him in hospital.He is said to have asked his family: So, how did Doncaster get on?Ferguson is also said to have joked about attending the Champions League final.The match is between his old rivals Liverpool and Real Madrid in Kiev on May 26. A Bill to repeal Terrorism, Prevention, Act, 2011 and enact Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill has yesterday, scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.Mr Kayode Oladele, who sponsored the bill, said measures to combat kidnapping and hijacking were incorporated into the new bill.He said the bill would provide measures for suppressing financing of terrorism in the country, adding that the move became necessary to enable Nigeria effectively implement international instruments on the prevention and combating of terrorism.According to him, several fundamental changes were incorporated into the revised bill to ensure the domestication of international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols ratified by Nigeria in compliance with certain UN Security Council resolutions.The expansion of the definition of what constitutes acts of terrorism led to the improvements made to sections 12 and 13 of the bill to incorporate any weapon, explosive or other lethal device to a terrorist group. US President Donald Trump says he will withdraw the US from an Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran. US President Donald Trump says he will withdraw the US from an Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran.Calling it decaying and rotten, he said the deal was an embarrassment to him as a citizen.Going against advice from European allies, he said he would reimpose economic sanctions that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015, BBC reports.In response, Iran said it was preparing to restart uranium enrichment, key for making both nuclear energy and weapons.Irans President Hassan Rouhani said: The US has announced that it doesnt respect its commitments.I have ordered the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be ready to start the enrichment of uranium at industrial levels.He said he would wait a few weeks to speak to allies and those who were committed to the nuclear deal.All depends on our national interests, he said.In a statement, France, Germany and the UK who are also signatories to the deal have said they regret the American decision.The European Unions top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, said the EU was determined to preserve the deal.But Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he fully supports Mr Trumps bold withdrawal from a disastrous deal.Mr Trump had previously complained that the deal only limited Irans nuclear activities for a fixed period; had failed to stop the development of ballistic missiles; and had handed Iran a $100bn (74bn) windfall that it used as a slush fund for weapons, terror, and oppression across the Middle East. A Pennsylvania man was arrested in Bergen County and accused of illegally selling firearms - including assault rifles - to New Jersey residents, authorities said Tuesday. Andrew Okie Andrew Okie, 24, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, was arrested after allegedly selling several assault weapons and ammunition to an under detective posing as a buyer, according to Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo. In March, the prosecutor's office received information that Okie was buying firearms in his home state and selling them for profit in New Jersey, Calo said. Between March and May, a prosecutor's office detective working undercover met with Okie several times in Bergen County, buying an AK-47 rifle, three AR-15 rifles, seven high-capacity magazines and more than 100 rounds of ammunition, Calo said. Okie, who is employed as an electronics technician, was arrested Saturday and charged with four counts of second-degree possession of an assault rifle, four counts of third-degree unlawful possession of a rifle, four counts of third-degree illegal sale of a firearm, seven counts of fourth-degree sale of a high-capacity firearm magazine and seven counts of fourth-degree possession of a large-capacity firearm magazine. Okie was held without bail Wednesday in the Bergen County Jail, county records show. In addition to the prosecutor's office, the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team, Hackensack police, Dumont police and Hasbrouck Heights police assisted in the investigation. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. By Staff | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Eighteen municipalities, including three of New Jerseys major cities, held non-partisan municipal elections Tuesday. Voters in towns spread throughout the state cast ballots for mayor, council members, and other elected positions. Among the contested races of the night were mayoral contests in Newark, Trenton, and Paterson. The races for mayor in Long Branch and Ocean City, and for council in Newton, also drew attention this election cycle. Check the unofficial local election results below. Find all of our election coverage here. Click below to go straight to a specific county Bergen Burlington Camden Cape May Essex Hudson Mercer Monmouth Passaic Sussex Don't Edit Loading... Loading... Loading... Don't Edit Loading... Don't Edit Loading... Loading... Don't Edit Loading... Loading... Loading... Don't Edit Don't Edit Read more about N.J. elections There are 18 local elections Tuesday (and some of them actually matter) 39 candidates, 10 positions, and a shot to shape the future of N.J.'s largest city 7 candidates for Trenton mayor. 1 question about marijuana BAYONNE -- Mayor Jimmy Davis has won a clean sweep, first-ballot victory, defeating former state Assemblyman Jason O'Donnell and local doctor/lawyer Mitchell Brown. Davis, 54, garnered 6,850 votes, or 57 percent of the total votes cast, according to the preliminary results from the county board of elections, besting O'Donnell by more than 2,000 votes. Much of his City Council, meanwhile, won by large margins. Tommy Cotter, the first ward councilman, garnered nearly 65 percent of the vote, while Third Ward Councilman Gary La Pelusa Sr. won just under 60 percent. The voter turnout was low, with just 32 percent (11,948 in the mayoral race) of registered voters (37,212) casting ballots on a beautiful spring day. In the election's closest race, Second Ward Councilman Sal Gullace defeated Kevin Kuhl by 73 votes (not including mail-in ballots). Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski and Juan Perez were both re-elected as at-large candidates, garnering 31 and 28 percent of the vote, respectively. Hundreds of Davis supporters converged on Villa Maria on Broadway for a raucous Election Night party. Davis arrived to a jubilant celebration around 8:45 p.m. "This is probably one of the best feelings I've ever had," Davis said amid rousing cheers that echoed throughout Villa Maria on Broadway. "To everybody in this room, and in the city of Bayonne, thank you." "This has been the longest eight months of my life. My family has been through a lot... (the election) got very ugly and got very personal," he said. He thanked his wife, three kids and extended family for "being behind me from the start." "It's been a long road," he added. The contentious election season served as a referendum of Davis' redevelopment policy: using tax abatements to incentivize residential development, bring working class residents into the city and increase the median income to restore the city's local economy. The mayor's team had spent the past several weeks -- and much of the last two years -- touting the new revenue the city is receiving from developments already on line, and, as a result, the shrinking structural deficit that has plagued the city for almost two decades. O'Donnell, the mayor's primary challenger in the race, campaigned against this strategy, saying the mayor's "poor record" of handing out "tax giveaways to wealthy developers" would hurt taxpayers in the future. "I'm proud of the campaign we ran," O'Donnell said when reached by phone, adding that he would not have done anything different. "This is democracy. You put out your ideas on how you think you can do better and at the end of the day, the voters make a decision." Brown, whose campaign platform centered on fiscal responsibility and righting the city's finances, watched the election numbers roll in with his family at home. He picked up 525 votes, according to the preliminary tally. "I think I should have done better. I think the town is fiscally not headed in a good direction but I guess my platform didn't resonate with the voters or I didn't have enough time to campaign," Brown said when reached by phone. "I wish Mayor Davis the best of luck. I hope he can turn the town around." When asked if his mayoral campaign is just the first step in a career in politics or merely a one-time foray, Brown responded: "I can't say just yet. I'd have to see what the climate is over the next few years and see how well the mayor does, if he delivers on his promises." Davis' new four-year term will begin in July. "This city wants to move forward," Davis said. "(Residents) have seen what we've done for the last four years, they like what's going on, and together we're all going to move the city forward." The Jersey Journal's Terrence T. McDonald and Patrick Villanova contributed to this report. Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY - A 41-year-old Guatemala native was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for the aggravated manslaughter of a 20-year-old man in a 2014 North Bergen hit-and-run and the aggravated assault of the victim's 11-year-old brother. In January, Rogelio Chavix-Tacen admitted that on Nov. 14, 2014 he went to a local bar and drank to the point of intoxication before getting into his vehicle and driving at a high rate of speed on Kennedy Boulevard. As he sped along Kennedy Boulevard, his vehicle jumped the curb between 31st and 32nd streets, striking Michael Viruet, 20, and his then-11-year-old brother, Adrian. The brothers and their sister, Mileen, 15, had just seen a movie and were walking toward the pedestrian bridge, officials said. At today's hearing, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Karen Kazanchy said the victims' family members were still too distraught to attend the sentencing. Chavix-Tacen was arrested Dec. 4, 2014 in Annapolis, Maryland, where he was found hiding under a bed. His arrest came a half hour before Michael Viruet's death. Authorities said that Chavix-Tacen had purchased plane tickets and planned to leave the country. At today's hearing, defense attorney Keith Hirschorn argued that the two sentences should be served concurrently and Karen Kazanchy argued that they should be served consecutively. In the end, Hudson County Superior Court Judge John Young sided with the prosecution and ordered the terms served consecutively. Chavix-Tacen must serve 85 percent of each term before becoming eligible for parole. Chavix-Tacen, who is not a United States Citizen, is expected to be deported after he if released from prison. He has 1,249 days of jail credit that will be applied to his sentence. The sentencing was in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City. JERSEY CITY The family of a police lieutenant who was fatally struck on the New Jersey Turnpike earlier this year was honored during a Wednesday morning ceremony attended by hundreds of bicyclists as they began a four-day ride to Washington D.C. Police officers and family members riding in the nearly 300-mile Police Unity Tour began their journey in New York City and stopped in Jersey City, where the city's 40 police officers who died in the line of duty were commemorated. Lt. Christopher Robateau's wife, Rose, and three sons were presented with a plaque with the names of those officers engraved on it. Robateau, a decorated veteran of the city's police force, was struck by a vehicle on Jan. 5 after being involved in a minor crash on his way to work. Officials considered his death to be in the line of duty because he was checking on the other driver involved in the collision. Police Lt. Scott Schnee, who presented the plaque, said the call he received when Robateau died was the worst call he's every gotten. The two lived in neighboring towns and talked often about their families. "I want you to know that I, and we, the whole Police Unity Tour, certainly know you and we're here for you now and forever because you're part of the Jersey City police family," Schnee said to Robateau's family. Det. Marc Anthony DiNardo's 12-year-old daughter, Gwendolyn, and Det. Melvin Vincent Santiago's mother, Cathy McBride, also spoke during the event. DiNardo was killed in the line of duty in 2009, while Santiago was fatally shot during a July 2014 ambush at a local Walgreens. The Police Unity Tour has raised more than $23 million for the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial and Museum since it began 22 years ago. Representatives of several Hudson County agencies, including 30 Jersey City police officers, are participating this year. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis and his team won on the coattails of Costco. Peninsula City voters are apparently satisfied with the direction Bayonne is going as far as development and could care less about the sexting accusations against the incumbent. Davis ran the usual Hudson incumbent's campaign where his work ethic, achievements and promises are crammed into the last six months of a four-year term. He also managed to place the Mark Smith tag on his rival, former Assemblyman Jason O'Donnell, who may have found it difficult to convince voters that he could make Peninsula City a better place to live. Truthfully, most of the time people can sense when an incumbent is in trouble. There is always a growing dissatisfaction and change is the air and most of the time a switch in leadership comes as an anti-vote. A candidate should know theyre in trouble when knocking on doors he is told they can count on their vote instead of hearing about how they hate whats happening in the city. Davis was able to convince voters that nothing is broken and they are on their way to fixing some chronic problems. Yes, Broadway is still in trouble but the administration claims it is working on the problem and if you look through the right colored lens, its obviously getting better. The citys image as a growing, prosperous municipality is truly evident with the promise of a Costco and a Starbucks coffee house. Several major luxury projects are planned, even if they involve tax abatements. As the mayor likes to say, ... sit back and let the process happen. Even the guy who is often blamed for failing to develop the waterfront, former Mayor Joseph Doria, is said to have issued a last-minute letter endorsing the mayor as the one person who can save the city. It must have convinced those in what seems a low-vote election on a beautiful day. If Davis cannot do the job in the next term then old Bayonne will still have a budget deficit and remain in its present position for several more decades. He had better hope the de facto mayor, Business Administrator Joe DeMarco, stays on the job. As for ODonnell, his fortune has taken a fatal downward turn. Not too long ago it seemed as if he was headed for stardom. This is a man who in his early 40s was being talked about as a possible state Assembly Speaker when he got caught in a power struggle within the Legislature in 2011. ODonnell, a Democrat, was being touted by state Sen. Barbara Buono of Middlesex County to possibly oust then Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver of Essex County. Sen. Steve Sweeney opposed ODonnell. It never happened and once Davis defeated Mayor Mark Smith in 2013, O'Donnell's days as an assemblyman were over. Now with this defeat, I would say his political career is over. Its time to enjoy the pension. CIVIL WAR Bloggers and spin masters will see these results as having some connection with the Democratic Party civil war. With Davis backing Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, no doubt State Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop would have preferred O Donnell. They sent no army to help the challenger because in their experience any last second busload of workers would have the opposite desired effect. As for the civil war, nothing has changed. DeGise must still overcome the biggest Democratic operation and city that has been joined with the strongest machine, plus Hoboken, West New York and other areas -- including Bayonne -- that are carved up for the change in county government. This will be the county executives greatest political challenge and its not like he isnt getting any help. Rightfully everyones first Starbuck latte is on Davis, once the place is constructed. EDITOR'S NOTE: Agustin C. Torres' columns appear on the nj.com opinion website on Saturdays and in the print edition of The Jersey Journal. Submit letters to the editor and guest columns at jjletters@jjournal.com. JERSEY CITY -- Funeral arrangements have been announced for the Jersey City police officer found dead in her home Sunday. A wake for Det. Amy Hulings will be held Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. at McLaughlin Funeral Home in Jersey City. Friends and family will gather for a funeral Mass Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's Church. City officials have not released any information about Hulings' death at College Towers, though sources say foul play is not suspected. A spokesman for the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office has said the Jersey City Police Department is handling the investigation. Hulings was described as a "true Jersey City native" in an obituary. She was born at the Margaret Hague hospital, graduated from St. Dominic Academy, and then Saint Peter's University. She joined the police force in 1999 and was promoted to detective in 2006. She was named Irish police officer of the year in 2012 as part of the city's St. Patrick's Day Parade. "She had a tremendous outgoing spirit and infectious personality which people gravitated toward," her obituary reads. "She loved the beach, particularly Lavallette and Fort Pierce, Florida but most of all she loved her family, particularly her nieces and nephews whom she doted on." In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Huling is the third member of the Jersey City Police Department to die this year. In January, Lt. Christopher Robateau died after he was struck by a vehicle on the New Jersey Turnpike. Police said he was getting out of his vehicle to check on a driver after Robateau was involved in a minor crash. In March, Police found officer Ramon Torres was found inside his home with a gunshot wound to his chest and died at the hospital a short time later. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Jurors could not reach verdict yesterday afternoon, forcing a mistrial to be declared in the trial of the North Bergen "sexorcist" accused of using his stature as a "prophet" to sexually assault a young man 10 years ago. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mirtha Ospina set June 5 as the tentative date for the retrial of Gregorio Martinez, 50, who faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. The former North Bergen pastor, who was convicted in 2015 of molesting a 13-year-old boy and faces two more trials on sex charges, appeared to be pleased by the declaration of a mistrial as he was led from court in handcuffs yesterday afternoon. Martinez, who is said to speak in tongues, is already serving four years in prison for the molestation and five years for bail jumping. The terms are consecutive. The 50-year-old was out on bail at the time of the conviction when sentencing day rolled around, but he was nowhere to be found. He was then tracked to Nicaragua in 2016 and arrested in Honduras. "I was disappointed because there was no evidence other than the alleged victim in the case," Martinez's lawyer, Daniel Gonzalez, said of the mistrial. "On cross examination, there were clear inconsistencies in his trial testimony and his original statement. There's no question that the trial testimony was embellished." Gonzalez said his client is trying to clear his name, so he was clearly disappointed by the mistrial. The attorney said it is a tough case for both the state and the defense, and he would try his best to prepare even better for the retrial. Authorities say Martinez, who his followers say speaks in tongues, sexually assaulted the 27-year-old man when the alleged victim was 18 years old. The jury began deliberating on Thursday around noon, and by about the same time on Friday, jurors passed a note to the judge saying they were deadlocked. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mirtha Ospina asked the jurors to keep deliberating and sent them back into the jury room. The jurors continued deliberating until about 11:40 a.m. yesterday when they sent a second note to Ospina saying they were deadlocked. The judge asked them to return to the jury room and have lunch before deciding if they were truly hung. In the afternoon, the jury passed a final note saying, "After further deliberation, we have reached an impasse and we firmly believe that we will not be able to reach a unanimous decision." Ospina called the jurors into the courtroom at 2:42 p.m., released them and declared a mistrial. During the trial, the alleged victim said he thought of Martinez as a mentor and an internationally prominent religious figure. He said that during a road trip to a prayer service, Martinez began fondling his crotch, and he pushed the preacher's hand away. The man said that on another occasion, Martinez asked him to go into a car with him alone because he wanted to pray over him. He said that while praying, they closed their eyes, and Martinez reached inside his pants. Finally, the man said Martinez came to his Jersey City home unannounced one day, took him aside and asked him about his sexual habits. He said Martinez became concerned and said he wanted to pray over him again, so they went inside. The 27-year-old said he pulled down his own pants and underwear, and Martinez prayed over his genitals, which he also touched and kissed. The man testified that at the time, he thought Martinez's actions had religious purpose and were proper. Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Andrew Baginski argued that the defendant used religion to manipulate the man for his own sexual gratification. In his closing argument, Gonzalez told the jury that there was not one shred of evidence to corroborate the allegations, and that the case was rife with reasonable doubt. A longtime Jersey Shore landmark is no more.. The Circus Drive-In Diner, a Wall Township establishment known for its iconic clown sign visible off of Route-35 was demolished Wednesday morning. Open for more than 60 years, the restaurant offered its customers a throwback-style of service by serving hamburgers, hot dogs, and other summer favorites car side with a window attachment to place the food. According to real estate transactions, the 1.64-acre property was sold to Circus Partners, LLC for $1.75 million. According to the corporate filings, the agent listed is Richard Roccesano, who according to Loopnet.com, is the Executive Vice President of Rock Investments. A subsidiary of Rock Investments is Rock Asset Management. Calls to Rock Asset Management were not returned to NJ Advance Media. However, according to the company's website, the property is "available for ground lease or small strip shopping center." Former customers who went to the drive-in location shared their experiences on Facebook. "It was just a normal Wednesday until I look to my left," said Keven Mendez. "Then I realize the building they just destroyed was my favorite drive-in diner around me. They finally tore down the circus. Although the building is gone, the memories will still be there. And their food for me was always amazing. Thanks for the memories." It was just a normal Wednesday until I look to my left. Then I realize the building they just destroyed was my favorite... Posted by Keven Mendez on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 According to the Wall Township Land Use Department, no plans have been submitted for the site. There is no information yet if a business has signed a lease for the property. Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips An Afghan man who was detained in the U.S. after risking his life to help American troops abroad was finally freed Tuesday night after more than a year in detention. It was a huge relief for the young immigrant who was seeking safety in the U.S. after he was attacked by the Taliban for working at an American military base in Afghanistan. Relief for Abdul, however, arrived after 14 months in detention. "Abdul came here expecting refuge. Instead, he spent his first year in America living in a federal jail, and for no legitimate purpose," ACLU-NJ executive director Amol Sinha said in a statement. "We're relieved about this decision, but it's tinged with sadness -- for the inexcusable delay in Abdul starting his life here." NJ Advance Media is withholding Abdul's last name to protect his family in Afghanistan. Immigrant advocates who fought for Abdul's release -- and halted his deportation back to Afghanistan -- said Abdul was detained at the airport when he arrived from Afghanistan, despite having a visa. Adbul landed at Newark Liberty International Airport in March of last year with a special immigrant visa reserved for Afghans and Iraqis who are no longer safe in their countries because they aided the U.S. government in its missions abroad. But the 26-year-old was stopped by immigration officials and ordered deported. It's still unclear why Abdul was stopped. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Abdul's detention prompted a series of legal fights and protests by advocates who clamored that the Afghan national had been vetted before he received his visa more than a year and a half after he applied for one. A retired U.S. Army Sergeant also wrote him a letter of recommendation, his attorney said. On Tuesday, Abdul was granted asylum and released. "Instead of thanking Abdul for the work he did for the government that put him at risk, immigration officials put him in jail for more than a year," Jason Scott Camilo, Abdul's pro-bono attorney said. "This inhuman treatment needs to end now, not just for immigrants and refugees in New Jersey, but throughout the country." Abdul arrived in the U.S. the week Trump's revised travel ban that restricted travel from six Muslim-majority countries -- not including Afghanistan -- was set to go into effect. The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a case challenging the executive order. Abdul planned to relocate to Ohio, earn a Bachelor's degree in economics and work. At the Elizabeth Detention Center, Abdul told reporters in August he was happy to come to the U.S. and wasn't expecting to be treated this way. "I want the world to know I'm not here to harm anyone, I want the world to know I'm here for education, I 'm here for work," Abdul said at the time, speaking from a small, gray cinderblock room. Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. A Monmouth County grand jury has indicted a Mercer County man on charges he sold a Howell Township man the heroin that killed him last year. John R. Varra, 50, who was arrested last year a few days after the death, was indicted on one count of strict liability for a drug-induced death for the May 1, 2017 sale of the dose led to the death of a 31-year-old Howell Township man two days later, the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office announced. The 31-year-old man's wife called police just after midnight on May 3, 2017 when she found him unresponsive in their bedroom. Emergency responders tried to revive him with naloxone -- an opioid overdose reversal drug -- but the efforts were unsuccessful. Police began investigating the source of the man's heroin, and arrested Varra in Howell Township later the same day, officials said. He also faces a third-degree heroin possession and distribution charges as well. He was not in police custody as of Wednesday. Varra - who has a Trenton mailing address, but records show he lives in the Ewing - is one of several New Jerseyans recently charged with for selling a deadly dose of heroin. A 21-year-old man from Burlington County was recently charged after selling to a 15-year-old girl who died by overdose. The man allegedly searching the internet for ways to get people addicted to heroin, googling "I want to get a girl addicted to heroin." And a 25-year-old Camden dealer was recently found guilty during trial for selling the heroin that killed a 35-year-old Burlington County man. Varra currently faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in state prison without parole and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if found guilty during a trial, prosecutors said. Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @By_paigegross. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A corrections officer accused of sexually abusing five inmates at New Jersey's women's prison was convicted Wednesday on charges he abused two of them and engaged in a pattern of misconduct. Jason Mays, a senior corrections officer at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women, was found guilty of five counts including sexual assault, criminal sexual contact and official misconduct, by a Hunterdon County jury. The jury found the officer not guilty of another 10 counts of charges ranging from sexual assault to criminal coercion connected to allegations of abuse of three other women, according to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office, which tried the case. The verdict comes after more than a week of deliberations following a four-week trial that laid bare problems plaguing the prison, where seven employees have been criminally charged with sexually abusing inmates over the last two years. Two employees previously pleaded guilty. Mays, who was arrested in September 2016 on charges he abused four women that summer and a fifth in 2010, was the first to go to trial. "I have never been inappropriate with any inmate at any time," he said last month from the witness stand. The women told a different story. Jason Mays. "It started with simple comments like, 'Hey, sexy," and then it progressed," one of the women testified during the trial. She said Mays propositioned her to have sex in the "beauty room," a small room containing cosmetics and haircutting supplies, which had a window overlooking the courtyard from where the officer could make sure nobody was approaching. The inmate told jurors she met Mays and had sexual intercourse with him because she was almost up for parole and feared he might charge her with an infraction that could delay her release. "It's an officer versus an inmate," she said. "They could take my (release) date away from me in a blink of an eye. I just wanted to go home." The abuse went undetected, Assistant Prosecutor Kelly Daniels said, because the minimum security housing unit where much of it happened didn't have any cameras and Mays was the only officer in the building. "You think, 'That's prison. The entire thing has to be under surveillance,' right?" Daniels told the jurors as the trial began. "Nope." Over several weeks in the Flemington courtroom, current and former inmates testified in graphic detail about their encounters with Mays. Two women said they had sex with him willingly. Three others said they were assaulted or coerced into sexual acts. Under state law, any sexual contact between an inmate and an officer is a crime because prisoners cannot legally consent. Mays' attorney, Leslie Sinemus, maintained throughout the trial that the women had made it all up, calling them "complainants" rather than "victims" and presenting several inmate witnesses who claimed the women had conspired against the officer. NJ Advance Media is not identifying the women by name at the request of Judge Angela Borkowski and because the news organization does not typically identify victims of sexual abuse. Corrections officials have divulged little about conditions at the prison in recent months, saying they had made "changes and improvements to enhance inmate safety" but declining to disclose them, citing the ongoing criminal cases and a barrage of lawsuits. Facing criticism of Department of Corrections' handling of the problem, Commissioner Gary Lanigan -- who was appointed by Gov. Chris Christie and initially asked to stay on by Gov. Phil Murphy -- announced he was retiring. At the close of the trial, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony Kearns told NJ Advance Media in an interview that his office's investigation had identified chronic problems at the prison. "I think there's important evidence that was presented to indicate that there are significant issues at Edna Mahan that need to be addressed so that this doesn't happen again," he said. Mays was taken into custody pending sentencing after Wednesday's verdict, authorities said. Official misconduct charges in New Jersey carry a five-year minimum sentence, and sexual assault is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the number of staff members recently criminally charged over abuse claims. While more have been publicly accused in civil proceedings, just seven face criminal accusations. S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Concentrating on income inequality and poverty. Improving mental health. Creating universal background checks. Mandating liability insurance for gun owners. Stomping out racism. These were among the themes in answers given to us by average Americans who sought to have an honest discussion on gun violence in a monthlong closed Facebook group as part of our special project, "Guns, an American Conversation." Advance Local newsrooms -- AL.com, cleveland.com, lehighvalleylive.com, MLive.com, NJ.com, NOLA.com, OregonLive.com, SILive.com and syracuse.com -- in partnership with Spaceship Media hosted some 150 engaged readers in the group discussion. For this interactive chart, we asked participants to answer: "What would be one thing we could do as Americans to reduce gun violence?" "Mental health screening for gun permit/license applicants," wrote Asheenia Johnson, of Jersey City, N.J., adding, "stricter sentences for illegal gun possession including no bail or plea deals, national database of violent offenders." OK, so it wasn't one answer. Johnson, 42, who described herself as somewhere in the middle of the pro-gun and anti-gun spectrum, also would like to see uniform sales policies nationwide and penalties for manufacturers and retailers who do not adhere to those restrictions. James Finamore, 52, of Franklin, Massachusetts, took up a running theme among pro-gun and Second Amendment stalwarts: "Prosecute and punish to the full extent of the law, those who break already existing gun laws." While on the other side of the spectrum, the Rev. Kristine Eggert, 66, of Cleveland, Ohio, called for closing background-check loopholes. "More universally applied background checks would help keep guns out of the hands of those who would do harm," she wrote for the survey. "It is an area of common ground that would have immediate effect on gun deaths and injuries." About the participants We received 74 responses from group members -- not enough to give us a full sample of the entire country, but enough to give us more details about the group we've been tracking for the past month. Here's what else the survey found: When asked the question "In general, how would you describe your position on gun control?" and asked to rate on a scale between 1 (pro-2A/gun) and 5 (pro-gun control), the average rating was 3 -- indicating overall moderation in the group. The average age of participants was 48. There was not a clear trend of different beliefs between different age groups. But there was a clear difference in gender: The average rating among female participants was 3.7, while the average among male participants was 2.6. This suggests that women in the group were more pro-gun control than men. Oregon, Ohio and New Jersey were the top respondents to the form -- no surprise, since that's where we recruited participants for our media outlets. What do you think? Do you see a solution you could stand behind among those offered? Do you have any you'd like to add? Tell us in the comments, and tell us whether you lean more toward less regulations or more gun-control measures. President Donald Trump's new personal lawyer, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, has exacerbated Trump's political troubles in the last week with a series of unscripted interviews. Giuliani joined Trump's legal team amid a shakeup less than three weeks ago to represent him in the special counsel's investigation into Russian election interference and possible ties to Trump associates. Last Wednesday, Giuliani said that the President had reimbursed his attorney Michael Cohen for the $130,000 paid to porn actress Stormy Daniels, and since then, Giuliani has appeared on several television shows and given interviews to more than half a dozen outlets. According to CNN, Trump has grown sick of Giuliani. On Monday, The White House said that Giuliani adds value to the Trump team. After less than three weeks, is it time to show Giuliani the door? Vote in our informal and unscientific poll and tell us why in the comments. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. After coasting to victory in Tuesday's election, Mayor-elect Andre Sayegh isn't wasting any time carrying out his mission of "One Paterson." The day after besting his opponents in the six-man race, he vowed to "bring to justice" the people responsible for distributing an offensive campaign mailer over the weekend that used racial and homophobic slurs. The mailer, which encouraged residents to vote for Sayegh, attacked local political leaders who were Hispanic, black, Muslim and gay, saying: "They all have ran the city to the ground." The flier goes on to say: "Is [sic] time for the Christian silent majority to make Paterson great again!" Sayegh is a Catholic Arab-American. "It shouldn't happen to anyone else," he told NJ Advance Media. "It makes me uncomfortable to see something as abhorrent as that." Sayegh said his campaign had nothing to do with the mailer and asked the Passaic County Prosecutor's office and the New Jersey Attorney General's Office to investigate the matter earlier this week. Peter Aseltine, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, confirmed officials had received information about the incident and were reviewing the matter but could neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation. A request for comment sent to the prosecutor's office was not returned. Sayegh said his campaign also sent the law enforcement offices a photo of someone who was allegedly dropping the mailers off at homes Saturday night into Sunday morning. It's not clear now many mailers were distributed across New Jersey's third largest city. "It's despicable," said Sayegh, who added that ran an inclusive campaign. "It's un-American, we're pursuing this to the fullest extent of the law." Jim Sues, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, New Jersey, also condemned the flier. "Bigotry of any kind should have no place in our state or our nation," Sues said in a statement. "We condemn this clandestine attempt to spread hatred and division." The flier included offensive language toward former Paterson mayors Joey Torres (who is in prison) and Martin Barnes (who passed away). Torres was sentenced to five years in prison on corruption charges for using city employees to do work at a liquor business his family hoped to open. Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez was one of only four Democrats to oppose Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker joined most other Senate Democrats in supporting it. Still, President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the deal drew the ire of both New Jersey Democratic senators. "With this decision, President Trump is risking U.S. national security, recklessly upending foundational partnerships with key U.S. allies in Europe and gambling with Israel's security," said Menendez, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He said Trump's decision "makes it more likely Iran will restart its nuclear weapons program in the future." Booker, who also sits Foreign Relations, expressed similar concerns. "The president's announcement is nothing less than an abdication of American leadership that jeopardizes our national security, makes the world less safe, and increases the prospect of Iran developing a nuclear weapon," he said. Booker's decision to support the agreement, which relaxed economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear program, came after he was urged to oppose the deal by the pro-Israel community and by Gov. Chris Christie. He said at the time that some deal was better than no deal. "Make no mistake, I had concerns about the Iran nuclear agreement when I voted on it, but an imperfect deal with years remaining to conduct further diplomacy was and remains better than a nuclear-armed Iran," Booker said. Menendez needed no convincing to oppose the deal, but agreed with Booker that the U.S. was better off with a flawed agreement that could be tightened down the road. He called on Trump to immediately send his national security team to Capitol Hill to explain how the U.S. will prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons on its own, and how he will impose sanctions when the other parties to the nuclear deal will not join him. "It is a grave mistake to walk away from this deal without a plan for ensuring that Iran does not restart its nuclear weapon program, without a strategy for countering Iran's dangerous non-nuclear activities, and without our allies and partners," Menendez said. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Eight juvenile offenders being housed at Bridge City Center for Youth have been arrested in a pair of attacks on staffers at the facility, according to authorities. In the most recent assault, two female corrections officers were beaten, including one who was knocked unconscious, before four offenders escaped their dorm. Authorities are not identifying the two youngest arrested offenders because of their ages. The most recent attack occurred Monday (May 7). A female corrections officer - called a juvenile justice specialist at the center - was overseeing a dorm with a second female specialist around 1:30 a.m. when the second woman left to use the restroom. That's when a 15-year-old offender approached the first specialist and began hitting her on the head using a sock with "something hard in it," the arrest report said. The second specialist ran out of the bathroom at the sounds of the first woman's screams. Offender Melvin Cloud, 17, grabbed the second specialists' radio and her keys to the facility, the report said. Cloud and the 15-year-old then used the keys to unlock a back door. The second specialist followed them out to retrieve her keys from Cloud, who beat the woman with her radio until she lost consciousness, the report said. He also tried to take her personal car keys. When the second specialist came to, she told authorities she was being dragged back inside the dorm. A second 15-year-old and an offender named Treyjon Simmons took advantage of the chaos and also slipped out of the dorm, according to the report. None of the teens left the facility grounds, according to Elizabeth Touchet-Morgan, executive management advisor for the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice, the agency that runs the Bridge City center. The teens returned to the dorm within about 10 minutes after other staffers spotted them on the grounds The two specialists were treated on site and taken to a local hospital. Cloud and Simmons were arrested and transported to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna. Cloud was booked with battery of a corrections employee while in custody, first-degree robbery and aggravated escape. Simmons was booked with simple escape. The 15-year-old accused of hitting the specialist with a sock was booked with battery of a corrections employee while in custody and aggravated escape. The second 15-year-old was booked with simple escape, Touchet-Morgan said. Both are being held at Rivarde Juvenile Detention Center in Harvey. On May 1, four offenders attacked a male specialist just as he walked out of the dining hall around 6:15 p.m., according to arrest reports. Donald Duhon, 20; Dante Williams, 18; Larry Rowel, 19; and Trey Johnson, 18, are accused of punching and choking the specialist, arrest reports said. Staffers responded and pulled the offender off of the specialist. But the four then ran to a barber shop located within the facility and began pounding on the Plexiglas window until it popped loose, the report said. The window hit a female juvenile justice specialist in the face. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The four offenders renewed their attack on the male specialist as he was walking to the administration building, punching and kicking him, the report said. The two staff members injured in the incident were treated on site, Touchet-Morgan said. One also sought medical attention off-campus. Duhon, Williams, Rowel and Johnson were arrested and booked into the Gretna correctional center with one count each of battery of a corrections employee while in custody. "OJJ's first priority following an incident is to secure the youth and staff and administer medical assistance as needed," Touchet-Morgan said. "The next step is for our internal investigators to gather evidence to determine if there is probable cause for arrest." The conditions at Bridge City and violence involving youths and staff has long been a concern for those who work in juvenile justice. Aaron Clark-Rizzio, the executive director of the Louisiana Center for Children's Rights, told Fox 8 the violence is indicative of how the facility is being run. There's been long-running concern about high turnover and training among the staff at Bridge City. Touchet-Morgan confirmed that a group leader who managed one of the dorms was terminated last week. "He was a probational employee who was separated from state service," she said. "There is an ongoing internal investigation into the incident that led to his separation." Fox 8 reported the staffer is accused of choking an offender while the youth was being escorted to a dorm. Part of the problem is that Bridge City Center for Youth is just too large, said Rachel Gassert, policy director for the Louisiana Center for Children's Rights, a law office serves as public defender for juveniles in Orleans Parish. "We know that these large juvenile prison models tend to have these kinds of problems," Gassert said. "As long as we continue to incarcerate children in these kinds of facilities, we're creating risk that there might be violence. Better models are much smaller facilities that are rehabilitative in nature." Bridge City does suffer high turnover, like most juvenile "secure care" and adult correctional facilities, Touchet-Morgan said. Staffers go through several weeks of training in security practices and policies on therapeutic methods. In the wake of violent incidents, OJJ also works to determine what appropriate changes should be made. OJJ officials are currently working to increase the staffing ratio in the dorms at night, Touchet-Morgan said. They are also looking to increase the number of supervisors available to perform supervisory rounds. The agency wants to enhance physical security at the Bridge City Center for Youth and develop better therapeutic programs, including those focused on anger management, she said. A former LSU instructor who filed a federal lawsuit against the university for gender discrimination now plans to take her case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Plaintiff Margaret "Margot" Herster was hired in 2009 to work in the digital arts program of the university's Arts, Visualization, Advanced Technology and Research Initiative, known as AVATAR. Herster claims LSU paid her less than half what it paid nine other AVATAR full time faculty -- all men -- who also received benefits and other privileges Herseter said were denied to her. Herster's lawsuit accused LSU and several people in the art school and human resources department of unlawful retaliation, as well as state and federal labor law violations by discriminating against her based on her gender. Her claims concerning gender-discrimination compensation and whistleblower retaliation were thrown out in December 2016 by Senior U.S. District Judge James Brady, who died in December. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans affirmed Brady's dismissal April 4. Last Friday (May 4), the 5th Circuit Court denied another petition from Herster that sought to have the court reconsider prior rulings in her case. "I am disturbed by this ruling, which flies in the face of established law. These judges were obliged to enforce civil rights laws that protect against sex abuse, pay discrimination and retaliation at work and school," Herster said in a released statement announcing the court's ruling May 4. Herster stated the court's ruling "deviates" from Supreme Court precedent that prohibits employers from paying women less than men due to sex-based stereotypes of their roles. "Fifth Circuit courts--covering Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas--are notoriously hostile to the civil and human rights of women, whistleblowers and others targeted for mistreatment by powerful institutions. I am prepared to take this appeal to the Supreme Court," Herster said in her statement. LSU has denied Herster's allegations in court documents. Jason Droddy, LSU's interim vice president for strategic communications, said in a released statement Wednesday that "every court that has considered Ms. Herster's claims has rejected them." He added that the 5th Circuit Court's refusal to reconsider the case is "a clear sign of its confidence in its earlier ruling in favor of LSU." The Judicial Learning Center's website states the U.S. Supreme Court reviews 75-85 cases a year out of about 10,000 petitions they receive. 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 Herster claimed her supervisor, LSU College of Art and Design director Rod Parker, said her pay was set low because he viewed Herster and other women in the department as a "trailing spouse" who would "have children and be happy." When Herster sought changes for herself and her students, she claimed Parker became angry and aggressive, engaging in escalating sexist, demeaning taunts like calling her "princess," "acting like an eight year-old," and threatening her job. LSU fired Herster in 2012, but not before she described to administrators "a systemic culture of discrimination and harassment" at the College of Art and Design. According to the federal lawsuit obtained by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune in 2015, Herster described ongoing mistreatment by faculty, including faculty caught "ogling female students" on social media, "erotic content" on faculty computers, and comments on students' "push up bras, tiny tank tops and tight jeans." Herster also reported a false billing scheme by the College of Art before her firing. Herster claimed the school coerced students to pay unauthorized fees while faculty and administrators misused those funds instead of using them for classroom and teaching supplies. An LSU audit in 2013 confirmed Herster's reports, and it identified that more than $60,000 in course fees were misused. Herster claims she is seeking reinstatement to her position. She is also seeking back pay, compensation for loss of benefits, attorney's fees and compensation for "mental anguish and emotional stress." Herster is represented by Abby Malloy of Barlit, Beck, Herman, Palenchar & Scott of Chicago, Illinois, and Robert Campbell of Williamson, Fontenot, Campbell & Whittington of Baton Rouge. . . . . . . . Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. New Orleans police are looking for a man suspected in a robbery prompted by a dice game late Saturday (May 5) at the edge of the St. Roch neighborhood and the 7th Ward. Luis Angel Alonzo is wanted on a charge of simple robbery in the crime, which occurred about 10:20 p.m. in the 2500 block of Elysian Fields Avenue, police said. According to the NOPD, Alonzo demanded $60 from the victim, a 37-year-old man, after the two made a bet during the dice game. When the victim refused to pay, Alonzo began to hit the victim and ultimately held the victim to the ground while someone else took more than $300 from the victim's pocket. The person who took the money has not been identified, police said in a news release Tuesday night. Alonzo drives a silver, two-door 2009 Scion coupe with Louisiana license plate 518AIJ. Anyone with information on the location of Luis Alonzo is asked to call any NOPD 5th District officer at 504-685-6050 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111. St. John the Baptist Parish district Judge Jeff Perilloux is under investigation by the Louisiana State Police for allegations of sexual assault last year, according to The New Orleans Advocate. The newspaper, citing court records, said state investigators sought a search warrant as part of their investigation, and that several of Perilloux's colleagues recused themselves. State Police spokeswoman Melissa Matey declined to comment on the matter Tuesday (May 8). The LaPlace newspaper L'Observateur, citing Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Michelle Nicholson, reported that the investigation involved an alleged assault in Florida, and that Nicholson said investigators there were in talks with Louisiana officials. "It is just a matter of some people making decisions on whether or not they will be pressing charges and what the general charges are going to be," Nicholson said, according to L'Observateur. The LaPlace paper spoke with Perilloux on Tuesday, quoting him as denying the allegations and as saying he had learned of them via The Advocate's report. 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 "I will spend every nickel that I have to defend myself and my family on these allegations," he told L'Observateur. Perilloux's attorney, David Courcelle, said that neither he nor the judge has been contacted by State Police or Florida authorities regarding an investigation. While he has been "blindsided" by the allegations, Perilloux feels strongly that he will be cleared of any wrong doing, Courcelle said. "Judge Perilloux categorically denies that any improper behavior occurred," Courcelle said. Read The New Orleans Advocate entire story. Soon New Orleans will have poke seemingly on every corner. And that's not a bad thing. In the fall, Pokeworks, a fast-growing national chain, will open in Metairie at the Lakeside Shopping Center. Pokeworks, founded in 2015, has 18 location in the United States and Canada. The Metairie outlet, between Sucre and Bravo! Cucina Italiana, will be the company's first Louisiana location. Poke is a dish of raw, chopped fish that began in Hawaii. The once simple side dish has become more elaborate as it's spread across the mainland. In New Orleans, poke specialists include Poke-Chan on St. Claude Avenue, the local chain Poke Loa and the recently opened Momo Ramen + Poke on Carrollton Avenue. Many local Japanese restaurants also make poke. Pokeworks offers signature poke combos along with build-your-own poke bowls and salads. The restaurant also features poke burritos, which are wrapped in seaweed and rice instead of a tortilla. Pokeworks: 3413 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie (opens fall 2018) *** Got a tip? Know some restaurant news? Email Todd A. Price at TPrice@NOLA.com or call 504.826.3445. Follow him on Twitter (@TPrice504) or join the conversation at www.facebook.com/groups/wherenolaeats. Alexander Pierre "A.P." Tureaud Jr., who became the first black undergraduate student at Louisiana State University, will deliver the keynote address at the spring commencement ceremony for LSU's College of Art & Design. Tureaud was raised in New Orleans' 7th Ward and completed high school at J. S. Clark High. He sued LSU's Board of Supervisors to desegregate the university in 1953 with the aid of his father. Although he went on to enroll at LSU that year, his classmates and teachers subjected him to so much prejudice and isolation, he left and eventually completed his undergraduate studies at Xavier University of Louisiana in 1957. Tureaud earned a graduate degree in rehabilitation counseling from Columbia University in New York after his time at Xavier. He later shared an oral history of his experiences with the LSU Libraries in 1993. LSU went on to award Tureaud an honorary doctorate in 2011. Tureaud spent 10 years teaching in public schools in New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and White Plains, New York, where he spent another 26 years as the special education director in the White Plains School. He also performed adjunct teaching at Hunter College, College of New Rochelle and Pace University. At the spring ceremony, LSU College of Art and Design Dean Alkis Tsolakis is expected to present Tureaud with an Honor Award for his contributions to education. The university stated Tureaud "became a symbol of integration in higher education and paved the way for future minority students." The art school ceremony will occur Friday (May 11) at 12 p.m. in the LSU Student Union Theater. Graduates are allowed only five tickets for friends and family to attend due to limited seating. The public is invited to attend a reception and Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Show at the LSU Foster Gallery after the ceremony. . . . . . . . Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. An air quality alert has been issued for Wednesday (May 9) in the greater New Orleans area, marking the second day in a row that ozone is forecast to rise to levels potentially harmful for children, elderly adults and other sensitive groups. The alert for Wednesday, issued by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, will be in effect from 6 a.m. to midnight for the New Orleans area. Low-level ozone is an atmospheric pollutant that forms when gases released by vehicles or industry react with sunlight. An ozone action day is declared when weather conditions -- like heat and humidity -- may pose the risk of health problems. The 18-hour timespan for Wednesday's "Ozone Action Day" is significantly longer than Tuesday's alert, which remained in effect from noon to 7 p.m. The city of New Orleans, through its NOLA Ready Twitter account, is advising active children and adults, the elderly and people with respiratory diseases to "avoid prolonged outdoor activities and exertion." 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 Monday evening, the New Orleans metro area was under a moderate ozone warning, signified by the color yellow on AirNow, an air quality website that uses Louisiana DEQ data. Ozone levels increased to the orange level by Tuesday. Officials are asking residents to take voluntary steps to reduce emissions, including driving less and making sure vehicles are in "good working condition" and gas caps are on tight. Officials also advise waiting until after 6 p.m. to refuel vehicles or use gas-powered lawn equipment. More information is available at the Louisiana DEQ website or by calling 866-896-5337. Staff reporter Jen Larino contributed to this report. University Medical Center is celebrating the opening of its new Burn Trauma Center this Friday (May 11), making it the only Burn Center and Level 1 Trauma Center between Houston and Mobile, according to hospital officials. The burn unit has been operational for a few weeks. The six people who were injured in an electrical accident last month at the Hampton Inn on North Causeway Boulevard in Metairie were treated at the center, Jefferson Parish Fire Department officials confirmed at the time. Prior to the opening of the center burn victims who suffered additional trauma were first sent to UMC in New Orleans to be stabilized before being sent to the nearest burn centers either at Baton Rouge General Hospital or the Arnold Luterman Regional Burn Center at the University of South Alabama in Mobile where they are treated for burn injuries, which can include smoke inhalations. The only other verified combination Trauma 1 and Burn Care Centers in the Gulf Coast are in Houston and Tampa Bay according to the American Burn Association. The 27,000 square foot burn center will be overseen by Medical Director Dr. Jeffrey Carter and Nursing Director Angelle Bonura. They have added a staff of 21 people who are dedicated to burn treatment full-time, according to Marybeth Haskins, a spokesperson for LCMC. This does not include the rehabilitation specialists, trauma surgeons, pharmacists, plastic surgeons and other nurses and staff members who assist in burn care, she added. "The are still in the recruiting process but by end of year they are looking to add advanced practice professionals, an administrator, social workers and people in charge of outreach," she said. In all the team anticipates the unit will be staffed by a little more than 30 people by end of year who are dedicated full-time to burn care. It includes 16 inpatient Intensive Care Unit beds, four outpatient clinic rooms that can convert into ICU beds. The center will also include a debridement room with a hydrotherapy tank. Debridement is the medical removal of dead or damaged tissue to improve the healing potential of remaining healthy tissue. A therapy and rehabilitation center is attached to the burn center. Dr. Jeffrey Carter told NOLA.com in December that the combined addition of 20 ICU capable beds is significant considering there are only 1,900 beds available for burn patients in the whole country. Those 1,900 beds are generally at 95 percent capacity, according to data Carter pointed to from the American Burn Association. "With our 20 beds we are adding 1 percent more capacity to what is available," Carter said. There are 66 burn centers in the United States verified by the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons. To achieve verification a burn center must meet rigorous standards for organizational structure, personnel qualifications and medical care services. UMC's Burn Center will undergo the same verification process, which could take up to 2019 or 2020, Carter said. Maria Clark writes about health, doctors, patients and healthcare in Louisiana for NOLA.com | The Times Picayune and NOLA Mundo. Reach her at mclark@nola.com or 504.258.5306. Or follow her on Twitter at @MariaPClark1 . East Jefferson General Hospital is recruiting nursing professionals in a variety of different practice areas and will host a job fair and information session May 31. The hospital currently has openings for nurses in the Intensive Care Unit, Camera Control Unit, Telemetry/ Stroke, Evaluation, Medical/ Surgical units, Orthopedics, Emergency Department and Rehab, according to Sandra Oster, a nurse recruiter for East Jefferson General Hospital. "While some of these (openings) are only for experienced nurses, new nursing graduates can fill a great many of these openings," said Oster. "We have recently restructured our incentive, continuing education support, bonus and benefits packages to a point we believe they are all together unmatched in our region." The job fair will be held at Walk-Ons Bistreaux and Bar at the Clearview Shopping Center from 4 to 6 p.m. Human resources personnel will be available to discuss openings at the hospital as well as benefits and incentives. Interested applicants are asked to RSVP by calling 504.503.4455 or emailing Sandra Oster at soster@ejgh.org. Maria Clark writes about health, doctors, patients and healthcare in Louisiana for NOLA.com | The Times Picayune and NOLA Mundo. Reach her at mclark@nola.com or 504.258.5306. Or follow her on Twitter at @MariaPClark1 . After suffering an aneurism in January 2010 that left her almost completely paralyzed, Regina Simmons, 70, has called Ridgecrest Community Care Center in West Monroe home. Her husband George, 73, spends his days with his wife. George has lunch at the center with Regina, who is still able to speak with him. He ends each day by brushing her teeth and getting her ready for bed, before he heads back to the home they once shared. "She is in a tough physical condition and completely dependent on care," said George. Regina Simmons is among the 37,000 elderly and disabled Louisiana residents who face losing their Medicaid benefits after July 1 due to a $648 million state budget shortfall. The Louisiana Department of Health is expected to start sending out notifications this week to people who have Medicaid coverage for long-term care. Even if state lawmakers are able to come up with the money to cover the program before then, state officials said they had to warn Medicaid recipients that the cuts are a distinct possibility. Notifications will be sent to about 20,000 people living in nursing homes, thousands of people with disabilities living in group homes and those who receive home health care assistance. George Simmons is considering the possibility of having to bring his wife of 51 years back home. He has suffered two hernias in the past from trying to lift her while caring for her. "I can't afford to have someone come to the house to care for her. I can't trust having her home by herself with someone I don't know," he said. "I've only known life with her, and now I don't know what I will do to help her." Two years ago, Nelda Watson, 96, was independent and living on her own. A former registered nurse, she loved volunteering at her church. After suffering a stroke which affected her mobility, Watson also moved to Ridgecrest. Watson reads the newspaper every morning. As of 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, when her daughter Cheryl Dearman dropped by to visit, she had yet to pick up the paper to read the news about the potential cuts. "It's like a panic attack for people like my mother. This is her home, they've been good to her. At that age, once you settle in, it is so hard to move," Dearman said. Watson receives $1,185 a month through Medicaid to help pay for her room in the nursing home. Her daughter pays the remaining $1,013 a month, plus she buys personal supplies for her mother to stay at Ridgecrest. This would put her over the $750 a month threshold the state's Medicaid program would cover if budget cuts go through. Susan Meyer, policy and community engagement director for the Advocacy Center of Louisiana, explained that long-term services can include help at home with bathing, feeding and using the bathroom. Under the current budget proposal, people with disabilities and the elderly would be disqualified from receiving the benefit if they earn more than $750 a month in wages or Supplemental Security Income. "There is the possibility that some of these people could qualify for other programs under the Medicaid expansion, but a lot of these services aren't available under the regular Medicaid state plan," Myers said. "This cut is so monumental it will affect people of all ages." Earning $853 a month in social security a month puts Rickii Ainey $53 over the cutoff line to receive home-care services. She has received the Community Choice waiver for 10 years, which covers a service provider who helps her with bathing, dressing and other tasks for up to 55 hours a week. Ainey, 38, has arthrogryposis, a genetic disability that prevents her from bending her arms and limits the flexibility of her legs. A service provider helps her with tasks such as bathing, making it possible for Ainey to work as an information and referral specialist at a New Orleans nonprofit, Families helping Families of NOLA. "Honestly, I feel like my coming out to society, working, paying taxes, I am being punished," Ainey said. "If this help is cut, there is no plan ahead for me. I don't have family support, I don't have people to fall back on. It's all up in the air." Ashley Volion, 34, works part time at the Advocacy Center of Louisiana and is currently working on her dissertation in disabilities studies. The New Orleans resident has cerebral palsy, which limits her mobility. She's able to live alone with the help of three home-care providers who provide 24-hour care. Her condition affects the left side of her body and she needs help getting in and out bed, bathing and getting into her wheelchair. Her home care service is covered under the New Opportunities waiver, a Medicaid program that would be cut by $13.5 million under the current budget proposal. The loss of the program means losing the independence Volion treasures. Her mother is also disabled, and her father is elderly, leaving her with little options for care elsewhere. "I live in my own apartment, I have a job, I am a member of my community. In April, I attended the NOLA Disability Pride festival. I have had the independence to do what I want, when I want to do anything," Volion said. "It's a scary thought to think what this all could mean." Peggy Hoffman, executive director of Covenant Home, has been fielding calls from concerned families for weeks. The average age of the residents at the New Orleans nursing home is 85. "The families are distraught. They had a sense of security and now that security blanket is gone," Hoffman said. As for the residents, "the ones who understand what is going on are crying all day," she said. The uncertainty of how much funding will be cut from the state's Medicaid program has left Hoffman with few answers for residents' families. The worst-case scenario would mean the 96-bed residence would have to scale down to a 30-bed facility, and Hoffman would have to reduce her staff. "As many residents as I lose, that's as many people I will have to lay off," she said. Covenant Home is looking at the possibility of sending some of its residents to homes in other states closer to relatives. It's an option Hoffman said she hopes she doesn't have to take. "Some of my patients have been here for 10 years," she said. "This is home, this is what they are familiar with. The attack on them is simply unnerving." Maria Clark writes about health, doctors, patients and healthcare in Louisiana for NOLA.com | The Times Picayune and NOLA Mundo. Reach her at mclark@nola.com or 504.258.5306. Or follow her on Twitter at @MariaPClark1 . Republicans boast of the record pace of filling federal judgeships during GOP President Donald Trump's administration. But the White House has slowed considerably in appointing U.S. attorneys, including naming a lead federal prosecutor in New Orleans. Almost 18 months after Trump took office, and 16 months after President Barack Obama's appointee resigned as part of the routine change of administrations, the U.S. attorney for the 13-parish Eastern District of Louisiana remains career prosecutor Duane Evans. He was elevated to the post until Trump nominates and the Senate confirms a successor. The Eastern District is one of 29 districts, out of 94 in the United States and its territories, without a Trump nominee either in place or awaiting Senate confirmation, according to Justice Department figures. That means that in almost one-third of the districts, the person responsible for prosecuting federal criminal defendants, for litigating civil cases in which the U.S. is a party and for collecting debts owed to the government is a caretaker. "It seems really slow," said David Iglesias, who was U.S. attorney in New Mexico during President George W. Bush's administration and now is a professor of law and politics at Wheaton College in Illinois. Among the offices without Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys are flagship posts in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Alexandria, Va., three that often prosecute foreign terrorism cases; other large offices such as Miami, San Diego and Detroit; and Arizona, ground zero for immigration cases. "These are big districts with significant problems," Iglesias said. Early on, the Trump administration was selecting U.S. attorneys at a rapid pace, but now it's now dragging. Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor who follows presidential nominations, called the U.S. attorney selection process "very delayed." "You want to have your people in place," Tobias said. "When someone's acting or interim, they might be great career prosecutors, but they might not be implementing your policies or be loyal to the president and the attorney general." Since Obama's U.S. attorney, Kenneth Polite, resigned March 10, 2017, a number of names have been floated to be his successor. Among them: Chris Cox, a former federal prosecutor who now works as executive assistant district attorney to Schonekas was the first choice of U.S. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, who with Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana are key players in filling the New Orleans post. But Schonekas did not pass muster with the Trump administration, The New Orleans Advocate reported. Now Strasser is said to have the edge. That the New Orleans office doesn't have a Trump U.S. attorney is odd considering that the GOP president easily won Louisiana in the 2016 election and that both its U.S. senators are Republicans. Yet the administration has filled Louisiana's other two U.S. attorney positions, with Brandon Fremin in the Middle District and David Joseph in the Western District. Cassidy's offices did not respond to requests for comment for this story. Kennedy, without identifying his preference for U.S. attorney, said: "I have been told that the FBI reports have been completed and the White House and Justice Department are reviewing them. I'm frustrated that it's taken so long, but because of Democrats' failure to cooperate we couldn't have gotten to the appointment anyway. At the rate Democrats are refusing to cooperate, appointments will be completed in 11 years." Another explanation is that the administration nationally might be prioritizing judgeships, which are lifetime jobs typically subject to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, over U.S. attorneys, who usually are not called to testify before the committee on their nominations, serve at the pleasure of the president and are replaced when a new administration takes over. But Tobias said that's no excuse for the White House. "You've got to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time," he said. "You'd think [Attorney General Jeff] Sessions would want his own people in place." . . . . . . . The original story has been updated with Kennedy's remarks. 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. An Alabama land company has purchased a 20-acre tract south of Covington and is poised to begin construction on a 272-unit apartment complex that should be ready for occupants by late 2019. Dobbins Group LLC, a Birmingham-based real estate development, finance, property acquisition and construction management company, will build what it describes as "upscale apartment homes" on property near the northwest quadrant of the U.S. 190 and Interstate 12 intersection. The project represents an investment of $43 million, company officials said. The property is located along I-12 near the Homewood Suites by Hilton and the Honda of Covington dealership. It is adjacent to the fledgling Versailles Business Center, a business park where satellite communications provider Globalstar, Inc., is building its new headquarters building. Globalstar relocated from California's Silicon Valley in 2010 to St. Tammany Parish. Bill Dobbins, managing principal and founder of Dobbins Group, said he believes there is demand in western St. Tammany for luxury apartments, especially as the business park develops. "There's a lot going in that general area and jobs are being created as the office buildings go up." The apartment development will have one, two and three-bedroom units, a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse, a fitness center and a gated entry. Dobbins said the development will incorporate the "Big House" design, which features direct access garages, enclosed private stairs for upper units, walk out patios and balconies. Humphreys & Partners Architects, which has a trademark for the "Big House" design, is the architect on the Dobbins project, which is as yet unnamed. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "The overall design makes it look more like a big house than an apartment," Dobbins said. He said the density will also be lower than most traditional apartment complexes. Capstone Building Corporation of Birmingham, Ala., has been named the general contractor. Synovus Bank is providing construction financing. The 20.3-acre property in unincorporated St. Tammany Parish is zoned for multi-family housing units. "We look forward to bringing a new design to luxury apartment living in Covington," David Ball, a principal for Dobbins Group, said in a news release from the company. "This community will provide our residents with upscale apartment homes in one of the metro area's premier destinations for living, working, and shopping." Dobbins Group, LLC was formed in 2010 to pursue multifamily real estate investments throughout the southeast. It has more than $100 million in new developments in progress, according to the news release. A small but fervent group of citizens from the Slidell area grilled two St. Tammany Parish officials Tuesday night (May 8) and demanded action to improve the troubled government-operated Tammany Utilities East sewer and water system. About 20 citizens attended Parish Councilman Gene Bellisario's regular monthly meeting with his constituents to hear from him and parish Environmental Services Director Greg Gorden. Several people peppered them with pointed questions and complaints, and asked why more hasn't been done to fix the utility system, which has been plagued with problems in recent years. "There's a trust issue here, Greg. What's the problem?" asked Allison Fronistas, who lives in new Cross Gates subdivision. "What's the roadblock?" "We are working to regain your trust," Gorden told her later. Fronistas said she didn't blame Gorden, personally, but wanted to see action. John Wells, who lives in Turtle Creek subdivision, was more blunt. "I have no trust in Tammany Utilities specifically and none in you personally, Greg. I'm sorry if that hurts your feelings, but that's life in the fast lane." Wells told Gorden he should consider resigning. Gorden and Bellisario admitted that parish government is in "catch-up" mode to deal with the problems. They outlined a list of capital projects that are planned for Tammany Utilities East and Tammany Utilities West on the other side of the parish. They reiterated the government recently re-organized the two entities so they would operate as one and better utilize manpower and financial resources. Tuesday night's meeting at Boyet Junior High School came just five days after representatives of the Cross Gates Homeowners Association and Turtle Creek subdivision appeared before the Parish Council and blistered Tammany Utilities East. They accused the utility of falsifying reports, bullying some homeowners and allowing uncertified personnel to run the system. Bellisario agreed there were sewage spills that went unaccounted for in the utility company's annual reports. A parish government spokesman denied the system was being operated by uncertified workers. 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 "If there were records of them (spills) and we didn't report them, then that's on me," Gorden told the group Tuesday night. The utility system, which serves about 3,000 customers in about a dozen neighborhoods in the Slidell area, has been having problems for many years, Bellisario has said, but the troubles have seemingly gotten worse since 2015, with sewage discharges in yards and streets, wildly fluctuating chlorination levels in the drinking water, and a sewage discharge next to a school that was not cleaned up properly. The utility recently switched to a new chloramine system to correct the chlorination problems. The parish government bought the former Cross Gates Utilities Co. in 2009 and operates it as Tammany Utilities East. The parish purchased Southeastern Louisiana Water & Sewer Co. in western St. Tammany in 2010 and operates that system as Tammany Utilities West. The system in western St. Tammany serves about 10,000 customers in numerous neighborhoods. Parish officials have said the systems are old, with some components dating to the 1970s, and in need of capital improvements. Gorden on Tuesday night discussed point-by-point a capital improvement plan for the system, including overhauls of problematic lift stations. Much of the work should be done by the end of the year and all of it hopefully completed by June of next year, he said. The plan lists some $600,000 worth of improvements and includes a number of items for which there were no estimated costs. He cited funding and manpower among the challenges to fix the system. But citizens told Bellisario and Gorden that the parish has owned the systems long enough to have corrected the problems. "Something wrong with the water could kills us. This is not a game," Fronistas said. At last week's council meeting, Bellisario called for the formation of a council work group that will meet with the administration and work with it to examine capital funding options and develop an action plan. The group will hold its first meeting next week. The council last week also approved the spending of an additional $1.1 million on Tammany Utilities equipment across the parish. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at a free outdoor concert in Covington's Bogue Falaya Park on Saturday (May 12). The annual Swing in the Pines concert, which is being staged by the city of Covington, will begin at 6 p.m. This year's concert will feature the orchestra under the direction of conductor Francis Scully. The rain date for the event is Sunday (May 13) at the same time. Covington officials have said the annual LPO concert in the park is one of the community's best-attended events. Attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs and picnic supplies. Bogue Falaya Park is located at 213 Park Drive near downtown Covington. 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. The trucks came from as far as Wisconsin and Florida, driven by people who are normally loggers but descended upon Louisiana after Hurricane Ida produced untold amounts of wreckage that needed to be hauled somewhere. The South China Sea will be a "must-see region" in the scheduled global expedition of China's submersible Jiaolong, scientists said Tuesday. The deep-sea crewed submersible, named after a mythical dragon, is scheduled to start a year-long global expedition in June 2020, Ding Zhongjun, deputy chief engineer at the national deep sea center in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, told the Global Times on Tuesday. The submersible will cover the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans, while the South China Sea, which has a significant role in China's deep sea research, "will be a must-see region during the expedition," Ding said. The South China Sea mission is expected to focus on exploring and sampling natural resources in the region, as well as environmental protection in the deep sea, he said. The expedition also plans to provide technical support for research into natural gas hydrate in the South China Sea, said scientists. Natural gas hydrate is an important potential replacement for oil and natural gas, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The southern South China Sea, especially along the nine-dash line that demarcates China's territorial claims, is rich in the resource. China is promoting deep-sea research and technical cooperation with countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia in and around the South China Sea, Ding said. Scientific research in the sea has become a significant approach for China to demonstrate its sovereignty, Chen Xiangmiao, a research fellow at the Hainan-based National Institute for the South China Sea, told the Global Times. As the intensity of disagreement subdues in the South China Sea, countries surrounding the waters should seize the momentum to promote joint study and research, said Chen. Jiaolong's global expedition includes more than 10 countries, most along the Belt and Road initiative route, Ding explained, and will promote regional exchanges on deep-sea research technologies. China's leading technology and equipment enable first-hand data and give the country a bigger voice in global oceanic governance and research, Ding said. Jiaolong is capable of diving in virtually all seas to a depth of less than 7,000 meters, scientists said. Before the 2020 expedition, China will have the submersible upgraded and finish construction of a new mother ship. The ship will likely carry China's unmanned Qianlong and Hailong deep-sea research submersibles and gather higher quality data over a larger area in a more efficient way, Ding said. Hailong and Qianlong returned to the National Deep Sea Center on May 3 after completing 45-day sea trials. Rider Horse expand Kiwi operation Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry were active at New Zealand Bloodstocks May Sale, showcasing their intent to expand their breeding operation in New Zealand. The group, led by chairman and chief executive Lang Lin, commonly known as Mr Wolf, was the leading purchaser at the Sale, buying 20 lots including 14 broodmares to support their two New Zealand-based stallions. Lang Lin makes another bid during the May Sale at Karaka Photo: Trish Dunell Everything has gone to plan, before we only bought the horses to ship back to China to race, but now we have expanded our business in New Zealand and we race here and we want to expand our breeding here as well, Lang said. At the moment we have two stallions standing in New Zealand, one is Mongolian Khan and the other is Mongolian Falcon. I want to contribute more to the breeding industry in New Zealand so that we can breed more quality foals in the future. Rider Horse have stood their poster-child, three-time Group One winner Mongolian Khan, at Windsor Park Stud for the last two seasons, while they have added to their stallion presence in New Zealand with Group Two winner Mongolian Falcon joining Willow Glen Studs stallion roster this coming season. Mongolian Falcon, he is by Fastnet Rock out of a Galileo mare so everybody knows that is a golden cross, Lang said. Thats why this time we have bought some mares specifically focused on those by Zabeel, Savabeel or OReilly. Lang has also been influential in attracting further overseas investment to Karaka from fellow Chinese buyers. Lot 87 was purchased by Mr Hong on my recommendation for and there will be more Chinese buyers coming to New Zealand just for the Mongolian Khan progeny because he is very well-known in China, he said. Hong went to $55,000 to secure the Mongolian Khan weanling colt out of Baileys on Ice, an OReilly Group performer who has also left the stakes-placed Mothers Milk. Mr Hong owns horses at Macau Jockey Club and has business with the Rider Horse Group, Lang said. He first came to New Zealand about one and a-half years ago for the Ready to Run Sale and purchased two. This time he came over just for Mongolian Khan foals and that is why he bid on him so strongly. The colt will remain in New Zealand where he will eventually join the stable of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, who enjoyed much success with his sire Mongolian Khan. Lang said he was happy with his purchases and believes he found value in the strong broodmare market at Karaka. I am happy with the value and price of the mares, I got good quality and the price was fair. Meanwhile, Rider Horse also sold the top lot of the Sale when Mongolian Beauty, a full-sister to their stallion Mongolian Falcon, was knocked down to the $180,000 bid of Sydney-based bloodstock agent Andrew Williams. NZ Racing Desk. A screen shot shows the mysterious aircraft featured in a nine-second video by Aviation Industry Corporation on Tuesday. China's largest domestically-developed transport aircraft, the Y-20, recently conducted its first joint airdrop training with the country's airborne troops, marking another boost for China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force's long-range delivery and combat capabilities, PLA air force spokesperson Shen Jinke announced on Tuesday. In a post on the air force's Sina Weibo on Tuesday, Shen said the Y-20, which joined the air force in July 2016 and was displayed at the grand military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the PLA in July 2017, has started actual combat training. The 200-ton freighters have been transferred to some high-altitude aerodrome to conduct training exercises, including long-range deliveries and airdrops, Shen said. Such projects, including the delivery of paratroopers and airborne military vehicles, are core modules for the freighters, which require the Y-20 to be extremely stable in the air, Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times. And since the air force has announced such training for the freighters, it is safe to say that the domestically-developed Y-20 has mastered long-range delivery and airdrop capabilities, Song added. Shen noted that the strategic capability of the country's air force should be constantly expanded to stay in line with the country's national interests, to perform a variety of missions over a wider area. Also in the nine-second Easter egg of a footage released by the Aviation Industry Corporation, China's backbone aviation giant on Tuesday, to commemorate the 60 years anniversary of its subsidy Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation, the company revealed a mysterious new model jet. Judging from the jet's looks, Song said it could be China's widely-rumored new stealth bomber "H-20," a B2 stealth bomber-like model. Just like the way the Northrop Grumman Corporation released its B2 bombers, it could be "China's B-2," although the name of the new Chinese jet remains to be determined, Song added. MANILA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines and Japan have officially concluded an agreement to cooperate in the repatriation of the remains of World War II Japanese soldiers in the Philippines, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. The agreement, called the Memorandum of Cooperation for the Recovery and Repatriation of the Remains of Japanese Soldiers, will facilitate the proper collection, handling, storage and shipment of these remains, the ministry said in a statement. The ministry said an estimated 518,000 Japanese soldiers died in the Philippines between 1942 and 1945, when Japanese forces occupied the Philippines during World War II. The Philippines, under former President Carlos P. Garcia, allowed Japan to undertake recovery missions in the country beginning in 1958. Since then, the foreign ministry said the remains of roughly 100,000 soldiers have been returned to Japan. Mr President, if you believe in God, whenever you find a moment to talk to Him/Her, thank Him/Her that you found us for subjects. Which leader, in their obsession with power and control, wouldnt wish for such a submissive lot! You slap them on one cheek and, beyond the biblical suggestion of turning the other cheek, they also lay down to be caned. Soon you may belch and we instead present it as evidence of energy. I watched in amusement as you made some uncharitable and careless statements on Labour day recently. Clearly, if the title Fountain of Honour were to be followed for its demands on presidents utterances, you would have reserved many of the comments you made even if you honestly felt so. For that title, our expectations of whoever occupies that office, both in word and deed, are ideally high. But there you were, up in all honours and state security at the podium, saying how you almost went back to the bush because of the medical workers strike over poor pay and terrible working conditions; and telling the astounded nation how you were only restrained from doing so! Oh dear, president of the Republic of Uganda in 2018! It quickly went through my mind that if the entire nation approached frustrations with government this way, then all bushes would fill. Thank God, we are restrained. That idle idea aside, what worried me most wasnt really what the president said. By now, if we are keen students of his speech history, we shouldnt be shocked by anything. Do we expect any utterance to beat the omega of citizen disregard: I am not your servant. I am a freedom fighter. I fight for my beliefs? As Tarrus Riley sings, when relationships grow old, they have a tendency to go cold. We should no longer expect to be cajoled and addressed as honey, like it was in the 1980s. Isnt it known that when you see a man open a car for a woman, then either the car is new or the woman is? We are at the stage of insensitive bluntness in our national relationship with the president. What worried me instead, as I watched the president speak, was that there were still people in the background that found his outrageous statements worth applauding. They clapped, thumped their feet on the ground, and giggled. Even when he seemed to dishonestly impute, conveniently leaving out all his massive privileges, that he is only sacrificing to work for his kind of salary (Shs 3,600,000), they nodded in approval! When he said he is bringing Cuban doctors out of anger with the Ugandan ones who are leaving people to die as they strike for better pay and improved conditions of work, they clapped! Who is actually letting our people die in hospitals? If we may grant that, by putting down their tools, doctors let patients die: for how long was it and for what reason? Then, by leaving hospitals to rot under poor facilitation as government continues to fund things like removing age limit and patronage networks (and for a long time), isnt this to let people die? That in three decades of rule we only have one (old model) radiotherapy machine, which came after the breakdown of a donated one and so much noise; who is letting Ugandans die? Ultimately, if it must be Cubans (tongue in cheek) to save our health sector, obviously they can only do so by coming in to lead the country. You who clap at anything, could I hear some applause to that? While you are at it, if you are not facilitated to do so, I think we either underestimate the effect of applause on an actor or we know but wouldnt care. One time, a terribly drunk cousin of mine climbed onto the stage as Eagles band was performing. He was wildly cheered as he danced and staggered around the raised platform. Then he made way through his zip and abirigated at the audience! I think it is the careless applause from sycophants and food-hunters that sometimes sends the president into the excitement of saying what sits at his heart. Therefore, whereas I would expect him to be the first filter of his public utterances, at the level he has reached, it is now so much about the quality of citizens we are. How is it that it is possible for a leader to speak in such a way and it passes, just like that! No protest, no public condemnation, no demand for withdrawal of the statements apart from a handful of people here and there. At most, the response is in social media jokes about Cubans coming. Maybe, we have hit a deep level of apathy and powerlessness, or it is what psychologists call internalised oppression syndrome. This is the acceptance and incorporation of an oppressed group of their status which could lead to resignation, fear of violence, and gratefulness for being allowed to survive. Taking advantage of widespread low citizenship awareness, some peoples thinking has been controlled to think that the president (who symbolises government) is only doing them a favour by extending services to them. Hence, they will clap euphorically when he gives them a road even if it is just an insignificant fraction of what they are entitled to. In his small phenomenal book titled Mis- Education of the Negro, Carter Woodson observes that when you control a mans thinking, you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his proper place and will stay in it. Yes, the president must thank God that we found our place where we sit and take it in all. jsssentongo@gmail.com The author heads the Centre for African Studies at Uganda Martyrs University. The White House says President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Tuesday that sanctions against North Korea should remain in place "until it permanently dismantles its nuclear and missile programs." The two leaders spoke by telephone Tuesday morning just hours after a two-day meeting between Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, their second meeting in recent weeks. Chinese state media said Xi and Kim met in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian. Kim visited Beijing in March on his first trip abroad as leader of North Korea, an indication China was still engaged in the denuclearization process on the Korean peninsula. Trump also reminded Xi of his commitment to a "balanced" trade and investment relationship between the two countries that "benefits American businesses and workers," according to the White House. Chinese state media reported that Xi told Trump the two countries should find a way to resolve trade disputes. Beijing and Washington are attempting to avert a trade war, even as they have escalated tensions in recent weeks with threats of tariffs on of billions of dollars of each other's products. The White House announced on Monday that China's top economic adviser will visit Washington next week to continue trade talks with Trump's economic team. Xi also told Trump he is supportive of a planned summit between Trump and Kim, and Xi expressed hope the U.S. would consider Pyongyang's security concerns, Chinese state media said. Trump and Kim are expected to meet later this month or in early June. Trump told reporters at the White House Tuesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was enroute to North Korea for meetings that have been scheduled. "We think relationships are building with North Korea," Trump said. "We'll see how it all works out. Maybe it will. Maybe it won't." When asked if three U.S. nationals currently detained in North Korea would be released, as has been speculated in recent days, Trump responded, "It will be a great thing if they are, but well soon be finding out." When 69-year-old Dobrgyal started looking after the wild macaques at at scenic spot in Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region, their population numbered only 40-50 specimens. Today, 18 years later, that same place is home to over 2,800 Tibetan macaques. Dobrgyals relationship with the Tibetan macaques in Gongbogyamda County has been described as a heartwarming love story between man and monkey, and he has come to be known as the Monkeys Father. A former forest keeper in the area, the 69-year-old man has been driving 5 km almost every day just to feed the macaques at a popular tourist spot, but also show them affection and make sure they are healthy. On occasions, he has even taken some of the animals home with him and nursed them back to health. Photo: YouTube screengrab China.org reports that Dobrgyal has been the only one working as a breeder in Gongbogyamda area for the last 16 years, and credits him as the main reason that the macaque population at the scenic spot has risen from around 50, 18 years ago, to nearly 3,000. Today, Tibetan macaques are a protected species in China, and their food is provided by the Gongbogyamda forestry bureau, but its Dobrgyal who loads the bags in his trucks and delivers it to the monkeys personally. Thanks to his efforts, the macaques home has become very popular with tourists, many of whom also feed the animals. having dedicated almost two decades of his life to the macaques, Dobrgyal now worried about what will happen to them if his health no longer allows him to take care of them properly. Now Im so old, nearly 70 years old, Dobrgyal said recently. In the rest of my life I will do my best to take care of the monkeys, but if someday my health prevents me from feeding them anymore, I will have my sons replace me. Hopefully, the furry creatures will be able to rely on their adoptive human father for many years to come. In what can only be described as one of the dumbest ideas by a criminal ever, a young Russian thief covered his face with green paint to make himself harder to recognize by potential witnesses. Spoilers it didnt work. Last weekend, police in the Russian city of Krasnodar arrested a 23-year-old man accused of stealing a womans purse at a local train station. According to a statement by the Krasnodar office of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the victim notified police that her purse had been snatched while she was waiting at the train station, and a team was dispatched to investigate. Upon arriving at the scene, police officers started questioning eyewitnesses about the perpetrator and learned that he had a very distinctive, albeit unusual trait his face was completely green. Photo: Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs As you can imagine, a green-faced man sticks out like a sore thumb, even in a city of 750,000 people, like Krasnodar, so police had no problem locating and arresting the odd-looking criminal. In fact, the young thief was caught so fast that he didnt even have time to get rid of the purse, so all of the victims belongings were returned to her. The strangest part of this story is that during questioning, the 23-year-old thief told police that he had intentionally smeared green paint on his face to make himself harder to recognize I guess he learned the hard way why most of his fellow thieves prefer masks, or even socks with eye holes cut into them, anything that conceals the face but is also easy to get rid of. Paint, unfortunately, doesnt work very well. The green-faced thief was charged with petty theft and is facing jail time. Clare Parsons PROI Worldwide has named Clare Parsons global chairman. The appointment, which was announced during PROIs May Global Summit meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, marks the first time a woman has chaired the global communications partnership. Parsons chairs London-based communications agency Lansons, which she co-founded in 1989. She will serve in the global chair post for two years. She succeeds Richard Tsang, founder of Hong Kong-based agency Strategic Public Relations Group, who was appointed to the role in 2016. PROI Worldwide, which was founded in 1970, is the worlds largest partnership of independent global PR agencies, maintaining a roster of 75 partner agencies in more than 50 countries. Combined partner revenues in 2017 accounted for net fee income of more than $868 million. Haley Barbour BGR Government Affairs has inked a $35K monthly pact to represent war-torn Somalia before the Trump Administration, Congress, media and policy community. The Trump White House has stepped up drone strikes in Somalia, which does not have a functional government, according to the May 9 Politico. It reported that US Special Operations and CIA forces have teamed with local warlords to fight ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates in Somalia. BGR is the firm of former Mississippi Governor and Republican National Committee chairman Haley Barbour. The firms contract with Somalia began May 1 and runs through 2019. BGR joins another well-connected Republican, ex-New York Senator Al DAmato, on the Somalia lobbying team. DAmatos Park Strategies signed a $10K monthly contract with Somalia last November to assess relevant policy, economic, and security developments that have implications for the relationship with the Somali Republic and the US." Susan Isenberg Edelman has appointed Susan Isenberg, currently, the firms client lead for Johnson & Johnson, global sector chair, health. She succeeds Kym White, who left the firm in March to join biotech company Vertex. Prior to heading the Johnson & Johnson account, Isenberg was global vice chair for the health sector overseeing the U.S. Before that, she served as managing director for both the health and consumer marketing divisions in Edelmans New York office. She has also served as a member of the Executive Committee of PhAME (Pharmaceutical Advertising and Marketing Excellence). In her new post, Isenberg will look to develop new health-focused IP, drive new business and client relationship development while building out the firms subsector expertise, specifically in health tech and biotech. Angela Scaffidi PROI Worldwide has appointed three women agency ownersrepresenting the Americas, EMEA and APAC regionsvice-chairs at its Annual Meeting held in Lisbon, Portugal on May 5. All three are now members of PROI Worldwides International Board of Directors. Kaija Pohjala, appointed vice-chair, EMEA Region, is managing partner of PROIs leading Finnish Agency Cocomms. Angela Scaffidi, appointed vice-chair of the APAC Region, is managing partner of Senate SHJ, one of PROIs Australian agencies. Laura Tomasetti, appointed vice-chair of PROI Worldwides Americas Region, is CEO of Boston-based 360PR+. The new vice-chairs represent some of the most successful agencies within PROI Worldwide, said Richard Tsang, outgoing Global Chair of PROI. John Matthew Upton Greentarget has brought on John Matthew Upton as director of digital strategy & analytics in its Chicago office. Upton comes to Greentarget Ricoh USA, where he led an international team to develop global web analytics strategy for 55 operating companies, including tools, infrastructure design, KPIs, roll-up reporting and communication cadence. Before Ricoh, he was a principal consultant at Codifyd, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in B2B digital commerce. At Greentarget, Upton will be responsible for expanding the agencys digital capabilities into a full-service offering that encompasses digital strategy, demand generation, social, and web analytics. What was AT&T, the bluest of the blue-chips thinking? The telecommunications giant paid $200K to the shell company of Michael Cohen, personal injury lawyer and Donald Trumps fixer, for insights into and understanding of the new administration. Ma Bell does make it plain that none of the money that it paid Essential Consultants in 2017 was used for legal work or lobbying. Its good that AT&T cleared that up, though Essential Consultants is hardly a legal or lobbying powerhouse. In fact, Essential Consulting is the firm that Cohen established to pay $130K to former porn star Stormy Daniels, who allegedly had sex with Donald Trump in 2006. AT&T has the right to hire any firm or person that it likes for strategic advice. Cohen just doesn't fit AT&T's corporate profile. The New York Times on May 5 ran an extensive feature on Cohen's "shadowy business empire" and his alleged ties with Russian mobsters. The telecommunications company isnt the only entity to tap into the apparent savvy of Essential Consultants, which has Cohen as its sole employee. Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, who has a close relationship with Vladimir Putin, is linked to Columbus Nova, a firm that paid $500K to Essential Consultants for services regarding potential sources of capital and real estate investments. A spokesperson for Vekselberg, who is the biggest investor in Columbus Nova, said he had nothing to do with the decision to hire Essential Consultants. AT&T is trying to seal its $85B acquisition of Time Warner, a deal opposed by the Trump Administration. Trump has been in the public spotlight for eons. What unique insights did AT&T expect to get from Cohen? The Trump Administration is not exactly a complex organization. The payment to Essential Consultants sure looks like a pay-for-play move. At the very least, it was lousy PR. U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday formally renounced the multinational nuclear agreement with Iran, decrying it as "a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made." Trump, in remarks from the White House Diplomatic Room, declared that the United States is immediately reinstating all Iran-related sanctions it waived as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Agreement (JCPOA). Trump then signed a memorandum ordering U.S. agencies to reinstitute all nuclear sanctions on Iran that were waived by Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama. The JCPOA "didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will," said Trump. The 2015 pact was struck between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France -- and Germany. The deal aimed to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief. The president asserted that "it is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iran nuclear bomb" under the pact, adding "the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal" because "America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail." Trump's decision to withdraw from the agreement comes despite pleas from several of America's closest allies in Europe not to imperil the pact. Trump and hard-liners close to the president, such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security adviser John Bolton, have been fierce advocates for scrapping it. Israel, believed to be the only country in the Middle East with a nuclear arsenal, has also backed Trump's rhetoric on the JCPOA. "Israel has opposed the nuclear deal from the start because we said that rather than blocking Iran's path to a bomb, the deal actually paves Iran's path to an entire arsenal of nuclear bombs," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after Trump's announcement. "The deal didn't push war further away, it actually brought it closer. The deal didn't reduce Iran's aggression, it dramatically increased it." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran would remain committed to the multinational pact. "I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks," Rouhani said in a televised speech following Trump's announcement. "If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain." Facebook announced Tuesday that it is banning foreign advertisements related to Ireland's abortion referendum amid concerns that North American groups are trying to influence the campaign. Irish voters will decide May 25 whether to repeal a constitutional ban on abortion, in a divisive referendum that has drawn international attention. Ireland bars political donations from abroad, but the law does not apply to social media advertising. U.S.-based anti-abortion groups are among those who have bought online ads in Ireland during the campaign. Facebook says starting Tuesday it will "begin rejecting ads related to the referendum if they are being run by advertisers based outside of Ireland." "We understand the sensitivity of this campaign and will be working hard to ensure neutrality at all stages," Facebook said in a statement. "Our goal is simple: to help ensure a free, fair and transparent vote on this important issue." Chinese cities are resuming package tours to Korea after an unofficial boycott last year crippled the cut-price tour group business here. The southwestern city of Chongqing on Monday said it is lifting the ban. It comes just a week after Wuhan, the sprawling capital of Hubei Province, resumed package tours to Korea. Relations tentatively improved after President Moon Jae-in's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in December last year. The number of Chinese visitors to Korea passed the 400,000 threshold in March for the first time since February 2017. A mysterious high-ranking official who visited the northern Chinese port of Dalian under massive security on Monday and Tuesday was North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. He was there for a second meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping since a surprise visit to Beijing in March. Like their first meeting it was kept secret until Kim had left. He flew to Dalian in his own jet, the first time a North Korean leader has visited a foreign country by plane since regime founder Kim Il-sung in 1986. According to China's official CCTV, Kim and Xi exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula during a summit, lunch and dinner and a stroll. Xi expressed support for North Korea's willingness to denuclearize and efforts to solve issues on the peninsula through talks with the U.S. Kim was quoted as saying "it has been [North Korea's] consistent and clear stand to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." "As long as relevant parties abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against [North Korea], there is no need for [North Korea] to be a nuclear state and denuclearization can be realized," he added. He laid the stress once again on gradual and phased denuclearization in response to Washington's demands for "permanent, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement" of his nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Police and health authorities are investigating suspicions that the problem arose during the administration of anesthesia. Twenty patients at a dermatology clinic in Seoul's upscale Gangnam district have come down with blood poisoning after cosmetic treatment. Of 21 patients who were treated at the clinic in Sinsa-dong, between noon and 3:30 p.m. Monday, 20 showed symptoms of blood poisoning, including low blood pressure, vomiting and high fever, police said Tuesday. The clinic reported the problem to the 119 emergency center around 7 p.m. Monday, and transferred three patients to a hospital. Patients who had gone home went to hospital by themselves that same night. They are being treated for low blood pressure and blood poisoning at six hospitals but are not in critical condition. A clinic nurse reportedly told police it seems that the propofol used at the clinic "went bad." The clinic is famous for cosmetic treatment for young clients. The victims are 19 women and one man in their mid-20s to early 30s who were receiving laser face lifts and skin blushing treatment. Police will question 10 staffers of the clinic including the head doctor. Opalesque Industry Update - Investor appetite for private equity has remained high in 2018, despite concerns about pricing and future returns. Ninety-two percent of investors indicated at the end of 2017 that they intended to commit as much or more capital in 2018 as in the previous year, and over a third intended to engage more fund managers in their portfolios. This has been borne out in Q1, as investors have looked to make larger commitments to a greater number of funds. The proportion of active investors with intended commitments exceeding $50mn over the next 12 months rose from 51% in Q1 2017 to 63% a year later, while the proportion of investors committing to more than three funds climbed to 60%. Investors seem to be targeting core private equity strategies, with the proportions seeking investments in buyout, venture capital and growth funds all rising. By contrast, interest in funds of funds and secondaries vehicles fell markedly from the year before. Key Private Equity Investor Facts: Preqin's year-end survey found 37% of investors sought to commit more to private equity in 2018 than in 2017, while a further 55% intended to commit the same amount. Eight out of 10 intended to make their next commitment in Q1 2018, with a further 12% looking to commit in Q2. Over a third (35%) intended to increase the number of fund managers in their portfolios, while just 11% sought to streamline them. These trends have continued into Q1: the proportion of investors looking to commit more than $50mn in the next 12 months rose from 51% in Q1 2017 to 63% in Q1 2018. At the same time, the proportion of investors looking to commit to four or more funds rose to 60% from 57% the year before, including 17% that will commit to 10 or more funds. Investors are focusing this appetite on core private equity strategies: the proportions seeking buyout (70%), venture capital (52%) and growth (49%) investments all rose compared to Q1 2017. By contrast, the proportion targeting secondary vehicles fell from 22% in Q1 2017 to 14% a year later, while the proportion seeking funds of funds more than halved from 29% to just 13%. Christopher Elvin, Head of Private Equity Products: "Despite widespread concerns over high asset pricing and the potential impact on future performance, investors clearly remain satisfied with private equity. The vast majority intend to either maintain or increase their allocations in both the short and longer term, and at the end of 2017 Preqin found that many intended to include a wider variety of fund managers in their portfolios. This trend has continued into Q1: intended commitments from investors are larger than they were a year before, and the number of different funds they are seeking to access has increased. What is particularly striking is that appetite for the core private equity strategies of buyout, venture capital and growth funds has grown, along with interest in Asia-Pacific and emerging market investments. In recent years we have seen proportional preferences for these fund types decrease as the private equity market has become more diversified, but this has reversed itself in the early part of 2018. Funds of funds and secondaries have contrastingly seen their favour decrease. While investors are looking to diversify into regions beyond North America and Europe, they seemingly are preferring to do so through equity funds rather than secondary or indirect vehicles." Hotel Business News and Analytics Important! This article is written by orangesmile.com editors and is protected by copyright law. The article can only be re-used with a direct link to www.orangesmile.com NEWS BLOCKS: Vietnam Welcomes a Record Number of Travelers in First Four Months of 2018 The beginning of this year has been exceptionally good for the hospitality industry of Vietnam. Within just four months of 2018, the country welcomed as many as 5.5 million foreign guests. That is 29.5% more than during the same period a year ago. The General Statistics Office has just released the stunning achievement of the countrys travel industry. Hotels in Hanoi and other popular destinations of Vietnam become increasingly popular with tourists from Asian countries their number went up by 36%. All major source markets of the region show substantial growth with the Republic of Korea being the top one. The number of visitors from this country to Vietnam grew by 67.3%! Other countries also provided more tourists the number of visitors from China and Malaysia added 39.7% and 16.3% respectively. Other notable source Asian countries are Taiwan (+14.3%), Thailand (+9.2%), Singapore (+8%), and Japan (+7%). Not only Asian travelers chose Vietnam as their next vacation destination. The county is getting more popular with Europeans as well. Here the increase in visitors estimated 12.9%. Such countries as Italy and Russia featured the highest increases of 19.7% and 13.4% respectively. Tourists from many EU countries were also visiting Vietnam more actively. 8.6% more tourists from France and 8% more tourists from Germany visited Vietnam during January April 2018. The number of visitors from the UK was growing as well (+11.1%). April was a particularly active month for the hospitality industry of Vietnam as the country welcomed 1.34 million foreign visitors (up 25.2%). This incredible growth was partially caused by several important events, such as the Vietnam International Travel Mart the Ho Chi Minh City tourism festival, Vietnams Ethnic Culture Day in Hanoi, the opening ceremony of the National Tourism Year 2018 that took place in Quang Ninh, the Mon Asian Food Festival in Hanoi, and other events. Last year, Vietnam already set a record, welcoming 12.9 million foreign tourists, reaching an increase of 29.1% compared to 2016. This year, the country hopes to attract even more visitors up to 15.5 million. The country, indeed, has much to offer even to discerning travelers. Last year, Rough Guides travel website included Vietnam in the list of the top 20 most beautiful countries of the world. Magnificent beaches, stunning islands, the largest cave in the world Son Doong, incredible rock formations, and Ha Long Bay listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site are just some of the places that inspire so many travelers. 09.05.2018Stay in touch with the latest news of a worldwide hotel industry. All up-to-date analytics, reports , and news about hotel business trends on OrangeSmile.com. Owners of Portland's vintage stock of brick buildings have been worrying about a looming threat: an earthquake retrofit mandate that could cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars. But earthquake experts point to another threat: the ever-increasing chance that a large earthquake will hit the Portland area, sending many of those buildings crumbling. As the mandate goes before the Portland City Council on Wednesday, Mayor Ted Wheeler has proposed softening it for most buildings and extending the deadline to 20 years from the 10 to 15 proposed by an advisory committee, concessions that his staff said would ease the burden on "mom and pop" building owners. Earthquake experts say putting any requirements on the books is a step in the right direction, but they also say it's a half-measure that will only delay the inevitable. And extending the deadline means a greater chance an earthquake catches those unreinforced masonry buildings unprepared. (Schools, critical buildings and large gathering places would still be held to higher standards.) "This particular mandate is giving some options to owners, which is OK to start," said Franz Rad, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Portland State University. "But what we really need to do down the line is retrofit all of them to at least a minimum level and/or eliminate the ones that are too expensive to retrofit. "They are indeed death traps for the big earthquake we're expecting." Wheeler's proposal would require owners of most unreinforced brick buildings to bolt the building's roof to its walls and reinforce the parapet, the short wall that extends around the roof of most brick buildings. That's intended to prevent the wall from peeling away during a quake, damage that can occur in even light shaking, posing danger to people inside and outside the building. But Wheeler has proposed to remove a requirement that floors be bolted to walls. Unsecured floors can push against brittle brick walls in a quake, so bolting them can help prevent multistory buildings from collapsing but the fix is far more invasive and expensive. "That piece is where it gets very messy," said Kathy Rogers, who owns an unreinforced brick apartment building in Southeast Portland and is an organizer of Save Portland Buildings, a group that has opposed the mandate. Rogers said most owners of unreinforced masonry buildings welcomed the 20-year timeline and that the requirement to fasten floors to walls has, at least for now, been taken off the table. Those upgrades would require the ouster of businesses and apartment residents while the work is underway, likely closing businesses and forcing residents to find a new place to live. The remaining roof-retrofit requirements, while still a hefty financial lift, are easier to take on and more worth the money, Rogers said. "If you can brace the parapets and sturdy up the frame, you get 80 percent of the benefit for about 20 percent of the overall cost," she said. Meanwhile, the city will seek statewide funding to help finance the retrofit work, and the city will also develop a property tax exemption to further offset the cost. The city is also taking a page from California's book to shame building owners into completing the retrofits. That state requires owners of unreinforced masonry buildings to post signs warning that they "may be unsafe in the event of a major earthquake." The Portland City Council is considering asking its staff to write such an ordinance. Portland has a stock of 1,600 unreinforced brick buildings in part because it's suffered few even minor earthquakes over the years, said Christopher Higgins, a structural engineering professor at Oregon State University. California cities, on the other hand, have had numerous smaller quakes that have winnowed those most susceptible to quakes. Unreinforced brick buildings are just one type of construction at risk. San Francisco is trying to address the risk of so-called "soft-story" wood-framed buildings, built with relatively weak ground floors, and it also has a stock of brittle concrete buildings that could collapse in a quake. Portland also likely has other building types to worry about, along with fragile bridges and utility lines. "Our problem with unreinforced masonry is just the beginning," Higgins said. "We have very fragile infrastructure in this state for seismic." Oregon sits about 70 miles from the Cascadia subduction zone, an offshore fault line that's overdue for a big quake. When it hits, Portland potentially faces $80 billion in building damage, tens of thousands of people wounded or killed, and more than 250,000 residents facing long-term displacement, according to a state report released earlier this year. The odds of a quake with a magnitude of 8 or greater that affects Portland is about 22 to 26 percent in the next 50 years, said Chris Goldfinger, an Oregon State University professor of geology and geophysics and a leading expert in the Cascadia subduction zone. But there are other faults near Portland about which little is known. They could increase the odds of a significant quake at any time. That could mean an unexpected wake-up call for Portlanders before the "Big One" hits. "In the future, especially if we get a 5.8 in or near Portland area before the Cascadia Quake, people will be more inclined to retrofit weaker structures," Rad said, adding: "The ones that still remain." -- Elliot Njus enjus@oregonian.com 503-294-5034 @enjus Updated 9:40 p.m. A skateboarder was seriously hurt in a crash with a dump truck Tuesday in Vancouver, police said. The skateboarder, a 32-year-old man, was taken to a hospital with apparent life-threatening injuries, according to Vancouver police. The dump-truck driver is cooperating with investigators, and nothing indicates he or she was impaired, police said. Neither involved has been publicly identified. The skateboarder was going north about 2:40 p.m. on D Street, entered traffic at East Mill Plain Boulevard and was hit by the truck, Vancouver police said. The crash is under investigation. Mike Lindblad said he was driving behind the dump truck and another car on his way to his Beaverton home when the truck suddenly stopped while in the intersection, causing Lindblad and the other car behind it to halt as well. Lindblad said he drove around both vehicles, looked back in his rearview mirror to see what caused the delay and saw a man face down under one of the dump truck's front wheels. The dump truck driver backed the vehicle off the man, who Lindblad described as topless with a shirt wrapped around his waist, wearing jeans and lost a shoe in the collision. He said he parked and went to help the skateboarder, who was unconscious. Lindblad said the skateboarder likely went through a stop sign without. "There were tire marks up his back to his shoulder ... it didn't look good at all," Lindblad, 55, told The Oregonian/OregonLive in a phone interview. The man regained consciousness, then he insisted on getting up and tried to leave, Lindblad said. He was complaining of chest pain and had trouble breathing. Police arrived soon after and helped make sure the injured man stayed at the scene until paramedics arrived. Lindblad said he left when the medical responders arrived. He said it was about 10 minutes from when the crash happened to when paramedics got there. "If that truck had gone 6 inches further, it would have ran over that man's skull," Lindblad said. Everton Bailey Jr. of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report. -- Jim Ryan North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un's second China visit less than two months on Monday and Tuesday is raising concerns that Beijing could fatally weaken international sanctions that have forced the regime to the negotiating table. UN Security Council resolutions severely limit oil exports to North Korea as well as joint ventures with the North and were effective only thanks to China's cooperation under U.S. pressure. Now there are concerns that Xi could open backdoor trade channels with North Korea for fear of being sidelined in denuclearization talks. There's a new downtown Portland food cart specializing in shengjianbao, the pan-fried cousin to XLB. Found on Southwest Ninth Avenue between Alder and Washington streets, Shanghai's Best opened last month with a simple menu -- just those shengjianbao, plus a modified siumai overflowing with glutinous shiitake sticky rice. The pan-fried bao are the way to go. Sold in odd-numbered quantities (one for $2, three for $5, etc.), pulled hot from a giant cast-iron pan and piled haphazardly on a paper boat, they feature a pleasing pull-apart dough and a juicy pork filling. Compared with Portland's other shengjianbao -- the one at the family-run Taiwanese restaurant Wei Wei -- Shanghai's Best are a bit oilier, a bit looser and a bit messier overall (not necessarily bad things), earning the cart's "street food" motto. Neither version is particularly soupy. Shanghai's Best On my visit, I spoke briefly with owner Lin Chen, who told me she was born in the Shanghai area and has lived in Portland for more than two decades. After eating her food, friends encouraged the empty nester to try her hand at a food cart. That day, Chen was also serving crispy slugs of potsticker stuffed with glass noodles, green onion and egg. (One suggestion: If the cost isn't too high, Chen might consider switching from the paper boat to a cardboard clamshell of the sort they use in Shanghai, just to tidy up the presentation.) With a 33 story tower proposed for the 10th and Alder cart pod -- Portland's largest concentration of food carts and a tourist destination -- get down there now before these dumplings disappear. -- Michael Russell Raley Schweinfurth Three Oregon students, including a noted bee death investigator and a prize-winning artist whose paintings address racial inequities head-on, were named Oregon's Presidential Scholars on Tuesday. Raley Schweinfurth, a senior at Oregon Episcopal School, and Brian Josephson of South Medford High are the top female and male high school seniors in Oregon this year, a five-person White House commission decided. Ameya Okamoto, a senior at Catlin Gabel High, was one of 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts chosen nationwide. Brian Josephson In addition to Okamoto's artistic excellence, all three winners were chosen based on academic success, essays, transcripts, community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals. Schweinfurth, an accomplished pianist, placed 10th in the nation's oldest and most prestigious science contest for high school seniors in March. She won for her research into bee die-offs and ways to rid soil of the toxic chemicals responsible. She is headed to Columbia University, where she plans to double major in environmental chemistry and music. Josephson is very politically active and served as the statewide president of DECA, a competitive high school entrepreneurial club. He will attend the University of Oregon. Neither he nor officials at his school responded to requests for interviews Tuesday. Ameya Okamoto creates digital protest artwork. Her work has included, from left, a portrait of MAX stabbing victim Taliesin Namkai-Meche, Parkland anti-gun activist Emma Gonzalez and Quannice Hayes, a 17-year-old fatally shot by Portland police. Okamoto's digital artworks have been exhibited at the Portland Art Museum and won national honors in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards three years straight. Her subjects are almost always related to racial identity, controversy and healing, including a victim of Portland's hatred-laced fatal MAX stabbing and the 2017 police shooting death of black teen Quanice Hayes. Creating the latter, made of a 17-year-old when she was also 17, was "so personal and the fastest I have ever worked." Ameya Okomoto paints a portion of the mural being created in honor of MAX stabbing victims and survivors. Okamoto, who moved to Portland from New York City at age 7, said the switch to living in the whitest big city in America was jarring. She credits her mother with nurturing her strong commitment to social justice and racial equity. No longer in contact with her biological father, Okamoto says she grew to view two gay men in Portland as her father figures. That helped spurr her first activism, on LGBTQ issues when she was in middle school, she said. Okamoto said Terresa Raiford of the group Don't Shoot Portland helped her find her place making protest art, much of it tied to the Black Lives Matter movement, and to help promote healing with her uplifting and tender memorial portraits of the victims of violence. Artist Sarah Farahat designed this large mural for the Hollywood MAX station and, having seen Ameya Okomoto's work, invited the girl to help her paint it into reality. Okamoto said Farahat did not realize at the the time that Okomoto was still in high school. For her senior project, Okamoto is helping artist Sarah Farahat complete her large mural at the Hollywood MAX station to recognize victims and survivors of the stabbing. She said working on the project is the complete opposite of how she had normally done her work, which was very private. Painting day after day as people come and go on their MAX trips about town has helped her claim a public indentity as an artist, she said. Okamoto will attend Tufts University where she has been admitted to a program leading to both a bachelor's of arts and a bachelor's of fine arts. She plans to major in psychology and race and justice and in interdisciplinary art. -- Betsy Hammond I understand Gov. Kate Brown and former Gov. John Kitzhaber's aversion to signing death warrants. I would have similar qualms. But they took an oath to uphold the laws and constitution of the state of Oregon. If they couldn't, in good conscience, uphold those laws, they should not have taken the oath. The most useful thing about the death penalty in Oregon is that people agree to true life sentences to avoid it. Before the voters reinstated the death penalty, a life sentence in Oregon often meant parole at some point. Robert Dyson, Northeast Portland The May 4 article by Maxine Bernstein on the Police Executive Research Forum's course on de-escalation training for the Portland Police Bureau was good news ("Outside instructors provide new de-escalation training to Portland police"). As a former member of Portland Police's Crisis Intervention Training Advisory Board, I have advocated in many forums for using the Police Executive Research Forum approach, but my advice was always summarily dismissed. I offer kudos to Police Chief Danielle Outlaw for bringing the Police Executive Research Forum on board, and hope this leads to some long-needed progress. Contrary to the comments from Officer Daryl Turner, it is most definitely not just "a new title and new language"; it is a revolutionary approach. Just how much of a revolution is shown in the statement by trainer Tom Wilson quoted at the end of the article, "You probably were told, 'Your No. 1 job is to make sure you go home at night.' Isn't it our No. 1 job to make sure everybody goes home?" That statement is a major cultural shift that must be incorporated into police policy, training and behavior if we are to have a better police force. James Paul Kahan, Southeast Portland A man committed to psychiatric care for six months after he threatened to kill Gov. Kate Brown didn't meet the legal threshold for being held and treated against his will, the Oregon Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday. In June 2015, Tyrone Waters left an expletive-laden voicemail with Brown's office repeatedly stating that he planned to "kill" Brown or that she was "dead" because she was his "enemy." Although the Appeals Court described the voicemail as highly disturbing, judges ruled there was no evidence that Waters, who was living in San Diego at the time, had actual plans to follow through on his threats. Other concerning behavior -- including that Waters thought he was a bounty hunter and he carried handcuffs and pepper spray -- didn't prove he was "highly likely" to harm to himself or others, which is the legal standard for civil commitments in Oregon, the Appeals Court ruled. The court said it had no evidence to show Waters had used the handcuffs or pepper spray to take anyone into custody. The court found that Multnomah County Circuit Judge Pro Tem Elizabeth Fithian-Barrett erred in committing Waters in September 2015. Waters, who was 49 then, is the son of former state Sen. Avel Gordly, who has spoken publicly of his struggles. Her advocacy for all people with mental illness prompted Oregon Health & Science University in 2008 to rename its behavioral health unit the Avel Gordly Center for Healing. Neither Waters or Gordly could be reached for comment. Waters battles with mental illness began in his 20s, when he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. In 2001, he was sent to a Portland psychiatric hospital after he hallucinated and pointed a pellet gun at police officers in front of his grandfathers home in North Portland, according to the Appeals Court summary. Waters stabilized on medication and did well for years after that, the court stated. He worked as a peer counselor for Cascadia Behavioral Health, but then switched medication and became consumed with fear about living in the United State as a gay, African American man, the court summary said. He worried that others would hurt or kill him and unsuccessfully sought asylum in Canada in 2015, the summary states. Months later, he left the hostile voicemail with the governors office. Waters' successful appeal of his civil commitment is somewhat of a hollow victory. He was committed to a psychiatric care for up to 180 days in 2015, and that term has long passed. But the ruling does once again establish the high bar that Oregon appellate courts have set for committing people with mental illness against their will. The decision was made by a three-judge panel of the Appeals Court. Judges Joel DeVore and Roger DeHoog ruled for the majority. Judge Erin Lagesen dissented, saying it was highly likely that Waters was a danger to himself and others, given the evidence in the case. Read the majority and dissenting opinions here. -- Aimee Green Spending in a much-watched Oregon Senate race surged in the last month, as groups funded by the real estate industry and trial lawyers poured money into the race that will determine whether Democratic incumbent Rod Monroe continues to represent East Portland. Monroe is trying to fend off Shemia Fagan and Kayse Jama, who are running against him from the left, in the May 15 primary. Housing affordability is the central issue: Monroe says rent control doesn't work, whereas Fagan and Jama want to allow cities to impose such limits. The election is also a referendum on the Senate's moderate Democratic establishment. Groups that make what's known as independent expenditures are not allowed to coordinate with candidates or campaigns. Monroe said Tuesday that the independent expenditures absolutely bumped up total campaign spending in the race. "It is the first campaign I've been involved with where there's been an auxiliary campaign on both sides," he said. "It's something that's completely new to me, and I had nothing to do with it." Fagan could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon. As of Tuesday, Monroe reported raising more than $330,000 and spending $290,000 since his last election. A political action committee called Protect Sensible Leadership independently spent more than $176,000 on polling in support of Monroe and advertising against Fagan, according to state campaign finance records. It's funded mostly by the real estate industry which has also contributed directly to Monroe, although political action committees for Oregon Business & Industry and a medical malpractice insurer recently chipped in. Fagan reported raising more than $300,000 and spending more than $160,000 in the nine months since she announced her candidacy. There's also a political action committee involved in the race that is largely funded by the public employee unions and trial lawyers who are Fagan's largest supporters, according to campaign finance records. That committee, A Progressive Voice for Oregon, has reported raising more than $70,000 and spending just $13,000 on advertising against Monroe. Jama had reported raising more than $50,000 and spending $34,000. Kayse Jama The committee supporting Monroe and opposing Fagan has put its money into print, broadcast, social media and other online advertising, mostly in the last three weeks, according to state campaign finance disclosures. The spending was mostly at firms in Brooklyn and in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. At this point in the election, political action committees have seven days to report transactions. Shawn Cleave, government affairs director for the Oregon Association of Realtors and a director of the Protect Sensible Leadership political action committee, did not respond to a request for comment on why the groups are spending independently in the Senate District 24 race. Elizabeth Bernard, treasurer for the trial lawyers political action committee that has supported Fagan and A Progressive Voice for Oregon, declined to comment on why the lawyers are supporting the group spending independently on the race. A spokeswoman for Service Employees International Union, another donor to Fagan and A Progressive Voice for Oregon, could not immediately be reached for comment. -- Hillary Borrud 503-294-4034; @hborrud The co-founder of the Black Parent Initiative and a former chairman of Oregon's Housing Stability Council were indicted Tuesday on charges related to an alleged 2012 sexual assault. Charles A. McGee, the 32-year-old nonprofit founder, is accused of first- and second-degree sexual abuse, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and first-degree sodomy stemming from an incident in May 2012, court records show. Aubre L. Dickson, 43, faces accusations of first- and second-degree sexual abuse and first-degree unlawful sexual penetration from the alleged attack. The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office said both men have been ordered to turn themselves in to the county jail by 5 p.m. Thursday. McGee and Dickson are accused of sexually assaulting Erica Naito-Campbell at McGee's home in 2012, according to Willamette Week. Naito-Campbell detailed the encounter to the newspaper in February. McGee was running for a seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners but ended his bid after his involvement in the alleged attack was reported. He was fired from the Black Parent Initiative the same month after the group received a sexual harassment complaint about McGee from another woman, according to The Portland Tribune. Dickson, who was once on the board of the Black Parent Initiative, resigned as chair of the Oregon Housing Stability Council as the sexual assault allegations surfaced. Dickson also quit his job as a vice president at KeyBank in March, Willamette Week reports. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com 503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey Ryan Bounds, a federal prosecutor from Oregon nominated by President Donald Trump for a vacancy on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, apologized Wednesday for the tone of controversial articles he wrote in college and said his desire then was for a diverse and tolerant college campus. "The rhetoric I used in campus politics was often overheated, overbroad and too often not as respectful as it should have been of opposing viewpoints,'' Bounds told Senate Judiciary Committee members. "I certainly apologize for the often highhanded and overheated tone I often resorted to in commenting about campus politics. ...The intentions behind those articles were always to seek greater tolerance and mutual understanding on campus that was always my aim.'' U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced Bounds despite the vehement objections of Oregon's two Democratic senators. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have said Bounds misled a bipartisan state judicial selection committee that vetted candidates for the vacancy by not sharing his college articles. Bounds' pieces ran in The Stanford Review in the early 1990s and mocked what he described as "race-think,'' student ethnic groups and the university's response to alleged sexual assaults. He wrote, for example, that "strident racial factions in the student body'' often contributed more to "restricting consciousness, aggravating intolerance and pigeonholing cultural identities than many a Nazi bookburning.'' Bounds, a conservative who has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Oregon since 2010, received his bachelor's degree from Stanford in 1995 and his law degree from Yale Law School in 1999. The Alliance for Justice, a liberal judicial advocacy group, earlier this year highlighted excerpts from the college writings, calling Bounds unfit for a lifetime judge's position. Democratic senators led by Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut blasted the committee's leadership for allowing the hourlong hearing to proceed. Blumenthal called the Republicans' move to hold the hearing without so-called "blue slips" -- support of the home state senators -- another of the administration's "attempts to radically reshape our judiciary and remake the bench in the image of the far-right fringe of the Republican Party.'' "We're making really bad history for this institution and our Constitution,'' Blumenthal said. Cruz and committee chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, defended the process. Cruz argued that the "blue slip'' was never meant to give any senator veto power over a president's nomination and said Oregon's senators were "consulted considerably'' by the White House. The Democratic senators on the committee then questioned Bounds about his college writings, quoting from some of the most alarming passages filled with racial insults. They also asked him about his leadership role in the Oregon chapter of the Federalist Society and whether he'd follow U.S. Supreme Court rulings supporting same-sex marriage, a women's right to abortion and racial desegregation. Cruz and other Republican members downplayed the significance of Bounds' college writings. Several said they wouldn't want to be judged by what they wrote more than two decades ago and argued that nominees should be evaluated by the body of their legal work over the course of their careers. Cruz said the committee received dozens of letters supporting Bounds, from college classmates and well as his legal colleagues, citing his admirable work ethic and masterful writing. In his initial address to the committee, Bound was overcome with emotion as he described having served as a clerk for 9th Circuit Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain, whose seat he's nominated to fill. "It would be the honor of a lifetime,'' Bounds said, pausing as he choked back tears. He bowed his head for several seconds before finishing, "to follow in his footsteps.'' Bounds' wife, daughter, parents and siblings sat in the hearing room behind him. Blumenthal quickly challenged Bounds on his college writings. "It's a fact the (Oregon) selection committee asked you to submit any controversial writings," the senator said. April note from Lou Savage, chair of the Oregon judicial selection committee, to Oregon's U.S. senators. "What they told me was to submit writings back through law school,'' Bounds responded. He later clarified that he didn't recall receiving any instructions from the committee, only from Wyden's staff members. They advised him, he said, to provide articles dating to his law school days. Blumenthal continued, quoting the multiple racial insults that Bounds included in one of the articles, references to "oreo,'' "twinkies'' and "coconuts," derogatory references to people of color who adopt the traits or culture of the majority white population. "Senator, those statements were my effort to decry the use of those hateful names against those classmates,'' Bounds replied. " I objected to ... I have always objected to categorizing people by their race. ... I was complaining about the fact that other students were referring to fellow students in that way.'' Lou Savage, the chairman of the Oregon selection committee, wrote to Oregon's senators in April that five of the seven members "would not have ranked Mr. Bounds as we did had we known about these deeply troubling writings.'' He noted that Bounds also failed to disclose the writings "when specifically asked by the committee about his views on equity and diversity,'' or if there was anything from his past that could be controversial moving forward. Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Del., asked Bounds if he believed members of the LGBT community and other minority communities experience discrimination today. "I definitely believe people in long marginalized communities continue to face discrimination and find it totally unacceptable,'' Bounds said. Coons also asked Bounds about one of his college opinion pieces that appeared critical of Stanford University for expelling students accused of sexual assault. Bounds said when he wrote that article he was primarily cautioning the university against not affording due process to someone accused of an assault or lowering the standard of proof for such allegations. "I think that any sexual assault or sexual violence is a crime and should be treated as a crime,'' he said. "Survivors should be encouraged to come forward and assure the perpetrators are subjected to the full force of the law.'' Bounds confirmed he's vice president of Oregon's chapter of the Federalist Society, which he described as a group made up of conservatives and libertarians whose mission is "ensuring law students and practitioners maintain a proper respect for the separation of powers, the limited role of the judiciary'' and the proper legislative scope of Congress. He said he'd abide by landmark Supreme Court rulings that legalized same-sex marriage, a woman's right to abortion and racial desegregation of schools. "Of course, I would regard all Supreme Court precedent as binding and correctly decided and would apply them,'' he said. Spurred by Republican senators to talk about his more recent community actions, Bounds spoke of his efforts on the Multnomah Bar Association's equity, diversity and inclusion committee to create a minority tutoring program at Irvington School and mentoring of law school students. Bounds was asked to resign as chair of that committee after his college writings surfaced. Cruz read a letter sent by Bounds' hometown Republican congressman, Greg Walden, which highlighted Bounds' "deep roots in rural Oregon,'' respect for tradition and "commitment to the rule of law.'' Blumenthal later elicited through his questioning that Bounds' sister has served as Walden's chief of staff. "Did she participate in writing the letter?'' Blumenthal asked. "Not to my knowledge,'' Bounds answered. The Senate committee will keep the record on the nomination open for a week, before considering whether to send it to the Senate floor for a vote. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian Yonas Fikre, a Muslim American, contends the U.S. government placed him on its no-fly list while he was abroad to coerce him to serve as an FBI informant and provide information on the place where he worshipped, Portland's biggest Sunni mosque. Fikre's lawyer, Brandon Mayfield, on Wednesday urged a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to revive Fikre's lawsuit arguing that the government had no good cause to place him on the list and that it interfered with his attempts to return to the United States. Mayfield knows what it's like to be under federal watch. He won a $2 million settlement against the FBI after the federal agency wrongly identified Mayfield as a suspect in the 2004 Madrid train bombings. Mayfield was arrested and held for two weeks before Spanish police matched the fingerprints to an Algerian national. "You cannot deprive someone of a fundamental right, a right to movement, without a due process of law,'' Mayfield argued. Attorney Brandon Mayfield represented Yona Fikre before a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Pioneer Courthouse on Wednesday. Government lawyers countered that U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown ruled appropriately in 2016 when she dismissed Fikre's lawsuit, calling his case moot since his name had been removed from the no-fly list by then. Fikre was permitted to board a domestic flight that month, Brown noted. Yet minutes into Wednesday's hearing, Joshua Waldman, a U.S. Department of Justice attorney, offered to submit a written declaration that Fikre is no longer on the no-fly list and won't be placed back on it for the same reasons as in 2010, if that's what it would take to halt the appeal. "We are prepared to file that declaration with this court,'' Waldman said. "If you think that's necessary, then we'll provide it.'' He said the government had expected Brown to ask for one, but she never did. The justices weren't pleased with his sudden offer. "You were prepared to do it, but you haven't done it?'' asked Judge Morgan Christen. "Why do you have to be ordered by any court?'' added Judge Johnnie B. Rawlinson. They pointed out that Fikre says his life was turned upside down for years, his marriage destroyed and his business disrupted because of his placement on the no-fly list. So why wouldn't the government provide additional relief by giving him something to show to his relatives and business colleagues that he's not on the federal list, they asked. "Isn't that the obvious response of the government, and now you're telling me you didn't think it was necessary?'' Christen asked. "It created chaos in his life in his business and life. Why isn't he entitled to declaratory relief?'' Waldman responded that the government thought it was sufficient evidence that Fikre was allowed to fly out of Oregon in 2016. Asked by the justices if the government's offer would suffice, Mayfield said it wouldn't. "We would like that of course,'' he said, but it's not enough. Mayfield said his client couldn't be in court because he's struggling to make a living now as a long-haul truck driver and coping with the stigma that he was "somehow a terrorist'' for being on the list for up to six years. "We're not just challenging individual actions against Mr. Fikre, but the no-fly list as unconstitutional,'' Mayfield said. Mayfield also contends the government violated Fikre's Fourth Amendment rights by intercepting his phone calls, emails and text messages without probable cause or a warrant. The government argued Brown appropriately found that the monitoring under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act doesn't violate the Fourth Amendment, which protects against illegal searches. Fikre's entanglement with federal authorities began during a trip to Sudan in 2010. He planned to use his experience working for a cellular phone company in the U.S. to distribute and sell consumer electronic products in East Africa. On April 21, 2010, he received a call from the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, asking him to contact embassy officials. The next morning, Fikre went to the embassy and was met by FBI agents from Portland. When Fikre asked to be represented by his Oregon-based lawyer, one of the agents told Fikre he couldn't return to the United States because he was on the no-fly list, according to Fikre's appeal. Fikre was questioned for several hours about the As-Saber Mosque in Portland, where he attended prayer services, and was asked to be an informant in exchange for "substantial compensation'' and removal from the no-fly list, according to Fikre and his lawyer. During a subsequent trip to the United Arab Emirates, Fikre was forcibly taken from a home there on June 1, 2011, by Emirates secret police and placed in a windowless cell for 106 days. He was questioned again about the activities, fundraising and leadership of the Portland mosque and subjected to threats and beatings, according to his appeal. One day, he took a lie detector test and was asked if he had solicited funds for al-Qaeda, his lawyer wrote. Ultimately, Fikre flew to Sweden, where he sought asylum in 2012. Less than two weeks after holding a press conference in Sweden, Fikre, his brother and another man were indicted in federal court in California on unrelated financial charges that were ultimately dismissed against Fikre. The FBI maintains the no-fly list of people who cannot fly in, out or over the United States as possible threats to civil aviation or national security, according to the government. Fikre filed his lawsuit against the federal government and the FBI in May 2013. While it was pending, he learned his name was removed from the no-fly list on May 9, 2016, but he never was told why or what had changed. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian Boeing and Airbus will lose contracts worth roughly $39 billion to replenish Iran's aging fleet of commercial planes as part of the Trump administration's reimposition of sanctions. "The Boeing and Airbus licenses will be revoked," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told a group of reporters Tuesday. "The existing licenses will be revoked." The aircraft sales were among the most-sought-after contracts for Iran. In December 2016, Airbus Group signed a deal to supply national carrier Iran Air with 100 airplanes for around $19 billion at list prices. It has delivered three planes so far, the first new aircraft acquired by Iran in 23 years. Boeing later inked a deal with Iran Air for 80 aircraft with a list price of about $17 billion, promising deliveries would begin in 2017 and run until 2025. The company separately struck a 30-airplane deal with Iran's Aseman Airlines for $3 billion at list prices. No deliveries have been made yet. In a statement, Gordon Johndroe, a Boeing vice president, said in a statement: "We will consult with the U.S. Government on next steps. As we have throughout this process, we'll continue to follow the U.S. Government's lead." Boeing employs more than 1,500 at its 87-acre site along Northeast Sandy Boulevard in Gresham. Analysts said the impact on Boeing would be modest thanks to a backlog of orders for 737 aircraft. Boeing's stock fell 0.6 percent and closed at $338.37 a share. Airbus, based in Toulouse, France, is subject to U.S. export restrictions because more than 10 percent of its jet parts originate with U.S. companies such as United Technologies, Rockwell Collins and General Electric. Mnuchin also said the Trump administration would cancel waivers that allowed the sale of commercial aircrafts parts and services. "These sanctions do impact all of the major industries," he added. "These are very very strong sanctions; they worked last time. That's why Iran came to the table." He said there might be some exclusions, but he did not elaborate. One company hoping for a reprieve is the French oil giant Total, which last year signed a $2 billion contract to develop the South Pars natural gas field. The company said that it hoped the deal would be left alone since it was signed according to rules in place at that time. The administration said it was giving most international companies 90-day and 180-day "wind down periods" to exit contracts and ventures in Iran. The sanctions on oil purchases will be the same as under the Obama administration. The State Department will allow purchases by other countries if they show that they are making "significant reductions" over a 180-day period. Under Obama and with the cooperation of five major economic powers, Iran's oil exports fell by more than 1 million barrels a day. The new sanctions might have less effect. Since the nuclear deal was signed and Iran was free to sell oil without restriction, the Islamic Republic has been able to make new sales of 700,000 barrels a day to Asia, led by China and India. It remains unclear how much those nations will comply, if at all. Mnuchin said U.S. officials have had discussions with other countries about increasing production to offset the loss of oil from Iran. He did not say which countries, but Saudi Arabia has the greatest spare production capacity. "My expectation is not that oil prices go higher," he said. -- Steven Mufson, Damian Paletta At the weekend, UN Command soldiers were told of their impending handover because any activities in the demilitarized zone require notification, but the three never arrived, according to Voice of America. The flying visit comes after North Korea scrapped the release of three U.S. citizens via the border truce village of Panmunjom last weekend, apparently amid wrangling over the summit agenda. It remains to be seen whether Pompeo can take them with him on his flight home. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday to prepare for President Donald Trump's upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. A military source said, "There was an alert to the UNC instructing them to stand by over the weekend, but it is unclear whether it had to do with the handover of hostages." A government source said the handover is being delayed because North Korea vehemently opposes certain areas of the agenda of the U.S.-North Korea summit. The U.S. has recently stepped up its demands for North Korea to dismantle its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Earlier, there were reports that the three detainees, who are ethnic Koreans, were moved from their prison camps to a hotel in Pyongyang and their release was imminent. Last Wednesday U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted, "As everybody is aware, the past administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!" When their release was not forthcoming, U.S. media accused Trump of playing fast and loose with the feelings of the detainees' families. President Donald Trump says three Americans who were detained in North Korea have been released and they are on their way home, accompanied by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Trump made the announcement on Twitter Wednesday, saying the "three seem to be in good health." Trump also said he plans to greet the released Americans when they land. The news follows a visit to North Korea by Secretary of State Pompeo, who was in the country to prepare for the upcoming meeting between Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un. Three Korean-Americans has been imprisoned in North Korea. Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. They were separately detained in 2017, and accused of participating in anti-state activities and trying to overthrow the government. The third detainee, Kim Dong-chul, was arrested in Rason on the northeast tip of North Korea in October 2015. He was sentenced in 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. Pompeo's latest trip to North Korea came just weeks after he met with Kim. "The first time it was truly an intelligence effort" to validate Kim's intention, said Pompeo en route to North Korea, while the second visit is hoping to "put in place a framework," and "conditions" for a successful summit between the two presidents. During his brief visit, Pompeo said the U.S. is committed to working with North Korea to establish peace on the Korean peninsula. "For decades, we have been adversaries," Pompeo said. "Now we are hopefully that we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and make your country have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve. There are many challenges along the way. But you have been a great partner in working to make sure our two leaders will have a summit that is successful." Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Ottawa Citizen Headline News will soon be in your inbox. Home helped rebuild lives From:ChinaDaily | 2018-05-09 07:51 Hundreds of children orphaned in devastating quake have found meaning again Two girls orphaned in the 2008 quake play with the orphanage manager's young daughter on Sunday. [ZOU HONG/CHINA DAILY] After spotting each other across a crowded dining room on Sunday, Cao Weiping and Li Hong fell into an emotional embrace. "Mom," Li said, with tears in her eyes, before placing bags of fruit she had brought as gifts into Cao's hands. She had come to introduce her boyfriend, she said, "because I want mom to see how happy I am". Cao is not her biological mother. She is the woman who helped Li pick up the pieces after her life was torn apart by the Wenchuan earthquake 10 years ago. Li was just 12 when the magnitude 8 quake devastated Wenchuan county, Sichuan province, on May 12, 2008. Her home was destroyed and her father, who had been raising her alone, was among the more than 87,000 people dead or missing. With nowhere to go, Li, along with hundreds of other young people, was sent to live at the Ankang Home, a project started by the China Children and Teenagers' Fund and Rizhao Steel Group to help those orphaned in the disaster. Initially, the home was in Rizhaoa city in Shandong province 1,500 kilometers from Wenchuanand occupied several dormitories previously used by steelworkers. After about a year, the home was relocated to a complex built for that purpose in Chengdu, Sichuan's capital. Li stayed at Ankang until 2013, when she enrolled at a vocational college. She has kept in regular contact with her "mom", Cao, who was among 86 caregivers employed to run the facility in 2009. The 22-year-old returned to the home on Sunday to mark the 10th anniversary of the Wenchuan quake. "No matter how far I go or how long I am away, Ankang will always be my home," she said. "It made me secure and independent, and it taught me how to love again after suffering so much in the disaster." We Know What Jordan Peele's Next Film Is Called, And When We Can All Shut Up And Give Him Our Money By Brian Richards | Film | May 9, 2018 | On February 24, 2017, Universal Pictures and horror-movie production company Blumhouse Productions released the horror film Get Out in theaters. It was written and directed by Jordan Peele, a writer/actor/comedian best known for his work on the Comedy Central series Key & Peele and also for his incredibly good impersonation of President Barack Obama on that very same show. And before Get Out dropped in theaters, when many people saw the trailer for themselves, there seemed to be a good amount of doubt and apprehension about the quality of the film and whether or not it would be any good, as there seemed to be many variations of That Key & Peele dude is making a horror movie about interracial dating? Uhokay, I guess. Probably going to be a horror comedy like Scream or something. (Im not exactly sure how any upcoming horror film evoking comparisons to Scream is a bad thing, as Scream is one of the best horror movies ever made, but thats another topic for another day) After Get Out dropped in theaters, any apprehension that people had for the film was silenced and laid to rest. Not only did Get Out earn raves from critics (except from Armond White, of course, because someone just has to be the black fly in the Chardonnay); not only did Get Out break many a box-office record; it was a film that people couldnt stop talking and writing about. It was a film that people went to see more than once. It was a film that demanded that you see it on opening weekend with the biggest and Blackest movie-theater audience you could possibly find. It was a film that introduced the concept of The Sunken Place to everyone and made it a part of their regular vocabulary, especially for Black people discussing other Black people who would suddenly begin speaking and acting in ways that were deeply offensive, made little to no sense whatsoever, and made them shake their heads in disgust and disbelief. It also inspired Tananarive Due, author/professor for UCLAs Department of African American Studies, to teach a course about Get Out, which Peele himself attended and lectured for. It also inspired some people on Twitter to wonder out loud how true and accurate Get Out really is, especially since it was written and directed by a Black man married to a White woman. Both Peele and Chelsea Peretti, the incredibly talented actress/comedian who stars on Brooklyn Nine-Nine a.k.a. The Sitcom That Everyone Should Be Watching Because Its So Damn Good and who is also married to Peele, were happy to clear up this assumption for everyone: Get Out is a documentary. Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) November 15, 2017 we all cried for weeks we were so hurt to see our family secrets exposed in this documentary https://t.co/b95KZ4ldxk Chelsea Peretti (@chelseaperetti) April 4, 2017 And all of this is before we point out that Get Out was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Actor (Daniel Kaluuya), Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture. Its sole win was for Best Original Screenplay, but that didnt stop most Get Out fans and supporters of Peele from clapping like seals on weapons-grade crack when Peele won, including his frequent collaborator and close friend, Keegan Michael-Key. Cant get over this picture of @KeeganMKey celebrating the @JordanPeele Oscar win. This cuteness fills me with so much joy #Oscars pic.twitter.com/yUV3MVu9as Trevor Stines (@Trevor_Stines) March 5, 2018 Now, thanks to coverage from The Hollywood Reporter last night, we know what the next film from Jordan Peele will be called, and when it will be released. The film will be called Us, and its release date is scheduled for March 15, 2019. Plot details are understandably scarce, and if contract negotiations are successful, Us is set to star Lupita Nyongo, Winston Duke (who starred opposite Nyongo in Black Panther and was so impressive and memorable as MBaku that he made many an audience member go, Michael B. who?! and I dont know him at the mention of Chadwick Boseman), and Elisabeth Moss. From The Hollywood Reporter: Peele is once again directing from his own script. He is also producing via his Monkeypaw Productions alongside Sean McKittrick and Jason Blum. Also producing is Monkeypaws Ian Cooper. Details are being kept deep in suburbia, but the pic is said to center on two couples, one white, one black. If a deal is made, Duke and Nyongo would play one couple, while Moss would play part of the other couple. Nyongo is said to be in negotiations, while Duke and Moss potential deals are in earlier stages. Jordan Peele also used his Twitter page to not only reveal the title of his next film, but also its teaser poster. Once news broke regarding Peeles next project, it didnt take long for social media to express their excitement. Your new favorite movie is coming out next year. #us https://t.co/5kT8dpMvjg Win Rosenfeld (@winrosenfeld) May 9, 2018 me: yeah i'm having a pretty regular day, i doubt anything exciting will happen@JordanPeele: hold my beer. *drops poster and title and release month of new movie* me: *wig blasts off like team rocket* Samantha (@Arielrocks5) May 9, 2018 Jordan Peele had one of the most talked about films of the last year and instead of a backlash were drooling at the thought of his next film. Thats how good Get Out is. Austin Shinn (@untitleduser) May 9, 2018 Pumped for another year of people claiming a Jordan Peele movie thats clearly in the horror genre isnt really a horror movie Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) May 9, 2018 You had me at new film from Jordan Peele https://t.co/XfocyuZ0II Ari Melber (@AriMelber) May 9, 2018 If. You. Saw. My. Face. When. I. Saw. That. JORDAN PEELE was doing a movie and KWAYN LUPITA NYONG'O was the centre of it?! Jesu. It was pretty much like this; pic.twitter.com/0GtbYVhGjo Michaela Coel (@MichaelaCoel) May 9, 2018 Y'all, if all @jordanpeele wants to give us is that poster till March '19, let that be okay. Don't be snappin' clandestine set pics if he's shooting in your neighborhood or doing anything that will ruin any twists for the rest of us. Let's all go in cold. We know it's worth it. stacia l. brown (@slb79) May 9, 2018 Its far too soon to tell whether or not Us will meet or surpass our expectations, but its safe to say that 1) there will probably be many a Hot Take and thinkpiece about Us to be found before the opening weekend is even over, and 2) the doubt and apprehension that people may have felt about what Jordan Peele can do in the directors chair before Get Out is not being felt now (or at least not nearly as much). March 15, 2019 cant get here soon enough, if only so we can all say: Everything You Want To Know About The Original Avengers' Group Tattoo | The Horror Movie 'The Haunting of Nicole Brown Simpson' Is Even Worse Than You'd Expect Brian Richards is a Staff Contributor. You can follow him on Twitter. Michael B. Jordan, aka Michael Bridget Jones Jordan (jk, but we'll explain!) appeared post-Met Gala on Stephen Colbert's Late Show hoarse maybe from yelling "WAKANDA FOREVER" with his fellow Black Panther cast mates. But he was preternaturally smooth, as he always is. Related | 'Black Panther' Is the Biggest Superhero Film of All Time in North America The actor who famously played Erik Killmonger in the record-shattering Panther told Colbert that while in character, he kept diaries for his villainous role, a process he said was quite dark and sad. (Also, that explains the Bridget Jones reference.) Judging by the Jordan's acclaimed, complex characterization of Killmonger (who while all kinds of sexy-fine, was problematic AF), this seems more than accurate. "It was a very sad journal," Jordan explains. "Not having his mom growing up, he was in and out of the system, foster care, foster homes. It's a lot of dark stuff that's probably not right for television. It was deep, man. But it allowed me to go [to] places before a scene." Photo via BFA Before the royal wedding was even announced, people were speculating about who would design Meghan Markle's dress. Erdem was an early favorite; the London-based designer of Turkish/Canadian origin is considered by many the Valentino of his generation, known for flawlessly glamorous (and wildly expensive) gowns that are favorites of women like Alexa Chung, Poppy Delevingne, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Cambridge. Royal watchers pointed to the fact that Erdem took his PR in-house as an indication that security tightening was happening in preparation to keep the secret. Then the Daily Mail published an "exclusive" saying Ralph & Russo, the English couturiers who made the dress Ms. Markle wore in her engagement photo, would make her royal wedding dress. They claimed last week that an unnamed source confirmed Ralph & Russo as the chosen designers. The company is the first British brand allowed to show in Paris during the official Couture Show calendar in a century. A dress from the company featuring the full enchilada of beading and embroidery, according to the Daily Mail, will cost 100,000 pounds (that's $135,000). Related | The New Royals Ms. Markle's engagement look was from Ralph & Russo and allegedly retails for 65,000 pounds, so she clearly likes the brand. Still it seems unlikely that she would choose them to design her wedding dress. Yes she's marrying into one of the richest families in the world, but 100,000 pounds is a bit too "Let them eat cake" in today's world. From the beginning, Stella McCartney one of the most modern designers around seemed like the logical choice. She's of the only luxury designers who cares about sustainability and cruelty-free issues. She's a favorite among Hollywood and the music world because she makes women look effortlessly cool. She's dressed every female superstar from Rihanna to Madonna to the Duchess of Cambridge. Ms. Markle has even worn Stella cape dress to the Queen's birthday concert. Related | Break the Rules: Rihanna Stella has been awarded an OBE, the Order of the British Empire decorated by the Queen. Her father Sir Paul McCartney was knighted in 2004 and recently was named a Companion of Honour by the Queen for his services to music. The McCartneys are Britain's first family of music and fashion. Also Stella's mom, the late Linda Eastman McCartney, was American. Having a half-American superstar of British fashion design the royal wedding dress would be a lovely trans-Atlantic nod to Ms. Markle's heritage. PAPER caught up with Stella yesterday at an in-store appearance in New York and had to ask her about the wedding: Stella McCartney You know I'm a big lover of the royal family. Here we go! Meghan wore your cape dress to the Queen's birthday concert. She did. I was pretty happy. I think she looked gorgeous. I agree. I was thrilled. It's one of my favorite dresses actually, so I think she has impeccable taste. She does. One of my all-time favorite looks the Duchess of Cambridge wore was a little blue Stella dress. Do you think that helps business to have a royal wear your clothes? I think it really depends who it's on. It can help business. It can not help business. It can be detrimental to business. I think the two ladies you've used as an example are great, British style icons so obviously it's a great thing for a British brand. Of course now people are talking about you designing the wedding the dress. I have to mention that. Well thank you for mentioning that (laughs). The Duchess of Cambridge wearing Stella McCartney Naturally McCartney couldn't give away such a huge secret before the event but our money is on her. After the name of a newborn royal baby, the designer of a royal wedding dress is one of the most highly anticipated and hotly discussed aspects of royal life. The late Diana, Princess of Wales wore a poufy taffeta creation by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The Emanuels were favorites of Diana before her wedding, and they went on dress other members of the royal family before divorcing. Catherine Middelton's choice of Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen was a publicity boon for the company which had been taken over by Burton, after McQueen tragic suicide a year before. The Duchess of Cambridge also wore McQueen to her sister Pippa's wedding last year. Might she choose McQueen again for her brother-in-law's wedding? Photos via Getty This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions Ralph Lauren Corporation, a global leader in the design, marketing, and distribution of premium lifestyle products, today announced that it plans to add Angela Ahrendts and Michael George to the Company's Board of Directors. The Board intends to nominate Ms. Ahrendts for election at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, expected in August 2018. Mr. Ralph Lauren, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer said in a statement that "Angela is an industry leader and innovator with deep expertise in luxury retail and an outstanding track record of growing global brands." Patrice Louvet, President and Chief Executive Officer, added that "Angela and Mike are among the most respected leaders in the business. They each have driven strong growth and created superior value at some of the best-known brands in retail, and I know we will benefit greatly from their experience and fresh perspective as we continue to elevate our brand; evolve our product, marketing and shopping experience; expand our digital and international presence; and increase productivity." The statement further added that "Ms. Ahrendts has served as Senior Vice President of Retail at Apple Inc., since May 2014. She oversees strategy, real estate and development, and operations of Apple's physical stores, online store and contact centers. Ms. Ahrendts joined Apple from Burberry where she served as Chief Executive Officer and as a Director on the Board from 2006 to 2014, and led the company through a period of outstanding global growth. Previously, she was Executive Vice President at Liz Claiborne Inc., and earlier in her career served as President of Donna Karan International." Angela Ahrendts added to the announcement statement: "I have admired Ralph and been inspired by his pure global lifestyle vision for many years. It is an honor to join this Board as he and Patrice continue to evolve and expand his incredible aesthetic." Ahrendts may simply want to keep a foot in the fashion industry which is her obvious first love and assisting the Ralph Lauren Corporation in their "digital presence," may be something that her experience with Apple could be of great value. Could there be any other reason for this appointment? In a long-shot, it could be that Ralph Lauren is looking to expand on their smart clothing line. The U.S. team at the Winter Olympics in South Korea this year wore heating jackets made by Ralph Lauren. In 2015 they introduced the PoloTech smart shirt. Behind the scenes there's been a quite revolution in the making regarding smart clothing. Google has been working closely with Levi Strauss in Project Jacquard as noted in the video below. Patently Apple first reported on this in November 2017 in a report titled "Smart Interactive Garments may be closer to Market than we think and Google may have the Jump on Apple." Patently Apple has since opened a new "Smart Fabric & Clothing" archive to stay on top of Apple's patents touching on this new area of technology. With Apple having patented a number of smart fabric inventions, they like Google, have to work with a leading clothing brand in the hopes of bringing their technology to market. Angela Ahrendts would be the perfect representative for Apple to open that door and relate intimately with the Ralph Lauren Corporation. 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. It's being reported that on Monday, Apple opened a developer academy in Bumi Serpkong Damai which is on the outskirts of Jakarta, the largest city in Indonesia with a population of 9.6 million. The Jakarta Post reports that "The newly opened Apple Developer Academy is the first in Asia and third in the world, with two other academies located in Italy and Brazil. Apple plans to open at least two more academies, one in Java and another outside of Java. Based on the government regulation, there is a 30-percent local content requirement for all 4G gadgets sold in Indonesia. The TKDN is calculated based on manufacturing, software and innovation development. To comply with the regulation, Apple chose to use the TKDN calculation with a focus on innovation development, Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto said on Monday. The minister added during the inauguration of the academy in Tangerang, Banten that "In the past, [the public thought] TKDNs were about hardware. However, it is also about innovation." Discussions about a plan by Apple to invest in the construction of a research and development (R&D) center in Indonesia began circulating in local media in August 2017. However, the tech giant decided to build an innovation center, instead of an R&D center for hardware and software. "There are various types of R&D, such as for engineering and manufacturing. Instead of doing that, they are focusing on human capital and app development," Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara said. The academy, inaugurated by Apple on Monday in collaboration with Binus University, trains local students to develop applications for the iOS operating system, with a total investment of US$44 million from 2017 to 2019. For more, read the full Jakarta Post report here. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. Paxton, IL (60957) Today Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. As part of activities to celebrate the introduction of the next generation of Mercedes-Benz Actros (long distance haulage) and Arocs (construction and special application vehicles), Silver Star Auto Ltd (SSAL) rewarded its loyal Customers. The Loyal Customers: Accra Brewery Ltd, Bank of Ghana, Vehrad Transport & Haulage and K. Ofori Company Ltd who are known to have purchased Actros trucks over the years were presented with special awards to acknowledge their loyalty. Mr. Mustafa Kalmoni, General Manager, Commercial Vehicle Sales, SSAL who made the presentation was optimistic that as the Industry enters into a new dimension in trucking rewarding customers who have invested a lot in the purchase of trucks will call for more investments to boost the industry. Most representatives of the companies who received the award in an interview with the media commended Silver Star Auto for acknowledging investment in the industry and praised the Mercedes-Benz Actros for its reliability and efficiency. Commenting, Chief Executive Officer of SSAL, Mr. Nouhad Kalmoni said the awards aimed at demonstrating an unwavering perseverance and commitment to enhancing customer satisfaction in a competitive market. Even more important is the fact that as we are celebrating the next generation of Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks, stakeholders whose investment/purchase has ensured the trucks remain operationally profitable deserves commendation he explained. Mr. Kalmoni assured on behalf of the leading automobile dealer to continue to reward loyal customers and urged the industry to continue patronizing SSALs products which includes Mercedes-Benz, Suzuki, Energizer Automotive Batteries, Automobile Oil and Lubricants from Motul and Poweroil. 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 The Jobless nurses and health professionals who hit the streets of Accra in protest of their delayed financial clearance for employment, are angry at Deputy minister for Health, Tina Naa Ayeley Mensah for what they have described as disrespect to them. Speaking on the Morning Xpress on Radio XYZ 93.1MHZ on Tuesday, Director of operations for the unemployed Private nurses, Richmond Asomanin Marfo disclosed that when they were handing the petition to the minister yesterday, she used her left hand to collect the petition and refused to address them. After taken [the petition], at least she should have told us something little but she took it and left [and] our members were not happy about that, he told Neil Armstrong Mortagbe, the host of the show. We voted them into power yet she disrespected us. Some of us are married with kidssome are even pastors, stated Richmond. However, the health professionals which include Ghana Nurse-Midwife Trainees Association, the National Health Students Association of Ghana, Unemployed Nurses and other graduates of allied health institutions, have said despite the disrespect from the minister, their two week ultimatum to government to respond accordingly to their petition still holds. Demonstration The groups that hit the streets of Accra on Monday, May 7, 2018 under heavy police presence want government to rescind the decision of employing them onto the Heal Ghana module under the Nation Builders Corps (NaBCo). The aggrieved health professionals numbering more than 500 who also kicked against governments decision to employ them onto the Heal Ghana module under the Nation Builders Corps (NaBCo), say the minister who received their petition on behalf of the vice president, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, disrespected them. They are also demanding financial clearance to pave way for their posting after many promises. Chanting their own rendition of popular Dancehall musician, shatta Wales Guy Guy song, the protesters in one accord shouted 2020 we go show Nana indicating that the president, Nana Akufo-Addo has failed to live up to his promise for which reason they will vote him out in the 2020 elections. Speaking to XYZ News Kenneth Awotwe Darko at the Accra Hearts of Oak Park after the Deputy Health Minister had snubbed them, one of the demonstrators said The government cares less about our plights. We go show Nana in 2020. He has lied to usSee what the minister did to us. She should remember we voted them into power.They should remember the Kalyppo Craze where we all drank the Kalyppo together. They should remember that we are their children. Another visibly infuriated nurse said The government has lied to us. The government promised us financial clearance in May and not NaBCo. NaBCo is a stranger to us. It came all of a sudden and we are even shocked I dont think anybody understands it, he said, rubbishing the employment of health professionals under a programme some of his colleagues had described as Youth employment. Some of the protestors who spoke to XYZ News insisted government cannot classify them and absorb them onto the Heal Ghana module under NaBCo, after several years of rigorous professional training. It is not in the interest of the health professionals. we are not against NaBCo but we want government to suspend rolling us onto the Heal Ghana Module. This module is not in the interest of all professionals and the health profession is one aspect. It is going to make health professionals bitter because our colleagues employed into the Ghana Health Service will be taking more than us, said Richard Osei Yeboah, the National health students Association of Ghana. He said working under Heal Ghana means they will not have access to promotion and study leave, and therefore, pleaded with government to rescind the decision and post them as has been promised them. Enrolling Nurses Under NaBCo Dangerous NaBCo has received more than 40,000 applications in less than a week after its launch in Kumasi by President Nana Akufo-Addo, says Dr Anyars Ibrahim, its National Coordinator. Deputy Information Minister, Perry Kwabla Okudzeto has also said among the applications received, the Heal Ghana module has more applicants than the other 6. However, Austin Gamey, a labour expert has described the recruiting of nurses under the Nation Builders Corps as very dangerous. Mr Gamey believes the act could lead to the loss of precious human lives if government goes on to get unposted nurses onto the programme, adding, a major profession like nursing should not be contemplated to be a temporary one. The character and nature of the job (nursing) is such that if you know that you are being employed for a certain period of time and that will be the end of it, your mentality, actions and inactions can cause peoples lives. We really have to be mindful about all these things, Mr Gamey said while he admonished government to rescind the decision of recruiting nurses under a transient policy. NaBCo was launched by president Nana Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, May 1,2018. The new employment module is to tackle graduate unemployment in Ghana. NaBCo is expected to employ about a hundred thousand (100,000) graduates with Diploma and Degree, under seven modules. Source: XYZ 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 Scholarship Secretariat has been commended for honouring its duty by paying on time arrears of students which had accumulated over the previous years. The commendation was contained in a letter addressed to the Registrar of the Scholarship Secretariat, Kingsley Agyemang by Nyarko Quansah, President of the National Union of Ghana Students in Cuba on Government of Ghana scholarship undertaking studies in various fields. Over the years, Ghanaian students on scholarships in Cuba have expressed their displeasure over challenges they are made to go through in that country due to a seeming abandoning of their plight on the part of the government of Ghana. While previous governments, on several occasions, promised to address the problem, including the John Mahama administration, it got worsened. However, the Secretariat, under Mr Agyemang, has honoured its responsibility by paying accumulated arrears, including both maintenance and book allowance of the previous year for these students. Mr Quansah stated in a release that, though the issue of delay in stipends had been a recurring challenge that students have harshly been faced with for a couple of years now, including the unbearable economic hardships that it brought to the students, however, we cannot overlook the fact that, in recent times, there has been a massive response from your office in solving catastrophic event of delay in payment of students. This has led to the payment of all accumulated arrears, both maintenance and book allowance of the previous year. Describing the move by the Secretariat as a step in the right direction, Mr Quansah expressed the hope that, if it should continue this way, the issues of delay in stipends and the challenges it comes with would be brought to an end. We wish to show our appreciation on the effort your office has and is putting in on this matter, to that, we say kudos. We are hoping this trend continues and leads to the prompt payment of the outstanding arrears for this year which totals 4 monthly maintenance allowance and one-year book allowance, the NUGS-Cuba President said in the release. Mr. Agyemang in an interview with the media said the Akufo-Addo administration is committed to education. This government has, indeed, proved that it is committed to educating the youth, who are the bedrock of the nation. As I speak to you now, four months arrears, that is from January to March, which was outstanding, has been paid, leaving just April as outstanding, he said. He added that this is the first time in ten years that government has done this. Mr Agyemang again disclosed that government has released $4.7 million for tuition, accommodation and meals for the medical students in Cuba for the 2016/17 academic year. 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 Audio Attachment: Click to listen to Captain Koda and Larry-Alans Dogbe Retired Captain Edmund Kwadwo Koda, a top security aide to President Akufo-Addo has denied being robbed of an amount of GHc 800,000. Monday, May 7, 2018 edition of the Herald newspaper published that the security capo was robbed at gunpoint by armed robbers in his house. The robbers were said to have expressed shock, seeing the amount of money the ex-army captain was keeping at home. The robbers were said to have daringly identified themselves as members of the pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) Invincible Forces, a portion of the publication read. According to the Herald newspaper, the ruling Akufo-Addo administration is trying to cover up the incident. In an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Mondays edition of Kokrokoo programme on Peace FM, Captain Koda denied the publication as spurious. It is not true . . . In the first place I dont stay at Weija and where I stay currently; there has not been any robbery, he said. To him, Larry Alans Dogbe, the source of the story is not fit to be an editor and further asserted that if the publication is part of an agenda set by the opposition National Democratic Congress, (NDC), it will not work. However, the Editor of the Accra daily, insists the story is true. Speaking on the same platform, Monday, he suggested the incident is being covered up because it will be embarrassing and an indictment on the part of Captain Koda to admit that he was robbed especially being a security kingpin to the first gentleman of the land. I am not surprised he is denying the publication . . . there is no doubt about the source of this story. You can check and crosscheck . . . it is a story that is known to a lot of people inside the Flagstaff House (the seat of government)," he added. According to the Herald Newspaper, they were informed by multiple sources at the Jubilee House and the National Security Secretariat-Blue Gate, that the robbers numbeing about 12 and riding motorbikes, made away with a whopping sum of GHc 800,000 from the house, last Wednesday. They also shot a brother in-law of Captain Koda in the arm, before fleeing with their booty. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/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 The New York Ministers Network of the Assemblies of God Church on Tuesday recognized former President John Dramani Mahama with the Superintendents Award for Outstanding Christian Leadership. A citation from the Superintendent of the New York Ministers Network of the Assemblies of God Church, Dr. Duane Durst, recognized President Mahama for his exemplary achievements in presidential office, acknowledging the great achievements in the nation of Ghana and West Africa due to his commitment as a servant-leader to build a just, prosperous and technologically developed nation for the people of Ghana. Mr. Mahama is recognized as the first member of the Assemblies of God Church worldwide to rise to the highest office of President and according to the Church he did not only fulfil his duties of leadership with high integrity and deep humility, but also a bold declaration of his faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Mr. Mahama who was a Special Guest at the 64th Conference of the Network in Amityville, Long Island in New York thanked the Church for the award, emphasising that the Church has over the years guided and provided him with the strength to carry out his activities.The church has been supportive all through, especially after my electoral loss in 2016, President Mahama told the Conference. He also thanked the New York Ministers Network for the invitation to share his perspectives of leadership with the Church, and recalled the centennial celebration of the Assemblies of God Church in Missouri in 2014, to which he was also invited as a Special Guest. Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The New Patriotic Party will from June 15 next month converge in the Eastern Regional Capital of Koforidua to elect national executives to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years. A founding member of NPP, Hajia Ruka Saida Ahmed, a business woman who is into import and export and owner of fashion design company and a financier of the governing New Patriotic Party, on Tuesday, picked nomination forms to contest for the National Treasurer position of the party. Speaking to the media after picking her forms, Hajia Ruka Ahmed touched on some thematic areas she will do for the party when the delegates honours her by voting for her in next months elections. She indicated she is in to represent the grassroots as they are the heartbeat of the NPP, revealing how in 2016 election she sponsored four constituencies in the North out of which the party won in two of such constituencies. She added again the help she rendered to 20 settler communities in the Ashanti, reiterating that she is coming to help the grassroots as they are the engine of the party going into 2020 elections. The building cum road contractor also pledged to build a guest house for the party to serve party members and also use as meeting places for party activities. She stressed that when given the nod as NPP National Treasurer, she will institute a welfare fund to cater for registered party members in times of difficulties; adding that the objective is to provide a ready, able and straightforward social support system to help NPP members in times of need. She said each card bearing NPP member must subscribe to the scheme and be up-to-date with their dues to receive beneficiary support in time of need; thus, subscribers will receive support from the scheme for the following: Education Medical expenses Loss of spouse, child, parent. According to her, currently NPP has no formal arrangement within the party structure to swiftly respond to these situations in a timely manner when members find themselves in distress. Hajia Ruka Saida Ahmed intends to formally incorporate this intervention in the NPP by making it an initiative to be implemented by the National Treasurer; hence pleading with the delegates to vote for her as the next NPP National Treasurer. Hajia Ruka Saida Ahmed Profile: She is a true patriot. She served as member of Prof. Adu Boahenes campaign as far back as 1992. She has also served on the campaigns of both the President and Vice President in 2008 and 2012 respectively. She also adopted and funded 4 constituencies in the Northern Region namely Savelugu, Gushiegu, Tamale Central and South in 2016. She believes in people and therefore funded the printing of over 1000 full piece cloth for the free distribution. Educational Profile: Diploma in Communication Degree in Social Work and Psychology LLB Degree Certificate in Management Working Experience: Roads and Buildings Contractors Importer and Exporter Social Worker Philanthropist Fundraiser Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Five years ago today - May 9, 2013 - the central Pennsylvania morning commute ground to gridlock when a tanker truck overturned on the Interstate-81 northbound ramp to Route 322 west in Susquehanna Township. After overturning the tanker exploded into flames that seriously damaged the ramp and the one above it resulting in the area being closed to traffic for seven months. It also caused environmental damage with about 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel leaking into Paxton Creek and Wildwood Lake. The cost of the repairs was $12,434,537. The truck was owned by Tameric Enterprises of Carlisle. The driver, Thomas Uecker, 55, of Dover, who reportedly escaped the accident with minor burns, pleaded guilty in July 2014 to three summary charges of disregarding traffic lanes, driving at a safe speed and accidents/overturned vehicles. He paid fines and costs totaling about $800, court records state. Uecker also pleaded guilty in January 2015 to 11 counts of unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife relating to the death of eight Canada goslings and three Mallard ducklings that were recovered by a Game Commission officer but died 12 hours later. He paid fines and costs totaling about $5,300, according to court records. WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump will allow year-round sales of renewable fuel with blends of 15 percent ethanol as part of an emerging deal to make changes to the federal ethanol mandate. Republican senators and the White House announced the deal Tuesday after a closed-door meeting, the latest in a series of White House sessions on ethanol. The Environmental Protection Agency currently bans the 15-percent blend, called E15, during the summer because of concerns that it contributes to smog on hot days. Gasoline typically contains 10 percent ethanol. Farm-state lawmakers have pushed for greater sales of the higher ethanol blend to boost demand for the corn-based fuel. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley called the agreement good news for farmers and drivers alike, saying it would increase ethanol production and consumer choice at the pump. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said the deal will save the jobs of thousands of blue-collar workers at refineries in Texas, Pennsylvania and other states. "Terrific final decision from @POTUS meeting," Cruz tweeted. "This is a WIN-WIN for everyone." The agreement is expected to lower the price of credits that oil refiners must buy if they can't blend ethanol into their fuels, Cruz and other lawmakers said. The decision allowing E15 to be sold year-round will provide "relief to refiners" and "protect our hardworking farmers and refinery workers," White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said. "The president is satisfied with the attention and care that all parties devoted to this issue." Trump met Tuesday with Grassley, Cruz, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst and Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, as well as EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. The EPA oversees the decade-old Renewable Fuel Standard program, commonly known as the ethanol mandate, which sets out how much corn-based ethanol and other renewable fuels refiners must blend into gasoline. The program's intent was to address global warming, reduce dependence on foreign oil and bolster the rural economy by requiring a steady increase in renewable fuels over time. The mandate has not worked as intended, and production levels of renewable fuels, mostly ethanol, routinely fail to reach minimum thresholds set in law. Allowing year-round sale of E15 "will drive up domestic ethanol production and consumption to help maintain already low prices" for fuel credits allowed under the law, Ernst said. Ernst and Grassley also said they were encouraged that the Trump administration will take a closer look at "hardship" waivers that have been granted to small refineries, a practice they say has hurt biofuels and undermined the RFS. The EPA has reportedly granted a waiver to a refinery owned by billionaire Carl Icahn, a former Trump adviser, as well as other small refineries. The agency has not disclosed which refineries received the waivers, saying it did not want to reveal private business information. Cruz said the president also agreed to consider his proposal to include fuel credits for ethanol that is produced domestically and exported. The proposal is meant to make it easier for the industry to meet annual sales volumes required under the renewable-fuel mandate. "This is good for farmers, refiners and America," Cruz said in a statement. But the Renewable Fuels Association, an industry group, said allowing exports to qualify for RFS compliance could dramatically reduce domestic demand and result in retaliatory trade barriers from countries that import U.S. ethanol. The group's president, Bob Dinneen, called the export idea a "disgrace" and said ethanol producers and farmers would bear the brunt of any retaliatory tariffs. "They would be subsidizing highly profitable oil companies, who would benefit from the reduced (fuel-credit) costs," Dinneen said. "In no way will that ever be acceptable." __ Matthew Daly of the Associated Press wrote this story. AP writer Ken Thomas contributed to it. A 2-year-old Lebanon County boy told his mother he received burns after a man "washed my hands in hot water," according to a report from the Lebanon Daily News. Joshua Booher, 19, of Columbia, in Lancaster County, "was left in charge of the child from 1:30-2:10 p.m. April 21 in the 600 block of South Railroad Street in Myerstown," while his father went to Walmart, according to the report. When the child's father returned, he discovered the injuries and both he and a Booher took the child to the hospital. The report states that Booher and the child's father are in a relationship. State police were called after "medical staff determined the child had serious burns on his arms, bruises in several places on his body, and pine needles in his diaper," according to the report. A medical expert said the injuries were immersion burns "which means his hands were held in extremely hot or boiling water for several seconds by someone else," according to the report. Booher told troopers he had left the child alone sleeping in bed for several minutes and later noticed the child was injured, police said. "I explained that he is telling me this child ended up with 3rd degree burns while sleeping in his bed," police stated in charging documents. "Booher related it makes no sense and further related it makes no sense to him either." On May 3, Booher was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, endangering the welfare of children, and recklessly endangering another person. He is currently free from the Lebanon County Correctional Facility after posting $100,000 bail on May 7. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 17. With a record 102 overdose deaths last year in Dauphin County, officials are hosting several events in an effort to curb drug abuse and offer training on the use of the overdose-reversing drug Narcan. "Sadly, it's a story that's become all too common: people losing their battle to addiction," Commissioner George P. Hartwick III said. "In an effort to prevent drug abuse and save lives, we're holding a series of talk-back and social norming sessions with teens to promote good decision-making." The social-norming campaign, coordinated by the Dauphin County Drug and Alcohol Services Department, is intended to correct misconceptions about drug and alcohol use and encourage youth to make positive choices. "If we think that something is socially acceptable, we're more likely to do the same," Board Chairman Jeff Haste said. "Most Dauphin County youth don't use drugs and alcohol, according to the most recent Pennsylvania Youth Survey. We want to educate and empower young people to stay drug and alcohol free but do so in a positive way and let them know it's acceptable." That 2015 survey shows 87 percent of Dauphin County youth do not use marijuana, 93 percent do not abuse prescription opioids, and 87 percent think it is wrong to regularly drink alcohol, according to the commissioners. Students, parents, teachers and community members are invited to take part in these social-norming events: On May 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Raiders Rally for Positive Personal Choices event will be held at Hoffer Park on Mill Street, On June 1 from 7 to 10 p.m., the Rally in the Valley for Positive Personal Choices for middle and high school students in Williams Valley, Halifax, Millersburg and Upper Dauphin School Districts will be held at Valley Bowl, 4865 State Route 209, Elizabethville, On June 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Rollers Rally for Positive Personal Choices for elementary, middle and high school students in Steelton-Highspire School District, will be held at the high school football field, 250 Swatara Reynders Ave. The county's Drug and Alcohol Services Department is also hosting several Town and Teen Talk-Back small-group discussions. Students are encouraged to attend the next Teen Talk-Back session on May 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Peters Lutheran Church, 121 Northern Spring St., Middletown And adults are invited to the Town Talk-Back session on May 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 25 E. Main St., Elizabethville. Residents can also learn how to recognize signs of opioid overdose, how to administer the life-saving drug Narcan and where to turn for help at several free training sessions. A local pharmacist will provide step-by-step instructions on the use of Narcan and dispense one free dose to those who successfully complete the training. Narcan training sessions will be held at the following times: Wednesday from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex during May 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Halifax Media Cafe, 3940 Peters Mountain Rd., Halifax, May 18 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Dauphin County Drug and Alcohol Services, 1100 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg. Anyone with questions about these events in need treatment services can contact Dauphin County Drug and Alcohol Services, 717-635-2254 or drugsandalcohol@dauphinc.org. Sister Mary Anne Bednar expects to remain an educator, although on Tuesday she couldn't say exactly where that will take place. This much was known: After 15 years, she will step down from her role as principal of Bishop McDevitt High School. In a written message to students and families this week, Bednar said her last day will be June 12. In an interview with PennLive, Bednar said it was a hard decision, but one she believes is the right one, and based on sound reasons. It comes five years after Bishop McDevitt moved from Harrisburg to a modern, sprawling campus in Lower Paxton Township. It comes as Bishop McDevitt moves to different management structure, where the principal and a new employee with the title of president will share the duties of running the school. The principal will oversee things including the educational program and faculty. The president will handle things such as the budget and buildings and grounds. It also comes as Bishop McDevitt heads into its 100th year. "It just seems like the opportune time for me to pass the torch on to someone else," said Bednar, who stressed she was very happy at Bishop McDevitt. "Fresh blood, new blood, I think would be good." Yet the 63-year-old hasn't reached the end of her career. She said her next appointment was being finalized, and it was too early for her to discuss specifics. The process began only after she had decided to step down from Bishop McDevitt, she noted. Bednar expects to continue to work in education. She is a member of the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, whose mission centers on education, and which will decide, in consultation with Bednar, her next assignment. The order has teachers and administrators in places including the Harrisburg and Philadelphia areas and Schuylkill and Northumberland counties in Pennsylvania, and in Virginia, Florida, Georgia and South America, although Bednar said "I can tell you I am not going to South America." Rather, she said she hopes she'll be reasonably close to Shamokin, Pa., where she was raised and has family. She began her career as a teacher. Before coming to Bishop McDevitt, Bednar was an assistant principal at West Philadelphia Catholic High School. Prior to that she was the principal of Cardinal Brennan High School in Schuylkill County. Asked about her parting thoughts, Bednar said education has become more challenging, with students bringing ever-more difficult issues and circumstances to school with them. With that in mind, she said her daily hope was that "they are a better person because of their experience at Bishop McDevitt." "That's what it is all about," she said. "It has always been about the kids." A school official couldn't immediately be reached on Tuesday to discuss the status of the search for the principal and the president who will succeed Bednar. Police in Palmyra, Lebanon County are asking for help from the public in locating a man wanted for sexually assaulting a child. Officers are searching for Jamie Lewis Steward, 27, of Hershey. Steward is wanted on five counts of deviate sexual intercourse with a child, indecent assault, corruption of minors, and indecent exposure, police said. Further information was not provided. Anyone with information about Steward is asked to contact police at 717-838-8189. A state appeals court has rejected a plea for unemployment compensation from a special a special education teacher who was fired for repeatedly mistreating a student. Witnesses said James V. King frequently secluded the pupil in a bathroom, sometimes for hours, Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer noted in the Commonwealth Court opinion. Also, Jubelirer cited witness testimony that King denied the student hot food as a disciplinary measure and "aggressively" pushed the boy's wheelchair. Jubelirer agreed the Towanda Area School District was justified in firing King for "willful misconduct" that bars him from receiving jobless aid. She discounted King's claim that he had legitimate reasons for his actions and that they were designed to modify the nonverbal student's unruly behavior, which included spitting and hitting when he was angry. King argued that he had to push the child's wheelchair forcefully to counterbalance the boy's attempts to knock it over, according to court filings. The student was monitored frequently when placed in time out, King insisted, and was only secluded to ensure the safety of other students. Also, King stressed that police and Children and Youth Services investigated an abuse complaint lodged against him regarding the student and concluded the accusation was unfounded. However, Jubelirer found King's decision to seclude the student in a bathroom violated district policy and warranted his December 2016 firing. King "provided no explanation why less restrictive means could not be implemented," the judge wrote. His "admitted use of exclusion on a near daily basis was not reasonable and justified and therefore did not provide him good cause for his actions." By Carl C. Risch Growing up in Bloomsburg, Pa., my dream was to serve the United States; and represent this great country's interests overseas. I'm fortunate that my dream came true. The call of service brought my family from our home in central Pennsylvania to The Netherlands, South Korea, the Philippines, and to our nation's capital, Washington, D.C. Last year, the president appointed me to lead the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, a 13,000 person team with one mission - to protect and serve U.S. citizens. I want to introduce you to some of the Pennsylvania natives who work with me on behalf of the American people. We provide passport services to over 20 million U.S. citizens per year, help U.S. citizens overseas, and carefully vet visa applications for foreign nationals who apply to travel to the United States. Need a passport? Lee Greene has worked at the Philadelphia Passport Agency for 26 years. He's clear about his goal: to help U.S. citizens get the number one identity document in the world. Lee knows that by helping his customers, he is sending a representative of the United States overseas; even if it is just on vacation. Lee keeps our nation secure by making sure that every single passport he issues is to a U.S. citizen who has been properly identified.. What if tragedy strikes overseas? Meet Ted Coley, nicknamed the "Master of Disaster" because he has done so much to help U.S. citizens dealing with the unexpected. He grew up in Wilkes-Barre, son of a 22-year U.S. Navy veteran who encouraged his children to serve their country. Ted helped U.S. citizens in Thailand after the 2004 tsunami, in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, in Nepal after the 2015 earthquake, and last year helped evacuate U.S. citizens after a series of hurricanes in the Caribbean. Ted has a passion for helping U.S. citizens. The numbers show it - he has made more than 1,000 visits to U.S. citizens in prisons overseas, and helped more than 1,000 families coping with a death of a loved one. When Meg Ahearn was a child in King of Prussia, her family lost a relative overseas. Despite their grief, they found some comfort in the help one of our consular officers provided. Because of this experience, Meg wanted to join our team. While serving in Mexico, Meg became the officer who had to call families with the worst news possible. She offered condolences but also help, so that grieving families could depend on her to get them through the details. She now works in Washington, providing critical information about possible threats to colleagues making visa decisions overseas and continues to serve you by keeping terrorists from obtaining visas to enter our country. Sick overseas? Meet Susan Fitch, a former registered nurse from Duryea, who supports our services to Americans in need overseas. Sometimes serious illness or injury befalls a U.S. citizen during a trip. Susan provides empathy, and then asks herself "how are we going to get this U.S. citizen home." She has extensive knowledge of U.S. and foreign government laws, regulations and procedures. Susan is not deterred when plan A or plan B fails, but looks for another way. She says, "it might not have been the trip or stay overseas that they planned, and they may be facing a difficult recovery, but at least I know I helped them get home." Planning travel overseas? Catherine Florenz believes in the power of communications to protect U.S. citizens. She grew up in Bethlehem and when she went overseas for a study abroad program, she knew nothing about the importance of safety and security preparations for international travel; she just got a passport and left. Now she works tirelessly to make sure that U.S. citizens have access to the information they need on our website, travel.state.gov, whether it's international safety and security conditions, visas required for U.S. citizens to travel abroad, or information about international adoptions and abductions. Catherine serves so you can have a safer, better trip abroad. Worried about how visas affect U.S. jobs? Lauren Boquin, from Mt. Pleasant, works on projects to ensure that companies are using our work visa program legally to bring valuable skills to companies in Pennsylvania and other states. Her expertise helps our economy benefit from the world's best expertise, while also supporting U.S. workers and providing the resources needed to keep U.S. companies competitive and growing. These are just a few of the thousands of public servants that serve you and keep you safe, and a small glimpse of the work we do every day in almost every country in the world. You can, and should, be very proud of this team. Carl C. Risch is Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs and a native of Bloomsburg, Pa. He writes from Washington D.C. For a man who likes to brag about what a big builder he is, President Donald Trump spends a lot of time burning stuff down. From his pursuit of protectionist tariffs and withdrawal from the Paris climate accords, to his routine attacks on the norms of a liberal democracy, the developer from Queens has taken a wrecking ball to the United States' place in the world, isolating us on the world stage, and marginalizing our moral voice. Even his cherished wall, the one he promised the United States would build and that someone else - the American taxpayer, as it turns out - would pay for, remains frustratingly out of his grasp. So it wasn't a surprise Tuesday to find that Trump had taken a torch to the Iran nuclear deal, unraveling the signature foreign policy achievement of former President Barack Obama, and further straining relations with western European allies who had passionately lobbied the White House to stay in it. Which might have been okay if there was a clear way forward from here. Based on Trump's remarks Tuesday, that doesn't appear to be the case. Trump wants to work with our allies (whoops); wants to impose tougher sanctions (which might augur to the benefit of China and Russia) or might threaten military action (because we need another quagmire the Middle East). Writing in Slate, Fred Kaplan said Trump, driven either by rank ignorance, bald-faced malice, or some combination of the two, had dismantled the most significant arms-control deal in modern history. He wasn't wrong. The administration premised its argument for withdrawal on at least two fraudulent claims. First, that Iran is cheating on the deal. There's no evidence to support that. If anything, Iran was complying with the terms of the agreement and, as Vox reports, it was giving inspectors the room they needed to do their jobs. Second, Trump claimed the agreement required the United States to "pay" Iran $100 billion. Nope. The United States froze that amount in Iranian assets, and the deal was conditional on returning them. That's the carrot in this carrot-and-stick arrangement. Trump's move to kill the deal came despite the pleadings of French President Emmanuel Macron, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Defense Secretary James Mattis, dozens of past and former diplomats, and even House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, who no one would confuse for a dove, Kaplan noted. Right on schedule, Iranian officials announced that they'd negotiate with European leaders, the Chinese and Vladimir Putin's Russia about staying in the deal. As was the case with Trump's announcement of the withdrawal from Syria, he opened another power vacuum that America's geopolitical rivals will be only too happy to fill. On its face, Trump's announcement appeared to be less about securing any long-term foreign policy goal than it was about dominating the news cycle, proving to his base that he could deliver on campaign promise, and perhaps most importantly, sticking a finger in Obama's eye. In a statement, Obama called the withdrawal a "serious mistake." "Walking away from the [agreement] turns our back on America's closest allies, and an agreement that our country's leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated," Obama said. "In a democracy, there will always be changes in policies and priorities from one Administration to the next. But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility, and puts us at odds with the world's major powers." The former president's words were a refreshing blast of policy sobriety in the face of the standard Trumpian hyperbole that accompanied the White House's announcement. "This was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made," Trump said. "It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will." The problem ladled on top of this short-sighted decision is what the withdrawal means for the upcoming summit with North Korea. We already know that its leader, Kim Jong Un, is pathologically incapable of keeping his word. Will Trump's withdrawal undermine whatever faith North Korea has in the United States keeping its word? That looming question could render the summit an elaborate bit of theater without any tangible result. No one's arguing that the current Iranian regime is a good one. That's not what this is about. It's about effectively keeping tabs on the nuclear ambitions of a dangerous rival. "We know more about Iran's program with the deal than without it," former CIA director Michael V. Hayden told The Washington Post. "The Iranians lie. They cheat," Hayden told The Post. "That's why you need to have the best possible verification regime in place." By scrapping the agreement, the White House has made it potentially easier for Iran to build weapons. Trump may have scored a political win, but that's a foreign policy loss by any measure. Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday that he'll veto a House Republican's primary season attempt to chip away at abortion rights, calling it a "dangerous and unconscionable attack on women's healthcare." The legislation sponsored by Rep. Rick Saccone, of Allegheny County, would ban abortion at as early as six weeks, which is before most women even know they're pregnant. It was referred to the House Judiciary Committee last week In a 'Dear Colleague' memo seeking support for his bill, Saccone wrote that his legislation "will be another great rallying cry for us to save babies around this state and possibly around the nation." In his memo, Saccone wrote that his bill "would require all physicians, before proceeding with an abortion, to determine whether the baby has a heartbeat. If the baby has a heartbeat, then the abortion cannot be performed. "You may have heard the slogan that 'abortion stops a beating heart," but as with the federal legislation introduced in Congress, a beating heart will stop abortion," he wrote. In a statement, Democrat Wolf, who vetoed an earlier GOP attempt to ban abortion after the 20th week of pregnancy, said Saccone's proposal is "even more extreme" than the one that netted his veto. "I will do everything in my power to stop this dangerous and unconscionable attack on women's health care," Wolf said. "I have met personally with women who've faced the difficult medical decision to end a pregnancy and they are loving and compassionate people who often are facing their worst nightmare. Republicans in Harrisburg show a tremendous disrespect for these women and their abilities to make their own health." Wolf added that "women's health care decisions should be between them, their doctor, and their families - there is no space for Harrisburg politicians to insert themselves," into such a personal matter. Saccone is currently locked in a primary fight with state Sen. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Allegheny, for the GOP nomination for the 14th Congressional District in western Pennsylvania. The two pols have each been trying to out-conservative the other in commercials airing in the district. Saccone was on the losing end of a nationally watched special election in March against Democrat Conor Lamb, who's now running in the newly created 17th District, where he'll face GOP U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus this fall. Abortion rights advocates are mobilizing against Saccone's bill, punching up the fact that it flies in the face of the court precedent that protects abortion up to 24 weeks of gestation. In 2016, Ohio Gov. John Kasich vetoed a similar bill after women placed hangers outside the statehouse in Ohio as a vivid reminder of what happens when abortion is criminalized, activists at the Women's Law Project in Philadelphia said. One of the three GOP gubernatorial hopefuls, state Sen. Scott Wagner, R-York, has explicitly said he'd support Saccone's bill. Former healthcare consultant Paul Mango said he had not seen the legislation, but was committed to fostering "a culture of life" in the state. Pittsburgh attorney Laura Ellsworth said that if it ever became law, Saccone's bill would be struck down as unconstitutional. Ellsworth said she would "focus on pro-life legislation that would withstand constitutional challenge." Because of his explicit support, Wagner, the GOP-endorsed candidate for governor, was the subject of criticism from Planned Parenthood Advocates, the political wing of the women's health organization. Wagner "has proven time and time again that he doesn't understand the health-care challenges that women face and he really doesn't care. His positions are not only cruel, but also dangerous, as they could strip a woman's access to reproductive care and take away their rights," Sari Stevens, the group's executive director said in a statement. "In striking contrast, Gov. Wolf has shown real leadership on reproductive health access, and has already vowed to veto this bill. The choice in this race couldn't be clearer." In a typical year, the Democratic nomination would be a lock for incumbent Lt. Gov. Mike Stack. But after a series of negative incidents came to light last year, including accusations that Stack berated state employees, and his tense relationship with Gov. Tom Wolf, he's facing fierce competition from four Democratic challengers. The lieutenant governor presides over the Senate. This amount of competition in a primary for an incumbent seeking a second term, "it's really unheard of," said G. Terry Madonna, a political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College. "The bottom line is we have a huge number of people seeking the Lt. Governor's seat." It isn't only Democrats who have their eyes on the seat. On the Republican side, four candidates are vying for their party's nomination. Candidate Jeff Bartos has raised nearly $1 million, the most of any candidate and far more than his competitors. Although Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner has adopted Bartos as his running mate, and another gubernatorial candidate, Paul Mango, says lieutenant governor candidate Diana Irey Vaughan is on his ticket, Pennsylvanians don't elect the state's top two officeholders together. Instead, whoever wins the party nomination for governor will automatically be paired with the party's lieutenant governor nominee. While the race has turned spicy this year, the lieutenant governor's job is largely ceremonial. Aside from presiding over the state Senate, the lieutenant governor chairs the board of parole and pardons (which makes recommendations to the governor.) A lieutenant governor's authority and power can be boosted when he or she has a good relationship with the governor, Madonna said. "But if the governor avoids them and they have no relationship, then the office is largely ceremonial," Madonna said. Yet taxpayers pay the lieutenant governor in Pennsylvania the highest salary of any such office holders in the nation: $160,000. Stack has the advantage in the race, as incumbent always do, and with so many competitors, experts say, they could end up splitting any opposition votes, clearing his path. Stack's spokesman Marty Marks said Stack's broad support and family history in his hometown of Philadelphia and the fact that he's the only veteran in the race make him a formidable opponent. Marks said Stack also got the endorsements of nearly all the Philly ward leaders. But Nina Ahmad, a molecular biologist and former aide to Philly Mayor Jim Kenney, could peel away some of Stack's support, especially if she consolidates women voters. Ahmad, the former president of Philadelphia's chapter of the National Organization for Women, has raised more than $700,000, outraising Stack by nearly $200,000. Adding to her geographic benefits, Ahmad also brings a gender advantage, especially amid the MeToo movement, said Mark Nevins, a Democratic political consultant who is not working in this race. But Nevins said the challenge facing Ahmad is: do voters across the state know her? And does she have time with one week left before the election to introduce herself? Progressive candidate John Fetterman, the mayor of Braddock, is considered another strong contender, who gained name recognition during a 2016 Senate run and could squeeze past Stack by tapping into the loyal western Pennsylvania vote. "They like to vote for their hometown person," Nevins said. While Stack and Ahmad fight for votes in Philadelphia, Fetterman could clean up near his hometown of Allegheny County. Fetterman also could try to lock down the "Berniecrat" votes, Nevins said, referring to presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, whom Fetterman supported. "That could be his path forward," Nevins said. While political insiders relish the developments of these campaigns, many voters don't pay rapt attention, political experts said. If voters don't spend time researching, they could miss distinctions between the candidates. A voter wanting to support female candidates, for example, with Pennsylvania's history of failing to ever elect a female governor or U.S. Senator, could view candidates Ahmad and Kathi Cozzone, a Chester County Commissioner, similarly when looking at a ballot. And that could negate Ahmad's gender benefit when she has the finances and organization to make a difference in the race, Nevins said. Cozzone has raised more money than several candidates, but still only accumulated about $62,000. Republican candidates face similar challenges, since many of them don't have statewide name-recognition. Peg Luksik, a pro-life campaigner from Johnstown who ran for governor in 1990, and Vaughan, a Washington County commissioner, who ran for state treasurer in 2012, could have some lasting name recognition among regular voters. But both candidates have raised about $50,000, making it hard to roll out an effective television campaign to get their names and ideas in front of voters, especially compared Bartos' million-dollar war chest. While the lieutenant governor's job can be ceremonial, the person is just a heartbeat away from the state's top job, so voters should evaluate candidates for the second-in-command with that in mind, Maddona said. There have been two prior lieutenant governor's ascend to the governorship in the Commonwealth's history. Lt. Gov. Mark Singel took control for six months after Gov. Bob Casey had a double organ transplant and Mark Schweiker took the reins after Tom Ridge left to accept a federal job in 2001. Here are the candidates listed by party: Democrats: Kathi Cozzone, Chester County: A former financial manager and third-term Chester County commissioner. She was the first vice president of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. John Fetterman, Allegheny County: The mayor of Braddock since 2006 and unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 2016. Ray Sosa, Montgomery County, a banker and insurance agent. Mike Stack, Philadelphia: Seeking his second term as lieutenant governor and former state senator. Nina Ahmad, Philadelphia: An immigrant from Bangladesh, who worked as deputy mayor for public engagement and is a molecular biologist and entrepreneur. Republicans Kathy Coder, Allegheny County: A small business owner and former Bellevue borough councilwoman. Diana Irey Vaughan, Washington County: A sixth-term county commissioner, who runs a small business. Jeff Bartos, Montgomery County: Endorsed by the state's Republican Party and president of ESB Holdings, a real estate development company. Peg Luksik, Cambria County: A conservative activist for pro-life and educational issues who served as an advisor to President Reagan's Commission on the Family. The latest accusations against Rep. Nick Miccarelli now under investigation by House GOP lawyers raise claims against the Delaware County Republican that he continues to retaliate against the two women who have accused him of rape and domestic violence. Lawyers for Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Luzerne County, and a Harrisburg political consultant are calling on the House Republican leaders to respond to his alleged violations of the retaliation provision in the House Republicans' general and sexual harassment policy. "Rep. Miccarelli's status as an elected official of the House of Representatives does not bestow upon him the power to violate House policies without consequence," states the April 18 supplemental complaint [below] signed by Harrisburg lawyers Terry Mutchler and Charles Lyons and obtained by PennLive on Tuesday. Calls to the House GOP leadership team on Tuesday seeking comment about the latest accusations against Miccarelli were not returned. Last week, House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana County, said the House had received "another complaint" against Miccarelli. He said investigators had been appointed to investigate it without providing the details about the nature of the complaint. Keel as well as a House source clarified that Reed was referring to this supplemental complaint from Toohil and the political consultant, who declines to be publicly identified, and that it did not involve another accuser. Miccarelli has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crimes. His spokesman said on Tuesday they have not received a copy of the supplemental complaint. "We cannot comment on information we've not received," said spokesman Frank Keel. However last week, Keel issued a statement, blaming Miccarelli's accusers and their attorneys for amending their complaint "out of anger that the Republican House, out of respect for due process laws, has not acquiesced to their demands to expel Nick from the House. There's nothing new here, just more of the same orchestrated campaign to try an innocent man in the court of public opinion. And it's disgraceful." The situation involving Miccarelli is drawing national attention. The New York Times featured a front page story in its Sunday edition about how the five-term incumbent continues to defy House Republican leaders' call for his resignation and yet, they have taken no action to pressure him to leave. It points out that in other states, lawmakers have been forced out of office for harassment claims evolving out of the #MeToo movement. An issue that some House members have cited as standing in the way of a call for Miccarelli's expulsion is the lack of action taken against two other House members, both Democrats, who have brought unfavorable attention to the House. Rep. Vanessa Brown, D-Philadelphia, faces charges that she sold her vote to an undercover operative for $4,000 cash, and Rep. Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks County, had a sexual harassment claim filed against him that led to a $248,000 taxpayer-funded settlement. Rep. Seth Grove, R-York County, has said he is among those who could support expelling Miccarelli, but "I think you need to include everyone to be fair." Miccarelli, 35, announced his decision to not seek re-election although by serving out his current term that ends Nov. 30, he will be eligible to receive taxpayer-funded lifetime health benefits for himself and his wife in addition to his pension. A House GOP investigation into the rape and domestic violence allegations by Toohil and the political consultant, both of whom once dated Miccarelli, found them to be credible. Toohil, who obtained a three-year protection from abuse order against Miccarelli in March, alleged Miccarelli threatened her with a gun as well as physically and verbally abused her. The political consultant accuses Miccarelli of drugging her and having non-consensual sex with her as well as raping her the night she ended their relationship. Miccarelli, through his spokesman, denies those allegations. Keel has said they are baseless and false and come from "two former jilted and vengeful girlfriends." In the amended complaint, the women's lawyers allege Miccarelli continues to defy the directives against retaliating against their clients - and in one instance, used taxpayer-funded resources to do it. It points out that he used his House email account and a House staffer to disseminate a statement denying the women's allegations that included the name of one of his accusers. Additionally, it states he also continues to post that same statement on his Facebook page, which House investigators have already said violated retaliation provisions in the caucus harassment policies. The supplemental complaint goes on to allege that Miccarelli has disseminated or attempted to disseminate on at least three occasions intimate photos of the political consultant that she shared with him during the consensual part of their relationship. The complaint alleges that not only violates the House's retaliation policy but also the state's revenge porn law, which Miccarelli voted for in 2014. Moreover, it alleges that Miccarelli, through a spokesman, continues to "launch threatening public statements" about pursuing legal action against the women and their attorneys for making what Keel has called false claims. When contacted for comment about the supplemental complaint, Mutchler and Lyons compared the House's handling of the allegations their clients have raised against Miccarelli to the abrupt resignation Monday of New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman just three hours after an article was published in the New Yorker accusing him of physically assaulting four women. "The devastating part about this whole situation is that the House found credible allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence and continue to take no substantive action. Across the border in New York, the attorney general ... resigned within three hours," Mutchler and Lyons stated. "Something is different about Pennsylvania." Supplemental complaint filed against state Rep. Nick Miccarelli by PennLive on Scribd One of Gov. Tom Wolf's deputy chiefs of staff is the subject of a State Ethics Commission investigation. Yesenia Bane is accused by an anti-pipeline activist of breaking conflict of interest rules by involving herself in matters that her husband, John Bane, was lobbying on. The investigation, reported Monday by StateImpact Pennsylvania, will focus on Yesenia Bane's role on natural gas and energy issues, including state approval of the controversial Mariner East 2 pipeline. Caroline Hughes, who filed the initial complaint against Bane in November, said her concerns reflect those "of citizens across Pennsylvania who are deeply impacted by this recklessly permitted project." "Our safety and constitutional rights are threatened, and if Governor Wolf or his staff interfered in the process, the public trust requires a full accounting," added Hughes, of Del-Chesco United for Pipeline Safety. StateImpact, a public radio reporting project with a focus on the state's energy economy, has been scrutinizing Yesenia Bane's work for Wolf for over a year now. In a report published in December 2016, the news outlet said it reviewed Bane's daily schedule, and found several instances that raised questions about Bane's involvement in matters related to her husband's clients or their business interests. John Bane worked as a lobbyist for Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney on behalf of a variety of energy industry clients when Wolf took office in January 2015. He is now a senior government relations manager for EQT Corp., one of the nation's top natural gas producers. Two examples from the initial State Impact report: * In the summer of 2015, Yesenia Bane sent an email requesting the removal of an anti-fracking activist from a state pipeline task force he'd been appointed to. * In September 2016, Yesenia Bane was on a panel discussion about pipelines at the annual Shale Insight conference in Pittsburgh, hosted by the gas trade group, the Marcellus Shale Coalition. There, according to reports, she said Gov. Wolf is open to lobbying his counterpart, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, to grant regulatory approvals to the Constitution pipeline - a controversial project of her husband's then-client, Williams Partners. A pro-drilling publication on Tuesday characterized Bane's role as more of a liason between Wolf and the energy industry, someone outside the fray who could keep sometimes strained lines of communication open. Pennsylvania's ethics law bars public officials from using their office for private financial gain for themselves, immediate family members, or businesses with which immediate family members are associated. This case will likely hinge on the degree to which Bane actively participated in policy-setting and decision-making on the issues that involved her husband's clients. Wolf, who is seeking re-election this year, has made ethics in government a watchword of his first term in office. In this case, however, administration officials have rallied to Yesenia Bane's defense and said they consider Hughes' complaint unfounded. The administration declined comment Tuesday on the Ethics Commission's decision to take the case, but sources did confirm to PennLive that Bane's status with the administration has not changed. Environmental issues were moved out of Bane's portfolio in January 2017, but administration sources have said that was the result of larger changes in Wolf's senior management staff prompted by former Chief of Staff Mary Isenhour's departure to work on Wolf's re-election effort. The commission will have, at the outside, 360 days to complete its review. FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2014 file photo, an Iranian worker assembles a Peugeot 206 at the state-run Iran-Khodro automobile manufacturing plant near Tehran, Iran. From brand-new airplanes to oilfields, billions of dollars of deals stand on the line for international corporations as President Donald Trump weighs whether to pull America out of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File) A commemorative coin to mark the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle is shown in this undated rendering. A commemorative coin for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding will be adorned with crystals and Canadian maple leaves. The Royal Canadian Mint has revealed a 99.99 per cent pure silver keepsake to celebrate the May 19 nuptials at Windsor Castle. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Royal Canadian Mint An unidentified woman engages in an argument with a group of patrons at a restaurant in Lethbridge, Alta., in this screengrab from an undated video posted on Facebook by Monir Omerzai. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Facebook, Monir Omerzai MANDATORY CREDIT Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett who is Program Director for Cardus Law is pictured in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Canada's former religious freedom ambassador says the Trudeau government is displaying "totalitarian" tendencies with its controversial changes to the student summer jobs program. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick In this April 18, 2018 photo, a variety of tools used to skim information from credit cards are displayed at the office of the New York Police Department's Financial Crimes Task Force. The U.S. Secret Service says more than a billion dollars is stolen from U.S. consumers each year by credit card skimmers, money that funds organized crime and which is usually passed back to consumers through higher fees. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) In this May 6, 2018, photo, ethnic Kachin Nlam Numrang Doi, 92, sits along with her husband Hkaraw Yaw, 102, at their hut in compound of Trinity Baptist Church refugee camp for internally displaced people in Myitkyina, Kachin State, northern Myanmar. Myanmar's army, notorious for perpetrating violence that drove 700,000 Muslim ethnic Rohingyas to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, now stands accused of fostering a similar humanitarian crisis in the country's north, where it battles guerrillas of the Christian Kachin minority. (AP Photo/Min Kyi Thein) FILE - In this May 17, 2015 file photo, authorities investigate a shooting in the parking lot of Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas. Prosecutors have dismissed another 42 cases relating to the 2015 shooting in Waco involving rival biker gangs that left nine dead and 20 others injured. McLennan County prosecutors said Tuesday, May 8, 2018, they're dismissing the cases while focusing on "more culpable" defendants. (AP Photo/Jerry Larson, File) Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talk to each other during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 9, 2018. (Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool Photo via AP) FILE - In this June 8, 2014, file photo, a Boy Scout wears his kerchief embroidered with a rainbow knot during Salt Lake City's annual gay pride parade. An announcement Tuesday night, May 8, 2018, by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Boy Scouts will mark an end to close relationship that lasted more than a century built on their shared values. The religion will move its remaining boys into its own scouting-type program. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) FILE - This 1995 file booking photo taken in West Palm Beach, Fla., and released by the FBI shows Francis P. "Cadillac Frank" Salemme. Opening statements are expected Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in federal court in Boston, in the trial of the ex-mafia boss Salemme and co-defendant Paul Weadick. Prosecutors said Salemme watched his son strangle nightclub owner Steven DiSarro in 1993 while Weadick held DiSarro's legs off the ground. Salemme and Weadick deny participating in DiSarro's killing. (Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP, File) FILE - In this March 9, 2018 file photo, Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno waves as she arrives for a forum with foreign correspondents based in the country in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines. The embattled Philippine chief justice has returned to office after taking leave two months ago amid efforts by President Rodrigo Duterte's administration to oust her from the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno's spokesman Jojo Lacanilao told The Associated Press that she resumed work Wednesday, May 9, 2018, at the Supreme Court, defying calls from Duterte's allies for her to step down.(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File) This Monday, May 7, 2018, photo provided by the Pueblo West Fire Department shows Gidget, an English mastiff belonging to Mandi Smith, of Pueblo West, Colo., being rescued by Pueblo West Fire Capt. Mike Darnell, firefighter Jacob Naro, fire personnel Bradley Stevens and Pueblo West wastewater treatment employee Tony Campbell at the Pueblo West Wastewater Treatment Plant. Gidget, a 2-year-old English mastiff led astray by an escape-prone hound dog, is happy to be home, but still stinks after being found stranded in muck at a wastewater treatment plant in Colorado. (Brad Davidson/Pueblo West Fire Department via AP) This April 30, 2018 photo shows students walking around campus at Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles. Meghan Markle, who is set to marry Prince Harry on May 19, graduated from the school in 1999. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Guyana accept double tax exemptions for oil and mining companies By Kaieter News GEORGETOWN Petroleumworld 05 09 2018 Oil and mining companies are not required to pay Capital Gains Tax in Guyana. This benefit is secured in the various existing mining agreements and Production Sharing Agreements (PSA). The International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted that this is the case in Guyana while most other countries ensure that tax on capital gains are paid by all companies. Also, IMF noted that the provisions of these contracts go against what is stipulated in Guyana's Capital Gains Tax Act (CGTA) The IMF made these observations in a technical assistance report it submitted to Government last year. The report titled, A Reform Agenda for Petroleum Taxation and Revenue Management, covered a detailed review of Guyana's preparation for first oil. It also includes an assessment of the PSA Guyana has with US oil giant, ExxonMobil. Capital gains refer to the money secured from the sale of the assets of a business. The profit realized from such a transaction is usually taxed. IMF said, in Guyana, the Capital Gains Tax Act (CGTA) levies a tax of 20 percent on gains realized from any change of ownership of movable or immovable property, rights of any kind, whether absolute, conditional, or contingent and effect of any kind, situate or having their seat in Guyana or elsewhere. The Fund noted that while the CGTA does not explicitly refer to the sale of petroleum and mineral interests, these appear to be covered by rights of any kind. However, the IMF mission said that its understanding is that most mining agreements and PSAs exempt contractors from capital gains tax. Going forward as the sector continues to mature this policy should be carefully reviewed. It is also necessary to establish if there are limitations from existing double tax treaties on the right to tax gains on assets in Guyana. Almost all taxes are being waived for oil companies operating in Guyana. Government pre-approved uncapped importation for ExxonMobil. The oil giant can import unlimited numbers of items totalling more than 250. These items include All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), Trailers, computers, other vehicles, bulldozers, cement, gravel, hammer wrenches, lights, drums, water tanks and waste bins. The items that are considered pre-approved are outlined in Annex D of the 2016 PSA. Annex D is to be applied in harmony with Article 21 of the contract. Article 21 states that ExxonMobil and all its affiliates engaged in Petroleum Operations shall be permitted to import, free of duty, VAT or all or any other duties, taxes, levies or imposts, all equipment and supplies required for Petroleum Operations including but not limited to drill ships, platforms, vessels, geophysical tools, communications equipment, explosives, radioactive sources, vehicles, oilfield supplies, lubricants, consumable items (other than foodstuffs or alcoholic beverages or fuel), as well as all items listed on Annex D. Further, the contract states that each expatriate employee of ExxonMobil or its affiliates who have been assigned to work in Guyana will be given duty free as well. The contract also states that each expatriate employee of the Contractor (including any Affiliated Company) and of Sub-Contractors shall have the right to export from Guyana, free of all duties and taxes, and at any time, all of the items imported. IMF had also noted that the PSA that ExxonMobil has with Guyana provides for broad tax exemptions for subcontractors. Some of these foreign subcontractors operating in Guyana are Bristow Group Inc. Nobel Oil Group and SBM Offshore. IMF noted that Article 21 says that subcontractors engaged in petroleum operations are exempt from Value Added Tax (VAT) and import duties on imports of equipment and supplies required for petroleum operations. Interestingly this provision is only for the benefit of foreign contractors. The only tax that foreign sub contractors employed by ExxonMobil will have to pay is excise tax. The companies only have to pay that tax on fuel imports at a rate of 10 percent. However, locals have to pay 50 percent excise tax on fuel. https://www.export.gov/article?id=Guyana-Import-Tariffs IMF said that Guyana foregoes revenue with such generous provisions. The Fund said, In addition to the forgone revenue, this (the exemptions) introduces administrative complexities and risks of tax evasion. Finally, interest and dividend payments from affiliated companies' or non-resident sub-contractors' branch in Guyana to its foreign or head office or to affiliated companies are exempt from withholding taxes. Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us Story from Kaieter News Kaieteurnewsonline.com 05 09 2018 Copyright 1999-2018 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved. We welcome the use of Petroleumworld (PW) stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source. Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated. Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! We invite all our readers to share with us their views and comments about this article. Write to editor@petroleumworld.com By using this link, you agree to allow PW to publish your comments on our letters page. Any question or suggestions, please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95, '98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8,10 +/ 800x600 pixels November 13 - 15, 2018. Gubkin University, Moscow SPE Student Chapter ExxonMobil bypasses Guyana's local firms, awards brokerage services to Trinidadian firm By Kaieter News GEORGETOWN Petroleumworld 05 09 2018 There are more than 20 firms in Guyana that have been providing sterling logistical and customs brokerage services for more than 40 years. Yet, these locals were all bypassed by USA oil company, ExxonMobil, which requires such services. The American firm has given its logistical work to a Trinidadian firm, Ramps Logistics. According to its website, Ramps Logistics was founded in 1985 in Trinidad and Tobago by Ramnarine Rampersad offering solely customs brokerage services until it expanded its operations later on. Several persons from the local shipping industry, who spoke with Kaieteur News, all agreed that a Trinidadian firm being given the hog of the logistical work needed in the oil and gas industry is a national insult and a slap in the face of local content. One experienced official said, We have more than 20 companies here which can more than satisfy the needs of ExxonMobil in the area of customs brokerage and logistical service operations. There is no way that a Guyanese company would have been able to do the same in Trinidad and Tobago. Ramps Logistics has been dominating the area since the beginning. He continued, It appears that the process for evaluation to get such a job has been carefully crafted by ExxonMobil. It certainly does not take local content into the mix. This industry belongs to Guyana. Logistical work is but one of the many low hanging fruits in the oil and gas sector. Even this, ExxonMobil is taking away from locals. It is not fair and the locals with the experience will be made to suffer. 309 UNNAMED COMPANIES It was in early March that ExxonMobil announced that it utilized more than 309 local companies last year. It is over two months and the company, which claims to be a champion of local content is still unable to name the entities it used. If ExxonMobil fails in its duty to name these companies, then its assertions on the matter cannot be taken as genuine or credible. This was noted by Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-law, Christopher Ram. Ram recalled that it was ExxonMobil's Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Kimberly Brasington, who had disclosed the questionable figure. The lawyer said that if Brasington makes such statements, then she and the company must be able to provide the evidence. The Chartered Accountant also stressed that it is for the company, not government to provide the facts since they are the ones benefitting from an extremely generous contract. Ram said, Brasington has a duty to provide the evidence. This is part of the company's local content obligations Their obligation to do so is higher than any other company and it is even mandatory, otherwise how do we know that their local content efforts are genuine? It was earlier this month that Chairman of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), Manniram Prashad, issued a challenge to Brasington to also name the companies she said ExxonMobil used in 2017. Prashad told Kaieteur News, If these figures are accurate then we would obviously be happy about it. But 309 Guyanese-owned suppliers? That is just concerning when there is no evidence provided at the same time to support it. Brasington failed to provide the names of the entities. Instead, the Government Affairs Advisor said, This should be a good news story not a controversial one. ExxonMobil Guyana, on behalf of all our contractors, was excited to share some of the project's local content numbers and thought Guyanese would be proud. We take building local content seriously and have demonstrated that through action and capacity building. We want Guyanese suppliers, businesses and individuals to be a part of the industry. Brasington said that one way that Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), ExxonMobil's affiliate in Guyana, and its contractors continue to expand local content efforts is by doing business with Guyanese companies and entities and providing grants to local charities and foundations. In 2017, Brasington said that ExxonMobil Guyana and its contractors together utilized 348 Guyanese registered suppliers, businesses, and organizations. She said that 309 of those were Guyanese owned. The Government Affairs Advisor said that many of the 309 entities mentioned are part of the supply chain, or the knock-on effect' of the industry. She stated that the direct opportunities with ExxonMobil are relatively small in number. Brasington said, For example, The Guyana Shore Base Inc. is a direct contractor to ExxonMobil in Guyana. The Guyana Shore Base then goes out and uses local companies to do things such as complete civil work and construct pipe racks, which all gets rolled up and reported in the 309 number. For further context, Brasington said that Guyanese businesses provide a wide range of goods and services, including public relations, catering, security, transportation, housing, communications, legal, and IT. She said that there is no limit to the category of support. The project needs all types of goods and services. Brasington said that EEPGL reports its local content metrics to the Government on a quarterly basis, including the complete list. Going forward, she said that the company can put out more detailed information on all the various categories that the 309 fit into and give more details and examples. Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us No gasoline hike coming for Trinidad & TobagoImbert By Gail Alexander PORT SPAIN Petroleumworld 05 09 2018 There would not be an increase in the price of gasoline in tomorrow's mid-year review of the 2018 Budget, Finance Minister Colm Imbert has indicated. Imbert gave the hint during yesterday's Standing Finance Committee deliberations. Prior to tomorrow's review of how the Budget has worked - and will be working ahead - the Committee yesterday shifted a total of $796.2 million from the Finance Ministry to supplement and increase the Budgetary appropriation of 18 divisions. These included 12 Ministries and Tobago House of Assembly. Funding was for specific matters in each. Highest funding -$169.2m- went to the Public Utilities Ministry. Lowest was $908,770 received by the Tax Appeal Board. The issue of gasoline price arose when $100m was approved for the Energy Ministry. Energy Minister Franklin Khan said this was to meet fuel subsidy costs for diesel and super gasoline. He noted the 2018 Budget had removed the fuel subsidy, resulting in price hikes for diesel and super gas. But he said a residual subsidy of 30 cents per litre remained. He noted the Budget was predicated on an oil price of US$52 a barrel - but the price was now above this and the State, therefore, had to meet subsidy costs for diesel and super. Khan said it was uncertain if the $100m will be sufficient to cover costs, It depends on how the oil price goes - up or down. Imbert said high oil prices do not necessarily help Government since royalties are being received from Petrotrin - and Petrotrin produces 60 per cent of T&T's oil. Plus, he added, when the price rises, Government has to pay a fuel subsidy to Petrotrin, NP and Unipet - and that is not helped by lack of royalty income from Petrotrin. Imbert said the oil price is now US$70, We didn't think it would go to that, he said. Opposition Chief Whip David Lee asked if there would be a gas price hike at the pumps based on where the price is now. Imbert said, No - I wouldn't answer it in that way. I'd say in several Budgets, we've said we'd introduce a formula where, as the price of oil moves, the price of gas at the pump will move in tandem with that. We haven't introduced that formula yet, because we never anticipated oil would hit US$70. He said, We thought when we made the arrangements the previous increases would be sufficient for a US$52 oil price but now we have to go back to the drawing board and look at it and see what we're going to do. But we did say we'd introduce this formula like the US, Jamaica and Barbados, where as the price of oil goes up, the price of gas at the pump goes up in a direct correlation, he said. He intends giving more details on other issues - and T&T's overall position - in tomorrow's mid-year review, starting 10 am in Parliament. As a result, the weekly Cabinet meeting may be today instead of tomorrow, government officials indicated. Imbert added Government decided to help Tobago House of Assembly, supplementing its 2018 allocation with $20m to open up areas for agriculture with access roads and promote agri-business especially with the imminent arrival of Sandals. He said that resort would require indigenous products which we hope will be produced in Tobago. He said in the Budget THA received $20m for opening up agricultural access roads and Government may need to further supplement this in the next fiscal year. UNC MP Suruj Rambachan, noting from Imbert s figures since 2013, Tobago received a total of $340m for agricultural roads. He questioned productivity output levels. Imbert said Government also gave THA $100m to reimburse its 2018 allocation following a $138m backpay sum to workers from a 2011- 2014 industrial agreement. SUPPLEMENTATION OF 2018 APPROPRIATION TOBAGO HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY $20m ATTORNEY GENERAL/LEGAL AFFAIRS $30m ENERGY $100m COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT/ CULTURE/ARTS $2m AGRICULTURE $38m SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT/FAMILY SERVICES $23m VARIATION OF 2018 APPROPRIATION JUDICIARY $18.1m SERVICE COMMISSIONS $1.3m TAX APPEAL BOARD $908,770 PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE $10m TOBAGO HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY $100m EDUCATION $159m HEALTH $121m PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION/COMMUNICATIONS $20.8m PUBLIC UTILITIES $169.2m RURAL DEVELOPMENT/LOCAL GOVERNMENT $122m WORKS/TRANSPORT $62.5m HOUSING/URBAN DEVELOPMENT $11.2m Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us Canadian mining firm Rusoro seeks to seize Venezuela's Citgo assets By Reuters CARACAS Petroleumworld 05 09 2018 Canadian mining company Rusoro is seeking the attachment of assets belonging to Venezuela's U.S.-based refiner Citgo as part of an arbitration dispute, according to a Monday filing in the Southern District of Texas. In 2016, Rusoro was awarded more than $1.2 billion in damages when a World Bank tribunal ruled that Venezuela had unlawfully seized the company's gold mine. Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us Reporting by Brian Ellsworth and Girish Gupta; Writing by Girish Gupta; Editing by Alexandra Ulmer and Sandra Maler from Reuters. reuters.com / 05 08 2018 Copyright 1999-2018 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved. We welcome the use of Petroleumworld (PW) stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source. Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated. Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! We invite all our readers to share with us their views and comments about this article. Write to editor@petroleumworld.com By using this link, you agree to allow PW to publish your comments on our letters page. Any question or suggestions, please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95, '98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8,10 +/ 800x600 pixels November 13 - 15, 2018. Gubkin University, Moscow SPE Student Chapter ConocoPhillips want to seize PDVSA oil inventories in Curacao By Marianna Parraga and Gary McWilliams HOUSTON Petroleumworld 05 09 2018 ConocoPhillips is trying to seize PDVSA's oil assets at the 335,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Isla refinery in Curacao, which would expand its control over the Venezuelan state-run company's barrels for export, according to sources close to the matter. Under court orders to enforce a $2 billion arbitration award by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the U.S. oil firm last week temporarily seized about 4 million barrels of crude that PDVSA had stored on the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Eustatius and took control of a terminal on Bonaire, prompting PDVSA to move several oil tankers away from the region. Conoco's actions could affect PDVSA's ability to export some 400,000 bpd shipped from the Caribbean, or about a third of its total exports, according to Reuters calculations based on the state firm's internal reports. The legal maneuvers further imperil PDVSA's declining oil revenue and Venezuela's economy, which is in deep recession with shortages of medicine and food. OPEC-member Venezuela is almost completely dependent upon crude exports, which slid 29 percent to 1.19 million bpd in the first quarter, according to Thomson Reuters Trade Flows data. Its refineries ran at just 31 percent of capacity from January through March. Piling pressure on Venezuela, Canadian mining company Rusoro is seeking the attachment of assets belonging to Citgo as part of an arbitration dispute, according to a Monday filing in the Southern District of Texas. In 2016, Rusoro was awarded more than $1.2 billion in damages awarded by a World Bank tribunal that ruled that Venezuela had unlawfully seized the company's gold mine, but Venezuela has yet to pay. Conoco's writs of attachments, served through at least two court orders on facilities in Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao and St. Eustatius, are seen as a legal maneuver to temporarily retain assets from stored oil, to cargoes and facilities and could empower the U.S. company to sell them later. In Curacao, the court order originally was rejected because of an error in the name of the entities, a PDVSA source and an employee close to the refinery's operations said. But Conoco believes it can still take possession of the oil inventories and other assets, according to a person familiar with the matter. Conoco signaled it would move on PDVSA assets anywhere in the world to collect on the ICC ruling. PDVSA is a global company with global assets, Conoco spokesman Daren Beaudo said in a statement. We will pursue all available legal avenues. PDVSA did not respond to a request for comment. BONAIRE DEAL FOR OIL On Bonaire, a portion of the fuel stored at the terminal plans to be released for local use at a power station under a deal struck late on Sunday between acting Governor Curvin George, PDVSA's Bonaire Petroleum Co and Conoco, according to Dutch officials. Through a joint effort, we could avoid a power-down on the island, said Karim Mostafi, a spokesman for the Dutch Infrastructure Ministry. The release will provide one to two weeks' worth of supply for the island's electric utility. Talks are also under way for a longer-term solution, he said. Bonaire held about 800,000 barrels of fuel oil, according to a source close to the operations. In Aruba, most oil inventories belong to PDVSA's U.S. refining arm Citgo Petroleum. Conoco was looking for up to $33 billion through two arbitration actions against Venezuela and PDVSA, the largest claims by any company. The ICC awarded it $2.04 billion out of the $22 billion originally sought in that court. Several previous attempts by bondholders, creditors and foreign firms to receive compensation from Venezuela for pending debts or expropriated assets have failed amid payment delays, prolonged arbitration or ongoing lawsuits. The threat of seizures prompted quick action by PDVSA. According to one letter seen by Reuters, the company sent urgent notices to its fleet calling the vessels back to Venezuela to avoid possible retention of the tankers or the cargoes. As of Monday, less than a dozen tankers were near Curacao and only one was close to Bonaire, most of them empty, according to Reuters vessel tracking data. At least nine tankers have been moved since Friday from those Caribbean islands to Venezuela or Cuba, the data showed. To compensate for the loss of Caribbean operations, PDVSA could widen shipping from its main crude port of Jose and smaller terminals along its western coast. But Jose is facing a growing bottleneck of vessels due to lack of inventories for exports, equipment malfunctions and shortage of staff, shippers said. Two dozen oil tankers - double the normal amount - were waiting on Monday to load crude at Jose for export, according to the Reuters data. Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us AES Gener announces $3 billion plan to restructure Chilean Alto Maipo hydro project By Reuters SANTIAGO Petroleumworld 05 09 2018 AES Gener in Chile on Tuesday announced a more than $3 billion plan to restructure its Alto Maipo hydroelectric project as it seeks to revive the venture following a series of setbacks last year. Alto Maipo - which includes two power plants and a vast array of tunnels running deep under the Andes Mountains outside of Santiago - slid into technical default last July after it dismissed one of its contractors, leading to cost overruns. AES said Austria's Straba would finance part of the project, receiving $392 million over 20 years once it is finished. The agreed financial restructuring will fully cover the estimated costs of the project and continue with its development and construction, AES said in a securities filing. Shares of AES rose 2.4 percent on Chile's stock exchange. Alto Maipo is 64 percent complete, according to AES. The two power plants should start operations near the end of 2020. Alto Maipo has been the subject of regular protests by residents of the Maipo river valley, who say the project would cut off lake water that flows to the Maipo river, affecting the water supply, farming and tourism. The problems facing Alto Maipo illustrate the difficulties with mega projects in Chile. Others planned in recent years - such as larger hydropower project HidroAysen- were ultimately halted amid strong local opposition and ballooning costs. Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us PDVSA stop Caribbean storage, diverts crude tanker from Curacao -shipper, data By Marianna Parraga HOUSTON Petroleumworld 05 09 2018 Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA suspended oil storage and shipping from its Caribbean facilities following a move by ConocoPhillips to temporarily seize the firm's assets on four islands, according to a PDVSA source and Reuters data. PDVSA has begun concentrating most shipping in its main crude terminal of Jose on Venezuela's eastern coast and recalling tankers to Venezuelan waters to avoid seizures that would further cut its exports and wound an economy on the verge of collapse. U.S.-based Conoco is attaching PDVSA's international assets to enforce a $2 billion arbitration award in April on the nationalization of the firm's projects in Venezuela in 2007. We are no longer storing or shipping oil from the Caribbean islands. We are now mostly depending on Jose, the PDVSA source said. PDVSA last year shipped over 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude and refined products from five owned and leased facilities on Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao and St. Eustatius, according to internal company data. The terminals handled around 24 percent of its total exports. A potential lack of crude at Curacao's 335,000-bpd Isla refinery, operated by PDVSA, could force the facility to halt operations, the island's Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath told Reuters, adding that it would import fuel if necessary, even though no assets have yet been seized on the island. We are aware of the potential risks for the operation of the refinery, he said. A stoppage of the operation would have a devastating impact economically and socially. PDVSA has not responded to requests for comment. Dutch authorities, which have oversight on the islands, declined to comment, calling it a matter between two private companies. PDVSA's U.S. refining unit Citgo Petroleum also uses the Aruba terminal to discharge, store and blend Venezuelan and foreign crudes for its refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast. CROWDED PORTS Conoco has attached at least 4.8 million barrels of PDVSA's stored crude and fuel oil in the islands of Bonaire and St. Eustatius, according to shippers and the PDVSA source, a fraction of the terminals' total capacity of 53 million barrels. In St. Eustatius, Conoco's legal action is being studied by the Statia terminal's operator, the U.S. firm NuStar Energy , the company said on Tuesday. We are still assessing our commercial and legal options, but we have not filed any legal motions at this time, it said. A Conoco spokesman declined to comment on Tuesday. Earlier this week, the U.S. company said it would continue to pursue PDVSA's assets while trying to enforce the arbitration award. In Venezuela, cargoes arriving from the Caribbean have begun creating bottlenecks of vessels around Jose and the docks that serve PDVSA's biggest refinery, the Paraguana Refining Center (CRP), according to the data. As Jose and the CRP receive a larger number of tankers, Venezuela's ports of Bajo Grande and Puerto Miranda, which ship most of the country's Western region crudes, have been operating under restrictions since last year due to frequent leaks that affect vessels docking there. Oil leaks, lack of money for importing spare parts and a growing brain drain are affecting Venezuela's ports, refineries and oilfields. The OPEC-member country's crude exports fell 29 percent in the first quarter compared with the same period of 2017 to 1.19 million bpd, according to Reuters data. On Monday night, PDVSA ordered the Aframax tanker British Cygnet, which was waiting to discharge in Curacao, to divert to Venezuelan waters, according to a shipper and Reuters data. The vessel had loaded crude at Russia's Primorsk terminal last month and arrived in Curacao's Bullenbay terminal on Sunday, two days after at least two courts ordered the retention of PDVSA's inventories and facilities in the Caribbean at the request of Conoco. PDVSA has been buying U.S. and Russian crudes this year for refining at its Isla refinery in Curacao and for blending with extra-heavy oil from the Orinoco Belt, Venezuela's main producing region. The British Cygnet follows at least nine vessels diverted since Friday from Curacao and Bonaire to Venezuela and Cuba to avoid possible seizures of tankers or their barrels, according to the PDVSA source and Reuters data. Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us U.S. may move to count ethanol exports toward biofuels quotas By Jarrett Renshaw NEW YORK Petroleumworld 05 09 2018 U.S. President Donald Trump told a group of senators on Tuesday he is considering allowing exported ethanol to count towards the volumes mandated under the nation's biofuels law, a move intended to appease both Big Oil and Big Corn by cutting the refiners' regulatory costs while preserving demand for corn. According to two sources briefed on Trump's meeting with the Republican senators, Trump also reiterated his support for expanding sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline, and backed away from a proposal to cap the price of credits called RINs that refiners must acquire and turn into the government each year to prove compliance with the biofuels quotas. The proposed changes follow months of fractious negotiations between Big Corn and Big Oil over the future of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that requires biofuels to be added to gasoline and diesel, after refiners increasingly complained the regulation was costing them a fortune. The ethanol industry criticized the export plan. Offering RIN credits, which are supposed to be derived from a domestic renewable fuel use, for ethanol exports would threaten trade markets and impact corn farmers' economic livelihoods, said Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who attended the meeting, declared the plan a victory for both the refining industry and for corn growers. More corn will be sold (good for farmers), plus lower RINs (saves blue-collar refinery jobs), plus more ethanol exports (good for America), Cruz wrote on Twitter. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who also attended the meeting, applauded the move to expand the use of higher ethanol blends of gasoline but expressed caution over the export plan. Devil in details, he wrote. Republicans Joni Ernst of Iowa and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania also attended the meeting. Sources said the export plan emerged from discussions on Tuesday about the Trump administration's expanded use of hardship waivers that free small refineries from their obligations under the RFS. Industry experts say the waivers provided by Trump's EPA have taken a big chunk out the 15 billion ethanol credit market. Senators concerned about the use of waivers wanted to know how the administration planned on making up, or reallocating, the lost credits, and the plan to attach RINs to exports was offered as a solution, the sources said. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and EPA head Scott Pruitt are expected to work out the details on the export plan. A proposal to allow exported ethanol and other biofuels to generate the tradable RINs credits under the RFS was floated by the Trump administration last year to help lower RIN costs to refiners, but was quickly shot down by the powerful corn lobby. The oil industry, meanwhile, has also expressed opposition to expanding the sale of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol, known as E15, mainly on the grounds that it cuts into petroleum's share of the fuel market. The RFS is intended to help farmers, reduce air pollution, and cut petroleum imports. But some merchant refiners, like PBF Energy and Valero Energy Corp, say it costs them hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The Trump administration waded into the issue late last year after fielding complaints from the refining sector, and hosted a series of meetings with lawmakers and company executives representing both sides. Both the corn lobby and the merchant refining industry have said a misstep could threaten the same blue-collar jobs Trump has vowed to support. But pressure to rein in regulatory costs has also softened in recent weeks as the price of compliance credits have hit five-year lows of around 30 cents. Those declines were driven mainly by news the EPA had granted more than two dozen hardship exemptions from the RFS to small refineries that say compliance would have been too financially difficult. In the past, the EPA has tended to give out less than ten such waivers annually, according to former officials. The expansion of the small refinery waiver program is due in part to a federal court decision last year that said the EPA had been too stingy with the exemptions in the past. But biofuel groups say the EPA is using the cover of the court to gut the RFS. Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us Marijuana plants grow at the Desert Grown Farms cultivation facility in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) Read more On Tuesday, Allentown City Council in a 4-3 vote advanced a bill that would decriminalize marijuana. Under the bill, possession of a small amount of marijuana 30 grams or less would be a summary offense rather than a misdemeanor. All three of the Lehigh Valley's cities are considering or have recently considered marijuana decriminalization measures. Easton City Council voted down a similar bill in March. Bethlehem City Council is slated to discuss a decriminalization ordinance later this month. Ordinances to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana don't make the drug legal, but essentially turn most possession offenses into fines. Typically, decriminalization also means no arrest, prison time or criminal record for the first-time possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal consumption, according to NORML, an organization working to legalize marijuana in the United States. People don't realize how serious misdemeanor possession can be, Josh Fulmer, an attorney and chair of criminal rules for the Northampton County Bar Association, has said. Consequences could range from a student losing their student loans, to a six month suspension of your driver's license, fines and jail time. Six places in Pennsylvania already have similar laws on the book. They are: Erie York Harrisburg Philadelphia Pittsburgh State College In Philadelphia, those possessing 30 grams or less are cited and fined $25. Those smoking in public are cited and fined $100, or made to perform community service. Voorhees Town Center, seen here, isnt the only mall to see declines under the ownership of Great Neck, N.Y.-based Namdar Realty Group. Read more For a moment, Regency Square Mall in Jacksonville, Fla., seemed on the cusp of a revival, with new out-of-town owners presenting themselves as specialists at resuscitating moribund retail centers. But those owners who have since become the nation's biggest mall buyers, with properties including Camden County's troubled Voorhees Town Center never delivered the hoped-for renewal of the former Northeast Florida shopping mecca. Instead, Namdar Realty Group, based in Great Neck, N.Y., is accused in a pair of lawsuits of failing to invest in Regency Square's most basic maintenance, resulting in leaky roofs, broken electrical systems, and a roach infestation that have kept tenants from moving in. "Landlord is an absentee landlord with a reputation as a 'slumlord,'" reads one of the suits, filed in Circuit Court for Duval County by the operator of a home-furnishings outlet. "Landlord's continuous breaches and material failures have rendered the premises unrentable." That sentiment resonates in Voorhees, where officials have taken steps to place the Town Center, once known as Echelon Mall, into different hands after watching it fall into disrepair since Namdar bought it in 2015 from Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT). In other parts of the country, malls acquired by Namdar have suffered sewage backups and security problems. These instances of disinvestment and decay come as Namdar continues to snap up malls crippled by the decline of brick-and-mortar shopping at fire sale prices, many of them from big retail landlords eager to get the low-performing properties off their books. Since 2012, Namdar has added 43 malls to its portfolio, making it the country's biggest buyer of the retail centers during the period, according to an Inquirer and Daily News analysis of data maintained by the CoStar Group, a market tracker. Since January alone, it has bought six malls, the most recent being the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills in western Pennsylvania. The acquisitions, at a total cost of more than a half-billion dollars, were made in Namdar's name or that of partner Mason Asset Management, also based in Great Neck. Last month, the company was part of an investor group that tried to buy Bon-Ton Stores Inc. of York, Pa., out of bankruptcy. Behind Namdar's operations are cheap debt from overseas investors, cash from piecemeal sales of land broken off from its mall properties, and a business model based on a gamble that even the nation's worst-performing retail centers can make money if little enough is spent on their acquisition and upkeep. Namdar "bought these deals originally on basically a formula that said, 'I can get all my money out in three years, five years, seven years, and then essentially own the dirt for nothing,'" PREIT chief executive Joseph Coradino said Tuesday at a real estate panel in Philadelphia. Since 2012, malls acquired by Namdar traded at an average of $27.35 a square foot, compared with $149.10 for all retail center transactions tracked by CoStar during the period, according to the Inquirer and Daily News analysis. The Voorhees property is among nine malls that Namdar bought from PREIT between 2013 and last year, making the Philadelphia company its biggest provider of the retail centers. PREIT's sales to Namdar and others came amid a campaign to drive up its portfolio-wide average sales per square foot a metric important to investors by shedding its least productive properties and concentrating on its core assets, such as Cherry Hill Mall and the yet-to-open Fashion District Philadelphia at the former Gallery at Market East shopping mall in Center City PREIT sold Voorhees Town Center to Namdar in October 2015 for $13.4 million after buying it for $18.3 million 12 years earlier and plowing about $80 million into its redevelopment, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported. Mario DiNatale, Voorhees Township's director of community and business development, said that since buying the property, Namdar has failed to repair broken escalators or replace burned-out light bulbs, while cuts to security staff have left tenants feeling unsafe. Because of the property's deteriorating condition, retailers including Burger 21 and the Things Remembered gift shop have fled the mall, he said. Sonny Sekhon, owner of the Growing Smiles pediatric dental office at the property, said his unit's long-leaking roof has yet to be repaired. "It's taking forever for the mall ownership to come and address it," he said. The mall's occupancy stood at 60 percent as of Dec. 31, 2017, down from 75 percent on Sept. 30, 2015, when it last appeared among PREIT's assets on an earnings report, according to disclosures by the companies. The Voorhees Planning Board last month recommended that the township grant itself the authority to seize the mall through eminent domain to pressure Namdar into selling the property for redevelopment, said DiNatale, whose office is in a township-owned section of the mall. Voorhees' full Township Committee will vote on the proposal Monday. "It's a tenuous situation here," DiNatale said. "This current owner will only do what they absolutely must do and not a drop more." Coradino said the mall buyer may not have anticipated how quickly the properties would lose their department store anchors. Retail brands including Macy's, Sears, and JCPenney have rapidly reduced their footprints in recent years, leaving behind vast amounts of empty mall space empty. "I don't think they anticipated that quick of a decline in the department store business," he said at Tuesday's panel, held by commercial real estate firm Newmark Knight Frank. "I don't think anyone realized how fast it was going to happen." Namdar referred requests for comment to Mason Asset Management. Mason chief executive Elliot Nassim disputed DiNatale's characterizations, saying his team is working closely with the township to redevelop the property. He asked that any other questions be sent via an email, to which he did not immediately respond. Voorhees wouldn't be the first local government to involve itself in one of Namdar's troubled malls. Less than two years after Namdar bought North Carolina's Salisbury Mall now called West End Plaza out of foreclosure for $2.5 million in early 2012, the board of commissioners for Rowan County voted to pay $3.43 million for most of the property to convert to government offices, the Salisbury Post reported. After the purchase, officials had to spend $1.3 million to replace the mall's leaky roof, Michael Julian, a local businessman currently running for a county commission seat, said. Daniel Kleeburg, who operated a theater at the Salisbury Mall, said that in the months after Namdar bought the property, raw sewage began backing up into his theater due to blocked pipes. "Literally pardon my expression the crap hit the fan," said Kleeburg, who closed his business after Namdar ignored his repeated requests for repairs. "It went so south, so quick." Northland Mall in Sterling, Ill., also experienced a rocky transition into Namdar's hands, with its entire management team and half its security staff quitting their jobs after the property traded at the end of last year, according to Sauk Valley Media, a local news outlet. In January, police arrested the mall's newly hired maintenance manager on a preexisting warrant after he was spotted wandering apparently drunk into and out of the mall's shuttered JCPenney store, Sauk Valley Media reported. Two days later, he was seen stumbling through the mall a second time, now carrying bolt cutters, and was again removed by police. Things had gotten off to a better start at Regency Square, which Namdar acquired in February 2014 for $13 million from Chicago-based General Growth Properties, now the nation's second-biggest mall landlord. "We specialize in centers that are being run poorly," Joel Gorjian, Namdar's head of property acquisitions and sales, told the Florida Times-Union as the company's ownership of the mall hit the six-month mark amid a spate of new leases. "We find those where they're not putting enough into the center, then we add tremendous value." But lawsuits filed by would-be tenants at the property don't portray a company bent on reinvesting in neglected malls. In one of the suits, Jacksonville-based International Decor Outlet LLC (IDO) accuses the Namdar and Mason entities that own the mall of fraud and breach of contract for thwarting its plan to convert 200,000 square feet of vacant space into a direct-to-consumer marketplace for imported home goods. Lawyers for IDO say in the lawsuit, filed July 2017 in Duval County Circuit Court, that the owners blocked the company from accessing the section of the mall it had leased when prospective marketplace subtenants came from abroad to view the space. When the section was finally made available, its air-conditioning did not work, its roof leaked, and "several insects and other bugs, including cockroaches, were observed in the common area of the premises," according to the lawsuit, which seeks unquantified damages and the voiding of IDO's lease. In a separate lawsuit filed in Circuit Court the previous month, founders of the Jacksonville Automobile & Motorcycle Museum accuse the owners of failing to fix a leaky roof, which kept them from getting an occupancy permit to open a car museum in a former department store space. While Namdar allegedly neglects some parts of Regency Square, it has been cashing in on others. In 2015, it earned $26.2 million through the sale of the mall's AMC Theatres multiplex to Kansas City, Mo.-based EPR Properties, according to the Times-Union. The following year, it sold retail space vacated by a Belk department store to the Impact Church for $7 million to become its headquarters and central house of worship, the paper reported. In Voorhees, the company sold a one-acre section of the Town Center tract currently occupied by the Learning Experience preschool to an investor in Monmouth County, N.J., for $2.6 million in December 2017, according to records filed with Camden County. In a presentation for investors in Israel, where Namdar raises money from bond buyers on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange through affiliate Namco Ltd., the company touts its profits from selling off pieces of its properties. But most of Namdar's income likely comes from a more traditional source for mall landlords: rent. During a 2016 investor conference in New York, PREIT's Coradino said recent buyers of his company's malls could expect rates of return or "capitalization rates" of up to 17 percent, indicating low sale prices relative to anticipated rental income. At the time, PREIT was responding to shareholder pressure to quickly prune its portfolio of low-achieving malls. Investors in retail real estate more commonly see returns in the 7 percent range, which was around the average rate during the first three months of this year on deals for U.S. malls, strip centers and other multi-tenant retail properties, according to a report by real estate tracker Real Capital Analytics. PREIT's former malls most in off-the-beaten-path markets and with department-store anchors bearing uncertain futures traded at the higher rates because they were seen as riskier investments. Namdar may have been willing to take on that risk because it was borrowing cheaply enough for the properties to generate lots of cash for the company before rental revenue cratered completely, thanks at least in part to its Israeli bond issue. As of December 2016, affiliate Namco had raised 450 million shekels ($124.4 million) while paying interest of only 5.8 percent, according to a report published at the time by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. If a buyer tried to borrow money from U.S. investors to acquire out-of-the-way shopping malls, it would have had trouble finding any takers and certainly would not have found anyone willing to accept rates that low, said Thomas Gorman, a senior vice president at commercial real estate firm CBRE's capital markets unit. The model seems to be working out in Voorhees, said the township's DiNatale, for Namdar at least. "From what I see, they're turning a profit," he said. "Even if we're half-empty, we're also half-full." Superintendent William Hite (right) gestures as he sits next to Uri Monson, district chief financial officer, during a Philadelphia School District hearing in City Hall in 2017. Read more Councilwoman Cindy Bass looked at School Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. and cut to the chase: She and her colleagues are being asked to vote for a hefty tax increase to support city schools, and their constituents are wary. "The deficit is a minute away, and people are paying bills to keep their household going," Bass said Wednesday at a City Council hearing on the Philadelphia School District's budget. "A large part of my district has seen very large tax increases." Bass and some other Council members signaled discomfort with the roughly $700 million in additional funding Mayor Kenney and school officials have asked them to come up with as part of a proposed 4.1 percent property tax hike. The school system, which has proposed a $3.2 billion budget for next year, lacks the ability to raise its own revenue, and without an infusion of city cash, it faces a roughly $700 million deficit by 2023. But, some Council members pointed out, that deficit doesn't show up until 2020. "If we have two more years of not going negative, why are we dealing with this now?" Councilman Allan Domb asked. Hite and Uri Monson, the district's chief financial officer, have long pitched the case for fiscal stability. Year after year, the district has gone, hat in hand, to Council, asking it to fill a looming budget gap caused by a structural deficit. When Kenney pitched local control of the school system to the city, he made it clear that one key reason was to end the cycle of budget cuts and volatility. "Fiscal stability allows us to make proper educational investments," Monson said. "The earlier we deal with [the deficit], the less pain. If you wait too long, it becomes a much more drastic fix." Alfredo Pratico, a Masterman junior and president of the district's citywide student government, echoed the district's call for more funds now. "The new school board and City Council and the mayor and every citizen now has the power to right a wrong," Pratico said. "Yes, there is a price to a good education, but the price of doing nothing is far higher." If Council goes for the big tax increase, Bass wanted to know, will that put Philadelphia on par with districts like Lower Merion, Cheltenham, and Radnor? "People want to see us go higher, go much higher, than we are." While the district has made gains, particularly in early literacy, overall just a third of Philadelphia School District students currently meet state standards in reading and about 20 percent do so in math. The graduation rate has inched up also, but sits at 67 percent of students receiving a diploma in four years. "I don't think that we would be receiving the pushback that we are if I was able to tell my constituents that we're going to be on par with those neighboring districts," Bass said. But Philadelphia has miles to go, Hite said the money Kenney wants will help, but the city spends just half (about $15,000 per student) of what Lower Merion (about $30,000 per student) spends. In Philadelphia, every school having a full-time counselor and nurse is a relatively new phenomenon after years of budget cuts. "We should be taking that for granted," Hite said. Pennsylvania has the nation's largest gap in spending between wealthy and poor districts, and Councilwoman Helen Gym said that in some ways, that won't be fixed until the way the state funds schools is changed. (A lawsuit on the subject is winding its way through the courts.) "It's fair for us to demand more, and to drive understanding that a constant civil rights violation is going on every day, in every classroom, in our state," Gym said. Council had questions for school leaders on environmental hazards in schools, the subject of a recent Inquirer and Daily News investigation. Hite and Danielle Floyd, the district's chief operating officer, said they were addressing problems. But, Hite said, "we need to raise our expectations around what are acceptable cleanliness and maintenance conditions. We need to be more vigilant about how we do this work. We are facing a challenge that may seem too big to solve, but it's not." Three new installations have arrived this month to occupy Eastern State Penitentiary's achingly depressing and dilapidated solitary confinement cells, joining 10 others already there. Two are conceptual works by artistic collectives, each taking up two cells. One is by an individual artist Rachel Livedalen situated in the prison greenhouse. Photo Requests from Solitary is the work of the artist collective Solitary Watch, which invites imprisoned men and women held in long-term isolation to request photos they would like to see, and makes those requests available to the public. The installation offers wall-mounted grids of poignant handwritten letters asking for images of sunsets, New York City vistas, and wolves in the wild. A video monitor in the cell next door shows the images the prisoners received. Electric Kite, by the collective Provisional Island, uses two cells across the hall from each other and is more severely minimal. One cell displays a pedestal holding a handmade radio transmitter hidden inside the carved-out pages of a book. The other has a receiving radio, exhibited in a clear casing and also on a pedestal. An accompanying audio compilation airs segments from historic radio shows recorded in prisons and internment camps. Livedalen's Doris Jean, rendered in black vinyl on the greenhouse's glass panes, is the most visually exciting, although it avoids any opinion on imprisonment. Indeed, Livdalen's replicas of newspaper articles about the 1955 death of Philadelphia heiress Doris Jean Ostreicher and subsequent trial of soon-to-be Eastern State prisoner Milton Schwartz feel, frankly, fun even considering their dark origins. And they look fantastic. Through Nov. 30 at Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Ave., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Information: 215-236-3300 or easternstate.org. Rachel Rose at PMA The Philadelphia Museum of Art's new video installation Wil-o-Wisp is remarkable in at least three respects. There's the video itself, of course, a dark fairy tale that could have borrowed its stylistic cues from Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon, Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby, and any number of silent films. And there is Rachel Rose, the young artist who conceived, directed, and shot it. Since earning an M.F.A. from Columbia University in 2013, Rose has been given solo exhibitions at London's Serpentine Gallery and the Whitney Museum of American Art. In addition to Wil-o-Wisp at the Art Museum, she has works in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, London's Tate, and Japan's Ishikawa Foundation, among others. Third is the arrangement that brought Wil-o-Wisp to Philadelphia. Rose's exhibition marks the inauguration of Future Fields Commission in Time-Based Media, a shared initiative of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Turin, Italy, that will support the production of a new video, film, sound, or performance work every two years. The two institutions will exhibit those future commissions and acquire them for their collections. Wil-o-Wisp is in the same large gallery that hosted the majority of Bruce Nauman's Contrapposto Studies last year, but is shown on a screen in the middle of the rectangular gallery and can be viewed from behind as well as from the front. The video is projected on semitransparent projection scrims that create a shimmering effect of moire patterns. Viewers can stand while watching the video it's just over 10 minutes long or sit on cushions and carpeting that are part of Rose's installation. Viewers' footprints have already left moire-like patterns in the carpeting, echoing the patterns made by the scrims. At its core, Rose's video tells the story of Elspeth Blake, who lives with her family in rural 16th-century Somerset, England. The protagonist undergoes a tragedy and is thought to have died, then reemerges in another village as a mystic and healer, where her practice of magic lands her in trouble. Blake's trajectory, compelling as it is, is also a thread to connect Rose's multiple references. It unfolds in chapters like silent films of old, with musical scoring and sound effects that bring to mind contemporary movie features. The video concludes with appropriated early 20th-century footage that purported to show light-filled fairies at night. It's a fitting finale for this transporting collage of image, sound, history, and place. Through Sept. 16 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays (Wednesdays and Fridays to 8:45 p.m.). Information: 215-763-8100 or philamuseum.org. A first show, at last John DeMelas, a Philadelphia-born son of Sardinian immigrants who attended art school after serving overseas in the U.S. Army and later worked as an offset printer and who with his wife raised three children on Pine Street, where he still lives never expected to have a show. But the 93-year-old artist is finally getting his closeup in a survey at the Pete Checchia Photography & Arts Studio. "Dreamscapes: The Art of John DeMelas" includes portraits of the artist's wife, children, and fellow soldiers, along with landscapes of the New Jersey coast, whimsical studies of rabbits, and a series of uninhibited Rapidograph ink drawings on paper napkins. Through May 20 at Pete Checchia Photography & Arts, 733 N. Second St., 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays, noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. Information: inliquid.org/calendar/dreamscapes For more than 40 years, shock jock Howard Stern has made a career out of saying just about whatever he wants to his listeners. So, when his speech lauding Bon Jovi during the New Jersey band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was cut for time, he was a little bit upset. OK, very upset. Stern kicked off his SiriusXM radio show on Monday by tearing into HBO, which broadcast the April 14 induction ceremony on Saturday, with a 20-minute rant about his speech, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The jock, it seems, was miffed because he didn't include any inflammatory remarks in his speech. >> Bon Jovi celebrates WMMR's 50th birthday at the Wells Fargo Center "I really crafted my words. I wanted to make people laugh. I wanted to have a good time," Stern said on his Howard 100 program. "I really crafted the thing so some editor could determine if I was funny in places? They were probably like, 'Hey, that's a funny joke, but we've got to cut somewhere.' No, you don't have to cut somewhere!" During his rant, Stern also said that Rock Hall Foundation officials wanted him at the ceremony so badly, they used a private jet to fly the radio host to Cleveland to attend the induction. "You can't fly me to fing Cleveland and ask me to make a speech and then edit the s out of me," he said. "I wasn't there talking about my career. I spent a lot of time on that and they spent three minutes deciding what should be in and out They completelygutted me. Like a rotting fish, which I am. That's how I feel inside." Stern's process of writing the speech has been a focus on the host's radio show several times over the last few months, as the Hollywood Reporter pointed out. As Stern said previously, Jon Bon Jovi asked him to induct the band. He also brought up bouts of anxiety he dealt with in writing the speech. On the show, producer Gary Dell'Abate said HBO cut about three minutes from Stern's speech to fit the three-hour broadcast. Stern said there were other speeches that could have been cut. >> Read more: Is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a popularity contest? At least Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe got in "Oh, yeah, trust me, there was another 15 minutes," he said. "I've sat in on these sessions. It's kind of like, 'Yeah, cut that!' It's like a butcher shop." Now, the shock jock says he is pretty much done giving speeches. "I did that for Jon and Richie and David because I've known them for so long and I couldn't say no," Stern said. "I'm glad I wentBut watching it back was painful because I didn't like being edited. And they might have been rightI just don't want to be edited." In Jersey, Bon Jovi is a legendary group, and it even has its own day in the state April 14, of course thanks to Gov. Murphy. Recently, Bon Jovi performed in Philly at the Wells Fargo Center, where it celebrated WMMR's 50th anniversary. "I can't say enough about how supportive he and that station have been to us," frontman Jon Bon Jovi told the Inquirer last month. "You have to figure, there's a good portion of the planet that believes I'm from Philly, probably because of all the Philly relationships that I was blessed am still blessed to have in my life." Rumpa Banerjee listened in court Wednesday morning as Children's Hospital of Philadelphia physicians pronounced a medical opinion that no parent wants to imagine: that her child shows no signs of activity in his brain. "It was a very hard thing to hear," the Burlington County woman said afterward. Areen Chakrabarti, 14, has been on life support for more than three weeks, after suffering smoke inhalation and severe brain injury during a fire in the family's Bordentown home. The hospital seeks to remove the boy from a ventilator and other life-sustaining treatment against his mother's wishes, according to Banerjee and her attorney, Christopher Bagnato. The hospital has declined to comment publicly; in court, its attorneys have cited a legal obligation to protect patient privacy. Wednesday marked the first day of a hearing to determine the boy's fate before Judge Matthew D. Carrafiello in the Orphans' Court Division of Philadelphia Common Pleas Court. (In addition to handling cases that concern orphans, that division hears matters involving other individuals who are unable to manage their own affairs.) In April, an initial proceeding before Judge Abbe Fletman was closed to the public, and Carrafiello said Wednesday he would do the same, adding that the boy's interests were represented by a court-appointed guardian. After the morning session, Bagnato said two physicians from CHOP testified that Areen is "brain dead." In Pennsylvania and most other states, a patient who suffers from complete, irreversible brain death may be declared legally dead and removed from life support. But in New Jersey, where the family hopes to find a hospital that will admit Areen, lawmakers enacted a religious exclusion that in some cases may limit a physician's authority to declare death. If a patient's faith dictates that he or she is alive so long as the cardiovascular system is functioning, then a physician cannot issue a legal declaration of death based on brain death alone, according to Thaddeus Pope, director of the Health Law Institute at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minn. Banerjee and her son are Hindu. When Areen was admitted to CHOP on April 15, physicians urged his mother to consider removing him from life support. After more than a week, the hospital told her the boy would be removed from life support if tests revealed a complete lack of brain activity. Banerjee, who has maintained a near-constant bedside vigil at the hospital, says her son remains aware of her presence. She said when the boy's blood pressure becomes elevated, it falls again when she speaks to him. Bagnato, the attorney for Areen's mother, accused the hospital of seeking to remove Areen from life support in part due to monetary concerns. "They're saying it takes away resources" from other patients, Bagnato said after the hearing. "When you talk about resources, you think about money." Areen, who is on the autism spectrum, ran upstairs during confusion of the April 14 fire and had succumbed to the smoke by the time firefighters could rescue him. An hour before sunrise one day last spring, Krysten Laib parked her olive green Subaru Legacy on North Fifth Street near the U.S. Mint. She had just dropped off her last Uber passenger, who later told police Laib seemed "nervous but not upset." Driving for Uber, typically overnight, brought in some money while Laib coped with major depression. Just getting out of bed was a challenge at times. "Patient is severely depressed, and simple tasks are difficult," her psychiatrist wrote in January 2017. "Poor daily functioning." Laib, 45, had taken leave from her job as a nursing assistant at an area hospital to deal with her condition and hoped to weather her recovery with long-term disability insurance. However, the insurer, Sun Life Assurance of Canada, rejected her claim. "The medical and psychiatric treatment documentation does not provide satisfactory proof of Ms. Laib's inability to perform" as a nursing assistant, Sun Life wrote on March 16, 2017. Twenty-five days later, after sitting in her car on Fifth Street from 5:33 to 6 a.m., she got out and walked in darkness toward the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Parking tickets led police to her abandoned car and a suicide note. They found Laib's body in the Delaware River on April 26. "I wasn't there to catch her," Laib's mother, Kathleen Kelly, said nearly a year after her daughter's death. "I couldn't catch her." There is no evidence that the insurer's rejection directly caused Laib's suicide. It was one of many crises, large and small, that piled up in the months before she died. But interviews with family and friends, and comments she made before her death, show the struggle for coverage weighed on her. Mental illness is the fourth most common condition cited in disability claims, but the people suffering from it can have a particularly difficult time getting the benefit. Her case illustrates a central tension in the American health-care system, said lawyers, mental-health advocates, and insurance industry experts: Prove that you are too mentally ill to work without losing everything. >>READ MORE: Suicide warnings and resources "These policies are designed to say no," said Michael Brody, president of the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania. "The hoops that people have to jump through in order to qualify for total disability, especially as it relates to a behavioral health condition, are enormous." Laib began treatment for depression a month before taking leave from work at Chestnut Hill Hospital, which made her eligible to apply for long-term disability benefits, up to 60 percent of her pay if injury or sickness made it impossible for her to do her job. She was among the one-third of private-industry workers who have access to long-term disability insurance. On average, about two out of three claims are approved quickly. Rejection, though, can mean a prolonged fight. Sun Life declined to comment on the details of Laib's case, citing confidentiality, but its correspondence with Laib's attorneys cited a lack of documentation in her file, something that can be toxic for a disability claim. "While a physician's diagnosis is a critical part of the process, it is not the only component that is assessed when looking at a disability claim," said Cathryn Donaldson, a spokeswoman for America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry advocacy group. "Just a diagnosis from a physician does not necessarily equate to a disability." Laib's lawyers, though, say they answered Sun Life's questions, only to be met with demands for still more information and further rejection. In a letter from Sun Life written after Laib's death, the insurer added one more reason for denial: Because Laib was driving for Uber before she died something her lawyers say her policy should have allowed she was well enough to work. "The facts are the facts," her lawyer Graham Baird said. "She was so depressed that she killed herself, but at the same time, she had to work or she would be homeless." She couldnt reach herself Laib picked up her last passenger at 4:22 a.m. April 11, 2017, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital on South 10th Street. She dropped off the person 21 minutes later at Axe Factory Road in Northeast Philadelphia, said Abington Police Lt. Steve Fink, who handled the case because Laib was reported missing in her hometown. Laib then drove to Old City and ended her life. "She was everything I wished I could be," her mother, Kelly, said. Laib's family and friends described a woman of uncommon poise, a natural dancer. Laib was generous even in childhood, they said. A close friend, Jessica Whitford, recalled the teenage Laib as passionate for singing, dancing, and Pat Benatar's music. She was quiet but had an easy way with strangers and deep compassion for people in need. >>READ MORE: 'Deaths of despair' double over 10 years in Pennsylvania. "She always gave people grace," Whitford, now of Los Angeles, said. "She was never angry." Later, while studying nursing, Laib excelled in working with patients. "Krysten had this unwavering ability to encourage others and help them see their value," Sue Murphy, an instructor at Montgomery County Community College, said at Laib's funeral. Laib graduated from Temple University in 1994 and had hoped to become a lawyer before a mid-career shift from paralegal work to health care. She began taking nursing classes at MCCC in 2008. Despite her talents, Laib struggled to find her place, friends said. "She couldn't reach herself," said Rosemarie Timoney, who taught Laib at the Timoney School of Irish Dance in Glenside. Laib did not seek mental-health treatment until after an episode in August 2015, her mother said, when she broke down over homework, crying that "she couldn't think." A hiatus from school followed. She was diagnosed with depression in December 2015, records show, and a month later took medical leave from Chestnut Hill Hospital, where she had worked for more than a year and a half. Laib returned to nursing school, records show, but failed a critical exam in August 2016 and was dropped from the program. The same month, Sun Life rejected her claim for long-term disability. Her leave from work expired a month later, costing her her employer-based health insurance. She spent most of two weeks in bed around that time, Kelly said, and her Facebook posts were so alarming a friend called police out of concern Laib might hurt herself. Later the same year, a romantic relationship ended abruptly. Her financial situation deteriorated, too. Laib liquidated a $25,000 IRA, much of her retirement money, to pay for health insurance and the mortgage on her home, where her mother also lived. Eventually her older brother began paying the mortgage. She started driving for Uber in fall 2016. "She felt like such a burden to her mother," said Mary LeMieux-Fillery, an attorney who helped Laib with her claim. "I could definitely see the progressive decline in her." Laib never applied for Social Security disability benefits (SSDI) a source of help for people with physical or mental health disabilities, her mother said. Kelly said Laib was discouraged by her experience with Sun Life, but in general, SSDI benefits aren't accessible until a person has been out of work for at least five months. Sun Life's records chronicled a year of illness as Laib struggled to regain her footing. Jan. 19, 2016: "anxiety related to starting nursing school. Struggling with depression was reported." April 12, 2016: "Ms. Laib continued to report feelings of hopelessness, depression, hypersomnia, fatigue, irritability, anhedonia, decreased focus, and distractibility." May 19, 2016: "She was not leaving the house except to go to school." Nov. 1, 2016: "Ms. Laib reported her disability claim was turned down. She was upset by this." Jan. 20, 2017, four months before her death: "Depressed mood, no interest, no motivation, poor concentration, poor focus, worthlessness, and guilt." Diagnosis isnt enough After initially being denied for long-term disability, Laib appealed but was rejected in March 2017. More than 60 percent of appeals are denied, according to a 2017 report from the American Council of Life Insurers. Less than 1 percent of those denials lead to lawsuits, the vast majority of which are unsuccessful. Federal law makes it difficult for a judge to overturn an insurer's denial in most states. Seventeen states have passed rules or laws to balance the field between an insurer and a person claiming disability, but Pennsylvania isn't one of them. Sun Life assigned three experts to review Laib's appeal. They wrote that her claim lacked documentation on how she was examined or specifics on how her condition limited her ability to work. "Disability is not paid on a diagnosis," said Carol Harnett, president of the nonprofit Council for Disability Awareness. "It's paid on the impact a condition has on your ability to perform." Sun Life conducts an evaluation of a claimant's records and activities when it receives a long-term disability claim, a spokesman said. "Our sincerest condolences are with her family," said Devon Portney Fernald, a Sun Life spokesman. "When someone files a claim for total disability, we seek to obtain and consider all relevant information, including whether the person was working or conducting activities related to their occupation." Insurers' rigor protects against fraudulent claims and ensures financial stability, industry experts said. Sun Life's claim review also noted it tried to contact Laib's providers for more details but did not hear back. The concern about documentation is legitimate and complicated, said Joe Dvoskin, an Arizona-based psychologist and national consultant on mental-health issues, but added, "It doesn't seem right to punish her because the doctors don't respond." Federal regulators have said, though, that insurers' approach can penalize ill and injured people in need. "Insurers and plans looking to contain disability benefit costs may be motivated to aggressively dispute disability claims," stated a recently enacted Department of Labor rule to protect people making disability claims. The Department of Labor noted 64 percent of all lawsuits filed over benefits involved long-term disability claims. "If it's a close case, they'll deny the claim," said Mike Salmanson, a Philadelphia disability attorney of 30 years with no connection to Laib's case. "Maybe the person will drop out of the appeal. Maybe they won't file a lawsuit. At the end of the day, [the insurer] will just have to pay what they should have paid to begin with." Insufficient information caused 18.5 percent of all long-term disability claim denials in 2016, the single most common reason cited, according to the ACLI report. Claims denied due to fraud were too infrequent to register as a percentage. The path to disability benefits is even more fraught when mental illness is involved. The effectiveness of mental-health treatments varies by person, making it difficult to predict the results of a treatment regimen, and there is no X-ray or blood test that can clearly quantify the illness' severity. "I think that the mental illness part of this comes in, even where you have someone who is treated, even someone like Krysten who was taking anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication," said Baird, who took over Laib's case when LeMieux-Fillery changed jobs. "It's still hard to ultimately show that that person is disabled from all work." Information is not made public that reveals how insurers' long-term disability rejection rate for people with mental illness compares with the overall rate. As a result, defining the depth of the problem facing the mentally ill is difficult. Before Laib died, Kelly thought her daughter was recovering. There was a job interview ahead, and she had been accepted to Bucks County Community College's nursing program. People treating Laib wrote in several evaluations that she was not a suicide risk. Anticipating suicide can be complicated, said Catherine Moutier, chief medical officer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Probing questions are needed to uncover suicidal thoughts, she said. And suicide can be spontaneous, with months or years of ideation culminating in a decision acted upon within minutes, experts said. Laib ran out of medication treating her depression Zoloft, an antidepressant, and Seroquel, an antipsychotic a few days before her death. She planned to refill the prescription but never did. Moutier said that suddenly stopping treatment can be dangerous. "They're being utilized to treat a medical illness of the brain," Moutier said. "Because the brain is a physical organ and arguably the most complex organ in the body, there are potentially real ramifications when you abruptly discontinue." In her final note, Laib typed: "I am tired of struggling and being a constant disappointment to everyone, including myself." She added, in handwriting: "I'm sorry, mom." It is unknowable whether more financial stability would have helped Laib weather her depression. Her mother is furious, though, that it took suicide to prove the depth of Laib's illness. Today, Kelly takes solace in faith and memories. A young Krysten asking a mall Santa to bring gifts for poorer children. Her habit of brushing her hand against her mom's back. There's guilt, though, and the awful question: Could she have done more? And there's grief that can't be salved. "I miss her," Kelly said. "She was my buddy." Earlier this month, an Indian man was killed while trying to take a selfie next to a wounded bear. It's actually the third selfie-related death in India since December: On two separate occasions, elephants ended up taking the lives of people trying to snap images with the mammals. Animals don't pose the only danger to selfie seekers. Heights have also resulted in fatalities. A Polish tourist in Seville, Spain fell off a bridge and died attempting to take a selfie. And a Cessna pilot lost control of his plane killing himself and his passengers while trying to take a selfie in 2014. In 2015, Russian authorities even launched a campaign warning that "A cool selfie could cost you your life." The reason? Police estimated nearly 100 Russians had died or suffered injuries from attempting to take "daredevil" selfies, or photos of themselves in dangerous situations. Examples included a woman wounded by a gunshot (she survived), two men blown up holding grenades (they did not), and people taking pics on top of moving trains. People who frequently post selfies are often targets for accusations of narcissism and tastelessness. But what's really going on here? What is it about the self-portrait that's so resonant as a form of communication? And why, psychologically, might someone feel so compelled to snap the perfect selfie that they'd risk their life, or the lives of others? While there are no definitive answers, as a psychologist I find these questions and this unique 21st-century phenomenon worth exploring further. A brief history of the selfie Robert Cornelius, an early American photographer, has been credited with taking the first selfie: in 1839, Cornelius, using one of the earliest cameras, set up his camera and ran into the shot. The broader availability of point-and-shoot cameras in the 20th century led to more self-portraits, with many using the (still) popular method of snapping a photograph in front of a mirror. Selfie technology took a giant leap forward with the invention of the camera phone. Then, of course, there was the introduction of the selfie stick. For a brief moment the stick was celebrated: Time named it one of the 25 best inventions of 2014. But critics quickly dubbed it the Naricisstick and the sticks are now banned in many museums and parks, including Walt Disney Resort. Despite the criticism directed at selfies, their popularity is only growing. Conclusive numbers seem lacking, with estimates of daily selfie posts ranging from one million to as high as 93 million on Android devices alone. Whatever the true number, a Pew survey from 2014 suggests the selfie craze skews young. While 55 percent of millennials reported sharing a selfie on a social site, only 33 percent of the silent generation (those born between 1920 and 1945) even knew what a selfie was. A British report from 2016 also suggests younger women are more active participants in selfie-taking, spending up to five hours a week on self-portraits. The biggest reason for doing so? Looking good. But other reasons included making others jealous and making cheating partners regret their infidelities. Confidence booster or instrument of narcissism? Some do see selfies as a positive development. Psychology professor Pamela Rutledge believes they celebrate "regular people." And UCLA psychologist Andrea Letamendi believes that selfies "allow young adults to express their mood states and share important experiences." Some have argued that selfies can boost confidence by showing others how "awesome" you are, and can preserve important memories. Still, there are plenty of negative associations with taking selfies. While selfies are sometimes lauded as a means for empowerment, one European study found that time spent looking at social media selfies is associated with negative body image thoughts among young women. Apart from injuries, fatalities and tastelessness, one big issue with selfies appears to be their function as either a cause or consequence of narcissism. Peter Gray, writing for Psychology Today, describes narcissism as "an inflated view of the self, coupled with a relative indifference to others." Narcissists tend to overrate their talents and respond with anger to criticism. They are also more likely to bully and less likely to help others. According to Gray, surveys of college students show the trait is far more prevalent today than even as recently as 30 years ago. Do selfies and narcissism correlate? Psychologist Gwendolyn Seidman suggests that there's a link. She cites two studies that examined the prevalence of Facebook selfies in a sample of over 1,000 people. Men in the sample who posted a greater number of selfies were more likely to show evidence of narcissism. Among female respondents, the number of selfie posts was associated only with a subdimension of narcissism called "admiration demand," defined as "feeling entitled to special status or privileges and feeling superior to others." Bottom line: selfies and narcissism appear to be linked. How we stack up against others Selfies seem to be this generation's preferred mode of self-expression. Psychologists who study the self-concept have suggested that our self-image and how we project it is filtered through two criteria: believability (how credible are the claims I make about myself) and beneficiality (how attractive, talented and desirable are the claims I make about myself). In this sense, the selfie is the perfect medium: it's an easy way to offer proof of an exciting life, extraordinary talent and ability, unique experiences, personal beauty and attractiveness. As a psychologist, I find it important not only to ask why people post selfies, but also to ask why anyone bothers looking at them. Evidence suggests that people simply like viewing faces. Selfies attract more attention and more comments than any other photos, and our friends and peers reinforce selfie-taking by doling out "likes" and other forms of approval on social media. One explanation for why people are so drawn to looking at selfies could be a psychological framework called social comparison theory. The theory's originator, Leon Festinger, proposed that people have an innate drive to evaluate themselves in comparison with others. This is done to improve how we feel about ourselves (self-enhancement), evaluate ourselves (self-evaluation), prove we really are the way we think we are (self-verification) and become better than we are (self-improvement). It's a list that suggests a range of motives that appear quite positive. But reality, unfortunately, is not so upbeat. Those most likely to post selfies appear to have lower self-esteem than those who don't. In sum, selfies draw attention, which seems like a good thing. But so do car accidents. The approval that comes from "likes" and positive comments on social media is rewarding particularly for the lonely, isolated or insecure. However, the evidence, on balance (combined with people and animals dying!), suggests there is little to celebrate about the craze. Michael Weigold, Professor of Advertising, University of Florida. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Dodging the clouds of toxic cigarette smoke along city streets and at building entrances has become the norm for those wanting to avoid the health risks from breathing in second-hand smoke. But if you think being in a smoke-free building will shield you from the negative health effects of second-hand smoke, you are in for a surprise. Now there is third-hand smoke: the residue that can be carried on clothing and hair or left behind on couches and counters long after cigarette smoke has cleared. Turns out toxic particles can be activated and released back into the air. Researchers at Drexel University looked at how particles from outside air get inside and found a "chemical signature" that didn't exist outdoors which they identified as third-hand smoke, said Peter F. DeCarlo, lead author of the study published Wednesday in Science Advances. "It was a completely unexpected result," said DeCarlo, an associate professor of environmental engineering and chemistry. Third-hand smoke particles can become reactivated when they come into contact with the natural ammonia that is emitted from the human body. Indoor temperatures and humidity also play a role in that process, making exposure more of an issue in summer months, he said. The researchers tested the air of an unoccupied classroom where smoking had not been allowed in decades. They found that 29 percent of the indoor aerosol mass contained third-hand smoke particles. While particulate matter in air is a small fraction of what we breathe in, the worrisome factor was the concentration of contamination, DeCarlo said. Being in a room that is contaminated with third-hand smoke during an average workday is the equivalent of being in a room filled with second-hand smoke for about five minutes, he said. Since the building was smoke-free and there was no indication anyone was violating that policy, the researchers looked at possible other sources. The room was down the hall from an outdoor balcony where people often go to sneak an illicit smoke. It was also part of the same heating, ventilation and air-conditioning zone as a nearby office space shared by several smokers, and the system recirculated contaminated air throughout the building. Cigarette smoking causes about 480,000 deaths in the United States each year, with more than 41,000 of those deaths attributed to second-hand smoke exposure. Worldwide, there are nearly six million deaths a year related to tobacco use, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The health risks of third-hand smoke are just now becoming more apparent. In a recent Stanford University study using laboratory mice, researchers found that skin contact with the compounds in third-hand smoke increased the severity of asthma symptoms. It is also known to increase the risk of lung cancer in mice, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found. Young children are particularly vulnerable. They are more likely to be crawling on contaminated carpets or ingesting the residue when they put their hands in their mouths. Concentrations of third-hand smoke particles are likely higher in residences, hotel rooms, or rental cars where people have previously smoked, the Drexel researchers found. The effects of third-hand smoke need to be part of the discussion when it comes to smoking policies governing areas where the public can be exposed, DeCarlo said. He pointed to the Philadelphia Housing Authority policy that bans smoking in all living units, indoor common areas, administrative offices, and outdoor areas up to 25 feet from residential and office buildings as a step in the right direction. In February 2017, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that all public housing must have a smoke-free policy in place by the end of July 2018. There are some things you can do if your apartment recently converted to a smoke-free unit or if you buy a home previously occupied by a smoker. The American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation recommends washing walls and ceilings with detergent and hot water, then applying two to three coats of paint. If the walls are not thoroughly cleaned, nicotine can seep through the new paint. Remove any rugs and padding, then wash floors before replacing carpets. Replace all curtains, blinds or wall coverings. Clean out ventilation ducts and replace all filters. "'Nonsmoking' really doesn't mean nonsmoking, and that is worrisome," DeCarlo said. Miriam Turcios, originally from Honduras, pauses outside the Kensington offices of New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia. The Trump administration revoked the Temporary Protected Status that allows Turcios and others to live and work here legally. Read more The federal government says Miriam Turcios must go, leave behind her family, her job, her North Philadelphia house, and return to her troubled and dangerous homeland of Honduras. She won't go easily, she says. Not after 24 years in the United States. She has faith in God and the future, she says, and believes Americans have caring hearts, even if their government can seem callous. "We'll keep fighting because our family needs us," Turcios said in Spanish. "This is a country of immigrants. It made me sad somebody who has the education and power of the president does not recognize that." Last week the Department of Homeland Security announced it would terminate Temporary Protected Status for Honduras, placing about 57,000 foreign nationals at risk of deportation. TPS, as it is known, is a special immigration status that allows about 320,000 people from 10 countries to live and work here because of war, floods, droughts, or epidemics in their home nations. The status was never meant to be permanent when it was enacted by Congress in 1990. The government holds the power to designate a country for TPS, and to decide when conditions merit its cessation. The Trump administration ended TPS for six nations in its first 16 months, part of its promised crackdown down on legal and illegal immigration. Losing status were Sudan, Nicaragua, Nepal, Haiti, and El Salvador, the last accounting for more TPS holders than any other country. Nationwide, Hondurans make up the second-largest group, although their community in Philadelphia is small 3,386 people, concentrated northwest of Center City, census figures show. The nearest TPS deadline is faced by the 1,270 Yemenis and Somalis living in America; their status is set to expire in September, with government decisions about possible extensions due in July, according to the National Immigration Forum in Washington. Hondurans were driven here by Hurricane Mitch, which struck Central America in October 1998. It devastated Honduras and Nicaragua, killed more than 11,000, and left millions homeless. The U.S. granted TPS to Honduras three months later in 1999. On Friday, in announcing the TSP termination, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen said Honduras has made substantial progress in its post-hurricane recovery. She allowed an 18-month window to provide for orderly returns, meaning people must leave the country by Jan. 5, 2020. On Wednesday, an already-filed federal lawsuit seeking to protect Haitian and Salvadoran immigrants from losing TPS status was amended to include Hondurans. Brought by the Massachusetts-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Justice, the suit argues that Trump's decisions on who must leave have been racially motivated. The administration's swift moves to end nations' TPS status have angered those who support and welcome immigrants. Over time, the renewal of six- or 18-month extensions had become routine for some countries. As years passed, people put down roots, had children, bought houses, paid taxes, took out loans and mortgages. That's what Turcios did. At 61, she has a husband, a son and daughter-in-law, and two grandsons, 10 and 7, both American citizens by birth. She works as a seamstress, helping to support another grandson in Honduras. What, Turcios wonders, remains for her in Honduras after more than two decades away? "Our children, our grandchildren, have made their lives here," she said. "The separation of families is heartbreaking." Turcios came to America in 1994. When Honduras was designated for TPS five years later, that offered a means for her to stay and work legally. TPS's purpose is to give a country time to get back on its feet after war or disaster, accepting immigrants to take some pressure off the struggling nation. People who are already in the U.S. without legal status can step forward and be granted TPS, provided they pass background checks and prove they are citizens of the affected country, said lawyer John Vandenberg, head of the Philadelphia chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Turcios stayed and built a life. She's a member of the immigration-activist group New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, wanting to advocate for people who come here from many different lands. Honduras is home to about nine million people roughly the same as New Jersey but more than half live in poverty, according to the CIA World Fact Book. It is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. Immigration advocates say hurricane recovery has been slow, and sending people back is inhumane. Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Corruption in the police and judiciary is rampant, according to Human Rights Watch. The State Department has urged Americans to reconsider traveling to Honduras, saying violent crime including murder and armed robbery is common, and gang activity in extortion, rape, and narcotics- and human-trafficking is widespread. Turcios hasn't yet figured out what she'll do if she's forced back to Honduras. The news is still too fresh. "I came here looking for a better future," Turcios said. "Thanks to the U.S. God bless America I have a roof over my head. We're not doing anything wrong here. We're not hurting anyone. We're helping." This article contains information from the Associated Press. John Legend arrives at the Billboard Music Awards at the T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, May 21, 2017, in Las Vegas. Read more University of Pennsylvania grad John Legend will soon be appearing on your local smart speaker sans music, thanks to a recently announced deal with Google to add the R&B crooner's voice to Google Assistant. Legend's voice will be one of six new voices coming to the virtual assistant app this year, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said at the company's I/O developer conference on Tuesday. The voices were developed using Wavenet, a technology that comes from Google's DeepMind artificial intelligence research unit, which the company acquired in 2014. "Wavenet models underlying raw audio to create a more natural voice. It's closer to how humans speak," Pichai said Tuesday. "The pitch, the pace, even all the pauses that convey meaning you want to get all that right." The new voices will be available on phone and home speaker editions of Google Assistant this year, Pichai added. A video played during the announcement showed Legend recording some audio for the project, including phrases like "i want a puppy with sweet eyes, and a fluffy tail" and "happy birthday to the person whose birthday it is." As Pichai explained, Wavenet will extrapolate Legend's voice for specific questions and requests for use in Google Assistant. "Clearly he didn't spend all the time in the studio answering every possible question that you could ask," Pichai said. "But Wavenet allowed us to shorten the studio time, and the model can actually capture the richness of his voice." Following Google's announcement, Legend's wife, Chrissy Teigen, joked on Twitter that "I don't even need human John anymore." "Well," Legend replied online, "the Google Assistant doesn't do everything." As it turns out, he also makes good burgers: Held annually, Google's multi-day I/O event serves a place for the company to tease advancements in artificial intelligence, as well as provide previews of upcoming products. Legend is a 1999 Penn grad, having majored in English with a concentration in African-American literature and culture. During his time at Penn, Legend was known for his performances as part of Counterparts, an a cappella group at the school, as well as his piano playing, the Daily Pennsylvanian reports. In 2014, Legend returned to the school to give a commencement speech in which he encouraged graduates to "go all in" on their futures. "Cool detachment only gets you so far. Passion gets you a lot further," Legend said. "It makes you a better entrepreneur, a better leader, a better philanthropist, a better friend, a better lover. I want you to live the best life you can." Will President Trump fire Rod Rosenstein? Will Robert Mueller find evidence that Trump has committed crimes? Will Rudy Giuliani and Trump land on a consistent explanation about hush money? Having read and watched a lot of the Trump-scandal coverage, I don't know the answer to any of these questions. What I can tell you is that I'm getting a little sick of some of the cliches that have become regular features of that coverage. First: Not every development in Mueller's investigation is a "constitutional crisis." Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia said "the constitutional crisis is here" when prosecutors raided the office of Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen. Carl Bernstein told CNN viewers that "we're in a constitutional crisis" because Trump is considering firing Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general. When Trump replaced Ty Cobb with Emmet Flood on his legal team, it was guess what? another harbinger of "constitutional crisis." The term gets used so often, you'd almost think it means something. It doesn't. It's just a way for people to sound portentous. Second: Can we cool it with loose talk about the "end" of the Trump presidency? Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham seems to have started this fad when he warned Trump not to fire Mueller, the special prosecutor: "If he tried to do that, that would be the beginning of the end of his presidency." The other night on CNN, Anderson Cooper had two guests agree that firing Mueller would end this presidency. Adam Davidson wrote an article for the New Yorker saying, "We know, with increasing certainty, that we are entering the last phase of the Trump presidency." We know no such thing, of course. How exactly is the presidency going to be ended? Nobody who makes this vague pronouncement bothers to explain. If Trump fires Mueller, will the House impeach him and the Senate vote to remove him from office? Will Sen. Graham himself vote for removal? If he's not even willing to say it now, why should we believe he would do it then? All he was really saying was, "This is a very bad idea and I hope Trump doesn't do it." Doesn't have quite the same oomph, though. A third cliche: "No one cares about Stormy Daniels," as a Fox & Friends host recently put it. Sometimes the point is made specifically about people who voted for Trump. USA Today started a recent report about a survey of such voters thus: "Yes, they think President Trump's lying about Stormy Daniels. And no, they really do not care." Its basis for the generalization: 15 of the 25 people in its survey believed Trump was lying. In a Politico/Morning Consult poll in late March, though, 19 percent of Republicans said "the Stormy Daniels matter" gave them a less favorable view of the president. The same percentage of Republicans (and a plurality of all respondents) said the Federal Election Commission and the Justice Department should investigate whether the payments to her complied with campaign-finance laws. Fifteen percent of people who had voted for Trump agreed. That's a minority of Republicans, of course. Assuming the survey is right, though, it's also millions of people. Reporters and talking heads may not be able to get to the bottom of all the Trump stories. But they can and should avoid these cliches. Otherwise I'm afraid we're at risk of a constitutional crisis. Ramesh Ponnuru is a senior editor for National Review, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and a columnist for Bloomberg View, where this piece originally appeared. Cindy Blum (left) walks into a party to celebrate her 60th birthday at the T.J. Maxx and Marshalls store on Old York Road in Abington on Saturday. Read more When Cindy Blum announced her seriously stylish and ambitious plan to visit 60 count them 60 T.J. Maxx's, Marshalls, and HomeGoods stores as the ultimate way to celebrate six well-lived decades on this here fashionable earth, her friends gasped. Next, they giggled. And then, like any good haute homies would, Blum's chums volunteered to go shopping with her. Blum, her besties, her sister, and her hubby, Richard, visited 59 of the off-price fashion and home decor locations in six states: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, Tennessee, and Florida. The crew of bargain shoppers even started an inside joke: How long does it take to get to the Shore from Abington? It depends on how many T.J. Maxx's, Marshalls, and HomeGoods stores are on the way. Ba-da-boom. On Saturday a week and a day before her 61st birthday Blum visited her final store, the T.J. Maxx in Abington. And she didn't just pop in for a pair of Kate Spade shades or Franco Sarto wedges and call it a year. This was an extra-special trip. So TJX Cos. Inc. in Massachusetts, parent company of Blum's favorite off-price trifecta, threw her quite the fabulous fete, with food, drinks, balloons, and a $1,000 gift card good at all three stores. "I just can't believe it," Blum said as she thanked dozens of family and friends, who joined her at T.J. Maxx on Saturday for a beverage and a bargain. Blum was all smiles in a black, cap-sleeved Calvin Klein sheath, sensible Sam Edelman wedges, and a gold Reiss necklace all of which she picked up this year on her various shopping sojourns. In her manicured hand was a lined journal filled with photos of her smiling and shopping in front of all of the stores she visited. She treated the book like a travelogue. "When I started this, I didn't think it would become this. This is so exciting," she said, her voice pulsating with the kind of glee when you have a good shopping trip every week for a full year. I don't know about you, but Blum's story makes me want to go on a T.J. Maxx shopping expedition myself. In fact, just last week, I popped in to one with my shopping buddy and bought a pair of comfy, nude CL by Laundry wedges for $19 that I'm wearing as I write this. Blum and I are not alone in our love for the Maxx. As department stores try to turn around years of lackluster sales and compete with online shopping, off-price retailers, especially T.J. Maxx which reported an uptick in first-quarter sales in February continue to do well. Why? "People like the treasure trove," said Floris van Dijkum, a retail analyst at the Conchocken investment research firm Boenning & Scattergood. "They offer value, good value, and it's cheaper a lot cheaper." The idea of shopping for labels at a fraction of the price is what lures people in. Though that's a big part of it, the bottom line is that many of us live for the hunt digging through the piles or leafing through the racks to find that perfect piece you didn't think you'd need. To top it all off, when you find that hidden gem and it's way below market value you can brag about it. That was literally Burlington Coat Factory's tagline. When we leave, we feel like we've won, and that explains Blum's sense of accomplishment at completing this goal. Hunting for bargains is a part of Blum's makeup. She grew up one of three in the Northeast with a single mom, who outfitted them at the similarly low-priced, now-defunct Korvettes department store. In 1977, Blum's older sister, Debbie Meyrowitz-Weiss, who, for the record, did not remember this first trip, took Blum to a Marshalls on Long Island. "Back then, the stuff was defective, so you had to look through each piece," Blum said. "But I loved it. I bought a pair of pants for $7 and I got really excited. I thought, 'I can really do this.' " Blum married, had two children, and continued to shop at Marshalls. Her favorite location, whether she was back-to-school or Christmas shopping, was the one on Welsh Road, right off the Boulevard. In 1995, TJX Cos. Inc. bought Marshalls, and though Blum had dabbled at the Maxx, once the conglomerate bought Marshalls, it was a go. "If you look at our pantry, you can find food especially nuts that we got from T.J. Maxx." said Blum's husband of 37 years, Richard. Blum's favorite purchase ever? "I found a North Face coat for my daughter at Marshalls 10 years ago when North Face was really hot," she almost squealed. "A North Face! At Marshalls!" Last year, Blum celebrated the big 6-0 at her Shore home in Ventnor. But when it rained, Blum didn't complain, she just headed to, well, T.J. Maxx. When she got home, family friend Stuart Levin suggested she visit 60 T.J. Maxx stores in one year. "But Richard Richard wasn't too happy," Levin said. On some weekends, Blum said, she'd visit two or three Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and HomeGoods stores. And some weeks she wouldn't go at all. "She used to carry a white board with her and write, number 16, number 18, number 24, and take a picture in front of the store," said friend Valerie Harris. "It really was a lot of fun." In April, Blum wrote a letter to TJX Cos. executives. And they were impressed. Hence the birthday party. But her friends don't think the recognition should stop there. After all, Blum, who bought two summer blouses before she left T.J. Maxx that day, has already planned her next several trips. "I think they should just make her the new face of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls," surmised another friend and fellow shopper, Margie Kramer. I concur. More than one-third of Philadelphians don't bother to respond to calls for jury service, taxing a system already struggling to process hundreds of cases a year, a new study finds. "Depending upon the year, between 36 percent and 42 percent of Philadelphia residents who are mailed a summons fail to respond," says the report released Wednesday by the First Judicial District, the Philadelphia court system. "This high nonresponse rate raises a potential threat to the court's ability to provide sufficient panels of would-be jurors for civil and criminal trials and results in the court's excessive reliance on those who do fulfill their civic duty by responding to the summons for jury service." The percentage who do not respond equates to about 200,000 people, the report found. To be eligible for jury duty, a person must be a Philadelphia resident, a U.S. citizen, and an adult who can read, write, and speak English, and cannot have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony that could carry a punishment of more than a year behind bars. "We had the report done because we were really concerned about the number of people who were not responding," Philadelphia Common Pleas Court President Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper said Wednesday. The report resulted from an 18-month review process conducted by the First Judicial District's Juror Participation Initiative Committee, a blue-ribbon panel of legal professionals and community leaders chaired by Lynn Marks, former executive director of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts. The committee proposed various ways to increase juror participation, including research on possibly relaxing state laws that restrict eligibility based on criminal history. It also suggested ways to reduce hardships to serving, such as increasing compensation to jurors for missing work and providing parking vouchers or transportation discounts. The panel also recommended increasing educational outreach, in particular to Philadelphia neighborhoods with the lowest jury-duty response rates, including parts of North Philadelphia (zip codes 19121 and 19132), University City and West Philadelphia (zip codes 19104 and 19139), and Southwest Philadelphia (zip codes 19142 and 19143). "Misinformation of jury service and skepticism and distrust of government can undermine an accurate and positive view of jury service," Marks said Wednesday. "Education is key, both for adults and for youths. The most effective way to educate school students is through the School District." One misconception, she said, is that "people often think that a trial is going to last a month or weeks." But one-day trials or those that last just a few days are common, she said. "Sometimes people think they're not smart enough," Marks added, but it's important that "people believe regardless of their education, background, or race, or ethnicity" that they can serve on a jury. Another misconception, she said, is that jury duty can't be rescheduled. "When you get your summons and you really can't make that date, rather than throw it in the trash can, ask for a different date," she said. Marks said she thinks people who have been convicted of crimes punishable by more than a year should be able to serve on juries after they have served their time. Some people disproportionately African American men who have served prison time after being convicted of crimes decades ago "could make excellent jurors," she said. "The problem isn't that we don't have enough people to sit on juries, but that we have the same people sitting on juries," said Marks. Woods-Skipper said she serves on a standing committee of Philadelphia judges that "will be going through the report and prioritizing" what can be carried out under budgetary constraints. She stressed that some suggestions in the report including whether convicts who served their time should be allowed to serve on juries would not be a decision implemented by judges, but would have to be taken up by the state legislature. Statewide, jurors are compensated $9 a day for jury duty; that amount increases to $25 a day after the third day of service. Based on court data, 548,900 jury summonses were mailed to Philadelphians in 2016. Of those, 190,024 people or 35 percent did not respond or report for jury service. In the surrounding Pennsylvania counties, only Delaware County had a higher nonresponse rate, 44.9 percent that year, the report found. Other counties in the state's Southeast region showed significantly higher response rates. "The problem of poor juror response rates is not limited to Philadelphia," the report says. Other major cities, including Detroit, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Denver have tried to combat the problem by operating a "show cause" hearing or "Scofflaw Court." Although such hearings may provide a short-lived uptick in the number of people who respond to jury summonses, they "are generally a temporary solution to a persistent problem," the report says. According to state law, failure to appear for jury duty is punishable by a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment of no more than 10 days. Periodic attempts in Philadelphia to punish people who failed to appear for jury duty through a Scofflaw Court had "mixed" effectiveness, and in the long run the compliance rate did not increase, the report found. Dan Rendine, who has served as Philadelphia jury commissioner since 2011, said an effort to restart Scofflaw Court about five years ago led to "an initial bump" in the numbers of people who responded to their jury summonses, "but it didn't last long." "Considering the costs, it wasn't worth doing Scofflaw Court and the judges were not keen on punishing individuals to come to jury duty. It's not a very pleasant process," Rendine said. If a prospective juror ignores a summons, a reminder postcard is sent after two weeks, he said. "If they don't report, they stay on our rolls and will be summoned randomly sometime in the future," he said. Residents, asked in an informal survey last year why they failed to respond to jury duty, gave the following reasons: issues with their jobs, scheduling conflicts, low juror pay, forgetting or misplacing their summonses, a lack of trust in the criminal justice system, and financial or familial hardship. Jurors are selected from voter registration and Bureau of Motor Vehicles lists. After serving for one or two days, a juror is exempt from further service for a year; after three days or more, the exemption is for three years, Rendine said. Mammut Systems, an Iranian company set up in 2011, says it was the first software intermediary in Iran to offer SAP Business One and other SAP enterprise resource planning systems to Iranian employers. Richard Grenell, the new Trump administration ambassador to Germany, told his former Fox News colleagues that German-based companies like SAP should pull out of Iran now that Trump plans to re-impose economic sanctions on the country of 90 million. Read more America's on-again, off-again business blockades against Iran weigh heavily on Western companies that plan to do business in that nation of 82 million, best known abroad for exporting petroleum to Europe. Consider SAP SE, the German business-software giant, whose U.S. headquarters and global CEO, Bill McDermott, are based in Newtown Square. When the United States joined Germany, Britain, and France in lifting financial sanctions against Iran in 2016, following that country's agreement to cut back its nuclear development program, SAP was among the European software makers whose services Iranian employers sought in hopes of joining the digital age, following years of Western boycotts. Mammut Systems, based in the Iranian capital of Tehran, announced plans to implement SAP's enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems at Iranian employers. Butane Industrial Group, a Tehran energy company, advertised for its own SAP ERP implementation staff. Even when trade opportunities open, this can be a tough part of the world for Western companies to do business while complying with Western laws and policies. Last year, Tayfun Topkoc, the Turkey native who headed SAP's Persian Gulf business since 2014, resigned after SAP said it was launching an investigation into its sales practices in the region. Reuters reported the investigation centered on SAP sales in Iran. The disclosure came at an embarrassing time, following SAP's replacement of its South African leadership in a corruption probe. Separately, Boeing, the aircraft maker that builds helicopters in Ridley Township, Delaware County, partnered with its European rival, Airbus, in an agreement to sell modern passenger jets to Iran Air, a set of deals worth $40 billion. And Western energy companies had resumed weighing possible investments in Iran's large but antiquated fuel industries even as the hope of improved trade pushed the price of oil so low that the economy of Iran, as in Russia, Venezuela, and other petroleum exporting countries whose policies are also at odds with the U.S., stalled from the decline in energy-sales income. Those business interests and the hope of shareholder profits from Iran trade have gone behind the clouds following President Trump's announcement Tuesday that he will make good on his campaign promise to reimpose economic sanctions on Iran. "German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately," Trump's new ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, a former George W. Bush aide, Harvard graduate, and Fox News commentator, said in a statement on social media. Grenell was promptly scolded by Germany's ruling conservative and opposition liberal parties for trying to push that nation's private sector around. But Wednesday, when I asked SAP about the impact of Trump's action, spokesman Andrew Kendzie was careful to note that SAP itself "does not conduct business in Iran. Any use of SAP software in Iran is unauthorized and contrary to SAP license and end-user agreements." He said the company had previously told Mammut that SAP "does not authorize the sale or support of SAP products in Iran." Trump's Iran move also "slammed shut what had been a brief opening for aircraft sales by Boeing" and Airbus, including Airbus' U.S. suppliers such as General Electric and United Technologies, as well as Germany's Siemens, Bloomberg News reported. The move looks worse for Airbus, which had booked nearly 100 jet sales to Iran, than it does for Boeing, which since Trump's election had "quietly lined up other customers for some of the 777-300ER jetliners once intended for Iran Air," Bloomberg added. Renewed U.S. sanctions "will not directly affect Iran's ability to produce and sell its crude" oil, wrote energy analyst Pavel Molchanov, in a report to clients of Raymond James and Associates. "The U.S. ban on importing Iranian crude had never been lifted, and U.S. companies are not directly involved in Iran's energy sector." And yet, "oil prices set fresh four-year highs this week" in anticipation of Trump's move, with Pennsylvania gas prices rising above $3 a gallon. Fuel prices could go higher if America's European and Asian allies stop buying Iranian crude for fear their companies will otherwise be punished by the U.S., according to Molchanov. Molchanov added that he's more concerned about instability in oil producer Venezuela, which faces what could be a violent presidential election on May 20, as the beleaguered socialist government of Nicolas Maduro hopes to stay in power long enough to benefit from the new rise in the price of oil. A federal jury on Tuesday convicted the head of a now-shuttered for-profit education firm with ties to Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr. of bilking the Philadelphia School District out of $800,000 meant to educate some of its most at-risk teens. While his students were struggling with teen pregnancies, complicated home lives, and learning disabilities, David T. Shulick the former president of the Bala Cynwyd-based Delaware Valley High School Management Corp. was spending money intended for their education and counseling on upgrades to his beach house in Margate, N.J., and his $1.1 million, 13-room Gladwyne home. "He took money specifically allocated for these laudable purposes and spent it selfishly on himself," U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain said. Jurors also found that Shulick lied about many of those expenses on his personal and corporate income taxes, listing money he spent on landscapers, housekeepers, and a $9,000 top-of-the-line speaker system as costs incurred by his business. The panel of nine men and three women took about two hours Tuesday to find him guilty on each of the 11 counts of conspiracy, embezzlement, fraud, and tax violations with which he was charged. He faces a possible prison sentence at a hearing Aug. 16. The case stemmed from money that Shulick an accountant and lawyer stole from a $2.1 million contract his company held between 2010 and 2012 to run an alternative school in Southwest Philadelphia for students at risk of dropping out. "He ripped off those kids, cheating them of the educations he had promised to deliver," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Donovan in his closing argument to jurors on Monday. "It's greed, pure and simple and ugly." Throughout the three-week trial, Shulick's lawyers pushed back against that characterization and sought to pin the blame on Fattah, who served as Shulick's No. 2 for a time, and is the son of former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.). Defense attorney Hope Lefeber described her client as dedicated to his work on behalf of students. She did not return calls for comment after Tuesday's verdict. Shulick's company, which declared bankruptcy in 2015, at various times also held contracts to run additional campuses in East Falls, Warminster, and Reading. But his day of reckoning in court had long been telegraphed. FBI and IRS agents raided his Logan Square office in 2012, and prosecutors all but called him a criminal during Fattah Jr.'s 2015 trial on bank and tax fraud charges. That case sent the congressman's son to prison for five years in part for his role in fleecing the School District through Delaware Valley's contracts. Fattah Jr. himself provided some of the evidence that later was used against both men. Hoping to earn a reward and edge out Shulick to start a rival company, Fattah Jr. in March 2012 tried to anonymously report the misspending at the Southwest school campus through the district's fraud-prevention hotline. Later, at an in-person meeting, Fattah Jr. implicated himself as he walked district representatives through Delaware Valley's budgets, pointing out how Shulick had grossly exaggerated what the company was spending on teacher salaries, employee benefits, counselors, and security staff. He did not know at the time that an FBI agent was attending the meeting. In a statement Tuesday, School District spokesman Lee Whack thanked federal authorities for their work in both cases and said: "We look forward to receiving restitution and putting this behind us." Staff writer Kristen A. Graham contributed to this article. In this Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, file photo, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaks at a news conference in New York. Read more NEW YORK New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Tuesday ended nearly 10 years as the state's top law enforcement officer under an investigation of allegations by four women who say he physically assaulted them. The investigation caps a remarkably swift fall for Schneiderman, a high-profile Democrat who had been a public advocate for women but who was accused of repeatedly slapping and choking women. Schneiderman denied the allegations, but three hours after they were published in a New Yorker article Monday evening, he said he would leave office the next day. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D, on Tuesday directed Madeline Singas, the Nassau County district attorney, to serve as the special prosecutor investigating the accusations against Schneiderman. In a letter to the acting attorney general, Cuomo said he was directing Singas to investigate the allegations in the New Yorker story as well as whether any of Schneiderman's staff members or office resources "may have been used to facilitate alleged abusive liaisons." "The brave women who chose to come forward deserve swift and definitive justice in this matter," Cuomo wrote. New York Mayor Bill De Blasio, D, said he was happy that Schneiderman had resigned quickly and that he hopes others who think they were victims of Schneiderman will come forward and contact police. "Rest assured you will be believed and that the information will be important to protecting others," he said. Two women, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, told the New Yorker that Schneiderman had choked and slapped them, leading them to seek medical treatment. A third woman, who was not identified, made similar accusations of physical violence. A fourth who was not identified but was described as a lawyer who has held high positions in the New York legal sphere told the magazine that when she rejected one of Schneiderman's advances, he "slapped her across the face with such force that it left a mark that lingered the next day." All four women said the physical abuse was not consensual. Schneiderman denied the allegations. "In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in nonconsensual sex, which is a line I would not cross." The allegations were stunning given Schneiderman's track record of advocating for women, including pursuing a case against movie producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of repeated assaults and attacks on women. Manning Barish, an activist and writer, replied on Twitter to a message from actress Rose McGowan, who has accused Weinstein of rape: "Because you you, my sister, @rosemcgowan because of your bravery to speak truth to power and face your perpetrator, you have given so many women the strength to use their own voices. Bravery is contagious; but truth is unstoppable." Schneiderman, 63, was first elected attorney general in 2010 and was expected to easily win a third term in November, with no Democratic primary challenger. He was widely believed to be preparing a future run for governor. "The guy's future was limitless," said Douglas Muzzio, a political science professor at Baruch College. Now "he is going to be known for the hypocrisy of his private life versus his public life. That becomes the story more than his substantive accomplishments." Schneiderman was also an outspoken foe of President Trump, filing more than 100 lawsuits challenging the administration on immigration, environmental standards and taxation. Last month, Schneiderman sought to expand his powers to prosecute people who have received a presidential pardon. Those efforts are likely to be slowed, if not significantly hampered, as New York scrambles to find a permanent replacement for Schneiderman, Muzzio said. "There's all kinds of high political drama going on," he said, and as for the lawsuits Schneiderman was leading against the Trump administration, they may lose a step. "In fact, it may be backwards steps in terms of the issues he fought for," Muzzio said. "It's a setback, at least temporarily." New York Solicitor General Barbara Underwood has been named acting attorney general; she is a former Yale Law School professor who once worked as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. The New York State Senate and Assembly will choose a permanent successor by joint ballot. "Our office has never been stronger, and this extraordinarily talented, dedicated, and tireless team of public servants will ensure that our work continues without interruption," Underwood said in a statement. But as the state's Democrats huddled in meetings Tuesday, no clear timeline emerged. Before Cuomo called for a special prosecutor, the Manhattan and Long Island district attorneys' offices said they would investigate the allegations, highlighting the sea change facing Schneiderman. Just two months earlier, Cuomo tasked Schneiderman with investigating how Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. had handled a sexual assault allegation against Weinstein. Cuomo expressed concerns Tuesday about Vance's office leading an investigation of Schneiderman, saying that earlier probe may create a "perception issue" and that he did not want any questions about impartiality in the case. In his letter later Tuesday appointing Singas as special prosecutor, Cuomo said she would supplant Vance on the case, writing that "there appears, at a minimum, an appearance of a conflict of interest" if his office remains involved. Vance wrote his own letter to Cuomo on Tuesday night objecting to the move, saying that "the only potential conflict here is one of your creation," because of the governor's earlier decision to have the attorney general's office review his own. He also wrote that "the purported conflict no longer exists" since Schneiderman had resigned. The women described abuse that occurred in several New York counties, which could give a number of district attorneys authority to investigate, Cuomo said. Neither woman named in the New Yorker story reported Schneiderman's alleged abuse to the police at the time, according to the article. They could not be immediately reached for comment on whether they would cooperate with an investigation. James O'Neill, the New York City police commissioner, said the department's chief of detectives had spoken Tuesday with Vance about the "very serious allegations" against Schneiderman. O'Neill said he was comfortable working with that office despite Cuomo's concerns. He said he would not speculate about what charges Schneiderman could face. Authorities plan to contact the people identified in the article to conduct "a full investigation" into the accusations, O'Neill said at a news conference. As of Tuesday afternoon, police had not received any complaints regarding Schneiderman, O'Neill said. Schneiderman is looking for a criminal defense attorney, according to the New York Times, which cited unidentified people familiar with the situation. MSNBC has issued a warning to Hugh Hewitt after it was revealed the host personally lobbied embattled Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt to cleanup up a toxic waste site near his home in Orange County, Calif. Hewitt's role in setting up a meeting between Pruitt and lawyers from Larson O'Brien was first reported by Politico as part of a cache of emails released after a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit from the Sierra Club. Hewitt works for the firm, which is representing a California Superfund site. Following the meeting, Pruitt moved the area onto a priority list of Superfund sights targeted for "immediate and intense" action. The problem for Hewitt is he has defended Pruitt multiple times on MSNBC as well as on his syndicated radio show (which airs in Philadelphia daily on News Talk 990 AM), without disclosing he was simultaneously benefiting from his ties to the EPA leader. In a statement, an MSNBC spokesperson noted that Hewitt had disclosed his friendship with Pruitt several times on the network, and had disclosed that his son, James, works for the agency. As a result, Hewitt agreed to refrain from discussing EPA-related matters on the network. "However, after the network learned Tuesday that Hewitt set up an EPA meeting in the fall, he was given a verbal warning as such activity is a violation of our standards," the statement said. After the Politico report was published, several reporters called out MSNBC over what appeared to be a clear conflict-of-interest. "Um, it's not okay for a cable news contributor to ask the EPA administrator for favors like this and still be on TV talking about him. At. All," Michael Barbaro, the host of the popular New York Times podcast The Daily, wrote on Twitter. "How does MSNBC possibly justify keeping Hugh Hewitt on the payroll given this?" Vox's Matthw Yglesias wrote. As recently as April 2, Hewitt was defending Pruitt on MSNBC, claiming that criticism surrounding a condo the EPA leader leased at below-market rates was politically motivated. "It is not in any way, shape, or form a gift. It's much ado about nothing," Hewitt said on MSNBC Live without disclosing his ties to Pruitt. "He's executing Donald Trump's policy on regulatory rollback, and they want him out." Hewitt himself downplayed the importance of the meeting on his syndicated radio show on Tuesday, noting the plan was originally negotiated under President Obama, and that "there's nobody who opposes this." "I knew it was going to show up in the FOIA request I just didn't think it was a story," Hewitt told his listeners. "We just wanted to get going, because it's five square miles of polluted water, and so yes, I am all in favor of cleaning up this Superfund site in my home county." MSNBC isn't the only media outlet grappling with Hewitt's cozy relationship with Pruitt. Washington Post editorial page editor Fred Hiatt told liberal media watchdog Media Matters on Tuesday that Hewitt would no longer be allowed to write columns about Pruitt. "I was disturbed to learn this morning that Hugh Hewitt had intervened with EPA administrator Scott Pruitt on behalf of Hewitt's law firm as he was writing about Pruitt in a column for The Washington Post," Hiatt said. "Hewitt, who has not written about Pruitt since September, has agreed not to write about him going forward and has assured us that similar incidents won't occur in the future." Since January 2017, Hewitt has written at least six columns either defending or outright praising Pruitt without disclosing his law firm's work, describing him in one piece as one of "the domestic policy stars of the Trump administration." WASHINGTON Last Wednesday, senior FBI and national intelligence officials relayed an urgent message to the White House: Information being sought by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes could endanger a top-secret intelligence source. Top White House officials, with the assent of President Trump, agreed to back the decision to withhold the information. They were persuaded that turning over Justice Department documents could risk lives by potentially exposing the source, a U.S. citizen who has provided intelligence to the CIA and FBI, according to multiple people familiar with the discussion and the person's role. The showdown marked a rare moment of alignment between the Justice Department and Trump, who has relentlessly criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other top Justice officials for the probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 election led by special counsel Robert Mueller III. But it is unclear whether Trump was alerted to a key fact that information developed by the intelligence source had been provided to the Mueller investigation. The debate over the risk to the source is now at the center of a pitched battle between House Republicans and the Justice Department. After the White House sided with the department's decision to refuse the request, Nunes, R-Calif., publicly vented his frustration, saying Sunday that he may try to hold Sessions in contempt for refusing to comply. He said that his classified-document request and subsequent subpoena to the Justice Department did not refer to an individual. "They are citing spurious national security concerns to evade congressional oversight while leaking information to The Washington Post ostensibly about classified meetings," he said in a statement to The Post. "Congress has a right and a duty to get this information and we will succeed in getting this information, regardless of whatever fantastic stories the DOJ and FBI spin to the Post." Several administration officials said they fear Trump may reverse course and support Nunes' argument. White House officials did not respond to requests for comment. For the intelligence agencies, Nunes' request threatened to cross a red line of compromising sources and methods of U.S. intelligence-gathering, according to people familiar with their views. Intelligence officials fear that providing even a redacted version of the information Nunes seeks could expose that person and damage relationships with other countries that serve as U.S. intelligence partners. The role of the intelligence source in the Mueller investigation may now be seized upon by conservatives Republicans who have publicly accused the Justice Department and intelligences agencies of overreach and misuse of their surveillance powers. Some have alleged that officials within the government have worked against Trump, and they have criticized Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the special counsel probe, for refusing to let members of Congress see a "scope memo" outlining the people and issues under investigation by Mueller. Last month, House allies of Trump drafted articles of impeachment against Rosenstein as a "last resort" if he does not provide Congress with more information. It's not clear what documents Nunes requested in his classified April 24 letter to the Justice Department. He told reporters this week that he is investigating the FBI's abuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act "and other matters." Because Sessions is recused from the Russia investigation and investigations involving the 2016 campaign, he is not involved in the discussions surrounding Nunes' request, according to a person familiar with the matter. During a meeting at the White House last Wednesday, senior FBI and intelligence officials told Chief of Staff John Kelly that turning over the information could contradict years of policy about protecting intelligence sources, according to three people familiar with the matter. The people who described the meeting include those who support the release of the information and those opposed to it. Kelly then consulted with Trump, who agreed it was important to protect intelligence sources, according to a person with knowledge of the conversation. Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd laid out those concerns to Nunes in a letter the following day, noting that the department made the decision after "consultations" with the White House and intelligence agencies. "Disclosure of responsive information to such requests can risk severe consequences including potential loss of human lives, damage to relationships with valued international partners, compromise of ongoing criminal investigations, and interference with intelligence activities," Boyd wrote. Nunes told reporters Monday that the Justice Department's stance was "awfully suspicious," suggesting that the White House did not share the department's concerns. "The word that comes to me is obfuscation," he said. On Tuesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said he had not discussed the matter with Nunes but added that he expected congressional subpoenas to be enforced. "We expect the administration to comply with our document requests," Ryan said. The Justice Department has been sparring with lawmakers and congressional committees for months over document requests related to the FBI investigations. In most instances, officials have turned over materials. At one point, Nunes had threatened to impeach top Justice Department officials when they did not immediately hand over an unredacted document detailing the origin of the investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 election. The department later gave Nunes access to a version with modest redactions, and Nunes thanked Rosenstein for his cooperation. Rosenstein has sought to make clear in recent weeks that while he is willing to compromise, he will go only so far. Last week, in response to the revelation that members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus drafted articles of impeachment, Rosenstein declared that the Justice Department was "not going to be extorted" and would not hand over documents that might harm national security or ongoing investigations. "If we were to just open our doors to allow Congress to come and rummage through the files, that would be a serious infringement on the separation of powers, and it might resolve a dispute today, but it would have negative repercussions in the long run, and we have a responsibility to defend the institution," Rosenstein said. The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey, Karoun Demirjian and Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro during a press conference announcing election code violations charges against four democrats from the controversial special election in March for the 197th District state House seat on Monday, October 30, 2017 at the PA Attorney Generals Center City office. Read more A Democratic election-board member was sentenced Wednesday in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court to five years' probation for committing fraud during a special election last year in the city's Kensington section for a state House seat. Thurman George, 59, of the 3900 block of North 10th Street, pleaded guilty Wednesday to fraud by an election officer, a third-degree felony, before Judge Scott DiClaudio. George, a machine inspector, also was disqualified from voting for four years. He originally had been charged with five felonies and three misdemeanors. George was one of four election-board members charged in October by state prosecutors with intimidating voters, casting bogus ballots, and falsely certifying results during a March 21 special election in the 197th House District. The four workers oversaw ballot machines at the Esperanza Health Center at Kensington and Allegheny Avenues. Cases against two of the defendants already have been resolved. Calvin Mattox, a minority inspector at the health center, known officially as Poll 43-7, pleaded guilty last month to not meeting the qualifications officers for living outside the legislative district. He was sentenced to one year of probation and cannot vote until April 2020. Delores Shaw, the judge of election at Poll 43-7, received accelerated rehabilitative disposition for compromising the local election board. Charges remained pending against Wallace Hill, a bilingual translator. State Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement: "My job is to uphold Pennsylvania law to ensure free and fair elections. We are drawing a clear line during a time when the integrity of our country's elections are being questioned the sanctity of 'one person, one vote' must and will be upheld here in Pennsylvania." Shapiro said in October that there was no evidence that the outcome of the election was affected. The seat was won by Emilio Vazquez, a Democratic ward leader. The Attorney General's Office created a voter's rights guide ahead of next week's primary and a guide for campaign staff and poll watchers on how to follow Pennsylvania law. The voter's guide is available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/2jIU66O. In this May 5, 2018 photo, President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on tax reform at Cleveland Public Auditorium and Conference Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Read more Nothing could better illustrate the dangerous incoherence of President Trump's foreign policy than his announcement Tuesday that he is withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and reimposing "powerful" sanctions on Tehran. Contrary to his woeful effort at explanation, this move will not make America safer. On the contrary, it means that Iran will restart a frozen nuclear program and reach bomb-making capacity sooner rather than later. Nor will Trump's move constrain Iran's regional misbehavior; more likely, it will spur further Iranian aggression. Most dangerous is that there is no sign the president has any Plan B for what to do when his decision worsens the Iran problem. Judging from his words and those of national security adviser John Bolton the new White House goal is to facilitate regime change in Tehran. Shades of George W. Bush's 2003 pipe dreams about regime change in Iraq led by exiles. Such willful ignorance led to the misbegotten Iraq War, and now could drag the United States into a war with Tehran. Here are five reasons why Trumps blindness in junking the Iran deal is an awful mistake: 1. Rather than making it less likely Iran will get a bomb, the president's move hastens that outcome. Under the deal, Tehran shipped 97 percent of its low-enriched uranium out of the country and dismantled two-thirds of its centrifuges. This increased the time needed for Iran to produce enough fuel for a single bomb from two to three months to at least one year. Recent Israeli revelations that Iran lied about a pre-2003 nuclear weapons program don't tell us anything new; U.S. intelligence revealed the same thing in 2007. Those lies make it more, not less, necessary to keep intrusive inspections. (The Israeli documents can be used to pressure Iran for additional access.) However, all inspections will end if the deal is junked. True, the deal had flaws, including sunset clauses that permit Iran to restart the program under continued inspection after 10 to 15 years. Nor did it cover missile development or Iran's expansionist behavior in the Mideast or firmly specify the need to inspect Iranian military sites. But as America's European allies have argued, those flaws should be addressed by additional talks and/or sanctions. "Why would we want to relieve Iran of its commitments and restraints now rather than 10 to 15 years in the future?" rightly asks the Brookings Institution's Robert Einhorn, a former State Department special adviser on arms control. Especially when U.S. intelligence officials, including ex-CIA chief, now Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo say Iran is in compliance. 2, Quitting the deal will make any Iranian threat to the United States worse, not better. Although Trump railed against Iranian expansionism, he has proposed pulling 2,000 U.S. special forces out of Syria, which has already emboldened Tehran. Now, Iran will likely up the pressure on those U.S. troops and on U.S. soldiers in Iraq. How does it help curb Iranian militias in Syria or Iraq if Trump frees Tehran to restart making nuclear fuel? 3. Contrary to the claims of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli military brass say abandoning the deal now will make Israel less secure. According to Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, "Right now, the agreement, with all its faults, is working and is putting off realization of the Iranian nuclear vision by 10 to 15 years." Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, former research chief at Military Intelligence, told the newspaper Haaretz that the deal gave Israel a vital window to focus "on more urgent threats" in Syria, where Iran is trying to build military installations that threaten Israel. The deal's collapse will mean the Iranian nuclear threat once again becomes imminent with Israel urging Washington to join in air strikes against Iran. 4. Withdrawing from the deal puts Washington at sharp odds with its European allies. Will Trump impose secondary sanctions on Paris, Berlin, and London? Such a fierce split among Western allies ends the united front that kept pressure on Tehran, which can now play the victim. That will please Moscow and Beijing. 5. The president has clearly bought the line from Bolton (and Pompeo) that America should push for regime change in Tehran. Bolton admires the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) opposition group in exile that until 2012 was on the U.S. terrorism list for having killed Americans and Iranian civilians. The group has little support within Iran because it allied with Saddam Hussein against its own countrymen in the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. In July 2017, Bolton told an enthusiastic crowd at an MEK conference: "The only solution is to change the regime itself, and that's why before 2019 we here will celebrate in Tehran." Before 2019? Really? The deal may take a while to unravel, but if the White House continues down this senseless path, Tehran will restart its nuclear program sooner or later. What then, President Trump? George Mathew, chief executive of Kespry, shows a drone to President Trump during the "American Leadership in Emerging Technology" event in the East Room of the White House last June. Read more WASHINGTON The White House plans to convene executives Thursday from Amazon, Facebook, Google, Intel, and 34 other major U.S. companies as it seeks to supercharge the deployment of powerful robots, algorithms, and the broader field of artificial intelligence. The Trump administration intends to ask academics, government officials, and AI developers about ways to adapt regulations to advance AI in such fields as agriculture, health care, and transportation, according to a draft schedule of the event. And they're set to discuss the U.S. government's power to fund cutting-edge research into such technologies as machine learning. For the White House, the challenge is to strike a balance between the benefits of computers that can spot disease or drive cars and the reality that jobs or lives are at stake in the age of AI. "Whether you're a farmer in Iowa, an energy producer in Texas, [or] a drug manufacturer in Boston, you are going to be using these techniques to drive your business going forward," Michael Kratsios, deputy chief technology officer at the White House, said in a recent interview. Among those expected to be in the room for that private gathering Thursday will be representatives from such tech giants as Microsoft, Nvidia, and Oracle, as well as other businesses such as Ford, Land O'Lakes, Mastercard, Pfizer, and United Airlines, according to the White House. Slated to represent Facebook is Jerome Pesenti, its vice president of AI, the company confirmed. Amazon plans to send Rohit Prasad, the head scientist for its voice-assistant Alexa. Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich is also expected to attend. By the Trump administration's own estimate, the U.S. government spent more than $2 billion in unclassified programs alone during the 2017 fiscal year to research and develop AI technology, according to data furnished this week by the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy. That doesn't include spending at the Pentagon and key intelligence agencies far removed from public view, or additional boosts that the White House has sought for 2019. Still, many experts said they would ask the Trump administration this week to dedicate new federal dollars to fuel the field and help them compete with firms in other countries, particularly China, which is now seeking to incubate its own advancements in AI. A key focus is jobs from training workers for new tech-heavy roles to helping those who may eventually be displaced because of automation. "We do believe in the short and medium term there will be job losses," said Paul Daugherty, the chief technology and innovation officer of management-consulting firm Accenture, who is scheduled to attend the Thursday gathering. "There will be new jobs available, but the real challenge [is] if we can match people up and train them in an appropriate way." AI encompasses a vast range of powerful technologies. It guides the self-driving cars offered by Uber and Google-owned Waymo. It's the software behind smartphone voice assistants such as Apple's Siri and the facial-recognition tools on Facebook. And its ability to interpret large amounts of data is also being tapped in new, unconventional ways, including efforts to reshape workforce recruiting, farming, and food production. Roughly a year ago, the Trump administration publicly had sounded a different note on AI. Steven Mnuchin, who had just been tapped as treasury secretary, told reporters that artificial intelligence was "not even on my radar screen," stressing that the real use and implication of those tools were "50 to 100 more years" on the horizon. The remark drew swift condemnation throughout the tech industry just months after the outgoing Obama administration had published two papers on AI policy. Tech companies had "a lot of bad blood" with the Trump administration in the early months, said Pedro Domingos, an AI researcher and University of Washington professor who wrote The Master Algorithm. President Trump's focus on job loss in non-tech industries and his attacks on companies such as Amazon didn't help, Domingos said. Over the last year, however, the science and tech aides in the White House's ranks have sought to chart their own course on AI. They last hosted leading executives from Apple, Amazon, and Google at the White House in June, when Trump committed generally to removing regulatory barriers facing emerging technology. At the White House, Trump in September signed a policy directive carving out $200 million for coding education grants that could help prepare students for jobs in science, tech, and engineering fields. Federal agencies such as the Department of Transportation, meanwhile, have sought in recent rules to help deploy more self-driving cars on U.S. roads. Later this week, the agency is also expected to grant permission to as many as 10 cities and states to test more autonomous drones, potentially including those from Amazon and Google that would deliver packages. The move comes a week after another agency, the Food and Drug Administration, approved an AI device to scan diabetic patients for a related eye disease the first such approval of its kind. "I think it's been a slow ramp [up], but they're now focused on the right things," said Dean Garfield, the president of the Information Technology Industry Council, which represents companies such as Apple, Facebook, and Google. He said the White House's upcoming meeting "is an opportunity to accelerate toward success and leave that slow start in the rearview mirror." Beyond public research funding, tech firms believe Washington could play a critical role in helping educate American workers on the ways AI will reshape jobs and create new ones including in factories, where AI and robotics have helped drive a resurgence of domestic manufacturing. "There are a lot of people who say that AI is going to be about job destruction. It is not. It is going to be about job movement," said ITI's Garfield. "So I think the White House is actually in a unique place to mobilize a movement that's necessary to prepare the American workforce for what will be here in the next 20 years, and that needs to be comprehensive and strategic." For many in the industry, though, AI sits at the center of a high-stakes technological duel between the U.S. and China. In July, leaders in Beijing announced a plan to incubate a local AI industry valued at about $150 billion by 2030, relying in no small part on government investment. To that end, recent reports have suggested the White House is exploring policy options to restrict U.S. firms from partnering with China on research in artificial intelligence. Some companies are emboldened by the assertive steps the Trump administration has taken toward China in criticizing intellectual-property theft and the restrictive rules tech companies must follow to operate in the country. "They think, 'Hey, we are competing with these Chinese companies and they're getting an unfair kind of help from the government that we're not getting,'" Domingos said. A spokesman for the administration's Office of Science and Technology Policy declined to comment on the reports. In December, though, the president's official National Security Strategy warned that "risks to U.S. national security will grow as competitors integrate information derived from personal and commercial sources with intelligence collection and data analytic capabilities based on artificial intelligence and machine learning." For now, a source familiar with the White House's event said the administration is considering a different set of proposals, including efforts to make more data available for AI research. Many companies long have asked the government to make more of its information available. "Our free-market approach to scientific discovery harnesses the combined strengths of government, industry, and academia, resulting in the most successful innovation machine the world has ever known," Kratsios said. At this time, no additional funding has been allocated to the CDC for gun-injury research. Read more "We did everything we could." The refrain echoes in our minds weeks, months, even years after we perform the horrifying task of telling a mother that her child has died. As physicians in pediatric emergency medicine and critical care medicine, we have trained for years to master the intricate dance of a trauma resuscitation, so that when faced with the potential loss of a young life, we are prepared to intervene. We also humbly accept that there will be times when even our best efforts fail and we must deliver news that will change a family's life forever. At such times, we sit next to parents and tell them that we did everything possible to save their child's life. But what can we say to a mother whose child has been killed by a bullet? In the wake of the tragedies we see, physician-scientists work passionately to do everything in our power to ensure that each and every child in our community has the chance to live a full and productive life. We investigate car-restraint devices, bicycle helmets, and smoke detectors. We teach about button batteries and prescription drug misuse. We study the most effective means to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases and seasonal illness outbreaks. We know that our research-based interventions save lives, and we rejoice in data demonstrating decreases in pediatric mortality. We cannot, however, say the same about efforts to stem the tide of young lives ended by guns. Between 2015 and 2017, more than 400 of Philadelphia's children were shot. They came from all walks of life, and were often shot by accident with guns that were just as likely to be owned legally as not. We were unable to save them all, and many who survived now face lifelong disability. While many of these shootings go unrecorded in the news media, their numbers tell the story of an epidemic. When faced with epidemics, scientists launch research efforts to combat the threat. Not so for the gun-violence epidemic, for which research efforts have been stymied by a lack of both funding and political will. Imagine if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were unable to study the causes of influenza. Currently, we are unable to measure basic gun-injury risk factors, such the rate of gun ownership in the United States. Until we are able to answer these simple questions, we cannot look a mother in the eye and tell her that we did everything possible to prevent her child's gun-related death. We were heartened that the latest omnibus spending bill clarifies that the CDC will be allowed to conduct research into gun-related injury. However, the 1996 Dickey Amendment inspiring Congress to slash federal funds for gun-related injury remains. At this time, no additional funding has been allocated to the CDC for gun-injury research. We therefore urge our colleagues in medicine both to take up the mantle of gun-injury research, and to continue to ask local and federal legislative bodies to expand funding directed toward the study of gun-injury prevention. We know that rigorous scientific studies often take years to complete; therefore, it is also critical that we develop common-sense policies that can save lives immediately. These include: Clear directives allowing physicians to discuss firearms safety as routine injury-prevention guidance. Laws requiring that firearms in homes with children be stored and secured properly, using locks and other storage devices that are proven to work. Improvement in both the availability and quality of mental health services for children and young adults. Universal background checks for all firearm transactions, including private and gun-show sales. Bans on military-style, semi-automatic magazine-fed rifles and carbines, as well as devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to be fully-automatized. Increased enforcement of existing laws, including those designed to eliminate "straw purchasing." While each of us, like most other Americans, holds personal beliefs on the interpretation of the Second Amendment, we believe that we must get past the politics of gun control. We do not advocate confiscation of legally acquired firearms. Rather, we are moved as advocates for the welfare of children to put personal politics aside and to address the problem of gun-related injury as the national epidemic that it is. Perhaps one day we will have fulfilled our promise to that crying mother, and be able to say that we have done everything possible to prevent these tragedies from ever happening again. Anna K. Weiss, Justin L. Lockman, and Joel A. Fein are doctors at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Southwest Florida Professional Fire Fighter & Paramedics Local 1826 union representative Bobby Barr recently presented a check in the amount of $1,500 to the Pine Island Beacon of HOPE. This money originally comes from the specialty license plates Floridians order from the Department of Motor Vehicles, Firefighter Barr said. The revenue from these plates goes into Florida Firefighters Charities, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. The firefighters unions can apply for money from that fund and the local firefighters get to choose which local charity we give the money to. We decided on the Beacon of HOPE. I just want to thank all of you for all you do for our community, Beacon executive director Betsy Haesemeyer said. More often than not, the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Department is there for the Beacon of HOPE before we even ask. The Beacon of HOPE has been assisting Pine Islands needy since Hurricane Charleys visit in August 2004. While originally involved in hurricane recovery, the Beacon has evolved into an important service provider for the Pine Island community. With the help of volunteers the Beacon delivers Beacon Bites, provides social services counseling, evaluates needs and provides economic assistance to Pine Island and Matlacha residents. I cant tell you how much we appreciate everything you do, not just for the Beacon of HOPE but for our entire community, Haesemeyer said. Round Rock, TX, police chief Allen Banks hug Ximena and another child during a visit. Ximena donated her allowance to Round Rock officers who are mourning the loss of Officer Charles Whites. (Photo: Round Rock PD/Facebook) Round Rock, TX, police Chief Allen Banks returned a young girls kind gesture last week with a hug and gifts during a visit to her home. Ximena, 7, left an envelope under the front door at police headquarters following the funeral of Officer Charles Whites on Wednesday. Inside were a hand-written letter and four $1 bills. The note 7-year-old left along with four $1 bills for Round Rock officers. (Photo: Round Rock PD/Facebook) While the envelope did not include a return address, Banks was able to find Ximenas home address and decided to stop by for a quick visit. He brought along a few gifts, including the chiefs CHIP Challenge coin, WSOC TV reports. Officer Whites died in late April from injuries he suffered in February when he was struck by a vehicle while helping a disabled motorist. Renowned professors against Hungary's 'Stop Soros' legislation 77 university professors and academics from 28 countries around the world have stood up against a new Hungarian legislation dubbed Stop Soros" bill they say poses an imminent existential threat" to the independent Hungarian civil society. Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban has won his fourth (and third consecutive) term in power on a heavily anti-migrant agenda that was also targeting Hungarian-born financier and philanthropist George Soros as one of the masterminds aiding illegal immigration to Europe.Passing the so-called "stop Soros" law would be one of the first pieces of legislation to be passed by the new parliament. This law would allow the government to We, 77 university professors and academics from 28 countries around the world, express our solidarity with the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the independent Hungarian civil society, which currently faces an imminent existential threat allow the government to simply ban the activities of organizations assisting refugees and migrants in a fast and arbitrary process. render illegal activities such as legal aid to asylum-seekers, reporting to the UN or the EU, holding university lectures about refugee law or recruiting volunteers, if these are performed by civil society actors who dare to criticise government practices. , showed a solidarity declaration published on Wednesday in English, Spanish and Hungarian.The signatories said the so-called Stop Soros" bill will have a devastating impact on both Hungarian civil society and those vulnerable human beings that cannot count on anyone elses support."They said the new legislation willThey noted that such practices are equally condemned by the EU and the international community.The professors added that the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) is an outstanding human rights organization, well-known and respected for its professionalism around the world, not only by civil society, but by academia, state authorities and the judiciary as well. The HHC has massively contributed to the promotion of refugee law education and legal clinics on various continents. We all personally know and highly respect their work. States should be proud of such NGOs, instead of aiming to silence them." The signatories stressed that strong and independent civil society organisations are as If NGOs such as the Hungarian Helsinki Committee are threatened, democracy is threatened. We call on our governments to express, without delay, their vivid discontent with Hungarys legislation aiming at annihilating independent civil society. We call on universities around the world to do the same and actively demonstrate their solidarity with the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the entire threatened Hungarian civil sector. We call on the European Union to prove to the world its credibility as a guardian and global promoter of fundamental rights, and immediately take action to prevent this flagrant human rights violation from happening on its own territory." If a prestigious organization, winner of various international human rights awards, can simply be banned from providing legal aid to refugees, if a globally reputed voice of human rights can be silenced with an administrative measure in an EU member state, then further dramatic anti-democracy measures are likely to follow.There is a real risk that the Hungarian example will be increasingly copied elsewhere, and soon it may be too late to stop the domino effect."The signatories include Francois Crepeau, who has been until recently United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, James Hathaway and Guy Goodwin-Gill, who are considered as the worlds top experts on refugee law, the Director of Swedens Wallenberg Institute, or the Dean of Ecuadors most prestigious university. The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled Monday on an important case that affects the fair report privilege in Minnesota, one of the cornerstones of a free press. For the most part, the ruling reversed a disastrous lower court action in a defamation case related to coverage of a police officer's shooting death in Cold Spring in 2012. Here's a summary from Mark Anfinson, counsel for the Minnesota Newspaper Association, who also provides legal counsel to the Post Bulletin. This is from this week's MNA newsletter. Though it may be more than you need to know about media law, these types of lawsuits have a profound impact on how news organizations do their work, and how we inform the public. I'll tag on a quote from the St. Cloud Times' story on this lawsuit at the end. +++++ LARSON V. GANNETT DECISION OF COURT OF APPEALS By Mark Anfinson In one of the most important libel decisions in recent years, the Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday repudiateda Hennepin County district court judges aberrant and restrictive interpretation of the fair report privilege, and dismissed the lawsuit brought by Ryan Larson against KARE 11 and the St. Cloud Times based on their reports about his 2012 arrest in connection with the killing of Cold Spring police officer Tom Decker. The ruling in Larson v. Gannett Company, Inc. is a welcome relief to journalists across the state, because the fair report privilege provides a key buffer against libel claims, allowing news organizations to freely report on things like criminal charges and proceedings without undue fear of defamation liability. So long as a news report conveys a reasonably accurate summary of government records or actions that are publicly accessible, the privilege immunizes it, regardless of whether the claims described in the report turn out to be false. The Larson case exemplifies the importance of the privilege. Within a few hours after Officer Decker was killed, prominent state and local law enforcement officials issued a press release and held a news conference in which they stated that Larson had been arrested in connection with the crime, and plainly signaled that they believed he was responsible. The reports disseminated by KARE 11 and the Times based on this information did not state that Larson was the killer, only that this is what authorities were claiming. After being held in jail for several days, Larson was never charged, and authorities later identified another man as the prime suspect. Larson then sued the news organizations. In early 2015, KARE 11 and the Times asked Hennepin County district court Judge Susan Burke to dismiss the case based on the fair report privilege. But Burke refused, adopting a very narrow, peculiar definition of the kinds of proceedings that the privilege applied to, and ruling that news conferences and press releases didnt qualify, even when conducted by top law enforcement officials. The case was then sent to a jury in November 2016, which rejected Larsons claims, holding that the news reports were accurate in terms of what the law enforcement authorities had in fact said. But astonishingly, Judge Burke then determined that eight of the statements in question were both defamatory and false as a matter of lawthat she should never have given these issues to the jury--and ordered another trial on damages. Fortunately, the three judge appellate panel rejected Judge Burkes view of the fair report privilege, concluding that the news conference and press release were clearly within its scope, and that reports based on them were protected by the privilege. However, another aspect of the decision is more troubling. The Court of Appeals also held that Judge Burke was correct in sending several of the statements that Larson claimed were defamatory to the jury for its evaluation of whether they provided a substantially accurate account of the law enforcement news conference and press release. Only because the jury concluded that the statements were accurate did the appellate panel dismiss the case. Unfortunately, this facet of the Courts opinion could diminish the strength of the fair report privilege, because it could mean that many disputes over whether the privilege protects a particular news report would need to be submitted to a jury for resolution. Cases that involve jury trials almost invariably produce excessive defense costs and long delays, which fundamentally conflicts with a core purpose of the fair report privilege, which is to avoid lengthy and expensive libel actions based on the recognition that they will deter reporting about government, and that the general public has a compelling need to know about things like criminal proceedings. The crabbed legal interpretation adopted by the Court of Appeals undercuts this goal, and is at odds with how the privilege has been construed by courts in many other jurisdictions. This lawsuit should have been dismissed long ago, and it reflects a troubling, protracted failure by the courts to appreciate just how chilling unfettered libel claims can be on reporting that is important to the general public. Larsons attorney stated on Monday that he intends to request review of the appellate decision from the Minnesota Supreme Court. As a result, the litigation may not be over for awhile yet. +++ Regarding the fair report privilege, here's a quote from the Times' story about the appeals court decision: Steven Wells of Dorsey & Whitney, lead counsel for the Times and KARE 11, said the Appeals Court's decision was important for both the press and the public. Without the fair-report privilege, "the press really wouldn't be able to do its job," said Wells. "The press really would have been chilled in its ability to report on that kind of press conference." Paula Poundstone , a comedian probably best-known for her appearances on NPRs " Wait Wait... Dont Tell Me, " will return to southeast Minnesota next week. If you havent caught the comic live before, youll get your chance chance as she performs at the Mayo Civic Center on Thursday, May 17. We caught up with Poundstone about how her audience is the best (and no, she wont share them), and her search for happiness, with the resulting book, "The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness," nominated for Audiobook of the Year in the Audie Awards. In a previous interview, you recalled starting comedy during a Renaissance in the genre. Where do you think comedy is now? I dont know, because my nose is to the grindstone most of the time. There are runners who check where the people are in the other lanes all the time, and then theres runners who just put their heads straight forward and run like hell. I fall into the put your head straight forward and run like hell category. I work by myself, I dont have openers, largely because Im just plain selfish. I love my audience, they truly are the best audience in the show business. I just am not going to share them with anyone else. Therefore, I know very little about the rest of the world of comedy. I know that a lot of White House press people are weighing in on comedy now, though, and Im not sure they know much about it either. Speaking of the White House, what did you think about the reaction to Michelle Wolfs performance at the correspondents dinner? I did the correspondents dinner in 1992 or 1993. It was different then than it is now. It was not that big a deal. It was certainly not covered on television. From what I saw on Twitter, you would have thought that her entire set focused on Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kellyanne Conway, and so my initial reaction was sort of colored by that idea. And then I took a look at it on YouTube. And I realize that everyones done a lot of hand-wringing over it. Its sort of fun to talk about it, because ultimately, it doesnt matter. Are there more restrictions now on what comics can poke fun at? I think there are less restrictions on what people can say, or what they feel they can say. And overall, I dont see anything wrong with that. I dont feel theres any topic that cant be discussed. I would feel like if I was going to talk about something that something that was somehow very controversial, or potentially very sensitive, I would want to make ... sure I had really funny things to say about it. A good joke is a good joke. Your book, "The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness," is competing for Audiobook of the Year. How did you collect material for it? It was things that I or other people thought would make me happy. And I knew when I came to this book that these experiments would be good playgrounds for writing jokes. Because my books number-one job was to be funny. Were there any things you tried for the book that really made you happy? Theres certain stuff that weve always been told. Like if you do something for someone else, it helps you as well. And definitely that is true. ... What I decided to do was make a regular schedule of going to a nursing home. And for me, personally, Ive always kind of been afraid of old people. ... So really walking into the lions den was my feeling. And its one of the ones that I have continued. Like so many things that are good to do and good for you, I often dont really feel like doing it when I get up in the morning. Its like working out. I never feel like it, but then when I get there, its great. And I dont know why thats the case. ... Especially when you know from experience that youre going to feel better as a result of doing it. Maybe part of the problem is that I walk there and I hate to walk. I bring my dog and its good to walk, and its good for the environment not to take a car ... But Jesus. I hate to walk. The Center of the American Experiment hosted Candace Owens at the Marriott City Center over lunch this afternoon in the hotels packed ballroom with 550 guests in attendance. Congratulations are in order to John and his gang at the center. It was a spectacular and spectacularly successful event. Candace is a powerful speaker. She is an inspirational figure. She is young and beautiful. She displayed poise and easy eloquence in her presentation. She seemed to connect with those in the audience who had the opportunity to ask a question and she left us all wanting more. The audience included many interested high school students. I have filed this one under Hope For the Future. Only the masters of the social media cast a pall. Gary Heyer of Bloomington, Minnesota, was called on to ask a question. He noted at the outset that he had been live streaming the event on Twitter and discovered that his Twitter account had been locked in response. The video is inaccessible. I trust that the center will have a video available on YouTube in short order. Quotable quote via Howard Roots tweet below. This is the definition of racism that because of my skin color, I must think a certain way. pic.twitter.com/WVBrl3hGzO Howard Root (@RootHoward) May 8, 2018 UPDATE: President Trump makes a timely observation via Twitter. As President Trump seriously contemplated ending U.S. participation in the Iran nuclear deal, John Kerry, the deals main architect, reportedly met multiple times with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and French President Emmanuel Macron. Did Kerry thereby violate the Logan Act? That Act provides: Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. (Emphasis added) Before considering whether Kerry violated the Logan Act, I should state that I consider the law a dead letter. It has never been successfully used and the last indictment under the Act was in 1803. This, despite probable violations throughout our history. The doctrine of desuetude holds that statutes, especially criminal ones, may lapse if never enforced. I believe this doctrine applies to the Logan Act. Still, its worth considering whether Kerrys recent actions violate the terms of the Logan Act. I believe they probably did. Kerry does not deny talking with Iran, France, and Germany about the Iran deal. He and his supporters argue, however, that doing so couldnt have violated the Logan Act because at the time of his talks, and indeed until yesterday, U.S. policy was to adhere to the deal. Therefore, anything he did to make sure the tenets of the Iran deal remain effective (to use the words Kerrys spokesperson employed to defend his conduct) was consistent with U.S. policy. This argument might well be a good defense to the provision of the Logan Act that prohibits intercourse with foreign governments to defeat the measures of the United States. But thats only part of what is banned. The Act also bars intercourse undertaken with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States. Its likely that Kerrys discussions fell afoul of this provision. We dont know for certain what Kerry was trying to accomplish through his talks with foreign governments. However, his own spokesperson says he wanted to make sure the tenants of the Iran deal remain effective. And we know he undertook this mission in response to the possibility, indeed the likelihood, that the U.S. would pull out of the deal. Its likely, then, that Kerry was lobbying Iran to continue to adhere to its commitments under the deal in the event the U.S. pulled out. He may have been effective in this regard, at least temporarily. Irans president says his country will continue to abide by the deal if negotiations with other signatories (including France and Germany) persuade him that Iran can still obtain most of the economic benefits of its bargain. Kerrys talks with France and Germany probably were part and parcel of his talks with Iran. Its likely that these discussions centered around how these countries could persuade Iran to stay in the deal if, as was extremely likely, the U.S. pulled out. Kerry probably also talked about efforts the leaders of France and Germany could take to persuade President Trump to stay in the deal. Would such talks violate the terms of the Logan Act. I think so. Certainly they would have been undertaken with the intent to influence the measures or conduct of [a] foreign government. The only other question is whether this was in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States. It is difficult to argue that until yesterday there was no dispute or controversy between Iran and the U.S. relating to the nuclear deal. The U.S. has asserted that Iran is not fully complying with the terms of the deal. Iran denies this. The U.S. has asserted that the deal is inadequate and should be renegotiated. Iran says a deal is a deal and refuses to renegotiate. Because, as noted, the Logan Act hasnt been used since 1803, the meaning of its key terms have not been fleshed out by the judiciary. But their meaning seems sufficiently plain to conclude that Kerry likely violated the Act. Again, though, I view the Logan Act as a dead letter and do not believe John Kerry, or anyone else, should be prosecuted for violating it. When I visited the White House last year for one of President Trumps 100-day events, Roger Kimball asked the question I wanted to hear: What about Iran? Good question! And it elicited a good response. I reported it here on Power Line. We can never let Iran have nuclear weapons, Trump said, and, by contrast with his predecessor, seemed to mean it. Israel wouldnt have a chance, he added. Theyve broken the feel of a deal, he said. Were going to have a big report. Its not going to be a positive report for Iran. He derided the Obama administrations Iran deal at length. The Iranian regime was on the verge of going out of business when it was rescued by the deal. They should have thanked Obama and Kerry for the $1.7 billion in cash up front. Instead, he said, the Iranians mocked them. In his own way he expressed indignation on behalf of the Obama administration. President Trump takes a pride in the United States that the Obama crowd lacked. They didnt mind letting Iran take advantage of them. They didnt mind the humiliation of the United States. They seemed to enjoy it. Even so, they knew enough to cover it up and lie about it. Not so President Trump. His speech yesterday made the case for withdrawing from the deal into which Obama had entered with the Iranian regime as an executive agreement. It is an excellent speech (transcript here, video below). In case you had any doubt about the merits of Trumps decision, former CIA Director John Brennans unhinged rant on Twitter ought to help channel your thoughts. This seems to represent a pure case of projection and misunderstanding. The bit about strengthening Iraninan hawks is classic. What a nut. Today, Donald Trump simultaneously lied about the Iranian nuclear deal, undermined global confidence in US commitments, alienated our closest allies, strengthened Iranian hawks, & gave North Korea more reason to keep its nukes. This madness is a danger to our national security. John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) May 8, 2018 President Trumps decision exudes strength. It harks back to President Reagans finest moments. Among other things, he is the UnObama. The speech was scrupulously crafted to lay out basic facts supporting withdrawal from the deal. I dont think the mullahs will test his resolve. The Obamabots among the Democrats and their media adjunct continue to howl in unison that the withdrawal somehow undermines confidence in the word of the United States. Everyone understood that Obama avoided submission of the deal for ratification because it wouldnt even have attained a majority vote. It represented the pure expression of Obamas will, which is now if it wasnt then a will-o-the-wisp. Quotable quote: We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction. And we will not allow a regime that chants Death to America to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth. Todays action sends a critical message. The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them. President Trump likes to make the news himself via his Twitter feed, as he has done this morning (below). Secretary Pompeo has left North Korea with the three American prisoners held by the North Korean regime. Their detention was unjustified and represented a further source of grievance with the regime. Kim, for some reason, now seeks to make a good impression on the president of the United States. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 With Mike Pompeo at the Department of State, James Mattis at the Department of Defense, and John Bolton at the National Security Council, we have a national security dream team. I am grateful. Whatever happens next, we wont be fooled again. President Trumps decision to withdraw from the JCPOA leaves Iran with hard choices to make. Before discussing its options, here, via Thomas Erdbrink of the New York Times, is a brief overview of the current situation in Iran: The sense of crisis in Iran runs deep and wide. The economy is in free fall. The currency is plummeting. Rising prices are squeezing city dwellers. A five-year drought is devastating the countryside. The pitched battle between political moderates and hard-liners is so perilous that there is even talk of a military takeover. Now, the lifeline offered by the 2015 nuclear deal, which was supposed to alleviate pressure on Irans economy and crack open the barriers to the West, is falling apart, too: President Trump announced Tuesday that he was withdrawing the United States from the agreement, which he called a disastrous deal. As a result of Trumps decision, the regime must decide whether to adhere to the JCPOA or ramp up its uranium enrichment. Hassan Rouhani, Irans president, went on television following Trumps announcement to declare that Iran will not ramp up its enrichment program. Rather, it will negotiate with the other parties to the agreement, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. But can Rouhani make this stick? It was always doubtful that he had the power to make key decisions like those pertaining to the nuclear deal. Now that the deal he reportedly put his prestige on the line to consummate seems to be exploding, his position may be further weakened. But his political opponents, the so-called hardliners, must think carefully about how to proceed. For one thing, they must assess how likely it is that kick-starting the nuclear program would lead to a military response by the U.S. and/or Israel. Even the hardliners probably arent looking for a shooting war with nations with the kind of air power the U.S. and Israel, to a lesser extent, possess In addition, even hardliners have to worry about Irans economy. Trump will be calling on oil traders and companies around the world stop purchasing Iranian oil. Those that do business in the U.S. will be likely to comply, given the sanctions they face if they dont. Iran will likely offer big discounts to traders and companies that wont comply. That could be great for refiners in Asia, but not so good for Iran. In this troubling economic context, and with protests continuing throughout the land, the Iranian regime must worry about being overthrown by the military. According to Erdbrink, dissatisfaction over state policies is so widespread that many wonder if the Islamic Republic and its current ideology are even sustainable, fueling talk of bringing in a military strongman to set things straight. Rouhanis announcement that Iran, rather than restarting uranium enrichment, will negotiate with Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, is a recognition of these realities. And these realities cannot easily be shrugged off by Rouhanis political opponents, the hardliners. But how much can be gained by negotiating with Britain, France, and Germany? These nations may come under intense pressure, both diplomatic and economic, from the U.S. not to bail Iran out of the predicament Trumps decision has created. On the other hand, its possible that the U.S. will want Britain, France, and Germany to play enough ball with Iran to keep the mullahs in the deal that is, to keep them from ramping up the nuclear problem. The best strategy for Iran would probably be to negotiate with the U.S. and to make a few concessions to Trump. Call it the Kim Jong Un approach. However, I dont expect the mullahs to accept the humiliation at the hands of The Great Satan that allowing the Trump administration to rewrite the nuclear in any respect would entail. If the Iranians decide to scrap the deal and ramp up their nuclear program, the ball will be back in Americas court, and/or Israels. Thats when things might get very interesting. But Ive already speculated enough for one blog post. NDCP 2018: holistic, progressive and forward looking; ASSOCHAM ( Read 3978 Times) 09 May 18 Share | Print This Page New Delhi : Apex industry body ASSOCHAM has welcomed the draft National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018 that provides much needed impetus for light-touch, technology friendly framework to propel innovation and efficiency via communications. Stating the ASSOCHAM view, Mr. D S Rawat, Secretary General, said, the telecommunications sector is a critical enabler for Digital India and this proposed new policy is designed to empower Indian telecom to fulfill this designated role to achieve the larger vision. It is holistic, progressive and forward looking for it rightly considers all aspects vital for the development and growth of the sector to deliver connectivity for all in both urban and rural areas, across the country, amidst an evolving landscape of convergence across technologies and platforms. Mr P Balaji, Chairman, National Council on Telecommunication and Convergence, ASSOCHAM, added, The draft shared for public views is a well thought through document focused on making the sector financially strong and sustainable with requisite licensing and regulatory reforms, review and reduction of costs such as SUC, USO levies and concept of pass through revenues in line with principles of input line credit. This progressive policy draft, setting aspirational goals provides much needed impetus for light-touch, technology friendly framework to further propel innovation and efficiency via communications. Its forward looking focus to usher in new technologies such as 5G, IoT and AI etc. emphasizes on the need to build a state-of-the-art telecom and digital infrastructure and recognizing it as essential infrastructure like roadways, railways etc. for the overall development of India, said Mr. Balaji. ASSOCHAM lauds the efforts of the Department of Telecommunication under the leadership of Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister for Communications and Smt. Aruna Sundararajan, Secretary Telecom, for taking another major step towards the development and progress of the Telecommunications Sector. As a responsible industry chamber, ASSOCHAM has played its due role in providing relevant inputs directly and by providing a platform for exchange of thoughts and ideas amongst all stakeholders that helped shape the future of this important sector, vital for the socio-economic growth of the country. About ASSOCHAM: ASSOCHAM initiated its endeavour of value creation for Indian industry in 1920. It was established by promoter Chambers, representing all regions of India. Having in its fold over 400 Chambers and Trade Associations, and serving over 4.5 lakh members across India. ASSOCHAM has emerged as the fountainhead of Knowledge for Indian industry, which is all set to redefine the dynamics of growth and development in the Knowledge Based Economy. More information available on www.assocham.org. Source : This Article/News is also avaliable in following categories : National News Your Comments ! Share Your Openion PUNE, India, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Centre to Act as an EPC Hub for Air Products; Will Employ 300 Skilled Engineers Air Products (NYSE: APD), a world-leading industrial gases company, today announced the inauguration of its world-class Engineering Centre at Pune in Maharashtra, India to bridge the company's increasing capabilities for Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) activity across the industry. The Pune centre will provide technology and equipment for air separation, hydrogen generation and associated technologies for industrial gases applications. It will act as an EPC innovation hub for the company's operations in India and throughout the world. "This new centre enhances and supports the development of solutions for the local market, where Air Products has had a presence for nearly two decades," said Dr. Samir Serhan, Executive Vice President, Air Products. "We are very proud to nurture local talent and offer opportunities for local people; and in doing so support the government's 'Skill India' campaign. At full capacity, we expect the centre will employ 300 skilled engineers." "India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and Air Products is keen to be part of unlocking and harnessing this market potential as part of its global growth strategy," said Richard Boocock, President, Industrial Gases - Middle East, India, Egypt and Turkey at Air Products. "We will continue to expand our presence in the country by maintaining strong relationships with existing business and joint venture partners; and by forging strong relationships with key stakeholders to achieve our goal of becoming the safest and best performing industrial gas company in the world providing excellent service to our customers." "Air Products has strategic plans to expand its operations in India. The opening of the Pune centre is a significant step forward in meeting our business goal," said Sadhan Banerjee, Managing Director, Air Products India. "We are here to stay and grow in India. It is our commitment to this relationship." About Air Products Air Products (NYSE: APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 75 years. The company's core industrial gases business provides atmospheric and process gases and related equipment to manufacturing markets, including refining and petrochemical, metals, electronics, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the world's leading supplier of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment. The company had fiscal 2017 sales of $8.2 billion from continuing operations in 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of approximately $35 billion. Approximately 15,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from a diversity of backgrounds are driven by Air Products' higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more information, visit http://www.airproducts.com Air Products in India Since 2009, Air Products has expanded its industrial gas operations and supply presence in India as an engineering company. From an engineering centre based in Pune, the company provides technology and equipment for air separation, hydrogen generation and associated technologies for industrial gases applications. Air Products has recently signed a long-term agreement with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to build, own and operate a new syngas production facility at the BPCL Kochi Refinery in India. Air Products already operates a world-scale industrial gas complex which was commissioned in 2017 to support the BPCL Integrated Refinery Expansion Project (IREP) at the same location. About INOX Air Products Air Products initially entered India in January 1999 as a joint venture (JV) company called INOX Air Products Pvt. Ltd. Better known as INOXAP, the JV is jointly owned by the Jain family - former owners of the Industrial Oxygen Company - and Air Products. INOXAP is headquartered in Mumbai. The company has more than 35 operating locations and 1,200 employees throughout India. INOX Air Products Ltd manufactures and supplies industrial gases including oxygen, nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and speciality gas mixtures throughout India. The company specialises in providing products, technologies and services to a vast cross-section of industries, including the chemical, pharmaceutical, metals, steel, food, wastewater treatment, cement, glass, textiles, paint, medical, and pulp and paper sectors, to name but a few. Media Contact: Srishti Mathur [email protected] +91-9818890486 Edelman SOURCE Air Products Latest release integrates live traffic conditions, allows for better management of customer expectations BURLINGTON, Massachusetts, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ClickSoftware, the leading provider of field service management software, today announced new capabilities for Field Service Edge, its cloud-based, mobile workforce management platform designed to meet the needs of the most demanding field service organizations. This latest offering enhances scheduling accuracy to better manage customer expectations and increase visibility into field service operations, increasing efficiency across the board. Key release features include: Live traffic updates to automatically improve schedules in real time based on traffic conditions to automatically improve schedules in real time based on traffic conditions Rapid creation of customer forms to capture desired customer details without the need for IT development resources to capture desired customer details without the need for IT development resources Prioritization of customer-confirmed appointments optimizes schedules to reduce customer no-shows and last-minute cancelations optimizes schedules to reduce customer no-shows and last-minute cancelations Improvement across a range of areas important to enterprises, such as audit trail enhancements and other advanced configuration capabilities ClickSoftware's scheduling optimization goes beyond the use of historical data to predict travel time. Field Service Edge now proactively updates the schedule if an unexpected event impacts the planned route to the next task, such as a traffic accident or road closure. It also prioritizes calls based on urgency, incorporating real-time traffic conditions when mobilizing a field service professional for an unexpected assignment. Similarly, Field Service Edge proactively incorporates live traffic conditions whenever schedules are updated on the day of service to further increase efficiency. With an emphasis on automated in-the-moment schedule improvements and tools to keep the end customer informed at multiple stages in the service process, this update brings significant benefits to service organizations that prioritize customer experience and service level agreement (SLA) compliance, or respond to emergency work. "Our customers provide essential services to their customers," said Mark Cattini, CEO at ClickSoftware. "We want to help them deliver the best possible experiences while maximizing productivity and effectiveness. Using live traffic data for intelligent real-time schedule optimization and getting the end customer more involved ensures they book, schedule and complete more work every day." About ClickSoftware ClickSoftware is a global leader in field service management solutions, delivering value through improved efficiency, effectiveness, and enhancing customer experiences. ClickSoftware blends unparalleled industry expertise and state-of-the-art computer science to deliver meaningful, measurable business valueoptimizing critical business processes and delighting customers. Click Field Service Edge arms field service leaders with the smartest technologies and best practices from around the globe to deliver real-world results, real-time recommendations, and real operational intelligence. For more information, please visit https://www.clicksoftware.com/. Follow us on Twitter. Click. Actual intelligence. At work. Media Contact: Jill Rosenthal InkHouse for ClickSoftware [email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/395427/ClickSoftware_1_Logo.jpg Related Links https://www.clicksoftware.com SOURCE ClickSoftware PUNE, India, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Dehydrating Breather Market by Type (Conventional and Self-Dehydrating Breather), Desiccant Volume (<2.0 Kg, 2.0 - 4.0 Kg, and >4.0 Kg), End-User (Utilities, Industrial, Heavy-Duty Vehicles), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 402.5 Million in 2018 to USD 501.8 Million by 2023, registering a CAGR of 4.51% during the forecast period. Increase in demand for transmission and distribution infrastructure in various regions such as the Asia Pacific and North America, and increased requirement for the protection of electrical equipment are expected to drive the dehydrating breather market. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 61 Tables and 33 Figures spread through 129 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Dehydrating Breather Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/dehydrating-breather-market-47936975.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Conventional breather segment is expected to hold the largest share of the dehydrating breather market, by type, during the forecast period The conventional breather segment led the dehydrating breather market in 2017 and is projected to dominate the market during the forecast period. Conventional breather is a traditional method preferred by most of the companies to remove moisture from oil & lubricants. It contains various types of desiccants such as silica gel and molecular sieves, which have the ability to scrub moisture in the air. Asia Pacific is the estimated to be the largest market for conventional breather during the forecast period due to the growing investment in T&D infrastructure. Ask for PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=47936975 The market sub-segment for less than 2.0 kg of desiccant is expected to be the fastest growing sub-segment by desiccant volume in the dehydrating breather market The market sub-segment for less than 2.0 kg of desiccant is expected to be the fastest growing market during the forecast period from 2018 to 2023. Less than 2.0 kg desiccant volume capacity of dehydrating breather can be used in various end-users such as utilities, heavy-duty vehicles, and industrial among others. Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest market for less than 2.0 kg segment during the forecast period. Utilities is expected to be the fastest-growing segment in the dehydrating breather market The utilities segment is expected to be the fastest growing market for dehydrating breather from 2018 to 2023. Application of dehydrating breathers in utilities segment includes transformers, shunt reactor, and on load tap changers. Dehydrating breather is used in these equipment's to minimize the amount of moisture entering the insulating fluid of electrical equipment. Dehydrating breather provides an economical and efficient means for controlling the moisture entering conservator tank. Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest market for utilities segment during the forecast period due to the increase in investment in T&D sector and refurbishment of aging infrastructure. Asia Pacific: The leading market for dehydrating breather In this report, the dehydrating breather market has been analyzed with respect to five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. The Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest share in the global dehydrating breather market in 2018. The region is expected to expand and upgrade its existing distribution infrastructure to fulfill the growing demand for electricity. In addition, increasing investment in railroads is also a major driving factor for dehydrating breather market. For instance, in 2016, Indian railways announced its plan to invest USD 142 billion for the upgrading of railway infrastructure. Also, China plans to invest USD 538 billion in railway infrastructure in five years (2016-2020). All the above factors are expected to have a positive impact on the dehydrating breather market in the Asia Pacific region. To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the dehydrating breather market. These players include ABB (Switzerland), Siemens (Germany), Hubbell (US), Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen (MR) (Germany), and Des-Case (US). The leading players adopted various strategies such as new product launches and mergers & acquisitions to increase their market shares. Know more about the Dehydrating Breather Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/dehydrating-breather-market-47936975.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 Premier Global Manufacturer of DIY Crafts and Education Products Announces New CEO to Lead Next Phase of Global Growth LAKE FOREST, California, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellison Educational Equipment, Inc., parent company of crafts brand Sizzix and education brand Ellison Education, announces Richard Birse as its new Chief Executive Officer, and the elevation of current Chief Executive Officer Kristin Highberg to the Company's Global Board of Directors. Founded by LaDorna and Robert Eichenberg in 1977, Ellison Educational Equipment has grown into a vertically integrated global business with a footprint in over 100 countries and its global headquarters in Lake Forest, California, along with its European Headquarters in the United Kingdom. The company also fully owns its manufacturing and logistic operations in China. Throughout its history, Ellison has developed multiple global brands and supply chain networks that uniquely position its operations to be a leading omni-channel provider across all continents. To allow the company to fully leverage its global footprint and assets, the family and its shareholders have realized the need to transition to executive leadership that has experience in navigating, supporting and growing a global business. After a thorough review, Ellison's current Managing Director for Europe and Global Markets, Richard Birse, was clearly identified as the natural successor to be the Company's next CEO for his proven skillset, market knowledge and experience to lead the company into its new phase of focused, global growth. "For over 27 years, I've had the greatest opportunity working for the company that my grandmother started, having held numerous positions from customer service to sales to my current role of CEO," said Kristin Highberg, outgoing CEO of Ellison. "During my tenure as CEO of the Company, I've worked alongside Richard for close to 11 years to successfully develop global infrastructure and growth opportunities. As we enter the next phase of Ellison's global growth, it was clear to me and my family that Richard was the obvious choice to take the CEO leadership role and allow me to continue to focus on supporting strategy with him at the Board Level." "I know that I speak for everyone at Ellison in thanking Kristin for her leadership during her time within the company," said Birse. "I am eager to assume this new role and lead such a passionate and focused company in further developing our global platform. We have exceptionally talented teams across three continents at Ellison/Sizzix who are all committed to evolving our business, continuing to innovate our product in new and diverse ways and developing a global supply chain infrastructure that supports our localized trading partners future global growth opportunities in both B2B and B2C channels." About Sizzix Launched in 2001, Sizzix is a division of Ellison Educational Equipment Inc., the market pioneer and leader of die-cutting machines and accessories. Through its portfolio of die-cutting machines and die-cutting products, Sizzix leverages Ellison's 41 years of proven manufacturing and technology heritage to empower creativity among its customer base with new and innovative products. Sizzix is a recognized global brand that can be found in over 100 countries and in major and specialty retailers. For more information on Sizzix and its line of craft-inspiring products, please visit www.sizzix.com/home. About Ellison Educational Equipment Inc. Since 1977, Ellison Educational Equipment, Inc. has been the recognized global leader of die-cutting machines, die-cutting products and shape-cutting accessories for the education market. The company was founded by an educator and has built its reputation developing high-quality, reliable die-cutting machines, products and accessories, coupled with innovative teaching principles that support all subject matter. For more information about Ellison Educational Equipment, please visit www.EllisonEducation.com. Contact: Brian Harris 1-949-598-8822 ext. 394 [email protected] Related Links http://www.EllisonEducation.com SOURCE Ellison Educational Equipment BENGALURU, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indian manufacturing sector is sprinting at a never before pace fuelled by the dynamic technological innovations and a growing number of organizations are proactively adapting these emerging advancements. The manufacturing companies are moving swiftly from mass production to customized production using technology and digital platforms. What's important to note is that, this is just one among many transformations the industry is concurring due to adaptive advancements in IT, for manufacturing. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688938/MITS_Redesigning_Manufacturing.jpg ) The 10th edition manufacturing IT summit is the perfect platform for C-suite executives of manufacturing companies across industries, to come together and discuss the IT trends in Indian manufacturing industry, network with peers, and build ROI-backed business relations. This summit also facilitates a marketplace for the buyers to meet with the sellers offering disruptive solutions on the emerging trends in manufacturing's IT. The platform hosts very influential and experienced professionals from manufacturing sector as speakers and panelists share their knowledge with the attendees. The topics to be enclosed and discussed at the event include, Leveraging smart manufacturing for digital transformation; Data-driven manufacturing - enabling operational excellence; Machines are friends, not foes: artificial intelligence accelerates the journey; IT/OT convergence - moving digital manufacturing forward; The future of manufacturing: 3d printing innovations; Driving industrial revolution 4.0; Global policy update - smart initiatives to support innovative sustainable and competitive manufacturing; Industry facing a new reality: virtual reality and augmented reality. Some of the esteemed speakers at the conference include Gyan Pandey (CIO at Aurobindo Pharma); Jitendra Singh (CIO at JK Cement); Bhupendra Pant (CIO & VP-IT Welspun Corp Ltd.); V Ranganathan Iyer (CIO at JBM Group); Manish Gaur (Head IT, Patanjali Group); Rajendra Abhange (CTO & Sr. Director - Gabriel India Ltd); Saurabh Gupta (CIO at Kent RO systems Ltd.); Narender Pasupuleti (Director and Head IT - India at AMETEK); Atul Govil (Chief Transformation Officer and Head (SAP & IT) at India Glycols Ltd.); Parna Ghosh (VP & Group CIO at Minda Industries Ltd.); and Bishwanath Ghosh (CIO - Enterprise, Mfg Systems, & Corporate Functions at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd). IT is the driver of digital change and solicits acknowledgment and recognition for the impact in the dynamic manufacturing sector. Thus, the 10th edition MITS will honor the Top 20 CIOs from manufacturing companies with the MITS Leadership Awards 2018, for delivering innovative solutions and business value to their organization in an extraordinary manner. This is the first-of-its-kind initiative that is an attempt to recognize the contributions of the IT leaders in the manufacturing industry. This conference is an ROI-driven, invitation-only platform to bring together pre-qualified buyers with an estimated spending budget, and reputed solution providers to foster meaningful business associations. About Exito Exito is a business solutions company which curates tailor-made solutions and contexts by designing platforms to facilitate new business opportunities. With an extensive research on the market trends and experience of 8 years in versatile industries, Exito creates a touchpoint for the world buyers and sellers. Having established high levels of trust with partner organizations, Exito aspires to create organic business relations of human connect and business needs. For more information about the conference and participation inquiries, Reach us out at [email protected] or Ph.: +91-80-4952-2392 Visit: http://manufacturingitsummit.com Media Contact: Anurag Sengupta [email protected] +91-7829183292 Marketing Executive Exito Media Concepts Pvt. Ltd. SOURCE Exito Media Concepts Private Limited Issuing to first time card users across Vietnam, FE CREDIT has a unique challenge where cardholders in far-flung provinces sometimes receive the physical card almost 15 days post approval. To bridge this, FE CREDIT has created this unique digital card solution - ' MPlus+ Card '. Securely delivered to the cardholder's registered mobile immediately upon card approval, MPlus+ enables cardholders to commence their cashless journey for e-commerce and card not present transactions instantly. Mr. Kalidas Ghose, CEO of FE CREDIT said, "As a market leader FE CREDIT aims to be the issuer of choice for mass market customers. MPlus+ Card is another example of this endeavor." Mr. Nimish Dwivedi, Credit Card Business Center Director of FE CREDIT continued, "Our objective is to create unique solutions for unique problems. Today customers seek immediate gratification; hence MPlus+ Card, a distinct digital card delivery solution that powers card usage even before they receive their physical card." Mr. Arn Vogels, Country Manager, MasterCard, said, "We are very excited with the launch of the MPlus+ program, the first digital delivery of a credit card in Vietnam. The key benefit is that consumers will be able to start making online purchases and enjoy MasterCard offers immediately, whilst the delivery of the card will take several days." About FE CREDIT A pioneer in Consumer Finance, FE CREDIT has established a solid foundation to become the market leader of the unsecured consumer loans & credit cards market. FE CREDIT currently provides consumer finance services such as personal loans, two-wheeler loans, consumer durable loans and credit cards. FE CREDIT has served nearly 7 million customers, co-operating with 7,000 partners across 11,000 Points of Sale (POS) nationwide. For more information, please contact: Marketing Center FE CREDIT - VPBank Finance Company Limited Address: Level 2, REE Tower, No. 9 Doan Van Bo, Ward 12, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City Phone: +84-28-3911-5212 Email: [email protected] Website: www.fecredit.com.vn Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180504/2124463-1 Related Links http://www.fecredit.com.vn SOURCE FE CREDIT Exploding digital innovation, technology adoption, and new healthcare access programs are key drivers for double-digit growth SINGAPORE, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asia-Pacific (APAC) healthcare industry is undergoing rapid transformation with a dramatic shift in consumer behavior and expectations, opening up growth opportunities across diagnostics, regenerative medicine, medical tourism and digital health. The positive growth is fuelled by increasing adoption of new technology, innovative healthcare access programs, and delivery of care outside traditional hospital settings. Frost & Sullivan projects a revenue growth of over 12% in 2018, making APAC one of the fastest growing regions for the healthcare industry in the world. Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Asia-Pacific Healthcare Outlook, offers our experts' top eight predictions for the APAC healthcare industry, along with insights on key trends, such as insurance modernization, clinical trials digitalization, cloud and AI adoption, and medical imaging transformation, as well as revenues across key industry sectors. APAC country snapshots of Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam are also provided. Click here for complimentary access to more information on this analysis and to register for a Growth Strategy Dialogue, a free interactive briefing with Frost & Sullivan's thought leaders. "Through digital transformation healthcare companies are introducing service-orientated business models, and direct-to-consumer care delivery platforms in the region," said Natasha Gulati, Industry Manager, Transformational Health, Frost & Sullivan. "Meanwhile new approaches to health and wellness, like "omics" based health advisory and gamification are gaining market momentum," she added. Gulati recommends players focus on personalization, combined with consumer empowerment, as a key ingredient for disease prevention and patient wellness. Innovative companies active in this space include Prudential, iCarbonX, and Healthi who are moving toward personalized wellness intervention through the introduction of direct-to-consumer gene sequencing and Thorne Research and Imagene Labs who are about to make available personalized over-the counter nutritional supplements and skin care products on a subscription model. Six key trends spurring growth opportunities in the APAC healthcare industry include: Rise of new payment models, especially those tied to value-based outcomes; Fast-tracked innovative therapeutic products, development and penetration of regenerative medicine, biosimilars, and genetics; Technology innovation with rapid development in areas like Artificial Intelligence, mHealth, and virtual reality; Development of personalization combined with consumer empowerment for prevention and wellness; Adoption of wireless real-time monitoring, aided by analytics, as the clinical community aims for further efficiency and outcome-based approaches; and Rapid deployment of cloud solutions to increase IT efficiency in non-clinical departments. "An important global trend that is currently missing in APAC is the introduction of value-and outcomes-based payment and reimbursement models. Industry suppliers, including IT vendors, medical technology companies and pharmaceuticals, are partnering with public and private payers to introduce outcomes-based reimbursement models for expensive therapeutic products and services in other parts of the world," noted Gulati. Asia-Pacific Healthcare Outlook 2018 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Transformational Health Digital Health 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. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? Contact us: Start the discussion Asia-Pacific Healthcare Outlook 2018 P9E1_48 Contact: Melissa Tan Corporate Communications Asia Pacific P: +65 6890 0926 F: +65 6890 0999 E: [email protected] http://ww2.frost.com Related Links http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan GREATER DES MOINES, Iowa, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A Greater Des Moines (DSM) delegation of 200 business and community leaders is chartering a flight to Washington, D.C. as part of one of the country's largest Chamber of Commerce fly-ins from Wednesday, May 9 through Friday, May 11. Organized by the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the 39th annual DMDC trip aims to promote DSM's regional priorities. The Iowa delegation will meet with the state's Congressional representatives, the Administration and their staffs during the three-day trip. The Partnership has released its Federal Policy Agenda ahead of the trip, which is compiled by its Government Policy Council. The Partnership will also host Congressional staff policy meetings addressing priorities for DSM including: Increasing the cap on the Passenger Facility Charge to help the Des Moines International Airport create a new terminal. International Airport create a new terminal. Preservation of trade policies, specifically within the North American Free Trade Agreement, that provide market access and economic growth opportunities. Increased investment for the Community Development Block Grant Program, the HOME Investment Partnership Program and the Housing Choice Vouchers Program. A comprehensive approach to solving the nation's transportation infrastructure issues. Continued public investment in arts, culture and heritage. Attendees will hear keynote remarks from U.S. Representatives Patrick McHenry of North Carolina and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts during the trip. Jeff Zeleny, Senior White House Correspondent for CNN, will also address the delegation. DMDC 2018 sponsors include Shazam, Inc., Prairie Meadows, Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority, Nyemaster Goode, P.C., Delta Dental of Iowa, Innovate Iowa, PolicyWorks, Wells Fargo & Co., Principal, The Weitz Company, BrownWinick Law Firm, the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and Davis Brown Law Firm, the Des Moines International Airport and the Cultivation Corridor. About the Greater Des Moines Partnership The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization that serves Greater Des Moines (DSM), Iowa. Together with 23 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce, more than 6,100 Regional Business Members and more than 330 Investors, The Partnership drives economic growth with one voice, one mission and as one region. Through innovation, strategic planning and global collaboration, The Partnership grows opportunity, helps create jobs and promotes DSM as the best place to build a business, a career and a future. Learn more at DSMpartnership.com. Contact: Sam Hoyle [email protected] Learn More About DSM USA Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688037/Greater_Des_Moines_Partnership_Logo.jpg Related Links https://www.dsmpartnership.com SOURCE Greater Des Moines Partnership From an online photo gallery powered by machine intelligence, directly to your Wi-Fi Cloud photo frame MINNETONKA, Minnesota, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nixplay is one of the first digital photo frame brands to join the Google Photos partner program to give users of Google Photos a new way to easily showcase their fondest memories, following today's announcement at the Google I/O Developer Conference held in Mountain View, California. People can choose to stream albums created in Google Photos directly to Nixplay Wi-Fi Cloud Frames1 with minimal effort. Google Photos automatically sorts your photos into albums using machine intelligence. These albums are created when you backup new pictures to your account, and shared directly to a Nixplay frame. "Integrating with the Google Photos Library API means that any Nixplay Wi-Fi Cloud frame owner can effortlessly display their best and most loved photos and videos on-frame with the power of curation provided by Google Photos," says Mark Palfreeman, CEO of Creedon Technologies, parent company of Nixplay. Full integration of the Google Photos Library API into the Nixplay mobile app will be ready for public release in the coming months. More: http://blog.nixplay.com/2018/05/google-photos-best-photo-organization-tool Notes (1) Applicable to Nixplay Iris, Nixplay Seed, Nixplay Edge and Nixplay Original. About Creedon Technologies Mark Palfreeman founded Creedon Technologies in 2007 with a vision to connect people with technology in a meaningful way. As the parent company to NIX, Nixplay and Nixplay Signage, innovation, insight and human connection were the foundations of everything he set out to achieve. Creedon Technologies harnessed the best in cloud storage, service technology and security to display photos in a sophisticated way that shows the power of sharing memories. Since 2007, the company has sold close to 2 million units, with more than a third of these consisting of Wi-Fi Cloud frames marketed under the Nixplay brand since December 2013. With many thousands of positive reviews on Amazon.com today Creedon Technologies is the global leader in design, manufacturing and sales of connected digital photo frames. Contact: Rex Lam Ryan Ducie Marketing Manager Head of Marketing Mobile: +852 9264 5828 Mobile: +852 9627 5206 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Related Links http://www.nixplay.com SOURCE Creedon Technologies USA LLC MUMBAI, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Getting Ready for the Careers of the Future at an Early Age One of the critical aspects of education in schools today, is to imbibe an aptitude for technology and inculcate the spirit of innovation among young minds. Taking serious note of this, Orchids The International School has implemented Robotics classes for students from Grades 1 - 9. The School, known for innovation in teaching methodology and trans-disciplinary approach to curriculum, has introduced Robotics as a key initiative to encourage students to explore and learn about technology. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688974/Orchid_International_School_Students.jpg ) The key objectives of introducing Robotics are as follows: Creating an enquiry-based hands-on learning environment Helping students to boost their creativity Developing a strong foundation for the careers of the future Teaching use of the basic parts of the robots - gears, pulleys, torque, friction, timing, sensors, etc Helping students design robots for specific activities Teaching them the use of programming software Equipped with a smart robotics lab, the school uses individual robotic kits for students to experiment and learn. Each student is mentored to develop a natural aptitude for technology and encouraged to think creatively and innovate. Dr. Rashmi Singh, The Principal, at Orchids The International School, Sarjapur, Bengaluru says, "Our primary objective for introducing Robotics is to inculcate an interest in technology among the students and assist them to be future ready." Some of the proven benefits of implementing Robotics in schools: Motivates children to learn Science, Mathematics and Technology through observation, experimentation, inference, drawing, model building, rational reasoning, testing, etc Creates curiosity, excitement and a sense of exploration among children in Science, Mathematics and Technology Fosters a culture of innovation and promotes enquiry-based learning Helps achieve learning levels appropriate to the class of study in Science and Mathematics Enables schools to be incubators of innovation Gazala, Science Teacher at Orchids The International School, Thane, Mumbai says, "Introducing Robotics has brought about new levels of energy among the students. There is an excitement of learning something through hands-on experience. As Robotics also uses Math and Science, students are able to relate better to these subjects as well." Tanuj, a student at Orchids The International School, Masjid Bunder excitedly shared, "We have fun while learning different Robotic concepts as we are provided with our own tool kits to learn practically. We also get to take these kits to our home which helps us spend more time experimenting." About Orchids The International School We, at Orchids The International Schools, continuously strive to set new benchmarks for quality education at school level. Since the blossoming of the first Orchids at Hyderabad in 2002, we have channeled our resources, faculty and infrastructure to deliver an enhanced learning experience for students in several cities. Quick Facts 19 International Schools Presence across 4 Cities - Mumbai , Pune , Bengaluru and Hyderabad , , Bengaluru and 2,000+ Teachers 17,000+ Students For more details, please visit: http://www.orchidsinternationalschool.com/ Media Contact: Prudhvi Raj [email protected] +91-9513987393 Digital Marketing Manager Orchids The International School SOURCE Orchids The International School PUNE, India, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Plastic Surgery Instruments Market by Type (Handheld (Forceps, Needle Holder, Scissors, Retractor), Electrosurgery (Bipolar, Monopolar)), Procedure (Cosmetic (Breast Augmentation, Face, Head, Extremities), Reconstructive), End User - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is expected to reach USD 1,479.0 Million by 2023 from USD 1,002.0 Million in 2018, at a CAGR of 8.1%. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 110 market data Tables and 25 Figures spread through 134 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Plastic Surgery Instruments Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/plastic-surgery-instrument-market-27952683.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Increasing awareness and demand for cosmetic surgeries, growing number of age-related surgeries across the globe, and increasing incidence of cancer are the key drivers of the global Plastic Surgery Instruments Market. The handheld instruments segment is expected to dominate the market in 2018 On the basis of types, the Plastic Surgery Instruments Market is segmented into handheld instruments, electrosurgical instruments, and other plastic surgery instruments. In 2018, the handheld instruments segment is expected to account for the largest share of the market. The large share of this segment is attributed to factors such as increasing number of plastic surgeries and the wide range of uses of handheld instruments in almost all types of plastic surgical procedures. Based on procedure, the cosmetic surgery segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period Based on procedure, the Plastic Surgery Instruments Market is segmented into cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery. The cosmetic surgery segment is expected to register the highest growth during the forecast period. The high growth of this segment can primarily be attributed to the high demand and growing public acceptance of cosmetic procedures, changing lifestyles, and growing willingness to spend on cosmetic surgeries across the globe. Ask for PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=27952683 In 2018, North America to dominate the Plastic Surgery Instruments Market In 2018, North America is expected to command the largest share of the market, followed by Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the world. The large share of North America is attributed to factors such as the growing procedural volume for plastic surgical procedures, growing incidence of skin cancer, the presence of a highly developed healthcare system, and the high adoption rate of novel technologies in this region. The Plastic Surgery Instruments Market is highly fragmented with the presence of several large as well as emerging players. Prominent players in the Plastic Surgery Instruments Market include Sklar Surgical Instruments (US), KLS Martin Group (Germany), Integra LifeSciences Corporation (US), Tekno-Medical Optik-Chirurgie GmbH (Germany), KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Zimmer Biomet (US), B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), BMT Medizintechnik GmbH (Germany), Anthony Products, Inc. (US), Bolton Surgical Ltd. (UK), Surgicon Pvt. Ltd. (Pakistan), and Blink Medical (UK). Know more about the Plastic Surgery Instruments Market https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/plastic-surgery-instrument-market-27952683.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] Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets PUNE, India, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Precision Farming Market by Technology (Guidance System, VRT, Remote Sensing), Application (Crop Scouting, Field Mapping, Irrigation), Offering (Hardware-Sensors, GPS/GNSS, Yield Monitors, Software, Services), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is estimated to be worth USD 5.09 Billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 9.53 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 13.38% during the forecast period. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 66 market data Tables and 54 Figures spread through 185 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Precision Farming Market - Global Forecast to 2023" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/precision-farming-market-1243.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The rapid growth of the precision farming market can be attributed to various factors, such as the increasing adoption of automation and control devices and sensing and monitoring devices by farmers. It is also expected that the cost of precision farming technology will decrease in the next couple of years, mainly because of the declining prices of major hardware components. As a result, the precision farming market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. Further, the precision farming market is likely to gain impetus from the rising demand for quality food and rapidly increasing population. Guidance technology expected to hold largest market share during forecast period The increasing adoption of GPS-based guidance technology by farmers and growers around the globe is the major factor propelling the demand for this technology. Guidance technology held the largest market size owing to the early adoption of this technology by farmers. Guidance technology has the highest adoption rate as it is used in about half of planted acres for crops such as corn, rice, and peanuts. GPS-based auto-guidance technology allows growers to reduce overlapping of equipment and tractor passes, thus saving fuel, labor, time, and soil compaction. Further, ease of use and functionality of these systems have increased, along with adoption rate. Ask for PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=1243 Yield monitoring application accounted for largest share of precision farming market in 2017 Yield monitoring is the most widely used application in precision farming as it plays a vital role in understanding field variability and helps farmers in maximizing their yields. Yield monitoring provides farmers information about weather conditions, soil properties, and fertilizers, which may affect the overall grain production. Soil monitoring is the major application of yield monitoring. Soil monitoring is used to detect soil parameters that are needed for efficient yield production. Yield monitoring application uses devices such as GPS, GIS, a computer, and sensor technologies to accurately measure the amount of crop harvested at a specific location and time. Yield monitors are installed on harvesting equipment and are used on a variety of crops, including corn, wheat, soybeans, sugar beets, potatoes, and cotton. Americas expected to hold largest size of precision farming market during forecast period The Americas held the largest share of the precision farming market in 2017. Countries such as the US and Canada in the Americas are the early adopters of precision farming technologies, which is the major reason for the high market share of this region in the precision farming market. Farmers or growers in this region are increasingly adopting advanced farming systems and equipment such as steering and guidance systems, sensors, display devices, and farm management software. The report profiles key players such as Deere & Company (US), Trimble (US), AGCO Corporation (US), AgJunction (US), Raven Industries (US), AG Leader (US), Precision Planting (US), The Climate Corporation (US), Descartes Labs (US), ec2ce (Spain), Gamaya (Switzerland), and Decisive Farming (Canada) operating in the precision farming market. Know more about the Precision Farming Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/precision-farming-market-1243.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/electronics-and-semiconductors Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets LONDON, May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- London is the world's best student city for the first time, it has emerged. The fifth edition of the QS Best Student Cities Ranking, released today by analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds, sees London replace Canada's Montreal as the world-leader. London rises to first primarily as a result of increasingly positive responses to QS's student survey, which asks students about the quality of experience in a city, and their willingness to remain there after graduating. It rises ten places to 13th in QS's Student View indicator. Key Observations: Tokyo reaches 2 nd , its highest-ever position; reaches 2 , its highest-ever position; Melbourne rises from 5 th to 3 rd ; rises from 5 to 3 ; No US city achieves a top-10 rank; US cities see declines in their ranks for Affordability , Employer Activity , and Student Mix ; , , and ; Zurich (8 th ) enters the top ten, rising five places; (8 ) enters the top ten, rising five places; Germany and Australia both achieve two top-ten ranks; and both achieve two top-ten ranks; Latin America's best student city is Buenos Aires , which rises from 42 nd to 25 th ; best student city is , which rises from 42 to 25 ; In total, QS rank the world's top 100 cities. Methodology QS use six indicator groups to compile the ranking, each analysing a different aspect of concern to prospective students. Rankings; Student Mix; Desirability; Employer Activity; Affordability; Student View. QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2018: Top 10 EMPLOYER STUDENT RANK RANK RANKINGS STUDENT DESIRABILITY ACTIVITY AFFORDABILITY VIEW 2018 2017 CITY RANK MIX RANK RANK RANK RANK RANK 1 3 London 1 7 18 2 113 13 2 7 Tokyo 4 72 2 1 51 17 3 5 Melbourne 11 1 8 10 102 3 4 1 Montreal 25 5 10 20 69 1 5 2 Paris 2 24 20 7 92 27 6 9 Munich 27 40 10 23 36 2 7 6 Berlin 40 39 12 18 29 8 8 15 Zurich 20 18 5 6 80 32 9 13 Sydney 19 2 4 13 114 14 10 4 Seoul 3 57 38 4 76 23 (c) QS Quacquarelli Symonds 2004-2018 http://www.TopUniversities.com/. Ben Sowter, Research Director at QS, said: "The 2018 ranking highlights the enduring quality of the student experience available in London. The city benefits from outstanding employment prospects, more world-class universities than any other city, and enviable lifestyle opportunities. These factors mean that the capital remains a great place to study despite eye-watering costs - as more than 50,000 student respondents to QS's survey have made clear." Full rankings: https://www.topuniversities.com/best-student-cities. SOURCE QS Quacquarelli Symonds PUNE, India, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Shape Memory Alloys Market by Type (Nitinol, Copper-Based, Iron-Manganese Silicon), End-Use Industry (Biomedical, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Consumer Electronics & Home Appliances), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is projected to reach USD 18.97 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 12.3% from an estimated USD 10.62 Billion in 2017. The growth of the Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) market can be attributed to the increasing demand from the biomedical, aerospace & defense`, and consumer electronics & home appliances industries across the globe. The Shape Memory Alloys Market is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period due to the superior characteristics of shape memory alloys, such as pseudo elasticity, shape memory effect, and high damping properties and the increasing demand from medical implant and electronic applications, which are factors expected to boost the demand for SMAs during the forecast period. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 77 market data Tables and 39 Figures spread through 126 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Shape Memory Alloys Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/shape-memory-alloy-market-83856907.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Among types, the nitinol alloys market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022 Based on type, the Shape Memory Alloys Market has been segmented into nitinol alloys, copper-based alloys, iron-manganese-silicon alloys, and others. The nitinol alloys segment accounted for the largest share of the Shape Memory Alloys Market in 2016 and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Nitinol alloys are largely used in the manufacture of implantable medical devices, surgical instruments, and automotive actuators. Thus, an increase in the demand for nitinol alloys for biomedical, automotive, and consumer electronics & home appliances industries is projected to drive the market for shape memory alloys. Get PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=83856907 The biomedical industry segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2017 and 2022 The biomedical industry segment accounted for the largest share of the Shape Memory Alloys Market in 2016. Shape memory alloys are used in various applications ranging from medical implants, such as cardiovascular & endoscopic stents, orthopedic screws and wires, dental archwires, to the manufacture of automotive actuators, aircraft, and electronic components. Bio-medical and consumer electronics & home appliances are the fastest-growing end-use industries of the Shape Memory Alloys Market. Ageing populations, poor eating habits and lifestyles, and increasing instances of chronic diseases are the major factors fueling the demand for SMAs from the biomedical industry. Asia Pacific Shape Memory Alloys Market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period The growth of the APAC Shape Memory Alloys Market can be attributed to the increasing demand from the biomedical and consumer electronics & home appliances industries. The region is expected to witness the highest growth because of rapid economic expansion, especially in China and India. Rapid industrialization in this region is also expected to fuel the demand for shape memory alloys from the electronics and construction applications. In this region, the demand as well as manufacture of consumer electronics has increased significantly and is expected to drive the requirement for shape memory alloys in the near future. Moreover, increasing defense budgets, investments in aerospace industries, spending on healthcare, and availability of best healthcare services are expected to propel the demand for SMAs from the aerospace & defense and biomedical industries in the region. Further, increase in manufacturing activities combined with the region's emergence as a cost-effective production hub is expected to drive the Shape Memory Alloys Market. These factors are expected to propel the demand for shape memory alloys in the region. ATI Specialty Alloys & Components (US), SAES (Italy) Johnson Matthey (UK), Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metals (Japan), Furukawa Electric Company (Japan), Fort Wayne Metals (US), Nippon Seisen (Japan), Xi'an Saite Metal Materials (China), Seabird Metal Material (China), DYNALLOY, Inc. etc. are the key players operating in the Shape Memory Alloys Market. Know more about Shape Memory Alloys Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/shape-memory-alloy-market-83856907.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 business models encourage oil & gas companies to adopt energy-efficient, IIoT-enabled pumps, finds Frost & Sullivan SANTA CLARA, California, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Global Pumps Market in the Oil and Gas Industry, Forecast to 2024, finds that there has been a concentrated focus on operational expenditure (OPEX) in the oil & gas industry following the oil price plunge in 2016. Upstream companies are increasingly acknowledging digitization as an important enabler of cost savings and profitability, and are therefore gravitating toward tools such as smart pumps. Among the many new-generation pumps in the market, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-enabled and energy-efficient pumps with demonstrable return on investment (RoI) are expected to experience the highest demand. For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/2gb "IIoT-enabled pumps and solutions that can turn Big Data into predictive information are disrupting the digitization strategies of oil & gas companies in developed countries such as North America," said Anand M Gnanamoorthy, Industrial Automation & Process Control Industry Manager at Frost & Sullivan. "However, to harness the full potential of the digital transformation in the industry, pump companies need to offer new IIoT-focused business models such as gain sharing, pay-per-use, and Product-as-a-Service. They need to follow this up with fresh marketing strategies that use case studies and white papers to increase the consumer awareness regarding such solutions." While there is great enthusiasm among pump manufacturers to embrace IIoT in their products, they need to cherry-pick the technologies to reap the benefits. There is a glut of technologies in the market, as barriers to entry are low in IIoT. This has allowed technology startups such as Ayata and Spark Cognition, and automation solution providers such as Emerson and Honeywell, to challenge industry leaders like Flowserve, Sulzer, and ITT. Meanwhile, pump manufacturers across the board will enjoy significant growth opportunities created by: Rising Oil and Gas Prices: With oil and gas being the largest end user of pumps, the increased oil production will drive demand for a variety of pumps. The pumps market in the oil and gas industry generated total revenue of $8,014.8 million in 2017. With oil and gas being the largest end user of pumps, the increased oil production will drive demand for a variety of pumps. The pumps market in the oil and gas industry generated total revenue of in 2017. The Refining Sector Attracts Investments in APAC, the Middle East , and North America : Asia will account for the largest investments with China and India being key countries driving new projects and greenfield investments. The Middle East is the next-largest region and will account for almost a quarter of the total global spending by the end of 2024. will account for the largest investments with and being key countries driving new projects and greenfield investments. The is the next-largest region and will account for almost a quarter of the total global spending by the end of 2024. The Need to Maintain Aging Asset Infrastructure and Promote Asset Health: Predictive analytics and smart maintenance will revolutionize the way pumps are operated, and compressors manufacturers need to develop capabilities to provide value-added services. Predictive analytics and smart maintenance will revolutionize the way pumps are operated, and compressors manufacturers need to develop capabilities to provide value-added services. Midstream Investments in Pipelines and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): Companies are expected to invest in the transportation infrastructure, such as oil pipelines, and this is expected to boost the market for large engineered pumps. "Although pump manufacturers are aware of the relevance of IIoT and predictive analysis to their business, many still prefer to adopt the wait-and-watch approach," noted Gnanamoorthy. "This is not the best strategy for this market because the first movers will have a huge advantage due to platformization, and the late adopters will be left fighting for an ever-shrinking share of the pie. It is vital to establish an analytics strategy in the next three years, as the typically long product development and launch cycles could make technology-shy companies quickly redundant." Global Pumps Market in the Oil and Gas Industry, Forecast to 2024 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Industrial Automation & Process Control 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 Pumps Market in the Oil and Gas Industry, Forecast to 2024 K21E-10 Contact: Edyta Debowska Corporate Communications Global P: +48 22 4816203 E: [email protected] http://ww2.frost.com Related Links http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan #transgender solider Court orders cancellation of forceful discharge of deceased transgender soldier A court ruled Thursday in favor of a deceased transgender soldier in a suit filed to get the Army's decision to discharge her repealed, a landmark ruling that could have deep reper... #stocks-summary Seoul stocks soar on bargain hunting, easing U.S. debt ceiling woes South Korean stocks steeply rebounded Thursday as bargain hunters sought oversold stocks in expectations of a rebound, in addition to the optimism about political wrangling over th... MUMBAI and DHAKA, Bangladesh, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TUV SUD inaugurated a second training centre in Dhanmondi Thana, Dhaka City, the first training centre is based in Uttara Thana, Dhaka city The training centre to also facilitate Pearson Test of English (PTE) for students applying to international universities in countries that requires proof of their English proficiency TUV SUD to soon introduce their e-learning portfolio in Bangladesh The Academy division in Bangladesh of TUV SUD, a premium quality, safety, and sustainability solutions provider that specialises in testing, inspection, auditing, certification, training, and knowledge services, announced that it is broadening its offerings in their training, personal certification and skill-assessment services in Bangladesh. After the success of the first training centre in Uttara Thana, TUV SUD inaugurated a second training centre in Dhanmondi Thana in Dhaka City which will also act as a test centre for Pearson Test of English (PTE). The new training centre was inaugurated by Niranjan Nadkarni, CEO of South & South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa region. Other leadership members of TUV SUD were also present for the inauguration as well as to commemorate TUV SUD Bangladesh's 10th anniversary. TUV SUD will soon launch a new e-learning portfolio in Bangladesh for those who are exploring avenues to upskill themselves in today's dynamic global employment landscape. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/568955/TUV_SUD_South_Asia_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/689092/TUV_SUD_Dhaka_Inauguration.jpg ) The comprehensive training programmes address business needs and assist individuals and organisations in improving performance, productivity and efficiency. Recently, the government of Bangladesh has begun expanding technical education in Bangladesh to increase enrolment in technical or vocational education to 20%. Under the Skills and Training Enhancement Project (STEP), the government is aiming to train additional 90,000 students by 2019. To contribute in making this vision a reality and understanding the growing needs for enhanced skill sets of the second largest global apparel sourcing hub in the world, TUV SUD is ramping up its offerings in its Academy division. The portfolio is inclusive of training programmes such as Six Sigma Green Belt, and Black Belt Certification, Lean Management, Quality Management Systems (QMS) leading auditing, Environmental Health and Safety Certification (EHS), Awareness of all ISO certifications, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT), Supply Chain management, and Social Accountability SA 8000. Beside training programmes focused on safety, auditing and quality management; the Academy also offers soft skills training. Those who opt for TUV SUD's training and personal certification will benefit from their learning models that range from classroom, to experiential that provide focused and interactive learning programs. The best-in-class trainers leverage their global expertise to customise training to cater to local requirements. Certain training programmes are also customised to an individual's unique requirement. Ezhilan Neelan, Country Director of Bangladesh and Senior Vice President, Product Services, TUV SUD Bangladesh, said, "TUV SUD is present in Bangladesh for the 10 years and in these years, our endeavour has been to contribute to the growth of the country's economy by collaborating with businesses across sectors to help them manufacture and trade products of highest quality and standards. We have and will continue to locally leverage our global expertise and experience backed insights beyond capital investment. In Bangladesh, nearly 58% of the population is in the age group of 15-54 years. Bangladesh is steadily emerging as a large-scale economy and the number of employable professionals is also growing. With two training centres and an upcoming e-learning portfolio, we are motivated to make students and professionals career-ready for domestic as well as international employers. Through our technical and non-technical training programmes, we are confident to make a significant impact on helping realise aspirations of many organisations." TUV SUD began its operations in Bangladesh in 2008. Testing and certification of garment and textiles was the core service offering, however, in recent times, TUV SUD has expanded its footprint into leather, renewable & conventional energy projects, infrastructure, and training & personal certification. TUV SUD delivers technical and non-technical knowledge and expertise which is rooted in over 150 years of formulation of best practices. Experienced in providing safety and quality solutions across a wide spectrum of sectors, TUV SUD is deeply committed to deliver world-class services of international standards in Bangladesh. PTE academic exam model is designed for students applying to international universities or for a UK or Australian visa that requires proof of their English proficiency. The results are approved by the UK and Australian Governments and are accepted by thousands of academic programmes, including Harvard, Yale and INSEAD. About TUV SUD TUV SUD is a leading international service organisation catering to the strategic business segments industry, mobility and certification. Headquartered in Munich, Germany and founded in 1866, it has over 24,000 employees representing more than 1,000+ locations throughout the world. Optimising technology, systems and know-how, the interdisciplinary specialist teams act as process partners to strengthen their customers' competitiveness. About TUV SUD South Asia TUV SUD South Asia is the leading consulting, testing, inspection and certification (TIC) company with presence across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. With more than 1,400 employees, TUV SUD South Asia has serviced over 10,000 clients to date through the past two decades. It is present at 32 locations including 19 labs across the three countries. Today, TUV SUD South Asia is internationally competent to provide TIC solutions cutting across a wide range of sectors that include management systems, conventional and renewable energy, water, sanitation, environmental technology, infrastructure, transit systems, real estate, food, supply chain, agriculture, toys, consumer electronics, textiles, leather and related products, automobile and components, and technical as well as soft-skills training. For further details, visit http://www.tuv-sud.in/. Follow us on social media platforms - Twitter and LinkedIn Media Contact: Sharwari Paranjape [email protected] +91-7506642862 Edelman SOURCE TUV SUD South Asia MUMBAI, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- - TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. is empanelled by CERT-In for the block period 2016-2019 for providing information Security Auditing Service - TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. will now undertake IT Security Audits for government organisations and other sectors of Indian economy Globally acclaimed German digital and cyber security expert TUV SUD, today announced that TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. is now empanelled by The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) as information security auditing service provider. To this effect, TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. will conduct information security audits for government organisations and other sectors of Indian economy to help enhance the company's reputation whilst building consumer trust. The audits will be performed as per 'The Terms and conditions of Empanelment' as issued by CERT-In from time to time and published on CERT-In Website. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/568955/TUV_SUD_South_Asia_Logo.jpg ) The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Govt. of India, has been designated to serve as the national nodal agency for incident response under Section 70B of Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008. CERT-In's primary role is to raise cyber security awareness among Indian community, to provide technical support and advise them to help recover from cyber security incidents. TUV SUD assesses the security posture of enterprises against external and internal threats and is equipped with capabilities to provide testing and consultancy services such as Enterprise IT Security Assessments, IoT security, Industrial Security, Data Protection, EU GDPR, Red Team Assessments, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT), Forensics and Vendor risk management to name a few. Speaking about the announcement, Vishal Nerurkar, Vice President - Business Assurance, TUV SUD South Asia said, "We are excited to be empaneled by CERT-in for providing information security auditing service. The auditors are selected by CERT-In following a strict and rigorous four-step empanelment procedure to ensure the creation of a competent panel with the finest IT security providers. Empanelment with CERT-In is testimony to our relentless pursuit of creating world-class services, in-depth knowledge, technical ability, domain expertise for our IT and digital security business. We are looking forward to partnering with organisations to tackle one of the biggest threats faced by them in the digital era - cybersecurity and data protection." Recently, RBI through a circular released on April 6, 2018, has mandated that payment service providers need to have their data stored locally in India. In this regard, they have mandated a system audit to be conducted by CERT-In empanelled agency and submit their report to the RBI by the end of this year. With this empanelment, TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. may also have option to support payment service providers by conducting thorough IT system audits and present timely reports. In the advent of Industry 4.0 gaining foothold and the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) within the industrial space; digitisation is bringing about advances in contemporary automation, IT security & privacy and smart manufacturing technologies. TUV SUD helps companies integrate the latest technologies into their businesses across sectors while ensuring functional safety, interoperability, and minimising IT security risks. They also support companies to tap into the potential of digitisation and minimise the risks involved in increased connectivity. Further information is available at http://www.tuv-sud.in. About TUV SUD TUV SUD is a leading international service organisation catering to the strategic business segments industry, mobility and certification. Headquartered in Munich, Germany and founded in 1866, it has over 24,000 employees representing more than 1000+ locations throughout the world. Optimising technology, systems and know-how, the interdisciplinary specialist teams act as process partners to strengthen their customers' competitiveness. About TUV SUD South Asia TUV SUD South Asia is the leading consulting, testing, inspection and certification (TIC) company with presence across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. With more than 1400 employees, TUV SUD South Asia has serviced over 10,000 clients to date through the past two decades. It is present at 32 locations including 19 labs across the three countries. Today, TUV SUD South Asia is internationally competent to provide TIC solutions cutting across a wide range of sectors that include management systems, conventional and renewable energy, water, sanitation, environmental technology, infrastructure, transit systems, real estate, food, supply chain, agriculture, toys, consumer electronics, textiles, leather and related products, automobile and components, and technical as well as soft-skills training. For further details visit http://www.tuv-sud.in/ Follow us on social media platforms - Twitter and LinkedIn Media Contact: Sharwari Paranjape [email protected] +91-7506642862 Edelman SOURCE TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. LONDON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Centrica plc has launched its distributed energy and power proposition to businesses in Hungary under the Centrica Business Solutions banner. Centrica Business Solutions has been established to help customers harness the power of distributed energy, bringing users intelligent, end-to-end solutions to deliver improvements in operational performance, strengthen resilience, and create opportunities for growth. Formerly known an ENER-G Cogen, the company already has around 100 customers in Hungary, delivering combined heat and power (CHP); boilers; and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to a variety of sectors including healthcare, pharmaceutical and leisure facilities. Jorge Pikunic, global Managing Director of Centrica Business Solutions, said: "Having acquired ENER-G Cogen International in 2016, we already have a strong track-record in Hungary that goes back over twenty years. "But energy is changing rapidly. As Centrica Business Solutions, the team will continue to offer market-leading generation technology to our customers, helping them to improve the resilience and cost effectiveness of their operations, and will be building on the existing offer to include energy insights, optimisation and further energy solutions such as solar." To find out more, go to www.centricabusinesssolutions.hu Notes to Editors: About Centrica Headquartered in the UK, Centrica is an international energy and services company. Everything we do is focused on satisfying the changing needs of our customers. Centrica acquired ENER-G Cogen Ltd in May 2016 and has integrated the entity into its Distributed Energy & Power (DE&P) business, which has operations across 4,000 customer sites in 34 countries. and has integrated the entity into its Distributed Energy & Power (DE&P) business, which has operations across 4,000 customer sites in 34 countries. Under the Centrica Business Solutions banner, we deliver integrated energy solutions, combining distributed energy technologies and a variety of commercial options to help businesses and other large energy users to improve performance and cost management, strengthen resilience, and create opportunities for growth. Centrica plans to invest 700 million (790M) into the business by 2020. Related Links http://www.centricabusinesssolutions.hu SOURCE Centrica Business Solutions "As we continue to explore new frontiers in technology, extend our reach to new places around the world and break new ground in the candidate and client experience, we remain committed to maintaining the high quality of service our clients expect from us," said Sue Marks, Cielo's Founder and CEO. "Once again being recognized as a Leader by Everest Group and their peers in the analyst community shows sustained excellence even as we focus on growth and plan for future success in a fast-changing market." Everest Group's 2018 Recruitment Process Outsourcing Service Provider Landscape with PEAK Matrix Assessment evaluated 21 established RPO service providers based on the absolute as well as relative year-on-year movement for specific criteria, including market success, scale, scope, technology capability, delivery footprint and buyer satisfaction. The providers were then categorized into three categories: Leaders, Major Contenders and Aspirants. Leaders, like Cielo, were placed in the top quadrant for both market success and delivery capability. Cielo was highlighted specifically for the launch of Cielo TalentCloud, a suite of three technologies that includes: SkyRecruit, an exclusive CRM platform that provides the most advanced and recruiter-friendly tools for targeting, nurturing and engaging top talent; SkyAnalytics, a platform that provides prescriptive and actionable insights from market and internal data sources; and SkyLabs, an innovation engine whereby Cielo tests and pilots new and emerging technologies, tools and processes to understand how they could (or would not) help clients reach their goals. "Cielo's focus on enhancing its technology and developing new and innovative solutions for its customers has enabled it to stay ahead of the competition, which is reflected in Cielo being consistently featured in the Leader's quadrant in Everest Group's RPO PEAK Matrix," said Arkadev Basak, Vice President, Everest Group. To learn more about Cielo's services, please visit cielotalent.com. About Cielo Cielo is the world's leading strategic Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) partner. Under its WE BECOME YOU philosophy, Cielo's dedicated recruitment teams primarily serve clients in the financial and business services, consumer brands, technology and media, engineering, life sciences and healthcare industries. Cielo's global presence includes 2,000 employees, serving 154 clients across 92 countries in 36 languages. The industry has verified Cielo's reputation for executing innovative solutions that provide business impact through numerous awards and recognitions, including its #1 position on the HRO Today RPO Baker's Dozen listing, PEAK Matrix Leader placement by Everest Group and Industry Leader designation by NelsonHall. Cielo knows talent is rising and with it, an organization's opportunity to rise above. For more information, visit cielotalent.com. Cielo Contact: Matt Quandt matt.quandt@cielotalent.com +1 262-439-1673 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688672/Cielo_PEAK_2018_RPO.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/336468/Cielo_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.cielotalent.com SOURCE Cielo Situated just six metres from the water's edge, the property's cathedral-like windows, sliding glass doors and high ceilings make the most of the lake view. Set within a 2,000 square metre plot, the home consists of 720 square metres and incorporates five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a spacious living room, dining room, private study, a 215-square-metre basement, and a 180-square-metre garage. Externally there is a jetty and large terrace shaded by plane trees. The property is constructed only with recyclable materials and has been built to require low energy consumption. The interior design is very much part of the home's identity, with furniture built in to the property, designed to reflect and complement the surrounding landscape. Thonon-les-Bains is a charming spa town on the southern side of Lake Geneva. With the passenger ferry to Switzerland embarking and disembarking just minutes from Casa 26, the property is ideally positioned for those requiring an easy journey to Lausanne and its many business headquarters and global institutions. Geneve Aeroport can be reached in one hour by car, the French city of Lyon in two-and-a-half hours and Italy in one-and-a-half hours. Charlie Smith, European advisor for Concierge Auctions, comments: "Located close to the globally renowned town of Evian and within easy reach of a number of European business hubs, this is the ideal home for a professional with a passion for the arts. Despite its accessibility, the lake house has a truly tranquil setting and aspect. Benefitting from a position on the shores of Lake Geneva, but without the premium associated with a Swiss postcode, there is excellent value to be found with this sale." The property is open for preview daily, from 1pm to 4pm, or by appointment. To book an appointment or to register to participate in the sale, visit www.conciergeauctions.com. Contact: Alice Lacey alice@relevanceinternational.com +442038688700 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688717/casa_26_france_Concierge_Auctions.jpg Related Links http://www.conciergeauctions.com SOURCE Concierge Auctions The relationship with HCS has been very beneficial to our growth and success HCS (http://www.hcsinteractant.com), a leading provider of an all-in-one healthcare technology platform, today announced that SUN Behavioral Health, Inc. has expanded its use of HCS Interactant across its newest facility in Kentucky. SUN is utilizing various modules of the healthcare platform including Revenue Cycle Management, Financial, Insight, and components of EHR. The opening of the Kentucky location provides much needed access to critical inpatient behavioral healthcare in this area. The platform architecture of Interactant is built with multi-site providers in mind, which helps ease the burden of facility expansion and allowed SUN to go live at the Kentucky hospital with minimal IT infrastructure. A client since 2015, SUN deployed HCS Interactant across three locations Houston, Texas, Columbus, Ohio, and now Erlanger, Kentucky. The companys headquarters, located in Red Bank, New Jersey, benefits from real-time access to each locations operation, covering nearly 500 beds across the U.S. In an effort to deliver high-quality patient care, healthcare organizations are confronted with many challenges, ranging from recruiting and maintaining staff, to managing compliance, billing, collections, and technology automation. Healthcare is dependent on data at the patient-level both historical and in real-time, said Thomas Rourke, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at SUN Behavioral Health, Inc. The HCS Interactant platform provides the capability to centrally manage all aspects of patient care across our entire operation. Together, HCS and SUN are focused on delivering quality care to its patients while helping manage compliance, reimbursement, and administrative functions with ease. The relationship with HCS has been very beneficial to our growth and success, continued Rourke. To open a hospital and have all aspects of our information technology needs met from day one is a strategic advantage for us. Were excited to be a part of the important work SUN is doing for the communities in Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati, said Tom Fahey, President and CEO of HCS. With the rising trend in mental illness and substance abuse gripping our society, the care and treatment that SUN provides is more important now than ever before. With HCS Interactant, we are creating not only comfortable patient outcomes, but also efficient environments for our staff. The software helps save time capturing and entering data, which allows doctors, nurses and clinicians spend more time delivering patient care, Rourke added. To learn more about the HCS Interactant solution, visit: http://www.hcsinteractant.com/solutions/interactant/. About SUN Behavioral Health, Inc. The mission of SUN Behavioral Health, Inc. is to partner with communities in solving the unmet needs of those suffering from mental illness and addiction disorders. They do this by establishing and operating healthcare organizations that create a significant positive impact on society. Through exceptional staff and the finest facilities, SUN provides personalized treatment with deep respect and compassion for patients and their families. About HCS HCS is a leading provider of an all-in-one healthcare technology platform that spans electronic health records (EHR), revenue cycle management, financial management, mobility, and business intelligence. In use at over 5,000 LTACH, behavioral health and senior living facilities, the Interactant platform helps multi-site providers deliver better quality and safety of care while increasing efficiencies and financial performance. # # # befree: A Strategy for Christians Struggling with Alcohol: a simple, step-by-step guide to avoid the triggers of alcoholism and live life through Christ. befree: A Strategy for Christians Struggling with Alcohol is the creation of published author, Wallace Bradsher. Wallace was born and raised in North Carolina. He graduated first in his class at South Granville High School. He then went on to obtain a B.A. in English with a concentration in Writing from East Carolina University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and received the University Award in addition to the Senior English Award. Bradsher went on to obtain his Juris Doctorate from the Campbell University School of Law where he was selected for the National Trial Team and inducted into the Order of Barristers. He practiced law for twenty years as a Criminal Defense Attorney before being elected to become a District Attorney. He served as a District Attorney for six years before starting his career as an author. Wallace Bradsher and his wife have seven children. They are members of Roxboro Baptist Church where he has served as a Sunday School Teacher and Ordained Deacon. If you are reading this, then you or someone you care about must be struggling with the effects of alcohol addiction. It may be genetic, it may be environmental, it may be from gastric bypass surgery, or it may be from many other reasons, a combination of all of the above or some of the above. The bottom line is this: if you or your child get sick, you go to the doctor. Please accept this truth: if you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol, dont delay; go see a doctor. --Wallace Bradsher Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Wallace Bradshers new book, befree is a compelling Christian strategy for recovering alcoholics. It provides a simple, faith-based approach to life that helps people avoid being enslaved to alcohol addiction. Enhanced by inspirational, original poetry born in the heart of author Wallace Bradsher during his first thirty days of recovery, befree will teach readers how to navigate through the triggers that lead to relapse. For those who struggle with alcoholism, God must be at the center of recovery. befree combines a proven cognitive behavioral approach to avoiding alcohol with an unwavering faith that God will always be there to guide His children through every storm. befree is inspirational. It is a devotional. Most importantly, it is a way to become alcohol free with Jesus. Whether one is years, months, or days into recovery, or even still in the middle of the addiction storm, the simple, step-by-step strategy of befree will provide hope. View a synopsis of befree: A Strategy for Christians Struggling with Alcohol on YouTube. Consumers can purchase befree: A Strategy for Christians Struggling with Alcohol at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about befree: A Strategy for Christians Struggling with Alcohol, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Dr. Georgette Bennardo-Meggelin Having a nursing background has helped me facilitate a greater ease in establishing patient relationships and communication...whereas, most of my classmates were quite nervous speaking to patients, I found that it was much more natural for me. NJ Top Dentists is proud to present Dr. Georgette Bennardo-Meggelin for the second consecutive year. With over 20 years of experience and dental expertise, Dr. Georgette Bennardo-Meggelin believes in a strong dentist-patient relationship and is committed to providing her patients with the very best in dental care in a warm and caring environment Dr. Georgette Bennardo-Meggelin leads a team of dedicated professionals who strive to provide you with exceptional dentistry. Dr. Bennardo-Meggelin knows that selecting a dentist for you and your family is an important decision, so she prides herself on applying the latest in dental technology, the friendliness of her staff and the gentleness of all care provided. Dr. Bennardo-Meggelin graduated from New York University College of Dentistry with top honors and was admitted to the National Honor Dental Society. She then completed a one-year general practice residency program at Booth Memorial Medical Center. Prior to becoming a dentist, Dr. Bennardo-Meggelin practiced as a registered nurse for 15 years. She now attends numerous continuing education courses and prides herself on staying current with new dental procedures and technology. Having a nursing background has helped me facilitate a greater ease in establishing patient relationships and communication...whereas, most of my classmates were quite nervous speaking to patients, I found that it was much more natural for me. Also, I felt comfortable reviewing a patient's medical history, medications and its impact on dental therapies. -Dr. Bennardo-Meggelin Currently Dr. Bennardo-Meggelin is a member of the American Dental Association as well as the Academy of General Dentistry. To learn more about this NJ Top Dentist, please click here: https://njtopdocs.com/nj-dentists/dr-georgette-bennardo-meggelin/ --- About Us NJ Top Dentists is a division of NJ Top Docs. NJ Top Docs is a comprehensive, trusted and exclusive healthcare resource featuring reviewed and approved Top Doctors and Dentists in New Jersey online in an easy to use format. NJ Top Docs only reviews and approves providers based on merit after they have been extensively vetted. NJ Top Docs is a division of USA Top Docs which allows patients to meet providers online before making their appointment. For more information, please click here to contact us or visit http://www.NJTopDocs.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. El Cid Resorts; the award-winning, luxury resort group and El Cid Vacations Club is proud to take in part in the monumental 500th anniversary for the city of Cozumel from May 1-13. Cozumel will come alive with culture sharing its traditions with tourists and locals with a festival that will pay tribute to the unique history of the city. Originally named Kusamil; or Land of the Swallows, on May 3rd, the city will celebrated 500 years since the arrival of Spanish explorer Juan Grijalva. Festivities included reenactments of the sacred Mayan journey as well as the Spanish arrival on the coast of the island that took place in 1518 on Holy Cross Day. In addition to reenactments, the city will commemorate this milestone with a traditional vaqueria which consists of three events: a mass, a bullfight, and ending with traditional folk dancing. Other events include live concerts, art exhibits, a celebration of Mexican cinema, seminars with authors and journalists, and sporting events. El Cid La Ceiba Beach Hotel is the perfect resort destination in Cozumel for travelers to experience the culturally significant events taking place in May, but also year-round for guests seeking a vacation where they can reconnect with their friends, relax, and recharge. Surrounded by the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean, El Cid La Ceiba Beach Hotel is an oceanfront paradise that is centrally located near all of Cozumels hot spots. El Cid La Ceiba Beach Hotel encourages its guests to explore the gorgeous coral reefs, the fascinating Mayan ruins, or stroll the colorful streets of San Miguel. For almost five decades, El Cid Resorts and El Cid Vacations Club has welcomed generations of guests to all of its luxurious properties located in Mexicos most popular destinations. Whether staying at El Cid La Ceiba Beach Hotel in Cozumel, or the resort groups six other properties in Cancun-Riviera Maya and Mazatlan, guests can be sure that they will be treated like family and will experience the best hospitality possible. To experience the beauty of El Cid La Ceiba Beach Hotel and the culture of Cozumel please visit: https://youtu.be/FWEsSHnaDxg For more information about El Cid La Ceiba Beach Hotel please visit: https://www.elcid.com/cozumel/la-ceiba-beach About El Cid Vacations Club El Cid Vacations Club is a global leader in the vacation ownership and resort industry, delivering a wide variety of memorable vacation experiences for members. El Cid Vacations Club continually strives to enhance its member services and guest experiences. Members are invited to take advantage of downloading the complimentary El Cid Vacations Club Member mobile app available on both the App Store and Google Play (keyword ecvc). This application allows members to stay up to date on the most recent news, make reservations, and always stay in contact with El Cid Vacations Club. This is the perfect opportunity for El Cid Vacations Club members to plan their next dream vacation at one of the many stunning El Cid properties. For more information, visit http://www.elcidvacationsclub.com. " What makes these hospitals truly beautiful is the commitment to care that shines through excellent design. - David Alexander, president of Soliant Soliant, a leading specialty healthcare staffing provider and part of the Adecco Group, is looking for the Most Beautiful Hospitals in the nation. Soliants Most Beautiful Hospitals contest recognizes outstanding hospitals for their commitment to growing and improving their campuses and outpatient facilities, and their dedication to creating a holistic, healing environment for patients and healthcare providers alike. There is solid research tying patient happiness and recovery to the aesthetics of the facility, said David Alexander, president of Soliant. The winning hospital last year was described as feeling more like a home than a hospital, and we continue to be inspired by the passion and dedication to patient care shown by all nominees. What makes these hospitals truly beautiful is the commitment to care that shines through excellent design. Nominations for the Most Beautiful Hospitals are currently open at http://www.mostbeautifulhospitals.com. Any hospital or facility located in the U.S. is eligible. To be considered, nominations must be submitted by May 25, 2018, at which point all hospital nominations will advance to a month-long voting period. The public is invited to vote on their favorite nominees based on several factors, including architectural design and patient experience. Ultimately, Soliants 2018 Most Beautiful Hospitals will be determined by the total number of votes each hospital receives. Being selected the 2017 Most Beautiful Hospital in the U.S. was a very proud occasion for the entire hospital family and our community, said Scott Batulis, President & CEO of Orange Regional Medical Center. People still talk about it. Were extremely honored to provide patient-centered care in an environment that is not only extremely functional, but recognized as very attractive, as well. Soliants 2018 Most Beautiful Hospitals contest will unveil two new upgrades: a leaderboard feature where participants can view the number of votes received in real time and a filter feature that allows participants to view which hospitals were nominated from their state. To nominate a beautiful hospital, or to learn more about last year's winners, visit http://www.mostbeautifulhospitals.com. For more information about Soliant, visit http://www.soliant.com. About Soliant Soliant, an Adecco Group company, is a leading provider of specialized healthcare staffing services to hospitals, schools, and other healthcare providers. By supplying traveling healthcare professionals on both temporary and direct hire assignments, Soliant delivers comprehensive healthcare staffing services across the United States. Soliants Most Beautiful Hospitals contest recognizes outstanding hospitals for their commitment to growing and improving their campuses and outpatient facilities. Soliant's teams of professionals are qualified to fill physician, nursing, therapy, pharmacy, healthcare IT, advanced practice, telehealth, special education, and other healthcare positions. For more information, please contact: Allison+Partners for Soliant Shelby Eichman +1 (310) 496-4437 soliant(at)allisonpr.com The new platform further enhances our ability to provide seamless, secure and efficient transfer of cargo between the fourth busiest airport in the world for international cargo volumes (DXB) and the 19th (DWC). ROAMWORKS signs agreement with Dubai Airports for Award Winning Cargo Security solution that ensures Dubai Airports can track, trace, and monitor complete movement and activity of cargo in real-time, minimizing risk of theft and tampering. ROAMWORKS has developed a number of wireless remote asset monitoring and management solutions, including an award-winning Cargo Security solution for the Transportation and Logistics sector. Dubai Airports was looking for a unified solution, an innovative and impenetrable method of tracking movements in and out of secure areas, including but not limited to airfields and warehouses. Our partnership ensures that Dubai Airports can offer a seamless & unified solution, and can track, trace, and monitor movement and activity of cargo in real-time via ROAM Platform. Dubai Airports is executing on its vision of leveraging IoT technologies to enhance its robust and secure cargo business operations. By using the proprietary ROAM IoT Platform along with electronic seals, Dubai Airports, in close coordination with its service partners, will ensure integrity and visibility into cargo container and vehicle activity from the loading site to the off-loading site. The ROAM platform empowers all service partners, including Dubai Police, and Dubai Customs with real-time information on the trip status and allows Dubai Airports staff to efficiently manage the whereabouts of cargo, while ensuring security is being adhered to throughout the transportation process. This solution also helps authorities prevent theft or fraud as they can see whether products or items are tampered with or taken outside of specifically designated secure zones. The system is designed to detect and prevent suspicious activity, and provides transparent, automated security while helping to enforce policy and simplify regulatory compliance. Our goal is to help boost trade and commerce and add to Dubais already impressive reputation as a global hub for cargo, said Faisal Al Mulla, Director of Cargo at Dubai Airports. The new platform further enhances our ability to provide seamless, secure and efficient transfer of cargo between the fourth busiest airport in the world for international cargo volumes (DXB) and the 19th (DWC). The technology will allow DA to have confidence in the integrity of shipments being made into and between cargo facilities at Dubai International and Dubai World Central. Furthermore, the deployment of ROAMWORKS Cargo Security solution by stakeholders using the new secure Green Corridor will optimize human resources, streamline the operations and offer seamless connectivity for both of Dubais airports. We have been trialling and improving our Cargo Security IoT offering with the unmatched support of Dubai Airports for a period of time. We are proud to support Dubai Airports vision of continuous business improvement and ensuring excellence in Cargo Security is a mission critical. Our Cargo Security solution received the award for Innovative Security Software of the Year 2017 at Transport Arabia in December last year, and the solution will be further enhanced during the course of 2018 and Dubai Airports vision will contribute immensely to our overall product roadmap, commented, Mohammad Daudi, Director Global Sales, ROAMWORKS. Key to the Spreedly platform and the value we provide to our customers and merchants is our ability to provide open access to payments, said Justin Benson, Spreedly CEO. By working more closely with Worldpay, we expand our network and flexibility for our customers to transact wherever and however Spreedly, a robust online payments platform that provides cloud-based infrastructure designed to allow businesses to connect to multiple payment service providers, endpoints, and a secure credit card vault - all through a single API; has entered into a new agreement with Worldpay, a global leader in payments, to enable mutual ecommerce customers to transact more easily around the world. As part of the collaboration, Spreedly agrees to integrate Worldpay's international payment processing API into its Spreedly service, which will provide merchants with access to over 300 different payment methods in 146 countries and via 126 currencies. The new integration extends upon the existing connection Spreedly has with Worldpays U.S. domestic ecommerce platform. The Spreedly-Worldpay cooperative integration supports operations such as Purchase, Authorize, Capture, Refund, Void, Verify and General Credit over Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America. Content subscriptions worldwide are becoming increasingly popular as consumers enjoy and demand greater flexibility in how they consume digital services. According to Worldpays latest Global Payment Report, 92% of millennials in the U.S. have active subscriptions. The rise in popularity of subscriptions is leading more merchants to transition to subscription-based billing models. This partnership between Worldpay and Spreedly makes setting up a subscription-based model simple and allows customers greater choice and flexibility when choosing which billing platform they want to use. Merchants simply need to take their Worldpay account, plug the information into the Spreedly API, and start to sell online. Key to the Spreedly platform and the value we provide to our customers and merchants is our ability to provide open access to payments, said Justin Benson, Spreedly CEO. By working more closely with Worldpay, we expand our network and flexibility for our customers to transact wherever and however they want. That directly aligns with our mission to democratize access to payments worldwide, and we're excited to fulfill that expectation for our customers with Worldpay. Increasing speed to market while bringing down payment barriers are key focus areas at Worldpay, said Spiros Theodossiou, SVP Product Management, Global Enterprise eCommerce at Worldpay, With Spreedly we can deliver more choice, value and peace of mind to companies needing a PCI compliant payment platform, and access to the broadest range of currencies, payment methods, and global reach in the world. ABOUT SPREEDLY Spreedly provides cloud-based PCI Level-1 infrastructure for payments software. Businesses use Spreedly to connect to multiple payment service providers, endpoints, and a secure credit card vault -- all through a single API. That enables our customers to transact in more markets and with more partners -- all while minimizing PCI compliance scope. Spreedly is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. Visit Spreedly.com to learn more. ABOUT WORLDPAY, INC. Worldpay, Inc. (NYSE: WP; LSE: WPY) is a leading payments technology company with unique capability to power global integrated omni-commerce. With industry-leading scale and an unmatched integrated technology platform, Worldpay offers clients a comprehensive suite of products and services globally, delivered through a single provider. Worldpay processes over 40 billion transactions annually through more than 300 payment types across 146 countries and 126 currencies. The companys growth strategy includes expanding into high-growth markets, verticals and customer segments, including global eCommerce, Integrated Payments and B2B. Worldpay, Inc. was formed in 2018 through the combination of the No. 1 merchant acquirers in the U.S. and the U.K. Worldpay, Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange as WP and the London Stock Exchange as WPY. Visit us at http://www.worldpay.com/global Hampton & Kings medical malpractice and negligence team secured a large settlement for a family whose baby was born with irreversible brain damage due to alleged delivery nurse negligence. The settlement that Hampton & King secured is sufficient enough to enable the family to take care of the child for the rest of his life. During the delivery, nurses allegedly failed following the hospital protocol on giving the patient Pitocin a drug used to augment labor. The hospitals Pitocin policy simplifies the delivery and makes fetal injury impossible. Nurses are provided with a checklist that is to be completed before the administration of Pitocin and after. The aim of the policy is to ensure the correct administration of the drug that may otherwise cause excessive uterine contractions. In the specific situation, the nurses did not follow the hospital protocol, Hampton & King alleged. The law firm posited that this resulted in excessive uterine contractions that contributed to fetal distress, which is why the baby was born with brain damage. Pitocin is a synthetic branded version of oxytocin a hormone that induces labor in the female body. Its use is recommended in the case of pregnancies that last for more than 41 weeks and high blood pressure at full term. At the same time, the synthetic version of the hormone is highly potent. It makes the delivery process faster and much more forceful. For more information, please visit https://www.hamptonking.com. About Hampton & King Hampton & King is the go-to firm for complicated medical malpractice cases in Texas and New Mexico. The firms seasoned attorneys have an excellent reputation and extensive experience. Over the years, they have represented clients in an array of very challenging medical malpractice cases. The firms practice areas include medical malpractice, birth injuries and complications during childbirth. Among themselves, the Hampton & King lawyers have over 60 years of experience. The firm has secured large settlements for multiple clients, addressing medical negligence and malpractice in a comprehensive, thorough way. The team includes attorneys Hartley Hampton (who has been practicing for more than 40 years) and Christopher G. King (who has over 20 years of experience in the field of medical malpractice). Dr. Krista Kurtyan, the third full-time member, is a physician and responsible for the provision of medical knowledge and insight during malpractice case preparation. ProcessPro We would like to congratulate the Client Management team on this significant achievement. Their commitment to providing excellent customer service to our clients is commendable and a core value of our company. Their hard work and dedication is deserving of this recognition ProcessPro, leading mid-market ERP software solution company, was named winner of a Gold Stevie Award in the Customer Service Team of the Year category for the 16th Annual American Business Awards. The American Business Awards are the USAs premier business awards program. All organizations operating within the USA are eligible to submit nominations public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. More than 3,700 nominations were reviewed this year and over 200 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this years Stevie Award winners. The judges were impressed with accomplishments of the Client Management team, noting: We applaud the initiative and the results are evident, ProcessPro differentiates itself from its competitors through its Customer Service Team, impressive maintenance revenue and renewals and the team is worthy of acclaim. Our company would like to congratulate the Client Management team on this significant achievement. Their commitment to providing excellent customer service to our clients is commendable and embodies one of our core values. Their hard work and dedication is deserving of this recognition, stated Joe Blauert, ProcessPro General Manager. The nominations submitted for The 2018 American Business Awards were outstanding. The competition was intense, and those recognized as Stevie Award winners should be immensely proud of this accomplishment, said Michael Gallagher, President and Founder of the Stevie Awards. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2018 Stevie winners are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/ABA. 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. About the Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 60 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. We are committed to creating innovative technology that minimizes environmental impact by building the most fuel-efficient outboard engines on the market. Evinrude, a leading outboard engine manufacturer, today announced their continued partnership with the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Texas and a donation of outboard engines to promote sustainability and conservation in the region. We are committed to creating innovative technology that minimizes environmental impact by building the most fuel-efficient outboard engines on the market, said Tracy Crocker, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Evinrude. We thank the volunteers and members of CCA Texas for their tireless efforts to protect precious natural resources and we are devoted to a long and successful partnership for marine conservation. CCA Texas, founded in 1977, is a non-profit organization based in Houston, Texas, specializing in coastal and marine conservation practices. It is the largest conservation group of its kind with an unmatched and enthusiastic volunteer involvement committed to educating others on the importance of coastal and marine conservation. We are thrilled to partner with Evinrude for this important cause, said Bill Kinney, Director of the CCA State of Texas Anglers Rodeo (STAR) Tournament. They demonstrate their commitment to conservation by continuously innovating engines that are environmentally safe for local marine and coastal wildlife. Since inventing the outboard engines 109 years ago, Evinrude has been at the forefront of environmentally friendly and sustainable innovation. They have invested in methods to conserve water and minimize process waste through projects such as a closed-loop water system to test and validate new outboard engine designs. Evinrudes on-site wastewater treatment system facility received an Earth Day Award from the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council. They were also recently inducted into Wisconsins Green Masters Program for environmentally friendly businesses. Evinrude has also donated several outboard engines to the University of Wisconsin Milwaukees School of Freshwater Sciences, the only school of its kind focused on the study of freshwater systems. In addition, Evinrude launched two annual water research and conservation fellowships to support tuition funds for graduate students conducting conservation research. The Evinrude engines will be presented to CCA at the conclusion of the annual STAR Tournament. About Evinrude Evinrude is a global manufacturer of outboard marine engines. A model of innovation, Evinrude developed the first commercially viable outboard engine in 1909. Celebrating 110 years of innovation in 2019, Evinrudes engine line up, from 3.5 to 300 HP, offers customers superior value across a full range of applications while meeting all global emissions standards. Engines are available at authorized Evinrude dealerships worldwide. For more information visit http://www.evinrude.com. We are optimistic that the Ranku platform will significantly bolster our efforts to grow enrollment among the nearly 150 online programs offered by the four campuses in the University of Missouri System The University of Missouri System has signed a multi-year agreement with Wiley Education Services to raise awareness and grow online programs across its institutions. The agreement will leverage Ranku, an online platform that aggregates programs into a searchable and centralized location and provides valuable data analytics on visitor behavior. This is one of the first System-wide recruiting initiatives the University of Missouri System has undertaken. The goal of this initiative is to increase awareness of the UM System online programs and increase the number of inquiries and requests for further program information, and ultimately to recruit new students to its online programs. The University of Missouri System consists of four campus locations and an extension program, with a total enrollment of more than 73,000 students. System administrators were seeking a solution to help prospective students readily and easily discover and learn about the diverse program offerings from across the entire system. Ranku was chosen based on the demonstrated success of Ranku at other state systems and its ability to streamline and optimize the search and selection process for students. Rankus prospect-facing Online Program Marketplace features an intuitive and easy-to-navigate design, enabling potential students to search for and gather information on programs quickly and efficiently, clearing the path to application. An easy-to-use Editing Suite makes uploading and updating content simple, ensuring it aligns with brand guidelines and standards. Ranku also features an Analytics Dashboard that tracks visitor behavior, while ensuring user privacy and responsible data use standards. Analytics provide valuable insights on trends and preferences that can guide institutions strategic planning. We look forward to working with the University of Missouri System to help them expand the visibility for their online degree offerings. They have an outstanding portfolio that will become more easily accessible to students around the world through the use of the Ranku platform, said Cecilia Retelle Zywicki, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Wiley Education Services. Our partnership is a first of its kind for the System, and we are thrilled to be working with them on this initiative. We are optimistic that the Ranku platform will significantly bolster our efforts to grow enrollment among the nearly 150 online programs offered by the four campuses in the University of Missouri System, said Gary Allen, Vice President for Informational Technology and Chief Information Officer. We offer online programs at all levels, from bachelors through doctoral degrees, and are committed to increasing access for students to these four world-class institutions. Visit the Univeristy of Missouri Systems Online Program Marketplace at http://online.umsystem.edu. About the University of Missouri System: The University of Missouri was founded in Columbia in 1839 as the first publicly supported institution of higher education to be established in the Louisiana Purchase territory. The university had a single campus until 1870, when the School of Mines and Metallurgy (now Missouri University of Science and Technology) was established in Rolla. In the same year, the university assumed land-grant responsibilities of providing higher education opportunities for all citizens. In 1963, the university again expanded to better serve Missouri by founding a new campus in St. Louis (the University of Missouri-St. Louis) and through acquiring the University of Kansas City (now the University of Missouri-Kansas City), creating the present four-campus University of Missouri System. Today, the University of Missouri is one of the nations largest higher education institutions, with more than 73,000 students on four campuses, a health care enterprise, and an extension program with activities in every county of the state. About Wiley Education Services: Wiley Education Services uniquely understands the process of designing and implementing innovative learning experiences and comprehensive solutions whether thats online, on-campus, or both that address todays higher education challenges. Through trusted collaborative relationships, we provide services, technology, insights, and content that support our education partners to achieve improved institutional performance and learners to achieve their goals. For more information go to https://edservices.wiley.com. About Ranku: Ranku is a Seattle-based software company that aims to use technology to drive consumer advocacy in online higher education. One of the many services available through Wiley Education Services, Ranku offers a proven solution that provides university systems, institutions, and community colleges with the opportunity to attract and engage potential students quickly, effectively, and easily. For more information, visit goranku.com. Jaye Connolly-LaBelle, chairman and chief executive officer of RippleNami, a provider of blockchain data visualization technology, has been named a finalist for the 2018 Most Admired CEO. The awards program is presented by San Diego Business Journal and honors industry leaders great achievements within their companies and in the community. The winners and finalists are lauded for demonstrating determination and insight yielding huge successes for their organizations. These executives have taken the lead in driving their businesses and the local economy. The San Diego Business Journal honors these CEOs by hosting an exclusive reception and awards program to honor the winners, finalists and guests. RippleNami continues to march towards its bold vision of connecting 5 billion unconnected people with an easy-to-use blockchain and data visualization solution that leverages the mass adoption of mobile phones. Connolly-LaBelle and Phil Gahn, founder and chief business development officer, shared a deeply held conviction that driving social impact of this magnitude would be their singular cause with a global reach while leveraging their San Diego roots. Their determination to aggressively introduce and deploy RippleNamis proprietary technology solution into developing countries is poised to change the global landscape in unforeseen ways. First stop: why not Africa? Receiving this distinction from our own backyard is the very essence of what fast-growing global startups like RippleNami can expect from the San Diego ecosystem. Through our innovative technology, RippleNami is quickly affecting change for people in developing countries. We thank the San Diego judges who selected RippleNami and acknowledging our fast track to foster lasting change, said Jaye Connolly-Labelle, chairman and chief executive officer at RippleNami. As chairman and CEO, Connolly-LaBelle has transitioned RippleNami from an idea to a fully operational, globally expanding company. Using her vast experience in technology and finance, she developed the strategic roadmap that enabled RippleNami to successfully raise investments. Since the companys launch, she has overseen the product and technology teams in developing web and mobile applications and established corporate contracting and development procedures. Connolly-LaBelle and her fellow finalists will be honored at a reception hosted by San Diego Business Journal on June 7th at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine. About RippleNami An industry game changer, RippleNami believes that, empowered with real-time, easily-accessible information, people around the world can connect and foster positive change. RippleNami is redefining mapping with the first visualization platform that consolidates big data and provides information that really matters to users and their organizations. The companys cost-effective, device agnostic cloud-based platform delivers millions of real-time actionable data points on an intuitive map to customers across enterprises, universities, nonprofits and emergency management agencies, enabling critical decision making and enhanced collaboration. With seamless integration, limitless customization and scalable architecture, RippleNami lets people chart their own world, streamlining communication and improving operational effectiveness. For more information about RippleNami, visit http://www.ripplenami.com. About the San Diego Business Journal Each year the San Diego Business Journal recognizes industry leaders great achievements within their companies and in the community. The winners and finalists are lauded for demonstrating determination and insight yielding huge successes for their organizations. These executives have taken the lead in driving their businesses and the local economy. The San Diego Business Journal honors these CEOs by hosting an exclusive reception and awards program to honor the winners, finalists and guests. Learn more about the Most Admired CEO at http://www.sdbj.com/bizevents. Professor Barbara Mellers The world is an increasingly difficult place to predict. Through a program like this, participants will learn new skills, develop analytical techniques, and recognize innate biases so they can make better decisions themselves and ... guide their organizations toward decisions that create value. The Aresty Institute of Executive Education of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is collaborating with Strategic Decisions Group to launch a new Strategic Decision and Risk Management certificate program. The certificate program, designed to reach a broad spectrum of executives and mid-career professionals, will focus on managing risk and uncertainty to make better strategic decisions. The program, titled the Strategic Decision and Risk Management Certificate Program, comprises a curriculum of short individual programs and classes most between 2 and 5 days each in topics such as strategic decision making, innovation, negotiation, decision quality, and enterprise risk management. Participants who successfully complete five courses from a set of core and elective courses will earn the certificate. Decision making is hard, and even smart people with good intentions can make very poor decisions if they slip into natural tendencies that result in biases, said Dr. Barbara Mellers, Professor of Marketing at Wharton and Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. The world is an increasingly difficult place to predict. Through a program like this, participants will learn new skills, develop analytical techniques, and recognize innate biases so they can make better decisions themselves and, perhaps more important, guide their organizations toward decisions that create value. Dr. Mellers is the academic director of the Wharton Executive Education and SDG Strategic Decision and Risk Management Certificate Program. Wharton has a stellar reputation as a provider of leadership training and continuous professional development, said Dr. Carl Spetzler, chief executive officer of SDG. Demand is growing for the combination of soft skills and analytic skills that decision makers require. Anyone who makes a strategic decision in business, or who supports decision makers with frameworks, process, data, or tools, is a candidate for a certificate in Strategic Decision and Risk Management from Wharton. Hannah Winter, an SDG partner and program director for the Wharton-SDG program, said the program is finalizing its slate of courses now. The intangible aspects of decision making, such as perspective-taking and understanding bias, prove just as valuable as logic-driven, analytical skills, she said. The ability to interact with faculty and other students is an important part of the learning experience, which is why weve designed the Wharton program to be highly experiential and collaborative. Courses are available in Philadelphia on the Wharton campus, at the Wharton San Francisco campus, and at other locations on the West Coast. Prospective students are invited to apply for admission to the program, and will have three years to complete five courses toward the certificate. There is no application fee. The Wharton Executive Education and SDG Strategic Decision and Risk Management Certificate Program is not a degree program. Courses in the certificate program are non-credit, supplemental courses that do not count toward any degree. Participants who complete the certificate program will not be conferred Wharton alumni status. For more information on the certificate program and available courses and topics, visit the website at sdg.com/wharton. To apply, visit sdg.com/wharton-apply. ABOUT THE WHARTON SCHOOL Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 10,000 participants in executive education programs annually and a powerful alumni network of 96,000 graduates. ABOUT STRATEGIC DECISIONS GROUP Founded in 1981, Strategic Decisions Group is a management consulting firm renowned for its expertise in strategic decision-making, risk management, and value creation. Through a collaborative, team-based approach, SDG helps its clients find innovative, creative strategies to thrive today, while also helping them build internal competencies and more effective decision-making processes to meet competitive challenges in the future. SDGs education arm, the SDG Decision Education Center, partners with leading universities to help individuals and their organizations acquire the skills they need to improve the quality and speed of their strategic decisions in the 21st Century. Some 45 years after almost 600 Americans returned home from imprisonment in North Vietnam, the Dallas-area community will honor these former prisoners of war at a special program at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, 7-10 pm on May 24, 2018. The program will feature a panel of six former Vietnam POWs, all now living in North Texas, who will describe and reflect on their experiences. The discussion will be moderated by former Dallas Cowboys defensive star Chad Hennings, a three-time Super Bowl champion and former US Air Force combat fighter pilot. The event will be sponsored by Service Air Corps, http://www.serviceaircorps.com, a Dallas-based nonprofit that honors American military members and veterans by staging flyovers at little or no cost to community organizations throughout Texas. Funds raised by the event will be used to pay selected Texas flight museums for the use of their Vietnam-era aircraft for the 45th Anniversary of Freedom of the Vietnam POWs flyovers on Aug. 17, 2018. Tables of 10 cost $5000. Individual tickets cost $300. All tickets must be purchased in advance. For more information, call Service Air Corps at 214-855-2258. A little more than 45 years ago, from Feb 12 through late March, 1973, under the terms of the Paris Peace Accords, 591 American POWs returned home from imprisonment in North Vietnam. The effort was called, Operation Homecoming. The former POWs ranged from privates first class to colonels. Among those on the first flight was Navy Cmdr. Everett Alvarez Jr., the first American pilot to be shot down in North Vietnam and, by the wars end, the longest-held POW there. He spent 8.5 years in captivity. The former Dallas-area POWs, all now retired from the military, who will speak at the Service Air Corps event on May 24, will be: Col. Mo Baker, USAF, 5.5 years POW Maj. Richard Bates, USAF, 6 months POW Col. Ken Cordier, USAF, 6.5 years POW Lt. Michael Penn, USN, 8 months POW Lt. Col. Jerry Singleton, USAF, 7.3 years POW Lt. Col. Jon Yuill, USAF, 3 months POW For tickets and information call Sara Jones with Service Air Corps at 214-855-2258. The Chartis Group is pleased to announce that Mr. Loren Mann has joined its Performance Practice leadership team. Loren brings 15+ years of clinical, operational and financial performance consulting experience across the healthcare landscape, with particular focus in cost management, clinical care variation, case management, peri-operative services and hospital-based performance improvement. Mr. Mann has worked with numerous healthcare organizations across the country typically helping them achieve minimum of 4:1 return on investment. Loren has made important contributions to healthcare delivery by utilizing progressive methodologies in identifying, designing and implementing large-scale performance improvement projects that capture recurring clinical quality and financial opportunities. His approach is thoughtful and provides the tangible, sustainable results that healthcare providers seek to deliver to their communities, said Stacy Melvin, Director and Performance practice leader. Prior to joining The Chartis Group, Mr. Mann served as Vice President of the Hospital Cost Practice at The Advisory Board Company and as a Senior Director at Huron Consulting. He received his MBA from Harvard University, a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. About The Chartis Group The Chartis Group (Chartis) provides comprehensive advisory services and analytics to the healthcare industry. With an unparalleled depth of expertise in strategic planning, performance excellence, informatics and technology, and health analytics, Chartis helps leading academic medical centers, integrated delivery networks, children's hospitals and healthcare service organizations achieve transformative results. Chartis has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Minneapolis, Portland and San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.chartis.com. Contact: Amy Waldron OBrien Principal and Vice President of Strategic Growth The Chartis Group aobrien(at)chartis(dot)com 312.932.3060 Johanna Smith Marketing Senior Associate The Chartis Group jsmith(at)chartis(dot)com 312.932.3061 An original 1981 DeLorean automobile. Elysian has agreed to cease its use of DELOREAN and acknowledges that DeLorean Motor Company owns the famous DELOREAN brand. On 16 February 2018, DeLorean Motor Company filed a lawsuit in the United States Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York (Civil Action number: 1:18-CV-01421) against Elysian Cosmetics for its use and attempted registration of the trademark DELOREAN for its Age-Suspending Treatment Primer, a cosmetic utilizing the name DELOREAN. DeLorean Motor Company alleged trademark infringement, trademark dilution, unfair competition and other causes of action under both federal and New York state law. During the litigation, DeLorean Motor Company offered evidence of its continuous 23-year use of the mark DELOREAN, its five federally-registered DeLorean trademarks and its extensive licensing program. As a result, DeLorean Motor Company and Elysian have reached a settlement. Elysian has agreed to cease its use of DELOREAN and acknowledges that DeLorean Motor Company owns the famous DELOREAN brand. DeLorean Motor Company builds, sells, services and restores DeLorean automobiles at its 40,000 square foot headquarters in suburban Houston, Texas, and affiliated dealers in Florida, California and Illinois. The company also has an extensive licensing program which it uses to promote the DELOREAN brand. The company currently licenses over 40 products, including toys, clothing, watches and luggage. These products can be found at http://www.delorean.com or at the company's dealerships. "We are pleased that we have been able to settle this lawsuit amicably," said Stephen Wynne, CEO of DeLorean Motor Company. We can now continue, without distraction, to build our business with the knowledge that our rights in the DELOREAN brand remain exclusive." A Las Vegas, NV federal court jury today returned a unanimous verdict of five million dollars in favor of an injured railroad worker against his employer, the freight-hauling Union Pacific Railroad (HQ: Salt Lake City, UT). According to court documents, on December 9, 2012, Greg Gibbons, of Afton, Wyoming, was driving a truckload of ballast and pulling a trailer also loaded with equipment for Union Pacific near Caliente, NV. A converted railcar bridge also designed and owned by Union Pacific suddenly collapsed underneath him, dropping the full rig down the embankment approximately a dozen feet to the bottom of the ravine below. Mr. Gibbons was taken in for medical treatment and eventually underwent a complex cervical fusion procedure to his neck. The 43 year old truck driver retained the union designated law firm of Brent Coon & Associates and brought suit under the Federal Employer's Liability Act (FELA), claiming that Union Pacific failed to maintain the bridge and that they had improperly converted an old flatbed railcar into a bridge to save money without even testing it for load bearing capacity. In the court documents, Union Pacific maintained that it wasnt illegal to repurpose old railcars into bridges along the access roads and that they were not aware before the collapse that the bridge would fail. The court documents record that BCA Attorneys Brent Coon and Jim Morris argued that Union Pacific had a non-delegable duty to maintain the integrity of the bridge, that the rail car was a poor substitute for a real bridge, that it was never designed to be a bridge and that U.P. never tested it to determine maximum load capacity, nor had they posted any load limits at the crossing. Court documents also mentioned that Union Pacific argued that the fall wasnt severe enough to cause the injuries complained of, which included herniated discs to his neck, mid back and low back, and that the injuries were either old in nature or otherwise unrelated to the incident. They also argued Mr. Gibbons had no lost wage earning capacity because he remained gainfully employed with the railroad in the six years since the bridge collapse. The jury unanimously determined that Union Pacific was negligent and that his injuries were related to the incident. They awarded Mr. Gibbons five million dollars in damages, a verdict over thirty-three (33) times greater than the pre-trial settlement offer. "This case is about the bravery of our client in taking a stand against a big company and fighting to the finish for what is right, said Attorney Jim Morris. U.P. regularly uses old and abandoned railroad flat cars as bridge crossings, even connecting them together. They were not designed to be bridges and should not be used as bridges. This is a serious problem throughout the railroad industry and they get away with it because these bridges fall outside of the jurisdiction of regulatory authorities and requirements, notably the Federal Railway act. Greg Gibbons, the client, stated, First off, I want to thank both of my lawyers who were phenomenal and the jury that was awesome. In the future I hope this helps so that this doesnt happen to someone else as it did to me. I want the railroads to do a better job to protect their employees, particularly in addressing serious issues with these railroad flatcars they convert to bridges. I was shocked in the trial to see how little is done to properly inspect and test them and it is a wonder this hasnt happened more often. Brent Coon added, This incident is another example of the risks inherent in a lack of oversight of the railroad industry over this highly dangerous practice, which puts people's lives at stake. We will continue to assist national railroad worker coalitions to force the railroad industry to abandon this shady practice that is utilized only to save the industry the cost of building real bridges. And lets not forget, if this particular bridge had a higher elevation or the ravine was full of water this matter would likely have resulted in a fatality. " ABOUT BCA: Brent Coon & Associates was founded in 2001. Today, with multiple satellite offices around the country and hundreds of associated firms in various practice areas, it is one of the most recognized trial law firms in the nation and the epitome of the 21st century law practice. Brent Coon & Associates employs a full complement of aggressive litigators with solid experience in individual and complex multi-party, occupational/environmental, health and personal injury cases. BCA is a public policy firm and has worked with numerous state and federal investigative agencies, including the Department of Justice, multiple state Attorneys General, OSHA, and the United States Chemical and Hazards Investigation Board. BCA serves as institutional or advisory counsel to numerous agencies and organizations, including the United Steelworkers, pilot unions, railroad and other transportation unions. Their work in this arena has led to widespread improvements in the safety and working conditions of industries throughout America and abroad. The firm and founder have been repeatedly recognized by most leading journals and legal associations including Texas Lawyer Litigation Department of the Year (2013); Forbes "Lawyer of the Month" and Forbes 'Top 75 Litigation Firms; MTMP "Clarence Darrow Award"; Texas Monthly Superlawyers, U.S. News & World Reports Top Law Firms and numerous other accolades. REF. Greg Gibbons v. Union Pacific Railroad Company Case No. 2:15-cv-2231 Code of Talent Digital Code of Talent brings great benefits to employers who wish to access better qualified workforce. As part of the blockchain structure, companies seeking labor can see the public ledger of skills from all participants and choose those that best fit their needs. In 2017, HarvardX and MITx reported that only 5.5 percent of people who enroll in their open online courses complete the classes. Other more optimistic studies looking at the MOOC industry overall list a completion rate of around 6 percent. Companies around the world complain that their traditional training system, with both on-site learning options as well as online courses, is just not producing the expected results. Students complain its hard to keep up with the volume of information, and overall feel less engaged when learning by themselves in front of their computers. Employers still struggle to find the skill they need. At such rates, it seems the e-learning system is failing at keeping learners engaged and breaks its promise of revolutionizing education and training worldwide. Enter microlearning, blockchain, token incentives, and a unique concept that puts efficiency back in the education process. Code of Talent developed the worlds first skill-based education blockchain platform integrating short lectures, token incentives, as well as direct interaction between instructors, learners, and employers from around the world. The companys goal is to give free access to education for anyone interested in their career progress as well as train generations for actual skills required by industries. With Code of Talent, students and teachers exchange information and feedback in short 10-minute sessions with up to 40 participants. The classroom feel enhances motivation and engagement and helps learners learn not just from instructors but from one another. In addition, students earn CODE tokens as they progress, thus becoming part of the bigger Code of Talent mission. Code of Talent uses a microlearning engine proven to increase the rate of student progress by 300 percent, by matching the brains working memory and attention span with three to 10 minute chunks of information, says Bogdan Ciubotaru, chief executive officer of Code of Talent. Code of Talent also brings back competition in a traditional rigid field such is education. On Code of Talent, instructors are rewarded based on the feedback and ratings they get from students, thus encouraging them to stay up-to-date with the latest labor market requirements and student needs. Our system goes against traditional academia, where classes take too much time to change or be incorporated, and educators are convinced that no matter how slow they are in keeping up with the trends they will simply not be touched by changes themselves, says Ciubotaru. What we envision is instructors becoming true influencers, with the best one teaching the most sought-after courses. Code of Talent is also of great benefit to employers who wish to access better qualified workforce. As part of the blockchain structure, companies seeking labor can see the public ledger of skills from all participants and choose those that best fit their needs. Instructors and employers are also in touch to best adapt the training to the market demands that projects 375 million people will need to change occupational categories by 2030. There is a huge demand for skilled human resources and recruiters face this challenge of having to select the best candidates based on how impressive their resumes look rather than what they know those candidates can actually do, says Ciubotaru. Our platform stores the learners accomplishments on the blockchain making it immutable so that everyone interested can see what their acquired skills are. Thus the platform enables employers to look for and select those best performers according to their skills, also making the recruiting process straightforward and transparent. Code of Talent is the blockchain initiative of a successful microlearning B2B training platform with the same name and multinational clients from industries such as pharma, automotive, manufacturing, retail, oil & gas and banking. Code of Talent Blockchain was built by Co-Factor, the developer of the micro learning platform, Ascendis, the largest provider of adult learning in CEE, and Ideologiq the largest digital innovation agency in CEE. ABOUT CODE OF TALENT Code of Talent empowers educators to use micro-learning in the classrooms or as follow-up sessions, while allowing people from all over the world to join, contribute and learn from others. It uncovers the wisdom of many to foster bright ideas and purposeful knowledge, by integrating employers, advertisers, sponsors and premium content providers to build a sustainable ecosystem and token economy in the education landscape. FOUNDERS BOGDAN CIUBOTARU Chief Executive Officer Bogdan is a C-level executive with over 18 years experience in industries such as IT/Software, Education, Online Market Research and Telecom. He managed multinational, medium-size and entrepreneurial companies and coordinated diverse teams and complex projects, with global footprint. VLAD GRIGORIU - Chief Strategy Officer Vlad is a visionary entrepreneur, founder of Co-Factor (http://www.co-factor.ro) with almost 20 years of executive, entrepreneurial and consulting experience in areas such as strategy, communications, innovation and human capital. He is a Harvard Business School alum with a passion for learning and education and is also the architect behind the Code of Talent micro-learning product. MARIUS OPRIS - Chief Learning Alchemist Passionate economist and serial entrepreneur, Marius is convinced that micro-learning and blockchain are able to transform the global education and labor market. Marius has 14 years experience as trainer and consultant for more than 500 organizations in 20 countries. ADELA GRIGORIU - Business Development Director Adelas experience in customer interaction and her involvement with developing the business makes her a key partner in designing and testing the unparalleled engagement of Code of Talent. For more information please contact: Oana Molodoi Press Officer Code of Talent Email: info@codeoftalent.io Phone: +1 714 330 5272 Address: 5151 California Ave #100, Irvine, CA 92617 White paper: https://codeoftalent.io/assets/ICO_CoT_Whitepaper.pdf Website: https://codeoftalent.io/ Working product: https://www.codeoftalent.com/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CodeOfTalent Join our Telegram channel: https://t.me/CodeofTalentchat Join our bounty program:https://codeoftalent.io/bounty Like us on Facebook: Facebook Barbara Lynch, Owner: Breakwater Blue Breakwater Blue is a Massachusetts-based retailer of eco-friendly apparel, recycled sailcloth bags, and nautical bracelets, founded in 2013. They announced today that their online store's visibility on search engines is seeing a consistent increase of site visitors thanks to the SEO and other services of 3dcart, the best eCommerce platform for SEO. Breakwater Blue sells fashionable recycled sailcloth bags in all sizes, home accessories, comfortable nautical apparel, and attractive jewelry with a seafaring style. Knowing they had a great message to spread, Breakwater Blue sought to increase their reach to find new customers who would appreciate the nautical theme of their products as well as their environmentally-conscious nature. The company's eco-friendly mission comes through in their choice of recycled materials and direct donations to ocean cleanup efforts. "We are not just a retail store. The items we sell are sold to help keep our Earth and oceans clean," explains Barbara Lynch, Breakwater Blue's founder. "We sell products that mean something. Our clothing line gives back 5% of their sales to ocean cleanup. Our sailcloth bags and pillows keep retired boat sails out of our landfills, providing every customer with a truly unique product. As a company, we also host beach cleanups on a monthly basis, which is where our bracelets come into place. The 4Ocean bracelet is made of 100% recycled glass bottle beads threaded over reused plastic bottles. Barbie Lynch sought out to spread awareness to a larger customer base and connect with environmentally-minded consumers who appreciate handmade items that last. Their company likes to connect with other businesses who also strive for ocean and land conservation. With this purpose in mind, Barbara decided to turn to the SEO experts at 3dcart, the eCommerce platform that powers Breakwater Blue's online store. 3dcart's SEO is paying off. Barbara is pleased with the efforts of 3dcart's SEO team in securing a higher search engine ranking for Breakwater Blue and its unique products. "[3dcart's SEO services] help me to consistently keep bringing my site to a more visible state and spreading our eco-friendly philosophy," she says. "We are looking forward to increasing sales and sharing what we are passionate for with likeminded people while continuing to grow as a company that stands for the environment." To learn more about Breakwater Blue, visit https://www.breakwaterblue.com/. About 3dcart 3dcart (https://www.3dcart.com), located in Tamarac, Florida, is the most SEO-friendly eCommerce platform for retailers & internet marketers to grow their online stores' traffic and sales. 3dcart includes 24x7 Technical Support, 100+ Mobile-Ready Themes, order management software, built-in blog, email marketing tools, and more. Since 1997, the company has been a leader in the eCommerce market, building online stores for businesses of all sizes. Today, 3dcart is Visa PCI Certified and a Google Partner. "We are excited about the tremendous potential of Batch Ice Cream."Dave LeRiche, President and co-owner Batch Ice Cream (http://batchicecream.com), an all-natural, premium ice cream which has been a favorite in farmers markets, shops and supermarkets throughout the region since 2009, has new owners with big plans for expanding the popular brand across the nation. The husband-and-wife team of Dave and Deb LeRiche of New Braintree, MA, are the new owners of Batch Ice Cream. They have purchased the business from founders Susie Parish and Veronica Janssens of Boston, effective May 7, 2018. Batch was launched nine years ago by Parish and Janssens with a vision of making ice cream with natural ingredients, thereby providing customers with real, pure, creamy ice cream. With flavors including Carmelized Banana & Walnuts, Salted Caramel, Ginger, Mocha Chip, Vanilla Bean, Dark Chocolate, Mexican Chili and Roasted Almonds, the pint-sized products are available throughout a number of locations in New England. And now, the new owners plan to take the product and the concept even further. We are excited about the tremendous potential of Batch Ice Cream, said Dave LeRiche, co-owner and President of the firm. His business partner and spouse, Deb LeRiche, added, The company founders did a great job building the Batch brand. We have such a strong foundation to build upon. Dave LeRiche, who has a strong resume in the food services industry, said that he and Deb plan to expand the companys reach by bringing on additional distributors for stronger market penetration and geographic expansion. They will meet with and work with the companys current distributors, as well as with the management of current and future locations for carrying the Batch Ice Cream line. Batch Ice Cream currently works with an ice cream manufacturing establishment in Southeastern Massachusetts to create the products to the owners specifications. LeRiche says that as the product expands nationally, they may utilize an additional facility elsewhere in the United States. For now, though, everything is made here in Massachusetts. Another item atop the news owners to do list is work to develop additional flavors for the popular product. We thank Susie and Veronica for their good work, and for their hospitality and assistance during this transition of ownership, said Dave LeRiche, adding, They will always be an important part of the Batch Ice Cream family. In fact, it has been an interesting and busy month for the new owners, who, in addition to purchasing a business together, were married on April 21. And, not surprisingly, part of the menu at the reception included Batch Ice Cream provided courtesy of the former owners. Dave LeRiche was most recently Vice-President, Sales at Truco Enterprises, a leading developer and marketer of tortilla chips, salsa and queso under the On The Border brand. In all, he brings more than three decades experience in the food services industry to this new venture. His wife, Deborah LeRiche, co-owner of Batch Ice Cream, is a Registered Nurse, certified in PeriAnesthesia and Critical Care Nursing, and works at the Post Anesthesia Care Unit at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. Bob Karlis, principal at Cabot Business Brokers in Hingham, MA, was the business broker who handled the transaction. About Batch Ice Cream Since 2009 Batch has been creating pure, premium ice cream using only natural ingredients that are locally sourced and fairly traded. Known as the purest pint on the shelf, each flavor of ice cream is crafted without the use of gums, stabilizers, artificial flavors and colors or corn syrup. Ingredients include dairy fresh local cream, milk, egg yolks and organic cane sugar. Batch has nine natural flavors which come from ingredients that include free trade coffee beans, vanilla bean and chocolate. The husband and wife team of Deb and Dave LeRiche fell in love with the creamy all-natural treat and bought the company in 2018 with a commitment to continue the founders dream of ice cream made with local, free-trade and minimal ingredients. The company is headquartered in New Braintree, MA, and will continue to expand its distribution and add new flavors. MassLive Media recently named the Batch Dark Chocolate the regions number one ice cream and the Vanilla Bean was named number three. For more information please visit http://batchicecream.com. Photo: Deb and Dave LeRiche, new owners of Batch Ice Cream, showing the packaging for Batch Ice Cream. The husband-and-wife team are the new owners of this growing company effective May 4, 2018. This trend is dangerous. Vaping devices are already being used to deliver marijuana and could be leveraged to deliver even more potent drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, down the road." Teenage smoking has decreased over the past few years in America, but that is not necessarily good news. Teenagers have flocked to e-cigarettes, and when combined with use of traditional cigarettes, the use of nicotine among teenagers may have actually increased, said Dr. Indra Cidambi, a nationally recognized Addiction Expert and Medical Director of New Jersey-based outpatient detox facility Center for Network Therapy. For example, in New Jersey, teenage smoking rate dropped from 14.3% in 2010 to 8.2% in 2014. However, one in eight (12%) teenagers had tried e-cigarettes at least once, and a similar number had tried hookah. The rapid adoption of e-cigarettes by the youth of our country has been driven, at least partially, by the exponential jump in the potency of e-liquids (nicotine + marijuana) used in vapes. This trend is dangerous. Vaping devices are already being used to deliver marijuana and could be leveraged to deliver even more potent drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, down the road, added Dr. Cidambi. An e-cigarette is an electronic device that simulates the feeling of smoking tobacco. It works by heating a liquid to generate an aerosol, commonly called "vapor," that the user inhales. The use of e-cigarettes is more commonly called vaping. The liquid in the e-cigarette is called e-liquid. Nicotine is addictive, as it increases the level of dopamine in the brain and primes the reward pathways for other drugs, said Dr. Cidambi. This is a big concern because eventually these teenagers will develop tolerance to nicotine and will need more potent stimulants to release increased amounts of dopamine to get the same effect, added Dr. Cidambi. Already vaping products like JUUL contain nearly 50mg of nicotine per ml of liquid (a cigarette has about 12mg of nicotine). As a result of the huge uptake of vaping among teenagers, innocuous looking delivery devices are already in place and they could eventually be leveraged to deliver more potent drugs. Some e-cigarettes look like USB drives and parents are not even aware that their child is using nicotine. As per a study*, 25% of teenagers who used e-cigarettes progressed to smoking pot (marijuana) as compared to one in eight (12.5%) of teenagers who did not use e-cigarettes, added Dr. Cidambi. THC content in liquid concentrates, used in vapes, can range between 50 and 90%, as compared to 20% in marijuana. Vaping high-concentration THC can deliver a more intense high, but can also lead to addiction. Further down the road, liquid concentrates of other illicit substances such as heroin or cocaine could easily be substituted in the vaping device and lead to increased rates of addiction, said Dr. Cidambi. Consider this heroin users have been vaping heroin for decades by using high heat (heating it in a metal foil and inhaling the vapors), not with the help of a low-heat device like an e-cigarette, said Dr. Cidambi. Inhaling is a preferred method of drug delivery as the drug hits the brain almost as fast as injecting the drug. Methamphetamine, due to its low boiling point, is more vape friendly, but heroin and cocaine in their most common crystal form cannot be used in vaping devices, as they are not capable to delivering high-heat, added Dr. Cidambi. Tight crystal structures in heroin and cocaine bind molecules strongly**, and they may need to be mixed with weak alkalis to create freebases that could be used in vaping devices. Anecdotal evidence suggests some synthetic drugs, like flakka, are already being vaped, and it is inevitable that high-potency drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, will eventually be sold as vapable liquids. That is when the real danger of the vaping trend we are witnessing will hit home, warned Dr. Cidambi. The vaping trend has gone unchallenged, but a concerted response is called for in order to curb the use of e-cigarettes among teenagers. As a country, we need to address the vaping epidemic right now. The state of New Jersey, for example, raised the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21 in 2017 and some municipalities have required e-cigarette vendors to be licensed. *Childrens Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO. **Global Drug Survey For more information on substance abuse dependency, addiction and treatment please go to http://www.RecoveryCNT.com. About Dr. Indra Cidambi Indra Cidambi, M.D., Medical Director, Center for Network Therapy, is recognized as a leading expert and pioneer in the field of Addiction Medicine. Under her leadership the Center for Network Therapy started New Jerseys first state licensed Ambulatory (Outpatient) Detoxification program for all substances nearly three years ago. Dr. Cidambi is Board Certified in General Psychiatry and double Board Certified in Addiction Medicine (ABAM, ABPN). She is the Vice President of the New Jersey Society of Addiction Medicine. She is fluent in five languages, including Russian. About Center for Network Therapy Center for Network Therapy (CNT) was the first facility in New Jersey to be licensed to provide Ambulatory (Outpatient) Detoxification Services for all substances of abuse alcohol, anesthetics, benzodiazepines, opiates and other substances of abuse. Led by a Board Certified Addiction Psychiatrist, Indra Cidambi, M.D., experienced physicians and nurses closely monitor each patients progress. With CNTs superior client care and high quality treatment, Dr. Cidambi and her clinical team have successfully detoxed over 1500 patients in five years. CNT also offers Partial Care and IOP programs. Address Every Source, Channel, Process & Disposition Quick and hassle-free returns/repairs can inspire loyalty in a very competitive marketplace and also lead to additional sales opportunities. Our Reverse Logistics software helps do both," Said Gustavo L. Merchan, Beesion CMO Beesion, a pioneer of low-code software, has added new functionality to its Reverse Logistics software to make returning a device or repairing it much faster and easier, helping to convert the experience into a great brand touchpoint. Carriers and retailers need to make the returns/repair experience just as satisfying as the purchase experience, said Gustavo L. Merchan, Beesion CMO. Quick and hassle-free returns/repairs can inspire loyalty in a very competitive marketplace and also lead to additional sales opportunities. Our Reverse Logistics software helps do both. Moreover, subscribers are more inclined than ever to return devices and products they dont like. Based on recent retail studies, returns and overstocked goods have been growing at 7.5% a year. And retailers overall have return rates of 8-10%, with online sales seeing return rates in the range of 20%-30%. Against this backdrop, Beesion has incorporated several new functionalities into its Reverse Logistics software to help telecom companies and electronics retailers improve the returns and repairs experience to inspire more loyalty and improve the customer experience: Omnichannel returns/repairs customers can return/repair their devices/electronics/products in-store, online, via a call center, or even through a chat bot Repair, loaner, or exchange insurance and protection subscribers have the option to repair their broken device with walk-in, mail-in or mobile technician options, get a loaner device, or exchange the broken device under their protection contract Repair store queues and stations using modules from Beesions Store Greeter software, establish queues and stations to address returns/repairs/trade-ins and reroute the traffic in a minute should the store traffic flows change Keep the customer in the loop - provide customers with automated notifications on repair status, as well as a web interface with tracking information. Expedited repairs elevate repairs based on customer profiles, as well as automate repair technician assignments In addition to managing the returns and repair processes, Beesions low-code reverse logistics software addressees every reverse logistics step, from receipt all the way through dispositioning. It provides an end-to-end solution, with complete flexibility. Beesions Reverse Logistics software uses Beesions low-code software platform. Unlike traditional software development, low-code technology uses little to no custom code, making it exceptionally quick to launch, update, and expand. Developers use a visual model to configure all functionality, using drag-and-drop tools to modify work flows, data models, interfaces, and business rules. Then, these models supported by Beesions underlying low-code platform generate the code to construct the software stack. The Reverse Logistics low-code software can be modified and expanded with point-and-click tools, not code. In just minutes, a business analyst with a little training can add vendors, change processes, or modify business rules and workflows, automatically updating all the downstream processes. Our Reverse Logistics software is extremely flexible. It enables retailers to optimize processes quickly, make continuous changes, and enjoy complete visibility, Merchan said. And now, it helps retailers offer a superior returns and repairs experience. Beesions Reverse Logistics software can be deployed on Amazon cloud, private clouds, or on premises. About Beesion Beesion is the pioneer of low-code telecom BSS. The 10-year-old, global company offers more than 30 low-code applications to help telecom companies manage, monetize, and monitor their offerings. Applications can be deployed on cloud or on-premise with carrier-grade service. The company ranks Number #403 Fastest Growing Company in North America on Deloittes 2017 Technology Fast 500. Learn more about Beesion at http://www.beesion.com We must work together to increase the likelihood of success for students. Data science, nudge interventions, and transparency between departments on campus are paramount to achieving our shared goals of helping more students cross the finish line. -Ken Michaels, CEO, Macmillan Learning Macmillan Learning, a premier educational solutions and insights provider, today announced the dates and location of its 2018 Higher Ed Summit. The Summit was created to bring together a diverse audience of higher education faculty, technologists, administrators, and first year experience coordinators to collaborate, discuss, and identify concrete strategies that improve student outcomes. With a renewed focus on affordability, program assessment, and student retention at colleges and universities across the country, the Higher Summit will bring together the stakeholders poised to make a measurable difference in the lives of college students. The industry continues to evaluate strategies for improving performance on learning outcomes that lift retention and graduation rates, stated Macmillan Learning CEO, Ken Michaels. We must work together to increase the likelihood of success for students. Data science, nudge interventions, and transparency between departments on campus are paramount to achieving our shared goals of helping more students cross the finish line. At Macmillan Learning, we take our mission of improving lives through learning very seriously, and I feel fortunate to be a part of this special event for the teaching and learning community. The Macmillan Learning Higher Ed Summit will take place at the new Omni Louisville hotel June 11 - 13, 2018, and will feature sessions focused on student engagement and active learning; affordability in higher education; data and insights for program assessment and improvement; as well as student success and retention strategies. The keynote speakers for the Higher Ed Summit are former Dean of Freshmen and Undergraduate Advising at Stanford University and New York Times best-selling author, Julie Lythcott-Haims, and Dr. Tim Renick, Senior Vice President for Student Success at Georgia State University. Other esteemed speakers and panelists include two of iClickers co-founders, Dr. Mats Selen and Dr. Tim Stelzer, both of the University of Illinois; Dr. Kate Biberdorf of the University of Texas; Dr. TJ Bliss, of Wikipedia Education; Dr. Robbie Melton, Tennessee State University professor and former Vice Chancellor of Mobile and Emerging Technologies for the Tennessee Board of Regents. Im delighted to be rejoining my former colleagues in Higher Ed for a conversation about how we can best improve student engagement, retention and success for all students - especially those who may be most vulnerable to attrition, said Lythcott-Haims. Registration for the Higher Ed Summit is only $299 and the registration fee includes two-nights lodging at the brand-new Omni Hotel Louisville, continuing education credits, and all meals. There are also additional discounts for multiple attendees from an institution of higher education as well as discounted graduate student pricing. We have a spectacular lineup of higher education thought-leaders and innovators, said Craig Bleyer, General Manager of Macmillan Institutional Solutions. Too often conferences of this caliber are so expensive that only a few people from one institution can attend. It was important for us to keep the cost to attend low so that it would not prohibit stakeholders from collaborating to tackle the most pressing issues in higher education. Our intention is that attendees come away from the Summit with substantive strategies and tactics to meet their personal and institutional goals for student success. To learn more about the Macmillan Learning Higher Ed Summit, please visit: http://go.macmillanlearning.com/2018-powered-by-why.html About Macmillan Learning: Macmillan Learning improves lives through learning. Our legacy of excellence in education informs our approach to using user-centered design, learning science, impact research, and data mining to develop world-class content and pioneering products that are empathetic, highly effective, and drive improved outcomes. Through deep partnership with the worlds best researchers, educators, administrators, and developers, we facilitate teaching and learning opportunities that spark student engagement and improve outcomes. We provide educators with tailored solutions designed to inspire curiosity and measure progress. Our commitment to teaching and discovery upholds our mission to improve lives through learning. To learn more, please visit http://www.macmillanlearning.com or see us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN or join our Macmillan Community. The sharp decline in teenage employment over the past decades is one of the biggest changes in the economic landscape. While its certainly a sign of increased schooling, its also an indication that work experience is invaluable. - Bill Stoller, Express CEO With summertime approaching, images come to mind of teenagers heading off to summer jobs or high school graduates searching for their first gigs. But in reality, teenage employment is becoming increasingly rare. Since 1980, teenage labor force participation has declined by more than 20 percentage points, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Today, barely one-third (34.8 percent) of 16- to 19-year-olds are in the workforce. In January 1980, 57.7 percent were. Whats Keeping Teenagers Away from the Workforce? Whats changed? Why are so few teenagers working? Express Employment Professionals experts identify a few trends, including increased schooling, mismatched expectations and competition with older workers for entry-level jobs. According to Janis Petrini, an Express franchise owner in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the youngest workers do not always seek the types of jobs that are available. Young adults are in a time of exploration at this age and would love to gain experience working 20 to 30 hours; however, industries are seeking primarily full-time and beyond, she said. The oppositional goals contribute to the imbalance of the job market. Terri Greeno, an Express franchise owner in Crystal Lake, Illinois, reports that older people are taking entry-level jobs for which teenage workers would be well-suited. In our geographic area, we are seeing older workers coming in seeking work, she said. We have seen several instances of older workers wanting an assignment with lower levels of responsibility than their previous jobs, where they can go to work every day, earn a paycheck and then go home to pursue their other interests. They are taking some of the entry-level positions that a young person with no experience could be assigned. Tight Labor Markets Creating Some Opportunities Still, tighter labor markets in some areas are creating opportunities, according to Petrini. The tighter labor market creates opportunities for young adults to find employment in a greater variety of industries, she said. In West Michigan, we see a trend of employers relaxing the experience required phenomena and a willingness to train individuals new to the job market. Reid Bates, an Express franchise owner in Olympia, Aberdeen and Centralia, Washington, reports that interest is high among those who are not college bound, and that Teenage job seekers with little experience are finding plenty of interest from hiring managers. Despite their lack of work experience, if they can show ambition, work ethic and dependability, there are plenty of avenues available to quickly land a job. We see, for example, tourism and lumber manufacturing creating plenty of openings for teenagers this summer in the Pacific Northwest, he said. The Gig Economy Helps TeenagersBut in a Surprising Way As for the effect of the gig economy, Bates believes it has been good for teenage workers. Ride-hailing services have drawn away a significant number of workers who meet the minimum age of 21 who otherwise would have directly competed with teenagers for lower-skilled jobs, he said. This vacuum is creating more opportunity for the remaining workers. According to the BLS, teen labor force participation will decline over the next decade as the rate is projected to drop from 34 percent in 2014 to 26.4 percent in 2024. The BLS notes that at that point, the participation rate for 65- to 74-year-olds will be greater than teenage participation. The American labor force continues to transform before our eyes, said Bill Stoller, the CEO of Express. The sharp decline in teenage employment over the past decades is one of the biggest changes in the economic landscape. While its certainly a sign of increased schooling, its also an indication that work experience is invaluable. *** If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Karami, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966. About Bill Stoller William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 800 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Since its inception, Express has put more than 6 million people to work worldwide. About Express Employment Professionals Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated $3.4 billion in sales and employed a record 540,000 people in 2017. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com. YMCA Swim Lessons For generations, staying safe around water meant keeping kids away from water, but its time to start a new family tradition by learning basic water safety skills, said Bryan Madden, president and CEO of Valley of the Sun YMCA. As part of National Water Safety Month, the Valley of the Sun YMCA will offer free swim lessons to the first 1,600 registrants at 13 Valley of the Sun YMCA branches the week of May 21-25. Registration opens at noon today and must be done in person at a local Y branch. Lessons are open to non-swimmers from six months of age to adults. The free swim lessons are part of the Ys Safety Around Water program, which is designed to engage and educate parents about the importance of water safety skills and provide more of Americas youth access to water safety lessons. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1 to 4 years old and is the second leading cause of death for children from 5 to 14 years old. Arizona is among the states with the highest rate of drowning deaths in the country. However, research shows that participation in formal water safety and swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning among children 1 to 4 years of age by as much as 88 percent. Through Safety Around Water, parents and caregivers are encouraged to help their children learn fundamental water safety and swimming skills. During the five-day course, participants are taught how to respond if they find themselves in unexpected water situationsfrom how to reach the waters surface if they submergeto safely reaching a pools edge or exiting any body of water. For generations, staying safe around water meant keeping kids away from water, but its time to start a new family tradition by learning basic water safety skills, said Bryan Madden, president and CEO of Valley of the Sun YMCA. Safety Around Water is a great starting point to not only get kids comfortable in the water but also teach their parents the importance of developing water safety skills. In addition to preventing drowning, water safety and swim lessons promote a lifelong enjoyment of swimming. They also encourage healthy living and the prevention of chronic diseases. Learning to enjoy activities in and around the water also nurtures social-emotional, cognitive and physical development. The swim lessons offered through the Safety Around Water program teach children that water should be fun, not feared, if you know how to stay safe in and around water. They also serve as a good introduction to the Ys progressive swim lessons, which accommodate students of varying abilities and allow swimmers to progress among levels at their own pace. The YMCA is Americas swim instructor and the most accessible community resource to prevent drowning and encourage a lifelong enjoyment of swimming. The Y introduced the concept of group swim lessons in 1909. Now, each year in more than 2,000 pools across the country, the Y teaches more than a million children from all backgrounds invaluable water safety and swim skills. Here in the Valley of the Sun, the Y provided swim lessons to more than 3,000 children and adults last year. All non-swimmers are encouraged to sign up for this free swim lesson session as registration is first come, first serve. Registrations are accepted in person at their local YMCA branch. For more information, visit valleyymca.org. About Valley of the Sun YMCA Valley of the Sun YMCA is one of the largest human service nonprofit organizations in Arizona. As the one of the oldest nonprofits in the state, established in 1892, the YMCA serves local communities in Maricopa County, Pinal County, Yuma, Flagstaff and Prescott, offering more than 250 programs and 26 social services at its statewide locations. Members are welcome regardless of gender, religion or ethnicity. Financial assistance is also available to those who qualify. The YMCA aims to provide all members with the opportunity to reach farther and improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the YMCAs goal is to inspire positive and lasting social change. For more information, visit http://www.valleyymca.org. ### We are excited to grow our partnership to make it easy for customers to securely process cash and check payments in-person at thousands of walk-in bill payment centers across the nation and seamlessly post activity directly into their existing core billing and collections software. PaymentVision, a leading provider of electronic payment processing technology and merchant processing for financial services, government, and utility industries in conjunction with Fidelity Express, a leader in the walk-in bill payment and money order space, announced a partnership and planned integration. The integration will expand the payment processing options for Fidelity Express clients and provide streamlined walk-in bill payment services to PaymentVision clients. The planned integration will be completed this quarter, providing billers and receivables management firms with a number of new features, including: In-Person Payments: Consumers can pay their bill in-person at thousands of retail agent locations across the nation. Staffing Efficiencies: Retail agent locations are staffed by trained customer service personnel in consumers local market. Accept All Forms of Payment: Give consumers the ability to complete walk-in payments via cash, money order, or check. Real-Time Communication: Payments at a Fidelity Express retail agent location are communicated securely in real-time. Fidelity Express has built a strong reputation in the industry with their premier walk-in bill payment solutions, said Eugene ORourke, Vice President of Marketing at PaymentVision. We are excited to grow our partnership to make it easy for customers to securely process cash and check payments in-person at thousands of walk-in bill payment centers across the nation and seamlessly post activity directly into their existing core billing and collections software. PaymentVisions commitment to simplifying electronic billing and payment processing for business aligns with Fidelity Expresss core value of making in-person payments just as seamless for the client and their customers, said K. Neal Barker, Director of Sales and Marketing at Fidelity Express. Not only does this partnership allow us to offer our clients more payment processing options, but we get to deliver a needed walk-in bill payment service to PaymentVision clients who will appreciate how much cash matters to us. To learn more about how PaymentVisions integrated payment solutions can help to improve your business, call (800) 345-7243 or email sales@paymentvision.com to speak with one of our industry experts today. About PaymentVision PaymentVision is a biller-direct, PCI-compliant, electronic payment gateway provider. PaymentVision offers clients the unified ability to accept ACH, check, and credit or debit card payments, by phone, or through Internet channels. PaymentVision solutions handle billions of dollars for thousands of financial institutions, large and small nationwide including, credit unions, banks, consumer finance, and collection agencies. For more information, please visit http://www.paymentvision.com; follow PaymentVision on Twitter @PaymentVision or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/paymentvision; or call 800-345-7243. About Autoscribe Corporation Autoscribe Corporation is a leading financial services company and payment processor. With more than two decades of innovation and leadership in the financial technology industry, Autoscribe offers a full suite of tools through PaymentVision and Lyons Commercial Data to help their customers grow their business, simplify payment processing, mitigate risk, and ensure compliance. Recently named to the Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing private companies in the nation, Autoscribe has thousands of customers and processes more than $1 billion in transactions annually. For more information, please visit http://www.autoscribe.com; follow Autoscribe on Twitter @AutoscribeCorp or on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/autoscribe; or call 800-345-7243. About Fidelity Express Fidelity Express is a leader in the walk-in bill payment and money order space, established in 1988 as a division of GSC Enterprises, Inc. With thousands of neighborhood stores across 22 states and the District of Columbia, Fidelity Express processes millions of payments annually for the cash-paying consumer. Fidelity Express prides itself on being the most flexible and responsive provider in the industry. GSC Enterprises, Inc, was established as a family business more than 65 years ago. GSC remains a family owned and operated business, not only devoted to its employees and customers, but also, its community. For more information, visit http://www.fidelityexpress.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements" including, without limitation, statements regarding future events and Autoscribe Corporation's business, strategy and results, that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are sometimes identified by words such as "will", "may", "could", "should," "would", "project", "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "plan," "estimate", "forecast", "potential", "intend", "continue", "target", "opportunities" and variations of these words or comparable words. As a result of the ultimate outcome of such risks and uncertainties, Autoscribe Corporation's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on Autoscribe Corporation's current beliefs or expectations, and there are a number of important factors that could cause the actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, risks related to the successful offering of the products and services of Autoscribe Corporation; and other risks that may impact Autoscribe Corporations business. Autoscribe Corporation expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this and other documents may not add up precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures. ### Note to Editors: Autoscribe and PaymentVision are registered trademarks of Autoscribe Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. We are focused on the future of the industry. As the world becomes more modern and digitally driven, so does Envoy", said Ron Millard, CEO. Envoy Mortgage continues its commitment to be an industry leader and offering of first-rate technology. Adding to their marketing and technology strategy, the company has launched Total Expert as their new CRM platform. In 2017 alone, Envoy Mortgage launched several new technology platforms and sales support tools. Envoy EDGE is an ever-evolving marketing and recruiting platform, increasing business and attracting potential employees and Realtor partners. Envoy has also noted an increase in mobile applications month-over-month since its new mobile apps inception. The company has a solid reputation for their focus on building strong technology solutions and offer robust digital tools to empower their loan originators to increase their business. Envoy Mortgage has built a suite of best-in-class tools, resources and trainings which focus on driving production, increasing market share, and expanding local brand awareness for their originators and referral partners across its 150+ nationwide locations. Providing our loan originators with the best tools available continues to be one of our focus points in 2018, said Ron Millard, CEO. In 2017, we launched several marketing and technology driven platforms to arm our loan originators to expand their business in the local communities. We are focused on the future of the industry. As the world becomes more modern and digitally driven, so does Envoy. Our loan originators have the automation tools for many marketing and back-end processes allowing them to continue to shape strong Realtor and borrower relationships. Our partnership with Total Expert is testimony to our non-stop effort in building our brand and continuing to create lasting relationships. Total Experts marketing operating system adds another layer to Envoy Mortgages existing technology. Total Expert provides a full suite of marketing automation tools, including the ability to automate the capture and follow-up of leads, seamlessly create, deploy and track marketing assets at the community level, single-property website creation and gain greater insights into marketing activities with advanced reporting functionality. Envoy has built an incredible brand and continues to demonstrate leadership as a modern mortgage lender with their huge commitment to the best technology that will empower their loan originators to grow their business, said Joe Welu, founder and CEO of Total Expert. They are extremely well positioned for the future of mortgage lending and we are proud to partner with them on their digital transformation journey. Envoy Mortgages technology offers an on-the-go solution for originators. More than the right tools, Envoy offers the right support with a culture that cant be beat. To learn more about Envoy Mortgage and Envoy EDGE visit http://www.envoymortgage.com. About Envoy Mortgage: Founded in 1997, Envoy Mortgage is an independently owned, full-service mortgage lender headquartered in Houston, TX. As a Fannie, Freddie and Ginnie approved seller/servicer, Envoy branches offer a full menu of loan products with locations across the U.S. Licensed in 49 states. Envoy branches provide outstanding customer service by offering a full menu of loan products with the tools, expertise and technology needed to support all functions of the mortgage process. For more information, visit http://www.EnvoyMortgage.com. Envoy Mortgage, Ltd. NMLS #6666. About Total Expert: Total Expert is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that provides the first modern, web-based, enterprise-level marketing and sales software solution built specifically for mortgage and financial services. Eight of the top 15 mortgage lenders in the country use Total Expert. Total Expert ensures that marketing, compliance, and sales are aligned in a single system of record, and provides tools including marketing, co-marketing and CRM. Every marketing asset ever created, downloaded, or deployed is tracked with on-demand audit level reporting. The highly flexible, profile-based architecture provides precise permission controls and hierarchy settings for endless custom reporting and analytics options based on the unique preferences of the organization. For more information, visit totalexpert.com. Kyndi today announced that Benjamin Grosof has been named Chief Scientist of Artificial Intelligence. Grosof, an industry leader in knowledge representation, reasoning, and acquisition, will provide technical and strategic direction in invention, algorithms, architecture, problem-solving, and building up the overall R&D group. His focus will be on machine learning (ML) combined with natural language processing (NLP) as well as knowledge representation and reasoning (KRR). We are excited to have Benjamin join our team of NLP and graph technology experts. His leadership and prior work will accelerate Kyndis Explainable AI analytic applications, said Ryan Welsh, Founder and CEO of Kyndi. Kyndi has uniquely capable intellectual property with a strong combination of AI technologies, market positioning, and commercial software development skills, said Grosof. Im looking forward to helping this energetic team accomplish goals that have been on the fields horizon for many years. Before joining Kyndi, Grosof was a Research Fellow and Principal Director of Artificial Intelligence at Accenture, where he launched an initiative to leverage AI for business process automation across the companys $8B+ Operations group. Before that, he was founding CTO of the AI reasoning startup Coherent Knowledge, led a research program in advanced AI and rule-based semantic technologies for Paul Allen at Vulcan Inc.s Project Halo, was an IT professor at MIT Sloan, and was a senior software scientist at IBM Research. Grosof holds a Bachelors degree in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University and a PhD in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) from Stanford University. His background also includes 5 major industry software releases, 3 patents, and over 60 refereed publications. About Kyndi Kyndi is an artificial intelligence company thats building the first Explainable AI platform for government, financial services, and healthcare. We transform business processes by offering auditable AI systems. Our product exists because organizations cannot use black box machine learning when they are required to explain the reason for any decision. Kyndi was named to the CB Insights AI 100 for 2018, which includes the most promising 100 private companies working on groundbreaking artificial intelligence technology. Based in Silicon Valley, Kyndi is backed by leading venture investors. For more information, visit http://www.kyndi.com. Contact: Amy Guarino amy.guarino(at)kyndi(dot)com 650-437-7440 Muse and Hermes Awards The Muse Creative Awards has awarded Regrub LLC with a Platinum and Rose Gold muse to honor the creativity of its outstanding 3D invite and beer-pairing menu. Regrub, the local franchisee for Smashburger restaurants in the Tampa Bay Area, sent out the 3D invite to announce the grand opening of its Tampa location and released the beer pairing menu to showcase its new selection of local craft beers. Muse Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals who possess the unique ability to inspire with a concept, idea or design - whether through traditional materials or electronic media. More than paychecks drive creative people to perfect their craft, they follow the spark of an inner muse, lighting the path to success with deep knowledge and shining originality, according to the organizations website. This organization chose Regrubs media pieces out of a competitive selection of advertisements and artwork coming from all over the world The leadership team at Regrub is deeply honored to receive these awards from Muse. I greatly appreciate that Muse honored us with not one, but two awards in recognition of the hard work our company had done to introduce Smashburger to the Tampa Bay Area, said CEO of Regrub Tom Jones. I also would like to thank our design agency Doubletake Marketing & PR without whom none of this would have been possible. Regrub also received an honorable mention from the Hermes Awards for its 3D invite. The Hermes Awards is an international competition organized and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals (AMCP). Smashburger currently has three locations in Tampa, Largo and Sarasota, and it soon will be expanding across the state of Florida. For more information about Smashburger, please visit: http://smashburger.com/. ABOUT REGRUB: Smashburger franchisee Regrub LLC plans to open 35 additional stores throughout West Central Florida over the next 5-6 years. These international hamburger locations will dot the west coast of Florida as far south as Naples in Collier County up to The Villages in the Ocala area. Currently there are 3 locations, Tampa, Clearwater and Sarasota with a fourth location opening soon. Data-driven storytelling provides a powerful complement to the quantitative research capabilities weve been implementing for years, and were ecstatic to have JM join the team to bring an entirely new dimension to the counsel were providing clients. Greentarget, a leading business-to-business public relations firm, today announced the addition of John Matthew JM Upton as the Director of Digital Strategy & Analytics in the firms Chicago office. Upton will be responsible for expanding the agencys digital capabilities into a full-service offering that encompasses digital strategy, demand generation, social, and web analytics, as well as integrating digital philosophy and measurement techniques into existing practice areas to provide additional value. As a firm that specializes in helping sophisticated organizations develop compelling points of view, we are beyond excited at the critical role analytics can play in marketing and digital strategies extrapolating actionable insights not only from data that clients are sitting on but from other publicly available data sets, as well, said John Corey, founding partner of Greentarget. Data-driven storytelling provides a powerful complement to the quantitative research capabilities weve been implementing for years, and were ecstatic to have JM join the team to bring an entirely new dimension to the counsel were providing clients. Upton has more than a decade of field experience as an eCommerce consultant and solution architect, most recently as senior manager of analytics & optimization at Ricoh USA. In that role, he led an international team to develop global web analytics strategy for 55 operating companies, including tools, infrastructure design, KPIs, roll-up reporting and communication cadence. He also developed analytical and reporting methodologies to support iterative design of new site functionality and marketing campaigns, driving 600 percent improvement to lead generation from 2015 to 2017. Before Ricoh, Upton was a principal consultant at Codifyd, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in B2B digital commerce, where he was responsible for designing solution architecture to support enterprise content management. Upton also held prior digital strategy and data analytics roles at Earley Information Science, Yellowbook.com and Circuitcity.com. As a consultant, his client experience includes KPMG, Johnson & Johnson, Target, Capital Group, Franklin Templeton, Applied Materials, Thermo-Fisher Scientific, and Allstate. Im extremely excited to join the Greentarget team and develop creative approaches to data in this space, said Upton. Digital can be the glue that binds a comprehensive media strategy together across earned, owned, paid and shared channels, and Greentarget is the perfect environment to leverage my client-side technical expertise and my experience in professional services and consulting. Theres a huge opportunity for B2B companies to apply digital techniques and predictive analytics within existing marketing workstreams, and companies that do this effectively can see incredible ROI and growth. Upton is a graduate of the University of Virginia and resides in Chicago with his wife. About Greentarget Greentarget is a strategic public relations firm focused exclusively on the communications needs of highly competitive business-to-business organizations. The firm was founded in 2005 to focus on the specific communications issues facing sophisticated organizations that compete on the basis of expertise, service and reputation. Today, Greentarget delivers a unique mix of earned media, content, research, digital, analytics and special situations counsel to help clients communicate and influence through normal business cycles and in times of crisis. The agencys success is due to carefully cultivated talent, specialized capabilities and strict adherence to a client service process called The Greentarget Way. Greentargets team of 60+ employees, located in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and London, offer the entrepreneurial spirit, geographic breadth and depth of experience required to serve leading business-to-business organizations. For more information, visit http://www.greentarget.com. Farmers, ranchers and water professionals all share the same water, the water that eventually flows from our tap, said AWWA CEO David LaFrance. As Drinking Water Week continues, the American Water Works Association and the water community across North America are urging collaboration between water utilities and farmers to protect drinking water. Nutrients from agricultural operations can wash into streams, rivers and lakes and ultimately impact drinking water supplies for communities downstream. However, farmers, water utilities and other community partners can work together to combat the problem. AWWA recently produced a whiteboard animation video to illustrate how partnerships between the U.S. Department of Agriculture, water utilities and farmers can be key in protecting drinking water sources. Farmers, ranchers and water professionals all share the same water, the water that eventually flows from our tap, said AWWA CEO David LaFrance. Drinking Water Week is a good time to recognize that protecting our source water is the best way to assure safe drinking water in our communities. About Drinking Water Week For more than 40 years, AWWA and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week, a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to join together in recognizing the vital role water plays in daily lives. Additional information about Drinking Water Week, including free materials for download and celebration ideas, is available on the Drinking Water Week webpage. Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the worlds most important resource. With approximately 50,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life. COA teachers are the foundation of everything we do, said Jane Buckman, President of Educational Programming. This week is national Teacher Appreciation Week and Children of America, Educational Childcare (COA), has pulled out all the stops. "This internationally recognized day commemorates teachers around the globe and their commitment to children and learning. Every year, COA celebrates this devotion with a week of activities and gifts to honor our teachers. We know the impact they make on our children and understand the vital role they play in our business model," says Jim Perretty, COA CEO. Studies show that having a strong teacher, even for one school year, can lead to lasting academic and social performance gains. Researchers have demonstrated that, for children, having a nurturing teacher can serve as a protective factor that mitigates the effect on learning and peer relationships. COA teachers are the foundation of everything we do, said Jane Buckman, President of Educational Programming. Our teachers take our proprietary programming and bring it to life in our classrooms, engaging and energizing our children, delivering an interactive learning environment. Mrs. Buckman goes on to say, "Our parents see the impact our teachers and programming make every day and as a result partner with us raising the bar in academic readiness. I could not be more proud of our teachers. In addition to the celebrations happening at each location, COA pays tribute to teachers throughout the year with monthly and yearly recognition initiatives. Jim Perretty adds, "It is the goal of the company to keep our school staff front and center every month. To reinforce this philosophy, we have created several programs to strengthen educational leadership, and increase collaboration with acknowledgment awards." Winners receive a cash awards and join the Hall of Fame board. About Children of America Educational Childcare & Academy Founded in 1997, Florida-based Children of America is a leading provider of high-quality childcare and after-school programs. With over 2,000 employees, the firm operates nearly 70 schools in Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. An industry pioneer, Children of America is a subsidiary of World Wide Child Care Corp. Visit our website for more information or interact with COA on Twitter and Facebook. Living History Experts gather for Civil War Remembrance at Greenfield Village This Memorial Day Weekend, guests are invited to become a part of living history as civilian and military living historians, active campsites and period music enliven Greenfield Village for Civil War Remembrance, May 26-28. The most authentic display of Civil War re-enactors in the country will immerse visitors in life during wartime. Civil War Remembrance programming is extended to 9 pm on Saturday, May 26. On Memorial Day, Monday May 28, The Henry Ford will host a commemoration ceremony on the Village Green to honor all veterans and active duty men and women at 12 pm. At 3 p.m. Greenfield Village will participate in a National Moment of Silence at 3 pm signaled by the Armington & Sims shop whistle. New this year, Cheyney McKnight, historian, living history specialist and founder of Not Your Mommas History, will present a unique perspective on the life and culture of both enslaved and free people of color in the Antebellum South during the mid-19th century. On Monday, curators Debra Reid and Jim Johnson will share stories from the collections of The Henry Ford on the role of the United States Colored Troops during the war. Also new this year is a presentation from associate curator Ryan Jelso on inventor Martha Coston who perfected a flare that helped the Union Navy and saved countless lives. Throughout the weekend, living history experts will showcase the resourcefulness of soldiers and take part in cavalry, artillery firing and tactical demonstrations at Walnut Grove. Inside the Village Pavilion guests can hear from special guest historians regarding Michigans role in the war, the truth behind the use of quilts and the Underground Railroad, and get a closer look at the clothing from that time through a special display. The music of the era comes to life throughout the weekend with performances by the Dodworth Saxhorn Band, the Picks & Sticks Stringband, the Dodworth Duo, the North Star Gospel Chorale and a special Saturday evening performance celebrating early American banjo music by Tin Cremona and Friends at Town Hall. Guests can hear how music influenced the culture of the time and President Abraham Lincolns playlist through special presentations by music and material culture historians John and Elaine Masciale. Admission to Civil War Remembrance is free with membership or $28 for adults, $25.50 for seniors 62 and up and $21 for youth 5-11. Children four and under are free. For more information, call (313) 982-6001 or visit https://www.thehenryford.org/current-events/calendar/civil-war-remembrance/. About The Henry Ford The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan is an internationally-recognized history destination that explores the American experience of innovation, resourcefulness and ingenuity that helped shape America. A national historic landmark with an unparalleled Archive of American Innovation, The Henry Ford is a force for sparking curiosity and inspiring tomorrows innovators. More than 1.77 million visitors annually experience its five attractions: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience. A continually expanding array of content available online provides anytime, anywhere access. The Henry Ford is also home to Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school which educates over 500 students a year on the institutions campus. In 2014, The Henry Ford premiered its first-ever national television series, The Henry Fords Innovation Nation, showcasing present-day change-makers and The Henry Fords artifacts and unique visitor experiences. Hosted by news correspondent and humorist, Mo Rocca, this Emmy-winning weekly half-hour show airs Saturday mornings on CBS. For more information please visit our website thehenryford.org. Watermelon is having its moment in the sun. Endless summer days are synonymous for backyard BBQs, cheerful picnics, and sunset beach excursions, all perfectly complemented by the juicy fruitiness of Watermelon. SKYY Vodka a vodka born in San Francisco pays homage to this all-American classic treat with the release of SKYY Infusions Sun-Ripened Watermelon, a must-have for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day and every conceivable celebration in between. A refreshing, watermelon-infused vodka made with real fruit, SKYYs latest trendsetting addition captures the brightness and complexity of succulent Watermelon and is now available nationwide. The new SKYY Infusions Sun-Ripened Watermelon offers a mouth-watering and slightly sweet spirit, where the real-fruit flavor bursts forward to stand out with most any mixer. Fans of SKYY Infusions will open a bottle and immediately notice the aroma of fresh Watermelon paired with SKYYs premium smooth vodka made from American grain for an elevated true-to-fruit experience. SKYY Infusions Sun-Ripened Watermelon is the perfect complement for outdoor cocktails with its bright fruitiness, and can be enjoyed on the rocks, muddled with fresh fruit, or used to put a surprising twist on a classic favorite. Whether its amping up your summer style with a twist on a rose spritzer or delighting in a new-found summer romance over a Watermelon Shandy, SKYY Infusions Sun-Ripened Watermelon is the perfect vodka to indulge in for leisurely days. WATERMELON ROSE SPRITZ 1 part SKYY Infusions Sun-Ripened Watermelon 1 part Aperol 3 parts Sparkling Rose 1 part Soda or Tonic Water Glass: Large Wine or Spritz Garnish: Melon Balls, Lime Wheels & Cucumber Ribbon Build in a Large Wine glass over ice. Garnish with Watermelon Balls, Lime Wheels and a Cucumber Ribbon. SKYY Infusions Sun-Ripened Watermelon joins the brands existing line of award-winning premium flavors, which includes Citrus, Blood Orange, Pineapple, Bartlett Pear, Honeycrisp Apple, Tropical Mango, Coastal Cranberry, Texas Grapefruit, Pacific Blueberry, Georgia Peach, Vanilla Bean, Wild Strawberry, California Apricot, Cherry, and Raspberry. Since the introduction of SKYY Vodka in California in 1992, the brand has always been an innovator. First released in 2008, the development of SKYY Infusions, charted a new course for flavored vodkas by creating products that cater to the current consumer trend toward natural, infused products that elevate the taste experience. The new flavor is 70 proof (35% ABV), is available in 50ml ($1.99), 750mL ($13.99), 1L ($16.99) and 1.75L ($21.99). The entire SKYY Infusions collection can be enjoyed simply on the rocks, with club soda, or in other delicious, sophisticated cocktails. For more information, visit SKYY.com, http://www.facebook.com/SKYYVodka.US and on Instagram and Twitter: @SKYYVodka. About Campari America Campari America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM). At the heart of Campari America are two legends in the American spirits industry. The first, Skyy Spirits, was founded in San Francisco back in 1992 by the entrepreneur who invented iconic SKYY Vodka. The second is the world-famous Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where they have been making the worlds finest whiskies since the 1800s. Both companies were purchased by Davide Campari-Milano and together they form Campari America, which has built a portfolio unrivaled in its quality, innovation and style, making it a top choice among distributors, retailers and consumers. Campari America manages Campari Groups portfolio in the US with such leading brands as SKYY Vodka, SKYY Infusions, Grand Marnier, Campari, Aperol, Wild Turkey Straight Kentucky Bourbon, American Honey, Russells Reserve, Glen Grant Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Forty Creek Canadian Whisky, BULLDOG Gin, Cabo Wabo Tequila, Espolon Tequila, Appleton Estate Rum, Wray & Nephew Rum, Coruba Rum, Ouzo 12, X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, Frangelico, Cynar, Averna, Braulio and Jean-Marc XO Vodka. Campari America is headquartered in San Francisco, California. More information on the company can be found at http://www.campariamerica.com, http://www.facebook.com/campariamerica, Twitter: @CampariAmerica and http://www.camparigroup.com. Please enjoy Campari America brands responsibly and in moderation. MEDIA CONTACT: Cohn & Wolfe SKYY-US(at)cohnwolfe(dot)com ### Rhonda Kaliban Ms. Kaliban returns to the AppRev Team. Prior to joining Capio Partners, Rhonda served as Vice President of Sales & Marketing at AppRev, where she led Business Development, Marketing, Reference Site, Account Management, and Strategic Partnership programs. Combined with her experience at IDX Systems and GE Healthcare, Ms. Kaliban has over twenty years of healthcare revenue cycle experience, and holds a MBA from Tulane University and a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College. Rhonda will focus on developing and managing strategic relationships and engagements with current and prospective customers. "I'm so happy to be back with the AppRev team," said Ms. Kaliban. "It's an exciting time of growth and development, and I'm really looking forward to contributing to AppRev's continued success." We are delighted at Rhonda's return, it's like the band is back together, said Seth Avery, President and CEO of AppRev. Her knowledge of the healthcare finance industry and experience in hospital revenue cycle management is a valuable asset to our operations. AppRev is a privately held Healthcare Business Intelligence company based in Temple, Texas, providing services and technology to more than 80 hospitals throughout the United States and Bermuda. AppRev delivers results through services and technology that allow hospitals and clinics to improve revenue cycle performance. The companys solutions are provided via web delivered Service Supported Software and in Charge Accuracy, Charge Review, Denials Intelligence, Pricing Analytics, CDM and DSH services. All AppRev solutions employ ongoing measurement of revenue cycle improvements and can be tailored to meet customer-specific requirements. Prescient is excited to offer intelligence solutions dedicated to helping our clients understand and proactively mitigate the complex human element of cybersecurity risk. Prescient, a leading global due diligence and investigations firm headquartered in Chicago, announced the release of Cyber Intelligence services for enterprise risk mitigation. These new solutions screen for cybersecurity risks in todays threat-prone environment. The Cyber Intelligence services help clients mitigate human-driven cyber risks such as data mishandling, malicious hacks, or internal data leaks, and represents a specialized investigations capability that combines curated tools and human expertise to enhance companies cybersecurity programs across a range of industries. Cyber Intelligence services include: Executive Digital Protection Digital identity audits for a companys key executives to identify vulnerabilities and remove publicly-available personal information. Deep & Dark Web Investigations Searches of illicit online channels to locate a clients compromised data. Social Media Monitoring Ongoing monitoring of social media channels to screen for influential individuals, organizations, or events that may pose elevated risks. Compromised information can most often be attributed to human error or malicious actions, and while many corporations are accustomed to taking a reactive position, there is much more that can be done to remain ahead of the curve, says DJ Fuller, president at Prescient. Were excited to offer intelligence solutions dedicated to helping our clients understand and proactively mitigate the complex human element of cybersecurity risk. Prescient will continue to focus on innovating their due diligence and investigation services to meet an increasingly diverse set of client needs, and further its core mission to empower organizations to conduct business confidently. About Prescient Prescient is a due diligence and investigations firm that provides deeper insights to help clients mitigate risks at every organizational level. Our suite of due diligence, cyber intelligence, know-your-customer, and investigative solutions empower leaders to make informed decisions to protect their people and preserve their reputation. Prescient is comprised of experts with military, research, and intelligence backgrounds who consistently prove the right combination of savvy professionals and intelligence-based analysis can elevate any compliance, due diligence, or investigations program. Visit http://www.prescient.com to learn more. "With the rapid pace at which technology advances in todays environment, we are laser focused on partnering with clients and vendors to bring the very best solutions to the market." From its global headquarters in Dublin, Ohio to its UK offices in England and Northern Ireland, Lightwell is celebrating 20 years of helping companies achieve their goals through technology. Leveraging expertise in wide variety of areasincluding integration, supply chain, omnichannel order management, data analytics, and strategic IT staffingLightwell has assisted many of the worlds leading organizations in reducing cost and complexity, accelerating growth, increasing customer satisfaction, and gaining competitive advantages. Founded by Michelle Kerr in 1998, Lightwellthen named Oxford Consulting Groupwas a small startup focused on automotive supply chain solutions. By working closely with clients, KerrLightwells presidentalong with several other founding team members quickly recognized a number of unmet client and industry needs and sought the best combination of people, process, and technology to resolve them. Over the last decade, Kerr, CEO Adam Heeter, and other key executives led the expansion of the companys practice areas, technologies, and capabilities in response to the needs and goals of its clients. This included areas like order management, integration and APIs, and most recently, data analytics. As part of this evolution, the company renamed and rebranded to Lightwell in 2014 to better reflect the value they deliver to clients. Today, beyond providing IT consulting services and staffing, the company is a Value Added Reseller offering a variety of industry-leading software, SaaS, and cloud solutions; has developed its own proprietary technologies, accelerators, and frameworks; and provides fully managed services. Lightwell supports clients in over ten countries, has over 200 associates, and has offices in Dublin, OH, Fareham, England, and Belfast, NI. With the rapid pace at which technology advances in todays environment, we are laser focused on partnering with clients and vendors to bring the very best solutions to the market, continued Kerr. We understand that what was progressive even five years ago is no longer relevant and we must work hard to innovate and bring forward new ways of doing business for the benefit of our clients, our employees, and our communities. Lightwell has been recognized by the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing privately-held companies eight times and has ranked consistently as a top women-owned business and leading IT consulting firm. Central to its long history of success is the companys commitment to its clients, core values, and community. As I reflect on how we got here, clearly hard work, determination and a little bit of luck were involved, said Kerr. However, I think far more of our good fortune can be attributed to a fastidious commitment to our core values: A Passion for Excellence, Unrivaled Commitment to our Customers, Respect One Another, We do the Right Thing and We Ask Why Not. Throughout our history, I dont think we always understood these to be our values, but certainly, over the last several years, weve come to realize these are at our foundation and guide everything we do. Kerr continued, As we celebrate and enjoy this milestone in our companys history, we are also looking forward to the next chapter in our evolution. To learn more about Lightwells history, solutions, and partnerships, visit http://www.lightwellinc.com. About Lightwell Lightwell develops, implements and manages technology solutions that answer todays critical business challenges. Leveraging partnerships with leading technology vendors, Lightwell provides services and solutions for Integration and APIs, Order Management, B2B Integration, Supply Chain Management, and more. Also, the company provides IT Consulting services for projectsincluding custom Application Development servicesand provides strategic IT Staffing and recruiting services to help companies address their IT resource needs. To learn more about Lightwell visit http://www.lightwellinc.com "Our goal with this merger and repositioning is to not only to cement our place as the industry leader, but to also set our company up to generate higher production yields while also expanding our overall distribution capabilities." said CEO Chuck Smith As a result of a strategic 2017 merger between two industry giants focused on taking advantage of rapidly growing consumer demands in the kayaking segment, Michigans KL Outdoor and Quebec-based GSC Technologies, are officially stepping out as Hemisphere Design Works (HDW) becoming the worlds largest maker of kayaks. The existing HDW house of brands commands an industry leading 30% of the market, and with a forecast of double-digit growth through 2020 its leading flagship brands Sundolphin, Future Beach and Evoke are positioned to capitalize on this demand. HDW is planning to further accelerate its market share in this quickly expanding outdoor segment by ramping up production to accommodate the coming needs of this category. The creation of Hemisphere Design Works enables us to better position our brands and capitalize on the projected growth over the next two-to-four years,said CEO, Chuck Smith. Our goal with this merger and repositioning is to not only to cement our place as the industry leader, but to also set our company up to generate higher production yields while also expanding our overall distribution capabilities. HDWs long term plan is to create an industry leading entity that can facilitate organic growth, gain potential acquisitions and continue to design and make boats that appeal to beginners and advanced paddlers alike. HDW has begun consolidating their current brand portfolio to increase production capacity, provide a more focused and higher quality product, and better accommodate growing retailer demands. In order to further position itself to deliver on orders faster and more efficiently, HDW is in the process of bringing a new plant online in Atlanta to be the cornerstone of a planned expansion into the Southeast region. With the newly expanded production and distribution capabilities HDW is not only seeking to expand heavily into independent retailers across the country, but grow the presence of all their brands in every retailer across the nation. Hemisphere Design Works is more than just a company of brands, said VP of Sales and Marketing Wes Mooney. Our goal isnt just to sell more kayaks, its to elevate kayaking into the forefront of recreational pastimes for years to come, and we are now positioned to make this happen with more production power, better distribution, and the marketing influence to succeed. To learn more about the merger, production, distribution, or to book an interview, contact Eric Addeo at 414.510.4299 or email, eric@moonlandingagency.com ### About Hemisphere Design Works HDW is the worlds largest maker of kayaks and its brands represent a dominant market share in the outdoor lifestyle industry. We are a company of passionate, like-minded makers with the collective purpose of evolving the kayak industry, while encouraging everyone to discover the freedom of the outdoors and empower the desire within themselves to make human-powered moments. With 15 years of experience in law, policy, and politics, Jonathan has the D.C. trifecta, and we are excited that he is joining Greenberg Traurigs federal lobbying team in D.C., said Government Law & Policy Practice Senior Director Diane Blagman. Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continues to grow its Washington, D.C. office with the addition of Capitol Hill veteran Jonathan Becker, who joins as shareholder in the firms Government Law & Policy Practice. Becker, a former Senate Chief of Staff to Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) previously worked for public policy firm Invariant, where he led the judiciary and telecommunications practice group. With 15 years of experience in law, policy, and politics, Jonathan has the D.C. trifecta, and we are excited that he is joining Greenberg Traurigs federal lobbying team in D.C., said Government Law & Policy Practice Senior Director Diane Blagman. His insight and experience, as well as his deep understanding of Capitol Hill, will be invaluable to our clients. Beckers practice focuses on providing legal guidance on policy issues including antitrust, technology, telecommunications, intellectual property, media, and transportation. He has experience devising and executing public policy strategies in Congress and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Trade Commission, and the Federal Communications Commission. Greenberg Traurigs Washington, D.C. office continues to broaden its reach by adding practitioners who complement our existing capabilities and expand our substantive practice areas, said Laura Metcoff Klaus and Robert Mangas, co-managing shareholders of Greenberg Traurigs Washington, D.C. office. Jonathans background will be an asset to the firm someone who understands the inner workings of policy in Washington and has demonstrated the ability to get results for his clients. Becker previously worked as a public policy consultant at a Fortune 100 company, and spent six years in Senator Klobuchars office, as Chief Counsel and then as Chief of Staff. During the earlier part of his career, he practiced law at a large, national law firm. Before that, he served as a Law Clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; a special assistant to the Senior Counsel for Nominations in the White House; and a special assistant in DOJs Antitrust Division. Greenberg Traurig has a unique blend of government relations expertise and legal acumen that will bolster legislative, regulatory, and legal resources for my clients, Becker said. I have known and worked with members of Greenberg Traurigs Government Law & Policy group for many years, and I look forward to collaborating alongside them. Becker received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 2001, and his B.A. from Wesleyan University in 1995. About Greenberg Traurigs Washington, D.C. Office Greenberg Traurigs Washington, D.C. office is home to a multidisciplinary team of lawyers and governmental affairs professionals with strategic experience helping companies of all sizes to navigate the federal government. The offices work encompasses governmental affairs, federal procurement, global trade and investment, health and FDA business, litigation, government contracts, antitrust, insurance recovery and advisory, energy, telecommunications, real estate, intellectual property, representation of foreign governments, and national defense and homeland security. Greenberg Traurigs clients range from the federal defense sector to energy, telecommunications, and health care companies, which the firm represents before government agencies, regulatory bodies, Congress, and the courts. The firms Washington, D.C. attorneys are also involved in handling a wide range of regulatory, corporate, and finance work for clients in these industries. About Greenberg Traurig, LLP Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and is among the Top 20 on the 2017 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law. Luke Tremayne has faced many dangerous missions but now as a newly knighted ambassador, he has never before confronted such a cryptic and complex situation as he experiences on the North African coast. Murder in the Maghreb is the latest installment in the life and adventures of Luke Tremayne. In Murder in the Maghreb, Luke Tremayne knows he is entering a dangerous and mysterious venture when he travels to the Islamic region of Maghreb at the request of Lord Protector Cromwell. His orders are shrouded in secrecy and his mission is anything but clear. He is sent as English ambassador to the region to assist with the security and stability of this fragile Islamic state. At the same time, he runs a covert operation to secure a precious artifact and an abducted Englishwoman. Tremayne must navigate complex social divisions, murders within the English community and the death of a friend, while also working to uncover the assumed identity of a war criminal. Tremaynes quest to move past the corruption and dysfunctional nature of the English community and Benbali government presents a harrowing adventure that will leave readers questioning the true nature of Tremaynes mission, who he is truly working for, and if he will make it out alive. As a historian you are governed by facts and evidence, but as a novelist you can mold the facts into a greater narrative. With historical fiction, the settings, context and timeline are already set in place, you simply need to build a story around those pieces Quaife said. This adventure in Luke Tremaynes life centers around Islamic North Africa. Readers will find that the tensions that exists between Western and Islamic culture in the book, mirrors some of the same issues of today. Murder in the Maghreb: An Islamic Interlude North Africa 1657-8 By Geoff Quaife ISBN: 9781490785844 (hardcover) 9781490785851 (softcover) 9781490785837 (ebook) Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Trafford Publishing About the author Geoff Quaife has been a University teacher, historian, and administrator and has written several works of nonfiction, including an overview of the witchcraft craze of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and the sexual mores and practices of the English peasantry. He is the author of the previous nine novels in the Luke Tremayne adventure series. Born and educated in Melbourne, Australia he has spent most of his working life in Armidale in regional New South Wales. Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix Kalin Thomas 480-648-7540 kthomas(at)lavidge(dot)com ### We are very pleased to obtain a trademark for Sustainable Swag, as it represents the essence of our promotional products business with its focus on environmentally-friendly branded merchandise with an innovative twist. Today EcoPlum, Inc., a sustainable promotional products and e-commerce company, announced it received a registered trademark for Sustainable Swag from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The trademark is used by EcoPlum Business Gifts, a distributor of eco friendly branded gifts and promotional products for businesses, universities, non-profits and private events. EcoPlum Business Gifts, the Sustainable Swag division, provides unique, innovative, sustainable and high-quality promotional merchandise. EcoPlum helps clients source products to customize, or brand, with their logo or message. The Sustainable Swag line includes best-in-class merchandise emphasizing style, function, and EcoPlums rigorous standards for environmental and social sustainability. Gia Machlin, Founder and CEO at EcoPlum said, We are very pleased to obtain a trademark for Sustainable Swag, as it represents the essence of our promotional products business with its focus on environmentally-friendly branded merchandise with an innovative twist. Since 2008, EcoPlum has educated customers about environmental issues in its blog and in issue-focused seminars. The company has sourced a cross-section of eco friendly products for consumers in its online boutique and for business customers buying promotional products. EcoPlum sources its products from companies based on a transparent list of sustainability criteria. In 2016, EcoPlum Business Gifts launched as its own division and is growing the Sustainable Swag line with a variety of products in the following categories: apparel, kitchen, office, bags, wellness, outdoors and food. EcoPlum is a distributor member of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) and the Ad Specialty Institute (ASI). The company is certified nationally as a women-owned business by the Womens Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and is a member of the American Sustainable Business Council. About EcoPlum EcoPlum is an environmentally focused business-to-business, e-commerce, and media company, including EcoPlum Business Gifts and the EcoPlum Boutique for consumers. EcoPlum Business Gifts, the Sustainable Swag division, offers environmentally responsible promotional products for branding and customization. The EcoPlum Boutique for consumers specializes in sustainable and stylish fashion and home items in its online shop. The company produces the EcoPlum Biz Blog currently, with an emphasis on information and news for business decision-makers. The EcoPlum Green Living Blog has reported on a variety of eco lifestyle topics. EcoPlum began operating ten years ago. The mission at EcoPlum is to inspire, inform and empower its readers, business clients, and individual customers to be conscious of their daily habits, purchases and impact on the worlds limited resources. In its quest for a better world, EcoPlum hopes to help businesses and consumers make responsible choices every day. EcoPlum products are sustainable, fair trade, organic, vegan, recycled, upcycled, and/or ethically sourced meeting many criteria, including transparency of ingredients and third-party certification. In January 2018, EcoPlum announced its national certification as a women-owned business by the Womens Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). A trusted source for information and products since 2008, EcoPlum earned the coveted Green America Business Seal of Approval in 2011 and its highest tier Gold Approved Member status. EcoPlum says Sustainability. Meet Style. plus Sustainable Swag. For more information: http://www.ecoplum.com, info(at)ecoplum(dot)com, Facebook and Twitter @ecoplum. Mobile banking company Varo Money, Inc. has announced the results of their Mom: CFP survey. The survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults age 18+, conducted by Propeller Insights on behalf of Varo Money in March 2018, determined that Mom is the go-to financial advisor of many Americans and that many people rely on their parents for some form of financial support well into adulthood. Mom, Certified Financial Planner Most American adults (60%) have a money mentor of some kind, and Mom is at the top of the list. When it comes to getting financial advice, Americans will turn to their mother (23%) over a professional financial advisor (13%) or their father (19%). The figure was even higher among Millennials (35%) and women (28%). Many Americans also turn to their significant other for financial advice (23%). Almost three-quarters of Americans (74%) say their parents are good at managing money. Its an important skill, because about half (48%) of Millennials and 29% of Gen Xers still receive financial help from their parents. Mom and Dad, Lenders More than half of Millennials (60%) and 35% of Gen Xers have borrowed money from their parents sometime in the past year; 16% of millennials borrow money from their parents on a monthly basis, and another 16% borrow money on a weekly or daily basis. Whats more, 46% of Millennialsand 24% of Gen Xerssay their parents still pay their phone bill. Millennials and Gen Xers also get financial help with: Utilities 27% Major purchases 26% Car payments 24% Mortgage or rent 17% Childcare 16% Another 1 in 5 Millennials get financial help with student loans. Its no surprise that younger Americans are more reliant on their parents for financial support than previous generations have been. Many entered the job market during a global financial crisis and face unique challenges, like student loan debt and extremely competitive housing markets said Emily Brauer Gill, Director of Brand & Communications at Varo Money. At Varo, we offer our customers a solution for getting ahead financially that doesnt add stress to their lives. About Varo Money Varo Money, Inc. (Varo), is changing the future of banking with their mobile app: a frictionless bank account offered through The Bancorp Bank that also helps customers do more with their money. Varo is building a mobile banking experience that helps customers cover their expenses, pay their bills and build their wealth over time so they can stop worrying about money and go live their lives. Unlike traditional banks or other fintech apps, Varo offers a complete solution with integrated deposit, budgeting, savings, and lending products that aim to help customers bank with ease and achieve better financial outcomes. Theres no reason for a bank branch on every corner anymore: all that customers need is an iPhone to bank seamlessly. Based in San Francisco and privately held, Varo has raised $78M to date, led by Warburg Pincus. Varo Personal Loan and Varo Backup Line are offered by Varo Money, Inc., under state licenses, subject to application approval. For more information, please visit http://www.varomoney.com and follow Varo on Facebook @varomoney or Twitter @varomoney. Varo Bank Accounts are provided by The Bancorp Bank, and deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 through The Bancorp Bank; Member FDIC. California has the highest number of schools offering online programs at 122, and Texas is a close second with 102. Today, SR Education Group, a leading education research publisher founded in 2004, released its first ever online college rankings categorized by state. To develop the 2018 Best Online Colleges By State Rankings, the organization only considered states with at least five regionally accredited schools offering at least one fully online bachelors degree. Thirty-five states have their own ranking pages, and a total of 446 schools are included on the lists. The state-specific rankings include anywhere from five to 25 schools. Schools are ranked based on affordability and academic strength. All annual tuition rates were confirmed with either a school representative or The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Program data including available online degrees, certifications, and concentrations was collected from official school websites, reflecting data for the 2017-2018 school year. In-depth detail on ranked schools, such as the acceptance rate and school accreditation, is also included in the reports. Of the 50 states, Wyoming has the lowest average annual tuition at $8,840 for its six online colleges. California has the highest number of schools offering online programs at 122, and Texas is a close second with 102. For states that do not have rankings, complete lists of all online schools are provided in a comprehensive resource. The resource lists 2,631 schools offering distance education programs, organized by state. On this page, students will find complete school listings, annual tuition rates, and locations for each school. SR Education Group will be updating the online colleges by state resources annually. These rankings were created in hopes of making the college search process more accessible for prospective students who are looking for schools by state. The organization will be continuing its research of online colleges throughout this year, and publishing over 100 program-specific rankings in 2018 to help connect prospective students with schools offering online programs that are high quality, affordable, and based in value rather than prestige alone. About SR Education Group Headquartered in Kirkland, WA, SR Education Group was founded in 2004. The company creates authoritative online resources for students seeking an education that best suits their budget and career aspirations, and currently provides over $250,000 in needs-based scholarships to students each year. SR Education Group is passionate about making quality education attainable for everyone and believes that objective information about education, careers, and educational financing should be free and easily accessible. For more information, please visit https://www.sreducationgroup.org/. We are delighted to welcome the ServInt team to Leaseweb to further strengthen our position in the USA. They hold a phenomenal track record on servicing and retaining their customers and their philosophy that a strong team makes a strong company fits ours seamlessly. Leading cloud service provider Leaseweb USA today announces it has acquired ServInt, a Northern Virginia-based pioneer in web hosting and leading provider of managed hosting services for cloud IT operations. ServInt was founded in 1995 and has since become a renowned brand in the US cloud and hosting industry. The acquisition supports Leaseweb in its ambition to increase its footprint and customer base in the United States, as well as adding deep expertise in the large and growing third-party managed services market. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Leaseweb USA, part of Leaseweb Global, entered the United States market in 2011 and has since grown its presence both organically and through the acquisitions of Shore.net in 2013 and Nobis Technology Group in 2016. Through the addition of ServInt, Leaseweb USA is substantially increasing its footprint in the United States. Current ServInt customers can instantly benefit from the Leaseweb services offering and its global presence through its 19 datacenters across four continents. In conjunction with its web hosting offerings, ServInt provides end-to-end solutions for public, private and hybrid cloud-based offerings. These include AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud solutions. Also, ServInt offers consultancy and IT extension services. Leaseweb USA has brought all ServInt employees on board. By adding the very skilled team to its staff, Leaseweb USA has expanded its capabilities to create a value proposition for customers looking for managed hosting services at a competitive price. Lex Boost, CEO of Leaseweb USA, says: We are delighted to welcome the ServInt team to Leaseweb to further strengthen our position in the USA. They hold a phenomenal track record on servicing and retaining their customers and their philosophy that a strong team makes a strong company fits ours seamlessly. With ServInt we added another building block to become a leading cloud services provider in the United States. Reed Caldwell, Founder & CEO at ServInt, adds: Leaseweb and ServInt are very similar in many ways. In the mid-nineties we both saw the potential of the internet and decided to make a business out of it. Twenty plus years on we can look back on some great achievements. Im proud that ServInt is now joining the Leaseweb family, giving clients access to the same experts and services theyre used to, whilst having the ability to take advantage of a strong, global operation in Leaseweb. About Leaseweb Leaseweb is a leading Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provider serving a worldwide portfolio of 17,500 customers ranging from SMBs to Enterprises. Services include Public Cloud, Private Cloud, Dedicated Servers, Colocation, Content Delivery Network, and Cyber Security Services supported by exceptional customer service and technical support. With more than 80,000 servers under management, Leaseweb has provided infrastructure for mission-critical websites, Internet applications, email servers, security, and storage services since 1997. The company operates 19 data centers in locations across Europe, Asia and North America, all of which are backed by a superior worldwide network with a total capacity of more than 5.5 Tbps. Leaseweb offers services through its various subsidiaries, which are Leaseweb Netherlands B.V. (Leaseweb Netherlands), Leaseweb USA, Inc. (Leaseweb USA), Leaseweb Asia Pacific PTE. LTD (Leaseweb Asia), Leaseweb CDN B.V. (Leaseweb CDN), Leaseweb Deutschland GmbH (Leaseweb Germany), Leaseweb Australia Ltd. and Leaseweb UK Ltd. For more information, please visit http://www.leaseweb.com or follow @Leaseweb. ShowClix Builds Momentum in Canada ShowClix is looking forward to providing more Canadian event organizers with a robust and growing solution serviced by a team located in Canada Industry-leading event ticketing and technology partner, ShowClix, a brand of Patron Technology, has recently established a Toronto-based team to help even more Canadian event organizers sell more tickets and create memorable experiences for their attendees. ShowClix is looking forward to providing more Canadian event organizers with a robust and growing solution serviced by a team located in Canada, said Bruce Morrison, General Manager of ShowClix Canada. Morrison, who comes to ShowClix with decades of ticketing experience including past leadership roles at Ticketmaster and Ticketfly, is himself slated to present on a panel this week titled, Whos Got Tickets? (And How Did They Get Them?): The Industry Answers Back, at this years Canadian Music Week Music Summit. With a diverse roster of existing Canadian partners including Edmonton Airshow, NXNE Festival, Calgary Fringe Festival, and international events like Ice Castles and IMATS, ShowClix continues to make its mark in Canada and beyond. ShowClix provides a powerful system and a well-equipped team of client service experts to ensure the success of Canadian events of all kinds, said Brian Arnone, President and COO of ShowClix and CRO of Patron Technology. From event setup, to facilitating high-demand ticket on-sales, to on-site operations, its clear why event organizers continue to choose ShowClix as their ticketing and technology partner. About ShowClix: ShowClix, a brand of Patron Technology, is a full-service event technology provider of ticketing, marketing, and on-site operations to the live events industry. ShowClix operates in over 20 countries with its platform localized for each market. ShowClix clients include fandom conventions, museums, festivals, attractions, and consumer shows. Iconic brands such as New York Comic Con, Brooklyn Museum, The Daily Show, and PAX choose ShowClix to power their events. For more information visit: http://www.showclix.com/ticketing. About Patron Technology: Patron Technology provides innovative and industry-leading technology that enables its live event customers to create deeper and more profitable relationships with their ticket buyers, fans, and supporters. Under the investment umbrella of Providence Strategic Growth, Patron Technologys brands include PatronManager, ShowClix, Ticketleap, SeatAdvisor, and Greencopper. The company is actively engaged in building a broad platform that addresses other sectors of the ticketing and CRM market in the U.S. and abroad. For more information visit: http://www.patrontechnology.com. ShowClix Press Contact: Amy Mrazek, Director of Marketing press(at)showclix(dot)com A VIP Preview Party and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony will be held for Evergreen Village at Bloomington, a new affordable assisted lifestyle community for older adults that is opening this month. The event will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, May 10 at the community, which is located at 3607 S. Heirloom Drive in Bloomington, Indiana. This multimillion-dollar development was designed for seniors of all incomes who need some help to maintain their independence. We will be providing older adults with a wonderful alternative to a nursing home or to struggling alone at home, said Evergreen Village Administrator Josh Dodds The community will combine residential apartment-home living with the availability of personal assistance, help with medications, and a variety of convenience and support services, such as meals, housekeeping, laundry and transportation. Residents will live in private apartments that they will furnish and decorate to their tastes. Each of the apartments will feature a kitchenette, spacious bathroom with shower and grab bars, individually controlled heating and air conditioning and an emergency alert system. In addition, Evergreen Village offers several areas for residents to enjoy, including a bistro, activity room, beauty salon/barber shop, general store, fitness room, clinical and therapy room, library and computer room, TV lounge and a recreation room and theater. Certified nursing assistants, working under the direction of a licensed nurse, will be on-duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "Residents also will benefit from all of the opportunities that will be available to socialize with friends and neighbors and to participate in activities and special programs," says Dodds. When fully occupied, the community will provide 55 full and part-time jobs. Annual payroll with benefits is projected to be $1.5 million. Evergreen Village at Bloomington will be certified to operate through the Division of Aging and regulated by the Indiana State Department of Health. "Our focus," says Rod Burkett, CEO of Gardant Management Solutions, the company that manages the community "is to provide Evergreen Village residents with the love, compassion and dignity they deserve and the help and assistance they need. Our emphasis is on helping each resident achieve and maintain as much independence as possible for as long as possible." Indiana communities managed by Gardant include Belvedere Senior Housing in Merrillville, Hellenic Senior Living in Indianapolis and New Albany, Oasis at 30th in Indianapolis, Silver Birch in Hammond, Michigan City and Muncie, and The Lodge at Summers Pointe in Winchester. Other Gardant-managed projects under development in Indiana include Glasswater Creek of Lafayette, Hellenic Senior Living of Elkhart, Oasis at 56th in Indianapolis and Silver Birch of Kokomo. Individuals interested in reserving apartments at Evergreen Village at Bloomington should call (812) 336-2718. For more information about the community, visit http://evergreenvillage-bloomington.com or https://www.facebook.com/evergreenvillagebloomington/. Tim Vollman, COO of TOPS Software, LLC I am excited to join TOPS Software to help them continue their leadership position in the HOA back office solution suite. TOPS Software, LLC, a leading provider of Community Association Management software, today announced the appointment of Tim Vollman to the role of Chief Operating Officer. Over the past 25 years, Vollman has brought leadership, product innovation, and go-to-market strategies to multiple enterprise software companies. Through Vollmans leadership, these companies have grown significantly and achieved leadership positions in their respective markets. As COO at TOPS, Vollman will head operations and continue to lead the market while expanding TOPS offerings to meet the demand of their clients. Vollman has experience helping to lead similar companies in the HOA sector, having lead CII (now called Frontsteps) for 2 years prior to its sale to CIP Capital. Tim is a great addition to the TOPS leadership team, said Mike Hardy, TOPS CEO and President. He is an executive with a proven track record of success, a deep understanding of both software companies and the community management industry, and has excelled in building growth-oriented organizations. Our goal is to continue to lead the market while expanding our offerings to meet the demands of our clients, and we believe Tim is the right person to guide us there. TOPS Software was founded in 1985 with a mandate to provide technology solutions to the community association management industry. In 2013, CEO Mike Hardy recognized a need for a modern, web-based solution that would sustain the industry 30 years into the future, and TOPS [ONE] was conceived. Today, TOPS [ONE] is a robust, full-stack app for community association management, with a focus on comprehensive accounting tools built to meet the special needs of community associations. TOPS has something pretty amazing to offer the Community Association Management industry. TOPS [ONE] provides a single platform for all HOA back office activities, and is the only pure play SaaS offering in the HOA single family market, said Vollman. I am excited to join TOPS Software to help them continue their leadership position in the HOA back office solution suite. ABOUT TOPS SOFTWARE TOPS Software helps community association management (CAM) companies save time and effort in managing condominium and homeowners associations. Founded in 1985, TOPS has dedicated over thirty years to providing the CAM industry with technologies that help management companies grow. TOPS applications are used by thousands of organizations to manage millions of homes across the United States. Learn more about TOPS at http://www.topssoft.com. The potential in the brands is there to capture the growing coffee segment and showcase a handcrafted, small batch roasted story with unique flavor profiles allowing us to excite the US marketplace. Retail Food Group, Australias largest multi-brand retail food franchisor and a global food and beverage company, recently announced the hiring of Sam Ferreira as president of the U.S. business. Ferreira will be focused on developing new innovative brand initiatives and building on the strong legacy the brand has established in the states through Gloria Jeans Coffees and Its A Grind Coffee House. Ferreiras most recent role was Senior Director of Retail Operations/Sales & Service at Oportun, where he was responsible for the rapid expansion of the business. He also brings experience overseeing large chains and franchises through senior roles at Peets Coffee and Tea, Blockbuster and Subway. We are thrilled to welcome Sam to the Retail Food Group leadership team to drive the growth of our U.S. business, said Mike Gilbert, Chief Executive International, Retail Food Group. Sams passion for delivering positive results with a focus on process, people and innovation, paired with his 25 years of experience driving results across multiple retail disciplines, will position our brands to compete in the ever-growing coffee segment. Retail Food Groups U.S. brand portfolio includes Gloria Jeans Coffees, with 57 locations in 20 states, and Its A Grind Coffee House, with 17 locations. In 2018, Retail Food Group announced plans to introduce the highly successful Australian concepts including Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar, Donut King and Brumbys Bakery to the U.S. market, as well as a strategic plan to expand Gloria Jeans Coffees on a global scale, announcing a 40-store development initiative planned for Germany. This planned expansion is coming at a time when the coffee industry is as hot as ever. According to industry research firm Technomic, among the Top 500 coffee chains in the United States in 2016, sales reached $24.8 billion, a 9.7 percent increase from the previous year. The corresponding U.S. unit count increase, up 4.8 percent from the year prior to 24,391 total units, made the sector the second largest cuisine segment behind burgers. I am looking forward to working with our franchisees partners to grow our brands and increase our Average Unit Volume, said Ferreira. The potential in the brands is there to capture the growing coffee segment and showcase a handcrafted, small batch roasted story with unique flavor profiles allowing us to excite the US marketplace. In 2017 alone, Gloria Jeans opened eight new U.S. locations. The momentum did not stop in 2018, with six openings scheduled before mid-2018, including two Its A Grind locations opening in Northern California. The brands commitment to quality-sourced beans and a legacy of unique flavor innovation, sourcing 100 percent of its coffees directly from exotic locations across the globe and then roasting every bean at its facility in California, has competitors of Gloria Jeans and Its A Grind in hot water. But while the rest of the coffee industry catches up to the flavor revolution, Gloria Jeans plans to improve upon its own legacy of innovation at the brands in-house roastery in Los Angeles and Its a Grind continues to drive its Coffee Forward flavor profile to the masses. ABOUT GLORIA JEANS COFFEES: Gloria Jeans Coffees is an innovator in the specialty coffee segment, providing customers fresh, premium blends and award-winning roasts. Gloria Jeans Coffees was founded in 1979 in a small town outside Chicago by the companys namesake, Gloria Jean Kvetko. What began as a small gift shop soon became a nationwide and later international franchise concept, and the brand now boasts nearly 900 stores worldwide. Gloria Jeans delectable menu also offers ice-blended chillers, mochas, lattes, hot cocoa, a variety of baked goods and pastries, whole beans and retail merchandise. For more information on Gloria Jeans Coffees, visit http://www.gloriajeans.com. To inquire about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.gloriajeans.com/franchise. ABOUT ITS A GRIND COFFEE HOUSE: Its A Grind Coffee House is a neighborhood destination serving high quality signature coffee in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. Founded in 1994, Its A Grind Coffee House serves several different blends of specialty coffee, roasted in Southern California and brewed fresh each day. Each location also serves espresso beverages, iced blended coffee creations, freshly made breakfast sandwiches and a variety of foods at all times throughout the day. Retail Food Group Ltd. (RFG), one of the worlds largest multi-brand retail food franchisors and leading wholesale coffee roasters, acquired Its A Grind Coffee House in 2014 with plans to grow the brand through franchising. The brand currently has 18 locations in the U.S. and eight internationally. For more information on Its A Grind Coffee House, visit http://www.itsagrind.com. To inquire about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.itsagrind.com/franchise/. Posted Tuesday, May 8, 2018 8:00 pm Washington state native Lana Wilsons 2017 documentary, The Departure, was recently shared with me by the fine folks of the Port Townsend Film Festival, and it takes next to no time at all to see why such a well-crafted, empathetic film was included in the PTFFs Women in Film series. This understated yet evocative film profiles Zen Buddhist monk Ittetsu Nemoto as he counsels those with suicidal ideation, in organized groups at his temple in the Japanese countryside as well as in spur-of-the-moment, one-on-one meetings at their homes or public locales in the city. Nemoto describes himself as a bad kid who fell into juvenile delinquency after his alcoholic father left his family. Yet his innate decency reveals itself as he recalls how devastated he was by the suicides of an uncle and two school friends during his childhood, events that have driven his current work. Suicide is an issue any time people feel disconnected from each other or from a sense of their own worth, but in Japan, whose society emphasizes stoicism and reserve, the suicide rate became enough of a nationally recognized issue for the government to issue a counter-suicide plan in 2007. Nemoto understands theres no single strategy to dissuade suicidal people, so he meets each one at his or her own level. When chatting via cell phone with a 30-year drug addict, he cajoles the man into laughter by pointing out how strong he must be to have survived three decades of addiction. When meeting face to face with a divorced father with limited visitation rights to his children, Nemoto appeals to his desire to see his children again and to be there for them in the years to come. And for those who come to his temple in groups, Nemoto leads them in methodical, contemplative exercises, asking them to use slips of paper to write down material possessions they cherish, the people whom they love and experiences they enjoy or hope to have someday, before discarding each piece of paper, until they're left with nothing. This is death, he tells them. Nemoto is shown as working himself slowly toward a suicidal end of his own. He balances his calling with caring for his widowed mother, his wife and their son, who is barely out of infancy. But with the demands of answering the constant ringing of his phone and the chiming of emails on his laptop, as he hops on his motorcycle to be there for those who need him at all hours, we see the physical toll that Nemotos work has taken on his health. Even if I hadnt lived in Japan for a few years in my 20s, I would have recognized the signs of suicidal ideation in the people to whom Nemoto ministers as clearly as looking in a mirror. That level of depression makes your accomplishments and experiences feel empty and convinces you that those around you share your disappointment in yourself. So many of the people Nemoto talks to say how ashamed they are to share their troubles, because they dont want to be a burden. Speaking from the experience of my college years, thats how suicidal ideation traps you. It tricks you into cutting yourself off from those whose emotional support you need most. The people Nemoto deals with are coping with unemployment, legal issues and family problems, so a simple attitude adjustment isnt going to solve all, or even most, of whats wrong in their lives, but its amazing how much hope one can gain from just talking through those concerns or sharing laughter over how futile those struggles seem. At one point, Nemoto consoles the divorced father by confessing that he sees himself as a bad dad, because of how much time he spends away from his young son. The film ends as it began, with Nemoto leading a group through writing down the possessions, people and experiences they would lose by dying, only this time, we see him participating in the exercise as well, with the last piece of paper he discards bearing the words My son. According to Nemoto, he began counseling the suicidal because he could not understand what could drive them to take their own lives. In the end, after hes made the painful decision to pull back on his work, to care for his own health as much as he does the health of others, it would seem that Nemoto at last understands their state of mind from the inside. Movie lover Kirk Boxleitner writes about Jefferson County government and other news and features, when hes not watching movies. Posted Tuesday, May 8, 2018 8:00 pm Time to saddle up, buckaroos. Don and Lynne Folsom are moving to Colorado, and we need to celebrate. Not because they are leaving, of course, but we want to show them some appreciation for all they have contributed to the Port Ludlow community in the time they have been here. They joined Milt and Doris Lum to co-chair what may be the best monthly community get-together there is in any community. Share a meal and enjoy a program that is educational, entertaining and sometimes nap-inducing. (Hey, sometimes there is the deadly combination of advancing age and wine.) There was plenty to eat at the Yacht Clubs Seafood Feast a week ago: halibut, salmon, venison stew, clam chowder, shrimp salad, scallops, crab and rock fish, all prepared by Tish and Tom Satre. Then, since it was such a light meal, we added a big piece of cheesecake with some whipped cream. It was a big, happy crowd since many of them had just received a dozen of those pretty Rotary roses, as well as a tummy full of the best that Alaskan waters can provide. The Port Ludlow Performing Arts hit another home run last weekend with a two-concert return engagement by Loren and Mark with their unique musical chemistry on a pair of acoustic guitars. These two men must have spent thousands of hours playing together and perfecting their performance. Their complex presentation of bluegrass, jazz and country was a joy to experience. BJ and I went to the Sunday-afternoon concert and even though we were tired, we could not get a nap in. The Memorial Day Celebration and Flag Retirement Ceremony is back on the schedule this year. This community event is always moving for attendees as well as an opportunity to dedicate the destruction of your old and worn-out U.S. flags. It will start at 11 a.m. at the Bay Club on Monday, May 28. You can drop off your flag ahead of time with the dedication you would like to be read at the Bay Club. It will be a nice way to remember the meaning of Memorial Day for all of us. The snow bunnies are mostly back from California or Arizona or New Mexico or Texas or even Florida, so the pickleball courts are full again, and there are more folks sporting those healthy-looking suntans instead of a pasty white glow on the rest of us. It is good have the town full again. Sonja of the Bayside Barbershop is also back in town having been to Palm Desert for 10 days. It is a good thing she came back because she needs to pay the bar bill and I needed a haircut! The advice this week from Ulrike Ruffert may be better than we deserve or are able to follow. Patience is the ability to put up with people you would rather put down. However, Bob Goddard advises, To err is human, but it is even more human when you blame someone else. Love a curmudgeon and have a great week. Ned Luce writes this column weekly for The Leader. Connect with him at NedLuce@sbcglobal.net. Posted Tuesday, May 8, 2018 8:00 pm Gov. Jay Inslee toured Fort Worden at the end of April, his first visit to the park since taking office. While there, he saw firsthand examples of the success of the public-private partnership managing the property, and learned about future initiatives focused on historic preservation, energy efficiency and program development. The tour highlighted Makers Square, an arts, culture and education district proposed for the Fort Worden Lifelong Learning Center; alternative energy projects under development to reduce the forts carbon emissions; and the collaborative partnership that led to Peninsula Colleges new state-of-the-art education facility in the former military barracks, Building 202. Opened in October 2016, Peninsula College offers 14,000 square feet of learning spaces, which include classrooms, a studio/art room, a learning lab, a workforce training room, student study space, reception, advising areas, and faculty offices. The $6.1 million renovation was completed in partnership with the city of Port Townsend, the Fort Worden Public Development Authority (PDA), Peninsula College and Washington State Parks. As part of its sustainability plan, the PDA focused on efforts to improve the energy efficiency of the campus by installing solar panels on key buildings, as well as the proposed Makers Square Energy Center, a district-based, alternative-energy program that will reduce carbon emissions by installing a ground-source energy system (geothermal) and convert a former military base, which operated with fossil fuels, into a model for environmental stewardship. Makers Square will be a new neighborhood of the FWLLC and a year-round community of innovators, creative businesses and nonprofit organizations. It will add to the vitality of Fort Wordens existing programming, create an intriguing destination for locals and visitors, and support the forts mission of lifelong learning and fiscal sustainability. The proposed $14.4 million capital project represents the first substantial opportunity for new development since the PDA took over FWLLC operations and management in May 2014. The project will include rehabilitation of three of Fort Wordens historic buildings, in order to increase the public benefit and socio-economic impact of these treasured landmarks. When renovated and repurposed as flexible classrooms, artist studios, galleries and work spaces, Buildings 305, 308 and 324 will create opportunities for new, free and fee-based, residential and non-residential programming at the FWLLC. The adaptive reuse of these three buildings is the first phase in a larger effort to redevelop 50,000 square feet of vacant or underutilized historic structures into Makers Square. The governors visit followed a panel discussion hosted by Results Washington, a special event held in conjunction with the three-day Main Street/Revitalize Washington conference April 23-25. During the panel discussion, Inslee learned about the performance of several state departments and commissions. Peter Herzog, assistant director for the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, was joined by Dave Robison, executive director of the Fort Worden PDA, to share insights on the eight-year process that led State Parks and the PDA to enter into a management partnership and 50-year lease agreement for the central 90 acres of Fort Worden State Park to be operated as a lifelong learning center. In 2013, State Parks and the PDA entered into a collaborative management agreement and 50-year master lease for the FWLLC. State Parks remains steward of Fort Wordens parklands and natural resources. The PDA manages all operations within the FWLLC including tenant leases and facility use, hospitality and guest services, capital improvements and program development and is mandated to be financially self-sustaining. Today, the FWLLC occupies 90 acres in the heart of Fort Worden and is home year around to a constellation of 15 creative businesses and nonprofit organizations, which, as a group, offer more than 1,500 program days and generate aggregate revenues totaling more than $15 million annually. These organizations which include Centrum, Copper Canyon Press, Port Townsend Marine Science Center, Peninsula and Goddard colleges, the Port Townsend School of Woodworking and others contribute significantly to the lifelong learning mission, offering a variety of arts, culture, education, environmental stewardship, wellness, historic preservation and outdoor recreation programs. Ghanas Minister of Tourism and Creative Art, Catherine Afeku has suspended four top officials of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB) over alleged fraud to the tune of GH6,766,500 million. DailyGuideAfrica reports that the executive director of the board, Naana Ocran, assistant director-in-charge of Monuments, Frederick Kofi Amekudi, the accountant, Kate Heymann and Central Regional director of GMMB, Nicholas Ivor, have been asked to proceed on indefinite leave. The decision by Afeku, it was reported, is to enable an inquiry panel to carry out due investigations into the alleged fraud. Fraud allegations The Tourism Minister stated that the four top officials connived and diverted funds meant for the maintenance of museums and monuments in the country. The officials of the museum and monument board were said to have squandered about $1.5 million and GH1 million meant for renovation and maintenance of museums and monuments between 2015 and 2018. According to the minister, the officials successfully solicited funds from some international organisations to enable the board maintain public institutions under it but squandered the funds without recourse to the parent ministry. The minister also narrated how she was hinted about the four officials covert dealings with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) where the acting executive director and the assistant director-in-charge of monuments secured $1 million for the renovation of monuments in the country. Furthermore, a board member of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) reportedly gave the management of the board the sum of GH1 million in February 2018 for the re-roofing of the Accra Museum. Tourism Minister is unhappy with the development The Minister of Tourism, Catherine Afeku wrote to the four officials who were implicated asking them to proceed on a compulsory leave. Their letters, read in part, Further to this ministrys letter dated 9th April 2018 on the above subject matter, an investigation has to be conducted into receipts and disbursements of funds received from the public and private organisations covering 2015 to date. Accordingly, you are to proceed on indefinite leave with effect from 2nd May 2018. In your absence, the chairman of the Board will appoint someone to act on your behalf. Afeku said after meticulous investigations into the dealings of the boards official, it was discovered that the four officials had collected and squandered funds meant for the board without recourse to the parent ministry since 2015. The Minister further said a colleague hinted her about the GMMB officials underground dealings with UNESCO and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). I was very much shocked and completely taken aback when the GNPC board member told me about that money and why official recognition had not been given by the ministry, Afeku said. The Minister also revealed that the Turkish Ambassador to Ghana, after visiting her, notified her about some financial assistance that had been given to the management of Museum and Monuments Board. Indicted officials admit to committing fraud The Tourism Minister claimed that the officials involved in the fraud admitted their crimes. Akufo-Addo was made chief campaigner for candidate Kufuor in the 2000 election and became the first Attorney General and Minister for Justice of the Kufuor era. He later resigned resigned from the Kufuor government in July 2007 to contest against 16 candidates for the position of presidential candidate of his party, the NPP, for the 2008 elections. Fast forward to 2016, Akufo Addo was voted for as the president of the republic of Ghana. The man has almost always been cool and super diplomatic until he couldn't help it any longer with the US - Ghana military base saga in Ghana. Akufo-Addo expressed his outrage at the defamatory comments from his political opponents who claim his government has sold Ghanas sovereignty to the United States of America. In a televised broadcast to break his long silence on the matter, the president said some front-line politicians are wallowing in the largesse of the US and at the same time promoting anti-American sentiment to a populist constituency. Such persons he said are running with the hares and hunting with the hounds in a matter that has left the country divided. I will never be the President that will compromise or sell the sovereignty of our country. I respect deeply the memory of the great patriots whose sacrifice and toil brought about our independence and freedom. I have stood with you, the Ghanaian people, all my adult life, fighting for our individual and collective rights, he said. The Koko hitmaker, however, said that Sarkodie has the right to decide on who to list or not to. In an interview with Joy News, he said: Well, it made me feel kind of bad but thats him, thats his list so he can list whoever he wants to list. He spoke about the supposed bad relationship between them. No, theres no bad relationship. I am just not messing with any of these artistes anymore. I have come to realise that it is every man for himself. The past doesnt really count for anything in this industry. The court gave the order after it found Idris Saidu guilty of driving his wife out of her matrimonial home without recourse to Islamic laws on divorce. The convict was also ordered to pay a compensation of N5,000 to Hauwa Abdullah for having abandoned her and wasted her time for too long. The woman had gone to the court to seek proper divorce in accordance with the Islamic laws, unlike the husband. She told the court that: He asked me to leave his house since last year Ramadan, saying I should pack all my belongings and leave. It is almost a year now and he never checked on me. I want this honourable court to compel my husband to divorce me as he is no longer interested in me. However in his response, Idris Saidu accused his wife of infidelity saying she has been communicating with her ex-husband which I am not comfortable with. He added that: I therefore divorced my wife three times, which almost infuriated the judge, Dahiru Lawal who thought the convicts manner of handling his wife was a complete affront to the laws of Islam, especially regarding divorce. The court run by Somalias Islamic militant group, Al-Shabab found a Shukri Abdullahi Warsame guilty of polyandry for which reason it ordered her execution. The court was convinced that the deceased got married to eleven separate men without having divorced the previous ones first. READ MORE: Tenants flogged by soldiers upon instruction of landlord Enforcing the courts ruling in Sablale town in the Lower Shabelle region, the woman was reportedly buried neck-deep in the ground and Al-Shabab fighters pelted her with stones until she gave up the ghost. The Auditor General has indicted the Municipal Assembly for failing to recover the amount from the 4 revenue collectors. Speaking at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting in Ho, Municipal finance officer Yusif Asumadu said the money had been retrieved. I called the district auditor to come and have a look at the monies that have been recovered but unfortunately, he said because he was preparing for this sitting he could not come in. He, however, could not back his claim with documentary evidence. The Chairman for PAC James Kludze Avedzi then directed the finance officer to make present the said document on the recovery of the amount to auditors in a week. READ ALSO: Police arrest 4 Nigerians for repackaging expired canned food In a separate development, an internal auditor formerly with Upper West Akim District Assembly Christian Ofori was indicted in the 2015 AG report for allegedly stealing an official laptop. The report indicated that the said officer took the computer upon his transfer to the Denkyembour District. The matter has since been reported to the police. Appearing before PAC in Ho, the officer said the laptop had developed a fault thus sent it to Accra for repairs in 2016. There were these Nigerians who were repackaging expired canned food, and as soon as I also received the call, I called my staff and also called the Adabraka Police Command to assist me to ascertain the facts for ourselves. As a matter of fact, when we got there, we saw some of the items being repackaged. When they were interrogated, they also mentioned some two guys. We later went and picked the two guys who are currently assisting the police with the investigation. The FDA has gotten wind of it and has been to the police station We are protesting because of the information we are picking that our CEO, Frances Essiam has been suspended. We received a letter from state enterprising commission saying contrary. According to the letter, the chairman of state enterprising commission is investigating what the board chairman has said. We dont know the state of the company now, we need explanations because we have seen a lot of improvement and development since Madam Essiam was appointed, so why are they suspending her after all the good she has done for the company, one of the angry staff told Accra-based Starr FM. On Tuesday, May 8, 2019, Mrs Essiam ordered for the staff of the GCMCL to go home and for the premises to be locked up. This was to prevent the board of the company from holding a meeting which was to discuss Mrs Essiams fate. The board has been unhappy with some decisions taken by Mrs Essiam since she assumed office last year. However, the board still held the meeting at the Robin Hood Hotel on the Spintex road. The board ordered the companys Chief Executive Frances Essiam to step aside with immediate effect. The board decided that all contracts entered into by Madam Essiam have also been put on hold pending investigations. READ ALSO: BoG to appoint administrators for more local banks Meanwhile, the board has appointed the Technical Director of the company, Ezekiel Mensah to act as the interim CEO. Mr. Mensah, however, does not have the power to take major administrative decisions such as promotion, termination of appointment, dismissal or engagement of new employees without the consent of the Board. Their letters, signed by the Minister of Tourism, Catherine Afeku, read in part, Further to this ministrys letter dated 9th April, 2018 on the above subject matter, investigation has to be conducted into receipts and disbursements of funds received from public and private organisations covering 2015 to date. Accordingly, you are to proceed on indefinite leave with effect from 2nd May, 2018. In your absence, the chairman of the Board will appoint someone to act on your behalf. The Minister said the officials have squandered all the monies they solicited from international donors from 2015. She disclosed that a board member of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) informed her about an amount of GH1 million that was given to the management of GMMB in February this year for the re-roofing of the Accra Museum and asked whether she was in the know. The two-day event, which was held at the Department of Economics conference hall, lasted from Tuesday, May 8, to Wednesday, May 9, 2018. The Conference brought together resource persons and policymakers to deliberate on the challenges of social policy financing. Day one of the Conference saw Dr. Kathleen Beegle, a World Bank Programme Leader for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, discuss the importance of governments and private organisations investing in social policies. Among the speakers on day two of the Conference were Director of the Centre for Social Policy Studies, Prof. Abena Oduro; Development Economist, Dr. George Domfe; National Director for Compassion International Ghana, Madam Gifty Dansoah Appiah; and Dr. Okine from World Vision. Speaking on the theme Financing Social Policy in the 21 Century, the panelists focused on three major trends, namely; social spending in Ghana, expenditure tracking and a civil society perspective on funding social policy interventions. Prof. Abena Oduro began her address with an in-depth presentation on social spending, with specific references to education, health and social welfare. She noted that the budget from which Government allocates money for social spending has been increasing with each passing year. Using graphs, Prof. Oduro touched on some loose holes that hinder Governments will to properly finance social policies in the country. She explained that most budget statements do not contain comprehensive data on actual allocations, and do not also discuss spending by local governments. READ ALSO: She also touched on donor support when it comes to social policy financing in the 21 century. According to her, whiles the education and health sectors have been boosted by support from donors, it is not always reliable since donor funds are mostly erratic. Prof. Oduro, therefore, urged government to depend less on donors and rather devise ways of creating funds through Internally Generated Funds (IGF), insisting donor support tends to be regressive. She further called for a broadening of the nations tax base, saying innovative ways should be adopted to raise funds through taxes. Ending her presentation, Prof. Oduro said there is the need to encourage private/ public partnerships if social policy financing is to be improved. She added that Government must insist on value for money, adding the spending must lead to more schools, hospitals and other social interventions that improve the general well-being of the public. Dr. George Domfe also delivered a presentation on Ghanas experience with the Public Expenditure Tracking System (PETS). According to him, although Government channels a lot resources into social policy financing, the budget allocation alone can be a poor indicator of the quality and quantity of public service. READ ALSO: He explained that whiles the government may release funds to finance social policy, weak institutions in the country may as well mean that the funds will not get to its intended targets. Dr. Domfe attributed this to the weak tracking mechanisms in place, adding that money could be allocated for a particular project but if it is not effectively tracked, then it may not be put to good use. He said the Public Expenditure Tracking System (PETS) is important to find out or track per capita transfer from government to the lower agencies. He concluded by outlining some of the deficiencies associated with PETS two of which he identified as the delay in resource management and the quality of record keeping. Madam Gifty Dansoah Appiah also focused on Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and how best they can aid government in financing social policy. She noted that though most donors have an interest in supporting CSOs, the increase in global competition for donor funding means organisations must begin reinvent their strategies. She explained that there has been a major shift when it comes to donor funding, with less focus currently placed on education and health. Suggesting the way forward, Madam Dansoah Appiah said CSOs must change from their traditional approaches and rather embrace innovative ways of raising funds. She also encouraged organisations to enter into partnerships, as well as adopt ways to generate money locally, rather than always looking up to donors for support. This, she said, can be achieved by welcoming social entrepreneurs or enterprises as an alternate way to generate income. Dr. Okine had the final word during the Conference, with his presentation titled Funding Social Policy Interventions A Civil Society Perspective. He said the relationship between international donors and civil society groups has changed from aid to trade. He explained that international donors are now interested in partnering with organisations or NGOs that have evidence-based solutions to societal problems, unlike before when these things were not checked. He indicated that the work of World Vision and other civil society organisations is to augment the effort of government in implementing social policy interventions. Touching on some of the challenges to their global funding stream, he pointed to the proliferation of civil society organisations with similar interventions and the absence of NGO regulators as a two major hindrances. Dr. Okine noted that civil societies can have a broader impact through collaborations with like-minded Government institutions like the Ministries or agencies which include; Local Government and Rural Development, Ghana Education Service (GES), Works and Social Protection and the Works and Water Resources, among others. He added that linking social interventions to the SDGs is another way by which civil society groups can help governments to finance social policy. The two-day conference organised by the Centre for Social Policy Studies (CSPS) brought together policymakers, academia, civil society organisations and students, to discuss the challenges of social policy financing. Isah said that the bill, also known as the age Reduction Bill, alongside other constitutional amendments had not been transmitted for assent. According to him, the bill if passed into law, will enable youths interested in contributing to the political development of the country, to contest for political offices in the 2019 general elections. The Bill, which seeke to reduce the constitutionally required age of running for political office, has been with the National Assembly and waiting transmission to the Presidency since March 2018. With the 2019 general elections fast approaching, it is expected that the National Assembly, which has continuously reiterates its commitment to the enactment of youth friendly legislation will immediately transmit the bill for assent. Isah said that various youth-led and political organisations had continued to register their displeasure over the development. He said various letters, press statements to the National Assembly and social media campaign to by over 50 youth-led/youth-focused organisations on the issue had not yielded the desired result, adding that the bill had continued to suffer tactical delay by the National Assembly. The YIAGA spokesman noted that Nigerian youths were ready to run and ought to be part of the 2019 general elections not just as voters but also as candidates. According to Isah, it is pertinent to remind members the 8th National Assembly that history is on their side by passing the bill without delay, having been passed by the state Houses of Assembly. The YIAGA image maker said that the delay in the passage of the bill raised challenges to the integrity of the electoral process. Isah, who said that members of the CSOs visited the Deputy Senate President; Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, where he assured that that the bill would passed, wondered why the promise had not come to fruition. He said the actions and inactions of her has rendered the company's coffers empty with huge debts. Essiam was engaged in a collision course with the Board Chairman of the company, Frank Boahen Agyen over the awarding of some contracts. READ MORE: Frances Essiam suspended as CEO of Gas Cylinder Company Reports indicate that she was fired after members of the board unanimously voted in favour of her suspension. On Tuesday, May 9, 2018, a letter surfaced in the media where the Board Chairman asked Essiam to stay off the disbursement of a GH5million stimulus package sought by the government for the company. Parts of the letter reads: "at the meeting of the board on the 5th of April 2018, members unanimously asked me to write to you to demand answers for the following actions of yours; in ordering the companys old and disused machinery for sale as scraps, did you follow due process laid by law? If yes, please state the processes you followed" among others. The dismissed staff speaking on the development at the company has called for a full scale investigation into the litany of allegations of malfeasance leveled against her. READ ALSO: Frances Essiam denies awarding fictitious contracts Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Starr FM, Opuni-Asamoah said Frances Essiam's attitude has rendered the company's coffers empty. The New York Ministers Network of the Assemblies of God Church recognised him for his commitment as a servant-leader. A citation from the Superintendent of the New York Ministers Network of the Assemblies of God Church, Dr. Duane Durst, recognised Mahama for his exemplary achievements in presidential office, acknowledging "the great achievements in the nation of Ghana and West Africa due to his commitment as a servant-leader to build a just, prosperous and technologically developed nation for the people of Ghana." He is recognised as the first member of the Assemblies of God Church worldwide to rise to the highest office of President. According to the Church, he did not only fulfil his duties of leadership with high integrity and deep humility, but also a "bold declaration of his faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Mahama who was a Special Guest at the 64th Conference of the Network in Amityville, Long Island in New York, thanked the Church for the award. He emphasised that the Church has over the years guided and provided him with the strength to carry out his activities. Addressing the press, Mahama thanked the New York Ministers Network for the invitation to share his perspectives of leadership with the Church, and recalled the centennial celebration of the Assemblies of God Church in Missouri in 2014, to which he was also invited as a Special Guest. The successful air strike by the NAF Alpha Jet aircraft followed calls from the GeneralOfficer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division of the Nigerian Army that troops conducting clearance operations at Koleram had come in contact with the insurgents. According to him, the NAF also provided Close Air Support (CAS) to ground troops. Adesanya said the GOC, therefore, requested for support from the NAF, adding that the Alpha Jet aircraft was immediately deployed to provide CAS. On arrival over the location, there were exchanges of fire between the terrorists and our ground forces. The crew of a NAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft established contact with the ground troops and guided the Alpha Jet aircraft crew to the major source of fire from the Boko Haram terrorists, which was seen coming from a particular settlement. Consequently, the NAF Alpha Jet aircraft engaged the target with rockets and cannons, thus neutralising the insurgents and destroying their weapons, he said. The teacher accused of sexually abusing the student, impregnating and forced her to abort the pregnancy, according to Starrfmonline. The family of the female student, told authorities that the teacher, Kamal Ali, 26, who was posted to the school from the Bagabaga College of Education, has allegedly admitted impregnating the girl and persuading her to abort. A brother of the victim, Abubakari Saddiq said the teacher filmed the act when he was defiling the minor onto his mobile phone and distributed the video to his friends and also played it for some pupils to watch. He said some pupils after watching the video became angry and reported the matter to some staff of the school who then informed the headmaster. The headmaster summoned the teacher to his office, according to siblings of the girl, but the teacher denied, only to admit the incident after the girl insisted and corroborated the charges. According to the report, the teacher paid for the abortion for the girl and has allegedly suffered complications and currently undergoing treatment for heavy bleeding after the abortion. Furious Saddiq said the headmaster was also informed about the complications suffered by the girl but he only directed the teacher to assist in treating the victim. But the family rejected the headmaster's plea and called for the Police to conduct full scale investigations. Saddiq said "The girl's future is involved; even the future also holds her marriage, nobody knows what harm this guy has caused to this girl so I prefer the guy be indicted or punished for whatever he did to that small girl. "They are training him to be a teacher so if you (teacher) are under training and did this, now if they didnt mind you and they send you anywhere, you would think that it is part of the teaching profession, which is wrong." The former television and radio presenter decision on her Facebook page, indicated that people at the company are not working but rather interested in travelling and taking per diems. She said she took the bold decision to resign because she "wanted to work, and not travel and take per diems." She wrote: "Has she, has she not? Yes people I have officially resigned as Deputy CEO, Ghana Tourist Development Company, effective end of this month." She expressed her profound appreciation to Nana Addo for the opportunity but expressed regret that her team she was to work with had a different mind set. READ MORE: NPP Executives threaten to sue A Plus over corruption allegations But Kwame A-Plus said she must be investigated. Reports indicate that she was fired after members of the board unanimously voted in favour of her suspension. Yesterday, a letter surfaced in the media where the Board Chairman asked Essiam to stay off the disbursement of a GH5million stimulus package sought by the government for the company. READ ALSO: Frances Essiam denies awarding fictitious contracts Parts of the letter reads: at the meeting of the board on the 5th of April 2018, members unanimously asked me to write to you to demand answers for the following actions of yours; in ordering the companys old and disused machinery for sale as scraps, did you follow due process laid by law? If yes, please state the processes you followed among others. This infuriated Essiam, a failed Parliamentary aspirant for the NPP in the Adentan Constituency. In an interview on Kasapa FM, she said: The Chairman has a malicious and evil agenda and I Frances Ewurabena Essiam will not allow any human being born of woman and man under the sun, skies and on this earth to impugn my integrity. Ghanaians know me for my diligence so I am the last person as a member of OccupyGhana." She also claimed the Board Chairman is a mischievous man who has done nothing for the wellbeing of the company. She described her actions as a mistake and asked for forgiveness. Her apology comes after the party condemned her for attacking the journalist. Hajia Fati created a scene at the party's headquarters after slapping a journalist with Accra based radio station Adom FM, when Sammy Crabbe went to pick his nomination forms last Friday. She said, she slapped Ama Sekyiwaa because the reporter did not introduce herself adding that she had not sought her permission before taking pictures. She said "She was snapping [taking pictures of] me, I dont know her, she didnt approach me, she didnt tell me anything. I only saw a flash on my face twice, the third time, I slapped her because I didn't know who she was." She also said the reporter looked more like an onion seller. She added: "I don't know anyone but I remember slapping a lady. She didn't approach me and all I saw was that she was taking a picture of me. I thought it was one of Sammy Crabbe's people who wanted to take a picture of me so I slapped her. "She didn't look like a journalist, she was looking like a normal lady who sells onions. I want you to withdraw the statement that she's your colleague because I don't know any of your colleagues." Hajia Fati who has regretted her actions appealed to the media for forgiveness. The NDC in a statement issued by the National Communications Director, Solomon Yaw Nkansah said it is equally enraged by Hajia Fati's subsequent explanation that she thought the female journalist was an onion seller rather than a reporter. He said the party "is appalled and outraged at the shameful and brutal assault" on the journalist. Hajia Fati created a scene at the party's headquarters after slapping a journalist with Accra-based radio station Adom FM, when Sammy Crabbe went to pick his nomination forms last Friday. She said, she slapped Ama Sekyiwaa because the reporter did not introduce herself adding that she had not sought her permission before taking pictures. She said "She was snapping [taking pictures of] me, I dont know her, she didnt approach me, she didnt tell me anything. I only saw a flash on my face twice, the third time, I slapped her because I didn't know who she was." But the NDC condemned the act and said Hajia Fati has become infamously notorious for unleashing violence at the NPP headquarters. The party stated that "The NDC condemns the assault on Miss Sakyiwaa in the strongest possible terms. Democratic Ghana, which currently occupies the top spot in Africa on the Freedom of the Press index, cannot continue to record such dents especially at the headquarters of the ruling party." The NDC also deplored "the lack of courage and decisiveness by the NPP in condemning and reprimanding Hajia Fati in a timely and sincere manner considering that the unwarranted violent conduct of their leading member took place in the open right in front of some top executives of the NPP." "This is the reason we find the use of the term 'alleged' in the NPP's under-pressure, belated and weak statement as most offensive and insensitive to Miss Sakyiwaa," the statement added. The party has called on the Police to, as a matter of urgency, investigate and take immediate action and also apprise the nation on the outcome of investigations of other recent attacks on journalists at the party's head office. "We wish to afford this opportunity to remind the police that the NDC and the general public, particularly the Ghanaian media fraternity, [are] running out of patience as we await their report on Latif Iddrisu who sustained injuries at their hands when our Deputy General Secretary Koku Anyidoho was arrested. "The NDC demands that President Akufo-Addo takes steps to stem the lawlessness, violence, bloodletting and assault on press freedom that have become synonymous to his party's headquarters. "We also condemn the attempt by Hajia Fati to create the impression that our nation's hardworking onion sellers can be justifiably attacked just because they sell onions. It is shocking that any leading member of the ruling party will have such a criminal mindset towards our dynamic market women whose taxes are used to fund the creature comforts of these NPP elites. READ ALSO: Hajia Fati threatens to sue Kwabena Agyepong "The NDC is equally outraged that the NPP has not as yet retracted and apologised to onion sellers and market women across the country. This is most reprehensible. "The NDC takes this opportunity to congratulate the Ghana Journalist Association and all media practitioners for their fortitude and courage in speaking up against this canker. Ghana's democratic gains cannot and will not be eroded by the actions of a few lawless elements in our society. Desoso said, "They didnt believe us and they rushed and voted for them (NPP). As Im talking to you now, January up to April, they have not given them any allowance. Even yesterday, their demonstration, they sent a petition to the Minister. He didnt even say a word and they got angry. So I will just wish and pray that Ghanaians should know that you cannot always rely on your stomach what you eat today but think about your future. READ ALSO: NDC apologises to NPP They claim by putting them on the scheme is not the solution their predicament, but, they want permanent employment from Ghana. However, Madam Desoso maintained that the agitated health professionals should have given it a thorough thought before voting for the NPP while claiming the NDC had good intentions for them. During our era JDM, he said we needed more nurses so that we can export some of them then we will be getting something small from salary. The reason being that anytime Doctors go on strike, we have to call on Cuba, emergency. So we thought that why cant NDC also implement such a policy, she stated. "I no longer want to continue life," Goodall told the dozens of journalists and television crews who had crammed into a small room at a hotel in the northern Swiss city of Basel to hear him speak. "I am happy to have the chance tomorrow to end it, and I appreciate the help of the medical profession here in making that possible," he said. When asked whether he had chosen any music to listen to in his finally moments, he said he hadn't thought about it. Ode to Joy "But if I had to choose something, I think it would be the final movement of Beethovens ninth symphony," he said, before belting out a verse from the Ode to Joy, in German, to loud applause. Goodall was barred from seeking help to end his life in Australia, so he was forced to travel to Switzerland, something he has said he resents. "I would have preferred to have (ended) it in Australia, and I greatly regret that Australia is behind Switzerland" when it comes to right-to-die laws, he said. The 104-year-old said he hoped the widespread interest in his case would spur Australia and other countries to rethink their legislation. An instrument for change? "I would quite like to be remembered as an instrument of freeing the elderly from the need to pursue their life irrespective," he said. The honorary research associate at Perth's Edith Cowan University set off from Australia a week ago, and stopped in Bordeaux, France to see family before arriving in Basel on Monday. He was speaking alongside Philip Nitschke, the founder of Exit International which helped him make his final journey, and Moritz Gall of Eternal Spirit, the Swiss foundation that has agreed to help him die. Goodall secured a fast-track appointment with the foundation after he attempted but failed to commit suicide on his own earlier this year. "It would have been much more convenient for everyone if I had been able to, but unfortunately it failed," he said of the suicide attempt. But he said he was happy that he had been offered the "Swiss option", since he has been able to see most of his large family, which is spread over several countries, in the run up to his final day. Assisted suicide is illegal in most countries and was banned in Australia until the state of Victoria became the first to legalise the practice last year. But that legislation, which takes effect in June 2019, only applies to terminally ill patients of sound mind and a life expectancy of less than six months. According to Swiss law meanwhile, anyone who is of sound mind and who has over a period of time voiced a consistent wish to end their life can request so-called assisted voluntary death, or AVD. Eternal Spirit, one of several foundations in Switzerland that assist people who want to end their lives, said Wednesday that Goodall had undergone two medical visits by different doctors since arriving in the city. No hesitation "Tonight the board of the foundation will study the documents and also judge the wish to die of David Goodall," Eternal Spirit head Erika Preisig said in an email, adding that the answer would "likely" be yes. But Gall stressed to reporters that Goodall had the option until the very last minute to back down if he changed his mind. Asked if he had any hesitations or doubts, the 104-year-old said: "No. None whatsoever." In assisted dying, the person must be physically capable of carrying out the final deed on their own. Most Swiss foundations ask patients to drink sodium pentobarbital, an effective sedative that in strong enough doses causes the heart muscle to stop beating. Since the substance is alkaline and burns a bit when swallowed, Eternal Spirit has instead opted for intravenous infusions. A professional prepares the needle, but it is up to the patient to open the valve that allows the short-acting barbiturate to mix with a saline solution and begin flowing into their vein. Goodall said he expected his death to take place around noon on Thursday. Exit International and Eternal Spirit are advocating for all countries to introduce systems similar to the Swiss one, allowing people to choose to die "in dignity". "It's decided," he tweeted. "I finally came to a decision. I will not be a candidate for president of the republic. The decision is purely personal." With Brazilians hungry for change after years of instability and scandal in the capital Brasilia, Barbosa was seen as a fresh face with strong anti-corruption credentials from his time on the Supreme Court. Despite having no experience in electoral politics and having done no campaigning, the 63-year-old was performing surprisingly well in opinion polls. Earlier this year, another popular outsider and non-politician, television presenter Luciano Huck, decided against running, despite what analysts said was his potential to capture weary voters' imaginations. Barbosa's exit added to the uncertainty in what may already be the least predictable election since Brazil returned to democracy in 1985 after two decades of military dictatorship. The easy frontrunner in polls, leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption and is almost certain to be excluded from the ballot. Meanwhile, the closest runner-up, Jair Bolsonaro, is a firebrand right-wing ex-army officer who openly praises the dictatorship. That leaves the field open for a viable leftist candidate and also someone who can fill the wide space in the center. At an event with a dozen would-be candidates in Rio de Janeiro suburb Niteroi, leftist candidate Ciro Gomes said that "Brazil needs change." However, he expressed frustration at the decision by the Workers' Party, the biggest leftist party in Brazil, to insist on still pushing the jailed -- and likely to be disqualified -- Lula as its candidate. "Enough of these intrigues," Gomes said. The main centrist candidate, former Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin, has had trouble getting his campaign off the ground. He is under investigation for corruption, a major handicap with angry Brazilians. And his platform of supporting ongoing austerity reforms makes him the candidate of an unpopular status quo. CNN said Renova Group chairman Viktor Vekselberg was questioned along with his cousin Andrew Intrater, who heads the firm's US affiliate Columbus Nova, by agents investigating Russian interference in the 2016 American presidential election. The payments were made after the election but while Michael Cohen was still Trump's personal attorney. Vekselberg was among seven Kremlin-linked oligarchs the Trump administration slapped with sanctions in April. The report came as Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing porn actress Stormy Daniels released a dossier alleging that Vekselberg and his cousin transferred "approximately $500,000" to Cohen in eight payments. "Mr Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the president," the document said. Daniels, born as Stephanie Clifford, was paid $130,000 by Cohen as part of a non-disclosure agreement over an alleged affair with Trump. She is suing Trump for defamation, and has also sought to be released from the non-disclosure agreement. Cohen insists Clifford has repeatedly violated the accord, but she argues it is invalid because Trump did not sign the document. Known as Victory Day to Russians, May 9 remains a divisive date in the Baltic state and is not a public holiday. Accounting for around 30 percent of Latvia's 1.9 million-strong population, ethnic Russians see it as a celebration of the 1945 Nazi surrender to the Red Army in Berlin, but most ethnic Latvians see it as the start of a harsh 50-year Soviet occupation. Relatives of fallen Soviet soldiers later marched in Riga with their portraits and names in what locals call the "Bezsmertnij Polk", literally "Regiment of the Undead". "My grandfather was drafted in the Soviet army, he was killed in action on the frontline on 25 January 1945, and I made this placard with his photo four years ago in honour of him," Viktors Opolchencevs, a mild-mannered and middle-aged man, told AFP. This year's commemorations had extra meaning in light of the discovery of the remains of some 400 Red Army soldiers in a mass grave earlier this year during road-works near Saldus in the western part of the Baltic EU and NATO state. The remains are yet to be identified and re-buried in a war cemetery later this year. Protesters honouring victims of Soviet regime held a counter-demonstration at the Latvian capital's Museum of Occupation, which is focused on Soviet-era abuses before the regime fell in 1991. Latvians officially commemorate the victory over the Third Reich a day earlier on May 8 in line with the tradition in Western Europe. The orange and black striped Ribbon of Saint George, which is a controversial symbol of support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine as well as for fallen Soviet soldiers, was pinned to the clothes of many attending Wednesday's commemorations. Caught between Russia and Germany, more than 100,000 Latvians fought on both sides during the war. The Fund further says though refinancing debt could soon become more costly, around 40 percent of low-income countries in the region are now in debt distress or at high risk of it. The current growth spurt in advanced economies is expected to taper off, and the borrowing terms for the regions frontier markets will likely become less favourable ... which could coincide with higher refinancing needs for many countries across the region, it said.African governments issued a record $7.5 billion in sovereign bonds last year, 10 times more than in 2016. And they have issued or plan to issue over $11 billion in additional debt in the first half of 2018 alone, the report said. Foreign currency debt increased by 40 percent from 2010-13 to 2017 and now accounts for about 60 percent of the regions total public debt on average, IMF data showed. Average interest payments, meanwhile, increased from 4 percent of expenditures in 2013 to 12 percent in 2017. Under President Akufo Addo, figures released by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) show that Ghanas public debt reached 31 billion dollars as at December 2017, representing 69.8 percent of GDP. This is a reduction from the 73.3 percent recorded in December 2016. The total debt stock in 2016 was at 27 billion dollars. This means that the debt stock has almost hit the dreaded 70 percent of GDP, a point the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has constantly cautioned against. Two Nigerian migrants that survived a deadly sea crossing on November 6, 2017, have joined 15 other migrants to file a lawsuit against Italy for violating their rights. The migrants claimed that the Italian government supported Libyas efforts to return them to the North African country, Reuters reports. The petition On Tuesday, April 8, 2018, the migrants lawyers said the European Court of Human Rights was petitioned on the alleged violation of human rights of the 17 migrants cum plaintiffs. In the petition, the migrants claimed that Italy violated multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. According to Violeta Moreno-Lax, a legal advisor for the Global Legal Action Network and one of the four lawyers of the migrants, the Italian authorities violated articles of the EC on Human Rights that included people not be subjected to torture, held in slavery, or have their lives put in danger. Speaking further on the suit, Moreno-Lax said: Using the Libyan Coast Guard as a proxy to turn back migrant boats is just a new way of camouflaging (Italys) strategy of fighting irregular migration in the Mediterranean by trapping them in what the Italian Foreign Ministry itself has qualified as the hell of Libya. Nigerian migrants narrate experience in the hands of Libyans authority The two Nigerians amongst the 17 plaintiffs in the lawsuit were reportedly intercepted and returned to Libya. The Nigerians said while in Libya, they were held for two months in a detention center where they were subjected to beatings and extortion. The plaintiffs further claimed that basic food and healthcare was not provided while in detention, before returning to Nigeria with the International Organization for Migration. ALSO READ: Italy grants transfer authorisation for 105 people rescued at sea How Nigerian migrants were rescued by German humanitarian ship According to Reuters report, the 17 plaintiffs that instituted the lawsuit against Italy were rescued at sea on November 6, 2017. During the rescue, 20 migrants reportedly drowned when a part of their rubber boat deflated on the Mediterranean sea. 59 people were reportedly rescued by the German humanitarian ship Sea Watch 3 on the day while the body of a small child was collected by the rescuers. The Libyan naval vessel, which had been donated by Italy and was operated mainly by a crew trained by the EU, returned 47 of the 59 rescued people to Libya. Some countries in recent times have instituted paternity leave for fathers in addition to the maternity leave bestowed to mothers. The paternity leave debate has been ongoing in several African countries. Fathers in Nigeria will not be taking in the joys of paternity leave anytime soon. Lawmakers have shut down a bill to legalize optional paternity leave for male workers in private and public employment. The bill failed to get past a second reading. To become a law, the bill needed to pass the second reading, a committee review as well as a third reading before presidential assent. But the paternity leave apathy isnt restricted to Nigeria alone. Countries like Algeria, Mali, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania do not necessarily have paternity leave however, they only provide a few days for the fathers to be absent from work after their spouses delivery. In Africa, these countries provide paid paternity leave for five days or more. There is no provision for paternity leave in the country's Labour Proclamation 2003. However, article 81 of the country's constitution provides for an entitlement of up to 5 consecutive days unpaid leave in the case of exceptional and serious events. (Source: 81 of the Labour Proclamation No. 377/2003 (amended by Proc. No. 466/2005 & Proc. No. 494/2006) READ ALSO:These fabulously rich Ghanaians are all under 40 In Kenya, men get two weeks of paid paternity. The leave is only applicable to a man whose recognised wife delivers a baby. What this means is that paternity leave is not open to any man, but only those who are married and whose wives are recognised by the employers. Section 29 (8) deals with the issue of paternity leave and again the wording suggests that it is a mandatory provision. It states: "A male employer shall be entitled to two weeks paternity leave with full pay." Paternity leave begins within one week from the birth of the child and will be on full pay provided the father has been in continuous employment with the same employer for a period of at least 12 months prior to the date of birth of the child. They are required to provide a medical certificate indicating their spouse has given birth as well as a written statement he has signed to show he is living with the spouse under the same room for the leave to be granted. READ ALSO: Inside the exclusive cemetery in Ghana where the rich and powerful are laid to rest In South Africa, mothers are entitled to take 4 consecutive months of unpaid maternity leave. Fathers, on the other hand, are only allowed 3 days' family responsibility leave per year, and fathers say it's time the law made amendments. His homily at Mass in Casa Santa Marta on May 8, 2018, gives people everything needed in order to deal with the devil, Aleteia reports. The Holy Father starts by first agreeing with the Bible, which says, "the ruler of this world has been condemned." He is quick to add that being "a loser" does not change the fact that "the devil is a seducer who knows what to say to us" and ultimately, "we like to be seduced." In his words, "And he has this capability. This capacity to seduce. That's why it is so difficult to understand that he has been vanquished because he presents himself with great power, he promises you so many things, he brings you lovely presents, wrapped up beautifully. 'Oh, how beautiful!' but you don't know what it contains within. 'But the wrapping paper is so nice .' He seduces us with the packaging without allowing us to see what's inside. He knows how to present his proposals to our vanity and our curiosity." How to deal with Satan, according to Pope Francis Wondering how the devil should be handled? Well, the Roman Catholic leader has an answer for you. He advises Christians to remember that devil is a "great liar, the father of lies, extremely dangerous," especially since "we fools believe him." Pope Francis says, "If I know that if I spiritually approach this or that thought if I approach this or that desire if I go to this place or that other one, I am approaching this furious, chained dog. Please, don't do it. 'I have a very deep wound' 'Who did that to you?' 'The dog' 'But wasn't he chained up?' 'Yes, but I went to caress him ' 'You went looking for him???' That's how it is. Never draw close to him just because he's chained up. Let us leave him there. Chained up." He concludes his teaching on dealing with Satan by reminding people to always pray. "We must pray, do penance, and not approach him or dialogue with him. And as well, to go to our mother, as children do. When a child is afraid, he goes to his mother. 'Mommy, mommy, I'm afraid.' When he's had a nightmare, he goes to his mother. Go to the Virgin. She protects us. And the Fathers of the Church, above all the Russian mystics, say that in times of spiritual tribulation, we must take refuge under the mantle of the great Mother of God. Go to the Mother. May she help us in this fight against the one who has lost, this chained up dog, so as to conquer him," Pope Francis adds. Pope Francis on Satan and Hell Lately, the Holy Father has been very vocal on Satan and his lair. He dealt with the subject of the devil in his recently released apostolic exhortation called "Gaudete et Exsultate" (Rejoice and Be Glad). Prior to the release of his apostolic exhortation, the Pontiff dealt with a major controversy caused by a report that claimed that the pontiff denied the existence of hell. According to newspaper publisher and atheist, Eugenio Scalfari, the pope told him, "There is no hell, there is the disappearance of sinful souls." The Minister of State, Education, Prof Anthony Onwuka, made this known when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the councils meeting which was presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Council Chamber of the presidential villa, Abuja, on Wednesday. Onwuka stated that it was illegal for any federal university to charge tuition fees, saying that the law had made it clear that no federal university should charge students tuition fees. He, however, stated that the federal government could not determine payment of fees in private and state universities. They (members of FEC) wanted the NUC, through the ministry, to provide a status report to FEC on all the nations universities in terms of their performance, be they private, state or federal. We stressed on quality of staff on the various universities. And then FEC discussed the issue of school fees in the various universities and noted that as of law, no federal university should charge tuition fees. And, we understand some universities now charge fees per course unit and we are going to make sure that we investigate that properly and make it stop. But students can pay other auxiliary fees but not in excess. Various university councils and management should be able to fix what fees students should pay that is affordable and acceptable to the students. That is the position. The federal government does not determine fees for private and state universities, they only take responsibility for fees paid in the federal universities. The minister revealed that the council approved the establishment of Skyline University in Kano state. He explained that the council granted the approval after a rigorous verification exercise of the claims contained in the application and the recommendation to the ministry of education by the NUC. The Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, also disclosed that the council approved procurement of equipment for the completion of control towers in some airports across the country. ALSO READ:Private universities vs public universities beef in Nigeria He said the airports included Maiduguri, Akure, Benin, Illorin, Kaduna and Ibadan. This particular procurement was done in 2011. From 2011, government stopped funding this particular procurement with all its importance. So, we provided for it in 2017 so that we can complete it, and the council has graciously approved to complete those control towers which will enhance communications and security of our airspace. Dabiri-Erewa issued the advice in a statement on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, when the National Association of Nigerian Students, Benin Republic Chapter Gbemileke Ogunronbi paid her a visit in Abuja. In the statement, Dabiri-Erewa raised an alarm that thousands of Nigerian students had their fate trapped in about 52 non-accredited universities in neighbouring countries. According to the Eagleonline, the SSA said that most of the private schools in the neighbouring countries, especially Benin Republic, with Nigerians as their main students, were sub-standard. The statement reads in part: Most of these institutions that Nigerian students attend in our neighbouring countries are sub-standard, we have better standard private universities in Nigeria than those schools. That is why National Universities Commission, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and the Ministry of Education had to blacklist some of these schools to save the innocent students. Nigerian students are being exploited in most of these countries. There is a particular country we went to that a university is being run in the portal cabin right inside a market. Dabiri-Erewa also said that Nigeria would not accept certificates from such schools for the National Youth Service Scheme because students who failed in Nigeria run to those schools for admission. From cute photos on Instagram to attending events together, we all thought this was one marriage that was going to test the waters. Well it didn't turn out as fans and admirers envisaged as it was overshadowed with so much drama which finally led to it's collapse. When they tied the knot Toyin Aimakhu and Adeniyi Johnson tied the knot on Monday, July 8, 2013, at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry, Lagos in the presence of family members and a few friends. Celebrating their first wedding anniversary On July 8, 2014, the couple celebrated their first wedding anniversary with Toyin posting a very cute message on her Instagram page to celebrate the day. Toyin Aimakhu separates from her husband On January 1, 2015, there were reports that Toyin Aimakhu had separated from her husband Adeniyi Johnson after one and six months of marriage. A handful of Nigerian tabloids claimed that the Yoruba Nollywood actress and upcoming actor have gone their separate ways with series of allegations of infidelity. Aimakhu had removed her husband's surname 'Johnson' from her Instagram profile and fully reverted to her maiden name. Couple celebrate second wedding anniversary Despite the marriage drama, infidelity accusations and all, Toyin Aimakhu and Adeniyi Johnson were able to make it to their second wedding anniversary as the couple took to their Instagram pages on July 8, 2015, to celebrate the day Toyin Aimakhu files for divorce Just when we thought we had seen it all from the drama in their short marriage, Toyin Aimakhu in August 2015, filed for divorce on the grounds of infidelity. Adeniyi Johnson begs Toyin for forgiveness While Toyin Aimakhu was filing for a divorce from her marriage to Adeniyi, the young man wasn't ready to be a divorcee as he went on his Instagram page on August 26, 2015, to appeal to his fans to help him apologise to her for all his wrongdoings. Things fall apart and the water cannot hold After the back and forth of their marriage drama, the two finally went their separate ways with both parties claiming to be innocent and calling each other out over infidelity. Toyin Aimakhu moved on and had a brief stint with the movie producer, Seun Egbegbe while Adeniyi Johnson , Seyi Edun. Olofinlua had served with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. 15 years on, he is yet to gain access to the monies saved up from a lifetime of pension contribution. This is according to Punch News in a report published on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. The retiree, a 75-year-old indigene of Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, reportedly suffered stroke in February 2010, and had failed to overcome his condition despite an intervention by family members. His wife, Mrs. Ayotunde Olofinlua, confirmed his challenged in an interview with Punch. He worked with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and retired in 2003 at the age of 60. He retired at level 14 and was paid his gratuity about three years later. Since then, they had refused to pay him his pensions. Before he was sick, he went to Abuja twice and was told to hold on and that they were working on the pension of other people and they would soon get to his turn. By 2010, he suffered a stroke and could not go anywhere again. Some people advised us to get a lawyer or somebody in the ministry to help him follow it up. We got one of his friends in the ministry. Unfortunately, the man died and we could not get anybody again. One of our relatives working in a law firm in Abuja assisted us to follow it up to a certain stage. "She later said the pension office said he should wait for another verification exercise and that he would be paid. That was in 2017. We waited and didnt hear anything, says a troubled Ayotunde. Pension dues delayed by slow processing and unprofessionalism? A fruitless pursuit of the pension payment extended to the doorstep of an Alhaji Dogo, whose response meant a longer wait. He reportedly informed the eager pensioner that his case has been transferred to the office of the Auditor General of the Federation but nothing materialised since the update. We were given the names of two people, including one Alhaji Dogo, whom we were told were in charge. We started calling Alhaji Dogo for updates. "The last thing he told us was that the case was in the auditor-generals office. He said after an audit, my husband would be paid. This has been the story all along. Our children have spent a lot of money on his treatment. Before now, he could not talk or walk. Although his condition appeared to have improved a little, his hands are paralysed. "His words are not clear. The money the children are spending on his treatment is not bearing fruit because his mind appears to be on the pension, which he sees as his entitlement. We spend N30,000 on drugs every month. Despite his condition, he subscribes to The PUNCH Newspaper every week, hoping to see information on his pension in the papers. "We believe he cannot fully recover until he gets his benefits," a devoted Mrs. Ayotunde Olofinlua added in a Punch News report. Failed promises after 35 years of meritorious service The pensioner who has been left hanging after putting in 35 years of work with the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), has a letter proving his entitlement. A part of the document was emphatic about processing the pension dues of Mr. Gabriel Olofinlua but the reverse has happened according to Punch. With reference to your application dated March 21, 2003, I am directed to inform you that your retirement from the federal public service has been accepted with effect from June 22, 2003 when you would have put in 35 years meritorious service. In a statement released by the command's spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, it was revealed that the incident took place on Friday, May 4, 2018. ALSO READ: Man caught after killing father, buries him in shallow grave in Anambra According to the statement, the name of the suspect is yet to be ascertained but the investigation into the case continues. It also revealed that the deceased, Pa Nathaniel Chukwuemerie, aged 83, hailed from Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. He was reportedly killed by his son identified simply as `The Boy. The statement also revealed that Chukwuemerie, who resides at Ojinato community was killed when his son hit his head with a pestle over an issue that is yet to be established. It also noted that the victim was rushed to nearby hospital by sympathizers where he was later confirmed dead. The corpse has since been deposited at the Oji River General Hospital morgue. The suspect has been nabbed although information from a source closer to the place of the incident revealed that before the incident, the suspect had been behaving abnormally suggesting mental illness, the statement added. May the soul of the deceased rest in peace. Deranged man murders father in Imo A 28-year-old man identified as Emmanuel Ekweogu, has been arrested by the Imo State Police Command for allegedly using a shovel to beat his father, Ifeanyi Ekweogu, to death. According to Eastern Heartland News, the incident happened in Ugbelle community in Ideato South Local Government Area of the state on Monday, October 9, 2017, where the young man said to be mentally challenged, murdered his father because he corrected him. It was gathered that the deceased had tried to stop Emmanuel from leaving the house with his mothers bible which he intended to destroy but in annoyance, the suspect picked up a quarrel with his father. In the process, he reportedly picked up a shovel with which he hit his father several times on the head leading to his death. According to OkayPlayer, the trio were leaving a home where they were Airbnb guests when a neighbour called the police saying that she saw three black women stealing stuff. ABC 7 also reports that one of the guests, Fyffe-Marshall said on her Facebook page that they were surrounded by policemen. She said that an officer accused them of lying while a helicopter hovered over them. The three girls also threatened to sue the Rialto Police Department. Police denies The Rialto Police Department said that the three women were not harassed in anyway. Rialto police Lt. Dean Hardin said "We didn't detain anybody, we didn't put anyone in handcuffs, we didn't point any weapons at anybody. "We actually allowed them pretty free movement about the scene, so it's a pretty mild response to a situation." Hardin also revealed that it is standard police procedure for a helicopter to be on the scene during such incidents, ABC7 reports. Also OkayPlayer said Captain William Wilson of the Rialto Police Department announced that It was a very low-key contact. Nobody had their hands up in the air. There was no guns pointed. Nobody was put on the curb, he added. The girls were rude The Airbnb homeowner where the girls lodged said that the incident would have been avoided. According to ABC7, she said "If the kids had simply smiled at (my neighbor) and waved back and acknowledged her and said, 'We're just Airbnb guests checking out,' none of this would have ever happened. "But instead, they were rude, unkind, not polite." The Rialto police boss also said "Somebody who's part of neighborhood watch was vigilant, and they reported something that they felt was out of the ordinary. They saw something, they reported something, and the person reporting it is now receiving threats. And our department is receiving, across social media platforms, including the media, ridicule, and, frankly, it's not fair. Starbucks saga Starbucks recently came under fire after shocking footage emerged of two black men being arrested after trying to use the restroom. Starbucks' CEO was forced to apologize after a video of two black men being arrested at a Philadelphia location of the coffee chain went viral. LIB reports that one of the victims identified as Odirichukwu Chima Lawrence is currently receiving treatment in a hospital. ALSO READ: Army troops nab 3 suspects linked to recent Benue killings The victim said, "Thank God for saving my life after a horrifying attack by herdsmen on our way to Kaduna. They robbed us, raped women and took away our monies and other valuables." Police action on the case remains unclear as of the time of this report. Army troops nab 3 suspects linked to recent Benue killings Three suspected herdsmen have been arrested and paraded by the Nigerian Army yesterday, Friday, April 28, 2018. The suspects were reportedly arrested by the Nigerian troops following intense gunfire exchange at Tormatar village in Benue State. The Commanding Officer of 72 Battalion, Lt. Col. Suleiman Muhammad, revealed that the troops of the 707 Special Forces Brigade in Makurdi, nabbed the trio while they were planning further attacks on the state. Troops of the 707 Special Forces Brigade conducted a fighting patrol on a suspected militia herdsmen camp located close to Tormatar village on Thursday. "The armed men were massing up for another possible attack on innocent citizens in the local government area. On getting to the militia camp, the herdsmen fired at our troops but the troops immediately returned fire and dislodged them, he said. ALSO READ: Benue elders say group wants to attack Makurdi Muhammad gave the names of the suspects as; Abubakar Umaru, Adamu Likita and Yusufa Alhaja. According to the reports, one of the suspects was wounded during the gun battle. Two AK 47 rifles with six rounds of 7.62MM special ammunition weapons were recovered from the suspects while one AK47 rifle and five rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition were also found in the bush in Naka village. Chimamanda spoke of her personal experiences and shared stories about the Igbo precolonial history and culture. She emphasised on the preservation of the Igbo culture as well as the strength and dignity of Igbo women. A major part of the writer's speech was about the Nigerian-British Women comparison. She said, British Women did not own properties. British women were in fact property themselves and were supposed to be at home protected and not seen as autonomous beings who could make decisions about their lives. "Igbo women, on the other hand, were traders and they could own properties, this was understandably alarming to many of the British and I think it explains many changes that happened in Igbo land. Chimamanda also spoke about the misinterpretation of the Igbo culture in Nollywood. A lot of their representations of Igbo culture are not only spectacularly inaccurate but really comical. So if there is anyone here who is involved in Nollywood, please go to the village and ask the real questions, or even just look at archives and see pictures of what people were like before.... I mean, there is no need for imagoo mmadu adi kammanwu." ALSO READ: Author says she became a feminist because she grew up in Nigeria Chimamanda wrapped up her session with, We Igbo people need to create and recreate our history, this time, not in the service of colonialism but in the service of our dignity. Saraki made the call on Wednesday in Abuja when he addressed a delegation of Northern Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly, who visited him at the National Assembly. The group was led by its Chairman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai. He noted that peace and unity was essential to achieve overall development of the country. Saraki commended the group for coming together to contribute their quota in realising a peaceful and prosperous country. You said you are political but non-partisan, we are all political and we need to get Nigeria in the right direction. Being leaders, this is the time to find lasting solutions. This is not the time for blame. This is the time for us to bring peace and regional dialogue. No society worth its salt will keep quiet in the face of these killings. Something somewhere is wrong. We need to meet to bring about peaceful coexistence and unity in this country. Part of the solution is to know that something is wrong. I am happy that you are here and we will speak truth about the problems and to conduct ourselves on how to encourage dialogue and ensure that the right thing is done, he said. Earlier, the Chairman of the group, Yakasai, said the purpose of the visit was to brief the President of the Senate on the formation of the organisation, including its aims and objectives. Yakasai said that the group was not out to get a consensus presidential candidate for the north as being rumoured in some quarters, but rather to cooperate with Nigerians, who shared in its vision and mission. According to him, the group is out to formulate and device methods of preventing and resolving conflicts with the goal of creating and sustaining peaceful coexistence in the country He said the group would soon organise a northern political summit to address some identified problems, while seeking the support of the National Assembly in hosting the event. Members of the delegation were a former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, former Minister of Defence, Haliru Mohammed, former governors of Niger and Kogi, Babangida Aliyu, Idris Wada, and former FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed. The president departed Nigeria on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 and is due back in Nigeria on Saturday, May 12, 2018 if all goes according to plan. The New York Times writes that: The president is scheduled to return to Nigeria on Saturday, at which point he will have spent more than 170 days in London on official medical leave since becoming president in 2015. Heres a timeline of Buharis health travels February 5, 2016 Buhari embarks on a six-day medical vacation to London. June 6, 2016 Buhari takes to the skies for a 10-day medical vacation. Presidency says Buhari has to travel to deal with a persistent ear infection. January 19, 2017 Buhari is off to London again on a medical vacation. February 5, 2017 Buhari writes the national assembly, asks lawmakers to extend his London medical leave. March 10, 2017 Buhari returns to Nigeria but doesnt resume work immediately. Presidency says hes working from home. May 7, 2017 Buhari embarks on trip to London for another medical vacation. He returns after 104 days. August 19, 2017 Buhari returns to Nigeria and it takes him a while to resume work because rats have reportedly damaged furniture in his office. Presidency announces hell be working from home. May 8, 2018 Buhari is off to London for medical reviewanother name for a medical vacation. It is his 5th medical trip since he was inaugurated president on May 29, 2015. ___ In April 2016, Buhari told the nation that he isn't a fan of medical tourism and that he won't encourage the political class to take to the skies for medical reasons either. According to reliable sources who spoke to the News Digest, the cleric passed away after a brief illness in the United Kingdom. He was aged 90 years. Isyaku founded a major family operated holding company with a history of investment in manufacturing, insurance, banking and real estate. In the 1970s, the group invested in manufacturing with its first investment being the Kano Suit and Packing Cases company, a factory producing suit cases and handbags. The firm was a joint venture with Lebanese investors. In 1972, he formed the Bagauda Textile Mill, manufacturing woven cloths for uniforms. From then on he established a series of ventures in different segments of the economy including frozen food service, real estate, sugar and a motor vehicle and parts distribution company specialized in Daihatsu products. However, unfavourable exchange rates and economic conditions forced the company to scale back on manufacturing and returning to its trading roots. ALSO READ: Kano State Govt welcomes Presidents second term bid He had a large family with many children and grandchildren, including his first son Nafiu Rabiu; influential Nigerian businessmen Abdulsamad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group; Rabiu Rabiu, owner of IRS Airlines, Naziru Rabiu, Quraish I Rabiu, Makiu Rabiu, Abdullahi Rabiu, Muhammad Rabiu and Daha Rabiu among others. "Boko Haram has proven to be a resilient group...I think it will take time to totally eliminate," said Muhammad Ibn Chambas, special envoy to the UN secretary general for West Africa and the Sahel. "What we are seeing is that Boko Haram has become part of an international terrorism network." Chambas was speaking on the sidelines of a Lake Chad regional summit in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and birthplace of Boko Haram. The coalition Governors from four countries straddling the lake - Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon - are meeting for two days to discuss regional cooperation on stabilisation, peace building and sustainable development in the area. His remarks come at a time the Nigerian government and military is insisting that the war against Boko Haram is over, despite a recent spate of attacks by the extremists. On May 1 at least 86 people were killed in twin suicide attacks targeting a mosque and a nearby market in the town of Mubi in Adamawa state. Chambas said that the Islamist insurgents were likely still holding on to territory in the region. "It is relative," he said in response to reports that Boko Haram was holding territory in the northeast states of Yobe and Borno. "As long as they are not totally defeated obviously they are present in some areas". The Islamist insurgency has killed at least 20,000 people in nine years of violence that has spilled from northeast Nigeria into Niger, Chad and Cameroon, creating a dire humanitarian crisis. The four countries formed the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to fight the Islamic extremists who criss-cross the porous borders in the remote region. ALSO READ: Boko Haram kill 15, injure 55 in Maiduguri attack Chambas commended the MNJTF counter terrorism fight as "appreciably successful" but warned it was far from over. "We of course ask that the MNJTF remains vigilant in its fight against Boko Haram, we cannot take it for granted and assume they have been totally defeated". In December 2015, PresidentMuhammadu Buharideclared Boko Haram had been "technically defeated" after reclaiming swathes of territory back from the jihadists. Mohammed and Amaechi led a team of journalists on an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line and fabrication plant of the project in Papalanto, Ogun State, on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. The ministers and their entourage had earlier travelled by train from Ebute Metta in Lagos to Papalanto, where they inspected the laying of the rail tracks, the rail-track slippers construction site and other accessories of the project. After the tour, the Ministers held a meeting with the contractors of the project, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), officials of the Federal Ministry of Transportation and other officials to review the progress of work on the project. Mohammed later told the media that the government embarked on the inspection of the projects in the full glare of the media in order to showcase its achievements to the people. ALSO READ: Amaechi just told us how much ministers earn monthlyThe idea of this visit actually is to showcase to Nigerians the amount of work this administration has been able to do in the last three years, starting with railways. The idea is to let Nigerians know that this government has done a lot in the area of infrastructural projects, he said. Mohammed, who expressed his appreciation at the progress of work on the project, said the construction of the standard gauge rail-line from Lagos to Kano is one of the flagship projects of this administration, which will transform the economy.He appealed to the contractors to ensure that the December 2018 deadline for the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line is met.Mohammed said in addition to the construction of the standard gauge rail line, the Federal Government will also upgrade the 3,500-kilometre narrow gauge railway lines across the country.In his remarks, the Minister of Transportation said that for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the present administration will deliver a speed train in the country. What are you expecting to see? A speed train that will do a minimum of 150 kilometres per hour that will take you to Ibadan in an hour from Lagos and when we finish, we will introduce an express train that takes off from either Apapa or Ebute Metta straight to Ibadan or straight to Abeokuta...and we will introduce the one that stops at virtually all stations, he said. Amaechi disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had given the approval to source for funds to construct rail lines across the country. Usually, the Federal Government of any country invests in railway. The likely change in terms of strategy is that we may have to borrow the money because the money is not just there. We are saying that eventhe three rail lines that we have to construct now: The Lagos-Kano; Lagos-Calabar and Port Harcourt-Maiduguri will cost us not less than $46 billion and we dont have it straight in our pocket, we have to source the funds, he said. According to him, the government is helping the private sector to create jobs by creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive for jobs to be created. He also said that the government is trying to create the environment to encourage Nigerians to seek 'self-actualisation' in place of depending on the government to create jobs. He said, "I think that by and large, what the government has been trying to do is to expand the space for the private individual to ease the environment for doing business in this country so that people will seek self-actualisation. "There's too much pressure on the government to provide jobs which cannot be provided and cannot be paid for. Even the communist system has failed to provide jobs for every citizen in the country. "We're not saying we're not providing jobs, but on the scale that we're confronted with, it's only the private sector that can help. It is the job of the government to help create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive for jobs to be created. "Government within its own domain can create jobs, has been creating jobs; but, my point is that the government is in no position to create jobs for 180 million people in this country." The upper legislative chamber also declares the Police chief unfit to hold any public office both within and outside the country. The decision of the Senate was sequel to IGP Idris refusal to appearbefore the upper legislative chamber for the third time in a row. The Senate had summoned the IGP to brief Nigerians on the killings in the country as well as the treatment meted out to Senator Dino Melaye. The Police chief failed to appear before the lawmakers all of the time. ALSO READ: Speaker tears IGP apart after meeting Buhari at the Villa Speaking after an executive session on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, Senate President Bukola Saraki said: The senate in a closed session deliberated on the non-appearance of the IGP to the senate to the plenary after a series of invitation. The senate noted that this has been a gross disrespect to our constituted authority and to also know that his earlier refusal to appear before investigative committee was overruled by competent court of jurisdiction just in April this year. The senate therefore view this persistent refusal is a great danger to our democracy and hence the senate resolved to declare IGP as an enemy of democracy and not fit to rule any public office within and outside Nigeria. The leader of the senate would also mandate to look into the matter for further necessary action, he added. The Fiscal and Host Communities Bill is a component of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently before the National Assembly. Saraki stated this when the leadership of the IOC/OPTS paid him a courtesy visit him on at the National Assembly. The Senate President said the leadership of the 8th National Assembly has made it clear to all lawmakers involved in the process to live above board. He called on the leadership of the OIC/OPTS to report any lawmaker who seeks any personal favour when the process of passing the bills commences this month. "Let me also use these opportunity to just make some ground rules clear. We as the 8th National Assembly - I told you at the beginning that the two houses will be on the same position on the remaining Bills. I think we have shown that on the first bill we passed," Saraki said according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu."I am confident that for these other bills too, we will do the same. I want to assure you that it is in our own interest and the leadership has made it clear to all the members involved that this must be a transparent process. "We are doing it in the interest of the country. Leadership is not going to tolerate any hanky-panky. No favours. No gifts. Nothing must be given to get this work done. "And we want to mandate you that if you see any of these you should be able to bring it to the attention of the leadership. All we want to see is a Bill that is in the interest of Nigeria and we have read the riot act to all our members that nobody should approach anybody for any interest towards any benefit and I want to make this very clear. "This is the position of leadership on this issue. We must ensure that everything is above board because this is not just a Bill for today, but for future generations. We must make sure that in our time it is done properly," he stated. ALSO READ: IGP an enemy of democracy, unfit to hold public office - SenateSaraki said that after the passage of the PIGB by the National Assembly which is now before now before the Presidency for assent, the process for the passage of the Fiscal and Host Communities Bills will soon commence - to pass a petroleum bill that will be a "win-win" for all stakeholders. He said: "This is where we are now and this is where it concerns those of you who are operators to see that we can pass a petroleum bill that is a win win for all. "A petroleum bill that will be a win for Nigeria on the revenue side, investment side and jobs creation; and it is also a win for those who are investing in Nigeria. Because we appreciate that it is a very competitive world out there and we must make Nigeria competitive. "The only way we can do that is through engagement. We cannot do it by just passing a bill and just putting it at your doorstep, because we are not the ones that will do the investment. So, it has to be a bill that we all believe is in the interest of all those who are involved," he said. The National Assembly Assembly has commenced the process of passing the Fiscal and Host Communities components of the Petroleum Industry Bill after the passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) now before the President for assent. Earlier, the leader of the delegation of the IOC/OPTS and Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Limited, Osagie Okunbo, said the visit is essentially meant to assure the leadership of the National Assembly that the IOC/OPTS will make its memorandum on the Bills available to the relevant Committees of the National Assembly during the public hearing. He said that it is important to ensure that the PIB that will be passed is one that will essentially promote investment. Speaking with journalists after a tour of the new gleaming headquarters of the EFCC in Jabi, Abuja, Saraki said he has always been about strengthening institutions and the EFCC wont be an exception. If we are going to build a better society in our country, one of the main things we must tackle is the issue of corruption and how we can do that is by strengthening these institutions, Saraki said. My presence here is to say that whatever we do in our job, the most important thing is that we all represent institutions and we must work and see that it is in the interest of the country. So my presence here is, after a building like this where the national assembly has played a great role, it must be my responsibility to see how the money was spent and I can see that that has been done properly and we should continue to work together to see that that goes well for the entire country. EFCC hasn't spared Saraki Saraki has been hounded by anti-corruption agencies since he was elected senate president in 2015, he has been docked for alleged corruption and his name has been splashed across local and international websites, thanks to the media arm of the EFCC. But Saraki says he has no issues with Magu as a person in spite of his travails. If you look at most projects in Abuja, I dont think any project like this has been well-funded and that shows that despite all the noise you will hear, the national assembly has supported where it matters because this is where it matters and I think we have done that. If you look at what has been achieved in the last two and half years in putting this building up and bringing it to completion, I think it is a remarkable achievement. I have a responsibility and a role as the head of the legislature. I have responsibility and my responsibility is beyond whatever issues. We might disagree on what those right things are but at the end of the, we must ensure that we build institutions, we support institutions and do what is right and we must continue to do that. Unfortunately, I will not be here on Tuesday because I will be sitting and that is why I said I must come and see it. A project as huge as this that the national assembly has supported is worth seeing", the senate president said. President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo have vowed to keep Magu as EFCC chairman whether the senate confirms him or not. Olusola, who is also the Deputy Governor of the state, said this when he received the party Certificate of return at PDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday. He said he was privileged to be the first gubernatorial candidate to be issued certificate of return, saying this means that we have won the July 14 election. The governorship candidate said the people of the state would resist all forms of violence and money politics during the election in the state. I want to assure our national leaders that, Ekiti state is for PDP. All the other parties are just shouting. Let them bring money, let them bring violence, Ekiti people will resist them. We are no more interested in accommodating unnecessary interlopers. People want to take us through another round of economic slavery. We are no more ready for that. I am ready and prepared to take up this challenge as the incoming governor of Ekiti state on the platform of the PDP. There is a big difference between PDP and the other parties. We are a party that has totally eliminated imposition and impunity, he said. Olusola commended the peaceful primaries on Monday in Ado-Ekiti and described PDP as a party with integrity, fairness, and transparency. He commended Gov. Ayodele Fayose for his support, describing him as a fearless leader who stood on the side of the truth. The governorship candidate also expressed his readiness to work with the party stakeholders and leaders, including the former national spokesman of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye. The PDP National Organising Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd), who presented the certificate of return to Olusola, described the primary as the most transparent in the party in recent history. He said that PDP National Working Committee, led by Prince Uche Secondus, had shown impunity and imposition of candidates red card. Akobundu urged the two aspirants in the primary and other stakeholders to work together for the success of the party. Leader of the group, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, made this known while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja after meeting with APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Baraje, who showed a letter dated April 27 and entitled Request for Redressing Grievances of Former New Bloc within the APC, to the media, said the meeting with the party chairman was to discuss the way forward. He, however, said that the letter which was copied to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was written with the best intention and the good of the party. Baraje said that the bloc was desirous of strengthening the APC, especially now that it had commenced party congresses across the country and other electoral activities ahead of the 2019 general elections. He added that the desire of members of the group was to see a united, inclusive, cohesive and progressive party, devoid of division, factions, cleavages and tendencies. We envisioned a political party promoting equal rights for all Nigerians and ensuring rapid and even development across the country. There is no gainsaying the fact that the lofty ideas enumerated cannot be attained without ensuring justice for party faithful and citizens. It is an undeniable historical fact that the movement of the former new PDP bloc to form the APC contributed immensely to the victory of the APC in the 2015 elections, he said. Baraje added that victory may not be achieved in the party if it failed to address fundamental issues confronting it, especially with the crisis that characterised its recent congresses in parts of the country. The former new PDP bloc in the APC includes eight former governors and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. According to Baraje, most of those in the bloc did not only deliver their states to the APC in 2015, some of the then governors were assigned specific responsibilities to ensure that other states were delivered. He said that stakeholders of the bloc made unprecedented effort and delivered the entire North-Central to the APC in the 2015 polls. He, however, added that the bloc was concerned that President Muhammadu Buhari had not acknowledged its efforts. "To date we know that approximately one million people have entered Colombia through official migration points, and we dont know how many have entered Colombia through unofficial migration points," he said in a phone interview in Geneva, specifying that this movement had occurred "since mid-2017." With the economic crisis in Venezuela intensifying, an estimated 37,000 people were now moving across the Colombian border each day, he added. On a recent trip to the region, Capobianco said he witnessed "a constant stream of people," leaving Venezuela, some with their belongings strapped to the backs. While the group is diverse, with some only looking to work in Colombia for a short period before returning home, most are on the move because they cannot meet their basic needs in Venezuela, Capobianco explained. He described the situation as a "humanitarian crisis that needs to be better assessed," including from a public health standpoint amid rising cases of malaria, diphtheria and other serious ailments affecting those migrating. Maduro's alleged crackdown on opposition and bid to consolidate control of the country has triggered a tough global response, notably from the United States which has levied tough sanctions. The South American country is in partial default on its debt and suffers severe shortages of food and medicines despite sitting atop the planet's biggest proven oil reserves. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord in an address to the nation from the WhiteHouse on Tuesday. He described it as an "embarrassment" to the US that does nothing to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. In response, the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany will meet with Iranian representatives next Monday "to consider the entire situation," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio. French President Emmanuel Macron will also speak with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani by telephone on Wednesday afternoon about "our wish to stay in the agreement," Le Drian said. He added that European powers would "try to preserve" the economic benefits Iran has gained from the lifting of sanctions under the deal. In separate comments, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said that it was "not acceptable" for the US to be the "economic policeman of the planet". 'Bomb threat' Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called for a "new and lasting deal". He said that would have to include not just deeper restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. "We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement," he claimed. "We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction and we will not allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth." Iran's Rouhani -- whose standing at home now risks being undermined by the deal's collapse -- was furious, accusing Trump of "psychological warfare". Rouhani said Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" in response to Trump's announcement, but that it would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Trump's demands and his warning that Iranians deserve better than their current "dictatorship" will fuel suspicions that his ultimate goal is regime change. "If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before," he warned. Blow for Europe The decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders begged the US leader to think again. In a joint statement, Germany's Angela Merkel, Britain's Theresa May and France's Macron voiced their "regret and concern" at Trump's decision. European firms doing business in Iran now have a six month deadline to wind up investments, or risk US sanctions, Trump's advisor John Bolton said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Washington was acting "under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities". That meant that European firms with investments or operations in the United States could be targeted if they continue to trade with Iran. Plans are already being drawn up in Brussels to introduce measures blocking US sanctions -- an extremely rare move against an allied government. But Bolton said that cooperation with Europe on Iran was not over. The US will "work with the Europeans and others not only on the nuclear issue but on Iran's ballistic missile development, its continuing support for terrorism and its military activities that jeopardise our friends," Bolton told Fox News. 'Bold decision' While Iran's arch foes in Israel and Saudi Arabia welcomed Trump's decision, signatories to the existing deal vowed to plough ahead without the US. The European Union's chief diplomat Federica Mogherini, who helped oversee the accord, insisted it was "delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesn't develop nuclear weapons." "The European Union is determined to preserve it," she added. Trump's decision offers him a domestic political victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise. But the long term impact for US foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Some analysts also warned the move would complicate US efforts to reach an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over his country's own more advanced weapons programme. Former CIA director John Brennan said Trump's move "gave North Korea more reason to keep its nukes". Former US president Barack Obama -- whose administration inked the deal -- made a rare public criticism of his successor. "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility, and puts us at odds with the world's major powers," he said. Elsewhere, Russia's foreign ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" by the decision. And a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, warned on Twitter that Trump's move "will cause instability and new conflicts". But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly supported the move. The senior Iraqi official said Baghdadi was in the Hajin, Shaddadi, Suwar and Markadah areas and "travels accompanied by four or five people, including his son and son-in-law". "His movements are discreet and he never travels in a convoy," the official said on condition of anonymity. Originally from Iraq, Baghdadi has been dubbed the "most wanted man on the planet" and the United States is offering a $25 million reward for his capture. The intelligence official said the noose was closing around the jihadist leader after Iraqi forces captured five top IS commanders in an unprecedented raid into war-torn Syria on March 24. "Officers from Iraqi intelligence entered Syrian territory and gained access to the zones controlled by IS," he said. The five men had featured in IS execution videos filmed while the group ruled over vast swathes of Iraq, the official said. One of those detained, former Syrian anti-government fighter Saddam al-Jamal, allegedly confessed to Iraqi forces that he had supplied IS with arms stolen from the Syrian army. The official said 39 IS fighters had been killed in cross-border air raids by Iraqi forces in Syria over the past few weeks and that the group had seen a "sharp decrease" in numbers. Iraq's interior ministry said in February that Baghdadi was being treated at a field hospital for wounds sustained in an earlier air strike. In mid-2017, Russia said it had probably killed Baghdadi in a late May air raid near Raqa in Syria, but later said it was still trying to verify his fate. "I presented Israel's obligation and Israel's right to defend itself from Iranian aggression from Syrian territory, against the state of Israel," he added in a statement on Wednesday evening. Ahead of the meeting, Putin had said he would discuss "problems in the region," saying that "the situation unfortunately is very acute". "I want to express a hope that we will manage not just to discuss but also to seek a solution that would lead to a shift in the situation." In comments to his national Security Council, Putin expressed his "deep concern" over Trump's decision announced on Tuesday and stressed the importance of the accord with Iran. Netanyahu before leaving Israel for the visit said that "the meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so". They would "think together how we can act correctly in the region, how we can remove the threats that exist in the region in a responsible and reasonable way". - 'Bold' move- The two leaders on Wednesday watched a Red Square parade marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Netanyahu thanked Putin for referring to the Holocaust in his parade speech, likening the Nazi extermination campaign to Iran's attitude to Israel. "It's hard to believe, but 73 years after the Holocaust, in our Middle East there is a country Iran that openly calls for the destruction of the state of Israel," he said in translated comments. "But there is a difference between what was then and what is today: we have our own country," he added. Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday it was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's announcement that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president's "bold" move. Moscow and Tehran have close political and economic relations. In the nuclear field, Russia has already built one reactor at Iran's Bushehr plant, the country's only nuclear power plant, and has started work on two new ones. By contrast Netanyahu on Monday held a televised presentation of what he called "proof" of Iran's alleged past military nuclear ambitions. The kingdom's assurance came just hours after US President Donald Trump announced the United States was withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal between world powers and Iran. Trump also reinstated US sanctions which could curtail Iran's ability to export oil, its mainstay for public revenues. Before international sanctions were lifted following the nuclear deal in late 2015, Iran's crude exports stood at just one million barrels per day, mostly to Asia and European countries. That figure has since soared to 2.5 million bpd. Saudi Arabia currently pumps around 10 million bpd, but has capacity of around 12 million bpd -- a surplus of two million bpd. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to support the stability of the global oil markets to serve the interests of both producers and consumers and also the sustainability of global economic growth," the ministry statement said. Major oil producers from OPEC and non-OPEC members including Russia, the world's top producer, are linked to a deal until the end of the year to cut output by 1.8 million bpd to support prices. The victims were buried alive in Macalder Mines in Nyatike sub-county, located 40 kilometres from Migori Town. The victims are said to have been in the deep tunnel when the soil curved in, according to . Nyatike Sub County administrator Mr Apollo Ogutu confirmed the unfortunate incident, adding that they were looking for earth movers to retrieve the bodies of the six. It is true that at least six people are trapped in the mines. We are looking for excavators to remove heaps of soil," said Mr Ogutu. ALSO READ: City lawyer makes sudden revelation hours after arrest of Simon Mbugua He said the heavy rains might have weakened the walls of the tunnels. Police from Nyatike, who rushed to the scene, were unable to evacuate the victims due to lack of relevant equipment. The miners usually go more than 100 feet down to look for gold. Mines in Nyatike have claimed many lives every year but that has not deterred the residents from looking for gold. But some gold miners in the region have quit the trade due to the increasing number of deaths in the tunnels. The miners are worried by the tragedies that usually occur in the mines in Nyatike The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has written a letter to the Department of Immigration demanding the Government facilitate the lawyers return. In the missive, KNCHR chairperson Kagwiria Mbogori wants the Government to provide Miguna with an air ticket and valid Kenyan passport to ensure entry into the country. "Miguna has informed the commission that he will return to Kenya on May 16, 2018. To enable the commission to comply with the court directive, the commission urges your office to comply with the orders by issuing Miguna Miguna with a valid Kenyan passport, purchasing a flight ticket for Miguna from Toronto, Canada, to Nairobi," the letter read. Friday deadline KNCHR gave the Immigration Department until Friday May 10, 2018 to respond to the letter. Mbogori also quoted court orders previously issued to the Government favoring the return of Mr. Miguna after controversial deportation. The Canadian-based lawyer was forcefully deported twice. The first deportation was after he presided over the controversial swearing-in of NASA leader Raila Odinga as the Peoples President. Mr. Miguna was arrested and held at an undisclosed location for several days before he was bundled on a flight to Canada. Detention He later returned on March 26, 2018, but was detained at the Immigration Department because he did not possess a Kenyan passport. Also Read: The police officer secretly helping Miguna inside JKIA He was asked to surrender his Canadian passport then apply for a Visa but he refused. According to Miguna, applying for the Visa as a tourist would restrict him from conducting his political activities in the country. After a stand-off of more than 8 hours, a battalion of police officers bundled the fiery lawyer into an Emirates flight in a bid to deport him to Dubai. The Immigration officers claimed that Miguna was an undocumented visitor who cannot be allowed in the country. Also Read: Raila arrives at JKIA to save Miguna However, Miguna refused to board the plane and stood at the door restricting any movement. Eventually, the captain locked the planes door and Miguna was left at JKIAs runway. Olympians Presented With Keys To Queens Two beloved daughters of Queens took their rightful place in the pantheon of iconic borough residents on October 1, as Queens Borough President Donovan Richards,... Van Bramer Dedicates George S. Kaufman Way The man largely responsible for the resurrection of New York Citys motion picture production industry, and for the renaissance of a local neighborhood, was honored... Dromm Co-Names Street In Elmhurst After Polish War Heroes On September 18th, New York City Council Member Daniel Dromm, in partnership with Elmhurst History & Cemeteries Preservation Society, celebrated the Street co-naming of 43rd... 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! Welcome to Railway Gazette. This site uses cookies. Read our policy. OK ASIA: A strategic partnership which aims to identify and pursue cross-border corporate finance and investment opportunities linked to Chinas Belt & Road Initiative has been announced by the Singapore-listed Sapphire Corp parent of Chinese urban rail construction company Ranken and the Singapore subsidiary of Hong Kong-based financial services group Haitong ... Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate With the creation of the state of Telangana, additions were made to ToRs of the 14th Finance Commission to make recommendations for the newly created states after the reorganisation of Andhra Pradesh. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com There are precedents for changing the terms of reference (ToRs) of finance commissions, which is a moot point in the current context of various non-Bharatiya Janata Party states demanding alteration in what the 15th Finance Commission has been asked to recommend. Experts say Presidents have added or modified ToRs of the Commissions, even as there could be a debate over the concerns of those criticising various specific tasks and references that were given to the 15th Finance Commission. For example, with the creation of the state of Telangana, additions were made to ToRs of the 14th Finance Commission to make recommendations for the newly created states after the reorganisation of Andhra Pradesh. In fact, the 14th Finance Commission, headed by former Reserve Bank of India Governor Y V Reddy sought an extension of two months to submit its report in order to examine financial projections and to carry out consultations with the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Rather than submitting its report on October 31, 2014, the Commission had submitted its report on December 15, 2014. Additions were also made to the ToRs of the 11th Finance Commission. These additions were to allow the Commission to award performance based revenue deficit grants. The presidential order by K R Narayanan, dated April 28, 2000, stated that in particular, the Commission shall draw a monitorable fiscal reforms programme aimed at reduction of revenue deficit of the state and recommend the manner in which the grants to states to cover the assessed deficit in their non-Plan revenue account may be linked to the progress in implementing the programme. Also, there are revenue deficit grants given to states to bridge the deficit arising on account of Finance Commission recommendations. The 15th Finance Commission has been asked to review this. The states are opposing this ToRs as well. Government officials maintain that in spite of the criticism by some of the states, the ToRs will not be amended. The most contentious issue is the use of the 2011 population census with southern Indian states among a few others fearing that they will be discriminated against. The states also want to go back to using the 1971 census. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had responded last month to the issue and had said that the controversy around the ToRs was a needless one and that there is no inherent bias or mandate in the terms which can be construed as discriminatory against states that have made good progress in population control. States, that met in Andhra Pradeshs new capital Amaravati on Monday, demanded that they should not be judged on the basis of Narendra Modi governments New India 2022 development goals or on implementing central schemes, or on to what extent they have deepened the goods and services tax net. Among the ToRs provided to 15th Finance Commission, it has been mandated with considering measurable performance-based incentives for states. The parameters on which they could be measured include how well they implement the flagship schemes of the central government, and control or lack of it in incurring expenditure on populist measures. They also said that Union Territories with legislatures, like Delhi and Puducherry, be considered by the 15th Finance Commission. The meeting was attended by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Poll-bound Karnataka is also part of this grouping. However, no one from the state could attend the meeting due to the ongoing election campaign. The meeting also wanted a review on the overall funds flow to states during the 14th Finance Commission period as the states feel they got a raw deal due to cut in assistance to centrally sponsored schemes despite the increase of share in central taxes to 42 per cent. Bharti Airtel, the countrys largest mobile operator, has already joined the global Seamless Alliance to provide in-flight connectivity. The countrys largest airline, IndiGo, has shown interest in providing in-flight connectivity services to flyers on board, and has reached out to the department of telecommunications (DoT) on the issue. Besides IndiGo, one of the leading satellite service providers also contacted DoT after the Telecom Commission cleared the proposal for in-flight connectivity services in Indian airspace on May 1. According to sources, the DoT will meet telecom operators as well as officials from the civil aviation ministry in the next couple of days to chalk out a road map for proliferation of such services. Although no date has been set for the roll-out of in-flight connectivity services, the DoT is hopeful that the services will be available commercially within four months. The DoT and the civil aviation ministry will work out the modalities, and licences will be awarded to in-flight service providers at an annual fee of Rs 1 initially. The DoT will create a separate category of such licences. Service providers need to partner telecom operators and register with the DoT. IndiGo did not respond to a request for comments till the time of going to press. Since the proposal does not need Cabinet approval, the DoT has already started working on the regulatory framework and the eligibility criteria for in-flight service providers. The DoT was likely to garner more insights from operators and the civil aviation ministry, sources said. In-flight connectivity is allowed in the European Union, the US and Australia, and over 30 airlines offer the service. According to industry watchers, the price for in-flight connectivity in India could be much lower than in other markets. Globally, charges range from $9.99 for data packs of 150 MB to $15.99 for 500 MB. Most of the telecom operators Business Standard spoke to said they were waiting for the final guidelines before taking any decision on providing such services. The government is not likely to intervene in the pricing as in the case of mobile tariffs. According to sources, the demand for allowing in-flight connectivity in India came from satellite telecommunications service providers, which are already offering such services in other regions. With the government giving them the go-ahead, they will form alliances with airlines and mobile operators to launch services in Indian airspace. Bharti Airtel, the countrys largest mobile operator, has already joined the global Seamless Alliance to provide in-flight connectivity. Alliance members can provide automatic login and authentication to their customers on various devices. Airtel, OneWeb, Airbus, Delta and Sprint are the founding members of the alliance. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters The latest infusion brings the total capital pumped into Amazons e-commerce business in India to Rs 22,390 crore Amazons Chief Executive Jeff Bezos has charged up the companys local e-commerce unit with fresh funds after losing out to Walmart in acquiring online marketplace Flipkart. Amazon Seller Services, the marketplace unit of the US online retail giant in India, saw a cash infusion of Rs 2,600 crore (around $390 million) late last month, according to the documents filed with the Registrar of Companies, which were sourced from the business intelligence platform Paper.vc on Tuesday. The Seattle-headquartered firm is learnt to have made a bid earlier this month to acquire a controlling stake in Flipkart with an investment of around $12 billion along with a $2 billion break-away fee. However, the Flipkart board preferred to go with Walmart as investors and founders were afraid that a deal with Amazon would run into regulatory hurdles. The investment comes at a time when Flipkart is expected to be supercharged with funds through a $15-billion deal that will see Walmart acquiring a majority stake. A major portion of the funds Flipkart raises will be used to give exits to existing investors, but it is expected to raise a handsome $2-3 billion in primary capital that will help it fight Amazon. The latest infusion brings the total capital pumped into Amazons e-commerce business in India to Rs 22,390 crore (around $ 3.3 billion) since its inception around five years ago. Last year, the firm had also raised the authorised capital of the unit up to Rs 310 crore, signalling a lot more investments were on their way. These figures exclude the investments Amazon is making in its other units in India. Amazon had invested Rs 81.5 billion into its marketplace unit across four rounds in the FY17-18. The company seems to be keeping up its investment momentum in FY19, with flagship programmes such as Prime and planned expansion of its warehousing and logistics arms sucking up major cash this year. Bezos has already committed to invest $5.5 billion into its India business in order to win the market for online retail. On several occasions, his trusted deputy Amit Agarwal, who heads Amazons India unit, has said this is just a placeholder figure and the company will not restrict its investments based on it. Amazon is also investing in its cloud computing division, its information technology services unit (oldest in the country) and more recently in its payments arm in India. In late 2016, the firm put Rs 1,380 crore into Amazon Database Services and last year invested Rs 382 crore in Amazon Pay (India). In 2017, it also got a go ahead from the government for investing $515 million in its multi-brand food-only retailing. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters Geopolitical climate and equity markets as supportive for golds role as a risk hedge. GFMS Thomson Reuters has painted a bullish outlook for the global price of gold this year. The average so far has been $1,360 an ounce, it said, and could potentially briefly approach a 2018 peak towards $1,500/oz on any exogenous shocks later in the year. The price at present is $1,312 an ounce. The agency sees the geopolitical climate and equity markets as supportive for golds role as a risk hedge. Then, political uncertainty such as on Britains exit talks from the European Union, beside tensions in West Asia and North Africa. America is set to announce sanctions on Iran, further stoking the price of crude oil. In 2017, the report said, central banks globally had added 366 tonnes of gold to their reserves, a third of what they did in 2016. This year, we expect China to resume as a central bank buyer. With Chinas buying, global central banks gold buying will cross 400 tonnes on a net basis, it predicted. In 2017, the Russian central bank was the biggest buyer (it bought 200 tonnes consecutively for three years). Turkeys central bank was another frequent purchaser. Global mine production in 2017 was 3,247 tonnes, about five tonnes below the previous year, driven by environmental concerns in China and a crackdown on illegal mining in Indonesia. GFMS expects gold exchange traded funds demand to rebound this year to 350 tonnes, after a modest net increase of 177 tonnes in 2017. Retail investment (by individuals) is forecast to rise, after four years of decline, thanks to a pick-up in bar demand, supported by improving sentiment toward gold and rising price expectations. Rising prices will also be a headwind for jewellery offtake and we expect this to fall by three per cent, with the crucial Indian market dropping back. "Further, we expect mine production to rise this year, as 2017 proved to be a blip after 13 consecutive increases, supported by rising Russian output and a stabilisation of production from China, went its report. On Indias gold import, the survey said it was officially 879.8 tonnes in 2017. Globally jewellery fabrication increased by 13 per cent to 2,214 tonnes, helped by a 58 per cent jump in demand from India. However, in 2018, India would see moderating demand for jewellery, due to higher price expectation. Photograph: Lisi Niesner/Reuters '2019 is just a year away and Modi can do with some peace and tranquility on the external front.' 'There are risks, of course, but isn't Modi a risk taker?' asks Ambassador B S Prakash. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with China's Supreme Leader Xi Jinping in Wuhan, April 28, 2019. Photograph: Press Information Bureau "So, what is the real outcome from the Wuhan summit?" asked my morning-walk friend, as we came together in the neighbourhood park. Ours is a community of retired people from diverse backgrounds and everyday the conversations that reverberate in the park are varied: Encounter killings, on which a retired DG of police is holding forth; the latest bank scam on which many yesteryear bank managers are experts; the declining clout of Yadavs, a subject that excites former UP IAS officers and so on. And every once in a while, I hold forth on foreign policy, being an ex-diplomat. Generally, it is about Pakistan or China and I do my best to act knowledgeable. "The most important thing, I can tell you is not to talk of 'outcomes'," I said pompously. In the last few days, I had read 31 opinion pieces, six from retired foreign secretaries and/or former ambassadors to China (many were both, showing the importance of China in our foreign ministry), eight from retired generals, about a dozen from the self-styled strategic community -- the one community that is flourishing with full rights of freedom of expression these days, and the rest from odd-balls or mavericks who too somehow find a presence in the revered editorial space. In addition, I had watched some TV discussions, avoiding channels with intolerable decibel levels that cause a headache, or screens which struggle to accommodate eight experts at the same time that cause a squint-eye. Nevertheless, I had heard some retired brigadiers with bristling mustaches, some academics with dull clothes and duller views, and some chirpy anchors with overwhelming confidence. So, I tried to condense all that I had learnt in addition to my own insights from a life- time in diplomacy. "To talk of outcomes was taboo from the very beginning. In fact, didn't you notice that the event was billed as informal even before the PM went to Wuhan?" I admonished. "OK. What is the significance of the visit, then?" he persisted. Aha, I had got my chance. "Well, the most significant thing is that it happened at all," I replied magisterially. I had read this mysterious formulation in several think-pieces. 'Existence precedes essence,' Sartre had declared decades ago and it had been deconstructed in my philosophy course to mean that always start with the brute fact of 'being'. Becoming comes later. Wuhan event fell in this class. The setting was more crucial than the 'reset'; the 'meet' itself more crucial than the result. I could see that my friend was getting bored. I had to add some substance, pontificate a bit, if only to retain my status in the park. "We can still talk about the effects, tangible and intangible, even if we do not mention outcomes," I said grandly and started. "There are five questions," I began. I have learnt on the seminar circuit that to numerate your points sounds more authoritative. First, what was the motivation for the summit? To begin with the Chinese, they are famously inscrutable, but our experts had scrutinised their intentions. China too, like everyone else, was perhaps troubled by Trump's unpredictability. Here, he was declaring trade wars one day and threatening real wars on another. In such an uncertain world scenario, isn't it prudent to prevent India from tilting towards the USA and forming incipient quads with other allies of America like Japan and Australia? A gesture to build trust and understanding with India may result in India continuing its policy of 'hedging', rather than give up all hope of a normal relationship with China. Why not meet Modi with no promises, no strings attached and no guarantees? Further, President Xi Jinping's pet project, the Belt and Road, will benefit by India's non-opposition, if not, support. India could not be ignored either geo-strategically or economically. Why alienate it? On India's part, even a hyper-nationalist and a believer in our great power potential knows the asymmetry of power -- economic, military -- between India and China. After a series of difficulties and disappointments, some major and some minor -- border skirmishes, widening trade imbalance, support to Pakistan, CPEC, NSG, Masood Azhar -- a list of discords that have become a household litany in India, the idea of a meeting without an agenda is a tempting prospect, even if material results are uncertain. Hence, optics and better atmospherics were sufficient motivation. Any positive understandings are a bonus. Besides, 2019 is just a year away and Modi can do with some peace and tranquility on the external front. There are risks, of course, but isn't Modi a risk taker? So much for rationale and motivation. The second question is about what was achieved, the so-called deliverables. It was a good tactic that both sides did not get stuck in trying to come up with a 'joint communique'. The issues between us are many, the differences substantive, and the challenge of finding a common ground onerous. It may be more expedient to identify where we disagree and within that to agree on the core concerns than to expend energy on elusive agreements. The contribution of Wuhan was the emphasis on 'strategic communication', a fancy word for a talk between the two 'big bosses'. Hence, all the experts I read seemed to say -- 'so far so good', but let us see, what happens. The third question was inevitably about who gained and who lost. The process and the structure of the summit was designed to frustrate those who ask such questions. A free-flowing, meandering and deliberately soft focus scenario without a final communique or a press conference made the question of wins and losses somewhat irrelevant. At least, for some time. Finally, where do we go from here. At one level, Modi and Xi are to meet again, soon, in June and that is likely to be a more relaxed meeting and the continuation of a process. But in reality, only time will tell as to where the relationship is headed. "And the fifth?" my friend asked me, having listened to me intently. "Ah, the fifth. Sorry, I forgot," I ended lamely. Too much thought and too little action? He asked me again crudely. I recalled the preamble to the constitution of UNESCO: 'Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.' "What will happen in Karnataka?" he asked, wanting to change the subject. "Which way will Deve Gowda swing?" Karnataka is my home state. "It is easier to speculate on what China may do," I replied with a sigh. B S Prakash is a former Ambassador and a long-standing Rediff.com columnist. You can read his columns here. In the concluding part of the series, Y V Reddy argues that the proposal strikes at the functioning of federalism and the basic structure of the Constitution, which has served us well so far. IMAGE: The columnist argues that an unstated motive for advocating simultaneous polls is perhaps, to give an advantage to national parties over regional ones. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters It is no secret that in recent years, whenever simultaneous elections are held, candidates chosen for election to Parliament by political parties undertake to finance party candidates for assembly elections. The non-electoral gains out of electoral victory in Parliament are infinitely more than at the state level. National parties have what may be described as economies of scale if elections are held simultaneously with a clear disadvantage for regional parties, both in the Parliamentary and the legislative levels. An unstated motive for advocating simultaneous polls may be to give advantage to national parties over regional parties with a view to ensure coordinated developmental policies. In this regard, the general impression is that the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress and the Communist Party of India are national parties. The assumption is that the governance capabilities of national parties are superior to the governance of the regional parties. In such a situation, the advantage for national parties will be good for the country. It will be useful to consider empirical evidence about the performance of state governments during the periods ruled by national parties vis-a-vis regional parties. A cursory look at the data since Independence shows that the fiscal performance and the growth performance of states during the period ruled by regional parties have been superior to those that have been governed by national parties. Further, most of the innovative programmes and some of the schemes -- such as food security and employment guarantee -- were conceived and implemented by different state governments by virtue of the diversity in approaches to development brought about by the existence of regional parties. Another unstated motive for simultaneous polls may be to overcome the difficulties faced by those elected as the prime minister in fulfilling the promises that they delivered at the time of Parliamentary elections. The problem arises mainly because prime ministerial candidates make promises on subjects that are predominantly in the jurisdiction of the states and not the Union government. The existing dispensation may appear to be constraining the execution of such promises. The stated motive is to enhance stability through simultaneous polls which would add to nation building efforts. The belief in political stability being an advantage by itself is shared by many. These are evident in the Report of Parliamentary Committee (Para 20): 'The Committee expresses confidence that a solution will be found to reduce the frequency of elections which relieve people and government machinery being tired of frequent electoral processes. This is important for India if it is to compete with other nations in developmental agenda on real time basis as robust democratic country.' The implicit assumption in the report of the Parliamentary Committee is that simultaneous elections would produce better environment for development. Empirical evidence, however, indicates that during the period of synchronised elections, the economic performance of India has been poor both in comparison to other countries and in comparison with our subsequent performance. The case for simultaneous polls is also made because of the impression that frequent elections result in instability in policy-making and thus growth is affected. At the national level, elections were held within two years of the term on three occasions. There is no evidence that growth was affected during this period relative to the decades when the full cycle was not disturbed. Similarly, it will be interesting to study the impact of economic performance in the states that had to undergo elections more frequently than required, as per the normal electoral cycle. In brief the proposal for simultaneous polls has significant implications for the party system, the functioning of federalism, and indeed the basic structure of the Constitution. Dr Ambedkar laid out the unique features of our Constitution when he introduced the draft Constitution for the approval of the constituent assembly. He explained the rationale for our parliamentary system with continuing accountability and for a Union of States. The latter eschewed separate citizenship for the Centre and the state but provided for separate legislative bodies with division of powers. It is useful to recall the grand design that Dr Ambedkar crafted. On the form of government, he said: The daily assessment is done by members of Parliament, through questions, resolutions, no-confidence motions, adjournment motions and debates on addresses. Periodic assessment is done by the electorate at the time of the election which may take place every five years or earlier. The daily assessment of responsibility which is not available under the American system is, it is felt, far more effective than the periodic assessment and far more necessary in a country like India. The Draft Constitution in recommending the Parliamentary system of executive has preferred more responsibility to more stability. Is the proposal not tilting in favour of more stability and less responsibility? On the form of the Constitution, Dr Ambedkar said: Two principal forms of Constitution are known to history -- one is called Unitary and the other Federal. The two essential characteristics of a Unitary Constitution are: (1) the supremacy of the central polity and (2) the absence of subsidiary sovereign polities. "In contrast, a Federal Constitution is marked by (1) the existence of a central polity and subsidiary polities side by side, and (2) each being sovereign in the field assigned to it. In other words, Federation means the establishment of a dual polity. The Draft Constitution is, Federal Constitution in as much as it establishes what may be called a dual polity. This dual polity under the proposed Constitution will consist of the Union at the Centre and the states at the periphery each endowed with sovereign powers to be exercised in the field assigned to them respectively, by the Constitution. The proposal for simultaneous polls cuts at the root of this grand design of the Constitution based on dual polity that has served us well so far. Hence, the proposal should be dropped by addressing the concerns of those who advocate it within our Constitutional structure -- a federal structure that served the country well for seventy years -- a singular achievement in South Asia and, perhaps, the whole developing world. Y V Reddy is a former governor of the Reserve Bank of India. 'The strange thing about the Karnataka election is that the BJP looks more like the Congress of the past and vice versa.' 'Siddaramaiah has been able to out think the BJP almost every single day on every single issue.' IMAGE: With just a couple of days to go for polling, Prime Minister Narendra D Modi has been on a campaign blitzkrieg, addressing rally after rally in Karnataka. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo As May 12 draws near, political activity in Karnataka is at its peak. With electrifying rallies and speeches by its tallest leaders, the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party -- which is trying to wrest another big state from the Grand Old Party -- are fighting for much more than just a state assembly. This election will certainly have a bearing on the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. Moreover, a victory for either party will result in increased confidence and morale for the coming Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan assembly elections where the BJP and Congress are once again locked in direct combat. Most opinion polls are predicting a fractured mandate. Krishna Prasad, the well-known journalist and former editor-in-chief of Outlook magazine, believes the Congress has an edge over the BJP in Karnataka this time. Krishna Prasad, a native of Mysuru, has been presenting his analyses of the election in Facebook videos for months now. "Karnataka is not a homogeneous state like UP or Gujarat or Rajasthan. In this huge heterogeneous, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic state, polarisation is very unlikely to have a great impact beyond a few pockets," Krishna Prasad tells Rediff.com's Utkarsh Mishra in a comprehensive telephone interview. The first of a multi-part interview: Most surveys and opinion polls project a hung verdict in Karnataka. How do you see the situation now and how do you expect it to change with Prime Minister Narendra D Modi's campaign? It has become a standard operating procedure now to predict a hung assembly whenever the BJP is doing badly. And I think that is exactly what is happening in Karnataka. In Karnataka, as we speak today, there is no question that the Congress is ahead of the BJP. So there will be an attempt to paint that as a hung assembly, especially to draw the fence-sitters to this side or that side. So we shouldn't take that seriously. I think what one should take seriously is that in the 2013 elections, none of the opinion polls put the BJP ahead of the Congress, that was five years ago. And in 2018, of all the published opinion polls only one has put the BJP ahead of the Congress and that too by a margin of about two seats. It seems that the 2013 and 2018 opinion polls, more or less, are the same. My answer to the second (part of the) question is also again from 2013. The same question was asked then, that will Modi's entry will change the BJP's fortunes in Karnataka. It did not. And even now I would presume that it is (Modi's entry) not going to greatly change the situation in Karnataka. Because two things have happened: Between 2014 and now I think the 'Modi wave' has completely collapsed and people can see through his claims and promises far too easily. So I don't think it would have a huge impact. It might at best muddy the waters. It might polarise the environment and raise temperatures, but my presumption is that Modi no longer has the appeal, no longer has the draw of the people to change the course of an election, especially when the other party is ahead. In 2013, Modi addressed only one rally, because the prediction was very clear that the Congress would win. So he decided not to take part in more rallies. Even this time, I notice that he was not very keen to come to rallies in Karnataka, and the BJP used Yogi Adityanath in the process. All this confirms only one thing, that the BJP, for all its bluster, kind of admits that it is not going too well in Karnataka. The opinion polls are showing it is not going too well. And therefore they used Adityanath and expended his force rather than allowing Modi to campaign and face defeat. In one of your Facebook videos, you said B S Yeddyurappa's son Vijayendra was denied a ticket from Varuna as the party wanted to cut the former to size. But why would a party do that with its chief ministerial candidate, especially when its prospects don't seem good? I think they are doing that because they have realised that they have made a mistake by pushing Yedyyurappa (for the chief ministership). He is beyond the age of 75 years. It contravenes the BJP's whole stated policy on leaders above 75 years of age. As you know after the 2014 elections, most of those beyond 75 years were pushed in the so-called 'Mardarshak Mandal'. But in Karnataka the BJP stuck with Yeddyurappa because it has no other candidate of a similar pan-Karnataka stature. There is no other leader who appeals to everybody across the state. They had to use him for that reason. They had to use him otherwise the Lingayat vote would have been lost. The BJP is presumed to have lost in 2013 because the Lingayats had gone away from the BJP to Yeddyurappa's KJP (Karnataka Janata Paksha). It was presumed that almost 13 to 14 per cent of the vote had gone away from the BJP because Yeddyurappa had left the party. By bringing him in, they think they will get those Lingayat votes back. And they'll get a pan-Karnataka leader which they don't have. So, I think, they were forced into this decision. But Modi and (BJP President Amit A) Shah have their own way of working. As you know, in Maharashtra they didn't announce (Devendra) Fadnavis before, but imposed him after the election. Likewise in UP, they imposed Adityanath after the election. So my suspicion is if the BJP wins in Karnataka, they will do something like that. They might not do it immediately and take some time to do it. I think these are a couple of reasons why the BJP developed second thoughts. It also developed second thoughts because, you know, Yeddyurappa is a slightly moderate figure. Yeddyurappa is very aware of the limitations of hard Hindutva in a state like Karnataka. So, I think, the BJP, under Amit A Shah, wants a hard Hindutva leader unlike a soft Hindutva leader like Yeddyurappa. But primarily, I think, they denied a ticket to Yeddyruppa's son to send him a signal not to take anything for granted. And certainly not to take them (the BJP leadership) for granted. So if not Yeddyurappa, who will be the CM if the BJP comes to power -- Ananth Kumar or Anant Kumar Hegde? Well, I don't know that. The BJP has claimants to the seat of CM in every constituency -- not just Anant Kumar Hegde. You know, for a long time, Union Minister Ananth Kumar has been wanting to be the chief minister of Karnataka. He will certainly want to push his case. In fact, the Yeddyurappa faction believes Ananth Kumar was the cause of the denial of the ticket to Vijayendra. So Ananth Kumar could be in the race. Five-time MP Anant Kumar Hegde could also be one of those in the line. You hear a lot of names. You hear the name of a man called B L Santosh, who is an RSS leader, but has now shed all pretentions of being one and is openly politicking in Karnataka. So you hear a lot of names and you don't know who's going to make it. But one thing is clear in my mind that many people in the BJP do not expect a great victory for the party in 2019 (the Lok Sabha elections), if at all. And therefore those of them who are from Karnataka feel it is better to be in the state than being at the Centre by that time. So I think people like Ananth Kumar will throw in their hat, because Yeddyurappa has already had one stint as the CM. I don't think they would allow him to have a second one. From all these developments it becomes clear that there will be dissensions in the BJP, even if it comes to power. The first time the BJP came to power they were always hobbled by dissensions and dissidence. There was always somebody or the other pulling each other's leg, trying to pull them down. And looking at the incidents of the past few weeks, I think it will continue if the BJP were to win in Karnataka. IMAGE: Narendra D Modi with B S Yeddyurappa, the BJP's chief ministerial candidate, out on the campaign trail. Photograph: Kind courtesy @narendramodi/Twitter Given the presence and influence of the RSS in Karnataka, why would the BJP's politics of polarisation not work, unlike UP or Gujarat? Because Karnataka is a more literate and socially uniform state than most states in India. Karnataka is the first state which introduced reservation as a policy 110 years ago. And most importantly, Karnataka is not a homogeneous state like Uttar Pradesh or Gujarat or Rajasthan or any other state of the cow belt. We have five different regions within Karnataka: Coastal Karnataka, Old Mysore, Central Karnataka, North Karnataka and Bombay Karnataka. These five are not homogeneous. We don't have any one language across the state. Kannada is, of course, there but we also have Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Kodava and Tulu. Most importantly, this is a state which is home to Hindus, Muslims as well as Sikhs. You should remember that one of the Sikh gurus died in Karnataka. We also have a large Christian population and second-largest Muslim population in South India after Kerala. In this huge heterogeneous, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic state, this kind of polarisation is very unlikely to have a great impact beyond a few pockets. You should look at a survey by an organisation called Lokniti, which shows that in Karnataka, every non-Muslim has at least one Muslim close friend. That average is much higher in any other state in India. So there is great interaction between Hindus and Muslims. There is no ghettoisation as you see in Gujarat or UP or other states. However, at the same time, it would be foolish to say that there is no polarisation. The BJP has always considered Karnataka, especially the west coast of Karnataka, to be its laboratory in the South. It has always considered Karnataka as a gateway to the South. So all the controversies you see in the country, be it the demand for ban on cow slaughter, or 'love jihad' or moral policing, all have their roots in the west coast of Karnataka. So the BJP and RSS have tried, but they have made very limited success because of the reasons I gave above. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is also flirting with a different kind of polarisation in the state, be it the Namma Metro campaign or a nod to a separate state flag or giving minority status to Lingayats. Well, I would not use the word 'polarisation' for something like that. We should be very clear on what polarisation is. Polarisation is injecting communal poison in our society, which is not the same as raising issues like a separate flag or anthem or any of those issues. What Siddaramaiah is trying to do is temper the communal mobilisation of the BJP with his own caste outlook. His decision on the Lingayats is an example of that. He is using caste and language and regionalism to take up these issues. Because we find a brazen attempt to impose Hindi on this country by the BJP after it came to power at the Centre in 2014. The BJP always had the image of being a Hindi, Hindu, Hindutva party and so far they have lived up to that image. So I think what Siddaramaiah is doing very much echoes what is happening in Tamil Nadu, in Kerala, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where there is a certain, very clear blowback against this kind of imposition of Hindi, against the attempt by the BJP to have a very unitarian, very homogeneous approach towards India. Siddaramaiah has chosen what are very emotive issues in a large state like this. I would not call it polarisation at all, but a very clever strategy which has so far been very interesting. He has essentially been able to out-think the BJP almost every single day on every single issue. Usually the BJP sets the agenda in most states. But in Karnataka they are on the back foot because Siddaramaiah has been able to tell them everything what they would have tried to tell him. Left to themselves, the BJP would have tried to take up the issue of the flag or anthem. It's just that Siddarmaiah and the Congress have been able to do so. Ultimately the power to grant minority status to Lingayats rests with the Centre. So why would they not like to vote for the BJP instead of Siddaramaiah? Why is it being said that this move will only benefit Siddaramaiah? They might well do so. I don't know whether they (the Lingayats) will please the Congress or the BJP. But the credit for stealing an issue which was in the air for a very long time will go to Siddaramaiah and the Congress. Whether it will electorally benefit them, we don't know. But it's up to the Centre to deal with issues like this. There is enough historical and anthropological research to show that the Lingayat issue is a dormant issue. It has been there for a long period of time. Again, this is a clever strategy (by Siddaramaiah) which has caught the BJP on the wrong foot. And therefore, they are accusing him of pursuing caste politics whereas the BJP is very much guilty of playing the same between Hindus and Muslims. So I think nobody is clean, in this hamam of politics. All of them are naked. The ultimate decision (on the Lingayat issue) rests with the BJP (government at the Centre). But we have a very superficial notion of what Lingayats or Veerashaivas are. The truth is that there is a very large section of Lingayats which belongs to the underclass, who are not as rich as we would think, who require State support in terms of reservations, employment, etc. So there is a large section of people who will feel that this (granting minority status) would be the right thing to do. Anyway the Lingayats are opposed to the fact that they are clubbed with the Hindus whereas their customs are not Hindu. There is a very big difference between Hindus and Lingayats, viz, the latter worship only one god; they worship the vachanas, which is their version of the scriptures; they do not go to temples; they do not worship stone idols, and so on. So they are very different from the Hindus. But for strategic and political reasons the BJP has always seen them as Hindus. And Siddaramaiah keeps on pointing out to Amit A Shah that the latter is a Jain and that he doesn't need a lesson from Shah on whether he is Hindu or not, or whether he is dividing Hindu society or not. He says all I'm doing is responding to a long-standing demand of Lingayats and Veerashaivas to separate them from Hinduism. At the end of the day this a fairly complicated issue, but the credit for taking it to the next level will go to Siddaramaiah. Whether it succeeds or not will depend on the Centre. But no government is permanent. If the BJP doesn't do it, then perhaps the Congress will do if it comes back to power. Three Americans detained in North Korea for months are on their way back home, a "very excited" United States President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, ahead of his historic summit with Kim Jong-un. The Americans, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk, are travelling back to the US with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who called on North Korean leader Kim on Wednesday during a previously unannounced visit to Pyongyang. Trump said North Korea has released the three Americans and he would be there to receive them at the airport in the wee hours of Thursday. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump announced in a tweet. "Secretary Pompeo and his "guests" will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!" Trump said in another tweet. The fate of the detainees has been a key factor in the build up to the Trump-Kim meeting. While Kim Dong Chul has been in North Korean custody since before Trump was elected, the other two detainees were arrested last spring, after Trump's inauguration and as tensions between Washington and Pyongyang were beginning to ramp up, CNN reported. Kim Sang Duk and Kim Hak-song, who were arrested in April and May of 2017, respectively, were both accused of carrying out "hostile acts" against the Kim regime. Both worked at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which bills itself as the only privately run university in the North Korean capital. Trump had hinted at a potential development in their case last week in a tweet: "As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three detainees to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!" The release of the three Americans are seen as a goodwill gesture ahead of a historic summit between Trump and Kim in the coming weeks. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said that Trump "appreciates" the move and "views this as a positive gesture of goodwill". Pompeo travelled to North Korea to prepare for the summit between Trump and the North Korean leader Kim. Trump also said the date and place for the meeting has been set. "Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set," Trump said referring to the meeting Pompeo had with the North Korean leader. Kim trying to set good conditions for meeting with Trump: Pompeo North Korean leader Kim Jong un is trying to set good conditions for his meeting with Trump, Pompeo said. He also said that the place and date for the summit has been locked and would be announced soon. "I think that Chairman Kim is trying to set good conditions for the summit, right. We are having good conversations, productive conversations. So, I think the work that President Trump has done to put us in this place made this possible," Pompeo told a group of reporters travelling with him. Last month he travelled to Pyongyang secretly. At the time he was the CIA Director. Pompeo said that the meeting was very productive and that they have set a date and place for the meeting. He hoped that the name of the venue and date would be announced at the beginning of next week. "We are planning on it, will be a single day, but in the event that there is more to discuss, there'll be an opportunity for it to extend into the second day as well," Pompeo said in response to a question. He stayed in Pyongyang for about 13 hours, during which he met Kim. "We had a chance to talk substantively about what we intend to be on the agenda, and also how we're going to begin to coordinate in the days ahead between now and the summit in a way both sides are confident that we will set the conditions for a successful meeting between the two leaders," he said. Describing the release of three Americans, who were on his plane, he said this is incredibly exciting. "They seem to be in good health," he added. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. GIT invites entries for its World Jewelry Design Awards 2018 10 may 2018 News The Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (GIT) invites designers worldwide to compete for the winning cash prize of $9,000 in the 12th edition of the international jewelry design contest under the theme of The Pearl of Wisdom Illumination from under the Surface. Submissions are open until May 28, 2018, says a press note from the organization. Ms. Duangkamol Jiambutr, Director GIT believes this activity is in line with the mission of GIT in developing the workforce to enter the gems and jewelry industry. GIT also believes that the contest will encourage designers to keep producing creative jewelry designs. GIT will announce the winners of the contest on September 10, 2018 and the design of the finalists will be made into jewelry to be exhibited at the 62nd Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair that will be held from September 7 to 11, 2018 at Challenger Hall, IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani. Winners will receive awards from Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol. The awards will be divided into two categories: the award from the decision of honorary judges, and the Popular Design Award 2018, that is open for the public to vote from the 20 top designs through the official website. Contestants are requested to submit their design under the designated theme in the format of colored drawings (open to any technique) or computer renderings. The submission may be in physical copies or digital files to be sent to the Training Department, the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand, 140, 140/1-3, 140/5 at ITF Tower, 3rd floor, Silom Rd., Suriwongse, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 until May 28, 2018. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished Features Rapper Raoul Kerr prepares to release the second half of his studio effort 'No Flag', and similar to the earlier half, the album will continue to focus on one message: Make World A Better Place Two days ago, American rapper Childish Gambino released the music video for 'This Is America'. It's already been considered as the video of the year, and the bold, dark metaphorical representation of modern America reflects quite well while Glover dances away throughout. Music videos, when politically charged, manage to travel longer and leave a long lasting impression. And rappers find the medium complementing to their lyrical cause. A thousand miles to the east of America, in the Indian subcontinent, one rapper has vowed to further experiment with this medium to enhance the reach of his cause. In October, last year, Delhi-based rapper Raoul Kerr released 'No Flag' that indicated the start of a series of singles that revolved around a theme or a message. The message? "Make the world a better place." In his aggressive tone, Kerr created his identity - knowingly or unknowingly. Four singles followed 'No Flag'. These singles continued to stress on unity to fight against evil in the society and within ourselves. Kerr's desire to unite the world to bring the real change in the society and create a 'utopian conscience' brought him closer to the world of rap. Born and brought up in the capital, 24 year-old Raoul Kerr is no alien to the issues that are prevalent in the country. Like any average Indian, he grew up reading about horrendous rapes, murder, corruption and the then teenager, affected with the magnitude and repetition of events, started jotting down his aggression and controlled anger against these issues even before he entered college. It is during the course of time when Kerr picked a pen to express his views on the inhumane crisis gripping the modern society, and a year later, the infamous Nirbhaya rape case occurred. Although, if that incident encouraged Kerr to look around for commonality, it wasn't until the '#MeToo' movement, late last year, that Kerr released his first music video to translate the anger into a visual and sonic interpretation. The thoughts and the accompanying lyrics that emerged since the second semester of college found its voice and visual as the movement continues to spread wild and true. The two incidents, independently, gave the birth to 'For Her'. , Kerr released four more songs from the album No Flag, titled ' ' , ' ' , ' ' and ' ' that highlights the "magnitude of the prevailing problems and challenge human race to fight back on a global scale and reshape the world we live in." Following For Her Kerr released four more songs from the album No Flag, titled ' Stand Tall , ' Change , ' Inquilab and ' Five Lions that highlights the "magnitude of the prevailing problems and challenge human race to fight back on a global scale and reshape the world we live in." , this week. Kerr is currently working on the other half of his album 'No Flag'. Scheduled to release in July 2018, the album promises to focus on aspects that has now created Kerr's songwriting identity. Kerr has also released a track in 'collaboration with Karan Katiyar and Jayant Bhadula of Bloodywood titled ' Ari Ari' this week. For many, the form 'rap' as mode of communication happened naturally. What is your story with rap and hip hop? "I think the same's true for me. I discovered rap when I listened to Mike Shinoda (of Linkin Park) and, later, Eminem. I began feeling that what someone is saying is just as important as how they say it. So, when I wrote my own lyrics, I tried to write about the things I believe in. I felt that rapping something I'd written felt different, it felt more natural." Tell us the concept behind the album No Flag? "Unity across the world in a way that hasn't been possible before, and we're going to have to fight for it. It's a battle cry for this generation to step up together and make a push on all fronts to make the world a better place. The music is about the desire to fight for a better world, but it'll only mean something if we go beyond it, act on this desire and really do something." Your songs are about friendship, heartbreak, personal adversity, rape, poverty, terrorism and corruption in India. This is serious stuff. What was the trigger? "The desire to no longer be a bystander. The belief that I can do something, and the fact that there are a lot of other people out there who feel the same way. We share the problems I talk about, but they manifest themselves in different ways in our lives. That's why I talk about my personal life too. I want to point out that our personal life and the world outside are closer than we think. We make the world what it is, and that means we can change it." Right from the song/ lyric artwork to the music videos for your songs, everything is quite expressive. Especially the videos for your songs like For her. Who is the mind behind these creative ideas? "Siddhartha Iyer did all the album art. He understood what I was going for since day one. He has interpreted each song and added a lot to the story the album is telling. Meher Rajpal is a graphic designer who's helped me with all the other visual content I've put out as well as the lyrical images. Karan Katiyaar of Bloodywood shot and edited For Her, we had a rough couple of days of shooting with minimum planning, but he made it into something powerful." Amani Kerr (your sister) has been featured in one of the music videos. She has also lent vocals with you in three songs. Did you ask her to collaborate or did she offer? "I asked her, but Amani's been in this with me since the day she was born." Who and what has been your biggest inspiration? "There are several, musical and otherwise. The one inspiration I'd like to mention though, is my grandfather. He's always led by example, he's shown me the value of standing by and fighting for what you believe in." Would you be, in your next tracks, directly targeting parties, individuals and subjects - like say, political parties, religions, demi gods - or would you continue to prefer addressing the issue than the subject? "No, this isn't a fight against a certain group of people. It's a fight against the mindset that governs us all." How have you been promoting your music, both online and offline? How has been the response to your music so far? "I've been using Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and SoundCloud. I've put out two music videos, four lyric videos as well as album art and lyric images for the songs I've released. The response has been very encouraging, but there's a lot more work to be done. I've responded to what's been happening across the internet. As an unknown artist and as someone who feels strongly about these things, it felt like it was time to speak out. An example of this is the #MeToo campaign. There was so much courage and so much desire shown at that time. We formed a united front, and that's why I released 'For Her', it was time to fight." What is the most cherishing moment in your musical career so far? "A young indian man told someone close to me that listening to my song 'For Her' had played a big part in helping him work through the trauma of being sexually assaulted. It wasn't easy for them to say that. It's been a great source of strength for me." Tell us about your live performances. Where all you have performed so far and how was the response? Do you bring out the real time situations/ and scenarios through rap during live performances? "I've performed at a few venues around Delhi, initially as a guest performer with FuzzCulture and recently as a solo performer. The number of people at the shows has varied, but there's always been a lot of energy. I like to talk about what's happening in the world today and why it's motivating me to perform each song the way I do." Tell us about your music collaboration with other independent artists. What would be an extremely ambitious collaboration according to you, for your act? And what are the realistic collabs you're now looking at? "I recently worked on a track with Karan Katiyar and Jayant Badhula of Bloodywood. They reinterpreted a Punjabi folk song called 'Ari Ari' and we used this version to talk about how India has shown us the value of unity in diversity. I do have a few collaborations in the works. I've worked on an acoustic version of the album with Vishnu Kumar and Siddhartha Iyer, it brings the lyrics to forefront, and I tell the story of the album between songs. We're performing at the Akshara Theatre on the 20th (of this month)." How are you channeling this rage or attempt to communicate beyond music. Is there any other initiative or if are associated with something that can bring change in the society? "Right now, it's all about establishing myself as a musician. I want to be able to use my platform as a musician to mobilise people for real action, but like I said, I have to create the platform first. It's worth mentioning that Vibhor Mathur is one of the people behind the album. He co-founded Project Aawaaz, which is an NGO focused on education. I also got to work with iPartner India on their 'Don't you dare' anthem which is meant to raise awareness about child abduction, prostitution and enslavement in India." How is 2018 looking for you? What can we expect? (Agencia CMA Latam) - Former Peruvian President Ollanta Humala said that the justice decision to seize his house in Lima, the country's capital, is an "abuse." Humala is under investigation for corruption, and the seizure order came after prosecutors accused him of using illegal money to buy the property. Humala, accompanied by his wife Nadine Heredia and his lawyers, said that the seizure of his home is "a vengeful action" by judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho, who has been challenged by the Constitutional Court's decision to release Humala from jail. Carhuancho was the one who ordered Humala and Heredia's detention in the middle of last year. Peru's Constitutional Court, however, revoked the decision in April. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. (Agencia CMA Latam) - Ibovespa, the benchmark stock market index in Brazil, ended 0.29% higher at 82,956.05 points Tuesday as external uncertainty diminished after the United States' decision to withdraw from a deal to curtail Iran's nuclear activities. According to Guide Investimentos analyst, Rafael Passos, even although the U.S. decision to leave the Iran deal was not entirely positive, it removed some degree of market uncertainty and allowed a slight improvement in the U.S. stock indexes. The Brazilian political perspective also boosted the Ibovespa: Joaquim Barbosa, a former Supreme Court Justice, has officially given up on running for president this year. Investors saw the news as positive, betting that the decision would strengthen the candidacy of Geraldo Alckmin. "The no-candidacy of Joaquim Barbosa caused the market to return to see a greater possibility of a second electoral round with Alckmin. Besides that, positive earnings reports from Petrobras and Magazine Luiza helped the index to rise," said Terra Investimentos analyst, Regis Chinchila. Petrobras preferred shares rose 1.15%. "Not only the net income was good, but there was dividends," said Chinchila. The locally traded US dollar rose 0.42%, to R$ 3.5680, the highest settlement level since June 2, 2016, as investors took a more cautious note of the White House decision to withdraw from the Iran deal. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. Vodafone Group Plc. (VOD.L,VOD) is close to announcing a $23 billion cash deal to buy operations in four European countries from John Malone's Liberty Global (LBTYA) according to reports citing people familiar with the matter. Liberty Global is planning to sell its businesses in Germany, Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic to Vodafone, the report said. The roughly 19 billion euros deal would face a possibly lengthy European Union antitrust review, but if completed, would create one of the continent's biggest telecommunications operators, selling the industry's holy grail "quad-play" package: cable, internet, wireless and landline-phone service on a single bill. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News An Indian cryptocurrency trading company has filed a complaint challenging the central bank's ban on the country's commercial banks from providing services to investors in digital currencies. Maharashtra-based Flintstone Technologies Pvt. Ltd filed a writ petition in the High Court of Delhi seeking the withdrawal of a circular issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last month, which it describes as "arbitrary, unfair and unconstitutional." The company, which claims to provide an online crypto-currency digital wallet service for Bitcoin and Money trade coin, has contended that the RBI has not explained any reason for imposing the restrictions. Firms or individuals in India can no longer avail the services of the country's banks, e-wallets, and payment gateway providers to purchase and sell cryptocurrencies after the Reserve Bank on April 6 slapped a ban on banks providing services to investors in digital currencies. In its monetary policy review, the Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Bibhu Prasad Kanungo had said the decision was taken in view of "the associated risks." The central bank asked banks already providing such services to cryptocurrency investors to stop them within three months. The petition was filed by Flinstone Technologies Director Amit Lakhanpal, who claimed that the RBI circular has made trading in virtual currencies impossible and is spreading panic among investors. The petitioner has also urged the High Court to issue notices to the Ministry of Finance and the Goods and Services Tax Council (GST Council) A single judge bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher has scheduled the petition for hearing on May 24 to consider it along with a similar petition filed by Kali Digital Ecosystems Pvt. Ltd. In its writ petition filed last month, the Ahmedabad-based startup company had argued that it had planned to launch a cryptocurrency exchange platform named CoinRecoil in August, for which substantial investment had been made. However, "the of the Petitioner is stillborn on account of the impugned circular," the petition says, referring to the restrictions on banking services to Indian cryptocurrency purchase/exchanges. 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. Major telecom companies from the ITW Global Leaders' Forum (GLF) have joined a Blockchain Settlement Trial that aims to reduce costs in the telecoms industry. BT, HGC Global Communications, Telefonica and Telstra are among them. Colt Technology Services and PCCW Global, the international operating division of Hong Kong's premier telecommunications service provider HKT, in collaboration with blockchain start up Clear, had revealed in March that they developed a Proof of Concept (PoC) to automate the inter-carrier settlement of wholesale international services through the use of blockchain . The PoC was able to reduce this labour intensive and costly process from hours to minutes. The initial effort focused on the settlement of wholesale voice minutes and used historical data in tests. The latest trial further progressed the blockchain PoC by ingesting actual live data feeds into the ledger, enabling traffic to be automatically verified and settled between carriers. While the original two carriers are now using live data to verify and settle traffic, other members of the GLF have also seized the opportunity to get involved in the initiative, with a view to expanding the bilateral testing between Colt and PCCW Global to encompass a multilateral series of relationships between major service providers in the telecommunications industry. Carl Grivner, Chief Executive Officer of Colt, said the second iteration of the PoC accurately matched and settled wholesale traffic independently with live information. "It also signals the future of telecoms, whereby previously intensive manual practices can be securely automated to allow businesses such as Colt to invest resources into driving both our and our customer's businesses forward," he added. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Technology News Bitcoin and altcoins are in the green Wednesday morning as sentiment was likely buoyed by news of more acceptance for them into the mainstream. The NYSE parent, ICE, is reported planning to launch an online platform for big investors to trade the top cryptocurrency and Facebook announced that it has created a blockchain research division. Here is a wrap of the main news from the cryptocurrency and blockchain world over the past 24 hours. NYSE Parent Working On Bitcoin Trading Platform: NYT Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE, the parent of the New York Stock Exchange, is developing an online Bitcoin trading platform for block trades, in further signs of mainstream financial world warming up to the wild sphere of cryptocurrencies. The platform under development would allow large investors to buy and hold Bitcoin, the New York Times newspaper reported, citing emails and documents and four unidentified people close to the matter. Read more... Ex-Goldman President Sees A Global Cryptocurrency, Simpler Than Bitcoin Gary Cohn, former Goldman Sachs President and former chief economic advisor to US President Donald Trump, expects the emergence of a global cryptocurrency in the future, but it will not be bitcoin. Talking to CNBC, Cohn, who resigned from Trump adviser role in March, said, "I'm not a big believer in bitcoin. I am a believer in blockchain .....I do think we will have a global cryptocurrency at some point where the world understands it and it's not based on mining costs or cost of electricity or things like that." Read more... Federal Reserve Of San Francisco Says BTC Futures Launch Led To Price Fall The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco said the launch of Bitcoin futures trading was the cause of the fall in price of Bitcoin from the peak of nearly $20,000 in December 2017. In an Economic Letter released on Monday, the bank said the peak price of BTC coincided with the introduction of bitcoin futures trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the price of BTC began dropping as pessimistic investors were allowed to bet. Read more... Facebook Announces Launch Of Blockchain Division Facebook announced the launch of a blockchain division, with a view to exploring the technology behind cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin. David Marcus, the company's vice president for its Messenger App division, will be in charge to set up a team to explore how to use blockchain technology across Facebook. Read more... Stock Exchange Of Thailand Launches Blockchain-based Crowdfunding Platform The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has launched a blockchain-based crowdfunding platform to provide access to new capital funding for domestic startups and SMEs. The platform, dubbed "LiVE" is developed in partnership with public and private sectors. Read more... Another Firm Files Petition Against RBI Ban On Banks' Crypto Services An Indian cryptocurrency trading company has filed a complaint challenging the central bank's ban on the country's commercial banks from providing services to investors in digital currencies. Maharashtra-based Flintstone Technologies Pvt. Ltd filed a writ petition in the High Court of Delhi seeking the withdrawal of a circular issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last month, which it describes as "arbitrary, unfair and unconstitutional." Read more... Crypto Tutorial: Crypto Lexicon - ADDY ADDY is short for address. An address or ADDY in the crypto world is the string of letters and numbers that is publicly available, meant for single use, and is necessary to receive cryptocurrencies. Read more... Current Prices As of 9.12 am ET on Wednesday, Bitcoin was up 1.19 percent at $9,260.00 and Ethereum was higher by 0.83 percent at $744.60 on Coinbase. 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. Passengers were evacuated from a Delta Air Lines flight at Denver International Airport on Tuesday night after smoke was detected in the cabin. Evacuation from Delta Flight 1854 that arrived from Detroit occurred after the MD-90 aircraft landed safely at Denver International Airport shortly after 8 p.m. local time. As the aircraft was taxiing, smoke was reported in the cabin and the aircraft was safely evacuated. Some of the passengers were seen standing on the aircraft's wing during the evacuation. A passenger said that fumes were coming through the vents. Fire fighters responded to the call about smoke inside the plane and were told that the plane was evacuated using portable stairs. Some passengers reported minor injuries, while at least one person was taken to the hospital. "After arrival in Denver and during taxi to the gate, Delta flight 1854 from Detroit to Denver stopped on a taxiway where customers deplaned via slides and over-wing exits due to an observance of smoke in the cabin. Airport response vehicles met the aircraft out of an abundance of caution and customers were transported to the terminal via buses," Delta said in a statement. The airline stressed that safety of its customers and crew is its top priority and apologized for the concern the situation has caused. Meanwhile, Denver International Airport tweeted that airport operations are normal. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News After ending the previous session modestly lower, treasuries saw some further downside during the trading day on Wednesday. Bond prices moved lower early in the session and remained stuck in negative territory throughout the day. Subsequently, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, rose by 3.5 basis points to 3.004 percent. The continued weakness among treasuries came as stocks on Wall Street moved notably higher along with the price of crude oil. Crude oil for June delivery spiked $2.08 to $71.14 a barrel as traders reacted to President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. Trump harshly criticized the nuclear agreement with Iran in remarks from the White House on Tuesday and signed a memorandum re-imposing sanctions on Iran. "I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump said. "We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanctions." "The United States no longer makes empty threats," added Trump, who criticized the deal throughout his presidential campaign. "When I make promises, I keep them." On the U.S. economic front, the Labor Department released a report showing a modest uptick in producer prices in the month of April. The Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand inched up by 0.1 percent in April after rising by 0.3 percent in March. Economists had expected prices to edge up by 0.2 percent. Excluding food and energy prices, core producer prices rose by 0.2 percent in April after climbing by 0.3 percent in the previous month. The increase in core prices matched economist estimates. Meanwhile, bond traders largely shrugged off the results of the Treasury Department's auction of $25 billion worth of ten-year notes, which attracted above average demand. The ten-year note auction drew a high yield of 2.995 percent and a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.56, while the ten previous ten-year note auctions had an average bid-to-cover ratio of 2.43. The bid-to-cover ratio is a measure of demand that indicates the amount of bids for each dollar worth of securities being sold. Looking ahead, the Treasury is due to finish off this week's series of long-term securities auctions with the sale of $17 billion worth of thirty-year bonds on Thursday. Trading on Thursday may also be impacted by reaction to reports on consumer prices and weekly jobless claims. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis (Agencia CMA Latam) - The current crisis in Argentina lacks a contagion channel to Brazil, said the Brazilian Finance Minister, Eduardo Guardia. "We have a comfortable external situation, with a small current account deficit financed by external direct investments. Besides that, we have US$ 383 billion in reserves. So I do not see any impact," he said. He also said that the balance of risks in Brazil would remain unchanged by the United States' decision to withdraw from the agreement that limits the Iranian nuclear production. According to Guardia, Brazil must "persist in the path of fiscal consolidation," because that would "give security for Brazil to continue growing. The international situation may change. We must remain firm in the direction of reforms." by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. Report: army, committees wage military offensives on Saudi troops over 24 hours [09/May/2018] br> SANAA, May 9 (Saba) The Yemen army and popular committees have waged military offensive operations, including missile, artillery and sniping, targeted Saudi soldiers and their mercenaries gatherings and sites over the past 24 hours, according to military reports combined by Saba News Agency on Wednesday. In Saudi border province of Najran, the army and committees carried out an offensive operation on Saudi-paid mercenaries sites in Boqea desert, killing and wounding dozens. Also in Najran, sites and gatherings of Saudi soldiers and their mercenaries were targeted by artillery shells in Boqea desert while a Saudi military vehicle was destroyed by an explosive device in Ajasher desert. In southern Saudi border province of Jizan, artillery force of the army and committees shelled Saudi armys artillery fortification and gatherings in Himait-Qazia camp, western Abu-MAdh camp, numbers of censorships in Jahfan mounts sites and a number of Saudi military points in Musafaq. Furthermore, missile and artillery shells were fired toward Saudi soldiers and mercenaries gatherings in Bit-Abiadh of southern Mabkhara site of Jizan. In Asir border province, the army and committees repelled a mercenaries infiltration operation, which was backed by 22 air strikes, in front of Alab crossing, without achieving any progress, as well as the army and committees fired Katyusha rockets and a number of artillery shells toward their gatherings during the infiltration operation. Also in Asir, Two Saudi soldiers were killed by the fires of the army in Alab front. In Taiz province, 19 of Saudi-paid mercenaries, including two leaders, were killed and 10 others were injured by the Fires of Yemen army and committees in west coast front, while two of mercenaries leader were injured in an unique ambush carried out by the army and committees in Barh of west coast front. Also in Taiz, artillery shelling targeted mercenaries gatherings in west coast, and three of mercenaries were shot dead in the south of west coast. Furthermore, over of 30 bodies and dozens of wounded have reached to hospitals of Aden province from the West Coast Front. Writing by Sameera Hassn Saba Two persons were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly keeping about 10,000 voter cards and over a lakh counterfoils at a flat in Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly segment, a senior police officer said. "Two persons have been arrested, one for committing the electoral offence of keeping several voter cards in one place and another for breaking into the apartment where the voter cards and counterfoils were kept, without informing the Election Commission authorities," Additional Commissioner of Police Bijay Kumar Singh told IANS here. State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar told reporters here on Wednesday that a total of 9,896 voter cards and over a lakh counterfoils resembling acknowledgement slips were seized so far from a flat in the Assembly constituency, ahead of the May 12 assembly election. Police and Election Commission officials, however, did not disclose the details of the people arrested. "Preliminary investigation shows that the voter cards are genuine, but the counterfoils are yet to be verified," Kumar said. An FIR was registered on the incident, he added. Along with the voter cards and counterfoils, the poll panel officials have also seized survey formats with names of the voters, mobile numbers, caste, Aadhaar number, below poverty line (BPL) card details, and photographs of houses. "All the materials have been seized and investigation is going on under the supervision of the EC. The entire material indicate a planned work over a period of time to survey and locate the vulnerable electors and induce them through middlemen," Kumar said. The constituency has a total of 4,71,459 voters, with an elector to population ratio of 75.43 per cent, which is higher than the average across the total 28 constituencies in Bengaluru. "The Rarajeshwari Nagar constituency had 44,857 voters added to the electoral rolls this year, a 10.3 per cent increase in the number of voters added, as against the state average of 6.04 per cent," Kumar added. A Deputy Election Commissioner is to soon visit the state to take the stock of the situation. The ruling Congress blamed the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the incident, calling it a conspiracy by the party leaders in an apartment that allegedly belonged to a former BJP corporator Manjula Nanjamari. "In a flat owned by a former BJP corporator, and in a flat rented out to a BJP corporator candidate, how did 10,000 voter IDs come into being? Facing imminent defeat, this is a conspiracy hatched by the BJP leaders," Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters here. The BJP urged the EC to countermand the election in the constituency, calling the incident an attempt by the ruling Congress to allegedly rig the election. "The BJP demands countermanding of elections in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in light of latest revelations of tens of thousands of fake voter IDs and empty packets of hard currency. This is Congress conspiracy to rig election in the face of their imminent defeat," said Union Minister and the party's in-charge for state polls Prakash Javadekar. Over 25,000 soldiers of the Indian Army on Wednesday concluded their month-long military drill, sharpening their combat skills to face all contingencies, including nuclear or biological attacks, and battling above 45-degree heat and sand storms in hot and dry deserts near the Pakistan border in Rajasthan. An army spokesperson said modern war fighting equipment including tanks, attack helicopters, drones and fighter aircraft were used in the exercise Vijay Prahar by Army's South Western Command. The drill was conducted in Mahajan Field Firing Ranges close to Suratgrah, some 300 km from the closest Pakistani border post. The participating formations fine tuned their skills in "fighting dirty and continuing the offensive even after a tactical nuclear, chemical or biological attack by the adversary by our modern chemical, bilogical, radiological and nuclear defense", spokesperson Lt. Col. Manish Ojha said in a statement. Lt. Gen. Cherish Mathson, who heads the Sapta Shakti command, witnessed the "final offensive of his forces achieving a decisive victory". "I had laid out unambiguous scope for activities to be carried out and had also bench marked standards to be achieved and I am fully satisfied with in effort put in and result achieved," the Army commander said. Lt Gen Mathson said the military drill was marked by designing an offensive campaign on the principles of operational art in a deep air-land battle with real time intelligence using space based surveillance. "The concept of air cavalry employing attack and weaponised helicopters has also been validated. He said with India's contemporary "just in time" logistics, the Army's "deep thrusts can be sustained effectively". The commander also complimented the troops who braved the soaring temperatures above 45 degrees and sand storms. US President Donald Trump (file photo) US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw his country from the Iran nuclear deal, a decision that immediately drew global frustration and outcry. The pullout of the US from the deal, which eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for the country limiting its nuclear program, risks sparking an arms race in the Middle East, experts said, Xinhua news agency reported. In a televised speech from the White House, Trump announced the exit. He said that he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, but re-impose sanctions lifted under the accord against Tehran and nations it has business links with. Trump repeated his rhetoric against Iran and the deal, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism in the region. The JCPOA "allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium" and "lifted crippling economic sanctions" on Iran in exchange for "very weak limits" on its nuclear activity, "and no limits at all" on its efforts to expand regional influences, he said. "The deal's sunset provisions are totally unacceptable," He said. "If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs." The US will impose "the highest level" of economic sanctions on Tehran, he said. "Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States." As for the possible exacerbation of trans-Atlantic division over his decision, Trump only said that "we are unified in our understanding of the threat, and in our conviction that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon." Trump's decision came on the heels of visits to the US by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. Macron even proposed a last-ditch side plan to appease Trump, but had failed to convince him. The White House said later that Trump had "directed his administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA," and "the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors." "Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran," it added. "Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences." US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin noted in an announcement that "sanctions will be reimposed subject to certain 90 day and 180 day wind-down periods". "At the conclusion of the wind-down periods, the applicable sanctions will come back into full effect. This includes actions under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities," he added. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the US "will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat." Trump's decision to abandon the Iran deal signed between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US has sparked domestic and global concerns. In a joint statement released by Macron's office, French, German and British leaders regretted the US decision. Macron, Merkel and Theresa May reiterated their "continued commitment" to the Iran nuclear deal, stressing that it "is of particular importance to our shared security." Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, under whose administration the deal was signed, said in a Facebook post that Trump's announcement is "so misguided" and "a serious mistake." "The JCPOA is working," Obama said, adding that "the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East" without the landmark deal. Europe will abide by the JCPOA, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said, adding she was "particularly worried" about the possible repercussions of Trump's decision. For his part, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that his country will remain in the deal, adding he has asked the Iranian foreign minister to initiate negotiations with the European partners as well as China and Russia over the fate of the deal. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on April 27 that China expects the deal to remain intact and be treated seriously. "China calls for all related parties to strengthen dialogue and coordination" over the deal, she said. Experts from the Washington-based Arms Control Association also denounced the decision. Daryl G. Kimball, the group's executive director, said Trump's announcement "is an irresponsible act of foreign policy malpractice" and "a twofold abrogation of US commitments." "Through his reckless actions, Trump is precipitating a proliferation crisis rather than working with our allies to develop a long-term diplomatic strategy to build on the agreement in the years ahead," Kimball said. Brookings Institution senior fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that "the risk is his decision will spark an arms race in the Middle East." "Iran may restart its nuclear programme and that could propel Saudi Arabia to develop its own nuclear programme. The region is likely to become more volatile and chaotic as a result of the deal nullification," he said. Samoa is more than a getaway destination for Camille. She is in Samoa with her husband, Gene. They are from Wellington, New Zealand. Camilles mother is from Samoa and through this family connection Samoa is a special place to her. She shared she has grown accustomed to Samoas culture because of her mother. I like to be connected to my moms family, where she grew up and the culture. It is a part of me, she shared. Gene added: We have been talking a lot about coming to visit the place my wife is connected to and now finally we are here. It is something special to see this side of her. Dear Tourist met the lovely couple in Apia Town. It was their first time to town after they arrived yesterday. They have been married for 14 years and they have three kids whom they left back home for a time on their own. It is Camilles second time to the island. The first time she came to Samoa about five years ago, she met some of her family members. It is lovely. What I saw changed is the new hotel the Tusitala. But we are going to have a look around now, going to the market and see what changed. We want to enjoy the culture, Camille said. It is absolutely beautiful. The beaches are impressive. Very different from what I know back home in Wellington, Gene shared of his impression being a first timer to Samoa. The people are very friendly and nice. We arrived yesterday (Monday) and did not have the opportunity to meet a lot of locals, but from what I have experienced the people are really lovely, he said. Despite being a first timer to Samoa, his wifes tasty Samoa dishes back at home has already given him a taste of island life. I make sapasui, taro and I tried as well palusami back home, but it is not easy and now here it is cheap so we are going to get some for sure. I like all the seafood anyway, she said Gene added: I really like the food she makes back home. First when we started seeing each other, she had already cooked this kind of food. They said theres a need to improve street signs for easy travelling, especially for tourists. It seems people are doing their own thing, people drive how they want to drive. I guess the street rules arent as followed much here as they should, from what I saw. As a tourist, we are not used to this, Camille said. They hope to see more of their family members before they depart on Saturday. Its official. As the country gears up to celebrate Mothers Day this week, Samoa is welcoming her first female Deputy Police Commissioner. She is Papalii Monalisa Tiai-Keti, who had previously held the Acting Police Commissioner role. The appointment was confirmed by the Police Commissioner, Fuiava Egon Keil, in a media statement last night. The Commissioner of Police and the Samoa Police Service (S.P.S.) warmly congratulate Acting Assistant Commissioner Papalii MonalisaTiai-Keti on her new appointment as Deputy Commissioner of Police, the statement reads. Deputy Commissioner Papalii joined the Police Service in 2004 as a Constable. She is a former Samoa College student, and holds a Bachelor of Social Science from Waikato University. She also holds a Masters in Transnational Crime from the University of Wollongong. Papalii progressed through the ranks during her 14-year career within the S.P.S. She had worked in various sections of the Police including the Criminal Investigations Division, Human Resource, Policy and Planning and the Transnational Crimes Unit. Her most recent role was Officer In Charge of the Police Training Section and she introduced changes to the training curriculum of the S.P.S. Papalii is the first female officer appointed to the role of Deputy Commissioner of Police in Samoa. With the exception of Australia and New Zealand, she joins two other female colleagues appointed to Deputy Police Commissioner level in the Pacific Island countries, namely Tonga and the Solomon Islands. This milestone is in line with the Samoa Police Services goal of promoting gender equality and gender balance in the Police working environment, particularly in executive or senior leadership roles. Deputy Commissioner Papalii is married to Anae Ronnie Keti with three children. She hails from the villages of Sapapalii, Vailuutai and Magiagi. The Commissioner and Samoa Police Service wishes Deputy Commissioner Tiai-Keti all the best in her new post. She brings a new perspective to fighting crime and her appointment encourages other women in the Samoa Police Service to reach beyond what was thought impossible. The Samoa Submarine Cable Company has a new Chairman. He is Pauli Prince Suhren who is taking over from Leiataua Alden Godinet after one-year tenure as per the shareholders agreement. Pauli was in a celebratory mood, pointing out the achievements the company had accomplished as well as the possibilities in front of us as a country to realise the purpose of the cable, which was to establish Samoa as a hub of technology for the Pacific. We are here not only to celebrate the achievements of the Samoa Submarine cable, you all know in February of this year, the cable was ready for service (R.F.S), which means the Tui Samoa Cable is fully operational and today we mark the day as of 8th of May. The new chairman of S.S.C.C. thanked his predecessors who laid the foundation and he said he intended to build on their work. I have taken over as the Chairman of Samoa Submarine Cable Board and I would like to thank my colleague, Leiataua Alden Godinet, who has been the Chairman of the last year as part of the shareholders agreement with the company." What Im here to do is just to build on what has been done by my two predecessors. First of all Afioga Christian Fruean, Chairman before Leiatua they did all the hard work in culminating the launch of the Tui Samoa cable on the 9th of February." What Im here to do is to make sure that we continue that foundation of hard work that was done. Now that the cable is in operation, we would be able to utilise the cable for what we planned for it to be used for, which is building capacity of high speed internet in Samoa and to eventually make internet much more affordable for our country." "So we definitely look forward as a board to continue the work that has been done and to take S.S.C.C. into the future as we continue to build a Samoa that is a hub of technology for the Pacific. Asked whether Samoa intends to connect with American Samoa, Mr. Suhren said there are still a lot of challenges with connecting to American Samoa and that the Samoan Government intends to talk to other Pacific Island nations who dont have access to high speed fibre cables, not just American Samoa. We try as much as possible because we want Tui Samoa to be part of our interconnected solution for the South Pacific not just American Samoa, we are talking to many different countries." The main objective or the main vision of the Samoan Government is to make Samoa the main hub of technology in the Pacific so we try to talk to other Pacific Island nations who dont have access to high speed fibre cables to try and negotiate with them." With American Samoa we are always in talks with them about how we can form partnerships. Weve talked to American Samoa in past years; there are a lot of challenges. Mr. Suhren acknowledged the public may still have questions about the internet speed and the apparent lack of improvement in that area. We need to understand the internet that has been retailed and what we do is we bring the internet and the local companies such as Digicel and Bluesky and all internet providers and they need to connect the Tui Samoa cable. And so we are gradually looking at developing partnerships with the local ISPS. So we see internet wholesale to the local isps, but that is a question to put forward to the internet providers. The Tui Samoa Submarine Cable rolled out by the Alcatel Submarine Networks (A.S.N.) interconnecting Samoa, Fiji, Wallis & Futuna Islands with a submarine optical fibre system which spans more than 1,470km is now live, carrying traffic and contributing to Samoas economic and social development and encouraging I.C.T. innovation in education, commerce, agriculture, finance, health, tourism, and e-government. Tui Samoa is the first regional cable in the South Pacific to have a portfolio solution connecting regions and offering customised solutions out of Samoa. This solution itself stimulates the digital economy, not just for Samoa but for its partners across the South Pacific providing to end-users and partners a dramatically increasing bandwidth at the lowest cost. This Court will not tolerate unethical practice which goes to the heart of the due and proper administration of Justice. This is the message from District Court Judge Alalatoa Rosella Papalii She made the point in Court during a the hearing of Catalin Raazvan, a Romanian who came to Samoa and used counterfeited cards to steal money from the Bank South Pacifics Automated Teller Machines (A.T.M.). He was represented by lawyer, Tuisa Tasi Patea. Raazvan has been found guilty of 30 charges in connection with the theft, 10 charges of theft, 10 charges of accessing electronic system without authority and 10 charges of electronic system for a dishonest purpose. But Judge Alalatoa was not happy about an aspect of the hearing. I wish to comment on the propriety of the exhibit notes being annexed to your supplementary submissions dated 11 February, 2018, she said in relation to the defense team. In my many years as a private practitioner I have never come across such practice. You opted not to give evidence Mr. Razvan, but you proceeded to introduce, through the back door, evidence with a view that I take into consideration. I had to call a meeting in chambers with prosecution and your counsel to express my deep concerns about this. According to the District Court Judge, the defense lawyer explained his efforts to reason with Mr. Razvan and advice but you insisted this be done. Counsel you should know better. Your role as a lawyer includes counseling or giving advice. Not just as gun slinger. The lawyer hired gun approach cannot always be tolerated in this day and age by any lawyer. You have a duty to advise your client accordingly and to enlighten him that you cannot introduce evidence in this manner. If he does not accept that, then instead of him firing you, you fire him and you save face. You cannot be the gladiator and risk tainting your name given your utmost professional duty to any Court of law. This Court will not tolerate such unethical practice which goes to the heart of the due and proper administration of justice. Judge Alalatoa warned that shes considering referring this to the Samoa Law Society. ANZ Bank has announced that its Country Head for Samoa, Bernie Poort, will shave his head as part of the Samoa Cancer Societys Shave it or Save it campaign, in support of men, women and children with cancer. ANZ has had a long association with the Samoa Cancer Society and by raising funds and braving the shave, Mr Poort hopes to sends a strong message of support to people living with cancer. Cancer has touched everyone in our community in some way. Whether its a relative, a friend, a neighbour or a colleague, we all know someone whose life has been touched by cancer, Mr Poort said. I hope that by braving the shave, we will get more people talking about cancer and its effects. The Samoan Cancer Society provides vital support to those impacted by cancer. The money raised through the campaign goes directly towards specialised nurses, family support services, advice lines and important awareness campaigns that aid early detection, Mr Poort said. In the final week of the campaign, Mr. Poorts hair will be dyed ANZ Blue, which he hopes will further inspire people to donate to the worthy cause. Donations can be made direct at any ANZ branch before 28 June 2018. Account Name: Bernard Poort Shave it or Save it Account Number: 4027508 Bank: ANZ, Beach Road, Apia SAMOA. BSB: 010979 SWIFT Code: ANZBWSWW PR - The Samoa Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Samoa In-country Training Programme of the Oloamanu Centre for Professional Development and Continuing Education of N.U.S., hosted three trainings over the month of April Basic Marketing and Communication, Advanced Marketing and Communication and Basic Accounting for Non Accountants. The Marketing and Communication trainings were delivered by Susan Piket of Barbican Training Centre in New Zealand from 9-12 April and the 16-20 April. Thirty three participants from various businesses took part in the training and many gave positive feedback on the material covered and content of the training. One of the key areas of business highlights the importance of marketing services and products and this training allowed participants to learn more about concepts and approaches on marketing and communication effectively. The Basic Accounting for Non Accountants training was held from 23-27 April at the Hotel Elisa Conference room and was delivered by Tuiloma Sina Retzlaff of Pacific Global Solutions. There were 25 participants who successfully completed this workshop and the feedback proved that the training was very helpful in their line of work. The Samoa Chamber of Commerce C.E.O. Lemauga Hobart Vaai congratulated the participants on completing the course, encouraging each individual to utilize the knowledge gained from the training. The Samoa Chamber of Commerce would like to acknowledge our development partners, NZ MFAT and AUS DFAT, through the Samoa Education Sector Plan budget support to the NUS, as well as the SICTP Manager, Sooalo Sydney Faasau and his team for making this training possible. With the promise of developing drugs based on a new biological discovery, Escient Pharmaceuticals has raised $40 million, the San Diego startup said Wednesday. Privately held Escient is looking for treatments for diseases in which the nervous system provokes an immune or inflammatory response. The company isnt specifying which diseases its focusing on at this time. Escient relies on proprietary research that has identified a previously unknown family of molecules that drugs can target. The research suggests the molecules are involved in these immune and inflammatory diseases, said Dr. Alain Baron, CEO. In short, Escients investors are betting that this insight will give the company a leg up in developing drugs for these diseases. Advertisement This family of molecular targets was identified in research by Xinzhong Dong of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dong is also a company founder. Drug companies have an astronomical number of potential targets for medicines, but most of them turn out not to work or have intolerable side effects. So companies like Escient offer an approach to make drug discovery more efficient. Escient said it has found two promising drug targets it is now working with. Escient hasnt yet actually identified any potential drugs from these targets, and $40 million is a large amount for initial venture funding. However, the team, led by Baron and Marcus Boehm, chief scientific officer, has a history of success in biotech. Baron helped found San Diegos Elcelyx Therapeutics and NaZura BioHealth. He was also senior vice president of research at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, sold in 2012 to Bristol-Myers Squibb for $7 billion. Boehm was a co-founder of Receptos, purchased by Celgene in 2015, for $7.2 billion. Escient expects to start entering drugs into clinical trials within the next three years, Baron said. Escient has found its leads within a family of popular drug targets called GPCRs, responsible for about a third of FDA-approved drugs. Investors are led by The Column Group and 5AM Ventures, along with Osage University Partners. The money will go to adding staff and advancing drugs in preclinical programs to clinical trials. Related reading Drug search engine improved: Study Arena Pharma recovers from weight-loss failure Receptos seeks $102 million Blocking chronic pain thats currently out of drugs reach Serotonin receptor structure determined Study may enable better HIV vaccine 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 (619) 293-1020 In 1978, two young UC San Diego academics named Ivor Royston and Howard Birndorf had an idea: Using the new science of biotechnology, they could make better products for research and therapy. Their idea became Hybritech, San Diegos first biotech company. Hybritechs notable achievements included the first blood test to screen for prostate cancer, along with early biotech research into cancer therapies. When Hybritech was sold for $450 million in 1986, its executives and investors became rich. This spawned San Diegos biotech ecosystem, a self-perpetuating cycle of growth, acquisition, and more growth. While the company has long passed from the scene, the DNA of Hybritech and its people remain firmly embedded in San Diegos large biotech community, 40 years after its founding. Advertisement On Wednesday, organizers of a UCSD cancer fundraiser hold a kick-off party for an event honoring founders Royston and Birndorf. The UCSD Moores Cancer Center luau will be held in August. Hybritech, with Royston and Birndorf in particular, helped shape life sciences in Southern California. The big bang of biotech was made possible by the relatively open and undeveloped nature of San Diegos life science industry, said Mary Walshok, UC San Diegos associate vice chancellor for public programs and dean of extension. Hybritech veteran Kim Blickenstaff discusses the company and what it meant to him at Hybritechs 30th anniversary celebration in 2008. In the late 1970s, San Diego was a blank page, said Walshok, who looks at the development of San Diegos life sciences and high-tech industries from her training as a sociologist. This blank page drew people like Royston and Birndorf who wanted to write their own history. They had this fabulous experience of growing something for nothing from nothing, and I think that theres a joy and excitement in that thing, she said. After Hybritech, Birndorf, 68, went on to help found a string of biotech companies, including Neurocrine and Ligand, and others such as Gen-Probe and Idec, which no longer exist as independent companies. Sales meant big returns for investors. Gen-Probe was sold in 2012 to Hologic for $3.7 billion. Idec merged with Biogen in a $6.8 billion deal. A 1996 New York Times profile of Birndorf bore the headline: The Johnny Appleseed of a Biotechnology Forest. Royston is now CEO of Encinitas-based Viracta Therapeutics, a startup that seeks to fight virus-associated cancers. Last month, Viracta started human testing of an experimental drug to treat Epstein-Barr virus-positive lymphomas. Investors include Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who is in the process of purchasing the Union-Tribune and Los Angeles Times. Royston, 73, had been winding down his obligations for some time. He retired last year from Forward Ventures, the venture capital firm he helped found in 1990. But Viracta struck a chord. The companys quest for viral anticancer agents closes the circle on his early days of research at Stanford University, investigating how viruses such as Epstein-Barr can cause cancer. I was fascinated by how these viruses could transform lymphocytes into malignant cells, Royston said. Howard Ted Greene, who was CEO of Hybritech, discusses itts youthful culture. I was the oldest person in the company, at the age of 38, he said in 2008, at the 30th reunion of Hybritech alumni. Hybritech was founded just two years after the worlds first biotech company, Genentech, launched in South San Francisco, pioneered recombinant DNA technology, which allowed DNA to be spliced together from different species. Today, recombinant technology is best seen in human insulin, which is made in genetically modified bacteria. Hybritech commercialized a different technology, the production of custom-made antibodies, produced in large amounts. Its main products were these customized antibodies, also called monoclonal antibodies. Royston and Birndorf wanted to make these antibodies for research. But that business plan changed under the guidance of venture capitalist Brook Byers, of the legendary Silicon Valley venture firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers. Byers saw the possibilities of monoclonal antibodies as diagnostic tools. By crafting antibodies to react with specific disease agents, Hybritech could roll out a vast array of tests that would provide superior accuracy. Hybritechs notable successes included the PSA prostate cancer test, one of the prizes from Eli Lillys 1986 purchase of the company. But looking further, Royston saw that these antibodies could eventually be applied as therapies for his passion defeating cancer. Making an antibody that specifically attacks cancer cells would produce the long-sought magic bullet, a drug that would precisely kill cancer cells and only cancer cells, without the debilitating side effects of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The road was more complicated than that. Hybritechs technology was used by another Royston company, Idec Pharmaceuticals. It resulted in a drug called Rituxan in the United States. Brought to the market in partnership with Genentech, Rituxan was the first monoclonal drug approved for cancer. Its now also used for rheumatoid arthritis and certain other autoimmune diseases. Rituxan sales reached $8.6 billion in 2016, but are now slowly declining as competing drugs reach the market. A number of present-day life science companies in San Diego still trace their lineage to Hybritech, such as diversified drug maker Ligand Pharmaceuticals; neurology and endocrine disease drug maker Neurocrine Biosciences; and medical device maker Tandem Diabetes Care. Even more numerous are the Hybritech-related companies that no longer exist independently, having been sold for great sums. These include automated drug dispenser Pyxis, purchased in 1996 for $920 million by Cardinal Health; diabetes drug maker Amylin Pharmaceuticals, sold for $7.2 billion in 2012 to Bristol-Myers Squibb; and specialty drug company Cadence Pharmaceuticals, purchased in 2014 for $1.21 billion by Mallinckrodt. Today San Diego Countys life science sector employs nearly 50,000 people and generates $33.6 billion in economic activity, says a report last year from San Diego-based Biocom, the life science trade group for California. Local life science research centers and companies also brought in more than $832 million in National Institutes of Health grants to San Diego during the 2016 fiscal year. These numbers place San Diego third in the nation, behind the first-ranked Boston area, according to several surveys over the years. The San Francisco Bay Area is the runner-up. Add to this a presence by big pharmaceutical companies, including a local payroll of about 1,000 from Pfizer; 550 from Novartis, and 492 from Celgene. San Diego also has access to money from venture capital firms with offices here. These include Domain Associates, with more than $2.7 billion under management and Forward Ventures, with more than $450 million under management. Tim Woellager describes how the medical tech company Pyxis got off the ground, aided by nurse groupies who loved the automated drug dispensing machine, an ATM for hospital goods. Moreover, Hybritech alumni remain involved in San Diegos life science scene. Among them: David F. Hale, who served as president; now chairman and CEO of Hale BioPharma Ventures Kim Blickenstaff, director of financial analysis; now president and CEO of Tandem Diabetes Care Tina Nova, a research scientist; now president & CEO of Molecular Stethoscope Tim Wollaeger, a senior vice president and chief financial officer; now managing director emeritus of Sanderling Ventures and a director of some Sanderling companies. In August, Royston and Birndorf will receive the Rell Sunn Award from the UCSD Moores Cancer Center. The award is given in remembrance of Rell Sunn, known as The First Lady of Surfing. Sunn died in 1988 from breast cancer, at the age of 47. Its a reminder of the unfinished business Hybritech took up 40 years ago. UPDATED: This story was updated to reflect that Wednesdays reception marked the kick-off to a UCSD Moores Cancer Center luau to honor biotech pioneers Ivor Royston and Howard Birndorf. The awards will be given later at the luau in August. For further reading Four biotech legends recall birth of local industry Building biotech, San Diego style The Johnny Appleseed of a Biotechnology Forest 30th Hybritech reunion marks biotechs genesis San Diegos science allure draws in big partners 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 (619) 293-1020 California is the verge of becoming the first state to require that all new homes be equipped with solar panels. But the mandate will add thousands to the cost of new construction, although supporters say homebuyers would save money in the long run. The five members of the California Energy Commission (CEC) are expected on Wednesday to adopt the latest round of the states Building Efficiency Standards, which are updated every three years. The proposal calls for installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on every house that receives a building permit and condominiums and apartments up to three stories high. Homes that are shaded by trees or taller buildings, as well as houses with roofs too small to accommodate a PV system, would be eligible for exceptions or alternatives to the mandate. The rule would go into effect Jan. 1, 2020, and does not need to be approved by the Legislature. Advertisement This is really just another step, an important step but a step nonetheless, along a trajectory that is long established in California to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with our buildings and to improve our air quality, said Andrew McAllister, a CEC commissioner who helped put together the proposed rule. The CEC estimated the mandate would increase the construction costs of a single-family house by $10,538, although contractors in the San Diego area have put the costs at about $20,000, depending on the size of the home. The commission said the extra cost would be offset by the savings homeowners would pocket due to lower monthly utility bills. The CEC estimated the savings to come, on average, to $16,251 over the 30-year life of the home. McAllister said the CEC has worked with a variety of stakeholders, including builders and members of the industrys supply chain, as well as environmentalists. Weve projected this for long enough and everybodys comfortable with solar, McAllister said. Its a mature market and its totally do-able. The builders are ready and able and actually excited in many cases to build these high-performing solar homes. Some, perhaps, but not all. I would be in favor of future housing being pre-wired to accommodate PV but Im certainly not in favor of willy-nilly requiring that it be installed, said Ian Gill, managing partner of Silvergate Development LLC, a San Diego company specializing in multi-family and mixed-use projects. I think that should be a market-driven, feasibility-driven decision by home owners. Borre Winckel, the president and CEO of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County, estimated less than 20 percent of all new construction on single-family units in the county includes solar. Weve been working with the commission for years on this, Winckel said, going back to the Schwarzenegger administration. We knew it was coming. The political will is for it to go forward. Theres not much we could do. The only thing we can tell the consumer is that their housing costs will go up, but their utility bills will come down. Solar panels installed on the roofs new homes at Pardee Homes Weston development in Santee on May 8, 2018. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune ) The CECs vote comes as real estate prices in California in general and San Diego in particular keep climbing. The median price for a new home in the San Diego area hit $619,500 in March. Gill said in 2016, about 10,000 permits were issued in the San Diego area for new construction but only about 2,000 were targeted at single-family construction. By contrast, in the mid-1990s, Gill said, about 80 percent of the permits issued were for single-family homes. Thats just one more reason why housing is so expensive here, Gill said. Its a terrible situation and the government keeps adding more regulatory constraint that further exacerbates the affordability problem. Its absolutely unbelievable to me. McAllister said when the CEC develops new standards for buildings it is obligated to make sure they are cost-effective. But should the free market determine whether new homes come equipped with solar installations? I think the free market in many ways has spoken and made solar a viable option, McAllister said. And our job as government officials is to balance the private and public interests. And theres a clear public interest in cleaning up our air and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. So thats the direction were going. Among Californias clean energy mandates is Senate Bill 350, passed in 2015, which requires the state to double statewide energy efficiency savings in electricity and natural gas end uses by 2030. Environmental groups such as the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Fund have come out in favor of the updated code, saying it helps pave the way for greener homes. The solar industry, as one would expect, strongly supports the new standards. The California Solar and Storage Association estimates about 15,000 new homes each year in the state are equipped with solar installations. On average, about 80,000 homes are built in California each year. So were going to see about 65,000 more solar homes starting in 2020 based on this policy alone, said Kelly Knutsen, the associations director of technology advancement. These are tens of thousands of new homes that will represent a significant increase in the solar market in California. The rule would come at a time when solar needs a boost. After steady year-over-year growth, solar jobs in California declined 14 percent in 2017 due in part to changes in net metering rules and a maturing market. In January, President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of up to 30 percent on solar panels made abroad. About 80 percent of U.S. solar companies rely on imported parts. In addition, solar installers have estimated the recently imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum can raise the price on the racking system on a home by about $100 to $200, depending on the size of the installation. Passing the rule would be really good news for California, said Barry Cinnamon, CEO of San Jose-based Spice Solar, which specializes in residential installations. Anything thats going to expand the market and increase awareness is great. Gary London, an economist and real estate analyst in San Diego, said he was less concerned about the cost of the rule than its potential effect on developing better PV solar technology. The factors of production that go into the cost of a house is land, labor, material and capital, London said, with land being the most expensive component. A requirement for PV solar installations on new homes is a drop in the bucket by comparison, London said. What I worry about is that with the force of regulation, its going to have an impact of perhaps stifling innovation because the (solar) industry will say, well, you have to have it anyway so why dont I just charge you more for it and use less efficient units? Thats my fear. Knutsen did not have the same concern. Any time you have a growing market, you get technology advancements because people want to build their widget and they want to have something thats competitive and more people will buy that, Knutsen said. You also have this effect where when more people are doing something, it just become more efficient. You get economies of scale. If passed, the updated building code would also include stricter efficiency standards on lighting, ventilation, windows, walls and attics for non-residential as well as residential structures. The proposal would also include an option to promote solar paired with battery storage systems in the home. Business rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski Qualcomms long-time technology chief, Matt Grob, has left the company after 27 years, the San Diego cellular giant confirmed this week. Grob, 51, worked most recently as executive vice president of technology for Qualcomm. He announced on Twitter that his last day was Monday. Since 2006 he has served as a top research and development executive with the company. He holds more than 70 patents. Grob decided to leave on his own, according to a Qualcomm spokesperson. His departure was not related to layoffs last month, when the company cut 1,500 jobs in California including 1,231 in San Diego. Advertisement The layoffs stemmed from Qualcomms pledge to shave $1 billion in annual costs as part its efforts to fend off a hostile takeover from Broadcom earlier this year. Efforts to reach Grob were unsuccessful. In his tweet, Grob thanked everyone at Qualcomm for so many lifelong friendships, for fantastic experiences and unique opportunities . Up next: I intend to #keepinventing. Grob joined Qualcomm in 1991 as an engineer and worked on early 2G/3G mobile and satellite data services. Later, he was involved in the development of faster 3G wireless Internet technologies. In 2006, he was named head of corporate research and development. He became chief technology officer in 2011 overseeing work on advanced wireless communications, machine learning, computer vision, contextual awareness and other technologies. Last year, James Thompson took over as Qualcomms CTO, while Grob took on a new role focused on longer-term research. He holds a masters degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Grob sits on the board of directors of Brain Corp., a San Diego artificial intelligence software firm that powers self-driving robots used to clean floors in big-box stores, airports and other large venues. During its early years, Brain Corp. was based inside Qualcomms headquarters. The company is backed by Qualcomm and the Softbank Vision Fund. Business mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com; Twitter:@TechDiego 760-529-4973 Assisted living and board-and-care facilities are a popular and rapidly growing segment of senior housing. But a key factor that many people dont realize is: Assisted living facilities are non-medical models of care not requiring nurses or any medically trained personnel onsite daily. A misunderstanding about this can create real problems for those residents with multiple complex and chronic medical issues. Simply put, there is no more dangerous intersection in elder care than this chaotic zone where the medical and non-medical worlds collide. Some background: There are approximately 7,500 assisted living (AL) facilities in California. They range from small, six-bed residential homes to larger facilities with 100-plus beds. The larger facilities typically have lovely decor and elegant ambience resembling more of an upscale hotel or country club than an institutional medical facility. Regardless of size, they all have a few things in common: They are less expensive than skilled nursing facilities They are predominantly private pay They are regulated by the Dept. of Social Services and Community Care Licensing Division (In 2018, required licensing inspection visits were increased to once every two years, from once every five years; they will be made annually in 2019.) They have no current rating system (Like Nursing Home Compare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services five-star rating system for nursing homes) to help consumers make informed decisions when choosing an assisted living facility for their loved one They lack the strict regulation and record keeping the Departments of Public Health and Health Care Services require of skilled nursing facilities According to the National Institutes of Health, assisted living facilities provide care to a large number of older adults including many with complex health problems. Although the most common reasons for entering AL are dementia and functional impairment, most residents (94 percent) have at least one chronic medical condition, with three quarters (76 percent) having two or more chronic conditions. When the average assisted living resident is an 87-year-old woman with multiple chronic illnesses, the terms non-medical and elder care rarely belong together. Advertisement Whats the hospitality myth? Catherine Hawes, director of the Program on Aging and Long Term Care Policy at Texas A&M, identifies it like this, They (families) dont have realistic expectations they walk into the (assisted living) facility and theyre guided through by the marketing person who makes a lot of promises about whats available. They see the spiral staircase. They see the oriental rugs. They see the plants. They see the tai chi class and they think: This is great ... Mom will have her own room, her own half bath ... She can bring her own furniture. Its what I would like. I just want to have a nurse there and I want to have enough staff. OK, whats wrong with that? Families, Hawes said, dont know to ask these questions: Whats the staffing level? Whats the staffing level during the day? Whats the staffing level at night? And whats the supervision like? Whos passing the medications? They dont realize its not a nursing home. It doesnt have skilled nursing care. How may this play out later? The reality of this lower level of care may hit caregivers with a midnight call that Mom got confused and wandered off the premises and is now lost. Or the report might be that Mom has fallen and broken a hip. Or that shes been sent in an ambulance to the emergency room due to a problem in administering her medications. Nonetheless, assisted living is increasingly attractive to frail elders and their families who just want to maintain independence and quality of life for as long as they can. In accommodating this consumer demand, the system struggles to reconcile its mandate to combine their non-medical model with the medically fragile elders they serve. Where can seniors and family caregivers get reliable information on how safe and well-operated assisted living facilities are? The San Diego County-funded Choose Well program is the first rating system of assisted living and board-and-care facilities of its kind in California. Its a guide to selecting a residential care facility on a website where the information can be easily accessed. See how it works here. The bottom line: While rating systems like Choose Well may not solve the medical/nonmedical paradox, it is a very good start to accommodate growing demand by consumers for transparency and accountability. There is hope that Choose Well will facilitate an evolving dialogue by educating consumers about these critical issues. Learn more: Citations, violations, complaints and other information about facilities can be researched on the California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division. (The records of licensed paid caregivers and adult day care centers can also be searched there.) Cindy Hasz, is the owner/founder and CEO of Grace Care Management, an elder advocacy and care management company in San Diego. This article, which has been edited for length and format, was used by permission from the San Diego Elder Law Center. michele.parente@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @sdeditgirl Students enroll at the Preuss School at UC San Diego with an ambitious goal: become the first in their family to graduate from college. This year, 100 percent of graduates are going onto four-year universities, according to the prestigious charter campus. So when U.S. News & World Report ranked more than 20,500 public high schools across the country, it wasnt a surprise that Preuss rose near the top to be named the 76th best high school in the country, sixth in California, and the highest-ranked high school in San Diego County. The school, which features a longer school year, more demanding classes and greater support than typical public schools, has hit on some techniques for helping low-income, sometimes struggling students become first-generation college graduates, principal Scott Barton said. Advertisement It not only works in the magazine rankings, but it works for our students getting accepted and enrolling in college, he said. The annual report evaluated more than 20,500 public schools across the country, using data on graduation rates and state test scores. It recognized 5,948 top-performing schools with numeric rankings, and awards of gold, silver or bronze, depending on their level of college readiness. High Schools in San Diego Unified, San Dieguito, Poway, Sweetwater and Chula Vista School Districts ranked among the top 1,000 in the country. Others in Escondido Union High School District, Grossmont Union High School District, Julian Union High School District, Oceanside Unified, Ramona Unified, San Marcos Unified and Vista Unified School Districts placed in the top 2,000 high schools nationwide. The states of Massachusetts, California and Maryland had the highest percentage of eligible schools that received gold and silver medals. As a whole, graduation rates at the web publishers top-ranked schools are 12 percent higher on average than other schools in the country, according to the report. By sharing this with parents and students, they will be armed with the data-driven information needed to help make better-informed decisions about their education, Robert Morse, a chief data strategist for U.S. News & World Report, said in a statement. In addition to Preuss, seven other San Diego Unified schools made the top 1,000, including La Jolla High, Mt. Everest Academy, Scripps Ranch High, University City High, the OFarrell Charter, Junipero Serra High and Henry High. District Communications Director Maureen Magee said in a statement that the report underscores a broader district culture that promotes academic rigor, student engagement and collaboration among educators. Canyon Crest Academy in the San Dieguito Union High School District was the second-highest ranked San Diego area campus, coming in at number 132 on the list. Other San Dieguito schools in the top 1,000 included Torrey Pines High at 300 and San Dieguito High Academy at 631. Chula Vista Learning Community Charter, a K-12 campus in the Chula Vista Elementary District, was the third-highest ranked San Diego area school at number 245. Four Poway Unified School District campuses also made the publishers top 1,000 high schools in the country, including Del Norte High, Westview High, Mt. Carmel High and Rancho Bernardo High. We are so proud of the engaging work that takes place at all of our sites, K -12, throughout (Poway Unified School District,) which is represented in these national and state rankings for our high school sites, Todd Cassen, executive director of learning support services for the district, said in a statement Tuesday. Eastlake High School in the Sweetwater Union High School District in Chula Vista, also emerged in the top 1,000. The rankings are based on a four-step methodology, Morse said. The first three steps review graduation rates and state proficiency tests for math and reading, while the fourth reviews how students fared on advanced placement and international baccalaureate exams, which measure students preparedness for college level work. At Preuss School, students are in class for a longer school year, 198 days versus 180 for most public schools, Barton said. Starting in sixth grade, students prepare for high school, and they all take the same rigorous classes, including advanced placement courses. They get extra help with tough topics during an advisory period, he said, and the school places a premium on parent involvement. Those practices help ensure the success of the schools exclusively low-income student population, he said. At some other highly ranked campuses, however, students start school without those disadvantages. Within San Diego, most top-performing districts and campuses have lower percentages of students who are English learners or come from low-income families factors which typically affect test scores and graduation rates. In Poway Unified, 14.5 percent of students come from low-income homes, and just under 12 percent are English learners, according to the California School Dashboard, which tracks demographics and performance for the states schools. In San Dieguito Union High School District, just 8.5 percent are low-income and fewer than 4 percent are English learners. At La Jolla High School, 28.1 percent of students are considered low income and just 3.4 percent are English learners. By contrast, nearly 60 percent of students in San Diego Unified School District as a whole come from poorer families, and nearly a quarter are English learners. Morse said the U.S. News rankings take those differences into account, and weight scores partially based on how the schools compare to others in their state, and how they serve those facing economic or language barriers. With this in mind, we define a best high school as one that best serves all of its students, he said in a statement. Are the schools students performing better than statistically expected in their state? Are disadvantaged students performing better than the state average? Is the school graduating its students? Are students prepared for college-level coursework? A standout high school is able to succeed in all of these criteria. Cassen noted that the districts rankings arent a goal in themselves, but the result of efforts to prepare students to graduate from high school and move onto jobs or college. Where we are in the rankings is never the focus, he said. Our efforts are centered on meeting the needs of all our students, challenging them to push themselves academically, and crafting an overall educational experience that is founded on student learning. If we do this work correctly, all of our state and national metrics will continue to improve. deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan On a night when Chula Vista celebrated progress on its long-awaited Bayfront hotel and convention center, Third Avenues revitalization, and more residential development, Mayor Mary Casillas Salas acknowledged the city needs to increase revenues in order to continue providing city services. During Tuesdays State of the City address, the mayor of San Diegos second-largest city said Chula Vista has the countys second-lowest tax revenue per capita. We are working very hard to increase and diversify our revenue streams so that we can afford to provide better services to our residents, Salas told the crowd of more than 150 people. But at the moment, we are second-to-last in revenues in the entire county. Chula Vista generates $552 in tax revenues for every resident, compared to $953 in San Diego and $2,057 in Coronado, Salas said. Advertisement In the short-term, the city wants to increase revenues by asking voters to raise the sales tax from 8.25 percent to 8.75 percent in Junes election. They also hope sales at new breweries on Third Avenue and taxes from marijuana businesses, pending a November vote, bring in more tax dollars. If Measure A passes in November, the revenue from the sales tax increase will go into the general fund, a pool of money the city uses to pay for basic services, but the City Council has promised to use it to hire more police officers and firefighters. Regarding new marijuana businesses, the city approved a cannabis ordinance in February. But that ordinance is dependent on voters approving a tax ballot in Novembers election. In the long-term, the city hopes the Bayfront hotel and convention center becomes a catalyst for more development in Chula Vistas bayfront. Salas envisions the area becoming a community hub full of hotels, restaurants, office space, and parks. In April, 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. The Coastal Development Permit for the project is expected to be presented to the Port this fall. Despite Chula Vistas stagnant tax revenues, Mayor Salas believes the city has much to celebrate. In addition to the Bayfront project, the mayor touted the opening of a new hotel and construction of two more, new housing developments in the east part of the city that include 200 units of affordable housing, a 53-acre business park under construction on the west side, and Chula Vistas commitment to being 100 percent energy efficient by 2035. We are no longer a sleepy agricultural town full of lemon orchards, Salas said. We are growing, developing, and maturing; fulfilling our promise of becoming a great 21st century city. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter In Chula Vista, firefighters and paramedics respond to low-priority 911 calls even though less than one percent of those calls require emergency medical services. By not sending firefighters to those calls, the Chula Vista Fire Department believes it can respond to high-priority calls faster. The department is currently considering sending only ambulances to what are officially known as level three calls. When you look at surrounding fire departments, they dont send a first responder on a level three call, said Deputy Fire Chief Harry Muns. So theres other departments already not doing this and thats what were looking at. National City and San Diego fire departments do not send firefighters to level three medical calls, Muns added. Advertisement The fire department recently analyzed 1,800 level three calls and found that only 0.12 percent of those calls resulted in the highest level of medical emergency. Were building data and were slowly showing that we have comfort that we should probably back up from this, Muns said. Letting ambulances respond to all level three calls would free up the departments limited staff to focus on high-priority 911 calls, he added Chula Vistas police and fire departments are currently so understaffed that the city is asking voters to approve a sales tax increase to hire more officers and firefighters. Because Chula Vista currently has an emergency transport contract with a private company called American Medical Response, it needs to negotiate with the company before making any changes to how the fire department responds to level three calls. City Councilman and retired firefighter Mike Diaz acknowledged that the current policy of sending first responders to level three calls is not working. But he had concerns about outsourcing the work to American Medical Services. Ive always believed that in public safety we need to be the masters of our own destiny and with this we are giving that away, he said. He proposed having firefighters respond to level three calls with some sort of squad concept, where two first responders drive in smaller vehicles. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Wednesday, May 9, and heres whats happening across California: TOP STORIES The three finalists for Los Angeles police chief are Robert Arcos, Michel Moore and Bill Scott, a diverse group with decades in the department. Arcos, a third-generation Mexican American, is in charge of Central Bureau, which includes downtown and parts of northeast Los Angeles. Moore oversees the LAPDs patrol operations. Scott, who is African American, left the LAPD more than a year ago to become San Franciscos police chief. Notably absent in the final cut were female candidates. Many LAPD and City Hall insiders had expected a woman to be in the top three and potentially go on to become the departments first female police chief. Los Angeles Times A passion for public safety Advertisement George Deukmejian, a perennially popular two-term Republican governor of California who built his career on fighting crime, hardening the states criminal-justice stance and shoring up its leaky finances, died Tuesday. The son of Armenian immigrants, Deukmejian had years of public office on his resume before winning election as governor and emerging as the most prominent Armenian American politician in the United States. Los Angeles Times Will he be back? John Lasseter was once perhaps the most powerful man in Hollywood. But the Pixar Animation Studios executive, who took a six-month leave of absence in November, will soon know the answer when his corporate bosses decide whether he will return after he admitted to inappropriate workplace hugging and other missteps. For Disney leaders, the Lasseter situation represents an exceptionally thorny dilemma. Los Angeles Times Resistance to the resistance Opposition to Californias sanctuary state law has been growing recently, but is it a pointless political ploy? Columnist Steve Lopez quizzed elected officials in conservative Costa Mesa about what they are saying when they fight the sanctuary movement. Los Angeles Times Plus: The movement spreads to L.A. County. Los Angeles Times Get the Essential California newsletter San Miguel Street is like many other roads in Woodland Hills except that its withdrawn from service, with no one in charge of maintaining it. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times ) L.A. STORIES Scary moment: Two people were arrested at Los Angeles Police headquarters Tuesday morning after a substance was thrown at Chief Charlie Beck during a meeting of the city Police Commission, officials said. Los Angeles Times Out of policy? The Police Commission and Chief Beck are at odds over whether officers followed policy in the shooting death of a man in Sunland last year who was shot from a helicopter. That was a first for the LAPD. The commission found that several of the officers involved did not follow approved tactics. Los Angeles Times Fix the streets! Hundreds of streets were officially withdrawn from public use in Los Angeles during the Great Depression, when the city said it didnt have enough money to fix dangerous streets. Decades later, some have still not been reinstated. Los Angeles Times Growing metropolis: New additions to the downtown L.A. skyline are coming. Curbed Los Angeles Corruption probe: Federal agents executed search warrants at Adelanto City Hall and the home of Mayor Rich Kerr. Los Angeles Times CRIME AND COURTS Murder mystery: Detectives believe the Golden State Killer acted alone. But that has not stopped some theories that he had an accomplice. Sacramento Bee On video: Theres growing concern over a video showing a police officer pulling a gun on a man who he wrongly believed was stealing some Mentos at a store. Orange County Register Oof: The cost of the Porter Ranch gas leak in approaching $1 billion. KPCC POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT That escalated quickly: Six of the top candidates running for California governor took the stage in San Jose on Tuesday night for the most pivotal debate of the campaign, and with the June 5 primary fast approaching, things got heated. Los Angeles Times Plus: Analysis from The Times Sacramento reporting team. Los Angeles Times Recall target: A week after voting with fellow Democrats to raise Californias gas tax, state Sen. Josh Newman was vacationing with his wife on a Caribbean island when he saw a news alert on his phone that said Republicans were targeting a lawmaker for recall over the action. Its been a crazy ride ever since. Los Angeles Times Growing fast: Understanding the apartment boom going on in the Sacramento area. Sacramento Bee Up for a sixth term: Despite scandal, the longtime sheriff of Silicon Valley appears headed for yet another term. Is she made of Teflon? Mercury News Worlds collide: The Milken Institute Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton hotel was a strange mix of glitz and wonkiness. Politico Hmm: How did an Orange County Superfund site get on a cleanup list? Thank a conservative talk-radio host. Politico Expect delays: Travelers eager for Highway 1 to reopen in Big Sur will have to wait a little longer. It has been a year since a massive landslide rained debris down on Californias coastal route, making a drive along the entire 655-mile roadway impossible. The road was expected to reopen this month, but the date was pushed back to mid-September as crews work to realign the highway. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA CULTURE Gone flat: At its peak, Green Flash was synonymous with San Diego craft beer. Its distinctive brews won fans and contests, and one of those beers West Coast IPA defined the regions most popular style. Founder Mike Hinkleys ambitions for his brand were boundless, and he believed it would grow from a micro-brewery to a national power. But its decline is a cautionary tale for the once red-hot California microbrew world. San Diego Union-Tribune Awkward: The Bay Area housing market is so overheated that some divorced couples are living together out of economic necessity. SF Gate Cheering in the shadows: The amazing story of a homeless Golden State Warriors fan. San Francisco Chronicle Sad tale: The despair of addiction overwhelming Eureka. New York Times Wheels are turning: Amid so many problems and so much hype, is Tesla going to revolutionize the auto industry or be a flash in the pan? Wall Street Journal CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles area: partly cloudy, 77, Wednesday; sunny, 77, Thursday. San Diego: partly cloudy, 69, Wednesday; sunny, 69, Thursday. San Francisco area: cloudy, 62, Wednesday; partly cloudy, 66, Thursday. Sacramento: mostly sunny, 81, Wednesday; partly cloudy, 84, Thursday. More weather is here. AND FINALLY Todays California memory comes from Carol Law: In May 1961, we moved into a 3-year old Leucadia ranch home weve never left, with spectacular back-country views and solid oak floors. Leucadia is what locals call a big slice of North Encinitas. Price: $23,500. Guided by a very clever engineer-woodworker husband, we did 90% of the repairs and maintenance through our own sweat and thriftiness. We raised four children in this now urbanized home. The kids have wonderful memories of Leucadia and the rambling ranch house, still charming but somewhat decrepit with octogenarians as caregivers. God willing, well never leave the Golden State. If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad. 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. Workers covered UCLAs Westwood campus Monday. They wore green T-shirts that proclaimed in big yellow block letters, We run UC. Medical workers gathered in front of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. One marched with an infant swaddled to her chest. Another walked a large dog. As they approached the front entrance, a man at the door waved to one of his workers in the crowd. Are you missing us inside the lab? the worker asked. No wonder its so busy! said her manager, with a smile. Can you just come back? When you sign the contract, we will," the worker said, before rushing to catch up with her friends. 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. Workers with UC's largest employee union begin a three-day strike Monday. Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times We are humans too Senior custodian Davina Woods held two megaphones Monday though she has a voice loud and sharp enough to spread her message without them. Im very boisterous, she said, in a break between leading chants. Woods, a member of the unions negotiation team, works from 5:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. to make the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center shine. Im out here fighting for a fair, safe, just and unbiased contract, she said. She said shes had to supplement her work with odd jobs to keep up with rising costs. I wear the pants and the dress, said the single mother of four. Im just tired of surviving. I want to live. When she started working, she made about $13 an hour. Seven years later, she makes $18.64. Weve sat down with UC seven or eight times within a year, and its gotten nowhere, she said. Maybe with this little exposure now, maybe they will make some type of movement and consider us, because we are humans too. Theyre trying to ruin peoples pensions Jose Plascencia, a radiology technician, said he feels he is treated fairly but joined the picket line on behalf of his colleagues. Theyre trying to ruin peoples pensions, and they can lay off whoever they want, Plascencia said. He sometimes does per diem work for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to boost his pay. Were busting our ass all the time, he said. Thousands gather on the UCLA campus to support the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 Monday for the first day of a three-day strike. Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times My working condition is horrible As a materials management worker, Rafaella Del Rosario is responsible for making sure the medical centers operating rooms are fully stocked and ready for surgery. She orders supplies such as gauze and surgical blades. My working condition is horrible, she said. No one gets treated fairly. When she started seven years ago, she said, she was paid $18 an hour. Now, she makes $24.80 per hour. But her rent keeps rising, and her Inglewood residence now costs $1,600 a month. She is raising three children ages 2, 10 and 17. The budget is tight, especially with one child about to go to college. To make ends meet, she said, shes started working weekends, picking up overtime and driving for Lyft but its hard, because she wants to spend time with her baby. Sometimes she takes the bus just to save money on parking. Trying to provide for our families For Chenelle Gabourel, a lead custodian at UCLA, childcare is a juggling act. Her mother and her fiance also work at UCLA. She starts her job at 6 a.m. and works weekends. Her mother finishes at 2:30 a.m. and helps watch Gabourels 4-year-old and 3-year-old twins. Gabourels biggest gripes are with her weekend shifts and the possibility of rising healthcare premiums. Giving up weekends is a big sacrifice, she said. She wants to plan activities and trips with her toddlers, but she doesnt have a lot of spare money and her schedule makes it hard. Were all trying to provide for our families, she said. She said she was considering bringing Sariah, her 4-year-old, to the picket line Tuesday so she could see how hard were fighting. Demonstrators gather on the UCLA campus to support the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 who began a three-day strike Monday. Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times Its always quality time and never quantity Monica Martinez has worked as a certified nursing assistant at UCLA for 18 years. The Lincoln Heights resident is on the job from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. She said she was striking to fight inequality and gaps in pay between white people and people of color. Ten years ago, the single mom had to work two jobs to support herself and four children. Now, she no longer has dependents and lives with her sister, but she is still toiling away at two jobs: she does the same work for a different hospital. I try to schedule outings, quality time with my grandchildren, she said. But its always quality time and never quantity. Scott Dozier wants to die. The state of Nevada wants to kill him. Which left Doziers attorney arguing before the Nevada Supreme Court on Tuesday not about whether he would be executed but how. For the record: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said some of the states supply of fentanyl had expired. It was some of the states supply of cisatracurium that had expired. David Anthony, a federal public defender, told the seven justices that the states proposed addition of the paralytic drug cisatracurium to a lethal execution regimen is unnecessary and would simply mask any mistakes made while administering two other drugs, fentanyl and diazepam. Their protocol has no upside and unlimited downside, Anthony said. Advertisement But Assistant Solicitor Gen. Jordan Smith, arguing for the Nevada Department of Corrections, said the case was bigger than Dozier and that his lawyers were using it to prevent the use of the death penalty for other convicts. He called the Dozier case a de-facto ban on the death penalty in Nevada. The arguments being made here are an attack on the death penalty itself, Smith said. Dozier, 47, was convicted in 2007 of murdering and dismembering 22-year-old Jeremiah Miller five years earlier at a Las Vegas motel. He also was convicted in Arizona 13 years ago for the 2001 murder of 26-year-old Jasen Green. He has steadfastly expressed his desire to die and has refused to allow his attorneys to file for a stay of execution. More than a year ago, he waived his appeals. He did, however, allow his legal team to press ahead in arguing against the use of the paralytic drug on the grounds that it is inhumane and could cause unneeded pain and suffering to future inmates facing execution. Anthonys arguments leaned heavily on testimony made by Dr. David Waisel, a Boston-based anesthesiologist, who testified last year in Clark County District Court that the states lack of practice in administering the new combination of drugs makes the protocol ripe for error. It is a dramatically unfamiliar situation and location for the individuals performing the injections, Waisel wrote in a brief. Even for experienced individuals this increases risk; it is increased even more for the inexperienced, especially without high-quality practice. The state is in a bind, however. There is no protocol for executions using only the two drugs, which means a new procedure would have to be developed and prison staff would need to be trained. And the states supply of diazepam expired May 1 a point hammered by Justice James Hardesty. Doesnt that make this matter moot? he asked the lawyers. Smith said the state would try to obtain more diazepam. He also told the court that Doziers legal team has dragged out the proceedings knowing the states supply of the drug was about to expire. Some of its cisatracurium supply has expired, but Smith said enough was still on hand to carry out the execution. Other states have struggled to replenish their supplies of execution drugs. Fordham University law professor Deborah Denno said in an interview that because many of the drugs used for executions are manufactured in European countries that oppose the death penalty, there has been a reluctance to sell to states for that purpose. Even U.S. pharmaceutical companies dont want their drugs to be associated with executions, she said. Last year, McKesson Medical-Surgical sued Arkansas after it discovered the state was using one of its drugs in an attempt to execute 10 men in eight days. The company said the state had mislead the drug company by saying the purchased drugs were being used for other medical reasons. Lethal injection has been used in executions since 1977, and a three-drug protocol of sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride was the standard until 2009. But as states began having difficulty acquiring drugs, they were forced to adapt. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, eight states now have carried out executions using a single drug and anesthetic and six others plan to do so if necessary. Nevada has executed a total of 12 people since 1976 most recently in 2006. Doziers lawyers argued that Nevada doesnt frequently apply the death penalty and that infrequency makes the state more at risk to make a mistake. Anthony said the use of a new, untried three-drug protocol compounded that problem and argued that is why District Court Judge Jennifer Togliatti ruled in November against the states use of the three drugs. The state, which had planned to execute Dozier that month, appealed her ruling. Smith said the risk of a mistake is not a reason to not use the procedure. There will always be the chance of human error, no matter how many safeguards are in place, Smith said. That there might be a bungle is not an argument against it. During about 90 minutes of oral arguments, the justices peppered the lawyers with questions about the procedures of the execution and why Dozier was arguing against it when he clearly wanted to die. Justice Michael Cherry asked Anthony for a bottom-line answer. Will he withdraw his request to die? Cherry asked. No, Anthony said. He will die whether we approve a three-drug protocol or a two-drug protocol? Yes, the attorney said. Regardless of how the court rules, as I far as I know, Mr. Doziers wishes are to proceed with an execution. Its unclear when the Nevada Supreme Court will issue a ruling. david.montero@latimes.com Twitter: @davemontero The Bonhomme Richard is back home in San Diego, more than six years after it left to become the Navys only forward-deployed amphibious assault ship in the Western Pacific Ocean. Carrying a crew of nearly 1,200 sailors, it sidled up to pier 2 at Naval Base San Diego on Tuesday morning, moored near its sister warship, Boxer. The Bonnie Dick had served as the flagship of the Japan-based 7th Fleets expeditionary strike group before being replaced by the Wasp in January. I have probably the best crew in the United States Navy, said Larry El Mac McCullen, the commander of the Bonhomme Richard. Im obviously a little biased in saying that, but they have done incredible work. Advertisement Operating in the bustling Western Pacific at a very high operational tempo since mid-2012, the warship participated in numerous training exercises alongside the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and friendly forces from Thailand, Australia, Japan and Singapore. The Bonhomme Richard conducted search and rescue operations after the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster in South Korea and provided humanitarian relief after Japans Kumamoto earthquakes two years later. Perhaps the saddest day for the crew came on Aug. 5, when an MV-22B Osprey launched from the Bonhomme Richard crashed in Australias Shoalwater Bay during a training exercise. Three Marines from the Dragons of Japan-based Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 died. The deaths of the Marines came in between twin collisions with merchant vessels by the Japan-based guided-missile destroyers Fitzgerald and McCain. Those mishaps claimed the lives of 17 sailors, two of them from San Diego County. That was challenging, McCullen said. The Marines, when we embark them, become part of our family. We have a very family-like environment on the Bonhomme Richard and although it wasnt on our ship when the mishap occurred, we were there, on station and ready to help out. And the good news in that whole story is that 23 Marines came home that day. We lost three and well never forget those Marines and the sailors we lost this summer in the forward-deployed naval forces. Bonhomme Richard avoided the sea calamities because of a constant emphasis on safety, McCullen said. Three words train, train, train, said McCullen, who fleeted up more than a year ago as Bonhomme Richards executive officer to become the skipper. You have to train to the operating environment. You have to have a focus on the mission and operating safely. Safety is our No. 1 priority. McCullens warship bears the named of John Paul Jones renowned Continental Navy frigate. Although outgunned by the larger HMS Serapis during the 1779 Battle of Flamborough Head, Jones refused to surrender, famously shouting Sir, I have not yet begun to fight! With the aid of another American warship, Jones defeated the British vessel, boarded it and seized it. Commissioned in 1998, todays Bonhomme Richard is slated to participate in this summers Rim of the Pacific war games and then enter a repair yard in the fall for an extensive refurbishing. The modernization is designed to allow the vessel to launch the Marines new F-35B Joint Strike Fighters, a capability already fielded by the Wasp and the San Diego-based America. As for McCullen, hes slated to leave the warship after RIMPAC to take the helm of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program at the College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts. That gives him the chance to apprentice on the weekends at a Maine Christmas tree farm he bought, fleeting up to take over operations after he retires a few years from now. And Ill send a Christmas tree to the Bonhomme Richard every year, he said. I found out that you can send a Christmas tree in the mail. Can you believe that? 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 Daniel and Martin Castillo, both farmers back in Guatemala, joined the migrant route through Mexico to the U.S. border hoping to find jobs and build lives safe from crime. But after enduring two consecutive attacks this week at a Tijuana migrant shelter, the brothers from the Quetzaltenango region said they are more frightened than ever. We fled a violent situation there, and we find the same thing here, said Daniel Castillo, 28. The Pueblo Sin Fronteras caravan has brought much attention in recent days to the issue of Central Americans fleeing violence and poverty and hoping to find asylum in the United States. While more than 200 presented themselves in recent days at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, untold numbers of Hondurans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans remain in Mexico some still waiting to cross, others opting to stay in Mexico. With no legal immigration status in Mexico, they are highly vulnerable people, they dont have money, they dont have anything, said Soraya Vazquez, of Espacio Migrante, a Tijuana nonprofit. Advertisement Guatemalan migrants Daniel Castillo and his wife, Yuri Azucena Villagrana, at the Caritas shelter in Tijuana this week. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune ) The caravan, criticized by President Donald Trump, was the largest such group of Central American migrants to have crossed Mexico in recent years. Traveling in a group has been a means of self-protection for those undocumented migrants who are preyed upon by criminals and corrupt officials; but for organizers, it has also been a means of raising awareness of the situation. Caravan members did it to be safe crossing through Mexico, they did not do it to engage with U.S. immigration policy, said Ev Meade, director of the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego. Its really a small number thats attracted a disproportionate amount of attention. Caravan leaders said that the group swelled to close to 1,700 at one point, but by the time it reached Tijuana late last month, the total was closer to 400. Days after the caravan has dissipated, many participants who have remained in Mexico say they continue to need protection. In Hermosillo, capital of Sonora state, 15 caravan members launched a hunger strike on Monday outside the offices of Mexicos National Migration Institute, saying that Mexican officials have yet to comply with a commitment to grant humanitarian visas that would allow them to live and work in Mexico for an extended period. As long as you have legal status, and some security that youre going to keep it for awhile, youre not going to be quite as susceptible to being preyed upon, said Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America. This week, Vazquez of Espacio Migrante helped raise bus fare to the state of Sonora for three Honduran brothers, all caravan members who want to stay in Mexico, while their family members cross the border and ask for U.S. asylum. But they are eager to get out of Tijuana, where they feel unsafe, and hope for jobs as farmworkers in Caborca. About 80 people were still debating this week whether to ask for U.S. asylum, said Erika Pinheiro, an attorney with Al Otro Lado, a nonprofit group with offices in Tijuana and Los Angeles that has been advising caravan participants. On Monday, she laid out the possibility of asylum in Mexico as she addressed some two dozen caravan members an option Central American migrants have increasingly sought. Caravan member Jenny Carolina Lopez, of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, hopes to stay in Mexico and find work in Tijuana. (Sandra Dibble / The San Diego Union-Tribune ) Among those listening was Jenny Carolina Lopez, 28, a former housekeeper from the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula who said she already has been deported from the United States to Honduras three times. I have faith that God will open doors for me, so that I can stay here and find a good job, she said, planning to stay in Mexico. In Tijuana this week, two attacks on a shelter south of downtown Tijuana served to underscore the dangers some continue to face. The assaults targeted the modest Catholic-run Caritas Tijuana shelter, located in the middle of a low-income hillside neighborhood rising from a narrow street known as Canon K. The first attack came at about 1:40 a.m. Sunday, when shelter occupants were awoken by six armed assailants some with their faces covered who stole money, cellphones, identification documents and clothes. When the attack occurred, a group of 11 transgender caravan members preparing to seek asylum at the San Ysidro Port of Entry were among those at the shelter, but said they were in a separate area with a strong lock. Though they escaped harm, they quickly left to find shelter elsewhere. On Tuesday, they continued to await their opportunity to present themselves at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, according to a caravan spokesman. Early Monday, a dozen migrants sharing rooms on the top floor were jolted awake by smoke and flames: someone had barred their door with a mattress, and set it on fire. There is no justification for this, said Leticia Herrera Hernandez, the shelters director. These are aggressions against people who are completely defenseless. While no suspects have been caught, Herrera believes that the attacks are coming from people in the neighborhood who dont want the shelter there. Tijuana police have since posted a patrol officer outside, but that didnt prevent someone from hurling a rock at the building when a San Diego Union-Tribune photographer stopped by early Tuesday afternoon. In the meantime, Martin and Daniel Castillo remained at the shelter with their wives because they have nowhere to go. Weve tried to look for work, so we can rent a house, but we cant because we dont have documents, Daniel Castillo said. Herrera said that as victims of violence, the Castillos could be granted permits to live and work in Mexico. 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. The agreement also serves as an achievement for outgoing interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian. Advertisement The deal applies to the 30,000 part-time and full-time nonteaching employees who are represented by Local 99 of Service Employees International Union. Local 99 represents bus drivers, cafeteria workers, teaching assistants and aides for disabled students. Under the accord, these workers will receive a 3% raise retroactive to July 1, 2017. Some employees will receive 4% because they received smaller raises in the previous contract. These raises are permanent. The contract also includes a second, later 3% raise that may or may not be permanent depending on the districts overall financial health. One key concession by the union is that employees will have to work longer to earn retiree health benefits. Fewer are likely to achieve these benefits. The one-day strike, planned for May 15, would likely have shut down campuses across the nations second-largest school system. The teachers union was urging its members not to cross picket lines. The stated purpose of the strike was to protest alleged labor law violations, which the district denied. The settlement prompted both parties to put that issue aside. howard.blume@latimes.com @howardblume UPDATES: 9 p.m.: This story was updated with the announcement of a labor deal that averted the one-day strike. Details of the deal were included. 5 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional details about the two unions plans. This article was originally published at 3:30 p.m. Three department veterans have been chosen as finalists to replace outgoing Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck in one of the nations most prominent law enforcement positions, according to three sources familiar with the selection process. Each member of the racially diverse trio Robert Arcos, Michel Moore and Bill Scott has decades of experience with the L.A. Police Department, coming of age during the 1992 riots, helping to implement reforms dictated by a federal consent decree and being promoted to high positions by Beck. The winnowing to three finalists by the citys Police Commission follows a months-long, nationwide search that from the beginning seemed likely to come down to a department insider as the odds-on favorite. Notably absent in the final cut were female candidates. Arcos, a third-generation Mexican American, is in charge of Central Bureau, which includes downtown and northeast Los Angeles. If selected by Mayor Eric Garcetti, he would be the first Latino police chief of a city that is nearly 50% Latino. Moore oversees the LAPDs patrol operations. Scott, who is African American, left the LAPD more than a year ago to become police chief in San Francisco. Advertisement Many LAPD and City Hall insiders had expected a woman to be in the top three and potentially go on to become the departments first female police chief. Sandy Jo MacArthur, the LAPDs highest-ranking woman when she retired three years ago as an assistant chief, was among those interviewed for the job but did not make the final round, according to the three sources, who were not authorized to discuss the selection process publicly. The highest-ranking woman in the department, Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala, was considered an initial front-runner but did not apply for the job. Arcos and Moore said they could not comment on the selection process. Scott did not respond to a request for comment. Last week, the Police Commission interviewed Arcos, MacArthur, Moore, Scott and LAPD Deputy Chief Phil Tingirides out of a field of 31 applicants. The civilian commission, which oversees the LAPD, forwarded its top three choices to Garcetti on Friday. Commission President Steve Soboroff has declined to name any of the finalists, saying that releasing the names is up to the mayor. Bucking recent precedent, Garcetti said Monday that he will not release the names, to protect the confidentiality of the candidates. Arcos and Moore have confirmed to The Times that they applied for the job. For Scott, who went to San Francisco in January 2017 promising to turn around a troubled police department, the optics are more delicate. After The Times reported that he was one of the five candidates interviewed by the commission, Scott told ABC7 News in San Francisco that he would not confirm an unsubstantiated source. What Id like to say is what Ive been saying. I have to be focused on this job, he said in the interview. We have a lot of work to do. In selecting three finalists with deep roots in the department, the commission signaled a desire to build on the foundation Beck laid, with his emphasis on community policing and working with former gang members to tamp down violence. The new chief will face a host of thorny challenges: continued public scrutiny on police shootings and demands for transparency, an escalating homelessness problem, immigrants who fear deportation under President Trump, deeply rooted mistrust of law enforcement among some black and Latino residents, and crime rates that have ticked up in recent years. Whichever one of the three is chosen by Garcetti will be the second consecutive homegrown chief, after Beck. William Bratton, Becks predecessor, was brought in from the East Coast to change the culture of a department rife with corruption and where some officers were accused of disrespecting the residents they policed. The three finalists are among the LAPD leaders who embraced that cultural shift. After Beck announced his retirement in January, the commission held public meetings, with many residents saying they wanted a police chief who understands the uniquely polyglot nature of their sprawling city. Those comments have been echoed by some City Council members, who will vote on Garcettis choice. Michael Downing, a 35-year LAPD veteran and former interim chief who is now a security executive, said all three men are intelligent, thoughtful and reflective leaders. L.A. cant go wrong with any of three, said Downing, who retired as a deputy chief of the counterterrorism bureau. Garcetti has said he will interview the three finalists one on one and then probably do a second round of interviews with some City Council members present. He expects to pick the new chief by the end of the month and possibly earlier, which would be weeks before Becks June 27 departure. The commission has ranked the finalists, but the mayor is not obliged to abide by the order. Moore was ranked first in 2009, but Beck got the job. Garcetti, who is contemplating a run for U.S. president, has described his ideal police chief: someone who is respected by the rank and file but is not afraid to discipline officers when necessary, who embraces reforms, who works to improve relationships with residents and who finds ways to get things done with a limited budget. He has said that he is not looking for a chief from a particular demographic. Arcos, 57, grew up in Texas and L.A. He has the backing of the Mexican American Bar Assn. of Los Angeles County, which also interviewed MacArthur and Moore before endorsing Arcos. As the deputy chief over Central Bureau, Arcos has taken on two of the LAPDs most pressing issues: homelessness and fear of deportation among the citys immigrant residents. Moore, 57, is first assistant chief over the office of operations, making him Arcos direct supervisor. Moore is known as a detail-oriented manager with a mastery of crime statistics. Early in his career, he developed a version of the computerized crime-mapping systems that are heavily used today. In 2000, he was assigned to clean up the Rampart Division after a corruption scandal there resulted in the overturning of more than 100 criminal convictions. His father was a Basque immigrant, and he is listed as Hispanic on department rosters, but his heritage has not played a significant role in defining him in the department. Scott was the LAPDs highest-ranking African American officer when he left to lead the San Francisco Police Department, which was reeling from controversial police shootings and a scandal involving racist texts sent by police officers. He is working to implement reforms recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice in San Francisco and has pushed to arm all his officers with Tasers. In his 27 years at the LAPD, Scott helped oversee reforms required by the federal consent decree. He finished his career as deputy chief of South Bureau, which includes much of South Los Angeles. richard.winton@latimes.com Twitter: @LAcrimes david.zahniser@latimes.com Twitter: @DavidZahniser james.queally@latimes.com Twitter: @JamesQueallyLAT cindy.chang@latimes.com Twitter: @cindychangLA UPDATES: 8:05 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details and comments about the finalists. This article was originally published at 2:55 p.m. The backlash against a new California law that protects immigrants continued in Santa Clarita as the City Council voted to formally oppose the so-called sanctuary law and file a brief in support of the Trump administrations lawsuit against the state. With the 5-0 vote early Wednesday morning, Santa Clarita became what is believed to be the first city in Los Angeles County to officially oppose Senate Bill 54, joining a handful of municipalities elsewhere in Southern California that have challenged the law since Gov. Jerry Brown signed it in October. The council chamber was packed Tuesday night, with people standing in aisles and doorways and spilling out into an overflow room as approximately 200 had signed up to speak. Many wore red Make America Great Again caps. Some snacked on popcorn while others cooled themselves with fans. Some said SB 54, which limits cooperation by local law enforcement with federal immigration authorities, would promote criminality, while others said it would make communities safer. Some cited legal explanations for why the law violates the Constitution, while others argued that California was within its rights. Advertisement I dont understand. When these people have committed a crime why cant one agency be able to call another agency? Annette Burns said. California has overreached, Susan Agnes, a resident and mother of two, said. The atmosphere was often tense, punctuated by moments of levity. Audience members repeatedly heckled and booed one another, prompting reprimands from Mayor Laurene Weste including a brief lesson on the 1st Amendment. Some yelled Line cutter, No signs or Time! to enforce the rules. At one point, the audio cut out and someone shouted, Russians! More often than not, statements veered into the broader immigration debate and the symbolism of the resolution. By 9:30 p.m., about 100 people were still in line to speak. Councilman Bob Kellar listens to speakers at Santa Clarita City Hall before a vote on Californias sanctuary law Tuesday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times ) I consider myself a patriot, said Alex Reza, a Newhall resident and veteran. I also consider myself a person who appreciates the tremendous contributions of immigrants, both documented and undocumented. By opposing SB 54, you are sending a loud message to Latino communities that [Santa Clarita] is not a family-friendly city, he continued. In March, Los Alamitos approved an ordinance claiming exemption from SB 54. That same month, Orange County signed on to the federal lawsuit against California over SB 54 and other laws protecting immigrants. Huntington Beach has also sued California in state court. Two weeks ago, a resolution by San Dimas City Councilman Ryan Vienna to oppose SB 54 failed, though he has personally filed a brief supporting the federal lawsuit. Santa Clarita City Councilman Bob Kellar initiated discussion on this issue in March. I feel very strongly that this whole thing of having a sanctuary state and sanctuary cities is ridiculous, he told the Santa Clarita Valley Signal at the time. We are putting our American citizens at additional risk and theres no question about this its costing our state ungodly billions of dollars. Outside the City Council chambers Tuesday afternoon, about 150 demonstrators and counter-demonstrators lined up ahead of the meeting. On one side of the building, protesters opposed to the resolution chanted No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here. They carried signs in English and Spanish that said Immigrants = America and Not all Santa Clarita are proud racists, a reference to a remark Kellar previously made saying he was a proud racist. On the other side, counter-demonstrators wearing We [heart] I.C.E. pins and President Trump neckties waved American flags and sang the national anthem. Occasionally they traveled over to the opposing side, shouting socialists and Speak English, youre in the United States. About a dozen sheriffs deputies stood watch. Raagib Quraishi, 30, a Santa Clarita resident and business owner, called Tuesdays resolution useless. This clearly does not effect any change in laws, he said. It only brought out hate. Matt Thurman, 42, another Santa Clarita resident, disagreed. Its not about racism, its not about hate, Thurman said. Its about people that are here illegally that got caught doing something wrong. The resolution states the citys opposition to provisions in SB 54 that conflict with federal law. The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, prohibits state and local police agencies from notifying federal authorities in many cases when individuals potentially subject to deportation are about to be released from custody. Santa Claritas resolution also directs the city attorney to file a brief in support of the Trump administrations lawsuit against the state of California if and when appropriate. (A hearing on the administrations request for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for June. The deadline for submitting briefs supporting the administration was April 6.) The measure is largely symbolic. Santa Clarita contracts with the L.A. County Sheriffs Department for law enforcement services and is bound by that departments policies, including on immigration. Still, symbolic politics is a part of politics, said Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State Los Angeles. This is an opportunity to mobilize the conservative base around the issue that most animates the conservative base, which is immigration, Sonenshein said. It doesnt mean that the City Council has the power to change anything right now but it elevates the issue and certainly Republicans see it as an issue that might bring people to the polls. Santa Clarita is the fourth-largest city in L.A. County, with a population of about 180,000. About 32% identify as Hispanic or Latino, according to 2016 census estimates. The area voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 general election but elected Republicans in down-ballot congressional and state races. In this years midterm elections, Rep. Steve Knight (R-Lancaster), who represents the 25th Congressional District including the Santa Clarita Valley, faces a challenge from four Democrats: Bryan Caforio, Jess Phoenix, Mary Pallant and Katie Hill. Supporters of the sanctuary state law raise their hands at Santa Clarita City Hall before a vote Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times ) Times staff writer Alene Tchekmedyian contributed to this report. nina.agrawal@latimes.com Twitter: @AgrawalNina UPDATES: 6:55 a.m.: This article was updated with the City Council voting to oppose SB 54. 9:55 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from the City Council meeting. 6:20 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from demonstrators outside City Hall. This article was originally published at 2:55 p.m. For decades, billionaire George Soros seemed to have a personal Midas touch when it came to international investing. Now he has shown he also has it when it comes to very local politics. He has swayed a lot of elections pretty much on the cheap, for him, anyway. Soros is seeking to reshape the nations criminal justice system, and the San Diego race for district attorney is his latest attempt to further the cause. Demonization of his outside money hasnt kept him from racking up quite a record. His candidates have won 12 of 14 district attorney elections in places as diverse as Philadelphia; Orlando, Fla.; Albuquerque, N.M., and Caddo Parish, La. Advertisement Soros has spent millions to elect candidates he believes will be reform-minded prosecutors. The people he backs often are civil rights lawyers or public defenders and tend to be establishment outsiders. And when he goes in, he goes big. Soros recently put $1.5 million into an independent campaign for a small handful of district attorney candidates, including Genevieve Jones-Wright, a native San Diegan and deputy public defender who is challenging incumbent DA Summer Stephan. Thats an unheard of sum in a San Diego campaign like this. The Soros financed-committee, the California Justice & Public Safety PAC, has purchased some $400,000 in San Diego for air time, digital ads and mailings. He has spent in the neighborhood of $1 million dollars or more for district attorney candidates in each of seven past campaigns around the country, along with six-figure sums in several other races. Generally, Soros-backed candidates, like Jones-Wright, want to reduce incarcerations for lower-level crimes, address racial disparities in sentencing, do away with cash bail or link it to ones ability to pay, and establish independent reviews of shootings by police officers. The playbook is fairly simple: Create a well-funded PAC several weeks before the election and spend heavily on television, digital ads and mailers just as voters are starting to pay attention. Mail ballots went out this week for the June 5 election. With only Stephan and Jones-Wright running, a district attorney will be elected next month without a November runoff. Stephans campaign has been warning of Soros likely involvement for many months. His committee launched the first television ad for Jones-Wright last week. But while a big splash was expected, Soros entry into the race seemed more of a soft landing. His political committees are known for airing tough attack ads against incumbent district attorneys or the establishment candidates. Ads critical of Stephan are almost certain to come, but his PAC started out with spots introducing Jones-Wright to viewers and bolstering her image as a reformer. Thats typical campaign strategy, especially when the candidate is largely unknown to voters: flattering biographical spots followed by tougher ads on the opponent. Stephans campaign didnt wait for the attacks, however, and put out its own ad last week that contends Soros is trying to elect a dangerous choice for district attorney. The 30-second spot also mentions Stephans 28-year career as a prosecutor, her support from crime victims and her work to combat human trafficking. Stephan started out the strong favorite, having been appointed last year to the post vacated by Bonnie Dumanis, who is running for county supervisor. Early on, Stephan locked up backing from law enforcement groups and much of San Diegos establishment, with some prominent Democrats sprinkled in with her Republican backers. She is likely to be outgunned financially, but perhaps not by as much as some think. She has raised nearly $500,000 over the course of the campaign. The deputy district attorneys association spent $227,000 for her and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and Republican-leaning Lincoln Club just contributed $100,000 to a new PAC backing Stephan. Furthermore, the power of incumbency puts Stephan in the news regularly, such as a press conference she held Tuesday announcing the distribution of high-quality cameras to law enforcement agencies around the county. (The Jones-Wright campaign has raised about $200,000 and another $150,000 was contributed to a different PAC by the Akonadi Foundation, a group based in Oakland.) The campaign has been shaping up to give San Diego voters a choice between an outsider who has never served as a prosecutor but promises to shake up the status quo, and an establishment insider with decades of experience who would provide consistency at a time of low crime rates, while pursuing methodical, internal changes. The potential for high-minded debate about the criminal justice system is there. Whether we actually get that remains to be seen, as the tone of the campaign already is shifting. Stephans campaign put up a website, ThreatToSanDiego.com, that has an even more ominous tone than her TV ad and focuses a great deal on Soros. Billionaire Social Activist George Soros has brought his war against law enforcement to San Diego and hes spending more than $1 million to support anti-law enforcement candidate Genevieve Jones-Wright for District Attorney, the website says. Soros backs anti-law enforcement candidates over experienced prosecutors, trying to tip the balance to the criminals, it adds. Andrew Dyer of The San Diego Union-Tribune last week noted that a photo of Soros on the website is superimposed over another photo depicting a demonstration by the far-left group Antifa, short for anti-fascist. Also on the sites homepage, under the headline Who does Soros support? is another photo of what appear to be Antifa demonstrators burning an American flag, Dyer wrote. Soros is the subject of numerous conspiracy theories and backing Antifa is one of them, though there appears to be no record of him doing that. He is something of a mystery, but in the political context he might be considered a Democratic version of the wealthy, Republican-backing Koch brothers. Soros is an 87-year-old Hungarian-born U.S. citizen who last fall transferred much of his wealth to the Open Society Foundations, a grant-making organization he established to support vibrant and tolerant democracies, justice, education and public health. His bets against the currency in Britain and Thailand made him a lot of money but contributed to economic disruption in the 1990s. He was convicted of insider trading by a French court in 2002 and fined the equivalent of $2.3 million. He puts his financial heft behind various liberal causes and has spent heavily to back candidates at the national level. He supports overhauling drug laws and famously was an early advocate of legalizing marijuana. The Jones-Wright campaign, while thrilled with the development, says it has had no contact with the Soros campaign. Any coordination would be illegal. Jones-Wright says she has never met him. Nevertheless, she said Soros helps level the playing field, given the advantages of incumbency for Stephan. With no control over independent expenditures, candidates run the risk that an outside campaign could do something that backfires. Its a risk Jones-Wright is happy to take. The question now is whether Stephans campaign will be overwhelmed by Soros money as has happened in other races. The District Attorneys Office is using $30,000 from a state grant to buy 35 cameras to help officers investigating domestic violence cases better document injuries to victims. District Attorney Summer Stephan said the cameras will produce high-quality photos that will help with the presentation of evidence in court. Pictures are not only worth a thousand words, they can also be a key piece of evidence that holds an abuser accountable, especially in domestic violence cases, Stephan said. Unfortunately, a large percentage of victims of domestic violence recant their original statements to police, because of fear, shame, embarrassment or other reasons stemming from power and control asserted by their abuser within the relationship. These cameras can help us preserve and document evidence including evidence of strangulation which is predictive of homicide, and allows us to move forward with prosecutions and fight this persistent crime in San Diego County, Stephan said. Advertisement There were more than 17,000 domestic violence incidents reported in the county last year, an increase of 4 percent from the previous year, according to a recent crime report from the San Diego Association of Governments. The District Attorneys Family Protection Division has 21 pending murder cases, 11 of which involve the killing of an intimate partner. Over the last five years, there has been a 20 percent increase in the number of domestic violence cases submitted to the District Attorneys Office, Stephan said. San Diego is among 30 counties in California filing federal lawsuits against some of the nations largest opioid manufacturers, pharmacies and distributors, accusing the corporations of deception and greed that resulted in a nationwide public health crisis of addiction and overdose deaths. The counties, organized under the California Opioid Consortium, join more than 500 other public entities across the country that have filed similar litigation. The dozen-plus companies named in the lawsuit include OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation, CVS Health Corp. and Walmart. They are being sued under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, better known as RICO, as well as claims that include false advertising, public nuisance and unjust enrichment. Advertisement At 325 pages, San Diego Countys lawsuit filed in San Diego federal court Tuesday argues that the current crisis didnt happen by accident, but quickly developed due to unrelenting marketing campaigns that reshaped how doctors and patients regarded opioids. The manufacturers aggressively pushed highly addictive, dangerous opioids, falsely representing to doctors that patients would only rarely succumb to drug addiction, the lawsuit states. These pharmaceutical companies aggressively advertised to and persuaded doctors to prescribe highly addictive, dangerous opioids, turning patients into drug addicts for their own corporate profit. Distributors, in turn, are accused of failing to monitor or investigate suspicious orders of prescription opioids, allowing the cycle of abuse to fester, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit outlines some corporate actions that have been uncovered over the past decade by investigative news reports, government probes and other litigation. The toll of the epidemic has been extraordinary. In 2016, drug overdoses killed roughly 64,000 people in the United States, an increase of more than 22 percent over the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Opioids are largely to blame, experts say. San Diego Countys version of the lawsuit points out the devastating impact locally, noting opioids have been involved in nearly 3,500 deaths from 2000 to 2015. Communities that have been particularly hard hit include Jacumba, Boulevard and Guatay, where more than 100 pills were dispensed for every person in 2015, the lawsuit says. Pine Valley and Pala had the two highest death rates in 2016 in the county due to opioid overdoses, the complaint states. The lawsuits not only seek to end the crisis but also reimburse taxpayers for the costs to society from treatment programs to caring for children of addicts to new government infrastructure needed to handle the epidemic. County officials declined to discuss the litigation Tuesday. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson that makes fentanyl drug Duragesic among other painkillers, said its actions marketing and promotion of these medicines were appropriate and responsible. The labels for our prescription opioid pain medicines provide information about their risks and benefits, and the allegations made against our company are baseless and unsubstantiated. In fact, our medications have some of the lowest rates of abuse among this class of medications, the company said in a statement. Opioid abuse and addiction are serious public health issues. We are committed to being part of the ongoing dialogue and to doing our part to find ways to address this crisis. The Healthcare Distribution Alliance, a trade association that is representing the wholesale distributors in these cases, said distributors role in the supply chain does not drive demand and is heavily regulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Given our role, the idea that distributors are responsible for the number of opioid prescriptions written defies common sense and lacks understanding of how the pharmaceutical supply chain actually works and is regulated, John Parker, senior vice president of the alliance, said in a statement. Those bringing lawsuits would be better served addressing the root causes, rather than trying to redirect blame through litigation. Purdue Pharma did not respond to a request for comment, but its website outlines steps the company has taken to address the opioid crisis, including researching non-opioid painkillers and funding efforts to track prescriptions. We have long been an industry leader in the fight against opioid abuse and diversion and have dedicated significant resources to address the challenge, the website says. The counties in the state consortium are being represented by massive plaintiffs firm Baron & Budd and include Imperial, Sacramento, Contra Costa and Monterey. Other California entities have decided to bring their own lawsuits, including the city of Los Angeles earlier this month. The latest lawsuits are expected to be part of a multi-district litigation process, in which a single judge oversees much of the litigation and consolidates efforts to help preserve resources and to manage a possible global settlement. This effort is being overseen by a federal judge in Ohio, where more than 350 cases have been consolidated thus far. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis Nurses in red shirts and lab workers in white coats broadened the spectrum of the three-day protest at University of California hospitals Tuesday, joining service workers in green on picket lines from San Francisco to San Diego. At UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest, about 500 employees were estimated to have participated in the labor dispute, with another 800 up the coast in front of Jacobs Medical Center in La Jolla. The numbers were significantly more robust than they were Monday, when only service workers walked out, and the infusion of more sign-wielding university employees seemed to energize not just those who marched, but also passing drivers who slowed their cars and trucks, honking their horns in support. As university security, San Diego police officers and even a few law enforcement from the California Highway Patrol watched, protesters circled outside the Hillcrest hospital, shouting slogans through bull horns and banging drums. Advertisement Angie Mendoza, an environmental services worker with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), said having nurses, pharmacists, rehabilitation specialists and case managers join the protest brought new energy. Its beautiful to have all of them support us Mendoza said. Theyre supporting us today, and we would do the same for them. Were trying to keep it peaceful. If it gets out of hand, then it gets ugly, and we dont want that at all, added coworker and fellow AFSCME worker Blanca Gallegos. As of mid-afternoon, the university reported no safety issues due to either of the protests at its medical centers though it was not clear whether campus dining halls closed Monday due to food service workers not showing up for their shifts continued Tuesday. The university did not provide a number of temporary workers it had to bring in Tuesday but did say through a spokeswoman that the strike did not cause administrators to move any patients to other hospitals. AFSCME is protesting what it says is the forced imposition of a 2 percent raise for service workers after the union failed to approve a proffered 3 percent-per-year bump offered by university negotiators. The union has said its asking for wage increases closer to 6 percent and for better commitments on equal hiring and outsourcing of jobs to private for-profit companies that generally pay significantly slimmer benefits. Just like service workers, members of the California Nurses Association and University Professional and Technical Employees Union (UPTE) who joined picket lines Tuesday are working without a contract, but theyve been less open about exactly what theyve been asking for in negotiations. Michael Jackson, a registered nurse in the emergency department at UC San Diego Medical Center, would not say much more than that he and his fellow nurses were walking to support service workers. Were out here today and tomorrow to supporting our brothers and sisters in the AFSCME in solidarity, Jackson said. But its clear that these walkouts are not just in solidarity for California workers. Many are aware of Janus versus AFSCME Council 31, a federal lawsuit now before the U.S. Supreme Court that attempts to undo requirements in 21 states that require all public employees in unionized professions to pay union dues even if theyre not part of the bargaining unit. Margaret Sheridan, a clinical social worker and UPTE member at Jacobs, said she believes that its the Supreme Court case that has truly stalled talks. Theyre waiting us out to see what happens with the Janus decision, and were out here trying to hold the line, Sheridan said. University hospitals across the state have done what they can to reduce the number of patients in beds during the strike, rescheduling hundreds of elective procedures. But its not possible to keep everyone out of the hospital, even if you postpone their procedures. Take Robyn Scott, for example. She came to Jacobs Medical Centers Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center from the big island of Hawaii for a special surgery to remove several dangerous clots from the blood vessels in her lungs. Early Tuesday afternoon, she sat outside the heart hospital in a wheelchair, a medical oxygen tube in her nose and an intravenous medication bag hanging to her right as she watched and listened to protesters screaming slogans on the other side of the medical complexs main circular drive. She said her surgery was scheduled to occur early this week but had been postponed by the strike. That delay came, she said, on top of two weeks spent in Hawaii hospitals before it was decided her best bet was to come to UCSD where surgeons are known as the best in the nation for the specific procedure she needs. Though shes stuck waiting, she said shes not resentful and has not noticed a decline in the quality of care since the strike started. I dont really know the nitty gritty details of what theyre protesting about. I do know its about wage disputes and pensions. I understand. Its unfortunate that I have to be here at the same time, but I do understand, she said. Vowing to a fight plans for a storage center for the homeless in their neighborhood and calling for the city to not concentrate such facilities in one area, residents of Sherman Heights announced the formation of a new citizens group Tuesday. When the city came down and said they want to turn this building right behind us into a transitional storage facility, my thought was, Oh my God, its not 15 feet from a playground, said Noel Bishop, principal of Our Ladys School on Kearney Avenue in Sherman Heights. Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced plans to open a storage center for use by homeless people at his State of the City address in January, but residents of Sherman Heights did not know it would be in their neighborhood until reading about it in the press. The City Council approved the center in March, but scaled back the number of bins from 1,000 to 500. Its expected to open in June. Advertisement Our Lady of Guadalupe congregation and clergy members on Tuesday announced the formation of Fair Share San Diego, a citizens group that will advocate for homeless services to be spread throughout the city. The group has no meetings scheduled or officers yet, but does have a website that has drafts of letters to send to City Council members. People also can e-mail jfitzgerald@olgsd.org or call (619) 233-3838 to learn about the group. The storage center is planned for a vacant building at 116 S. 20th St. Tuesday nights news conference was held around the corner from the back of the building on what once had been a playground used by Our Lady of Guadalupe. Bishop said the playground is no longer used because of the number of homeless people nearby. The church also moved the annual Our Lady of Guadalupe Festival that once was held at the site to Our Lady of Angels School a few blocks away. Other speakers Tuesday included the Rev. John Auther, who illustrated how the city had concentrated homeless services to one area by holding up a map that shows San Diegos 370 square miles. Up until December, he said, about 60 percent of services for the homeless, including shelters, medical facilities, a storage center and a school, had been within one quarter square mile, he said. The concentration since has grown to about 80 percent, he said, with the addition of two tented bridge-housing shelters the city operates downtown for about 500 homeless people. The concentration will increase even more with the citys plan to open a navigation center for homeless people down the street from Father Joes Villages, he said. Speakers on Tuesday also stressed that they were not against helping the homeless, and Bishop noted that classes at Our Ladys School do projects annually to help them. Speakers also said they see the value in giving homeless people a place to store their possessions, but said this was the wrong location for it. 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 760-529-4939 A father who had previously been removed from the U.S. was arrested Tuesday in his home after immigration officers pried open the back door with a crowbar and entered with guns drawn and carrying a riot shield. Alberto Alonso Hernandez, 31, was targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement because of his immigration and criminal history, according to Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman for the agency. ICE records reveal he was convicted for battery of a spouse in 2007, and has illegally re-entered the United States 16 times since 2003, Mack said. Alonsos wife Brianna, 32, who is a U.S. citizen, disputed the agencys claims about her husbands past. She remembered Alonso being deported twice, not 16 times. A statement from ICE requesting a warrant for Alonso cited two removals, one in 2008 and one in 2015. Advertisement The San Diego Union-Tribune confirmed Thursday with the Office of the City Attorney that Alonso pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of spousal battery in January 2007 and was sentenced to three years of probation and 10 days of public work service. He was also instructed to complete a domestic violence recovery program and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. At a review hearing in May 2010, he was reported in compliance with those requirements. Alonsos wife said they hadnt tried to get Alonso a green card when they first got married because they didnt have enough money. ICE officers tried to arrest Alonso on Tuesday as he left for work that morning shortly after 6:30 a.m. He fled back into his house and hid upstairs with his family. Passersby and family friends began to congregate outside the home in support of the family. The officers turned the electricity to the house off to try to get him to come out. The agency then got Federal Judge Bernard Skomel to sign a warrant for Alonsos arrest on a charge of illegal reentry so that officers would have the right to enter the home. ERO officers attempted to arrest Mr. Alonso-Hernandez during a vehicle stop near this residence, Mack said. The suspect fled from the scene and hid inside his house, forcing the officers to obtain a criminal arrest warrant for illegal re-entering the United States. Around 10 a.m., ICE officers began trying to enter the home. Alonsos 11-year-old daughter Jocelyn showed the Union-Tribune where the metal mesh on the front door was detached from the frame, which she said the officers pulled apart. She showed where officers had cut a chain locking the gate to the backyard and where they broke the back door to get it open. Jocelyn filmed the scene as she and her step-mother Brianna Alonso yelled for ICE officers to show them a warrant. Well show you the warrant when were done, one of the officers responded as he worked to open the metal door, according to the video viewed by the San Diego Union-Tribune. When the door opened, an officer clutching a riot shield in one hand and a gun in the other came in first as an officer yelled for everyone to show their hands. Another officer pointed his gun at the family members. Brianna Alonso continued to ask for the warrant. You dont control the situation. We do, an officer responded. Well give you the warrant when were done. Jocelyn said that one officer grabbed her wrist, leaving a temporary red mark, and took her phone to delete the video she was recording. (She was later able to recover it, she said.) Another family member continued filming as Alonso was handcuffed and taken out the door. After the officers were out of the home, one reached his arm through the doorway and dropped the warrant on the floor. Pedro Rios of American Friends Service Committee, who was notified about the situation by someone in the neighborhood, documented the scene as a human rights observer. He saw the two officers with guns point them at a childs face in a second floor window. I certainly think its excessive, Rios said of the officers arrest tactics. Pointing multiple guns at children, I think, is excessive. Ginger Jacobs, an immigration attorney in San Diego, said that Alonsos arrest may have been unlawful and that because of that, a federal judge might throw out the criminal reentry charges brought against him. The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure require officers to show the warrant at the time of the arrest to the person being arrested. As the officers tried to leave the scene, community members blocked several of their vehicles until they turned the homes electricity back on. Brianna Alonso met with an attorney late in the afternoon Tuesday and returned home to find many of her friends gathered in her front yard. They consoled her and watched as Telemundo aired a story on the familys situation. Im still in shock completely, Brianna Alonso said. It hurts me because my kids saw everything. They dont have no need to see them with guns and screaming. She said she wouldve let the officers in if they showed her the warrant. In my mind, I thought, Theyre lying, because I dont see it, she said. Alonso was the sole bread winner for their home which included their five children, Brianna Alonsos mother and a couple of extended family members. Their daughters First Communion is scheduled for this Saturday. Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter UPDATES: 5/10/18 4:15 p.m. This article was updated with additional details about Alonsos criminal history obtained from the Office of the City Attorney. As President Trump withdrew from one nuclear disarmament deal on Tuesday, his secretary of State was making a surprise trip to North Korea in pursuit of another. Mike Pompeo made his second unannounced visit to the long-isolated nation in just over a month to complete plans for a summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expected next month. On the flight to Pyongyang, Pompeo said the first, secret trip in early April, when he was still director of the CIA, was largely an intel effort to set ground rules for what could be a historic meeting. Until then, the administration only had South Koreas word that the North was interested in sitting down for talks with Trump. Pompeo told two reporters traveling with him to North Korea that he hoped to begin to put some outlines around the substance of the agenda for the summit, to come up with a framework for a successful summit. Advertisement The secretary of State, not even two weeks on the job, also said he planned to make clear to North Korean officials what not to expect from the talks, including that their nation would get no sanctions relief until such time as we achieved our objectives. Trump has defined his goal as ridding the Korean peninsula of Kims nuclear weaponry. Were hoping to set out that set of conditions that will give them this opportunity to have a historic, big change in the security relationship between North Korea and the United States, Pompeo said, which will achieve what the president has tweeted about and talked about: complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization. One nagging issue has been that Kim probably does not define denuclearization the same way as Trump does. Kim has agreed to halting tests, but shedding his formidable arsenal is something hes widely expected to resist. Contrary to what Trump has stated as recently as Tuesday, Pompeo said the location and date of the summit had not been established. He also said he had no commitment from the North Koreans on the release of three Americans imprisoned there. Nor was he certain he would be meeting with Kim himself, as he did on the first trip, or with senior leaders who spoke for the government. The State Department had kept this trip, which took off from Washington on Monday night, under wraps. Trump publicly disclosed it at the end of his televised announcement that he is pulling the United States out of the landmark, multinational Iran nuclear deal. Asked if the administrations reneging on one deal might discourage North Korea from trusting the Americans to stick to an agreement, a senior State Department official traveling with Pompeo said that was not the case. Some critics, including former President Obama, said otherwise after Trumps action on Iran. Others suggested Pompeos trip may have been timed to distract from the Iran decision, which was widely criticized by allied leaders. I think our diplomacy in North Korea speaks for itself and answers the question that youre asking, said the official, who briefed the reporters on condition of anonymity. Trump is now showing what weve said all along: We are committed to a diplomatic solution to the nuclear crisis. tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter A 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of trying to carjack his mother and assaulting her in front of a crowd of people in the Marina area of downtown San Diego, police said. It happened around 8:25 p.m. Tuesday when the man asked his 59-year-old mother to drive him to the bank, San Diego police Officer John Buttle said. During the ride, the man allegedly directed his mother to take back roads, which she thought was odd. As she was driving on Second Avenue near Island Avenue, the suspect suddenly reached over, threw the car in park and took the keys out of the ignition, Buttle said. He then got out of the car, at which time his mother locked the doors, but the son tried to unlock the doors and pull his mother out of the car, Buttle said. Advertisement By this point, a crowd had gathered, and the man threw the keys at his mother and fled eastbound. He was later taken into custody at Sixth Avenue and K Street near Petco Park, Buttle said. Robbery detectives are investigating the incident as an attempted carjacking. Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com San Diego lifeguards responding to a call for help from a diver experiencing a seizure pulled the unconscious man out of the water Wednesday afternoon, a San Diego Fire-Rescue official said. The driver, who was in his 30s, called 911 while off the coast of La Jolla Shores around 12:15 p.m. and said he was having a seizure, said fire spokeswoman Monica Munoz. Lifeguards used their personal water craft to get out to the man, who was unconscious and having a seizure when they found him. His face was not submerged, she said, because of the equipment he was using. The man was taken to a hospital for treatment. Advertisement Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com A motorcyclist suffered serious injuries when he ran a red light and crashed into a car on Imperial Avenue in Encanto Tuesday evening, police said. The rider was hospitalized with two broken wrists, a broken pelvis and internal injuries, San Diego police Officer John Buttle said. Buttle said the 20-year-old motorcycle rider was westbound on Imperial and tried to get through the intersection at 60th Street on a red light. He collided with a car whose driver, a 45-year-old woman, reportedly had a green light to turn from southbound 60th onto eastbound Imperial. She was not injured. Advertisement Police had Imperial blocked during their investigation from about 5:50 p.m. until nearly 9:30 p.m. pauline.repard@sduniontribune Twitter: @pdrepard A fire on a fishing boat, apparently sparked by a malfunctioning refrigerator, was extinguished early Wednesday morning by lifeguards and firefighters at a Mission Bay marina, officials said. Fire boats and fire engines responded to a 911 call about the fire at the Dana Landing Marina on Dana Landing Road near Ingraham Street around 1 a.m., said San Diego Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Monica Munoz. Crews found smoke coming from the lower cabin of the 50-foot vessel. No one was on the boat when firefighters arrived. Fire crews worked to keep flames from spreading to other boats in the marina. Coast Guard workers also responded to help address potential pollution issues, she said. Advertisement Investigators believe the blaze started in a refrigerator circuit in the lower cabin of the vessel, Munoz said. A fire damaged a fishing boat in the Dana Marina on Mission Bay early Wednesday. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune ) Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com The neighbors report sounded serious: A man sitting on a house roof was pointing a rifle at the roadway. Sheriffs deputies and a helicopter headed to San Pasqual Valley Road south of Brookhollow Glen, where Escondido city limits meet an unincorporated neighborhood. California Highway Patrol officers blocked traffic to keep motorists out of the rifle range. After the 911 call at 4:37 p.m., deputies held back while the helicopter crew maneuvered to get an eye on the house. They saw a man lying on the roof, aiming the rifle, sheriffs officials said. Advertisement Then the man left the roof and wasnt seen. The tense situation lasted more than an hour. Finally, deputies approached the house. A woman came out and explained everything, sheriffs Lt. James Cady said. Her husband was on the roof hunting gophers. He apparently didnt see any and had not fired any rounds. Cady said deputies left without making an arrest, and the CHP reopened San Pasqual Valley Road about 5:50 p.m. pauline.repard@sduniontribune Twitter: @pdrepard San Diego police raided an illegal marijuana delivery service being run out of a Pacific Beach apartment complex on Tuesday, seizing two pounds of high-grade marijuana and about $1,200 in cash. The 29-year-old owner of the Beach Budz delivery business, operated out of an apartment on Ingraham Street near La Playa Avenue, also was arrested and cited for operating a business without a license and selling marijuana, San Diego police Lt. Matt Novak said in a statement. Officers served the search warrant at the apartment around 8 a.m. Tuesday. Police also seized concentrated cannabis and edibles, as well as business documents. There are 18 dispensaries that have been approved to operate in the city of San Diego. Only licensed dispensaries are allowed to legally deliver marijuana. Advertisement Novak said police learned about the illegal delivery business about a month ago. As was evident by yesterdays operation, SDPD and the City Attorneys Office are continuing to conduct enforcement on all illegal marijuana delivery services, as well as all other illegal marijuana businesses operating in the City of San Diego, Novak said. All persons operating these illegal marijuana businesses will be arrested and prosecuted. Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com A spate of shootings in San Diego over a 22-hour period that left three people dead and five injured has police working around the clock on the cases, which all occurred in a four-mile radius near downtown. The violence began Sunday afternoon with a shooting that killed two in Mountain View and was followed hours later by a fatal shooting in Logan Heights. On Monday night, an attack in East Village left five people hurt, two seriously. At least two of the three incidents may be gang related and involved a gunman walking up to his victims and opening fire, police say. San Diego police Chief David Nisleit, who has been the departments top cop since late February, said he knows the violence has shaken our community to the core. Advertisement In a statement he posted on Twitter, he said investigators were working around the clock and he was putting all of the departments available resources toward furthering these investigations in an effort to identify those responsible and hold them accountable for their crimes. A number of organizations and community leaders also quickly mobilized to help support families affected by the killings and to try and discourage future violence. You have a whole community of people who are affected by the violence, said Bishop Cornelius Bowser, a gang interventionist and pastor of Charity Apostolic Church. If you can bring that community together to talk and reason through it, you can really put out the fire. The most recent incident came late Monday, when five people were injured in two shootings in East Village. Police believe the first one may be gang related. Witnesses told officers that two black men between the ages of 19 and 25, wearing dark clothing and hoodies, approached a group on a sidewalk on 15th Street just north of Island Avenue and opened fire around 11 p.m. After shooting three men and a woman, injuring two seriously, the two ran east on Island. About a tenth of a mile away, the same assailants shot a man on Island near Interstate 5. That victim wasnt seriously injured, police said. The incident followed two fatal shootings on Sunday. The first occurred around 1:20 p.m. when a gunman shot and killed two men in front of the Mountain View Recreation Center. The two victims Tony Jackson, 33, and Robert Brown, 37 were rushed to a hospital, where they died. Police said they believe that incident was gang related. Seven hours later, another man was fatally shot. That one happened around 8:10 p.m. on Sampson Street near South 28th Street. When officers arrived, they found an injured 29-year-old man later identified as Matthew Hargraves suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. Hargraves died at a hospital. In the Logan Heights incident, police dont have a description of a suspect. They also dont know if it was gang related, said police homicide Lt. Anthony Dupree. No one actually saw the guy shoot the guy, Dupree said. They heard rounds and then found someone who was down. Detectives on Tuesday went back to the residential street where Hargraves was shot to check if anyone had video footage of the shooting. Dupree said police dont know if the Logan Heights shooter was in a vehicle or on foot. Tasha Williamson, co-founder of the San Diego Compassion Project, said she and a group of volunteers responded to the shootings in Mountain View and Logan Heights. The organization helps families who have lost loved ones to violence. That support could include anything from free meals to counseling services to assistance navigating funeral arrangements. Its been horrific for everyone for family, the community and first responders, she said of the recent violence. We know the people that are impacted are angry. Bowser, who has long partnered with the police department to stem gang violence through programs like the Community Assistance Support Team, also responded to the two Sunday shootings. Bowser, who is a former gang member, said its important that people touched by violence hear from those with ties to the gang community who will plant seeds of peace. Sometimes you think talking wont do anything, but it can make a big difference, he said. He also stressed the importance of acknowledging more systemic factors like drug use, poverty, and a lack of opportunities that may be the root cause of the violence. For now, police arent saying whether they think the cases are linked. At this time, it is unknown, and there is no evidence that confirms it is related, but we are looking into it, Williams said. Mayor Kevin Faulconer put out a statement saying he had talked to community and faith leaders on Tuesday, hoping to find solutions in response to the senseless violence in our neighborhoods. My heart goes out to the victims, their loved ones and residents who have been affected by these events. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their neighborhoods, and thats why public safety will continue to be our top priority, Faulconer said. Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com A federal judge held San Diego County in contempt of court for refusing to comply with an order to turn over documents requested by the plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging negligence in the jailhouse suicide of a former Camp Pendleton marine. The finding was issued after a hearing last week, when attorneys for the widow of Kristopher Nesmith complained that the San Diego County Counsels Office failed to provide documents related to the case. Nowhere in that response did the defense state that all of the documents had already been produced, Magistrate Judge Andrew G. Schopler said, according to a transcript obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune. A paragraph of objections is not complying with the courts order. Advertisement The county was required to provide emails and other records to lawyers representing Nesmiths family by March 9. Schopler initially ordered sanctions of nearly $5,000 against the county, but rescinded that penalty after the countys lawyer said the plaintiffs initial request was too broad. County Counsel Thomas Montgomery issued a statement saying his office and plaintiffs attorneys had numerous discussions aimed at identifying the requested documents following the courts initial order. It was the countys error in not informing the court of the difficulties prior to the production date and asking for additional time, he wrote. However, as the court stated during the hearing, the plaintiffs initial request was far too broad, and both parties shared blame for the delay. According to the transcript, Deputy County Counsel Melissa Holmes told the judge she worked to comply with the March 9 deadline as diligently as possible but it was the plaintiffs responsibility to narrow search terms not the defense. There were no documents to produce when we responded to the courts order, she said. Attorney Danielle Pena, who represents Nesmiths widow, said the county was not helpful in describing how the documents were stored or how they could be retrieved most effectively. I dont want to make the search process burdensome, but we are entitled to these documents and they go to a very crucial point of our case, she said. Chassidy Nesmith sued San Diego County and Sheriff Bill Gore in 2015, alleging that jail commanders and deputies were repeatedly warned that her husband had attempted suicide several times but did little to protect the inmate from harming himself. Among other things, the lawsuit claims, officials did not place Kristopher Nesmith on suicide watch and dismissed numerous phone calls from Chassidy Nesmith and the inmates father, Scott Nesmith warning that Nesmith was suicidal. In-custody deaths have been a frequent occurrence in San Diego County jails since Gore was first elected sheriff in 2010. Sheriffs Cmdr. David Myers, who is challenging Gore in the June election, has made an issue of the deaths on the campaign trail. Over the past eight years, more than 100 detainees have died in San Diego County custody. At least 32 of those have been attributed to suicide, including five others in the same year Nesmith took his life and 13 more since then. Kristopher Nesmith, who was 21 when he died, was found unresponsive and hanging in his cell on the morning of March 1, 2014. The lawsuit says he was last seen alive about 10 p.m. the previous night, when a guard noticed a bedsheet fashioned into a rope as he was making a routine safety throughout the detention center. The deputy, without breaking stride, said something to the effect of, Nesmith, what are you trying to do? Kill yourself? Take that thing down, the lawsuit states. Nesmith enlisted in the Marine Corps and served in South Korea for six months in 2012 before returning to Camp Pendleton. He was nearly killed while training at a rifle range the following year, and suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and other ailments. Nesmith served four months in a military jail for being absent without leave and assaulting an officer. He tried to kill himself several times while in the brig, court papers say. After he was released, Nesmith was arrested in November 2013 on suspicion of domestic violence, attempted murder and resisting arrest. His bail was set at $2 million and he was facing a potential life sentence. According to Penas law partner, attorney Christopher Morris, county lawyers are reluctant to turn over documents because they are likely to show that Gore and other officials were aware of the suicide problem in San Diego County jails and did little to correct it. We have to prove the county was on notice that its suicide policy was deficient and thats exactly what these documents show, he said. From the highest levels in the county, they knew this was a problem. The court gave San Diego County until June 15 to provide the emails and other records. A status conference in the case is scheduled for July 7. Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35 jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald A 22-second video posted Tuesday on Facebook shows sheriffs deputies in Vista manhandling two restrained suspects. The clip, posted by a woman named Ashley Tovar, shows what appears to be the arrest of two men at an unspecified time and place. Tovar did not immediately respond to a message from The San Diego Union-Tribune. In the opening frames, deputies hustle one suspect to his feet at the top of the screen. While the man is handcuffed, one of two deputies moving him down a path appears to shove him face-first into a wooden fence. Advertisement Moments later, another deputy who had pinned the second suspect to the ground and apparently restrained him repeatedly strikes him in the head with his fist. The video was apparently shot from a second-story balcony above the common area of a Vista area condominium complex. The birds eye view shows what appears to be the last seconds of a longer law enforcement encounter. The Sheriffs Department issued a brief statement saying officials became aware of the post only a short time before being asked for an explanation or response. Officials said they already had opened an internal review and would review reports and examine the available body-worn camera footage as part of their probe. They declined to provide many details. What we can say is the deputies were responding to a domestic-violence call where the suspect was wielding a weapon and holding someone against their will, the statement said. During the subsequent arrest, the parties in the video fought with deputies and this is a small portion of a much larger incident. While we are not condoning or condemning the actions of anyone at this point, we are taking this matter seriously and will address any outcomes accordingly. Within hours of the posting, the video had been shared more than 500 times and generated scores of comments. Many of the commenters said the behavior in the video appeared unwarranted. Wow!! wrote Preciosa Flores. That slam on the fence was completely unnecessary!! Commenter Kimberly Carrillo said, I grew up in Vista and this has been going on since I can remember. Vista Mayor Judy Ritter issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying she had referred the video to the sheriffs captain for review. I do not know what led up to this incident or what happened off camera, the statement said. It would be inappropriate to comment on a law enforcement matter without all of the facts. The Sheriffs Department will be investigating the matter internally. The video post comes at a difficult time for Sheriff Bill Gore and the department he has run since 2009. Gore is facing re-election next month. At the same time, the department has been the subject of several unwelcome events in recent months, including the arrest of a deputy on multiple felony sexual misconduct charges. The department also recently disciplined a sheriffs captain who was selling firearms without a license and allowed an assistant sheriff to retire early after being accused of inappropriate conduct. Last month, Gore pledged to review the finding that a Coronado woman had killed herself in 2011 after the jury in a civil case determined that the victims boyfriends brother was responsible for the death. Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35 jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald Last year, the University of Californias flagship Berkeley campus famously the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement in 1964 that helped inspire years of impassioned, far-reaching protests over civil rights and the Vietnam War realized it had a huge problem that both threatened its image and campus security. Two speeches by conservative political commentators best-selling author Ann Coulter and former Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos had to be canceled following protests against their presence on campus. Mask-wearing agitators at an anti-Yiannopoulos rally in February 2017 smashed windows and set fires, resulting in a handful of injuries and $100,000 in damages. An appearance by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro in September led to nine arrests and the school shelling out $600,000 on security. UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ responded by naming 23 Berkeley faculty, students and staff to a task force on free speech. Last month, the panel released its 28-page report. Part of the report deserves praise for its constructive attempt to wrestle with weighty issues. It properly emphasized that Berkeley had little choice under legal precedents but to welcome outside speakers, even those with views some might see as hateful. Yet the report also said the heavy expense of security could be considered and that it might be legally defensible to reject engagements that would cost more than a generally applied threshold so long as there was a viewpoint- and content-neutral policy on when to require reimbursement for security costs. It said volunteers and plainclothes police might be more helpful than uniformed, openly armed officers in keeping order at events. But the report also opens Berkeley to criticism that its interest in protecting campus speech is limited to speech that meets the task force members standard of reasoned discussion of contentious issues. It dismissed Yiannopoulos and Coulter as celebrity provocateurs seeking to promote their brand (and, in some cases, to cast aspersions on higher education). The report also characterized the people and groups who invited the speakers and who later sued Berkeley as being motivated by a desire to provoke a violent, embarrassing response from the left not a desire to send a message that conservatives exist and matter even at Berkeley. Advertisement If conservatives read this as blaming anti-conservative violence on conservatives exercising their constitutional rights, who can blame them? The report also knocked conservatives for the police deployment deemed necessary to try to maintain security at their events saying this assertion of individual rights at the expense of social responsibility led to a heavy police presence that left many staff and students [feeling] threatened. This is jaw-dropping. It defines maintaining the safe spaces of those at Berkeley who dont like police as an obligation of conservatives at Berkeley. Huh? The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board recognizes that Americans are living through bitter, fraught and difficult times. But we agree with what Barack Obama told students in Iowa in 2015: Anybody who comes to speak to you and you disagree with, you should have an argument with them, the then-president said. But you shouldnt silence them by saying, You cant come because ... Im too sensitive to hear what you have to say. The UC Berkeley report would have been far more powerful if it had paired its constructive policy advice with Obamas unequivocal message. Instead, it will be read by many with reason as saying, Were for free speech. But ... . Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion It is increasingly obvious that the Russia investigation into alleged collusion in the 2016 election is a sham. The House Intelligence Committee found no evidence of Trumps campaign colluding with Russia. In 14 months, nothing has come out of the Robert Mueller investigation of any importance. One minor figure (George Papadopoulos) allegedly attempted to get Trumps campaign to talk with a pro-Russian contact, but he was rebuffed. Thats it. Advertisement Since Mueller has come up empty-handed, hes gone on a fishing expedition. The recent revelation of Trumps 12-year-old affair and attempts to cover it up have nothing to do with Russia. The Russia investigation has degenerated into an attempted coup via media manipulation of the citizenry to drum up impeachment sentiment. Its time the investigation is stopped so the president can get on with the policies for which he was democratically elected. Jeffrey Ridgway San Diego Related: Does FBI raid of Cohen mean the attorney-client privilege is in danger? Trumps witch hunt is a Republican-led effort Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below. Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. Stunning images of the Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii have wowed people all over the U.S. and the world, and led to surprising reminders for some Californians that the state has volcanoes of its own. At least 19, to be more precise, with seven of them considered to be high threat or very high threat volcanoes, per the U.S. Geological Survey in California. One underlying fact about some of these volcanoes is that California sits directly on top of the so-called Ring of Fire, which is responsible for earthquake and volcanic activity in a vast region touching coasts on the Pacific Ocean. Some of the countries on the Ring of Fire are Australia, Japan, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Chile. What else should we know about Californias volcanoes? Heres some quick facts. 19 or more volcanic areas in California Not all volcanoes in California are monitored by the USGS, but at least 19 regions are on its radar. Those include: Brushy Butte Clear Lake Volcanic Field Coso Volcanic Field Eagle Lake Volcanic Field Golden Trout Creek Volcanic Field Lassen Volcanic Center Lavic Lake Volcanic Field Long Valley Caldera Mammoth Mountain Medicine Lake Mono Lake Volcanic Field Mono-Inyo Chain Mount Shasta Salton Buttes Silver Lake Volcanic Field Soda Lakes Tumble Buttes Twin Buttes Ubehebe Craters Seven are a potential threat Depending on the size and proximity to populated areas, only a few volcanoes are considered a potential threat. Three volcanoes are considered a very high threat: Lassen Volcanic Center, which is in Northern California east of Redding. Long Valley Caldera, which is in Mono County, north east of the Fresno valley. Mount Shasta, which is about 61 miles north of Redding. Four are considered a high threat: Clear Lake Volcanic Field, which is just north of the Napa Valley. Medicine Lake, which is in Northern California close to the border to Oregon. Mono-Inyo Chain, which is also in the central California region. Salton Buttes, which is in Southern California by the Salton Sea. Four reported deaths Californias volcanoes havent proven to be all that deadly compared to other parts of the world. From 1784 to 2017, there have been only four reported deaths related to volcanic activity in California, according to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Applied Volcanology. One skier died from volcanic gas inhalation near a lake in Mammoth in 1998, and three others died from similar gas inhalation in the same area in 2006, the study reported. Most recorded volcano deaths in the U.S., some 421 fatalities, have occurred from direct or indirect activity at Kilauea. FILE PHOTO - May 26, 2016, Carlsbad, Californa - A kiosk at Lake Calavera explains Mount Calavera shown above, the area's large hill that's visible for miles, is a "volcanic plug, " one of North America's smallest volcanos. Charlie Neuman/San Diego Union-Tribune Is there a volcano in San Diego County? The short answer: not anymore. Geologist Michael Levenson said some 22 million years ago there was one in a region that is now part of Carlsbad. When that volcano became extinct, it created whats called a volcanic plug and is now a popular hiking destination named Mount Calavera. Why are we talking about volcanoes? Volcanic activity on Hawaii began with a 6.9 magnitude earthquake last Friday but it has been the flowing lava, and everything it threatens and destroys in its path, that has renewed focus on civilizations preparedness for volcano eruptions. If you havent seen those images, this video from the Associated Press captures lava flowing and spewing on the island. Recent video from the air and on the ground captures the force of the lava flows spewing across sections of the Big Island of Hawaii. Lava flows from a new eruption that began Thur ... At least at the moment, a more pressing concern than volcanoes across California is earthquakes. But often even the most seasoned seismology experts sleep through those. Correction: This story previously stated that Hawaii sits on the Ring of Fire. As pointed out by a reader, California volcanoes are part of the Ring of Fire; Hawaiian volcanoes are formed from a different set of forces. Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @RunGomez Read The Conversation on Flipboard. Californias state primary election is just weeks away, so theres never been a better time to catch up on whos running for local, state and federal offices, including one of the most high-profile races to replace Gov. Jerry Brown. Luckily for voters in the state, the front-runner candidates for governor are all gathering in Northern California on Tuesday night to debate over important political issues and try to prove themselves worthy of the office. How can you watch? What will be discussed? Advertisement Heres what you should know about tonights gubernatorial debate. Where is the debate? Candidates will gather at the California Theatre in downtown San Jose, California. When is the debate? It will take place Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time. What is the format and what will be discussed? The first 30 minutes will focus specifically on issues facing Northern California and the remaining hour will be about issues affecting the entire state. NBC Bay Area says housing, transportation, the environment, education and issues affecting children are some of the statewide topics that will be discussed. Who are the candidates attending? Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican. Treasurer John Chiang, a Democrat. John Cox, a Republican businessman. Delaine Eastin, a Democrat, former state superintendent of public instruction and state assemblywoman. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat. Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat who has served as mayor of Los Angeles and state assemblyman. Who is hosting and who is moderating? The Silicon Valley Community Foundation and NBC Bay Area are hosting the debate together. Its being called Decision 2018: The Race for Governor. The moderator is Chuck Todd, NBC News Political Director and host of Meet the Press. How can I watch? NBC stations across the state will be broadcasting the debate live in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Fresno. Online, check out the livestream here from NBC Bay Area. How else can I follow along? Californians can also tune in via radio to local stations associated with NBC, Telemundo and NPR. NBC is asking voters to send questions to @nbcbayarea and @siliconvalleycf. The hashtag for those tweeting along with the debate is #CAGovDebate. How can I prepare? Ahead of the debate, read up one where each candidate stands on the issues. Click on their names below to head over to their campaign websites. On March 25, there was a gubernatorial debate here in San Diego hosted by the California Council for the Social Studies. Allen, Cox, Eastin and Villaraigosa attended and discussed everything from gun violence to sexual harassment. Take a look at some of their responses on each topic by clicking the links below. You can watch the full debate below from March 25 below. Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @abbyhamblin Objections raised over placing an AT&T wireless facility on Washington Street convinced Ramona Community Planning Group (RCPG) members to unanimously oppose the request at their May 3 meeting. The advisory decision is a recommendation to the San Diego County Planning Commission. The vote taken was 0 in favor and 9 against with Casey Lynch recusing himself because he works for AT&T on cellular projects and has a financial interest in the topic and Frank Lucio recusing himself because he lives near the site. About 50 people attended the RCPG meeting to hear the item presented. Of those, two spoke in favor and 10 speakers voiced concerns with the proposed 35-foot faux eucalyptus tree, a roughly 9-foot by 26-foot concrete masonry unit enclosure, 12 antennas, 24 remote radio units, four surge protectors, six filters and a 15 kilowatt diesel generator. A crowd of roughly 50 people fill the Ramona Library while the planning group considers a request to put an AT&T wireless facility at 374 Washington St. Julie Gallant Opposition focused on the potential for fires in a windy area, the likelihood of lost views and lowered property values, and firetruck and AT&T truck access on an unmaintained road. Mike Vest, a Washington Street resident, said 13 houses and seven vacant lots are in the area and rain frequently creates deep ruts in the unpaved road. He said hes concerned if a fire arises at the diesel generator then first responders may not be able to gain access because of the road trenches when it rains. Lynda Spivey, a Washington Street resident who lives near the site, said windy conditions fuel fires and creates a high fire zone in the area. Locating on this site increases the fire danger for us all, Spivey said. She added concerns about the long-term effects of exposure to radio waves, having experienced frequent headaches, nausea and feelings of being in a fog when she worked near a similar Verizon facility. Realtor Paul Tarr, a resident of the adjacent Ramona Real Street, said hes worked in real estate since 1990 and is aware that these types of wireless facilities negatively impact negotiations when selling properties. Its really easy when you have a cell tower nearby to use this as an argument for lowering the price, Tarr said. It will lower property values near a cell tower. Other concerns raised were the possibility of noise pollution from the diesel generator and blocked views with a tower that may be placed 10 feet above the grade of the homes. Others suggested alternative sites such as the closed landfill. Glen Brugh and Charlotte Roman, owners of the property where the facility would be located, spoke in favor of the AT&T proposal. Brugh said they were approached with an offer from AT&T after a similar agreement to locate the facility on a neighbors property didnt work out. Brugh defended his right to place the tower there as the propertys owner. He said nearby residents should be clearing brush from around their properties to help prevent the spread of fires, and added that a tree of similar height to the proposed faux tree is already on the property. Im sorry youre upset and Im sorry you werent notified, Brugh said. This was already in the works with someone else but it didnt work out. Roman added that she hadnt previously heard objections from the Washington Street area residents other than receiving one letter. AT&T has told me that they check on their equipment once every three months and if theres no problems theyre not there, Roman said. Theyll only occasionally work on the equipment. I dont think theres a problem. Christian Ruvalcaba, a job captain who represented AT&T, said AT&T crews are expected to visit the site every three to six months unless theres an emergency. Ruvalcaba added that the diesel generator is required by San Diego County for backup power in case a fire or other emergency occurs. RCPG member Donna Myers said shes opposed to a compensation agreement between AT&T and the 374 Washington St. property owners when neighbors will be affected by lost views and other impacts. When you impact a neighbor, they have every right to react and protect their property, Myers said. Other RCPG members raised concerns with the wireless tower possibly interfering with Sky Valley Networks Internet service and creating hazardous fire conditions in an area that lacks water resources. If the tower or generator catches fire, there will not be a lot of resources, said RCPG member Richard Tomlinson, noting that even a fire-resistant enclosure could be penetrated. Youd be amazed at what burns if it gets hot enough. Dan Scherer, RCPG chair, said the groups vote of denial is only an advisory recommendation to the county and suggested residents attend the county Planning Commission meeting when it is being considered. If the Planning Commission approves the AT&T wireless facility, the decision can be appealed to the county Board of Supervisors. Palomar Colleges new Rancho Bernardo Education Center will start welcoming students into its classrooms on June 11. Dozens of college representatives, along with those from the local business and education community plus other area leaders gathered Monday afternoon to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The presence of frequent strong winds provided levity to what was otherwise a traditional celebration to mark the completion of a long-promised permanent higher education facility in the public college districts southern region. The property was purchased in June 2010 with part of a $694 million bond approved by Palomar Community College District voters in November 2006. It consisted of an empty building and adjacent three-story parking garage. When the college broke ground for renovation work at the 27-acre site at 11111 Rancho Bernardo Road in early 2017, officials said the campus would open for the summer 2018 term. They said it would be able to accommodate up to 2,000 full-time equivalent students (around 4,000 individuals total) and have an estimated 38 full-time faculty members plus another 37 staff members and administrators. The site consists of a 110,000-square-foot, four-story building that Swinterton Builders gutted in order to create 37 classrooms for lecture and laboratory usage, academic division offices, spaces for student support services, a bookstore, food services, information services and an estimated 2,500-square-foot community room. The latter will be available for those in the community to rent and consists of a large space or dividable into smaller ones on the buildings ground level. Among the site improvement features are a new interior looped road, walkways, landscaping and lighting. Spokeswoman Laura Gropen said the landscape area in front of the education building will eventually become a certified arboretum, due to having all of its plants and trees identified and available for educational purposes. There is also an outdoor classroom space among various seating areas. Ceremony attendees were able to tour the facility that was still being filled with furniture and other fixtures that officials said will be fully in place by next months opening. Among features they saw were various seating configurations in the classrooms. These included a lecture room with tables and seats at varying heights in order to provide a sloped effect and another with rolling seats so flexible workspace configurations are possible. The seats desks can be easily switched to accommodate right- or left-handed students. Officials said students played a large role in the selection of these and other features. This beautiful new education center is all about students, from the design of the site to the classes we will be providing here, said Superintendent/President Dr. Joi Lin Blake. Throughout our design and construction process, supporting and enhancing the student experience has been the top priority. Were thrilled to be able to better serve our students in Rancho Bernardo and the surrounding communities. During the ceremony, Blake said the campus is part of Palomar Colleges commitment to make available affordable and quality education for all in the community and courses were being selected with the needs of the local business community in mind. This is going to be our innovation center science, technology, engineering, arts and math, said Jack Kahn, assistant superintendent/vice president of instruction. We did this very purposefully because of the kinds of industry, the kinds of technology, that exist in this area. Officials said registration for the 40 or so classes offered during its inaugural summer term opened in April for continuing students and in the last couple weeks for new students. Already some of the classes have reached registration capacity, especially science courses. They are anticipating around 800 students attending during the summer. More classes will be offered in the fall. For the summer schedule and enrollment information, go to palomar.edu. Courses will include those that meet general education requirements for an associate of arts degree. Depending on field of study, students will be able to complete in Rancho Bernardo all needed coursework for an associate degree and transfer to four-year university, especially if their major is biology, mathematics or communication studies. For other majors, they will have to take some courses at other Palomar College sites, including the main campus in San Marcos. Other offerings will include a certificate in alcohol and other drug studies; STEAM preparation courses for students transferring to the University of California and California State University systems; and coursework in pre-nursing, architecture, digital photography and editing, video production and editing, interior design and computer programming. Tuition is $46 per unit, with financial aid available. Current high school students who enroll part-time will qualify for a tuition waiver, but possibly pay other fees. To alleviate community concerns of students parking in the Westwood neighborhood across the street in order to avoid paying the $40 parking fee at other Palomar College sites, Gropen said the parking permit fee will be waived in Rancho Bernardo during the colleges first year. Gropen said the campus will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For now, no weekend hours are planned, though that could change if students request weekend access to the library in subsequent semesters. 1 / 15 Palomar College Rancho Bernardo Education Center. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 2 / 15 Participating in Palomar College Rancho Bernardo Education Centers ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday afternoon were Palomar Community College District Governing Board Secretary Mark Evilsizer, Superintendent/President Dr. Joi Lin Blake, President Paul McNamara and Trustee Nina Deerfield. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 3 / 15 Front entrance to Palomar College Rancho Bernardo Education Center. Summer session classes will begin on June 11. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 4 / 15 Outdoor classroom. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 5 / 15 Palomar College Rancho Bernardo Education Center front area. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 6 / 15 Outdoor seating area, with parking garage in background. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 7 / 15 Future certified arboretum. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 8 / 15 Library. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 9 / 15 Classroom with tables and chairs of varying heights to create a sloped visual effect. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 10 / 15 Moveable desks that can be reconfigured for right- or left-handed students. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 11 / 15 Science lab. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 12 / 15 Study area. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 13 / 15 Study area. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 14 / 15 Community room. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) 15 / 15 Rear entrance. (Elizabeth Marie Himchak) Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Christopher Brann(HOUSTON) -- A Houston man whose ex-wife allegedly absconded to Brazil with the couples child broke down in tears on the witness stand on Tuesday in the federal kidnapping trial of the womans parents. Chris, they are going to run with the child, the boys father, Christopher Brann, quoted his attorney as telling him in August, 2013, choking back tears. Hes not coming back. Brann the first witness in an emotionally-charged federal kidnapping trial in Texas testified that he begged via email and text messages for his wife and her parents to bring his son back, to no avail. Brann and Marcelle Guimaraes, a dual Brazilian-American citizen, were married in February 2008 in Texas. She gave birth to their son, Nicolas Brann, in September 2009. By 2012, she had filed for divorce. In May 2013, the estranged couple agreed that she and Nicolas would travel to Brazil to attend her brother's wedding on July 6, according to a court documents. Guimaraes was to take Nicolas to Brazil on July 2 and return no later than July 20, 2013, according to a criminal complaint. On July 27, 2013, Brann was informed that Marcelle Guimaraes was "too sick to travel and undergoing tests," according to court records. Two days later Brann alleges he received an email from Carlos Guimaraes, stating that the boy would be returning to the US on Aug. 4, 2013. But when that date arrived, Marcelle Guimaraes' lawyer alerted Brann's attorney "that Carlos Guimaraes had communicated to him that Marcelle and Nicolas would establish permanent residence in Brazil. Guimaraes remains in Brazil with the child, but her parents, Carlos and Jemima Guimaraes, were apprehended by federal agents in February at Miami's airport after their flight landed from Brazil. They were charged with conspiracy and international parental kidnapping and both have pleaded not guilty. Their daughter was also indicted on the same charges. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join For more about Gay Haubners life in the North Country, read the other chapters in her serialized memoir. James and I were in his hated hometown of Winnipeg. He had been summoned there by Elena, the daughter he had deserted years ago. As a family reunion it was a disaster; James showed no desire to spend any quality time with his chubby, homely daughter, who was more introverted and tongue-tied at 22 then I had been at 15. Subscribe and get unlimited access to our online magazine archive. Subscribe Today Having completed his obligatory visit with Elena, James rooted out his best friend from high school, Robert, whom he had heard was doing well financially, but not exactly through legal means. Luckily for James, his pal was not locked up in the hoosegow; he was currently out on bail waiting for his next court appearance. I felt right at home as we drove through Winnipeg to Roberts house; his neighborhood was almost identical to the middle-class one I grew up in: big red brick houses on spacious, carefully maintained lots shaded by tall pines and paper-barked birch trees. We pulled up to one of these stately homes. A pretty blonde woman invited us in with a tight, brittle smile, introduced herself as Roberts wife, and led us into the living room where Robert was waiting for us. Roberts head and hands were completely swathed in white bandages; he looked like Claude Rains in The Invisible Man. Where his face was supposed to be there were four holes poked out for eyes, nose, and mouth; his hands were oversized, slightly grimy gauze mittens. The charge he was facing was arson for profit. Robert may have been a successful criminal, but he had obviously completely screwed up this last job. Roberts nervous blonde wife brought out a round of Seagrams and Seven-Ups, my alkie grandfathers tipple of choice but not mine; the rich, spicy, evocative smell of the whisky made me feel that I was seven years old. Robert took his highball through a bendy straw, squeezing his glass between his stiff bandaged hands like a raccoon. James never asked Howre ya feeling? or Oh boy, I bet that stung, or made any reference to the fact that we were having a conversation with a man who didnt have a face. Unlike sitting with someone who has a cast on their arm or leg, there was no humorous recounting of how Robert came to have these injuries. My own face twisted into a rictus of a smile as I tried to get through the inevitable small talk: where I was from, how I liked Winnipeg, how long the drive from Chicago had taken. I was relieved when the conversation turned to anecdotes of boyhood hijinks and whatever-happened-tos, although I couldnt seem to relax my face. After they had exhausted the boring gossip about their old schoolmates, Robert said, Hey, why dont we all go up to my house on the lake for a few days? I did not want to look at this talking mummy for another second, but James had already accepted, probably delighted to be out of the reach of his daughter. In Minnesota if you had a place on the lake it was a homey cabin, with appliances from the 1940s, one or two bunkbeds in every room, musty furniture, a deck of cards with two of clubs scribbled on a joker, tangled fishing gear, and either electricity or indoor plumping, but never both. That was what I had pictured in my mind as we drove through the forest surrounding Lake of the Woods, catching glimpses of the shining silver water between trees. It all seemed so welcoming: the almost black firs contrasting with the gleam of white birch, the hand-painted signs posted at each turnoff with the owners names or the corny names of their cabins Dunmovin, The Oar House, Dock Holiday were all as familiar to me as breathing. I almost forgot that riding in the passenger seat in the car in front of us was a man with no face. James followed that car when it turned at one of those signs, a white board with In the Pink neatly painted on but wanting a bit of touching up. Jamess El Dorado bumped down a narrow dirt track towards the lake where we found not the rustic cabin I had expected but a sprawling modern white brick ranch. We walked into an immense living room with three sides of floor-to-ceiling windows that held all shades of sky and lake blue. Along the shore, the dark green forest was as perfectly reflected as if the water were a mirror. Next to one set of windows were twelve chairs surrounding a lengthy dining table. To the left I could see into a spacious, sleek kitchen. Robert had already told us, Plenty of room! Weve got four bedrooms, each with its own bath! There was only one thing wrong. Everything inside the house was pink. Not just any old pink, but the exact shade of a carnation pink Crayola crayon. The sofa, the rug, the paint on the walls. The bathtubs and sinks. All the modern appliances in the kitchen. That big dining table and all the chairs. Robert, raising his voice to be heard through his mask of bandages, showed us around, the proud owner of all that pinkness. You wouldnt believe the deal I got! he boasted. When the woman who had owned and proudly decorated the house had died, there had been no other offers, and the heirs couldnt wait to get that pink elephant off their hands. It was like being in a brain, or an intestine, all that throbbing pink. As I soaked in the pink tub later that evening, I tried to imagine different scenarios for this obsession, but failed to come up with a likely story, as it was obviously just madness. Not only was everything pink, everything was really nice. That tub was huge, the hot water inexhaustible. You sunk so deep and comfortably into the pink couches, all you wanted to do was sip a cocktail and gaze out the picture window at the lake. The wooden dining table and chairs were heavy and substantial, all painted and shellacked so they shone like a manicured nail. Where could you even go to buy a pink Whirlpool dishwasher? I wondered. You wanna see something funny? Robert asked and led us down to the lake. There, at the end of the dock, deep in the water, under the flashing pike and drifting waterweeds, was a pink refrigerator. A salmon pink refrigerator. The wrong shade of pink. When it was delivered to the house, Mrs. Pink had freaked out and made the delivery men dump it in the lake. The big two-door refrigerator that was currently purring away in the kitchen perfectly matched the stove and the walls and the cabinets and everything else in the pink house. Some house, said James. How long have you had it? Robert bought the house three years ago and hadnt changed a thing. He didnt see anything wrong with the interior, everything was first class, custom made, top of the line. So what if it was pink? During the day I spent as much time as possible down at the dock reading or swimming or gazing out at the lake, trying not to think about James losing his fortune and his mind, his unhappy twice-rejected daughter, the bandaged arsonist with third degree burns, or the crazy house looming behind me. I lingered by the water till the loons started their plangent calls, the signal for swarms of enormous mosquitoes to descend and drive all humans inside, where three of us dined off pink plates at the huge table, Robert alternating between highballs and a disgusting looking liquid food sucked up through a straw. James never mentioned his daughter Elena, and I certainly was not going to bring her up. He was restless as a chained wolf at that lake house; the Winnipeg Free Press did not carry even yesterdays NYSE reports, and his requests for a New York or even a Chicago paper were met everywhere with disbelief: why would you want a newspaper from somewhere else? There was no TV at the lake house, Robert apologized, no reception out there in the north woods. James, not a lover of country life under the best of circumstances, cut our visit short. We said goodbye to that ranch house of insanity. James went to shake hands with our host, slapped him on the back instead, and we drove back to Chicago. The news waiting for James was especially bleak. Highline shares were tumbling faster than ever. James spent the day yelling at the TV, trying to get his broker who he now was convinced had intentionally dumped that piece of shit stock on him on the phone, or staring into space. I needed my own money and had a harebrained idea of how to earn it. I was going to be a model. I had already made one commercial and earned $100, why couldnt I do two or three commercials a week? I didnt have a copy of my Mexico commercial. I didnt have any professional photos. And I topped off at 53. When I showed up at the Ford Modeling Agency the receptionist gazed several inches above my head, where my face was supposed to be, then showed me the door. Ditto at Wilhelmina. In the Chicago Yellow Pages I found a small ad for the Ann Geddes Modeling Agency, which turned out to be a waiting room with three chairs, an unoccupied receptionists desk, and a tiny private office where Ann Geddes, a former model herself, was waiting for me, along with her husband Silver, who was a stockier, grayer version of James, and who, true to his name, wore massive Navajo silver rings and bracelets and a silver hoop in one ear. Whens your birthday? Ann asked. Oh, Im twenty-one. No, the date and the year and if you know it, the time. Having gotten that settled, I started babbling about my Mexico tourism commercial (leaving out that I had been the emergency replacement) and my acting experience in high school (leaving out that the experience consisted of three lines in You Cant Take It With You and the co-star role in a student-directed one-act play). Ann Geddes was ethereally gorgeous, with long, rich red hair and milky skin unmarred by a single freckle. Her beauty was not intimidating. She was as warm and friendly as an older sister; it was easy for me to rattle on like an idiot. Silver, who had been scribbling on a pad the whole time, interrupted my life story: Ive got it! He was an astrologer; while I was trying to talk my way into being a model, he was casting my horoscope. He announced that despite my shortcomings, the stars were aligned and the Geddes Agency would be happy to represent me, their take ten percent of everything I earned. This did not mean I would have steady work or a regular income. The star of the Ann Geddes Agency was another small blonde, who was a lot prettier than I was and had several commercials under her belt that she actually had copies of. When the call came in for a model to pose next to a refrigerator or power tool to make it look bigger, she was sent. I was the backup blonde. I did not discover my second banana status until later. At the moment I was thrilled: I was officially a model. Ann blithely handed me a contract to sign and a Xeroxed contact list of every photographer in Chicago, from the newest Chicago Art School graduate to Screbneski. It was up to me to call on all of them, trolling for modeling work. But before I could do that, I needed a composite, an eight by eleven calling card with a pretty head shot on the front and photos showing a range of commercial personas (young mom, career girl, sportswoman) on the back to leave with the photographers. Ann took a red pen and scrawled a circle around one name on her list. Go see Frank Wojtkiewicz first. He might take composite photos of you for free, she said, her face as smooth and blank as a china plate. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/08/2018 -- With developing interest for non-timber timberland items (NTFP), there has been expanded slant of neighborhood preservationists to protect such plants, of which argan oil has increased noteworthy footing. Moreover, purchaser slant towards home grown and natural fixings in various items going from restorative, sustenance to therapeutic items is probably going to fuel the argan oil market development. This is further prompting commercialisation of argan oil over the globe. As a sustenance fixing, argan oil goes about as vitality supporter with purchasers experiencing vitamin insufficiency, heart issues, and constrained ability to burn calories. Request to view Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22517 Additionally, restorative makers are utilizing argan oil in excellence items for saturating and against maturing impacts. Argan oil displays properties, for example, against oxidants, unsaturated fats, and the linoleic acids, which help in battling issues, for example, barely recognizable differences, aggravation, skin inflammation, scars, and extend marks. Besides, pharmacological and appetizing properties of argan oil are contributing towards expanded interest for argan oil over the globe. Expanding appropriation of argan oil in restorative and culinary application have driven organizations to create details utilizing argan oil. This has additionally prompted developing commitment from international, domestic, and nongovernmental associations related with argan oil basically in Morocco. The argan oil market is fuelled by expanding interest for characteristic based fixings, particularly in restorative and hair mind items. Besides, expanding client mindfulness about argan oil's advantages is foreseen to fuel argan oil market development in the pending years. Mass promoting and worldwide infiltration methodology combined with the online accessibility of item are key procedures received by organizations in the argan oil market. Other development animating components of argan oil market incorporate change in the extraction procedure of argan oil, expanded creation limit, and environmental change. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/argan-oil-market.html Moreover, developing interest for improved supplements and vitamins among customers in items going from sustenance and refreshments to individual care items is expected to empower the argan oil market development sooner rather than later. Notwithstanding, horticultural misuse, non-accessibility on retail locations, and high costs of argan oil when contrasted with other accessible oils are confining the general argan oil market development. Albeit, high-cost of argan oil limits its selection among purchasers, enhancements in argan oil extraction and enhanced creation limit by the argan oil makers is expected to offer manageable development to the argan oil market amid the conjecture time frame. The worldwide argan oil market is isolated into seven regions, in particular Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Japan, North America, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). When contrasted with different districts Middle East and Africa ruled the argan oil generation. Expanded client mindfulness with respect to normal fixings particularly in nations, for example, India, Brazil and China is relied upon to fuel the argan oil market development in the pending years. Asia Pacific is relied upon to develop as a potential region for worldwide and provincial players putting resources into the argan oil market. This is additionally upheld by broad innovative work combined with developing utilization of argan oil in restorative and sustenance industry. The core players operating in the market are OLVEA Morocco, ARGANisme Cosmetics S.A.R.L, Zineglo, Saadia Organics, Essence Of Argan, Biopur, Argan Diva, Josie Maran Cosmetics, Argan Liquid Gold, and Nadifi Argan. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/08/2018 -- Several countries across the world are either already facing or will face a demographic disaster in the near future. They will undergo severe socio-economic pressures due to a rapidly ageing population with not enough children being born to replace the workforce. This is particularly true in North America, Europe, Russia, South Korea & Japan. According to a government report compiled in Japan in 2012, 22% of the country is 65 or older and this is expected to rise to nearly 40% by 2060. In 2010, Japan had 30 million elderly individuals in old-age homes, but a serious dearth of caregivers to assist them. These countries are the mean reason that the eldercare-assistive robot market has come into existence. Over the past few years, eldercare-assistive robot R&D has become much cheaper, giving rise to helpers with more functionality & a cheaper price. It has also gained wider acceptance not only in Japan but also in the western nations. Eldercare-Assistive Robots Market Drivers The ageing population in developed countries is the main driver for the eldercare-assistive robot market. According to U.N data, the global over-65 population will grow by 181% and they will account for nearly 16% of the population by 2050. Caring for these individuals will be an enormous physical, mental & emotional undertaking. There will be a tremendous shortage of qualified & willing medical personnel for this. Eldercare-assistive robots have the potential to serve this demographic exceptionally well. They can use camera sensors to supervise the senior citizen, ensure that they take their prescribed medication at the right time & also prevent them from falling & injuring themselves. Another factor is the individualistic societies in western countries, as opposed to collective Asian ones. People prefer to live on their own as much as possible. Even in old age, they prefer the privacy, comfort & security of their own homes over that of an institutional caregiver like an old-age home. A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2409 To address these requirements, eldercare-assistive robots can come in handy. Not only will they fulfil the role of medical practitioner, but they can also provide human-like companionship to the patient. They will be able to enhance the health & psychological well-being of the elderly in several ways. By reminding them off daily tasks & other important information, they could help dementia patients. With informal chit-chat, they might keep a senior citizen's mind sharp, reducing the probability of clinical depression, or Alzheimer's disease. Robots could also act as telepresence machines, bridging the gap between doctors and their elderly patients. These individuals might not always be able to travel to the hospital to seek treatment, & frequent nurse visits are also very costly. The doctor could check in with their patients through the robot's screen, even control the machine for simple tasks. These are some of the factors helping the eldercare-assistive robot market. Eldercare-Assistive Robots Market Restraints There are a few challenges faced by the eldercare-assistive robot market. These robots must be able to manage & cope with more uncertain environments than industrial robots. This makes it a challenge to build safe & certified ones. Another issue might be human opposition. Either the elderly individual, their family or both might not be comfortable with the idea of a robot playing a caregiver role. Older people, in particular, might be very resistant to adopting high-tech equipment like eldercare-assistive robots to simplify their lives. Cost can also be a major restraint. While the price of these assistive robots has dropped over the last decade, they still cost thousands of dollars each. People from lower income or middle-class families might not see the benefit in adopting them as much. Even with many advances made in the eldercare-assistive robot market, it is estimated that it will be several decades before full assistive robotic care is possible. Eldercare-Assistive Robots Market Key Regions The main eldercare assistive robot markets are those regions which have an ageing population, i.e. North America (barring Mexico), the E.U, Japan, and China & South Korea. Japan is the largest eldercare-assistive robot market since it has the most rapidly ageing population along with very low immigration & birth rates. It also has several domestic players involved in making assistive robots. North America has also slowly but surely begun to warm up to the eldercare-assistive robot market. To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2409 Eldercare-Assistive Robots Market Key Market Players Some of the companies involved in the eldercare-assistive robot market are Paro Robots, Aldebaran, Togo Seisakusyo Corporation, and Hasbro. About Future Market Insights Future 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. FMI's 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. pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/08/2018 -- Fresh Food Packaging Market 2018: Global Industry Analysis, Market Growth and Opportunity Assessment, Segmentation by Material (Flexible & Rigid Plastic, Paper & Paperboard, Metal, Glass, Others), End-Use (Meat Products, Fruits, Vegetables, Dairy Products, Others), Region | Outlook to 2023 Key Players: D.S. Smith Plc. (U.K.), Amcor Limited (Australia), Smurfit Kappa Group (Ireland), Coveris Holdings S.A (U.S.), Mondi Plc. (South Africa), Bemis Company, Inc. (U.S.), E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), Silgan Holdings Inc. (U.S.), International Paper Company (U.S.) and RockTenn Company (U.S.) are some of the prominent players at the forefront of competition in the global fresh food packaging market and are profiled in MRFR Analysis. Global fresh food packaging market is growing at the rapid pace due to various government initiatives towards food safety and upsurge for small portion food items, or demand for single-use packaging. Ready-to-eat and fresh products are one of the few segments of the industry that has shown consistent growth within the last few years. The report analyzes the fresh food packaging market by material; it includes flexible & rigid plastic, paper & paperboard, metal, glass, and others. An increase in the demand for fresh food products is projected to lead to the growth of the market. On the basis of the end-user, it is segmented into meat products, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and others. The demand for food packaging has grown rapidly in the fruits and vegetable industry. Moreover, meat, poultry & seafood packaging market is expected to grow exponentially owing to various factors such as retail sectors/increasing number of retails outlets and increasing demand for processed food items. On the basis of the geography, the market is categorized into America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific region is expected to be the largest fresh food packaging market during the forecast period due to the introduction of active and intelligent packaging solutions and growing demand for flexible packaging. Click For Report Sample : https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2498 Market Synopsis Fresh food packaging is one of the methods of developing food for all activities while handling and transportation. Packaging is used to protect fresh food from environmental conditions or physical damage. It also provides information about the ingredients, its nutritional value, and instruction to maintain the quality and freshness of the food. The need for convenient food coupled with longer shelf life has attracted the demand for food packaging. The packaging sector in emerging countries develops a large volume of agricultural product and are continuously focusing on increasing the food demand, which is fuelling growth of the market. Growing demand for extended shelf-life of food products and increasing requirement for convenience food among consumers has been growing in accordance with the packaging industry. However, disposable management of the waste and environmental effects may limit the packaging sector. Whereas, ability to enhance product quality to meet standards both in domestic and international markets is likely to provide a growth opportunity in the future. Global Fresh Food Packaging Market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.02% during the forecast period, 2017-2023. Global Fresh Food Packaging Market - Competitive Analysis Extensive growth in global fresh food packaging industry has brought to light that partnerships & collaborations on large scale for sustainable product development and merging & acquisitions of small scale packaging industries by key players, is a key strategy adopted extensively by the players to spread their geographical presence and improve operational efficiencies. DuPont has many partnership agreements with global companies to establish new production facility as well as developing high technology packaging solutions. For instance, DuPont believe in science and innovation which helps them in sustainability in packaging, optimizing the amount of packaging material used and enabling a futuristic technique where all packaging is recycled or its value is recovers. Similarly Smurfit Kappa Group's manufacturing footprint provides it with a competitive edge as the corrugated packaging market is most of the times localized and needs to be close to the end-users. Since, over 50% of the company's business revenue comes from FMCG sectors including food, beverages, household goods, and others, Smurfit believes in intensifying its presence with its various manufacturing set ups. It sees strategic collaborations with prominent players in the market to achieve technological advantages as well as to expand its geographical reach. Bemis Company Inc. on the other hand has done various acquisitions so as to diversity its facilities. It had acquired SteriPack Group mainly to diversify its facility in Ireland and packaging production in Malaysia and the U.S. Acquisition will support the growth of the company by expanding in the market, which will fit best of the company's capabilities and strength. Increase in the demand for small portion food items With the change in the consumer lifestyle and the increasing trend of smaller families, the food items packaged in smaller portions are being demanded more. The retailers/ suppliers of meat, poultry, and seafood packaging also prefer the single-use packaging due to the limited availability of shelf space in the stores. For meat blocks, meat cuts or smaller portions of meat or meat products, single-layer films provide good protection from external contamination and to some extent from evaporation. Another important deployment of single-layer films is, used for freezer storage. Use of single-layer films for wrapping chilled meat portions in self-service outlets is one of the major uses. Rising income level of the individual in developing countries From the last few years, disposable income in developing countries has been increasing. The higher disposable income in these developing countries, resulting in the increase in purchasing power. Developing economies such as China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Mexico have the largest disposable incomes, which is driving significant demand for efficient packaging of meat, poultry, and seafood. As a result, meat, poultry & seafood packaging market is expected to be impacted, positively. Click To Send an Enquiry : https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/2498 Global Fresh Food Packaging Market - Segments Global Fresh Food Packaging Market is segmented in to 3 Key dynamics for an easy grasp and enhanced understanding. Segmentation By Material : Comprises Flexible & Rigid Plastic, Paper & Paperboard, Metal, Glass, Others. Segmentation By End-use : Comprises Meat Products, Fruits, Vegetables, Dairy Products, Others Segmentation By Regions : Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World Global Fresh Food Packaging Market - Regional Analysis North America is expected to witness the fast growth of fresh food, especially meat, poultry and seafood packaging as the people in the region are more inclined towards convenience products. The demand for fresh food packaging in the region is also expected to be driven, owing to factors such as demographic shifts and increase in global population. In US, demand for fresh food packaging will increase as flexible packaging will continue to outpace rigid types of packaging. The market will majorly be supported by increasing opportunities for high barrier film and pouches. The meat production is also growing, owing to factors such as population expansion, the increasing consumption of meat products as a healthy and natural food and the reduced meat prices. The report for the global fresh food packaging market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macroeconomic and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions. Ask for your specific company profile and country level customization on reports. 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 Industrials. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence Industrials to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Packaging Foams 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. pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/09/2018 -- High-throughput screening is a method used in the drug discovery and relevant to the fields of biology and chemistry. It involves the use of robotics, data processing software, and sensitive detectors which helps to enhance the speed of the process with accuracy. This process can rapidly identify active compounds, antibodies, or genes that modulate a particular bimolecular pathway. To get sample copy of Report Click Here @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1280 . According to a recent study published by the Market Research Future analysts, the global high throughput screening market is a dynamic market growing at a decent growth rate. The growth of this market is mainly due to rise in the prevalence of the chronic diseases. Increase in prevalence has led to the increasing need for the new drug molecules and therapies. Besides that, rising expenditure on research & development, and adoption of high through put screening techniques by pharmaceutical companies is pushing the growth of the market. Moreover, rapid development in the healthcare sector, developing technology, and increasing need for drug discovery have fuelled the market growth. On the other hand, there are some hurdles in this market such as high cost involved in the development of the required infrastructure, expensive automation techniques. These can hinder the growth of the high throughput screening market to an extent. Key Players for global High Throughput Screening market: Fitbit (US), Abbott Laboratories (US), Beuer GmbH (Germany), GE Healthcare (UK), Maxim Integrated (US), Entra Health Systems LLC (US), Adidas AG (Germany), Ideal Life, Inc. (Canada), Analog Devices (US), Renesas Electronics Corporation (Japan), Philips Healthcare (Netherland), Omron Healthcare (Japan), Medtronic, Inc. (US), Nike, Inc. (US), Apple Inc (US), Texas Instruments (US), ON Semiconductor Corporation (US), Intelesens Ltd (UK), Freescale Semiconductor Inc. (US), Garmin Ltd (Switzerland) Segments: Global High Throughput Screening Market has been segmented on the basis of applications which comprises of Target Identification, Primary Screening, Toxicology, Stem Cell Biology and Others. On the basis of product which consists of software, instruments, consumables and others. On the basis of end users Hospitals and clinics, pharmaceutical companies/ Manufacturers, government organizations, research facilities and others. By Geography: The Americas region dominate the global high throughput screening market owing to the presence of huge patient population with chronic diseases, and increasing government support for research & development. Furthermore, presence of large number of market players in this region which are involved in continuous development of the quality products which cater to the global patient population giving an extra boost for the growth of this market in Americas region. Europe accounts for the second largest share of the global high throughput screening market as result of increasing focus of government agencies on the treatment of chronic diseases. Moreover, the growing public awareness about disease management and increasing need for the new drugs has led to the high demand for the drug development and screening tools which are likely to boost the European market. Asia Pacific region is not far behind & is growing at a commendable growth rate in the high throughput screening business space. Japan holds the major share of the regional market due to availability of advanced technology and huge healthcare spending. Moreover, rapidly developing economy, increasing healthcare expenditure, and the government's initiatives for research & development projected to drive the market in China and India over the forecast period. Avail Marvelous Discount @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1280 . The Middle East and Africa contributes least in the global market due to limited availability of medical facilities, unavailability of the required infrastructure, affordability issues, and lack of awareness among masses. However, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait are somehow the saving grace for the high throughput screening market in this region. Table of Contents: 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 DEFINITION 1.2 SCOPE OF STUDY 1.2.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 1.2.2 ASSUMPTIONS & LIMITATIONS 1.2.2.1 ASSUMPTIONS 1.2.2.2 LIMITATIONS 1.3 MARKET STRUCTURE: 2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2.1 RESEARCH PROCESS: 2.2 PRIMARY RESEARCH 2.3 SECONDARY RESEARCH: 3 MARKET DYNAMICS 3.1 DRIVERS 3.2 RESTRAINTS 3.3 OPPORTUNITIES 3.4 MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS 4 MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS 4.1 PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL 4.2 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS 4.3 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS 4.4 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS 4.5 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES 4.6 INTENSITY OF RIVALRY 5. GLOBAL HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING MARKET, BY PRODUCT TYPE CONTINUED TOC! Any Customization on this Report, Speak to Analyst @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1280 . About Market Research Future At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/09/2018 -- The report "Marine Engine Monitoring System Market by Engine Type (Propulsion Engine, Auxiliary Engine), End Use (OEM, Aftermarket), Component (Hardware, Software), Ship Type (Commercial, Naval), Deployment (On-Board, Remote), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", The marine engine monitoring system market is estimated to be USD 508.4 Million in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 656.5 Million by 2025, at a CAGR of 3.72% from 2018 to 2025. The growth in international seaborne trade, increased demand for marine engine monitoring systems from the new shipbuilding & repair market, and rise in maritime tourism are the key factors that are anticipated to drive the marine engine monitoring system market. Browse 97 market data Tables and 48 Figures spread through 171 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Marine Engine Monitoring System Market - Global Forecast to 2025" Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=8035652 Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports. Based on component, the software segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on component, the software segment of the marine engine monitoring system market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2018 to 2025 The growth of the software segment can be attributed to its advantages that include data analysis process and trend analysis. Technologies such as predictive maintenance, dig data analysis, and IoT will add more comprehensive software analysis, which would be adopted in marine engines during the forecast period. Based on ship type, the commercial segment is estimated to lead the marine engine monitoring system market in 2018. Based on ship type, the commercial segment is estimated to lead the marine engine monitoring system market in 2018 and the naval ships segment of the marine engine monitoring system market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2018 to 2025. The demand for merchant ships to transport commodities worldwide is driving the growth of the commercial ships segment. According to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), there are over 50,000 merchant ships that transport cargo internationally. The growth of the naval ships segment can be attributed to the increasing investments in the defense sector in North America and Europe. Based on engine type, the auxiliary engine segment is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period. Based on engine type, the auxiliary segment of the marine engine monitoring system market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of the auxiliary engine segment is primarily driven by the increase in the deliveries of cruise boats, recreational ships, and passenger ships, which require auxiliary engines for electricity generation and power management. Based on deployment, the remote monitoring segment is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period Based on deployment, the remote monitoring segment of the marine engine monitoring system market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The increasing demand for real-time data sharing through IoT sensors is expected to drive the growth of the remote monitoring segment of the marine engine monitoring system market. The marine engine monitoring system market in Europe is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period. The marine engine monitoring system market in Europe is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2018 to 2025 The European shipbuilding industry is involved in the construction of complex naval vessels, such as cruise ships, ferries, mega yachts, submarines, and dredgers (offshore vessels). Moreover, the marine monitoring system industry in Europe offers a wide range of products that include propulsion systems, diesel engines monitoring system, environmental safety systems, cargo handling systems, and related electronics. Major companies profiled in the marine engine monitoring system market report include ABB (Switzerland), AST Group (UK), CMR Group (France), Caterpillar (US), Cummins (US), Emerson (US), Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea), Jason Marine (Singapore), Kongsberg (Norway), MAN Diesel & Turbo (Germany), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan), NORIS Group (Germany), Rolls Royce (UK), and Wartsila (Finland), among others. 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, "Knowledgestore" 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 sales@marketsandmarkets.com Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/09/2018 -- An isolator is an equipment which is used for selective transfer of materials through defined openings designed to avoid contamination. Open isolators allow transfer of materials, while enabling a level of protection from the external environment. Closed isolators provide complete separation between the internal and external environment except for filtered air. Aseptic isolators use positive pressure to keep contamination out, while containment isolators uses negative pressure to keep contamination out of the work space. The Global Pharmaceutical Isolator Market is expected to reach USD 39.0 billion by 2023, and the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of ~ 8.1 % during the forecast period 2017-2023. The market drivers for global pharmaceutical isolator market are increasing demand due to growing pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry, increasing regulations and non-compliance cost, rising usage of aseptic methods, rising number of bio labs, growing use of toxic and hazardous materials, and advancements in isolator efficiency and technology. A huge cost of setting up clean rooms is a strong driver of the market for isolators. The market restraints are the high cost of isolators, high maintenance of isolators, high cost of operation of isolators, poor regulatory framework in developing regions and lack of inspection, increasing specifications and stringency of quality control checks disease etc. Product development represents the best strategy for the market growth. The market is expected to witness exponential growth over the review period owing to technological advancement in the construction of isolators. The isolators are fraught with high maintenance and operating costs, which has created a need for effective designs and development of contamination resistive materials. There are also issues with efficiency of isolators and there equipment's are fraught with repeated breakdowns. Global Pharmaceutical Isolator Market Key Players Some of the key players profiled in the report are Gelman Singapore COMECER S.p.A. cf. p.iva, IsoTech Design LAF Technologies Pvt Ltd Fedegari Autoclavi S.p.A, Hosokawa Micron Ltd. Bosch GmbH MBRAUN Chamunda Pharma Machinery Pvt. Ltd. Schematic Engineering Industries NuAire, Inc. Try Sample Report Here @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4683 . Global Pharmaceutical Isolator Market Regional Analysis The Americas accounts for a significant market share owing to high expenditure on the health care. Additionally, the large research and development base of U.S. is a strong driver of the market. The high concentration of the major healthcare companies, biotech labs, and hospitals in the developed countries of this region coupled with stringent regulatory and inspection guidelines are adding fuel to the market growth. Moreover, the US has a high inspection rate and the growing stringency of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections has fueled the market. Europe is the second largest market in the world due to the growing pharmaceutical and industrial base. The European market growth is led by countries such as Germany and France. Germany is expected to be the fastest growing market over the assessment period. The strong presence of the pharmaceutical industry in Germany is a strong driver behind the dominance of this country in Europe. The growing research and development expenditures of the developed regions have stimulated the market for isolators in these regions. Asia Pacific region is expected to grow rapidly; China and India are likely to lead this market due to fast growing pharmaceutical sector and large unmet needs over the forecast period. South East Asian countries such as China, India, and Malaysia are projected to contribute highly to the market growth. The growing penetration of pharmaceutical and biotech industry in the Asia Pacific region is expected to drive the future pharmaceutical isolator market in the region. The biotech industry is expected to demand for the largest number of isolators among all industries. Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are estimated to drive the Middle East & African market. Other Middle East nations to watch out for are Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt and Iran. The African region is expected to witness a moderate growth owing to poor economic and political conditions, and poor healthcare development. The poor research and development in the Middle East and Africa region has restricted the market for pharmaceutical isolators market. Get Discount on Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/4683 . Global Pharmaceutical Isolator Market Segmentation The global pharmaceutical isolator market has been segmented on the basis of type, system, pressure differential, and end user. Based on the type, the market has been segmented into aseptic isolators, containment isolators, bio isolators, sampling, weighing, and distribution isolators, active pharmaceutical ingredient & manufacturing isolators, and other. Based on the system, the market has been segmented as closed systems and open systems. Based on the pressure differential, the market has been segmented as positive pressure, and negative pressure. Based on the end user, the market has been segmented as hospitals and diagnostics labs, pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, research and academics and others. Some of Major Table of Content for "Pharmaceutical Isolator Market Research Report- Global Forecast till 2023" Chapter 1. Report Prologue Chapter 2. Market Introduction 2.1 Definition 2.2 Scope of the Study 2.2.1 Research Objective 2.2.2 Assumptions 2.2.3 Limitations Chapter 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Primary Research 3.3 Secondary Research 3.4 Market Size Estimation Chapter 4. Market Dynamics List of Tables Table 1 Global Pharmaceutical Isolator Market, By Type, 2017-2023 (USD Million) Table 2 Aseptic Isolators for Pharmaceutical Isolator Market, By Region, 2017-2023 (USD Million) Table 3 Containment Isolators for Pharmaceutical Isolator Market, By Region 2017-2023 (USD Million) List of Figures Figure 1 Research Process Figure 2 Market Dynamics for Global Pharmaceutical Isolator Market Figure 3 Global Pharmaceutical Isolator Market, By Segment, 2016 Continued. To Know More Enquire @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/4683 . About Market Research Future At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/09/2018 -- Snoring is generally regarded as a first sign of obstructive sleep apnea. Although common among many adults, snoring is considered unhealthy on the long run as it leads to deprived oxygenation state during sleep and is found to be the major factor in increasing cardiac atherosclerosis, stroke and even natural death. Besides these obstructive sleep apnea is regarded as a big threat to the overall health to a person as it results in a number of other conditions like insomnia, lethargy, daytime sleepiness, weakened immunity, blood pressure hypertension, anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal reflux disease, hypoxia, nerve damage, decreased motor and memory function, and many more. Snoring can be as a result of many factors itself, some of them being: obesity, alcohol or other sedative, muscular degeneration as a result of old age or muscular dystrophy, obstruction of nasal cavity by the tongue/tonsil/oral plate, etc to name a few. Snoring is generally found to increase with age and is reportedly more common among men. Globally around 1/3 to populations, depending upon the demographic region, are known to have snoring problems. In Philippines, folktales have been made around middle aged and older men suddenly dying in their sleep, which is often blamed on the local spirits that supposedly takes random souls away. Request Report for Table of Contents @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/5582 In many regions snoring is considered a pandemic among the genetic pool, patients and medical practitioners therefore prefer snore ceasing equipments as an easier alternative to surgical procedures. Nasal strips and nose clips (nasal expiratory positive airway pressure), lubricating sprays, mandibular advancement splints, Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), variable positive airway pressure (VPAP), infra red snore sensor, etc to name a few are some of the most commonly used snore cessation equipments or devices. The type of snoring aid depends upon the condition persisting and the cause of snoring pattern. Snoring as a result of the tonsils and adenoid regions are often solved by mandibular splints, whereas those caused by nasal cavity collapse are often cured by the application of nasal strips or nasal dilators. Sleep apnea pillows and recliners are also shown to decrease overall snoring among adults and are often used in conjunction with other snoring aids. Automatic PAP machines are used in chronic patients who reject surgery as an option and are highly effective in soothing muscles near the oral and nasal cavity. Many of these devices employ steam or positive air pressure via a nasal tube that allow for greater air flow from the nasal cavity. A majority of sales for sleep apnea and snoring devices lie majorly in the western nations of the North American and European region as well as Australia and New Zealand. The overall snoring cessation market by volume and revenue lies majorly in the region of North America and Europe, Asia Pacific region is expected to grow in the near future with increased awareness and rising standard of living. The rest of the world region is expected to maintain its growth as public awareness of snoring and its side effects are limited and are often not regarded as life threatening. he middle eastern region in RoW, is however expected to see growth in the near future as availability of nasal and mouth aids to stop snoring are made available readily. Request to View Sample of Research Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/5582 Companies that manufacture or market such products include: Omnisleep solutions, British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association, SnoreDoc, NOSnores, etc to name a few. Oakwood, GA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/09/2018 -- The Barrios Collection has the collection of luxury SUVs, collectible classics, and luxury sedans for sale in Atlanta Georgia. The company has recently expanded their inventory while hosting a spring sales event nationwide. Their collection includes Aston Martin, BMW, Land Rover, Bentley, Porsche, Oldsmobile, Mini, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, AMG, Audi, Ford, and Chevrolet. Now, with summer time fast approaching, The Barrios Collection grew their inventory and reduced prices for spring time. Here are the main highlights of the new inventory in Atlanta GA and on Website: - 1 owner vehicles - Low mileage - Southern sourced cars (not from up north where rust is prominent) - Luxury SUVs (Range Rover Supercharged, Mercedes G Wagon, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon's) - Collectible classics (that are 'show ready' for Springtime car shows) - Luxury sedans (Rolls Royce, Mercedes, AMG, Audi performance, collectible Porsche 911 4s, Mercedes V12 twin turbo) Now, they have a larger inventory of Classic and Exotic luxury cars for sale in Atlanta GA on site and in showroom. They have a growing inventory of vehicles every month. The Barrios Collection in Atlanta GA ships their vehicles across the United States and international. For those planning to shop for classic, luxury, or exotic cars can begin their search here: car collection inventory from this dealer. About The Barrios Collection At Barrios Collection, they understand that finding the perfect combination of an affordable and quality vehicle can be hard. So, the company has made it their goal to provide prospective customers in Atlanta Georgia or nationwide with the very best possible buying experience. For more information, please visit https://thebarrioscollection.com/. Media Contact: Company: The Barrios Collection Address: 4267 Mcbrayer Road, Oakwood, GA, 30566 Phone: 678-828-7152 San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/08/2018 -- The global market for ventilators is experiencing a significant expansion in its size, thanks to the continuous rise in the global geriatric population base, escalating cases of preterm births, and the augmenting number of ICU beds. Researchers expect the market to continue witnessing tremendous growth in the years to come. The prime target of this report is to provide clear and detailed information about the worldwide market for ventilators to consultants, stakeholders, and other participants of this market to assist them in making well thought of decisions about their businesses. Request a sample copy of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=3125 Global Ventilator Market: Key Trends In terms of mobility, intensive case ventilators emerged as the key segment of the global market for ventilators in 2017, thanks to the increasing demand for intensive care beds with ventilators across the world. The significant rise in ICU admission and re-admissions in emerging economies, together with, favorable reimbursement scenario is currently boosting the intensive case ventilators segment. Invasive ventilation interface has surfaced as the leading segment of this market, in terms of interface, and is expected to remain so, thanks to the widening base of applications of intensive care ventilators, especially in neurological diseases, respiratory diseases, and sleeping disorders. Hospitals and clinics are the key end users of ventilators across the world. With the high financial capabilities of hospitals, making them capable of to purchasing expensive instruments and the availability of skilled professionals, the hospital segment is anticipated to continue on the top over the next few years. Global Ventilator Market: Market Potential The global market for ventilators is expected to gain substantially from the rising investments, presence of favorable regulatory policies, and the significant surge in the healthcare industry in developing economies, especially in the Asian region, in the near future. However, the issues associated with the usage of mechanical ventilators, hesitation of physicians for technological transition, and the easy availability of comparatively cheaper products from local vendors may limit the growth of this market to some extent in the years to come. Request TOC of the report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=3125 Global Ventilator Market: Regional Outlook Among all the regional markets for ventilators, North America held the leading position in 2017 and was closely followed by Europe and Asia Pacific, thanks to the significant rise in geriatric population and the increased number of smokers, leading to augmenting prevalence of respiratory diseases. The regional market is expected to remain on the top in the near future, thanks to the presence of a highly advanced healthcare system, increasing healthcare expenditure, and the presence of established players in this region. Global Ventilator Market: Competitive Analysis The presence of a large pool of players points towards the competitive and fragmented structure of the global market for ventilators. Philips Healthcare (Netherlands), Medtronic (Ireland), ResMed (US), Becton, Dickinson and Co. (US), Drager (Germany), Getinge (Sweden), Smiths Group (UK), GE Healthcare (US), Hamilton Medical (Switzerland), Fisher & Paykel (New Zealand), Zoll Medical (US), Air Liquide (France), Allied Healthcare Products (US), Schiller (Switzerland), and Airon Mindray (China) are some of the leading vendors of ventilators across the world. These vendors primarily rely on technological advancements to remain significant in this market. However, a shift in their focus towards mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships can be observed in the years to come. Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/ventilator-market About TMR Research TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in today's 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. Carnival Legend most recently sailed a season from Melbourne, Australia, and currently is undergoing a dry dock refurbishment in Portland, Oregon, prior to starting Alaska cruises from Seattle. Back to Australia, then a second Alaska season After the Alaska season, Carnival Legend will return to Australia with a series of departures from Sydney and Melbourne the southern summer. In 2019, the ship will go back to Seattle for another series of weekly Alaska cruises before moving to Tampa in autumn 2019. Carnival Legends seven-day Tampa cruises will visit Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Roatan's Mahogany Bay and Belize City or Costa Maya. The ship's schedule from the Florida Gulf port kicks off Oct. 27, 2019. Alaska, Hawaii and Panama Canal on longer 'Carnival Journeys' Prior to its Tampa deployment, Carnival Legend will also operate a series of longer 'Carnival Journeys' voyages in 2019, including a nine-day Alaska cruise from Vancouver, a 16-day Hawaii voyage from Vancouver and 15-day Panama Canal transit that begins in Los Angeles and ends in Tampa, positioning the vessel for its new schedule from that port. Carnival Legend will also operate a round-trip 14-day Panama Canal cruise from Tampa Dec. 1, 2019. Later, on Jan. 25, 2020, a special eight-day voyage includes a partial transit of the Panama Canal as well as port calls at Limon (Costa Rica) and Grand Cayman. New food and beverage outlets The current two-week docking will add food and beverage concepts including Guys Burger Joint, developed in tandem with Food Network star Guy Fieri, the poolside RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar, and the Mexican-themed BlueIguana Cantina. Enhancements to Camp Ocean, a marine-themed kids play area, and Circle 'C,' catering to 12- to 14-year-olds, as well as new retail outlets, are also being incorporated. Nearly 800 angel investors invested more than $41 million in 70 Michigan companies in 2017, according to a comprehensive new report prepared by Ann Arbor SPARK. The "Michigan Angel Community," a statewide initiative managed by SPARK and supported by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, recently completed its first annual research report about trends in Michigan's angel investment community. Some of the report's findings were presented at a "Michigan Celebrates Angels" event May 3 at the Lansing Center. "The fact that we could identify nearly 800 (investors) was very encouraging, and I was happy to see that many," says SPARK senior vice president Skip Simms. "I believe there are many more that we probably didn't identify and think that number underrepresents (the number of angel investors in the state), but it kind of indicates there are plenty of opportunities." Simms says angel investors are often private individuals who are reluctant to provide the information the report was seeking. To counter that, staff not only polled angel investors in the state but also requested investment data from companies that received angel funding in 2017. The report found that the average investment was $55,000. Information technology companies received the most angel investments of any sector, with 30 companies receiving a total of $15.5 million. In contrast, only 19 life sciences companies received angel funding but they attracted larger investments, totaling $16.6 million. "The life science industry in the state of Michigan requires more capital, generally speaking, than other types of startup tech companies," Simms says. Simms says that figure of $55,000 was "well above the national average," according to the Angel Resource Institute Halo Report. "They looked at 3,500 startup tech companies in the U.S. funded last year by angel groups, and the average nationally was much lower than that," Simms says, noting that it's not just the Ann Arbor area that has a "robust" life science startup community but that life sciences are very strong in Detroit and southwest Michigan as well. Simms says the general consensus from the angel investors who attended the Lansing Center event was that it should be repeated. "Nothing like this has been done before, and there was overwhelming appreciation for the event," Skimms says. "The consensus is that this is something we ought to do every year, to recognize and celebrate one of the key components to the success of any startup and to growing a business." The full Michigan Angel Community report is available on Ann Arbor SPARK's website. Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and editor in Ypsilanti Township. You may reach her at sarahrigg1@gmail.com. Photos courtesy of Ann Arbor SPARK. Carl Arft has happy memories of growing up in Dexter, creating hand-painted figurines at the What's It Shop and eating at the Captain's Table. So he was happy to recommend that his employer, SiTime, open its first North American location outside of Silicon Valley at 2830 Baker Rd., Suite 200, in Dexter. The new office officially opened May 1 with a staff of four, led by Arft. He says he expects "rapid growth" and that the Michigan location will become "a key contributor to the companys future success." SiTime produces microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based timing solutions used in products ranging from mobile phones to self-driving vehicles. Arft, the company's senior director of systems engineering, has been working for SiTime since 2006. After going back to Dexter for a family visit in 2015, Arft proposed to SiTime CEO Rajesh Vashist that SiTime open a Michigan office in Arft's hometown. The greater Ann Arbor area was a good choice, Arft says, because of "the tremendous talent and research" coming out of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. Having an office in southeast Michigan also allows SiTime to collaborate more closely with automotive companies that are driving the growth of automated and connected vehicle innovations. Arft says Dexter offers a great quality of life, a top-ranked school system, and more affordable and varied housing options for employees than Ann Arbor does. He says he thinks Dexter is on the cusp of a big transformation and is excited for SiTime to be part of that. "Between 2000 and 2010, the population of Dexter almost doubled, making it one of the fastest-growing communities in the state," he says. "Interestingly, the median household income in Dexter is now higher than Ann Arbor. What this says to me is that successful people are choosing to relocate to Dexter in significant numbers." Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and editor in Ypsilanti Township. You may reach her at sarahrigg1@gmail.com. Photo courtesy of Ann Arbor SPARK. SEELEY LAKE As the current chair of the Montanas State Workforce Innovation Board (SWIB), Seeley Lake resident Loren Rose is taking a new approach to help the group set goals, new benchmarks and make these things measurable. In addition to the re-focus, the SWIB has gained national attention and will be a focal point for the National Governors Association meeting in July. The Montana Department of Labor & Industry receives approximately $5.8 million from the federal government to implement Workforce Innovation and Opportunities (WIOA) programs for adults, youth and dislocated workers. SWIB is tasked with overseeing how these funds are distributed and used at the state level and advising the Governor on statewide workforce development strategies that maximize the states education, training, and employment resources in support of economic development. The WIOA provides workforce investment activities, through statewide and local workforce development systems. This increases the employment, retention and earnings of participants and helps participants earn postsecondary credentials. The intent is to improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency, increase economic self-sufficiency, meet the skill requirements of employers and enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the nation. While Montana doesnt receive enough federal workforce development funding to make many changes to how this money is allocated, the SWIB and its members make sure these program dollars serve as many Montanans as possible. With our states unemployment rate at 4.1 percent, this is money well spent training individuals to transition into meaningful employment and strengthen our workforce, said Shannon Lewis, State Workforce Innovation Board Program Manager. The SWIB is currently made up of 28 seats that serve four-year terms. Half the board must be from private business, including the chair, and include various other agencies including county government and higher education. Rose works at Pyramid Mountain Lumber. Currently there are six vacant positions including five business members and one public member. Rose said the board is incredibly diverse. However, everyone wants a more stable workforce that is better trained and capable of meeting future workforce challenges. The board members are also extremely well connected in their individual communities, which brings a broader synergy to the board. Governor Steve Bullock asked Rose to serve on the board as part of the private sector. His first meeting was June 2016. I was totally naive. I didnt know anything about it, said Rose. It is one of those things when a governor or senator asks you to do something, you do it. The SWIB has been actively working with industry sectors across the Montana to grow and strengthen the workforce. They are engaging industry partners and stakeholder groups on a deeper level and working to promote workforce programs and promising practices happening throughout Montana. The SWIB also serves as the Jobs for Montana Graduates, affiliate of the Jobs for Americas Graduates program, oversight committee. JMG is funded through state and private foundation funds. Seeley Lake Elementary has been participating in the JMG for the past two years and is one of eight middle schools in the country that integrates the program. The SWIB, and many of Montanas business leaders, look at programs like JMG as a good investment in Montanas workforce as it engages young people in the career exploration process and ensures that the young people participating in the program are on a post-secondary education path into training, whether thats through higher education or a credentialed training program, that will end in a career, wrote Lewis. Although not necessarily funded, Rose added the SWIB board oversees several programs involving apprenticeship, dislocated workers, adult education and training and work-based learning. When Rose became the chair this January, he read through the mission and purpose of the SWIB and sent it out to all the board members. He asked them to come to the meeting prepared to share with everyone what resonated with them. Rose said many of the board members asked many of the same questions he was asking, How are we suppose to be measuring what the state is doing with all these programs? How do we know if it is successful and how do we know if the taxpayer is getting what they paid for? Rose was encouraged that he wasnt alone and because many felt the meeting was so productive, looks forward to continuing to do good work. Lewis and Rose attended the National Board Chair meeting in Washington, D.C. in February. Rose said it was amazing talking to other chairs around the country and hearing them say how well they feel Montana is doing and how progressive it is despite how diverse and little funding Montana receives. Montana does a fantastic job leveraging the resources we receive, said Rose. It was amazing how many states were challenged with providing workforce opportunities in a rural setting. There was such a high degree of interest in the work being done in Montana that the others states wanted to come and see firsthand the work being done. Lewis and Rose rallied Governor Bullock and they agreed to host the National Governors Associations summer meeting July 23 27 in Missoula. There will be several workforce related conferences simultaneously and the SWIB will convene at the same time. That is a testament to the work we do and the interest that it generates with other states trying to do similar work, said Rose. Because of what we have been able to achieve as a board and an agency under Governor Bullocks leadership, it is being looked at by other rural states and states with rural areas as best practices, said Lewis. We have a lot to be proud of here in Montana. Rose looks forward to focusing the synergy on establishing measurement criteria and evaluating program performance based on that criteria at their June meeting. I do not expect there to be changes at the program level but a better board understanding of what is going on at the program level and how we can elevate program performance, said Rose. What I expect is greater board ownership of our various activities. The SWIB plays a critical role in Montanas economic present and future, said Lewis. In addition, I look forward to further engaging our members and stakeholders on a deeper level to champion workforce development for Montanans, much like weve done here in Seeley Lake. There are many opportunities to leverage the leadership of the boards diverse industry members. The government says political considerations about New Zealand's relationship with China aren't the reason why it chose not to tax Chinese steel imports, as local steel producer New Zealand Steel attempts to have that decision overturned in the High Court. In July 2017, then-Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Jacqui Dean decided not to impose countervailing duties on imports of galvanised steel coil from China, following an investigation by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment which found that Chinese subsidies on the steel were too small to have injured the domestic industry. NZ Steel, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Australia's Bluescope Steel, lodged an application for judicial review of the former minister's decision in September 2017. It says Chinese steel flooded the local market and cut into its profits, and wants the court to quash the decision and have it be reconsidered by going back and re-investigating the matter. The hearing began on Monday, and is set down for the rest of the week, in front of Justice Jillian Mallon. In opening the government's reply today, the Crown's lawyer James Every-Palmer QC said all relevant considerations were taken into account in making the decision, based on information that was available to it and that it considered to be reliable, and that it provided full reasons and correctly interpreted the act and did not act unreasonably. "The application for judicial review here attacks matters that are really for the decision maker - the process of inference, the weighting of evidence, and the evaluative judgements it made," Every-Palmer said. "In our submission it's fair to characterise the application as seeking a merits review of the decision that was made, effectively an extra round of the decision-making process, but one in which there's only one interested party participating, and so the new material and evidence presented hasn't been tested in any systematic way." Every-Palmer stressed the decision was "absolutely was not affected by any concerns about how China might react", and later referred to an affidavit from former minister Dean on her making the decision not to impose duties. Dean noted that "during the investigation, I recall noting media reports about the visit by the Premier Li Keqiang to New Zealand around March 2017, but the matter discussed in those media reports did not affect my decision in any way", Every-Palmer said. (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: 8th October 2021 Morning Report Briscoe Group Limited (NZX: BGP) Interim Report for Period Ended 1 August 2021 Good Spirits Hospitality Limited (NZX: GSH) Completion of Lease of Viaduct Venue 7th October 2021 Morning Report Just Life Group Limited (NZX: JLG) Acquisition of Intenza New Zealand and Market Update Experience Comvita's Story of Innovation and Connection at World Expo 2020 Dubai National Day of Vaccination Backed by Business The a2 Milk Company Limited (NZX: ATM) The a2 Milk Company to Defend Class Action 6th October 2021 Morning Report NZME Limited (NZX: NZM) Market Update - COVID-19 Impacts The Treasury is still feeling its way on the government's 'wellbeing' framework and says getting departments to adopt and meaningfully understand the regime will be a multi-year task. The government's financial adviser released the four-yearly investment statement in March and faced questions about it at a parliamentary select committee today. The investment statement was the third so far produced and provides a snapshot of the Crown's balance sheet and upcoming challenges, and providing an indication of the government's high-level investment priorities over the short-to-medium term. Officials led by the Treasury's chief economic adviser Tim Ng fielded questions from MPs at Parliament's finance and expenditure committee. National Party finance spokeswoman Amy Adams suggested officials "think a little more holistically" about how to overlay the wellbeing framework over a narrow accounting regime, saying the report seemed to be a hybrid "sitting uncomfortably between the old and new". Ng agreed that was a fair interpretation, with the statutory instruction to report on assets and liabilities at odds with the living standards framework. "We have thought about it, but it's not easy," Ng said. "This was our first go at it and we hope as we learn more about how it works in practice, it will get richer." The Treasury started formalising its use of a broader set of 'wellbeing' measures early this decade under previous secretary John Whitehead, who in his final speech at the department said he wanted to make sure spending was "based on a recognition of the broad range of social and environmental benefits that result from government intervention as well as the costs" in what was then a tight fiscal environment. That work was picked up and developed by his successor, Gabriel Makhlouf, who established the regime where financial and physical capital, natural capital, social capital and human capital are seen as the four components essential to current and future living standards, with economic growth, future sustainability, increasing equity, social infrastructure and risk management influencing those components. The new Labour-led government has latched onto the LSF, with Finance Minister Grant Robertson expecting to have measures in place for the 2019 budget for a "major change in the way we identify what is success in the economy". Ng told MPs today that officials used the framework to push the 2018 investment statement beyond an accountant's view of the balance sheet, including how to best improve agencies' performance in a way that shows an investment is the best contribution to the wellbeing of New Zealanders. "The next step, and it's a step we're taking, is to engage with agencies and have good conversations about how they think about their business that maps on to the framework," he said. "That will be a multi-year process," and Ng said Treasury will continue to push government entities to help them locate their businesses within the framework. The government is using the 'wellbeing' phrase to underpin its policy direction, with Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni this week seeking feedback on investing in social wellbeing, something the previous administration dubbed social investment - a programme using an actuarial approach to determine the long-term liability of social ills and targeting spending to reduce that cost. During her questioning, National's Adams said the wellbeing framework had merit, but appeared to be too narrow in Treasury's report as it didn't look at the quality of New Zealand's telecommunications networks, significant investment into assets that affect New Zealanders, or investment into the nation's economic performance which delivers high-paying jobs. (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: 8th October 2021 Morning Report Briscoe Group Limited (NZX: BGP) Interim Report for Period Ended 1 August 2021 Good Spirits Hospitality Limited (NZX: GSH) Completion of Lease of Viaduct Venue 7th October 2021 Morning Report Just Life Group Limited (NZX: JLG) Acquisition of Intenza New Zealand and Market Update Experience Comvita's Story of Innovation and Connection at World Expo 2020 Dubai National Day of Vaccination Backed by Business The a2 Milk Company Limited (NZX: ATM) The a2 Milk Company to Defend Class Action 6th October 2021 Morning Report NZME Limited (NZX: NZM) Market Update - COVID-19 Impacts The New Zealand Superannuation Fund and Canadian fund manager CDPQ Infra have made an unsolicited bid to build and operate two lines in the proposed Auckland light rail, which are already getting $1.8 billion of seed investment. The government-owned fund manager and Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec subsidiary approached the government with an offer to assess the viability of the rail project for commercial investment and is open to other partners joining a consortium, it said in a statement. Cabinet has agreed to launch a procurement process exploring possible procurement, financing and project delivery options. The project attracted $1.8 billion of seed investment in the government and Auckland Council's recently announced 10-year transport plan for the city, because of the "potential opportunities for leveraging funding and financing arrangements to progress light rail", the report said. "The government will not be commenting further on the proposal other than to say that we welcome the strong interest in light rail and acknowledge that any investors will require a reasonable commercial return," Transport Minister Phil Twyford said in a statement. "The procurement process agreed by Cabinet will review all other proposals in the same way as the Super Funds proposal is assessed." The NZ Super Fund has invested about $5 billion of its $38 billion portfolio in New Zealand, and has indirectly invested in public-private partnerships in the past via the Morrison & Co-managed Public Infrastructure Partners Fund. The Accident Compensation Corp investment vehicle has been more active in the PPP space. "We consider the Auckland Light Rail network to be an infrastructure project of sufficient scale and significance to be an attractive prospect for investment," NZ Super Fund acting chief executive Matt Whineray said in a separate statement. "We wish to explore whether a NZ Super Fund-led consortium leveraging our international relationships can fund and deliver the project, on a fully commercial basis." CDPQ Infra develops and operates infrastructure projects, and its parent CDPQ is one of Canadas leading institutional fund managers with US$238.2 billion in net assets. CDPQ Infra is responsible for developing, building and operating Montreals 67-km light rail network. Finance Minister Grant Robertson said the New Zealand Transport Agency will run the procurement process, inviting and assessing all potential proposals, before reporting back to him and Twyford. The Auckland Transport plan puts the light rail project among an $8.4 billion spend over the next decade to develop repaid transport, including busways and rail. The city-to-airport light rail component identified the need for "a substantial increase in public transport capacity and efficiency" to avoid eroding Auckland's productivity with increased travel times and freeing up access to employment areas, while the northwest line was seen as more expensive than a busway but "a longer-term solution to bus congestion in the city centre and is likely to support stronger land-use change". The project is identified as an opportunity for PPP investors in the trans-Tasman industry body Australia & New Zealand Infrastructure Pipeline website, which puts a $1.2 billion (A$1.09 billion) value on the project. The website is sponsored by government agencies on both sides of the Tasman. (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: 8th October 2021 Morning Report Briscoe Group Limited (NZX: BGP) Interim Report for Period Ended 1 August 2021 Good Spirits Hospitality Limited (NZX: GSH) Completion of Lease of Viaduct Venue 7th October 2021 Morning Report Just Life Group Limited (NZX: JLG) Acquisition of Intenza New Zealand and Market Update Experience Comvita's Story of Innovation and Connection at World Expo 2020 Dubai National Day of Vaccination Backed by Business The a2 Milk Company Limited (NZX: ATM) The a2 Milk Company to Defend Class Action 6th October 2021 Morning Report NZME Limited (NZX: NZM) Market Update - COVID-19 Impacts Inthere is a shot of genius. A girl sits by the fountain, the camera tilts down to the water and, with her hand, she makes the waves ripple; her reflection distorts and when the image becomes clear again, we tilt up to reveal that the girl has grown and has become a beautiful woman: this is Savitri's introduction in the film and the first time I landed eyes on I was watching many of her gems, as well as other references, as Nagi and I were discussing how to bring her life into the film. He had seen San 75, a political thriller in the emergency time, and he enjoyed the vintage feel we had given to it. We researched many pictures from the 70s and noticed how the first color to deteriorate was blue (no wonder we only have 2% of blue cones in our fovea). So we avoided blue at all cost during the shooting of the film to create that look natively, without the help of any filters. Mahanati was a bigger challenge, we had to go from the 40s to the 80s in South India and do justice to her life and work. The collaboration between a director and his DOP can be very convoluted, but both Nagi and I are people who leave their egos out of the set. We can be quite blunt to each other, reaching the borderline of douchebag but always constructive, because we want to push and give our best to the film. Nagi listens to everyone and simmers everything quietly. Like Duchamp, he will only talk to you when he has made a decision, which is sometimes last minute but predominantly the correct one. Bhavya, one of our assistant directors always reminds us of the mini-battles we have between minor changes in lensing for a shot. I read you used 'film' and not digital for Mahanati, was it difficult, as the whole world has become digital now We researched and talked a lot about the different looks and the global visual design of the movie, mostly online since I got to Hyderabad just one day before the shoot. He wanted to have a nostalgic look that looked like analog film, but there was no budget for 35mm, so I proposed we could try shooting 16mm, and he loved that idea. I am in love with the look of recent films on 16mm like Jackie, Carol, or even Black Swan. It was a challenge though, cameras have become out of service and had focus issues, the only film lab in India is far from state-of-the-art, the film scanners were packed in some locker but to our surprise the dusty and grainy look we received fit the vintage look we wanted for Samanthas and Vijays part of the story. We are so used to the commodities of digital with film, some magic happens inside the magazine, and it is really tough to monitor the image, also no replays. Samantha is very particular about her performance on screen, and it was tough for her not being able to see the previous take. But once she and Vijay watched the first dailies, they loved how life-like film looked. They were so much fun to work with, they always cracked me up on set. To make it more organic, we used a different approach to lighting altogether and a restrained handheld camerawork, that cinematographers like Lance Accord say bring the characters closer to the audience. In this Citizen Kane structure, Savitris story is the retelling of memories filled with nostalgia. We wanted a punchier look, but still cinematic. We decided to go for the dynamic range of Alexa and the beautiful rendition and textures of the anamorphic lenses Hawk V- Lite. Did you suggest your inputs for the makeup and other aspects in Mahanati? Cinema is a collaborative art, indifference with most fine arts, where there is only one artist. In this film, I had to work especially close to costume, as they were quintessential to each character, especially the actors and their roles on screen. We had over 100 changes for Savitri and Indrakshi Pattanaik wanted to be part of the progressive psychological color palette. This was a task for her, not only the sarees, blouses, shirts, pants, and accessories had to be in synch with the character, the scene, the evolution in the story, the fashion of the time. Now color was also a big factor, limiting her choices. She worked hand in hand with producer Swapna Dutt to nail down the looks for every era in South India, while Priyanka worked with Shivam, Avinash and Ali (who brought all the real period pieces for the film) on production design. Indrakshi did a terrific job, not only with her choices but also on set, closely making sure every one of her costumes looked perfect on screen. She would come and tell me, please do your lighting magic so we focus on this detail of her saree, tell me we are gonna see his shoes, this color, right?. When I have instructed lighting and camera for the first scene of the day, I usually visit the actors in their caravan. I chit chat while my mind is analyzing their makeup, hairstyle, and costume of the day and figuring out how the lighting for the scene is going to affect that. Dulquer was the easiest to light. He has this superpower: no matter how he stands... his eyes just sparkle! I am just kidding, he is versed in camera angles and lighting, and knows perfectly well how to take the light to deliver his performance. So does Keerthy, the master of angles. In this film, like Orson Welles in Citizen Kane, she went through a transformation to look like Savitri, as well as a whole progression of the different stages of her life. It is common when an actor lets the cinematographer know of some issues or how they preferred to be portrayed. For Keerthy, it was all about character. We will give each other a morning hug, and she would remind me of which era Savitri we were in. This is the first time an actor has asked me, "make me look fat", "I have to look gaunt. To tell her evolution through visuals we used wider or more telephoto lenses, different camera stylizations, and a progression of different diffusions, in light, in the air (different sorts of smoke/mist/rain), and on camera (filters and even vaseline!). And obviously colors. Tell us about the color pattern you used in Mahanati. As we all know, Savitri's life itself was filled with a lot of emotions. She had a beautiful life, tasted success and enjoyed superstardom. She also had a pathetic end. It's indeed a film which offers a great score for a cinematographer to showcase different emotions with different color tone... For the film, we wanted to work on a psychological color palette, which was very difficult especially for a period film. I worked closely with the physical side of production, locations, costume, and art, who had restrictions on the colors of that stage/scene. I was afraid we would have missed something, we shot for so long and in so many different locations/stages. We mostly used real locations, and that took us as far as Delhi, Mysore, Chennai and vintage studios in Hyderabad. Now that I have completed the color grading with the wonderful Mak at RedChillies, I can tell you that we nailed it. I loved this line from your previous interview, you quoted Vilmos Zsigmond and said "Cinematographers are usually foreigners to the land they shoot in" and it's an interesting point of view. But you must have researched a lot because the lifestyle here is completely different. How you adapted yourself for Mahanati. English is not my first language, even in Los Angeles, where I reside, I am a foreigner, and I only know konchem konchem Telugu, but that is actually helpful. Obviously, I get the script translated into English, but not directly understanding what the actors are saying forces me to find their subtext and tell the story of a scene in a language we all share: the visual language. This is a tongue the people of this country are versed in and speak very well, having seen zillions of films through their lifetime. They know when a movie speaks to them visually. Here in India, people say that visual quality of our films is not on par with foreign films because of the pollution here. I'm sure today, Indian film industry is well equipped with advanced technologies. If pollution is not the main reason, what would be the reason behind this average visual quality? There is a fear of going on location in India, too polluted, too crowded, hard to get permissions. In cinema history, there is a wheel that turns from working with real stories in real locations, or working on studios and making movies more spectacular. Neorealism, nouvelle vague, dogma, etc. versus the heavy demands of new technology like the beginning of the sound, color, 3D... In this country, I could perceive the inception of a shift in telling the real stories in the last 7 years I have worked here. In India, air pollution only makes sunsets look more diffused and beautiful (like in Los Angeles), we do carry the latest camera, light, and postproduction technology. I think the issue with cinema visual quality strives on inequality. And it is ingrained in everything, from how the crew is paid, to the fact that productions take their audience for granted. There is a formula: with the right stars and marketing campaign, they can get a hit no matter what visual product they distribute. So why care about quality? A very experienced Bollywood producer once lectured me, do you know what cinema is? The sound of money as the projector keeps on turning the film. Swapna, Priyanka, and Nagi could have easily followed that path, yet they decided to take a walk on the wild side. Mahanati is not your first Indian film. What is the major difference you see in the filmmaking process in India and abroad? One of the major differences is how much of the responsibility of the film falls on you, as a cinematographer. In Mahanati, I have operated the camera and I have designed the lighting of every scene myself, whereas abroad I would have delegated to an operator and a gaffer. I had a great group of assistants, dont get me wrong. Hari is one of those natural focus pullers who does not need to take marks or measure to do extremely complicated shots, and he takes care of camera like no other. Hitesh came from Bombay to set the lighting for the sets of Mooga Manasulu, and Manohar shot a couple of scenes for me. But I am the proudest of Nishant, who popped his set cherry on set the first day of production and has become an amazing DOP assistant. But perhaps the biggest difference is that you have to deal with chaos. The unexpected happens every day on set, and you have to be on your toes the whole time. In the Telugu industry, actors have final creative input on blocking or even how the scene is written. For example, Rajendra Prasad, who is such a talented actor, will come to set with hilarious new ideas, like using a prop monkey, or surprising the other actor, and that would just make the scene better. The only issue is that this happened right before they wanted to take the shot. Now the dolly is not in the right spot, and you have to change the lighting. But this usually brings a very fresh sense to the scene, so I have learned to deal with these sudden changes creatively. Your favorite DOPs here in India? Any interesting Indian films which inspired you? If I have to name one, I love the work of Subrata Mitra, who set up a whole grammar of how films should be told. He is classic Indian cinema. V.K. Murthy has also amazing stuff. We looked at Kagaaz Ke Phool for inspiration. I was working on a documentary about Ashok Mehta when he sadly left us. If you were asking me about contemporaries, I love the incredible versatility of Mohanan, the freshness that Ravi Varman brings on colors, lighting, and camerawork, and that takes me to South India, to Santosh Sivan, and obviously Markus Bartley. I am really good friends with Carlos, Alvaro (who just shot Gold), and Nikos, because I admire their works too. - Rajasekar S In the late night drama, 9,746 voter IDs and two trunks of 'counter papers' (similar to acknowledgement) were found at the apartment of Munirathna Congress MLA Manjula Nanjamari, following which Karnatakas Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar held a press conference and said that the the IDs appear to belong to slum-dwellers of the area. : Nearly 10,000 voters ID cards were found at a rented apartment of a Congress lawmaker in North Bangalores R R Nagar area late on Tuesday night, leading to a probe by the Election Commission. An investigation is being conducted by the district electoral officer and three observers, Kumar said, adding that over one lakh chits that looked like counter foils of elections were found but not all are genuine. He said that the probe will ascertain the significance of the chits. Highlighting the seriousness of the matter, the chief electoral officer further said that the number of voters in R R Nagar is "quite high" compared to the state average. "There are 4,35,439 voters in main rolls of RR Nagar. This poll has seen a rise of 44,837," he said. The late night revelation sent Congress into a huddle with party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala addressing a press conference on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. "The Election Commission has clearly said that Congress legislator Manjula Nanjamari had rented the flat to her son Rakesh, who contested the 2015 BBMP elections on BJP ticket. As you can see in the this picture, BJP MLA candidate Muniraj Gowda is with BJP leader Rakesh -- the man in whose flat voter IDs were recovered. BJP's lies stand exposed," Surjewala said. As the matter escalated, former prime minister and JD-S chief H D Deve Gowda visited the place where the probe was being conducted and asked the chief electoral officer to take "suitable action", while Union parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar demanded to postpone the election to R R Nagar seat. Kumar said that he also wants polls in Badami to be conducted under vigil of paramilitary forces as IT raids saw huge cash seizures in the area. Fundraisers A virtual event to support the league's mission of addressing food insecurity in the community. Get moving at least 1.5 miles per day for the entire month of October, in doing so you will travel virtually roughly the distance across Sangamon county.45 miles just not enough for you? For intense runners and walkers, we challenge you to go out and back through the corn, over the Sangamon river, and past the Capitol for 90 miles of challenge. (217) 544-5557 Holding her first election rally in two years, Gandhi said all sections of society were facing problems, and questioned Modi on his "favorite promise" of ending corruption. Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "possessed by the devil" of Congress-mukt Bharat, and his only accomplishment in the last four years is to have undone the good work of the previous Congress governments, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi said on Tuesday. "Modi ji is proud that he can make speeches well. I agree he is a good orator. He speaks like an actor. If speeches could fill the country's stomach, I wish he gave more speeches," she said, taking a swipe at the prime minister. Gandhi never campaigned in an election after she was suddenly taken ill during a road show in Varanasi ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. Her election rally was seen as an attempt to give a cutting edge to the blitzkrieg launched by his son and Congress president Rahul Gandhi to retain power in Karnataka, the only major state their party rules apart from Punjab. With the UPA chairperson set to address a rally in Vijayapura hours after him, Modi had taken a dig at Rahul Gandhi, saying even leaders in his party doubted his ability to steer the Congress to victory in Karnataka. "Even Congress leaders have begun to feel that the son would not be able to help the party win Karnataka. I saw a Congress leader's interview. So, send the mother to ensure its candidates can at least save their security deposits," Modi said. Sonia Gandhi's rally in Vijayapura in north Karnataka, where Lingayats wield considerable electoral influence, was also seen as an attempt to reach out to the community, which has traditionally backed the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP, seeking to have a shot at forming its govenment in the only southern state where its has been in power, has projected Lingayat strongman B S Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate. In her speech, Sonia Gandhi said, "Modi ji has junoon (passion) of Congress mukt bharat. He is possessed by the devil of Congress mukt bharat (Congress mukht bharat ka bhoot laga hai). "Let alone Congress mukt bharat, he cannot tolerate (bardasht) anyone standing in front of him. The country is surprised that wherever he goes he speaks wrong. He distorts history, and for his political selfishness he uses our great freedom fighters as pawns on the chess board," she said. Sonia said the language used by Modi does not behove a person holding the high office. She said while the prime minister kept on speaking on verious subjects, he avoided talking about "real issues". "Which promise you made to people four years ago has been fulfilled? Tell what have you done for the country's farmers? What has Modi ji done to provide employment to youth? What has he done for the middle class, women, girls, Dalits and backward classes?" Taking on the prime minister over steps to tackle corruption, she wanted to know why the Lokpal, the proposed anti-graft ombudsman, had not been constituted. "What happened to your favorite promise of ending corruption? Four years have gone by but you didn't bring Lokpal. What is your model to end corruption, Modi ji?" Alleging that several ministers in the erstwhile Yeddyurappa government faced charges of corruption, she asked Modi whether he will follow their model or that of the "son of your close associate", an apparent reference to BJP chief Amit Shah's son Jay. The Congress has been raking up the issue of Jay, the turnover of whose company was alleged to have shot up sharply after Modi came to power. Sonia alleged the Congress-ruled Karnataka was being discriminated against. She claimed while thousands of crores of rupees were extended by way of assistance to other drought-hit states, the Modi government "rubbed salt to the wounds" of farmers of Karnataka by giving "too little". Sonia claimed Modi even refused to meet chief minister Siddaramaiah who wanted to discuss with him the problems of farmers. This, she said, was an insult to not only the chief minister but also the farmers of Karnataka and their families. "Modi ji, is this your sab ka saath, sab ka vikas? (together will all, development of all)," she asked. Gandhi said Modi came to Karnataka for election, made new "hollow promises and left after spreading hatred". She asked voters to reject the BJP's "politics of hatred and jumlas (rhetoric)". . -20 . , TACC. ... Punjab School Examination Board (PSEB) has declared the results of class 10 board examinations 2018 by releasing the merit list of select students. All those who had appeared for the test may visit the official website, pseb.ac.in for more details. This year, the pass percentage is 59.47%. A total of 3,68,295 students had appeared for the exam out of which 2,19,034 cleared it. A total of 1,04,828 girls had cleared the exam while the number of boys who passed the exam is 1,04,126. Gurpreet Singh of Sri Harikrishan Sahib Public Senior Secondary School and Jasmin Kaur of Shishu Model High School emerged toppers by securing 97.85 per cent. Puneet Kaur of Guru Nanak Public Senior Secondary School had scored 97.69 per cent. Among districts, Mansa has registered highest 73.76 pass percentage, Sri Muktsar Sahib is at 73.29 per cent, Bhatinda at 70.12 per cent, Ludhiana at 67.27 per cent, Hoshiarpur at 67.14 per cent. Amritsar district performance has dipped with 54.86 per cent, Pathankot at 52.92, Serozepur at 52.33 and Tarn Taran at 33.34. The result will be released on May 9 on the official website. Here's how students can check their result: - Visit the official website, www.pseb.ac.in or click here for direct link - Click on the results tab under the specified section - Enter the registration number and other details in the given spaces and click on submit Once the results and marks are displayed, make sure to take a print of the same for future reference. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Joyce Venezia Suss moved to St. George a few years ago and considered bringing her father to Pier 1, a former Coast Guard dock that juts into the Upper New York Bay. But after she checked online guidelines for eating locally caught fish, she decided the expeditions only would be for sport. While local fisher people fear not, official warnings can be a sobering read as they pertain to children under 15 and women of child-bearing age. In general, the New York State Department of Health advises against eating white perch, gizzard shad and scavenging creatures such as lobsters, eel and crab, all prolific in the Island's surrounding waters. And a general rule to local seafood consumption: Be leery of larger fish -- those greater than 20 inches -- as their older bodies potentially hold higher amounts of PCBs, Dioxin and Cadmium. Swept up in the spirit of the sea air and boats bobbing in the water, Great Kills restaurants like Marina Cafe, Fiore Di Mare, Mansion Grand and Cole's Dockside seem likely spots to enjoy locally sourced seafood. But that is hardly the case. "No, we can't serve it at the restaurant. And we don't fillet the fish for the fisherman," said Joe Labriola, Marina Cafe's executive chef. Ian Cole, manager of Cole's Dockside, illustrated the point further, "We are not allowed to accept fish from fisherman, cook for them and charge them for a couple of reasons. One, they are not a licensed distributor of fish which, in a sense, is saying we do not know if they correctly stored the fish on ice and what not; and, two, Uncle Sam wanting to get taxes from the initial sale." He points out the recent classification of striped bass as a game fish. "So no wild striped bass are allowed to be sold to restaurants or retail stores," Cole said. Therefore all Big Apple eateries should be presenting farm-raised product. Cole added, "If the [Department of Environmental Conservation comes in a restaurant and sees the fish that are [either] a game fish like wild striped bass and you don't have a tag for them [or] find fish that were not purchased by a licensed distributor there's a chance the restaurant can get in trouble." So, he advises: Find a chef friend and have him or her prep the fresh catch privately. Mike Cappucci, a chef at Michael Anthony's and life-long Great Kills resident, loves his fish, reeling it in from the Upper New York Bay around the Statue of Liberty, under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and Raritan Bay. He does not present it at the Nelson Avenue eatery but he enjoys it with family and friends. "Our waters haven't been this clean in years. The fish are perfectly fine to eat, especially with the colder waters when there's no algae, about through July. Striped bass is a delicious fish to eat," Cappucci said. He explained that they are migratory creatures, spawning up the Hudson and making their way down to the salt waters of New York City. "I don't like a fishy flavored fish," he said. "When you clean a striped bass and you make sure you take all the blood out of the meat. You take the skin off and on that side where the skin is you see that dark flesh. That's the fishy part." Cappucci celebrates the region's bounty. Crabs have their own filtration system, he said. He harvests these from docks around Keyport, NJ. He eats stripers and blackfish with confidence and he knows, from prior scuba expeditions and growing up on the Island, exactly where to find the most impressive specimens. "I remember the pier off of Arbutus Avenue. At the top of that pier it was all cement," he said. Now that it's been collapsed in the water for so long, the chunks of concrete form caverns perfect for blackfish. "I used to spear blackfish over there," he said. "The fish are that big." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- ATTENTION READERS, ALL HANDS ON DECK! Being out at sea for months on end can be really stressful for our navy personnel. That's why Minthorne Street's power trio -- Flagship Brewery, Goal Mine, and DaddyO's -- is joining forces with Assemblyman Matthew Titone to ask the entire Staten Island community for help in sending well wishes to our sailors with the Fleet Week NY Music Festival Sailors Mailbox. Devin Cutugno, founder of Fleet Week Music Festival, said this is a prime opportunity to show our patriotism from the shores of Staten Island. "The one thing that brings a warm smile to a service-members face besides music is a letter, card or post card thanking them for their dedicated service to our country," Cutugno said. "We are asking schools, veterans groups, and all community members to write a note of appreciation to the members of our armed forces that will be visiting during Fleet Week." Schools, veterans groups, and any individual who wants to put some smiles on our servicemen and women's faces is invited to write a note of appreciation to our armed forces, which will be collected by the three Minthorne venues, as well as at Assemblyman Titone's office at 853 Forest Ave. in West Brighton. Last year, around 500 letters reached the ships, both here on Staten Island throughout New York City's other four boroughs. The letter drive culminates with the 2018 Fleet Week Music Fest on Sunday, May 27, rocking out from noon-7 p.m. in Tompkinsville's Minthorne Street "party lot" -- one block from Bay Street and Victory Boulevard. There will be postcards for guests to fill out, and all mail will be delivered to the sailors on Sunday night. Fleet Week Music Fest will host visiting crews from the multitude of ships docking at Homeport Pier, where there'll be plenty of music courtesy of the many bands in attendance, a DJ, games, a photo booth and, of course, food and beer! THE LIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE: Noon: DJ H20 1 p.m. Tom Cintulla & The Buffalo 24 2 p.m. The Nightingales 3 p.m. Radio Flyerz 4 p.m. Joan Caddell & The Midnight Choir 5 p.m. The Bleeps Sweeps & Creeps 6 p.m. Giffords Lane Steadying into port are Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Little Rock (LCS 9) from Mayport, FL and a 140-foot ice-breaking tug USCGC Sturgeon Bay of Bayonne, NJ. Also on deck are Reliance-class cutter USCGC Diligence (WMEC 616) from Wilmington, NC and Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship USNS Maury (T-AGS 66). STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Staten Island Museum will host its annual fundraiser celebrating a new era in leadership and honorees who epitomize commitment to community at 7 p.m. Friday, May 18, at the Richmond County Country Club. Honorees include Ralph Branca, Staten Island Museum's immediate past Board Chairman and CEO of Victory State Bank; historian, educator, and professional genealogist Debbie-Ann Paige; and Jee Ra, principal of the Korean School of Staten Island and program director of the Korean Community Development Center. The 2018 gala -- co-chaired by Kashif Pervez and Oswaldo Pena -- is the first under the leadership of recently appointed Museum President and CEO Janice Monger, who began her tenure in September 2017. "This year's honorees demonstrate the depth and breadth of investment in culture and history necessary to sustain and enliven the Staten Island Museum and the local community," said Staten Island Museum President and CEO Janice Monger. "Ralph Branca, Debbie-Ann Paige, and Jee Ra's commitment to the Museum and serving the community at large exemplify the kind of service we want to amplify." Guests are invited for an evening of cocktails, dinner, auctions and live music at 135 Flagg Place in Dongan Hills. Tickets ($250; $225 for members) can be purchased through Tuesday at StatenIslandMuseum.org or by contacting Amanda Straniere at 718-783-7119. A little about the honorees: Ralph M. Branca is the President and CEO of both Victory State Bank and its holding company, VSB Bancorp, Inc., as well as a founding director and incorporator. He was one of the primary architects in creating Victory State Bank, and he has been instrumental in its growth from a one-branch operation to a $350 million bank with five branches, all located on Staten Island. Victory State Bank is the borough's only local commercial bank, serving business and professional communities. Branca serves as the Chairman of the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation, Vice Chair of the Friends of Seamen's Society, board member of the Building Industry Association of NYC and Seamen's Society for Family and Friends. The Museum recognizes Branca for his five years as board chair, during which he ushered the museum through a major renovation and opening of its flagship state-of-the-art facility at Snug Harbor. Debbie-Ann Paige is a public historian specializing in local African American history, a co-president of the newly chartered Richard B. Dickenson Staten Island Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) and professional genealogist. She has worked on numerous local history projects including In Pursuit of Freedom with the Brooklyn Historical Society; From Farm to City with the Staten Island Museum, the Louis Napoleon House as a site with the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to freedom on behalf of the Sandy Ground Historical Society; and the recent City Council street naming of "Samuel A. Browne Way" as the corner of Fairview Avenue and Knox Place in the Castleton Hill section of Staten Island. Paige's research on local African American history has contributed to the scholarship for museum exhibitions and greater understanding of collections. Jee Ra was born in South Korea and moved to Argentina with her family when she was 12 years old. After graduating from high school in Buenos Aires, she came to the United States to be a fashion designer. She studied pattern making at FIT but found that the fashion industry was not for her. Following her marriage, and while raising her children, two daughters and a son, Ra returned to school and earned her teaching degree from the College of Staten Island. Jee then taught Spanish at Susan E. Wagner High School for 15 years, retiring in 2016. Today, Ra serves as the principal of the Korean School of Staten Island, is the program director of the Korean Community Development Center, and serves on the advisory board of the Greater Youth Symphony of Staten Island. Ra has partnered with the Museum to present an annual Lunar New Year festival, drawing more than 300 attendees to learn more about Korean culture and connect the Museum to the local Korean community. Note: Gala sponsors to date are Bloomberg Philanthropies, Victory State Bank, Con Edison, Dr. Janet Norton, and Stop and Stor. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD is asking for the public's help identifying a woman sought in connection to a Staten Island car break-in. An unidentified individual allegedly broke into a 27-year-old man's Toyota on April 22 near the intersection of Clifton and Donley avenues, according to a written statement from the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. The individual took the victim's wallet, which contained $250 in cash, and several credit cards, according to the NYPD. The person also took a Calvin Klein jacket. Two days later on April 24 an unidentified woman used one of the victim's credit cards at a sneaker store in Brooklyn, according to police. She attempted to purchase over $1,000 dollars in merchandise from the Footaction at 468 Fulton St., but the cards were declined, according to the NYPD. Police provided two photos of the woman taken from footage at the store. Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island Technical High School has once again made the ranks of the nation's top high schools for 2018. The New Dorp specialized high school ranked 39th among the top 100 schools in the country, and ranked fourth among the top 10 schools in New York State in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report 2018 high school rankings released Tuesday. It was also ranked 42nd in the nation's top high schools for science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM). The school received the U.S. News' Gold Award for all-around excellence. Schools are ranked based on their performance on state-required tests and how well they prepare students for college. Staten Island Tech is one of nine specialized high schools in New York City where students are admitted based on their score on the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT). The report noted the following in regards to Tech: Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) course work and exams. The AP participation is 100 percent. The student body is made up of 57 percent male and 43 percent female. The total minority enrollment is 49 percent. Total student enrollment at Tech is 1,278, and the school employs 59 full-time faculty members. Thirty-seven percent of students were identified as being "economically disadvantaged." One hundred percent of all students were deemed "proficient" in English language arts and math. About 97 percent of all students were deemed as "college ready" after four years, with a graduation rate of 100 percent. This is the fourth year Tech scored among the state's top 10 high schools in the rankings. Last year, the school was ranked 35th in the nation's top 100 schools. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A New Springville man wasn't around last year when cops responded in force to a possible barricade situation at his home a day after he allegedly attacked his girlfriend. But police did find John Romaine inside an Arden Heights residence a short time later with an illegal gun in his possession, a criminal complaint said. As a result, Romaine, 45, will soon re-settle in new digs upstate after pleading guilty to a weapon-related charge. The bizarre sequence of events unfolded around 7 p.m. on May 11, 2017, outside the defendant's Naso Court home. Police said Romaine pulled his girlfriend out of a vehicle and threw her to the ground, fracturing his left wrist. The next afternoon, heavily-armed Emergency Service Unit police officers responded to Romaine's home for a possible barricade situation. Carrying guns and wearing bullet-proof vests, they surrounded the house near Rockland Avenue for several hours. But on entering the apartment, they found it empty. Romaine didn't elude cops, however. He was nabbed shortly thereafter in a home on the 1500 block of Arthur Kill Road, the complaint said. A loaded, illegal gun was in his possession. The defendant was charged with multiple counts of criminal weapon possession, along with assault, menacing and aggravated harassment. Romaine pleaded guilty on Tuesday in state Supreme Court, St. George, to a reduced count of attempted second-degree criminal weapon possession. In exchange, he'll be sentenced on July 10 to three years in prison and 18 months' post-release supervision. Defense lawyer Joseph Mure Jr. could not immediately be reached for comment. Assistant District Attorney Darren Albanese is prosecuting the case. US charges former CIA agent with spying for China Washington, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 The US Justice Department announced Tuesday it had indicted a former CIA operative for spying for China, in a case that could be tied to the dramatic collapse of the CIA's China network eight years ago. Three years after he left the CIA in 2007, Jerry Chun Shing Lee took money from Chinese intelligence officers in exchange for information "relating to the national defense of the United States," the Justice Department said. Lee, 53, a naturalized US citizen who was at the time resident in Hong Kong, was given information requests by the Chinese agents and hid the cash payments he received. He was arrested in January. According to a warrant made public at the time, FBI agents had discovered in Lee's luggage, during a court-authorized search in 2012, notebooks with the names, contacts and other details on covert CIA employees and informants. In voluntary interviews with FBI agents in 2012, Lee, who spent 14 years at the CIA, admitted preparing a classified document for the Chinese agents. But nearly six years elapsed before he was arrested. Lee was charged Tuesday with one count of conspiracy to gather or deliver national defense information to aid a foreign government, and two counts of unlawfully retaining documents related to the national defense. Officials have not said why it took so long to bring charges against Lee, nor detailed what materials he gave to the Chinese agents. But the case takes place amid widespread concern in the US intelligence community that Beijing has been able to cripple their operations in China. The New York Times reported last year that starting in 2010, to the end of 2012, the Chinese killed "at least a dozen" sources the CIA had inside China and imprisoned six or more others. A hunt for a "mole" in the agency led to one person, a "former operative" now living elsewhere in Asia, the Times said. But there was not enough information to arrest him. But others in the agency blamed sloppy work and not a mole, the Times added. China vows to 'safeguard' Iran nuclear deal Beijing, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 China on Wednesday voiced regret over President Donald Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal and vowed to "safeguard" the agreement. "China regrets this decision made by the US," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular press briefing. Geng said China will maintain "normal economic and trade exchanges" with Iran despite Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 accord and reimpose sanctions on Tehran. "China calls on all relevant parties to assume a responsible attitude" in order "to return at an early date to the right track of implementing the deal," he said. "China will continue to uphold an impartial, objective and responsible attitude, remain in dialogue with all parties and continue to devote itself to safeguard and implement the deal." The spokesman reiterated Beijing's opposition to unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction". Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called for a "new and lasting deal". Japan's Abe accepts China invite, but no date set Tokyo, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday he had been formally invited to visit China and would do so at "an appropriate time", as the regional powers try to warm ties. Chinese premier Li Keqiang is in Tokyo for talks on North Korea and bilateral ties, a month after the two Asian rivals pledged a "new starting point" for relations. "As we mark the 40th anniversary of the Japan-China peace and friendship treaty this year, I wish to build a relationship where leaders can easily visit each other," Abe said after talks with Li. "Premier Li offered an invitation for me to visit China. I expressed my gratitude and said I look forward to visiting China at an appropriate time." Abe has visited China for regional summits in recent years, holding talks on the sidelines of APEC meetings with President Xi Jinping. But the last official visit by a Japanese prime minister to Beijing was in 2011, when Yoshihiko Noda met President Hu Jintao. Relations between the two countries soured in 2012. Plans for reciprocal visits by Abe and Xi have been in the works for some time, but Li's invitation appeared to be the first formal signal. "As Prime Minister Abe has just said, and I agree with him, an official visit at an appropriate time is necessary," Li said. The world's second- and third-largest economies have a fraught relationship, complicated by longstanding maritime disputes and Japan's wartime legacy. The dispute over islands in the East China Sea -- known as the "Senkakus" in Japanese and the "Diaoyu" by the Chinese -- remains a source of tension. But Tokyo is eager to get the relationship back on a firmer footing, especially as it fears being shut out of negotiations on North Korea, which have proceeded at a breakneck pace in recent months with Japan largely on the sidelines. Li arrived in Tokyo Tuesday to take part in three-way talks with Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, but is staying on to meet local officials and businesses. Abe said Thursday the countries had agreed to start a communication "mechanism" to avoid unexpected confrontations at sea or in the air. Tokyo has regularly protested Chinese activity around the Senkaku islands, including by boats carrying out maritime research in Tokyo's exclusive economic zone near the disputed islands. Relations between the two deteriorated in 2012, when Tokyo "nationalised" some of the islets, but have gradually improved since then. 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Deliberation deffered to a later date. PHILIPSBURGH:--- Leader of the St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) and Member of Parliament Wycliffe Smith submitted a motion to parliament which was supported by Members of Parliament Franklin Meyers, Shridat Brijlani and Luc Mercelina to have the salaries of Members of Parliament slashed by 15%. The SMCP leader said in his presentation that he campaigned on a salary cut for MPs and he also placed it in their governing program. The SMCP leader also referred to former MP Roy Marlin who submitted the same motion in 2012 but it was not supported. With the added support the motion submitted by the SMCP faction will be placed on the agenda for deliberations. On Tuesday Smith did not ask any of the MPs to support his motion but when the chairlady of parliament announced that the motion would need two more signatures before it could be placed on the agenda for deliberations. At that point Meyers, Brijalani and Mercelina signed the motion so that it could be deliberated. MP Frans Richardson in his presentation said he will not support the motion. He said that some people made statements such as they would not work with certain politicians. However, Richardson said the motion sound good but one thing he knows that parliament cannot change the salaries of MPs during the parliamentary year. He said that such decisions had to be made at the end of the preceding year. He called on chair of parliament to further inform the people and parliament on such changes. Richardson said that the 15% will not help the people that have real needs on St. Maarten. He said that Smith should not put a test on no one instead he should begin to dialogue with Members of Parliament before such motions is presented. The Parliament of St. Maarten have decided to deliberate on the motion that was submitted by SMCP leader. MP Franklin Meyers requested that the motion to slash MPs salaries be delayed now that they have the lists of cuts that the Council of Ministers which will also affect Ministers. PHILIPSBURG:--- Scores of Police and Forensic are in South Reward investigating a shooting by police. SMN News learned that Arrindell was shot at a house in the Reward area. According to information reaching SMN News states that Arrindell and his sister were having some problems over their parents home and one of the relatives called police who saw Arrindell with a knife on the upper floor. They said that Arrindell is intoxicated and police ordered him to come downstairs where they were and when he did not comply, police fired shots at Arrindell and hit him in the leg area. SMN News learned that police fired at least three shots at Vernon Arrindell. It is not yet known how serious injuries Arrindell sustained. Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson confirmed that police shot Arrindell in his leg and he was transported to the St. Maarten Medical Center for treatment. Henson said Arrindell was shot in the leg area and he is in stable condition. Aggressive man shot by police. A man identified with initials V.A and well-known to police was shot in his leg on Tuesday afternoon may 8th at approximately 04.20 p.m. The incident happened after police was called at the resident on Arrow root road where the suspect and his sister were again having problems. On the scene, according to reports, the police approached the suspect who was armed with a knife was ordered several times to put the knife down which he refused to do. At one point he became very aggressive and approached the officers in a threatening manner with knife still in his hand. He was again ordered by officers to drop the knife which he again refused to do. A warning shot was fired by police but the suspect continued approaching the officers at which time he was shot in his upper leg. Other police patrols, Paramedics, Detectives and Forensic investigators were sent to the scene to conduct an investigation. The suspect was treated on the scene and then taken the Sint Maarten Medical Center for further medical treatment. The suspect remains in hospital for observation. KPSM Press Release Updates to be provided on sewerage project PHILIPSBURG:--- The public in general and residents of Dutch Quarter in particular are being invited to an informative Town Hall Meeting, to take place on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, from 6:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. St. Maartens Prime Minister, the honorable Leona Romeo-Marlin is scheduled to open the meeting and Minister of VROMI, the honorable Miklos Giterson is expected to address the audience at this event. Following this, presentations about the project will also be made. The upcoming Town Hall Meeting, which is to take place at the Dutch Quarter Community Center, is a follow-up to earlier dialogue with the districts residents. This is being organized by the governments departments of Interior and Kingdom Relations and New Projects. The meeting will serve as an opportunity to provide Dutch Quarter residents with details of the latest developments regarding the 10th EDF project, which concerns a sewerage project in the district of Dutch Quarter. As is known, the country of St. Maarten and the European Commission (EC) signed the financing agreement, which outlined a co-financing structure with a contribution of 4.75 million euros. In the meantime, the Government of St. Maarten has signed the 10th EDF Works Contract with Van Boekel Bouw and Infra BV and the construction works are expected to commence this summer. The project will entail the construction of a much needed sewerage system including a pumping station, sewer to house connections, infrastructure upgrading and ancillary works in the district. The project specifically targets the upgrading of the sewerage infrastructure in the Dutch Quarter district. Overall, it is the intention that the project will serve to improve the living conditions of low-income residents and reduce poverty on St. Maarten. Following presentations to be made by the various partners, the public will have an opportunity to ask questions on the pertinent issues and the way forward. The town hall meeting is part of promoting a healthy exchange of views within a framework of transparency and acknowledging the importance of stakeholder contribution. ~Opposition rejected 2018 budget~ PHILIPSBURG:--- The Members of Parliament from the current coalition UD/SMCP voted in a favor of the 2018 budget that have been deliberated in house of Parliament for the past two days. All MPs supporting the government supported the budget in order to meet the demands of the Kingdom Council who gave the Government a deadline to either approve the 2018 budget by May 8th or face an instruction. The Members of Parliament from the opposition benches voted against the budget since they feel that the budget is not in the best interest of the people of St. Maarten. MP Christopher Emmanuel who said earlier on Tuesday that he was willing to support the 2018 budget if he could get a guarantee from government that civil servants will not be affected by the 37 cuts the Minister of Finance is proposing. Emmanuel said that while he pleaded with the Council of Ministers for answers he could not get it thus he voted against. MP Ardwell also stated that he has been asking about the cuts since April 20th and only moments before the voting the government shared it with parliament. We were given this information at a time when we could no longer discuss these cuts. The MP said because the budget is not in St. Maarten and its people best interest he is obliged to vote against. MP Rolando Brison also expressed the same sentiments. He said cooperation is a two way street and he read all advices given by the council of advice who also gave a negative advice on the budget. Brison said because all advices are negative he could not support the budget. The Hague / Willemstad:--- As of on July 1, 2018 former Minister Henk Kamp will sit on the Board of Financial Supervision (Cft) Curacao and Sint Maarten and Cft Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. For the Board of financial supervision Aruba the appointment will take effect on August 1st. Appointed upon proposal of the Netherlands, he will succeed the current member Sybilla Dekker. Chairman Raymond Gradus: "Henk Kamp is someone with great governmental experience and ample affinity with the Caribbean; with the departure of Sybilla Dekker a gap would have arisen, which fortunately now has been filled up instantly. Given the state of public finances in the countries, demanding a lot of attention, I am delighted with the expertise that Henk brings in." On May 9, 2018, the Kingdom Council of Ministers approved the appointment of Henk Kamp in the Boards of financial supervision. Earlier, the Council of Ministers had already done the same with his appointment in the Cft BES. Henk Kamp has a long track record in public administration. For example, before he became a Minister, he was a municipal councilor, alderman, member of the Provincial Council of Gelderland and a member of the Second Chamber. In the Balkenende I and II/III cabinets, he was respectively Minister for Housing, Urban Planning and Environmental management and for Defense. After that he was again a member of the Second Chamber and for two years Commissioner for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. He then served as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment in the Rutte I cabinet and as Minister of Economic Affairs in the Rutte II cabinet. Currently he still holds various other positions as chairman of the sector association of organizations active in the field of care and support for the elderly, the (chronically) sick and youth, and as chairman of the supervisory board at a hospital. Henk Kamp succeeds his former colleague Sybilla Dekker who has been a member of the Cft for two periods since 2012. Sybilla Dekker was Minister for Housing, Urban Planning and Environmental management in the Balkenende II/III cabinet. The sitting members of the CAft will say goodbye to her this summer. Raymond Gradus states: "With the departure of Sybilla we bid a highly valued and committed member goodbye; she always had an eye for the Caribbean context and the governmental relationships within which financial supervision must operate. With the other members, I look forward to working with Henk Kamp". PHILIPSBURG:--- Project HELP provides free screenings in different community locations three times a year. HELP was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labour Collective Prevention Services. The scope and strength of the collaboration has increased over time. The Ministry provides invaluable support for AUC and the learning of our students. AUC students and faculty are happy to be back in St. Maarten and to resume the offering of HELP. We are grateful for the support of Christian Faith Ministries Church in Dutch Quarter for hosting Project HELP on Saturday and for the collaboration of Mid Isle Rotary Club. The generosity of Christian Faith Ministries is amazing. They provided a beautiful space, helped in planning the details for the event, promoted the event to their members, and opened their entire facility to make the day a success. Church members will also help throughout the day to assist with guiding participants through the screenings. Volunteers from Mid Isle Rotary Club will be on hand to support the work of the students and to provide hospitality to the participants. AUC and Mid Isle are truly grateful for the support of programs that support prevention and good health on St. Maarten. The Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle meets Tuesday at 7pm at Pineapple Pete in Simpson Bay. For more information please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our face book page Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle PHILIPSBURG:---In November 2017 the Dutch National Disaster Fund (NRF) pledged a maximum of 2 million euros for post-Irma recovery projects in St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. Since March 2018 the fund is open for applications which must be submitted before 1 August 2018 . Organizations that focus on the re-building and strengthening of social networks and activities are invited to come to an information session which will be organized by Fleur Hermanides and Jose Sommers, local project advisers for the Disaster Fund. This will take place on Tuesday, May 15th at the St. Maarten Senior Citizen Center in Hope Estate from 6.30-8.30PM. In an earlier press release the board of the Disaster Fund informed the public of its decision to spend 2/3s of the fund via organizations that are established and registered on the islands. Organizations such as neighborhood and community centers, children day care and after school and youth centers, PTAs as well as organizations that cater to vulnerable persons such as seniors, mentally and physically challenged and low income/socially challenged groups, form the main target group. Most of these social NPOs offer social, cultural, arts, sports, environmental, parent-child and/or other activities with the aim of promoting social cohesion and strengthening the social fabric of the community. Organizations that fall into, or collaborate with one of these categories, are encouraged to attend this information session and apply for funding. The local non-profit sector has proven to be a very important stakeholder after the hurricanes. The local advisors are excited to assist the non-profit organizations with making use of this funding opportunity, as it is clear, 8 months post Irma and Maria, how much the NGO/NPO community has already done for the islands, but also how much social support is still needed. The prospective 2 million euros that has been made available is a perfect opportunity for not only the large, but also for the small local social organizations to strengthen themselves and the projects and programs they execute. During the information session criteria will be shared and attendees will be taken through the forms sharing some ins and out on the application process. Information (Terms of Reference) on this project funding opportunity can be found via www.nationaalrampenfonds.nl/irma. This also includes a downloadable application form (in both Dutch and English). The project advisers can be contacted at 5860808 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Fleur Hermanides) and 5815050 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Jose Sommers) and are looking forward to see a large turnout on Tuesday, May 15th 2018 , 6:30 p.m. at the St. Maarten Senior Citizen Home Center in Hope Estate. MARIGOT:--- As announced by President Daniel Gibbs and his team, a clean-up campaign is being organized by the Collectivite, from May 10th to June 10th, 2018. During this period, waste collection bins will be installed in the neighborhoods (see plan attached). The aim is to carry out a major cleaning operation in anticipation of the 2018 hurricane season and to remove a maximum of waste, some of which could become projectiles in bad weather. The public is being asked to clean private properties while the Collectivite will continue to clean up the public domain. Neighborhood associations are also invited to help with this operation. In parallel, the Collectivite is continuing its VHU operation for the disposal of end-of-life vehicles. This operation is free for all those who wish to make themselves known to the Collectivite by contacting the Department of Environment Affairs and Quality of Life :0590 52 27 3. Individuals and companies that will join this effort are asked to sort green waste, zinc and wood before transporting them to the Grand Cayes Ecosite. This pre-sorting is important as it will facilitate the waste process by the company VERDE and the Galisbay waste center. Access to the Grandes Cayes Ecosite (Cul de Sac) will be free for the duration of the cleaning campaign, only for vehicles registered on the French side and for suitable trucks (dump truck). Waste can also be deposited free of charge at the Galisbay waste center. The Collectivite of Saint-Martin invites you to use the devices that will be available to collect a maximum of waste, between May 10th and June 10th, 2018. President Daniel Gibbs makes a civic appeal to all our fellow citizens for active participation in this collective clean-up program, and thanks you in advance for your commitment to respecting our environment and our safety. GENEVA (ILO News) The International Labour Organization (ILO) is to launch its flagship report, World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO): Greening with Jobs, on Monday, 14 May at 20:00 GMT. It estimates how many jobs will be created globally, regionally and by sector, if sustainable policies are adopted. The report also covers job losses and includes policy recommendations aimed at further boosting job creation. Embargoed electronic copies of the report and associated media material will be made available to journalists upon request, starting on the morning of Monday, 14 May in the morning, by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . For UNOG accredited correspondents: A press briefing by Deborah Greenfield, ILO Deputy Director-General for Policy will be held, under embargo, on Monday, 14 May at 10:30 a.m. in press room 3 at the Palais des Nations. Embargoed documents will be sent to them automatically as soon as they become available. The report and all associated material and information are under strict embargo until 20.00 GMT (22:00 Geneva time) on Monday, 14 May. Interviews by print, web or broadcast media can be scheduled via the ILO Department of Communication: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , +4122/799-7912. Video coverage of the press conference is available, upon request immediately following the event. The ILO TV studio and ISDN line can be booked for broadcasters wishing to interview the authors by contacting the Department of Communication/Radio and TV Unit on +4122/799-7935 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Solar Novus Today Has Been Integrated With Novus Light Technologies Today Visit Novus Light Technologies Today to see all the cutting-edge stories and products that you have come to enjoy on Solar Novus Today. In addition, you will find more information on related light-based technologies. Get the latest solar and renewable energy news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Green Technologies newsletter CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES NEWSLETTER Healdsburg, CA (95448) Today A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 46F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 46F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. By Mata Press Service Canadas largest pension funds are fixing their gaze on Asia Pacific to fund the beachfront retirement dreams of todays workers, says a new report. The report, released by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APFC), found that between 2003 and 2017, Canadian pension funds invested $25 billion in the region, with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board and the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec is the top three investors. This new and growing focus by Canadian pension funds has two important implications: 1) it means that Canadians retirement financing is increasingly tied to the large and growing economies in the Asia Pacific, and 2) it means that Canadas state-owned pension funds are becoming a major direct investor in the region. The pension funds are focusing their investments on key markets that contain an increasingly large share of the worlds middle-class consumers, such as India and China, said APFC. As consumption grows in the worlds two most populous countries, the bottom line of Canadians retirement packages may benefit from the increased performance of the pension fund investments in these economies. At the same time, Canadian pension fund investments are also providing necessary capital to help facilitate growth in key sectors in Asia. Investments in sectors such as real estate and logistics are currently the way in which these pension funds are tapping into these high-growth markets. It looks like, at least for the immediate future, tying Canadian pensions to Asia is paying dividends on both sides of the Pacific, the report concludes. The pension analysis was part of the recently released APF Canada Investment Monitor, a database and interactive web-based tool that tracks investment ties between Canada and the Asia Pacific at the enterprise level. The report captures C$192 billion of Canadian investment through 2,073 deals by 1,098 Canadian companies in 27 Asia Pacific economies from 2003 to 2017. The centre of economic gravity has shifted to the Asia Pacific region and Canada must understand the nature and scope of the unique opportunities that exist for investment, said APF Canada President and CEO, Stewart Beck. The APF Canada Investment Monitor 2018 provides the necessary analysis and understanding of trends to assist our thought-leaders in making informed policy and investment decisions for existing and emerging Asian markets. Highlights of the Investment Monitor 2018: Report on Canadian Investment in the Asia Pacific include: i) Pension funds are emerging as drivers of Canadian investment, growing from 1 percent of Canada's total investment value in 2003 to 2007 to 25 percent in 2013 to 2017; ii) Canadian investment in China has declined since 2008, with most of that Canadian investment in the financial services sector; iii) Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec account for 99 percent of Canadian investment in the Asia Pacific, with Ontario-based companies being the major investor, accounting for 60 percent.; iv) The value of mergers-and-acquisition investment in the Asia Pacific has grown from 18 percent of Canada's total investment in 2003 to 2007 to 50.2 percent in 2013 to 2017, overtaking greenfield investment; v) Australia, China, and India are the main destinations of Canadian investment in the Asia Pacific. vi) Investment in India into consumer-driven sectors has been on the upswing since 2010, as Canadian firms position themselves to capitalize on the countrys projected consumption growth in the coming years; vii) Investment in Australia has been steadily rising since 2013, mainly in the natural resources sector, with a specific focus on mining companies. The research report also found that there are two distinct patterns of investment for Canadian companies in the Asia Pacific. The first is Canadian investment in natural-resource-based industries, which is the defining characteristic of the Canada-Australia investment relationship. The second pattern is focused on investing in companies that are targeting the growing needs and desires of the burgeoning middle class, such as in India and China. By Kasi Rao New Canadian Media Increasing trade and investment with India was a focal point of the discussion at this years Canada-India Business Councils Annual Partnership Summit. Theres enormous room for growth, with two-way trade currently hovering around a modest $8 billion between the two countries. The purpose of the Summit is to provide an opportunity for the business community to discuss and collaborate on how to best pursue this lucrative opportunity. The unprecedented participation at the Mumbai and Delhi business forums during Prime Minister Trudeaus visit in February, as well as those who were in Toronto, point to the business communitys sustained interest. Attendance and participation from various major sectors, and especially by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), Brookfield, Fairfax, Air Canada, and Bombardier Inc., was duly noticed in India. Additionally, the need to develop business opportunities in the context of gender-related initiatives such as those discussed at the Executive Womens Roundtable in Mumbai, was recognized as an opportunity to pursue for Canada and India. There is real potential for increased growth given the statistics of the growing immigration and foreign student population in Canada. Last year alone there was a 58% increase in both study and work permits issued to Indian citizens (Statistics Canada, 2016 Census Data). The skilling needs of India and innovative research partnerships that address the development needs at all skill levels were highlighted with examples of Canadian collaboration. Still just a few months into the year, the Canada-India Business Council is busy working to sustain the momentum and implement actionable recommendations. Whether a start-up, boutique, or conglomerate, creating spaces where members of the business community are able to learn of new opportunities in the corridor is the abiding theme behind all of our initiatives. During the summit, senior executives from BMO Financial Group, Tata Consultancy Services, ICICI Bank, Air Canada, and Bombardier Inc. were panel participants, offering practical insights for all levels of enterprise. Leading Indian corporations such as TCS, and Paytm shared invaluable lessons and advice on navigating the local landscape. Representatives from Seneca College and The University of Toronto spoke of the fascinating breadth of ideas and innovation that comes through intercontinental knowledge exchange and how that exchange subsequently feeds into economic growth. Rounding out the holistic approach, the Summit also attracted interest and collaboration from various branches of the Canadian government and the Indian Consulate and High Commission. Increased collaboration continues to make good business sense. For Canadian companies, India is a viable growth market in a wide range of sectors. For Indian businesses, Canada is a way to continue the relationship with existing customers with access to North American markets. Both countries have long identified diversification as a tremendous facet of surviving the ever-changing economic landscape. One of the important developments underway in India is the emphasis on competitive and co-operative federalism. Panelists observed that various states in India have undertaken a number of policy reforms. As such, it was noted that businesses should target the subnational level as a viable avenue to encourage growth. This of course is consistent with Canadian federalism where a number of provinces are active in promoting their interests reflecting the diverse strengths of the Canadian economy. The Canadian brand is evolving and our openness to trade and investment, innovation and ideas, combined with pluralism and diversity are important to emphasize to relevant Indian audiences as we move forward. Canadas strategy within the creative industry was discussed as another avenue for growth. The Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) was highlighted as a remarkable cross-sector example of the soft power so useful in international relations. Given the Festivals global projection, reach, and existing ties to giants in Canadian literature, exploration of collaboration here in Toronto is yet another way to bolster economic interests. A report will be prepared on the Summit encompassing key learnings, challenges, and next steps. The Canada-India Business Council has and will continue to hold roundtables, and meetings across the country for business leaders, and government representatives to tackle the How? and What now? of opportunities from a local perspective. Host cities include Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Halifax, Saskatoon, and Vancouver, among others. The end of this year will see the Council back in India for the Mumbai Forum where the aim is to build on the sustained engagement. Kasi Rao is President and CEO of the Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC). This piece originally appeared in New Canadian Media. See http://newcanadianmedia.ca/component/k2/43099-canada-india-and-the-business-for-both Quick facts India is Canadas second largest source of immigrants (approximately 40,000 in 2016). India is also Canadas 10th largest source of tourists and international visitors, with 224,000 visits made from India to Canada in 2016. An estimated 124,000 students from India held a permit to study in Canada for six months or more in 2017. Canada is the second most popular destination for Indian students going abroad for higher education. Canadian universities and colleges are also very active in India, and there are currently over 400 agreements between institutions in both our countries. Lives in the balance as UN debates climate finance Bonn, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Behind wrangling at UN climate talks over financial aid for poor countries dealing with increasingly extreme weather and bracing for worse to come, real-world projects that can save livelihoods -- and sometimes lives -- are queued up, waiting for approval and money. Rich countries are slowly opening the spigots to help reinforce coastlines sinking under rising seas, convert agriculture to drought-resistant crops, or switch public transportation from petrol to electricity powered by the sun and wind. Tens of billions of dollars -- the true figure is sharply contested -- from public and private sources are now flowing every year. But that falls well short of the $100 billion (84 billion euros) per annum promised from 2020, and is a pittance compared to the trillions experts agree will be needed to engineer the global transition to a green economy. The 197-nation Paris climate treaty calls for capping the rise in temperature to "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and pressure is mounting to set the bar even lower at 1.5 C. That may be mission impossible, according to some scientists. The global thermometer has already gone up by 1 full degree Celsius, and the pathway to a 1.5 C world has narrowed to a tightrope walk. Even the 2 C target is seen as hugely ambitious. In any scenario, however, poor regions highly exposed to climate risk are confronting life-altering impacts from carbon pollution, sometimes made worse by poor choices. - Restoring a wetland - In southwestern and eastern Uganda, for example, vast wetlands drained to make way for crops have become barren and no longer buffer rainwater cascading down the slopes of Mount Elgon during climate-enhanced storms, the UN Development Programme's Benjamin Larroquette told AFP. For subsistence farmers who never know when a flood will wash away their crops "it's Russian roulette," he said. A $44.3 million (37.4 million euro) project managed by Larroquette will restore some 60,000 hectares (150,000 acre) of wetlands over the next eight years, and reconnect the area's networks of streams and rivulets. A million people will benefit, also learning how to set up fish farms and plant crops compatible with wetlands. More than half the money comes from the $10 billion (84 billion euro) Green Climate Fund (GCF), which backs projects that help developing countries adapt to climate change and reduce their carbon footprint. The GCF is one piece in a much larger climate finance puzzle that has long divided rich and developing countries at UN talks currently tasked with working out the "operating manual" for the Paris pact before the end of the year. Many of the most intactible disputes centre on finance. Recipient nations seek clear commitments for more money from public sources, while donor nations favour loans and a larger role for the private sector. - Umbrella for a Cat 5 hurricane - But everyone agrees that what's on the table now -- in the long run -- is not enough. "We are talking in millions and billions of dollars while we should be speaking in trillions," UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa told delegates from more than 190 nations gathered in Bonn through Thursday. "Let me put it this way: trying to address climate change at current financing levels is like walking into a Category 5 hurricane protected only by an umbrella." The UN Environment Programme estimates that climate adaptation alone will require 140 to 300 billion dollars of spending per year by 2030. In Bonn, the finance issue is slowing progress across the board. Negotiators cannot even agree on how much is currently being spent. Of the $48 billion (40 billion euros) in climate finance ostensibly disbursed in both 2015 and 2016, only $16 to $21 billion -- less than half -- is actually "net, climate specific public finance," according to a report by Oxfam International. Official figures are inflated by over-estimating the climate component of broad-based development projects, and by counting the face value of loans without taking into account interest payments, the NGO said. The GCF will likely disburse more than 60 percent of its initial reserves before a UN climate summit in Poland in December, triggering a drive to replenish the fund. But how -- and how quickly -- that will unfold has yet to be defined. "Bold new commitment to the GCF would be a massive trust builder for developing countries," said Tracy Carty, a finance expert at Oxfam. Trump's main foreign policy moves Washington, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 After Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear pact, here is a look back at the "America First" president's signature foreign policy moves, largely characterized by a desire to break deals, not make them. - Trans-Pacific Partnership - Making good on a campaign pledge, Trump on his first full day in office withdrew from the 12-member trade pact negotiated by his predecessor. He said the TPP -- which has yet to take effect but has been signed by participating nations -- left the United States exposed to unfair competition and was a bad deal. But a year after taking office -- after the 11 other members signaled they would press ahead with or without Washington -- Trump struck a different tone, suggesting he would be open to joining again if the United States won unspecified changes. - NAFTA - After denouncing the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement as a "disaster" and the "worst trade deal maybe ever," Trump last year called for the pact to be renegotiated, but stopped short of withdrawing. Delegates from Mexico City, Ottawa and Washington are currently attempting to retool the deal, but they have hit serious stumbling blocks and the talks have been acrimonious in recent months. Canada and Mexico oppose the American demand for higher requirements for US-made content in automobiles and the elimination of an important trade dispute mechanism. The future of the agreement, which has seen sharp growth in trade but painful changes for certain industries, remains uncertain. - Paris climate pact - The US commitment to fighting climate change -- forged under former president Barack Obama -- was reversed in June, when Trump announced he would withdraw America from the Paris pact. As he announced his decision to pull out, Trump indicated he could be open to some sort of renegotiation of the voluntary agreement, but his administration has done nothing to follow up on this. Meanwhile, more than 190 nations still in the pact are trying to how to cap global warming at "well under" two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit). - Jerusalem embassy - Trump last year recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a declaration condemned by the international community and Palestinians who view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. In January, Washington announced it would transfer its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the creation of Israel. - North Korea - After months of bellicose rhetoric between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the US president said in May that the two would meet for a summit, a stunning development South Korea's President Moon Jae-in dubbed a "miracle." The move came after Kim conducted repeated launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and carried out a nuclear test. North Korea freed three American detainees Wednesday, handing them over to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who was on a surprise visit to Pyongyang. Kim has already meet with Moon, and the summit with Trump is expected in the coming weeks. - Syria - Last month, Trump said he wants American troops to "get out" of Syria, but his top military officials quickly said there was no change to the US mission to beat the Islamic State group, and that US forces would remain for now. Trump has twice ordered cruise missile strikes on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad after he was accused of using chemical weapons. The most recent strike, in April, was conducted with the assistance of French and British forces. Russian cosmonaut could ride US spacecraft to Moon for first mission Moscow (Sputnik) May 07, 2018 The first flight of a Russian cosmonaut to the moon could take place aboard of the US Orion spacecraft in 2024, a space industry source told Sputnik on Friday. "Within the framework of talks, draft plans of future manned missions to the lunar stations have been made. Among other issues, the possibility to send one Russian cosmonaut as part of the crew of the Orion spacecraft that will drag the Russian airlock module to the moon is on the agenda. The Russian cosmonaut will have to ensure the integr ... read more Anger, dismay, support: how the world sees US withdrawal from Iran deal Washington, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal prompted furious reaction in Tehran, regret in Europe and cheers from Israel and Saudi Arabia. The following is a selection of reactions from around the globe to Trump's biggest foreign policy move since taking office: - 'Psychological warfare' - "This decision was an act of psychological warfare against Iran." -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani - Uranium enrichment to resume? - "I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization to take the necessary measures for future actions so that, if necessary, we can resume industrial enrichment without limit." -- Rouhani - Stay the course - "Stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours and together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal." -- European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini - 'Regret' - "France, Germany and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity and stability in the Middle East, notably Syria, Yemen and Iraq." -- French President Emmanuel Macron, on Twitter, referring to the Iran deal by its formal name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action - 'Disappointed' - Moscow is "deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action." -- Russia's foreign ministry - 'Instability' - "The unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the nuclear deal is a decision that will cause instability and new conflicts." -- Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Twitter - Breaking commitment - Damascus "strongly condemns the US president's decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran, which shows once again that the United States is not honoring its commitments and international agreements." -- Syrian foreign ministry source quoted by the official SANA news agency. - Compliance - "I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other member-states to support this agreement." -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres - 'Bold decision' - "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran." -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - Support from Saudi - "The kingdom supports and welcomes the steps announced by the US president toward withdrawing from the nuclear deal... and reinstating economic sanctions against Iran." -- Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry - 'Misguided' - "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working... That is why today's announcement is so misguided... I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake." -- former US president Barack Obama, whose administration brokered the 2015 deal Who are the three US citizens held by North Korea? Seoul, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Three Korean-Americans held by nuclear-armed North Korea are expected to be released Wednesday during a visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Despite years of hostility between Washington and Pyongyang, hundreds of Americans visited North Korea every year until the US State Department finally issued a travel ban on the country last September. Americans made the journey to North Korea for a range of reasons, from holidays and business trips to humanitarian work and missionary purposes. Six South Koreans have also been detained since 2013 -- three Christian missionaries and three defectors originally from North Korea -- with Seoul also pushing for their release. Pompeo's visit comes with Trump preparing for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks, as a dramatic diplomatic thaw on the peninsula quickens. These are the US citizens who could soon be free: Kim Hak-song Kim Hak-song had been working for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) undertaking agricultural development work with the school's farm. He was arrested at Pyongyang railway station in May 2017 on suspicion of committing "hostile acts" against the government, as he was boarding a train headed for his home in Dandong, China. Kim, who is in his mid 50s, was born in Jilin, China, and educated at a university in California, CNN reported, citing a man who had studied with him. He said Kim returned to China after about 10 years of living in the US. PUST was founded by evangelical overseas Christians and opened in 2010. It is known to have a number of American faculty members and students are generally children from the North's elite. Kim Sang-duk Kim Sang-duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested in April 2017 at the capital's main airport as he tried to leave the country after teaching for several weeks, also at PUST. Kim is a former professor at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China, close to the Korean border. Its website lists his speciality as accounting. South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported Kim is in his late 50s and said he had been involved in relief activities for children in rural parts of North Korea. It cited a source who described him as a "religiously devoted man". In a Facebook post, Kim's son said since his arrest his family has had no contact with him. His family said Kim will soon become a grandfather. Kim Dong-chul Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born American businessman and pastor who is in his 60s, was sentenced to 10 years' hard labour in April 2016 after being charged with subversion and espionage. He was arrested in October 2015 after he reportedly received a USB stick containing nuclear-linked data and other military information from a former North Korean soldier. In a interview with CNN in January 2016, Kim said he was a naturalised American who had lived in Fairfax, Virginia. He said he once ran a trading and hotel services company in Rason, a special economic zone near the North's border with China and Russia. A month before his trial, Kim had also appeared at a government-arranged news conference and apologised for attempting to steal military secrets in collusion with South Korea. The South Korean spy agency has denied involvement. Netanyahu heads for Putin talks after Trump pullout from Iran deal Jerusalem, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to Moscow on Wednesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, hours after US President Donald Trump announced he would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, mainly over Syria and the involvement there of Israel's arch-rival Iran. "The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so," Netanyahu said before departing. "In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination between the Russian military and (that of Israel)." Russia's foreign ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's announcement on Tuesday that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president's "bold" move. Netanyahu has long opposed the nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran. Separately, Israel is deeply concerned over Iran's presence in Syria, where Tehran, like Moscow, backs President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Russia and Israel have set up a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria. Netanyahu has vowed not to allow Iran to entrench itself militarily in neighbouring Syria, where Israel has been repeatedly accused of carrying out deadly strikes, with reports of Iranian forces killed. Israel has not acknowledged those strikes, but admits carrying out dozens of raids in Syria to stop what it says are deliveries of advanced arms to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, another of its enemies. There have been fears in Israel of Iranian retaliation. Just prior to Trump's speech on Tuesday, the Israeli army asked authorities in the occupied Golan Heights to open and prepare missile shelters due to "irregular activity by Iranian forces" over the demarcation line in Syria. Hanoi demands Beijing withdraw missiles from disputed islands Hanoi, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Hanoi has demanded Beijing remove military equipment from contested islands in the South China Sea, saying reported missile installations are a "serious violation" of Vietnam's sovereignty. The warning follows a report from US network CNBC last week that China had installed anti-ship and air-to-air defences on the Spratly Islands, which are also claimed by Vietnam. China did not confirm the new military equipment but last week affirmed its right to build defence facilities in the South China Sea, of which it claims the majority. Hanoi called Beijing's latest moves a threat to peace and asserted Vietnam's historical and legal rights to the Spratly Islands, which it calls the Truong Sa islands. "Vietnam... asserts that all militarisation activities, including the arrangement of missiles on Truong Sa islands seriously violates Vietnam's sovereignty," Vietnam's foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said in a statement late Tuesday. "Vietnam requests China... not to militarise (and) withdraw military equipment that were illegally deployed on structures under Vietnam's sovereignty," the statement added. Vietnam and China have long sparred over their competing claims in the South China Sea, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas deposits. Washington warned last week that Beijing would face "consequences" over its militarisation of the disputed waterway. But Beijing defended its "peaceful construction" in the Spratly archipelago as necessary to protect its own sovereignty and security. Though the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the sea, Vietnam has remained the most vocal opponent to Beijing's build up in the sea. Tensions reached a fever pitch in 2014 when Beijing moved an oil rig into a part of the sea claimed by Hanoi, sparking violent protests in Vietnam. France, Germany, UK to meet Iran on nuclear deal Paris, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 The foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany will meet Iranian representatives next week, Paris said Wednesday after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran. "We will meet with my British and German colleagues on Monday, and also with representatives of Iran, to consider the entire situation," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio. French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said separately on France Culture radio that the decision was "an error" not just for international security but from an economic point of view. It was "not acceptable" for the US to be the "economic policeman of the planet", he said. Trump defied European pleas to stay in the pact, which curbs Iran's nuclear program, and reimposed crippling sanctions which will come into effect within six months. The decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders, repeatedly and in person, had begged Trump to think again. Le Maire pointed out that the withdrawal gives European firms doing business in Iran the "very short time of six months" to wind up investments -- or risk US sanctions. "In two years, France has tripled its trade surplus with Iran," he said. Le Maire said this would lead to "consequences" for major French companies, such as Total, Sanofi, Renault and Peugeot. He said he would have speak with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin by the end of the week to "explore what the possibilities are" to avoid the sanctions, including possible exemptions. While Iran's arch foes Israel and Saudi Arabia welcomed Trump's decision, other signatories to the existing deal -- Russia, China and the European Union -- vowed to stick by it. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani accused Trump of "psychological warfare" and said Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" but that it would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. vl/lv/rl/dl/bmm Europe fights to save Iran nuclear deal after US pullout Paris, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 European powers scrambled Wednesday to save a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Trump sparked an international outcry by ditching the accord, a move that risks overturning years of diplomacy and adding to instability in the Middle East. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord in an address to the nation from the White House on Tuesday. He described it as an "embarrassment" to the US that does nothing to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. In response, the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany will meet with Iranian representatives next Monday "to consider the entire situation," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio. French President Emmanuel Macron will also speak with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani by telephone on Wednesday afternoon about "our wish to stay in the agreement," Le Drian said. He added that European powers would "try to preserve" the economic benefits Iran has gained from the lifting of sanctions under the deal. In separate comments, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said that it was "not acceptable" for the US to be the "economic policeman of the planet". - 'Bomb threat' - Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called for a "new and lasting deal". He said that would have to include not just deeper restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. "We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement," he claimed. "We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction and we will not allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth." Iran's Rouhani -- whose standing at home now risks being undermined by the deal's collapse -- was furious, accusing Trump of "psychological warfare". Rouhani said Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" in response to Trump's announcement, but that it would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Trump's demands and his warning that Iranians deserve better than their current "dictatorship" will fuel suspicions that his ultimate goal is regime change. "If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before," he warned. - Blow for Europe - The decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders begged the US leader to think again. In a joint statement, Germany's Angela Merkel, Britain's Theresa May and France's Macron voiced their "regret and concern" at Trump's decision. European firms doing business in Iran now have a six month deadline to wind up investments, or risk US sanctions, Trump's advisor John Bolton said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Washington was acting "under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities". That meant that European firms with investments or operations in the United States could be targeted if they continue to trade with Iran. Plans are already being drawn up in Brussels to introduce measures blocking US sanctions -- an extremely rare move against an allied government. But Bolton said that cooperation with Europe on Iran was not over. The US will "work with the Europeans and others not only on the nuclear issue but on Iran's ballistic missile development, its continuing support for terrorism and its military activities that jeopardise our friends," Bolton told Fox News. - 'Bold decision' - While Iran's arch foes in Israel and Saudi Arabia welcomed Trump's decision, signatories to the existing deal vowed to plough ahead without the US. The European Union's chief diplomat Federica Mogherini, who helped oversee the accord, insisted it was "delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesn't develop nuclear weapons." "The European Union is determined to preserve it," she added. Trump's decision offers him a domestic political victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise. But the long term impact for US foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Some analysts also warned the move would complicate US efforts to reach an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over his country's own more advanced weapons programme. Former CIA director John Brennan said Trump's move "gave North Korea more reason to keep its nukes". Former US president Barack Obama -- whose administration inked the deal -- made a rare public criticism of his successor. "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility, and puts us at odds with the world's major powers," he said. Elsewhere, Russia's foreign ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" by the decision. And a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, warned on Twitter that Trump's move "will cause instability and new conflicts". But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly supported the move. "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal," Netanyahu said in a televised address. bur-rlp/dl Iran lawmakers burn US flag in parliament Tehran, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Iranian lawmakers burned an American flag and cried "Death to America" in parliament on Wednesday to protest President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the multi-party nuclear deal. Images shown on various Iranian media showed an MP brandishing the paper flag and burning it in the centre of the parliament chamber. A conservative lawmaker, Mojtaba Zolnour, joined him and burned a copy of the nuclear agreement. Several dozen deputies joined them in shouting "Death to America", a favoured slogan of Iranian conservatives. "Be careful not to burn down the parliament," speaker Ali Larijani said from the podium. Iranian officials have condemned Trump's decision to pull out of the 2015 deal, which had lifted sanctions in exchange for curbs to Iran's nuclear programme. Air Force Un: Personal jet for North Korea's Kim Seoul, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 The plane that flew Kim Jong Un to China this week is officially known as "Chammae-1", or Goshawk-1, after the national bird of North Korea -- but the leader's personal jet is perhaps more memorably dubbed "Air Force Un". North Korea's official name and flag appear on the ageing Soviet-made aircraft, which first emerged four years ago and has carried Kim on various trips across his country in the past. Glimpses of the jet's interior are rare, but images carried by the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Wednesday showed Kim seated in a plush leather armchair, looking out of the window and waving at his Chinese hosts. The Cold War-era Ilyushin-62 is adorned with a red-and-yellow national emblem, ringed with the phrase "Chairman of the State Affairs Commission", a lengthy moniker that is Kim's main political title. Kim, who is in his 30s, is not president of the reclusive state as the role is still filled by his grandfather Kim Il Sung, despite his death in 1994. This week's China visit was Kim's first overseas trip by air since inheriting power in 2011 -- he took the train to Beijing in March when he made his international debut. But despite its comfortable furnishings, analysts have raised doubts about the aircraft's reliability due to its age and questions over its maintenance. That could be a possible issue in the choice of venue for the forthcoming summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, with possible locations for the meeting reportedly including Singapore and Mongolia, with Switzerland mooted previously. In the images, cabled devices that looked like a telephone, an intercom and a router were neatly lined up on the polished wooden desk, as Kim sat in front of a silver laptop. A colour monitor apparently displaying the travel route appeared to be installed above the window next to his seat. Kim and his wife were first photographed disembarking onto a red carpet from the jet in May 2014. Since then he has regularly flown domestically, displaying a passion for air travel that is in stark contrast to his father and predecessor Kim Jong Il, who hated flying and only used high-security trains for overseas trips during his 17-year term. Iran's possible responses to Trump's nuclear decision Tehran, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Iran finds itself in a tricky balancing act as it weighs a response to US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of a landmark nuclear deal. "They need to find a response that keeps the Europeans on their side but also shows they can't just be pushed around," said a Western diplomat in Tehran. "That seems pretty difficult." For now, President Hassan Rouhani has said he will hold talks with the other parties to the 2015 agreement -- Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia. He has said there will only be a "short period" in which to assess whether Iran's interests can still be preserved in concert with the remaining parties. Some analysts say Iran could retaliate by causing trouble for US interests across the Middle East, where the Islamic Republic has widespread influence and large proxy forces. "Iran will push back, to show that it cannot be bullied," said Mark Fitzpatrick, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "Iran's main response... will probably be asymmetrical, harming US interests in other realms, such as Syria and Iraq. While it may not be immediate, a push-back is inevitable," he said in a briefing note. For now, Iranian officials have suggested there are three broad responses. - Resume high-level enrichment - Speaking immediately after Trump's announcement, Rouhani said he had instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation "to take the necessary measures for future actions so that if necessary we can resume industrial enrichment without limit". The head of the organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi, has said in recent months that Iran is ready to resume high-level uranium enrichment to 20 percent "within five days". "We will wait several weeks before applying this decision. We will speak with our friends and allies, the other members of the nuclear agreement," Rouhani said on Tuesday. The deal restricted Iran to enrichment to around 3.5 percent, the level needed for nuclear power stations. Although 20 percent is still within civilian use limits, the move would mean Iran was building up a stock that could then be enriched to military-grade levels of 80 percent or more. - Stay in the agreement - Rouhani said on Monday that Iran would stay in the agreement even if the United States pulled out. But he wants assurances that Iran's interests -- primarily trade benefits from the deal -- will be preserved. "Either what we want from the nuclear deal is guaranteed by the non-American parties, or it is not the case and we will follow our own path," he said in a statement. Europe has been adamant that it wants to preserve the accord, but Washington has already threatened that European businesses in Iran must be wound down within six months. Parliament speaker Ali Larijani said that Europe had caved to US pressure before, having seen many of its businesses shut up shop under previous international sanctions from 2012-15. "We can't put much confidence in their statements about preserving the agreement, but it's worth testing for a few weeks so that it's clear to the world that Iran has tried all the avenues to a peaceful political resolution," Larijani told parliament on Wednesday. - Look East - Russia and China are less exposed to US markets and therefore better placed to resist Washington's economic pressure. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said recently that a top priority in Iran's foreign policy today was "preferring East to West". That reflects Iran's strengthening of relations with Russia, an ally in the Syrian conflict, and with China, which has no qualms about its business ties to the Islamic republic. Khamenei has also warned in the past that Iran would burn the nuclear deal if the US walked out. But while he has ultimate authority in Iran, any decision will emerge from discussions between officials from across the political spectrum. Saudi air defences intercept two missiles over Riyadh: state TV Riyadh, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles over the capital Riyadh on Wednesday, state television said, the latest in a series of attacks claimed by rebels in neighbouring Yemen. Two explosions were heard in the city, according to an AFP photographer. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition said Saudi air defences hours earlier had also intercepted a ballistic missile originating from Yemen and targeting Saudi Arabia's southern city of Jizan. Yemen's Huthi rebels quickly claimed responsibility for attacking "Riyadh Dry Port and other economic targets" in the Saudi capital with Burkan 2H ballistic missiles. The rebels also claimed the Jizan attack, via their Al-Masirah TV. Riyadh has long accused its regional rival Tehran of supplying the Huthis with ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia launched a military coalition in Yemen in 2015, aimed at rolling back the Huthis and restoring the internationally recognised government to power. The Huthis have in recent months intensified missile attacks against Saudi Arabia. The latest salvo came a day after US President Donald Trump exited the Iran nuclear agreement, which he criticised for not including measures to curb Tehran's ballistic missile programme. US, Philippine troops storm ashore in bulked-up drills SAN ANTONIO, Philippines, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 US and Philippine troops stormed ashore from the disputed South China Sea on Wednesday for military exercises that President Rodrigo Duterte had promised to scrap, but quietly allowed to carry on. The decades-old tradition appeared headed for the history books last year as a newly-elected Duterte pivoted toward China -- and away from long-time ally the US. But the number of troops taking part in the drills has increased by a third from last year to 8,000, a return to figures seen in years past when the exercises served as a thinly-veiled deterrent to a rising China. The reason for Duterte's change of heart on the two-week drills codenamed "Balikatan", or "Shoulder-to-Shoulder", may be down to what experts see as careful efforts by the Filipino military to restrain their unpredictable president. "The fact it's being done under this administration means they (Duterte's government) now have a better understanding of the security equation," political analyst Victor Andres Manhit told AFP. Though the bulked-up manoeuvres -- including a live-fire component that was dropped last year -- took place on a naval base just 180 kilometres (110 miles) east of the Filipino-claimed Scarborough Shoal that China has controlled since 2012, the drill's leaders barely mentioned Beijing. "We are an island nation. That's why we need to improve our capabilities on amphibious operations," Philippine Major-General Emmanuel Salamat told reporters. "We're not concerned about Scarborough. We're concerned about what we're doing here." China claims most of the South China Sea, a strategic waterway believed to harbour significant oil and natural gas deposits, but their assertion was ruled illegal in 2016 after Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino filed suit before an international maritime tribunal. Duterte has since reversed course and set the ruling aside, along with long-simmering friction over competing claims to the waters, in order to court Chinese trade and investment. He has also cut two major annual naval exercises with the US and last year reduced the Balikatan contingent to 5,400 American and Filipino troops. The decision came at a low point for US-Philippine relations, when Duterte hurled insults at the American ambassador to Manila and served notice that the 2017 edition would "be the last military exercise" with the United States. Much of Duterte's ire appeared to have been triggered by American criticism of his deadly anti-drug crackdown, which has claimed thousands of lives and been condemned by rights groups as a possible crime against humanity. The renewed ramping up of the US-Philippine war games coincides with improving ties with Washington under President Donald Trump, who has said drug dealers should face the death penalty. Analysts said Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, a retired general and ex-defence attache to Washington, and other advisers had helped moderate Duterte's position. "He (Lorenzana) could handle, in a very effective way, most of the president's biases without ruffling feathers," said Roilo Golez, a former national security adviser of ex-Philippine leader Gloria Arroyo. US Marine Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Gaskell, who took part in the landing exercise Wednesday, sidestepped media questions on Duterte's anti-US claims. "We are welcomed here, walking in the airport, throughout your country, (but also) by the Filipino armed forces who we've interacted with," he said. "So we're really happy to be here." Europeans will 'do everything' to protect companies in Iran: French presidency Paris, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 European officials will "do everything" possible to protect the interests of companies working in Iran, which may now be exposed to new US sanctions against the country, an official in the French presidency said Wednesday. Following President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose sanctions, European governments are going "to do everything to protect the interests" of their companies, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. French diplomats said Trump's decision, announced in a short address to the nation on Tuesday, was expected despite efforts by President Emmanuel Macron to sway the US leader. "Of course this decision is a worry, there are tensions," a second official said. "It will be difficult to maintain this agreement in these conditions but we will do everything to find a way to protect this multilateral framework." At a press briefing, the diplomats countered criticism that Macron had been ineffective in lobbying Trump to respect the accord during a state visit to Washington at the end of April. Despite both men boasting of their close relationship in public, Trump did not inform Macron of his choice beforehand, even during a phone call between the two men just hours before his announcement. "It was our responsibility to do it (lobbying Trump to stay in the agreement)," the first French official said. "And we did it with full knowledge of the facts." He added that Macron would continue to play a crucial role in trying to salvage the agreement -- which the EU, Russia and China say they want to keep -- and reduce tensions in the Middle East. "He's the only leader who has the ability to talk to other leaders involved, even those that don't talk to each other," the official said. "That's something, above all in this time of tensions, that is precious." Oil prices surge after Trump tears up Iran deal London, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Oil prices surged nearly three percent on Wednesday, reaching fresh 3.5-year highs after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, resulting in sanctions on the Islamic Republic's crude exports. Both main crude contracts had already been rising in recent weeks, hitting 3.5-year highs, on expectations Trump was going to withdraw from the 2015 pact that had opened up Tehran's atomic programme in return for an easing of sanctions. "The geopolitical repercussions of this decision will no doubt be widely felt, and due to as many as one million barrels of crude supply per day being effectively taken off the market when these sanctions are enforced, it represents a large supply-side shock for crude and this has driven the price up to its highest level since 2014," said David Cheetham, chief market analyst at traders XTB. Benchmark oil contract Brent North Sea crude hit $77.20 dollars Wednesday, the highest level since November 2014. New York's WTI contract reached $71.17 -- also the highest for 3.5 years. Oil's surge helped lift shares prices in energy majors, with Royal Dutch Shell and BP up more than two percent approaching midday in London. "Both these firms have seen their share price rise to its highest level in several years," said Cheetham. "The gains have boosted the broader index with the FTSE 100 close to its highest level since January. "The oil-and-gas sector accounts for roughly one-sixth of the benchmark, and the recent gains in this area are lifting the whole index," he added. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has meanwhile said it will take all necessary measures to prevent supply shortages. Trump reinstated US sanctions which could curtail Iran's ability to export oil, its mainstay for public revenues. US withdrawal from the accord, which had been agreed by Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the Obama administration -- was confirmed as Trump called it "defective at its core". Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said his country could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" but would discuss its response with the other signatories before making a decision. With the move already priced into markets, oil's main contracts, Brent and WTI, sank soon after Tuesday's announcement, with some commentators suggesting Trump could still pedal back on some of his rhetoric and shift to a more diplomatic tone. However, they bounced back strongly in Asian deals Wednesday. There was talk that crude could continue rising to $80 a barrel, with gains helped also by uncertainty in oil-rich Venezuela, an OPEC-Russia output cap, improving global demand and data pointing to a drop in US energy stockpiles. - Key figures around 1015 GMT - Oil - Brent North Sea: UP $2.10 at $76.95 per barrel Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP $1.98 at $71.04 London - FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 7,605.94 points Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.3 percent at 12,956.40 Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.1 percent at 5,526.37 EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.3 percent at 3,569.14 Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 22,408.88 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.4 percent at 30,536.14 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,159.15 (close) New York - Dow: FLAT at 24,360.21 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1859 from $1.1864 at 2100 GMT Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3535 from $1.3548 Dollar/yen: UP at 109.73 yen from 109.07 yen burs-bcp/rfj/jh Trump move ups Iran uncertainty for Austria's Oberbank Vienna, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 One of the few European banks to have a credit deal with Iran said Wednesday lending had been thrown into further doubt by the US withdrawal from a landmark nuclear agreement. In September, Austria's Oberbank signed a framework agreement to finance Austrian investment projects in Iran's infrastructure, healthcare and plant construction sectors. It was the first European lender to do so since sanctions were eased following the 2015 pact between Iran and world powers. However, since then the bank has not extended any funding, citing legal uncertainty. On Tuesday US President Donald Trump announced the US withdrawal from the "disastrous" agreement and the reimposition of sanctions on Iran. Oberbank said it would have to wait for further details of the deal's future and the next US moves before deciding on whether it could eventually begin providing credit. "We have to think of the security of our clients," Oberbank spokesman Frank Helmkamp told AFP, pointing to the danger of falling foul of US sanctions on businesses that have dealings in Iran. In response to Trump's move the other parties to the agreement have said they will try to keep it functioning. The foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany are due to meet Iranian representatives next Monday "to consider the entire situation," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio Wednesday. Oberbank's statement reflects the general caution over financial firms' dealings with Iran and especially now after Trump's move. jsk/bmm Hanoi demands Beijing withdraw missiles from disputed islands Hanoi, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Hanoi has demanded Beijing remove military equipment from contested islands in the South China Sea, saying reported missile installations are a "serious violation" of Vietnam's sovereignty. The warning follows a report from US network CNBC last week that China had installed anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles on the Spratly Islands, an archipelago in the resource-rich waterway also claimed by Vietnam. Hanoi called the latest moves a threat to peace and asserted Vietnam's historical and legal rights to the islands, which it calls the Truong Sa islands. "Vietnam requests China... not to militarise (and) withdraw military equipment that were illegally deployed on structures under Vietnam's sovereignty," foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said in a statement late Tuesday. Vietnam and China have long sparred over who owns what in the South China Sea, which is believed to hold oil and gas deposits. Tensions reached a fever pitch in 2014 when China moved an oil rig into waters claimed by Hanoi. That sparked violent protests in Vietnam, though much of the wrangling between the communist neighbours over the disputed waterway has taken place behind closed doors since then. The Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have also claims in the sea, but Vietnam has remained the most vocal opponent to Beijing's build up in the waterway. Beijing hit back after Hanoi's demand to remove the missiles, with foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang telling reporters Wednesday, China has "indisputable sovereignty" over the islands -- which it calls the Nansha islands -- and surrounding waters. Washington last week warned Beijing of unspecified "consequences" over its militarisation of the disputed waterway. Europe, China defend Iran nuclear deal after US pullout Paris, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 European powers and China rushed Wednesday to defend a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Trump's move risks overturning years of diplomacy, worsening instability in the Middle East and threatens foreign companies' business in Iran worth billions of dollars. "The risks of confrontation are real," warned France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, adding Europe would act to "avoid the explosion (of conflict) that risks happening if... no measures are taken." Iran reacted furiously to Trump's decision, with lawmakers burning a US flag and chanting "Death to America" in the Iranian parliament. But its regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel applauded the US move. - Protecting business in Iran - European powers and key trading power China vowed to save the accord and protect companies operating in the country. Trump's advisor John Bolton said earlier that European firms doing business in Iran now have a six month deadline to wind up investments or risk US sanctions. European governments are going "to do everything to protect the interests" of their companies, said an official in the French presidency, who asked not to be named. But Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran too would quit the nuclear deal unless Europeans offered solid guarantees that trade relations would continue. "If you don't succeed in obtaining a definitive guarantee -- and I really doubt that you can -- at that moment, we cannot continue like this," he told Iran's government in a televised speech. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China will maintain "normal economic and trade exchanges" with Iran despite Trump's decision. Beijing will "remain in dialogue with all parties and continue to devote itself to safeguard and implement the deal," he said. - 'Economic policeman' - Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called for a "new and lasting deal". Trump described the 2015 accord as an "embarrassment" to the US that did nothing to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. In response, the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany will meet Iranian representatives next Monday "to consider the entire situation," Le Drian told RTL radio. French President Emmanuel Macron will also speak with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani by telephone on Wednesday afternoon about "our wish to stay in the agreement," Le Drian said. In separate comments, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said that it was "not acceptable" for the US to be the "economic policeman of the planet". - 'Bomb threat' - Trump said a deal with Iran would have to include not just deeper restrictions on its nuclear programme, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. "We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction," he said. "We will not allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth." Iranian President Rouhani said Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" in response to Trump's announcement. But he said Iran would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Trump warned: "If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before." - Blow for Europe - The decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders begged the US leader to think again. In a joint statement, Germany's Angela Merkel, Britain's Theresa May and France's Macron voiced their "regret and concern" at Trump's decision. Bolton insisted that cooperation with Europe on Iran was not over. The US will "work with the Europeans and others not only on the nuclear issue but on Iran's ballistic missile development, its continuing support for terrorism and its military activities that jeopardise our friends," he told Fox News. - 'Bold decision' - Trump's decision offers him a domestic political victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise. But the long term impact for US foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that the United States will "lose in the end" from its decision. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly supported the move. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said it supported Trump's move and the sanctions. It said it will take all necessary measures to prevent oil supply shortages following the move. Like Saudi Arabia, Iran is a major crude producer. Some analysts also warned the move would complicate US efforts to reach an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over his country's own more advanced weapons programme. Former CIA director John Brennan said Trump's move "gave North Korea more reason to keep its nukes". bur-rlp/dl/bmm Iran implementing 'nuclear-related commitments' under deal: IAEA Vienna, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 The UN nuclear watchdog confirmed Wednesday that Iran is implementing "nuclear-related commitments" under its deal with world powers, a day after US President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal. Yukiya Amano, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reiterated in a statement that "Iran is subject to the world's most robust nuclear verification regime" and that the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was "a significant verification gain". "The IAEA is closely following developments" related to the JCPOA, Amano said. He previously said the JCPOA's loss would be "a great loss for nuclear verification and for multilateralism". The other parties are now looking into ways to salvage the agreement, with the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany due to meet Iranian representatives next Monday. Despite US criticism that the accord does not go far enough in monitoring Iran's nuclear activities, the IAEA points to the fact that its inspectors now spend 3,000 man days per year on the ground in Iran. The agency says it has attached some 2,000 tamper-proof seals to nuclear material and equipment, and that it has access to "hundreds of thousands of images captured daily by our sophisticated surveillance cameras", the number of which has almost doubled since 2013. World reactions to US move on Iran deal Paris, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal prompted furious reaction in Tehran, regret in Europe and cheers from Israel and Saudi Arabia. Here are key reactions to Trump's biggest foreign policy move since taking office, turning his back on the deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA): - 'Psychological warfare' - "This decision was an act of psychological warfare against Iran." -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani - Uranium enrichment? - "I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization to take the necessary measures for future actions so that, if necessary, we can resume industrial enrichment without limit." -- Rouhani - Stay the course - "Stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours and together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal." -- European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini - 'Regret' - "France, Germany and the UK regret the US decision... The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity and stability in the Middle East, notably Syria, Yemen and Iraq." -- French President Emmanuel Macron, on Twitter - Let it work - "I urge the US to avoid taking any action that would hinder other parties from continuing to make the agreement work." -- British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson - 'No confidence' - "We hear that you want to continue the nuclear deal with the three European countries. I don't have confidence in these three countries. If you don't succeed in obtaining a definitive guarantee -- and I really doubt that you can -- at that moment, we cannot continue like this." -- Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an address to the Iranian government - 'US will lose' - "Iran will never compromise on this agreement, and will abide by this agreement to the end... However, the US will lose in the end." -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to a partial transcript of an interview released by CNN - China defends deal - "China will continue to uphold an impartial, objective and responsible attitude, remain in dialogue with all parties and continue to devote itself to safeguard and implement the deal." -- Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang - Moscow 'disappointed' - Moscow is "deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action." -- Russia's foreign ministry - 'Instability' - "The unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the nuclear deal is a decision that will cause instability and new conflicts." -- Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Twitter - Breaking commitment - Damascus "strongly condemns the US president's decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran, which shows once again that the United States is not honouring its commitments and international agreements." -- Syrian foreign ministry source quoted by the official SANA news agency. - Compliance - "I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other member-states to support this agreement." -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres - 'Bold decision' - "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran." -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - Saudi support - "The kingdom supports and welcomes the steps announced by the US president toward withdrawing from the nuclear deal... and reinstating economic sanctions against Iran." -- Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry - 'Misguided' - "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working... That is why today's announcement is so misguided... I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake." -- former US president Barack Obama, whose administration brokered the 2015 deal - Iran 'implementing ' deal - "The IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran." -- The International Atomic Energy Agency in a statement UK urges US not to 'hinder' Iran nuclear deal work London, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson urged the United States on Wednesday not to undermine the Iran nuclear deal it has just ditched and said Washington should "spell out" its plans for what comes next. "I urge the US to avoid taking any action that would hinder other parties from continuing to make the agreement work," Johnson told parliament, adding that Britain would stay committed to the agreement as it remained "vital" to its own national security. European leaders and key trading power China have vowed to save the accord and protect companies operating in the country following US President Donald Trump's long-expected withdrawal announcement on Tuesday. Trump's national security advisor John Bolton said earlier that European firms doing business in Iran now have a six-month deadline to wind up investments or risk American sanctions. "It falls to the US administration to spell out their view of the way head," said Johnson, who visited Washington earlier this week to appeal to Trump not to pull out of the nuclear deal. "For as long as Britain abides by the agreement... then Britain will remain a party to the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," he said, adding that it would "strive to preserve the gains made by the JCPOA". Prime Minister Theresa May earlier told parliament: "We accept that there are other issues in relation to the behaviour of Iran in the region. "Those are issues that need to be addressed and we are working with our European and other allies to do just that," she said. Putin voices 'deep concern' at Trump Iran move: Kremlin Moscow, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said he was seriously concerned by US President Donald Trump's abandoning the Iran nuclear deal and said talks with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would discuss the "acute" situation. Putin in comments to his national Security Council expressed "deep concern over such a decision and once more stressed the importance of this document," the Kremlin said, referring to the deal. Putin later held talks with Netanyahu, who has backed Trump's decision on Iran, Israel's arch-foe. Netanyahu before leaving Israel for the visit said that "the meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so". The leaders' initial remarks, published in a transcript by the Kremlin, did not refer to the Iran nuclear deal directly. Putin said the meeting would discuss "problems in the region," saying that "the situation unfortunately is very acute". "I want to express a hope that we will manage not just to discuss but also to seek a solution that would lead to a shift in the situation," Putin said. Netanyahu said they would "think together how we can act correctly in the region, how we can remove the threats that exist in the region in a responsible and reasonable way". The two leaders earlier Wednesday watched a Red Square parade marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Netanyahu thanked Putin for referring to the Holocaust in his parade speech, likening the Nazi extermination campaign to Iran's attitude to Israel. "It's hard to believe, but 73 years after the Holocaust, in our Middle East there is a country Iran that openly calls for the destruction of the state of Israel," he said in translated comments. "But there is a difference between what was then and what is today: we have our own country," he added. Russia's foreign ministry said late Tuesday it was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's announcement that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president's "bold" move. Moscow and Tehran have close political and economic relations. In the nuclear field, Russia has already built one reactor at Iran's Bushehr plant, the country's only nuclear power plant, and has started work on two new ones. By contrast Netanyahu on Monday held a televised presentation of what he called "proof" of Iran's alleged past military nuclear ambitions. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, particularly related to the conflict in Syria where Israel has vowed to prevent Iran building a military presence. Iraq criticises Trump's 'rash' decision on Iran deal Baghdad, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Iraq on Wednesday criticised US President Donald Trump's "rash" decision to quit the nuclear deal with its neighbour Iran, warning it could destabilise the volatile region. "The Iraqi foreign ministry is sorry about the rash and unthinking decision taken by the US president," spokesman Ahmad Mahjoub said. He warned of "dangerous developments" following Trump's announcement which could lead to "more of the destruction and wars that the region has already suffered". Iraq has been a battlefield for the competing US and Iranian interests since the ousting of dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. The conflict-wracked country is gearing up for key parliament elections on Saturday amid a lull in violence five months since Baghdad claimed victory over the Islamic State group. Iran exerts major influence over Iraq's political landscape -- particular its Shiite community -- while the US deployed troops to help battle IS. Trump on Tuesday defied the wishes of major world powers by announcing the US would pull out of the historic nuclear accord and impose new sanctions on Tehran. The agreement puts limits on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange of the lifting of international sanctions. Iranians react with sadness, defiance to Trump Tehran, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Iranians reacted with a mix of sadness, resignation and defiance on Wednesday to US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal, with sharp divisions among officials on how best to respond. "It makes people angry. Sanctions impact the people, not the regime. People worry it will be even more difficult to find medicine when they are sick. This was an issue in the past," said one young woman in Tehran. Asked how she felt about Trump's claim that he stood with "the long-suffering Iranian people" against their government, she said: "That makes them even more angry." For many, Trump's decision on Tuesday to pull out of the landmark nuclear deal marked the final death knell for the hope created when it was signed in 2015 that Iran might finally escape decades of isolation and US hostility. "The first feeling I got, my family and I, was that we should not stay here anymore," said Katayoon Soltani, an accountant. "Even without sanctions, our economy was terrible. With this decision, I don't know what will happen. All my friends want to leave Iran," she said. - Counting on Europe - Still hoping to salvage something from the deal, President Hassan Rouhani has instructed his foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to hold negotiations with the other five parties -- Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia. They have all signalled their consternation at Trump's withdrawal, which includes an order for foreign businesses to wind down their Iranian operations within six months or face US penalties. But while European leaders have defiantly said they will work to protect their trade ties, Iran's leaders are sceptical. "You want to continue the nuclear deal with the three European countries; I don't have confidence in these three countries," said supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a televised speech, addressing the Iranian government. "If you don't succeed in obtaining a definitive guarantee -- and I really doubt that you can -- at that moment, we cannot continue like this," he said. Parliament speaker Ali Larijani said Europe had caved to US pressure before, having shut up shop under previous international sanctions in 2012-15. "We can't put much confidence in their statements about preserving the agreement, but it's worth testing for a few weeks so that it's clear to the world that Iran has tried all the avenues to a peaceful political resolution," Larijani told parliament. - Military welcomes withdrawal - For many conservatives in Iran, Trump's decision was a vindication. "I welcome the withdrawal of the United States from the nuclear deal. It was clear from the start that the United States is not trustworthy," said General Mohammad Ali Jafari, head of the elite Revolutionary Guards, in several media. He said the nuclear question was just a pretext to curb Iran's defensive capabilities and the "power and influence of the Islamic revolution in the region." The divisions were clear in the Iranian press on Wednesday morning. Reformist daily Etemad welcomed a "nuclear deal without the trouble-maker", while the ultra-hardline Kayhan opted for: "Trump has torn up the nuclear deal, it is time for us to burn it". Some hardline lawmakers did just that on the floor of the parliament chamber, burning a copy of the agreement and a paper American flag. Outside the old US embassy -- now a museum -- around 200-300 conservative students held a protest, also burning the flag and chanting "Death to America". - 'Enrichment without limit' - Seeking to show that he was not taking Trump's announcement lying down, Rouhani said he had ordered Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation to prepare to resume uranium enrichment "without limit". "We will wait several weeks before applying this decision. We will speak with our friends and allies, the other members of the nuclear agreement," he said in his televised speech immediately after Trump's announcement. Larijani warned that Trump only understood the "language of force" and that, if the negotiations with the other parties failed, Iran would have to use its nuclear programme to force the world "to see reason". On the streets, some were proudly defiant. "I was asleep when Trump made his speech. It's not important to us, we don't care. We are Iranian and we have our way and we don't care about Trump's actions," said bus driver Ali Bigdeli. One businessman in Iran said the renewed sanctions would certainly add to Iran's economic woes, but could never be as bad as the previous period under Barack Obama. "The Iranian people are tired from all the pressure but the new sanctions cannot be worse than last time, because now the Europeans are not on America's side and neither are the Asians," said Mohammad Reza Behzadian, former head of Tehran's chamber of commerce. Nations vow to save Iran nuclear deal after US pullout Paris, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 World powers vowed Wednesday to uphold a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement, raising fears of a fresh confrontation with Tehran. Trump's decision to ditch the accord and reimpose sanctions on the Islamic republic risks overturning years of painstaking diplomacy, worsening instability in the Middle East and threatens foreign companies' business in Iran worth billions of dollars. "The risks of confrontation are real," warned France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, adding that Europe would act to "avoid the explosion (of conflict) that risks happening if... no measures are taken." Iran reacted furiously to Trump's decision, with lawmakers burning a US flag and chanting "Death to America" in the Iranian parliament. But its regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel applauded the US move. - Protecting business in Iran - Trump's advisor John Bolton said earlier that European firms doing business in Iran have a six-month deadline to wind up investments or risk US sanctions. European governments are going "to do everything to protect the interests" of their companies, said an official in the French presidency, who asked not to be named. But Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran too should quit the nuclear deal unless Europeans offer solid guarantees that trade relations would continue. "If you don't succeed in obtaining a definitive guarantee -- and I really doubt that you can -- at that moment, we cannot continue like this," he told Iran's government in a televised speech. China said it will maintain "normal economic and trade exchanges" with Iran despite Trump's decision. Beijing will "remain in dialogue with all parties and continue to devote itself to safeguard and implement the deal," a spokesman said. Britain, a signatory to the 2015 deal, said it remained committed, with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson urging Washington "to avoid taking action that would hinder other parties from continuing to make the agreement work." - Iran 'upholding commitments' - Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called Tuesday for a "new and lasting deal". He described the accord as an "embarrassment" to the United States that did nothing to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. But the UN's nuclear watchdog, which is charged with ensuring Iran abides by the terms of the deal, said Wednesday Tehran was upholding its "nuclear-related commitments". "Iran is subject to the world's most robust nuclear verification regime," said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Yukiya Amano. The French, British and German foreign ministers will meet Iranian representatives on Monday, Le Drian told RTL radio. French President Emmanuel Macron was also to speak with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani by telephone on Wednesday afternoon about "our wish to stay in the agreement," Le Drian said. - 'Bomb threat' - Trump said a deal with Iran would have to include not just deeper restrictions on its nuclear programme, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. "We will not allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth," he said. "If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before." In response, Rouhani warned Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit". But he also said Iran would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic programme was for civilian purposes. - Blow for Europe - Trump's decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders begged the US leader to think again. Bolton insisted that cooperation with Europe on Iran was not over. The US will "work with the Europeans and others not only on the nuclear issue but on Iran's ballistic missile development, its continuing support for terrorism and its military activities that jeopardise our friends," he told Fox News. - 'Bold decision' - Oil prices on Wednesday hit their highest levels for three and a half years. The move offers Trump a domestic victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise. But the long-term impact for US foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the United States will "lose in the end" from its decision, which Ankara has warned could provoke "new conflicts" in the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his country's "deep concern" over the US withdrawal. Middle East specialist Denis Bauchard of the French international relations institute IFRI told AFP Trump's move aimed "to cause the fall of a regime that he considers a threat to the security of the United States and Israel." Some analysts warned the move would also complicate US efforts to reach an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over his country's own more advanced weapons programme. Former CIA director John Brennan said Trump's move "gave North Korea more reason to keep its nukes". bur-pg/rlp Mattis vows to work with allies after Iran pullout Washington, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 The United States will keep working with allies to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday, a day after President Donald Trump withdrew from a deal aimed at doing just that. Mattis, a retired four-star general who saw his Marines killed by Tehran-backed militias in Iraq, has frequently lambasted Iranian actions in the Middle East. But he has been a staunch advocate of working with allies and became a quiet defender of the Iran deal as Trump mulled pulling out. "We will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, and will work with others to address the range of Iran's malign influence," Mattis told a Senate panel. "This administration remains committed to putting the safety, interests and well-being of our citizens first." Trump defied the wishes of major world powers by announcing Tuesday that the US would pull out of the historic nuclear accord and impose new sanctions on Tehran. The agreement puts limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions. In October, Mattis said it was in the US national interest to remain in the deal. In January, he said the Iran deal was "imperfect" but added that "when America gives her word, we have to live up to it and work with our allies." Last month, he said the deal allowed for "pretty robust" inspections of Iranian facilities. Still, Mattis blasted Iran for its "malign activities," including its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and for backing Huthi rebels in Yemen. "We have not seen any drawdown or reduction in Iran's malicious activities and malign activity across the region," Mattis said. "At the same time we have walked away from the JCPOA because we found it was inadequate for the long-term effort," he added, using the formal abbreviation for the accord. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said Trump's decision to pull out of the deal was "not only wrong but reckless," and questioned whether America would be able to convincingly work with allies in the future on Iran. "Now that the United States is walking away from it, I cannot believe it will inspire any confidence among our allies about our word and our reliability in the future when it comes to these agreements," Durbin said. Mattis risks being isolated by Trump's more hardline coterie of advisors, including national security advisor John Bolton, an Iraq War-era hawk who has advocated military action in both Iran and North Korea. Yemen rebels fire 2 missiles at Saudi capital: coalition Riyadh, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Two ballistic missiles were fired at the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday, according to the coalition battling rebels in neighbouring Yemen who claimed the attempted attack. Saudi Arabia's air defences "intercepted" one of the missiles, while another crashed into a desert area south of Riyadh, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said. The missiles were "unquestionably" fired at the city "with the intention of hitting inhabited areas", he added. Maliki blamed the attack on "militiamen and terrorists, vassals of Iran" who try to "threaten the security of Saudi Arabia, the region and the world". Earlier on Wednesday Al-Ekhbariya state television said the country's air defences had intercepted the two missiles over Riyadh. Two explosions were heard in the city, according to an AFP photographer. Yemen's Huthi rebels quickly claimed responsibility for attacking "Riyadh Dry Port and other economic targets" in the Saudi capital with Burkan 2H ballistic missiles. State-run Saudi Press Agency said the country's air defences hours earlier had also intercepted a ballistic missile targeting the southern city of Jizan. The rebels also claimed the Jizan attack, via their Al-Masirah TV. Maliki accused the Huthis of firing the missile from the northern Yemeni province of Saada and of "deliberately targeting populated civilian zones". He said such "hostile action" proves the involvement of Iran in the Yemen conflict, repeating Riyadh's long-standing claim that regional rival Tehran is supplying the Huthis with ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia launched a military coalition in Yemen in 2015, aimed at rolling back the Huthis and restoring the internationally recognised government to power. The Huthis have in recent months intensified missile attacks against Saudi Arabia. The latest salvo came a day after US President Donald Trump exited the Iran nuclear agreement, which he criticised for excluding measures to curb Tehran's ballistic missile programme. How could the Iran deal be salvaged? Brussels, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 A day after US President Donald Trump abandoned the Iran nuclear deal, European powers and China say they will work to preserve it, but with the world's most powerful country reimposing sanctions, what can they do to save the accord? The EU says it will stick to the deal as long as Iran keeps to its commitments, and the coming days and weeks will be crucial in persuading Tehran to stay on board. - What happens next? - Britain, France and Germany -- the three European signatories to the deal collectively known as the E3 -- have launched a diplomatic push to reassure Iran of their commitment to the deal. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday, and the pair agreed to work toward "the continued implementation of the nuclear deal". Foreign ministers from the European trio are to meet representatives of Tehran on Monday and the Iran deal will also feature at an EU summit in Sofia next week. European powers will also speak to China and Russia, the deal's other signatories, to coordinate their response, though an EU diplomat said it would be wrong to characterise it as an attempt to "isolate" Washington. But while these political gestures are important, Iran has demanded concrete assurances that trade will be protected. "We have to talks about incentives for Iran to stay in the agreement. This means that we need to find means to absorb the economic shock of reimposing sanctions by the US," an EU diplomat told AFP. - Strategy - London, Berlin and Paris have kept details of their strategy under wraps, but a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank outlined steps that could reassure businesses working with Iran and help moderate Iranian leaders persuade hardliners to stick with the deal. EU states could use their state investment agencies to cover risks such as sanctions that companies could face in trading with Iran, ICG suggested, while the E3 could launch a joint effort to support Iranian infrastructure projects through their development agencies. Another option, and one spoken of by European officials in recent weeks, would be to make Iran eligible for loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB) -- thereby giving Tehran access to international finance in euros to sidestep US sanctions on dollar transactions. "You can try to do business in other currencies like the euro, but you need banks that are active in this field," an EU diplomat said. "For banks who do business in the US, this is not easy. That's why we think about the EIB." But former French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine warned that bypassing dollar transactions would be "very, very, very difficult in the real world". - What about the 'blocking statute'? - There has been talk in Brussels that the EU could counter US sanctions by adapting a 1996 regulation originally created to get around Washington's trade embargo on Cuba. This so-called "blocking statute" prohibits EU companies and courts from complying with specific foreign sanctions laws and says no foreign court judgments based on these laws have any effect in the EU. But the row with the US over the Cuba embargo was settled politically, so the effectiveness of the blocking regulation has never been put to the test. An EU source acknowledged that the "political symbolic effect is potentially bigger than the economic effect". "If a company is active on the large American market and small Iranian market, then it does not benefit much from the fact that its European and Iranian business is protected but not its activities in the US," the source said. - 'Chilling effect' - Washington has granted a six-month grace period for businesses to wind down operations in Iran before reimposing sanctions, but at this early stage there is already scepticism about the effectiveness of any countermeasures that the EU and its allies might take. The foreign policy chief of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, Norbert Roettgen, said businesses would simply not want to run the risk of falling foul of the US. "Whoever invests in Iran will be hard hit by US sanctions, and that cost can't be offset," he told Der Spiegel magazine. "So the affected companies will probably very quickly roll back their investments or pull out of the country altogether." Even before Trump's announcement, EU officials admitted they were already seeing "a chilling effect on business operators". But Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director for the International Institute for Strategic Studies, argued that efforts to pursue an alternative deal without the US could lead to a shake-up of the global power dynamic. "Some countries, they're just going to ignore the United States' threat. China isn't going to kowtow to the United States on this, and so the Europeans might see how China fares in resisting US pressure on Iran," he told AFP. burs-pdw/dk/je Macron, Rouhani to seek 'continued implementation of nuclear deal' Paris, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 French President Emmanuel Macron and Iran's Hassan Rouhani agreed on Wednesday during a phone call to work toward "the continued implementation of the nuclear deal" despite the US decision to withdraw from the agreement, the French presidency said. "The French and Iranian presidents agreed to pursue their joint efforts with all nations involved, with the aim of continued implementation of the nuclear deal and maintaining regional stability," Macron's office said in a statement. US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he was pulling out of the landmark 2015 nuclear accord, calling it "defective at its core". It was a stark diplomatic defeat for France, Germany and Britain, which had lobbied hard for Trump to stand by a deal whose terms they say Tehran has largely respected. But during their call, Macron told Rouhani that France would also seek an expanded accord in a "mutually beneficial framework" covering Iran's ballistic missile development, its involvement in several crises roiling the Middle East, and the prospects for its nuclear programme once the 2015 accord expires in 2025. Macron's office said France and Iran's foreign ministers would meet "without delay" for talks. Rouhani had previously warned that Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit", though he said he would discuss Iran's response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic programme was for civilian purposes. East Asian powers back N. Korea denuclearisation Tokyo, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 East Asian powers on Wednesday threw their weight behind breakneck diplomacy to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons, setting aside their differences on the process to endorse an intra-Korean deal. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is hosting his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in as preparations for a summit between Washington and Pyongyang heat up. On Wednesday, top US diplomat Mike Pompeo was in Pyongyang to prepare for the summit, which builds on talks between the two Koreas and a deal signed in the truce village of Panmunjom last month. Moon said the three Asian leaders had agreed to endorse the outcome of the neighbours' talks. "We reached the common recognition that the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, (and) the permanent establishment of peace and development of the intra-Korean relations are crucial," he said in a statement after the trilateral talks. "I would like to thank the leaders for welcoming and supporting the Panmunjom declaration," he added -- a position the trio formalised in a joint statement later Wednesday. In the joint statement, they expressed hope that the expected meeting between US President Donald Trump and the North's Kim Jong Un "will contribute to comprehensive resolution of concerns of the parties for peace and stability in the region". At the historic Panmunjom summit less than two weeks ago Moon and Kim agreed to pursue a permanent peace treaty and also vowed to work towards the "complete denuclearisation" of the divided peninsula. But the phrase is a diplomatic euphemism open to interpretation on both sides. Pyongyang has long wanted to see an end to the US military presence and nuclear umbrella over the South, but it invaded its neighbour in 1950 and is the only one of the two Koreas to possess nuclear weapons. Japan has by far the hardest line of the three countries on North Korea, and has found itself largely watching from the sidelines as the diplomatic frenzy unfolds. It has been left uneasy by the pace of events, and by what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang. After the talks, Abe said he hoped to see the international community press "North Korea to take concrete steps towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, and peace and stability in northeast Asia". He also once again called for a resolution to the hugely emotive issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by the North. "If the issues of abduction and nuclear and missile programmes are comprehensively resolved and if the North Korea follows the right path, we will aim for the normalisation of relations," he said. Oil prices surge after Trump dumps Iran deal London, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Oil prices surged on Wednesday to levels not seen in over three years after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, resulting in sanctions on the Islamic Republic's crude exports. The main crude futures contracts had already been rising in recent weeks, hitting 3.5-year highs, on expectations Trump was going to withdraw from the 2015 pact that had opened up Tehran's atomic programme in return for an easing of sanctions. On Wednesday, they each gained nearly three percent. "The geopolitical repercussions of this decision will no doubt be widely felt, and due to as many as one million barrels of crude supply per day being effectively taken off the market," said David Cheetham, chief market analyst at traders XTB. Trump's decision alone was unlikely to have a major impact on the world's oil supply, said Thomas Pugh, commodities economist at Capital Economics. "However, geopolitical tensions have intensified and if Iran decides to pull out of the nuclear deal, the impact on oil supply could be more severe," he said, predicting that oil prices would probably "remain elevated for the next few months at least". A surprise fall in last week's oil stocks in the US, reported Wednesday, added to upward pressure on oil contracts. Analysts had expected crude inventories to show an increase. "Traders believe the sanctions will further tighten global supply at a time when some of the world's largest producers have already significantly reduced inventories," said Craig Erlam, an analyst with OANDA. Oil's surge in turn helped lift shares prices in energy majors, with Royal Dutch Shell and BP higher in London. "Both these firms have seen their share price rise to its highest level in several years," said Cheetham. - Up to $80? - Wall Street rose as New York-listed energy stocks, including ExxonMobil and Chevron, were up sharply. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has meanwhile said it will take all necessary measures to prevent supply shortages. Trump reinstated US sanctions which could curtail Iran's ability to export oil, its mainstay for public revenues. In an initial reaction to Trump's announcement Tuesday Brent and WTI eased back, with some commentators suggesting he could still pedal back on some of his rhetoric and shift to a more diplomatic tone. But when that did not happen they bounced back strongly. There is now talk that crude could rise to $80 a barrel, with gains helped also by uncertainty in oil-rich Venezuela, an OPEC-Russia output cap, improving global demand and a drop in US energy stockpiles. - Key figures around 1535 GMT - Oil - Brent North Sea: UP $2.17 at $77.02 per barrel Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP $1.91 at $70.97 London - FTSE 100: UP 1.3 percent at 7,662.52 points (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.2 percent at 12,943.06 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 5,534.63 (close) EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.3 percent at 3,569.99 New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 24,371.30 Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 22,408.88 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.4 percent at 30,536.14 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,159.15 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1859 from $1.1864 at 2100 GMT Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3581 from $1.3548 Dollar/yen: UP at 109.73 yen from 109.07 yen burs-jh/dcr Trump's decision to ditch Iran nuclear deal a 'mistake': Macron Aachen, Germany, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 US President Donald Trump's decision to quit the landmark nuclear deal with Iran is a "mistake", France's President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday. "I regret the decision of the American president. I think it's a mistake and that's why we Europeans have decided to remain in the nuclear agreement of 2015," he told German national broadcasters ARD and Deutsche Welle, according to remarks released by the French presidency. "I had the chance to tell President (Hassan) Rouhani that just now," he said, referring to a phone call earlier with the Iranian leader. The French president stressed the importance for the European powers to reaffirm their commitment to the deal. "The Europeans' decision allows us to prevent Iran from immediately restarting their (nuclear) activities and to avoid escalating tensions," he said. "What's most important is to maintain stability and peace in the Near and Middle East," he stressed. Iran pullout a blow to N. Korea hopes: analysts Seoul, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is a blow to Washington's negotiating credibility and will complicate efforts to reach an agreement with Pyongyang over its own more advanced weapons programme, analysts say. Trump is set to hold an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks to negotiate over Pyongyang's arsenal, after it last year carried out by far its most powerful nuclear test to date and launched missiles capable of reaching the US mainland. In a goodwill gesture ahead of the summit, North Korea on Wednesday freed three American detainees, allowing them to return home with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. But the US president's decision Tuesday to pull Washington out of the 2015 accord with Teheran has rattled experts, who say it undermines the image of Washington as a reliable treaty partner. Antony Blinken, who was deputy secretary of state under Barack Obama, said the White House move "makes getting to yes with North Korea that much more challenging". "Why would Kim ... believe any commitments President Trump makes when he arbitrarily tears up an agreement with which the other party is complying?" he asked on Twitter. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" Iran agreement, describing it as an "embarrassment" to the United States -- although European signatories and the IAEA watchdog say Iran has complied with its obligations. MIT political science professor Vipin Narang said the decision was "a stark reminder across the world: Deals are reversible and can have expiration dates, while nuclear weapons can offer lifetime insurance". North Korea remains technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a ceasefire rather than an armistice, and Pyongyang has long insisted that it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself from a possible US invasion. Two weeks ago Trump's new national security advisor John Bolton said, "We have very much in mind the Libya model," for the denuclearisation of North Korea. Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi agreed to abandon his pursuit of nuclear weapons in the early 2000s, but his government was later overthrown by rebel forces supported by Western air strikes, and he was killed. Pyongyang regularly cites the fates of Kadhafi and Saddam Hussein in Iraq -- whose government was overthrown in a US-led invasion -- as evidence of the need for nuclear arms. Former CIA director John Brennan said Trump's "madness" had "undermined global confidence in US commitments, alienated our closest allies, strengthened Iranian hawks, and gave North Korea more reason to keep its nukes". Some were more sanguine. Pyongyang was concerned about the sustainability of a deal and sees democratic changes of government as a "structural weakness that imperils agreements by any one White House", said Yonsei University professor John Delury. But he added: "They'd be worried less about Trump pulling out of a deal than his successor." Bolton himself said the US was looking for a "real deal" with Pyongyang that would include "the elimination of both the front and the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle; no uranium enrichment; no plutonium reprocessing". "When you're serious about eliminating the threat of nuclear proliferation, you have to address the aspects that permit an aspiring nuclear weapons state to get there," he said at a press briefing. "The Iran deal did not do that. A deal that we hope to reach, the President is optimistic we can reach with North Korea, will address all those issues." - Security guarantee - The unilateral nature of Trump's move is likely to worry officials at the Blue House in Seoul. The decision was made despite repeated personal pleas by European leaders and cast aside more than a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been widely praised for seizing the opportunity presented by the Winter Olympics to broker talks between Trump and Kim -- two leaders who were at loggerheads just months before, and threatening to wage a war which would inevitably devastate the South. But the fate of the Iran deal suggests Trump could also dismiss pleas from Seoul -- a treaty ally -- in future. Analysts pointed to Kim's recent trips to China as evidencePyongyang was looking for support from Beijing and to repair frayed relations with its longstanding diplomatic protector and provider of trade and aid. Kim, who had not ventured out of his isolated country for any official meetings in his first six years in power, has held two rounds of talks with President Xi Jinping in little more than a month. "North Korea has been fully aware of the risks of the US walking away from any deal whenever its government changes hands," Koh Yu-hwan of Dongguk University told AFP. "In order to hedge against this eventuality, Kim Jong Un met Xi Jinping twice to obtain a firmer security guarantee from China before he enters a deal with the US." And Pyongyang wanted wider assurances, he added. According to China's official Xinhua news agency, Kim told Xi that "relevant parties" should "abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against the DPRK". "This means the North is seeking a global commitment to a deal with the US to prevent the US from unilaterally rolling it back," Koh told AFP. World reactions to US move on Iran deal Paris, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal prompted furious reaction in Tehran, regret in Europe and cheers from Israel and Saudi Arabia. Here are key reactions to Trump's biggest foreign policy move since taking office, turning his back on the deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA): - 'Psychological warfare' - "This decision was an act of psychological warfare against Iran." -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani - Uranium enrichment? - "I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization to take the necessary measures for future actions so that, if necessary, we can resume industrial enrichment without limit." -- Rouhani - Stay the course - "Stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours and together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal." -- European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini - 'Mistake' - "I regret the decision of the American president. I think it's a mistake and that's why we Europeans have decided to remain in the nuclear agreement of 2015." -- French President Emmanuel Macron in TV interview - Let it work - "I urge the US to avoid taking any action that would hinder other parties from continuing to make the agreement work." -- British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson - 'No confidence' - "We hear that you want to continue the nuclear deal with the three European countries. I don't have confidence in these three countries. If you don't succeed in obtaining a definitive guarantee -- and I really doubt that you can -- at that moment, we cannot continue like this." -- Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an address to the Iranian government - 'US will lose' - "Iran will never compromise on this agreement, and will abide by this agreement to the end... However, the US will lose in the end." -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to a partial transcript of an interview released by CNN - China defends deal - "China will continue to uphold an impartial, objective and responsible attitude, remain in dialogue with all parties and continue to devote itself to safeguard and implement the deal." -- Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang - 'Deep concern' - Deal signatory Russia has "deep concern over such a decision and once more stressed the importance of this document." -- President Vladimir Putin to Russia's national Security Council - 'More destruction and war' - Iraq said it was "sorry about the rash and unthinking decision taken by the US president" which could lead to "more of the destruction and wars that the region has already suffered." -- Iraq foreign ministry spokesman Ahmad Mahjoub - Breaking commitment - Damascus "strongly condemns the US president's decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran, which shows once again that the United States is not honouring its commitments and international agreements." -- Syrian foreign ministry source quoted by the official SANA news agency. - Compliance - "I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other member-states to support this agreement." -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres - 'Bold decision' - "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran." -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - Saudi support - "The kingdom supports and welcomes the steps announced by the US president toward withdrawing from the nuclear deal... and reinstating economic sanctions against Iran." -- Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry - 'Misguided' - "The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working... That is why today's announcement is so misguided... I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake." -- former US president Barack Obama, whose administration brokered the 2015 deal - Iran 'implementing' deal - "The IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran." -- The International Atomic Energy Agency in a statement Main Syrian opposition backs Trump's Iran move London, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Syrian opposition leaders on a visit to London on Wednesday welcomed President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal. Nasr al-Hariri, head of the mainstream Syrian Negotiation Commission, called the move "a step in the right direction" and provided "a real opportunity" to resolve regional issues involving Iran. "There is no place in the world that feels very clearly the malignant influence of Iran as much as in Syria," he told reporters following a meeting with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. "This is a step in the right direction. But on its own it's not enough to limit the influence of Iran in the area," Hariri said. Earlier, Johnson told lawmakers that Britain regretted the American decision and urged the US not to undermine the Iran nuclear deal, which he said Britain would continue to honour. He also called for Washington to "spell out" its future plans over Iran. Hariri said the US now needed to prioritise countering Iranian actions in Syria. "There is no way to solve the Iran problems without focusing on the Syria file," he added. "Iran had intervened very early on Syria, and we have reached a stage by which there is to a great extent an occupation by an external power." However, Hariri warned against letting his country become even more of a battlefield for outside powers. "This response needs to be part of a broad and strategic effort that protects civilians and resolves the conflict, as opposed to piecemeal actions," he said. "In this context, we do not approve of regional actors' attempts to use Syria as a theatre for their national objectives." Three Mexican soldiers killed in ambush Acapulco, Mexico, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Three Mexican soldiers were killed in an ambush in the violent state of Guerrero, in a town whose mayor was also found murdered the same day, the defense ministry said Wednesday. After receiving an anonymous tip that armed men were hiding out at a ranch in the municipality of Coyuca de Catalan, an army patrol went to the site Tuesday night and was attacked by unknown gunmen, the ministry said in a statement. "Three soldiers were killed. Three more were wounded and evacuated to military medical facilities," it said. The ambush came on the same day that the mayor of Coyuca de Catalan, Abel Montufar Mendoza, was found dead inside a car in the neighboring city of Ciudad Altamirano, his body riddled with bullets and naked from the waist down. Montufar was running for a seat in the Guerrero state legislature in Mexico's July 1 general elections. It is unclear whether there is a link between the two crimes, Guerrero state security spokesman Roberto Alvarez Heredia told Mexican TV network Milenio. Dozens of candidates have been murdered in Mexico since election season opened in September. Public safety is one of the biggest issues of the campaign, after Mexico registered a record 25,000 murders last year. The country is awash in violence linked to its powerful drug cartels. Guerrero, the scene of vicious cartel turf wars, is one of the states hardest hit. Since the Mexican government deployed the military to fight drug trafficking in 2006, the country has registered more than 200,000 homicides, though the statistics do not track how many were linked to organized crime. Putin voices 'deep concern' at Trump Iran move: Kremlin Moscow, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks, after expressing his "deep concern" over US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu, who has backed Trump's decision on Iran, Israel's arch-foe, said after the meeting that he shared his "views on issues that include Iran's secret nuclear archive" and the "current tension" with the Russian leader. "I presented Israel's obligation and Israel's right to defend itself from Iranian aggression from Syrian territory, against the state of Israel," he added in a statement on Wednesday evening. Ahead of the meeting, Putin had said he would discuss "problems in the region," saying that "the situation unfortunately is very acute". "I want to express a hope that we will manage not just to discuss but also to seek a solution that would lead to a shift in the situation." In comments to his national Security Council, Putin expressed his "deep concern" over Trump's decision announced on Tuesday and stressed the importance of the accord with Iran. Netanyahu before leaving Israel for the visit said that "the meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so". They would "think together how we can act correctly in the region, how we can remove the threats that exist in the region in a responsible and reasonable way". - 'Bold' move- The two leaders on Wednesday watched a Red Square parade marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Netanyahu thanked Putin for referring to the Holocaust in his parade speech, likening the Nazi extermination campaign to Iran's attitude to Israel. "It's hard to believe, but 73 years after the Holocaust, in our Middle East there is a country Iran that openly calls for the destruction of the state of Israel," he said in translated comments. "But there is a difference between what was then and what is today: we have our own country," he added. Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday it was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's announcement that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president's "bold" move. Moscow and Tehran have close political and economic relations. In the nuclear field, Russia has already built one reactor at Iran's Bushehr plant, the country's only nuclear power plant, and has started work on two new ones. By contrast Netanyahu on Monday held a televised presentation of what he called "proof" of Iran's alleged past military nuclear ambitions. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, particularly related to the conflict in Syria where Israel has vowed to prevent Iran building a military presence. Trump's main foreign policy moves Washington, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 After Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear pact, here is a look back at the "America First" president's signature foreign policy moves, largely characterized by a desire to break deals, not make them. - Trans-Pacific Partnership - Making good on a campaign pledge, Trump on his first full day in office withdrew from the 12-member trade pact negotiated by his predecessor. He said the TPP -- which has yet to take effect but has been signed by participating nations -- left the United States exposed to unfair competition and was a bad deal. But a year after taking office -- after the 11 other members signaled they would press ahead with or without Washington -- Trump struck a different tone, suggesting he would be open to joining again if the United States won unspecified changes. - NAFTA - After denouncing the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement as a "disaster" and the "worst trade deal maybe ever," Trump last year called for the pact to be renegotiated, but stopped short of withdrawing. Delegates from Mexico City, Ottawa and Washington are currently attempting to retool the deal, but they have hit serious stumbling blocks and the talks have been acrimonious in recent months. Canada and Mexico oppose the American demand for higher requirements for US-made content in automobiles and the elimination of an important trade dispute mechanism. The future of the agreement, which has seen sharp growth in trade but painful changes for certain industries, remains uncertain. - Paris climate pact - The US commitment to fighting climate change -- forged under former president Barack Obama -- was reversed in June 2017, when Trump announced he would withdraw America from the Paris pact. As he announced his decision to pull out, Trump indicated he could be open to some sort of renegotiation of the voluntary agreement, but his administration has done nothing to follow up on this. Meanwhile, more than 190 nations still in the pact are trying to how to cap global warming at "well under" two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit). - Jerusalem embassy - Trump last year recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a declaration condemned by the international community and Palestinians who view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. In January, Washington announced it would transfer its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the creation of Israel. - North Korea - After months of bellicose rhetoric between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the US president in March said the two would meet for a summit, a stunning development South Korea's President Moon Jae-in dubbed a "miracle." The move came after Kim conducted repeated launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and carried out a nuclear test. North Korea freed three American detainees Wednesday, handing them over to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who was on a surprise visit to Pyongyang. Kim has already meet with Moon, and the summit with Trump is expected in the coming weeks. - Syria - Last month, Trump said he wants American troops to "get out" of Syria, but his top military officials quickly said there was no change to the US mission to beat the Islamic State group, and that US forces would remain for now. Trump has twice ordered cruise missile strikes on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad after he was accused of using chemical weapons. The most recent strike, in April, was conducted with the assistance of French and British forces. - Iran deal - Trump as a candidate and since taking office railed against the 2015 Iran deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The US president blasted the JCPOA as "insane" -- in part because its restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities begin expiring in 2025. Despite a maximum diplomatic effort by European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump on Tuesday did what many expected him to do, pulling America out and re-instating sanctions on Iran. World scrambles to save Iran deal that Trump tried to sink Washington, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 US President Donald Trump faced diplomatic isolation on Wednesday as world powers scrambled to save a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear program that he has rejected. Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord and reimpose sanctions on the Islamic republic overturns years of diplomacy, could worsen instability in the Middle East and threatens business in Iran worth billions of dollars. While Tehran's regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel applauded Trump's decision to pull Washington out of the 2015 accord, Iran reacted furiously to the move, with lawmakers burning a US flag and chanting "Death to America." French President Emmanuel Macron and Iran's Hassan Rouhani agreed Wednesday to work toward the continued implementation of the nuclear deal despite the US decision, which Macron called "a mistake". Earlier German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European signatories would "do everything" to ensure the agreement's parameters remain in place. The pledges came as Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the government in Tehran it too should quit the nuclear deal unless Europeans offer solid guarantees that trade relations would continue. Other signatories, including major trade partner Beijing, also promised to work to uphold the accord. China insisted it would maintain "normal economic and trade exchanges with Tehran" and "continue to devote itself to safeguard and implement the deal." - Iran 'upholding commitments' - Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called Tuesday for a "new and lasting deal." He described the existing accord as an "embarrassment" to the United States that did nothing to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. But the UN's nuclear watchdog, which is charged with ensuring Iran abides by the terms of the deal, said Wednesday Tehran was upholding its "nuclear-related commitments." "Iran is subject to the world's most robust nuclear verification regime," said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Yukiya Amano. Trump said a deal with Iran would have to include not just deeper restrictions on its nuclear program, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. In response, Rouhani warned Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit". But he also said Iran would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Stoking fears of a Middle East arms race, Saudi Foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir told CNN the kingdom would pursue its own nuclear weapons if Iran resumed its alleged quest for the bomb. Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic program was for civilian purposes. Doubling down on Wednesday, Trump told reporters at the White House there would be "very severe consequences" if Iran were to resume its nuclear enrichment program, which the 2015 deal curbed in exchange for sanctions relief. - Oil rallies - Trump's decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders urged the US president to think again. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis insisted Wednesday that the US would keep working with its allies to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons -- despite Trump's withdrawal from a deal designed to do just that. "We will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, and will work with others to address the range of Iran's malign influence," Mattis told a Senate panel. Macron, who in recent weeks made a deliberately public effort to talk Trump around, said in an interview with German media that it was vital for the deal's other parties to reaffirm their commitment. "The Europeans' decision allows us to prevent Iran from immediately restarting their (nuclear) activities and to avoid escalating tensions," Macron said. Rouhani for his part said Iran's economic interests would however need to be "guaranteed" in light of Trump's decision, the Iranian presidency's website said. Trump's advisor John Bolton said earlier that European firms doing business in Iran have a six-month deadline to wind up investments or risk US sanctions. The move offers Trump a domestic victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise, and sent oil prices surging to levels not seen in three years -- but the long-term impact for US foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the United States will "lose in the end" from its decision, while Russia's Vladimir Putin expressed his country's "deep concern" over the US withdrawal. Iranian forces fire on Israeli positions in Golan: Israeli army Jerusalem, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 Iranian forces in Syria have fired around 20 rockets and missiles at Israeli army positions in the part of the Golan Heights occupied by Israel, the Israeli army said early Thursday. The missiles, some of which were intercepted by Israel's anti-missile system, did not cause any casualties, army spokesman lieutenant-colonel Jonathan Conricus told journalists. He added that the Israeli army responded, but did not explain the nature of the retaliation. The rockets were fired shortly after midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday) by men from the Iranian al-Qods brigade at the front lines of the Israeli army in Golan. "We know that comes from the al-Qods force," Conricus said, adding: "The Israeli army takes very seriously this Iranian attack against Israel." This incident comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran over the situation in Syria after several operations attributed to the Israeli army against Iranian interests in the war-torn country. 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. 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The Great Divide Is Germany's Special Relationship with Russia Ending? Germany's new foreign minister has adopted a sharper tone than his predecessors on Russia. There are plenty of reasons to do so, but it is a significant break with tradition. Berlin is casting about for a happy medium. By DER SPIEGEL Staff Navigating the Headwinds Europe Has Few Good Options on Iran Europe spent months trying to convince U.S. President Donald Trump not to abandon the Iran nuclear agreement. Now that he has, the Europeans are left with a handful of options, but none of them are good. Interview with Chelsea Manning 'There's No Troll that Can Hurt Me' American whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been free for a year now following seven years behind bars. She speaks with SPIEGEL ONLINE about her difficult return to freedom and explains why activism is more important than ever. Trump and Iran Europe Stuck Between a Bomb and a Hard Place With U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to violate the Iran nuclear agreement, Europe finds itself facing an almost unsolvable diplomatic challenge: It must save the Iran deal while avoiding open confrontation with Washington. Algeria, May 08, 2018 (SPS) - The Sahrawi Republic has yesterday taken part at the 51st edition of International Fair of Algiers, which was inaugurated by Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia. The Saharawi Ambassador, Mr. Abdelkader Talab Ammar, has received the Algerian Prime Minister, Mr. Ahmed Ouyahia, when he stopped at the pavilion of the Sahrawi Republic within the international Fair where he received extensive explanations on the various national products produced by the Sahrawi Craftsmen Union in the presence of senior officials and diplomats. The Fair will continue until May 13, and China will be the first economic and commercial partner of Algeria as a guest of honor for this edition. SPS 125/090/TRA Havana (Cuba), May 09, 2018 (SPS) - A the Speaker of the Sahrawi National Council Khatri Aduh has Tuesday started an official visit to Cuba, upon his arrival, he jointly with MP Cuban, Yolanda Ferrer, have laid a wreath at the memorial monument, of Cuban independence hero, Jose Marti. Sahrawi Official is expected to meet today at the Cuban parliament by the head of the legislative body, Esteban Lazo SADR has maintained diplomatic relations with Cuba since January 1980, as well as close cooperation between them in various fields. Cuba also supports the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination in line with the relevant United Nations and Security Council resolutions through a free and fair referendum supervised by the United Nations . SPS 125/090/TRA It was a sale that again saw robust demand from commercial producers, having turned up in numbers, clearly in the market to buy; they were willing to pay top prices for their bulls of choice. The sale provided further confirmation of the Limousin breed continuing to deliver for the market and solidifying its position as the go-to breed for commercial producers. The sale saw buyers honing in on bulls with strong calving ease and all round performance figures. Trade was given a boost by some stylish breeders bulls which caught the eye of the pedigree audience. While an impressive 16 bulls made into five figures, highlighting the depth of the trade 65 bulls made between 4000gns and 9000gns and offering all round great value for commercial and pedigree buyers alike. The bull sale came hard on the heels of the Limousin female sale the previous evening that had seen a top price of 26,000gns and near full clearance with 75 lots selling to gross over 272,000. The two sales together saw 192 Limousin animals sell to gross 1,035,404. Leading the days trade at 35,000gns was the Intermediate and Overall Champion in the pre-sale Show, which was judged by Dougie McBeath, Springsett Herd, in the shape of Ampertaine Majestic from WJ & J McKay, Co Derry. The December 2016 born bull is by the Wilodge Vantastic son Plumtree Fantastic and out of Ampertaine Joy, maternal sister to 13,000gns Ampertaine Interest. Joy is proving to be one of the best looking breeding cows in the Ampertaine herd. Majestic is Joys first calf, his breeding of Plumtree Fantastic and Ampertaine Abracadabra bred grand dam combining muscle, style, milk and calving ease. He was knocked down to Gareth Corrie, Newtownards, Northern Ireland. Speaking after the sale a happy James McKay said; We are delighted with todays sale; this is a bull which we have always thought a lot about at home, he is full of style and class in every way. Gareth has got a great bull which I have no doubt wll go onto serve him well. This is the second year in a row that the McKay family have led the trade at this fixture at Carlisle, having sold Ampertaine Mozart at the sale top of 100,000gns last year. The 120 cow Ampertaine herd is run on a commercial basis, selling around 50 plus bulls each year for breeding, the majority are sold privately. The concentration is very much on easy calving bulls that can manage in all conditions, perfect for the market. Commenting on his purchase Gareth Corrie who runs Drumhilla Farm on the Ards peninsula said; Majestic is a real breeders bull. I had been out to see him at home and was very impressed with him even in his working clothes. This is third time lucky for me; I tried to buy a couple of other bulls from James back in October but was unsuccessful, so am delighted to have the positive outcome this time. Gareth runs a small pedigree herd at home, and will use Majestic on his own cows; however his intention is to offer Majestics semen for sale as soon as possible. Speaking about the two days of sales the British Limousin Cattle Societys Chief executive Iain Kerr said; The momentum for the Limousin breed maintains its traction across the country and these sales, for both bulls and females are reflective of that. The industry wants versatility and efficiency more than ever and easy calving, cheap to keep, feed efficient Limousin cattle provide the full packet. It is the breed fit for the market now, and crucially, in the uncertain industry, with the premium built in for farmers and the whole supply chain Selling at 20,000gns was the Swardland Eddie son Twemlows Morpeth from Will and Jackie Forrester, Whitchurch, Shropshire. Second in his class in the pre-sale show the September 2016 born bull, a natural calf out of Twemlows Hilda, came to Carlisle looking his best having been beautifully managed at home by stockman Jonathan Lunn. Morpeth was purchased by George Hutton, Setmabanning, Keswick, Cumbria, for his Cloughhead Limousin herd. Close behind at 19,000gns was Newtack Maltster from Grant Morrison, Grange, Keith who was selling at Carlisle for the first time. The November 2016 born bull, which was third in his class in the pre-sale show, is a natural calf by the Ampertaine Foreman son Artnagullion Jaggerbomb and out of Emslies Insi. He was knocked down to H Annett and Son, Widdrington, Morpeth for their Widdrington Limousin herd. Winner of class 8 Gunnerfleet Merving from Ian Handley, Ingleton, Lancashire made the next best price of 18,000gns. October 2016 born, Merving is by Ballinloan Jagerbomb and out of Gunnerfleet Jenie, who goes back to the herds best cow Enchantress whose bulls have grossed over 75,000. He was knocked down Proctors Farm Ltd, Clitheroe. The Reserve Junior Champion Loosebeare Nelson from EW Quick and Sons, Devon came in next at 17,000gns. The January 2017 born bull by the Plumtree Fantastic son Ampertaine Jeronimo is out of Loosebeare Inky. Nelson made the long trip back to the South West having been purchased by J H Neale & Son for their Nealford Limousin herd at Wilkie Down, Launceston, Cornwall. Selling at 16,000gns was Glenrock Memphis from Stephen Illingworth, Lockerbie. The November 2016 born bull stood second in his class to the Overall Champion Ampertaine Majestic. Maternal brother to the 15,000gns Glenrock Northernstar he is by the Ampertaine Commander son Ampertaine Gigolo and out of Glenrock Fantastic. He was knocked down to G & AE Mars & Son for their Kinniside Herd at Cathow Farm, Cleator, Cumbria. 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It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Few things are as temporary as a cigar industry retirement, which frequently is more about waiting out a non-compete than a desire to stop working with cigars. So it was a breath of a breath of fresh air when Matt Booth didnt claim retirement when he and Room 101 ended their partnership with Davidoff. (Then again, Booth may have been too young for anyone to believe a retirement from an industry he clearly enjoys.) I decided not to renew. The contract ended, and I think that its time for a new beginning for Room 101. I am grateful for the years of partnership and support from Davidoff, Booth said when he announced what would be just a six-month hiatus from the cigar industry in January 2017. Sure enough, in July 2017, Booth announced he was back and collaborating with Robert Caldwell on two new cigars. The first of the two was Hit and Run, made in the Dominican Republic. The other is The T., a collaboration between A.J. Fernandez, Robert Caldwell, and Matt Booth. Originally called The Truth, this collaboration was renamed after a copyright issue, presumably with Tatuaje (which makes a vintage cigar called La Verite, French for the truth), not with those gaudy propagandists at TheTruth.com. The T. comes in 5 box-pressed sizes, including the 6-inch, 52-ring gauge Toro ($11.50). The cigar is a Nicaraguan puro made at Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A. It is well-constructed and firm to the touch with a dark, oily wrapper. Combustion is excellent, with a sturdy ash, easy draw, and even burn. Once lit, the cigar features roasted cashews and black coffee notes, combined with leather and clove. Its medium- to full-bodied with some slight tannic dryness. As the cigar evolves, charred oak, barnyard, and light black pepper notes emerge. Different from most A.J. Fernandez-made Nicaraguan puros, but still an enjoyable cigar. I didnt particularly enjoy Caldwell and Booths Hit and Run collaboration, but this cigar hits my palate in the right way. Good construction and satisfying flavors earn this collaboration a rating of four stogies out of five. [To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.] Patrick S photo credit: Stogie Guys The Mossad operation in January that got half a ton of top-secret Iranian nuclear weapons program documents out of Iran and back to Israel in less than 24 hours has provided Iranian leaders with multiple aftershocks. For one thing, most Iranians dont care about the document theft. No Iranians were injured in the operation, it was assumed to have been made possible by the widespread corruption in Iran and an Iranian religious dictatorship that seems to care more about destroying Israel than improving the lives of Iranians. When news of the Mossad operation were made public by the Israelis at the end of April the public opinion polls in Iran showed that most Iranians didnt care and those that paid any attention to the matter felt it was just another example of how incompetent their government was and why change was needed. The Iranian government was justifiably concerned that publicizing these documents, as Israel was now doing, would lead to the cancellation of the 2015 treaty that lifted sanctions on Iran. The American president will announce the new U.S. position on May 12th and it does not look good for Iran. The stolen documents show that the nuclear program did exist and apparently is still underway disguised as many different scientific research projects. Iran always insisted that it never had a nuclear weapons program even though the Israelis had uncovered much evidence that the program existed and the attitude of most Iranians was that the program existed and why not because Iran had long been the regional superpower. But since the 2015 treaty went into effect the promised economic improvements for most Iranians have not happened and at the end of 2017 that triggered widespread public protests against the religious dictatorship. The Shia clerics who run the government have been arguing openly about how to deal with these problems and now the hardline Shia clerics, who insist that destroying Israel be the main priority of Iran, are humiliated by the nuclear documents theft going public. Some of the hardliners want to do whatever it takes to strike back at Israel but most Iranians see Israel as an unofficial ally in the popular effort to get rid of the religious dictatorship in Iran. This is nothing new. In the wake of the American-British invasion of Iraq in 2003, and quick (three weeks) overthrow of the Saddam Hussein government, many Iranians openly called for the Americans to come invade Iran and get rid of the religious dictatorship that had been ruling Iran since the 1980s on the promise they would one day get Saddam for invading Iran in 1980 and starting a war that neither side was able to win. That counted as an Iranian defeat to most Iranians and to make matters worse the chaos of the war allowed Shia clerics to take, and keep, control of the government. Before that Israel and Iran were allies and a growing number of Iranians seeing that as a better arrangement than the current one. All this gives little comfort, and not many options, for the Iranian leadership. The Realities Of The Iranian Threat The Iranian government prefers to retaliate against Israel indirectly. Iran has long used foreign proxies (like Hezbollah or other non-Iranian Islamic terrorists) to attack Israel. Iran does not have modern weapons (because of decades of sanctions) and Iranian leaders are smart enough to realize that Iran itself trying to attack Israel would most likely result in another humiliating Iranian defeat. Israel has anti-missile defenses against Iranian ballistic missiles. Yet Iran has enough of these missiles to attempt a saturation attack on Israel using explosive or chemical warheads. Iran could also use a dirty warhead by adding radioactive material to a high explosive warhead. A few of these missiles landing in Israel, especially in a major urban area, would be a great propaganda victory. But Israel also has ballistic missiles (armed with nuclear warheads) and, worse, hundreds of modern fighter-bombers that could hit two key economic targets using smart bombs. These two targets are Kharg Island, in the Persian Gulf. This is the main export facility for 90 percent of oil and gas exports) Income from these exports pay for over a third of the government budget and these facilities cannot be rebuilt quickly. The other economic target is Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. This is the main container port handling some 90 percent of containers bringing in foreign goods, like items needed to repair damage to Kharg Island. Bandar Abbas is where all the modern tech and consumer goods arrive. Shutting down Bandar Abbas for months, or more would be quickly felt by most Iranians. With Arab states between Israel and Iran now allowing Israeli airstrikes free passage, the Israeli air strikes are certain to succeed and inflict major damage. Meanwhile, Iran is portrayed as the evil (and ineffective) aggressor while Israel hits Iran where it hurts most. The Iranian religious dictatorship is under a lot of pressure to provide some relief for years of poverty and unemployment. The 2015 treaty that lifted sanctions was supposed to help but it didnt. Instead, the government spends billions on the war in Syria. That effort has not yet improved Iranian capabilities when it comes to destroying Israel. Thats because the Assad government forces (including most of the 50,000 Iranian mercenaries in Syria) are still busy with the remaining rebels and ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) fighters. In Lebanon, the Iranian financed Hezbollah is not very enthusiastic about going to war with Israel. Thats because the two million Lebanese Shia that are the main support for Hezbollah are unhappy with the thousands of Lebanese Shia who have been killed or crippled fighting in Syria. Iran insisted that Hezbollah send forces to Syria in 2012 and even though Iran was paying combat bonuses, death benefits and for extended medical care, the Lebanese Shia were, in general, unhappy about the losses suffered from fighting in an Iranian war. Israel has told Lebanon and Hezbollah that a repeat of the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel would result in even heavier losses for Hezbollah and Lebanon. Hezbollah leaders pretend to be unafraid but the opinion polls in Lebanon say otherwise. So as humiliated as the Iranian rulers are by the latest Israeli efforts (grabbing all those nuclear documents in February and regularly bombing weapons shipments to Syria) they understand Iranian options are not promising. Given the growing popular opposition the religious dictatorship is facing inside Iran, another major defeat inflicted by Israel is not an option. New ideas are being sought and retaliation is not yet ruled out but retaliation is seen as a move that would make things worse for Iran. Managing Russia 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 most often used combat edge the Russians demonstrate is their EW (Electronic Warfare) gear. This is an area where they feel they are competitive and have demonstrated that a few times. Problem is, the more you use EW the more you erode your opportunities to surprise your opponent in the future. The opportunity to test new EW gear and tactics was too great to pass up and, as the Russians have discovered, EW 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 largely out of sight and with little visible effect. Hamas Has Another Plan Since March 30, when weekly demonstrations in Gaza near the security fence began, 48 Palestinians have been killed. The demonstrations are all about the Palestinian demand that all Arabs who fled Israel in 1948 (as Arab troops from several countries sought to prevent the creation of Israel) and their descendants be allowed to return to Israel. Those returnees would outnumber the Jews and destroy Israel. The demonstrations are all about getting media attention for this right of return and trying to make Israel look bad in the media. This campaign will end on May 15th. At that point, Hamas will declare a victory and switch to another plan for destroying Israel. The demonstrations are actually a diversion for multiple Hamas attempts to get terrorists into Israel or inflict casualties on Israeli forces. That does not appear to have succeeded because the Israelis do not take personnel from other parts of the Gaza border to deal with the demonstrations but instead call up reservists and order all Gaza border guards to be alert for Hamas crossing attempts. Earlier in 2018 Hamas quietly approached Israel about a long-term truce. Hamas has proposed this before but the problem remains that Hamas is not united and no one can guarantee there wont be organized and persistent efforts in Gaza to carry out terrorist operations in Israel if the blockade is lifted (as part of a new truce deal). At the moment Hamas cannot even agree to restore cooperation with Fatah (which runs the West Bank) and establish a united Palestinian government. Israel is not going to try and make peace with a group that is not in control of its own territory and membership. Hamas continues to feud with Fatah, the Palestinian group that runs the West Bank and is a bit less open about its desire to destroy Israel rather than make peace. Meanwhile, one the oldest and most powerful Palestinian backers, Saudi Arabia, has told the Palestinians to make peace, taking whatever they can get. Fatah might go for this but current Hamas leaders would not. Worse, Hamas is running out of options. Sending terrorists into Israel didnt work (the high-tech security fence ended that). The mass rocket attacks didnt work (Israelis would shoot back and send in troops). The occasional rocket attacks didnt work (Iron Dome and firing back). The tunnels into Israel didnt work (Israel extended their security fence and sensors deep underground). Offering financial incentives to get large crowds of demonstrators to border crossings is nothing new. Doing it for six weeks straight didnt succeed either. What next? Well now the main sponsor Hamas sponsor is Iran and the Iranians have lots of new ideas, especially when it is Arabs who are going to do most of the dying. Most of the current Hamas leadership is opposed to backing an Iranian attack on Israel, but a minority faction of Hamas is all for any offensive operations against Israel. This minority is at a disadvantage because even the Arab nations that long supported Hamas and Fatah are fed up with the corruption and inept leadership Hamas and Fatah provide. It has become fashionable for publications in Arab nations, especially the Gulf oil states and Egypt, to allow writers to dwell on the obvious; that Israel is the most prosperous and powerful nation in the region and a lot of that has to do with the democracy and judicial system Israel maintains. Corrupt Israeli politicians can be voted out of office and the judicial system allows prosecutions of corrupt politicians and sending convicted ones to jail. That does not happen with any regularity, and often not at all, in Arab countries. The leader of Saudi Arabia is openly pointing this out and trying to implement some of those Israeli features (like an efficient and honest justice system) in Saudi Arabia. This new attitude in Arab nations has made possible improved economic, military and diplomatic links with Israel. Victory Comes At A Cost The Israelis also suffer casualties, just fewer of them. In the past year 71 security forces personnel have died, as well as twelve civilian victims of terror attacks. Many of the security forces deaths were accidents, the result of handling dangerous equipment (like tanks and aircraft) on a regular basis. Egypt Has Prospects Egypt is predicted to be the third fastest growing economy in the world with average annual GDP growth of 6.6 percent over the next eight years. India is first with 7.8 percent and Uganda is second with 7.4 percent. For all three of these countries, the main threat to actually achieving those growth rates is Islamic terrorism. Egypt is the most vulnerable with ISIL still active in Sinai and the Western Desert (near the Libyan border). In the Nile River Valley, radical factions of the Moslem Brotherhood again threaten the economy, as they did in the 1990s. The Brotherhood was defeated but not destroyed in the 1990s. One faction went on to establish itself in Gaza as Hamas and take control of Gaza after the Israeli troops left in 2005 (as a peace gesture that did not work). The Brotherhood sought to take advantage of the 2011 Arab Spring uprising and turn Egypt into a religious dictatorship but that attempt failed and now the Brotherhood radicals are back to violent efforts to cripple the economy. That is very unpopular in Egypt. While most Egyptians are not happy with the return of corrupt rule by another former general (Sisi, as opposed to Mubarak), they know that if there is peace the Egyptian economy can grow and bring a measure of prosperity to most Egyptians. This is the most important goal for most Egyptians and a major asset in the government counter-terrorism campaign. Tips from civilians play a major role in limiting the strength and attack capabilities of Islamic terror groups. But the Islamic radical minority of Egyptians have been a constant in Egyptian culture for over a thousand years and remain a threat to living standards of most Egyptians and the lives of the civilians who tend be most frequent victims of Islamic terrorist violence. Thus it is no surprise the Egyptian opinion polls show stability is the main concern for most Egyptians. So much so that they will tolerate a lot of corruption if it means more stability. Economists tell the government leaders that less corruption and less bureaucracy would lead to even more economic growth and prosperity. That is the lesson Israel demonstrates and it has become fashionable in most major Arab nations to openly admit that and to urge Arabs to try the Israeli approach (which is also the Western approach). This sort of thing runs into a lot of popular resistance because for many centuries Jews, and now (since 1948) Israel have been depicted as deadly enemies of Islam and Arabs and a foe that must be destroyed. Arabs and Moslems who have spent any time in the West (especially in Israel) have an easier time appreciating this new attitude, but most people have not experienced these seemingly magical solutions to their problems. This sort of change takes time and Islamic radicals take advantage of that as much as they can. May 5, 2018: In Gaza, an explosion in a residential area of Zawayda left six members of Hamas dead and three wounded. Hamas blamed Israel but the cause was probably sloppy handling of explosives. This is a common problem among Islamic terror groups. In some respects, this is related to Israel, which has found that targeting Hamas leadership at all levels as well as technical experts makes the Islamic terrorist organization much less effective and more prone to losses from accidents. Hamas later said the explosion occurred while Hamas men were trying to dismantle an Israeli missile that did not explode when used against a Gaza target. Hamas still has some of these missiles and bombs from the 2014 war but there are still occasional dud bombs or missiles from recent Israeli retaliation (for attacks on Israel) strikes. Elsewhere in Gaza, an Israeli airstrike hit, for the first time, the area where Hamas prepared incendiary kites to launch against Israel when the wind is right. These kites have caused some property damage but, so far, no injuries. Elsewhere in the Sinai Peninsula the Egyptian Air Force carried out several airstrikes against Islamic terrorist targets and claimed at least fifteen enemy dead. May 4, 2018: In Gaza Hamas again mustered about 7,000 Palestinians to try and push through the security fence into Israel. These regular Friday demonstrations usually get some of the more aggressive Palestinians killed but today there were no fatalities although 150 Palestinians were wounded. Two Israeli commercial UAVs, taking video of the demonstration, crashed inside Gaza. Palestinians celebrated this as a great victory. May 3, 2018: In the south, a fire kite from Gaza caused a forest fire in Israel. Earlier in the week, another kite set fire to a wheat field. Civilians in southern Israel have been warned not to touch any large Gaza kites they found as some of them may be rigged with explosives. May 1, 2018: An Arab-Israeli journalist had an article published in the last few days that once more pointed out how most of the international media pays more attention to the weekly casualties Gaza Palestinians suffer while trying to force their way into Israel. At the same time, these same media outlets are ignoring the larger number of Palestinians being killed in Syria as the Syrian army once more attacks Yarmouk refugee camp outside Damascus. In 2011, when the Syrian rebellion began Yarmouk (population 160,000) was the largest Palestinian community in Syria, holding about 30 percent of the Palestinians in Syria. Hamas got involved in the fighting between Palestinians loyal to the camp leadership (a Palestinian terrorist organization, which has long enjoyed the support of the Assads) and Palestinians who support the Syrian rebels. Hamas realized that if the rebels won, and during the first two years of the rebellion it looked like they would, Hamas would be driven out unless pro-rebel Palestinians take control of Palestinian refugee camps (which are actually separate towns or neighborhoods occupied and run by Palestinians.) Hamas had long received support from the Assads. But under pressure from major donors (oil-rich Sunni Arabs), Hamas turned on the Iran-backed Assads. In early 2012 Hamas moved its headquarters out of Syria and openly denounced the Assaads. Hamas apparently also told the Syrian Palestinians to oppose Assad if they wanted Hamas and other Arab states to persuade the new rebel government to allow loyal Palestinians to remain and avoid retribution. The 600,000 Palestinians in Syria were 1.7 percent of the Syrian population back then. By 2018 Yarmouk was largely empty of Palestinians, most having fled the constant air, artillery and ground attacks by the Assads. Far more Palestinians have been killed by the Assads in Syria since 2011 than died in Israel (including Gaza and West Bank). Most of the Palestinians killed in Israel were trying to kill Israelis. Arab journalists who are not Israeli citizens generally do not report the Palestinian situation in Syria unless they want to risk considerable backlash and risk of jail or worse. Another underreported aspect of the Gaza demonstrations is that most (over 70 percent) of the Palestinians killed are known member of Hamas or other Gaza based Islamic terror groups. These men realize that the largely civilian crowds that Hamas has encouraged to attend these demonstrations are largely unemployed young men and teenage boys. With the proper encouragement and leadership, many of these civilians can be persuaded to charge at the security fence and closed crossing points. Islamic terrorists are equipped with wire cutters and other tools while the civilian followers are armed with rocks, firebombs, sling shots and so on. The Israelis know who the leaders are as for as long as Hamas has been in Gaza Israel has been collecting information on Hamas membership and activities. Same goes for the other Islamic terror groups in Gaza. So Israel knows most of the crowd leaders by name (and rank in what group). The goal of the Islamic terrorists is to get civilians killed or wounded and thus make it easier to blame Israel for the situation. A more ambitious (and less likely to accomplish) goal is to get close enough to the fence to plant bombs. The Israelis have managed to spot these efforts so far and disable the bombs. The ultimate goal of the attacks is to mix it up with Israeli riot control forces and actually grab an Israeli and haul him back to Gaza and hold him, or his dead body, for ransom. When the risk of this increases so does the firepower used by the Israelis to prevent it. At this point, the Israeli snipers kill known leaders and prepare to disable or kill any members of a civilian crowd that is too close to Israeli security personnel. By now most Gazans have figured out how this works and are less eager to follow some Hamas guy into a dangerous situation. April 30, 2018: The Israeli prime minister went on TV to show the huge number (over 110,000) of documents Mossad (Israeli intel) agents had taken from a warehouse in Iran. Mossad used Iranian smugglers to get it across the border to Azerbaijan and then to Israel all in less than 24 hours. The Mossad operation, which involved moving half a ton of documents, took place in at the end of January and the Iranian effort to send a bomb laden UAV into Israel on February 10th is seen as a response to the Mossad operation. Since the documents arrived in Israel American, Israeli and other foreign experts (on intelligence, nuclear weapons and Iranian technical capabilities) translated and scrutinized the huge haul of information and concluded that the documents were authentic and proved that Iran does have a nuclear weapons program, something they have always denied. Opinion polls conducted in Israel after the prime ministers revelations showed that 58 percent of Israeli Jews support how the government is handling the Iranian threat. In Iran, the government had to respond to this Israeli revelation and did so by ordering the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for guarding the stolen documents. In Egypt another week of counter-terror operations in northern Sinai resulted in 30 Islamic terrorists dead (including four known leaders), 173 suspects arrested and hundreds of hideouts and hidden stockpiles of weapons and equipment found. The government insisted that the anti-terror campaign would end soon and that would allow promised economic development projects for Sinai to happen. Like the rest of Egypt, the major source of anti-government sentiment is unemployment and poor economic opportunities. The government has done some construction but this sort of activity is something local Islamic terrorists go after because a stronger economy means less support for Islamic terrorists. April 29, 2018: Israeli warplanes attacked a Syrian base near Aleppo containing a large number of Iranian missiles that had recently been flown in from Iran to the Hama airport. The presence of these missiles was obvious because of the intensity of the secondary explosions as the Israel missiles detonated some of the Iranian missiles which set off a chain reaction and a series of explosions so large that it registered as a mild (2.6 on the Richter scale) earthquake on sensors as far away as Europe. All these explosions killed 40 people, including 18 Iranians and 22 Iranian mercenaries. Another 60 people were wounded. At least 13 buildings, including some large warehouses, were destroyed or heavily damaged. The next day satellite photos were released showing the extent (considerable) of the damage (massive). In response of the attack, the Israeli parliament voted to give the prime minister to declare war because it was obvious Iran was supporting preparations for another attack on Israel by Hezbollah and Iranian mercenaries in Syria. Egypt and France confirmed that they are working together to assist Libya in holding elections by the end of 2018 and thus making possible a united government. April 28, 2018: In the north (Golan Heights) Hezbollah forces again fought with Syrian rebels just across the border. Hezbollah and the Syrian army have been pushing Syrian rebels away from the border for over a year now. The fighting today continued over the weekend and on the 30th resulted in a stray mortar shell landing in Israel. There was return fire, as is often the case, especially when Hezbollah is involved. April 27, 2018: In Gaza, Israeli warplanes attacked six Hamas targets associated with Hamas maritime operations. The Israeli army released video showing hundreds of Palestinians trying to force their way into Israel by using explosives, fire bombs cutting the border fence while relying on numbers to enable some Palestinians to get past Israeli troops. The effort shown in the video failed but three Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded. April 26, 2018: An Israeli commercial satellite photo company released recent photos showing renewed activity at the underground Iranian Fordo uranium enrichment plant. As part of the 2015 treaty to lift sanctions Iran agreed to use Fordo for something non-nuclear. But now major changes are taking place at Fordo. 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: Israeli defense officials have repeated warnings to Russia about delivering S-300 anti-aircraft systems to the Syrian government. Israeli opposition is something the Russians have to take seriously. The Israelis recognize that the S-300 is a modern system that has capabilities. What is not said is that Israel can defeat the S-300 but would prefer not to do so in Syria. That would expose some of the techniques Israel has developed to deal with the S-300 and enable Russia to create and install S-300 upgrades that would force Israel to develop new countermeasures. That would take time and meanwhile, S-300 systems in Iran would be more dangerous to Israeli warplanes. But in the midst of all this Russian would be taking a hit as well because if the Israelis demonstrated in Syria that the S-300 could be defeated it would be much more difficult for Russia to sell these systems to export customers. April 22, 2018: For the first time since October 2017 ISIL issued an official statement via the Internet. This one informed members and supporters about the new ISIL strategy. No surprises in that as the message repeated the call for ISIL members to return home, if possible, and organize terror attacks there. The primary ISIL targets are the apostate governments of Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, Gaza (Hamas) and the West Bank (Fatah). In addition, the Taliban of Afghanistan is the main target in Afghanistan because the local ISIL branch competes with the Taliban to control drug smuggling routes that provide large amounts of cash that ISIL in Afghanistan needs to survive. For Israel, the main ISIL message is that ISIL will not bother with Israel until it has overthrown the current apostate Moslem governments in the Middle East. So for the moment, ISIL is admitting that Israel is not worth the effort (without saying carrying out attacks in Israel has proved to be nearly impossible). 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: A fire kite from Gaza set fire to a warehouse in southern Israel. In Malaysia, the killing (by gunmen on a motorcycle) of a Palestinian engineer (Fadi al Batsh) known to work for Hamas (designing locally made rockets armed UAVs) was attributed to Israel. No one took credit for the killing and Mossad seemed the likely culprit given the reputation of Batsh (who taught at a Malaysian university). But Mossad explicitly denied responsibility for this killing and given the current state (ugly) of internal Hamas politics the killer could have been another Palestinian faction. For example, Hamas is monitoring pro-Fatah families of recently killed demonstrators after they have erected a mourning tent. These tents are traditional but since 2017 Hamas has, in some cases, forbidden families of men who joined ISIL in Egypt and were killed there from openly mourning their loss. For one thing, these events are often used to recruit more Gaza residents to join ISIL for operations in Egypt. Many of the recruits are from elite Hamas units and these men are technically deserters. Such desertions continue and these former Hamas men continued to get killed in Egypt, where ISIL continues to be a problem for Egyptian security forces. As part of the existing peace deal with Egypt Hamas has to crack down on ISIL activity in Gaza. With fewer ISIL related mourning tents to monitor Hamas can pay attention to pro-Fatah families who use these mourning tent situations to denounce Hamas for getting their son killed for nothing. This sort of talk is why Fatah support has been growing in Gaza and why Hamas shuts down mourning tents where they find such treasonous talk taking place. The big problem for Hamas is that such treasonous talk is common even without the fence demonstration casualties or Fatah partisans. Most Gazans are fed up with Hamas and all the other Islamic terror groups (which, these days, includes Fatah as well) and the fact that these groups bring nothing but poverty and misery to most Gazans and take most of the cash (mostly foreign aid) and keep it for themselves. This cash pays for thousands of armed followers who will use violence to suppress any opposition in Gaza. Because of this situation, it should come as no surprise why the Israeli informant network survives. The Israelis pay well in cash and favors. They also provide useful advice on how to remain undetected. As it is most of those accused of spying for Israel are not and just caught up in some other dispute. Most of the Arab foreign aid contributors have come to understand how unpopular, and ineffective, Hamas is and either cut off aid or cut back on aid and told Hamas to make peace with the Israelis or face the loss of all aid. Similar pressure is being put on Fatah. Even the Western aid suppliers are losing faith in Hamas and Fatah. Iran is becoming the major supplier of foreign aid in Gaza, which is not good for most Gazans and a growing number of Gazans are so desperate that they will openly protest to Hamas about the situation. April 19, 2018: After more than a year (since early 2017) of negotiations between Hamas and Egypt over a deal to trade the remains of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 and two Israeli civilians detained in Gaza, an agreement was reached. But, as many expected, Israel did not agree to the terms. Israel warned Egypt that major killers and those released in earlier agreements and rearrested for new offenses were not eligible for exchange. The Israelis can afford to be hardline here because this time around Hamas is not holding live soldiers or kidnapped civilians. The two Israelis held by Hamas are mentally ill civilians who got into Gaza and were seized by Hamas. One of these Israelis is a Jewish migrant from Ethiopia and the other is a Bedouin (and Moslem). Hamas was hoping to get a deal like they did in 2011. Back then, for the first time since 1985, Israel exchanged imprisoned Palestinians for a captured Israeli soldier (Gilad Shalit). Hundreds of the 1,027 Palestinian prisoners released in the Shalit deal returned to terrorism and dozens of Israelis have since been killed or wounded because of that violence. During the 2014 Gaza War, many of those 1,027 were rearrested on terrorism charges and put back in prison. Others were known to have died fighting for Hamas in Gaza. So Egypt has an agreement that is only acceptable to Hamas and Hamas has said they will not accept anything less. Egypt has had similar success in trying to get Hamas and Fatah to form a unified Palestinian government. April 18, 2018: Israel (quietly) and Saudi Arabia (openly) are trying to persuade the Americans to keep their troops in Syria. The U.S. recently announced that withdrawing American troops was a possibility although it appears all this has more to do with negotiations with Turkey over a number of issues, like membership in NATO and relations with the EU and America. There is also little enthusiasm in the United States for continued American troop presence in Syria. The popular attitude is that Syria and Iraq are regional problems. The U.S. helped to destroy ISIL and that effort continues around the world. The U.S. remains committed to the defense of Israel and any Arab states who agree with that, but permanently stationing troops in the Middle East is very unpopular with Americans. In Egypt airstrikes in northern Sinai left at least 15 Islamic terrorists dead. Ground operations, which lasted more than a week left over a hundred Islamic terrorists dead, including the ISIL leader for Sinai. At least 30 soldiers died as well. April 17, 2018: Syrian media announced two more airstrikes on Syrian air bases (one in the north near Homs and the other outside Damascus). No one took credit for these attacks, there were no photos of any after-effects and Syria claims to have shot down some of the attack missiles. Syria has to be careful with false claims because Israel has its own photo satellites passing over Syria several times a day. This has made it difficult for Syria to stage faked events. The Israelis have also made it clear they keep a tab on who has what where and that is causing problems for Iran and Russia as well. April 16, 2018: Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel for the latest attack on Iranian facilities at the T4 base in Syria. These threats were not unexpected but so far Iran has not been able to carry out an attack on Israel itself. Iran has been supporting efforts from its allies in Gaza but there have been nothing but failures so far. Israel recently revealed that the Iranian UAV shot down on February 10th as it entered Israeli airspace was armed with explosives. The UAV incident prompted the attack on Iranian UAV bases in Syria. Another reason for the T4 attack was also revealed; Iran had just set up a new air-defense system that might have made a later attack less successful. Meanwhile, the Iranian inability to strike a blow against Israel is making the Iranian radicals (IRGC, Quds) back in Iran look bad at a time when they are under attack for corruption and brutally suppressing widespread protests by Iranians against the misrule of the Iranian radicals and the religious dictatorship the radicals serve. To make matters even worse the radicals campaign against Saudi Arabia and other Arab oil states has resulted in the Saudis openly siding with Israel and reveling in the apparent Iranian ability to hurt Israel. All this makes for a dangerous situation as the Iranians are notoriously sore losers and far more adept with technology than the Arabs. April 15, 2018: In the south (Gaza) four Islamic Jihad Islamic terrorists died when the vehicle they were in exploded near the Israeli border. This was apparently an accidental explosion. In Egypt, the parliament extended the state of emergency (martial law) for three more months. This gives the government nearly unlimited power to investigate anyone anyway they can, arrest and hold people without warrants or obligation to bring charges and basically run the country like a dictatorship. The three decades of Mubarak rule, which ended in 2011, was made possible by a permanent state of emergency and getting rid of that was one of the main demands of the 2011 rebels. The current state of emergency began in April 2017 because of increased Islamic terrorist activity, especially efforts to attack Israel from Egyptian territory. So far Egypt has continued to uncover and attack or arrest Islamic terrorists all over Sinai and to a lesser extent elsewhere in the country. There has been more Islamic terrorist activity coming out of Libya apparently because of recent defeats ISIL and other Islamic terror groups have suffered there. But the martial law is generally unpopular and the government is under growing popular pressure to end it. 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 missiles at three Syrian facilities that developed, produced and stored Syrian chemical weapons. Satellite photos later showed that all of the missiles 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 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 perpetrated 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. Later today there were reports of explosions at an Iranian base outside Aleppo. Iran denied that this was the result of another Israeli air strike and insisted the explosions were part of rebuilding the base. American and Israeli officials revealed that Israel was given over 12 hours advance warning of the joint missile attack on Syrian chemical warfare targets. This advance warning was to ensure that the missile strike did not conflict with any Israeli operations over Syria. In Egypt (central Sinai) Islamic terrorists attacked a large army checkpoint leaving at least twenty soldiers dead. The attack force of fourteen (including four wearing explosive vests) was wiped out but not before doing some damage to the base. Troops kept the attackers from overrunning the entire facility. It was recently revealed that North Korea has established a program for foreign agents that is only open to members of the elite North Korea families. The children of these families are eligible to attend the Mangyongdae Revolutionary Academy. Graduates of Mangyongdae are most likely to get the most senior government and military jobs. There are only about a hundred graduates a year and for the last few years, a computer science program has provided a specialized course for Mangyongdae students seeking to become foreign agents in enemy countries, especially South Korea. These agents are trained to hunt down high level defectors in foreign countries and either arrange to kill the defector or at least find out how the defector is doing, how many secrets they have divulged and, if possible, persuade the defector to shut up or even return to North Korea. To accomplish this the Mangyongdae students are taught the latest hacking techniques and what tools and mercenary hackers are available in the hacker underground and how to deal with the tools, and the mercs, to put together specialized efforts to track down defectors and monitor them. This means the Mangyongdae must be able to pass as a South Korean (speak with a South Korea accent, know the customs and slang) and assume a false identity convincingly. As important as all these skills are the most important item is loyalty to North Korea. The Mangyongdae agents go after the growing number of high level North Koreans who are illegally leaving the country. The agents are trained to use social media to seek out known or suspected defectors, make contact and obtain more information about them. Over the last decade, North Korea has been growing more concerned about key people defecting to South Korea or simply getting into China and making asylum deals with the Chinese government. The Chinese have always been receptive to such arrangements and there have been more of this as the hundreds of families at the top of the social pyramid in North Korea get out. This is a risky endeavor although there are more and more people smugglers who, for enough money, can get anyone out of the country. Worse, many high level defectors were already outside North Korea on official business when they arrange to disappear and defect. Some of these defectors have been diplomats and some of them were senior enough to be noticed when they disappeared. These high-caste North Koreans report that there is a sense in the ruling families that the system isnt working and is doomed. The top people in North Korea are easy to identify. When North Korea was founded in the late 1940s a caste system was established to ensure that the most loyal and capable North Korean communists were recognized and rewarded for their efforts to maintain the new communist government for now and generations to come. The newly established secret police and communist party reported on everyone making it possible to create an official list of every family assigned to one of 51 social classes. From the beginning, most (29) of these classes were composed of people considered either hostile to the government or leaning that way. These new lower classes are where most of the new (and often quite wealthy) donju (entrepreneurs) are coming from. Most of the population falls into these 29 social classes, and they are getting increasingly hostile to a government that seems to do nothing but create one disaster after another. Members of higher-caste families are catching on as well and younger members are increasingly abandoning promising careers to flee the country. All that bribe money making its way to the higher caste North Koreans doesnt just go to buy an easier life in North Korea it often buys an escape. To deal with this problem among the most trusted classes a special program at the Mangyongdae Revolutionary Academy counter-intelligence program was established. Apparently, some of the Mangyongdae agents have been identified or even caught and this program is no longer as secret as it once was. Meanwhile the Mangyongdae Revolutionary Academy and its ultra-loyal students gets a lot more publicity inside (and outside) North Korea. In addition to tracking down high-caste defectors, the Mangyongdae level agents are also assigned to monitor the loyalty of North Korea hackers working outside North Korea. North Korean defectors have revealed much about how North Korea has managed to establish and maintain hacking operations outside North Korea and make a lot of money for the cash hungry North Korea government. This became a higher priority operation in the last few years because of the growing list of economic sanctions imposed while at the same time there were more the opportunities for Internet based misbehavior. Some of these defectors were associated with the North Korean hackers who are, it turns out, mostly based outside North Korea because Internet access is better and operating outside North Korea makes it easier to deny that North Korean hackers are engaged in illegal activity. South Korea has obtained a lot of details about the North Korean hacker operations and even all0wed some defectors familiar with those operations to speak openly about it. Obviously, many of these North Korean hackers are not as loyal as they are supposed to be and something much be done to identify and punish the ones that defect and expose how the hacker program works. The Mangyongdae agents are also trained in the usual methods of secretly contacting the center, usually via North Korea operatives based outside of North Korea and able to relay messages to and from North Korea itself. The skills North Korea hackers have developed are world class and increasingly difficult to counter or even detect. But this edge in skills and techniques depends on having loyal operatives in key positions, thus the importance of the Mangyongdae agents. The North Korea hacker force consists of about 6,800 personnel but only quarter of these have software programming or engineering skills that enable them to develop and carry out the hacks. The rest are support staff, including many security personnel who monitor hacker activities to ensure loyalty and productivity. Over the last few years more and more of the hackers have been assigned to money raising operations rather than intelligence collection (spying). North Korea needs cash more than secrets and as a result each of these hackers has been bringing in about $100,000 a year in much needed income for North Korea. Alas for the hackers, like most North Koreans working abroad, see little of that money. This does not inspire loyalty and resolve to avoid the temptation to defect. Most of the foreign operations are in China where the hackers and their support staff live in Spartan conditions and are closely watched. These hackers are aware of how much more valuable their skills would be in South Korea (where some currently are, working for South Korean software firms). Unfortunately you risk your life (and those of y0ur family) if you try to escape. But some have and some still do. Basing so many of the North Korean hackers in China is partly because there is apparently an arrangement with the Chinese to enable the North Koreans to keep operating in return for favors. In addition to not hacking Chinese networks, or any foreign ones the Chinese consider off-limits, the Chinese receive cash and, more importantly, access to data the hackers obtain. Some hacks attributed to Chinese hackers are apparently carried out by North Korean hackers in order to pay for continued presence in China (and the cooperation of Chinese security forces to prevent North Korean hackers from defecting.) In 2013 South Korea came up with a number (over $800 million) for the cost of dealing with North Korean cyber attacks since 2007. The list was quite detailed. The attacks in March and June of 2013 accounted for 93 percent of the total damages. South Korea has been subjected to a growing number of Cyber War attacks since 2009, and the high cost of the 2013 ones showed that the North Koreans were getting better and that South Korea was not keeping up. The 2014 operation against smart phones was the first North Korean effort against smart phones and indicated there would be more and there were. Long believed to be nonexistent, by 2013 it was clear that the North Korean cyber warriors did exist and were not the creation of South Korean intelligence agencies trying to obtain more money to upgrade government Information War defenses. North Korea has had personnel working on Internet issues since the 1990s and their Mirim College program trained most of the North Korean Internet engineers and hackers. North Korea has a unit devoted to Internet based warfare and this unit was increasingly active as the number of Mirim graduates grew. Since the late 1980s, Mirim College was known as a facility that specialized in training electronic warfare specialists. But by the late 1990s the school was found to be also teaching some students how to hack the Internet and other types of networks. Originally named after the district of Pyongyang it was in, the college eventually moved and expanded. It had several name changes but its official name was always Military Camp 144 of the Korean People's Army. Students wore military uniforms and security on the school grounds was strict. Each year 120 students were accepted (from the elite high schools or as transfers from the best universities). Students stayed for 5 years. The school contained five departments: electronic engineering, command automation (hacking), programming, technical reconnaissance (electronic warfare), and computer science. There's also a graduate school, with a three year course (resulting in the equivalent of a Masters Degree) for a hundred or so students. The Mirim program has been modified since 2015 and is believed to be producing more graduates each year and in a growing number of specialties. Mirim graduates were key to getting the Mangyongdae program going. It was long thought that those Mirim College grads were hard at work maintaining the government intranet, not plotting Cyber War against the south. Moreover, for a few years North Korea was allowed to sell programming services to South Korean firms. Not a lot, but the work was competent and cheap. So it was known that there was some software engineering capability north of the DMZ. It was believed that this was being used to raise money for the government up there, not form a major Internet crime operation. But by 2016 there was tangible and growing evidence of North Korean hackers at work in several areas of illegal activity. The Cyber War attacks apparently began around 2005, quietly and nothing too ambitious. But year-by-year, the attacks increased in frequency, intensity, and boldness. By 2009, the North Korean hackers were apparently ready for making major assaults on South Korea's extensive Internet infrastructure, as well as systems (utilities, especially) that are kept off the Internet. Deceased (since 2011) North Korean leader Kim Jong Il had always been a big fan of PCs and electronic gadgets in general. He not only founded Mirim but backed it consistently. The only form of displeasure from Kim was suspicions that those who graduated from 1986 through the early 1990s had been tainted by visits (until 1991) by Russian electronic warfare experts. Some Mirim students also went to Russia to study for a semester or two. All these students were suspected of having become spies for the Russians, and most, if not all, were purged from the Internet hacking program. Thus, it wasn't until the late 1990s that there were a sufficient number of trusted Internet experts that could be used to begin building a Cyber War organization. South Korea has to be wary because they have become more dependent on the web than any other on the planet, with the exception of the United States. As in the past, if the north is to start any new kind of mischief, they try it out on South Korea first. While many of the first serious attacks in 2009 were more annoying than anything else, they revealed a new threat out there, and one that not only got worse but turned out to be from the usual suspects. Now the threat is very real and growing rapidly. A Beechcraft AT-6 experimental aircraft flies over White Sands Missile Range, N.M. July 31, 2017. The AT-6 is participating in the U.S. Air Force Light Attack Experiment (OA-X), a series of trials to determine the feasibility of using light aircraft in attack roles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ethan D. Wagner) X 0 20 Help Keep Us Soaring We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. We need your help in reversing that trend. We would like to add 20 new subscribers this month. Each month we count on your subscriptions or contributions. You can support us in the following ways: by Austin Bay May 8, 2018 The Trump Administration deserves thanks and congratulations for terminating American participation in the toothless Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action, the ostentatiously official name of the Obama Administration's "nuclear weapons deal" with Iran's clerical dictatorship. For numerous reasons, President Trump made the decision to exit the flimsy pact. "We're out of the deal," Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton announced. "We're out of the deal." In other words, there will be no re-negotiation. The Trump Administration didn't say when it would reimpose economic and political sanctions, other than indicate there would be a 180-day "wind-down period." Iran's central bank may be sanctioned within the next week. Sanctioning the banks hinders Iranian oil transactions. Whatever the timeline, the U.S. threat to reimpose political and economic sanctions on the robed dictators and their criminal regime is meaningful. Even if China, Russia and European nations continue to observe the JCPOA, America is the 800-pound gorilla in the global economy. With the pugnacious Trump in charge, the ayatollahs know their pocketbook will shrink. A shrinking ayatollah bank account immediately makes the world a safer place. It's especially a safer place for American allies like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel who are already engaged in a slow war for national survival with Iran. Sure, for the next 10 days or so, snide European toffs and Washington Beltway Clerks will swear American withdrawal means doom and horror. Already, they are on mainstream television shows howling and tearing their stuffed shirts. Ignore them. They're blind to the doom and horror spawned by vicious Iranian overt and covert troublemaking that savages our planet on a daily basis. Yemen, Syria and Lebanon are three of the bloodiest examples of Iran's policy of geo-strategic mayhem. The failure to penalize the Iranian regime's covert and overt violent troublemaking and its organized criminal operations (yes, transnational crime, like smuggling narcotics and human beings) was the JCPOA's most grievous flaw. Unfortunately, the Obama Administration's mis-deal had other flaws. The wicked nature of the Iranian regime may appear extrinsic to the mis-deal's advocates, benighted actors like former Secretary of State John Kerry. Well, it isn't. Failing to account for the regime's corrupt nature is one of the stupid pact's more serious flaws. Britain's Neville Chamberlain learned that the hard way in 1938, when he made a deal with Adolf Hitler in Munich that supposedly guaranteed Western Europe "peace for our time." Check Tehran's record since 1979. The ostensibly revolutionary sectarian regime founded by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini cannot be trusted to tell the truth about its nuclear weapons quest, even when telling the truth would be in its best long-term interest. Last week, Israel released an information trove that documented the regime's failure to comply with a key JCPOA provision, which required Tehran to reveal in accurate detail the history and status of its nuclear weapons program. But the ayatollahs didn't come clean. They temporarily mothballed part of their development program and then lied to the International Atomic Energy Agency and Washington. So let's return to Iran's hideous behavior. "Violent meddling" and violent subversion are permanent policies of the Iranian regime. In 1984, the U.S. State Department put Iran on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism for good reason; it was supporting terrorist operations directed at U.S. Arab allies in the Persian Gulf. Its own operatives were conducting terror attacks in Lebanon. Iran is still on the list of states sponsoring terror. Since 1984, Tehran has been tied to subversion operations in Western Europe and terror attacks South America, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. The regime's Shia Islamic radicals provided aid and support for al-Qaida's militant Sunni terrorists. In 2008, the Iranian regime was involved in at least 18 armed conflicts, and involved as an instigator or an escalator. The regime believed it benefited from bloody chaos. In 2018, how many armed conflicts do the ayatollahs spark, stoke, spur and support? Somewhere between two-dozen and 30. Negotiate with this regime? The Iranian people deserve better. America should be supporting Iranian dissidents. Solving crime often means something as simple as follow the money. To understand the persistent violence in Mali follow the money plus a bit of religious fanaticism and ethnic (tribal) rivalry pretty much explains it all. In Mali and the rest of the region, smuggling has been big business ever since governments (especially modern, post-industrial revolution ones) imposed restrictions on what goods could go where and at what price. The spike in violence in mid and northern Mali is driven by the lucrative business of moving cocaine and other drugs north towards the European market. Add to that population growth in the semi-desert Sahel (another side effect of colonialism and the introduction of modern medicine and public health practices) encouraged the nomadic Sahel herders to move further south into areas where there was more water and pastures for their animals. The sedentary farmers who were already there fought back and created a lawless atmosphere that helped smugglers, separatists, Islamic terrorists and rebels of all sorts to get established and become difficult to remove. The persistent government corruption limits what local law enforcement can do against multiple sources of civil disorder (ethnic separatism in the north, Islamic terrorist groups establishing themselves locally and the emergence of very lucrative drug smuggling operations). This sort of government breakdown is more common Moslem majority nations because these countries are more likely to suffer from persistent corruption and, being Moslem, equally probe to see the establishment of Islamic radical groups. While the Islamic terrorists get the most publicity (because of their extreme violence and eagerness to spread worldwide) most of the outlaw activity is about making money. The Islamic terror groups dominate the most lucrative criminal activities (smuggling drugs) because the Islamic terrorists are the most violent outlaws around and generally unencumbered by family or tribal responsibilities. Nevertheless, the Islamic terrorists are a small part of a much larger smuggling activity. For example, increased security on Algerias southern border (especially the ones with Mali and Niger) catches more people illegally crossing the border but most of them are smugglers. While most of the smuggled goods are consumer items (easier to sell in Algeria) weapons and drugs were encountered. It was the drug shipments that had the heaviest security. This often meant crossing the border at night and then hiding the drugs or weapons at a hiding place known only to partners in Algeria who had a legitimate reason for being down south. These weapons and drugs were then smuggled north to the coast and another gang of smugglers got the drugs on ships or airplanes headed for Europe. The weapons were for local markets (mostly criminals). Since moving drugs involves so many people, it is more expensive. But thats the nature of drug smuggling and Islamic terror groups tend to supply most of the security and maintain that monopoly by killing any competitors. Drug shipments still get seized. This is usually when the hiding places on the Algerian side of the border are stumbled on by patrols or the transporters moving the drugs from the southern border to the coast have an accident or get exposed as smugglers for some other reason. The Algerian police estimate that over 90 percent of the drugs get through and the Islamic terrorists get paid more than enough to keep them in business. For this reason, small groups of Islamic terrorists survive in northern Mali, near the Algerian and Niger borders not because of Islamic radical locals but because of the cash. With that, you can buy all the hospitality and discretion you need. Islamic terrorists, even the most extreme ones like ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) need cash because it is simply more efficient to purchase many items (like weapons, ammo, information and sanctuary in areas controlled by local tribes. Northeast Mali (near Gao and the Niger border) is where the local branch of ISIL operates. As a result, the violence is escalating there. Calling itself ISGS (Islamic State in the Greater Sahara) this ISIL franchise is frequently encountered in northeastern Mali on both sides of the Niger border. The ISIL personnel frequently clash with pro-government Tuareg militias and usually lose. Its not that these ISIL men are not fanatic enough but that the Tuareg know the area well and have lots of experience in irregular warfare. Since March 2018 ISGS has taken very heavy losses as the Tuareg militias worked with a special French counterterrorism operation that included troops from Mali and Niger and spent enough time searching to find several ISGS camps and forcing the Islamic terrorists to fight. So far ISGS has lost over a hundred dead and captured but groups like ISGS dont surrender but fight harder until they are crushed. ISGS is still up there but in much reduced circumstances and the French were ready to collect and analyze the flood of new information gained from all those dead or captured ISGS men as well as several of their camps. The Americans stand ready to provide airstrikes for as many ISGS targets as the French intel effort can locate. The Americans are keen to eliminate ISGS because this groups was responsible for a late 2017 ambush in Niger that killed four American soldiers. ISGS wants to kill more American troops because that is a big deal with ISIL since Islamic terror groups tend to consider Israel and the United States the main enemies of Islam. Israel and the Americans have also proved to be the most effective at hunting down and killing ISIL groups. So this particular campaign against ISGS will be more of the same, just in a very remote part of the world. Even ISIL is attracted to the lucrative drug smuggling operation but that is one conflict with less radical Islamic terror groups that ISIL tends to lose. That rivalry is being resolved in northeast Mali and ISIL is not doing well. This is a repeat of a similar situation in Afghanistan where the Taliban are more of a threat to the local ISIL franchise than the American and Afghan special operations forces that concentrate on finding and eliminating any ISIL presence. Groups like ISIL are more of a death cult because they thrive on dying. Less extreme groups like al Qaeda are more into surviving and thriving and are more of a long-term threat. This can be seen in central Mali where the growing number of radicalized Fulani tribesmen are causing so much social disorder that a growing number of locals (mostly non-Fulani) are fleeing across the border to Burkina Faso. Since February some 4,000 Malians have fled and unless the Fulani Islamic terrorists can be suppressed the migration will continue. Meanwhile, the primary problem in Mali remains the massive corruption in government. Mali has not yet been able to create a civil society of voters and politicians who are willing to serve all of Mali, not just their own family, clan or tribe. That is a problem that resists quick cures. May 1, 2018: In the north (near Gao) the ISGS attacked Tuareg settlements leaving 17 dead. April 27, 2018: In the north (near Gao) attacks were made on two camps of Berber nomads in the last 48 hours, leaving 43 Berbers (most of the women and children) dead. The Berbers are ethnically related to the Tuareg. The attackers were believed to be ISGS, the local branch of ISIL trying to intimidate the local Tuareg militias into not opposing ISIL operations in the area. The Tuareg militias struck back by attacking Fulani villages across the border in Niger and killing over 30 people. Throughout the region (and as far south as northern Nigeria) Fulani have been active supporters of Islamic terror groups and those across the border in Niger are believed to be supporting ISGS. The Niger Fulani claim the Mali Tuareg militias killed 44 Fulani today. April 26, 2018: The Mali government has agreed to hold presidential elections on July 29th while local elections will be held by the end of the year. Foreign aid donor nations are demanding that the elections be fair. Even with that those that get elected are often just as corrupt as their predecessors. April 22, 2018: France, Algeria and Mali are using a secret 2017 amnesty agreement to persuade key AQIM (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) and JNIM (Jamaah Nusrah al Islam wal Muslimin, or Group for the support of Islam and Moslems) personnel to surrender. In Mali and neighboring states most of the Islamic terrorists are not ISIL and are largely united. Most of the Islamic terrorist activity is the work of JNIM, which was formed in early 2017. In part, this was a reaction to the growing threat from ISIL which is hostile to everyone who is not ISIL and will attack or recruit from the JNIM members AQIM Ansar Dine, FLM and al Mourabitoun (an al Qaeda splinter group). Another reason for the merger was to make it easier to pool resources (including information and advice) and coordinate with other Islamic terror groups in the area. This reduces friction and destructive feuding. Making a coalition like this work is always difficult, especially considering the importance of ethnic differences. April 21, 2018: In the northwest (near Timbuktu) French troops clashed with Islamic terrorists and killed three of them. Further south in central Mali (near Mopti) soldiers killed 15 Islamic terrorists during raids on suspected Islamic terrorist bases. One soldier was killed and two wounded. Closer to Timbuktu someone fired three rockets at the peacekeeper base near the airport. There were no casualties. April 19, 2018: In central Mali and across the border in Burkina Faso, an eight day counter-terror operation began. The Mali border was sealed and over a hundred suspected Islamic terrorists on the Burkina Faso side of the frontier were arrested. Some of those arrested were known Islamic terrorists and in other locations explosives and weapons were seized. April 14, 2018: In the northwest (outside Timbuktu) JNIM simultaneously attacked a peacekeeper camp and a base for French troops. The assault was repulsed with fifteen of the attackers killed. One peacekeeper was killed and seven wounded. At the French base, seven French troops were wounded along with two civilians. The attackers disguised themselves as peacekeepers and had at least one peacekeeper vehicle. The disguise worked for a while but not long enough to enable the attackers to do the kind of damage they hoped to achieve. April 10, 2018: In central Mali (Mopti) two health specialists and their two local drivers were kidnapped. The four were released two days later and it is unclear whether or not ransom was paid. Items About Areas That Could Break Out Into War May 9, 2018: According to official figures, in Mexico during 2017 29,168 people were murdered. Some groups that follow the situation contend the figure is a bit higher and they blame the difference on government reporting procedures. In the specific cases the different figures matter, but in the aggregate they tell the same story: the death toll since December 2006 when the (drug) Cartel War began now exceeds 207,000. According to government figures, 2,729 were murdered during March 2018. If that is accurate, it is a record for the month of March. According to government figures, from January to March 2018, 7,667 were murdered. That is about 85 homicide victims a day and indicates there will be more than 30,000 murders in 2018. It is also the most violent first three months on record. How many of these murders are drug war related? Fair question. But authorities concede most of the victims were slain in organized crime-related incidents. As a result of all this the national murder rate is moving up again and is now 20.5 per 100,000 people. That change has been very unpopular with Mexican voters. In 2015 the murder rate was 16 per 100,000. The high point was in 2011 (22 per 100,000.) It came down after that, to about 15 per 100,000 but now is on the rise again. Mexico has always been very violent and the murder rate was 17 per 100,000 in the mid-1990s. Mexico does not have the highest murder rate in Latin America. Currently that dubious record belongs to El Salvador (60.8) followed by Venezuela where the rate is 57 and rising. In neighboring Colombia the rate is 27 and falling. Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa have murder rates of at least 20 per year per 100,000. North Africa is 5.9, the U.S. is 5, Europe is 3.5 and Asia is 3.1. While Americans always fear that the Mexican cartels will bring violence, as well as addictive drugs into the country, the actual distribution of the drugs is handled by local gangs. Some of these are composed of Spanish-speakers and many of them are illegal migrants. But the local distributors know that violence is bad for business, especially in areas that are well policed. In Mexico the dynamics are different and the number of drug related deaths much higher. In Mexico government figures also tell another compelling story. Since Enrique Pena Nieto became president in December 2012, almost 105,000 people have been murdered. That exceeds the 102,859 murdered when Felipe Calderon was president (December 2006-December 2012). Recall that Pena promised to wind down the Cartel War and end the Mexican military's central role in that conflict. He argued that the military's training was incompatible with policing. Well, it is. But the Cartel War has not wound down and the Mexican military is still deeply involved in fighting it. Here's a telling fact that shows how wrong Pena was in 2012: Pena's administration wrote and supported the new Internal Security Law, which was approved in December 2017. That law gives the Mexican military a legal framework for conducting public-security operations against organized crime syndicates. The law legalized operations the military had been conducting since 2006 on an ad hoc, look the other way basis; like arresting cartel leaders and gunmen, patrolling highways and setting up roadblocks. The law also gives Mexico's president the right to deploy military units as rapid reaction forces to meet criminal threats. As of May 2018, government officials say the Sinaloa cartel and Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG) are the most powerful and best organized criminal operations in the country. Several "cartel hotspots" remain where the military is the preeminent security force, and they remain for two reasons. Municipal and state police do not have the ability to confront the criminal organizations. Why? They are either incompetent or too corrupt. The second reason: federal police lack the firepower and logistics sustainability to defeat the more powerful cartels. What's left? The Mexican Army and the Mexican Navy. Why has the violence continued? Several analysts contend success has a role. American and Mexican law enforcement agencies have captured, jailed, and in many cases convicted numerous key cartel commandantes. That's good. But in the field, that has created "sub-cartels," violent factions fighting turf wars. The intelligence agencies call it "fragmentation." That's a good word. According to the U.S. officials, Guerrero, Michoacan, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa and Colima are the most dangerous Mexican states. Recent reports support that assessment. In March 2018 the Mexican Army ordered 1,200 troops to launch a surprise attack on the Los Viagras criminal gang in Michaocan's Tierra Caliente region. However, Mexican citizens in Michoacan state say they cannot reply on the military for protection. The action in Tamaulipas state -- which borders Texas-- has been dramatic. The army conducted a raid in Nuevo Laredo at the end of April 2018 that demonstrates why the Cartel War is a military matter. Soldiers uncovered four different weapons caches that they believed belonged to a Los Zetas cartel faction. Raid One: 11 AR-15 rifles, 33 AK-47 rifles. Raid Two: 24 rifles, several grenade launchers and "many" Mexican marine uniforms. Raids Three and four: 14-rifles (most of the automatic), 13 rocket launchers and over 100,000 rounds of ammo. In Reynosa, another city in Tamaulipas, around 460 people have been killed in drug gang related violence since February 2017. Why? Two rival groups that once belonged to the Gulf cartel are fighting for control of the city. Violence occurs elsewhere. In December 2017 Veracruz state officials claimed they had "ended the activities" of the armed Sombra (Shadow) criminal organization. In January and February 2018 a new round of violence erupted. Jalisco state continues to experience cartel violence to the point that federal authorities quietly concede Operation Jalisco has failed. That operation began in May 2015. It was supposed to eliminate the CJNG. In February 2018 the Mexican Army sent a rapid response force of some 400 soldiers to Tijuana (Baja California state) to help local security forced quell an outbreak of cartel violence. The mayor of Tijuana conceded that his city had trouble recruiting qualified police officers and he did not want to lower the qualifications. The Cartel War continues. (Austin Bay) Trudeau: Canada to apologize for turning away Nazi-era ship of JewsCanadian PressPublished:May 8, 2018Updated:May 8, 2018 11:29 PM EDTPrime Minister Justin Trudeau participates in the National Prayer Breakfast in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 8, 2018.Justin Tang / THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO Canada will formally apologize for turning away a boat full of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939, resulting in scores of them dying, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.In a well-received speech to a sold-out Jewish fundraising event, Trudeau said the decision by Canada to force the German ocean liner MS St. Louis to return to Europe was a blight on our collective past.An apology in the House of Commons will not rewrite this shameful chapter of our history, Trudeau said. It will not bring back those who perished or repair the lives shattered by tragedy. But it is our hope that this long overdue apology will bring awareness to our failings, as we vow to never let history repeat itself.In the run-up to the Second World War and the ensuing Holocaust, the Canadian government heeded anti-Semitic sentiment by severely restricting Jewish immigration. From 1933 to 1945, only about 5,000 Jewish refugees were accepted due to what Trudeau called our discriminatory none is too many immigration policy in place at the time.He called the turning away of the ship a most egregious example of the misguided policy.The St. Louis was carrying 907 German Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. Its captain, Gustav SchrAder, tried in vain to find homes for his passengers. In addition to Cuba, the United States also turned away the refugees.MS St. Louis in Hamburg, Germany, prior to departure for Cuba in May 1939. Canada will formally apologize for turning away a boat full of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939, resulting in scores of them dying, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday. HO / THE CANADIAN PRESSForced to return to Europe, 254 of those aboard eventually died in the slaughter that became the Holocaust.We cannot turn away from this uncomfortable truth, and Canadas part in it, Trudeau said. We must learn from this story, and let its lessons guide our actions going forward.The March of the Living program has seen thousands of Holocaust survivors and others travel to Poland to honour the memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis in concentration camps.Trudeau spoke eloquently of his own pilgrimage to Auschwitz, the infamous concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland.We stared at the barbed wire fences that once separated the enslaved from their captors. We marched along the railways that delivered so many Jews to their deaths, Trudeau said.My visit to Auschwitz will forever stay with me and guide my time as prime minister, but also as a father, husband, son, brother and citizen.In a statement, the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre applauded Trudeaus announcement as a meaningful step toward acknowledging the shameful chapter.While an apology can never change the past, it can awaken the national conscience to ensure such grave mistakes are never repeated in the future, centre president Avi Benlolo said.Trudeau also said recent figures indicate 17 per cent of all hate crimes in Canada target Jewish people. He said it pained him that Jews more than any other religious group are the victims of hate crimes.We need to do more, as a society, to end xenophobic and anti-Semitic attitudes that still take root in our communities, in our schools, and in our places of work, the prime minister said.The Toronto-based Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs also applauded Trudeaus announcement.A formal apology will be a powerful statement to Holocaust survivors and their families, including St. Louis passengers who live in Canada today, said CIJA CEO Shimon Koffler Fogel in a statement.It will also affirm Canadas continued vigilance in the ongoing fight against antisemitism.Trudeau said he looked forward to offering the apology himself on the floor of the House of Commons, but he gave no date. The audience applauded loudly at the announcement.Tuesday was the first official recognition of May as Jewish Heritage Month, a designation passed by the Commons earlier this year.The fundraiser raised more than $1.1 million. Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline won't get built, Vancouver mayor saysKinder Morgan Inc.s proposed expansion of an oil pipeline to Canadas Pacific Coast will never happen because local opposition to the project thats dividing the nation is only going to intensify, according to the mayor of Vancouver.I dont think this project will go I really dont based on the resistance on the ground, Gregor Robertson said in an interview Tuesday at Bloombergs headquarters in New York.Kinder Morgan has threatened to walk away from the $7.4 billion (US$5.7 billion) project, setting a May 31 deadline for the federal government to neutralize opposition from a British Columbia government thats vowed to use every tool to block it. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whos staked his economic and environmental agendas on the pipeline, has pledged to get it completed to ensure landlocked Canadian crude flows to Asian markets.The Canadian government is determined that the pipeline will be built, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr reiterated to reporters in Ottawa Tuesday.Legislation to push the project ahead remains an option, he said, without elaborating. The federal government, along with the province of Alberta, are considering financial support for the project, which would almost triple capacity on a line that ends in a terminal near Vancouver.Im confident there will be a solution, Carr said. Black Airbnb guests questioned by police serve notice to sueAssociated PressPublished:May 7, 2018Updated:May 7, 2018 6:48 PM EDTLOS ANGELES Three black people are planning to sue a Southern California police department over what they say was an excessive response to a racially motivated 911 call, but police say their officers response was polite, brief and nothing out of the ordinary.The Rialto Police Department said Monday that it had received notice of legal action by the three, who were leaving an Airbnb rental with their luggage when a neighbour called police on April 30 to report a burglary in progress.The encounter is the latest example of friction between law enforcement and minorities. Last month, two black men in Philadelphia were arrested after a Starbucks employee called police because they hadnt bought anything.One of the Airbnb renters, Kells Fyffe-Marshall, wrote on social media that they were surrounded by seven police cars and told to put up their hands. Police said a helicopter was tracking them.You want to laugh about this but its not funny, said Fyffe-Marshall in her post, adding that police told her the woman called 911 when they didnt wave to her as she looked at us packing up.Police said in a news release that officers were polite during the 22-minute interaction. The caller did not recognize the vehicle or the people, police said.Rialto police Lt. Dean Hardin said it is standard for a helicopter to monitor the scene of a residential burglary in progress, in case someone leaves the house before ground police can get there.We didnt detain anybody, we didnt put anyone in handcuffs, we didnt point any weapons at anybody, he said. We actually allowed them pretty free movement about the scene, so its a pretty mild response to a situation.Fyffe-Marshall declined comment, citing legal advice.Rialto is in San Bernardino County about 50 miles (80 kilometres) east of Los Angeles. The Irish border is the EUs problem, not ours Mustn't "collude" with the most popular party in Northern Ireland and the fifth-biggest party in the Commons, eh?No. The Conservative and Unionist Party would be far better off colluding with Sinn Fein. Makes a lot more sense.12 May 2018The SpectatorIn deference to public exhaustion, Ive largely avoided Brexit in this slot. But a columnists output ought rightly to echo what she shouts at the television news. Big picture, the UK may have made an utter Horlicks of its putative withdrawal from the European Union because Britain should never have come to the EU with a begging bowl in the first place. Walking out first and reverting coolly to WTO rules, the UK might have negotiated from a position of strength. You dont slap a party in the face, only to implore that same party for special favours while his face is still smarting. Big surprise, the strategy has been unavailing.Hindsight aside, the biggest mistake the UK continues to make is to naively accept the EUs opening construct. As I noted in November, rather than rejecting outright the legitimacy of any divorce bill, when the UK has been a generous net contributor for nearly all of its 40 years membership, Theresa May immediately leapt to haggle over how much. This government has consistently failed to question the underlying assumptions on which differences of opinion are founded. The EU has been setting the terms. The terms are all.So lets look at this Irish border matter. Were given to believe that there absolutely mustnt be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Thus we have May and her minions disappearing up their own arses trying to define what exactly constitutes this hard border and anguishing about whether cameras count. An absence of infrastructure along a boundary that, in legal terms, is already about as hard as it can get between two entirely different countries is enshrined (that would be the EU and its Irish lapdogs worshipful adjective of choice, enshrined) in the Good Friday Agreement.But the GFA is not holy writ. It is a highly flawed accord, negotiated by mortal and often morally tainted antagonists in a state of late-night frenzy. It is not a set of eternal laws to live by dictated to Abraham from the Lord Thy God on Mount Sinai. Now 20 years old, the agreement could be regarded as having already served its purpose: getting the islands excitable elements to stop killing each other. Im not suggesting we chuck the thing. But that document was put together in different political circumstances: both nations entering into the agreement were members of the EU. Now one of them is leaving. If the document cannot accommodate this modification, something is wrong with the document, not with the historical change. For people and paper alike, the key to survival is adaptation.The GFA itself was full of dubious compromises and exceptions the wholesale release of prisoners, including murderers whod served mere months; the unprecedented granting to one nation of political say in the sovereign affairs of another all in the service of expedience. If the GFA is possible, so are a few freaking cameras between Newry and Dundalk.Next: the policing of any national border involves entities on either side. On the British side of this one, May has been clear from the outset that the UK has no interest in heavy-handed customs or immigration enforcement. That is what is called the UKs business.There being once again such a thing as the UKs business is what Brexit is all about. Whatever happens on the Republics side of the border is the EUs business.Yet supping from that begging bowl addles the brain. Staggeringly, the EU has persuaded the PM that the EUs prosecution of a member states border is her problem. Mays offer to collect the blocs own tariffs, and subject importers to torturous rebates, constitutes abasement. Insofar as it is a problem, that border is the EUs problem. Trump can put up his silly wall on the US side of its southern perimeter, but even the Donald wouldnt presume to dictate procedure on the Mexican side. Its therefore not up to May to concoct a solution to a problem she need not recognise and need not own.Moreover, the EUs professed helplessness in the face of its own bureaucracy is fake. Eurocrats make all manner of exceptions to their own laws when it suits them. (For years, Brussels has turned a blind eye to Russias political manipulation of energy prices to different member states, in flagrant violation of EU law. Germany gets a sweetheart deal, so who cares if the Poles are screwed?) Michel Barniers obduracy about the rules regarding external borders is a pose, just like his concern for peace. That guy doesnt give a rats ass about Northern Ireland.Lastly: what is the unspeakable consequence of a hard border? Chris Patten likened tinkering with Northern Irish border arrangements to carrying a can of petrol and a box of matches. Whod light the petrol? Supposedly, IRA retrogrades, with Sinn Fein cheering them on.Doesnt this sound horribly familiar? Its the same old blackmail. If one customs official checks a single boot for smuggled cigarettes, then its back to Tube station bombings in London. Really? I dont find that credible. But I do find the fearful reasoning repellent. Were supposed to stay in the customs union and the single market, and why not the EU while were at it and thus defy the democratic wishes of the British electorate, just because were still afraid of Sinn Fein? Im sorry, but those losers dont scare me anymore.This whole conundrum is contrived. May needs to tell Barnier that the Irish border is his problem, since we dont have one. With a nominal volume of trade, the border is sortable. For policy should be a slave to purpose, not the other way around. When bureaucracy goes wrong look at the Home Office it is a slave to itself. Agreements, rules, laws theyre all malleable, mere methods by which we accomplish our aims. Alas, the UKs aim is to escape the EU, and the EUs aim is to stop us. The 71st edition of the glamorous French Riviera extravaganza of cinema and celebrity -- and the first of the post-Harvey Weinstein #MeToo era -- kicked off with the Spanish-language debut of Farhadi, the Iranian filmmaker, starring Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem. On the opening ceremony's carefully choreographed red carpet, one of the festival's numerous modifications this year -- a ban on selfies -- was broken by some attendees who attempted to take photographs with their phones. Scorsese, who won the festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or, for "Taxi Driver," was in Cannes for an anniversary screening of his 1973 breakthrough "Mean Streets." Brought out to officially open the festival, he gestured for Blanchett to join him in the middle of the Palais des Festivals' stage. And much of the spotlight on opening day belonged to Blanchett. A prominent member of the Time's Up initiative, Blanchett told reporters that the #MeToo movement will play a role in this and every following Cannes festival, but won't factor into their deliberations. "Would I like to see more women in competition? Absolutely. Would I expect and hope that that's going to happen in the future? I hope so," Blanchett said. "But we're dealing with what we have that's here. Our role is to, in this next almost two weeks, is deal with what's in front of us." Competing for the Palme are 21 films, including new releases from directors Spike Lee, Pawel Pawlikowski (the Oscar-winning "Ida") and Jean-Luc Godard. Three of the films in the competition are directed by women: Nadine Labaki, Eva Husson and Alice Rohrwacher. Blanchett noted the festival has improved the gender parity of its selection committees. Juries, she noted, have in recent years been split equally, with the president tilting the scales. Cannes has come under criticism for years for not selecting more women directors. Only one female filmmaker, Jane Campion, has won the Palme. Lasting change, Blanchett said, will only occur through specific actions over time to narrow the gender gap and improve diversity in the world of filmmaking. "Is (#MeToo) going to have a direct impact on the film in competition this year, six nine months on? Not specifically," the Australian actress said. "There are several women in competition. But they're not there because of their gender. They are there because of the quality of their work. We will assess them as filmmakers, as we should." Still, the shadow of disgraced film mogul Weinstein is looming over this year's Cannes. For two decades, Weinstein had been an omnipresent figure at the festival, where several of his alleged sex crimes took place. This year, Cannes has established a hotline for sexual harassment victims at the festival. It will also hold a special red carpet on Saturday with about 100 women attending, which festival director Thierry Fremaux said is "to affirm their presence." Those will include all five female members of the jury: Ava DuVernay, Kristen Stewart, Lea Seydoux and Burundian songwriter Khadja Nin. Fremaux says the Weinstein sex abuse allegations came as a shock to Cannes, forcing the festival to examine its own practices and do more to improve gender equality. "It isn't just the Cannes Film Festival that's going to change," he said Tuesday. "The whole world has changed." Others have pressured Cannes to confront its role in the scandal. Weinstein is alleged to have raped Italian filmmaker and actress Asia Argento at the 1997 Cannes festival. Weinstein has denied any nonconsensual sex. "What emerged in Cannes must be fought in Cannes," said Marlene Schiappa, France's secretary of state in charge of gender equality. Asked if improving gender equality at the festival also means pulling back on the lavish red carpets that are part fashion show, Blanchett said no. "Being attractive doesn't preclude being intelligent. This is, by its very nature, a glamorous, fantastic, spectacular festival," Blanchett said. Also on the jury that will decide this year's Palme d'Or are Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev, Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, French director Robert Guediguian and Chinese actor Chang Chen. DuVernay, the filmmaker of "Selma" and the Netflix documentary "13th," said that the power of movies is the ability to "speak to each other through cinema." "Cinema is voice," DuVernay said. "It's the way that I, from where I'm from -- Compton, California -- was able to understand the humanity of a family in Iran or in Shanghai. There was something outside of my purview to orient me to my place in the world. It was film that did that. It was film that allows me to assert my voice in the world." Before the festival began, controversy dominated the Cannes landscape. After two Netflix films played in competition as last year's Cannes festival -- prompting protests from French exhibitors -- the Cannes board of directors ruled that a film in competition at Cannes must have French distribution. French law prevents a film that plays in theaters to appear on streaming services for three years. Faced with the prospect of only showing its films out of competition, Netflix withdrew its films from Cannes. Several Netflix titles, including Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma" and the recently completed Orson Welles film "The Other Side of the Wind," had been expected to premiere this year. Since then, both sides have expressed some regret over the high-profile disagreement. Also likely absent from Cannes will be two filmmakers living under house arrest in their home countries. The festival has asked that Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov and Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi be given permission to attend the premieres of their films, but that appears unlikely. In the festival's Un Certain Regard section is "Rifiki," a lesbian romance from Kenya that has already been banned at home. But Danish provocateur filmmaker Lars von Trier will return to Cannes seven years after being declared "persona non grata" for joking about being a Nazi and having sympathy for Hitler. His film -- "The House That Jack Built" -- stars Matt Dillon and Uma Thurman. Also making a return to Cannes is "Star Wars." The Han Solo spinoff "Solo: A Star Wars Story" is set for an international premiere on May 15. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Police have made an arrest in the shooting of a man found dead Monday on Syracuse's North Side. Vladimir E. Brown, 35, of 108 Lawrence St., Syracuse, was arrested by the Syracuse Police Department and charged with murder, Police Chief Frank Fowler announced Wednesday morning during a news conference. Brown is accused of killing Charles E. Nichols, 37, of Syracuse. More arrests are possible, Fowler said. A citizen called 911 around 9:30 a.m. Monday after spotting a body behind 108 Oberst St., Fowler said. When officers arrived, they found Nichols' body face down on the ground, he said. Nichols died after being shot in the chest, Fowler said. Investigators are working to determine exactly when Nichols died, the chief said. According to a felony complaint filed by police in Syracuse City Court, the shooting happened shortly after midnight Saturday at 106 Lawrence St. -- next to where Brown lives. The suspect and the victim were familiar with each other, Fowler said. Investigators are working to determine exactly how they were acquainted. The motive is not clear, Fowler said. He declined to release Brown's mugshot or additional information, citing the ongoing investigation. Brown has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies. He is being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center without bail. Fowler asked anyone with information about the homicide to come forward. "That's how we got here to this point: with the public's assistance," the chief said. Police said anyone with information can contact police at (315) 442-5222, submit tips anonymously through the Syracuse PD app or call the homicide tip line at (315) 442-5223. ROCHESTER, NY -- New York's wineries and breweries often get more attention, but the growing hard spirits industry is gaining traction. The best in New York's distilled spirits are on display in the winners list of the Great American International Spirits Competition, held last week in Rochester. The contest drew 340 entries from across the country and several foreign countries. New York state, which now has more than 150 distilleries, took two of the five top honors, the Best in Show prizes (given in the categories with the most entries): -- Buffalo's Lockhouse Distillery won Best of Show in the Gin category for its Limited Release Barrel Gin. -- Brooklyn's Widow Jane Distillery earned Best in Show in the American Craft Whiskey Category for Widow Jane Baby Jane Bourbon. Of eight Double Gold Medals awarded (the top medals), two went to New York spirits: -- Lock 1 Distilling, of Phoenix, Oswego County, won Double Gold for its RYZE Vodka in the Wheat Vodka category. (That vodka also won a Gold Medal in the recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition.) -- Widow Jane won a Double Gold in the Small Batch Bourbon category (10 years old or younger) for its Widow Jane 10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon. The Great American International Spirits Competition is put on by the Rochester-based Raise a Glass Foundation. Raise a Glass is a non-profit that ran the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition for 16 years. It now runs the Great American International Wine Competition and Taste NY Craft Beer Competition, which made its debut last year. This is the first years for the Spirits Competition. Competition director Ron Daugherty hopes to grow the event, with more entries from across the world, in future years. "It was encouraging to see such a strong turnout and performance from out New York state, and Upstate distilleries," he said. The competitions benefit charities by providing then with unopened bottles from the judging (entrants are asked to provide more than needed for the contest). The charities then auction those bottles to raise cash. The charities benefitting this year were InterVol, a Rochester organization that ships unused medical supplies to those in need; the Rochester Rotary Sunshine Campus; and Heritage Christian Services. Here's a look at the Upstate New York distilleries that won gold medals in the competition (see the full list of winners): Catskill Distilling (Bethel, Sullivan County) | The Most Righteous Bourbon. Category: Small Batch Bourbon 10 Yrs. & Younger Dark Island Spirits (Alexandria Bay, Jefferson County) | Dark Island Blues. Category: Small Batch Bourbon 10 Yrs. & Younger Dark Island Spirits | 1000 Vines. Category: Grape Vodka Last Shot Distillery (Skaneateles, Onondaga County) | Lightning Whiskey. Category: Non-Aged Whiskey Lockhouse Distillery (Buffalo) | Ibisco Bitter Liqueur. Category: Aperitif Myer Farm Distillers (Ovid, Seneca County) | John Myer New York Straight Four Grain Whiskey-Single Barrel. Category: American Craft Whiskey Myer Farm Distillers (Ovid, Seneca County) | Cayuga Gold Barrel Gin. Category: Other Brown Spirits Yankee Distillers (Clifton Park, Saratoga County) | Yankee Distillers Straight Malt Whiskey. Category: American Craft Whiskey 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. Rachel Niegelberg, of Trumansburg, passed her first test in the annual "Jeopardy" Teachers Tournament, winning the quarterfinal game broadcast Tuesday night. Every teacher has a trait! Meet the contestants competing in Game 2 of the #TeachersTournament. pic.twitter.com/rrfvEPhS2w Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) May 8, 2018 Niegelberg, a special education teacher at Watkins Glen Elementary School, had $10,400 heading into the Final Jeopardy round, $800 behind leader Erika Eason, according to The Jeopardy Fan website. The Final Jeopardy category was London Landmarks, and the clue was: "Built in the 1990s, it's the only permanent structure permitted in London with a thatched roof since the Great Fire of 1666." Niegelberg was the only contestant that came up with the correct response, the Globe Theatre. Her bet of $4,000 gave her a final total of $14,400 and a win. The win means Niegelberg advances to the tournament semifinals. The two-week tournament features 15 teachers from around the country. The winner of the tournament will receive $100,000. All competitors receive a $2,500 educational grant to fund classroom projects. Niegelberg is the second Central New Yorker to win on Jeopardy in the last two weeks. Osman Syed, from Jamesville, won $33,333 on the episode that aired April 30. ROME, NY - Rome city police officers "pulled over" a couple in a green convertible Tuesday morning, telling the driver and passenger they'd received a call about a couple embroiled in a verbal dispute. Officer David Salle asked the driver to exit the vehicle, which they pulled over in a parking lot. The other officer walked around to the passenger side to speak to a woman sitting in the front seat. The woman had no idea it was all a setup. She got out to talk to the officer and walked around to the back of the car. There was her boyfriend, on one knee, holding out a small ring box. The woman suddenly realized what was happening. "Oh my God," she shouted. She hugged her boyfriend and the couple didn't let go of each other. Unsure for certain if she said yes or not, the officers shouted out "What's the answer?" "Yes," she said. "Congratulations," the officers said. The couple - Brandon and Makayla - didn't want to be identified with their last names, said Jeff Lanigan, a spokesman for the police department, which posted a video of the "traffic stop" on its Facebook page. Brandon called the police to see if they would participate in the proposal and the department agreed. The department will help out the community if they have time, Lanigan said, although this is their first assisted marriage proposal. Officer Aaron Page, who assisted on the "call," said it was nice to do something other than serious police work for a change. "We are usually doing hard-nose policing, so this felt really good and was fun to watch,'' he said. "To be able to help out this way is pretty awesome." Officer Jeff Buckley also helped out, filming the traffic stop and proposal on his cell phone. No word on when the wedding is, officers said. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The city's top elected Democrat broke with her party for the second consecutive year to endorse a primary challenger for City Court Judge. Common Council President Helen Hudson Wednesday endorsed Shadia Tadros for judge, as did Councilor-At-Large Khalid Bey and 4th District Councilor Latoya Allen. "Shadia...understands the dynamics that we're dealing with with a lot of the young folks that she's going to come across," Hudson said. Following her endorsement, Hudson said the local Democratic committee doesn't accurately reflect the voters of the city. "The committee is not very diverse," Hudson said. "They're making isolated choices." Hudson, Bey and Allen are the only African-American members of the Common Council. Tadros, too, said the committee does not fairly represent the make-up of the city. "It is my belief that the group does not reach all communities and residents that make up this city," Tadros said. "Especially those who will be affected most by this position." Onondaga County Democratic Committee Chairman Mark English said he was disappointed in those remarks and said the committee, countywide, accurately reflects the population. "I very much dispute that," English said. "We have several committee members of color. Statistically they certainly reflect, countywide, a fair proportion. I'm very disappointed that Helen has chosen to say that. She didn't support Juanita Perez Williams when she ran for mayor. So I'm not sure what she's talking about." English also noted that Hudson is a former vice chair of the committee. She resigned that position when she backed independent Ben Walsh for mayor last year. Walsh defeated Perez Williams, the Democratic candidate, in last year's mayoral race. Had she won, Perez Williams would have been the city's first Latina mayor. Tadros is a first generation Arab-American who grew up on the city's south side and graduated from Corcoran High School. She operates her own legal practice in Syracuse. She is challenging Ann Magnarelli, who was designated by the Democratic committee last month. Magnarelli is a county attorney who formerly worked in the city's corporation counsel office under Mayor Stephanie Miner and served as a clerk for the U.S. District Court of Northern New York. Her father is New York State Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli. In addition to Hudson, Bey and Allen, about 20 activists and community leaders gathered Wednesday to announce they would back Tadros. Syracuse's first African-American judge, Langston McKinney, was among them. So was former president of the Syracuse University Democrats, Jordan Lally and former Common Councilor Bob Dougherty. The Working Families Party has already endorsed Tadros, which would earn her a spot on the ballot in November. She said she would continue to campaign under the Working Families line even if she loses the Democratic primary. Hudson said, for the party, she would like to see more young people involved and more diversity. "I'm going to stay optimistic," she said. "I love the Democratic Party. I'm hoping we can sit down together and see how we move forward." Mitchell Patterson is a regular guest columnist for Syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. He is a former venture capitalist and current entrepreneur. He lives in Clay. Should Central New York start paying people to move here? That is a question being raised in communities all over the nation, as the economy has recovered from the recession of a decade ago, but the workforce does not exist to fill the jobs being created. Cities and states have put forth huge marketing campaigns, showing off job openings and a "cheap cost of living" to recruit against the larger cities. Other locations are going much further by offering to pay a new resident's down payment on a home or help repay college loans. Upstate New York, once the symbol of the American Dream, has seen its factories close and the economies of the past slowly fade away into empty business parks and parking lots. New industries in engineering and software have seen tremendous growth; so have jobs like teaching and nursing. We have a job glut because the reduction in college graduates in these specific fields can't meet the current job openings. Having too many jobs sounds like a good problem to have. But not having the people -- or the people with the right skills -- to fill them is holding us back. The work force remaining in these communities tends to be older; perhaps an emerging workforce hasn't yet materialized. Also, the recession saw many baby boomers remain at their workplaces beyond retirement age as they waited for their retirement account balances to return to pre-recession levels. Central New York is about to see a massive wave of retirements as the baby boomers hand over the reins to the next generation. Utilizing data from the Economic Workforce Development Center at Monroe Community College, I looked at four growing industries that have a presence already in Upstate New York. I looked at the number of people currently employed in health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing and applied technologies, then factored in people who are nearing employment age. Just using the assumption of retirements based on the current workforce at or nearing retirement age in five years, the region will have 20,837 open positions. This sounds like great news, but the region can't fill the currently open jobs. On average, there are 11,370 new positions opening in these fields while only 2,643 applicants exist. Assuming no growth and no early retirements, the region will have more than 64,472 open positions without a qualified employee to hire. That's more than the 50,000 Amazon would employ in its HQ2. It's evident that Amazon isn't moving here. Neither is a factory that employs 50,000 people. We can't even fill the current surplus of jobs that exist, let alone tens of thousands of new ones. If we want to start training and recruiting the future employees, we need to create a culture and a system that helps solve the existing problem. State and local governments need to stop marketing the region as a great place for young adults to live in -- and work to make it so. Adopting new ideas like bike lanes and parks are simple solutions. So is encouraging more urban growth, outside of Armory Square, to provide more than one "fun" neighborhood to go to in Syracuse. Local colleges and universities should be involved in a process to recognize that there is a major skills gap, and collaboratively work with the local industries to develop programs that can help fill existing positions. More importantly, they should find out what future positions will exist, and start preparing the workforce before they emerge. When higher education and industry use the available economic data to determine the educational approach to employment, Central New York will start to not only attract employees, but also to retain them, and re-train their colleagues. Companies need to play a part in this process, as well. As the leadership ages or falls behind in innovative skills, they need to start handing over the reins to younger workers who have such skills. They need to rid their corporate cultures of "pay your dues" or "you're too young." As colleges and universities graduate students at a higher rate than ever before, there are thousands of well-educated individuals looking for a place to start or grow their careers and pay off the debt they took on to get there. I do think a plan to help them offset those student loans or put a down payment on a home while growing their careers could be worthwhile tools. On top of that, though, as other regions offer the same types of programs, it will take an effort from everyone involved to offer a supportive ecosystem that will help these individuals find employment and know that they can grow professionally with a reasonable cost of living in Central New York. Perspective Behind the allegations of a Russian hack of the DNC is the Kremlin leader's fury at Clinton for challenging the fairness of Russian elections. By MICHAEL CROWLEY and JULIA IOFFE 07/25/2016 06:20 PM EDT When mass protests against Russian President Vladimir Putin erupted in Moscow in December 2011, Putin made clear who he thought was really behind them: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. With the protesters accusing Putin of having rigged recent elections, the Russian leader pointed an angry finger at Clinton, who had issued a statement sharply critical of the voting results. She said they were dishonest and unfair, Putin fumed in public remarks, saying that Clinton gave a signal to demonstrators working with the support of the U.S. State Department to undermine his power. We need to safeguard ourselves from this interference in our internal affairs, Putin declared. Story Continued Below Five years later, Putin may be seeking revenge against Clinton. At least thats the implication of the view among some cybersecurity experts that Russia was behind the recent hack of the Democratic National Committees email server, which has sowed confusion and dissent at the Democratic National Convention and undercut Clintons goal of party unity. While Donald Trumps budding bromance with Vladimir Putin is well known the two men have exchanged admiring words about each other and called for improved relations between Washington and Moscow Putins hostility towards Clinton draws less attention. Former U.S. officials who worked on Russia policy with Clinton say that Putin was personally stung by Clintons December 2011 condemnation of Russias parliamentary elections, and had his anger communicated directly to President Barack Obama. They say Putin and his advisers are also keenly aware that, even as she executed Obamas reset policy with Russia, Clinton took a harder line toward Moscow than others in the administration. And they say Putin sees Clinton as a forceful proponent of regime change policies that the Russian leader considers a grave threat to his own survival. He was very upset [with Clinton] and continued to be for the rest of the time that I was in government, said Michael McFaul, who served as the top Russia official in Obamas national security council from 2009 to December 2011 and then was U.S. ambassador to Moscow until early 2014. One could speculate that this is his moment for payback. The notion of payback remains speculation. Some experts are unconvinced that Putins government engineered the DNC email hack or that it was meant to influence the election in Trumps favor as opposed to embarrassing DNC officials for any number of reasons. But the Clinton campaign has embraced the theory, with campaign manager Robby Mook seeming to endorse the notion of Russian involvement Sunday on CNN. Clinton aides have been gratified to see the story leap onto television, which had previously given little coverage to Trumps views about Russia and noted that even Fox News commentator Charles Krauthammer on Sunday called the allegation of Russian meddling troubling and plausible. And while Clintonites realize that few Americans typically pay close attention to the state of U.S.-Russia relations, there are two important caveats. One is the presence of large Polish, Ukrainian and other eastern European populations in Rust Belt states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin, where the Clinton campaign plans to flag stories about Trump and Putin for ethnic media outlets. The other is that voters of all stripes will surely pay attention to serious talk of foreign influence in the election. While experts debate whether Putin would actually try to meddle in a U.S. election, there is consensus on the idea that Clinton is unloved within the Kremlin. I think there is good and credible evidence that there is no love lost in Moscow for Mrs. Clinton, said Eugene Rumer, a former national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Clinton has never concealed her disdain for Putin. As a senator in 2008, she joked about President George W. Bushs famous line that hed gotten a sense of Putins soul, cracking that because Putin was a KGB agent, by definition he doesnt have a soul. Story Continued Below On arrival in the Obama administration in 2009, at a moment of U.S.-Russian tensions over Putins 2008 invasion of the Republic of Georgia, Clinton was tasked with implementing Obamas reset of relations with Moscow, an attempt to collaborate on areas of common interest even while acknowledging unresolved differences on a range of issues. Though skeptical of the effort, Clinton felt that Dmitry Medvedev, a former prime minister who had swapped jobs with Putin to become president, might be easier to deal with than Putin. Clinton was a more skeptical voice on the reset, McFaul says. She was tougher on the Russians. She pushed back. She was a difficult interlocutor with both [foreign minister Sergei] Lavrov and Putin and I say that as a compliment. The reset effort was troubled from the very start: Clinton arrived with a novelty button for a news conference with Lavrov. It was supposed to say "reset" in both English and Russian, but instead bore the Russian word for overload a mistake Lavrov didnt fail to mention. Clinton became the butt of Russian jokes over this typo. Yet the reset had its successes, including a NATO transit point on Russian soil for troops headed to Afghanistan and a new nuclear arms reduction treaty. DNC Chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., speaks during a Florida delegation breakfast, Monday, July 25, in Philadelphia, during the first day of the Democratic National Convention. FBI probing DNC hack By NICK GASS Behind the scenes, however, Clinton and Putin who, it soon became clear, was still the real power in the Kremlin had an uneasy dance. In March 2010, when Clinton visited Russia, Putin summoned her to his luxurious residence outside Moscow. Knowing her fondness for wildlife elephants, in particular Putin invited Clinton to a basement trophy room filled with mounted animal heads. (A Clinton aide later described the gesture, though well meaning, as having a Bond villain feel.) Yet when the two emerged for a photo op, Putin launched into a public scolding of Clinton. The slouching Russian rattled off a list of complaints, from a decline in U.S.-Russia trade to the impact that sanctions against Iran and North Korea were having on Russian companies. But Clinton knew how to play tough with the Russian officials, some of whom referred to her with both derision and respect as a lady with balls. When McFaul arrived in Moscow in January 2012, he faced harassment, including the reporter with a Kremlin-controlled TV channel who followed him everywhere and the Russian secret services that followed his children to school. One day, Clinton called an exasperated McFaul at the ambassadors residence in Moscow to express her anger at the Russian violation of diplomatic protocol. McFaul was stunned that Clinton had called on an unsecure line, especially when the two had plans to meet soon anyway. Oh, I want them to know that I know, Clinton said, in McFauls recollection. In September 2012, Clinton was to meet with Lavrov on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vladivostok, Russia. Lavrov, a sophisticated member of the Soviet foreign policy aristocracy, took great pleasure in being gentlemanly toward Clinton. He personally picked out the flowers for her hotel room in Vladivostok. But when they met, Lavrov slammed her with some unexpected news: Russia was kicking out the U.S. Agency for International Development and gave the secretary of state 30 days to pack up its contingent in Russia and move it out. Stunned, Clinton stood up and walked out. According to people with knowledge of the meeting, Lavrov tried to get her to stay and talk, but Clinton wasnt having any of it. She dropped her notes and said he could read those if he wanted to talk, and walked out. Story Continued Below But nothing angered Putin as much as Clintons statement about Russias December 2011 parliamentary elections, which produced widespread allegations of fraud and vote-rigging on behalf of Putin allies. At a conference in Lithuania, Clinton issued a biting statement saying that the Russian people deserve to have their voices heard and their votes counted, and that means they deserve fair, free transparent elections and leaders who are accountable to them. Some Obama officials felt the provocative statement went too far. It certainly provoked Putin, who soon accused his opponents of organizing with State Department money. One former State Department official who worked on Russia issues under Clinton suggests that Putins outrage over that statement might have been manufactured, a classic effort by a strongman to tarnish his domestic opposition as foreign puppets. McFaul says he is confident that Putin was genuinely angry. AP_16207598657590.jpg Day One: Mayhem breaks out at Democratic convention By NICK GASS Whether Putin genuinely believed that Clinton was plotting his overthrow is another question. But he has repeatedly criticized the U.S. for regime change policies that have toppled authoritarians in other countries, including Iraq and Libya, that Clinton supported. In the latter case, Putin was furious when a 2011 U.S. and European military operation billed as humanitarian and advocated by Clinton evolved into a de facto campaign against dictator Muammar Qadhafi. Putin reportedly obsessed over Qadhafi's violent death in Kremlin meetings. The graphic video of the Libya rulers bloodied body being dragged by a mob is often replayed on Russian television, along with Clintons wisecrack about the executed strongman: We came, we saw, he died. Since leaving government, Clinton has had almost exclusively tough words for Putin, especially following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. At a March 2014 fundraiser, Clinton compared Putins action to what Hitler did back in the 30s. But few would have guessed that Clinton herself might wind up wondering whether she herself had become a target of Putins aggression. Story Continued Below I think they expect her to win, said one diplomat with extensive Russia experience, who believes the Kremlin directed the email hack. But theyre sending her a message that they are a power to be reckoned with and can mess with her at will, so she had better take them seriously. Zev Chafets is a journalist and author of 14 books. He was a senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and the founding managing editor of the Jerusalem Report Magazine. By Zev Chafets | Bloomberg View Now that President Donald Trump has officially withdrawn the U.S. from the Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the world has to figure out how to live with that decision. Strategic reappraisals are taking place in Tehran, Europe and, most importantly, Moscow. There are only two leaders who are happier now than they were yesterday: One is Trump himself; the other is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ("Bibi") Netanyahu. Tearing up the Iran deal was Trump's call, but it would not have happened without Netanyahu's stubborn willingness to stand up to the world - and especially Israel's own generally hawkish security experts. The prevailing view among Israeli security experts remains one of pragmatic opposition to scrapping the deal. But Netanyahu rejects that view as accepting an unstable status quo when more radical action could achieve lasting change that would enhance Israeli and global security. Bibi may just be right. In a recent interview with The Daily Beast, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak aired the consensus view: "Is it smarter to tear the deal apart or keep it in place?" he mused. His conclusion: "There's a lot of logic in maintaining it in place." Barak's rhetorical question recalls something I heard last October from Isaac Ben Israel, a retired major general who heads the National Council for Space Research and chairs the Department of Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. "Before the deal, Iran was two months away from having enough fissile material to complete its project," he told me. "It had enriched uranium, not only 3.5 percent but also 19.7 percent. This was acquired despite an international sanctions regime. If the deal collapses, is it likely that more sanctions will deter Iran from resuming its project?" These comments reflect considered expert opinion more broadly. But decades in office have convinced Netanyahu that he knows more, and sees further, than his advisers and generals. After all, it was against the better judgment of the same experts that Netanyahu made a long-odds bet on Donald Trump winning the presidency in 2016. Not only was Trump electable, he wagered, but for the first time there would be an American president who saw the dangers of Iran in his way. After Trump's Iran decision, Netanyahu no doubt feels vindicated. It appears that the two leaders now share the same playbook. But what happens next is crucial. For both Trump and Netanyahu, scrapping the Iran deal is only a first step to a bigger goal. If Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reacts with threats or a visible move to restart Iran's nuclear weapons program, a devastating, American-backed Israeli military response will likely follow. Netanyahu doesn't want this (and it's unlikely Trump does either). What they want in the short-term is regime change in Tehran. This does not mean an Iraq-style invasion; Trump would never have the public support for that. But tough new American sanctions could destabilize the Iranian regime. So, too, would Iranian casualties and military humiliations of the kind Israel is presently inflicting on Iranian proxies in Syria. Trump and Netanyahu can't do this alone, of course. On May 10, Netanyahu will fly to a previously scheduled meeting with Putin. Netanyahu will tell Putin that Russia and the U.S. now have a once in a century chance to wipe away dysfunctional borders and redraw the map of the Middle East into mutually acceptable spheres of influence. Russia has its own strategic interests in Syria: It wants to keep Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power and project military influence in the region through its air and naval bases there. But Netanyahu will tell him that they are not necessarily inimical to U.S. or Israeli interests. Putin may want to stand by Iran to the bitter end, but that seems unlikely; the Russian leader is in the Middle East as an opportunity seeker, not a bodyguard for the Ayatollah or even the Syrian president at any price. A Middle East without a "Death to America" government in Tehran -- or a Hezbollah in Lebanon -- has been a key U.S. interest since the administration of Ronald Reagan. Mediterranean seaports in Syria have been a Russian dream since the time of Peter the Great. And brokering a deal like this has been Netanyahu's goal from the day Donald Trump entered the White House. Back in October, Ben Israel, the retired general, dismissed the Trump-Netanyahu plan to end the Iranian nuclear deal as impractical. "They are two people who have their own opinion," he said. "In both cases, it is not shared by their professional advisers and intelligence communities." That is still true. But what Trump and Putin have to consider is a bigger picture. Expert opinion is important, but Netanyahu is betting that sometimes great deals just take two (or even three). CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Republican voters rejected ex-convict Don Blankenship in a West Virginia Senate primary in which he sold himself as "Trumpier than Trump" but was vigorously opposed by the president. GOP voters in Indiana, meanwhile, chose wealthy businessman Mike Braun over two sitting congressmen to lead the party's charge against a vulnerable Democratic senator in the fall. President Donald Trump and his allies cheered the West Virginia result Tuesday night, which helped avert a potential political disaster for a GOP already bracing for major losses in the November midterm elections. In both cases, Trump's party appears to have avoided the missteps that doomed candidates in high-profile Senate races in the past. Clinging to a 2-seat Senate majority, Republicans are well positioned to challenge at least two Senate Democrats this fall -- West Virginia's Joe Manchin and Indiana's Joe Donnelly -- who are facing re-election in the heart of Trump country. The day's slate of early season elections tested the limits of the anti-establishment fervor that has defined the Trump era. Hopelessly behind in West Virginia, Blankenship conceded defeat in the contest to determine Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's general election challenger. The Republican president fought in the campaign's final days to defeat Blankenship, a retired coal executive, who remained popular among some West Virginia Republicans despite having served a year in prison for his role in a deadly mine disaster and attacked the Asian heritage of the top Senate Republican's wife. State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey claimed the nomination instead, promoting his record of challenging policies of the administration of former President Barack Obama and deflecting criticism of his roots in New Jersey, where he lost a 2000 congressional race. "Mr. President, if you're watching right now, let me tell you, your tweet was huge," Morrisey said in his nomination address, referring to Trump's election eve call for voters to shun Blankenship's candidacy. "You've been to the state now four times. I'd like you to come back as many times as you can between now and November." Vice President Mike Pence congratulated Morrisey on Twitter, saying, "The great people of WV need a senator who supports the #MAGA agenda." The key Senate contests headlined primary elections across four states on Tuesday that will help shape the political landscape in this fall's midterm elections. Control of Congress is at stake in addition to state governments across the nation. In a possible sign of party unrest, however, Rep. Robert Pittenger lost in North Carolina to the Rev. Mark Harris, a Baptist pastor he narrowly beat two years ago. Pittinger is the first incumbent to lose his seat this primary season. In most cases, the Republican candidates on the ballot had competed to be seen as the most conservative, the most anti-Washington and the most loyal to the Republican president. In Indiana, Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly will face off in November against Braun, a multimillionaire owner of a national auto parts distribution business who loaned more than $5.4 million of his own money to his campaign. Braun credited his victory to voter disenchantment with "business as usual" and said he hoped to join other Republican senators who came from outside politics. Another Indiana contest was less contentious: Greg Pence won the primary for the congressional seat his younger brother, Vice President Mike Pence, once held. Greg Pence is a Marine veteran and owner of two antique malls who once ran the now-bankrupt chain of Tobacco Road convenience stores. He'll be the favorite to win the seat in November. In Ohio's high-profile governor's race, Democrats nominated Obama-era consumer watchdog Richard Cordray while Republicans selected state Attorney General Mike DeWine. An Ohio state senator won the Republican primary to succeed retiring Rep. Pat Tiberi. The race had become a proxy fight between Tiberi, a GOP moderate, and conservative Republican Rep. Jim Jordan. Tiberi's candidate, Troy Balderson of Zanesville pulled out a win. And on the local level, a woman who accused Trump of sexually harassing her more than a decade ago claimed the Democratic nomination in a race to represent an area southeast of Toledo in the state House of Representatives. Democrat Rachel Crooks, a 35-year-old university administrator, ran unopposed, but must next win a November general election to become the first Trump accuser to hold elected office. A bright spot for Republicans in swing-state Ohio: GOP turnout was considerably stronger than Democratic voting in the open governor's race. With nearly two-thirds of the vote counted, 567, 000 Republicans cast votes, to 412,000 Democrats. U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, with Trump's support, won the Republican primary to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. Yet none of Tuesday's other contests was expected to have more impact on the midterm landscape than West Virginia, where Blankenship had embraced Trump's tactics -- casting himself as a victim of government persecution and seizing on xenophobia, if not racism -- to stand out in a crowded Republican field that included Attorney General Morrisey and Congressman Evan Jenkins. Before his loss was official, Blankenship promised to explore his options in the general election -- including whether state election law might allow him to launch a third-party bid that could undermine Morrisey's candidacy. State officials noted that West Virginia's "sore loser" law leaves Blankenship with virtually no option to run in the general election. No matter Tuesday's winner, Trump's team was keeping pressure on Manchin. A pro-Trump political action committee America First was airing ads promoting Gina Haspel, Trump's nominee to be CIA director, and urging residents to call Manchin to support her confirmation. Manchin coasted to the Democratic nomination, but he remains a top Republican target this fall. Speaking Tuesday night at his Charleston headquarters, he said he expects Trump to get involved in the contest, despite Manchin's "good relationship" with the president. The Democrat said he would campaign as he always has: a bipartisan problem solver who works "for West Virginians." Trump and his party invested significant time and resources to attack Blankenship in recent weeks. The head of the Senate Republican campaign arm highlighted Blankenship's criminal history. And a group allied with the national GOP, known as Mountain Families PAC, spent more than $1.2 million in attack ads against Blankenship. The retired businessman was released less than a year ago from a prison term for a 2010 mine explosion that left 29 men dead. Blankenship led the company that owned the mine and was sentenced to a year in prison for conspiring to break safety laws, a misdemeanor. He repeatedly blamed government regulators for the disaster, casting himself as the victim of an overzealous Obama-era Justice Department -- an argument Trump regularly uses to dismiss federal agents investigating his campaign's ties to Russia. Even as Blankenship rebuffed Trump's criticism this week, he described himself as "Trumpier than Trump" and played up his outsider credentials. "We just started from so far behind with the hangover of the explosion we couldn't make it up," Blankenship said late Tuesday, noting that the probation stemming from his prison term would formally end in a matter of minutes. "I haven't really thought about what I'm going to do tomorrow," he continued. "Probation ends at 12:01 a.m. tonight. Tomorrow, I may be in Aruba before sunset. I don't know." A 6-year-old girl in Newark, New Jersey, was playing with her friends at home late Monday evening, when the she fell out of an open window of her third-story apartment, according to a statement from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. The girl is was thought to have been jumping on her bed with another child before she fell, a spokeswoman from the prosecutor's office told NBC New York. Yodia Encarnacion, who has also been called Yoriani, sustained fatal injuries when she fell from the window at around 11:40 p.m., the statement said. She was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition and pronounced dead several hours later. Tragedy in #Newark-- 6 year old Yoriani Encarnacion dies after falling out 3rd floor bedroom window, family says window open after heater malfunctioned @NBCNewYork #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/t8tmcWmjAU Jen Maxfield (@JenMaxfield4NY) May 8, 2018 Video footage of the scene showed multiple police cars parked in front of a brick apartment building with a maroon awning over the entrance. The area near the building had been roped off with yellow police tape. The incident remains under investigation, authorities said. In an interview with NJ.com, the girl's aunt, Arelis Cedeno, said her family is "devastated." The family is originally from the Dominican Republic and the girl was an only child who lived with her mother, Cedeno said. "We're very sad," she said. The video clip lasts just 20 seconds, but it's long enough to anger anyone who believes public officials and their loved ones secretly suffer from a strong sense of entitlement. Jordan Hancock, the 22-year-old son of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, had been clocked going 65 mph in a 40 mph zone in Aurora, a suburb of Denver. It's unclear what preceded the heated exchange between the young man and the officer captured in the video, originally obtained by Denver ABC affiliate KMGH. But at some point, the 22-year-old unloads on the officer, spewing a stream of profanity and gay slurs and telling him his days as a police officer are coming to an end. "My dad's the mayor," he says, followed by some curse words. "Of Denver?" the officer responds. "Well, you're in Aurora." "Guess what, I'm about to get you fired," Jordan Hancock replies, adding more expletives. #BREAKING Denver Mayors 22-year old son in an explosive verbal exchange with an Aurora police officer on March 23rd- My dads the Mayor Exclusive body camera video clip leaked to Contact7investigates @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/yRJvebw7xa Tony Kovaleski (@TonyKovaleski) May 8, 2018 That was March 23, according to a police report. In the ticket, the officer wrote: "Attitude very poor, see video." Jordan Hancock appeared in court Monday and agreed to pay a $250 fine, the news station reported. He told a judge he was speeding because he was running late. The mayor was traveling and not immediately available for comment, his spokesman, Amber Miller, told The Washington Post. Jordan Hancock also could not be reached. In a statement, his father said the family had "addressed our son's behavior at a traffic stop" and were working to turn "a personal mistake into a valuable lesson for himself and the community." The Aurora Police Department said it was trying to determine how the video got into the hands of a reporter, according to a statement it sent to KMGH. The video has not been deemed public record and was released without departmental authorization. When it was leaked, it was also evidence from a matter that was pending before the city's municipal court, potentially jeopardizing the case. Still, the department said the unidentified officer in the video appears to have behaved appropriately. "Upon reviewing the footage at an administrative level, the officer was in compliance with Department policies throughout the encounter," the statement said. Both father and son have faced scrutiny in the past. As The Washington Post's Kristine Phillips wrote in March, the mayor acknowledged that he sent "inappropriate" text messages to a police officer who had been a member of his security detail in 2012. "You look sexy in all that black!" he wrote to the woman. The city paid the officer, Leslie Branch-Wise, $75,000 as part of a settlement. And in 2014, according to the Denver Post, Jordan Hancock was inside an SUV in nearby Fort Collins when a 19-year-old was shot and seriously injured following a reported shouting match between alleged rival gang members. But police said Hancock and the other teens in the car misled officers about the shooting, saying "the gunshot came from someone in the area" and not from inside the vehicle. Miller, the mayor's spokeswoman, said Jordan Hancock was "a 19-year-old college student who was home on break and was at the wrong place at the wrong time," The Post reported. In that incident, the mayor's son was never charged with a crime. Jordan Hancock's most recent traffic stop is the second headline-making case that's sparked outrage at a seeming abuse of an official position in the past few weeks. Last month, dash-cam video surfaced that featured a cursing and coercive commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey raging at officers who'd pulled over her daughter and the younger woman's friends. Caren Z. Turner flashed her gold "Port Authority of New York and New Jersey" badge and demanded that the law officers call her by her title: "Don't call me 'Miss.' It's 'Commissioner.' " She said, early and often, that she is a friend of the Tenafly, New Jersey, mayor and also happens to be a personal acquaintance of the police chief. Her daughter, she said, is a student at Yale, and the younger woman's friends attend MIT - and the officers were ruining what had been a nice Easter weekend hike. The video was released via a public records request and, in a flash, Turner became the latest prominent person to receive a public comeuppance after being caught on video lashing out at someone with a blue-collar job. indeed. Israel complained about Iran......indicating some non validated "evidence".........and Trump does what Isreal wants. Whether it makes RATIONAL SENSE or not. Making and keeping Israel happy is paramount for the USG....... regardless if most other important countreis are dismayed and see the counter effects of this conduct. The US is isolating itself........and perhaps that if for the best. Now Iran is reacting............while the Trump gang have no planB.........as usual. At no time has The trump gang specified what was wrong witht he deal............ except to sabage it because it came about during Obamas term. They could have modified it........or tweaked it.........but Trump does not have the smarts to figure out how to improveit Trump would just rather throw out the baby with the bathwater......... if it means having HIS (and Israel ' s way) How can anyone TRUST the US ?? The US is breaking its deal s all over the place. We will see how NK handles this now.......... as they already (and justifiably don't trust the US. Trump is becoming a malignancy on the planet. The Uganda Wildlife Authority is now working double time to capture a leopard that devoured a 3-year-old kid inside the Queen Elizabeth National Park on Friday. Toddler Snatched By Leopard The kid was the son of one of the rangers at the park. The family lives in the staff's quarters within the perimeter of the national park. The boy was left under the care of a nanny the night he was snatched by the leopard. It took the authorities overnight to recover his remains. Unfortunately, only the child's skull and few bones were recovered. Leopard Remains At Large Now, Bashir Hangi, spokesman for the Wildlife Authority, said their priority is to capture the leopard, which remains to roam in the wild. It is imperative for the animal to be transferred to a more tamed location because of the danger it poses. The spokesman warns the animal could turn into a more dangerous predator after the incident. Leopard Facts Naturally, leopard only preys on smaller animals such as the gazelle, impala, deer, and wildebeest. They may sometimes prey on monkeys, rodents, and birds. The animals are also known to bring their victims up into the trees to feast on them. This is also their way of protecting their catch from other carnivorous animals and scavengers. Leopards are also known to be nocturnal and expectedly active during nighttime. They rest in the day, usually hidden in thick bush or trees. The animals almost always prefer to live alone unlike their counterparts, which are occasionally seen in streaks. Leopards are the smallest in size among the class of tiger, lion, and jaguar. Leopards, however, are as agile as their bigger counterparts and can, in fact, leap more than 20 feet. The Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda's most frequented among tourists. The park allows its visitors to watch leopards as they wander Mweya Peninsula nearby the Lake Edward. How The Incident Happened The authorities said the night when the kid was seized by the leopard, he had reportedly followed his nanny to an unfenced area within the park. The nanny was not aware that the child had followed her until she heard him screamed for help. The nanny tried to save him but the leopard quickly vanished in the bush. The father, however, shared that the child was nabbed while sitting at their house doorway. The child was sitting with the nanny when the tragedy happened. The child's mother is the one working as a park ranger and was at a neighbor's house when the leopard attacked. The parents buried what was left of their child. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A NASA researcher wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post calling for the reclassification of Pluto as a planet. Pluto was designated a dwarf planet in 2006 but some scientists have been fighting that classification. These scientists now want the planet classification system revamped and for Pluto to become a planet once again. Back To Nine Planets? The op-ed for the Washington Post was written by Planetary Science Institute astrobiologist David Grinspoon and NASA New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern. Grinspoon and Stern make the case that Pluto should be reclassified as a planet. They cite Pluto's characteristics such as its icy mountains, glaciers of nitrogen, blue sky, and clouds as proof that Pluto should be called a planet again. Grinspoon and Stern attack the definition of a planet that was set in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union. In the definition, the IAU used three criteria for a planet. The first was that a planet would have to be large enough for its gravity to pull itself into hydrostatic equilibrium, the shape would be round if it didn't rotate and spheroidal if it did rotate. The second criteria were that it would have to orbit the Sun. And the last criteria was that it had to have a clear orbit with nothing in its way. They also detest that the IAU added that a dwarf planet could not be a planet. Redefining The Meaning Of A Planet In the op-ed, Grinspoon and Stern add reasons as to why the classification of planets needs to be redefined. They cite the fact some moons in the solar system are larger than some of the planets, they note that Saturn's moon Titan is larger than the planet Mercury and emphasize the planet's physical characteristics. They do agree with one of the three criteria in the IAU definition. They believe that planets should be rounded by their own gravity, objects in space that are too small to be rounded by their own gravity should have a different classification. One of the rules they don't agree with is that planets have to orbit the Sun. This complicates the discovery of exoplanets all over the universe, planets that are rotating their own stars, and even those without stars called rogue planets. They also take exception to the criteria that a planet must have cleared its own zone. Adding that it is absurd to think that if Earth was transported to the asteroid belt it would no longer be considered a planet. Grinspoon and Stern add a more practical definition for a planet although they didn't come up with it. They cite the presentation called "A Geophysical Planet Definition" from the 2017 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference which defines a planet as a round object in space that is smaller than stars. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. We had used this road the year before, but this wasn't going to work for v13. " Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post w... As people across the United States are still dealing with the romaine lettuce E. coli O157 outbreak, people in Minnesota are now suffering from an E. Coli infection. E. Coli Reaches Minnesota On May 8, the Minnesota Department of Health confirmed that 10 residents in the state were sickened from E. coli O157 from romaine lettuce. Nine of the victims are women. They live in both metro and greater Minnesota counties. The victims got in contact with the infection between April 20 and May 2. They were exposed to the E. Coli bacteria in restaurants, grocery stories, and in residences. Three victims were hospitalized. Two people also developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is a disease caused by abnormal destruction of blood cells that could lead to kidney failure. Although roughly 135 cases of E. coli O157 are reported every year in Minnesota, this is the first time that this particular national outbreak has reached the North Star State. As a result, the Minnesota Department of Health is now investigating the outbreak with the assistance of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). How Bad Has The E. Coli Outbreak Been? The 2018 romaine lettuce E. Coli outbreak has sickened 121 people across the United States. One person from California is dead as a result of the infection. The first cases of the outbreak were publicly announced in March. "This is a pretty significant outbreak. It's the largest one that we've had since 2006, and 14 people have developed what's known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is acute kidney failure," food safety lawyer Bill Marler told NPR. "So one person has died from hemolytic uremic syndrome, but several other people have [had to] have dialysis, plasmapheresis transplants." What Should People Do About The E. Coli Outbreak? Most of the lettuce that had E. coli O157 were from the Yuma, Arizona, area. The CDC recommends that people dispose of lettuce from that region. In addition, people should only eat romaine lettuce if they know where it was grown. "Do not eat, buy, or sell romaine lettuce unless you can confirm it is not from the Yuma growing region," said Kirk Smith, manager of the Foodborne, Waterborne, Vectorborne, and Zoonotic Diseases section in Minnesota. "The Yuma growing region includes part of western Arizona and extends into the Imperial Valley of southeastern California, but does not include Salinas Valley or other growing regions in California." 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Job openings in the United States hit record high in March with essentially one job opening for each unemployed person in the country. Best Time To Find A Job Employers posted 6.6 million open jobs in March, the highest since December 2000. The figures were revealed by the monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report, which was released by the Labor Department on Tuesday. The number of unemployed Americans that month was just 6.59 million, creating the smallest gap between available work and the number of job seekers in nearly two decades. It is historically unusual that the number of open jobs match the number of unemployed individuals. People who are out of work typically outnumber the employment opportunities. More Workers Quitting Their Job The JOLTS report also showed that more workers voluntarily resigned from their jobs. The number of those who quit rose to 3.34 million, up by 136,000 from February. This indicates confidence in the labor market that can make the employers more willing to push up pay, which can help boost wage growth this year. "Quits are also a source of upward pressure on wages," said Wells Fargo Securities economist Sarah House. "The majority of workers who voluntarily change jobs receive a pay bump, generating stronger wage growth for job switchers." Where Are The Jobs? The professional and business services industry saw the highest increase in job openings in March with 112,000 added positions. Construction had 68,000 job openings, while transportation, utilities, and warehousing all posted an additional 37,000 jobs. Despite the record-high job openings, not all unemployed Americans get hired. One reason is they do not have the right skills and qualifications that employers look for. Job seekers may not also want the available jobs. Nearly 800,000 of the job openings in March, for instance, were in industries that pay an hourly wage of less than $15 per hour. Nonetheless, this is still a better time for unemployed Americans to find a job. In July 2009, after the Great Recession, there were an average of 6.7 job seekers for each available job. The number fell to 1 this March, providing a good opportunity for employment. "If you're employed and looking for a new opportunity, it's a great time to look," said Paul McDonald, senior executive director of staffing agency Robert Half . "If you're unemployed, and you have skills that are current, this data bodes very well for your job search." 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Science aficionados will have the chance to pay their last respects to the late physicist Stephen Hawking on Friday, June 15. A Service Of Thanksgiving Hawking's family announced a lottery that will give 1,000 individuals a chance to honor the theoretical physicist at Westminster Abbey in London, England. "The service of thanksgiving for the life and work of Stephen Hawking will celebrate not only his remarkable achievements as a scientist, but also his character and endurance through his years living with a devastating illness," said the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr. John Hall to The Independent. People looking to participate in the service should visit the Stephen Hawking Foundation website, which would prompt them to an individual site dedicated to the late professor's interment. The Stephen Hawking Foundation will randomly select the 1,000 admirers who will get to attend the public portion of the commemoration. Additional Lottery Details The Stephen Hawking Foundation advised international travelers against entering the lottery if they are unable to get visas to enter the United Kingdom. Hawking's Service of Thanksgiving also prohibits children ages 12 and under from attending. There are also two options for potential guests to choose from. They may request either a single invitation or five passes which could be used for school groups. The lottery will close at 12 a.m. BST on Tuesday, May 15 (7 p.m. EST on Monday, May 14). Hawking's Resting Place The A Brief History of Time author's ashes will be placed between the graves of two legendary scientists, Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Other scientists' tombstones that visitors might encounter on Hawking's service of thanksgiving are of physicist James Prescott Joule and astronomer-author Geoffrey Chaucer. Hawking Headlines On April 24, Nate D. Sanders Auctions auctioned a book that was autographed by Hawking. The book, the first edition of Brian Bracegirdle's The Archaeology of the Industrial Revolution, was a gift to a departing staff member at the University of Cambridge's Institute of Theoretical Astronomy. Hawking worked at the institute from 1968 to 1973. The starting bid for the book was $28,000. Family and friends paid their respects to Hawking on March 20 at a private funeral in Cambridge, England. Among the mourners that attended the service included Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Queen member Brian May, and actress Felicity Jones. Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne, who portrayed Hawking in the 2014 biopic The Theory of Everything, read a Bible passage. Days following Hawking's death, astronomers at Lomonosov Moscow State University discovered a black hole by using their MASTER Global Robotic Net telescope. They found a gamma-ray explosion, which is a reliable indicator of the death of a star and the birth of a new black hole. The team cataloged the discovery in Hawking's honor. Tech Times reached out to the Stephen Hawking Foundation for a comment on this story. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Women have struggled with weight issues for years. The media portrays what is considered to be "beautiful," which unfortunately causes low self-esteem among women. Many movements have been created to empower women to accept their body, and now a study conducted by a team of researchers at Oxford University may have created a solution for body and weight issues among women. Body Alteration In the paper Royal Society Open Science, researchers suggest that women feel better about their body when they see an altered version of it. When photos of women who were of healthy weight were slightly changed to show them at heavier weight, the women began to feel more satisfied with their bodies. Dr. Helen Bould, a psychiatrist at Oxford University who also studies eating disorders among children, led the study. Bould stated that she and her colleagues wanted to see how this experiment would affect women who did not have eating disorders. The study was conducted on 90 women ages 18 to 25 with a healthy body mass index. Each of the women's perspective about their bodies changed after seeing the altered images. The team wrote in the paper that images of women with a healthy BMI could help reduce the majority of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders among women. Body Image In Social Media Bould and her team also said that social media has played a crucial part in terms of body image among young women. Many doctors and experts have spoken out against editing images of women to make them look thinner. Studies have also shown that "fat-shaming" is another harmful way of addressing weight loss among women and that women are more likely to gain weight even if they are of a healthy size, Bould claims. She added that when people are unhappy with the way they look, it is harder for them to want to make a change in their weight. Bould suggests that even though it is hard to manage what a person sees on social media, changing what they always see could help in promoting healthy attitudes toward a person's body. "We can tell young people to think about what they are looking at and whether it's helpful or unhelpful in the way that they look at their own bodies," Bould commented. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Reports have surfaced that Apple is removing some apps. Technology insiders believe the move comes after certain apps allegedly sent location data to third parties. An E-Mail Notice An e-mail has been circulating on the internet that was sent from Apple's Resolution Center. The message states that the technology company reevaluated an unknown developer's app and that the app did not follow the App Store Review Guidelines. The rules that the developer failed to comply with are Sections 5.1.1 and 5.1.2 in the legal section of the App Store Review guidelines. The Fine Legal Print The two legal sections address privacy, which Apple laid out as crucial to the company's environment. Section 5.1.1 discusses data collection and storage. App developers must create a privacy policy and get user consent for the app. Apple also charged app developers to be forward with the users and tell them what access features are needed to use the app. If the user declines to give the developer access, the content creators must inform the customers what aspects of the app will not work if they do not have the necessary information. Section 5.1.2 talks about data use and sharing. Developers are forbidden to hand over data to third parties that do not relate to improving the app. Also, content creators are not allowed to use personal data unless developers obtain their permission and tell them how their data would be used. Potential For Redemption The resolution center did offer an opportunity for developers to return to the App Store. Developers must remove anything that relates to location sharing with third parties. Once they remove the items, they can submit the app again to Apple. If the technology company re-approves the app, it will be able to return to the App Store. Other Apple News Industry leaders Warren Buffet and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently praised the technology company. Buffet revealed that his investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, purchased 75 million shares in the company. The shares are equivalent to a 5 percent stake in the company. Meanwhile, Gates stated that Apple became one of the world's top technology companies thanks to its healthy profits. The company also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Apple iMac computer. Current CEO Tim Cook, who reminisced about the milestone, stated in a tweet that the Apple iMac changed the way that people looked at computers. The Apple iMac also rejuvenated the company, which used an 'I' in front of products such as iPod and the iPhone. Strategy Analytics announced that the iPhone X sold over 16 million units worldwide during the first quarter of 2018. In addition to the iPhone X's success, three other models of iPhones took the following three spots in the smartphone bestsellers' list. iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone 7 ranked number two, three, and four, respectively, on the list. Tech Times reached out to Apple for a comment on this story. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Windows Notepad has always had a problem displaying line breaks from non-Microsoft operating systems. It is now being updated to be able to handle the end of line characters used in Unix, Linux, and macOS systems. Notepad will finally be displaying all text files correctly. Notepad Update In a blog post, Microsoft acknowledges Notepad's problem with line breaks. Due to the way that other operating systems formatted their line breaks, Notepad couldn't display the contents of texts files made in Unix, Linux, and macOS correctly. This would cause all of the contents of those files to appear in one line and made it look garbled. Microsoft announced that starting with the latest version of Windows 10 Insider build, that Notepad will begin supporting Unix/Linux line endings (LF), Macintosh line endings (CR), and Windows line endings (CRLF). All of the files that are created in Notepad will use the CRLF line ending by default. One of the changes coming to the application is that the status bar will now show which end of line format is being used by the file that is currently open. This change can also be disabled by changing the registry keys which will revert the program to its original behaviors. To do that users will have to go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Notepad in the registry. Then go to fWindowsOnlyEOL and change the value to 1. This will let users see files in the previous garbled form. Windows Notepad And Line Breaks Windows Notepad usually has problems reading line breaks from text files from other operating systems. This is because it was only programmed to understand the way that Windows made line endings. Windows, Unix, and MacOS all have different ways of indicating in a text file that there will be a line ending. Window's way of telling Notepad that there will be a line ending involves two characters, the carriage return (CR), which precedes the line feed (LF). Both characters have different jobs, the CR moves the print head to the start of the line, and the LF moves the paper by one line, according to Ars Technica. Other systems don't follow this same technique. Unix uses a bare line feed to tell the program that a new line has begun. Previous versions of MacOS use a bare carriage return to do the same thing. This method never carried over into Windows, which always made Notepad require the carriage return and line feed for text files. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. As the former director of the Center for SETI research, astronomer Jill Tarter has dedicated her career to searching for aliens. She now says that Congress is willing to foot the bill for that research. New Funding For SETI In a bill that sets NASA's future, the House of Representatives recently proposed spending $10 million annually on the "search for technosignatures, such as radio transmissions." The proposed spending will exist for the next two fiscal years. If the bill passes both the House and the Senate, it can only provide suggestions for how agencies can appropriate the funds. Tarter already knows how the agency would use the funds to search for aliens. "Ten million at once for one year won't do much," Tarter told The Atlantic. "But $10 million a year, as an ongoing funding stream, could do a great deal. It could allow people to build special-purpose instrumentation, and then use it on the sky for a long time." SETI has a history of searching for radio broadcasts that could have been transmitted by another civilization. It also has searched for aliens using other types of technosignatures, such as telescopes. Past And Present Politicians Take On SETI Years ago, when Tarter worked for SETI, Congress fully funded the efforts to search for aliens. That all ended 25 years ago when Senator Richard Bryan led the charge to cut the funding. "The Great Martian Chase may finally come to an end," said Senator Richard Bryan. "Millions have been spent and we have yet to bag a single little green fellow." In recent years, searching for alien life has picked up new support. Republican Congressman Lamar Smith from Texas is helping SETI craft the language in the bill. In the past, Smith has not been friendly to the scientific community, and he is a known climate change denier. Rebranding SETI In The Future When Congress gutted the budget to search for aliens, scientists had to rely on funding from academic institutions or private donors to continue their research. Since then, NASA has been more focused on searching for biosignatures in space, in particular signs of early microbial life. Tarter attributes this problem to the stigma associated with SETI after Congress slashed the budget many years ago. She is proposing changing the name from the "search for extraterrestrial intelligence" to the "search for extraterrestrial technology." Tarter believes that the name change will improve the branding for the organization. "We use technology as a proxy for intelligence," Tarter said. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Questions swirl around Trump lawyer after payments revealed Washington, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2018 The White House on Wednesday brushed aside reports that Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, received millions of dollars from a Russian oligarch and corporations seeking access to the administration. "I haven't heard the president express any specific concerns about that," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said when asked about the revelations of the payments to Cohen. "I would refer you to the president's outside counsel to address those concerns," Sanders said at the daily press briefing. She also said she was not aware of any actions taken by the Trump administration to benefit the companies which made payments to Cohen. Cohen, Trump's attorney and fixer for the past decade, is under criminal investigation in New York and his home and office were raided by the FBI last month. The probe was prompted by a tip from the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who has been looking into Russian interference in the 2016 election, but the authorities have not said what crimes Cohen is suspected to have committed. The various payments to Cohen were revealed by Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing porn star Stormy Daniels, who was paid $130,000 just days before the November 2016 election to keep quiet about an affair she claims to have had with Trump a decade earlier. The New York Times and NBC News said they had reviewed financial documents that corroborated the payments made to Essential Consultants, the Delaware company set up by Cohen to pay Daniels. The Avenatti document revealed a series of payments to Essential Consultants beyond the "hush money" payment to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Essential Consultants received $500,000 from Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg and money from telecom giant AT&T, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company Novartis and South Korea's Korea Aerospace Industries. - 'This is a big deal' - AT&T and Novartis confirmed having made the payments and Avenatti suggested that Cohen may have been seeking to profit from his longtime ties to Trump. "It appears that this may be your typical pay-to-play type scenario, where you have someone close to a politician... selling access, potential access, to the president of the United States," Avenatti told CNN. "Michael Cohen should not be selling access to the president of the United States." "I don't believe that Michael Cohen is registered as a lobbyist," Avenatti continued. "I don't believe that he's registered, as he should be, in order to represent any foreign agents or foreign interests. "This is a big deal," Avenatti said. "I mean, he had to be receiving the money for something." Eight payments totaling $500,000 were received between January and August 2017 from Columbus Nova, the US arm of the Renova Group controlled by Vekselberg, the oligarch who has close ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and attended Trump's January 2017 inauguration. "Mr Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the president," the Avenatti document said. It alleged the funds "may have replenished the account following the ($130,000) payment to Ms Clifford." Vekselberg was placed under US sanctions in April and has been questioned by Mueller's team investigating Russian meddling in the US presidential election. In a statement, Columbus Nova said it had retained Cohen as a consultant "regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures." - 'Unable to provide the services' - Among the other payments to Cohen were $200,000 from AT&T, whose proposed merger with Time Warner is currently before the courts after the Justice Department sued to block the sale. "Essential Consultants was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration," AT&T said in a statement. "They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017." Novartis Investments acknowledged making four payments of $99,980 each to Essential Consultants. In a statement, Novartis said it entered into a one-year agreement with Essential Consultations in February 2017. "With the recent change in administration, Novartis believed that Michael Cohen could advise the company as to how the Trump administration might approach certain US health care policy matters, including the Affordable Care Act," Novartis said. "In March 2017, Novartis had its first meeting with Michael Cohen under this agreement," the company said. "Following this initial meeting, Novartis determined that Michael Cohen and Essential Consultants would be unable to provide the services that Novartis had anticipated related to US health care policy matters and the decision was taken not to engage further." Novartis also said it had been contacted by Mueller's office in November 2017 regarding the agreement with Essential Consultants. "Novartis cooperated fully with the special counsel's office and provided all the information requested," it said. "Novartis considers this matter closed." Aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries paid Essential Consultants $150,000 in November 2017. Another payment came from a Republican fundraiser who entered into a hush agreement with a Playboy playmate. In all, at least $4.4 million flowed through Essential Consultants from shortly before Trump won the November 2016 election until January 2018. Mueller's team is probing whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to get him elected, an allegation the president has repeatedly and vehemently denied. SAN DIEGO, May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Most residents of the United States know that the country has a major drug and alcohol problem. Narconon offers drug education programs across the U.S. What is the U.S. doing about drug abuse prevention you might ask yourself? It is sending out messages about substance abuse and starting up substance abuse prevention programs that are targeted to adolescents. These messages and programs are provided through parents, the media, schools, and other sources. Information from the NSDUH report states that adolescents who talked with their parents about the dangers of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco use in the past year increased from 58.1 percent to 59.6 percent in 2017. The percentage of those who were exposed to school- based prevention messages in 2017 (70.2 percent) did not differ much from the percentage in 2015 (71.4 percent). Females aged 12-17 years are more apt then males to talk to their parents about substance abuse, receive messages from media sources or to receive information from their school, 61.5% vs. 57.4%. The goal desired is to educate kids as young as possible. The sooner they know the dangers of drugs they can make rational decisions. The most rational is to not start using drugs and alcohol. After all, it still remains relatively true that people who do not abuse drugs or alcohol during the decisive years, before the age of 25, are likely to never develop a serious drug or alcohol problem. Reaching children at an early age can make a tremendous difference in the outcome of their future. When a child starts using drugs and alcohol they are more apt to fail not only at school but in life as well. Drugs and alcohol damage not only the body and the mind; they damage the life course of an individual, keeping the person stuck in place where they cannot move forward in a productive manner. It is the responsibility of parents and communities together to educate and protect our children from the ever-growing drug problem across the nation. Parents must make sure that if their children do not ask the questions about drugs that they as the parents start the conversation and get into communication with their children on the topic. Parents also need to make sure they are educated about drug and alcohol abuse so that they know the signs to look for and can better educate their children. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse and are searching for drug rehab, call Narconon today. Narconon is one of the world's largest and most effective inpatient drug rehabilitation and education programs with a success rate of over 70% of those who graduate. Narconon offers free addiction counseling, free assessments, and referrals. To locate an inpatient drug rehab or find out information about drug abuse prevention contact Narconon by calling 1-888-510-3898. Contact Info: Author: Kevin Leonard Organization: TheRecover.com Address: 27420 Jefferson Ave, Temecula, CA 92590 Phone: (888) 510-3898 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/87d86823-dc9f-4418-82c0-ce17bf0e3ef9 A state appellate court refused on Wednesday to reconsider its April ruling upholding the legality of a 1976 Louisiana law that bars felons on probation and parole from voting. The case now heads to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Ban preventing Louisiana felons on probation, parole from voting to continue, appeals court rules A 1976 Louisiana law that prohibits felons on probation and parole from voting is constitutional, a state appellate court in Baton Rouge ruled A group called Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) and several individual felons challenged the state law, claiming its unconstitutional and prevents more than 70,000 felons on probation and parole in Louisiana from voting. Bruce Reilly, deputy director of VOTE, said Wednesday the groups members will do everything in their power to have their right to vote recognized. We are human beings who are doing all we can to be upstanding citizens of Louisiana We live in community, work, pay taxes, and raise families, he said. As such, nobody benefits whatsoever by denying us the right to vote. If our most basic right of citizenship can be taken away, none of our rights are safe. 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 Circuit Judge Toni Higginbotham wrote for Baton Rouge-based 1st Circuit Court of Appeal last month that the state has a compelling interest in protecting the integrity of voter registration rolls and in regulating felons still under the states supervision. The 1974 Louisiana Constitution prohibits people under an order of imprisonment for a felony conviction from voting. The 1976 law expanded the definition of that phrase, saying felons on probation and parole cannot vote. State District Judge Tim Kelley, of Baton Rouge, upheld the law last year, saying he agreed that the plaintiffs' arguments have merit. But he added that could not bend the law as it was written. The 1st Circuit affirmed the judge's ruling on April 13. A Greenwell Springs woman's accessory charge in the 2017 killing of two Baker men was dismissed by a prosecutor Wednesday, paving the way for her to possibly testify against the alleged triggerman at his murder trial. Megan Marie Gaylord, 28, is no longer charged as an accessory after the fact to second-degree murder in the June 1 drug-related killing of Derrick D. Williams, 23, and Mohamed S. Hussain, 29, whose bodies were found June 1 in St. Helena Parish. +3 Greenwell Springs woman charged as accessory in June 1 double murder East Baton Rouge Parish prosecutors have charged a Greenwell Springs woman as an accessory in the June 1 drug-related killing of two Baker men William Bottoms Jr., 28, also of Greenwell Springs, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder. He does not have a trial date. "I do intend to call her as a witness," East Baton Rouge Parish Assistant District Attorney Dana Cummings said of Gaylord outside state District Judge Trudy White's courtroom. The prosecutor explained that Gaylord would have had an absolute right not to testify at Bottoms' trial if she was still charged as an accessory. +2 Greenwell Springs man indicted in June 1 slaying of 2 Baker men A 28-year-old Greenwell Springs man accused of fatally shooting two Baker men in the backseat of a car on June 1 was indicted by an East Baton I have advised her that it would be in her best interest to assist in whatever way possible, Gaylords attorney, Lyn Legier, said. Gaylord has told detectives she was driving a car on Plank Road between Baker and Zachary when Bottoms, her front seat passenger, shot Williams and Hussain in the backseat, an arrest report states. 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 She told authorities the four of them had used drugs and that Bottoms became paranoid and fatally shot the men, according to the report. Gaylord then drove to Bottoms residence, where he retrieved bleach to destroy fingerprints and evidence. Bottoms also got a bed sheet that was later used to cover the bodies, the report says. The car, with the bodies inside, was then driven to a location in St. Helena and left there. About two months before the slayings, Bottoms was released from state prison after serving time for a heroin possession conviction. Gaylord is still charged with second-degree cruelty to a juvenile, a charge that dates back to 2015 and involves her then-3-year-old child who had tested positive for high levels of cocaine. Baton Rouge mom whose child, 3, tested positive for cocaine pleads not guilty to child cruelty A Baton Rouge woman whose 3-year-old child tested positive for high levels of cocaine after police found the pair in an apartment covered in d Police went to Gaylord's residence in Baton Rouge in mid-2015 to probe a disturbance and found the pair in an apartment littered with dog feces, spoiled food, trash and dirty diapers. Police smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana while speaking with Gaylord and her child, a police report stated. Gaylord tested positive for cocaine, marijuana and other controlled substances at a hospital, and the child tested positive for cocaine. Gaylord and Bottoms remain in custody. Two Baton Rouge schools landed in the top 10 of a ranking of the state's top high schools from U.S. News and World Report. Baton Rouge Magnet School was the highest ranked school from the area, coming at No. 5 overall statewide and No. 848 nationally. The school has a graduation rate of more than 95 percent and boasts a college readiness score of 48.7. LSU Laboratory School was the other representative from the Baton Rouge area, ranking at No. 7 in Louisiana and No. 1,716 in the nation. The school features a graduation rate of over 95 percent and college readiness score of 33.8. Benjamin Franklin High School, one of the five New Orleans area representatives in the state's top 10, came in as the top-ranked school in the state. New Orleans area high schools land top 4 spots in Louisiana rankings New Orleans and surrounding parishes landed five high schools in the top 10 statewide -- including the top 4 overall -- in a ranking from U.S For the full list of the top schools in Louisiana and the nation, click here. For an explanation of how the rankings are determined, click here. CALGARY, Alberta, May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAW. Alaris Royalty Corp. ("Alaris" or the "Corporation") (TSX:AD) is announcing changes to its Board of Directors as well as the results of voting on the election of directors at this years annual general meeting (the Meeting) of shareholders held earlier today, May 8, 2018. Director Changes Mr. John Budreski, a director of Alaris since the company went public in 2008, did not stand for re-election in 2018. Mr. Budreski was replaced on this years proxy ballot by Mr. Jay Ripley (CPA), a businessman and founder of one of Alaris most successful former partner companies, Sequel Youth and Family Health Services. I would like to personally thank John for his nearly ten years of service to Alaris. John has been with us since the day we went public in 2008 and has been a tremendous contributor to our board. On behalf of the rest of our board, management and all of our shareholders, we wish John the best with his other business interests, said Steve King, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alaris. Mr. King continues, Jay Ripley will give our board a unique skillset from his broad experience as an incredibly successful entrepreneur including experience running public companies, private equity sponsored companies and as a former partner of Alaris. With the vast majority of our companys assets being in the United States, we are also pleased to welcome our first American board member. Our whole company has been lucky enough to get to know Jay and his wife Barbara over the last five years and look forward to welcoming them back as part of the Alaris family. Mr. Ripley is a co-founder and serves as Chairman of Sequel Youth & Family Services, a national operator of behavioral health services in the USA and former Partner of Alaris. Sequel currently operates 46 programs in 20 states, serving over 9,000 clients from 42 states and U.S. territories with over 4,000 employees. Mr. Ripley is also a founding partner and an Advisory Board member of CYWP Funds, a group of private equity funds located in the Washington, DC area which invest in operating businesses and real estate across the USA. Previously, Mr. Ripley was a co-founder and the principal owner of BGR, The Burger Joint, a highly-acclaimed fast-casual gourmet burger restaurant concept. Additionally, Mr. Ripley was a founding stockholder of Youth Services International, and served as its President and COO as well as its CFO. Mr. Ripley also served as President and CEO of Precision Auto Care, a worldwide franchisor of automotive service centers, as well as Corporate Controller and then VP Eastern Division Operations for Jiffy Lube, the leading franchisor of quick lube centers in North America. He began his career with Ernst & Young, CPAs in Baltimore, MD. Mr. Ripley is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Baltimore (UB), and has served as a member of UBs Foundation board for the past six years. He is a member of the Chief Executives Organization as well as the Young Presidents Organization. Voting Results Each of the nominee directors recommended by management and listed in the Corporations information circular and proxy statement dated March 23, 2018 was elected as a director for a term ending at the next annual meeting of shareholders. The results of the voting for each individual director are set forth below: Director For Withhold Jack C. Lee 16,167,995 (98.29%) 281,863 (1.71%) E. Mitchell Shier 15,429.869 (93.80%) 1,019,989 (6.20%) Mary C. Ritchie 16,171,687 (98.31%) 278,171 (1.69%) Stephen King 16,391,822 (99.65%) 58,036 (0.35%) Gary Patterson 16,160,416 (98.24%) 289,442 (1.76%) Robert Bertram 15,868,862 (96.47%) 580,996 (3.53%) Jay Ripley 16,384,003 (99.60%) 65,855 (0.40%) Final voting results on all matters voted on at the meeting will be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) under Alaris profile later today. About Alaris The Corporation provides alternative financing to a diversified group of private companies (Private Company Partners) in exchange for royalties or distributions from the Private Company Partners, with the principal objective of generating stable and predictable cash flows for dividend payments to its shareholders. Royalties or distributions to Alaris from the Private Company Partners are adjusted annually based on the percentage change of a "top line" financial performance measure such as gross margin, same clinic sales, gross revenues and same-store sales and rank in priority to the owners common equity position. For further information please contact: Curtis Krawetz Vice President, Investments and Investor Relations Alaris Royalty Corp. P: (403) 221-7305 Suite 250, 333 24th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta T2S 3E6 A bid to hold a constitutional convention aimed at tackling Louisiana's persistent budget problems failed Wednesday in the state House. The vote was 52-47, or 18 votes below the two-thirds required. The measure, House Bill 500, is one of a handful of proposals on the issue. Legislators push calls for constitutional convention to review tax, budget laws A growing chorus at the State Capitol is pushing legislation that could ultimately lead to an overhaul of areas of the state Constitution that But the action Wednesday, and the lateness of the 2018 regular session, means the push may be dead for the year. The regular session may end before its scheduled June 4 adjournment date to start another special session, this one on the state's $648 million shortfall starting July 1. It will be the sixth special session in the past two years. "We know more than anyone else that our system is broken," said House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Neil Abramson, D-New Orleans and sponsor of the bill. "Our budget and finance system is broken, and our current constitution significantly affects that broken system." Critics said Abramson's plan was riddled with unknowns, including the possibility that any gathering might launch into topics well beyond budget and finance issues, including public schools. "There is really no reason to vote for this constitutional convention," said Rep. Jay Morris, R-Monroe and leader of the opposition. Morris said that, among other risks, rewriting the constitution could undo the two-thirds requirement for the Legislature to enact tax hikes and the state's homestead exemption. He said Abramson has repeatedly declined to spell out exactly what changes he would want to emerge from a convention. Rep. Patricia Smith, D-Baton Rouge, said a convention might dangerously open up how Louisiana funds public schools, called the Minimum Foundation Program. Abramson, who downplayed the concerns, said more than 50 percent of state general revenue dollars are obligated because of constitutional rules. That ties the hands of any administration at the start of the budget process, he said. Critics have long complained that, when the state budget is cut, higher education and health care take the brunt of the reductions because they are not protected by the state constitution. Rep. John Stefanski, R-Crowley, praised the bill as the sole way for Louisiana to undergo needed, fundamental change. "We need a modern constitution for the future of Louisiana," he told colleagues. 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 Stefanski said the U.S. Constitution has only been amended 27 times in more than 200 years compared to 189 changes to the Louisiana Constitution in 44 years. Abramson said that since 2008 the state has undergone 15 mid-year budget cuts totaling about $4 billion, including multiple reductions in a single year. "Does that suggest to you that the system is broken?" he asked the House. "We have already discovered what does not work over and over and over again." The Democrat said that, since the current document took effect in 1974, it has been amended 189 times, including 92 on finance and budget issues. Rep. Gary Carter, D-New Orleans, said while he likes the idea of a convention, how delegates would be picked and other details led him to oppose the legislation. Rep. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge, praised the proposal and said it has been a goal of his entire stay in the House. Abramson, who said he has worked on the issue for 10 years, wanted the convention to be held in 2020. Any new document would then need approval from a majority of voters statewide to take effect. During the nearly two-hour debate, Abramson implored colleagues to take a chance. "It is time for a new approach," he said. "It is time to try a comprehensive approach to deal with the problem we are facing that can structurally fix our problem for the long term," Abramson said. "Do not be driven by fear, the fear that something might change, could change and therefore we will live with our broken system," he added. Morris disagreed. He argued that, while Abramson said a convention would result in more authority for local governments, that is not spelled out in the legislation. "This is one of those bills that you have to vote for it to know what is in it," Morris told the House. "I know lobbyists have been hired, and that is something to be suspicious about," he said of the push for a convention. People wait in the Senate Finance Committee to testify about their concerns about budget cuts proposed for the upcoming financial year, on Monday, May 7, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. The committee heard from dozens of people worried that the House-approved version of next year's budget would cut their services. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte) Welcoming springlike weather, blooming azaleas add a pop of color to the Capitol Gardens dressing up the new State Capitol Building Thursday March 8, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. The ice blue sky and beautiful weather may be the calm before a stormy legislative session that begins at high noon on Monday. A state Senate committee rejected legislation House Republicans had trumpeted in a video as the way to fix a corrupted capital outlay process. The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee Tuesday then added some projects, rearranged others and shipped the states construction budget to the full Senate for consideration. In March, as part of a new social media outreach program, the House Republican Majority released a video about legislation they claimed would reform the way capital outlay is handled. Treasurer John Schroder said over swelling music that the way we fund public projects in Louisiana is broken. House Bill 122 sponsor Rep. Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, said the state needs to get politics out of the way. When HB122, which easily passed the House, arrived in the Senate, the members of the committee didnt mention the partisan video. But they grilled DeVillier about the ad's suggestions that legislators are not to be trusted and that legislative processes, such as capital outlay, are riddled with fraud and abuse. Maybe they dont trust us, Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, said about taxpayers, because maybe some politicians go through the process of saying were not to be trusted. He and other members of the panel argued that while not perfect, state government is managing finances better than in the past. DeVillier agreed, praising Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards. Id like to say on record that I think the governor is doing a good job with trying to take capital outlay as it used to be spent and doing a better job, DeVillier said. But, I really and truthfully think this bill helps our state move in the right direction. The way capital outlay has been done for years is legislators fill up House Bill 2 with all sorts of construction projects. The Legislature approves the projects. Because far more projects are included than money available, the Division of Administration, whose leader is chosen by the governor, ranks the proposals for the state Bond Commission, which acquires the loans necessary. The rest of the legislatively approved projects receive no money and no authority to sell bonds for funding. +2 Louisiana House advances state construction bill With little discussion the Louisiana House authorized borrowing close to $700 million to continue work on dozens of state projects from drinki HB122 would put more money towards roads and bridges, add a step to the process by having legislators give final approval of the list of projects going before the Bond Commission, and requiring local governments to put up a sizable portion of matching dollars for their projects. 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 Its a bad policy for us to give state dollars to non-state projects, DeVillier said. Once the local project is complete, the state doesnt own the assets. Democratic Sen. Troy Carter, who once was a member of the New Orleans City Council, pointed out that the projects sought by local governments drinking water infrastructure, for instance benefit the state. Many communities, particularly in rural areas, have no money to put up and they would have to forego new construction for infrastructure, building repairs and other efforts. Were further bogging down the process by adding more bureaucracy and politics. Im not sure that fits in with your notion of transparency and reform, Carter said before moving to reject the legislation. None of the committee members, including the Republican senators, objected. Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Chairman JP Morrell, D-New Orleans, then took up the state construction budget, making 32 pages of changes, adding about $242 million. The legislation was approved without debate or objection and now faces a vote by the entire Senate. The House then would be asked to approve the changes made in the Senate. Upon arrival in the Senate, House Bill 2 had authorized $631 million for the highest priority projects. The Senate panel shifted about $23 million more, a total now of $653 million, into that category likely to get bond money in the fiscal years beginning July 1. The state can sell about $315 million in bonds to fund projects. That limit is expected to increase to about $435 million in April. The category that provides funding for those priority projects in future years now is about $1.2 billion in obligations. The new projects that will receive money if all the highest priority dollars are used is now valued at $130.4 million. The total value of the bill is about $3.4 billion. Its over appropriated, as always, Morrell said. ASKER, NORWAY (8 May 2018) - The Annual General Meeting of TGS was held on 8 May 2018. All resolutions proposed were approved by the shareholders. The minutes from the Annual General Meeting are available here or by selecting the links below. Minutes from Annual General Meeting 2018- Norwegian Minutes from Annual General Meeting 2018- English Company summary TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company (TGS) provides multi-client geoscience data to oil and gas Exploration and Production companies worldwide. In addition to extensive global geophysical and geological data libraries that include multi-client seismic data, magnetic and gravity data, digital well logs, production data and directional surveys, TGS also offers advanced processing and imaging services, interpretation products, permanent reservoir monitoring and data integration solutions. For more information visit TGS online at www.tgs.com. Forward-looking statements and contact information All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include TGS' reliance on a cyclical industry and principal customers, TGS' ability to continue to expand markets for licensing of data, and TGS' ability to acquire and process data products at costs commensurate with profitability. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason. TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSLO:TGS). TGS sponsored American Depositary Shares trade on the U.S. over-the-counter market under the symbol "TGSGY". For additional information about this press release please contact: Sven Brre Larsen Chief Financial Officer Tel: +47 90 94 36 73 Email: sven.larsen@tgs.com Will Ashby VP HR & Communication Tel: +1 713 860 2184 end_of_the_skype_highlighting Email: will.ashby@tgs.com This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Traffic passes on Burbank at the Sterling Burbank apartment complex. The neighborhoods around LSU are in the middle of an unprecedented apartment construction boom that developers and real estate experts say is bein fueled in part by the TOPS scholarship program. Chief Michael Harrison speaks during mayor-elect LaToya Cantrell announcement of public safety leaders for the new administration at the Real Time Crime Monitoring Center in New Orleans, Wednesday, May 2, 2018. WASHINGTON (AP) Stormy Daniels' lawyer said Tuesday he has information showing that Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, received $500,000 from a company associated with a Russian billionaire within months of paying hush money to Daniels, a porn star who claims she had an affair with Trump. Lawyer Michael Avenatti also said hundreds of thousands of dollars streamed into Cohen's account from companies, including pharmaceutical giant Novartis, AT&T and Korea Aerospace, with U.S. government business interests. AT&T confirmed its connection Tuesday evening. Avenatti did not reveal the source of his information or release documentation. But in a seven-page memo, Avenatti detailed what he said were wire transfers going into and out of the account Cohen used to pay Daniels $130,000 in October 2016 to stay silent about her alleged affair with the soon-to-be president. Trump denies having an affair with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Financial documents reviewed Tuesday by The Associated Press appeared to back up Avenatti's report. The memo, containing highly specific dates and amounts, stated that Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian billionaire, and his cousin "routed" eight payments totaling approximately $500,000 to Cohen's company, Essential Consultants, between January and August 2017. The reason for the payment was not known. Speculating without offering proof, the Avenatti memo said, "It appears these funds may have replenished the account following the payment to Ms. Clifford." Avenatti's memo said the deposits into the account controlled by Cohen were made by Columbus Nova, an American investment company headed by Vekselberg's cousin Andrew Intrater and affiliated with the Renova Group, which is controlled by Vekselberg. A spokesman for Vekselberg and the Renova Group said in a statement that "neither Victor Vekselberg nor Renova has ever had any contractual relationship with Mr Cohen or Essential Consultants." Andrey Shtorkh added that regarding a "relationship between Columbus Nova and Mr Cohen you have to ask Mr Andy Intrater, because Columbus Nova is a company owned and managed by him." Columbus Nova's attorney Richard Owens stressed in a statement that the company is "solely owned and controlled by Americans" and said that, after Trump's inauguration, the firm hired Cohen as a business consultant "regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures," but that it had nothing to do with Vekselberg. +2 Trump acknowledges he repaid personal lawyer for Stormy Daniels hush money WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump acknowledged Thursday he repaid his personal lawyer for hush money given to porn actress Stormy Danie Owens said any suggestion that Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Cohen was false. "Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else, other than Columbus Nova's owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement," he said. Cohen and his attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Cohen is currently under investigation by federal prosecutors in New York, but hasn't been charged. At the time of the payments, there was an active FBI counterintelligence investigation which special counsel Robert Mueller took over last May into Russian election interference and any possible coordination with Trump associates. Vekselberg was targeted for U.S. sanctions by the Trump administration last month. He built his fortune, currently estimated by Forbes at $14.6 billion, by investing in the aluminum and oil industries. More recently, he has expanded his assets to include industrial equipment and high technology. Offering confirmation for more of the payments, AT&T said in a statement that Essential Consultants was one of several firms it "engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration." Avenatti alleged that the company made four $50,000 payments to Cohen totaling $200,000 in late 2017 and early 2018. AT&T said Cohen's company "did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017." Cohen is not a registered lobbyist, according to public records. Such a confidential relationship would not violate federal lobbying laws if Cohen did not seek to influence Trump on the companies' behalf. But hiring the president's personal attorney for advice on how to woo Trump would be highly unusual, especially given that Cohen was never formally involved in the campaign or Trump's administration. Making the arrangement even stranger, the blue-chip companies' payments to Cohen were routed to Essential Consultants LLC the same company Cohen used to buy Stormy Daniels' silence about her alleged affair with the President. Report: Stormy Daniels tour to include stops in Baton Rouge, New Orleans next week Baton Rouge native and adult film star Stormy Daniels, who has alleged she had an extramarital affair with President Donald Trump in 2006, wil Trump's Justice Department has sued to block AT&T from an $85 billion merger with Time Warner, saying it would hurt competition and consumers would have to pay more to watch their favorite shows. Korea Aerospace, which is alleged to have paid Cohen $150,000 in November 2017, confirmed it paid Cohen's company for a business deal. A company spokesman in Seoul, who declined to be named citing office rules, said Korea Aerospace Industries had a contract with Essential Consultants, Michael Cohen's company, for legal advice on accounting standards. The payment was made under a "legal" deal between the two, said the spokesperson, who refused to answer questions about the size or dates of any payments. A spokesman for Novartis, a multinational pharmaceutical company, could not confirm or deny the payment, but said any agreements with Essential Consultants were entered before the company's current CEO took over in February of this year and have since expired. The memo alleges the company paid Cohen $399,920 in late 2017 and early 2018 in four payments each amounting to $99,980. Trump had dinner with Novartis' soon-to-be CEO Vasant Narasimhan, along with other European executives, at the World Economic Forum in Davos shortly after the date of the final payment. Larry Noble, senior director of the Campaign Legal Center, said there's nothing technically wrong with companies like Novartis and AT&T hiring people like Cohen to provide insight into the president's thinking. But he said the arrangement described by Avenatti "certainly doesn't look good." "Why would you go to the president's private fixer?" he asked. "He's not known for policy and he's not in the administration. You're going to someone who can get you access and tell you about the person of the president. That's unusual." ___ Associated Press writers Chad Day and Jeff Horwitz in Washington, Jacob Pearson in New York and Mike Balsamo in Los Angeles and Youkyung Lee in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report. Save a light sprinkle of rain on its second Saturday, the 2018 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival played out under sunny skies and mostly mild temperatures. Big crowds gathered at the big stages on some days, but overall the fest felt manageable. Some takeaways from my 29th Jazz Fest, the 49th overall: The highlight?: I witnessed many strong showings across seven days at the Fair Grounds. Rod Stewart and Jack White came across as entertaining versions of Rod Stewart and Jack White (White even smiled much more than usual). Aerosmith was credibly Aerosmith. Lyle Lovett, after a late start, was as classy and gentlemanly as his music. Jason Isbell was rock-solid. Leslie Odom Jr. put his Broadway chops to good use. Frankie Beverly and Maze gave the people what they wanted. Old Crow Medicine Show paired energy to burn and exceptional musicianship with wit and humor. But David Byrnes utterly original presentation at the Gentilly Stage the first Sunday was one of the coolest things Ive ever seen at Jazz Fest. On an otherwise bare stage, he and his dozen mobile musicians pretty much redefined what a rock show looks like. The music was complex but accessible, percussive and rhythmic in a way that made a crowded field of fans move. And he serenaded a plastic brain. Was Byrne the best of the fest? I cant say for certain, as I missed 90 percent of what was going on at any given time. But it was the best, and most memorable, set that I saw. Best discoveries this year: Blues-rock guitarist Samantha Fish moved to New Orleans in 2017. Shes since assembled a cool band that is a springboard for her muscular, swaggering guitar heroics and burnished entreaty of a voice. At the Blues Tent, she lived up to the hype. The War and Treaty, a husband-and-wife duo from Michigan, ambushed the Lagniappe Stage with a raw set of gospel-blues-soul that was sweaty and sexy and sacred all at the same time. Their young band fleshed out their passion play perfectly. Local acts that clearly belong in the big leagues: The Revivalists, Jon Batiste and Tank & the Bangas have achieved varying degrees of national prominence in recent years. They all deserve it. Batiste was especially good playing New Orleans music with veteran soul band the Dap-Kings. It was impossible not to pay attention to Tank & the Bangas compelling, creative show. And an expanded version of the Revivalists revealed the soul at the heart of their rock n roll. The future sounds different, but good: As more of Jazz Fests legends pass on or retire, the fest needs new blood. Boyfriend, Darcy Malone & the Tangle, Sweet Crude, Kristin Diable & the City all of them, and many more, supplied it. They may not necessarily look and/or sound like the New Orleans of the past, but they are all invested creatively in the city's future. Dont forget the gospel: I often hustle right past the Gospel Tent, but Pastor Tyrone Jefferson and the 50-plus members of the Abundant Life Tabernacle choir stopped me in my tracks on the second Friday and drew me in. They literally elevated everyone in the tent or least brought them to the their feet. Charles Neville, gone but not forgotten: The Neville Brothers much-loved and respected saxophonist died the day before the 2018 Jazz Fest opened. That didnt leave much time to plan tributes, especially the first weekend. Still, the likes of Beausoleil frontman Michael Doucet offered heartfelt remembrances from the stage. The most poignant tributes involved members of his family. After the Neville Brothers disbanded in 2012, Charles continued with brother Aarons solo band. At the Gentilly Stage on the second Friday, Aaron performed without a saxophonist, but stationed a silent saxophone onstage anyway. At the sets conclusion, the stage announcer heralded the Aaron Neville Quintet featuring the spirit of Charles Neville. During his festival finale on Sunday, Troy Trombone Shorty Andrews invited Cyril, Ivan and Ian Neville to join him for two Meters/Neville Brothers songs in remembrance of Charles. No doubt Charmaine Nevilles remembrance of her father, which I didnt see, was also heavy. The festivals new metal detectors.: ....were largely a non-issue. The security screening wasnt exactly airport-level rigorous. A rule that needs reevaluating: I'm totally in favor of the no chairs, no blankets zone in front of the big stages. But at the Acura Stage at least, the standing room only rule went a little too far: Security prevented people from sitting down on the bare grass while bands performed. (Oddly, sitting was allowed during the set changes between bands.) One woman, after being made to stand up, muttered, Thats stupid. I agree. Whats next?: Festival industry legend George Wein, Jazz Fests 92-year-old founder, made a special appearance the first Sunday on the Acura Stage alongside his protege, Quint Davis, to kick off the countdown to the 50th New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Undoubtedly, well hear much in the coming months about how special the 2019 festival scheduled for April 26 through May 5 will be. What form that specialness will take is, at this point, unknown. The list of living oh, wow headliners that fit the festivals aesthetic and have not already been featured is fairly short. To many people, that list boils down to three names: Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and U2. McCartney is booked for the Austin City Limits Festival in October, so hes not opposed to playing the occasional American festival. But even if McCartney, U2 and the Stones are available and affordable next spring, can Jazz Fest, in its current configuration and format, accommodate them? Anyone who braved the crush of humanity at the Acura Stage for Elton John in 2015 or similarly massive crowds for Eric Clapton, Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, etc. surely has doubts. The larger question is, does the 50th Jazz Fest need any one wow-factor name to be special? This years consistently good Jazz Fest proved otherwise. If you love New Orleans food, thank a New Orleans mother. If youre really lucky, that will be your own mother, or maybe, like me, your mother-in-law. But it doesnt even matter if youre related. New Orleans mothers have given a gift to this entire city and to all the visitors drawn here for food with a sense of place, with character and identity. Before this goes any further, yes, we can thank New Orleans fathers, too. The dads of the city contribute greatly to its food, probably more so than in other places. But this Sunday is Mothers Day (I know thats no surprise to all of you who already mailed your cards). That brings into focus something Im forever hearing about as I follow the story of New Orleans food. Its the inspiration, motivation and devotion to New Orleans mothers that flows through food. I hear about it from people at grand restaurants and little dives, at festivals, around home kitchens and tailgates and front porches. Restaurant chefs get the acclaim for setting the pace of New Orleans dining. But any city these days can brag on its big-deal chefs. What really makes New Orleans food ours is the kind of cooking you find both at restaurants and back home. That is the framework for the citys entire fixation on food, the bona fides for its reputation as a great place to eat. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up New Orleans food tastes the way it does because New Orleans mothers pass down to their children what they learned from their own mothers. This goes beyond sharing family recipes. It's about setting the template for flavor that informs a local palate. That's what fuels the cravings and expectations and basis for comparison that New Orleans people always bring with them. New Orleans people relate to local food because this is the food of home. It was the food they were given before they ever had to seek it out. That goes deep, and its one reason New Orleans food can be so evocative, so fulfilling, so unifying even in times when unity can feel elusive. Not everyone gets a New Orleans mother. But if you get New Orleans food, if you really love it and know what it means for a city to share it, then on this Mothers Day, its time to raise a spoon in gratitude. (Concord, NC May 2018), May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For Immediate Release Contact: Jason Johnson Bandit Big Rig Series (507) 676-1987 jason@banditseries.com Ricky Rude holds off rest of Bandit posse at Concord Speedway (Concord, NC May 2018) Defending Bandit Series champion Ricky Rude (#14) is doing everything he can to ensure back-to-back titles. Rude took the lead on lap six of the a-main feature race at Concord Speedway Saturday night and never looked back, securing his first feature win of the 2018 season. Im just tickled to death to get back in this spot, Rude said. I kept telling my spotter, Tell me how many laps are left. I gotta get this done! Multiple yellow flags didnt help Rudes cause, but he wasnt too worried. I knew the yellow flags would come out. It never fails, but Im used to it, Rude said. Two other Bandits that had themselves a night Mark Noble (#74) and Justin Ball (#17). Noble won the third heat race and first challenge race, narrowly holding off Rude each time. Ball won the second challenge race as well as the Bandit Shoot Out. Balls Shoot Out win netted a local youngster, James, a crisp $100 bill, which he said he would use to probably take my mom out for Mothers Day. Kruckeberg Motorsports had one of their best nights ever. Not only did Noble pick up two wins, but Tyler (#54) and Craig Kruckeberg (#55) finished second and third in the a-main feature race. I was just following (my son) Tyler. He got loose a couple times so I had to get loose a couple times, Craig said. It was a struggle at the end, Tyler said. Ricky just had a little more power than me, so he was pulling away on the straightaways and I was trying to make it up in the corners. I just couldnt get to him fast enough. Hopefully, next race Ill have a little bit more power. The next Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series event has a midwestern flair. Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is one of only a couple return tracks on the 2018 schedule. Last years event was fantastic, Bandit Technical Director Brian Madsen said. Fans loved it and we expect a similar response next month. The Bandits race at Hawkeye Downs on Saturday, June 9th. Fans can get tickets to any Bandit event in 2018 by going to the official Bandit website. About Bandit Big Rig Series The Bandit Big Rig Series returns big rig tractor truck racing to the short track in the United States. The series was designed to be affordable and accessible for anyone wishing to put together a race team. For additional information, please contact Jason Johnson at (507) 676-1987, or email jason@banditseries.com. About Minimizer Leveraging more than 30 years of manufacturing expertise at its state-of-the-art facility in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, Minimizer is not only the leader in poly semi truck fenders - we invented the category. Minimizer poly fenders and integrated bracket kits are nearly indestructible and are guaranteed for life. Our research and development team constantly tests and tortures each of our products to make sure what goes on, in or is used to fix the truck meets the rigors of our tough industry. We also manufacture industry-leading light kits, mud flaps, tool boxes, tire masking kits, work benches and other accessories. Our most recent innovations include the worlds ONLY custom molded floor mats for semi trucks, as well as the revolutionary whole body health Minimizer Truck Seat System. Minimizer has been family owned and operated for three generations. The company manufactures its products in the USA and makes everything tough enough to please tough people in a tough industry. Attachments Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi... Gettysburg, PA, May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In this shifting landscape with more competition focused on performance and value, health care payers of all kinds realize they must innovate. For health plans, this transition means managing big data and harnessing new technology to deliver better performance at lower costs. ODH, Inc., a health technology company, plans to discuss this shift and the need for innovation in an upcoming webinar. In addition to a conversation surrounding health plan readiness for innovation, they will also highlight some of the results from a recent survey of health plans, providing more insight into topics such as social determinants of health, aggregating and integrating member data, the adoption of new technologies, and addressing complex populations such as those with opioid addiction. Join Michael Jarjour, MBA, CEO and President of ODH, Inc., and Annie Medina, MBA, ACNP-BC, Senior Associate of OPEN MINDS, on May 15 at 2:00pm ET, as they discuss the age of innovation and how health plans are managing the shift. Mr. Jarjour will also provide some insights into the results of the ODH survey of 180 commercial and Medicaid health plans regarding population health management challenges and solutions, the use of data aggregation as a business strategy, resources to address complex populations, and the role of technology for health plans in the shift to value-based care. During this 60-minute executive web briefing, attendees will learn: Highlights from the 2018 ODH, Inc. Health Plan Survey of 180 commercial and Medicaid health plans How harnessing data and leveraging technology are required for the shift to a value-based environment Key findings on critical topics in the health care industry, such as social determinants of health, population health management, data aggregation and integration, complex populations, and adoption of new technology To learn more about this executive web briefing, or to take advantage of the free online registration, please visit: https://www.openminds.com/event/2018-health-plan-technology-survey-are-health-plans-ready-for-the-age-of-innovation/. All registrants will receive (at no charge and regardless of attendance) a recording of the webinar and an electronic copy of the presentation slides at its conclusion. About ODH, Inc. ODH, Inc. is a health technology company providing data aggregation and analytics solutions that enable the delivery of integrated health care. Its proprietary technology and clinical expertise advance interoperability among legacy systems for better patient care and cost management. Its solutions focus on addressing behavioral and physical health comorbidities. ODH is a subsidiary of Otsuka America, Inc. and part of the Otsuka Group of companies, a $12 billion global conglomerate based in Japan. For additional information on ODH, Inc., visit www.ODHSolutions.com. ABOUT OPEN MINDS OPEN MINDS is a national market intelligence and strategic advisory firm focused on the sectors of the health and human service field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs. Founded in 1987 and based in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the 175+ associates provide market insights and innovative management solutions designed to improve operational and strategic performance. Learn more at www.openminds.com. English Norwegian Orkla ASA has on 8 May bought 425,000 Orkla shares through broker at an average price of NOK 74.61 per share. Orkla's total holding of treasury shares after this transaction is 3,241,933 shares. Orkla ASA Oslo, 9 May 2018 Ref.: IR & Communications Manager Elise Heidenreich Tel.: +47 951 41 147 Vast Resources plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining 9 May 2018 Vast Resources plc ("Vast" or the "Company") Appointment of Non-Executive Director The Directors of Vast, the AIM-listed mining company with operating mines in Romania and Zimbabwe, are pleased to announce the appointment to the Board of Mr Nicholas ("Nick") Hatch as an Independent Non-Executive Director, with immediate effect. Nick has 35 years' experience in mining investment banking, primarily as a mining analyst and in managing mining & metals research and equities teams. He was most recently Director of Mining Equity Research at Canaccord Genuity in London. Other roles in the last decade include Managing Director, Head of European Metals & Mining Equity Research, at Royal Bank of Scotland, and Managing Director, Head of Metals & Mining Equity Research, at ING. Nick's experience includes researching and advising on mining companies and projects across the globe and across the commodity spectrum, and includes companies of all sizes from the largest diversified mining companies to juniors seeking a potential listing. Nick left investment banking in 2017, and has recently set up his own company, Nick Hatch Mining Advisory Ltd, to provide mining research, business development and financing advice. After graduating in Mining Geology from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, Nick began his career as a geologist with BP Minerals and Rustenburg Platinum Mines. Nick is a Chartered Engineer and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (the "IMMM"), the Geological Society (London) and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. Commenting on the appointment, Brian Moritz, Chairman of the Company said, "We are very pleased to welcome Nick to the Board and believe his experience and technical insight will assist Vast as we develop our operations both in Zimbabwe and Romania as well as accessing new opportunities.' The information required by Schedule 2 Paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies in relation to the appointment of Nicholas Philip Hatch (aged 58) is as follows: Current directorships Past directorships within 5 years Nick Hatch Mining Advisory Ltd None Save as disclosed above, there are no further disclosures required to be made in respect of the appointment of Nick Hatch under Schedule 2(g) or Rule 17 of the AIM Rules for Companies. **ENDS** For further information, visit www.vastresourcesplc.com or please contact: Vast Resources plc Andrew Prelea (Chief Executive Officer) www.vastresourcesplc.com +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 Beaumont Cornish - Financial & Nominated Adviser Roland Cornish James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com +44 (0) 020 7628 3396 Brandon Hill Capital Ltd - Joint Broker Jonathan Evans www.brandonhillcapital.com +44 (0) 20 3463 5016 SVS Securities Plc - Joint Broker Tom Curran Ben Tadd www.svssecurities.com +44 (0) 20 3700 0100 St Brides Partners Ltd Susie Geliher Charlotte Page www.stbridespartners.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ("MAR"). Notes Vast Resources plc is an AIM listed mining and resource development company focussed on the rapid advancement of high quality brownfield projects and recommencing production at previously producing mines in Romania. Vast Resources currently owns and operates the Manaila Polymetallic Mine in Romania, which was commissioned in 2015 and is focussed on its expansion through the development of a second open pit operation and new metallurgical complex at the Carlibaba Extension Area. The Company's portfolio also includes an 80% interest in the Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine in Romania, where work is currently underway towards obtaining the relevant permissions to start developing and ultimately commissioning the mine. The Company also has interests in a number of projects in Southern Africa including a controlling 25% interest in the producing Pickstone-Peerless Gold Mine in Zimbabwe. English Finnish Kotipizza Group Oyj Stock exchange release 9 May 2018 at 10.00am (EEST) Kotipizza Oyj to start employee co-operation negotiations; no need for staff reductions Kotipizza Oyj, part of Kotipizza Group Oyj, will start employee co-operation negotiations concerning eight employees. The reason for the negotiations is the need to reorganise the Group's operations in a situation where Kotipizza Group is growing rapidly, and where new chains and concepts have been established alongside the Kotipizza chain. Behind the negotiations is a plan to concentrate Kotipizza's operations in Kotipizza Group. This does not entail a need to reduce the total number of people employed by the Group. According to its strategy announced in February, Kotipizza Group is a home of brands. The Social Burgerjoint restaurant is being developed into a nationwide burger chain, No Pizza is a restaurant concept aimed at the international market, Tasty Market is a new lunch restaurant concept in development, and Kotipizza Go is a new pizza slice product for eating on the go. Part of the Group are also the Kotipizza chain and the Mexican-style restaurant chain Chalupa, launched in 2015. In the Roadmap to 2020 document, released as part of the strategy, growth targets regarding the number of restaurants and chain sales were set for Kotipizza, Chalupa and Social Burgerjoint. According to the roadmap, the target for the three chains' total cumulative chain sales in 2020 is 181 million euros. "Our growth has been strong thanks to the success of the Kotipizza chain. Now, we want to ensure that both Kotipizza and the other chains can continue to grow in a multi-brand environment. There will continue to be plenty of work in building growth also in the future", says CEO of Kotipizza Group Tommi Tervanen. "Up until now, the Group has focused strongly on the Kotipizza chain while the other chains' operations have been driven by entrepreneurs. As a growth-oriented home of brands, we must make sure that all of our chains receive the same support as Kotipizza. Above all, we want to ensure that all the chains have a chance to grow in line with our strategy and roadmap." Kotipizza Group Oyj Tommi Tervanen, CEO For more information: Tommi Tervanen, CEO tel. +358 207 716 743 Timo Pirskanen, CFO and Deputy to the CEO tel. +358 207 716 747 Kotipizza Group in brief Kotipizza is a Finnish pizza chain founded in 1987. At the end of financial year 2017, the number of restaurants stood at 266. In the financial year 2017, the total sales of Kotipizza restaurants amounted to EUR 106.3 million. The Kotipizza chain is part of the Kotipizza Group, alongside the supply and logistics company Helsinki Foodstock Oy, Chalupa Oy that operates the Mexican-style restaurant chain Chalupa launched in 2015, as well as The Social Burger Joint Oy, acquired in November 2017, that operates the Social Burgerjoint restaurant chain and the Social Food food truck. In the financial year 2017, Helsinki Foodstock had net sales of EUR 64.2 million and the total sales of Chalupa restaurants were EUR 1.86 million. In the same period, the Kotipizza Group had net sales of EUR 79.9 million with a comparable EBITDA of EUR 8.52 million. Attachment VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wolf Wiese CEO of Golden Dawn Minerals Inc., (TSX-V:GOM) (FRANKFURT:3G8B) (OTC:GDMRF) (the Company or Golden Dawn) provides the following update on activities being completed to bring the Lexington Mine and Greenwood Processing Plant on-stream. The Company is aiming to initiate trial mining in August of 2018, then from October through December, mining and processing of 18,000 tonnes of material. The Company is working diligently to meet all conditions of existing permits to proceed to production. New conditions were recently added by the Ministry of Mines and Ministry of Environment, requiring new consultants and additional staffing for GOM. Many new regulations have been put in place since the mines and plant were constructed in 2008 to improve environmental and safety standards and upgrades are required to some of the infrastructure. BC has one of the highest safety and environmental standards in the world. Work Completed at the Lexington Mine: De-watering The Lexington mine was successfully de-watered in early January. Once the de-watering phase was completed the mine contractor was released and the Company hired its own mining crew to save costs. Operational pumping is now underway and is being maintained by Company employees. For the past two weeks the mine area has been in the middle of the spring thaw, with snow melting and groundwater inflow to the mine peaking. The mine crew is on duty to maintain the pumps. Mine Services Work is progressing on building a new entrance for the West Portal. The old portal entrance that had collapsed was removed and the surface area cleaned of loose material. Overburden was stripped back and stockpiled for later reclamation. New mine timbers were received, and timber sets were constructed for installation outside the portal. The existing vent raise was retimbered and new ladders installed. A new roof was built for the mine mechanic shop and a temporary power generator was installed. A mine mechanic was hired and started work on rebuilding the underground equipment fleet. Mine personnel carriers were refurbished, and fire suppression systems were installed on the equipment. Most of the fleet is in relatively good condition and can be refurbished with minimal effort. New engines are required to comply with new standards for underground mines. Other services, including a portable generator, compressor, mine office, mine dry and toilet facilities were installed at the East Portal to facilitate de-watering. Technical The main effort currently is on-going technical work including geological mapping and sampling, geotechnical assessment, and mine engineering. Geological mapping is underway in the previously mined areas that are still accessible. This work involves washing the workings and detailed recording of rock types, mineralized zones and fault structures. To date, 14 stope areas have been mapped out of a total of 17 that are accessible. Chip sampling has been conducted in the areas mapped, with the first batch of samples dispatched to the assay laboratory in April. The results of this work will be to understand the controls on the mineralization, to aid grade control efforts when mining, and to provide data for refinement of the resource model. At the same time, all the results from past mining and exploration of the property are being reviewed. Exploration targets for diamond drilling have been identified and permit applications for exploration have been submitted for the Lexington, Golden Crown, JD and Phoenix areas. A geotechnical consultant was engaged to prepare a Ground Control Management Plan. Testing of rock bolts and geotechnical mapping was done in the mine. Initial parameters were supplied to the mine engineering consultant for input into the mining plan. A geotechnical engineer was also engaged to prepare a waste rock management plan. This will determine how mine waste is classified and stored at surface. A mine engineering consultancy was engaged to prepare an initial mine plan based on the resource model. This is a more detailed review than the PEA study, which considers more accurate mining costs, application of different mining methods in separate areas, and mining dilution based on individual stope blocks. The output will be a tentative schedule for mine development and production. Work Planned at the Lexington mine: The next tasks remaining to be completed before mining at Lexington can proceed include the following: Rock bolting in existing drifts to secure ground support; Complete the West Portal refurbishment; Install mine ventilation and electrics; Re-establish the underground rescue station; Move power and compressed air to West Portal; Install new office trailer for technical staff; Install or refurbish larger mine dry; Complete wiring and insulating the mine maintenance shop; Acquire sufficient mine rescue equipment for full mining crew; Repair of underground explosives and detonator magazines, remobilization and stocking of surface explosives/detonator magazines; Complete updates to permit (Environmental Management System, Mine Plan, Ground Control, Waste Dump, etc); Work is also being done to ready the Greenwood process plant for start-up, including: Installation of new offices and washroom trailers; Health and safety audits and programs; Updates to permit for Environmental Management, mine plan, closure plan and new installations; Review and approval of existing electrical and mechanical installations; Geotechnical design for permitting an upgrade of the facility to 400 TPD; Staffing; In addition to providing mill feed in September, the mine will also produce a bulk sample of material that will be crushed at the Zip mill. A portion of this material will be shipped to Kentucky for further testing of pre-concentration sorting. Technical disclosure in this news release has been approved by Dr. Mathew Ball, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, and Chief Operating Officer of the Company. On behalf of the Board of Directors: GOLDEN DAWN MINERALS INC. Wolf Wiese, President & CEO For further information, please contact: Corporate Communications 604-221-8936 allinfo@goldendawnminerals.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 news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: Certain disclosure in this release constitutes forward-looking statements. In making the forward-looking statements in this release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company, including that the Company is able to procure personnel, equipment and supplies required for its exploration activities in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis and that actual results of exploration activities are consistent with management's expectations. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others, that actual results of the Company's exploration activities will be different than those expected by management and that the Company will be unable to obtain financing or will experience delays in obtaining any required government approvals or be unable to procure required equipment and supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We seek safe harbor. Seashore towns once played the same conservative role as American farms did, but by the end of the twentieth century, man took to coercing nature in order to protect his ocean playground The Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of the United States serve as a home to the Unions great cities and to a majority of Progressive Americans. One might assume from the map that people who live near North Americas coast uniformly conform to a political type often (and sometimes unhelpfully) rendered as left-wing or liberal in the American political lexicon. One might easily assume with some reason that denizens of coastal cities are elite cosmopolites of decidedly progressive socio-political predilections while Middle America serves as the faithful home of conservative traditional America. This cartoonish construction unhelpfully concedes the seas to modernity and progressivism; it undermines the reality that ecological conservation of the planets oceans is an essentially conservative cause; and it implies that on some level traditionalist should concede seventy-one percent of the planet to a liberal coastal elite that is neither as real as its enemies might believe nor as coastal as its sympathetic purveyors offer. For thousands of years, conservatism and tradition marked human interaction with oceans, and Americans should be no different. Art, cultural pursuits of all sorts, politics, and ultimately nature create an intellectual space for conservative intellectuals to interact not only fruitfully, but transcendently, with the sea. I confess that I have every personal cause to plead the case for what I will call an oceanic conservatism. I live in the coastal Virginia Tidewater. I am the grandson of two sailors, seaman Billy Cromer and the late Lieutenant Miles Smith Jr. I attended university in Charleston, South Carolinas great port city. I studied abroad for a semester in the seaside town of Chiavari, Italy, nestled quietly on the Ligurian Sea. During my childhood, I regularly visited my grandparents, fine churchgoing southern Baptists, at their humble home on Oak Island in North Carolina. My love of the sea stemmed from 1) my family, 2) an affection and respect for the traditions of the United States Navy, and 3) a love for the natural beauty of the pristine Carolina seaside. Those reasons are not unique to me. They are shared by coastal conservatives everywhere. It is on those three aspects: local community and family, tradition, and nature that I will dwell. Citizens of the United States, proudly, form what is increasingly called an immigrant nation. While the usefulness of that particular term may be debated, many American family stories include someone who traveled across a great sea to start life in the New World. My own family genealogy is not uncommon: Men and women from two islands in the North SeaGreat Britain and Irelandtraveled across the Atlantic and settled in parts of the English (and later British) Empire. They sailed to Jamaica, and Virginia, along routes laid out just a few years before. Richard Hakluyt, a late sixteenth-century explorer and mariner, argued that these oceanic voyages formed an essential part of what it meant to be English in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century. His work, somewhat wordily titled The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, claimed oceanic navigation and colonial enterprises for the entire English nation. A people who always relied on the sea to assist their island society increasingly became first and foremost a sea-faring people. That same seafaring people first landed on the marshy shores of a river they named after their king: James. They brought the good and bad of their society with them; English civil liberties, and English classism. They created political institutions that actuated liberty for almost every white man in Virginia, while simultaneously importing the brutality of human bondage. All the while, the sea remained a constant. They hacked a civilization out of the wilderness and moved westward into the interior of the massive unknown continent. Still, they remained English, wedded to certain habits of ancient seafarers no matter how far they moved inland. One hundred and seventy years after the original settlers landed, seafaring Englishmen on the western shore of the Atlantic took up arms against seafaring Englishmen on the eastern side of the Atlantic. The American Revolution never rejected the importance of the oceans. Americans recognized their reliance on sea-faring. The Boston Tea Party did not happen because colonial Americans lost their taste for maritime trade. Oceanic commerce remained vitally important to British North America. The creation of the United States was not a rejection of the oceans call to English seafaring empire. Americans simply desired to run their oceanic empire from their side of the ocean. Russell Kirks The Roots of American Order persuasively argued that the newborn North American republic was not some gnostic creation consecrated to the vaporous proposition of actualizing universal rights, but instead a local expression of an English legal and political order long-practiced by a people particularly devoted to the sea. Although the American people and political order eventually subdued a continent, their roots lay in the cold waters of the Atlantic. Americans understood that their protection lay in the sea. Even politicians who disliked the very idea of maritime commerce understood the importance of access to the sea. Even that most continentally-minded president, Thomas Jefferson, understood the importance of oceanic access. There is on the globe, he told the US minister to France, one single spot, the possessor of which is our natural and habitual enemy. It is New Orleans, through which the produce of three-eighths of our territory must pass to market. The landward empire of liberty needed the oceans still, and Jeffersonwho once accused navies of being aristocratic and monarchicallicensed the construction of six frigates to supplement the fledgling United States Navy. From its inception, the United States Navy was more tradition-bound than the small and often corrupt US army. The first-generation American men of letters gloried in the maritime traditions associated historys navies. Herman Melville and James Fenimore Cooper both made the navy and oceanic voyages a centerpiece of their quintessentially American fiction. A novelist even served as Secretary of the Navy. And the traditionalist leadership of the US Navy, for better or worse, vigorously opposed technological innovation. While the army often served as a tool for often-foolish politicians bent on expansionism, the US navy protected the republican order against the numerically overwhelming and invasive practices of British Royal Navy impressment. The US Navys dutiful fulfillment of its mission impressed American and foreign observers alike. Theodore Roosevelt, in his work on the US Navy in the War of 1812, wrote that the United States Navy possessed a small but highly effective force, ships well built, manned by thoroughly trained men, and commanded by able and experienced officers. The deeds of our navy form a part of history over which any American can be pardoned for lingering. Theodore Roosevelt, no conservative himself, nonetheless took pride that the US Navy fulfilled in the early nineteenth century an essentially conservative purpose: protecting the liberties and government of the American order. Beginning at the end of the nineteenth century, imperialism corrupted the conservative purpose of the US Navy. Naval theorist like Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, wedded to a progressive understanding of human nature, argued that the Navy should be a tool of enlightenment and modernity, bringing the glories of America to benighted populations of traditional peoples. American Indians, the indigenous peoples of Africa, and island communities of Southeast Asia all stood in the way of human progress, and the US Navy would do its part to civilize them. In his The Interest of America on Sea Power, Present and Future Mahan argued that there was an inevitableness to the reduction of indigenous colonial peoples, Mahan argued. The great majority of cases where civilized and highly organized peoples have trespassed upon the technical rights of possession of the previous occupants of the landof which our own dealings with the American Indian afford another example, brought about the inevitable extinction of native people. Mahan passingly noted that while the inalienable rights of the individual are entitled to a respect which they unfortunately do not always get, there was, he declared, no inalienable right in any community to control the use of a region when it does so to the detriment of the world at large, of its neighbors in particular, or even at times of its own subjects. Mahan and like-minded progressive imperialists claimed the divine right to judge was detrimental not only for specific peoples but for the world at large. American hubris grew in the late nineteenth century, and progressive imperialists saw the noble navy as a tool to implement their pragmatic and utopian vision of humanity. What so motivated Mahan and his fellow officers to corrupt the navys purpose? A progressive mindset that saw humans as perfectible beings and the seductions of liberal capitalist empire. Cities overthrew the noble wonder with which Americans treated the great oceans. Industrialism grew cities, liberalism and capitalism unmoored people from their old respect for the ocean and its bounty. By the end of the twentieth century, nearly every small seaside village was a beachtown, invaded by and prostituting itself to all the tacky consumerism and licentiousness of late-twentieth-century California. Developers intent on making fast bucks threw up cheap-looking and aesthetical nightmarish high-rises filled by middle-class Americans seeking some escape from the hellish corporate nightmare American liberalism increasingly promoted. Full of sunshine, tans, ever-decreasing acreage of pristine seascapes, seaside villages became a gnostic dream of eternal youth and flawless human physicality. The sheer ridiculousness of shopkeepers using the image of palm trees and California style-coloring on Maryland and Virginias bayside crabbing and shrimping towns betrayed the extent to which Americans lost the sea to an idea unmoored from nature and humanity. Old men walking seashores alone gave way to locals trying to escape the lawlessness of masses of drunken coeds. Seashore towns once played the same conservative role as American farms did; by the end of the twentieth century, it was as hard to be a small-time shrimper as it was to be a farmer. Vocations that worked in harmony with naturecrabbing, fishing, shrimping and otherdied. Man took to coercing nature in order to protect his ocean playground. Hurricanes reshaped the Atlantics coastline for a thousand years. Twentieth-century Americans arrogantly built their play-places right up to the oceans edge, and subsequently had the temerity to call hurricanes natural disasters when nature operated simply as it had for eons. Is there any hope for the reclamation of a coastal conservatism? I believe there is. Americans, especially those sociologist term millennials, are beginning to reject the consumerism of their forbearers. More coastal communities are taking seriously their natural beauty and taking steps to protect it. Public intellectuals like Admiral James Stavridis increasingly oppose neoconservative efforts to remake the world in the image of American-style liberal democracy, in favor of policies that rely on the United States supporting more basic national security interests. None of these changes are panaceas, but they will restore to some degree the relationships of Americans with the magnificent oceans that bound our republic. Surely American conservatives are mariners still, but they carry too often the albatross of modernity. Imaginative conservatives understand that Natures God and Natures law prove more reliable pilots in our relationship with the great sea than anything our consumeristic society might contrive. The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politicswe approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The following statement by Ivanhoe Mines (TSX:IVN) (OTCQX:IVPAF) has been issued in response to a Media Statement published on May 8, 2018, by AfriForum, a South Africa-based organization, containing false and unsubstantiated allegations concerning the Platreef mine being developed by Ivanplats, Ivanhoes 64%-owned South African subsidiary, and the repetition of those statements in an article by Geoffrey York published online by the Globe and Mail newspaper. The false and unsubstantiated claims made by AfriForum follow a similar pattern of deliberate misinformation that has been disseminated regarding the Platreef mine development project. Ivanhoe Mines will again correct and restate the facts for the benefit of shareholders, the media and the public at large as it has done previously on February 2, 2017; December 5, 2016; June 7, 2016; May 19, 2016; November 26, 2014; and October 8, 2014. The links to Ivanhoe Mines prior statements can be found at the end of this Statement. The allegations made by AfriForum and South African lawyer Gerrie Nel are completely false and aimed solely at unjustly damaging the reputation of Ivanhoe Mines and its subsidiary, Ivanplats. Ivanhoe Mines and Ivanplats categorically reject all of the allegations made today. Mr. Nel unfortunately has accepted the discredited views of Aubrey Langa apparently without any investigation or independent review. Mr. Langa previously has been convicted by South African courts of furnishing false information, robbery and attempted murder. Mr. Langa is recognized only for waging what one prominent South African newspaper has described as his single-minded campaign against the Platreef mine through whatever misinformation is available to him. Ivanhoe Mines is a broadly held, Toronto Stock Exchange-listed public company. Ivanplats is a South Africa-based subsidiary company that is 64%-owned by Ivanhoe Mines, 26%-owned by South African broad-based black economic empowerment partners including 20% belonging to 20 local communities with a combined population of approximately 150,000, 3% in the hands of historically disadvantaged project employees and a further 3% held by local entrepreneurs. The final 10% is owned by a Japanese consortium. The Platreef mine will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs through the construction and production phases and provide tremendous economic and social benefits to the local communities and surrounding region in Limpopo Province, South Africa. AfriForum appears to have ignored Ivanhoe Mines well-documented past discrediting of Mr. Langas allegations. In recent months Ivanplats also had made several attempts to reach Mr. Nel to ascertain whether he is representing Mr. Langa, with a view to meeting and discussing the issues and allegations raised today. Instead, Mr. Nel and AfriForum chose to issue their statement today solely on the basis of Mr. Langas unsubstantiated, false and already discredited allegations. Ivanhoe Mines and Ivanplats at all times have complied with all legal requirements relating to the exploration, development and construction of the Platreef mine. The allegation that they have engaged in illegal mining, breached environmental laws and unlawfully relocated graves, among other allegations, are completely false. Ivanplats has been vindicated by the South African courts against Mr. Langa on a number of these claims in the past. Ivanplats did obtain all the necessary permissions to relocate certain graves and reached detailed agreements with all affected families, including a provision for all cultural and religious observances. A summary of the grave-relocation process is provided in Ivanhoe Mines 2017 Sustainability Report, on page 52, available at: https://www.ivanhoemines.com/investors/sustainability-report/. No government agencies in South Africa have taken any adverse legal steps against Ivanplats, despite having been subjected to a significant number of investigations instigated by Mr. Langa. If Mr. Langas and now AfriForums allegations had any basis in fact or law, this would not have been the result; yet Mr. Langa and Mr. Nel now continue to waste state resources with these continuing allegations that already have been proven false. There is simply nothing new in AfriForums allegations made today other than the use of Mr. Nel to provide a facade of credibility to discredited claims. Ivanhoe Mines does encourage Mr. Nel and AfriForum to undertake a very careful and detailed review of the Platreef project development. Doing so will confirm that Ivanplats has painstakingly and carefully proceeded through the development process in an entirely lawful manner and has received all required permits and approvals. In addition, Ivanplats has been sensitive to the needs of the local host communities and has extensively consulted with those communities and their traditional leadership structures in moving the Platreef project through the permitting and development process. Ivanhoe Mines is confident that the overwhelming majority of people in the host communities support the development of the Platreef mine. The company will not be held hostage by a small group of self-serving agitators whose agenda and conduct are contrary to the majority interests of the local communities that will benefit from the jobs and socio-economic development that will flow from the development of a major new underground, mechanized platinum mine. Prior statements 1. October 8, 2014 https://www.ivanhoemines.com/news/2014/ivanhoe-mines-responds-to-misinformed-and-damaging-comments-contained-in-bloomberg-story/ 2. November 26, 2014 https://www.ivanhoemines.com/news/2014/ivanhoe-mines-condemns-illegal-actions-by-known-trouble-makers-in-incident-near-the-platreef-project-in-south-africa/ 3. May 19, 2016 https://www.ivanhoemines.com/news/2016/ivanhoe-mines-condemns-promotion-of-false-and-dishonest-claims-by-mining-watch-canada/ 4. June 7, 2016 https://www.ivanhoemines.com/news/2016/opencanada-website-flouts-reporting-standards-to-recycle-untrue-and-defamatory-activist-claims-against-ivanhoe-mines-and/ 5. December 5, 2016 https://www.ivanhoemines.com/news/2016/ivanhoe-mines-says-globe-and-mail-readers-are-being-misled-by-the-newspapers-story-today-about-the-companys-platreef-project/ 6. February 2, 2017 https://www.ivanhoemines.com/news/2017/ivanhoe-mines-welcomes-ruling-today-by-south-african-judge-in-favour-of-ivanplats-that-overturns-an-interim-interdict-order/ Information contacts Investors Media Bill Trenaman +1.604.331.9834 North America: Bob Williamson +1.604.512.4856 South Africa: Jeremy Michaels +27.82.772.1122 Website www.ivanhoemines.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Biondi Sima (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 13:34 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2e6d07 3 Opinion civil-society,Youth,IMF-WB-meeting,economy,economic-inequality,global-economy,#Inequality,economic-growth,#IMFWBG Free The richest 1 percent controls 10 percent of the G20 member states total income, according to a research by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2017, reverberating similar findings by other organizations. Income inequality has increasingly become one of IMFs focus areas, along with other topics that traditionally fall outside IMFs mandates, such as gender parity, climate change, social protection and corruption. Economists in earlier decades tend to see equity as a logical consequence of economic growth. As countrys economy grows, wealth will trickle down to lower-middle income families through a laissez-faire mechanism. This means policymakers only need to center their focus on propelling growth, by bolstering productivity, trade surplus and employment. In addition, redistributive fiscal policies were generally viewed as negative interferences which might alter markets abilities to yield organic growth. Recent findings, however, show the contrary. Taking Indonesia as an example, while growth remain steady at around 5 percent and that relative poverty seems to linger at slightly above 10 percent, absolute number of poverty has increased to almost 28 million people, with an estimate of 40 percent of Indonesias population still vulnerable of sliding into poverty, according to the World Bank. Stable growth does not always manifest into redistribution and income and wealth equality, as evident in many emerging and developing markets and is even more so in developed countries. Not only domestically, the disparity across countries is also staggering. Northern America and Western Europe, for instance, with about 20 percent of worlds population own over 67 percent of global wealth, while Indian and African countries combined with 30 percent of population possess only about 2 percent of global wealth. This calls for more deliberate government intervention to ensure that growth is enjoyed more equally and thus built upon more sustainable fundamentals. Growth and inequality need to be assessed together against the trade-offs between achieving efficiency and equity. While some structural policies might contribute to growth, they may also raise inequality. When the poor get poorer and the rich exponentially richer, it adversely affects the overall economy over the long term. Studies suggest that countries with higher Gini-coefficient, an index used to measure inequality, tend to lead higher number of crimes and incarcerations and thus economic instability. The International Monetary Fund specifically views inequality, together with the four other topics mentioned earlier, as macrocritical, meaning they indubitably affect the overall macroeconomic sanity. What differentiates IMF from other global institutes working on these topics, however, is that IMF will focus on the economic arguments in assessing them when devising policy advice and monitoring economic health check. There are three arguments the IMF might acknowledge when defending equality to fiscal policymaking: productivity, resource allocation, and social cohesion. A more inclusive and redistributive fiscal policies, from conditional transfers, quality education, healthcare, and social safety net, will open more employment opportunities and level the playing field. A more cohesive and equal society is critical to support reforms in favor of more durable growth. Broadening IMFs means of assessing the complex intermingling of macroeconomic factors, IMF seeks to consult Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and Youth leaders. Through a biennial consultation in Spring and Annual Meetings, IMF invites a select number of CSO and Youth leaders to sit together with its Executive Directors and Regionals Division Chiefs to discuss pressing issues and lessons learned from communities. This happens in conjunction with a larger Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF), involving hundreds of activists from various non-governmental organizations, community groups, labor unions, indigenous peoples, faith-based organizations, professional associations, foundations, think tanks, charitable organizations, and other not-for-profit organizations. The fellowship this year highlighted findings in inequality, fiscal policy, gender, corruption and the future of work. CSOs represent the constituents whom IMFs policy advice might affect. Although individual government has the final and authoritative say to what policies are eventually implemented, it is important for a global organization to ensure that the voice of civil society gets leverage throughout the process. As Indonesia is hosting this years IMF-Word Banks annual meetings in Bali this October, a stronger involvement with CSOs and youth needs invigorating and revisiting. CSOs self-organized platforms, such as CSPF, show that CSOs across functions manage to organize and communicate among themselves to unify lessons-learned in order to better and more fairly represent the needs of people, especially in issues that directly impact lower-middle income, often powerless communities, such as inequality. *** The writer, the 2018 IMF-World Bank invited CSO Spring fellow, is a co-chair at Indonesian Youth Diplomacy (IYD). The views expressed are his own. 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 Satya Widya Yudha (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 11:46 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2dff25 3 Opinion data-privacy,data-protection-bill,digital-technology,Internet,data-breach,Facebook,Cambridge-Analytica Free The private data leak that impacted millions of Facebook users across the world has stirred up a global hornets nest. The international community is affronted, and a simultaneous wave of skepticism and phobia has ensued regarding the threat to privacy. The advancement of digital information technologies has understandably caused speculation and instilled a deepening sense of worry among everyone involved in the current era of social media. The pervasiveness of digital technologies cannot be overestimated, however. Our social media timelines are incessantly force-fed with a deluge of information, public and private, from all corners of the world. Data-based digital technologies have turned out to be virtually borderless and all-encompassing. Connections have become increasingly intimate, involving both individuals and communities. Online topics are now at the extremes of diversity; users have consequently ceased to be fettered by time and space. In the midst of this breakneck and massive era, digital information technologies have undeniably taken up their own niche in the infrastructure of society. The future is tied to the modernization of this technology. On the one hand, the presence of digital technologies is looked forward to, given their far-reaching application in every walk of life, and none more so prominent perhaps than in social media. This is exacerbated by the fact that the primary users of social media are the so-called millennials, who invest themselves greatly in media forms that are new, simple and have large potential for networking. On the other hand, digital technologies have proved to be more than a mere potential threat to spaces of privacy. The collective unrest against the system of private data protection is not uncalled for. It has recently been exposed that around 1 million Facebook users in Indonesia have been declared compromised as part of the long list stolen by British political consultant Cambridge Analytica, which has shut down. This figure has put Indonesia as a country with the third-highest amount of private data stolen in the scandal after the United States, with up to 70.6 million and the Philippines with 1.1 million. True, for the moment, the leak of 1 million Facebook users in Indonesia has not perceivably caused any significant repercussions. This is because a large portion of the data stolen by Cambridge Analytica had already been used for the interests of the US presidential election two years ago. The world has since become wary, including Indonesia, that Facebooks data leak could be misused by certain parties that would then cause a serious threat to national sovereignty or the process of democratization in Indonesia. The current unspoken consent of public panic is whether or not the data in our Facebook account is safe. The data theft of 1 million Facebook accounts in Indonesia must be responded to seriously and involving public engagement. Recently, the House Commission I overseeing information summoned Facebooks Indonesian representatives to testify in a public hearing. We imparted on them that Facebooks misconduct has hurt the trust of its users; those in the wrong must be held accountable. We are currently pressuring the government to take firm and forthright action. In a show of corporate gentlemanliness during the hearing, Facebook admitted its wrongdoings. The company also apologized for the data leak of Indonesian Facebook users and explained in detail how the catastrophe occurred. We now know that the crux of the problem lies in Facebooks weak platform policy toward its application developers. An example of this is the This Is Your Digital Life App, in which Dr. Aleksandr Kogan presided as consultant and developer. It turns out that the applications data, wired to Facebook, was misappropriated by Cambridge Analytica. Facebook itself could not confirm whether or not 2013-2015 data from Indonesias Facebook users have been deleted by the defunct consulting firm. Repercussions for Dr. Kogan have also proved insufficient in the face of thieving data from millions of Facebook accounts. In principle, we demand Facebook to be forthcoming over the leaked data of Facebook accounts and what they were ultimately used for. If it is discovered that the data of 1 million Facebook users in Indonesia had been fraudulently misused and created the potential for a significant threat on state sovereignty and security, then strong action must be taken against Facebook. The state must be present in order to end public unrest, as well as protect and secure the rights of the public. An investigative audit must be undertaken with a clear time agenda, in order for Facebook to be able to assure the Indonesian public that the leaked data does not present a threat for us. The House of Representatives supports all concrete steps taken by the government, in this case the Communications and Information Ministry, in blocking Facebook if they failed to be responsible for the data of compromised users. Progress in the flow of digital data-based information technologies is moving fast. However, the regulations that keep this progress in check are still grossly underdeveloped. There needs to be state control in order to protect its citizens, without intervening in the private spaces of digital use. We need digital literacy that will link and mediate the interplay within the upstream and downstream sectors of digitalization. Strengthening regulations on private data protection is a priority for the existing legal umbrella to prove adequate in responding to advancements in digital technology. So far, regulations on private data protection are limited to a single instrument, namely Communications and Information Ministry Regulation No. 20/2016 on private data protection in electronic systems. This regulation encompasses protection on the acquirement, collection, processing, analysis, storage, display, announcement, sending, dissemination and extermination of private data. Although this regulation is already in place, a stronger legal umbrella in the form of a law is absent. The ministerial regulation only provides administrative sanctions, while a private data protection law can impose strong penalties. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive private data protection law. Through this legislation, the state will be present to protect its citizens. The House Commission I supports the government to complete this government-sponsored bill by the end of this year at the latest. The Private Data Protection Bill has actually been part of the National Legislation Program for 20152019, but is not deemed as a priority. The bill is important and pressing because Indonesia has no comprehensive policy or regulation on private data protection within a single instrument of law, and the Constitution does not explicitly regulate data protection. However, it implicitly provides the means for protection through articles 28F and 28G (1) on the freedom to store information and protection of data and information. *** The writer is vice chairman of the House of Representatives Commission I overseeing information and security. 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 - (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia Wed, May 9, 2018 Sebastian Partogi The Jakarta Post/Nusa Dua, Bali It does not look like the typical conference. The Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC) ballroom looks like an informal venue for screening a film, with beanbags of different colors strewn across the floor to provide seating for hundreds of people most of them youngsters in casual attire. Despite the laid-back atmosphere, they are not there for leisure; they are there to participate in the inqugural Next Indonesian Unicorns (NextICorn) International Summit, organized by the Association of Venture Capitals for Indonesian Start-ups (Amvesindo) in cooperation with the Communications and Information Ministry. With the summits decor evoking Google headquarters in Palo Alto, California, it endeavors to help aspiring start-ups find their perfect venture capital match to take their businesses further. The term unicorn has commonly been used as a metaphor for digital start-ups because, just like the mythical animal, start-ups are also considered magical entities that possess amazing capabilities. Indonesian digital start-ups are amazingly capable of solving problems while helping numerous people in becoming economically empowered. The summit has selected four Indonesian unicorns: ride-hailing transportation company Go-jek, online retail platforms Bukalapak and Tokopedia, as well as travel booking platform Traveloka. Go-jek provides ease of access to transportation and logistics services, while Bukalapak helps small-to-medium enterprises find customers and buyers across the archipelago. The multiplier effects of the two businesses have been massive, helping many people earn a living. Virtual ambassadors: Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara (third left) and Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Thomas Lembong (third right) pose for a photograph with (from left) Nexticorn ambassador Daniel Tamiwa, Go-Jek founder and CEO Nadiem Makari, Tokopedia founder and CEO William Tanuwijaya and Traveloka founder and CEO Ferry Unardi. The group of leading drivers of the digital economy appeared at a May 9 press conference for the 1st Nexticorn International Summit Indonesia in Nusa Dua, Bali. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono) The contributions the highly successful start-ups have made to the national economy and in solving practical issues for consumers has been such that Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara jokingly said during the summits opening, "If I were the virtual president of Indonesia, I would have appointed [Go-jek founder and chief executive officer] Nadiem Makarim as the virtual transport minister, [Traveloka co-founder and CEO] Ferry Unardi as the virtual tourism minister, [Bukalapak CEO] Achmad Zaky as the virtual small-to-medium enterprises and cooperatives minister and [Tokopedia co-founder and CEO] William Tanuwijaya as the virtual minister of trade and e-commerce." The summit aims to boost the creation of the next great digital start-ups in the country, with the help of international investors, from May 9 to 10 at the BNDCC in Nusa Dua, Bali. "NextICorn is a forward-looking program seeking to build a platform to connect local start-ups with the world's preeminent investors," said Venturra Capital managing partner Rudy Ramawy, who also helped manage the event. To achieve this, the summit is bringing together 64 local start-ups and 67 foreign investors from the United States, China and India, to engage in bilateral meetings for local companies to obtain the capital they need. To date, 823 such meetings have been arranged during the two-day summit. "I have frequently been asked by visiting investors from abroad: 'I have three days in Jakarta, which businesses should we meet [to explore potential cooperation]?' Likewise, we have also spent a lot of time trying to find the right partners for the right investors, said Rudy. [...] This summit is an efficient way to curate, connect and facilitate such engagements." Looking forward: Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Thomas Lembong delivers his keynote address on the opening day of the 1st Nexticorn International Summit Indonesia on May 9 in Nusa Dua, Bali. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono) According to Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Thomas Lembong, foreign investment in Indonesia over the last four years has been saved by two sectors: smelter construction, particularly of nickel, and the start-ups driving the digital economy. "Without digital economy and smelter construction, foreign direct investment in Indonesia would have definitely slowed down. This is why we have huge interest in what you are doing," Thomas addressed the summit's participants. "We have to expand capital inflow to e-commerce and the digital economy." Thomas said foreign venture capitalists have constituted the majority of digital economy investors in Indonesia. This is understandable, because the capital venture sector was established in the United States 50 years ago and flourished in advanced countries like China and Japan before coming to developing countries like Indonesia. "We will find ways to involve more domestic investors to boost Indonesia's digital economy," he said. Achmad said he was optimistic about the bright future of Indonesia's digital economy. "In 2008, in China's early stage of digital economy development, most people used personal computers to run their businesses there. Now in 2018, we are standing at a similar stage as China was in 2008 and yet, we have two advantages: the rapid adoption of smartphones and portable wireless internet connections," he said, adding that Indonesia would soon be in the same standing as China and India in its digital economy. Meanwhile, Nadiem said that Indonesia was the quickest market to adopt new innovations, which could help boost the digital economy sector. Thomas added that to help the local digital economy grow further, the government was working hard in bureaucratic reform and simplifying business procedures. Rudiantara said the government was supporting the digital economy by enhancing broadband connectivity through its ongoing Palapa Ring project, which aims to provide internet access across the archipelago. "The broadband network has been [online] in the Western part of Indonesia from March 2018. In central Indonesia, its construction has progressed by 77 percent, while in eastern Indonesia, construction has reached around 40 percent. We expect the new broadband network to be operational across Indonesian cities by the beginning of 2019," Rudiantara said. Nadiem agreed with the government's plan to invite foreign lecturers and trainers to develop Indonesia's engineering talent, which was still a niche group, to provide the digital sector with the human capital it badly needed. "The apprenticeship program allows junior programmers to work with their seniors who already possess higher skill sets," he said. Thomas added that inviting foreign lecturers and trainers to develop the skills of 1,000 youths in Indonesia was much more efficient than sending only a few people to study abroad. Yet, to realize that goal, a number of regulations on foreign workers needed to be revised to make it easier for lecturers and trainers to work in Indonesia, said Thomas. Rudiantara said that foreign educators could also help set the local economy in motion and protect economic stability in contrast to sending people abroad to study, which would have a negative impact on Indonesia's foreign exchange rate. The establishment of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Nusantara (Museum MACAN) has brought more Jakartans to the west side of the city. However, those unfamiliar with West Jakarta, and without private transport, might worry that finding a ride could be difficult. While the museum is within walking distance of Kebon Jeruk TransJakarta shelter, apparently it is also easy to find app-based rides from there. To ensure convenient transport from the museum, especially during the Yayoi Kusama exhibition set to open soon, Museum MACAN has begun a partnership with ride-hailing app Grab. The museum announced on Monday that Grab was their official mobile platform partner for 2018. Aaron Seeto, director of Museum MACAN, said he believed the mobile platform would make it easier to visit the museum. We feel connected to Museum MACAN, considering that both institutions share a common vision and values. In line with Grabs brand DNA as a connector, we aspire to help connect art lovers from all walks of life with Kusamas artworks, said Mediko Azwar, marketing director of Grab Indonesia. Read also: Yayoi Kusamas works finally arrive in Jakarta There will be a Grab pick-up point in the lobby of Museum MACAN, marked by an artistic totem. The mobile platform has also hinted at exhibition ticket giveaways through Grab orders and GrabRewards points redemption. During the Yayoi Kusama: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow exhibition, slated to run from May 12 to September 9, Grab will also hold related contests via their social media channels. Behind a translucent curtain shaped like a square aquarium, a group of children move freely like they are enjoying a completely new experience: being taken into an unpredictable sea adventure. That was a scene from Childs Story, a show performed by Papermoon Puppet Theater, conducted in collaboration with Polyglot Theatre from Australia at Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardja (PSBK) in Yogyakarta, as part of ARTJOG 2018s special performance. Maria Tri Sulistyani of Papermoon said the shows theme was taken from the maritime history of Lasem, Central Java, combined with true story of a Sri Lankan child seeking asylum in Australia. For Australian audiences, its like the story of boat people seeking asylum in Australia. For Indonesian spectators, they feel like theyre being taken on an adventure on board a boat to a new world, said Maria, or Ria Papermoon as she is popularly known. For the performance, the concept differed from the one performed in Australia last year, where the audience was limited to only 40, and in which audience members played a part in the story by joining the boat adventure. Special show: Children perform in Papermoon Puppet Theaters latest show, titled Childs Story, for ARTJOG 2018, which runs until June 4 in Yogyakarta. (JP/Tarko Sudiarno) In Yogyakarta, Ria said the audience was divided into two. The first group was the main audience, which comprised 40 children along with their companions, while the other group comprised 150 audience members placed outside the curtain. But the story remains the same. The first group behind the curtain on the boat did not realize there was an audience outside, and they moved and acted as they liked while inside the aquarium. The play started with children arriving through a special door in the back part of the contemporary stage. There, they found the front half of a boat (made of cloth) along with its mast and wooden steering wheel. To make the children feel like they were at sea, they played with small boats and waves, which were also made of cloth. They were then escorted to board the boat. Slowly, three main actors, who were acting as the boats crew, started to move the boat by releasing the anchor and opening the sail. Thanks to the lighting and stage effects, it appeared as though the boat was really moving. The sense of a moving boat was not just felt by the passengers onboard but also by the static audience watching the show from in front of the curtain. Playing around: A thin curtain separates the audience and children inside during Papermoons Childs Story show. (JP/Tarko Sudiarno) When the wave was at high tide and the boat floated high, the passengers cried out as if the waves were really rocking the vessel. When the seawater was calm, similarly, they looked as if they wanted to fish and enjoy life on the ocean. Suddenly their adventure became tense. The sky promptly turned dark, followed by storms and heavy rain. The boat appeared to sink into the darkness of an undersea world. The passengers fell silent, anticipating the unknown. It was at this time that the sea world started to convey messages. The ships walls then turned into a big screen depicting the beautiful and amazing possibilities of the undersea world, displayed through shadow plays from four projectors reflected on the ships wall. The children started to enjoy the magical ambience through lighting plays depicting a starry night, describing hopes in nature. All of a sudden they arrived on a beautiful island full of hope. Ria said the ending of the story presented in Indonesia was made to make the children as well as the audience outside the curtain happy. When in Australia, many of the audience members could not hold back their tears. Maybe they were very sensitive watching the uncertain fate of the boat people, Ria said. The show, Childs Story, despite using simple means, was successful in taking the audiences imagination to a marine world. For the whole three days over last weekend, full crowds attended the performances. Ria said the performance brought in a different kind of theater show for children. There is a layer that can be easily enjoyed by children, and then there is a deep meaning that can be grasped by adults. The Jakarta Police have tweeted an invitation to all bloggers, YouTubers and social media users to get involved in the #SebarkanBeritaBaik (spread good news) campaign. Memanggil semua bloggers, youtubers dan pengguna media sosial untuk mengikuti kampanye #SebarkanBeritaBaik cek video ini untuk ikutan dan ajak teman-temanmu ya! (Video) pic.twitter.com/0JSykHi0nM TMC Polda Metro Jaya (@TMCPoldaMetro) May 9, 2018 Detailed information is explained in the video on the tweet. It also includes a Citizen Journalism Social Media Competition as one of its titles. Other than the requirement to use #SebarkanBeritaBaik, another bearing the words #HormatiPerbedaan (respect differences) is also needed. Bloggers are expected to create positive content about the topic, while vloggers need to create a documentary or a video clip, which they can upload to YouTube. Read also: Explore the archipelago through Jokowis vlogs Netizens are invited to create positive videos, photos and memes that they can post on Instagram or Facebook. Those who are active on social media with active followers, as well as those who have positive and creative ideas are welcome to join the contest. Prizes include a laptop, camera, a smartphone and trophies. The main prize is a motorcycle and the chance to cover a regional police chiefs air patrol on a helicopter. (wng) TORONTO and SINGAPORE, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and GIC have entered into a joint venture partnership to acquire a Grade A office building in Seoul, Kumho Asiana Main Tower, from Kumho Asiana Group, parent of Asiana Airlines, for KRW418 billion (US$380 million). Following this transaction, CPPIB and GIC will each own a 50% stake in this landmark property, which is located in the centre of Gwanghwamun, a core office, government and cultural precinct in Seouls Central Business District, offering good access to Gwanghwamun Station, a key public transport hub. Due to its prime location, surrounding amenities and historical and cultural importance, the Gwanghwamun district is favoured by both local and multinational tenants. Jimmy Phua, Managing Director and Head of Real Estate Asia, CPPIB, said, The opportunity to invest in one of the largest office markets in Asia through this prime office building fits well with CPPIBs strategy to invest in top-tier, well-located real estate. In addition, this investment reflects CPPIBs desire to increase our investments in the Asia Pacific region, and were pleased to do so alongside GIC, one of CPPIBs long-standing partners. The property was sourced and will be managed by DWS (formerly Deutsche Asset Management), one of the worlds leading asset managers. With 49 billion euro in global real estate assets under management (as of 31 December 2017), DWS has a 45-year track record in managing real estate assets. Lee Kok Sun, Chief Investment Officer, GIC Real Estate, said, GIC has been investing in South Korea since the late 1990s. This investment reflects our confidence in South Koreas continued growth and commitment to identifying attractive opportunities in this market. We believe this high-quality, well-located property will generate resilient returns over the long term, and look forward to working with CPPIB and DWS to enhance the value of this asset. CPPIB CPPIB Media Relations media@cppib.com Mei Mavin Director, Global Corporate Communications T: +44 203 205 3406 mmavin@cppib.com GIC Ms Mah Lay Choon Senior Vice President, Communications DID: +65 6889 6841 E-mail: mahlaychoon@gic.com.sg Ms Tess Chia Vice President, Communications DID: +65 6889 8653 E-mail: tesschia@gic.com.sg About CPPIB Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is a professional investment management organization that invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to pay current benefits on behalf of 20 million contributors and beneficiaries. In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, CPPIB invests in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income instruments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City, Sao Paulo and Sydney, CPPIB is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At December 31, 2017, the CPP Fund totalled C$337.1 billion. For more information about CPPIB, please visit www.cppib.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. About GIC GIC is a leading global investment firm established in 1981 to manage Singapores foreign reserves. A disciplined long-term value investor, GIC is uniquely positioned for investments across a wide range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate and infrastructure. In private equity, GIC invests through funds as well as directly in companies, partnering with its fund managers and management teams to help world-class businesses achieve their objectives. GIC has investments in over 40 countries and has been investing in emerging markets for more than two decades. Headquartered in Singapore, GIC employs over 1,400 people across 10 offices in key financial cities worldwide. For more information about GIC, please visit www.gic.com.sg. The rise in the popularity of the shaved ice treat Es Kepal Milo in Jakarta has driven a frenzy among many. This has presented an opportunity for Nestle, Milos parent company, and challenges the conventional notion that its market is households. In fact, the popularity of Es Kepal Milo has proven that Nestles biggest customer base at the moment are the entrepreneurs serving children and adults in the citys kampung, suburbs, school and office cafeterias, popular culinary destinations, etc. Enterprising individuals are currently selling franchise rights by providing all the paraphernalia, equipment and ingredients to prepare the dessert at varying franchise prices for those who want to go into business immediately. The first to jump on the current trend will be the ones who profit the most. As many more franchisees open their stalls near each other, it is predicted that profit per stand will fall. As of the time of writing, there are already five stalls along my street, just a few meters apart from each other. Es Kepal Milo, which originally came from our neighboring country, Malaysia, was popularized by a couple from Kuala Kangsar at their Ais Kepal (ice cubes in English) Milo Tok Abah in late 2017. Its popularity reached Indonesia through a YouTube post that sparked the entrepreneurial spirit of a young couple in Yogyakarta, Danang and Rara. Thanks to a food blogger, the couples business was attracting a lot of customers by the end of March this year. Variations have already appeared in Bandung in the form of Es Kepal Dancow, another Nestle brand. It will take just a week or two to know whether it will catch on. Read also: Study explains salted caramel 'addiction' These new sensations created by entrepreneurs is a demonstration of customer-generated marketing in action. First, in the way the products are used differently, and second, by the way information spreads about these new products. Milk flavoring products are designed by manufacturers to make drinking milk more fun and delicious. The popularity of Es Kepal is an example of customers showing manufacturers that they are using the products differently and are even finding ways to profit from this new invention. But the success of this particular customer-generated marketing phenomenon was mainly down to how the information was spread, such as through food bloggers, video-sharing sites, social media and other similar digital platforms. It is also fueled by the ubiquitous use of smartphones by almost all income groups in Indonesia. However, this is not the first example of customer-generated marketing featuring Milo and Dancow. Searching for Dancow recipes on Cookpad at the time of writing, there are 9,958 recipes for Dancow and 2,763 recipes for Milo. Other brands include Oreo, with 6,361 recipes and Beng Beng with 146. Other popular brands include Ovaltine with 91 recipes and Ovomaltine with 178 recipes. But topping it all (pun intended, as this ingredient is the most popular topping in Indonesia) is muisjes/meises (chocolate sprinkles) Ceres with 16,055 recipes. Another popular Indonesian delicacy that has helped put several brands in the limelight is martabak. This is the Indonesian version of murtabak, mutabbah or matabbak from other countries in the Middle East and Asia. There are two versions in Indonesia, the martabak telur which is the omelette pancake with green onions and minced meat (usually beef) and the martabak manis or sweet martabak which has the following basic ingredients: flour, condensed milk, sugar and margarine. It can come with various fillings, such as cheese, sesame, peanuts and sprinkles. Popular food stalls have made innovations with various fruits such as jackfruit and bananas. But what made it more popular and commanded a high price was the introduction of Nutella and Toblerone fillings. This provided the manufacturers of Toblerone (a triangular-shaped chocolate) and Nutella (a hazelnut cocoa spread) an opportunity to penetrate a new market that hadn't typically consumed their products. Also, it revived the brand Ovaltine (a brand familiar to me since childhood) and made Ovomaltine (I only recently heard of this brand), a bread spread, more familiar. Read also: Instagram-worthy desserts to check out this month What is remarkable about the popularity of the shaved ice treat/dessert and martabak manis is the involvement of the customers. The innovators of the products' new uses were customers, which led to the creation of new markets. To help maintain the popularity of the products and brand, manufacturers should make sure that there is a constant supply to avoid a sharp increase in the prices. One reason why Es Kepal Milo became an instant success is its affordability to all income classes, which starts at $70 cents in my kampung. A word of caution for these sugar-laden products: they are to be consumed in moderation. I hope to see a healthier version of these products on the market soon. This will be a challenge to those who would like to serve a growing niche market of health-conscious Indonesians. The fasting month is just around the corner. It is exciting to see what new ideas customers-turned-entrepreneurs will provide for us during this holy month of Ramadan. (wng) Note: The article has been edited to correct the place of origin of Es Kepal Milo, from Kuala Kumpar to Kuala Kangsar. *** Carolyn has served as a lecturer, general manager, director and head of the international programs at GS FAME Institute of Business (IBN International Programs) for more than 20 years. She has recently started blogging on topics dear to her heart such as health and happiness at her website: https:// organicwayoflife446897722. wordpress.com. Her upcoming blogs will be devoted to topics related to marketing in our daily life: https:// marketinginourdailylife. wordpress.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Christoph Rauwald and Birgit Jennen (Bloomberg) Frankfurt/Berlin Wed, May 9, 2018 06:45 1248 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2d1968 2 Business #automotive,#Germany,#Audi,#emission Free Volkswagen AGs Audi unit suspended deliveries of some of its popular sedans and coupes after informing German authorities of irregularities in emissions systems, embroiling the luxury brand further in the carmakers diesel scandal. An internal review revealed abnormalities in the engine-management software of current A6 and A7 models with V-6 diesel motors, Audi said in a statement on Tuesday. That prompted a halt in deliveries pending an inquiry by regulators in Germany as well as Luxembourg, where the models were certified. The problem relates to diesel engines with the latest Euro-6 standard, rather than older versions generally affected in the past. The issue raises questions about Audis handling of emissions irregularities and will likely increase pressure on Rupert Stadler, the brands chief who has been a frequent target of criticism in the aftermath of the scandal. The carmaker, which is 99.6 percent-owned by Volkswagen, holds its annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday. The inquiry affects about 60,000 vehicles worldwide, including 33,000 in Germany, according to Germanys Transport Ministry. Audi said no U.S. customers are affected. The A6 sedan starts at 58,050 euros (US$68,900) in Germany, while the A7 costs from 66,300 euros. Volkswagen shares dropped as much as 3.04 euros, or 1.7 percent, to 176.40 euros and were down 1.4 percent at 3:25 p.m. in Frankfurt trading. Audi is the biggest contributor to the German auto giants profit. As Germanys automotive watchdog continues to scrutinize Volkswagens diesel portfolio, Audi said in February that it is recalling top-of-the line Audi A8 sedans with 4.2-liter V8 diesel motors. The carmaker said in March that additional recalls are likely as it undertakes more tests on combinations of engines and transmissions. VW Chief Executive Officer Herbert Diess has pledged to intensify compliance as the worlds largest automaker wrestles with the fallout from the diesel-emissions scandal that was uncovered by U.S. authorities in September 2015. VW has largely restored profit, and vehicle deliveries are at a record high, but thousands of lawsuits from disgruntled customers and investors are set to drag on for years. VW has earmarked more than 25 billion euros so far for fines, recalls and other related expenses. The A6 contains software that artificially reduces the injection of urea -- used to neutralize smog-causing emissions -- to extend the range of the refill tank, according to Der Spiegel magazine, which first reported about the issue. Audi, which didnt elaborate on the nature of the irregularities, said it would provide a software update in coordination with authorities. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Langkat, North Sumatra Wed, May 9, 2018 11:00 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2db986 2 National #PalmOil,palm-oil,mangrove,forest-conservation,deforestation,climate-change,social-forestry-program,North-Sumatra,land-conflicts,agrarian-conflicts Free In a coastal village in Langkat regency, a three-hour drive north from North Sumatra's capital of Medan, locals have started to reap the benefits from the hundreds of hectares of rejuvenated mangrove forests that had previously been illegally converted by companies into oil palm plantations. After securing a forest management permit in March 2017, Lubuk Kertang farmers and fishermen have constructed 20 eco-friendly ponds to farm shrimps, crabs and several local varieties of fish, as well as to produce snacks and syrups from mangrove leaves and mangrove apples. They also plan to construct an ecotourism site. Jokowis social forestry initiative As part of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo administration's social forestry program, a permit was issued by the Environment and Forestry Ministry to Kelompok Lestari Mangrove, a group of 108 Lubuk Kertang farmers and fishermen, to manage 410 hectares of mangrove forests for a period of 35 years. The Jokowi administration, through its social forestry policy, aims to grant permits to forest-dependent Indonesians to manage 12.7 million ha of state forests across the country. Yet it was an arduous journey for the locals before obtaining the permit. Prior to the governments initiative, residents fought for nearly eight years to restore the areas mangrove forests, during which they faced a number of bloody encounters with the palm oil companies. Several local leaders were apprehended for allegedly destroying oil palm plantations, which were planted on a massive scale in 2006. "We stood up to the companies, and the thugs and security officers on the companies' payroll who protected the plantations," said Rohman, chairman of Kelompok Tani Lestari Mangrove, which translates to Mangrove Conservation Farmers' Group, as he stood beside one of the group's eco-friendly shrimp ponds. The massive 2009 flash floods in Langkat, including in Lubuk Kertang, provided momentum for local activists to muster the support of fellow citizens to deal with the issues caused by the areas depleted mangrove forests. In October 2010, locals from seven villages surrounding the mangrove forests began a rehabilitation crusade, gaining support from civil society organizations like the North Sumatra branch of the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi), the Indonesian Traditional Fishermens Association (KNTI) and the Peoples Coalition for Fisheries Justice Indonesia (Kiara). The organizations also reported one of the oil palm businessmen to the local police for alleged illegal land conversion. In 2013, the Medan District Court sentenced the businessman to eight months probation. While the ruling was deemed lenient by activists, it proved effective in deterring the oil palm cultivators from attacking locals who tried to grow mangrove trees. Losses from diminishing mangroves The mangrove forests in Langkat have suffered from numerous kinds of land conversion in the past, but none have inflicted more severe economic losses than oil palm plantations, locals and activists interviewed by The Jakarta Post said. A view of the revitalized mangrove forest in Lubuk Kertang village, Langkat regency, a three-hour drive north from North Sumatras capital Medan. In 2010, locals started a rehabilitation project to bring back the mangrove forest, which was converted into an illegal oil palm plantation in 2006. (JP/Moses Ompusunggu) "The reason we got involved was the real economic value of the mangrove ecosystem for locals compared to how things were after the forests were converted into oil palm plantations," said Doni Latuperisa, program manager of Walhi North Sumatra. In the 1990s, around 100,000 hectares of mangrove forests could be found in North Sumatra. Nearly half, however, have been converted, mostly for oil palm plantations or illegal fish ponds. Some 20,000 ha of mangrove forests have also been cut down by the charcoal industry, which flourishes in Langkat. There are around 300 charcoal factories that produce 6,000 tons of charcoal per year in Langkat, according to data from the North Sumatra Forestry Agency. Nationwide, there are around 3.49 million ha of mangrove forests, equal to 21 percent of the Earths total mangrove forests. However, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Indonesia has lost around 40 percent of its mangrove forests in the last three decades, with scientists calling it the fastest rate of destruction on the planet. In 2011, Kiara estimated that some 400,000 ha of Indonesias mangrove forests were converted into oil palm plantations, in at least six regions across the country, including in Langkat. Lubuk Kertang fishermen had been the worst affected by the disappearance of mangrove forests, said Tajrudin Hasibuan, chairman of KNTI Langkat and social leader of Lubuk Kertang mangrove defenders. Embankments built by companies on the mangrove mud flats to protect their plantations drastically reduced the flow of freshwater into the area, preventing the process of fish spawning from occurring in the area. When the embankments were built on the coast, fishermen who used fish traps could no longer catch fish or other marine species in the mangrove forests. The fishermens yields decreased because the suitable locations for spawning had disappeared, said Tajrudin. New way, new challenge Under the permit they obtained in 2017, the locals are protected from outsiders seeking to destroy the mangrove forests or claim unilateral ownership over the land. They were also given the responsibility to look after and protect the forests from destruction. To protect the forests, Lubuk Kertang shrimp farmers used the silvofishery concept, Rohman said. Through silvofishery, which combines conservation and land utilization, the total area used for ponds cannot be larger than the areas designated for protection. A pack of kerupuk jeruju, a snack made from acanthus leaves, and a bottle of pidada, a syrup made from mangrove apples, are arranged on a plate. After the HKm permit issue in 2017, some 14 Lubuk Kertang women established their own group named Kelompok Tani Abadi Mangrove to produce kerupuk jeruju and pidada syrup. (JP/Moses Ompusunggu) (JP/Moses Ompusunggu) Lubuk Kertang women have also been involved in harnessing the economic value of their rejuvenated mangrove forests. Some 14 women in the village have established their own group, called Kelompok Tani Abadi Mangrove, to produce snacks from acanthus leaves, or jeruju in the local language, and syrup from mangrove apples, known locally as pidada. Despite the recent progress, however, several constraints persist, that locals claim hamper them from harnessing the full potential of the rejuvenated mangrove ecosystem. Juminah, a member of Kelompok Tani Abadi Mangrove, explained that the local snack and syrup businesses were hampered by a lack of marketing, while Rohman, the leader of the shrimp farmers group, said the group still needed financial assistance from the government to develop their businesses and to achieve their future goal to establish an ecotourism site. Head of Sumatras Social Forestry and Environment Partnership Agency, Sahala Simanjuntak, said the implementation of social forestry in Lubuk Kertang could be replicated in other damaged mangrove areas in North Sumatra, despite the lingering challenges. To find a leader who aims both to rejuvenate degraded mangrove forests and to reap economic benefits from the rejuvenated forests was one of the challenges, Sahala said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 08:30 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2d6c1a 1 National cantrang,Jokowi,environment,fishermen,fisheries Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo called on Indonesian fishermen to stop using cantrang (seine nets) in a bid to promote sustainable fishing habits. Jokowi welcomed hundreds of fishermen from various provinces at the State Palace on Tuesday, during which he raised concerns about the use of cantrang and trawl nets, which damages coral reefs and seabed ecosystems. Fishermen must understand the importance of switching to environmentally friendly fishing equipment or otherwise we all lose, he said. A ministerial regulation issued in 2015 banned the use of all types of trawl and seine nets. The prohibition initially commenced on Jan. 1 this year. However, fishermen staged protests claiming that it would reduce their income. Following the protests, the government decided to set up a transitional period during which the fishermen must gradually switch to more environmentally friendly equipment. The government assisted them with bank loans to purchase the new equipment. [The government] doesnt want to disrupt or obstruct [fishing activities], but fishermen must understand that [switching to the new equipment] is for their sake as well, Jokowi said. Fishermen use cantrang to reach the seabed, where it sweeps up marine life using a fine mesh. As a consequence, experts say, fish spawn, which are important for the habitats sustainability, have also been caught. Jokowi went on to tell a story about local fishermen he met during a working visit to Pangandaran, West Java, who said they now struggled to catch fish, including white pomfret and snapper, because the fish stocks were no longer as abundant as it used to be. Switching to environmentally friendly equipment will increase fish stocks in our ocean. So, dont think about the short-term goal only, we still have children and grandchildren [to feed], he said. (ahw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 08:00 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2d609f 1 City suicide,police-officers,car Free A police officer was found dead in the drivers seat of a sedan on Jl. Kampung Utan in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, on Monday. Theres a possibility that the officer might have committed suicide, but were still investigating the case, said South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Indra Jafar on Tuesday, according to kompas.com. We didnt find any bruises or injuries on his body. He allegedly died of carbon monoxide poisoning, Indra said. The officers body was found in front of his boarding house by a passerby named Suhendar at around 1:30 p.m. According to Suhendar, the cars engine was still running [when he found the officer]. He approached and attempted to wake him up but failed, Indra added. Suhendar said he saw a water hose in the car that was apparently connected to the cars exhaust pipe. The victims friend, Irman Hadi, said he had talked to him several hours before the latter was found dead. [He] asked me where he could find a shop that sells water hoses, Irman added. The boarding house owner, Suwartini, told wartakota.tribunnews.com that the officer had been renting a room there since April 29. Suwartini said the victim had told her that he was a police officer from East Kalimantan who had been transferred to Jakarta. (vla) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Devina Heriyanto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 09:30 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2d8831 1 World Indonesia,Malaysia,Singapore,Lowy-Institute,study,Asia,ASEAN Free Indonesia is not the most powerful nation in ASEAN, according to the latest study by the Lowy Institute, which ranks the largest Southeast Asian country behind Singapore and Malaysia in terms of power. But the country, the study says, may surpass its two neighbors by 2030. The Asia Power Index 2018 ranks Indonesia as the 10th strongest among 25 countries in the Asia Pacific region after Singapore (eighth) and Malaysia (ninth). The United States and China still dominate the region, followed by Japan, India and Russia. The index by the Lowy Institute measures a countrys power by eight categories: economic resources, military capability, resilience, future trends, diplomatic influence, economic relationships, defense networks and cultural influence -- each having a different weight in the final scoring. Economic resources and military capability are weighted heavier than other categories. Indonesia scores 20.0, a far cry from the US with 85.5, China with 75.5 and Japan with 42.1. Singapore scores 27.9 and Malaysia scores only slightly higher with 20.6. Although Malaysia scores less in economic resources and military capability than Indonesia, its economic relationship and defense network is better: showing that resources are not all that matters in terms of power. The same applies to Singapore, which Lowy notes to have made up for its small economic and military size with an influential network of regional relationships. Military capability, economic relationships and defense networks are three categories where Indonesia ranks 13th, comparatively lower than other categories. However, Indonesias military is currently undergoing a modernization process to meet its minimum essential force (MEF) requirements, expected to be completed by 2024. Countries with scores above 70 are classified as superpowers, countries with scores between 40.0 and 70.0 are major powers, those with higher than 10.0 are middle powers, and below 10.0 are minor powers. The report notes Indonesia as one of the underperforming countries in its power-gap index. Comparing a countrys actual resources with its influence, the index categorizes countries as overachievers or underachievers. Japan tops the power-gap index, performing much more efficiently than the US or China. Other notable overachievers include Singapore, Australia and South Korea. But it is not all doom and gloom. Indonesia is predicted to leave its Southeast Asian peers behind in 2030, ranking at fourth in the future-trend category behind China, the US and India. Lowy measures future trends by a countrys economic, military and demographic resources in 2030. (ahw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ben Hirschler, Paul Sandle and Sam Nussey (Reuters) London/Tokyo Wed, May 9, 2018 06:30 1248 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2d1151 2 Business #Japan,#Ireland,#pharmaceutical,#industry,#Takeda,#Shire Free Takeda Pharmaceutical agreed to buy London-listed Shire for 45.3 billion (US$62 billion) on Tuesday, the biggest yet in a wave of deals sweeping the drugs industry. Assuming it wins the backing of shareholders, the deal will be the largest overseas purchase by a Japanese company and propel Takeda, led by Frenchman Christophe Weber, into the top 10 rankings of global drugmakers. The tie-up crowns a hectic few months of M&A activity as big drugmakers, including Novartis and Sanofi, have brought in promising medicines developed by younger firms. The enlarged group will be a Japanese national champion in pharmaceuticals and a leader in gastroenterology, neuroscience, oncology, rare diseases and blood-derived therapies, used for serious conditions such as hemophilia. Shire has profitable businesses selling drugs for hyperactivity and rare disorders but the size of the deal will make Takeda one of the most indebted drugmakers, prompting Standard & Poors to warn of a potential credit downgrade. To pay off debts quickly, Takeda plans to slash thousands of jobs and cut back on duplicated drug research. The deal, struck on the last day Takeda had to make a firm bid, is around 46 percent cash and 54 percent stock, leaving Shire shareholders owning around half of the combination. Shire had rejected four previous offers, due to price concerns and the fact that the Japanese company is proposing to pay for much of the acquisition in stock. Shire investors will receive $30.33 in cash and either 0.839 new Takeda shares or 1.678 Takeda American depositary shares for each share, valuing the offer at 48.17 a share based on the latest price and exchange rate. That is a 60 percent premium to the price before Takeda first declared its interest six weeks ago. Shires shares were trading 4 percent up on the previous close at just over 40 pounds by 1230 GMT, still well below the agreed price and indicating that some uncertainty remains. I think it is a good deal for Shire shareholders but not everybody may think that. However, the risk is that if shareholders vote this down then the shares are going to go down a lot, said Polar Capital fund manager Dan Mahony, who owns both Shire and Takeda stock. The deal must get the support of 75 percent of Shires voting shareholders. While some of them do not want to hold Takeda paper, Weber told reporters he believed most would accept. Their board and our board is confident that both shareholders will see the benefit of the acquisition, he said. Jefferies analysts said they expected the shares to trade at a relatively wide discount to the offer, given the large stock component and the fact the deal is not expected to close until the first half of 2019. The transaction also needs two-thirds approval from Takeda shareholders. Weber became Takedas first non-Japanese CEO in 2015 and has been hunting for acquisitions to make the company more global and reduce its exposure to a mature Japanese pharmaceutical market. Prior to his arrival, Takeda bought Nycomed for $14 billion in 2011 in its previous biggest deal. Last year Weber bought US cancer specialist Ariad Pharmaceuticals for $5 billion. Buying Shire is a big financial stretch for Takeda but Weber believes it will generate substantial cash flow, enabling the enlarged group to pay down its borrowings quickly. Takeda said $30.1 billion in bridge loan financing would be replaced with a combination of long-term debt, hybrid capital and available cash ahead of completion, without providing a breakdown. The Japanese company predicts annual cost synergies of at least $1.4 billion three years after completion, including $600 million in research and development costs, and the deal is expected to boost underlying earnings significantly from the first full year after closing. Jobs will go, with the groups combined 52,000 workforce likely to be reduced by 6-7 percent. The companies have a number of commercial, research and manufacturing overlaps, particularly in the United States. Takeda said it would maintain its global headquarters in Japan and evaluate consolidating Shires operations into Takedas in the Boston area, Switzerland and Singapore. Up to three Shire directors will join the board when the deal is completed and Takeda will retain the services of key staff, including Shire CEO Flemming Ornskov, who will get 200 percent of his 2018 annual salary and target bonus. Weber argued Takeda would be able to maintain its investment grade credit rating with a target of achieving a net debt to EBITDA ratio of 2.0 times or less in the medium term. The commitment to get down to two times EBITDA in three to five years really shows how cash-generative Shire is, said Polar Capitals Mahony. Some analysts have suggested Takeda could sell off certain Shire businesses to make the deal more manageable but Weber said gastroenterology, neuroscience, oncology, rare diseases and blood products were all important areas to be retained. There may, however, be opportunities to divest certain medicines falling outside these fields. There is 25 percent [of the portfolio] which is more isolated products. Some are doing very well, some less well. Thats where you could have some portfolio assessment and potentially some disposals, Weber said. Shire said last month it would be willing to recommend an offer from Takeda after it rejected four previous approaches. The company traces its roots back to 1986, when it began as a seller of calcium supplements to treat osteoporosis, operating from an office above a shop in Hampshire, southern England. Since then, it has grown rapidly through acquisitions to generate revenues of about $15.2 billion last year. But it has been under pressure in the past 12 months due to greater competition from generic drugs and debt from its widely criticized $32 billion acquisition of Baxalta in 2016. Takeda was advised by Evercore, J.P. Morgan and Nomura, while Shire worked with Citi, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Lisa Du and Jared S. Hopkins (Bloomberg) Tokyo/New York Wed, May 9, 2018 13:00 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2e382e 2 Business #Japan,#pharmaceutical,#Takeda,#Shire Free Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.s Chief Executive Officer Christophe Weber navigated rebuffs, critics and a plunging stock price to win a US$62 billion deal to acquire larger rival Shire Plc. Integrating the Japanese drugmaker -- which began by selling herbal therapies 237 years ago -- with the sprawling American company will be even more complicated. As the Osaka-based companys first foreign head, Weber is overseeing a dramatic makeover that will reshape Takeda into a global powerhouse with a plum suite of drugs for rare diseases. But it also leaves him with a pile of debt, and the task of bringing together two companies of different sizes, cultures and areas of focus in the drug industry. It will go through, Mick Cooper, a health-care analyst at Trinity Delta in London, said about the deal. But the challenge for Christophe Weber is now making sure the integration is done properly, done quickly and efficiently to make it a success. Otherwise youll have created a Japanese powerhouse that might not be remembered for the right reasons. Takeda investors were lukewarm on the news, with shares dropping as much as 4.9 percent in early trading in Tokyo on Wednesday before trading 2.7 percent lower at 1:53 p.m. local time. Shires stock jumped 4.6 percent in London trading Tuesday. Takeda secured a bridge loan facility of about $31 billion to help pay for its purchase of Shire, in what likely is the largest borrowing ever by a Japanese company for an acquisition. Weber said Tuesday he would consider selling some assets, and would pay down debt with the combined companys increased profits and cash resources. In an interview, Weber said that the drugmaker will generate a very significant cash flow, and thats also part of the equation. Takeda said pretax cost savings will reach at least $1.4 billion annually by the end of the third fiscal year, topping the expectations of some analysts. The company said the deal would add to earnings in its first fiscal year after completion. The deal comes at a time when Takeda faces drug-pricing pressures at home and as it has few promising experimental therapies of its own. The two combined pipelines create a rich pipeline in all stages -- early and late stage, which is very important, Weber said on a conference call, adding that the American company would help boost Takedas global footprint. Shires lineup of medicines for rare diseases will add to Takeda medicines like Entyvio for gastrointestinal conditions. When Takedas interest was first announced on March 28, the Japanese companys shares plunged even as Shires surged, giving it a larger market value than its acquirer. Many argued that the financing would be hard to come by. Shire spurned four offers from the Japanese company. But ultimately Weber prevailed, getting the bank loans and the backing of Shires board. Takeda has had mixed success with previous acquisitions. Its 2008 purchase of Millennium Pharmaceuticals brought in a string of new medicines. But Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc., which it bought last year, is set to face heavy competition in oncology, while its 2011 purchase of Nycomed A/S was an expensive way to get exposure to emerging markets, Morningstar analyst Karen Andersen said. Theres also the challenge of integrating Shire, which has itself been dealing with the difficulties of folding in the operations of Baxalta after buying it for about $32 billion in 2016. While the deal gave Shire a large franchise in hemophilia, it has failed to live up to expectations. Flemming Ornskov, Shires CEO and the architect of its expansion, will lead the company through the closing of the Takeda deal, according to the announcement of the transaction. Weber, 51, has long shown a willingness to jump into difficult situations. The Frenchman took the Takeda job despite early pushback from Japanese investors who were reluctant to have a foreign CEO. Im not at all an aggressive dealmaker, Weber said in the interview. You can say I am an aggressive partner. A former mountaineer, Weber grew up in the Alps near Geneva and has credited his youth for helping build strength of character. He was 15 and with his father when he died in an avalanche, he wrote in newspaper columns last year. That and the death of a younger brother helped shape him, he said. Many Japanese acquisitions abroad have gone sour as firms sought out targets with little regard to valuation or corporate cultures. Kirin Holdings Co. last year sold its Brazilian operations to Heineken NV for about $706 million, less than a quarter of the $3.9 billion the company purchased it for in 2011. Yet for many Japanese companies, cross-border deals remain attractive amid a slowing home market. Takeda didnt have pipelines and there was no solution after their current main products got off patent, said Naoki Fujiwara, chief fund manager for Shinkin Asset Management Co., which according to Bloomberg data holds Takeda shares. It was an option between waiting for a gradual decline or taking a risk and seeking growth. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 10:34 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2da9d0 1 City ahok,basuki-tjahaja-purnama,mako-brimob,riot,terror-attack,Depok,Islamic-State,ISIS,#MakoBrimobRiot Free Former Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who is serving a two-year sentence for blasphemy, is safe amid the riot that broke out on Tuesday evening at the Mobile Brigade Command (Mako Brimob) headquarters in Depok, West Java, his sister has said. Hes safe in Gods protection, Fifi Lety Indra, Ahoks younger sister and lawyer, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. Fifi, who is currently in Bangka Belitung, has said her mother would visit Ahok at the prison on Wednesday. We believe that he will be safe. We are praying for his safety, Fifi said, citing bible verse Psalm 91. Read also: BREAKING: Riot reported at Depok terrorist detention center Ahok has been detained at Brimobs Depok headquarters since May last year. The detention center at Brimob's Depok headquarters also holds a number of terrorist convicts. The detention center is under lockdown following a riot reportedly involving terrorist convicts on Tuesday evening. The National Police have announced that several police officers were injured during the riot but no fatalities have been reported. National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. M. Iqbal said at a press conference early Wednesday morning that the police were still handling the riot between officers and detainees at the Brimob headquarters. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kiyoshi Takenaka and Nobuhiro Kubo (Reuters) Tokyo Wed, May 9, 2018 15:53 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2f31c7 2 World China,Japan,South-Korea,North-Korea,Trade,nuclear-arsenal Free The leaders of China, Japan and South Korea agreed on Wednesday to cooperate in seeking peace on the Korean peninsula against the backdrop of historic diplomatic moves by North Korea and a push for the isolated country to give up its nuclear weapons. North Korea figured prominently in talks between the three leaders in Tokyo after South Korean President Moon Jae-in's historic meeting last month with the North's Kim Jong Un. Kim is expected to have a summit soon with U.S. President Donald Trump. Leaders of the three Asian powers, whose ties have at times been strained by territorial and historical disputes, also touched on economics, in the face of U.S. trade pressure on China and Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe praised efforts by Moon and China to engage North Korea and said further efforts on denuclearisation were essential. "We must take the recent momentum towards denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula and towards peace and security in Northeast Asia, and, cooperating even further with international society, make sure this is linked to concrete action by North Korea," Abe told a news conference after the meeting. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also attended the three-way summit, which was last held in Seoul in 2015. Moon said the three countries agreed to highlight unity as the two Koreas moved towards a permanent peace settlement. "Above all we reached the consensus that complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, a permanent peace settlement and improvement of South-North relations is very important for peace and prosperity of Northeast Asia," Moon said. In bilateral talks with Moon later on Wednesday, Abe expressed Japan's concern that pressure on North Korea might be lifted too early as a "reward" for its shutting down its nuclear test site or halting missile launches. Abe called for additional, specific action, a spokesman for South Korea's presidential office said in a Tokyo briefing. Moon assured Abe that no such steps would be taken without conferring with the United Nations, the United States and others. TRADE PRESSURE AND DEALS Trump's trade pressure on China and Japan, the world's second and third-largest economies, appeared to have had an impact as Li urged swifter discussions on regional free trade deals, such as a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership backed by Beijing. "We are all beneficiaries of free trade and even though various issues have emerged, these should not stand in the way," Li said. "Through actual behaviour, let's show that we three nations support engaging in free trade." Later, before a bilateral meeting as part of Li's state visit to Japan - the first such visit by a Chinese premier since 2010 - Abe said he wanted to raise bilateral ties to a new level and visit China later this year. China and Japan are set to strengthen economic ties by signing a currency swap deal during Li's visit. As the meeting's host, Abe has won an opportunity to project himself in a leadership role, and move beyond domestic woes such as suspected cronyism scandals, falling support rates and calls for his finance minister to quit. Japan fears it may be left out of North Korean negotiations, with Abe and Kim yet to set up a summit. In comments aimed at a domestic audience, Abe told the news conference Japan would normalise ties with North Korea if the issue of Japanese abducted by Pyongyang to train spies, a key plank of his political platform, was comprehensively resolved. 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 Sibanye Gold Ltd (c) Name of the party to the offer with which exempt principal trader is connected: Sibanye Gold Ltd (d) Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 08-May-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 - Lonmin 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: (2) Cash-settled derivatives: 2,777,516 0.123 2,601,522 0.115 (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: TOTAL: 2,777,516 0.123 2,601,522 0.115 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 Short Position 22,313 960.730 c Ordinary Shares Swap Closing a Long Position 89,910 960.730 c Ordinary Shares Swap Increasing a Short Position 141,371 969.150 c Ordinary Shares Swap Reducing a Long Position 45,453 965.000 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: 09-May-2018 Contact name: Sukant Roy 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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Depok Wed, May 9, 2018 19:48 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e3016df 1 National mako-brimob,terrorism,police,Densus-88,Depok,National-Police,Islamic-State,#MakoBrimobRiot Free Armed members of the Densus 88 anti-terrorism squad have surrounded the detention center at the National Polices Brigade Mobile headquarters (Mako Brimob) amid a standoff with Islamic State-linked prisoners who are reportedly holding a police officer hostage following a riot on Tuesday night. The convicts are known to be armed after they killed five police officers and seized their guns during the riot, the police said. The authorities are negotiating with the militants for the hostage's release. National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said they had not set a deadline in negotiating with the terror convicts. There are about 130 convicts in the cells, housed in blocks A, B and C. We have not set a deadline. The most important thing is that we reach an agreement, hopefully as soon as possible, Setyo told reporters on Wednesday afternoon. At least four people have been deployed to negotiate with the convicts, who are allegedly connected to Amman Abdurrahman, a leader of terrorist group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD). Amman is also being detained at the detention center. Asked why negotiations were taking a long time, Setyo said because some of the convicts demands were not acceptable. Setyo refused to say what the demands were, although unconfirmed reports said the militants were asking to meet local IS ideologue Aman Abdurrahman, who is currently on trial on terrorism charges. Setyo said the detention center was overcrowded, adding that they would review the facility after riot. The police claim that the riot was triggered by a simple issue of food that a relative of a convict brought from outside the prison for the inmate. (ahw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Christopher Jasper (Bloomberg) London Wed, May 9, 2018 14:30 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2eccfc 2 Business #airlines,#Emirates,#profit,#AviationIndustry Free Emirates Group boosted full-year profit 67 percent as the worlds biggest long-haul airline scrapped lower-margin flights and benefited from a revival in Middle East travel demand. Net income increased to 4.11 billion dirhams (US$1.1 billion) in the 12 months ended March 31, with sales advancing 8.1 percent to 102 billion dirhams, the Dubai-based company said in a statement Wednesday. Emirates has responded to its first annual earnings decline for five years in fiscal 2017 by paring frequencies to destinations including the US. While the higher price of crude has spurred demand from the Persian Gulfs oil-based economies, a pilot shortage weighed on operations in the second half. "We saw the gradual recovery of economic activity in key markets which drove a strong uptick in airfreight activity and, to a lesser extent, a rise in air travel and tourism demand," Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said. "Business conditions, while improved, remained tough." A pilot pinch threatens to compromise the carriers emergence from the toughest operating conditions in a three-decade history thats seen it become an industry heavyweight by using the position of the Gulf at a natural crossroads for inter-continental flights. For Emirates, surging oil prices in the second half of our financial year increased our operating costs, Sheikh Ahmed said in the statement. It also stoked the embers of economic recovery which contributed to better seat load factors and a modest climb in yields. Earnings at other Gulf operators remain under pressure. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Aviation Group is shrinking operations after a $1.87 billion loss in 2016 and Qatar Airways said it suffered a significant loss in the year through March after a Saudi-led embargo forced the scrapping of some routes and the diversion of others. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 18:57 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e3000f8 4 Business financial-information-access-taxation-purposes,case-review,government,victory Free The Constitutional Court rejected on Wednesday a petition against Law No. 9/2017 on access to financial information for taxation purposes. The court maintained the Taxation Directorate General's right to access to information on bank accounts. The petition was submitted by Fernando Manulang, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia. The court rules that the plaintiff's arguments are all baseless, according to the law. Therefore, the court rejects the plaintiffs demand, said the presiding judge, Anwar Usman, when reading out the verdict in Jakarta on Wednesday as reported by kontan.co.id. One member of the panel of judges, Maria Farida Indrati, said the plaintiffs argument that Law No. 9/2017 contravened Article 1, Paragraph 29 of Law No 28/2007 on the general taxation system could not be accepted because the two laws had different scopes. Maria said Law No. 9/2017 was aimed at fulfilling a requirement for access to financial information in international taxation treaties that the government had signed with other countries. Meanwhile, Saldi Isra, another judge, said the plaintiffs argument that the Taxation Directorate General did not have the right to access information on bank customers' accounts also did not have a legal basis. Saldi said the right was stipulated in Financial Ministry Regulation No. 212/PMK.01/2017 on the organization and working procedures of the Financial Ministry. Article 2 of Law No. 9/2017 is in line with the duties of the Taxation Directorate General to implement its function in the taxation sector, he added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Tokyo, Japan Wed, May 9, 2018 13:22 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2e57be 2 World Japan,China,panda,diplomacy,ibis Free China has famously used its cuddly panda bears as a diplomatic tool, but to mark warming ties with Japan it is offering a distinctly more angular gift: two crested ibises. To some, the bird might not appear much of a looker: it has a bright red face with a long narrow beak that curves downward, and its eponymous crest resembles the wispy white mullet of an ageing rocker. But after Japan's last wild crested ibis died in 2003, rendering the species extinct in its homeland, the country has looked abroad to reintroduce the fowl. Visiting Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang is expected to sign a deal to deliver a pair of the birds when he meets with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe later on Wednesday. They will be the first ibis offerings from China in years, after Beijing began helping reintroduce the species to Japan with several donations over a decade ago. Japan is now home to several hundred crested ibises, descended from just a handful of gifts, but environmentalists fear that the population's undiverse heritage may leave it vulnerable to disease. The crested ibis has a storied history in Japan, appearing in artwork and literature going back centuries, and it was once so common it was even considered a pest. But it was heavily hunted for its white feathers and its meat, and even its designation as a protected species failed to stop development that wiped out its natural habitats. While the feathered gifts have garnered plenty of local media attention and will be warmly welcomed by conservationists, Japan will be missing out on a more iconic Chinese diplomatic gift. Local media reported that Japan was hoping Beijing would loan it several giant pandas for zoos in Kobe and Sendai, but an agreement was apparently not reached in time for Li's visit. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 15:22 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2f1311 4 Business INKA,Train,locomotive-less-trains,Jakarta-Surabaya-medium-speed-railway Free State-owned train manufacturer PT Industry Kereta Api (PT Inka) has said the company is ready to manufacture engine-less trains that can run up to 160 kilometers per hour along the planned medium-speed train (MST) railway from Jakarta to Surabaya. PT Inka corporate secretary I Ketut Astika said the train would have a driver's compartment at each end, but no engine car. The company had the capacity to manufacture both diesel-powered and electric trains, Ketut said on Tuesday in Surakarta, Central Java, as quoted by kompas.com. He said Inka had nearly completed the conceptual design for the train, which would be adjusted to meet the specifications of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI). In principal, we already have the bogie [wheel truck] for a train that runs 160 kilometers per hour, he said, adding that the body of the MST would be aerodynamic to support faster speeds. Meanwhile, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the government had accepted the Japanese government's proposal on a 748-kilometer railway project with an estimated Rp 60 trillion (US$4.25 billion) in total investment. Kalla expressed the hope that construction on the project would start in early 2019. We [Indonesia and Japan] only needs to establish a joint team of experts to [calculate] the funds needed for the project, Kalla said as quoted by kontan.co.id. The project is to be financed primarily through a soft loan from the Japanese government that carries a 40-year tenor, 10-year grace period and 0.5 percent interest. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 14:51 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2eebd1 1 National HTI Free The 10 November Institute of Technology (ITS) in Surabaya, East Java, has questioned three of its lecturers for allegedly supporting the disbanded Islamist group, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI). The ITS administrators questioned the three lecturers, Daniel M. Rosyid, Andi Rahmadiansah and Lukman Noerochim, after they appeared in a photograph that circulated on social media along with posts expressing support for HTI while slamming the group's disbandment. The ITS ensured that the lecturers' views were personal and did not represent the institution, because the university had an obligation to abide by all government policies and regulations. The ITS is currently questioning the three lecturers in accordance with regulations, ITS rector Joni Hermana said on Tuesday in a press statement. The ITS is consistent in following the stance and all decisions of the government, it said. Daniel denied all allegations, kompas.com reported. Some social media posts contained the #DukungHTIuntukIslam (Support HTI for Islam) and #HTILayakMenang (HTI should have won) hashtags, the latter referring to the Jakarta State Administrative Court's (PTUN) decision on Monday to uphold the government ban on the group. The court rejected on Monday a petition HTI sympathizers filed to challenge the governments July 2017 decision to disband the group and revoke its legal entity status, as its activities went against the Pancasila state ideology. The courts ruling sparked another wave of debate on social media, reflected in the trending Twitter hashtags. The HTI's supporters have urged the group to file an appeal and have labeled those who did not support HTI as people "who are against God". Meanwhile, the anti-HTI camp called HTI a radical group and argued that the state did not need HTI. (swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hiroshi Hiyama and Sara Hussein (Agence France-Presse) Tokyo, Japan Wed, May 9, 2018 07:00 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2d50a4 2 World Japan,South-Korea,North-Korea,China,US,Korean-peninsula,denuclearization,summit,diplomacy Free East Asia's major powers meet in Tokyo on Wednesday to search for common ground on North Korea, while Washington's top diplomat was also expected in Pyongyang, as a breakneck diplomatic dance gathers pace. With the focus on the North exposing differences among its neighbors, the leaders of Japan, South Korea and China will be seeking a lowest-common-denominator agreement in the wake of a historic summit last week between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in. After years of isolation and sanctions prompted by its missile and nuclear program, Pyongyang's relationship with the outside world has rapidly warmed, to the point where Kim could meet United States President Donald Trump over the next few weeks. Trump announced late Tuesday that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on his way to Pyongyang for talks ahead of the planned summit. "We think relationships are building with North Korea. We will see how it all works out. Maybe it won't. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea and the entire world," Trump said in a televised address from the White House. Pompeo, who met Kim in Pyongyang about a month ago while still director of the CIA, left Washington on Monday night with a delegation of senior officials, bound first for Japan, then North Korea. Earlier Tuesday, Kim held talks with China's Xi Jinping -- their second meeting in six weeks -- in which the North's leader reiterated a commitment to denuclearization. Kim's unannounced trip to the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian highlights efforts by the Cold War-era allies to mend relations that cooled as Beijing supported United Nations sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Beijing, long the North's sole ally and economic buttress, has appeared eager to remain a key player in negotiations over Pyongyang's weapons program. In comments published on North Korea's official KCNA news agency, Kim said "he would advance hand in hand with the close Chinese comrades in the long historic course of achieving peace and prosperity in the Korean peninsula". Denuclearization debated Japan, which has by far the most hardline position of the North's neighbors, has been left watching from the sidelines, uneasy at the pace of events and at what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards Pyongyang. In announcing the three-way summit, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he hoped to "thoroughly discuss how we can have North Korea walk on a right path, resolve the abduction, missile and nuclear issues and create a bright future." The historical kidnapping of at least a dozen citizens by North Korean spies remains an emotive issue in Japan. Abe is likely to push for continued pressure on Pyongyang, including for "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization", Japanese media have reported. South Korea's President Moon, however, is expected to bat away such demands. An official in his office last week said Seoul wanted the three countries to simply endorse the Panmunjon Declaration signed by Kim and Moon last month in the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas. In an interview with Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun published Tuesday, Moon said he hoped for "Japan's active support and cooperation on the future road toward the settlement of permanent peace on the peninsula, as well as for the success of the US-North Korea summit meeting." China has welcomed the Panmunjon Declaration and pledged its support for a formal end to the state of war that persists on the Korean peninsula. That all leaves the leaders -- which includes Chinese Premier Li Keqiang -- looking for a formula that no one can take issue with. "Japan may simply say that it wouldn't be prudent to just get all excited and automatically lift sanctions," said Hajime Izumi, expert on northeast Asia and North Korea at Tokyo International University. "China and South Korea won't be able to voice outright disagreement with that." Despite huge and important trading relationships, ties in Northeast Asia have long been fraught, weighed down by historical grievances and squabbles over territory. Moon's visit will be the first by a South Korean president to Japan in over six years, with Li the first Chinese premier to visit in nearly eight years. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9 2018 Meet and greet: President Joko Jokowi Widodo (center in white shirt) meets with fishermen at the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday. During the meeting, Jokowi called on the fishermen to cease using cantrang (seine nets) because of environmental concerns. (JP/Seto Wardhana) Since early in his political career, President Joko Jokowi Widodo has painted himself as a down-to-earth leader with a hands-on style of governance, a combination which has earned him high electability among the public. On Tuesday, in what analysts have described as yet another attempt by Jokowi to boost his popularity ahead of his reelection bid next year, the President reinforced his image as a man of the people by engaging with groups of wong cilik, or ordinary people, at the State Palace. Jokowi invited truck drivers and fishermen from across the country in two sep... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 10:38 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2db000 1 Business Bulog,barcode-system,commodity,monitoring,Ramadhan-2018 Free In a bid to ensure the availability of food stocks ahead of the Ramadhan fasting month starting next week, the government has introduced the use of a barcode system to monitor an online database of commodities. The system was launched on Sunday. State Logistics Agency (Bulog) president director Budi Waseso said on Tuesday that the system could prevent hoarding. The use of barcodes is to control the sales of commodities. The system will detect anyone who buys too much [of a certain commodity], he said. The system operates just like in the [modern] retail market. There are at least five main commodities under Bulogs supervision; rice, meat, sugar, fish and soybeans. Medium-quality rice was the cheapest on the market, Budi said, adding that it could even be lower than the price ceiling decided on by the Trade Ministry last year of Rp 11,000 (78 US cents) per kilogram on average. We can change any regulations as long as it is for the benefit of society, he argued. Apart from introducing the barcoded 5 and 10 kilogram packages of medium-quality rice, Bulog also introduced smaller packages of 200-gram medium quality rice to be sold at small kiosks, he added. Meanwhile, to ensure the distribution of rice across the country, Budi said that the agency had teamed up with regional governments, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri). During the holy month, the problem of food scarcity usually emerges because of foul play by suppliers seeking to disrupt distribution to get higher prices. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 13:19 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2e55a8 1 National mako-brimob,terrorism,Islamic-State,police,Depok,#MakoBrimobRiot,prison-riot,IS,National-Police Free The Islamic State (IS) has claimed its fighters are engaged in a standoff with the nation's anti-terror squad at the National Police's Mobile Brigade headquarters' (Mako Brimob) detention center in Depok, West Java, according to an intelligence group monitoring extremists on social media. The East Asia Division of the Islamic State reported on the ongoing clashes inside the Depok city prison [] and provided photos of fighters and seized weapons, SITE Intelligence Group said on its website. A video of alleged terror convicts pledging their allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) movement and photos of seized weapons and what appeared to be the body of a dead police officer had been circulating online. The Jakarta Post was unable to verify the authenticity of the video or the photos. Police have confirmed there was a clash between detainees and security officials at Brimob headquarters detention center, which houses imprisoned IS militants, but denied reports of fatalities during the incident. A top terrorism analyst has given credibility to IS claim. "I think you can safely say that pro-ISIS Indonesians are behind [the incident]," said Sidney Jones, director of Jakarta-based Institute of Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC), on Wednesday. "But they've been causing trouble for some time at [Mako Brimob]." National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto did not respond to numerous calls from the Post on Wednesday morning. The clash at Mako Brimob detention center took place just one day after the National Police apprehended three individuals in Bogor, also in West Java, for allegedly plotting a string of attacks on police stations in three different locations across the conservative province. (ahw) (All amounts expressed in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise stated) TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Torex Gold Resources Inc. (the "Company" or "Torex") (TSX:TXG) reported today the Companys financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. Fred Stanford, President & CEO of Torex stated: The Torex team has been tested and strengthened by the challenges that we have managed in the past six months. With those challenges now behind us and with a strong Q1 as a foundation, our eyes are now lifted to the horizon and the opportunities ahead of us to create shareholder value. 2018 promises to be a catalyst rich year, with near term advances in throughput, SART plant start-up, Sub-Sill ramp-up, exploration results, in-fill results at Media Luna, an updated PEA for Media Luna, and advances in underground mining technology that we have been working on. We all look forward to getting on with delivering on these value creating opportunities. This release should be read in conjunction with the Company's March 31, 2018 Financial Statements and MD&A on the Company's website or on SEDAR. HIGHLIGHTS The processing plant was restarted under the illegal blockade (the Blockade). The team delivered a strong operating performance. Gold produced totalled 67,167 ounces in Dore, and an additional 8,887 ounces in carbon fines. totalled 67,167 ounces in Dore, and an additional 8,887 ounces in carbon fines. Mine production , 3,079 kt, averaged 41,053 tpd. Mine ore production , 571 kt, averaged 7,613 tpd. , 3,079 kt, averaged 41,053 tpd. , 571 kt, averaged 7,613 tpd. Average grade mined was 3.29 gpt. was 3.29 gpt. Plant throughput , 785 kt, averaged 10,467 tpd, or 75% of design capacity of 14,000 tpd. , 785 kt, averaged 10,467 tpd, or 75% of design capacity of 14,000 tpd. Average grade processed in the quarter of 3.13 gpt. in the quarter of 3.13 gpt. Gold recovery averaged 87%, consistent with design expectations. averaged 87%, consistent with design expectations. SART plant construction is on track to be fully operational at the beginning of July 2018. is on track to be fully operational at the beginning of July 2018. Sub-Sill mining was restarted in March 2018, one month ahead of schedule. was restarted in March 2018, one month ahead of schedule. Principal repayment of $9.3 million was made to reduce the Term Loan under the Debt Facility to $290.7 million. Subsequent to the end of the first quarter of 2018, the blockade ended and full access has been restored On April 6, 2018, after a negotiation with community leaders that the Company was not a party to, the supporters of the Miners Union (Los Mineros) ended the Blockade. On April 10, 2018, the Company received notification from the Federal Labour Board that the Miners Union had withdrawn their application to challenge and to become the legally constituted union for the Companys union-eligible employees. In April 2018, plant throughput was constrained as mine production transitioned to the El Limon Pit, which had been unavailable during the Blockade. Starting in May, and for the rest of the year, plant throughput is expected to average 12,500 tonnes per day. Financial results Net income totalled $10.2 million, or $0.12 per share, on a basic and diluted basis. totalled $10.2 million, or $0.12 per share, on a basic and diluted basis. Adjusted net earnings 1 totalled $6.6 million, or $0.08 per share on a basic and diluted basis. totalled $6.6 million, or $0.08 per share on a basic and diluted basis. Earnings from mine operations totalled $18.8 million. totalled $18.8 million. Cash flow from operations totalled $52.5 million. totalled $52.5 million. Revenue totalled $84.0 million and cost of sales totalled $65.2 million, or $1,036 per ounce of gold sold. totalled $84.0 million and totalled $65.2 million, or $1,036 per ounce of gold sold. Gold sold for the first quarter of 2018 totalled 62,906 ounces for total proceeds of $83.7 million at an average realized gold price 1 of $1,331 per ounce. for the first quarter of 2018 totalled 62,906 ounces for total proceeds of $83.7 million at an of $1,331 per ounce. Cash balances as at March 31, 2018 totalled $124.4 million (including restricted cash of $13.9 million). as at March 31, 2018 totalled $124.4 million (including restricted cash of $13.9 million). Total cash costs 1 of $730 per ounce of gold sold. of $730 per ounce of gold sold. All-in sustaining costs (AISC)1 of $954 per ounce of gold sold. Grade and tonnage continue to reconcile well to the reserve model for the ELG Open Pits Total ounce reconciliation of 106% to the reserve model for the quarter. of 106% to the reserve model for the quarter. Grade reconciliation of 96% to the reserve model for the quarter. Financing On January 29, 2018, the Company announced that it had entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters led by BMO Capital Markets, under which the underwriters agreed to purchase, on a bought deal basis, 4,370,000 common shares at a price of C$12.60 per common share for gross proceeds of approximately C$55.0 million (the Offering). The Offering closed on February 7, 2018 and resulted in aggregate net proceeds of C$58.5 million to the Company. As part of the Offering, the underwriters partially exercised their over-allotment option and purchased an additional 12% of the Offering with the remainder of the over-allotment option being exercised and closing on February 16, 2018, for aggregate net proceeds of C$60.0 million to the Company. The maiden ELG Underground mineral reserves and mine plan was declared in the first quarter of 2018 The ELG Underground mine plan includes 29 months of production, delivering 480 kt at 11.65 gpt containing 180,000 gold ounces. Total capital required is $23.0 million, with the majority in the first year. includes 29 months of production, delivering 480 kt at 11.65 gpt containing 180,000 gold ounces. Total capital required is $23.0 million, with the majority in the first year. Step-out exploration drilling for the Sub-Sill zone continued to demonstrate the potential to add resources, with high-grade intercepts beyond the boundaries of the current mine plan. continued to demonstrate the potential to add resources, with high-grade intercepts beyond the boundaries of the current mine plan. ELG Open Pit mineral reserves and resources remain largely unchanged, except for depletion. 1 Refer to Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures in the Companys March 31, 2018 Managements Discussion and Analysis for further information and a detailed reconciliation. Qualified Persons Scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dawson Proudfoot, P.Eng., Vice President, Engineering of Torex Gold Resources Inc. and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Conference Call The Company will host a conference call today at 9:00 am (ET) where senior management will discuss the first quarter of 2018 operational and financial results. Access the conference call as follows: Webcast access: A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the Companys website at www.torexgold.com . Telephone access: Please call the numbers below approximately ten minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call. Toronto local or international 1 (416) 915-3239 Toll-Free (North America) 1 800-319-4610 Toll-Free (France) 0 800-900-351 Toll-Free (Switzerland) 0-800-802-457 Toll-Free (United Kingdom) 0 808-101-2791 The webcast will be archived on the Companys website. About Torex Torex is an intermediate gold producer based in Canada, engaged in the exploration, development and operation of its 100% owned Morelos Gold Property, an area of 29,000 hectares in the highly prospective Guerrero Gold Belt located 180 kilometers southwest of Mexico City. The Companys principal assets are the El Limon Guajes mining complex (the ELG Mine Complex), comprised of the El Limon, Guajes and El Limon Sur open pits, the El Limon Guajes underground mine including zones referred to as Sub-Sill, El Limon Deep and 71, and the processing plant and related infrastructure, which is in the commercial production stage as of April 1, 2016, and the Media Luna deposit, which is an early stage development project, and for which the Company issued a preliminary economic assessment in 2015. The property remains 75% unexplored. For further information, please contact: TOREX GOLD RESOURCES INC. Fred Stanford President and CEO Tel.: (647) 260-1502 Email: fred.stanford@torexgold.com Gabriela Sanchez Vice President Investor Relations Tel.: (647) 260-1503 Email: gabriela.sanchez@torexgold.com CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Notwithstanding the Company's efforts, there can be no guarantee that the Company will not face unforeseen delays or further disruptions of its operations. Forward-looking information also includes, but is not limited to, the expected successful completion of the ramp-up, completion of the SART plant, completion of the ramp-up of the processing plant and the Sub-Sill, exploration results from the Sub-Sill and the completion and timing of an updated PEA for Media Luna and the related in-fill drilling program, the expected production from the ELG Underground mine plan and related capital requirements, and continued safety and security. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will be taken", "occur", or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, without limitation, those risk factors identified in the Company's annual information form and management's discussion and analysis. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management, made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 11:36 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2df64f 1 National mako-brimob,Depok,IS,sidney-jones,terror-attack,terrorism,#MakoBrimobRiot,Islamic-State,prison-riot,National-Police Free On Tuesday evening, a riot broke out at the National Polices Mobile Brigade (Mako Brimob) detention center in Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java. The location is currently under lockdown, causing heavy traffic, according to kompas.com. Early reports stated that a shooting had occurred during the incident and that an undetermined number of personnel from the polices counterterrorism squad Densus 88 may have been killed, although the claims remain unconfirmed. Pictures showing inmates holding firearms have circulated on social media, as well as tweets saying that terrorist group Islamic State (IS) had claimed responsibility for the riot. Here is what we know so far: What happened? On Tuesday evening, journalists began receiving reports of a riot involving terrorist convicts at Mako Brimob. National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. M. Iqbal confirmed the news nearing midnight, saying that the police were still handling the situation. After midnight, pictures began circulating on social media, depicting several detainees holding firearms, a black IS flag, nursing wounds and holding hostages. IS Reports Ongoing Clashes Inside Prison in Jakarta, Provides Photos of Fighters and Seized Weapons https://t.co/GwGCEzwtZ2 SITE Intel Group (@siteintelgroup) May 8, 2018 Mako Brimob and surrounding areas were secured and civilians were prohibited from coming closer to the area. Brimob officers began to secure the surrounding streets, extending extra security to a nearby church and hospital. A hostage situation is reportedly still ongoing, although it has not been confirmed. What sparked the riot? According to the Jakarta Police, the riot started as early as 19.30. One of the detainees asked for food that had been brought by a family member, but the food was kept by another police officer. The detainee became upset and provoked others to protest and began rioting, starting in Block B and C. They broke down the walls and prison bars and went to the investigators room, where they began assaulting officers investigating new detainees. Police officers cordon off a road in front of the Police Mobile Brigade headquarters (Mako Brimob) in Depok, West Java, on Wednesday morning following a riot inside the Mako Brimob detention center. (Kompas.com/Abba Gabrillin) Who are the detainees at Mako Brimob? The detainees at the Mako Brimob detention center are terrorist suspects and convicts. Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who is serving a two-year sentence for blasphemy, is detained there for security reasons. His sister and former personal assistant confirmed his safety. Ahok is currently detained in a different block to the terrorist suspects and convicts. Have there been any casualties? Brig. Gen. M. Iqbal said at a press conference early Wednesday morning that there had been no fatalities, but that several police officers had been injured. Four injured police officers were brought to the nearby Bhayangkara Hospital, as reported by detik.com. He asked the public not to trust any information or photographs circulating on social media. A tweet mentioned that IS had claimed to have killed 10 personnel from Densus 88. On Wednesday afternoon, the police have announced that five Mobile Brigade (Brimob) members have been killed while another officer is being held hostage. One terror detainee was also killed during the incident after making repeated threats and attempting to steal a police weapon. Is IS really involved? IS often claims responsibility for terrorist attacks across the globe, but its involvement in this riot has not been confirmed. A video circulated online shows detainees supposedly at Mako Brimob pledging loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Previously, a smaller riot broke out in November 2017 and there were reports that the police had found a black IS flag inside a cell. However, National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Syafruddin dismissed the report, as reported by kompas.com. Terrorism expert from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) Sidney Jones confirmed that pro-ISIS Indonesians might be behind the riot, as they've been causing trouble for some time at [Mako Brimob]. What happened since Wednesday afternoon? On Wednesday night, armed members of the Densus 88 anti-terrorism squad have surrounded the detention center. At least four people have been deployed to negotiate with the convicts. The hostage was released late at 2 a.m. on Thursday morning in exchange for food, the police said. All 155 prisoners were immediately transferred to Nusakambangan prison island. The hostage, Snr. Brig. Iwan Sarjana, is a member of Densus 88. He had injuries and bruising to his face and body. Five police officers who were killed have been given posthumous promotions for their service. A police report seen by The Jakarta Post shows that four of the dead officers had deep wounds to their necks. Only one victim was found to have a bullet wound to the head. The House of Representatives is considering increasing the National Polices budget next year to empower the institution. President Joko Jokowi Widodo underlined that the state and the people of Indonesia will not tolerate terrorism. The detention center has since been processed as a crime scene. Early indications suggest that the prisoners seized the killed officers weapons and obtained more by breaking into the evidence storage. The Islamic State (IS) previously claimed that prisoners involved in the riot were its "fighters", but police continue to deny any connection. A police officer, Chief Brig. Marhum Prencje, 41, was stabbed to death on Thursday night by an alleged terrorist Tendi Sumarno, 22, from Tanjung Siang in West Java, who was shot to death immediately after the stabbing incident. The court hearing scheduled for Friday morning in the terror trial of the most prominent ideologue in the Islamic State (IS) movement in Indonesia, Aman Abdurrahman, has been postponed for technical difficulties. Police have shot to death two suspected terrorists who were among four people traveling from Bandung to Mako Brimob on Thursday morning to help the rioting prisoners. The police warned of other terrorist groups monitoring the situation near Mako Brimob to kill police officers. Note: The story has been updated on Wednesday at 16.15 to include the number of casualties. The story has been edited on Friday at 16.30 to include some updates on what happened since Wednesday afternoon. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 14:45 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2edecd 1 City eviction,housing,military,South-Jakarta,protest Free Military personnel have evicted residents from houses in the Jakarta Military District Command (Kodam) Jaya housing complex in Tanah Kusir, South Jakarta, on Wednesday morning despite protests. The eviction has been deemed unjust by the residents as the dispute over the land is still being examined by the court. The military personnel began emptying the houses at 8 a.m. The residents could not approach the houses, with some 20 military personnel blocking the way. One resident argued with a military officer. [Tanah Kusir housing complex] is not a military housing complex theres no signpost mentioning this as a Kodam or Kostrad housing complex. [The housing] belongs to the residents, on of the residents told kompas.com, referring to the Jakarta Military Command (Kodam) and the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad). Another resident, Irfan, said the military personnel had conducted a forced eviction without prior notice. The land dispute case is still being processed by the court. Why are the military officers emptying our houses? he said. On Wednesday morning, dozens of residents burned tires on Jl. Arteri Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, to protest the planned eviction. The protest, which started at 5.50 a.m., caused traffic congestion around Pondok Indah Mall. Jl. Pondok Indah to Permata Hijau was also blocked by the residents. The traffic returned to normal around 9 a.m. (cal) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 17:02 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2fb39b 1 City eviction,South-Jakarta,housing,military,protest Free Jakarta Military Command (Kodam) Jaya is set to evict the occupants of 30 houses in a residential complex in Tanah Kusir, South Jakarta, despite an unruly protest by the occupants on Wednesday morning. Kodam Jaya logistics assistant Col. Tri Hascaryo said the houses were owned by the military. Neither military personnel nor former personnel lived in the houses, he said. Some of the houses were occupied by children of former personnel while others were rented to other parties, and the military intended to take possession of the houses once again, Tri said. There are 326 houses here and we will empty out 30 houses. Today, we will empty out 10 houses first, Tri said Wednesday according to kompas.com. Tri added that he hoped occupants who had received notices to vacate would leave the houses as soon as possible. The military has prepared rented houses in various areas in Jakarta for the evictees and pledged to pay the rent for the first month. Tri said military personnel would also accompany those who wanted to move to a rented house or another place by truck. On Wednesday morning, dozens of residents burned tires on Jl. Arteri Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, to protest the planned eviction, causing a traffic jam in the vicinity. Traffic returned to normal about 9 a.m. The residents deem the eviction unjust because the case is still being processed by the court. On March 13, the residents filed an appeal to contest the East Jakarta District Courts ruling that rejected their lawsuit against the military over land ownership. The legal process is ongoing, but the military is evicting them, the residents have said. (cal) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Vela Andapita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 14:00 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2ebdf2 1 City taxi-drivers,death,driving Free Two taxi drivers that reportedly died at the wheel on Tuesday add to a recent string of similar cases of people dying while driving in Greater Jakart. The Jakarta Police, through the forces Instagram account @tmcpoldametro, announced on Tuesday that they had found a Blue Bird taxi driver dead on the drivers seat on Jl. Antasari Raya in Kemang, South Jakarta. A photograph shows the taxi on the sidewalk. In a statement accompanying the post, the Jakarta Police identified the driver as 49-year-old Agung Hanggono, who is thought to have died at around 9 a.m. A witness, Public Facility Maintenance Agency (PPSU) worker Purwanto, told the police that he had been working near the scene when he saw Agungs taxi suddenly stop and move backward. Purwanto and local residents reportedly pushed the vehicle onto the sidewalk to prevent congestion in the area. Agung was reportedly carrying a foreigner on the back seat when the incident happened. The passenger reportedly exited the car and left after realizing that the driver was unconscious, said the statement. Blue Bird Group management, in a comment on the same Instagram post, expressed its condolences: We have contacted Agungs family and are working with the police and the hospital to investigate the cause of Agungs death. Also on Tuesday, a similar incident occurred in West Jakarta, where a taxi driver identified as Tamrin, 55, was found dead behind the wheel after driving on the Sedyatmo toll road. Kalideres Police chief Comr. Effendi said Tamrin, a resident of Kampung Ranca Gede in Tangerang, had been an employee of Gading Taksi. The taxi was heading from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to Jakarta. While Tamrin was driving, the car reportedly slowed down on the left lane of the toll road until it came to a standstill, Effendi said on Tuesday. The passengers [and witnesses, Rifai and Moh. Hadar] tried to alert Tamrin, but he was already unconscious, he added. Rifai and Hadar reportedly immediately called Jasa Marga toll road officials. Tamrins body was taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Central Jakarta. Police found no signs of violence on the victims body and suspect the victim died of natural causes. Several reports have emerged recently of drivers found dead on Jakarta roads. On April 27, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Police in Cengkareng, Banten, found a dead man identified as Amar behind the wheel of a car with the engine running parked at Terminal 1C. Airport police spokesman Second Insp. Prayodo said the 47-year-old probably died from gas poisoning. Another man, identified as Suyono, was found dead in the drivers seat of a car on the Tanjung Barat overpass in South Jakarta on April 24. He is believed to have died of exhaustion while driving. On April 8, a Blue Bird taxi driver identified as Aliudin was found dead after apparently passing away while parking his car at Kalideres Mall on Jl. Daan Mogot in West Jakarta. Police suspect Aliudin died from a heart attack. (ami) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 22:40 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e305de3 1 National mako-brimob,#MakoBrimobRiot,Islamic-State,IS,terrorism,prison-riot,National-Police Free Most of the police officers killed in a riot at the the National Polices Mobile Brigade headquarters (Mako Brimob) detention center in Depok, West Java, had their throats cut, the police have revealed. Of our five dead fellow officers, the majority were killed by having their throats cut, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Muhammad Iqbal told reporters on Wednesday evening in Jakarta. The wounds [on their necks] were very deep, Iqbal added. During the riot, which broke out on Tuesday night, several terrorist inmates at the detention center managed to seize weapons from police officers. At the time of writing, one other officer was reportedly still being held hostage and the Densus 88 antiterrorism squad was negotiating his release with the inmates. The police have not set any deadline in negotiating with the inmates. A police report seen by The Jakarta Post shows that four of the dead officers had deep wounds to their necks. Only one victim was found to have a bullet wound to the head. Asked whether this indicated that the riot had been coordinated by the Islamic State (IS) movement, police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto declined to answer. We leave it to you to conclude if these [killings] were humane. But we are sticking to the rule of law, we are prioritizing negotiation [with the inmates], Iqbal said. (swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 17:11 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2fc6b7 1 National mako-brimob,ISIS,Wiranto,Suhardi-Alius,Budi-Gunawan,#MakoBrimobRiot,National-Police,Depok,prison-riot Free Top national security officials including Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto, National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius, State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Budi Gunawan and Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto departed for the Mobile Brigade headquarters (Mako Brimob) in Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java, on Wednesday afternoon following a prison riot that killed five members of National Police Densus 88 counterterrorism squad. The officials left Wirantos office at around 2:30 p.m. on a bus headed for the National Monument (Monas) compound where a helicopter was on standby to fly them to Mako Brimob. "Its indeed a very urgent situation since some [people] have been killed," Wiranto told journalists before leaving. He, however, refused to provide further details. "This [incident] should be taken with caution because it is related to our national security." The Islamic State (IS) group claimed that its fighters were involved in the standoff, according to an intelligence group monitoring extremists on social media. Five Densus 88 members have been confirmed dead while another member is being held hostage. A terrorism convict has also been killed. The clash at the Mako Brimob detention center took place a day after the National Police apprehended three individuals in Bogor, West Java, for allegedly plotting a string of attacks on police stations at three different locations across the conservative province. (swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 21:37 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e30366c 1 National mako-brimob,families,terror-attack,#MakoBrimobRiot,National-Police,prison-riot Free Five members of the police's antiterrorism squad Densus 88 who were killed during a prison riot at the National Police's Mobile Brigade headquarters (Mako Brimob) in Depok, West Java, on Tuesday evening, have been given posthumous promotions for their service. The officers, identified by their new ranks as First Insp. Yudi Rospuji Siswato, Adj. Second Insp. Denny Setiadi, Brig. Fandy Setyo Nugroho, First Brig. Syukron Fadhli and First Brig. Wahyu Catur Pamungkas, have been promoted one rank higher than that held at the time of their deaths. The bodies of the slain officers, along with that of one of the prisoners who was also killed during the incident, were taken to the National Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, at noon on Wednesday. After an autopsy was carried out by a Disaster and Victim Identification (DVI) team, each body was handed over to the respective families for burial. Apart from the dead personnel, another Densus 88 officer, identified as Chief Brig. Iwan Sarjana is reportedly being held hostage in an ongoing standoff between the detainees, mostly terrorist suspects and convicts, and police at Mako Brimob. (swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 15:33 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2f170b 1 City East-Jakarta,toll-road,hanging-dead Free The body of a man was found hanging on a lamppost on the Jakarta Outer Ring Road (JORR) near Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta, around 11 p.m. on Tuesday. Officers of the East Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency, who had received a report from local residents at 12:05 a.m. on the discovery, immediately departed to the scene and recovered the body. East Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency operations chief Gatot Sulaiman said a toll road lane heading to Pondok Indah was closed during the recovery, and two fire trucks were deployed. He said he still did not know how the man could have come to be hanging from the lamppost on the toll road. Separately, Pasar Rebo Police chief Comr. Joko Waluyo said the man had allegedly committed suicide. He hung himself with a rope. He allegedly hung himself, because we saw no visible signs of [physical] violence on his body, Joko said as quoted by kompas.com. The preliminary investigation has identified the man as a resident of Kedawung Limpung Batang, Central Java. His name has not been released at this time. Joko said the body was taken to be examined at the National Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta. The police said they were investigating the case, and planned to question witnesses. (cal) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 13:04 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2e3b54 4 Business EU,CPO,imports,restriction,Luhut-Binsar-Pandjaitan,comments Free Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan has said Indonesia prefers to find peaceful ways to resolve a dispute over the planned palm oil restriction by the European Union (EU). We will not use retaliation as long as we can still attempt negotiation. But, if it is needed, it [retaliation] will be used as a last resort, Luhut said in Jakarta on Tuesday, as reported by kompas.com. He said the Indonesian government was now intensifying its diplomacy to persuade the EU not to go ahead with its plan to restrict crude palm oil (CPO) imports. On Jan. 17, the European Parliament revised its Renewable Energy Directive (RED) II, which, among other things, excludes CPO from the sources of the unions biofuels and bioliquids, starting in 2021. If the policy is approved by the European Commission and the European Renewable Energy Council, it will cause a significant decline in CPO imports by EU countries because one third of the CPO imported from Indonesia is used as biodiesel, Luhut added. The minister, however, added that there was still room for Indonesia to keep the open door for the union to accept Indonesia's major commodity. He said the Indonesian government was now talking with China to ensure that the country would increase its CPO imports from Indonesia to help improve Indonesians bargaining position in negotiations with the EU. Currently the European Union, the European Parliament and the European Renewable Energy Council is deliberating to make a decision on the issue. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bak Se-hwan (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Seoul/Cox's Bazar Wed, May 9, 2018 18:00 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2fdeb4 2 World #Bangladesh,#Rohingya,#MyanmarRohingya,#RohingyaCrisis,#CoxsBazar,#refugees,#RefugeeCrisis Free Fatema Begum, 18, vividly remembers one September morning last year when she was awakened by the sound of intense gunfire. Begum was in bed at her home in the coastal village of Inn Din, in the northern Rakhine state of Myanmar, when military vehicles moved in and troops began to surround the town. The sun rose and the military randomly fired at the houses. They dont care if someone gets shot. They used rocket launchers to take down houses. My family quickly got out of our house when we saw smoke and fire and heard gunfire from many directions. We saw soldiers shooting people who were running away, or entering houses to see if there was anyone, Begum told The Korea Herald. Women with children were the most victimized of all because they were not able to quickly escape and were caught, according to Begum. Then the military dragged them to an empty house and raped them brutally. They took one of my neighbors that way. A few days after hiding among the trees with little food or water, Begums family returned to their home. They saw decaying corpses in their backyard. They realized all human rights would be denied to them and they would continue to be discriminated against at their own home. The survivors decided to cross the Naf River in a boat to Shah Porir Dwip, Bangladesh, Begum said. She and her family belong to one of the most persecuted ethnic groups in the world today -- the Rohingya. That morning, 10 Rohingya Muslim men were massacred by Myanmar soldiers in what Rakhine State claims was part of lawful clearance operations that only targeted militants. More than 10,000 deaths have been reported as the result of Myanmars military campaign since Aug. 25, 2017, according to Doctors Without Borders. Families from Inn Din, a once tight-knit village burned to the ground on that September day, are now scattered across the worlds largest refugee camp, located in Bangladesh. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims live in the temporary camp in Coxs Bazar located on Bangladeshs southeastern coast, crammed into crowded shelters made of polythene or tarpaulin sheets. Rajuma Khatun, 23, lost his brother during the perilous travel to Bangladesh. It was 23rd of September when we started walking the western Maungdaw of Myanmar to cross the river, and it was a rainy day. It was me, my brother, Md Shofi and my parents. It took us 14 days to reach Maungdaw, avoiding being caught by the military. Those 14 days were the most dangerous days of my life. We ran out of food after three days and rest of the days we starved. On the way, my brother was lost and until now we havent found him, Khatun said. Both Khatun and Begum fear going back home. Haunted by their memories and stories of the mass killings and gang rape, the two said they dont want to suffer another loss of their loved ones. The Rohingya people must be guaranteed human rights, and without these guarantees, it is not possible for them to go back, they say. Children are standing in front of their temporary refugee camp set up at Coxs Bazar on the southeastern coast of Bangladesh, on April 16. (The Korea Herald/Bak Se-hwan) Despite the alleged state-sponsored destruction of hometowns and mass killings against the Muslim minority group in the majority Buddhist nation, Bangladesh and the United Nations are stepping up pressure on Myanmar to speed up repatriation. Bangladeshs Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said during a conference with foreign journalists on April 13 that his country cannot afford to take more refugees as it is already one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The upcoming monsoon season that is expected to cause mudslides and disease in the camp is yet another reason why the Bangladesh government is keen to see refugees to return home. But many refugees, including Khatun and Begum, are reluctant to return home, unsure whether there will be enough security there. The refugees also fear they would face concentration camp-like conditions upon returning to Myanmar. Myanmar Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye announced earlier in April that Rohingya would be sent to a transit camp for only about a month, while new villages are being built. Right now in the camp, they have shelter. They get food and household stuff like buckets, cooking materials and gas stove. And most importantly, they have a sense of security while staying here. This is not the right time to talk about sending them back home, not until conditions become favorable to Rohingyas in Myanmar, said an NGO worker in the Rohingya camp who asked not to be named. I think the Myanmar government should admit and take responsibility for ethnic cleansing against Rohingyas committed by its military. They must recognize them as rightful Myanmar nationals and come up with measures to stop any discrimination, since they have lost everything. And Bangladesh and the international community can pressure the country to do so, the NGO worker said. Above all, the world should give Rohingyas more help to ensure that they can lead a respected and dignified life when they return home, he said. Myanmars army chief, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, accused by the United Nations of ordering the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, denies the allegation. Separately, de facto President Aung San Suu Kyis government has blocked access to a separate UN investigation team, while the state of Rakhine remains off limits to journalists, with only carefully managed press tours allowed. Ibrahim, 26, another Rohingya Muslim who brought his wife and two daughters to the camp, said his dream is to return home safely with my family. Now Ive been here for more than six months. In my opinion, the hardest part about living in the camp here is that most of the time someone decides what you eat and where you can and cant go, Ibrahim said. I miss my neighborhood, I miss my neighbors, I miss my home made with bricks with iron sheeting roofs. I want to return home, I know it still remains a dream for now, Ibrahim added. I want no harm to my family, or to me. Topics : This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Dublin, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "The Market and Potential for CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary approach that enables rapid, economical model generation through precise genome editing. From better understanding of disease, to improved drug discovery, to gene-edited animals and food is not an exaggeration to say that every day, new studies continue to leverage the potential of CRISPR to generate novel strategies for modeling diseases and assessing therapeutic intervention. The tool is used in nature by bacteria to adapt to their environment. The researchers have studied this market and provide the most authoritative and current review of what is happening with these technologies and what revenues can be expected. This report consolidates the information and trends and provides reliable market estimates for CRISPR technology to 2023. As part of the report's coverage, it provides the following: Market Size and Forecast for CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing, 2017-2023 The Market for CRISPR/Cas9 by Region (N. Amer. EU, ROW), 2017-2023 Analysis of Growth Trend by Region Market by Application (Cancer Research, Non-Cancer Disease Research, Cancer Diagnostics, Infection Diagnostics, Plant, Food, Biofuel, Drug Discovery, Drug Development, Other) Growth Trend, U.S. Growth Trend, Outside U.S. Market by End User (Hospitals, University, Medical Research Institute, Government), 2017 Market by End User (Hospitals, University, Medical Research Institute, Government), 2023 Recent Technology and Market Developments and Medical Studies Partnerships Involving CRISPR Gene Editing Companies in the Market and Partnerships in Gene Editing: In 2018, more than 30 players participate in this market, from large multinational corporations to small, niche life sciences companies. Key players include Agilent, MilliporeSigma, GE Healthcare Dharmcon, GeneScript, Horizon Discovery Group, OriGene, ThermoFisher Scientific, Transposagen, and ToolGen. These companies develop and commercialize various products and services for each of the major gene editing technologies. The nature of CRISPR's complex technology requires partnerships between the developers of the technology and the healthcare concerns with distribution strength and a broader product base. These developments are outlined in the report. Recent Lawsuit and Industry Risk Analysis: Currently, one of the more significant factors in commercializing CRISPR-Cas9 as a viable therapeutic tool is the current legal battles surrounding the technology. The issue started when both the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and the Broad Institute of MIT (the Broad) both filed patents related to this technology. While there's been some resolution, the report provides an analysis of developments. Recent CRISPR Market Development: The most important funding source that fuels a market for research instrumentation is funding from the National Institutes of Health. The following table details grants for CRISPR-based projects, which in 2015 represented 267 million and in 2017 expanded to over 1 billion. Outside the U.S., there is additional research dollars. CRISPR-Cas9-based technologies have strongly increased genome engineering efficiencies in bacteria. This has enabled more rapid metabolic engineering of both the model host Escherichia coli and non-model organisms like Clostridia, Bacilli, Streptomycetes and cyanobacteria, opening new possibilities to use these organisms as improved cell factories. The discovery of novel Cas9-like systems from diverse microbial environments will extend the repertoire of applications and broaden the range of organisms in which it can be used to create novel production hosts. In December 2017, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics announced that the companies will co-develop and co-commercialize CTX001, an investigational gene editing treatment, as part of the companies' previously announced collaboration aimed at the discovery and development of new gene editing treatments that use the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. CTX001 represents the first gene-based treatment that Vertex exclusively licensed from CRISPR Therapeutics as part of the collaboration. GE Healthcare Dharmacon offers an arrayed synthetic form of CRISPR/Cas9 that allows many different assays (e.g., enzymatic, endpoint, secreted factors) to be performed without resorting to antibiotic selection, long time points, or cell splitting. The system designs at least four different guide RNAs per gene, according to the company, so that if the same effect is seen using all four of the guide RNAs for the same gene, then the results are more likely to be biologically relevant. January 2017, the FDA proposed draft guidance suggesting modifications intentionally introduced into animal genomes should be regulated in a manner comparable to new drugs, meaning developers would have to show efficacy, animal and human safety, and safety for the environment. In late April 2017, researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, other institutes and departments at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Harvard, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health published an article in Science entitled Nucleic acid detection with CRISPR-Cas13a/C2c2. In this article, they describe a CRISPR-based diagnostic (CRISPR-Dx) which they called Specific High-Sensitivity Enzymatic Reporter UnLOCKing (SHERLOCK). This platform combines the Cas13a enzyme (which targets RNA) with isothermal amplification. They authors used this platform to detect the Zika and Dengue virus, pathogenic bacteria, cell-free tumor DNA, and other genetic targets. The lead author for this paper is Feng Zhang, Ph.D. (Broad Institute), one of the pioneers in CRISPR research Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary Overview gRNA Enzyme NIH Grants for CRISPR Projects CRISPR/Cas9 NIH Projects by End User Industry Risk Analysis - Patent Landscape Impact of the Initial Ruling How Things Stand Now in the US How Things Stand in Europe Conclusions Other Recent CRISPR/Cas9 Developments The Market for CRISPR Equipment and Supplies Market by Geography Trends in Gene Editing Significant Partnerships in Gene Editing 2. CRISPR Products and Trends Overview Advantages and Disadvantages of CRISPR Recent Applications and Developments Malaria Control Gene-Edited Sheep for Regenerative Medicine Improved Vaccine Creation Obesity Control Epstein-Barr Virus Protein Coding Improving Chinese Herbs Identifying Drug Resistance Mutations Immune Therapies for Cancer Enabling Bacterial Cell Factories Muscular Dystrophy "Piggy Bac" Process for Stem Cells Clarity on Salmonella Ser. Kentucky Better Human Disease Models Editing of Bread Wheat Cancer Cell Phagocytosis Refining Gene Editing Companies in CRISPR Gene Editing Commercial Applications of Gene Editing Technologies Using CRISPR for Diagnostics Using CRISPR for Human Therapeutics Selected CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing Products CRISPR Companies Agilent Allele Biotechnology Applied Biological Materials Dharmacon DNA 2.0 GeneCopoeia GenScript Horizon Discovery Group, Plc Integrated DNA Technologies MilliporeSigma OriGene PNA Bio Santa Cruz Biotechnology System BioSciences Takara Bio (Clontech) ThermoFisher Scientific ToolGen TriLink Biotechnology 3. Gene Editing Market Analysis Market Analysis Commentary The Market for CRISPR Equipment and Supplies Market by Geography Growth Trend Growth Trend in North America and Europe Growth Trend in the Rest of the World Market by Application Market by End User 4. Gene Editing Partnerships Caribou Biosciences, Inc. Sangamo Biosciences Shire International Pfizer Inc. Bioverativ Inc. CRISPR Therapeutics Bayer Vertex Pharmaceuticals MaSTherCell Neon Therapeutics Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center CureVac AG Editas Medicine Allergan plc Adverum Juno Therapeutics Intellia Therapeutics Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Novartis Precision Biosciences BlueBird Biotechnologies Christiana Care's Gene Editing Institute The Wistar Institute NovellusDx Analytical Biological Services Casebia Therapeutics CRISPR Therapeutics and MaxCyte Seattle Children's Research CRISPR Therapeutics and CureVac AG Synthego Thermo Fisher Scientific Sarepta Therapeutics Homology Medicines GenScript Cellectis, Inc. Pfizer Servier Merck Twist Bioscience, Desktop Genetics AstraZeneca The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute The Innovative Genomics Initiative Thermo Fisher Scientific Broad Institute / Whitehead Institute Increasing Investments and Funding in Gene Editing Area to Augment Market Revenues Exonics Therapeutics Synthego Homology Medicines Editas Medicine Intellia Therapeutics CRISPR Therapeutics Poseida Therapeutics Recombinetics For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/lnvvgf/global_market_and?w=12 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Mogadishu Wed, May 9, 2018 23:51 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e306ccc 2 World Somalia,Women,patriarchy,adultery,death-penalty Free Shabaab militants stoned a Somali woman to death on Wednesday after an Islamic court sentenced her to the punishment for having married 11 men, the Al-Qaeda-linked group and witnesses said. According to witnesses the woman was publicly executed in the Sablaale district of the lower Shabelle region, some 250 kilometres (155 miles) from Mogadishu. The area is under control of the Islamist group. "The judge... said that the woman has confessed to the charges against her, that she married 11 husbands at the same time," read a statement carried on a pro-Shabaab website. Witnesses, who declined to be named, said a dozen hooded Shabaab fighters were involved in the stoning. According to the Shabaab statement, the 30-year-old mother of eight was arrested after two men argued over her, each claiming to be her legal husband. After her arrest the number of men claiming to have married her increased. "One of the husbands died and another divorced her, but nine others were still married to her," the statement added. Witnesses said the woman married the men secretly and that none of them were aware of her prior marriages. While a Somali man -- who can marry up to four wives -- sometimes marries secretly to hide a union from one of his other spouses, this is far less common among women. However it does occur that a woman will take a second husband without an official divorce, often for economic reasons. Soldiers from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) pushed the Shabaab out of the Somali capital in 2011, subsequently ousting them from other cities and towns. But the Islamists still hold sway in large parts of the countryside where they often carry out stonings for adultery. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Makassar, South Sulawesi Wed, May 9, 2018 11:33 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2dde74 1 National Unhas,Hasanuddin-University,Makassar,SBMPTN,university-entrance-test Free A participant of the computer-based Joint Entrance Test for State Universities (SBMPTN) held at the language center of Hasanuddin University (Unhas) in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday, was rushed to hospital after she was found to have given birth to a baby in a toilet on the campus. Unhas spokesperson Ishaq Rahman said the incident was discovered after Suri, a cleaning service officer, found the baby when she was about to clean the rest room at 12:30 p.m. local time. She heard a baby crying from inside the rest room. She searched to find where the sound was coming from and found the newly born baby in the toilet, said Ishaq. When he was found, the baby boy weighing only 1,400 grams was smeared in blood with the umbilical cord still attached to his body. A baby boy, born during a computer-based Joint Entrance Test for State Universities (SBMPTN), receives intensive medical treatment at University of Hasanuddin Hospital in Makassar, South Sulawesi. (JP/Andi Hajramurni) Ishaq said the SBMPTN committee officials were certain that the baby belonged to Ir, 18, one of entrance test participants, as she was reported to have spent around 1.5 hours in the toilet alone before the baby was found. In the middle of the test, she asked for permission from the test supervisors to go to the toilet, saying she had a stomach ache. Actually, no participants were allowed to leave the test venues before the exam was finished but it seemed she was really in pain so she was allowed to leave the room, said Ishaq. Ir admitted that the baby boy was her son. She and her baby are receiving treatment at Hasanuddin University Hospital, said Ishaq. The Tamalanrea Police are handling the case. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States Wed, May 9, 2018 09:56 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2d978e 2 World US,CIA,intelligence,espionage,China,moles,spy Free The US Justice Department announced Tuesday it had indicted a former CIA operative for spying for China, in a case that could be tied to the dramatic collapse of the CIA's China network eight years ago. Three years after he left the CIA in 2007, Jerry Chun Shing Lee took money from Chinese intelligence officers in exchange for information "relating to the national defense of the United States," the Justice Department said. Lee, 53, a naturalized US citizen who was at the time resident in Hong Kong, was given information requests by the Chinese agents and hid the cash payments he received. He was arrested in January. According to a warrant made public at the time, FBI agents had discovered in Lee's luggage, during a court-authorized search in 2012, notebooks with the names, contacts and other details on covert CIA employees and informants. In voluntary interviews with FBI agents in 2012, Lee, who spent 14 years at the CIA, admitted preparing a classified document for the Chinese agents. But nearly six years elapsed before he was arrested. Lee was charged Tuesday with one count of conspiracy to gather or deliver national defense information to aid a foreign government, and two counts of unlawfully retaining documents related to the national defense. Officials have not said why it took so long to bring charges against Lee, nor detailed what materials he gave to the Chinese agents. But the case takes place amid widespread concern in the US intelligence community that Beijing has been able to cripple their operations in China. The New York Times reported last year that starting in 2010, to the end of 2012, the Chinese killed "at least a dozen" sources the CIA had inside China and imprisoned six or more others. A hunt for a "mole" in the agency led to one person, a "former operative" now living elsewhere in Asia, the Times said. But there was not enough information to arrest him. But others in the agency blamed sloppy work and not a mole, the Times added. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 9, 2018 19:20 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e300cce 1 National terrorism,Islamic-State,IPW,mako-brimob,prison-riot,hostage,NetaSPane Free A police watchdog has questioned the transparency of the National Police in handling a riot and ongoing standoff between antiterrorism police officers and Islamic State (IS)-linked terrorism convicts at a high-security detention center in Jakarta's neighboring city of Depok, West Java. On Tuesday evening, a riot occurred at the National Police's Mobile Brigade headquarters (Mako Brimob) detention center in Kelapa Dua, Depok, with early reports stating that shots had been fired during the incident. Pictures showing inmates holding firearms have circulated on social media, as well as tweets saying that IS had claimed responsibility for the riot. Five members of the police's antiterrorism squad Densus 88 were killed in the riot and their bodies have been sent to the Kramat Jati Police Hospital in East Jakarta, while another officer is being held hostage by the detainees. One terrorism convict was also killed during the riot. The Jakarta-based Indonesian Police Watch (IPW) said it was "concerned with the situation at Mako Brimob" but criticized the slowness of the National Police to disclose to the public information about the riot, especially about the fatalities. "Five officers have been dead since 1 a.m. [Wednesday] yet their deaths were only announced to the public at 4 p.m. [Wednesday]," said IPW chairman Neta S. Pane in a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. "Previously, the police said there had been no fatalities during the chaos. This is not a transparent move from the police and is very odd," said Neta. "As of Wednesday afternoon, the police always claimed the situation was under control. But in fact the detention center is still occupied by the terrorism convicts and an officer still being held hostage." Neta added that the entire incident had raised concerns over the capability of the police's Brimob to secure "other parties' offices" or high-stake events like the upcoming regional elections in June. "With the turmoil at Mako Brimob detention center, it is time for National Police chief to evaluate the position of the Brimob commander to prevent such chaos from happening again at the detention center," said Neta. According to the Jakarta Police, the riot started as early as 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. One of the detainees had asked for food that had been brought by a family member, but the food was kept by another police officer. The detainee became upset and incited others to protest, after which rioting broke out. The detainees broke through the walls and prison bars and went to the investigators' room, where they began assaulting officers investigating new detainees. Sidney Jones, director of Jakarta-based the Institute of Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC), said on Wednesday that, "I think you can safely say that pro-ISIS Indonesians are behind" the riot, referring to the IS by another term. Mako Brimob detention center houses terrorism convicts and prominent figures like former Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, who was convicted for blasphemy after insulting Islam in 2017. The standoff between the police and the terrorism convicts was ongoing as of 5 p.m. on Wednesday. (ahw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Seoul Wed, May 9, 2018 20:06 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e301a95 2 World US,Donald-Trump,kim-jong-un,North-Korea,nuclear-arsenal,release Free Three Korean-Americans held by nuclear-armed North Korea have been released, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, and were heading home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Despite years of hostility between Washington and Pyongyang, hundreds of Americans visited North Korea every year until the US State Department finally issued a travel ban on the country last September. Americans made the journey to North Korea for a range of reasons, from holidays and business trips to humanitarian work and missionary purposes. Seoul is also pushing for the release of six South Koreans held by Pyongyang including three defectors originally from North Korea, and three Christian missionaries -- the first of whom was detained in 2013. Pompeo's visit to North Korea comes with Trump preparing for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks, as a dramatic diplomatic thaw on the peninsula quickens. These are the US citizens who were released: Kim Hak-song Kim Hak-song had been working for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) undertaking agricultural development work with the school's farm. He was arrested at Pyongyang railway station in May 2017 on suspicion of committing "hostile acts" against the government, as he was boarding a train headed for his home in Dandong, China. Kim, who is in his mid 50s, was born in Jilin, China, and educated at a university in California, CNN reported, citing a man who had studied with him. He said Kim returned to China after about 10 years of living in the US. PUST was founded by evangelical overseas Christians and opened in 2010. It is known to have a number of American faculty members and students are generally children from the North's elite. Kim Sang-duk Kim Sang-duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested in April 2017 at the capital's main airport as he tried to leave the country after teaching for several weeks, also at PUST. Kim is a former professor at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China, close to the Korean border. Its website lists his speciality as accounting. South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported Kim is in his late 50s and said he had been involved in relief activities for children in rural parts of North Korea. It cited a source who described him as a "religiously devoted man". In a Facebook post, Kim's son said since his arrest his family has had no contact with him. His family said Kim will soon become a grandfather. Kim Dong-chul Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born American businessman and pastor who is in his 60s, was sentenced to 10 years' hard labour in April 2016 after being charged with subversion and espionage. He was arrested in October 2015 after he reportedly received a USB stick containing nuclear-linked data and other military information from a former North Korean soldier. In a interview with CNN in January 2016, Kim said he was a naturalised American who had lived in Fairfax, Virginia. He said he once ran a trading and hotel services company in Rason, a special economic zone near the North's border with China and Russia. A month before his trial, Kim had also appeared at a government-arranged news conference and apologised for attempting to steal military secrets in collusion with South Korea. The South Korean spy agency has denied involvement. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dewey Sim (Reuters) Singapore Wed, May 9, 2018 07:08 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2d5387 2 SE Asia Malaysia,Singapore,election,politics,voters,democracy Free Many of the half a million Malaysians living and working in Singapore crossed the strait into their homeland late on Tuesday to cast their votes in Wednesday's national election, packing a busy causeway in a chaotic but at times festive mood. A vote called for the middle of the week made for difficult logistics for Malaysians living in the city-state neighbour, having to take days off from work to travel across what is normally one of the world's busiest international borders. "Having the election on a Wednesday is very inconvenient for Malaysians living in Singapore," said Pang Sze Lu, 31, who works in the manufacturing industry in Singapore, as she waited for a late-night train into Malaysia at the Woodlands checkpoint. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition is facing its toughest election yet, going up against former premier Mahathir Mohamad. A survey by independent polling firm Merdeka Center said BN had lost more ground in the lead-up to the polls, but it could still win enough parliamentary seats to cling on to power. It said as many as 16 percent of Malaysia's parliamentary seats are too close to call and that voter turnout would be a critical factor in determining the outcome in those districts. Some civic groups fear the mid-week election was discouraging Malaysians in neighboring Southeast Asian states to vote, as they are not entitled to cast ballots in absentia. But some were going the extra mile to vote like Arriane Chan, who began a 13-hour van ride from Singapore's Harbourfront terminal to Penang in Malaysia's northwest to cast her first ever vote, after missing the chance to book a flight home. "I am feeling a little proud to be going home," said the 24-year-old who works for a food caterer in Singapore. "I will finally be able to participate and change politics in Malaysia." Amid concerns about traffic on the main crossing into Malaysia, online postings urged those including Singaporeans who do not need to travel on crucial business to avoid it in the hours running up to election day. Singapore authorities denied social media posts which alleged that travellers heading for Malaysia were stranded at immigration checkpoints. Some companies, including Swedish furniture store IKEA, public relations firm Gloo PR and marketing consultant IFoundries, are giving Malaysian employees a paid day off. Founder of Gloo PR, Oo Gin Lee, who is Malaysian but a resident of Singapore for 35 years, said he would not be voting this year, but wanted to give his Malaysian employees the chance. "Even though I have been living in Singapore since young, I am still a Malaysian and I want to let young people have a chance to vote," he said. "It is just one day of work and it's the right thing to do." Many Malaysian booked early flights back home, like Edward Pook, who flew Monday evening to Petaling Jaya. "Even though my area is an opposition stronghold, I wanted to contribute to the win," Pook, who is an analyst at Singapore's DBS Bank said. Others were forced to sit out the voting as it proved impossible to juggle the demands of work and travel arrangements home, even though additional flights were provided by budget carriers AirAsia and SilkAir. "I am unsure what the rationale is behind the given date," said Lleufer Sinsua, 29, who works for a Swiss company. "I believe the Election Commission should have been more inclusive for Malaysians working around the region who have no access to postal voting." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Joseph Sipalan and A. Ananthalakshmi (Reuters) Kuala Lumpur Wed, May 9, 2018 13:34 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2e64e4 2 SE Asia Malaysia-election,Najib-Razak,Mahathir-Mohamad,election-monitoring,spam-bots Free Malaysians voted on Wednesday in a cliffhanger election pitting Prime Minister Najib Razak's coalition against a resurgent opposition led by 92-year-old former leader Mahathir Mohamad, but the government is expected to clinch a narrow win. Leaders from both the opposition alliance and the ruling party claimed their communications were being disrupted by non-stop spam calls on their mobile phones as voting progressed. Najib's Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition is expected to win despite an election-eve opinion poll suggesting that its support was slipping and that Mahathir's Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) would land more votes in peninsular Malaysia, home to 80 percent of the population. Under Malaysia's first-past-the-post system, the party or alliance with the majority of seats in the 222-member parliament wins. Most experts believe that is within Najib's reach despite allegations of kleptocracy in a multi-billion-dollar graft scandal that have dogged him since 2015. Najib has been cleared of any offense by the attorney general. "I think right now, it looks more favorable to BN ... however, the margin that we're talking about is very small," said Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman, a Malaysia scholar at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Polling stations for the 14.9 million registered voters will close at 5:00 p.m. (0900 GMT). The Election Commission said that after four hours of voting the turnout had been 47 percent, which - according to media reports in 2013 - compared with 59 percent in the last election. Most results are expected before midnight (1600 GMT) but the count may spill into the early hours of Thursday. "This is a big day for Malaysia as this is when we decide our future," said cardiologist Hasri Samion at a polling station in central Kuala Lumpur. "I think the people have been complacent for too long. We need a visionary to lead Malaysia." Najib, casting his vote, said he was confident of victory following what he described as "quite vicious" personal attacks during the campaign. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said in a statement that an initial investigation into the spam calls pointed to anonymous bot (automated program) attacks from various sources and on various targets irrespective of political parties. "We have lost contact with all of our polling agents," said Lim Guan Eng, a senior leader of the opposition Democratic Action Party. "Our campaign workers are also affected. This is a dirty tech attack on us, we have been paralysed." In a tweet, Najib condemned the "tactic of spam calls" from international numbers received by his camp's leaders and said web sites of the BN alliance could not be accessed. He said he had ordered immediate action to be taken. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Kuala Lumpur Wed, May 9, 2018 13:50 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2e8475 2 SE Asia Malaysia-election,Mahathir-Mohamad,profile Free At the age of 92, most people are enjoying retirement -- but Malaysia's veteran ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad has returned to the campaign trail as the opposition's candidate against scandal-haunted leader Najib Razak. In the unlikely event he beats the coalition that has ruled Malaysia for six decades in Wednesday's hard-fought election, Mahathir -- a former doctor who entered politics in 1964 -- will become the world's oldest prime minister. The return to frontline politics of the man who governed Malaysia with an iron fist for 22 years capped a dramatic rebirth that started when Mahathir fell out with his one-time protege Najib over allegations huge sums were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. His volte-face would have been unthinkable just a few years ago -- by joining the opposition, Mahathir has teamed up with parties that he suppressed while in power and he is taking on the party he once led. Joining forces with Mahathir has been a gamble for the opposition as he is a divisive figure. He is remembered fondly by some as a champion of country's Muslim Malay majority and the father of modern Malaysia, credited with policies that transformed a sleepy Southeast Asian backwater into a relatively affluent country. But he was also criticized for disregarding human rights, undermining the judiciary, jailing political opponents and pushing policies that exacerbated racial divisions in the multi-ethnic country. He was notorious for his acid-tongued attacks on his foes and what he saw as Western neo-colonialism -- in one outburst, he described Europeans as greedy, warmongering sexual deviants. Ace card Despite his shortcomings, the opposition coalition Pact of Hope hopes his connection to rural Malays will prove to be an ace card in the polls. Mahathir has succeeded in eroding the key Malay support base of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, with the opposition alliance hoping new converts will add to their natural supporters -- urban voters and minorities, in particular ethnic Chinese who make up about a quarter of the population. During a vicious election campaign, he has energetically toured the country and spoken at numerous rallies, attacking Najib over his mismanagement of the economy and the 1MDB financial scandal. "The biggest mistake that I have made in my life is choosing Najib," he said in one broadside. "I want to fix this mistake." But BN has a firm grip on power, and critics say a controversial move to redraw electoral boundaries will tilt the poll in their favor. And while many Malays are sick of the ruling coalition, analysts say that much of the support the government has lost is not going to Mahathir's alliance, but to the influential Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). While the opposition has gained ground, "it is ultimately not likely to be enough to put them over the top," Oh Ei Sun, from Malaysian think-tank the Pacific Research Center, told AFP. The most remarkable aspect of Mahathir's political comeback has been his reconciliation with former nemesis Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar was Mahathir's heir-apparent until the premier sacked him in 1998 over political differences, and he was subsequently jailed on charges of sodomy and abuse of power. His conviction was widely condemned by rights groups and the international community as politically motivated. After being released Anwar led the opposition to its best-ever showing in 2013 elections, but was imprisoned again in 2015 under Najib's government. If he wins the election, Mahathir has vowed to hand power to Anwar once he is released. Mahathir was spurred out of retirement over allegations huge sums were looted from 1MDB, which Najib set up. Najib and 1MDB deny any wrongdoing. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Kuala Lumpur Wed, May 9, 2018 13:43 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2e7619 2 SE Asia Malaysia-election,Najib-Razak,1MDB,UMNO,profile Free Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration has been rocked by claims he was involved in a campaign to plunder state investment fund 1MDB, slammed by the United States as "kleptocracy at its worst". But most analysts think the 64-year-old will narrowly win a third term at elections Wednesday, helped by what critics say is manipulation of the electoral system, and buoyed by an improving domestic economy. Najib came to power in 2009 to replace a premier who was dumped over the government's poor performance at a general election a year earlier. At that time Najib, a stalwart of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the son of a Malaysian founding father, presented himself as a reformer. He made limited changes such as replacing security laws widely criticized as stifling dissent, offering a glimmer of hope that repressive rule by the UMNO-dominated coalition which has led Malaysia for six decades might finally be eased. But soon after winning a second term in 2013, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a fund launched by Najib to promote economic development, slid into a massive debt hole and allegations surfaced that money was missing. The story exploded in 2015 when The Wall Street Journal published documents allegedly showing that the premier received US$681 million in payments to his personal bank accounts. Najib and 1MDB have consistently denied any wrongdoing. Since then, there has been a steady drip of allegations. The US Department of Justice launched civil lawsuits seeking to seize $1.7 billion in assets allegedly bought with money looted from 1MDB, from real estate to artworks. In a speech last year, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions criticized those allegedly involved in the scandal, adding: "This is kleptocracy at its worst." Lurch to the right As the controversy escalated, Najib lurched sharply to the right. Opponents were arrested on various charges and critics were purged from government, while domestic investigations cleared him of wrongdoing. UMNO has led Malaysia at the head of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition since independence from Britain in 1957 and has a firm grip on power. Even with the return of veteran ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad, 92, to head the opposition, analysts say it will be tough for them to oust Najib. While 1MDB grabbed international headlines, in the rural heartlands of the Muslim Malays -- who make up some 60 percent of the multi-ethnic country's population -- it is not the most important issue. Voters there are more concerned about rising living costs. Najib has been given a boost by an improving economic picture and has steadfastly vowed to defend the Malays, who have long enjoyed a favored position in society under an official affirmative action program. The race has been tightening as Mahathir has succeeded in winning more backing from Malays. But a survey released by independent pollster Merdeka Center on the eve of the vote showed BN maintaining power, although losing the popular vote. Malaysia has a first-past-the-post system that requires a contender to get a majority of MPs in parliament to win, but not the most votes. "We anticipate that BN will prevail in the election," said the pollster. 9 May 2018 - The Annual General Meeting of shareholders of ArcelorMittal held today in Luxembourg approved all resolutions by a strong majority. 70.12% of the voting rights were represented at the general meeting. The results of the votes will be posted shortly on www.arcelormittal.com under "Investors > Equity Investors > Shareholders' meetings > Annual General Meeting of shareholders, 9 May 2018" where the full documentation regarding the general meeting is available. The shareholders re-elected Mrs. Karyn Ovelmen and Mr. Tye Burt as directors of ArcelorMittal for a term of three years each. ENDS About ArcelorMittal ArcelorMittal is the world's leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and an industrial footprint in 18 countries. Guided by a philosophy to produce safe, sustainable steel, we are the leading supplier of quality steel in the major global steel markets including automotive, construction, household appliances and packaging, with world-class research and development and outstanding distribution networks. Through our core values of sustainability, quality and leadership, we operate responsibly with respect to the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, contractors and the communities in which we operate. For us, steel is the fabric of life, as it is at the heart of the modern world from railways to cars and washing machines. We are actively researching and producing steel-based technologies and solutions that make many of the products and components people use in their everyday lives more energy efficient. We are one of the world's five largest producers of iron ore and metallurgical coal. With a geographically diversified portfolio of iron ore and coal assets, we are strategically positioned to serve our network of steel plants and the external global market. While our steel operations are important customers, our supply to the external market is increasing as we grow. In 2017, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $68.7 billion and crude steel production of 93.1 million metric tonnes, while own iron ore production reached 57.4 million metric tonnes. ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York (MT), Amsterdam (MT), Paris (MT), Luxembourg (MT) and on the Spanish stock exchanges of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia (MTS). For more information about ArcelorMittal please visit: http://corporate.arcelormittal.com/ Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Kuala Lumpur Wed, May 9, 2018 22:25 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e304e5d 2 SE Asia Malaysia,election,opposition,Mahathir-Mohamad Free Malaysia's opposition alliance led by veteran ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad was making early gains in Wednesday's hard-fought election against the long-ruling coalition, according to unofficial tallies. The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition had won 34 parliamentary seats, while opposition alliance Pact of Hope was on 40, according to a count on the website of the pro-government Star newspaper. The opposition gained several new seats in Sarawak state, a traditional BN stronghold, according to state-run Bernama news agency. Some key figures in the coalition had fallen, with the heads of the ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian parties having lost their seats, according to unofficial counts on Bernama. Official results on the Election Commission website showed BN with 20 seats, with two parties in the opposition alliance -- People's Justice Party and the Democratic Action Party -- on six seats each. There are 222 seats in parliament, and 112 are needed for victory at the election with a simple majority. BN currently has 133. The election race has been one of the most closely contested in Malaysia's history, with Mahathir, 92, coming out of retirement to take on his former protege Najib, who has been embroiled in a massive corruption scandal. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yasmine Yahya (The Straits TImes/ANN) Singapore Wed, May 9, 2018 11:09 1247 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e2dcd91 2 SE Asia #singapore,#Indonesia,#MigrantWorkers Free The Indonesian Embassy's move to impose a new performance bond of S$6,000 (US$4472) on employers who hire Indonesian maids here is unnecessary, Singapore regulators said on Tuesday.The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a statement that it has made clear to the Indonesian Embassy and the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower that Singapore already has a comprehensive set of regulations to protect all foreign domestic workers. The statement comes after the Indonesian Embassy notified maid agencies here of the new performance bond, which took effect last month. Since then, employers hiring a new Indonesian maid have been asked to purchase a performance bond guarantee from one of two insurers approved by the embassy and sign a standard employment contract. This entails a one-off S$70 payment. Employers will have to pay the full S$6,000 only if they breach the terms of the employment contract issued by the embassy. Employers who are renewing the passports of their current Indonesian maids or processing documents at the Indonesian Embassy may also be asked to purchase this guarantee and sign a new employment contract. The Philippine Embassy here has a similar bond that has been in place for more than two decades. Employers pay about S$40 to an insurer if they go through a maid agency, in lieu of a S$2,000 bond. K. Jayaprema, president of the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore), said that as far as she is aware, the Philippines Embassy has not had to resort to bond forfeiture so far. "MOM has a welfare system for foreign domestic workers which is well regulated. There are avenues for workers to complain, and action is taken against employers for abuse," she said. "I believe that the Philippines Embassy sees value in the existing system and so they haven't had to exercise the bond forfeiture." MOM said in its statement that the specific conditions under which the Indonesian Embassy may exercise the performance bond forfeiture are not clear. "There also appears to be a lack of mediation and dispute resolution process available to employers before the performance bond is forfeited," it said. Yeo Guat Kwang, chairman of the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE), said that the center has received feedback from employers who are anxious about the lack of clarity on these specific conditions. "CDE would like to urge the Indonesian Embassy to make clear the conditions for forfeiting the bond, and more importantly, spell out the process for mediation and dispute resolution before the performance bond is forfeited," he said in a statement Tuesday. He also called for more clarity on how this new bond would bene-fit the maids, "as we are worried that this cost may be transferred to them unnecessarily". MOM now requires employment agencies to explain the new bond to people who are looking to hire an Indonesian maid, and obtain written acknowledgement from them, indicating that they understand the implications before purchasing the bond guarantee or signing the Indonesian Embassy's standard employment contract. MOM will also be issuing letters to all existing employers of Indonesian maids to urge them to read and understand the terms and conditions before purchasing the bond guarantee or signing the contract. The letter notes, for example, that the Indonesian Embassy "does not need to show that you have done anything wrong to forfeit your bond". It also says that if the employer does not accept the terms of the employment contract or the bond guarantee, they can consider alternatives, such as hiring a maid from another country or employing part-time help. Topics : This article appeared on The Straits Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post The chief executive officer of Expedia Group Inc. said Tuesday the U.S. online travel company is aiming to double Japanese hotels listings on its website to 22,000 ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The company could also offer Japanese hotel operators "artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to suggest ways that hotels can make their products more attractive to customers" such as pricing recommendations, Mark Okerstrom said in an interview with Kyodo News. Okerstrom said Japanese hotels could use a new service called Rev + launched last year that uses real-time customer demand data and competitive pricing information to help hotels set prices more flexibly. With the company operating websites in over 75 countries and gross bookings of nearly $90 billion handled last year, the top executive sees a growing business opportunity in Japan. The world's third-largest economy has seen record levels of foreign visitors in recent years. The government is seeking to increase the number of inbound tourists from over 28 million in 2017 to 40 million in 2020 when the Tokyo Games will be held. Read also: Imperial Palace to introduce guided tours in English from May "We will be increasingly focused on Japan" ahead of the Olympics, Okerstrom said. "I would expect that in the next two to three years, our business into Japan will be in the multiple billions of dollars." The CEO said he wants to help more local governments in Japan promote their tourist attractions and "drive more international travelers into Japan not only to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto but to other regions." "In a country like Japan, we ensure that we have the full breadths of all travel products, airlines, hotels, car rentals, alternative accommodation," he said. In April, Expedia signed an agreement to promote tourism with Hyogo Prefecture in western Japan and is looking for more partners, he said. Expedia will continue to invest in research and development for voice-controlled personal assistant, virtual reality and artificial intelligence technology to offer more customized travel services, the CEO said. May 09 2018 12:16 pm On Tuesday morning, Rabbi Avi Schnall, New Jersey director for Agudath Israel of America, was appointed chairman of the nonpublic school committee for the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE). The committee is comprised of nearly two dozen representatives of the nonpublic school community in the state of New Jersey, including representatives from the Catholic Conference, Christian, Muslim and independent schools. The committee meets regularly with the DOE Office of Nonpublic Schools and considers policy and regulatory decisions pertaining to nonpublic schools. The committee gives the private school community an opportunity to meet directly with government officials responsible for oversight of their schools. Rabbi Schnall has been a member of the committee for several years and negotiated substantial improvements in special education regulations due, in part, to his participation on this committee. Rabbi Schnalls appointment as chairman will hopefully enhance his ability to advocate on behalf of students in nonpublic schools and their families, Agudah said. May 09 2018 9:05 am The Lakewood Vaad, Beth Medrash Govohas Department of Government Affairs and Agudath Israels NJ Office shared the following update for all mosdos: The NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness has a new grant program, the NJ Nonprofit Security Grant Pilot Program (NSGPP), providing non-profits with $10k to hire security guards. No match is required. OHSP announced today they have extended the deadline for applying to this program to this Friday, May 11th. Grant applications are submitted via e-mail. Nonprofits that missed last weeks deadline can still apply by Friday. 100 grants will be made state-wide. It is reasonable to assume that the deadline extension means that a relatively small pool of grant applications were received so far. Application materials can be found here. All applicants are required to submit a grant application (called an Investment Justification), their mission statement, 501(c)3 letter, and a risk assessment. The risk assessment requirement can be fulfilled by submitting a completed self-assessment tool, which can be found here. Local security companies can provide nonprofits with the necessary information regarding the cost per hour of security guards. Those who would like more information are welcome to contact Beth Medrash Govohas Department of Government Affairs at nrosenthal@bmg.edu. Rabbi Avi Schnall of Agudath Israel of America, NJ Office, again shared his thanks to Assemblywoman Quijano, who tirelessly spearheaded the creation of this new grant program to help secure mosdos throughout New Jersey. Archery and axe-throwing are coming to the Lower East Side. Thats right, a Brooklyn-based business, Gotham Archery, is opening a new 2,500 square foot facility at 73 Allen St. (near Grand Street) later this month. Kenny Hsu, Jimmy Pang and Chris Stein have operated a similar concept in Gowanus since 2016. Now theyre taking on Manhattan. The Lower East Side/Chinatown spot has 32 archery/axe lanes for classes, plus 10 rental lanes. The whole facility is also available for private events. In a New York Magazine story four years ago, Hsu and Pang said a lot of people doubted their vision for an archery range in the city. The two former finance guys got hooked on the recreational sport and wanted to bring it to the masses. Looks like things are going pretty well for them so far. You can learn more about classes here. The Allen Street location opens Tuesday, May 25. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are expected to rest their case today against Sheldon Silver. The former Lower East Side assemblyman is undergoing a second trial after the first guilty verdict on corruption charges was nullified by an appeals court. Testifying under immunity for the prosecution yesterday was Jay Arthur Goldberg, a lifelong friend of Silver and a tax attorney. Sometime in the late 1990s, Goldberg said, he was called to Silvers office. The powerful assembly speaker told Goldberg hed convinced a major New York City real estate firm to use his firm for property tax appeals. The Daily News summed up Goldbergs testimony this way: Yaacov (Goldbergs Hebrew name), I think Ive going to be able to refer Glenwood Management, Silver said Is this all right, Shelly? Goldberg recalled replying. Of course, Yaacov, Silver. 74, answered. Im a lawyer. Recounting the meeting Tuesday at Silvers corruption trial in Manhattan Federal Court, Goldberg said he deferred to Silvers judgment on the ethical implications of paying him the fees. Silver sent another real estate company, the Witkoff Group, to Goldberg. Through the years, Silver received about $700,000 in referral fees from Goldbergs firm. In its story from yesterdays proceedings, the Post also focused on Goldbergs alleged misgivings about the arrangement: Goldberg, who has known Silver for 65 years, said he had previously paid referral fees to lawyers who sent business his way, but asked Silver if it was legal in this case because of the pols status as speaker. Ive given referral fees, but never to the speaker. I wanted to know. I relied on him because I knew him to be an honorable man, Goldberg said. But according to AM New York, Goldberg testified that Silver never explicitly requested the legal fees: Jay Arthur Goldberg, one of two lawyers in the Manhattan firm of Goldberg & Iryami, said the subject of referral fees did not come up when Silver spoke with him briefly on two occasions about seeking tax challenge cases from the real estate companies Did Sheldon Silver speak about a referral fee? the prosecutor asked on the sixth day of Silvers retrial on federal corruption charges in Manhattan federal court. Goldberg responded, He never said to stop sending the referral fees. He also never called to ask for them. Both developers had lobbied Speaker Silver in an effort to extend tax breaks for building affordable units in luxury projects. They also sought to prevent any strengthening of New York Citys rent regulation law. Goldberg said he believed Glenwood Management and the Witkoff Group knew Silver was receiving referral fees. Developer Steven Witkoffm, however, denied any knowledge of Silvers arrangement with Goldberg during his turn on the witness stand. Prosecutors must demonstrate that Silver took official actions in exchange for payment. Hes accused in two alleged kickback schemes. In the first trial, Silvers attorneys did not mount a substantive case in his defense. During a late day hearing yesterday, his new lawyers said they had not decided whether Silver will take the stand in the second trial. UPDATE 5:11 p.m. The prosecution rested and the defense did not call any witnesses. Closing arguments take place tomorrow morning. TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Artificial Intelligence company, AnalytixInsight Inc. (AnalytixInsight, or the Company) (TSX-V:ALY) (OTCQB:ATIXF) has joined The Floor, a global Fintech innovation center based in Tel Aviv. As a member, AnalytixInsight will access, and contribute to, the unique community of partners and industry innovators within the financial services market, further strengthening its strategic offerings with Fintech leaders worldwide. The Floor (TheFloorHub.com) is an Israeli Fintech hub that was founded in collaboration with four of the worlds largest banks: HSBC, Santander, RBS and Intesa SanPaolo. The Floor is located at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange building and is working to shape the bank of the future with exceptional Fintech solutions. Fintech investment in Israel has grown dramatically, positioning Tel Aviv as one of the worlds leading Fintech centers with over 500 Fintech startups and $650 million in accumulated Fintech VC funds. Avi Cohen, Co-founder & CEO of The Floor, commented: We are pleased to welcome AnalytixInsight to The Floor. We believe that just like Google and Amazon led the digital Internet wave, banks today are leading change that is as revolutionary as the Internet was 20 years ago, with innovation in payments, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and trading. AnalytixInsight is already a contributor within this wave and we look forward to working together with them. Prakash Hariharan, President & CEO, commented: Being a member of The Floor allows us to showcase our offerings and expertise to those who are revolutionizing the industry, and positions us within the ecosystem of thought leaders in technology innovation. We already have data modelling experts located in Tel Aviv, who will now collaborate with other members of The Floor to expand our machine-learning capabilities and develop new offerings. In connection with this initiative, the Company has granted a total of 250,000 stock options to The Floor pursuant to its stock option plan. The options vest on May 8, 2020 and have an exercise price of $0.38 per option for a period of five years from the date of grant. The Company has also agreed to grant The Floor an additional tranche of 250,000 options on January 1, 2019 and a final tranche of 180,000 stock options on January 1, 2020, with vesting terms of 12 months and 6 months from such grant dates, respectively. The price of the options in these latter tranches will be the closing price of the Companys shares on the respective grant dates. The grant of options remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. CONTACT INFORMATION: Scott Urquhart VP Corporate Development Scott.Urquhart@AnalytixInsight.com Tel: (416) 522-3975 ABOUT ANALYTIXINSIGHT INC. AnalytixInsights (AnalytixInsight.com) artificial intelligence platform transforms data into knowledge. AnalytixInsights online portal CapitalCube (capitalcube.com) algorithmically analyzes market price data and regulatory filings to create insightful, actionable narratives and research on over 50,000 global companies and ETFs, providing high-quality financial research and content for investors, information providers, finance portals and media. AnalytixInsight holds a 49% interest in Marketwall, a mobile platform for banking and stock trading (marketwallcorporate.com). AnalytixInsight owns Euclides Technologies Inc. (euclidestech.com), a workflow analytics systems integrator. AnalytixInsight is a 2018 Venture 50 company (tsx.com/venture50). Regulatory Statements This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the growth of the Companys business operations; the impact of joining The Floor and the Companys future performance. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of AnalytixInsight Inc., as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the Companys technology and revenue generation; risks associated with operation in the technology sector; ability to successfully integrate new technology and employees; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the technology industry. Although AnalytixInsight has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. AnalytixInsight does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) announced today that it has signed agreements with Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) (NYSE:ENB) and its related entities (Enbridge) to acquire 49% of Enbridges interests in select North American onshore renewable power assets, as well as 49% of Enbridges interests in two German offshore wind projects (Hohe See, and related expansion), for approximately C$1.75 billion. Through this investment, we are able to gain immediate exposure to a high-quality portfolio of wind and solar assets across diversified energy markets in North America and Europe, further advancing our global power and renewables strategy, said Bruce Hogg, Managing Director, Head of Power and Renewables, CPPIB. We look forward to partnering with Enbridge, an experienced and like-minded operating partner, to support continued strong performance from these projects and pursue further investments in the renewables space. The assets include 14 long-term fully contracted operating wind and solar assets in four Canadian markets and two operating assets in the U.S. (one wind and one solar), with a combined installed capacity of approximately 1.3 gigawatts. Under the terms of the agreements, CPPIB will fund its 49% pro-rata share of the remaining construction capital required to complete the Hohe See projects (offshore Germany), which are scheduled to come into service at the start of 2020. CPPIBs additional capital commitment is estimated at approximately C$0.5 billion, bringing CPPIBs total commitment to approximately C$2.25 billion. Enbridge and its affiliates will continue to manage, operate and provide administrative services to the North American and Hohe See projects. Concurrently, CPPIB and Enbridge have entered into an agreement whereby the two parties will form a 50-50 joint venture to pursue future European offshore wind projects. These projects may be in the early development, late development, construction or operational phase. Since December 2017, CPPIB has committed to wind and solar investments in Brazil, India, Canada, and now the U.S. and Germany. Through the joint venture, we will have the opportunity to grow our renewables portfolio across the European offshore wind market. As power demand grows worldwide, we will continue to seek opportunities to expand our power and renewables portfolio globally, helping to ensure the CPP Fund is well-positioned for the expected energy transition, said Mr. Hogg. Each of the North American and German acquisition agreements is subject to customary closing adjustments and conditions. Closing is expected to occur during the third quarter of 2018, subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals and consents. About CPPIB Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is a professional investment management organization that invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to pay current benefits on behalf of 20 million contributors and beneficiaries. In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, CPPIB invests in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income instruments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City, Sao Paulo and Sydney, CPPIB is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At December 31, 2017, the CPP Fund totalled $337.1 billion. For more information about CPPIB, please visit www.cppib.com or follow us on LinkedIn , Facebook or Twitter. For further information, please contact: CPPIB Media Relations media@cppib.com Mei Mavin Director, Global Corporate Communications T: +44 203 205 3406 mmavin@cppib.com Hamlet is the pillar of tragic playwriting. It has all the interesting features audiences find so captivating to see on stage and that make it one of the greatest If not the greatest tragedy of all time: ghosts, madness and psychological turmoil, death, politics and social commentary. The play was written by Shakespeare and published between 1601 and 1603. The play is set in Denmark and follows Prince Hamlet, whose father has recently died. Hamlet is disturbed at the fact his mother has re-married straight away and is even more disturbed when his father presents himself in the form of a ghost to state that he was murdered.Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, is a psychological murder thriller. King Laius is killed and Oedipus sets out to solve the murder mystery. However, Oedipus himself is accused by everyone, including the prophet Tiresias, who also states that as incestuous marriage will take place. Oedipus finds out that he is, in fact, Jocasta and Laiuss son and that the prophet was correct that he did kill his father and marry his mother. The play ends in true tragic style with the Queen Killing herself and Oedipus gouges his own eyes out. The play was written by Greek tragedian Sophocles. He writes the downward spiral of a family in turmoil in a compelling yet prolonged way that makes it all the more enjoyable to see unfold on stage, as truths are slowly revealed as the play continues.The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, is believed to be written in 1603 by William Shakespeare. The play is set in Venice and is based on the story of Un Capitano Moro by Cinthio. It involves a whole load of jealousy and manipulation, as well as the exploration of social issues such as gender and race. The whole play focuses around Othello and his succumbing to his inner jealousy: he lets it control and inevitably ruin his life, as he suspects his wife Desdemona has been unfaithful to him. The play ends just about as tragic as it could get with Othello murdering his wife and then killing himself. Stemming from his jealousy that turns out to be psychological rather than the reality in the end.Sophie Treadwell wrote this truly moving play about a young woman who lives in a time where she has to follow the rules and norms that society expects of a woman her age, even though she is resistant to them. She ends up marrying a man who she finds utterly abhorrent. However, she meets a man who re-lights her passion and ignites her lust for life. Ultimately, she is driven to murder her repulsive husband and is sentenced to death by the electric chair. The play was written in 1928 and was inspired by a true case of convicted murderer Ruth Snyder. It was premiered on Broadway, in 1928 starring Clark Gable in his Broadway debut. It was awarded in Burns Mantles Best Plays of 1928-29.Fences is a more modern play, compared to others on this list. It was written in 1985. Fences was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and won a Tony Award for Best Play. The protagonist Troy Maxson is a hard man, trying to survive as a black man in 1950s America. This play features racism, infidelity, a troubled father-son relationship, and larger social commentary that makes this it a must-see.Another Shakespeare play finds itself on this list. Shakespeare was at the forefront of tragic plays, so it would be rude not to acknowledge four of the greatest tragedies out there. Romeo and Juliet is arguably the most well-known tragedy in history. It begins with star-crossed lovers, who come from feuding families, which ends with tragedy for both. The tragedy has been adapted to be more modern in Baz Luhrmanns Romeo and Juliet and Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins musical adaption West Side Story set in 1957 New York, a tale of two feuding gangs the Sharks and the Jets. This play was first performed between 1629 and 1633. The play is set in Parma, Italy. The protagonist Giovanni confesses his incestuous love for his own sister Annabella, this love ultimately ends in despair and death. This play explores religious viewpoints in the sense of sin and condemnation for the siblings love. It is a compelling play, especially through Giovannis quest for justice and search for spiritual or religious answers, neither he finds and this ends in disaster for everyone involved.This play is rumoured to have inspired Shakespeares Hamlet, with its ghosts, revenge and a tragic protagonist. It tells the story of Marshall of Spain Hieronimo, whose son is murdered. Hieronimo goes on a quest for revenge and justice (he fails) and comes to represent all that is real in grief and madness. The book was written in 1589 and is a pivotal piece of literature in from the Elizabethan era, it explores attitudes to the family, revenge and Anglo-Spanish conflicts.A Yorkshire Tragedy is a Jacobean stage tragedy. There is some dispute as to who wrote the play, with later critics claiming it was Thomas Middleton rather than earlier assumptions that Shakespeare wrote it. The play is set in East Yorkshire, in 1605. The main character Walter Calverley, who is in an unhappy marriage and also heavily in debt. The play is not for the faint-hearted as it ends with Calverley murdering his entire family, his two children, and wife, and going on a search to kill his last remaining son. However, he is caught beforehand and ultimately pressed to death. There is no arguing that this gruesome tale of family murder is deserved of a place on this list, as nearly every single character comes to an untimely end. This play follows the life and relationship between Marc Antony and Cleopatra, from the early time of the Sicilian Revolt and ultimately Cleopatras suicide. It is a play of betrayal and lies, but also, of deep passion and love. Both characters fight for dominance over one another whilst simultaneously being wound up and held back by the love they have for one another. Similarly, to Romeo and Juliet, mistaken death becomes the end for both Antony and Cleopatra. Cleopatra pretends to have died in order to bring Antony back to her and to re-ignite their love. However, when Antony hears the news he kills himself. After this, Cleopatra ends her life with the venomous bite of an asp, hoping to meet Antony again in the afterlife. This tragedy is set in Egypt and Rome and shows alternatives between the interesting and artistic setting of Alexandria in contrast to the austere Rome. No country has experienced a faster growth in tourist visits than Cambodia, according to the annual Tourism Highlights published by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). From only 17,000 arrivals in 1990 to 5,600,000 recorded last year, the country has witnessed the worlds biggest increase in annual visitors, with almost 295 million since 1990. With Laos and Myanmar just behind, Vietnam in sixth place and Thailand in the UNWTO's top ten destinations of 2017, the whole Indochina region has been living a golden age of virtually uninterrupted tourism expansion. Boasting a 576% increase in international arrivals, South East Asia attracts millions of tourists for a variety of reasons. First comes the regions visa policy. South-East Asian countries tend to be internationally more open than the average, says Peter Rambeck Andersen, tourism expert and founder of Indochina Explorers Travel. Secondly, tourist facilities have hugely improved in the last decade, with the 2006 avant-garde refurbishment of Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi International Airport being an example of that. Most governments there have realised the strategic role that tourism plays in attracting visitors and creating jobs, explains Andersen. Johnny Dao, a 26-year-old inhabitant of Hanoi and Development Manager at International Telecom Company FPT, is pleased to see more and more foreigners visiting Vietnam: The growth in tourist numbers has created opportunities for local people to change their lives and boosted the local economy. We consider the travel industry a money maker. An increase of travellers from around Asia has changed the face of tourism in the region, driving a massive expansion in infrastructure and the local economy overall explains Tom Vater, travel journalist based in Asia. In addition, statistics project that this tourism escalation wont stop, as by 2027 Indochinas tourism sector is expected to account for over 16 million jobs, with international arrivals increasing by 6% and the share of national investment rising from 6.7% to about 7%. Nevertheless, tourism has also brought negative repercussions upon Indochina, having at times spoiled local culture and damaged the environment. In these regards, columnist for local news website PhuketWan.com Chutima Sidasathian says: Tourism is often destructive in natural environments, with restaurants being established in beautiful spots and resorts springing up along once-pristine coastlines. "The islands future lies with mass tourism and its original beauty is now very hard to find; degradation is constant and cannot be repaired. Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page McDermott to install rigid flowlines, pipeline end terminations, manifold and subsea distribution unit, umbilicals, subsea umbilical termination assembly, rigid jumpers and flying leads for the Lucius field in the Gulf of Mexico McDermott is scheduled to use its spoolbase in Gulfport, Mississippi and Lay Vessel North Ocean 105 and North Ocean 102 to perform the work HOUSTON, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE:MDR) announced today a contract award from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation for subsea umbilical and flowline installation in support of a tieback to Anadarko-operated Lucius field located 275 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas, in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. McDermott will provide engineering, fabrication, installation and pre-commissioning of subsea infield flowlines, production umbilicals and related subsea equipment. We appreciate Anadarkos confidence in our experience and ability to deliver this project on schedule with the highest quality in the Gulf of Mexico, said McDermott Vice President for the Americas, Europe and Africa Scott Munro. The Lucius Subsequent Development is a subsea tieback to the Anadarko-operated Lucius spar, located in Keathley Canyon 875 block. The new development is in approximately 7,400 feet of water at Keathley Canyon 919 block. McDermotts operating center in Houston, Texas, will perform project management and engineering. The flowlines will be fabricated at McDermotts spoolbase facility in Gulfport, Mississippi. The contract award will be reflected in McDermotts second quarter 2018 backlog. About McDermott McDermott is a leading provider of integrated engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI), front-end engineering and design (FEED) and module fabrication services for upstream field developments worldwide. McDermott delivers fixed and floating production facilities, pipelines, installations and subsea systems from concept to commissioning for complex Offshore and Subsea oil and gas projects to help oil companies safely produce and transport hydrocarbons. Our customers include national and major energy companies. Operating in approximately 20 countries across the world, our locally focused and globally integrated resources include approximately 11,800 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels, fabrication facilities and engineering offices. We are renowned for our extensive knowledge and experience, technological advancements, performance records, superior safety and commitment to deliver. McDermott has served the energy industry since 1923, and shares of its common stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. As used in this press release, McDermott includes McDermott International, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. To learn more, visit our website at www.mcdermott.com. Forward-Looking Statements In accordance with the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, McDermott cautions that statements in this press release which are forward-looking, and provide other than historical information, involve risks, contingencies and uncertainties that may impact McDermott's actual results of operations. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the expected scope and execution of the project discussed in this press release. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Those statements are made by using various underlying assumptions and are subject to numerous risks, contingencies and uncertainties, including, among others: adverse changes in the markets in which we operate or credit markets, our inability to successfully execute on contracts in backlog, changes in project design or schedules, the availability of qualified personnel, changes in the terms, scope or timing of contracts, contract cancellations, change orders and other modifications and actions by our customers and other business counterparties, changes in industry norms and adverse outcomes in legal or other dispute resolution proceedings. If one or more of these risks materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk factors, please see McDermott's annual and quarterly filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. This press release reflects management's views as of the date hereof. Except to the extent required by applicable law, McDermott undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. McDermott International, Inc. Investor Relations Ty Lawrence Vice President, Investor Relations +1 281.870.5147 tplawrence@mcdermott.com Global Media Relations Ed Memi Manager, Communications +1 281.870.5943 ememi@mcdermott.com TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seabridge Gold (TSX:SEA) (NYSE:SA) announced today that winter drilling at its 100%-owned Courageous Lake Project has successfully identified two new gold zones, Olsen and Marsh Pond, with widths and grades suggesting they could make a contribution to project resources similar to the Walsh Lake Deposit discovered by Seabridge in 2012. This years drill program also found two other target zones that, with additional work, could potentially contribute to the resource base at the Courageous Lake Project. Three targets did not return positive results. Walsh Lake has a near surface inferred resource of 482,000 ounces of gold (4.6 million tonnes grading 3.24 g/T). Metallurgical testing has demonstrated that the material is free-milling with cyanide recoveries as high as 95%. The 2018 winter drill program at Courageous Lake was designed as an initial drill test of seven targets reporting historical gold occurrences to determine which ones had sufficient grade, strike and width within 200 meters of surface to potentially replicate the Walsh Lake Deposit (see map). All the targets accompany deformation zones within a well-defined stratigraphic package near the contact between metamorphosed volcanic rocks and clastic metasedimentary rocks and each produced a consistent geophysical response. Seabridge has now tested the favourable stratigraphy over a distance of 7.5 kilometers but it can be traced for more than 53kilometers through the entire Seabridge claim block. Rudi Fronk, Chairman and CEO of Seabridge, commented: We see the potential for a more economic Courageous Lake Project at current gold prices by mining higher-grade, free-milling satellite deposits like Walsh Lake as well as the refractory reserves in the much larger FAT deposit. We are therefore very pleased with the results from this years drilling because we now have two more attractive targets for follow-up work as well as some potentially significant new target ideas we need to evaluate. Our next step is to develop a conceptual design for a greater Courageous Lake operation that could exploit the satellite deposits early in the project life. Assay results from the four most prospective targets are as follow: Target Area Drill Hole Total Length (meters) From (meters) To (meters) Intercept (meters) Gold Grade (g/T) Marsh Pond CL-284 201.0 105.0 119.0 14.0 3.08 Marsh Pond CL-285 198.0 75.5 99.5 24.0 2.13 including 90.5 99.5 9.0 5.02 147.3 151.8 4.5 2.41 Marsh Pond CL-287 210.0 126.1 144.0 17.9 1.72 including 126.1 133.5 7.4 3.17 Olsen CL-286 330.0 43.8 84.2 40.4 3.04 including 57.0 84.2 27.2 4.14 Olsen CL-288 279.0 156.5 170.8 14.3 0.93 North Bulldog CL-275 201.0 100.0 119.1 19.1 1.40 including 57.0 119.1 5.0 4.71 North Bulldog CL-276 252.0 171.5 185.0 13.5 0.62 201.5 215.0 13.5 0.60 North Bulldog CL-277 201.0 134.0 145.0 11.0 1.17 North Bulldog CL-278 278.0 165.0 177.0 12.0 0.47 North Bulldog CL-280 402.0 No significant intervals North Bulldog CL-283 398.0 No significant intervals Perrson CL-289 147.0 8.9 12.5 3.7 2.88 75.0 78.0 3.0 7.44 Perrson CL-291A 206.0 78.0 87.0 9.0 2.59 Perrson CL-293 159.0 39.7 43.5 3.9 2.66 Perrson CL-295 198.0 No significant intervals Perrson CL-296 177.0 93.0 96.0 3.0 1.70 This drill program orientated holes to intersect the targets perpendicular to the strike of the zones, to obtain a true width intersection of the target feature. It is believed that these intervals represent the true width of the target zones, but additional drilling is required to confirm the zone widths. Both the Marsh Pond and Olsen targets returned results that meet the programs goals of identifying gold-bearing zones with characteristics similar to the Walsh Lake discovery. These two target zones appear to duplicate the upper and lower stratigraphic intervals found at Walsh Lake. Drill testing is required to determine if these zones could be connected to form a single, larger occurrence. The Marsh Pond target is recognized over a strike distance of about 400 meters with gold concentrated in a broad zone of silicic alteration, quartz veining and sulfide mineralization. Intercalated within the sedimentary rocks in the Marsh Pond target are narrow felsic volcanic units. These units show more intense silica alteration, sulfide mineralization and consistently higher gold grades. Thus far, the target at Olsen shows roughly 400 meters of strike, represented by a broad zone of silica alteration in fine grained metasedimentary rocks. Deformation in this target is broader than expected and accompanied by intense sericite alteration with intervals of abundant quartz veining. North Bulldog was originally thought to be two parallel geophysical anomalies which were targeted separately in this drill program. These anomalies have now been consolidated into a single target zone just over 1,000 meters in strike length. The North Bulldog area returned numerous intervals with grades below our requirements. A broad deformation zone at the contact of sedimentary rocks and mafic volcanic rocks contains localized quartz veining and silica-sericite alteration. In addition, intervals of silica alteration and quartz veining were discovered above the deformed contact in fine grained sedimentary rock. The size of this target and an abundance of gold in these holes warrant more effort to refine a target that could meet grade requirements. Perrson is a gold-bearing vein in an isolated surface exposure within a historic prospect pit. Expectations were for this to be a discreet occurrence along the target stratigraphic contact. The wide vein and structural off-sets provide evidence that this target could be the southern terminus of the Walsh Lake deposit. Additional work is required to establish this connection but this target remains a priority as it could significantly expand the limits of the Walsh Lake deposit. The Courageous Lake Project covers almost all of the 53 km long Mathews Lake Greenstone Belt (MLGB) which hosts Seabridge's Felsic-Ash-Tuff (FAT) deposit. A July 2012 Pre-feasibility Study estimated that the FAT Deposit contains 6.46 million ounces of proven and probable gold reserves over approximately 2.5 kilometers of strike length as follows: Courageous Lake Mineral Reserves Reserve Category Tonnes (000s) Diluted Grade (g/T) Contained Gold (000s Ounces) Proven 12,300 2.41 960 Probable 78,800 2.17 5,500 Total 91,100 2.20 6,460 Exploration activities by Seabridge at the Courageous Lake Project were conducted under the supervision of William E. Threlkeld, Registered Professional Geologist, Senior Vice President of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Threlkeld has reviewed and approved this news release. A rigorous quality control/quality assurance protocol was employed in this drill program, including blank and certified reference standard inserted by the Company at the rate of not less than one of each type of sample in every assay batch processed by the laboratory. Repeats and re-splits of the sample rejects were analyzed at a rate of not less than one sample in every 25. Samples were assayed at an ISO certified laboratory in Vancouver, B. C. using fire assay atomic adsorption methods for gold and total digestion ICP methods for other elements. Intervals that returned greater than 10g/T Au were re-assayed using gravimetric finishes. Intervals with very high gold grades and surrounding intervals were also analysed using metallic screen fire assay techniques; this method was completed on 2.5% of the analyses. Cross-check analyses were conducted at a second external laboratory on 10% of the samples. Seabridge Gold holds a 100% interest in several North American gold resource projects. The Company's principal assets are the KSM and Iskut properties located near Stewart, British Columbia, Canada and the Courageous Lake gold project located in Canada's Northwest Territories. For a breakdown of Seabridge's mineral reserves and resources by project and category please visit the Company's website at http://www.seabridgegold.net/resources.php. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange, nor their Regulation Services Providers, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. All reserve and resource estimates reported by the Corporation were calculated in accordance with the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Classification system. These standards differ significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This document contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements" are made as of the date of this document. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the potential of any of the gold zones and target zones to contribute to Project resources; (ii) the estimated amount and grade of mineral reserves and estimates underlying the reserve determination, including estimates of resources, the capital costs of constructing mine facilities and bringing a mine into production, the amount of future production and estimates of operating costs, net cash flow and economic returns from an operating mine; (iii) the potential to improve Project economics by mining higher-grade, free-milling satellite deposits like Walsh Lake; (iv) the new target zones appearing to duplicate the upper and lower stratigraphic intervals found at Walsh Lake; and (v) the possibility that the Perrson target could be the southern terminus of the Walsh Lake deposit. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "envisages", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on Seabridge's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. These assumptions include: (i) the presence of and continuity of metals at the Project at observed or modeled grades; (ii) the capacities of various machinery and equipment; (iii) the availability of personnel, machinery and equipment at estimated prices; (iv) exchange rates; (v) metals sales prices; (vi) appropriate discount rates; (vii) tax rates and royalty rates applicable to the proposed mining operation; (viii) financing structure and costs; (ix) anticipated mining losses and dilution; (x) metallurgical performance; (xi) reasonable contingency requirements; (xii) success in realizing proposed operations; (xiii) receipt of regulatory approvals on acceptable terms, (xiv) the negotiation of satisfactory terms with impacted Treaty and First Nations groups; and (xv) continuity of observed mineralization and its association with other geological structures. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Many forward-looking statements are made assuming the correctness of other forward-looking statements, such as statements of net present value and internal rates of return, which are based on most of the other forward-looking statements and assumptions herein. The cost information is also prepared using current values, but the time for incurring the costs will be in the future and it is assumed costs will remain stable over the relevant period. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur, but specifically include, without limitation: risks relating to variations in the mineral content within the mineralized material identified, in particular mineral reserves or mineral resources, from that predicted; variations in rates of recovery and extraction; developments in world metals markets; risks relating to fluctuations in the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar; increases in the estimated capital and operating costs or unanticipated costs; difficulties attracting the necessary work force; increases in financing costs or adverse changes to the terms of available financing, if any; tax rates or royalties being greater than assumed; changes in development or mining plans due to changes in logistical, technical or other factors; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; risks relating to receipt of regulatory approvals or settlement of an agreement with impacted Treaty and First Nations groups; the effects of competition in the markets in which Seabridge operates; operational and infrastructure risks and the additional risks described in Seabridge's Annual Information Form filed with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com) for the year ended December 31, 2017 and in the Corporation's Annual Report Form 40-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR (available at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml).Seabridge cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to Seabridge, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Seabridge does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by Seabridge or on our behalf, except as required by law. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Rudi Fronk" Chairman and C.E.O. For further information, please contact: Rudi P. Fronk, Chairman and C.E.O. Tel: (416) 367-9292 Fax: (416) 367-2711 Email: info@seabridgegold.net DENVER, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glowpoint, Inc. (NYSE American:GLOW) (Glowpoint or the Company), a managed service provider of video collaboration and network applications, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018. First Quarter Financial Highlights Cash of $3.1 million, working capital of $3.8 million and no debt as of March 31, 2018. Revenue of $3.5 million, net loss of $1.3 million, and adjusted EBITDA (AEBITDA) of $0.1 million. AEBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See Non-GAAP Financial Information later in this release for a reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure. Closed a registered direct offering of 0% Series C Convertible Preferred Stock in January 2018 for net proceeds to the Company of $1.5 million. Retired $1.8 million of outstanding debt obligations in the first quarter, resulting in no outstanding debt as of March 31, 2018. Stockholders equity of $12.5 million as of March 31, 2018. We are pleased to have further strengthened our balance sheet during the first quarter of 2018 through the completion of our Series C equity round in January which, along with improving the Companys liquidity position, also resulted in the retirement of all outstanding debt. Our simplified capital structure provides the Company a foundation on which to pursue both organic and inorganic growth initiatives including the release of our next generation UCaaS1 support platform this summer, said Glowpoint President and CEO Peter Holst. According to Gartner Research2, global spending on Unified Communications (UC) will reach $45.7 billion in 2022, and technology strategic planners positioning UC solutions must plan for expected shortages of skilled support resources as the UC market evolves. Time-to-market has always been a challenge for IT teams seeking to deploy and adopt communication services to their fullest potential and, as market demand for UC grows rapidly, weve worked closely with our customers, partners and prospects to design a service platform that shortens innovation and adoption cycles while also addressing their needs to substantially reduce complexity and cost. Leading IT organizations identify the customer experience as a top priority by accelerating the adoption and dissemination of services that engage customer interaction and response. With recent advancements in machine learning and emerging architectures that simplify applications into functional components, business users can not only expect faster innovation, but also far greater flexibility in adoption, support and customization to meet their specific objectives. Glowpoints results from operations and financial condition are more fully discussed in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2018 on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). Investors are encouraged to carefully review the Companys Form 10-Q for a complete analysis of its results from operations and financial condition. About Glowpoint Glowpoint, Inc. (NYSE American:GLOW) is a managed service provider of video collaboration and network applications. Our services are designed to provide a comprehensive suite of automated and concierge applications to simplify the user experience and expedite the adoption of video as the primary means of collaboration. Our customers include Fortune 1000 companies, along with small and medium sized enterprises in a variety of industries. To learn more please visit www.glowpoint.com. Non-GAAP Financial Information Adjusted EBITDA (AEBITDA), a non-GAAP financial measure, is defined as net loss before depreciation and amortization, income tax expense, stock-based compensation, impairment charges, and interest and other expense, net. AEBITDA is not intended to replace operating loss, net loss, cash flow or other measures of financial performance reported in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Rather, AEBITDA is an important measure used by management to assess the operating performance of the Company and is used in determining achievement of performance-based stock awards. AEBITDA as defined here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies due to differences in accounting policies. Therefore, AEBITDA should be considered in conjunction with net loss and other performance measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, such as operating loss or cash flow provided by (used in) operating activities, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for GAAP measures, such as net loss, operating loss or any other GAAP measure of liquidity or financial performance. A reconciliation of AEBITDA to net loss is shown in the attached schedules. Forward looking and cautionary statements This press release and any oral statements made regarding the subject of this release contain forward-looking statements as defined under Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address activities that Glowpoint assumes, plans, expects, believes, intends, projects, estimates or anticipates (and other similar expressions) will, should or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on managements current belief, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events, and involve factors, risks, and uncertainties that may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from such statements. A list and description of these and other risk factors can be found in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2017 and in other filings made by the Company with the SEC from time to time, including the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2018. Any of these factors could cause Glowpoints actual results and plans to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, Glowpoint can give no assurance that its future results will be as estimated. Glowpoint does not intend to, and disclaims any obligation to, correct, update or revise any information contained herein. INVESTOR CONTACT: Investor Relations Glowpoint, Inc. +1 303-640-3840 investorrelations@glowpoint.com www.glowpoint.com 1 Unified Communications (UC) as a Service (UCaaS) is a sophisticated solution unifying a variety of communication services on a single platform and accessible through the cloud. 2 Gartner Research Forecast Analysis: Unified Communications, Worldwide, 1Q18 Update, April, 2018 GLOWPOINT, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands, except par value, stated value and shares) March 31, 2018 (unaudited) December 31, 2017 ASSETS Current assets: Cash $ 3,068 $ 3,946 Accounts receivable, net 1,295 1,220 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 696 715 Total current assets 5,059 5,881 Property and equipment, net 1,007 1,159 Goodwill 7,100 7,750 Intangibles, net 594 626 Other assets 8 8 Total assets $ 13,768 $ 15,424 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY Current liabilities: Current portion of long-term debt $ $ 1,194 Accounts payable 309 337 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 714 1,003 Accrued sales taxes and regulatory fees 247 259 Total current liabilities 1,270 2,793 Long term liabilities: Long-term debt, net of current portion 369 Total long-term liabilities 369 Total liabilities 1,270 3,162 Stockholders equity: Preferred stock, Series A-2, convertible; $.0001 par value; $7,500 stated value; 7,500 shares authorized, 32 shares issued and outstanding and liquidation preference of $237 at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively Preferred stock, Series B, convertible; $.0001 par value; $1,000 stated value; 2,800 shares authorized, 375 shares issued and outstanding and liquidation preference of $375 at March 31, 2018 and 450 shares issued and outstanding and liquidation preference of $450 at December 31, 2017 Preferred stock, Series C, convertible; $.0001 par value; $1,000 stated value; 1,750 shares authorized, 1,275 shares issued and outstanding and liquidation preference of $1,275 at March 31, 2018 and none at December 31, 2017 Common stock, $.0001 par value; 150,000,000 shares authorized; 47,318,000 shares issued and 46,485,000 outstanding at March 31, 2018 and 45,161,000 issued and 44,510,000 outstanding at December 31, 2017 5 5 Treasury stock, 833,000 and 651,000 shares at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively (405 ) (352 ) Additional paid-in capital 184,688 183,114 Accumulated deficit (171,790 ) (170,505 ) Total stockholders equity 12,498 12,262 Total liabilities and stockholders equity $ 13,768 $ 15,424 GLOWPOINT, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS and GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation (In thousands, except per share data) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Revenue $ 3,474 $ 4,080 Operating expenses: Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) 2,147 2,448 Research and development 250 287 Sales and marketing 177 140 General and administrative 898 1,016 Impairment charges 650 Depreciation and amortization 232 459 Total operating expenses 4,354 4,350 Loss from operations (880 ) (270 ) Interest and other expense, net (405 ) (371 ) Loss before income taxes (1,285 ) (641 ) Income tax expense (27 ) Net loss (1,285 ) (668 ) Preferred stock dividends 3 3 Net loss attributable to common stockholders $ (1,288 ) $ (671 ) Net loss attributable to common stockholders per share: Basic and diluted net loss per share $ (0.03 ) $ (0.02 ) GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation: Net loss $ (1,285 ) $ (641 ) Depreciation and amortization 232 459 Interest and other expense, net 405 371 Income tax expense 27 EBITDA (648 ) 216 Stock-based compensation 50 164 Impairment charges 650 Adjusted EBITDA $ 52 $ 380 English Dutch NN Group is pleased to invite you to our first quarter 2018 results combined wires and press call on Thursday 17 May 2018 at 07:45 CET. During the call, Lard Friese, CEO, Delfin Rueda, CFO, and Jan-Hendrik Erasmus, CRO of NN Group will discuss the results. An introduction will be followed by a Q&A session. Please find below the details for the combined wires and press call. The call-in facility provides you the option to ask questions during the Q&A session. The press release will be issued at 07:00 CET that day. Wires and press call NN Group Date: Thursday 17 May 2018 Time: 07:45 CET Dial-in: +31 (0) 20 531 5863 If you have any questions, please contact my colleagues Daphne Andriesse, at +31 (0) 6 10918790, Daphne.Andriesse@nn-group.com or Maurice Piek, +31 (0) 6 30382911, Maurice.Piek@nn-group.com Kind regards, Saskia Kranendonk Head of Media relations NN Group The company is offering $60 billion cash for Fox. Source: Reuters Not so fast there, Disney. Another company has thrown its name into the ring to purchase Fox: Comcast. The media conglomerate is offering $60 billion cash for Fox's assets, which they've already agreed to sell to Disney for $52 billion in stock. Comcast Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts only plans to proceed with the bid if a federal judge allows AT&T's planned $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner to proceed. The Department of Justice recently sued to block the deal on the basis that it will raise prices for consumers and competitors. We'll see if that extra $8 billion is enough to keep the Fantastic Four and the X-Men from coming home to Marvel. Covers and preview pages for two DC Comics titles on sale May 9. Source: Comics Continuum At the end of Dark Nights: Metal #6 it was revealed that during the battle against Barbatos, Tenth Metal energies had been released throughout the DC Universe. In addition, the Source Wall itself had been breached and whatever has been held at bay behind it for eons presumably now has a path right into the DCU. Following the battle Carter Hall described visions he had experienced during his time at The World Forge. Visions of Atlantis of rising, the formation of the new Dark Stars, the Flash War and a Dark Pantheon. Wonder Woman #46 "The Dark Gods" part one! In the wake of Dark Nights: Metal, new secrets of the cosmos have been revealed and taken form... and though she doesn't know it yet, Wonder Woman is at the center of their plans! Written by: James Robinson Art by: Stephen Segovia Colors by: Romulo Fajardo Jr Covers by: Emanuela Lupacchino. Jenny Frison (Variant) 32 pages $2.99 (US) The Flash #46 "The Road to Flash War!" Wally West is overwhelmed by fragments from his past! With his protege's psyche falling apart, Barry Allen races around the DCU calling in every favor possible to save his shattered family. Meanwhile, Hunter Zolomon's sinister machinations tip over the first domino in what might prove to be the end of everything for The Flash! Written by: Joshua Williamson Art by: Scott Kolins Colors by: Luis Guerrero Covers by: Dan Panosian, Francesco Mattina (Variant) 32 pages $2.99 (US) TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lingo Media Corporation (TSX-V:LM) (OTC:LMDCF) (FSE:LIMA) (Lingo Media or the Company) a global provider of digital and print-based English Language Learning solutions is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, ELL Technologies Ltd. (ELL), has secured a sales contract with a leading Japanese university for its Gale Lingo program, through its distribution partnership with Gale, a part of Cengage Learning. This is the third sales contract resulting from Lingo Medias partnership with Gale, which provides Gale the rights to market, distribute and sell ELL Technologies Scholar program to the higher education library market under the Gale Lingo brand. ELL Technologies will provide its Gale Lingo program to Seinan Gakuin University, located in Fukuoka, Japan. With 9 faculties, colleges and research institutes and a population of about 8,500 students, Seinan Gakuin University is consistently ranked as one of the leading privately-funded universities in Western Japan. This contract expands our footprint into Japan as we execute on our distribution partnership with Gale and our reach into Asia, said Gali Bar-Ziv, COO of Lingo Media. We are looking forward to working with Seinan Gakuin University as we implement Gale Lingo into their university library system. About Lingo Media Lingo Media is a global provider of best-in-class digital and print-based English language learning solutions that are Changing the way the world learns English. Developed for learners of English at every level, Lingo Medias ELL Technologies products combine a vast content library with proprietary technology. ELL Technologies intuitive dashboards enable students to track and manage their progress, and allow teachers to organize and interact with students, providing ongoing support. Lingo Medias Lingo Learning division is a print-based publisher of English language learning programs in China. Lingo Medias products and programs are marketed through established sales channels to key education, government and business organizations in Latin America and China and continues to extend its global reach and expand its product offerings. Follow Lingo Media On: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LingoMedia Twitter: @LingoMediaCorp YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lingomedialm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lingo-media-corporation RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/LingoMedia For further information, contact: Lingo Media Michael Kraft, President & CEO Tel: (+1) 416-927-7000 Ext. 23 Toll Free: 1-866-927-7011 Email: mkraft@lingomedia.com To learn more, visit us at www.lingomedia.com Portions of this press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of securities laws. These statements are made in reliance upon Sections 21E and 27A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties or other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results, performance, or expectations implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary materially from management's expectations and projections and thus readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Lingo Media has tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words such as "may," "should," "expect," "hope," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "estimate" and similar expressions. Lingo Medias expectations, among other things, are dependent upon general economic conditions, the continued and growth in demand for its products, retention of its key management and operating personnel, its need for and availability of additional capital as well as other uncontrollable or unknown factors. No assurance can be given that the actual results will be consistent with the forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by US Federal securities laws, Lingo Media undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or any other reason. Certain factors that can affect the Company's ability to achieve projected results are described in the Company's filings with the Canadian and United States securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. ________________________________________ 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 Dr. Adelaide Nmuna Tipoteh-Harris Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing Adelaide Nmuna Tipoteh-Harris, Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, will officially be awarded the degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice from Xavier University at its 180th annual Commencement on Saturday, May 12, 2018. Professor Harris doctoral dissertation, entitled Diabetes Self-Management Education Provision by an Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Team: A Quality Improvement Project, was successfully defended last year on November 17th. It is dedicated to her late father, Rev. Samuel Togba Roberts, and mother Victoria Kye Roberts, who encouraged her to obtain an education that no one can take away and be self-sufficient. Adelaide Nmuna is the only girl out of seven (7) brothers, including Dr. Togba-Nah Tipoteh (one of Liberias most prominent economists, civil-society and political leaders). Diabetes is a significant health problem and an increasingly prevalent disease in the United States, affecting 9.3% of the adult population (Centers for Disease and Prevention [CDC], 2014). The objective of Professor Harriss dissertation is to educate healthcare providers on Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME), by investigating and identifying the requisite skills and knowledge necessary for people with diabetes to manage their conditions successfully. The focus of the dissertation was on type 2 diabetes which accounts for 90 % to 95% of patients (CDC, 2014). Her principal argument is that the shift in diabetes care is to focus teaching on problem-solving (self-management) to engage and empower patients with diabetes to live the best quality of life. However, healthcare providers may not always be aware of self-management education (DSME) available to patients. In this regard, the dissertations key contribution is the application of seven essential self-care behaviors identified by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), known as the AADE7, which is a tool to assist healthcare providers in providing key topics related to diabetes. The desired outcome is the care providers application of new DSME knowledge and measured by an increase in the percentage of DSME documentation on the diabetes flow sheet. Results from the project revealed 100% documentation of patient DSME on the flow sheet from no documentation before the project. The use of the AADE7 tool and documentation promote preventive practice care and encourage self-care management among patients with diabetes to avert any long-term complications. While Dr. Harris research was focused on the United States, its main arguments, social determinants of health framework, and operational model are relevant for Liberias health policy and program development, particularly concerning raising awareness on diabetes management and prevention. Last year, the Liberia Diabetes Center announced that 3 out of 4 Liberians or 75 percent of the population were either diabetics or pre-diabetics. To the extent that such statistics reflect the Liberian reality, the type of diabetes self-care behavior education investigated by this dissertation is crucial for controlling the disease; and international research and program partnerships will be key. This dissertation is quite informative, innovative, and stimulating. About the Author: Dr. Geepu Nah Tiepoh is a development economist. He heads the Department of Economics and Political Science at Vanier College, Canada. Contact: amuenu.2015@gmail.com Karl Marx Today, May 5, 2018, marks the 200th Birth Anniversary of Karl Mark. Let us examine the Work of Karl Marx and draw lessons from it that can be used to make living conditions better for the Working People of the world. Here are the dismal living conditions of the Working People of the World: 1. Half of the world's population lives on less than USD2'50 a day. 2. One-fourth of the world's population lives on less than USD125 a day. 3. 80% of the world's population lives on less than USD10 a day' 4. 80% of the world's income and wealth is accounted for by 1% of the world's population 5. The gap between the poor and the rich within countries is widening and this gap between poor and rich countries is also widening. Sources: World Bank Annual Reports; International Monetary Fund Annual Reports; United Nations Annual Human Development Reports. USD60 billion would be needed to eliminate extreme poverty. This amount is equal to one-fourth of the income of the 100 richest persons in the world (OXFAM). Why is not this USD60 billion amount being used to eliminate extreme poverty? The main contribution in Marx's Work to thought and action globally is found in his indication of the relationship between capital and labor in the Capitalist System and its non-sustainability. According to Marx, Capital needs labor to thrive but Labor does not need Capital to thrive. Capital uses a variety of historically attained means to force Labor into a relationship centered around the production of goods and services. As this relationship is dismal because Capital takes what labor deserves/works for. Upon labor realizing the dismal nature of this relation and as labor is not suicidal, the relationship becomes non-sustainable. And this is how the capitalist system is rendered erosive. This does not happen through the initiative of the capitalist but through the action of labor, conscientized labor. It is impossible for the capitalist who benefits from the capitalist system to take action consciously that renders the system erosive. There are persons who call themselves progressives who continue to look up to the capitalist to be the bearer of the solution to the dismal conditions faced by labor. A progressive is a person who takes action to improve the living conditions of Working People sustainably. In my 2018 May Day Keynote Address to the Liberia Labor Congress (LLC), I indicated that the Victims in the Capital-Labor relationship are the Source of the Solution to the dismal conditions of Labor rather than the Perpetrators. In this direction, I mentioned that relatively low levels of consciousness among Workers result in the election of bad leaders who place Workers in the grip of the Perpetrators. Therefore, the work of progressives must be stepped up urgently to raise political awareness to prevent the further erosion of the living conditions of Workers. Workers have the numbers to elect leaders who have the record of working to build sustainable democratic institutions but their numbers are used in unfair electoral systems to elect the Perpetrators. Many of the leaders of Workers are driven by money, thereby becoming slaves of management and politicians who work to sustain the poverty-generating system. It is essentially the realization of the indispensability of the role of labor in uprooting the system of injustice and replacing it with the system of justice that led to the formation of the Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA), now in its 45th year. With Liberia being the second poorest country in Africa and the fourth poorest country in the world (World Bank; IMF) and having the world's worst record (62%) of children who should be in school but are not in school (UNICEF), while some "progressives" are running after government jobs and leaders of workers continue to be driven by money, in the midst of the poverty-generating system of production of raw materials for export, clearly, MOJA has much work to do. DOWN WITH MONKEY WORK BABOON DRAW! UP WITH MONKEY WORK MONKEY DRAW! President George Forky Klon Jlaleh Gbah Ku GbehTarpeh Manneh Weah Until the official framework of the current administrations well-sung pro-poor governance policy can come out of the belly of ongoing retreats and PowerPoint deliberations, practical actions are the only prism upon which the merits of the policy and the insincerity of its proponents can be measured. Nothing is less than this. Not even the volume of the expected Pro-Poor Strategy Paper or the ecstasy generated by its literary renditions can substitute for deliberate practical revolutionary pronouncements and follow-up actions from President George Manneh Weah and his administration. Liberians have had enough rhetoric expressed in volumes of honeyed development plans that could hardly stand the test of enforceable austerity measures, particularly beginning with the proponents themselves. Many political administrations and their development agendas placed the burdens of austerity policies on others, including foreign investments and the very masses of the people, while grossing on the hurts of their own accruements. President George Manneh Weah has broken the circus. He flaunts his chest and the chests of his appointed officials to the bullets of a major economic austerity action of Government. Back in January, he waved a substantial percentage of his own salary, leaving it with Government to decide how it would be used. This week, he has included some 4,140 officials of the Executive Branch of Government earning above US$1,000. On the average, when each of the target officials sheds at least US$100and including ten percent from individuals earning up to the ceiling US$10,000the government will save more than US$410,000 monthly. Considering this waiver over a year period, one finds that the Executive Branch alone will spare state coffer nearly US$5m. Let the Mathematician spread it over the first six years and include other Branches of government in case they also think pro-poor and surrender to cuts; that would be a colossal shock absorber for the national budget. This is a rare revolutionary action on the part of President Weah; a rare action because all that Liberias budget history, which has proven a complete nightmare, has taught its citizens is always the accelerated upward mobility of salaries and benefits particularly for bigwigs in Government rather than in downward movement. All we have seen, which we particularly saw in the last 12 years, was the clamor and competition for a spiraled increase of emoluments amongst public functionaries, some officials setting out for themselves nonstop annual salary rise regime that some of them hit US$20,000 per month. I am very sure if President Weah had not checked the breaks on the paceif he had come to public governance rooted in the longtime psyche that sees public service as a lottery jamboreea single Liberia public official would earn up to US$40,000 by the end of his first tenure. Thank God the President did not only check the breaks, he has put the gear in rapid deceleration. That is quite radically groundbreaking; isnt it? This is what is most neededand expected for this administration: at all levels of governance, breaking from business as usual, demolishing the old order, radically shattering the archaic bureaucracy, and turning the paradigm 150-degree shiftall for the poor, by the poor and of the poor. This is what attracts many of us to the CDC revolution. And nothing better defines pro-poor and serves the purpose of institutionalizing and actualizing the pro-poor strategy than jerking public money from wherever it is misplaced, including overblown salaries and benefits. Why? Because whoever claims to be poor-people-centered, which is the other way to call pro-poor, must not be stingy. The nature of a pro-poor person is the ability to dip into his or her meager and hard-earned entitlement and share with the needy. Not many members of the ruling elite are given to the trait of selflessness and altruism. Yes, it is bureaucratic and governmental for one to use the wealth or the resources of the state to better the condition of its citizens. But there is a difference that comes with the pro-poor context, where one uses or lets out his own earnings to better the condition of the downtrodden. By imposing his innate altruistic nature on his appointees, President Weah is teaching his followers and appointees the most notable and intrinsic meaning of the pro-poor agendasharing personal goodies with the underprivileged. Hes saying in effect that changing the story of the poor people of Liberia is not only going to be done from taxes from business people and grants and loans paid by domestic and foreign sources; it will be done also from the pockets of individuals who are paid to serve the public interest. Hes saying, To whom much is given much much is expected. In other words, the President is saying, it should not take a huge salary or benefit for public servants to serve the Liberian people better. If at all service is what actually attracts his officials in Government, President Weah is teaching that all and sundry in Government must be prepared to forget that mentality or find somewhere else to go and serve, not in his Government. By mustering the rare courage to cut salaries, George Weah has in a sense not only put a new definition on public service, he has also declared a major war on one of his pro-poor agendas archenemylavish compensations in Government. And for the singular act of radically slashing salaries and benefits, the President must be ready to stand in a covert battle with vicious public mogulsofficials who are innately mean, who are anti-poor, who are used to pocketing loose cash, and who think public service is a casino. These fiscal miscreants and kleptocrats will not resign nor will they make known their dissatisfactions public in the face of the Presidents salary-cut action. They will rather keep hanging on the public service but inclined to use devious techniques to cultivate subtle but cruel alternatives to acquit for the lost portions of their earnings which the President so necessarily has preyed upon. This means, while the masses might rightfully be celebrating the austerity action on salaries of public officials, it is just not the end of it all. In fact, the war has just started and President Weah and his true pro-poor lieutenants must get ready to keep alert and surveillance on aggrieved public officials who will definitely strive to find recuperation of their lost earnings from dubious deeds. If they were not satisfied with emoluments such as US$10,000, US$15,000 and even US$20,000 per month, what will the ceiling of US$7,800 do for these economic vampires? Thus, any attempt by President Weah to limit his recent salary slash to budgetization and play cool on the need to clip the wings of scoundrels once and for all, the nation will witness the spiraled upsurge of heightened fiscal misdeeds as ever seen in the corruption history of the country. For there are elements finding means to recuperate from the sting of the just-announced austerity action. Some areas to keep a ready alert on are the areas of procurement and employment. Shady contracts with private service providers, procurement of office supplies, including automobiles, payroll padding are all easy cushions to give affected and dissatisfied public officials recovery from the reduction of their salaries and benefits. If the Internal Audit Agency, the General Auditing Commission and Public Procurement and Concession Commission have ever intended to do better in their various integrity wars against waste and pillage, this is the timethe time at which public officials, for the first time in history, are given a significant hit on their legal earnings. Many would want to go wild and cruel. On the overall, however, the emerging popular catchphrase of Pro-Poor Governance Agenda has now found its root meaning and innate relevance in the pronouncement addressing the issue of mammoth salaries and benefits, an issue which has not only been a source of lingering public outcry long ignored but also which constitutes an inhibitive factor towards socioeconomic justice and Liberias development and progress. The Government and those who believe in it must run with this singular austerity action which unarguably is a historic, unprecedented governance policy. No one needs a voluminous development strategy to grasp this fact. President George Forky Klon Jlaleh Gbah Ku GbehTarpeh Manneh Weah The 2018/2019 draft budget is a self-evident commentary that the pro-poor policy is only in words but not in deeds, which fundamentally shows the deception of the Weah government. He talks poor, but the draft budget acts rich. A clear indication that the government is not determined to break with the cycle of "business as usual." From a brief look at figures in the draft budget, the Weah regime spends a colossal US$ 488 million on recurrent expenditure, which means close to 87% of the draft budget is expected to be spent on the government, leaving the ordinary people to suffocate in despair. Meanwhile, payroll constitutes approximately 62% of it. A close look at the figure contradicts the Weah government much-heralded pronouncement about the reduction of salary, as the draft budget shows US$303.4million sudden jump in compensation, which far exceeds the approximately US$ 280 million used for the said purpose under the administration of his predecessor. Interestingly, the figures in the draft budget sharply contradict everything Weah promised about ensuring the government serves the interest of the mass of the people who are on tenterhook, hoping that their unbearable conditions can be overturned by a government which promised to invest in its people rather than in itself. However, the pronouncement of the government is a mere verbal irony, as it talks people but acts self. Moreover, agriculture, which is now not only the new frontier for sustained economic growth, food security but also export and foreign currency earning, constitutes a bare minimum of US$1.5 million of the budget; while education, which should be the heartbeat of the policy of a government whose people are massively illiterate, gets a paltry 15 percent (far against the 25% benchmark set in Liberias new education law). While the health sector, which is key to national development efforts, is slapped with 10% of the budget. In a backward country such as Liberia, we thought the Weah government would have prioritized the health, education and agriculture sectors. As massive investments in those critical sectors would mark a decisive effort at spending on the people and curbing poverty in the long run, which is central to national transformation. Hell no! The draft budget defies economic sense and shows deafening indifference on the part of the so-called pro-poor government. With the way the commanding heights of production of the Homeland is organized, which, in turn, makes it a raw material exporting satellite for monopoly capital and giant industries, we thought the Weah regime would have broken with the past and meaningfully invest in the broader masses of the people, leading to economic advance and social transformation. However, it is now evident that the Weah government pays lips service to the welfare of the masses of the people living in the squalid slums of Monrovia and parts adjacent. Ironically, these masses have been loyal to him throughout his political sojourn, against every indication that he is poised to become a horror of a president. Yet the draft budget has nothing meaningful in it for them. Virtually nothing is in it for the people of Clara Town, West Point, New Kru Town, much less the collective of the oppressed and exploited rural masses. In history, as in life, a government shows where it stands in the class struggle not by making equivocal political pronouncements, but by taking practical steps to address the structural issues that confront the exploited layers of the society. It is only through praxis that one can confirm that a government is either pro or anti-people. Weahs indifference shows that being a member of a class is not solely by birth but where one stands in relations to the economic question. What is getting increasingly clear is that the backwardness of the Republic is essentially and fundamentally the problem of leadership. A change of a political party or a segment of the ruling class will not address such fundamental crisis. Insofar as our leaders are self-serving parasites. About the Author: Kiadii studies Political Science with emphasis in Public Administration at the University of Liberia. He is the Secretary-General of the Movement for Social Democratic Alternative (MOSODA). You can reach him through Cell#: +233552176627, or bokiadii@gmail.com. Artwork by Michael Anderson and Sam Ben-Meir The Sultan of an illusionary Ottoman EmpireTurkeys President Erdoganis pressuring submissive politicians throughout the Balkan countries to do his bidding to restore the glory of the Ottoman period. For Erdogan, this is not simply an unfulfilled quest; he has been targeting the Balkans for the past several years (which he views as easy prey) to co-opt into his sphere of influence by spreading his Islamic agenda under the guise of cultural cooperation. He is investing heavily in infrastructure and religious institutions, using businesses as leverage (while reaping economic benefit) as part of his sinister scheme to consolidate Turkeys grip on the Balkan states to serve his neo-Ottoman design. Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu emphatically echoed his bosss grandiose vision, stating that by 2023 (the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic), Turkey will become as powerful and influential as the Ottoman Empire was during its heyday. The Balkan states must realize that their prospect for economic growth, prosperity, freedom, and sustainable democracy rests on close association with the EU, and not with a ruthless dictator who pretends to be the savior for the Balkans. According to Turkeys Ministry of Economy, by the end of 2016, the cumulative worth of Turkey's foreign direct investment in the Balkan countries reached about $10 billion. A year ago, Erdogan proudly stated in an interview for the Albanian TV station Top Channel that Turkey has invested three billion euros in Albania. I dont know how many investments have arrived from the EU, but ours will not stop. The Western Balkan countries have been seeking long-lasting relations with the EU in their efforts to join the Union. With the new enlargement package the European Commission recommended, Albania will be the first to start accession talks. Turkey, meanwhile, is flexing its economic muscles to lure Albania and other Balkan states into its own geostrategic orbit. Turkeys investments in Albania are selective and strategically calculated to have the greatest economic and political impact on the financial market as well as major national projects. This includes owning the second-largest bank, hydropower plants, an iron smelting plant, former state-owned telecom operator Albtelecom, and mobile operator Eagle Mobile. Prime Minister Edi Rama, who wholeheartedly supports these projects, is known for his close relations with Erdogan (the only leader from Europe to attend Erdogans daughters wedding) and is now negotiating the construction of a tourist airport in Vlora, 140km south of the capital Tirana. Albanian citizens must realize that Erdogans investments in their economy are but a facade to cover his larger goal of making the Balkans increasingly dependent on Turkey, while making Ankara the dominant center of power a la the Ottoman era in its days of glory. Despite the various changes in its political systems, Albania has been a secular state since its founding in 1912. After independence, the democratic, monarchic, and later totalitarian communist regimes followed a systematic secularization of the national culture. But then, in contrast to the national socio-political liberal trend, in 2015 Erdogan inaugurated the Grand Mosque Namazgja, which is the largest mosque in Albania, costing around 30 million euros and financed by Turkeys Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). During his speech at Columbia University in late April, Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati dismissed all the facts about Erdogans unambiguous Islamic agenda in Albania. When we challenged him on that score, he queasily responded by saying that It is not true that Turkey has built the largest mosque in in Albania, and that the mosque was built for the Muslim needs. This false statement is consistent with his refusal to admit that tens of new mosques have already been inaugurated in Albania that were financed by Erdogan. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Inauguration Ceremony of Preze Castle Mosque in Albanian (13 May 2015) Albanias Prime Minister Rama is not the only one flirting with Erdogan. President Ilir Meta, after his meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, underlined the prospect that the two countries are on the path to increasing cooperation while ignoring the concern shared by a majority of Albanians who feel that the closer Albania gets to Turkey, the farther it distances itself from the EU. In a conversation with Mero Baze, a journalist, and publisher of Tema, he stated that Turkish investments originate from a close circle of businessmen associated with President Erdogan, and are not investments acquired from competitive bidding in the open marketplace. They are privately negotiated, and As such, they can turn into a problem, in case of political instability in Turkey said Baze, as they become politically exposed to Erdoganan autocrat who may face major political problems in the future, which can drag Albania into the political and economic morass in Turkey that may well ensue. In January of this year, opposition MP Dashamir Shehi alerted the parliament of Erdogans invasion in Albania. I am against the expansion of the Turkish presence in Albania. I dont want Turkish investments and turbulence of Turkish politics in our country. Chromium, metallurgy, schools, airports are taken by the Turks. We aim toward Europe not East. The Prime Minister responded to him sarcastically, saying Drink brandy and do not scream. In a conversation with us, Xhemal Ahmeti, historian and philosopher who wrote a treatise for the Albanian government entitled Saving the Albanian culture from the Turkish tendencies, said that, after the Albanian government, Erdogan is the one who has the maximum power over Albania. He also condemned the lack of open criticism of Turkey in the Albanian media, saying that With this policy, Albania closes every gateway to the West. He suggested that Albania must take concrete steps against Salafism and Erdoganism, because their instructors, emissaries, and ideologues infiltrate political parties, academic associations, and mosques in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, and other Balkan states. Erdogan is intoxicating Albania by providing now small doses of economic development until it finally succumbs to his manipulation and deceit. If Albania is looking towards the European Union as it officially states, it should not allow Erdogan to dominate the country by any means or persuasion. Albanian leaders must remember that the EU would not admit any new member into the Union who is deeply wedded to Erdogan, especially now that his naked desire to dominate the Balkans has been exposed for all to see. Europe is aware that Erdogans express purpose is to rebuild a regional neo-Ottoman power, which directly challenges Western values. Only a couple of weeks ago this sentiment was clearly expressed by MP Alparslan Kavakloglu, a member of the ruling AKP and head of the parliaments Security and Intelligence Commission: Europe will be Muslim. We will be effective there, Allah willing. I am sure of that. Turkeys diplomatic and military trajectory under Erdogan will remain the same for as long as he survives politically. The Balkan states, and especially Albania, who is the immediate candidate to join the EU, must carefully calibrate its relations with Turkey. The EU must make it clear that since full adherence to its charter, especially regarding human rights, freedom, and a democratic form of government, are prerequisites to EU membership, Albania must not cozy up to Erdogan, who has flagrantly abandoned the EUs founding PHOENIX, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MGX Minerals Inc. (MGX or the Company) (CSE:XMG) (OTCQB:MGXMF) (FSE:1MG), announced CEO Jared Lazersons interview on Uptick Newswires Stock Day podcast with Everett Jolly. MXG Minerals Inc. is a leader in industrial minerals, metals and technology and is lead by a core management team with unparalleled expertise in mining. For the past five years we have taken a step back to observe macro trends, said Lazerson. This broader view has afforded us the foresight into what the industry looks like today; and allowed us to develop the business accordingly. Your Company is everything energy, noted Jolly. Your preparation for the current market has directed much of your success. Can you discuss your key factor in the business model? Our approach to the industry is three pronged; commodities, processes and mass storage. Lazerson continued. Regarding commodities we have followed a traditional exploration model, be the biggest and be the best. MGX owns the largest new magnesium deposit in North America, the Company also owns two million acres of lithium brine exploration property. The specialized process with which we extract lithium cuts a two-year procedure to a few days, continued Lazerson. We have invested highly in additive technology and engineers that give us competitive advantage. Lazerson went on, finally we acquired a mass storage facility that uses fuel-cell type batteries. This acquisition provides the Company with large-scale mass storage that costs about 1/10th the price of a lithium battery run storage. To learn more about MGX Minerals, listen to the full interview at the following link:https://upticknewswire.com/featured-interview-ceo-jared-lazerson-of-mgx-minerals-inc-otcqb-mgxmf/ About MGX Minerals MGX Minerals is a diversified Canadian resource company with interests in advanced material and energy assets throughout North America. Learn more at www.mgxminerals.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Contact Information Jared Lazerson President and CEO Telephone: 1.604.681.7735 Web: www.mgxminerals.com About Uptick Newswire and the Stock Day Podcast Uptick Newswire is a private company reaching out to the masses keeping investors and shareholders up to date on company news and bringing transparency to the undervalued, undersold, micro-cap stocks of the market and is the sole producer of the Uptick Network Stock Day Podcast. The Uptick Network Stock Day Podcast is an extension of Uptick Newswire and has recently launched the Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona. Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of Stock Day and Uptick Newswire encourages listeners to visit MGX Mineral Inc., message board on: https://investorshangout.com/ Source: Uptick Newswire Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 66F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Each of the three Democrats seeking to be the partys candidate for the 8th Congressional Di KXLG radio maintains local ownership after death of Faehn Drawing from Faehn's guidance and her dedication, Herrboldt said she will ensure that Watertown will keep its "local and live" radio for years to come. TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IBI Group (TSX:IBG), a Toronto-based, global design and technology firm, will announce the launch of an exciting, new Smart Cities initiative tomorrow, alongside partners, including: EllisDon, The Weather Network and Slate Asset Management, as well as technology provider Microsoft. The initiative will be announced at the Smarter Urban Future event hosted at IBI Groups head office on May 10th. Partners will be in attendance and available to speak with media. In addition to the announcement, the event will feature an emerging technology pavilion, with booths including virtual reality and parametric design. Media are invited to peruse the booths, interview booth demonstrators, and learn about the technologies and their impact on cities. What: Announcement of New Smart Cities Initiative at IBI Groups A Smarter Urban Future event When: Thursday, May 10, 2018 10:30am 11:00am IBI Group CEO Keynote 11:00am 11:30am Smart Cities Announcement 11:30am 11:45am Photo Opp Where: IBI Group Toronto Head Office 55 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto Main Lobby Who: Senior executives from IBI Group, EllisDon, The Weather Network, and Slate Asset Management; Emerging Technology Booth Demonstrators With Toronto being a leader in the development and adoption of smart city technologies, the initiative will be hosted at IBIs Toronto headquarters but be open to applicants across the globe, with the goal of addressing real-world problems in cities around the world and fostering open networks of communication. As a firm that has been designing cities and implementing intelligent urban systems since its inception more than 40 years ago, IBI Group is in a unique position to lead this exciting initiative. For all media inquiries and to reserve interviews following the announcement, please contact Julia Harper at Julia.harper@ibigroup.com or 647-330-4706. About IBI Group IBI Group Inc. (TSX:IBG) is a globally integrated architecture, planning, engineering, and technology firm with over 2,700 professionals around the world. For more than 40 years, its dedicated professionals have helped clients create livable, sustainable, and advanced urban environments. IBI Group believes that cities must be designed with intelligent systems, sustainable buildings, efficient infrastructure, and a human touch. IBI Group is a lead partner of the Smart Cities Council North America. Follow us on Twitter @ibigroup and Instagram @ibi_group. By Seth Taylor taylorse@grinnell.edu This year has seen students, faculty, staff, community members and alumni banding together to call for the rejection of further donations from Pete Brownell to Grinnell College. Brownell is a Grinnell resident, the president of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the CEO of Brownells, Inc, located just outside Grinnell. Following marches, protests, forums and panels, letters written and petitions signed, there has been no response from Brownell regarding his relationship with the NRA or the College. The College has issued no public statement regarding the issue. Most recently, a group of alumni have written a petition asking the College to reject further gifts from Brownell, arguing that he represents the National Rifle Associations deleterious impacts on the quality of American life. As of April 14, 345 Alumni, 76 current students and 53 others had signed the petition, just 26 signatures shy of their 500-signature goal. Alumni began their efforts in the summer of 2017, writing to President Kington and asking the College to consider revising its gift acceptance policy to prohibit donations from Brownell and others whose values do not align with the Colleges. After researching the gift acceptance policies of other colleges, Grinnell released an updated policy in February, but according to Chuck Connerly 68, a member of the Concerned Alumni, this revision did not resolve the issue. We really wanted a specific action that the college was going to not continue to receive or accept funds from Brownell. It didnt really say whether they would or wouldnt. It basically said they could. Connerly said. This dissatisfaction prompted the Concerned Alumni to start their petition. Connerly acknowledges that not all alumni are supportive of the movement. Some have declined to sign the petition, hesitating to create a line on which to morally judge those who wish to contribute money to Grinnell and questioning whether accepting money from Pete Brownell can be equated to accepting money from the NRA. To Connerly, If there is a line, the NRA is on the other side of it. And Connerly believes that Brownell is undeniably connected with the NRA. As president of the NRA he is very much a part of it, and hes a leader in it. And so I dont think you can really distinguish between him writing a personal check and receiving a check from the NRA. The College, on the other hand, argues that Brownells donations do valuable work by funding the Ignite Program, which brings local students to campus for classes led by students at the College. In an email to James S. (Trip) Kennedy 68, published by The S&B on March 1, 2018, President Kington acknowledged his own opposition to the NRA as an organization, but wrote that divergent political and social views in a town like Grinnell, while challenging, is fundamentally beneficial to our educational mission, as long as we can engage in civil conversations and refrain from dehumanizing those who do not agree with our own views The Ignite Program, which [Brownell and Redmonds] gift initiated four years ago, is one of the ways they have helped to make the Grinnell community a better place to live and raise a family. In an email to The S&B this week, Sarah Smith, the director of the Ignite Program, affirmed the importance of the program, writing that it is intended to share the joy of learning, welcome our youngest neighbors to campus, build bridges and promote socio-economic access in our small rural community. Connerly says the Concerned Alumni do not dispute the programs value, and points to a section in the petition calling for the continuance of the very worthy Ignite Program with funding provided by alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of the College but not Pete Brownell. The alumni asked to present their petition to the Board of Trustees next week, but the Board declined their request, citing a busy agenda and referring them to the Gift Acceptance Committee, a committee that has met just once since its creation in 2015. Still, Connerly says the Concerned Alumni expect the College to respond by the end of the school year, and before the Class of 68 50-year reunion, where Connerly believes that if the alumni of 1968 (22 of which have both signed the petition and will be at the reunion) are unsatisfied with the Colleges response, the issue will be brought up. This sounds really overused, but Grinnell is not like any other college not like a lot of other colleges. I mean, there is this [progressive tradition] that has taken place at Grinnell and we hate to see that tradition sullied, basically in the interest of funding. Were really challenging which is more important. PASADENA, Calif., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Via OTC PR Wire -- Brazil Minerals, Inc. (OTC:BMIX) (the "Company" or "Brazil Minerals") announced today that it has been advancing the pre-drilling phase on its 288-acre lithium project located in the region of Salinas, state of Minas Gerais, in Brazil. This mineral right is inserted within the district chosen by CPRM (Companhia de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais), the Brazilian geological survey, as the most prospective ground for lithium in Brazil. Recently, the Company retained two consulting geologists for development and intends to field an in-loco campaign in the second semester of 2018. Separately, Brazil Minerals has already been approached, on an unsolicited basis, by interested parties. The indications are that the claims terrain is granitic and composed of LCT (lithium, cesium, tantalum) pegmatites. A nearby property has seen exploration of a pegmatite with lepidolite and amblygonite, two lithium bearing minerals. In this district, the identified lithium deposits are associated with pegmatite formations, as seen in the photographs attached. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CROP Infrastructure Corp. (CSE:CROP) (OTCMKTS:CIICF) (CROP or the Company) announces that it has entered into a Membership Purchase Agreement dated May 7th 2018 (the Agreement) with HUMBOLDT HOLDINGS LLC (Humboldt), a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of State of California, whereby the Company has agreed to advance up to US$2,000,000 to Humboldt for land and equipment purchased and the development of a 30,000 square foot greenhouse project intended for lease and brand licensing by Humboldt to licensed cannabis tenant growers (each, Tenant) in return for a 30% interest in Humboldt. The property currently consists of a 10,000 square foot existing cannabis greenhouse and has an existing building permit for the development of an additional 20,000 square feet of canopy. Humboldt intends to lease the property/infrastructure and license its branding to the Tenants. Humboldt also intends to commence construction of additional proprietary greenhouses consisting of 20,000 square feet of canopy. Once completed, the estimated Tenant production is expected to be approximately 2,000 pounds of flower per month. The closing of the transactions contemplated under the Agreement constitute a Significant Transaction in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. To date, the Company has advanced US$1,278,950 and has earned a 30% interest in Humboldt. The Hempire Company LLC of California is the holder of a 10,000 sqft medical marijuana cultivation license and a 20,000 sqft RRR license and is currently negotiating a tenancy agreement with Humboldt to lease the property and infrastructure and has already commenced cultivation in good faith. CROP director N. Alex Horsley states, This acquisition represents our entry into California, the largest cannabis market in the world. Work is now underway on Humboldts facility to expand the greenhouse facility to 30,000 square feet of canopy with our new state-of-the-art greenhouse design. CROP continues to aggressively pursue new opportunities to expand its portfolio of tenant growers and infrastructure assets in strategic licensed jurisdictions. Transaction Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Company has agreed to advance up to US$2,000,000 pursuant to an interest free loan which is repayable through 60% of the net after tax profits of Humboldt. As further incentive for advancement of the loan, the Company was issued a 30% membership interest in Humboldt which is governed by the terms of an operating agreement. About Humboldt Holdings LLC Located in Humboldt County California, the property is 8.46 acres and currently houses a 10,000 sqft greenhouse as well as a barn, garage and residence. On site are 5 x 5000 gallon water tanks, a well and pump house and a 30x60 drying shed. The property is zoned for a 10,000 sqft medical and a 20,000 sqft RRR license. About CROP Infrastructure Corp. CROP Infrastructure is engaged in the business of investing, constructing, owning, optimizing and branding light supplemented greenhouse projects for lease to cannabis producers and processors offering best-in-class operations. The Companys main focus is currently California and Washington. Company Contact N. Alex Horsley - Director E-mail: info@cropcorp.com Phone: (604) 484-4206 Wolf Bronet, third from the left, with his YM-YWHA runners knows as the Wolf Pack. SEATTLE, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CFN Media Group (CFN Media), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry, announces publication of an article covering Vancouver technology company, BLOCKStrain Technology Corp. (TSX-V:SR.H). The company has developed the first integrated blockchain platform that registers and tracks intellectual property for the cannabis industry. Strain protection and genetic identification are major issues for growers and breeders, and this new technology allows them to identify and secure rights to their valuable intellectual property (IP). The BLOCKStrain platform also streamlines the administrative process of genetic and mandatory quality-control testing for legal cannabis, cutting the administrative time and expense in half. BLOCKStrains proprietary, immutable, cryptographically-secure blockchain-technology establishes a global single source of truth for cannabis strains, their ownership, potency and chemical makeup. In an industry where a popular strain can be worth millions of dollars, quantifying genetics, potency and equivalencies between cannabis products is crucial to the future of legal marijuana. BLOCKStrain delivers needed transparency to growers, retailers, regulators, and consumers in Canada, who have struggled to find realistic solutions to these logistical challenges ahead of the upcoming legalization of recreational cannabis. The good news is that the blockchain technology implemented by BLOCKStrain is ideally suited to solve these kind of problems by implementing an immutable and non-corruptible record of transactions. Streamlining Mandatory Product Testing Further, as the legalized cannabis industry begins to grow around the world, new challenges exist around the ability to provide safe and legal inventory to an evolving marketplace while simultaneously meeting the mandatory product testing requirements of regulatory bodies. The demand for safe and legal cannabis will increase exponentially with legalization, and although Licensed Producers are undertaking great efforts to meet this demand with increased production, the current administrative process for testing is outdated and burdensome. It is not uncommon for personnel in a Licensed Producer to spend multiple hours a day manually completing the paperwork required for testing. BLOCKStrain has begun tackling this problem by developing an intuitive, intelligent and automated system to quickly and easily synchronize Licensed Producers with GMP Health Canada approved cannabis product testing facilities. Archiving Cannabis Genetics BLOCKStrain has developed a comprehensive cannabis genetics archiving platform that aims to transform global cannabis business transactions and operations. Using immutable blockchain technology, the company provides an environment that automates, accelerates, and encodes transactions while ensuring privacy and security for everyone. These elements create a single reliable record for cannabis strains and their ownership across the supply chain. The inherently open architecture of the blockchain enables growers, testers, researchers, and others to securely access and integrate with the platform. For example, a retailer may integrate their point-of-sale or inventory management solution with the BLOCKStrain platform to verify strains before and after theyre sold. The company was co-founded by Robert Galarza and Tommy Stephenson. Mr. Galarza brings a diverse professional background to BLOCKStrain with over 10 years of experience in advertising and mass media communications and over seven years as a transactional attorney and corporate executive where he worked on mobile platforms, software-as-a-service solutions, and blockchain integrations. Mr. Stephenson brings nearly 20 years of experience in software design and development to the company, where he worked with many leading Fortune 500 companies and served as the CTO of Ghost Group, Inc., currently the largest cannabis software company in the world, with its flagship product Weedmaps.com. Weed MDs Strategic Investment WeedMD Inc. (TSX-V:WMD) (OTC:WDDMF) recently announced a strategic investment into BLOCKStrain Technology Corp. Under the terms of the deal, WeedMD will invest $500,000 into the company and receive a board seat, making it Canadas first licensed producer for medical marijuana to integrate blockchain technology into its ecosystem. The move also paves the way for the licensed producer to expand its wholesale genetics business. We are thrilled to have the strategic support of WeedMD in the development and launch of our technology-based solutions, said CEO Robert Galarza. Our platform customizes the best aspects of blockchain technology for cannabis industry, specifically in the area of protecting the intellectual property of producers, while giving customers visibility and transparency. By utilizing BLOCKStrain, WeedMD can now expand its library of world-class genetics while building customers trust. WeedMD is a licensed producer under the Canadian governments Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). It has a 26,000-sq.-ft. indoor facility in Ontario and a second facility under development, with another 610,000-sq.-ft. of capacity. In addition to its own production, the company has entered into supply agreements and other strategic relationships to expand its capacity. The companys primary focus is on the senior care market, where its products can help alleviate many conditions without the use of potentially harmful or addictive prescription drugs. For BLOCKStrain, the addition of a world-class licensed producer serves as a valuable proof-of-concept for its platform, as well as a source of early funding. With initial data derived from intelligent and real world performance within its platform, the company is well positioned to provide the market with a solution-based software product, as well as providing retail outlets and consumer groups a product to close the supply chain loop. Additionally, regulators can begin to see how the platform will help deliver a safe and legal inventory of cannabis to the marketplace and thereafter introduce reasonble requirements for visibility and verification using the platform. Looking Ahead BLOCKStrain Technology Corp. represents a compelling investment opportunity for anyone looking for a solid technology stock with good exposure to the cannabis sector. It uses technology to resolve the administrative bottleneck that is associated with testing and verifying large quantities of cannabis for mass consumption, all the while saving producers and distributors time and money. Furthermore, by harnessing the power of blockchain technology, it hopes to create the de-facto standard for verifying and tracking cannabis strains across the supply chain. The open platform and future cryptocurrency incentives could help spur early traction, which could in turn help create high barriers to entry for competing technologies. For more information, visit the companys website at www.blockstrain.io. Please follow the link to read the full article: http://www.cannabisfn.com/blockstrain-brings-blockchain-technology-cannabis/ About CFN Media CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the global cannabis industry, helps companies operating in the space attract investors, capital, and publicity. Since 2013, private and public cannabis companies in the US and Canada have relied on CFN Media to grow and succeed. Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/featuredcompany Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from the palm of your hand: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8 Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com Disclaimer CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on http://www.cannabisfn.com (the Site) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. 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Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/ Contact: Frank Lane 206-369-7050 Flane@cannabisfn.com 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. Albany, New York, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global food preservatives market has been prophesied to hold a large count of manufacturers for the next few years. However, it could witness the entry of new players making their presence known in the industry due to the increase in the demand for organic food preservatives. In a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR), important players such as Kerry Group, Koninklijke DSM N.V., and Archer Daniels Midland Company have been profiled. In order to see an expansion of their regional presence and product portfolios, manufacturers have been foreseen to adopt mergers and collaborations as key growth strategies. As per TMRs analysis, the global food preservatives market could be valued at a US$2.5 bn by the completion of 2020. By type of product, the market had testified the lead secured by synthetic preservatives in the recent past. On the basis of region, North America has been projected to dominate the market with its US$0.9 bn valuation expected to come within grasp by the end of 2020. Request A Sample Of Food Preservatives Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=125 High Demand for Organic and Convenience Foods Paves Way for Growth in Market The food and beverages industry consists of two core segments that have been anticipated to set the tone for valuable growth in the world food preservatives market with their rising demand. Organic food products have been raking in an aggressively swelling demand in the recent years. They are researched to require a different group of preservatives. On the other hand, changing lifestyles have been said to trigger a magnifying demand for convenience foods, the second core segment of the food and beverages industry. Desperate need to put a stop to the outbreak of diseases could be another vital factor advocating the use of food preservatives. Perishable foods that require increased shelf life could be included with food preservatives on a large scale. Food preservatives help to avoid the spread of bacteria by arresting their growth and that of other microorganisms present in foods. View in-depth table of contents for this report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/125 Increasing Pressure of Adhering to Stringent Government Regulations Puts Off Demand The international food preservatives market has been predicted to look good in terms of future growth. However, there could be a few factors hindering its rise in the coming years. For instance, manufacturers are under constant pressure to adhere to tight government regulations. Considering their propensity to disturb the physical wellbeing of consumers, an increasing number of compounds and chemicals have been kept in check. Request For Multiple Chapters for Research Report on Food Preservatives Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=MC&rep_id=125 Nonetheless, rising research and development efforts observed in the international food preservatives market as a result of high focus on natural products have been forecasted to create lucrative prospects in the near future. Owing to health concerns and food safety issues, consumers could be more inclined to natural food preservatives instead of synthetic ones. Furthermore, surging demand for organic and hygienic foods has been envisaged to bode well for the market. The information presented in this review is based on a TMR report, titled Food Preservatives Market (Product - Natural and Synthetic; Function - Antimicrobials and Antioxidants; Application - Dairy and Milk Products, Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Products, Bakery Products, and Beverages Products) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2014 - 2020. Ask for Discount on Premium Research Report (US$ 5795) With Complete TOC: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=125 The global food preservatives market has been segmented as presented below: Global Food Preservatives Market by Product Natural Synthetic Global Food Preservatives Market by Function Antimicrobials Antioxidants Global Food Preservatives Market by Application Dairy and Milk Products Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Products Bakery Products Beverages Products Global Food Preservatives Market by Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Rest of the World About Us Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals. Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through ad hoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories. TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision. Contact Us Mr. Apoorv Tripathi Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: http://www.editiontruth.com/ Idaho State University was fined last week for losing a small amount of radioactive, weapons-grade plutonium that is too small to make a nuclear bomb, but could be used in a dirty bomb, according to a regulatory commission. Dr. Cornelis Van der Schyf, vice president for research at the university, blamed partially completed paperwork from 15 years ago as the school tried to dispose of the plutonium. Unfortunately, because there was a lack of sufficient historical records to demonstrate the disposal pathway employed in 2003, the source in question had to be listed as missing, he said in a statement to The Associated Press. The radioactive source in question poses no direct health issue or risk to public safety. The school, which reported the material missing on Oct. 13, was hit with an $8,500 fine and has 30 days to dispute the measure. Victor Dricks, a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman, said the agency has very rigorous controls for the use and storage of radioactive materials as evidenced by this enforcement action, he said of the proposed fine for failing to keep track of the material. The agency said a school employee doing a routine inventory discovered the university could only account for 13 of its 14 plutonium sources, each weighing about the same small amount. Idaho State University has a nuclear engineering program and works with the U.S. Department of Energys Idaho National Laboratory, considered the nations primary nuclear research lab and located about 65 miles northwest of the school. The plutonium was being used to develop ways to ensure nuclear waste containers werent leaking and to find ways to detect radioactive material being illegally brought into the U.S. following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the school said in an email to the AP. The school searched documents and found records from 2003 and 2004 saying the material was on campus and awaiting disposal. However, there were no documents saying the plutonium had been properly disposed. The last document mentioning the plutonium is dated Nov. 23, 2003. It said the Idaho National Laboratory didnt want the plutonium and the schools technical safety office had it pending disposal of the next waste shipment. The school also reviewed documents on waste barrels there and others transferred off campus since 2003, and opened and examined some of them. Finally, officials searched the campus but didnt find the plutonium. The nuclear commission said senior university officials planned to return the schools remaining plutonium to the Energy Department. Its not clear if that has happened. Energy Department officials didnt return calls seeking comment Friday. Dricks, the commission spokesman, said returning the plutonium was part of the schools plan to reduce its inventory of radioactive material. He said overall it has a good record with the NRC. (AP) Unlike his dictator father, who famously shunned air travel, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un jetted off to the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian this week, becoming the first North Korean ruler to fly abroad in 32 years. Since taking office in late 2011, Kim has occasionally flown inside North Korea. The recent foreign trip, albeit not far from the North Korean border, comes ahead of his expected summit with U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending the North Korean nuclear problem. Was Kim trying to test his jets flight capacity because his summit with Trump could happen in Singapore? Did he simply want to show that hes different from his flight-averse father? Or perhaps he had urgent matters to discuss with Chinese President Xi Jinping that precluded the time-consuming train he took in March to Beijing to meet Xi. Here are several things to know about the Kim familys travel habits: THE GOSHAWK Kims official plane is a remodeled version of the Soviet-made IL-62. North Korea calls it Chammae-1, named after the goshawk, North Koreas national bird. South Korean media say the plane can fly at a maximum speed of 900 kilometers (560 miles) per hour and carry about 200 people. Its maximum flight range is about 9,200 kilometers (5,720 miles) but it has reportedly never flown that far. Some experts say one reason why North Korea apparently wants to have a Kim-Trump summit in Pyongyang, the Norths capital, is that Kims plane might not be able to fly to faraway places like Switzerland, Sweden or Washington. Kims younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, used Chammae-2, the same kind of aircraft as her brothers, when she visited South Korea in February to attend the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. She became the first member of North Koreas ruling Kim family to visit South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. PREVIOUS AIR TRAVEL Schooled for several years in Switzerland, Kim is believed to have traveled by air many times during his teenage years. After he became North Koreas leader, state media said he was aboard Chammae-1 when he reviewed air force planes taking part in combat aeronautics contests and inspected construction work in Pyongyang. North Korean media photos also showed Kim looking out the windows of his plane; walking down the stairs from the plane, and walking with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, on a red carpet placed on an airstrip. Other photos showed Kim in the cockpit of a fighter jet. DIFFERENT FROM HIS FATHER Before Kims Dalian trip, no North Korean leader had publicly gone abroad by air since Kims grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, flew to the Soviet Union in 1986. Kim Jong Il flew by plane to a conference in Indonesia with Kim Il Sung, his father, in 1965. But after that he reportedly never flew because of a fear of heights. During his 1994-2011 rule, Kim Jong Il made about a dozen known overseas trips, mostly to China, and conducted countless inspections of military posts, factories and other places all by train. Analysts say Kim Jong Uns air travel may be aimed at showing hes a confident, normal leader who meets international standards. South Korean media say Kim Jong Il had several luxurious trains equipped with reception halls, conference rooms and high-tech communication facilities. To guard against possible attacks, his train reportedly traveled with two other trains, with one running ahead of his to check the safety of the rail line while another carried security agents and followed behind. According to state media, Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack during a train trip. When Kim Jong Un visited Beijing, which is much farther than Dalian, in March for talks with Xi in his first overseas trip since his inauguration, he took a deep green special train reminiscent of his fathers. Last month, he took a black Mercedes limousine to return home after a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a village along the Koreas border. (AP) In July 2015, upon consultation with its rabbinic leadership, Agudath Israel of America issued a statement regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) expressing deep concern as to whether the agreement is in the best interests of the United States and its allies. We noted that Iran was a rogue state that had fomented terror and destruction throughout the Middle East and had vowed the annihilation of Israel. Nothing in JCPOA had required, nor instilled confidence, that Iran would renounce these activities and objectives. And, indeed, the regime still adheres to its goals of terror and bloodshed. We further pointed out, as confirmed by many experts at the time, the agreement contained loopholes that would allow Iran to use the billions of dollars it would receive under the agreement to fund terror activities and would allow it to stockpile other deadly weapons and to eventually even develop nuclear weaponry after certain designated periods of time. Moreover, we were and continue to be particularly sensitive to the perspective offered by the leaders of Israel, the declared target of Irans genocidal ambitions and, therefore, the nation that has the greatest stake in this matter. Both the prime minister and the public-at-large have been united in seeing the mortal danger they believe the agreement poses to Israel. As these concerns and realities continue, we commend President Trump for withdrawing the United States from the JCPOA. While the U.S. and its allies surely negotiated the original agreement in good faith, and while it had the laudable goal of reducing the Iranian nuclear threat to America and its allies, including Israel, we believe the President is correct in concluding that the dangers of a nuclear Iran will not be averted and might, in fact, be exacerbated by this agreement. At the same time, we believe that an effective agreement with Iran is not beyond reach and we encourage the President to do everything in his power to renegotiate the pact so that it will truly live up to its original promise and serve the best interests of peace. We are heartened by his stated commitment of working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear threat which will include efforts to eliminate the threat of Irans ballistic missile program, to stop its terrorist activities worldwide, and to block it across the Middle East. Our thoughts and prayers are with the President and our allies as they pursue this path. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) On Monday, 22 Iyar, Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov met with Rabbi Jonathan Markowitz, Chief Rabbi of Kiev, in the Ministry offices. Avakov orchestrated the meeting following a vicious wave of blatant anti-Semitic incidents in Ukraine which has become serious cause for concern among Jews in Ukraine, and specifically in capital Kiev. Tensions have been building up to the point that last week, in a protest staged in Odessa, extremist Right Sector leader Tatiana Soykina called publicly for the expulsion of Jews from the country. Similarly, graffiti swastikas and inscriptions of Heil Hitler were sprayed onto the Grieving Mother Monument in Poltava in east Ukraine, a memorial commemorating 8,000 Jewish victims slain by the Nazis in Poltava in 1941. Not far from there, vandals also graffitied Death to the Jews on a monument erected over a mass grave of Holocaust victims. Following the meeting, Minister Avakov sent an official letter to Rabbi Markowitz stating that any public declaration of racism, anti-Semitism or hate crime perpetrated for nationalistic or religious motives will be viewed as a crime against Ukraine, Ukrainian citizens, and national unity. Avakov likewise expressed that We value the roles of religious leaders and public dignitaries and call for interfaith unity and dialogue. Rabbi Markowitz conveyed his thanks to the minister and replied that the quick response of law enforcement agencies to such crimes, like the investigation that was already launched against Soykina, is the key to national unity and peace. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem / Photo Credit: Yulia Babych) FOUNTAIN INN, S.C., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AVX Corporation, a leading manufacturer and supplier of advanced electronic components and interconnect, sensor, control, and antenna solutions, donated $25,000 to South Carolinas Huntington Beach State Park to help fund the rebuilding of its popular educational nature center, which hosted more than 4,000 local students a year before it was destroyed by a lightning fire in 2016. AVX also supported the original nature center, donating $25,000 for exhibits in advance of its opening in 2002. The nature center has been a treasured attraction at Huntington Beach, offering visitors the opportunity to interact with exhibits that highlight the delicate and substantive ecosystem of the South Carolina coast, which includes saltwater, freshwater, and maritime forest habitats that support a variety of wildlife. When operational, the center also serves as a hub for the South Carolina State Park Services Discover Carolina Program, a set of curriculum-based field studies and lesson plans that help teachers provide students with hands-on learning experiences. Construction of the new nature center is slated to begin this summer, and it is expected to open to the public in 2019. AVX has been a friend of Huntington Beach State Park for many years, and will continue to support their efforts to educate visitors about South Carolinas ecosystem, said Karen Smith, AVX Foundation. AVX values its relationships with local communities and makes a concerted effort to be a good corporate citizen by earning the trust and respect of our neighbors. We are very grateful to AVX for their generous contribution toward environmental education at Huntington Beach State Park, said Phil Gaines, director of the South Carolina State Park Service. Their donation helps us get closer to opening the center, and to meeting our goals of stewardship of these natural communities and service to the people who visit. For more information about Huntington Beach State Park and its programs, please visit https://southcarolinaparks.com/huntington-beach. For more information about AVX, please visit www.avx.com, email inquiry@avx.com, follow them on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/avxcorp/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/avxcorp, like them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/avxcorp/, call 864-967-2150, or write to One AVX Boulevard, Fountain Inn, S.C. 29644. About AVX AVX Corporation is a leading international manufacturer and supplier of advanced electronic components, interconnect, sensing, control, and antenna solutions with 29 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries around the world. AVX offers a broad range of devices including capacitors, resistors, filters, couplers, sensors, controls, circuit protection devices, connectors, and antennas. The company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange ( NYSE:AVX ). Attachment Hungarian airline Wizz Air, together with the Israel Tourism Ministry, announced on Monday, 22 Iyar, a new route from Sibiu, Romania to Tel Aviv. The airline is expected to receive a one-time grant from the Tourism Ministry of 500,000. The new route, which will commence on 14 July with two weekly frequencies, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, is the sixth direct WIZZ route from Romania into Israel. In 2015, 43,200 tourists arrived in Israel from Romania; in 2016, 48,800 arrived and in 2017, the numbers of incoming tourists from Romania climbed to 78,900. The upward momentum has continued into the first quarter of 2018, with increases of 70% on the same period in 2017 and 165% on Jan-March 2016. The Tourism Ministry Inbound Tourism Survey shows that the Romanian tourist stays in Israel for an average of 6.3 nights and spends about $761 during the visit. The survey also found that 96.5% of Romanian tourists identify as Christians, and one-third of all tourists from Romania defined the purpose of their visit as a pilgrimage. About 50% of visitors from Romania are aged 25-34, 15.9% are 45-54 years old, and 15% are aged 35-44. The most popular places for Romanian tourists to visit tourists are Jerusalem (73.4%), Tel Aviv-Yafo (70.4%) and the Dead Sea (49.4%). In the airlines announcement about the new route, it is written that WIZZ, established in 2003, is the leading low-cost carrier in Central and Eastern Europe, offering more than 600 routes from 28 bases and connecting 141 destinations across 44 countries. Sorina Ratz, Acting Head of Corporate Communications at Wizz Air: As the leading low-cost carrier in Israel, we are committed to our passengers, always looking to further expanding our network and bringing the lowest fares possible. Today, we are announcing a new European service from Tel Aviv to Sibiu, in Romania, offering in total 19 routes to 10 countries from Israel. WIZZs mission has always been to make air travel affordable for more people than ever before and, with that, we bring more travelers and stimulate the aviation and tourism industries of the communities we serve. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Additional details surrounding a story reported on YWN last week, of a young Chareidi man in Israel arrested at Ben Gurion airport after police discovered he was transporting cocaine into the country. A daughter of MK Menachem Eliezer Moses, Heidy, tells Kan News that she has no doubt that Baruch Klein, the 22-year-old grandson of MK Moses, is covering up for someone as that is his nature, indicating that he alone would never be involved in such an act and he is clearly unwilling to speak. The young Klein was tapped by customs agents for a bag check when he appeared suspicious. A customs supervisor explained this has nothing to do with being Chareidi or not, but about their keen instinct and realizing something was suspicious about this arriving passenger. Customs agents found millions worth of cocaine in a double-walled suitcase as well as in bottles that appeared to contain wine, but in fact, contained liquid cocaine. He was arrested and arraigned and remanded for an additional 13 days as the investigation continues. Attorney Talya Gridish explains the drug dealers often use young men and women from the chareidi tzibur without criminal records to smuggle in their cargo. She explains in recent years, this has become increasingly common. At times they are aware of what they are carrying, while some are simply that naive, unaware of just what they are doing. One young chareidi woman, identified as G, explains that someone she knew offered her a free trip to Europe including a shopping spree with all expenses paid. I thought he wanted to take me on a romantic trip. When we arrived in Amsterdam he told me lets change your suitcase which is so bulky. Use this one, which is far more valuable. We got back to Israel and in the terminal, he switched suitcases and told me he would get my other suitcase back to me at a convenient time. That man was apprehended in Ben-Gurion a month later and the entire scheme unfolded as his suitcase was full of drugs. This led police to G, who was informed she is a suspect in drug smuggling and conspiracy. I then realized I became a victim, G explains to the media. Customs shift supervisor Yoram Aaroni explains to the media that in the past two years there has been an alarming increase in attempted drug smuggling at the airport, citing cocaine, ecstasy and other dangerous drugs. Heidi arrived at the courthouse to attend the remand hearing for her nephew on Thursday, 18 Iyar. She expressed her concern, questioning who will protect him and make sure he remains well. Judge Guy Avnon explained there was sufficient evidence tying the suspect to the crimes he stands accused of as he was carrying a commercial quantity of cocaine. Police are doubtful regarding Baruchs insistence that he was unaware there was cocaine in the wall of the suitcase, but Heidy, his aunt, remains confident of his innocence. The Kan News report adds that no one representing the Vishnitzer Rebbe Shlita was present for the remand hearing, seemingly distancing themselves from 22-year-old Baruch despite the fact MK Moses is the Rebbes shaliach in Knesset. After the Rebbe announced he is indeed behind Baruch, the entire family and Askonim are now working and preparing for the next court hearing. Heidy is well-aware of the severity of the case, pointing out He would sit in prison for ten to fifteen years without a good attorney. While this report is a continuation of a story addressing charges against one suspect, it is a reality that involves too many people from good Chareidi homes, and readers are advised to take it to heart and not naively say It cannot happen in my family. Enormous sums of money, time and resources are being used today to assist the growing number who have fallen prey to drugs in one way or another, while insufficient funds, awareness, tolerance and understanding are at times major contributory factors for so many good young people losing sight of an acceptable Derech in todays world which is no longer black and white, but often many shades of grey. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) In Syria, loud explosions were heard Wednesday and local media reported bombs at a military base near Damascus, killing nine people, including an Iranian general. A Syrian military source was quoted on Syrian television as saying that anti-aircraft systems of the Assad army intercepted Israeli missiles from Israeli Air Force planes. Israel did not address the Syrian claims that came in light of the IDFs directive to open shelters in the Golan Heights after unusual movements of Iranian forces were identified in Syria. On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump announced that his country would abandon the nuclear deal with Iran and expressed concern in Tehran that Tehran intended to use the opportunity to attack Syria. It should be noted that many Israelis who hold American citizenship received a message from the US Embassy in Israel not to travel to the Golan Heights. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Reuters, quoting a senior Syrian military official, reports that Israel targeted a Syrian military position in the latest aerial assault against that country. The report states the target was located south of Damascus. In Israel, there were reports of suspicious troop activities in Syria on Tuesday evening, 24 Iyar, prompting the air force to scramble jets to the border and over Syria while bomb shelters in the Golan Heights were ordered opened, ready for an emergency. In Israel, there was a fear of an Iranian attack amid recent threats that such an attack will be forthcoming. Yediot Achronots Ron Ben-Yishai reports that it is possible the attack was aimed at Iranian missiles launchers on that base. He opines that in recent attacks, Israel destroyed weapons and ammunition and now, Iran may have unveiled launchers in preparation for an attack and Israel detected them, deciding to act. According to media reports, an Iranian general was among 9 reported killed in the attack. That said, the IDF Spokesman on Wednesday morning announced a return to the regular routine regarding school openings, outings and life in general. According to a CNN report, quoting US military officials, Iran was about to launch an attack against Israel from that base. Both Israel and the US continue to closely monitor Iranian movements and activities. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Lloyds and Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA) are in a stand-off over a 109billion pension deal that could end up in court. Investment group SLA is fighting a decision by Lloyds to cancel an agreement in which it looked after money for Scottish Widows, the banks pensions division. Lloyds announced it would tear up the agreement after Standard Life merged with Aberdeen Asset Management last year in an 11billion tie-up. Standard Life Aberdeen is fighting a decision by Lloyds to cancel an agreement in which it looked after money for Scottish Widows, the banks pensions division SLA, the newly created group, has interests in both pensions and asset management and Lloyds said this made it a direct competitor, meaning it was free to ditch their deal under the terms of the contract. But SLA has hit back by saying it is not a competitor, so Lloyds had no right to cancel the agreement. Pension Buy Out Fear A boom in pension takeover deals could be putting workers retirement at risk, unions have warned. The Trades Union Congress has hit out at a surge in funds offering to take over management of companies pension funds in exchange for a fee. While this frees employers from what can be a major financial burden, the TUC warned it may leave staff facing an uncertain future. Insurers have warned that these funds offering to take over the pensions are not subject to the same strict rules as traditional players, meaning that they could be more risky. The investment firm wants the Widows business back and said the two sides are in discussions, but Lloyds insisted there will be no U-turn. It sets the stage for a clash which could turn into a breach-of-contract lawsuit if theres no deal. An SLA spokesman said last night it does not believe that Lloyds and Scottish Widows has the right to terminate the long-term asset management agreements. Losing the Widows business was a blow for SLA, which has been struggling to retain investors. The portfolio earned it 129million a year, and SLA shares dropped 7.5 per cent when Lloyds decided in February to end the deal. Lloyds, however, is pressing ahead with finding a different investment firm to manage the 109billion business, with a decision expected to be announced later this year. A Lloyds spokesman said last night: Standard Life Aberdeen is a clear and material competitor of Scottish Widows and Lloyds Banking Group in the UK, and to suggest otherwise is not credible. He added the deal to manage the Widows funds was due to end in March 2022. The CFO of family fashion chain Joules has sold 45,000 shares, cashing in almost 165,000. Marc Dench offloaded the shares on Friday for about 366p each. The economics graduate, who now has a 0.06 per cent stake in Joules, joined it in 2015 from Walgreens Boots Alliance where he was head of finance for the international retail and global consumer brands division. He also worked at internet services firm Freeserve, overseeing its eventual merger with Wanadoo in 2000. JOBS GONE More jobs have been lost following the collapse of construction giant Carillion in January, taking the total to almost 2,300. The Official Receiver said that a further 35 redundancies were being made, while 39 Carillion employees were transferring to other firms. TASTY FIGURES Sales have risen 13.7 per cent at ingredients maker Treatt's to reach 53.6million over the half-year ending March 31, while profit has risen 17.6 per cent to 6.1million. BARREL BOOST Oil and gas firm Ithaca Energy produced an average 18,615 barrels of oil per day during the first quarter, a 95 per cent increase. PIPE CLEARED Chilean miner Antofagasta has cleared a blockage in a key pipeline from its Los Pelambres mine to the Chilean port of Los Vilos. NEW CHAIRMAN David Hornsby, chief executive of software business Ideagen, has moved into the chairman's role and been replaced as boss by chief customer officer Ben Dorks. OIL SALE Oil supermajor Shell is selling the rest of its stake in producer Canadian Natural Resources for 2.4billion. EARNINGS DOUBLE Profits at business lender Hampshire Trust Bank more than doubled from 4.4million to 9.9million in 2017, thanks to a jump in its loan and deposit books. RECORD RESULTS Britain's biggest businesses raked in a record 153.8billion in profits in 2017, research from The Share Centre has revealed. SCAM PROBES Tax inspectors launched 250 investigations into so-called transfer pricing scams last year, according to law firm Pinsent Masons. The tax dodge sees firms shift money around using payments between subsidiaries to minimise what they have to pay the Exchequer. FLOAT BID Swedish payments company iZettle plans to raise 167.8million from a stock market float in Stockholm. SALES SURGE Online retailer Zalando posted a 22 per cent sales boost to 1.05billion during the first three months of the year, but profits fell 98 per cent to 352,000. STORE DEAL The Co-op has completed its 138million acquisition of convenience store rival Nisa. SPENDING CHEER Consumer spending jumped 3.4 per cent in April compared with a year earlier, according to Barclaycard data. SNAP EXIT Drew Vollero, finance chief of Snap, the parent company of troubled messaging service Snapchat, is leaving the company next week, with Tim Stone, a vice-president of Amazon, replacing him. IN TUNE Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury has signed a content partnership with Spotify to make the 33 1/3 series of books about popular music exclusively available on the music streaming service. One of Americas biggest private equity groups has slammed on the brakes and reversed away from a takeover for bus and train operator First Group. The owner of Greyhound buses and Great Western Railway has knocked back two offers from Apollo Global Management since mid-April, when the investment company revealed its interest. A deal would have thrown a lifeline to the struggling transport firm, whose shares tanked last month after it issued a profit warning. But Aberdeen-based First Group said the approaches fundamentally undervalued the company. All change: First Group has knocked back two offers from Apollo Global Management since mid-April, when the 182bn investment company first revealed its interest Apollo, which had until 5pm on Wednesday, has decided not to progress with a third bid, although it did not reveal its reason. First Group shares plunged 12.2 per cent, or 13.5p, to 97.5p. The FTSE 100 ended the day down by the smallest of margins, slipping just 0.02 per cent or 1.39 points to 7565.75, while the FTSE 250 was up 0.85 per cent, or 172.84 points, at 20584.72. Analysts said Kingfisher, the owner of DIY chain B&Q, might be targeted by activist investors. Morgan Stanley said shareholders might push for the firm to break up if it fails in its cost-cutting plans. Shares rose 2.3 per cent, or 6.6p, to 287.8p. Astrazeneca nudged up after revealing it had sold the rights to its anti-psychotic treatment Seroquel to Luye Pharma for 398million. Under the terms of the agreement, Luye will distribute the drug in the UK, China, Brazil, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Argentina and South Africa among others. Shares edged up 0.7 per cent, or 34p, to 5239p. Stock Watch - Faron Pharmaceuticals Faron Pharmaceuticals shares were obliterated after its flagship drug failed clinical trials. The firm said that Traumakine, its treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome, was only slightly more effective than a placebo. A disappointed Markku Jalkanen, Farons chief executive, said: We need to further analyse the data in order to understand how this study differs from our previous results. Shares fell 85.6 per cent, or 621p, to 104p. On the FTSE 250, specialist buy-to-let lender Paragon confirmed speculation that it was interested in bidding for development finance lender Titlestone, which has a loan book totalling 600million. Paragon stresses the deal is in the early stages and that a formal bid is not certain. In a statement, the FTSE 250-listed lender said: The purchase of loan books and bolt-on businesses represents a core part of Paragons growth and diversification strategy. Paragons shares ticked up 2.5 per cent, or 13p, to 540p. Shares in RHI Magnesita, the FTSE 250-listed maker of refractory products for the metals industry, boomed on the back of a solid trading update and a broker upgrade. Revenue was up 23 per cent to 653.7million in the three months to March, boosted by robust growth in its steel division. Numis raised the firm from hold to add on the back of the announcement. RHI shares motored 9.7 per cent, or 440p, to 4990p. Nanoco received a 1.8million performance-related cash boost from an unnamed US partner as part of a deal to supply it with so-called nanomaterials. A spokesman said: This demonstrates Nanocos ability to work with, and rapidly meet, our partners needs. Shares in the company jumped 7.9 per cent, or 3.5p, to 48p. On the AIM market, Wey Education shares sunk by nearly a third after the firm posted a 153,000 loss in the six months to February 28, down from an 11,000 profit a year earlier. The education providers shares tanked 31.1 per cent, or 8.25p, to 18.25p. Oil company Mayan Energys shares rose after announcing increased production at its sites in Texas, which are now producing 272 barrels of oil a day. Shares bumped up 3.5 per cent, or 0.02p, to 0.74p. City law firm Rosenblatt made its debut on AIM, opening with a market cap of 76million. By the end of the day, its shares closed at 106p, a premium on the placing price of 95p. Shares in Burberry fell after the biggest shareholder sold its stake for nearly 500million. Belgian billionaire Albert Freres Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL) got rid of its 6.6per cent stake in the British luxury brand, claiming it was rebalancing its investments. The deal netted the firm an 83million profit and comes less than a year after Frere, 92, had increased his investment in Burberry. Shares in Burberry fell after the biggest shareholder sold its stake for nearly 500million It follows a strategic overhaul at the luxury fashion brand, known for its trench coats and tartan hats, which is spending millions of pounds making its range even more upmarket. In a statement, GBL said the share sale would allow it to pursue other investments, adding: The divestment of this take is part of Groupe Bruxelles Lamberts dynamic strategy in terms of portfolio diversification and allows it to realise a capital gain. Frere, Belgiums richest man, made much of his 4.4billion fortune in the 1970s, when he began investing in steel companies. Burberry shares slid 6.1per cent, or 114.5p, to 1770p. It was the biggest faller on the FTSE 100, which motored 1.28per cent, or 96.77 points, to 7662.52, boosted by a rally in oil shares, while the FTSE 250 ticked up 0.42per cent, or 87.23 points, to 20,681.95. Elsewhere, caterer Compass Group was the FTSE 100s second-biggest faller after disappointing half-year results. Revenue was down 0.8per cent to 11.4billion in the six months ending March 31, while operating profit slipped 2.7per cent to 853million. Elsewhere, caterer Compass Group was the FTSE 100s second-biggest faller after disappointing half-year results The worlds largest catering firm said trading in Europe, its biggest market, was mixed, with UK growth offset by subdued trading in continental Europe. It is still getting back on its feet following the death of Richard Cousins, the 58-year-old chief executive who died in a plane crash in Australia on New Years Eve. STOCK WATCH: Ashley House A bullish update sent shares in Ashley House flying. The health and community centre property developer said business picked up in the second half of the year, leaving it on course to meet full-year profit expectations. Recently, the AIM-listed firm has completed four sites, worth 36million. Boss Antony Walters said: The board is delighted that the year-end result will, as forecast, show a considerable improvement in fortunes. Shares rose 36.6per cent, or 3.4p, to 12.7p. Dominic Blakemore, who took over as Compass chief executive, said: I am excited about the significant structural growth opportunities globally and the long-term potential for further revenue growth. Shares slumped 4.8per cent, or 75.5p, to 1508p. Shares in Renishaw boomed after the FTSE 250-listed engineering firm raised its full-year guidance. It expects a profit of between 135million and 150million, off revenues of 585million to 610million. Numis upgraded the firm from hold to add while Morgan Stanley increased its target price by 200p to 5160p. Shares leapt 14.5per cent, or 688p, to 5440p. Onesavings Bank notched up gains after predicting rapid growth of its loan book this year. Andy Golding, the banks chief executive, said: We are confident that we can deliver at least mid-teens loan book growth this year. Shares rose 2.2per cent, or 9p, to 418p. The Beast from the East hit the sales of builders merchant and DIY group Grafton, the owner of Plumbase and Selco. But it is confident it will meet full-year guidance. Despite that, shares slipped 2.3per cent, or 18p, to 781.5p. On AIM, pharmaceutical firm Abcam said it will not be making another bid for Horizon Discovery Group, a gene-editing firm, after it had its 270million offer rejected earlier this month. Shares in Horizon plunged 16.7per cent, or 31p, to 155p while Abcams edged up 0.6pc, or 8p, to 1250p. Engineering firm Renew raised 45million from investors to help fund the 80million purchase of QTS Group, a Scottish rail contractor. Shares dipped 8p, or 33p, to 380p. Bargain hunters sent Faron Pharmaceuticals through the roof a day after its value fell more than 85per cent when its flagship drug for acute respiratory distress syndrome failed clinical trials. Shares soared 36.5per cent, or 38p, to 142p. WAKEFIELD, Mass., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vestmark, a leading provider of wealth management solutions, was recognized for a second consecutive year as a 2018 Best Places to Work honoree by the Boston Business Journal. Distinguishing Bostons leading employers, the awards program commends the importance of fostering a great workplace culture to drive a competitive business advantage. At Vestmark, we firmly believe that a strong work culture is paramount to building strong business results. This is why were committed to providing our employees a dynamic environment that fosters collaboration and growth, said John Lunny, CEO of Vestmark. We are honored and delighted that Vestmark has once again achieved this recognition and strive to continuously improve our employee experience. In partnership with Quantum Workplace, the Boston Business Journal examined companies of all sizes ranging from extra small (20-49 employees) to extra-large (1,000+), selecting the 80 finalists based on survey responses provided by the employees of each firm. This year, with over 300 employees, Vestmark ranked in the large-sized category, growing from last years ranking in the medium-sized group. We are extremely excited to recognize and honor the companies that clearly value and appreciate their employees and have backed that up by putting into place wonderful programs to keep everyone motivated and happy, said Carolyn M. Jones, the Boston Business Journal Market President and Publisher. Vestmark provides comprehensive wealth management technology and services to some of the nations largest and most respected financial institutions and advisors, enabling them to efficiently manage and trade investor portfolios through an innovative SaaS platform. The Boston Business Journal will celebrate finalists during their 14th annual Best Places to Work event on Wednesday, June 20th at Symphony Hall in Boston. A full list of the 2018 honorees can be found on the Boston Business Journals website. For more information on working at Vestmark, visit our careers page. About Vestmark: Vestmark is a leading provider of wealth management solutions, headquartered outside of Boston, MA. Founded in 2001, Vestmarks mission is to enable investors to better their financial well-being. Vestmark enables financial institutions and advisors to efficiently manage and trade investor portfolios through an innovative SaaS platform. With over 850 billion in assets and 2.5 million accounts, we are a trusted partner to some of the largest and most respected players across the wealth management industry. For more information about Vestmark's solutions, call (781) 224-3640, email inquiry@vestmark.com, or visit www.vestmark.com. Hundreds of thousands of mortgage borrowers are throwing away 1.15 billion a year because they unwittingly sign up for the wrong deals, a major report has revealed. Some of these homeowners are even shopping around using an independent broker or price comparison website but still fail to find the cheapest mortgage. The alarming findings emerged from an investigation by the City watchdog that shows millions of customers face a lottery when it comes to how much they are charged for their loan. In a warning to customers, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) says about 30,000 people are effectively mortgage 'prisoners' because their lender is blocking them from getting a cheaper deal. Trapped: The Financial Conduct Authority says about 30,000 people are effectively mortgage 'prisoners' because their lender is blocking them from getting a cheaper deal Then, three in ten of those who do switch or 570,000 people a year fall foul of biased brokers and comparison websites that make it impossible to find the best rates. This is costing customers 550 a year on average, the FCA says, or 1.15 billion. Another 800,000 are failing to shop around for six months after their fixed deal expires. That means they go on to their lender's most expensive deal the standard variable rate and end up paying 1,000 more than they need to. A further 120,000 are customers of lenders who have stopped offering new deals. In some cases, they are unaware they can switch lenders to cut their costs. Others cannot switch because of tough new lending rules introduced after the 2008 financial crisis. Here, we explain how to beat the mortgage lottery . . . 1. BEAT THE TRAPS WHEN YOU SHOP AROUND You may think you're a pro when it comes to scouring the market for the best mortgage but don't bet on it. The FCA analysed the 1.9 million mortgages taken out in 2016, involving more than 1,000 firms and advisers. It found three in ten borrowers 'could have found a cheaper mortgage with the same key features as the product they chose'. It says some of the remaining seven in ten customers may also have been able to cut costs if, for example, they had chosen a deal with a higher rate and lower up-front fee. One issue is that there are more than 100 lenders to choose from, all with different fees and terms and conditions. Comparison websites cannot tell you how likely you are to be accepted by a particular lender or show the true cost of a mortgage in your circumstances. Some firms are very small and don't show up at all in online searches. Find the best mortgage This is Money's mortgage finder tool is powered by broker London and Country and lets you check the best rates that you could apply for. Enter your property value and mortgage amount and it will show you the top rates, which you can filter for fixed rates of different durations. > Check the best mortgage rate here Crucially, each bank and building society targets different types of customers with different rates and has its own detailed set of criteria to assess potential borrowers. The FCA says the limitations of comparison sites are 'not made clear to customers'. It's no good simply applying to every lender: it'll take far too long and getting rejected by a mortgage lender can damage your credit score, making it harder to get accepted in future. As a result, three in four borrowers end up going with one of the six big banks and building societies. Often they simply stick with their existing mortgage lender as it all seems too much hassle. The FCA wants firms to develop new tools that make it easier to compare deals you'll qualify for. 2. YOU CAN'T ALWAYS TRUST BROKERS Three in ten borrowers 'could have found a cheaper mortgage Half of borrowers turn to a mortgage broker for help. The good news is that the FCA found these customers shaved an extra 600 a year off repayments on average. The bad news is that in 31 per cent of cases, the broker failed to find the very best deal on the market. Most brokers 'are reliant on their past experience' and information from 'specific lenders' with whom they are 'familiar', the FCA says. 'This appears to be a barrier to effective searching,' it warns. Some brokers consider only a small handful of lenders. This could be because they have commercial agreements to recommend only deals from certain firms. But the FCA says it found a 400 a year variation in the cost of mortgage quotes from different brokers who were supposed to be completely independent. Some lenders also offer cheaper deals to customers who apply directly. One way to tackle these problems is visiting a comparison website or Money Mail's Best Buys and take this information about the best deals to a broker. Ensure they are independent and mention the information you've found. Once you have a recommendation for the best deal you can get, call the lender and find out whether you could get a better rate by going direct. It can be difficult to know whether the mortgage with a low rate and a high fee will work out cheaper than one with a higher rate and lower fee 3. COMPARE THE TRUE COSTS Buyers and remortgage customers face a baffling range of different pricing options on comparison tables. It can be difficult to know whether the mortgage with a low rate and a high fee will work out cheaper than one with a higher rate and lower fee. This normally depends on the size of your loan. The FCA says older borrowers and those on lower incomes are more likely to choose poor-value deals by mistake. 'With age we see a sharp worsening of mortgage selection for those over 60,' the report says. Your best bet is to note down all the figures for the deals you're comparing and plug them into our True cost mortgage calculator. This will show the true cost of the deal. 4. ESCAPING THE ZOMBIE LENDERS More than half a million borrowers are stuck with 'zombie lenders' that cannot give them a better deal because they are not authorised to offer new mortgages. Over the past decade, thousands of borrowers have had their mortgage debts sold to new owners as crisis-hit banks were bailed out by the Government or rescued by other firms. These include nearly 140,000 borrowers who took out mortgages from Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley and whose loans were taken over by the Government-run UK Asset Resolution, as well as many others whose loans were with lesser-known firms. The watchdog says 260,000 borrowers have mortgages with companies that only have the right to collect their payments and cannot offer them new deals. It says nearly half these borrowers would benefit from switching, but were likely to 'face barriers' due to the difficulty of meeting other lenders' criteria. Of the remaining number a further 120,000 are already thought to be on relatively low rates, while 20,000 are thought to be behind with payments and couldn't switch anyway. 5. DON'T FORGET TO SWITCH ON TIME An estimated 800,000 borrowers waste 1,000 a year because they leave it more than six months to find a better deal when their current fixed or discounted offer ends. The FCA says some lenders will target certain customers with offers for new rates when they get to the end of of their deal, but not others. Another problem highlighted by the FCA is that we're all so busy particularly when moving home dealing with buyers, sellers, solicitors and agents. Typically, borrowers roll onto expensive standard variable rates (SVRs), which are the costly deals lenders move you onto once your introductory offer period is over. Money Mail analysis found the savings on offer can go as high as 3,205. The average SVR is 4.77 per cent, while the cheapest two-year fixed rate for those with a 40 pc deposit is currently 1.36 per cent with no fee, from Danske Bank, according to comparison website Moneyfacts. A borrower with a 150,000 mortgage would save 3,204 by switching from the variable rate to Danske Bank. Charlotte Nelson a finance expert at Moneyfacts said: 'With mortgage rates rising this is an ideal time for the FCA to highlight their concerns about the mortgage market, as the lowest-priced deal is not always the best choice for borrowers, based on true cost. Customers need to weigh up the rate, fees as well as any incentives to find the right deal and not be blind-sided by lowest rates alone.' Robert Sinclair, chief executive of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries said: 'There are a series of contradictory statements in the Mortgages Market Study. Despite the broad conclusions being very positive and there being no recommendations for significant change, AMI agrees with the FCA that the market could still be improved. 'This is why we have indicated that we will work with the FCA to develop better tools in order to assist consumers in understanding which brokers can provide then with a full or limited service and how we ensure that lender criteria are better understood by all market participants.' Tashema Jackson, money expert at uSwitch.com, says: 'The FCA's report highlights that there could be real opportunity for further innovation in how consumers compare and take out mortgages. 'Price comparison sites are pretty good at showing consumers the mortgages available, but aren't able to access the data required to show prospective customers what mortgages they might be eligible for. 'If the FCA could help comparison sites access this information from the lenders themselves, comparison could be even more useful for mortgage consumers.' moneymail@dailymail.co.uk Refused: Anne and Carl Winter with baby son Danny When new parents Anne and Carl Winter found a three-bedroom semi in a quiet street in Coalville, Leicestershire, they thought it would be the perfect home for their family. The little house, which was on the market for 165,000, would provide a welcoming home for the couple and their baby son Danny. Most importantly, it was cheaper than their current home meaning they could slash their outgoings by around 550 a month as the cost of raising their child started to bite. The couple thought their bank, Santander, would have no problem allowing them to transfer their home loan to the new house, as it would free up more disposable income. But, much to their bewilderment, the bank used lending rules to throw out their application. The young couple, who have never missed a repayment, feared they would face a 7,700 penalty to repay their loan early if they moved and found another lender. The only alternative staying put meant struggling along with higher repayments than they would like. They are among 30,000 borrowers dubbed mortgage 'prisoners' because they are trapped on expensive deals. A report by the Financial Conduct Authority found that banks routinely tell these customers that they cannot 'afford' to switch deals even though it would slash their repayments. The City watchdog wants lenders to stop putting up these bizarre barriers and allow customers to switch when they aren't having trouble repaying their debts. Anne, 22, says: 'All we wanted was to move to a cheaper house, reduce our bills and debts. We can't understand the logic why is Santander forcing us to carry on struggling?' Like many young couples, the Winters, whose names we've changed, were keen to get on to the housing ladder as early as possible. In 2014, after years of saving, they scraped together an 8,450 deposit for a new-build in a village in Derbyshire close to Burton-on-Trent. They needed a 160,550 mortgage and Santander agreed to lend to them. Stay put: Santander used lending rules to throw out Anne and Carl's application for a smaller mortgage But when Danny arrived a year ago, the couple found themselves in tougher financial straits. Faced with the cost of a nursery place, Anne had to give up her 17,000-a-year job at the council to look after her son. The couple had around 20,000 in credit card debt, from their wedding in 2016 and for a training course for Carl, 24, to qualify as a lorry driver. They were paying off this debt each month on a 0 per cent interest credit card. They have excellent credit records but, after a while, decided it would be prudent to move to a cheaper home and cut their bills. By reducing their mortgage to 145,000 from 165,000, the Winters would save around 200 a month. In addition, their current home has increased in value from the 169,000 they paid in 2014 to around 195,000. Moving would free up equity to pay off their credit card debts, saving them another 350 a month. Initially, a Santander adviser said they could move their mortgage. They were told there would be a modest early repayment charge to break their five-year fixed term early. This would be 5 per cent of the 9,000 difference between their old 154,000 mortgage and the new 145,000 they would take out so a total of 450. The Winters pressed ahead and found a buyer. But a few weeks later Santander rejected their application. The bank said the couple had failed affordability checks introduced in 2014 by the City watchdog. Santander rejected the Winters' appeal telling them to get debt advice Under these regulations, known as the Mortgage Market Review, banks weigh up applicants' monthly expenditure and income before deciding whether to offer a mortgage. Even though the Winters' outgoings would fall, Santander wouldn't countenance a new deal of any kind. Anne found a part-time job and Carl, 24, provided a letter from his employer showing he will soon get a 10,000-a-year pay rise. Santander rejected the Winters' appeal anyway, telling them to get debt advice. It said if they want to move, they will have to pay a 7,747 penalty and find another lender. Amid the delay, the semi they hoped to buy has been snapped up. Santander says the adviser who gave the Winters incorrect information will receive further training and has offered 100 compensation. When regulations were less strict, borrowers such as Carl and Anne would usually have faced no trouble in finding a new loan. But following the shake-up designed to stop a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis banks now conduct strict affordability checks. This can mean you get rejected for a new deal even if your finances are exactly the same as when you were first accepted for the loan. Worse, many mortgage prisoners find that other lenders turn up their noses at their business. As a result, they end up stuck on their existing lender's standard variable rate, which is usually extremely expensive. In its report, the FCA admits its new rules have contributed to the problems mortage prisoners face. Ray Boulger, of mortgage broker John Charcol, says: 'This is a classic example of a couple doing something sensible and being thwarted by the system. How is this treating customers fairly?' A Santander spokesman says the Winters' finances have changed 'significantly' since they took out the mortgage. He adds: 'We will always look to ensure that our lending will not lead to problems with debt. We believe the new property is outside the Winters' future affordability. 'We would be happy to review this case again to try to support them in finding an affordable solution. 'In this particular circumstance we would be happy to look at waiving the early redemption penalty if the customer decided to move to another provider.' Don't get caught out by the mortgage lottery, make sure you follow tips to get the best deal How to make sure you get the best mortgage rate By Leah Milner, for Money Mail Hundreds of thousands of mortgage borrowers are throwing away 1.15 billion a year because they unwittingly sign up for the wrong deals, a major report has revealed. Some of these homeowners are even shopping around using an independent broker or price comparison website but still fail to find the cheapest mortgage. The alarming findings emerged from an investigation by the City watchdog that shows millions of customers face a lottery when it comes to how much they are charged for their loan. In a warning to customers, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) says about 30,000 people are effectively mortgage 'prisoners' because their lender is blocking them from getting a cheaper deal. Then, three in ten of those who do switch or 570,000 people a year fall foul of biased brokers and comparison websites that make it impossible to find the best rates. This is costing customers 550 a year on average, the FCA says, or 1.15 billion. Another 800,000 are failing to shop around for six months after their fixed deal expires. That means they go on to their lender's most expensive deal the standard variable rate and end up paying 1,000 more than they need to. A further 260,000 are customers of lenders who do not offer new deals. In some cases, they are unaware they can switch lenders to cut their costs. Others cannot switch because of tough new lending rules introduced after the 2008 financial crisis. Here, we explain how to beat the mortgage lottery . . . Beat the traps when you look for a mortgage You may think you're a pro when it comes to scouring the market for the best mortgage but don't bet on it. One issue is that there are more than 100 lenders to choose from, all with different fees and terms and conditions. Find the best mortgage This is Money's mortgage finder tool is powered by broker London and Country and lets you check the best rates that you could apply for. Enter your property value and mortgage amount and it will show you the top rates, which you can filter for fixed rates of different durations. > Check the best mortgage rate here Comparison websites cannot tell you how likely you are to be accepted by a particular lender or show the true cost of a mortgage in your circumstances. Some firms are very small and don't show up at all in online searches. Crucially, each bank and building society targets different types of customers with different rates and has its own detailed set of criteria to assess potential borrowers. The FCA says the limitations of comparison sites are 'not made clear to customers'. It's no good simply applying to every lender: it'll take far too long and getting rejected by a mortgage lender can damage your credit score, making it harder to get accepted in future. As a result, three in four borrowers end up going with one of the six big banks and building societies. Often they simply stick with their existing mortgage lender as it all seems too much hassle. The FCA wants firms to develop new tools that make it easier to compare deals you'll qualify for. You can't always trust brokers Half of borrowers turn to a mortgage broker for help. The good news is that the FCA found these customers shaved an extra 600 a year off repayments on average. The bad news is that in 31 per cent of cases, the broker failed to find the very best deal on the market. Most brokers 'are reliant on their past experience' and information from 'specific lenders' with whom they are 'familiar', the FCA says. 'This appears to be a barrier to effective searching,' it warns. Some brokers consider only a small handful of lenders. This could be because they have commercial agreements to recommend only deals from certain firms. But the FCA says it found a 400 a year variation in the cost of mortgage quotes from different brokers who were supposed to be completely independent. Some lenders also offer cheaper deals to customers who apply directly. One way to tackle these problems is visiting a comparison website or you can use This is Money's mortgage finder tool to check the best rates you could apply for, then take this information about the best deals to a broker. Ensure they are independent and mention the information you've found. Once you have a recommendation for the best deal you can get, call the lender and find out whether you could get a better rate by going direct. Compare the true costs Buyers and remortgage customers face a baffling range of different pricing options on comparison tables. It can be difficult to know whether the mortgage with a low rate and a high fee will work out cheaper than one with a higher rate and lower fee. This normally depends on the size of your loan. The FCA says older borrowers and those on lower incomes are more likely to choose poor-value deals by mistake. 'With age we see a sharp worsening of mortgage selection for those over 60,' the report says. Your best bet is to note down all the figures for the deals you're comparing and plug them into our True cost mortgage calculator. This will show the true cost of the deal - including fees. Escape the zombie mortgage lenders Hundreds of thousands of borrowers are stuck with 'zombie lenders' that cannot give them a better deal because they are not authorised to offer new mortgages. Over the past decade, thousands of borrowers have had their mortgage debts sold to new owners as crisis-hit banks were bailed out by the Government or rescued by other firms. These include borrowers who took out mortgages from Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley and whose loans were taken over by the Government-run UK Asset Resolution, as well as many others whose loans were with lesser- known firms. The watchdog says 260,000 borrowers have mortgages with companies that only have the right to collect their payments and cannot offer them new deals. It says nearly half these borrowers would benefit from switching, but were likely to 'face barriers' due to the difficulty of meeting other lenders' criteria. Of the remaining number a further 120,000 are already thought to be on relatively low rates, while 20,000 are thought to be behind with payments and couldn't switch anyway. Rising house prices over recent years could have lifted the amount of equity that you have in your home - and that means you may be able to apply for better deals Don't forget to switch your mortgage on time An estimated 800,000 borrowers waste 1,000 a year because they leave it more than six months to find a better deal when their current fixed or discounted offer ends. The FCA says some lenders will target certain customers with offers for new rates when they get to the end of of their deal, but not others. Another problem highlighted by the FCA is that we're all so busy particularly when moving home dealing with buyers, sellers, solicitors and agents. Typically, borrowers roll onto expensive standard variable rates (SVRs), which are the costly deals lenders move you onto once your introductory offer period is over. Money Mail analysis found the savings on offer can go as high as 3,205. The average SVR is 4.77 per cent, while the cheapest two-year fixed rate for those with a 40 per cent deposit is currently 1.36 per cent with no fee, from Danske Bank, according to comparison website Moneyfacts. A borrower with a 150,000 mortgage would save 3,204 by switching from the variable rate to Danske Bank. Charlotte Nelson a finance expert at Moneyfacts said: 'With mortgage rates rising this is an ideal time for the FCA to highlight their concerns about the mortgage market, as the lowest-priced deal is not always the best choice for borrowers, based on true cost. Customers need to weigh up the rate, fees as well as any incentives to find the right deal and not be blind-sided by lowest rates alone.' Robert Sinclair, chief executive of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries said: 'There are a series of contradictory statements in the Mortgages Market Study. Despite the broad conclusions being very positive and there being no recommendations for significant change, AMI agrees with the FCA that the market could still be improved. 'This is why we have indicated that we will work with the FCA to develop better tools in order to assist consumers in understanding which brokers can provide then with a full or limited service and how we ensure that lender criteria are better understood by all market participants.' Tashema Jackson, money expert at uSwitch.com, says: 'The FCA's report highlights that there could be real opportunity for further innovation in how consumers compare and take out mortgages. 'Price comparison sites are pretty good at showing consumers the mortgages available, but aren't able to access the data required to show prospective customers what mortgages they might be eligible for. 'If the FCA could help comparison sites access this information from the lenders themselves, comparison could be even more useful for mortgage consumers.' Germanys biggest telecoms provider is plotting to foil Vodafones purchase of Liberty Globals European cable operations Germanys biggest telecoms provider is plotting to foil Vodafones blockbuster purchase of Liberty Globals European cable operations. Hours after the British firm confirmed a 16billion deal, Deutsche Telekom boss Tim Hoettges, 55, told analysts he saw no reason why it should be approved the latest salvo in a war of words with Vodafone boss Vittorio Colao, after talks were revealed in February. Deutsche, 32per cent-owned by the German government, is battling the British company for dominance in the broadband, mobile and pay-TV markets. Colao said a deal would cement Vodafone as a champion of competition. It is expected to be vetted by regulators. Britons are being robbed of 60 million in pensions tax relief Carers, nursery workers, admin assistants and other part-time workers are being robbed of 60million from their pensions because they are unable to claim the tax breaks they are owed. Many of Britains lowest-paid workers are being cheated out of a perk thats supposed to encourage pension saving and is freely available to other workers including the super-rich. Many of those affected are women. The bonus, called pensions tax relief, means that every 1 paid into a pension should cost a basic-rate taxpayer 80p and a higher-rate taxpayer 60p. Crucially, the 20p basic tax relief is offered as an incentive to all savers even if they do not pay tax because they earn under 11,850. But up to two million workers who earn less than 11,850 are not getting it, even though they are enrolled into a pension. Even worse, a former pensions minister says that there is no way they can claim this extra cash thought to be in the region of 60million a year directly from the taxman. As a result, it will cost them more than other workers to build up a retirement fund. The vast majority of the biggest pension firms operate a specific type of scheme, known as net pay arrangements, which are unable to hand tax relief to the lowest paid. With a net pay scheme, your employer collects your pension payment directly from your salary before income tax is deducted. If you are a 20 per cent or 40 per cent taxpayer, that means youve already got your tax relief and there is nothing to claim. However, this system means if you do not earn enough to pay tax, you dont receive anything extra. By contrast, another type of pension scheme called relief at source does allow these workers to get the top-up they are owed. Under this scheme, money goes into your pension after income tax has been deducted. The pension company then applies to HM Revenue & Customs to recover the tax relief workers are owed. It then pays this into the employees scheme. This means everyone gets a 20 per cent top-up no matter how much they earn or whether they pay tax. Higher earners have to claim back any extra tax relief they are owed. The bonus, called pensions tax relief, means that every 1 paid into a pension should cost a basic-rate taxpayer 80p and a higher-rate taxpayer 60p. For workers earning under the 11,850 income tax threshold, the difference between the two systems is stark. Calculations for Money Mail show that someone earning 11,850 a year in a net pay scheme would end up handing over 3.35 a week to make a 3 per cent contribution of their earnings towards their retirement. By contrast, the same saver in a relief at source scheme would pay just 2.68 for the same 3 per cent contribution. The 67p difference doesnt seem much. But over a 30-year working life, the lower earner in the net pay scheme would have paid 1,020 more for a pension than the saver in a relief at source scheme. It is thought that pension firms are anxious to avoid relief at source schemes for workers because they are viewed as being too complicated for higher earners on incomes over 46,351, as they have to complete a tax return or fill in forms and send these to HM Revenue and Customs to get their extra 20 per cent or 25 per cent tax relief on top of the basic perk. The problem has become serious as millions of low-paid employees are being signed up to pensions by their bosses under so-called auto-enrolment rules, which came into force in 2012. These state that bosses must enrol everyone over the age of 22 and earning more than 10,000 a year into a pension whatever the company size. It means there are many more savers earning more than 10,000 but less than 11,850 than there were before. According to actuarial firm Hymans Robertson, just three of the pension schemes aimed at savers who have been auto-enrolled run by the 17 largest of these pension firms allow customers earning between 10,000 and 11,850 to claim tax relief. Those that bar the low-paid from the perk include some of the schemes run by Britains biggest insurer Aviva and investment giants Scottish Widows and Fidelity. Nest, one of the biggest provider of auto-enrolment pensions, offers a relief at source scheme that automatically refunds tax relief to savers, as does insurer Legal and General, according to research. Now Pensions, another big retirement firm, pays low-paid savers a sum equivalent to tax relief voluntarily, although it operates a net pay scheme. There is no way for poorer workers who do not automatically receive tax relief via their pensions to reclaim the money from the taxman. Former pensions minister Baroness Ros Altmann, who has campaigned on the issue, says shed asked Government officials repeatedly to allow employees to reclaim the perk. She says she was told the task was too difficult and the amounts involved too small. The Government is forcing the lowest earners, mostly women, to pay extra for their pensions, she says. Jesal Mistry, of Hymans Robertson, says: The Government must correct this anomaly created through unintentional legislation and ensure the impacted receive what is theirs. An Aviva spokesman says that its master trust scheme aimed at workers who have been auto-enrolled had targeted companies with full-time employees who earn more than the income tax threshhold. It says it runs other schemes with relief at source arrangements. A Fidelity spokesman says that net pay suits the majority of our clients, but it could offer relief at source through its personal pensions. A Scottish Widows spokesman says its master trust is net pay, but it offers other products with relief at source. A Treasury spokesman says: Workplace pension schemes are chosen by employers. The Pensions Regulator provides guidance on different schemes, including the implications for employees who dont pay tax. We appreciate the concerns of low-paid workers in net pay schemes and are talking with industry on the matter. r.lythe@dailymail.co.uk Boston, MA, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reputation leaders among domestic and foreign companies in China will be revealed next week at an event in Beijing. Reputation Institute, the worlds leading reputation management research and advisory firm, has partnered with Racepoint Global, an integrated communications agency specializing in entry into and expansion out of the China market. The two companies will host an event at the Kerry Hotel Beijing to officially unveil Chinas 2018 reputation rankings, based on extensive in-market research. Speakers from both companies, as well as from top-ranking corporations featured in the study, will discuss the findings from this years research based on over 29,500 individual ratings, and will share insights on how companies can improve reputation in China. The study will reveal an understanding of what is takes to win on corporate reputation: There is a global erosion of confidence in companies how does that impact corporate reputation in China? Whats important in driving reputation in China, and how has this changed over time? What are the similarities and differences in what domestic vs. multi-national companies need to do to earn strength of reputation? How do perceptions of leadership and quality products play into driving corporate reputation? Does innovation matter? Overall, who is the most reputable company in China? Which Chinese companies feature most prominently? The event is open to senior executives, marketing professionals, and corporate communications leaders from Chinese and multi-national companies. Register online to reserve your place: English | Chinese Location: Kerry Hotel, Beijing, China Date: Tuesday, May 15th Agenda and Speakers: 2:00 2:40 How to Win on Reputation in China: Understanding Chinese vs. Multi-National Companies ~ Nicolas Georges Trad, Executive Partner, Reputation Institute 2:40 3:00 Impactful Brand-building through Data-driven Campaigns ~ Peter Prodromou, CEO, Racepoint Global 3:00 3:15 Networking break Networking break 3:15 4:00 Panel Discussion: Best Practices in Reputation Management in China Panel Discussion: Best Practices in Reputation Management in China 4:00 4:30 Awards Ceremony Most Reputable Companies in China About Reputation Institute Reputation Institute is the worlds leading reputation management research and advisory firm. Reputation Institutes RepTrak model is the gold standard for corporate reputation metrics and the largest companies around the world use it for KPIs and input for strategy. Reputation Institute owns the worlds largest normative reputation benchmark database, based on RepTrak investment research done every year on the reputation of companies, institutions, countries, cities, and business leaders. About Racepoint Global Racepoint Global combines the power of worldwide reach with personal attention. Our clients expect everything to be bigger, better and bolder. They also want access to the brightest minds at all times. We have the necessary DNA to do both. We challenge our clients to do more to stay ahead and demand that they challenge us to be accountable. We drive communications that are strategically sound and strive to forge personal relationships, breakthrough results and lasting impact. Attachment MBABANE Umbutfo Hlalakahle Maculuves decision to undergo the famous cultural ritual Kubutseka (Coming of Age) has brought mixed feelings to gospel music lovers and the public at large. Apostle Vusi Maculuve, a gospel artist and founder and leader of the God Cares Christian Fellowship Church is now a worrior after being accepted as part of Emabutfo. Maculuve went through the Kubutseka phase last Friday at the Engabezweni Royal Residence. The apostle is now a fully fledged regiment as he joined the regiment known Inyatsi Yamswati yase-Ngabezweni. While some praised him for taking such a decision, others did not understand why he had to take this route. Maculuve took social media by surprise as he explained the reason why he decided to take this route. He made it clear that he was aware that a lot of people were accusing him for taking the step saying there was not a bad intention in doing this. Angitsatse litfuba ngikhulume ngekubutseka kwami ngenxa yalabanyenti lasebakhatsatekile ngalo baze basho lokunyenti (Let me take this opportunity to talk about my decision of becoming an umbutfo as a number of things are being said, wrote Maculuve. He added he was aware that most people thought he had certain intentions and it was the reason why he did this. Some people believe that I did this because I have an interest of becoming a politician while others feel my intention is to change my profession from being a teacher to become a soldier, he said. He added, I did not do this because I want certain favours. The only thing I wanted was to understand myself and I am happy to say I now see that getting advise from some of the elders (Emajaha Lamadzala) has helped me. He said while he had no problem participating in the elections, he was not yet ready so people should stop judging him. He made it clear that being part of the regiment does not mean that he has fallen from grace. Ekubutsekeni bangeluleke batsi kufuneka emandla nenhlonipho lokusho kutsi kuloko nekukholwa kuyafana ngase sontfweni, sidzinga emandla akho nekuhlonipha (I was advised to be trustworthy and put all my effort as I serve Their Majesties. It is the same like in church as respect and commitment are needed, he said. He made it clear that people should understand that the only reason that made him to take such a decision was the fact that he was a Swazi. I just love this custom, period, he said. Sir, I wonder if you could find out if the South African border staff at the Ngwenya Border Control Post on both outgoing from Swaziland and incoming from South African side are on a deliberate go slow strike? I have had to go to South Africa about five times over the past two months, and each time have found the staff on the South African side surly, unpleasant and unhelpful, getting worse each time I go through. They in general dont look up, and give a greeting at all; even when one greets them (which I believe is the normal thing to do). In fact I have been given the feeling that they dont want Swazis visiting South Africa at all; that they are doing us all a huge favour by deliberately serving us slowly, and making it so unpleasant to use the border post. This is in stark contrast to the smiling faces, happy greetings and pleasantness from the Swaziland side. I had to go to Nelspruit on April 12 and it took about 10 minutes to get through the Swazi side, then over 45 minutes to navigate the South African side. I went through at what I consider peak times and came back at 5.25pm. During both the morning and late afternoon times the South African side only had two staff manning the windows (although there were a number of other people standing around in the background doing nothing but watching). I arrived at the border from Nelspruit at 5.25pm and finally got to the Swazi side at 6.35pm just over an hour. Then even though I had to declare items at Customs it still took only 15 minutes to complete everything on the Swazi side. I realise that they have introduced a time consuming scanning procedure but surely due to the fact that it is time consuming they should have more staff actually manning the windows and not just loitering and watching? There is a huge number of people going through the border - both mornings (7am to 8.30) and coming back in the evenings (4.30pm 6.30pm). Surely during this time more staff should be employed and perhaps less staff (but certainly more than two windows) at off peak times? Disgruntled traveller NOTE: In an effort to afford them the right to reply, this letter was emailed to the South African Commission in Mbabane. After a follow-up call they responded by saying the matter was out of their jurisdiction and afforded us with a contact email address at the South African Department of Home Affairs. The letter was then forwarded to the given email address at the Department of Home Affairs but to this day there has been no response. Ed MBABANE Are you looking forward to attending an interview or taking up a new post at the Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC)? The court has suspended all hiring processes in the company. The suspension comes after one of the employees of the electricity company yesterday filed an urgent application in the Industrial Court after she was allegedly sidelined for the post of Senior Accounts Officer for the Lubombo Region. She alleged that the company excluded her by adding requirements she did not possess. According to the advert for the post, one must have a Degree in Commerce/ Accounting/Marketing. The interim order staying and suspending all process of conducting interviews, recruitments and resumption of duty of anyone was issued by Industrial Court Judge Dumisani Mazibuko yesterday. Tevangeli Dlamini, who is Regional Accounts Officer for the Lubombo Region, wants the court to declare that the variation of the requirements for the post of senior accounts officer to include a degree in accounting was an unfair labour practice designed to discriminate her. The recruitments, appointments and interviews have been stopped pending finalisation of Dlaminis application in the Industrial Court. She averred that an appointment of anyone into this position other than her would be an incident of unfair discrimination, much against the long established promotion practice. I have been informed and do believe that an officer from Shiselweni has already been earmarked for the advertised post and the internal advertisement is just a mere brainwash not only to me but to whosoever will be interested to apply, argued Dlamini. MBABANE The stress of being a Swazi Mobile user and not be able to get airtime on credit is over. Having gone live eight months ago, Swazi Mobile has finally relieved its customers of the stress of not being able to communicate with their friends due to not having airtime. The mobile company has responded to the cries of its customers, by introducing the airtime credit facility, to allow customers to get airtime anytime they want and pay later. The product, known as the Airtime Plus, was announced yesterday and would allow customers to borrow up to E100 airtime. To qualify, a customer must have been active on the Swazi Mobile network for a period of three months or longer. Furthermore, the customer must have a minimum cumulative re-charge of E30 per month for at least three months in a row. Corporate Communications Manager Nosipho Shongwe confirmed the new product, saying it was one of their ways of allowing their customers to be stress-free. To qualify, customers need to dial *234 to check if they qualified for the service. This service will be available to Swazi Mobile customers starting tomorrow (today). After dialling the given code, a customer will then be expected to select the required amount, said Shongwe. According to Shongwe, the company decided to make the service available in order to enhance service delivery. We can all remember that Swazi Mobile was launched eight months ago and, in its efforts to provide the best services to its clients, has added several innovative products to enhance customer experience on our network. NEW ORLEANS, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2018 Louisiana Energy Conference will be held in New Orleans at the Westin Canal Place Hotel at 100 Rue Iberville May 29 June 1, 2018. The Conference will feature a series of 19 panels and presentations, plus two key note speakers that will address key domestic and international industry developments and topics. This year the Conference will include at least three field trips on June 1 to both offshore Gulf of Mexico and onshore south Louisiana facilities. Executives from nearly 70 leading public and private exploration and production and oil field services companies as well as representatives from energy-related private equity firms, industry trade groups, regulatory agencies, investment banks, institutional research groups, and law firms will participate in the panel discussions. This years Conference includes several highlighted events: Tuesday, May 29th 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm 12th Floor Westin Canal Place Hotel Keynote Speaker and Opening Reception Sponsored by J.P. Morgan: Energy Markets in 2018. The speaker will be Stephen Jury, J.P. Morgan Private Bank Global Portfolio Specialist. His topics will include a variety of key domestic and international factors affecting todays energy markets. Wednesday, May 30th 6:00 pm 9:00 pm National World War II Museum New Orleans Warehouse District 945 Magazine Street Networking Event and Buffet-Style Dinner Thursday, May 31st 3:15 pm 3:45 pm 12th Floor Westin Canal Place Hotel Energy Policy and the Political Environment a View from the Swamp Dan Naatz, IPAAs Senior Vice President of Government Relations & Political Affairs, will discuss the current political environment in Washington and its impact on American energy producers. Mr. Naatz will discuss IPAAs current efforts with the Trump Administration and Congress as well as an outlook on the 2018 mid-term elections. Thursday, May 31st 6:00 pm 8:00 pm French Quarter location to be announced Postclosing cocktails, hors doeuvres and buffet-style dinner Event host Al Petrie, Senior Partner of Al Petrie Advisors, commented, We are very pleased to have another great lineup of panels this year that will discuss current issues facing our industry today. We will welcome our strongest list of participating public companies ever. We are equally excited about our evening networking events made possible by our sponsors. We are certain it will be an interesting, enjoyable and information-packed Conference this year. A preliminary agenda and a listing of the currently confirmed participating companies are now available on the Conference web site, www.LouisianaEnergyConference.com, under the Agenda tab. Attendance at the Conference is directed to investment professionals including buy side and sell side analysts and portfolio managers, as well as private equity and wealth management executives and trust officers. There is no cost for investment professionals attending the Conference. The cost for all other attendees is $295 for the three-day event. The Conference web site www.LouisianaEnergyConference.com provides online registration and full details on the event which is being hosted by Al Petrie Advisors. For additional information including sponsorship opportunities, please call (504) 799-1953 or email info@LouisianaEnergyConference.com. 201 Saint Charles Avenue Suite 2413 New Orleans, Louisiana 70170 Contact: Al Petrie (504) 799-1953 NEW YORK, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greystone Development, a New York-based real estate development company, and preservation experts Walter B. Melvin Architects, announced that the New York Landmarks Conservancy has recognized the 227 4th Avenue property with the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award. Named for the late New York City philanthropist, the annual Lucy G. Moses awards are the Conservancys highest honors given for outstanding preservation. In collaboration with Daniel Goldner Architects and preservation consultant Higgins Quasebarth & Partners, Greystone Development and Walter B. Melvin Architects worked to restore the historic facade of neo-Classical Public Bath No. 7 located at 227 4th Avenue. Built in 1910, the building was designed by prolific Beaux-Arts era architect Raymond R. Almirall who gained notoriety for designing several classically-inspired public buildings. The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building an individual landmark in 1984, and it was added to the national and New York State Registers of Historic Places in 1985. Beginning in 2015, the preservation process consisted of the retention and preservation of almost 80 percent of the original glazed brick, limestone and terra cotta facade. Additionally, the intricate and colorful ornamental details, such as the nautical-themed polychromatic glazed terra cotta ornament and elaborate, classically-inspired cornice, were restored and revitalized. We are honored to receive this recognition from the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and truly enjoyed being part of the collaborative effort that went into the restoration of this architectural landmark, said Thomas Ryan, head of Greystone Development. 227 4th Avenues beautiful facade will be a reminder of the grand history of Park Slope for many years to come. We are very proud to be a part of Greystone Developments project team that worked to bring Public Bath No. 7 back to life, said Alison LaFever of WBMA. With thoughtful planning, careful workmanship, and effective collaboration, we were able to preserve the architectural character of this exceptional building for Park Slope residents, and New Yorkers everywhere, to enjoy for years to come. The 28th annual Moses Awards were presented on May 8 at the annual Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award Ceremony at St. Bartholomews Church in Manhattan. About Greystone Development Greystone Development is a full-service real estate developer. Since 1992, Greystone has acquired, repositioned and developed over $2 billion in properties nationwide spanning approximately 3.5 million square feet. Our portfolio is diverse, comprised of condominium, rental, office, retail, mixed use and healthcare properties. Greystone Development is currently developing 15 real estate projects in premier markets such as New York, Miami and Palo Alto. For more information, visit www.greystonedevelopment.com. Greystone Development is a part of the Greystone group of companies, active in real estate lending, investment and advisory. For more info, visit www.greyco.com. Karen Marotta Greystone 212-896-9149 Karen.Marotta@greyco.com ALBANY, New York, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research titled Tampons Market, by Product Radially Wound Pledget and Rectangular/Square Pad; by Material Cotton, Rayon, and Blended; by Usage Digital/No Applicator and Applicator; by Size Mini, Regular, and Extra; by Distribution Channel Online Stores and Offline Stores (Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Independent Retailers, Specialty Stores, and Drug Stores) Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2017 2025, the global tampons market is expected to reach a value of US$ 6.34 Bn by 2025. The market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. In terms of volume, the market is expected to reach 19,062.3 million unit, expanding at a CAGR of over 4.1% during the forecast period. The tampons market in North America is projected to expand at a rapid pace during forecast period. Tampons became widely used in the late 1980s. A tampon is a mass of material used to absorb menstrual blood during the menstrual cycle. It is a form of absorbent material, primarily used as a feminine hygiene product.Tampons are made of cotton, rayon, or a blend of the two materials. They are of various sizes and types. There are different types of applicators for the usage of tampons. Some of these types are cardboard applicator, plastic applicator, extendable applicator, and digital tampons. Request a PDF brochure at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=15704 In terms of usage, the applicator segment is expected to hold a major market share in the global tampons market during the forecast period. The segment is estimated to account for revenues of nearly US$ 4.6 Bn by the end of 2020. In 2016, North America held a significant market share of the global tampons market due to changing preferences of women toward hygiene products and increasing awareness about health among women. Furthermore, increasing demand for biodegradable and organic tampons contributed to the expansion of the tampons market in North America. Europe was a prominent region of the market in terms of revenue in 2016. Product innovation is one of the key factors pushing demand for feminine hygiene products at the global level. In addition, companies are focusing on process standardization and production of biodegradable and organic tampons that are affordable as well as easy and comfortable to use. Furthermore, investment in R&D and product innovation has fueled the expansion of the tampons market. In terms of type, the radially wound pledget segment is expected to expand at a rapid rate throughout the forecast period as this type of tampon is easily available. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be a rapidly expanding region of the market with a projected CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period owing rise in population of middleclass and higher-middleclass women. Puberty education, menstrual health management, sanitation facilities, and community influencers are important factors that contribute to the menstrual health of women. These factors are anticipated to boost the tampons market in Asia Pacific. Get a PDF Sample on this Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=15704 The market in Middle East & Africa is anticipated to expandat a rapid pace between 2017 and 2025. However, the region is likely to continue to account for a limited market share. An increasing trend toward the adoption of tampons is observed across Asia Pacific and Middle East. Creating menstrual awareness, especially in developing economies, was extremely challenging. However, the situation has improved in the past few years. Studies showed that more than 70% of women did not have knowledge about the need to use a pad or tampon until their first period. However, that has changed significantly with growing awareness acting as a major driver. The market is focusing on creating new and innovative products that are biodegradable and organic and safe for women as well as the environment. Many feminine hygiene products manufacturing companies have strong competition over values, and most of them are focusing on innovating new products. The effect of this opportunity is that several tampon manufacturers are also increasing their focus on providing biodegradable and organic products that are safe to use. Due to increasing awareness among the female population regarding personal hygiene, there has been an increase in adoption of different personal hygiene products over time. Request a Discount on this Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=15704 However, higher product price and availability of cheaper substitutes are likely to restrain the tampons market in the coming years. North America dominated the tampons market, with value of US$ 4.75 Bn in 2016. In North America, the U.S. is anticipated to drive the tampons market due to increasing demand for biodegradable and organic tampons, changing lifestyle of women, and rising awareness about health among women. Asia Pacific is likely to provide substantial growth opportunities to the tampons market with a rise in awareness about health among women. Browse Press Release at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/tampons-market.htm The revolution in the feminine hygiene products industry and changing lifestyle of women across the globe would be beneficial to the expansion of the tampons market. Key players operating in the global tampons market include Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA), Bodywise (UK) Ltd, Corman SpA, Lil-Lets UK Limited, First Quality Enterprises Inc., Procter and Gamble Co., Johnson & Johnson Inc., Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Edgewell Personal Care Company, and Unicharm Corporation. About Us Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. Contact Us Mr. Atil Chaudhari Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: http://www.techyounme.com/ LONDON, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Horizonte Minerals Plc (AIM:HZM) (TSX:HZM) (Horizonte or the Company), the nickel development company focused in Brazil which is developing the Araguaia nickel project as Brazils next ferro-nickel mine, is pleased to announce an initial NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for the recently acquired Vermelho nickel/cobalt project. Highlights The Vermelho Nickel-Cobalt Mineral Resources, in the Measured and Indicated category, are 167.8 million tonnes grading 1.01% nickel and 0.06% cobalt (at 0.9% nickel equivalent cut off) (at 0.9% nickel equivalent cut off) The Measured and Indicated mineral resources categories are estimated to contain 1.68 million tonnes (3,700 million lbs) of nickel and 94,000 tonnes (207 million lbs) of cobalt The Mineral Resource Estimate places the Vermelho project as one of the largest, highest grade undeveloped laterite nickel cobalt resources globally Significant portion of high grade saprolite within the deposit is amenable to the Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace process route to produce ferronickel being developed at the Araguaia project Test work planned to confirm the Vermelho mineralisation is suitable to produce nickel and cobalt sulphate for the EV battery Market Horizontes CEO Jeremy Martin said, This NI 43-101 Mineral Resource covering the Vermelho nickel-cobalt project is an exciting development for the Company. The resource is high grade, at around 1.34% NiEq% and places the project on the upper end of the global grade curve as well as being scalable, adding over 1.6 million tonnes of contained nickel and over 90,000 tonnes of contained cobalt to the Companys substantial global metal inventory. The next phase of work at Vermelho will focus on advancing the work that Vale completed as part of their Feasibility Study, taking the mixed hydroxide product (MHP) and upgrading to nickel and cobalt sulphate suitable for use in the evolving EV battery market. The acquisition of the Vermelho nickel cobalt project means that Horizonte now has the potential to supply both high grade ferro-nickel from the Araguaia project to the stainless steel market and nickel/cobalt products from Vermelho that can be used in both the EV battery market or the metals space as we work towards becoming a leading nickel development company. The current focus at the Araguaia ferro-nickel project is the completion of the Feasibility Study and the work related to the award of the construction licence. We look forward to keeping the market updated as we advance both projects against a backdrop of strengthening nickel and cobalt prices, where recent nickel prices have been in the US$ 6-7/lb range and cobalt prices continue to trade above US$40/lb, driven by a combination of growing demand, as highlighted by recent Chinese EV numbers and concern around cobalt supply restrictions in the DRC. Further details Horizontes 100% owned Vermelho NickelCobalt project was acquired from Vale in late 2017, it is located in the eastern part of the Carajas mining district and approximately 80 kilometres north west of the Companys Araguaia North ferro-nickel project. At a 0.90% nickel-equivalent cut-off grade the estimated Nickel-Cobalt mineral resources in the Vermelho (V1) and Vermelho (V2) deposits are presented in Table 1. The Mineral Resource is reported by a series of nickel equivalent cut-offs in 2018 from Gemcom mining software. The basis of the nickel equivalent calculation is the equation NiEq% = Ni% + (6 x Co%), based upon the relative average cash prices for nickel and cobalt metals, as reported on the London Metal Exchange for the six-month period 2nd November 2017 to 3rd April 2018. The nickel equivalent calculation assumes similar nickel and cobalt recoveries as obtained by the test work carried out by Vale in the Feasibility Study. Mr. Andrew F. Ross MSc, FAusIMM, an Independent Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) employed by Snowden Mining Industry Consultants, has completed a review of this Mineral Resource Estimate and has recommended to Horizonte that this Mineral Resource Estimate is suitable for reporting by Horizonte as the current Mineral Resource Estimate. These Mineral Resources were reported to Horizonte as current Mineral Resource Estimates, after Snowden reviewed the historic mineral resource estimates described in the NI 43-101 Technical Report dated 1st February 2018. The mineral resource categories (Measured, Indicated, Inferred) conform to the requirements of the JORC Code (2012) which is a permitted reporting code under NI 43-101. A total of 77,575 metres (1,383 holes) from V1 and 51,165 metres (877 holes) from V2 were used in the evaluation of the deposits and Mineral Resource Estimates reported in the Vermelho Feasibility Study. Table 1 Combined Classified Mineral Resource Report for Vermelho by Nickel Equivalent cut-offs Cut-off NiEq% Million Tonnes NiEq% Ni % Ni metal ktonnes Co % Co metal ktonnes Fe 2 O 3 % SiO 2 % MgO % Measured 0.8 185.4 1.28 0.96 1,781 0.05 99 31.53 43.14 9.58 0.9 161.4 1.34 1.01 1,629 0.06 90 31.46 42.58 9.95 1.0 138.5 1.41 1.06 1,469 0.06 81 31.42 42.05 10.24 1.2 92.7 1.56 1.19 1,098 0.06 59 31.33 40.86 10.92 Indicated 0.8 7.7 1.22 0.88 68 0.06 4 27.15 50.56 7.21 0.9 6.4 1.29 0.93 59 0.06 4 27.52 50.32 6.85 1.0 5.2 1.37 0.99 51 0.06 3 27.91 49.89 6.61 1.2 3.3 1.54 1.11 36 0.07 2 28.06 49.04 6.73 Measured and Indicated 0.8 193.1 1.28 0.96 1,848 0.05 103 31.36 43.43 9.49 0.9 167.8 1.34 1.01 1,688 0.06 94 31.31 42.87 9.83 1.0 143.7 1.41 1.06 1,520 0.06 84 31.29 42.33 10.11 1.2 96.0 1.56 1.18 1,135 0.06 61 31.22 41.14 10.77 Inferred 0.8 3.8 1.13 0.87 33 0.04 2 24.23 41.75 15.27 0.9 2.8 1.23 0.94 27 0.05 1 25.86 41.83 13.47 1.0 2.1 1.33 1.01 21 0.05 1 27.25 41.84 11.92 1.2 1.2 1.51 1.13 13 0.06 1 28.65 41.49 10.66 Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred resources as an Indicated or Measured mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to the Indicated or Measured mineral resource category. This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014. For further information visit www.horizonteminerals.com or contact: Horizonte Minerals plc Jeremy Martin (CEO) / David Hall (Chairman) +44 (0) 20 7763 7157 finnCap Ltd (NOMAD & Joint Broker) Christopher Raggett/ James Thompson / Emily Morris +44 (0) 20 7220 0500 Numis Securities Ltd (Joint Broker) John Prior / Paul Gillam +44 (0) 207 260 1000 Shard Capital (Joint Broker) Damon Heath / Erik Woolgar +44 (0) 20 7186 9952 Tavistock (Financial PR) Jos Simson / Barney Hayward +44 (0) 20 7920 3150 About Horizonte Minerals: Horizonte Minerals plc is an AIM and TSX-listed nickel development focused in Brazil. The Company is developing the Araguaia Project as the next major ferro-nickel mine in Brazil. With the Vermelho nickel-cobalt project being advanced with the aim of being able to supply nickel and cobalt to the EV battery market. Both projects are 100% owned. Horizonte shareholders include: Teck Resources Limited, Canaccord Genuity Group, JP Morgan, Lombard Odier Asset Management (Europe) Limited, City Financial, Richard Griffiths and Glencore. In accordance with the AIM Note for Mining and Oil and Gas Companies, Horizonte discloses that Mr. Andrew F. Ross, an employee of Snowden, is the qualified person that has reviewed the technical information contained in this announcement. Mr. Ross MSc, FAusIMM and is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr. Ross consents to the inclusion of the information in this announcement in the form and context in which it appears. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained in this press release constitutes forward-looking information under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the potential of the Companys current or future property mineral projects; the success of exploration and mining activities; cost and timing of future exploration, production and development; the estimation of mineral resources and reserves and the ability of the Company to achieve its goals in respect of growing its mineral resources; and the realization of mineral resource and reserve estimates. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks related to: exploration and mining risks, competition from competitors with greater capital; the Companys lack of experience with respect to development-stage mining operations; fluctuations in metal prices; uninsured risks; environmental and other regulatory requirements; exploration, mining and other licences; the Companys future payment obligations; potential disputes with respect to the Companys title to, and the area of, its mining concessions; the Companys dependence on its ability to obtain sufficient financing in the future; the Companys dependence on its relationships with third parties; the Companys joint ventures; the potential of currency fluctuations and political or economic instability in countries in which the Company operates; currency exchange fluctuations; the Companys ability to manage its growth effectively; the trading market for the ordinary shares of the Company; uncertainty with respect to the Companys plans to continue to develop its operations and new projects; the Companys dependence on key personnel; possible conflicts of interest of directors and officers of the Company, and various risks associated with the legal and regulatory framework within which the Company operates. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Show-Me The Dream Team The Greitens trial: Governor assembled high-powered legal team Editor's note: This is the second in a series of three stories profiling the main legal figures involved in the trial of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens. A profile of the prosecution ran Tuesday. A profile of the judge will run Thursday. The felony trial of Missouri Gov. Tech Talk Targets Sen. Claire's Opponent Hawley's office subpoenaed for Greitens Confide investigation records JEFFERSON CITY * A St. Louis County attorney wants reams of documents from Attorney General Josh Hawley related to one of Hawley's probes of Gov. Eric Greitens, a fellow Republican. Hawley launched an investigation in December of Greitens' office to see if Greitens or his staffers violated the state's records retention laws by using Confide, a smartphone app which deletes text messages after they have been read by their recipient. International Consideration Eric Greitens' Ex-Girlfriend Will Testify Against Him In Nude Photos Case The woman who accused Missouri's governor of taking nude photographs of her without her consent will testify at his trial, which begins next week, ABC News reported. Gov. Eric Greitens is accused of taking a nonconsensual nude photograph of a woman he was having an affair with, while she was tied up. Campaign Charges Against Guv, Too Political consultant speaks out about Greitens donor list ST. LOUIS - As the countdown continues to Governor Eric Greitens highly anticipated trial in St. Louis, we`re learning more about the investigation into his charity, The Mission Continues. Mike Hafner, a political consultant, has been thrown into the spotlight after being subpoenaed by the House Investigative Committee. Kansas City Dead Tree Hot Take Missouri Republicans have stood up to Greitens. Why won't DC counterparts take on Trump? Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has compared himself to President Donald Trump, as have both their supporters and their critics. But there's no comparison between Republicans in Jefferson City and those in Washington D.C. In Missouri, lawmakers in the governor's own party have been standing up to Greitens since he took office. STL Team Prep KCMO Wisdom: Get It Over With KC lawmaker sees no reason to delay impeachment proceedings for special session There is no need to wait for a special session of the Missouri Legislature to impeach Gov. Eric Greitens, said Rep. Brandon Ellington, a Democrat from Kansas City. If 138 members of the Missouri House and 29 in the Senate believe the allegations against the governor are important enough to call a special session to consider impeachment, then they should not delay until after the regular session is over, Ellington said. Quick collection of the top stories we're checking amid the ongoing downfall of an embattled politico who must might be desperately waiting for a natural disaster or some other calamity to take the away public scrutiny . . .Take a peek:Developing . . . English French Luxembourg May 9, 2018 - The Annual General Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders ("the General Meetings") of Aperam held today in Luxembourg approved all resolutions on the agenda by a large majority. 62,640,500 shares, or 73.26% of the Company's share capital, were present or represented at the General Meetings. The results of the votes will be posted in due course on www.aperam.com under "Investors & shareholders" - "Equity Investors" - "Shareholders' Meetings" - "9 May 2018 - General Meetings of Shareholders". In particular, the shareholders approved the consolidated financial statements for the financial year 2017; re-elected Mr. Philippe Darmayan as Director of Aperam for a term of three years; authorized grants of share based incentives under the Group's Long Term Incentive Plan covering Performance Share Unit grants for the Leadership Team and other performance based grants below the level of the Leadership Team; decided to cancel shares and to consequently reduce the issued share capital following the cancellation of shares repurchased under the share buyback program, such cancellation to take place after the end of the program. About Aperam Aperam is a global player in stainless, electrical and specialty steel, with customers in over 40 countries. The business is organised in three primary operating segments: Stainless & Electrical Steel, Services & Solutions and Alloys & Specialties. Aperam has 2.5 million tonnes of flat Stainless and Electrical steel capacity in Brazil and Europe and is a leader in high value specialty products. Aperam has a highly integrated distribution, processing and services network and a unique capability to produce stainless and specialty from low cost biomass (charcoal). Its industrial network is concentrated in six production facilities located in Brazil, Belgium and France. In 2017, Aperam had sales of EUR 4.5 billion and steel shipments of 1.94 million tonnes. For further information, please refer to our website at www.aperam.com Contacts Corporate Communications / Investor Relations / Laurent Beauloye: +352 27 36 27 103 Congressman Cleaver: Progress Report for the Fifth District Over the last year and a half, I am happy to report that we have seen some significant progress in the Fifth District of Missouri. While I may not approve of every bill that has been passed this Congress, I have been able to secure much-needed funding for vital projects in the district and introduce important legislation that will be of great benefit to the people of our congressional district and across the country. Id like to share some of those achievements with you today. Since the beginning of 2017, Missouris Fifth District has seen:- $17,030,000 provided by the U.S. Army Corps that will be used to complete the Blue River Basin/Dodson Industrial District Project and $21,529,000 to complete the Turkey Creek Basin Flood Project.- $7,000,000 in funding for the WWI Centennial Commission, which will go towards commemoration events scheduled throughout next year in honor of the heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the war to end all wars.- Passage in the House of H.R. 4258, the Family Self Sufficiency Act, a bipartisan bill that will modernize and revamp the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments Family Self Sufficiency program. This program provides Americans receiving federal housing assistance with the opportunity to improve financial and career goals that will enable them to eventually become financially and housing independent.- Introduction of H.R. 4119, the Student Loan Disclosure Modernization Act, a bill that would modernize the Department of Educations Plain Language Disclosure Form, making it easier to understand so that students do not take on unnecessary and costly student loans.- Introduction of H.R. 3552, the Cady Housh and Jason Flatt Teen Suicide Prevention Act of 2017, a bill that would require teachers, principals, counselors, and other school officials to receive youth suicide awareness and prevention training in schools.- A call for the CFPB to investigate FinTech lending companies to ensure that small business owners are being protected from discriminatory loans and unfair pricing, as well as a push for social media companies to address the promotion of racism, hatred, and violence being spread throughout their platforms, with giants like Facebook and Twitter listening and responding.- A town hall meeting on the rapidly expanding student loan problem facing millions of American students, where students and parents were able to speak freely about the struggles they have faced, have a constructive conversation on ways to improve the system, and receive tips and information on how to properly face the issues they are dealing with.These are only but a handful of the achievements we have been able to accomplish over the last 18 months. As you can see, it has been a busy yet rewarding time for our congressional district. But the work is not done. Congress must address our growing student loan problem, lack of investments in education, lack of affordable housing, rising healthcare costs, and so much more. So, as we round out the 115th Congress, I will remain committed to working on your behalf, with respect to all opinions and viewpoints, to improve the lives of everyone in Missouris Fifth District, today and for generations to come.############You decide . . . Firefighter to stand trial after child called racial slur, spat on at Overland Park Hooters A Kansas City firefighter will stand before a judge Wednesday after being accused of calling a child a racial slur and spitting on the boy at an Overland Park restaurant. Terrence J. Skeen has been charged with one count of battery, a single count of disorderly conduct, and a single count of assault in Overland Park Municipal Court. The trial is underway, there might be a verdict later today . . . Luckily, everybody already made up their mind about this case weeks ago.Read more: More Insight On Democracy & KCPS FAIL KCPS redrawing boundaries for school board members - KSHB.COM KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The person making decisions for your child's school could soon change. The Kansas City Public School District is redrawing boundaries and electing a new board. Starting in April 2019, the KCPS board will be reduced from nine to seven members, which means the sub-district boundaries have to be redrawn. Medical Industrial Complex Report Suit: CFO feared jail time over kickbacks. He's now Shawnee Mission Health interim CEO The interim CEO of Shawnee Mission Health feared he would go to jail over a kickback scheme involving doctors at his former job, according to court documents from a lawsuit brought by whistleblowers and the federal government. Karsten Randolph was the chief financial officer of Park Ridge Health in North Carolina from 2011 to 2014. Golden Ghetto Fake Po-Po Scam going around Johnson County involves fake warrants and in-person meeting KANSAS CITY, Mo. - There's a new scam going around Johnson County. Dr. Chad Geri is the owner and veterinarian for Compassionate Care, an in-home care service. Tuesday, he got a call from someone pretending to be Lt. Greg Smith with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. Illegal Alien Doc Talk Metro professor Syed Jamal & family explain immigration status, arrest and deportation battle LAWRENCE, Kan. -- He mentioned his favorite drink at least half a dozen times during FOX4's exclusive interview. Syed Jamal, his wife Angela and their three children enjoyed family time around the kitchen table over cups of coffee. They went for almost two months without those moments, due to what would become a very public battle over Jamal's immigration status. Football Front Office Insight How much will the Kansas City Chiefs draft class make? As of press time, the Kansas City Chiefs have $6.7 million in available cap space. With plenty of rookies, as in all of them, still needing to sign, we thought we'd take a closer look at the projected salaries of the Chiefs rookie class and how much will be left if the team stands pat. Early Lunch News Link Broadway Deli Brings a True Jewish Deli to Kansas City Bill Fromm has spent the past 54 years dreaming about opening up a real Jewish deli in Kansas City. Yesterday, his dream finally came true. Broadway Deli opened for business Monday morning in the Crossroads Arts District in the space that was formerly home to Pezzettino Italian Deli & Market. KCMO Beisbol Good Time Comeback??? Royals hit four homers, score 10 runs in first inning against Orioles BALTIMORE - The Kansas City Royals have taken a 10-run, first-inning lead over the Baltimore Orioles after hitting four homers before making an out. The brunt of the Royals' outburst at Camden Yards came against Dylan Bundy, who yielded seven runs without retiring a single batter. Emiri Okazaki, 27, from Tokyo, enjoyed a lucrative career in adult films and now offers a glimpse behind the scenes at the increasingly rough industry overseas . . .In Kansas City, these morning news links aren't quite as risque but still important for the morning news cycle. Take a look:is the song of the day and this is thefor right now . . . KC school board losing two members, changing political boundaries Major changes are on the horizon for the Kansas City Public Schools as the district braces to be cut into a whole new set of political sub-districts. Redistricting presents the potential for Kansas City voters to elect a completely new board of education next year. Remember that more than a few members of the board got there by way of write-in votes because the electorate, just like so many neighborhoods, has given up on this institution. Check a glimpse of an effort to approximate Democracy for another broken local institution: The Wyandotte County District Attorney's Office has announced charges against a Kansas City, Kansas police officer. Officer Steven Rios was charged with Sexual Battery for unlawful touching related to a workplace incident back in March. Rios is accused of touching a female civilian employee of the police department without her consent. New Salvation Army committee to fight homelessness and panhandling in metro KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Salvation Army is forming a committee to help fight a growing problem in Kansas City. One that will help give the homeless a hand up and not just a handout. Every day across the metro area, people can be seen holding up signs asking for help. Take a look at local faith community efforts to confront the problem with something other than a few ruble tossed aside out of guilt. Read more: - Nobody knows Jackson County Legislator Crystal Williams - Her name ID is weak whilst her opponent John Burnett has MUCH higher recognition throughout the urban core and into the corridor. - She's already losing Eastern Jack at a rate of 3 to 1. - Polling puts her so far behind that not even those imaginary KCMO Hillary Clinton voters are going to save her - Considering her feuding with so many Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus ladies - That's a long shot as well. CRYSTAL'S NUMBER ARE SOOOOOOO BAD . . . CRYSTAL'S NUMBERS ARE SO BAD THAT HER ASSISTANT IS ALREADY LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB AND COLLEAGUES THINK CRYSTAL IS ATTEMPTING TO GET POLITICALLY COZY WITH EXEC FRANK WHITE IN ORDER TO FIND A SOFT LANDING AT THE COURTHOUSE!!! TKC DARES THE STAR TO ENDORSE CRYSTAL WILLIAMS BECAUSE SHE'S SO UNLIKABLE AND UNAPPEALING TO VOTERS THAT IT'S NOT GONNA MATTER!!! Preliminary polling for a tense primary offers some very bad news for an incumbent that's actually kinda funny . . .It gets worse . . .How bad?And here's a triple dare for those who mistakenly this is personal or that TKC is fudging the numbers . . .Supporters of Mr. Burnett won't like this dare because they believe the Northeast leader has a very real shot at helping to improve the county and don't want to get into an unproductive identity politics debate.Whereas TKC believes that as a politico . . . Crystal deserves a tougher exit from elected office than the current slow fade with a cushy job waiting for her.The rhetoric of Ms. Williams has been divisive, angry and, worst of all, empty.She claimed she was a reformer and her tenure would "clean up" the courthouse . . . Years later amid a jail crisis and constant turmoil . . . Crystal Williams seems more concerned with her own career rather than the benefit of voters.Developing . . . Greek tourisms contribution to the national economy rose in 2017, the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE) noted in a report released on Tuesday. The report highlighted that Greek tourism recorded an 11.4 pct increase in revenue in 2017 compared with 2016. The total increase of tourism activity is estimated at 1.56 billion euros (from 16.7 billion of direct contribution to GDP in 2016 to 18.3 billion in 2017). Tourism also directly contributed to the creation of 10.3 pct of GDP while its direct and indirect contribution is estimated to be between 22.6 pct and 27.3 pct. The report also pointed out that for every one euro in tourism revenue, the countrys GDP increased by 2.2-2.65 euros. In the regions of Crete, South Aegean and Ionian Islands, tourism directly contributes to the creation of more than 47.4 pct of GDP. These three regions, which have among the highest per capita GDP in the country, justify the view that tourism leads to an improvement of living standards in regions with high tourism growth. Tourism revenues reached 14.2 billion euros in Greece Greece welcomed nearly 27.2 million tourists in 2017 while revenues reached 14.2 billion euros. Average per capita spending was 522.3 euros, up 1.6 pct from 2016. Domestic tourism totalled 1,287 million euros for trips with more than one overnight stay in 2016, up from 1,264 million euros in 2015 but down from 3,868 billion in 2008. At the same time, the sector's direct contribution to employment is measured at 16.9 pct during peak tourist season while overall (directly and indirectly) it reaches between 37.2 pct and 44.8 pct, constituting a key driver in the reduction of joblessness. 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 There is a corner in the Ionian island of Corfu known as the Blue Lake, its name is Porto Timoni, a double bay with turquoise waters that is attached to the island by a narrow piece of land, according to the following article by greekreporter.com: Corfu, better-known for its unique historic town of Venetian flair, elegant buildings, and impressive colors, has also some of the most beautiful beaches of Greece, where the green exuberance of the vegetation combines with the unique color of the waters of the Ionian, giving birth to many beautiful beaches. Some of them are really popular, attracting thousands of visitors every year, making Corfu one of the most visited Greek islands. Others, however, remain relatively unknown as it is rather difficult to access these areas. Among these hidden havens, Corfu boasts the beauty of Porto Timoni, one of the most gorgeous beaches on the island. A pristine double bay that has long remained a secret to tourists thanks to the fact that access by land is not easy. Porto Timoni can be found near the village of Afiona, located in the Northwest area of Corfu. The waters are blue and the two beaches created on the same small isthmus are covered with white pebble, lush trees and bushes. To reach Porto Timoni, visitors need to leave their vehicle and walk for about twenty-five minutes through a path that offers incredible views of the area. Following this path, it is possible to reach the two beaches of Porto Timoni. Along the way, tourists will discover the unexplored magic of the amazing island of Corfu. Watch the video to learn more... Read more at Gabi Ancarola/greekreporter The National Oil and Gas Authority of Bahrain (Noga) has awarded a contract to Netherlands-based Smit Lamnalco for the supply of marine services to the Bahrain LNG Terminal. Smit Lamnalco will deploy four LNG terminal compliant 70TBP tugs to provide escort, berthing and un-berthing of LNG carriers to the Bahrain LNG import terminal which is jointly owned by The Oil & Gas Holding Company (nogaholding) - Nogas investment and development arm - and a consortium consisting of Teekay LNG Partners, Gulf Investment Corporation and Samsung C&T, said a statement. Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Bahraini Minister of Oil, said: This contract represents another significant milestone in the implementation of the Bahrain LNG terminal. I would like to congratulate the Smit Lamnalco, Noga, nogaholding and BLNG teams on the work that they have done to put this agreement in place. I welcome the addition of Smit to the growing family of industry leaders that have a presence in Bahrain, he said. The Bahrain LNG Import Terminal is structured as a build, own, operate, transfer (Boot) project, with ownership of the terminal reverting to Noga after 20 years of operations. The terminal combines offshore and onshore facilities. The offshore facilities will be located approximately 5 km east of Khalifa bin Salman port, where the main onshore facilities are located. The terminal has been developed to provide security of supply of gas to Bahrain, supplementing domestic gas production from the ageing Khuff reserves. Bahrain is dependent on natural gas for the production of power and water and gas is used by local industry and in oil production. Stanley Maas, chief executive officer, Smit Lamnalco, said: We are looking forward to working in partnership with Noga, nogaholding and its partners to deliver safe and reliable marine services that exceed expectations. We would also like to thank them for demonstrating their faith in Smit Lamnalco by awarding the marine services contract to our team, he added. The signing ceremony took place at Capital Club in Bahrain Financial Harbour with Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa; Maas; Dr Dafer Al Jalahma, nogaholding acting CEO in addition to senior management of Noga, nogaholding, BLNG, Rezayat Group (Shareholder of Smit Lamnalco) and Smit Lamnalco. As one of the worlds leading marine services providers, Smit Lamnalco understands the operational requirements of floating LNG and has considerable experience in developing the required scope of work to meet the requirements of Noga, nogaholding and its partners. Smit Lamnalco will develop an infrastructure to support the project for the next 20 years employing four 70TBP tugs from its fleet, which will be replaced in year five with four brand new purpose-built tugs for the following 15 years, it stated. TradeArabia News Service ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands (9 May 2018) - At the Annual General Meeting of IMCD N.V. (IMCD) held on 9 May 2018 all resolutions on the agenda were passed. Piet van der Slikke (CEO) and Hans Kooijmans (CFO) were reappointed as members of the Management Board for another term of four years. The financial statements for the year 2017 were adopted and the dividend proposal of EUR 0.62 per share in cash was approved. The dividend calendar is as follows: 11 May 2018 Ex-dividend date 14 May 2018 Record date 15 May 2018 Payment date Further resolutions included the reappointment of the Supervisory Board members Michel Plantevin and Arjan Kaaks (respectively Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the Audit Committee). Stephan Nanninga was appointed as member of the Supervisory Board for a first term of four years. Deloitte Accountants B.V. was reappointed as external auditor for the years 2019 and 2020. Details of the Annual General Meeting are available at IMCD's corporate website www.imcdgroup.com/investors For further information: Investor Relations T: +31 10 290 8684 E: ir@imcdgroup.com European powers led by UK, France and Germany reiterated that they were committed to the Iran nuclear deal, after President Donald Trump announced the US withdrawal from the pact. The trio urged the US not to obstruct its implementation. They said they would work with the other signatories to the 2015 deal - Russia and China - which have stressed continuing support for the accord, reported BBC. The so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) curbed Iran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of sanctions that had been imposed by the UN, US and EU, it stated. In a televised address on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said the US would withdraw from the JCPOA. He called it a "horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made". Rather than protecting the US and its allies, he said it had placed "very weak limits on the regime's nuclear activity and no limits at all on its other malign behaviour, including its sinister activities in Syria, Yemen and other places". The president added that the accord did not deal with Iran's development of ballistic missiles, and that its inspections mechanisms were not strong enough. He said he would reimpose economic sanctions that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015. The US Treasury said the sanctions would target industries mentioned in the deal, including Iran's oil sector, aircraft manufacturers exporting to Iran and Iranian government attempts to buy US dollar banknotes, said the BBC report. In response, Iran said it would restart uranium enrichment, if the agreement could not be salvaged. In a statement, President Hassan Rouhani said: "I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in the coming weeks. If we achieve the deal's goals in co-operation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place." There were furious scenes in the Iranian parliament, with members burning an American flag and the speaker reportedly saying Mr Trump lacked "mental capacity". But the US move was welcomed by Iran's major regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies and also Israel. Since the signing of the agreement in 2015, Gulf states were concerned that the deal was negotiated by countries outside the range of Iran's ballistic missiles. Arab countries such as Bahrain and the UAE followed suit and expressed their countries' support for the decision taken by President Trump. Bahrain's Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa last night said the Iran deal was crippled and had allowed Tehran the freedom to stoke tensions in the region unchecked, reported the Gulf Daily News. Iran says the US is renouncing its vows, stated the report citing Shaikh Khalid's tweets. We have many treaties with the US dating back many decades and none of them have been revoked. We saw the reversal of vows, lies and conspiracies from the untrustworthy Iranian regime," he stated on his Twitter account. The Iranian nuclear agreement was born thin and lived crippled. It was an imperfect agreement that unleashed the hands of Iran to tamper with the security and stability of the region. It fell today and thank God, he tweeted. Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, wrote on Twitter: "Iran interpreted the JCPOA as concurrence of its regional hegemony. An aggressive Iran was emboldened as a result & its ballistic missile program became both offensive and exportable." Event ordinary Saudis rejoiced at the announcement, tweeting photos of Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with comments like "We prevailed", "Game over", and "Action, not words", reported Arab News. "No deal could ever be struck with the devil, and Saudi Arabia fully supports President Trump's decision ... Together we prevail," one tweet read. Saudi government said it also supports the reinstatement of economic sanctions on the Iranian regime, which were suspended under the agreement. "The Kingdoms previous support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action - signed in 2015 by Iran and the P5+1 group of countries China, France, Russia, the UK, the US and Germany - was based on the conviction that all possible steps must be taken that might help to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, and the wider world. The Iranian regime however, took advantage of the economic benefits afforded by the lifting of sanctions and used them to continue its destabilizing activities in the region, especially by developing its ballistic missiles and supporting terrorist organizations in the region, including Hezbollah and the Houthi militias," the government said in a statement released by Saudi Press Agency. It said the groups used these capabilities, provided by Iran, to target civilians in the kingdom and Yemen, as well as repeatedly targeting international shipping lanes in a blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The statement further said: The Kingdom reaffirms its support of the strategy previously announced by President Trump towards Iran, and hopes the international community will take a firm and unified stance against the Iranian regime, and its destabilizing aggression in the region, its support to terrorist groups, particularly Hezbollah and the Houthi militias, and its support of the Assad regime which has committed heinous crimes against its people that led to the death of more than half a million civilians, including through the use of chemical weapons. Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a prominent critic of the accord, said he "fully supports" Mr Trump's withdrawal from a "disastrous" deal. US National Security Adviser John Bolton is reported as saying that European companies doing business in Iran will have to stop doing so within six months or face US sanctions. The deal was not perfect. It did not cover a range of worrying Iranian activities from its missile programme to its regional behaviour, he was quoted as saying by BBC. However, his bitter critics argued that the nuclear deal was working. "Despite this, Mr Trump presented it in stark and frankly erroneous terms - for leaving out things that it was never supposed to cover in the first place. He has put US diplomacy on a collision course with some of Washington's closest allies," they stated. And some fear that he may have brought a new and catastrophic regional war in the Middle East that much closer. Other signatories to the deal have been left aghast. Russia said it was "deeply disappointed" by Mr Trump's decision. The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, insisted the deal was "not dead" and said there would be a meeting between France, Britain, Germany and Iran on Monday. Former President Barack Obama - who played a key role in the agreement - said on Facebook that it was working and protected US interests. "Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on America's closest allies, and an agreement that our country's leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated," he said. The JCPOA saw Iran agree to limit the size of its stockpile of enriched uranium - which is used to make reactor fuel, but also nuclear weapons - for 15 years and the number of centrifuges installed to enrich uranium for 10 years. Iran also agreed to modify a heavy water facility so it could not produce plutonium suitable for a bomb. In return, sanctions imposed by the UN, US and EU that had crippled Iran's economy were lifted. Following the recently announced new route launch to Tbilisi, Jazeera Airways recently held a sales roadshow in Kuwait with the Georgian National Tourism Administration. Promoting Georgia as a top leisure destination, the roadshow to travel agents in the city was followed by a workshop which took place at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel on May 6. In the evening a special dinner was held and attended by Roland Beridze, ambassador of Georgia to Kuwait, Georgian Tourism, local travel agents and Voyager, general sales agent for Jazeera Airways in Georgia, and Jazeera sales executives. Jazeera Airways will commence three weekly flights to Tbilisi, capital and largest city in Georgia from June 13 onwards to address a growing travel demand for new travel experiences especially amongst Kuwaiti nationals. We are happy to have conducted the roadshow which served as a great platform to network and strengthen relations with our trade partners and agents on the ground. We are continuing to expand our route network with new leisure options, especially with summer season approaching. I am delighted with the cooperation we have received from the Georgian authorities and we look forward to elevating Georgias position as a prime tourist attraction. Wed also like to thank Roland Beridze for his personal attendance and support. said CEO of Jazeera Airways, Rohit Ramachandran. The low-cost champion will provide a frequency of three weekly flights scheduled for departure at 14:50 pm and arrival at 18:20 pm in Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport and departure at 19:10 pm with arrival in Kuwait at 20:45 pm. Travellers will also enjoy connections from Tbilisi to Kuwait and onwards to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and India. Jazeera Airways will soon be opening its new terminal in May at Kuwait International Airport, bringing an enhanced passenger experience to its customers. Jazeera Airways currently operates a fleet of nine Airbus A320 aircraft. Passengers can enjoy a baggage allowance of 30kg for Economy class and 50kg per Business class passenger. - TradeArabia News Service This 2018 summer, Insight Asia Travel would like to introduce to world-wide travellers some of its best selling with best of the best offer visiting the whole Vietnam staying in the best available 4-star hotels. Especially, in each city as Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, HCMC clients will have chance to enjoy the Street Food Tasting to sample some of the famous street foods that make Vietnamese street foods well-known and beloved by the international. (TRAVPR.COM) VIETNAM - May 9th, 2018 - This 2018 summer, Insight Asia Travel would like to introduce to world-wide travellers some of its best selling with best of the best offer visiting the whole Vietnam staying in the best available 4-star hotels. Especially, in each city as Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, HCMC clients will have chance to enjoy the Street Food Tasting to sample some of the famous street foods that make Vietnamese street foods well-known and beloved by the international. Clients can select to visit Vietnam only or easily combine Vietnam & Cambodia in one trip: Hello Vietnam 12-day http://insightasiatravel.com/special-offer/hello-vietnam-12-days.html Highlights of Vietnam & Cambodia 12-day http://insightasiatravel.com/special-offer/highlights-of-vietnam-and-cambodia-12-days.html A land of staggering natural beauty and cultural complexities, of dynamic megacities and hill-tribe villages, Vietnam is both exotic and compelling. Sensory Overload Unforgettable experiences are everywhere in Vietnam. Theres the sublime: gazing over a surreal seascape of limestone islands from the deck of a traditional junk in Halong Bay. The ridiculous: taking 10 minutes just to cross the street through a tsunami of motorbikes in Hanoi. The inspirational: exploring the worlds most spectacular cave systems in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The comical: watching a moped loaded with honking pigs weave a wobbly route along a country lane. And the contemplative: witnessing a solitary grave in a cemetery of thousands of war victims. History & Culture Vietnamese culture is complex, diverse and represents something of a history lesson. The nation's labyrinthine, teeming trading quarters are rich in indigenous crafts and reflect centuries-old mercantile influences. Ancient temples display distinctly Chinese influences in the north and Hindu origins in the south. Meanwhile the broad, tree-lined boulevards and grand state buildings that grace the capital date from the French colonial period. And it's impossible to forget Vietnam's pivotal position close to the epicentre of East Asian power and prosperity, for its cities' skylines are defined by clusters of glass-and-steel corporate HQs and sleek luxury hotels. A Culinary Superpower Thailand may contest the top spot, but in Southeast Asia nothing really comes close: Vietnamese food is that good. Incredibly subtle in its flavours and outstanding in its diversity, Vietnamese cooking is a fascinating draw for travellers myriad street-food tours and cooking schools are testament to this. Geography plays a crucial role, with Chinese flavours influencing the soups of the north, spices sparking up southern cuisine, and herbs and complex techniques typifying the central coastline, rightly renowned as Vietnams epicurean hot spot. And up and down the country you can mingle with villagers, sample local dishes and sip rice wine in Vietnam's many regional markets. (lonelyplanet.com) Contact Insight Asia Tarvel to secure your trip at: Insight Asia Travel M: + 84 - 913 58 57 63 | Skype: hunginsightasiatravel E: dos@insightasiatravel.com | W: www.insightasiatravel.com International Tour Operator License : 01-572 / 2015 / TCDL - GPLHQT ### FORM 8.3 PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code") 1. KEY INFORMATION (a) Full name of discloser: Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Sky plc (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 08 May, 2018 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" 2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security. (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any) Class of relevant security: 50p ordinary Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: (2) Cash-settled derivatives: 27,434,127 1.5959 (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: TOTAL: 27,434,127 1.5959 All interests and all short positions should be disclosed. Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions). (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options) Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages: 3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in. The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated. (a) Purchases and sales Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit 50p ordinary CFD Increasing a long position 425,000 13.5565 GBP 50p ordinary CFD Increasing a long position 250,000 13.5416 GBP 50p ordinary CFD Increasing a long position 200,000 13.5466 GBP 50p ordinary CFD Increasing a long position 125,000 13.5005 GBP 50p ordinary CFD Increasing a long position 100,000 13.4940 GBP (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options) (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit (ii) Exercise Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities) Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable) 4. OTHER INFORMATION (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" NONE (b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" NONE (c) Attachments Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO Date of disclosure: 09 May, 2018 Contact name: James Gange Telephone number: 212-446-4029 Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129. The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk. English Dutch Papendrecht, 9 May 2018 Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) announces that the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the Meeting) held today adopted the 2017 financial statements. All other voting items were also adopted, including: Appointments Mr. J. van der Veer was appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board succeeding Mr. J.M. Hessels, who resigned as a member of the Supervisory Board as of the date of the Meeting. Mr. J.P. de Kreij was appointed as a member of the Supervisory Board for a period of four years. Mr. De Kreij (1959, Dutch nationality) formerly held the position of CFO of Royal Vopak N.V. Reappointments During the Meeting Mr. H.J. Hazewinkel was reappointed as a member of the Supervisory Board for a period of two years. Furthermore, the Meeting reappointed Mr. J.H. Kamps as CFO and a member of the Board of Management for a period of one year. Dividend The Meeting approved the proposed dividend of EUR 1.00 per share to be distributed in ordinary shares, unless the shareholder opts to receive the dividend in cash. 2018 FINANCIAL AGENDA 11 May Ex-dividend date 14 May Record date for dividend entitlement (after market close) 28 May Final date for stating preference for dividend in cash or shares 31 May Determination and publication of conversion rate for stock dividend based on the volume-weighted average share price on 29, 30 and 31 May (after market close) 5 June Dividend payment and delivery of shares 16 August Publication of 2018 half-year results 9 November Trading update on third quarter of 2018 For further information Investor relations: Martijn L.D. Schuttevaer ir@boskalis.com Press: Arno Schikker press@boskalis.com T +31 78 6969310 This is an English translation of the Dutch press release. In the event of any disparity between the Dutch original and this translation, the Dutch text will prevail. Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors. The company provides creative and innovative all-round solutions to infrastructural challenges in the maritime, coastal and delta regions of the world with services including the construction and maintenance of ports and waterways, land reclamation, coastal defense and riverbank protection. In addition, Boskalis offers a wide variety of marine services and contracting for the oil and gas sector and offshore wind industry as well as salvage solutions. Furthermore, Boskalis has a number of strategic partnerships in harbor towage and terminal services (Kotug Smit Towage, Keppel Smit Towage, Saam Smit Towage and Smit Lamnalco). With a versatile fleet of more than 900 vessels and floating equipment and 10,700 employees, including associated companies, Boskalis operates in 90 countries across six continents. This press release can also be found on our website www.boskalis.com. editorial@tribune.com Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 9 The tremors, which were felt in the city after an earthquake of 6.2 magnitude hit the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border, as well as the last nights fire breakout at a house situated in a narrow winding street at Chowk Passiyan have once again put forth the glaring need to introduce a special plan for rescue operations in the walled city. Experts say our emergency services to deal with man-made and natural disasters are not sound. The fire brigade has been crying for proper infrastructure and manpower for long. A disaster management expert, Surjit Sharma, said, The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) has already categorised the holy city as one in the seismic zone IV (severe) and V (very severe). Simply put, it means that a quake measuring 6.5 to 7.9 on the Richters scale can strike anytime, he said. Such incidents are a wake-up call for the residents and the administration. There are many vulnerable areas which need to be secured to avert any untoward incident. He said that the district administration must keep a group of skilled and trained volunteers ready to meet any natural and man-made disaster. They must be ready to work like a well-oiled machine during such an eventuality. It would curtail the response time to a disaster which is vital to salvage men and material in such instances of distress. He suggested that automobile vehicles should not be parked in narrow streets as these block men and machinery to reach the accidental spot to carry out rescue operations. He added that it was noticed that the hose pipes reach the congested lanes, but firemen do not have communication equipment to intimate the vehicle driver to monitor the water pressure. Coalition Convened By Fiverr, the Largest Global Marketplace for Freelancers, Includes Online Teaching and Learning Platform Udemy, and San Francisco-Based Non-Profit Samaschool, Focuses on Workforce Readiness for the New Economy Initiative to Launch This Summer as Multi-City Pilot Program in Kansas City, Memphis, and Richmond & Stockton, CA SAN FRANCISCO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Fiverr announced the formation of the Digital Workforce Development Initiative (DWDI), a coalition comprised of Fiverr, Udemy and Samaschool. The new coalition will focus on specialized independent work: a new commitment to expanding access to the growing independent economy. As a freelance economy leader, Fiverr is convening the DWDI in response to the evolving professional landscape across the United States, one that demands increased accessibility and continued education to foster sustained success. The initiative will work with municipalities across the United States to provide economic opportunity to unemployed and underemployed individuals, as well as those looking to transition away from traditional employment to independent work. With over 94 percent of net job growth over the past decade attributable to the growth in independent work, this program comes at a time when many Americans across the country are eager for flexible opportunities that can help bolster household finances or even be a primary source of income. Underscoring this reality is Fiverrs Freelance Economy Impact report, which found specialized independent workers such as self-employed graphic designers, web developers, copywriters, and digital marketers generated more than $110 billion in revenue across the 15 biggest American cities for specialized independent work. With an average revenue growth rate (11 percent) that outpaced national wage growth (9 percent) for the time period (2013-2015), its clear specialized independent workers are succeeding across some of Americas largest cities. However, the potential encompassed by freelance and independent work has not been harnessed evenly across the country. Independent work is growing globally, but with much of the work currently done offline, a few major hubs of economic activity have arisen, said Brent Messenger, Fiverrs Global Head of Community. Whether due to a lack of education, local opportunities, or access to other resources, the current playing field for freelance and independent work isnt a level one. At Fiverr, we are committed to seeing a truly global, inclusive, high-skilled freelance community where everyone can benefit from the ability to pursue a passion and turn it into a sustainable business. Thats why partnering with Udemy and Samaschool to bring great earning opportunities to a broader and more diverse group of people is such an important initiative. Udemy is proud to be the education partner to the Digital Workforce Development Initiative, ensuring participants have anytime access to the latest skills and training, said Kevin H. Johnson, CEO of Udemy. Whether youre looking to turn a passion into a job, join the independent workforce, or take your entrepreneurship to the next level, more than 30,000 expert Udemy instructors can help you do just that. Samaschool is thrilled to bring our unique expertise in equipping populations with barriers for independent work to this initiative, said Lindsey Crumbaugh, Samaschools Managing Director. We are excited to make our signature Freelancing 101 course, which focuses on essential independent work skills like personal branding and client management, widely available to jobseekers across the country. The Digital Workforce Development Initiative (DWDI) is designed to support local economies by partnering with cities and other stakeholders such as non-profits, economic development engines, and workforce development agencies to provide the tools necessary for success in freelance and independent work to a broader, more diverse population. One of the projects goals is to help grow local independent economies by encouraging more low-income individuals, including women and people of color, to gain the necessary skills and experience to support themselves through skilled independent work. DWDI will support people along a continuum of skills and experience levels; the program is well-positioned to assist those looking to monetize a passion, take an entrepreneurial endeavor to the next level, or provide initial support to individuals as they learn a brand new skill. DWDI hopes to demonstrate that freelance and independent work can be a sustainable, achievable and rewarding career for many. DWDI will provide step-by-step support, guidance and mentorship for communities in partner cities through: Free in-person workshops, seminars and networking events A mentorship program that pairs top sellers on Fiverr with individuals who are just starting out as freelancers A specially-curated series of comprehensive modules covering every aspect of starting up and running your own freelance business or consultancy, all available online via Samaschool Online master courses from top Udemy instructors in specific skill sets valuable in todays freelance, creative and business services economy (e.g. graphic design, web development, video production, search engine optimization, digital marketing, etc.) Accelerated on-boarding to the Fiverr platform, allowing freelancers to begin growing their portfolios and earning potential immediately Throughout the 1940s, thousands of workers from all over the country came to Richmond and picked up a set of tools to contribute to our nation's economy in a big way," said Mayor Tom Butt of Richmond, California, one of DWDIs pilot city partners. Today, we hope to make a 21st century toolbox available to all our residents through the Digital Workforce Development Initiative. By empowering people to create a sustainable, independent career, they'll be joining millions of other Americans who are propelling our economy. With a focus on innovative programs and initiatives to support workforce training and education, Kansas City is excited to partner on the Digital Workforce Development Initiative pilot program to bring the knowledge and know-how of skilled independent work to our communities, said Drew Solomon, Senior Vice President of Business and Job Development at the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. With independent work becoming an increasingly important and growing sector of the economy, were thrilled to bring the tools of the trade to our city and ensure that more people have the freedom and flexibility to pursue their passions and goals in an economically sustainable way. As an entrepreneurial hub, Epicenter exists to help grow and nurture the ecosystem of support for entrepreneurs in the Memphis region and ensure business-building opportunities are available to all of our citizens, added Leslie Lynn Smith, President and CEO of Epicenter. Were excited to help pilot the Digital Workforce Development Initiative in our region, connecting freelancers and creative entrepreneurs who are a critical part of our local economy and entrepreneurial community to educational resources and programs that can help build their businesses." Nationwide, self-employment has increased by 34 percent since 2001. Looking to the near future, independent workers are expected to comprise over 40 percent of the economy by 2020. The majority of people engaging in independent work do so by choice, according to a number of recent studies, and in fact 1 in 6 people currently employed in a traditional setting would prefer to become primary independent earners. DWDI partner Samaschool, a San Francisco-based non-profit, conducted a survey of 500+ Samaschool alumni, 59 percent of whom had been unemployed for a median of nine months when beginning the program. By the end of the program, 85 percent of alumni reported being satisfied to very satisfied with the earning potential of their independent work. About DWDIs Founding Members: Fiverr Fiverr is the worlds largest marketplace for creative and digital services, including graphic design, copywriting, voice overs, and music and film editing. Fiverrs mission is to empower the doer in us all by giving entrepreneurs, freelancers, small businesses and even enterprises the resources they need to get things done. Udemy Udemy is a global marketplace for learning and teaching online where students are mastering new skills and achieving their goals by learning from an extensive library of over 65,000 courses taught by expert instructors. Samaschool Samaschool is a San Francisco-based nonprofit whose mission is to equip people to earn a living wage through independent work. Samaschools training materials are designed to prepares low-income people and those with barriers with the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to navigate the world of independent work.. Sam Katzen Phone Number: +1 925-389-6887 Email: sam.k@fiverr.com editorial@tribune.com Ishrat S Banwait Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 8 In her cross-examination conducted on Tuesday, the auto gang rape victim told the court that one of the accused asked the others to kill her. Chaku nikalo, sali ko maar dalo (take out a knife and kill her). This was done after the three accused raped her in a secluded forest area in Sector 53. Responding to questions from the three defence lawyers of the three accused in the case, the 22-year-old victim narrated her horrific tale. She said Irfan in particular was very conversant and was talking about his family. This is why she also started to talk to him. The Dehradun resident informed that Irfan talked about his daughter lovingly and then said she had paralysis. This in particular got her interested in the conversation and she continued it from there. However, she had no idea that they would commit such a crime with her. The next date of hearing in the case is May 21, when the rest of the witnesses have been summoned. The victim, originally from Dehradun, stayed in a rented accommodation in Mohali and was returning home from her typing classes in Sector 37 at night. She boarded the auto-rickshaw, which already had the three accused, including the driver, in it. The auto driver reportedly drove towards the forest area in Sector 53, where the three allegedly raped her. The images of the accused were caught in a CCTV camera installed at the Sector 42 petrol pump, where the accused had stopped to get the fuel tank refilled. Irfan (29), the auto driver, was the first one to be arrested on November 24 and had named the other two accused. The duo was arrested the next day in Uttar Pradesh. Previously, the police had announced a Rs 1 lakh reward for information on the accused. shalender@tribune.com Ravneet Singh Tribune News Service Patiala, May 9 Encroachments have blocked the construction of a proper road network and the laying of sewerage at the scrap or tractor market in the city. While 100-foot-wide roads were provided by the Patiala Improvement Trust during the planning of the market, encroachers, none other than shopkeepers, have covered these with heavy engines and other machinery. The scrap or tractor market was shifted from internal parts of the city in 2006. Showroom plots were provided to the dealers and an appropriate space for roads and parks was provided. Most shops were allotted and many were auctioned. The scrap kept outside the shops covered almost all roads, leaving only marginal space for vehicles to move. Due to this, the faulty sewerage system has also become a cause for concern, which gets blocked from time to time, mostly during the rainy season. The choked sewerage takes almost a week to drain out rainwater. Dealers say, The Improvement Trust laid sewer pipes here but due to alterations in the plan, these blocked soon. Apart from this, a slum has also come up in the market but Improvement Trust officials seem to have paid no attention to it. The shopkeepers have also encroached upon the parking area. A trader, Mandeep Singh, said, Most sewer pipes are lying blocked, leading to deceases and other health-related issues. Laddi, a tyre dealer, said, Officials from the Improvement Trust came here about six months ago but they have not initiated any work. People have deposited sand outside their shops to tackle waterlogging. The trust should at least provide proper washrooms in the area. A Shiromani Akali Dal leader and market association president, Taranveer Singh, said, At times, the trust authorities have approached us to lay a proper road network. All dealers in the market want to co-operate but still no steps have been taken. He said a grant for the development of the market had been sanctioned during the previous regime but no steps were taken. Several Improvement Trust officials, including its former Chairman Vishnu Sharma, had visited the market, assuring to solve the problems, but all in vain. Harpreet Singh Sudan, Chairman, Patiala Improvement Trust, said, A number of complaints have been received regarding the choking of the sewerage. This is probably due to depositing of industrial waste in the sewer pipes. Encroachments by traders is a major issue. We will take constructive steps soon. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 8 The Health Department raided Boom Box Cafe in Sector 9 following a tip-off that nicotine was served in the garb of hookah. Dr G Dewan, Director, Health and Family Welfare, constituted a team under Sukhwinder Singh. He was accompanied by other officials of the department and police personal from the crime branch. On inspection, it was found that hookah was being served in the cafe. The team seized as many as 50 hookahs lying on display and around 10 different flavored molasses. The police made a memo of all seized material and got it signed from the cafe owner. Samples have been sent for analysis to a laboratory. The information of the raid was kept discrete. Even some of the team members were not informed about the raid. The police were also informed when the team reached the restaurant. Sources said the department officials had previously visited the place and noticed that hookah was being served to youngsters in the cafe. KC Singh KC Singh This column comes from New York, the global financial capital. The world from here appears at multiple inflexion points. For India the bell tolls to decide the nature of the republic, i.e. the model founding fathers envisioned in 1950 or a semi-theocratic majoritarian India based on Hindutva. Karnataka election could be an important milestone on this journey. US television is fixated on two issues. One, the unending saga of President Trumps alleged philandering and Mueller probe into Russian meddling in presidential election. The other of greater global concern is Trump announcing US withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal. It can complicate India-Iran bilateral trade, oil purchases from Iran, besides pushing up oil price. But a certain parallelism exists today between politics of India and the US. For instance, polarisation between Trumps followers and opponents is as stark and toxic as between those of Narendra Modi. Both leaders face crucial midterm elections. In the US, the entire Congress and one-third of the Senate go to the polls in November. The Republican senate majority is now 51-49 (two democrats being independent). A marginal loss can negatively change the political scenario for Trump. Senator John McCain, Republican Partys moderating voice, is terminally ill with brain cancer. If he dies before June, his seat goes to election. If not, the Republican governor can nominate a successor. McCain reportedly has conveyed that Trump is unwelcome at his funeral, though Vice-President Mike Pence, a McCain friend, would attend. He wants funeral orations by former Presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama. Even in his death, McCain seeks political unity to bridge the toxic divide on which Trump thrives. Can one imagine families of two surviving BJP icons sending a similar message? In the US, altered congressional balance of power can have Trump face an impeachment motion if he ignores a subpoena or bungles his deposition or even worse decides to fire prosecutor Mueller. Mayor Rudy Giuliani, stepping up as new Trump attorney, controversially claimed Trump may take the Fifth Amendment or refuse to depose to avoid self-incrimination. Mueller is now examining a new link between a Russian oligarch and Trump attorney Michael Cohen about receiving half a million dollars. In India, the focus is on impeachment motion against the Supreme Court Chief Justice, rejected by Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu. The Congress had moved the Supreme Court for judicial review. The CJI constituted a Bench, bypassing four senior-most collegium members, raising questions about conflict of interest. The ensuing logjam finds the government and the CJI in a mutually protective role. Thus Karnataka election outcome, like the midterm US congressional elections, can rebalance domestic political forces. In both nations, populist leaders are straining institutions on which rests democracy. The US and Indian governments are showing similar contempt for media, without the independence of which democracy cannot survive. Minister Gen (retd) VK Singhs tirade against presstitutes in 2014 began the onslaught. Trump has turned media-baiting into an art form by systematically debunking all criticism as fake news. Charges of sexual harassment or philandering are dismissed as fictional. PM Modi, in turn, dodges media and Parliament the recent Budget session mostly disrupted by ruling partys supporters among the Opposition. Social media platforms are used to run down mainstream print and electronic media. Trump tried to browbeat Washington Post by threatening its owner Jeff Bezos with more tax on his company Amazon. Against this scenario, Yascha Mounk asks in his book The People versus Democracy: Might liberal democracies be less stable than we have assumed? And will the rise of populism lead to the decomposition of our political system? The abandonment of the Iran nuclear deal is in keeping with populist promises made in the heat of electoral battle. The Iran deal, called Joint Comprehensive Programme of Action (JCPOA), is being abandoned by the US, not because Iran breached its commitments, but rather because it is allegedly inherently flawed and Iran continues to sponsor terror through surrogates like the Lebanese Hezbollah, besides developing missiles or potential delivery systems for nuclear weapons. Trump naturally ignores that President Obama signed the deal as he determined that only Iran had the will and the resources to counter the IS, in combination with its Shia allies across West Asia. That task accomplished, the US now wants to constrain Iran to please its Sunni rivals led by Saudis and Emiratis. President Trump, relying on Israeli intelligence, claimed that the Iranian nuclear weapons programme was active and not shelved. This reminds one of the erroneous weapons of mass destruction charge against Saddam Hussein by the Bush administration, which became the justification for the 2003 attack on Iraq. Is the US at another such moment, driven by ideology rather than reliable intel? Moreover, with the US opening a dialogue with Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) for denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, how will reneging on the Iran agreement impact these negotiations? However, the US calculation may be to signal DPRK that the new benchmark is the total elimination of nuclear weapons and not a status quoist freeze and retention of the existing nuclear arsenal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, embarrassed by US withdrawal, has warned that they are preparing to restart enrichment after implications of the US move are assessed. E-3 group, consisting of France, Germany and UK, want to save the deal, as indeed would China and Russia, the other two members of the P5+1 group that signed the JCPOA. Iran will wait and see if the EU can keep trade and investment links open despite US sanctions. That seems difficult to envisage as European companies would hardly risk their US businesses for the small Iranian market. For India, it would be back to the post-2005 scenario, when India was forced to scale back commercial and investment links under US pressure. But the danger of war due to mixed signals looms over West Asia and the Gulf as Iranian hardliners will dig in for a fight. Thus as democracies reel under the onslaught of populist leaders and anti-globalisation ayatollahs, the people must decide whether democracies, as evolved over the past two and a half centuries, can survive with institutional tweaking. Alternatively, are we on a glide path to illiberal democracies, under elected rabble-rousing autocrats detesting free media, independent judiciary and vibrant Parliament? The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs singhking99@yahoo.com Just when Indian diplomats were figuring out how to mitigate the impact of Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CATSA) on its arms and oil trade with Russia, South Block has another reason to burn the midnight oil. US President Donald Trumps intention to exit the Iran deal, and reimpose sanctions if Tehran declines to renegotiate, could send Indias plans for the region in smoke. The sanctions will pretty much cover all areas of interest to India vis-a-vis Iran: petroleum, ports, shipping and banking. The bright side is that except for Saudi Arabia and Israel, pretty much the rest of the world has not taken kindly to Trumps attempt to redefine the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to cover responsible behaviour by Iran both externally and domestically. The world can be grateful that Tehran doesnt have an impetuous leader like Trump. Javed Zarif, Irans chief negotiator for the deal, has resolved to diplomatically lobby with the other parties to the agreement. Yet, Trumps explanation that Iran could emulate North Korea by negotiating denuclearisation will find few takers for it is widely realised that Tehran would have to be suicidal if it were to show signs of weakness. On the contrary, the US may have lost North Koreas trust by going back on the Iran deal just as it lost Palestinian support after Trump announced the shifting of the US embassy to East Jerusalem. India needs to work with countries with a shared interest in the JCPOA to ensure that Trumps exit from the Iran deal does not harm its investments and plans for the region. India and other countries on the same page must also engage with Iran to discourage it from retaliatory malign behaviour that may further muddy the waters. PM Modi will get the opportunity to discuss the issue with like-minded leaders when he meets them for two multilateral summits later this year. The problem for India is it has no company like the Chinese Sinopec which has no business interests with a US company and can thus escape sanctions. India will first have to make common cause with countries in the same Iranian boat. gspannu7@gmail.com Chandigarh, May 9 A row has erupted over a question on bad omens asked in the written examination for would be junior engineers conducted by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission, with the opposition Congress saying that it would lodge a police complaint. In the examination held on April 10, one of the questions asked was Which one among the following is not a bad omen in Haryana. The options for the answer were: seeing an empty pot, a casket, a black Brahmin, a Brahmin girl. Members of the Brahmin community have held protests in several parts of the state over the issue and also burnt an effigy of HSCC chairman Bharat Bhushan Bharti. Later, the HSSC expressed regret and withdrew the question. Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij has said a probe would be conducted into who set the question paper and how the particular question was cleared. BJPs Rajya Sabha MP DP Vats has said exemplary punishment would be given to those responsible for it. Today, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, We are going to lodge a police complaint shortly. This is not an ordinary mistake, this is something unpardonable. They have not only insulted the Brahmin community, but they are also promoting superstition. Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma said, It is shocking that engineers are chosen on the basis of their level of superstition rather than skill. Referring to the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in Haryana, Hooda hit out at the BJP government in the state saying, Their claims of transparency and merit in recruitment are hollow. If the Congress comes to power in the state after the Assembly polls, we will get an inquiry done by a sitting High Court judge into the way this government conducted various written exams and given jobs. Last month, the flying squad of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar unearthed an alleged cash-for-job racket involving employees of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) and other departments, and brokers who would take money from aspirants for selection in government jobs. Hooda also demanded that written examinations for various recruitments should be conducted by an independent agency as people have lost faith in the HSSC. He also took a dig at the 10-day tour of Khattar to Israel and the UK, saying, When the chief minister left for Israel (on Sunday), his government issued an advisory sounding high alert in view of the possibility of thunder storms and squalls. The Haryana Government also shut down schools for two days. At this moment, the chief minister should have been with people of Haryana, Hooda said. He also alleged that Khattar government had made tall claims on bringing in investments, whereas the reality is opposite to what they say. This government has failed on all fronts. They have pushed the state into a kind of crisis. Power crisis is also staring at the state as coal supplies are running low, but they are not bothered. Illegal mining is rampant in various parts of the state including Bhiwani-Mahendergarh, but they are silent. Law and order situation has broken down and people are feeling insecure, but no steps are being taken to tackle the growing crime graph, Hooda claimed. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 9 Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress leaders of his camp on Wednesday hit out at the Haryana Government over a controversial question in the HSSC examination held in April. The functioning of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), which is already under the scanner following a leak of an audio clip that exposed chairman Bharat Bhushan Bhartis corrupt activities, has now insulted Brahmins, he told the media here. In the written examination for the post of Junior Engineer (Civil) held on April 10, the HSSC had posed a question, What is not considered a bad omen in Haryana? Of the four options, two were sight of a Brahmin girl and meeting with a black Brahmin. Hooda termed the HSSC as the Haryana Service Sales Centre. He demanded registration of an FIR against Bharti and the chief examiner. Ganaur MLA Kuldeep Sharma, who was also present in the press meet, said if the government failed to take action within a week, he would file a complaint with the Panchkula Police, accusing Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar of his tacit approval to the state of affairs in the HSSC. He hit out at BJPs newly elected Brahmin Rajya Sabha member Lt General DP Vats (retd) for terming the saffron party a benefactor of Brahmins after the question row. Vats must not forget that Hooda appointed him chairman of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC). Hooda took on the Chief Minister for his statement that namaz should be offered in mosques and idgahs only, and not in public places. His statement is aimed at encouraging right-wing elements who are disrupting prayers meetings, he said. Former Nuh MLA Aftab Ahmed said Muslims in Gurugram had been observing Friday prayers in parks as influential persons had encroached upon mosques and idgahs. He questioned the logic behind allowing the RSS to hold shakhas in public parks and even in schools. Hooda said he would start the second phase of his rath yatra from Samalkha on June 3. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Yamunanagar, May 9 People set a truck on fire after it ran over a woman and seriously injured her minor daughter on the Jagadhri-Paonta Sahib national highway in Manakpur village of the district on Wednesday. The protesters blocked the national highway. The police had to use a mild force to disperse them. The deceased has been identified as Bindu (35). Her daughter, Komal (12), is under treatment at the PGI, Chandigarh. Bindu worked at a factory in an industrial estate, Manakpur village. Her husband, Shiv Ram, is also works there. In his police complaint, Shiv Ram said Bindu had gone to drop Komal to school on a bicycle. When they reached near the gate of the industrial estate, a truck hit the bicycle, killing Bindu on the spot, he said. Komal was admitted to a local trauma centre, from where she was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh. Shiv Ram is a native of Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh. For the past few years, he and his family have been living in Udhamgarh village. After learning about the accident, those working in the industrial estate protested. They threw stones on the truck and damaged its windshields before setting it on fire. The police called a fire tender to douse the flames. Naveen Saharan, SHO, Sadar police station, Jagadhri, said a case had been registered against the truck driver. About 30 persons have been booked on the charge of setting the truck on fire and blocking the national highway. Those booked by name are Goldi of Mandkheri village, Mohit of Kesarnagar Jagadhri, Kamal of Mandkheri village, Mithun Yadav and Vicky Kamboj, both from Sabapur village. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Shimla, May 9 With water scarcity plaguing the Queen of Hills even before the onset of the summer, the hotel industry has sought the help of the government to ensure the regular and adequate water supply. Though hoteliers are trying to meet their demand through water tankers, with the supply being given on the fifth day, it is getting difficult for us to run our units, said MK Seth, president of the Tourism Industry Stakeholders Association. He added that the situation was so grave that it could result in the collapse of the hotel industry as business was down by almost 50 per cent as people were avoiding coming to Shimla. There are 268 registered hotels in Shimla, of which 61 per cent have less than 15 rooms. The number of rooms on the suburbs is also quite big. We were staying at a hotel on The Mall but since there is acute water shortage, we decided to cut short our trip, said Sarika Bhatia from Delhi. Seth said their association had brought the issue to the notice of the government but to no avail. Reports about the water shortage hitting the town were also adversely impacting the tourism. Some travel agents too admitted that many small hoteliers were turning away walk-in tourists as with the current water situation, it was not possible for them to meet the requirement of all guests. We are catering to the guests who have done online booking with the help of 2000 litre tanker which is costing almost Rs 3,500, admitted Seth. He added that the supply through tankers was also unreliable. Hoteliers apprehend that if steps are not taken, the hotel industry will be severely hit. They rue that the tourist season is yet to begin and if the situation is already so grave, then how will the government cater to the requirement of the hotel industry. Hoteliers Oppose flat booking on rent Hoteliers have also sought the intervention of the government to check the online bookings of homes and flats on a monthly rental basis. They point out that there is a booming growth of such flats in and around the town, which is hitting the hotel industry. The flats are being booked online by people. They say remedial measures will have to be taken to save the industry from collapse. rchopra@tribunemail.com Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, May 9 A couple of days after the killing of a tourist from Chennai in a stone-pelting incident in the Kashmir Valley, the Jammu and Kashmir government has created a helpline for tourists who are either on visit or intend to visit Kashmir for their safety and free movement in the Valley. In view of the unfortunate incident in the Valley on Monday, the Department of Tourism, Kashmir, has started the helpline numbers and activated its officers at prime tourist destinations and tourist police to ensure smooth movement of tourists and their comfortable stay. Tourists have been appealed not to panic, the department said while releasing the helpline numbers. Sixteen officers, including director, Kashmir Tourism, have been directed to maintain liaison with the tourists and ensure their comfortable visit to the Kashmir Valley. On Monday, 22-year-old tourist R Thirumani from Chennai was on his way to a resort in Gulmarg with his parents when their vehicle was stoned by protesters. He later succumbed to his injuries. This is the second incident this month in which tourists were targeted by protesters. On May 1, five tourists were injured when three vehicles were stoned at Aishmuqam in Anantnag. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had described the killing as heartbreaking and a blot on Kashmirs value system I have no words strong enough to condemn the tragic incident. The incident is a blot on the cultural value system of Kashmir and an attempt to bulldoze the economy of the place, she had said in a statement. Former chief minister Omar Abdullah condemned the killing calling the stone-pelters involved as goons. Weve killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Lets try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone-pelters & their methods, Omar had tweeted. NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HouseLens and Uplift Data Partners are joining forces to boost availability of affordable drone services for residential real estate. HouseLens provides comprehensive visual marketing services for commercial and residential real estate, while Uplift Data Partners focuses on drone imaging for the same market. When we connected with the leadership at Uplift, we discovered a shared desire to make the residential real estate process easier and more successful for everyone involved, says HouseLens Founder & CEO Andrew Crefeld. We see affordable, accessible drone imaging as a key part of that vision. Beginning in May, residential real estate agents who book a standard HouseLens shoot will be able to add 5-7 drone photos and up to 30 seconds of drone video footage for just $149. Drone content will be edited seamlessly into the primary HouseLens shoot and delivered through HouseLens mobile-first Agent Portal and single-property webpages. The two companies have quietly been completing test shoots together to ensure that their processes align. Were proud to partner with HouseLens, a company that has a strong customer base and exceptional technology systems to move the residential real estate market and its tools into the next generation, says Suzanne El-Moursi, President of Uplift Data Partners. Our platform covers compliance and regulatory requirements so that agents can book with confidence, and our network of highly-trained, industry-leading drone pilots enables large-scale, nationwide coverage. This is a best-in-class partnership, and we look forward to continuing it into the future. HouseLens, founded in 2008, has been offering FAA-approved drone services since early 2016. Uplift Data Partners was founded in 2015 as an FAA-approved drone imaging provider to the construction, real estate, insurance, and energy industries. Together, the two companies are looking to provide real estate agents with an improved marketing platform. As the market has evolved, weve realized that agents need a more affordable and comprehensive drone option to power their marketing, says HouseLens Crefeld. The Uplift team have demonstrated their ability to help us provide that in a professional, consistent way. About HouseLens Founded in 2008, HouseLens is the nations leading provider of visual marketing services for real estate. Offerings include professional photography, walk-through video, interactive 3D models, floor plans, drone services, and more. For more information, visit HouseLens.com. About Uplift Data Partners Uplift Data Partners was founded in 2015 in Chicago. Uplift Data Partners is the leading data capture pilot platform for enterprise businesses to capture and integrate drone data into their business operations. Our turn key platform strategically matches highly trained commercial drone pilots with enterprise clients, enabling them to scale their drone data capture needs. The platform seamlessly solves for compliance, airspace, and dispatch of commercially trained pilots at the touch of a button. Uplift's pilot network is the leading commercially trained and insured pilot network, guaranteeing that every drone pilot meets our enterprise client requirements. Our network has 100% nationwide coverage of the United States, in addition to network wide night waiver that allows for completing night missions, allowing us to deliver any mission anywhere. Our clients are leading brands in the construction, insurance and real estate industries with national and global recognition. For more information, visit UpliftDataPartners.com. Uplift Data Partners: We fly. You get data. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/fb31c6d0-2478-40a0-844f-8fa210187eed A video accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/f03041ef-775d-473a-afe9-e937762fcf62 editorial@tribune.com Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar , May 9 The police on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of Lashkar-e-Toiba militants allegedly involved in the killing of three youths in Baramulla on April 30. It said the militant outfit in Pakistan had given clear instructions to its module to create an atmosphere of terror in north Kashmir by eliminating as many civilians as possible. Confirming that four militants and six overground workers (OGWs) had been arrested during raids in Baramulla district over a period of time, the security agencies said the Lashkar was behind the majority of the recent civilian killings in north Kashmir comprising the districts of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora. The arrest of the militants was reported by The Tribune yesterday but the police had not confirmed it. During interrogation of the militants it surfaced that the LeT handlers in Pakistan had given clear instructions to them to create an atmosphere of terror in north Kashmir by eliminating as many civilians as possible, said a written statement circulated during the press conference that was addressed by DIG, North Kashmir Range, CRPF DIG, North Kashmir, and representatives of the Army in Baramulla today while presenting the nabbed militants and the OGWs before the media along with the seized weapons and ammunition. This also explains that the killings that took place in other parts of north Kashmir Hajin and Sopore were undertaken by the Lashkar-e-Toiba, they said. The operation to nab the militants and their overground supporters was launched by the Baramulla police in coordination with the Army and the CRPF following the killing of three youths in Baramulla on April 30. After the questioning of the terrorists, the involvement of LeT was established in the commission of the heinous crime of the killing of the three innocent civilians. During investigation, it surfaced that Suhaib Farooq Akhoon, Ajaz Ahmad Gojri and Bilal Ahmad Najar were involved in the killing, read the statement. The three youths killed by these militants were identified as Haseeb Nabi Khan, Irfan Ahmad sheikh and Mohammad Asghar Sheikh, all hailing from Baramulla town. Out of the three civilians killed, names of two had also figured in a threatening video issued by the Lashkar in 2016 from old town Baramulla during the unrest, said Baramulla SSP Imtiyaz Hussais, who was also present at the press conference. The police have recovered two AK-47 rifles, two pistols, four hand grenades, 50 AK rounds, 4 AK magazines and two pistol magazines besides other items during the raids carried out in Baramulla and Sopore since April 30. According to the statement, two of the militants alleged to be involved the killing of three youths had joined militancy in October-November 2017, while as the third one joined after the three boys were murdered on April 30, 2018. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, May 8 Amid unabated violence in Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has convened an all-party meeting here on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the state. Sixteen persons have been killed in the the Kashmir Valley in the past four days. On Saturday, three militants were killed in Srinagars Chattabal area and a teenager was run over by a police vehicle. On Sunday, five militants and five civilians were killed in a gunfight in Shopian. A tourist from Chennai was killed during stone-pelting in Baramulla on Monday. A teenager, injured during the Bandipora gunfight, died on Tuesday morning. Deputy CM Kavinder Gupta told The Tribune that a four-member BJP delegation would attend the meeting to put across the partys viewpoint. Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir said he would try to evolve a consensus after consultations with his party colleagues. He claimed the state had plunged into anarchy. Panthers Party chief BS Mankotia said they would send a three-member delegation to the meeting. He blamed the amnesty announced for stone-pelters for the situation turning from bad to worse. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, May 9 Displaced Kashmiri Hindus have accused the PDP-BJP coalition government of discouraging pilgrims to visit the Valley and have demanded that a statewide holiday on Kheer Bhawani Mela, which falls on June 20. The state government has declared a holiday for Kashmir province only. Pandits said it was surprising that while the entire Hindu community was living in Jammu since 1990 after their forced exodus by terrorists, but the holiday had been declared in the Valley. Most of the Pandits live in Jammu, but the government has announced the holiday for the Kashmir valley only. It is strange because just a few members of the minority community are living in their homeland. Most of the families are in Jammu, said Onkar Nath Shastri, a social worker. Every year, thousands of people visit the Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulmulla, Ganderbal district, a revered shrine for the Hindus of Kashmir. In the past 15 years, hundreds of pilgrims from different parts of the state, especially Jammu, also visit the shrine where a huge religious congregation was held on Jyeshta Ashtami, which falls in May-June as per the Hindu calendar. We hope that the government will consider our plea to declare a holiday for Jammu province also, so that those living here could travel to the Valley. Otherwise people will not be able to visit the shrine, said Satish Raina, who lives in Muthi camp. The demand for a holiday has also been raised by the All Party Migrant Coordination Committee. Led by its chairman, Vinod Pandit, the committee urged the state government to accept their demand and revise the holiday calendar. Meanwhile, the Relief Organisation (Migrants) has started the process to ensure that the pilgrims are provided transport facilities. Every year, the state government provides free transport facilities for the pilgrims, especially Pandits, visiting the shrine. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, May 9 President Ram Nath Kovind will visit the Siachen base camp, worlds highest battlefield, on Thursday and interact with soldiers. President Kovind, who is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, will be the first President to visit this camp since the visit of then President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2004. According to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President will also visit the Kumar post, located at 4,800 metres, from where supplies are dispatched to pickets on the Siachen Glacier. This is the second visit of President Kovind to the strategic Ladakh region that shares a vast border with China and Pakistan. On August 21 last year, President Kovind had presented the Presidents Colours to all five Ladakh Scouts Battalions and the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre. He had dedicated his maiden visit to Ladakh, first outside Delhi since assuming office, to the armed forces. On April 2, 2004, the late President Kalam had visited the Siachen Base Camp and had stressed its geo-political importance. In his address to the soldiers, Kalam had said that the 75-km-long Siachen Glacier was of extreme geo-strategic importance to India. He had told the troops that there was a comprehensive security plan while having a diplomatic approach to peace. He had said the technological tools to assist foot-patrolling in the extremely treacherous terrain should be improved and the procedure for airlifting victims of avalanches, frostbite and enemy fire toned up. editorial@tribune.com Suhail A Shah Anantnag, May 9 The services on the Banihal-Srinagar railway line were suspended on Wednesday after some miscreants threw stones at a train and inflicted extensive damage to the track as well as the signal system between the Bijbehara and Panzgam stations here in south Kashmir. One boy was injured in the stone-throwing. The police officers, however, confirmed stone-throwing but they refused to ascertain that anyone was injured during the incident. The train services will remain suspended on Thursday. We might have to keep the trains suspended on Friday as well. The call in this regard will be taken on Thursday evening, depending on the tracks condition, a senior Railways official told The Tribune. As per police sources, the train was stoned by a mob between the Bijbehara and the Panzgam railway stations. Stone-throwing was going in the area amid a shutdown against the killing of a local militant, Showkat Tak, who was killed in the Chattabal area of Srinagar a few days ago, a police source said. He said the train was immediately halted and suspended for the day. However, the mob then damaged the railway property, including the track and the signal system installed along the track. The bolts of the track have been taken away by the miscreants. The total loss, as we have inspected so far, might be well over Rs 7 lakh, the Railways official added. He said some railway employees tried to stop the boys but they were chased away by the miscreants. The Railways in the recent past have suffered damages during unrest, particularly in south Kashmir, forcing the police to order suspension of the services. On Wednesday, the train services were resumed after a two-day halt in wake of Taks killing and the Shopian encounter, wherein five militants and six civilians were killed. rchopra@tribunemail.com Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 9 Security agencies on Wednesday claimed to have solved the April 30 triple killing of youths in Baramulla town by apprehending all the militants involved in the murders. Confirming that four militants and six over-ground workers had been arrested during raids in Baramulla district over a period of time, the security agencies said Lashkar-e-Toiba were behind the killings. They said, During interrogation of the militants it surfaced that LeT handlers in Pakistan had given clear instructions to them to create an atmosphere of terror in north Kashmir by eliminating as many civilians as possible. This also explains that the killings that took place in other parts of north Kashmir--Hajin and Sopore--were undertaken by the Lashkar-e-Toiba, said a written statement circulated during the press conference that was addressed by DIG Police, North Kashmir Range, DIG CRPF, North Kashmir, and representatives of the Army. The operation to nab the militants and their over-ground supporters was launched by the Baramulla police in coordination with the Army and the CRPF following the killing of three youths in Baramulla on April 30. After questioning of the terrorists, the involvement of LeT was established in commission of heinous crime of killing of the three innocent civilians. During investigation, it surfaced that Suhaib Farooq Akhoon, Ajaz Ahmad Gojri and Bilal Ahmad Najar were involved in the killing, the statement said. The three youths killed by these militants were identified as Haseeb Nabi Khan, Irfan Ahmad sheikh and Mohammad Asghar Sheikh, all hailing from Baramulla town. The police have recovered two AK-47 rifles, two pistols, four hand grenades, 50 AK rounds, 4 AK magazines and two pistol magazines besides other items during the raids carried out at Drangbal village, Baramulla, and Sopore since April 30. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Bengaluru, May 9 A massive controversy has rocked Karnataka after nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat, prompting the BJP to demand countermanding of the election claiming Congress was behind the racket, a charge dismissed by the latter as a "lie". With just three days left before Karnataka goes to poll, the BJP and Congress, the two main contenders for power, went after each other's jugular, each claiming the flat belonged to a woman associated with the rival party. Addressing a press conference, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar claimed Congress candidate and sitting MLA Munirathna Naidu was behind the alleged racket, which was exposed by BJP worker Rakesh. Congress spokesman Rajdeep Singh Surjawala hit right back, alleging that the flat owner Manjula Nanjamari and Rakesh had BJP connections and both contested Bengaluru Municipal Corporation elections on the tickets of the saffron party. Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said a Deputy Election Commissioner rank official was being rushed from the national capital to Bengaluru for probe. Maintaining that prima facie the I-cards looked genuine, he said only a thorough inquiry will bring out the truth. Replying to a question, he said the visiting cards with photos of a candidate were also found strewn around the flat but "no conclusion can be drawn that the candidate had visited the place". "It was earlier suggested that somebody was trying to break into our (computer) system to prepare fake ID cards. That is not so," he said, adding it was for the Election Commission to take a decision on countermanding the election. Trading barbs Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was campaigning in Karnataka, attacked the Congress over adopting such tactics to win the election. "Thousands of voter ID cards were seized, 1 lakh voters slips were seized in just one place. They must have planned such games in 40-50 constituencies. You (voters) be alert. Such sin cannot be allowed during the celebration of democracy (polls)," he told elections rallies. Javadekar said thousands of fake cards with hologram, lamination machines, and computers were seized by police after BJP workers informed it about the racket. "This is the philosophy of the Congress. If voters do not vote for you, create fake voters," he said, claiming a "fake voter ID printing factory" was being run in Manjula's flat. Manjula, he said, was once associated with the BJP but was now with the Congress, and demanded her immediate arrest. He alleged she had campaigned for the sitting Congress MLA from the seat and its candidate for the current Assembly election Munirathna Naidu in the last polls. The Congress hit back with a vengeance, claiming BJP was making such allegations because it was aware of its imminent defeat. "They are making such allegations because of their imminent defeat, and after their workers and leaders were caught red-handed influencing voters in collating and collecting fake ID cards in order to influence the results of the elections," Surjewala told reporters. He said the ID cards and equipment were not recovered from the flat by the police but BJP workers. The flat, he said, belonged to a BJP worker. "Prakash Javadekar had the audacity to lie, mislead the people of Karnataka by saying Manjula does not belong to the BJP. She is a former BJP corporator and Rakesh also contested corporation election on BJP ticket in 2015," he said. "Javadekar runs a factory of lies. Rakesh was a tenant of flat No. 115 and is mentioned in the list of BJP candidates who contested the corporation elections. Manjula is a former BJP corporator from Jalahalli," he said, citing newspaper reports. While some TV news channels claimed Rakesh was Manjula's son, and others said she was his adoptive mother, the women at the centre of the controversy insisted they were relatives but had "no contact". She told TV channels in Kannada, which was translated into English, that since she owned the land on which the apartment building stood, she had entered into a joint venture with a builder. Manjula said she had rented or leased out the flats. The flat under question was given on rent to a woman named Rekha Ranjan and not Rakesh for office-cum-residence. When asked whether Rakesh was her son or adopted son, she said he was a nephew and that they had "no contact due to strain in family ties". Javedakar, accusing the Congress of "telling lies loudly", said Manjula and Rakesh were "at loggerheads" and that he did not stay in her flat. "The Congress ran an a fake I-Card issuance office there. This is what they are best at," he said. Deputy leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said the entire episode was "stage-managed". He claimed Manjula was associated with the BJP and her "son" Rakesh had contested the municipal corporation election on a BJP ticket. "The Election Commission must take action, and a police case be registered," he told reporters in New Delhi, adding the BJP was up to such tactics as defeat was staring it in the face. PTI "This is the BJP MLA candidate Muniraj Gowda with BJP leader Rakesh, in whose flat the voter IDs were recovered. Election Commission has clearly said that Manjula Nanjamari had rented the flat to her son Rakesh. BJP's lies stand exposed": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/5N2WRNHJX9 Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018 amansharma@tribunemail.com Imphal, May 9 Two Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were killed and three civilians injured in an IED blast outside a BSF camp in Manipur's Imphal East district on Wednesday, police said. The blast triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) occurred at about 2 pm, when the Border Security Force (BSF) men were deployed just outside the gate of their Koirengi sector headquarters camp, on the Dimapur-Imphal highway here, the official said. "The blast took place inside a shop that is located near the camp. The two killed constables -- Sanjay Tirkey and N N Meetei -- were on a road protection task," he said. The three civilians injured in the blast were identified as Heishnam Muby, Mangshata Bam Premlata Devi (40) and Binbya Thakuri, a senior police officer said. All the injured persons were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), where both the BSF jawans succumbed to their injuries, he said, adding that the three civilians were undergoing treatment at the hospital. The IED was suspected to have been planted by insurgents active in the area, the BSF officer said. However, the police officer said no group had claimed responsibility for the blast. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Bahraich (UP), May 9 Three suspected narcotics smugglers were arrested from the Indo-Nepal border by a joint team of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Uttar Pradesh Police, an official said on Wednesday. Contraband worth Rs 1.90 crore was found in their possession, Sabharaj, Superitendent of Police said. The accused were arrested from Rupaideeha on the Indo-Nepal border on Wednesday, he said. They have been identified as Anil Kumar, Sagar and Keshre, the officer said. The police are probing their links. PTI. singhking99@yahoo.com Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 9 The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) came in for sharp criticism on Wednesday from the Supreme Court, which pulled it up for failing to take measures to protect Taj Mahal. This situation would not have arisen if the ASI would have done its job. We are surprised with the way the ASI is defending itself. You (Centre) please consider if the ASI is needed there or not, a Bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur told Additional Solicitor General ANS Nadkarni, who represented the Centre. Founded in 1861 during the British Raj, ASI is an organisation under the government responsible for archaeological research, conservation and preservation of ancient monuments. It has been assigned the task of maintaining all ancient monuments under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act. Concerned over Taj Mahal being infected by insects, the Bench asked the ASI and other authorities to explain the steps taken to prevent it. The ASI counsel said the problem of insects was due to stagnation of water of the Yamuna. He said the Taj Mahal floor at several places was dirty as many of the tourists didnt use socks. We provide socks only to the VIPs, others use their own socks, he told the Bench. The ASG told the Bench that the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) was considering the courts suggestion to appoint international experts to look into the issue of protection and preservation of Taj Mahal. Known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Taj Mahal was built between 1632 and 1653 at Gara by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. She had died in 1631 while giving birth to their 14th child. The Taj had hit national headlines last year after being dropped from the state governments tourism booklet. Later, it was mentioned as a place of pride in the Uttar Pradesh Governments 2018 calendar. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who visited the Taj in March to review tourism schemes had described the monument as a priceless gem and said everyone should be committed to its preservation and protection. The Bench had earlier asked the Yogi government to place before it a draft of vision document on protection and preservation of Taj Mahal and the environment in the Taj Trapezium Zone an area of about 10,400 sq km spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur in Rajasthan. Can algae fly, court raps ASI San Francisco, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Deem, a leading mobile and cloud technology provider for the business travel industry, and Travel Edge, a provider of travel services to the corporate travel industry, announced they have entered a multi-year strategic partnership. Under the agreement, Travel Edge will resell Deem Work Fource, a suite of solutions, designed to help corporations control travel related costs and save employees time when booking and managing their trips. Travel Edge is a leading travel agency with years of experience serving corporate travel customers, said John F. Rizzo, President and Chief Operating Officer, Deem. Together, were providing those customers with carefully designed travel booking and management solutions that save them time and money. For us to compete and grow in the current market, we need exceptional partners, said Jeff Willner, Owner and CEO, Travel Edge. Our customers want a solution that is dynamic and seamless, with features and functionality that help them control their spend and help travelers get where theyre going with the least amount of fuss. Deem has that functionality. Travel Edge, formerly known as Worldview Travel is a multi location agency serving clients across the globe. Under the three-year agreement, Travel Edge will resell Deems Work Fource travel booking and management tools for business travelers and corporate travel managers. Fifty thousand customers use Deem-powered booking tools, such as Work Fource to book and manage end-to-end travel itineraries on desktop and mobile. With advanced Intelligent Attach technology, the software automatically recommends hotel and car service options matched to travelers preferences, behavior and corporate policies. Travel Edge has been a great partner, said Annette Cumming, Vice President, Sales. They understand that investing in new technologies takes effort, but ultimately pays off in the long run. "The most effective way to serve our customers is by maintaining a constant pace of innovation, said WIllner. We invest heavily in our technology platform to make sure our customers travel booking and management is as seamless as possible. About Deem | www.deem.com The most difficult part of any business trip is too often the trip itself. It shouldn't be. Deem makes it painless for the traveler to get down to business without distraction, simpler for the travel manager and management company to keep track of all the moving parts, and easier for partners to get the information they need to stay competitive. The Deem Work Fource platform is designed for the entire business travel ecosystem using machine learning, AI and predictive analytics. Deem's suite of tools range from a dynamic traveler booking platform, travel manager cost controls, travel agency service technology, and supplier revenue opportunities, including the world's largest car service affiliate network and operator solutions. Deem's Work Fource Platform services more than 50,000 corporate customers in 61 countries, speaking 15+ languages - including the world's largest travel management companies. The company, headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with offices in Bangalore, India, is backed by leading venture capital funds, as well as corporate and private equity investors. About Travel Edge Corporate Services | http://tmc-us.traveledge.com/ | https://www.traveledge.com/ Travel Edge is a $750 million company with a global network of local market expertise specializing in corporate, MICE, leisure and tours travel. The leisure division developed the Agent Digital Experience (ADX) to solve chronic efficiency problems in booking travel. For over 30 years, the organization has built its foundation of companies spanning ownership in Canada, the United States and Bermuda and remains one of North Americas largest privately owned and independent travel management companies. Executive headquarters are in Toronto, Ontario, with a US base in Santa Ana, California. In the companys history, Travel Edge has grown by acquiring corporate and leisure agencies across North America and Bermuda, including C Travel (Bermuda), Travel Door (California), Century Travel (Atlanta), Pisa Brothers Travel (New York), Travel Resources (Toronto) and The Travel Network (Toronto). rchopra@tribunemail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 9 In a first, the Congress on Wednesday went crowdfunding for its Molakalmuru Assembly segment candidate in Karnataka and raised Rs 6.62 lakh of the Rs 28 lakh target in a matter of hours. Appealing for donations in the name of dirty politics versus clean politics, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter, saying, Its a clear fight in Karnataka. Clean Politics versus Dirty Politics, mafia versus people. With the BJP fielding the corrupt Reddy gang, we are trying a novel approach to fund our candidate. Support our candidate by making a contribution. Low-cash Congress has long complained of dearth of money to fight the well-oiled BJP poll machinery. Party sources said if crowdfunding experiment met with reasonable success in Karnataka, the Congress might consider expanding it. Its a method Barack Obama employed to revolutionise his campaign funding in the 2008 US Presidential election. The results stunned Obama opponents. While its unclear if Gandhi can repeat the Obama magic, the Congress is trying its best to help. Below Gandhis Twitter message for crowdfunding on Wednesday, the Congress posted its institutional appeal for funds favouring Dr Yogesh Babu, a PhD, it has fielded against the BJPs sitting MP B Sreeramulu from the Molakalmuru assembly constituency. Sreeramulu is famous for his proximity to the powerful Reddy brothers of Karnataka and the Congress is using this proximity to evoke voter attention. You decide: Dirty politics versus Clean politics. Weve all heard of the infamous Reddy brothers from Karnataka. As part of the mining mafia they cost the Karnataka state Rs 35,000 crore. Thankfully, the UPA government managed to crack down on the corrupt Reddy brothers and threw them in jail for the colossal damage they caused to the state. Now, B Sreeramulu, a close confidant of these Reddy brothers, has been awarded a BJP ticket to contest the upcoming elections. Slapped with cases of bribery, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, rioting amongst other criminal charges, the mining mafia seeks an entry into Karnataka politics, the Congress says in its appeal. It introduces 33-year-old Yogesh Babu as someone willing to challenge the mafia and adds: A self-made man, Babu hails from Molakalmuru where he actively took part in grassroots politics and is deeply admired by his people for his sincerity and clean politics. Here is your chance to change the narrative of Indian politics. If you think clean politics must triumph over corrupt politics, join us and be part of this vision. Contribute now. In four hours of Gandhis appeal, 259 donors had paid the Congress Rs 6,82,466 of the Rs 28 lakh the party targeted. With two more days to go, the Congress has appealed to people to keep the money flowing. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Dehradun, May 9 A day after snowfall in the higher reaches of Uttarakhand disrupted the Char Dham Yatra and claimed two lives, the pilgrimage resumed on Wednesday as traffic was restored along the main routes. The pilgrimage comprises the Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. On Tuesday, a pilgrim, Deviki Devi from Gurugram, had died in Kedarnath after suffering a cardiac arrest. A porter from Nepal was buried in an avalanche while returning to Gangotri from Kedartal along with a team of 31 tourists, Gangotri National Park Deputy Director Shravan Kumar said. So far, seven deaths have occurred since the start of the Chardham yatra five in Kedarnath and two in Yamunotri. SDRF and police personnel deployed at landslide-prone Lambagad on way to Badrinath, where road was blocked for eight hours due to rubble on Tuesday, oversaw smooth passage of pilgrims, Chamoli District Magistrate Ashish Joshi said. Ex-CM Harish Rawat, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Tamta and Kedarnath MLA Manoj Rawat, who were stranded in Kedarnath, also returned to Guptkashi. TNS/PTI No copter service The Uttarakhand Government temporarily stopped chopper service to Kedarnath on Wednesday due to rain and snow. The sky was clear in the morning but rain and snowfall were experienced in afternoon, following which the chopper service was stopped, said Mangesh Ghildiyal, District Magistrate, Rudraprayag. editorial@tribune.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 8 The Congress on Tuesday moved in the nick of time to salvage what could become a potentially difficult situation for the party ahead of May 12 Karnataka elections. Two of party MPs Partap Singh Bajwa and Amee Yajnik withdrew from the Supreme Court a petition challenging authority of the Rajya Sabha Chairman to reject a motion for impeaching Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. We will see what we have to do after we get a copy of the order whereby the matter was referred to the Constitution Bench. We have to see the order to proceed. That is our right as a litigant in the matter, Yajnik told The Tribune. Guided by senior leader and SC lawyer Kapil Sibal, the two MPs withdrew the petition saying reference to the Constitution Bench can only be made by a judicial order. Congress argued that since it does not know the nature of the order whereby their matter stood listed before the Constitution Bench, they would not like to proceed blindfolded. We have the right to know because we are raising through the petition matters of law, of impropriety and other serious issues, Yajnik said even as party sources privately acknowledged the fear of an adverse order in the matter by the Constitution Bench. On the eve of Karnataka elections, such an order can harm partys political prospects, especially when only seven political parties joined the Congress in signing the motion to impeach the CJI in the first place and none of those parties are now supporting it in challenging RS Chairmans orders rejecting the motion. With withdrawal of the petition today, the Congress has put the ball back in CJIs court and also bought some time for itself. The rules of the SC do not allow the CJI to pass an administrative order to refer a matter to five distinguished judges on the ground that a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution arises in the case, Sibal said. rchopra@tribunemail.com Aizawl, May 9 Mizoram Police has seized gold bars worth over Rs 3 crore from Champhai district and arrested one person in this connection, an official said on Wednesday. PC Lalduhthlanga, the public relations officer of Mizoram Police, said gold bars weighing 9.96 kg, worth over Rs 3.18 crore, were seized from Hruaikawn hamlet of the district, near the India-Myanmar border, on Monday evening. Zohmahruaia (51), a resident of Champhai district, was arrested for alleged possession of the gold bars, reportedly smuggled from Myanmar, the PRO added. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Muzaffarnagar, May 9 A Dalit youth was shot dead allegedly by the father of a girl he was in love with at Bachan Singh Colony here, police said on Wednesday. Vikas, 18, was called by accused Anil Kumar Gupta to the latters house on Tuesday, SP (City) Ombir Singh said. The accused then shot the boy dead as he was opposed to his daughters relation with the victim, the officer said. Gupta was later arrested. A pistol used in the crime was found from his possession, the police said. The body had been sent for postmortem, they added. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Nalanda, May 9 Yoga guru Ramdev on Tuesday said Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, could not be an ideal for Indias integrity and unity. Reacting to the ongoing protest in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) over the portrait of Jinnah, Ramdev added that the matter should not concern the Muslim community as they anyway did not believe in idol worship. Muslims do not believe in idol worship. So, they should not worry about this issue. Jinnah cannot be an ideal for Indias integrity and unity, maybe he is for Pakistan, Ramdev said. In Aligarh, some groups protested against the portrait of Pakistans founder at the office of AMU student unions office. The matter hit the headlines after BJPs Aligarh MP Satish Gautam questioned the portraits presence there. ANI gspannu7@gmail.com London, May 9 Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, wanted in India to face charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 9,000 crore, can be regarded as a fugitive from justice, the UK High Court has concluded. Judge Andrew Henshaw, who upheld a worldwide freeze order and ruled in favour of 13 Indian state-owned banks to recover funds amounting to nearly 1.145 billion pounds in a judgment yesterday, took note of the fact that the 62-year-old businessman is contesting his extradition to India relating to alleged financial misconduct. In all these circumstances, and even taking account of the fact that Dr Mallya is contesting the alleged grounds for extradition, there are grounds for regarding Dr Mallya as a fugitive from justice, the judge said as part of his ruling. The High Court remained unconvinced by Mallyas claim that he has been a non-resident Indian (NRI) since 1988 and has lived in England since 1992, a country where he has indefinite leave to remain (ILR). The evidence indicates that prior to March 2016, Dr Mallya travelled fairly regularly between India and England for business and political reasons. Most of his business interests were in or closely connected with India, most notably United Breweries Group and Kingfisher AirlinesWhilst Dr Mallya has indefinite leave to stay in the UK, he is said to be a non-resident taxpayer, the court observed. The judge also concluded that the businessman had been in clear breach of a Karnataka courts order when he disposed of assets like a historic sword of Tipu Sultan acquired at an auction in 2003. The sword of Tipu Sultan is an item of historic importance which Dr Mallya bought at an auction in 2003 for the equivalent of GBP 188,400 and states that he gave away in 2016 as his family members considered that it was bringing him bad luck, Judge Henshaw notes in his judgment. Dr Mallya declined to state in correspondence to whom the sword was given. Dr Mallya was unable to put forward any basis for contending that the disposal was not in breach of the Karnataka High Courts interim injunction, and accepted that it occurred after the Supreme Court had made clear that the injunction covered subsequently acquired assets It does, though, appear to me to have been in clear breach of the Karnataka courts order, he adds. The judge, however, was less certain that luxury cars and yachts had been undeclared or disposed of by Mallya as claimed by the legal team representing the 13 Indian banks State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Corporation bank, Federal Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu &a Kashmir Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co. Pvt Ltd. The judge noted: The Claimants [Indian banks] say there are numerous other assets which have been linked to Dr Mallya in various sources on the internet, but which he denies that he owns. These comprise three yachts, numerous cars and the Mabula Game Reserve in South Africa. The registered/asserted owners are offshore companies and/or trusts. Since these matters are unverified, I do not consider I can take account of them. Mallyas purchase of a Ferrari 246 GTS with an estimated value of 480,000 pounds was also questioned by the Indian banks. The UK court concluded that it may be the case that the payment of the deposit on the Ferrari was in breach of the Karnataka High Courts interim injunction. However, this point was not the subject of any detailed argument before me and, overall, I do not consider that the matters relating to the Ferrari carry matters any further on this application, the judge concluded. The ruling by the UK court has been described as significant by TLT LLP, the UK law firm which represented the Indian banks in the case. Mallya, who remains on bail since his arrest on an extradition warrant in April last year, will return for the last leg of his ongoing extradition trial at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on July 11, after which the court is expected to set a timeline for judgment in that case. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), representing the Indian Government, has claimed it has successfully established a prima facie case of fraud against the businessman. Mallya has claimed the criminal charges against him are without substance and politically motivated. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 8 Soon all civilian airports in the country will be put under the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) cover, as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has prepared a note to this effect for Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to give its nod. Noting that the proposal is being worked out in view of threats to national security from possible terror attacks and hijack bids, sources in the MHA said a decision in this regard is likely to be taken in the next meeting of CCS. A senior MHA official said, The ministry has prepared a comprehensive note for the consideration of the CCS, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as its other members include the Home, Defence, Finance and External Affairs Ministers. As per the government data, of the 98 functional civilian airports, only 59 are under the armed security cover of the paramilitary. Of the 26 hyper-sensitive airports, 20, including the ones in Mumbai and Delhi, are under the CISF cover while six, including the Srinagar airport in Jammu and Kashmir, are not. The remaining airports are under other security forces like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the India Reserve Battalions (IRBs) or state police units. Of the 56 sensitive airports, 37 have the CISF cover, while amongst the 16 normal airports, only four have the CISF security. Aiming to bring all civilian airports in the country under a uniform security cover, as lack of such a system can pose threats to national security by terrorists and other such elements, sources said the note for CCS was prepared after taking inputs from the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the CISF. Once the Cabinet approves the proposal, the CISF would take about two years to complete the process of taking charge at all the remaining airports, they added. Sources said the note also talks about creating a unified command of security, where all the airports in the country will be on a single platform of action, on a real-time basis, as and when required. It is to be noted here that a report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture had last year expressed its concern over the lack of a uniform security cover at various airports in the country. amansharma@tribunemail.com Ranchi/Patna, May 9 No final decision has been taken on request for parole sought by RJD president Lalu Prasad to attend his son's marriage later this week, Inspector General of Prison, Jharkhand, Harsh Mangla said. He told PTI in Ranchi that "the issue is under consideration". "No final decision has been taken on request for parole sought by Prasad," the IG said. Mangla, however, said the decision would be taken on it by tomorrow. The septuagenarian Prasad, who has been convicted in three fodder scam cases by a special CBI court in Ranchi since December last year, is currently undergoing treatment at the RIMS hospital in the Jharkhand capital. A request for five days parole (from May 10-14) was made on Monday on behalf of Prasad to attend the marriage of his elder son and former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav in Patna. Tej Pratap will tie the nuptial knot with Aishwarya Rai, daughter of RJD MLA Chandrika Rai, in Patna on Saturday. Bhola Yadav, RJD national general secretary and MLA, who waited anxiously throughout the day for the order on parole application in Ranchi, told PTI "there is no information in this regard". Bhola Yadav, a close aide of RJD chief, further said "there is no information for future too". "We moved an application before the IG, Jail, for parole from May 10-14. We hope that our leader will not be deprived of the opportunity to attend the marriage ceremony of his son which is an occasion that comes once in a lifetime," he had said yesterday. There was hectic speculation in the media circle, both in Ranchi as well in Patna, of Prasad flying to Bihar capital town in the evening. The IG said a detailed report was required from jail authority, RIMS and other government agencies before taking a final decision on such a matter. The RJD chief was recently shifted from the AIIMS, Delhi to Ranchi after doctors declared him fit. Prasad could not attend the engagement ceremony of his son in Patna on April 18 following which Tej Patap had tweeted "Miss you PAPA". Prasad's family have so far extended invitation to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi, among others. - PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com New Delhi, May 9 President Ram Nath Kovind will visit the Siachen base camp in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday and interact with soldiers posted there, an official statement said. Siachen is considered as the highest battlefield in the world. "He will be the first president to visit this camp since the visit of the then president APJ Abdul Kalam in 2004. The president will also visit the Kumar Post," a statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan said. - PTI BOCA RATON, Fla., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Take 5 Media Group, one of the nations largest consumer data owners and compilers, and a leader in omni-channel marketing solutions, has released a new webinar explaining the effectiveness of geo-fencing, a GPS/RFID technology, as a digital marketing tool for reeling in potential customers within a defined local market. While digital marketing has become mainstream, many brands are not familiar with the full range of amazing, technology-based tools now available to reach target audiences, said Don Morris, Take 5s chief revenue officer. We created a series of short, engaging webinars as an easy way for marketers to begin the process of learning about digital marketing solutions they may not have used before and should be considering now. We are pleased to offer it as a free resource. The webinar may be found at https://take5mg.com/geo-targeting-webinar/. Other Take 5 webinar topics include innovative approaches to content and social media marketing. The newly released webinar, entitled Building Virtual Perimeters Around Your Customers, is designed to foster understanding of the new technology and its potential as a marketing and sales tool. Understanding Geo-fencing Geo-fencing consists of creating an electronic perimeter around a defined area in which consumers on mobile devices with internet access are served ads and promotions directing them to a nearby business. Perimeters are most effective up to 15 miles, with a two-to-five-mile radius typically considered ideal, depending on the areas population density. Some sales environments are particularly well suited to geo-fencing. Tradeshows and conferences, for example, are ideal venues for using geo-fencing to drive attendees to sales booths. Brick and mortar stores can serve digital ads to people walking down the street and entice them to stop in. Creative strategies may include building geo-fences around a competitor who is having a big sales event and enticing shoppers within the perimeter to visit your business instead and take advantage of special promotions. Experienced marketers know there is no silver bullet for engaging consumers and generating sales. Geo-fencing is no exception. This intriguing tactic is most effective when used as part of a multi-touch digital campaign that includes email, social media marketing and ad display retargeting. About Take 5 Media Group Founded in 2003, Take 5 Media Group is a nationally recognized compiler of double opt-in consumer participation. The companys headquarters are in Boca Raton, Fla. with branch offices in New York City, Atlanta, Ga. and Modiin, Israel. Take 5 is now part of Advantage Solutions, a $4 billion global brand development company based in Irvine, Calif., providing sales, marketing and tech solutions to brands and businesses. For more information, visit www.take5mg.com. Media Contact: Pierson Grant Public Relations (954) 776-1999 Samantha Van Nuys, x115 svannuys@piersongrant.com Carlos Goycochea, x239 cgoycochea@piersongrant.com vermaajay1968@gmail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 8 A progressively confident Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said he was ready to be PM should the Congress emerge as the biggest party in 2019. The remarks at an event in election-bound Karnataka, are not the first of the kind by Rahul. Speaking at Berkeley University in the US last September, he had said he was ready for an executive role. By this role he meant the prime ministerial candidate of the Congress, a post he refused to take when the party was in power for 10 years. Though Rahuls remarks stem from his new found confidence as a better public speaker and an aggressive match to PM Modi in the social media space, the fact remains the Congress needs to win some states before he can voice his PM aspirations. That explains why the party has fielded every possible leader in Karnataka, which it needs to retain at all costs. The party has won no state on its own in a long time, barring Punjab. So, former PM Manmohan Singh was in Karnataka to remind the voters that no PM has stopped so low in public discourse as PM Modi. Sonia Gandhi too addressed a poll rally after a 21-month haitus. Though officially hailed by Congress leaders, Rahuls ready to be PM remarks at a time of weak electoral footing dont come as much of a help to the party. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Varanasi, May 9 Enraged over a girl's refusal to share her mobile despite his repeated requests, a man allegedly set his minor Dalit neighbour on fire at her house in Fariha village in Azamgarh district. The incident took place on Thursday when Mohammad Shai, also resident of the same village, went to the victim's house and allegedly pressurised her to give her mobile number to him. According to the police, when the girl refused to disclose her number, Shai first allegedly thrashed her, and then sprinkled kerosene over her body to set her on fire. The neighbours, who gathered after hearing the girl's cry, extinguished the fire, and nabbed the accused while he was trying to flee from the spot, they said. Rushed to a nearby Sadar hospital, the girl, after getting preliminary treatment, was referred to a government hospital in Varanasi where her condition is stated to be critical, a police official said. The victim has sustained over 80 per cent burn injuries, the official said. The accused, who was earlier beaten up by the locals at the crime scene, was also admitted to the Sadar hospital, he added. Police said a case has been registered against the accused under sections of the SC/ST Act, POCSO Act and IPC. In order to prevent any communal tension in the village, a large number of force has been deployed in the area, police said. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Ravi S.Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 9 Prominent Sikh personalities on Wednesday pitched for inclusion of historical aspects related to Sikhs in books of NCERT besides school boards and universities across the country. They urged the Centre to constitute a high-powered committee to conduct a study and make recommendation in the matter. Welcoming Punjab government's move to constitute a committee to review "deletion" of some aspects of Sikh history from Class 12 history book of Punjab School Education Board, former Vice-Chairman of National Commission for Minorities and Rajya Sabha MP, Tarlochan Singh suggested that the Centre should rope in intellectuals on the proposed committee. Singh said: "It is ironical that although Sikhs have contributed immensely for the country, many people are not aware of it. It is important that the future generations of the country should be aware of their contribution to the country's socio-religious, economic and political history, including the Sikh Gurus and Maharaja Ranjit Singh." Former vice-chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala, Dr Jaspal Singh said India's history would be incomplete without reference to contribution of Sikhs. He, too, welcomed Punjab government's move to constitute committee with regard review of inclusion of aspects of the community in Punjab School Education Board. They also lauded the Punjab government for making the committee inclusive taking on board cross-sections of shades of opinion in the community. Sikh intellectuals in a meeting here had urged Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to constitute a committee soon after the controversy over "deletion" of chapters on Sikh history from the book. editorial@tribune.com Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 8 The state government on Tuesday paved the way for release of 90 acres of land in Patiala, acquired 16 years ago, to the original owners. An appeal by the owners to cancel the land acquisition was earlier rejected by Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2011. The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting here on Tuesday. The land is part of the 331 acres acquired for the Patiala Development Authority (PDA)-Omaxe City project. It is being returned so that the government and the builder do not have to pay an enhanced cost of Rs 1.75 crore per acre to the owners, totalling Rs 579.25 crore. Sources told The Tribune that the Council of Ministers debated on whether the unutilised land should be returned to those from who it was acquired in 2002, or it should be retained for the joint venture integrated real estate project between PDA and Omaxe. The ministers were informed that to retain the land, the PDA-Omaxe would have to pay Rs 470.25 crore as enhancement cost to the owners. With the states fiscal health being precarious, it has been decided to return the land, rather than paying enhancement cost, which would have to be shared by PDA and Omaxe, said a senior official. An enhancement of Rs 55 crore has already been paid to the owners, while another Rs 54 crore has been deposited with the Supreme Court, where the matter regarding grant of enhancement cost for land acquisition is being contested. By returning 90 acres to the owners, Rs 109 crore already paid by PDA-Omaxe will be adjusted for paying enhancement cost for the left over 241 acres in the said project. The 90 acres of land was to be utilised in the integrated housing project for setting up an IT City, but this project never took off. The township was envisaged during the previous term of the Congress (2002-07). The land was acquired for Rs 27.50 crore in 2002 (at the rate of Rs 1,418 per sq yd). It was in November 2006, that the PDA entered into an agreement with Omaxe to set up a joint project. At that time, the land was sold to Omaxe for Rs 109 crore. The original land owners then went to the court, seeking cancellation of acquisition, which was rejected in 2011. They later approached the reference court, seeking enhancement of cost. The reference court ruled in 2012, granting them an enhancement of Rs 55 crore. Both PDA-Omaxe and the original land owners filed an appeal against this in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which later awarded an enhancement of Rs 848 crore to the owners. Since the PDA felt that the cost of land was not that high, it appealed against the order of the High Court in the apex court. The case is still pending. editorial@tribune.com Vishav Bharti Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 8 An eight-year-old boy from a Sangrur village, who has fallen sick after getting a dose of the measles-rubella vaccine, has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome at the PGI in Chandigarh. It is a rare disorder in which the immune system damages nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. Doctors treating the boy at the PGI confirmed that he had been diagnosed with the Guillain-Barre Syndrome. We quite often get cases of this disease, Dr Bhavneet Bharti, Additional Professor, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, PGI, told The Tribune. She said they didnt have sufficient evidence to link this case to the adverse reaction of the vaccine. However, this syndrome figures in the list of adverse reactions of measles-rubella vaccine on the website of the US Food and Drug Administration. Different sources in medical literature state that there have been rare reports of the Guillain-Barre syndrome or ataxia occurring after immunisation with vaccines containing live attenuated measles virus. Isolated reports of polyneuropathy, including the Guillain-Barre syndrome, have also been reported after immunisation with rubella-containing vaccines. Prabhjot Singh was administered the vaccine at his school at Mauran village in Sangrur district. He started complaining of numbness in his legs the same day, his maternal uncle Manpreet Singh told The Tribune. He said when he was unable to walk, he was taken to local doctors, who referred him to the PGI on May 4. Manpreet said: The treatment at the PGI is costing us Rs 25,000 every day. So far, we are getting the treatment done with the help of an NGO and some individuals, he said. Another seven-year-old boy Rajvir Singh from Jassi Bagh Wali, Bathinda, got admitted in Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, with similar symptoms. Attempts to contact Health Minister Brahm Mohindra proved futile. editorial@tribune.com Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 9 Coming as yet another embarrassment for the Congress which is already embroiled in illegal mining controversies ahead of the Shahkot bypoll, SHO Mehatpur Parminder S Bajwa has alleged that Balwinder Singh, reportedly a front man of Faridkot MLA Kushaldeep Dhillon, was booked at the Shahkot police station under these charges about three months back. The case comes to light less than three weeks ahead of the bypoll when party candidate Hardev S Laddi Sherowalia already has an FIR against him for mining and its former minister Rana Gurjit Singh too had faced similar allegations and had resigned on moral grounds. Bajwa, who was then posted as SHO Shahkot, had said that FIR number 24 had been registered against KBM Contractor, Model Town, Ludhiana, and Balwinder Singh of Puri Colony, Faridkot. The FIR had been registered in Shahkot under Section 21 of the Mines and Minerals Act and Sections 379 and 427 of the IPC. The FIR dated February 12 mentions that though the company and Balwinder Singh had taken a mining contract for Chak Tarewal village in Moga and had not been allotted any quarry in Jalandhar, he had been indulging in illegal mining at Taharpur and Baupur villages of Shahkot. The matter was brought to the notice of Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar by numberdar Gurbhej Singh, Jaskaran Singh and Gurmel Singh, all of Chak Tarewal village, on February 7. The next day, DC Jalandhar issued directions to kanungo Manjit Singh and patwari Gurdeep Singh. Demarcation proved that the contractors had indulged in illegal sand mining on the 33 kanal land falling in Shahkot villages. The SDM prepared the report and sent it across to the DC after which the FIR was registered on the complaint of mining block officer Narinderpal Singh. Balwinder Singh, when contacted on his phone, sought the identity of this caller first and then said that it was a wrong number. MLA Dhillon, who reportedly is abroad these days, took the call. Though there are reports that Balwinder has been his manager for the past 10 years, he countered this by saying, Balwinder is actually a freelance insurance broker at Faridkot. He is only my supporter and worker. So I know him. But I have nothing to do directly with this FIR, which in any case is false. Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, Varinder Kumar Sharma said, I do not remember anything off hand in this case as it is an old one. I keep getting complaints on a daily basis and try to get them disposed of quickly. editorial@tribune.com Sumeer Singh Tribune News Service Bathinda, May 8 Officials of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Union Health Ministry visited Bathinda in the aftermath of hospitalisation of 13 children on Monday, following their MR vaccination. Dr GB Singh, Assistant Director, state Health Department, while addressing mediapersons, said they had sent samples of used/unused vaccines and syringes for laboratory test. Significantly, the department did not carry out the vaccination drive in urban areas of Bathinda on Tuesday. Dr GB Singh said the drive had been halted as they wanted to collect water samples from urban areas in view of diahorrea-like symptoms among these children. He said the drive would resume on Wednesday. Dr S Srinivasan, sub-regional team leader of WHO (Delhi) and Dr Gomti, a representative of the Union Health Ministry from New Delhi accompanied by GB Singh, who is also the nodal officer (state) of the MR campaign, reached the Civil Hospital in the morning and held prolonged deliberations with district programme officers associated with the MR campaign. The WHO official and the Health Department officials also visited different schools to take stock of the vaccination campaign. Later, they interacted with the parents of children who were admitted at the government hospital. The WHO official said they were investigating the matter. Later, addressing a press conference at the Civil Surgeons office, GB Singh termed the matter a routine visit, said, Keeping in view the sudden rise in the number of children admitted at Bathinda post-MR vaccination, we have carried out inspections at different schools. We have sent samples of used/unused vaccines and syringes to the Central Research Institute (CRI) in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh. We can be sure of what happened only after we receive the report, which is expected to come within 15 days. Four suspected cases of measles Bathinda: Four kids, who were administered the MR vaccine over the last one week, are suspected to have contracted measles. Their urine samples will be sent for testing on Wednesday. Dr Satish Jindal, paediatrician, Mother and Child Hospital, said, The incubation period for vaccine-induced measles is one week whereas all these four cases have come up within three to six days. Meanwhile, five more children with minor complications were admitted at the Mother and Child Hospital on Monday evening and Tuesday. In Muktsar, a Class X student of a private school at Bhalaiana village fell unconscious almost an hour after she was administered the vaccine. TNS PSU to protest today Chandigarh:The Punjab Student Union has given a call for a statewide protest on Wednesday against the ongoing vaccination campaign. In a press release, the state president of the union, Rajinder Singh, said instead of answering the questions raised by experts, the government is trying to suppress them with FIRs. He said the government should come out clean on the issue and should mark an inquiry in this dirty deal between the vaccine company and the government. Tns editorial@tribune.com GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 9 On the lines of Heritage Street leading to the Golden Temple, Local Bodies Minister on Wednesday announced an identical walkway for Durgiana Temple. Costing around Rs 5 crore, this heritage street will start from Hathi Gate and have uniform structures around. The passage will run parallel to the existing road, but will be dedicated for the pedestrian devotees to help them reach Durgiana Temple. As per the plan, one side of the road will be taken up to lay pebble path exclusively for pedestrians where no traffic would be allowed. This will decongest the area approaching the temple. Sidhu, accompanied by Secretary, Local Bodies, Venu Parsad, Mayor Karamjit Rintu, Deputy Commissioner KS Sangha, MC Commissioner Sonali Giri and Improvement Trust SE Rajiv Sekhri, inspected the ongoing beautification work of the shrine. He announced that no trader would be affected. I am emotionally attached with this place. A sum of Rs 5 crore has already been released. My father was a Sikh and mother a Hindu. If I have faith in the Golden Temple, I have equal devotion towards Durgiana Mandir. This heritage street cannot be declared a no-vehicle zone like the one leading to the Golden Temple, but the facade alongside it would be given a uniform look, he said. Taking a dig at the SAD-BJP, Sidhu said the alliance had failed to complete the project and never released adequate funds. On August 28, 2016, the then Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal had originally laid the foundation stone of a renovation project worth Rs 115 crore. Its first phase was inaugurated on October 7, 2016. Bull charges at Sidhu A stray bull reportedly attacked Sidhu at the entrance to the Durgiana Mandir, but his alert security staff saved him. After holding a meeting with the temple management, when Sidhu came out to put on his shoes, the bull charged at him. Though Sidhu was pulled aside by his security staff, the furious animal hit some mediapersons and bystanders, leaving them with minor injuries. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 9 Children administered MR vaccine continue to fall sick. Its been nine days and the government is yet to own up the responsibility. The best it can do is brush every controversy under the carpet, it seems. The campaign that aimed at vaccinating 73 lakh children between 9 months and 15 years in 25 days in the state, was launched on May 1. On Wednesday, the government claimed that as many as 12 lakh children had been vaccinated in nine days. But it forgot the fact that a six-year-old girl died in Bathinda, several children fell sick and two boys landed in hospital after being administered the vaccine. The government has so far disassociated itself with the cases. Let alone, providing treatment to the children, it is not even ready to order an inquiry. The families of both boys lamented that nobody had come to help them. Even on Monday, Health Minister Brahm Mohindra was seen blaming a fake social media campaign. It took a team consisting of health officials, WHO representatives and the ministry eight days to visit Bathinda and other districts of state to ascertain the cause of adverse events following the immunisation. However, even before any inquiry report, on the basis of preliminary investigation, the minister has reached a conclusion. He said: It was noticed that most cases in Bathinda and other districts had nothing to do with the MR vaccination. Going a step further, he said for the satisfaction of the parents, samples of used and unused vials of vaccine and syringes were taken from different areas of Bathinda and sent to CRI, Kasauli. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 8 The state government on Tuesday told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Rs 827.74 crore had already been dispatched to 1,69,083 farmers till April 30. The Bench was also told that budget provision for 2018-19 for loan waiver was Rs 4,250 crore out of which 519.09 crore had already been disbursed. The remaining waiver was likely to be dispersed by October 31. In an affidavit filed before the court, it was also claimed that the disbursement of loan waiver was as per notified policy dated October 17, 2017, modified and clarified from time to time. The developments before the Bench of Acting Chief Justice AK Mittal and Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa took place on a petition filed by Mohit Kapoor in September last year, when farmer unions were planning to assemble outside the Patiala residence of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. For pruning financial woes of small and marginal farmers, the Bench has already directed the banks against initiation of coercive steps for recovery of loans up to Rs 2 lakh. BOSTON, MA, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Roughly 1,000 jobless elephants face death or suffering as tourist attractions in Myanmar. A large population of these retirees was created after logging restrictions and export bans have decreased the need for their labour in the teak industry. In response to this crisis, FOUR PAWS, the international animal welfare organization, has begun construction of one of the largest elephant sanctuaries in Southeast Asia: ELEPHANTS LAKE. At the new sanctuary, located in the Bagon region in Myanmar, FOUR PAWS veterinarians will tend to former logging, orphaned, and injured elephants on 6,880 acres of land. The first animals will be welcomed at the end of 2018. Of the roughly 5,000 working elephants in Myanmar, approximately 2,900 belong to state-owned enterprises while the remainder fall under private ownership. For decades, these elephants are taken from the wild or bred, forcefully trained and go on to endure a lifetime of arduous work toppling and carrying heavy tree trunks. Now, new environmental regulations are having an unintended impact: To preserve forests from deforestation, the logging industry was reformed leading to many captive elephants with no economic purpose. Its harsh, but for their owners, these elephants are now useless and a financial burden. The animals are therefore killed or sold into the tourism industry. Unfortunately, elephant riding is still considered a fun activity for a lot of people, remarked Dr. Amir Khalil, FOUR PAWS veterinarian and head of the pilot project. These magnificent, endangered animals do not deserve death or an equally cruel career change. At our first elephant sanctuary, the animals can recover from the exertions of their past and, ideally, be reintroduced to the wild. On May 1st, the first construction phase of ELEPHANTS LAKE was launched. Myanmars Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry provided the land, while a state-owned forestry organization, Myanmar Timber Enterprise, was tasked with placing of the elephants. Additionally, local NGO, Mingalar Myanmar, will provide support by communicating with the Oozies caretakers of the logging elephants. Our elephant sanctuary is a pioneer project in terms of conservation of animals and forests. In the long term, together with our local partners, we hope to create new, higher standards of animal welfare and eco-friendly tourism. Depending on the rainy season, we hope to welcome the first five to six elephants in late 2018. Over the next 10 years, up to 300 elephants will receive rehabilitation at ELEPHANTS LAKE, remarked Heli Dungler, President and Founder of FOUR PAWS International. The population of Asian elephants, the second largest land animal in the world, has more than halved in recent decades according to IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.) There are only 2,000 wild elephants left in Myanmar. At least one animal falls victim to poaching every week. ELEPHANTS LAKE will provide species appropriate enclosures for these magnificent animals, as well as an orphanage for young elephants and a hospital with a mobile clinic. The goal of ELEPHANTS LAKEs comprehensive rehabilitation program is to bring together new prides and subsequently release the animals into the adjacent North Zar Ma Yi Forest Reserve. If this is not possible, the elephants will remain at the sanctuary for the rest of their lives. Attachments editorial@tribune.com Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 9 Aam Aadmi Party candidate Rattan Singh Kakar Kalan, an NRI who runs a construction business in Dubai, on Wednesday filed his nomination papers in the presence of senior party leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Sukhpal Khaira. Sunam MLA Aman Arora, partys co-convener Dr Balbir Singh and Doaba zone president Paramjit Singh Sachdeva were also present on the occasion. However, Jalandhar leaders, including district president Babbu Neelkanth, were conspicuous by their absence. Some of them claimed that they had no information regarding the filing of papers. There are reports that many are planning to quit the party. While reports suggest that Neellkanth may join the Congress in the presence of CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday, the leaders denied the reports. CM to accompany Cong candidate today Chandigarh: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh along with Punjab affairs incharge Asha Kumari and Harish Chaudhary will accompany party candidate Hardev Singh Laddi for his filing of nomination papers on Thursday at 11.30 am. The Chief Minister will hold a rally at Shahkot. PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar will be present. TNS Assets worth Rs 16 cr Education: Primary pass (till Class V) Occupation: Farmer Total assets (including wife Ranjit Kaurs): Rs 16,54,58,064 Agricultural land: 59 acre 11 kanal and 30 marla in Shahkot Vehicles: Royal Enfield bike worth Rs 1.1 lakh, Toyota Fortuner worth Rs 24 lakh and a Maruti Swift Dzire car Cash: Rs 45,000 Bank deposits: Rs 12,36,907 Other: Gold jewellery 570 gm worth Rs 18,24,000 editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 8 The SGPC has accepted the offer of the state government to be part of the panel proposed to review the history syllabus of Class XII. Following the row over alteration in syllabus, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had announced to set up a six-member panel to be headed by Prof Kirpal Singh while inviting two representations from the SGPCs side. SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said it was acceptable if the government wanted to give us representation. We will give two representatives as demanded by the government. But we will convince the government to include chapters of Sikh gurus and their teachings. On putting off release of book, Longowal said: The government U-turn has testified that it has accepted its blunder, but rectified it by putting the controversial book on hold. singhking99@yahoo.com Jotirmay Thapliyal Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 9 In a major crackdown against encroachments on forest areas in Uttarakhand, state head of forest force Jairaj has directed for identification of all such encroachments latest by July 31. Uttarakhand Head of Forest Force and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Jairaj has taken encroachments over forests in the state with all seriousness. Directing the forest officers to immediately undertake a drive towards identification of all such encroachments, Jairaj has ordered completing the identification drive latest by July 31. He held that any encroachment that is revealed after the aforesaid date will call for action against the concerned forest officer. Encroachments in forests, particular those alongside the residential areas, have always been a big probability. Even at times, questions have been raised over commitment of forest officials in removing these encroachments, which is a matter of serious concern. It is moral duty of forest officers to stop these encroachments, Jairaj said. He said it was strange that encroachment in forest areas were going on unabated in the recent years. However, there has not been any significant change in statistical figures of encroachments on papers showing that forest officers have tendency to hide the encroachments. Issuing the directive, he has also suggested for putting to use GIS technique for proper identification of encroachments. He also called for categorically mentioning as to what are encroachments that has been previously reported and what are the ones being identified for the first time. Bhupendra Rana, a resident of Pauri Garhwal, asserted that encroachments in forests need to be handled with strictly. He said forests had been easy target for encroachers and at times forest officers are found wanting in terms of taking action. He said he was hopeful that the present forest encroachment identification drive will reveal the true picture of encroachment in the forest areas of the state. Use GIS technique: PCCF singhking99@yahoo.com Jotirmay Thapliyal Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 9 Putting to rest all speculations, Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat has assured the people of Uttarakhand that the headquarters of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited will not be shifted out of Dehradun. The Chief Ministers assurance came after reports of the ONGC applying for a shift of its Permanent Account Number (PAN) from Dehradun to Delhi came to the fore. The ONGC authorities had recently written to Chief Income Tax Commissioner Uttarakhand seeking shifting of its PAN from Derhradun to Delhi that hinted at the possible shift of headquarters. On Monday, former minister and senior Congress leader Hira Singh Bisht had also alleged that there were plans to shift ONGC headquarters from Dehradun to Delhi and said that the would be opposed tooth and nail. Taking the issue with all seriousness, the Chief Minister had telephonic talks with Union Minister for Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan over the reports of shifting of the ONGC headquarters from Dehradun to Delhi. Pradhan told the Chief Minister that there was no such move. The Union minister also informed that ONGC Permanent Account Number (PAN) will also not be shifted from Uttarakhand to Delhi. Pradhan said the ONGC had a very old and strong association with Uttarakhand and no such decision would be taken that had an adverse impact on Uttarakhand directly or indirectly. Uttarakhand gets a major share of its revenue through taxes deposited by the ONGC. Shift of ONGC Permanent Account Number (PAN) from Dehradun to Delhi will also affect states revenue earnings. The oil giant deposits a staggering Rs 8000 crore as advance tax and other taxes to the Income Tax Department. The ONGC, besides being a major employment source, also contributes in strengthening the economy of Dehradun. Senior Congress leader and Trade Union leader Hira Singh Bisht had threatened an agitation if systematic shifting of various sections of ONGC headquarters from Dehradun was not stopped. The ONGC and Dehradun share a common history as first prime minister of the country Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru laid its foundation stone in Dehradun. Now it is being covertly shifted out of Dehradun, which will not tolerate, Bisht observed. No such move: Petroleum Minister singhking99@yahoo.com Dehradun, May 9 With BJP nominating Munni Devi as party candidate for the Tharali Assembly bypoll, a miffed Balbir Guniyal, secretary of the Uttarakhand BJP, has also submitted his resignation to the party. Now the BJP is faced with the prospect of countering the two disgruntled leaders. Already Guddu Lal had declared his intention to fight the election as an independent but sources claim that the Uttarakhand BJP leadership is going all out to ensure that Lal does not file his nominations as an independent candidate. Similarly, the party has also launched efforts to hold talks with Guniyal, who is said to be feeling unwell and has now been referred to Dehradun. Whether both the disgruntled leaders file nomination papers as independent candidates will be clear by Thursday, which is the last day for filing of nominations for the Tharali Assembly seat. Party leaders say the BJP wants to ensure that the Tharali bypoll does not turn into a three-cornered contest, in case anyone of its disgruntled leaders jumps into the fray. A straight fight between the BJP and Congress is what the party leaders are looking for. At one level, a senior party leader said that the disgruntled leaders could play spoilers for the party. The party decided to give ticket to Munni Devi as it wants to cash in on the sympathy wave generated due to the death of former MLA Magan Lal Shah. The sympathy factor far outweighed everything else, said a senior leader. On the other hand, for the first time, the Congress did not witness any opposition to its decision to field Jeet Ram and is hoping for a turnaround in its fortunes in Tharali. TNS rajivbhatia82@gmail.com Washington, May 8 US President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled out of the landmark nuclear deal with Iran, an Obama-era accord which he has repeatedly criticised. "It is clear to me that we cannot prevent Iran's nuclear bomb. The Iran deal is defective at its core. Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump said. Moments later he signed a fresh set of sanctions against Iran and warned countries against any cooperation with Iran on its nuclear weapons programme. Ever since his election campaign, Trump has frequently criticised the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA. France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 8, 2018 He had described the agreement, which was negotiated by then US secretary of state John Kerry, as a bad deal. I am deeply concerned by todays announcement that the US will be withdrawing from the JCPOA & will begin reinstating US sanctions, says @antonioguterres. Full text here: https://t.co/LqC2WFJfAC UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) May 8, 2018 The Iran nuclear deal was reached in Vienna in July 2015 between Iran and the P5 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council) plus Germany and the European Union. Trump's decision would have global ramifications, straining Iranian economy and heightening tensions in the Middle East. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Beijing, May 9 A methane gas explosion on Wednesday ripped through a coal mine in central Chinas Hunan province, killing at least five workers, officials said. The explosion took place at the coal pit of the Hunan Baodian Qunli Mining Co Ltd in Shaodong County, the countys publicity department said. Officials of the provincial work safety authority and the county government had arrived at the site to coordinate the rescue efforts, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Five workers were killed in the explosion. The cause of the accident is under investigation, the report said. The explosion is the first major coal mine accident this year and might lead to tighter scrutiny on coal mine safety practices. Though the number of deaths has reduced at coal mines in recent years, mining accidents are common in China, the worlds largest coal producer. PTI editorial@tribune.com Washington/Paris, May 9 Dismayed European allies sought to salvage the international nuclear pact and preserve their business with Iran on Wednesday after President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the landmark accord and ordered sanctions reimposed on Tehran. The deal is not dead. There's an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. But Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist who helped engineered the 2015 deal to ease Iran's economically crippling isolation, told French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a phone call that Europe had only a limited opportunity to preserve the pact, the Iranian Students News Agency reported. (Europe)...must, as quickly as possible, clarify its position and specify and announce its intentions with regard to its obligations, ISNA quoted Rouhani as saying to Macron. Macron, who like other European leaders had lobbied Trump to keep the agreement signed before he took office, urged Rouhani to keep respecting the deal and consider broader negotiations. Trump said on Tuesday he would revive US economic sanctions, which would penalise foreign firms doing business with Tehran, to undermine what he called a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. On Wednesday, he said Iran would now either negotiate or something will happen. It was not immediately clear what actions he was suggesting would take place. Iran has drafted a proportional plan to cope with the US move, the official news agency IRNA quoted government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht as saying. He said budgets had been drawn up to deal with various scenarios, though did not elaborate. EU Foreign Ministers will meet their Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif next week to offer personal reassurances they will take practical steps to protect the deal from sweeping US Treasury sanctions due to come into force over the next 180 days. Trumps decision raises the risk of deepening conflicts in the Middle East, puts the US at odds with European diplomatic and business interests, and casts uncertainty over global oil supplies. Oil prices rose more than 2 per cent, with Brent hitting a three-and-half-year high. The US pullout could also strengthen the hand of hardliners in Iranian politics at the expense of moderates like Rouhani who had pinned their hopes on the deal to boost living standards in Iran, with limited success so far. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a hardliner, said: Mr Trump, I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake ... I said many times from the first day: don't trust America. Frances Le Drian, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) all said Iran was honouring its commitments under the accord. The region deserves better than further destabilisation provoked by American withdrawal, Le Drian said. Merkel said, while the existing deal should not be called into question, there should be discussion of a broader deal that goes beyond it. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson spoke of a follow-on agreement but said it was now up to Washington to come up with proposals. The speaker of Irans Parliament has said Mr Trump lacks the mental capacity to do his job. Agencies Political victory editorial@tribune.com Kuala Lumpur, May 9 Malaysias veteran ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad, 92, said on Wednesday he was confident of victory as almost-complete results showed his opposition alliance with a strong lead in its fierce election battle against scandal-hit Prime Minister Najib Razak. A win for the opposition would amount to a political earthquake in Malaysia, which has been governed by the same ruling coalition for decades. Votes were still being counted after the closely fought poll and the Election Commission did not confirm Mahathir had won. But addressing reporters in Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir who came out of retirement to take on his former protege Najib and the party he himself led for years said he believed his coalition had achieved the number of parliamentary seats needed for victory. There is no way they can catch up, Mahathir said, referring to the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition which has led Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957. It was an incredible development in an electrifying election race, that has seen Mahathir throw in his lot with an alliance packed with parties that he crushed while in power, which includes jailed opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim his former nemesis. Analysts had widely predicted that Najib's BN would retain power. They have been accused of manipulating the electoral system for decades to tilt polls in their favour, and also exercise strong control over the media. But with 176 out of 222 parliament seats counted, Mahathir's opposition alliance, Pact of Hope had 89 seats while BN had 68, with smaller parties taking the others, the Election Commission announced. A total of 112 seats are needed to win the election. The opposition also made strong gains in Sarawak state on Borneo island, a long-time BN stronghold. AFP editorial@tribune.com Washington, May 9 North Korea released three American prisoners and handed them over to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, clearing a major obstacle to an unprecedented summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump said the three men, who were freed after Pompeo met Kim, were on the way home from Pyongyang on the chief US diplomat's plane. The President planned to greet them when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington on Thursday morning. The release appeared to signal an effort by Kim to set a more positive tone for the summit and followed his recent pledge to suspend missile tests and shut Pyongyang's nuclear bomb test site. While Kim is giving up the last of his American detainees, whom North Korea has often used as bargaining chips with the US, a release could also be aimed at pressuring Trump to make concessions of his own in his bid to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal, something it has not signaled a willingness to do. But the move gave Trump a chance to tout a diplomatic achievement just a day after his decision to pull out of the Iran deal drew criticism from European allies and others. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump tweeted. The family of Tony Kim, one of freed prisoners, thanked Trump, saying in a statement: We are very grateful for the release of our husband and father, Tony Kim, and the other two American detainees. South Korea heralded the move as positive for upcoming talks between Trump and Kim and called on Pyongyang to also release six South Korean detainees. Reuters China, Japan and South Korea show unity China, Japan and South Korea agreed on Wednesday to cooperate in seeking the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe saying recent positive momentum must be matched by "concrete action" by North Korea. North Korea, which has been pursuing nuclear and missile programmes in defiance of UN resolutions, figured prominently in talks between the three leaders in Tokyo after South Korean President Moon Jae-in's historic meeting last month with the North's Kim Jong-un. TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Restaurants Canada is pleased the Ontario Government has listened to Restaurants Canada and other groups and has backed down on one of their costly changes introduced in Bill 148. The Ministry of Labour announced that they will be reverting to the previous statutory holiday pay calculations as of July 1, 2018. The government will undertake a study looking at ways to simplify the calculation method without the high cost of the current regulation. This revision represents a significant victory for foodservice owners and operators across the province, said James Rilett, Vice President Central Canada of Restaurants Canada. They clearly heard our concerns, recognized the unintended consequences of their original policy and appreciated the recommendations we brought forward. It is important to note that this will not take effect until July 1, so restaurateurs and business owners will still be required to use the current rules for the Victoria Day holiday on May 21. After the minimum wage increase, this has been the biggest irritant of the Bill 148 changes. It was seen as costly to businesses and unfair to many employees. It also saw many employees attempting to game the system for higher holiday pay. "We look forward to working with government officials develop a holiday pay system that is fair to employers and employees alike," said Rilett. "This decision allows time to consult with everyone affected and get it right." The Minister of Labour has agreed that this was not what they envisioned and promised to study the problem. Restaurants Canada has lobbied for the government to use the old rules which, while more complex, were also more fair. Restaurants Canada is a growing community of 30,000 foodservice businesses, including restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and suppliers. We connect our members from coast to coast through services, research and advocacy for a strong and vibrant restaurant industry. Canadas restaurant industry directly employs 1.2 million Canadians and serves 18 million customers every day. uttara@tribuneindia.com Kabul, May 9 Suicide bombers and gunmen launched apparently coordinated attacks on two Kabul police stations on Wednesday, killing at least five people, with security forces still searching for several assailants as the city braces for more violence. A series of loud explosions rocked the Afghan capital in the late morning and were quickly followed by volleys of gunfire as police engaged in fierce battles with militants. The Taliban and Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks. But Afghanistan's intelligence agency blamed the Taliban's Haqqani Network and Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba for both incidents. At least five people were killed and 16 wounded in the attacks, health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh told reporters. Two police officers were also killed, the interior ministry said, but it was not immediately clear if they were included in the health ministry's toll. After an easing of attacks in Kabul in February, Taliban and Islamic State militants have stepped up raids in the city in recent months. Islamic State claimed the first attack on a police station in a heavily Shiite-populated neighbourhood in the city's west, which police spokesman Hashmatullah Estanakzai told AFP had ended. Interior minister Wais Barmak told reporters three attackers were killed in that incident, after they used grenades to set fire to a room in the police compound. Two policemen were also killed and two others wounded, Barmak added. Majroh said four people were killed and nine wounded in that attack. Ariana TV footage showed a thick plume of black smoke rising into the sky while a photo posted on Twitter purportedly of the west Kabul police station showed a building on fire. The second attack, claimed by the Taliban, took place in front of a police station in Shar-e-Naw neighbourhood in downtown Kabul where special forces were still searching for them. "A suicide bomber detonated his vest at the entrance of the street and a car dropped four other attackers nearby," Barmak explained. "One was killed by the police and three are still hiding in a building." Majroh said one person was killed and eight others wounded. Estanakzai told AFP that surrounding buildings had been evacuated but it was not clear if people were trapped inside with the attackers. AFP correspondents heard a loud explosion in the late afternoon, which a police source said was caused by a suicide attacker blowing himself up. A travel agency that handles Indian visa applications is located on the same street as the Shar-e-Naw police station. The Indian embassy and some of its consulates in Afghanistan have previously been targeted by the Taliban. "There were about 300 people inside Shaheer travel agency. Had the police not stopped the attackers they would have caused a disaster," Barmak said. Pakistan condemned the attacks as "blatant terrorism targeting innocent civilians", according to a statement from the country's foreign affairs ministry. The attacks happened just over a week after twin blasts in Kabul killed 25 people, including AFP chief photographer Shah Marai and eight other journalists. Those attacks were claimed by Islamic State. The Taliban recently launched their annual spring offensive, in an apparent rejection of a peace talks overture by the Afghan government. Their Operation Al Khandaq will target US forces and "their intelligence agents" as well as their "internal supporters", a Taliban statement said on April 25. Barmak said the Taliban had taken control of two districts in the past 24 hours, one in the northern province of Baghlan and the other in the northwestern province of Faryab. Kabul has long been one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. A suicide bomber targeting a blood drive for victims of recent attacks blew himself up in a city park on Monday after being spotted by police, causing no other casualties. On April 22, a suicide bomber detonated himself outside a voter registration centre in the city, killing 60 people and wounding more than 100. That was among a series of attacks across the country in places where people were signing up to vote. The Taliban and Islamic State have made clear their intentions to disrupt the parliamentary and district council elections scheduled for October 20. General John Nicholson, who leads US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said previously that protecting Kabul was a priority for foreign troops. But he acknowledged that preventing attacks would be challenging in the sprawling city that is poorly mapped and extremely porous. AFP The new Mack LR features a performance-oriented design that is focused on refuse fleet details both big and small. Photos: Jack Roberts Refuse is a grueling application for trucks, and the pressure is on to do more work with fewer workers and more powerful and capable equipment. These trends are behind many of the design points on Macks newest refuse truck, the Class 8 LR model. The LR debuted at WasteExpo in 2015 and got some updates last fall. But for various reasons, no trucking journalist had been given the opportunity to examine the new truck up close and conduct a test drive until Mack graciously offered HDT the opportunity to do just that. The conditions on the ground werent perfect. A fast-moving snowstorm swamped Macks historical home in Pennsylvanias Lehigh Valley, so I was dealing with snow, ice, and temperatures hovering in the low 20s. Vocational Brand Manager Curtis Dorwart noted that these were pretty typical conditions for refuse fleets in northern states and Canada, we still opted to do our walk-around and familiarization with the LR in a heated garage next to Macks impressive museum at its Customer Center in Macungie. The LR cab features large front windscreen glass areas and channeling overhead to divert rain and wastewater away from windows and doors. The Mack LR up close Dorwart noted that the LR nomenclature simply stands for Low Rider, because keeping the vehicle low to the ground was a primary goal when Mack engineers went to work. Even with increasing numbers of partially automated, hydraulic side-boom trucks lifting and dumping trash bins, refuse drivers still climb in and out of their trucks multiple times a day. To that end, he said, the LR features an ultra-low ground clearance of just 15-1/2 inches, making it less arduous and safer for drivers to enter and exit the cab. This low vehicle height is combined with an array of different drive configurations, including a right-hand standup option, with the LRs top speed limited to 20 mph when that station is in use. The trucks exterior design is remarkably clean, with no exposed wiring and protected hydraulic lines. Dorwart said simplifying wire and hydraulic line routing, with an emphasis on easier upfitting for the LR, is a big reason for the trucks uncluttered look. Various nods to the tough life refuse trucks live were in evidence, as well, including wiper motors that can be serviced or swapped out from a standing position at the front of the truck by simply removing four screws, and a front grille and windshield that can be swapped out quickly. Up above the cab, the roofing sheet metal is designed to act much like a storm gutter on a house and route rain or refuse water away from the front and side windows and cab doors. Both the left- and right-hand operating stations are compact, thanks to the massive doghouse that dominates the middle cab section, but still comfortable. Visibility to all quarters is outstanding thanks to large window sections to the sides and rear of the cab. Views forward are excellent as well, as Mack engineers enhanced the LRs cab-forward (no hood) design by adding wrap-around front glass sections that extend in an unbroken line all the way back to the B pillars. Standard power, memory-programmable mirrors, and an array of cameras covering the sides and rear of the truck complete the LRs visibility emphasis. An array of view screens is positioned in the middle of the cab, where operators on both sides of the truck can quickly check live video feeds from the safety cameras around the vehicle. Dorwart also pointed out the LRs automotive style controls, which include a surprisingly small steering wheel and an instrument cluster connected to the tilt steering column. The arrangement is compact, easy to see and ensures clear sightlines to the gauges regardless of where the driver positions the steering wheel. The doghouse covers both the LR engine and a powerful hydraulics system capable of handling the latest side-loading trash receptacle boom arms. Various boom and vehicle controls are located on the top of the doghouse and are within easy reach from both operator stations. Other new automotive-style features include a highly effective, in-dash HVAC system that easily kept the cab warm during the cold Pennsylvania test drive to come. The LR can be driven from both the left and right cab positions. Vehicle speed is limited to 20 mph in the right-hand seat. Taking the Mack LR on the road Given the massive doghouse sitting immediately to my right, the LR was loud when I finally turned the key and fired up the Mack MP7 diesel lurking underneath. But this is to be expected in a cab-forward truck design like this one. And, it should be noted, Mack engineers did an excellent job at keeping powertrain, hydraulic system, and road noises at a minimum. My test trucks MP7 was rated at 355 hp and mated with an Allison 4500 automatic DRS 6-speed transmission. Underneath me were Mack axles and mRide suspension. The truck is remarkably nimble and easy to drive at the slower speeds it will spend most of its working life running (although the MP7 engine responds beautifully and accelerates the truck nicely if you put your foot down). Dorwart, who grew up in and around Allentown, suggested a nice cruise through a neighborhood and a typical subdivision, and the LR proved easy to handle in that environment. Given the expansive views from the cab, it was simple to spot and avoid common obstacles such as parked cars. And while it was too cold for pedestrians, the live video from the cameras around the truck gave me confidence Id be able to pick them up and easily monitor them, as well. A couple of runs into some tight cul-de-sacs showed off the LRs tight turning radius, courtesy of the trucks 45-degree wheel cut. The air disc brakes were a nice addition, as well, stopping the truck crisply and quickly with very light application of the brake pedal. All in all, the LR is extremely well-mannered at residential speeds, which is a definite plus for any refuse truck. Of course refuse trucks dont live their entire lives at low speeds. So Dorwart and I took the LR out on I-78 over to Allentown and back. The truck was unloaded, so the ride was predictably bumpy. But the LR didnt feel top-heavy at all, and didnt wander around in the lane as some cab-forward designs are wont to do. There werent many opportunities to get out of the right-hand lane and pass other vehicles. But the LR easily held its own at highway speeds, and the Mack MP7 had plenty of reserve power on hand when I did need to get around someone. Mack has a pretty impressive share of the refuse market nationally, and Dorwart said response to the LR has been overwhelmingly positive since its debut. Its not hard to see why. Mack engineers listened to refuse fleets, took note of emerging trends in that market segment, and delivered a thoroughly modern, detail-oriented design that will serve both the current and future needs of those customers well. Mack LR Specs Model: Mack LR Refuse Truck with left- and right-hand steer positions Wheelbase: 186 inches Engine: Mack MP-7 355A Horsepower: 355 hp Torque: 1,280 lb.-ft at 1,000 1,450 rpm Transmission: Allison 4500-RDS-6 automatic (6 speed) Engine brake: Mack PowerLeash Front axles: Mack FXL20 Front axle rating: 20,000 lbs. Rear suspension: Mack S246R Rear suspension rating: 46,000 lbs. Rear axle: Mack mRide Rear axle ratio: 5:31 Brakes (front and rear): Meritor 17 inch. EX-Plus air disc LOS ANGELES, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Coin Citadel (OTC:CCTL) is pleased to announce that the company is hosting 250 bitcoin miners now and will be host up to 1000 miners after upgrades are done to the power grid. As stated in the last news release on 12/12/2017 Coin Citadel will offer a hosting service for crypto currency miners via its new division called "Coin Citadel Mining. For more information on hosting check out our website at https://coin-citadel.com Company would also like to add and state there is no current dilution that we know of, and the company is not selling shares at this time. Company is in discussions with private investors with a none share diluted agreement in place. News, filings, and other updates coming shortly. About the company Citadel Coin is a Holdings Company currently focusing in the Bitcoin industry through Mergers and Acquisitions. https://coin-citadel.com/ Forward-Looking Statement Any statements made in this press release which are not historical facts contain certain forward-looking statements; as such term is defined in the Private Security Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning potential developments affecting the business, prospects, financial condition and other aspects of the company to which this release pertains. The actual results of the specific items described in this release, and the company's operations generally, may differ materially from what is projected in such forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation. Contact: Bill Schaefer, CEO 562-453-7643 NEW YORK, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SmartMetric, Inc. (OTCQB:SMME), the maker of the biometric activated and protected multifunction cyber access, building access and identity security card, has entered into a sales and marketing agreement with one of the largest companies in the security infrastructure industry in South America, Grupo Datco. SmartMetric is a leader in biometric card based products. The company has developed an industry first in combining a cyber-access card that can be used with standard desktop smart card readers that also has inbuilt RFID MiFare allowing the same card to be used for doorway and building access. The card stores the card holder's fingerprint inside the card and will only grant cyber access and or building/doorway access upon a positive fingerprint match with the card holder when they are attempting to use the card. The RFID MiFare and smart card chip are FIPS approved. The card has a super thin finger print scanner built inside allowing the card to be as thin as a credit card. This thinness allows the card to be used with standard smart card readers that are used for cyber network access as well as physical doorway and building access. Something that existing physical access cards cannot do due to their size and thickness. In addition to logical and physical access control, the SmartMetric biometric activated security card acts as an identity card that can be used to validate a card holder without being inserted into a reader. Two bright LED lights indicate green or red when the card holder touches the cards surface. If the person is the legitimate card holder than following a 0.25 second scan by the card of their fingerprint the LED illuminates Green. Of course, if the card holder is not the legitimate person then it will illuminate Red. Having an internal rechargeable battery allows this instant ID verification to take place anywhere on a Business or Government grounds or building/s. We are excited about our new relationship with a major company in the security integration industry in South America and are confident that sales will follow as they present our unique leading edge biometric card product throughout the South American region," said SmartMetrics President and CEO, Chaya Hendrick, today. ABOUT GRUPO DATCO Datco was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argentine telecoms and IT holding company Datco provides IT infrastructure, communication services and hardware, as well as professional services and consulting in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Spain. Grupo Datco ended 2017 with revenues of $US110 million dollars. Revenue came from items, such as consulting, infrastructure and communications services. Datco has built more than 13,500 kilometers of fiber optics in Argentina and Chile. In addition to fiber optic infrastructure in Brazil and other countries in South America. The company through its security division is the market leader in secure access control for both Government and Business in the region. The company started its international expansion in 1999, when it launched offices in Chile, followed by openings in Peru and Spain, and then Mexico and Puerto Rico in 2011. Also in 2011, the company acquired Oracle platinum partner Interservices Consulting and SAP consulting services company Baitcon to increase its professional and consulting services offering. ABOUT SMARTMETRIC SmartMetric is a United States company with its head office in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company was founded in 2002 and became a publicly traded company on the OTCQB in 2004 trading under the symbol OTCQB:SMME. The company has a team of electronics engineers in Tel Aviv, Israel and has mass manufacturing capacity in various parts of the world. The company can now manufacture 1 million cards a month and has the capacity to increase this significantly based on product demand. The SmartMetric biometric card is protected by five (5) recently issued patents. Additional patents are pending. SmartMetric is prepared and willing to defend its patents vigorously against all infringers. To this end SmartMetric has engaged legal representation highly experienced in patent litigation and enforcement. Safe Harbor Statement: Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Also such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, if we are unable to access the capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; changes in the competitive environment in our industry and the markets where we operate; our ability to access the capital markets; and other risks discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the SEC. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. CONTACT INFORMATION Grupo Datco San Martin 1004 Buenos Aires, Argentina Contact Adrian Carnevante Director +54.(9)11.4103.1300 SmartMetric, Inc. 3960 Howard Hughes Parkway Las Vegas, NV 89169 +1.702.990.3687 Contact: Chaya Hendrick chaya@smartmetric.com www.smartmetric.com The domain turkeytelegraph.com may be for sale. Please click here to inquire VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mundoro Capital Inc. (TSX-V:MUN) (www.mundoro.com) ("Mundoro" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has entered into an Option Agreement (Agreement) with an arms length third party private company (Private Company) to which it has granted an option on one of Mundoros exploration projects, the Saje Lead-Zinc Project located within the Zvezda license in southeastern Bulgaria. CEO & President, Teo Dechev commented: "We are delighted to have signed this Agreement with a new partner in the region. Mundoro is achieving our corporate strategy to work with partners on select projects within our portfolio while retaining 100% ownership over a core portion of our portfolio. Realising value from our existing portfolio of over 10 licenses with multiple targets on various license is a key focus for the Company. Summary of Terms Under the terms of the Agreement, the Private Company has committed to drill a minimum of 1000 meters on the Saje Project (Option Period). Thereafter, the Private Company will have one month to provide written notice to enter into an agreement with Mundoro in respect of the Saje Project. The Private Company is sole funding all costs during the Option Period. Upon entering into an agreement, the Private Company will pay to Mundoro annual advance royalty payments in January of each calendar year until commercial production. Mundoro will retain a 2% net smelter returns (NSR) royalty on any metals production at the Saje Project. The Saje Project has no carrying value in the Company's balance sheet as at December 31, 2018. Saje Lead-Zinc Project Information The Saje deposit is located within Mundoros 100% owned Zvezda exploration licence area. The Saje deposit is a brownfield area that was initially explored starting in the 1960s and exploited by a government run company from 1984 to 1992 for Lead and Zinc with by-products of Copper and Silver. The deposit is situated in the western part of the Spahievo ore field at the eastern border of a rhyolite caldera. It is comprised of structurally controlled alteration zones, some of which are the main ore bearing zones. Zones are hosted in Eocene-Oligocene andesites intruded by monzonite pluton. The width of the ore zones vary from 1 m to 17.8 m. The ore mineralization is represented by galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite. Table 1 below summarises the underground production from the deposit from 1984 to 1992 by the government run company: Period Ore (kT) Grade Content Metals Pb, % Zn, % Cu, % Ag, ppm Cd, ppm Pb, t Zn, t Cu, t Ag, kg Cd, kg 1984-1992 425.5 1.86 1.23 0.24 7.9 71 7909 5227 1017 3373 30000 The historical production figures for the Saje deposit from 1984 to 1992 are derived from a report prepared in 1998 by the Government run company "Gorubso-Kardjali EAD". This report is held with the Bulgarian National Geological Fund, who have made it available for public review. The qualified person has reviewed this report and verified the contents of the report and its conclusions. Nevertheless, the company does not have access to all underlying data and information used to prepare the report, and neither the qualified person nor the company are able to verify the reliability of the production figures or the key assumptions, methods and parameters used to prepare them. Further Joint Venture Discussions Mundoro ended Q1-2018 with approximately C$4.7 million in treasury with the Timok North Projects optioned to JOGMEC; and the Timok South Projects, which is the largest contiguous exploration area in the Timok district available for joint venture. The Company continues to have ongoing discussions regarding potential joint ventures for Mundoros Timok South Projects licenses: Savinac, Sumrakovac, Bacevica and Osnic. Although there are ongoing discussions, the Company cannot provide assurance that a transaction will be concluded as a result of these discussions. Qualified Person Technical information contained in this Press Release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. G. Magaranov, P. Geo., Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. On behalf of the Company, Teo Dechev, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director About Mundoro Capital Inc. Mundoro is a Canadian mineral exploration and development public company focused on building value for its shareholders through directly investing in mineral projects that have the ability to generate future returns for shareholders. The Company currently holds a diverse portfolio of projects in two European countries as well as an investment in a producing gold mine in Bulgaria and a feasibility stage gold project in China. The Company holds eight 100% owned projects in Serbia, the four Timok North Projects are in option to JOGMEC, and the four Timok South Projects are being advanced by Mundoro. Mundoros common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "MUN". For further information please contact: Teo Dechev, CEO, President and Director of Mundoro Capital Inc. at +1-604-669-8055 Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This News Release contains forward-looking information and statements (forward-looking statements) under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated by reference in this News Release are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the completion of exploration work on any Projects and licenses and results of that exploration work, the prospect of one or more joint ventures on the Timok South Projects and other 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", promising, encouraging or "continue" or similar words or the negative thereof. The material assumptions that were applied in making the forward looking statements in this News Release include expectations as to the Company's future strategy and business plan and execution of the Company's existing plans. There can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which these forward-looking statements are based will occur. We caution readers of this News Release not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements contained in this News Release, which are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include general economic and market conditions, changes in law, regulatory processes, the status of Mundoro's assets and financial condition, actions of competitors and the ability to implement business strategies and pursue business opportunities. The forward-looking statements contained in this News Release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this News Release are made as of the date of this News Release and Mundoro undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and for a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Sky Uranium Corp. (TSX-V:BSK) (FSE:MAL2) (OTC:BKUCF) ("Blue Sky" or the "Company") is pleased to report it has engaged Chuck Edwards P.Eng. as a technical advisor to assist the Company in planning and managing beneficiation (upgrading) and metallurgical studies and process design for the Ivana Uranium-Vanadium deposit and the Amarillo Grande project. The Ivana deposit is the cornerstone of the Companys 100% owned, district-scale Amarillo Grande Uranium-Vanadium Project in Rio Negro Province, Argentina. On April 18th 2018 the Company filed the NI 43-101 first resource estimate technical report for the project (Thorson et al., filed on SEDAR) and is proceeding to complete a preliminary economic assessment by the end of the year. Chuck Edwards P.Eng. has been a Professional Engineer for 51 years, with experience in Research and Development, operations, government service, consulting and engineering management. He is now Principal with Extractive Metallurgy Consulting in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Chuck specializes in uranium processing for both alkaline and acid leach plants. He was involved in the engineering design of all the current uranium facilities in Saskatchewans Athabasca Basin, and has worked on uranium projects on five continents. He has additional experience in gold, silver, nickel, copper, potash, oil sands and other projects in Canada and overseas. Recently Chuck was a Process Engineering Advisor at the Saskatchewan Research Council. He was Director of Metallurgy at Amec Foster Wheeler from 2008-2017, Principal Metallurgist at Cameco Corporation from 1994-2008, Regional Coordinator for Mineral Development Agreements for Energy, Mines and Resources Canada from 1992-1994, Senior Metallurgist/Process Engineer with Kilborn Western Ltd. 1987-1992, Chief Metallurgist at Eldor Mines, Rabbit Lake 1986-1987 among other positions. Chuck has been a Technical Consultant to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria since 1999 and served as President of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) in 2011-2012. Chuck was awarded the AIME gold medal for Extractive Metallurgy Technology in 1987, the CMP Best Presentation Award in 1997 and 2007, CMP Mineral Processor of the Year in 2001, CIM Distinguished Lecturer in 2003, CIM Fellowship in 2004, CIM Life Member in 2011, and CIM Distinguished Service Medal in 2013. We are thrilled to have someone of Chuck Edwards caliber join the Blue Sky team and apply his vast experience and specialized skills to advancing the metallurgical and engineering aspects of the Amarillo Grande project and Ivana uranium-vanadium deposit, stated Nikolaos Cacos, Blue Sky President & CEO. About the Amarillo Grande Project This new uranium district controlled by Blue Sky includes several major target areas over a 145-kilometre trend, with uranium and vanadium mineralization in loosely consolidated sandstones and conglomerates, at or near surface. The area is flat-lying, semi-arid and accessible year-round, with nearby rail, power and port access. The Companys strategy includes delineating resources at multiple areas for which a central processing facility could be evaluated. The Ivana area is the first to have a NI 43-101 Inferred Resource estimate, which includes 23.9 million tonnes averaging 0.036% U 3 0 8 and 0.019% V 2 O 5 , containing 19.1 million pounds of U 3 O 8 and 10.2 million pounds of V 2 O 5 , at a 100 ppm uranium cut-off (Thorson et al., April 18th 2018 filed on SEDAR). Mineralization at Amarillo Grande has characteristics of sandstone-type and surficial-type uranium-vanadium deposits. The sandstone-type mineralization is related to a braided fluvial system and indicates the potential for a district-size system. In the surficial-type deposits, carnotite mineralization coats loosely consolidated pebbles, and is amenable to leaching and simple upgrading. The near-surface mineralization, ability to locally upgrade, amenability to leaching and central processing possibility suggest a potentially low-cost development scenario for a future deposit. For additional details on the project and properties, please see the Companys website: www.blueskyuranium.com Qualified Person The results of the Company's drilling program have been reviewed, verified (including sampling, analytical and test data) and compiled by the Company's geological staff under the supervision of David Terry, Ph.D., P.Geo. Dr. Terry is a Director of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. The contents of this news release have been reviewed and approved by Dr. Terry. About Blue Sky Uranium Corp. Blue Sky Uranium Corp. is a leader in uranium discovery in Argentina. The Company's objective is to deliver exceptional returns to shareholders by rapidly advancing a portfolio of surficial uranium deposits into low-cost producers. Blue Sky holds has the exclusive right to over 434,000 hectares (equiv. to 1,072,437 acres) of property in two provinces in Argentina. The Companys flagship Amarillo Grande Project was an in-house discovery of a new district that has the potential to be both a leading domestic supplier of uranium to the growing Argentine market and a new international market supplier. The Company is a member of the Grosso Group, a resource management group that has pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Nikolaos Cacos ______________________________________ Nikolaos Cacos, President, CEO and Director For further information please contact: Corporate Communications Tel: 1-604-687-1828 Toll-Free: 1-800-901-0058 Email: info@blueskyuranium.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Company's public disclosure documents for a more detailed discussion of factors that may impact expected future results. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. Powell, Torrington Students Receive Prestigious UW Law Scholarships Keeley Cronin, of Powell, and Emily Madden, of Torrington, are the recipients of the University of Wyoming College of Laws Clarence A. Brimmer Scholars award. The Brimmer Scholarship, the largest and most prestigious award offered by the College of Law, honors the long and distinguished service of Judge Brimmer, and ensures that his career serves as an inspiration to an up-and-coming generation of legal professionals. The Brimmer scholar is selected from a pool of finalists who interview before the Brimmer Scholarship selection committee. The committee consists of representatives from the judiciary, the bar, UW faculty, former clerks of Judge Brimmer and members of the Brimmer family. While traditionally one student is selected for the scholarship, it is not unusual for more than one recipient to be selected in years where the candidates are particularly remarkable, says Christine Reed, communications director in the UW College of Law. In addition to Cronin and Madden, this years finalists included Allison Connell, of Sheridan; Catherine Di Santo and David Roberts, both from Jackson; Isaiah Rose, of Castle Rock, Colo.; Allison Strube, of Laramie; and Kit Wendtland, of Sheridan. Cronin earned dual bachelors degrees from UW (2013) in religious studies, and in speech, language and hearing sciences. Among positions she has held through the externship program and summer internships include serving as a summer law clerk for Laramie Judge Tori Kricken; the Wyoming Court of the Second Judicial District; working as a summer associate for the Cheyenne law firm Hirst Applegate LLP; and working as a research assistant for the Powell law firm of Copenhaver, Kath, Kitchen and Kolpitcke. This summer, Cronin will serve as a summer associate for Baker Hostetler in Denver, Colo. At UW, Cronin has been involved in the Wyoming Law Students for Equal Justice Club, the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association-Student Chapter, and she competed in the 10th annual Robert R. Rose Jr. Voir Dire Competition, finishing as a semifinalist. She also worked as a staff member for the Wyoming Law Review and will serve on the Editorial Board as an article editor during her third and final year of law school. Following graduation, Cronin will serve as a judicial law clerk for Judge Greg Phillips in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. I am honored to be a part of the continuing legacy left by Judge Brimmer in Wyoming, Cronin says. Being from Wyoming, the reputations that are built here are really important, and it is wonderful that this program exists to allow students to continue to impact the state in the same meaningful way he did. Madden is a graduate of the University of Dallas, earning her bachelors degree (2015) cum laude in business. In addition to working toward her Juris Doctor degree, Madden is a candidate for a Master of Public Administration degree through the joint-degree program offered at UW. She has volunteered for legislative research through the Rural Law Center; has volunteered doing outreach work with incoming first-year law students; and has been an active participant in the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association-Student Chapter, Equal Justice Wyoming and the law fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta. Madden has had externships with U.S. Magistrate Judge of Wyoming, judges Kelly Rankin and Kricken, and spent a week shadowing Judge Nancy Freudenthal in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming through the Legal Liftoff Program. This summer, she will be a legal intern for the Spence Law Firm in Jackson and will serve an externship with Judge Phillips. Madden will take the helm of the Wyoming Law Review Board as editor in chief for the 2018-19 year. She has previously served as a staff member for the law review. I am truly humbled that I was chosen as a recipient from such a distinguished panel and amongst such an accomplished group of finalists, Madden says. I grew up hearing wonderful things about Judge Brimmer, and I hope to use the financial and emotional resources that attach to the Brimmer Scholarship to emulate him in my career. I am very grateful and honored for this opportunity. LOS ANGELES, CA, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endonovo Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: ENDV) ("Endonovo" or the "Company"), a commercial-stage developer of Electroceutical Therapies, today announced a distribution agreement with Plagens Medical Consultants for the distribution of SofPulse, its non-invasive Electroceutical Therapy for post-operative pain relief and reduction of swelling. SofPulse is the Company's FDA-Cleared Electroceutical System for the palliative treatment of post-operative pain and edema in superficial soft tissues. SofPulse is an easy-to-place, non-invasive device delivering targeted MicroCurrent Therapy (tMCT) to enhance post-surgical recovery. tMCT is an innovative process using proprietary technology to reduce pain and swelling. The therapy is non-invasive and non-pharmacologic, with no known side effects and no potential for overdose or dependency. SofPulse has been used effectively and studied extensively in soft tissue post-operative management. The low levels of microcurrent are completely safe and, in fact, are 1000 times lower than those emitted by a mobile phone. The Company's Electroceutical Therapy has been evaluated in 5 randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trials demonstrating: 300% decrease in mean pain scores at 5 hours post-surgery; 2.2-fold reduction in narcotic use post-surgery in active users; and 275% lower mean IL-1 beta (inflammatory biomarker) in the wound exudates of active users following surgery Endonovo's non-invasive pain relief therapy, SofPulse, represents a low-cost, drug free solution to the over use of opioids following surgical procedures. Following surgery, many patients will head home with prescriptions for 30 or more opioid painkillers, which is enough to trigger addiction. However, the American Society of Anesthesiologists recommends using prescription painkillers sparingly, if at all, after surgery. Post-surgical prescription practices have played a role in the opioid epidemic and despite the risk of dependence, many surgery patients receive opioid prescriptions for a month's supply or more. Furthermore, about 6 percent of surgery patients are still using opioid painkillers three months or longer after their surgery, according to a study published last year in JAMA Surgery. Non-invasive electrotherapies, such as Endonovo's SofPulse, are believed to modulate pain signaling through activation of peripheral endogenous opioids and opioid receptors; making these non-pharmacological devices an extremely safe and economical alternative to prescription painkillers. Alan Collier, Endonovo Chief Executive Officer, stated, We are pleased to establish this partnership with Plagens Medical Consultants and I look forward to collaborating with their team to bring SofPulse to a national level. Plagens is a great partner for the SofPulse brand, possessing the scale, infrastructure, reputation, clinical experience and complementary product portfolio to make SofPulse a market leader in post-surgical pain management, recovery and rehabilitation. We are excited Plagens recognized the quality, robustness, innovation and design quality of SofPulse." "Plagens Medical Consultants, a medical device company established in 1978 and with over 65 years of combined leadership experience, is proud to announce its partnership with Endonovo. Plagens is confident Endonovo's SofPulse will effectively address the opioid problems associated with orthopedic injuries and surgical recovery while providing a non-pharmaceutical option for patients. The feedback we have received on SofPulse from Physicians and other providers has been remarkable. Plagens is anxious to bring this to market in Michigan and the surrounding Great Lakes area." - Jason Walters, Senior Shareholder / Partner, Plagens Medical Consultants. The distribution agreement may be expanded with additional products and territories in the future. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. About Plagens Medical Consultants Since 1978, Plagens has specialized in supplying a diverse range of musculoskeletal devices to hospitals and healthcare providers in Michigan and the surrounding Great Lakes area. In 2013, Plagens expanded its distribution to include products for surgical and non-surgical pain management as well as recovery and rehabilitation. www.plagens.com About Endonovo Therapeutics Endonovo Therapeutics, Inc. is a commercial-stage developer of non-invasive wearable Electroceuticals Therapies. The Company's current portfolio of commercial and clinical-stage wearable Electroceuticals Therapies addresseses wound healing, pain, post-surgical pain and edema, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and Central Nervous System (CNS) dDisorders, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), acute concussions, post-concussion syndrome and multiple sclerosis. The Company's non-invasive Electroceutical System device , SofPulse, using pulsed short-wave radiofrequency at 27.12 MHz has been FDA-Cleared and CE Marked for the palliative treatment of soft tissue injuries and post-operative pain and edema, and has CMS National Coverage for the treatment of chronic wounds. The Company's current portfolio of pre-clinical stage Electroceuticalss addresses chronic kidney disease, liver diseasenon-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cardiovascular and peripheral artery disease (PAD), and ischemic stroke. The Company's non-invasive, wearable Electroceuticals work by restoring key electrochemical processes that initiate anti-inflammatory and growth factor cascades necessary for healing to occur. www.endonovo.com Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, trends, analysis, and other information contained in this press release including words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," and other similar expressions of opinion, constitute forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results described within the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could contribute to such differences include those matters more fully disclosed in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Company's estimates as of the date of the press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's estimates to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company's estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Start your day with Sunrise, a roundup of B.C. news and opinions delivered straight to your inbox Start your day with Sunrise, delivered straight to your inbox Sign up now> Boeing, Airbus, GE among biggest losers from US Iran shift, photo VNA/ AFP The two aerospace giants were among the companies to receive US Treasury licences to begin conducting business in Iran under strict oversight after sanctions were lifted in the 2015 accord. Even amid this easing, Washington continued to keep in place an embargo on American citizens operating in Iran and barred Iranian entities from using the US financial system. The Trump administration on Tuesday gave companies 90 to 180 days to wind down existing contracts. Here is a list of affected companies: BOEING AND AIRBUS Aerospace companies had been perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the Iran nuclear accord, which recognised the need for Iran to modernise its airplane fleet. Boeing in December 2016 announced a landmark agreement to sell Iran Air 80 aircraft valued at US$16.6 billion. It also announced a contract in April 2017 to sell Iran Aseman Airlines 30 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for US$3 billion, with purchase rights for another 30 aircraft. The aerospace giant had said the Iran contracts would support tens of thousands of jobs. Boeing said on Tuesday it would follow US policy on Iran. European giant Airbus also had announced contracts with two other carriers, Iran Air Tour and Zagros Airlines, for 100 planes in all. With industrial capacity in the United States, Airbus is also subject to US sanctions. GENERAL ELECTRIC, VOLKSWAGEN, TOTAL, PSA GE affiliates based outside the US since 2017 received contracts totaling tens of millions of dollars for equipment for gas production projects and gas and petrochemical plants, according to a May 1 securities filing. French oil giant Total is at risk of losing a contract to help develop Iran's South Pars gas field following the US move. Total has warned that its position in the project depends on the state of the broader nuclear agreement. Volkswagen announced in 2017 that it resumed selling cars in Iran for the first time in 2017. The German company continues to face questions over its "dieselgate" scandal in the US, long a key market. French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen reached an agreement last year to sell cars in Iran and has reported sales increases in the country since resuming. PSA has indicated interest in returning to the US market, a goal that would force it to rethink its Iran plans. TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY British Airways and Lufthansa, which have resumed flights into Tehran, will be faced with a choice of continuing those businesses, or maintaining their international flights to the US. The same problematic faces French hotel chain Accor, which opened a hotel in Iran in 2015, as well as others in hospitality, such as Spain's Melia Hotels International and Rotana Hotels of the United Arab Emirates. Defendants at the court on May 8 Hua Thi Phan, former senior advisor of the management board of Trust Bank, did not appear in the court because of reportedly poor health. At the court, lawyers defending Phan proposed postponing the trial due to Phans health. However, the court said that her absence does not affect the trial. During an earlier investigation by police, she did not submit any statement or declaration. But the court decided to open the trial based on the evidence that has been gathered. More than 100 individuals and representatives of organisations appeared in court along with 50 lawyers. According to the indictment, holding 84.92 percent of the banks share and acting as the senior advisor of the bank, Phan took over all operations of the Board of Directors, the management board as well as officials and workers of the bank and its two branches of Sai Gon and Lam Giang. Through other defendants, Phan directed the TrustAsset Company of Trust Bank, which does not have the price appraisal function, to verify and raise the price of her house at No. 5 Pham Ngoc Thach street, Ho Chi Minh City, to VND1.268 trillion, eight times higher than the market price. Phan then sold the house to Trust Bank and appropriate and cause damage of over VND1.105 trillion. Besides, Phan directed leaders and officials of Trust Banks Sai Gon and Lam Giang branches to make fake documents and transactions to cause financial damage of over VND5.25 billion to Trust Bank. The court rejected Phan lawyers proposal of postponing the court due to her physical problem, holding that her absence does not affect the judging process. Five lawyers have protected her at the court. The trial is scheduled to last until May 31. US President Donald Trump announces his decision on the Iran nuclear deal in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House in Washington, DC. (SAUL LOEB/AFP) President Donald Trump defied the pleas of his European allies and pulled the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday (May 8), vowing to reimpose crippling sanctions on Tehran and warning that Iranians deserve a better government. His decision itself came as little surprise - the US leader has long scorned what he called the "disastrous" 2015 accord - but his suggestion that the regime must change underlined the risks of a dangerous new escalation in the Middle East. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised that Washington will work with its friends to build a new agreement to curtail Iran's alleged quest for nuclear weapons - but there was no disguising that Trump's decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders had begged him to think again. "I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump declared in a White House address, branding the landmark 2015 accord that was endorsed by Britain, China, Germany, Russia and Barack Obama's previous US administration "defective at its core." Trump - who enjoys close ties with Iran's foes Saudi Arabia and Israel - said he had consulted America's friends in the Middle East and concluded "that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement." "America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail," Trump vowed. "We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction and we will not allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth." Trump's hawkish National Security Advisor John Bolton said that European firms would have a "wind down" period to cancel any investments made in Iran under the terms of the accord, after the world agreed to give Tehran sanctions relief in return for it scaling back its enrichment programme and placing its nuclear industry under international inspection. But there was no disguising the dismay in European capitals, whose diplomats see the deal as the best way of keeping tabs on Iran's ambitions while heading off the risk of a destabilising new arms race in the Middle East, where tensions are already soaring between Tehran and both Israel and the Gulf monarchies. "France, Germany, and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA (Iran deal). The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake," France's President Emmanuel Macron wrote. "We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity, and stability in the Middle-East, notably Syria, Yemen, and Iraq," he added. The European Union's chief diplomat Federica Mogherini, who helped oversee the talks with Iran that led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, insisted the accord "is delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesn't develop nuclear weapons." And she added: "the European Union is determined to preserve it." In contrast, Israel's Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, who last week released a trove of intelligence on a pre-2003 Iranian plan to develop a nuclear weapon which Trump cited approvingly in his speech, was overjoyed. "Israel fully supports President Trump's bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal," Netanyahu said, in a televised address, even as his country opened bomb shelters and put the military on high alert in case of attack from the Iranian forces deployed in Syria in defence of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Saudi Arabian state media said the kingdom "supports and welcomes" Trump's decision. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani - who some deal supporters see as a reforming moderate who will be undermined by any collapse in the deal - was furious, accusing Trump of "psychological warfare" and vowing to take the matter up with the agreement's other signatories, including Washington's rivals Moscow and Beijing. NO 'PLAN B'? Meanwhile, former Obama administration officials warned that the decision puts the US on a collision course with Iran, distances the White House from its key allies and put US citizens held in Iran at risk. Former deputy secretary of state Tony Blinken, who helped negotiate the accord, called it a "monumental mistake" and former senior diplomat Wendy Sherman told reporters Trump was putting international stability at risk for purely domestic political purposes. "This has been a crisis that Trump has been precipitating himself to answer his base, to fulfil a campaign pledge that he made, without any sense whatsoever of what Plan B is," she told reporters. "It says that the United States is not a reliable partner," she added, insisting that the existing deal permanently prevents Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon. Blinken said ending the deal gives "hardliners in Iran an excuse to restart their pursuit of nuclear weapons, but without the united international coalition to oppose them or inspectors on the ground to expose them." Trump had had until May 12 to decide whether to continue to waive sanctions on Iran's central bank and its oil sector dealings, a key pillar of the 2015 agreement, but moved more quickly than expected and cancelled sanctions that were not yet up for review. FALL OF REGIME? For months, critics have been warning ending the waivers would unravel the carefully constructed deal, plunge Iran's already struggling economy into crisis and expose the biggest transatlantic rift since the Iraq War. But some US officials close to Trump, as well as hawkish Washington lobbyists, argue that an Iranian economic collapse could lead to Tehran's Islamist regime falling - and that this would be a good thing. Ahead of Trump's verdict, diplomats shifted into damage limitation mode, hoping that beyond his inevitably harsh rhetoric, he stops short of immediately reimposing sanctions. In Brussels, officials are already working on "blocking" measures that would protect EU citizens and companies from US prosecution. "We are having conversations obviously and we are working on a number of proposals that could protect European companies and operators," a senior EU official told reporters. TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. (CSE:SNA) (CSE:SNA.CN) (OTCQB:SNAVF) ("Star or the Company) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Barney Lassche as Vice President, Sales. Mr. Lassche has a 32 year career in sales and an in-depth knowledge of the Company and its STAR-A.D.S. System line of products. For the past eight years, Mr. Lassche has worked extensively with management and with the Engineering and R&D departments at Star, providing overall coordination and forward planning services. Mr. Lassche will report directly to and work closely with, Mr. Jean-Louis Larmor, Stars Chief Operating Officer, who has an extensive background in the aerospace industry. Mr. Larmors previous positions include: Director - Thales International Canada, Director Business Development Aerospace, Thales International, North America, Vice President- Strategy and Business Development, Sextant Avionique, Marketing and Sales positions with Aerospatiale, France. Mr. Lassche will concentrate his efforts on the current STAR-A.D.S. System line of products STAR-A.D.S., STAR-T.T.T. STAR-V-trk, and Stars soon to be fielded Emergency medical services solution: STAR-ISAMM. Mr. Lassche worked closely with the engineering team on the latter applications of STAR-A.D.S.. STAR-M.M.I. Division sales will continue to be handled directly by Mr. Larmor. About Star Navigation: Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. owns the exclusive worldwide license to its proprietary, patented In-flight Safety Monitoring System, STAR-ISMS, the heart of the STAR-A.D.S. System. Its real-time capability of tracking performance trends and predicting incident-occurrence enhances aviation safety and improves fleet management while reducing costs for the operator. Stars M.M.I. Division designs and manufactures high performance, mission critical, flight deck flat panel displays for defence and commercial aviation industries worldwide. These displays are found on aircraft and simulators, from P-3 Orion and C-130 aircraft, to Sikorsky and AgustaWestland helicopters, as examples. Certain statements contained in this News Release constitute forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words may, would, could, will, expected and similar expressions, as they relate to Star or its management are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect Stars current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Stars actual performance or achievements to vary from those described herein. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Star does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release. Please visit www.star-navigation.com or Viraf S. Kapadia, (416) 252-2889 Ext. 230 viraf.kapadia@star-navigation.com The US will investigate the production process of tra fish from May 14. - Photo plo.vn The Food Safety and Inspection Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, will conduct a field inspection under the US catfish control programme for Vietnams tra fish production. Regarding the upcoming inspections by the US, the ministry has asked its agencies to set up plans and prepare detailed action programmes as well as ensure the best conditions for the delegation during its visit to Vietnam, reported vneconomy.vn. The National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department has proposed enterprises producing and exporting tra fish, one kind of Siluriformes fish, to the US to implement regulations compiled by the ministry in accordance with US regulations under the fish food safety control programme for Siluriformes fish exported to the US. The enterprises have been asked to report to the ministry about any difficulty encountered during the export of Siluriformes to the US to ensure timely solutions. In addition to this, the enterprises should cooperate with the department to set up working plans with the US delegation. From September 1, 2017, the exports of tra fish to the US have been strictly controlled at every stage - from breeding, harvesting and transporting to the processing plant to processing and exporting. The product must meet 85 requirements on veterinary drugs, 106 requirements on pesticides, four requirements on dyestuffs, 17 requirements on metals and eight requirements on micro-organisms and chemicals based on parameters set by the US. Currently, Vietnam has 57 facilities licensed to export catfish to the US. Vietnam Airlines increases Hanoi-Dong Hoi flights The carrier will operate 6 or 7 flights per week on the Hanoi Dong Hoi route between June 1 and August 31. The flight from Hanoi to Dong Hoi will depart 6:00 am from Tuesday to Sunday. During the peak time of summer from June 4 August 27, the one-hour service will be available seven days a week. The airline is offering promotional tickets priced from VND600,000 for economy class and VND1.8 million (US$79.2) for business class, exclusive of taxes and fees and only applicable to travel from June 1 to August 31. Quang Binh in central Vietnam, renowned for beautiful beaches and breathtaking natural landscapes, has become one of the most popular destinations for both domestic and foreign travellers in recent years. Last year, Dong Hoi city of the province welcomed nearly 1.1 million visitors, up 29% year-on-year. The city is home to a number of historical and cultural relic sites, including Dong Hoi Citadel and Church of Tam Toa. The province is also blessed with Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, a paradise for cave explorers which was twice recognised as world natural heritage sites by UNESCO in 2003 and 2015. It was listed among the Top experiences in Vietnam in 2017 by Lonely Planet a renowned travel publication. Located in the heart of Phong Nha Ke Bang Nation Park is Son Doong cave, the largest of its kind in the world recognised by three international organisations, namely Guinness (based in the UK), the Association World Record (based in Hong Kong) and WorldKings (based in the US and India). Son Doong was discovered by a local in 1991. It was first explored in 2009 by the British Cave Research Association and has been open to the public since 2013. The 1,645m-long cave system, which extends through a mountain, was named one of the most captivating caves on earth by National Geographic. Geologists say the cave formed two to five million years ago. It is roughly 6,5km long, 200m high and 150m wide, exceeding the former world record of Deer Cave in Gunung Muli National Park in Malaysia. Representatives of Vietnam and China signed co-operation agreements at the conference in Chinas Chongqing city. - VNA Photo Luong Tuan Anh At a seminar on Tuesday held by the Vietnamese Embassy in China, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam in collaboration with Chongqing authorities, Ambassador Khoi noticed that the investors should pay more attention to protecting the environment while working to ensure labourers benefits and social welfare in the host nation. Vietnam is accelerating industrialisation and modernisation and shaking up the economy in coupled with renovating growth model, he said, adding that the country is giving priority to the development of high-tech industries, green technologies, clean energy, organic agriculture and digital economy, among others. He expressed his hope that China will open door for the products which are of Vietnams strengths and Chinas demand like farm produce, pork and dairy products. Creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese products in the custom clearance procedures is an important move to bring two-way trade into a more balanced manner, he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh highlighted that Vietnam and China hold huge potential to bolster logistics cooperation. Vietnams logistics service has enjoyed strong growth with annual expansion of 20-25 per cent and according to the World Banks rankings, Viet Nam is 64th out of 160 countries in the world and 4th in ASEAN after Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand in logistics development. The 1,400 kilometre freight train service between Ha Noi and Chongqing will open opportunities for both sides to collaborate in the logistics sector, he said, adding that it is an effective channel to transport goods, including tropical fruit, farm produce and seafood, between Vietnam and Chinas localities. For his part, deputy mayor of Chongqing city Liu Guiping said that multi-model transportation, cross-border road transport and international railways are three main types of transportation, which help connecting Chongqing and Chinas western localities with Viet Nam and other ASEAN nations. He wished that enterprises from both nations will work to promote cooperation in the field. At the seminar, Vietnam Logistics Business Association and the trade office of Chongqing city inked an agreement on enhancing logistics cooperation. Enterprises from both sides signed their agreements and specific cooperation programmes in the coming time. In addition, more than 200 firms met to seek linkages in economy, trade and logistics on this occasion. AUSTIN, Texas, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BRAVATEK SOLUTIONS, INC. (PINK OTC:BVTK), a fully-reporting, publicly-traded, high-technology security-solutions provider, today announced it has entered into an Equity Purchase Agreement with TRITON FUNDS for $500,000. TRITON FUNDS, a new fund launched by students at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), is making the investment to drive the continued expansion of BVTKs proprietary technology which assists corporate entities, governments, and individuals in protecting their organizations against errors, as well as cyber and physical attacks. The Companys leadership has deep experience across the Intelligence, Security and Telecommunications markets. The investment comes as the Company experiences a solid reputation as a global security platform firm, engaged in a number of strategic agreements to rapidly provide capabilities to meet requirements in both the public and private sectors. We are pleased to be working with the students at TRITON FUNDS because they represent not only smart money but are eager to learn about our capabilities and leverage their knowledge of marketing trends in the technology arena, said The Hon. Dr. Thomas A. Cellucci MBA, Chairman and CEO of Bravatek. We are proud to announce our investment into Bravatek, providing the necessary financing for their exceptional management team to meet their internal goals. BVTK is working towards a more secure future in todays world of constant data breaches and cybersecurity threats. As a millennial fund, our intentions are to invest in companies that will benefit future generations; Bravatek acknowledges the future of our society and is working diligently for a safer horizon, said Sam Yaffa, co-Founder of TRITON FUNDS. Its amazing, and to an extent, scary, how far technology has taken us; anyone can hack into someone elses account from anywhere and extract their most sensitive information. The need for cyber security is greater now than ever, and it will only increase in years to come, said TRITON FUNDS co-founder, Yash Thukral. Bravatek is supporting the millennial future by providing solutions to this problem and working to create a more secure future, and TEAM TRITON supports them in their goals. Nathan Yee, co-founder of TRITON FUNDS, added, Working with someone as qualified as Dr. Cellucci, and his team, has been a valuable learning experience for our team. Bravatek offers an impactful solution to a problem created by the creation and mass integration of the internet. It is a perfect addition to our portfolio as a company focused on making the future a better place. About Bravatek Solutions, Inc.: Bravatek Solutions, Inc. is a high-technology security-solutions portfolio provider that assists corporate entities, governments and individuals protect their organizations against both cyber and physical attacks through its offering of the most technically-advanced, cost-effective and reliable software, systems, and tools. For more information, visit www.bravatek.com. 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, 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 news 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 are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "goal," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this news release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: our ability to successfully develop and market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our prior filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Contact info@bravatek.com 866.490.8590 Related Links http://bravatek.com http://www.tritonfunds.com Source Bravatek Solutions, Inc. Christiane Amanpour attends the National Board Of Review Awards Gala on January 9, 2018 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City, N.Y. Amanpour will host a new, hourlong late-night public affairs program called "Amanpour & Company" in the timeslot previously filled by the scandal-plagued Charlie Rose. (Dennis Van Tine/Abaca Press/TNS) 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. ABC News(NEW YORK CITY) -- The publicity savvy attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels on Tuesday released a document that alleges a company associated with a Russian billionaire sent $500,000 in payments to a fund maintained by President Trumps personal lawyer Michael Cohen the same fund Cohen used to pay a hush agreement with the actress, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford. As detailed below, within approximately 75 days of the payment to Ms. Clifford, Mr. Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian Oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, caused substantial funds to be deposited into the bank account from which Mr. Cohen made the payment, the document states. The seven-page document, prepared by the law firm of Clifford's attorney, Michael Avenatti, outlines what it says are $4.4 million in payments to the corporate entity set up by Cohen shortly before the 2016 elections. The payments come from both obscure companies and well-known brands, foreign and domestic, including AT&T and Columbus Nova, several of which have extensive business before the U.S. government. The alleged payments continued until earlier this year. Last month, federal agents searched Cohens home and office for a range of documents and computer files, including those related to his transactions with Clifford. Cohen has not been charged with any crime, and both he and his attorney have maintained that he has done nothing improper. Mr. Cohens attorney, Stephen Ryan, has not responded to calls from ABC News. Avenatti released the so-called executive summary of what he says are financial transactions by Essential Consultants LLC, the entity that paid Clifford $130,000 for her silence late in the 2016 campaign. He does not indicate how he obtained or verified the information. Mr. Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the President and holding himself out at times as employed by the Trump Organization, the document says. This was occurring at the same time significant questions were being raised relating to (a) the involvement of Russia and Vladimir Putin in the 2016 Presidential Election and (b) the relationship between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump. When asked by ABC News, Avenatti declined to say how he obtained the records. But he said it came through an exhaustive process over a significant period of time. We are highly confident this is 100 percent accurate, Avenatti said. AT&T told ABC News in a statement, Essential Consultants was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration. They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017. The payments tied to Vekselberg came from an American firm called Columbus Nova, which has financial ties to Renova, a global conglomerate run by Vekselberg. Columbus Nova said in a statement late Tuesday that the firms work with Cohen was not improper. "Columbus Nova is a management company solely owned and controlled by Americans. After the inauguration, the firm hired Michael Cohen as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures, Columbus Nova's attorney Richard Owens said in the statement. Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false. The claim that Viktor Vekselberg was involved or provided any funding for Columbus Nova's engagement of Michael Cohen is patently untrue. Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else other than Columbus Nova's owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement." Vekselberg, considered one of the richest men in Russia, is reported to hold frequent meetings with President Vladimir Putin as part of a business group known as the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. Emails to Vekselbergs Moscow-based company Renova were not returned. Vekselberg had crossed paths with officials in Trumps inner circle prior to the real estate moguls run for president. The New York Times reported that he attended the same dinner that brought one-time Trump adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, together with Vladimir Putin in 2015. After Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross took a controlling interest in the Bank of Cyprus, for instance, a company controlled by Vekselberg became the biggest single Bank of Cyprus shareholder. During Ross confirmation hearings, a group of six Democratic senators raised questions about the nominees ties to Vekselberg. They noted that Vekselberg had served on the board of the Russian oil company Rosneft, which was placed under sanctions in 2014 after Russias armed incursion into Crimea. Vekselberg also oversaw fundraising for the Moscow Jewish Museum, including hosting a 2014 gala in Russia attended by Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner. The White House declined to comment. Emails to Vekselbergs company in Russia seeking comment were not returned. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Paid $4.4 million to fully satisfy $18.5 million of future obligations Prepaid $2 million of term loan from cash flow Total term loan principal amount outstanding of $53.2 million Company expects to report first quarter results on May 14, 2018 IRVINE, Calif., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Propel Media, Inc. (OTCPink:PROM), a performance focused digital media and advertising company, today announced that the Company paid approximately $4.4 million in cash to fully satisfy future obligations of $18.5 million. Pursuant to the Companys financing agreement for its term loan, the Company was obligated to make an additional payment to the lenders of $12.5 million in January 2019. The Company has renegotiated this fee down to $3.0 million and immediately paid it, thereby fully satisfying the obligation for the deferred fee. Also, on May 9, 2018, the Company made a voluntary principal prepayment of the term loan in the amount of $2 million, which reduced the total term loan principal amount outstanding to $53.2 million. Similarly, in connection with the 2015 merger between the Company and Future Ads LLC, the Company had an obligation to pay the former members of Future Ads a total of $6 million immediately after paying the above mentioned $12.5 million fee to the Companys lenders. On May 9, 2018, the Company reached an agreement with the former Future Ads members to reduce such deferred payment obligation to $1.44 million from $6 million. On the same date, the Company paid the $1.44 million amount to the former Future Ads members in full satisfaction of the deferred payment obligation. I am delighted to announce the early payoff of $4.4 million to fully satisfy what had been $18.5 million of future obligations. These transactions, along with the additional voluntary principal reduction of the term loan, have significantly strengthened the Companys overall financial position, said Marv Tseu, Chief Executive Officer of Propel Media. Further details concerning these transactions can be found in the Companys Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2018. About Propel Media Propel Media connects digital marketers with unique audiences through intent-based technology that delivers superior performance with measurable results. We Do Digital Differently with a distinctive approach to digital powered by proprietary contextualization technology and a unique supply of ad inventory. Headquartered in Irvine, California, Propel Media is distinguished by its ability to deliver consistent results and its commitment to providing the highest level of client services to its partners. For more information visit: www.propelmedia.com Forward-Looking Statements: This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those statements regarding Propel Medias capital structure, ability to execute its operating plan, anticipated financial flexibility and future financial performance and any other statements that are not statements of historical fact. These statements may be identified, without limitation, by the use of forward-looking terminology such as anticipates, expects, will or comparable terms or the negative thereof. Such statements are based on managements current estimates, assumptions that management believes to be reasonable, and currently available competitive, financial, and economic data as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of events, factors and conditions, many of which are beyond the control of Propel Media and not all of which are known to Propel Media, including, without limitation those risk factors described from time to time in Propel Medias reports filed with the SEC. Among the factors that could cause Propel Medias actual results to differ materially are: loss of key advertising customers; inability to acquire new advertising customers; limitations on its ability to acquire new users profitably or at all; inability to protect its intellectual property; inability to comply with the covenants in its credit facility; inability to obtain necessary financing or enter into equity arrangements with existing or new institutional shareholders; inability to execute its acquisition strategy; inability to effectively manage its growth; failure to effectively integrate the operations of acquired businesses; competition; loss of key personnel; increases in costs of operations; continued compliance with government regulations; and general economic conditions. Further, investors should keep in mind that Propel Medias financial results in any particular period may not be indicative of future results. Propel Media is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise, except as required by law. Press Contact: David Shapiro Propel Media press@propelmedia.com English French MONTREAL, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Goldstar Minerals Inc. (TSX-V:GDM) (the Company) announces the closing of its previously announced rights offering (the Offering). Under the Offering, the Company will be issuing 14,006,548 common shares at $0.05 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $700,327.40. Of the 14,006,548 common shares distributed, 10,658,334 were distributed to persons who were insiders of the Company before the distribution under the Offering. There were 11,947,047 common shares distributed pursuant to the basic subscription privilege, of which 9,658,333 shares were distributed to persons who were insiders of the Company before the distribution, and 2,288,714 shares were distributed to the remaining subscribers under the basic subscription privilege. There were 1,800,001 common shares distributed pursuant to the additional subscription privilege, of which 1,000,001 shares were distributed to persons who were insiders of the Company before the distribution, and 800,000 shares were distributed to the remaining subscribers under the additional subscription privilege. There was no stand-by commitment for the Offering nor did the Company retain any person to organize or participate in the solicitation of the exercise of rights under the Offering. However, the Company will pay to members of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) through whom common shares were subscribed under the Offering a fee of 5% per common share subscribed, other than in respect of subscriptions by insiders of the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to finance its second phase diamond drill program at its Lake George Property located in New Brunswick and to replenish its working capital. Shares for Debt Settlement The Company also reports that concurrently with the closing of the Offering, it will be issuing 8,100,000 common shares at a price of $0.05 per share to David Crevier, a director and significant shareholder of the Company, and a holding company controlled by M. Crevier (the Lenders) in settlement of the outstanding loans totaling $405,000 owing by the Company to the Lenders. The shares for debt settlement was approved by the TSX Venture Exchange. Following completion of the Offering and the shares for debt settlement, there are presently 93,279,313 common shares of the Company issued and outstanding. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements. For further information, please contact: Benoit Moreau President and Chief Executive Officer Telephone: 514 591-8058 bmoreau@goldstarminerals.com How many of you have not seen some Hollywood film in which the Normandy landings are the great turning point of the war? What if the landings had failed, one often hears? Oh, nothing much, is the appropriate reply. The war would have gone on longer, and the Red Army would have planted its flags on the Normandy beaches coming from the east. Every May 9th the Russian Federation celebrates its most important national holiday, Victory Day, den pobedy. On that day in 1945 Marshal Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, which had stormed Berlin, received the German unconditional surrender. The Great Patriotic War had gone on for 1418 days of unimaginable violence, brutality and destruction. From Stalingrad and the northern Caucasus and from the northwestern outskirts of Moscow to the western frontiers of the Soviet Union to Sevastopol in the south and Leningrad and the borders with Finland, in the north, the country had been laid waste. An estimated 17 million civilians, men, women and children, had perished, although no one will ever know the exact figure. Villages and towns were destroyed; families were wiped out without anyone to remember them or mourn their deaths. Ten million or more Soviet soldiers died in the struggle to expel the monstrous Nazi invader and finally to occupy Berlin at the end of April 1945. Red Army dead were left unburied in a thousand places along the routes to the west or in unmarked mass graves, there having been no time for proper identification and burial. Most Soviet citizens lost family members during the war. No one was left unaffected. The Great Patriotic War began at 3:30am on 22 June 1941, when the Nazi Wehrmacht invaded the Soviet Union along a front stretching from the Baltic to the Black Seas with 3.2 million German soldiers, organised in 150 divisions, supported by 3,350 tanks, 7,184 artillery pieces, 600,000 trucks, 2,000 warplanes. Finnish, Italian, Romanian, Hungarian, Spanish, Slovakian forces, amongst others, eventually joined the attack. The German high command reckoned that Operation Barbarossa would take only 4 to 6 weeks to finish off the Soviet Union. In the west, US and British military intelligence agreed. Besides, what force had ever beaten the Wehrmacht? Nazi Germany was the invincible colossus. Poland had been crushed in a few days. The Anglo-French attempt to defend Norway was a fiasco. When the Wehrmacht attacked in the west, Belgium hurried to quit the fight. France collapsed in a few weeks. The British army was driven out of Dunkirk, naked, without guns or Lorries. In the spring of 1941, Yugoslavia and Greece disappeared in a matter of weeks at little cost to German invaders. Wherever the Wehrmacht advanced in Europe, it was a walkover until that day German soldiers stepped across Soviet frontiers. The Red Army was caught flatfooted, in halfway measures of mobilisation, because Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin did not believe his own intelligence reports warning of danger, or want to provoke Hitlerite Germany. The result was a catastrophe. But unlike Poland and unlike France, the USSR did not quit the fight after the expected 4 to 6 weeks. The Red Armys losses were unimaginable, two million soldiers lost in the first three and a half months of the war. The Baltic provinces were lost. Smolensk fell and then Kiev, in the worst defeat of the war. Leningrad was encircled. An old man asked some soldiers, Where are you retreating from? There were calamities everywhere too numerous to mention. But at places like the fortress of Brest and in hundreds of unnamed fields and woods, road junctions and villages and towns, Red Army units fought on often to the last soldier. They fought out of encirclements to rejoin their own lines or to disappear into the forests and swamps of Belorussia and the northwestern Ukraine to organise the first partisan units to attack the German rear. By the end of 1941, three million Soviet soldiers were lost (the largest number being POWs who died at German hands); 177 divisions were struck from the Soviet order of battle. Still, the Red Army fought on, even forcing back the Germans at Yelnya, east southeast of Smolensk, at the end of August. The Wehrmacht felt the bite of the battered but not beaten Red Army. German forces were taking 7,000 casualties a day, a new experience for them. As the Wehrmacht advanced, Einsatzgruppen, SS death squads, followed, killing Jews, Gypsies, communists, Soviet POWs, or anyone who got in their way. Baltic and Ukrainian Nazi collaborators assisted in the mass murders. Soviet women and children were stripped naked and forced to queue, waiting for execution. When winter came freezing German soldiers shot villagers or forced them out of their homes, dressed in rags like beggars, robbing them of hearth, winter clothing and food. In the west those who predicted a speedy Soviet collapse, the usual western Sovietophobes, looked stupid and had to eat their forecasts. Public opinion understood that Hitlerite Germany had walked into a quagmire, not another campaign in France. While the British everyman cheered on Soviet resistance, the British government did relatively little to help. Some Cabinet ministers were even reluctant to call the Soviet Union an ally. Churchill refused to let BBC play the Soviet national anthem, the Internationale, on Sunday evenings along with those of other allies. The Red Army still retreated, but kept fighting desperately. This was no ordinary war, but a struggle of unparalleled violence against a murderous invader for home, family, country, for life itself. In November the Red Army dropped a pamphlet on German lines, quoting Carl von Clausewitz, the Prussian military theorist: Its impossible either to hold or conquer Russia That was real bravado in the circumstances, but also true. Finally, in front of Moscow, in December 1941, the Red Army, under Zhukovs command, threw back the spent forces of the Wehrmacht, in the south by as much as three hundred kilometres. The image of Nazi invincibility was shattered. Barbarossa was too ambitious, the blitzkrieg had failed, and the Wehrmacht suffered its first strategic defeat. In London Churchill agreed, grudgingly, to let BBC play the Soviet national anthem. In 1942 the Red Army continued to suffer defeats and heavy losses, as it fought on nearly alone. In November of that year at Stalingrad on the Volga, however, the Red Army launched a counteroffensive, which led to a remarkable victory and the retreat of the Wehrmacht back to its start lines in the spring of 1942 except for the German Sixth Army, caught in the Stalingrad kotel or cauldron. There, 22 German divisions, some of Hitlers best, were destroyed. Stalingrad was the Verdun of the Second World War. Its hell, a soldier said. No this is ten times worse than hell, someone else corrected. At the end of the winter fighting in 1943, Axis losses were staggering: 100 German, Italian, Romanian, Hungarian divisions were destroyed, or mauled. The president of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt, reckoned that the tide of battle had turned: Hitlerite Germany was doomed. It was February 1943. In that month there was not a single British, American, or Canadian division fighting in Europe against the Wehrmacht. Not one. It was sixteen months before the Normandy landings. The British and Americans were then fighting two or three German divisions in North Africa, a sideshow compared to the Soviet front. Western public opinion knew who was carrying the burden of the war against the Wehrmacht. In 1942, 80% of Axis divisions were arrayed against the Red Army. At the beginning of 1943 there were 207 German divisions on the Eastern Front. The Germans tried one last hurrah, one last offensive against the Kursk bulge in July 1943. That operation failed. The Red Army then launched a counteroffensive across the Ukraine which led to liberation of Kiev in November. Further north, Smolensk had been freed the month before. The spirit of the Soviet people and their Red Army was formidable. War correspondant Vasilii Semenovich Grossman captured its essence in his personal journals. Night, Snowstorm, he wrote in early 1942, Vehicles, Artillery. They are moving in silence. Suddenly a hoarse voice is heard. Hey, which is the road to Berlin? A roar of laughter. Soldiers were not always brave. Sometimes they fled. A battalion commissar armed with two revolvers began shouting, Where are you running you sons of whores, where? Go forward, for our Motherland, for Jesus Christ, motherfuckers! For Stalin, you whores! They went back to their positions. Those fellows were lucky; the commissar could have shot them all. Sometimes he did. A soldier volunteered to execute a deserter. Did you feel any pity for him? Grossman asked. How can one speak of pity, the soldier replied. At Stalingrad seven Uzbeks were found guilty of self-inflicted wounds. They were all shot. Grossman read a letter found in the pocket of a dead Soviet soldier. I miss you very much. Please come and visit I am writing this, and tears are pouring. Daddy, please come home and visit. Women fought along side the men as snipers, gunners, tankists, pilots, nurses partisans. They also kept the home front going. Villages have become the kingdom of women, wrote Grossman, They drive tractors, guard warehouses and stables Women are carrying on their shoulders the great burden of work. They dominate send bread, aircraft, weapons and ammunition to the front. When the war was being fought on the Volga, they did not reproach their men for having given up so much ground. Women look and say nothing, wrote Grossman, not a bitter word. But in the villages near the front, sometimes they did. In the meantime, the western allies attacked Italy. Stalin had long demanded a second front in France, which Churchill resisted. He wanted to attack the Axis soft underbelly, not to help the Red Army, but to hinder its advance into the Balkans. The idea was to advance quickly north up the Italian boot, then wheel eastward into the Balkans to keep out the Red Army. The way to Berlin however was north northeast. Churchills plan was a failure; the western allies did not get to Rome until June 1944. There were approximately 20 German divisions in Italy fighting against larger allied forces. In the East, there were still more than two hundred Axis divisions, or ten times those in Italy. On 6 June 1944 when Operation Overlord began in Normandy, the Red Army stood on Polish and Romanian frontiers. A fortnight after the Normandy landings, the Red Army launched Operation Bagration, a huge offensive which stove in the centre of the German eastern front and led to an advance of 500 kilometres to the west, while the western allies were still held up on the Normandy Cotentin peninsula. The Red Army had become an unstoppable juggernaut. It was just a matter of time before the destruction of Nazi Germany. When the war was over in May 1945, the Red Army had accounted for 80% of the losses of the Wehrmacht, and that percentage would have been far higher before the Normandy invasion. Those who never experienced all the bitterness of the summer of 1941, wrote Vasily Grossman, will never be able fully to appreciate the joy of our victory. There were many war hymns sung by the troops and the people to keep up morale. Sviashchennaia voina, Sacred War was one of the most popular. Russians still stand when they hear it. Historians often debate about when the decisive turn of battle came in the European theatre. Some propose 22 June 1941, the day that the Wehrmacht crossed Soviet frontiers. Others point to the battles of Moscow, Stalingrad, or Kursk. During the war western public opinion seemed more supportive of the Red Army than some western leaders, Winston Churchill, for example. Roosevelt was better, a more pragmatic political leader, who easily recognised the preponderant Soviet role in the war against Nazi Germany. The Red Army, he said to one doubtful general in 1942, was killing more German soldiers and smashing more German tanks than all the other allies put together. Roosevelt knew that the Soviet Union was the linchpin of the great coalition against Nazi Germany. I call FDR the godfather of the grand alliance. Nevertheless, in the shadows lurked the usual haters of the Soviet Union, who were only biding their time before emerging again. The greater the certainty of victory over Nazi Germany, the more vocal and strident became the naysayers of the grand alliance. Americans can be touchy about the memory of the Red Army playing the lead role in the destruction of the Wehrmacht. What about Lend-Lease, they say, without our supplies, the Soviet Union could not have beaten the Germans. In fact, most Lend-Lease supplies did not arrive in the USSR until after Stalingrad. Red Army soldiers facetiously called the Lend-Lease food tins the second front since the real one was late in coming. In 1942 Soviet industry was already out-producing Nazi Germany in major categories of armaments. Was the T-34 an American, or a Soviet tank? A polite Stalin always remembered to thank the US government for the jeeps and Studebaker trucks. They increased Red Army mobility. You contributed the aluminum, Russians famously replied, we contributed the blood the rivers of blood. No sooner was the war over than Britain and the United States started to think about another war, this time against the Soviet Union. In May 1945 the British high command produced Operation Unthinkable, a top secret plan for an offensive, reinforced by German POWs, against the Red Army. What bastards, what ingrates. In September 1945, the Americans contemplated use of 204 atomic bombs to destroy the Soviet Union. The godfather, President Roosevelt, had died in April, and within weeks American Sovietophobes were reversing his policy. The grand alliance was only a truce in a Cold War which had begun after the Bolshevik seizure of power in November 1917, and which resumed in 1945. In that year the US and British governments still had to contend with public opinion. The everyman in Europe and the United States knew very well who had carried the load against the Wehrmacht. You could not resume the old policy of hatred against the Soviet Union just like that without blotting out the memory of the Red Armys role in thecommon victory over Hitlerite Germany. So memories of the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression in August 1939 were brought out of the closet, although the memories of prior Anglo-French opposition to Soviet proposals for collective security against Nazi Germany and especially of the betrayal of Czechoslovakia were omitted from the new western narrative. Like thieves in the night, Britain and the United States burgled the true account of the destruction of Nazi Germany. Already in December 1939, the British planned to publish a white paper blaming Moscow for the failure of Anglo-Franco-Soviet alliance negotiations during the previous spring and summer. The French objected because the white paper was more likely to persuade public opinion that the Soviet side had been serious about resistance to Nazi Germany while the British and French were not. The white paper was shelved. In 1948 the US State Department issued a collection of documents attributing the blame for World War II to Hitler and Stalin. Moscow fired back with its own publication demonstrating western affinities with Nazism. The fight was on in the west to remember the Soviet Union for the non-aggression pact and to forget the Red Armys preponderant role in smashing the Wehrmacht. How many of you have not seen some Hollywood film in which the Normandy landings are the great turning point of the war? What if the landings had failed, one often hears? Oh, nothing much, is the appropriate reply. The war would have gone on longer, and the Red Army would have planted its flags on the Normandy beaches coming from the east. Then there are the movies about the Allied bombing campaign against Germany, the decisive factor in winning the war. In Hollywood films about World War II, the Red Army is invisible. It is as if the Americans (and British) were claiming laurels they didnt earn. I like to ask students in my university course on the Second World War, who has heard of operation Overlord? Everyone raises a hand. Then I ask who has heard of Operation Bagration? Hardly anyone raises a hand. I ask facetiously who won the war against Nazi Germany and the answer is America of course. Only a few studentsnormally those who have had other courses with mewill answer the Soviet Union. The truth is uphill work in a western world where fake news is the norm. The OSCE and European Parliament put the blame for World War II on the Soviet Union, read Russia and President Vladimir Putin, as the subliminal message. Hitler is almost forgotten in this tohu-bohu of evidence-free accusations. Behind the bogus historical narrative are the Baltic states, Poland, and the Ukraine, spewing out hatred of Russia. The Baltics and the Ukraine now remember Nazi collaborators as national heroes and celebrate their deeds. In Poland, for some people, this is hard to swallow; they remember the Ukrainian Nazi collaborators who murdered tens of thousands of Poles in Volhynia. Unfortunately, such memories have not stopped Polish hooligans from vandalising monuments to Red Army war dead or desecrating Soviet war cemeteries. Polish nationalists cannot bear the memory of the Red Army freeing Poland from the Nazi invader. In Russia, however, the wests mendacious propaganda has no effect. The Soviet Union produced its own films, and the Russian Federation also, about World War II, most recently about the defence of the Brest fortress and of Sevastopol, and the battle of Stalingrad. On 9 May every year Russians remember the millions of soldiers who fought and died, and the millions of civilians who suffered and died at the hands of the Nazi invader. The veterans, fewer each year, come out wearing uniforms that often do not fit quite right or threadbare jackets covered with war medals and orders. Treat them with tact and respect, Zhukov wrote in his memoirs: It is a small price after what they did for you in 1941-1945. How did you manage, I wondered to myself observing them on Victory Day some years go, how did you cope, living constantly with death and so much sorrow and hardship? Now, each year on Victory Day the immortal regiment, the bessmertnyi polk, marches; Russians in cities and towns across the country and abroad, march together carrying large photographs of family members, men and women, who fought in the war. We remember, they want to say: and we will never forget you. MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OF STAFF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE THE UNITED STATES PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS THE COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR ECONOMIC POLICY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF THE DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SUBJECT: Ceasing United States Participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and Taking Additional Action to Counter Irans Malign Influence and Deny Iran All Paths to a Nuclear Weapon As President, my highest priority is to ensure the safety and security of the United States and the American people. Since its inception in 1979 as a revolutionary theocracy, the Islamic Republic of Iran has declared its hostility to the United States and its allies and partners. Iran remains the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism, and provides assistance to Hezbollah, Hamas, the Taliban, al-Qaida, and other terrorist networks. Iran also continues to fuel sectarian violence in Iraq, and support vicious civil wars in Yemen and Syria. It commits grievous human rights abuses, and arbitrarily detains foreigners, including United States citizens, on spurious charges without due process of law. There is no doubt that Iran previously attempted to bolster its revolutionary aims through the pursuit of nuclear weapons and that Irans uranium enrichment program continues to give it the capability to reconstitute its weapons-grade uranium program if it so chooses. As President, I have approved an integrated strategy for Iran that includes the strategic objective of denying Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon. The preceding administration attempted to meet the threat of Irans pursuit of nuclear capabilities through United States participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Irans nuclear program. The JCPOA lifted nuclear-related sanctions on Iran and provided it with other significant benefits in exchange for its temporary commitments to constrain its uranium enrichment program and to not conduct work related to nuclear fuel reprocessing, the two critical pathways to acquiring weapons-grade nuclear material. Some believed the JCPOA would moderate Irans behavior. Since the JCPOAs inception, however, Iran has only escalated its destabilizing activities in the surrounding region. Iranian or Iran-backed forces have gone on the march in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, and continue to control parts of Lebanon and Gaza. Meanwhile, Iran has publicly declared it would deny the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to military sites in direct conflict with the Additional Protocol to its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA. In 2016, Iran also twice violated the JCPOAs heavy water stockpile limits. This behavior is unacceptable, especially for a regime known to have pursued nuclear weapons in violation of its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Irans behavior threatens the national interest of the United States. On October 13, 2017, consistent with certification procedures stipulated in the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, I determined that I was unable to certify that the suspension of sanctions related to Iran pursuant to the JCPOA was appropriate and proportionate to the specific and verifiable measures taken by Iran with respect to terminating its illicit nuclear program. On January 12, 2018, I outlined two possible paths forward the JCPOAs disastrous flaws would be fixed by May 12, 2018, or, failing that, the United States would cease participation in the agreement. I made clear that this was a last chance, and that absent an understanding to fix the JCPOA, the United States would not continue to implement it. That understanding has not materialized, and I am today making good on my pledge to end the participation of the United States in the JCPOA. I do not believe that continuing to provide JCPOA-related sanctions relief to Iran is in the national interest of the United States, and I will not affirm what I know to be false. Further, I have determined that it is in the national interest of the United States to re-impose sanctions lifted or waived in connection with the JCPOA as expeditiously as possible. Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the United States that Iran be denied a nuclear weapon and intercontinental ballistic missiles; that Irans network and campaign of regional aggression be neutralized; to disrupt, degrade, or deny the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and its surrogates access to the resources that sustain their destabilizing activities; and to counter Irans aggressive development of missiles and other asymmetric and conventional weapons capabilities. The United States will continue to pursue these aims and the objectives contained in the Iran strategy that I announced on October 13, 2017, adjusting the ways and means to achieve them as required. Sec. 2. Ending United States Participation in the JCPOA. The Secretary of State shall, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Energy, take all appropriate steps to cease the participation of the United States in the JCPOA. Sec. 3. Restoring United States Sanctions. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury shall immediately begin taking steps to re-impose all United States sanctions lifted or waived in connection with the JCPOA, including those under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012, and the Iran Freedom and Counter-proliferation Act of 2012. These steps shall be accomplished as expeditiously as possible, and in no case later than 180 days from the date of this memorandum. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury shall coordinate, as appropriate, on steps needed to achieve this aim. They shall, for example, coordinate with respect to preparing any recommended executive actions, including appropriate documents to re-impose sanctions lifted by Executive Order 13716 of January 16, 2016; preparing to re-list persons removed, in connection with the JCPOA, from any relevant sanctions lists, as appropriate; revising relevant sanctions regulations; issuing limited waivers during the wind-down period, as appropriate; and preparing guidance necessary to educate United States and non-United States business communities on the scope of prohibited and sanctionable activity and the need to unwind any such dealings with Iranian persons. Those steps should be accomplished in a manner that, to the extent reasonably practicable, shifts the financial burden of unwinding any transaction or course of dealing primarily onto Iran or the Iranian counterparty. Sec. 4. Preparing for Regional Contingencies. The Secretary of Defense and heads of any other relevant agencies shall prepare to meet, swiftly and decisively, all possible modes of Iranian aggression against the United States, our allies, and our partners. The Department of Defense shall ensure that the United States develops and retains the means to stop Iran from developing or acquiring a nuclear weapon and related delivery systems. Sec. 5. Monitoring Irans Nuclear Conduct and Consultation with Allies and Partners. Agencies shall take appropriate steps to enable the United States to continue to monitor Irans nuclear conduct. I am open to consultations with allies and partners on future international agreements to counter the full range of Irans threats, including the nuclear weapon and intercontinental ballistic missile threats, and the heads of agencies shall advise me, as appropriate, regarding opportunities for such consultations. Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. Speaking in a televised address to the people on the JCPOA, President Hassan Rouhani said: As verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has lived up to all its commitments and tonight, it was revealed who the unfaithful is. He continued: Today, we saw what we were reiterating from 40 years ago, and that is Iran is a country that lives up to its commitments and the United States is a country that has never done so. In the past 40 years or even before that, history tells that Americans have had a hostile approach towards the great Iranian nation and the nations of the region; from the coup in Iran against the legal government of Dr Mosadeq to their interference in the affairs of the past regime, supporting Saddam and attacking Irans passenger plane and killing innocent people and what they have done against the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and the Middle East and North Africa and against other peoples of the world. He also referred to the US withdrawal from the JCPOA and continued: In fact, this was a confirmation of what they have been doing in the past months in another way. Dr Rouhani added: The Iranian nation and government, as verified by the IAEA, have lived up to their commitments. Today, we are seeing which country does not respect international obligations. The JCPOA was a multilateral and international agreement verified by the Security Council of the United Nations by Resolution 2231. Therefore, the United States officially announced that it pays no attention to international obligations, he continued. Referring to Trumps decision to withdraw the United States from Paris Agreement, he said: He has withdrawn from other agreements as well, therefore this kind of action has a history. People just saw that the only regime that supported Trumps stances was the illegitimate Zionist Regime; the regime that killed our nuclear scientists, the regime that has no day in its history without crimes and oppression against the peoples of the region, especially the great Palestinian nation, added Rouhani. From this moment, the JCPOA is between Iran and five countries. From this moment, P5+1 has lost the 1 and in such a situation, we must wait to see what these major countries of the world will do for the JCPOA, he said. He also stated: I have instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs to meet and coordinate with the European countries and the two other great countries, Russia and China, in a few weeks from now. If we reached the conclusion at the end of this short time that we can achieve what the Iranian nation wanted from the JCPOA, it will stand despite what the US and the Zionist Regime want and their efforts and Trumps impolite words tonight, and we can take our own steps for peace and security of the region and the world, he added. Dr Rouhani continued: If we see that our interests are not met, I will soon speak to the Iranian nation and tell them the decisions made in this regard. The people of Iran must not have any concerns for the countrys future, said the President adding: From weeks and months ago, we had come to the conclusion that Trump will not be loyal to international commitments, including the JCPOA, an we have taken economic decisions on this basis. We now have JCPOA without the US and people will witness that economic growth and market stability will continue to stand, he said. On the provision of the currency needs of the country, he said: In basic goods, people must not have any concerns at all. Stressing that the Iranian nation will be more united and determined than the past, he said: What Trump did was a psychological war and economic pressure and we will not let him to be successful in it. History will show that as our nation has been successful in dealing with all conspiracies, it will be victorious in this issue as well, President Rouhani continued. I have instructed the Atomic Energy Organisation to be ready for the next steps if necessary and start industrial enrichment without any limitation and we will wait a few weeks until we implement it, consulting with our friends and allies, as well as the other members to the JCPOA who have signed it and will be loyal to it, continued Rouhani. He also said: If the interests of our nation are met in the JCPOA, we will continue this trend but if it serves as only a paper without securing Iranian nations interests, then we will have a clear path ahead of us. President of the Islamic Republic of Iran added: I assure the Iranian nation that the government has plans for all contingencies from months ago and we will not face any serious problems at all. Stating that people will not have any problems in their daily lives in the coming weeks, months and years, he said: Tonight, on the one hand I am sorry that the great American people have been plagued by rulers who have undermined their dignity, and on the other hand, I am happy that an annoying creature has withdrawn from the JCPOA. Without a doubt, we will successfully continue our path and I will speak to our great, dear people soon in a detailed interview, the President continued. GCC Assesses Threat Level for Gibraltar as Remaining Substantial As co-chairs of The Gibraltar Contingency Council (GCC), His Excellency the Governor and the Minister for Health, Care and Justice (deputising for the Chief Minister) met this afternoon, 9th May, to review security and civil contingency matters. As a result, the threat level for Gibraltar remains Substantial- an attack remains a strong possibility; but there is, however, no specific intelligence to suggest an increase in the threat to Gibraltar or any forthcoming on-Rock event. The GCC will continue to closely monitor threat intelligence as it relates to Gibraltar, and Gibraltars Law Enforcement Agencies will continue to take the necessary measures to keep the Public safe by modifying their operational posture in light of forthcoming high-profile Public events. As ever, the Public is asked to remain vigilant and to report any security and law enforcements concerns to the Royal Gibraltar Police. Harvey Weinstein. Photo: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/ Getty Images for El On Tuesday, federal bankruptcy judge Mary Walrath ruled that Harvey Weinstein must be given access to his Weinstein Company personnel files and emails related to his sexual misconduct accusers, reports Deadline. Weinsteins legal team argued in court that if the disgraced movie mogul was able to use the documents to exonerate himself from any of the sexual assault and harassment allegations it would potentially save his former company from potential liabilities. TWC asked the court to dismiss the motion, claiming that it would cost $750,000 to go through the near 800,000 documents and make the redactions necessary to protect privileged information. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Weinstein then offered to limit the emails to certain search terms and reimburse any related costs. The court also agreed to Lantern Capitals bid to buy TWCs assetts. Weinstein is currently under multiple investigations for sexual assault in Los Angeles, New York, and London. He has denied all accusations of nonconsensual sex. A scene from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Photo: John P Fleenor/FOX./Fox Broadcasting Co. Ask any fan to explain the comedic delights of Foxs Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and theyd all tell you that one of the fundamental tenets of the NYPDs silliest precinct has always been its use of cold opens. In nearly every episode throughout its five-season run, a cold open, often totally unrelated to the narrative to come, immediately turns on the laughing gas for viewers, whether through a detective making a group of criminals sing the Backstreet Boys or anything related to national treasure Captain Raymond Holt. Ahead of the shows season and potentially series finale on May 20, we asked the cast to reflect on their favorite cold opens. The answers are, as expected, varied and very funny in their own right. Andy Samberg (Jake Peralta) Its really hard to choose one, but one of my favorites is when Charles watched Bullets Over Broadway over the weekend. Its so dumb and so simple and Joe Lo Truglio is so funny in it. The slow burn of how it played made me laugh every time we shot it, and seeing it cut together with the cameras popping in more and more as Jake is bummed and Boyle is psyched, it just makes me giggle. Also I will always love how much Boyle loves Dianne Wiest. As should we all. Terry Crews (Terence Terry Jeffords) Jake has just returned from his undercover operation in Florida and has frosted tips on his hair and we all hate it, so we stage an intervention at Shaws bar so we can cut them off. Charles enters the bar and his tips are also frosted, as he announces he and Jake are Tip Buds. They scream, Nooooooo! together when they realize once Jake gets his tips cut, theyll be Tip Buds no longer. Then Jake sees how bad it really is on Charles and is suddenly okay with getting rid of them. Charless undying and disturbing affection for Jake is one of the funniest running gags Ive ever seen. This cold open never ceases to make me laugh, no matter how many times I see it. Melissa Fumero (Amy Santiago) This made laugh so hard when we first read it at the table read. And then Joe was so hilarious when we shot it. He just totally nailed it. I love watching it because Andy laughed for real but stayed in character while we were shooting it and they kept it in. We all broke a few times during that one. Joe Lo Truglio (Charles Boyle) My favorite one is Jake and Boyles Dianne Wiest cold open. Boyle says he was sick all weekend after watching Bullets Over Broadway. The show is so wickedly fast in its pace and jokes, and I love that tone. Consequently, when there are scenes that breathe, that let the silence of the reactions build the punchline its very, very satisfying. Stephanie Beatriz (Rosa Diaz) Forever in love with the one where Amy is late and we are all guessing why, because when Andre Braugher as Captain Holt guesses correctly and then yells, Hot damn! at the top of his lungs. That was so unexpected and out of the blue that I erupted laughing. You can see it in footage they used. The cut is quick but I am very clearly about to break. Dan Goor (Co-creator and executive producer) This is incredibly difficult. Jake is excited because he busted a drug dealer and, because it wasnt going to be used as evidence, he was able to take the dealers tarantula home as his new pet. Everyone makes fun of Jake for wanting to take home such a gross, creepy animal, except for Terry, who is just so freaked out about spiders, he up and leaves. Then Jake realizes the tarantula has escaped. Everyone scrambles to find it, and they do perched on Terrys bald head. The last shot is Terry in the elevator with a real, live, actual, tarantula crawling on his head. All the jokes about the tarantula and the name Jake wants to give it Mrs. Doubtspider, Spidey Klum, etc. crack me up, but that last shot is one of the funniest things weve ever done. Again, it was a real tarantula! Mike Schur (Co-creator and executive producer) Dianne Wiest. Its just a great comedy idea, perfectly executed by the writers, actors, and editors. Its also the kind of idea you can only do several seasons in, when the audience knows the characters so well. Jay-Z. Photo: Robert Kamau/GC Images Turns out, even Jay-Z cant get out of court obligations. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Manhattan ordered Jay-Z to testify next week as part of a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into Iconix, the company he sold his former clothing brand Rocawear to in 2007. According to the court, the SEC has been subpoenaing Jay for months, but his lawyers have cited the moguls busy touring schedule as cause for not being able to testify and have stated that his testimony was not relevant enough to the case to disrupt his work. (Preparation for his On the Run Tour with Beyonce was the most recent excuse.) After requests to have the testimony limited to a day, a judge ordered that Jay must comply. The testimony has been delayed for five months, and I do not intend to tolerate any further delay, Judge Paul G. Gardephe told the court. The SEC is investigating whether Iconix, which paid Jay-Z $200 million for Rocawear, violated federal securities laws in the reporting of its financial assets; Iconix reported that Jay-Z was still involved in Rocawears business dealings after the sale. The SEC has said it wants to question Jay-Z about Rocawears value, his involvement post-sale, and multiple emails, meetings and phone calls related to Iconix. Jay-Z, who is also currently suing the Weinstein Company for unpaid royalties, is set to testify before the SEC on May 15 and his testimony is expected to last at least a full day. Jordan Peele. Photo: VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images Back in February, Jordan Peele told The Hollywood Reporter that he was writing his next film, and that it would start shooting later this year. Today, Peele announced a title and even debuted a poster on Twitter. It will be called Us, and according to reports from Variety and THR, Lupita Nyongo, Elisabeth Moss, and Winston Duke are all in talks to star. The Oscar-winning writer and director didnt share any plot details, but this is what he said about his first follow-up to Get Out in the conversation with THR. One thing I know is that this is genre; and playing around with the thriller, horror, action, fun genre of intrigue is my favorite, said Peele. Thats my sweet spot. So I think tonally it should resemble Get Out. That said, I want to make a completely different movie. I want to address something different than race in the next one. Peele will also produce the new movie through his MonkeyPaw banner, along with Blumhouses Jason Blum. Us will be another product of the directors deal with Universal, and the studio has already set a release date of March 15, 2019. Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc. will hold a conference call to discuss its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2018, tomorrow, May 10th at 9:00am Pacific Time (12:00pm Eastern Time). To participate, please dial (877) 407-9205 (toll free) or (201) 689-8054 (international) approximately five minutes before the call and provide the company name. A replay will be available through May 24, 2018 at (877) 481-4010 (toll free) or (919) 882-2331 (international) passcode: 29150. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc. (TSX:TPK) (Ten Peaks or the company) today reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2018. This represents the first quarter of the companys 2018 fiscal year. Ten Peaks is a leading specialty coffee company doing business through two wholly owned subsidiaries: Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company, Inc. (SWDCC) and Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions Inc. (Seaforth), the companys green coffee handling and storage subsidiary. SWDCC is a premium green coffee decaffeinator located in Burnaby, BC, which employs the proprietary SWISS WATER Process to decaffeinate green coffee without the use of chemicals. This is the companys primary business, and the results reported here reflect SWDCCs operating performance. During the first quarter, Ten Peaks recorded strong volume growth and increased revenues compared to Q1 2017, as it continued to gain market share against its competitors. Other financial measures were down, due to higher green coffee costs, higher operating costs incurred to support the companys strategic growth initiatives and a stronger Canadian dollar. Notably, SWDCCs largest geographic market by volume during the period was the United States. By dollar value, 53% of the companys first quarter sales were to the US, 35% were to Canada and the remaining 12% were to international markets. This is the first time in SWDCCs history that sales to the US comprised more than 50% of the companys quarterly revenue, demonstrating the rising demand for decaffeinated coffee in that key market. Performance Highlights In $000s except per share amounts (unaudited) 3 months ended March 31, 2018 3 months ended March 31, 2017 Sales $ 21,215 $ 19,223 Gross Profit 2,842 3,035 Operating income 555 1,267 Net income 489 1,435 EBITDA1 1,106 1,677 Net income - basic2 $ 0.05 $ 0.16 Net income - diluted2 $ 0.03 $ 0.08 (1) EBITDA is defined in the section on Non-IFRS Financial Measures below and is a Non-GAAP Financial Measure as defined by CSA Staff Notice 52-306. (2) Per-share calculations are based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period. First quarter processing volumes grew by 17% compared to Q1 2017, with shipments to roasters driving the growth. During the period, volumes to roasters (who roast and package coffee for sale to consumers in their own coffee shops, or for home or office use) increased by 27%. Volumes to importers (who act like grocery stores to roasters, by sourcing and importing green coffee from various origins and carrying a selection of different origins and quality levels for roasters to choose from) were flat. The significant growth we are seeing in our shipments to roasters is coming in two ways, said Frank Dennis, President and CEO of Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc. First, we have won some new business from roasters who previously obtained their decaffeinated coffees from a CO 2 plant in Europe that closed last year. Additionally, we have increased our business with existing customers, who are growing in terms of distribution or locations, or may have expanded their product offerings. Volumes to SWDCCs specialty accounts grew by 22% compared to Q1 2017, while volumes to the companys commercial accounts increased by 14%. First quarter sales totaled $21.2 million, an increase of $2.0 million, or 10%, from the same period in 2017. Process revenue (the amount SWDCC charges its customers for decaffeinating green coffee) increased by 12%, reflecting the increase in processing volumes, partially offset by a lower US dollar. In Q1 2018, the US$ averaged $1.26 Canadian, a decrease of 5% compared to the same period last year. Green revenue (the amount SWDCC charges its customers for the green coffee it purchases for decaffeination) increased by 10%, reflecting the higher volumes, partially offset by a lower green coffee futures market (NYC). In Q1 2018, the NYC averaged US$1.21/lb compared to an average of US$1.45/lb during the same period last year. Distribution revenue (the shipping, handling and warehousing charges billed to customers) rose by 14%, due to growth in Seaforths warehousing business and the increased processing volumes during the period. Cost of sales for the first quarter rose by 14% to $18.4 million. This was primarily due to higher green coffee costs, owing to the higher NYC. Cost of sales also rose with the addition of a new warehouse for Seaforth in Q4 2017, to accommodate growth in this business and alleviate significant backlogs in unloading inbound coffee. Additionally, cost of sales increased with higher freight charges and variable production costs, which were associated with the significant growth in SWDCCs volumes. Gross profit decreased by 6% in the first quarter, as the increase in the companys cost of sales exceeded the increase in its revenue. Administration expenses rose by 33% to $1.5 million in the first quarter. The increase largely reflects costs incurred to support the companys strategic growth initiatives for 2018 and into 2019 when new capacity comes on line. This includes higher staffing and staff-related expenses, such as stock-based compensation expenses and recruitment fees for a number of high-level management positions. Sales and marketing expenses grew by 28% to $0.8 million in the first quarter. The increase here is related to the companys expansion in Europe, increased marketing and consumer awareness activities, and related travel costs in support of SWDCCs growth initiatives. First quarter operating income of $0.6 million was down by 56% due primarily to these factors. In October 2016, Ten Peaks entered into a convertible debenture. Under IFRS, this instrument is deemed to contain an embedded option which must be revalued at each balance sheet date. During the first quarter, revaluation of this option resulted in a gain of $0.5 million, compared to a gain of $0.9 million in the same period last year. Net income for the first quarter of this year was $0.5 million, compared to $1.4 million in Q1 2017. The change was due to the decline in quarterly gross profit, the reduced gain on the embedded option, and the higher operating costs. EBITDA for the first quarter declined by 34% to $1.1 million, reflecting increased operating costs and reduced gains on risk management activities in the period. Outlook Overall, management expects to record double-digit volume increases in 2018, with a number of factors supporting an expectation of ongoing growth in SWDCCs (and therefore Ten Peaks) business. The market for decaffeinated coffee continues to expand. The rate of growth in the decaffeinated coffee market has increased year-over-year, and continues to outpace growth in the US coffee market as a whole. Sales of specialty decaffeinated coffees are also increasing year-over-year, and are gaining share in the total coffee market. 1 Management believes this increased demand is due, in part, to the premiumization of the coffee market, as well as growing awareness and consumption of premium decaffeinated coffee. Today, the largest consumers of premium decaffeinated coffees are 18 to 24-year-olds, who want to drink excellent coffee all day long, without worrying about the potential side effects of caffeine. More importantly, various media sources2 have recently underscored the health and environmental hazards associated with methylene chloride (the primary chemical used by SWDCCs competitors to decaffeinate coffee). Management believes this rise in awareness is driving demand for SWISS WATER Process decaffeinated coffees, as more consumers than ever seek to avoid food and drinks that employ artificial ingredients and chemicals in their production. The supply side of the market is undergoing significant shifts as well. As noted previously, an older decaffeination plant in Europe closed in 2017, reducing the number of available chemical free, third-party decaffeinators and contributing to SWDCCs business growth. More recently, it was announced that a similar CO 2 plant in Houston, Texas will be closing this summer. The Houston facility had primarily supplied decaffeinated coffee to more traditional coffee brands, which have been losing share to premium coffees in recent years. The closure will reduce competitive pressure and leaves a further gap in the supply of third-party chemical free decaffeination services. We believe that the recent reduction in available chemical free decaffeination capacity will allow us to more rapidly use the additional capacity we have coming online in 2019, said Dennis. At the same time, to address more immediate growth in demand, we have just completed an important efficiency enhancement project at our current facility to further increase available capacity there. As noted previously, Ten Peaks is building a new state-of-the-art production facility that will enable the company to meet the anticipated long-term growth in demand for its premium decaffeinated coffees. Construction of the facility, located in Delta, BC, is expected to be completed this year. Initially, the plant will house one new production line, although the site is large enough for expansion to meet growing demand well into the future. The new production line is expected to be commissioned in the third quarter of 2019. The additional capacity that was added at SWDCCs Burnaby, B.C. facility in Q1 2016, together with the efficiency improvements that were recently completed, are expected to be sufficient to meet anticipated growth in demand until the new line is operational. Over the next two years, our primary focus will be to position SWDCC for steady future growth, added Dennis. We are in the process of setting up a European subsidiary and opening a European sales office to better serve customers in the largest decaffeinated coffee market in the world. In addition, we are expanding our ability to target specific customer groups by selectively adding to our sales and marketing team in the United States. While these initiatives will increase our expenses somewhat, they are expected to begin generating increased sales orders in the latter part of this year. Its important to note that major account conversions typically take several quarters. Moving forward, the expansion of our European and US sales teams in 2018 will prepare us to ramp up orders and win new business as we add significant capacity with our new facility in 2019. Management is also taking measures to improve the financial results of Seaforth, Ten Peaks coffee warehousing and handling business. In November 2017, Seaforth entered into a lease agreement for a new warehouse. As the warehouse became operational in Q1 of this year, some one-time costs were incurred to set up the warehouse and relocate coffees in store. As a result, Seaforths overall costs were up significantly over the same period last year, reducing Ten Peaks consolidated results in the first quarter. In response, management is undertaking a detailed review of the operations to ensure that Seaforth once again provides a positive net contribution to Ten Peaks financial results by the end of the year. Finally, management will be asking shareholders to change the name of Ten Peaks to Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc. at the upcoming Annual and Special Meeting of shareholders. If approved, the change will take effect at the end of this calendar year. Concurrently, SWDCC will be merged into Ten Peaks, and the resulting entity will bear the new name. This simplified structure will allow for shareholders and potential investors to more readily associate the investment opportunity with the proprietary SWISS WATER Process, and will also modestly decrease the companys compliance costs. Quarterly Dividends On April 16, 2018, Ten Peaks paid an eligible dividend in the amount of $0.6 million ($0.0625 per share) to shareholders of record on March 29, 2018. Non-IFRS Financial Measures EBITDA Ten Peaks defines EBITDA as net income before interest, depreciation, amortization, impairments, share-based compensation, gains/losses on foreign exchange, gains/losses on disposal of capital equipment, fair value adjustments on the embedded option, and provision for income taxes. EBITDA also excludes unrealized gains and losses on the undesignated foreign exchange forward contracts. The reconciliation of net income to EBITDA is as follows: (in $000s) (unaudited) 3 months ended March 31, 2018 3 months ended March 31, 2017 Income for the period $ 489 $ 1,435 Income taxes 223 144 Income before tax $ 712 $ 1,579 Finance income (152 ) (138 ) Finance expenses 357 343 Depreciation & amortization 432 533 Unrealized gain on foreign exchange forward contracts 85 238 Fair value loss (gain) on embedded option (458 ) (850 ) (Gain) loss of foreign exchange 12 (47 ) Share-based compensation 118 19 $ 1,106 $ 1,677 In addition, the reconciliation of EBITDA to operating income is as follows: (in $000s) (unaudited) 3 months ended March 31, 2018 3 months ended March 31, 2017 Operating income for the period $ 555 $ 1,267 Add back: Depreciation & amortization 432 533 Share-based compensation 118 19 (Gain) loss on risk management activities (84 ) (380 ) Deduct: Unrealized (Gain) loss on foreign exchange forward contracts 85 238 $ 1,106 $ 1,677 Additional Information A more detailed discussion of Ten Peaks recent financial results and managements outlook can be found in the companys MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2018. This document, along with Ten Peaks condensed consolidated interim financial statements, will be posted on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the companys website (http://www.tenpeakscoffee.ca) on May 9, 2018. Readers are cautioned that the summary information contained in this press release is not a suitable source of information for readers who are unfamiliar with Ten Peaks. This press release should be considered a precursor to, and not a substitute for, reading the financial statements and MD&A, which provide more detailed information related to the companys performance and future prospects. Company Profile Ten Peaks is a publicly traded company that owns all of the interests of the Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company Inc. (SWDCC), a premium green coffee decaffeinator located in Burnaby, BC. It also owns and operates Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions Inc. (Seaforth), a green coffee handling and storage business located in Metro Vancouver. About SWDCC SWDCC employs the proprietary SWISS WATER Process to decaffeinate green coffee without the use of chemicals, leveraging science-based systems and controls to produce amazing coffee that is 99.9% caffeine free. The SWISS WATER Process is a sustainable, 100% chemical free water process for coffee decaffeination, as well as the worlds only consumer-branded decaffeination process. It is certified organic by the Organic Crop Improvement Association. SWISS WATER Process decaffeinated green coffees are sold to many of North Americas leading specialty roaster retailers, specialty coffee importers and commercial coffee roasters. SWDCC also sells coffees internationally through regional distributors. About Seaforth Seaforth provides a complete range of green coffee logistics services including devanning coffee received from origin; inspecting, weighing and sampling coffees; and storing, handling and preparing green coffee for outbound shipments. Seaforths warehouse and handling operation is certified organic by Ecocert Canada. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, such statements may include such words as may, will, expect, believe, plan and other similar terminology. These statements reflect managements current expectations regarding future events and operating performance, as well as managements current estimates, but which are based on numerous assumptions and may prove to be incorrect. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, risks related to processing volumes and sales growth, operating results, supply of coffee, general industry conditions, commodity price risks, technology, competition, foreign exchange rates, construction timing, costs and financing of capital projects, and general economic conditions. The forward-looking statements and financial outlook information contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except to the extent required by applicable securities law, Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in managements expectations or in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those described herein. 1 STUDYLOGIC report April 2018 2 New York Times has published (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/21/us/epa-toxic-chemicals.html) and podcasted https://www.nytimes.com/podcasts/the-daily?_r=0 a piece on EPA regulations, and they are highlighting methylene chloride as a key chemical that isnt, but should be, regulated, because its a hazard to peoples health. Earlier this year, New Scientist published a report (https://www.newscientist.com/article/2138753-ozone-layer-recovery-will-be-delayed-by-chemical-leaks/) about how methylene chloride is slowing the regeneration of the ozone layer. This report was picked up by other media companies as well. Be forewarned: You are not prepared for Michael B. Jordans hoarse, postMet Gala voice that accompanies his newest too-small sweater on this late-night appearance. This sounds like the smoothest hangover ever heard by human ears, a hangover youd would invite nay, welcome! into your home. (Armie Hammers voice: Youve been put on notice.) But anyway: On the Late Show, Michael B. Jordan told Stephen Colbert about the diaries he kept in character as problematic bae Erik Killmonger during the filming of Black Panther. His [journey] was particularly dark. It was a very sad journal: not having his mom growing up, he was in and out of the system, foster care, foster homes, Jordan said. Its a lot of dark stuff thats probably not right for television. It was deep, man. But it allowed me to go to place before a scene. James Marsden. Photo: Don Arnold/WireImage Following Netflixs strong adaptations of 1922 and Geralds Game from last year, the streaming studio is going in for a third Stephen King project. According to Deadline, the novella In the Tall Grass (which King wrote with his son Joe Hill) will be getting a feature-film treatment, with Vincenzo Natali set to write and direct. The story centers on a pair of extremely close siblings who, while driving through Kansas, pull off to the side of the road and hear a young boy screaming for help out in the tall grass. When they run in to help, they find themselves disoriented, separated, and worried theres no way back out. The protagonists in the novella are around college age, but Deadline reports that James Marsden is in negotiations to star. Now, Marsden is very fresh-faced, but that probably means theyre aging up the main characters a little. For James Marsden, well allow it. Roman Polanski. Photo: NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images This week Newsweek Polska published an interview with filmmaker Roman Polanski who fled the United States in 1977 after being charged with drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl in which he shared his thoughts on the #MeToo movement in Hollywood, and they are just as bad as you might imagine. Polanski said the wave of women coming forward with allegations of misconduct against powerful men was a form of collective hysteria and total hypocrisy. He also said people were taking part in it mostly out of fear, and compared it to North Koreas displays of collective mourning for their deceased leaders which, according to Polanski, are so intensive that you cant stop laughing. The interview took place just days before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expelled Polanski, who won the Academy Aware for directing The Pianist in 2003. This month, Polanskis lawyer told Vanity Fair the director plans to sue over the Academys decision. Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in Outlander season 4. Photo: Aimee Spinks/Starz Entertainment, LLC Sing me a song, a song thats going to be very, very long. Starz has renewed Outlander, TVs premiere fantasy-slash-romance-slash-sci-fi adventure, for seasons five and six as the characters settle into lives in America on the brink of the Revolution. Fans can rest assured their beloved Claire and Jamie will be back facing new challenges, adversaries and adventures in seasons five and six as we delve into American history and continue the story of the Frasers as they settle in the New World, Starz president Chris Albrecht said in a statement. Each of those seasons will be a little shorter than usual, with 12 episodes apiece based on the fifth and six novels in Diana Gabaldons series, The Fiery Cross and A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Photo: Starz Entertainment, LLC In addition to announcing Outlanders two-season renewal, the show released a few first looks at its upcoming fourth season, which is based on Gabaldons Drums of Autumn. In it, we can see Claire and Jamie posing as intimately as ever, Claire and Jamie riding along through the American countryside (the show was still shot in Scotland), and Roger Wakefield (Richard Rankin) and Brianna Randall (Sophie Skelton) sharing a little moment of their own. The current droughtlander will end when season four premieres this November. Taylor Swift. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TAS If you were expecting an olive branch between Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian West, dont. Hours after revealing an apparent reconciliation with Katy Perry, Swift opened her Reputation Tour by talking about her ongoing feud with Kardashian West for the first time. Youll recall that Kim exposed Swifts dishonesty about the extent of what she know about Kanye Wests Famous, posting the audio of their phone conversation to Snapchat and at once tarnishing Taylors reputation but also birthing her next phase. The stage in Swifts latest concert tour, which made its debut in Glendale, Arizona, on Tuesday night, features the same snake motif used against her that she flipped to promote her album. Taylor finally explained why in an extended speech about bullying: A couple of years ago, someone called me a snake on social media and it caught on. And then a lot of people called me a lot of names on social media. And I went through some really low times for a while because of it. I went through some times when I didnt know if I was gonna get to do this anymore. And I guess the snakes, I wanted to send a message to you guys that if someone uses name calling to bully you on social media and even if a lot of people jump on board with it, that doesnt have to defeat you. It can strengthen you instead. And I think something that came out of it that was good was is that I learned a really important lesson that Ive been telling you from the stage for ten years but I havent been able to learn myself, which has to do with how much you value your reputation. And I think the lesson is that you shouldnt care so much if you feel misunderstood by a lot of people who dont know you, as long as you feel understood by the people who do know you, the people who show up for you, and the people who see you as a human being. So thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to get to know me, for sticking up for me, for seeing me as human being. Taylor's set during King Of My Heart tonight (: jr079) #repTourGlendale pic.twitter.com/90XJPZX7ml Taylor Swift News / 4.26 (@TSwiftNZ) May 9, 2018 Taylor opened her show with a video stitching together clips from her media crucifixion, later commenting on her decision to step away from the spotlight to focus on her personal growth. "I decided it was really important for me to figure out how I would be and what my life would be like if I didn't have a spotlight on me all the time. Turned out it was really, really important for me BUT I really did miss you guys!" - Taylor #repTourGlendale Taylor Swift News / 4.26 (@TSwiftNZ) May 9, 2018 She also shaded the music industry for attempting to limit her to country music and not having her fans best interest in mind. Tiffany Haddish, who hosted SNL when Taylor was the musical guest, made a surprise cameo, reciting the infamous the old Taylor cant come to the phone line in a clip filmed for the tour. Tiffany Haddishs interlude during Look What You Made Me Do at #repTourGlendale. [Reverie Youtube] pic.twitter.com/bt6yJtTqW1 TSwiftPR Media (@TSPRMedia) May 9, 2018 Elsewhere in the show, Taylor performed Shake It Off with her tour openers Camila Cabello and Charli XCX (who debuted a new song during her set). Camila, @charli_xcx y @taylorswift13 durante Shake It Off en el #repTourGlendale (via giannetos en su historia de Instagram) #2 pic.twitter.com/jF6IWpozV3 Camila Cabello Colombia (@CCabelloCol) May 9, 2018 And yes, her man Joe Alwyn was on hand to be publicly embarrassed during Gorgeous, as per the terms of his boyfriend contract. TAYLOR POINTING TO JOE DURING GORGEOUS RT IF YOU CRIED #reptourglendale pic.twitter.com/YzKwmhZ5bs Dallas Glendale (@dallas_dante) May 9, 2018 Gorgeous by Taylor Swift featuring Joe Alwyn #reptourglendale pic.twitter.com/hbXlSwgUDN Dallas Glendale (@dallas_dante) May 9, 2018 Taylor closed her show with one last message for her haters: Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem are the two leading lights of Spanish cinema, with awfully similar career profiles: They both started acting while young, they have managed to toggle between Pedro Almodovar films and Hollywood blockbusters, and they have each been nominated for three Oscars and won one. If any two actors could expect to earn the same salary for working on a movie, you could not find a more clear-cut example than this pairing. But of course, things are not always fair in the film industry, especially when it comes to equal pay for women. So today at a Cannes press conference for Asghar Farhadis film Everybody Knows, where Cruz and Bardem play ex-lovers drawn back together when her daughter is kidnapped, a murmur went through the room when a journalist stood and asked whether Cruz and Bardem were paid the same salary. Both actors nodded, as did their director. Actually, yes, said Cruz. It would be awkward if they had discovered a discrepancy on the Cannes dais, since Cruz and Bardem have been married since 2010 and worked together several times in films like Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Farhadi praised their harmonious pairing, which allowed the actors to go to harrowing emotional places in Everybody Knows. They are the very symbol of a happy couple, a loving couple, said Farhadi. Its so refreshing to see how they separate their work from their private life, and what a deep respect they have for each other. Cruz agreed, clarifying that the intense emotional material of the film took no toll on their marriage. We dont take the characters home at the end of the day, she said. Maybe I did that experiment when I was younger when I was in my 20s, I thought the more I would torture myself and the more I would stay in character for months, the better the result would be. But I have realized that its not really related to that, and that I have a life and then I have my job. That allows me to jump many times in one day from reality to fiction, and I love that beautiful dance back and forth. Added Cruz, The fact that we know each other and trust each other so much really helps, but at the same time, this is not something that we plan on doing every two years. [To work together] would be once in a while. Asked what it was like to shoot a film with his wife, Bardem merely said, Its wonderful. As he spoke about what drew him to his character, however, Bardem sounded almost like he was addressing the sort of attitude that has led the pay gap to persist between genders for so long. The crimes that people make today, they act from a sense of [being] macho, and that takes us nowhere, said Bardem. In Everybody Knows, he plays a man who defies masculine expectations to act unselfishly for the woman he still loves. Yes, my character is caught up in a lot of emotions and feelings, said Bardem. He wants to do the right thing, not for himself but others. This is very different from honor. Quite the contrary: Its generosity, not honor. A night Republicans feared would end in disaster in at least one state instead produced Senate nominees that party leaders are pleased to run against three vulnerable Democratic senators in November's midterm elections. President Donald Trump welcomed the results in a Wednesday morning tweet, calling it a "great night" for the Republican Party. In West Virginia, Don Blankenship -- the ex-convict and coal baron who had taken aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's "China family," in a reference to his wife and in-laws' heritage -- finished third behind Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who CNN has projected will win, and Rep. Evan Jenkins, the second-place finisher. Blankenship's loss spared Republicans from painful decisions about whether to abandon their hopes of unseating Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. "It didn't work out," Blankenship told reporters Tuesday night in Charleston. McConnell's allies gloated over the loss by Blankenship, who had also called him "Cocaine Mitch" in a reference to drugs being found aboard a ship owned by the company of the father of his wife, transportation secretary Elaine Chao. His political aides tweeted an image of McConnell surrounded by a cloud of what appeared to be cocaine dust, along with the words: "Thanks for playing, Don." Blankenship said Trump's Monday morning tweet urging West Virginia voters to reject him in favor of either Morrisey or Jenkins played a role in his loss. In Indiana, businessman and former state representative Mike Braun, a self-funder who spent more than $5 million to run as a Washington outsider and political novice, bested two congressmen -- Reps. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer. He'll take on Sen. Joe Donnelly in a state where Trump won by 19 percentage points in the fall -- and where Trump is set to visit Thursday. And in Ohio, Rep. Jim Renacci cruised to a victory that sets up a run against incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in the fall. While all three Senate nominees have vulnerabilities -- there's much to explore in Braun's business history and his votes in the state legislature, Democrats said Tuesday night -- they are all candidates the GOP can embrace. The biggest Republican loser of the night was actually on the House side: Rep. Robert Pittenger was ousted in a primary by pastor Mark Harris in North Carolina's 9th District, which stretches southeast of Charlotte. Pittenger conceded the race, and now Harris will face Democrat Dan McCready -- a 34-year-old Marine veteran who party strategists see as fitting the Conor Lamb mold -- in a competitive contest in November. In Indiana, Braun's win sets up one of the nation's marquee Senate races, with Donnelly looking like the Democratic incumbent who could be in the most jeopardy. Braun began the race as a little-known figure outside his hometown of Jasper in rural southwestern Indiana. But he spent more than $5 million of his own money on the race, allowing him to dwarf his opponents, GOP Reps. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer, in television advertising. Rokita and Messer relentlessly attacked Braun for his history of voting in Democratic primaries in a county where the party until recently held a firm grip on local offices. And his auto parts distribution business is certain to face scrutiny, particularly because Braun has criticized other candidates for backing free trade agreements. But the 64-year-old Braun, who appeared at debates wearing a blue button-down shirt with sleeves rolled up, successfully introduced himself to voters as having built his own business while Messer and Rokita were climbing political ladders. RELATED: Don Blankenship looks to send Trump a message with a primary win in West Virginia Braun is an outsider compared with the two congressmen, but his campaign won praise from national Republican strategists, and the party is now poised to rally behind him against Donnelly, who is seen as perhaps the nation's most vulnerable Democratic senator in a state President Donald Trump won by 19 percentage points in 2016. In southeastern Indiana's 6th District, meanwhile, Greg Pence -- the brother of Vice President Mike Pence -- won the primary for Messer's seat and now is the heavy favorite to win in the overwhelmingly Republican district. In Ohio, Renacci held off self-funding businessman Mike Gibbons. But the highest-profile races there were about replacing outgoing Gov. John Kasich. On the Democratic side, former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau head Richard Cordray bested former Rep. Dennis Kucinich. Meanwhile, Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine defeated Kasich's lieutenant governor, Mary Taylor. President Donald Trump put Iran back in the penalty box on Tuesday - but the impact on the oil market could be determined by how China responds. China, a voracious consumer of oil, holds great sway because it's Iran's biggest customer. Almost one-third of Iranian oil shipments this year have gone to China, according to energy research firm Genscape. Trump announced his intent on Tuesday to quit the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions on the country. Oil prices shot up in the weeks before Trump's well-telegraphed decision. Traders placed bets that Trump's tough stance on Tehran would significantly reduce the flow of crude from Iran, just as a global oil glut appears to be coming to an end. Up to 1 million barrels per day of Iranian crude are at stake. The United States imports no crude directly from Iran. And there is no guarantee that Iran's major customers will comply with new sanctions. Even close allies in the European Union are signaling frustration with Trump's decision. Related: What Trump's Iran decision means for oil and gas prices Beijing could be even less likely to go along. Not only does China's fast-growing economy have an enormous thirst for oil, but Beijing and Washington remain locked in an unpredictable trade dispute. China may have little interest in doing Trump a favor by sidelining Iran, even if Washington threatens penalties for countries that do business with Tehran. "Given the back and forth between China and the US on trade, Chinese compliance is probably a nonstarter," said Michael Tran, global energy strategist at RBC Capital Markets. Trump has vowed to impose tariffs on China in response to the country's trade practices and alleged theft of intellectual property. The two countries are in talks, but appear to be far apart on major issues. "The US may have a harder time getting China to reduce its imports given Trump's tense relationship with Beijing," Thomas Pugh, commodities economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a report on Tuesday. Energy analysts expect other major customers of Iran - including close US allies Japan and South Korea - to adhere more closely to new sanctions. If the new sanctions cause European nations to cut back or even stop buying Iran's oil, it would leave more crude for China to buy, possibly at a discount. "China is potentially the country most likely to benefit from sanctions being placed back on Iran," said Matt Smith, director of commodity research at ClipperData. Related: Iran deal: Who loses as US sanctions return China regularly purchased crude oil from Iran, even when the country was still under sanctions. China imported an average of 420,000 barrels per day in 2014 and then 481,000 barrels per day in 2015, according to ClipperData. While China cut back on its Iranian imports last year, it has been buying more lately as the nuclear decision loomed. Iran delivered 766,000 barrels per day to China in March and nearly 700,000 barrels per day in April, according to ClipperData. Iran's surge of exports was likely an "attempt to beat the sanctions," Smith said. Without China on board, efforts to punish Iran may lack teeth. And the impact on the global oil market may be less dramatic than some feared. Iran's crude oil exports surged by 1 million barrels per day after the nuclear deal took effect in early 2016. The flood of supply came at precisely the wrong time for the oil market: excess supply was already depressing prices at the time. The oil market has done a 180 since then, due in large part to OPEC and Russia's agreement to cut production. Demand has also been very strong, thanks to economic momentum in the United States and abroad. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's remarkable fall from grace has left an unexpected opening in the state's top law enforcement position, a perch the once rising Democratic star used to fiercely oppose President Donald Trump. Schneiderman filed suit against Trump University for defrauding students and won a $25 million settlement after the 2016 election. He brought together more than a dozen other attorneys general to mount legal challenges to the Trump administration's travel ban on Muslim countries. Another Schneiderman suit sought to stop the administration from eliminating DACA, the Obama-era program that protected young undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children from being deported. Schneiderman was also known as a vocal proponent of the #MeToo movement and brought legal action in New York against film producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexually assaulting women. But he stepped down Monday hours after The New Yorker published a stunning story detailing four women's allegations that Schneiderman violently assaulted them. Schneiderman "strongly contests" the allegations. New York Solicitor General Barbara Underwood has been named acting attorney general, but a number of potential candidates to replace Schneiderman have emerged since his resignation. "This is going to be something that people come to with a lot of ambition and a lot of energy," said CNN political commentator Errol Louis, who wrote that the next attorney general will likely build a following among national Democrats "as an energetic opponent of corporate misbehavior and of conservative White House policies." "They're not going to look the other way if they think there's something that's going to sort of move them up to that next level," he added. "And nothing sells right now in Democratic politics in New York like attacking Donald Trump." These are some of the potential candidates for the state's next attorney general: Letitia James James is the city's public advocate, who serves as a watchdog over city agencies and services. She was also a city council member, an assistant attorney general and a public defender. George Arzt, a political consultant and former press secretary to the late Mayor Ed Koch, said James is considered a front-runner. "She is the best known woman and this is the time for a woman because of the circumstances surrounding the demise of Eric," he said. "This is the height of the 'Me too' movement. Also we've never had a woman in the top three spots in the state." Preet Bharara Bharara, the well-known former US attorney of New York's Southern District, was fired by Trump in March 2017. A onetime chief counsel to Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, Bharara was one of the highest profile federal law enforcement officers in the country. He also had a reputation as an aggressive prosecutor of public corruption and Wall Street crime. Arzt called Bharara is a long shot, particularly because of the fear he instills in politicians. "No one wants a Preet Bharara," he said. "They'd be frightened to death to have him there. Everyone would be afraid of being indicted. For elected officials, it would be like a reign of terror." Asked Tuesday about the position, Bharara said: "It's flattering that other people have put the thought out there. I'm not putting it out there. And I'm happy doing what I'm doing right now." Bharara is active on Twitter. He also has a weekly podcast called "Stay Tuned with Preet." Zephyr Teachout Teachout teaches at Fordham Law School. She ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination as governor of New York in 2014, and for US Congress in 2016. She's a former death penalty defense lawyer at the Center for Death Penalty Litigation in North Carolina. Louis wrote for CNN opinion that both James and Teachout "have the advantage of being women at a time when the #MeToo movement has spotlighted the downside of male-dominated environments, like the state capital." Michael Gianaris Gianaris is a New York state senator elected in 2010 after 10 years in the State Assembly. He holds a law degree from Harvard and was a litigator in private practice for several years, according to his online bio. Kathleen Rice Rice was elected to Congress in 2014. She represents parts of Nassau County in suburban Long Island. In 2005, she became the first woman elected district attorney in Long Island, where she was prosecutor from 2006 to 2014. She also served as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn and as a federal prosecutor in Philadelphia. TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (Galane Gold or the Company) (TSX-V:GG) is pleased to announce the release of its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2018. Furthermore, the Company is pleased to announce that it produced a total of 4,004 ounces of gold for the month of April 2018. A copy of the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2018 prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and the corresponding Managements Discussion and Analysis will be available under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com. First Quarter 2018 Highlights Produced 7,649 ounces of gold. Positive cash flows from operating activities of $549,172. Entered into a loan agreement with Barak Fund SPC Limited with respect to a US$5,000,000 secured loan facility to fund the restart of Galaxy. Signed an earn-in option agreement with B2Gold Corp. (BTO:TSX) with regards to our exploration tenements at Mupane. During April 2018, the Company produced 4,004 ounces of gold which represents its best monthly output since February 2014. To achieve this, it milled 73,234 tonnes at an average head grade of 2.45 grams per tonne. The main contributor to this was production from Tau of 34,898 tonnes at 3.80 grams per tonne. Galane Gold CEO, Nick Brodie commented: The first quarter of 2018 was slightly behind our internal targets due to the failure of the ball mill motor at the beginning of the year. The motor was fixed by the end of March 2018 and we were able to recommence full production in April 2018 with additional Tau ore contributing to the exceptional result. The Galaxy project continues with work progressing on the completion of the detailed engineering of the new plant and mining schedules for both the Princeton and Galaxy ore bodies.(1) It is still our intention to commence the re-commissioning of the project in July 2018. About Galane Gold Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GG. Galane Golds management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates. Note: (1) The deposits at Princeton and Galaxy are supported by a technical report entitled A Technical Report on the Galaxy Gold Mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa which was issued January 4, 2016 with an effective date of September 1, 2015, a copy of which is available under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com. This technical report satisfies the requirements to be a pre-feasibility study. Cautionary Notes Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Companys future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the Companys dependence on two mineral projects; gold price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Companys mining activities in Botswana and South Africa; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to the Companys exploration, development and mining activities being situated in Botswana and South Africa; risks relating to reliance on the Companys management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Companys inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks arising from the Companys fair value estimates with respect to the carrying amount of mineral interests; mining tax regimes; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the Companys need to replace reserves depleted by production; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; lack of infrastructure; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; health risks in Africa; the Companys interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Companys ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; risks related to restarting production; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; development of the Companys exploration properties into commercially viable mines; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; risks related to the market perception of junior gold companies; and litigation risk.Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law. Information of a technical and scientific nature that forms the basis of the disclosure in the press release has been approved by Charles Byron Pr. Sci. Nat., MAusIMM., MGSSA and Chief Geologist for Galane Gold, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. 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. For further information please contact: Nick Brodie CEO, Galane Gold Ltd. + 44 7905089878 Nick.Brodie@GalaneGold.com www.GalaneGold.com Was the CIA's use of torture immoral? Don't ask Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump's nominee to run the agency, because she doesn't have a clear answer -- or, at least, not one she was willing to offer publicly and under oath on Wednesday. Called upon repeatedly during her confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill to address whether the CIA's post-9/11 detainee interrogation techniques were morally objectionable, Haspel demurred, refusing over and over again to address the question directly and without qualification. "My parents raised me right," she said, at one point, after being scolded by a Democratic senator for addressing "fundamentally moral questions" with "very legalistic" explanations. "I know the difference between right and wrong." Haspel, who has spent more than three decades with the CIA, entered the room with a clear plan. First, she pledged that the agency, under her leadership, would not "restart ... a detention and interrogation program" like the one since banned by Congress. But Haspel, who reportedly led a CIA black site in Thailand in 2002 where harsh interrogations now considered torture were conducted, and served as chief of staff to the CIA's top operations officer, Jose Rodriguez, in 2005, when he ordered the destruction of hundreds of hours of videotaped interrogations, often hedged her remarks when quizzed about her own feelings and some very specific potential challenges up ahead. Supportive Republicans, including Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr, anticipated the focus on Haspel's controversial past and sought to steer the discussion toward the future. "I'd like to set the record straight and make clear to those in attendance, and the American people, that this hearing is not about programs already addressed by executive order, legislation and the court of law," Burr said, "it is about the woman seated before you." In this, he was unsuccessful. There was, less than 24 hours after Trump announced the US would leave the Iran nuclear deal, little discussion of its implications. The coming presidential summit with North Korea, too, was an afterthought. This was about the American use of torture -- what happened after 9/11, why, and whether Haspel would consider reviving the outlawed programs. But even as she gave her assurance that waterboarding would not make a comeback on her watch, Haspel left at least four key questions -- one with a very sharp eye on her past actions -- either unanswered or open to some interpretation. Would Haspel follow a direct presidential order to waterboard a detainee? Most of the more persistent questioning came from the Democrats on the committee, but it was Maine's Republican Sen. Susan Collins who first presented this particular scenario. Noting Trump's campaign trail support for waterboarding and comments that the US should "go beyond" it, she asked, would Haspel follow a "direct order" from the White House to waterboard "a high value terrorism suspect" in CIA custody? "Senator, I would advise - I do not believe the President would ask me to do that, but um, we have today in the US government other US entities that conduct interrogations," Haspel said, then naming the Department of Defense and FBI as better venues for interrogating detainees. "I would advise anyone who asked me about it that CIA is not the right place to conduct interrogations." One word she did not say: No. Immediately after Collins' time expired, her Democratic colleague from New Mexico, Sen. Martin Heinrich, took up the baton, noting that Haspel "didn't actually answer the question," and asked what she would do if Trump "ordered you to get back in the business (of waterboarding)?" "Senator, the President has selected me to give him advice," Haspel said, adding: "I would not restart under any circumstances an interrogation program at CIA, under any circumstances." It was a clearer response than Collins got, but still a bit fuzzy. The initial question centered on an order, straight from the President, about the treatment of a specific individual, not the reinstatement of a "program." On the latter point, Haspel had said she was opposed earlier on, during an exchange with Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the committee's vice chairman and top Democrat. "I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it," Haspel said. "CIA must undertake activities that are consistent with American values. America is looked at all over the world as an example to everyone else in the world and we have to uphold that." Haspel acknowledges that torture is now illegal, but does she believe it is - and was - immoral? Heinrich moved on from there to follow up, again, on an unclear answer from earlier. Citing Haspel's "legalistic" response to Warner, Heinrich gave it another go: "Let me ask you again," he said, "were these the right thing to do? Are they consistent with American values, fundamentally? What do you believe?" But Haspel, again, sought to distance herself from the issue at hand, saying, "I believe very strongly in American values and America being an example to the rest of the world. That is why I support the fact that we have chosen to hold ourselves to a stricter moral standard." What remained unclear is how Haspel herself - a relevant point given the power she is in line to assume - views the behavior of the CIA during that time under the Bush administration. Later on in the hearing, California Sen. Kamala Harris, also a Democrat, returned to the point and asked again if Haspel thought "the previous interrogation techniques were immoral?" After a few seconds of tense silence, Haspel said, "Senator, I believe that CIA officers to whom you referred-" "It's a yes or no answer," Harris said, breaking in. "Do you believe the previous interrogation techniques were immoral? I'm not asking if you believe they were legal, I'm asking, do you believe they were immoral?" Here's the exchange that followed: Haspel: "Senator, I believe that CIA did extraordinary work to prevent another attack on this country given the legal tools that we were authorized to use -" Harris: "Please answer yes or no. Do you believe in hindsight that those techniques were immoral?" Haspel: "Senator, what I believe sitting here today is that I support the higher moral standard we have decided to hold ourselves to -" Harris: "Would you please answer the question." Haspel: "Senator, I think I've answered the question." Harris: "No, you've not. Do you believe the previous techniques, now armed with hindsight, do you believe they were immoral, yes or no?" Haspel: "Senator, I believe that we should hold ourselves to the moral standard outlined in the Army field manual (which prohibits torture)." Harris noted one more time before moving on that Haspel had not, in fact, given a clear answer. But she hadn't left the public empty-handed. By refusing to condemn waterboarding and related tactics, Haspel made it clear that, while she would follow the law, her decision-making would not be guided by any feeling of personal or professional opposition to its practice. What would Haspel do if Trump asked for a loyalty pledge? At a very different hearing in June 2017, former FBI director James Comey told the story of a now infamous meeting with Trump at the White House. "The President said, 'I need loyalty, I expect loyalty,'" Comey recalled, as he has so many times since. "I didn't move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed. We simply looked at each other in silence." That in mind and citing Comey's account, Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Jack Reed presented to Haspel a similar scenario. "If you were ever approached by the President and asked for a personal pledge of loyalty," he said, "what would you respond?" "Senator, my only loyalty is to the American people and the Constitution of the United States," Haspel answered. "I am honor-bound and would work very hard to deliver to this President and his administration the best performance and intelligence CIA can deliver." Reed followed up: "And if you were approached in such a way and such a demand was made of you, would you inform this committee and Congress that you had been so approached?" "Senator, I've worked very closely with this President, I don't -- I don't believe such a circumstance would ever occur. CIA has been treated with enormous respect and our expertise is valued for what we bring to the table." Reed pushed on, to no avail, with Haspel dismissing the scenario as "a hypothetical" she was confident would never come to pass. Does torture "work"? The issue of Haspel's "moral compass," which she described as "strong," was set aside at points for discussion on the actual value of intelligence obtained through torture. Again, it was Harris trying to wrench a straight answer from the nominee on what remains, though not as prominently as during the Bush years, a lingering debate in national security circles -- and was, during 2016, a talking point for then-candidate Trump. "The President has asserted that torture works," Harris said. "Do you agree with that statement?" "Senator, I don't believe that torture works," Haspel said. But she added what sounded like a caveat: "I believe that in the CIA's program -- and I'm not attributing this to enhanced interrogation techniques -- I believe as many people, (like) directors who have sat in this chair before me, that valuable information was obtained from senior Al Qaeda operatives that allowed us to defend this country and prevent another attack." To underline the mixed messaging, Harris asked, "Is that a yes?" "No, it's not a yes," Haspel shot back. "We got valuable information from debriefing of Al Qaeda detainees and I don't think it's knowable whether interrogation techniques played a role in that." Her answer, at this point at least, was clear: Maybe, maybe not. An update to a WAAY 31 I-Team Investigation we brought you Monday night on WAAY 31 News at 10: WAAY 31 has uncovered the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has fired one of its agents caught up in a Morgan County business gone bankrupt. Responding to WAAY 31s request, the State Personnel Department tells us Steven Ziaja was dismissed by ALEA on March 23rd. Ziaja was arrested last year under 12 felony indictments. Hes accused of using his job as an ALEA agent to access a law enforcement data base to get information on customers of Performance Auto & Title Mart. Performance Auto Sales operated on Point Mallard Parkway. There was a second used car lot on Highway 157 in Moulton. Title Marts had various locations including Decatur, Hartselle, Moulton and Chelsea. The businesses operated under the legal name of Priceville Partners, LLC. Ziaja invested and worked at the business ran and partly owned by a convicted felon. Three other ALEA agents along with Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin and her deputies also invested or had ties to the business which is now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Sheriff Franklin invested $150,00 of taxpayer money into the business. She has since returned the money to the jail food account. Morgan County Sheriffs office employees Blake Robinson and Robert Bones Wilson are also connected to the business. Sheriff Franklin has told WAAY 31 she cant comment because of pending lawsuits and bankruptcy cases. PRATTVILLE, Ala. (AP) - An Alabama man wanted on child pornography charges has been arrested in New Mexico. News outlets cite a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement release that says 35-year-old Kenneth Earl Hooks was arrested Monday. Authorities say Hooks has been on the run since his girlfriend was arrested at a Walmart in California, accused of filming children in the store's bathroom. A search of her phone revealed videos of Hooks sexually assaulting multiple children. Investigators determined the videos were produced in Alabama. ICE spokesman Bryan D. Cox says Homeland Security Investigations special agents and U.S. Marshals Service deputies took Hooks into custody near Las Cruces. He'll have a court hearing in New Mexico before extradition to Alabama. #ARRESTED: Yesterday, ICE HSI and the US Marshals arrested Kenneth Earl Hooks, who is wanted for production of child pornography https://t.co/4gW5JTsTLD pic.twitter.com/xSxcPueIGt ICE (@ICEgov) May 8, 2018 He's also wanted on multiple charges in California. It's unclear whether he has a lawyer. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) President Trump personally made $36 million dollars off the sale of America's largest government-funded apartment complex, of which he was a 4% owner, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. The 46 building complex in Brooklyn, New York, recently sold for $906 million. The complex receives millions of dollars in federal subsides each year - $78 million in 2009 alone - and made roughly $5 million for President Trump in the past. Opponents of the President call his stake in the complex and the sale hypocritical, citing how he's called for drastic budget cuts which impact programs which provide money for subsidized housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development said it reviewed the sale - as it does with the sale of any federally subsidized housing - and found nothing wrong with it. In just two weeks, the school breakfast and lunch many students depend on during the school year will stop for summer break. "For some families who rely on free and reduced lunches during the school year, that could be the only food they eat all day," Laurel Moffat, child hunger fellow at the Food Bank of North Alabama, said. Moffat told WAAY 31 it's not unusual for families to struggle when the summer season rolls around. "Mothers come to her and say 'wow you have this great scholarship for the summer camp program, but now all of a sudden I have to pack a brown bag lunch every morning,'" Moffat said. Moffat said that story is one of many she has heard on a visit to one of the organizations who pick up food from the Food Bank of North Alabama. Jonathan Chappelle picks up food from the food bank a few times every month. "Can goods are kind of like gold," Chappelle said. Chappelle told WAAY 31 he tries to keep kids in mind when he knows they'll be out of school. "We try to put stuff in there that's going to appeal to kids, like snack foods and stuff like that," Chappelle said. However, he also knows when school is out the pressure is on for his church to feed those in need. Chappelle said his church was feeding 40 families in January, and he estimates they'll feed 75 this summer. The food bank will start its summer feeding program within the next couple of weeks, and they still need food donations to help support the program. Canned goods are at the top of the list. Donations can be dropped off at The Food Bank at North Alabama located at 2000 Vernon Ave SW in Huntsville. Taylor Swift kicked off her Reputation tour Tuesday in Glendale, Arizona. The tour runs through November 9 for the US. Swift will end her tour with a stop in New Zealand. Over sixty thousand fans turned out to whiteness the first show of the tour. While songs from her new album Reputation made up majority of her set, Swift graced the audience with music from each of her albums. The Grammy winner is set to perform in Atlanta, Georgia, August 11 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Swift will touch down in Nashville, Tennessee, August 25 at the Nissan Stadium. General ticketing and on-sale information is available at ticketmaster.com/TaylorSwift Your dream of riding in a flying car may be one step closer to reality. Uber and NASA announced on Tuesday they're teaming up to simulate flying taxis in urban areas. In 2016, Uber unveiled plans to develop electric flying cars to help improve transportation in cities, alleviate congestion and provide affordable transportation. NASA became a partner for the program a year later by developing air traffic management for a fleet of flying cars. But now NASA wants to help get the concept off the ground even more. Literally. Uber said it will share its plans for a ridesharing network of flying cars with NASA, which will conduct simulations. NASA's findings will help guide the creation of industry standards and regulations, the government organization said in a press release timed to Uber Elevate, the tech giant's second-annual summit to discuss flying cars. The companies hope commercial trips will be available in 2023. Rides will be booked within the Uber app, similarly to how someone selects a ride in a car or SUV. Although the cars -- technically referred to as VTOL, or vertical takeoff and landing vehicles -- seem like glorified helicopters, Uber believes its concept will be safer and cheaper than what's already available. Uber's flying car has a futuristic look. Most of its propellers face upward like a helicopter's main blade, and another one is positioned forward like a plane. "It's a simpler design compared to what we've seen from Uber before. This could lead to a safer vehicle," ARK Invest industry innovation analyst Sam Korus told CNNMoney. Uber isn't the only company eyeing the skies. Competitors developing similar technology range from aviation giant Airbus to startups backed by Google (GOOG) co-founder Larry Page. Related: Uber unveils plans to demo flying cars by 2020 But it will likely be years before the technology is ready and broadly available. Flying cars will need to safely operate in crowded airspace, near small drones and traditional airplanes. The safety of flying cars will need to be proven, and regulations will need to be developed. However, the partnership with NASA is an early move toward figuring out regulations. "Urban air mobility could revolutionize the way people and cargo move in our cities and fundamentally change our lifestyle much like smart phones have," NASA associate administrator Jaiwon Shin said in a statement. Flying cars would operate autonomously over dense areas, which could be extremely dangerous if something goes wrong. Uber is well-versed in the risks associated with developing new technologies. It paused public tests of its self-driving cars after an Uber SUV in autonomous mode struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona in March. Federal investigators are expected to deliver a preliminary report on the cause of the crash in the weeks ahead. CNNMoney (Washington)First published May 8, 2018: 3:34 PM ET BC-AS--Trump-North Korea-The Latest The Latest: Pompeo in North Korea for pre-summit meetings PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) - The Latest on U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's trip to North Korea (all times local): 8:35 a.m. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in North Korea for meetings ahead of President Donald Trump's planned summit with Kim Jong Un. Pompeo landed Wednesday morning Pyongyang time and was greeted by North Korean officials. He waited at a hotel before meetings were to begin. It's Pompeo's second known visit to the country. Trump revealed last month that Pompeo met with Kim over Easter weekend. Trump has said the time and date of his planned meeting with Kim have now been agreed to, but he has yet to reveal where or when it will happen. ___ 2:30 a.m. President Donald Trump says U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is en route to North Korea ahead of Trump's planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said Tuesday afternoon in Washington that Pompeo will be arriving in the country shortly and has meetings scheduled. It will be Pompeo's second known visit to the country. Trump revealed last month that Pompeo met with Kim over Easter weekend. Trump says the time and date of his planned meeting with Kim have now been agreed to, but he has yet to reveal where or when it will happen. Trump broke the news while announcing his plans to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) 5/8/2018 7:14:42 PM (GMT -5:00) BC-US--Primary Rdp-The Latest,5th Ld-Writethru The Latest: VP Pence's brother wins Indiana US House primary Eds: Updates with Greg Pence winning primary. With AP Photos. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Tuesday's primaries in four states (all times local): 7:20 p.m. Greg Pence has won the Republican primary for an Indiana congressional seat his younger brother, Vice President Mike Pence, once held for a dozen years. He defeated four others Tuesday in the 6th District race, including Muncie businessman Jonathan Lamb. He'd argued that Greg Pence merely relied on his prominent name and dodged debates. Pence raised nearly $1.2 million for his campaign thanks largely to the support of his brother, pro-Trump groups and top Republicans. Lamb has loaned himself $800,000. Pence is a Marine veteran and owner of two antique malls who once ran the now-bankrupt chain of Tobacco Road convenience stores. He'll be the favorite to win in November for the seat left open after Republican Rep. Luke Messer decided to give it up to run for Senate. ___ 7:15 p.m. West Virginia Senate hopeful Don Blankenship prefers not to speculate about how he'd handle the general election campaign if he falls short in the GOP primary. He said Tuesday that "we'll know in a few hours" whether he will be the standard-bearer this fall or have to decide whether to back one of his opponents. The former coal executive is among the top three candidates but has drawn fire from President Donald Trump and Washington Republicans who say he is too damaged to unseat Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. Blankenship spent time in prison for his role in a 2010 explosion that killed 29 miners. Blankenship did say that he believes state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey would be the weakest Republican. He says congressman Evan Jenkins or himself would likely defeat Manchin. ___ 7:05 p.m. West Virginia Senate candidate Don Blankenship says that President Donald Trump is getting bad advice and that he and others are falling for "fake news" in their decisions to oppose him in his hotly contested GOP primary. Blankenship is among the top three Republican candidates vying to take on Sen. Joe Manchin. The Democratic incumbent is expected to coast in his own primary Tuesday. Blankenship is a former coal executive who spent time in federal prison for his role in a deadly mine explosion. Trump tweeted this week that there's "no way" Blankenship can win in November, and national Republican groups have spent money trying to defeat him. Blankenship says if Washington Republicans sat down with him for two hours, they would be doing everything they could to elect him. ___ 6:55 p.m. One precinct in a North Carolina county will accept voters past the statewide closing time for the polls after the location failed to open its doors on time for the primary. The state elections board voted late Tuesday to extend voting hours at the Hoke County precinct until 7:45 p.m. Polls statewide close at 7:30 p.m. Election officials told the state board the poll location opened 45 minutes late Tuesday morning, and two people left during the delay. The state board declined to extend time at a Franklin County precinct located at an elementary school that was locked down briefly because of a nearby shooting. Voters in North Carolina are choosing their parties' nominees for dozens of legislative and congressman primary races. There are also primary races in Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana on Tuesday. ___ 4:25 p.m. Voters across four states that Donald Trump carried in 2016 are fanning out to decide primary elections. In West Virginia, Tuesday's primary includes races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and the Legislature. The big race to watch is the Republican primary for Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's seat. One of the candidates is Don Blankenship, who served prison time for a deadly mine accident. Indiana voters are casting ballots in a three-way race for the Republican U.S. Senate seat nomination. Vice President Mike Pence's brother Greg is hoping to get the Republican nod for an open congressional seat. In Ohio, voters are choosing their gubernatorial nominees and a Republican U.S. Senate candidate. And in North Carolina, voters are picking their parties' nominees for dozens of legislative and congressional primary races. ___ Noon Donald Trump's political action committee is airing ads in West Virginia urging Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin to support his pick to run the CIA. The ads paid for by America First are running as Republican primary voters decide Tuesday who will face the second-term Democrat in a fall election both parties see as critical to Senate control. In the ad, CIA director nominee Gina Haspel is described as "a decorated intelligence officer admired by allies around the globe with bipartisan support." Haspel is acting director and would be the first woman to be confirmed. She has faced questions about involvement in the intelligence agency's past program of detaining and brutally interrogating terrorism suspects. The ad concludes: "Call Sen. Manchin. Tell him to support Gina Haspel for CIA director." ___ 12:10 a.m. Voters in the heart of Trump country are ready to decide the fate of Don Blankenship, a brash businessman and GOP outsider with a checkered past who is testing the appeal of President Donald Trump's outsider playbook in one of the nation's premiere U.S. Senate contests. Voters across four states Trump carried in 2016 are deciding primary elections Tuesday. The stakes are high as the GOP braces for potential major losses this fall. Trump warned Monday that a Blankenship win in West Virginia's Republican primary would destroy the party's chance of defeating Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in November. The retired coal executive was released from prison last year for his role in a mine explosion that killed 29 men. Blankenship says no one will tell West Virginians how to vote. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) 5/8/2018 6:22:48 PM (GMT -5:00) VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crystal Exploration Inc. (the Company or Crystal) (TSX-V:CEI) (OTCQB:CYRTF) (FWB:A2ATHU) further to the Companys announcement on March 22, 2018, Crystal is pleased to announce that it has increased the required financing for the Lawyers Property, BC, from $3.0 million to $3.21 million. The Company now proposes to complete a non-brokered private placement of 53,500,000 units (the Units) at an offering price of $0.06 per Unit, to raise gross proceeds of up to $3.21 million (the Offering). Each Unit will consist of one (1) common share of the Company as the share capital is presently constituted, and one (1) share purchase warrant (the Warrants) to acquire one additional common share at an exercise price of $0.12 per share for a period of two (2) years from the date of closing of the Offering. In the event that the common shares of the Company trade at a closing price greater than $0.14 per share for a period of 10 consecutive days, then the Company may deliver a notice to the Warrant holders that they must exercise their Warrants within the next 30 days, or the Warrants will expire. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used to finance the minimum expenditures on the Property over the next 12 months, as well as to provide the Company with working capital for general and administrative expenses. The terms of the Offering are subject to the acceptance of the Exchange. Certain finders will receive finders fees equal to 6% in cash and 6% in Warrants of the gross proceeds raised from their introductions. Share Consolidation The Company is also proceeding with a special meeting of its shareholders to be held on May 22, 2018 to consider, and if thought fit, to approve a 3:1 share consolidation of the Companys common shares by ordinary resolution (the Consolidation). Assuming the proposed Offering is completed and the Consolidation is approved, the effective consolidation-adjusted terms of the Offering will be 17,833,333 Units issued, each Unit consisting of one common share at a price of $0.18 and one Warrant with an exercise price of $0.36 per share, with closing prices greater than $0.42 per share for 10 consecutive days triggering the Companys right to require Warrant holders to exercise within 30 days. Upon completion of the Offering and the Consolidation, but excluding the exercise of any of Crystals outstanding share purchase warrants or any other share issuances, the Company will have about 33,306,538 shares outstanding. About Crystal Exploration Inc. Crystal is a Canadian gold, silver and diamond Exploration Company with its common shares listed for trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada, the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Germany. Crystal is managed by proven resource sector professionals, who have a track record of advancing exploration projects from grassroots scenarios through to production. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS s/ Jim Greig Jim Greig, President 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 NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CERTAIN STATEMENTS MADE AND INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN MAY CONSTITUTE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF APPLICABLE CANADIAN AND UNITED STATES SECURITIES LEGISLATION. THESE STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION ARE BASED ON FACTS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO THE COMPANY AND THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT ACTUAL RESULTS WILL MEET MANAGEMENTS EXPECTATIONS. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION MAY BE IDENTIFIED BY SUCH TERMS AS ANTICIPATES, BELIEVES, TARGETS, ESTIMATES, PLANS, EXPECTS, MAY, WILL, COULD OR WOULD. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN ARE BASED ON CERTAIN FACTORS AND ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE ESTIMATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND RESERVES, THE REALIZATION OF RESOURCE AND RESERVE ESTIMATES, METAL PRICES, TAXATION, THE ESTIMATION, TIMING AND AMOUNT OF FUTURE EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT, CAPITAL AND OPERATING COSTS, THE AVAILABILITY OF FINANCING, THE RECEIPT OF REGULATORY APPROVALS, ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS, TITLE DISPUTES AND OTHER MATTERS. WHILE THE COMPANY CONSIDERS ITS ASSUMPTIONS TO BE REASONABLE AS OF THE DATE HEREOF, FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION ARE NOT GUARANTEES OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE AND READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON SUCH STATEMENTS AS ACTUAL EVENTS AND RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE DESCRIBED HEREIN. THE COMPANY DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION EXCEPT AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS. WEB: WWW.CRYSTALEXPLORATION.COM EMAIL: INFO@CRYSTALEXPLORATION.COM TELEPHONE: 604 260 6977 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is flying to Wuhan for a weekend of soul searching with Chinese President Xi Jinping along the banks of the Yangtze. The last-minute trip is Modis second of three to China scheduled to take place within the span of a year. Its also just the latest bit of high-level outreach from New Delhi to Beijing, which makes sense: Neither leader has a shortage of grievances to air with the other and both have ample interest in preventing tit-for-tat confrontation from putting the two emerging powers on a collision course. Over the past year, Indian and Chinese jostling for position in South Asia has picked up considerably. In July and August, Chinese and Indian forces engaged in a standoff over the disputed Doklam border region in the high Himalayas. Since then, China has continued cozying up to pro-Beijing governments in South Asian countries firmly within Indias traditional sphere of influence, from Sri Lanka to Nepal to the Maldives. Chinas tool of choice in its effort has been its sprawling One Belt, One Road infrastructure initiative , with Beijing winning the rights to build strategically located deep-water ports, among other projects, throughout Indias periphery. India sees this as an excuse for China to encircle it with de facto Chinese naval bases. (In Indias view, its fears were validated this week when Chinas defense minister told his Pakistani counterpart that Beijing was ready to provide security for OBOR projects such as Pakistans Gwadar port.) In response, New Delhi has been sounding the alarm that participating countries risk becoming overly indebted to the Chinese, poking holes in Beijings narrative that OBOR is a force for the common good. India has been similarly busy in Chinas backyard, deepening defense and economic cooperation with states that pose strategic problems to Beijing, such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Singapore. Most alarming to Beijing, India has joined Japan, Australia and the U.S. in taking early steps toward reviving the Quad, an alliance aimed at managing Chinese assertiveness and economic coercion in the broader Indo-Pacific region . Yet, over the past three months, India has also been moving to defuse tension. New Delhi has dispatched a series of high-level officials to Beijing. It canceled a pro-Tibet conference headlined by the Dalai Lama in New Delhi. It quietly backed down after China threatened to take action to prevent India from intervening in a political crisis in the Maldives. Most notably, on April 26, it announced that it would not invite Australia to take part in major trilateral naval exercises with the U.S. and Japan in June, a setback for the Quad. All this speaks to the uneasy trajectory of Sino-Indian relations. Realistically, neither country has much interest in duking it out for supremacy in the Indo-Pacific. Yet, as illustrated by the sense of urgency with which India has been seeking to head off a major confrontation, underlying forces are pushing the two sides into a self-perpetuating cycle of zero-sum competition anyway. And the deeper China and India sink into this spiral, the harder it will be for either side to pull out. Unlikely Rivals Its a matter of course that two rising border rivals both just beginning to get a taste for power projection would increasingly bump up against each other as they attempt to carve out protective buffers and lock in their newfound gains. But historically, and for the most part still today, neither China nor India poses a major threat to the others homeland. There is literally a huge barrier to war between the two countries. To move a substantial force between China and India, one option would be to cross the forbidding Himalayas. If, say, India were to effectively occupy Tibet, or China were to occupy Nepal, this would certainly pose a problem. But the logistics of warfare at 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) is exceedingly difficult , meaning both could feel reasonably secure with these regions existing as buffers, perhaps host to occasional shows of machismo that fall far short of risking all-out war. The other option is to sail more than 3,000 nautical miles through the turbulent waters flanking the Malay Peninsula and the Bay of Bengal. Attacking China this way is a non-starter for India. For China, its true that the pace of the Peoples Liberation Army Navy modernization has been extraordinary, as illustrated by this weeks launch of sea trials for Chinas first indigenous aircraft carrier. But Chinas buildup is primarily intended to dominate its littoral waters and secure access through the first island chain, and its a long way from developing the combined air-sea battle capabilities needed to really challenge India from the sea. Moreover, Beijing and New Delhis strategic orientations are in fundamentally different directions, in inherently poor positions to threaten the others critical interests farther afield. Chinas core strategic problem is the series of maritime chokepoints to its east and south, which an outside naval power could use to sever Chinas access to critical sea lines of communication. A powerful Indian navy could conceivably threaten Chinese oil imports from the Middle East or exports to Europe, but the Indian Ocean is vast, and India is a long way from having a navy capable of dominating critical sea lanes even if it had a reason to. Indias core strategic problem is its internal incoherence and the hostile nuclear power on its western border. If it had its way, India would mostly just be left alone to manage its internal fractures and keep Pakistan at bay. The problem is that as China moves to address its primary strategic concerns to its east, secondary concerns to its southwest are becoming more important, making India, largely unwittingly, more of a potential threat. This is forcing India to respond in ways that further heighten the threat to China, which is forcing China to fix the Indian Ocean more firmly in its sights, which is forcing India to reach out to outside powers like the U.S., and so on. This cycle will only intensify as military developments diminish the significance of the geographic barriers that have largely preserved an uneasy peace. Necessary Choices China is finding little choice but to push into South Asia. It needs to find ways to bypass chokepoints in the East and South China seas, so it needs to build deep-water ports, pipelines and rail lines in Indias backyard. Its under pressure to keep its domestic industries humming and its oligarchs happy to prevent destabilizing power struggles at home , so it needs to bribe, cajole or coerce local governments into awarding Chinese firms the rights to build them. Since it doesnt have the trillions of dollars needed to fund the entirety of the initiative on its own, it needs to use every tool of state power at its disposal to win projects on the most favorable terms possible. Inevitably, some of these will have to be built in notoriously restive regions some of which will become more unstable as OBOR projects exacerbate social and environmental tensions so it needs to push for permission to use its security forces to do what security forces from weaker host states may not be able to do. And to prepare for a potential conflict that blocks its maritime chokepoints, China needs to develop the naval forces to keep its backup outlets open and counter enemy forces coming from the west and this means it needs to establish bases and logistics facilities abroad to support them. China has relatively little fear of Indias own military trajectory a fact underscored regularly, including this week, by derisive commentary in Chinese state media even if India would have a considerable home-field advantage if a conflict broke out in the Indian Ocean. But an India tightly aligned with the U.S. and its regional allies would rightfully be alarming to Beijing. Such an alliance would help make up for the dramatic shortfall in Indian capabilities, of course, while allowing India to expand its presence dramatically without taking on a long-term project of developing overseas bases and logistics facilities. A string of recent agreements with both the U.S. and France will aid in this regard. More important, it would ease the burden on the U.S. in a potential conflict with China, allowing the Americans to amass forces where needed while trusting partners like India and Australia to provide support from the flanks. For India, the validity of Chinas strategic fears is meaningless, as is the reality that China is currently too weak to project substantial power into the Indian Ocean. Whatever Chinas intentions, India feels encircled by a country with a voracious appetite for power one that happens to be arming New Delhis most dangerous rival and intent on building a bluewater navy putting it at an intolerable long-term risk of a two-front war. Still, New Delhi is caught between conflicting interests here and struggling somewhat to find its footing. It doesnt want to push its neighbors into Chinas orbit by trying to deny them the Chinese aid and investment their economies may need. But its influence with these states would suffer if it were seen as a pushover, incapable of countering Chinese coercion. Already, China has ample cause to think that if it pushes, India will be the first to back down. New Delhi needs the Quad to pose a credible deterrent and persuade China that its best interest is to rise within the established order. Yet, lately, the U.S. has proved to be something of an aloof and inconsistent security partner , and India cant build a strategy around an outside power that may not show up in a crisis. Thus, while neither country wants a fight, India wants it less. This will make India an exceedingly reluctant Quad partner, keen to avoid coordinated actions that make China feel backed into a corner. But it will be a Quad partner nonetheless. China cant back down without sacrificing its core imperatives, and Indias lack of options in the matter will become increasingly apparent. Estimados amigos, Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia. Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro. Gonzalo Raffo de Lavalle Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras. Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada. Helenio Herrera History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. Karl Marx If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. Sun Tzu We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity. Paulo Coelho For at least the past five years, the oldest credit union in New York State has been defrauded by its CEO and President, who embezzled over $6 million dollars from the institution, prosecutors allege. Municipal Credit Union CEO Kam Wong, 62, was arrested this morning by federal agents on charges of embezzlement, bank fraud, wire fraud, and identity theft. Wong used a variety of "multi-faceted" schemes to embezzle the money since at least 2013, prosecutors allege, including making some 2,500 ATM withdraws using a credit union business credit card, to ostensibly "test" the credit union ATMs. This trick allegedly netted Wong $1.9 million. Prosecutors say Wong also illegally paid himself "millions of dollars in cash payments in lieu of a long-term disability insurance policy, as well as millions more for taxes to cover those payments." After allegedly getting the credit union's board to pay him directly for "dental work" instead of paying through the insurance company, Wong allegedly submitted fake invoices for dental work, and was reimbursed for hundreds of thousands of dollars in dental work that never happened. If only avoiding the dentist could be so lucrative. Wong also collected tens of thousands of dollars in annual cash advances, for no apparent justifiable reason, and was paid for 320 days of unused sick leave, "in violation of WONGs contract and the Credit Unions policies," according to the indictment. Over half of this money, according to prosecutors, was spent on lottery tickets$3.55 million worth, according to the complaint unsealed today. Wong allegedly spent a considerable amount of time buying lottery tickets from locations near his office and his home in Valley Stream, Long Island. He also allegedly swindled Municipal Credit Union money to pay for unnecessary repairs to his Mercedes Benz which the credit union leased for him. All of this alleged embezzlement is on top of Wong's (legal) $684,000 annual salary. It's unclear if Wong ever saw any return on his $3 million investment in lotto tickets. "As alleged, the CEO and president of New Yorks oldest credit union abused his position of trust as a guardian of municipal, state, and federal workers financial accounts to enrich himselt," said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District Geoffrey S. Berman. "Kam Wong allegedly stole money from the credit unions earnings that were intended to reward the credit unions members, not line Wongs pockets." Headquartered in downtown Manhattan, the Municipal Credit Union is one of the largest in America, providing bank services to more than 425,000 members, including many state, federal and New York City employees. Chef King Phojanakong looked surprised at the large frozen chunk of blood sitting in the plastic food container. The blood hadnt completely thawed, despite the amount of time he left it in the fridge to defrost. I didnt know that fresh blood is only sold frozenI naively imagined it sloshing in buckets at the back of the butcher. Still, there was enough for dinuguan, a Filipino pork blood stew, Phojanakong announced. He started sauteing onions, garlic and ginger, and browning the pork belly. His mother used to call it chocolate meat, to trick him into eating it as a child. But it doesnt taste like chocolate, he said with a laugh. We met at his restaurant Kuma Inn in the Lower East Side, on a Thursday in early April. Phojanakong opened Kuma Inn back in 2003. At that time, he said, there was only one other sit down restaurant in Manhattan selling Filipino food. But in the last few years, the cuisine has gained high-profile attention. In 2016, Bon Appetit named Washington DC Filipino restaurant Bad Saint the #2 restaurant in the country. Last May Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold declared LA the new hotspot for Filipino food. Here in New York, Filipino restaurants are earning high praise, and a front page story in the New York Times food section back in March introduced readers to a sour, fermented, vinegary cuisine that goes far beyond adobo, the familiar braised chicken dish commonly made with soy-sauce and garlic. Dinuguan, a Filipino pork blood stew (Clay Williams / Gothamist) For an first time customer, Filipino food can seem like a mix of familiar and intimidating. When I met Phojanakong, he cooked two dishes that marked that distinction. For the dinuguan, he added equal parts apple cider vinegar, water, and pigs blood. It bubbled and turned brown as soon it hit the pan, and he had to quickly stir it to keep it from congealing. After a few minutes, he set it aside to simmer and started on Pancit Canton, a Cantonese style noodle stir fry, with carrots, onion, garlic, a Chinese pork sausage, and Bok choy. He added the egg noodles, and then fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and calamansi juice. Calamansi is a common citrus fruit in the Philippines, the size of a kumquat. Phojanakong describes the taste as a mix between a lime and a tangerine. Typically, in the Philippines, the calamansi would be on the side of your dish, like a wedge of lemon, he said. Here, the fruit is very hard to get imported, so he uses the juice. I tried a different Pancit (i.e., noodle) dish at Jeepney Filipino Gastro Pub in the Lower East Side. Executive Chef Miguel Trinidad described Pancit Isabela as Filipino-style ramen. He boiled fresh Sun noodles in a beef broth, blanched carrots, poached an egg, and fried ground up Longganisa sausage with a scoop of minced garlic. Trinidad said its an easy dish to make at home, but if you want your beef broth to come out like the one at Jeepney, you will need to pick up some neck bones and beef knuckles from your butcher. For hard-to-find Filipino ingredients, both Phojanakong and Trinidad head to Johnny Air, a market inside of a Filipino shipping company on Avenue A. Chinatown is also another important source of ingredients. Phojanakong gets the blood for his dinuguan in Chinatown, and you should too if you want to make the dish. Calls to several high end butchers in Brooklyn revealed that they only sell it by the gallon, and ranging in price from $10-$60, depending on where you go. When Phojanakong finished and plated the blood stew, the color and texture reminded me of a Mexican Mole sauce. I was surprised by the brightness of the dish, which came from the vinegar. Phojanakong doesnt actually have the dish on the menu at Kuma Inn, he's not sure how he would sell it to customers. But it is on the menu at Jeepney. The dividing line of this dish reveals the different ways that these chefs approach serving Filipino food in New York. Phojanakong embraces adaptation and substitutions. He used apple cider vinegar for the dinuguan, instead of the customary coconut or sugarcane vinegar. A dish of summer rolls calls for heart of palm, but instead he substitutes bamboo shoots or seasonal vegetables. He shrugs his shoulders at the idea of authenticity. We have no palm trees in New York City...Were not in the Philippines, he said. If you grew up eating McDonalds, thats your authentic hamburger. Crispy pork fat, "pig candy," at Jeepney (Clay Williams / Gothamist) Phojanakong was born in New York, to a Filipino mother and a Thai father, and he spent summers as a kid in the Philippines. Yet when he opened Kuma Inn, some Filipino customers were skeptical that his food was authentic. Trinidad, who was also born in New York, faced questions of authenticity from some Filipino customers, he said, for his Dominican heritage. He spent months living in the Philippines to learn about its food, and reportedly spent years mastering the cuisine. He recently came back from a trip to the Philippines with Nicole Ponseca, the restaurants owner, for research on their upcoming cookbook, I Am A Filipino. We want to cook the whole island, he said. Were going to cook it exactly the way it's been cooked in the Philippines.and it's OK if you dont like it, but were not going to dumb it down for the American palate. We want to keep it authentic. One authentic dish that Jeepney serves, that other Filipino restaurants in Manhattan avoid, is Balut, a fertilized duck egg. Its a dish that has inspired stories and videos of reaction shots, and it was even featured on Fear Factor. But Jeepney takes pride in the dish. Its the only picture featured on the Dinner page of their website. They get their duck eggs from Long Island, 11 to 14 days from hatching, Trinidad said, and then he shot me a look. Want one? Perhaps a little too quickly, I said yes. He began boiling the egg, and then cut a strip of banana leaf and passed it across the flame on the gas stove. On the plate went the banana leaf, a mound of salt, and then the Balut balanced upright. He shone his cellphone flashlight on the egg, and found a hollow spot at the top. He told me to crack it with the back of the spoon. Opening the tip, I found a webby membrane. I scratched it off with my finger, and saw a brown liquid pooling underneath. Now, you want to drink that soup, he said, and I did. Balut, a fertilized duck egg (Clay Williams / Gothamist) I continued peeling the eggs shell, unspooling the Balut, and found the tiny duckling wrapped around a hard boiled yolk. The meat was soft and tender, and surprisingly mild. It did taste, as Trinidad described, like a very rich hard boiled egg. For all the ceremony around this dish, its a casual food, says Trinidad. In the Philippines, friends get together for a bucket of balut and beers. And while Balut may be authentically Filipino, Trinidad and Ponseca have been pairing it with an authentic American spectacle, an eating competition. They are bringing back their annual Balut eating contest this year. If you are looking to try a variety of Filipino Food, theres no better time than next week during Filipino Restaurant Week, May 14-26. Dinuguan, Pork Blood Stew Chef King Phojanakong, Kuma Inn Yield: 2-3 portions Ingredients: 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon chopped garlic cup sliced onions 12 oz. sliced pork belly cup water, or more if necessary cup rice vinegar 1 pint pork blood 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste 3 Thai chilies 1 teaspoon Sugar Salt to taste 3 Thai chilies to garnish Method 1. Heat oil in pan. Saute garlic, onions and pork. 2. Add water, vinegar & pork blood and stir, stir, stir. If the blood coagulates add water and vinegar as needed and stir. 3. Season with remaining ingredients. 5. Simmer for 20 minutes 6. Garnish with Thai chilies. Pancit Canton, Stir-Fried Egg Noodles Chef King Phojanakong, Kuma Inn Yield: 4-6 portions Ingredients: 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon chopped garlic cup sliced onions cup sliced pork belly cup sliced Chinese sausage cup carrots, julienned 1 cup bok choy, sliced Egg noodles, par cooked 4 oz water or chicken stock 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce or to taste 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, or to taste Black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon calamansi or lime juice, or to taste Scallions, sliced, to garnish Method 1. Heat oil in wok or pan. Saute garlic, onions, pork, sausage, carrots and bok choy. 2. Add noodles and saute. 3. Season with liquids and black pepper. 4. Add calamansi juice and garnish with scallions . Just before 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he was appointing Nassau County D.A. Madeline Singas to be the "Special Prosecutor and Special Deputy Attorney General" to investigate the assault accusations against former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. But Manhattan D.A. Cy Vance, who had already announced his own investigation, is not pleased. Vance sent a late night letter to the governor, stating, "While I have absolute confidence that DA Singas can conduct a thorough and effective review (and putting aside the legality of the way you have framed this directive), I strongly object to this move, for a number of important reasons." In March, Cuomo had appointed Schneiderman to probe Vance's handling of a 2015 assault accusation made by an Italian model against Harvey Weinstein. Despite the existence of an audio recording in which Weinstein admits he groped the woman without her permission, and despite the NYPD's apparent belief that the movie producer should be charged, Vance's office declined to prosecute. That decision drew additional scrutiny after reporting from the NY Times and New Yorker about Weinstein's pattern of predatory behavior, resulting in new investigations in NYC, LA and London. In his letter to Cuomo, Vance writes, "[T]he only potential conflict here is one of your creation: your recent directive that the AGs office review, among other things, a 2015 investigation of Harvey Weinstein by my office and the NYPD. As I made clear to your office at the time, this review is an unwarranted intrusion by an elected executive into a charging decision by an independent prosecutor... As I made clear to your office at the time, this review is an unwarranted intrusion by an elected executive into a charging decision by an independent prosecutor." The FULL Vance letter to Cuomo. A must-read: pic.twitter.com/wjRuSW0U2B Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) May 9, 2018 Cuomo's counsel, Alphonso David, responded, "Confronted with the reality of a conflict, we took action to ensure both the integrity of the investigation and the public's confidence in the process. In doing so, we put in place an elected official and independent prosecutor who could preside over the investigation without the specter of conflict or compromise. I view the District Attorney's editorial commentary as both inappropriate and misguided given the ongoing investigations." In a harrowing New Yorker article, four women describe how Schneiderman slapped them during relationships or dating, sometimes spitting on them, choking them, belittling them, and threatening them to stay silent. One woman said, he "would almost always drink two bottles of wine in a night, then bring a bottle of Scotch into the bedroom. He would get absolutely plastered five nights out of seven." Schneiderman has maintained that he never assaulted anyone and that he "engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity" only, but resigned three hours after the New Yorker article was published. The incidents occurred in New York City and the Hamptons, and both Vance and Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini said they would investigate the allegations. However, Sini's office said on Tuesday, "Earlier today, Gov. [Andrew M.] Cuomo indicated that he may appoint a special prosecutor to investigate this matter. Should that occur, our office would support that effort and provide any assistance necessary." Singas, who was born in Queens and worked as a prosecutor for the Queens D.A. before becoming Nassau County D.A. in 2015, said in a statement, "Pursuant to the Governors executive order, we will vigorously investigate the allegations for which jurisdiction has been granted. To echo my earlier statement, I will not accept any appointment nor seek election to the next office of the New York State Attorney General." From 29 April to 10 May, the Sultanate of Oman hosted the Theoretical Training in the framework of the UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme (CCP) in Salalah. Oman joined the programme in 2016 as the first country of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).The training was conducted by WCO technical experts who have already working experience in Oman. It was intended to support the establishment of a specialized Port Control Unit (PCU) at the Port of Salalah, the second PCU after the first one was established in the Port of Sohar. The training covered various aspects on different types of risks on smuggling via maritime containerized traffic such as risk management, risk analysis on commercial documents, risk indicators, container search, types of concealments, seal tampering and the modus operandi rip on / rip off, targeting security risks, an introduction to the WCO Strategic Trade Enforcement implementation guide, CITES, IPR as well as practical risk management exercises; WCO and UN conventions and human rights were also covered. A total of 11 Customs officers participated in this training event. Both the Oman participants and the training experts were satisfied with the outcomes of the training and motivated to continue with the staged training concept applied by the CCP. Currently, Port Control Units established in the framework of the CCP are operational in 48 countries; funding for seven additional countries in total has been granted by the donors of this joint UNODC-WCO programme. The implementation of the Container Control Programme in Oman is funded by the US Department of State - Export Control and Related Border Security Program (EXBS). By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 09, 2018 | 07:40 AM | PADUCAH, KY Book for Hope, Inc. is hosting a blood and bone marrow drive Thursday in Paducah. The event is in honor of local children Kendall James and Ariel Barton. Barton was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in June of 2016 at the age of three. James was 5 years old and diagnosed with stage III embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma cancer You can donate blood at Thursday's event, and people will be available to take a simple cheek swab to determine if you could be a match to save a life. The event will be held from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm at the Robert Cherry Civic Center. No. 16 Kentucky hosts LSU, looking to remain unbeaten Man Reported Missing Last Month Found Safe Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 19, 2018 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 19, 2018 | 02:31 PM | PADUCAH, KY Police say a man reported missing last month is okay. According to Paducah Police, 49-year-old William R. Brown has been located, is in good health, and is no longer considered missing. Brown had been reported missing to police on April 19. Original story: Local police are asking for help finding a man reported missing. According to Paducah Police, 49-year-old William R. Brown was reported missing about 9:30 Thursday morning. He had last been seen about 8:30 am Wednesday on County Park Road. Police say they were told Brown is suicidal and had made comments about wanting to harm himself. Brown is 5'6" tall and weighs about 160 pounds. He is bald on top with very short hair, and has blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a dark colored t-shirt and jeans. Anyone with information about William Brown should contact Paducah Police at 270-444-8550 or other law enforcement. 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. By Leah Long May. 08, 2018 | 09:17 PM | PADUCAH, KY Paducah's City Commissioners were introduced to an ordinance that will re-classify two job titles at Tuesday evening's commission meeting.The proposed ordinance to remove the positions of city clerk and chief building inspector from the civil service and re-classify those jobs to non-civil service. Human Resources Director Martin Russell explained those are the only two positions still classified as civil service positions.If the city approves the ordinance, the employees in the current positions would stay classified as civil service. However as those positions are available for new hires, the jobs would then be classified as non-civil service.Interim City Manager Mark Thompson said the commissioners were informed by city counsel Stacey Blankenship that a change in the Kentucky legislature in 2015 dictates the city clerk position cannot be classified as civil service."Those were positions that had to have some extra protection. At this point the state statute does not allow the city clerk to be a civil service position," said Thompson.The change in classification drew criticism from Commissioner Richard Abraham, who said he had a conversation with Paducah City Attorney David Denton, who seemed to indicate re-classifying the jobs might not be the proper course for the commission to take."Well my conversation with David is that that would be a major mistake, to declassify that. And I asked him about the state's reclassification or that is illegal for that position to be, and he took a little issue with that," said Abraham.Mayor Brandi Harless pointed out it was only the introduction of the proposed ordinance and said there was still fact finding for the commissioners to do before the ordinance is brought up to the commission for a vote.For further information on action from the meeting, visit www.paducahky.gov/2018-city-commission. On the Net: By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 09, 2018 | 01:20 PM | BENTON, KY A Marshall County woman is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a local bank. Kentucky State Police arrested 40-year-old Amanda R. Powell, of Benton, Tuesday on a felony charge of theft by unlawful taking over $10,000. State police say Powell's arrest is a result of an investigation into the theft of $20,000 from U.S. Bank in Benton. According to KSP, Powell was employed at the bank at the time of the theft. Kentucky State Police Detective Brian Hill presented the case to the Marshall County Grand Jury on Tuesday. The Grand jury returned a true bill on the case and an indictment warrant was issued. Powell was arrested without incident and lodged in the Marshall County Jail. Photos by Telina Frye Area residents gather for a National Day of Prayer Service in front of New Martinsville City Building. Amy Witschey prays over the Business/Industry of New Martinsville at the Prayer Luncheon. Unity was the theme of the National Day of Prayer this year, and this was evident the whole day on Thursday, May 3. Ephesians 4:3 says Making every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. That was the key verse this year for the 67th Annual National Day of Prayer. Unity was evident as representatives from several area churches gathered together as one church to pray for several needs in the community. The day started with a Prayer Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church. After everyone was welcomed, there was a Table Blessing, and everyone ate a delicious lunch prepared by the First Baptist Church family. While everyone finished their lunches, the Prayer Service got underway. After the opening prayer, the order of the prayer service was as follows: Amy Witschey, Business/Industry; Jeanette Mann, Media; Leon Heck, Education; Rick Farley, Government (Local, State, National); Judy Krueger, Youth & Family; Mark Link, Military Personnel; Judy Whitener, Area Churches/Pastors. Attendees of the luncheon left encouraged and refreshed by the time spent in prayer together. Corporate prayer continued that evening when local residents gathered at the New Martinsville City building to pray for unity of the spirit. After everyone was welcomed by Amy Witschey, Telina Frye led those who attented in a song. There were Prayers for the 7 Centers of Influence. The evening prayer service was as follows. Rev. Bruce Taylor, Military; Dr. Ibanga Ekanem, Government; Rev. Mick Frye, Churches; Childrens Pastor T.J. Bundy, Families; Rev. Dan Betts, Education; Don Riggenbach, Businesses; Rev. Don Biram, Media. Telina Frye then sang another song, and Amy Witschey closed out the event. In an effort to live out the theme of unity, beginning in September, the New Martinsville Ministerial Association churches will begin hosting a monthly prayer service and fellowship lunch on the second Tuesday of each month through February 12, 2019. These monthly prayer services will be for fellowship and corporate worship as a community. Beginning Wednesday, March 6, 2019, these prayer services will be weekly on Wednesdays during Lent. All are invited to join each month to worship, pray and fellowship together as the churches of the New Martinsville and Wetzel County area. By: Paige Cline The hills are still green for the most part, but a little[Read More] WiGBits Headline News Would you like to receive our WiGBits? Signup today! WiG Entertainment News Would you like to receive our WiG Entertainment News? Signup today! Digital Issue Would you like to receive our Digital Issue? Signup today! President Donald Trump chose a dicey time to crack down on Iran, the world's fifth-biggest oil producer. Global oil supplies were already getting tight before Trump vowed on Tuesday to exit the Iran nuclear deal and impose "powerful" sanctions on the OPEC nation. Energy industry insiders say Trump's tough stance on Iran will probably keep oil and gasoline prices higher than they would otherwise be. Iran ramped up its oil production by 1 million barrels per day after sanctions were lifted in early 2016. At least some of that oil will now be pulled from the market - at a time when oil prices are already rising because of production cuts by OPEC and Russia as well as instability in Venezuela. Dan Eberhart, CEO of oilfield services company Canary LLC, drew a direct connection: "Withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal will support higher oil prices." Trump telegraphed the move, and oil prices shot up in recent weeks as traders anticipated it. Crude topped $70 a barrel this week for the first time in nearly four years. Hours before Trump's announcement, federal government forecasters raised their estimate for 2018 oil prices by 10.5% to an average of $65.58 a barrel. Crude oil prices swung wildly on Tuesday, eventually climbing back above $70 a barrel later in the day. Gasoline prices, which generally follow oil prices, have jumped to a national average of $2.81 a gallon, according to AAA. A gallon of gas went for $2.34 a year ago. The typical family will spend about $200 more this summer driving season, according to the Oil Price Information Service. "It will be more painful for motorists than the past two years - but nothing close to 2011 to 2014 when it was $3.40 to $3.60 a gallon," said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at OPIS. Related: Oil prices swing wildly after Iran news No one knows exactly how high prices will go. That will be determined by a range of factors, including how much Iranian crude is restricted by the sanctions and whether other major producers - such as the United States - fill the gap. Saudi Arabia will 'mitigate' supply shortages OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia indicated it was ready to act. In a statement late Tuesday, the Saudi energy ministry said was "committed to supporting the stability of oil markets." "The kingdom [will] work with major producers within and outside OPEC, as well as major consumers, to mitigate the impact of any potential supply shortages," the official Saudi Press Agency said, citing a statement from the ministry. But there's another major question: Will tensions in the Middle East rise even further now that the United States is leaving the Iran deal? Heightened geopolitical fears in the Middle East often raise prices. Several US military officials told CNN that there are increasing concerns Iran is on the cusp of an attack against Israel. It's not clear when an attack could come, nor what form it could take. "The three or four-year period of quiet in terms of geopolitics impacting oil markets is over," said Canary's Eberhart. Iran produced about 3.8 million barrels of oil per day in April, according to the latest S&P Global Platts OPEC survey. That's up from 2.9 million barrels per day in January 2016, when the nuclear deal took effect. Just how much of Iran's growth in oil production is at risk - and when it could decline - is uncertain. The Treasury Department said on Tuesday that sanctions targeting Iran's oil trade and energy industry will come with a six-month lag. Most analysts believe that at least some nations will ignore the new American sanctions and continue buying Iranian crude. China, Iran's largest customer, may be especially reluctant to cut Iran off because of the trade tensions between Beijing and Washington. "Short of war, the only way Iran's crude sales could be disrupted is if European and certain Asian buyers revert back to their pre-2015 embargo policy - and there is virtually zero chance of that," Raymond James energy analyst Pavel Molchanov said in email. Related: America's biggest oilfield is running out of pipeline Snapping sanctions back on Iran will have an immediate impact on less than 200,000 barrels per day of Iranian oil, according to analysts surveyed by S&P Global Platts. That figure rises to less than 500,000 barrels per day after six months. That's still a sizable amount of oil, especially considering the strong demand around the world. Other major producers could fill the hole left by Iran. Saudi Arabia, for instance, has the ability to crank up output. Yet analysts say Saudi Arabia would like to keep prices rising ahead of the IPO of its state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco. Production in the United States is surging thanks to the shale revolution. In fact, the Energy Information Administration lifted its 2019 domestic output forecast on Tuesday by nearly 4% to a record 11.9 million barrels per day. "It's quite possible that surging US shale production could easily fill the gap left by Iran," Eberhart said. One catch: Output is surging so much in the Permian Basin, America's biggest oilfield, that pipelines can't keep up. New pipelines are in the works, but won't be ready until later next year. Michael Cohen served loyally as Donald Trump's right-hand man for more than a decade, taking care of anything and everything the New York real estate baron needed to get done. On November 8, 2016, Cohen's stock suddenly soared: He was now the personal attorney to the President-elect of the United States, with unique understanding of a man that everyone was scrambling to get access to. Cohen quickly got to work. According to multiple people familiar with Cohen's conduct following the election, he aggressively pitched himself to potential clients, reminding them of his proximity to the most powerful man in the world. Those efforts landed Cohen lucrative consulting deals. New reporting this week revealed that in the months following the 2016 election, Cohen received hundreds of thousands of dollars from powerful entities based in and outside of the United States. "I don't know who's been representing you, but you should fire them all. I'm the guy you should hire. I'm closest to the President. I'm his personal lawyer," was how one GOP strategist described Cohen's sales pitch. One company that Cohen immediately sought out was pharmaceutical giant Novartis. "He was shopping himself around," a source familiar told CNN. Cohen would ultimately land a one-year contract with the firm by promising access to the White House on health care policy. But that deal quickly soured. According to the source, company officials had one meeting with Cohen in March 2017 and decided that he would not be able to provide the access they desired. There would be no other meetings with Cohen, but Novartis chose to pay out the entirety of Cohen's contract anyway -- $100,000 per month, for a total of $1.2 million. Money flowing in Money was flowing in from other companies, too. Telecommunications conglomerate AT&T publicly acknowledged this week that it hired Cohen for a simple reason: to gain "insights" into the new President and his administration. AT&T paid Cohen at least $200,000 in 2017, according to a source familiar with the matter. AT&T is seeking government approval for its acquisition of Time Warner, CNN's parent company. Other payments to Cohen, according to a lawyer suing him, included approximately half-a-million dollars from a company linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch with close ties to the Kremlin and $150,000 from Korea Aerospace Industries. Cohen and his lawyer didn't respond to a request for comment on this story. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders wouldn't address the Cohen payments during a briefing with reporters Wednesday. "As you know due to the complications of the different components of the investigation I would refer you to the outside counsel to address those questions," she told reporters, later adding, "We are not engaging in matters in this process at all." She said she hasn't heard "specific concerns" from the President on this topic. While Cohen has not been accused of any wrongdoing, these new revelations raise serious questions about whether a man in Trump's inner circle had engaged in influence peddling and could spell legal trouble for Cohen, who is already in hot water. He is currently under criminal investigation related to his business dealings, and federal officials raided his home, office and hotel room last month to seize thousands of pages of documents and records. Another ominous sign for Cohen: lawyers working with special counsel Robert Mueller on the investigation into possible Russian collusion in the presidential election have questioned at least one company about its contract with Cohen. "Novartis was contacted in November 2017 by lawyers from the special counsel's office regarding the company's agreement with Essential Consultants. Novartis cooperated fully with the special counsel's office and provided all the information requested," the company said. "Novartis considers this matter closed as to itself and is not aware of any outstanding questions regarding the agreement." If the revelations about the payments to Cohen are only just coming to light, others in Trump world say they are hardly surprised. A former Trump campaign official who worked on the transition said "everybody knew" Cohen had taken on consulting work after the election. It was widespread practice among high-ranking Trump associates who did not go into the administration to provide consulting services after Trump won in November 2016, this person said, noting that Cohen was far from the only person to do so. "You don't need access to (Trump). All you need is the perception of access to (Trump)," the former campaign official said. Capitalizing on Trump's victory And Cohen wasn't the only one who tried to capitalize on Trump's victory. Post-election, corporate America was on the hunt for anyone who could help them make inroads with the incoming administration. "There was a lot of scrambling," said one Republican strategist. "C suites everywhere were freaking out." One person with ties to the campaign described being approached by a top tier tech company after the election with an offer: They would pay this person $50,000 a month to make introductions to members of Trump's team. No lobbying necessary. Another individual with deep ties to the Washington lobbying world put it this way: "Everyone said Trump won't win. Everyone had all of these Hillary (Clinton) consultants lined up and realized when Trump won, they had nobody." Cohen happened to be one person who enjoyed genuine access to the President, one ex-campaign official said. During the transition, Cohen worked out of his office in Trump Tower in Manhattan, where his desk was a three-minute walk from the then-President-elect's office on a nearby floor. Cohen and Trump spoke "multiple times a day" during the transition, this person estimated -- it was during this period that the payments from major corporations first started to flow into Cohen's Essential Consultants bank account. Trump told reporters last month that Cohen was his lawyer. Cohen has also been seen recently at the President's private club, Mar-a-Lago. Trump has also said that he didn't know about the $130,000 payment that Cohen made using Essential Consultants to porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleges to have had an affair with Trump years ago. The White House has said Trump denies the affairs. What's less clear is how much Cohen discussed the nuts and bolts of policy-making with his longtime boss. One source familiar with Cohen's relationship with Trump said the President "never talked to Cohen about substantive matters" that Cohen's clients would be interested in. Weakening access And the proximity that Cohen initially had to Trump during the transition greatly weakened after Inauguration Day, multiple people told CNN. Trump's daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, sought to keep Cohen away from the White House, and he was rarely seen there. One person described Cohen as having become "disenfranchised" in the early months of the Trump administration -- but that he nevertheless continued to portray himself as Trump's go-to guy. The fresh headlines this week about Cohen attempting to line his pockets after the election -- and the perception that he was "harvesting money off of the President's back" -- could ultimately anger Trump, the source noted. Robert Weissman, president of public watchdog group Public Citizen, said the precise nature of the work Cohen performed for each client would determine whether he violated any ethics laws. Weissman cited the $200,000 in payments from AT&T to Cohen as an example of a transaction that would only violate laws if Cohen's services went beyond what company representatives have said. AT&T has claimed the company only paid Cohen to gain "insights" into the President -- and that there was no legal or lobbying work. "As a legal matter, if they can stick to that story -- that it was just for strategic advice -- that's probably permissible," Weissman told CNN. Meanwhile, the $400,000 that Cohen received from Novartis in installments from October 2017 to January 2018 preceded a dinner Trump reportedly had with a Novartis executive in Davos, Switzerland. Weissman suggested the timing of the dinner could raise red flags. "This agreement was also in no way related to the group dinner Dr. Narasimhan had at the World Economic Forum in Davos with President Trump and 15 Europe based industry leaders," Novartis said in a statement. "Suggestions to the contrary clearly misrepresent the facts and can only be intended to further personal or political agendas as to which Novartis should not be a part." Novartis has several prominent drugs pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Last year, the company secured some high-profile approvals from the FDA. While the drugmaker paid Cohen, it also spent millions of dollars to lobby lawmakers about more than a dozen pieces of legislation, including the Republican tax cut plan, according to federal disclosures. What's more, Cohen would need to register as a foreign agent if he provided any public policy representation to overseas companies, Weissman added. Cohen accepted $150,000 from Korea Aerospace Industries, a South Korean company, in November 2017. In partnership with US defense giant Lockheed Martin, the company is currently vying for a lucrative contract with the United States Air Force, which plans to buy approximately 350 new training jets. The Air Force is considering buying the T-50 Golden Eagle, which is developed by Korean Aerospace Industries. A decision is reportedly expected this spring. The company told CNN that it retained Cohen to receive "short term legal advice." "Korea Aerospace Industries, LTD. received legal advice on the Cost Accounting Standards regulation from Essential Consultants, LLC through a contracted deal," a spokesperson said. "The payment was all legal based on the contract. KAI is doing its best to comply with accounting regulations that are up to global standards." The spokesperson clarified that the company did not have direct contact with Cohen at the time, and that the "deal was done by someone else." It was not immediately clear who this "someone else" was. RICHFIELD - Educators around the country this week are being celebrated as part of national teacher appreciation week, but one local teacher was surprised with a special honor Wednesday. Celia Rathbun is a middle school social studies and 11th grade history teacher at Richfield Springs Central School District. She was surprised at a school event Wednesday, when she learned that she is one of 60 recipients of the Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award from Gov. Andrew Cuomos office. The event was a surprise for Rathbun, who thought she was attending a school assembly. Its an award not just for me, but for our entire district, because I cant do what I do without the support of my administrators and colleagues and the community, and even my students, Rathbun said. The award recognizes educational leaders who exemplify the professional work of thousands of outstanding, progressive teachers and innovative educators striving to attain New York standards and success for all of their students. I think its just really important to keep working hard, keep doing what you feel is best as a teacher. Support your teachers, give them the tools they need to be successful, and the results will come from there, said Richfield Springs Central High School Principal Joseph DApice. Rathbun and the other 59 winners are rewarded with a $5,000 stipend for their continued learning and professional endeavors. She also received a commemorative plaque. A Utica man has been sentenced to prison time for breaking into an apartment and pointing a gun at a woman inside. Angel Soto, 36, was sentenced Wednesday in Oneida County Court to 9 years in state prison with five years of post-release supervision, according to the Oneida County District Attorneys Office. Soto previously pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary. Back in November, Utica police were called to an apartment on Scott Street after a woman reported that a man had forced his way into her apartment and pointed a gun at her. Police say the man, later identified as Soto, questioned the woman about a man who lived in the apartment, and after he searched the apartment and learned the woman was the only one there, he fled from the apartment. Soto was arrested after the woman directed police to an apartment on Scott Street where she believed he had fled to. The apartment where Soto was found wasn't his residence, and it unoccupied at the time. Soto was initially charged with: - Two counts of first-degree burglary (Felony) - Two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (Felony) - Two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (Felony) - Two counts of criminal possession of a firearm (Felony) - Second-degree menacing (Misdemeanor) - Obstruction of governmental administration (Misdemeanor) ______________________________ RELATED COVERAGE: Police: Utica man forced his way into apartment, pointed gun at woman inside TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) Hundreds of police officers from across the country are expected to attend the funeral for a western Indiana police officer who was killed during a shootout with a homicide suspect. The funeral for 45-year-old Terre Haute Officer Robert Pitts takes place Wednesday at Indiana State University's Hulman Center. Officials say Pitts was fatally wounded when he and other officers approached 21-year-old suspect Christopher A. Wolfe, who died of a gunshot wound after barricading himself inside an apartment. Terre Haute Police Chief John Plasse said Tuesday that Pitts represented "what is best in this society." Pitts was a 16-year member of the Terre Haute Police Department following six years with the police force in the nearby city of Sullivan. He was the father of a daughter and two sons. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The brother of Vice President Mike Pence capitalized on his famous name and backing from other top Republicans to win an Indiana congressional primary Tuesday against an entrepreneur who mostly self-funded his campaign. Columbus businessman Greg Pence has never held a public office. Still, he easily won the primary largely because of his younger brother, who represented the 6th District for a dozen years before becoming Indiana governor. Pence told supporters Tuesday night that he was humbled by the primary victory. "I'm ready to serve again," he said. "This victory is thanks to you, the many Hoosiers who have helped build this campaign from the ground up and voted for us." His closest GOP rival was Muncie entrepreneur Jonathan Lamb, who loaned his campaign around $800,000 in an effort to keep pace with Pence. Pence had raised $1.2 million and spent nearly $1 million as of mid-April, making it the most expensive race among Indiana's congressional districts. The seat is open because incumbent Rep. Luke Messer is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. Lamb, 36, criticized his opponent for relying on the Pence name and dodging debates. He said he had a hard time telling where Pence stands on issues, although both profess support for most of President Donald Trump's agenda. Pence said in a recent interview that his family name is a "good name" and that he prefers meeting voters instead of debating. Pence, 61, is a Marine veteran and owner of two antique malls. He once ran a now-bankrupt chain of Tobacco Road convenience stores. He has said he would focus on issues such as infrastructure, veterans' affairs, fixing the immigration system and health care. Some voters who cast ballots for Pence cited his more famous brother and support for Trump as reasons for backing him. "He comes from a good family," said Ken Branch, a 57-year-old autoworker from New Palestine, Indiana, who voted at a polling site in a funeral home southeast of Indianapolis. "I like what they stand for what I would call Christian values." Also running in the GOP primary were Stephen MacKenzie, Mike Campbell and Jeff Smith. Pence will face the top vote-getter among six Democrats: George Holland, K. Lave, Jeannine Lee Lake, Jim Pruett, Lane Siekman or Joshua Williamson. May 3 is World Press Freedom Day. Reporters and media NGOs have compiled a summary of the state of freedom of speech in Armenia. Its a given that cases of violence against reporters increase during elections, rallies and mass demonstrations. Experts have shown that the same was the case during the recent protests, led by Nikol Pashinyan, to first oust Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister and then to topple the government led by the Republican Party of Armenia. Ashot Melikyan, President of the Committee to Defend Free Speech, told Hetq that 27 reporters and camera-operators were injured while covering recent civil disobedience in Armenia, this according to preliminary data. 16 were physically assaulted. In two cases, media outlet reps were pressured but no physical violence was used. Their work was interfered with. Another nine were injured during scuffles or when police employed special measures. Prosecutor General Office data shows that between April 13 and 23 of this year, 17 cases where the work of reporters covering civil disobedience was hindered were registered. Twelve of these, regarding 14 reporters, are described as having evident signs of criminality. Analyzing the events of past years, Melikyan notes that cases of violence against reporters and the press were perpetrated by the police, those individuals in civilian dress enjoying police protection, or those in the service of the government. If we analyze the events of the past ten years, we see that most of the cases where the rights of reporters and the press have been trampled have gone unanswered, and the authorities dont take sufficient measures to bring to find the guilty and hold this responsible. I believe theres a tendency here. The authorities of the Republican Party of Armenia have never been serious regarding the violation of reporter rights. Theyve looked the other way, and frequently, have covered up the cases, Melikyan writes. In 2017 alone, the Committee registered 11 violations of violence against reporters, 113 cases of media outlets and their workers being pressured in various ways, and 62 violations of receiving and disseminating information. 2017 was also unprecedented in terms of the number of new court cases against reporters and media outlets. According to the Union, 30 court cases alone were filed against Daniel Ionnisyan, founder of the Sut.am news website, and the Informed Citizens Union that he coordinates. They deal with a March 24 article revealing how principals of schools and kindergartens used their administrative powers to collect votes in favor of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia during the pre-election campaign. All the plaintiffs demanded a retraction of the alleged slander and AMD 2 million in compensation. However, at the first court session, all these petitions were withdrawn. Over the year, there were sixty cases in which media outlets or reporters were involved, all dealing with insult and slander. After these developments, I believe that the new government must create better conditions for freedom of speech and for media outlets to freely operate, says Melikyan. The laws that regulate the sector concern him, especially The Law on Television and Radio, whose many clauses dont correspond to todays standards. In addition, he finds it unacceptable to have such a supervised broadcast field. For Armenias poorest class, TV remains the major source of information. There are people who arent accustomed to paying for news and depend on unpaid TV and radio stations. In the case of paid for TV, Melikyan says their credibility and diversity is questioned. He believes, sadly, the print media is dying. Financial difficulties arent the only reason. He also points to the splitting of the print media into different branches political, economic, oligarchic, etc. The concentration of news outlets in the hands of certain oligarchs is unacceptable. These are not only holdings but are news outlets n and ruled by one owner. I can bring different examples. I believe that all of this has led to various international organizations, including Freedom House, describe Armenia as a country not having a free press, Melikyan says. Tehmineh Yenokyan: The Examination of Cases is Productive Tehmineh Yenokyan, a reporter with Lragir.am., is one of the reporters injured during the My Step protests. On April 27, she filed a report at the Nor Nork police station that a group of unknown persons hindered her professional work in Yerevan at the intersection of Heratsi, Armenakyan and Myasnikyan streets. A criminal case was launched based on Article 164 of the Criminal Code (Hindrance to the legal professional activities of a journalist). Tehmineh says that those who hindered her work and attacked demonstrators were the relatives/friends of Nor Nork administrative district employees. The police arrived when those people had already attacked the demonstrators. I file a report about the crime at the Nork police station. I noted that I had no financial demand and that my professional work had been grossly hindered. Based on my experience, I had no expectations that the perpetrators would be identified. I have two other cases, dating to 2013, that are still in the examination phase. Nevertheless, given the changes taking place in the country, perhaps those people will be identified, that the case will go to court, and that just punishments are meted out, says Tehmineh. The reporter says that one of the cases was launched based on the December 2, 2013 incident involving illegalities by the Shengavit police. Russian President Putin arrived in Armenia on that day and people were peacefully protesting Armenias membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. When Yenokyan was covering the protest for Lragir.am a group of men in civilian dress grabbed her and drove her to the police station. She was held there for over an hour before being released. Tehmineh says that the prosecutor never launched a case. She protested the decision up to the appeals court. The case is now being heard. The other case involves the Electric Yerevan protests of 2015, when the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission decided to hike the price of electricity in Armenia. Protesters blocked Yerevans Baghramyan Avenue for days. The reporter had a confrontation with police. She then petitioned the European Court of Human Rights, regarding the domestic courts examination of the matter unproductive. Its Imperative to Ensure Strict Methods of Accountability Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan says the research conducted by his office shows that reporters possess the correct understanding that the lack of accountability mechanisms is the reason why the impression that theres impunity in the country takes shape. All this becomes evident during elections and other events of public importance, since the defense of the right of reporters to work freely during such times goes a long way to create public confidence in the processes taking place. From a system-wide perspective, an atmosphere must be created in the country where reporters feel that their professional work is being defended by the government. We have always noted that cooperating with reporters must be an operating principle of all government bodies, given that it also ensures the dissemination of the work of public officials, says Tatoyan. The Human Rights Defender says his office has compiled a list of cases in which reporters have been hindered in carrying out their professional work during the recent political protests, and that a list has been forwarded to the proper authorities. Sadly, there are still misconceptions and stereotypes regarding about the role that reporters play that make their work more difficult and not as productive as possible. Thus, its vital to uproot those public perceptions, with the presumption always being in favor of the reporters legal and respectful work, Tatoyan says. He believes reporters play an irreplaceable public role, especially during important events like parliamentary elections. Thus, their work must be fully protected to allow for the collection and dissemination of any information on electoral irregularities and violations. Law enforcement must immediately respond to any news that reporters are being hindered in their work. But this is still not enough. To defend the rights of reporters most effectively, strict measures of accountability must be enacted against those found guilty of hindering the work of reporters, regardless of who they are. Top photo courtesy of HakobHovhannisyan (media.am) 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 The following release is from the U.K. Embassy in Armenia Minister for Europe, Sir Alan Duncan writes: "I am pleased that a solution to the political situation in Armenia has been found, via negotiation and through the Parliament, and congratulate Nikol Pashinyan on his election as Armenias new Prime Minister. "It is to the credit of all involved that events over the last three weeks have unfolded peacefully and largely without incident. "It is important that the restraint and statesmanship shown by all parties continues and that the political process moves forward, based on solid constitutional and legal foundations. "In my two visits to Armenia in the last 12 months, I have seen first-hand the countrys rich history, and its huge potential. I was particularly impressed by the many young people I met, who are determined to build a bright future for Armenia. "The UK, as a longstanding friend of Armenia, stands ready to support its efforts to strengthen its democracy, deliver good governance, and improve economic opportunities for all." Other signatories express support for JCPOA 09 May 2018 Share As long as Iran continues to implement its nuclear related commitments, as it is doing so far, the European Union will remain committed to the continued full and effective implementation of the nuclear deal, the EU's High Representative and Vice-President Federica Mogherini said yesterday. "We fully trust the work, competence and autonomy of the International Atomic Energy Agency that has published ten reports certifying that Iran has fully complied with its commitments," she said. President Rouhani of Iran makes his address to the nation. Ali Akhbar Salehi, president of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, stands to the right of the President. (Image: President of the Islamic Republic of Iran) Mogherini's remarks followed a statement from US President Donald Trump yesterday announcing his decision to terminate the USA's participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying it "failed to protect America's national security interests". The president has directed the US administration immediately to begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA. Mogherini said the EU "regretted" Trump's statement. "Should the US reconsider this position, we would welcome it As we have always said, the nuclear deal is not a bilateral agreement and it is not in the hands of any single country to terminate it unilaterally," she said. She noted that the agreement, which she described as a key element of the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture, had been unanimously endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The leaders of France, Germany and the UK have also emphasised their continuing commitment to the agreement, which was signed in July 2015 by Iran and the E3/EU+3 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the USA - also referred to as the P5+1 - plus the European Union) and implemented in January 2016. Under its terms, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment activities, eliminate its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium and limit its stockpile of low enriched uranium over the next 15 years. The agreement cleared the way for the lifting of nuclear-related economic sanctions imposed against Iran. President Emmanuel Macron, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Theresa May issued a joint statement in which they urged all sides "to remain committed to [the JCPOA's] full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility". "According to the IAEA, Iran continues to abide by the restrictions set out by the JCPOA, in line with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The world is a safer place as a result. Therefore we, the E3, will remain parties to the JCPOA. Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement," the three leaders said. Geng Shuang, a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, yesterday said China would remain "in close communication with all relevant parties" and remain committed to upholding and implementing the JCPOA with an "objective, impartial and responsible attitude". Members of Russia's Permanent Security Council, at a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, today expressed their "deep concern" over the US decision and highlighted the importance of the document. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said today that he had instructed his foreign minister to "meet and coordinate" with the remaining signatories of the JCPOA within weeks, and said the agreement would still stand if Iranian interests could be met. "From this moment, the JCPOA is between Iran and five countries," he said in a televised address. Rouhani also said he had instructed the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran "to be ready" to start industrial uranium enrichment but would wait "a few weeks" before taking such a step to allow consultations "with our friends and allies, as well as the other members of the JCPOA who have signed it and will be loyal to it." The IAEA is responsible for verifying and monitoring Iran's implementation of its nuclear commitments under the plan. IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said today that the agency is closely following developments related to the JCPOA as it continues with its verification and monitoring role. "Iran is subject to the world's most robust nuclear verification regime under the JCPOA, which is a significant verification gain. As of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran," he said. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics A man who is known is his neighborhood as Santa terrorized his neighbor by breaking into her home and leaving underwear, according to police in Florida. The Bay County Sheriffas Office said that deputies responded to a residence on Kimbrel Avenue in reference to a stalking complaint. The victim complained of finding ladies underwear in her unlocked vehicle as well as on the front porch railing of her home. In both incidents, handwritten notes to the victim were left with the underwear. The notes were written by someone who had some knowledge of the victim and expressed a desire to see her wearing the underwear. An investigation was opened into the case. Two months later, the victimas home was burglarized. The victim found a handwritten note inside the residence, some of her underwear removed from her bedroom, and some panties stolen. The victim reported finding the stolen underwear on her porch. During the investigation, a number of suspects were interviewed, evidence collected, and items sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for analysis, which did not return conclusive results as to a possible suspect. The following month, the boyfriend of the victim was at her residence while she was at work and her vehicle was gone from the home. The boyfriend heard someone enter the residence and he then confronted a male neighbor of the victim in the kitchen of the home. The suspect fled the scene into the woods but a deputy was able to locate and arrest the suspect, who was identified as Isitro Lee Sanches. Sanches would not answer any questions but investigators were able to speak with family members about the suspects behavior. Consent was then provided for a search of the residence in which Sanches lived. Police located items belonging to the victim. Also found was a large quantity of female underwear consistent with the size, brand, and style recovered by the victim in and around her residence. Sanches, 58, of 420 Kimbrel Avenue, Panama City, was charged with stalking, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, and burglary of an occupied dwelling. Sanches was found guilty and he faces up to 40 years in prison. In his message on the occasion of Victory and Peace Day, celebrated on May 9 to commemorate victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, the end of WWII, and the liberation of Shushi, newly-elected Armenian Prime Minister drew parallels between those heroic victories and the victory peoples movement he spearheaded in recent weeks. Pashinyan first gave thanks to those who died in those past battles, saying that the peace they achieved opened new doors and vistas for our people. We bow our heads to the memory of all our martyrs and confirm that any violation of the freedom of the individual or nation will not be tolerated. It will not be tolerated because our people possess humane ideals, a freedom-loving spirit, as well as a united will to defend those ideals, Pashinyans message reads. He concludes by saying that the peaceful velvet revolution that took place in Armenia is proof anew that Armenians have a clear understanding of freedom, democracy and the desire for peace. Dear people, proud citizens of Armenia, I have no doubt that the victorious spirit of the Armenian people, buoyed by recent events, will bring new victories to Armenia and Artsakh. The Armenian people are walking steadfastly on the path towards realizing their dreams. The Minjar Yezidi National Union of Armenia has issued a statement saying that the peoples movement spearheaded by Nikol Pashinyan was the first in Armenia in which the countrys national minorities, especially the Yezidi community, wholeheartedly participated in. Congratulating Pashinyan on his election as prime minister, the Union says it hopes the new government will not repeat the mistakes of the past and will see to it that the rights of all minorities are protected. We are hopeful that under the new government the religious rights of people will not be violated in schools, kindergartens, the army, and other government bodies. The U.S. Department of State issued the following statement on May 8: The United States congratulates Nikol Pashinyan as the new Prime Minister of Armenia. We look forward to working closely with the new government and with the people of Armenia on the many areas of shared interest between our countries, including increasing trade, working in support The following speech was delivered by Andre Damon, a leader of the Socialist Equality Party in the US. One year ago, the World Socialist Web Site held its annual commemoration of May Day during the most successful period in its 19-year history. Over the previous year, our site had received nearly 10 million visits. The month before, over 900,000 individual users visited the WSWS, reflecting a 25 percent increase in just four months. Within a matter of days, we would go on to publish our first video that received more than one million views. Socialism and the struggle against Internet censorship The reports to that years May Day celebration reflected this growth. Without succumbing to immodesty, we noted, the International Committee and its sections have every right, in this centennial year of the Russian Revolution, to look to the future with confidence. The influence of the World Socialist Web Site, the voice of the International Committee, is growing rapidly. This sober assessment of the mounting influence of the WSWS, reflecting the growth of socialist sentiment within the working class, was mirrored in the proverbial smoke-filled rooms in which the leading representatives of the financial oligarchy conduct their deliberations. Alarmed by the growth of socialist sentiment, the ruling class determined to take action. Facing a restive working class, hostile to war and to social inequality, and increasingly propelled into action after a decade of wage cuts and social austerity, the strategists of the ruling class determined that their only hope in stemming the tide of social opposition was to go after what every police regime in history believed was its source: critical news outlets. The source of information rebellions are outlets distributing bogus stories, said one prominent advocate of this view. Silence the guns and the barrage will end. These individuals, in other words, adopted views shared by every other ruling class in history that had been overthrown by revolution: that popular social grievances can be resolved with police batons. As we celebrated the last May Day, we did not know that less than one week before, Google had taken the first step in what would, subsequently, lead to a historic transformation of the leading American technology companies: from the disseminators of information, they would be transformed into its censors. That giant step was announced in a discreetly-worded blog post, claiming Google had taken measures to improve its search system, in order to help people find what they were looking for. These measures would be taken, as the company subsequently told a reporter, in such a way as not to reflect political bias. Over the next year, all of these pretensions fell away. Rather than seeking to help people find what they were looking for, Googles aim was the literal opposite. As Congressman Adam Schiff declared in a congressional hearing, Google had a societal obligation to change the fact that What ends up percolating to the top of our feeds tends to be things we were looking for. And this is exactly what Google did. The company carried out a far-reaching revision of the way it evaluated every one of its millions of search terms, severing connections between popular topicssuch as inequality, war, democratic rights, and socialismand leading left-wing web sites. In both the empirical and political sense, the main target of this censorship was the World Socialist Web Site. Within three months of Googles announcement, every single one of the WSWS top 45 search terms no longer linked users to the site. As a result, the World Socialist Web Sites search traffic from Google fell by more than three quarters, far more than any of the numerous other left-wing, anti-war, and progressive web sites affected by the companys measures. The targeting of the World Socialist Web Site was a recognition, in the negative, of the fact that it represents the most coherent expression of the social interests of the working class and the political strategy of proletarian socialism, posing an existential threat to the capitalist class. And, true to its historic mission, the World Socialist Web Site, alone among all of the sites that had been gagged, launched a struggle against internet censorship. On August 25, the WSWS published an open letter, declaring that Google is manipulating its Internet searches to restrict public awareness of and access to socialist, anti-war and left-wing websites, adding Censorship on this scale is political blacklisting. We exposed the alliance of the technology monopolies with the US military and intelligence apparatus, revealing that Google and Facebook were acting as the agents of the state in its efforts to destroy the first amendment. Rather than being the exception, Google set the pattern for Facebook, Twitter, and others. In announcing its plans to censor fake news, Facebook made clear that it was proceeding exactly as the World Socialist Web Site had alleged. Since stifling the public discourse was a sensitive issue, the company announced it would significantly reduce the distribution of targeted content by showing it lower in the News Feed, without notifying users that they were being censored. In other words, every word of the World Socialist Web Sites open letter has been confirmed. The turn to censorship, today as ever, is an act of fear and desperation, a recognition that the ruling elite not only has nothing to offer society, but sees itself surrounded and besieged by the great mass of the population. But censorship is an effort to bar the stable doors after the horse has bolted. No bankrupt social order has ever succeeded in preserving itself through police means. There has never been so wide an audience for revolutionary socialist politics. Over the past quarter century, the ranks of the international working class have swelled, with the entry of fresh battalions from India, China, Latin America, and the Middle East. Like never before in human history, the masses are interconnected, not only by the productive process, but by the world wide web, which celebrated its 29th anniversary this year, under conditions when more than half the population is connected to the internetand through it to the great achievements of human cultureat the forefront of which stands the scientific socialist tradition, brought into the world 200 years ago with the birth of Karl Marx. The World Socialist Web Site, the first genuinely international newspaper of the socialist movement, now in its 20th year of continuous publication, is itself the expression of both the growing objective strength of the international working class and its interconnectedness. We hold no illusions. The ruling elite will pay any price, including attempting to bring down the vast edifice of international communications that underpins the world economy, in an effort to stifle the political awakening of the masses. But let them do their worst; we will do our best! Eighty years ago, in announcing the formation of the Fourth International amid the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Bolsheviks by Stalins murderers, Leon Trotsky declared: The hangmen think in their obtuseness and cynicism that it is possible to frighten us. They err! Under blows we become stronger. The bestial politics of Stalin are only politics of despair. It is possible to kill individual soldiers of our army, but not to frighten them. Friends, we will repeat again in this day of celebration ... IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FRIGHTEN US. Likewise, today we declare, It is not possible to censor us! Despite the most draconian censorship regime in the history of the Internet, the readership of the World Socialist Web Site is again growing, as workers and youth enter into struggle. The long-awaited upsurge of the working class has already begun. From rail workers in France, to airline workers in Germany, to the teachers of America and the masses of North Africa, a wave of working-class militancy is sweeping the globe. What the forces of reaction fear most is exactly what is on the agenda: the intersection of this upsurge of the masses with the conscious struggle for Marxism. As Marx, to the bicentenary of whose birth we dedicate this celebration, proclaimed, theory becomes a material force when it grips the masses. Comrades, it is with confidence that the proud legacy of Karl Marx will grip the masses, that the International Committee embarks upon its 20th year of publication of the World Socialist Web Site, and with it, to a new era of socialist revolution. The city of Detroit exited bankruptcy last Monday, April 30, ending direct supervision by the federal courts and Michigan state government. While hailed by the Democratic Party establishment as a comeback story and the restoration of home rule, the move brings no benefits to the citys workers, youth and elderly, who still live in the poorest major city in America. The delusional comments appearing in the national media about Detroits revitalization are based upon the re-development of a small portion of downtown Detroit while conditions for the majority of workers in the city continue to worsen. In the same week bankruptcy status ended, 17,000 residents who cannot afford to pay their water bills were threatened with shutoff unless they agree to payment plans that carry additional interest expenses, putting them further in debt. Virtually every day the local press carries news articles on the horrendous social conditions facing workers and young people stemming from poverty, including the lack of available and affordable housing, conditions of police violence, child abuse and drug addiction. Ending Detroits financial oversight by the state is not a sign of health, but demonstrates that Republican Governor Rick Snyder is sufficiently confident that Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan, the multimillionaire former Wayne County prosecutor and hospital executive, and Detroits City Council will continue to carry out measures of economic austerity against the working class. The bankruptcy was imposed through the state-appointed emergency manager, over the opposition of the citys workers, but with the full support of then-mayor Dave Bing, another Democrat. Its purpose was use the courts to declare that federal bankruptcy law takes precedence over the state constitution, which protects the pensions of city employees, firefighters and other public employees as contractual obligations that cannot be impaired. It was the culmination of a long-planned political conspiracy organized by both the Democratic and Republican parties and fully supported by the Obama administration. At the time of the bankruptcy, sections of the black Democratic Party establishment in Detroit complained about the state trampling on local government, but this was mere posturing. Now City Council President Brenda Jones declares, With the dormancy of the [review commission] and a reduction in state oversight, local control is returning to our city and its elected officials can assume the role that voters expect us to carry out. Jones along with the rest of the Detroit City Council is part of the corrupt Democratic Party establishment that prospers regardless of the terrible conditions of life for city residentsblack, white and immigrant. She is a major advocate for providing startup and growth incentives for entrepreneurs, various business ventures and other schemes to reduce the citys budget costs and has fully supported tax breaks and other incentives. A major componentand perhaps the most corrupt elementin this political establishment is the union hierarchy, the executives of the major unions in Detroit: the UAW and, for city operations, AFSCME. During the bankruptcy the unions suppressed working-class opposition and accepted the basic premise that their members had to pay for the economic crisis. City pensions, including those of firefighters, have been cut by an average of 4.5 percent, with cost-of-living increases totally eliminated, thus freeing the city from legacy costs. In addition, the citys lighting and sanitation departments were privatized, while the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) has laid off building maintenance workers and replaced them with commercially contracted janitorial services. The DWSD has been integrated into a regional Great Lakes Water Authority in preparation for privatization of the citys most profitable service operation. The city-owned Detroit Institute of Arts has been put under the control of private foundations, with many in-house services handed over to private contractors in order to cut wages and health benefits. While the claim is made that no money can be found to fund pension obligations, city services and public education, hundreds of millions in public funds have been made available to support the business ventures of a handful of corporate tycoons. Massive tax breaks and public funds have been handed out to the two largest developers involved in the gentrification of the 7.2 square mile area of Detroits city center. Quicken Loans boss Dan Gilbert, net worth $6.5 billion, and the Ilitch family, with a similarly sized empire based on pizza and professional sports, have been buying up properties for years on the cheap and converting formerly low-rent buildings downtown into upscale housing with market rate rents. In recent years, as more and more young professionals have moved into the city, rents have increased by 30 percent in the downtown area. During a joint hour-long session of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a national nonprofit association of city builders and real estate developers, Gilbert and Chris Ilitch encouraged developers to invest in the city. Under the slogan, Move Here, Move the World, they touted Detroit as a great business opportunity. Chris Ilitch said, Detroit, once known as a city of conflict is now a great place for investment. This is an opportunity for you. Whats been done in Detroit since emerging from bankruptcy is no less than remarkable. When Ilitch refers to conflict, he is speaking of the major class battles that dominated Detroit during the struggles of the 1930s through the 1960s, creating conditions where workers living standards rose substantially. Since then Detroit has been deindustrialized, losing more than half of its population. In the same week the conference was held, the Ilitch organization announced plans to construct three new buildings and redevelop three older ones in what is called the Detroit District, a total of 45-50 blocks in the downtown area. This will be Phase II of the Little Caesars Arena, which opened on Woodward Avenue in September 2017. As in the case of the Little Caesars Arena, these developments will get federal, state and local tax dollars at the expense of vitally needed social services and public education. Many of the projects are funded by what are called private activity bonds (PABs). PABs are special bonds issued by a governmental body on behalf of a private firm, ostensibly because the project provides some inherent public good. The interest paid to the investors who buy the bonds is free from local, state and federal taxation. Essentially, the state government is acting as a middleman between Ilitch and his investors in order to provide lucrative profits to both. Since Detroit emerged from bankruptcy there has been a frenzy of downtown development in a number of choice neighborhoods, while the overall conditions for the working class as whole have deteriorated. A very small section of the city is being gentrified through public and private investments, with large parts of Detroit becoming wasteland. A 2016 study by the Brookings Institution explained that Detroit has the highest rate of concentrated poverty in the country, with close to 40 percent living below the federal poverty level. Early last Wednesday morning, a massive fire ripped through an auto parts plant with a history of safety violations in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, setting off a series of explosions throughout the facility and injuring two workers. The Meridian Magnesium plant, which produces instrument panel components for the major auto corporations, is located 18 miles south of the state capital of Lansing. The magnesium handled at the plant is a durable but dangerously flammable metal highly reactive to water. Because of this, firefighters responding to the scene were unable to douse the flames and were forced to allow it to eventually burn itself out. No official explanation for the cause of the fire has yet been given because investigators have been blocked by debris from entering the area of the plant where the fire was likely to have begun. However, government officials have said the fire probably started in an area of the plant called the tunnel, where magnesium is loaded on a conveyor belt to be melted down in a smelter, according to the Lansing State Journal. Aerial drone footage taken the following day showed scorch marks running up and down the roof of the facilities, with one entire area of the plant having collapsed completely. One city official called it a miracle that only two out of the 150 workers on site at the time were injured. They have both since been released from the hospital after being treated for relatively minor injuries. The family of one of the injured workers, speaking to the Lansing State Journal, said that an explosion blew him out of the side [of the plant] through the doors after he tried re-entering the building to make sure everyone had safely evacuated. And everybody made it out, but its pretty tragic, the workers father added, holding back tears. There are 700 jobs involved, you know? A lot of lives disrupted. The plant is the largest employer in Eaton Rapids, a small town of 5,000. Management called a meeting with workers last Thursday to announce that the workforce would shoulder the financial burden of the explosion in the form of layoffs. Workers were told they would be paid only for Wednesday and Thursday, with the option to take paid time off on Friday. Workers who spoke to the local press said that some workers who are not being assigned to cleanup duties at the plant are being transferred to other Meridian facilities, including in Ontario, Canada. Many others said they had already begun filing for unemployment. However, the company plans to re-open the undamaged parts of the plant as early as today, even as fire investigators and damage cleanup workers continue to comb through the destroyed portion of the facility. The company is under immense pressure to resume production. The explosion has wreaked havoc on supply chains throughout the United States, with local press and autoworkers on Facebook reporting temporary layoffs at several plants from Kansas City to Tuscaloosa, Alabama due to a lack of components. Meridian produces components for many of the largest auto companies, including the Detroit ThreeFord, General Motors and Chrysleras well as European transplants such as Audi and Mercedes-Benz, which operate assembly plants throughout the southern United States. The Meridian Magnesium plant has a history of safety violations and accidents, and workers and nearby residents described fires at the facility as commonplace. I wouldve assumed it wouldve blown up three years ago, a former employee who left in 2015 over safety concerns told a local television station. Fires are common at the plant, he said, because management throws employees into dangerous tasks without adequate training. They put whoever and whenever they can on a machine, those people dont know whats going on. Supervisors are not around so sometimes something goes wrong and there is nobody to ask for help. Theres suds on the walls, on the machine, on the floor, the floors are slippery from magnesium exploding and being on the floor. Its like a skating rink. The worker added that they tell us that its nothing, theres no issue, OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] has approved everything that is going on in there. According to OSHAs website, Meridian Magnesium Products of America was cited for seven safety violations between 2014 and 2016, including four classified as serious. The company was ultimately fined only $6700 for all of the incidents combined. Workers on the employer review site Glassdoor.com described a plant regime of extreme overwork and safety negligence by management. You will be worked 7 days a week for months and months with not one day off. They do not give family time ANY consideration. Dirty shop. Horrible heat. The decision-makers arent even on the floor to experience the consequences of decisions they are making, one worker commented. The atmosphere is as a shop was in the 1800s. Stop working your floor/machine employees like dogs. STOP. There is nothing good about this place, one worker said in a post from 2012. They work you like slaves for little compensation. The management is making record profits and the employees are getting little to no raises. Wednesdays fire comes amidst a rash of injuries and safety incidents in the automobile industry. Only two days later, a female worker on the night shift at Fords Flat Rock assembly plant was injured on the line, prompting other workers on the shift to walk out in anger and disgust. Nationwide, there were more than 13,000 workplace-related injuries and illnesses in auto manufacturing in 2016, the last year for which OSHA records are available. The Meridian plant is a non-union facility. Nevertheless, the sweatshop conditions that prevail in the auto parts industry are primarily the responsibility of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. In the 1980s and 1990s, the UAW deliberately isolated and betrayed a series of strikes in the parts industry in order to lower costs and boost the profits of the Detroit-based auto corporations. Auto parts workers who previously had made up to 80 percent of the wages of workers at Ford, GM and Chrysler suffered a drastic reduction in wages and conditions. Between 2003 and 2013, auto parts workers saw a 14 percent decline in real wages, three times faster than for manufacturing as a whole. New details are emerging about the terrible accident on May 4 at Fords Flat Rock Assembly plant, which sparked a walkout over unsafe conditions at the plant just south of Detroit. While the United Auto Workers and Ford management are concealing the details of the incident, information is coming to light from social media posts and statements factory workers have provided to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter. At approximately 1 a.m. last Friday morning, a female worker whose name has still not been released fell into a pit and had her legs crushed by machinery at the trim and final assembly section of the manufacturing line. Workers told the WSWS that she was 55 years old and a veteran worker but that she had not worked on the assembly line for many years. Even though she was unfamiliar with the new job assignment, which workers had complained about before, she was given only a brief orientation. A witness told the WSWS, I heard her screaming. It was death screaming. There was a young man screaming, Help. When that woman fell into the pit, she crossed a sensor, so the alarm was going off. She was under the line up until her high thighs. You could only see her from her pelvic area up. She was down there alone and screaming. Workers jumped down to comfort and help her. Workers reported that the plant manager attempted to restart production and extend the 10-hour work day to make up for lost production after the injured worker was taken by emergency personnel to the hospital. The accident occurred a couple of lines from me, another senior worker told the WSWS. There had been several near misses at this location, including one just two weeks ago. There were questions about the safety of the job. The union and company were supposedly looking into it, but nothing happened until this occurred. We were running understaffed as always. Workers were grabbed from body, paint and other departments to come over and fill in on the main line. The worker who was hurt had worked for Ford for 30 years. She had not been on the line for 20 years because of her seniority, but they forced her to take the job so the regular operator could get time off. They only gave her one hour of training, and she didnt feel comfortable because it was not safe. This is a very difficult job. Its where two lines meet, and the motor and transmission are connected to the car. Nothing has been officially said so there is confusion about what exactly happened. I heard she was crushed by a moon buggy, which is essentially a carrier that cradles the motor, the transmission and the front suspension and moves underneath to push this whole assembly into the car. The motor and the suspension are the heaviest parts of a vehicle. We heard she was pinned in when she was moving wires out of the way and adding springs to the front suspension. The floor is a moving pallet with gaps in between. You have to pay a lot of attention. But if youre not familiar with the particular job you can step back and there is no floor. She hadnt been on the line for 20 years and might not have encountered a floor like this. If you dont get proper training, you dont have a clue what to watch for in your surroundings. In the auto world, there are tons of moving robots and machinery. After 30 years you can get comfortable and feel like youre seasoned. But if your job is changed you dont really know what dangers you are being subjected to. Most employees dont have any choice when a sub department is down, and they want you on the main line to keep pushing the cars out. The injured worker, who is reportedly still hospitalized and recovering with a leg broken in two places, posted a Facebook notice to workers in an internal group thanking them for stopping the line and quickly coming to her aid, saying that it could have been much worse. We had people puking, shaking, it was horrible, a coworker wrote in a Facebook post. Her screaming before they stopped the line will haunt a good amount of people The company wanted to start the line as soon as they got her out and on the ambulance. What makes me sick is this is the second person within a month to fall in and they did nothing. NOTHING! Another Flat Rock worker said, Ford wanted to start the line back up after she was taken by the ambulance. But the workers were too shaken up and rattled to start up. When you see something like that your mind is not in the right place. When the plant manager said go back, the union chairman said no, but he knew if he had gone along with management we would have walked out anyway. The UAW chairman knew he had to say no. Ive worked at Chrysler and other companies, and Ford is the worst. This is the deadliest plant Ive ever been at in my 20 years in the industry. In just the last three years a worker has lost a finger, another had an arm ripped off at the shoulder, another had his leg badly injured when he was pinned in by a hi-lo, and now a lady has been pinned in by a moon-buggy. They keep on putting Band-Aids on the line to keep it running. We cant have a situation where production is more important than a human life. Ford is under particular pressure from Wall Street investors to increase its profit margins and slash labor costs. With the full collusion of the UAW, the automaker is currently implementing a restructuring plan to slash $11.5 billion in costs between 2019 and 2022, on top of the $14 billion previously announced last fall. A key aspect of this is increasing labor flexibility, which includes forcing older workers to take on harder work and pressuring them to leave the plants. These higher-paid legacy workers can then be replaced by low-wage second-tier workers and temporary part-time employees (TPTs) who pay dues to the UAW but have no rights. The 2015 UAW-Ford contract lifted the cap on the number of TPTs and sanctioned the virtually unlimited use of these super-exploited workers. Ford is also phasing out production and North American sales of almost all its passenger cars and focusing on more profitable pickup truck and SUVs. The Flat Rock plant produces the Ford Mustang, one of the last cars the company will make, and the 3,500 workers at the plant are currently producing at a high pace, making accidents more likely. A TPT worker with two years at the plant said, The Michigan Assembly Plant is going down for a six-month retooling, and production at Dearborn Truck Plant is being disrupted because of the fire at its supplier plant. With Flat Rock the only plant pushing vehicles out, they are running the crap out of us. We are putting out 53 cars an hour. They say they want to reduce that to 44 an hour, which means cutting about 400 jobs, but they said that was the target last year too. Flat Rock, Dearborn Truck and Kentucky Truck were all found guilty of abusing part-time employees and were forced to hire some as full-timers at the time of the 2015 contract. But the agreement lifted the cap on TPTs, and our plant saw an increase from 100 to 480. Over the last two years thats declined, but it is still 348. We have no benefits, no job security, and if you ask for a day off, theyll ask you, Do you like your job? If you have a problem on the line you go to the union and they say you have no rights, or theyll give you the notorious answer, Well look into this. After weeks of not hearing anything you go up and ask the UAW rep and he says, The company has the right to do it. There are a lot of TPTs in their mid-30s and early 40s who have two jobs and are working 90 hours a week to earn enough to live. Theyre all filled up with coffee, energy drinks or whatever to stay alert because they treat you like a robot. One of these Mustangs we build sells for $40,000 and some of the Lincolns can cost as much as $120,000. In one day were producing enough to cover our wages for the whole year. After 2009 when the auto industry was restructured, the UAW said we would get all we gave up back in the next contract. Its been ten years, and weve gotten nothing back. The UAW is nothing more than a cheap labor contractor. The American Dream of an autoworker having a decent life is long gone. Thousands of autoworkers at Flat Rock and other factories are reading and sharing previous WSWS articles on the accident and spontaneous walkout. This has prompted UAW officials to accuse the WSWS of disseminating fake news. Meanwhile, the UAW is doing everything to conceal its own complicity in tearing up work rules, imposing speedup and imposing managements dictates. Workers also do not know what other rights the UAW signed away in secret memos in exchange for promises of future investments and the production of a new autonomous vehicle at the plant. There were some comments on the Facebook page about your article being fake news, another TPT said. But a number of us TPTs said this isnt fake news. We get no holiday pay. No profit sharing. We get bounced around and get nothing. They dont like when workers are talking to each other and with workers in other plants. But what is happening at Michigan Assembly, Dearborn Truck and other plants directly faces us. A lot of TPTs are starting to come together to speak out. What was in your article was not fake news, its what goes on. If youre an activist, both the UAW and Ford will be gunning for you. If workers are to defend themselves from unsafe conditions and exploitation, they must form new organizations of struggle, rank-and-file factory committees, independent of the UAW, to unite all workersfirst and second-tier, TPTs and other casual workersand counterpose the will of the workers to the dictates of the UAW and Ford. The first task is to carry out an independent investigation of this accident and oppose the union-management cover-up. A factory committee must enforce the line speed and safety conditions, protect all workers against arbitrary abuse and victimization, and assert workers control over production. At the same time, workers should declare the 2015 UAW-Ford contract, pushed through with company payoffs, intimidation and outright ballot stuffing, null and void. The hated two-tier system should be abolished and all TPTs and other temporary workers transformed into full-time workers with full pay and benefits. The initial budget of the Social Democratic Finance Minister Olaf Scholz planned to increase military spending over the next legislative period by at least 5.5 billion. Since the figures were announced last week, there has been an aggressive campaign by politicians and the media aimed at increasing military spending much faster and more comprehensively. On May 2, in a statement on the parameters of the 2019 federal budget and the financial plan up to 2022, Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen (Christian Democratic Union, CDU) stated, The benchmark for the 2019 financial year is the initial basis for completing the government bill on trend reversals in [military] personnel and materiel. For the following years, further significant increases in defence spending are necessary. Where von der Leyen had initially brought the sum of 12 billion into play, she is now going even further. The current budget proposal does not even cover a quarter of the existing needs, she wrote in a letter to the defence and budgetary politicians of the grand coalition, according to Bild newspaper. There were further significant increases necessary in defence spending. Otherwise, trend reversals in personnel and materiel could not be continued. In the coalition agreement, the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats pledged to raise defence spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product by 2024. Now, influential military brass are openly saying what sums of money this concerns. Retired General Egon Ramms told broadcaster Deutschlandfunk at the weekend, with a view to the next ten years...lets assume that we have a need somewhere in the order of 30 to 35 billion euros. In the spring of 2014, shortly after the government announced the return of German militarism at the Munich Security Conference, Ramms had said, We need compulsory military service. Otherwise, Germany cannot guarantee its national defence in cases of the [NATO] mutual defence clause. Certainly not on a voluntary basis. But we also need the necessary military equipment for such a case. It cannot be done with the materiel we have now. Four years later, this programme is being implemented. The Defence Ministry is currently working on a new conception of the Bundeswehr [Armed Forces], which should again focus the German army more on national and alliance defence. Even if for Germany, the assumptions current at the time of the Cold War have changed significantly in todays security policy environment, national defence still posed a core task of the armed forces. Next to foreign missions, the Bundeswehr must again approach these equally, the draft document states, as reported by the Bundeswehr Journal. Ensuring national defence is synonymous with the planned re-armament of the Bundeswehr and the preparation for massive wars. National defence in Germany against conventional, symmetrical attacks is always an alliance matter for NATO and an assistance case for the EU, the draft states. And in another place: The Bundeswehrfollowing invocation of the alliance [mutual defence] or assistance obligation in NATO or EUcontributes fully to the (collective) alliance defence. Alliance defence can affect both ones own territory and the territory of another, fully sovereign member state. Alliance defence in Germany, or on the territory of an ally, is a national and multinational task. The scenario extends to a nuclear war with Russia. Potential symmetric opponents with larger conventional forces and significantly enhanced technological capabilities, posed a threat potential to the Alliance territory. The latter could quickly become the target of hostile actions in the entire spectrum of state and social action, and the still doctrinally established and de facto possibility of using nuclear weapons complements this. According to Bundeswehr Journal, the concept to be published in June refines the new strategic direction of the Bundeswehr, which is already described in the 2016 Security Policy White Paper. The white paper had also employed the term national and alliance defence, in order to justify the return of Germany to a military foreign and great power policy and the associated substantial re-armament of the Bundeswehr. The next conceptual step would then concern the future capability profile of the Bundeswehr. This should concretely outline the necessary resources for the quality and quantity of the armed forces. And probably the associated costs, writes the Journal . Commentators in the bourgeois media, who have been beating the drum for rearmament and war for four years are now calling for further cuts in social spending in order to extract the necessary billions for armaments and war. Writing under the headline, Berlin must rearm, the lead commentator of the German daily Die Welt, Torsten Krauel, states this should be done, If necessary, to enforce peace robustly; Germans must get that into their heads. Instead, they purchase domestic and foreign policy peace and are therefore prone to [demands for] protection money in world politics. Anyone who wants to buy stability at home with money will do that abroad when things get serious, Krauel continues. A Germany that neglects its armed forces in favour of the social budget will also try to appease Russia and China through business, instead of clearly saying no in emergency situations. Then he attacks the grand coalition from the right: If spending on child benefits is now to rise more than that for the Bundeswehr, the Christian Democrats are nourishing the impression that the next election is more important to them than Europes security. This puts Germanys influence in the world at riskand that costs far more than the spare parts for the Eurofighter. The US and Russia also have problems with military technology, Kraule notes, but both tackle the issues resolutely, and both are watching closely to see if others do the same. If the Ukraine crisis is not to give President Vladimir Putin the impression that there was an opening on the eastern flank, a chance against a weak NATO, Berlin must arm itself, and that contrary to their own instincts. While the vast majority of the population rejects war and militarism, after two catastrophic world wars, the ruling class can no longer hide their instincts. On Monday, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence confirmed to the Deutsche Presse Agentur that Nazi general Erwin Rommel was considered tradition-setting following the Bundeswehrs latest Traditionserlass, an edict outlining what traditions underlie service in the military. Despite his capacity as a functionary of the Nazi regime, he had repeatedly violated criminal orders. Because of this, as well as his proximity to the military resistance against Hitler, he fulfilled the requirements for using his name on properties of the Bundeswehr. The claim that Rommel was part of the resistance or had disrespected criminal orders is as absurd as the current government propaganda that the planned rearmament serves peace. Before Rommel clashed with Hitler over military matters at the end of the war and was driven to suicide, he was considered Hitlers favourite general. In October 1942, after a conversation with the Nazi leader, Goebbels wrote in his diary: Rommel has made a very deep impression on him [Hitler]. ... He has a firm world-view, is not only close to us national socialists [Nazis] but is a national socialist. 404 This page could not be found . A horrific scene unfolded Tuesday afternoon in National City, San Diego as a team of heavily armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers used what appeared to be a crowbar to pry open the back door of the Alonzo familys home. They then forcibly detained Alberto Alonzo Hernandez in front of his 5 children. The scene, captured on camera by one of his daughters, shows ICE officers at a metal screen door working to break it open while the mother holds the lock shut. A childs voice shouts, we want to see a warrant! to which one ICE officer chuckles and responds, Youre watching too much movies. Well show you the warrant when we are done. When the door is finally broken open the officers storm inside the house with a riot shield and their guns drawn and pointed at the children as they yell, Let me see your hands! Drop the phone! Turn around and dont move. The children are heard screaming and crying in the background before the hand of an officer comes across the screen and the video goes black. The WSWS spoke with the Alonzo family later in the day. One of Mr. Alonzos children, Jocelyn, who is 11, recounted the day: My dad was going outside to go to work when ICE came. He started running upstairs, and we were waiting with him for three hours. We filmed them until they got a warrant. They sent someone to get a warrant, which means they lied when they said they had a warrant in the beginning. They got in without showing anything, and they pointed a gun at the three of us, my grandma and my sister. They eventually cut the power and turned off the lights while we were calling our lawyers. They hurt me by grabbing my hand to get my phone, and they deleted a photo, but I was still able to send a recording online. They have no right to touch me, Im a kid. Outside of the house dozens of neighbours and community members gathered around the fence and filmed the scene on their phones. Residents can be heard shouting at the officers in the background throughout the twenty minute video, What if this was your family? Theres nothing different from you and us. Just Mexican blood, and You guys ruined a family today. Some school children who had left school when they heard about the raid, shouted to an officer, I bet your children are at school, learning, and later, We arent scared of you. Brianna Alonzo, the wife of Alberto Alonzo Hernandez, also spoke to the WSWS. I told my daughter to record even though she didnt want to, she said. When they got in they took the phone, they pointed their guns, and I was in total shock, I dont even remember when they took my husband. As the unmarked ICE vehicles pulled away from the house, the residents decided to stop one from leaving by blocking the exit with their bodies. With the car surrounded they demanded that the ICE officers restore power to the house, which the officers had apparently turned off during the raid. The action required nothing more than flipping a few switches in an outdoor fuse box, but the crowd defiantly stood their ground, making clear they would not leave until the officer returned the power himself. After about ten minutes of protest, one officer got out of his car to carry out the task. The residents sarcastically shout, Officer of the year! Jocelyn told the WSWS, This happened from 6:30 to 10:30 in the morning. They tried to enter the second floor with a ladder. There were at least 10 police in the front yard, and four in the alley. There were 11 people in my house, and my grandma is disabled and had to go to the bathroom in a bucket to not be seen by the police. Once they left with my dad, we tried to turn the lights on but couldnt. More than 20 people from the community were outside demanding the cops turn the power back on. I asked them to turn the lights back on and opened one of their car doors and they got really mad. The cop cars didnt even have license plates on them, and they didnt even say ICE on them. The WSWS asked Jocelyn what she wanted people to know about her father. She responded, My dads a painter. Even though he was an immigrant he worked hard to put food on our table. In this neighbourhood there were seven killings recently and the cops havent arrested anyone for that, but they sent ICE to get my dad and made us wait three hours to get a warrant. Jocelyn mentioned the role of the community in defending her family. My neighbors were very supportive, people from 7-11 and Metro PCS stores across the street came over to record on their phones, she said. BriannaAlbertos wifesaid, I was ready to go take my kids this morning at 7:15, but they were here and I couldnt leave my kids. I asked my husband, Why are they turning off the power? and he said, They want it to be hot, so we open the windows. They didnt care that I had kids in the house. There were two people killed across the street over the weekend, so I dont open my door to just anyone, and they tell me, You watch too many movies. A lot of people are here without papers, and they were scared after what happened and didnt go to work. Im the kind of person who wouldnt say anything when this kind of thing happens, but I thought, Why not record? Im tired of living like this! Brianna was asked what she wanted people to know about her husband. He was a great man, a great husband, she said. He was the person who waited for all of us to eat first, and he would eat leftovers. Hes not a criminal, hes not a bad person, his only problem is that hes Mexican. I want to tell people dont open the door to ICE, be careful, record everything. I didnt expect this to happen to me. He worked two shifts a day. He was just here to work and raise a family. If I had the money, we wouldnt be here in this situation. Imagine if I moved my hand or did something when they came in, they wouldve shot me, an innocent civilian, and they wouldve said, We had to shoot her. I have five kids I have to raise now by myself. The attack on Mr. Alonzo is just the latest expression of the cruelty and havoc carried out by ICE on a daily basis against immigrant families all over the country; all done at the behest of the Trump administration and with the silent complicity of the Democratic Party. Over the last two weeks, under direct orders from President Donald Trump, US immigration officials have delayed acceptance of the asylum applications of nearly 200 refugees escaping violence, war and poverty in Central America, forcing them to set up encampments on the San Diego-Tijuana border. Last week, the Trump administration announced that it will end temporary protected status (TPS) for 86,000 Hondurans who have lived in the United States for nearly 20 years. And on Monday, the Trump administration unveiled an unprecedented escalation of its persecution of immigrant families, mandating that family groups caught crossing the U.S. border without authorization be immediately broken up. The brutal assault on immigrants must be understood as an attack on the entire working class. These tools of repression, the methods of apprehension and detainment, will soon be turned against all those who oppose the policies of the ruling class. The response of the community in National City is a testament to the courage and fight that exists in the working class. However, this energy must be organized as a political movement directed against the capitalist system which creates and maintains arbitrary borders between countries in the interest of the ruling elites. Olivera Lakic had written about organized crime and corruption and according to her editor, this was not the first time she was attacked. According to the police, the assault happened around 9pm local time outside Lakics home. She reportedly told police that a man approached her and shot her in the leg while two others fled after the shooting. The wound was not life threatening. Lakic, a journalist for Vijesti, was beaten up six years ago at the same spot after publishing a series of pieces on alleged corrupt dealings in the tobacco industry, the Associated Press reported. The attacker in that case was arrested and jailed. Those articles had accused some authorities with the cigarette smuggling business, according to Vijesti. I have no words, Mihailo Jovovic, the Editor-in-Chief of Vijesti, told the outlet. For how much longer must we live in fear of such cowards? The Guardian reports that many of the assaults and threats against journalists and media in Montenegro go unsolved. The Montenegrin government along with international bodies such as the European Union and Council of Europe condemned the attacks. I demand a prompt and efficient investigation that will bring about the revelation of the motives and the assailant and of possible accomplices and those who ordered the attack, Prime Minister Dusko Markovic said in a statement following the attack. The CoEs Secretary General, Thorbjorn Jagland said he was shocked and saddened at the attack on Lakic. The work of journalists and free media are essential to the functioning of any democracy. Attacks on journalists are therefore also an attack on democracy. Unfortunately, such attacks are on the rise, he warned. Last month, another journalist was attacked when a bomb exploded near his home in the northern Montenegrin city of Bijelo Polje. occrp.org Some 850 worker-students at the New School for Social Research in New York City went on strike Tuesday to protest the lack of a contract. The strikers, teaching assistants (TAs) and research assistants (RAs), set up picket lines at three entrances to the school, which is located in lower Manhattans Union Square. The workers are members of the Student Employees at the New School union (SENS), an affiliate of the United Auto Workers (UAW). In addition to taking classes as students, they have an exhausting workload as teachers and researchers, for which they are paid poverty pages in one of the least affordable cities in the world. RAs and TAs are paid for 20 hours of work per week, while the actual hours they log may be far more than that. A worker-student may receive a stipend of only $6,000 a year. It is virtually impossible to live on these wages. In the most unequal of American cities, the New School pays its president, David Van Zandt, a base salary of $696,681, with total compensation reaching $2,081,584. Although no details have been released, the union announced in a leaflet that the university administration, after much delay, made an offer that fails to address the worker-students demands for increases in wages, tuition remission, health care and childcare benefits. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled last May that the New School worker-students had the right to unionize. Following a legal challenge to the decision filed by the university, the students took a vote in July 2017 and by a margin of 502 to 2 decided to join the union. The UAW deliberately limited the impact of the strike by timing it for the period after classes had finished and finals had begun. With the support of more than 300 faculty members, the union is seeking to apply pressure on the administration by disrupting grading. The strike follows a similar action last month by worker-students at Columbia University in New York, members of Graduate Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers (GWC-UAW) Local 2110. The Columbia strikers were protesting the failure of the university to recognize the union. That strike was also timed for the final days of classes and the union called if off before final exams began. The UAW made sure that the two strikes took place at different times so as to prevent the two sections of worker-students from uniting in a broader action. The UAW has for years been forcing through concessions contracts over widespread opposition from autoworkers and enforcing the hated two-tier and three-tier wage and benefit systems. In recent months it has been revealed that union bureaucrats who negotiated contracts were paid off by the auto companies to ram through sellout agreements. The walkouts at the two universities coincide with strikes by teachers and other school workers throughout the country who are fighting against poverty wages, the lack of benefits and the defunding of public education. These struggles were initiated by rank-and-file teachers in opposition to the teachers unions, which were then able to get control and isolate and suppress them. The New School is also laying off dozens of its cafeteria staff and planning to replace them with low-wage worker-students. The union to which these workers belong, UNITE-HERE Local 100, has done nothing to fight the layoffs, merely circulating a petition to the administration in a pathetic effort to disguise its complicity. As with the mass teachers strikes across the country, the unions at the universities are seeking to defuse anger, disarm workers with empty promises and channel their anger into support for the Democratic Party. Various pseudo-left groups in New York such as the Democratic Socialists of America have intervened in the Columbia and New School strikes to bolster the authority of the unions and the Democrats. At the New School cafeteria, a small group of Maoists has occupied the facility in protest against the layoff of the workers. It is using this action, nothing more than a protest stunt, to conceal the reactionary role of the unions while promoting race and gender politics to divide the workers and students. The Maoists are keeping silent on the Democratic Partys anti-working class role locally (Democrats control both the city and state governments) and nationally, and its complicity with the Republicans in attacking public education. The World Socialist Web Site spoke to strikers and supporters at one of the picket lines. Na, a PHD student in politics, told the WSWS: I work for the minimum wage of $15. I support the cafeteria workers. The conditions here are outrageous and I want to do as much as I can to help change them. The conditions facing teachers are insane, and now Trump proposes to give them guns. Thats really not what they need. They need equipment. I definitely agree that all these struggles should be more united. Those questions are ultimately political. There are no discussions about how to balance the budget in America. They just keep raising the military budget. Nick, an undergraduate student in media studies, said, I support the strike just because I tend to stand with whatever advances student welfare. The New School has not been on top of it in terms of job security. I think its disappointing that such an institution would not help students who work to study as hard as they can. I think people who study and work deserve more respect. Aaron, a graduate student in philosophy who expects to become a teaching assistant in several months, came to join the picketing. He explained that the TA and RA strike is one of three labor struggles at the New School. The student advisers, who play an essential role in supporting students, are being hit with massive benefit cuts, he said, and the cafeteria workers are being threatened with losing their jobs. He added, In addition to the teachers strikes in the US, there is a wave of strikes and occupations internationally, like at the Sorbonne and the faculty-student occupation at York University in Toronto. We should all be together. There ought to be solidarity in these struggles. US President Donald Trump announced yesterday that America has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear accord, is reimposing crippling economic sanctions on Iran, and will soon add further unspecified sanctions. In doing so, Trump ignored warnings from Washingtons closest European allies and cosignatories of the nuclear accordBritain, France and Germanythat such action risks plunging the Middle East into all-out war. Whilst provocative and incendiary, yesterdays announcement is not in the least surprising. As the World Socialist Web Site warned in a perspective published in April 2015 in response to the announcement that Iran and the great powers had reached the framework for a nuclear accord: In a broader historical sense, the deal is not worth the paper it is written on. If and when it is expedient, the US will shred the agreement, as has happened many times in the past. The Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi cut a deal in 2003 to give up its WMD [Weapons of Mass Destruction] programs only to find itself the target of a NATO-led war for regime-change in 2011. Amid its own economic decline, US imperialism will stop at nothing in its reckless drive for global domination at the expense of its major rivals. Changing what needs to be changed, there are striking and instructive parallels between imperialist diplomacy in the 1930s and today. In the run-up to World War II, all sorts of diplomatic agreements were signed, only to be shredded soon after, with the Nazi regime leading the wolf pack. In this, Trump is only more brazen and thuggish than his White House predecessors. His speech was a rant. The wars the US has waged, fomented, and aided and abetted in the greater Middle East over the course of the past quarter-century have blown up complex societies, from Afghanistan and Iraq to Libya, Syria and Yemen. Yet the billionaire, fascist-minded demagogue accused Iran of being the worlds leading state sponsor of terror, whose malign and sinister activities have caused havoc in the Middle East. The International Atomic Energy Agency, which has subjected Irans nuclear program to the most intrusive inspection regime in history, all the other signatories of the Iran accord, US Defense Secretary James Mattis and other top members of the Trump administration all state categorically that Iran has fulfilled all its obligations under the Iran deal to the letter and has not had any nuclear-weapons program for at least a decade and a half. Yet Trump claimed Iran is on the cusp of threatening the US with nuclear-armed ballistic missiles. As proof for these lies, he pointed to the April 30 show-and-tell presentation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which was panned by the European Union and all but the most right-wing Western media outlets as hype and lies. The New York Times, which is an expert at war propaganda, deception and forgery, felt professionally affronted that Washington was associating itself with so crude a performance, headlining its editorial response Netanyahus Flimflam on Iran. Near the end of his speech Trump underscoredusing language akin to that of a mafia don touting an offer you cant refusethat Washington has embarked on an escalating campaign of economic, diplomatic and military pressure aimed at reimposing on the Iranian people the type of neocolonial subjugation that prevailed under the savage US-backed dictatorship of the Shah. First he sang a paean to the Shah, claiming that prior to the 1979 Revolution Iran commanded the respect of the world. Then he declared that Irans leaders will reject Washingtons demands for a new US-dictated deal, adding, Id probably say the same thing if I was in their position. But the fact is, they are going to want to make a new and lasting deal. Trump made a brief reference to North Korea in his statement, immediately after boasting that by blowing up the Iran deal he had demonstrated The United States no longer makes empty threats. Whatever the immediate outcome of the planned talks between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jung-un, the US repudiation of the Iran deal makes clear that the Korean Peninsula peace talks are a tactical maneuver aimed at facilitating US imperialist violence and banditry. Should a deal be reached, it will only be to free Americas hands for confrontations with its more substantial adversaries. If and when US strategic priorities change, or circumstances allow, Washington will invoke the most flimsy and contrived pretext to jettison a Korean denuclearization agreement. The Democrats and wide sections of the US military-intelligence establishment have, it should be noted, decried Trumps turn to negotiations with Pyongyang and more or less announced that they would repudiate any deal he signs with the North Korean regime. No doubt the European imperialist powers are angered and shaken by Trumps indifference to their counsels. French Prime Minister Emanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel both came to Washington in late April to personally plea for Trump not to jettison the Iran deal. On Monday, it was British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnsons turn, although he only had audiences with Vice-President Pence and Secretary of State Pompeo. Once again US imperialism has brushed aside the concerns of its ostensible European allies in the naked pursuit of its own interests. Whatever is said in public statements, relations between the imperialist powers are ever more venomous as each pursues its own interests under conditions of economic crisis and ever-intensifying geopolitical and commercial rivalry. The history of the last century demonstrated that the imperialist appetites of the British, French and German ruling elites are no less voracious than those of the capitalist rulers of America. If they have sought to dissuade Trump from jettisoning the Iran deal it is only because this would cut across their attempts to exploit Iran economically, and because they fear the destabilizing impact of a war with Iran, including soaring oil prices and a further mass influx of refugees. In their vain attempt to convince Trump to remain in the deal, the Europeans joined with him in making a whole series of fresh demands on Teheran, including for drastic limits to its ballistic-missile program, and pledged their steadfast support for Israelthus encouraging both Trump and Netanyahu to proceed with their offensive against Iran. This points to another of the chief concerns of the European imperialists, which underscores that their intentions are no less belligerent. Along with the Democratic Party and much of the US military-intelligence apparatus, they have been arguing that the best strategy for bringing Iran to heel, and integrating that campaign with NATOs military-strategic offensive against Russia, is to concentrate on prosecuting the war for regime change in Syria. As was frankly admitted by political leaders and the capitalist media in the run-up to last months US-French-British airstrikes on Syria, this alternate imperialist strategy could rapidly result in direct military clashes between US and Russian forces, with all that entails. Washingtons trashing of the nuclear deal constitutes an immense crisis and devastating exposure of Irans bourgeois nationalist regime. Terrified of the growing class contradictions in Iran, the Islamic Republics bourgeois-clerical regime placed its hopes in a rapprochement with US imperialism and Barack Obamas phony promises of a new US Mideast foreign policy. No matter that it was under Obama that the US attacked Libya, launched a similar regime-change operation in Syria and supported the military in restoring its bloody grip over Egypt. Since Trump, an avowed opponent of the Iran deal from its inception, came to office, Teheran has desperately appealed to the Europeans to shield them from Americas wrath. Meanwhile, in line with these efforts to ingratiate itself with the imperialists and woo investment, the Iranian bourgeoisie has pressed forward with its anti-working-class austerity policies. In response to Trumps announcement, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the Europeans announced that they intend to stay in the nuclear deal. In doing so, Rouhani is clutching at straws. On Monday, May 7, Vladimir Putin was inaugurated for his fourth term as president of Russia. His presidency will be shaped by growing encirclement and pressure by US imperialism and by social struggles at home as the new government prepares to launch far-reaching attacks on the working class. A pompous inauguration ceremony on Monday was preceded on Saturday by mass arrests of anti-Putin protesters, including supporters of the nationalist, right-wing, pro-Western opposition politician Alexei Navalny. More than 1,600 people were arrested, including Navalny himself. He was released on Sunday. Putin was reelected in the presidential elections of March 18 with over 76 percent of the vote. He is set to remain president until 2024. In his inaugural speech, Putin, echoed his last address on the state of the nation, combining the whipping up of nationalism with phony promises of social reforms and an announcement of far-reaching economic changes. Putin began his inaugural speech by saying that he acknowledged the responsibility before you,...before Russia, a country of grandiose victories and achievements and before the 1,000-year-old history of Russian statehood. He declared his commitment to a holy relationship toward our native soil and stated: I consider it the goal and sense of my entire life to do everything for Russia. He went on praising the Russian Constitution which was passed 25 years ago, in 1993, to solidify the new capitalist property relations that had been introduced by the Stalinist bureaucracy with its dissolution of the Soviet Union. Putin argued that the past quarter century had shown that all beauty and power lies in our autonomy [samobytnost] and unity and that Russia had learned to defend our interests. He declared that Russia was willing to collaborate with all states in the world to our mutual benefit and in the interests of stability on the planet. However, Putin stressed, the focus of his next term in office would be on domestic issues and major changes in the Russian economy. Under conditions where the US Navy just launched a new fleet to escalate war preparations against Russia, Putin made little to no mention of the growing imperialist encirclement, stating only that the country was able to defend itself and that its defense capabilities would be secured in the future as well. As in his speech on the state of the nation in early March, Putin made no mention of the US and EU sanctions that have had a devastating effect on the Russian economy. Putin formulated a series of goals for his presidency until 2024. In exceedingly vague terms, he promised to make Russia one of the top five economic powerhouses in the world, and one with particular success in cutting-edge technologies (where Russia is now hopelessly lagging behind); turn it into one of the top 10 countries with the best education; reduce the official poverty rate by half; introduce full coverage of child support for working mothers and assure a better quality of life for the elderly; etc. The proposals, totaling more than four pages and encompassing virtually every sphere of social and economic life, essentially suggest that Russia, 25 years after the restoration of capitalism and amid a deepening crisis of the world capitalist system, could become within the next few years the most successful capitalist economy that has ever existed, combining an almost unrestrained free market with near-perfect provision of health care, education and ideal working conditions for the population. This is, of course, sheer demagogy. No such proposals are realizable under the rule of the criminal oligarchy that Putin represents. His demagogy served a definite purpose of covering up what he and the new cabinet that is now being put in place are actually preparing: a whole-scale attack on working class living standards and privatizations as part of a marked shift toward making major concessions to both the liberal opposition and the demands of international finance capital. Much of the speech by Putin and his proposals were almost literal quotations from the report A Strategy for the Development of the Country, 2018-2024, which he had earlier commissioned from the Center for Strategic Research (CSR). The CSR is headed by the former finance minister and close Putin ally Alexei Kudrin, who is generally considered to be the greatest darling of both the liberal opposition and the world financial elite among Putins inner circle. Apart from similar demagogic and vague promises for a better social future, the report was more open about the actual direction in which the Kremlin should head: Until 2024 entrepreneurial freedom will be guaranteed in Russia on a new level, real competition in the economy will be secured. State policy will be aimed at a partnership with private business and a reduction of the direct involvement of the state in the economy. Key proposalsnot mentioned by Putin on Mondayinclude: The reduction of control and overseeing functions of the state in the business sector by half. The selling of state assets that are not essential to the functioning of the company. An increased role for non-profit organizations (NGOs) in providing social services, while state involvement in providing them is to be cut. An increase in labor productivity by a third. Raising the retirement age to 63 for men and 65 for women. The Russian government has already announced in late April that it is actively working on realizing this demand. The facilitation of rules for customs and tariffs and lowering of taxes for both domestic and foreign companies. Salaries for state employees should be tied to their work performance. A number of measures toward granting cities and regions more autonomy, such as the creation of city police forces, as opposed to the current police acting on a federal level, as well as more control by cities and regions over local taxes. The creation of professional army with all members of the armed forces to be working on a contractual basis. A further reduction of military spending. The expert team of Kudrins center has characteristics of a parallel government. It includes multiple members of the Putins cabinet as well as of various presidential councils, the Finance Ministry and other government agencies. Included among its members, to name but a few, are German Gref, the head of the Sberbank, the largest bank in Russia, a regional governor, and Vladimir Mau, a member of the Presidents Economic Council and the board of Gazprom, who is also a former co-worker of Yegor Gaidar, one of the heads of the notorious shock therapy with which capitalism was restored in Russia. The fact that the Kremlin is now determined to enact these proposals is also shown by his proposed new government. Putin has nominated Dmitry Medvedev to continue as prime minister. Medvedev, in turn, nominated a number of people close to Kudrin for ministerial positions. The most significant nomination was that of Anton Siluanov, who as first vice prime minister would be in charge of the Ministry of Finance. Siluanov started his career in the finance ministry of what was then the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) during the early stages of perestroika, in 1985-1987, and continued it in the ministry of finance during capitalist restoration until 1992. He has worked as the vice-finance minister under Kudrin for several years. Tatiana Golikova, the proposed new minister for social and labor issues, has also worked closely with Kudrin in the past. The nominated ministers still must be confirmed by both the parliament and the president. The attempts by the Kremlin to appease discontented factions within the oligarchy and the demands of international finance capital through privatizations and attacks on the working class will inevitably lead to a growth of social struggles in Russia. Meanwhile, the concessions in the realm of the economy will by no means ease the aggression of imperialism. On the contrary, they will encourage further pressure and military provocations aimed at isolating Russia and preparing for war to achieve its complete subordination to imperialism. The author also recommends: Russia after the elections: Calls for reforms and negotiations [March 24, 2018] The brutal police assault on a refugee camp in Ellwangen in the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg marks a step in the direction of a police state and undermines core democratic rights. The aim is to intimidate refugees and their supporters with police violence and a concerted campaign based on propaganda and lies. The descriptions from the refugees who were brutally attacked by the police recall the darkest chapters of German history. On May 3, hundreds of masked police officers, many of them heavily armed, attacked the camp without warning. They broke down doors, tore innocent residents from their beds, placed them in handcuffs, and forced them outdoors. According to police sources, the military-style raid resulted in 11 injuries. The barbaric attack was celebrated by all major media outlets and numerous politicians, and was accompanied by a disgusting, lying propaganda campaign. The police justified the operation with the claim that officers were violently attacked from the camp on the night of April 29. Four officers attempted to detain a 23-year-old man from Togo to deport him to Italy. However, 50 camp residents forced his release by means of aggressive behaviour and violence. The official press release from the police claimed that one police car was damaged, among other things. Bernhard Weber, the vice-president of the Aalen police presidium, declared that the officers were confronted with an aggressive emergency situation. Weber said that structures developed among a group of Africans to prevent the authorities from carrying out measures. This effectively resulted in the emergence of a lawless zone. Subsequently, the police even stated that residents were armed. At the aggressive gathering, according to the police, serious statements had been made about an intention to arm in preparation for the next police intervention. Baden-Wurttembergs interior minister, Thomas Strobl (Christian Democrats, CDU), referred to a full-blown threat that future deportations are to be prevented by the resistance of armed refugees. All of this was embraced uncritically in the media and embellished with yet more lies and exaggerations. Most media reports rapidly increased the number of alleged perpetrators to 150, even though this figure in the police report referred to a meeting of residents that took place after the detainees release. Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (Christian Social Union, CSU) weighed in, describing the incident as outrageous behaviour. It was a slap in the face to law-abiding citizens, Seehofer said in Berlin last Thursday. The right to hospitality cannot be trampled underfoot in this way. Seehofer thereby adopted almost word for word what Alice Weidel, spokesperson for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), stated on Twitter. In reality, the refugees were never responsible for creating an aggressive emergency situation. All evidence suggests that what took place was a legitimate protest against the deportation of a friend. No violence was used against police officers during the initial operation, or during the raid on Thursday. The alleged damage to a police car turned out to be a small dent. The daily TAZ reported that a spokesman for the Aalen police presidium could not put a figure on the damage and told the newspaper that it was not very substantial. The vehicle was dented, the spokesman added. A report from DPA alleging that three officers were injured during Thursdays raid was corrected by the police down to one. This injury resulted not from a third party, and without external interference, according to the Aalen police. The spokesman was also unable to explain to the TAZ how the police reached the conclusion that residents were capable of arming themselves. No weapons in a technical or non-technical sense were found, according to the spokesman. What does this mean? Objects of daily life that could be used as striking weapons were found. The lies and exaggerations from the police were multiplied by the media and exploited to initiate a foul xenophobic campaign. The Leipziger Volkszeitung declared the event to be a symbol for the actual and perceived powerlessness of the state. The Stuttgarter Nachrichten attacked the police from the right, complaining that the incident was hushed up for days, whereas the raid only took place on Thursday. In this way, the right to asylum [is] increasingly being called into question. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung welcomed the police raid in its lead article on Friday, but complained simultaneously that the clashes were being blamed on the camp system and not the belief of refugees that they can immigrate to Germany by means of violence if necessary. Even Heribert Prantl, who previously was considered a liberal and occasionally criticised police state measures, defended the polices lies in the Suddeutsche Zeitung and referred to vandalism by the refugees. The state should be allowed to enforce with masks the message that it makes the rules and wants to continue to do so, he stated. Politicians from all parties also fuelled the propaganda campaign. Baden-Wurttembergs Green minister president, Winfried Kretschmann, defended the police operation, which his government helped prepare. The refugees behaviour was absolutely unacceptable, he said. We dont tolerate lawless zones, and these attacks on police officers must be investigated, he added. He received backing from Green Party leader Robert Habeck, who said the intervention was logical and necessary. Free Democrats (FDP) leader Christian Lindner referred to a loss of trust in the state. The state cannot allow itself to be intimidated by a mob seeking to prevent deportations, he said. Federal Justice Minister Katarina Barley (Social Democrats, SPD) also demanded a tough crackdown, declaring, Anyone who violates the law and resists the police must expect to face severe consequences. The isolated criticisms of the police operations by Left Party representatives were utterly hypocritical. In reality, the party is oiling the wheels of the deportation machinery in the states of Berlin, Brandenburg and Thuringia. Left Party parliamentary group leader Sahra Wagenknecht stated in the FAZ on Thursday that the Left Party advocates closing the borders and that it is necessary to recognise that problems have intensified with the arrival of refugees. Competition for low-wage jobs and affordable housing, a lack of public security, the emergence of parallel worlds in which radical Islam is spreading, she said. The propaganda campaign over Ellwangen is part of a sustained and concerted campaign against refugees by politicians and the media. It began more than two years ago, when the actions of gangs of petty thieves on New Years Eve in Cologne, which often involve distraction techniques and sexual provocations, were massively exaggerated. All of the horror scenarios presented by the media later turned out to be inventions used intentionally to stoke racist sentiments. Accusations of corruption were levelled against the asylum decision-making process in Bremen just last month to suggest that refugees are bribing officials on a large scale to obtain asylum. This report also turned out to be lies, as did the subsequent claim that the federal migration ministry fired 2,000 interpreters due to cumulated violations. These campaigns have long been connected with the strengthening of the states repressive apparatus. But this has assumed new dimensions with the brutal police operation in Ellwangen. The pictures of masked squads of police officers wrestling defenceless refugees to the ground are not only intended to intimidate asylum seekers, but also the millions of people who declare their solidarity with the most vulnerable members of society. Attempts to block deportations take place regularly. For example, 300 students in Nuremberg opposed the polices attempt to deport a fellow student last year. In April, courageous neighbours in Witzenhausen in the state of Hesse resisted an attempted deportation. Demonstrations, protests and blockades occur often. At Frankfurt airport alone, pilots refused 237 times last year to carry out deportations. The goal is to terrorise and intimidate all of these people with the operation in Ellwangen. The ever more aggressive crackdown on refugees and their supporters heralds a fundamental confrontation between the ruling elite and the vast majority of working people. To enforce their unpopular policies of social inequality, rearmament and war, the ruling class is increasingly resorting to authoritarian forms of rule. This is why they are strengthening the repressive state apparatus and seeking to mobilise the dregs of society with xenophobic campaigns. These measures are initially being directed against the most vulnerable sections of society, but are in essence aimed at the entire working class. President Maithripala Sirisena opened a new session of the previously suspended Sri Lankan parliament yesterday with a desperate appeal for unity within the ruling coalition and among all other parliamentary parties. The speech was a response to ongoing government in-fighting, mounting economic problems and growing opposition from working people across the island. Voicing the fears of a section of the ruling elite, Sirisena declared: This is not a time for parties to engage in a power struggle. It needs to deflect the power struggle between the parties in the national unity government and between the government and opposition. Sri Lanka, he said, faced a colossal debt burden. It was, he declared, the last chance [for the government]to steer this nation forward. Last month, Sirisena suspended parliament until May 8 in response to sharp divisions within the ruling coalitionan alliance between the United National Party (UNP), led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Sirisenas Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Divisions within the SLFP widened to breaking point last month after the resignation of sixteen of the partys government ministers who endorsed an opposition no-confidence motion against the prime minister. The resolution was moved by the SLFP faction headed by former president Mahinda Rajapakse. The resigned ministers yesterday sat on the opposition benches in the parliament. On May 1, Sirisena and Wickremesinghe were forced to make a fourth reshuffle of ministerial positions since the fragile coalition government was formed after the August 2015 general election. It was the second change since February this year. Ministerial positions are being used in an attempt to glue together the coalition and the internally divided parties that comprise it. The UNP has made several changes to its party leaders and has promised a new look for the government. The government crisis came into the open after the humiliating defeat of the SLFP and UNP in Februarys local government elections. Rajapakses newly formed front, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), won control of a majority of local government institutions. Sirisena hypocritically blamed UNP policies for the election defeat. Rajapakse was ousted in the January 2015 presidential elections as millions of Sri Lankans rejected his anti-democratic regime and its attacks on living conditions and social rights. Local election support for his SLPP was not an indication of popular backing for Rajapakse, but was a protest vote against the ruling coalition governments brutal austerity program. In his speech to the parliament yesterday, Sirisena claimed that the government had made important changes, including restoring the rule of law, making the judiciary independent, reconciliation and winning back the good will of the international community. He claimed that the government has raised income levels while fighting to tackle the debt and had made progress in education, health services and agriculture. But instead of progress, Sri Lankan working people are facing an onslaught on their living standards, which has produced a wave of strikes and protests by workers demanding higher wages, improved conditions and pension rights. Last week, tens of thousands of workers defied the governments ban on May Day events, participating in meetings and demonstrations. Farmers across the country have held protests demanding subsidies for essential items, such as fertilisers and water, and for guaranteed prices for their crops. University students have held a series of protests against the privatisation of education and for improved facilities. Sirisenas claim that the government is achieving reconciliationthe ruling class term for doing away with ethnic discriminationis bogus. Protests by Tamils in the north of the island, whose social conditions were devastated by the ruling elites 26-year war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, continue almost every week. Tamil demonstrators are demanding the return of all lands seized by the military, information about disappeared relatives, and an end to anti-democratic military rule. At the same time, recent anti-Muslim violence and riots were provoked by extreme-right Sinhala-Buddhist groups that have been nurtured by the ruling coalition parties and by Rajapakses opposition. Sirisena came to power as part of a US-orchestrated regime change operation to oust Rajapakse and bring the country into line with Washingtons military and diplomatic offensive against China. The campaign was backed by Wickremesinghe, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and a host of pseudo-left groups, including the Nava Sama Samaja Party, the Frontline Socialist Party and the United Socialist Party, along with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Tamil National Alliance. On taking power, Sirisena and Wickremesinghe changed the governments foreign policy in favour of the US and its ally India, developing close military relations with both countries. The ruling coalition introduced some cosmetic measures to increase wages and subsidies and then turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout. The loan was tied to austerity demands for the halving of the countrys fiscal deficit to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2020. This is to be achieved by increasing taxes, cutting subsidies, and privatising education, health and other government-owned ventures. Government claims to have restored democratic rights are false. The coalition, in fact, has invoked essential service orders and emergency laws to deploy the military and police to violently suppress protests by workers, farmers and students. Yesterday, for the second time in a week, the government mobilised police who used water cannons, tear gas and barricades to suppress protests by unemployed graduates in Colombo. Sirisena also claimed in parliament that changes had been made to the hated and autocratic executive presidency, through the introduction of a 19th amendment to the constitution. While the amendment reduces some the presidents powers, Sirisena previously claimed that he would completely abolish the executive presidency. Sirisenas unity calls echo fears being voiced by other sections of the ruling elite. A comment in last weekends Sunday Times said the government faced a dilemma. It warned: The biggest problems for the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe coalition are not the grandiose plans for development. Instead, it is the reality that a larger mass of the people will see their stomachs hurt more as living costs keep soaring. A recent press release from the Central Bank said there should not be any financial slippage by the government. It was crucial, the release stated, that policymaking remains rational with a long term focus on greater public good, while minimising policy swings motivated by short term political gains. The Economist Intelligence Unit, a mouthpiece of international finance, also warned: As the tensions within the coalition government remain high, there will be heightened instability in the political system in the next period. It called for stable rule. The World Bank and rating agencies, such as Fitch, have also raised concerns that political instability in Sri Lanka will impact on Colombos austerity measures and its ability to attract foreign investment. All factions of Sri Lankas ruling elite are calculating how to take on a developing movement of the working class against the governments austerity measures. Sirisena and Wickremesinghe are attempting to patch up tensions in the coalition in order to unleash even greater attacks on the social and democratic rights of working people. At the same time, Rajapakse and his group are building a right-wing movement, provoking anti-Tamil communalism and appealing to the Buddhist establishment and the military. The former president has demanded a snap election in order to establish a stable government, code for dictatorial measures directed against the working class. The main political props of the ruling elite, including the trade unions and the pseudo-left, are desperately working to contain and dissipate every struggle by Sri Lankan workers and youth. In a flagrantly anti-democratic move underscoring its contempt for the working class, Ontarios Liberal government attempted to ram legislation through the provincial legislature Monday that would have outlawed a strike by 3,000 workers at Torontos York University. The move was facilitated by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which has done all it can to isolate the strike and prepare a rotten sell-out, and which, like the rest of the union bureaucracy, has had cozy relations with the big business Liberals over the past 15 years, even as they have pursued a right-wing austerity agenda. The contract faculty and student teaching and research assistants have been on strike against poverty wages and precarious employment for more than two months. The Liberals attempt to illegalize the strike ultimately failed after the New Democrats (NDP), with an eye to the upcoming provincial election, refused to allow the bill, known as the York University Labour Disputes Resolution Act, 2018, to be rushed through the legislature ahead of yesterdays dissolution of parliament. Under a fixed-date election law, Ontarians will vote in a provincial election Thursday, June 7. The legislation would have compelled the 3,000 members of CUPE local 3903 and York management to submit to an arbitrators award, which would have inevitably enforced the employers principal demands. York management was so sure of a positive outcome from binding arbitration that for much of the strike it has been pleading for government intervention. Introduced by Labour Minister Kevin Flynn and Post-Secondary Education Minister Mitzie Hunter, the legislation came in response to the pre-determined conclusions of a government-appointed industrial commissioner into the status of bargaining between CUPE and the university. Even though the university has persistently refused to bargain with the union for months and held fast to its provocative demands, William Kaplan denounced the union for adopting bargaining methods that are not normative and essentially blamed it for the bargaining impasse. In a remarkable display of hypocrisy, the Liberal government, which has attacked the pay and working conditions of teachers and educators, and slashed education funding to the bone, sought to assure everyone that it was acting in the best interests of the students. This was eagerly amplified by the corporate media, with the pro-Liberal Toronto Star proclaiming that the government was mindful of the growing concern among students that they will not be able to complete their academic year. In reality, the Liberals were concerned, notwithstanding the best efforts of CUPE to betray the strike, that it could become the catalyst for broader working class struggles. Under conditions in which strikes among industrial workers and other sections of the working class have spread over recent months, including in a number of instances where workers have openly defied attempts by the unions to shut their struggles down, the Liberals decided they had to act. The NDPs cynicism in attempting to pose as defenders of the striking workers in opposing the back-to-work legislation is hard to stomach. This is a party which has repeatedly connived in the adoption of anti-strike laws at both the federal and provincial levels, including with regard to Canada Post in 2011, Ontario school teachers in 2012, and last years college lecturers strike. More fundamentally, whenever this right-wing, pro-capitalist party has held power, as it currently does in Alberta and British Columbia, it has come into direct conflict with the working class, with its support for austerity budgets, attacks on workers wages and working conditions, and, in the case of Alberta, support for the interests of Big Oil. In Ontario, under the leadership of current party leader Andrea Horwath, the NDP propped up a Liberal minority government for two years between 2012 and 2014. During that time, Wynnes government was able to pass two austerity budgets, including cuts to education and health care. The NDP has all but ignored the striking workers since early March, with the only exception being a fleeting visit by federal party leader Jagmeet Singh to the picket line after he was invited by CUPE bureaucrats. In spite of the Liberals failure to end the strike, workers at York face imminent defeat if they fail to settle accounts with CUPE, which has worked from the beginning to prepare a rotten sell-out. Although it was clear from the very outset that contract faculty and student assistants faced a political struggle against the Liberal government, which controls the universitys purse strings and has previously outlawed strikes at York, the CUPE bureaucracy has confined the struggle within the reactionary framework of collective bargaining. CUPE 3903 president Devin Lefebvre and his fellow bureaucrats have made the demand to get York to return to the bargaining table the sole issue in the strike. To this end, the CUPE leadership even issued pathetic appeals to the Liberals to intervene and compel the parties to negotiate. This paved the way for the governments attempt to shut down the strike. No attempt has been made to appeal to students for a joint struggle against austerity and to win recognition of free education for university students as a social right. Nor has CUPE made any appeal for support from other striking education workers, including 800 support staff at Carleton University in Ottawa who were on strike during the first month of the York job action, or from workers across Canada, who confront job insecurity and low wages on a daily basis. CUPE has no intention of allowing the strike to become a rallying point for a struggle against the right-wing Liberal government because this rotten organization, together with the majority of the union bureaucracy, has promoted the Liberals as a progressive alternative to the Conservatives for the better part of two decades. Even now, with the party well down in the polls ahead of the June 7 provincial election, much of the union bureaucracy is waging a get-out-the-vote campaign for the Liberals on the absurd basis that this will allow workers to stop the anti-worker, far-right policies represented by Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford. In reality, as workers at York and elsewhere know all too well, the role of the Liberals over the past 15 years has been to clamp down viciously on working class opposition, including through the repeated outlawing of strikes, and to privatize public utilities, impose ruthless austerity and slash taxes for big business and the richimposing policies that have gone far beyond those of the hard-right Mike Harris-led Progressive Conservative government of 1995-2003. Strikers at York must take the attempt to impose back-to-work legislation as a serious warning. If the strike continues under its present leadership, CUPE will organize a miserable betrayal of the workers entirely justified demands sooner rather than later. To prevent this outcome, contract faculty and student assistants must break decisively with the CUPE bureaucracy, form their own rank-and-file committee to lead the strike, and appeal to students and workers across Canada and internationally for support. Above all, the winning of good-paying, secure jobs requires a political struggle against the Liberals, NDP, and their defenders in the trade union bureaucracy, and the development of an independent political movement of the working class. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - On Wednesday, family, friends, first responders, and the community paid their respect to a fallen police officer. Thousands attended services at the Hulman Center for Officer Rob Pitts. Officer Pitts made a lasting impact in his years of service on the department. "How many lives were saved because of Rob's dedication? How many crimes were stopped because he was on duty? And how many people were able to sleep at night because they knew Rob was there and had their backs?" Detective Dan Walls, the Chaplain for the Terre Haute Police Department said during the services. Several state leaders attended, including Indiana State Senator Joe Donnelley saying this is a blow to the heart. "When everyone else looked and saw danger, he said I'll take care of it. I've got Terre Haute's back. I got Vigo County's back. I got the Valley's back," Donnelly said. Indiana's Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch was there on behalf of Governor Eric Holcomb. "When someone you love becomes a memory...that memory becomes a treasure," Crouch said. "We will ensure that your legacy will live on as you are a true community hero. Job well done, Officer Pitts. I pray that you will rest in peace," Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett said. Terre Haute Police Chief John Plasse not only honored Officer Pitts, he wanted to share a strong message. "Already this year, 27 officers have been killed by gunfire. A significant increase from last year. The murdering of our nation's protectors has got to stop." Plasse said Officer Pitts was a team leader, he was eager and compassionate. Terre Haute Police Sergeant Ryan Adamson said Officer Pitts was born to be a police officer. "Rob knew the life of a police officer could change lives for the better, and he chose that career to make a difference in those lives," Adamson said. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Because Officer Rob Pitts gave all and laid down his life, the Indiana Blood Center wanted to do something to honor him. On Wednesday, an Officer Rob Pitts Memorial Blood Drive was held. It was organized at the Sullivan County Courthouse. Officials say by giving blood, a person can save up to three lives. Organizers say what better way is there to honor someone willing to lay down their life than to save someone else's. "Our community has come together to support...everybody is supporting everybody regarding the fallen Officer Rob Pitts. He was the brother to one of my coworkers, so I feel like I'm supporting her too," Helen Irvine told us. The need for blood is constant. If you didn't make it on Wednesday, you can still donate in Officer Pitts' honor by contacting the Indiana Blood Center. An increasing amount of people are ordering drugs over the dark web, according to a Global Drug Survey report released Wednesday. Around 10 percent of respondents said they had used darknet markets, which can only be accessed with browsers that mask IP addresses, for drug purchases in the past year. Finland has the highest percentage of people using the dark web to purchase drugs, with over 45 percent. England, the US and Australia are the runners-up, with 24, 18 and 17 percent, respectively. The dark web has been online for seven years since the 2011 launch of the Silk Road, the first darknet marketplace where drugs and other illegal products such as weapons and violent or sexual services were offered. The Global Drug Survey asked respondents to compare drug deliveries to another product frequently delivered to doorsteps: pizza. Of 15,000 cocaine users, 30 percent said they could get cocaine delivered in less than 30 minutes. For pizza, this was only 16 percent. The report mentions the prevalence of camera surveillance in big cities as one of the reasons why traditional street dealing is becoming less attractive to many suppliers and customers. Using darknet markets and encrypted messaging, it is relatively safe and easy to get drugs delivered to your door. Respondents come from Europe, Latin America, North America, Russia, the Balkans, Israel and South Africa and 40 percent of them said they had used illegal drugs in the last month. When it comes to hard drugsm, two percent of respondents said they had ever injected drugs. Less than one percent said they had used crack, heroin or opium in the past 12 months. The drugs most used are alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, MDMA, cocaine, amphetamine, mushrooms, and LSD. Almost one fifth of respondents answered they had used LSD at least once and over 98 percent said the same of alcohol. All the other most-used substances fall somewhere in between. Almost one third of people have used MDMA and one fourth have used cocaine. Cocaine remains the most expensive commonly used drug in the world. In South America, where most cocaine comes from, it can cost less than 10 euros (US$11.86) per gram. In Australia and New Zealand prices go up to 200 euros per gram. Most cocaine in Europe, where it costs between 60 and 80 euros per gram, comes from Colombia, where a gram is sold for five euros. The purity of cocaine in Europe has increased over the past years, which can be fatal and lead to higher dependence. In the UK, 80 percent of recent cocaine users said they could get it delivered the same day using the dark web. The ease of access and higher purity are likely to lead to more use and harm and indicate an abundance of supply, the report states. GDS also made the link to rising rates in crime and violence. Despite scams where markets are closed and their owners run off with all the funds as well as law enforcement efforts to bring the markets down, the darknet drug markets continue to grow. The increase in using the dark web to access both illicit and prescription drugs mirror regional variations in access to traditional drugs and the severity of drug laws, the report states. occrp.org JACKSON, Miss. (WTVA) - Some members of Company C of the 1st Battalion, 114th Aviation Regiment, which is headquartered in Tupelo, will soon be deployed to the U.S. Southwest border. According to the Mississippi Army National Guard, approximately 25 soldiers will be gone for three weeks in support of Operation Guardian Support, a joint task force effort to conduct security operations along the border with Mexico. "They will provide aerial surveillance support to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Border Patrol using three UH-72 Lakota helicopters. The National Guard says there will be a sendoff ceremony on Friday, May 11 at 10 a.m. at the Tupelo Army Aviation Support Facility at 104 Lemons Drive. GREENWOOD, Miss. (AP) Authorities continue to investigate why a Mississippi Delta high school senior was shot to death in his own bed. The Greenwood Commonwealth reports that 19-year-old Jakairius Thomas was found dead early Monday morning in his family home. Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks says family members were awakened by gunfire and saw an intruder running from their home. Banks says family members can describe the intruder's clothing and the back of his body, but didn't see this face. The sheriff says there were no signs of forced entry. Leflore County Coroner Debra Sanders says Thomas was shot at least twice. An autopsy is pending. Thomas was a student at North New Summit School and scheduled to graduate later this month. Principal Keith Davis describes Thomas as polite and courteous. CLAY COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - A West Point man sent a letter to Gov. Phil Bryant voicing his concern about an intersection he calls dangerous. The intersection is at Highway 45 Alternate South and Tibbee Road. Phillip Hooker says he fears for his life every time he crosses it. He says his children had a wreck at the intersection, leading to him wanting a change. "I decided to write officials because enough is enough," he said. He says he's witnessed many other wrecks in the same area. "I would observe people going down there 70, 80 miles per hour, and then they took down the 'slow down to 45 mph' sign about a year ago," he said. Now, Hooker is asking for something to be done. "You can put a four-way stop there, but to really save lives, you need a stop light." The Mississippi Department of Transportation says official are looking into data to see if any changes need to be made, but the odds are not in Hooker's favor of having a stop light put up, that's according to MDOT District 1 Engineer Mark Holley. However, Holley says MDOT has witnessed a spike of accidents in the area. "There was a kind of spike in the intersection. So we have ordered a traffic count, checking the speeds and traffic to see what changes can be made to lower the accidents," he said. Holley says MDOT will have data back next week to further investigate. MONTICELLO, Miss. (AP) Lawrence County officials are investigating after a body was pulled from the Pearl River. WLBT-TV reports Coroner Sandra Lambert says the body of 80-year-old George Edmond Schultz Jr. was recovered from the river area south of Highway 184, outside Monticello, near a campsite. Schultz was found about 1:15 p.m. Tuesday submerged in the water, and the life jacket he was wearing was holding his body up. He apparently left to go fishing around 8 a.m. and launched from Atwood Water Park. Sheriff Lessie Butler deployed a rescue unit and they worked with Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to locate his body. An autopsy has been requested by the sheriff and this is an ongoing investigation. LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - More than 3,000 people sought safety from Hurricane Irma at Leon County's 10 emergency shelters. Tuesday night, the county commission approved a plan to improve shelter operations moving forward. The county will work with the school district and Red Cross to enhance shelter staff and management and to make sure each shelter has the resources it needs before opening. Under the new plan, the county would be in charge of opening risk shelters for local residents and the Red Cross remains responsible for host shelters for evacuees. The school district would staff the risk shelters. There's a list of preferred sites, but emergency management has the right to open other school facilities if necessary. Commissioner Nick Maddox says shelter is critical during major weather events and this agreement gets everyone on the same page. "We're just trying to sit down and come to the table to see what kind of plan we can put together that works best for our community," said Maddox. "It's great that our partners in this thing in LCS and Red Cross are coming together to address it. We've got a good plan on the table, so I feel pretty confident about it." The agreement includes changes recommended from an after-action report. The school district will train staff before hurricane season begins June 1 and the Red Cross will provide food and other resources to all shelters. The commission also approved an agreement with the city to restructure the Community Redevelopment Agency. Find out more about that here. LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Last year during Hurricane Irma evacuees sought shelter on the campuses of Leon County Schools. As many as 3,000 people bunkered down in ten area schools. Superintendent Rocky Hanna admits, last year the school system was unprepared to handle the volume of people depending on their services. This year, the school district plans to increase security and communication ahead of Hurricane season. "Well I think the eye-opening experience was for me was a lot of the burden and I'm not going to say burden ... a lot of the responsibility of providing emergency shelters is relied on by the public school system and .... so security is a big part of it," said Hanna. "So we've partnered with Leon County Sheriff's Department and other local law enforcement agencies to provide security in case something happens." Superintendent Hanna says, security also includes consideration for those with mental health and special needs requirements. Panhandle Ag Leader Inducted Into Farm Credit Bank of Texas Academy of Honor AUSTIN, Texas Former Farm Credit Bank of Texas Director Jon Mike Garnett was inducted into the Farm Credit Bank of Texas Academy of Honor at the banks 2018 annual stockholders meeting in San Antonio, Texas, on April 5. The award establishes a $10,000 scholarship that will be presented in Garnetts name to a student attending a university of his choice. Established in 1968, the Academy of Honor recognizes outstanding individuals for their service and contributions to agriculture and to Farm Credit. To date, 60 people have been inducted into this prestigious group. A farmer and rancher in Spearman, Texas, Garnett served the Farm Credit System for four decades, including 18 years as a Farm Credit Bank of Texas director. During his tenure, he represented the Texas Farm Credit District on the national Farm Credit Council Board of Directors and served as council chairman from 2011 to 2013. He also was a director of the Pampa-High Plains Federal Land Bank Association, now Plains Land Bank, for 23 years. Mike was always diligent and mindful of the needs of fellow agricultural producers, said Jimmy Dodson, Farm Credit Bank of Texas board chairman. He was always willing to consider and support new policies, and with an open mind he welcomed our current business model, which has served our owners and our mission well. The Austin-headquartered Farm Credit Bank of Texas is a $22.8 billion cooperatively owned wholesale bank. It provides funding and operational support to 14 rural lending cooperatives in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. The bank also participates with other lenders in large loans to agribusinesses and rural infrastructure providers. Farm Credit Bank of Texas and its affiliated lenders are part of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of cooperatives established in 1916. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The widow of a Tallahassee man who went missing for 17 years before his body was found last year has been arrested and charged in his murder. As first reported by the Tallahassee Democrat's Jennifer Portman, Denise Williams, 48, is wanted for first degree murder, accessory to murder, and conspiracy to commit murder. Williams, who was Mike Williams' wife before getting remarried to Mike's friend Brian, is the only one who has been charged in Mike's disappearance and subsequent murder so far. She was escorted out of her job at the Doak Campbell Stadium Tuesday afternoon by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after being indicted on the murder charges. Mike Williams' remains were recovered back in December 2017 after he went missing for more than 17 years. The case was originally classified as a drowning before investigators determined he was murdered. He went missing on December 16, 2000 after leaving home that morning to go duck hunting on Lake Seminole in Jackson County. When he didn't come home, his wife and best friend went looking for him. Seventeen years later, FDLE received a tip about new information in the case and found his remains at an undisclosed location. FDLE Tallahassee Special Agent in Charge Mark Perez said the following about the case: JEFFERSON COUNTY, FL (WTXL) - According to the CDC, firefighters are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than any other occupation, but unlike 39 other states in the country, firefighters in Florida don't receive any benefits after hearing their diagnosis. One Florida man is raising awareness about this issue by walking across the state. "Just walk, something big will happen." Those are the words Tom Hill heard from a friend just before he passed away. That's what Hill is doing. He just started walking, fulfilling a promise. "There weren't any big plans set in place when I started," says Tom Hill, a retired Orange County Firefighter. "I just felt compelled when Shakey told me 'Ya know, keep your promise to do the best you can.'" Starting in Key West, Hill walked over 100 miles by himself, carrying a single backpack with shields, patches, and mementos of 87 firefighters who have lost their lives due to job-related illnesses such as cancer. "Miami-Dade and the City of Miami found me down there and they said they wanted to help me get out the last twenty-four miles. So, two miles in, I turned over that first pack to them," explains Hill. Hill's walk has since then gained popularity, with fire departments and family members passing along photos and name plates from their loved ones who are battling or have passed from cancer. Now, with six packs and nearly 900 names, Hill and local firefighters are literally carrying their brothers' burdens, but it is helping the families with the healing process. "Even though it's hard taking on, when the families are telling their stories, an hour later, they're saying 'this has healed me so much.' It kind of relieves me of that burden," says Hill. However, in Florida, families of firefighters are still burdened with finances. The state has tried and failed numerous times to pass legislation allowing firefighters to receive benefits after being diagnosed with cancer. Although this walk started as a promise, Hill hopes it will create a change. Until then, the brotherhood remains strong within fire departments. "This has really brought the brotherhood together, the firehood together," says Derrick Burrus, the Deputy Chief of Jefferson County Fire Rescue. "We realize that we're walking for other people. We're standing for other people, remembering other people. Hill starts each day remembering with a Guardian Ceremony, and ends each night reading the names and sharing the stories of those he carries with him. Many people have reached out to tell Hill how grateful they are for him and his efforts. Hill told WTXL that he gets chills knowing how many families are without a loved one and still suffering because of the lack of legislation. My Brothers' Burden Walk is set to finish on Thursday as Hill and firefighters from around the state, including TFD, walk from Station 6 to the capitol building. A Facebook event has been created for the final walk and can be found here. In addition, you can also "like" the My Brothers' Burden Walk Facebook page for many more details about the walk. JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Two parents have been arrested for child endangerment after residents reported they were tubing down the Chipola River with a shivering infant. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office says that they were called to the river on Monday about a young couple tubing with a very small child. All the callers expressed concern for the child's safety due to the child's age. When Sheriff Lou Roberts found the couple, he asked if the couple had an infant with them and they responded no. However, Sheriff Roberts saw the infant laying on the mother underneath a t-shirt. Deputies say the Sheriff tried to gather information from the couple, but they refused to cooperate. As the couple arrived at Magnolia Landing, the Florida Wildlife Commission arrived as well as investigators and deputies with the Jackson County Sheriffs Office. But again, the couple refused to provide any information to law enforcement. Due to the fear that the child was in danger, the couple was informed that they would be placed under arrest. Once they were able to safely pry the child from the father's arm and detain both parents, they discovered that the child was shivering and wrapped in a cold, wet t-shirt with no other clothing on. Further investigation revealed that the couple had no bottles, dry clothing, towels, sunscreen, diapers, infant flotation device, or means of communication should an emergency have occurred with their 2-month-old child. They also learned that the couple had the infant on the river for approximately four hours. The infant was then wrapped in a clean warm towel until Department of Children and Families arrived to take custody of the baby. The male eventually identified himself as 20-year-old Camrin Welsh, who was the father of the infant child. The female, who was the mother of the child, still refused to cooperate and wouldn't identify herself. She did however tell the Department of Children and Families that her name was Briana Welsh, 20. The baby did not sustain any injuries and was released to the Department of Children and Families. Camrin and Briana Welsh were taken into custody and transported to the Jackson County Correctional Facility to await first appearance. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-08 23:40:03|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close Malaysian incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak delivers a speech during a campaign gathering ahead of the general election in Pekan in the eastern state of Pahang, Malaysia, on May 8, 2018. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad found no time to rest on their final day of campaigning before the general election, both making live speeches on Tuesday night to appeal to Malaysian voters for support in a last-minute show-down. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad found no time to rest on their final day of campaigning before the general election, both making live speeches on Tuesday night to appeal to Malaysian voters for support in a last-minute show-down. Najib, who is leading the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) to seek a third term, was speaking from Pekan in the eastern Pahang state, where he has held the parliamentary seat since 1976, while Mahathir was making the speech in Langkawi, a constituency he helped transform from a backwater island to an international tourist spot. Najib is betting on generous handouts and a "proven track record" to fend off the challenge of Mahathir. During his speech, Najib announced new incentive measures such as tax exemption for those aged 26 years old and under, two more public holidays and five toll-free days for the Muslim Hari Raya festival. "If BN were given a new mandate, we will make Malaysia even greater," said Najib, adding "BN is the party of the future, BN is the party for the future." In the meantime, 92-year-old Mahathir, said in his speech that Malaysia is faced with many problems that could only be solved with the change of government. He urged voters to vote for the opposition to save the country. A final poll before the election, released by opinion research firm Merdeka Center, forecasts that Najib's BN will prevail in the election, but with the popular vote collecting from Peninsular Malaysia dropping to 37.3 percent from last week's 40.3 percent. The survey shows that BN will win 100 out of the 222 parliament seats, while the opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan, or Alliance of Hope winning 83 seats. The rest of the seats are too close to call, according to the poll. The 15 million eligible voters are expected to cast their votes between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday. The election commission said the final results could be unveiled in late night. A simple majority of 112 parliament seats will produce a winner. Texas real estate broker JT Haynes & co-owner/agent/wife Jamie Haynes of Triangle Realty, LLC, a digital, mobile and paperless brokerage firm (www.trianglerealtyllc.com), are pleased to announce that REALTOR Craig Cooper has contributed to the 2017 Triangle Realty First Fruits Fund.The brokerage matched his donation thus allowing him to contribute $2,950.00 to the Spearman Volunteer Fire Department and another $2,950.00 to the Gruver Volunteer Fire Department.The checks were presented to the Volunteer Fire Departments on Tuesday, February 6.The first donation was accepted by Roger Close, a firefighter for the Spearman Fire Departement.The second donation was presented to Fire Cheif Todd Williams and firefighter Robert Blevins of the Gruver Fire Department.The donations will be used for purchasing equipment during this extremely dry and dangerous fire season. ROME, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Europe will stand by the international nuclear accord with Iran, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a live press statement here Tuesday in response to American President Donald Trump's announcement that the U.S. is withdrawing from the deal. "The EU is determined to preserve it," she said. "We expect the rest of the international community to continue to preserve it, for the sake of collective security." "The nuclear accord belongs to the whole of the international community," Mogherini added. "To the Iranian people I say: do not let anyone dismantle this deal, one of the greatest achievements of the international community." "I am particularly worried about tonight's announcement of further sanctions," she said, adding that the deal with Iran "is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy." The international agreement, which limited the Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief, was negotiated under former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2015. Trump, who promised to dismantle the deal during his 2016 electoral campaign, claims that Iran has continued to enrich uranium for military purposes. The landmark deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was struck between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- China, France, Russia, Britain and the U.S. -- plus Germany and the EU, in Vienna in 2015. European Council President Donald Tusk on Tuesday also expressed his disapproval over Trump's decision to pull out of the deal, saying the move "will meet a united European approach." Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 03:21:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Photo taken on May 9, 2018 shows the Gaofen-5 satellite being launched off the back of a Long March 4C rocket at 2:28 a.m. Beijing Time from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province. China on Wednesday launched Gaofen-5, a hyperspectral imaging satellite, as part of the country's high-resolution Earth observation project. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) TAIYUAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday launched Gaofen-5, a hyperspectral imaging satellite, as part of the country's high-resolution Earth observation project. The Gaofen-5 satellite was launched off the back of a Long March 4C rocket at 2:28 a.m. Beijing Time from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province. It was the 274th flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket. The satellite can be used for comprehensive environmental monitoring. The satellite is developed and produced by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and has a designed life of eight years. According to Tong Xudong, chief designer of the Gaofen series, Gaofen-5 is the first China-developed satellite that can monitor air pollution. It can dynamically reflect the state of air pollution in China through the monitoring of air pollutants, greenhouse gases, and aerosols. Gaofen-5 is able to obtain spectral information from ultraviolet to long-wave infrared radiation. It is the world's first full-spectrum hyperspectral satellite for comprehensive observation of the atmosphere and land. Gaofen-5 has the highest spectral resolution among China's remote sensing satellites. It is equipped with six advanced observation payloads, such as shortwave infrared hyperspectral camera and a greenhouse gas detector. It can investigate material composition through spectral imaging technology. Wang Qiao, an official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said the satellite can detect inland water, land surface environment and altered minerals, providing reliable data for China's environmental monitoring, resource exploration, and disaster prevention and mitigation. It will help reduce China's dependence on foreign hyperspectral satellite data. Since the Gaofen project began in 2010, China's view of the planet has become clearer. China will also launch Gaofen-6 this year to form a constellation with other Gaofen satellites in orbit. CAPE TOWN, May 8 (Xinhua) -- South Africa remains a violent society in many ways, where murder, assault, rape and other contact crimes still widespread, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday. "We are particularly concerned at the apparent increase in instances of femicide, where women have been killed by their partners," Ramaphosa told MPs during a Q&A session in Parliament. The alarming levels of violence against women and the abuse of children are a damning indictment on the South African society, he said. South Africa has been gripped by a spate of gender-based violence. In the most recent case, Zolile Khumalo, a 21-year-old student at the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in Durban, was shot dead on campus in full view of her roommate last week following what police described as a domestic quarrel. South Africa is among countries that have the highest rate of gender-based violence. In the country, a woman is killed by an intimate partner every eight hours, according to the South African Medical Research Council. People too often resort to violence to settle differences or to express discontent, Ramaphosa said. "There is a responsibility on all of us, particularly men, to ensure that such crimes do not occur," said Ramaphosa. He said poverty, homelessness and hunger continues to afflict millions of South Africans. Despite the social and economic progress South Africa has made, severe inequality continues to divide the society, by race, gender and geography, said the president. "If we are to heal these wounds, we need, firstly, to acknowledge them," he stressed. Reducing inequality and ending poverty must be at the center of all efforts, Ramaphosa said. This requires a growing, inclusive economy, the creation of jobs for all people, the provision of quality education and the development of skills, he said. It requires the government support to the poor through a comprehensive social security system, affordable health care and the provision of housing and land, said Ramaphosa. It is only by ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to acquire useful skills, to find decent employment, to earn a living wage, to have a house and to feel safe, that South Africans will be able to effectively heal the wounds of the past, Ramaphosa said. "At the same time, we need to build families, communities and workplaces that are cohesive, stable and peaceful," he said. BRUSSELS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel on Tuesday night denounced U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. "No #IranDeal means more instability or war in the Middle East. I deeply regret the withdrawal by @realDonaldTrump from #JCPOA," Michel wrote in a tweet. The EU and its international partners must remain committed and Iran must continue to fulfill its obligations, he continued. The landmark Iran deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was struck between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- China, France, Russia, Britain and the U.S. -- plus Germany and the EU, in Vienna in 2015. Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Didier Reynders also denounced the U.S. decision. "We regret the decision by the #US to withdraw from the #IranNuclearDeal#JCPOA. We will consult with our #EU partners on how to keep #Iran committed not to develop nuclear weapons & to preserve regional stability." President of Belgium's Socialist Party and former Prime Minister, Elio Di Rupo, deplored Trump's abrupt decision to call off the deal with Iran. "I strongly condemn Trump's unilateral decision, which is irresponsible and could lead us into a period of global instability, and I call on Europeans so that they can, without delay, establish contacts with Iran in order to avoid a conflagration of the situation," wrote the former prime minister on Twitter. Trump announced at the White House that the U.S. will withdraw from the landmark 2015 accord. Trump, who promised to dismantle the deal during his 2016 electoral campaign, claims that Iran has continued to enrich uranium for military purposes. ARUSHA, Tanzania, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian police on Tuesday said they, in collaboration with officers of the anti-poaching unit, have arrested seven suspected poachers in the southern part of the east African nation. Yahaya Athuman, acting Ruvuma Regional Police Commander, said the suspected poachers were arrested in different areas of Namtumbo District, Ruvuma Region with two of them being caught red-handed with hippos' meat. According to Athuman, the suspected poachers believed to have been involving in poaching incidents in Selous Game Reserve, one of the largest faunal reserves of the world, located in the south of Tanzania. The regional police chief said the anti-poaching operation will continue, and warned people to stop from doing the vice as the law would take its course. Over the past six years, poaching and the illicit ivory trade have attracted global attention and Tanzania has been slated as one of the worst offenders. Besides tarnishing the image of the country, elephant poaching has undesirable effects on the ecological, economic and security aspects. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 04:56:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian air defenses responded to an Israeli missile strike in the capital Damascus' southern town of Kisweh on Tuesday evening, destroying two missiles. The attack was launched amid heightened tension between Iran and Israel, following the U.S. withdrawal from Iran's nuclear deal, according to the state TV. The state TV said explosions were heard in Kisweh on Tuesday evening and it turned out to be the results of the Israeli strike. It aired a still image showing fire emerging from Kisweh, saying that it was the air defenses responding to and destroying the Israeli missiles. Meanwhile, the Saudi-funded Alarabiya TV said the Israelis targeted an Iranian base in Kisweh. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said it strongly condemned the U.S. withdrawal from the deal, noting that it reflects the U.S. lack of commitment to its international agreements. It said the international reactions that condemned the U.S. withdrawal from the deal prove the "international isolation" of the United States and its wrong policies which would increase the tension in the region and the world. The decision of U.S. President Donald Trump to quit the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran pushed Israel to go on high alert over Syria, as Israel has reportedly instructed local authorities in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to prepare bomb shelters in case of any Iranian offensive. Israel struck Syrian military positions last month. Iranian military experts were reportedly killed and have been repeatedly warned that Israel will not tolerate any Iranian military influence in Syria. Israel welcomed the U.S. decision to withdraw from the deal, and it is believed to be the main drive behind the U.S. decision. Syrian state TV airs a still image showing fire emerging from Kisweh, capital Damascus' southern town on May 8, 2018, saying that it was the air defenses responding to and destroying the Israeli missiles. (Xinhua via Syrian state TV) DAMASCUS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian air defenses responded to an Israeli missile strike in the capital Damascus' southern town of Kisweh on Tuesday evening, destroying two missiles. The attack was launched amid heightened tension between Iran and Israel, following the U.S. withdrawal from Iran's nuclear deal, according to the state TV. The state TV said explosions were heard in Kisweh on Tuesday evening and it turned out to be the results of the Israeli strike. It aired a still image showing fire emerging from Kisweh, saying that it was the air defenses responding to and destroying the Israeli missiles. Meanwhile, the Saudi-funded Alarabiya TV said the Israelis targeted an Iranian base in Kisweh. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said it strongly condemned the U.S. withdrawal from the deal, noting that it reflects the U.S. lack of commitment to its international agreements. It said the international reactions that condemned the U.S. withdrawal from the deal prove the "international isolation" of the United States and its wrong policies which would increase the tension in the region and the world. The decision of U.S. President Donald Trump to quit the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran pushed Israel to go on high alert over Syria, as Israel has reportedly instructed local authorities in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to prepare bomb shelters in case of any Iranian offensive. Israel struck Syrian military positions last month. Iranian military experts were reportedly killed and have been repeatedly warned that Israel will not tolerate any Iranian military influence in Syria. Israel welcomed the U.S. decision to withdraw from the deal, and it is believed to be the main drive behind the U.S. decision. MOSCOW, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday in a statement that Moscow is deeply disappointed by the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and there are no grounds for such a move. "Iran strictly adheres to its obligations, which is regularly confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We fully support and welcome this," the ministry said, adding that Washington's action undermined international trust in the IAEA. The United States is once again acting contrary to the opinion of most countries, caring about its own interests, and grossly violating the norms of international law, it said. Russia remains open to further interaction with other participants of the Iran nuclear deal and will continue to actively develop bilateral cooperation and political dialogue with Iran, the ministry said. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier in the day that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015 by Iran, Russia, the United States, Britain, China, France and Germany. Trump repeated his tough stance on the deal, saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism in the region. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 05:11:44|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations secretary-general, reads out UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' statement concerning the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal at the UN headquarters in New York, on May 8, 2018. Antonio Guterres on Tuesday voiced "deep concern" over U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull America out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday voiced "deep concern" over U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull his country out of the Iran nuclear deal. "I am deeply concerned by today's announcement that the United States will be withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and will begin reinstating U.S. sanctions (against Iran)," said Guterres in a statement, using the official name of the July 2015 agreement between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. "I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other (UN) member states to support this agreement," said Guterres. "I have consistently reiterated that the JCPOA represents a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation and diplomacy and has contributed to regional and international peace and security." It is essential that all concerns regarding the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal be addressed through the mechanisms established in the agreement, while issues not directly related to the deal should be addressed without prejudice to preserving the agreement and its accomplishments, said Guterres. Trump on Tuesday announced that his country will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal negotiated under the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama, and will reinstate economic sanctions against Tehran. "We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement," said Trump in a televised speech at the White House. His remarks are in contrary to conclusions of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, that Tehran has in general abided by the agreement, under which Iran agreed to limit its uranium-enrichment capacities in exchange for sanctions relief. PARIS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- European leaders and politicians on Tuesday strongly criticized U.S. President's decision to withdraw from the landmark Iran nuclear deal, vowing more work for broader agreement. Riding roughshod over opposition across the pond, President Donald Trump said in a televised speech that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015 by Iran and six world powers, including EU heavyweights Britain, France and Germany. Trump added he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran. Trump said the agreement, struck under his predecessor Barack Obama's administration, does not address Iran's ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 nor its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria. REGRET In a joint statement released by French President Emmanuel Macron's office, French, German and British leaders regretted the U.S. decision. Macron, Angela Merkel and Theresa May reiterated their "continued commitment" to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran nuclear deal, that "...is of particular importance to our shared security", they stressed. Macron and his German and British partners "urge the United States to ensure that JCPOA's structures are kept intact, and to avoid any action that would prevent its full implementation by other parties (and) ... to do its utmost to preserve the nuclear non-proliferation advances achieved through JCPOA". They also called on Iran to "continue to respect its own obligations under the terms of the agreement, fully complying with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) inspection requirements" to enjoy sanctions removal. The 2015 deal eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. In a move to dismiss American administration's concerns, French President said he was working with Germany and Britain on broader deal that should include "other major issues". "While our commitment to the security of our allies and partners in the region is unwavering, we must also rigorously address the widely-shared concerns about Iran's ballistic agenda and its destabilizing regional activities, particularly in Syria, Iraq and Yemen," the three leaders said in the statement. A Downing Street spokesperson said British Prime Minister Theresa May held a joint telephone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Macron earlier on Tuesday evening. "They discussed the U.S. President's announcement and agreed their continuing commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," the spokesperson said. UNITED EUROPEAN APPROACH European Council President Donald Tusk expressed his disapproval over Trump's decision, saying the move "will meet a united European approach". "Policies of @realDonaldTrump on #IranDeal and trade will meet a united European approach," Tusk tweeted, minutes after Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the Iran deal. "EU leaders will tackle both issues at the summit in Sofia next week," Tusk added. In tandem with Tusk's disapproval over Trump's announcement, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini vowed that Europe will stand by the international nuclear accord with Iran. "The EU is determined to preserve it," she said in a live press statement in Rome. "We expect the rest of the international community to continue to preserve it, for the sake of collective security." "The nuclear accord belongs to the whole of the international community," Mogherini added. "To the Iranian people I say: do not let anyone dismantle this deal, one of the greatest achievements of the international community." "I am particularly worried about tonight's announcement of further sanctions," she said, adding that the deal with Iran "is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy." Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel also denounced Trump's decision. "No #IranDeal means more instability or war in the Middle East. I deeply regret the withdrawal by @realDonaldTrump from #JCPOA," Michel wrote in a tweet. The EU and its international partners must remain committed and Iran must continue to fulfill its obligations, he continued. KIGALI, May 8 (Xinhua) -- African economies need to fully embrace information and communication technologies (ICTs) and enabling digital technologies to achieve much desired transformation on the continent, experts said Tuesday. They were speaking at the fourth Transform Africa Summit that opened on Monday in the Rwandan capital Kigali under the theme "Accelerating Africa's Single Digital Market." Rwanda hosts the high-level continental digital event from May 7 to 10 with much emphasis on transforming African continent using the power of digital technologies. "There is a need to learn from developed economies in Asia, Europe and America, of which digital technologies have played a critical role in driving economic growth," said Strive Masiyiwa, founder and executive chairman of Econet, a global telecommunications group with operations and investments in over 20 countries. ICTs and enabling digital technologies have led to job creation and advancement in healthcare, education, agriculture and general living standards in the developed societies, he said. The ICT event has attracted more than 4,000 participants including global and regional government leaders, business and international organizations, members of public and private sectors, young innovators, civil society and academia among others, according the organizers. "Africa still needs to solve the problems of poverty, education and poor service delivery. These digital advances and technology will help to address these challenges faster," said Zhao Houlin, secretary general of International Telecommunication Union (ITU). He called on African leaders and policy makers to empower Africans to create and consume locally relevant technology, which could foster the kind of inclusive transformation that Africans need. Technology will play an increasingly central role, as Africa transitions to the mainstream of the global economy, according to Mukhisa Kituyi, secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). "One of the most important things is that Africa needs infrastructure for ICTs to thrive. We need to focus on technology," he said. "It's time for Africa to fully embrace it," he added. "There is no doubt that technology is the foundation of modern, high-income economies. That's why we are investing so much in physical infrastructure and in the education required to use it," Rwandan President Paul Kagame said at the event. "We should not only aim at high-end technology and innovation but also create a dynamism that goes back and addresses the lower end that affects the majority of our people," said Kagame. Rwanda previously hosted Transform Africa Summit in 2013, 2015 and 2017. This year's summit will feature the first transform Africa economic forum, a government to business engagement, leaders' summit, women's summit, smart Africa exhibition, and the fourth industrial revolution hub, among others, according to organizers. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 06:57:21|Editor: ZD Video Player Close DUBAI, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has announced on late Tuesday its support to the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. In a statement, the UAE ministry called on international community and the other states that are parties to the agreement to support the U.S. stance. U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the United States will pull out of the 2015 nuclear agreement, vowing to re-impose nuclear-related economic penalties on Iran. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 07:17:24|Editor: ZD Video Player Close People watch the news broadcast on U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal at a teahouse in central Tehran, capital of Iran, on May 8, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark international agreement signed in 2015. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) CAIRO, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal has sparked mixed opinions in the Middle East region, with some countries condemning the move to cause instability while some supporting the announcement. U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and said he will impose sanctions on Iran. Immediately after Trump's announcement, many countries condemned the move as they said the U.S. move threatens regional peace and pushes the region to the edge of war. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said that the Islamic republic will remain in the nuclear deal with other JCPOA signatories without the United States. "From this time on, the nuclear deal is an accord between Iran and five countries," Rouhani said in live speech broadcast from state TV. Iran proved that it has been committed to its international obligations, Rouhani said, adding that the United States has never been bound to its nuclear deal obligations since it was implemented in January 2016. Rouhani said that he has asked the Iranian foreign minister to initiate negotiations with the European partners as well as China and Russia over the measures regarding the fate of the deal. He also said that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) will resume the industrial uranium enrichment at any level if the upcoming negotiations do not save Iran's interests guaranteed in the JCPOA. "Since now, we should examine how the remaining big powers in the accord would deal with it," Rouhani said, adding that "if the deal remains live, we can take steps for the world's peace and security." Syria's Foreign Ministry also condemned the U.S. decision to withdraw from the deal. It said the international reactions that condemned the U.S. withdrawal from the deal prove the "international isolation" of the United States and its mistaken policies that would increase the tension in the region and the world. It added that the U.S. move proves again the lack of credibility and commitment by the U.S. to the international agreements. The ministry stressed the Syrian government's full solidarity with Iran and voiced confidence in the Iranian ability to surpass the repercussions of the U.S. stance, "which affects the security and stability in the region and the world." Upon the U.S. decision, Turkish Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin criticized that the unilateral move would bring to the region instability and new conflicts. On his Twitter account, Kalin said the multilateral Iran nuclear deal will continue thanks to the other countries' participation. Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci told CNN Turk broadcaster that Turkey will continue its trade with Iran within a possible framework. Meanwhile, Israel and some Arab Gulf states expressed support for Trump's decision to pull the U.S. out of the landmark pact. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed U.S. move as a "courageous" and "right" decision. Netanyahu accused Iran of preparing to attack Israel. "For the past months, Iran has been transferring weapons to its forces in Syria," he said in a televised statement. "We will react with force to any attack," he said. "The army is prepared, the army is strong, and whoever will try us will feel well the strength of our arm," he warned. The prime minister called on the international community to join the United States and revoke the landmark deal. He also called other countries to act against "the Iranian aggression." According to Netanyahu, the deal would have enabled Iran to enrich uranium "in quantities sufficient to produce a whole arsenal of nuclear bombs." Saudi Arabia highlighted in a statement through Saudi Press Agency that it also welcomed re-imposing sanctions on Iran that were suspended after the enforcement of the deal. It said the kingdom had supported the deal between Iran and other six powers at the beginning to limit the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and the world, but Iran exploited the economic gains of the deal to destabilize the region. Saudi Arabia asserted its continuation to work with the United States and other world partners to tackle the threats of the Iranian policies on international security and peace. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also announced its support to the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. The country called on international community and the other states that are parties to the agreement to support the U.S. stance. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 07:27:25|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 8, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump said here on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw his country from the Iran nuclear deal, a decision that immediately drew global frustration and outcry. The pullout of the United States from the deal, which eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for the country limiting its nuclear program, risks sparking an arms race in the Middle East, experts said. In a televised speech from the White House, Trump announced the exit. He said that he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, but re-impose sanctions lifted under the accord against Tehran and nations it has business links with. Trump repeated his rhetoric against Iran and the deal, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism in the region. The JCPOA "allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium" and "lifted crippling economic sanctions" on Iran in exchange for "very weak limits" on its nuclear activity, "and no limits at all" on its efforts to expand regional influences, he said. "The deal's sunset provisions are totally unacceptable," He said. "If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs." The United States will impose "the highest level" of economic sanctions on Tehran, he said. "Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States." As for the possible exacerbation of trans-Atlantic division over his decision, Trump only said that "we are unified in our understanding of the threat, and in our conviction that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon." Trump's decision came on the heels of visits to the United States by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. Macron even proposed a last-ditch side plan to appease Trump, but had failed to convince him. UNILATERAL SANCTIONS TO COME The White House said later that Trump had "directed his administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA," and "the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors." "Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran," it added. "Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences." U.S. Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin noted in an announcement that "sanctions will be reimposed subject to certain 90 day and 180 day wind-down periods." "At the conclusion of the wind-down periods, the applicable sanctions will come back into full effect. This includes actions under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities," he added. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States "will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat." GLOBAL OUTCRY Trump's decision to abandon the Iran deal signed between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States has sparked domestic and global concerns. In a joint statement released by Macron's office, French, German and British leaders regretted the U.S. decision. Macron, Merkel and Theresa May reiterated their "continued commitment" to the Iran nuclear deal, stressing that it "is of particular importance to our shared security." Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, under whose administration the deal was signed, said in a Facebook post that Trump's announcement is "so misguided" and "a serious mistake." "The JCPOA is working," Obama said, adding that "the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East" without the landmark deal. Europe will abide by the JCPOA, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said, adding she was "particularly worried" about the possible repercussions of Trump's decision. For his part, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that his country will remain in the deal, adding he has asked the Iranian foreign minister to initiate negotiations with the European partners as well as China and Russia over the fate of the deal. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on April 27 that China expects the deal to remain intact and be treated seriously. "China calls for all related parties to strengthen dialogue and coordination" over the deal, she said. Experts from the Washington-based Arms Control Association also denounced the decision. Daryl G. Kimball, the group's executive director, said Trump's announcement "is an irresponsible act of foreign policy malpractice" and "a twofold abrogation of U.S. commitments." "Through his reckless actions, Trump is precipitating a proliferation crisis rather than working with our allies to develop a long-term diplomatic strategy to build on the agreement in the years ahead," Kimball said. Brookings Institution senior fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that "the risk is his decision will spark an arms race in the Middle East." "Iran may restart its nuclear program and that could propel Saudi Arabia to develop its own nuclear program. The region is likely to become more volatile and chaotic as a result of the deal nullification," he said. (Matthew Rusling from Washington also contributed to the story.) Related: Trump announces U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal, evoking concern Rouhani says Iran to remain in JCPOA without U.S. European leaders slam Trump's decision on Iran nuke deal EU will stand by Iran nuclear deal: Mogherini Turkey slams U.S. decision to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal UN chief voices concern over U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuke deal Russia says no grounds to scrap Iran nuclear deal Israeli PM hails Trump's withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal Syria condemns U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal Ireland "greatly disappointed" with U.S. decision on Iran nuke dear Saudi Arabia welcomes Trump's decision to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal UAE says it supports Trump decision to pull out of Iran nuke agreement Oil prices settle lower after U.S. decision to leave Iran nuclear deal Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 07:57:30|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close MINSK, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Belarus proposes the creation of a Sichuan subpark in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone, Alexander Yaroshenko, the head of the park's administration, has said here. Belarus suggests speeding up the Sichuan subpark project in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone, Yaroshenko told Chinese reporters in a recent joint interview, adding that the agreement has already been drafted. "It will be a very interesting and good example for Chinese subpark projects in Great Stone. This is very promising," he said. The official said this issue had already been discussed during the visit of the Belarusian delegation to China. Besides, Yaroshenko said that China's Sichuan company Chengdu Xinzhu Silk Road Development, one of Great Stone's first residents, has almost completed the construction of a plant to produce super condensers. KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian voters Wednesday morning went to the polls for the country's general election, with the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition meeting a fierce challenge brought by the opposition alliance - Pakatan Harapan, or the Alliance of Hope. The BN led by incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak is betting on generous handouts and the "proven track record" of the government to seek a third term. While 92-year-old Mahathir Mohamad, leading the Pakatan Harapan, is calling for a change. Though most political analysts have favored the BN to win, the opposition seemed to have managed to raise concerns among voters on certain issues such as increasing living costs, adding uncertainties to the election. People swarmed to polling stations in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and around the country, which have been decorated with campaign posters and flags bearing the symbols of various political parties. The 15 million eligible voters are expected to cast their votes between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time. The election commission said final results could be unveiled on Wednesday night. A simple majority of 112 parliament seats will produce a winner. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 08:27:38|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's decision on Tuesday to withdraw his country from the Iran nuclear deal would undermine peace and denuclearization prospects, U.S. experts said. To scrap the 2015 landmark international deal aimed at containing Iran's nuclear ambitions would escalate regional tensions by sparking a nuclear arms race, they said. WHAT'S BEHIND TRUMP'S DECISION? Richard Baffa, a senior international and defense policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, told Xinhua that the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was "very much expected." The decision was largely motivated by Trump's personal serious opposition to the agreement as far back as in the presidential campaign, and the encouragement of his new national security team led by John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, Baffa said. Their opposition is centered on both problems with the agreement itself as well as Iran's regional influence, he noted. Specifically for the agreement clauses, he said that "the problematic provisions include the sunset provisions (the restrictions expire in roughly a decade); the lack of attention to Tehran's ballistic missile program; continued authorization for limited enrichment; and an inspection regime that may not be able to gain access to military sites." The expert noted that the recent revelations by Israel on the extent of Iran's clandestine program prior to 2003 "have exacerbated these concerns." However, in the eyes of Brookings Institution senior fellow Darrell West, "Trump is intent on turning back all the decisions made during the Obama Administration." "The Iran deal is just the latest example," he said. "Trump believes he can negotiate a better deal than Obama, but he doesn't understand that many other countries were involved and there are complex interests at play." "The ability to reopen negotiations is likely to be quite limited and the United States will have little leverage without the support of European allies, China, and Russia. It took all of those parties to reach the original deal," he added. Chris Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, told Xinhua that Trump "is largely motivated with undoing as much of Obama's presidency as he can manage." "Adding to that is the fact that Trump is now surrounded by hawks like John Bolton, and this is not at all a surprise to me," he said in an interview. HOW WILL TRUMP'S DECISION AFFECT OTHER NATIONS, REGIONS? The move has been conjectured for months, despite last-ditch efforts by European leaders and supporters to salvage the July 2015 agreement between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. RAND's Baffa told Xinhua that the Iran nuke deal was "high on the agenda" of French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in their visits to the United States recently. He noted that the issue of secondary sanctions, which Trump warned in his speech, "has the potential to increase tensions" along the two sides of the Atlantic. As for the Middle East, Baffa said "an Iranian departure from the deal along with a move to re-start its nuclear program," sparked by Trump's decision, "would have profound, destabilizing implications for the region." "In the near term, the Israelis will be alarmed and the military option almost certainly will be back on the table. Over the mid-term, the Saudis and others might pursue a weapon of their own," he said. More worrisome prospects are waiting ahead. Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency, said that "with Sunni Arab allies and Israel, the United States is moving towards a policy of more direct confrontation with Iran, rather than the rapprochement under the Obama administration - which Trump and many of his hawkish allies believe was naive." Brookings' West also noted that the risk is that Trump's decision will spark an arms race in the Middle East. "Iran may restart its nuclear program and that could propel Saudi Arabia to develop its own nuclear program. The region is likely to become more volatile and chaotic as a result of the deal nullification," he said. Galdieri told Xinhua that Trump's decision will undercut the U.S. relations with the Middle East, as well as with its European allies. "I think it hurts them, simply because Trump has now declared that the U.S. can't be trusted," he said. WHAT COULD BE THE FATE OF JCPOA Mahaffee said that the future of the deal depends on "how the United States intends to re-implement sanctions." "If it is a wide ranging set of sanctions that affect any transaction with Iran, the reach of the U.S. financial system will make it hard for European and Asian nations and multinationals to continue their trade with Iran," he said. However, despite threats to withdraw from the deal, Tehran is unlikely to immediately leave and "even less likely to jump start its nuclear weapons program," Baffa said. "This course of action would reinforce international concerns about Iran's mid-to-long-term intentions to become a nuclear-armed state and almost certainly lead to a re-imposition of draconian sanctions, he said. "Tehran may make a statement that it is no longer bound by the JCPOA, but note that it is voluntarily continuing to comply with its provisions." He warned that "if draconian sanctions are eventually re-imposed and if European governments do not successfully push back against such measures, it is possible Iran would then move to formally withdraw from the agreement and re-start its nuclear program." "A broader collapse of the agreement along with the imposition of harsh sanctions in the coming months, however, could sharply escalate tensions with Iran," he said. "Freed from the constraints of the JCPOA, Tehran may eventually opt to jump start its nuclear project, a move that would increase the risk of a major regional war," he added. In an announcement, the Washington-based Arms Control Association denounced Trump's decision, saying it "is an irresponsible act of foreign policy malpractice" that violates the JCPOA. "European-U.S. efforts to negotiate a supplemental agreement intended to address Trump's complaints failed to yield results because Trump stubbornly refused to guarantee that he would uphold U.S. commitments under the JCPOA," said Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the independent group. "Through his reckless actions, Trump is precipitating a proliferation crisis rather than working with our allies to develop a long-term diplomatic strategy to build on the agreement in the years ahead," he noted. (Matthew Rusling from Washington contributed to the story.) Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 08:37:41|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened lower Wednesday as investors were concerned after U.S. President Donald Trump's unilateral decision to withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal. As of 9:15 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 83.95 points, or 0.37 percent, from Tuesday to 22,424.74. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, fell 7.34 points, or 0.41 percent, at 1,772.48. Pharmaceutical, precision instrument and electric power and gas-oriented issues comprised those that declined the most in the opening minutes after the morning bell. U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's decision on Tuesday to withdraw his country from the Iran nuclear deal would undermine peace and denuclearization prospects, U.S. experts said. The move to scrap the 2015 landmark international deal aimed at containing Iran's nuclear ambitions would escalate regional tensions by sparking a nuclear arms race, they warned. WHAT'S BEHIND TRUMP'S DECISION? Richard Baffa, a senior international and defense policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, told Xinhua that the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was "very much expected." The decision was largely motivated by Trump's personal serious opposition to the agreement as far back as in the presidential campaign, and the encouragement of his new national security team led by John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, Baffa said. Their opposition is centered on both problems with the agreement itself as well as Iran's regional influence, he noted. Specifically for the agreement clauses, he said that "the problematic provisions include the sunset provisions (the restrictions expire in roughly a decade); the lack of attention to Tehran's ballistic missile program; continued authorization for limited enrichment; and an inspection regime that may not be able to gain access to military sites." The expert noted that the recent revelations by Israel on the extent of Iran's clandestine program prior to 2003 "have exacerbated these concerns." However, in the eyes of Brookings Institution senior fellow Darrell West, "Trump is intent on turning back all the decisions made during the Obama Administration." "The Iran deal is just the latest example," he said. "Trump believes he can negotiate a better deal than Obama, but he doesn't understand that many other countries were involved and there are complex interests at play." "The ability to reopen negotiations is likely to be quite limited and the United States will have little leverage without the support of European allies, China, and Russia. It took all of those parties to reach the original deal," he added. Chris Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, told Xinhua that Trump "is largely motivated with undoing as much of Obama's presidency as he can manage." "Adding to that is the fact that Trump is now surrounded by hawks like John Bolton, and this is not at all a surprise to me," he said in an interview. HOW WILL TRUMP'S DECISION AFFECT OTHER NATIONS, REGIONS? The move has been conjectured for months, despite last-ditch efforts by European leaders and supporters to salvage the July 2015 agreement between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. RAND's Baffa told Xinhua that the Iran nuke deal was "high on the agenda" of French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in their visits to the United States recently. He noted that the issue of secondary sanctions, which Trump warned in his speech, "has the potential to increase tensions" along the two sides of the Atlantic. As for the Middle East, Baffa said "an Iranian departure from the deal along with a move to re-start its nuclear program," sparked by Trump's decision, "would have profound, destabilizing implications for the region." "In the near term, the Israelis will be alarmed and the military option almost certainly will be back on the table. Over the mid-term, the Saudis and others might pursue a weapon of their own," he said. More worrisome prospects are waiting ahead. Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency, said that "with Sunni Arab allies and Israel, the United States is moving towards a policy of more direct confrontation with Iran, rather than the rapprochement under the Obama administration - which Trump and many of his hawkish allies believe was naive." Brookings' West also noted that the risk is that Trump's decision will spark an arms race in the Middle East. "Iran may restart its nuclear program and that could propel Saudi Arabia to develop its own nuclear program. The region is likely to become more volatile and chaotic as a result of the deal nullification," he said. Galdieri told Xinhua that Trump's decision will undercut the U.S. relations with the Middle East, as well as with its European allies. "I think it hurts them, simply because Trump has now declared that the U.S. can't be trusted," he said. Protesters stand outside the White House as US President Donald Trump announces the United State's withdrawal from the Irannuclear deal May 8, 2018 in Washington, DC. / (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO) WHAT COULD BE THE FATE OF JCPOA Mahaffee said that the future of the deal depends on "how the United States intends to re-implement sanctions." "If it is a wide ranging set of sanctions that affect any transaction with Iran, the reach of the U.S. financial system will make it hard for European and Asian nations and multinationals to continue their trade with Iran," he said. However, despite threats to withdraw from the deal, Tehran is unlikely to immediately leave and "even less likely to jump start its nuclear weapons program," Baffa said. "This course of action would reinforce international concerns about Iran's mid-to-long-term intentions to become a nuclear-armed state and almost certainly lead to a re-imposition of draconian sanctions, he said. "Tehran may make a statement that it is no longer bound by the JCPOA, but note that it is voluntarily continuing to comply with its provisions." He warned that "if draconian sanctions are eventually re-imposed and if European governments do not successfully push back against such measures, it is possible Iran would then move to formally withdraw from the agreement and re-start its nuclear program." "A broader collapse of the agreement along with the imposition of harsh sanctions in the coming months, however, could sharply escalate tensions with Iran," he said. "Freed from the constraints of the JCPOA, Tehran may eventually opt to jump start its nuclear project, a move that would increase the risk of a major regional war," he added. In an announcement, the Washington-based Arms Control Association denounced Trump's decision, saying it "is an irresponsible act of foreign policy malpractice" that violates the JCPOA. "European-U.S. efforts to negotiate a supplemental agreement intended to address Trump's complaints failed to yield results because Trump stubbornly refused to guarantee that he would uphold U.S. commitments under the JCPOA," said Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the independent group. "Through his reckless actions, Trump is precipitating a proliferation crisis rather than working with our allies to develop a long-term diplomatic strategy to build on the agreement in the years ahead," he noted. (Matthew Rusling from Washington contributed to the story.) Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 08:57:44|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close A voter casts ballot at a polling station in Pekan, east Malaysia's Pahang state, May 9, 2018. Malaysia held general elections on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian voters Wednesday morning went to the polls for the country's general election, with the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition meeting a fierce challenge brought by the opposition alliance - Pakatan Harapan, or the Alliance of Hope. The BN led by incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak is betting on generous handouts and the "proven track record" of the government to seek a third term. While former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, leading the Pakatan Harapan, is calling for a change. Though most political analysts have favored the BN to win, the opposition seemed to have managed to raise concerns among voters on certain issues such as increasing living costs, adding uncertainties to the election. People swarmed to polling stations in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and around the country, which have been decorated with campaign posters and flags bearing the symbols of various political parties. The 15 million eligible voters are expected to cast their votes between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time. The election commission said final results could be unveiled on Wednesday night. A simple majority of 112 parliament seats will produce a winner. The 11-day campaign period culminated on Tuesday night, when both Najib and Mahathir made a live-broadcast speech on television or the Internet for their last appeals to the voters for support. "If BN were given a new mandate, we will make Malaysia even greater," said Najib, adding "BN is the party of the future, BN is the party for the future." The BN has won every election since the country's independence in 1957. Mahathir said in his speech that Malaysia is faced with many problems that only could be solved with the change of a government. A final poll before the election, released by opinion research firm Merdeka Center, forecast that the BN will prevail in the election, but with the popular vote collecting from Peninsular Malaysia dropping to 37.3 percent from last week's 40.3 percent. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 09:57:58|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday congratulated Lebanon on holding parliamentary elections, the first since 2009. Sunday's elections represent a vital step in strengthening Lebanon's state institutions and consolidating its democratic tradition, said Guterres' spokesman in a statement. The secretary-general looked forward to the formation of a new government and called on Lebanese political leaders to work in a spirit of unity and with a view to furthering the ambitious agenda set out by Lebanon and its international partners, said the statement. The United Nations continues to support Lebanon and its sovereignty, stability, and political independence, it said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 10:18:03|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close TRIPOLI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Washington's withdrawal from Iran's nuclear deal is a "reckless step" that threatens the Middle East, said Khaled al-Muntaser, a Libya international relations researcher and professor. "It is a reckless step that has negative implications on the Middle East, as it came after the easing of tension between Tehran and the countries of the region since the deal was signed three years ago," al-Muntaser told Xinhua on Tuesday. "The entire international community will oppose this withdrawal," said the professor. U.S. President Donald Trump said in the White House on Tuesday that he will withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal. In a televised speech, Trump announced the exit and said he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, re-imposing sanctions lifted under the accord. Iran and the P5+1 (Russia, China, the United States, Britain, France and Germany) held strenuous negotiations in 2015 that ended up with an agreement obliging Tehran to peacefully pursue its nuclear program in return for a complete elimination of all international sanctions. MANILA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine military said on Wednesday that it has rescued a Filipino hostage held by Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu in the Southern Philippines. Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the military's Joint Task Force Sulu, said Blas Jackosalim Ahamad was rescued by the marines on Tuesday in a village in Panglima Estino, Sulu. Sobajana said Ahamad's rescue came days after another victim Faizal Ahidji was released by the Abu Sayyaf militants on May 5 in Bangkal village in Patikul, Sulu. Sobejana said Ahidji was brought by his relatives to the military, prompting the military to launch an operation to rescue Ahamad and the two other policewomen who were abducted by the militants on April 29. Abu Sayyaf gunmen abducted Ahamad and Ahidji along with the two policewomen on April 29 in the jungles of Patikul, a remote town in the southernmost Sulu province. They were headed to Jolo town from a beach when they were snatched, according to the military. Sobejana said the military is tracking down the two policewomen who are still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf militants. "Efforts to rescue the remaining kidnap victims shall continue," Sobejana said. The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is a small, violent, faction-ridden group that operates in the western fringes of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao and on the Sulu islands extending from Mindanao. It has a record of killings and had links with Al Qaeda. The ASG has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group and helped the Maute militants in attacking Marawi City in May last year, triggering a fierce battle that left more than 1,200 dead. SYDNEY, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Victoria state on Wednesday rolled out a slew of reforms for its counter-terrorism laws, covering preventative detention of suspects and police powers to use lethal force on them. Under the reforms, police will be able to detain terror suspects without a court order or a warrant for up to four days, while children aged 14 or above may also be detained for up to 36 hours, according to a statement from the state attorney-general. The counter-terrorism measures also "clarify Victoria Police's powers to use lethal force in response to a life-threatening act where it may be the last opportunity to safely and effectively intervene." The new laws will "streamline the authorization of special police powers, and create new powers to take control of premises. Special powers include the right to search people and vehicles, enter and search premises, cordon off areas and request proof of identity." The reforms come after a number of terrorism-related cases in the state in the past year, including a man who was arrested in November for planning a gun attack around state capital Melbourne's crowded Federation Square area during New Year's Eve celebrations. In December, the authorities also installed dozens of loudspeakers across the city as part of a major security upgrade to warn people of terror attacks. Victoria's Attorney-General Martin Pakula said the latest reforms are "the most significant shake up of our counter-terrorism laws since they were introduced. Our reforms will strengthen bail and parole laws to help keep the community safe." "These new laws will give police the powers they need to detain terror suspects, tackle the threat of terrorism and protect the community from those who pose a significant risk to the safety of Victorians," the state's Minister for Police Lisa Neville said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 10:28:07|Editor: ZD Video Player Close TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday urged the parties concerned to seize opportunity to promote denuclearization, and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Li made the remarks at a trilateral meeting in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. MANILA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Dutetre has named Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Puyat as the new secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT) a day after he fired Wanda Teo over corruption allegations. Duterte made the appointment on Tuesday night. Puyat told local media that Duterte's aide Christopher Go confirmed Puyat's appointment late Tuesday. Puyat was undersecretary for administration, agribusiness and marketing, and regional engagement at the Department of Agriculture before her appointment as tourism secretary. Teo is the latest senior government official that Duterte fired over corruption charges. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 10:33:09|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close CANBERRA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Data collected by Australian federal government showed that prescription drug misuse in Australia has steadily increased over the past two years, local media reported Wednesday. Department of Human Services (DHS) figures indicate the number of prescription drug alerts in Australia rose by 26 percent last year. DHS is responsible for monitoring the use of prescription medicines and uses a real-time tracker called the Prescription Shopping Programme to observe each patient's monthly use of addictive painkillers and antidepressants. Under the system, the government is notified when a patient who recently filled a script for a drug of dependence fills another. The government has expressed its concern over patients' buying habits by sending 11,614 letters to script holders and doctors. The most commonly used drugs of dependence include painkillers such as oxycodone, morphine and codeine, which are responsible for two times as many deaths in Australia than illicit substances such as heroin. "The Prescription Shopping Alert Service proactively writes to a subset of identified patients and their prescribers where a patient may be accessing medicine in excess of medicinal need," DHS spokesperson Hank Jongen said on Wednesday. "Many patients are likely to meet this legislated criteria and still be obtaining medicines appropriately and in genuine need of the medication." But studies which say pharmaceutical drug deaths have risen by 168 percent over the past 10 years have prompted leading doctors to call for more regulations. "It's been on the radar for many years," Tony Bartone, vice-president of the Australian Medical Association, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday. "There's been a lack of strategy, lack of coordination, lack of funding and a lack of will in getting this done." According to a spokesperson, the federal government is looking to work with Australian states to improve the real-time monitoring technology. CANBERRA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Australian Labor Senator Katy Gallagher has lost her seat in parliament after the High Court found on Wednesday she did not do enough to renounce her dual citizenship before she was elected. Gallagher was aware of her British passport as her father was born in England, so the High Court ruled that she had not taken "all reasonable steps" to relinquish her British links. Under Section 44 of the Australian Constitution, members of parliament are unable to have citizenship in another country, and must prove that they took "all reasonable steps" to renounce their citizenship before being elected. The decision could have serious ramifications on another four dual-citizen MPs who were relying on the same defence as Gallagher. "To have my place in the Senate end like this today is very deeply disappointing, but I believe that I have more to contribute to public life and I will take the time to talk with Labor Party members on how I can do this over the months ahead," Gallagher said in a statement on Wednesday. "I have always acted on the best available legal advice, which at all times, indicated that I satisfied the eligibility requirements under the Constitution. However, today the High Court has made its decision, and I respect the outcome." The High Court's precedent could also prompt the resignation of four other parliamentary members, Susan Lamb, Justine Keay, Josh Wilson and Rebekha Sharkie, who were dual citizens when they were elected in 2016, and must prove they took adequate steps to renounce their status. Lamb, Keay and Wilson are Labor Party MPs, while Sharkie is a conservative MP with the Nick Xenophon Team. "Based on the recent High Court judgement, I will now take urgent legal advice," Sharkie said in a statement on Wednesday morning. "It is my belief that the particulars of my circumstances are materially different to Senator Gallagher's case." Gallagher's seat in the Senate will be taken by David Smith, the second Labor candidate for the Australian Capital Territory. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 10:38:12|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close TRIPOLI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Reforming the local administration law will strengthen the role of local municipalities in providing services, said Libya's Minister of Local Governance Baddad Qansou here on Tuesday. Qansou made the remarks at a workshop on reforming the local administration law, attended by ministers of the UN-backed government, more than 70 local mayors, and dozens of legal experts. "The local administration law has many flaws that need to be reviewed and reformed. Through this workshop, we hope to come up with recommendations for reforming the law," Qansou told Xinhua. The local administration law, passed by the former General National Congress in 2012, consists of 133 articles. It seeks to transfer some responsibilities of the central government to local municipalities directly, such as providing employment within the municipality, collecting taxes and government revenues, and supervision and management of development projects. Qansou stressed that the mayors of the municipalities have complained about restrictions of the current law and "changing the law requires consideration by the legislative authority represented in the parliament." Khalifa Hawas, chairman of the workshops' preparatory committee, said there are many flaws in the law that must be reviewed, so that local municipalities can perform. "For example, the law lacks criteria for the establishment of municipalities. Many of them were established without taking into account the population and resources of different cities," he said. Hawas also demanded that officials of the municipalities meet certain requirements, including academic qualification and administration experience, "so that municipalities can provide services." Among its various recommendations, the workshop suggested that more power be granted to municipalities, and considering the possibility of establishing provinces under which the municipalities work. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 10:48:16|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close A voter casts ballot at a polling station in Pekan, east Malaysia's Pahang state, May 9, 2018. Malaysia held general elections on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian voters Wednesday morning went to the polls for the country's general election, with the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition meeting a fierce challenge brought by the opposition alliance -- Pakatan Harapan, or the Alliance of Hope. The BN led by incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak is betting on generous handouts and the "proven track record" of the government to seek a third term. While former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, leading the Pakatan Harapan, is calling for a change. Though most political analysts have favored the BN to win, the opposition seemed to have managed to raise concerns among voters on certain issues such as increasing living costs, adding uncertainties to the election. The 15 million eligible voters are expected to cast their votes between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time Wednesday. On Wednesday morning, people swarmed to polling stations in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and around the country, which have been decorated with campaign posters and flags bearing the symbols of various political parties. At a polling station of Titiwangsa constituency in Kuala Lumpur, voter Ahmad Fizal said he hoped the candidate who wins could take the responsibility of the welfare of the area. "I hope the candidate could help on the welfare of the people and the welfare of the region, no matter it's financial assistance, economic assistance or any other assistance," he said. Another voter, Syed Hasanuddin Bin Syed Abdullah, said he hoped the next government could do more to improve the multi-racial society. "We do tend to have a lot of issues, politically and in our social imbalance, we have ethnic diversity so I hope with this vote we will not have any differences between Malays, Chinese and Indians, that's a main thing," he said, referring to the three major ethnic groups in the country. The 11-day campaign period culminated on Tuesday night, when both Najib and Mahathir made a live-broadcast speech on television or the Internet for their last appeals to the voters for support. "If BN were given a new mandate, we will make Malaysia even greater," said Najib, adding "BN is the party of the future, BN is the party for the future." The BN has won every election since the country's independence in 1957. Mahathir said in his speech that Malaysia is faced with many problems that only could be solved with the change of a government. A final poll before the election, released by opinion research firm Merdeka Center, forecast that the BN will prevail in the election, but with the popular vote collecting from Peninsular Malaysia dropping to 37.3 percent from last week's 40.3 percent. The election commission said final results could be unveiled on Wednesday night. A simple majority of 112 parliament seats will produce a winner. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 11:03:12|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Rick Kimberley operates a tractor at his farm near Des Moines, capital of Iowa State, May 3, 2018. Rick and his son, Grant, grow more than 4,000 acres of corn and soybeans with a couple of hired hands and massive combines whose computers precisely track yield, moisture and other key statistics for each row and acre. He has been to China 15 times in recent years to talk about precision farming and other tricks of his trade, becoming an ambassador for modern farming methods in China. As for the current trade tensions between the United States and China, Rick said he believes the two largest economies in the world will eventually work out their differences. "We've worked with China for many, many years in soybeans, and so want that to continue," Rick said. "I believe the U.S. and China will work out a good solution." (Xinhua/Wang Ying) Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 10:53:18|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- "While China-Japan relations continue to warm, it is hoped that the two sides could use the opportunity of Premier Li Keqiang's visit to bring a fresh start to peace and friendship between the two countries," said Yuji Miyamoto, former Japanese Ambassador to China. At the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is scheduled to pay an official visit to Japan and attend the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting in Tokyo beginning on May 8. It is the first visit by a Chinese premier to the neighboring country in eight years, and also the first trilateral meeting of its kind in two and a half years. Miyamoto said that Li's visit to Japan would provide an opportunity for the two sides to get their bilateral relationship back on track. As long as the two sides uphold regional peace and maintain cooperative ties the bilateral friendship will deepen naturally. "It is hoped that the two sides will be dedicated to promoting mutual political trust, expanding win-win economic cooperation and enhancing friendship between the people," he said. Miyamoto added that squarely facing up to history and looking to the future are the foundations of mutual trust. As this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Miyamoto hoped that the Japanese people, especially the younger generation, could objectively learn of their country's past wrongs, including its invasion of China, where it brought tremendous suffering to the Chinese people. He also hoped that younger Chinese could learn more about Japan's contribution to China's economic development after the latter launched its reform and opening up, as well as Japan's peaceful development after the end of the World War II. "Only by doing so can the people of both countries have better mutual understanding," he said. In his opinion, it is important for the two countries to enhance direct people-to-people communication through various activities, and the media should also play a role by including more stories that serve to bring the people of the two countries closer together. Miyamoto also called upon Japan to actively participate in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, believing that its construction would benefit Asia as well as the world. "I hope China and Japan could take more concrete steps toward cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative framework, and I believe it will become the embodiment of the China-Japan relationship in the new era," he said. Regarding the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting, Miyamoto said he hoped the three countries could realize their goal of building a regional free trade bloc, which "will help strengthen the trend of global free trade." Miyamoto was in Beijing as Japanese Ambassador to China when the first China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting was held in December 2008, praising the launch of the talks. "Direct dialogue between leaders of the three countries on issues concerning regional peace and development will surely have a positive effect," he said. TRIPOLI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a suicide attack at a checkpoint of the Libyan eastern-based army on Tuesday has risen to four, according to a military source. The explosion near Sirte, some 450 km east of the capital Tripoli, killed two soldiers and two civilians and injured six others, the source told Xinhua late Tuesday. "The attack was carried out by three car bombs ...(which were) driven by suicide bombers towards the military checkpoint," the source said, confirmed that two of the attackers were killed. The source added that the attack is likely to be carried out by the Islamic State (IS), who claimed responsibility for similar attacks in the past. WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The visit of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) aims to nail down a framework for the possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, U.S. Department of State said in a press release Tuesday. "Today we're hoping to nail some of those down to say -- to put in place a framework for a successful summit" between Trump and Kim, he was quoted by the press release as saying to the media on a plane flying to the DPRK. "Today what we're hoping to do is ... sort of begin to put some outlines around the substance of the agenda for the summit between the President and Chairman Kim," Pompeo said. As for the specific date and location of the Trump-Kim meeting, Pompeo remained ambiguous, although Trump said earlier last week that the date and location had been set.x "We now have the senior level, most senior leaders' commitment to this date and this location ... we' re getting really close to having all the parties agreeing to," said the top U.S. diplomat. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 11:43:28|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L-R) attend the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting in Tokyo, Japan, May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China, Japan and South Korea should carry out joint projects in such areas as capacity cooperation, poverty reduction, disaster management and energy saving through a new cooperation mode of "China-Japan-South Korea+X," said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. Li made the proposal at a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in here in Tokyo. He said that there are a large number of countries in Asia, and their development disparities are huge. China, Japan and South Korea, which are at the forefront of development in Asia, should give full play to their respective advantages in equipment, technology, capital and engineering construction to jointly open up the fourth-party even multi-party market to promote the rapid sound development of Asian countries. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 12:18:35|Editor: ZD Video Player Close TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks lost ground Wednesday morning on investor consternation following U.S. President Donald Trump's unilateral decision to withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 95.73 points, or 0.43 percent, from Tuesday to 22,412.96. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, fell 8.43 points, or 0.47 percent, to 1,771.39. Pharmaceutical, precision instrument and marine transportation-linked issues comprised those that declined the most by the morning break. MANILA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China remains the biggest source of imports with 15.3 percent share in March, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Wednesday. Import bills from the top 10 countries for imports in March amounted to 6.14 billion U.S. dollars or 75.6 percent share of the total, the PSA said. "China was the country's biggest source of imports with 15.3 percent share in March 2018. Import payments to China stood at 1.24 billion U.S. dollars, posting a decrease of 12.0 percent from 1.41 billion U.S. dollars in March 2017," the PSA said in a statement. Japan, including Okinawa, placed the second, accounted for 11.0 percent and an import value of 891.21 million U.S. dollars. South Korea ranked the third with imports valued at 830.88 million U.S. dollars, contributing a share of 10.2 percent. The United States, including Alaska and Hawaii placed fourth with imports valued at 624.51 million U.S. dollars. Other countries rounding the list of major sources of imports in March were Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia. The PSA also said that total exports receipt recorded by the Philippines' top 10 market destinations in March amounted to 4.64 billion U.S. dollars or 84.2 percent share of the total. YANGON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) will extend a grant aid of 221 million euros (294 million U.S. dollars) to Myanmar for promoting the country's quality education, Myanmar News Agency reported Wednesday. EU's decision was announced by its ambassador to Myanmar Kristian Schmidt in his message of greeting at the Europe Day ceremony held in Nay Pyi Taw late on Tuesday. He said the grant is channelled directly to the Ministry of Education to dramatically improve Myanmar's education outcome. "We think education is the best possible investment in your country's democratic future," he added. EU has voiced strategic support for Myanmar's efforts in strengthening peace, national reconciliation, as well as poverty-reduction and economic development. EU has also voiced support for Myanmar's implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through the conclusion of an Investment Protection Agreement to enhance cooperation with Myanmar as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for strengthening the regional integration process and EU's enhanced partnership with ASEAN. Myanmar government has also expressed welcome for investment of the European countries for sustainable and inclusive economic development of the country. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 12:43:40|Editor: ZD Video Player Close HAVANA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Tuesday called on Latin American countries to deepen regional integration, saying it was the only way to reduce inequality across the region. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 37th session of Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Havana, Diaz-Canel said the goal of the region should be to increase economic growth as well as social justice and equality. "There is no other option but to move forward with regional integration and development with equity," said the newly-elected Cuban leader to the 46 member nations of ECLAC. He highlighted that ECLAC had been a reference point for economic and social knowledge in the region for decades and contributed to making equality an important development goal. Diaz-Canel also praised ECLAC's role in the region's economic growth and development as well as scientific studies on the structural causes that make Latin America and the Caribbean the most unequal region in the world. "It is an inequality associated with the colonial past of our nations, which particularly affects indigenous people, those of African descent, girls and women," said the president. According to the president, many nations in the region have carried out neoliberal and macroeconomic policies, which only benefit international companies and widen social differences and discrimination. Diaz-Canel reiterated his government's commitment to boost economic and social development in Latin America and vowed to work along with ECLAC in the next two years to deepen the role of this UN organization. "Cuba is committed with ECLAC to helping regional integration and solidarity amongst our nations and continuing to advance together despite our diversity," Diaz-Canel said in his first major speech at an international event after taking office. All of this, he added, would be done despite the economic difficulties caused by the U.S. embargo on Cuba and the island nation's tense financial situation. "We are working on a national economic and social development plan until 2030, whose strategic aims are linked with the UN Sustainable Development Goals," he said. Havana has just taken over the two-year rotatory presidency of ECLAC from Mexico. "We have received the presidency of ECLAC with a high commitment and awareness of the challenges we face, focused on continuing to promote cooperation among the countries of the region," he said. Alicia Barcena, executive secretary of the ECLAC, shared a similar message, saying that integration was a "pending task" for development in the region. The ECLAC chief stressed that integration is more needed than ever as Latin America has the highest level of inequality in the world. "It is true that there are better prospects for global growth, but there are still worrying contingencies and uncertainties," she explained. As an example, Barcena said that over 187 million people are living in poverty in the region, including 62 million in extreme poverty. She said that this figure is a warning to the region, despite widespread pledges to eliminate poverty in all its forms as part of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In order to address this, Barcena urged those present to accelerate the pace of development and promote industrial and technological policies while always paying attention to their environmental costs. She also encouraged the development of fiscal policies which are capable of creating benefits in the social sphere. As part of her speech, Barcena also confirmed ECLAC's support for the process of economic reforms started in Cuba by former President Raul Castro and continued by his successor Diaz-Canel. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 12:53:41|Editor: ZD Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Zhu Dongyang WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Trump administration on Tuesday delivered a new assault to global multilateralism by announcing his decision to ditch the landmark Iran nuclear deal. Yet calculations behind this unilateral approach may turn out to be merely wishful thinking, and would incur more headaches than remedies, and more hatred than appreciation for Washington. Elaborating his logic for scuttling the agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the accord delivered "very weak limits" on Iran's nuclear activity, vowing to impose "the highest level" of economic sanctions on Tehran and strong sanctions on other nations that are economically engaged with Iran. The decision came as no surprise to the world though, as he had relentlessly assailed the pact even before his inauguration, saying it had failed to prevent Tehran from producing missiles and expanding regional influence. The so-called "sunset clauses," which allow Iran to restart its uranium enrichment program after 2025, have also been a cause of frustration. However, few share Trump's concerns. Israel's newly-revealed documents have not affirmed that Iran had breached the deal ever since it was signed in 2015. The international watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency also asserted on May 1 that it "had no credible indications of activities in Iran relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device after 2009." Besides international calls for denuclearization via dialogues, France's latest proposal for a side deal to supplement the original one -- in a bid to assuage Washington's grumble -- is also worth considering. Nevertheless, all these have not handcuffed Trump's antipathy for Tehran. As the White House host has reportedly been weighing a full-fledged "withdrawal" from the Middle East, or what he called a "very troubled place," his regional policy now seems to have boiled down to but one focus: to confront Iran in all areas with all possible resources, since Trump believes it is the initiator of all regional woes. The U.S. president, while looking ready to turn a deaf ear to all the criticisms that his decision has stirred -- just as he was when he left the Paris climate accord, decertified the Iranian observance of the deal and recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital -- does not seem well prepared and organized to handle what could be released out of the Pandora's box this time. To name a few. For starters, the flare-up of nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Considering Iran's threat to drop out of the deal after the U.S. retreat and restart its nuclear program, and Israel's deliberate ambiguity over its ownership of nuke weapons, the possibility of regional countries mulling their own nuclear development is suddenly looming. Secondly, the undercutting of trans-Atlantic trust. Washington-Brussels ties are already tottering due to Washington's increasing inclination toward unilateralism and would be surely hurt even more as Trump blatantly disregarded again Europe's interests on a major security issue at its doorstep. Thirdly, the erosion of the multilateral framework and U.S. trustworthiness. The world has gotten used to rampant U.S. retreats from treaties and organizations, but it should not. The post-war security and financial arrangements, which Washington once helped build up and has drawn enormous benefits from ever since, cannot afford its impetuous challenges again and again. The current Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which, many argue, is not perfect as most international deals, have been widely recognized for its effectiveness, comprehensiveness and transparency in maintaining regional military balance and promoting denuclearization in the war-torn region. Several heavyweights of the Trump administration, including Defense Secretary James Mattis, have also admitted this. Under the current circumstances, it is nearly impossible to forge another deal acceptable and operable for all parties concerned in this regard. Instead of self-inflicting deadlines to ink another deal and taking wayward in-or-out approach, dialogues and negotiations of all relevant parties on equal footing represent a better way to remedy the imperfections of the treaty. The weaknesses of the pact are rightly the reason to perfect it, not to cast it off. It seems effective in the short run to enhance U.S. regional presence by making an imaginary enemy and prompting its allies' sense of insecurity. But such an approach, featuring coercion and ungrounded assertions, cannot yield lasting peace in the region or ensure long-term U.S. security interests, not to mention its popularity or moral justification. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 13:08:43|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Zhang Xu CAIRO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday his country's withdrawal from the nuclear deal, known as JCPOA, reached in 2015 between Iran and the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China. Trump listed reasons why he quit the deal and re-imposed stern sanctions on Iran, decrying Iran's regime for sponsoring terrorism, developing missile program, damaging its domestic economy, and endangering regional and world stability. Trump's accusations have sparked strong criticism, except for flash support expressed by Israel and Saudi Arabia, the U.S. strong allies in the Middle East. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani immediately responded, saying that Iran will stay in the deal without the United States, which he said was "never reliable over the past decades." France, Germany, Britain, Belgium and Turkey, all of which are U.S. staunch NATO allies, also voiced regret over Trump's decision, worrying about the nuclear non-proliferation process and the Middle East stability. Khaled al-Muntaser, a Libyan international relations researcher and professor, said Washington's withdrawal from Iran's nuclear deal is a "reckless step" that threatens the Middle East. "The entire international community will oppose this withdrawal," said the professor. Trump said: "When I make promises, I keep them." In January, he did say he would not extend the waiver suspending U.S. sanctions on Iran and he fulfilled this promise. However, his twitter account records more promises he once made, which became even ironic after what he has done after taking office, like striking Syria with no solid evidence on alleged chemical weapons use. Some of his twitters are: "Do Not attack Syria, fix U.S.A." "Forget Syria and make America great again!" "If Obama attacks Syria and innocent civilians are hurt and killed, he and the U.S. will look very bad." (Mahmoud Darwesh from Tripoli also contributed to the story.) SAN FRANCISCO, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A trade delegation from the U.S. west Pacific state of Oregon will travel to China this week to encourage more trade between the two sides, the Oregon TV outlet KTVZ reported Tuesday. The delegation, to be led by Alexis Taylor, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, will travel to Shanghai in eastern China on May 12-17 with a dozen Oregon food and drink producers to encourage more agricultural exports to China, the world's second largest economy. "The delegation going to China this year is very diverse, everything from berries to beef," Taylor said. He said Oregon wants to strengthen its "relationships with buyers we know, connect with new buyers and introduce some high-quality Oregon products that the growing Chinese market is ready to experience." Oregon beef producers place high hopes on the lucrative Chinese market as statistics have estimated that China's middle-class is on track to grow by more than 160 million households in the next decade. The U.S. west state is expected to ship beef products to China for the first time in more than a decade, according to the TV report. Nathan Jackson, president of the Oregon Cattlemen's Association and general manager of K-Bar Ranches, said Oregon plans to explore the long-term prospects for the state's beef in the China market. "Trade work in this market that just opened for U.S. and Oregon beef will be an important way for us to educate our Chinese buyers about Oregon beef, and to learn how best to market our product in China," he added. Taylor said agricultural trade is critical for Oregon's economy, which was reflected in its heavy trade with China in 2017. Last year, more than 290 million U.S. dollars in Oregon food and agricultural products went to China, the state's fourth largest market for products behind Japan, South Korea and Canada, said the TV report. "With the uncertainty surrounding federal trade policy and the state's fourth largest trading partner, China, we believe there is no better time for us to strengthen our relationships with Chinese buyers," Taylor said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 13:28:48|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close MAIMANA, Afghanistan, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At least six militants, including a Taliban shadow district governor, were killed in an operation in Afghanistan's northern province of Faryab overnight, an army source said Wednesday. "Acting on a tip off units of Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps (ANASOC) raided a Taliban hideout in Yaka Toot village, Pashtun Kot district overnight. The militants physically engaged with the security force and the gunfight caused six militants killed," Hanif Rezai, spokesman of army Corps 209 Shaheen based in the region, told Xinhua. The killed included Mullah Hizbullah who served as Taliban shadow district governor for Pushtun Kot, he said, adding no member of security forces was hurt during the raid in the district south of provincial capital of Maimana. Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south and east to the once peaceful region in the north, where Taliban have been recruiting from among the youth. The Taliban militant group has yet to make comments on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 13:48:52|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Tuesday signed a trilateral statement of intent with Finland and Sweden to enhance trilateral defense cooperation amid rising rhetoric against Russia. According to a Pentagon statement, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis met with his Finnish and Swedish counterparts Jussi Niinisto and Peter Hultqvist earlier Tuesday at the Pentagon. The three nations signed a trilateral statement of intent that will enhance their defense relationship in seven areas, including defense policy dialogue, policy and military-level interoperability, expanded regional situational awareness, strengthened capabilities and posture, combined multinational operations, strategic communications, and U.S.-NATO-EU cooperation. At a welcoming ceremony at the Pentagon, Mattis said the signing of the statement of intent, which was not legally binding though, would take trilateral military cooperation to the next level. He said that Finland and Sweden share with the United States a strong defense relationship, which is increasingly important "in a region grown more tense". Slamming Russia's alleged "destabilizing" behavior, Mattis urged the two European nations "to bolster our partnership in the Arctic." Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 13:53:55|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday urged the parties concerned to seize the current opportunity to promote denuclearization and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Li made the remarks at a trilateral meeting in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Currently, the situation on the Korean Peninsula is at a crucial juncture for improvement, Li said, calling for sticking to the direction of dialogue and reconciliation. China supports the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea to improve ties, and congratulates them on holding a successful meeting between the two countries' leaders, Li said. China hopes the upcoming DPRK-U.S. summit will be smooth, he added. "We are also in favor of dialogues among parties in various forms to address both the symptoms and root causes, promote a political settlement of the peninsula issue and establish a peace mechanism, so as to achieve lasting peace in the region," Li said. China will continue to play a constructive role to this end, he told the press after the trilateral meeting. Li arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday for an official visit to Japan and to attend the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting. The trilateral meeting was resumed after a two-and-a-half-year suspension. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 14:03:56|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here on Wednesday that China, Japan and South Korea should accelerate the negotiations for a trilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and achieve the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at an early date so as to promote the building of an East Asian Economic Community. Li made the remarks at a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Tokyo. China, Japan and South Korea have all benefited from free trade in their respective development and are all advocates of free trade, Li said. Li stressed that under current circumstances, the three countries should stand together in an even more steadfast manner to safeguard the rule-based multilateral free trade system and take a firm position against acts of trade protectionism and unilateralism. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 14:24:00|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close JALALABAD, Afghanistan, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Two civilians were killed and 19 others injured in Taliban militants' mortar attack in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar on Tuesday, the provincial government said Wednesday. "The incident occurred in Hafiz Goddi area in Bati Kot district at round 05:30 p.m. local time Tuesday. All the injured were shifted to a main hospital in provincial capital Jalalabad city," it said in a statement. Most of the wounded suffered from minor wounds. The Taliban militants intensified attacks against security forces across the country after they launched a yearly rebel offensive on late April. The Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts as more than 3,430 civilians were killed and over 7,000 others injured in conflict-related incidents in 2017, according to figures released by the United Nations mission in the country. The mission has attributed 65 percent of the civilian casualties to the Taliban and other insurgent groups, 20 percent to security forces over the period while 11 percent were attributed to both sides during clashes and the rest 4 percent were caused by other reasons. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 14:39:03|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close PUL-E-KHURI, Afghanistan, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Militants loyal to the Taliban outfit have overrun Tala-o-Barfak district in the northern Baghlan province, a local official said Wednesday. "Taliban rebels after fierce fighting were able to enter the district headquarters late Tuesday night," the official told Xinhua, but he refused to be identified, saying authorized officials would talk to media. Meanwhile, Baghlan provincial governor Abdul Hai Nemati in talks with reporters said the short sentence, "Tala-o-Barfak collapsed late night," adding he has no information about casualties. Mohammad Zarif Zarif, a member of the provincial council, has confirmed that dozens of militants and security personnel had been killed in fighting for control of Tala-o-Barfak district on Tuesday which lasted four hours. BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The number of Chinese tourists visiting Ireland could reach 175,000 in 2025, more than double that in 2017, according to Tourism Ireland. About 70,000 Chinese visitors went to Ireland last year, up about 15 percent year on year, according to Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland. "China is one of Ireland's fastest growing tourism source markets, and the growth rate is likely to double in the near future," he added. Gibbons made the remarks at the ongoing Tourism Ireland annual travel China Sales Mission event. It will tour Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong with the aim of sealing more partnerships and deals with local counterparts to bring more Chinese tourists to the island. A total of 20 Irish tourism market players including travel agencies, hotels and popular destinations like Guinness Storehouse, have joined this year's China Sales Mission, the largest ever held by Tourism Ireland. "That points to increasing importance as well as our confidence of the Chinese outbound travel market," Gibbons said. To cater to the growing inflow of Chinese tourists, Tourism Ireland and Irish tourism partners have launched the China Ready training program, which is designed to help Irish tourism firms grab business opportunities in China such as introducing popular mobile payment tools like WeChat. Starting from June, Chinese visitors can take direct flights operated by Hainan Airlines or Cathay Pacific Airways to Dublin, either from Beijing or Hong Kong. Official data showed that China-Ireland trade volume exceeded 10 billion U.S. dollars last year, up 36.7 percent year on year. "With the opening of the two direct flights, plus growing bilateral trade, there is every indication of the continuous growth of Chinese visitors into next year and beyond," Gibbons said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 15:29:15|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 8, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump said here on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump did not quite surprise the world with his announcement to withdraw from the historic Iran nuclear deal. Besides giving a cold shoulder to such a unilateral move, most nations and regional blocs are now worried about the negative influence his decision could have on peace and denuclearization prospects in the war-torn Middle East. SCRAPPING THE DEAL In a televised speech at the White House, Trump announced the fallout, adding that he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran. Rather, he vowed to re-impose sanctions lifted under the accord against Tehran and inflict punishments like secondary sanctions on nations that have business links with Tehran. Trump repeated his rhetoric against Iran and the deal, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying it had failed to prevent Iran from developing missiles and nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism in the region. The United States will impose "the highest level" of economic sanctions on Tehran, said Trump, adding that "any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States." Later, the White House announced that Trump had "directed his administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA," and "the re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors." "Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran," it added. "Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences." U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also said in an announcement that "sanctions will be reimposed subject to certain 90-day and 180-day wind-down periods. At the conclusion of the wind-down periods, the applicable sanctions will come back into full effect. This includes actions under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington will work with allies to find a "real, comprehensive, and lasting" solution to the Iran nuclear issue. In a press briefing soon after Trump's announcement, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said that "the only sure way to get on the path of stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons and delivery capabilities is to get out of the deal." The hawkish diplomat added that "the lesson that America learned, painfully, a long time ago ... is we only negotiate from positions of strength. It was a lesson that the last administration did not follow." Bolton also said that Washington has begun consultations with Europe and other allies on the timeframe for starting a new agreement. COLD SHOULDERS Trump's decision was widely anticipated, and international society has so far given a cold shoulder to his move. European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said later that Europe will stand by the nuclear accord with Iran. "We expect the rest of the international community to continue to preserve it, for the sake of collective security," she said. "I am particularly worried about tonight's announcement of further sanctions." United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday voiced "deep concern" over Trump's decision, calling on "other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other (UN) member states to support this agreement." France, Germany and Britain regretted the U.S. decision to leave, as French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted on Tuesday that the move would put the nuclear non-proliferation regime at stake. European Council President Donald Tusk also said that the U.S. move "will meet a united European approach." The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Moscow is deeply disappointed by the U.S. withdrawal and there are no grounds for such a move. The ministry added that Washington's action undermined international trust, and was once again at adds with the opinion of most countries. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Washington's decision was "an unfortunate step." The JCPOA was an important step to prevent proliferation, the ministry said in a written statement. "Turkey has always defended the stance that Iran's nuclear program should be resolved through diplomacy and negotiations and has made intensive efforts in this direction." SLAP IN THE FACE OF ALLIES There will be many repercussions of Trump's decision, experts said. Iran Bremmer, president of U.S.-based think tank Eurasiagroup, said that Trump's pulling out of the Iran deal "will be his biggest slap in the face to date to U.S. allies." The imperfections of the deal were "not an argument for blowing up the JCPOA ... That's an argument for strengthening it," the U.S. expert said. "The likelihood is that nuking the JCPOA will undermine, rather than strengthen, attempts to limit the Iranian threat." Richard Nephew, a senior research scholar at Columbia University, told Xinhua that Trump will find that it's very hard to "get plan B to work" after leaving the deal. "There's only so far as they (Iran) may be prepared to go, in addressing U.S. concerns," Nephew said, explaining that with Iran possibly restarting its nuclear program, security concerns will be raised in the Middle East with countries mulling their own nuclear development. In the eyes of Peter Harrell, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and a lawyer who advises on sanctions compliance, "rebuilding economic pressure after Washington pulls out from the JCPOA would be an even greater challenge, given international opposition to the U.S. withdrawal and scant international support for renewed sanctions." "Trump would face formidable challenges after withdrawing from the JCPOA," he said, "perhaps the biggest diplomatic challenge Trump would face in reinstituting sanctions on Iran is convincing buyers of Iranian oil to reduce their purchases." "Withdrawing from the JCPOA would be a strategic mistake for Washington," said the expert. "It would allow Iran to resume its nuclear program and raise the risk of a future military conflict with Tehran ... The result would be a major setback for U.S. strategic interests." Philip Gordon, senior fellow in U.S. foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, said on Friday on the think tank's website that Trump's refusal to waiver nuke-related sanctions on Iran would eventually lead to the full collapse of the JCPOA "possibly within weeks or months." Gordon, who helped negotiate the agreement in former President Barack Obama's administration, also said that the U.S. move "could lead to major tensions with U.S. trading partners ... if the United States hits them with sanctions." "These are all, however, minor issues compared to what a game-changing step not renewing sanctions waivers would be," he said. "It may prove more difficult to assemble an international sanctions coalition now than it was then, since the United States will be blamed for killing the agreement. Before long, the United States could face the dilemma that the JCPOA was designed to avoid: allow the program to continue to expand in the absence of international monitoring or use military force to stop it." "The United States is unlikely to successfully re-engage Iran diplomatically for the foreseeable future, as the Iranians will view any breach of the JCPOA as a clear indicator that diplomacy with America doesn't pay off," said Ilan Goldenberg, director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, and Ariane Tabatabai, a senior associate with the Proliferation Prevention Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "America will lose leverage over both Tehran and our international partners, leading to a weakened sanctions regime that will fall short of imposing enough pain to alter Iran's course," they said. "In particular, America walking away from the deal will result in a domestic political climate in Iran that overwhelmingly opposes the resumption of any negotiations with the United States." "For their part, U.S. partners in the Middle East, particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia, will grow increasingly anxious and call for action. And eventually the United States will find itself having to choose between tolerating a nuclear-armed Iran or taking military action to thwart its nuclear development. It would be the height of folly to go down this path instead of continuing to implement the JCPOA," they said. Related: Trump announces U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal, evoking concern Rouhani says Iran to remain in JCPOA without U.S. European leaders slam Trump's decision on Iran nuke deal EU will stand by Iran nuclear deal: Mogherini Turkey slams U.S. decision to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal UN chief voices concern over U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuke deal Russia says no grounds to scrap Iran nuclear deal Israeli PM hails Trump's withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal Syria condemns U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal Ireland "greatly disappointed" with U.S. decision on Iran nuke dear Saudi Arabia welcomes Trump's decision to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal UAE says it supports Trump decision to pull out of Iran nuke agreement WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Both Gina Haspel's critics and supporters agree that she is a talented spy, and is willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. But the quality that have helped her rise through rank and file in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has instead become a major pitfall as she tries to become the agency's first female director. Since her nomination in March to head the CIA, her nomination has been constantly plagued with controversy, with a particular focus on her secretive, and sometimes dark, history. During her 33-year-long career in the CIA, Haspel has served in Ethiopia, Turkey, Thailand, Azerbaijan, and Great Britain. In each of those countries, she took on different missions and held various posts, but in every mission, she nearly always worked in the shadows. The secretive nature of her work has become a major hurdle as she tries to persuade hesitant Senators to vote favorably on her nomination, at an unscheduled time after her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday. On both Monday and Tuesday, Haspel climbed Capitol hill, calling on a number of Senators, most of whom are key members of the Intelligence Committee, whose votes will determine if her nomination can be moved to the Senate floor. ( Haspel put on a spirited display during her hill tour, telling the press that the meetings allegedly went "great" or "excellent," while her aides wheeled a cart into Congress containing her work record for review. But the effort has not yet yielded any results, with multiple Senators expressing their reservations after these meetings. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico called for "more transparency," while Ron Wyden of Oregon said he was not satisfied with the documents, as they were produced under the watch of Haspel, the acting CIA director. "This is self-serving declassification, a cover-up from A to Z," Wyden said in an interview with CBS news. "I want the American people to know who this nominee is," he said. Aside from the lack of transparency, Haspel's past involvement with torturing and the ensuing effort to erase her tracks was also problematic. Haspel oversaw a secret CIA detention center in Thailand in 2002, where two al-Qaeda suspects were inhumanely interrogated, most notably by waterboarding. She later successfully convinced her boss to destroy the tape-recordings of these interrogations. However, a CIA memo cleared her of any wrongdoing. To sooth lawmakers who claim to oppose these inhuman interrogating methods such as waterboarding, Haspel has pledged to ban the practice if she becomes the next CIA chief, according excerpts of her statement at the Wednesday hearing. Despite the fierce opposition, Haspel has a powerful ally inside the White House. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly defended her on twitter, emphasizing on her being a successful spy while downplaying her tainted human rights record. "Gina Haspel, my highly respected nominee to lead the CIA, is being praised for the fact that she has been, and always will be, TOUGH ON TERROR!" Trump tweeted Tuesday. The White House also released a statement on the same day claiming that Haspel was merely a foot soldier who carried out the orders of her superiors to torture the suspects, and therefore, should not shoulder the complete responsibility. "Policymakers who set up, approved, and were briefed on enhanced interrogation techniques are the ones who were responsible for the program," the statement said. According to U.S. media, Haspel has considered withdrawing her nomination last week to avoid the gruelling hearing, but the White House has convinced her to stay on board. If Haspel's nomination makes it to the Senate floor, it is expected to be one of the closest votes for a Trump nominee. The Republican Party commonly referred to as GOP, currently holds 51 seats, but with GOP senator Rand Paul of Kentucky refusing to endorse and John McCain absent due to illness, Haspel needs at least one supporter from across the aisle. A number of Trump nominees passed the Senate vote on razor thin margins, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was saved by a tie-breaker by Vice President Mike Pence, while Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price both clenched 52 votes. KAMPALA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Uganda Zheng Zhuqiang said here the relationship between the two countries has entered a new era, with 2018 expected to be a fruitful year for both sides. Zheng made the remarks in Uganda's capital on Tuesday during the launch of a new magazine, New Era, which will be published by Uganda's leading daily -- New Vision -- on a monthly basis. "As a matter of fact, China-Uganda relations have entered a new era as well. This year is a year of harvest for our relations. The Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, Isimba Hydropower Station, Karuma Hydropower Station and other major projects will either be completed or achieve important milestones," the ambassador said. The four-lane China-built expressway is expected to cut the commuting time from Kampala to the international airport at Entebbe by two hours and 30 minutes. What's more, the Isimba and Karuma dams are expected to produce 180 megawatts and 600 megawatts, respectively. After their completion, Uganda's installed capacity of electricity will be expanded to 1,683 megawatts. In September, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will take place in Beijing and the ambassador welcomes the Ugandan president to attend the event. President Yoweri Museveni is welcome to attend the FOCAC summit, he said. "I believe with the joint efforts of our two peoples, China-Uganda relations will be like the Nile River, flowing far and forever," said the ambassador. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 16:24:27|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close ALGIERS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China's truck manufacturer Shaanxi Automobile Group on Tuesday inaugurated its first assembly plant in Algeria, as part of a joint venture with its Algerian partner Mazouz Trade Group. The inauguration ceremony was held in the assembly plant in the eastern province of Setif, with the presence of Yuan Hongming, CEO of Shaanxi Automobile, and CEO of Mazouz Group, Ahmed Mazouz. The assembly plant that will manufacture the vehicle, under the brand "Shacman," is due to produce yearly as many as 3,000 heavy-duty trucks of international standards under the latest models, sold in both local and foreign markets. The company also signed contracts with foreign operators from Tunisia, Egypt and Mali, where Shacman trucks assembled in Algeria would be exported. "The establishment of an assembly plant in Algeria is another massive step in the cooperation between Shacman and Mazouz Group, and I believe such a plant would accelerate the development of automotive industry in Algeria, as we are going to train more talents and create more jobs here," said Yuan at the opening ceremony. He further noted that "Shacman considers Algeria as its most strategic market, globally, as 40,000 heavy-duty trucks have been sold here since 2007, representing 80 percent of the Algerian trucks market share." For his part, Mazouz stressed that "the assembly plant has been established thanks to the Algerian government's encouragement to local operators to contribute to the diversification of national economy." Mazouz specified that this first ever assembly plant will create 8,000 jobs, including 1,600 direct jobs. He further stressed that "the main objective of the plant is to transfer technology so that we would be able to output the first Algerian made truck." Two other Chinese operators, namely mini trucks and passenger cars under the brand Chery, as well as buses under the brand Higer, will be soon assembled in Setif after the two brands signed partnership contracts with Mazouz Group. The Algerian government has been making an effort in recent years to boost the automotive industry to diversify its oil-dependent economy and reduce exorbitant car imports bill which hit 7.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2014. The North African nation has provided licences for several foreign car brands to install their assembly plants with local partners. French automaker Renault was the first to open a car assembly plant here, followed by other Asian and European brands, such as Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and Shacman. PHNOM PENH, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Suos Yara, a member of parliament from the ruling Cambodian People's Party said that the rising China has benefited Cambodia and the whole world. In an opinion published on the Phnom Penh Post newspaper on Wednesday, the MP said China is "not a threat to Cambodia and the region," and Cambodia has the advantage in seizing the opportunities due to geographical proximity to the gravity of economic center of the world." He said the concerns over increasing economic presence and influence of China in Cambodia are legitimate however, and one needs to understand that every country wants to build a close relationship with China, particularly with regard to economic interest. "For instance, the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013 is a new catalyst of global growth," he said in the article. "The Belt and Road Initiative is an intercontinental economic venue for more than 60 countries to cooperate and connect." In a response to concerns raised by Sam Rainsy, self-exiled former leader of the now-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), over debt Cambodia owned China, Yara said that people shouldn't be too much worried about the fact that 60 percent of Cambodia's debt is owed to China. "This is due to the economic size of China," Yara said, adding that it will strengthen complex interdependence between the two countries. "China has more stakes in Cambodia. Both countries and people will benefit from a bilateral partnership. Historically, China does not pose any threat to Cambodia," he added. Yara said that there was little evidence proving that Chinese investments adversely affect Cambodia's ecological balance, and concerning the hydroelectric power plants, the benefits outweighed the costs. "Cambodia needs cheap electric power supply to accelerate economic growth. The cost of electricity has continually dropped to less than 0.20 U.S. dollar per kilowatt hour," he said. "Energy security is critical for the development of Cambodia. China is the main producer of solar panels. Future cooperation on solar energy will help diversify the sources of energy of Cambodia." He said Chinese investments in Cambodia concentrated on labor-intensive industries, particularly the garment sector, which provides about 1 million jobs to Cambodian workers. The current minimum wage is 170 U.S. dollars per month. If a worker wishes to work overtime then he or she can earn nearly 300 U.S. dollars per month. He said China has started investing more in semi-skilled and skilled manufacturing sector. Technology and knowledge transfer is taking place although at a slow speed. "China has a great source of knowledge to transfer to Cambodia as China is pursuing an innovation-led development model," the MP said. He added that Chinese aid has significantly contributed to the improvement of the living standard of the local people. For instance, early this year China pledged to provide 100 Cambodian children who have congenital heart disease with free surgery in three years in a program called China-Cambodia Love Heart Journey, and every year, China provides about 200 scholarships to Cambodian students to pursue their higher education in Cambodia. "Cambodians should not be afraid of the rising economic presence and influence of China. They need to adapt and explore ways to grasp the opportunities stemming from China's economic powerhouse. Of course to optimise the benefits from China either through development assistance or trade and investment, Cambodia needs to strengthen its governance and capacity," he said. He added that both the public and private sectors in Cambodia need to enhance their capacity to better grasp the opportunities generated by China, particularly under the new initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and Lancang-Mekong Cooperation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 16:29:32|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Academy of Sciences plans to launch an online platform for psychological trauma interventions this year, to overcome a skills shortage. The platform will marshal resources about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from post-disaster psychological aid from the academy's Institute of Psychology, and the U.S. National PTSD Center. Liu Zhengkui, researcher at the institute, and deputy secretary-general of China Psychological Society, announced the plan Tuesday, saying the online platform would increase health knowledge, track user symptoms, and offer consultation services with new technologies, including wearable devices, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. Since the Wenchuan Earthquake in May 2008, the academy has trained about 1,500 psychological professionals, who had alleviated the psychological wounds of nearly 1 million people. But they cannot meet the needs of psychological assistance across the country. "The online platform is expected to make up for the lack of training and professionals," said Liu, who also revealed a three-year training program for professionals. The platform will be launched at the end of this year and start by offering free services to university students. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 16:29:32|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) on Wednesday launched a targeted crackdown on solid waste pollution following frequent cases of the illegal disposal of harmful materials in several regions. From May 9 to the end of June, the MEE will send 150 teams to regions in the Yangtze River economic belt to inspect the illegal discharge of solid waste. If local authorities find any illegal activities, they will be ordered to clear up solid waste, curb environment risks and find out the sources of the waste. The move came after several cases of illegal solid-waste dumping in areas including Guangxi, Henan and Anhui, which caused harm to the local environments. The MEE on Wednesday made public seven cases of illegal disposal of solid waste in Anhui, Hunan and Chongqing. Tackling pollution is one of the "three tough battles" China aims to win over the next three years. Starting Jan. 1, 2018, China introduced a new tax -- the environment protection tax -- aimed at protecting the environment and cutting pollutant discharge. Companies and public institutions that discharge listed pollutants directly into the environment will pay taxes for producing noise, air and water pollutants as well as solid waste. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 16:39:38|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese side has received a letter from U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that invites Chinese Vice Premier Liu He to visit the United States for further economic and trade consultations, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement Wednesday. The Chinese side has accepted the invitation, agreeing to visit the United States at a "proper time", the statement said. Teams from both sides are maintaining close communications, it said. As a special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Liu He is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and chief of the Chinese side of the China-U.S. comprehensive economic dialogue. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 16:44:39|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Around 100 museums in Beijing will be open for free on May 18, International Museum Day, including 17 museums that charge visitors usually. According to the municipal administration of cultural heritage, among the museums that will stop charging on that day are the Geological Museum of China, the Beijing Planetarium and the Zhoukoudian Site Museum. Over 90 activities, such as exhibitions and lectures, will be launched in the city's museums to celebrate the day. Currently there are 179 museums in Beijing. The administration will open a webpage on May 18, offering chances for people to have a virtual museum experience, through texts, pictures and video. Yu Ping, deputy head of the administration, said the activities were aimed at inviting more people to museums, and making museums more popular among citizens. TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Wednesday said it was concerned about the potential ramifications following the United States' decision to withdraw from the international deal on Iran's nuclear program. "It would be regrettable if the U.S. pullout has a major impact to the extent of making it difficult to maintain the Iran nuclear agreement," Foreign Minister Taro Kono was quoted as saying in a statement on the matter. "We hope that the countries involved will continue to deal with the issue in a constructive manner," Kono said. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his country would exit from the deal struck with Iran and said the highest level of sanctions would be imposed against Iran. The unilateral move by the U.S. runs contrary to a deal struck by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama. The deal, struck between Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States in 2015, saw heavy economic sanctions slapped on Tehran lifted in exchange for it curbing its nuclear activities. Kono said that Japan will work closely to try and keep the deal in place, while looking into the possible affects of the U.S. withdrawal from the deal and developments henceforth. For Japan's part, as well as further unsettling delicate geopolitical situations in the Middle East, resource-poor Japan is reliant on Iran for around 7 percent of its crude oil imports. In theory, if sanctions are slapped on Iran, then Japan would be forced to cut its crude oil imports from Iran, which is Japan's fifth largest provider, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates being its top two. When sanctions were lifted against Tehran in 2016, exports from Japan to Iran of industrial machinery and steel products increased by three times compared to when the sanctions were applied. Japan has around 30 companies spanning electronic makers and trading houses with branches in Iran, with the number of Japanese workers there steadily increasing over the past two years. As economists here have pointed out, the U.S. departure from the deal and new unilateral sanctions applied to Tehran could severely hurt Japanese trade ties with Iran. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 16:49:40|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close GUIYANG, May 9 (Xinhua) -- For 18 generations, people in Denglu Village, southwest China's Guizhou Province, have kept their ancestor's oath to guard a primeval forest of Chinese cedarwood (Phoebe nanmu). The large, slow-growing evergreen trees are better known as the precious timber for constructing imperial palaces like the Forbidden City and furniture in imperial houses. However, overexploitation has driven the plant species to a near extinction in China. Secluded in a cedarwood forest, about 11 km away from the nearest county seat, the village has 140 households, living in wooden stilted houses supported by sturdy wood trunks. There are over 20,000 cedarwood trees in the forest, over 960 of which have trunks over 20 cm in diameter. Zhang Shengyi, Party chief of the village, said the wood was a symbol of longevity. Villagers have sustained the tradition of cedarwood worship. Nearly every big cedarwood in the forest is tied with red ribbons for praying. During the village's 600-year history, each generation of the village clan surnamed Zhang has kept the pledge to be the guardian of the rare trees by swearing and drinking wine with drops of their own blood, a traditional ritual for taking an oath. There is a huge economic interest in the rare wood, as traders covet the precious timber. However, the villagers would rather live in poverty than make a fortune in exchange for the cedarwood. Zhang said a businessman once offered him 2.8 million yuan (439,000 U.S. dollars) to buy a single tree, in addition to a brokerage fee of 500,000 yuan as well as a property in the county. But he refused. In 2015, the Taijiang county government joined village efforts in the protection of the trees after some illegal logging occurred. The government helped survey trees aged more than 100 years, and entrusted the village to manage the forest and the county procuratorate to supervise its management and protection. As part of poverty-relief efforts, a road was paved to the village, 4G mobile services introduced, and a primary school was built. In April this year, the first guest house in the village was set up. The pristine woods and the legendary village are drawing more and more artists and tourists, and the villagers hope that the precious wood will bring them some fortune in a sustainable way. HO CHI MINH CITY, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City has set a target of receiving some 1.5 million Chinese visitors by 2020, up from 540,000 in 2017, the municipal Department of Tourism said Wednesday. To this end, Ho Chi Minh City will establish more tourist attractions in District 5, further develop waterway-based tours, better manage shops, especially those sell raw or processed salangane nests or rubber mattresses, and promote the city's destinations in Chinese localities. Vietnam welcomed nearly 1.8 million Chinese visitors in the first four months of this year, or 32 percent of the total international arrivals, posting a year-on-year rise of 39.7 percent, said the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Last year, Vietnam hosted over 4 million Chinese visitors, up 48.6 percent against 2016. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 16:59:44|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L-R) attend the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting in Tokyo, Japan, May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here on Wednesday that China, Japan and South Korea should accelerate their negotiations for a trilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and achieve a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at an early date so as to promote the building of an East Asian Economic Community. During a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Tokyo, Li also called on the three economies to jointly open up market through a new cooperation mode of "China-Japan-South Korea+X" in an effort to promote regional development. China, Japan and South Korea have all benefited from free trade in their respective development and are all advocates of free trade, Li noted. Under the current circumstances, they should stand more firmly together for rules-based multilateral free trade system and against acts of trade protectionism and unilateralism, he said. Free trade is also a good recipe for global economic recovery, Li told the press after his meeting with Abe and Moon. While calling for their markets to further open to each other, Li also said during the meeting that the trio should carry out joint projects in such areas as industrial capacity cooperation, poverty reduction, disaster management and energy efficiency through the mode of "China-Japan-South Korea+X." China, Japan and South Korea should give full play to their respective advantages in growth to jointly open up new markets, promoting a rapid development in Asian countries, he said. Li arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday for an official visit to Japan and to attend the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting. The trilateral meeting was resumed after a two-and-a-half-year suspension. BERLIN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Germany, France and Britain have called on the United States not to hinder the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal by other parties and encouraged Iran to respond with caution to Washington's withdrawal from the deal. According to a joint statement issued by the German federal government Wednesday morning, the three countries, with regret and concern, acknowledged U.S. President Donald Trump's decision of withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran nuclear deal. "We emphasize that we remain committed to the agreement," said the joint statement, adding that the deal, which was unanimously endorsed by the United Nations (UN) Security Council in a resolution, is still important for common security and remains the binding international legal framework for settling the dispute over Iran's nuclear program. "We call on all sides to adhere to the full implementation of the resolution and call on all parties concerned to act in the awareness of their responsibilities," the three countries said. According to the statement, Iran continues to abide by the restrictions imposed by the deal and the obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Therefore, the three major European countries will also stick to the JCPOA and remain committed to advocating the preservation of the deal and will work with all remaining parties to ensure that the deal is preserved. "We call on the U.S. to ensure that the structures of the JCPOA remain intact and not to take measures that hinder the full implementation of the agreement by the other parties," said the three countries. Germany, France and Britain also said that they have encouraged Iran to respond with caution to the U.S. decision, urging Tehran to continue to fulfill its own obligations under the deal and fully and promptly comply with inspection requirements. It is necessary to develop a long-term framework for Iran's nuclear program after the expiry of certain provisions of the JCPOA, according to the statement. TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Finance Ministry on Wednesday held seminars for its senior officials aimed at preventing sexual harassment following the recent resignation of the ministry's top bureaucrat over sexual harassment claims. In an unprecedented move by the heavily-under-fire ministry, around 80 senior level officials as well as the ministry's own consultants who are in charge of counseling for employees on sexual harassment, attended the seminars. Part of the training program included lectures by a female lawyer, Takako Sugaya, who is an expert on cases of sexual harassment. Sugaya made it known to the participants of the training course that the way the public currently feel about the Finance Ministry following its widely publicized sexual harassment case is far more disappointed and distrustful than those within the ministry seem to comprehend. She also urged those in attendance to have a sense of responsibility and ownership to prevent such cases from happening again in the future. "Sexual harassment could become a case in which criminal responsibility will be sought. Judging from media reports, I have become doubtful of earlier excuses by the perpetrator and responses by the ministry," the lawyer was quoted as telling the attendees. Japan's Administrative Vice Finance Minister Junichi Fukuda stepped down last month amid allegations he sexually harassed female reporters. Fukuda's resignation came less than a year after he took on the role as the ministry's top bureaucrat and at a time when the ministry has been under fire for a number of improprieties, including a cronyism scandal implicating Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. JAKARTA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Five policemen and one terrorist prisoner were killed in a riot on Wednesday at a jail on the outskirt of Indonesia's capital, police spokesman Brigadier General M. Iqbal said. The spokesman said that one police personal is taken hostage by the prisoners. "The incident leaves five our police fellows dead. We have to shot dead one terrorist who resisted and was trying to take a weapon of a personal," Iqbal told reporters. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 17:40:03|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close By Xinhua writer Zhang Yongxing SUVA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Thanks to the construction and upgradation by a Chinese company, Fiji's Nabouwalu road, once dusty in the dry season and bogged down in the wet season, has now become a modern and high-quality highway. "It has cut travel time dramatically from about five hours to around two hours. We are very happy the traffic is now very convenient and local people like me have really benefited from it," said Osea Raula, a 39-year-old local resident. Raula had worked in the Nabouwalu project for two years; now he works in a farm along the Nabouwalu highway. He said he had learnt a lot from his Chinese fellow workers. The 70 km highway connecting Labasa and Nabouwalu with 14 new bridges, along with another 30 km highway at the Buca Bay, was constructed and upgraded by China Railway First Group (Fiji) Co., Ltd (CRFG), a state-run enterprise of China. The two projects, located in Vanua Levu, the second largest island in the northern part of the South Pacific island state, were completed respectively as scheduled between 2011 and 2015, with the concessional loans provided by the Chinese government. The Nabouwalu highway is a major boost to shipping services between the country's two main islands, Raula said, adding that it has brought a lot of business opportunities and helped grow Fiji's economy. "China is our true and real good friend. I miss my Chinese friends. I want to say Bula (Hello), China and Vinaka Vakalevu (Thank you very much)," he said emotionally. According to Wang Gang, deputy manager of the CRFG, the two projects used about 2,000 Fijian workers. "We are very glad that we can do something to help Fiji promote its highway network in the northern island and make contributions to the local economy," Wang said proudly while pointing to the heavy traffic on the Nabouwalu highway. In the process of the construction and upgrading, the company took into account such factors as geology, environment, humidity, flood and tide. "We are proud of having finished the projects in time after overcoming a lot of difficulties," Wang said. Umesh Prasad, 49, manager of the Labasa-based Vinod Patel, a retail chain for selling home and building materials, told Xinhua that in Labasa, everyone has been talking about the new road as it definitely has made local people's travel more convenient, rapid and comfortable and has given a big boost to the local business. "The businesses here in the city have really benefited from this new road as CRFG had helped create more job opportunities for local people," he said, adding, "I also believe that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is a good thing for the developing countries like Fiji. It is just like the new road that will provide many business chances for all of us." Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of Silk Road. Luigi Giuliani, a 78-year-old Italian, married a Fijian woman and has operated the La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life ) Holiday Villas along the Buca Bay highway since 2001. Giuliani, who said he is from the home country of Marco Polo and has visited China for three times, spoke highly of the CRFG for building the Buca Bay road. "Just before the opening of this road, the traffic depended on the weather. We just could see three or four vehicles per day, but now we can see three or four vehicles per minute," he said, adding that it not only benefits the whole community, but also opens up this part of the island to the extent. "It is unbelievable, a miracle." "Now I have more guests than ever before. They are from different parts of the world. My villas are now full until the end of June, and I believe my guests will keep on coming in the rest of the year. I really want to thank CRFG for building this road, it is a good job," he said. China has become a household name in Fiji. Even for Sepa Noya, a five-year-old boy who walked along the Nabouwalu road with one of his friends, told Xinhua that he knew this road was built by China. "It is good. Bula, China," he said with a smile on his thin and boyish face. Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama attended the opening ceremony of the Nabouwalu project, saying that "our national highways are quickly becoming a source of national pride. A modern road network is being formed before our eyes that will benefit every Fijian." The prime minister voiced his support for the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang Gang said that China's experience is that "to be rich, one has to build road first." China and Fiji forged a strategic partnership based on mutual respect and common development in 2014, lifting bilateral relations to a new height. "I do believe under the guidance of the (Belt and Road) Initiative and with the joint efforts of both sides ... the road to common development will be even wider," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 17:40:04|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Photo taken on May 9, 2018 shows a damaged building at a suicide attack site in Shahri Naw area, downtown Kabul, Afghanistan. Several people were killed and some others injured in two successive terror attacks in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Wednesday, witnesses and sources said. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) KABUL, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Several people were killed and some others injured in two successive terror attacks in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Wednesday, witnesses and sources said. The first attack occurred around 11:30 a.m. local time after several gunmen and suicide bombers struck a police station in Dashti Barchi locality, Police District 13, in western Kabul, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish. The second attack came around 25 minutes later in central Kabul when terrorists armed with suicide jackets and guns stormed a police station and nearby buildings in Shahri Naw locality in Police District 10 of the city. Government troops cordoned off the area shortly after the blasts, keeping people from gathering at the sites. At least four suicide bombers detonated their explosives during the attacks and sporadic gunfights between terrorists and Afghan Special Operations Forces were ongoing in the two locations as of afternoon. At least six injured were shifted to hospital by rescue teams after the attacks. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far. BANGKOK, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese male was arrested at a Bangkok airport on Wednesday after rifle magazines were found in his bag as possession of these war weapons is against Thai law. The Japanese national, 27, named Takeru Hirano, was arrested at Don Mueang airport with a number of used magazines for M-16 and AK-47 assault rifles and some used cartridges which he had carried in his luggage, according to airport officials. The Japanese male was about to leave Bangkok for Japan when his luggage was scanned by airport officials and found to contain the used parts of war weapons. He was quoted as saying that he had no idea that the possession of them was illegal in Thailand and that he had bought those things from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam as collector of war souvenirs before he visited Thailand. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 17:50:10|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close JAKARTA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Five policemen and one prisoner were killed in a riot on Wednesday involving the policemen and militant prisoners at a jail on the outskirt of Indonesia's capital, police spokesman said. National police spokesman Brigadier General Muhammad Iqbal said that one police personnel remain being taken hostage by the militant prisoners. "The incident leaves five of our police fellows dead. We have to shot dead one terrorist who was resisting," Iqbal told reporters. The riot started breaking out Tuesday night in one of the prison blocks but the situation now is under control and the police are undertaking negotiation with the prisoners, said Iqbal. "We are conducting a persuasive approach to the prisoners because they are convicted in terrorist case and we have to do it with a special strategy," he said. The incident was triggered by the objection of prisoners to the prison's authorities making checks on food being brought into them, the spokesman said. Security around the prison is boosted and the outlookers are not allowed to close to the entrance, according to the police. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 17:50:12|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday called on China and Japan to stick to the principles of the four bilateral political documents and consensus, and bring bilateral ties back to normal. Li made the remarks during his talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. China and Japan are each other's important neighbor and major economies of the world, said Li, noting that long-term, healthy and stable development of bilateral ties conforms to the interests of the two countries and is good for peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world. He said China-Japan ties are at a crucial stage for improvement, as this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the bilateral treaty of peace and friendship. He called on the two sides to seize the opportunity to review the spirit of the treaty, cement the political foundation, expand friendly cooperation and implement the political consensus that China and Japan are cooperation partners, not threat to each other. Li urged joint efforts from both sides to promote bilateral relations back to the right track, and achieve long-term, healthy and stable development. Invited by Abe, Li arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday for an official visit to Japan, the first by a Chinese premier in eight years. NEW DELHI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed in a powerful blast in India's northeastern state of Manipur on Wednesday, witnesses said. The blast occurred outside an outpost of the Border Security Force, the sources said, adding that one people was seriously injured. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 18:15:28|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) is developing an Africa's guideline in the agriculture sector to bridge the gap between the public and private sector. Stephanie Gallatova, FAO Agribusiness Officer, said Public, Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives have the potential to help transform the production-oriented agricultural sector of African countries towards a more market-oriented, modernized agri-food sector. "The guideline will help trigger finance from the private sector to finance country's agricultural investment plans," Gallatova said during an agribusiness workshop that is being attended by eight African countries in Nairobi. "The initiative is capable of availing improved farmer-market linkages and employment creation in rural areas and cities," she added. Gallatova said that the guideline will also create better understanding between the government and the private sector as they aspire to partner in a number of development projects. She advised countries to engage in projects that are easier since some projects are difficult to sustain because they are perishable. The official observed that the continent has the potential of unlocking the perennial food insecurity through the incorporation of the private sector through the introduction of mechanization. "With over 300 million hectares of arable land, agricultural activities are capable of providing food and revenue for the rural and commercial farmers," he added. Gallatova urged African countries to choose their commodities of engagement well and emulate Zambia and Cote d'Ivoire that enjoys their partnership in the sugarcane and cocoa projects respectively. Janet Edeme, African Union Commission (AUC) Head of Division, Rural Economy, said the guideline will help all African countries to develop their PPP for five priority agricultural commodities by 2025. "The priority agricultural commodities are aimed at reducing post harvest losses by 50 percent and also ending hunger by 2025," she added. The meeting brought together agribusiness experts from Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Zambia and South Africa. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 18:20:31|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close DAMASCUS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- An opposition monitor group on Wednesday claimed that at least 15 fighters were killed in an Israeli missile attack that targeted a Syrian military base southwest of the capital Damascus on Tuesday night. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said eight Iranians are among those who lost their lives in the Israeli missile attack, which targeted arms depots and rocket launchers in the Kisweh area southwest of Damascus. It added that it is not clear whether the rest of the dead fighters were Iranians or pro-Iran fighters, adding that the death toll is likely to rise as some of the wounded are in critical conditions. A day earlier, Syrian state news agency SANA said two civilians were killed by the Israeli attack, adding that the Syrian air defenses destroyed two Israeli missiles, with the state TV putting on a brief video footage showing fire emerging from an area in Kisweh. The state TV said the fire was caused by pieces of the Israeli missiles that fell on Kisweh after the air defenses targeted them. The Israeli attack comes amid heightened tension with Iran, following Israel attacked last month Syrian positions where Iranian military experts were located. It also comes after the United States announced to withdraw from the international nuclear deal with Iran. File photo shows members of Chinese mobile laboratory team work at a laboratory in Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone, Jan. 22, 2015, by which time the team had tested 3,995 Ebola-related blood samples including 1,407 tested positive. (Xinhua/Xin Wenwen) KINSHASA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus disease has been declared in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). There are two confirmed Ebola cases and 17 deaths that are suspected to have been caused by the virus, according to the heath ministry. This latest outbreak marks the ninth time since 1976 that the Ebola virus disease has been found in the DRC. The health ministry confirmed the outbreak of Ebola on Tuesday, with two cases being confirmed by the laboratory of the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB). According to the ministry, it was on May 3, 2018 that the provincial health division of Equateur reported at the central level of the Ministry of Health 21 cases of fever with signs and 17 deaths in the Ikoko Impenge health area located in the province. A team from the Ministry of Health, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), visited the site on Saturday, May 5. The team found 5 cases, 2 of whom were hospitalized at Bikoro General Hospital and 3 at the Ikoko Impenge Health Center. According to the Ministry of Health, the five samples taken from suspected cases were sent for analysis to the INRB of Kinshasa on Sunday, May 6. Of the five samples analyzed, two were found to be positive for Ebola virus serotype Zaire by RT-PCR. "Our country is facing a new epidemic of Ebola that is a public health emergency of international concern. The Democratic Republic of the Congo being at its ninth epidemic of this nature, we have well-trained human resources in this area who have always been able to quickly control the previous epidemics," said Orly Ilunga, Minister of Health in a statement issued in emergency on Tuesday in Kinshasa. The government also decided to deploy on Wednesday a team of experts from the central level from Kinshasa to Bikoro with a set of appropriate equipment to oversee the investigations and the organization of the response on field. With this reappearance of the Ebola outbreak, the DRC is at its ninth Ebola outbreak since 1976. The last outbreak recorded by the country took place in May 2017 in the northern province of Bas-Uele which killed four people. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 18:35:36|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A sheep has given birth to five healthy lambs in Mongolia's northernmost Khuvsgul Province, local media reported Wednesday. Mongolia's national news agency Montsame reported that the mother sheep and her babies are in good health and three of the lambs are being fed by a different ewe. Herdsman J.Bold-Erdene, the owner of the sheep, described the birth of quintuplets as a good omen. The mother sheep gave birth to twins last year. Multiple births among sheep are not rare, but ewes usually give birth to one to three lambs at each birthing event. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 18:40:39|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Undated file photo shows China's J-20 stealth fighter jets taking part in their first-ever combat training over the ocean. China's J-20 stealth fighter jets have begun their first-ever combat training over the ocean, a spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. The J-20 is China's fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter aircraft and was commissioned into air force combat service earlier this year. (Xinhua) BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China's J-20 stealth fighter jets have begun their first-ever combat training over the ocean, a spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. "It will help the air force better fulfill its sacred duty of safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity," said Shen Jinke, spokesman for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force. The J-20 is China's fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter aircraft and was commissioned into air force combat service earlier this year. Shen said that since its commissioning the J-20 had taken part in air warfare training with J-16, J-10c and other fighter jets, boosting the air force's combat strength. In recent years, the air force has been developing a series of new hi-tech military hardware under a strategy to emphasize both aerial and celestial warfare, attack and defense. KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Ballot counting in the Malaysian election started on Wednesday afternoon as polling stations closed to voters nationwide at 5 p.m. local time (0900 GMT). The Election Commission (EC) said voter turnout reached 69 percent as of 3 p.m. local time (0700 GMT). EC said earlier it expected voter turnout to reach the same level as last year's 85 percent. But some analysts said voter turnout could be lower due to mid-week voting. On Wednesday morning, long queues were seen in many polling centers, which led some people to call for voting time extension. But EC chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah said voting time extension is against election rules. Due to a re-delineated electoral map before the election, constituencies nationwide tend to have different sizes, with the biggest one packing more than 150,000 voters while some small ones only having 30,000. Meanwhile, candidates from both the Barisan Nasional coalition and the opposition have complained about receiving non-stop spam calls. Mohamed Azmin Ali, chief minister of the opposition-held Selangor state, said he received hundreds of continuous calls originating from the United States as well as hundreds of junk emails. Incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak ordered an immediately investigation afterwards, saying BN websites also had access problems. Malaysian police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the attack was seen as an attempt to undermine the peace process of the general election. He added the police will work with the Communications and Multimedia Commission to conduct a detailed investigation. The election pits Najib against his former-mentor-turned opponent Mahathir Mohamad, the country's longest-serving prime minister. Results are expected to be unveiled late Wednesday evening. NEW DELHI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At least two security personnel belonging to India's Border Security Force (BSF) were killed and two seriously injured when a powerful blast occurred in the country's northeastern state of Manipur on Wednesday. A senior BSF official in New Delhi confirmed that the powerful blast occurred opposite the BSF's sector headquarter gate in area of the Imphal East district. Further details are yet to be released. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 18:50:46|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close People gather at the rocket attack site in Damascus, capital of Syria, on May 9, 2018. At least two people were killed and 14 others wounded when rockets targeted areas in the heart of the capital Damascus Wednesday, according to the state TV. (Xinhua/Maher) DAMASCUS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and 14 others wounded when rockets targeted areas in the heart of the capital Damascus Wednesday, according to the state TV. The TV said a rocket slammed the street near the roundabout of the Maysat neighborhood north of Damascus but didn't immediately explode. It added that the rocket bounced and hit a nearby car, then it exploded and destroyed the car completely while killing two people. In the Marjeh area in central Damascus, another rocket hit a trade center called the Damascus Center, causing damages. A fire broke out after the rocket attack, of which details are still murky with the official media outlets saying the attacks were "terrorists" without naming the perpetrator. Initial speculations indicated that the Islamic State (IS) might be behind the attack, as the areas it controls in southern Damascus are the last rebel-held areas after the government forces secured the vicinity of Damascus and dislodged the rebels last month from Eastern Ghouta countryside, the launching place of mortar attacks on Damascus. The Syrian army has been on a crushing offensive against IS in the Hajar al-Aswad and nearby areas south of Damascus. The terror group fired several mortars over the past few days hitting areas close to Hajar al-Aswad, but this is the first time Marjeh and Maysat get hit after the liberation of Eastern Ghouta. Fredie Blom (1st R) celebrates his 114th birthday with his relatives in Delft near Cape Town, South Africa, on May 8, 2018. Fredie Blom, believed to be the world's oldest man alive, celebrated his 114th birthday near Cape Town on Tuesday with much fanfare. (Xinhua/Willem van der Merwe) CAPE TOWN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Fredie Blom, believed to be the world's oldest man alive, celebrated his 114th birthday near Cape Town on Tuesday with much fanfare. With a big smile, Blom cut his birthday cake to the applause of a crowd of well-wishers at his home in Delft, an impoverished township on the outskirts of Cape Town. Albert Fritz, Minister of Social Development in the Western Cape Province, attended the birthday party. The provincial government, along with some supermarket chain stores, sponsored the event. Blom, born to a poor family in 1904 in a small town in Eastern Cape Province, is still able to walk but doesn't hear so well. When asked why he managed to live so long, Blom said, "Honor your father and your mother and you will live a long life." Fredie Blom (L, Front) walks with Albert Fritz (R, Front), Minister of Social Development in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, in Delft near Cape Town, South Africa, on May 8, 2018. Fredie Blom, believed to be the world's oldest man alive, celebrated his 114th birthday near Cape Town on Tuesday with much fanfare. (Xinhua/Willem van der Merwe) "Today I feel very proud and happy that so many people came to visit me," he said. His 85-year-old wife, Jeamette Blom, said that since Blom retired 30 years ago they had lived in Delft. Blom is an occasional smoker but he stopped drinking 50 years ago, according to Jeamette. Blom never gets too stressed about things and has been a "very hard working man," his wife said. "After we moved here, he made himself a little wagon and collected wood to sell to add to the little pension money that we are getting," said Jeamette, adding Blom has been a good husband for her. Blom has lived a quiet and peaceful life, and "I believe it is by the grace of God that contributed to his long life," she said. "No human can make another human live that long, it's only by the grace of God," Jeamette added. Fredie Blom (1st R) shares his birthday cake with his 85-year-old wife Jeamette Blom (2nd R) in Delft near Cape Town, South Africa, on May 8, 2018. Fredie Blom, believed to be the world's oldest man alive, celebrated his 114th birthday near Cape Town on Tuesday with much fanfare. (Xinhua/Willem van der Merwe) Blom's daughter, Jasmine, said Blom is a good man and a great father. "God spare him now for 114 years old. And we are so glad to have him as a father," she said. Speaking on behalf of the Western Cape government, Fritz said people can't believe that Blom is 114-year-old. Blom and his wife have worked as a good team, Fritz joked. "We want to say great stuff, well done, continue the great work and continue to be the example to everyone in the area. Today the government want to celebrate the achievement of this couple," Fritz said. LUSAKA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Zambia and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding on diplomatic and political consultations. The memorandum of understanding will allow the two countries to have practical cooperation and close coordination on various bilateral and internal issues as well as provide a mechanism to review outstanding agreements between the two countries. Zambia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Malanji, who is in Saudi Arabia signed on behalf of the southern African nation while his counterpart Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir signed on behalf of his country, according to a statement released by the foreign affairs ministry. The two ministers, who held bilateral talks, committed themselves to do everything possible in advancing bilateral ties in order to build strong economic partnerships and strategic alliances. The Zambian minister said the signing of the memorandum of understanding is a demonstration of the strong bonds of friendship and genuine strategic partnership between the two countries. The memorandum of understanding also demonstrates the deliberate efforts made by the two countries to further consolidate their bilateral relations as well as enhance the Africa-Saudi Arabia relations, he added. by Eric J. Lyman ROME, May 9 (Xinhua) -- After more than two months of fruitless negotiations aimed at establishing a new government, Italian President Sergio Mattarella formally proposed the formation a kind of "neutral," caretaker government this week. And for the first time ever in Italy, major political parties turned their backs on the president's request. Analysts said the developments could undermine the power of the important, largely non-political, office of the Italian president, who is the country's head of state. "Whatever the outcome of the current crisis, these latest moves could reduce the influence of the presidency," Vera Capperucci, a professor of contemporary history at Rome's LUISS University, told Xinhua. "It sets a precedent the first time a formal request from the presidency is unheeded. The next time, and the time after that, it becomes much easier." NEUTRAL GOV'T Mattarella said last week he would give political parties until Monday, May 7, to form a coalition that would comprise a parliamentary majority and said that if they failed, he would begin the process of forming a "neutral" government. No deal was reached, with the parties saying they would keep trying to reach an agreement for an alliance. Leaders of two of the biggest parties also called for new elections in July. "None of this has ever happened before," Daniela Giannetti, a political scientist with the University of Bologna, said in an interview. "Italy has never tried for a 'neutral' government before, and political parties have never disregarded a call like this from the president." The March 4 general election was inconclusive: four parties ended up with at least 14 percent of the vote, but none approached the 50-percent threshold needed to form a government on its own. Negotiations on alliances since the vote have failed to gain traction. Analysts said Mattarella's call for a non-partisan "neutral" government was calculated to make the notion more palatable for anti-establishment parties like the Five-Star Movement and the Northern League, which emerged from the March 4 vote as the first and third strongest parties, respectively. Under normal circumstances, a technical government would be formed to run things during a political stalemate. A "neutral" government, which would also be a first for Italy, would have less power to make policy than a technical government and it would be easier to dissolve if parties came to an agreement to form a coalition. "Those parties have taken a strong stance against any kind of temporary government, no matter what form," Giannetti said. "They seem intent to have new elections as soon as possible." TURNOUT The soonest such a vote could take place is probably July 22, a date opposed by the Democratic Party and Forza Italia, the second and fourth strongest parties, respectively, because of how close the vote would be to August vacations. They say the date could suppress turnout. In March, nearly 73 percent of eligible voters cast ballots, lower than average for Italy. Some models say that a late-July election could push turnout to as low as 50-percent. "You could have a case where you have a less representative percentage of the population changing the outcome of the last vote," Giannetti said. A lower turnout might also hurt the two parties pushing for the election, since they disproportionally draw support from younger voters, who are more likely to be away from home in July and unable to vote. But the biggest long-term consequence of the latest developments, according to Capperucci, could be the steadying influence of Mattarella and future Italian presidents. "Italy has had a history of political instability, but the role of the president has been the one reliable institution," Capperucci said. "If that is no longer the case, it could have very worrying consequences." Source: Xinhuanet| 2018-05-09 19:35:27|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinas valuable experience in coordinating urban and rural development as well as agricultural and industrial development has greatly benefited African countries, said former Tanzanian Prime Minister Salim Ahmed Salim at the Third Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation on Tuesday. Themed Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development, the forum gathered together delegates from China and African countries to share experience in poverty alleviation and explore the way to achieve sustainable development. The forum also aims to enhance local government cooperation. China has achieved great success in local governance. We should promote local government cooperation between China and African countries, Nigerien Prime Minister Brigi Rafini made the remarks at the forum. During an interview with Xinhuanet, Liomba Mwangala, Permanent Secretary of Southern Province of Zambia, said We expect our Chinese team to go to Zambia any time soon so that we can engage each other. He further noted that he is expecting Chinese companies to provide support in infrastructure construction, tourism development and so on. Speaking of the cooperation projects, Mandengue Louis Lucien Heurard, Deputy Mayor of Douala, Cameroon, said that the Belt and Road Initiative has brought many infrastructure projects to Africa. They make peoples life more convenient and create better conditions for poverty alleviation. Obiegni Thomas Dupont, Mayor of Ndikinimeki, Cameroon, said that apart from food and shelter, education is also an urgent issue in alleviating poverty. He welcomes China to engage in Africas development in a wider range of areas for further cooperation and mutual benefits. TEHRAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump's anti-Iran remarks, upon announcement of his withdrawal for the nuclear deal on Tuesday, were "silly and absurd." "He (Trump) threatened both the (Islamic) establishment and the Iranians. I announce on the behalf of the Iranian nation that 'Mr. Trump, you cannot do anything,'" Khamenei said, according to his official website. Khamenei also lashed out at the U.S. enmity with Iran, saying it "has no end." "U.S. problem with Iran was not just nuclear energy program. This was an excuse ... We signed JCPOA, but the U.S. enmity with Iran did not terminate," Khamenei said in a meeting with a group of Iranians. "Now they are posing our presence in the region and Iran's missile program. If we accept (their demand over) these, they will pose other issues," he said, cited by Tasnim news agency. The Iranian leader criticized the Iranian nuclear negotiators, saying that they failed to get enough guarantees from the United States upon signing the JCPOA. "From the very beginning, I said do not trust in the United States. I said if you are signing a contract, ask them (U.S. dealers) for the required guarantees," he said, adding that "the Iranian negotiators worked hard, but they failed to get enough guarantees." It is recommended that Iran will continue the implementation of the JCPOA with the European states, "but I do not trust these three countries either," Khamenei was quoted as saying. His remarks were an allusion to Iran's President Hassan Rouhani's comments on Tuesday that the Islamic republic will remain in the nuclear deal with other signatories of the JCPOA without the United States. "From this time on, the nuclear deal is an accord between Iran and five countries," Rouhani said in live speech broadcast from state TV. Rouhani said that he has asked the Iranian foreign minister to initiate negotiations with the European partners as well as China and Russia over the measures regarding the fate of the deal. "Since now, we should examine how the remaining big powers in the accord would deal with it," Rouhani said, adding that "if the deal remains live, we can take steps for the world's peace and security." U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. In a televised speech, Trump announced the exit, adding he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran. MADRID, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Spanish gastronomy is vital to help boost Spain's presence in China, a Spanish official said. Carlos Espinosa de los Monteros, the High Commissioner for Marca Espana, a Spanish government institution set up to promote Spain's image abroad, made the remark in an exclusive interview with Xinhua. He said Marca Espana planned to have a greater presence in Asia, and especially in China. "One of the tools we have to promote that is our gastronomy, which along with fashion and sport, leads the strategy to enter into important markets such as China." Although Spanish food is not well known in China, progress is being made in popularizing Spanish culinary traditions in the Asian giant, Espinosa de los Monteros said. "Every time a prestige chef goes to China, or begins to work in China, they are very popular; it is food that Chinese people enjoy," he said, adding that Spanish food "has prestige and is in the first line of global gastronomy." He explained that although Spain has a traditional food culture, a generation of chefs, such as Ferran Adria, Juan Mari Arzak, Joan Roca, Martin Berasategui and Eneko Atxa, are also known for their innovation. "It is a culture which is typified by innovation, talent and technology which has been incorporated into the old art of cooking," he said. Evidence of that innovation is currently visible in the XXXII edition of the Solon de Gourmets, which opened in Madrid on Tuesday and remains open until the weekend. "It is an event which specializes in exquisite products, which helps to give prestige to Spain," Espinosa de los Monteros said. This year, 1,300 new products are being presented, he added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 19:36:09|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's top military commander on Wednesday urged for reliance on domestic sources and capacities after the U.S. president pulled his country out of the JCPOA, the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri denounced the U.S. government for failing to honor its commitments and scrapping the agreements it has already signed. Iran has already learned that stability requires self-sufficiency and avoiding reliance on the JCPOA, or things like that, he said. "The last night experience (U.S. exit from JCPOA) indicated that although we should tactically follow certain sides, we ultimately need to stand on our own feet," he added. The Iranian Armed Forces are ready to protect the country and also help the administration, Baqeri stressed. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw his country from the Iran nuclear deal, a decision that immediately drew global frustration and outcry. In a televised speech from the White House, Trump announced the exit. He said that he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, and will re-impose sanctions lifted under the accord against Tehran and nations it has business links with. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 19:36:10|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday congratulated Viktor Orban on his reelection and assumption of office as Hungarian prime minister. In a congratulatory message, Li said the political trust between China and Hungary has been consolidated, and bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and infrastructure has achieved fruitful results. This has been in the common interest of both sides, and has been a driving force in promoting China's cooperation with regional countries, Li added. China is willing to work with Hungary to continuously promote bilateral relations, the 16+1 cooperation mechanism as well as relations and cooperation between China and the European Union so that they will reach a new level in the future, said Li. The 16+1 cooperation mechanism refers to a cooperation mechanism between China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 19:36:11|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SHENZHEN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China's leading new energy automaker BYD on Tuesday signed a contract for 500 electric dump trucks with two companies in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. It will be the first batch of electric dump trucks launched by BYD after the company started researching and developing new energy trucks in 2012. With a maximum gradeability of 50 percent and a capacity of 10.6 cubic meters, the model T10ZT is able to run as long as 280-plus kilometers fully loaded. The company also proposed to install stationary charging applications or mobile charging stations for the electric dump trucks, which can be fully charged in 90 minutes. It is estimated that the exhaust gas emission of a traditional dump truck or a concrete mixer truck could be equivalent to a total of 70 private cars. If all dump trucks and concrete mixer trucks in Shenzhen go electric, the annual amount of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide could be decreased by more than 1.6 million tonnes and 31,200 tonnes, respectively. Xiao Haiping, director of public relations department with the BYD commercial vehicle sales division, said that the company would launch electric concrete mixer trucks in the future to solve problems such as high emissions and noise caused by construction vehicles. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 19:41:12|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Economic and trade ties between China and Japan are expected to get a boost after the ups and downs of recent years as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has arrived in Tokyo for an official visit. His visit is the first in eight years by a Chinese premier, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the two countries. The two economies are highly complementary, with bilateral ties showing momentum for improvement, said the premier, who is also in Japan for the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting. The following are some facts and figures on China-Japan economic and trade relations: -- China is Japan's second-largest trade partner, while Japan is among China's top five largest partners. Statistics from China's Ministry of Commerce showed that in 2017, bilateral goods trade rose 9.9 percent to 297.28 billion U.S. dollars, reversing a downward trend since 2012. -- Chinese exports to Japan increased 5 percent to 164.42 billion dollars in 2017, while imports from Japan grew at a faster rate of 16.7 percent to 132.86 billion dollars, resulting in a smaller surplus of 31.57 billion dollars, down 26.1 percent from the 2016 level. -- In the first quarter of 2018, bilateral trade between the two countries rose 10.1 percent year on year to 76.4 billion dollars, with the China-Japan trade surplus down 14.9 percent to 8.31 billion dollars. -- Major Japanese export items to China include electric-mechanical products, chemical products and transportation equipment, while China mostly exports electric-mechanical products, textiles, furniture and toys to Japan. -- Japan's direct investment to China totaled 3.27 billion dollars in 2017, up from 3.11 billion dollars in 2016. -- In the first seven months of 2017, China's direct investment to Japan grew 15.9 percent year on year to 183.57 million dollars. Chinese investment in new businesses such as cross-border e-commerce and mobile payment is rapidly increasing in Japan. -- Tourists from China's mainland made more than 7.3 million trips to Japan in 2017, up 15 percent from 2016. They contributed 38.4 percent of the total tourist spending in Japan, the highest among all countries and regions. -- China is one of Japan's largest foreign automobile markets. In 2017, sales by Japanese carmakers Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda in the Chinese market all hit record highs. Nissan reported a 12.2-percent rise in sales to more than 1.52 million units last year, while Honda sold more than 1.44 million cars, up 15.5 percent year on year. -- The two countries, together with the Republic of Korea, are working on establishing a trilateral free trade zone, as well as negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, to strengthen regional development and facilitate free trade. TIRANA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A dean, a department head and a part-time lecturer with an Albanian university were among a total of seven people arrested on corruption charges, authorities said on Wednesday. Albanian Police in cooperation with the Prosecutor's Office of Elbasan district, center Albania arrested on Tuesday evening seven persons accused of passive corruption during the exercise of public office. Among the seven arrested individuals are the dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the Aleksander Xhuvani University in Elbasan, the head of the Journalism Department in the same university, and a part time lecturer at the Faculty of Economics. The arrested people have been accused of "exercising an illegal impact on persons who exercise public functions" as well as guilty of setting up a corruption scheme, asking students for sums of money in exchange for a passing grade. According to the prosecution office, the operation came after months of investigation. The arrest took place on the evening of May 8. The University rector Liman Varoshi reacted shortly through an announcement, stating that the Rector of the University has ordered the immediate suspension from the duties of the above employees. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 19:51:15|Editor: ZX Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The southern metropolis of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province will intensify exchanges with cities in Southeast Asia, authorities said Wednesday. There will be 150 international air routes linking Guangzhou with other international cities by 2020, the Guangzhou government said in a plan. A new terminal and two additional runways will be built at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, while a second airport is being considered, according to the plan. It is estimated that 23 percent of passengers at the airport will be international ones by 2020. Guangzhou hopes to build a "four-hour air transportation system" between itself and Southeast Asian cities, and a "12-hour transportation system" with other major cities in the world. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 19:56:18|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Japan's participation in the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative could open new space for China-Japan economic cooperation and benefit the development of third party markets, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday. Japanese media reported that the Japanese and Chinese governments plan to agree to establish a public-private council to discuss joint projects in other nations related to the B&R initiative. When asked for comments, spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a daily news briefing: "The B&R Initiative is an open and inclusive platform following the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. China is always open to Japan's participation in the initiative." The Japanese government sent a high-level delegation to attend the B&R Forum For International Cooperation held in Beijing last year. Some Japanese leaders have recently made positive statements about the B&R initiative, as have some Japanese corporations. China has noted those signals, and believes that Japan's participation in the B&R Initiative in a proper manner could create more space for China-Japan economic cooperation and build new sources of growth, Geng said. The spokesperson added that promoting China-Japan cooperation in third party markets will not only boost bilateral economic and trade cooperation, but is also in the interests of other nations. "China stands ready to work together with Japan to conduct relevant cooperation in third-party markets to achieve win-win results by complementing each other," Geng said. NEW DELHI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake on Wednesday shook Indian capital city New Delhi and Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said. According to Indian Meteorological Department, the earthquake measuring 6.1-magnitude occurred at 4:11 p.m. local time. "The epicenter of earthquake was Afghanistan-Tajikistan Border Region, located at 36.9 degrees north latitude and 71.3 degrees east longitude," information released by Indian Meteorological Department said. "The depth of the earthquake was 96 km." In Srinagar city and other major towns, the tremors forced people to rush out of buildings and houses. "I was working on my desk and suddenly I felt the ground beneath me shaking," Lateef Ahmad, a Srinagar resident told Xinhua. "In panic I rushed outside and I saw buildings, street light poles and trees shaking." Reports said the tremors were felt in New Delhi also. So far there were no reports of damage due to earthquake either in Indian-controlled Kashmir or New Delhi. OSLO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Norway said Wednesday it regrets U.S. decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement as the deal is important for regional stability, public broadcaster NRK reported. "We regret the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement. It is an agreement that has so far worked for its purpose, namely to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons," Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Soreide told NRK. She greeted good signals that came from the European Union (EU) and Iran, which want to continue the agreement. "We have warned the United States against withdrawing from the agreement, and urged EU and the other contractors to remain in the agreement in case the United States were to withdraw," Soreide said. "What we are worried about is both the global non-proliferation regime... and the stability of a region that is already very unstable," she said. KAMPALA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has completed the first round of a cholera vaccination campaign aimed at containing an outbreak that has left 45 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) refugees dead and over 2,000 others hospitalized since February. WHO said in a statement issued on Wednesday the five-day immunization drive achieved 97.9 percent of the targeted 360,000 people that included refugees and locals in their efforts to control an ongoing cholera outbreak in Kyangwali and Kyaka Refugee Settlements. The settlements located in the mid-western districts of Hoima and Kyegegwa host thousands of DRC refugees fleeing fighting back home. "Kyangwali which hosts refugees from the DRC attained coverage of 105.87 percent," the global health body said. The east African country last week launched a five-day exercise at the six hot spots of Kigorobya, Kabwoya and Buseruka sub counties, Kigorobya Town Council and Kyangwali refugee settlement. The second dose of immunization is scheduled for June 6-10. Uganda is among the five African countries that WHO and other partners are supporting to use Oral Cholera Vaccination to stop the increase of outbreaks on the continent. The other countries include Nigeria, South Sudan, Zambia and Malawi. Cholera, according to WHO, is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae. WHO recommends that vaccination against cholera be considered in emergencies and other high-risk scenarios where there are increased threats of outbreaks. PYONGYANG, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Wednesday asked the United States to show "etiquette and sincerity" as a dialogue partner. In a commentary, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) criticized the United States for saying the DPRK's commitment to denuclearization was the "result of maximum pressure". "This nonsense is a sophistry that can be made only by those with the Cold War way of thinking and such rude remarks may reverse the situation in the peninsula," the article said. The KCNA said the Washington Post had written that the present climate in the peninsula was attributable to DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un and was the result of his self-confidence. The article also referred to U.S. President Donald Trump, along with other world leaders, welcoming the Panmunjom summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April, saying it was very glad news for the whole world. "This shows that the recent north-south summit and the Panmunjom Declaration are an epoch-making event guaranteeing peace and security in the peninsula and the region, and meet the interests of the U.S.," the article said. "The U.S. should bear in mind that it will conform to the demand of the world community and to its own interests to show etiquette and sincerity to its dialogue partner," it added. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday to hold talks with Kim, according to U.S. media reports. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 20:31:36|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close RAMALLAH, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat said Wednesday that the declarations by Guatemala and Paraguay to move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem later this month are "a breach of international law." Erekat sent identical letters to diplomats and representatives of world governments in Palestine reiterating his call to boycott the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem next week. He said that the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital is "not only in violation of UNSC resolution 478 and the U.S. obligations under international law and towards the peace process, but also goes in line with Israeli strategy to normalize the occupation and end just peace horizons on the basis of the two-state solution on the borders on 1967." He called for tangible steps to counter the U.S. move "including the recognition of the state of Palestine on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," and steps to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. He warned that participating in such a ceremony "is a recognition of this unilateral and unlawful step." The top PLO official held the international community responsible for protecting principles of law enforcement, urging members of the diplomatic organizations not to take any step that would recognize the illegal step, and to "show the international community's solid commitment to the principles of international law and the UN resolutions." Israel is getting ready to celebrate the opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem in line with U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of the city as Israel's capital last December. Guatemala was the first country to follow the U.S. move declaring its embassy to Jerusalem, followed by Paraguay last week. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 20:36:37|Editor: ZX Video Player Close HOHHOT, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Sun Huaishan, a former senior political advisor, stood trial Wednesday for charges including taking bribes at the Intermediate People's Court of Hulun Buir City in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Sun was formerly a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee and head of the Committee for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese of the CPPCC National Committee. According to the prosecutors' indictment, between 1994 and 2016, Sun allegedly took advantage of his posts to provide help for certain units and individuals in procurement of land use rights, enterprise operation, project approval and job promotions. From 2000 to 2016, he accepted money and property worth 39.75 million yuan (6.24 million U.S. dollars), either by himself or through his family, the indictment read. Prosecutors as well as Sun and his defense attorneys examined the evidence in court. Both sides fully expressed their opinions, according to the court's statement. In his final statement, Sun admitted his guilt and expressed repentance. More than 60 people, including lawmakers, political advisors, and journalists, attended the trial. The court ruling will be announced at a later date. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 20:36:37|Editor: yan Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a speech while attending a business summit of China, Japan and South Korea along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Tokyo, Japan, May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday called on China, Japan and South Korea to jointly safeguard free trade, expand investment and industrial capacity cooperation, as well as enhance enhance innovation cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Cooperation among China, Japan and South Korea, as neighbors or regional major economies, has resilience and vitality with broad prospects, Li said while addressing a business summit of the three countries. The business summit was held following a trilateral meeting between Li, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Tokyo. The Chinese premier urged the three countries to create a peaceful and stable environment for development, stick to the path of peaceful development, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and properly handle sensitive issues and disputes. As beneficiaries and advocates of globalization with the experience of being under the pressure of trade protectionism, the Chinese premier said, the three countries should jointly push forward globalization and safeguard free trade. "Faced with the severe situation of rising protectionism and unilateralism, China, Japan and South Korea should hold together firmly to support free trade and jointly defend rules-based multilateral trade system," Li said. The Chinese premier also called for accelerating negotiations on a China-Japan-South Korea free trade agreement (FTA) and pushing for an early agreement on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) so as to promote the building of East Asian Economic Community. On expanding investment and industrial capacity cooperation, Li said, each of the three countries has its own advantages and the prospects for cooperation are broad. The Belt and Road Initiative is creating new room for their cooperation, he added. Concerning innovation cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, Li said China is willing to work with Japan and South Korea in areas including digital economy, artificial intelligence, environmental protection, and medical service and health. China has maintained an annual growth of 7.1 percent over the past five years, contributing to over 30 percent of world economic growth, thanks to its reform and opening up, Li said, adding that it will continue to improve business environment and work to achieve a high-quality development by deepening its reform and opening up. Noting that the year 2019 marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the China-Japan-South Korea cooperation mechanism, Li urged businesses of the three countries to join hands to not only benefit the three countries but also provide new driving force for world economic growth. For his part, Japanese Prime Minister Abe said the three leaders have reached consensus on restarting Japan-China-South Korea cooperation, thus bringing new opportunities for their growth and cooperation. Abe highlighted finance, science and technology as well as coping with the challenges of an aging society as areas where the three countries should enhance cooperation. Noting that currently the Korean Peninsula has taken an important, favorable turn for peace, South Korean President Moon said this would create more investment opportunities for businesses. Moon urged the three countries to step up cooperation in such fields as research and development, energy, medical service, environmental protection and disaster management. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 20:51:42|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China National Chemical Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (CNCEC) said Wednesday that it has signed engineering contracts worth 2.565 billion euros (about 3.05 billion U.S. dollars) with Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The contracts include construction of a solid waste incineration power plant, highways, urban rail traffic systems and hospitals, the CNCEC said on its website. The solid waste incineration power plant will have an annual treatment capacity of 750,000 tonnes and annual power generation capacity of 320 million kilowatt hours. The company will ensure construction quality and efficiency of these projects, it said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 20:56:46|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close An armored vehicle is parked outside the headquarters of Mobile Brigade, an elite Indonesian police forces, following a riot at the detention center inside the compound in Depok, West Java, Indonesia, on May 9, 2018. Militants killed five members of an anti-terror squad and is taking another hostage in a prison riot in the outskirts of the capital Jakarta, police said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B.) JAKARTA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Militants killed five members of an anti-terror squad and is taking another hostage in a prison riot in the outskirts of the capital Jakarta, police said on Wednesday. One terrorist was also killed in the incident that broke out since Tuesday night, national police spokesman Brigadier Gen. Muhammad Iqbal said. The spokesman said the militants seized all weapons owned by the five police personnel whom they killed. The police are attempting to conduct a negotiation with the militants and threatened to take a stern legal action should they reject, he said. "The incident leaves five our police fellows dead. We had to shot dead one terrorist who was resisting," Iqbal told reporters. The riot took place in one of the prison blocks and the situation is under control, he said, adding that the prison had 130 inmates. The incident was triggered by the objection of the prisoners' requirements on food, the spokesman said. Security around the prison was boosted and civilians were not allowed to get close to the entrance, according to the police. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 20:56:47|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close GAZA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) declared on Wednesday that it has received a donation worth 10 million U.S. dollars from Turkey, in support of the agency's programs. UNRWA said in an emailed press statement that Turkey pledged 26,000 metric tons of wheat in support of nearly 1 million refugees in Gaza Strip. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl in Ankara on Tuesday. According to the statement, Erdogan stressed his commitment to the UN and the support of the Palestinian refugees, saying "we will stand with UNRWA at this delicate time and mobilize our national mechanisms to support its 'Dignity is Priceless' campaign during Ramadan." Krahenbuhl considered the meeting "a source of encouragement. UNRWA services for 526,000 students and millions of Palestine refugees must be preserved." The UNRWA has over 700 schools serving almost 525,000 children, and offers healthcare for some 3.5 million refugees through a network of 150 clinics. In addition, the agency's food and cash assistance program offers some 1.7 million dollars to extremely vulnerable refugees. Throughout the region, UNRWA serves 5.3 million Palestinian refugees. In the beginning of the year, the U.S. cut down its contribution to UNRWA from 125 million dollars to 65 million dollars. Palestinian officials have said that the U.S. move to reduce UNRWA funds comes in line with the new policy of U.S. President Donald Trump to ignore the final issues of the peace process, by removing the issues of Jerusalem and the refugees "off the table," as Trump said in a tweet after he recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital on Dec. 6, 2017. NEW DELHI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed and one injured Wednesday after a truck collided head-on with a mini-bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu, police said. The accident took place near Palani in Dindigul district, 428 km south of Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu. "Today a mini-bus carrying pilgrims collided head-on with a goods truck here killing seven people," a police official posted in Dindigul district said. "Four people died on spot and three others succumbed inside hospital. One person is still undergoing treatment." Officials said the deceased were identified as Hindu pilgrims hailing from neighboring Kerala state. "These people were on their way to the famous Lord Muruga temple," the police official said. BERLIN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Cabinet members in Angela Merkel's (CDU) federal government have agreed on a reform of refugees' humanitarian right to family-reunification in Germany on Wednesday. According to the legislative proposal, the total number of family members who can be brought to Germany by asylum seekers and recipients of so-called "subsidiary protection" will be limited to 1,000 each month. The definition of family members was narrowed to spousal partners, underage children and parents of underage children. The responsibility of selecting the 1,000 monthly refugees who are granted entry to Germany lies with the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig. Decisions will be determined by humanitarian considerations, including risks to the physical safety or freedom of individuals, as well as cases of illness and caregiving needs. Even terrorist suspects can apply for family-reunification in exceptional circumstances. The granting of their request is hereby conditional on credible evidence that the individual in question refrains from behavior which endangers public security in Germany. The plans were formulated by the interior minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) following a long-standing and widely-publicized confrontation over the matter between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) and German Social Democrats (SPD) in the "grand coalition" government. All changes are still subject to consultation and approval by the federal parliament (Bundestag). Shortly after the publication of the proposals, non-governmental organizations (NGO), as well as the German Protestant and Catholic churches criticized the announced changes to the right to family-reunification. Albert Recknagel, executive spokesperson for the international child relief organization "Terre des Hommes" complained that the legislative draft threatened the welfare of minors who had fled to Germany. "Underage refugees with subsidiary protection which are currently in Germany on their own will be able to apply for re-unification with their parents but not their siblings," Recknagel told the press. Recknagel highlighted that parents would therefore have to decide with which child to live and which child to leave behind. The law would cement the separation of close relatives instead of allowing individuals with subsidiary protection to "live together with their families." Additionally, Terre des Hommes expressed concern that no clarity had been provided by the government yet as to which cases would be selected once the monthly quota of 1,000 individuals was filled. As a consequence, the organisation called for a quota solution with more temporal flexibility in lieu of a monthly cap. The federal government has announced a goal of formally passing the new legislation in parliament by the summer. The CDU, CSU and SPD possess a combined legislative majority in the chamber. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 21:06:53|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi (L) shakes hands with Myanmar President U Win Myint in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/U Aung) NAYPYIDAW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi met with Myanmar President U Win Myint and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday to discuss bilateral relations. When meeting with U Win Myint, Zhao said that the proposals made by Chinese President Xi Jinping to foster a new type of international relations and to build a community with a shared future for mankind opened up a broader prospect for the development of China-Myanmar relations. He said China attaches great importance to Sino-Myanmar relations and will make joint efforts with Myanmar to implement the important consensus made by leaders of the two sides, jointly promote the construction of the Myanmar-China Economic Corridor, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields so as to continuously promote the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Zhao said that the China-Myanmar cooperation in law-enforcement and security areas is an important part of bilateral relations, adding that the Chinese side is willing to further strengthen the security cooperation on the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative with Myanmar and deepen pragmatic cooperation against drug-related crimes, human trafficking and telemarketing scams so as to jointly maintain the social and economic development as well as the security and stability of both countries. For his part, U Win Myint thanked China for its precious support and selfless help to Myanmar. The president said the friendship between Myanmar and China has been forged on a deep foundation, hoping that both sides would strengthen cooperation on project construction with the framework of China's Belt and Road Initiative including the Myanmar-China economic corridor. Myanmar and China should also boost cooperation in the sectors of law enforcement and security so as to achieve more positive results and bring more benefits to the two peoples, U Win Myint said. When meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, Zhao said the important consensus made by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Aung San Suu Kyi last year guide the way for the comprehensive strategic cooperation now and in the future. Zhao said that the China is willing to implement the important consensus made by both leaders, to continuously enhance law-enforcement and security cooperation, so as to jointly maintain the security and development interests of both sides and make contribution to developing bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Aung San Suu Kyi thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for attaching great importance to Sino-Myanmar relations and their support to the Myanmar peace process and economic and social development. She hoped to further strengthen cooperation with China in various fields such as the construction of the Myanmar-China Economic Corridor as well as law-enforcement and security to promote continuous development of Myanmar-China relations. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 21:06:54|Editor: ZX Video Player Close JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz implied Wednesday that the Israeli army was behind an attack targeting south of Damascus Tuesday evening, Israeli media reported. The attack was launched the night before Syria carried missiles attacks targeting Israel, Katz told Israeli media Ynet. "Iran threatened, both in public and through messengers, to hurt Israel. We take this very seriously. We both defend soldiers and civilians and act through intelligence and all of our capabilities to locate and prevent (attacks) in advance," he was quoted as saying. According to the report, Katz also asserted that "only strikes now, today, could prevent violence and wars tomorrow. The Iranians don't understand any other language." Katz stressed that the strategy of Israeli cabinet under the leadership of the Israeli Prime Minister is to "prevent war." "We don't want to conquer Syria," he added. "We want to force the Iranians to make a decision to strategically withdraw from Syria." Syrian media outlets reported a strike on a base in the Al-Kiswah area south of Damascus late Tuesday. Syrian state media said that its air defenses had brought down two Israeli missiles. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor group said Wednesday that the death toll of the missile strike has risen to 15 pro-regime fighters, eight from Iran's Revolutionary Guards and others not of Syrian nationality. The strike came shortly after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it had identified "irregular activity" by Iranian forces in Syria. The IDF declined to make a comment on the reports. WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has brought three U.S. citizens back from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday. He said the three men, back to the United States, are in "good health" and he would meet with them and Pompeo at the airport. The three men had been under detention in the DPRK. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 21:31:58|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) meets with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Tokyo, Japan, May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Tao) TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Tokyo on Wednesday, vowing to enhance political mutual trust and win-win cooperation. Calling the two countries close neighbors and important cooperation partners, Li said China hopes to enhance strategic communication and political trust with South Korea, expand win-win cooperation and promote further easing of regional situation. He called on South Korea to properly handle the issue regarding the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system. The two countries should synergize their development strategies and enhance cooperation in various areas, Li said. The 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting, held earlier on Wednesday in Tokyo, had reached many new consensuses on boosting cooperation, maintaining regional stability and facilitating regional development, Li said. China will take over the presidency of the trilateral cooperation, he said, vowing to work closely with Japan and South Korea to cement trust and meet each other halfway to boost trilateral cooperation as well as regional integration.H Li congratulated the success of the recent inter-Korean summit between Moon and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un. He welcomed the return of the nuclear issue on Korean Peninsula to the track of dialogue and spoke highly of the efforts made by South Korea. Such a situation has not come by easily, he said, urging all parties concerned to seize the opportunity, stick to the right direction of maintaining dialogue and improving relations, and make efforts for a political settlement of the peninsula issue and a lasting peace on the peninsula. "China will continue to play a constructive role in this regard," he said. Moon extended congratulations on the positive results scored by the trilateral meeting. He appreciated China's strong support and cooperation for the inter-Korea summit and hoped for continued full support from China for the planned meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un and for the process of realizing peace in the peninsula. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership and the relations between the two countries have been restored and normalized, said Moon. He hoped that the two sides could maintain high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, and advance pragmatic cooperation, so as to promote new progress in bilateral relations. KHARTOUM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Wednesday expressed regret over Egypt's official statement blaming Sudan and Ethiopia for failure of the recent tripartite talks on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). "The Sudanese Ministry of Water Resources, Irrigation and Electricity expresses regret over statements made by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, which contradict the positive spirit between the two countries," said the Sudanese ministry in a statement. On Monday, Shoukry reportedly blamed Sudan and Ethiopia for the failure of the recent round of the tripartite dam talks held in Ethiopia, accusing Sudan of narrowing the view points of the meeting. The talk ended on May 5 without reaching an agreement on the technical report prepared by French firms on the potential impact of the dam. "Sudan has provided a comprehensive consensus proposal that the three countries agreed to look into and respond within a week and consider possibility of using it as a course to get out of the current technical crisis," the statement said. It further stressed Sudan's firm position on the necessity of making an effort to complete the studies, and continue the talks and meetings. "Questioning and destroying the bridges of trust will only bring divergence and dispute to the peoples of the three countries," it noted. The three countries are expected to meet again in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia on May 15 on the same issue. In December 2017, Egypt proposed to have the World Bank as a neutral party on the tripartite technical committee, but Ethiopia rejected the request. The GERD project, which costs 4.7 billion U.S. dollars, is now 64 percent completed. Ethiopia hopes it will provide a constant supply of clean and affordable power and accelerate its shift from an agricultural economy to an industrial powerhouse. Ethiopia and Sudan eye massive benefits from the GERD construction, while Egypt is concerned that it might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the Nile River water. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 21:52:03|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close CHENGDU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- An official with the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday called for a greater role for children in efforts and initiatives to reduce disaster risks. Perhaps it is not intuitive to consider that a child may be able to be part of helping a community reduce risk, said Douglas Noble, UNICEF Deputy Representative to China. Yet, experience shows that children have knowledge and ideas about risks and how to address them. Speaking at a forum in commemoration of the disastrous Wenchuan earthquake a decade ago, Noble also stressed the need to be reactive and proactive in order to make children and communities better prepared and more resilient in the event of disasters. Noble noted that children are affected by disasters in many ways, from death, injuries, and diseases related to malnutrition, to poor water and sanitation, and psychological trauma and its debilitating effects. Noble made the remarks in Beichuan, one of the worst-hit areas during the earthquake that killed more than 80,000 people. In 2015, UNICEF China and several agencies of the Chinese government launched a disaster risk reduction program in Sichuan, aiming to help make children, families and communities less vulnerable to and better prepared for disasters. We will continue working with government counterparts, including the new Ministry of Emergency Management, and bring our international experience to disaster risk deduction, Noble said. In the three years following the quake, UNICEF provided nearly 42 million U.S. dollars in support for earthquake recovery and reconstruction, according to the organization. KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia held its general election on Wednesday with early tally showing a tight race between the ruling Barisan National (BN) coalition and the opposition Pakatan Harapan. The official result released by the election commission covered less than 22 seats of the 222 seats in the lower house of the parliament, but unofficial tally by local media put the two camps in very close race. BN, or National Front, led by incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak, is facing the Pakatan Harapan, or the Alliance of Hope, headed by 92-year-old former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who eyes to break the uninterrupted rule by the ruling coalition in the country since its independence in 1957. A simple majority of 112 seats of the 222 seats will generate a winner. BERLIN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Audi announced the release of a new motor software upgrade on Wednesday in response to revelations of previously-unknown emissions-cheating devices identified in diesel vehicles of the luxury car maker's A6 and A7 series. Speaking at Audi's annual general meeting, chief executive officer Rupert Stadler said the Volkswagen Group subsidiary had developed a "short-term solution" in the form of a software update for 60,000 affected A6 and A7 vehicles. The CEO promised the technology would be presented to the German Federal Motor Transport Agency (KBA) soon. "The mistake in one of our departments is serious, but it is not a new manipulation software," Stadler said. Audi is collaborating closely with transport authorities in an ongoing investigation into the matter, Stadler said. The Ingolstadt-based car maker recently confirmed that it reported suspicious practices in the manufacturing of A6 and A7 diesel motors to the KBA and has halted all production of the current car series as a consequence. Additionally, deliveries of affected vehicles which were already sold to customers have been frozen for the time being. Stadler described the large-scale product recalls as "the result of our uncompromising investigation" on Wednesday and reiterated that the "diesel crisis" was "not over" for Audi. Stadler announced to shareholders that the "clarification of judicial matters" related to the emissions-cheating scandal which was first unveiled in 2015 would continue at his company. However, he vowed that Audi and the Volkswagen Group had learned their lesson and would now prioritize "moral and legally-proper behavior." Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 21:57:05|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is bringing three released U.S. citizens back from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen," Trump tweeted. Saying that the three "seem to be in good health," Trump added they would land at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. He said he will be there to greet them. The three men had been detained in the DPRK for months. Trump also tweeted "Date & Place set" during Pompeo's second visit to Pyongyang, indicating the time and place for his expected meeting with the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un had been decided on as Pompeo had a "good meeting with Kim Jong Un". Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 21:57:06|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close JUBA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Britain on Wednesday urged warring parties in South Sudan to reach compromise in the next round of talks and uphold the signed December Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities (ACOH) last year. British Minister for Africa Harriett Baldwin said in a statement that London welcomes the resumption of peace talks in South Sudan next week and the consultations that are now underway, but raised concern about the continued failure to reach compromise agreement amid violation of the ACOH. "It is disappointing that we once again find ourselves in a position where the cessation of hostilities agreement reached at the last set of talks has not held, and the talks have so far failed to generate serious commitment to compromise," Baldwin said. "This is a critical moment for the peace process and we remain strongly in support of regional efforts to bring about a lasting peace," she said. Baldwin reiterated that only a negotiated agreement can bring peace in South Sudan and create the conditions for elections. South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 after political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar led to split within the SPLA, leaving soldiers to fight alongside ethnic lines. The 2015 peace agreement to end the conflict was weakened after the outbreak of renewed fighting in July 2016. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 21:57:07|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close An Afghan policeman guards on a military vehicle at the site of a suicide attack in Shahri Naw area downtown of Kabul, Afghanistan, May 9, 2018. Anti-government militants launched complex offensives on two police stations in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Wednesday and so far seven people were confirmed dead and 17 injured, while clashes continue between militants and security forces in downtown Kabul. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) KABUL, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Anti-government militants launched complex offensives on two police stations in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Wednesday and so far seven people were confirmed dead and 17 injured, while clashes continue between militants and security forces in downtown Kabul. According to police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai, two militants equipped with arms and suicide vests targeted a police station in Police District 13 in Dashti Barchi locality at 11:30 a.m. local time. After hours of fighting, six people including two police personnel and two attackers were killed and nine others including two police personnel sustained injuries. In a span of 20 minutes, another group of militants targeted a police station in Police District 10 in Shahri Now locality in downtown Kabul. According to an official, one person was killed and eight others injured while operations are underway to eliminate the attacking militants. Interior Minister Wais Barmak in talks with reporters confirmed that standoff is underway and Unit of Special Forces have been trying to eliminate the attackers and bring the situation under control. The Islamic State outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack on the police station in Police District 13. Clashes between security forces and militants are continuing in Police District 10 and the Taliban group has reportedly claimed responsibility. (File photo)Iranian workers stand in front of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, about 1,200 km (746 miles) south of Tehran, Iran, October 26, 2010. (Reuters photo) TEHRAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's top military commander on Wednesday urged for reliance on domestic sources and capacities after the U.S. president pulled his country out of the JCPOA, the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri denounced the U.S. government for failing to honor its commitments and scrapping the agreements it has already signed. Iran has already learned that stability requires self-sufficiency and avoiding reliance on the JCPOA, or things like that, he said. "The last night experience (U.S. exit from JCPOA) indicated that although we should tactically follow certain sides, we ultimately need to stand on our own feet," he added. The Iranian Armed Forces are ready to protect the country and also help the administration, Baqeri stressed. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw his country from the Iran nuclear deal, a decision that immediately drew global frustration and outcry. In a televised speech from the White House, Trump announced the exit. He said that he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, and will re-impose sanctions lifted under the accord against Tehran and nations it has business links with. by Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Greek parliament approved a bill on Wednesday which opens the way for same sex couples to foster children, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. A total of 161 deputies voted in favor and 103 against the bill. The bill concerns couples which have signed civil partnership agreements, including same-sex couples, was supported by most MPs of the Left-led two-partite ruling coalition, as well as many opposition parties' deputies. The bill foresees the simplification of the adoption procedures which have been criticized as bureaucratic. The government stressed, however, that when it comes to adoption, only married couples can adopt. Addressing the parliament shortly before the vote on Wednesday, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said the new law gives children the opportunity to live a normal life and grow up out of shelters. "Fostering provides for the return of the child to its natural parents, who must retain contact with the child during its fostering time. It would not be an exaggeration to say that fostering is an act of altruism, solidarity, and service of those who choose it," the Greek premier said. In recent years, Greece has approved several bills aimed at ending discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. Civil unions between same sex couples in Greece were legalized three years ago. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 22:02:11|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi President Fuad Masoum Wednesday expressed regret for the withdrawal of the United States from Iran nuclear deal, a landmark international agreement signed in 2015. In a statement issued by his office, Masoum said that he "regrets the decision of U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday to withdraw from the agreement over the Iranian nuclear program." Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is an international agreement reached in Vienna on July 14, 2015 between Iran, the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States -- plus Germany), and the European Union. In his statement Masoum appreciated the stances of the other parties to their fully adherence to the deal, and urged the United States not to prejudice the agreement and avoid obstructing its full implementation by the other parties that signed it. Masoum also called on the United States to "reconsider its decision," saying that the agreement represented a "great achievement to enhance the chances of peace and progress for all countries in the region and the international community." Trump was a frequent critic of the agreement, which he famously described as "the worst deal ever." On Tuesday, Trump said that he withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, which agreed to lift crippling economic sanctions on Iran in return for its agreement to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow international inspectors access to its facilities. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 22:07:12|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close JUBA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Threats by the United States to cut assistance to South Sudan may not end the ongoing conflict in the East African country, a senior government official said on Wednesday. Mawen Makol Arik, Foreign Ministry Spokesman, said withdrawing support will affect the progress of the peace negotiations because it will make the several opposition factions not to commit to the talks. "Now as we are about to go for consultations (on the next round of peace talks in Ethiopia) tomorrow, we are getting negative comments from the U.S.. Does the American government really want peace in South Sudan? Such statements are the ones emboldening the opposition not to work for peace," Arik said. The Trump administration on Tuesday threatened to stop giving aid to South Sudan over the ongoing civil unrest, adding that the government of President Salva Kiir has lost credibility. Washington further condemned South Sudan's military offensive against the opposition and the planned elections, which the Trump administration termed as "sham". But Arik said the credibility of a government leading a sovereign state like South Sudan cannot be questioned by other countries. He said the government of South Sudan seeks to continue dialoguing with the U.S. government in a bid to find better ways of ending the conflict. "Whatever decision they have arrived to, it is their legitimate right to do. We government of South Sudan cannot decide for the U.S.. The government is committed to the peace process through the revitalization forum and the national dialogue," Arik said. "If they have decided not to help us, we will urge other people who are supporting the peace process to continue with their support," he added. South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world. The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally. A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under United Nations pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government, but was shattered by renewed fighting in July 2016. by Olatunji Saliu KADUNA, Nigeria, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At least two decomposed corpses were found in surrounding bushes on Tuesday as a team of local residents combed Nigeria's northwestern village of Gwaska, which was attacked by gunmen last weekend. Dozens of bullet shells and burned bicycles were also found in the thick bushes, around the market square, and inside the main village. Gwaska is a populated village, located in Birnin-Gwari, an area frequently attacked by gunmen in Nigeria's northern state of Kaduna. It is 291 kilometers away from the Kaduna city center. It has no road, no school, no fence, no functional health facility, no source of water supply. Most of its dwellers are farmers who go to source for water in other villages to do their farming work, drink, cook, and bath. Last Saturday, ahead of the attack which left the village with sorrow, tears, and blood, a group of gunmen had sent word that they were coming to attack the villagers. Sheriff Abdullahi (not real name), a youth leader in the village, said he and the village chiefs headed to a security post mounted in Birnin-Gwari town, less than 15 kilometers to the village, to call for security support. "After receiving the threat message, some of our people working on their farm had spotted some of the gunmen hiding in the bush," said Abdullahi, whose father was among 16 people killed in a similar attack on Gwaska two years ago. According to the youth leader and other villagers, a few security personnel came around but withdrew and headed back to their post after speaking to the villagers for less than an hour. "Then, few minutes after the Muslim prayer at 4 p.m. local time, the gunmen struck and wreaked havoc on our village," Abdullahi told Xinhua in the local Hausa language mainly spoken in northern Nigeria and some African countries. The attackers were believed to have entered the village from the northwestern state of Zamfara, a neighboring state to Kaduna. The gunmen, over 100 in number, came in at least 50 motorcycles. They rode in twos, while some were three on a motorbike. Mostly children were killed during the four-hour attack. As of Tuesday, the death toll had risen to 73. Although a mass burial was held on Monday for at least 58 bodies earlier recovered after the attack, 13 more bodies were found littering the bushes between late Monday and early Tuesday, residents said. A Xinhua crew on an on-the-spot reporting of the incident found two more bodies in a thick bush, together with a local security group in the village, on Tuesday. "This is the body of Abu, my brother-in-law. We were together when the attackers struck. I ran toward a different direction for safety while he ran toward this bush. I didn't know he was pursued to the bush and killed here by the gunmen," teary-eyed Malik Hassan (also not real name) told Xinhua has he dug a shallow grave to bury his deceased in-law in the bush. Local residents scampered for safety as the gunmen entered the village on Saturday evening, shooting indiscriminately and burning down the houses, shops, grain stores and bicycles. Some of the buildings were still burning when Xinhua visited the village. Many of the victims were macheted or gunned down, some burned alive and others tied to the back of the gunmen's motorcycles while driven along the path to the village's exit until they died. "We cannot take his body out of here because, as you can see, it is dismembered," Hassan said, pointing at the already swollen body of Abu. The village's youth leader said more people are still missing, following the attack last Saturday evening. During Monday's mass burial of the victims, relatives were buried together, with some of the graves having up to six bodies. A local team formed by the villagers are still helping to comb the surrounding bushes for more bodies. The village head has relocated most of the people to a neighboring place called Doka until the government provides adequate security for them. Up till now, there is no security presence in the village despite the mass killing of the dwellers. In a move to track down the killers, the local police in Kaduna said combatant policemen will be assigned to comb Birnin-Gwari. On Monday, Governor Nasir El-Rufai said the establishment of a permanent Battalion of the Nigerian Army in the Birnin-Gwari general area had been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. Nigeria's police chief Ibrahim Idris has also announced the creation of a Birnin-Gwari Police Area Command and two new divisional police headquarters as a means of beefing up security in the area. Police spokesperson Mukhtar Aliyu told reporters in Kaduna city that no arrest has been made so far, but that the effort to arrest the killers has been intensified. (Note: Pseudonyms are used in the report to protect the identity of villagers.) Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 22:22:17|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Chief Executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Chui Sai On (L) and Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai attend a joint press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, May 9, 2018. Thailand's popular beach destination Phuket and China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will boost trade and tourism cooperation. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak) BANGKOK, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's popular beach destination Phuket and China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will boost trade and tourism cooperation. The signing was witnessed by Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Chief Executive of the Macao SAR Chui Sai On. Chui is on a three-day visit to Thailand. Chui said Macao aims to expand cooperation with Thailand in education, traditional Chinese medical science and markets of Portuguese-speaking countries under the Belt and Road Initiative. He said Thailand is one of Macao's key partners in southeast Asia in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Don said the two sides have discussed exploring potential cooperation in areas of economy, tourism, medical science and innovative cultural industry, adding that Thailand hopes to drum up investments from Macao to its Eastern Economic Corridor. Macao recorded 198,222 Thai visitor arrivals last year, a year-on-year decline of 16.1 percent, 54.2 percent of them same-day visitors, according to the Statistics and Census Bureau. The Macao SAR government will host the 2018 Traditional Medicine International Development Forum and the Economic and Financial Promotion Forum in Bangkok on Thursday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 22:32:18|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi Arabia-backed Yemeni government announced on Wednesday its full support to the decision made by the U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran. Yemen's Foreign Ministry said in an official statement that the government welcomed Trump's decision to end the U.S. participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran. The Yemeni ministry described the decision as "a big step in the right direction to prevent Iran's destabilizing and dangerous behavior." It also stated that "the deal failed to protect the vital interests of not only the U.S. but also its partners and allies in the Middle East, including Yemen." According to the statement, "Iran's regime exploited the benefits of the JCPOA deal and continued exporting violence and expanding its ambition in the region." The Yemeni government strongly slammed the Iranian role in Yemen saying that "Iran has been, for a very long time, supporting and arming the Houthi rebels in Yemen." It also added that "Iran provided Houthis with sophisticated missiles and other technologies including military drones, sea mines, and explosive boats, which threaten freedom of navigation in the Red Sea." In a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Matthew Tueller in Riyadh on Wednesday, Yemen's President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi said that Iran had exploited the nuclear deal negatively and "continued to interfere in the affairs of those countries in line with the Persian state's expansionist agenda." The Yemeni government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia, has long accused Iran of arming and financing the Shiite Houthis against Hadi, but Iran keeps denying the accusations. Iran still has its embassy in Yemen's capital of Sanaa which has been controlled by the Houthis since September 2014. The Saudi-led coalition of nine countries has carried out military operations against Houthis in Yemen since late March 2015 in an effort to restore Hadi's authority. Houthis have been controlling much of Yemen's north by force, including the capital Sanaa since 2014. The war has killed more than 10,000 Yemenis, mostly civilians, and displaced over 3 million, according to humanitarian agencies. TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in exchanged views on promoting bilateral relationship as well as peace on the Korean Peninsula during a meeting here on Wednesday. According to Japan's Kyodo News, Abe and Moon exchanged views on the outcomes of the recent inter-Korean summit and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Abe said the timing of easing or removing sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is important and concrete measures should be taken after the DPRK closes its nuclear test site. Moon said denuclearization of the peninsula still faces difficulties regarding in what way it could be achieved. The two sides agreed to further enhance communication and cooperation and urge the DPRK to realize denuclearization, and safeguard long-term peace of the peninsula. As this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration, the two sides also agreed to promote regional peace and stability through shuttle diplomacy and cooperation. MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia held a military parade Wednesday at Moscow's Red Square to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. More than 13,000 troops and 75 aircraft took part in the annual military parade, held two days after Vladimir Putin was sworn in as Russian president to start his fourth term. "This holiday has always been and will always be the dearest, most sacred day for each family, for all our huge country, a day of national pride and eternal unfailing memory," Putin said at the parade. The president said it was the Soviet Union that had defeated Nazi Germany. Russia will never allow the distortion of the history of heroes who gave up their lives in the war, he said. Russia understands the seriousness of new threats originating from intolerance and aggressive nationalism and is open to dialogue on all issues related to ensuring global security, he said. "It is ready for a constructive and equal partnership for the sake of agreement, peace and progress on the planet," Putin said. The parade started at 10 a.m local time (0700 GMT) after the national anthem. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in an open-roof car inspected the troops and reported on their readiness to Putin, who is also supreme commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. After Putin's speech, servicemen from the Armed Forces, National Guard, military academies, the Emergencies Ministry and the Federal Security Service marched across the square as the military band played. Over 150 newly-designed tanks, armored vehicles, combat vehicles, armored personnel carriers, missile launchers and howitzers successively rumbled through the square. Some armament items made their debut at the parade, including the Uran-9 robotic combat vehicle, the Uran-6 robotic mine sweeper, the Katran and Corsair drones, and the Terminator-2 warfare tank. An airshow followed the parade. The 75 aircraft flew over the Red Square in 18 groups. They included the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter, the Su-30SM multirole fighter and MiG-29SMT fighters. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also attended the parade. After that, Putin laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside Red Square. In addition to Moscow, 26 Russian cities, including St. Petersburg, Murmansk and Yekaterinburg, had their own military parades to commemorate the victory. by Abdul Haleem KABUL, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Former Afghan refugee Sharbat Gula who obtained world fame as the "Afghan Mona Lisa" after appearing on the cover of the National Geographic magazine in 1985 was repatriated to her homeland about one and half years ago. She is happy in Afghanistan, she said, but feels sorrow over the prevalent security incidents in her motherland. "No doubt, I am happy here, I am glad to live in my homeland," Gula said in an interview with Xinhua at her residence here. Nevertheless, she said she remained concerned over the increasing security threats and endemic conflict in her country, stating softly that any hostile act could happen at any time. Attired in a traditional old-fashioned dress and speaking in soft tone, Gula said she has four children, who all go to a school near her residence. Seemingly older than her actual age of 43, the "Afghan Mona Lisa," lamented that living as a refugee outside her homeland and experiencing the ups and downs in refugee camps has dulled her life. "I spent my childhood in a refugee camp in Nasir Bagh, Pakistan, and grew up there. I married and my children grew up there. I like it as my second home, although I have experienced both ups and downs and have sweet and sour memories of my stay there," recalled the famous Afghan widow. She added that she dearly missed her husband and her daughter who died in Pakistan a couple of years ago. Sitting cross-legged in the middle of her villa-like residence in the Arzan Qimat neighborhood located in the 12th Police District on the eastern edge of Kabul, the media-shy "Afghan Mona Lisa" rarely agrees to interviews or to look into the lens of a camera. "Being famous is dangerous in Afghanistan," Gula's cousin, Niamat Gul, told Xinhua. Living in the same house with Gula and accompanying her in running her daily life, Gul said Gula seldom leaves home since her repatriation from Pakistan. "Sharbat Gula, who lived for more than three decades as a refugee in Peshawar, was put in jail for 14 days on a fake charge and expelled to Afghanistan on Nov. 9, 2016 and since then has been suffering from depression," said Gul. The mother of three daughters and a son, although illiterate and unable to read nor write, is regarded as symbol of "firmness, resilience and morality" among Afghan women in the insurgency-plagued country. The only word that she can write and read is her name, said her cousin Gul. Gul, who was born in Peshawar and studied there, is fluent in English and often serves as an interpreter for Gula when she faces foreign journalists. Gula's hometown is in the restive Kot district in the eastern Nangarhar province where both the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) are active. "She wants to visit her hometown in Kot district and of course she feels homesick, but cannot go because of the security threats posed by militants," said Gul. Gula was little known to her fellow Afghan nationals before her return to Afghanistan. But she became popular overnight when local media, including state-owned and private television channels, broadcast her image and her meetings with government officials including the president and revealed her ordeals and demands. Since her return to Afghanistan, her residence is often frequented by journalists, businesspeople, government officials and philanthropists, Gul said, expressing concerns that being famous for a simple woman who has no guard is extremely unsafe in a country where militancy is rampant. Nevertheless, the former impoverished refugee child is hopeful that one day lasting peace will return to Afghanistan. ROME, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Italy on Wednesday marked the 40th anniversary of the assassination of statesman Aldo Moro, on what is the national day of memory of victims of terrorism. Moro was kidnapped in a bloody 1978 ambush by the Red Brigades, an extreme-left terrorist group, and murdered after 55 days in captivity during which terrorists tried to negotiate a prisoner exchange with authorities. His bullet-ridden body was left in the trunk of a parked car in central Rome. "Italy renders tribute to the memory of a true statesman," Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni tweeted, "His political and cultural vision marked our 20th century. His murder weighs on the conscience of the Republic." Italian President Sergio Mattarella laid a wreath beneath a plaque dedicated to Moro in Rome's Via Caetani, where his body was found, in the presence of Gentiloni, Lazio Governor Nicola Zingaretti, Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi, military officials, and delegations from various political parties. In remarks at the Quirinal presidential palace, Mattarella said that "the unity of the Italian people defeated the terrorist menace" in the 1970s. In a tacit reminder to squabbling political parties unable to form a government in the wake of Italy's last general election, he added that "there are moments in which national unity must prevail over legitimate differences". A former prime minister, law professor, and member of the 1947 Assembly that wrote Italy's first democratic constitution in the aftermath of World War II, Moro was a senior member of the centrist Christian Democratic Party. He promoted dialogue with the Italian Communist Party, which like the Christian Democratic Party dominated Italian politics for decades after World War II. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 23:02:29|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Following the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal on Tuesday, the Iranian officials unanimously decried the move as well as U.S. President Donald Trump's anti-Iran remarks. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday Trump's anti-Iran remarks were "silly and absurd." "He (Trump) threatened both the (Islamic) establishment and the Iranians. I announce on behalf of the Iranian nation: Mr. Trump, you cannot do anything," Khamenei said, according to his official website. Khamenei also lashed out at the U.S. enmity with Iran, saying it "has no end." "U.S.' problem with Iran was not just nuclear energy program. This was an excuse ... We signed JCPOA, but the U.S. enmity with Iran did not terminate," Khamenei said in a meeting with a group of Iranians. "Now they are posing our presence in the region and Iran's missile program. If we accept (their demand over) these, they will pose other issues," he said, cited by Tasnim news agency. The Iranian leader criticized the Iranian nuclear negotiators, saying that they failed to get enough guarantees from the United States upon signing the JCPOA, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. It is recommended that Iran continue the implementation of the JCPOA with the other five signatories, including Germany, France and Britain, the three that Khamenei said he does not trust in either. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani's commented on Tuesday that the Islamic republic will remain in the nuclear deal with other signatories of the JCPOA without the United States. "From this time on, the nuclear deal is an accord between Iran and five countries," Rouhani said in live speech broadcast from state TV. Rouhani said that he has asked the Iranian foreign minister to initiate negotiations with the European partners as well as China and Russia over the measures regarding the fate of the deal. "Since now, we should examine how the remaining big powers in the accord would deal with it," Rouhani said, adding that "if the deal remains live, we can take steps for the world's peace and security." "I am happy that an intruder (United States) has exited from the nuclear deal," he said. Iran proved that it has been committed to its international obligations, Rouhani said, adding that "our experience shows that over the past 40 years the United States has never been reliable vis-a-vis its commitments." Actually, the United States has never been bound to its nuclear deal obligations since it was implemented in January 2016, he said. The JCPOA has not been a deal between Iran and the United States, but it was an international accord approved by the United Nations, said the Iranian president. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will withdraw his country from the Iran nuclear deal, a decision that immediately drew global frustration and outcry. Trump made the announcement in a televised speech from the White House, saying he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran, and will re-impose sanctions lifted under the accord against Tehran and nations it has business links with. The Iranian Majlis (parliament) on Wednesday condemned the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 international nuclear deal. Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Trump has staged "a diplomatic show" for more than a year over the withdrawal from the JCPOA. "It seems that Trump does not have the mental capacity to deal with issues and the language of force is more effective for this person so that he could face the consequences of his arrogant characteristics," Larijani was quoted as saying. Unless Europe, Russia and China fill this international vacuum, "the Islamic republic will bring him (Trump) to his senses with its nuclear measures," he said. Larijani warned that if Iran does not achieve its objectives under JCPOA, Iran will follow its own interests regardless of the commitments to the deal. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran needs to get fully ready for resuming all the country's nuclear activities and take countermeasures, he added. The Iranian people are further required to stand by each other in the face of the "greedy, covetous and unscrupulous" enemy, he pointed out. On Wednesday, a number of Iranian lawmakers, in a symbolic move, set fire to the JCPOA and the U.S. flag in the parliament to protest over the U.S. president's decision to pull his country out of the deal. Additionally, Iran's top military commander on Wednesday urged for reliance on domestic sources and capacities after the U.S. exit of the deal. Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri denounced the U.S. government for failing to honor its commitments and scrapping the agreements it has already signed. Iran has already learned that stability requires self-sufficiency and avoiding reliance on the JCPOA, he said. "The last night experience (U.S. exit from JCPOA) indicated that although we should tactically follow certain sides, we ultimately need to stand on our own feet," he added. The Iranian armed forces are ready to protect the country and also help the administration, Baqeri stressed. Moreover, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday said that the U.S. exit from the JCPOA is a "good omen" for Iran. Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said the U.S. withdrawal "would have no determining impact on any area" of Iran's national interests. Jafari called for boosting Iran's defense capabilities following the U.S. exit, saying the move proved that Washington is against Iran's defense and missile power and is using Iran's peaceful nuclear program just as an excuse. "From now on, we, the armed forces, should pay more and deeper attention to enhancement of our defense power and pursue the main factors of our own power," Jafari was quoted as saying. The U.S. exit from the JCPOA revealed that Iran's uranium enrichment program was only a pretext for mounting pressure on Iran, while the U.S. main problem with the Islamic republic is its defense and missile power and regional influence, he said. Jafari also played down hopes about survival of the JCPOA with the European parties, saying Europe is affiliated with the United States and will likely stand with it. MADRID, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump's abandonment of the nuclear deal with Iran was "not good news", before explaining in Spanish Congress that Spain would continue to respect the agreement. Rajoy said he "respected" Trump's reasons for his decision, but said Spain would not be following the same line. "Spain and our European partners will defend the agreement, which I believe to be a significant advance, which all of the Western nations supported when it was reached in order to defend freedom, democracy and, above all, people's security," said Rajoy in a speech which was also published in a government press communique. Trump confirmed Tuesday that the United States would abandon the accord with Iran signed by his predecessor Barack Obama in 2015, and renew the sanctions on Iran which the pact had ended. The 2015 agreement meant Iran would not be able to construct a nuclear weapon for ten years in return for lifting the trade sanctions which were seriously harming the Iranian economy. Rajoy also used his appearance in Congress to discuss the 2018 budget, which he said was "a fundamental objective," because it would allow his government to "do things we could not do during the economic crisis." He also said he wanted to see the formation of a stable government in Catalonia, which is still without a leader nearly five months after the Dec. 21 regional elections. The Spanish prime minister said he wanted to see an end to the "provisional and temporary situation, which is leading us nowhere". DAR ES SALAAM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Augustine Mahiga, on Wednesday commissioned the country's new embassy in Israel. A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation on Wednesday said Mahiga urged the Israeli government to also open its embassy in Tanzania. The opening of the new embassy in Tel Aviv followed the recent visit to Tanzania by Israelis Minister for Justice, Ayelet Shaked, who led a high ranking delegation of Israeli businessmen. Speaking shortly after he had inaugurated the new office, Mahiga described Israel as a role model country to Tanzania. "Despite facing multiple challenges with some of its neighboring countries, Israel has made major development strides in various sectors," said Mahiga in the statement. The minister mentioned the sectors as agriculture, industries, health, information and communication technology, defense and security, water, conservation and energy. On defense and security, Mahiga said Tanzanians would never forget Israel over the way it assisted the country in establishing the National Service, whose contribution towards nation building and enhancing unity and security in Tanzania was well documented. The minister said after the Swahili language, the National Service was the second mechanism that helped a lot in bringing together over 120 tribes in Tanzania that today lived as one community. The statement added that the inauguration of the Tanzania embassy was attended by various dignitaries including Ayelet Shaked, diplomats and Tanzanians living in Israel. Last month, the government of Israel pledged to help transform Tanzania's ailing agriculture sector and turn the country into Africa's breadbasket. The pledge was made by Shaked on a visit to the east African nation. She also pledged to cement cooperation in a number of other areas, including security, pharmaceuticals and information, communication and technology (ICT). Ties between Tanzania and Israel, severed in the 1970s, were reestablished in 1995, but Israel had still been conducting diplomatic services with Tanzania through its office in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. NAIROBI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and Djibouti on Wednesday signed four agreements aimed at boosting trade and deepening bilateral links. The deals were witnessed by visiting Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh and his host, President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi. "We have talked about how to strengthen our cooperation and to secure our nations. Both our nations are in a very troubled region and we talked on how to secure the safety and prosperity of our people," Kenyatta said in a statement after the meeting. Kenyatta said the partnership that has existed between Kenya and Djibouti has been strong and efforts were being made to make the cooperation more fruitful. He said the two nations face the same kind of challenges since they are in a region that has for decades been ravaged by conflicts and modern forms of organized crime like terrorism. The two leaders also oversaw the signing of an agreement which binds both nations to protect private or public investment in each country originating from the other as part of desire to promote greater economic cooperation. Speaking during the ceremony, President Guelleh, who arrived in Kenya on Tuesday evening, said Djibouti desires to strengthen its partnership with Kenya in developing the region and making it peaceful. Guelleh said Djibouti and Kenya are working together to make Somalia peaceful to ensure that the security risk that its continued instability poses to the region is eliminated. "We are in a troubled region where we are confronted by extremism and violence. That is why our militaries are in Somalia to help it regain stability because what happens in Somalia has an immediate impact on all of us," said Guelleh. He said Djibouti, like Kenya, is sincere in its desire to make Somalia peaceful. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 23:17:34|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at the conference to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx has been published by the People's Publishing House. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered the speech in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 4. The booklet is available at Xinhua Book Store outlets across the country. En KAMPALA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan Parliament on Wednesday protested the proposed relocation of the UN regional service center from the east African country. A report by the UN Secretary General on May 1 recommended to the General Assembly that the center be moved to neighboring Kenya. The legislators argued that it would be unfair to Uganda since the country has contributed to various peace missions around Africa and also hosts thousands of refugees from neighboring countries. Odonga Otto, argued that President Yoweri Museveni should engage his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta to withdraw Kenya's request to host the center. The legislators resolved that the foreign affairs ministry intensifies diplomatic engagements with other countries to ensure that the service center stays in the country. Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda told the legislators that Museveni has already written to the UN urging it not to move the base. He said a final decision will be made by the General Assembly in about two months. The base was established at Entebbe International Airport, 40 km south of the capital Kampala after Uganda and the UN signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2010, according to Uganda's foreign ministry. The ministry said the base is used to provide services to UN field missions in Africa. It currently provides administrative, logistics and information and communications technology services to 13 missions in Africa, representing over 73 percent of all United Nations peacekeeping and special political missions worldwide. A man walks past burnt houses in Nigeria's northwest state of Kaduna on May 8, 2018. The death toll of an attack on a village in Kaduna has risen to 73. (Xinhua/Olatunji Saliu) by Olatunji Saliu KADUNA, Nigeria, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At least two decomposed corpses were found in surrounding bushes on Tuesday as a team of local residents combed Nigeria's northwestern village of Gwaska, which was attacked by gunmen last weekend. Dozens of bullet shells and burned bicycles were also found in the thick bushes, around the market square, and inside the main village. Gwaska is a populated village, located in Birnin-Gwari, an area frequently attacked by gunmen in Nigeria's northern state of Kaduna. It is 291 kilometers away from the Kaduna city center. It has no road, no school, no fence, no functional health facility, no source of water supply. Most of its dwellers are farmers who go to source for water in other villages to do their farming work, drink, cook, and bath. Last Saturday, ahead of the attack which left the village with sorrow, tears, and blood, a group of gunmen had sent word that they were coming to attack the villagers. Sheriff Abdullahi (not real name), a youth leader in the village, said he and the village chiefs headed to a security post mounted in Birnin-Gwari town, less than 15 kilometers to the village, to call for security support. "After receiving the threat message, some of our people working on their farm had spotted some of the gunmen hiding in the bush," said Abdullahi, whose father was among 16 people killed in a similar attack on Gwaska two years ago. According to the youth leader and other villagers, a few security personnel came around but withdrew and headed back to their post after speaking to the villagers for less than an hour. "Then, few minutes after the Muslim prayer at 4 p.m. local time, the gunmen struck and wreaked havoc on our village," Abdullahi told Xinhua in the local Hausa language mainly spoken in northern Nigeria and some African countries. The attackers were believed to have entered the village from the northwestern state of Zamfara, a neighboring state to Kaduna. The gunmen, over 100 in number, came in at least 50 motorcycles. They rode in twos, while some were three on a motorbike. Mostly children were killed during the four-hour attack. As of Tuesday, the death toll had risen to 73. Although a mass burial was held on Monday for at least 58 bodies earlier recovered after the attack, 13 more bodies were found littering the bushes between late Monday and early Tuesday, residents said. People check a burnt house in Nigeria's northwest state of Kaduna on May 8, 2018. The death toll of an attack on a village in Kaduna has risen to 73. (Xinhua/Olatunji Saliu) A Xinhua crew on an on-the-spot reporting of the incident found two more bodies in a thick bush, together with a local security group in the village, on Tuesday. "This is the body of Abu, my brother-in-law. We were together when the attackers struck. I ran toward a different direction for safety while he ran toward this bush. I didn't know he was pursued to the bush and killed here by the gunmen," teary-eyed Malik Hassan (also not real name) told Xinhua has he dug a shallow grave to bury his deceased in-law in the bush. Local residents scampered for safety as the gunmen entered the village on Saturday evening, shooting indiscriminately and burning down the houses, shops, grain stores and bicycles. Some of the buildings were still burning when Xinhua visited the village. Many of the victims were macheted or gunned down, some burned alive and others tied to the back of the gunmen's motorcycles while driven along the path to the village's exit until they died. "We cannot take his body out of here because, as you can see, it is dismembered," Hassan said, pointing at the already swollen body of Abu. The village's youth leader said more people are still missing, following the attack last Saturday evening. During Monday's mass burial of the victims, relatives were buried together, with some of the graves having up to six bodies. A local team formed by the villagers are still helping to comb the surrounding bushes for more bodies. The village head has relocated most of the people to a neighboring place called Doka until the government provides adequate security for them. Up till now, there is no security presence in the village despite the mass killing of the dwellers. In a move to track down the killers, the local police in Kaduna said combatant policemen will be assigned to comb Birnin-Gwari. On Monday, Governor Nasir El-Rufai said the establishment of a permanent Battalion of the Nigerian Army in the Birnin-Gwari general area had been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. Nigeria's police chief Ibrahim Idris has also announced the creation of a Birnin-Gwari Police Area Command and two new divisional police headquarters as a means of beefing up security in the area. Police spokesperson Mukhtar Aliyu told reporters in Kaduna city that no arrest has been made so far, but that the effort to arrest the killers has been intensified. (Note: Pseudonyms are used in the report to protect the identity of villagers.) WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A "date and place" for his meeting with Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) top leader Kim Jong Un has been set and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is bringing three freed Americans back from the DPRK, President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen," Trump tweeted. Saying that the three freed detainees "seem to be in good health", Trump added they would land at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT), and he would be there to greet them. The three Korean-Americans, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, had been detained in the DPRK for one to two years. The U.S. president also tweeted "Date & Place set" on Pompeo's second visit to the DPRK, referring to his anticipated summit with Kim Jong Un. He also said Pompeo had a "good meeting with Kim Jong Un." Trump said earlier on Tuesday that Pompeo was on the way to the DPRK to prepare for his meeting with Kim, adding that he was hopeful the three U.S. detainees would be released soon. Pompeo also said on the same day while on the plane to the DPRK that his visit was aimed to nail down a framework for the possible Trump-Kim meeting. Pompeo said he would also talk about the release of the three men. "We have been asking for the release of these detainees for 17 months. We'll talk about it again today," he said. Their release would be a "great gesture" he said, adding that he hoped North Korea would "do the right thing." South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported earlier that the three men had been relocated in a hotel near Pyongyang in April. Trump had said repeatedly that their release was his priority, and he would discuss the issue with Kim in their meeting, which could happen in May or early June. NAIROBI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is seeking more science and technology partnerships with China in order to spur economic growth. Moses Rugutt, Director General of National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), told Xinhua in Nairobi that Beijing's economic development in the past three decades hinged on innovations arising from investments in science and technology. "China is among the countries that we are seeking to establish more linkages so as to help build our expertise in various science disciplines in order to catalyze our economic growth," Rugutt said on the sidelines of the Seventh National Science Week which runs until Friday. Rugutt said Kenya as a low middle income nation is yet to fully develop a robust research and development industry due to a number of financial and technical challenges. "We are therefore keen to borrow lessons from nations that are at the forefront of technological innovations such as China," he said. Kenya and China have already established partnerships in the higher education sector. Rugutt said the Chinese government has offered scholarship opportunities to Kenyan students to learn in various fields of education in China. The Director General noted that Kenya's Egerton University and China's Nanjing University are already collaborating in the area of agricultural development. Under the Sino-Kenyan cooperation, Egerton University will receive assistance in development of high yielding crop varieties that will be made available to Kenyan farmers. The government hopes that the new crop varieties will help boost Kenya's food security. According to NACOSTI, the involvement of Chinese firms in the construction of major infrastructure projects has been of enormous benefit to Kenya. "The Kenyan personnel who have worked for the Chinese construction firms have received advanced technology and expertise from China," Rugutt said. He added that Chinese presence in the Kenyan economy is bound to have lasting positive impact on the well-being of Kenyans. In addition, the Chinese government is supporting the Kenyan Technical Vocational Education and Training Institutions with modern equipment to boost technical capacity of Kenya's human resource. The Kenyan government also plans to open technical training institutions in each of the 47 counties in order to spur innovations in technology. As part of the Sino-Kenyan education cooperation, Kenya's Kabete Technical Institute and Nyeri National Polytechnic have been selected to manufacture mechanical spares which will be exported to China. The move aims to build the technical capacity of Kenyans to produce products that are globally competitive. Rugutt also noted that Kenya is seeking to follow in the footsteps of China by increasing investments in research. He noted that while Chinese investment in research and development is close to three percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Kenya's investment is less than one percent of GDP. According to government data, the National Treasury will allocate 30 million U.S. dollars for research activities in Kenya. The funds will be used to buy equipment for research laboratories as well as to finance those who have innovative ideas that can be commercialized. (File photo)Iranians walk past a large picture of Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (L), and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a park in Tehran, Iran, January 17, 2016. (Reuters photo) TEHRAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday said that the U.S. exit from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was "good omen" for Iran, Tasnim news agency reported. Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, is regarded as "a good omen" which "would have no determining impact on any area" of Iran's national interests. Jafari called for boosting Iran's defense capabilities following the U.S. exit, saying the move proved that Washington is against Iran's defense and missile power and is using Iran's peaceful nuclear program just as an excuse. "From now on, we, the armed forces, should pay more and deeper attention to enhancement of our defense power and pursue the main factors of our own power," Jafari was quoted as saying. The U.S. exit from the JCPOA revealed that Iran's uranium enrichment program was only a pretext for mounting pressure on Iran, while the U.S. main problem with the Islamic republic is its defense and missile power and regional influence, he said. Jafari also played down hopes about survival of the JCPOA with the European parties, saying Europe is affiliated with the United States and will likely stand with it. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015. In a televised speech, Trump announced the exit, adding he will not extend the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 23:32:40|Editor: yan Video Player Close by Naim-Ul-Karim DHAKA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- On the day when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received flowers after arriving in China's central Hubei province, its next-door neighbor Bangladesh signed a nearly 3-billion-U.S. dollar loan deal with China's Exim Bank to construct the Padma Bridge rail link. The project, upon fruition, will cut the traveling time from Dhaka to Kolkata, the capital of Indian state of West Bengal, by about five hours. Bangladeshi Railway Minister Mujibul Haque said the construction work of the Padma Bridge rail link, which is among the eight projects under direct supervision of the Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will start in a month. He said 23 km of the 215-km rail lines would be elevated and once the rail link, which will pass via Bangladesh's largest 6.15 km Padma Bridge is completed, it will take just about three hours to get to the southern city of Khulna from the capital city of Dhaka. Currently, it takes more than nine hours to cover the distance of 412 km from Dhaka to Khulna. The minister said once the project is completed, the distance would be reduced to 213 km, with Amjad Hossain, director general of Bangladesh Railways, stating the rail link would significantly reduce travel time between Dhaka and Kolkata. Hossain said the distance from Khulna to Kolkata is approximately 124 km via Benapole, a border town in Bangladesh and the most commonly used crossover when traveling between Kolkata and Dhaka. The rail link project also forms part of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM), another key channel of the Belt and Road Initiative. Once completed, the BCIM corridor will reportedly link Kolkata with Kunming in southwestern China's Yunnan province. The corridor dream started to turn into reality in December 2015, when Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina inaugurated the main works of the Padma Bridge project, the biggest of its kind for the country, by unveiling its foundation plaque. The multipurpose road-rail bridge, with construction also undertaken by a Chinese company, is the largest and most challenging infrastructure project in the country's history. When it comes into operation, the bridge, which local residents brand as "a dream come true," will ease pressure on the country's premier seaport in Chittagong, 242 km southeast of Dhaka, as it will bolster the second largest Mongla seaport in the Bagerhat district, 178 km southwest of the capital city, experts said. In June 2014, the Bangladeshi government awarded China Major Bridge Engineering Company Limited a 1.55 billion U.S. dollar contract to build the core structure of the Padma Bridge project, which is to be completed in four years. The 25-meter-wide and 10-km-long bridge is being built over the Padma River, one of the three major rivers in Bangladesh. About 6.15 km of the bridge is being built over the river and the bridge will shorten the travel time between the capital and the districts in the country's southernmost region from the current 13 hours to only about three hours. The bridge is expected to promote Bangladesh's trade and overall economy, which, according to a World Bank report, has the potential to end extreme poverty by 2030. Railway Minister Haque said the implementation of the project, expected in four years, would lead to Bangladesh's economic development and hence its GDP would increase by 1 percent. Bangladesh is strategically located between China and India, making it well placed to become a trading and manufacturing hub. After construction of the more than 3 billion U.S. dollar Padma Bridge and its approaches, according to a project paper, it will be one of Bangladesh's major transport corridors linking Dhaka to the country's south and west, as well as linking Bangladesh with India, Nepal and Bhutan. The bridge will enhance regional trade and collaboration along the Asian Highway No. 1 and the Trans-Asian railway network. Bangladeshi Railway Director General Amjad said the rail link, which is also being built by a Chinese firm, would be its biggest project so far. The Bangladesh government's Additional Secretary, Zahidul Haque, who signed the loan agreement in Beijing, said that among the projects, the Padma Bridge Rail link is the most significant in terms of loan amount and contribution to the economy. Experts here say closer cooperation between China and India will be of enormous importance for the Asia-Pacific region. Some socio-economic experts have said that the two economic powerhouses can benefit each other and India, which is in dire need of resources to fund its infrastructure needs, should not lag behind in cooperating with Beijing. This, they said, is partly because of China's steadily growing economy, rapidly increasing technical prowess and rising professional and political global footprint, which has made the world's second largest economy an attractive partner in myriad aspects for almost all countries across the world. NAIROBI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Education and partners on Wednesday launched a school feeding program targeting arid and semi-arid counties to boost enrollment among children from nomadic communities affected by hunger and malnutrition. Amina Mohamed, Cabinet Secretary for Education, said the state and multilateral partners will spend 30 million U.S. dollars to feed an estimated two million school children in the arid zones. "Global evidence on health and nutrition interventions in schools reveal a multiple win for policymakers with important benefits for school achievement, employment and economic growth," Mohamed said. She noted that provision of nutritious meals will boost cognitive abilities of children in Kenya's northern dry outposts that have always grappled with droughts and conflicts. "Meals provided in schools offer direct benefits to the health and cognitive development of pupils by preventing or reversing adverse health effects of poor feeding habits," said Mohamed. The East African nation has borrowed global best practices to develop a national school meals and nutrition strategy covering 2017 to 2022 to tackle hunger and stunting that is to blame for poor academic performance among children in marginalized regions. Mohamed said the success of school feeding program in the arid counties is dependent on sound policies, adequate funding and strategic partnerships. She said small-holder farmers and other players in the agriculture value chain are expected to benefit from the revitalized school feeding program. "Other benefits that will be unleashed by the meals for schools program include poverty reduction through improve household savings, gender equality in schools enrollment and reduction in child mortality," said Mohamed. Multilateral agencies will provide financial and technical assistance to help Kenya upscale nutritional interventions for school children in the arid regions. Annalisa Conte, the WFP Country Representative in Kenya, said boosting nutrition status of children in marginalized counties will have a positive impact on the economy, security and communal relations. "Evidence from evaluations have demonstrated that school meals are one of the most important and dependable safety nets for children and their families in Kenya," said Conte. "The meals represent an indirect income transfer to households and a powerful incentive for families to continue to invest in education, despite their livelihoods being under stress," she added. Conte hailed Kenya's school feeding program terming it a model for other African countries grappling with higher illiteracy levels among children in drought hotspots. VILNIUS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Vilnius University has the highest ranking among Lithuania's state universities as a higher-education institution, showing the best results of scientific and other activities, Lithuanian Reitingai (Rankings) magazine's study showed on Wednesday. According to Reitingai, Vilnius University, one of the oldest universities in the Baltic States and the largest in Lithuania, stood first among the state universities with 68.27 points out of 100, based on 56 different parameters. Kaunas University of Technology and Vytautas Magnus University, both based in Lithuania's second largest city Kaunas, ranked second and third with 59.91 and 54.1 points respectively. The ranking is based on the schools' results from 2015 and 2016. "Conditions at Lithuanian higher-education institutions have significantly improved in many respects, including better infrastructure and becoming more global," Gintaras Sarafinas, editor in chief of Reitingai magazine, was quoted as saying by local media at a press conference. In the words of Sarafinas, despite the positive trend of improved studying conditions, a wrong message is being spread in Lithuania's public space as regards supposedly low level of teaching and studying in Lithuania which encourage local students to choose studies abroad. "In other words, emigration is being encouraged," Sarafinas underscored. "On the contrary to politicians' claims that higher education in Lithuania is valueless, this is not true," said Romualdas Kliukas, vice-rector of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. "We would always lose if we compared ourselves to Cambridge and Oxford, however, the added value is also created by those universities which accept students with moderate abilities and manage to prepare good specialists," Kliukas added. ISM University of Management and Economics, LCC International University and European Humanities University ranked as top three schools among private higher-education institutions in Lithuania, Reitingai stated. There are 13 state and five private universities and academies in Lithuania. NAIROBI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The raging floods that have engulfed Kenya since this March have claimed 132 lives and displaced 222,456 others, the government said on Wednesday. Karanja Kibicho, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, called on Kenyans to exercise caution and extreme care during heavy rains in flood prone areas. "Latest statistics indicate that 222,456 people have been displaced by floods while, sadly, another 132 lives have been lost in the floods," Kibicho said in a statement issued in Nairobi. He said a multi-sectoral team which had been formed since the onset of the rainy season in March has been working round the clock to rescue flood victims as well as to provide food and medicines to citizens in all the affected 32 counties in the East African nation. Kibicho said the government has so far distributed food worth 6 million U.S. dollars and large quantities of essential medicines to prevent or contain outbreak of water borne diseases. "The government will continue to carry out various mitigation activities across the floods affected parts of the country to rescue marooned citizens, distribute food, medicines and water, and restore water and sanitation systems to ensure hygienic conditions," Kibcho said. The East African nation has been experiencing unprecedented flooding in recent days as torrential rains pound the country shortly after it had come out of a severe drought season marked by hunger and water scarcity. The low lying plains have borne the brunt of floods as evidenced by massive destruction of homes, farms, infrastructure and basic amenities like schools and hospitals. Many schools in the arid and semi-arid regions are already submerged in floods hence putting uncertainties on resumption of studies after the April holiday. Major cities have also been affected by flooding that is to blame for traffic grid rock and clogged drainage system. It is feared that an epidemic could erupt in big cities like Nairobi and Mombasa due to contamination of drinking water. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 23:47:45|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Britain's Prince Charles (R) shakes hands with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prior their meeting at the prime minister's office, in Athens, Greece, on May 9, 2018. Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are on an official visit of three days in Greece. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) by Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- British hier apparent Charles, Prince of Wales, and his wife Duchess Camilla of Cornwall arrived here on Wednesday on a three-day official visit to Greece, the birthplace of Prince Charles' father. Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos welcomed the royal couple in what he called "a historic visit": the first official visit to Greece by an heir to the British throne. In a live broadcast on national broadcaster ERT, the Greek president underlined the close friendship and cooperation linking the two countries from the establishment of the Greek state in the early 19th century. Prince Charles has visited Greece privately several times in the past, as his father Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born on Corfu island. "We have shared an awful lot together for many many years... and I hope and pray that we should go on sharing so much together between our two countries in the future," Prince Charles said. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on camera before a separate meeting with the British heir: "I think that your visit can be a landmark in our bilateral relations especially now that our countries are facing crucial turning points in their history... We have to enhance more our cooperation." The Greek premier also announced during the statement, which was also broadcast on ERT, that he had accepted an invitation by his British counterpart to visit London next month. On Thursday, Prince Charles is scheduled to visit an Allied Forces cemetery in Athens and a British NATO warship, as well as a reconstruction of an ancient Athenian trireme docked nearby. On Friday, the royal couple will visit archaeological sites and a refugee community on Crete island. Acting CIA Director Gina Haspel testifies at her Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/REUTERS) WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Both Gina Haspel's critics and supporters agree that she is a talented spy, and is willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. But the quality that have helped her rise through rank and file in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has instead become a major pitfall as she tries to become the agency's first female director. Since her nomination in March to head the CIA, her nomination has been constantly plagued with controversy, with a particular focus on her secretive, and sometimes dark, history. During her 33-year-long career in the CIA, Haspel has served in Ethiopia, Turkey, Thailand, Azerbaijan, and Great Britain. In each of those countries, she took on different missions and held various posts, but in every mission, she nearly always worked in the shadows. The secretive nature of her work has become a major hurdle as she tries to persuade hesitant Senators to vote favorably on her nomination, at an unscheduled time after her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday. On both Monday and Tuesday, Haspel climbed Capitol hill, calling on a number of Senators, most of whom are key members of the Intelligence Committee, whose votes will determine if her nomination can be moved to the Senate floor. Haspel put on a spirited display during her hill tour, telling the press that the meetings allegedly went "great" or "excellent," while her aides wheeled a cart into Congress containing her work record for review. But the effort has not yet yielded any results, with multiple Senators expressing their reservations after these meetings. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico called for "more transparency," while Ron Wyden of Oregon said he was not satisfied with the documents, as they were produced under the watch of Haspel, the acting CIA director. "This is self-serving declassification, a cover-up from A to Z," Wyden said in an interview with CBS news. "I want the American people to know who this nominee is," he said. Aside from the lack of transparency, Haspel's past involvement with torturing and the ensuing effort to erase her tracks was also problematic. Haspel oversaw a secret CIA detention center in Thailand in 2002, where two al-Qaeda suspects were inhumanely interrogated, most notably by waterboarding. She later successfully convinced her boss to destroy the tape-recordings of these interrogations. However, a CIA memo cleared her of any wrongdoing. To sooth lawmakers who claim to oppose these inhuman interrogating methods such as waterboarding, Haspel has pledged to ban the practice if she becomes the next CIA chief, according excerpts of her statement at the Wednesday hearing. Despite the fierce opposition, Haspel has a powerful ally inside the White House. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly defended her on twitter, emphasizing on her being a successful spy while downplaying her tainted human rights record. "Gina Haspel, my highly respected nominee to lead the CIA, is being praised for the fact that she has been, and always will be, TOUGH ON TERROR!" Trump tweeted Tuesday. The White House also released a statement on the same day claiming that Haspel was merely a foot soldier who carried out the orders of her superiors to torture the suspects, and therefore, should not shoulder the complete responsibility. "Policymakers who set up, approved, and were briefed on enhanced interrogation techniques are the ones who were responsible for the program," the statement said. According to U.S. media, Haspel has considered withdrawing her nomination last week to avoid the gruelling hearing, but the White House has convinced her to stay on board. If Haspel's nomination makes it to the Senate floor, it is expected to be one of the closest votes for a Trump nominee. The Republican Party commonly referred to as GOP, currently holds 51 seats, but with GOP senator Rand Paul of Kentucky refusing to endorse and John McCain absent due to illness, Haspel needs at least one supporter from across the aisle. A number of Trump nominees passed the Senate vote on razor thin margins, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was saved by a tie-breaker by Vice President Mike Pence, while Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price both clenched 52 votes. WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. states of North Carolina, Indiana, West Virginia and Ohio wrapped up their primaries Tuesday evening, allowing the Republicans and Democrats to take a glimpse of how U.S. political landscape has changed two years after Trump's election. In the most intense and closely watched race in West Virginia, the GOP was relieved that ex-coal baron Don Blankenship came in third in the race for the party's senate nomination, despite his late surge riding on racism comments. Blankenship, who just finished his jail term in 2017 due to involvement in a deadly mine explosion, took a leaf out of Trump's book, vehemently attacking the Republican establishment and scapegoating China during his campaign. In his campaign ads, he coined the phrase "cocaine Mitch" in reference to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose father-in-law's shipping company once ran afoul with Colombian authorities after one of its cargo ships was found with 40 kilograms of cocaine on board. Blankenship also sought to capitalize on McConnell's marriage to Taiwan-born Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, underscoring his ties with China. The accusation and discriminatory wording has invited harsh backlash, both from the media and other GOP members. An advocacy groups has reportedly poured more than 1 million U.S. dollars on ads against Blankenship, while U.S. President Donald Trump, no longer positioning himself as anti-establishment, told voters not to support Blankenship. Despite the headwind, Blankenship saw a brief surge in polls days before the ballot was open, spooking Republicans who fear such a divisive figure would be unable to unseat the incumbent Democrat Senator Joe Manchin. Ultimately the anti-Blankenship campaign prevailed, securing state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey for the party nomination with 47571 votes, Congressman Evan Jenkins came in second with 39,888 votes. The vote also determined each party's candidate for the state's three House of Representatives seats. All three are currently held by Republicans. In the state of Ohio, a swing state that often foretells the course of elections, voters cast their vote for party candidates for one Senate seat, the governorship, and its 16 House seats. The two most contested spots were the Republican nomination for the Senate and the Democratic nomination for governorship. In the end, Congressman Jim Renacci, blessed by Trump, came on top in the Republican race, while Richard Cordray, a former bureaucrat, would represent the Democrats in the governor race. In neighboring state of Indiana, voters picked the candidates that would compete in the race for one Senate seat and nine House seats. Joe Donnelly, who currently holds the contested Senate seat, will face challenge from Republican businessman Mike Braun, who came on top of a bloody battle with two Republican Congressmen. Also worth mentioning is that Greg Pence, the older brother of the U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, won the Republican nomination for the state's 6th Congressional district. Mike Pence congratulated his brother on twitter late Tuesday, tweeting that Greg has made the Pence family "proud." The picture in North Carolina was less dramatic, as no Senate seats from the state is up for grab this year. Voters on Tuesday decided the match-ups for the state's 13 House seats. Trump remained a looming figure in all of the campaigns that preceded Tuesday's primary. In West Virginia, Blankenship tried to copy Trump's success by tapping into voters' frustration with stalling politics, and in the Ohio Republican primary, all three candidates fought over who was Trump's most staunch supporter. In both cases, Trump got what he wished for. He has tweeted against Blankenship and stood beside Renacci at a campaign rally, proving that despite controversies regarding his alleged collusion with Russia and affair with a adult film star, his grip on his base is still firm. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-09 23:57:50|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Greek Prime Minister and the leader of the ruling Syriza party Alexis Tsipras (L) shakes hands with Cai Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee during their meeting in Athens, Greece, on May 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) ATHENS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister and the leader of the ruling Syriza party Alexis Tsipras told a senior Chinese official here that Greece sees the Belt and Road Initiative as a great development opportunity and would like to join hands with China for the development of the two countries. During his meeting with Cai Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee on Monday, Tsipras said Greece upholds the policy of friendship with China and wishes to strengthen party-to-party ties between the two countries. For his part, Cai said that in recent years the two countries had a lot in common in their development strategies. He said both sides had deepened political trust and expanded local-level exchange with yielded results in practical cooperation. Cai said China is willing to promote political, economical and cultural cooperation with Greece within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, bringing the comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level. He added that the CPC attaches great importance to the development of relations with Tsipras' Syriza party and wishes to strengthen exchanges between the two parties, contributing to long-term, healthy Sino-Greek ties. Cai led a CPC delegation for a visit to Greece from Monday to Wednesday at the invitation of the country's ruling Syriza party. During the visit, Cai also met with Greek Deputy Speaker Anastasia Christodoulopoulou, Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura and Athens Mayor Georgios Kaminis. Together with Greek representatives, Cai attended several tourism promotion and cultural events during his visit. He also visited the Piraeus port project managed by China COSCO Shipping. LUSAKA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Wednesday dismissed a report by an international think-tank that the southern African nation was facing fiscal challenges that may make it default on its foreign debts, including Eurobond repayments. Eurasia Group, a New York-based political risk consultancy firm, was recently quoted as saying Zambia's external debt was likely higher than official figures and that although the risk for default was low in 2018, it will increase substantially in 2019 and 2020. But the Ministry of Finance said the report was not true, saying the government has so far been transparent in revealing its debt situation as well as made commitments on its repayment plan. "We therefore appeal to stakeholders to desist from publishing unverified data as such actions have the tendency to mislead the general public and cause unwarranted worry among investors and cooperating partners," the ministry said in a statement. It added that the varying numbers and guesses on the country's debt situation were mere presumptions and speculative, adding that the ministry was ready to engage and provide fiscal and debt information. The government, according to the statement, has no intention to default on its debt obligations as adequate measures have been put in place to ensure that the government fulfills its obligations when the repayments fall due. The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, covering projections on all economic and fiscal numbers over a three-year horizon, also provides a projection of fiscal operations and debt service, it added. ROME, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran has triggered worried reactions among officials and analysts in Italy, which has long-established political and economic ties with Iran, and is its main trading partner within the European Union (EU). U.S. President Donald Trump made the announcement Tuesday, specifying that Washington would soon re-impose "the highest level of economic sanctions" on Iran. "The accord with Iran must be preserved, it contributes to security in the region and restrains nuclear proliferation," Italy's caretaker Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni tweeted Tuesday. "Italy stands with its European allies in confirming the commitments made," he added. At a press conference a few hours earlier in Rome, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini confirmed that the EU would stand by the landmark deal. The agreement -- formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- was signed between Iran, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, the United States, Britain, France and Russia), Germany and the EU in 2015. It froze the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for a gradual normalization of economic and political relations with the international community and the end of sanctions. On Wednesday, all major Italian media outlets considered Trump's decision, in most cases with concern. "Actually, the first not to abide by the deal has been the U.S., which kept imposing secondary sanctions on European and Western banks providing loans to Iran," senior foreign affairs analyst Alberto Negri wrote in Il Manifesto newspaper. "The U.S. has prevented the capital flows expected by moderate President Hassan Rouhani from reaching Iran (since the deal was signed)," he added. This helped weaken the moderate Iranian leader and benefited the more uncompromising conservative Iranian politicians. The analyst said the economic consequences will be worrying for Iran, since the new U.S. sanctions are likely to hit its crucial energy industry. "At full capacity, Iran's South Pars gas field would produce enough to cover Europe's annual consumption. But with the U.S. and its allies' plans, this gas cannot reach Mediterranean shores." Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy's leading business daily, also wondered what was to be expected from now on. "It is a matter of evaluating many potential collateral effects of this step... not just on Iran, but on the economy and companies at a global level," analyst Marco Valsania noted. A bigger question, the analyst added, would be how this major shift of the United States affects global diplomacy, with some observers thinking Trump's move could be successful, and others fearing a new nuclear proliferation and more conflicts. Trump would aim at starving and isolating Iran again in order to force it to return to negotiations in a weaker state, the analyst said. According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the bilateral trade exceeded 3 billion euros (3.56 billion U.S. dollars) in the first nine months of 2017, increasing by more than half in value compared to the same period in 2016. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 00:02:52|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Visiting Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan (R) shakes hands with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko during their meeting in Tokyo, Japan, on May 9, 2018. Trade ministers of China and Japan pledged to further enhance bilateral economic and trade cooperation during their meeting here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ma Caoran) TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Trade ministers of China and Japan pledged to further enhance bilateral economic and trade cooperation during their meeting here on Wednesday. Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan, who is accompanying Chinese Premier Li Keqiang here for the first visit of a Chinese premier to Japan in eight years, said Li's visit is significant for bilateral relationship, and will guide and promote Sino-Japanese economic and trade relationship to make new development in the new era. He said that as the second and third largest economies in the world respectively, China and Japan have close and highly complementary economic ties, and steady development of bilateral relations is in the interests of both sides and is beneficial for regional stability and world prosperity. As this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, he urged the two sides to take the opportunity and implement consensus of leaders of the two countries to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation to a new level with higher quality. Zhong also made three suggestions on deepening bilateral practical cooperation: First, the two sides should actively implement the important consensus reached between their leaders and promote extensive and deep cooperation in areas such as trade and investment and service trade. Second, the two sides should jointly promote trilateral cooperation among China, Japan and South Korea and economic integration of East Asia. China is willing to make joint efforts with Japan to reach at an early date an all-round and mutually beneficial China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with high level and promote talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). China is also willing to make the next trilateral trade ministers' meeting a success as host of the meeting. Third, the two sides should jointly safeguard and support multilateral trade system and promote economic globalization to develop towards a more open, inclusive, balanced and win-win direction that is beneficial to all. China again invites and welcomes Japan to actively take part in the first China International Import Expo (CIIE). Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko, for his part, said that Japan is willing to make joint efforts with China to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation to develop in depth, especially in service areas and third-party market cooperation. He said that China and Japan have broad consensus on achieving the China-Japan-South Korea FTA and the RCEP talks, and Japan is willing to work with China to reach these agreements at an early date. Japan is also wiling to safeguard and support multilateral trade system together with China and to actively participate in the CIIE, he said. The two sides also signed on Wednesday a series of memorandum on service trade and third-party market cooperation among others. LILONGWE, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) in Malawi has expressed concern over incidences of violence taking place in the country 12 months ahead of elections in May 2019. In a statement signed by UN Resident Coordinator in Malawi, Maria Jose Torres, released Wednesday, the UN said it is much concerned that the incidences are taking place at the beginning of the electoral period. The statement cites the assault of a local media photo journalist at the country's National Assembly on Friday, May 4, while President Peter Mutharika was delivering State of the Nation Address to mark the opening of the country's 2018/19 national budget session. The UN has asked authorities to investigate and, where relevant, prosecute the perpetrators including those who threatened and intimidated two members of parliament during the opening of the budget meeting at parliament. "The UN underlines the importance of full respect for the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and political participation including for women," read the statement. It also reminded the authorities in the country that promotion of conditions for credible, free and fair elections in 2019 requires a climate of tolerance and respect for the rule of law that enables citizens' participation and equal representation, including for women. The UN statement comes after President Mutharika and his deputy, Saulos Chilima, in separate statements joined the country's Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA-Malawi) in condemning the acts of violence. Government also apologized to the media fraternity in the country over the weekend through Minister of Information and Communications Technology, who is also Malawi government spokesperson, Nicholas Dausi. A group of youth clad in black suits and believed to be supporters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) stirred the violence at the Parliament building on Friday barring two DPP parliamentarians from entering the chamber and beating up the photo journalist for filming the ordeal. The unruly youth barred the two legislators apparently for their alleged support to the movement that is pushing for the presidency of the Vice President Chilima in 2019 polls. by Ngouon Sovan, Mao Pengfei PHNOM PENH, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian officials and experts said Wednesday that China's successful Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in southern coastal metropolis Shenzhen is a role model for Cambodia as the country has been developing its own SEZs. Soem Nara, director general of the industry department of the Ministry of Industry and Handicraft, said Cambodia is keen to learn from Shenzhen's experience in the development of SEZs because the Southeast Asian nation plans to turn its coastal Preah Sihanouk province into a multi-purpose SEZ. Speaking at a forum here, the official thanked a Chinese delegation for sharing Shenzhen's experience on SEZ development with Cambodian officials and experts from various ministries and institutions. "The knowledge learned today is really valuable for Cambodia because the government has planned to transform Preah Sihanouk province into a multi-purpose Special Economic Zone," he said. Nut Unvoannra, deputy secretary general of the Cambodia Investment Board at the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), said Cambodia initiated the establishment of SEZs in 2006. To date, the government has approved 32 SEZs - 19 of them are operational as the rest are under construction. "With the support of Shenzhen, we will improve our understanding of challenges and opportunities in developing SEZs, especially for Preah Sihanouk province, and in supporting Cambodia's Industry Development Policy, this will greatly enhance our cooperation with China," he said. Lim Visal, assistant to CDC's secretary general Sok Chenda Sophea, said that in Cambodia, a SEZ was required to have the minimum size of 50 hectares with proper infrastructure such as roads, sewer pipes, clean water, and electricity. To date, there were 347 projects with a total investment of 2.73 billion U.S. dollars in the kingdom's SEZs, which had generated more than 104,000 jobs, he said. "Cambodia exported products worth 1.54 billion U.S. dollars from those SEZs in 2017, representing more than 14 percent of the kingdom's total export," he said. Chen Reth, director of the Preah Sihanouk province's planning and investment division, said the successful development of Shenzhen SEZ was good experience for Cambodia. He said Preah Sihanouk province currently has four active SEZs. One of them is the Chinese-invested Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, which has so far accommodated 128 investment projects and created about 20,000 jobs. "Shenzhen's great success in SEZ development is encouraging us," he told Xinhua. "I hope that Shenzhen can help us develop SEZs through developing human resources and providing technical and financial support." Chan Sophal, director of the Center for Policy Studies, said Cambodia and Shenzhen had a lot of possibilities for cooperation in SEZ development, saying that Cambodia needed to learn a lot from Shenzhen's experience. Founded in 1980 and situated immediately north of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Shenzhen SEZ was China's first and one of the most successful SEZs. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 00:12:55|Editor: yan Video Player Close AMMAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the United Kingdom signed on Wednesday a financing deal with Amman, capital of Jordan, to improve its solid waste operations. The deal was signed by Janet Heckman, EBRD managing director for the southern and eastern Mediterranean region, and Amman's Mayor Youssef Al Shawarbeh during the EBRD annual meeting at the Dead Sea area of Jordan, the EBRD said in an emailed statement. The EBRD and UK will provide up to 22 million dinars (31 million U.S. dollars) to help Amman improve its solid waste operations, including Al Ghabawi, Amman's only sanitary landfill facility which also serves Zarqa and Ruseifah. The city will use the funds to purchase 75 refuse collection vehicles to improve the city's solid waste management. Due to the Syrian refugee crisis and the growing population, Amman now handles approximately 4,000 tons of solid waste a day, a 48-percent increase from 2011. This has placed unprecedented strain on the solid waste processing infrastructure in the city. The EBRD has so far signed several financing agreements with Amman, totalling approximately 87 million dinars, including grants, in response to the solid waste crisis linked to the rising number of refugees and rapid population growth. The funds have financed Amman's construction of a waste-to-energy landfill gas system, the first of its kind in the country, according to the statement. Since beginning operations in Jordan in 2012, the EBRD has invested over 1 billion euros (1.18 billion dollars) across a wide range of sectors, including power and energy, municipal infrastructure, manufacture, financial services, and small- and medium-sized enterprises. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 00:33:06|Editor: yan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi authorities on Wednesday said Iraq's international airports and border crossings would be closed from midnight Friday, ahead of the parliamentary election on Saturday. The closure of the border crossings and airports will last from midnight Friday till midnight Saturday, the state-run Iraqiya TV channel quoted the authorities as reporting. The move will be part of the security measures taken ahead of the voting of the parliamentary election due on Saturday, in which around 7,000 candidates will compete for the 329 parliamentary seats. This will be the first general election since Iraq's historical victory over the militant group Islamic State (IS) in December last year. To protect the polling centers, thousands of security members will be deployed to impose a three-layer security around the centers, in addition to using aerial surveillance and thorough security check for anyone entering the centers. Iraq's previous general election was held on April 30, 2014, when the Iraqis elected 328 lawmakers for the parliament. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 00:33:09|Editor: yan Video Player Close AMMAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Wednesday said it was following up closely on developments related to Iran's nuclear deal after U.S. exit from it. Jordan's Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani said Jordan's historic stance calls for supporting all efforts to end nuclear proliferation and mass destruction weapons from the Middle East and the entire world. He added that it is important to guarantee that Iran abides by the agreement and stops any nuclear activities. The minister said Iran should respond to the U.S. calls for negotiations, and efforts are needed to entrench stability and security in the region and the world. Jordan will continue to support all efforts that seek to enhance coordination and cooperation among the international community, the minister added. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his country would exit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, adding that the highest level of sanctions would be imposed on the Islamic republic. The unilateral move by the United States runs contrary to a deal struck by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama. The deal, reached between Iran and six powers including Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States in 2015, saw heavy economic sanctions slapped on Tehran lifted in exchange for its curbing of nuclear activities. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will hold a summit in June as leaders are expected to exchange ideas on dealing with global issues and roll out cooperation measures for the bloc's future when they gather in east China's coastal city of Qingdao. The SCO, after 17 years, has grown into the world's most populous comprehensive regional organization. Its full members are China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. The SCO now accounts for over 60 percent of the Eurasian landmass, nearly half of the world's population and over 20 percent of global GDP. Experts say the upcoming summit is widely expected to inject new drive into the development of regional organization toward a closer "community of shared future" for member countries. Russian student Zakir (R) and his sister Zaira, both studying in China University of Petroleum, display boards with Chinese and Russian handwritings of "Hello Qingdao" and "Hello SCO", in Qingdao, the host city of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, in east China's Shandong Province, May 3, 2018. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) BEDROCK SPIRIT With a focus on carrying on the "Shanghai Spirit", the bedrock of the SCO, the Qingdao summit will enhance trust and solidarity between the member states and build a closer SCO community. The "Shanghai Spirit," which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development, has become the spiritual bond of member states on building a community of shared future. Member countries have been promoting win-win cooperation and shared development in various areas and played constructive roles in regional and international issues. The SCO has never been simply a security group. The organization has also been devoting itself to the region's development by facilitating trade and investment, enhancing industrial cooperation and promoting people-to-people exchanges. Meanwhile, the China-proposed cooperation framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which features many flagship projects on infrastructure, finance and people-to-people exchanges, heralds greater opportunities for development. "The SCO and BRI offer mutual support and opportunities to each other, and the BRI concept has already been embedded into the SCO and are making positive progress," said Li Jianmin, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "From theory and planning to practical implementations, cooperation in the alignments of development strategies between China and other SCO member states has also come to a new stage, with a series of projects under steady progress," Li said. SCO Secretary General Rashid Alimov described the bloc as "a paradigm of the peaceful co-existence of nations with different powers and various political systems and cultures." "Within the group, no one dominates, wins or loses, and agreements are reached through negotiation and consultation," Alimov said. "The 'Shanghai Spirit' bears similar elements embodied in the vision of a community of a shared future for humanity and the global governance principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration, and will continue to deliver strong vitality," said Li Yongquan, head of the China Society for Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies. Aerial photo taken on May 7, 2018 shows the cityscape of Qingdao, the host city of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, in east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) START OF NEW JOURNEY About a year ago, China took over the rotating presidency of the SCO. During China's SCO presidency, more than 120 activities have been held as of the end of last month, covering a wide spectrum including politics, economy, security, people-to-people exchanges and external exchanges. "Seventeen years on, both China and the SCO have undergone profound changes, and both have seen a rise in their international influence," said Zhang Lili, a professor with China Foreign Affairs University. "While moving closer to center stage, China will make a greater contribution to the SCO development at the summit," the professor said. The summit is expected to ratify a five-year outline for the implementation of the "Treaty on Long-term Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation" to set the direction for SCO cooperation in the next phase, and approve a host of resolutions and cooperation deals covering areas including security, economy and trade, as well as people-to-people exchanges. Also, by touching on major international and regional issues, the summit will be an important chapter for the improvement of global governance and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. At a meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers last month, the ministers noted that the world was rapidly developing and undergoing unprecedented change with the emergence of a multipolar world order, an increasingly globalised world economy and enhanced connectivity and interdependence between states. They stressed the need to follow multilateral approaches for resolving the issues the world is facing, and respond to various threats and challenges by improving global governance based on a collective approach. Li Yongquan said he believes that by offering constructive solutions to regional cooperation and global governance, the "SCO strength" will add vigor to humanity's progress. Aerial photo taken on May 2, 2018 shows the cityscape of Qingdao, the host city of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, in east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) (By Xinhua writers Guo Likun, Cheng Zhuo, Xu Lingui. Video editors: Xu Yalan, Ni Hanlin.) BANGKOK, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Governments of Thailand and Myanmar have successfully organized the return of the second group of 93 displaced persons from Myanmar to their homeland earlier this week, Thailand's foreign ministry said late Wednesday. The ministry said a total of 20 persons from Ban Mai Nai Soi Temporary Shelter in Mae Hong Son Province left Thailand and entered Myanmar at the Ban Huay Ton Nun - Me Se border area in Mae Hong Son Province, while 73 others from temporary shelters in Kanchanaburi Province and Tak Province used the Mae Sot-Myawaddy international border crossing in Tak Province as entry point into Myanmar on May 7. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) also assisted relevant government agencies in the preparation and logistical arrangements for the return. "The success of this second return demonstrated the continued good will and efforts of both governments," the Thai foreign ministry said. The return of the first group of displaced persons took place in October 2016. Thailand has been providing shelters to Myanmar displaced persons since 1987. Approximately 100,000 displaced persons still reside in the nine temporary shelters located in the Thailand-Myanmar border provinces, namely Mae Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi. Recent development in Myanmar, especially the peace process, has generated interest for voluntary return. In this connection, Thailand and Myanmar have been closely cooperating and facilitating the return to Myanmar on a voluntary basis and to ensure safety, dignity, as well as sustainable return. The ministry said both countries will further discuss on future returns at the second meeting of the Joint Working Group to be hosted by Myanmar in the second half of 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 00:43:12|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close People participate in a commemorative event during Victory Day celebrations in Riga, Latvia, on May 9, 2018. Tens of thousands of people celebrated Victory Day here on Wednesday to mark the 73rd anniversary of the Great Patriotic War in World War II. (Xinhua/Janis) RIGA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of people flocked to a Soviet-era memorial in the capital city's Pardaugava neighborhood on Wednesday to take part in the annual Victory Day celebrations, held to remember the defeat of Nazism in World War II, local media reported. Among those who arrived to lay flowers by the Victory Monument were Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs, as well as parliamentarians and municipal officials from the left-wing Harmony party. Also attending the ceremony were ambassadors of Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Kazakhstan to Latvia and representatives of other countries' diplomatic missions. Law enforcement officers assessed that around 22,000-25,000 participants were in the streets in the afternoon to commemorate the event. The events at the Victory Monument included a concert featuring wartime songs, and a march of the so-called Immortal Regiment, a procession wherein participants carry portraits of relatives who lost their lives during the war. Enditem RIGA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of people flocked to a Soviet-era memorial in the capital city's Pardaugava neighborhood on Wednesday to take part in the annual Victory Day celebrations, held to remember the defeat of Nazism in World War II, local media reported. Among those who arrived to lay flowers by the Victory Monument were Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs, as well as parliamentarians and municipal officials from the left-wing Harmony party. Also attending the ceremony were ambassadors of Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Kazakhstan to Latvia and representatives of other countries' diplomatic missions. Law enforcement officers assessed that around 22,000-25,000 participants were in the streets in the afternoon to commemorate the event. The events at the Victory Monument included a concert featuring wartime songs, and a march of the so-called Immortal Regiment, a procession wherein participants carry portraits of relatives who lost their lives during the war. LISBON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese government expressed on Wednesday "deep regret" over the death of the Russian ambassador in Lisbon on Tuesday, describing him as "an exemplary diplomat" who contributed to the deepening of relations between Portugal and Russia. "It was with deep regret that the Portuguese government took note of the tragic death of the Russian Federation's ambassador to Portugal, Oleg Belous," said a statement released by Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva also sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Serguei Lavrov to express the condolence over the ambassador's death. The Foreign Ministry said in the statement that Oleg Belous was an "exemplary diplomat" who "put with great mastery his long experience and unusual professional and personal qualities in the service of strengthening the relationship between Portugal and Russia." "Its diplomatic action has contributed in a very significant way to deepening cooperation and strengthening the ties of friendship between our two countries," said the statement. Russian ambassador to Lisbon Oleg Belous died "suddenly" on Tuesday at the age of 66, according to the announcement of the Russian embassy in Portugal. Oleg Belous had been working at the Russian embassy in Portugal since 2013. WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The White House on Wednesday confirmed the release of three U.S. citizens detained in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying U.S. President Donald Trump appreciates the release and views it as "a positive gesture of goodwill." According to the White House statement, at the direction of Trump, "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other representatives of the United States government traveled to Pyongyang" on May 9 to prepare for Trump's upcoming meeting with DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un. During Pompeo's visit, the DPRK's leadership released the three U.S. detainees, said the White House. "President Trump appreciates leader Kim Jong Un's action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill," it said. The White House added that the three people "appear to be in good condition and were all able to walk on the plane without assistance." "All Americans look forward to welcoming them home and to seeing them reunited with their loved ones," it noted. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump tweeted that Pompeo is on his way back from the DPRK with three released U.S. citizens that had been detained. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from" the DPRK "with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting," Trump tweeted. Saying that the three "seem to be in good health," Trump added they would land at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT). Noting that he will be there to greet them, Trump hailed the news, saying "Very exciting!" The three Korean-Americans, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, had been detained in the DPRK for one to two years. According to media reports, Kim Dong Chul was a South Korea-born U.S. citizen and former Virginia resident. He was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. Tony Kim was detained at Pyongyang's airport in April 2017 and accused of unspecified "hostile acts" against the DPRK. He taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. Kim Hak Song, an ethnic Korean born in China, was detained in May 2017 for "hostile acts." He worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. The U.S. president also tweeted "Date & Place set" on Pompeo's second visit to the DPRK, referring to his anticipated summit with Kim. He also said Pompeo had a "good meeting with Kim Jong Un." Pompeo said Tuesday while on the plane to the DPRK that his visit was aimed to nail down a framework for the possible Trump-Kim meeting. Pompeo said he would also talk about the release of the three men. "We have been asking for the release of these detainees for 17 months. We'll talk about it again today," he said. Their release would be a "great gesture" he said, adding that he hoped the DPRK would "do the right thing." U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Pompeo met Kim in Pyongyang, and had a productive discussion on a range of issues, including the upcoming Trump-Kim meeting. Nauert said Pompeo also secured the release of three U.S. citizens and is delighted to bring them home. Trump said on May 4 that the two nations are engaged in substantial dialogues over the detainees' issue. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported earlier that the three men had been relocated in a hotel near Pyongyang in April. The summit between Trump and Kim is forecast to be held in May or early June. ROME, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Italy has deported a Moroccan prison inmate who said he intended to carry out a terrorist attack as soon as he was let of jail, the Interior Ministry said in a statement Wednesday. The 41-year-old was serving a prison sentence in the northern industrial city of Busto Arsizio for "crimes against the person", which in Italy can mean theft, rape, or a number of other crimes. While behind bars, he "expressed contempt for Italy and confided that he intended to carry out an attack in our country," the ministry said. The man was put on a plane from Milan to Casablanca, Morocco, as soon as he was released from prison after serving his term. Italy has deported 41 religious extremists so far this year, and expelled a total of 278 potentially dangerous people since Jan. 1, 2015. by Alessandra Cardone ROME, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal triggered worries among officials and analysts in Italy on Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump made the announcement on Tuesday, specifying that Washington would soon re-impose "the highest level of economic sanctions" on Iran. In the wake of the U.S. decision, Italy's caretaker Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni echoed other major European leaders by confirming the soundness of the deal. "The accord with Iran must be preserved, it contributes to security in the region and restrains nuclear proliferation," Gentiloni tweeted on Tuesday night. "Italy stands with its European allies in confirming commitments made," he added. At a press conference a few hours earlier in Rome, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini confirmed that the European Union (EU) would stand by the landmark deal. The agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (China, United States, the UK, France, and Russia) plus the European Union (EU) and Germany in Vienna in 2015. It froze the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for a gradual normalization of Iran's economic and political relations with the international community, and the end of sanctions. On Wednesday, all major Italian media outlets have in-depth report over Trump's decision on Iran deal, and in many cases with concerned tones. "Actually, the first not to abide by the deal have been the U.S., which kept imposing secondary sanctions on European and Western banks providing loans to Iran," senior foreign affairs analyst Alberto Negri wrote on Il Manifesto newspaper. "As such, the U.S. have prevented the capital flows expected by moderate President Hassan Rouhani from reaching Iran (since the deal was signed)," he added. This would have helped weaken the Iranian leader and his moderate political line to the benefit of more uncompromising conservative Iranian politicians. Furthermore, the analyst explained the economic consequences might be equally worrying for Iran, since new U.S. sanctions would likely hit its energy industry. "Iran's energy industry is the world's fourth largest for oil production, and the second in terms of gas reserves," Negri said. "At full capacity, Iran's South Pars gas fields would produce enough to cover Europe's annual consumption. In the U.S. and its allies' plans, this gas must not reach Mediterranean shores." Italy's leading business daily, Il Sole 24 Ore, also wondered what was to be expected after the U.S. withdrawal from the deal. "It is a matter of evaluating the many potential collateral effects of this step...not just on Iran, but on economy and companies at the global level," U.S. correspondent Marco Valsania noted. A bigger question, the analyst added, would be how this major shift of the United States could affect global diplomacy. "Some (observers) believe Trump's turn will be successful, while others fear a new nuclear proliferation and more conflicts." The current U.S. president would aim at starving and isolating the Iranian government yet again, in order to force it to return to negotiations in weaker conditions, according to the analyst. "It is an opposite calculation compared to what his predecessor Barack Obama wanted, and the Europeans still aim at today. It will be crucial to see whether Tehran will remain isolated, or Washington," he stressed. Italy has long-established political and economic ties with Iran, and is its main trading partner within the EU. According to a recent note by Italy's foreign affairs ministry, bilateral trade largely exceeded 3 billion euros (3.56 billion U.S. dollars) in the first nine months of 2017, increasing in value by more than half compared to the same period of 2016. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 01:13:20|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L-R) attend the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting in Tokyo, Japan, May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) by Xinhua writers Zheng Kaijun, Yan Lei TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China, Japan and South Korea injected fresh confidence into global growth on Wednesday by reaffirming their commitment to economic globalization as well as trade and investment liberalization. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in made the pledge here at a trilateral meeting, giving a big boost for free trade against a rising undercurrent of protectionism in the world. PLEDGE OF COMMON DEVELOPMENT During the meeting, which marked the resumption of the trilateral leaders' meeting mechanism after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, the three sides agreed to meet on a regular basis to expand their common interests and manage disputes. China, Japan and South Korea are three big economies in the world, and are each other's key partner in trade and economic cooperation, said the Chinese premier, adding that they shoulder great responsibilities for boosting regional development, guiding regional economic integration and safeguarding regional peace and stability. Strengthening trilateral cooperation, Li said, not only meets the needs of the three countries, but also accords with the expectations of the region and the international community at large. Abe, for his part, pledged Tokyo's adherence to free trade. He said that as major traders in the world, the three sides all support free trade and open markets. He called upon the three countries to come up with high-level trade rules that suit the current circumstances in the 21st century. Meanwhile, Moon called the three nations inseparable cooperation partners, and said he hopes that the content of trilateral cooperation can be enriched. The leaders' meeting came as some developed countries are retreating from free trade and threatening to flog others with soaring tariffs. Against this background, China, Japan and South Korea can become important forces for promoting trade liberalization, said Tatsuhiko Yoshizaki, chief economist at Japan's Sojitz Research Institute. "The world needs more voices calling out the fact that trade is not a zero-sum game, but win-win (cooperation)," Yoshizaki said. TRILATERAL FTA, "3+X" COOPERATION IN THE MAKING Besides their meeting, the three leaders also attended a business summit of their countries and a joint press conference. They pledged to accelerate the negotiations for a trilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and to achieve the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at an early date. The Chinese premier also suggested that China, Japan and South Korea join hands to promote the building of an East Asian Economic Community, and stand together in an even more steadfast manner to safeguard the rules-based multilateral free trade system. Pointing out that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is creating new room for trilateral cooperation, Li said the three sides can carry out cooperation within a "China-Japan-South Korea+X" framework. He proposed that the three countries roll out joint projects of this kind in production capacity cooperation, poverty reduction, disaster management and energy saving, so as to promote the development of other countries in the region. The three countries' political will to speed up talks on a trilateral FTA and the RCEP will surely provide positive energy for promoting regional integration and growth, and for maintaining the trend of trade and investment liberalization, said Jin Jianmin, a senior fellow at Fujitsu Research Institute in Tokyo. NEW SPACE FOR COOPERATION On expanding investment and industrial capacity cooperation, each of the three countries has its advantages, and prospects for their cooperation are broad, Li told the business summit. Beijing is willing to work with Tokyo and Seoul to strengthen cooperation in such areas as digital economy, artificial intelligence, environmental protection, and medical and health services, Li said. Noting that the next year marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the China-Japan-South Korea cooperation mechanism, Li urged businesses of the three countries to join hands not only to bring benefits to the three countries but also to provide new driving force for world economic growth. For his part, Abe said that the resumption of trilateral cooperation creates new opportunities for the three countries' economic development and mutually beneficial cooperation. He called for more people-to-people exchanges and more cooperation in finance, scientific research and technological development, as well as in dealing with population ageing. Noting that the Korean Peninsula is taking an important turn for peace, the South Korean president said this will create more business opportunities. Moon urged the three sides to step up cooperation in such fields as joint research and development, energy, medical services, environmental protection and disaster relief, so as to bring tangible benefits to the people of the three nations. (Xinhua reporters Shang Jun, Zhang Zhengfu, Tan Jingjing, Hou Lijun, Qian Zheng and Gang Ye in Tokyo also contributed to the report.) LUSAKA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Stakeholders in Zambia on Wednesday expressed anger after an audit revealed glaring abuse of funds donated by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. According to the audit report of Global Fund grants to Zambia, conducted in June last year, over 1 million U.S. dollars worth of HIV and malaria drugs were stolen from a government agency that purchases and stocks drugs and ended up being sold commercially in Zambia and some neighboring countries. The report further revealed that antiretroviral drugs were out of stock for almost a month in 10 percent of health facilities while 77 percent of the facilities visited had expired drugs. The report also revealed that 40 percent of facilities had expired malaria drugs, 27 percent had expired TB drugs, with the value expired antiretroviral drugs valued at 4 million dollars in 2016. "What the report on Global Fund has revealed in terms of abuse of the global fund is clear display of lack of morality in our leaders and lack of social shame among them, because by now, heads would have rolled," said Macdonald Chipenzi, executive director of the Governance, Elections, Advocacy and Research Services, a local advocacy group. He said the minister responsible for health should resign in the face of the revelation of the report, and be investigated in the scam. Laura Miti, coordinator of the Alliance for Community Action, an advocacy group, said it was unfortunate that hundreds of Zambians were deprived of the much needed drugs due to stealing of drugs by officials in the Ministry of Health. "Donors have tried hard to keep our people alive but powerful Zambians are killing them by stealing the drugs," she said. Lewis Mwape, executive director of the Zambia Council for Social Development, said there was need for stakeholders to find a solution to the problem of abuse of public resources in the country. He said it was unfortunate that vulnerable people were deprived of drugs and the right to life because of greedy public officers. According to the report, since 2003, the Global Fund has committed 1,029,768,924 dollars and disbursed 991,295,065 dollars in Zambia. This is not the first time grants from the Global Fund have been misappropriated in Zambia. In 2010, the Global Fund suspended more than 300 million dollars in health assistance, citing concerns of corruption. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 01:28:24|Editor: yan Video Player Close NAY PYI TAW, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi met with Myanmar's Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing here on Wednesday. Zhao said during the meeting that the holding of the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress and annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference not only bears significance to China's development but also brings opportunities for other countries including Myanmar. Zhao expressed support to Myanmar's efforts in maintaining national sovereignty and dignity, and in its peace process. Zhao said that the China-Myanmar cooperation in law-enforcement and security areas is important for maintaining security and stability for both countries, and China is willing to further strengthen cooperation in security of projects of the Belt and Road Initiative, and to deepen cooperation against drug-related crimes, so as to jointly maintain the border security and stability. Min Aung Hlaing, for his part, said Myanmar is willing to join hands with China to promote the traditional friendship between the two sides, deepen pragmatic cooperation on law-enforcement, including security of projects of the Belt and Road Initiative and cooperation against drug-related crimes, maintain border security and stability, and push for the continued development of the bilateral relationship. KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's election commission on Thursday called for patience for the official results of the general election on Wednesday, saying it needs more time to make the announcement. In a press conference shortly after mid-night, Election Commission Chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah said the commission is still waiting for results from the state level, so it will take some time to announce the official results. He denied any intentional delay in announcing the voting results. According to the tally update on the election commission's website, the opposition Pakatan Harapan was leading the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition after the results of half of the 222 seats of the lower house of the parliament was announced. Mahathir Mohamad, leader of the Malaysian opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan, said earlier that the opposition may have achieved enough seats to form the government based on unofficial tally, urging the election commission to announced the official results. A simple majority of 112 seats in the 222-seat lower house of the parliament will generate a winner. WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said at the White House that the location of his possible meeting with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s top leader Kim Jong Un would not be at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the DPRK and South Korea. Speaking ahead of a cabinet meeting, Trump told the media that the time and place for the meeting has been set and they would be announced in three days. However, he added that the location wouldn't be at the DMZ, a place he clearly preferred in his earlier tweets considering its symbolic implications. Trump said last month that Singapore and the DMZ could be possible sites for his talks with Kim. The inter-Korean ice-breaking talks between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in were held at Peace House, a building on the South Korean side of Panmunjom inside the four-km-wide, 250-km-long DMZ. The White House earlier on Wednesday confirmed the release of three U.S. citizens detained in the DPRK, saying Trump appreciates the release and views it as "a positive gesture of goodwill." PRAGUE, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Czech Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the Czech Republic will keep promoting the Iran nuclear deal, which U.S. President Donald Trump decided to withdraw his country from. The Czech Republic considers the deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as an important tool to reduce the risk of nuclear weapon proliferation and denuclearize the region. But the ministry said that the Czech Republic shares the fears of Iran's ballistic programs, urging the international community to deal with the program and other activities of Iran that do not contribute to the stabilization of the region. Czech Foreign Minister Martin Stropnicky warned of the new sanctions, saying the U.S. measures could affect European companies. Czech PM Andrej Babis will attend the EU summit in Sofia next week at which the EU members' heads of state and government will deal with Trump's decision. ADDIS ABABA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- As the number of Chinese travelers to Ethiopia steadily rises, the service industry in the East African country is among those that have received the most benefits. The airline industry and the tourism sector, in particular, have gained from the growing Chinese travelers, according to the Ethiopian Airlines Group and the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Tourism. According to the Ethiopian Airlines Group, which is considered the largest airline group in Africa, close to 4,000 Chinese passengers currently use the Ethiopian airline's flight services on a daily basis. Ethiopia's flag carrier in its report presented to the Ethiopian parliament last month indicated that "Chinese passengers represent one of the largest customer bases of the airlines." The Ethiopian airlines group, which is widely recognized as one of Africa's fastest growing airlines, has been frequently expressing its interest in attracting Chinese passengers into the African continent and beyond. Esayas Woldemariam, Managing Director of Ethiopian airline's International Service, recently told Xinhua that the airlines has strong aspirations to grow its relations with Chinese customers towards being "the most Chinese-friendly transit hub and airline in the African continent." Explaining why the Ethiopian airline is preferred by majority of Chinese passengers, Woldemariam said that "we have a Chinese help desk here at the hub for passengers passing through here to Africa and coming back, we have Chinese dedicated staff here, we have Chinese crew on board, we have Chinese food, and we have Chinese call-center." The airline also celebrates Chinese festivals in a bid to attract its Chinese customers, which include a special event for Chinese nationals returning home for the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival every February. Ethiopian Airlines is currently the biggest carrier of passenger and cargo between China and Africa, with 5 destinations in China that are Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou. The company has also finalized its preparations to add Shenzhen on the list. Another service sector that strongly benefited from international Chinese visitors is Ethiopia's tourism industry, in which the East African country has recorded 169.6 million U.S. dollars in revenue from 45,307 Chinese tourists that visited the country in 2017. 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 that the ministry is "encouraging Chinese investment in Ethiopia's hospitality sector with a view to dramatically increasing the number of Chinese tourists." The ministry further announced its hopes that the increasing flight connection between Ethiopia and Chinese destinations will help sustain the steady increase of Chinese tourists to Ethiopia. Ethiopian airlines group had previously revealed its aspirations to represent the bigger share of the Chinese tourists' market, which at more than 120 million is estimated to be the single largest tourist numbers globally. In an interview with Xinhua, Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of the Ethiopian Airlines Group, has said with the air carrier having a presence in China since 1973, one of the handful foreign airlines pioneers at the time, it has been a witness to the economic transformation of the Asian giant. "Today, China is the single largest market for Ethiopian Airlines with 5 destinations and more than 31 total weekly flights," he said, adding that ET has the largest market share on flights between China and Africa, employing dozens of Chinese nationals as cabin crew members in its flight to China. Russian servicemen march across the Red Square during the V-Day parade in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn) MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia held a military parade Wednesday at Moscow's Red Square to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. More than 13,000 troops and 75 aircraft took part in the annual military parade, held two days after Vladimir Putin was sworn in as Russian president to start his fourth term. "This holiday has always been and will always be the dearest, most sacred day for each family, for all our huge country, a day of national pride and eternal unfailing memory," Putin said at the parade. The president said it was the Soviet Union that had defeated Nazi Germany. Russia will never allow the distortion of the history of heroes who gave up their lives in the war, he said. Russia understands the seriousness of new threats originating from intolerance and aggressive nationalism and is open to dialogue on all issues related to ensuring global security, he said. "It is ready for a constructive and equal partnership for the sake of agreement, peace and progress on the planet," Putin said. The parade started at 10 a.m local time (0700 GMT) after the national anthem. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in an open-roof car inspected the troops and reported on their readiness to Putin, who is also supreme commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. After Putin's speech, servicemen from the Armed Forces, National Guard, military academies, the Emergencies Ministry and the Federal Security Service marched across the square as the military band played. Over 150 newly-designed tanks, armored vehicles, combat vehicles, armored personnel carriers, missile launchers and howitzers successively rumbled through the square. Some armament items made their debut at the parade, including the Uran-9 robotic combat vehicle, the Uran-6 robotic mine sweeper, the Katran and Corsair drones, and the Terminator-2 warfare tank. An airshow followed the parade. The 75 aircraft flew over the Red Square in 18 groups. They included the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter, the Su-30SM multirole fighter and MiG-29SMT fighters. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also attended the parade. After that, Putin laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside Red Square. In addition to Moscow, 26 Russian cities, including St. Petersburg, Murmansk and Yekaterinburg, had their own military parades to commemorate the victory. BUCHAREST, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday reaffirmed the country's commitment to access the eurozone as well as its determination to continue efforts to join the Schengen Area. The single currency remains one of the most tangible evidence of the European integration, and Romania commits to joining it once all the criterion have been met, said the president at the reception on the occasion of Europe's Day. Iohannis also raised the topic of Romania's participation in Schengen in his speech, stressing that "we will continue the steps for our integration with full rights in the Schengen Area, an integration that will contribute to the strengthening of the entire European Union security." Romania joined the European Union in 2007, but Schengen accession has been a long process for the eastern European country, whose entry into the border-free area has been constantly delayed since 2011, due to the opposition of some member states. There is no confirmed timetable for its joining so far. On the issue of euro adoption in Romania, the Bucharest authorities have postponed the target date from the initial 2014 to 2019, and now further to 2024, for its economy to catch up with that of richer countries. BERLIN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A Berlin court ruled on Wednesday against a Muslim primary school teacher who wanted to wear her headscarf at work. The labor court of Berlin ruled that the school administration's decision not to allow the teacher to wear a headscarf was in conformity with the "neutrality law", which prohibits public employees, including teachers, police and justice officials from wearing religious symbols. "The neutrality law does not violate the constitutional provisions," says a press release issued by the court on its website. The woman was not present in court for the ruling. Her lawyer said her client would now deliberate on whether to appeal. Although several German states ban headscarf for teachers, the country has no law banning Muslim female students from wearing headscarves in schools or universities. The German Constitutional Court overturned a ban on headscarves for teachers in 2015, citing the importance of religious freedom. The 16 German states handle the issue independently. Around 4.7 million Muslims live in Germany, whose religious freedom is protected by German Basic Law, the constitution. VIENNA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Union on Wednesday granted Austria permission to extend border controls at its shared border with Slovenia for another six months, local media reported. Austria had initially been granted the right to put the controls in place during the 2015 refugee crisis. It has since then been reviewed by the EU every six months. The Interior Ministry said the reason for its extension of the controls is due to security problems that result from the influx of refugees. The border controls mean that travelers across the border are required with a passport or an acceptable identity card. by Xinhua writers Zheng Kaijun, Yan Lei TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China, Japan and South Korea injected fresh confidence into global growth on Wednesday by reaffirming their commitment to economic globalization as well as trade and investment liberalization. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in made the pledge here at a trilateral meeting, giving a big boost for free trade against a rising undercurrent of protectionism in the world. PLEDGE OF COMMON DEVELOPMENT During the meeting, which marked the resumption of the trilateral leaders' meeting mechanism after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, the three sides agreed to meet on a regular basis to expand their common interests and manage disputes. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a speech while attending a business summit of China, Japan and South Korea along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Tokyo, Japan, May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) China, Japan and South Korea are three big economies in the world, and are each other's key partner in trade and economic cooperation, said the Chinese premier, adding that they shoulder great responsibilities for boosting regional development, guiding regional economic integration and safeguarding regional peace and stability. Strengthening trilateral cooperation, Li said, not only meets the needs of the three countries, but also accords with the expectations of the region and the international community at large. Abe, for his part, pledged Tokyo's adherence to free trade. He said that as major traders in the world, the three sides all support free trade and open markets. He called upon the three countries to come up with high-level trade rules that suit the current circumstances in the 21st century. Meanwhile, Moon called the three nations inseparable cooperation partners, and said he hopes that the content of trilateral cooperation can be enriched. The leaders' meeting came as some developed countries are retreating from free trade and threatening to flog others with soaring tariffs. Against this background, China, Japan and South Korea can become important forces for promoting trade liberalization, said Tatsuhiko Yoshizaki, chief economist at Japan's Sojitz Research Institute. "The world needs more voices calling out the fact that trade is not a zero-sum game, but win-win (cooperation)," Yoshizaki said. TRILATERAL FTA, "3+X" COOPERATION IN THE MAKING Besides their meeting, the three leaders also attended a business summit of their countries and a joint press conference. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L-R) attend the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting in Tokyo, Japan, May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) They pledged to accelerate the negotiations for a trilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and to achieve the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at an early date. The Chinese premier also suggested that China, Japan and South Korea join hands to promote the building of an East Asian Economic Community, and stand together in an even more steadfast manner to safeguard the rules-based multilateral free trade system. Pointing out that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is creating new room for trilateral cooperation, Li said the three sides can carry out cooperation within a "China-Japan-South Korea+X" framework. He proposed that the three countries roll out joint projects of this kind in production capacity cooperation, poverty reduction, disaster management and energy saving, so as to promote the development of other countries in the region. The three countries' political will to speed up talks on a trilateral FTA and the RCEP will surely provide positive energy for promoting regional integration and growth, and for maintaining the trend of trade and investment liberalization, said Jin Jianmin, a senior fellow at Fujitsu Research Institute in Tokyo. NEW SPACE FOR COOPERATION On expanding investment and industrial capacity cooperation, each of the three countries has its advantages, and prospects for their cooperation are broad, Li told the business summit. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in attend the 7th China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting in Tokyo, Japan, May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) Beijing is willing to work with Tokyo and Seoul to strengthen cooperation in such areas as digital economy, artificial intelligence, environmental protection, and medical and health services, Li said. Noting that the next year marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the China-Japan-South Korea cooperation mechanism, Li urged businesses of the three countries to join hands not only to bring benefits to the three countries but also to provide new driving force for world economic growth. For his part, Abe said that the resumption of trilateral cooperation creates new opportunities for the three countries' economic development and mutually beneficial cooperation. He called for more people-to-people exchanges and more cooperation in finance, scientific research and technological development, as well as in dealing with population ageing. Noting that the Korean Peninsula is taking an important turn for peace, the South Korean president said this will create more business opportunities. Moon urged the three sides to step up cooperation in such fields as joint research and development, energy, medical services, environmental protection and disaster relief, so as to bring tangible benefits to the people of the three nations. (Xinhua reporters Shang Jun, Zhang Zhengfu, Tan Jingjing, Hou Lijun, Qian Zheng and Gang Ye in Tokyo also contributed to the report.) ABUJA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were killed early Wednesday in a fresh attack by gunmen in Nigeria's northeastern state of Taraba, a police spokesman said. Three others were wounded in the attack in Tutuwa community located in Ussa area of the state, according to David Misal, the police spokesman. Misal said local residents were on their way to a church for early morning prayers when the gunmen unleashed terror on them. The gunmen fled the scene before the arrival of security operatives in Ussa area of the state, said Rimansikwe Karma, head of Ussa local government area. Karma said two persons are missing following the attack. On Jan. 8, at least a dozen people were killed in apparent tit-for-tat clashes between Christians and Muslims in Taraba. There has been a long-running dispute over land, exacerbated by religious and ethnic tensions that have killed thousands in recent years in Taraba. MEXICO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Three soldiers died and three more were wounded during an attack by gunmen in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, authorities announced on Wednesday. The Ministry of National Defense said the soldiers were attacked on Tuesday night at a ranch named El Pozo, in the municipality of Coyuca de Catalan, after answering an anonymous tip-off that armed men were on the site. "The soldiers were carrying out reconnaissance when they were attacked with gunfire by an unknown group," said the statement. The ranch where the attack occurred is owned by the family of Abel Montufar, the mayor of Coyuca de Catalan and a state deputy in Guerrero for the ruling PRI party. Montufar was shot dead on Tuesday as he campaigned nearby ahead of general elections on July 1. Gunmen kidnapped him before leaving his body in a vehicle near the town. Guerrero's security spokesperson, Roberto Alvarez Heredia, said on Wednesday morning that there was no indication linking the two attacks. "We have no element to link this attack (on the soldiers) with that on...Abel Montufar," he said in an interview with Grupo Formula. For the last two years, Guerrero has had Mexico's highest homicide rate. This trend has continued in 2018, with a number of ambushes on police and soldiers as well as numerous people being driven out of their homes due to violence. The government blames the violence on rival gangs fighting to control the production of opiates in the mountains of Guerrero and its transportation to the U.S. MONROVIA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Liberia on Wednesday declared a health emergency following two confirmed deaths of Lassa fever in Margibi, a county in the central region. The two deaths occurred within one week, the local health ministry said. The victims were a couple, aged 56 and 35 respectively. The couple had just returned from the burial of their grandchild who had a brief illness in Bong County, also in central Liberia. Laboratory tests conducted on the blood specimen of the two victims confirmed that they died between May 4 and 7, with the husband first giving up the ghost, the health ministry said. Margibi county health officer Myer Pajibo told a news conference that 60 persons are being monitored as close contacts of the victims. At least 14 people have died of Lassa fever in Liberia since the beginning of the year. At least 30 cases of the viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus have been recorded in the west African country since January. Only four counties have been affected by Lassa fever in Liberia, which has a total of 15 counties. Humans usually become infected with the Lassa virus from exposure to urine or feces of infected mastomys rats. Other than common preventive measures such as washing hands regularly, the World Health Organization has recommended keeping cats. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 05:39:41|Editor: yan Video Player Close by Hummam Sheikh Ali ALEPPO, Syria, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Despite the massive destruction of its ancient treasures in the past years of war and violence, the historic spirit and glorious past of the Syrian city of Aleppo is still alive. When visiting Aleppo's ancient city, one of the most important historic Syrian cities, one can't help but being mesmerized by the greatness of its past as being one of the important stop of the ancient Silk Road. Even though the ancient city is largely buried in ruins now, every falling stone perhaps dates back to hundreds of years. In the Bab al-Nasr Souk, reportedly dating back to the Greek Phase B.C., only three or four shops have reopened since the city was liberated from the rebels in late 2016. The souk is named after the adjacent Bab al-Nasr, or the Victory Gate, the northern gate of the ancient city of Aleppo. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout the history as it was hit by earthquakes in the ancient time. One of these shops is an old bakery, possibly the only one of its kind in old Aleppo now. This bakery produces various types of cookies and bagels, the most famous of which is the sesame seed breadsticks, known as Kaak al-Sakhaneh in Arabic, which used to be the most favorite food for the travelers and merchants on the ancient Silk Road. Khaled Mari, current owner of the bakery, told Xinhua that the breadsticks are so popular among the travelers because they could last for months. "People used to come and take the Kaak al-Sakhaneh in wrapped bags and would travel long distances, and as long as it's dry and not penetrated by humidity, it could last for two months and the taste remains the same as if just coming out from the oven," said Mari. He explained that the bagels are heated several times in the oven until they are completely dry so that they won't easily become mouldy and rotten during the travel. Recounting what his father and grandfather had told him, Mari said the Silk Road merchants used to buy this breadsticks while crossing Aleppo's old city toward Constantinople, Anatolia, the Black Sea and all the way to Europe. He said that this bagel is still very popular for current residents in Aleppo just like the ancient time of Silk Road. Alaa al-Sayyed, a lawyer and historical researcher, told Xinhua that the ancient city of Aleppo was located on the crossroads of several trade routes in the past. "Aleppo was in the heart of the Silk Road, the one coming from China in the Far East toward what is currently known as Western Europe and the Spice Route coming from the far south in India to Yemen, Hijaz, the Levant and then north of Aleppo heading either towards the Black Sea to Armenia or the Caspian Sea, or to Constantinople to enter Western Europe," he said. Al-Sayyed, who has many recent discoveries in the Bab al-Nasr gate area, said the caravans of the Silk Road used to pass through this market during their travels. He said Bab al-Nasr, the northern gate of the ancient city of Aleppo, was so important as the commercial caravans used to pass through it to the ancient souk where shops were lined on both sides of the streets. At the end of this souk, there were two Khans, or caravanserais, namely the Khan Kotbeh and Khan al-Wazir, in which the merchants used to sleep during their stay to exchange goods in the city. The Khans were damaged during the war in Aleppo. Al-Sayyed said the Kaak al-Sakhaneh was one of the food items the merchants purchase while visiting Aleppo. "The merchants used to buy their supplies from this souk and there are two bakeries here and I think that those bakeries are historic and used to produce special food for the caravans, including the Kaak al-Sakhaneh, which is characterized as being free of any humidity and can be taken for long trips," al-Sayyed said. Nowadays, this souk, as well as the majority of the ancient souks in Aleppo, is largely destroyed by the war that raged in Syria. But, with the end of the war, signs of life have begun returning to the ancient city. The shops that were not heavily damaged have started operating again, including the bakery that makes the Kaak al-Sakhaneh. China has launched the Belt and Road Initiative since 2013, with an aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with the Middle East, Africa and Europe along the ancient trade routes including the Silk Road. Hopefully, Aleppo could revive its past fame and prosperity through participation in the Chinese initiative, and restoration of its ancient marketplaces and shops. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 05:54:46|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Malaysian former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (C), who is leading the opposition alliance, attends a press conference in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, May 10, 2018. Vote tally released by the Malaysian Election Commission on Thursday morning showed that the opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan (PH), led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, secured a simple majority, or 112 seats out of the 222 seats of the parliament's lower house, enough for them to form the government. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung) KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Vote tally released by the Malaysian Election Commission on Thursday morning showed that the opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan (PH), led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, obtained a simple majority, 113 seats out of the 222 seats of the parliament's lower house, enough for them to form the federal government. Meanwhile, seats retained by the multi-racial Barisan Nasional coalition, which has run the country for more than six decades, fell from 133 in the last election to 79. The results would mark a comeback for Mahathir, a retired political strongman who ran the Malaysian government from 1981 to 2003. Born in a small village near the border with Thailand, Mahathir is known for steering Malaysia from a mining backwater to become one of Asia's fastest-growing economies. At 92, he would become the world's oldest leader if he is sworn in, possibly on Friday. But Mahathir promised to hand over the premiership to Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister who is in prison for sodomy charges and is scheduled to be released in June. The win for the opposition ended the reign of Najib Razak, a former protege of Mahathir, with whom he fell out after a scandal involving the state development fund 1MDB broke out. Najib denied any wrongdoing. At a press conference held on Thursday morning, Mahathir said he would not seek revenge but is "seeking to restore the rule of law." Najib is yet to make an announcement for the election results. It is reported that he will call a press conference at 11:00 a.m. local time (0300 GMT). Multiple polls before the election had predicted that BN would extend its grip on power. The rout of BN was made possible by a Malaysian tsunami, said an editorial by local media Malaysiakini, referring to the swing of BN core supporters to PH. These core voters may include Malay people in rural areas, who have long relied on subsidies and favorable policies espoused by BN. PH also won five of the 12 state legislatures, even breaking into BN traditional fortress such as the states of Johor and Kedah. Several BN heavyweights and cabinet ministers failed to retake their parliamentary seats. If the opposition forms a government, it is expected that several policies introduced under the BN government will be revoked, including the unpopular 6-percent Goods and Services Tax. Mahathir has promised to reintroduce a fuel subsidy and abolish the debts of palm farmers. ALGIERS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Algeria said on Wednesday that any decision to change the legal or demographic nature of Jerusalem is "null and void." "It is clear that any decision to change the nature, status or demographic composition of the city of al-Quds al-Sharif (Jerusalem) will have no legal effect and will be null and void," Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelkader Messahel told reporters after an economic cooperation meeting between Algeria and Netherlands in the capital Algiers. The conflict in Palestine "is a conflict of denial of the fundamental right of the Palestinian people to live free and independent," Messahel said. The resolution "requires just, comprehensive and sustainable peace on the basis of a two-state solution and in accordance with the law and resolutions of international legitimacy," he noted. Visiting Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok also called on the international community to spare no effort in achieving the two-state solution. "The disputing parties are not ready to negotiate at this point, and we have to help them take a step further toward a two-state solution until this issue emerges from the spiral of negativity," Blok noted. U.S. President Donald Trump declared his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017, and has ordered the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed holy city on May 14. LOS ANGELES, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Eight U.S. Congress members from California wrote a letter to the Trump administration, calling on the White House to replace its tariffs policy against China to a "strategic" approach to deal with the disputes. According to a Tuesday report of the Sierra Sun Times, a newspaper contributed in California's agriculture-thriving Central Valley region, the letter is aimed at protecting the benefits of local farmers who will suffer a lot in U.S.-China trade disputes ignited by U.S. President Donald Trump. The letter, sent to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Monday, expressed deep concern regarding the 3-billion-U.S.-dollar worth of retaliatory tariffs China imposed on more than 80 agriculture products since Trump raised tariffs on steel and aluminum imports on March 8. The letter stressed that the agriculture exports to China is very important to California, saying 20 percent of production made by the Golden State's farmers and ranchers is ultimately consumed by oversea markets. "In 2017 alone, California exported approximately 28.5 billion U.S. dollars in products to China." After acknowledging that the Trump administration tried to resolve deceptive or unbalanced trade between the two countries which was cited as an excuse to hike tariffs on China's products, the Congress members said they thought "the currently proposed tariffs will not effectively advance" the goals. They called on the administration "to address these fundamental challenges through aligned efforts with our allies across the globe and abandon the current back and forth retaliation that will ultimately impact both rural and urban businesses in California and across the nation." The letter is the latest bipartisan move of California politicians to fight for California agriculture. Jim Costa, David G. Valadao, Jeff Denham, Julia Brownley, Steve Knight, Salud O. Carbajal, Jimmy Panetta, and John Garamendi, who are Representatives from eight congressional districts located in central California, signed the letter. Republican Congressman Valadao tweeted Monday: "Today, I sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative urging the Administration not to implement broad tariffs that will have a long-lasting negative impact on hardworking Central Valley farmers who are already struggling." Costa from the Democratic Party has been urging the Trump administration to rethink its approach to trade since the plans to raise steel and aluminum tariffs became public in early March. Costa warned the House of Representatives in March that California agriculture would "likely feel the most intense and direct pain from these tariffs. California farmers and ranchers earned roughly 44 percent of their total revenue from international trade in 2016. But this pain will radiate across the country." Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 06:09:51|Editor: yan Video Player Close GAZA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Hamas chief in Gaza said on Wednesday that the mass protests along the eastern border of the coastal enclave will escalate in the coming few days. Yehya Sinwar made the comments during his meeting with dozens of young Gazans and the leaders of the anti-Israel protests starting March 30. The six-week protest in Gaza, known as the "Great March of Return," is expected to peak on May 15, the day after the 70th anniversary of Israel's declaration of independence but marked by the Palestinians as the Nakba Day, or "Day of the Catastrophe," and the scheduled relocation of the U.S. embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to the disputed holy city of Jerusalem. The Palestinians "are not going to give up our stable merits and our Jerusalem, even if we pay millions of martyrs," Sinwar said during the meeting along with leaders of Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). "Our marches will go on until we end the siege and the humiliation imposed on the Gaza Strip," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 06:24:54|Editor: yan Video Player Close NEW YORK, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Experts from the United States and China will gather at Yale University late this week on the advances of health policy and healthcare in the two countries. The conference, Advances in Health Policy and Healthcare: The Road Ahead, will take place at the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH) on May 11-13. This is the second Biennial Conference of the China Health Policy and Management Society (CHPAMS), a non-profit academic organization focused on the advancement and dissemination of health policy and healthcare management in China. It is co-hosted by Yale School of Public Health, Yale Macmillan Center, Yale Institute for Global Health, and Yale-China Association. "The event will provide a platform through which attendees, including Yale faculty, staff and students, establish or strengthen professional networks with leaders in this field and are exposed to topics brought by the keynote speakers and the general sessions," said Xi Chen, assistant professor of health policy and economics at YSPH and president of CHPAMS, in a press release. The conference will bring together more than 200 prominent public health, economics and data science researchers, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, NGOs, government officials from the United States, China, and other regions in the world for organized sessions, roundtables and workshops, information sessions centered around scholarly exchanges and professional development. This year's CHPAMS biennial conference will have a special focus on Healthy China 2030 national blueprint. Since October 2016, the national program of action, which will promote the health of 1.4 billion Chinese population, has been central to the Chinese government's agenda for health and development, and has the potential to benefit the rest of the world. "This conference aims to bridge our minds and draw upon global wisdom in the advances of health policy and healthcare in China and the United States. The Chinese participants have a lot to learn from the U.S. health and healthcare systems, both good experiences and hard lessons," Chen said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 06:29:56|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Israel fired several rockets on Syrian military positions in the southern province of Qunaitera on Wednesday overnight, with no reports on losses, Syrian state TV said. The shelling targeted the al-Baath city, said the TV, spelling no further details. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Israeli shelling targeted military positions of Syria and its allies near al-Baath city. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 06:29:57|Editor: yan Video Player Close CHICAGO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural commodities closed lower on Wednesday as traders were squaring their positions ahead of a key monthly crop report. The most active corn contract for July delivery fell 0.5 cent, or 0.12 percent to settle at 4.0275 dollars per bushel. July wheat delivery went down 4 cents, or 0.78 percent to close at 5.105 dollars per bushel. July soybeans were down 4.5 cents, or 0.44 percent to settle at 10.1575 dollars per bushel. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release its May crop supply and demand report on Thursday and most traders took a cautious approach to avoid any risks. CBOT traders estimated that funds sold 1,900 contracts of corn, 2,500 contracts of soybeans and 2,500 contracts of wheat. The U.S. winter wheat crop was rated 34 percent good or excellent recently, up 1 percentage point from the end of last month, which also pressured wheat futures. CBOT soybeans were lower from a rally in the previous session, on uncertainty over the outcome of trade talks between the United States and China, scheduled to continue next week in Washington. "There's still some effect from the tariff issue, and China is just not stepping in and grabbing any of the U.S. soybeans," said Virginia McGathey with McGathey Commodities. Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-10 06:34:59|Editor: yan Video Player Close SANTIAGO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to relocate his nation's Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem runs "counter to international law," visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday. The move also "strips the U.S. of credibility as a mediator" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Abbas told reporters at a press conference in Chile's capital Santiago. Relations between Palestine and the United States reached an all-time low in December, when Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and ordered to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv. The controversial embassy move is expected to be made on Monday. Abbas, accompanied by his Foreign Affairs Minister Riad Malki and ambassador in Chile Imad Nabil Jada'a, met with Chile's President Sebastian Pinera at the government palace in Santiago. "The relationship between Chile and Palestine is a relationship that not only goes back in time, but that has also been very vital, very close, very appreciated and very friendly," said Pinera. Chile was one of the first countries to open a representative office in Palestine and advocated for Palestine's entry into the United Nations as a non-member observer state, the president said, adding his country backs the two-state solution to the long-running conflict. Palestine has "Chile's support to be a free, independent, autonomous and sovereign state," said Pinera. Chile is home to the largest Palestinian community outside the Middle East region, with some 350,000 Palestinians living in the country. Abbas is on a three-nation tour of Latin America that took him first to Venezuela. He next travels to Cuba. FILE PHOTO: A combination photo shows Mike Pompeo (L) in Washington, DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un (C) in Pyongyang and U.S. President Donald Trump (R), in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., respectively from Reuters files. WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that the time and venue of the meeting between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s top leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump have been "locked in." Pompeo told reporters aboard his plane before arriving at Japan's Yokota Air Base for a stopover. The U.S. top diplomat said that he talked with Kim in "a good and lengthy conversation" in preparation for the latter's possible meeting with Trump, adding Washington will announce them "in the next handful of days." Trump said on the same day that the location of his meeting with Kim will not be at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the DPRK and South Korea, and the time and place for the meeting will be announced in three days. "We had a chance to talk substantively about what we intend to be on the agenda, and also how we're going to begin to coordinate in the days ahead between now and the summit," Pompeo noted. "Both sides are confident that we will set the conditions for a successful meeting between the two leaders." "There were no moments where I felt like we were going to be anything but successful in the day," he said, noting the meeting "worth the time and effort, and I think very productive." Speaking of the three freed U.S. citizens that came with him, Pompeo said "the doctors are with them now, but all indications are at this point that their health is as good as could be..." He said the United States will have a "more complete readout of their complete conditions" in the next couple of hours. Explaining the reason for the sudden release of them, Pompeo said "Kim is trying to set good conditions for the summit" with Trump. "But there's still a lot of work to do to achieve our ultimate goal," he said, referring to what the United States has called a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Trump, for his part, also praised Kim Jong Un for the release of the three U.S. citizens who were accused of trying to undermine the DPRK government. Trump said that he and Vice President Mike Pence will be at Andrews Air Force Base to meet them at 2:00 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT) Thursday. The White House earlier on Wednesday confirmed the release of three U.S. citizens detained in the DPRK, saying Trump appreciates the release and views it as "a positive gesture of goodwill." The legitimacy of the new national assembly and the incoming government is beyond dispute, President Janos Ader said opening the inaugural session of parliament. On April 8, having seen the high turnout in the election before learning the results, the leaders of the political parties that will now be in opposition had expressed the same view, Ader said. The president said the decision made by voters in the election must be respected by everyone, and argued that this was the fundamental rule of democracy. To draw the conclusions of the election, Ader suggested that the National Election Committee and the parliamentary committee in charge should review the election procedure and, if need be, propose changes to the electoral law. This election season saw a record 23 parties field a national list, Ader said. All parties concerned received at least 153 million forints (EUR 486,231) in state funding. This raises the question whether Hungary should return to previous regulations to avoid some people turning this celebration of democracy into a business. The president proposed that parliament should re-elect Viktor Orban, leader of the Fidesz party, as prime minister. MTI photo: Kovacs Tamas In a demonstration organised by the Civil Opposition Roundtable, a few hundred people demonstrated on Tuesday against the newly elected parliament and government at the Parliament building on Budapests Kossuth Square. At the event dubbed We dont want this parliament and government!, demonstrators briefly clashed with police as they tried to break through the police cordon near the Parliaments southern entrance. Speakers at the event talked about renewing social solidarity as the only way to stop excessive power. Demonstrators flew Hungarian and EU flags. One banner said, The constitution is invalid! Former co-leader of the LMP party Akos Hadhazy, who was among the protesters, told journalists that the incoming parliament cannot be called legitimate. Hadhazy said he would take his oath as an elected lawmaker at a later date, and expressed regret over other opposition politicians attending the inaugural session. He said that by staying outside he wanted to highlight how severe the situation is. In the afternoon, activists of the We Are Majority civil group staged another demonstration in front of Parliament, demanding that the corrupt regime should be removed. Speakers at the event also called for cooperation within the opposition. The protest was disrupted by a hailstorm, and many people sought refuge under the arcades of a nearby building. Earlier on Tuesday police removed several demonstrators from the square, the Budapest police (BRFK) reported on its website. BRFK said the move had been necessary because of personnel and facility security regulations, and closed off the square from 6pm on Monday to 2pm on Tuesday. On Monday evening, civil protestors formed a human chain around Parliament demanding that Hungary join the European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO), the restoration of the previous constitution and election law as well as an independent public media. MTI Photo: Monus Marton This will be a true industrial/EBM fest at the A38 Ship, since two legends the German Die Krupps and the Canadian Front Line Assermbly will perform together in Budapest on their joint tour. Front Line Assembly Front Line Assembly was the best known of the various electronic music projects undertaken by the prolific Vancouver-based duo of Bill Leeb (vocals, synthesizers) and Rhys Fulber (synthesizers, samplers). After working in the mid-'80s under the pseudonym Wilhelm Schroeder with Skinny Puppy, the Austrian-born Leeb formed the industrial/techno-based Front Line Assembly in 1986 with Fulber -- who initially joined on as a studio assistant -- and synth player Michael Balch. After a handful of compilation appearances and cassette-only releases, Front Line Assembly issued its first three full-length efforts -- The Initial Command, State of Mind, and Corrosion -- on a monthly basis between December 1987 and February 1988. Later in 1988, Corrosion, a subsequent mini-album titled Disorder, and a number of exclusive bonus tracks were compiled and released as Convergence. In 1989, the group returned with the album Gashed Senses & Crossfire, which contained the dance-flavored singles "Digital Tension Dementia" and "No Limit." A European tour in support of the record yielded a live album -- titled simply Live -- that was released and deleted on the same day in a limited edition of 4,000 pressings. After Balch departed Front Line Assembly in 1990, Fulber stepped in as a full partner; the streamlined duo soon released the electro-styled album Caustic Grip, while 1992's Tactical Neural Implant found the group's music moving in a harder-edged disco direction. By 1994, the sound evolved yet again, with the album Millennium displaying a newfound reliance on guitars; both the title track and "This Faith" scored as club hits. Fulber departed the lineup by 1997, while his replacement Chris Peterson debuted with 1998's Monument. Implode appeared one year later. Sticking with a heavy dose of synth pop trance and throbbing melodies, Leeb and Peterson issued Epitaph in fall 2001. Rhys Fulber returned for the 2001 album Civilization and remained for the 2006 release Artificial Soldier, which found guitarist/keyboardist Jeremy Inkel joining the band. Die Krupps Die Krupps is a German industrial rock/EBM band, formed in 1980 by Jurgen Engler and Bernward Malaka in Dusseldorf. Their initial sound throughout the 1980s combined synthesizers with metallic percussion. Die Krupps were key in the Europe wide progression of Electronic Body Music culminating with the collaboration in 1989 with British band Nitzer Ebb on a re-release of Wahrer Lohn/Wahre Arbeit. In 1992, they began to utilize guitars and more sounds derived from heavy metal music, with the release of their album I (as in the number One). It was a pioneering move which led to a number of other bands using the electronic/metal combo as a template in keeping with a deeper industrial sound. Ticket prices: HUF 4900 - 5500 Venue: A38 Ship Address: 1117 Budapest, Petofi hid, Budai hidfo The Kuria, Hungarys supreme court, will review the problems that emerged after the recent general election in connection with the votes cast by mail, Kuria President Peter Darak said, adding that he would convene the Board of Judges for the purpose. In an interview aired by commercial Echo TV, Darak was asked about Prime Minister Viktor Orbans recent critical remark that the Kuria had interfered with the election. The supreme court declared over 4,000 votes for the ruling parties, mailed from abroad by ethnic Hungarians, as invalid, saying that the ballots had been returned in envelopes other than the ones the election office had provided for the purpose. Conveying Orbans position to news portal PestiSracok.hu on May 5, the prime ministers press chief said the Kuria had clearly and seriously interfered with the election and stripped the voters of ruling parties of one mandate. Noting that the Constitutional Court had labelled the Kuria decision illegitimate, Bertalan Havasi quoted Orban as saying that the supreme court was intellectually unfit for its responsibilities. Darak said that the Kuria was authorised by the Constitution to safeguard and examine the fairness of the election and, in case of an appeal for legal remedy, review episodes of the vote. Asked if the Kuria had passed a politically motivated ruling, Darak said the judges were governed by their own professional rules. The factors mentioned by the critical media as proofs of bias are disputable, he said. Darak called it disturbing that the Constitutional Courts stance might be in conflict with the position of the National Election Office, the National Election Committee and the Kuria. He said there are two options for clarifying the situation: either the Constitutional Court and the Kuria should discuss which interpretation is in line with the constitution, or parliament should pass a legislation. Darak said the Board of Judges would reconsider all critical issues and draw the conclusions. This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company. As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism. We hope you are equally as excited as us. This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers. Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited. In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy. Happy shootin' my friends! Buying Guides: Firearms Firearm Accessories Ammunition Gun Safes Scopes & Optics Hunting Air Rifles Best AR-15 Best AR 15 Scope Best Hunting Rifle Best Gun Safe Best AK 47 Best AR 10 Best Glock Triggers Best Glock Best Home Defense Shotgun Coun Perez reiterates warning to barangay leaders involved in drugs 07 Aug 2017 Hits:37 Comments(0) Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jerry Perez yesterday reiterated his warning to all barangay officials from using or selling drugs. Perez said he is closely monitoring the activities of all the barangay officials and vowed sanctions against erring leaders. Aqui gane na mio barangay ya quita ya iyo na puesto cunel dos barangay leaders quien mas temprano ya sale positivo na... Vijayawada: An Andhra Pradesh-based woman, who recently got married, plotted with her lover to murder her husband. The shocking incident took place in Andhra Pradesh`s Vizianagaram district on Monday. The woman and her accomplices have now been arrested by police. The woman, Saraswathi, met Siva a year ago through Facebook, while she was pursuing graduation in Visakhapatnam. Two reportedly became close and started an affair. Nearly 10 days ago, Saraswathi married her maternal cousin Yamaka Sankar Rao, an engineer working with a company in the same district. It is not clear if the woman was forced to marry against her wishes. Unhappy with her marriage, Saraswathi stayed in touch with Siva and the duo plotted to kill Rao. Siva further took help of two friends to execute the plot. On Monday night, the newly-married couple were returning home after shopping. Near Totapalli village, Saraswathi asked her husband to stop the bike to attend nature`s call. Siva was in touch with Saraswathi over phone as she kept him informed about their location and movement through the day. As she went behind the bushes, the three men came in an autorickshaw and attacked Rao with an iron rod, resulting in his death. Saraswathi, after breaking her bangles and hiding her jewellery in undergarments, raised an alarm that unidentified men killed her husband and escaped with the valuables, said the police. The police initially registered a case of murder for gain. However, during investigations, they grew suspicious with the woman`s contradictory statements and began questioning her. She later confessed to having hatched the conspiracy with Siva, said Vizianagaram District Superintendent of Police P. Pala Raju. The police added that the assailants failed to execute their plan at two places earlier and succeeded after the couple reached an isolated place. Police were on the lookout of two accomplices. With IANS inputs ANKARA: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that Tehran will negotiate with the other signatories of a multinational nuclear deal, bypassing Washington, after the United States pulled out of the deal also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Calling the US withdrawal from the landmark pact "unacceptable", the Iranian leader said that the deal will remain in place if Tehran achieves the deal's goals in cooperation with other members of the historic agreement. Rouhani also attacked President Donald Trump's decision and said the move has undermined its commitment to an international treaty. The Iranian Foreign Ministry will negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks, Rouhani said, according to according to Al Jazeera. The Iranian President further hit out at the US saying it has done nothing except put empty signatures on pieces of paper. The reactions from the Iranian leader came shortly after the United States President Donald Trump announced the US withdrawal from the JCPOA or Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday. President Trump said that he will sign a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating US nuclear sanctions on Iran. However, the US pullout from the Iran nuclear deal has evoked sharp reactions from the world community. France's Defence Minister Florence Parly warned that challenging the 2015 Iran nuclear deal risks escalating tensions in "very eruptive region" and called for more efforts to improve the agreement. She was quoted as saying by the RTL Radio that the agreement had successfully suspended the Iranian nuclear power programme, even if it was "not perfect". "It's not the best of agreements. (But,) it is a factor of peace and stabilization in a very eruptive region," Parly added. "Any escalation that concerns Iran can only be a factor of aggravation of a situation already very tense," the Minister was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency. "It will be necessary to constantly continue to plead for the improvement of this agreement, whether the US is there or not," she said. Meanwhile, reiterating the necessity to maintain the 2015 nuclear deal, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested opening new global talks on Iran post-2025 nuclear programme that would include its ballistic missile programme and its regional influence. The Iran deal, also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is an international agreement reached on July 14, 2015, between Iran and six world countries - China, France, Russia, Britain, the US and Germany, plus the EU. Iran, in a pact with the world powers, had agreed to halt its nuclear programme in return for an easing of economic sanctions on Tehran. However, the US has repeatedly threatened to reimpose sanctions on Iran and decertify the JCPOA. (With Agency inputs) Zurich: A 104-year-old Australian scientist travelled to Switzerland to end his life, telling a news conference on Wednesday the nation`s liberal assisted suicide laws let him commit suicide legally, in contrast to his home where it remains forbidden. Ecologist David Goodall, who is not terminally ill, said he was ready for the end. He answered reporters questions in the Swiss city of Basel while accompanied by members of groups that help people kill themselves. He understood that his death, planned for Thursday, would be by lethal injection, though he did not know what time or many details about the procedure. Some family members would be present, he said. "One should be free to choose the death, when death is at an appropriate time," said Goodall, a member of the Order of Australia who wore a pullover emblazoned with the words "Aging Disgracefully." "My abilities have been in decline over the past year or two, my eyesight over the past six years. I no longer want to continue life. I`m happy to have the chance tomorrow to end it." Assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland since the 1940s, if performed by someone with no direct interest in the death. The Netherlands legalised euthanasia in 2002 for patients considered to be suffering unbearable pain with no cure. In many countries, however, physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia are illegal. Australia has forbidden such practices, though the state of Victoria became the first to pass an euthanasia bill last November to allow terminally ill patients to end their lives. It takes effect in June 2019. Goodall was born in London in 1914 and moved in 1948 to Australia, where he was a lecturer at the University of Melbourne. An expert in arid shrublands, he also worked in Britain and held academic posts at U.S. universities. While visibly straining to hear questions, Goodall answered them clearly and in detail after they were repeated with a microphone. He said he felt a "sense of pressure," given media attention on his end-of-life journey to Switzerland. "I don`t feel that anyone else`s choice is involved," he said. "It`s my own choice to end my life tomorrow." Goodall had not given much thought to a last meal, as he said his culinary choices have grown more limited. He had not considered music to accompany his death, but thought Beethoven`s 9th Symphony might be nice, he said, before singing a few lines. Goodall said he is not without regrets: "There are many things I would like to do, but it`s too late. I`m content to leave them undone." New Delhi: US e-tail giant Amazon has infused fresh capital to the tune of Rs 2,600 crore into its India unit, Amazon Seller Services, to strengthen the war-chest of the company against domestic rival Flipkart. The development amid buzz that rival Flipkart is close to sealing a mega deal worth over USD 12 billion with US based retail giant Walmart. According to filings to Corporate Affairs Ministry, Amazon Corporate Holdings and Amazon.Com.Incs has made the Rs 2,600 crore investment in the Indian marketplace unit. The board of directors of Amazon Seller Services passed the resolution at their meeting on April 26, 2018, it added. In January this year, Amazon Seller Services had received a fund infusion of Rs 1,950 crore from the parent company. When contacted, Amazon India spokesperson said: "As India's fastest growing e-commerce player with a long-term commitment to make e-commerce a habit for Indian customers, we continue to invest in the necessary technology and infrastructure to grow the entire ecosystem". "We are delighted and humbled by the trust from our customers, to lead in India on things that matter to our customers in five years of our business, while continuing to launch innovative India-first initiatives as well as completely new offerings like Echo, Prime, Prime Video and Prime Music," the spokesperson added. The fresh funds will provide more arsenal to Amazon.In, which has been aggressively investing in expanding infrastructure and adding solutions to enhance consumer and seller experience. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has committed investments to the tune of USD 5 billion for the Indian market. During a recent investor call, Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky had said the company would continue to invest in India as it sees ?great progress? with both sellers and customers here, even though as the US e-tailing giant had registered a loss of USD 622 million from international operations in the first quarter of 2018. The American company has also been pumping funds into its other entities in India, including Amazon Pay and wholesale business. These investments have been directed towards building warehouses, strengthening logistics and increasing product assortment. Amazon is also investing significant money in marketing and promotions as the company looks to bring more consumers to its online shopping platform. New Delhi: In what could be touted as one of the largest M&A deals in India, world's largest retailer Walmart Inc may announce its deal to buy a majority stake in Flipkart on Wednesday. As per a report in the Times of India Walmart chief executive Doug McMillon will arrive in Bengaluru and announced the deal officially at a town hall meeting. Here are 10 major development on the Flipkart-Walmart Deal Japan's SoftBank Group Corp and Tiger Global Management are said to be selling almost all of their about 20 percent stake each in Flipkart. Walmart will likely end up with upto 80 percent of Flipkart, valuing the company at about USD 20 billion. The deal, will see some of the biggest investors in Flipkart offloading their stake in the country's largest e-commerce company. Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart will acquire about a 60 percent stake in Flipkart, while Alphabet will get a roughly 15 percent stake in the online marketplace for about USD 3 billion, a Reuters report said. Walmart is expected to get three board seats at Flipkart and will also have a say in the appointments of the group`s finance, legal and compliance heads. There are also reports that Sachin Bansal, who had co-founded Flipkart with Binny Bansal 11 years ago, could be exiting the company by selling his over 5 percent stake. Flipkart was valued at about USD 12 billion last year, according to researcher CB Insights. The deal will help the US retail giant -- which has seen consumers migrate to online platforms like those run by Amazon -- get a foothold in the world's fastest growing economy with a market of 1.3 billion people. The Flipkart model would help the bricks-and-mortar retail giant to take on its global rival Amazon. For Flipkart, the deal would give it additional capital and retail muscle to fight Amazon. Together, Flipkart and Amazon control majority of India's USD 30 billion e-commerce market that is forecast to grow to USD 200 billion by 2026 (Morgan Stanley estimate). Amazon is believed to have offered Flipkart a higher valuation of about USD 22 billion, along with a break up fee of USD 2 billion, compared to Walmart's USD 18-20 billion valuation of the Bengaluru-based company. With Agency Inputs New Delhi: The Government has decided to appoint a non-governmental expert agency to review the monthly performance of the banks. The decision was taken in the backdrop of RBI's annual risk-based supervisory audit that failed to detect any lapses in the government-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) in past five to six years. Sources close to the development informed Zee Business's Alok Priyadarshi that the government is planning to appoint a non-government agency to review the monthly performance of the Public Sector Banks (PSBs). The expert agency will be tasked to review the performance on basis of 60-parameters. The sources also added that the second tranche of the recapitalisation, which was announced by the government in January 2018, will be released on the basis of monthly-performance of every PSBs. In January 2018, the government announced the Rs 2.11 trillion recapitalisation plan for public sector banks. At the same time, it also chalked out a comprehensive time-bound reforms agenda, EASE (Enhanced Access and Service Excellence). State-run banks were asked to seek approval from their respective boards for implementing the EASE plan. Appointing a non-governmental agency to review the performance of banks at least in presence of RBI, which is the sole body responsible for auditing and reviewing the banks, raises many questions including the government don't have trust on RBI's audit and its mechanism. According to the sources, the second tranche of recapitalisation will be released after reviewing the second and third quarter performance of the banks. As the government hopes that their performance will improve after the second quarter and it hopes that the banks will be able to raise money for recapitalisation the ongoing financial year. (Reported by: Alok Priyadarshi, Written by Jitesh Kumar Jha) New Delhi: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has refuted reports of alleged the hike in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price in the recent months. In a statement, the ministry said that there has rather been a fall of around Rs 100 in the retail selling price of non-subsidized price LPG price. This is in reference to some news reports on increase in LPG prices in the recent months which is not based on facts. In this connection, it is clarified that the retail selling price of LPG (non-subsidized price) at Delhi has come down from Rs 747 in the month of December, 2017 to Rs.650.50 in the month of May, 2018, a fall of Rs.96.50. This is the price at which a consumer purchases the cylinder refill and the subsidy gets transferred to his account, the statement said. Effective cost to consumer after subsidy has also come down from Rs.495.69 in December, 2017 to Rs.491.21 in May, 2018. This is the actual cost the consumer bears for a LPG refill, it added. Every household in India is entitled to 12 LPG cylinders per year at a subsidised rate. However, LPG cylinders bought beyond the prescribed number has to be purchased at market prices which are known as non-subsidised LPG rates. PATNA: The results of the Bihar Board Class 10 examination 2018 conducted by Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) are expected to be out soon. Earlier there were reports that the Class 10 results would be declared on Thursday, May 10, 2018. However, the PRO of the board Rajiv Dubey confirmed that the results of Class 10 will not be released on Thursday. Once the results are announced, students who have appeared in the examination will be able to check their results by visiting the Bihar Board's official website - biharboard.ac.in. More than 17 lakh students reportedly appeared for the class 10 exams in 2018. The Bihar Board 2018 Examinations for class 10 commenced from 21 February and ended on 28 February. The exams were held at 1,426 centres across the state. The students will also be able to check their BSEB Bihar Class 10 Result or Bihar Board Class 10 Results on two alternative websites - bihar.indiaresults.com and examresults.net. In 2018, the Bihar Board had made significant changes to the exam pattern which included introduction of 50 per cent objective questions. For objective questions, students were provided with a separate OMR sheet. The board had also introduced coded answer sheets this year to avoid any malpractice during the evaluation process. Here's how to check BSEB Class 10 Results 2018 - Step 1: Visit Bihar Board's official website at biharboard.ac.in Step 2: Click on 'Bihar board results 2018' Step 3: Click on BSEB class 12th results 2018 Step 4: Enter roll number and other relevant details Step 5: Click on 'submit' About Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) The Bihar School Examination Board is established for holding and conducting an examination at the end of the Secondary School stage, for prescribing course of studies for such examination and for carrying out such other objects and duties as may be considered necessary for the purpose as stated in the Act, Rules and Regulations of the Board. Normally every year the Bihar School Examination Board conducts Annual Secondary School Examination in the month of February/March and Supplementary School Examination in the month of August/September on the basis of course/syllabus as prescribed by the State Government. Apart from the aforesaid Secondary School Examination, the Board also conducts departmental examinations (not on yearly basis) such as Diploma in Physical Education, Certificate in Physical Education and Teachers Training Examination on such terms and condition as laid down by the State Government. Delhi: An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck Tajikistan, in its mountainous border region near Afghanistan, on Wednesday. Tremors were felt in the Kashmir Valley, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and the national capital region. As per the United States Geological Survey, the quake set buildings shaking in the Afghan capital of Kabul, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The tremor hit at a depth of 96 km (60 miles), about 67 km (42 miles) south of the provincial capital of Khorugh. Earthquake of Magnitude:6.1, Occurred on:09-05-2018, 16:11:34 IST, Lat:36.9 N & Long: 71.3 E, Depth: 96 Km, Region:Afghanistan-Tajikistan Border Region pic.twitter.com/vFcqMB4bkR India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) May 9, 2018 Following are some of the reactions by social media users from Kashmir: Earthquake hits Afghanistan and Pakistan. Strong tremors felt across Jammu & Kashmir. Second major earthquake in a day. pic.twitter.com/KfteLMA7Fl Fahad Malik (@Fahad4014) May 9, 2018 Just felt the earthquake in Kashmir Valley. Hope everyone will safe.#Earthquake #Kashmir Mauseen Khan (@mauseen_khan) May 9, 2018 No report of any casualty or damage to property has so far been received from anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, this is what a seismologist had to say: Why was this earthquake felt over such a large area? Reasonably deep rupture - at approx. 100 km depth This means weaker maximum shaking intensity close to the epicentre compared to a shallower event, but shaking will have been felt over a much wider area. https://t.co/mzCoWceJiX Stephen Hicks (@seismo_steve) May 9, 2018 Earlier, on Wednesday, another 5.5-magnitude earthquake had jolted northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, injuring at least nine children and causing panic among the residents, PTI reported. The epicentre of the quake was the northwestern city of Bannu at a depth of 12 kilometres. The temblor was felt in the Swat Valley and Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan Meteorological Department was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune. In April 2018, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake had jolted many towns of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. The epicentre of the quake was at the depth of 200 kilometres in Hindu Kush mountain area of Afghanistan. New Delhi: Country and its citizens before self is what the Indian Army is all about and an example of this was showcased by a young officer when he risked his life to bring down two dacoits on board an Amritsar-bound train recently. Meet Lieutenant Ashish of the Regiment of Artillery. He was not on duty as a soldier when he boarded the Dadar Express last Sunday (May 6). Then again, a soldier is perhaps never off duty. During the journey towards Amritsar on board the train, Lt. Ashish noticed two dacoits allegedly trying to rob a woman passenger. Throwing caution to wind, the young officer decided to intervene and bravely brought down both dacoits single-handedly. That he received a knife cut on his hand was a minor detail for a braveheart who ensured that his fellow passenger was safe and that those attempting to rob her were strongly dealt with. The Indian Army took note of the bravery displayed by the young soldier and praised him for his valour. An official tweet from the Indian Army was widely shared and applauded by netizens - some even encouraging others to act up when they see injustice being committed in any form and anywhere. NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted the documents it has collected in the alleged IRCTC hotels scam to the Patiala House Court in New Delhi. The CBI submitted over 20,000 documents that it had collected as part of its investigation into the scam involving RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members. The submission of documents comes a month after the agency questioned Lalu's wife Rabri Devi and his son Tejashwi. The alleged scam is a quid pro quo deal in which the Yadav family received real estate kickbacks for awarding contracts to a particular bidder. Apart from Lalu, Rabri and Tejashwi, 11 others stand accused in the scam. Lalu Prasad is already in jail, serving out multiple sentences at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Central Prison for his convictions in cases related to Bihar's infamous fodder scam. However, he is presently lodged in the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, after a stint at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. When he was Railways Minister in 2006, Lalu allegedly paved the way for awarding the maintenance contracts for two IRCTC hotels to a private contractor. CBI claims Lalu received a bribe in the form of three acres of prime land through a benami company in return for the contracts. His family members too are suspected to have been involved. The case has taken its toll on this Yadav clan. When it broke in July 2017, Tejashwi was Bihar's deputy chief minister. The investigation into him placed strains on the ruling JDU-RJD coalition. Bihar Chief Minister Nitsh Kumar broke the alliance with the RJD about three weeks later since Tejashwi was unwilling to quit his post while under investigation. Nitish Kumar's exit from the 'mahaghatbandhan' was a blow to opposition hopes of holding the JDU in the anti-BJP camp. Almost immediately afterwards, the JDU returned to the NDA fold, with Nitish re-forming the government with BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi as his deputy CM. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice chancellor Professor Tariq Mansoor has said that the controversy over portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the varsity is a non-issue. Pointing that the portrait had been at AMU since 1938, he further said that the students protest in the campus had not no relation with the controversy. Jinnah's portrait has been here since 1938. Jinnah's portrait is at many places including Bombay High Court and Sabarmati Ashram. No one was worried about the portraits until now, I think it is a non-issue, said Professor Tariq Mansoor. The vice chancellor confirmed that the agitation by students had no relation to the Jinnah portrait controversy. He said that the students were protesting against people who had come to the campus to disturb peace on May 2. Students agitation had no relation to Jinnah portrait row, they were protesting against people who came to AMU to disturb peace on May 2. Spoken to chief secretary for a judicial inquiry into the incident, said the AMU vice chancellor. The vice chancellor had on Tuesday issued a notice to the varsity students, and had blamed media for spreading lies. "A section of media channels are responsible for spreading lies," he had said. Requesting the students to not fall for such information, VC Tariq Mansoor advised them to focus on the examinations. Accusing a section of television channels, the university authority said, "As you all know, our beloved university is passing through a difficult phase, taking advantage of the present crisis, section of media especially some TV channels, armed with all kinds of half-truths, are constantly trying to create a very negative image of the university." The statement further added, "Dear students, we should not fall into the trap of some forces, which are bent on destroying the image of our Alma Mater and playing with your bright future." On Monday, the varsity examinations were deferred till May 12. Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is serving a sentence in connection with fodder scam cases, has reportedly been given five-day parole for attending the wedding of his son Tej Pratap Yadav and former Bihar chief minister Daroga Prasad Rais granddaughter Aishwarya Rai. Prabhat Khabar reported that the former chief minister was granted parole after Ranchi Superintendent of Police and Jharkhand advocate general gave a no-objection certificate. Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi has already given fitness certificate to the RJD supremo. The report quoted RJD leader Bhola Yadav as saying that Lalu will leave from Ranchi to Patna on a flight at 5.55 pm on Wednesday. Tej Pratap and Aishwarya got engaged in a ceremony at Hotel Maurya in Patna on April 18. Except for formers father and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is currently serving a sentence after conviction in fodder scam cases, all close family members and friends had attended the engagement ceremony. The mehendi ceremony of Aishwarya Rai, who will tie the knot with Tej Pratap on May 12, will be held on Wednesday. The RJD supremo had applied for a parole from May 9 to May 13 to attend the wedding ceremony of Tej Pratap and Aishwarya. According to reports, the jail administration had sought the advice of advocate general to take a decision on the parole. RANCHI: Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has been given five-day parole for attending his elder son's wedding, will be boarding an evening flight from Ranchi to fly down to Patna on Wednesday. The RJD chief will reportedly be taking an IndiGo flight to reach his native town. Lalu Prasad is currently serving a sentence in a Ranchi jail in connection with fodder scam cases. Earlier there were reports that Lalu Prasad will reach Patna by road. A Prabhat Khabar report quoted RJD leader Bhola Yadav as saying that Lalu will leave from Ranchi to Patna on a flight at 5.55 pm on Wednesday. The report also suggests that the former chief minister was granted parole after Ranchi Superintendent of Police and Jharkhand advocate general gave a no-objection certificate. Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi has already given fitness certificate to the RJD supremo. His elder son Tej Pratap Yadav will be tying the knot with former Bihar chief minister Daroga Prasad Rais granddaughter Aishwarya Rai. The couple got engaged in a ceremony at Hotel Maurya in Patna on April 18. Except for formers father and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is currently serving a sentence after conviction in fodder scam cases, all close family members and friends had attended the engagement ceremony. The mehendi ceremony of Aishwarya Rai, who will tie the knot with Tej Pratap on May 12, will be held on Wednesday. The RJD supremo had applied for a parole from May 9 to May 13 to attend the wedding ceremony of Tej Pratap and Aishwarya. According to reports, the jail administration had sought the advice of advocate general to take a decision on the parole. Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi may announce the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, National Health Protection plan, on August 15, 2018, from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Sources close to the development informed Zee Business's Anurag Shah that the Ayushman Bharat scheme will be announced by the PM during the 71st Independence speech on August 15. According to a senior insurance official all government insurance companies have been asked to prepare for the launch of the scheme and PM will launch the scheme on 15th August. There are concerns related to the premium that will be paid under the scheme and the insurance companies have requested the government to raise the premium amount for those who will take the benefits of the scheme. The companies have said that the premium amount that stands nearby Rs 1000 is to less and have requested to raise the amount between Rs 2000 and Rs 2500. Earlier on Monday (May 7, 2018), PM Modi had reviewed the progress of preparations towards the launch of the ambitious programme under Ayushman Bharat. Senior official had said Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Punjab are the states that have questioned the scheme The expenditure incurred in premium payment will be shared between Central and state governments in a specified ratio of 60:40. The first 'Health and Wellness Centre' under Ayushman Bharat was inaugurated in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on April 14, 2018, on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, by PM Modi. Many states are already running their health insurance schemes like Aarogyasri in Andhra Pradesh, Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana in Jharkhand and Uttarakhand, Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana in Odisha and Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme in Kerala. Whether the states would continue to run these programs or adopt Ayushman Bharat, is not clear yet. The scheme seems highly beneficial as it is a step towards achieving equal rights to healthcare for citizens. It is bound to generate employment and economically empower various sections of the society. The package rates decided by the government for private hospitals would assist in keeping the costs low. About Ayushman Bharat: Ayushman Bharat is National Health Protection Scheme, which will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage up to 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. During Union Budget 2018-19, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley mentioned a new program due for implementation called Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which will be officially adopted on August 15, 2018. This scheme is a collection of two major health schemes, namely, Health and Wellness Centers Establishment and National Health Protection Scheme. As of now primacy health services in India provide maternal health services, newborn, child health and support to priority communicable diseases only that amounts only 15% of our needs But under the Ayushman Bharat protection against non-communicable diseases will also be provided and it will make a huge difference to the Indian healthcare industry. National Health Protection Mission will subsume the on-going centrally sponsored schemes - Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) and the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS). Ayushman Bharat will have a defined benefit cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year. Benefits of the scheme are portable across the country and a beneficiary covered under the scheme will be allowed to take cashless benefits from any public/private empanelled hospitals across the country. Ayushman Bharat will be an entitlement based scheme with entitlement decided on the basis of deprivation criteria in the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 database. (Reporting by - Anurag Shah) CHANDIGARH: The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has released PSEB Class 10 Matriculation results 2018 on it the official website pseb.ac.in. Candidates can also avail their results on indiaresults.com and examresults.net. PSEB Class 10th Matriculation exam was held from March 12 to 31, 2018. The board has already announced the Class 12 results on April 23, 2018. Here is how you can access your PSEB Class 10 Matriculation result 2018: Step 1: Go to the official website of PSEB - www.pseb.ac.in or click here Step 2: Look for the tab which says Results. Step 3: On the new page, enter your roll number or name and click on 'Find results' Step 4: Results will be displayed on screen On Tuesday evening, the board has already announced the PSEB Class 10 rank list with Gurpreet Singh from Ludhiana's Shri Harikrishan Sahib Senior Secondary School topped the examination after scoring 98 per cent. Jasmeen Kaur of Kapurthala bagged the second position with a score of 97.85 percent while Puneet Kaur of Fatehgarh Sahib secured 97.59 per cent in the examination. CHANDIGARH: In a few minutes from now, the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) will release the PSEB Class 10 Matric results 2018 on the official website pseb.ac.in. On Tuesday evening, the board has already announced the PSEB Class 10 rank list with Gurpreet Singh from Ludhiana's Shri Harikrishan Sahib Senior Secondary School topped the examination after scoring 98 per cent. Candidates can also check their results on indiaresults.com and examresults.net. PSEB Class 10th Matriculation exam was held from March 12 to 31, 2018. The board has already announced the Class 12 results on April 23, 2018. Here is how you can access your PSEB Class 10 Matriculation result 2018: Step 1: Go to the official website of PSEB - www.pseb.ac.in Step 2: Look for the tab which says Results. Step 3: On the new page, enter your roll number, name and any other details if required. Step 4: Results will be displayed on screen Jasmeen Kaur of Kapurthala bagged the second position with a score of 97.85 percent while Puneet Kaur of Fatehgarh Sahib secured 97.59 per cent in the examination. CHANDIGARH: The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) is all set to release the PSEB Class 10 Matric results 2018 shortly on the official website pseb.ac.in. The board has already released the PSEB Class 10 rank list with Gurpreet Singh from Ludhiana's Shri Harikrishan Sahib Senior Secondary School topped the examination after scoring 98 per cent. Candidates can also check their results on indiaresults.com and examresults.net. PSEB Class 10th Matriculation exam was held from March 12 to 31, 2018. The board has already announced the Class 12 results on April 23, 2018. Here is how you can access your PSEB Class 10 Matriculation result 2018: Step 1: Go to the official website of PSEB - www.pseb.ac.in Step 2: Look for the tab which says Results. Step 3: On the new page, enter your roll number, name and any other details if required. Step 4: Results will be displayed on screen Jasmeen Kaur of Kapurthala bagged the second position with a score of 97.85 percent while Puneet Kaur of Fatehgarh Sahib secured 97.59 per cent in the examination. LUDHIANA: Gurpreet Singh, who has topped the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) Class 10 Matric results 2018, has secured 98 percent marks in the exams. Gurpreet Singh, who is a student of Shri Harikrishan Sahib School in Ludhiana, has thanked his parents and his teacher for his success. Speaking to ANI, Gurpreet Singh said the results came as a surprise to him as he did not expect to bag the top spot. Gurpreet Singh, a student of Shri Harikrishan Sahib School in Ludhiana, topped the #Punjab Board Class 10 examination. He secured 98% in the exams. Gurpreet said, 'I am happy & quite surprised to know that I have topped the exams. I want to thank all my teachers'. pic.twitter.com/EeYXqLvHF2 ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018 "I am happy and quite surprised to know that I have topped the exams. I want to thank all my teachers," he said, amid the celebration by his parents and relatives, on his achievement. While Gurpreet Singh bagged the top spot, Jasmeen Kaur of Kapurthala bagged the second position with a score of 97.85 percent while Puneet Kaur of Fatehgarh Sahib secured 97.59 percent in the examination. The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) had released the PSEB Class 10 Matric results 2018 on May 8, Tuesday. The board also announced its rank list on the official website: pseb.ac.in. PSEB Class 10th Matriculation exam was conducted from March 12 to March 31, 2018. The board has already announced the Class 12 results on April 23, 2018. PSEB Class 10 Matric Result 2018 were also made available other websites: 1. pseb.ac.in 2. indiaresults.com 3. examresults.net Here is how PSEB Class 10 Matriculation results 2018 can be checked: Step 1: Go to the official website of PSEB - www.pseb.ac.in Step 2: Look for the tab which says Results. Step 3: On the new page, enter your roll number, name and any other details if required. Step 4: Results will be displayed on the screen The results will be displayed on the screen. Candidates are suggested to download their results and take a printout of the same for future reference. Students are advised to collect their official mark sheets from their respective institutes. The printouts are for information purposes only. The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) was established in November 1969 through a legislative enactment. It was set up for the development and promotion of school education in the state of Punjab. A woman in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by the son of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA. The woman has also alleged that she has been getting death threats since making the allegations against the BJP leaders son. According to the lawyer of the woman, Avdhesh Singh, some miscreants threatened her with dire consequences if she did not take the complaint back. Goons came to her house and told her to take back the complaint or else they would kill her, he said. The woman had earlier sat on a dharna demanding action against the BJP MLAs son, who she accused of sexually assaulting her. This comes close on the heels of the Unnao rape case involving BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar. The incident grabbed headlines first when the alleged victim made an attempt to commit suicide outside the residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Shortly after the incident, reports of her father dying in police custody in Unnao came to light. This led to massive outrage in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country with calls for action against the accused BJP leader. Though Sengar claimed innocence and alleged that he was being framed because of a dispute with the complainants family, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further probe. Later, sources in CBI said that the BJP leader might be made to undergo a potency test. He was also likely to be subjected to a lie-detector test as he was repeatedly changing his statements to the CBI. In April, the Y category security given to Sengar was removed following the outrage. Sengar's arrest came after the Allahabad High Court rapped the police for its inaction against the BJP lawmaker who was influencing the "law-and-order machinery". "The disturbing feature of the case is that the law and order machinery and the government officials were directly in league and under the influence of Kuldeep Singh," a bench of Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale and Justice Sunit Kumar had said. Imphal: At least two jawans of were martyred in an IED explosion triggered near a Border Security Force (BSF) sector headquarters in Koirengi campus here on Wednesday afternoon. News agency ANI reported that a loud explosion occurred near the campus in the afternoon, possibly injuring many and killing two jawans at the location. This is the second such incident in Imphal in two days. On Tuesday, local media reported that two hand grenades exploded near Hotel Imphal which injured a jawan from Assam Rifles. A police case was registered and the matter was being probed by local officials as well as Assam Rifles' officials. (Reporting by Krishana Mishra) NEW DELHI: Indian security forces in the Jammu region may be looking at days of increased infiltration activity. Sources have told Zee Media that Pakistani Army commandos are laying the ground to infiltrate Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists across the Line of Control (PoK). Sources said the Pakistan Army's Special Services Group (SSG) had formed Border Action Teams (BATs)at a number of Pakistani posts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir across from the Rajouri and Poonch regions. BATs are usually joint teams of SSG commandos and Pakistan-trained terrorists, which help infiltrate the terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. It was one such BAT that was blamed for the barbaric beheading of the bodies of Indian soldiers in 2017, and the one that happened last week. Sources told Zee Media that the BATs are concentrated around the Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch region. They have also been reported from the Polas post and the Bakri complex, the sources said. SSG commandos have also been stationed at the Bagicha post in the Bhimbher Gali sector, where they are said to have carried out reconnaissance (recce). The LeT has increased its efforts to infiltrate across the LoC from the Jammu region, sources said, presumably because of the heavy exchange of fire between Indian security forces and Pakistani regulars and irregulars in the Kashmir part of the LoC. The sources also told Zee media that LeT or JeM could be expected to target a military camp in Srinagar for a suicide attack. The Election Commission in the wee hours of Wednesday filed a First Information Report (FIR) over the recovery of thousands of voter ID cards at an apartment in Bengaluru just days ahead of polling in Karnataka Assembly elections. The FIR filed by EC refers to the recovery of counterfoils and 9,746 voters ID cards. "An FIR is being registered after nearly 9,746 voter cards were found in a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency along with around one lakh counterfoils resembling acknowledgement slips used for addition of names into electoral rolls were found," the state's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar told reporters in Bengaluru on late Tuesday night. On preliminary verification, the voter cards were found to be genuine, while the counterfoils were to be verified through investigation, Kumar said. Five laptops and one printer were also found in the apartment, he added. "Further investigation will be conducted into the matter and will be closely monitored by the EC," he said. Three observers from the poll panel were visiting the flat in the Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency, which has a total of 4,35,439 voters, Kumar said. Along with Kumar, the District Election Officer and the city's civic body Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao, city Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar had visited the location where the voter cards were found. Hitting out at the ruling Congress over the issue, Union Minister Sadanand Gowda had on Tuesday said that democracy has been attacked in the state's capital. "The Democracy being attacked in Bengaluru. I am shocked at the incident. More than 20000 Voter ID cards found at a private apartment. I visited the place personally. This mockery at the behest of @INCIndia Rajarajeshwari Nagara Candidate Munirathna Naidu #congresscheatsdemocracy," Gowda tweeted. "Mr Election Commissioner, how can 20000 + voter card can be found in private place. 5 laptops, printer, thousands of Form 6 Acknowledgement found in trunks. Someone is riding on democracy. Election to Rajarajeshwari Nagar Constituency should be withheld immediately," he added. However, the Congress party blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party, with party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala saying that the flat where the voter IDs were found belonged to a BJP leader. "BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP (Bengaluru civic body) elections on a BJP ticket. Apartment was raided not by police or EC but by BJP workers," Surjewala alleged at a press conference on the early hours of Wednesday. The BJP, meanwhile, urged the poll panel to countermand the May 12 Assembly poll in the constituency, terming it a conspiracy by the ruling Congress to rig the election. "The BJP demands countermanding of elections in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in light of latest revelations of tens of thousands of fake voter IDs and empty packets of hard currency. This is Congress conspiracy to rig election in the face of their imminent defeat," tweeted Union Human Resource Development Minister and the party's in-charge for state polls Prakash Javadekar. (With IANS inputs) New Delhi: Accusing the Congress of trying to influence the assembly polls in Karnataka, the BJP on Wednesday asked the Election Commission to countermand the election in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency after thousands of allegedly "fake" voter ID cards were found there in a flat. A massive controversy has rocked Karnataka after nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat. Engaged in a raging war of words, the BJP alleged that Congress was behind the racket, but the ruling party in the state rejected the charge as a "lie". Both parties have claimed the house owner was associated with the rival party. A BJP delegation, which included union ministers JP Nadda, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Smriti Irani, SS Ahluwalia, Dharmendra Pradhan and the party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi, told the Commission that scrapping the poll in the constituency was necessary to "reinstate people's faith" in the electoral process, Irani told reporters. Briefing reporters after meeting the poll panel officials, Nadda said, "We have demanded countermanding of the election in Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly constituency in Karnataka." Nadda alleged that the incident had showed the design of Congress to influence the election process in the high-stakes state polls and added that there was "enough evidence" for this. "Congress party and its candidate are behind this scam. Whereas BJP acted vigilantly and workers exposed this. Our party workers had informed the local authorities at 11 am in the morning but no action was taken till 4 pm by the local administration. This shows the biased approach of local administration by favouring Congress," he said. Irani said the issue was not only important for the BJP but also the Commission as voter ID cards are seen an evidence of people's faith in the electoral process. "We have also appealed to the EC to take cognizance of the investigative media reports in this case and take strict action against those who are behind this," Irani told reporters. The delegation demanded a thorough probe into the matter to find out if similar methods were used in more constituencies. The Assembly polls are due on May 12. Bengaluru: Rahul Gandhi has been a frequent visitor at religious venues before assembly elections. He made it a point to seek blessings repeatedly before elections in Uttar Pradesh and Himachal. In Gujarat, he visited close to 20 temples before voting. And Karnataka is proving to be no different. On Wednesday, just days before voting on May 12, the Congress president went to two temples and a dargah in order to seek blessings. His first stop of the day was at Dodda Ganapathi Temple in Chickpet where he stood with folded hands as priests performed the morning ceremony. Next up in his schedule was a halt at Dargah of Hazrat Tawakkal Mastan in Bengaluru. For evening prayers, Rahul reached the city's Swamy Temple. Of course, Rahul did address political rallies through the day as well but that he made it a point to stop at several religious sites through the course of the same day did not go un-noticed. While there were many who saw nothing unusual about the visits, there were also many who took to Twitter to claim that Rahul was in 'desperate' mode. Rahul has campaigned in Karnataka heavily in recent weeks, training his guns on BJP and its leaders. At the same time, he has repeatedly heaped praises on the Siddaramaiah government for the work done in the state in the last four years. In all of this, he has visited several religious sites across the state as well. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has said that the fight between his party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka Assembly elections in a no contest. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the Congress president shared a graphic showing comparison on different parameters between the work done under previous BS Yeddyurappa government and current Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka. The graphic showed the comparison between data obtained from 2013 and 2013-18 on different aspects like job creation, loan to farmers, completion of Namma metro, road construction and investment attraction, among others. In Karnataka, Congress Vs BJP is a "no contest" as this graphic shows. pic.twitter.com/uwpOd4Vz3I Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 9, 2018 According to the graphic, Karnataka ranked 11th in investment attraction in 2013 while it tops the list in 2018. It further says that the energy production capacity has increased from 5,361 MW in 2013 to 9,349 MW in 2018. The graphic shows that Karnataka has done better on all fronts such as tackling infant malnutrition, budget outlay, creation of MBBS seats, building of houses and pure drinking water. Rahul Gandhi is slated to visit Basavanagudi, Shivajinagar and Hebbal in poll-bound Karnataka on Wednesday. Meanwhile, at a rally in Bangarpet in Karnataka on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused members of Congress party of being loyal to 10 Janpath in Delhi and not to the people of the country. The Prime Minister said that Congress has lost wherever elections have been held in recent past. He said that the mindset of the Congress party is that when they win elections, people give them the license to do corruption. Now it is Karnatakas turn to bid farewell to CongressCongress has decimated the pride of Karnataka in the last five years. They are now spoiling the future of the state, said Prime Minister Modi in his election campaign rally. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had also targeted Janata Dal Secular (JDS), the party of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda. He had asked the party to make it clear to the people if they were with the BJP or against it. New Delhi: Nearly 1.5 lakh security personnel will be deployed during the Assembly elections in Karnataka on May 12 to ensure free and fair polls. Out of them, more than 50,000 will be from the central paramilitary forces. The Union Home Ministry has earmarked around 520 companies drawn from various paramilitary forces like the CRPF, BSF and ITBP to keep strict vigil and ensure peace during the polling process in the southern state. The central security personnel will assist the nearly a lakh strong Karnataka police, who will be deployed in every nook and corner of the state during the single-phase polling, a home ministry official was quoted as saying by PTI. The number of the central forces personnel was finalised recently by the Election Commission after a meeting with senior officials of the home ministry. A company of paramilitary forces comprises about 100 personnel. 5.6 crore voters are expected to exercise their democratic right in the Karnataka polls. In the 2013 elections, there were 4.18 crore voters in the state. A total of 58,000 booths across the states have been set up. In 2013, there were 50,446 polling stations. Of all the booths in 2018, 600 would be completely managed by women and would be called 'pink booths', according to Chief Electoral Officer S Kumar. Kumar told news agency ANI that 80,000 voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) along with 80,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) will be used. More than 10 booths would be managed by specially-abled people while 28 booths will have an ethnic design. Voting in Karnataka will be on May 12 and results will be announced on May 15. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday moved the Election Commission (EC) alleging BJP hand in a Bengaluru incident where counterfoils and voter IDs were recovered from a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly constituency, and demanded stern action against those responsible. The party also complained to the poll panel against alleged misuse of Income Tax authorities to intimidate and malign Congress candidates. The memorandum submitted to the poll panel accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "a concerted conspiracy" and "fabricating and concocting and enacting fake midnight drama", and said 9,746 voter cards were recovered from a flat "belonging to BJP associates". "The raid was stage-managed. The flat belonged to a BJP leader. Those who conducted raids were BJP people, not EC or police. Two Union Ministers also reached there late in the night. This proves that the party is rattled over imminent defeat. "We expect the Commission to take action immediately. FIR should be lodged and it should order the arrest of BJP leaders," Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters. He alleged that the BJP had been using huge amounts of cash and resources in its bid to influence the voters. The Election Commission in the wee hours of Wednesday filed an FIR after 9,746 voter ID cards were found in a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency, along with around one lakh counterfoils resembling acknowledgement slips used for addition of names into electoral rolls. The Congress said the "drama" had been enacted to "impede free and fair election" as party candidate Munirathna was in a comfortable position to win the seat in the May 12 polls. "The flat was raided by a group of private persons, including BJP candidate and workers. Some campaign material of the Congress candidate that was planted there was also found," it said. The party said that the flat belonged to Manjula Nanjamuri, who had rented it to her "adopted son" Rakesh. Accusing the BJP of making false allegations, the Congress said that Nanjamuri "is a former BJP Corporator and a BJP leader from Jalahalli (a locality in RR Nagar constituency)". The party claimed that Rakesh was a BJP worker and was close to party candidate Tulsi Mundraj Gowda as also to other state leaders. Answering queries, Sharma said his party was not seeking deferment of the election. "Why should we demand this. The BJP is conspiring. We want the polls to take place. We do not want the BJP to succeed in its conspiracy to derail the election in any manner," he said. Sharma said a message must go out that the process of election would be free and fair and "the BJP despite its power and the support of all the agencies will not be allowed to subvert the process". "We have proof that Manjula is associated with the party. BJP is actually a party which has mastered the art of double-speak, hypocrisy, and lies. The foundation of this government is based on deceit, duplicity and brazen lies. And that's what the PM himself is all about ... boastful propaganda, betrayal of people. So they are exposed today," he said The Congress leader said the poll panel had assured the party of strict and prompt action. The party also alleged that the central government was indulging in the manipulation of government machinery, particularly the Income Tax Department, to "repeatedly raid and intimidate Congress candidates and disrupt their election campaign". The party cited instances and said that Krishna Heritage Resort was raided to malign the image of Chief Minister, who is contesting from Badami seat. Mumbai: Priya Prakash Varrier shares a sizzling chemistry with her Oru Adaar Love co-star Roshan Abdul Rahoof. The youngsters not only look good together onscreen but share a great equation in real life too. Their fans love to see them together as there's something magical when they unite. Here's something that will make their fans go aww! A throwback Instagram story with a caption "When he catches me smiling at him" posted by Priya featuring Roshan will give you all the feels. Check it out here: Priya and Roshan grabbed the limelight soon after a video clip from a song Manikya Malaraya Poovi in the Omar Lulu directorial went viral on social media. In the video clip, Priya and Roshan made adorable expressions at each other and this reminded many of their childhood sweethearts. Priya's wink won over a million hearts and she became India's latest internet sensation. She has now become a celebrity of sorts and one of the most sought-after personalities for brand endorsement deals. Priya had been signed for Oru Adaar Love to play a small role. But ever since a clip featuring Priya went viral, the makers decided to extend her role, reports suggest. They have made her role in the film meatier to make the most of her popularity. The script and climax have reportedly been changed to give her more prominence. The film is slated to release on June 14 this year. The Malayalam film will now release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages too. New Delhi: Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone like to play hide-and-seek when it comes to talking about their relationship in public. The duo has never really admitted to dating each other in real life but has dropped major hints that them being a couple. Paps never leave them alone and the filmy couple knows how to keep it under wraps. While Ranveer enjoyed cousin Sonam Kapoor's wedding yesterday in Mumbai, Dippy darling was seen making an impressive entry to the Met Gala 2018 red carpet. Deepika looked stunning in a red Prabal Gurung gown. She was styled by celebrity stylist Shaleena Nathani. The 'Padmaavat' actress shared her look on Instagram and Baba Ranveer couldn't handle the gorgeousness. He wrote: Aww! With Deepika upping the ante in this edgy outfit, we are sure desi beauties are surely going to make a lasting impression in the West. Besides 'Piku' actress, it was Priyanka Chopra, who yet again made heads turn with her wine colour velvet Ralph Lauren number. After Virushka, Sonam Kapoor-Anand Ahuja wedding, will it be DeepVeer? Only time well! Mumbai: Actor Anil Kapoor has thanked the Mumbai Police for providing relevant security during his daughter Sonam Kapoor`s wedding ceremony on Tuesday. Anil said his family enjoyed the occasion to the fullest because of the constant support from the police. "The constant support of Mumbai Police was a major reason behind our family being able to celebrate this occasion to the fullest without worrying about the safety! Thank you for all your help," Anil tweeted on Wednesday. Sonam married her longtime friend and Delhi-based businessman Anand Ahuja here on Tuesday afternoon.From the film and fashion industry, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Karan Johar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Rani Mukerji, Swara Bhaskar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, designer Masaba Gupta and stylist Pernia Qureshi were present at the wedding ceremony. The couple also threw a reception party later that day.From Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan to Akshay Kumar and Ranbir Kapoor, various showbiz stars posed for the shutterbugs and blessed the newlyweds with their presence at the glamorous reception party. Anil Kapoor has also thanked the wedding planners for giving Sonam the "wedding of her dreams. "He tweeted: "Thank you @wedniksha for helping me give my daughter the wedding of her dreams! You guys did a fantastic job of turning our thoughts into reality!" Sonam, who has changed her name to "Sonam K Ahuja" on Twitter, has also thanked celebrities for showering love on the newlyweds. WASHINGTON: Kicking off Google's annual developer conference, I/O in California on Tuesday, the tech giant's CEO Sundar Pichai tendered an apology for the flawed design of the burger and beer emoji on Android. Delivering his keynote speech at the conference, Pichai said, "Towards the end of last year it came to my attention that we had a major bug in one of our core products. It turns out, we got the cheese wrong in our burger emoji." Last year, a tweet triggered a debate over the correct placement of cheese on a burger of Apple's emoji versus Google's. The tweet also drew Google CEO's attention who promised to address it immediately and delivered. Pichai also spoke about the inaccurate beer emoji which was a half-full mug with foam coming out of the top. "I don't even want to tell you the explanation the team gave me as to why the foam is floating above the beer, but we restored the natural laws of physics," he said at the stage. He also showed off the correct version of both the emoji at the conference. The Google in its annual developer conference announces upcoming products or plans and also reviews the progress that the tech giant has made since the last event. ALLAHABAD: Pawan Kesari, a local BJP leader and corporater, was shot dead by bike-borne unidentified people in the Phulpur district near Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. According to reports, Kesari, who was the district secretary of BJP's youth wing (BJPYM) was attacked by the miscreants in the night on Tuesday. Pawan Kesari, a promising local BJP leader who was considered very close to Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, had sometimes back protested against the criminal elements who had, in turn, threatened him of dire consequences. Fearing for his life, the young BJP leader had even spoken to the Allahabad SSP over telephone on Tuesday evening and sought police protection. The SSP Allahabad, Aakash Kulhari, had asked him to come and meet him personally on Wednesday. However, just one hour after his telephonic conversation with the SSP, he was killed by the bike-borne attackers. He was immediately rushed to the hospital after the attack but was declared brought dead. The Allahabad Police have detained three people in connection with the BJP leader's murder who are now being interrogated for more leads. The reason for the murder is yet to be ascertained, said the police. "The reason for the murder is yet to be ascertained. Three people have been detained and we are interrogating them," Allahabad SSP Aakash Kulhari told newsmen. The broad day-light murder of the BJP leader raises several questions on the law and order situation since the party is in power in the state and the victim was considered very close to the state's Deputy Chief Minister. NALANDA: Noted yoga guru and Patanjali Ayurved founder Baba Ramdev has now joined the ongoing debate over the removal of Muhammad Ali Jinnah's portrait from the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Uttar Pradesh. Speaking on the issue in Nalanda, Ramdev said, ''Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, cannot be an ideal for India's integrity and unity.'' Ab musalman toh chitron aur murtiyon mein vishwas nahi rakhte. Unko toh iss baare mein chinta hi nahi karni chahiye. Jinnah, Bharat ki akhandata aur ekta ke liye aadarsh toh ho nahi sakta, Pakistan ke liye shayad ho sakta hai: Baba Ramdev on controversy over Jinnah's photo. pic.twitter.com/Jp2hRBkjk4 ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2018 Further reacting to the ongoing protests in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) over the removal of Jinnah's portrait, Ramdev said that the Muslims should not worry too much as they do not believe in idol worship. "Muslims does not believe in idol worship. So, they should not worry about this issue. Jinnah cannot be an ideal for India`s integrity and unity, maybe he is for Pakistan," Ramdev said. Reactions from Ramdev in the backdrop of protests over demands for removing the portrait of Pakistan's founder from the office of AMU Student Union. The controversy over Jinnah erupted after the local Bharatiya Janata Party MP Satish Gautam questioned the portrait's presence in the AMU student union office. Gautam even wrote a letter to the AMU V-C and sought an explanation in this regard. Several members of the right-wing outfits have since protested, demanding the removal of Jinnah's portrait from the varsity campus. Meanwhile, a large number of AMU students have also been agitating for the past few days, demanding action against the right-wing protesters, who entered the campus and demanded the removal of Jinnah's portrait from the student union's office. The ruling BJP also hit out at those who opposed the call to remove Jinnah's portrait in AMU, saying those standing with Jinnah also stood for terrorist Afzal Guru. BJP spokesperson Sudanshu Trivedi said that those who are standing for Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah also stood for terrorists like Afzal Guru. The Aligarh Muslim University deferred the varsity examinations in the wake of the ongoing controversy over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the campus. The exams have reportedly been postponed will May 12. The AMU Vice-Chancellor issued a notice to the varsity students on Tuesday, saying that a section of media channels are responsible for spreading lies. Requesting the students to not fall for such information, VC Tariq Mansoor advised them to focus on the examinations. Accusing a section of television channels, the university authority said, "As you all know, our beloved university is passing through a difficult phase, taking advantage of the present crisis, section of media especially some TV channels, armed with all kinds of half-truths, are constantly trying to create a very negative image of the university." The statement further added, "Dear students, we should not fall into the trap of some forces, which are bent on destroying the image of our Alma Mater and playing with your bright future." Meanwhile, another controversy related to Jinnah has now erupted. After the uproar over his portrait in the AMU, now objections have been raised by another Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader to Jinnah House and Jinnah Hall in Mumbai. Mumbai BJP MLA Prabhat Lodha has demanded that Jinnah House and Jinnah Hall should be converted to cultural centres and that Jinnahs name must be removed from them. Jinnah House was home of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Mumbai and the hall was named after the Muslim League leader. (With Agency inputs) Tehran: Hours after United States walked out of the 2015 nuclear accord, Iranian lawmakers shouted Death to America and set ablaze the US flag and a piece of paper, representing the nuclear deal, inside the country's parliament on Wednesday. The lawmakers later carried out demonstrations on the street. "Trump does not have the mental capacity to deal with issues," said parliament speaker Ali Larijani said on the judiciary`s website, Mizan. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Iran nuclear accord, calling it horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. Economic sanctions, that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015, will once again be imposed on Tehran, said Trump. He added that Obama's foreign policy did not address Iran`s ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 nor its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria. The Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). was signed in 2015 by the United States during former President Barack Obama's tenure. UK, France, China, Russia and Germany are the other five nations that signed the accord. President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would remain committed to the multinational nuclear deal, designed to deny Tehran the ability to build nuclear weapons, despite Trump`s decision to withdraw from it. "If we achieve the deal`s goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place. ... By exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty," Rouhani said in a televised speech. "I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain," he added. "If needed, we will resume our nuclear enrichment at the industrial level without any limit," Rouhani said. "From now on, everything depends on Iran`s national interests." The chant "Death to America" has often been heard inside the Iranian. Trump's decision puts pressure on his European allies, which are key backers of the deal and are reluctant to join the United States in reimposing sanctions on Iran. Under the 2015 deal, Iran stopped producing 20 percent enriched uranium and gave up the majority of its stockpile in return for most international sanctions on it being lifted. Trump`s announcement was hailed by Washington`s principal allies in the Middle East, Israel and Saudi Arabia, both sworn foes of Iran. With agency inputs WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled the United States out of the Iran nuclear accord, unravelling the decision of his predecessor Barack Obama to stopp Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. Economic sanctions, that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015, will now be reimposed on Tehran, said Trump. "This was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made," Trump said at the White House in announcing his decision. "It didn`t bring calm, it didn`t bring peace, and it never will." He added that Obama's foreign policy did not address Iran`s ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 nor its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria. The deal was worked out by the United States and five other international powers UK, France, China, Russia and Germany in 2015. By abandoning the Iran nuclear deal, the US now risks conflict in the Middle East, upsetting Western allies and casting uncertainty over global oil supplies. Trump said that he was willing to negotiate a fresh deal, but Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has already ruled it out and threatened unspecified retaliation if Washington pulled out. Meanwhile, Iranian state television said on Tuesday that Trump`s decision to withdraw was "illegal, illegitimate and undermines international agreements." Renewing sanctions would make it much harder for Iran to sell its oil abroad or use the international banking system. Despite US pulling out, the Iran deal is likely to be partially intact with five other signatories committed to it. European allies have expressed regret Trump's decision on Iran but Israel and Saudis supported it. "The European Union is determined to preserve it," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said of the world powers` 2015 agreement with Tehran. "Together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal." "I am particularly worried by the announcement tonight of new sanctions," she added. French President Emmanuel Macron said he regretted the decision and would work on a broader agreement covering Iran`s nuclear activity, ballistics programme and regional activities. Israel praised President Donald Trump`s decision to pull the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, with Israeli Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu saying that the deal was "a recipe for disaster, a disaster for our region, a disaster for the peace of the world." Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim power that considers Shi`ite Iran to be its main regional foe, also hailed Trump`s decision: "Iran used economic gains from the lifting of sanctions to continue its activities to destabilise the region, particularly by developing ballistic missiles and supporting terrorist groups in the region," said a statement carried on Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television. Former US President Barack Obama, who forged the deal in association with others, said that Trump`s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, was "misguided." "I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake," Obama said in a statement, referring to the acronym for the agreement worked out by the United States, five other world powers and Iran. Obama said the Iran agreement significantly rolled back Tehran`s nuclear program and was a model for a possible deal Trump hopes to negotiate with North Korea to eliminate Pyongyang`s nuclear weapons. "That is why todays announcement is so misguided," Obama said. "Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on Americas closest allies, and an agreement that our countrys leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated," he said. Former vice president Joe Biden said that he decision of US President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal would isolate America. Meannwhile, oil prices pushed higher in early trading on Wednesday after Trump walked away from the Iran nuclear deal, a move that may curb the OPEC-member`s crude exports in an already tight market. With agency inputs Ankara: Morad Sabzevari was among thousands of jubilant Iranians who took to the streets to celebrate a nuclear deal with major powers in 2015. He expected it to end his country`s isolation, and even bring prosperity one day. Sabzevari`s hopes were dashed on Tuesday, when President Donald Trump announced the United States was withdrawing from "a horrible, one-sided deal" and reimposing sanctions on Iran. His tougher-than-expected tone rattled Sabzevari, 47, a school teacher in central city of Isfahan, criticised Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist who overcame fierce opposition from hardliners to secure the deal. "I am scared. I listened to Trump`s speech on English news channels last night ... It was a declaration of war against Iran. It means pressure. It means dark days and months are ahead of us," Sabzevari said by telephone. "What should I do? I have two children. Mr President, you failed." The nuclear pact, designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb, was thrashed out by the United States, five other world powers and Iran and traded a lifting of sanctions in exchange for curbs on Tehran`s nuclear program. Trump said the accord, the signature foreign policy achievement of his predecessor Barack Obama, failed to address Iran`s ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 and its role in conflicts in the Middle East, where it is involved in proxy wars with US ally Saudi Arabia. Rouhani has sought to reassure ordinary Iranians, already deeply frustrated by high unemployment and low living standards, that Iran`s oil-reliant economy could withstand a return to the economic pressures that will follow Trump`s decision. But Fariba Saravi, 26-year-old PhD student at Tehran Azad University, was pessimistic. "I am tired of empty words, promises, lies... Trump`s message was clear. We will be squeezed. We will be isolated again but this time with a crazy person like Trump, it will be worse than before (the deal)," she said. Iran`s economy has continued to struggle despite the easing of sanctions from 2016. Average unemployment of 12 percent rises close to 30 percent among Iran`s restless youth - more than 30 percent of Irans 80 million population is aged 18 to 30. In late December, Iranians staged nationwide demonstrations over poor living standards, calling on Rouhani as well as top clerical leaders to step down. For many, the picture looks even grimmer after Trump`s decision and there is a risk the deal will collapse entirely even though European signatories are trying to hold it together. "You know what? They did not have money to pay our salaries. Now it will be even worse ... God help us," said factory worker Mostafa, 38, in the northern city of Noshahr. "I have not got my wage in the past two months. Mr Rouhani promised more jobs... but now I will be jobless." Pressure will mount on the Iranian leadership when U.S. restrictions cut its oil exports that are the engine of Irans economy, raising the prospect of further unrest. "Why should foreigners invest in Iran when we are trying to move our businesses to another country," said a businessman, who asked not to be named, in the holy Shi`ite city of Mashhad. "I am in the dried fruit export business. Since last night, I have been seriously thinking of moving to a neighbouring country like Turkey." More Iranians could come to the same conclusion as sanctions bite. Many foreign firms have shunned Iran, in part due to the remaining sanctions unilaterally imposed by the United States over what it says are human rights violations, terrorism, and the dominant role of the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Irans economy. Younger, particularly urban Iranians, have wider concerns as their country is squeezed economically. "I don`t care what politicians do. They are all liars. But now I almost have no hope for more freedoms, social, cultural and even political," said Garshasb Amini, 19, in the central city of Yazd. Rouhani, a longtime establishment insider who won the presidency in 2013 and 2017, was bolstered by the support of many Iranians yearning for freedoms. But rights groups say there has been little, if any progress. Rouhani and his allies say hardliners, who dominate the judiciary and security services, are a roadblock to more freedoms at home. Maryam Saberi, 51, who lives in Tehran`s affluent Zaferaniyeh neighbourhood, has more pressing concerns. "I could not sleep last night. I am so scared of Iran being attacked by Israel. I remember when Iraq bombed Tehran during the (1980-88) war I don`t care about the nuclear programme. I just want my country to be safe," she said. Hardliners are putting their faith in Iran`s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who, in Iran`s complex power structure, has the final say on matters of state. "I don`t care what Trump does. My beloved Khamenei will lead us out of this as he has done in the past," said Gholamreza Ashtiani, 22, a member of Iran`s volunteer Basij militia in the holy city of Qom. "Death to America. Death to Israel," he said. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia`s Mahathir Mohamad said the opposition alliance he leads had won enough parliament seats in Wednesday`s general election to form the next government, but the count was continuing and official results so far did not back his claim. The Election Commission sought to tamp down speculation about the outcome, but thousands of supporters of the Southeast Asian country`s 92-year-old former leader did not wait to celebrate, cheering and honking horns in central Kuala Lumpur. Several key roads in the heart of the capital were blocked off by police amid growing evidence that Prime Minister Najib Razak`s coalition was on the back foot and could lose power for the first time since Malaysia`s independence six decades ago. His party postponed an evening news conference until Thursday morning and said Najib, who has ruled the Southeast Asian country for nearly 10 years, would address the media at 11:00 (03:00 GMT) on Thursday. The Election Commission said some results that had gone "viral" were unofficial and had not been verified. "Of course, political parties can declare whoever (they believe has won), but ... please wait," commission Chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah told reporters shortly after midnight. "We would like to announce it as quickly as possible as well." Official results showed that, so far, Mahathir`s Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) had won 90 of parliament`s 222 seats and Najib`s ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), had won 69. A simple majority of 112 seats is required by a party or alliance to rule, a number Mahathir said his party believed it had won. "The likelihood is that they will not be forming the government," he told reporters, referring to Najib`s coalition. Early results showed that BN had lost seats in key states that have traditionally been its strongholds, underlining public disenchantment with the government over the cost of living and a multi-billion-dollar scandal that has dogged Najib since 2015. "We still need to wait for the official results to come in," said Keith Leong, head of research at the KRA Group consultancy. "However, the signs point to unprecedented losses to the ruling BN. The only thing that is certain is that we are entering new and uncharted terrain politically. We are witnessing history being made in this country." Malaysia`s majority ethnic-Malay Muslims have long tended to support BN for affirmative-action policies that give them government contracts, cheap housing and guaranteed university admissions. Mahathir`s alliance, which counts on urban votes and support from the minority ethnic-Chinese and Indian communities, hoped that with the Malay veteran leader as its standard bearer it would draw in voters traditionally loyal to BN. "There has been a significant shift in the Malay vote," said Rashaad Ali, an analyst with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Mahathir is a polarising figure and many voters are suspicious of him because of his authoritarian rule as PM between 1981 and 2003. But 64-year-old Najib`s popularity dropped sharply over the past three years, partly due to a scandal over 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund from which billions of dollars were allegedly siphoned off. Mahathir was once Najib`s mentor but he left their United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party over the 1MDB affair and joined the opposition to bring him down. US Attorney-General Jeff Sessions has described the scandal at the fund set up by Najib as the worst form of kleptocracy. The US Department of Justice has filed several lawsuits to seize more than $1.7 billion in assets believed to have been stolen from 1MDB. Najib, who was chairman of 1MDB`s advisory board, has denied any wrongdoing and has been cleared of any offence by Malaysia`s attorney general. London: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, wanted in India to face charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 9,000 crore, can be regarded as a "fugitive from justice", the UK High Court has concluded. Judge Andrew Henshaw, who upheld a worldwide freeze order and ruled in favour of 13 Indian state-owned banks to recover funds amounting to nearly 1.145 billion pounds in a judgment on Tuesday, took note of the fact that the 62-year-old businessman is contesting his extradition to India relating to "alleged financial misconduct". "In all these circumstances, and even taking account of the fact that Dr Mallya is contesting the alleged grounds for extradition, there are grounds for regarding Dr Mallya as a fugitive from justice," the judge said as part of his ruling. The High Court remained unconvinced by Mallya's claim that he has been a non-resident Indian (NRI) since 1988 and has lived in England since 1992, a country where he has indefinite leave to remain (ILR). "The evidence indicates that prior to March 2016 Dr Mallya travelled fairly regularly between India and England for business and political reasons. Most of his business interests were in or closely connected with India, most notably United Breweries Group and Kingfisher Airlines. Whilst Dr Mallya has indefinite leave to stay in the UK, he is said to be a non-resident taxpayer," the court observed. The judge also concluded that the businessman had been in "clear breach" of a Karnataka court's order when he disposed of assets like a historic sword of Tipu Sultan acquired at an auction in 2003. "The sword of Tipu Sultan is an item of historic importance which Dr Mallya bought at an auction in 2003 for the equivalent of GBP 188,400 and states that he gave away in 2016 as his family members considered that it was bringing him bad luck," Judge Henshaw notes in his judgment. "Dr Mallya declined to state in correspondence to whom the sword was given. Dr Mallya was unable to put forward any basis for contending that the disposal was not in breach of the Karnataka High Court's interim injunction, and accepted that it occurred after the Supreme Court had made clear that the injunction covered subsequently acquired assets? It does, though, appear to me to have been in clear breach of the Karnataka court's order," he adds. The judge, however, was less certain that luxury cars and yachts had been undeclared or disposed of by Mallya as claimed by the legal team representing the 13 Indian banks ? State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Corporation bank, Federal Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu &a Kashmir Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co. Pvt Ltd. The judge noted: "The Claimants [Indian banks] say there are numerous other assets which have been linked to Dr Mallya in various sources on the internet, but which he denies that he owns. These comprise three yachts, numerous cars and the Mabula Game Reserve in South Africa. "The registered/asserted owners are offshore companies and/or trusts. Since these matters are unverified, I do not consider I can take account of them." Mallya's purchase of a Ferrari 246 GTS with an estimated value of 480,000 pounds was also questioned by the Indian banks. The UK court concluded that it may be the case that the payment of the deposit on the Ferrari was in breach of the Karnataka High Court's interim injunction. "However, this point was not the subject of any detailed argument before me and, overall, I do not consider that the matters relating to the Ferrari carry matters any further on this application," the judge concluded. The ruling by the UK court has been described as "significant" by TLT LLP, the UK law firm which represented the Indian banks in the case. "This is a positive and big step forward. The judgement enables our client banks to proceed with enforcement of the Indian Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) ruling, which has now been registered and is immediately enforceable," said Paul Gair, partner in TLT's Banking & Financial Services litigation team. "We are considering all of our options with our clients? the worldwide freezing order has worldwide effect, so it's all of his assets wherever they may be. There are provisions for his weekly allowance, within which he can meet his needs," he added. Mallya, who remains on bail since his arrest on an extradition warrant in April last year, will return for the last leg of his ongoing extradition trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on July 11, after which the court is expected to set a timeline for judgment in that case. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), representing the Indian government, has claimed it has successfully established a prima facie case of fraud against the businessman. Mallya has claimed the criminal charges against him are "without substance" and "politically motivated". Read original article at 112.ua Given the amount of work required, technological limitations and rigid deadlines, this is a difficult task. There is no repair documentation for some SAMs. Therefore, in fact, it is necessary to reverse the engineering of the units, repair them or restore and ensure the intended use of the complexes. At the same time, it is not required from the enterprises of Ukroboronprom and private companies to upgrade the complexes, which they take into medium repair. Although some of the SAMs (in particular, the same S-125M Pechora) have a significant potential for building up combat capabilities. Due to the installation of new semi-active or active targeting heads on the 5V27D missiles developed by the Kyiv company Radionics, the long-range limit of the C-125M zone of damage increases in range from 18 to 40 km, in height from 18 to 25 km. In the most advanced version, it becomes possible to shell eight enemy targets simultaneously. The work of the complex regarding the launching of missiles with a semi-active head has already been tested by practice with foreign customer. Responsibility for the entire "resuscitation package" for the extension of the rocket resource of anti-aircraft missile systems, which are currently in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as those that will be introduced in the near or medium term, with the exception of "two hundred", is entrusted to the State Kyiv design bureau "Luch" in cooperation with another Kyiv company "Vizar", also part of the Ukroboronprom. Modernization or development of new anti-aircraft missile systems for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the next step in strengthening the domestic air defense shield. There are projects for small, medium and long-range complexes using existing industrial and technological reserves. According to the developers, with whom I communicated, the result can be achieved within two years, and with very sane financing. The bet is made on its capabilities. But help or partnership on the part of Western companies will be necessary to acquire a modern element base with the required characteristics. But this is another, longer story. UN peacekeeping mission in Donbas will unblock the implementation of Minsk Agreements, as Kurt Volker, the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine, stated at the briefing of Helsinki Commission of U.S. Congress and wrote on his Twitter. A UN-mandated temporary and transitional peacekeeping force could work if Russia wants to exit Ukraine and bring peace to the Ukrainian and Russian people. @HelsinkiComm Kurt Volker (@SpecRepUkraine) May 8, 2018 Besides, Volker called Russias aggression in Ukraine a direct intervention and occupation. The peacekeeping forces can help OSCE Mission to conduct its work more effective, and OSCE can help to provide reliable police mission and assistance in local electionsSeveral countries have already offered to contribute to the mission under the right conditions, Volker said. Earlier, Poland, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, Turkey and Finland stated that they were ready to bring the peacekeepers to Donbas. Open source The Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will hand over to the Grand Chamber of the Court four "Ukraine vs. Russia" cases, which deal with human rights violations in Crimea annexed by Russia and on the territories of Donbas that are not controlled by Ukraine. This was reported in the press service of the ECHR. "The Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights, which considers four interstate declarations filed by Ukraine against Russia, decided to renounce jurisdiction over them in favor of the Grand Chamber," the report said. We recall, the ECHR Chamber may waive its jurisdiction in favor of the Grand Chamber under certain circumstances. In particular, if a case of the ECHR Chamber touches the issue of interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights or its protocols, as it is the case of Ukraine. There are 17 judges in the Grand Chamber, while 7 judges of the ECHR rule on standard cases. The Grand Chamber is authorized to consider only those cases that were transferred to it. At the moment, the ECHR received 5 lawsuits against Russia. Two cases concern the annexation of Crimea and the violation of human rights on the peninsula, two more - violations in the Donbas. It was also reported that before the end of June Ukraine intends to file another case against Russia. It is noted that the new lawsuit will concern the protection of the rights of political prisoners. Related: Peacekeepers in Donbas to unblock Minsk Agreements, - Volker According to Hug, the mission strengthened the patrolling in Zakarpattia region and everything that was spotted was also published The OSCE observers constantly located in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine and monitored the situation with the Hungarians in Zakarpattia, called the situation in the region peaceful. Alexander Hug, the first deputy head of OSCE SMM in Ukraine claimed this as 112.ua reported. 'According to the information that we have got from that group, the situation in the region is peaceful. Of the situation in Zakarpattia changes we will report on this', Hug claimed. The OSCE mission strengthened the monitoring in Uzhhorod after the incidents with the Transcarpathian Union of Hungarians. Two attacks were spotted in February. The law enforcers solve both cases. Totally, five people were detained; the possible organizer of the crimes is on the wanted list. On march 5, Head of Zakarpattia Regional State Administration Hennady Moscal claimed that law enforcers detained people suspected in the arson of the building. He also stated that there are soldiers of the Anti-Terrorist Operation are among detained for the attack on the Hungarian Culture Association in Uzhgorod, western Ukraine on February 27. Also, there is a full text of the interview with Alexander Hug about problems at checkpoints on the crossing line in Donbas and about the situation in Zakarpattia. Presidential Administration press office President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, during a meeting in Germany with President of the European Council Donald Tusk, agreed to hold the jubilee 20th Ukraine-EU summit in the summer of this year in Brussels. This was reported by the press service of the President of Ukraine. The parties at the meeting also discussed the situation in Donbas, the course of the JFO, the violation of the armistice by Russia and the continuation (strengthening) of anti-Russian sanctions. "The leaders discussed the implementation of reforms in Ukraine, in particular, the establishment of an anti-corruption court, the reform of the national security system, the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, as well as ways to increase assistance from the EU," the press service reports. As you know, Poroshenko is on a visit to Germany on May 9-10. There he plans to meet with the German Chancellor and the President of France. The Ukrainian leader will also take part in the events at the annual Charlemagne award ceremony to Emmanuel Macron. Related: Policeman injured in brawl of football fans in Dnipro 112 Agency The US State Department has decided to impose sanctions against 28 defense structures of Russia, China and other countries for violating US legislation on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The document was submitted to the site of the US Federal Register. From the Russian structures the blacklist included the Training Center for SAM systems in Gatchina, the 18th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in Kursk, the Instrument Design Bureau in Tula, the 183rd Guards Air Defense Missile Regiment, the Scientific and Production Concern "BARL" , as well as the General Directorate of the General Staff (GRU). The United States has established that a number of foreigners and foreign organizations are engaged in activities that are grounds for the application of restrictive measures under the law on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. All sanctions are imposed against the defense structures of Russia, Iran, North Korea, China, as well as companies from Turkey and Saudi Arabia. We recall, the United States accused Rosoboronexport of violating the law on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and imposed sanctions in this regard. Sanctions will come into force on May 9 and will last two years. As previously reported, the Kremlin and the government are preparing in advance for the fact that the US can take the most severe scenario of sanctions against Russia. Earlier, the US imposed sanctions against 24 Russian businessmen and officials whose incomes exceed $ 1 billion. It is noted that the new sanctions relate to Moscow's possible intervention in the US presidential election in 2016. Related: Security Service expels two Russian journalists from Ukraine for provocative TV stories 112 Agency 112 Agency Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) forcibly returned to the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan special correspondents of Russian TV channels "First Channel" and "Russia", who were sent to Kyiv to prepare propaganda stories about the celebration of the Victory Day in World War II. This was reported by Security Service on its Facebook page. "The officers of the special services documented that according to the plan of the Russian propagandists, the video footage shot by Valentina Solovieva and Olga Yuryeva was planned to be used to discredit Ukraine before the world community and spread disinformation among the population," the report said. The department added that the activities of Russian propagandists harm the national security of Ukraine, its sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order. "On May 9, 2018 Valentina Solovieva was forcibly returned to Russia, and Olga Yuryeva to Kazakhstan with a ban on entry into our country for a period of three years," the Ukrainian law enforcers say. The SBU reminded that according to the decree of the President of Ukraine No. 133 of May 15, 2017, special restrictive measures for activities in the territory of Ukraine were applied to the Russian TV channels "First Channel" and "Russia". Earlier it was reported that as of 11:00 on May 9 in Ukraine 7 people were detained for banned symbols. Kiev police chief Andriy Krishchenko reported that in Kyiv law enforcement officers detained four people. It was noted that there were two detainees who tried to use the forbidden symbols, and 2 people who tried to pass without inspection to the territory of holding mass events. Related: Peacekeepers in Donbas to unblock Minsk Agreements, - Volker The police will be on duty in the reinforced regime until the end of the day Kyiv police All the detainees during the mass actions on the Victory Day were released. This was stated in the comment of the communication department director of Internal Ministry (MIA) Artem Shevchenko. According to Shevchenko, the police will be on duty in the reinforced regime until the end of the day. The head of the Kyiv Police Andriy Kryschenko at a briefing noted that as at 13:00 on the police station, there was one detainee. According to Kryshchenko, law enforcement officers detained 6 people at mass events on May 9 in Kyiv. Earlier, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Serhiy Yarovyi said that in Ukraine on Victory Day, police filed protocols against ten people (production and propaganda of St. George's ribbon). "In addition, the police brought 14 people for offenses related to the use of the banned Communist totalitarian symbolism", said Yarovyi. Besides, police officers in Odesa reported on two people, who were detained for bearing a Georgian ribbon. Many mass events dedicated to Day of Victory over Nazism in WWII are held in Ukraine today. According to the police, around 1,5 thousand events are planned to be held in Kyiv. Around 390 thousand citizens will participate in the events. 20,5 thousand police officers and National Guard servicemen will keep the order in the state on May 9. Besides, Japan announced the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Turboatom and Toshiba Energy Systems, which is scheduled for June 2018 Open source The representatives of Japanese Embassy in Ukraine held a meeting in the Ministry of Energy and Coal Mining of Ukraine. They have reached an agreement on mutual cooperation in updating of equipment for nuclear industry, as the press-office of Ukraines Government reported. Japanese side informed about its intentions to cooperate with Ukraine in cooperation concerning the updating of equipment for nuclear industry, including the production and modernization of turbines, for nuclear-energy facilities in third countries in particular and announced the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Turboatom and Toshiba Energy Systems, which is scheduled for June 2018, the message says. Besides, the representatives of the Ministry stressed that Ukrainian side was interested in cooperating with other states concerning the instrumentation, development and updating of the energy field. For today, 15 Ukrainian nuclear power plants ensure the production of more than 56% of electric power out of the countrys power-supply balance, the message says. The law lays legal and structural basis of protection of vital interests and the rights of Ukrainian citizens, the entire society and the state, Ukraines national interests in the cyberspace misgl.com Law on Basic Principles of Ukraines Cyber Security, adopted by the Parliament in October and signed by the President on November, 7, comes into effect today, on May 9. The document defines the basic infrastructure objects, which compose critical infrastructure of the country that needs the best possible cyber protection. The law also lays the legal and structural basis of protection of vital interests and the rights of Ukrainian citizens, the entire society and the state, Ukraines national interests in the cyber-space. The separate article dedicated to the issue that the cyber-security should not mean oppressions on the internet. Also, the draft law does not cover the data that are passed in the communications or technologic schemes, social networks, blog platforms, video hosting services and others. The objects of the cyber-security are communication systems (whoever owns them) that work with national information resources or those that are used in the interests of the government authorities, law enforcement and military bodies. Also, there is a list of objects of the critical infrastructure: enterprises of energy, chemical, transport, information and communication technologies, electronic communication spheres, bank and finance sector, and others (whoever owns them). The Ukrainian Government creates the conditions of the enlisting of the objects of the critical infrastructure and the National Banks works with the bank system. The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection of Ukraine, the National Police, the SBU, the Defense Ministry, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Intelligence Service and the National Bank are responsible for the cyber-security of Ukraine. The document provides the detailed authorities of each of these services. Particularly, the State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection provides the work of the State Center of Cyber-Security, the government team of response on cyber-incidents in Ukraine, the SBU fights with the cyber-spy craft, the Defense Ministry is ready to respond to the military aggression in the cyber-space. The work of all authorities is coordinated by the president through the NSDC and the National Coordination Center of Cyber-Security of NSDC. The government creates the conditions for the work of audit system of information security at the objects of the critical infrastructure and the National Banks works with the bank system. The only site that still needs to be closed off for the police is the family home in Salisbury Open source The police concluded the investigation of every sector connected with the incident in Salisbury, except the former house of Skripal, as The Telegraph reports. Parts of the Wiltshire city have been locked behind police cordons for more than two months as officers and soldiers worked to gather evidence and clean up areas affected by the Novichok nerve agent. The only site that still needs to be closed off for the police is the family home in Salisbury, the message says. 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. Supporting Britain, more than 30 states, including Ukraine, announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats as a reaction to the incident in Salisbury. Ukraines Foreign Ministry stated that 13 Russian diplomats, who were expelled, are the representatives of Russian special service. Earlier, it was reported that the police detained four people in Kyiv Seven people were detained at the events dedicated to the Victory Day in Ukraine at as 11:00 for using banned symbols, as Ukraines Internal Ministry reported on Twitter. As at 11:00 seven people were detained in Ukraine for using banned symbols of a totalitarian communist regime, the message says. Earlier, Andriy Kryshchenko, the Police Chief, stated that the law enforcers detained four people in Kyiv. It was noted that two detained who tried to use banned symbols and two people who tried to enter the territory of the event without check. Besides, police officers in Odesa reported on two people, who were detained for bearing a Georgian ribbon. Many mass events dedicated to Day of Victory over Nazism in WWII are held in Ukraine today. According to the police, around 1,5 thousand events are planned to be held in Kyiv. Around 390 thousand citizens will participate in the events. 20,5 thousand police officers and National Guard servicemen will keep the order in the state on May 9. More than ten public events will be conducted in the capital today. The Memorial March started at 11:00, where 3,000 people are to participate. L.A. WITCH (Suicide Squeeze Records) In the dimly lit interior of a small nightclub, where the stale smell of a thousand extinguished cigarettes drowns out the smell of spilt beer and broken dreams, a band plays against a backdrop of cheap golden tinsel. Outside, palm trees line the nights horizon. In the years to come, the streets will swell into highways and interstates, but for now Los Angeles is still a young city growing daily with transplants from across the United States, all looking for a new life. Its still a city largely cut off from the rest of the country, and in the years before the Manson family forever tarnishes the infinite hope of the Western enclave and before the Hells Angels of Altamont interrupt rock n rolls peaceful trajectory with unprecedented violence, there is still a dreamy California sound for those dark rooms suffused with neon light. The three women of L.A. Witch wouldnt be born for several decades, but their sound transports you back to those warm Californian nights in smoky rooms. The name is a partial misnomer. Though the band hails from Los Angeles, they do not partake in any sort of witchcraft. Yet their ability to conjure a specific time and place through their sound does suggest a kind of magic. On their eponymous debut album, L.A. Witchs reverb-drenched guitar jangle and sultry vocals conjure the analog sound of a collectors prized 45 from some short-lived footnote cult band. The melodies forgo the bubblegum pop for a druggy haze that straddles the line between seedy glory and ominous balladry; the production cant afford Phil Spectors wall-of-sound, but the instruments simple beauty provides an economic grace that renders studio trickery unnecessary; the lyrics seem more descendent of Johnny Cashs first-person morality tales than the vacuous empty gestures of pre-fab pop bands. This isnt music for the masses; its music for miscreants, burnouts, down-and-out dreamers, and obsessive historians. Album opener Kill My Baby Tonight is the perfect introduction to the bands marriage of 60s girls-in-the-garage charm and David Lynchs surreal exposes of Southern Californias underbelly. Sade Sanchezs black velvet vocals disguise the malicious intent of this murder ballad, with the thumping pulse of bassist Irita Pai, the slow-burn build of drummer Ellie English, and Sanchezs desert guitar twang helping beguile the listener into becoming a willing accomplice to the narrators crimes. Brian follows the opening track with a similarly graceful, if not somewhat ominous, slow-mo take on a well-worn jukebox 7. Its a vibe that permeates the entire album, from the early psychedelic hue of 13th Floor Elevators on tracks like You Love Nothing, through the motorik beat and fuzzed-out licks of Drive Your Car, to the grittier permutation of Mazzy Stars sleepy beauty on Baby In Blue Jeans. L.A. Witch was recorded at Hurley Studios in Costa Mesa and mixed in Highland Park, Los Angeles, though early incarnations of several songs from the album originally surfaced on limited edition singles released over the last several years. The bands initial aspirations were humble. We never really thought we would or could release an album, the band says. We were really just finding each other and finding our sound. But after touring nearly non-stop for the last three years, L.A. Witch developed a singularly seductive, haunting, and wistful sound that enamored the garage rock, dream pop, psych, and broader indie communities. Suicide Squeeze Records is proud to release their debut album on September 8th, 2017. L.A. Witch is available on CD, digital formats, and 1500 LPs on translucent pink vinyl with a download card. Advance tickets are $8 at sisterthebar.com Dr. Gary Rosenberg discusses the genius of Leonardo DaVinci's inventions and their applications. Although we take landscape art for granted today landscape art and even the idea of landscape didnt really exist until the Renaissance when Leonardo da Vinci and his contemporaries invented it. In fact, Leonardos first work of art was a landscape drawing that showed the founding principles of the science of geology, 200 years before it was actually founded! He and his fellow artists sometimes painted such realistic landscapes that even today we can use their art to study how flowing water and other geologic processes sculpt the landscape. Remarkably, there is evidence that Leonardo thought of landscape the way that doctors think of the structure of the human body. How can we use this information to appreciate the mysteries of Leonardos geniusand the landscape around us? Dr. Gary Rosenberg is Adjunct Curator of Geology, Milwaukee Public Museum and Emeritus Associate Professor of Earth Sciences, Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis. He is interested in understanding spatial relationships as revealed by the history of landscape art and the history of geological thought since studies of both reveal fundamentals about our understanding of nature. In 2009 he edited The Revolution in Geology from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment published by the Geological Society of America (GSA). He has served as Chair, History and Philosophy of Geology Division of GSA and received the History of Geology Divisions Mary C. Rabbitt research award and Gerald and Sue Friedman service award. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America. He earned his BS in geology from The University of Wisconsin, Madison and Ph.D. from UCLA. Cost includes $5 discount coupon to Da Vinci" . The Genius exhibit 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!) YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. The United States extended congratulations to Nikol Pashinyan as the new Prime Minister of Armenia. The United States congratulates Nikol Pashinyan as the new Prime Minister of Armenia. We look forward to working closely with the new government and with the people of Armenia on the many areas of shared interest between our countries, including increasing trade, working in support of democracy and rule of law, and safeguarding regional and global security, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press statement. Nikol Pashinyan was elected Prime Minister by the Armenian parliament on May 8 in the second round of voting. 59 MPs voted in favor, 42 voted against Nikol Pashinyan. He needed at least 53 votes to be named Prime Minister. As required by the Constitution, a new government must be formed within 15 days after electing a Prime Minister. ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan on May 9 addressed a congratulatory message on the Victory Day, the 26th anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Defense Army and the liberation of Shushi, the Artsakh Presidential Office told Armenpress. The message runs as follows: Dear compatriots, Dear veterans of the Great Patriotic and Artsakh Liberation wars, Respected generals, officers and soldiers of the Defense Army, On behalf of the republics authorities and personally myself I cordially congratulate you on the Victory Holiday, the 26th anniversary of the NKR Defense Army and the Liberation of Shushi. May 9 has long been the symbol of victories of our heroic people. History has proven more than once that in different periods, during ordeals our Motherland underwent we have managed to unite and protect our national interests, homes and hearths, families and children. Our people managed to do that due to their courage and brevity, the infinite love and devotion to the Motherland, their unity and unshakable will. We always remember the feat of our heroic fathers and grandfathers in the Great Patriotic War, we have been brought up by their example, and inspired also by this very example we have liberated Shushi, ancient Armenian settlements and built a free and independent statehood. The independence generation today continues our peoples heroic traditions; continues with dignity and confidence enriching the victorious pages of our history. Dear compatriots, This festive day I congratulate all our sisters and brothers in Artsakh, Mother Armenia and the Diaspora. Let the May cherished victories be a landmark for our people and lead to new achievements and accomplishments. I wish all of us peace, welfare and all the best. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan released a congratulatory message on the occasion of May 9 - Victory and Peace Day, the PMs office said. Dear countrymen, I cordially congratulate you on Victory and Peace Day. The victory of our ancestors in the Great Patriotic War was truly historical. This victory and subsequent peace opened new doors for our people and opened new horizons for its creative work, prosperity and development of the country. All segments of the Armenian people gave everything they could for this victory and crowned their name with glory in all fronts of World War II, as well as in the rear, partisan battles and resistance movements. Today, we express our respect and gratitude to our veterans with deepest regards. Today is a double holiday for us. We are celebrating another anniversary of the liberation of Shushi. This glorious victory wasnt solely a military success. With this the Armenians of Artsakh were saved from the danger of annihilation and acquired a prospect of living peacefully. Today we bow before the memory of all our martyrs and we assure that violation of the freedom of individuals and the nation will not be tolerated. It will not be tolerated because our people have humanitarian ideals, a freedom-loving spirit, as well as a united will to protect these ideals. The non-violent, democratic velvet revolution which took place in Armenia and its nationwide coverage is another irrevocable proof that we have a clear understanding in terms of what is freedom, democracy and peacefulness. Today, the Armenian people in Armenia, in Artsakh and in the Diaspora are once again confident in its strengths, the spirit of liberation of Shushi is awake in our hearts and eyes. Dear people, proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia, I have no doubt that the triumphant spirit of the Armenian people, which was strengthened even more by the latest developments, will bring new successes for Armenia and Artsakh. The Armenian people are confidently walking the path of realization of their dreams. I once again congratulate us all on this glorious holiday and wish peaceful skies, fair and productive work for the glory of our country and for the welfare of our people, the Armenian Prime Minister said in the statement. ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. On May 9 the Armenian people celebrate a triple holiday - the victory of the Great Patriotic War, the Liberation of Shushi and the anniversary of the Artsakh Defense Armys establishment, reports Armenpress. A number of events are scheduled to take place in Armenia and Artsakh on May 9, which will pay homage to the fallen heroes and those who continue encouraging the new generation with bravery and valor. Artsakh celebrates the Liberation of Shushi and historical victories Newly-elected Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan visited Artsakh on May 9. Like every year, this year as well a number of festive events are scheduled: high-ranking officials, citizens will march from Stepanakerts Revival Square to the Memorial. They will lay flowers and a wreath by paying tribute to the memory of heroes fallen in the Great Patriotic War and the Artsakh war. Events will also be held in Shushi, a great concert will take place in the evening. Armenians had their contribution in the victory of the Great Patriotic War Around 600, 000 Armenian soldiers also fought during the Great Patriotic War. 4 Marshalls and 1 Admiral from Armenia were commanding during those times. 70, 000 Armenian soldiers were awarded highest medals for their service, and 104 soldiers were named Hero of the USSR. Nelson Stepanyan was named Double Hero of the USSR. Wedding in the Mountains Historic Victory for the Armenian people 24 years ago on May 9, the Armenian forces accomplished the mission Wedding in the Mountains, liberating Shushi. The liberation was a turning point in the Nagorno Karabakh War, and was followed by numerous other victories. During the night of May 8, at 2:30, after capturing military positions of Kirs and taking under control the Lachin- Shushi road, the Armenian forces entered Shushi. The Armenian flag is raised at the top of the St. Ghazanchetsots Cathedral (Cathedral of Christ the Holy Savior), marking the liberation of Shushi. Army as our security guarantor The anniversary of the establishment of the Defense Army of Artsakh Republic is also celebrated on May 9. The Defense Army was created on May 5, 1992. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Third President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan addressed a message to President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian and President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan on May 9, Serzh Sargsyans Office told Armenpress. The message runs as follows: Dear Mr. Sarkissian, Dear Mr. Sahakyan, I warmly congratulate you and, in person of you, all our citizens, our brothers and sisters worldwide on the Victory and Peace Day, the Artsakh Republic Defense Army and Shushi Liberation day. This day has been written with golden letters three times in the Armenian history. I am confident that the Armenian people, continuing their historical march, will convey from generation to generation the feeling of joy and pride for the May victories. Our people participated with heroism and made great sacrifices for the sake of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. In the turmoil of the Second World War the Armenian-Russian brotherly ties have strengthened. The united fist of the peoples of the Soviet Union liberated Europe and broke the backbone the Nazi totalitarianism so that no people would ever be subjected to systematic extermination. The Armenian people have passed through the paths of that suffering and again faced that same danger in the last decade of the previous century. The Azerbaijani authorities decided to solve the Nagorno Karabakh issue once and for ever by exterminating the Artsakh-Armenians. During the liberation war our heroic people demonstrated indescribable unity, endurance and courage. The glory and crown of this flight was the liberation of Shushi. The Artsakh Defense Army, fortified in battles, became the firm and strong shield protecting the cradle of the Artsakh-Armenians. I once again congratulate all of us on this dedicated holiday. I wish all of us peace, being confident that the spirit of the May victories, the unity and courage of the Armenian people will pave way for solving all our issues. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of the Parliament of Armenia Ara Babloyan addressed a congratulatory message on the occasion of the Liberation of Shushi and the Victory and Peace Day, the Parliament told Armenpress. The message says: Dear compatriots, 26 years ago, one of the most wonderful pages of the fight of the Armenian people for independence in the past century was written: Shushi was liberated. It became one of the most important guarantees for the security of Artsakh-Armenians and created preconditions to end the Artsakh liberation war with victory, to have firm protected borders today. Shushi was liberated thanks to the Armenian military-scientific mind and pan-national unity. I congratulate all of us and first of all the yerkrapah volunteers, let bow before the bright memory of all our heroes who didnt spare their lives for the defense of the borders of the homeland and the Armenians right to live freely. Today we also celebrate the Victory and Peace Day. The Armenian people paid a very high price for the victory against Fascism in the Great Patriotic War. The hatred-based ideology has spread dividing lines in the world, and dozens of millions of people have been killed for eliminating it. May 8 and 9 are celebrated across the world as a Remembrance and Reconciliation Day for the World War II victims. We always should remember that different ideas and visions must unite the society, rather than to separate or create artificial barricades between people with different perceptions. I once again congratulate on these holidays and wish all of us to be able to jointly use every day of peace for strengthening Armenia and Artsakh, the defense of borders and the welfare of the people. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan STEPANAKERT, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in a commemoration event dedicated to the memory of fallen soldiers of the Great Patriotic War and the Artsakh Liberation War in the Stepanakert memorial in Artsakhs capital city. The Armenian Prime Minister was accompanied by Artsakhs President Bako Sahakyan, government officials and public figures. The PM and other officials laid flowers at the memorial in memory of the fallen heroes, ARMENPRESS correspondent reported. Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and his spouse also visited the Fraternal Cemetery of Stepanakert, where they laid flowers at the graves in honor of the fallen soldiers of the Artsakh Liberation War. The PM also expressed support and sympathy to the families of the fallen. Afterwards the Armenian Prime Minister and Artsakhs President visited Shushi where a commemoration ceremony took place at Sparapet Vazgen Sargsyans statue. PM Pashinyan and President Sahakyan also participated in the grand opening of Shushis Armenian Dram Museum. The museum will feature Armenian banknotes and coins from different eras, including from the Armenian Sophene Kingdom, Artaxiad dynasty, Cilician Armenia, the Russian Empire and the USSR, as well as all dram issues of modern times. PM Pashinyan and Artsakhs President toured the museum and viewed the exhibits. A grand concert is due to take place in the evening in Shushi, followed by fireworks. ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian says he is ready to contribute to the new government to reach success, reports Armenpress. During a briefing with reporters in Yerevans Victory Park on May 9, the President expressed hope that newly-elected Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will be able to very quickly form a new government and solve the publics issues of concern, be they economic, injustice, corruption related issues, as well as welfare issues. I must definitely have my contribution and I will have so that the government will reach success, otherwise all this movement, all hopes the people have towards the future will be nonsense. Therefore, I hope that tomorrow will really be better, and the government will justify itself, the President said, adding that Nikol Pashinyan is a talented man with whom he has practical and very respectful ties. Armen Sarkissian said he has been nominated by the proposal of the third President of the Republic. The important is that I am ready and serve my country. If I serve good, it means I am a good president, if I dont serve good, it means I am not a good president. The same Parliament, which elected me, also elected Mr. Pashinyan. The problem is whether we all can together make our country the one each of us, both me and our people, dreams and have dreamed for during 26 years, the President stated. Armen Sarkissian was elected President of Armenia by the Parliament on March 2, 2018 and assumed office on April 17. Nikol Pashinyan was elected Prime Minister of Armenia by the Parliament on May 8. 59 voted in favor, 42 voted against. As required by the Constitution, a new government must be formed within 15 days after electing a Prime Minister. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Any person, who has dedicated some part of his life to the countrys defense organization, must be at least inadequate of not dreaming of his next being more effective, Vigen Sargsyan, who announced stepping down from the post of acting defense minister of Armenia on May 8, told reporters at a press conference in the defense ministry, in response to the question what will be the fate of the programs they have launched, and whether there are agreements with the new government to continue them, Armenpress reports. Now together with the staff of the defense ministry we are doing an exercise which has not been done before. We are going to hold a 10-hour briefing for the new minister and his team according to directions, issues and programs. We know the existing legal regulations and actions of each program, the financial sources and their further right use directions, we understand quite well the leadership needed for implementing the programs and will do everything for the new team, the new minister to succeed as it will be our common victory, Vigen Sargsyan said. According to him, any person, who dedicated perhaps a day, a week, a month or a year to the countrys defense organization, must be at least inadequate of not dreaming of his next being more effective. Its absolutely not a matter of personal ambition, its a matter of the security of our society, country, state, as well as that of my family, children and etc. I will do everything regardless of political views for the next minister to definitely succeed. I dont know to what extent my advice will be needed, but will always be ready to give that advice to all future ministers for not that I know the Army better than they will know while heading the structure a year later, but for the fact that its always accumulative information which we need to share, he said. Vigen Sargsyan expressed hope that the programs initiated by them will continue. They are important programs. They are not a result of demonstration of our party or political views, they are programs introduced by more creative approach to have a big army in the small country. I didnt speak about them during the pre-election programs for a reason, in order not to manipulate them. I have announced about these programs in April, 2017, during the Nation-Army conference after the elections, and this has been done for a reason since I considered them as non-party programs. I have discussed the programs in-detail with all parliamentary factions since I dont think that the countrys defense must be the parliamentary function of only one party or the majority. And I was expecting a non-partisan approach on this matter, but I didnt always receive support in the Parliament over which I publicly expressed my opinion and remain in the same opinion there must be issues in the country at war where society has a consensus aimed at reaching a positive result, rather than searching for a problem, Sargsyan said. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Nothing has changed in the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact and the Azerbaijani build-up of military equipment remain the same, acting defense minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan said at a press briefing. Sargsyan noted than tension isnt manifested in intensity of gunfire, but by build-ups. The Armed Forces continue fully controlling the situation, and are ready to give countermeasures to any actions, as required by the interests of our country, he said. In response to a question as to why the defense ministry didnt react to opposition MP from Yelk faction Sasun Michaelyans allegations from the parliaments floor on questioning the credibility of the ministrys statements on the Azerbaijani build-up, Sargsyan noted that the counterstatement to the ministrys statement is full with several dangers, one being the possible decrease of trust for future statements. In addition, during those days I didnt get no calls from neither Sasun Michaelyan, nor Nikol Pashinyan or anyone else who would call and ask what grounds these statements had, maybe something really must be done. I find it normal, but counterstatements on this background are wrong. The militarys statements cant be associated with domestic developments, he said. On April 22, the military of Artsakh released footage from the line of contact showing Azerbaijani build-up of manpower and equipment. Opposition MP Sasun Michaelyan accused the defense ministry for spreading false reports, claiming that the build-up statement is false. ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Acting defense minister Vigen Sargsyan finds rumors on his possible tenure in the upcoming government to be senseless. Sargsyan delivered a press briefing in the ministry May 9. A reporter asked Sargsyan about Nikol Pashinyans pre-election statement when the opposition A reporter mentioned that Sargsyan was the first official whom Nikol Pashinyan said he doesnt see as defense minister. Sargsyan responded by firstly noting that he personally didnt hear such a statement from Pashinyan. Second of all, I didnt even expect him to see me [as defense minister]. As much as our viewpoints differ, I treat Mr. Pashinyan with respect, and if he had such an opinion about me that he couldve offered me to remain defense minister, my opinion about him would change a lot, he said. Sargsyan mentioned that it is very natural and normal that he didnt receive the offer. If I were to receive such an offer, I had voiced through several channels in advance on what my reaction would be. Moreover, I have said that is such an offer was to be made publicly, my response would have also been very public, which isnt desirable for future processes, he said. Sargsyan said there is no sense in discussing something which is unacceptable for him from the beginning. Asked whether or not there were offers through different channels to continue his tenure as defense minister, Sargsyan said: Yes, there was a discussion through several channels, in terms of how good it will be if I continue my service. I cant say if those channels are linked personally with Pashinyan or his team, but there were rather different people and officials who offered to discuss it. ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. The border trespassers who attempted to illegally cross into Armenia from Azerbaijan are identified as citizens of Bangladesh, acting defense minister Vigen Sargsyan told a press conference. Earlier on May 8 the defense ministry of Armenia said that six foreign nationals have been apprehended while attempted to trespass into Armenian territory from Azerbaijan. Border guards were able to neutralize the group comprising 6 people upon violating the border regime. They are citizens of Bangladesh. They have been transferred to the national security service for further proceedings, he said. ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who is currently on a working visit in Artsakh, visited the Defense Army headquarters together with President Bako Sahakyan where a consultation took place. Lt. General Levon Mnatsakanyan, Artsakhs defense minister and commander of the Defense Army, briefed the Armenian Prime Minister and Artsakhs President on the tactical situation of the frontline, the Artsakhs governmental press service said. A wide range of issues relating to future enhancement of cooperation and improvement of enemy suppression mechanisms were discussed. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that the developments of the past month also showed that the Armenian Army is on a high institutional level. PM Pashinyan emphasized that all issues related to the military will be in the focus of the Armenian government. ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Armenia attaches special importance to the relations between Armenia and Artsakh, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said at a press conference in Artsakh. There are no doubts that those relations will develop in a natural pace, will obtain new and new manifestations as a result of which new impetus will be given to the process of Artsakhs international recognition, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan as saying. The Armenian PM informed that he has held meetings with the Command staff of the Defense Army of Artsakh, the commander of the Defense Army, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, listened to their reports and received the necessary information. Based on todays discussions we made sure that there will be an effective cooperation on ensuring the security of Artsakh and Armenia. These issues will permanently be in the focus of the Armenian Government, Pashinyan underlined. English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan will form a Cabinet based on consultations with all the parliamentary forces, the PM announced at a press conference in Artsakh. As we have already agreed, consultations will kick off with all the parliamentary forces based on which the Cabinet will be formed. I want to emphasize the following Civil Contract party had and now has its vision on the Cabinet, but since we have set an issue rather than taking the power we will start consultations with the parliamentary forces based on which we will form a Cabinet, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan as saying. Referring to the question related to the expected changes in power structures, Pashinyan noted that some options are on the table and a decision will be made in the nearest days. English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the PM informed at a press conference in Artsakh. I have to say that we had a very sincere and constructive conversation. We agreed to continue our conversation on May 14 in the sidelines of the EAEU summit, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan as saying. The Armenian Premier also added that during the telephone conversation he expressed his position that the Armenian-Russian strategic and allied relations should deepen also in the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Of course, all the member states should think of making their membership to those organizations more effective. I mean that trade turnover should increase to a level that will be visible for our citizens. Of course, we expect only positive developments in Armenian-Russian relations, Pashinyan concluded. English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Lithuania Saulius Skvernelis congratulated Nikol Pashinyan on behalf of the Lithuanian Government on the occasion of being elected Prime Minister of Armenia. ARMENPRESS reports the congratulatory message of the Lithuanian PM runs as follows, I sincerely wish you success in solving all the issues facing the new Government of Armenia. We are interested in active development of bilateral cooperation between Armenia and Lithuania that will lead to economic development of our countries and rise in trade turnover. We confidently support the dialogue between Armenia and the EU that is directed at strengthening democracy in your country, rule of law and protection of human rights. We welcome the implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the EU signed in 2017, which gives a new and powerful impetus for the implementation of the goals mentioned above. English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. The most prominent Armenian American to hold high political office in the United States, and one of the most popular two time governors in the history of California, (Courken) George Deukmejian, often called Iron Duke for his lifelong dedication to public safety and rule of law, passed away from natural causes on May 8, ARMNPRESS was informed from the press service of the AGBU. AGBU extends its sincere condolences to his survivors and all those whose lives were positively touched and improved through his public actions and personal convictions. This includes the Armenian people whose cause he vocally championed throughout his public life despite the political risks his advocacy for genocide recognition may have posed. Considered a politician of great integrity, he was respected on both sides of the aisle and credited for his ability to work with members of both parties to enact legislation of great consequence to the state in the areas of transportation, law and order, gun control and public safety to name but a few. Many have said that the Armenian genocide informed his lifelong quest for justice and anti-violence. Today, another son of the Armenian nation joins the ranks of other extraordinary Armenian American public figures, including Kirk Kerkorian and our own former AGBU president Alex Manoogian. They have left an indelible legacy of hope and inspiration to those seeking to balance worldly success with giving back to their fellow Armenians, stated AGBU President Berge Setrakian on behalf of the worldwide organization. George Deukmejian was a shining example of effective leadership to both his country and the community that shaped his character and world view. English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, 9 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 9 May, USD exchange rate stood at 486.68 drams. EUR exchange rate stood at 578.13 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 7.69 drams. GBP exchange rate stood at 657.85 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price stood at 20488.34 drams. Silver price stood at 256.85 drams. Platinum price stood at 14098.06 drams. YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation. ARMENPRESS reports in the press release issued by the EU Federica Mogherini invited Nikol Pashinyan to visit Brussels at the earliest opportunity. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, spoke yesterday afternoon by phone with Nikol Pashinyan to congratulate him on his election as the new Prime Minister of Armenia. They agreed on the importance of the partnership between the European Union and Armenia and looked forward to meeting in person, with the High Representative inviting the Prime Minister to Brussels at the earliest opportunity. They discussed the next steps following the Prime Minister's election by the Armenian Parliament, including the future formation of a government, and touched on further opportunities to strengthen links between European Union and Armenia. They also briefly discussed foreign policy priorities, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the peaceful resolution of which remains, as reiterated by the High Representative, a top priority for the European Union. High Representative Mogherini looked forward to working with Prime Minister Pashinyan and, in the future, his government, reads the press release. English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan At least one million people have entered Colombia from Venezuela since President Nicolas Maduro's government descended into crisis last year, a senior Red Cross official told AFP Wednesday. The health director at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Emanuele Capobianco, said that not all have stayed in Colombia as displaced people, with some moving on to other countries in the region. "To date we know that approximately one million people have entered Colombia through official migration points, and we don?t know how many have entered Colombia through unofficial migration points," he said in a phone interview in Geneva, specifying that this movement had occurred "since mid-2017." With the economic crisis in Venezuela intensifying, an estimated 37,000 people were now moving across the Colombian border each day, he added. On a recent trip to the region, Capobianco said he witnessed "a constant stream of people," leaving Venezuela, some with their belongings strapped to the backs. While the group is diverse, with some only looking to work in Colombia for a short period before returning home, most are on the move because they cannot meet their basic needs in Venezuela, Capobianco explained. He described the situation as a "humanitarian crisis that needs to be better assessed," including from a public health standpoint amid rising cases of malaria, diphtheria and other serious ailments affecting those migrating. Maduro's alleged crackdown on opposition and bid to consolidate control of the country has triggered a tough global response, notably from the United States which has levied tough sanctions. The South American country is in partial default on its debt and suffers severe shortages of food and medicines despite sitting atop the planet's biggest proven oil reserves. Caracas has been printing money as foreign reserves dwindle, and the national currency, the bolivar, has become nearly worthless. The intensifying economic crisis in Venezuela has sparked waves of ongoing protests Venezuelans who have left their crisis-hit country are given food at a refuge centre in Cucuta, Colombia A 104-year-old Australian scientist burst into song Wednesday as he told a roomful of journalists that he was looking forward to finally being allowed to end his life. David Goodall does not have a terminal illness but says his quality of life has deteriorated significantly in recent years and that he wants to die. "I no longer want to continue life," Goodall told the dozens of journalists and television crews who had crammed into a small room at a hotel in the northern Swiss city of Basel to hear him speak. "I am happy to have the chance tomorrow to end it, and I appreciate the help of the medical profession here in making that possible," he said. When asked whether he had chosen any music to listen to in his finally moments, he said he hadn't thought about it. - Ode to Joy - "But if I had to choose something, I think it would be the final movement of Beethoven?s ninth symphony," he said, before belting out a verse from the Ode to Joy, in German, to loud applause. Goodall was barred from seeking help to end his life in Australia, so he was forced to travel to Switzerland, something he has said he resents. "I would have preferred to have (ended) it in Australia, and I greatly regret that Australia is behind Switzerland" when it comes to right-to-die laws, he said. The 104-year-old said he hoped the widespread interest in his case would spur Australia and other countries to rethink their legislation. - An instrument for change? - "I would quite like to be remembered as an instrument of freeing the elderly from the need to pursue their life irrespective," he said. The honorary research associate at Perth's Edith Cowan University set off from Australia a week ago, and stopped in Bordeaux, France to see family before arriving in Basel on Monday. He was speaking alongside Philip Nitschke, the founder of Exit International which helped him make his final journey, and Moritz Gall of Eternal Spirit, the Swiss foundation that has agreed to help him die. Goodall secured a fast-track appointment with the foundation after he attempted but failed to commit suicide on his own earlier this year. "It would have been much more convenient for everyone if I had been able to, but unfortunately it failed," he said of the suicide attempt. But he said he was happy that he had been offered the "Swiss option", since he has been able to see most of his large family, which is spread over several countries, in the run up to his final day. Assisted suicide is illegal in most countries and was banned in Australia until the state of Victoria became the first to legalise the practice last year. But that legislation, which takes effect in June 2019, only applies to terminally ill patients of sound mind and a life expectancy of less than six months. According to Swiss law meanwhile, anyone who is of sound mind and who has over a period of time voiced a consistent wish to end their life can request so-called assisted voluntary death, or AVD. Eternal Spirit, one of several foundations in Switzerland that assist people who want to end their lives, said Wednesday that Goodall had undergone two medical visits by different doctors since arriving in the city. - No hesitation - "Tonight the board of the foundation will study the documents and also judge the wish to die of David Goodall," Eternal Spirit head Erika Preisig said in an email, adding that the answer would "likely" be yes. But Gall stressed to reporters that Goodall had the option until the very last minute to back down if he changed his mind. Asked if he had any hesitations or doubts, the 104-year-old said: "No. None whatsoever." In assisted dying, the person must be physically capable of carrying out the final deed on their own. Most Swiss foundations ask patients to drink sodium pentobarbital, an effective sedative that in strong enough doses causes the heart muscle to stop beating. Since the substance is alkaline and burns a bit when swallowed, Eternal Spirit has instead opted for intravenous infusions. A professional prepares the needle, but it is up to the patient to open the valve that allows the short-acting barbiturate to mix with a saline solution and begin flowing into their vein. Goodall said he expected his death to take place around noon on Thursday. Exit International and Eternal Spirit are advocating for all countries to introduce systems similar to the Swiss one, allowing people to choose to die "in dignity". "This is a human right, to be able to make an elected decision by a rational adult to take this step," Nitschke said. Australian scientist David Goodall, 104, does not have a terminal illness but says his quality of life has deteriorated and that he wants to die The plane that flew Kim Jong Un to China this week is officially known as "Chammae-1", or Goshawk-1, after the national bird of North Korea -- but the leader's personal jet is perhaps more memorably dubbed "Air Force Un". North Korea's official name and flag appear on the ageing Soviet-made aircraft, which first emerged four years ago and has carried Kim on various trips across his country in the past. Glimpses of the jet's interior are rare, but images carried by the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Wednesday showed Kim seated in a plush leather armchair, looking out of the window and waving at his Chinese hosts. The Cold War-era Ilyushin-62 is adorned with a red-and-yellow national emblem, ringed with the phrase "Chairman of the State Affairs Commission", a lengthy moniker that is Kim's main political title. Kim, who is in his 30s, is not president of the reclusive state as the role is still filled by his grandfather Kim Il Sung, despite his death in 1994. This week's China visit was Kim's first overseas trip by air since inheriting power in 2011 -- he took the train to Beijing in March when he made his international debut. But despite its comfortable furnishings, analysts have raised doubts about the aircraft's reliability due to its age and questions over its maintenance. That could be a possible issue in the choice of venue for the forthcoming summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, with possible locations for the meeting reportedly including Singapore and Mongolia, with Switzerland mooted previously. In the images, cabled devices that looked like a telephone, an intercom and a router were neatly lined up on the polished wooden desk, as Kim sat in front of a silver laptop. A colour monitor apparently displaying the travel route appeared to be installed above the window next to his seat. Kim and his wife were first photographed disembarking onto a red carpet from the jet in May 2014. Since then he has regularly flown domestically, displaying a passion for air travel that is in stark contrast to his father and predecessor Kim Jong Il, who hated flying and only used high-security trains for overseas trips during his 17-year term. Glimpses of the jet's interior are rare North Korea's official name and flag appear on the ageing Soviet-made aircraft A Perth mother and her British partner are in mourning after their 18-month-old son reportedly fell to his death from an apartment balcony in Portugal. Holly Bishop and Robert Devlin had been living in Lagos on Portugals south coast where their son Spencer fell from second floor balcony on Saturday morning, according to a GoFundMe page. He was rushed to a nearby hospital with critical injuries before he was transferred to Algarve University Hospital Centre in Faro where he later died from his injuries. Friends back in Australia started the GoFundMe page to help the heartbroken couple with funeral arrangements. Spencer fell to his death from the couples Portugal balcony on Saturday morning. Source: GoFundMe Yesterday was the worst day of Rob and Hollys lifes, the page, which was created on Sunday, read. They did all they could for him but unfortunately he just couldnt fight any longer and last night their beautiful baby boy Spencer grew his little wings and left all of his family behind. They are beyond devastated and would like to let everyone know, but at the moment would just like some time to come to terms with their loss and be around family. The family had been living in the coastal town of Lagos in Portugal. Source: Getty Ms Bishops sister, Jess Marach, paid tribute to her nephew on the GoFundMe page. Forever in my heart Baby Spencer. Aunty Jess, she wrote. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it is aware of media reports about the incident and stands ready to offer consular assistance to any Australian citizen should they require it. Donations to the GoFundMe page can be made here. My names Will Capers. For almost nine years, Ive blogged on various topics. I blogged as Blaque Ink first, and as Brotha Wolf second. The latter had a mu... 2 years ago Australia is refocussing its foreign aid programmes in a move to win hearts and minds in the island nations of the Pacific, as an increasingly assertive China flexes its muscles in the region. The country has pledged more than Aus$1.3 billion (US$970 million) -- its largest ever aid commitment to the Pacific -- to fund projects including an undersea communications cable to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. The government said the reorientation of its aid priorities, revealed in a budget on Tuesday, reflected "the fundamental importance to Australia of the stability and economic progress of Pacific island countries". Canberra and other regional capitals have become increasingly alarmed at China's push into the Pacific which could potentially upset the strategic balance in the region. Australia's Lowy Institute estimates China provided US$1.78 billion in aid, including concessional loans, to Pacific nations between 2006-16. And reports last month -- which were denied -- said Beijing wanted to establish a permanent military base in Vanuatu. The extra Aus$200 million in aid, which will also go towards a new High Commission in Tuvalu, means the Pacific now represents some 30 percent of Canberra's total aid budget, which stood still at Aus$4.2 billion. Aid agencies were quick to criticise the freeze in overall aid funding, at just 0.23 percent of national income despite a significant boost to government revenues from a pick-up in commodity prices and employment growth. "This budget was an opportunity to show leadership and use some of the unexpected revenue to repair past damage to aid," said Marc Purcell, chief executive of the Australian Council for International Development. In contrast, neighbour New Zealand this week announced a significant rise to foreign aid, delivering Aus$668 million in extra funding over the next four years, largely directed at the Pacific. The Pacific now represents some 30 percent of Canberra's total aid budget A bus driver appearing to fall asleep behind the wheel has been caught on video by a concerned commuter. Footage posted to social media earlier this week shows the SBS Transit bus driver in Singapore appearing to nod off while carrying a number of passengers. The video has since gone viral and while some have slammed the driver for being dangerous, others said he was overworked, and his employer says it is not what it seems. The SBS bus driver appearing to nod off behind the wheel. Source: Facebook. Senior vice president of SBS Transits corporate communications, Tammy Tan, denied the driver was falling asleep and said he had neck problems. While the video seems to suggest that our bus captain was dozing off at the wheel, our findings based on the CCTV footage from the bus reveals that this was not the case, she told Channel NewsAsia. She said the drivers neck made him bend more than normal but it didnt impact his driving ability. The bus captain kept to his lane, slowed down when approaching bus stops and also stopped safely behind other buses or vehicles, she said. The Independent in Singapore reports bus drivers in the country work nine hours a day, six days a week. Bus drivers are also 55-years-old on average, seven years younger than the national retirement age. Six months ago, southwest Cameroon plunged into violence as English-speaking separatists fought troops and police ordered in by the country's francophone-majority government. The pathway leading to that trauma can be traced in part to events nearly a quarter of a century ago at the University of Buea, in the capital of the country's Southwest Region. In 1995, students Cho Ayaba and Ebenezer Akwanga set up a pro-independence association that claimed violence was the only way to achieve a separate state for Cameroon's two English-speaking regions. Their organisation was banned, but their activism had a resounding impact on events. At Cameroon's biggest English-speaking university, they nurtured the separatist culture, focussed resentment on perceived discrimination and later became leaders of the armed insurgency. Other alumni of the university include Mark Bareta, an influential pro-separatist propagandist, and Tanku Ivo Tapang, a former journalist who lives in the United States. "At the University of Buea, we think," said a student preparing his master's degree who asked not to be named. "We can look to our history and when we do, we see that things are not good." Marginalisation "you can see everywhere, in every trade and profession," said another graduate student, who used John as a fake name. A professor of political science, again anonymous, said the many anglophone grievances were sharpened by the failure of the central government in Yaounde to respect a 1961 referendum on self-determination. Cameroon was once a German colony that after World War I was divided between Britain and France. In 1960, the French colony gained independence, becoming Cameroon, and the following year, the British-ruled Southern Cameroons was amalgamated into it. Anglophone activists, though, complain this was a forced marriage. The insurgency began in 2016, when activists in the anglophone minority, comprising about a fifth of the country's population of 22 million, stepped up a campaign for greater autonomy. President Paul Biya rejected their demands, prompting radicals to make a full-blown but symbolic declaration of independence last October 1. Separatists began attacking police and soldiers and symbols of state power, sparking a violent crackdown. Scores have been killed on both sides -- the full toll remains unclear -- and tens of thousands have fled their homes. - Trigger - Outside the world's view, events at the university in 2016 played a key part in the mechanism of escalation. In late November 2016, a peaceful march to demand payment of a bonus promised by Biya along with the lifting of a 2012 ban on a student union met with a brutal response from authorities. "For the first time in the university's history, the police came on to the campus in 2016. Girls were raped, others humiliated and young people arrested in their lodgings," "John" said. Images of the crackdown rapidly went viral. The International Crisis Group (ICG) thinktank holds that the sight of police excesses on social media helped "push the population to the end of their tether" and opened the "Pandora's box of the anglophone problem". It was the second violent episode in a decade at the 12,000-student campus. In 2006, the creation of a department of medicine in Buea led to riots that claimed two lives and left several wounded. Initially, only anglophones were allowed to take entrance exams to study in the new department. The central government rejected this on the grounds of "national unity" and enforced admittance of francophones, sparking a revolt. - 'Authoritarian' - Today, the university's management has a dour reputation, say critics. It exercises "authoritarian rule rather than democratic governance, to ensure political control and loyalty" to Yaounde, according to a study in 2009 by Piet Konings, a Dutch researcher at the University of Leiden. "At the university, like everywhere in Buea, many responsible jobs are held by francophones, who are most often members of the ruling party," the political science professor told AFP, adding that he "felt a lot of frustration among my anglophone students". A student said that when it came to political issues, "we don't discuss them in class, because our professors can be francophone, but among ourselves we still talk". "For a long time, we knew how to keep this frustration to ourselves," said 'John'. "But with the events of 2006 and those of 2016, people are saying 'enough is enough'. There's going be a revolution at UB (the university) and in anglophone Cameroon." Anglophone demands have been a core of debate in the university since it was created in 1993 Students walk by the entrance of a university which a Dutch reseracher said used 'authoritarian rule' to impose loyalty to the central government A government crackdown has exacerbated the crisis Map of Cameroon locating English-speaking regions and their capitals, Bamenda and Buea. Having lost the likes of Alibaba and Baidu to Wall Street, China is hatching a plan to woo them back and make sure it keeps a new generation of technology titans closer to home as it battles the US for supremacy in the sector. New share offerings worth tens of billions of dollars are in the pipeline for 2018, setting it up as a blockbuster year with a number of so-called "unicorns" -- tech start-ups valued at least $1 billion -- lining up to cash in. China dominates the line-up of the world's biggest unicorns expected to list, including mobile-payments pioneer Ant Financial -- valued at an estimated $100 billion -- as well as ride-sharing firm Didi Chuxing and online-services platform Meituan-Dianping, both put in the tens of billions. Strict rules essentially prevented the first wave from listing in mainland China, with Alibaba and Baidu instead opting for New York and Tencent heading to Hong Kong. But authorities are now planning to ease those rules, which analysts say is part of Beijing's goal of developing domestic champions into global leaders in artificial intelligence, big data, and other sectors -- with state support. And this comes at a time of heightened trade tensions with Washington, which already complains of a skewed playing field in China's domestic markets. "This is absolutely part of China 2025," said Peking University economics professor Christopher Balding, using shorthand for China's tech-dominance plan. "One of the things that Beijing has made very clear is that they want to control and strengthen their tech companies. It has its thumb on the scale at every step." - National strategies - Firms must show at least three years' profit before they can list in China, ruling out cash-burning start-ups. But Beijing is mulling a waiver for high-tech companies valued above 20 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) and also allowing foreign-listed firms like Alibaba to offer securities in China -- Chinese Depositary Receipts (CDRs) -- which are linked to their main shares. Details and timing remain sketchy, but authorities said in March the plan targets industries that are "in line with national strategies" in internet, big data, artificial intelligence and related industries. The enticements fit with President Xi Jinping's desire to harness all facets of national power to compete with the United States, said analysts. "It does fit together broadly with China promoting high-tech and developing its financial markets," said Fraser Howie, author of "Red Capitalism", an analysis of China's economy. The benefits for China include allowing domestic investors to profit from unicorn success while enhancing Beijing's grip on a tech sector that is already "quasi-nationalised" through state-linked funding and other means, said Balding. Such listings are expected to be vigorously embraced, potentially reinvigorating Chinese share markets dominated by financials or industrials. They will "increase the depth and activity of the market," said Jackson Wong of Huarong International Securities. "That's the (government's) main focus and they are trying to get that done quickly." Tech companies, meanwhile, could open a spigot of cash as their shares are typically priced much higher in China than elsewhere. - Relaxed rules - A Wall Street Journal report quoted sources who estimate Chinese tech IPOs could put new shares worth $50 billion on markets, while Bloomberg News cited analyst estimates that companies eligible to issue CDRs could raise $235 billion. Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent and JD.com have all expressed interest in listing CDRs in China. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi recently chose Hong Kong over New York for what could be the world's biggest IPO since Alibaba's $25 billion coming-out in 2014, after the southern Chinese financial hub relaxed rules that had deterred some big IPOs. As China increases its grip on Hong Kong, a listing there is just fine with Beijing, said Balding. US-China tensions may also further push Chinese tech companies to list at home, to curry favour with Beijing and avoid getting caught in the middle of the big-power tug-of-war, analysts said. One such victim of the battle is Chinese telecom equipment ZTE, which has been banned from selling to US firms for seven years after falling foul of Washington over illegal sales to Iran and North Korea. "The current Sino-US trade conflict has made up their minds to come back," said Liao Qun, chief economist with China's Citic Bank International. "We should begin to see action very soon." But greater shareholder control over tech firms by Beijing or its actors could exacerbate US tensions if state-backed Chinese unicorns seek to expand overseas with acquisitions, Balding said. "When Beijing, through its tech companies, then goes out to buy firms and control their data while not allowing foreign competition in its own market, there is a very valid (US) concern both from competitiveness and a national security standpoint," he said. Alibaba founder Jack Ma on the first day of trading for Alibaba on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014. Strict rules essentially prevented the first wave of unicorns from listing in China Ride-sharing firm Didi Chuxing is among several Chinese firms valued in the tens of billions of dollars that are lining up a listing in China this year Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi recently chose Hong Kong over New York for what could be the world's biggest IPO since Alibaba in 2014, after the southern Chinese financial hub relaxed rules that had deterred some big IPOs Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that the United States will "lose in the end" for withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal with Iran. President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled the United States out of the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Tehran, prompting European powers to scramble to rescue the landmark 2015 pact. Erdogan told CNN International in an interview to be broadcast in full on Wednesday evening that he feared fresh crises would break out in the region as a result of the move. "We don't need new crises in the region," he said, according to a partial transcript on the CNN website published late Tuesday. But he said that it was Washington who risked losing as Tehran would fulfil its side of the bargain and stick to the accord. "The US would be the ones to lose," he said. "Iran will never compromise on this agreement, and will abide by this agreement to the end... that's what I think. However, the US will lose in the end." Erdogan rebuked Turkey's NATO ally for ripping up the agreement, which was signed under the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama. "This is not how the international mechanisms work," he said. "International covenants and international conventions cannot be annulled at will. If any document bears your signature, you need to respect that. You need to abide by that," Erdogan was quoted as saying. Erdogan said even if the US may be able to enjoy windfalls from rising oil prices as a result of the move it would have a negative effect on the world economy. "Many of the countries, in poverty, will be hit even harder and deeper," he said. Turkish-US relations are already strained over US backing for a Kurdish militia in Syria which Ankara says is linked to the outlawed PKK group, as well as the jailing of an American pastor in Turkey. Ankara also has a sometimes troubled relationship with Tehran, but the two sides have been working closely -- along with Russia -- over the last year in a bid to bring peace to Syria. Turkish Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rebuked the US for ripping up the 2015 Iran nuclear deal A dog rescued from a euthanasia list has shown his new owner his appreciation in a heartwarming photo taken on the way to his new home. Gregory was saved by Schenley Kirk and her husband, Joe, on May 1 just two days before he was due to be euthanised. The two-year-old Beagle was picked up by Mr Kirk in Ohio, US, and the pooch couldnt keep his paws off his saviour during the ride home. Gregory cuddled up to Joe Kirk after his life was saved with just days to spare. Source: Facebook/ Schenley Kirk The BEST Freedom Ride Picture EVER! Ms Kirk wrote on Facebook after she shared a picture of George cuddling up to Mr Kirk. What a great photo of Gregory and my Husband Joe on their way home from the shelter! This is what makes it all worth while! This is why we rescue! Her post was inundated with comments gushing over the Gregorys behaviour. Ms Kirk told US television show Today that her husband said Gregory was desperately seeking affection. All (Gregory) wanted to do was to be touching me and cuddling up against me (during the car ride), Mr Kirk told his wife. Gregory warmed the hearts of the internet with his desire for affection. Source: Facebook/ Schenley Kirk Gregory was found as a stray and taken to the Franklin County Dog Shelter in Columbus on April 25. The shelter initially believed he was healthy, but later found he was heart worm positive, placing him on the euthanasia list. Ms Kirk has said she and her husband, who run a dog rescue sanctuary, are dedicated to bringing Gregory back to full health. Mr Kirk said it was as if theyd known each other for years. Unlike other dogs who are kept in a cage in the back of his car, Gregory was allowed to ride up front with him because hed looked like hed been contained for far too long. Ichabod explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, with an emphasis on UOJ, Church Growth, and Emergent Church heresies. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the mainline denominations. Gulf Arab countries were on Wednesday bracing for the economic and security fallout after President Donald Trump announced the United States was exiting the Iran nuclear deal. Three countries led by Saudi Arabia immediately backed Trump while Qatar reacted cautiously. Oman and Kuwait also gave circumspect positions. Trump dealt a hammer blow to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Tuesday, removing key sanctions relief for Tehran and casting its future into doubt. "We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction," Trump said, warning that any nation could suffer American economic wrath for aiding the Islamic republic. Oil prices rose after Trump's announcement, prompting Saudi Arabia to pledge it would work to prevent supply shortages. While Gulf petro-states stand to benefit from a rise in prices, the US move could mean new fissures in the region. Saudi Arabia applauded Trump's announcement, but said it would seek to develop its own nuclear weapons if Iran does. Asked whether Riyadh would "build a bomb itself" if Tehran seizes on the US move, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told CNN: "If Iran acquires nuclear capability we will do everything we can to do the same." In remarks an hour before Trump's declaration, senior Kuwaiti diplomat Khaled al-Jarallah said his country stood by the JCPOA as the best option for "stability" in the region. Qatar, alienated by a Saudi-led boycott, said priority must be given to non-proliferation and preventing a nuclear arms race. "All parties have an interest to act with restraint and wisdom in the face of this situation and to try to resolve conflicts through dialogue," its foreign ministry said. Dubai, whose volume of trade of trade with Iran is in the billions of dollars, saw its stock market dip a noteworthy two percent. Oman, the back-channel for US-Iran talks that paved the way for the 2015 accord, said Wednesday "the option of confrontation is not in the interest of any party". - US clout in doubt - Anxious Gulf states will be closely monitoring the Russian, Chinese and European response to the US financial gauntlet in the coming weeks and months. Middle East analyst James Dorsey, a senior fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said any economic showdown will force Gulf states to weigh their responses. Saudi Arabia, whose heir to the throne Mohammed bin Salman is seeking foreign investment for his "Vision 2030" programme of reforms for a post-oil era, may not put all his eggs in Trump's basket. Washington's allies may find formulas to avoid sanctions exposure. Oman has plans in the works for a sea pipeline that will import Iranian natural gas. "The deal has been structured in a way that it is shielded from any potential liability or prosecution under the American sanctions," said an Omani analyst, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the subject. The analyst told AFP the sultanate has drawn up contingency plans for various scenarios, even an economic boycott by hawkish Gulf neighbours. He said the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have recently imposed barriers on movement of people and goods "on and off". While Muscat is sceptical its neighbours would resort to a total embargo, "everything is possible". Should new cracks emerge in the region, ambitious economies, namely China, could seek zones of influence. The concern, the analyst said, is the Gulf becoming "the new playground for a revived Cold War". - Going nuclear - The other looming debacle is whether a US pullout from the Iran deal could trigger a nuclear arms race. Trump said his decision to leave the JCPOA was designed to counter that possibility. "If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East," he said. But minutes after he spoke, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" if its interests are not assured by the remaining signatories. "Whether or not (the Iranians) go for a military programme, you're going to get a nuclear race in the Middle East," said Dorsey. In March, Saudi Arabia's crown prince said if Iran gets a nuclear weapon, the kingdom would be compelled to follow suit. Trump said Tuesday said he was ready to work on a new nuclear accord, one that would also curb Iran's missile programme. Saudi Arabia's air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles over Riyadh on Wednesday, state media said, the latest in a series of attacks claimed by Iran-allied rebels in neighbouring Yemen. Riyadh has long accused its regional archfoe Tehran of supplying Yemen's rebels with ballistic missiles, a charge Tehran denies. Analyst Dorsey believes Iran will not compromise on its ballistic missile programme "because that is the core of their defence policy". For Saudi Arabia, that is "fine" because it means the return of sanctions and ratcheting up pressure on Iran in the region, including by Israel. "It's about Iran," said Dorsey, "not about finding a solution." A file picture shows Saudi investors monitoring stock market prices in Riyadh President Donald Trump signs a document reinstating sanctions against Iran after announcing the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal on May 8, 2018 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks with Emirati Vice President, Prime Minister, and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on the sidelines of an Arab League summit on April 16, 2018 Italy's populist Five Star Movement and the far-right League asked Wednesday for another day to try to form a coalition government, with a green light from Silvio Berlusconi opening a way to end the country's political deadlock. "The Five Star Movement and the League have informed the president that they are in talks to try to come to a possible government accord and that they need 24 hours to develop this initiative," said a statement from the presidential palace. Crucially, former Italian premier Berlusconi later Wednesday signalled he would not block a possible coalition deal between the two parties. According to Italian media, League leader Matteo Salvini's main political allies had been exerting strong pressure on Berlusconi to give his approval to a Five Star-League government, while the Italian tycoon's own Forza Italia party remains deeply divided on the issue. "If another political force of the right-wing coalition wants to take on the responsibility of forming a government with the Five Star Movement we will take note of this choice with respect," Berlusconi said in a statement. Berlusconi said the Five Star Movement did "not have the political maturity to assume this responsibility" but that an agreement between it and the League would not mark the end of the "alliance" between Forza Italia party and the League, especially in the regions they led together. Italy has been locked in a political impasse since the March 4 election failed to produce a clear winner. A right-wing coalition led by the nationalist League won the most seats at the polls while the Five Star led by Luigi Di Maio became the biggest single party, but neither obtained enough seats for a majority. To form a coalition they have to agree on a prime minister and a common programme. "We are going to sit down at the table and begin to talk about the issues for the country. Then we will talk about names," Di Maio told the Italian press. For his part Salvini said in a statement that "we still have to work on the programme, on dates, on the team and the things need doing... either we reach a conclusion, or we return to the voters". After three failed rounds of consultations thus far, Italy has looked to be heading either for a caretaker government, chosen by the president, or fresh elections as early as July. It had been widely expected that President Sergio Mattarella would nominate his pick for prime minister to lead a "neutral" government later Wednesday. However, both the League and Five Star are staunchly opposed to a caretaker government and without their support the initiative would not pass a confidence vote in parliament. Mattarella's response to the extension request was not immediately clear, although it is thought he would be unlikely to refuse. For the past two months the two parties have been scrambling to reach an accord for a coalition government but have repeatedly hit a wall over the League's coalition partner Berlusconi -- who is himself barred from office. Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio had insisted that the League ditch Berlusconi and Forza Italia as a prerequisite to forming a government together, something League leader Salvini refused. The regional governor of Italy's northern Liguria region, Giovanni Toti, who holds a lot of clout within Forza Italia, had suggested earlier Wednesday that his party could exercise a "benevolent abstention" in the face of a coalition. Silvio Berlusconi has given a green light to a possible Five Star-League coalition government deal America's top diplomat Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday, landing at the centre of a whirlwind of diplomacy ahead of a planned US-North Korea summit. Pompeo was dispatched on an unannounced visit -- his second in weeks, but first as secretary of state -- to lay the groundwork for Donald Trump's unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong Un. His visit comes as rumours fly over three US citizens being held in the North, with suggestions they may have been moved in preparation for a release. The rapid detente on the Korean peninsula triggered by the Winter Olympics is a marked contrast from last year, when Kim and Trump traded personal insults and threats of war over the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. "We think relationships are building with North Korea," Trump said in a televised address from the White House. "We will see how it all works out. Maybe it won't. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea and the entire world." But the details of a deal appear to be far from clear. At a historic meeting inside the Demilitarized Zone last month, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed their commitment to a "common goal" of "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula. Hours before Pompeo landed, Trump yanked the US from a nuclear deal with Iran, complicating the prospects of persuading Pyongyang to surrender its atomic arsenal. - 'Chairman Un' - On Tuesday, Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in China -- the second time in six weeks -- highlighting efforts by the Cold War-era allies to mend frayed ties, and with Beijing keen to avoid being left out in the cold. China's official Xinhua news agency cited Kim as telling Xi there was no need for North Korea to be a nuclear state "as long as relevant parties abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against" the country. Kim also expressed hope that the US and North Korea would take "phased and synchronous measures", signalling Pyongyang wanted a quid pro quo. Pompeo's itinerary -- including who he would meet in Pyongyang -- was not clear. He told reporters he would look to prepare for the summit between Trump and "Chairman Un", prompting derision from observers. "Pompeo doesn?t know the surname is Kim, but he's definitely on top of all the conceptual and semantic nuances associated with the phrase 'denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula'," arms control specialist Jeffrey Lewis tweeted derisively. Trump's withdrawal of the US from the landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme and reimposing crippling sanctions -- in defiance of European pleas -- also raised concerns. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord, reached after a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, describing it as an "embarrassment" to the United States. "This just makes my head explode," said Robert Kelly of Pusan National University. "Only a fool would trust the US to keep its word in a rogue state nuke deal now." - Detained trio - Speculation mounted that Pyongyang could release three detained Korean-Americans to Pompeo, fuelled by South Korea where the president's office said they expected the men to be freed. The trio are a significant domestic political issue and Trump hinted last week of imminent news after sources said they had been relocated. In previous cases detainees have been set free into the care of high profile US visitors. Pompeo's visit also comes as a tripartite meeting of East Asia's major powers takes place in Tokyo, with Japan, South Korea and China groping for a lowest-common-denominator agreement on recent events. Japan, which has by far the most hardline position of the North's neighbours, has been left watching from the sidelines, uneasy at the pace of events and at what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was likely to push for continued pressure on Pyongyang, including for "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation", Japanese media have reported. Moon, however, was expected to bat away such demands. An official in his office last week said Seoul wanted the three countries to simply endorse the Panmunjon Declaration signed by Kim and Moon last month. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was dispatched to Pyongyang on an unannounced visit, his second in weeks, but first as secretary of state, to lay the groundwork for Donald Trump's unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong Un Mike Pompeo met Kim Jong Un on his last visit to Pyongyang, before he was confirmed as secretary of state Profile of Mike Pompeo, the new US secretary of state Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was likely to push for continued pressure on Pyongyang at a trilateral summit with South Korea's President Moon Jae-in and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Spain's government on Wednesday stepped in to block Carles Puigdemont from being re-appointed president of Catalonia, pressuring the separatist camp to pick another candidate and form a regional government after months of limbo. Madrid successfully requested the Constitutional Court to cancel a reform voted for last week by Catalonia's majority separatist parliament that would allow Puigdemont -- currently in self-exile abroad -- to be appointed president without having to be present. The court announced on Wednesday evening it had ruled "admissible the appeal of the government" and suspended the reform, which had been temporarily blocked while the court deliberated. Government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo said earlier the Catalan parliament would not be able to call a session to appoint Puigdemont "at the risk of committing the offence of disobedience". Puigdemont's allies had announced Saturday they would try and have him appointed by May 14. But they also recognised that if they couldn't, they would pick an alternative candidate to unblock the political impasse in Catalonia, which was put under direct rule by Madrid on October 27 after a failed secession bid. That day, Rajoy also sacked Puigdemont and all his ministers after the regional parliament declared independence following a referendum that wasn't sanctioned by Madrid and was banned by the courts. He also called snap regional elections for December 21, which separatist parties went on to win, once again getting an absolute majority in parliament. By then, Puigdemont had already left for Belgium in self-imposed exile. But since then, all candidates proposed by the separatist camp to lead Catalonia have fallen flat, as they are either abroad and wanted by Spain, or already in prison, charged with rebellion. Critics of the independence camp have charged they are merely dragging the process out to try and garner sympathy. Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, Rajoy slammed the separatists' attempts to have Puigdemont re-appointed. He accused them of "having put Catalan politics in an absurd loop in which the personal interests of one person -- just one -- are placed before the collective project of an entire society". Catalan separatists, however, say Puigdemont is their legitimate leader as his Together for Catalonia grouping received the most votes out of all separatist parties in the December elections. They also say the rebellion charge against him and others is disproportionate, and describe those already in jail in Spain -- like former Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras -- as "political prisoners". Puigdemont is currently in Germany after being detained there in March on a European arrest warrant against him issued by Spain. He was later released on bail. Catalonia's ousted leader Carles Puigdemont attends a meeting with members of the Catalan political platform "Junts per Catalunya" in Berlin on April 18, 2018 A man has been stuck at an airport in Malaysia for two months after he refused to fight in his countrys troubled civil war. Hassan al-Kontar has been stranded in terminal two of Malaysias Kuala Lumpur International Airport for more than 60 days. In a video posted online last Sunday, the marketing manager, from Syria, said: The other day I was speaking to my mother and she said my hair is too messy and my beard is too long, which reflects in her opinion that Im not OK. I tried to convince her that Im OK but I did not succeed. Im worried that all of me will be covered in hair before I get out of here. Hassan al-Kontar has been stranded in terminal two of Malaysias Kuala Lumpur International Airport for more than 60 days. Source: Twitter/Hassan al-Kontar The 36-year-old first emigrated to the UAE on a work permit in 2006, but faced a summons to return home and fight in 2012 after war broke out in the previous year. After ignoring the summons, the Syrian embassy refused to renew Mr Kontars passport, resulting in him losing his work permit and job. Plz retweet I have Some good news and I need your help all of you to make it happen. Please send an email to Mr. Ahmed Hussen Canada's Minister of Immigration. "ahmed.hussen@parl.gc.ca" Tell him you support a Temporary Resident Permit for Hassan to come to Canada immediately pic.twitter.com/Wmpb2CSsHU Hassan Al Kontar (@Kontar81) April 27, 2018 He then went into hiding for six years, but was eventually deported to Malaysia on a three-month work permit when authorities finally caught up with him. Story continues When the three months nearly came to an end, Mr Kontar tried to travelled to Ecuador but was refused entry on the flight which came at the same time that his visa expired. Despite unsuccessfully attempting to fly to Cambodia, he has existed in flux in Kuala Lumpurs airport ever since. It is hoped that his Twitter appeals will result in a breakthrough, with Canadian supporters urging their immigration minister to notice Mr Kontars case. He has also been contacted by the UN High Commissioner for refugees. The United States will keep working with allies to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday, a day after President Donald Trump withdrew from a deal aimed at doing just that. Mattis, a retired four-star general who saw his Marines killed by Tehran-backed militias in Iraq, has frequently lambasted Iranian actions in the Middle East. But he has been a staunch advocate of working with allies and became a quiet defender of the Iran deal as Trump mulled pulling out. "We will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, and will work with others to address the range of Iran's malign influence," Mattis told a Senate panel. "This administration remains committed to putting the safety, interests and well-being of our citizens first." Trump defied the wishes of major world powers by announcing Tuesday that the US would pull out of the historic nuclear accord and impose new sanctions on Tehran. The agreement puts limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions. In October, Mattis said it was in the US national interest to remain in the deal. In January, he said the Iran deal was "imperfect" but added that "when America gives her word, we have to live up to it and work with our allies." Last month, he said the deal allowed for "pretty robust" inspections of Iranian facilities. Still, Mattis blasted Iran for its "malign activities," including its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and for backing Huthi rebels in Yemen. "We have not seen any drawdown or reduction in Iran's malicious activities and malign activity across the region," Mattis said. "At the same time we have walked away from the JCPOA because we found it was inadequate for the long-term effort," he added, using the formal abbreviation for the accord. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said Trump's decision to pull out of the deal was "not only wrong but reckless," and questioned whether America would be able to convincingly work with allies in the future on Iran. "Now that the United States is walking away from it, I cannot believe it will inspire any confidence among our allies about our word and our reliability in the future when it comes to these agreements," Durbin said. Mattis risks being isolated by Trump's more hardline coterie of advisors, including national security advisor John Bolton, an Iraq War-era hawk who has advocated military action in both Iran and North Korea. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has been a staunch advocate of working with allies WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT: A woman is suing the owners of an Alabama zoo where her nine-year-old daughter was bitten by a kangaroo. Jennifer White accuses Harmony Park Safari owners William Keith Allen and Shannon Allen of negligence and wantonness in connection with the May 2017 attack. According to video footage, a kangaroo named Erwin reached through the fence to grab Cheyenne. The kangaroo can be seen pulling her towards the fence before reportedly biting her ear. The little girl can be seen approaching the kangaroo at the Alabama zoo when she was suddenly dragged towards the fence. Source: Jennifer White Cheyenne can be heard screaming, prompting the person behind the camera to rush to her aid. She was hospitalised and received 14 stitches and also suffered mental damage, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit says Erwin had a past history of violence and accuses the Allens of failing to accordingly protect zoo visitors. White is seeking an unnamed amount in compensatory and punitive damages. Four MPs have resigned their seats in parliament following a High Court ruling disqualifying their Senate colleague Katy Gallagher. The court found Ms Gallagher was a British citizen at the time of her election, despite her attempts to renounce it, and ineligible for office. Labor MPs Justine Keay, Josh Wilson and Susan Lamb told parliament on Wednesday the High Courts disqualification of Ms Gallagher had changed the understanding of dual citizenship and eligibility laws. Until todays decision the reasonable steps test had been accepted for more than 25 years in this country, Mr Wilson said. Senator Katy Gallagher was found ineligible to sit in parliament. Source: AAP/File All three fell foul of a constitutional requirement that prospective MPs renounce their foreign citizenship before nominating to enter federal parliament. Surrounded by colleagues, each indicated they would contest their seats in by-elections. I am not done yet. I intend to be back, Ms Lamb said. While she made it clear her speech was not a valedictory, Ms Keay took a moment to list her career highlights before announcing her decision. Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie speaks during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP I want to make it very clear to every member of my community and every member of this house that I am not done working and fighting on behalf of those who sent me here, she said. Independent MP Rebekha Sharkie also resigned from parliament in an announcement on Wednesday afternoon. Ms Sharkie, who won the South Australia seat of Mayo as a candidate for the Nick Xenophon Team, intends contesting a by-election for Centre Alliance. I dont believe that my job here is finished, she told reporters in Canberra. 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 Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla on Wednesday began their first joint official visit to Greece, a country of mixed feelings for the British royal family. "The relationship between our two countries goes back such a very long way," Charles told Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the presidential palace in Athens. "I know we have shared an awful lot together over many, many years," he said. Britain was among the powers that in the 19th century helped Greece secure independence from the Ottoman Empire, and the two countries were allies in both world wars. "Your visit adds a very important link in this chain of friendship," Pavlopoulos said. The three-day visit comes as the Prince's Trust International, an initiative founded by Charles that has helped nearly 900,000 disadvantaged youths in the UK, expands its skills training activities to Greece. "Knowing that Greece, and so many Greeks, have been going through such a very difficult time in recent years, I wanted to find a way ? however small and inadequate ? to help the young people of Greece achieve their full potential," the prince told Kathimerini daily. In a meeting with Charles, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras noted that he had accepted an invitation from his British counterpart Theresa May to visit London on June 26. The 69-year-old heir to the throne has frequently visited Greece privately for holidays. But this is just his second official visit to the country of his father's birth. ?Apart from anything else, Greece is in my blood and I have long had a fascination for her ancient culture and history," Charles told Kathimerini ahead of the visit. "Not to mention the fact that I have been so fortunate to have visited some of Greece?s many beautiful and unique places," he added. Charles, who laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Athens, will also visit an allied cemetery and on Thursday and will travel to the island of Crete on Friday for a tour of the ancient Minoan palace of Knossos, excavated by the British archaeological school. Greek media noted Wednesday that Greece is the only European country never visited by Charles' mother Queen Elizabeth II in an official capacity. Charles' father Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu in 1921, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece. Shortly after Philip's birth, the Greek royal family was forced to flee the country following defeat to Turkey in the 1922 Asia Minor campaign. Prince Andrew commanded an army group in the campaign, and he narrowly avoided being executed alongside the royalist prime minister and other officials in the angry popular backlash that followed the defeat. Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Athens during a three-day official visit. Britain's Prince Charles met with Greece's President and Prime Minister in Athens Suicide bombers and gunmen launched apparently coordinated attacks on two Kabul police stations Wednesday, killing at least five people, with security forces still searching for assailants as the city braces for more violence. A series of loud explosions rocked the Afghan capital in the late morning and were quickly followed by volleys of gunfire as police engaged in fierce battles with militants. Another explosion was heard in the late afternoon. The Taliban and Islamic State group each claimed responsibility for one of the attacks. But Afghanistan's intelligence agency blamed the Taliban's Haqqani Network and Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for both incidents. At least five people were killed and 16 were wounded in the attacks, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. The health ministry said seven people were killed and 17 wounded. Police were among the casualties, including two of the dead, Danish told Tolo News. After an easing of attacks in Kabul in February, Taliban and IS militants have stepped up raids in the city in recent months. IS claimed the first attack on a police station in a heavily Shiite-populated neighbourhood in the city's west, which interior minister Wais Barmak said ended after roughly an hour. Barmak told reporters three attackers were killed in that incident, after they used grenades to set fire to a room in the police compound. Ariana TV footage showed a thick plume of black smoke rising into the sky while a photo posted on Twitter purportedly of the west Kabul police station showed a building on fire. The second attack, claimed by the Taliban, took place in front of a police station in Shar-e-Naw neighbourhood in downtown Kabul. "A suicide bomber detonated his vest at the entrance of the street and a car dropped four other attackers nearby," Barmak said. Four attackers fled to a nearby building and were killed after an hours-long search operation by security forces, police spokesman Hashmat Estanikzai told AFP. A "clearance operation" is still under way, he added. A travel agency that handles Indian visa applications is located on the same street as the Shar-e-Naw police station. The Indian embassy and some of its consulates in Afghanistan have previously been targeted by the Taliban. "There were about 300 people inside Shaheer travel agency. Had the police not stopped the attackers they would have caused a disaster," Barmak said. A police source told AFP the blast in the afternoon was caused by an attacker blowing himself up. Pakistan condemned the attacks as "blatant terrorism targeting innocent civilians" in a statement from the country's foreign affairs ministry. - Increased attacks - The attacks came as a strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Afghanistan, shaking buildings in Kabul where people were already on edge. The assaults happened just over a week after twin blasts in Kabul killed 25 people, including AFP chief photographer Shah Marai and eight other journalists. Those attacks were claimed by IS. The Taliban recently launched their annual spring offensive, in an apparent rejection of a peace talks overture by the Afghan government. Their Operation Al Khandaq will target US forces and "their intelligence agents" as well as their "internal supporters", a Taliban statement said on April 25. Barmak said the Taliban had taken control of two districts in the past 24 hours, one in the northern province of Baghlan and the other in the northwestern province of Faryab. Kabul has long been one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. A suicide bomber targeting a blood drive for victims of recent attacks blew himself up in a city park on Monday after being spotted by police, causing no other casualties. On April 22, a suicide bomber detonated himself outside a voter registration centre in the city, killing 60 people and wounding more than 100. That was among a series of attacks across the country in places where people were signing up to vote. The Taliban and IS have made clear their intentions to disrupt the parliamentary and district council elections scheduled for October 20. General John Nicholson, who leads US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said previously that protecting Kabul was a priority for foreign troops. But he acknowledged that preventing attacks would be challenging in the sprawling city that is poorly mapped and extremely porous. The second of two Kabul attacks Wednesday took place in front of a police station in Shar-e-Naw neighbourhood in central Kabul Map of Afghanistan locating Kabul. Turkey on Wednesday lashed out at a viral Twitter campaign against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan based on the word "enough" he used in a speech, arguing it was caused by 'bots'. Opponents of Erdogan Tuesday seized on a vow he made to step down if the people decided it was "enough" ("tamam" in Turkish), turning the Turkish word "tamam" into the world's top trending Twitter topic. Erdogan's rivals in the June 24 presidential elections rapidly tweeted "tamam", with his use of the word providing a rallying cry for all opponents of the Turkish strongman. The word was also tweeted by the Lord of the Rings film actor Elijah Wood and even the American adult movie star Johnny Sins. However, Ankara argued that rather than being genuine discontent, the trend had been artificially manipulated by Twitter bots, software which can automatically tweet or replicate tweets. Speaking to reporters in the capital, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the use of the word -- which was tweeted some one million times -- was far from marking a natural surge against Erdogan. "Seeking to manipulate by using social media is doomed to fail," Kalin said. "It is the nation that will make the final decision. Manipulations carried out by bots and fake accounts will not produce a result," he added. - 'From now on enough' - Supporters of Erdogan, who has been in power for the last 15 years as premier and now president, sought to counter the campaign by tweeting the Turkish word for "continue" -- "devam". The spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Mahir Unal said on Twitter that Erdogan's enemies had been behind the campaign. He said most of the "enough" tweets had originated from countries where outlawed groups like the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the group of Fethullah Gulen blamed for the 2016 failed coup were active, including Greece. "We will see these keyboard heroes who don't know the meaning of the ballot box on the night of June 24," he said. But the slogan has now been adopted by mainstream politicians, including the presidential candidate of the main secular opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Muharrem Ince. "From now on enough" ("Artik Tamam")" read his new campaign slogan. Erdogan opponents sought to keep the momentum going on Twitter Wednesday with "good day enough" ("Gunaydin TAMAM") again one of the world's top trending topics. Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used the word 'enough' in a speech, sparking a trend on Twitter In the streets of the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit, most men wear the traditional black suits of the ultra-Orthodox, a familiar sight in the strictly religious Jewish neighbourhoods of nearby Jerusalem. The ultra-Orthodox make up a growing percentage of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, a sign of the rapidly expanding population of strictly religious Jews as Israel approaches the 70th anniversary of its founding on May 14. With more than 56,000 residents, Beitar Illit is one of the most populated settlements in the West Bank, the Palestinian territory under Israeli occupation for more than half a century. Most residents are ultra-Orthodox and strictly observe Jewish law in all aspects of daily life. Men dress in black suits while women wear long dresses and cover their heads. There are no movie theatres, and traffic comes to a halt for 24 hours from Friday evening to mark Shabbat, the weekly day of rest. During the week, young children are easy to spot, reflecting ultra-Orthodox preferences for large families. Beitar Illit, established in the 1980s on the land of a former Palestinian village, is different from most settlements in the West Bank, which tend to be more secular and politically right-wing. Along with Modiin Illit, another West Bank settlement with 70,000 mainly ultra-Orthodox residents, it illustrates a key demographic change taking place in Israel and its settlements. While the ultra-Orthodox make up around 10 percent of the population among all Israelis, they now count for a third of those in the West Bank, which many Israelis refer to by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria. "Despite our geographic situation, the population of Beitar Illit keeps going up," the municipality's website says. - 'Housing crisis' - It adds that there are around 40 births per week, or around 2,000 yearly, well over the Israeli average. At that rate, Jerusalem risks becoming a suburb of Beitar Illit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joked during a visit in 2017. But 50 years after the planting of the first Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the ultra-Orthodox are not choosing to live in Beitar Illit for ideological reasons, unlike many other settlers. "The reason why people live here is the housing crisis," said city hall spokesman Moshe Glasner. "An ultra-Orthodox family would not live here as a first choice if they could live elsewhere." Economic considerations are accompanied by community and religious concerns. Binyamin Kluger, 45, a community worker who has lived in Beitar Illit for seven years, said he wanted to "live in the midst of the Torah." "It is the ideal area to live as a religious Jew," he said. Israeli settlements are viewed as illegal under international law and a major obstacle to peace as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Israel's government disputes that. More than 600,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem in near constant conflict with some three million Palestinians there. - 'Motivations are different' - Beitar Illit's residents say they have a peaceful relationship with the Palestinians surrounding them -- though the Palestinians see all settlements as theft of their land. Israeli cars in the area surrounding the settlement are sometimes targeted by Palestinians throwing stones. Residents point out that some 1,500 Palestinians work daily in the settlement without incident, though Palestinians have few other options for solid employment in the economically struggling West Bank. "All you have to do is come here to see how we work together to understand that it is different from the usual image of settlements," said Yoram Cohen, who works in a grocery store and has lived in Beitar Illit for 18 years. Nadav Shragai of the Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs said the increase in the West Bank's ultra-Orthodox population would be welcomed by those in favour of settlement building. "When the ideologues founded communities in the territories, they hoped that the population that came to live there would represent all segments of society, and that is what is happening," he said. Due to its location, Beitar Illit may be among the settlements that would remain in place in a peace deal with the Palestinians. Hagit Ofran of the Peace Now settlement watchdog said the ultra-Orthodox are among the least likely to oppose a peace deal with the Palestinians. "Their motivations are different and there is a strong possibility that in the event of a peace deal, they would remain in place," she said. "As a result, they are not concerned with territorial matters, unlike the more ideological settlers." Ultra-orthodox Jews stand in the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit as Palestinian labourers work at a construction site on February 14, 2018 Ultra-orthodox Jews walk in the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit as Palestinian labourers work at a construction site on February 14, 2018 Ultra-orthodox Jews walk in the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit as Palestinian labourers work at a construction site on February 14, 2018 A view of the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit on February 14, 2018 US and Philippine troops stormed ashore from the disputed South China Sea on Wednesday for military exercises that President Rodrigo Duterte had promised to scrap, but quietly allowed to carry on. The decades-old tradition appeared headed for the history books last year as a newly-elected Duterte pivoted toward China -- and away from long-time ally the US. But the number of troops taking part in the drills has increased by a third from last year to 8,000, a return to figures seen in years past when the exercises served as a thinly-veiled deterrent to a rising China. The reason for Duterte's change of heart on the two-week drills codenamed "Balikatan", or "Shoulder-to-Shoulder", may be down to what experts see as careful efforts by the Filipino military to restrain their unpredictable president. "The fact it's being done under this administration means they (Duterte's government) now have a better understanding of the security equation," political analyst Victor Andres Manhit told AFP. Though the bulked-up manoeuvres -- including a live-fire component that was dropped last year -- took place on a naval base just 180 kilometres (110 miles) east of the Filipino-claimed Scarborough Shoal that China has controlled since 2012, the drill's leaders barely mentioned Beijing. "We are an island nation. That's why we need to improve our capabilities on amphibious operations," Philippine Major-General Emmanuel Salamat told reporters. "We're not concerned about Scarborough. We're concerned about what we're doing here." China claims most of the South China Sea, a strategic waterway believed to harbour significant oil and natural gas deposits, but their assertion was ruled illegal in 2016 after Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino filed suit before an international maritime tribunal. Duterte has since reversed course and set the ruling aside, along with long-simmering friction over competing claims to the waters, in order to court Chinese trade and investment. He has also cut two major annual naval exercises with the US and last year reduced the Balikatan contingent to 5,400 American and Filipino troops. The decision came at a low point for US-Philippine relations, when Duterte hurled insults at the American ambassador to Manila and served notice that the 2017 edition would "be the last military exercise" with the United States. Much of Duterte's ire appeared to have been triggered by American criticism of his deadly anti-drug crackdown, which has claimed thousands of lives and been condemned by rights groups as a possible crime against humanity. The renewed ramping up of the US-Philippine war games coincides with improving ties with Washington under President Donald Trump, who has said drug dealers should face the death penalty. Analysts said Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, a retired general and ex-defence attache to Washington, and other advisers had helped moderate Duterte's position. "He (Lorenzana) could handle, in a very effective way, most of the president's biases without ruffling feathers," said Roilo Golez, a former national security adviser of ex-Philippine leader Gloria Arroyo. US Marine Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Gaskell, who took part in the landing exercise Wednesday, sidestepped media questions on Duterte's anti-US claims. "We are welcomed here, walking in the airport, throughout your country, (but also) by the Filipino armed forces who we've interacted with," he said. "So we're really happy to be here." The bulked-up manoeuvres by US and Philippine troops included a live-fire component that was dropped last year The decades-old tradition appeared headed for the scrap heap last year The number of troops taking part in the drills has increased by a third from last year to 8,000 China claims most of the South China Sea, a strategic waterway believed to harbour significant oil and natural gas deposits The two-week drills are codenamed "Balikatan", or "Shoulder-to-Shoulder" Utah has become the first US state to allow children to roam free and take part in unsupervised activities under a "Free Range Parenting" law that went into effect on Tuesday. The state's governor in March signed a bill that protects parents from being prosecuted for child neglect if they allow their kids to do things on their own. That includes playing outside without adult supervision, taking part in certain activities or walking to school alone. The new legislation, adopted unanimously by lawmakers, stipulates that any child left unsupervised must be mature enough and have good judgement. "Utah's 'Free-Range Parenting' law is a good example of common sense legislation," the state's governor Gary Herbert told AFP in a statement. "We believe that parents know and love their children better than anybody. We also believe that absent evidence of neglect, danger or cruelty, parents have the best sense of how to teach responsibility to their children. "Responsible parents should be able to let kids be kids without constantly looking over their shoulders for approval," he added. The bill does not specify the age range targeted by the legislation which was worded vaguely so as to allow authorities to deal with situations on a case by case basis, supporters say. In drafting the bill, sponsors contacted Lenore Skenazy, who coined the term "free-range kids" and touched off a fierce national debate on the issue in 2008 after she wrote a column about letting her nine-year-old son get home alone on the New York subway. Skenazy hailed the measure in a blog post on Tuesday while encouraging other states to follow suit. "Americans are tired of being forced to overprotect their kids out of fear that any confidence in their kids and communities could be misinterpreted as negligence," she wrote. She added that the law does not discourage people from calling the police if they find children in dangerous situations. "That is a far cry from arresting and interrogating moms who let their kids play in the park on a bright summer day while they are working their shift at McDonald?s," she said. "So let us raise a glass of lemonade ? preferably purchased from some kids sitting next to a homemade sign, without their parents having to sit there with them." Utah State Governor Gary Herbert said the new 'Free-Range Parenting' law "is a good example of common sense legislation" Illinois is losing people at an alarming rate and the trend does not seem to be slowing down. Just last March, the City Club of Chicago had a panel discussion on what is causing the exodus from Illinois. The issue is becoming a national story, garnering headlines on national cable news programs. Illinois stands alone in the Midwest, stubbornly clinging to the tired, arcane economic policies that are driving droves and droves of people out of the Land of Lincoln. And yet, the legislative leaders in Springfield continue to ignore what is happening and are endorsing the very same policies that have caused the problems in the first place. Instead of taking steps to enact much needed reforms such as lawsuit reform and property tax reform, Illinois legislative leaders are doubling down on tax hikes, more business regulations and are slamming the door on any lawsuit reform initiatives. A recent report from the American Economic Development Institute ranks Illinois the 49th worst state in the nation for doing business. Illinois ranking is just slightly above California. Another report from Chief Executive Magazine, which was just released, ranks Illinois the third worst state in the country for doing business. According to the report, Indiana is ranked #5; Wisconsin is ranked #13; Iowa is ranked #14; Kentucky is ranked #25; and Missouri is ranked #30. We should be more competitive with our neighbors, but sadly we are not. We continue to lag behind other states because our legislative leaders refuse to take even simple steps toward improving our economy. Meanwhile, surrounding states are aggressively improving their economy with one business reform after another. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker just signed into law a comprehensive lawsuit reform measure that Bill Smith, the president of the Wisconsin Civil Justice Council calls, a major victory for small to large Wisconsin businesses. Gov. Walker has already signed numerous significant lawsuit reforms into law in recent years, but he is not content with Wisconsin being ranked the 13th in the nation for doing business. The Badger State is looking for ways to improve their business climate and Governor Walker understands that lawsuit reforms are a key ingredient to economic success. According to a recent Harris Poll report on state liability systems, Wisconsin is already ranked #20 in the nation. The lawsuit reforms just signed into law will likely move those rankings even higher. Illinois, on the other hand, is ranked the third worst in the nation for legal fairness according to the report. More than 85 percent of the business leaders surveyed by Harris Poll for the report said lawsuit climate is a significant factor in determining where to expand and grow. The reality is companies look to move to states where the legal climate is fair, which is why Illinois status as the third-worst state in the country for legal fairness is making it extremely difficult to attract new employers. The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result. Surrounding states have enacted various lawsuit reforms. We should not be all that surprised to learn that employers view those states as better places to do business than Illinois. It is time for the Legislature to enact meaningful lawsuit reforms in Illinois. There is still time in this legislative session to get some reforms passed into law if there is the political will to do so. The time for lawsuit reform is now. MONTREALIconMale returns to the sweet years of colle ge sexploration in Nica Noelle's latest directorial effort, Hall Pass, now available on DVD. Distributed by Mile High Media, the new title stars JD Phoenix, Kory Houston, Michael Delray and Blaze Austin. It features four hardcore sex scenes shot in HD, along with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, a photo gallery and more. Nica examines the hijinks, passion and temptations of young college men given a free pass by their boyfriends, said Mile High Media Vice President Jon Blitt. With its talented cast, Hall Pass will take you back to those free-spirited days of college life and the intense attraction and powerful emotions that made each relationship so memorable. Its another great feature from our premier gay studio, Icon Male. Hall Pass follows the lives of young college twinks JD Phoenix and Kory Houston, who are in love. That doesn't mean they don't succumb to the occasional crush on another man. Kory secretly lusts for his brilliant, hung tutor, Michael Delray, while JD has it bad for frat brother Blaze Austin. When JD suggests they give each other a "hall pass" to conquer temptation by facing it head on, Kory is reluctant, but he comes to see the wisdom of JD's twisted plan. The latest Icon Male trailers can be seen on IconMale.com. For Icon Male sales and distribution, contact [email protected] com. BERLINThe folks at Womanizer recently hosted a B2B event that culminated with the launch of the Womanizer Classic and the Womanizer Premium. The new products will be available in stores at the end of June. In a venue near the river Spree, the event was opened by German actress Annabelle Mandeng. Johannes Plettenberg, managing director, and Michael Lenke, inventor of the Womanizer, welcomed the participants. They were followed by the keynote speech by award-winning journalist, sex educator and podcaster Alix Fox. The London native believes technology should be developed intelligently and primarily for the human benefit, and she adds that this is exactly the case with Womanizerhere, technology is used in such a way that the human needs are in the foreground. After the lecture, a user (employed, married and mother of two children) reported on her personal Womanizer experience. This served as the introduction for the presentation of the new products by Thuve Bremen, director of sales and marketing. Finally, a 4-hour boat trip along the Spree including a delicious dinner, cool drinks and hot music was the perfect way to end the day. The participants spent Friday in several workshops on topics such as Public Relations or Boost your Business. In the afternoon, the participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas with individual experts from the Womanizer team in personal discussions. For more, visit Womanizer.com. We've detected that JavaScript is not enabled in your browser. You must enable JavaScript to use craigslist. Most Americans have been propagandized rather than educated on the causes of the War Between the States (aka, The War of Northern Aggression; aka, The War to Prevent Southern Independence; aka, the Civil War) in order to exonerate the perpetrators and victors and justify their actions. But the truth is out there for anyone willing to take the time to do some reading.The true perspective comes from the South, for it was the Confederate states who were the ones standing up and fighting for principle. If the truths and ideals articulated in the Declaration of Independence were still going to mean anything, the Confederacy would have to fight for them. In Chapter 8 of his book, THE UN-CIVIL WAR, Mike Scruggs discusses the views of the Cherokees with respect to the splitting of the country in 1860-61 uses those views to support the truth of the war.In 1861, there were two principal groups of Cherokees in the United States - the Western Band, with a population of slightly over 20,000, and the smaller Eastern Band, located in North Carolina, with a population of only about 2000. Both sided with the Confederacy, but the larger Western Band made a formal Declaration of Independence from the United States.On August 21, 1861, the Western Cherokee Nation, by a General Convention in Tahlequah (Oklahoma), declared its common cause with the Confederate States against the Northern Union. A treaty was concluded on October 7 between the Confederate States and the Cherokee Nation and on October 9, John Ross, the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation called into session the Cherokee National Committee and National Council to approve and implement that treaty and a future course of action.The Cherokee had much more in common with their Confederate neighbors than with the North, but their treaties had been with the government of the United States (now the Northern Union). At first they thought best to honor those treaties. But with the invasion of its neighbors, the repression of free speech and press by Lincoln, the complete trampling of the US Constitution, and the support the North had given to individuals and groups leading up to the war (such as John Brown) who urged violence against the South, the Cherokee soon changed their mind.The Cherokee were perhaps the best educated and literate of the American Indian tribes. They were also among the most Christian. Learning and wisdom were highly esteemed. They revered the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution as particularly important guarantees of their rights and freedoms, just as Southerners did. It is not surprising therefore that on October 28, 1861, the National Council of the Western Cherokee Nation issued its own Declaration of Independence - Declaration of the People of the Cherokee Nation of the Causes Which Have Compelled Them to Unite Their Fortunes With Those of the Confederate States of America.The introductory words of this Declaration strongly resembled the 1776 Declaration of Independence:"When circumstances beyond their control compel one person to sever the ties which have long existed between them and another state or confederacy, and to contract new alliances and establish new relations for the security of their rights and liberties, it is fit that they should publicly declare the reasons by which their action is justified."In the next paragraph, the Council noted the Cherokee Nation's faithful adherence to treaties with the United States its attempts at neutrality in the face of the hostilities between the North and the South. But the seventh paragraph began to articulate their alarm at the North's aggression and their sympathy with the South: "But Providence rules the destinies of nations, and events, by inexorable necessity, overrule human resolutions."Comparing the relatively limited objectives and defensive nature of the Southern cause to the aggressive actions of the North, the Declaration included this observation:"Disclaiming any intention to invade the Northern States, they (the Southern States) sought only to repel the invaders from their own soil and to secure the right to govern themselves. They claimed only the privilege asserted in the Declaration of American Independence, and on which the right of the Northern States themselves to self-government is formed, and altering their form of government when it became no longer tolerable and establishing new forms for the security of their liberties."The next paragraph noted the orderly and democratic process by which each of the Confederate States seceded. This was without violence or coercion and nowhere were liberties abridged or civilian courts and authorities made subordinate to the military. The following (ninth) paragraph contrasted this with the ruthless and totalitarian trends in the North:"But in the Northern States, the Cherokee people saw with alarm a violated Constitution, all civil liberty put in peril and all rules of civilized warfare and the dictates of common humanity and decency unhesitatingly disregarded. In the states which still adhered to the Union, a military despotism had displaced civilian power and the laws became silent with arms. Free speech and almost free thought became a crime. The right of habeas corpus, guaranteed by the Constitution, disappeared at the nod of the Secretary of State or even a general of the lowest grade. The mandate of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was at naught (negated) by the military power and this outrage on common rights was approved by a President sworn to support the Constitution. War on the largest scale was waged and immense bodies of troops called onto the field in the absence of any warranting it, all under the pretense of suppressing a rebellion."The tenth paragraph continued the indictment of the Northern political party in power (the Republican Party) and the conduct of the Union Armies:"The humanities of war, which even barbarians respect, were no longer thought worthy to be observed. Foreign mercenaries and the scum of the cities and the inmates of prisons were enlisted and organized into brigades and sent into Southern States to aid in subjugating a people struggling for freedom, to burn, to plunder, and to commit the basest of outrages on the women. While the heels of armed tyranny trod upon the necks of Maryland and Missouri, men of the highest character and position were incarcerated upon suspicion without process of law, in jails, forts, and prison ships, and even women were imprisoned by the arbitrary orders of a President and Cabinet Ministers. The press ceased to be free and the publication of newspapers was suspended and their issues seized and destroyed. The officers and men taken as prisoners in the battles were allowed to remain in captivity by the refusal of the Government to consent to an exchange of prisoners. They left their dead on more than one field of battle that had witnessed their defeat, to be buried and to have their wounded to be cared for by Southern hands."The eleventh paragraph of the Cherokee Declaration is a fairly concise summary of their grievances against the political powers then presiding over a new US Government:"Whatever causes the Cherokee people may have had in the past to complain of some of the Southern States, they cannot but feel that their interests and destiny are inseparably connected to those of the South. The war now waging is a war of Northern cupidity and fanaticism against the institution of African servitude, against the commercial freedom of the South, and against the political freedom of the States, and its objects are to annihilate the sovereignty of those states and utterly change the nature of the general government."Finally, appealing to their inalienable right to self-defense and self-determination as a free people, the Cherokee concluded their Declaration with the following words:"Obeying the dictates of prudence and providing for the general safety and welfare, confident in the rectitude of their intentions, and true to their obligations to duty and honor, they accept the issue thus forced upon then, unite their fortunes now and forever with the Confederate States, and take up arms for the common cause, and having complete confidence in the justice of that cause, and with a firm reliance upon Divine Providence, will resolutely abide the consequences."The Eastern Band of Cherokee made no such formal declaration, but considered themselves North Carolinians and were anxious to join Confederate forces in defending their state and the Southern cause. The Eastern Band Chief, Col. William H. Thomas, a North Carolina State Senator, gathered 416 Cherokee braves to form the core of what later became the Thomas Legion. They were joined by about 1,900 North Carolina mountain men. Thomas, of Welsh descent, was the adopted white son of the late Eastern Band Chief, Yanaguska ("Drowning Bear"). He is said to have spoken the Cherokee language better than any white man that ever lived. The Cherokees had come to have great respect for his wisdom and relentless hard work on their behalf in North Carolina. It should be noted that the Cherokee braves that served in the Thomas Legion represented almost every single male of military age in their small population. They served very faithfully with only about a dozen known to have deserted.Both Cherokee bands proved their courage and loyalty. The last shot fired in the war east of the Mississippi was fired on May 6, 1865. This was in an engagement at White Sulfur Springs, near Waynesville, NC, in which part of Thomas' Legion fought against Union Army Colonel George W. Kirk's infamous Union Raiders. Kirk's Raiders had engaged in a campaign of murderous terrorism and destruction on the civilian population of western North Carolina. It took some effort at the end of the war for Thomas to persuade his Cherokee braves to surrender rather than continue guerrilla warfare against the Union.In the West, Confederate Brigadier General and Cherokee Chief, Stand Watie's mounted infantry regiments became a legend for their guerilla cavalry tactics, baffling and diverting a great number of Union troops. On June 23, 1865, in what was the last land battle of the war, Brigadier General Watie finally surrendered his predominantly Cherokee (Oklahoma) Indian force to the Union.The issues as the Cherokees saw them were many-fold:(1) The Right of Self-Defense, against Northern aggression, both for themselves and their fellow Confederate neighbors and friends(2) The Right of Self-Determination by a free people, recognized in the Declaration of Independence(3) Protection of their Government of Law (their Rule of Law)(4) Preservation of their political rights under a constitutional government(5) A strong desire to retain the principles of limited government and decentralized power guaranteed by the Constitution(6) Protection of their economic rights and their welfare(7) Dismay at the despotism of the party (Republican Party) and leaders in command of the US government(8) Dismay at the ruthless disregard of commonly-accepted rules of warfare by the Union, especially their treatment of civilians and non-combatants(9) A fear of economic exploitation by corrupt politicians and their supporters based on observed past experience (harsh protective tariffs)(10) Alarm at the self-righteous and extreme, punitive, and vengeful pronouncements on the slavery issue voiced by the radical abolitionists and supported by many Northern politicians, journalists, and social and religious leadersThe Cherokee Declaration of Independence of October 1861 uncovers a far more complex set of "Civil War" issues than most Americans have been taught. Rediscovered truth is not always welcome. Indeed, some of the issues addressed by the Cherokee Nation are so distressing that the general academic, media, and public reaction is to rebury them or to (intellectually) shout them down as politically incorrect.The notion that slavery was the only real or even principal cause of the war is very politically correct and widely-held, but not historically correct. It amounts to historical ignorance. The version of the war taught to our children in the public schools and even in our universities - that slavery was the cause of the Civil War - has served, however, as a convenient ex-post facto justification for the North's decision to instigate war on the Confederate States and its brutal conduct in prosecuting its war. Slavery was an issue, of course, but it was by no means the only issue, or even the most important underlying issue. It was not even an issue in the way most people think of it. Only about 25% of Southern households owned slaves. For most people, North and South, the slavery issue was not one that touched them in their personal or economic lives. The slavery issue was not so much whether to keep it or not, but how to phase it out without causing economic and social disruption and disaster. Unfortunately, since slavery was an institution in the Southern States and since it was protected in the US Constitution, those states believed that the decisions as to how to phase it out and to deal with the resulting economic and social issues should have been left to them - not to radical abolitionists or to the federal government.After the (unconstitutional) Reconstruction Acts were passed in 1867, the radical abolitionists and radical Republicans, both equally evil-intentioned, were able to issue in a shameful era of politically-punitive and economic exploitative oppression in the South, the results of which lasted many years, including the birth of the Jim Crow/segregationist era. The sins that the country often associate with the South are often, in reality, the policies and actions of the North.The Cherokee were - and are - a remarkable people who have impacted the American heritage far beyond their numbers. As this commentary shows, they were remarkably patriotic as well. We can be especially grateful that they made a well-thought out and articulate Declaration of Independence in support of the Confederate cause in 1861 and in joining their defense. 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. Contact: White House White House Press Office President Donald J. Trump is requesting that Congress rescind billions of dollars in excessive spending. President Trump is requesting that Congress rescind more than $15 billion in budget authority, in line with his commitment to use every tool at his disposal to rein in out-of-control Federal spending. The President's request is the first of several upcoming rescissions packages aimed at cutting Federal spending. President Trump is proposing the largest single rescissions request in history pursuant to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA). Under the ICA, the President has the authority to request rescissions and his proposals are eligible for expedited consideration by Congress. Democratic and Republican Presidents have used the ICA to propose nearly $76 billion in spending cuts since the law was enacted. Upon the passage of the ICA in 1974, each President from Gerald Ford to Bill Clinton successfully used the ICA to rescind Federal funds.The President's rescissions request puts American taxpayers first by addressing irresponsible Federal spending. President Trump's first rescissions package targets spending that is unnecessary, unused, or cannot be used for its original purpose. Some of the funds included in the President's request were appropriated many years ago, but have never been used. At the President's direction, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) worked to identify wasteful spending that should be rescinded. Funds in President Trump's first proposed rescissions package include: $4.3 billion from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, which has not made a loan since 2011. $523 million from the Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program, which had its authority to make new loan guarantees lapse in 2011. $800 million from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, which is in excess of the funds needed in fiscal years (FY) 2018 or 2019 and will receive a new appropriation of $10 billion in 2020. $252 million in excess funds remaining from the 2015 Ebola outbreak response, an epidemic the World Health Organization declared to be over in 2016. $133 million from the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Extended Benefits program that expired in 2012. $148 million from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, including funds for outbreak response for disease incidents that have been resolved. Contact: White House White House Press Office My fellow Americans: Today, I want to update the world on our efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.The Iranian regime is the leading state sponsor of terror. It exports dangerous missiles, fuels conflicts across the Middle East, and supports terrorist proxies and militias such as Hezbollah, Hamas, the Taliban, and al Qaeda.Over the years, Iran and its proxies have bombed American embassies and military installations, murdered hundreds of American servicemembers, and kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured American citizens. The Iranian regime has funded its long reign of chaos and terror by plundering the wealth of its own people.No action taken by the regime has been more dangerous than its pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means of delivering them.In 2015, the previous administration joined with other nations in a deal regarding Iran's nuclear program. This agreement was known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.In theory, the so-called "Iran deal" was supposed to protect the United States and our allies from the lunacy of an Iranian nuclear bomb, a weapon that will only endanger the survival of the Iranian regime. In fact, the deal allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and, over time, reach the brink of a nuclear breakout.The deal lifted crippling economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for very weak limits on the regime's nuclear activity, and no limits at all on its other malign behavior, including its sinister activities in Syria, Yemen, and other places all around the world.In other words, at the point when the United States had maximum leverage, this disastrous deal gave this regime - and it's a regime of great terror - many billions of dollars, some of it in actual cash - a great embarrassment to me as a citizen and to all citizens of the United States.A constructive deal could easily have been struck at the time, but it wasn't. At the heart of the Iran deal was a giant fiction that a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy program.Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie. Last week, Israel published intelligence documents long concealed by Iran, conclusively showing the Iranian regime and its history of pursuing nuclear weapons.The fact is this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will.In the years since the deal was reached, Iran's military budget has grown by almost 40 percent, while its economy is doing very badly. After the sanctions were lifted, the dictatorship used its new funds to build nuclear-capable missiles, support terrorism, and cause havoc throughout the Middle East and beyond.The agreement was so poorly negotiated that even if Iran fully complies, the regime can still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time. The deal's sunset provisions are totally unacceptable. If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs.Making matters worse, the deal's inspection provisions lack adequate mechanisms to prevent, detect, and punish cheating, and don't even have the unqualified right to inspect many important locations, including military facilities.Not only does the deal fail to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions, but it also fails to address the regime's development of ballistic missiles that could deliver nuclear warheads.Finally, the deal does nothing to constrain Iran's destabilizing activities, including its support for terrorism. Since the agreement, Iran's bloody ambitions have grown only more brazen.In light of these glaring flaws, I announced last October that the Iran deal must either be renegotiated or terminated.Three months later, on January 12th, I repeated these conditions. I made clear that if the deal could not be fixed, the United States would no longer be a party to the agreement.Over the past few months, we have engaged extensively with our allies and partners around the world, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. We have also consulted with our friends from across the Middle East. We are unified in our understanding of the threat and in our conviction that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon.After these consultations, it is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement.The Iran deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons.Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.In a few moments, I will sign a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating U.S. nuclear sanctions on the Iranian regime. We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction. Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States.America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail. We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction. And we will not allow a regime that chants "Death to America" to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth.Today's action sends a critical message: The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them. In fact, at this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un. Plans are being made. Relationships are building. Hopefully, a deal will happen and, with the help of China, South Korea, and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone.As we exit the Iran deal, we will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear threat. This will include efforts to eliminate the threat of Iran's ballistic missile program; to stop its terrorist activities worldwide; and to block its menacing activity across the Middle East. In the meantime, powerful sanctions will go into full effect. If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before.Finally, I want to deliver a message to the long-suffering people of Iran: The people of America stand with you. It has now been almost 40 years since this dictatorship seized power and took a proud nation hostage. Most of Iran's 80 million citizens have sadly never known an Iran that prospered in peace with its neighbors and commanded the admiration of the world.But the future of Iran belongs to its people. They are the rightful heirs to a rich culture and an ancient land. And they deserve a nation that does justice to their dreams, honor to their history, and glory to God.Iran's leaders will naturally say that they refuse to negotiate a new deal; they refuse. And that's fine. I'd probably say the same thing if I was in their position. But the fact is they are going to want to make a new and lasting deal, one that benefits all of Iran and the Iranian people. When they do, I am ready, willing, and able.Great things can happen for Iran, and great things can happen for the peace and stability that we all want in the Middle East.There has been enough suffering, death, and destruction. Let it end now.Thank you. God bless you. Thank you.(The presidential memorandum is signed.)Mr. President, how does this make America safer? How does this make America safer?Thank you very much. This will make America much safer. Thank you very much.Is Secretary Pompeo bringing the detainees home?Thank you. Secretary Pompeo is, right now, going to North Korea. He will be there very shortly in a matter of virtual - probably an hour. He's got meetings set up. We have our meeting scheduled. We have our meeting set. The location is picked - the time and the date. Everything is picked. And we look forward to having a very great success.We think relationships are building with North Korea. We'll see how it all works out. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea, Japan and the entire world. We hope it all works out.Thank you very much.Are the Americans being freed?Are the Americans coming home, Mr. President?We'll all soon be finding out. We will soon be finding out. It would be a great thing if they are. We'll soon be finding out. Thank you very much. Florida's Felon Voting Rights Injunction Stayed Pending Appeal Governor Rick Scott and the Florida state Clemency Board have filed an appeal to the federal district court's injunction which epicly slammed the two for violating the voting rights of felons. However, in addition to appealing the district court's order, they sought a stay to prevent the enforcement of the injunction while the appeal was pending. Interestingly, while the district court judge seemed to have strong feelings in favor of restoring the voting rights of felons, the appellate court seems to be more in favor of the governor's position. The Fight for Voting Rights Along with the injunction issued by the federal district court, the governor and Clemency Board would have been required to rework the current process by which felons get their voting rights restored once released. However, for many, the Hand v. Scott matter is more political than anything civil rights related. Regardless of politics, the appellate court appears poised to reject the district court's order as overreach. In addition to finding that the governor proved a likelihood of success on the merits based on a long line of binding precedent, it noted that there were "serious and substantial problems that inhere in the remedies the district court has chosen." It Might Not Matter In an interesting twist, if you have had your head in the wonderful Florida sand and haven't heard or read anything about their upcoming November election, there's a ballot measure that could render the entire case moot. This November, Florida voters will be asked to decide whether most felons should have their voting rights automatically restored, rather than go through the current clemency process. Related Resources: The Federation says that the state's financial condition has improved significantly after the General Assembly passed a 32 percent income tax hike - a strategy House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton pushed through the legislature. CHICAGO In a report released Wednesday, the Civic Federations Institute for Illinois Fiscal Sustainability announced it cannot support Illinois Governor Bruce Rauners recommended budget for FY2019 because it is "precariously balanced and its modest surplus relies on aggressive assumptions. Additionally, the proposal does little to address Illinois massive backlog of bills." Illinois residents were able to breathe a short sigh of relief following the end of the unprecedented impasse, but the State is far from fiscal stability, said Civic Federation President Laurence Msall. Unfortunately, the possibility of renewed political stalemate hangs over Springfield, and it would be financially reckless to wait until after the upcoming election to start working toward long-term stabilization. The State narrowly avoided a downgrade to junk status last year and another impasse could squander recent progress. The proposed budget relies on the sale of the James R. Thompson Center for the third year in a row and on speculative group health savings. The proposal also depends on shifting pension costs back to Chicago Public Schools, which would further destabilize the States largest school district. In total, the Civic Federation is concerned about $1.8 billion in precarious projected savings or revenues, as the evaporation of any of these projections could put the meager surplus in jeopardy. Further, the Federation cannot support a budget proposal that does not effectively address the States bill backlog, which is expected to stand at $7.7 billion at the end of FY2018. Because of the backlog, the State begins each fiscal year in a hole, using revenues from the current year to pay off the previous years obligations. Even if the $351 million surplus in the Governors budget were realized and used to pay these bills, the backlog would only be reduced slightly by the end of FY2019. The Civic Federation continues to recommend a comprehensive plan featuring spending restraints paired with broadening the tax base to allow for lower rates. The Federations plan proposes that Illinois expand the income tax to federally-taxable retirement income, place a constitutional amendment on the ballot to clarify the pension protection clause, broaden the sales tax base and consolidate and streamline government units throughout the State. In order to move forward, the residents of Illinois need more than a budget that works on paper; they need a sustainable and long-term plan, said Msall. Unfortunately, this proposal does not accomplish that goal. Click here to read the full report. Delaware, New Jersey Ban Child Marriage Many cities in California have banned plastic bags at grocery stores. In Ohio, it's illegal to get a fish drunk. And in New Jersey, you are not allowed to sell handcuffs to anyone under 18. But you know what is still legal in all 50 states? Child marriage. This feels like one of those things we really should have dealt with a while back. Well, a few states are finally making it a priority, as Delaware and New Jersey race to be the first to ban child marriage entirely. Exceptions to Minimum Age Requirements Currently, states with minimum age requirements for marriage have exceptions to those laws. For example, although Delaware's minimum age is 18, a child of any age can get married if she is pregnant or if his or her parents give consent. According to NPR, more than 200 minors got married between 2000 and 2017 in Delaware alone, with 90 percent of those being girls who married adult men. Previous Governor Refused to Sign New Jersey Ban New Jersey actually passed a bill to ban child marriage in 2017. However, then Gov. Chris Christie refused to sign the measure, saying it should have an exception where a judge can approve of the marriage for 16- and 17-year-olds. "An exclusion without exceptions would violate the cultures and traditions of some communities in New Jersey based on religious traditions," his statement read. Religions with members who practice arranged or forced marriages include Orthodox Jews, Muslims, and Mormons. If Christie's successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, signs the bill first, New Jersey will win the race to ban child marriage. Governor Expected to Sign Delaware Ban Delaware's bill would ban child marriage without exception, and their governor, Gov. John Carney, is expected to sign it. The bill's sponsor stated, "We're leaving girls with no protections. I don't want children to have to make a decision about marriage until they're 18." If you suspect a child is being forced into marriage or is the victim of abuse, contact the authorities and an attorney familiar with your state's child marriage and abuse laws. Related Resources: In the wake of the Nova Scotia police fully exonerating the 19 year old who accidentally discovered an open directory full of compromising personal information belonging to Nova Scotians, you'd think that Nova Scotia premier Stephen McNeil would apologise for having called the act "stealing." Instead, McNeil refused to apologise; he's doubled down and reiterated the accusation. "What I said was the information that was taken outside of government, it was taken outside of our government," McNeil said Tuesday. "[It was ] downloaded off a site, information that was private information of individuals, onto a device." McNeil won't apologize for comments about teen at centre of privacy breach [Elizabeth McMillan/CBC] (Image: US Embassy Canada, CC-BY; Alex Guerrero, CC-BY-SA)) Last month, an unnamed 19-year-old Nova Scotian grew frustrated with the lack of a search interface for the province's public repository of responses to public records requests; he wanted to research the province's dispute with its public school teachers and didn't fancy manually clicking on thousands of links to documents to find the relevant ones, so he wrote a single line of code that downloaded all the public documents to his computer, from which he could search them with ease. Then the Nova Scotia police raided his house, separated his young siblings from his parents (scooping one off the street as he was walking home from school), and seized all the computers and electronics, including the laptop his father used to earn his living. It seems that the Nova Scotia government had mixed in at least 700 sensitive, confidential documents in the same open directory where they kept their public documents, and in downloading what seemed liked a collection of public records, the teenager had also grabbed these sensitive documents. This was, obviously, not his fault instead, it was an act of gross negligence on the part of the province. The teenager was facing 10 years in prison, but the Halifax Regional Police have now backed down, issuing an official statement that "there were no grounds to lay a charge of unauthorized use of a computer." The police have not returned the family's electronics yet. The police say that if they had it to do over again, the wouldn't change a thing. Since the raid, Nova Scotia has admitted that at least 11 other computers accessed the sensitive documents. No one knows who those computers belong to. Halifax police Supt. Jim Perrin told CBC News he doesn't think police would have proceeded differently if it had known all the facts of the situation. "When the incident was reported to the police, it was certainly believed that a criminal act had taken place," he said. Perrin said the complaint came from someone at the security level of the provincial government. He said it was reported that a website was compromised and personal information was taken. "Every case comes at us different. There's no perfect way that a case evolves. This case obviously had some significant interest because of the significant amount of personal information that was alleged to have been taken," Perrin said. Halifax police won't charge teen arrested in Nova Scotia privacy breach [CBC] If you've had your identity stolen or if you're worried about having been doxxed by Equifax, you can freeze your credit record, and then Equifax, Experian, Trans Union and Innovis will block any requests to access your credit report. But that doesn't really matter. Equifax operates a secondary, noncompliant credit bureau called National Consumer Telecommunications and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE), on behalf of a secretive cartel of owners led by AT&T, but also including mysterious organizations like "Centralized Credit Check Systems." Freezing your credit report has no effect on NCTUE; what's more, NCTUE operates in a careless and incompetent fashion, with invalid SSL certificates and other glaring errors. NCTUE has a separate system for freezing your credit report there, but it doesn't work filling in the form and submitting it just returns obscure errors. You may be able to freeze your report by calling NCTUE, but they might charge you a separate fee, and there's no guarantee you'll get through. This scenario will no doubt be familiar to many readers who tried (and failed in a similar fashion) to file freezes on their credit files with Equifax after the company divulged that hackers had relieved it of Social Security numbers, addresses, dates of birth and other sensitive data on nearly 150 million Americans last September. I attempted to file a freeze via the NCTUE's site with no fewer than three different browsers, and each time the form reset itself upon submission or took me to a failure page. So let's review. Many people who have succeeded in freezing their credit files with Equifax have nonetheless had their identities stolen and new accounts opened in their names thanks to a lesser-known credit bureau that seems to rely entirely on credit checking entites operated by Equifax. "This just reinforces the fact that we are no longer in control of our information," said Kerskie, who is also a founding member of Griffon Force, a Florida-based identity theft restoration firm. Think You've Got Your Credit Freezes Covered? Think Again. [Brian Krebs/Krebs on Security] Dr Dre's trademark dispute against Pennsylvania gynaecologist Draion M Burch is at its end, reports the BBC. Burch will be allowed to keep his "Dr Drai" trademark registration over the music star's objection. Mr Burch had also argued that consumers would be unlikely to confuse the two names "because Dr Dre is not a medical doctor nor is he qualified to provide any type of medical services or sell products specifically in the medical or healthcare industry". He further testified that he did not seek to trade on Dr Dre's reputation because the association would be "a bad reflection on me as a doctor" citing lyrics he characterised as misogynistic and homophobic. The vast semiotic gulf between the hip-hop star and a stethoscope-draped goofball offering penis-cleaning tips could not be bridged in court. As Burch's lawyer intimates, though, the Dr Dre moniker turned out to be a foolish one to wink at given that Burch's intended market is self-aware women. Since they both lose, everyone else wins. Illo: Ed Piskor When I read Macon County, IL K-9 trainer Chad Larner's claim that marijuana legalization would necessitate euthanizing 275 Illinois drug-sniffer dogs that couldn't be retrained and who would be driven mad by the pervasive smell of legal weed, I thought, "Gosh, I hope some cops from a legal weed state like Colorado show up to explain that this guy is full of shit." Enter Denver Police Department spokesman Jay Casillas, the answer to my prayers: "We continued to utilize these dogs because we still have a booming black market for MJ. We did begin training with larger amounts of marijuana (10 or more pounds). As these dogs have been retired (they usually stay with their police handlers and become their family pets) we purchased new dogs, a couple of these dogs have not been trained on MJ. So right now we have some dogs on MJ and some dogs off of MJ." "We do not Euthanize any of our dogs," he added. "Narc dogs make great pets, they are just well trained dogs that like to play fetch." Colorado Cop Debunks lllinois Cop's Claim That Legal Pot Would Lead to Killing of Police Dogs [Jake Shepherd/Grit News] In 2017 Hillview Police Department detective John W. Nissen was assigned to drive a rape victim to her home. But prosecutors say he drove her to a hotel instead, and raped her. From WSBTV: "[Nissen] agreed to take her home, and the allegation is that when he left the police department, he actually drove her to the home of the alleged perpetrator," [Shelly Alvey, the commonwealth attorney for Bullitt County] told the news station. From there, Nissen and the other officer, whose name has not been made public, took the woman to Wal-Mart, where they pooled their money to buy her a phone, Alvey told The Pioneer News, Bullitt County's community newspaper. Nissen is accused of then taking the woman to a hotel and paying for a room, at which point he demanded oral sex from her, the newspaper reported. He also told the woman it was time for her to move to another jurisdiction, Alvey said. The tabloids can be rattlesnakes provoke them at your peril. Newly-minted Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow finds that out this week to his chagrin, as the National Enquirer exposes his alleged "Sex-and-Drugs Shocker!" As this column exclusively revealed two weeks ago, Farrow is secretly investigating America's supermarket tabloids with a view to exposing "how the sausage is made," according to a source. In April the Enquirer branded Farrow a "hypocrite" for purportedly "covering for his pervert uncle," a story I described as "a warning shot across his bow." This week the Enquirer comes at Farrow with all cannons blazing. Only last month Farrow came out as gay a public admission quite possibly driven by the knowledge that the Enquirer was about to out him and now the magazine claims to have obtained "a chain of intimate text messages" which allegedly reveal that "Ronan got down and dirty with a Brazilian male model admitting to using cocaine and describing his passion for having sex while high on pot and poppers!" The rag again brands Farrow "a huge hypocrite," this time for allegedly "using his position of power and influence to promise a second Brazilian hunk professional favors . . . an echo of the charges he made against slimeball [Harvey] Weinstein in his groundbreaking reporting!" Setting aside the fact that Farrow's sexuality is his own business, that he is entitled to hook up with whomsoever he pleases, and that his cocaine confession (if true) is that he tried it only twice "and hated it both times," the allegation that he offered to help further a potential lover's writing career by making introductions is far from the same as Weinstein raping and assaulting women and threatening to end their career if they refused to acquiesce. Expect to see Ronan Farrow's private life, including that of his family and mother Mia Farrow, eviscerated by the tabloids in coming months as they try to scare him off. It may get ugly. Elsewhere, the tabloids continue to stretch journalistic standards of evidence and proof, never letting the facts get in the way of a good story. Angelina Jolie's son Maddox "Begs to Live With Brad!" reports the Enquirer, claiming that the ex-couple's 16-year-old son "is through with living with his adoptive mom after she visited and prayed at the grave of Pol Pot the murderous dictator who killed 3 million Cambodians." Maddox, adopted from Cambodia, was in that country with his mother while she directed her film First They Killed My Father, a drama about the horrors of Pol Pot's bloody regime. He is well aware of her loathing for the dictator. And Jolie's visits to Pol Pot's grave allegedly occurred before Maddox was even born, the Enquirer admits. The story unravels when the Enquirer source reveals it's all based on assumption: "Maddox must have been livid when he'd learned what his mother had done!" Must he? "It has to be galling to Maddox," says the unnamed source. Must it? Equally dubious is the Enquirer report that a "terror bomb" plot to attack Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's coming Royal wedding in England has been "foiled by Harry and Meghan stand-ins." Absurd on the face of it, the report claims that a Special Air Service officer and his wife played the roles of Harry and Meghan during practice drills for possible terrorist attacks on their wedding day, and that "the massive operation effectively shut down any terrorist threat." Seriously? British police and armed services know that the only way to prevent a terrorist threat is to clear the streets of all pedestrians, clear every building along the processional route of occupants, sweep every rooftop for snipers, and have bomb-sniffing dogs scour every inch of the route and that's not going to happen. Authorities train to react efficiently in the face of a terror attack, but they aren't about to stop hundreds of thousands of people from cheering on the newlyweds, and the threat of a terrorist slipping in among them is a risk they try to minimize but can never fully escape. President John F. Kennedy could have told the Enquirer that much, if the paper's latest cover story is accurate: "There Were 3 JFK Shooters!" screams the front page headline. "Stunning new forensic video analysis" supposedly proves that "4 bullets killed Prez!" We've seen these conspiracy theories repeatedly for the past 54 years, and the supposed enhancement of the famed Zapruder tape is still open to interpretation and argument. It's an interesting theory, but that's all it is; it proves nothing. Much the same could be said for the Globe report that pop icon "Prince Was Murdered!" The supposed evidence? "Newly discovered death scene photos . . . prove the Purple Rain legend was MURDERED!" Let me ask again: what is the evidence? "These photos prove the musician's overdose death was staged, says private investigator." The "newly discovered death photos" were actually released by the sheriff's department, which had them all along. They were never lost, never "discovered." And why might Prince's body appear "staged," laying sprawled on his back outside the elevator in his Paisley Park home in Minneapolis, his right arm draped across his waist? Perhaps it's because Prince was found dead inside the elevator, as the Carver County Sheriff explained at the time of his death in 2016, and that deputies and paramedics attempted to revive him. Clearly he was dragged out of the elevator, where it would be harder for paramedics to attempt CPR in a confined space. Does the Globe mention Prince's death inside the elevator, or the fact that paramedics moved him? Of course not. Why let the facts spoil a story? And the Globe, classy as ever, publishes the full death scene photos that almost every other news organization chose to blur, pixilate or black out. Fortunately we have the crack investigative team at Us magazine to tell us that Reese Witherspoon wore it best, that Jersey Shore reality TV star Jenni 'JWoww' Farley "can pound tequila and never get a hangover," that TV's S.W.A.T. actress Stephanie Sigman's Free People tote is "full of my dog's hair" along with lipstick and pepper spray, and that the stars are just like us: they hail taxis, drink smoothies, and make shopping lists. Shocking, as ever. Equally shocking is Us magazine's cover story: "Inside Charlotte's 3rd Birthday!" which exposes Prince William's daughter's deepest, darkest secrets: she had a birthday cake, her "favorite dinner and a lot of presents" as she celebrated her third year. Well, I never saw that coming. "The greatest gift of all, perhaps, arrived a week earlier when Kate gave birth to Prince Louis," the mag continues. "Charlotte is really enjoying having a younger brother to play with," says a source. Sure. Because we all know what fun a three-year-old can have playing games with a newborn baby that can't walk, crawl or talk, and can only feed or cry. And that, seriously, is the extent of the cover story. Yes, Us adds that Charlotte is "definitely a girly girl" . . . "has a very active imagination" and "she's always got her eye on something." I'm sure her optometrist will be delighted to hear that. Great reporting, as ever. Onwards and downwards . . . News / National by Simbarashe Sithole A 43-year-old man from Mbire was slapped with an effective nine year and one month sentence for possessing ivory without a licence.Francis Mapfumo of Mapfumo village under Chief Chitsungo in Mbire district was convicted on two separate counts after a full trial.The first count being possession of ivory without a licence and the second count possession of live ammunition without a licence.The public prosecutor Mr Albert Mazhindu told the court that on 2 February 2018 the accussed was found with a pair of elephant tusk weighing 31 kg valued at $7050 and one live round of ammunition for a 303 rifle by detectives acting on a tip-off from villagers.In passing sentence the magistrate noted that poaching was rife in Mbire distirct and there was need to pass a deterrent sentence.However it is encouraging to note that despite this incident nation wide statics have revealled that poaching cases have gone down. Zimbabwe was recently lauded by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for its efforts in curbing poaching. News / National by Staff reporter A Harare businessman allegedly connived with six of his workers and fatally assaulted a man they suspected of stealing meat worth $2.The gang dumped the unconscious man in the Glen View 8 industrial site.The victim, Israel Mashinge, later succumbed to his injuries on the same day.His body was discovered by a passer-by the following morning.Tawanda Chivavaya (32) the owner of Super Choice Supermarket in Glen Norah A yesterday appeared in court charged with murder.He is jointly charged with Clive Dizamuhupe (33), Fidelis Mutandwa (33), Chandiona Nyakunhuwa (32), Cloete Soko (21), Enough Rusere (32) and Adolf Nyamayedenga (28).They were all remanded in custody to May 22.Magistrate Ms Victoria Mashamba advised them to apply for bail at the High Court due to the seriousness of the offence they are facing.They are being represented by Mr Lucky Mawuwa.Prosecutor Ms Linda Gadzikwa alleges that on May 4, the now deceased Mashinge got into the said supermarket and proceeded to the butchery area.He reportedly took a packet of beef and hid it in his pair of trousers unaware that he was being monitored, it is alleged.He passed the till area and as he got out of the shop, he was immediately apprehended by one of the accused persons.They searched him and recovered the pack of meat.The gang, the State alleged, took Mashinge the storeroom where they took turns to assault him with batons.They further punched, clapped and kicked him all over the body until he fell unconscious.Upon noticing that he was no longer moving, the gang allegedly bundled him in their vehicle a Toyota Hiace and took him to Glen View 8 industrial site where they dumped him, the court heard.Mashinge later died due to the injuries he sustained.His body was discovered by a passer-by who reported the matter to the police and investigations led to the arrest of the gang.According to the State, there are witnesses who saw the accused persons assaulting the now deceased and the vehicle which was used to ferry him to the dumping site is being held as an exhibit. "Do you know Shane Bouvet ? If not, you should," Skillicorn asked in statement sent out Thursday. Bouvet met President Trump after the President was moved by Bouvet's story as a Trump campaign volunteer. "President Trump met with the struggling single father to thank him for his ardent support, and not merely with words, but with a check for $10,000," Skillicorn said. Skillicorn said Bouvet - an Illinois resident - is "fed up with crony politics." Bouvet wants to drain the swamp of state government that is drowning its citizens in the depths of taxation and regulation, Skillicorn said. "He is a leading member of the silent majority in our great state bringing new people and new ideas to bear. Not that there arent barriers to overcome, even in the Party of the President," Skillicorn said. "Desiring to run against an incumbent Democrat, Bouvet stepped forward, but the Illinois GOP establishment isnt interested. Well I am." Skillicorn said he is "proud to stand" with Bouvet and together call upon the Republican establishment to recognize the change that is in their midst. "It is time to embrace Shane and others like him, such as Mark Shaw for the next Chairman of the Illinois Republicans to lead our Grand Old Party into a new era and Make Illinois Great Again!" Skillicorn said. News / National by Staff reporter Zanu-PF has lined up a series of campaign rallies across Masvingo Province to drum up support for candidates who sailed through in the just-ended primary elections.The development comes as the winning candidates have vowed to win resoundingly in the harmonised polls set for July this year.The candidates have also promised to make sure President Mnangagwa romps to a landslide victory in the presidential election.Zanu-PF candidate in Masvingo Urban constituency Taguma Benjamin Mazarire yesterday said he has lined up major rallies to drum up support for the ruling party and President Mnangagwa.Mazarire expressed optimism that the ruling party will romp to a crushing victory in both House of Assembly and presidential elections."We have set a programme to start campaigning for the party and President Mnangagwa in Masvingo Urban and the entire province and, as a Zanu-PF candidate, I do not see any reason why we will not retain this seat (Masvingo Urban) because our history as a development-oriented party is well-known," said Mazarire.He said under the guidance of the Zanu-PF leadership in Masvingo, he will work closely with youths and churches among other bodies to ensure Zanu-PF prevails in the coming elections."Our campaign machinery is already in motion and I will leave no stone unturned in the quest to make sure Zanu-PF and President Mnangagwa win the coming elections.''Mazarire said he will push for the construction of a modern provincial hospital in Masvingo to cope with a surge in the city's and province's population over the past decade."We should not have patients going to Harare or Bulawayo for specialist treatment. Our council gave us land long back and I will lobby Government to make sure a new state-of-the-art provincial hospital is constructed to improve health delivery in the city and Masvingo at large."I will also push for the revival of industries in Masvingo to create employment for our youths and I am happy efforts are already underway to re-open the defunct Cold Storage Company, which used to be the biggest employer in the city.Zanu-PF parliamentary candidate in Chivi South Killer Zivhu said a series of rallies and other activities were in the pipeline to canvass support for the party and its presidential candidate Mnangagwa."My main objective is for Chivi South to be one of the constituencies with a very high number of votes for President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF in the coming election and campaigning is already in full swing because we want an emphatic victory achieved through preaching the Zanu-PF gospel and addressing challenges faced by communities," said Dr Zivhu.Provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira said winning candidates were free to start their campaign, but underscored the need to foster unity among the party members, including those who lost in the primaries."The ground has been set for massive campaigns for the party and all winning candidates should engage into a moving gear so that we retain all the 26 House of Assembly seats that we bagged in 2013."I also urge all losing candidates to support those who won and in actual fact become campaign managers as a way of promoting unity. We also want peace; campaigns should be held peacefully," said Chadzamira. News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga says the police force will be streamlined through the abolishment of redundant sections and the deployment of more personnel to operational duties.Addressing senior police officers in Bindura during his recent tour of Mashonaland Central province, Comm-Gen Matanga said: "My desire is to see most of the personnel being devoted to operational duties. This will entail restructuring and thinning or even abolishment of some sections identified to be redundant or perform duplicate roles."This inevitable process is necessary in availing additional staff for deployment to operational stations. As ZRP, we should remain alive to the critical constitutional role we play in contributing towards the creation of an environment that is conducive to the holding of a free, fair, peaceful, credible and transparent election," he said.Going forward, he said, police will concentrate on visible and responsible policing.He added: "In this view, strong emphasis should be placed on visible and responsive policing. Visible policing coupled with effective supervisory mechanisms is the way to go. As such, it will be a common feature of policing in all four corners of the country."Comm-Gen Matanga said police visibility will help constrict the breathing space for criminals.He added that under the new dispensation, it is no longer policing as usual. He also emphasised the need for police officers to put the welfare of citizens first before their own comfort.Further, the police boss appealed to political players and citizens to cooperate with the police as they exercise their constitutional mandate during the forthcoming plebiscite. News / National by Staff reporter Gweru is planning to extend the central business district (CBD) and set up an industrial park to lure more investors.Council strategy and business development director Mr Owen Masimba said the local authority is looking for investors who can partner it in the expansion drive from Tenth Street at the open space behind the Gweru Government Complex up to Fairmile Motel along Bulawayo Road."We have got an ambitious project, which we call the CBD extension project where we want to extend our city centre from right behind the Government Complex going up to Fairmile Motel."That is going to be our CBD extension, so there are opportunities to develop shopping malls around that area and we are looking for partners to come on board," he said.The local authority, Mr Masimba said, intends to set up an industrial park at the open area near the Cold Storage Company (CSC) where there are vast tracts of land, which have not been utilised."We have opportunities to establish an industrial park around the Zambezi Industrial Park near the CSC abattoir and if there are investors interested in developing the area, they can approach the city," he said.He said there are also opportunities for investors in the tourism sector especially the construction of a 240-bed hotel near Gweru River."We also have opportunities in tourism. As you know, Gweru is centrally-located, so we want to take advantage of this to ensure that meetings and conferences should be held in Gweru because of its location."So, we have got a 240-bed hotel site near Gweru River, which is available for investors and two other hotel sites."Therefore, people interested in investing in tourism should come forward," said Mr Masimba.The proposed developments follow a strategic plan adopted by the local authority whose implementation started in January this year and run until 2022.The document outlines the investment activities the city intends to undertake during this period. News / National by Staff reporter Imbibers and soft drink lovers are headed for hard times as the products are fast running out on supermarket shelves amid revelations that the country's biggest producer, Delta Beverages was left with raw materials to last only one week.Beer and soft drinks like Coca-Cola have been in short supply throughout country for the past few weeks with retailers and bar owners resorting to the black market to fill the shelves.Responding to questions sent through an email yesterday, Delta Corporation Ltd, corporate affairs executive Mrs Patricia Murambinda said the beverages manufacturer was facing critical shortage of raw materials especially for Coca-Cola and those for Chibuku.She said the raw materials were imported and the company has accrued debts with suppliers some of whom have since stopped supplies to force payments."We advise that the supply of Coca-Cola concentrates and other imported materials remain critical for the business. We were able to pick up a small order of concentrates from the available credit last week with the supplier which we are currently running," she said.Mrs Murambinda said the available raw materials for Coca-Cola products can only last for one week with the pipeline for packaging the product continuing to run dry."This (available raw materials) is expected to cover production for a week and is not sufficient to cover the end pipeline that has become very dry," she said.Mrs Murambinda said the same challenge was affecting the production of opaque beer such as Chibuku."This is a similar situation with Chibuku where our supplier of Chibuku Super bottles has to import resin, a key component of the bottle,' she said.She said her organisation has a backlog in paying its suppliers, a development which has resulted in some of them suspending supplies of raw materials."This is impacting on our production operations. We continue to make presentations to RBZ and our banks for priority forex payments," she said. pipeline Canadas abundant resources sector has often left investors wondering which investments they should make and which ones they should drop. Of the dizzying array of energy-focused companies, one that continues to draw interest is TransCanada Corporation (TSX:TRP)(NYSE:TRP). TransCanada is an energy infrastructure company with an impressive network of over 91,000 km of natural gas pipeline and nearly 5,000 km of oil pipeline. The gas pipeline network is responsible for the transportation of over 25% of North Americas gas demand, and the oil pipeline provides a vital link between Alberta and Gulf refineries in the U.S. as well as links to the eastern part of the country. One thing that continues to impress me when it comes to energy companies such as TransCanada is the sheer earnings potential that comes from the lucrative business model of transporting energy. Once constructed, pipeline networks become an incredible source of revenue for their owners, effectively making TransCanada the equivalent of a toll collector along a massive network of pipelines. This factor alone makes TransCanada an intriguing investment, but there are additional points worth mentioning. TransCanada and Keystone XL massive potential awaits Even if you havent heard of TransCanada directly, youve more than likely heard mention of the energy behemoths signature pipeline project, Keystone XL. The controversial Keystone XL pipeline represents the fourth phase of the Keystone pipeline system that runs from the oil-rich fields in Alberta down to the refineries in the U.S. Gulf coast, with the pipelines proposed path running diagonally through Montana and South Dakota, before meeting up with the pipeline in Nebraska. The route, and by extension the entire pipeline, has been an issue of controversy with environmentalists, and there have been protests by residents in Nebraska, where the route will traverse the Sandhills area. The multi-billion-dollar project was originally proposed in 2008, and following several revisions, the Obama administration formally rejected the project in 2015. Following the election of President Trump, there was the talk of restoring the Keystone XL project, which finally happened last March when President Trump overturned the Obama-era rejection. Story continues The project has since been given the green light to proceed, with construction likely set to begin next year. In addition to the Keystone project, during the most recent earnings announcement, TransCanada noted that the company has a staggering $21 billion of projects that will keep investors more than content for the next decade and provide annual growth of 8% or better of its already incredibly appetizing dividend, which pays a yield of 4.9%. The most recent uptick to the dividend earlier this year represented the 18th consecutive annual increase, putting the company in an exclusive club of dividend-paying companies. In terms of results, in the most recent quarter, TransCanada reported revenues of $3.42 billion, only just surpassing the amount reported from the same quarter last year. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.98 per share, handily beating the $0.84 per share that analysts were calling for. In my opinion, TransCanada represents an excellent opportunity for investors looking to enhance or enter the energy sector with a long-term growth and income stock that will only increase in appeal over the next decade. More reading Fool contributor Demetris Afxentiou has no position in any stocks mentioned. BANGKOK (Reuters) - Wearing crisp red-and-white uniforms, a group of 60-year-olds pile into a bus, smiling broadly as they make their way to a school in Ayutthaya, a province in Thailand. For this group, and others across the country, going back to school offers a way to fight loneliness at a time when changing demographics mean more elderly people are living alone. "I've been looking forward to every Wednesday, when I go to school, dress up as a school student and meet friends. We get to talk and laugh together," said Somjit Teeraroj, a 77-year-old widow who is a student at the school for the elderly in Ayutthaya's Chiang Rak Noi subdistrict. After the death of her husband of 40 years, with her children visiting occasionally, Somjit said it was the school that helped her recover from her loss. (Click https://reut.rs/2rrLx4x to see a picture package on Thailand's elderly going back to school) Somjit's story is emblematic of a larger problem in Thailand - a rapidly ageing population. Thailand, together with China, is ageing faster than its regional neighbours. By 2040, it is expected to have the highest share of elderly people of any developing country in East Asia, according to the World Bank. Thailand has 7.5 million people aged 65 and over, a figure projected to swell to 17 million by 2040 - more than a quarter of the expected population. Traditionally, ageing Thais lived at home with their families and were cared for by their children. But with many leaving the countryside to work in the cities, parents and grandparents are increasingly being left alone. Schools like the one in Ayutthaya, 80 km (49.71 miles) north of Bangkok, that offer weekly classes over three months are the government's way of offering older people relief from the stresses of living alone. "It's stressful just living day by day," 63-year-old Choochart Supkerd told Reuters. "I will probably go back to feeling lonely sometimes but I'm also proud of this, of gaining some knowledge in class," said Choochart, after posing for a picture with the class of 2018 in his gold-trimmed red graduation gown and a flower crown. (Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Juarawee Kittisilpa and Athit Perawongmetha; Editing by Himani Sarkar) Summer is finally on its way and as per usual, the province thats going to see the best weather is British Columbia. Victoria, Vancouver and the areas along the coast are shaping up to have an ideal summer, with lots of warm days and near-normal rainfall, said Brett Anderson, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. Its going to be hot in south central B.C, particularly in July with above normal temperatures and it will be drier than normal, said Anderson. A fair amount of days will be getting above 35 C. If youre planning on doing any hiking in the mountains, Anderson advises you to take caution. As we get into July and August, were going to see more thunderstorms than usual in the mountains which includes Banff and Jasper National Park, he said. With that comes the risk of flash flooding and mud slides which can certainly disrupt vacation plan in those areas. The weather for the Prairies is looking less than ideal as its going to be hot and dry from eastern Alberta into Saskatchewan. With the drier than normal conditions I do think were looking at higher than normal wildfire risks across much of western interior Canada, said Anderson. Its going to be a summer of more haze than usual, reduced air quality and probably going to see more smoke than usual. It could be a problem. I think were going to see more fires than usual and a higher number of acres burned than usual. As we move further east into Manitoba, the weather becomes normal again. Looking at fairly normal temperatures in Winnipeg this summer, slightly drier than normal but overall a fairly pleasant summer across that area, said Anderson. Bad news for Ontario its going to be a wet and stormy season with above normal rainfall from Thunder Bay into Windsor and through Toronto and Ottawa. Its been a wet spring so certainly the risk of flash flooding is probably going to be higher than usual for a good chunk of the province, warned Anderson. Its going to be a buggier than normal season for cottage country due to moisture in the ground, more black flies and mosquitoes. Story continues As for the temperatures, its not much to look forward to either. With the increased moisture I think the summer is going to end up cooler than normal across much of Ontario and western Quebec due to more clouds than usual and the rainier conditions, Anderson explained. With the ground being moist it doesnt allow for the afternoons to get as hot as it usually can. Were going to have a fair share of humid days, but probably not much of extreme heat. Eastern Quebec, including Quebec City, will see typical summer conditions with temperatures fairly normal. Its shaping up to be a nice summer in that region and that includes much of Labrador, said Anderson. The Maritimes will also be having a nice season. Temperatures are likely to stay above normal for much of Atlantic Canada this summer, said Anderson. The storms from the west will weaken as they approach the region so there will be below normal rainfall. So, what do you think of the summer forecast? Let us know in the comments below. Legal cannabis is going to take Canadian commerce by storm, if experts at major Canadian banks are correct in their forecasting. In a report released this week, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce predicts Canadas appetite for legal marijuana will match its appetite for wine and exceed its appetite for spirits by 2020. While the federal government has adjusted its original July 2018 timeline for legalization in order to consult with Indigenous communities about sharing revenue from cannabis sales, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently vowed cannabis will be legal by this summer. In the two years following legalization, the bank estimates Canadians will consume 800,000 kilograms of cannabis, almost all of which will be of the recreational variety. We believe that by 2020, the legal market for adult-use cannabis will approach $6.5 billion in retail sales, CIBC said. For context, this is greater than the amount of spirits sold in this country. The bank looked to U.S. states Colorado and Washington where marijuana is already legal to try and predict the trajectory legal marijuana sales will take in Canada. Their research showed that legal cannabis sales have grown in Colorado by a compound annual growth rate of 30 per cent since sales began in 2014. That, CIBC points out, is a hearty growth rate. The bank says the case is similar in Washington, despite the fact that sales there were sluggish in the first year due to regulatory setbacks, unprepared municipalities, a complicated tax structure, and high prices. To put this in perspective, the combined populations of Washington and Colorado are less than that of Ontario, the report says. Yet these two states combine for nearly $3 billion in sales, and over $650 million of annual revenue from taxes, licences and fees. As legalization day approaches, both government and industry have set to work profiling Canadas major marijuana consumers for the sake of policy development and marketing. Statistics Canada identified in 2012 that 49.4 per cent of males and 35.8 per cent of females 15 years old and older in Canada had consumed marijuana, and that most of the people who consumed it were between the ages of 25 and 44. Story continues The federal agency has also determined that Canadians in the Territories pay the most for medical and non-medical marijuana, at $9.51 per gram, while those in Quebec pay the least, at $5.86 per gram. As part of a survey of marijuana users in North America, media website Civilized.life partnered with PSB Research and collected demographical information about users in each country. Their data presented in the infographic above paints a slightly different picture of the average Canadian cannabis smoker from that of Statistics Canada. While different demographic studies yield slightly different results and data on demographics is likely to change once cannabis becomes legal, the broad view remains the same. There seems to be just one conclusion that most everyone can agree on, the CIBC report says. Witnessing the development of this industry will be fascinating to watch. A bastion of Quebec journalism, La Presse, is undergoing a major change, severing ties with the powerful Desmarais family and becoming a non-profit entity. The announcement Tuesday is aimed at enabling the French-language publication to accept private donations as well as government support. Non-profits are a common model in the U.S., where wealthy foundations and donors help bankroll investigative and public interest journalism. The Desmarais family has owned La Presse for more than 50 years as part of its conglomerate, Power Corp. The family will donate $50 million to the new entity. "The new structure is designed to be a modern approach adapted to the realities of today's written media," La Presse said in a statement. "La Presse will be able to pursue its mission: producing high-quality, thorough and reliable news and promoting diversity of opinion with respect for ideas and individuals." The change in structure requires the repeal of a provision of a Private Act adopted in 1967 under Quebec law regarding the ownership of La Presse. Support from Ottawa? At the announcement, La Presse president Pierre-Elliott Levasseur urged the federal government to financially support the written press through philanthropic models and direct assistance. The Canadian government indicated it would do so in its last budget, tabled in February. The Liberal government proposed $50 million over five years to support independent, non-governmental organizations that will spur on local journalism in underserved communities. Levasseur said that a non-profit model makes it easier for the Liberals to justify using taxpayer dollars to bail out struggling media organizations. "They understand the important contribution that written media plays in a healthy democracy, but they're not willing to help rich families or rich companies," Levasseur said. The budget also said the government will spend the next year exploring models that would allow private giving or philanthropic support for non-profit journalism and local news. Story continues Founded in 1884, the French-language newspaper was created by conservatives who were dissatisfied with then Prime Minister John A. Macdonald. In December 2017, the newspaper stopped printing paper copies and went exclusively digital, featuring a website, mobile app and a daily tablet edition called La Presse+. La Presse has one of the largest newsrooms in Canada, with 585 employees. London lawyer Nawaz Tahir calls them "disgusting." But out of the dozens of Andrew Lawton's deleted tweets, the one that bothers him the most is one the Progressive Conservative candidate for London West made about wearing wires. "I think the one that ruffles my feathers the most was the one about the heart monitor and being wired up, that somehow made him feel like a Muslim, that's the one that really sent me over the top." Since the deleted tweets have reappeared, it's all the local Islamic community has been talking about, according to Tahir, who is also chair of a local advocacy group for Muslims called Hikma. "The discussions have mostly centred on how somebody like this could have been appointed," he said. "With such a public record about [Andrew Lawton's] views, the question is how the Conservative party, who have been trying to reach out to ethnic groups and trying to show how inclusive they are, then how could you pick somebody like this who has been so clear on his views about minorities?" "I think the question for Doug Ford is how this happened," said Tahir. Lawton blames tweets on mental illness On Tuesday, Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford staunchly defended the former private radio talk show host when reporters asked whether he'd turf Lawton from the party for the same reason he turfed Tanya Granic Allen. "Some of his comments weren't appropriate and I think Andrew is a good candidate," Ford said Tuesday. "He has come out and said that some of his comments weren't appropriate. I'll accept that and we're happy to have Andrew on as one of the candidates and we have a big tent." Ford sacked Allen over the weekend because of what he called "irresponsible comments" she made in a 2014 video, where the former PC leadership hopeful described the push for sexual education in Croatia as "trying to push radical sexualization on the young, or gay marriage, I almost vomit in disbelief." Story continues It draws a sharp contrast in the way Ford has treated Allen, one of Ford's former rivals for the PC leadership race and Lawton, who made a number of controversial remarks about women, Islam, the LGBT community and other minorities. Lawton has blamed his struggle with mental illness for the controversial tweets. "Throughout my career, I've been very open about my struggles with mental illness," he tweeted Monday. "While that discussion has centred on my 2010 suicide attempt, in actuality it was a battle that spanned from 2005 to 2013." 'Very troubling' "I think it's very troubling," said London West New Democrat MPP Peggy Sattler Tuesday. Sattler, who would be the woman Lawton seeks to unseat when the election officially begins Wednesday, said while she sympathizes with Lawton's struggle with mental health, his past comments about women, Islam and the LGBTQ community are unacceptable. "By saying that he's sticking with his candidate, Doug Ford is effectively giving a platform to the kinds of views that were expressed by Lawton in the past," she said. "It doesn't matter if Lawton has now said he regrets those tweets and he regrets those views, Doug Ford is legitimizing those kinds of opinions in public discourse and that's not okay." "Racism, Islamophobia, misogyny, homophobia, they have no place in London or the provincial legislature." Sattler said. Transport Canada has given clearance for a northern Saskatchewan airline to carry passengers once again. In December 2017, a twin-turboprop plane owned by West Wind Aviation crashed near the airport near Fond-du-Lac, Sask., 800 kilometres north of Saskatoon. Nine passengers were seriously injured and one died in hospital after the crash. While the federal regulator grounded the airline shortly after the accident, it will now allow the airline to operate again. "We thank our customers for their patience and understanding during this challenging period and look forward to welcoming them back," said West Wind CEO Pat Campling Jr. in a news release. "Our renewed management team and our entire organization have an unwavering commitment to safe operations." Transport Canada said West Wind had addressed the regulator's concerns about deficiencies in the company's operational control system. The system regulates the company's day-to-day operations and makes sure flights are in compliance with safety requirements, like dispatching personnel and aircraft. In the Fond-du-Lac crash, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigation found West Wind staff didn't de-ice the plane before takeoff. The de-icing equipment at the airport included a hand-held spray bottle with an electric blanket and wand, along with a container of de-icing fluid. At the time, a former Transport Canada inspector called the equipment "woefully inadequate." Seven people have filed a class-action lawsuit against the airline, claming negligence. In March, the company laid off 10 pilots, blaming an economic slowdown in the province. In a statement, Transport Canada said it will closely monitor West Wind Aviation to make sure the company complies with regulations. Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..JNS.org..08 May '18..After President Donald Trump announced in December that he was moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, a friend lamented that the move would have less impact than it should because Trump was so widely disdained both in America and overseas. Yet since then, Ive heard more foreign acknowledgments of Jerusalem as Israels capital than I can ever remember before.So far, only one other country is definitely moving its embassyGuatemala, whose Jerusalem embassy is slated to open two days after Americas does. But at least four other countriestwo in Latin America and two in Europeare actively discussing an embassy move. And even if none actually happens, the very fact that this issue is now openly being debated in regions of the globe where Israel has faced considerable hostility in recent years is a remarkable change.In both the European Union and most of Latin America, official policy has long been that eastern Jerusalem should be the capital of Palestine, while western Jerusalem should be . . . well, nothing. Few countries in either region have ever said that any part of Jerusalem should be Israels capital; in fact, some still explicitly declare the city a corpus separatum. In other words, they think Palestinians should get the eastern half while the western half should be an international city.But now, a decades-old taboo has been broken. Suddenly, several other countries are where America was 20 years ago, with different branches of government actively arguing over Jerusalems status. Hit & Run is one of two collaborations released in 2017 by Matt Booth and Robert Caldwell. Booth is best known as the owner of the Room 101 lifestyle brand, which includes cigars. For Booth, these two collaborations marked a return to the cigar industry after a brief hiatus. In January 2017, Booth announced he was ending his long-time partnership with Davidoff Cigars For over seven years, Davidoff had been handling the production and distribution of Booths Room 101 cigar brand. While Booth stopped short of calling it a retirement, it didnt take long for him to come back. In terms of teaming with Caldwell, it provided Booth a mechanism for distribution and access to some of the production facilities Caldwell had been working with. About six months after stepping away, the first two collaborations were announced. These collaborations werent officially branded as Room 101 releases. Today we dive deeper into the Hit & Run collaboration in the Corona Gorda size. The Booth-Caldwell alliance didnt completely come out of left field. While the two were long-time friends, both shared a common connection in that each worked with Christian Eiroa. For Booth, when he entered the cigar industry, it was Eiroa who had provided production and distribution for his Room 101 brand. Things would shift to Davidoff following the sale of Camacho to Davidoff in 2008. When Eiroa founded C.L.E. Cigar Company, he partnered on a venture called Wynwood Cigars. The partnership was dissolved late in 2013 and just six months later, Caldwell had formed his own company, Caldwell Cigar Company. Prior to splitting with Eiroa, Caldwell had been producing his cigars out of Honduras and a Miami factory the two owned in the Wynwood section. While he would eventually branch out to working with other factories, the first place Caldwell would work with to handle his production would be Tabacalera William Ventura. With Hit & Run, the alliance with Caldwell also led him to work with this factory Booths first production in that country. The duo also released a second collaboration called The T. This would see Booth and Caldwell team up with AJ Fernandez to produce the line the first time the duo would work with Fernandez. Originally it was announced that the cigar would be called The Truth, but to avoid a potential trademark battle, the release was renamed to The T. For Booth, it would be his first cigar he would produce out of Nicaragua. Both Hit & Run and The T have been described as limited releases, but its unclear whether these are one and done or on-going limited production. Hit & Run would also have an interesting soft-launch. The project started showing up at select retailers in early July concurrent with the announcement of the project. This was followed by a more-official launch at the 2017 IPCPR Trade Show. Without further ado, lets break down the Hit & Run Corona Gorda and see what this cigar brings to the table. Blend Profile While Booth has been known for several Ecuadorian Habano blends in the Room 101 portfolio, this blend incorporates an Indonesian binder and Dominican filler a combination not seen in a Room 101 blend before. Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Binder: Indonesian Filler: Dominican Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (Tabacalera William Ventura) Vitolas Available The Hit & Run is available in six sizes. Each is available in ten-count boxes. When Hit & Run was announced, originally five sizes were unveiled. The Cannon size would follow shortly afterwards Corona Gorda: 6 x 46 Almost Robusto: 4 3/4 x 52 Piramide: 6 x 50 Super Toro: 6 x 54 Perfecto: 5 1/8 x 60 Cannon: 10 x 45 Appearance The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper of the Hit & Run Corona Gorda had a medium brown color with a slight red clay tint. There was some oil on the surface of this wrapper. The Hit & Run Corona Gorda had a slightly bumpy surface. There were some visible veins, but any visible wrapper seams were minimal. There are two bands on the Hit & Run. The primary band has an antique white background. Prominently on the front of this band is an autumn-colored Sakura (Cherry Blossom) a design seen on much of Booths work in the past. On the left side is the text 2017 in a dull gold font and on the right side is the text LTD also in a dull gold font. There is also a dull-gold frame surrounding the band. The secondary band has a metallic gold background. There is a 101 on the center of the band. The band is a mashup of Room 101 and Caldwell Cigar Company as the 0 in the 101 looks like the Caldwell bicycle wheel logo. Preparation for the Cigar Experience I used my usual straight cut on the cap of the cigar prior to lighting up the Hit & Run Corona Gorda. After clipping the cap, I moved on to the pre-light phase. The dry draw delivered a mix of earth and fruit-like sweetness. I deemed the pre-light draw of the Hit & Run Corona Gorda to be satisfactory. At this point, I was ready to light up the Hit & Run Corona Gorda and await what the smoking experience would have in store. Flavor Profile Right out of the gate the Hit & Run Corona Gorda delivered a mix of plum, caramel, wood, and red pepper notes. The early stages saw the plum and caramel combination move to the forefront early on. The wood and red pepper settled into the background and there was an additional layer of plum sweetness and red pepper on the retro-hale. By the middle of the first third, a natural tobacco flavor surfaced in the forefront and joined the caramel notes. The plum sweetness receded into the background joining the wood and red pepper. In addition, some grain notes surfaced in the background. Moving into the second third of the Hit & Run Corona Gorda, the natural tobacco and caramel were still primary notes. However, by the midway point, the natural tobacco took over as the sole primary note. Meanwhile, the caramel joined the plum, red pepper, and grain notes. There was an increase in the red pepper during this stage on both the tongue and retro-hale. The last third saw the natural tobacco notes remain primary. The pepper was more prominent on the tongue than at any other point, but it was still far from overwhelming. I still detected a hint of caramel, plum, and grain. This is the way the Hit & Run Corona Gorda came to a close. The resulting nub was cool in temperature and slightly soft to the touch. Burn and Draw There were a few isolated cases of jaggedness on the burn line, but overall the Hit & Run Corona Gorda maintained a straight burn path. The resulting ash was light gray in color. On each sample smoked, there was a slight looseness in the ash during the first 3/4 of the smoke, but this rectified itself for the remainder of the smoking experience. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature were both ideal. The draw to the Hit & Run Corona Gorda performed quite well. It had a nice balance of resistance and openness. This was a low maintenance cigar to derive flavor from. Strength and Body While Matt Booth was never known for producing cigars with a lot of strength, the Hit & Run Corona Gorda is still one of the milder ones Ive smoked. This is a cigar that pretty much stayed mild to medium in strength from start to finish. There was a slight uptick in strength at the midway point, but the Hit & Run Corona Gorda still remained in mild to medium territory. Because this was a mild cigar, it didnt mean there was no depth to the flavors. Overall I found the Hit & Run to be a medium-bodied smoke from start to finish. Like the strength, there was a slight uptick in the intensity level of the body, but the body didnt quite advance out of the medium range. In terms of strength versus body, I found the body had the edge from start to finish. Final Thoughts Overall, the Hit & Run Corona Gorda is a very pleasing cigar. If you like a cigar with a lot of flavor transitions and flavor nuances, this is going to be the cigar for you. This is a very different cigar than anything Booth has released in the Room 101 line and thats understandable because Hit & Run is a cigar made with different tobaccos at a different factory and in a different country. At the same time, I didnt find this was a cookie cutter of anything in the Caldwell portfolio either. One additional note Ive found the vitolas in Hit & Run to be quite distinct when it comes to flavor profile. While its tough to pick a favorite, I would put the Corona Gorda size at the top. Hit & Run is a cigar that can be enjoyed by both the novice and experienced cigar enthusiast. As for myself, its a cigar Id smoke again and it certainly warrants box worthy consideration. Summary Key Flavors: Natural Tobacco, Caramel, Plum, Red Pepper, Grain, Wood Burn: Excellent Draw: Excellent Complexity: High Strength: Mild to Medium Body: Medium. Finish: Good Rating Value: Box Worthy Consideration Score: 91 References News: Matt Booth Returns and Teams with Robert Caldwell Price: $10.50 Source: Purchased Brand Reference: Room 101, Caldwell Cigar Co Photo Credits: Cigar Coop TUESDAY, May 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- For reasons that aren't yet clear, people who battle PTSD may also be at heightened risk for the common heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation, researchers report. It's the first time a connection has been made between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and "A-fib," which typically arises with age and is the most common type of heart rhythm problem. A-fib can raise a person's odds for a stroke, and has previously been linked with high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and sleep apnea. The new findings "raise the possibility that early detection and treatment of PTSD" could cut a person's odds for A-fib, said study author Lindsey Rosman. She's a postdoctoral research fellow in cardiovascular medicine at the Yale School of Medicine. One heart expert said the link between traumatic events, PTSD and irregular heart rhythms isn't surprising. "The 9/11 attack at the World Trade Center may have been associated with [lingering] health effects, and it has been shown in previous studies that there was a significant increase in the frequency of life-threatening arrhythmias," noted Dr. Marcin Kowalski. He directs cardiac electrophysiology at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. In the new study, Rosman's group tracked the health history of more than 1 million U.S. military veterans with no prior history of A-fib. During a mean follow-up of nearly five years, almost 2,500 of the participants did go on to be diagnosed with the condition. The study wasn't designed to prove cause-and-effect. However, after accounting for a number of other factors, a new diagnosis of PTSD was linked with an increased risk of the irregular heartbeat, the researchers said. The findings are to be presented Friday at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society, in Boston. "These data suggest that PTSD is a potentially modifiable risk factor for [atrial fibrillation]," Rosman said in a society news release, and "it's important to note that our patient population was much younger than the average patient diagnosed with [atrial fibrillation]." Also, unlike many older patients with A-fib, "less than half had pre-existing structural cardiovascular disease" before developing the arrhythmia, Rosman noted. That means there's "a potential opportunity to prevent young people who are exposed to trauma from developing a dangerous heart arrhythmia," he said. Kowalski said that the medical histories of earthquake and flood survivors suggest that "acute mental stress can stimulate many factors that favor induction of cardiac events," including irregular heart rhythms. He agreed that study could only show an association, but "it is possible that reducing stress can prevent initiation of cardiac arrhythmias." The findings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. More information The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more on atrial fibrillation. WEDNESDAY, May 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Since 2016, every blood donation in the United States has been individually tested for the Zika virus. A new study suggests it's not worth it. Researchers at the American Red Cross found that of roughly 4 million donor blood samples tested over 15 months, only eight were positive for mosquito-borne Zika virus. Even fewer were potentially infectious. And it all came at a cost of nearly $42 million, the researchers reported. Experts said it's a waste of money and precious laboratory resources -- and that screening the blood supply for Zika could be done more efficiently. "We're not arguing that we shouldn't be screening for it," said senior researcher Susan Stramer, vice president of scientific affairs at the Red Cross. The issue, she said, is in the way it's done. Under guidance issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2016, every blood donation is individually tested for Zika genetic material, at a cost of roughly $10 per test. No other country in the world does that, Stramer noted. And based on the new findings, it looks to be "overkill," she said. Zika virus is a mosquito-borne infection. When contracted during pregnancy, it can cause severe birth defects such as microcephaly -- an abnormally small head and brain. In 2016, the United States saw 5,168 cases of Zika-related illness. The virus generally causes a fever, rash, headache and joint or muscle pain, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far this year, the CDC says, U.S. states have reported 21 cases -- all in people who'd traveled to parts of the world heavily affected by Zika, such as the Caribbean and Central and South America. Often, though, the infection causes no symptoms, which means people carrying Zika virus could unknowingly donate blood. In August 2016, the FDA said all U.S. blood donations should be individually screened for Zika genetic material using a newly developed test. Before that, the Red Cross had been screening donor blood only in states with a presumed risk of Zika transmission. That was done by so-called "minipool" testing: Instead of testing every blood donation individually, Stramer explained, blood was tested in batches -- from 16 donors in each. This makes the process more efficient, she noted. Minipool testing is nothing new, Stramer said. It's used in screening donor blood for HIV and West Nile virus, for example. After the FDA guidance was issued, however, the Red Cross switched to testing individual blood samples for Zika. Stramer's team found that over 15 months and tests of nearly 4 million individual samples, screening caught nine samples that were positive for Zika. One was from a person who'd received an experimental Zika vaccine -- meaning eight people had mosquito-transmitted infections. Of those donations, only four appeared potentially infectious, the researchers said. The grand total cost of screening approached $42 million, the study found. Put another way, it cost nearly $5.3 million to catch one Zika-positive donation. The findings are in the May 10 New England Journal of Medicine. It's not clear what the risk of infection from donor blood is, Stramer said. But there have been four cases, all in Brazil, where people were apparently infected with Zika via blood transfusion. None of them, however, became ill. "To my knowledge, there have been no [disease] cases from blood transfusions," said Dr. Evan Bloch, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Bloch, who wrote an editorial published with the study, agreed with Stramer on the bottom line. Screening donor blood for Zika is reasonable, but the current process is flawed. "It could be modified to a more rational approach," Bloch said. Both he and Stramer pointed to the minipool approach, specifically. Money is not the only issue, according to Stramer. Individual testing takes up lab capacity that is needed for screening blood for other infectious agents, too. "We need an approach to testing that is more proportional to the risk," Stramer said. More information The World Health Organization has more on Zika virus. WEDNESDAY, May 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Production issues have made EpiPens hard to find in some areas of the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday. The devices give a shot of epinephrine to people who are hit by severe allergic reactions. "Epinephrine is lifesaving, tightening the vessels to increase blood pressure, and opening constricted airways," explained Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician from New York City's Lenox Hill Hospital. However, in a note posted Wednesday on its website, the FDA said that while EpiPens are available, there are "intermittent supply constraints." The shortages are being blamed on production delays at the company that makes the auto-injection devices for Mylan. The FDA post came a day after Bloomberg News reported that more than 400 patients in 45 states were having trouble finding EpiPens and similar devices. Many patients said they couldn't obtain one of the devices, while others said they had to wait weeks to get one. Glatter said allergy patients shouldn't panic, however. He's treated many who suffer from severe allergic reactions, or anaphylaxis, and he stressed that there are alternatives to the EpiPen. However, "it's important that persons with a history of anaphylaxis and severe allergic reactions be knowledgeable in how to use a variety of epinephrine auto-injectors that are currently on the market, especially in the event that your particular brand is not available," Glatter said. He stressed that preparation before a dangerous reaction strikes is key. Practicing the steps needed to use a particular type of auto-injector can help you "avoid feelings of anxiety and panic, which may interfere with your ability to think clearly and act rapidly in such a situation," Glatter said. "One company makes a 'talking' injector that takes you through the exact steps to administer the device, and may help to calm those who experience anxiety during the process," he said. "Another company requires you to remove a specific cap before injecting the medication, while another company does not offer an auto-injector, but requires you to actually push the plunger of a syringe to inject the medication," he explained. There's one other alternative if you can't get an EpiPen at your pharmacy, Glatter said. "While not ideal, it's still acceptable to use an EpiPen many years past its expiration date, based on multiple recent studies," he said. "Nearly 80 to 90 percent of the potency of the drug is still retained. As long as the EpiPen isn't discolored or cloudy, then it's safe to use." More information There's more on anaphylaxis at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Taipei, May 9, 2018The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Chinese authorities to immediately release Guo Yuzhen, a dairy farmer in Shanxi province whom police detained after she wrote an article alleging that one of the countrys largest dairy producers exploited farmers. Police from Inner Mongolias Hohhot City arrested Guo for business defamation on April 17, according to a copy of the arrest warrant published in local media. The security bureau on May 2 changed the charge to extortion and blackmail, according to Radio Free Asia and the independent investigative news blog Jianwen. Chinese authorities should immediately release Guo Yuzhen without charge, said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler in Washington, D.C. Guo Yuzhen should not be in prison merely for publishing an article alleging foul play at a major corporation. Exposing wrongdoing is an important function of the media, not a crime. The arrest is in connection to an article Guo wrote in March, published on websites including the financial news website Huaxun Caijingwang, in which she alleged that Yili Group representatives forced her to sign a false confession claiming that her farm inflated its milk production figures and saying that she would pay a fine of 200,000 yuan (US$31,415). In the article, Guo said that she made audio recordings of her conversations with the Yili Group representatives. After the article was published, the Agriculture Department of Shanxi Province ordered the Ying County Cattle Agency to set up a meeting between Guo and Yili Group representatives on April 17, according to Jianwen. Guo did not return from the meeting and the family later received a phone call from the security bureau saying that Guo had been detained, according to a report in Jianwen that cited her relatives. A report in The Paper, a news website with government authorization to operate, said that the Yili Group reported Guo to police for lying and damaging its business. The customer service department of Yili Group did not immediately return CPJs emails requesting comment. An officer at the Hohhot City Security Bureau told CPJ via phone that the bureau is not familiar with Guos case and has no further information. Guos article has been reposted on several news service websites including Yuqing Jianduwang, an independent website that covers social injustice, and the independent website Fazi Chenbaowang. The link to the article on Huaxun Caijingwang no longer works. CPJ was unable to find a working number for that publisher to determine if it was asked to remove the article. Guo is the third person arrested in the past two months for writing critically about Yili Group. On April 6, CPJ documented the arrests of Zou Guangxiang, an independent financial news microblogger, and Liu Chengkun, also a financial news microblogger, over their articles on the dairy group. Both are still in custody, according to reports. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Being a reporter in much of the world is dangerous work. Being an investigative reporter can be deadly, CPJ Deputy Executive Director Robert Mahoney told the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, known as the Helsinki Commission, at a briefing in Washington, D.C. today. Reporting on corruption, organized crime, and politics is a more dangerous assignment for most journalists than covering wars, Mahoney said. Impunity in the cases of journalists murdered in direct retaliation for their work emboldens killers, with CPJ research showing that in 86 percent of cases, the killers and those who hire them do not face justice. Mahoney added that it was urgent to address the issue in the European Union, where attacks on the press have been relatively few over the years, but where the environment is changing. The murders of investigative journalists Daphne Caruana Galizia, in Malta, in October, and Jan Kuciak, in Slovakia, in February, are unprecedented; solving them is crucial for the future of investigative journalism and press freedom across Europe. Read Mahoneys full testimony here. Nepal Government has granted power generation licence to Indian government-owned subsidiary Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVNL) from a 900-megawatt (MW) Arun-3 Hydropower Project located in eastern Nepal. The permit was granted in line with the decision of meeting of Investment Board Nepal (IBN) board of directors chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Key Facts IBN also has granted several extensions for financial closure of the project. It includes local share and free energy to residents of affected area. Nepal government will also receive benefits worth Rs. (Nepali) 348 billion from project as royalty, income tax, customs tariff and free energy in concession period of 25 years. The project will also provide 21.9% or 197MW s of the generated energy free of cost to Nepal. Background Arun-3 Project is largest capacity project in history of hydroelectricity of Nepa. It is scheduled to be constructed within next five years on Arun river. It is an export-oriented project and it will sell the electricity to India. Indian government so far has approved investment of Rs 57.24 billion proposed by SJVN in Arun-3. The project was supposed to be constructed under assistance of World Bank Group some two decades back. However, protests against reservoir projects back then forced World Bank to drop the project. The project was later awarded to the Indian company through competitive bidding 10 years ago. Andhra Pradesh: Govt seeks meeting with aquaculture sector over shrimp prices by Neil Ramsden May 09,2018 | Source: Undercurrents News The state government of Andhra Pradesh, India, has asked for a meeting with the aquaculture sector over the issue of shrimp prices. On May 7 it issued a letter -- shared by Durai Balasubramanian of the Tamil Nadu shrimp association on Linkedin -- calling for state government officials and "aquafarmers" to meet on May 10. "The joint directors of fisheries, East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna districts are requested to identify two to three aqua farmers who are having good knowledge on marketing sector from each district", to participate in deliberations and suggest appropriate measures for "ensuring reasonable market price to the shrimp produced by the aqua farmers of AP". At the start of May, Balasubramanian had noted shrimp processors in Andhra Pradesh had failed to implement a minimum price guarantee, after a pledge to do so was reportedly made. Andhra Pradesh farmers' union met with exporters in April, and the latter had agreed to increase what they pay for 100-count by INR 30, "in order to protect farmers from losses", Balasubramanian had said. Meanwhile an EU importer told Undercurrent News on May 8 that landings in India have started up again in almost all areas; the main sizes being harvested are 50- 100 count, with prices remaining fairly similar across all areas. This source expects prices to remain low at least until July, with the outlook for decent harvest volumes. Demand from the US, China and Vietnam is not thought to be very strong, meaning some packers are taking orders at low prices just to keep factories ticking over. There is some rumor of Chinese offers coming to the Indian market in May, though this importer suggested the bids may have been too low for packers, and deals do not seem to have been done. He too noted the current raw material price picture is very tight for farmers, with no profits being made -- even with the price yet to hit the bottom, he suggested. The sector will be waiting to see if farmers decide whether to seed the next cycle, or wait it out, he concluded. Sri Lanka: EU says will continue to support reforms process in Sri Lanka May 09,2018 | Source: The Sunday Leader The European Union (EU) says it will continue to support the reforms process in Sri Lanka as well as the reconciliation process. The EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives for the Delegation of the European Union (EU), Tung-Lai Margue said that the EU is convinced progress on these issues will ensure lasting peace and prosperity for all Sri Lankans. Tung-Lai Margue was speaking at a reception hosted by the EU in Colombo last evening (Tuesday) to mark EU Day. Speaking further the Ambassador noted the positive impact on the Sri Lankan economy from the lifting of the EU ban on Sri Lankan fisheries products and the granting of the GSP plus trade concession to the country. The European Union lifted the ban on fisheries products imported from Sri Lanka in 2016. The ban was lifted after Sri Lanka successfully reformed its fisheries governance system. Last year the EU decided to grant GSP plus to Sri Lanka giving a major boost to apparel sector in the country. Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa ratified death sentences handed down to 11 militants and prison sentences given to 3 others, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said on Saturday. The convicts, who were tried by special military courts, were found guilty of attacks on the army, law enforcement agencies, academic institutions including Malakand University and the murder of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) MPA Imran Khan Mohmind and other civilians. "On the whole, [the convicts] were involved in the killing of 60 persons including 36 civilians, 24 armed forces/Frontier Constabulary/police officials and injuring 142 others," the statement read. All 14 convicts, who were members of proscribed organisations, admitted their offences before a magistrate and the trial court, and were subsequently awarded death sentences, the military's media wing said. - Burhan Uddin s/o Umar Daraz, Shaheer Khan s/o Rehman Uddin, Gul Faraz Khan s/o Wasli Khan All 3 convicts were involved in an attack on a funeral service of a civilian in Mardan, which resulted in the killing of 30 people including KP MPA Mohmind while 100 others were injured. All convicts were awarded death sentences. - Muhammad Zeb s/o Muhammad Nawab Zeb was found guilty of killing 5 army men including Naib Subedar Muhammad Hanif, Havildar Muhammad Naseer, Havildar Muhammad Qayyum as well as injuring 6 others. He also possessed firearms and explosives. He was awarded death sentence. - Saleem s/o Abdul Mateen He was involved in attacks on armed forces and civilians that resulted in the deaths of 3 of the latter. He was sentenced to death. - Izat Khan s/o Ajib ul Bahar He was involved in an attack on Malakand University that led to the deaths of a civilian and four police officials and injured seven others. He was also involved in attacks on 3 other academic institutions and possessed firearms and explosives. He was awarded death sentence. - Muhammad Imran s/o Hazrat Umar The convict was involved in attacks on the armed forces which resulted in the deaths of Naik Ghulam Hassan, Naik Ifitkhar Ali and a soldier. 4 other soldiers were injured as well. He was awarded death sentence. - Yousaf Khan s/o Ahmed Jan He was involved in attacking the armed forces, causing the deaths of 2 soldiers and injuring 4 others. He was sentenced to death. - Nadir Khan s/o Amir Rehman He was involved in attacking the armed forces which resulted in the deaths of Havildar Muhammad Ismail and a soldier. He was also found in possession of firearms and explosives. He was awarded death sentence. - Muhammad Arif Ullah Khan s/o Zareen Gul He was involved in attacking the armed forces which resulted in the deaths of 2 soldiers and caused injuries to s7 others. He was awarded death sentence. - Bakht Muhammad Khan s/o Ghawas Khan He was involved in the murder of 1 civilian as well as attacks on armed forces that resulted in the killing of 2 soldiers and left 2 others injured. Military courts Military courts were disbanded on January 7, 2017, after the expiration of a sunset clause included in the legal provisions under which the tribunals were established. However, on March 31, President Mamnoon Hussain gave his formal assent to the Pakistan Army Act 2017 and the 23rd Constitutional Amendment Bill - the 2 pieces of legislation aimed at granting legal cover to military courts - after they were cleared by the parliament. The courts were subsequently revived for 2 years and given legal cover from the day of their disbandment. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde dawn.com, May 5, 2018 New Delhi: In a surprising and unprecedented development on Tuesday, the Supreme Court, without going into the merits, dismissed as withdrawn the writ petition filed by two Congress MPs challenging the order of Rajya Sabha chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu refusing to admit the impeachment motion against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. A five-judge Constitution Bench comprising Justices A.K. Sikri, S.A. Bobde, N.V. Ramana, Arun Mishra and A.K. Goel dismissed the petition after refusing to give details of the administrative order purported to have been passed by the CJI on setting up the Constitution Bench to hear the petition. Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal told the bench that he would rather withdraw the petition if the court did not want to share details of the administrative order. He argued that the CJI couldnt pass such an order, as it was a conflict of interest. We were told in the morning that our matter has been listed before a Constitution Bench. We are only asking as to who passed the administrative order, Mr Sibal said. It is grossly illegal, grossly unfair and against the principles of natural justice, added advocate Prashant Bhushan in support of Mr Sibals arguments. Mr Sibal submitted that since there was no judicial order referring the plea to a five-judge bench, he had to presume there was an administrative order, and he needs a copy of that order to decide the further course of action. 'This situation would not have arisen if the ASI would have done its job. We are surprised with the way the ASI is defending itself,' the Supreme Court said. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: While expressing serious concern over the poor maintenance of the historical monument Taj Mahal in Agra, the Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for not taking effective steps to preserve and protect its pristine glory. Last week a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta had expressed shock and dismay over the fading of colour of Taj Mahal and had asked the Centre and ASI to take the assistance of national/international experts to restore the heritage site to its glory. During the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the bench was informed that insects are infecting Taj Mahal. The bench then asked the authorities, including the ASI, as to what steps they have taken to prevent this. Justice Lokur observed, The problem is that ASI is not willing to accept that there is a problem of fading of colour. This situation would not have arisen if the ASI had done its job properly. We are surprised with the way the ASI is defending itself. You (Centre) please consider if the ASI is needed there or not." The counsel for ASI told the court that the problem of insects was due to stagnation of water of river Yamuna. Additional Solicitor General ANS. Nadkarni informed the bench that the courts suggestion to engage international experts to save the monument from fading was being considered by the government Justice Lokur observed Our orders from 1996 have still not been implemented. When the main petitioner MC Mehta told the court that the Centre was building several barrages and stopping water, justice Lokur asked the Centre to tell the court as to how many barrages it is planning to build. Earlier there was some ecological flow, now it is a dead river observed Justice Lokur. On discolouring of Taj Mahal, counsel for the ASI told the court the floor in parts of the Taj is dirty because of people walking there. We dont give socks to everyone, we provide socks only to those who dont have. Algae is also a big problem said the counsel. Nadkarni said, We can consider how disposable socks are provided to visitors abroad. When Justice Lokur asked the counsel How has the algae reached the top parts of Taj Mahal, the counsel said, It flew there. The bench wondered whether algae could fly on its own. Also Read: From yellow, Taj Mahal now turning brown and green, restore it: SC to Centre In his fresh application Mehta alleged that due to water and air pollution, specific type of insect had started feeding on the boundary walls of Taj Mahal and that the colour of the marble was fading from pale yellow to brown. He showed recent pictures to highlight pollution of the Yamuna River flowing near the monument. He said the drains around the site are clogged and industries continue to operate though they were ordered to be closed. The bench posted the matter for further hearing in July. Nord Stream 2 could hamper competition on the Polish market and strengthen Gazprom's negotiation position with local fuel buyers. Poland's antitrust watchdog said Russia's Gazprom PJSC and five companies financing the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline haven't done enough to make the project comply with Polish law. Poland opposes the expansion of the major gas link directly from Russia to Germany, Europe's biggest market for the fuel, arguing it would deepen Europe's dependence on Russian energy and risk isolating transit nations such as Ukraine, Bloomberg said. Read alsoConstruction starts on German landing point for Nord Stream 2 Gazprom in 2016 ended a shareholder agreement with Royal Dutch Shell Plc, BASF SE's Wintershall unit, Uniper SE, OMV AG and Engie SA after the Polish regulator blocked the creation of a joint venture, citing concerns it would hamper competition on the nation's gas market. The European companies instead offered loans to the project, a change that "could be an obvious attempt to circumvent the lack of consent to establish a company financing the construction of the gas pipeline," the regulator said. "Our aim is not to block the project but to make sure the law is being obeyed, but at the same time the project could be delayed," Marek Niechcia, the head of the regulator, said in Warsaw. "For us the procedure is a precedent as someone is trying to bypass the previous decision just by repainting it." The regulator has said Nord Stream 2, which would double the existing pipeline's capacity to almost 30 percent of European Union demand when it starts at the end of next year, could hamper competition on the Polish market and strengthen Gazprom's negotiation position with local fuel buyers. Russia is the country's biggest source of gas. The watchdog said it charged the companies at the end of April after obtaining documents from the financing group during a preliminary probe that lasted about a year. They have 21 days to respond. The regulator then needs to review the answers and may decide whether to impose penalties. If the companies withdraw from financing and Gazprom continues the project alone, the Polish regulator won't be able to protest, Niechcia said. "Gazprom is working fully in line with legislation and regulators' decisions," the Russian exporter's spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said without elaborating on the case. Engie and Uniper declined to comment, OMV wasn't immediately able to comment while Shell and Wintershall said they were assessing the letter. Poland's government has been separately protesting about the construction of the pipeline in the European Union, saying that it could allow Gazprom to bypass transit routes via Ukraine. Gazprom Deputy Chief Executive Officer Alexander Medvedev said last month it's too early to comment on gas transit volumes after its contract with Ukraine expires in 2019. Ukraine said it needs at least 40 billion cubic meters a year to cover network management costs. The Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, UOKiK, has initiated proceedings against Gazprom and five international entities responsible for financing the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. It said the precedent procedure was initiated several days ago, but the announcement was made on May 9. UOKiK suspects that the parties to the transaction, despite the withdrawal of the notification of concentration, jointly implement the project, financing the Nord Stream 2. "The President of the Office may impose upon an undertaking a maximum fine of 10% of the turnover generated in the financial year preceding the year in which the fine is imposed if the undertaking performed a concentration without obtaining consent from the President of the Office. In addition, where the concentration has already been implemented and restoration of competition in the market is otherwise impossible, the President of the Office may order in particular: disposal of the entirety or a portion of the undertaking's assets; disposal of stocks or shares ensuring control over the undertaking or dissolution of the company over which the undertakings have joint control," UOKiK said in the statement posted on its website. In 2016, Polish officials analyzed the decision of the six companies to establish a company for building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and decided that the planned concentration between Gazprom and five international companies could lead to restriction of competition, the office said. UOKiK concluded that Gazprom already had a dominant position in gas supplies to Poland, and the transaction could lead to further strengthening of the company's negotiating power towards recipients in the country. "The participants of the consortium withdrew the notification, which in practice meant a ban on the merger," the office said. UOKiK President Marek Niechcia discovered that the partners had started funding the project. "Unfortunately, as the preliminary proceedings proved, the entities decided to finance this project despite UOKIK's objection. This may constitute a violation of anti-monopoly law and that is why we put the allegations to Gazprom and five other entities," Niechcia said. In the opinion of the office, the activities of Gazprom and its partners - Engie, Uniper OMV, Shell, and Wintershall - "could be an obvious attempt to circumvent the lack of consent to establish a company financing the construction of the gas pipeline." "In fact, the purpose of both activities was the same. Both the creation of a joint venture and the conclusion of subsequent agreements were mainly aimed at financing the construction of Nord Stream 2," the office said. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko calls on his compatriots not to fall under the influence of Kremlin propaganda, remembering those killed in the Second World War. "I very well understand the feelings of Ukrainians who want to honor the memory of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers who gained the victory in the Second World War. But I must once again warn fellow Ukrainians, those who have not fully understood all the nuances of Moscow's sly policy, the part that still believes Russian propaganda and its camp followers from the fifth column of various political forces within the country, the parliament and beyond. They do not think about you and your pride, your deep and grateful son's love for your heroic ancestors, but about their geopolitical imperial aggressive goals. It must be admitted that the Kremlin psychologists are able to play with the natural emotions of people. I beg you, be careful. And please do not let yourself be used," the president said during "First Minute of Peace" memorial event in Kyiv at night. Poroshenko paid attention to how differently Russia and Ukraine see and celebrate the same date. "They celebrate in a militaristic passion, having bristled up against the whole world, and we, together with the whole Europe, commemorate the deceased," the president said. "Russia considers even the "Immortal Regiment" as a genuine unit of the modern armed forces of Russia. Its mission is to participate in a hybrid war, which Moscow conducts in a variety of ways, and not only against Ukraine, but also against the European Union, the United States and other countries. Actually, against the whole world," he added. As previously reported, Poroshenko on Tuesday took part in events dedicated to the Day of Memory and Reconciliation. On May 9 Ukraine marks the Victory Day over Nazism in the Second World War. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is confident that Ukraine, along with its allies, will defeat the Russian aggressor and establish peace. "Eternal memory of the enormous victims of the Second World War, of thousands of ruined cities and tens of thousands of burnt villages once again warns the world against the danger of repeating such a catastrophe," he said during the ceremony of taking military oath by the new replenishment of the 101st separate guard brigade of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv on Wednesday. The president noted that it had already been proved "by irrefutable facts that Stalin's Russia and Nazi Germany have been allies for almost two years (1939-1941). The war that the USSR unfolded against Finland, annexation and occupation of the Union of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia is the same example of aggressive actions that the Nazi regime was carrying out in Europe even before sending weapons against the former eastern ally. The peoples of the Soviet Union, including us, Ukrainians, paid a very high and terrible price for this," the president said. According to the president, today "Putin's Russia has once again embarked on a path of gross disregard for the norms of international law, the destruction of the world order, the non-recognition of borders, the denial of the existence of entire nations, and aggression against neighboring states." "I am convinced that we will win together, we will overcome the aggressor and ensure peace. Peace is what Ukraine needs. And peace on Ukrainian soil will be ensured," Poroshenko said. He congratulated the citizens of Ukraine on Victory Day over Nazism in the Second World War. Over the past day, Russian hybrid military forces have mounted 21 attacks on the Ukrainian army positions with one Ukrainian serviceman reported as killed in action (KIA), four others as wounded in action (WIA), the operation's press center has reported. "Over the past day, on May 8, the situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) remained complex and was characterized by an increase in the use of heavy weapons by the enemy, especially artillery. During the fighting, four of our soldiers were injured," the JFO press center said in its update as of 07:00 of Wednesday posted on Facebook. The press center noted that in the areas of Krymske, Popasna, Troyitske, Luhanske, and Zaitseve illegal armed formations used 152 and 122 mm artillery, mortars. They used small arms in Avdiyivka, Maryinka, Butovka mine, Shyrokyne. Units of the JFO provided an adequate response and conducted an active defense. As noted, the hostilities were most actively conducted in Krymske, Svitlodarske, Avdiyivske and Mariupol areas. "On May 8 the invaders once again used 152 cannons and mortars of 120 calibers for civilians in Zaitseve and Loskutivka settlements. The shells fell into apartment houses and outbuildings," the press center stressed. According to Ukrainian intelligence, one militant was killed and another five were wounded. The Ukrainian Union of ATO Veterans and the Socialist Party of Ukraine (SPU) have honored the memory of the soldiers who died in the World War II. Forming a guard of honor near the Memorial, the ATO veterans provided access to the Eternal Fire to all those people wishing to honor the memory of the heroes of the war, reported the SPU's press office on the official website of party. "For me, this day is out of the politics. This victory was forged by all the nations of the USSR. And not only the USSR. Almost all the nations of Europe fought against Nazism. It is people, not the political regimes! And when today politicians arrange a tug of war, telling about whose contribution to the Victory was bigger, it goes against me," Head of the SPU and the Ukrainian Union of ATO Veterans Illia Kyva said. He also recalled that the Ukrainian Union of ATO Veterans has been guarding the Eternal Flame for six months defending it from intrusion. "I am a soldier. And I know what it is like to look death in the face - every day, every minute. Our grandfathers also experienced this themselves. My grandfather, Filip Kyva, went through the war, earned the Title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Soldiers of the World War II did not think about political regimes - they defended their country. And they defeated Nazism. They did it, not politicians! That is why the Ukrainian Union of ATO Veterans has been guarding the Monument to the Soldier Liberator for six months. We bow down before veterans, and eternal glory to them!" the head of the SPU said. The head of the Socialist Party also said that the example of the World War II veterans serves as a great inspiration for Ukrainian soldiers. "At the front line, we often recalled the feat of our grandfathers. We tried to be like them, do not give up, no matter how strong the enemy was. Returning to a peaceful life, we do not put down arms. To change the country for the better, to finish the war with victory, to cope with corruption, lawlessness and arbitrariness of authorities is our task today," the head of the SPU said. More than a hundred people laid flowers to the Eternal Fire at the Monument to the Soldier Liberator. Among them are the head of the SPU and the Ukrainian Union of ATO veterans Illia Kyva, ATO veterans and members of the Socialist Party. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has harshly reacted to the United States withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran in strongly worded remarks published on his official website on Wednesday May 9. Describing President Donald Trumps pullout statement as vulgar and commonplace, Khamenei said, The US President lied at least 10 times in his statement and threatened both the Iranian nation and the countrys political establishment, adding, On behalf of the Iranian nation, I would like to say, you cannot do anything Mr. Trump. Khamenei reiterated that he knew that accepting the nuclear deal would not end Americas enmity. He likened some Persian Gulf political leaders to Americas slaves, adding that Iran does not want to be like them. The US wishes to tell the Islamic Republic what to do, but the Iranians are an independent nation and Americans cannot stand this, Khamenei said. He also repeated a position Iranian hardliners occasionally express, saying that previous US administrations behaved in the same way but the Islamic Republic would live longer than all US presidents would. The media, as well as other Iranian officials also reacted critically to the news of the United States withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran. The first official to react was President Hassan Rouhani who went on live TV almost immediately after Trumps statement on Tuesday. Rouhani stressed that Iran will stay in the JCPOA with EU partners, Russia and China. Speaker of the Iranian Parliament (Majles) Ali Larijani characterized President Trumps speech as a political show and said his words were uncalculated and vulgar. Speaking at the Majles on Wednesday May 9, Larijani added that the Irans Atomic Energy Organization should be prepared to resume nuclear activity, reported Tasnim News agency. Chairman of the Majles Foreign Policy and national Security Committee, Alaeddin Boroujerdi said the Parliament is ready to approve a budget to boost Irans military forces and missile program. Other Iranian reactions to the development were often sarcastic. IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari congratulated the nation on the United States withdrawal from the deal, stressing that the development would not leave any detrimental impact on Irans national interests, reported ISNA. ISNA also reported that Iranian Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi thanked God for Washingtons withdrawal from the JCPOA. Mousavi said that the biggest loss Iran has incurred from the nuclear deal was legitimizing the US government by accepting to negotiate with them. On the media front, reformist and other pro-Rouhani newspapers praised Rouhanis decision to remain in the JCPOA with European partners, Russia and China, but hardline daily Kayhan, close to Khamenei, borrowed language from previous Trump and Khamenei speeches, and opined that now that the US has shredded the JCPOA, it is time to set the deal on fire. Another hardline daily, Vatane Emrouz headlined its report on US pullout as The end of nothing. Pro-Rouhani newspapers largely played down the significance of the US pullout. Administration-owned daily Iran, and reformist daily Etemad characterized the US as a hindrance to furthering the JCPOA and welcomed its withdrawal. Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has reacted to the US pullout from the Iran nuclear deal with a tweet published shortly after the announcement of the withdrawal. The JCPOA experiment proves again that for the Iranian people and the international community the issue is not the deal (or absence thereof) - it is the nature of the regime, tweeted Prince Reza Pahlavi on May 8. In an apparent reference to the international communitys concerns about the Islamic Republics nuclear, military and regional ambitions, he added; The solution wont come from making or breaking such deals, but from Iranians establishing a secular democratic Iran. The tweet was liked over 2,500 times within a matter of hours and was retweeted by more than 800 Twitter users. Meanwhile more than 160 readers commented, mainly positively, on Prince Rezas tweet. Furthermore, in a message on his Telegram channel, Prince Reza called for replacing Irans Islamic regime with a national, secular, democratic and development-oriented political leadership. During the widespread demonstrations that swept across Iran in December and January, some demonstrators chanted slogans in support of the Pahlavi dynasty and particularly praised what the dynastys founder Reza Shah, Prince Rezas grandfather did for his country. In a recent interview with Radio Farda, Prince Reza said that he wanted democracy, human rights and a secular political system for his country. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: Governor of the US State of Nevada, Brian Sandoval, signed a certificate of recognition on the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, Azerbaijans Consulate General in Los Angeles said in a message May 9. The document was sent to Azerbaijans Consulate General in Los Angeles, which also covers the State of Nevada. Stating that the certificate is presented in honor of the Republic of Azerbaijan and in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the Governor says: The State of Nevada extends best wishes to all those who gather to celebrate this historic milestone. Brian Sandoval, a member of the Republican Party, was elected Governor of Nevada in 2011. Details added (first version posted on 10:51) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: Azerbaijan did not oppose visit of foreign media representatives to Azerbaijan's occupied territories to cover a press briefing of Armenia's newly-elected Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend May 9. Hajiyev made the remarks commenting on reports that Pashinyan will hold a press conference in Khankendi for representatives of local and foreign media on May 9. Hajiyev noted that media outlets such as Financial Times, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse appealed to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry with official letters asking permission from the Azerbaijani government to visit the occupied territories. "Given the respect of the mentioned mass media outlets to the laws, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan as well as to international law, no objection was expressed to the trip of their representatives to the occupied territories," Hajiyev said. He voiced hope that representatives of foreign media will have a chance to familiarize with Armenia's aggression policy during the visit. "We hope that during the trip, representatives of international media traveling in the occupied Lachin District and the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, will be able to get acquainted with the consequences of ethnic cleansing committed against the indigenous inhabitants of these territories - Azerbaijanis - during the occupation, and the fact that the property as well as material and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people were plundered," he said. Hajiyev further said the ministry advised representatives of foreign media to visit the completely devastated Aghdam, Jabrayil, Fizuli and other areas. "However, practice shows that the Armenian side will not give them an opportunity to go further than Khankendi," Hajiyev 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. Armenian president Armen Sarkissian on May 8 signed a decree appointing Nikol Pashinyan as the prime minister. Opposition leader Pashinyan was elected Armenia's prime minister with 59 MPs voting for and 42 against during a special session of the National Assembly on May 8. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: Russia-based MIR 24 TV channel presented a report dedicated to the role of Azerbaijani oil workers in the victory in the Great Patriotic War. The report notes that the Azerbaijani oilmen worked around the clock during the Great Patriotic War. Azerbaijani oil workers produced up to 80 percent of all the fuel produced in the USSR, the report said. In 1941, a record volume of oil was produced in Baku - 23.5 million tons, according to the report. By a special decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 500 employees of Azerbaijans oil industry were awarded orders and medals. Today, Azerbaijan marks the 73rd anniversary of victory over fascism in World War II. During the war, Azerbaijanis showed courage and heroism on the front line as well as on the home front. A battalion of 87 jet fighters and 1,224 self-defense groups were created in the country in a very short period of time. More than 600,000 Azerbaijanis were sent to the front between 1941 and 1945. Divisions from Azerbaijan marched from the Caucasus to Berlin. About 130 Azerbaijanis earned the name of the Hero of the Soviet Union, 30 more were awarded the Order of Honor. As many as 170,000 Azerbaijani soldiers and officers were awarded various USSR orders and medals. Hazi Aslanov, twice named the Hero of the Soviet Union, other heroes of the Soviet Union as Israfil Mammadov, Aslan Vazirov, Adil Guliyev, Ziya Bunyatov, Geray Asadov, Malik Maharramov and Mehdi Huseynzadeh, generals Mahmud Abilov, Akim Abbasov, Tarlan Aliyarbeyov, Hajibala Zeynalov and many others brought honor to the history of the Azerbaijani people. Much was done inside the country to direct the economy towards the front line. Light and food industries started working for the front. Despite all the difficulties, Azerbaijani oilmen worked hard to supply the front line and the industry with fuel. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10 Trend: Heydar Alirza oghlu Aliyev was born on May 10, 1923 in Nakhchivan city of Azerbaijan. In 1939, after graduating from the Nakhchivan Pedagogical School, he entered the Architecture Department of the Industrial Institute of Azerbaijan (now the State Oil Academy of Azerbaijan), but the incipient war impeded the completion of his education. Since 1941, Heydar Aliyev headed a department at the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Nakhchivan, and in 1944, was sent to work at state security bodies. He received special education in the cities of Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) and Moscow. In 1957 he graduated from the History Department of the Azerbaijan State University. Having worked for twenty five years at state security bodies, Heydar Aliyev worked as a deputy chairman of the State Security Committee under the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR since 1964, and from 1967, held the office of chairman of the committee, and rose to the rank of a major general. Elected as first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan at the Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan in July 1969, Heydar Aliyev became the head of the republic. Elected as a candidate to the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Soviet Union's Communist Party in 1976, and a member of the Political Bureau in 1982, Heydar Aliyev was appointed the first deputy chairman of the USSR's Council of Ministers. While on this position, Heydar Aliyev headed the most significant areas of the USSR's economic, social and cultural lives. For twenty years, Heydar Aliyev was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Azerbaijan SSR, and for five years, worked as a first deputy chairman of the USSR's Council of Ministers. In October 1987, as a sign of protest against the policy pursued by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Soviet Union's Communist Party and, personally, by Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev, Heydar Aliyev resigned from his post. In connection with the tragedy committed on January 20, 1990 in Baku by the Soviet troops, Heydar Aliyev, appearing the next day at the Representative Office of Azerbaijan in Moscow with a statement, demanded that the organizers and executors of the crime committed against the people of Azerbaijan be punished. As a sign of protest against the hypocritical policy of the USSR leadership towards the critical conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, in July 1991, he left the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. After returning to Azerbaijan in July 1990, Heydar Aliyev first lived in Baku, then moved to Nakhchivan, and the same year was elected a deputy to the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan. In 1991-1993, he held the post of chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan, deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In 1992, at the constituent congress of the New Azerbaijan Party in Nakhchivan, Heydar Aliyev was elected chairman of the Party. In May-June 1993, when, as a result of a crisis in the government, the country was on the verge of a civil war and faced the peril of losing independence, the people of Azerbaijan demanded to bring Heydar Aliyev to power, and the then leaders of Azerbaijan were obliged to officially invite Heydar Aliyev to Baku. On June 15, 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected chairman of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan, and on June 24, by a resolution of the National Assembly, he proceeded to fulfilling the authorities of the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan. On October 3, 1993, as a result of the nationwide vote, Heydar Aliyev was elected president of the Republic of Azerbaijan. At the election held on October 11, 1998, he was re-elected president of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev, giving his consent to be nominated as a candidate at the 15 October 2003 presidential election, relinquished to run at the election due to health problems. On December 12, 2003, national leader of the Azerbaijani people, President Heydar Aliyev passed away in a Cleveland hospital in the US, where he had been undergoing medical treatment, and on December 15, was buried at the Alley of Honor in Baku. Headline changed, details added (first version posted on 12:23) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has received President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) Santiago Garcia Mila in Baku. Santiago Garcia Mila said that he feels a great sense of satisfaction in connection with the participation in the IAPH annual conference held in Baku and stressed that participation of more than 400 representatives of 65 countries in the event is of great importance. He said that the participants of the conference represent ports that are IAPH members and cover about 70 percent of the worlds freight transportation by sea. Stressing that the event is organized in Azerbaijan at a high level, Santiago Garcia Mila noted with satisfaction that the development processes observed in Baku made a great impression on his delegation. The guest said that Baku has already turned into an international trading hub and expressed hope that Azerbaijan will play an important role in the Great Silk Road, One Belt One Road Initiative projects. He stressed that holding of the IAPH annual conference in Baku is a significant event and that the event will be organized in China next year. President Ilham Aliyev touched upon the importance of the IAPH annual conference held in Baku and expressed satisfaction with the participation of representatives of a great number of countries in it. Expressing gratitude that Baku was chosen for holding the event, Ilham Aliyev noted with satisfaction the achievement of great success in the transport sector, just like in other spheres, and stressed that Azerbaijan has already become one of the international transport centers. Noting the role of Azerbaijans geographical location in this issue, President Ilham Aliyev said that this success is also the result of big investments made in modern transport infrastructure in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani president noted that this is manifested not only in the construction of the new Baku port in Alyat settlement, modern railways and highways, but also airports. Touching on the East-West and the North-South international transport corridors, Ilham Aliyev said that thanks to the implementation of these projects, important international transportations will be carried out in Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev said that the transport infrastructure in Azerbaijan is at a very high level, adding that the first phase of the new Baku port will be fully completed in the near future and assessed it as Azerbaijans contribution to international cooperation in the transport sector. Details added (first version posted on 14:35) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has received DP World CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem in Baku. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem conveyed greetings of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, to President Ilham Aliyev. Expressing satisfaction in connection with the participation in the annual conference of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) held in Baku, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem stressed the high level of organization of this event and the fact that it makes an important contribution to the international cooperation. He said that during each visit to Azerbaijan, he witnesses the processes of great development in the country and observes the rapid growth of foreign tourist flow to Baku. President Ilham Aliyev noted the importance of holding the IAPH annual conference in Baku and assessed this as an indicator of Azerbaijans increasing role in international transportations. The head of state said that in recent years, Azerbaijan has achieved great success in the field of transport infrastructure. President Ilham Aliyev said that just like in other spheres, consistent steps are taken in the sphere of tourism development in Azerbaijan, adding that the number of tourists coming to Azerbaijan from various countries, including the UAE, is constantly increasing. Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude for the greetings of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and asked to convey his greetings to the vice president and prime minister of the UAE. During the conversation, the sides stressed successful development of the relations between Azerbaijan and the UAE, and the availability of good potential for further expansion of cooperation. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: The last visit of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev to Turkey is a clear indicator of relations between Ankara and Baku, said Ibrahim Kalin, the Press Secretary of the President of Turkey. Kalin noted that Azerbaijan and Turkey are the closest countries to each other. "Turkey and Azerbaijan are linked by fraternal relations, cultural, religious and political ties," the spokesman said. He noted that strengthening relations with Azerbaijan, including with other Turkic-speaking countries, is a priority for Turkey. Ilham Aliyev paid a visit to Turkey on April 25. Turkey participates in the majority of large-scale projects implemented by Azerbaijan in the region. Among them are the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum projects. Turkey and Azerbaijan demonstrated their leadership in signing the agreement on the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) project in Istanbul in 2012, which is one of the important components of the Southern Gas Corridor, which will allow Azerbaijan to send gas to the world market. In the summer this year, gas will begin to flow through TANAP to Turkey first, and then through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline to Europe in 2020. Another large-scale project of the century is the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which will ensure more active economic and trade cooperation between Ankara and Baku with the involvement of a large flow of goods from Central Asia to Europe. With the launch of the railway in November 2017, the time of cargo transportation decreased by 12-15 days. Before the commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the cargo flow between Europe and China was realized via sea routes, lasting on average 25-30 days. The State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan reported that trade turnover with Turkey in 2017 amounted to $2.64 billion, of which $1.37 billion fell on exports to Turkey. Trade turnover between the two countries increased by 14.8 percent in 2017. In the first quarter of this year, the Azerbaijani-Turkish trade turnover amounted to $573.1 million (an increase of 3.7 percent for the year). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: The normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations is out of question without the liberation of the Azerbaijani territories, the Turkish presidential administration told Trend on May 9, commenting on today's statements of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Khankendi, where he held a briefing for foreign journalists. Turkey stands for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, the administration noted. "Turkey's position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is clear and precise, and Armenia should unconditionally withdraw from the occupied Azerbaijani territories", the Turkish presidential administration said. Touching upon Armenia's claims on the so-called "Armenian genocide", the Presidential Administration reminded that Turkey has opened all its archives for the investigation of the 1915 events. "Opening of the archives was repeatedly announced by the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. If there was a "genocide" against Armenians in history, Armenia would agree with Ankara's proposal to open archives". Today Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated Armenia's readiness to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions. Armenia announced the cancellation of the protocols on the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations on March 1, 2018. The protocols on the normalization of relations between the two countries were signed by the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia on October 10, 2009, but they were never ratified. Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey's predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, allegedly carried out "genocide" against the Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. While strengthening the efforts to promote the "genocide" in the world, Armenians have achieved its recognition by the parliaments of some countries. 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. Armenian president Armen Sarkissian on May 8 signed a decree appointing Nikol Pashinyan as the prime minister. Opposition leader Pashinyan was elected Armenia's prime minister with 59 MPs voting for and 42 against during a special session of the National Assembly on May 8. Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: Today, Azerbaijan marks the 73rd anniversary of victory over fascism in World War II. During the war, Azerbaijanis showed courage and heroism on the front line as well as on the home front. A battalion of 87 jet fighters and 1,224 self-defense groups were created in the country in a very short period of time. More than 600,000 Azerbaijanis were sent to the front between 1941 and 1945. Divisions from Azerbaijan marched from the Caucasus to Berlin. About 130 Azerbaijanis earned the name of the Hero of the Soviet Union, 30 more were awarded the Order of Honor. As many as 170,000 Azerbaijani soldiers and officers were awarded various USSR orders and medals. Hazi Aslanov, twice named the Hero of the Soviet Union, other heroes of the Soviet Union as Israfil Mammadov, Aslan Vazirov, Adil Guliyev, Ziya Bunyatov, Geray Asadov, Malik Maharramov and Mehdi Huseynzadeh, generals Mahmud Abilov, Akim Abbasov, Tarlan Aliyarbeyov, Hajibala Zeynalov and many others brought honor to the history of the Azerbaijani people. Much was done inside the country to direct the economy towards the front line. Light and food industries started working for the front. In a short period of time Baku turned into a real arsenal of a fighting army. Despite all the difficulties, Azerbaijani oilmen worked hard to supply the front line and the industry with fuel. During the war years, a new aviation fuel producing technology was created under supervision of Academician Yusif Mammadaliyev. With the hard work of the Azerbaijani oil workers, the oil production in Azerbaijan reached its peak in 1941 when 23.5 million tons of oil was produced, making up 71.4 percent of all the oil produced in the USSR. In total, the Azerbaijani oil workers gave the country 75 million tons of oil and 22 million tons of fuel during the years of war. Baku's oil was one of the main factors in gaining victory in the Great Patriotic War. It should be noted that four of five planes, tanks and cars ran on fuel from Baku. WWII once again proved the heroism and courage of the Azerbaijani people. Photo by Zaur Mustafayev Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: A farewell ceremony with the editor-in-chief of the Echo newspaper, prominent journalist Rauf Talishinsky was held at the Teze Pir Mosque in Baku on May 9. He will be buried in the Gurd Gapisi Cemetery. The funeral ceremony will be held at the Teze Pir Mosque in Baku. Rauf Talishinsky passed away on May 8 morning. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: A monument dedicated to Azerbaijans contribution to victory in World War II was opened in Russia, Russian media reported May 9. The monument was opened on the territory of the Lenin-Snegiryov Military History Museum near Moscow. This is a reduced copy of the oil derrick in Baku, where fuel was extracted for Soviet tanks, aircraft and cars during the war. In 1941, 33 million tons of oil were produced in the USSR, and 23.5 million tons of this volume were produced by Azerbaijan. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 9 By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend: The Ministry of textile industry of Turkmenistan has summed up the results of the international tender for the construction of a new textile complex for processing 5,000 tons of fine-fibrous cotton per year in the Babadaykhan etrap (district) of the Akhal velayat (region). The "Neutral Turkmenistan" newspaper writes that this issue was discussed at a government meeting. At the present stage, close attention is paid to the development of diversified industry on the basis of the richest natural resources, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is cited in the message. The measures taken in order to modernize this sector, to create large innovative import-substituting industries, to implement comprehensive reconstruction and to provide with the most advanced technological equipment the existing enterprises are designed to provide a significant increase in the production of quality and competitive products, the message says. At the same time, the head of state stressed the special requirements for the construction of textile production facilities, which are geographically important to be placed in close proximity to the raw material base. The textile industry in Turkmenistan is developing on the basis of growth of domestic processing of raw cotton cultivated in the country. Last year, the contractual obligations were exceeded, and over 1.1 million tons of raw cotton were collected. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: Shippers will be able to track online the cargoes transported through the Baku International Sea Trade Port from the end of 2018 thanks to the use of innovative technologies, Azerbaijani Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade said. He made the remarks at the opening of the World Ports Conference 2018 of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) in Baku on May 9. He said that holding such an authoritative event in Azerbaijan with the participation of representatives of 65 countries is a joyful and important event. Transport and logistics are the most dynamically developing spheres in the world, and they are considered to be priority in Azerbaijan, Guluzade said. Today Azerbaijan is a participant and initiator of international transport projects. As a result of purposeful policy of the countrys leadership, Azerbaijan has become the main transport hub of the region. The minister noted that a stable transport system is being formed in Azerbaijan on the basis of innovative technologies. In order to improve competitiveness of the transport sector, Azerbaijan is carrying out reforms and improving management, Guluzade said. The implementation of international projects brings additional dividends to Azerbaijan and its partners, increases the strategic importance of the region. He noted that the construction of the new Baku port in Alyat settlement is turning Azerbaijan into a modern logistics center. The commissioning of the first phase of the Baku port will serve to attraction of investments and expansion of Azerbaijans transit opportunities, the minister said. He added that creation of a free economic zone around the port will enhance its role for Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Turkey, China, Russia and Iran. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is another project that will increase the ports importance, he said. In the future, these two projects will create an opportunity for cargo transportation from China and Central Asia to Europe and vice versa. It is also important to note the International Trans-Caspian Transport Route and the North-South Transport Corridor projects. All this will create effective ties and revive the Great Silk Road and create conditions for the growth of transit traffic. The IAPH World Ports Conference 2018 is held in Baku on May 8-11. The main theme of IAPH World Ports Conference 2018 is Ports of the Future: Creating Hubs, Accelerating Connectivity. The event is attended by port heads, government representatives, professors and experts from around the world, including Europe, Japan, Iran, Georgia, Indonesia, Nigeria and others. The participants of the event will discuss cargo transportation along the Silk Road, the development of transport hubs and the role of ports in this issue, as well as issues of multiculturalism, cultural differences in global logistics, the work of free trade zones, increasing competition among them and other topics. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Ilkin Shafiyev - Trend: The EU will continue supporting Baku in the process of becoming a commercial hub, Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said in his video message to the participants of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) Baku 2018 World Ports Conference. He noted that the geographical location of Azerbaijan allows the country to play a key role in linking Europe and Asia. Communication is one of 20 tasks that should be implemented until 2020 as part of the EU Eastern Partnership initiative, he said. This is one of the key factors for economic development and linking people, making them stronger and creating a platform for exchange of experience, he added. He noted that the EU allocated a grant of 150 million euros until 2020 for the implementation of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) program. This will help attract more than one billion euros of investments in the program as part of a long-term investment plan, he said. The EU is investing in the necessary infrastructure in close cooperation with international financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank, he added. Baku hosts World Ports Conference 2018 on May 8-11. The event is attended by port heads, government representatives, professors and experts from around the world, including Europe, Japan, Iran, Georgia, Indonesia, Nigeria and others. The participants of the event will discuss cargo transportation along the Silk Road, the development of transport hubs and the role of ports in this issue, as well as issues of multiculturalism, cultural differences in global logistics, the work of free trade zones, increasing competition among them and other topics. Follow the author on Twitter: @IlkinShafiyev Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Ali Mustafayev Trend: The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) will expand cooperation with the world ports, IAPH President Santiago Garcia Mila said at the World Ports Conference 2018 in Baku on May 9. "Regardless of the historical period, we will always face challenges of logistic and port development that our ancestors faced. Given this, we cannot but emphasize the importance of our meeting in Baku, which has been a trade hub between the East and the West for centuries," Garcia Mila said. He further said the World Ports Sustainability Program (WPSP) was launched in the port of Antwerp in March 2018, adding the Program is designed to maintain security, develop the port infrastructure, and expand the links between the world ports. "Presently, our task is the successful implementation of this program, realization of all related projects. We cooperate with representatives of more than 400 ports from 65 countries," Garcia Mila said. The WPSP was also designed to ensure cooperation, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation, he added. "Azerbaijan is one of the few countries in the world ensuring comfortable coexistence of representatives of different religions and nationalities, supporting ideas of equality and multiculturalism, and I am proud to represent the IAPH here in the framework of a project of international importance," said Garcia Mila. The IAPH World Ports Conference 2018 is held in Baku on May 8-11. The main theme of IAPH World Ports Conference 2018 is Ports of the Future: Creating Hubs, Accelerating Connectivity. The event is attended by port heads, government representatives, professors and experts from around the world, including Europe, Japan, Iran, Georgia, Indonesia, Nigeria and others. The participants of the event will discuss cargo transportation along the Silk Road, the development of transport hubs and the role of ports in this issue, as well as issues of multiculturalism, cultural differences in global logistics, the work of free trade zones, increasing competition among them and other topics. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Ali_Mustafayev Details added (first version posted on 12:17) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Ilkin Shafiyev - Trend: The EU will continue supporting Baku in the process of becoming a commercial hub, Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said in his video message to the participants of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) Baku 2018 World Ports Conference. He noted that the geographical location of Azerbaijan allows the country to play a key role in linking Europe and Asia. Communication is one of 20 tasks that should be implemented until 2020 as part of the EU Eastern Partnership initiative, he said. This is one of the key factors for economic development and unification of people, making them stronger and creating a platform for exchange of experience, he added. He noted that the EU allocated a grant of 150 million euros until 2020 for the implementation of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) program. This will help attract more than one billion euros of investments in the program as part of a long-term investment plan, he said. The EU is investing in the necessary infrastructure in close cooperation with international financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank, he added. Baku hosts World Ports Conference 2018 on May 8-11. The event is attended by port heads, government representatives, professors and experts from around the world, including Europe, Japan, Iran, Georgia, Indonesia, Nigeria and others. The participants of the event will discuss cargo transportation along the Silk Road, the development of transport hubs and the role of ports in this issue, as well as issues of multiculturalism, cultural differences in global logistics, the work of free trade zones, increasing competition among them and other topics. Follow the author on Twitter: @IlkinShafiyev Details added (the first version was posted on 12:00) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: The economic foundations of Azerbaijan are very strong, DP World CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said at the opening of the World Ports Conference 2018 of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) in Baku on May 9. Despite the period of low oil prices, Azerbaijan did not cease realization of social and infrastructure projects and projects aimed at economic development, he said. "I am very glad that we have gathered for the conference in beautiful Baku. I was here about 20 years ago, and now I see great progress," Bin Sulayem said. He emphasized that establishment of an infrastructure for the cargo transportation in Azerbaijan is one of the most important factors of the development. "Establishment of the Port of Baku in Alat, construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars rail line, which will be able to transport about a million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo, create opportunities for air, maritime and rail transportation through Azerbaijan. This is of crucial importance for further development. Moreover, all these routes are effective, " he said. The IAPH World Ports Conference 2018 is held in Baku on May 8-11. The main theme of IAPH World Ports Conference 2018 is Ports of the Future: Creating Hubs, Accelerating Connectivity. The event is attended by port heads, government representatives, professors and experts from around the world, including Europe, Japan, Iran, Georgia, Indonesia, Nigeria and others. The participants of the event will discuss cargo transportation along the Silk Road, the development of transport hubs and the role of ports in this issue, as well as issues of multiculturalism, cultural differences in global logistics, the work of free trade zones, increasing competition among them and other topics. -- Follow the author on Twitter: @MTsurkovTrend Details added (first version posted on 12:12) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: Shippers will be able to track online the cargoes transported through the Baku International Sea Trade Port from the end of 2018 thanks to the use of innovative technologies, Azerbaijani Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade said. He made the remarks at the opening of the World Ports Conference 2018 of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) in Baku on May 9. He said that holding such an authoritative event in Azerbaijan with the participation of representatives of 65 countries is a joyful and important event. Transport and logistics are the most dynamically developing spheres in the world, and they are considered to be priority in Azerbaijan, Guluzade said. Today Azerbaijan is a participant and initiator of international transport projects. As a result of purposeful policy of the countrys leadership, Azerbaijan has become the main transport hub of the region. The minister noted that a stable transport system is being formed in Azerbaijan on the basis of innovative technologies. In order to improve competitiveness of the transport sector, Azerbaijan is carrying out reforms and improving management, Guluzade said. The implementation of international projects brings additional dividends to Azerbaijan and its partners, increases the strategic importance of the region. He noted that the construction of the new Baku port in Alyat settlement is turning Azerbaijan into a modern logistics center. The commissioning of the first phase of the Baku port will serve to attraction of investments and expansion of Azerbaijans transit opportunities, the minister said. He added that creation of a free economic zone around the port will enhance its role for Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Turkey, China, Russia and Iran. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is another project that will increase the ports importance, he said. In the future, these two projects will create an opportunity for cargo transportation from China and Central Asia to Europe and vice versa. It is also important to note the International Trans-Caspian Transport Route and the North-South Transport Corridor projects. All this will create effective ties and revive the Great Silk Road and create conditions for the growth of transit traffic. The IAPH World Ports Conference 2018 is held in Baku on May 8-11. The main theme of IAPH World Ports Conference 2018 is Ports of the Future: Creating Hubs, Accelerating Connectivity. The event is attended by port heads, government representatives, professors and experts from around the world, including Europe, Japan, Iran, Georgia, Indonesia, Nigeria and others. The participants of the event will discuss cargo transportation along the Silk Road, the development of transport hubs and the role of ports in this issue, as well as issues of multiculturalism, cultural differences in global logistics, the work of free trade zones, increasing competition among them and other topics. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Ilkin Shafiyev - Trend: The Baku International Sea Trade Port has signed a number of documents on cooperation with foreign partners. Memorandums of understanding were signed between Baku International Sea Trade Port CJSC and Chinas Lianyungang Port Holding Group Ltd, Chinas COSCO SHIPPING Lines Co., LTD and Mumbai Port Trust (India). The memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Baku International Sea Trade Port and Chinas Port of Guangzhou. From the Azerbaijani side, the documents were signed by the ports Director General Taleh Ziyadov. Follow the author on Twitter: @IlkinShafiyev Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Azad Hasanli - Trend: The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) is a grandiose project and the biggest achievement of Azerbaijans energy strategy leading the country to new victories, president of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR, Rovnag Abdullayev wrote in his article published in the "Azerbaijan newspaper. This strategy was established by the great leader Heydar Aliyev and is implemented under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, according to Abdullayev's article. Abdullayev reminded that Azerbaijan is the initiator and driving force of the SGC, which is being built to supply gas to European markets. The SGC, being Europes biggest infrastructure project, covers a wide geography and will significantly change the energy map of the continent, further diversifying its energy security, Abdullayev said. Speaking about the individual components of the SGC, Abdullayev noted that the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) has been completed by 93 percent and the work in this direction is on schedule. This year, gas via TANAP will be transported to Turkey, and in early 2020, TANAP will connect to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), Abdullayev said, adding that the throughput capacity of the pipeline will be 16 billion cubic meters and at subsequent stages it can be brought to 31 billion cubic meters. The SGC is designed in such a way that its capacity can be doubled in the future, he noted. He said that in order to increase the volume of gas production in Azerbaijan in the future, preparatory work is carried out together with foreign companies at the Umid, Absheron and Karabakh fields. The work at the Umid field will soon reach the stage of FEED (Front End Engineering Design), Abdullayev noted. The design work is also underway to begin drilling exploration wells at the Babek structure associated with this field, he added. Besides, engineering and design work is currently underway at the Absheron field as part of the early production scheme, and a final investment project is being prepared, he said. The first well at this field will be commissioned in 2019. The Southern Gas Corridor, worth over $40 billion, is considered as one of the priority energy projects for the EU, which strives for diversification of gas sources. The project envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey. At an initial stage, the gas to be produced in the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage. As part of the Shah Deniz Stage 2, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @AzadHasanli Europe has a limited opportunity to preserve the nuclear deal with Tehran, Irans President Hassan Rouhani told French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call on Wednesday, according to the Iranian Students News Agency. Under the current conditions, Europe has a very limited opportunity to preserve the nuclear deal, and must, as quickly as possible, clarify its position and specify and announce its intentions with regard to its obligations, ISNA quoted Rouhani as telling Macron in the phone call. Macron traveled to the United States in late April in an attempt to convince U.S. President Donald Trump not to withdraw from the nuclear deal. Rouhani told Macron that Irans rights under the deal related to the selling of oil, banking, investment and insurance must be guaranteed in a transparent and clear way, ISNA reported. Foreign companies who have contracts with Iran must also announce their decision after Trumps withdrawal from the deal, Rouhani told Macron, according to ISNA. He also said Iran has met its obligations under the deal and has never enriched uranium for a weapons program. In a speech on Tuesday, Trump said the nuclear deal would allow Iran to enrich uranium to reach the brink of a nuclear breakout. Despite what Trump thinks, enrichment in Iran has never been for obtaining a nuclear weapon but instead has been for scientific and technical pursuits, Rouhani told Macron, according to ISNA. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: Irans Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said the next weeks will be a test for European signatories of the nuclear deal. Iran will wait a few weeks as negotiations will be carried out with the European countries before leaving the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action aka nuclear deal) to prove to everyone that the country has tried all peaceful ways possible, Larijani added. The speaker made the remarks addressing an opening session of Iranian Parliament May 9, following the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal, the Iranian media outlets reported. After the US side announced its decision on leaving the nuclear deal and re-imposing sanctions against Iran, President Hassan Rouhani said May 8 that he ordered the Foreign Ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain, Rouhani said. Referring to Rouhanis statement, Larijani said that Europe must prove that it is capable of settling the international issues. However, Larijani added that Europes behavior in past years indicates that it is hard to trust their preliminary claims on remaining committed to the nuclear deal. If Europe and major countries, such as Russia, fill this international vacuum following the US withdrawal, then this may be a way to keep the nuclear deal in force, Larijani said. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: A number of Iranian MPs set fire to the nuclear deal between Tehran and the six world power following the US decision to leave the accord. During an open parliamentary session on May 9, the MPs put fire to the US flag beside burning a copy of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, aka nuclear deal), Iranian media outlets reported. The parliament session started with the down with the US slogans being chanted by MPs. The Iranian MPs' symbolic protest came hours after the US President Donald Trump announced that the US walks away from the accord reached in 2015 between Tehran and the six world powers. Trump also announced that the United States re-imposes the highest level of economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The sanctions were removed in 2016 in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program, when the nuclear deal came into force. Irans President Hassan Rouhani said May 8 that he ordered the Foreign Ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain, he added. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari says that the future of the nuclear deal is already clear as the EU would take the side of the US. Jafari said the Europeans are not able to make an independent decisions and are related to the US, Irans semi-official Fars news agency reported May 9 The top commander's statement came hours after the US President Donald Trump announced that the US walks away from the accord reached in 2015 between Tehran and the six world powers.Trump also announced that the United States re-imposes the highest level of economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic. "Once again Americans proved they are unreliable and do not live up to their promises," Jafari said. Following the US decision, Irans President Hassan Rouhani said he ordered the Foreign Ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain, he added. Meanwhile, Jafari argued that the EU lacks the needed power to take independent decisions before consulting with Washington. The IRGC commander further congratulated the Iranians on the US withdrawal from the deal, saying it will not impose determining effect on Irans national interests. Jafari underlined that the issue of nuclear enrichment was an excuse, and Washingtons withdrawal from the deal indicated the US concerns over Irans defense capabilities and its resistance to extremism and terrorism. On the other hand, Major General Mohammad Baqeri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, said that the nuclear deal was not in favor of the Islamic Republic since the very first day. However, Iranians signed it to prove their good will to the global community, Baqeri said. Details added (first version published at 13:38) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that after the US withdrawal, remaining in the nuclear deal is not reasonable without guarantees from the European countries. "It is not logical to continue the implementation of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action aka nuclear deal) without receiving enough guarantees from three European countries, the UK, France, and Germany," Khamenei said May 9, the official website of the supreme leader reported. Khameneis statement came hours after the US President Donald Trump announced that the US walks away from the accord reached in 2015 between Tehran and the six world powers.Trump also announced that the United States re-imposes the highest level of economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Last night, the US president made a "silly and superficial" speech against Iran, Khamenei said, adding that Trump "had more than 10 lies in his speech." Irans missile program and its presence in the region are new issues put forward by enemies, the Iranian leader said. In the past, when we were saying that problem of the US with Iran is not related to nuclear energy, some said no, that is not the case. Now you see that we have accepted the JCPOA, but hostilities towards us have not ended, he added. Even if the Islamic Republic accepts the US demands regarding the missiles and its regional presence, the hostilities will not be over and new issues will arise, Khamenei said. The Iranian leader further called the attempts by Iranian nuclear negotiating team unsuccessful, saying from the first day I told officials not to trust the US." I told them to receive necessary guarantees. One of my conditions was that the US president must sign the agreement," Khamenei said. He added that he does not even trust the European countries as well. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 Trend: Britain has "no intention of walking away" from the Iran nuclear deal despite the United States pulling out, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says. Johnson told MPs the UK would "strive to preserve the gains" made by the international agreement, BBC reported. The 2015 deal curbed Iran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of UN, US and EU sanctions. US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday he will pull out, describing it as "defective at its core". Labour accused the president of a "reckless, senseless and immoral act of diplomatic sabotage". Other signatories to the agreement - the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany - say they remain committed to it. Iran has said it will try to salvage the agreement, but would restart uranium enrichment if it could not. Mr Johnson - who had travelled to the United States in a last-minute attempt to persuade the Trump administration not to ditch the deal - told MPs the responsibility was now on the president to set out how he plans to secure a new settlement. "Britain stands ready to support that task, but in the meantime we will strive to preserve the gains made by the [agreement]", he added. The foreign secretary said while the UK shared US concerns about Iran, the "painfully negotiated" agreement was effective and had increased the amount of time it would take Tehran to develop nuclear weapons. A watchdog has reported nine times that Iran had complied with the terms of the agreement, he added. Mr Johnson also said the government would do its utmost to protect UK commercial interests in Iran from US sanctions. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Fikret Dolukhanov, Ilkin Shafiyev - Trend: Armenia is not following the right path, and Russia now sees more clearly what is happening in this country, Russian political analyst and expert on international issues Evgeny Mikhailov told Trend commenting on the election of Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan as the prime minister. He said that Pashinyan will hardly follow his current theses, as they are needed only to please the Armenian people. "If Serzh Sargsyan, a great friend of Russia, could not make Armenian people live well, then Pashinyan, who was brought to the power by the forces seeking to break Armenia's alliance with Russia, will not make Armenian people happy. They fed with the cookies, promised a good future and that is all," Mikhailov said. Mikhailov noted that Russia now sees more clearly what is happening in Armenia, which is not following the right path, trying to sit on several chairs. "There are no miracles: either you are with us, or you are against us. Under the current situation, no one, except Russia, will support Armenia, no one, except us, needs it. So it was historically. Perhaps, now the time has come to look differently at the historical partnership. And not to hinder Armenia in its desire to go under someone else's wing. Let it go! Let it go, only itself, " Mikhailov said. Russia, according to him, needs to draw conclusions and take other political decisions, which, among other things, can also contribute to deepening the ties with Azerbaijan. "As a politician, Pashinyan will stand by those, who brought him to the power. First, he declares that he will keep Karabakh, strengthen the army, support the separatist regions, then Pashinyan declares that he is a supporter of a peaceful settlement. And what he can say visiting Khankendi ? Is he going to say "we're leaving you"? Of course, Pashinyan will say that he will continue the policy of uniting Armenian people, territories and so on, "the expert believes. According to Mikhailov, the current situation is dangerous because the forces, who for the sake of certain goals will try to heat up conflict and for whom does not matter the fact that peoples of Azerbaijan and Armenia will suffer as a result, can support Pashinyan. "There is one goal - to shatter Russia, shatter the territories near Russia, increase terror threat for Azerbaijan and Russia. Karabakh is also the central point of the South Caucasus, and if it is shattered then the whole region will suffer. This is what the forces that brought Pashinyan to the power can try to achieve, " Mikhailov said. He stressed that already for two centuries Russia sees Azerbaijan as a reliable ally and partner, and it does not seek to retain Armenia. "Russia needs to look for. Armenia should have its own choice. And if Armenian people allow next political adventurers to break Armenia away from Russia, then, so it deserves it. They still did not understand how much they owe Russia. I always said that Armenia exists only thanks to the Russian Empire, and then to the Soviet state. Thanks to the Russians. They do not want to - good bye! "- added Mikhailov. In politics, it is always possible to create new alliances, particularly, now they are increasingly talking about a possible military-political alliance between Russia and Turkey, he said. "Previously, no one had imagined this. The history show that Russia is close to the Turkic peoples. The West has always tried to quarrel us with the Ottoman Empire, and it's time to reconsider our military-political alliances," the expert said. -- Follow the authors on Twitter: @FDolukhanov , @IlkinShafiyev The U.N. refugee agency is resuming evacuations of migrants from Libya with a flight of 132 mostly Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers to Niger for resettlement in third countries, Reuters reports. The group left Tripolis Mitiga airport late on Tuesday but the plane had a technical problem and had to turn back, U.N. officials said. They were due to depart again late on Wednesday. UNHCR previously evacuated about 1,020 refugees and asylum seekers to Niger, but the process had been suspended from late February because of delays in resettling them in Western countries. Several hundred refugees have been resettled directly from Libya, but numbers have been limited because most Western embassies evacuated from Tripoli in 2014. Another evacuation flight from Libya to Niger is planned for next week, said UNHCR official Omar Bugharsa. There are hundreds of thousands of mainly sub-Saharan African migrants in Libya, some of whom traveled to the country hoping to cross to Europe by sea. Many experience dire conditions and abuse including forced labor and torture in Libya as they pass through the hands of smuggling networks and armed groups. Saudi Arabia has expelled 17,000 Yemeni migrants so far this year, amidst fears that it could deport up to 700,000 back to war and misery in their homeland, deepening the crisis, the U.N. migration agency says, Reuters reports. The oil-rich kingdom has been imposing fines, jail time and deportation on migrants caught without valid identity documents in a push to reduce its abundant black market in labor. IOM can categorically say that between January and now 17,000 Yemenis have been turned back, simply because of their immigration status in Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Abdiker, director of operations and emergencies at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), told Reuters. This applied to irregular migrants being returned to countries including Bangladesh, the Philippines and Ethiopia. But our line is you cannot return people to a country like Yemen, particularly when you are bombing it yourself, Abdiker said. So is there any way the Saudis can waive this for the Yemenis until there is a country to go back to? Some 700,000 Yemeni migrants work in Saudi Arabia, he said, speaking in his office on Tuesday on return from Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition backed by the West has carried out air strikes against the armed Houthi movement in a war since 2015 to restore the internationally recognized government. The Iran-aligned Houthis control more than 70 percent of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. More than 10,000 people have been killed in a war that has displaced 3 million internally and unleashed the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, the U.N. says. A Saudi interior ministry spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chinas commerce minister said on Wednesday that China and Japan should strengthen cooperation on advanced manufacturing, technology innovation, sharing economy and elderly care this year, Reuters reports. Chinese minister Zhong Shan made the comments in a meeting with Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko in Tokyo, according to a statement on the website of Chinas commerce ministry. Chinas commerce ministry said on Wednesday Vice Premier Liu He will go to the United States to discuss trade at an appropriate time, accepting an invitation from U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Reuters reports. China and U.S. teams are in close communication, the ministry said in a statement on its website. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday said he wanted to mark a fresh start for ties with China and planned a visit to the country this year, Reuters reports. I want to raise Japan-China relations to a new level, Abe said ahead of a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Li referred to an improvement in relations between the two nations, saying, Blue skies are appearing. Europe will stand by the international nuclear accord with Iran, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a live press statement here Tuesday in response to American President Donald Trump's announcement that the U.S. is withdrawing from the deal, Xinhua reported. "The EU is determined to preserve it," she said. "We expect the rest of the international community to continue to preserve it, for the sake of collective security." "The nuclear accord belongs to the whole of the international community," Mogherini added. "To the Iranian people I say: do not let anyone dismantle this deal, one of the greatest achievements of the international community." "I am particularly worried about tonight's announcement of further sanctions," she said, adding that the deal with Iran "is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy." The international agreement, which limited the Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief, was negotiated under former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2015. Trump, who promised to dismantle the deal during his 2016 electoral campaign, claims that Iran has continued to enrich uranium for military purposes. The landmark deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was struck between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- China, France, Russia, Britain and the U.S. -- plus Germany and the EU, in Vienna in 2015. European Council President Donald Tusk on Tuesday also expressed his disapproval over Trump's decision to pull out of the deal, saying the move "will meet a united European approach." Frances foreign minister said on Wednesday that the 2015 nuclear restraint deal with Iran was not dead despite Donald Trumps decision to pull the United States out from the agreement, and added that French President Emmanuel Macron would speak later in the day to Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, Reuters reports. The deal is not dead. Theres an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there, the minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, told French radio station RTL. Le Drians views were echoed by those of French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who also told French radio that Trumps decision on Iran was a mistake and that the United States should not consider itself as the worlds economic policeman. Le Drian said France, like others, was well aware that there were concerns about issues other than nuclear capability, namely topics such as Irans ballistic weapons program, but added they too could be addressed without ditching the nuclear deal. Le Drian, interviewed just hours after the announcement by Trump, said Macrons contact with Rouhani would be followed by meetings next week, probably on Monday, involving the Iranians and European counterparts from France, Britain and Germany. Le Drian also told RTL radio that meetings would also be held with the likes of oil giant Total (TOTF.PA) and others with major business and economic stakes in the region. Yes, there is a real risk of confrontation, he told RTL, regarding Trumps decision on Iran. I hope it will not be a setback for peace, he added. Air France KLM has raised its estimate of the impact to the company from a wave of strikes to around 400 million euros ($473.6 million), compared to a previous 300 million euros estimate, said a group spokeswoman on Wednesday, Reuters reports. Shares in Air France KLM were down 1.6 percent in early session trading, with the stock having lost around 50 percent in value since the start of 2018. Air Frances French unions have been staging a strike in protest over pay demands, with the dispute having led to the resignation of Air France KLM boss Jean-Marc Janaillac. Air France had offered workers a pay rise of 2 percent in 2018 and a further 5 percent over the following three years, but French unions, which have demanded 5.1 percent this year, have complained management is not serious about talks. After negotiations reached a deadlock, Janaillac called a for a vote on May 4, the results of which went against him. Janaillac had been CEO for less than two years, running into the same union resistance to reform as his predecessor. His exit raises questions over Air Frances ability to cut costs to compete with Gulf carriers and low-cost airlines. The French government, the national carriers largest shareholder with a 14 percent stake, has said it will not ride to the rescue of Air France. Within the past few weeks, El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. has toughened its policy on compensation for delayed flight, according to figures on the Claim it website, which handles claims for compensation against airlines arising from flight delays, Globes reports. Under EU Regulation 261/2004, compensation is payable for any delay of more than three hours. This contrasts with Israeli law, which is much less favorable to passengers and provides for compensation only in the event of an 8-hour delay or more. A flight delay is measured according to the actual landing time in comparison with the original scheduled time. The law exempts companies from liability to pay compensation for delays arising from causes beyond their control, such as extreme weather conditions, airport strikes, terrorist incidents, and so on. EU law stipulates 250 compensation for flights up to 1,500 kilometers; 400 for flights of 1,500 to 3,500 kilometers; and 600 for flights over 3,500 kilometers. El Al is obliged to pay passengers compensation under EU law for flights that take off from European airports and are delayed by three hours or more. Claim it CEO Ralph Pais says however that El Al responds to compensation claims that it is subject to Israeli law and therefore is liable to pay compensation only in the event of an 8-hour delay. "Most flight delays are in the 2-6 hour range, so that if Israeli law is the factor, El Al is exempting itself from paying compensation amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars that it is obliged to pay," Pais told "Globes". In response letters to passenger demands that "Globes" has obtained, El Al's changed approach is clear. So, for example, is response to an approach by Claim it over a delay to a flight by El Al subsidiary Sun d'Or from Ljubljana to Tel Aviv in June 2017, the company stated that it would pay compensation as required by EU law by means of a bank transfer. This week, in response to a claim concerning a flight that took off from Rome on April 8, the company's approach was somewhat different. It claimed that since the delay was less than eight hours, it was not liable to pay compensation, since it operated under Israeli law. El Al even wrote to Claim it saying that henceforth it would not respond to its compensation claims, and that the passenger who had lodged a complaint was welcome to approach it directly concerning reimbursement for expenses incurred as a result of a flight delay. The change that Pais identifies stems from a case against El Al a year and a half ago, in which a German court ruled that it was liable to pay compensation to Israeli passengers for delays to flights that took off from Europe. The lawsuit was filed after El Al said that it would pay compensation under EU law only to EU passengers, thus discriminating against the Israeli passengers. At that time too El Al argued that relations with Israeli passengers were governed by Israeli law. "The court ruling led to a change at El Al, which started to abide by EU law. In the past two weeks, however, the company has made a 180 degree turn and has decided to claim that EU law does not apply to it. This time round, El Al is not just discriminating against Israeli passengers, but depriving foreign passengers, who it claims are not entitled to compensation." Pais says that 2,000 Israelis have recently contacted it for assistance in obtaining the compensation due to them in claims against El Al and other airlines. Claim it takes 30% of the compensation received. "El Al prefers to drag us and the passengers to court, and several cases are pending." Israels Embassy in Egypt celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Jewish states founding on Tuesday in Cairo, the first such event since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising and a sign of improving ties between the two countries. The party at the Nile Ritz Carlton was a step up for diplomacy in the Arab worlds most populous country, where relations with Israel have deepened under the rule of general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who came to power after overthrowing his Islamist predecessor in 2013. The event was attended mostly by foreign diplomats, with only a few Egyptians. In a speech at the event, Israeli Ambassador David Govrin welcomed the Arab worlds recent warming toward Israel, led mostly by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He also took a few shots at Israels nemesis Iran. The joining of the Saudi Crown Prince to the vision of stability and economic development shared by Egypt and Israel constitutes an important cornerstone. We have to broaden this partnership to additional states in order to advance common interests and in order to combat states and terror organizations, that are acting under Irans inspiration, he said. Only a regional common struggle may confront Irans striving for nuclear weapons and undermine its consistent support to the terror organizations in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Egypt was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel, in 1979, but relations have always been frosty due to popular Egyptian support for Palestinians. Economic ties between the two countries have recently thawed with a $15 billion deal for Israeli natural gas to be supplied to Egypt. Sissi publicly supports the deal, saying it brought big advantages to Egypt and will help turn the country into a regional energy hub. Australias new budget relies on optimistic revenue assumptions, rating agency Fitch said on Wednesday, creating some downside risk for the governments target to produce a surplus one year earlier than anticipated, Reuters reports. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls center-right government unveiled its annual budget on Tuesday, with personal tax cuts and a pledge to deliver a surplus by 2019/20, ending almost a decade of deficits, as its centre-piece item. The three major rating agencies have affirmed Australias s prized triple-A sovereign rating. Standard & Poors Global said the budget showed a commitment to fiscal prudence but there were significant risks to the fiscal outlook, including trade tensions and strains in emerging markets. Moodys Investors Service said the 2018/19 is a positive step in improving Australias fiscal outlook, provided underlying assumptions hold. On Wednesday, Fitch said the projected 2019-/20 surplus was no sure thing. The reliance on improved revenues, rather than policy proposals, to narrow the deficit poses some downside risk to the achievement of the governments surplus target, Jeremy Zook, associate director at Fitch, said in a statement. Australias finances are forecast to hit a surplus of A$2.2 billion ($1.6 billion) in 2019/20, increasing to A$11 billion in 2020/21 and A$16.6 billion in 2021/22. The forecast surpluses rely on an anticipated windfall from corporate taxes and the fruits of a crackdown on black market economic activity and multinational tax avoidance. The budget is widely viewed as the unofficial campaign kick-off for the federal election due in the first half of 2019, which means the government can promote its economic credentials on the hustings. Political analyst David Black said previous governments have had success - and come unstuck - on their surplus promises. Politicians sell it as an indicator that the economic situation is under control, he said. Shares of companies seen to be affected by budget measures had a mixed response on Wednesday, in a flat overall market . Fund manager Challenger Ltd (CGF.AX) shares were up 4.5 percent in mid-afternoon, after it said new rules seeking to match retirees with their pension plans would help it sell products. A Credit Suisse analyst note said shares of companies which sell life insurance may be hit as budget measures requiring some policyholders to opt in, rather than be automatically included in plans, may lower demand. Up to one million people are expected to take part on Wednesday in Immortal Regiment march in the center of the Russian capital dedicated to May 9 Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, TASS reports. "We expect up to one million people to participate in the march," Yelena Kalgina, a spokesperson for the Moscow-based department of Immortal Regiment movement said. "Last year over 800,000 people took part in the event, but the weather was cold at that time as it rained and snowed from time to time," she said. "Today the weather promises to be good and we believe that the number of participants would reach the figure of one million or maybe even higher." The Immortal Regiment march is an annual event dedicated to the victory in the Great Patriotic War that claimed lives of over 27 million Soviet people. During the march, people carry portraits of their relatives, who fought or died during the war. The very first march took place in the year of 2007 in the Siberian city of Tyumen under the name Victors Parade. Five years later, another Russian Siberian city of Tomsk passed on the baton holding the march in 2012 and renamed the rally as Immortal Regiment. The following year, about 120 cities joined the Immortal Regiment march and a year later people carried portraits of their relatives, who fought during the WWII in 500 cities in seven countries. Since 2015, the Immortal Regiment march has become a nationwide event in Russia. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkey will receive the first F-35 fighter jet from the United States on June 21, Turkey's Undersecretary of National Defense Ismail Demir said, Turkish media reported May 9. Demir said that after receiving F-35, the pilots of the Turkish Air Force will pass training for flying the fighter. He further noted that Turkey will receive more F-35 fighters in 2019. Earlier, Washington and Ankara agreed on the supply of about 100 F-35 fighters to Turkey. An agreement between the Turkish government and Lockheed Martin was signed in May 2017. Previously, representatives of the US Democratic Party put forward an initiative to ban the delivery of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu earlier said if the US halts the supply of F-35 fighter jets, Turkey will retaliate. He noted that the ban on the sale of F-35 is unacceptable, and if the United States takes such a step, Washington will receive "a worthy response". --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, May 9 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: The United States will not benefit from withdrawing from the nuclear deal with Iran, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. Erdogan emphasized that international agreements cannot be breached and one cannot withdraw from them at any time, Turkish media reported May 9. "The US refusal of the nuclear deal with Iran shows that Washington was not sincere with regards to the deal," Erdogan said. On May 8, US President Donald Trump announced that the US withdraws from the agreement with Iran on the nuclear program reached by the six international mediators (Russia, the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany) back in 2015. Trump further announced about restoration of all sanctions, the effect of which was suspended following the deal. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Turkey will closely monitor the new sanctions to be imposed by the U.S. against Iran, Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said Wednesday, as he reiterated Ankara's disapproval of the U.S. decision to withdraw from a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran Daily Sabah reported Speaking to reporters at a news conference at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Kalin said that the U.S. sanctions to be imposed on Iran have a direct impact on Europe and Turkey. "We do not wish Iranian people to be negatively affected by these sanctions and we won't hesitate to do our part if we're to do something about them," he said. The top presidential aide also noted that the U.S. decision puts the region's stability at risk, threatening to create more tension and conflict. "The unilateral cancellation of an agreement reached after long negotiations and comprehensive diplomatic initiatives discredits the U.S.," Kalin said, adding that Turkey is in favor of maintaining the agreement and is concerned about the U.S.' unilateral withdrawal. Kalin also criticized the recent French initiative to take out some verses from the Quran allegedly for containing anti-Semitic rhetoric. "The source of anti-Semitism is not Islam or Muslims, it stems from the rise of far-right movements in Europe," Kalin said. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on his way to Pyongyang to prepare for Trumps summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and that it would be a great thing if three American detainees were also released, Reuters reported. Trump said Pompeo, making his second visit to North Korea in less than six weeks, was expected to arrive very shortly and that the two countries have already agreed on a date and location for the unprecedented summit. At this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un, Trump said. Plans are being made, relationships are building, Trump said. Hopefully, a deal will happen. And with the help of China, South Korea and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone. Pompeo made a secret visit to North Korea over the Easter weekend, becoming the first U.S. official known to have met Kim, to lay the groundwork for the planned summit. The meeting occurred before Pompeos nomination as secretary of state had been confirmed. Asked whether the three Americans held in North Korea would be freed, Trump told reporters: Well all soon be finding out. Well soon be finding out. It would be a great thing if they are. Pompeos visit raised the prospects that the three Korean-American detainees - Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul could be turned over to him. Their release could signal an effort by Kim to set a more positive tone for the summit following his recent pledge to suspend missile tests and shut Pyongyangs nuclear bomb test site. While Kim would be giving up the last of his remaining American prisoners, whom North Korea has often used in the past as bargaining chips with the United States, a release could also be aimed at pressuring Trump to make concessions of his own in his bid to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has arrived in Pyongyang to discuss details of an upcoming summit meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, TASS reported. citing Reuters. The agency also reported that State Secretary Pompeo is also set to discuss details of the release of three American prisoners in North Korea. The US White House announced in early March that President Donald Trump had been for some time preparing for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gathering information from his counsellors and intelligence services. Last month, Kim Jong-un was cited by KCNA news agency as stating that Pyongyang halted nuclear tests and joined the global nuclear disarmament process in line with its new strategy to build socialist economy. North Korea announced its withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1993 and completed the withdrawal in January 2003. To date, the Communist state has held six nuclear tests. Last September, Pyongyang announced a successful test of a hydrogen bomb and proclaimed itself a nuclear power. In early February, North Korea rolled out its new Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at a Pyongyang military parade. The North Korean military demonstrated at least four launchers with Hwasong-15 ICBMs painted in their typical black hue and also several prime movers with Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missiles. President Donald Trump's move to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) will pull the United States away from its European partners, former Secretary of States John Kerry said in a statement, Sputnik reported. "Today's announcement weakens our security, breaks America's word, isolate's us from our European allies," Kerry said on Tuesday. Kerry has also highlighted the importance of Europe's actions in response to Trump's decision. Kerry expressed hope the international community will do its best to preserve the nuclear deal. The former official warned of Iran's reaction to the US move as Washington re-imposed highest level of economic sanctions on Tehran. Kerry and Trump had a heated argument over the Iran nuclear deal prior to the president's announcement. Trump accused the former secretary of state of using "shadow diplomacy" after reports about Kerry's alleged meetings with Iranians emerged in the news. Kerry responded arguing he remained in contact with ex-counterparts just like every previous US top diplomat because he believes the Iran nuclear agreement must remain in effect. On Tuesday, Trump addressed Kerry on Twitter and advised him to stay away from negotiations on the agreement. The JCPOA, signed by Iran, the P5+1 and EU in 2015, requires Tehran to maintain a peaceful nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to return from North Korea with three American detainees, as well as details of an upcoming summit between leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump, a South Korean official said on Wednesday, Reuters reports. Pompeo arrived in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, on Wednesday from Japan and headed to its Koryo Hotel for meetings. The top U.S. diplomat and officials accompanying him were feted at a lunch by Kim Yong Chol, a former spy chief and now the Norths director of the United Front Department, which is responsible for inter-Korean relations. Trump earlier broke the news of Pompeos second visit to North Korea in less than six weeks and said the two countries had agreed on a date and location for the summit, although he stopped short of providing details. An official at South Koreas presidential Blue House said Pompeo was expected to finalize the date of the summit and secure the release of the three American detainees. While Trump said it would be a great thing if the American detainees were freed, Pompeo told reporters en route to Pyongyang he had not received such a commitment but hoped North Korea would do the right thing. Well talk about it again today, he said. I think itd be a great gesture if they would choose to do so. At lunch on Wednesday, Pompeo said the United States was committed to working with North Korea to achieve peace on the Korean peninsula. I have high expectations the United States will play a very big role in establishing peace, said Kim, the former spy chief. The remarks were provided in a pool report. In response, Pompeo said the group with him was equally committed to working with you to achieve exactly that. For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and make your country have all the opportunities your people so richly deserve, Pompeo said. The expected U.S.-North Korea summit has sparked a flurry of diplomacy, with Japan, South Korea and China holding a high-level meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said concerned parties should seize the opportunity to promote denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan would normalize ties with North Korea if the nuclear and missile issues, along with that of abducted Japanese citizens, were solved comprehensively. We must take the recent momentum towards denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula and towards peace and security in Northeast Asia, and, cooperating even further with international society, make sure this is linked to concrete action by North Korea, Abe told a news conference after the meeting. North Korea has admitted to kidnapping 13 Japanese citizens decades ago to train spies. Five have returned to Japan. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that three Americans detained by North Korea have been released and are on their way home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sputnik reported. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health, Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. Trump said he will greet Pompeo and the Americans when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington at 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT) Thursday morning. Very exciting! he wrote on Twitter. The fate of Korean-Americans Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul had been among a number of delicate issues in the run-up to the first-ever meeting of U.S. and North Korean leaders. Trump sent Pompeo to Pyongyang to accompany the men home following U.S. calls for Kim to free them as a gesture of goodwill and sincerity before the U.S.-North Korea meeting, which is expected to take place in late May or early June. Withdrawing US troops from the Korean Peninsula will not be on the table of negotiations with North Korea, Defense Secretary James Mattis said during a Senate hearing on Wednesday, Sputnik reported. "The presence of our forces there [South Korea] is a stabilizing presence if during the negotiation this issue was to come up between our allies and us, that would be one thing between two allies, not a matter of negotiation with DPRK," Mattis said. "Thats not something that would be on the table in the initial negotiations." The withdrawal of US troops from the Korean Peninsula is for the people of South Korea and the United States to decide, Mattis said. Mattis had previously said in April that withdrawing US troops from the Korean peninsula would be discussed with allies if North Korea demanded it as part of reaching a peace agreement. Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump said that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo returned to the US with three detained American citizens after talks with Kim Jong-un. In April, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced that his country would stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as shut down a nuclear test site. Donald Trump had responded by saying that "big progress [was] being made." After North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held a historic summit, US President Donald Trump said that he would hold a meeting with the North Korean leader in "the coming weeks." While the world is highly anticipating Trump's summit with Kim, the administration has not yet announced the exact time and location of it. The US president said, more information would be released in the upcoming days. Dupa inscrierea pe site-ul HotNews.ro, poti deschide sectiunea MyHotNews ca sa completezi sau sa schimbi profilul de utilizator. Atentie! Logarea pe site se face cu adresa de email, nu cu nickname-ul. Adresa ta de email va ramane confidentiala si nu va fi niciodata data unor terte persoane sau institutii. Inainte de a te inscrie pe site te rugam sa parcurgi termenii si conditiile atasate unui cont HotNews.ro. KYODO NEWS - May 10, 2018 - 01:10 | All, World The leaders of Japan, China and South Korea agreed Wednesday to work together toward the complete denuclearization of North Korea as the world looks ahead to the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in the coming weeks. "We have to build on the momentum toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and peace and stability in Northeast Asia, and ensure North Korea takes concrete actions," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a press conference after the trilateral summit. The talks involving Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae In were held in Tokyo's Akasaka Palace state guesthouse. "We stress that it is only the international cooperation on and the comprehensive resolution of concerns of the parties...that will pave the way for the bright future for the DPRK," the leaders said in a joint declaration, using the acronym for North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. But it is unclear whether the three neighbors are completely on the same page due to their differing approaches toward the shared goal. (From left, Abe, Moon and Li ahead of Wednesday's trilateral summit in Tokyo.) It took more than half a day for the joint declaration to be issued due to differences over its wording and content, including a description of the history of the relationship between Japan and China, a negotiation source said. On North Korea, Japan hoped to incorporate the phrase "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization," according to the source. But the full phrase did not appear in the declaration apparently due to China's reluctance. At the press conference, Li welcomed the recent pursuit of dialogue to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. China, which is North Korea's main ally and trading partner, appears to be placing emphasis on dialogue and incremental rewards for Pyongyang, such as the easing of economic sanctions, in return for its phased elimination of nuclear weapons. While keeping in sync with the United States and Japan in maintaining pressure on North Korea, South Korea has pursued a policy of inter-Korean dialogue under Moon. Moon welcomed support by Japan and China for a declaration released after last month's inter-Korean summit confirming the goal of the "complete" denuclearization of the peninsula. During the talks between Moon and the North's leader Kim Jong Un in the truce village of Panmunjeom on April 27, the leaders also agreed to strive to declare a formal end to the 1950-1953 Korean War. On Wednesday, the three leaders released a separate statement that hailed the Panmunjeom Declaration. The "annual" Japan-China-South Korea summit -- the seventh of its kind -- comes after the historic meeting between Moon and Kim, and ahead of the unprecedented U.S.-North Korean summit between President Donald Trump and Kim expected by early June. In a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on March 26, Kim promised a nuclear-free peninsula. The North Korean leader also met with Xi on Monday and Tuesday during a surprise visit to the port city of Dalian in northeastern China, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency. Abe added at Wednesday's press conference that China and South Korea will support Japan's efforts to resolve the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s. Li and Moon "hope that the abductions issue between Japan and the DPRK will be resolved through dialogue as soon as possible," the declaration said. On the economic front, the leaders underscored the importance of better connectivity in East Asia, saying they are committed to promoting infrastructure cooperation, according to the declaration. The leaders of the three Asian powers, which together account for over 20 percent of the global economy, reaffirmed the necessity of free trade amid a lingering trade dispute between China and the United States. Trump has said he prefers bilateral trade deals over multilateral ones. Abe, Li and Moon agreed to step up negotiations on a trilateral free trade agreement and a wider deal including Southeast Asia, India, Australia and New Zealand called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. "There is currently great momentum toward globalization. We three can together become new drivers of global economic growth by cooperating in maintaining free trade and making investment easier," Li said after the summit in a speech to business leaders from the three countries. Abe, Li and Moon also agreed to promote people-to-people exchanges as Japan is scheduled to host the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games and China the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, following the Pyeongchang Winter Games in South Korea in February this year. (From left, Li, Abe and Moon) Since 2008, the three countries have taken turns to host the gatherings, which have sometimes been put on hold due to Japan's chilled ties with its two neighbors over historical and territorial disputes, as well as political turmoil in South Korea. Li expressed his country's readiness to host the trilateral summit on a regular basis, as China is expected to chair it next time. Li arrived in Japan on Tuesday on his first visit since assuming the post of premier in 2013. Moon paid his first visit since becoming president in 2017. Li is the first Chinese premier to travel to Japan in seven years and Moon's visit is the first by a South Korean president in nearly six and a half years. By Mohammad Gharebag, KYODO NEWS - May 9, 2018 - 23:55 | World, All Iran showed anger Wednesday over the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, with parliamentarians setting fire to the U.S. flag and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei airing doubts over whether European governments can be relied on to keep it alive. The hardline lawmakers, who took over the stage during a regular session of parliament, also set fire to pages of the nuclear accord while chanting "Down with U.S." and urging other parliamentarians to join them. (Photo supplied by the Iranian Parliament on May 9, 2018) Meanwhile, Khamenei, while addressing professors and teachers at Farhangian University in Tehran, dismissed Trump's remarks he previous day, which contained threats of sanctions, as "ridiculous and insulting" and full of "lies." "He threatened the Iranian government and people. I tell him, on behalf of the Iranian people, 'Mr. Trump you can't do a damn thing." President Hassan Rouhani, in a televised speech shortly after Trump's pullout announcement Tuesday, said Iran will remain in 2015 pact temporarily to negotiate with the other six parties -- Britain, France, Germany, the European Union, Russia and China -- and study the possibility of keeping it alive. "If we can satisfy all of our expectations without the United States, the JCPOA will remain alive," Rouhani said. JCPOA is an acronym for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the agreement under which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions. Khamenei said, "It is said that we will continue with three European countries --France, Germany and Britain. I don't trust these three either and you should not trust them." He said JCPOA's survival depends on "practical guarantees" that Iran must seek from the European Union to preserve Iran's benefits. "If you can't gain practical guarantees from Europeans, which I think is not likely, it won't be possible to continue the JCPOA," he said. (Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, photo supplied by Iranian Leader's Press Office, Getty/Kyodo) Parliament speaker Ali Larinjani similarly expressed doubts Wednesday over the role to be played by the Europeans. "We can't trust the EU's preliminary claims to keep JCPOA alive, but it deserves to examine them another time in coming weeks to prove anyone that Iran has tried all peaceful ways," he said in parliament. "If the EU, Russia and China could fulfill the vacuum of U.S. withdrawal, there might be a way for JCPOA to work. If not, Iran will punish them with its nuclear activities," he said. Khamenei, who has ultimate power over crucial matters in country, had threatened last year to set fire to the nuclear deal after Trump vowed to rip up what he called "the worst deal ever." A high-ranking Iranian official told Kyodo News that the European Union is the key to JCPOA's survival. "If talks with the EU fail in coming weeks and they won't be able to address Iran's concerns, JCPOA will collapse," the official said on condition of anonymity. While withdrawing Tuesday from the deal struck under his predecessor Barack Obama, Trump pledged "the highest level of economic sanction" against the regime he called "the leading state-sponsor of terror." "The Iran deal is defective at its core," Trump said as he signed a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating U.S. sanctions on Tehran by discontinuing waivers Washington had been renewing in line with the 2015 agreement. "It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement," he said. (Getty/Kyodo) After the U.S. withdrawal, British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement of "regret and concern" over the move. Russia's Foreign Ministry said Moscow was "deeply disappointed" by Trump's decision, calling the move a blatant violation of international law. Although Iranian government remains keen to keep the nuclear deal alive through negotiation with European countries, hardline lawmakers and the powerful Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps appear happy with the new situation. "I congratulate the mischievous departure of America from the JCPOA which did not have creditability even before. Once again it was proven that America cannot be trusted in its obligations," state television quoted Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, chief commander of IRGC, as saying on Wednesday. "It is clear the Europeans can't take an independent stance between Iran and the U.S. They are dependent on America and this clears the fate of JCPOA," he added. Jafari said the United States is using the nuclear deal as a tool to curb Iran's missile development and regional influence. Referring to an EU proposal to negotiate a side agreement covering Iran's missile development activities and other matters that Trump wants addressed, Rouhani last Sunday totally rejected the suggestion. "We will not negotiate about our defense capability and our weapons," Rouhani said. "We will produce as many missiles and weapons as we need and we will store them. It's none of anyone's business what decisions we make about our defense power." KYODO NEWS - May 9, 2018 - 17:58 | All, World U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday to prepare for a planned U.S.-North Korea summit, the Associated Press said, with U.S. President Donald Trump expressing hope Pyongyang will free three American detainees soon. Later in the day, he held talks with Kim Yong Chol, the head of the North Korean ruling party's department in charge of relations with the South, the U.S. news agency said in a dispatch from the North Korean capital. (Pompeo speaks after being sworn in at the State Department on May 2.) [UPI/Kyodo] Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump revealed that Pompeo was on his way to North Korea, only five weeks after the then-director of the Central Intelligence Agency made a secret trip to the country for a meeting with leader Kim Jong Un. The latest trip raised expectations that the Korean-Americans would be handed over to Trump's chief diplomat. It is not yet known whether Pompeo will meet with Kim Jong Un this time. Asked by reporters if the Americans were coming home, Trump said, "We'll soon be finding out. Would be a great thing if they are." In 2015, North Korea arrested Kim Dong Chul, a Korean-American man, on suspicion of espionage. Last year, the country detained two other U.S. citizens -- Kim Hak Song, who had worked at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, and Kim Sang Dok, who was invited to the same university to teach accounting. They were accused of "hostile acts" against North Korea. Speaking to reporters en route to North Korea, Pompeo said he has not received a commitment from Pyongyang about a release of the detainees and that he hopes it will "do the right thing." "We're going to talk to them about it again and ask them if they would do the right thing," Pompeo said, according to a transcript provided by the State Department. "I think it'd be a great gesture if they would choose to do so," he said. (Kim Dong Chul, center in this April 2016 photo, is one of the three detainees.) Referring to what will be the first-ever summit between Washington and Pyongyang, Trump said, "Plans are being made, relationships are building." He earlier said the event would occur by early June. "Hopefully a deal will happen" with North Korea to get rid of its nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and related facilities, Trump said. "And with the help of China, South Korea and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone." In contrast to Trump's assertion that a date and location of the summit have been fixed, a senior State Department official traveling with Pompeo said, "The time and the place of the meeting has not been set." Pompeo, meanwhile, said he is hoping to outline a set of conditions that will create the opportunity for Trump and Kim Jong Un "to have a historic, big change in the security relationship between North Korea and the United States." Pompeo underlined that Washington will not ease sanctions until it achieves a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea. (Then CIA Director Pompeo and Kim Jong Un meet in Pyongyang on April 1.) [Photo courtesy of the White House] "We are not going to do this in small increments, where the world is essentially coerced into relieving economic pressure," he said. "We are not going to head back down the path that we headed down before." Asked if he will be meeting Kim Jong Un this time, the top U.S. diplomat said he does not know. He said he will meet with "the most senior leaders." "We're prepared to meet with anyone who is speaking on behalf of the North Korean government and can give us solid answers, so we're prepared," he said. Trump revealed Pompeo's trip as he announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Iran nuclear deal. KYODO NEWS - May 9, 2018 - 11:53 | World, All, Japan Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday that China and South Korea will support Japan's efforts to resolve the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago. Speaking after a trilateral summit with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae In, Abe also hailed a declaration released after the inter-Korean summit late last month that confirmed the "complete" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The "annual" three-way gathering took place ahead of the first-ever U.S.-North Korean summit expected in the coming weeks. KYODO NEWS - May 9, 2018 - 17:10 | All, Japan Japan's Finance Ministry on Wednesday gave senior officials a training course with the aim of preventing sexual harassment following the recent resignation of its top bureaucrat who allegedly sexually harassed a female reporter. It is the first time the ministry has provided blanket lectures against sexual harassment targeting senior officials. Its internal consultants, who are in charge of counselling for employees on sexual harassment, also joined the event. Takako Sugaya, a lawyer who was the lecturer during the training, urged the participants to have a sense of ownership to prevent sexual harassment, saying that perception of the matter within the ministry is far from the feeling of the general public. Sexual harassment "could become a case in which criminal responsibility will be sought," Sugaya said, adding, "Judging from media reports, I have become doubtful of earlier excuses by the perpetrator and responses (by the ministry)." The ministry provides training against sexual harassment when employees are promoted but had never before held such an event targeting all of senior bureaucrats. Finance Minister Taro Aso had called on the ministry to provide intensive training for senior officials and take necessary measures by hearing opinions from female employees to prevent misconduct from happening again. Vice Finance Minister Junichi Fukuda stepped down last month over the allegations of sexual harassment against a female reporter. While the ministry later confirmed a sexual harassment act by the top bureaucrat, Fukuda himself has denied it. (Fukuda, center, is surrounded by media personnel at the Finance Ministry on April 16.) Even after his resignation, the Finance Ministry has remained under fire partly because Aso has repeated comments such as, "There is no such thing as a sexual harassment charge (in Japan's Penal Code)." The remarks by the 77-year-old former prime minister were widely taken as an attempt to downplay the sexual harassment allegations, prompting women's right groups to rally in a number of Japanese cities. Fukuda quit on April 24 after a weekly magazine reported that he asked the reporter "Can I give you a hug?" and "Can I touch your breasts?" and released an audio clip. Aso, a close ally of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, faces growing calls from opposition lawmakers to step down for having chosen Fukuda for the top bureaucrat position. The ministry acknowledged that its former top bureaucrat had sexually harassed the female reporter and cut his retirement benefits. (Participants in an anti-sexual harassment event hold "#WithYou" signs in Tokyo on April 23.) KYODO NEWS - May 9, 2018 - 18:16 | Others East Japan Railway Co. said it will launch a luxurious sightseeing train between Tokyo and the Izu resort area in the spring of 2020, shortly before the Japanese capital hosts the Summer Olympic Games. The eight-car train will feature premium seats and private rooms, with one or two round trips planned from Tokyo and Shinjuku stations to Izukyu-Shimoda, southwest of Tokyo, according to the company known as JR East, which hopes to attract more foreign tourists. (All photos courtesy of JR East) While full details of the service are yet to be decided, there will be a kitchen car with a Japanese noodle bar, the company said in a statement released Tuesday. "We want to offer a high-quality service that enables passengers to experience the charm of Izu," JR East President Yuji Fukasawa said in a press conference. By Maya Kaneko, KYODO NEWS - May 9, 2018 - 10:10 | Arts, Feature, All, World Colorful African-print bags handmade by struggling Ugandan women have attracted fashion-conscious Japanese who are also learning for the first time about the women's plight -- thanks to a scheme by a Japanese social entrepreneur to empower single mothers and former child soldiers in the country. Bags made from batik fabric commonly seen in Africa feature vivid colors and dynamic designs with such motifs as geometric patterns, fish and birds. Since sales started in 2015, they have flown off shelves at Japan's upscale department stores and also online, welcomed by consumers looking for unique products. "Our main clients are middle-aged women who are mature consumers and looking for something new. They also sympathize with the stories behind our bag making," said Chizu Nakamoto, 33, who founded the bag brand Ricci Everyday and runs the business with Ugandans and her mother Ritsue. The brand's flagship Akello Bag is not only colorful but functional, as it can be used in four ways as a tote, handbag, shoulder bag and clutch bag. Its leather handle is hand-stitched by employees at a workshop in Kampala. In the native tongue, "akello" means "to bring good things." (Photo Courtesy of Ricci Everyday) Priced at 10,000 yen ($93), the bag is less popular with young Japanese consumers who tend to prefer bags of well-known brands, and appeals more to middle-aged and older customers, Nakamoto said. "I was instantly attracted to the bag's colorfulness. I'll use it for work," said Yoshie Kondo, 59, who bought one of the Akello bags in mid-April at a department store of Sogo & Seibu Co. in the city of Saitama, north of Tokyo. The proceeds from bag sales have helped improve the livelihood of Ugandan staff, now numbering about 20 and a majority of whom are single mothers. Their salaries are twice the average paid in the country, according to Nakamoto. In the East African country, where a two-decades-long civil war ended with a peace deal in 2006, it is hard for those women to find a stable job and keep their children in school, especially in urban areas where living costs are higher and it is rare to receive support from relatives or neighbors, Nakamoto said. "Those single mothers had blamed themselves for being poor and had low self-esteem. But now their livelihoods have stabilized with higher incomes and they take pride in themselves," she said. (An Ugandan aritisan sews at a workshop in Kampala to produce an African-print bag) [Photo Courtesy of Ricci Everyday] For Nakamoto, a former banker who worked in Uganda from 2014 as an aid worker, and her Ugandan business partners, launching the bag business was no easy task as a single mother with whom she started the project had to learn sewing from scratch. But after skilled artisans joined the team and repeated trial-and-error on African-print bag samples for six months, she eventually found "a ray of hope." "Japanese consumers value the functionality and durability of the products. Ugandan staff can satisfy 60 percent of the level required for bags sold in Japan, and I fill up the remaining 40 percent by pointing out where to fix things," the entrepreneur said. To assure customers of quality, Nakamoto's 60-year-old mother, co-head of the brand in Japan, double-checks the products before they are put on sale. So far, there have been no major issues with bag quality, said the businesswoman who travels back and forth between Japan and Uganda every two months. In addition to struggling local women, Ricci Everyday has also worked since last August in Uganda's northern region of Gulu with former child soldiers who returned to their hometown after being forced to fight by rebels. Cooperating with Japanese aid group Terra Renaissance, which supports Ugandans' reintegration into civil society, Nakamoto offered tailoring training to 19 former child soldiers in their 20s and jointly developed a tote bag bearing bananas embroidered by machine. Sales of the tote, priced at 5,940 yen, began in mid-April through Japanese mail-order firm Cataloghouse Ltd. "Some of those former child soldiers returned home more than 10 years after being kidnapped by the rebels. They are illiterate, suffer from stigma and are often rejected by their own family members so we help them acquire skills to earn a living," Nakamoto said. Despite the civil war ending in Uganda, rebels have been hiding out in jungles in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic, and the returnees are usually those who suffered injuries and surrendered to government forces, she said. Nakamoto, who had been interested in Africa since she was little, came a step closer to her dream of working on the continent after she became keenly aware of life's fragility in March 2011, when a major earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan. The experience prompted her to pursue her goal. (Chizu Nakamoto (4th from R, second row) , and her Ugandan business partners) [Photo Courtesy of Ricci Everyday] Leaving her job at Japan's largest bank, the then-Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, she landed a position at the Sasakawa Africa Association, a Japanese group supporting African farmers. While working for its Tokyo office, she also did pro bono work for a Japanese start-up manufacturing and selling leather bags made from Ethiopian sheep skin and "learned the ABCs of fashion business there," Nakamoto said. "As a banker, I sometimes felt it meaningless to only ask the rich to borrow money and being harsh on the poor. As an aid worker, I also witnessed problems such as financial assistance preventing aid recipients from standing on their own feet and a hierarchical relation between donors and recipients," she said. "Now that I'm engaged in business, I have a fifty-fifty relationship with my Ugandan partners. I offer work and they make bags. We depend on each other," Nakamoto said. Nakamoto has won several domestic awards for her start-up, and was also selected as one of 27 global competitors to pitch for a share of this year's "Chivas Venture" $1 million fund, set up by Scotch whiskey maker Chivas Brothers, a unit of Pernod Ricard S.A. of France. Winning the funding in a process culminating in a final pitch in the Netherlands in late May would allow Nakamoto to open a Tokyo showroom for Ricci Everyday where people can learn the stories behind the bags. So far, the products have only been sold at pop-up stores in Japan and at permanent outlets in Kampala. Looking ahead, she hopes to expand to cities in Australia, California and Kenya, as well as Hawaii and London. "Our bright-colored products do not sell well in the fall-winter season, so it would be reasonable to have sales channels in the Southern Hemisphere or tropical areas," she said. KYODO NEWS - May 9, 2018 - 22:27 | All, World South Korean and Chinese leaders agreed on Wednesday in Tokyo that North Korea should receive economic support and security guarantees if complete denuclearization is implemented, the South Korean presidential office said. During the bilateral talks held on the sideline of the three-way summit that also involved Japan, South Korean President Moon Jae In emphasized the importance of seeing a "success" in the upcoming talks between U.S. and North Korean leaders on nuclear issues. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was quoted as saying that North Korea has a "clear will toward denuclearization and is doing what the country should do." North Korea is "expecting the United States to respond in a way that matches" its conduct, Li also said. Moon and Li agreed that the international community, including the United States, should actively take part in providing North Korea, in exchange for complete denuclearization, a guarantee of its security and support for its economic development, according to the South Korean presidential office. The two also agreed on the possibility of starting research activities regarding a railway project to connect their two countries, via North Korea, it said. The talks were held amid a flurry of diplomatic activities taking place ahead of the first-ever summit between the leaders of North Korea and the United States, expected to take place by early June. (KCNA/Kyodo) During a surprise trip to China this week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Chinese President Xi Jinping that his country would abandon its nuclear weapons in the absence of a security threat, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday. North Korea has recently voiced its commitment to denuclearization. But it had previously justified its possession of nuclear weapons, touting them as a "treasured sword" to defend against the "hostile policies" of the United States and its allies. The UK announced that Indians, fully vaccinated with Covishield vaccine, will no longer require to undergo quarantine on their arrival in Britain from October 11. Following on from the launch of a new app and ePaper for The Fiji Times, PageSuite called upon their new sister company, SixPorts, to develop a brand-new website for the Fijian news brand. As the leading news site in Fiji, they were looking to upgrade their website, which was previously launched in 2004, with a brand new responsive website which could meet the demands of their readers. Hank Arts, General Manager at The Fiji Times said; From January 2017 till now the team at The Fiji Times have been evaluating the best sites from around the world. We then searched for a suitable partner that could assist us in achieving the standard of website we were looking for. We contracted PageSuite to provide our development, incorporating the best of those sites we evaluated. Following discussions with The Fiji Times, PageSuite engaged with their sister company, SixPorts, to undertake the website project. Development commenced in November 2017 and the site was launched just 6 months later in April 2018. The site is fully responsive and provides The Fiji Times with complete control over their content and media. The website content is currently free to view, however The Fiji Times have the ability to switch on the metered paywall through the CMS controls. PageSuite initially collaborated with The Fiji Times in 2015 to launch a Flash-based ePaper which was integrated with their payment system. An upgrade to PageSuites latest HTML5 ePaper solution came in 2017, closely followed by the launch of a PDF-replica app housing their daily newspaper editions. Following the launch of their website, The Fiji Times will be launching a new feed-based app in the coming weeks. You can view the new website here. Working from the other side of the world, the team at The Fiji Times has been impressed with the attention, service, knowledge and quality of the development team at PageSuite. Very impressive indeed and we are delighted with the outcome, says General Manager Hank Arts. Links / further reading: PageSuite website SNE vs. DLB: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now? SNE vs. DLB: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option? AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. AVEO reported first-quarter 2018 loss of 8 cents per share, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 7 cents but narrower than the year-ago loss of 12 cents. However, excluding gains related to a change in fair value of warrant liability, the company reported a loss of 6 cents per share. AVEOs first drug, Fotivda (tivozanib) received EU approval in August 2017 for the first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The company is focused on launching the drugs in the European countries. Currently, the drug is available in Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom. The company is entitled to receive double-digit royalty payments from EUSA Pharma on net sales of the drug in Europe. However, Fotivda is not yet approved in the United States for RCC. The company did not record any Fotivda sales during the quarter. AVEOs top line comprises collaboration and licensing revenues and partnership royalties. Total revenues in the first quarter were approximately $1 million, down 59.5% from the year-ago figure. Revenues were almost in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.98 million. Shares of the company crashed 10% on May 8, presumably as the company said it is postponing the data readout from key phase III TIVO-3 study. AVEOs share price movement shows that the stock has underperformed the industry so far this year. Specifically, the companys shares have lost 20.3% compared with the industrys decrease of 11.9%. Operating Expenses Research & development expenses were down 32.1% to about $5.4 million. However, general and administrative expenses increased 12% year over year to $2.6 million. Cash Guidance AVEO expects that its present cash resources of $27 million will allow the company to fund its planned operations through the first quarter of 2019. Pipeline Updates Concurrent with the earnings release, the company announced that it is deferring the anticipated topline data readout from TIVO-3 study evaluating Fotivda in first-line RCC in the third quarter of 2018. It was previously expected in the second quarter. AVEO is conducting the study to address the overall survival concerns from the TIVO-1 study identified by the FDA. Data from TIVO-3 study along with TIVO-1 study will be included in the regulatory application for approval of Fotivda in the United States. Story continues In April, AVEO announced the launch of Fotivda by its partner EUSA Pharma in Austria. In February, the drug was launched in the United Kingdom which triggered a milestone payment of $2 million from EUSA Pharma. In February 2018, AVEO announced data from the phase II portion of TiNivo study evaluating tivozanib in combination with Bristol-Myers BMY PD1 inhibitor, Opdivo, in metastatic RCC. Data from the study showed that 64% patients achieved ORR. The disease control rate achieved by the combination therapy was 100%. In January, data presented from a phase I/II study evaluating Fotivda in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma showed that Fotivda achieved a median PFS of 5.5 months at week 24. The median OS achieved was 7.5 months. Apart from Fotivda, AVEO is also developing ficlatuzumab in combination with Lillys LLY Erbitux in a phase II study for treating metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Another phase Ib study is evaluating ficlatuzumab in combination with Nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in treatment-naive pancreatic cancer. These studies were initiated in December last year. Other Updates In February, the company appointed industry veteran, John H. Johnson, with over 30 years of experience to its board of directors. In January, AVEO announced that it has refinanced its existing debt facility of $20 million with Hercules Capital. The company said that the terms of the new facility will help it to have an additional $12.1 million in cash flow over 2018 and 2019 compared to the prior loan. AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Quote Zacks Rank & Stock to Consider AVEO currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the health care sector is Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated LGND, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Ligands earnings per share estimates moved up from $4.40 to $4.43 and remained stable at $5.32 for 2018 and 2019, respectively, in the last 30 days. The company pulled off a positive earnings surprise in three of the last four quarters with an average beat of 24.88%. The companys stock is up 14.9% so far this year. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early. See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> 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 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (LGND) : Free Stock Analysis Report AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVEO) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Telecom stocks have historically given investors a great combination of relative business stability and ample dividend income. CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) and AT&T; (NYSE: T) are two very different companies in terms of the scope and breadth of their respective businesses, but they share the common goal of trying to serve their customers with the combination of voice, data, and video services that have become their bread-and-butter offerings. Lately, the telecom industry has been a minefield, with some companies having had to reduce or eliminate their dividends in light of changing business conditions. Concerned investors want to know whether CenturyLink or AT&T are still worthy of consideration as solid prospects for the foreseeable future. Let's look at several key factors to get a better sense of whether you'd like either of these stocks as part of your investment portfolio. Logo of myAT&T. Image source: AT&T. Valuation and stock performance Neither CenturyLink nor AT&T has done at all well over the past 12 months. AT&T is down 18% since May 2017, but that's actually slightly better than the 24% share-price drop that CenturyLink has suffered over the same period. The disparity is narrower when you take dividends into account, but AT&T still has a slight edge. Even though it's held up slightly better than its smaller rival, AT&T also has the more attractive valuation when you look at simple earnings-based measures. The telecom giant's trailing earnings multiple is less than seven, compared to CenturyLink's shares that trade at more than eight times trailing earnings. Those factors are slightly distorted by tax reform impacts, but when you look at near-term predictions, forward multiples give AT&T the same edge, coming in at nine times forward earnings compared to a 16 forward multiple for CenturyLink. That makes AT&T the winner on this metric. Dividends Both CenturyLink and AT&T have had strong dividends, but in terms of current yield, CenturyLink takes the prize hands-down. The smaller telecom currently yields almost 11%. AT&T comes in at just over half that number, yielding 6% right now. Story continues In terms of reliability, though, the two stocks behave differently. AT&T; regularly gives shareholders modest dividend increases over time, including its most recent boost of 2% back in January. That extended the company's streak of annual dividend boosts to 34 straight years. By contrast, CenturyLink chose to cut its dividend by about 25% back in 2013, and many investors fear that the smaller telecom is getting overextended in terms of how much of its capital it pays out to investors through dividends. Even a sizable cut could still leave CenturyLink with a larger yield, but those who prefer less uncertainty might see AT&T as the safer play for long-term dividend growth despite the current yield disadvantage. Growth prospects and risk Both CenturyLink and AT&T have good prospects for growth but face a lot of competition. For CenturyLink, the challenges of being a smaller local carrier led the company to make a huge strategic shift, merging with Level 3 Communications in a $25 billion deal and giving control of the post-merger CenturyLink to Level 3 CEO Jeff Storey effective later this month. The move will further cement the telecom's decision to focus primarily on business customers, a move that cuts down on some of the cord-cutting behavior that more consumer-focused telecoms have had to deal with lately. Potential synergies between Level 3 and CenturyLink could bring hundreds of millions of dollars in savings over time, but the bigger question is whether the combined entity can keep up with larger competitors and offer the high-demand broadband services more profitably even as other parts of its business might continue to shrink. AT&T is a leading wireless telecom provider nationally, and that business has been part of a price war for years. The hopes for a merger between two of the company's biggest rivals could help reduce some of that competitive pressure, but until that happens, the need to offer discounts and attractive plan options has put pressure on AT&T's ability to maximize revenue and profit. Bundling broadband and video with phone service has been a winning proposition for AT&T despite the resulting downward impact on margin, but as 5G network infrastructure rolls out, the telecom giant will have to spend billions to keep up with its major rivals. Going with the tried-and-true At this point, AT&T looks like the better buy despite its lower dividend yield, with a better history of payout growth and a valuation that gives investors a margin of safety. CenturyLink has the opportunity to hit a home run if its Level 3 integration works well, but dangers abound that could outweigh the potential rewards from CenturyLink's overall business strategy. More From The Motley Fool Dan Caplinger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Investing.com Bitcoin fell for the third-straight day as demand for cryptos stalled following a recent spate of negative comments. Bitcoin fell 2.80% to $9,184.2 on the Bitfinex exchange to remain close to its intraday low of $9,045.3. Tentative selling pressure continued following renewed fears of regulatory pressure after the Japans Financial Services Agency (FSA) said it would impose stricter guidelines for local cryptocurrency exchanges. This sparked lingering fears of further regulatory action as it was just a few months ago that the Securities and Exchange commission announced it would take a closer at crypto trading platforms offering exchange-like services. Some crypto observers, however, cited bitcoins rally to near $10,000 last weekend triggered resistance price levels that attract selling pressure. Sentiment on cryptos was also soured after a letter from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco released on Monday, suggested the slump in bitcoin from an all-time high of $20,000 was largely driven by institutional investors following the launch of bitcoin futures last year. The advent of blockchain introduced a new financial instrument, bitcoin, which optimistic investors bid up, until the launch of bitcoin futures allowed pessimists to enter the market, which contributed to the reversal of the bitcoin price dynamics, wrote the San Francisco Fed. Despite the turn lower in sentiment, the total market cap of cryptocurrencies remained somewhat steady at $434 billion, at the time of writing, down from about $444 billion on Monday. Ripple XRP fell 2.80% to $0.80817on the Poloniex exchange, while Ethereum fell 2.86% to $741.68. Bitcoin Cash fell 6.85% to $1,567.90, while Litecoin fell 5.10% to $157.94. Related Articles Coinbase Delivers Knockout Report on Its Finances Thailand Stock Exchange Offers Blockchain-Powered Crowdfunding Platform Cryptocurrency = Property: Russian Court Establishes Legal Precedent California regulators Wednesday approved a historic plan to mandate rooftop solar panels on most new single-family homes built in the state. The California Energy Commission's action is expected to add on average about $9,500 to the cost of building new houses. The solar mandate, which goes into effect in 2020, received the support of homebuilder and solar trade associations as well as several large utilities. Solar stocks rallied on the news, with SunPower soaring 6 percent and other gainers including Tesla, First Solar and Sunrun. California regulators on Wednesday unanimously approved a historic plan that will require most new homes in the state have rooftop solar panels that turn sunlight into electricity starting in 2020. With the move, California now becomes the first state in the nation to mandate solar-energy installations on most single-family homes as well as multi-family residential buildings up to three stories, including condos and apartment complexes. The solar mandate is expected to add on average about $9,500 to the cost of new houses but is projected to be offset by the solar system's long-term energy savings. The mandate, approved 5-to-0 by the California Energy Commission , is part of the state's 2019 update of energy efficiency standards and ongoing efforts to help reduce greenhouse gases. The state's building sector is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions when fossil fuels power plants are factored in. "This is an undeniably historic decision for the state and the U.S.," said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade association with about 1,000 member companies. "California has long been our nation's biggest solar champion, and its mass adoption of solar has generated huge economic and environmental benefits, including bringing tens of billions of dollars of investment into the state." News of the nation's most populous state mandating solar on new homes sent solar stocks higher Wednesday. SunPower added 6 percent, Sunrun jumped 4 percent, First Solar added 3 percent and Tesla TSLA picked up nearly 2 percent. Story continues "Overall, we expect with California's mandate some companies within the solar and broader renewable industry stand to benefit positively, including those who make panels and component parts, as well as those who assist with installation and ensure efficient use of energy," said Dave Fanger, CEO of Swell Investing, holder of solar and related stocks in its Green Tech and Renewable Energy porfolios. The commission's action on new 2019 building energy efficiency standards also apply to everything from current ventilation systems to indoor air quality. California updates its building energy efficiency standards every three years, and the state's ultimate goal is net-zero energy homes that reduces the carbon footprint of buildings and makes them effectively energy self-sufficient. California now the world's fifth-largest economy already has a reputation for pushing the boundaries when it comes to going green. The state's renewable portfolio standard requires power companies to have 50 percent of total energy sources from renewable energy such as solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectricity by 2030. "Adoption of these standards represents a quantum leap in statewide building standards," Bob Raymer, the technical director for the California Building Industry Association said in remarks to the energy commission prior the vote in Sacramento. "No other state in the nation will have anything close to this and you can bet every one of the 49 other states will be watching closely to see what happens." Raymer also applauded state regulators for working with builders "to significantly reduce overall compliance costs and to provide increased design flexibility." He said the cooperation "was the key to gaining industry support from these first-of-a-kind regulations." The state's solar mandate for homes includes compliance credits for the installation of battery storage technology. That means homeowners with the rooftop solar systems will be able to capture cheap electricity during the middle of the day and to keep that power onsite for evening hours when rates tend to go up. The commission estimates the solar mandate will add an average of about $9,500 to the upfront cost of single-family houses but result in about $19,000 in energy savings over a 30-year period. "The lifetime savings are significant because in California we have high energy costs," said Anne Hoskins, chief policy officer for Sunrun, a large residential solar and storage provide based in San Francisco. The approved standards still allow new home construction to continue with some natural gas but it looks to reduce gas need over time and facilitate a shift to high-efficiency electric appliances, such as heat pump water heaters. All-electric homes using solar are seen as having lower greenhouse gas emissions and less energy consumption than those that use natural gas. Under the change, new homes are expected to cut energy use by more than 50 percent by having solar photovoltaic systems on rooftops. For residential homeowners, the commission estimates that the standards will add about $40 to an average monthly payment over a 30-year period but essentially save consumers $80 on monthly heating, cooling and lighting bills. There are still significant upfront costs of requiring the solar panels on rooftops of new homes. The mandate comes at a time when California also is dealing with a housing shortage and the challenge of affordable homes statewide. Experts suggest the cost of adding solar on new homes in areas such as the San Francisco Bay region where real estate prices are already high may not affect homebuyers as much. But it could prove to be more challenging for new homeowners in communities with lower housing costs such as Fresno in the Central Valley. Regardless, the state estimates the proposed solar standards applying to most homes and many commercial structures could save California residents and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars in energy costs over the next decade. More From CNBC Israeli meat biotech company receives fund from several investors Israel On May 2, Jerusalem-based biotechnology company Future Meat Technologies announced a US$2.2 million seed investment round, co-led by Tyson Ventures, the venture capital arm of Tyson Foods. The Israeli company is advancing a distributive manufacturing platform for the cost-efficient, non-GMO production of meat directly from animal cells, without the need to raise or harvest animals. Future Meat Technologies focusses on developing a new generation of manufacturing technology that enables the cost-efficient production of fat and muscle cells, the core building blocks of meat. In addition to Tyson Ventures, the Neto Group, one of the largest food conglomerates in Israel, S2G Ventures, a Chicago-based venture capital fund, BitsXBites, Chinas first food technology venture capital fund, and Agrinnovation, an Israeli investment fund founded by Yissum, the Technology Transfer Company of The Hebrew University, participated in this round, as well as private investment, New York based HB Ventures. It is difficult to imagine cultured meat becoming a reality with a current production price of about US$10,000 per kilogram, said Prof Yaakov Nahmias, the Founder and Chief Scientist, Future Meat Technologies. We redesigned the manufacturing process until we brought it down to US$800 per kilogram today, with a clear roadmap to US$5-10 per kg by 2020. This is our first investment in an Israel-based company and were excited about this opportunity to broaden our exposure to innovative, new ways of producing protein, said Justin Whitmore, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Chief Sustainability Officer, Tyson Foods. We continue to invest significantly in our traditional meat business but also believe in exploring additional opportunities for growth that give consumers more choices. * Aluminium exports rise slightly to 451,000 t in April * Steel exports up 14.7 pct from March, highest since Aug 2017 * U.S. tariffs not having material impact on aluminium - analyst (Adds analyst comment on steel) By Tom Daly and Muyu Xu BEIJING, May 8 (Reuters) - China's aluminium exports inched higher and steel shipments jumped in April, customs data showed on Tuesday, as U.S. import tariffs failed to dent overseas shipments from the world's biggest producer of the two metals. The United States imposed a 25 percent duty on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminium imports, effective from March 23 as U.S. President Donald Trump sought to protect U.S. metal makers. The impact of the tariffs on aluminium was offset by U.S. sanctions on giant Russian producer Rusal that caused a spike in international prices, prompting Chinese firms to send more metal abroad, analysts said. "Exports are still happening, which suggests the tariff is not really having a material impact at this point," said Lachlan Shaw, a metals analyst at UBS in Melbourne. "Certainly anecdotal reporting from within the U.S. aluminium products manufacturing sector suggests that some fabricators are just paying the tariffs to secure the required imports. So it appears that trade is holding up for now," he added. China's unwrought aluminium and aluminium product exports came in at 451,000 tonnes last month, up 0.2 percent from a revised 450,000 tonnes in March and up 4.9 percent from 430,000 tonnes in April 2017, the General Administration of Customs said. Steel exports jumped 14.7 percent from March to 6.48 million tonnes, their highest level since August last year, and steady with a year ago. April has one less day than March, so the latest increases are greater on a daily basis. The United States accounts for around 14 percent of China's aluminum exports, but only 1 percent of its steel exports. Washington imposed sanctions on Rusal, the world's second-biggest aluminium producer, on April 6, causing London Metal Exchange aluminium prices to climb 12.5 percent last month on fears of a supply shortage. Story continues Shanghai aluminium prices rose only 4.8 percent in April in a well supplied Chinese market, with the wider price arbitrage making Chinese exports more profitable. The jump in steel exports came despite the tariffs and a 7.6 percent jump in Shanghai rebar prices in April, making Chinese steel more expensive. "Exports went up while the steel price rallied and there was firm demand in China, which would mean steel output in China really went up a lot," said Xu Bo, an analyst at Haitong Futures. April was the first full month after the end of winter restrictions on industrial output in northern China, including on steel and aluminium, although some key steel cities still have curbs in place. For more details, see (Reporting by Tom Daly and Muyu Xu; additional reporting by Melanie Burton in MELBOURNE; editing by Richard Pullin) William Li China Nio Ng Han Guan/AP Nio founder William Li is often compared to Tesla founder Elon Musk for his push to create self-driving electric automobiles. Li says that Nio is in better shape than its Chinese competitors like Faraday Future, Byton, and WM Motors because of its deep-pocketed investors. Nio has raised over $1 billion in investments from some of China's biggest companies in the banking and tech industries. Nio, an electric car startup seen as a major competitor to Tesla in China, has learned from the mistakes of other startups in the sector, billionaire founder William Li told Business Insider during a recent interview at the Beijing Auto Show. In December, Nio launched its first production car, the ES8, a seven-seat electric SUV with 220 miles of range.The company plans to bring a self-driving electric car to the US by 2020. But Chinese electric car startups have made big promises before, with mixed results. Electric car startup Faraday Future, backed by Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting, made a major appearance at CES 2016 with its autonomous FF91 prototype. Two years later, the company was out of money and in shambles. Li told Business Insider that Nio has learned from its Chinese competitors' forays into the market. "From day one, I knew that its a capital-intensive market, so we need to make sure we can expand Nios friends circle to have a lot of investors to invest in us," Li said. "Nio investors are qualified long term investors, so we think in terms of capital, it will not be very difficult to raise money." Nio, according to Li, has around 56 investors. The company's investors include Chinese tech giants Tencent, Baidu, and Xiaomi, as well as investment firms like U.S. hedge fund Lone Pine Capital, Chinese investment firm CITIC Capital, Hillhouse Capital Group, and Sequoia Capital. The company plans to go public later this year on the New York Stock Exchange with a goal of raising $2 billion for an expected valuation of $15 billion. Story continues Li said that Faraday Future failed because it strayed too far from its main purpose as car manufacturers. He said that the company "entered multiple industries with a very fierce competition. That is why it kind of diluted their focus," Li said. "For us, it's different because we just focus on the automotive industry," Li said. Faraday Future became known for "unpaid bills, lawsuits, an employee exodus, and public bickering with former executives," according to Business Insider's Bryan Logan, though the company has tried to turn over a new leaf this year after a $1.5 billion cash infusion. NOW WATCH: The best and worst things about the Tesla Model 3 See Also: SEE ALSO: A Chinese car startup trying to take on Tesla just unveiled a stunning electric SUV DON'T MISS: Flush with new cash, the struggling electric-car company Faraday Future hopes for a fresh start Last November, Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) outlined its three-year strategic and financial plan. One of the key components of the Canadian pipeline giant's strategy was selling 3 billion Canadian dollars' ($2.3 billion as of May 9, 2018) worth of non-core assets in 2018, which would give it some of the cash needed to finance its CA$22 billion ($17 billion) expansion plan. That would enable the company to reduce debt while still growing cash flow and the dividend at a 10% compound annual rate through 2020. It didn't take Enbridge long to achieve its asset sale goal as it announced two separate transactions this week to monetize non-core assets. By quickly hitting this goal, Enbridge is well on its way to achieving the aims of its three-year plan. An energy processing plant with clouds in the background. Image source: Getty Images. Cutting ties with Midcoast In the first deal, Enbridge announced that it agreed to sell its Midcoast Operating business for $1.12 billion in cash (about CA$1.44 billion) to a private equity fund. Midcoast operates natural gas and natural gas liquids (NLGs) gathering, processing, and transportation services in the U.S., mainly in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. It's different from most other assets that Enbridge owns due to its high exposure to commodity price volatility, which has been an issue in recent years. Enbridge initially housed these assets in its MLP Enbridge Energy Partners (NYSE: EEP), which subsequently created another MLP, Midcoast Energy Partners, to hold a stake in these assets. However, slumping oil and gas prices caused Midcoast's earnings to plummet. Because of that, Enbridge took Midcoast Energy Partners private last year for $170 million and then bought the remaining stake in Midcoast's assets from Enbridge Energy Partners for $1.31 billion plus the assumption of $840 million in debt. While the company is now selling this business well below what it paid for the assets last year, the sale is "an important step in our shift toward a pure regulated pipeline and utility model," said CEO Al Monaco. Story continues Construction site of an offshore wind farm. Image source: Getty Images. Finding a partner for renewables Enbridge's second transaction involves the sale of a 49% stake in some of its North American onshore renewable power assets as well a 49% interest in its offshore wind projects in Germany to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). The company will receive CA$1.75 billion in cash from this transaction and offload CA$500 million of future capital expenditures. In addition to that, Enbridge and CPPIB formed a 50-50 joint venture to pursue future offshore wind projects in Europe. Enbridge just bought its stake in the German offshore wind farm projects last year, initially agreeing to invest about $1.25 billion for a 50% stake. However, with concerns growing about its balance sheet and ability to finance growth projects, the company has chosen to monetize part of this asset. It's also monetizing its onshore renewable facilities in Canada and two in the U.S. to bring in some much-needed cash. This decision to cash in on a portion of its renewable portfolio follows a similar plan by fellow Canadian pipeline giant TransCanada (NYSE: TRP), which sold its solar assets in Ontario last year. The driving factor in that decision was TransCanada's desire to improve its financial flexibility so that it could "continue to build on our vision of being North America's leading energy infrastructure company," said CEO Russ Girling. What's clear from these deals is that neither TransCanada nor Enbridge sees renewables playing a key role in building the companies they envision themselves being. What these sales mean for Enbridge investors Overall, Enbridge will pull in CA$3.2 billion in cash from these deals, exceeding its 2018 asset sale target and keeping it on pace to hits its leverage target of 5.0 times by year-end. Further, the company offloaded some future spending commitments while jettisoning a business that has been a trouble spot for the past several years. These factors should help lift some of the weight that has been holding down the company's valuation over the past year. These deals will enhance Enbridge's ability to achieve its growth plans, which would see the company increase its 6.5%-yielding payout at a double-digit pace for the next couple of years. While Enbridge still needs to complete its expansion projects on time and on budget, Wednesday's moves show that the company is heading in the right direction. More From The Motley Fool Matthew DiLallo owns shares of Enbridge and Enbridge Energy Partners. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Enbridge. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a roundtable on tax cuts for Florida small businesses in Hialeah, Florida, U.S., April 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque The White House on Tuesday unveiled its package of $15.4 billion in proposed spending cuts. The list of rescissions, as theyre called, includes 38 proposals ranging in size from about $519,000 to more than $5.1 billion. In all, the White House says, the suggested cuts represent the largest single rescissions request in history though they would do little to reduce the federal budget deficit, which is projected to total more than $800 billion this year. The money targeted by the proposed clawbacks are mostly unused funds left over from past years officially known as unobligated balances but the White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said the rescissions would reduce federal expenditures by about $3 billion. The White House also says it plans other rescission requests that would cancel spending approved under the $1.3 trillion deal passed by Congress earlier this year. Americans for Prosperity, the Koch-backed conservative group, on Monday released recommendations for $45 billion in rescissions from the omnibus spending bill. Nearly half of the current cuts, or $7 billion, would come from the health insurance program for low-income children. That includes more than $5 billion in expired funding from fiscal 2017 and nearly $2 billion from an emergency fund the White House doesnt expect states to use. White House officials say that the cuts would not affect the Childrens Health Insurance Program or its coverage of about 9 million children but, in an indication of just how politically sensitive these cuts could be, they were left off of a formal release highlighting some items in the rescissions package. Roll Call notes that Congress regularly rescinds CHIP funds, including almost $7 billion in the fiscal 2018 omnibus spending law, but typically uses the money to pay for other health-related priorities. Rescinding the funds this way would mean simply cutting the spending rather than using the leftover funds to pay for other spending. Story continues Whats on the Trump Administrations List of Spending Cuts Besides the $7 billion from CHIP, other cuts requested include: $4.3 billion from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, which the White House says has not made a loan since 2011 $800 million from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation program $252 million left over from $1.2 billion Congress designated to respond to the 2015 Ebola outbreak. The epidemic is over, but an official who headed the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance at USAID during the outbreak told The Hill that the remaining money could serve as a much-needed emergency fund for a future disease outbreak. In terms of substantive budget terms, its a rounding error, it makes barely a dent in the deficit, Jeremy Konyndyk said. Its an optics exercise to say that they are giving back some money, but its really foolish ultimately. $133 million from an unemployment insurance extended benefits program for railroad workers that the White House says expired in 2012 See the full list here, and Politico has a tally of the proposed cuts broken down by department. Can the Rescissions Package Pass? Under the process created by the 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, Congress will have 45 days to act on the presidents rescissions requests, and can approve them with simple majority votes, meaning that the Senate cant block them with a filibuster. The funds being targeted are frozen until Congress acts, or if it fails to approve the request in time then the funds must be released. House Republicans hope to pass the rescissions this month We will get the rescissions package passed, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday but the outlook is the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim 51-49 majority, is less certain. If these rescissions fail to pass the Senate, the administrations other proposed cuts would likely be put on hold. If this one doesnt get through I think it does kill any future rescission packages until we have midterm elections, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC) said, according to Roll Call. What Theyre Saying About It President Trump: Our moral duty to the taxpayer requires us to make our government leaner and more accountable. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY): Lets be honest about this: @POTUS & the GOP are looking to tear apart CHIP, hurting middle-class families & low-income children, to appease the most conservative special interests & feel better about blowing up the deficit to give the wealthy & biggest corps huge tax breaks. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD): It defies logic that if youre going to rescind money thats not being used, that the only place to look is [nondefense program such as] Medicare and Medicaid. Their logic is they want to cut nondefense discretionary spending whatever it is. And were obviously opposed to that as a focus. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): I dont understand why we would go after CHIP. It makes no sense to me. G. William Hoagland, a senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center and former director of the Senate Budget Committee: This is not a deficit reduction exercise, but more of a public relations exercise to soothe the base and convince them that the White House is fiscally responsible. Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget: Todays specific rescission package will have little effect on the budget deficit since the proposed cuts are relatively small and most are to funds that will never be spent anyway. But every little bit helps, and getting in the habit of supporting spending cuts without putting the money toward new policies is a step in the right direction. Molly E. Reynolds, fellow at the Brookings Institution: By including a rescission of roughly $7 billion from the Childrens Health Insurance Program ... Republicans are giving their Democratic colleagues more political cover to oppose the package. Rather than be tagged as opposing cuts to wasteful federal spending, Democrats can claim they are standing up for a popular program that provides health care to kids. Final Factoid of the Day, via Politico: Former President Bill Clinton was the last president to propose rescissions. His three requests totaled just $128 million, a fraction of Trumps request. Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter. (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has pulled the United States out of an international nuclear deal with Iran, sealed in 2015, and said he would re-impose economic sanctions on Iran. Some sanctions take effect after a 90-day "wind-down" period ending on Aug. 6, and the rest, most notably on the petroleum sector, after a 180-day "wind-down period" ending on Nov. 4. Both deadlines are meant to give firms and other entities time to conclude trade and other business activities with or in Iran, the U.S. Treasury Department said on Tuesday. Below are reactions to Tuesday's decision from companies most likely to be affected by the move to reimpose sanctions. For a related factbox on Iran's deals with foreign firms since easing of sanctions in 2015 click here: AVIATION - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Airbus (AIR.PA) and Boeing Co (BA.N) will lose licences to sell passenger jets to Iran. - IranAir had ordered 200 passenger aircraft - 100 from Airbus, 80 from Boeing and 20 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR. All the deals are dependent on U.S. licences because of the heavy use of American parts in commercial planes. - Boeing said on Tuesday it would consult with the U.S. government on the next steps, adding Boeing's 777 production plan "is not dependent on the Iranian orders." - Airbus said it needed time to study the impact of Trump's decision on Iran and would be evaluating next steps consistent with internal policies and in full compliance with sanctions and export control regulations. - Airbus shares fell 1 percent on Wednesday in response. CARMAKERS - German carmaker Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), which began exporting cars to Iran last year, said it was closely monitoring and reviewing political and economic developments in the region - "As a matter of principle, Volkswagen complies with all applicable national and international laws and export regulations," a company spokesperson said - Wolfsburg-based VW, which sold its iconic Beetle in Iran in the 1950s and its Gol subcompact model in the 1990s, left the Iranian market in 2000, before resuming exports in 2017 Story continues - France's PSA (PEUP.PA) said it hoped the European Union would adopt a common position on Iran. - French automakers PSA and Renault (RENA.PA) have pushed hard into Iran after sanctions were lifted following the 2015 international nuclear pact. - PSA has signed production deals worth 700 million euros (612 million pounds) to reclaim the leading position it once enjoyed in the market, while Renault invested to increase its production capacity to 350,000 vehicles a year. - Germany's Daimler (DAIGn.DE) said it was closely monitoring any further developments and would then evaluate the potential impact on its business. - Shares of PSA and Volkswagen were down more than 1 percent; Renault was down about a percent. CONSUMER GOODS - Nestle (NESN.S) said there are no direct implications for its business at this stage, but added that it was continuing to closely follow political developments. - Nestle Iran has its headquarters in Tehran and employs 818 people. It operates two factories, producing infant cereals and formula in one and bottled water in another. It imports a limited range of Nestle products from abroad. - British tobacco company Imperial Brands (IMB.L) said it did not see any significant impact to its Middle East business from U.S. decision. - German consumer goods firm Henkel (HNKG_p.DE) said it was still unclear what impact the U.S. decision on Iran would have on its business. FINANCIAL SERVICES - Austrian lender Oberbank (OBER.VI) said it would be able to make a statement on the potential impact of the U.S. decision on Iran in one to two weeks at the earliest - Oberbank was the first European bank to seal a financing deal with Iran since sanctions were eased in 2015. However, the bank said on Wednesday that it had not provided any financing related to Iran, following a decision by the executive board in November, given the constantly changing political framework - Oberbank in September signed a deal with Iran, enabling it to provide credit for Austrian companies doing business in Iran - Denmark's Danske Bank (DANSKE.CO) said the bank had decided earlier this year to phase out and exit all activities to and from Iran, due to increasing operational and reputational risks associated with doing business in Iran - Danske Bank said it also decided to suspend existing relations with Iran that allowed it to support certain customers in doing business in Iran - Danske Bank, in January last year, said it was in talks with the Iranian central bank on arranging credit to clients with business activities in the country HEALTHCARE - Denmark's Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), the world's largest diabetes drugmaker, said it was still unclear what the implications would be. - Novo Nordisk, which has been operating in Iran even before sanctions were lifted in 2015, has built a local manufacturing plant in the region to support market access for its diabetes products. (https://reut.rs/2jHe5mm) - The drugmaker is also looking to expand the obesity drug market as the prevalence of obese people in Iran is similar to the high levels in the United States - Shares of Novo Nordisk fell about 1 percent on Wednesday MANUFACTURERS - German engineering group Siemens (SIEGn.DE) said it would closely monitor the situation in Iran and was assessing the implications of the Iran decision. - Siemens said it would comply with all export controls that arise. - Siemens signed a contract in October 2016 to upgrade Iran's railway network and also to supply components for 50 diesel-electric locomotives to Iran. Shares were up about 5 percent on a bullish results forecast on Wednesday. - Switzerland's Autoneum (AUTON.S), which makes sound and heat shields for automobiles, said Iran accounted for "a negligible proportion" of its consolidated annual sales of 2.2 billion Swiss francs. - In December it announced a licensing deal for Iran's Ayegh Khodro Toos to produce carpets, inner dashes and floor insulators for carmakers Iran Khodro and PSA. Autoneum shares were down more than 1 percent on Wednesday. OIL AND GAS - Trump's decision could scupper French oil major Total's (TOTF.PA) multibillion-dollar gas project in Iran unless it can secure a waiver. - Total signed a deal with Tehran in July 2017 to develop phase 11 of Iran's South Pars field with an initial investment of $1 billion. - Total Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne in April said the company would have to apply for specific waivers to continue working in Iran if sanctions were imposed. - In the 1990s it obtained a waiver for the South Pars 2 and 3 projects after the imposition of U.S. sanctions at the time. - Austria's OMV (OMVV.VI), which signed a MoU last year for projects in the Zagros area of western Iran and the Fars field in the south, said it was unclear what the implications of Trump's decision would be and how the company would proceed. - Britain's Serica Energy (SQZ.L) said it was studying how renewed sanctions would affect a British gas field which it operates with Iranian Oil Co (UK) Ltd. - Shares of Serica Energy fell more than 7 percent in response. POWER ENGINEERING COS - Italian state-controlled power engineering firm Ansaldo Energia said it was too early to react to the U.S. decision on Iran and would instead need to see what Europe would do - In October, Ansaldo signed an MoU with several subsidiaries of Iran's state oil company National Iranian Oil Company to convert flare gas into electricity at NIOC's South Pars Gas Field TELCOS - MTN Group (MTNJ.J) said the U.S. decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran might limit the South African telecoms firm's ability to repatriate cash from MTN Irancell. - In 2018, MTN had repatriated about 88 million euros ($104.26 million) from MTN Irancell, with another 200 million euros due. - MTN shares fell more than 3 percent on Wednesday. TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS - Sweden's Concordia Maritime (CCORb.ST) said it sees no direct impact from a tanker perspective, as it expects Saudi Arabia to compensate for whatever tankers lose out in terms of Iranian barrels - Maersk Line, the world's biggest container line and a part of conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), said it will monitor developments and keep customers informed of any changes. - Maersk Line, which employs 12 people in Tehran, Bandar Abbas and Bushehr, said its presence in Iran was limited. (Reporting by Silke Koltrowitz, Stephen Jewkes, Teis Jensen, Esha Vaish, John Miller, Stine Jacobsen, Tenzin Pema, Kirsti Knolle, Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich, Emma Thomasson, Martinne Geller, Sudip Kar-Gupta, Edward Taylor, Sarah Young, Arathy S Nair; Editing by Patrick Graham and Jon Boyle) * Regional upheaval feared after Trump's tack on Iran * Syrians say Israel attacks army base, no casualties (Recasts for alleged Israeli attack in Syria) By Dan Williams and Angus McDowall JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, May 8 (Reuters) - Syrian state media accused Israel of launching missiles at a target near Damascus on Tuesday, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was quitting the Iranian nuclear deal, a move that had prompted Israel to go on high alert. The Israeli military said that, upon identifying "irregular activity" by Iranian forces in Syria, it instructed civic authorities on the Golan Heights to ready bomb shelters, deployed new defences and mobilised some reservist forces. Israel's top general, Gadi Eizenkott, cancelled a scheduled appearance at an annual security conference and was conferring with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman and other national security chiefs, officials said. Trump's hard tack against the nuclear deal, while welcomed by Israel, has stirred fears of a possible regional flare-up. Within two hours of the White House announcement, Syrian state news agency SANA reported explosions in Kisweh, south of Damascus. Syrian air defences fired at two Israeli missiles, destroying both, SANA said. A commander in the regional alliance supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Reuters that Israel's air force had struck an army base at Kisweh without causing casualties. Asked about those statements, an Israeli military spokeswoman said: "We do not respond to such foreign reports." Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah have been helping Assad beat back a seven-year-old rebellion. Israel has carried out repeated air strikes against them, hoping to stop the formation of a Lebanese-Syrian front to its north. An April 9 strike killed seven Iranian military personnel at a Syrian airbase. Iran blamed Israel and vowed to retaliate. Israeli media said Tuesday's order to prepare bomb shelters on the Golan was unprecedented during Syria's civil war. Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in a moved no recognised internationally. Story continues Israel has posted Iron Dome short-range air defences on the Golan, local media said, suggesting that the anticipated attack could be by ground-to-ground rockets or mortars. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a televised address lauding Trump's Iran policy and alluding to the tensions over Syria. "For months now, Iran has been transferring lethal weaponry to its forces in Syria, with the purpose of striking at Israel," Netanyahu said. "We will respond mightily to any attack on our territory." On Twitter, Lieberman said he had spoken to his U.S. counterpart James Mattis and "updated him on regional developments". (Additional reporting by Laila Bassam and Tom Perry Writing by Dan Williams Editing by Gareth Jones and Hugh Lawson) Irans nuclear capabilities have been the subject of global hand-wringing for more than two decades. While Irans leaders long insisted the country was not building nuclear weapons, its enrichment of uranium and history of deception created deep mistrust. After more than two years of negotiations and threats to bomb the countrys facilities, Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to settle the dispute. The deal set limits on the Islamic Republics nuclear work in exchange for relief from economic sanctions that crimped oil exports and hobbled its economy. However, on May 8, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he was withdrawing the U.S. from the agreement, creating uncertainty over whether the constraints on the Iranian program would hold. The Situation Trump had called the pact the worst deal ever and had repeatedly threatened to upend it one way or another. Under the agreement ? which was signed by Iran, the U.S., China, France, Russia, Germany, the U.K. and the European Union ? Iran maintains the ability to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. It retains about 5,000 centrifuges capable of separating the uranium-235 isotope from uranium ore. For 15 years, it agreed to refine the metal to no more than 3.7 percent enrichment, the level needed to fuel nuclear power plants, and pledged to limit its enriched-uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms, 3 percent of its stores in May 2015. The International Atomic Energy Agency verified that Iran eliminated its stockpile of 20 percent-enriched uranium, which can be used to make medical isotopes and to power research reactors but could also be purified to weapons-grade at short notice. Inspectors also confirmed that Iran destroyed a reactor capable of producing plutonium. Subsequent IAEA assessments since the deal took effect found Iran sticking to its obligations. U.S. officials estimated that the pact extended the time it would take Iran to produce enough fissile material for a bomb from a few months to a year. Trump says that, because of its sunset clauses, the deal will give Iran nuclear weapons. He also objects that Irans long-range missile program was not curtailed by the agreement. In retreating from the deal, he said he would reinstate financial sanctions on Iran that were lifted under the accord. Story continues The Background Iranian statements and international contacts with Pakistani scientists prompted the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to warn in 1992 that the Persian Gulf country could develop a nuclear weapon. While Iran reaffirmed its commitment to the 1968 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it wanted the countrys right to enrich uranium recognized before it made concessions. Few countries were prepared to do that during the eight-year presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who threatened Israel with destruction. The breakthrough came after more moderate President Hassan Rouhani was elected in 2013. The Argument Middle East powers including Israel and Saudi Arabia have criticized the agreement, saying it empowers Irans theocratic regime to the detriment of regional security. Critics in the U.S. Congress say Iran cant be trusted to make any fissile material, whether for energy, medicine or bombs. Skeptics arent satisfied by IAEA verification. They point out that Iran only acknowledged its two main uranium enrichment plants after they were exposed by people outside the country. Supporters of the deal say Iran would never agree to abandon enrichment entirely and that a decades worth of sanctions failed to stop its nuclear program. Keeping an enrichment capability was important to Iran, presumably for reasons of national pride. Like other enriching countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Japan and South Africa, the technology gives Iran the ability to pursue nuclear weapons should it choose to break its commitments. Defending the agreement, Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, has said that it prevented another war in the Middle East. Without a deal, supporters say, Iran would have been left free to pursue its nuclear ambitions unchecked by world powers and without the pacts onerous inspections. A proposal, backed by the Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment, asks gun makers like Sturm Ruger to prepare a report about the financial and reputational risks associated with their business. Ruger's CEO, Christopher Killoy, said at the company's annual meeting on Wednesday that the company will comply and prepare the report. It was the first major test this year for faith-based shareholder groups, which have been urging the nation's gun industry to act after recent extreme examples of gun violence. A group of nuns and other faith-based investors won a shareholder vote at Sturm Ruger & Co RGR . requiring one of the nation's largest gun-makers to prepare a report about the risks of its business. Ruger's CEO, Christopher Killoy, said at the company's annual meeting on Wednesday that the company will comply and prepare the report. "Shareholders have spoken," he said. But, he added, the winning proposal "cannot force us to change our business," and "cannot change what Ruger is about and what we stand for." It was the first major test this year for faith-based shareholder groups, which have been urging the nation's gun industry to act after recent extreme examples of gun violence. Specifically, the proposal, backed by Catholic Health Initiatives and the Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment, asks gun makers like Sturm Ruger to prepare a report about the financial and reputational risks associated with their business. The shareholders plan to introduce a similar proposal on the proxy of American Outdoor Brands , another gun-maker that typically holds its meetings in the fall. Two major shareholder voting advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis, threw their support behind the coalition's proposal, while Sturm Ruger's board had advised against it. Since a February shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 people dead, there has been a surge of activism to stop further gun violence, involving a range of constituents, from the high school students who survived that shooting to major banks, retailers and investment firms. Story continues "A new momentum has emerged over these last few months," said Colleen Scanlon, the chief advocacy officer of Catholic Health Initiatives, who was present at the meeting to introduce the proposal. "It's so significant that a majority of shareholders are asking their company to consider gun safety." BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager and Sturm Ruger's biggest shareholder, said in a note to clients in March that it would reach out to gun-makers to try to get them to talk about their business, and it added it could use its position as a major shareholder to vote against directors and in favor of shareholder proposals. It wasn't known Wednesday how BlackRock voted its 2.8 million Sturm Ruger shares. A spokesman wasn't immediately available. It holds those shares largely because of its giant index fund operation. Sturm Ruger's Killoy said during the meeting, which was webcast from Prescott, Arizona, that the company, as a policy, does not meet individually with shareholders. The proposal got majority support, but the exact percentage of votes for and against isn't immediately known. Shareholders also approved all director nominees, a vote on the independent auditor and an advisory vote on executive compensation. In a statement, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility said Wednesday the vote sends "a strong message to Sturm Ruger's board that business as usual is insufficient given the current climate, and that new safety standards responding to the risks guns pose for society are needed." More From CNBC South Korean defense company that paid Trump lawyer is poised to win part of a $16 billion Pentagon deal A South Korean defense company paid $150,000 to Essential Consultants, a firm set up by President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen. The Korean defense company partnered with Lockheed Martin to build the T-50A trainer jet in hopes of securing a U.S. Air Force contract worth roughly $16 billion. The T-X trainer program award is the Air Force's largest ongoing aircraft competition. A South Korean defense company poised to win part of a multibillion-dollar Pentagon contract paid $150,000 to a firm set up by President Donald Trump 's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen . The arranged payment from Korea Aerospace Industries 4781-KR , or KAI, to Cohen's company, Essential Consultants, was for "legal consulting concerning accounting standards on production costs," a KAI representative told Reuters . KAI did not respond to multiple requests for comment from CNBC. The revelations about KAI's relationship with Cohen came after Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for a porn star suing Cohen and Trump, released documents that said Essential Consultants received hundreds of thousands of dollars from individuals and companies. Telecom giant AT&T T and Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis have also acknowledged paying Cohen's firm for consulting services meant to give an insight into Trump's approach to policy. The Korean defense company, partnered with Lockheed Martin LMT to build the T-50A trainer jet in hopes of securing a U.S. Air Force contract worth roughly $16 billion. Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon's top weapons supplier, entered the T-50A into the bidding contest. The plane is a version of KAI's T-50, which is used in South Korea as well as several other U.S. partner nations. Lockheed did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The companies are widely expected to win the lucrative contract for the delivery of 350 aircraft. Meanwhile, Boeing BA partnered with Swedish aerospace firm Saab SAAB.B-SE to develop a brand-new design. Story continues The T-X trainer program award, the Air Force's largest ongoing aircraft competition, is expected to be announced later this year. The trainer aircraft will replace the Air Force's aging T-38 trainers that have been in the U.S. military's portfolio since the 1960s. WATCH: White House responds to Cohen payments story More From CNBC The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has officially launched a blockchain-powered crowdfunding platform for startups in the country. Dubbed LiVE, the new crowdfunding marketplace from the SET is built on a blockchain that enables startups and small enterprises to access funding from venture capital funds and institutional investors directly via peer-to-peer trading. According to an announcement by the SET, eight companies from both public and private sectors have joined the platform at launch with a further 50 companies set to join the blockchain-powered funding platform. The launch sees the culmination of a plan that began in March 2017 when the SET unveiled its intention to operate a marketplace over a blockchain that will have no restrictions on trading units. The current apparatus for small companies and startups restricts trading in board lots, or units of 100. At the time, an SET official said over 600 companies had registered with the stock exchange operator, expressing an interest to invest in startups through blockchain technology. As CCN reported at the time, the marked pivot to adopt a blockchain marketplace follows a mandate by Thailands deputy minister Somkid Jatusripitak urging the SET to create a new bourse for domestic startups to access financing. SET requirements do not allow startups to list on the national stock exchange since they are new businesses. LiVE platform has been developed with the use of blockchain technology as an infrastructure for participating businesses to expand and get connected with future alliances, an excerpt from the announcement read. To join the blockchain platform, companies will need to be registered in Thailand and can qualify as an institutional investor, a venture capital investor, a corporate venture capital investor, or a specific investor with an annual income of over THB 4 million ($125,000), or combined assets worth over THB 50 million ($1.5 million). SET President Kesara Manchusree added: Story continues LiVE platform will be a key mechanism to help drive forward Thailands growth especially enabling startups and SMEs to have more financial accesses through crowdfunding. Businesses can utilize LiVE to promote to a wider target group while using partnership to expand customer base. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Thailands National Stock Exchange Launches Blockchain Crowdfunding Platform appeared first on CCN. URI vs. SSD: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option? The United States has pulled out of the landmark deal curbing Irans nuclear program and reimposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Trump said that it was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. He added that the Iran deal is defective at its core and its an embarrassment that the United States did little to restrain Irans nuclear ambition. In the run-up to the U.S. decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that he has evidence that the nuclear deal was nothing but fabrications and Iran was hiding nuclear weapons. Trump agreed that Netanyahus claims corroborated his own view. So, what is the Iran nuclear deal? It was a historic agreement reached by Iran and several other world powers including Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States to reduce the Islamic Republics ability to produce two major components of nuclear weapons plutonium and uranium. In return, Iran will be able spared of crippling financial sanctions. The deal also permitted Iran to export more crude provided the nation restricted its nuclear activities. Let us now take a look at the potential winners and losers emerging from the end of the Iran nuclear deal: Oil Near $70, Energy Stocks Gain With the United States poised to reimpose sanctions on Irans petroleum sales, oil prices initially dropped but rebounded soon after. This has disrupted global oil production at a time when the crude market is tight. The international benchmark, Brent crude oil, rose as high as 3.1% to $77.20 in early trading in London on May 9, while the benchmark price for U.S. crude oil climbed to $70.93. Shares of energy companies are, undoubtedly, rallying as crude prices hover near $70 a barrel. Energy shares are looking up after they fell out of favor when oil price slipped from $100 a barrel to under $30 in 2014. In fact, the energy sector of the S&P 500 has risen more than 10% in the past month to total gains of 3.1% so far this year. Story continues From exploration and production firm Anadarko Petroleum Corporation APC and Hess Corporation HES to petroleum refiner Valero Energy Corporation VLO, all have seen a rally in shares of more than 20% to date, easily outperforming the broader S&P 500s decline of less than 0.1%. Meanwhile, smaller energy equipment and services companies, whose shares tend to rise with an uptick in oil prices, have gained even more. At the same time, companies like Encana Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation OXY and Pioneer Natural Resources Companys PXD earnings are poised to improve further as oil prices scale north. This is because these companies have already posted better results in the most recent quarter when oil prices were between $50 and $60 a barrel. As oil continues to hover around $70 a barrel and is probably heading toward $80 soon, these energy players will not only make the most of the higher spot prices but will also hedge into next year at higher oil prices. But lets admit that its just not oil prices that are changing investors attitude toward energy companies. Stronger balance sheets, steady rise in profitability and focus to boost shareholders returns are shaping the turnaround in the energy space. Oil majors Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM and Chevron Corporation CVX have already seen the best first-quarter performance in years last month. In all, the highest first quarter year-over-year earnings growth is likely to be recorded in the energy sector, which is expected to surge 73.9% from the same period last year on 14.4% higher revenues. Given this bullishness, some of the top-ranked energy shares one could consider are Evolution Petroleum Corporation EPM, Pioneer Energy Services Corp. PES, Oasis Midstream Partners LP OMP and Rice Midstream Partners LP RMP. These stocks flaunt a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and a VGM Score of A or B. Here V stands for Value, G for Growth and M for Momentum and the score is a weighted combination of these three metrics. Such a score allows you to eliminate the negative aspects of stocks and select winners (read more: Oil Hits $70 for First Time in 4 Years: 5 Top Energy Picks). Travel Shares Go Down, Boeing in Trouble The surge in oil prices incited investors to dump travel and leisure stocks, put off by the prospect of increasing fuel costs for airlines. Travel and leisure stocks dropped as much as 2.1% on May 8. Trumps announcement to withdraw from what he considers a defective Iranian nuclear deal, in the meantime, is expected to heighten tensions in the Middle East region. This doesnt bode well for The Boeing Company BA. The airline manufacturer stands to lose a whopping $20 billion in business with Iran. After all, it has an agreement to sell around 110 planes worth the said amount to Iranian airlines. The U.S. withdrawal also affected Boeings French rival Airbus SE, which had a multibillion-dollar sale planned. IranAir has ordered nearly 80 passenger aircraft from Airbus. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce ""the world's first trillionaires,"" but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early. See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> 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 The Boeing Company (BA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Chevron Corporation (CVX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Pioneer Energy Services Corp. (PES) : Free Stock Analysis Report Pioneer Natural Resources Company (PXD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Evolution Petroleum Corporation, Inc. (EPM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Rice Midstream Partners LP (RMP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Hess Corporation (HES) : Free Stock Analysis Report Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Oasis Midstream Partners LP (OMP) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Investing.com U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States would leave the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, paving the way for new sanctions on Irans energy industry. "I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump said. "We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanctions on Iran." Following the decision, Crude oil prices reversed earlier losses as traders reinitiated bets on the prospect of lower global oil supplies The outcome was widely expected as Trump has long criticised the Iran nuclear deal, claiming it was the worst deal ever. "It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iran nuclear bomb under the current deal," Trump said on Tuesday. The presidents decision to leave the 2015 accord, and not waive sanctions on Iran is expected to weigh on Tehrans energy sector, stifling output and further cutting global crude supplies. It was not immediately clear whether Trump will immediately reinstate all of the sanctions. Some said, however, that sanctions on Iran could take months to get underway as the U.S. government would need to develop guidance for companies and banks, allowing the proponents of the deal an opportunity to negotiate. The loss of Iran crude supply could boost oil prices by as much as $3.5 a barrel, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) said in a note to clients. A six-month loss of 250,000 barrels of oil per day of Iran supply could support oil prices by $3.5 per barrel if other OPEC members do not respond to offset it, Goldman Sachs said. The bank also cited further geopolitical tensions in key oil producing countries adding a further risk premium to oil prices. "In fact, growing geopolitical tensions in key oil producing countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya and Nigeria create risks of additional production losses in the face of depleted inventory buffers, Goldman Sachs said. This is a breaking news story; please refresh the page for updates. Story continues Related Articles Gold Prices Steady as Uncertainty on Trump's Iran Decision Boosts Demand Venezuela's PDVSA diverts crude tanker from Curacao - shipper, data Natural Gas Futures Inch Higher (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] said on Tuesday it signed an agreement with U.S. space agency NASA to explore concepts and technologies needed for passenger and cargo air transportation within an urban area. This is Uber's second agreement with the space agency. As part of the pact, the ride-hailing company will share data related to its efforts to build flying taxis in 2020 for the development of NASA's urban air mobility (UAM) program. "Using data from Uber, NASA will use its research facility at the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) airport to simulate a small passenger carrying aircraft as it flies through DFW airspace during peak scheduled air traffic, and analyze if these operations would trigger traffic collision advisories," Uber said in a statement. Uber on Tuesday also released a new prototype for flying taxies at its annual Elevate Summit. In November, the company said it was working with NASA to develop a software which could be used to manage flying taxi routes and would work like ride-hailing services that Uber has popularized on the ground. (Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur) LONDON, May 8 (Reuters) - Britain, Germany and France urged the United States not to take steps that would make life harder for other countries that still wanted to stick to the nuclear deal with Iran that U.S. President Donald Trump said he was withdrawing from on Tuesday. "We urge the U.S. to ensure that the structures of the JCPOA (deal) can remain intact, and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal," the leaders of Britain, Germany and France said in a joint statement provided by Prime Minister Theresa May's office. May spoke by telephone with France's President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel after Trump made his statement and the United States said it intended to reimpose sanctions on Iran. (Reporting by David Milliken Editing by Hugh Lawson) (New throughout, adds background and details on PDVSA's shipping operations) By Marianna Parraga May 8 (Reuters) - State-run PDVSA ordered an oil tanker that was waiting to discharge in Curacao to divert to Venezuelan waters after ConocoPhillips introduced an order in a Caribbean court to seize its inventories and other assets in the island, according to a shipper and Reuters data on Tuesday. The U.S. oil company has moved aggressively in recent days to attach PDVSA's assets in the Caribbean, one of its main export hubs, to enforce a $2 billion arbitration award related to the nationalization of Conoco's projects in Venezuela in 2007. The Aframax tanker British Cygnet loaded crude at Russia's Primorsk terminal last month. It arrived in Curacao's Bullenbay terminal on Sunday, two days after at least two Caribbean courts ordered the retention of PDVSA's inventories and facilities in Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba and St. Eustatius by request of the U.S. oil company. PDVSA has been buying U.S. and Russian crudes this year for refining at its 335,000 barrel-per-day Isla refinery in Curacao and for blending with extra-heavy oil from the Orinoco Belt, Venezuela's main producing region. The British Cygnet tanker, which set sail for Venezuela's western coast on Monday night, follows at least nine vessels diverted since Friday from Curacao and Bonaire to Venezuela and Cuba to avoid possible seizures of tankers or their barrels, according to a PDVSA source and Reuters data. Cargoes arriving from the Caribbean have started creating bottlenecks of vessels around PDVSA's main ports, especially Jose, Venezuela's largest terminal for crude exports, and the docks that serve PDVSA's biggest refinery, the Paraguana Refining Center, according to the data. The Caribbean terminals affected by the court orders last year were responsible for shipping about 400,000 bpd of crude and refined products, or 24 percent of PDVSA's total exports, according to the company's internal data. PDVSA's U.S. refining unit Citgo Petroleum also uses the Aruba terminal to discharge, store and blend Venezuelan and foreign crudes for its refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio) FILE PHOTO: The headquarters of Vodafone Germany are pictured in Duesseldorf September 12, 2013. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender/File Photo By Paul Sandle and Kate Holton LONDON (Reuters) - Vodafone has agreed to pay $21.8 billion to buy Liberty Global's assets in Germany and eastern Europe to take the fight to rivals with a broader range of superfast cable TV, broadband and mobile services. The world's second-largest mobile operator struck a deal with U.S. cable pioneer John Malone's Liberty after years of on-off talks to become a European force to challenge the dominance of former monopolies such as Deutsche Telekom. The German provider swiftly emphasised its previously stated opposition to the deal and Vodafone is likely to face a lengthy regulatory review in Brussels. Deutsche Telekom is set to argue that the deal should at the very least lead to an easing of the regulations it faces in its home market. [nL8N1SG437] The deal puts Vodafone back on the front foot in its European heartlands, where it is battling to be one of the few players with the scale to provide the full range of entertainment and communications services that consumers want. "In Europe, Vodafone started historically as the challenger in mobile across all markets, over time we built a presence in fixed and now with this transaction we become the largest provider of mobile-fixed converged services across all European countries," Vodafone Chief Executive Vittorio Colao told reporters. He said the logic of putting together mobile and fixed assets had strengthened in markets like Germany, pushing a deal between the two companies over the line. "This transaction will create the first truly converged pan-European champion of competition," he said. "It is also a transformative combination for Vodafone, we will become the leading next-generation network owner in Europe, serving the largest number of mobile customers and households across the EU." The companies have pencilled in a mid-2019 completion date for a combination that also includes the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. Vodafone's shares were trading up 1.2 percent at 210 pence at 1155 GMT. Story continues REGULATORY BATTLE The deal, Colao said, would not reduce choice because there was no overlap between Vodafone's existing Kabel Deutschland cable network and Liberty's Unity Media. Setting out Vodafone's likely pitch to regulators, he said the deal would benefit consumers and governments wanting faster digital infrastructure. Deutsche Telekom, Europe's largest telecoms firm, argues that the deal will distort competition in Germany. The acquisition would create "a giant preening with its convergent technology", DT's CEO Tim Hoettges said. "I personally will fight for fair competition for our customers, to ensure that we do not face a disadvantage," he said on a results conference call. [nL8N1SG2QD] Colao, who has publicly clashed with the Deutsche Telekom CEO over the deal, said he was amused by Hoettges' "self serving" remarks. "He wants to keep his dominance as a single nationwide player," he said. "Bad news for him; now there will be a second nationwide player." Liberty Chief Executive Mike Fries said he was confident it would be passed, adding that even when combined, Vodafone and Liberty would be half the size of Deutsche. Under the deal, the British company will give Liberty $12.7 billion in cash and take on the associated debt to create a European network covering 54 million homes. UBS analysts said the price appeared to be at the lower end of investor expectations and there was also likely to be relief at the absence of significant equity issuance to fund the deal, which has been an overhang on the shares in recent months. BIG DEAL FOR VODAFONE The move marks Vodafone's biggest deal since it exited the United States in 2014. Liberty will remain in Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland and Slovakia. Analysts have speculated that the two companies could do a similar deal in Britain, where Liberty own cable group Virgin Media, but Colao said that was not on the agenda. "Virgin is not on the agenda for the time being," he said. "We are very happy with the current solution of both reselling BT's lines and working with CityFibre." Vodafone said combining the companies' operations would generate cost savings of about $632.80 million a year before integration costs by the fifth year after the deal completes. It will target revenue synergies of more than $1.8 billion by cross-selling multiple services to the combined customer base. A break fee of 250 million euros will be payable to the British company, in certain circumstances, if the deal does not complete. The two companies, which already have a joint venture in the Netherlands which is excluded from the deal, restarted talks in February. ($1 = 0.8455 euros) (Additional reporting by Douglas Busvine in Frankfurt; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge/Keith Weir) Since Trump refrained from announcing the immediate start of sanctions against Iran, some are saying there is still room for compromise. They believe that Trump may pull out of the deal without reimposing the sanctions. By delaying the sanctions for 90 to 180 days, it gives some of the United States allies a chance to rework the deal or make arrangements with Iran and the allies themselves. In a widely anticipated move by crude oil speculators, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday afternoon that he will withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal and restore sanctions on the nation suspended under the 2015 accord. Trump said he will reimpose sanctions on Iran, although he offered no evidence that Tehran has violated the terms of the nuclear deal. Congressional sources tell CNBC the administration plans to wind down various aspects of the deal over 90- or 180-day periods. We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction, Trump said. Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could be strongly sanctioned by the United States. Exiting the deal may have fulfilled one of Trumps campaign promises, but now Trump faces possible strains in U.S. relations with some of its closest allies especially in Europe. Additionally, the move could also cause crude oil supply disruptions at a time when supplies are tightening. Furthermore, the move also gives Iran the option of expelling inspectors and resuming nuclear activity that it has agreed to suspend. In addition to the United States, the deal was also agreed to by economic powerhouses China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. In opting out of the deal, Trump risks creating the diplomatic and economic uncertainties with the United States. Since Trump refrained from announcing the immediate start of sanctions against Iran, some are saying there is still room for compromise. They believe that Trump may pull out of the deal without reimposing the sanctions. By delaying the sanctions for 90 to 180 days, it gives some of the United States allies a chance to rework the deal or make arrangements with Iran and the allies themselves. Once the 90 to 180 grace period passes, the U.S. could choose to wield its power over the global financial system on those who arent on its side and move to implement the sanctions. The Treasury Department, for instance, can lock foreign businesses out of the U.S. market if they refuse to comply with sanctions on Iran. Story continues As far as the markets are concerned, crude oil recovered a little from earlier losses after Trumps announcement, but traders are still being driven by uncertainty because the impact of renewed sanctions on oil flows will depend in part on how Washington chooses to implement them. Analysts are saying that the lack of international support for renewed U.S. sanctions means the measures will likely only remove 300,000 to 500,000 barrels a day of Iranian crude from the market versus a possible 1 million to 1.5 million barrels a day if all of the nations that signed the deal decide to impose tariffs. The Dow dropped about 150 points on the announcement, but has since then clawed back most of those losses. Additionally, there are reports that Boeing may lose $20 billion in aircraft deals because of Trumps decision. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Macerich's (MAC) Scottsdale Fashion Square Gets New Lineup The Macerich Company (MAC) opens Scottsdale Fashion Square's refurbished luxury wing. The face-lift enables the mall to add an impressive tenant lineup to its roster. Wyndham Worldwide Corporations WYN diversified product portfolio, strong loyalty program, strategic acquisitions and effective marketing efforts position the company for growth, whereas heightened competition remains a potential threat to the top line. The company recently reported mixed first-quarter 2018 results, wherein earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate while revenues lagged the same. Adjusted earnings of $1.33 per share increased 31.7% year over year including the benefit of the new income tax. Without such benefit, earnings grew 10% on the back of higher revenues in all the three operating segments, hurricane-related insurance recoveries and Wyndhams share repurchase program, partly offset by higher interest expenses. Notably, the company outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering a positive average earnings surprise of 4.65%. Over the past 30 days, the consensus estimate for earnings for the current year has moved up 0.8% to $7.33. However, considerable international presence makes the company vulnerable to various macro-economic conditions in many regions. Also, we note that shares of the company have gained 12.5% in the past year, underperforming the industrys growth of 21.4%. Acquisitions to Strengthen Domestic and Global Footprint Wyndham Hotel Group is constantly trying to expand globally through acquisitions. In January 2018, the company announced a definitive merger agreement with La Quinta Holdings Inc., a midscale hospitality company. This buyout is expected to help Wyndham significantly improve the hotel management business and strengthen its brand presence internationally.Moreover, in 2017, Wyndhams Hotel Group completed the acquisition of AmericInn hotel brand and its management company, Three Rivers Hospitality. The acquisition has added 200 hotels across 21 states, predominately in the Midwestern U.S., Ohio Valley and Mountain states. Story continues Loyalty and Rewards Program to Boost Occupancy In order to survive in a competitive industry, Wyndham is continuously devising new ways to enhance guest experience and raise occupancy. These efforts include emphasis on marketing campaigns, digital experiences, websites, on-property amenities, travel perks and marketing partnerships. Notably, Wyndham Rewards offers one of the most generous reward program payouts in the industry. Currently, there are about 56 million members in Wyndham Rewards. In 2017, the company made Wyndham Rewards points redemption available to nearly 100 Wyndham Vacation Ownership properties, to generate new marketing opportunities between the two businesses. On completion of La Quintas acquisition, Wyndham plans to expand this program to 13 million members of the La Quinta Returns Loyalty Program. Increased Competition Remains a Concern The hotel industry is highly competitive, as major hospitality chains with well-established and recognized brands are continuously expanding their global presence. Wyndham is continuously facing intense competition from both large hotel chains like Hyatt H and Marriott MAR, and smaller independent local hospitality providers. Increasingly, the company also faces competition from new channels of distribution in the travel industry. Additional sources of competition include large companies that offer online travel services as part of their business model such as Alibaba BABA, search engines such as Google, and peer-to-peer inventory sources that allow travelers to book stays on websites that facilitate the short-term rental homes and apartments from owners, thereby providing an alternative to hotel rooms such as Airbnb and HomeAway. Unless Wyndham counters these competitions with appropriate strategies, these may pose concern to the companys future profitability. Moreover, the hotelier has considerable international presence, making it vulnerable to the economic conditions in the region. Despite immense growth potential, a sluggish economy in Brazil, uncertainty in Africa and macroeconomic factors in Venezuela are likely to keep revenues under pressure. Limited supply growth in certain Southern China markets, continued government austerity in Beijing and a drop in the number of visitors from Mainland China to Hong Kong owing to continued political disruption, are hurting China sales. Also, the company expects soft demand in the oil producing regions that mainly include parts of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and West Virginia to continue hurting RevPAR. Wyndham carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early. See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> 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 Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Wyndham Worldwide Corp (WYN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Marriott International (MAR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Hyatt Hotels Corporation (H) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research For Immediate Release Chicago, IL May 9, 2018 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Huntsman Corporation HUN, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation LPX, Bunge Limited BG, ADT Inc. ADT and American Equity Investment Life Holding Company AEL. Here are highlights from Tuesdays Analyst Blog: 5 Top-Ranked Momentum Stocks for a Market Rebound Though volatility will continue to play foul with Wall Street, the recent surge in oil prices and tech sector renewed some confidence in the riskier assets. Crude oil topped the $70-per-barrel mark for the first time since November 2014 thanks to Iran sanction worries, falling Venezuela production, historic output cut deal and higher demand. The rally in the commodity has spread major optimism in the energy sector, pushing many stocks to new highs. Meanwhile, the technology sector has been powered by a spate of earnings releases from the major players, especially Apple. This is because shares of AAPL are riding higher at the fastest pace in over nine years, logging in the longest six-day winning streak since Mar 17, 2009, skyrocketing 14.1%. The stock has scaled multiple highs surpassing $185 for the first time on May 7 and is heading toward a record trillion-dollar market value. Additionally, stronger-than-expected earnings are providing the biggest catalyst. Notably, Q1 earnings season is on track to record its best quarter in seven years with earnings expected to be up 23.2% on revenue growth of 8.7%. This is much higher than 13.4% earnings growth and 8.1% revenue growth recorded in Q4. Given the positive developments, momentum investing would be a winning strategy for those seeking higher returns in a short spell. This is because the strategy looks to fetch profits from buying hot stocks that have shown an uptrend over the past few weeks or months. Story continues How to Pick Right Stocks? Handpicking momentum stocks has now become a fairly simple task thanks to the Zacks Momentum Score which indicates the favorable time to enter a stock to take advantage of the momentum with the highest probability of success. Our research shows that stocks with a Momentum Style Score of A or B when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) offer the best upside potential with a stronger momentum effect. Hence, we have used the Zacks Stock Screener to find out the best stocks in the momentum space. The parameters include a Momentum Score of A, and a Zacks Rank #1 or 2. Further, we have narrowed down the list to locate stocks with below-industry P/E and P/B ratios, and a top Zacks industry rank (top 40%). Here are the five picks: Huntsman Corporation Based in The Woodlands, TX, Huntsman is among the world's largest global manufacturers of differentiated and commodity chemical products for a variety of industrial and consumer applications. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Zacks Rank: #1 Market Cap: $7.07 billion Zacks Industry Rank: Top 10% P/E: 9.51 versus industry average of 13.98 P/B: 1.87 versus industry average of 2.61 Louisiana-Pacific Corporation Based in Nashville, TN, Louisiana-Pacific manufactures building products primarily for use in new home construction, repair and remodeling, and outdoor structures, as well as light industrial and commercial construction applications. Zacks Rank: #1 Market Cap: $4.1 billion Zacks Industry Rank: Top 5% P/E: 9.73 versus industry average of 20.37 P/B: 2.44 versus industry average of 2.85 Bunge Limited Based in White Plains, NY, Bunge is an integrated global agribusiness and food company spanning the farm-to-consumer food chain. Zacks Rank: #2 Market Cap: $9.92 billion Zacks Industry Rank: Top 24% P/E: 14.28 versus industry average of 17.39 P/B: 1.48 versus industry average of 1.98 ADT Inc. Based in Boca Raton, FL, ADT provides security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in the United States and Canada. Zacks Rank: #2 Market Cap: $6.05 billion Zacks Industry Rank: Top 9% P/E: 9.93 versus industry average of 14.81 P/B: 1.84 versus industry average of 2.45 American Equity Investment Life Holding Company Based in West Des Moines, IA, American Equity provides life insurance products and services in the United States. Zacks Rank: #2 Market Cap: $2.63 billion Zacks Industry Rank: Top 31% P/E: 8.62 versus industry average of 9.34 P/B: 1.04 versus industry average of 1.09 Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside? Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. See the pot trades we're targeting>> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. 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 Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (LPX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Huntsman Corporation (HUN) : Free Stock Analysis Report American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (AEL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Bunge Limited (BG) : Free Stock Analysis Report ADT Inc. (ADT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Iran has reacted with anger to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the 2015 nuclear deal while European governments scrambled to salvage the landmark agreement. Iranian lawmakers lit a paper U.S. flag on fire at parliament on May 9, shouting, "Death to America!" as parliament speaker Ali Larijani said responsibility for saving the deal fell on the EU and other world powers still in the accord. "Trump's abandoning of the nuclear deal was a diplomatic show.... Iran has no obligation to honor its commitments under the current situation," Larijani told parliament on May 9. "It is obvious that Trump only understands the language of force." Larijani also urged the country's nuclear department to prepare for "resumption of all aspects of nuclear activities." Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Trump "made a mistake," according to his official website. Trump announced on May 8 he would reimpose U.S. economic sanctions on Iran to undermine what he called "a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made." The 2015 agreement, worked out by the United States, five other world powers, and Iran, lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. The pact was designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. France said the Iranian nuclear accord was "not dead" despite the U.S. withdrawal. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France's RTL radio on May 9 that "the risks of confrontation are real" after Trump's decision to pull out of the landmark agreement. Le Drian said that "we are ready to work on a widened accord" that would address Trump's concerns about the 2015 deal aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions. Le Drian said he and his British and German counterparts will meet later on May 9 with Iranian representatives for talks. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Berlin remained committed to the Iran nuclear deal and urged Tehran to stick to its commitments under the agreement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the U.S. decision showed Europe will face increasing responsibility to secure peace and seek political solutions to conflicts. Merkel underlined the commitment of Germany, France, and Britain to stick with the accord. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told Parliament on May 9 that he had no problem with Trump's goal for a lasting solution to Iran's nuclear threat, but added, "The question is: how does the U.S. propose to achieve it?" Johnson said his country "has no intention of walking away" from the deal, which London, he said, believes is working to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Russian President Vladimir Putin was deeply concerned over the U.S. decision, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted a Kremlin spokesman as saying on May 9. Trump's '10 Lies' In Tehran, Khamenei struck a defiant tone, saying Trump's remarks threatened Iran's people and its theocratic government. Khamenei described Trump's speech on May 8 as having "over 10 lies," without elaborating. "Mr. Trump, I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake," Khamenei said, according to comments on his official website. Under Iran's Islamic republic, Khamenei has final say on all state matters. The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Iran was abiding by the agreement. In a statement on May 9, Yukiya Amano, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that "as of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran." On May 8, Iranian President Hassan Rohani said he had ordered his diplomats to negotiate with China, Russia, Britain, France, and Germany in the coming weeks to determine whether Iran can keep benefiting from cooperation from those countries, which have all pledged to continue honoring the deal. "If we achieve the deal's goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place," Rohani said, although he also warned that Iran was ready to resume nuclear activities curbed under the deal in exchange for sanctions relief if the U.S. withdrawal made it impossible for Iran's economy to continue benefiting. "We will not allow Trump to win this psychological war," Rohani said. Russia and the European powers also vowed to stick with the deal, with leading U.S. allies in Europe calling on Washington not to do anything to undermine their commitment to keeping the deal in place. European Union foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini called on Iran to "stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours, and together with the rest of the international community we will preserve this nuclear deal." A Russian diplomat said the deal remains in effect as long as Iran continues to honor it, while United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all countries to "abide fully" by the deal, which he called a "major achievement." In a joint statement, Britain, France, and Germany called on the United States to "ensure the structures of the [deal] can remain intact, and avoid taking actions which obstruct its full implementation by all other parties to the deal." But top U.S. officials were already working to stymie efforts by European powers to go ahead with business deals they undertook when sanctions on Iran were lifted in 2016. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he was revoking the licenses not only for the sale of hundreds of passenger planes to Iran by the U.S. aircraft giant Boeing, but by Europe's Airbus plane manufacturer as well. IranAir had ordered 200 passenger aircraft: 100 from Airbus, 80 from Boeing, and 20 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR. All the deals are dependent on U.S. licenses because of the heavy use of U.S. parts in commercial planes. The Treasury also gave other companies that are doing business with Iran 90 to 180 days to wind down their existing contracts, in a far-reaching order that has the potential to affect major global companies, including General Electric, Volkswagen, Total, Peugeot Citroen, British Airways, Accor, and Lufthansa. Meanwhile, the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, advised German companies doing business with Iran to "wind down operations immediately" in a post on Twitter. "U.S. sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy. German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately," he wrote. Germany is one of Iran's largest trading partners, with German exports to Iran hitting some 2.6 billion euros ($3.1 billion) in 2016, up 26 percent from the previous year, according to the Finance Ministry in Berlin. In abruptly pulling the United States out of the deal, Trump had vowed that the United States would resume a sanctions regime against Tehran that would be as tough as possible. "We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanctions," he said. Trump said his goal was to "work with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear threat," but none of the other world powers that signed the 2015 agreement stepped forward on May 8 to go down the path of negotiating a new deal. With reporting by AP, AFP, dpa, and Reuters 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. - Management to conduct business development and investor focused meetings at the conference NEW YORK, May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN:ATNM) ("Actinium" or "the Company"), announced today that it will be attending and presenting at the 19th Annual Bioquity Europe Conference being held on May 14 - 16, 2018 at the Het Pand Convention Center in Ghent, Belgium. Details of Actiniums presentation are as follows: Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 Time: 4:20 p.m. CEST Room: Level 1+, Priorzaal Room Venue: The Het Pand Convention Center Management will conduct one-on-one meetings with investors during the conference. To arrange a meeting with Actinium, please contact, Steve OLoughlin, Actiniums Principal Financial Officer at soloughlin@actiniumpharma.com. About the 19th Annual Bioquity Europe Conference Bioquity Europe pioneered the turf-neutral concept, creating an open door for all members of the financial community and business development and licensing professionals to do business with independently selected presenting companies. Now celebrating its 19th meeting, Bioquity Europe is the seminal industry event for financial dealmakers looking for investor-validated life science companies positioning themselves to attract capital, and for pharmaceutical licensing professionals to assess top prospects. Bioquity Europe has showcased more than 700 leading European companies to thousands of investment and pharma business development professionals. Delegates from 24 nations attended Bioquity Europe last year in Paris. To learn more, please click this link. About Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Actinium Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing targeted therapies for potentially superior myeloablation and conditioning of the bone marrow prior to a bone marrow transplant and for the targeting and killing of cancer cells. Our targeted therapies have demonstrated the potential to result in significantly improved access to bone marrow transplant with better outcomes, namely increased marrow engraftment and survival. Our targeted therapies are ARCs or Antibody Radio-Conjugates that combine the targeting ability of monoclonal antibodies with the cell killing ability of radioisotopes. We have four clinical trials based on our AWE or Actinium Warhead Enabling Technology Platform that utilizes the isotope Actinium-225 (Ac225) which emits alpha particles. In addition, our most advanced product candidate, Iomab-B, an ARC developed by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, is comprised of an anti-CD45 monoclonal antibody labeled with iodine-131. We are currently conducting a pivotal Phase 3 trial of Iomab-B for myeloablation and conditioning of the bone marrow prior to a bone marrow transplant for patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) age 55 and older. A bone marrow transplant is a potentially curative treatment for patients with AML and other blood cancers including leukemias, lymphomas and multiple myeloma as well as certain blood disorders. Iomab-B has been tested in several of these other cancers with over five hundred patients treated in several Phase 1 and 2 trials with promising results. Upon successful completion of our Phase 3 clinical trial for Iomab-B we intend to submit this candidate for marketing approval in the U.S. and European Union where it has been designated as an Orphan Drug. We are also developing a potentially best in class CD33 program using an ARC comprised of the anti-CD33 monoclonal antibody lintuzumab labeled with the alpha-particle emitter actinium-225. Our most advanced CD33 program candidate, Actimab-A, is currently in a Phase 2 clinical trial for patients advanced over the age of 60 who are newly diagnosed with AML and ineligible for standard induction chemotherapy. Actimab-A also has Orphan Drug designation in the US and EU. Actimab-M, our second CD33 program ARC, is being studied in a Phase 1 trial for patients with refractory multiple myeloma. Actinium is also planning a Phase 2 trial for Actimab-MDS, our third CD33 program candidate, as a conditioning regimen prior to a bone marrow transplant for patients with MDS that have a p53 genetic mutation. Our Phase 1 trial studying Actimab-A with CLAG-M is our fourth CD33 program clinical trial for patients with relapsed or refractory AML. Our AWE or Actinium Warhead Enabling Technology Platform, originally developed in conjunction with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, is focused on leveraging Actiniums know how and intellectual property to create additional ARC drug candidates by labeling Ac225 to targeting moieties that we will either progress in clinical trials ourselves or out-license. Actinium has entered into a collaboratively research partnership with Astellas Pharma, Inc. that is utilizing our AWE technology platform and we are conducting research whereby we have labeled the CD38 antibody, daratumumab, with actinium-225. More information is available at www.actiniumpharma.com and our Twitter feed @ActiniumPharma, www.twitter.com/actiniumpharma. Forward-Looking Statements for Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. This press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe-harbor provisions of the private securities litigation reform act of 1995 regarding future events or the future financial performance of the Company which the Company undertakes no obligation to update. These statements are based on managements current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated or estimated future results, including the risks and uncertainties associated with preliminary study results varying from final results, estimates of potential markets for drugs under development, clinical trials, actions by the FDA and other governmental agencies, regulatory clearances, responses to regulatory matters, the market demand for and acceptance of Actiniums products and services, performance of clinical research organizations and other risks detailed from time to time in Actinium's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), including without limitation its most recent annual report on form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Forms 10-Q and Forms 8-K, each as amended and supplemented from time to time. Contact: Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Steve O'Loughlin Principal Financial Officer soloughlin@actiniumpharma.com Investor Relations Marek Ciszewski, J.D. 949.574.3860 ATNM@liolios.com NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN UNITED STATES CALGARY, Alberta, May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pieridae Energy Limited (TSXV:PEA) announces that in accordance with its Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) matching policy, Pieridaes Board of Directors granted, on May 8, 2018, 19,766 common shares of Pieridae Energy Limited to 14 of its employees and directors at the price value of $4.90 per share. This policy is intended to encourage Pieridaes employees to save for their future retirement while further aligning their personal interest to the financial success of the Company. About Pieridae Pieridae is a Canadian corporation based in Calgary, Alberta focused on the development of fully integrated energy activities, from upstream production to the sale of LNG. Pieridaes main project is the Goldboro LNG Project and, to supplement the resources it has acquired in New Brunswick and Quebec, Pieridae has embarked on a strategy to consolidate natural gas reserves in key natural gas basins to develop new international markets for Canadian and US natural gas. Pieridae will continue to seek to build a long term portfolio of natural gas to supply the Goldboro LNG Project. Pieridae is on the leading edge of the re-integration of the LNG value chain in North America. Pieridae has 50,547,159 shares issued and outstanding. For further information please contact: Cave Creek, AZ, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endexx Corporation (OTC PINK: EDXC), a provider of innovative phytonutrient-based food and nutritional products, has completed its acquisition of Go Green Global Enterprises Inc. to secure an international distribution hub in Jamaica for its entire array of cannabidiol (CBD) based products to key markets, among which are Canada, Europe, South and Central America and the Caribbean. By having a company based in Jamaica, Endexx can legally export its CBD products and Innovative Autospense products internationally, possibly increasing substantially its revenue and earnings. Endexx is pursuing multiple licenses in Jamaica to establish a vertical market to grow, process, transport, dispense, sell, and export its entire array of products, both current and future. The Companys CBD Unlimited line of cannabidiol (CBD) Cannsummable Portfolio products includes its formulated topical CBD balm and mist, travel sleep aid, teas, oils, capsules, soft chews for dogs and cats, and other products that provide key benefits to users. Endexx can now legally export its CBD products and Innovative Autospense products internationally, which is expected to substantially increase revenue and earnings. The acquisition is expected to substantially drive the companys growth strategy as it also establishes a new market for Endexxs Autospense technology, an industrial-grade automated asset protection and dispensing solution aimed at the retail and pharmacy markets. Todd Davis, Chief Executive Officer of Endexx, said, During the past several months, we have secured key relationships and business partners in Jamaica to ensure our success with operations, compliance, and governmental affairs, education and medical resourcing and exportation procedures. As a result, we have formed strong alliances within the country that afford us the opportunity to quickly scale up all aspects of the business for our product and product lines so we can begin exporting our products internationally. Given the significant demand and sizeable market opportunity for our products globally, we expect to significantly ramp revenue and earnings in the coming quarters. According to Forbes, cannabis sales internationally currently exceed $10 billion and are projected to reach $31.5 billion by 2021. A separate report published by Energias Market Research, cited that the global medical cannabis market is expected to grow significantly from $8.28 billion in 2017 to $28.07 billion in 2024 at a CAGR of 19.1% from 2018 to 2024. About Endexx Endexx, with its collaborative partners and consultants, develops and distributes two consumable product lines derived from industrial hemp, which is organic and naturally rich in phytocannabinoids. Phyto-Bites is its CBD-infused soft chews for dogs and cats. The dog treats are formulated to promote health and support the reduction of separation anxiety, pain and inflammation. The company also has two technology products and services that launched in 2014 the m3hub and the AutoSpense. Both products provide essential solutions to promote regulatory compliance and full accountability through seed to sale inventory management and an end of sale technology integration. Based on principles developed by the pharmacological industry, the m3hub platform is the first standardized software solution for tracking pharmaceutical-grade marijuana that maintains compliance with federal, state and local regulations. It is intended to provide a smooth transition to eventual federal mandates. The AutoSpense is a commercial-grade inventory control and dispensing device that provides up-to-the-minute accounting details and ensures both product and patient security. By automating the dispensing process, AutoSpense increases productivity and reduces costs for marijuana retailers, while enhancing their service quality by reducing transaction time for customers. Websites include www.cbdunlimited.com, www.endexx.com and www.phytobites.com. Safe Harbor Notice This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to financial results and plans for future development activities, and are thus prospective. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding intent, belief or current expectations of the company, its directors or its officers. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the companys ability to control. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with the companys business and finances in general, including the ability to continue and manage its growth, competition, global economic conditions and other factors discussed in detail in the Companys periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Total revenue and Adjusted EBITDA up 5% and 7% year-over-year, respectively Operating Cash Flow up 23% vs. prior year; Free Cash Flow before special items of $187 million Continued momentum driven by improvements in customer retention, subscriber acquisition cost efficiency, and commercial expansion FIRST QUARTER 2018 HIGHLIGHTS(1) Total revenue of $1,116 million, up 5% Adjusted EBITDA of $620 million, up 7% Adjusted Net Income (2) of $249 million, up 26% of $249 million, up 26% Adjusted Net Income per share of $0.34, up 10% Operating cash flow of $505 million, up 23% Free cash flow before special items of $187 million, up 7% Trailing twelve-month gross customer revenue attrition of 13.6%, an improvement of 90 bps Paid first quarterly cash dividend of $0.035 per share; declared second dividend today Formally agreed to July redemption of $750 million of Koch Preferred Securities BOCA RATON, Fla., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) today reported the results for its first quarter of 2018. We continue to build momentum and are off to a strong start in our first quarter operating as a public company, said Tim Whall, ADTs Chief Executive Officer. This quarter we continued to deliver strong year-over-year growth in revenue, EBITDA, and cash flow. Operationally, we continued to execute on our commitment to enhance our customer service capabilities and implement operational improvements. As a result, we lowered attrition to a new all-time low of 13.6% and improved revenue payback. I am pleased with our first quarter results and our management team is excited to continue executing our strategy to drive free cash flow growth and create long-term shareholder value. FIRST QUARTER 2018 RESULTS The Company reported total revenue of $1,116 million, a net loss of $157 million, and Adjusted EBITDA of $620 million for the first quarter of 2018. Total revenue was $1,116 million, up 5% year-over-year. Monitoring and related services revenue (M&S revenue), which comprised $1,017 million of total revenue, was up 2% over the same period last year. The growth in M&S revenue was attributable to an increase in monthly recurring revenue, largely driven by higher average prices combined with improvements in gross customer revenue attrition. In addition to M&S revenue, total revenue was up by an additional $38 million from last year, primarily driven by commercial revenues as a result of the successful execution of our commercial growth strategy. Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter was $620 million, up 7%, or $43 million from the same period last year. First quarter Adjusted EBITDA growth was a result of higher M&S revenue, which flows through at higher margin rates, combined with lower expensed SAC, and lower G&A expenses. The results include a net benefit of approximately $15 million, primarily attributable to a legal settlement. Adjusted Net Income(2), which is a measurement of operating performance and is defined as Adjusted EBITDA less cash net interest expense, cash taxes, and net capitalized SAC, was $249 million versus $197 million last year, an increase of $52 million. The improvement in Adjusted Net Income is due to year-over-year growth in Adjusted EBITDA of $43 million and lower cash interest. On a per share basis, Adjusted Net Income was $0.34, an increase of 10% from the same period last year. The Company reported a net loss of $157 million, compared to prior years loss of $141 million. Excluding special items, GAAP diluted earnings per share was $(0.03) versus $(0.08) in the prior year. Trailing twelve-month gross customer revenue attrition reached an all-time low in the quarter, ending at 13.6%, an improvement of 90 basis points year-over-year. The reduction is due to the Companys focus on adding new high-quality customers and enhancing customer service levels in its field offices and call centers. Trailing twelve-month customer revenue payback improved to 2.5 years from 2.6 years in the first quarter of 2017. The improvement was the result of more efficient sales and marketing spend as the Company identified opportunities to lower the cost per sale combined with reductions in net installation cost largely driven by variance performance management throughout its field offices. Operating cash flow in the quarter was $505 million, up from $412 million in the same period last year, and free cash flow before special items grew to $187 million from $175 million. The year-over-year improvement in free cash flow before special items was driven by growth in Adjusted EBITDA and lower interest, slightly offset by the quarterly timing of working capital and other. STRATEGIC HIGHLIGHTS ADT Go: Extending 24/7 Protection Beyond the Home - The Company announced the launch of ADT Go during this years Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. ADT Go is an innovative and easy-to-use mobile app that transforms families smart phones into mobile personal security devices, giving users peace of mind in knowing loved ones are safe regardless of where life takes them. The application was created in partnership with trusted locator and communication tool Life360 and offers 24/7 emergency response from ADTs live monitoring agents, backed by Life360s proprietary location technology. Expansion of Commercial Capabilities - The Company continued to further strengthen its footprint in the Commercial security market as it closed the acquisitions of Aronson Security Group (Aronson) and Acme Security Systems (Acme). Headquartered in Renton, Washington, Aronson employs nearly 170 employees and has been in business over 55 years. Acme Security Systems was among the largest privately held security system integrators in the Bay Area, and is focused on electronic systems, access control, and video networks. Acme was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. The addition of two leading, strategic commercial security businesses to the ADT platform is an exciting step in ADTs strategy to further drive commercial growth and expansion. Awards & Recognition - The Company was recognized for its progress in its Commercial and Multi-Site channels and was presented with both the Installer of the Year and Integrated Installation of the Year awards during the security industrys annual SAMMY awards ceremony. Now in its 23rd year, the SAMMY Awards were created to recognize and honor best-in-class installing security dealers and integrators for their marketing, business, installation and overall excellence. We continue to execute our strategy and make progress toward achieving our long-term goals. Expanding our Commercial and Multi-Site capabilities is a key part of our strategy, and I am proud of the progress we have made so far, said Whall. CAPITAL STRUCTURE HIGHLIGHTS Quarterly Dividend - On May 9, 2018, the Companys board of directors declared a cash dividend of $0.035 per share to common stockholders of record as of June 25, 2018. This dividend will be paid on July 10, 2018. Redemption of Prime Notes - On February 21, 2018, the Company redeemed $594 million aggregate principal amount of the Prime Notes using a portion of the net proceeds received from the IPO, and incurred a loss on extinguishment of debt of $62 million related to the payment of the call premium and the write-off of a portion of the unamortized debt issuance costs. Capital Structure - The ratio of the Companys net debt to trailing twelve-month Adjusted EBITDA implied net leverage of 4.0x as of March 31, 2018. Cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2018 totaled $258 million. Additionally, the Company has set aside $750 million of restricted cash for the redemption of the principal balance of the Koch Preferred Securities. The Company will redeem the Preferred Securities in July of 2018. (1) All variances are year-over-year unless otherwise noted. Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow before special items, Adjusted Net Income, net income or loss before special items, diluted earnings per share before special items, and net leverage ratio are non-GAAP measures. Refer to the Non-GAAP Measures section for the definitions of these terms and reconciliations to the most comparable GAAP measures. (2) Adjusted Net Income was referred to as Cash Net Income in the prior quarter. There has been no change in the calculation of the measure. Media Inquiries: Investor Relations: Jason Shockley Jason Smith - ADT tel: 561.322.7235 Sloan Bohlen - Solebury Communications jshockley@adt.com tel: 817.928.1646 investorrelations@adt.com Conference Call Management will discuss the Companys first quarter results during a conference call and webcast today beginning at 8:30 a.m. (ET). The conference call can be accessed as follows: By dialing 1-877-407-3982 (domestic) or 1-201-493-6780 (international) and requesting the ADT First Quarter 2018 Earnings Conference Call Live webcast accessed through ADTs website at investor.adt.com. An audio replay of the conference call will be available from approximately 11:30 a.m. ET on May 9, 2018 until 11:59 p.m. ET on May 23, 2018, and can be accessed by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (domestic) or 1-412-317-6671 (international), and providing the passcode 13678971, or by accessing ADTs website at investor.adt.com. A slide presentation highlighting the Companys results will also be available on the Investor Relations section of the Companys website. From time to time, the Company may use its website as a channel of distribution of material Company information. Financial and other material information regarding our Company is routinely posted on and accessible at http://investors.adt.com. About ADT Inc. ADT is a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in the United States and Canada, people on-the-go and their networks. Making security more accessible than ever before, and backed by 24/7 customer support, ADT is committed to providing superior customer service with a focus on speed and quality of responsiveness, helping customers feel safer and empowered. ADT is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida and employs approximately 17,500 people in the United States and Canada. NON-GAAP MEASURES To provide investors with additional information in connection with our results as determined by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP), we also disclose the following non-GAAP financial measures: Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Free Cash Flow, Adjusted Net Income, diluted earnings per share (EPS) before special items, and leverage ratio. These measures are not financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for net income, operating income, or any other operating performance measure calculated in accordance with GAAP, and may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure reported by other companies. We believe that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA is appropriate to provide additional information to investors about certain non-cash items and about unusual items that we do not expect to continue at the same level in the future, as well as other items. Further, we believe Adjusted EBITDA provides a meaningful measure of operating profitability because we use it for evaluating our business performance, making budgeting decisions, and comparing our performance against that of other peer companies using similar measures. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income or loss adjusted for (i) interest, (ii) taxes, (iii) depreciation and amortization, including depreciation of subscriber system assets and other fixed assets, amortization of dealer and other intangible assets, (iv) amortization of deferred costs and deferred revenue associated with subscriber acquisitions, (v) share-based compensation expense, (vi) purchase accounting adjustments related to fair value of deferred revenue under GAAP, (vii) merger, restructuring, integration, and other costs, (viii) financing and consent fees, (ix) foreign currency gains/losses, (x) loss on extinguishment of debt, (xi) radio conversion costs, (xii) management fees and other charges, and (xiii) other non-cash items. There are material limitations to using Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA does not take into account certain significant items, including depreciation and amortization, interest expense, income tax expense, and other adjustments which directly affect our net income or loss. These limitations are best addressed by considering the economic effects of the excluded items independently, and by considering Adjusted EBITDA in conjunction with net income or loss as calculated in accordance with GAAP. The Adjusted EBITDA discussion above is also applicable to its margin measure, which is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of monitoring and related services revenue. We define Free Cash Flow as cash from operating activities less cash outlays related to capital expenditures. We define capital expenditures to include purchases of property, plant, and equipment; capitalized costs associated with transactions in which we retain ownership of the security system; and accounts purchased through our network of authorized dealers or third parties outside of our authorized dealer network. In arriving at Free Cash Flow, we subtract cash outlays related to capital expenditures from cash from operating activities because they represent long-term investments that are required for normal business activities. As a result, subject to the limitations described below, Free Cash Flow is useful measure of our cash available to repay debt, make other investments, and pay dividends. Free Cash Flow adjusts for cash items that are ultimately within managements discretion to direct, and therefore, may imply that there is less or more cash that is available than the most comparable GAAP measure. Free Cash Flow is not intended to represent residual cash flow for discretionary expenditures since debt repayment requirements and other non-discretionary expenditures are not deducted. These limitations are best addressed by using Free Cash Flow in combination with the GAAP cash flow numbers. Adjusted Net Income is a non-GAAP measure that we present to provide additional information to investors about our operating performance. We define Adjusted Net Income as Adjusted EBITDA less (1) capitalized subscriber acquisition costs, (2) cash taxes, and (3) cash interest paid, including interest on our preferred securities. Given our capital intensive business model, high debt levels, and the fact we are a low cash income tax paying Company due to our significant net operating loss, the Company uses this measure to reflect the cash portion of such adjusted items mentioned above to further evaluate our operational performance. There are material limitations to using Adjusted Net Income. Adjusted Net Income does not take into account certain significant items, including depreciation and amortization, interest expense, income tax expense, and other adjustments which directly affect our net income or loss. These limitations are best addressed by considering the economic effects of the excluded items independently, and by considering Adjusted Net Income in conjunction with net income or loss as calculated in accordance with GAAP. Diluted EPS before special items is a non-GAAP measure that may be used from time to time and should not be considered a replacement for GAAP results. Diluted EPS before special items is defined as earnings per diluted share adjusted for (i) share-based compensation expense, (ii) purchase accounting adjustments related to fair value of deferred revenue under GAAP, (iii) merger, restructuring, integration, and other costs, (iv) financing and consent fees, (v) foreign currency gains/losses, (vi) loss on extinguishment of debt, (vii) radio conversion costs, (viii) management fees and other charges, (ix) other non-cash items, and (x) the impact these adjusted items have on the effective tax rate. The difference between net income or loss and diluted EPS before special items and net income or loss and diluted EPS (the most comparable GAAP measures) consists of the impact of the special items noted above on the applicable GAAP measure. The Company believes that diluted EPS before special items is one of several benchmarks used by analysts and investors who follow the industry for comparison of its performance with other companies in the industry, although our measure of diluted EPS before special items may not be directly comparable to similar measures reported by other companies. The limitation of this measure is that it excludes the impact (which may be material) of items that increase or decrease our reported operating income, operating margin, net income or loss and EPS. This limitation is best addressed by using the non-GAAP measure in combination with the most comparable GAAP measure in order to better understand the amounts, character and impact of any increase or decrease on reported results. The leverage ratio may be presented as the ratio of Adjusted EBITDA to total debt. The leverage ratio is a useful measure of the Companys credit position and progress towards leverage targets. Refer to the discussion on Adjusted EBITDA for a description of the differences between the most comparable GAAP measure. The calculation is limited in that the Company may not always be able to use cash to repay debt on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The Company is not providing a quantitative reconciliation of our non-GAAP financial outlook, if presented herein, to the corresponding GAAP information because the GAAP measures that we exclude from our non-GAAP financial outlook, other than those described above, are difficult to predict and are primarily dependent on future uncertainties. The GAAP measures excluded from our non-GAAP financial outlook for which we do not prepare a reconcilable GAAP forecast include the factors described above, where applicable. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ADT has made statements in this press release and other reports, filings, and other public written and verbal announcements that are forward-looking and therefore subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this document are, or could be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are made in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided thereunder. These forward-looking statements relate to anticipated financial performance, managements plans and objectives for future operations, business prospects, outcome of regulatory proceedings, market conditions and other matters. Any forward-looking statement made in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. ADT undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Forward-looking statements can be identified by various words such as expects, intends, will, anticipates, believes, confident, continue, propose, seeks, could, may, should, estimates, forecasts, might, goals, objectives, targets, planned, projects, and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on managements current beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. ADT cautions that these statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of ADTs control, and could cause future events or results to be materially different from those stated or implied in this document, including among others, risk factors that are described in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections entitled Risk Factors and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contained therein. ADT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in millions) (Unaudited) March 31, December 31, 2018 2017 Assets Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 258 $ 123 Current portion of restricted cash and cash equivalents 4 4 Accounts receivable trade, net 151 149 Inventories 83 86 Work-in-progress 23 21 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 102 73 Total current assets 622 456 Property and equipment, net 328 332 Subscriber system assets, net 2,891 2,893 Intangible assets, net 7,716 7,857 Goodwill 5,078 5,071 Deferred subscriber acquisition costs, net 343 282 Noncurrent restricted cash and cash equivalents 750 Other assets 132 124 Total Assets $ 17,859 $ 17,015 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current Liabilities: Current maturities of long-term debt $ 49 $ 48 Accounts payable 201 188 Deferred revenue 319 309 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 411 351 Total current liabilities 979 896 Long-term debt 9,528 10,121 Mandatorily redeemable preferred securities 708 682 Deferred subscriber acquisition revenue 413 369 Deferred tax liabilities 1,382 1,377 Other liabilities 125 137 Total Liabilities 13,135 13,582 Total Stockholders' Equity 4,724 3,433 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 17,859 $ 17,015 Note: amounts may not add due to rounding ADT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (in millions, except per share data) (Unaudited) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Monitoring and related services $ 1,017 $ 998 Installation and other 99 62 Total Revenue 1,116 1,059 Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below) 248 219 Selling, general and administrative expenses 305 353 Depreciation and intangible asset amortization 484 461 Merger, restructuring, integration, and other costs 8 21 Operating income 71 6 Interest expense, net (174 ) (181 ) Loss on extinguishment of debt (62 ) (1 ) Other (expense) income 4 Loss before income taxes (165 ) (172 ) Income tax benefit 8 32 Net loss $ (157 ) $ (141 ) Diluted EPS before special items(1) $ (0.03 ) $ (0.08 ) Net loss per share: Basic and Diluted $ (0.22 ) $ (0.22 ) Weighted-average number of shares: Basic and Diluted 729 641 Note: amounts may not add due to rounding _______________________ (1) Represents a non-GAAP measure, see below for the reconciliation to the nearest GAAP measure. ADT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (in millions) (Unaudited) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Cash Flows from Operating Activities: Net loss $ (157 ) $ (141 ) Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Depreciation and intangible asset amortization 484 461 Amortization of deferred subscriber acquisition costs 13 10 Amortization of deferred subscriber acquisition revenue (17 ) (9 ) Share-based compensation expense 49 2 Deferred income taxes (6 ) (35 ) Provision for losses on accounts receivable and inventory 13 13 Loss on extinguishment of debt 62 1 Other non-cash items, net 24 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of the effects of acquisitions: Deferred subscriber acquisition costs (43 ) (42 ) Deferred subscriber acquisition revenue 62 60 Other, net 44 68 Net cash provided by operating activities 505 412 Cash Flows from Investing Activities: Dealer generated customer accounts and bulk account purchases (160 ) (144 ) Subscriber system assets (138 ) (152 ) Capital expenditures (33 ) (34 ) Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired (36 ) Other investing 21 Net cash used in investing activities (367 ) (308 ) Cash Flows from Financing Activities: Proceeds from initial public offering, net of fees 1,410 Proceeds from long-term borrowings 934 Repayment of long-term borrowings, net of call premiums (662 ) (287 ) Dividends (550 ) Other financing (1 ) Net cash provided by financing activities 748 97 Net increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash 885 200 Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period 127 91 Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $ 1,012 $ 291 Note: amounts may not add due to rounding ADT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES U.S. GAAP to Non-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS (Unaudited) Adjusted EBITDA For the Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended March 31, March 31, (in millions) 2018 2017 2018 Net (loss) income $ (157 ) $ (141 ) $ 327 Interest expense, net 174 181 726 Income tax benefit (8 ) (32 ) (740 ) Depreciation and intangible asset amortization 484 461 1,886 Merger, restructuring, integration and other costs 8 21 52 Financing and consent fees 62 2 Foreign currency losses / (gains) 1 (3 ) (20 ) Loss on extinguishment of debt 62 1 65 Other non-cash items 13 Radio conversion costs 1 4 9 Amortization of deferred subscriber acquisition costs 13 10 54 Amortization of deferred subscriber acquisition revenue (17 ) (9 ) (55 ) Share-based compensation expense 49 2 58 Management fees and other charges 9 7 30 Adjusted EBITDA $ 620 $ 577 $ 2,395 Adjusted EBITDA Margin (as percentage of M&S Revenue) 60.9 % 57.8 % 59.2 % Note: amounts may not add due to rounding Adjusted Net Income For the Three Months Ended March 31, (in millions, except per share data) 2018 2017 Adjusted EBITDA $ 620 $ 577 Capitalized SAC (279 ) (278 ) Cash taxes 2 (2 ) Cash interest (94 ) (100 ) Adjusted net income $ 249 $ 197 Adjusted net income per share $ 0.34 $ 0.31 Diluted weighted-average number of shares outstanding 729 641 Note: amounts may not add due to rounding ADT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES U.S. GAAP to Non-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS (continued) (Unaudited) Free Cash Flow Before Special Items For the Three Months Ended March 31, (in millions) 2018 2017 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 505 $ 412 Dealer generated customer accounts and bulk account purchases (160 ) (144 ) Subscriber system assets (138 ) (152 ) Capital expenditures (33 ) (34 ) Free Cash Flow 174 82 Financing and consent fees 62 Restructuring and integration payments 6 12 Integration related capital expenditures 4 6 Management fees and other payments 2 7 Radio conversion costs 2 5 Free Cash Flow before special items $ 187 $ 175 Note: amounts may not add due to rounding Net Loss Before Special Items(b) For the Three Months Ended March 31, (in millions) 2018 2017 Net loss $ (157 ) $ (141 ) Merger, restructuring, integration, and other costs 6 13 Financing and consent fees 55 Foreign currency losses / (gains) 1 (2 ) Loss on extinguishment of debt 47 1 Radio conversion costs 1 2 Share-based compensation expense 37 2 Other 2 17 Tax specials(1) 39 Net loss before special items $ (25 ) $ (53 ) Note: amounts may not add due to rounding _______________________ (1) Represents one-time non-deductible tax impact on share-based compensation expense related to the Class B Units in Ultimate Parent. ADT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES U.S. GAAP to Non-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS (continued) (Unaudited) Diluted EPS Before Special Items For the Three Months Ended March 31, (in millions, except per share data) 2018 2017 Diluted EPS (GAAP) $ (0.22 ) $ (0.22 ) Impact of special items(1) 0.18 0.14 Diluted EPS before special items $ (0.03 ) $ (0.08 ) Diluted weighted-average number of shares outstanding 729 641 Note: amounts may not add due to rounding _______________________ (1) Items have been presented net of tax where applicable. Net Leverage Ratio March 31, (in millions) 2018 Revolver $ First lien term loan 3,527 First lien notes 3,750 Capital leases 39 Total first lien debt (1) 7,316 Second lien notes(1) 2,546 Preferred securities(2) 820 Total debt + Preferred securities 10,681 Cash and cash equivalents(3) 1,008 Net debt + Preferred securities 9,673 LTM adjusted EBITDA $ 2,395 Net leverage ratio 4.0x Note: amounts may not add due to rounding _______________________ (1) Debt amounts represent principal value. (2) Includes accrued interest. (3) Includes noncurrent restricted cash for the redemption of Preferred Securities. TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toachi Mining Inc. (Toachi or the Company) (TSX-V:TIM) (OTCQB:TIMGF) announces that the Board of Directors of the Company has approved the grant of an aggregate of 400,000 stock options (the Options) to certain newly-appointed, key staff employed in Ecuador. The options granted will be issued in accordance with the Company's current stock option plan. The Options are exercisable into common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.14 all vesting at 1/3 on date of grant; 1/3 on the first anniversary after date of grant; and 1/3 on the second anniversary after date of grant. The Options have a five-year term to maturity. About Toachi Mining Inc. Toachi brings a disciplined and veteran team of project managers together with one of the industrys highest grade projects at La Plata in Ecuador. Toachi is focused on and committed to the development of advanced stage mineral projects throughout the Americas using industry best practices combined with a strong social license from local communities. Toachi Mining has 81,166,435 shares issued and outstanding. Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Companys financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains regulatory approval. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, that occurrences such as those referred to above are realized and result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Companys financial condition and development plans change, and delays in regulatory approval, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Companys continuous disclosure filings filed under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT Alain Bureau President and CEO Candace Di Vito Manager, Investor Relations Telephone: 416 365 7043 Email: cdivito@toachimining.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is dened in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. HOUSTON, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TPC Group today announced the appointment of Courtney Ruth as Senior Vice President, Operations and Peggy Macatangay as Vice President, Technology and Engineering for the Company. Mr. Ruth will oversee the operations, maintenance, environmental, health, safety and security, Operational Excellence, capital and reliability for the Company. He joined TPC Group in 2016 as Vice President, Reliability and Capital Project Management. Mr. Ruth has been instrumental in driving the execution of the Companys capital and reliability programs and was the overall lead on the successful completion of the Companys recent turnaround on its dehydro unit. Prior to joining TPC Group, Mr. Ruth held roles of progressive responsibility at LyondellBasell, including Maintenance Superintendent, Reliability Superintendent, Production Manager, Senior Human Resources Manager and Site Manager. At the time of his departure, Mr. Ruth had leadership responsibilities for LyondellBasell's Channelview, Texas facility, one of the largest chemical complexes in the Gulf Coast region, with more than 2,000 employees and contractors. Mr. Ruth holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University. Dr. Macatangay will oversee research and development, process engineering, process automation and quality control functions for the Company. She joined TPC Group in 2009 as Director, Research and Development, where she had responsibility for research and development and quality control. In 2013, Dr. Macatangay assumed responsibility for process engineering, and then in 2015 assumed the additional responsibility of capital projects and process control. Under the leadership and direction of Dr. Macatangay, TPC Group designed, built and opened in 2011 a state-of-the-art technical center. She has been instrumental in driving expanded polyisobutylene (PIB) capabilities and capacity to meet business demand and drive improvements and new product development, which includes several patents to maintain the Companys technology position and products to drive new business growth and opportunity. Prior to joining TPC Group, Dr. Macatangay held roles of progressive responsibility at Celanese, including Analytical Leader, Quality Control Leader and Pilot Plant Manager. At the time of her departure, she was Research Group Leader. Dr. Macatangay holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Ohio Northern University, and a PhD in inorganic chemistry from Wayne State University. For the past two years, we have made significant improvements in our operations and overall reliability, and in doing so, we have seen significant improvements in profitability as evidenced by our results in 2017, said Chairman and CEO, Ed Dineen. There are major opportunities for growth presented by substantially increasing our crude C4 volumes as well as new products driving growth in our polyisobutylene business. These organizational changes will enhance our drive to a higher reliability culture, more closely align technology and engineering needs and capabilities with the business strategy, and enhance our success in achieving our long range plan. About TPC Group TPC Group, headquartered in Houston, is a leading producer of value-added products derived from petrochemical raw materials such as C4 hydrocarbons, and provider of critical infrastructure and logistics services along the Gulf Coast. The Company sells its products into a wide range of performance, specialty and intermediate markets, including synthetic rubber, fuels, lubricant additives, plastics and surfactants. With an operating history of over 70 years, TPC Group has manufacturing facilities in the industrial corridor adjacent to the Houston Ship Channel and Port Neches, Texas, and operates a product terminal in Lake Charles, Louisiana. CONTACT: Andrew Grygiel, Investor Relations Sara Cronin, Media Relations PHONE: 713.840.2045 713.475.5243 thegame12 wrote: Hello, I was accepted into Northeastern University for a Master in CS (Align) the program cost 65k usd for 2.5 years. When I applied few weeks ago I thought international students were eligible to scholarships. However, I just got my acceptance letter and there is no scholarship available for international students. Moreover, they are asking me a proof of ability to pay for the program for the visa/I20 process. And the school don't have a loan program for international students... I am currently calling every organism such as the Fulbright Student Program but it is quite late. I have 20k usd on my bank account and my parents can help me up to $15k/year. I need around 100k in total for 2 years (tuition + living expenses in Boston), 50k usd are missing... Should I start a crowdfunding campaign? Hi,For I-20 Purpose you need to show only your 1-year tuition and 9 months living expense.I see that your total tuition for 2 years is 65K. So per year, it will be around 33K and living differs. I would suggest you check with the school about the exact amount in the I-20.For example, if you I-20 says you need 33K tuition + 20K for living for 1 year. Then you need to arrange the remaining amount apart from your saving.There are a lot of loans available. Check - they provide loans without collaterals or you can check with your local bank.does have the Northeastern University on their list._________________ VeritasKarishma wrote: Let's understand the passage: The fields of antebellum (pre-Civil War) political history and womens history use separate sources and focus on separate issues. Political historians, examining different sources and women receive little discussion. Womens historians, meanwhile ignore party politics, and focus on different sources such as their moral reform activities, and the emergence of the womans rights movement. However, most historians have underestimated the extent and significance of womens political allegiance in the antebellum period. - most important sentence For example, in the presidential election campaigns of the 1840s, the Virginia Whig party strove to win the allegiance of Virginias women by inviting them to rallies and speeches. According to Whig propaganda, women who turned out at the partys rallies gathered information that enabled them to mold party-loyal families, reminded men of moral values that transcended party loyalty, and conferred moral standing on the party. Virginia Democrats, in response, began to make similar appeals to women as well. By the mid-1850s the inclusion of women in the rituals of party politics had become commonplace and the ideology that justified such inclusion had been assimilated by the Democrats. 1. The primary purpose of the passage as a whole is to Correct. 2: The author of the passage would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements regarding most historians of the antebellum period? Correct. 3: According to the second paragraph of the passage (lines 20-42), Whig propaganda included the assertion that Correct. Show Spoiler E 4. According to the passage, which of the following was true of Virginia Democrats in the mid-1850s? Correct. Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor Learn more about how Veritas Prep can help you achieve a great GMAT score by checking out their KarishmaVeritas Prep GMAT InstructorLearn more about how Veritas Prep can help you achieve a great GMAT score by checking out their GMAT Prep Options > Signature Read More Explaining the correct answers. Let me know if some particular options trip you.A. examine the tactics of antebellum political parties with regard to womenB. trace the effect of politics on the emergence of the womans rights movementC. point out a deficiency in the study of a particular historical period -Focus on the most imp sentence. The entire passage was written to show that antebellum political history and women's history are viewed separately but the historians underestimate the significance of women's political allegiance. And then an example is given to justify the importance. Hence, this is the primary purpose of the passage.D. discuss the ideologies of opposing antebellum political partiesE. contrast the methodologies in two differing fields of historical inquiryA. They have failed to adequately contrast the differing roles that women played in the Democratic and Whig parties in the 1850s.B. They have failed to see that political propaganda advocating womens political involvement did not reflect the reality of womens actual roles.C. They have incorrectly assumed that womens party loyalty played a small role in Whig and Democratic party politics. -He says that historians have underestimated women's role.D. They have misinterpreted descriptions of womens involvement in party politics in records of female associations and womens personal papers.E. They have overlooked the role that womens political activities played in the womans rights movement.A. women should enjoy more political rights than they didB. women were the most important influences on political attitudes within a family - Whig's propaganda does not say this. We know that the info they collected enabled them to mold party loyal families, but were they the most important influencers, we can't say.C. womens reform activities reminded men of important moral valuesD. womens demonstrations at rallies would influence mens voting behaviorE. womens presence at rallies would enhance the moral standing of the party -Notice this line: According to Whig propaganda, women who turned out at the partys rallies ... conferred moral standing on the party.A. They feared that their party was losing its strong moral foundation.B. They believed that the Whigs inclusion of women in party politics had led to the Whigs success in many elections.C. They created an ideology that justified the inclusion of women in party politics.D. They wanted to demonstrate that they were in support of the womans rights movement.E. They imitated the Whigs efforts to include women in the rituals of party politics -The second last sentence reads: Virginia Democrats, in response, began to make similar appeals ..._________________ Growing up on a dairy farm, I was never treated like the girl. I was given all the same opportunities as my brothers, and it was up to me to take them. I didnt consider it much then, but now Im grateful for it. Sexism is a topic thats everywhere you look right now thanks to Hollywood, but its not just a Hollywood problem. Being a woman in the dairy industry is an interesting experience. It can be amazingly empowering, but it can also be demeaning. Ive been undervalued, underestimated, and spoken down to just because Im the girl. Its not always so obvious. Sometimes its the salesman who assumes Id be available for a meeting because I obviously wouldnt be doing fieldwork like the guys. Girls dont drive tractors. Or its the new salesman who asks me where my husband or daddy is. I always tell him, politely at first, that he can speak with me. I usually smile when hes adamant about talking to my dad. Because as Im making that phone call, I know that hes going to be ticked that he has to stop what hes doing to come tell this jerk that if he wants us to buy his product he has to talk to me. Guess what? Im not buying. Sometimes its as slight as the sweetheart, honey, or little girl tacked onto the end of a sentence. Its wrong because were not just the farmers wife. Were not just the farmers daughter. Were not just the part-time help while the boys are in the field. Were the farmers, too. We drive tractors. We feed calves. We build fence. We clean the parlor. We use power tools. We milk cows. The women in this industry are amazing. Some are full-time farmers and some work for or with farmers. Some run the entire farm, while some have off farm jobs, too. Some advocate on social media, some have their own businesses, and some raise the next generation of farmers. No matter what we do, all of us are smart, capable, and strong. I cant describe the confidence and knowledge Ive gained from my fellow dairy girls and their support. Some of these amazing women put in a full day on the farm then come home to cook, clean, and spend hours caring for their families and others. We truly can do everything the boys do. We just do it in pink while singing loudly to Taylor Swift. In other words, we do it better. The author dairies in partnership with her parents and brother at Spruce Row Farm in Pennsylvania. Jessica is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, and since 2015, she has been active in promoting dairy in her local community. You can find her and her 250 Jersey cows on Facebook at Spruce Row Dairy or on Instagram at @seejessfarm. Join us next week Trevor DeVries presents Calf rearing affects lifetime eating behavior on Monday, May 14, 2018, at noon (Central time). 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 Bangarapet, May 9 (IBNS): Launching an all-out attack against the Congress party in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the country's oldest political outfit demeaned the pride of the state and looted democracy in five years of rule. Addressing a rally in Bangarapet, Modi said: "Within five years (of rule), Congress ruined the pride of the state and looted democracy." Modi said the 6Cs of Congress- culture, communalism, casteism, crime, corruption and contracts- have ruined Karnataka in five years. The PM has renewed his attack against the Congress over corruption issue on Wednesday. Modi has accused the Congress party of taking people for granted. He said: "Whenever Congress gets an opportunity to rule, they think people have given them a contract to do wrong things and betray people who voted them to power. "Whenever Congress rules, corrupt people prospers. While under the BJP's rule, these corrupt people get restricted." Taking a dig at 10-year rule of Congress at the Centre under Dr. Manmohan Singh, Modi said: "Though Manmohan Singh was the PM, he was controlled by the Congress party. "We also have a remote control but it is present with 150 crore people of India. Our high command is people." The poll is scheduled to be held on May 12. The poll results will be out three days later on May 15. Karnataka is one of the last few states which are ruled by the Congress. BJP, under the leadership of former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, is eyeing on to return to power. Image: Google Maps Kabul, May 9 (IBNS): Sounding alert, a government official in Afghanistan's Faryab province has said that Bilchiragh district has been taken over by the Taliban militants. The official was quoted as saying by local Tolo News that the district was seized by Taliban after enduring hours of clash with the country's forces. Abdul Samad Grezwani, the district governor of Gerzwan district in Faryab, which shares border with the fallen district, said that the former is on the verge of being overtaken by the Taliban. "The clashes have reached close to this [Grezwan] district, the district governor was quoted as saying by Tolo News. The district will fall to the Taliban if security forces do not pay attention to the situation, he added. Taliban too has released a statement, saying that they have captured Bilchiragh. These sorts of statements have revealed the true nature of Zibakalam and the so called reformists and moderates in Iran, and has been the subject of severe criticism by activists who see his positions as actually contravening the defense of free speech and thus making him a poor choice for the Deutsche Welle award. In a larger sense, the controversy may be seen as exposing the limits of reform in the Islamic Republic and the tendency of reform advocates to fall short of advocating for the establishment of a truly democratic system. The lack of overlap between reformism and full-scale dissent is arguably even more evident within the political system than among the activist community. And the sort of criticism directed against Zibakalam is also routinely directed against President Hassan Rouhani, who is described in some international media as a moderate but is regarded by the Iranian people and many activists as a regime insider who lacks both the power and the will to stand up to hardline authorities like Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The CHRI called attention to this tendency on Sunday when it quoted legal experts as saying that the Rouhani administration has the ability to challenge the regimes recent ban on the Telegram messaging app. The popular web service had been under fire for months or even years before a leading hardline lawmaker declared that the decision had been made at the highest levels to disallow access via Iranian ISPs. The decision was presumably motivated in large part by the role that Telegram played in organizing the January uprising, but it was publicly opposed by Rouhani and a handful of others. But despite this opposition and despite the legal channels that exist for challenging the ban, the Rouhani faction has taken no steps to do so. Instead, CHRI points out, the administration has simply reiterated its public dissent with a statement arguing that the judiciary should not act unilaterally in matters like the Telegram ban, which affect tens of millions of Iranians. This apparent disconnect between the administrations public statements and actions is something that has been observed in a number of other areas as well. Rouhani has been widely criticized for having promised that Iranian expatriates would be able to return to Iran without fear of reprisal, and yet not only have arrests of such individuals continued, they have accelerated, with two British nationals having been detained last week alone. The CHRI report suggested that Rouhanis inaction on the Telegram ban is further eroding public trust. And in another report on Monday, the same outlet indicated that Iranian citizens may be reacting to that situation with rising levels of open defiance of strictures that are put into place by hardliners only to be tolerated by reformists. Of the Telegram ban, that report noted that the number of Iranians using the app has actually increased since it was announced, thanks in large part to virtual proxy networks that allow people to circumvent restrictions put into place by Iranian ISPs. The report also notes that while this circumvention is well established among the Iranian public, it has not been adopted on so large a scale in response to earlier bans. One Iranian journalist pointed out that previous bans on WeChat and Viber had resulted in many users migrating to another alternative, but that this has not happened with Telegram. The same strategy will not work every time, the journalist explained. If there is consistent commitment to Telegram, which has a reputation as a relatively secure mode of communication, it will certainly continue to function as a tool for spreading information about activist causes, including but not limited to those that the Rouhani administration has promoted without taking any meaningful action. The issues of forced veiling and womens rights are prominent among these. Last month, a video went viral on Iranian social media which showed a young woman being assaulted by members of the Guardian Patrol, or morality police, because her hijab was deemed to be covering too little of her hair. On Monday, Iran Human Rights Monitor reported that eye-witness testimony suggested that incident was worse than what was captured on video, as the victim of the attack was not only slapped and restrained but also dragged along the ground by her hair. The same report noted that the witness to this behavior, identified as Ms. Hasan-Abadi, has been repeatedly harassed, interrogated, and beaten. Similar fates have befallen a number of other people who have spoken to the media or otherwise spurred public debate regarding various instances of abuse by Iranian authorities. Yet the latest reports indicate that these reprisals have not prevented others from coming forward on the same topics, which evidently receive only superficial criticism, at most, from within the regime. Two other Iran Human Rights Monitor reports pointed out that the family and the lawyer of death row inmate Ramin Hossein Panahi have publicly challenged the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Kurdistan Justice Department over their dubious justifications for his death sentence. Panahi was reportedly denied access to legal representation and held in solitary confinement for 200 days, and was barred from showing signs that he had been tortured before being convicted of taking up arms against the state. While the Rouhani administration consistently touts the independence of the Iranian judiciary to distance itself from controversial cases, the action of domestic activists and international rights groups sometimes exerts effective pressure on that judiciary. Panahi was scheduled to be executed on May 3, but this was postponed, presumably in response to the international outcry. The ultimate outcome of the case remains to be determined, but one thing seems fairly certain: the Rouhani administration will not step in affect that outcome, even if it has the power to do so. The MEK, however, was recognised by the Iranian regime as being the main organiser of the protests that swept across the country at the end of last year. It can no longer claim that the MEK is insignificant the MEK represents a very real threat to the Iranian regime. Furthermore, at the beginning of this year, it was reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani asked the French President Emmanuel Macron to take action against the MEK. President Macron of course had no reason to act against the MEK, so the Supreme Leader threatened to execute MEK protesters. The MEK has a long history of being targeted by the Iranian regime. Many MEK supporters were executed during the so-called 1988 massacre. More than 30,000 political prisoners, most of whom were affiliated to the MEK, were executed during the space of one single summer. To this day, no one has been held accountable for the crime against humanity and the MEK and families are still campaigning for justice. A large number of MEK members were being held in Camp Ashraf and then in Camp Liberty in Iraq. They were finally all relocated by September 2016 after suffering a number of horrific attacks instigated by the Iranian regime. A large number of MEK members were relocated to Albania where they were generously and warmly welcomed. However, since then, there have been reports of a rising number of plots against the MEK in Albania. It has been posited that the Iranian embassy in Albania has officials that have been sent by the regime to implement plots against the MEK. There have been and are a number of ongoing plots against the MEK. One such example is its campaign to discredit the opposition and MEK. Anne Singleton, recognised as an Iranian spy by US intelligence agents, has been trained specifically by the Iranian regime to discredit the MEK. Singleton was a former member of the MEK but was recruited by the Iranian intelligence specifically to discredit it. The MEK is clearly the biggest threat to the Iranian regime. The MEK represents freedom, democracy and human rights values that the regime is alien to. The regime knows that the Iranian opposition and the MEK have a large following and massive support from the international community and it is only a matter of time before the dictatorship collapses. Experts say that Iranian intelligence focuses on discrediting the MEK and spying on it. The Dutch intelligence service stated in 2012 that the Iranian government has a network in Europe to impose a negative impact on public opinion about the MEK. This includes gathering information about MEK members and passing it to Irans intelligence agency. The thing is that America never really agreed to the Iran deal; it was never even submitted to Congress as a treaty. The Obama administration, realising that it would never get the two-thirds majority needed in the Senate, used a 42-vote Democratic filibuster to pass the vote against bipartisan, majority opposition. At the time, Julia Frifield, then the assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, wrote to then-Representative Mike Pompeo and said: The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (J.C.P.O.A.) is not a treaty or an executive agreement, and it is not a signed document. This brings into question whether the deal, referred to by its official name, has any legal force at all. Even the American people, polled at the time by Pew, were not in favour of the deal with 49% saying that they didnt want the deal, compared with 21% who did. It makes sense that a deal with such low support, both from politicians and the people, would not stand the test of time. Thus, Trumps withdrawal should surprise no one. Even those who agreed to the deal and told the world that it was the best possible deal, have spent the past few months figuring out how it can be made better. It seems that Trumps final deadline really gave them the shock that they needed. But even the proposed side deals related to ballistic missiles and malign military actions, were not enough to save the deal because they didnt tackle the most pressing problem: the nuclear deal weakened UN prohibitions on Irans testing of ballistic missiles, which cannot be reversed. Russia and China, key Iran allies, would have to agree to this and they simply will not. Another horrifying problem thankfully mitigated somewhat by Trumps withdrawal -is that the easing of sanctions is that Iran was able to gain more money to sink into their malign military adventures, including the support of Assad in Syria and its militant proxies in Yemen, Lebanon and elsewhere. Some advocates for the deal believe that this is a price worth paying for a non-nuclear Iran, which is easy to say when you arent being killed by the Regime. Even then, Irans nuclear restrictions were loose enough to allow them to legally develop a bomb in 2024 and inspections were lax at best, which allowed Iran to continue working on its nuclear programme. Some, including the Iranian Regime, are claiming that Iran can simply restart its nuclear programme, but this would be a bad decision that could lead to US or Israeli strikes on Irans nuclear sites. Now, the US is in a position to negotiate a better deal. Iran cant restart its nuclear programme, is facing domestic unrest on a national scale, and is bankrupted even with sanctions relief. Alternately, the US could support the peoples uprising which would bring about a non-nuclear Iran, by putting the Iranian Resistance in charge. No one wants Iran to have nuclear weapons. Anyone who advocated for that would be out of their minds. The Iranian Regime is the leading state sponsor of terrorism and they are certainly causing enough damage in the Middle East without any extra weaponry. This is why the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries cautiously supported the deal at first. However, in the intervening years, it has become increasingly clear that the Iranian Regime has not been using the money gained from the deal (i.e. trade deals, unfrozen assets) to improve the lives of their people. Instead, the Regime has ploughed their money into regional conflicts, proxy groups, and terrorism, allowing them to cause chaos in the region. While France, Germany, and the UK may not approve of Trumps decision, they should consider how they would feel if their capital cities were often under attack by the Iranian Regime or its proxies. This is the reality for many Gulf states. The Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen took the capital in 2014, scream Death to America, and consistently launch Iranian-made ballistic missiles at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. And thats just one of the Regimes malign allies. They also support: Hezbollah in Lebanon, who are responsible for the 1983 bombing of a US barracks in Beirut Syrian President Bashar Assad, who uses chemical weapons against his own people Asaib Ahl Al-Haq in Iraq, who are responsible for the killing of many Americans, Britons and Iraqis Polisario separatist fighters in Western Sahara, which caused Morocco to cut ties with Iran Faisal J. Abbas, the editor in chief of Arab News, wrote: As such, instead of criticizing Drumpf, world powers need to unite and come up with either sanctions or a revised agreement that limits both Irans nuclear ambitions and its ability to cause mayhem. A 2.0 version of the nuclear deal would be more than welcome, particularly since in this case, no deal is far better than a bad one. Indeed, it would be much better to get a new unilateral deal that targeted the Iranian Regime for all of its malign activity, not just one element. With Trumps announcement of US withdrawal from the agreement, the sanctions effectively went into place immediately. Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury Secretary said that in a document accompanying the announcement, the Treasury Department gave an unequivocal Yes to the question of Will the United States resume efforts to reduce Irans crude oil sales? Some oil traders had not expected such a harsh message. According to Mnuchin, his expectation is not that oil prices go higher. He said that the U.S. has spoken to various parties that would be willing to increase oil supply to offset Iran. In fact, the Saudi state-owned press agency quoted an unnamed energy official as saying Riyadh would work to mitigate the effects of any supply shortages in the oil market. Oil prices climbed throughout the previous week in anticipation of the withdrawal, but settled lower on Tuesday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rose as much as 2.4 percent to $70.72 a barrel in New York and Brent in London climbed 2.5 percent to $76.75. Both are at the highest level since November 2014. James Lucier and Tristan Berne of Capital Alpha Partners said in an emailed note that, Countries that seek a significant reduction waiver from the State Department in order to avoid secondary sanctions will need to demonstrate reductions in purchases by November 4th, so changes in buying patterns should be observed in the coming months. The U.S. Energy Information Administration claims that seven years ago, when the U.S. and its allies imposed additional sanctions on Iran because of its nuclear program, buyers in Europe and Asia switched to purchasing from Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq and Angola. As well, China increased its buying from Angola and Iraq, and other Asian countries imported from Nigeria. An energy economist for Moodys Analytics, Chris Lafakis, said in a statement, The Iranian oil sanctions during the Obama era reduced Iranian crude oil production by 1 million barrels per day. The sanctions announced today are expected to result in a decline in Iranian crude oil production of 400,000 barrels per day. What made the multilateral sanctions enforced during the Obama era so effective was precisely the fact that they were multilateral, whereas President Trumps sanctions are not. Saudi Arabia now has the ability to fill the gap, since its the member of OPEC with the most spare capacity. Following the last round of sanctions, Saudi Arabia boosted oil output in response to what it called additional demand from customers. In an interview with Bloomberg in April 2016, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that his country could raise output to 11.5 million barrels a day immediately. It has been made clear that the U.S. will go after other nations doing business with Iran, and will specifically target reinsurance, which proved to be a particularly effective method of halting Iranian oil tankers in the past. Additionally, the Treasury Department said it was keeping close track of the quantity and percentage of the reduction in purchases of Iranian crude during the 180-day wind-down period especially for anyone seeking waivers to allow for some oil purchases. Richard Nephew, senior research scholar at Columbia Universitys Center on Global Energy Policy, said in a blog post, that Trump directly threatened countries that refuse to cooperate with U.S. sanctions implementation. He added, Notwithstanding the new guidance and mindful of decisions made regarding aluminum and steel tariffs, countries will likely reach out to the U.S. to seek clarification as to exactly what will be demanded of them and their companies. We have focused our energy on nations economic development: Dahal CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the party has focused its energy on the economic development of the nation. Members of the opposition Democratic Alliance are reportedly squabbling over a casual remark by the head of the party, Mmusi Maimane, who observed that White privilege and Black poverty were critical issues that needed to be addressed. I firmly stand by comments I made on Freedom Day, Maimane tweeted on Sunday. South Africa remains deeply unequal, with Black South Africans locked out of opportunities. We must focus on solving the problem. Liberation of one race is not the enslaving of another all of us, Black & White, must come together to build one South Africa for all. Freedom Day is a public holiday that commemorates the first post-apartheid elections in 1994. ADVERTISEMENT The fight over the terms White privilege and Black poverty took place at a closed executive meeting of senior party officials, according to a report in the City Press. The party officials worried that comments about White privilege would scare off White voters, just as the party prepares for a general election next year. While claiming to be a non-racial party, the parliamentary seats and leadership positions of the Democratic Alliance are overwhelmingly White a condition that Maimane wants to correct. The dispute has embarrassed some of the white members of the Democratic Alliance who claim that a large majority of their members are Black. But, according to one observer, if you look down from the public gallery in Parliament, you see a huge slab of White faces in the DA benches. Several of the White DA officers rushed to show support for Maimane. I stand 100% with my Leader Mmusi Maimane, wrote Natasha Mazzone, a White party officer. I too will not pander to racists. Our mission is to create a South Africa for ALL who live here. Divided we are weak; united, we are unstoppable. South Africa first, ALWAYS. She then tweeted that White immigrants also struggled during apartheid. My father, a migrant from Italy, built himself up from nothing to make a good life for his family. I honor and thank my father. ADVERTISEMENT What Mazzone is not admitting, said Jabu Mahlangu of the South African National Civic Organization, is that her migrant father and all other colonizers had the backing of racist apartheid laws as well as the evil system of White supremacy that among others guaranteed Whites jobs, higher salaries, protection, better education, land, housing including access to exclusive recreational facilities. Mahlangu said these White privileges translated to prosperity and success for beneficiaries of decades of apartheid and now their dependents were boasting that the wealth they inherited was a result of hard work. Coverage of the dispute has prompted an avalanche of public comments, most of them negative. Writing on Twitter, Jerry complained: I am constantly made to feel obliged to apologize for having been born with a White skin because it appears to give so many an inferiority complex. Maimane clarified: We are not a Black or White party, we are inclusive. We need to deal with injustices accordingly without feeling that we are offending others. A member of the Du Roc Crips gang in Duarte was sentenced today to 332 years to life in state prison for his role in the shooting of seven bystanders in Pasadena, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office announced. Marquis Duran Turner (dob 4/12/89) of Apple Valley was convicted by a jury on April 2 of one count each of conspiracy to commit murder and shooting at an occupied motor vehicle and seven counts of attempted murder. Deputy District Attorney David Ayvazian of the Hardcore Gang Division said the jury also found true gang allegations and allegations of a principal discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury. ADVERTISEMENT On March 28, a different jury found co-defendant, Anthony Deon Edwards, aka Deon Jackson (dob 12/17/91) of Duarte guilty of the same counts and allegations. Edwards was sentenced on April 26 to 246 years to life in state prison. On Jan. 16, 2017, Edwards and Turner conspired to go to Pasadena with an AR-15 rifle and a handgun to shoot at rival gang members, according to evidence presented in court. The two defendants opened fire on a group not affiliated with gangs near Garfield Avenue and Buckeye Street, the prosecutor said. One of the seven victims suffered permanent damage to her fingers as a result of the shooting. GLAAACC PRESENTS SPRING MEMBERSHIP MIXER WHO: The Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce (GLAAACC) WHAT: GLAAACC presents its Annual Spring Membership Mixer featuring Sean Hulen, Balfour Beatty Vice President. Balfour Beatty is a partner of the LINXS team that was recently awarded the $4.9B 30-year Public-Private Partnership (P3) contract with LAX to design, build, operate and maintain the Automated People Mover (APM) system. Attendees will have the chance to learn how small businesses can participate in this exciting project. There will be a DJ, appetizers, no-host bar and door prizes. Join us to network, make new contacts and meet like-minded entrepreneurs. WHEN: Wednesday, May 16, 2018 * 5:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. ADVERTISEMENT WHERE: Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles, The Brasserie Lounge, 6101 W. Century Blvd., LA 90045 COST: Cover Charge is FREE for members and $20 for non-members. However, if you join GLAACC that night, the admission fee is waived. Valet parking is $18. WHY: This is GLAAACCs annual spring membership mixer. GLAAACC advocates and promotes the economic growth of African American businesses by focusing on the development of business opportunities, business alliances and legislative advocacy. Honor a Hero, Hire a VetSM A Job Fair in Compton The Employment Development Department in partnership with Compton Community College will host a JobandResource Fair for Veterans, National Guard, and Reservists returning from active duty. Find out about job opportunities Meet and interview with employers Dress for success and bring you resume Get information on benefits, training, and career This event is open to all job seekers but focus will be veteran services. Event Details: Wednesday May 16, 2018 10am-2pm Compton Community College, Quad Area 1111 E. Artesia Blvd., Compton, CA 90221 VALET PARKING AVAILABLE Register now at http://comptonhahhav2018.eventbrite.com (Employers Only) ADVERTISEMENT For more information, please call: Terrell Mack, LVER 310-223-2918 Marvin Wilson, LVER 562-570-3754 In partnership with the Employment Development Department, California Community Colleges, California Department of Veterans Affairs, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Department of Industrial Relations-Apprenticeship Standards, Community Career Development Inc., and various federal, state, local, and private organization within Los Angeles/ South Bay areas. ADVERTISEMENT EDD HAH HAV 2018 Job Fair Flyer Racial Mortgage Disparities Persist as Federal Housing Enforcement Lags In the classic movie film, Gone with the Wind , the owner of the Tara plantation admonished his daughter for remarking that she didnt care about her home. In a sharp rebuke, Gerald O-Hara declared that land was the only thing worth living for, worth fighting forworth dying for. For the fictional OHara family, Tara was their home, and the source of the familys wealth. Fast forward to the 21 st Century, having a home remains a rock-solid route to building wealth that grows and becomes a key opportunity to share that same wealth inter-generationally. Unless you are among those who have been denied your own American Dream. New research by the Center for Responsible Lending finds that todays racial wealth gaps were supported and sustained by the federal governments Fair Housing Administration (FHA). From the programs inception during the 1930s, FHA perpetuated racial discrimination by making mortgage credit broadly available to white borrowers and at the same time, excluding Blacks and other people of color. More importantly, FHA has an important role to play in leveling todays mortgage finance field and its two-tiered system. These homeownership rate disparities did not occur by chance, argue Peter Smith and Melissa Stegman, authors of Repairing a two-tiered system: The critical but complex role of FHA . The homeownership rate gap between Whites and people of color is in large part due to historic federal housing policy choices that created decades-long impacts. CRL, however, credits FHA mortgage lending as an important aid to the nations economic recovery following the Great Recession. As much of private mortgage lending retreated during the housing crisis, FHA increased its purchase market share to 42 percent in 2009. Prior to that economic crisis, FHAs market share was only 8.8 percent of the market. FHA also sustained the mortgage market and provided broad liquidity for wealthier borrowers in addition to low-to-moderate income families. FHAs refinancing of toxic subprime loans saved many family homes from foreclosure and became a sustainable alternative. Today, with much of the mortgage market recovered, unnecessarily tight and expensive credit in the conventional mortgage market often makes FHA the only option to finance homeownership for low- to moderate-income borrowers, lower-wealth borrowers, and borrowers of color. This single-option also means that borrowers broadly denied the lower-cost, most-affordable private loans available, have a slower rate of home appreciation due to fees and insurance that accompany government-backed loans. CRLs analysis of mortgage data from 2004 to 2016 found that: The FHA market share for Black and Latino borrowers now approaches half of all purchase mortgage lending to these borrowers; FHA is the major source of mortgage credit for higher-income Black and Latino borrows as compared to conventional lending; Tight and expensive credit in the conventional market has led to FHA becoming the only mortgage option for many borrowers of color, low-to-moderate income families, and lower-wealth families. Of the top 10 FHA home purchase lenders in 2004, five were banks and five were non-depositories; by 2016, eight of the top 10 FHA lenders were non-depositories. It is important to note that the withdrawal of banks leaving the FHA insured program, comes at a time of record profits, made possible in large by taxpayer dollars that provided a financial bailout of failing financial institutions, during the housing collapse. These lenders exit the program at a time when it is inadequately funded and lacks up-to-date technology that could enhance its administrative functions. Further, the exit of large banks additionally became a gateway for non-depository institutions to fill the markets gap. Nonbanks, subject to fair lending protections, are not however included in the Community Reinvestment Act. Many of the financial abuses that led to the housing crisis began with unregulated and nonbank lenders. Many lenders will argue that the retreat from FHA was caused by actions taken by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice under the False Claims Act. This federal law allows the government to hold companies accountable for making false claims to the government about their products or services. Beyond being assessed damages for infractions, enforcement of the law can additionally include a company or representative being banned from future federal funds or contracts. State attorneys general would counter this lender claim by pointing to the $25 billion national mortgage settlement reached with five of the nations largest mortgage servicers as evidence that lenders engaged in egregious conduct in clear violation of the law. The significance of major banks withdrawing from the mortgage market is further underscored by other findings shared in a related report by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA): Since 1988, close to $1 billion in victim compensation has resulted from lawsuits alleging redlining and discrimination by mortgage lenders; Housing discrimination complaints grew from 2016 to 2017s 28,843 cases; Of 2017s discriminatory housing complaints, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) processed less than five percent, or 1,311; and Among the 6,896 complaints processed by state and local Fair Housing Assistance Program Agencies, the Department of Justice brought only 41 cases. Commenting on these findings, Lisa Rice, NFHA President and CEO said, As the 2018 Trends Report shows, we must put an end to the many institutionalized barriers that prevent too many families in this country from fair access to housing. We cannot build a thriving society as long as our nation is plagued by discrimination, segregation, and severe economic inequality. In the year that marks a half century of the Fair Housing Act, noted Mike Calhoun, CRL President, it is appropriate to acknowledge the journey traveled in five decades. But also, a look ahead to the hundreds of miles yet to travel before fair housing is a reality for all. ADVERTISEMENT Actor Cate Blanchett and director Martin Scorsese opened the Cannes Film Festival Tuesday in the French coastal city. The 71st French Riviera celebration of cinema and celebrity is the first since the downfall of powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. The accusations of sex abuse against him led to a major campaign against sexual wrongdoing in Hollywood and elsewhere. Scorsese won the festivals top prize, the Palme dOr, for his 1976 film, Taxi Driver. He is in Cannes this year for an anniversary showing of his 1973 film Mean Streets. Blanchett is this years jury president of the festival. She told reporters that gender equality will play a part in this and all future Cannes festivals. Reporters asked Blanchett about the low number of female directors in competition this year; just three out of 21 are women. Would I like to see more women in competition? Absolutely. Would I expect and hope that thats going to happen in the future? I hope so, Blanchett answered. But were dealing with what we have thats here. The three female directors competing are Nadine Labaki, Eva Husson and Alice Rohrwacher. Competition for the Palme also includes new releases from directors Spike Lee, Pawel Pawlikowski and Jean-Luc Godard. Cannes has come under criticism for years for not choosing more women directors. Only one female filmmaker, Jane Campion, has won the Palme. Blanchett said lasting change will only happen with exact actions over time to narrow the gender divide and improve minority representation in filmmaking. The Australian movie star said, There are several women in competition. But theyre not there because of their gender. They are there because of the quality of their work. We will assess them as filmmakers, as we should. Still, Weinsteins shadow is darkening this years festival. For 20 years, Weinstein was a major presence at Cannes. Several of his reported sex crimes are said to have taken place there. Cannes has established a hotline for sexual harassment victims at the festival. It also will hold a special red carpet on Saturday. About 100 women are expected to attend. Festival director Thierry Fremaux said the event is designed, in his words, to affirm their presence. Among those attending the red carpet will be all five female members of the jury: Ava DuVernay, Kristen Stewart, Lea Seydoux and Burundian songwriter Khadja Nin. Fremaux says the Weinstein sex abuse accusations forced the festival to examine itself and do more to improve gender equality. It isnt just the Cannes Film Festival thats going to change, he said Tuesday. The whole world has changed. Others have pressured Cannes to accept its part in the issue. Weinstein is accused of raping Italian filmmaker and actor Asia Argento at the 1997 Cannes festival. Weinstein has denied the accusation. Frances secretary of state in charge of gender equality, Marlene Schiappa, said of the issue: What emerged in Cannes must be fought in Cannes. Im Caty Weaver. The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story cinema - n. the film industry celebrity - n. the state of being famous or celebrated gender - n. the state of being male or female assess - v. to make a judgment about (something) shadow - n. dark shape that appears on a surface when someone or something moves between the surface and a source of light (often used figuratively) affirm - v. to show a strong belief in or dedication to (something, such as an important idea) hotline - n. a telephone service for the public to use to get help in emergencies Fish need insects for food. So, healthy rivers have healthy insect populations. However, in the United States, part of the Colorado River has an insect shortage that has left many fish without food. Researchers are hoping a month-long water-flow experiment will improve the situation. The U.S. Geological Survey project involves the release of low, continuous water flow from Glen Canyon Dam. This will give insect eggs, which they lay just below the water's surface, a better chance to survive. The Colorado runs 2,330 kilometers from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to Lake Mead, on the border between the states of Arizona and Nevada. The Glen Canyon Dam is near the border between the states of Utah and Arizona. Lacking diversity "For whatever reason, downstream of Glen Canyon Dam really lacks diversity," said Scott VanderKooi, who runs the U.S. Geological Survey's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center in Flagstaff. Scientists expect a 26 percent increase in insects, such as black flies and midges, by next summer. Scientists say that when insect populations grow, so do the populations of other animals such as fish, bats, birds and other insect eaters. Insects attach their eggs to hard surfaces, such as rocks or wood, on riversides. As water from dams rises and falls the eggs can lose their cover and dry out. If they remain above the water line for even an hour, they die, said Jeff Muehlbauer, a research scientist with the Geological Survey. The water flows are part of a larger plan approved in late 2016 for operations at Glen Canyon Dam to improve fish life. The dam holds back Lake Powell. John Hamill, a volunteer with the organization Trout Unlimited, says the experiments will help explain the current situation of all the different river resources. Then, officials can make changes based on how the river ecosystem is changing. Studying flies People often fish along a 25 kilometer run of the Colorado River below the dam. However, a lack of insects means some of the fish caught are smaller than normal. Hamill says this has caused a lot of people to fish in different places. "It hasn't been a very dependable fishery," Hamill said. Ted Kennedy started working at the Geological Survey in 2002. He said at that time scientists had noted the low number of flies and other insects throughout the Grand Canyon. Kennedy began studying the lives of insects before they hatch. He asked river guides and students for help studying the adult insect life as well. Since 2012, the volunteers have set out plastic containers for an hour each night. A special light is attached that leads the insects into the containers. The evidence from the containers showed researchers that fish in the area have a weak food source. This problem leads to fish that are longer, thinner, do not swim well, and do not have the energy to reproduce or fight. The U.S. Geological Survey scientist Ted Kennedy said, "When things are bad for midges, there's not much else to take its place." Im Phil Dierking. The Associated Press reported this story. Phil Dierking adapted the report for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. How are the fish populations in your home? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story diversity n. the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc. downstream adv. in the direction in which a stream, river, etc., flows hatch v. an opening in the deck of a ship or in the floor, wall, or roof of a building President Donald Trump says three Americans who were detained in North Korea have been released. Trump said the three men are returning to the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The president made the announcement on Twitter Wednesday. He added that the three seem to be in good health." Trump also said he plans to meet with the released Americans when they land at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. The announcement follows Pompeos visit to North Korea. The secretary of state went there to prepare for talks between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump added that Pompeo had a good meeting with Kim. The three Korean-Americans released by North Korea had spent many months trapped in the country. Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. They were separately detained in 2017. North Korean officials accused the two of anti-state activities and trying to overthrow the government. The third detainee, Kim Dong Chul, was arrested in October 2015. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor in 2016 after being found guilty of espionage charges. Pompeos latest trip to North Korea came just weeks after he met with Kim. Earlier this week, the North Korean leader met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the second time in a little more than a month. Observers say the talks are a sign that negotiations have reached a critical point. "It suggests that a major deal is under consideration that involves major concessions on each side," noted Dennis Wilder. He served on the U.S. National Security Council during the presidency of George W. Bush. Im Jonathan Evans. George Grow wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on reports from VOANews.com and the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story strategic adj. something important or necessary to completion of a plan concession n. something given up We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Students from across the United States are preparing to finish their high school education in the coming weeks. Most of the students will graduate. Others will not. Education experts say some of the graduates will be receiving a degree even though they did not complete all school requirements. Some school officials have been found to violate graduation policies in an effort to increase graduation rates. In January, an independent audit discovered widespread graduation policy violations in the District of Columbia Public Schools, or DCPS. It found that about 34 percent of Washington D.C. public school students who graduated in 2017 had not met the districts graduation requirements. The DCPS ordered the audit after several news organizations reported on the violations. The audit said that students were permitted to pass classes at most D.C. high schools even if they had violated attendance policies. It also reported that sometimes students received passing grades even when they had missed the majority of classwork. The audit said DCPS teachers and school leaders felt pressure from officials to pass and graduate as many students as possible. It noted the city had created a culture of breaking the rules to help struggling students get through the system. The culture was fueled by the D.C. governments aggressive graduation goals, the audit said. The findings forced officials to admit the system had major problems. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she believed many teachers and administrators had tried to do the right things to help students. But she added that unfortunately, they did the wrong things. She promised that officials had taken the audit seriously and would take steps to correct the problems identified. The DCPS recently issued a progress report ahead of this years graduation ceremonies, set to take place in early June. The report estimated that just 46 percent of DCPS students were on-track to graduate in 2018. The district defines on-track students as those currently passing or having passed all courses required for graduation. Mark Dynarski is an education expert at the Brookings Institutions Center on Children and Families in Washington D.C. He has studied graduation rates and requirements for years. He says he thinks it will always be difficult to get a true picture of student progress while educators are held accountable for repeatedly reaching exact targets. Dynarski says research has proven that people and groups can become corruptible when held accountable for reaching exact number goals. This sociological principle is known as Campbells Law. Dynarski says he thinks this idea helped create the problems in D.C. schools. In this case, they had kids who were absent for 60 days. And the high school knew they were absent, actually, which is kind of distressing. But they just said, well let's just let them graduate. Let's give them high school diplomas. Many large U.S. school districts report high school graduation rates within the 75-80 percent range. Before the DCPS problems became public, district officials had reported a 73 percent graduation rate. Dynarski and other experts have questioned whether any of the published graduation rates can be trusted. You know, how far does this go though, really? If we were to audit every single diploma awarded last year, how many of them would actually not meet the standards? Another problem identified in the DCPS audit was the misuse of credit recovery programs at high schools across the district. These programs permit students to make up credit if they missed too many classes or failed a course. The students can make up the work during the school year. In many cases, this coursework can be completed online. But the audit found D.C. Public Schools students violated credit recovery program requirements in several ways. Sometimes, the program was offered to students who had not failed a course and was instead used in place of usual coursework. The audit also criticized administrators for creating their own credit recovery programs that did not meet district requirements. Dynarski said there is growing evidence that these programs may not be the most effective method for teaching students about the subjects they are making up. So suppose you need a credit in science and you failed biology. So they send you off to some online service provider, and three weeks later, come back and say okay, I passed biology. Did you really learn anything in biology in three weeks? He says the major problem that results is some students graduate without the skills they need for college or employment. Studies have also shown that such students have a much higher college dropout rate if they do go on to further study. This is because they have to work even harder to make up for lost time. Dynarski says graduating unprepared students just to reach a set target also harms the economy and society as a whole. My concern is really that the country, as a democratic society, is okay with this. That we're just okay kind of looking the other way. We recognize there might be a problem in the numbers, but we're just not going to worry about it. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz Quiz - US Graduation: Are Todays High School Students Prepared? Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story graduate v. earn a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university audit n. an independent examination of records unfortunately adv. when something bad or unlucky happens on-track adj. acting in a way that is likely to achieve what is required accountable adj. required to explain actions or decisions distressing adj. feeling very upset or worried diploma n. document showing a person has finished a course of study or has graduated from a school society n. large group of people who live in the same country or area and have the same laws, traditions, etc. 1 minutes ago Elon Musk says Tesla will move HQ from California to Texas Tesla says it will relocate its headquarters from Palo Alto, California, to Austin, Texas, though the electric car maker will keep expanding its manufacturing capacity in the Golden State. CEO Elon Musk gave no timeline for the move late Thursday when he addressed the company's shareholders at Tesla's annual meeting. Read Article 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 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 The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice. Google is updating its augmented reality API by offering the ability for placing apps on vertical surfaces (like placing virtual artwork on a textured wall), and new tools for developers. But possibly the coolest new feature in ARCore 1.2 is one that makes it possible for multiple people to interact with the same augmented reality experience using different devices. And by different devices, I dont just mean two different Android phones. Google says iOS will be supported as well. Heres how it works: theres a new feature called Cloud Anchors that basically hooks an AR feature to a specific space and shares that data over the internet. As an example, Google shows two people playing a game of tic tac toe in the air by viewing the board on their phone displays and drawing X and O arks by drawing on their phone screens or moving their phones in space. But that example isnt even an app that was originally designed to be a game. Its an updated version of Googles Just A Line app that already lets you draw over real-world settings. Google says an updated version featuring Cloud Anchor support will be available in the coming weeks. Share this article: Share this: Facebook Twitter Reddit Pocket Tumblr Pinterest LinkedIn Email The 71st Cannes Film Festival is opening with the premiere of Asghar Farhadis Everybody Knows, starring Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, but much of the drama at this years festival is off screen. The shadow of disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein is looming over this years Cannes. For two decades, Weinstein had been an omnipresent figure at the festival, where several of his alleged sex crimes took place. This year, Cannes has established a hotline for sexual harassment victims at the festival. Thierry Fremaux, the festivals director, has said the Weinstein revelations came as a shock to Cannes, forcing the festival to examine its own practices and do more to improve gender equality. What emerged in Cannes must be fought in Cannes, Marlene Schiappa, Frances secretary of state in charge of gender equality, told French television yesterday. This years jury also includes a number of prominent members of the Times Up movement, including jury president Cate Blanchett. Also on the jury that will decide this years Palme dOr top prize are Ava DuVernay, Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux, who says Weinstein had made unwelcome advances on her. Also on the jury are Burundian songwriter Khadja Nin, Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev, Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, French director Robert Guediguian and Chinese actor Chang Chen. Over the next two weeks, they will watch the 21 films competing for the Palme, including new releases from Spike Lee, Pawel Pawlikowski and Jean- Luc Godard. Three of the 21 films are directed by women: Nadine Labaki, Eva Husson and Alice Rohrwacher. Cannes has come under criticism for years for not selecting more women directors. Only one female filmmaker, Jane Campion, has won the Palme. Controversy has characterized much of the lead-up to this years festival. After two Netflix films played in competition as last years Cannes festival prompting protests from French exhibitors the Cannes board of directors ruled that a film in competition at Cannes must have French distribution. French law prevents a film that plays in theaters to appear on streaming services for three years. Faced with only showing its films out of competition, Netflix withdrew its films from Cannes. Several Netflix titles, including Alfonso Cuarons Roma and the recently completed Orson Welles film The Other Side of the Wind, had been expected to premiere this year. Since then, both sides have expressed some regret over their disagreement. Also likely absent from the festival will be two filmmakers living under house arrest in their home countries. The festival has asked that exceptions be made so that Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov and Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi can attend the premieres of their films, but that appears unlikely. In the festivals Un Certain Regard section is Rifiki, a lesbian romance from Kenya that has already been banned at home. But Danish provocateur filmmaker Lars von Trier will return to Cannes seven years after being declared persona non grata for joking about being a Nazi and having sympathy for Hitler. His film The House That Jack Built stars Matt Dillon and Uma Thurman. Also making a return to Cannes is Star Wars. The Han Solo spinoff Solo: A Star Wars Story is set for an international premiere on May 15. Jake Coyle, Cannes, AP The European Union (EU) will support the agricultural sector in the Angolan enclave province of Cabinda as part of its new development aid plan, in partnership with the ministries of economy and planning, Angolan ambassador Tomas Ulicny said in the city of Cabinda. The ambassador, who was in Cabinda for two days, stressed that this commitment to agriculture in the region is very important because there is potential here to develop this activity, according to the Angop news agency. He also pointed out that the provincial government projects, within the context of the promotion of agricultural activity, are on the right path and could contribute to the achievement of the objectives, which can help in the growth of the economy, as well as the supply of rural products to the province, in response to the fight against hunger and poverty. According to the ambassador, the private sector will be the top priority in the next phase of European support, given the diversification of the economy, as Angola can no longer depend on revenues from the sale of oil products to cover 95 percent of the State Budget. MDT/Macauhub Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan was elected prime minister by the countrys parliament, completing a remarkable rise to power backed by massive street protests that hes termed a velvet revolution. Lawmakers voted by 59 to 42 yesterday to name Pashinyan as premier, a week after the ruling Republican Party, which holds a majority of seats, had refused to back his candidacy. This time, 13 Republicans voted with minority parties in favor of Pashinyan, who led the protests that ousted Armenias longtime ruler Serzh Sargsyan. There can be no return to the status quo, Pashinyan told lawmakers before the vote as he pledged to call free, fair and transparent elections. Therell be no vendettas against the former regime as an atmosphere of national consensus is needed to protect citizens rights and lure investment, he said. Pashinyans election as premier was greeted with elation by massive crowds gathered in the capital, Yerevans main square. The tiny Caucasus republic of 3 million plunged into political crisis last month when Sargsyan sought to extend his rule by becoming prime minister after a decade as president. Hed overseen constitutional changes to concentrate power in his hands, but resigned after just six days as Pashinyan led tens of thousands of people in peaceful protests amid anger at widespread poverty and official corruption. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram congratulating Pashinyan on his election, according to a Kremlin statement. Russia is watching events closely because it has deep political and economic ties with Armenia as well as a key military base there. Other former Soviet republics including Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan have experienced uprisings against corruption or authoritarianism in recent years, which were condemned by Russia as U.S.-inspired color revolutions intended to weaken its influence. The Armenian protests were unusual in forcing the authorities to cede power without bloodshed, and Pashinyan repeatedly rejected the idea that his movement was making a choice between east and west. His supporters staged a general strike, blocking major roads in Yerevan and bringing much of the country to a standstill, after the Republicans rejected his appointment in a May 1 parliamentary vote. Amid mounting tensions, Republican leaders reversed position a day later and said theyd support any candidate nominated by at least a third of lawmakers. The ruling party backed Pashinyan to end the unprecedented situation in Armenia and ensure political stability, though its still opposed to him, said Vahram Baghdasaryan, head of the Republican faction in parliament. Society has been divided and theres an atmosphere of hatred, he said. Failure by Pashinyan, 42, to win a majority this time would have meant early elections with the Republicans acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan retaining power until the vote. The ruling party didnt nominate a candidate after Pashinyan threatened to blockade parliament if it put Karapetyan forward. The new prime minister, a former journalist, now has 15 days to form a government and has promised elections once the electoral code is changed to ensure a fair contest. The Republicans hold 58 of 105 seats in parliament while Pashinyans Yelk (Way Out) alliance won just nine at elections last year that international observers criticized as tainted by credible information about vote-buying. Sara Khojoyan, Bloomberg Australias government said yesterday it has turned a corner on mounting debt, proposing a plan to give tax cuts to most Australians while balancing the books within two years. Treasurer Scott Morrison revealed to Parliament on Tuesday his third annual budget and his last before his conservative coalition stands for re-election within a year. He promised a modest surplus of 2.2 billion Australian dollars (USD1.65 billion) in the 2019-20 fiscal year down from an estimated AUD18.2 billion deficit in the current year ending June 30. The return to surplus had been expected a year later. Australia recorded a decade of surplus budgets before the global financial crisis in 2008. It has accumulated deficits every year since. The Australia economy is now pulling out of one of the toughest periods we have faced in generations, Morrison told Parliament. As a result of this fiscal discipline, the government has turned the corner on net debt, he said in a budget document. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said he will call an election early next year. But he could be tempted to call an early election if the budget is well received and his conservative coalitions standing in opinion polls improves. The government consistently trails the center-left opposition Labor Party in polling. The budget measures will need the support of a hostile Senate to take effect. The budget calls for net debt the sum of financial liabilities less assets to peak in the current year at 18.6 percent of GDP, or AUD341 billion. Thats a year earlier than Morrison forecast in his last budget. Gross debt, the value of government securities, was expected to peak next year at 29.4 percent of GDP AUD561 billion ($421 billion) then fall to AUD532 ($399 billion) a decade later. A mining boom driven by Chinese demand that kept Australia out of recession during the crisis has gone, although prices for Australian iron ore and coal have recently rebounded. The AUD1.8 trillion ($1.4 trillion) Australian economy is expected to grow by 2.75 percent in the current fiscal year then 3 percent annually for the next two years. Unemployment is expected to fall from 5.5 percent this year to 5.25 percent for the next three years. There has been an upswing in trade globally, especially in our Asian neighbors, a budget document said. Australias strong links with the Asian region continue to present opportunities for our businesses to export, with our trading partner growth expected to exceed global growth over the next few years, it added. Total government revenue for the next fiscal year is expected to be AUD486.1 billion ($365 billion), up 6.6 percent from the current year. Government expenses next year were expected to fall 4.2 percent from the current year to AUD488.6 billion ($367 billion). Some critics argue the government should be more aggressive in cutting expenditure and retiring debt. But the government proposes tax cuts for lower and middle income earners of up to AUD530 ($400) a year at a cost to the budget of AUD140 billion ($105 billion) over a decade. Morrison said the tax cuts showed he respected taxpayers. When too much tax revenue is coming in because the tax system is actually overburdening them, I think its wrong to punish them for that, Morrison told reporters. The government plans to spend more the AUD75 billion ($56 billion) on infrastructure projects including road and rail in this decade. The government announced on yesterday plans to spend AUD536 million ($402 million) over five years on rescue plan for the Great Barrier Reef. It includes programs to reduce fertilizer runoff from farming, remove destructive crown-of-thorns starfish and fund research into coral bleaching. Environmentalists argue that the funding wont tackle the main threat to the reef: global warming. They are calling for more aggressive action to reduce Australias greenhouse gas emissions. The government also announced plans to spend AUD1.3 billion ($970 million) over a decade to help Australia become a global health industry leader in medical technology and pharmaceuticals. Rod McGuirk, Associated Press, AP Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS) has named a team member of The Venetian Macao as the winner of The Mr. Sheldon G. and Dr. Miriam Adelson Citizenship Award presented by Sands Cares. May Wu Yee Mei is a team member at The Venetian Macao, and has been working for the company for 10 years, a statement from the gaming operator informed. Only 12 finalists from LVSs properties worldwide were selected and named Sands Cares Heroes of the Year during the first quarter of 2018, and were invited to Las Vegas to attend a ceremony. Wu has been involved in various volunteer efforts with both Sands China and with outside organisations for the past eight years. In 2015, she was the recipient of the Excellent Volunteer for Community Service Award by the Association of Volunteer Social Service Macau. I hope more team members will be inspired to join the Sands Cares Ambassador programme in the future so that more people in need can benefit from their service, said Wu. Fiber cable underway for HKZMB HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC) and Hong Kong and China Telecommunications recently announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a network interconnection system via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai- Macau Bridge (HKZMB). This will be the first interconnection between Hong Kong and Mainland Chinas telecommunication network service providers on the HKZMB and is HGCs fifth cross- border route between mainland China and Hong Kong. Once the interconnection is in place, the fiber cable will stretch along the 29.6 kilometer dual 3-lane carriageway including a 6.7 kilometer tunnel and will connect to the Boundary Crossing Facilities in Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macau, according to a statement released by HGC. The new link boosts capacity by at least 100Gbps, with a design capacity of 8Tbps. According to HGC, the fiber cable deployed at the Hong Kong Link Road section of the HKZMB is now in service, offering fiber and transmission capacity even before the official opening of the bridge. European countries involved in the Iran nuclear agreement met yesterday to underline their support for the pact just hours before U.S. President Donald Trump was due to announce whether he would continue to abide by it. Senior officials from Britain, France and Germany met in Brussels with Irans Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Abbas Araghchi, as the future of the landmark deal to curb the Islamic Republics nuclear ambitions hangs in the balance. In a statement, the Europeans said they used this opportunity to reiterate their support to the continued full and effective implementation of the [agreement] by all sides. They were not expected to meet again after Trumps announcement later Tuesday, but EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who helps supervise the deals application and settle any disputes, was set for an evening of telephone diplomacy. The exactly impact of Trumps decision will probably take some time to decipher. The agreement is endorsed by the UN Security Council and cannot be ended by any one party alone. In the short term, should Trump lift his sanctions waiver, Congress has about 60 days to decide its next move. Iran can also trigger a dispute mechanism in the agreement, opening a maximum 45-day window for the airing of grievances and to seek a compromise. This could buy three months of valuable time. Overall, Trumps threats have baffled the Europeans. They say the deal is working and note that the International Atomic Energy Agency has now certified 10 times that Iran is in compliance with its obligations. They wonder how breaking this deal would improve things and fear it might only create a dangerous vacuum for Iran to resume its nuclear activities. If this agreement falls apart and you dont have a substitute, what do you gain? You make things worse because you probably trigger a nuclear arms race in the region, a senior EU official with close working knowledge of the agreement said last week. The official was not permitted to speak publicly about the Iran nuclear dossier. The deal is not based on assumptions of good faith or trust. It is based on concrete commitments, verification mechanisms and a very strict long-term monitoring done by the IAEA, the official said. EU officials also warn that any changes Trump might want to make to this agreement would have to be done on the basis of more for more. They believe Iran is unlikely to accept new constraints without concessions in return. That said, it is still possible to ramp up pressure on Iran over its ballistic missile program or its destabilizing role in regional affairs through other sanctions, which would fall outside the scope of the agreement. Just in case U.S. sanctions linked to this agreement do kick in, the EU is weighing how to protect the interests of European business working with Iran. We are having conversations obviously and we are working on a number of proposals that could protect European companies and operators, the senior official said, but declined to provide details. Lorne Cook, Brussels, AP Chinas exports rebounded in April and its politically sensitive monthly trade surplus with the United States grew for the first time in five months at a time of escalating friction between Beijing and Washington over the imbalance. Data released yesterday show exports jumped 21.5 percent from the same month the year before, bouncing back from a contraction the previous month thanks to resurgent global demand. Imports expanded 12.9 percent year-on-year in dollar terms, leaving the countrys global trade surplus for the month at USD28.8 billion, a turnaround from a $5 billion deficit the month before. Chinas trade surplus with the U.S. swelled to USD22.2 billion, up from $15.4 in March and the first increase since November, as exports to the U.S. grew at a double digit pace. U.S. officials traveled to Beijing last week for talks on resolving the dispute between the worlds two biggest economies. Those meetings appear to have made little progress, but further discussions are scheduled to resume next week. Chinese President Xi Jinpings top economic adviser, Liu He, who headed the Chinese side during the Beijing talks, is expected to visit Washington for those meetings, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday. We are working on something that we think will be great for everybody, she told reporters. Chinas trade surplus with the U.S. totaled $80.4 billion in January- April, up from $50 billion in the same period last year. President Donald Trumps demands that China slash its surplus with the U.S. have become a cornerstone of his combative economic policy. Among the list of hard-line demands that Trumps delegation handed China last week was an ultimatum to cut $200 billion from its annual trade surplus with the U.S. by 2020. Last years merchandise trade surplus totaled $375 billion, according to U.S. data, while Chinese statistics put it at about $276 billion. The widening surplus reflects the difficulty of closing the trade gap between the two countries in the near term, but it is unlikely to obstruct the constructive progress made recently in negotiations between Washington and Beijing, ANZ Banks senior China economist, Betty Wang, said in a research note. The high-level meetings are constructive moves in the right direction to resolve the tensions, she said. After last weeks meeting, Chinas Commerce Ministry said the two sides had agreed to establish a mechanism to try to resolve their dispute, though differences remained. Trump has threatened to hike tariffs on $150 billion in Chinese imports. Chinas communist leaders have countered by outlining $50 billion in U.S. goods that they would target with retaliatory duties on goods including aircraft and soybeans. Kelvin Chan, Hong Kong, AP Heres the plan: a new casino hotel, called The Glaswegian Macau. A sister hotel to The Venetian, The Parisian, and a rival to the upcoming Cotai Sands rebrand, The Londoner. Let me explain. Im a Scot living in Hong Kong. Whenever I visit Macau, I cant help but think of new ways for Scotland, once so prominent in the development of Hong Kong, to promote itself in todays Asia. In particular, how my native city, Glasgow, could champion its charms. For those unfamiliar with Scotlands urban hierarchy, Glasgow is its biggest city but not its most famous. That falls to Edinburgh Glasgows rival and Scotlands capital with its imposing castle and elegant New Town. Someone from Edinburgh is called an Edinburgher but what prospects, really, are there for a Scottish hotel involving the word burgher? Everyone would think they were booking an overnight in McDonalds, and no end of confusion would crop up about fruit machines. Bunches of cherries and plumsin a McDonalds? A Glaswegian is the term given to someone who comes from Glasgow. So, The Glaswegian. Its the obvious choice. A brief history of Glasgow, then, lest any casino hotel investors be reading. Glasgow was once famed for its ships, built alongside the River Clyde. Glasgow gloried in its art tearooms, pioneered in the 1890s by scone moguls like Miss Kate Cranston, who started Miss Cranstons Tearooms. And its fair to say Glasgow has always been renowned for its cloudy skies and wet weather. What would a hotel named The Glaswegian offer tourists in a Macau keen to diversify and attract different visitors? The Venetian Macau has an indoor shopping mall arranged around a replica of Venices canals, beneath a reliably blue sky. The Glaswegian Macau could have its own eminent water feature: a shallower version of the River Clyde, under a roof painted with murals of grey clouds. The Venetian has gondolas: The Glaswegian could offer comparable floating fun. On the real River Clyde in Scotland, theres a paddle steamer called The Waverley, which took factory workers to the seaside many years ago, and where the description of inebriated persons as steaming originated (passengers started drinking as soon as the steamer set off). A miniature Waverley could sail along the indoor River Clyde though, with Chinese holidaymakers aboard, it might just be green tea steaming. What of other casino elements? In Glasgow, the biggest gamble anyone takes is leaving the house without an umbrella, or coat. In The Glaswegian, the betting could be real, in a new gambling game, Dark Sky rather than blackjack. You would decide whether or not to walk along the banks of the indoor River Clyde with an umbrella or a cardigan. The house would control the weather. Would it rain or would it not? There would be conventional gaming too, and the tearooms historically linked to Glasgow could help enhance gamblings attractions to women. The Glaswegian would have the Toasted Scone and Jam Casino. And Miss Cranstons Casino. To sum up the potential patrons of The Glaswegian Macau: Visitors seeking distinctive gambling games, with strong fundamentals of physical fun. Women. Cake-lovers. Actual Scots keen to holiday somewhere different, like a version of their city where they might win money from getting completely soaked. The appeal to this demographic could deepen if drinks at The Glaswegian were to be cut-rate, because Scotland just controversially introduced a minimum unit cost for alcohol. Cheap booze to get steamin on the Waverley? The whole of Glasgow will come, leaving the actual city delightfully uncrowded when Asian visitors, inspired by The Glaswegian Macau, decide to skip Edinburgh and visit Glasgow, Scotland. The Office for Personal Data Protection (GPDP) concluded only 187 from the 408 cases handled by the Office in 2017. Of those, only eight cases resulted in sanctions being applied to the offenders, the GPDP coordinator Yang Chongwei said yesterday at a press conference. The presentation aimed to publish last years activity report, as well as developments related with the activities of this years Privacy Week, among other topics. Yang noted that the office was only able to treat 45.8 percent of cases, although from 2016 to 2017, it registered a drop in all the figures related to solicitations of work to the office, with the most significant figure relating to the number of notifications, which dropped year-on- year to 50.4 percent (599 cases) instead of the 1,207 cases reported in the previous year. Another figure that also dropped significantly was the one related to authorization requests, which fell by 34.3 percent in 2017. On the topic, Yang explained that both the figures were related to and justified by the same fact: Back in 2013, we had the applications for the Small and Medium-size Enterprises related to the CCTV [Closed Circuit Television] cameras installation for security purposes, and those authorizations are valid for a period of three years and that is why in 2016 we had so many notifications and authorization requests, since it was the time to renew such licenses, he said, noting that all the other figures from 2017 have registered normal drops between 1.8 and 9 percent. He related these minor drops to the fact that people are more informed about the Personal Data Protection Law as a result of information sessions and cooperation with institutions regarding information disclosure. Questioned by the media as to details on the cases that led to the only eight sanctions from the Office, the coordinator noted that of those, the majority (five cases) of the offenders were individual people and these cases are related [to] the publication of personal data from third-parties in the internet, he said, clarifying at a later stage. We have been noticing this tendency [of disclosing of private information of social net- works] due to revenge or bullying reasons. Yang added that in all the five cases reported, a person (due to personal reasons) may have revenged or [emotion] had revealed personal data that includes images and or photographs [of other people], remarking that these cases having nothing to do with cases of public interests or freedom of expression that could justify the unveiling of such information, promising that the Office will be alert to this kind of privacy breach. The Office head further disclosed that from the 217 cases investigated in 2017, a total of 36 cases (16.8 percent) are related to situations involving social networks and the Internet. Questioned also about the low rate of cases concluded, which was less than half of the number of cases treated, the coordinator of the GPDP said, we do have [a] lack of Human Resources and a great volume of work. This is not a problem of our office alone but of several [public] services, he said, adding that with the current number of staff and the added difficulties, to respond to many different types of treatment of personal data is not an easy task. Nevertheless, Yang also remarked that the low rate of conclusion is not only related to the lack of human resources but also with processing aspects, as he noted, many of the cases are related to administrative infractions and we need to collect evidence and proof of such infractions. This has been a difficulty [for] our services, he noted. In the statistic of the cases treated by the GPDP, it is also possible to note that a total of 60 cases (32.1 percent) were closed on account of a lack of evidence. Regarding the other three cases sanctioned by the Office, one involves a public department and the other two involve private companies. Questioned as to the case related to the public department, the coordinator also noted that the case has been noticed before and that it is related to a public opinion consultation done by the Transportation Infrastructure Office, which the department assigned to a private company. When the presentation of the results took place, due to what Yang called a technical mistake, some data had been covered using some color masking which was not sufficient to avoid [being] seen by the public and [it was possible] to identify some respondents, an infraction considered by the coordinator as not too serious. This occurrence was targeted with a fine of an undisclosed amount. The coordinator noted that all five cases were sanctioned with fines ranging from MOP8,000 to MOP16,000, applied in a case that involved a private company that was using data illegally to perform some form of promotion to the people whose personal data they had allowed others to access. Privacy Week to pay close attention to new EU data protection law This years Privacy Week, an event organized annually by the Office for Personal Data Protection, will aim to provide information on several topics related to data protection and privacy, with a special focus on the European Unions (EU) new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The new European regulation will be in force from May 25 this year and will replace the EUs Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC in order to harmonize data privacy laws across Europe, and to protect and empower all EU citizens data privacy, as well as to reshape the way organizations across the region approach data privacy. The assistant coordinator of the GPDP, Iao Hin Chit, said that due to the entry into force of the regulation, it will apply not only to EU citizens and companies but also to other regions that have commercial or personal relations with the EU. The week, which started on May 7 and will run until May 13, includes several activities as well as a clarification session dedicated to Macau companies and entrepreneurs. On the topic, the coordinator of the GPDP, Yang Chongwei, noted: The major impact in Macau is that the [local] companies are not based in the EU but have business with EU, being in this way included [in such law] and they might not have a good knowledge about this law. Yang noted that for this reason the GPDP had partnered with the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute and the Macau Chamber of Commerce in order to provide to local businessmen with the updated information regarding the new and stricter rules from the EU. As the Coordinator recalled, In Macau, we also follow the European system of the Data Protection Rules, which is stricter than the American one. A group in Hong Kong is eyeing the relocation of the regions container terminal, Kwai Tsings port facilities to Guishan, an island that falls under the jurisdiction of Zhuhai, in a bid to meet Hong Kongs development needs. The idea was just one of the 16 options that the Citizens Task Force on Land Resources suggested, noting that leasing the land and relocating the port facilities would free up some 300 hectares of prime land for housing. This came after the SAR kicked off a five-month public consultation period on 18 options to boost land supply due to Hong Kongs land shortage problem. According to engineer Albert Lai, a member of the group responsible for initiating the idea, the move will help to facilitate regional cooperation under the Greater Bay Area scheme, the South China Morning Post reported. Lai added that Guishans proximity to the Pearl River Delta would lessen time and logistical cost, as the proximity of Guishan would act as a short-cut, particularly for transshipments and the river trade. Hong Kong never wanted it because no chief executive in the past was ever that committed to long-term, interregional planning, Lai said. The Greater Bay Area is a good opportunity to revive it. For the idea to be integrated, it would need to be authorized by a decree from Beijings State Council and adopted by the SARs law. However, Lai recalled that the high-speed rail terminus in West Kowloon also involves Hong Kong leasing land to the mainland and placing it under national laws. Beijing granted Macau jurisdiction over a plot of land located in the mainland, when it granted the lease of a square kilometer of land on the island of Hengqin back in 2009. The University of Macau campus built there will be under Macaus jurisdiction for 40 years. The span could be longer or shorter, depending on the consent of Beijings cabinet, the State Council. In 2015, Beijing also green- lighted a marine area of 85 square kilometers that was to be placed under the SARs control, an area about which experts called for proper planning. LV The first Economic Conference of the Market of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) begins today in Maputo, Mozambique, with the participation of about 350 people, including entrepreneurs, representatives of business associations, public foreign trade bodies, heads of state and members of the government of the CPLP countries, according to the organizing body. The event, organized by the Business Confederation of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CE-CPLP), aims to improve the movement of people and goods, services and capital among community members, making this new market more consistent and boosting relations between associations and business entities. The conference will last two days and address topics such as Characterization of the CPLP market, Strengths and weaknesses of each member country, Foreign trade agencies of the countries of the community, Mobility and recognition of professions within the CPLP, and National electricity companies of affiliated countries. CE-CPLP President, Salimo Abdula, recently announced that the entity will propose to the governments of the member countries of the organization the creation of an arbitration tribunal for the resolution of business disputes. Since CPLP countries speak the same language and have close legal systems, an arbitral tribunal for the organization would be more effective in settling disputes between community entrepreneurs, said Abdula, announcing the program of the 1st Economic Conference of the CPLP Market. The CE-CPLP President also said that the organizations entrepreneurs will insist on the need for member states of the organization to introduce free movement of people and goods, to strengthen trade and social ties. The Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries was established in 1996 and has nine members, namely Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and East Timor. MDT/Macauhub Its not just any other election for Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak: The vote today is personal. His main challenger, Mahathir Mohamad, led the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition for roughly a third of its 61-year run in power, making him Malaysias longest-serving prime minister. He backed Najib to replace his successor more than a decade ago, but now wants to boot him from office. Najib, who first joined Mahathirs cabinet in 1986, is trying to silence the 92-year-old once and for all. A solid victory would also help Najib, 64, move beyond a corruption scandal involving state-owned investment fund 1MDB, which has dogged him despite his repeated denials of wrongdoing. If Mahathir succeeds in bringing down Najib and the very regime he created, he will have proved himself as the most influential politician in Malaysian history, said Oh Ei Sun, principal adviser to the Pacific Research Centre in Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. A Najib win, meanwhile, shows that he has truly stepped out of Mahathirs shadow and legacy, and established himself as a powerful politician in his own right. OPEN WAR Mahathir spent much of his 22 years in power grooming Najib to take his place. Yet shortly after Najib finally took office in 2009, Mahathir turned on him citing worsening race relations and a tougher business environment. The attacks continued for years, and Mahathir in January offered himself up as a prime minister candidate for the opposition coalition while de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim sits in jail. The two fell out over a myriad policy issues, including Najibs decision to abolish the Internal Security Act, his performance in the 2013 general election and the 1MDB controversy. On the campaign trail, both leaders have taken personal swipes at each other. At a rally over the weekend, Mahathir called Najib a thief and said he lives in fear even of my photos. His party had earlier been temporarily banned from campaigning, and authorities had announced they were investigating Mahathir under the countrys new fake news law. Najib believes Mahathir turned away from him because the political veteran is obsessive about control, about calling the shots, he told Bloomberg in a recent interview. He wanted me to do his bidding. The final straw, said Najib, was when Mahathirs son Mukhriz Mahathir lost his bid to become vice-president of UMNO. That was the turning point and he declared open war against me. Mahathirs press secretary referred questions directly to Mahathir, who couldnt be contacted on Monday. Polls show a tight contest between Najibs Barisan Nasional and Mahathirs four-party coalition called Pakatan Harapan, which includes Malaysias biggest ethnic Chinese party. Anger among non-Malays in 2013 prompted Najibs coalition to lose the popular vote for the first time in 44 years. In Peninsular Malaysia, Pakatan Harapan is set to win 43.7 percent of the popular vote compared with 40.3 percent for Barisan Nasional, according to the latest poll by Merdeka Center. Another survey by Institut Darul Ehsan, a think tank run by the opposition-held state of Selangor, showed 57 percent of Malay respondents saying they preferred Mahathir as prime minister over Najib. Najib and Mahathir will compete for prime time viewers when they deliver their last appeal on the eve of the poll. Najibs speech will be televised on state-run channels TV2 and Bernama, as well as TV3 and Astro Awani at 10 p.m., while Mahathir is aiming for 10 million viewers by streaming his speech on Facebook at the same time. Malaysians will cast their votes when polls open at 8 a.m. local time today. MALAY TSUNAMI Yet the Mahathir factor alone may not be enough for Pakatan Harapan to win over Malays. Ibrahim Suffian, the executive director of pollster Merdeka Center, which tracks voter sentiments, told a forum Wednesday that while Barisan Nasional saw declining support levels among Malay voters over the past two weeks, it still maintains nearly a two-to-one advantage. Mahathir will need all the support he can get from Malays, which make up about 60 percent of all voters. The ruling coalition has a firm grip on two states in Borneo that account for a quarter of seats in parliament despite holding only about 20 percent of Malaysias population, giving it an advantage over the opposition. In the 2013 election, Najib came to power largely on the back of Malays after the opposition alienated them by campaigning against affirmative action programs that have underpinned the ruling coalitions support for decades. This time around, the opposition is hoping Mahathir and his Malay-based party can deliver a Malay tsunami of votes. With Mahathir, Pakatan Harapan has come to a stage where it has never been before, said Wan Saiful Wan Jan, who recently stepped down as chief executive officer of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs to join Mahathirs party. For the first time, it has the support of the Malay population in a very big way. Najib has dismissed the notion that Malays would abandon him. I can assure you there will be no Malay tsunami against the government, he said in April, according to the official Malaysia news agency Bernama. That strategy, if it works, will only be detrimental to the Chinese community. TOUGH TIMES Still, its a been difficult time for Najib. Besides dealing with questions over 1MDB, hes faced complaints over rising living costs and brewing discontent with a goods and services tax introduced in 2015. To win over the Malay base, hes pledged to introduce a law for Shariah-compliant property sales, help ethnic Malay farmers resolve their debts and ensure the same cost of goods for those living in Borneo as in Peninsular Malaysia. Mahathir, meanwhile, has vowed to replace the 6 percent goods-and-services tax with levies on company profits and a sales tax a move Najib warns would would add 416 billion ringgit (USD107 billion) to the nations debt. He also wants to impose a two-term limit on the prime minister, something that wouldve checked his own power back in the day. Two weeks ago, Mahathir shared a video in which he is seen fighting back tears as he explained to a child why hed come out of retirement to run for office. It is because I have to do some work with regards to rebuilding our country, Mahathir said. Perhaps because of mistakes I myself made in the past and because of the current situation.Anisah Shukry, Bloomberg Twelve Israeli soldiers disguised as maintenance staff have stormed a hijacked Sabena Boeing at Lod airport in Tel Aviv and released the 100 people on board. Two of the Arab hijackers were shot dead and their two female companions were captured, although one of them was injured in the attack. Six of the passengers were also wounded in the gun battle. The 90 passengers and 10 crew had been held hostage for 23 hours. The end to their ordeal came when two vans, said to be carrying repair men, drove onto the runway and approached the plane. The men got out and pretended to begin work on the airliner but suddenly climbed onto the wings and opened the emergency doors. The British pilot, Captain Reginald Levy, said: Everyone of us is lucky to be alive. I have had some tough times but this was my toughest. The airliner was hijacked after leaving Vienna, where it had made a stop on a flight from Brussels to Tel Aviv. Capt Levy said: Two of the men burst into the cockpit and said they were taking over the jet. He was ordered to fly the plane to Lod, where the gunmen offered to free the passengers in exchange for 100 Arab prisoners held by the Israelis. While the plane was sitting on the tarmac, the Israelis managed to let down the tyres and empty the fuel tanks to prevent it taking off again. Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Dayan took charge of negotiations with the hijackers, initially offering to free the Arab prisoners in return for the release of the hostages. Later Israeli officials said there was never any intention to release the prisoners. It was simply a delaying tactic. The gunmen belonged to the Black September Organisation of Palestine guerrillas, a splinter group of the PLO. One of the rescued passengers, Mor Weiss, from Brooklyn, told The Times: The soldiers opened the four doors, two on either side at the same time. Immediately the Arabs started shooting wildly. The troops fired back and I saw the younger of the two male hijackers fall with a bullet through his forehead. Seconds later the other one was shot. Mr Weiss said he had been picked on because he was wearing a skull cap. He was sent to the back of the plane and made to sit with a stick of dynamite between his feet. Captain Levy, who comes from Slough, told a news conference, the drama had happened on his 50th birthday. His wife had accompanied him on the flight so they could have a celebratory birthday meal in Tel Aviv. Courtesy BBC News In context The two women hijackers were jailed for life in August 1972. They were found guilty after boarding the Sabena aircraft with explosives packed into the lining of corsets they were wearing and also carrying a pistol and grenade concealed in cans of talcum powder. They were jailed for life although one of the three judges voted for the death penalty. On 29 May 1972 three Japanese gunmen opened fire on crowds at Lod International Airport in Tel Aviv, killing 26 people and injuring dozens more. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said they had recruited the gunmen from the Japanese Red Army. Two died in the attack, the third, Kozo Okamoto, was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment. Lod, or Lydda airport, has since been renamed Ben Gurion Airport and has some of the strictest airport security in the world. Nelson Mandela has become South Africas first black president after more than three centuries of white rule. Mr Mandelas African National Congress (ANC) party won 252 of the 400 seats in the first democratic elections of South Africas history. The inauguration ceremony took place in the Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria today, attended by politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries around the world. As part of the ceremony he pledged his allegiance to South Africa and his determination to continue his work for reconciliation. I do hereby swear to be faithful to the Republic of South Africa and do solemnly and sincerely promise to promote that which will advance and to oppose all that may harm the republic and to devote myself to the well-being of the republic and all its people. Jubilant scenes on the streets of Pretoria followed the ceremony with blacks, whites and coloureds celebrating together. When the new president, flanked by First Deputy President Thabo Mbeki and Second Deputy President FW de Klerk, appeared on the Botha Lawn beneath the Union Buildings the crowd went wild. More than 100,000 South African men, women and children of all races sang and danced with joy. Addressing the crowd President Mandela paid tribute to outgoing president Mr FW de Klerk: He has made for himself a niche in history. He has turned out to be one of the greatest reformers, one of the greatest sons of South Africa. He also spoke of the human disaster of apartheid. We saw our country tear itself apart in terrible conflict The time for healing of wounds has come Never, never again will this beautiful land experience the oppression of one by another. And urging forgiveness he said in Africaans: Wat is verby verby What is past is past Courtesy BBC News In context Following the inauguration ceremony, President Mandela entrusted his deputy, Thabo Mbeki, with the day-to-day business of the government. Mandela himself concentrated on the ceremonial duties of a leader, building a new international image for South Africa. Mandela stepped down as South Africas president after the ANCs landslide victory in the national elections in the summer of 1999, in favour of Mr Mbeki. He then continued travelling the world, meeting leaders, attending conferences and collecting awards. Mandela died on December 5, 2013. Several students were left outside their schools yesterday after the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) announced, at 6 a.m., that kindergartens, primary schools and special education schools were to suspend classes for the whole day. The regions Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) issued a rainstorm warning at 4.35 a.m. yesterday, followed by DSEJs school suspension announcement. According to a report by TDM, some primary school students still went to school alone without knowing of the suspension. Upon arrival, they waited outside the facilities. Some parents, who live in neighboring Zhuhai and send their children to Macau to study, also said that they only learned of the class suspension after they had already crossed the border to Macau. Schools in Zhuhai operated as usual. Parents complained that DSEJ issued the school suspension at a short notice. The weather conditions during the day were mild. US-N. KOREA Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, ahead of the historic summit. JAPAN China, Japan and South Korea warmed their chilly relations yesterday, brought together by a common goal: ending North Koreas nuclear program. SOUTH CHINA SEA Vietnam has requested that China withdraw its military equipment from South China Sea outposts, saying its deployment seriously violates Hanois sovereignty, increases tension and destabilizes the region. PHILIPPINES The embattled Philippine chief justice returned to office yesterday after taking two months of leave amid efforts by President Rodrigo Dutertes administration to oust her from the Supreme Court. MYANMAR Four human rights groups urged the U.N. Security Council to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity. INDIA A homemade bomb exploded yesterday in Indias remote northeast, killing two paramilitary soldiers and wounding two civilians, police said. ISRAEL-RUSSIA Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) traveled to Moscow yesterday to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discuss military coordination amid new strikes in Syria blamed on Israel. TURKEYs state-run news agency says prosecutors are seeking life in prison terms for more than 200 people, including former generals, who are accused of being the ringleaders of the 2016 failed military coup. BRITAIN-GREECE Britains Prince Charles embarked yesterday on an official visit to Greece, the birthplace of his father and kingdom of his paternal great-grandfather. SPAIN The government has moved to block plans by Catalan separatists to re-elect in absentia the former regional president Carles Puigdemont, who is battling extradition from Germany to Spain. ARGENTINA President Mauricio Macri said that Argentina has begun talks on a financing deal with the International Monetary Fund following a sharp devaluation of its currency and amid a difficult global scenario. US-VENEZUELA The Trump administration has called for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down. For the safety and security of all the peoples of Latin America, it is time for Maduro to go, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations said. Germany recorded an almost 10 per cent drop in crime last year to its lowest level since the early 1990s despite perceptions that the arrival of more than a million asylum seekers would lead to a rise in offences. Overall, violent crime was down by 1.7 per cent last year, the Interior Ministry said, although refugees and asylum seekers were proportionately over-represented in sexual assault cases. The care provided by a mother can impact the body clock and health of offspring after birth, according to new research published in the Journal of Physiology. By reducing abnormalities in the body clock of offspring, it may be possible to develop therapies for serious lifestyle-related diseases, such as heart disease and obesity. The body has an internal clock that regulates sleepiness over a 24 hour period, called your circadian rhythm. The circadian system is important so that processes in our body are synchronised with day and night, i.e. when it is light or dark outside. Disturbances in these mechanisms can lead to poor health, such as heart disease. The mother-offspring interaction is very important for health later in adulthood. This is the first study to provide compelling evidence that the circadian characteristics of a mother may positively affect the likelihood of disease developing in offspring. Providing better maternal care significantly reduced abnormalities in the circadian system and resulted in a lower likelihood of development of heart disease. The study conducted by the Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences was performed in two strains of laboratory rats, in which the maternal care and synchrony of their circadian clocks with external day/night cycle differed. The effect of maternal care provided by the genetic mother of these pups was compared with maternal care of the foster mother. The pups either had an aberrant circadian system and were genetically determined to develop disease in adulthood or they were healthy controls. The researchers tested the effect of maternal care on the body clock before and just after weaning, and on their activity rhythms, heart rate and blood pressure in adulthood. Proper maternal care provided to pups genetically predisposed to develop disease led to improvement of their clock function and abolished the rise in their heart rate in adulthood. The data obtained in pups before weaning were based on population samples because the researchers could not assess circadian rhythms of the clocks in each individual pup within the body without disturbing the maternal behaviour. Additionally, in the rat strain spontaneously developing disease, the molecular mechanisms connecting the circadian clock and the pathology has not been understood. Alena Sumova, corresponding author for the study said: "These results point to a real possibility to reduce abnormalities in the offspring's body clock and therefore limit the progression of disease in order to improve health. Our future research will be directed at understanding in more detail how an aberrant circadian system contributes to the progression of disease. We believe that this research is worth future explorations as it may provide novel therapies for serious life-style related diseases in humans." Explore further Researchers discover why females have heart health advantage More information: Circadian alignment in a foster mother improves the offspring's pathological phenotype, Jphysiol, DOI: 10.1113/JP275585 Journal information: Journal of Physiology Circadian alignment in a foster mother improves the offspring's pathological phenotype, Brain imaging reveals that poor communication between four regions of the visual cortex that help process what we see is correlated with greater risk of mental illness. Credit: Maxwell Elliott Individual regions of the brain have to team up to get things done. And like in any team, the key to working together is communication. Duke researchers used brain imaging to identify how patterns of brain connectivitythe ability of different brain regions to talk to each othercan affect a person's likelihood of developing common forms of mental illness. Surprisingly, they found that brain regions that help process what we see may play a key role in mental health. The results show that a person's risk of mental illness broadly increases when the visual cortex has trouble communicating with brain networks responsible for focus and introspection. "You don't typically associate visual processing with psychopathology," said Maxwell Elliott, a graduate student in psychology and neuroscience at Duke. "We found evidence that visual areas may be related to mental illness by virtue of their ability to communicate information between two higher-order cognitive networks." Teasing out how risk for mental illness manifests in the brain could help researchers target interventions and therapies to where they matter most, the researchers say. The results appeared online last month in Biological Psychiatry. In their analysis, the team drew upon data from 605 university students who participated in the Duke Neurogenetics Study. Each participant was asked to spend about 10 minutes relaxing in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner while the instrument recorded blood flow to different regions of the brain. "We measure how different areas of the brain talk to each other by how their blood flow signals go up and down together," said Elliott, who works in the lab of Duke professor of psychology and neuroscience Ahmad Hariri. Participants also completed a comprehensive mental health assessment, and the researchers used these assessments to estimate each individual's "p-factor" score. The p-factor reflects recent observations that people with symptoms of one psychiatric disorder, such as anxiety, are also more likely to report symptoms of one or more additional psychiatric disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder. People who reported a greater number of or more intense psychiatric symptoms were assigned a higher p-factor score. All participants who were diagnosed with mental disorders were referred for treatment. In a study published last year, the team examined how the structure of the brain, such as the density of white or grey matter, maps onto the p-factor. They found that higher p-factor scores correlate with lower volume and less integrity of white and grey matter in regions of the brain that help coordinate complex movements with external stimuli, including visual input. In the new study, they wanted to extend this analysis to also include the brain's functional circuitry. Using an advanced statistical technique, they examined how functional connections throughout the brain related to p-factor scores. They consistently found that people with higher p-factor scores also had certain brain regions that didn't work together as wellspecifically four regions of the visual cortex that help us understand and recognize what we see. When they looked deeper into the data, they found that these visual networks specifically had trouble tapping into more complex networks responsible for focus, planning and introspection. Difficulty focusing and planning has been linked to severe forms of mental illness, such as schizophrenia and severe depression. "We are very visual animals compared to, say, a dog or a mouse, so a big part of our attention is focused on filtering visual information," Elliott said. "And in order to filter visual information and stay focused on a task, these higher order networks need to work with your visual networks to tell it to ignore, say, the blinking light outside, and keep giving us information about what matters most for a given task at hand." "We will never make progress in the field of psychiatry until we can understand the biological origins of these diseases in people," said Theodore Satterthwaite, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, who was not involved in the study. "What's exciting about this work is it shows that there may be common neural circuits that may leave people vulnerable to all sorts of disorders." Because measuring this circuitry is simple and non-invasivethe patient merely has to relax in an MRI scannerSatterthwaite says it may have potential to be used as a diagnostic tool in a clinical setting. Both Elliott and Satterthwaite caution that the results must be replicated on a more diverse group than undergraduates before it can be considered generalizable to the population as a whole. The team at Duke plans to repeat the experiments on New Zealanders participating in the long-term Dunedin study. "The more we can map the p-factor onto the brain and understand how it influences mental illness, the more we can come up with novel ways of intervening," Elliott said. More information: Maxwell L. Elliott et al, A Connectome Wide Functional Signature of Transdiagnostic Risk for Mental Illness, Biological Psychiatry (2018). Journal information: Biological Psychiatry Maxwell L. Elliott et al, A Connectome Wide Functional Signature of Transdiagnostic Risk for Mental Illness,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.03.012 (HealthDay)Air pollution coupled with colder temperatures may deliver a double whammy to women's hearts, making them more prone to sudden cardiac death, a new study suggests. The researchers found that when air pollution rose and temperatures fell to 40 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the odds of sudden cardiac death more than doubled. Sudden cardiac death can occur after the heart stops due to a glitch in the heart's electrical system. "We found that air pollution was associated with a small increased risk of sudden cardiac death, but the association was much stronger when it was colderunder 55 degrees," said study author Jaime Hart, an associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. But Hart pointed out that these findings shouldn't make women panic. The study included more than 112,000 women from 1999 to 2011, and only 221 sudden cardiac deaths occurred in that time frame. "The risk of this outcome is extremely low for an individual woman. It's on a population level where we're concerned," she said, adding these findings occurred under current standards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "So, this means the current standards aren't protective enough," Hart said. The Trump administration is planning to roll back some of the EPA's regulations, such as fuel economy standards and measures to lower greenhouse gas emissions from cars. Such changes might lead to an increase in air pollution, according to published reports. For the study, the researchers looked to see how much exposure to air pollution the women who died of sudden cardiac arrest had on the day they died, compared to another day during the same month. They looked at a measure of particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in size. The diameter of a human hair is 30 times larger than 2.5 microns. Because these particles are so tiny, they can get deep into your lungs and even into your bloodstream, according to the EPA. The researchers also looked at the temperature on the day the sudden cardiac death occurred. Increasing levels of PM2.5 were associated with 22 percent higher odds of sudden cardiac death with each incremental increase. But when the temperature dropped below 55 degrees, the odds of sudden cardiac death were 2.6 times higher. When the temperature dropped below 39 degrees, the risk leveled off a bit, to twice as high. There was no increase in the risk of sudden cardiac death at temperatures above 55 degrees, the study found. Hart said underlying heart disease didn't seem to play a role. The researchers also found that age, weight and smoking status didn't seem to affect a woman's risk of sudden cardiac death. As to how a chilly, smoggy day might trigger sudden cardiac death, Hart said it's not yet clear. This study was only designed to find an association, not cause and effect. But she said colder temperatures are associated with a lot of cardiovascular problems on their own, and the addition of the air pollution might just add to those problems. Dr. Kevin Marzo, chief of cardiology at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., said it's possible that exposure to air pollution coupled with colder weather might cause more inflammation or lead to an impaired blood supply as blood vessels constrict in the cold. "Air pollution and low temperatures could create a perfect storm, and this study highlights that even a healthy population of women exposed to air pollution and cold experienced an increased risk of sudden cardiac death," said Marzo, who wasn't involved with the study. Like Hart suggested, he said it's important to improve air quality with better regulations to cut down on car fumes. On an individual level, Marzo said it's a good idea not to exercise near roads with a lot of traffic, and to cut down on indoor air pollution from burning fires and gas stoves. Hart said the study didn't look at men, but she suspects the findings would be similar. Hart is to present the findings Wednesday at the Heart Rhythm Society meeting, in Boston. Findings from meetings are typically viewed as preliminary until they've been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Explore further Estrogen levels tied to risk for sudden cardiac death in study More information: Jaime Hart, Sc.D., associate professor, medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; Kevin Marzo, M.D., chief, division of cardiology, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, N.Y.; May 9, 2018, presentation, Heart Rhythm Society meeting, Boston Jaime Hart, Sc.D., associate professor, medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; Kevin Marzo, M.D., chief, division of cardiology, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, N.Y.; May 9, 2018, presentation, Heart Rhythm Society meeting, Boston Learn more about your risk of sudden cardiac arrest from the Heart Rhythm Society. Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: University of California - Santa Barbara Despite massive breakthroughs in the field of neuroscience over the last century, one area continues to baffle both scientists and philosophers: How do molecules, cells, neurotransmitters and other brain "stuff" create the abstract experience of self-awareness? In his new book, "The Consciousness Instinct: Unraveling the Mystery of How the Brain Makes the Mind" (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2018), Michael Gazzaniga, a professor of psychology at UC Santa Barbara and director of the campus's SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind, examines what he refers to as this "problem of consciousness." And, he notes, the fact that the word "consciousness" means different things to different people and is influenced by personal, cultural and religious stories adds yet another layer to the complexity of the problem. "There wasn't even a word to talk about our current subjective experience until Descartes began using the word around the late 16th century," Gazzaniga said. "Throughout the last 2,000 years, three predominant ideas about how consciousness works have become accepted," he continued. "The Greeks first said that the brain/body creates consciousness. Then, 1,400 years after that came the idea that the brain/body does it, but upon death a 'soul' survives the body. And finally, with the onset of dualism, came the idea that the brain is mechanical, but the mind is floating around and makes contact with the brain in a particular spot. "Therefore," Gazzaniga went on, "consciousness either comes from a particular spot in the brainbe that the pineal gland or otherwiseor it comes in and animates us and then leaves us at death." This simplified snapshot is what experts in the field have been working with up until the present day. In his book, Gazzaniga uses the metaphor of the system of democracy to help explain his take on consciousness. "Consciousness is a 'thing' the way democracy is a 'thing'it's not something you can put on the table, it's a process," he said. "It's a summation of processes that all happen in parallel and our consciousness is a product of these interacting parts." This concept of modular organization suggests that specialized areas of the brain do different things, and consciousness itself is the amalgamation of thousands of those processes happening at the same time. Specialized capacities come up one at a time, he explained, and through time they are stitched together to give the illusion of a unified consciousness. In effect, each individual part of the brain is doing its respective job, and each then passes information to the next level of command. This continues until the thought or functionsay, sight or soundbecomes apparent. "There are many layers behind the curtain, so to speak," Gazzaniga said. The real question, though, is how to figure out how those layers communicate with one another. What is the protocol? "We have to think about this from the perspective that something can have dual natures, such as how light can be a particle and a wave," he said, adding, "but we don't yet know how that works." But what does all this say about the nature of the spirit or soul and how the problem of consciousness fits into the discussion? And does reducing consciousness to a complex set of biological processes wring out all the beauty and mystery? "Understanding how a thing functions doesn't mean you can't appreciate its beauty, or that this knowledge depreciates it in your eyes somehow" Gazzaniga said. "This concern that somehow we are lessened by knowing more boggles my mind." From his perspective, scientific understanding of the problem of consciousness will not stop people from telling and believing in their cultural and personal stories. "We won't give up the ghost because we know how the heart works," he said. Explore further Changing our understanding of consciousness David Wilkerson, an assistant professor in the IU School of Social Work and a member of the Facebook app research team. Credit: IU School of Social Work Researchers at IUPUI have developed a Facebook app that, a study shows, offers a way to provide much-needed support to unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease. The study, "Friendsourcing Peer Support for Alzheimer's Caregivers Using Facebook Social Media," states that there is a significant opportunity to help improve caregiver stress, burden and support through online peer support interventions. The app was developed as part of an investigation of a peer support group intervention in which emotional and informational issues that arose in the support group were pushed to the caregiver's Facebook friends as questions. The Facebook friends then had the opportunity to enlist as a member of a support network by answering the support group questions. Researchers said that when those emotional and informational questions were answered, the caregivers experienced a feeling of increased support. The study is believed to be the first to examine the use of friendsourcinga variant of crowdsourcingfor the delivery of online support to Alzheimer's caregivers. "Given the recent problems of social media, our study provides evidence of the social good that can be obtained with social media using telehealth innovations like friendsourcing, which we developed for supporting Alzheimer's caregiving," said David Wilkerson, an assistant professor in the IU School of Social Work and a member of the Facebook app research team. In the U.S., more than 15 million informal caregivers provide unpaid care to people with Alzheimer's disease. Providing such care comes with its own risks: Studies have shown that caregivers have higher rates of depression, anxiety, insomnia and cardiovascular disease. Explore further Research team develops social app to support Alzheimer's caregivers More information: David A. Wilkerson et al. Friendsourcing Peer Support for Alzheimer's Caregivers Using Facebook Social Media, Journal of Technology in Human Services (2018). David A. Wilkerson et al. Friendsourcing Peer Support for Alzheimer's Caregivers Using Facebook Social Media,(2018). DOI: 10.1080/15228835.2018.1449709 There are gaps between best practice and documented management of patients diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in primary care, which may contribute to high rates of infection, new University of Otago research shows. Research out of the University of Otago, Wellington, published recently in the Journal of Primary Health Care, shows gaps around patient management including partner notification and testing for reinfection. Partner notification is the process of telling recent sexual partners they have been in contact with an STI and need to get tested and treated. The study's lead author, Senior Research Fellow Dr. Sally Rose, explains this is an important way to reduce the risk of reinfection and associated complications that can occur with repeat infections. STIs are one of the main preventable causes of ill-health among young people. Chlamydia continues to be the most commonly diagnosed bacterial STI globally, despite the ease with which it can be diagnosed and treated. Dr. Rose and her colleagues Sue Garrett, Dr. Jane Kennedy, Kim Lund, Deb Hutchings, Caroline Boyle and Professor Sue Pullon reviewed 320 STI cases managed in primary care settings in the greater Wellington region between 2013 and 2015. Three-quarters of cases (74 per cent) had documented evidence that telling partners had been advised, but follow up on treatment compliance and assessment of partner notification outcomes occurred in just under one-quarter of cases (24.4 per cent), so actual partner notification outcomes were difficult to accurately assess. Recent sexual history including number of partners was documented for only half of the cases reviewed. Only one-quarter of cases were checked for reinfection as recommended within six months of treatment (24.7 per cent), and among those retested, reinfection rates were high (19 per cent). Reinfection typically occurs via untreated sexual partners. Overall, there was generally good documentation about reasons for testing and treatment, 79 per cent had a record of one or more presenting features or reasons for testing. The median time to treatment was six days and 95 per cent were treated within three weeks of diagnosis. Timely treatment is important to reduce the likelihood of complications and transmission to uninfected partners, Dr. Rose says. Sexual health guidelines recommend that partner notification, follow-up and testing for reinfection are undertaken following diagnosis of chlamydia and gonorrhoea. However, Dr. Rose says frequent gaps were observed between best practice and documented management of partner notification and testing for reinfection. The authors conclude that strategies are needed to ensure primary care practitioners are aware of current sexual health guidelines and are adequately resourced to more systematically approach these important aspects of patient care. "If we are to reduce the shockingly high prevalence of chlamydia infection among young people in New Zealand, it's critical for primary care providers to attend to, and document, all steps in the patient pathway, including effective partner notification strategies and routinely testing for reinfection," co-author Professor Sue Pullon says. Explore further ACOG urges expedited partner therapy for some STIs Progress in personalised medicine is dependent on health data sharing. Credit: Colourbox To make progress in personalised medicine, researchers and doctors need access to health data. However, as a study by ETH researchers shows, comprehensive guidelines for the exchange of such data are lacking, being one of the primary factors why health data are still shared so infrequently. Personalised medicine has the potential to improve the treatment and care of patients. This promising approach has already borne fruit, with a handful of targeted therapies for cancer now in use. For example, the molecular analysis of a tumour can identify specific genetic mutations and thereby what kind of chemotherapy would be most effective. This not only improves the patients' chances of recovery, it also saves them from having to endure unnecessary and ineffective treatments. On the whole, however, personalised medicine is still in its infancy. To identify molecular causes of illnesses and develop tailored therapies, various data types from a multitude of sources must be aggregated. This entails collecting patient data from hospitals, the results of clinical tests, molecular and genetic data, as well as information about healthy people. Data sharing between hospitals, research institutions, clinicians and patients is thus essential. However, "to date, this kind of exchange hasn't been happening to the desired extent," says Effy Vayena, bioethicist and Professor at the Institute of Translational Medicine at ETH Zurich. Guidelines for Switzerland In Switzerland, the situation is set to change. Last year saw the launch of the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN), an initiative created to promote the development of personalised health through the establishment of a data sharing infrastructure. Within this network, Vayena chairs an advisory committee that deals with the ethical, legal and social implications of precision medicine. "Our goal is to develop guidelines for responsible health data sharing," says Vayena. As a first step, she and other ETH researchers investigated existing international guidelines and recommendations and analysed the range of topics they covered. They compared 230 documents published by official bodies, research institutions, expert groups and further national and international organisations between 1996 and 2017. This included publications by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, and the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health. The results of this comparative study were published in the Health Affairs journal. Important topics neglected Their investigation highlighted that there was scarcely any cross referencing between the recommendations and guidelines and, moreover, that they were not sufficiently standardised. Guidelines focused primarily on three topics: data privacy, data quality, and the sovereign right of patients to determine how their data should be used. "These topics are very important, no question about it," says Vayena. However, there are other important aspects that viewed as a whole, across all the documents received comparatively little attention. These include the question of who should be held responsible if patient data is used incorrectly such as if it is used for a research project without the patient's consent. There is also the matter of how researchers can be acknowledged or rewarded for sharing their own research data with other scientists. "We won't be able to improve data sharing until we do more to tackle aspects like these," says Vayena. Currently, a variety of obstacles stand in the way of this goal. These are partly of a technical nature for example, the fact that hospitals cannot share data because their different systems for electronic health records are incompatible. There is also, however, a reluctance amongst researchers and companies to share data. In some cases, they do not want to reveal their hard-won data to competitors; in others, they balk at the cost and effort involved in making the information accessible by putting it in a database. Adding to the issue is that patients often hesitate to give consent for their data to be used, because they don't exactly know what will happen with it. Innovative solutions are needed "Future guidelines about data sharing should deal with as many of the identified hurdles as possible," says Vayena, who also highlights the need to develop innovative solutions, as previous approaches did not work well enough. For example, new technologies such as blockchain could be implemented as a method of data protection. Alternatively, an incentive system based on reciprocity could be created for researchers, whereby only those who put their own research data into a database could have access to the data of others. Furthermore, digital technologies could be harnessed to allow patients the option of not giving blanket consent for their data to be used in research, but instead tying their consent to individual projects putting patients more in control. Such considerations are to be incorporated into the guidelines developed as part of the SPHN initiative, which will then be implemented step by step. First, the guidelines will be adopted by the five Swiss university hospitals currently taking part in the SPHN initiative that is, Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lausanne and Geneva. These hospitals are currently setting up clinical data management systems that make patient data available for research and facilitate data sharing with research institutions. At the same time, universities are establishing regional centres for the coordination and secure processing of biomedical data. Vayena is convinced of one thing: "If everyone involved in Switzerland signs up to the same well-designed standards, it will mean a giant step forward for data sharing and thus for personalised medicine." Explore further Big Data can save lives, says leading cancer expert More information: Alessandro Blasimme et al. Data Sharing For Precision Medicine: Policy Lessons And Future Directions, Health Affairs (2018). Journal information: Health Affairs Alessandro Blasimme et al. Data Sharing For Precision Medicine: Policy Lessons And Future Directions,(2018). DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1558 Human induced neurons generated from a novel transcription factor pair Neurog3/Pit1. Colors represent a nuclear stain (DAPI) in blue, synaptic marker expression (Synapsin1) in green, and neuron-specific beta-III tubulin expression (Tuj1) in red. Credit: Baldwin / The Scripps Research Institute Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have devised what they call a "neuronal cookbook" for turning skin cells into different types of neurons. As reported today in the journal Nature, the research opens the door to studying common brain conditions such as autism, schizophrenia, addiction and Alzheimer's disease under reproducible conditions in a dish. "The brain is incredibly complex, with thousands of different types of cells that are each involved in different diseases," says Kristin Baldwin, PhD, professor at Scripps Research and senior author of the study. "The problem with understanding and treating the many disorders of the brain is that we cannot reproducibly produce the right types of brain cells. Now we have found more than 75 new ways to rapidly and reproducibly turn skin cells into neurons that we think will be much better representatives of different neurologic diseases than were previously available. "Having a personalized and nearly unlimited supply of different types of neuronal cells in a dish lets you uncover what's going wrong in a disease. At the same time, the study supplies a new toolkit to test thousands of drugs on the affected cells to try to reverse the problems, rather than having to test them in mice or other animals, with results that are often difficult to interpret for human conditions," Baldwin adds. The Baldwin lab wondered if it would be possible to both simplify and expand the coding toolbox for making neuronal cells directly from skin cells. First author Rachel Tsunemoto, PhD, had hints from a previous study that it might be possible to generate very specific types of neurons using only two transcription factors at a time. So, she and other lab members engineered and tested a large set of two factor codes to see if they could convert skin cells into cells with the essential core traits of neurons, such as their shape and electrical excitability. While they had expected to find a handful of new factors, or possibly none at all, results of their large screen were quite surprising. Of the almost 600 factors tested, over 12 percent ended up producing neuronsleading to more than 70 new recipes or codes for neuronal production. Next came an even bigger surprise. The "synthetic neurons," as Baldwin calls them, started to grow synapses and try to communicate with each other. "This came just two to three weeks after they were fibroblast cells that would normally never communicate," says Baldwin. "This was really great to see," says Tsunemoto, co-first author of the study and a researcher with Scripps Research and the University of California, San Diego at the time of the study. "But obviously, there was a lot more follow-up work to be done to understand this exciting neuronal complexity in a dish in more detail." Mouse induced neurons generated from a novel transcription factor pair Neurog2/Brn2. Cells stained for neuron-specific beta-III tubulin expression (Tuj1). Credit: Baldwin Lab / The Scripps Research Institute For years, the challenge has been to see past the traits that neurons sharelike the ability to communicate using connections called synapsesand figure out why certain neurons have special properties, like the ability to produce dopamine or respond to neuroactive drugs such as nicotine, that also correlate with their involvement in different diseases. Together with Sohyon Lee, a co-first author of the study and a recent PhD graduate at Scripps Research, Tsunemoto began to sort through the "outputs" of the different codes using traditional electrical recording methods and new sensitive sequencing methods to see whether the codes would produce neurons with different features. What they found was exciting. Each code produced a set of neurons with different properties, some of which seemed immediately useful for understanding how differences in our genetic makeups can predispose us to neurologic diversity in disorders such as autism, nicotine addiction or neurodegeneration. Baldwin notes that this work builds on years of research from her lab and around the world. Previous studies led by Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka and Marius Wernig's group at Stanford University recently showed that sets of three to four factors could convert skin cells into pluripotent stem cells and directly into neurons. Previous work from Baldwin's lab showed that sets of just two factors could selectively generate specific kinds of neurons that respond to pain and itch. The new study is a big step forward in cellular reprogramming. The transcription factors to make neurons are like codes," Baldwin says, and now researchers can input these codes to get the precise neuronal types they need for research, over and over again, eliminating the need for very precious human samples obtained from brain surgeries (which can be studied for only a few hours). "Now we can be better genome detectives," says Baldwin. "Building up a database of these codes and the types of neurons they produce can help us directly link genomic studies of human brain disease to a molecular understanding of what goes wrong with neurons, which is the key to finding and targeting treatments. "We're already working with collaborators and writing grants to apply this platform to autism and Alzheimer's disease research, as well as to some rare diseases, such as Friedrich's ataxia," adds Baldwin. "We also think the transcription factor pairs we studied here are only the tip of the iceberg and there are likely many more codes for neuronal types that can be found." Researchers are encouraging other scientists to use their results through a freely available platform called BioGPS, run by Scripps Research scientists. "There's so much to explore," says Tsunemoto. Explore further Interconnected cells-in-a-dish let researchers study brain disease More information: Diverse reprogramming codes for neuronal identity, Nature (2018). Journal information: Nature Diverse reprogramming codes for neuronal identity,(2018). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0103-5 Light damaged retina cone photoreceptors will spread the death signal to neighbor cells and cause irrevocable hurts in a 24-hour period. Credit: Houston Methodist Houston Methodist researchers developed a new lab-on-a-chip technology that could quickly screen possible drugs to repair damaged neuron and retinal connections, like what is seen in people with macular degeneration or who've had too much exposure to the glare of electronic screens. In the May 9 issue of Science Advances, researchers led by Houston Methodist Research Institute nanomedicine faculty member Lidong Qin, Ph.D., explain how they created a sophisticated retina cell network on a chip that is modeled after a human's neural network. This will further the quest for finding the right drug to treat such retinal diseases. "Medical treatments have advanced but there is still no perfect drug to cure any one of these diseases. Our device can screen drugs much faster than previous technologies. With the new technology and a few years' effort, the potential to develop a new drug is highly possible," said Qin. Named the NN-Chip, the high-throughput platform consists of many channels that can be tailored to imitate large brain cell networks as well as focus on individual neural cells, such as those found in the retina. Using extremely bright light to selectively damage retina photoreceptors in the device, they discovered the damaged cells are not only difficult to recover but also cause neighboring cells to quickly die. "This so-called 'bystander killing effect' in retina cone photoreceptors leads us to believe that once retina cells are severely damaged, the killing effect will spread to other healthy cells which can cause irrevocable damage," said Qin. "What surprised us was how quickly the killing effect progressed in the experimental model. Damage went from 100 cells to 10, 000 cells in 24 hours." The NN-Chip is an improvement on Qin's BloC-Printing technology, which allowed researchers to print living cells onto any surface in any shape within the confines of a mold. With this latest iteration, Qin's lab loaded and tested cells with micro-needles in an open dish so they could tailor the neural network device, study individual cells as well as the progression of drugs through the platform's many channels. Retinal degeneration is a leading cause of blindness that, together with glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and age-related macular degeneration, will affect 196 million people worldwide in 2020. Qin hopes the platform will have additional applications in creating models for Huntington's and Alzheimer's diseases and screening therapeutic drugs. Microfluidics focuses on the behavior of fluids through micro-channels, as well as the technology of manufacturing micro devices containing chambers and tunnels to house fluids. In addition to the BloC-Printing chip, Qin's lab at Houston Methodist also successfully developed a nonconventional lab-on-a-chip technology called the V-Chip for point-of-care diagnostics, making it possible to bring tests to the bedside, remote areas, and other types of point-of-care needs. Explore further Reproducing a retinal disease on a chip More information: "Analysis of the bystander effect in cone photoreceptors via a guided neural network platform" Science Advances (2018). "Analysis of the bystander effect in cone photoreceptors via a guided neural network platform"(2018). advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/5/eaas9274 Ding Ren et al. Targeting Brain-Adaptive Cancer Stem Cells Prohibits Brain Metastatic Colonization of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Cancer Research (2018). DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-17-2994 Journal information: Science Advances , Cancer Research Credit: CC0 Public Domain Sorry, new moms and dadseven though your infants really do appreciate your squeaky coos, they would prefer to hear sounds from their peersother babies. Even at the pre-babbling stagebefore they can form sounds resembling syllables like "ba ba ba"infants recognize vowel-like sounds, but they tend to dwell on these sounds when from the mouths of babes. In an experiment, 5-month-old subjects spent 40 percent longer listening to sounds from babies than adult vocalizations of the same vowels. This result and follow-up experiments probing infant speech perception are shining a new light on "how infants develop their understanding of spoken languagewhat they bring innately and what is shaped by their experience as listeners and as 'talkers-in-training,'" said Linda Polka, a professor at McGill University. At the 175th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, held May 7-11, 2018, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Polka will present findings from a new line of research focusing on a neglected aspect of infant speech development: how babies perceive speech with infant vocal properties. Studies by Polka's team show pre-babbling babies' fondness for their vocal sounds. Even moms' best imitations of their vowel-like vocalizationsidentical in pitchcan't compete with infants' preference for their own acoustic vocal properties, uniquely formed by the resonance of their very small bodies. "Access to infant speech, likely including a baby's own vocalizations, seems to have a broad and significant impact, influencing receptive, expressive and motivational aspects of speech development," Polka said. Even at the pre-babbling stage, infants recognize vowel-like sounds, but they tend to dwell on these sounds when from the mouths of other babies. Credit: Polka This work emerged from a collaboration between Polka, doctoral student Matthew Masapollo and Lucie Menard, a linguistics professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal and expert in speech production. Using a synthesizer that simulates movements of the mouth, tongue, vocal cords and other parts involved in generating speech, Menard can create vowel sounds just like those that come from a human mouthat any age. To test how infants respond to vowel sounds spoken by different talkers, babies sat facing a screen displaying a checkerboard pattern. They could turn a sound on or off by looking at or away from the checkerboard. After determining infants attend more to vowels that sound like theirs compared to simulations of adult females, the team focused on different dimensions of each sound. A key question was whether babies' high voice pitch, which women often match when speaking to their infants, is sufficient to grab their attention. Or are the unique resonance properties of infants also key? Recent tests with 7-month-olds, the age at which infants are on the verge of babbling, strongly indicate that infants have a distinct preference for speech sounds that resemble theirs in terms of the combination of high pitch and resonance. Infants appear "tuned" to sounds produced by very small talkers just like them. This doesn't mean that mom or dad should give up oohing and aahing in high voices. Babies do respond to these kinds of sounds. Still, Polka said, "Infants' own vocalizations are quite potent; infant speech seems to capture and hold infant attention, sometimes prompting positive emotions. This may motivate infants to be vocally active and make it easier to evaluate their own vocalizations, perhaps energizing and supporting spoken language development." Explore further Baby talk: Babies prefer listening to their own kind More information: Presentation 3aSC2 "When infants encounter infant speech," by Linda Polka, is at 9:05 a.m. CDT, May 9, 2018, in room Nicollet D1 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. A study by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has found, for the first time in humans, that patients with chronic sciaticaback pain that shoots down the leghave evidence of inflammation in key areas of the nervous system. In their paper published in the May issue of the journal Pain, the research team reports finding that average levels of a marker of neuroinflammation were elevated in both the spinal cord and the nerve roots of patients with chronic sciatica. Additionally, the study showed an association between neuroinflammation and response to anti-inflammatory steroid injections, with levels of neuroinflammation differing between those whose pain was and those whose pain was not relieved by steroid injection treatment. "Sciatica is an extremely common pain condition and is estimated to affect around 5 percent of men and 4 percent of women in their lifetimes," says Yi Zhang, MD, Ph.D., of the Center for Pain Management in the MGH Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Management, a co-senior author of the report. "More than 5 million cases of sciatica are seen annually in the U.S., which represent a major cause of lost work days." Several animal studies have documented activation of the immune systemincluding glial cells, which function as the immune cells of the nervous systemin chronic pain, raising the possibility that blocking neuroinflammation could be a viable treatment. Recent evidence from the laboratory of co-senior author Marco Loggia, Ph.D., of the MGH-based Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, found glial cell activation in the brains of patients with chronic pain, but no prior studies have demonstrated neuroinflammation beyond the brain in humans with chronic pain. Even though a contribution of inflammation to acute pain in sciatica provides the rationale for anti-inflammatory steroid injections, evidence linking neuroinflammation with chronic sciatic pain in humans has been limited. The current study combined both MR and PET imaging to test the hypothesis that chronic radiculopathy, a condition combining sciatica with additional lower-back-pain symptoms, would be associated with inflammatory activation in both the neuroforaminathe spaces around the spine through which nerve roots pass into the spinal cordand within the spinal cord itself. Study participantsincluding 16 patients with chronic radiculopathy and 10 control volunteershad combined MR/PET imaging with a radiopharmaceutical that binds to TSPO, a marker for neuroinflammation. MR/PET imaging focused on neuroforamina in the lumbar spine for all participants, and in a subset of 189 patients and 9 controlsimages were also taken of the sections of the lower spinal cord that are connected to the nerve roots affected in sciatica. Overall the study results indicated that, compared with those of control participants, TSPO levels in sciatica patients were higher in both the neuroforamina and the spinal cord. The sciatica-associated elevations were seen in nerve roots on the side of affected legs and in spinal cord segments known to process sensory signals from the legs. Among 9 patient participants who received steroid injections as part of their clinical care2 before the scanning and 7 afteronly 5 experienced significant relief from the procedure, and those 5 all had results indicating higher neuroforaminal TSPO levels. "The fact that patients with stronger TSPO elevations in the nerve roots benefited most from a local anti-inflammatory treatment makes sense," says Loggia. "For patients who didn't benefit from steroid injections, the source of pain and inflammation may be the spinal cord or, as shown in our previous paper, the brain itself." Zhang adds, "If larger studies confirm that the efficacy of steroid injections correlates with nerve root inflammation, physicians will have a way to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from the procedure. Our results also suggest that directly treating neuroinflammation in the spinal cord may help patients who don't respond to steroid injections. Finding a way to treat spinal neuroinflammation for those patients is a goal that we are actively pursuing." Explore further Imaging study finds first evidence of neuroinflammation in brains of chronic pain patients More information: Daniel S. Albrecht et al, Neuroinflammation of the spinal cord and nerve roots in chronic radicular pain patients, Pain (2018). Journal information: Pain Daniel S. Albrecht et al, Neuroinflammation of the spinal cord and nerve roots in chronic radicular pain patients,(2018). DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001171 If you have suffered a heart attack, getting high on pot won't harm your heart's regular rhythm, a new study suggests. Marijuana users who have suffered a heart attack had about the same risk as nonusers of a rapid and irregular rhythm in the lower chambers of the heart, known as the ventricles, the researchers found. "We found no difference in the two populations," said senior researcher Dr. Christine Tompkins, a cardiologist with the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Further, marijuana users appeared to have lower rates of atrial fibrillation, an irregular rhythm in the upper chambers of the heart (the atria). Half as many pot users had atrial fibrillation, about 4.5 percent compared with 8.7 percent of nonusers. Atrial fibrillation increases a person's risk of stroke and heart attack. Don't feel free to get baked just yet, though. Both the researchers and a heart expert stressed that the jury is still out on exactly what the heart risks of smoking pot might be. In fact, earlier research in the same group of patients found that marijuana use appears to increase the chances of having an earlier heart attack, Tompkins added. The average age of a first heart attack was about 57 for the straight-laced, but 47 for cannabis users, Tompkins said. "At this point, I have to say we don't know the full cardiac effects of marijuana use," Tompkins said. "We need to do additional studies." Colorado was one of the first states in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana, in 2012. At this point, a total of nine states have approved recreational pot use. Given the wave of legalization, Tompkins and her colleagues decided this was the perfect time to assess the heart effects of marijuana use. "We felt an obligation to look at the cardiac effects of cannabis use," Tompkins said. "We still don't know the long-term impact it has on one's heart health." There's strong evidence that weed has become more popular among people in late middle age and senior citizens. Federal data shows a 455 percent increase in marijuana use among U.S. adults aged 55 to 64 and a 333 percent jump in those aged 65 and older between 2002 and 2014. The researchers reviewed medical records for nearly 1.3 million patients treated for heart attack between 1994 and 2013. Pot users were identified because they either admitted to use or had a positive toxicology screen for marijuana, Tompkins said. There was no difference in risk for either an irregular or rapid heart rhythm in the ventricles between pot users and nonusers, and there was a decreased risk for atrial fibrillation in users, researchers found. The findings were to be presented Thursday at the Heart Rhythm Society's annual meeting, in Boston. Such research is considered preliminary until it is published in a peer-reviewed journal. Animal studies have found cannabinoid receptors reduce the risk of abnormal heart rhythm, Tompkins said. Pot also has been shown to alter the autonomic nervous system, which oversees the stability of heart rhythm. On the other hand, the chemicals in marijuana also have been shown to promote clotting and cause blood vessels to constrict in some patients, two factors that increase heart attack risk, Tompkins said. And other studies also have linked pot use to higher blood pressure and increased heart rate, said Dr. Mark Estes, director of the New England Cardiac Arrhythmia Center at Tufts University Medical Center in Boston. "The information on the cardiovascular effects of marijuana is very, very limited, but the best evidence available would indicate there's the potential for harm," Estes said. "I don't think people should be reassured by any means that smoking marijuana is safe." Explore further PTSD may raise odds for irregular heartbeat More information: Christine Tompkins, M.D., cardiologist, University of Colorado School of Medicine; Mark Estes, M.D., director, New England Cardiac Arrythmia Center, Tufts University Medical Center, Boston; May 10, 2018, presentation, Heart Rhythm Society annual meeting, Boston Christine Tompkins, M.D., cardiologist, University of Colorado School of Medicine; Mark Estes, M.D., director, New England Cardiac Arrythmia Center, Tufts University Medical Center, Boston; May 10, 2018, presentation, Heart Rhythm Society annual meeting, Boston The Mayo Clinic has more about atrial fibrillation. Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. (HealthDay)Regulatory requirements are likely to be an important aspect of physician dissatisfaction with electronic health records (EHRs) that is driving burnout, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online May 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Noting that there is a growing sense within the medical community that the EHR is driving professional dissatisfaction and burnout, N. Lance Downing, M.D., from the Stanford University School of Medicine in California, and colleagues discuss problems with EHR systems. The authors note that physicians abroad who have adopted the same vendor software as that used in the United States were more likely to report satisfaction with EHR use and cite it as a tool that improved efficiency. The EHR tends to be much briefer in other countries, containing only essential clinical information and omitting much of the compliance and reimbursement documentation. Clinical notes are nearly four times longer in the United States than in other countries, across the same EHR. Physicians are required to document an increasing amount of low-value administrative data; these documentation requirements are the remnant of the fee-for-service system. However, meaningful-use incentives have created more requirements for low-value documentation, and value-based models have their own documentation requirements. Simplifying the regulations around documentation and billing would likely benefit the health care system and patients. "We believe that platform improvements are essential but will be insufficient to address a key cause of physician burnout: our outdated regulatory requirements," the authors write. Explore further Heavy burden of EHRs could contribute to physician burnout Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. A population of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons in an allogenic, previously injured spinal cord of a pig at 3-and-a-half months. Credit: UC San Diego Health A major hurdle to using neural stem cells derived from genetically different donors to replace damaged or destroyed tissues, such as in a spinal cord injury, has been the persistent rejection of the introduced material (cells), necessitating the use of complex drugs and techniques to suppress the host's immune response. In a new paper, publishing May 9 in Science Translational Medicine, an international team led by scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine describe successfully grafting induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neural precursor cells back into the spinal cords of genetically identical adult pigs with no immunosuppression efforts. The grafted cells survived long-term, displayed differentiated functionality and caused no tumors. The researchers also demonstrated that the same cells showed similar long-term survival in adult pigs with different genetic backgrounds after only short course use of immunosuppressive treatment once injected into injured spinal cord. "The promise of iPSCs is huge, but so too have been the challenges. In this study, we've demonstrated an alternate approach," said senior author Martin Marsala, MD, professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a member of the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine. "We took skin cells from an adult pig, an animal species with strong similarities to humans in spinal cord and central nervous system anatomy and function, reprogrammed them back to stem cells, then induced them to become neural precursor cells (NPCs), destined to become nerve cells. Because they are syngeneicgenetically identical with the cell-graft recipient pigthey are immunologically compatible. They grow and differentiate with no immunosuppression required." Co-author Samuel Pfaff, PhD, professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator at Salk Institute for Biological Studies, also noted: "Using RNA sequencing and innovative bioinformatic methods to deconvolute the RNA's species-of-origin, the research team demonstrated that pig iPSC-derived neural precursors safely acquire the genetic characteristics of mature CNS tissue even after transplantation into rat brains." In their study, researchers grafted NPCs into the spinal cords of syngeneic non-injured pigs with no immunosuppression. The researchers found that the NPCs survived and differentiated into neurons and supporting glial cells at all observed time points. The grafted neurons were detected functioning seven months after transplantation. Then researchers grafted NPCs into allogeneic (genetically dissimilar pigs) with chronic spinal cord injuries, followed by a transient four-week regimen of immunosuppression drugs. They found similar results with long-term cell survival and maturation. "Our current experiments are focusing on generation and testing of clinical grade human iPSCs, which is the ultimate source of cells to be used in future clinical trials for treatment of spinal cord and central nervous system injuries in a syngeneic or allogeneic setting," said Marsala. "Because long-term post-grafting periodsone to two yearsare required to achieve a full grafted cells-induced treatment effect, the elimination of immunosuppressive treatment will substantially increase our chances in achieving more robust functional improvement in spinal trauma patients receiving iPSC-derived NPCs." "In our current clinical cell-replacement trials, immunosuppression is required to achieve the survival of allogeneic cell grafts. The elimination of immunosuppression requirement by using syngeneic cell grafts would represent a major step forward" said co-author Joseph Ciacci, MD, a neurosurgeon at UC San Diego Health and professor of surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Explore further Researchers use human neural stem cell grafts to repair spinal cord injuries in monkeys More information: J. Strnadel el al., "Survival of syngeneic and allogeneic iPSCderived neural precursors after spinal grafting in minipigs," Science Translational Medicine (2018). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine J. Strnadel el al., "Survival of syngeneic and allogeneic iPSCderived neural precursors after spinal grafting in minipigs,"(2018). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/ scitranslmed.aam6651 Factors that support quality of life in people with dementia. Credit: University of Exeter A robust research analysis has identified what factors can be targeted to support people to live as well as possible with dementia. The study, led by the University of Exeter and published in the journal Psychological Medicine, found that good relationships, social engagement, better everyday functioning, good physical and mental health, and high-quality care were all linked to better quality of life for people with dementia. Professor Linda Clare, at the University of Exeter, said: "This research supports the identification of national priorities for supporting people to live as well as possible with dementia. While many investigations focus on prevention and better treatments, it's equally vital that we understand how we can optimise quality of life for the 50 million people worldwide who have dementia. We now need to develop ways to put these findings into action to make a difference to people's lives by supporting relationships, social engagement and everyday functioning, addressing poor physical and mental health, and ensuring high-quality care." The research was supported jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the National for Health Research (NIHR). It involved collaboration with the London School of Economics, the universities of Sussex, Bangor, Cardiff, Brunel and New South Wales in Australia, and Kings College London. The team carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine all available evidence about the factors that are associated with quality of life for people with dementia. They included 198 studies, which incorporated data from more than 37,000 people. The study found that demographic factors such as gender, education marital status, income or age were not associated with quality of life in people with dementia. Neither was the type of dementia. Factors that are linked with poor quality of life include poor mental or physical health, difficulties such as agitation or apathy, and unmet needs. Factors that are linked with better QoL include having good relationships with family and friends, being included and involved in social activities, being able to manage everyday activities, and having religious beliefs. Many other factors showed small but statistically significant associations with quality of life. This suggests that the way in which people evaluate their quality of life is related to many aspects of their lives, each of which have a modest influence. It is likely that to some extent the aspects that are most important may be different for each person. Evidence from longitudinal studies about what predicts whether or not someone will experience a good quality of life at later stages was limited. The best indicator was the person's initial rating of quality of life. This again highlights the importance of optimising quality of life from the earliest stages of living with dementia. Dr Anthony Martyr, lead author on the study, from the University of Exeter, said: "While in general it is more of a challenge to maintain good quality of life as dementia progresses, we found little evidence to show what predicts whether quality of life will improve or decline over time. The IDEAL programme we are currently leading will follow people living with dementia over several years and will help to answer this question." Dr Doug Brown, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimer's Society, said: "Maintaining a healthy social life and doing things you enjoy is important for everyone's quality of life. As this Alzheimer's Society funded study highlights, people living with dementia are no exception. "Someone develops dementia every three minutes but too many are facing it alone and feel socially isolated- a factor that researchers pinpoint contributing to a lower quality of life. "People with dementia have a right to continue living a life they love. Alzheimer's Society's Dementia Friendly Communities initiative enables individuals, businesses and communities to involve and empower people affected - but we need all of society to unite to ensure people with dementia feel understood, valued and able to contribute to their community." The full paper, entitled 'Living well with dementia: a systematic review and correlational meta-analysis of factors associated with quality of life, well-being and life satisfaction in people with dementia', is published in Psychological Medicine. Authors are Anthony Martyr, Sharon M. Nelis, Catherine Quinn, Yu-Tzu Wu, Ruth A. Lamont, Catherine Henderson, Rachel Clarke, John V. Hindle, Jeanette M. Thom, Ian Rees Jones, Robin G. Morris, Jennifer M. Rusted, Christina R. Victor and Linda Clare. The study stems from the IDEAL programme. IDEAL is a major longitudinal cohort study of 1550 people with dementia and their family members or friends funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the National Institute for Health Research. The IDEAL study is survey- and interview-based and aims to understand what makes it easier or more difficult for people to live well with dementia. The findings from the study will help to identify what can be done by individuals, communities, health and social care practitioners, care providers and policy-makers to improve the likelihood of living well with dementia. Since 2018 the project has been extended as an Alzheimer's Society Centre of Excellence, making it possible to follow the experiences of participants for several more years. Explore further Dementia care improved by just one hour of social interaction each week More information: Anthony Martyr et al, Living well with dementia: a systematic review and correlational meta-analysis of factors associated with quality of life, well-being and life satisfaction in people with dementia, Psychological Medicine (2018). Journal information: Psychological Medicine Anthony Martyr et al, Living well with dementia: a systematic review and correlational meta-analysis of factors associated with quality of life, well-being and life satisfaction in people with dementia,(2018). DOI: 10.1017/S0033291718000405 Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The attorney for adult-film star Stormy Daniels on Wednesday challenged President Donald Trump and his longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen to release records from a fund that allegedly received $500,000 from a firm with ties to a Russian billionaire. Michael Cohen and the president can clear this up this morning very easily, Michael Avenatti said Wednesday in an interview with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America. Avenatti on Tuesday released an "executive summary" that alleges a company associated with Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, sent the payments to a fund maintained by Cohen -- the same fund Cohen used to pay a hush agreement with Daniels, who said she had an affair with Trump. Trump has denied the affair. The payments tied to Vekselberg came from a U.S. firm called Columbus Nova, which has financial ties to Renova, a Moscow-based global conglomerate run by Vekselberg. Columbus Nova said in a statement to ABC News late Tuesday that the company's work with Cohen was not improper. "Columbus Nova is a management company solely owned and controlled by Americans. After the inauguration, the firm hired Michael Cohen as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures, Columbus Nova's attorney, Richard Owens, said in the statement. Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false. The claim that Viktor Vekselberg was involved or provided any funding for Columbus Nova's engagement of Michael Cohen is patently untrue. Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else other than Columbus Nova's owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement." Vekselberg, who is considered one of the richest men in Russia, reportedly holds frequent meetings with Putin as part of a business group known as the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. ABC News' emails to Vekselbergs company seeking comment were not returned. The White House declined to comment Tuesday. Avenatti's law firm released the seven-page document amid a federal investigation into Cohen. Federal agents last month searched Cohen's home, hotel room and office for documents and computer files, including those related to his $130,000 payment to Daniels in October 2016. Cohen has not been charged with any crime, and both he and his attorney have maintained he has done nothing improper. When asked on GMA, Avenatti declined to say how he obtained the records, but said he's "100 percent" confident they're accurate. "We stand behind it 100 percent. There's no question its accurate," he said in the interview Wednesday morning. "We haven't released all the evidence that we have." The attorney reiterated his calls to the president and Cohen to disclose "what money was received or not received." "Something doesnt smell right," Avenatti said. "If there's nothing to hide, then why do they continue to hide this information, hide the involvement?" Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. MTN uses equipment from multiple manufacturers in its mobile network, namely ZTE, Ericsson, and Huawei. The mobile operator has been growing its network infrastructure rapidly in recent years, recently raising its 4G population coverage in South Africa to above 80%. The company also recently conducted indoor and outdoor 5G trials with Ericsson and Huawei respectively. MTNs live trial with Huawei made use of Huaweis new outdoor 5G terminal, which was unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2018 and aims to provide fixed-wireless access to businesses and homes. Huawei equipment comprises a major share of MTNs network infrastructure in South Africa, said the company. During the live outdoor 5G trial, the mobile operator told MyBroadband that Huawei hardware makes up around 50% of its total network infrastructure. ZTE ban The statement from the operator follows MTN Group CEO Rob Shuter commenting on the ZTE trade ban by US officials. ZTE has been banned from purchasing American technology for seven years by the US government. It comes after the Chinese company violated sanctions by paying full bonuses to employees who shipped telecommunications equipment to Iran and North Korea. MTN said it uses ZTE products mainly as radio equipment on certain base stations. Following the recent denial order issued by the US Department of Commerce, we are assessing both the impact and contingency planning given our exposure to ZTE in our networks, said Shuter. Currently, we are fully focused on monitoring and managing the situation to ensure that our customers continue to experience the best service. Now read: MTN and Huawei launch first outdoor 5G trial in South Africa San Francisco photographer Richard Evans will present a slideshow presentation and book talk on his new work, The Mission from 3-5 p.m.on Saturday, May 19 at di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art in Napa. The Mission, a documentary photography book, explores the soul of the diversity and color of San Franciscos Mission District through its quintessential art form, the community murals that allow the walls and streets to tell their own story of heritage and transformation. The 162-page book contains 178 photographs. Shots of bold murals are accompanied by quotes, poems, and essays from the Missions own artists, writers, and leaders, as well as photographs of residents, architecture, and daily life. The book features aforeword by Juan Felipe Herrera, the current U.S. Poet Laureate. Driven by murals and musings on the history and influence of Mexican and Central American culture in the Mission, The Mission also celebrates the role of women in molding and unifying the identity of the community. Evans, a San Francisco resident, also collaborated with Ben Fong-Torres, former founding editor of Rolling Stone magazine, to write The Haight- Ashbury Edition, a visual depiction of San Franciscos famous Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. All of the proceeds from The Mission will go to the Precita Eyes Muralists Association an inner city organization dedicated to enriching communities through public mural art and to Heydays nonprofit publishing activities. Former Napa County Agricultural Commissioner Dave Whitmer will grapple with often controversial rural wine country growth decisions as the newest member of the county Planning Commission. Supervisor Ryan Gregory chose Whitmer to represent the 2nd Supervisorial District on the Planning Commission, succeeding Michael Basayne. The Napa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday confirmed the choice. I had a long career with the county as agricultural commissioner, Whitmer said in a phone interview. This is almost kind of a logical next step. My career as agricultural commissioner was about trying to do the right thing about protecting the agricultural community and ensuring that the local industry was strong. The Planning Commission rules on applications for new wineries and for visitation and wine production expansions at existing wineries. It will make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on the update of the county traffic circulation plan. I think as we look to the future, were looking at a situation that requires some balance, Whitmer said. Weve got to try to figure out how to maintain this industry and keep it strong, but at the same time listen to the concerns we hear from the residents of the county and make decisions that are best for the county long-term. We dont want to see $800,000 condos going in and claiming those are for people who make $16 an hour cleaning hotel rooms, Gallagher said. Because thats what people cleaning hotel rooms make in the Napa Valley. Gregory wants to look at different types of housing. He talked of single room occupancy, a dense development where residents live in single rooms and share such things as the kitchen and common space. He compared it to dormitory living. Would our young folks coming here to work in the hospitality business and sort of get a start in the wine business, would they be really excited about that kind of living? Gregory asked. Supervisor Diane Dillon said she wants housing created by a new tax to go to people who work in Napa County. She doesnt want tax money going to housing for the thousands of people who lost Santa Rosa-area homes in last years fires even though her heart goes out to them and who would commute to work elsewhere. I think that local-jobs-to-local housing is a really important piece of this, Dillon said. ST. HELENA -- The council had second thoughts Tuesday night about a $287,000 public bathroom project proposed in the city parking lot near Money Way. The council agreed on April 24 to put the project out to bid, but decided to reconsider after concerns were raised about the projects cost, location and design. With the project becoming less urgent now that the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce is offering public bathrooms downtown at 1320 Main St., council members reconsidered whether it was appropriate to build an structure without heating or cooling that could get hot in the summer and cold in the winter. They told staff to pause the project and look at the cost of building a temperature-controlled bathroom. A new network of weather stations mounted on power poles will send a steady stream of data to the center, monitoring temperature, humidity, and wind speed and direction. PG&E has installed six of the stations so far, plans to have 40 to 50 in the field by July and wants 200 deployed by the end of the year. In times and places of heightened risk, the center will also take live reports from observers PG&E will send into the field. You can say theres 40 mile-an-hour winds, but what does that do? Hickey said. It doesnt always do something, but if theyre seeing a lot of trees moving, branches are falling off, we want to know that. And should the fire forecast call for extreme conditions such as high winds and ultra-low humidity the centers supervisors will raise the question of whether the utility needs to switch off some of its power lines rather than risk a spark. Although the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has yet to name a cause for any of the fires that tore through Northern California last fall, killing 45 people, power lines blown by a fierce wind storm are widely considered to be a strong possibility. Fifty-year anniversaries of the shocks of 1968 pour down: the Tet Offensive and the My Lai massacre in Vietnam, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, riots and demonstrations galore. All eminently deserve remembrance. But violent eruptions werent the whole story of that fateful year. On a global scale, 1968 was also the beginning of the end of communism as a left-wing ideal. During the preceding half-century, despite all of communisms recorded crimes, Marxist-Leninist revolutionaries had remained committed to the absolute rule of a single party as the only viable remedy for capitalism. Around the world, Soviet-style governments enjoyed a reputation as the best imaginable route to social progress, and even in Western Europe, national communist parties mattered. Then actual communists of different stripes did a demolition job on their own world views. The notion that an autocratic superstate was the next and most desirable stage of history was battered beyond repair. After 1968, only the most blinded of the faithful could still be true believers. In the course of the year, four versions of communist leadership were gravely discredited in France, Czechoslovakia, Cuba and China. Facing a packed agenda, the St. Helena City Council agreed Tuesday to award raises to city mid-managers and department heads, take a second look at a proposed public bathroom, and learn more about a potential ballot initiative to raise hotel taxes. Raises The council approved a 3.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment for mid-managers and department heads, matching the adjustment previously awarded to members of the St. Helena Employees Association (SHEA). The new contract comes with a few changes that should save the city money over the long term. First, new mid-managers and department heads will no longer be able to cash out their sick leave when they leave city employment. That benefit was discontinued for SHEA members in 2012. Second, the contract lowers the cap on maximum vacation hours an employee may accrue from 380 hours to 280 hours, which will encourage employees to use their vacation hours and lower the citys one-time payments to departing employees who cash out their unused vacation time. Public bathroom The council had second thoughts about a $287,000 public bathroom project proposed in the city parking lot near Money Way. He rejected arguments by opponents that the measure lacks scientific basis and would increase traffic and be bad for farmers. He also dismissed the argument that voters should reject the measure and let the county government come up with a legislative alternative. Were out of time, and we also cannot possibly contend that any extension of time is going to result in a meaningful legislative fix, Galbraith said. The need for greater watershed protection in the hills has been under discussion for years. Councilmember Geoff Ellsworth also praised Measure C as a critical measure to protect the local water supply and prevent contaminants from entering the Napa River and making their way into the bay. Councilmember Mary Koberstein said she supports Measure C because of water quality and the councils fiduciary duty to protect the citys water. Measure C wasnt the only ballot measure the council agreed to endorse. It also threw its weight behind the following measures: - Measure D, which would ban new personal-use heliports and airports in most of Napa County (Galbraith recused himself from the Measure D discussion because his family owns land adjacent to the Palmaz property where a private heliport has been proposed.) This is not a letter against the wine industry. Napa wine brings us landscapes, provides good jobs, pays lots of taxes, fights urban sprawl and leads the world in fine wines. You in St. Helena face a problem with Bell Canyon. Im sure that you know that. But the solution of more water for you lies in the future of the watershed in the hills surrounding you, as well as more storage, or whatever you decide to do. Your first steps should include a yes vote on Measure C, so the water will be there in the future. How does Measure C affect new vineyards? First, it still allows 795 new acres of vineyards in the watersheds. This number was set by our General Plan. Recently, the Walt Ranch removed more than 20,000 trees, and they did not have to replant any trees. After that limit has been reached, Measure C will grant new vineyard permits that require tree replacements in the watershed forests, on a ratio of three new trees for every mature tree removed for vineyard. Thats it! Thats all it does. An American man has been arrested in a sting operation for allegedly running an online brothel service matching men in northern Thailand with Myanmar sex workers across the border, Mizzima News carries a report by AFP. According to the report, Police on Tuesday said Kenneth Viggo Albertsen, a 66-year-old living in Chiang Rai province on a retirement visa, is behind a website and Facebook page called Burmese Border Chicks for Hire that sold sex with Myanmar women for 6,500 baht ($200). The business brought women to meet clients on the Thai side of the border in Mae Sai, and also offered to guide men into Myanmar for sex services, police said. He has been operating for at least 10 years, Colonel Jirabhob Bhuridej, deputy commander of Thailands Crime Suppression Police, told AFP. Police said Albertsen was arrested after arranging for two Myanmar women, aged 25 and 18, to cross into Thailand and meet undercover officers who posed as clients at a hotel in Mae Sai. He and the two sex workers, plus another Myanmar woman who allegedly helped arrange the meet-up, have been charged with procuring prostitution, which carries up to 10 years in prison. The bust comes as Thailand is trying to shake off its reputation as a haven for sex tourists. Yet while prostitution is technically outlawed in the kingdom, it is largely allowed to operate in plain sight, with huge glitzy massage parlours in Bangkok and brothels in towns across the rest of the country. Bribes and widespread corruption help to insulate the lucrative industry from authorities. The explosion of social media has also moved much of the business online, helping agents procure women and arrange sex services in the shadows. Women from neighbouring Myanmar have long been victims of sex trafficking in Thailand, while rights groups have expressed fear that the poor country could be the next stop for sex tourists as it opens up after years of isolation. Launch of Armenian Studies Program announced during Armenia President's visit to Sapienza University Will Turks be able to enter 26 countries of Schengen Area without visas? Dinner served in honor of Armenia President and his wife in Italy Armenian parliamentary standing committee chairman meets with Russia Ambassador Armenia Ombudsman submits to Pope Francis reports on tortures of Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan Customs Attache: There hasn't been and there is no bias against Armenian drivers at Upper Lars checkpoint Greece-France defense agreement will allow them to help each other in case of third country's attack Turkish FM: Turkey's position on supporting Ukraine's "integrity and sovereignty" remains unchanged Russian peacekeeping forces, charitable organizations provide assistance to boarding school in Karabakh Zakharova: Moscow proceeds from priority to ensure geopolitical stability in South Caucasus Armenia President pays tribute at Altar of the Homeland monument at Venice Square in Rome Turkey, Iran to hold political consultations Karabakh FM expresses condolences over death of Vigen Chitechyan Armenia territorial administration and infrastructure minister has new deputy Armenia Deputy PM Mher Grigoryan receives US Ambassador Armenia Security Council Secretary, Netherlands Ambassador attach importance to fight against corruption Digest: Armenian POW returned from Azerbaijan, PACE speaks on mandatory COVID-19 vaccination risks Armenia and Italy are deepening cooperation in justice sector Apprehended ARF-D members are released Armenia high-tech industry minister receives Russia Ambassador Armenia Embassy in Russia hosts delegation led by Armenian parliamentary speaker Decisions to arrest Armenia ex-defense minister, arms supplier are appealed Dollar continues going down in Armenia Artsakh President to Putin: Your role in process of peaceful, final settlement of Karabakh conflict is invaluable Amir-Abdollahian: We consider inadmissible Zionist regime provocative movement in our region from Azerbaijan territory Iran FM announces readiness to visit Armenia, Azerbaijan US ambassador to Armenia attends unveiling of new x-ray machine donated to Ashtarak city hospital (PHOTOS) Putin: Russia attaches great importance to close cooperation with strategic ally Armenia Police disrupt ARF youths protest outside Armenia government building Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople meets with the Pope, in the Vatican UK envoy to Armenia does not comment on Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, Karabakh situation Iran Supreme Leaders representative leaves Azerbaijan Armenias Pashinyan to Russias Putin: We are grateful for your efforts to establish peace in South Caucasus Putin, Aliyev confer on situation in South Caucasus Putin, Erdogan discuss regional issues 4 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh PACE new resolution urges to ensure that COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory Zelensky sacks Ukraine ambassador to Armenia PM: Armenia, Armenian people are grateful to Japan Armenia PM: We have made decision regarding local elections Armenia, Italy presidents farewell ceremony held in Rome (PHOTOS) Sarkissian to Putin: Armenia highly values your contribution to maintenance of peace, stability in region Having legal system is important for business development in fair environment, says UK ambassador to Armenia Armenia President, Italy PM meeting in Rome (PHOTOS) Baku not ruling out another meeting between Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs Armenia President meets with Rome mayor 1,309 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Biden approval rating hits new low in latest poll Armenia ombudsman in Italy parliament, presents evidence of Azerbaijan torture of Armenian captives World oil prices dropping Serial killer in US lured by social media is sentenced to 160 years in prison Newspaper: Armenia authorities face new problems in setting up parliament committee of inquiry into 44-day war Newspaper: Opposition Armenia bloc plans to hold forums, rally Armenia PM admits that in 2018 he could have disclosed Karabakh negotiation process content Armenia health minister: Out of 2,446 hospital beds for coronavirus patients, 2,300 are occupied China-Taiwan military escalation reaches peak in past four decades Armenia President: We welcome pro-Artsakh documents adopted by nearly 50 regional and city councils of Italy Armen Sarkissian meets with President of Italian Senate Nikol Pashinyan: Armenia to build new nuclear power plant, negotiations have been launched Italy's Quirinal Palace hosts exhibition featuring works of Aivazovsky, Saryan and other Armenian painters Armen Sarkissian meets with President of Italy's Chamber of Deputies Roberto Fico Catholicos of All Armenians meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican Armenia ex-Ambassador to The Netherlands Vigen Chitechyan dies Armenia PM again says he is guilty for all the failures of the Armenian side during last year's war FM: Discussion on occupied territories of former NKAO will create new threats to Armenia Karabakh emergency situations service: Rescue squad finds remains of another Armenian soldier in Jrakan Mattarella: Armenia and Italy can boast about their friendly relations Nikol Pashinyan: Armenia agreed to stop the hostilities on October 7, 2020 Iran, EEU begin talks to reach agreement over permanent treaty on free trade zone An abundant TechnoFall with Inecobank - NFC payments and more Armenia FM says his Indian counterpart will visit Yerevan in the next few days Deputy PM: A comprehensive study of documents agreed by Armenian and Azerbaijani is necessary Digest: Azerbaijan using Armenia's airspace, Baku says it's ready to mend relations with Yerevan Health minister: All coronavirus vaccines in Armenia meet quality standards Armenia health minister: Those who recovered from COVID-19 also need to get vaccinated Armenia Deputy PM announces name of another POW returned from Azerbaijan Armenia and Italy Presidents hold personal talks at Quirinal Palace Armenian FM: MFA welcomes Iran's stance on inviolability of Armenia's borders EU ready to share experience with Azerbaijan and Armenia in borders demarcation and delimitation Dollar dropping in Armenia Lavrov: Russia, Iran discussed 3 + 3 format concept with Turkey, Caucasus countries participation Hossein Amir-Abdollahian: Iran won't accept geopolitical changes in the Caucasus Armenia Ambassador meets with Iranian Deputy FM Armenia Parliament Speaker visits Armenian church of Russia and New Nakhijevan Diocese Armenia to host event with companies having made investments worth over $2,000,000,000 Aliyev announces start of process of opening communications with Armenia Civil Aviation Committee confirms Baku-Nakhchivan flight through Armenia airspace Wednesday Armenia government programs under EU assistance package are discussed Azerbaijan lodges complaint with ECHR for review of case of assassination attempt against Lapshin Armenian MP also on list of Erdogan's petition to strip several Turkey lawmakers of parliamentary immunity Armenia Deputy PM Suren Papikyan has new advisor Armenia State Revenue Committee chief has new deputy Italy President to Armen Sarkissian: OSCE Minsk Group is the format for sustainable and peaceful solution Armenia ombudsman emphasizes to Vatican Secretary of State urgency of returning Armenian captives in Azerbaijan Aliyev: Azerbaijan is ready to launch negotiations with Armenia for normalization of relations Armenia Parliament Speaker meets with Russian State Duma chairman Ruling faction MP: Armenia airspace has never been closed to Azerbaijan civilian air transportation New France ambassador visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan Opposition MP: Not only is there no security system in Armenia but there is no one who wants to maintain that system Not first time that reports are made on opening of Armenia airspace to Azerbaijan The U.S. President Donald Trump considers the Iran nuclear deal was "a horrible, one-sided deal" which couldn't protect the national interests of America. "The fact is this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. It didnt bring calm, it didnt bring peace, and it never will," he noted during his speech. Trump noted that the agreement was so poorly negotiated that even if Iran fully complies, the regime can still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time. "The deals sunset provisions are totally unacceptable. If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs," Trump stated. "In theory, the so-called Iran deal was supposed to protect the United States and our allies from the lunacy of an Iranian nuclear bomb, a weapon that will only endanger the survival of the Iranian regime. In fact, the deal allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and, over time, reach the brink of a nuclear breakout. The deal lifted crippling economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for very weak limits on the regimes nuclear activity, and no limits at all on its other malign behavior, including its sinister activities in Syria, Yemen, and other places all around the world. In other words, at the point when the United States had maximum leverage, this disastrous deal gave this regime and its a regime of great terror many billions of dollars, some of it in actual cash a great embarrassment to me as a citizen and to all citizens of the United States," Trump added. The New Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, on Wednesday visited on the Artsakh Defense Army Day and the 26th anniversary of the liberation of Shushi town. Pashinyan and Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan attended a commemoration ceremony in capital city Stepanakert and laid flowers to the monument to the Armenian soldiers who fell in the Great Patriotic War, during World War II, and in the Karabakh War. Subsequently, Pashinyan and Sahakyan headed to Shushi. During his meeting with Sahakyan, Pashinyan said he is ready to conduct negotiations with Azerbaijani president within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. Pashinyan stressed, however, that the current format of negotiations along the lines of the OSCE Minsk Group cannot be considered full as long as Artsakh does not participate in it. Armenian political elite visited Victory Park on the Victory and Peace Day. Since early morning, the officials laid wreaths in front of the Eternal Flame of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Victory Park in capital city Yerevan. Vigen Sargsyan will continue to serve as Armenian Defense Minister until the appointment of a new head of the department. It is unacceptable to dismiss the Minister of Defense until a new minister is appointed under the current circumstances, Vigen Sargsyan told reporters. Vigen Sargsyan ruled out his participation in the work of a new Armenian government. Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated newly elected Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan during a phone conversation on Tuesday. They expressed mutual desire to continue further strengthening of friendly relations and expressed readiness for partnership in multilateral and integration associations, primarily in the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Russian ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volynkin said The United States looks forward to working closely with the new government and with the people of Armenia, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement. We look forward to working closely with the new government and with the people of Armenia on the many areas of shared interest between our countries, including increasing trade, working in support of democracy and rule of law, and safeguarding regional and global security, the statement reads. US President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that he was pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposing sanctions against Iran. Trump labeled the agreement as a horrible, one-sided deal which couldn't protect the national interests of America. Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani slammed Trumps decision saying they will consult with the European countries, Russia and China within the next weeks and will remain in the agreement, if Iran's national interests are secured. The European countries said they regret the decision. George Deukmejian, former governor of California, died at the age of 89. The son of Armenian immigrants, Deukmejian, who was elected governor in 1982 and 1986, died at his home in Long Beach. The first semi-final of Eurovision 2018 took place in Lisbon on Tuesday. Armenias Sevak Khanagyan did not manage to make it to the final of the Eurovision 2018 song contest. Nikol Pashinyan highlighted his first visit as Prime Minister to the Republic of Artsakh, since the relations with Artsakh are a priority, Nikol Pashinyan stated this during a meeting with Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan. "I have come here with the following two messages. First, I express my support to the Republic of Artsakh and its President fully and unconditionally. Second, yesterday I said in my speech that we attach great importance to the continuation of the negotiation process of Karabakh issue that will take into account the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination and declared that I am ready to negotiate with the Azerbaijani president in the sidelines of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship, but I think that this negotiation format cannot be assessed as a full-fledged one as long as one of the conflict sides, in the person of the leadership of Artsakh, does not participate in the talks," Pashinyan noted, adding "We also think that its necessary to make efforts, including by making use of the potential of the Diaspora, so as the international recognition process of Artsakh is not only continued, but also takes a new impetus. We are committed to the exclusively peaceful settlement of the issue and condemn any act of using force or the threat to use it. There are no doubts that the authorities of Armenia will make all possible efforts to protect the interests of the Republic of Artsakh and its people, including on the international arena, but I think that the interests of the Republic of Artsakh and its people will be best protected at the international arena just by the authorities of Artsakh. Therefore, our efforts should be directed at the international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh and its leadership in the shortest term. In turn Bako Sahakyan noted that during these years he has announced many times that they overcome their difficulties together with their sisters and brothers from Mother Armenia and Diaspora, as well as recorded all their achievements due to that same trinity. "This visit and our discussions, discussed issues once again not only inspire hope, but also convey confidence to all of us that we will implement our sacred mission with that same devotion and resolve, which is the protection of our Motherland, preservation of impregnable borders and the improving the welfare of our people. I also had the opportunity to report you different information, particularly about the current situation near our state borders and you made sure how resolve are the Armed Forces of the Republic of Artsakh, the citizens of Artsakh and worldwide Armenians if our enemy again carries out criminal actions. Naturally, this visit and our discussions further clarified our possible actions in case of such criminal actions, Bako Sahakyan said. I am very glad to record and make sure that the Defense Army of Artsakh confidently keeps control of the situation on the frontline and like in the past, the combat readiness of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh is on a high level, but I think that this traditional combat readiness has been supplemented by one more component its the atmosphere of the national consolidation that emerged in Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora after the recent developments. I think this is an important military-political factor and there are no doubts that today the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Artsakh and the Armenian people are not only capable to protect themselves, but also make any force to deeply regret if they dare to encroach on their security. I want to once again thank you for the warm reception and for the sincere dialogue that was established between us, though this sincere dialogue was not established right today, but this is the first time I am hosted by you in the status of Prime Minister and I am confident that our cooperation will be productive and todays visit leaves no doubts for that. Thank you, PM Nikol Pashinyan concluded. Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to find solutions for the Middle East crises during a meeting in Moscow. Netanyahu arrived in Russia for a working visit, which also includes the participation in festivities marking Victory Day -- the 73rd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany during World War II, according to the Kremlin. "We will use your visit today to discuss bilateral relations and problems in the region. Unfortunately, the situation is very acute. I would like to express hope that you and I will not only manage to discuss, but also find solutions that will lead to a shift in the situation, and that will also allow us to find ways to resolve heated conflicts," Putin said during their meeting, according to the Kremlin statement. "It is difficult for me to find words to describe how impressed I am with this ceremony, which is devoted to the victory over Nazism. In Israel, we never forget the huge sacrifice the Russian people made, the price that the Soviet Army paid, the heroism that was shown to achieve victory over Nazism. There was a war veteran sitting in the stands between you and me, a man who liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp. Not for a minute should we forget the sacrifices made by these soldiers, soldiers who represented the entire Russian people, and among them were around half a million Jews who fought in the war. They liberated their Fatherland, they saved all of humanity, they saved the Jewish people. Not for a second do we forget this very important history lesson: when such a murderous ideology emerges, we must fight back against it before it is too late. It is hard to believe, that 73 years after the Holocaust, there is still a country in the Middle East, Iran, which openly calls for the destruction of the state of Israel. But there is a difference between what was then and what we have today. We have our own country today. I highly appreciate the opportunity that you mentioned today, to discuss with you and to consider together how we can act properly in the region, how we can remove the threats that exist in the region in a responsible and a sensible manner. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate how deeply I feel the importance of your invitation for me to join you here today, the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, the Prime Minister of the state of the Jewish people, and that you mentioned the Holocaust of the Jewish people in your speech. This once again shows the deep bond that exists between our countries and our people. I would like to thank you for this once again," Netanyahu noted. The meeting between both leaders came the day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that he hopes to announce the date and venue for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un early next week, Yonhap News reported. En route home from a meeting with Kim in Pyongyang, Pompeo said the date, time and location have all been fixed for the unprecedented summit. "We hope in the next handful of days, we'll be able to announce the location and the date and time," he told reporters on a plane to Japan, according to a transcript released by his office. "We're hoping the beginning of next week." The Trump-Kim meeting is expected to be a one-day event, but it could extend into a second day if there is more to discuss. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Congress on Wednesday there's reason for optimism on the Trump administrations efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula after the release of three American prisoners from North Korea For right now, Secretary Pompeo is airborne bringing home the three released American citizens as we speak, Mattis told the panel. And I think there is reason for some optimism that these talks could be fruitful. Hard work paid off Donald Cobb traded in his military uniform for the SIU School of Law. Three years later, Cobb, of Scott City, Mo., will speak on behalf of the Class of 2018 at commencement exercises at 3 p.m. Friday. (Photo by Russell Bailey) Cobbs perseverance, tenacity leads to law degree by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. In a span of 72 hours in August 2015, Donald Cobb went from Stuttgart, Germany, where the U.S. Army medic had just retired from the military to being an incoming first-year student at the SIU School of Law. Cobb arrived with no books and no car, while his family was still in Germany. He just had his clothes and a rescue dog named Boon the family picked up while they were stationed for six years in Guam. What followed was three years of hard work and perseverance and a law degree. Cobb, who lives in Scott City, Missouri, and 97 other members of the law schools Class of 2018, will graduate at 3 p.m., Friday, in SIU Carbondales Shryock Auditorium. Cobb will serve as class speaker during the ceremony. Law school is difficult, not impossible Recalling his arrival on campus, Cobb, 47, admits that he did not know what to expect. What he found, however, were faculty, staff and classmates who were willing to help and give Cobb every opportunity to succeed. Before his car was shipped from Germany and his family arrived a few months later, Cobb borrowed a friends car for the 90-minute drive between Chaffee, Missouri, and Carbondale to attend class. It was the worst possible scenario, said Cobb, recounting his arrival from Germany. I dont know how I made it. But the school worked with me. They were wonderful. Nobody is ever going to come to SIU law and say I didnt make it because nobody would help me. Thats just factually incorrect. Cobbs 22-year military career included active duty, National Guard and reserve commitments. His career included tours in Germany, Montenegro, Guam, two tours in Iraq, Kosovo and many stateside assignments where he earned numerous military awards. Between military activations, Cobb was a civilian police officer, working in both Chaffee and Scott City, where he was police chief from 2002 to 2008. Decision to attend law school came from desire to help a friend Cobb made the decision to get a law degree when he learned a soldier he had served with in Iraq was having problems receiving help for serious wounds the soldier received in the second battle of An Najaf in 2004. At the time, we were having a lot of young soldiers who were coming back from Iraq. He was my soldier and I just didnt feel he was getting the benefits that he needed, Cobb said. We have since that time gotten him to a better place. Cobb said hes since learned that a key to addressing veterans benefits and other issues is knowing where to interact with Veterans Affairs. He wants to carve out a part of his practice to help junior enlisted military personnel and veterans who are experiencing similar issues. Speaking for the class is such an honor I appreciate it so much because I have so little in common with many of my classmates. I am literally the same age as some of my classmates parents, Cobb said. But it never mattered. To them, I was just Donny. In study groups or whatever cohort, it just never mattered. Cobb will take his Missouri Bar Exam in July and has accepted a position with Moss & Cooper attorneys in Cape Girardeau, where he will work with his mentor, attorney and City Judge Allen Moss. A leader among his classmates Christopher Behan, law school acting dean, said Cobb has distinguished himself as a leader among his classmates. Cobb has a special gift for lifting up his fellow students and helping them see and achieve their potential. While in law school, Cobb actively helped other veterans make that transition to law school, and worked with campus and community organizations to help his classmates find resources and navigate the academic and social environment of the law school, Behan said. The 294-student law school has 30 veterans among its students. Ability to balance law school and personal commitments is a model to others Given his extensive military background, Cobb was well positioned to help make the law school a different place, Melissa Marlow, a clinical professor of law, said. Cobbs ability to balance school and personal commitments is a model to veterans in academia and practicing attorneys, she added. He certainly did that through his unflinching work ethic, his treatment of his peers, service to the school and community on a variety of levels, and the professionalism he demonstrated throughout his law school career, she said. A selfless and humble nature There are so many students who are bright and involved but Donald has the heart the profession so desperately seeks, Marlow said. Often times I remind my students that its not about you, and check your ego at the door, Marlow said. Donald never needed that gentle reminder, as his life speaks of a selfless and humble nature, and of responding to a call higher than himself -- first to his country, and now to the individuals and causes he will serve as a lawyer. Wasnt sure he would make it in law school after the first three weeks Cobb readily admits he had doubts early on. He credits a teaching assistant in a first-year property class for helping him understand the basic concepts of how lawyers write by using a Jack and Jill IRAC (issue, rule, assessment, conclusion) to give him a toe hold of what to expect. Marlow and Angela Upchurch, a law professor, also were vital to his success, as were other faculty, Cobb said. He spent 12 to 14 hours a day at the law school, meeting with faculty early in the morning and late at night. Never once did Cobb reach out to a faculty member and not receive a response, he said. Law school is not easy. But they offered me every opportunity to succeed, Cobb said. After that first few months, after I got my feet under me and understood what the expectations were, I had nothing but a great experience. Support from his family was vital Cobb said he is grateful for support from his wife, Teresa, and the couples three children, Joshua, Caleb and Ruth. Joshua, 22, is an electrical engineer; Caleb, 19, is in the U.S. Navy; and Ruth, 12, lives at home. My kids arent small any more but life doesnt stop when you go to law school, he said. You still have volleyball games and cheerleading practices and responsibilities. There is nobody who can come to law school without some kind of support network. Sees great things ahead for classmates While some of his classmates are about as young as Cobbs oldest son, age was never a factor due to the number of non-traditional students who return to law school, he said. What mattered, he added, was succeeding. There are people in this class who are going to do great things, he said. There are young people in this class who are brilliant and who are going to do great things. The leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom have expressed regret and concern over President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. In a joint statement from Prime Minister May, Chancellor Merkel and President Macron following President Trumps statement on Iran, the leaders said: Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPoA. This agreement remains important for our shared security. We recall that the JCPoA was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council in resolution 2231. This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear programme. We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility, the joint statement read. Trump had, in his remarks withdrawing from the deal, accused the Iranian regime for being the leading state sponsor of terror and for not abiding by its own side of the deal. It exports dangerous missiles, fuels conflicts across the Middle East, and supports terrorist proxies and militias such as Hezbollah, Hamas, the Taliban, and al Qaeda, Trump said. However, European leaders said: According to the IAEA, Iran continues to abide by the restrictions set out by the JCPoA, in line with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The world is a safer place as a result. Therefore we, the E3, will remain parties to the JCPoA. Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement. We urge the U.S. to ensure that the structures of the JCPoA can remain intact, and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal. After engaging with the U.S. Administration in a thorough manner over the past months, we call on the U.S. to do everything possible to preserve the gains for nuclear non-proliferation brought about by the JCPoA, by allowing for a continued enforcement of its main elements. They, however, encouraged Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the U.S., adding Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA inspection requirements. The E3 added that IAEA must be able to continue to carry out its long-term verification and monitoring programme without restriction or hindrance. They also said that in turn, Iran should continue to receive the sanctions relief it is entitled to whilst it remains in compliance with the terms of the deal. There must be no doubt: Irans nuclear programme must always remain peaceful and civilian. While taking the JCPoA as a base, we also agree that other major issues of concern need to be addressed. A long-term framework for Irans nuclear programme after some of the provisions of the JCPoA expire, after 2025, will have to be defined. Because our commitment to the security of our allies and partners in the region is unwavering, we must also address in a meaningful way shared concerns about Irans ballistic missile programme and its destabilising regional activities, especially in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. We have already started constructive and mutually beneficial discussions on these issues, and the E3 is committed to continuing them with key partners and concerned states across the region, the countries said.(NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari will be returning to London on Tuesday for a medical check-up. The president is expected to spend four days with his doctors, according to a statement issued by the presidency. Meanwhile, Nigerians have been reacting on Twitter V.I.C (@itz_Vickiz) May 7, 2018 #Buhari is traveling again. For a health related trip. Nigeria is closing in on 60 years. We don't have a facility good enough for our president. Or maybe he feels the ones we have are not good enough. Two different things! #Nigeria #buharitravel #NowPlaying Femi Adare (@Wunderkind___) May 7, 2018 Have any attempts been made since #Buhari took the presidency to upgrade the state of Nigerian hospitals? That said, I wish him well & hope he resigns due to concentrating on his health concerns. https://t.co/QJuEebHSIp President Buhari lied to Nigerians. Read his words line by line, compare it with today's reality. He has no integrity, now you know. pic.twitter.com/leKkDQf8de Prince 'Yemi Adebowale (@yemi_adebowale) May 7, 2018 While innocent people are dying like flies every day at home, Buhari will be in London yet again to receive world-class medical care in London, a fraction of which he can't even provide to residents of the President Villa where he lives. Yet he wants to rule Nigeria for 8 years. https://t.co/qGcUA6zEHD Farooq Kperogi, Ph.D (@farooqkperogi) May 7, 2018 Buhari has probably made more trips to London in 2018 than Dangote and Otedola combined. Jet lag! Mayor Of Obudu (@JudeAgba) May 7, 2018 Doesnt Buhari get embarrassed whenever he tweets about going to see his doctor in London? The Angry Nigerian (@amsoangryy) May 7, 2018 There Wont Be Election 2019 (@VictoriaOkafo14) May 7, 2018 President Buhari off to London tomorrow till next week. In this light, i will be off work from tomorrow too till next week. Na hunger go finish my family ???????? Buhari the Junketing President... Lagos today.. London tomorrow ????... ???? Buhari is going to London again and y'all are excited that "He has been summoned by his Doctor" when JOHESU has been on strike for over two weeks. The health sector is in shambles but 'Hail Buhari'. May 7th. 2018 Budget nowhere to be found. Maybe buhari wants to show Aunty Theresa when he reaches London tomorrow before they pass it Dr. O-the3rd (@Edmundorbini) May 7, 2018 Pres. Buhari is going to London at the request of his doctor, hes going to treat his doctor. Our president is amazing! The Don ???????????????? (@basilokpara) May 7, 2018 I heard Mr. Sick-President is travelling again to London tomorrow for his treatment. The money Nigeria as a Country have spent on Buhari's health since 2015 would be enough to build second ASO ROCK. Jesse Ukachukwu (@JesseUka) May 7, 2018 Buhari has probably made more trips to London in 2018 than Dangote and Otedola combined. Jet lag! Mayor Of Obudu (@JudeAgba) May 7, 2018 President Buhari just loves flying around. If he truly wants Nigeria to grow, His doctor should fly down here instead, whatever equipments and knowledge he has should be brought down to a hospital here to improve our health care system. Mr. President think Nigeria, grow Nigeria Yul Edochie (@YulEdochie) May 7, 2018 when campaign begins later this year, I guess buhari will still go to London for medical check up. It clearly shows he's not fit to govern Nigeria. Home | News | General | Breaking: Police IG dares Nigerian Senate again, snubs lawmakers for the third time - For the third time in a roll, Nigeria's inspector-general of police has failed to honour an invitation by the senate - IG Idris was first summoned on April 25 to answer questions on the arrest of senator Dino Melaye, and killings across the country - The lawmakers are currently deliberating on next line of action Ibrahim Idris, the inspector-general of police has failed to honour an invitation to appear before the Senate for the third time. The police boss who was first summoned on April 25 was invited to answer questions on the arrest of senator Dino Melaye, and killings across the country. READ ALSO: Ekiti election: Tinubu, aspirants' meeting deadlocked as Fayemi reportedly stages a walkout Recall that Idris accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to Bauchi state the first time he was invited to appear before the lawmakers and the second time, he went to Birin Gwari, Kaduna state, on a working visit. Premium Times reports that Senate president Saraki announced his non-appearance after some minutes of wait to allow him into the chamber. Ive just been informed that the IG or any member of his team are not here, he said. The news outlet reports further that the lawmakers are currently deliberating on next line of action. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, on Wednesday, May 2, snubbed the Nigerian Senate yet again. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The police boss is currently in Kaduna state. The Senate had summoned IGP Idris to appear before it over the recent killings and security situation across the country. Dino Melaye and 2019 Criminal Conspiracy | NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Ill jail Ajimobi when I become Oyo Gov- Communications Minister By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu has declared that he will ensure that the incumbent governor of Oyo state, Abiola Ajimobi is jailed when he, Shittu, eventually becomes the governor in 2019. Shittu Adebayo Speaking journalists Tuesday evening in Abuja after a closed door meeting with the APC national chairman Chief John Odigie Oyegun, Shittu also about last Saturdays ward congresses in the state. He (Ajimobi) has failed in so many things including human relations and others I cannot say openly in the media. Why is he afraid of going to jail if another Buhari like me comes to power in Oyo state? Why is he afraid of primaries? For seven years, he has been running the Local Governments alone without elected officers. What it means is that the LGA funds come directly into his pocket. He committed so many atrocities and that is why he is afraid of a Buhari coming to power in Oyo state. I want to say that if anybody is desperate in the Oyo political firmament, it should be Gov. Ajimobi who believes that if Barr. Shittu succeeds him, he will be in jail. That is what he is reported to have always told people who mentioned me to him. He thinks that I am too principled, firm, unbendable and uncompromising when it comes to issues of morality. It is he who is desperate to stop me not me being desperate to become governor. The rules are clearly there and like somebody who believes in the rule as a lawyer and man of law and order, if I follow the rules to contest the primaries in a free, fair and credible poll and did not win, I will take up something else. I am not desperate to become the Governor of Oyo state. It is the other way round because the governor is desperate to stop me for whatever reason. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Heritage Bank, CBN in N2b agro- industry funding Heritage Bank Plc has said it is committed to the sustenance, growth and development of Nigerias agricultural sector. The bank, according to its Divisional Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Fela Ibidapo, in its determination to deliver on this promise, is currently funding various agricultural projects in several states of the country, especially in Oyo, Kaduna and Zamfara states. He said Heritage Bank has entered into a partnership with the Oyo State Government to support the multi-billion Oyo State Agricultural Initiative (OYSAI), a programme designed to revive agriculture, boost agro-allied businesses and empower the youth and women across the state through the creation of thousands of jobs in the sector. The Central Bank of Nigeria head office in Abuja. According to him, Heritage Bank is also supporting an agro-investor, Triton Aqua Africa Limited (TAAL), with a N2 billion facility in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS). The facility will enable TAAL to set up a fish production chain in Lagos, Oyo and Osun states. Ibidapo said this support to the agro-investor became imperative after research showed that Nigerians consume about 2.7 million metric tonnes of fish yearly compared to the paltry 800,000 metric tonnes of fish that is produced locally every year. Consequently, the country has had to rely on importation to augment the shortfall with an estimated cost implication of about $700 million yearly in foreign exchange. He said the partnership between Heritage Bank and TAAL would help reverse the trend, adding that the firm will use the facility to expand its aquaculture businesses by setting up a nursery/hatchery for the production of fingerlings and brood stock as well as earthen ponds for catfish and tilapia in the three states. Under the arrangement, TAAL is expected to assist small-scale farms in the three states to increase their fish production by making fingerlings available to them. In the short term, the loan is expected to help the group double its current production capacity of 25,000 metric tonnes with a projection to scale it up to 100,000 metric tonnes in five years. Ultimately, the partnership between Heritage Bank and TAAL will help to boost local production, conserve scarce foreign exchange and enhance food security, and ultimately result in the creation of hundreds of new jobs. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Varsity Dons endorse Ugwuanyi for second term By Dennis Agbo ENUGU AHEAD of the 2019 general elections, Professors from Udi and Ezeagu local government areas in Enugu State have unanimously endorsed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for a second term in office. Ugwuanyi The university dons described Ugwuanyis second term as the only way to sustain the amazing tempo of development and good governance that the Governor had established in the State. The professors who are operating under the auspices of Udi Professors Association of Nigeria, made their position known when they paid a solidarity visit to the Governor at the Government House Enugu. Speaking of behalf of the group of academics, Professor Ike Oluka, the Chairman of the Association, said they were impressed with the performance of the Governor. Oluka commended Ugwuanyi for high level of peace and security in the State as well as the prompt and regular payment of workers salaries, which have brought stability in the education sector, such that no staff or student industrial unrest were recorded since he assumed duty as Governor. He thanked the Governor for utilizing the bailout funds to support state-owned tertiary institutions, especially the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), and others. The professors however urged Governor Ugwuanyi to pay serious attention in his second term, to the creation of industrial parks in the state, as a way of creating employment for the states teeming population of youths. Professor Oluka described the associations endorsement of the Governor for a second term as unique and unprecedented, pointing out that it was the first time that university professors in the state were coming together to endorse a serving Governor despite diverse political orientations. In his response, Governor Ugwuanyi thanked the professors for their support and endorsement, saying he was encouraged by their courage and candour. The Governor eulogized Nigerian professors and used the opportunity to challenge them to use their research experience to attract grants to complement the development efforts of the state government. Ugwuanyi remarked that special centres, such as malaria control, kidney, heart among others, could be attracted to the state through research grants. The Governor pledged to bring some of the academics and technocrats into his administration to enhance the actualization of governments vision for the state. He however urged academics in the state to be ready at all times, to lend their assistance to the government through the development of useful memos and papers that would prompt or guide the policies of government. Among the members present were former ESUT Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ikechukwu Chidobem, Professors O.C. Iloeje, F. C. Eze, Agu Gab Agu, Chike Anibeze and Osmond Ene. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | APM Terminals Apapa reiterates commitment to workplace safety NIGERIAs leading container port operator, APM Terminals Apapa Limited yesterday reiterated its commitment towards enhancing safety at the workplace, as it celebrated the 2018 Global Safety Day. The Global Safety Day is an annual international awareness-raising campaign to promote safe and secure working environment for workers Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of APM Terminal Apapa, Martin Jacob, said safety has been the companys watchword over the years and assured that the company would continue to focus on enhancing safety standards. L- R: Managing Director, APM Terminals Apapa, Martin Jacob; Managing Director, Maersk Nigeria, Gildas Tohouo; and the Country Manager of Damco, Sesan Ibitoye; cutting the cake to mark the 2018 Global Safety Day organised by APM Terminals Apapa in Lagos on Wednesday. For APM Terminals, safety is the license to operate and we have kept that as our watchword and we will continue in that focus. This year, we have decided to hold the safety day in common with our other brands to portray our new theme, which is Stronger and Safer Together. With that we can help each other support our safety journey going forward. We would not lose focus of what we have been saying all these years. We want all the people that come to our premises to be safe and we want them to go back in the same state that they came to our premises. So we would continue to focus on developing our safety standards. We will continue to train and educate our people, including truck drivers. Having truck drivers outside their cabin is a big issue simply because globally, that is where you have more fatalities when you have people outside their safe working zones. But we will continue to educate them on what can happen to them. That is what we do and continue to do, Mr. Jacob said. Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Maersk Nigeria, Gildas Tohouo, equally reaffirmed the companys commitment to the safety of its employees, noting that everyone across the shipping and logistics value chain have vital roles to play in avoiding unsafe behaviors. He said, We are all responsible for the safety of ourselves and our colleagues whether at sea, shore, Inland Container Depot (ICD) and terminals. We all depend on each other. For us at Maersk, constant care is one of our core values, and making sure that our colleagues are safe. The global safety day is a yearly event where we get together to reaffirm that commitment and ensure that our colleagues are reminded about this very important values of ours, which is about making sure our colleagues get to work safe and come back safe. On his part, the Country Manager of Damco, Sesan Ibitoye, said, We dont joke with safety. It is at the centre of our operations. If you do not tell people about it, then you do not make them think about it. We hold ourselves accountable to it and every member of our staff goes through training on safety to highlight the importance of this and ensure as individuals that we keep safe. Several other stakeholders who attended the event commended APM Terminals Apapa for maintaining a high level of safety and security in its operations. One of the stakeholders and Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, said, Since inception, APM Terminals has been at the vanguard of promoting safety, which has helped reduce the rate of accidents at the port. The theme of the 2018 Global Safety Day is Stronger and Safer Together. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Herdsmen: How Buhari is using his tribesmen to kill Northern minorities, Christians IPOB alleges The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of using his tribesmen to kill Northern minorities and Christians across the country.IPOB made the allegation while reacting to the recent killings in Kaduna State. DAILY POST had reported that 27 persons were killed and several houses set ablaze after suspected bandits attacked Birnin Gwari community in Kaduna State, over the weekend. Reacting, IPOB insisted that Buhari has allowed his tribesmen to frighten Northern minorities and Christians into accepting the continued killings as a norm. A statement by IPOBS spokesperson, Emma Powerful insisted that the president has succeeded in using what amounts to state terrorism to subdue every dissenting voice in the land. The pro-Biafra group noted that the alleged action of Buhari has necessitated its call for the break-up of Nigeria. IPOB also warned that failure to divide Nigeria along ethnic lines and value systems, many more people will die. The statement reads partly: The leadership and entire family members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is horrified at the recent killing of over 46 innocent citizens in Kaduna State and the seeming silence of the majority over atrocities committed by a minority. Its appalling that the present APC Government led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari has continued to allow his tribesmen (the Fulanis) to use sustained killings and maiming to frighten and cow Northern minorities and Christians all over Nigeria into accepting the bloodbath going on in parts of Southern Kaduna and parts of Middle Belt as a norm. The level of cowardice exhibited by the political class in Nigeria across every divide in the face of this unrelenting onslaught is so disgraceful there are no words to describe it. What this Buhari regime has succeeded in doing is using what amounts to state terrorism to subdue every dissenting voice in the land. People are detained at the whim of any high ranking person in Aso Rock with access to an army or police commander. It doesnt matter if the alleged crime can be substantiated or not as long as there are many loyalist judges to rubber stamp illegal detentions then nobody can stop them. Judges and magistrates have been turned to prosecutors, persecutors and executioners at the service of the state. They are mandated to jail, detain and deny bail to any perceived enemy of the regime even when this means going against the Constitution of Nigeria. These judges now provide legal cover for Buharis abuse of individual rights and fundamental liberties. Justice has been turned on its head due to the cowardice of men and dire need to prop up the existence of lazy people brought up on the myth that national survival is exclusively dependent on proceeds from oil and gas. In other words, without access to a natural resource like oil and gas these people are nothing, they are almost sub-human. What the spate of killings, arbitrary arrests, illegal detentions and political intimidations deployed by the controllers of the levers of power in Nigeria has done is to reinforce the message of IPOB that total dismemberment of Nigeria along ethnic lines and value system is the only solution going forward. Under the prevailing arrangement many more people will die needlessly as Nigeria heads full speed towards Somalia as predicted by our leader many years ago. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General The Presidency on Wednesday alerted the public to be aware of a new dimension in the orchestrated plot to diminish the stature of President Muhammadu Buhari before millions of Nigerians who love and adore their President. A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, accused of a pernicious twisting and misinterpretation of the words of the President by mischievous elements, adding that perhaps they can earn him opprobrium and infamy. When they see that the gambit is not achieving the desired results, they have now gone into utter fabrication of apocryphal statements, which they purvey through the social media. An example is a fictive portion of the February 2015 lecture by the then Candidate Buhari at Chatham House, London. This is what is circulating now on social media: he said Quoting what was credited to the President in the social media; he said What is the difference between me and those who elected us to represent them, absolutely nothing. Why should Nigerian President not fly with other Nigerian public? Why do I need to embark on a foreign trip as a President with a huge crowd with public funds? Why do I need to go for a medical trip abroad if we cannot make our hospital (sic) functional? Why do we need to send our children to school abroad if we cannot developed (sic) our university (sic) to compete with the foreign ones? He pointed out that the Chatham House lecture of 2015 is in the public domain. He said The full text was published by many Nigerian newspapers, and is still available in their libraries and various websites. The concoction by haters and agents of disunity is not part of the text of the lecture at all. The morbid minds that created the falsehood simply want to de-market and demean the President, having seen that defeating him in a free and fair electoral contest is a tall order. Therefore, they desire to instigate the electorate against him by creating statements that never existed, and attributing such to him. We are, however, glad that millions of Nigerians, young and old, are smart enough to see through the machinations. The dubious people will not succeed, as President Buharis reputation has been built over time, and sustained for decades. That is why he is widely acclaimed for integrity, transparency, honour, and accountability, both home and abroad. Negative minds can never erode or corrode this. Bitter emotions stunt the soul and defile the mind. Those behind it will find out, eventually, that they are the ones swallowing poison, and expecting another person to die. They will realize the folly of their actions, to their own grief. He urged decent Nigerians to be wary of the fare they consume hook, line and sinker, particularly on social media. President Buhari is actuated by nothing else than love for motherland. He is poised to build a country which all Nigerians can proudly call their own. Noxious minds can still have a change of heart. he said Home | News | General | Muslims in Northern state jubilate as governor approves N63.5m for Ramadan feeding - Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe has approved the sum of N63.5m to be used to feed the less privileged during Ramadan - The free feeding would be in 42 centers across the states 17 local government areas - The governor also approved 1, 260 bags of rice and 630 jerry cans of cooking oil to be used in the various feeding centers The sum of N63.5 million has been approved by the governor of Yobe state, Ibrahim Gaidam, for providing Ramadan feeding for the less privileged, Daily Trust reports. The development was made public in a statement released by the governors director general of press affairs, Abdullahi Bego. READ ALSO: APC remains Nigerias party of hope - Gov Ahmed NAIJ.com gathers that the money would also cover the conduct of Tafsir during the Ramadan months. Bego disclosed that the free feeding would be in 42 centers across the states 17 local government areas. Breaking down how the money would be spent, Bego said N48.5 million will be used to purchase rams and cooking condiments for the 42 feeding centers while N15 million will we used to pay allowances to Muslim preachers providing guidance to the Islamic faithful during this Ramadan season. He explained: "His Excellency, the governor, had also approved 1, 260 bags of rice and 630 jerry cans of cooking oil to be used in the 42 designated feeding centers during Ramadan. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Recall that NAIJ.com previously reported that the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) on Friday, May 4, said the crescent for this year's Islamic lunar month of fasting, Ramadan, will be visible on Wednesday, May 16. A statement from the agency said: "NASRDA has successfully calculated and predicted that the first appearance of the first astronomical Lunar crescent for Ramadan will be sighted on Wednesday 16th May". Eid-el-Kabir: Why the ram killed must not exceed three days in your house - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Nigerian lady Nneze Richards blasts Rihanna for her choice of outfit to the MET Gala Awards The MET Gala Award held on May 8, 2018, had all the American celebrities in grand attendance as they didnt disappoint in incorporating the theme Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination in their glam attires. A Nigerian lady has bashed the idea calling it unholy and an act of mocking the Catholic church, as she blasts Rihanna for trying to imitate the Pope's attire. The lady identified on Nneze Richards on Instagram showed her uttermost disgust with what the music icon Rihanna wore to the MET Gala Award. Rihanna at the MET Gala Award. Source: badgiriri/Instagram. READ ALSO: OAP Toolz launches lingerie line for women, says she wants plus size ladies to feel comfortable She wrote: ''Rihanna, I like u a lot but to wear the pope;s head piece papal mitre is such a disrespect to the Catholic religion. What a disgrace. Mocking religion to create controversy and bring the publics attention. As if religion is a joke Im so disappointed @metmuseum for allowing a mockery of the Catholic faith. Try using another religion for fashion statement. Something like an Islam theme e.g met Muslim bodies. Of course they wouldnt dare cause I bet there will be an uproar right away and that your met museum will be a history. But they chose Catholic theme because they wont make a major fuss about it. Someone will soon come and say my believe should be in God and not the pope but surely this is deeply offensive and lack of respect. Shes normally incredible but this is awkward and awfully horrible!! PAY ATTENTION: Get best news on Nigeria's #1 news app I feel people are liking it because it is Rihanna. This is NOT OKAY, Catholic iconography is not a fashion trend. Dont come for my pope.'' Davido Gifts Girlfriend, Chioma N45 Million Present - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | APC remains Nigerias party of hope - Governor declares, affirms states commitment to ruling party - The Kwara state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed has said the APC remains the party of hope for Nigeria - He said Kwara state is committed to the APC and believes in the vision and mission of the party - The chairman of the APC Appeal Committee for the state also commended Ahmed for ensuring the party remained strong in Kwara Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains the party of hope for sustainable growth and development of the country. Ahmed said this on Wednesday, May 8 in Ilorin when he received members of the Kwara APC Ward and Local Government Congresses Appeal Committee in his office, NAN reports. READ ALSO: Beware of fake statement ascribed to Buhari - Presidency warns Nigerians NAIJ.com gathers that Ahmed said Kwara state remains committed to the party and will work hard to ensure its success in the state. Ahmed noted that the peaceful conduct of the ward congresses in the state was a clear demonstration of loyalty and commitment of APC leadership in the state to the ideals of the party and a reflection of inclusive leadership style in the state. Were committed to the APC. We believe in the vision and mission of the party. We remain a strong member of this party, he said. Earlier, Alhaji Mohammed Diggol, the chairman, All Progressives Congress Appeal Committee for the state, commended the APC-led government in the state for its giant strides in ensuring that the party remained strong. We also hail your administration for the various constructions going on in the state despite your meager resources. The diamond under pass, the road projects and the street lights are particularly commendable, Diggol said. He attributed the developmental strides and peaceful co-existence across the state to continuity in governance. He said his team was examining the outcome of the APC ward congresses held over the weekend in most parts of the country, and would listen to grievances, investigate and recommend resolutions to the national body of the party. Diggol assured the governor that his team would ensure a fair hearing to all aggrieved individuals. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, the APC in Kwara state previously congratulated the newly-elected party executive members in the 193 wards of the state. In a statement sent to NAIJ.com by the party's publicity secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the party urged the new party officials to immediate settle down and face the onerous task of mobilising voters for the 2019 general elections. The APC commended all its members in the state for the impressive turn out and their peaceful conducts before, during and after the ward congress. How Kwara state governor is changing the face of the state - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | FG reportedly bars federal universities from charging tuition fees, describes it as illegal - Th federal executive council said it was against the law for federal universities to charge school fees - It said some universities were charging per course unit - The minister of state for education said this will be investigated The federal executive council has reportedly condemned the paying of school fees in federal universities describing it as illegal. Daily Trust reports that Anthony Anwuka who is the minister of state for education revealed this on Wednesday, May 9 after the FEC meeting chaired by vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. READ ALSO: International media reacts to Buhari's UK medical trip The minister said they were investigating payment of school fees by federal universities "and noted that as of law, no federal university should charge tuition fees." Anwuka said some universities were charging by course unit and promised that this would be stopped. We understand some universities now charge fees per course unit and we are going to make sure that we investigate that properly and make it stop. "Students can pay other auxiliary fees, but not in excess. Various university councils and management should be able to fix what fees students should pay that is affordable and acceptable to the students. That is the position. "The federal government does not determine fees for private and state universities. It only takes responsibility for fees paid in the federal universities. Meanwhile, the National Universities Commission (NUC) said it is in the process of allowing 15 more universities to embark on open distance/online learning as this will help solve inadequate access to university education. PAY ATTENTION: Watch more videos on NAIJ.com TV The executive secretary of the NUC, Abubakar Rasheed, said this at a one day symposium on policy and practice in open and distance learning on Tuesday, November 7, in Abuja. He said the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) would improve the quality of education in the country noting that the issue of quality cannot be ignored. Parents advice government over ASUU strike - on NAIJ.com TV. [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Mace theft: Police alleges internal conspiracy; points fingers at security agencies, lawmakers - CSP Sulu-Gambari, DPO of NASS, has said the invasion of the Senate was an act of conspiracy among some security agencies and some lawmakers - He also said there was no communication from the sergeant-at-arms to the National Assembly during the invasion by the thugs - Senator Shehu Sani also alluded to collusion, and accused the security operatives in the complex of regularly collecting money to allow unauthorised persons into the premises The divisional police officer in the National Assembly, CSP Sulu-Gambari Abdul, on Wednesday, May 8, blamed the April 18 invasion of the Senate and removal of the mace by hoodlums on internal conspiracy. Abdul stated this during an investigative hearing into the incident by joint ad hoc committee investigating the incident, NAN reports. READ ALSO: NNPC is the most transparent organization in Nigeria - Baru NAIJ.com gathers that the DPO stated that what happened at the National Assembly was an act of internal conspiracy among some security agencies and some lawmakers. There should be a synergy between security agencies and the lawmakers; but in this case, the attack came from the roof as the senators are not helping security matters. On April 16, there was an earlier hint that a group planned to invade the National Assembly and disrupt activities, which called for a build-up of security with two units of mobile police mobilised to the complex. However, on April 18, at about 11am, my attention was drawn to a group protesting at the gate, and while I moved to address the group I was informed that some people were running away with the mace. I signaled all the entry points that nobody drives in or out but three men approached me identifying themselves as security operatives and requested to be allowed to go. The strain of blood on their clothes made me suspicious and I ordered that they should be arrested. In all, six people were arrested same day and handed over to the Force Headquarters alongside charms recovered from them. In addition, an unmarked Prado jeep and a Toyota Hilux were impounded and they are with the police. It was later that I observed that the protest was a diversionary attention to move me out and that the protesters were same group with those that attacked, Abdul said. He said that there was no communication from the sergeant-at-arms to the National Assembly during the invasion by the thugs. Earlier, the sergeant-at-arms, Brighton Danwalex, had said that report from investigation after the incident revealed that Senator Ali Ndume instructed the men assigned to protect the mace not to touch it during the invasion. According to him, it was wrong for them to take orders from Ndume. Security men are having challenges with some legislators because they dont want to follow checks, he added. Danwalex said that security men were overpowered due to lack of non-functional security gadgets to enhance operational capacity. There is no functional walkie-talkie; we would have alerted all the exit points. The CCTV is not functioning and there is only one operational patrol vehicle and the entrance into the white house requires biometric doors, he said. Chairman of the committee, Senator Bala Nallah, requested the Police to furnish it with copy of station diary where entry of the crime was made. He also directed that the committee should be given copy of crime routine diary, pictures of those arrested and the transfer register explaining where the invaders were transferred to. On her part, the co-chairman of the committee, Rep Betty Apiafi, blamed the invasion on negligence on the part of the sergeant-at-arms. She accused them of failing to raise the alarm, having observed something unusual. Similarly, Senator Shehu Sani accused the security operatives in the complex of regularly collecting money to allow unauthorised persons into the premises. People troop in here by paying money to security. Supposing they were terrorists and had it been that they came in to kill someone, they would have succeeded. How could five thugs succeed if there was no collusion? Security men here control crowd who come to protest but melted away that day and the two sergeant-at-arms, who normally protect the mace, were not seen, Sani said. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that two weeks after thugs invaded the Senate and snatched the mace, the symbol of authority in the parliament, indications emerged that the upper legislative chamber may be plotting to impose fresh sanctions on suspended Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. The development came barely 24 hours after the Senate president Bukola Saraki met with President Muhammadu Buhari over the invasion and other sundry issues affecting the working relationship between the legislature and the executive. Should the Nigerian Senate be scrapped? - on NAIJ.com Street Gist: [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | PDP reportedly planning to pick Atiku as presidential candidate for 2019 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is reportedly considering former vice president, Atiku Abubakar as its flagbearer for the 2019 presidential election. Vanguard reports that this was revealed by a highly-placed member of the party who spoke on condition of anonymity on Wednesday, May 9. READ ALSO: FG reportedly bars federal universities from charging tuition fees, describes it as illegal The source said: If you take a look at all the aspirants today, there is no doubt that they are all eminently qualified to rule this country. But the party is aware that it is coming into this contest as an underdog and as such, must avoid every seen and unforeseen pitfalls. The Nigeria of today is different from what we had a few years ago. People want jobs and if these aspirants talk job creation today, the people would most likely listen to Atiku the more because he has done quite a lot in this regard (job creation). On the rumour that Governor Aminu Tambuwal was being lured back to the party, the source said a lot of factors would come into play during the primaries. You see, Tambuwal was a member of this party before he left for the All Progressives Congress (APC). You will recall that after the historic Supreme Court verdict, the then chairman of our party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi said there was no victor and there was no vanquished. He threw the doors of the party opened to all those who left for one reason or the other to return. And the current leadership is doing exactly the same. So, we want Tambuwal and all those who left to return home. Meanwhile, Ahead of the 2019 presidential election, support groups for former vice president Atiku Abubakar, maintained their effort to promote the political ambition of the Wazir in Adamawa. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! The national youth campaign group for Atiku has vowed to mobilize not less than five million Nigerian youths to march in support for their principal, the Independent reports. Comrade Adegboyega Adeleke, the coordinator of the campaign group, in a statement issued on Saturday, May 5 at the unveiling ceremony of the #Unstoppable Atiku 2019 in Kaduna, said: The goal of the group is to build an army of people that believe in the ability, loyalty and faithfulness of Atiku Abubakar. Atiku Abubakar is one of the very few Nigerians that has dedicated his life to serving God through humanity. Atiku versus Buhari: Who will win? On NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | You are the real enemy of democracy - Sagay blasts Senate The chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay has lashed out at the Senate for describing Ibrahim Idris as the enemy of democracy. The inspector-general of police, Idris, has shunned the invitation of the Senate for the third time prompting them to condemn him. READ ALSO: International media reacts to Buhari's UK medical trip Daily Independent reports that Sagay noted that the police chief sent a deputy inspector-general to meet with the Senate when he was invited. He said the action of senators visiting their colleagues who were under trial was the real abandonment of democracy. He said: Absolutely not! I dont think the IGP has constituted himself as enemy of our democracy. It is the conduct of the senate that constitutes danger to democracy because of the way they frequently abandon their constitutional responsibilities and move en masse to engage in solidarity visits to their individual members who are undergoing trial in hospitals or other places. That is an indication of abandonment of democracy . They have regularly abused their rights under this democracy and have demonstrated that they are not sufficiently mature to operate in liberal democracy. That is what I have seen. NAIJ.com had reported that the Nigerian Senate has declared the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, an enemy of democracy following his refusal to honour an invitation to appear before the upper chamber for a third time. The lawmakers during plenary on Wednesday, May 9, said Idris is not fit to hold public office in Nigeria and abroad. Premium Times reports that the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, made the declaration after the Senate emerged from a closed door session where it deliberated on the non-appearance of the police boss. Lets talk about salaries of Nigerian senators | NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Prominent presidential appointee reveals most transparent organization in Nigeria The group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru says he will prove to Nigerians that the corporation is the most transparent organisation in Nigeria. Baru said this at a stakeholders workshop on validation by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) in Abuja on Wednesday, May 8, NAN reports. READ ALSO: 30-year-old woman stoned to death for having 11 husbands Represented at the event by the group general manager, crude oil marketing division of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, Baru noted that things had taken a turn for the better in the corporation under his purview. NAIJ.com gathers that Baru disclosed that efforts are presently on to disabuse the mindset of Nigerians that wrong things are happening in the corporation. We have never had it so good in this country since the last two years. I mean in terms of transparency of our transactions, validation of our activities, the unfettered, unobstructed participation of the secretary to the government, who has never asked us to do anything different. Today, we need to get people out of the mindset that something wrong is happening in the NNPC. Nothing wrong is happening. We have passed that stage. We are now probably one of the most transparent companies in this country. We have seen a number of governments, worked with a number of them, but probably in the two years, we have not had the opportunity to put our cards on the table as we did in the last two years," he said. Baru assured the team from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the world transparency governing body, that all was well within the corporation. He said the corporation was working in alignment with EITI objectives and opportunities. Most particularly, I am sure our colleagues in the NGOs would recognise today, that things are just different and together all of us will make our country greater and I believe this is the core objective of the EITI. I am assuring the EITI Board and all stakeholders that things are different, he reiterated. In his presentation entitled: Deepening EITI Implementation in Nigeria, Kyari said since May 2015, steps the NNPC took to ensure transparency include the elimination of dual pricing for domestic crude allocation and the automation of its transactions. We have re-enforced auditing of our operations including third party and the direct sale of crude oil to refineries, reputable traders, upstream companies and Nigerian entities, Kyari said. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) conferred an award on Dr Maikanti Baru for promoting industrial harmony since he assumed office. In a statement signed by the NNPC spokesman, Ndu Ughamadu, in Abuja, PENGASSAN assured the group managing director of the unions support. Ughamadu said the award by the NNPC Corporate Headquarters Branch of PENGASSAN was presented to Baru during the branchs Love Feast. Former NNPC group managing director Andrew Yakubu in court over fraud allegations - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Saraki, Dogara for Oshiomholes APC chairmanship bid declaration Benin Former Governor of Edo, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday announced that he would declare his bid for the national chairmanship of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Thursday. Senate President, Bukola Saraki (left)and Speaker Yakubu Dogara (right) briefing State House Correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Presidential Villa Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida He told newsmen in Benin that President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, would join top members of the party at the occasion. Oshiomhole said that Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha, would lead governors elected on the partys platform to the declaration which would hold at TRANSCORP Hilton. The former governor is favoured to replace outgoing chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun after he received the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari. Oshiomhole said he was joining the chairmanship race to contribute to the growth of the party. According to him, it is true that I intend to make my ambition known to our party members and Nigerians. I strongly believe that with the experience I have gathered in my public life, having served as President of NLC, governor of Edo, I have what it takes to take our dear party, the ruling party, to the next level. (NAN) CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Saraki blows hot over killings in Nigeria, tells northern leaders what to do Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday asked leaders from the northern part of the country to join hands with the Federal Government in finding a lasting panacea to the endless killings in the country.Saraki made the call while addressing a delegation of the Northern Leaders and stakeholders Assembly (NLSA), who visited him at the National Assembly, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai. A statement by Sarakis Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, quoted the Senate President as noting that peace and unity was essential to achieving overall development of the country, while commending the group for rising up to contribute their quota in realizing a peaceful and prosperous country. Saraki said, By this time, as elders, you ought to be resting, but the patriotism in you brought you out. You said you are political but non-partisan, we are all political and we need to get Nigeriain the right direction. Being leaders, this is the time to find lasting solutions. This is not the time for blame. This is the time for us to bring peace and regional dialogue. No society worth its salt will keep quiet in the face of these killings. Something somewhere is wrong. We need to meet to bring about peaceful coexistence and unity in this country. Part of the solution is to know that something is wrong. I am happy that you are here and we will speak truth about the problems and to conduct ourselves on how to encourage dialogue and ensure that the right thing is done, he said. Earlier, the chairman of the group and leader of the delegation, Yakasai, said the purpose of the visit was to brief the President of the Senate on the formation of the organization, including its aims and objectives. He said that the group is not out to get a consensus presidential candidate for north as being rumoured in some quarters, but rather to cooperate with Nigerians who share in its vision and mission. Besides, he said the group will look at the problems of armed robbery, kidnapping and herdsmen/farmers clashes and to find a way to resolve them. He said the group will soon organize a Northern political summit to address the identified problems while seeking the support of the National Assembly in hosting the event. Members of the delegation included a former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, former Minister of Defence, Haliru Ballo Mohammed, former Governor of Niger state, Babangida Aliyu, former Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, former FCT ministers, Bala Mohammed and Abba Gana, former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Inna Ciroma, Dr. Umar Ardo, Hajia Zainab Maina, Dr. Mamman Shata and Senator Joseph Waku, among others. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Trumps main foreign policy moves After Donald Trumps withdrawal from the Iran nuclear pact, here is a look back at the America First presidents signature foreign policy moves, largely characterized by a desire to break deals, not make them. Trans-Pacific Partnership TRUMP Making good on a campaign pledge, Trump on his first full day in office withdrew from the 12-member trade pact negotiated by his predecessor. He said the TPP which has yet to take effect but has been signed by participating nations left the United States exposed to unfair competition and was a bad deal. But a year after taking office after the 11 other members signaled they would press ahead with or without Washington Trump struck a different tone, suggesting he would be open to joining again if the United States won unspecified changes. NAFTA After denouncing the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement as a disaster and the worst trade deal maybe ever, Trump last year called for the pact to be renegotiated, but stopped short of withdrawing. Delegates from Mexico City, Ottawa and Washington are currently attempting to retool the deal, but they have hit serious stumbling blocks and the talks have been acrimonious in recent months. Canada and Mexico oppose the American demand for higher requirements for US-made content in automobiles and the elimination of an important trade dispute mechanism. The future of the agreement, which has seen sharp growth in trade but painful changes for certain industries, remains uncertain. Paris climate pact The US commitment to fighting climate change forged under former president Barack Obama was reversed in June 2017, when Trump announced he would withdraw America from the Paris pact. As he announced his decision to pull out, Trump indicated he could be open to some sort of renegotiation of the voluntary agreement, but his administration has done nothing to follow up on this. Meanwhile, more than 190 nations still in the pact are trying to how to cap global warming at well under two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit). Jerusalem embassy Trump last year recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital, a declaration condemned by the international community and Palestinians who view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. In January, Washington announced it would transfer its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the creation of Israel. North Korea After months of bellicose rhetoric between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the US president in March said the two would meet for a summit, a stunning development South Koreas President Moon Jae-in dubbed a miracle. The move came after Kim conducted repeated launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and carried out a nuclear test. North Korea freed three American detainees Wednesday, handing them over to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who was on a surprise visit to Pyongyang. Kim has already meet with Moon, and the summit with Trump is expected in the coming weeks. Syria Last month, Trump said he wants American troops to get out of Syria, but his top military officials quickly said there was no change to the US mission to beat the Islamic State group, and that US forces would remain for now. Trump has twice ordered cruise missile strikes on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad after he was accused of using chemical weapons. The most recent strike, in April, was conducted with the assistance of French and British forces. Iran deal Trump as a candidate and since taking office railed against the 2015 Iran deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The US president blasted the JCPOA as insane in part because its restrictions on Irans nuclear activities begin expiring in 2025. Despite a maximum diplomatic effort by European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump on Tuesday did what many expected him to do, pulling America out and re-instating sanctions on Iran. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General About time. I don't think H & A has touched anything gay since that massive Charlie lesbian drama like a decade ago. Reply Thread Link i'm still bitter over what happened with charlie and joey! eta: i just looked at h&a's list of current cast members and they're really struggling to hold on to any younger ppl long term, aren't they Edited at 2018-05-09 03:21 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link for all the crap that Neighbours gets, at least they actually and have a bit of diversity. H&A is soooo white and stale. I miss the H&A days with ugly Duncan when he drove the car off the cliff with Jade(?) in the car and Seb/Zeb on the bonnet Reply Parent Thread Link Lmaooo. I remember that, I started properly watching like a year before Noah was killed off, I remember being so fucking upset. I gave up after Sally left though, because the cast is stale, the writing is bad and it's so boring. Do you remember when people lost their minds when Leah and family was added because she was Greek? I do. Reply Parent Thread Link H&A are patting themselves on the back about 'keeping up with the times' and desperately grabbing at some diversity points by bringing in a gay teen character...for a six week long guest stint. Looks like he's going to be closeted and struggle with his sexuality/get outed and then finally learn to accept himself before disappearing off to whence he came. You know, groundbreaking stuff if we were living in the 90's. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Cant wait to read all the angry Facebook comments about how its a family show, even though everyone is always having affairs with everyone else, marrying 47 times (looking at you, Paul), almost bonking their sibling, etc. etc. Reply Thread Link Ill need to watch their scenes sometime! I'm ready for another HBO/Starz/Showtime gay series. Reply Thread Link this post reminds me of when i was obsessed with home & away in 2002 , and someone shot noah, and robbie pissed his pants when it happened lol Reply Thread Link robbie and tasha forever <3 Reply Parent Thread Link That Believers storyline, though... lordddddddddddddddd that shit was overdrawn and just baaaad. Reply Parent Thread Link i'm glad for whoever watches this show. that all looked better from the side. Reply Thread Link home and away would literally never. too busy casting people that look exactly the same. my mum watches MKR and i'd always catch the last few minutes and omg. so many white people. Reply Thread Link ARE YOU REALLY SURPRISED THO. Australian television is notorious for having little to no diversity. Reply Parent Thread Link nope but my brown self will always be shocked how white summer bay is Reply Parent Thread Link hdu! H&A are bringing in a non-white gay teen, that's worth double the diversity points! Reply Parent Thread Link i keep getting half of the blondes on the show mixed up Reply Parent Thread Link That's nice! Bless them for giving David a haircut. I watch Home and Away, although they never show the Friday episodes on youtube so I miss stuff and it's like... sighhh. And then there are long stints where nobody even posts stuff on youtube because Seven cracks down on it. Reply Thread Link idk if this helps you, but they don't have a friday episode anymore. Thursday's is a double. Reply Parent Thread Link sometimes you have to sift through a bit or search cos other random programs will appear in the most recent uploads, but they tend to post them quickly after they air they don't have friday episodes, but i'm from the UK (we're really behind on eps) and watch on dailymotion here: https://www.dailymotion.com/homenaway sometimes you have to sift through a bit or search cos other random programs will appear in the most recent uploads, but they tend to post them quickly after they air Reply Parent Thread Link how many children does paul robinson have lmfao Reply Thread Link like 10 or 11 now i think? its crazy Reply Parent Thread Link My fave daytime queer couples were Luke and Noah from A the World Turns and John Paul McQueen and Father Kieron from Hollyoaks. Craig Dean was a whiny little bitch and Kieron was way sexier. I was so pissed when JP left with Craig after Kieron was murdered. Thank God he and Craig didn't last. lol As for Luke and Noah...well they were my first daytime queer couple so I'll always have a soft spot for them. Reply Thread Link And I know Neighbours is a nightime soap but the longest running serial soaps in the US are on daytime TV. lol Reply Parent Thread Link I loved Luke & Noah so much. I even wrote Nuke fanfic lol. Reply Parent Thread Link Does anyone have any current gay TV show recs? I've been watching a lot of shitty Thai dramas just so I have something to watch and I'm so burned out on them. Reply Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] probably not the gay you're thinking, but i'll just throw killing eve out there, in case assassins are your kink: Reply Parent Thread Link You should see if you can find this Australian show online called Please Like Me. It's on my (NZ) Netflix, it's quite entertaining Reply Parent Thread Link The white boy is super hot. He looks like Sean Cody model so it means Im super into him. Reply Thread Link Those are tiny ....underpants. Reply Parent Thread Link who turned out to be Neighbours veteran Paul Robinson Lmao of course it was Paul Robinson. He's probably fathered half of Ramsay Street by this point. Reply Thread Link I mean, David just came out and Aaron is his first boyfriend, but alright, you do you I guess. I wish they'd give Elly something to do except cry about her boyfriends all the time. In fact all the young women on this show seem to only have storylines revolving around men. Reply Thread Link same. pretty sure they're gonna have elly get back with mark though. i wish they'd give piper something to do as well. i used to really like her but this whole obsessing/crying over tyler is so OTT. Reply Parent Thread Link I've also noticed sometimes people randomly call her Ally, and it's so annoying. Oh my god, yes. Piper really irritates her. Like the whole melt down she had over that chair was so extra. Reply Parent Thread Link omggg the acting in that first clip and the portrayal of a health care professional (is that what is going on?) is cracking me tf up Reply Thread Link kinda surprised they're getting engaged so soon when they just got back together lol. i'm glad the show is becoming more diverse though. also leo and david being paul's kid is still annoying. Reply Thread Link I'm still mad that they're paul's kids and that amy and leo turned out to be related because they were interesting together Reply Parent Thread Link Lmaaaaaaaaaaoooooo yas Reply Thread Link Might check out both but more interested in the pop star one. Reply Thread Link So Welcome To the Neighborhood is a show about a white family who moves to South LA? Ughhhh I feel like this could go really wrong Reply Thread Link omg, i didn't even realize! i skimmed and i just assumed cedric the entertainer was the lead/the "nicest" guy. wow. yeah, that changes a lot lol. Reply Parent Thread Link me too. damn. cedric's won a place in my heart after all the diabetic neuropathy adverts (not that i didn't like him already) Reply Parent Thread Link omg yes ia! i love it when ppl use their voice for good and genuinely support a cause. Reply Parent Thread Link that ~diversity~ tho you know all their other shows will be about white men Reply Thread Link I like Amber Stevens West, Im glad she found another project after the Carmichael show was canceled. Reply Thread Link She's also on Ghosted on FOX. Reply Parent Thread Link Yep, at least she found a new show. Reply Parent Thread Link Ive seen her in that, I like it. I hope its not canceled. Reply Parent Thread Link it's pretty much cancelled Reply Parent Thread Link I like Amber, hoping her show is good. Reply Thread Link I wanna watch this for Tichina Arnold. Im curious about how harrys involvement in this too Reply Thread Link when i read the damon wayans jr pilot description my first thought was "his wife will be white or light skin" and i was RIGHT Reply Thread Link I fucking love Damon Wayans, Jr. Get that Emmy, Harreh! Reply Thread Link harrys smart for signing on as executive producer so he can oversee how theyre gonna portray the character based on him. gotta protect his reputation Reply Thread Link I think it was the one from Lethal Weapon. Reply Parent Thread Link his dad lol Reply Parent Thread Link it was his father Reply Parent Thread Link Damon jr was really funny in happy endings. Would be good to see him in something new. I wonder if he regrets not signing with new girl since it lasted longer... Reply Thread Link JUSTICE FOR HAPPY ENDINGS!!! i love ced, and damon jr so im down. abc comedies are the shit, i love their tuesday and wednesday night lineups! i feel like american housewife gets no respect. i literally forget about it every week (or rather, forget that it comes on) and then im like oh yeah! and watch and love it every week Reply Thread Link Rogue FBI agents, a robot with an existential crisis, secret crushes, and a powerful never-before-published work from the author of Their Eyes Were Watching God author. Check out the buzzy books hitting shelves TODAY: https://t.co/IbMOiaOM09 pic.twitter.com/MRVwG5Ug0i goodreads (@goodreads) May 8, 2018 The Crooked Staircase Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as shes breathing, shell never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedomand free willof millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Janes husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Janes enemies are determined to see her dead . . . or make her wish she was.Janes ruthless pursuers cant stop her from drawing a bead on her prey: a cunning man with connections in high places, a twisted soul of unspeakable depths with an army of professional killers on call. Propelled by her righteous fury and implacable insistence on justice, Jane will make her way from southern Southern California to the snow-swept slopes of Lake Tahoe to confront head-on the lethal forces arrayed against her. But nothing can prepare her for the chilling truth that awaits when she descends the crooked staircase to the dark and dreadful place where her long nightmare was born.In 1927, Zora Neale Hurston went to Plateau, Alabama, just outside Mobile, to interview eighty-six-year-old Cudjo Lewis. Of the millions of men, women, and children transported from Africa to America as slaves, Cudjo was then the only person alive to tell the story of this integral part of the nations history. Hurston was there to record Cudjos firsthand account of the raid that led to his capture and bondage fifty years after the Atlantic slave trade was outlawed in the United States.In 1931, Hurston returned to Plateau, the African-centric community three miles from Mobile founded by Cudjo and other former slaves from his ship. Spending more than three months there, she talked in depth with Cudjo about the details of his life. During those weeks, the young writer and the elderly formerly enslaved man ate peaches and watermelon that grew in the backyard and talked about Cudjos pastmemories from his childhood in Africa, the horrors of being captured and held in a barracoon for selection by American slavers, the harrowing experience of the Middle Passage packed with more than 100 other souls aboard the Clotilda, and the years he spent in slavery until the end of the Civil War.It has a dark pastone in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself Murderbot. But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more.Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you dont want to know what the A stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue.What it discovers will forever change the way it thinksWhen ninety-nine-year-old heiress Josephine Bettendorf Warrick summons Brooke Trappnell to Talisa Island, her 20,000 acre remote barrier island home, Brooke is puzzled. Everybody in the South has heard about the eccentric millionaire mistress of Talisa, but Brooke has never met her. Josephines cryptic note says she wants to discuss an important legal matter with Brooke, who is an attorney, but Brooke knows that Mrs. Warrick has long been a client of a prestigious Atlanta law firm.Over a few meetings, the ailing Josephine spins a tale of old friendships, secrets, betrayal and a long-unsolved murder. She tells Brooke she is hiring her for two reasons: to protect her island and legacy from those who would despoil her land, and secondly, to help her make amends with the heirs of the long dead women who were her closest friends, the girls of The High Tide Clubso named because of their youthful skinny dipping escapadesMillie, Ruth and Varina. When Josephine dies with her secrets intact, Brooke is charged with contacting Josephines friends descendants and bringing them together on Talisa for a reunion of women whove actually never met.In a narrative as beguiling and mysterious as memory itself--shadowed and luminous at once--we read the story of fourteen-year-old Nathaniel, and his older sister, Rachel. In 1945, just after World War II, they stay behind in London when their parents move to Singapore, leaving them in the care of a mysterious figure named The Moth. They suspect he might be a criminal, and they grow both more convinced and less concerned as they come to know his eccentric crew of friends: men and women joined by a shared history of unspecified service during the war, all of whom seem, in some way, determined now to protect, and educate (in rather unusual ways) Rachel and Nathaniel. But are they really what and who they claim to be? And what does it mean when the siblings' mother returns after months of silence without their father, explaining nothing, excusing nothing? A dozen years later, Nathaniel begins to uncover all that he didn't know and understand in that time, and it is this journey--through facts, recollection, and imagination--that he narrates in this masterwork from one of the great writers of our time.Sources: 1 A courier firm in eastern China has been fined 300,000 yuan (US$47,000) for forging a signature which made a man miss a court hearing, according to reports. When the courier discovered the recipient was not at home, he instead signed the delivery receipt and left the package at a convenience store nearby in Sihong county, in the eastern province of Jiangsu. However, he failed to inform the intended recipient where he had left the package, which contained a subpoena, China News Network reported. Caring courier takes ailing elderly mother with him on his rounds The couriers caused the recipient to miss the court hearing, the details of which have not been disclosed, and the case was dismissed. The man took the delivery company to court over the incident, which happened in February, and won a ruling in his favour at the end of last month. The unnamed delivery firm was ordered to pay the fine by the local courts in Sihong. It was not clear if the driver would face any action. The court ruled that counterfeiting a signature, and spelling two of the three characters in the mans name incorrectly, was a fraudulent act, adding that it was a waste of legal resources. The latest disguise for drugs in China: animal crackers and coffee-mate English-language website Whats on Weibo quoted several users of the social network complaining about the unreliable nature of courier services in China. Who sends legal documents by courier anyway? one person wrote. Theres always a risk in using kuaidi [the local name for a courier]. The whole courier industry needs to be put in order, said another. Its all a big mess. Other users said it was common for couriers in China to sign for parcels themselves. Kuaidi should not be able to sign for someone yet it happens all the time. The company deserves to be punished for it, a person wrote. This article Chinese man missed court hearing after delivery driver forged his signature first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. US President Donald Trump faced diplomatic isolation on Wednesday as world powers scrambled to save a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear program that he has rejected. Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord and reimpose sanctions on the Islamic republic overturns years of diplomacy, could worsen instability in the Middle East and threatens business in Iran worth billions of dollars. While Tehran's regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel applauded Trump's decision to pull Washington out of the 2015 accord, Iran reacted furiously to the move, with lawmakers burning a US flag and chanting "Death to America." French President Emmanuel Macron and Iran's Hassan Rouhani agreed Wednesday to work toward the continued implementation of the nuclear deal despite the US decision, which Macron called "a mistake". Earlier German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European signatories would "do everything" to ensure the agreement's parameters remain in place. The pledges came as Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the government in Tehran it too should quit the nuclear deal unless Europeans offer solid guarantees that trade relations would continue. Other signatories, including major trade partner Beijing, also promised to work to uphold the accord. China insisted it would maintain "normal economic and trade exchanges with Tehran" and "continue to devote itself to safeguard and implement the deal." - Iran 'upholding commitments' - Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called Tuesday for a "new and lasting deal." He described the existing accord as an "embarrassment" to the United States that did nothing to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. But the UN's nuclear watchdog, which is charged with ensuring Iran abides by the terms of the deal, said Wednesday Tehran was upholding its "nuclear-related commitments." "Iran is subject to the world's most robust nuclear verification regime," said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Yukiya Amano. Trump said a deal with Iran would have to include not just deeper restrictions on its nuclear program, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. In response, Rouhani warned Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit". But he also said Iran would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Stoking fears of a Middle East arms race, Saudi Foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir told CNN the kingdom would pursue its own nuclear weapons if Iran resumed its alleged quest for the bomb. Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic program was for civilian purposes. Doubling down on Wednesday, Trump told reporters at the White House there would be "very severe consequences" if Iran were to resume its nuclear enrichment program, which the 2015 deal curbed in exchange for sanctions relief. - Oil rallies - Trump's decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders urged the US president to think again. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis insisted Wednesday that the US would keep working with its allies to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons -- despite Trump's withdrawal from a deal designed to do just that. "We will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon, and will work with others to address the range of Iran's malign influence," Mattis told a Senate panel. Macron, who in recent weeks made a deliberately public effort to talk Trump around, said in an interview with German media that it was vital for the deal's other parties to reaffirm their commitment. "The Europeans' decision allows us to prevent Iran from immediately restarting their (nuclear) activities and to avoid escalating tensions," Macron said. Rouhani for his part said Iran's economic interests would however need to be "guaranteed" in light of Trump's decision, the Iranian presidency's website said. Trump's advisor John Bolton said earlier that European firms doing business in Iran have a six-month deadline to wind up investments or risk US sanctions. The move offers Trump a domestic victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise, and sent oil prices surging to levels not seen in three years -- but the long-term impact for US foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the United States will "lose in the end" from its decision, while Russia's Vladimir Putin expressed his country's "deep concern" over the US withdrawal. Reuters Videos U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said he's taking steps to deal with the rising number of violent incidents on airplanes."I want you to know I've instructed the justice department to make sure that we deal with the violence on aircraft coming from those people who are taking issues. We're going to deal with that." This year has seen 4,626 reports of unruly passenger incidents - more than 70% of those were related to masks. The FAA has initiated enforcement actions in 177 cases, issuing more than $1 million in proposed fines.The Justice Department did not immediately comment.Last month, two senior U.S. Senate Democrats urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate and prosecute unruly air passengers due to the surge in bad behavior during the pandemic.In June, a group representing major U.S. airlines and aviation unions also asked Garland to prosecute the growing number of disruptive and violent air passengers.Last month, Delta called on other U.S. airlines to share lists of passengers who have been banned during the COVID-19 pandemic for disruptive behavior to help deter the rising number of incidents. Delta said it has put more than 1,600 people on its "no fly" list during the pandemic.FAA Administrator Steve Dickson imposed a zero-tolerance order on passenger disturbances in January after supporters of Donald Trump were disruptive on flights around the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack.That policy will stay at least as long as federal mask rules on airplanes are in place, which extend to mid-January 2022. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Warming, acidification, eutrophication, and the loss of oxygen are examples of major changes being observed or expected for the future in coastal zones around the world. These processes are occurring in the Baltic Sea at a much faster pace than in other regions. But the Baltic also provides useful lessons for how negative trends can be reversed by protective measures. In Science Advances, an international team of researchers led by the GEOMAR (Kiel, Germany) promotes the Baltic Sea as a time machine for coastal areas worldwide. At first glance, the Baltic Sea seems to be rather uninteresting for scientists working on global ocean topics. It is comparatively shallow, has a low salinity and only a very narrow connection to the North Atlantic. This impression is, however, deceiving. In the current issue of the international journal Science Advances, 26 authors from 21 scientific institutions in seven countries appeal to the greater scientific community and policy makers to use the Baltic Sea Region as a model for coming changes in the World Ocean. "This unique sea of brackish water can serve as a kind of time machine that allows us to better estimate future global changes," says Prof. Thorsten Reusch from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel, one of the lead authors of the article. The scientists argue that changes that are only expected for the future in the global ocean can already be observed in the Baltic today. "This is because the small volume of water and slow water exchange with the open ocean, behaves like an amplifier, allowing many processes and interactions to occur at a faster pace", emphasizes Dr. Jan Dierking from GEOMAR, who initiated the study together with Prof. Reusch. As examples, the oceans have warmed by an average of 0.5C over the past 30 years, while in the same period, time-series measurements in the Baltic Sea have recorded warming of around 1.5C. Likewise, there are large oxygen-free zones in the deep areas of the Baltic Sea, which have increased tenfold over the past century; and the pHa measure of ocean acidificationof Baltic waters regularly reaches values that are expected in other ocean areas only in the next century. On the one hand, these extremes are caused by the particular basin topography of the Baltic Sea. On the other hand, intensive use by humans continues to accelerate negative changes. Nine countries border on the Baltic Sea directly and all are highly industrialized, with densely populated coastal regions. Moreover, intensive agriculture in the interior ensures high nutrient runoff, while equally intensive fisheries puts pressure on the pelagic food-web. But it's not all doom and gloom. The Baltic Sea is one of the best-surveyed seas on Earth. Scientific observation and monitoring of physical and biological processes began around 1900. There is a strong tradition in scientific co-operation among many countries surrounding the Baltic, culminating in the implementation of the joint Baltic Sea research and development programme BONUS of the European Union, a dedicated macro-regional research agenda and funding scheme that also enabled the present study. These data provide a sound basis for science-based resource management"on a level accomplished in only a few regions of the world," emphasizes Professor Reusch. Among the management success stories: the bordering countries have managed to significantly reduce nutrient inputs since the 1980s, to reverse the decline of large predators, and to curb overfishing. This has been achieved through the binding agreements within the framework of the European Union, but also thanks to the ambitious goals of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), which included Russia, even before the end of the Cold War. In fisheries, the protection of capture fisheries, marine mammals and bird populations among the perimeter countries have led to measurable improvements of existing stocks. "Overfishing, warming, acidification, pollution, eutrophication, loss of oxygen, intensive use of coastsall these are phenomena that we observe around the globe. Because they have been particularly drastic in the Baltic, but also because some key problems were successfully addressed, the region can, for good and for bad, tell us what to expect and how to respond to the challenges of the future," Prof. Reusch concludes, "The Baltic Sea, as a model region, can contribute to achieving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 14the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources." Explore further The balance of marine bacteria in the Baltic Sea More information: Reusch, T. H. B., J. Dierking, H. Andersson, E. Bonsdorff, J. Carstensen, M. Casini, M. Czajkowski, B. Hasler, K. Hinsby, K. Hyytiainen, K. Johannesson, S. Jomaa, V. Jormalainen, H. Kuosa, S. Kurland, L. Laikre, B. R. MacKenzie, P. Margonski, F. Melzner, D. Oesterwind, H. Ojaveer, J. C. Refsgaard, A. Sandstrom, G. Schwarz, K. Tonderski, M. Winder, M. Zandersen (2018): The Baltic Sea as a time machine for the future coastal ocean. Sci. Adv. 2018;4: Journal information: Science Advances Reusch, T. H. B., J. Dierking, H. Andersson, E. Bonsdorff, J. Carstensen, M. Casini, M. Czajkowski, B. Hasler, K. Hinsby, K. Hyytiainen, K. Johannesson, S. Jomaa, V. Jormalainen, H. Kuosa, S. Kurland, L. Laikre, B. R. MacKenzie, P. Margonski, F. Melzner, D. Oesterwind, H. Ojaveer, J. C. Refsgaard, A. Sandstrom, G. Schwarz, K. Tonderski, M. Winder, M. Zandersen (2018): The Baltic Sea as a time machine for the future coastal ocean.. 2018;4: dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar8195 A female beaver in Devon. Credit: Michael Symes/Devon Wildlife Trust Beavers could help clean up polluted rivers and stem the loss of valuable soils from farms, new research shows. The study, undertaken by scientists at the University of Exeter using a captive beaver trial run by the Devon Wildlife Trust, has demonstrated the significant impact the animals have had on reducing the flow of tonnes of soil and nutrients from nearby fields into a local river system. The research, led by hydrologist Professor Richard Brazier, found that the work of a single family of beavers had removed high levels of sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus from the water that flowed through their 2.5 hectare enclosure. The family of beavers, which have lived in fenced site at a secret location in West Devon since 2011, have built 13 dams, slowing the flow of water and creating a series of deep ponds along the course of what was once a small stream. Researchers measured the amount of sediment suspended, phosphorus and nitrogen in water running into the site and then compared this to water as it ran out of the site having passed through the beavers' ponds and dams. They also measured the amount of sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen trapped by the dams in each of the ponds. Their results showed the dams had trapped more than 100 tonnes of sediment, 70% of which was soil, which had eroded from 'intensively managed grassland' fields upstream. Further investigation revealed that this sediment contained high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are nutrients known to create problems for the wildlife in rivers and streams and which also need to be removed from human water supplies to meet drinking-quality standards. The research was funded by Westland Countryside Stewards and the Natural Environment Research Council and conducted by a team from the University of Exeter led by Professor of Earth Surface Processes, Richard Brazier. Professor Brazier said: "It is of serious concern that we observe such high rates of soil loss from agricultural land, which are well in excess of soil formation rates. However, we are heartened to discover that beaver dams can go a long way to mitigate this soil loss and also trap pollutants which lead to the degradation of our water bodies. Were beaver dams to be commonplace in the landscape we would no doubt see these effects delivering multiple benefits across whole ecosystems, as they do elsewhere around the world." The research findings about beavers' positive impact on soil erosion losses and pollution in water courses come at a time of growing concern about these issues. In 2009 a separate study estimated that the total cost of soil loss from the UK's agricultural land was 45million, much of which was due to the impacts of sediment and nutrient pollution downstream. Devon Wildlife Trust has been conducting its enclosed beaver trial for seven years, while since 2015 it has also been running another beaver project involving a population of wild-living beavers on the River Otter, East Devon. The charity's Director of Conservation and Development, Peter Burgess said: "Our partnership with Exeter University working on both our fenced and unfenced beaver trials is revealing information which shows the critical role beavers can play, not only for wildlife, but the future sustainability of our land and water. It is truly inspiring to have our observations confirmed by detailed scientific investigations." Explore further Found: One beaver More information: Alan Puttock et al, Sediment and Nutrient Storage in a Beaver Engineered Wetland, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (2018). Alan Puttock et al, Sediment and Nutrient Storage in a Beaver Engineered Wetland,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/esp.4398 Dr. Alyce Swinbourne with a female wombat. Credit: UQ Monitoring wombats for behaviours such as pacing and rump biting could help conservation efforts by increasing the success of captive breeding. University of Queensland researchers have found increased pacing by female southern hairy-nosed wombats is an indicator they are 'in season'. And female wombats are more likely to bite the rumps of the males in pre-copulatory behaviour at the most fertile phase of their reproductive cycle. Associate Professor Stephen Johnston said researchers were trying to better understand the southern hairy-nosed wombat as a breeding model for their critically endangered northern cousins. "With only about 200 northern hairy-nosed wombats remaining, being able to breed these animals may one day ensure the survival of the species," he said. "There has been no captive breeding of the northern hairy-nosed wombat, and even the southern species fails to breed regularly in captivity." Dr Johnston said the size and aggressive temperament of wombats made them difficult to work with, so behavioural indicators were a significant step forward. "We have developed a way to map the reproductive cycle of the female wombat by measuring hormone levels in their urine," Dr Johnston said. Female wombat call. Credit: UQ "Through round-the-clock monitoring over multiple breeding cycles, we detected subtle behavioural changes associated with the fluctuations in this hormonal mapping. "These behaviours could be used to identify when animals in captivity should be brought together for breeding, serving as cues for animal husbandry managers in zoos and wildlife facilities with southern hairy-nosed wombats." The research team, including Dr Alyce Swinbourne, worked with Australian Animals Care and Education, from their Safe Haven base at Mr Larcom in Central Queensland. Dr Johnston said that detection of the most appropriate timing for successful mating in the wombat was important not only for natural conception in wombats, but also for the next step in the research program, which involves the development of assisted reproductive techniques such as artificial insemination. The research is published in Reproduction, Fertility and Development by CSIRO Publishing. Infrared camera footage of wombats. Credit: UQ Explore further Noninvasive solution to wombat conservation More information: Reproduction, Fertility and Development, DOI: 10.1071/RD17539 The BIG Bell Test Initiative, November 30th, 2016. Credit: ICFO On November 30th, 2016, more than 100,000 people around the world contributed to a suite of first-of-a-kind quantum physics experiments known as The BIG Bell Test. Using smartphones and other internet-connected devices, participants contributed unpredictable bits, which determined how entangled atoms, photons, and superconducting devices were measured in 12 laboratories around the world. Scientists used the human input to close a stubborn loophole in tests of Einstein's principle of local realism. The results have now been analysed, and are reported in this week's Nature. In a Bell test (named for the physicist John Stewart Bell), pairs of entangled particles such as photons are generated and sent to different locations, where particle properties such as the photons' colours or time of arrival are measured. If the measurement results tend to agree, regardless of which properties we choose to measure, it implies something very surprising: either the measurement of one particle instantly affects the other particle (despite being far away), or even stranger, the properties never really existed, but rather were created by the measurement itself. Either possibility contradicts local realism, Einstein's worldview of a universe independent of our observations, in which no influence can travel faster than light. The BIG Bell Test asked human volunteers, known as Bellsters, to choose the measurements, in order to close the so-called "freedom-of-choice loophole"the possibility that the particles themselves influence the choice of measurement. Such influence, if it existed, would invalidate the test; it would be like allowing students to write their own exam questions. This loophole cannot be closed by choosing with dice or random number generators, because there is always the possibility that these physical systems are coordinated with the entangled particles. Human choices introduce the element of free will, by which people can choose independently of whatever the particles might be doing. Led by ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences, in Barcelona, the BIG Bell Test recruited participants worldwide to contribute unpredictable sequences of zeros and ones (bits) through an online video game. The bits were routed to state-of-the-art experiments in Brisbane, Shanghai, Vienna, Rome, Munich, Zurich, Nice, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Concepcion Chile and Boulder Colorado, where they were used to set the angles of polarizers and other laboratory elements to determine how entangled particles were measured. Participants contributed with more than 90 million bits, making possible a strong test of local realism, as well as other experiments on realism in quantum mechanics. The obtained results strongly disagree Einstein's worldview, close the freedom-of-choice loophole for the first time, and demonstrate several new methods in the study of entanglement and local realism. The BIG Bell Test Initiative, November 30th 2016. Credit: ICFO THE ICFO Quantum Memory EXPERIMENT Each of the 12 labs around the world carried out a different experiment, to test local realism in different physical systems and to test other concepts related to realism. ICFO contributed with two experiments. The ICFO 1 team, composed of Pau Farrera and Dr. Georg Heinze, led by ICREA Prof. at ICFO Hugues de Riedmatten, performed a Bell test using entanglement between two very different objects: a single photon and a trapped cloud with millions of atoms. This cloud acted as a "quantum memory" storing for some time the matter part of the entangled state, and transferring it later into another single photon. The entanglement was analysed using optical interferometers and single photon detectors. The measurement settings of these interferometers were chosen by the random numbers provided by the Bellsters. Specifically, the random numbers were deciding the voltages that were applied to a piezoelectric device attached to the interferometers. The results obtained clearly contradict the concept of local realism. The setup of the experiment. Credit: Jian-Wei Pan's Gruop The ICFO 2 team performed a Bell test using entanglement between two single photons of different color generated with a solid-state photon pair source. The researchers, Dr. Andreas Lenhard, Alessandro Seri, Dr. Daniel Rielander, and Dr. Margherita Mazzera, led by ICREA Prof. Hugues de Riedmatten, could generate narrow-band photon pairs in several discrete frequency modes. After separating the photons of the pair, their entanglement was analysed using, in each of the two arms, an electro-optic modulator to overlap the different frequency modes and an optical cavity as spectral filter. The random numbers provided by the Bellsters were exploited to choose the voltages driving both the modulation amplitude and phase of the electro-optics modulators. The experiment was done in collaboration with the ICFO researchers Dr. Osvaldo Jimenez, Dr. Alejandro Mattar and Dr. Daniel Cavalcanti, led by ICREA Prof. at ICFO Antonio Acin. They developed a model to describe the generated entangled state and find the optimal measurements to contradict local realism. From the experiment performed on November 30th, 2016, local realism theories can be ruled out with a significance level of 3 standard deviations, while a stronger violation, of more than 8 standard deviations, was achieved in the weeks following the Big Bell Test day by performing longer measurements with stored human random numbers. Hugues de Riedmatten, ICREA Professor at ICFO: "The BBT was a great experience. It was amazing to see random numbers created by Bellsters all around the world take control of our experiments in real time, and to see so many people participating in a quantum physics experiment." Carlos Abellan, researcher at ICFO and instigator of the project: "The BIG Bell Test was an incredibly challenging and ambitious project. It sounded impossibly difficult on day zero, but became a reality through the efforts of dozens of passionate scientists, science communicators, journalists and media, and especially the tens of thousands of people that contributed to the experiment during November 30th, 2016." Morgan Mitchell, leader of the BBT project and ICREA Professor at ICFO: "What is most amazing for me is that the argument between Einstein and Niels Bohr, after more than 90 years of effort to make it rigorous and experimentally testable, still retains a human and philosophical element. We know that the Higgs boson and gravitational waves exist thanks to amazing machines, physical systems built to test the laws of physics. But local realism is a question we can't fully answer with a machine. It seems we ourselves must be part of the experiment, to keep the Universe honest." The BIG Bell Test team once again would like to thank the thousands of participants who so generously and enthusiastically contributed to this initiative. Without this essential contribution, the experiment would have never been possible. Explore further Quantum physics entangled with human randomness More information: Challenging local realism with human choices, Nature (2018). Journal information: Nature Challenging local realism with human choices,(2018). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0085-3 Like many migratory songbirds, tree swallows are experiencing population declines in parts of their breeding range. Credit: Julia Baak With the arrival of spring, we look forward to the return of hundreds of species of migratory songbirds from their wintering grounds. Sparrows, swallows, warblers and thrushes, among other songbirds, will be returning from their wintering sites anywhere between the southern United States and distant South America. Some of these birds will return with a small "backpack" that has recorded their entire migration from their North American breeding grounds to their wintering grounds and back. Birds provide important ecosystem services, such as preying on insects, dispersing seeds, scavenging carcasses and pollinating plants. Unfortunately, there have been dramatic declines in many migratory songbirds over the past few decades, with some of these populations dropping by more than 80 per cent. If we are to find ways to slow or reverse these declines, we must first figure out what's causing them. Climate change, habitat loss and predation by cats are among the leading causes of bird declines. But with the vast distances these birds move over the course of the year, it can be difficult to pinpoint the main cause for a given species and where it's occurring. Migratory connections To answer this question, we need to know where individual birds spend their time throughout the year. We have a good idea of the range or the total area the birds occupy during the breeding and wintering periods. But ranges are composed of many populations, and we still have a very poor understanding of how individuals within each of these populations are connected between seasons. Individuals from different breeding populations may remain segregated during the winter. For example, some ovenbirds winter in the Caribbean whereas others spend their winters in Mexico and Central America. A geolocator fitted onto the back of a tree swallow, using a harness that loops around the birds legs. Credit: Dayna LeClair Or a bird may mix with individuals that originate from other breeding populations, such as bobolinks that mix in South America during the winter. These patterns of migratory connectivity have critical implications for predicting how migratory songbirds will respond to environmental change. Habitat loss deforestation, for example in one place can have different effects. If habitat loss occurs in a wintering area where breeding populations mix, it may have wide-ranging, yet diffuse, effects on the breeding populations. But if the habitat loss occurs in a wintering area that is occupied by a single breeding population, the effect may be more focused. For example, habitat loss in South America will likely have range-wide effects on bobolinks, while habitat loss in the Caribbean may only influence a portion of the breeding populations of ovenbirds. Backpacks for birds We know that the breeding and wintering populations of most species mix to some extent, but we don't know by how much or where in the range that occurs. By understanding the migratory network, we can predict how populations across the range will respond to future changes in the environment. How do we determine where particular individuals go? This is where the tracking "backpacks" come in handy. These devices, known as "archival light-level geolocators," weigh less than one gram and are small enough to be carried by songbirds. Geolocators record ambient light levels every few minutes while in use. We can then use the geographic variation in sunrise and sunset times as well as day length to locate the individual bird. We can figure out the bird's longitude its east-west position by comparing solar noon, the midway point between sunrise and sunset, with the time of day (using Greenwich Mean Time). We calculate its latitude its north-south position from day length. The tree swallow migratory network. Credit: Norris Lab Each backpack provides a year's worth of daily light levels, and a glimpse into one bird's annual journey. Tracking tree swallows In 2011, we began deploying geolocators on tree swallows at 12 sites across their breeding range, from Alaska to Nova Scotia and North Carolina. These iridescent blue birds with bright white bellies can be seen foraging for flying insects in marshes and fields across Canada and the United States in the spring and early summer. Like many migratory songbirds, tree swallows are experiencing population declines in parts of their breeding range. It is unclear what is driving these declines, however they coincide with declines in several species of birds that also feed on aerial insects. By 2015, our team, comprising 27 collaborators, had retrieved more than 140 of these devices. We tracked these birds from the breeding sites to their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central America, Florida and the Caribbean. With this information, we developed the most comprehensive songbird migration map to date. We found evidence for a high degree of mixing within three distinct migratory flyways between the breeding and wintering grounds of tree swallows. The tree swallow network When we analyzed the network, we discovered that tree swallows migrated between their breeding and wintering grounds using three distinct migratory flyways: West of the Rocky Mountains, down the Mississippi River valley and along the Atlantic coast. Breeding populations within these flyways mixed extensively with one another at migration stopover and wintering regions. We identified important regions within these flyways, such as areas in Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, South Dakota and the U.S. Midwest, where tree swallows from many different breeding populations congregate. Such areas appear as critical connections within the whole network. Now that we know more about the connections between breeding and wintering tree swallow populations, we can use this information to investigate threats to declining populations across their range. For example, using chemical markers, range-wide connectivity has been described in eastern North American monarch butterflies and then used to identify the primary threats in this declining population. This spring, as the migratory songbirds return, take a moment to think about the amazing journey these birds have taken since last autumn while wearing their backpacks. Explore further Wintering warblers choose agriculture over forest This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Alibaba founder Jack Ma on the first day of trading for Alibaba on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014. Strict rules essentially prevented the first wave of unicorns from listing in China Having lost the likes of Alibaba and Baidu to Wall Street, China is hatching a plan to woo them back and make sure it keeps a new generation of technology titans closer to home as it battles the US for supremacy in the sector. New share offerings worth tens of billions of dollars are in the pipeline for 2018, setting it up as a blockbuster year with a number of so-called "unicorns"tech start-ups valued at least $1 billionlining up to cash in. China dominates the line-up of the world's biggest unicorns expected to list, including mobile-payments pioneer Ant Financialvalued at an estimated $100 billionas well as ride-sharing firm Didi Chuxing and online-services platform Meituan-Dianping, both put in the tens of billions. Strict rules essentially prevented the first wave from listing in mainland China, with Alibaba and Baidu instead opting for New York and Tencent heading to Hong Kong. But authorities are now planning to ease those rules, which analysts say is part of Beijing's goal of developing domestic champions into global leaders in artificial intelligence, big data, and other sectorswith state support. And this comes at a time of heightened trade tensions with Washington, which already complains of a skewed playing field in China's domestic markets. "This is absolutely part of China 2025," said Peking University economics professor Christopher Balding, using shorthand for China's tech-dominance plan. "One of the things that Beijing has made very clear is that they want to control and strengthen their tech companies. It has its thumb on the scale at every step." National strategies Firms must show at least three years' profit before they can list in China, ruling out cash-burning start-ups. Ride-sharing firm Didi Chuxing is among several Chinese firms valued in the tens of billions of dollars that are lining up a listing in China this year But Beijing is mulling a waiver for high-tech companies valued above 20 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) and also allowing foreign-listed firms like Alibaba to offer securities in ChinaChinese Depositary Receipts (CDRs)which are linked to their main shares. Details and timing remain sketchy, but authorities said in March the plan targets industries that are "in line with national strategies" in internet, big data, artificial intelligence and related industries. The enticements fit with President Xi Jinping's desire to harness all facets of national power to compete with the United States, said analysts. "It does fit together broadly with China promoting high-tech and developing its financial markets," said Fraser Howie, author of "Red Capitalism", an analysis of China's economy. The benefits for China include allowing domestic investors to profit from unicorn success while enhancing Beijing's grip on a tech sector that is already "quasi-nationalised" through state-linked funding and other means, said Balding. Such listings are expected to be vigorously embraced, potentially reinvigorating Chinese share markets dominated by financials or industrials. They will "increase the depth and activity of the market," said Jackson Wong of Huarong International Securities. "That's the (government's) main focus and they are trying to get that done quickly." Tech companies, meanwhile, could open a spigot of cash as their shares are typically priced much higher in China than elsewhere. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi recently chose Hong Kong over New York for what could be the world's biggest IPO since Alibaba in 2014, after the southern Chinese financial hub relaxed rules that had deterred some big IPOs Relaxed rules A Wall Street Journal report quoted sources who estimate Chinese tech IPOs could put new shares worth $50 billion on markets, while Bloomberg News cited analyst estimates that companies eligible to issue CDRs could raise $235 billion. Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent and JD.com have all expressed interest in listing CDRs in China. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi recently chose Hong Kong over New York for what could be the world's biggest IPO since Alibaba's $25 billion coming-out in 2014, after the southern Chinese financial hub relaxed rules that had deterred some big IPOs. As China increases its grip on Hong Kong, a listing there is just fine with Beijing, said Balding. US-China tensions may also further push Chinese tech companies to list at home, to curry favour with Beijing and avoid getting caught in the middle of the big-power tug-of-war, analysts said. One such victim of the battle is Chinese telecom equipment ZTE, which has been banned from selling to US firms for seven years after falling foul of Washington over illegal sales to Iran and North Korea. "The current Sino-US trade conflict has made up their minds to come back," said Liao Qun, chief economist with China's Citic Bank International. "We should begin to see action very soon." But greater shareholder control over tech firms by Beijing or its actors could exacerbate US tensions if state-backed Chinese unicorns seek to expand overseas with acquisitions, Balding said. "When Beijing, through its tech companies, then goes out to buy firms and control their data while not allowing foreign competition in its own market, there is a very valid (US) concern both from competitiveness and a national security standpoint," he said. 2018 AFP Credit: University of Texas at Austin Cheaper renewable energy is reshaping how electricity is generated and consumed. In many U.S. electricity markets, including Texas, coal-fired power plants are being retired because they can no longer compete on price compared with other sources of energy, including wind and solar. But is there a way to still make use of all those old coal plants and mines? Brooke Holleman, a graduate student in UT Austin's Energy Institute, has an answer: Turn them into utility-scale solar farms. Her research focuses on the intersection of energy policy, land use and emergent technologies. Holleman is pursuing a master's degree in the Jackson School of Geosciences and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. "Out of the coal ashes could rise a phoenix," Holleman recently wrote in an op-ed published in Texas Monthly that summed up her idea, as detailed in a 70-page thesis for her dual master's in energy and earth resources (EER) and public policy. The concept of converting 40-year-old decommissioned power plants into state-of-the-art solar arrays was a no-brainer, she said. "The market is changing. Low wholesale electricity prices, cheap natural gas and increased renewable generation have made operating these plants uneconomical." Inspiration for the research project had its roots in Holleman's experience. While an undergraduate at the University of Oklahoma, she spent a summer interning with the state's Department of Environmental Quality, where she conducted mapping for Superfund site remediation. After completing her B.A. in environmental sustainability, she worked at the agency for a year, assisting in the inspection and cleanup of contaminated sites, including a chemical company and a former battery casing facility, before beginning her graduate work at UT in 2016. When Texas' biggest electricity generator, Luminant, announced it would close three of its coal-fired power plants, the research project Holleman had been toying with finally came into focus. For decades, "mine mouth" power plants, so named because they generate power from coal mined on site, have benefitted from the vast, shallow belts of lignite coal that traverse sections of East and Central Texas. Lignite is considered the lowest grade of coal because of its high moisture content and low energy density. Carbon dioxide emissions from power plants fueled by lignite are generally much higher per megawatt than from other types of coal. Now that the plants are being retired, the reclaimed landscape presents a unique opportunity for clean energy investment, specifically solar, said Holleman. The land, which could be flattened and re-vegetated with grass, probably would have little potential for any future use without costly cleanup efforts. Whereas West Texas has the state's highest solar potential, the shuttered coal facilities are conveniently located within the state's transmission grid, close to the population centers of Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. "You could put solar in a lot of places," said Holleman, noting that the siting of solar farms is based on project-specific assessments and detailed economic analysis. Building new transmission lines is extremely expensive, she added, "and more energy is lost the farther you transmit electricity." "If transmission infrastructure is already in place, you might as well try to leverage it." Transforming abandoned coal plants and mines into large solar farms could be a "public investment," based on how the state's electric grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), approves transmission projects. A solar farm will not employ the 800 workers laid off from a coal plant closure, Holleman noted, but investing in utility-scale solar arrays on site would replace power plants that had been running only a few weeks of the year. Wholesale electricity markets, including ERCOT, automatically dispatch the least costly power first regardless of fuel type, and coal is no longer cheaper than wind or solar, or natural gas. Fred Beach, assistant director for policy studies at the Energy Institute, who has served as Holleman's academic adviser, describes her as "a bright, energetic student who appreciates the value of combining technical research with public policy." Holleman's thesis represents "a pragmatic approach to achieving her vision of a more sustainable energy future," Beach adds, noting that her multidisciplinary approach to complex energy problems "is what the EER program is all about." Explore further Why this summer might be a test for the Texas electric grid Tailspin: Air France share prices have plummeted this week Dutch politicians and unions are watching the unfolding crisis at Air France with increasing concern, amid fears the turbulence at the French company will sideswipe its Dutch partner KLManother chapter in an already stormy union. Air France-KLM boss Jean-Marc Janaillac abruptly announced his resignation Friday after staff at the French carrier rejected a pay deal, which had been aimed at ending months of costly walkouts. Staff and unions at KLM, which merged with the French company in 2004 to create Europe's biggest airline, have however been left helplessly on the sidelines, angered by the drama across the border. Once again, the crisis has helped to highlight sharp cultural and social differences between the two countries, with Dutch workers rarely resorting to bitter conflicts with employers. "Asking for a raise from the top of the barricade and waving a flag is absurd," said Robert Swankhuizen, head of the Dutch Association of Aviation Technicians (NVLT). In line with the Dutch approach to labour relations, he backs "compromise" and told AFP he believes "things can always be resolved by discussing them calmly". He qualified Janaillac's departure as "stupid" in the eyes of KLM staff, adding under his stewardship the company "has prospered. He will be missed by the group. He was always very open". 'We're the fall guys' Air France shares went into a tailspin on the Paris stock exchange Monday, closing 9.8 percent lower on the day. They lost another 0.7 percent on Tuesday. The chaos at Air France is a bitter pill for KLM, which has seen its own profits drained by its French partner. The group announced first quarter losses of 118 million euros, but that was entirely due to Air France which lost 178 million euros compared to KLM's profits of 60 million euros. Added to that, staff and management at Air France have been locked in the pay dispute since Februaryat a cost of another 75 million euros. The French government has steadfastly ruled out coming to the aid of the country's flagship carrier, but Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne did discuss the situation late Monday with her worried Dutch counterpart, Dutch media reported. French unions are demanding a 5.1 percent wage increase in 2018, after a six-year salary freeze. The offer rejected by 55.44 percent of Air France workers was for a 7.0 percent pay rise, but spread over four years. "These demands are irresponsible. The unions have to shoulder their responsibilities," insisted Swankhuizen, adding the "strikes are weakening" the company's position. "Gulf companies are just waiting to jump in and grab parts of the European market," he said, "so how far are we going to let the situation go?" "We've been taken hostage, and have become the fall guys," he added. Marriage of convenience A leaked study in July of 50 managers carried out by French and Dutch unions revealed a deep distrust between the two airlines, fuelled by often petty grievances and cultural differences. Each side complained the other only looked after their own interests. But cultural differences "are common in any marriage, and even bigger when it's a union between two large international groups", said Leen van der List, head of the aviation section of the largest Dutch trade union FNV. "Both workers and management have to put forward those people who know how to build bridges," he said, insisting "progress must be made". Even if the first flush of wedded bliss has faded, the Dutch are not planning to seek a divorce. "This union is necessary for both sides. We are annoyed, but without this marriage we would no longer be here," said van der List. "We may complain and tap our feet, but our companies are completely linked. And we mustn't forget that KLM has become what it is, thanks to this merger," added Swankhuizen. Even if KLM did want to fly off alone into the sunset, it doesn't have that choice, said Jan-Willem van Dijk, head of the KLM work's committee. "The merger of the two groups in 2004, was in fact more of a buyout. Air France is the boss," he said, quoted by the leading Dutch daily De Volkskrant. And for Swankhuizen it's clear. "The French state will never let go of the goose which lays the golden eggs." Explore further Air France-KLM boss resigns after staff reject pay deal 2018 AFP Airbus and other big European companies need to figure out how to deal with new US sanctions against Iran European businesses have the most to lose from renewed US sanctions against Iran, analysts said Wednesday, with massive sums at stake for some of the continent's big names. A day after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme and reimposed crippling sanctions, EU governments promised they would shield their companies doing business with Tehran. European officials will "do everything" possible to protect their interests, an official in the French presidency said. America has, however, a long reach when it comes to forcing foreign companies to comply with its sanctions regime, analysts said, as some big European banks have learned the hard way. US sanctions policy is based on the extra-territoriality of American laws, meaning Washington also punishes foreign companies doing deals with Iran if they also have business with the US, or use dollars in their transactions. Can't hide from policeman European companies with interests in the United States "find it is impossible to hide from the world's policeman" said Jacques Hogard, who runs an international consulting firm. "You can try to circumvent sanctions, but not if you're a big company," he told AFP. Washington has given companies between 90 and 180 days to phase out existing contracts with Iran and banned them from signing any new ones, under threat of sanctions. And that threat is far from empty. France's biggest bank was hit with a mega fine for dealing with regimes under US sanctions France's biggest bank, BNP Paribas, was fined $8.9 billion in 2014 for breaking sanctions against Iran and other countries. The following year, Deutsche Bank paid $258 million in US fines for doing business with Iran and Syria pursuing, according to US regulators, a "lucrative" US dollar business for sanctioned customers. Europeans were eager to renew business ties with Iran after the July 2015 landmark deal which opened up the prospect of winning market share in the country of 80 million desperate for investment and consumer goods. Airbus, Siemens, Total, PSA and Fincantieri were among the multinationals launching investments in Iran, although the Islamic Republic's problems with financing its wish list kept a lid on enthusiasm. EU's Iran business tripled The European Union's trade with Iran nearly tripled in under three years, growing from 7.7 billion euros ($9.14 billion) in 2015 to 21 billion euros in 2017. Germany alone exported three billion euros worth of goods to Iran in 2017, Italy 1.7 billion and France 1.5 billion. Now that business drive risks stalling. Talking directly to Washington to soften the Trump administration's stance may be the wisest course of action, some companies say. French energy giant Total, which has agreed to invest $5 billion in Iran together with Chian's CNPC to develop the South Pars oil field, said last month it would seek an exemption from any new sanctions. Giving corporate Europe quite the headache For now corporate bosses are completely in the dark as to whether the sanctions regime will be watered down in this, or any other, way. The only certainty seems to be that the US decision "does not target what is already in place", said Mahasti Razavi, a lawyer with the August Debouzy firm. But what happens to companies who continue to deal with Iran still needs to be clarified, she said. Which is why many take a cautious stance. "We are carefully analysing this announcement and will evaluate the next steps in accordance with our internal policies and with complete observance of the sanctions and the export control rules," said a spokesman for European aircraft maker Airbus which has announced contracts with Iranian airlines for a total of 100 planes. Clarity, please Aerospace companies had been perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the Iran nuclear accord, which recognised the need for Iran to modernise its aircraft fleet. Emma Marcegaglia, head of employers association BusinessEurope, said European companies needed "legal clarity" and were counting on the EU and its member states to assist companies. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said he hoped to meet with US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin by the end of the week to discuss ways to soften the blow. 2018 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain Horse domestication changed the face of Eurasia, helping ancient Huns and Mongols supplant western "Indo-European" farmers in an incremental westward drive that also brought Hepatitis B and plague, scientists said Wednesday. In three studies published in the journals Science and Nature, experts reported sequencing the genomes of dozens of humans who lived between 2,500 BC and 1,500 ADa 4,000-year period from the Iron Age to medieval times. Their analysis showed a slow and steady west-to-east shift in the genetic makeup of the people who populated the Eurasian steppea massive expanse stretching from Hungary and Romania in the west to Mongolia and northeast China in the east. According to the data, the steppe population changed "from being of mainly western Eurasian genetic ancestry to... east Asian genetic ancestry," said Eske Willerslev of the University of Copenhagen, who co-authored two of the studies. "It's also changing the steppe in terms of being Indo-European speakers to becoming Turkish-speaking people." The Indo-European language group gave rise to modern-day tongues such as English, French, German, Russian, Hindi, and Persian, while Turkish is part of the Turkic language group thought to have originated in east Asia, including Mongolia. From about 800 to 200 BC, the Eurasian steppe was dominated by the Scythians, a group of Iranian-speaking mounted warriors, the researchers said. These were thought to have originated from Bronze Age farmers of western "European" ancestry. Yet today, "the people living in central Asia and western Asia are really of Asian descent," said Willerslev. "We wanted to understand how this happened." The Scythians, they found, were "absorbed and replaced" by Huns spreading westward out of Mongolia, "killing all the people they met but also mixing with them". Hold your horses! When the Hun empire collapsed about 1,500 years ago, other groups started moving westwardmost famously the Mongols. "You can say that the vast majority of the genetic makeup of contemporary people in this 8,000 kilometre-long (4,971 mile) stretch across Europe and Asia has really mainly been formed within the last approximately 1,000 years," Willerslev told journalists. For his colleague and co-author Peter de Barros Damgaard, a highlight of the research is to show how horse herding and riding changed the face of Eurasia. "Starting with the domestication of course, which enabled these groups to grow in number and this expansion of pastoralist societies and then later, as we move into the late Bronze Age, we have the invention of the spoke wheel chariot which connects south Asia with Europe and establishes these huge trade routes," he explained. "The next big change in the use of horses is to actually start riding them and shooting with bow and arrow as mounted warriors, and this infuses a military dynamic into the steppe"leading to a constant changes in empire and the genetic makeup of conquered populations. The researchers also found that the Justinian plague pandemic, which killed millions of people on the European continent in the years 541 and 542, had come with the east Asian conquerers. "Some people have argued it came from Greece," said Willerslev, but bacterial DNA found in the remains of two ancient humans shows "it was probably brought to Europe by the Mongol expansion". Finally, the research showed that Hepatitis B, which kills almost a million every year due to complications such as liver cancer, was already present in Eurasia some 4,500 years ago. Scientists are keen to learn more about when the virus arose, and the rate by which it mutates. Explore further Ancient Eurasian DNA sequencing is revealing links with modern humans More information: 137 ancient human genomes from across the Eurasian steppe, Nature (2018). 137 ancient human genomes from across the Eurasian steppe,(2018). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0094-2 Ancient Hepatitis B viruses from the Bronze Age to the Medieval period, Nature (2018). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0097-z P. de Barros Damgaard el al., "The first horse herders and the impact of Early Bronze Age steppe expansions into Asia," Science (2018). science.sciencemag.org/lookup/ 1126/science.aar7711 Journal information: Nature , Science 2018 AFP GRACE-FO will demonstrate the effectiveness of using lasers instead of microwaves to more precisely measure fluctuations in the separation distance between the two spacecraft, potentially improving the precision of range fluctuation measurements by a factor of at least 10 on future GRACE-like missions. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Imagine standing on the roof of a building in Los Angeles and trying to point a laser so accurately that you could hit a particular building in San Diego, more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away. This accuracy is required for the feat that a novel technology demonstration aboard the soon-to-launch Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission will aim to achieve. For the first time, a promising technique called laser ranging interferometry will be tested between two satellites. GRACE-FO, scheduled to launch May 19, carries on the rich legacy of the original GRACE mission, which launched in 2002 on a planned five-year mission and concluded operations in October 2017. Among its insights, GRACE transformed our understanding of the global water cycle by showing how masses of liquid water and ice are changing each month. The mission also added to our knowledge of large-scale changes in the solid Earth. GRACE-FO will provide continuity for GRACE's landmark measurements for at least another five years, further improving scientific understanding of Earth system processes and the accuracy of environmental monitoring and forecasts. How Did GRACE Work? GRACE obtained its data on the movement of Earth's mass by precisely measuring slight changes in the distance between two spacecraft that flew one behind the other around Earth. When the satellites encountered a change in the distribution of Earth's masssuch as a mountain range or mass of underground waterEarth's gravitational pull on the spacecraft changed the distance between them. The Himalaya Mountains, for example, changed the separation distance by about three-hundredths of an inch (80 micrometers). By accurately calculating each month how the satellites' separation distance changed during each orbit and over time, it was possible to detect changes in Earth's mass distribution with high precision. Measuring the change in the separation between the spacecraft was possible to a high degree of precision because each spacecraft was transmitting microwaves toward the other. The way the waves interacted with each otherthe way they interfered with each othercreated a microwave interferometer in space. This process essentially transformed the two spacecraft into a single instrument that could very precisely measure the distance change between them, which in turn can be related to changes in the mass distribution on Earth. The Laser Ranging Interferometer instrument. Credit: Albert Einstein Institute, Hannover, Germany. Credit: NASA What's New About GRACE-FO? GRACE-FO works on these same principles. Each spacecraft again carries a microwave instrument to track changes in the separation distance. But GRACE-FO also carries something new: a technology demonstration of a laser ranging interferometer (LRI), jointly managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert-Einstein Institut) in Hanover, Germany. In addition to transmitting microwaves between each other, the GRACE-FO satellites will shine lasers at each other. Since the wavelengths in a laser beam are significantly shorter than microwave wavelengths, the laser ranging interferometer will improve the tracking precision of separation changesjust as measuring in millimeters instead of centimeters would be more precise. GRACE-FO's interferometer will detect changes in distance more than 10 times smaller than what the microwave instrument detectschanges on the order of 100 times narrower than a human hair. "With GRACE-FO, we're taking something cutting-edge from the lab and making it ready for space flight," said Kirk McKenzie, the LRI instrument manager at JPL. "The reason we spend decades working in the lab is to see our technology enable a new type of measurement and result in scientific discoveries." Each GRACE-FO satellite will be able to detect the laser signal of the other. But this is no easy feat. Each laser has the power of about four laser pointers and must be detected by a spacecraft an average of 137 miles (220 kilometers) away. Even the ultra-precise assembly of the satellites isn't enough to guarantee the laser transmitted from each spacecraft will be aligned well enough to hit the other spacecraft. GRACE-FO will measure monthly changes in gravitational pull resulting from changes in Earth's mass below the orbiting satellites. As the satellites orbit Earth, one following the other, these moving masses alter the gravitational pull below them, changing the distance between them very slightly. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech As a result, McKenzie explains, the first time the laser ranging interferometer is turned on, the components of the LRI on each spacecraft need to perform a scan to send out the instrument's signals and try to "catch" the other's signals in all possible configurations. The spacecraft have so many possible configurations, it takes nine hours. For one millisecond out of those nine hours, there will be a flash on both spacecraft to show that they're talking to each other. After this signal acquisition occurs once, the interferometer's optical link will be formed and then the instrument is designed to operate continuously and autonomously. "We're trying something that is very hardthe first-ever demonstration of laser interferometry in space between satellites," said Gerhard Heinzel, the instrument manager at the Max Planck Institute. "But it's very satisfying to puzzle over a problem and find something that works." The difficulty of the task required tapping different areas of expertise. JPL oversaw the laser on the interferometer, measurement electronics and optical cavity. The Max Planck Institute was responsible for the optics, detectors, mirrors and beam splitters. The GRACE-FO laser ranging interferometer also took advantage of the two groups' 15-year-long history of collaborating on the technology behind the ESA/NASA Laser Interferometer in Space Antenna (LISA) mission, which will launch in the early 2030s. Why Try Something So Difficult? "The laser ranging interferometer on GRACE-FO is potentially an enabling technology for future missions around Earth or even to look at the universe," said Frank Webb, GRACE-FO's project scientist at JPL. "This new, higher precision measurement should enable more efficient missions in the future with lower mass, power and cost. We're eager to see how it performs and what new signals we might be able to tease out of the data." If successful, this new technology, along with an improved accelerometer, promises to improve the resolution of future GRACE-FO like missions to better than 200 miles (300 kilometers) in diameter, allowing future missions to track and pinpoint changes in smaller bodies of water, ice and the solid Earth. Explore further Twin spacecraft to weigh in on Earth's changing water Freezer burned peas embedded in ice. Damage to foods during freezing may be mitigated by supercooling, according to a new study. Credit: Ragesoss/CC BY-SA 3.0 Great science stems from curiosity and hard work. In this case, it all began with a broken freezer. Atsuko Kobayashi (MS '91) and Caltech professor Joseph Kirschvink (BS, MS '75)a husband-and-wife team of researchers who divide their time between Japan and the U.S.returned to their home to discover that their freezer had died at some point during their absence. While shopping for a new one, Kobayashi saw an advertisement for a special type of freezer using magnetic fields to keep food fresher by "supercooling" them. She did not buy it, but she wanted to know why supercooling might improve frozen food and how magnetic fields might cause supercooling. When chilled below 0 degrees Celsius, water molecules start forming ice crystals wherever there are minerals or other solids suspended in the waterwhat are known as nucleation sites. Completely pure water, lacking nucleation sites, can be chilled well below the usual freezing point and yet remain a liquida process called supercooling. Supercooling has commercial advantages. Indeed, without necessarily knowing the mechanisms behind why they work, Japanese fishermen have been using the magnetically controlled freezers to transport fish long distances to market. The treatment is purported to reduce the cellular damage in the fishes' flesh, keeping the flavor and texture intact. The fish often sell on the competitive fish market at prices comparable to freshly caught variety. Model of how magnetic fields can manipulate a molecule of magnetite, keeping it in motion so that ice crystals cannot form along its surfaces. Credit: Kobayashi/Kirschvink "When you supercool water before freezing it, the resulting ice doesn't expand as much in volume as regular ice because it takes on a different crystalline structure. If you are freezing tissues, which have water in them, less expansion means less damage to cells," Kobayashi says. The process also offers scientific advantages. As an electron microscopist, Kobayashi often has to freeze biological tissues before generating images of them. One of her major goals has been finding ways to freeze biological tissue while minimizing damage caused by ice crystal formation. "The question was, why would magnetic fields have any effect on whether unpurified water, like the water in cells, could be supercooled?" asks Kobayashi, who is a senior research scientist at the Earth-Life Science Institute at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and visitor in geology and biology at Caltech. While researching minerals capable of ice nucleation, she had a realization: the answer could lie in magnetite, a naturally occurring compound of iron and oxygen that is magnetic. Kobayashi and Kirschvink's research team has long studied magnetite. Kobayashi was the first to succeed in extracting and imaging nanocrystals of biological magnetite in the human brain, and Kirschvink, the Nico and Marilyn Van Wingen Professor of Geobiology at Caltech, has spent the past 30 years exploring what role biological magnetite might play in magnetoreceptionthe ability of living creatures to sense magnetic fields Their work builds on the research of Heinz Lowenstam, a paleoecologist who joined Caltech in 1952. Although it was well known that animals could generate hard minerals in teeth and bones, Lowenstam made the discovery in 1962 that the teeth of chitons (a type of marine mollusk) were capped with magnetite. Magnetite is the hardest mineral any animal can make, and it was later discovered as a biological precipitate in creatures like bacteria, bees, birds, and mammalsincluding humans. A TEM image of cells of magnetotactic bacteria aligned in a magnetic field at 140 millitesla. The dark crystals are made of biological magnetite. Credit: PNAS Kobayashi has demonstrated that trace amounts of magnetite particles added to water have a huge effect on its freezing temperature. An earlier paper by the Kobayashi/Kirschvink research team showed that a few parts per billion of magnetite added to ultrapure waterwater lacking any other nucleation sitesprevented supercooling almost entirely. Digging deeper, they found that ice crystallizes easily on the surface of magnetite particles at temperatures just below 0 degrees Celsius. Reasoning that any slight disruption at the surface of the magnetite should disrupt this process and prevent freezing, they next designed a series of experiments using rotating magnetic fields about 20 times stronger than the earth's magnetic fieldstrong enough to jiggle the magnetite molecules. By keeping the magnetite molecules in constant motion, they prevented ice from forming on their surface and were able to supercool magnetite-impregnated water almost as well as ultrapure water. This even worked in two representative types of tissue: celery (for vegetables) and cow muscle (for meats). By jiggling the magnetite molecules in the cells of the plant and animal tissues, they were able to supercool them and ultimately freeze them with less damage to the tissues. "The finding validates the Japanese fishermen who have been using this technology for years and confirms magnetite as the underlying cause of why damaging ice forms in tissues," says Kobayashi. It also suggests a way to help address world hunger, she says. Recent estimates by the National Resources Defense Councilindicate that 40 percent of the human food supply is lost between the farm and the dining table, and that frost and freezer damage is responsible for a portion of this loss. "If that damage could be mitigated by the controlled application of magnetic fields, more food might make it to tables worldwide, reducing the fuel, fertilizer, and water needed for modern agriculture," Kobayashi says. "Understanding the reason why damaging ice forms in tissues when they freeze could also lead to improved techniques for cryogenic storage of living eggs, sperm, embryos, and perhaps even small animals." For Kirschvink, this finding is just the start. Magnetite may be a primary cause of ice nucleation in nature, he says. "Climate scientists have been trying to pin down the source of ice nucleation for decades so that we could improve atmospheric circulation models, cloud seeding. The study, titled "Magnetic Control of Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation with Nanophase Magnetite: Biophysical and Agricultural Implications," appears online ahead of publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on May 7. More information: Magnetic control of heterogeneous ice nucleation with nanophase magnetite: Biophysical and agricultural implications. PNAS www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/05/01/1800294115 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Magnetic control of heterogeneous ice nucleation with nanophase magnetite: Biophysical and agricultural implications. Micro-computed tomography or "micro-CT" is X-ray imaging in 3-D, by the same method used in hospital CT (or "CAT") scans, but on a small scale with massively increased resolution. It enables scientists and engineers to see inside structures and reveal hidden secrets. Micro-CT imaging is opening up a world of opportunities across industries. Now the EUREKA funded project Xamflow has developed an innovative software application that makes micro-CT examinations more efficient and less labour intensive than before. "Micro-CT scanning started with human biological materials, but nowadays anything can be scanned, synthetic materials, small animals, food, minerals, and fossils for example," says Tor Hildebrand owner of project partner Imacomp AB based in Sweden. "Companies want to check the internal structure of their products without having to destroy their samples," Hildebrand explains, "with micro-CT scanning, you can check the microstructures in bone, porosity of food, and search for micro anomalies inside materials". A time-consuming process Typically, scanning using micro-computed tomography is a complicated process that requires the scanning of multiple samples. "The whole process is complex, time-consuming and involves many manual steps," explains Hildebrand, "there is a lot of switching between applications and tools, slowing the process down and increasing costs and sources of errors," he adds. Because of this complexity the project needed to bring together a consortium of partners with a range of different specialisations. "We needed a company that knew the scanning process, a company that developed the hardware, a company that knew how to analyse the images, a company that could build the whole backend system, and a web developer." We were able to find a team of five different companies and institutes and bring them together to start this project," says Hildebrand. Lucid Concepts AG based in Switzerland handled the visualization and the image-processing framework. The Swedish companies ImaComp AB and Capenta AB in Sweden were responsible for the architecture of the full system and the web application development, respectively. Two Universities, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the University of Applied Sciences HSR in Rapperswil, Switzerland supported with clinical analysis and distributed image processing. Finally, Scanco Medical AG based in Switzerland developed the imaging hardware. "It was a diverse team of people and specialities this helped us to stay focussed and motivated throughout the project," says Hildebrand. Automating workflows At its heart, the Xamflow platform is, in fact, a tool for automating complex workflows. Workflow automation is a growing market as businesses look for ways to streamline their processes to save time and money. Once the system has been fully developed and is ready for commercialisation, it can be modified to support different domains and customer needs. "Once we have the system ready for sale we can provide specialised modules to help organisations to solve their complex examination problems," explains Hildebrand. Now that the project is finished Xamflow is moving into a beta test phase with first users having access to the system to give feedback and comments. The international cooperation was invaluable to the success of Xamflow. "If you want to build a complex workflow solution like this you need a diverse team of companies and expertise. The funding helped us to build a consortium that could handle the diversity of features needed," says Hildebrand. The partnership has stayed together after Xamflow applying for and winning a second grant that uses advanced image processing and artificial intelligence to help find and identify structures in 3-D images for both clinical and research applications. "When you examine and scan humans and animals one of the most important things is to outline the internal organs and abnormalities like tumours, in a process called segmentation." explains Hildebrand, "You need to extract the information from the scan in order to make a diagnosis or plan radiation treatment for example." Taking advantage of artificial intelligence Xamflow is particularly suited to help train artificial intelligence networks to identify different tissue and structures inside human and animal bodies. "To train the artificial intelligence networks, you need to do lots of scans and analyse a wide range of different tissue samples. Xamflow is well suited to support this type of scenario and then offer a user friendly way of using the trained networks for finding structures," says Hildebrand. There is no doubt that Xamflow wouldn't be on a path to success without the funding. "The funding allowed us to bring together a team of specialists from Europe to build a complex but still efficient and user friendly system for advanced 3-D examinations in both industry and academia," concludes Hildebrand. Explore further Artificial Intelligence helps early detection of dementia Provided by Eureka Network Slime moulds exist as single-celled organisms but come together cooperatively to form a fruiting body. Credit: Usman Bashir Microbes vary their contribution to a community to maximise the return on their investment according to a new study led by UCL and the University of Bath. Scientists made the discovery while investigating one of the fundamental questions in biology why individuals have evolved to cooperate rather than simply exploiting the contributions of their rivals. The study, published in PNAS, found that when microbes are in groups mostly made up of their relatives, they contribute heavily to cooperation, which benefits the group. In contrast, when they are in a group outnumbered by unrelated individuals, they exploit the contributions of the others. Author Professor Chris Thompson, (UCL Centre for Life's Origin and Evolution and UCL Division of Biosciences), explained: "This research throws new light on the evolution and maintenance of cooperation. Cooperation is fundamental to the success of most organisms on the planet, from microbes to humans. However, understanding why cheaters do not invade and collapse cooperative systems still remains a puzzle." The team studied the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum or slime mould. Slime moulds live in the soil as single-celled organisms, but come together to form a slug-like creature when they run out of food. The newly formed slug will eventually form a fruiting body composed of a stem and spores. This process requires cooperation between the individual amoebae to form a successful fruiting body. The scientists investigated what factors caused the individual amoebae to "choose" whether to sacrifice themselves to form the stem of the fruiting body for the collective good, or to exploit the contribution of others and form spores that would go on to reproduce. Traditionally biologists trying to solve this puzzle labelled individuals as either co-operators or cheaters. However, this study shows that even simple microbes follow the economic principles of collective investment, varying their contribution depending on how much stake they have in the success of the fruiting body. "Many attempts to solve this problem rely on the assumption that individuals can either 'cheat' or 'cooperate'. In these cases, cheating would usually the best strategy and thus cooperation collapses, an idea demonstrated by games such as the Prisoner's Dilemma," explained Professor Thompson. "Our studies demonstrate a solution to the problem, because an even better strategy is to cheat if you can get away with it and cause little damage to group success. However, if group success would be compromised, individuals should change their strategy and cooperate, which helps stabilise cooperation. The fact that we observe this behaviour in a simple microbe is truly remarkable." Author Professor Jason Wolf (Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath), explained: "Our research shows that even the simplest microbe can act like a savvy investor. Rather than being labelled as either cheaters or co-operators, each individual can potentially benefit from varying their level of investment into cooperation depending on the investments of others. "If one person has an 80 per cent share of a company and another has a 20 per cent share, it makes economic sense for the person with 80 per cent to invest more than the other person because they have more at stake if the project fails. "In a similar way, microbes with one genotype invest more resources in making the stalk if most of the others in the group share the same genes. If they don't invest, they have more to lose because their stake is larger. Microbes of a minority genotype have less to lose if the fruiting body fails so go for maximum return by forming spores." The researchers found that an equal mixture of two phenotypes led to neither group investing sufficiently, creating a fruiting body that collapsed under its own weight. Explore further Why slimy cheats don't win More information: Strategic investment explains patterns of cooperation and cheating in a microbe. PNAS May 7, 2018. Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Strategic investment explains patterns of cooperation and cheating in a microbe.May 7, 2018. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1716087115 An artists conception of a future where different aircraft vertical takeoff, traditional takeoff, crewed, uncrewed safely perform a variety of daily missions in rural to urban environments. Credit: NASA/Advanced Concepts Laboratory NASAs definition of urban air mobility is a safe and efficient system for vehicles, piloted or not, to move passengers and cargo within a city. Credit: NASA NASA has signed a second space act agreement with Uber Technologies, Inc., to further explore concepts and technologies related to urban air mobility (UAM) to ensure a safe and efficient system for future air transportation in populated areas. Under this agreement, Uber will share its plans for implementing an urban aviation rideshare network. NASA will use the latest in airspace management computer modeling and simulation to assess the impacts of small aircraft from delivery drones to passenger aircraft with vertical take-off and landing capability in crowded environments. This is NASA's first such agreement specifically focused on modeling and simulation for UAM operations. "NASA is excited to be partnering with Uber and others in the community to identify the key challenges facing the UAM market, and explore necessary research, development and testing requirements to address those challenges," said Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. "Urban air mobility could revolutionize the way people and cargo move in our cities and fundamentally change our lifestyle much like smart phones have." At its research facility at the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport, NASA will use the data supplied by Uber to simulate a small passenger-carrying aircraft as it flies through DFW airspace during peak scheduled air traffic. Analysis of these simulations will identify safety issues as these new aircraft take to the air in an already crowded air traffic control system. NASA has been working with other agencies, industry and organizations to test technologies that can help drones navigate safely beyond visual-line-of-sight. Credit: NASA/Dominic Hart "The new space act agreement broadening Uber's partnership with NASA is exciting, because it allows us to combine Uber's massive-scale engineering expertise with NASA's decades of subject matter experience across multiple domains that are key to enabling urban air mobility, starting with airspace systems," said Jeff Holden, Uber's chief product officer. As small aircraft enter the marketplace, NASA wants to ensure they do so safely, with acceptable levels of noise, and without burdening the current national air traffic control system. To this end, the agency is leveraging ongoing aeronautics research in areas including: Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) traffic management at low altitude; UAS integration in the National Airspace System; all-electric, general aviation class aircraft development; vertical take-off and landing aircraft; system-wide safety; and more. These activities will generate the data necessary to support the creation of industry standards, Federal Aviation Administration rules and procedures, and other related regulations. NASA will make the research available to the broader UAM community. Explore further Taking air travel to the streets, or just above them More information: For more information about NASA's Urban Air Mobility initiative, visit For more information about NASA's Urban Air Mobility initiative, visit go.nasa.gov/2I04Ec1 Credit: American Chemical Society New treatments for epilepsy are sorely needed because current medications don't work for many people with the disease. To find new leads, researchers have now turned to the seaa source of unique natural products that have been largely untapped for prospective drugs. The scientists report in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience that two metabolites produced by a fungus from the Red Sea look promising. The term "epilepsy" covers a spectrum of brain disorders with symptoms ranging from mildly odd sensations to seizures, loss of consciousness and death. Worldwide, the condition affects 50 million people, according to the World Health Organization. Current treatments work in only about 70 percent of those who try them. To identify some new options, Marcel Jaspars, Peter A. M. de Witte and colleagues teamed up in an international collaboration called the EU PharmSea project that aimed to discover novel compounds from marine microorganisms in some of the deepest, coldest and hottest places on Earth. According to the researchers, this study was the first-ever systematic large-scale screen of marine-derived natural products for potential anti-seizure drugs. Initial tests of a variety of these compounds revealed that two -lactams produced by the Red Sea fungus Aspergillus fumigatus reduced the number and length of seizures in zebrafish, a model organism they used for high-volume screening of compounds. The researchers then showed that these natural substances, known as pseurotin A 2 and azaspirofuran A, also shortened seizures in a mouse model of epilepsy. The scientists recommend further investigation of these metabolites to explore their biomolecular targets and to design more potent analogs. Explore further Cannabis compound reduces seizures More information: Danielle Copmans et al. Zebrafish-Based Discovery of Antiseizure Compounds from the Red Sea: Pseurotin A2 and Azaspirofuran A, ACS Chemical Neuroscience (2018). Danielle Copmans et al. Zebrafish-Based Discovery of Antiseizure Compounds from the Red Sea: Pseurotin A2 and Azaspirofuran A,(2018). DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00060 Abstract In search for novel antiseizure drugs (ASDs), the European FP7-funded PharmaSea project used zebrafish embryos and larvae as a drug discovery platform to screen marine natural products to identify promising antiseizure hits in vivo for further development. Within the framework of this project, seven known heterospirocyclic -lactams, namely, pseurotin A, pseurotin A2, pseurotin F1, 11-O-methylpseurotin A, pseurotin D, azaspirofuran A, and azaspirofuran B, were isolated from the bioactive marine fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, and their antiseizure activity was evaluated in the larval zebrafish pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) seizure model. Pseurotin A2 and azaspirofuran A were identified as antiseizure hits, while their close chemical analogues were inactive. Besides, electrophysiological analysis from the zebrafish midbrain demonstrated that pseurotin A2 and azaspirofuran A also ameliorate PTZ-induced epileptiform discharges. Next, to determine whether these findings translate to mammalians, both compounds were analyzed in the mouse 6 Hz (44 mA) psychomotor seizure model. They lowered the seizure duration dose-dependently, thereby confirming their antiseizure properties and suggesting activity against drug-resistant seizures. Finally, in a thorough ADMET assessment, pseurotin A2 and azaspirofuran A were found to be drug-like. Based on the prominent antiseizure activity in both species and the drug-likeness, we propose pseurotin A2 and azaspirofuran A as lead compounds that are worth further investigation for the treatment of epileptic seizures. This study not only provides the first evidence of antiseizure activity of pseurotins and azaspirofurans, but also demonstrates the value of the zebrafish model in (marine) natural product drug discovery in general, and for ASD discovery in particular. Journal information: ACS Chemical Neuroscience Kraig Beyerlein, associate professor of sociology at the University of Notre Dame. Credit: Barbara Johnston/University of Notre Dame The link between conservative religion and conservative politics is well known, and a Pew Research Center report even showed that 81 percent of white evangelical Protestants voted for Donald Trump. Providing a different perspective on religion's role in political activity, Kraig Beyerlein, associate professor of sociology at the University of Notre Dame, finds that less-studied, more-progressive religious traditions mobilized for the 2017 Women's March Chicago (WMC), a secular event. Beyerlein's study, co-authored with Notre Dame graduate student Peter Ryan, compares the WMC with historical examples of religiously motivated progressive social activism and is now published in Sociology of Religion. "Of the official supportive WMC organizations, more than 30 were religious groups or congregations from progressive denominations such as the Episcopal Church, Reformed Judaism, the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association," said Beyerlein. Members of many other faith communities also showed up to the WMC, including Catholics and Muslims, though they were not officially listed. "It's important to note that faith-based groups were in the minority, representing only 14 percent of all official supportive organizations, and no religious leaders were among the March organizersmeaning that faith communities participated in a secular protest event to resist Trump," Beyerlein said. Beyerlein noted that in previous scholarship, when progressive religious activism tends to enter the public square, it does so in a distinctively religious fashion, but this was not the case at the WMC. Progressive religious marchers intentionally avoided religious rituals and expressions, such as prayer, during the event itself to avoid drawing distinctions and divisions between themselves and other marchers. "They marched under congregation banners and wore T-shirts with the logos or names of their faith communities to let others know they were there in solidarity and to show the world that the religious right does not have a monopoly on religion," Beyerlein said. Regarding religious beliefs, Beyerlein and Ryan interviewed more than 100 WMC attendees, first asking an open-ended question about why they chose to march. Faith was almost never among the reasons given. When attendees were asked specifically whether religious or spiritual beliefs and values motivated their participation, however, nearly all answered in the affirmative. For some members of Chicago's progressive religious groups, participation was connected to political and moral views rooted in their faith, but others marched because they saw their religious social group under threat. Beyerlein also found that the WMC's progressive religious activism was different from the typical literature on this activism in two other important ways. First, most of this literature focuses on high-cost/risk protesting, whereas the WMC was a low-cost/risk activity; second, previous research shows faith communities require a great deal of consciousness-raising work in order to mobilize people, whereas with Trump's election, there was an immediate "moral shock" across progressive faith communities in Chicago. "These dynamics provided unique conditions for us to ask questions about the marchers' motivations and whether it was clergy or laity who mobilized the faith communities to resist Trump," said Beyerlein. Like clergy, grievances over Trump's election were instantly felt among laity. Given this, lay members worked alongside religious leaders or sometimes by themselves to organize groups from their congregations for the WMC. Beyerlein said this bottom-up form of mobilizing is another interesting departure from existing scholarship on progressive religious activism. Explore further New book examines what religious Americans think about science In this visualization, as the supersonic solar wind (yellow haze) flows around the Earth's magnetic field (blue wavy lines), it forms a highly turbulent boundary layer called the 'magnetosheath' (yellow swirling area). A new research paper describes observations of small-scale magnetic reconnection within the magnetosheath, revealing important clues about heating in the sun's outer layers and elsewhere in the universe. Credit: NASA/GSFC When the solar wind - which is really a driving rain of charged particles from the sun - strikes Earth's protective magnetic field, the shock generates roiling, turbulent magnetic fields that enshroud the planet and stretch for hundreds of thousands of miles. Where does all that turbulent energy go? One of NASA's space weather missions, called Magnetospheric Multiscale or MMS, has discovered one surprising way this turbulent energy is dissipated: The magnetic energy is converted into high-speed jets of electrons as the magnetic fields break and reconnect. The discovery will help scientists understand the role magnetic reconnection plays elsewhere in space, for example, in heating the inexplicably hot solar coronathe sun's outer atmosphereand accelerating the supersonic solar wind. NASA's upcoming Parker Solar Probe mission will be launched directly toward the sun this summer to investigate exactly those phenomena, armed with this new understanding of magnetic reconnection near Earth. And since magnetic reconnection occurs throughout the universe, what scientists learn about it around our planetwhich is easier to examinecan be applied to other processes farther away. "MMS discovered electron magnetic reconnection, a new process much different from the standard magnetic reconnection that happens in calmer areas around Earth," said Tai Phan, a senior fellow in the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. "This finding helps scientists understand how turbulent magnetic fields dissipate energy throughout the cosmos." Intense electric currents (bright regions in the animation) form between magnetic islands of the magnetosheath turbulence. Magnetic reconnection (not shown) occurs in such current layers to dissipate turbulent magnetic energy. Credit: Colby Haggerty, University of Chicago, and Tulasi Parashar, University of Delaware Phan is lead author of a paper describing the findings that will be published this week in the journal Nature. "Turbulence occurs everywhere in space: on the sun, in the solar wind, interstellar medium, dynamos, accretion disks around stars, in active galactic nuclei jets, supernova remnant shocks and more," said Michael Shay of the University of Delaware, a co-author of the paper. Turbulent magnetic fields are different Standard magnetic reconnection is observed in Earth's relatively placid magnetosphere, which is like a magnetic force field that protects the planet from the intense solar wind. Within this region, undulating magnetic fields can cross, break and reconnect; the rejoined magnetic field lines snap like a rubber band and fling ionized atoms at high velocity throughout the magnetosphere. The ion jets, wedges of ionized hydrogen atoms speeding off in opposite directions, heat up the gases surrounding Earth and drive space weather. Some of the charged particles are funneled to the north and south poles, where they collide with atoms in the atmosphere and create the auroras. The new process takes place farther from Earth's surface, in a turbulent zone where the solar wind hits a shock wave surrounding Earth and drastically slows. Twice the width of the Earth itself, this zone - the magnetosheath - is highly turbulent. In a new discovery reported in the journal Nature, scientists working with NASAs Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft MMS uncovered a new type of magnetic event in our near-Earth environment. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center/Joy Ng "The turbulence in the magnetosheath contains a lot of magnetic energy," Phan said. "People have been debating how this energy is dissipated, and magnetic reconnection is one of the possible processes." Phan and his colleagues used data from the MMS to prove that the new electron magnetic reconnection process happens on a smaller scale in turbulence and creates jets of electrons instead of ions. The electrons move about 40 times faster than ions accelerated by standard reconnection. "We now have evidence that reconnection does happen to dissipate turbulent energy in the magnetosheath, but it is a new kind of reconnection," said Shay. Can magnetic fields be too turbulent to reconnect? Magnetic reconnection has been observed innumerable times in the magnetosphere but always under calm conditions. The new event occurred in the magnetosheath just outside the outer boundary of the magnetosphere. Previously, scientists didn't know if reconnection could occur there, because the plasma is highly chaotic in that region, Phan said. MMS found that it does, but on scales much smaller than previous spacecraft could probe and theory would predict. Because it involves only electrons, it remained hidden from scientists looking for the telltale signature of standard magnetic reconnection: ion jets. Earth is surrounded by a protective magnetic environment the magnetosphere shown here in blue, which deflects a supersonic stream of charged particles from the Sun, known as the solar wind. As the particles flow around Earths magnetosphere, it forms a highly turbulent boundary layer called the magnetosheath, shown in yellow. Scientists, like those involved with NASAs Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, are studying this turbulent region to help us learn more about our dynamic space environment. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith; NASA Goddards Conceptual Image Lab/Josh Masters "We think this is because the electrons are fast and light and can easily participate, but the slow and heavy protons cannot," said Jonathan Eastwood, a lecturer at Imperial College London and a co-author of the paper. "Overall, this result opens up new areas of research into turbulent reconnection." MMS consists of four identical spacecraft flying in a pyramid or tetrahedral formation to study magnetic reconnection around Earth in three-dimensions. Because the spacecraft fly incredibly close togetherat an average separation of just four and a half milesthey are able to observe phenomena no one has seen before. Furthermore, MMS's instruments are designed to capture data at speeds 100 times faster than previous missions. Even though the instruments aboard MMS are incredibly fast, they are still too slow to capture turbulent reconnection in action, which requires observing narrow layers of fast-moving particles hurled by the recoiling field lines. Compared to standard reconnection, in which broad jets of ions stream out from the site of reconnection, turbulent reconnection ejects narrow jets of electrons only a couple miles wide. But MMS scientists were able to leverage the design of one instrument, the Fast Plasma Investigation, to create a technique that allowed them to read between the lines and gather extra data points in order to resolve the jets. "The key event of the paper happens in 45 milliseconds. This would be one data point with the regular data," said Amy Rager, a graduate student at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., who worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to develop the technique. "But instead we can get six to seven data points in that region with this method, allowing us to understand what is happening." With the new method, the MMS scientists are hopeful they can comb through existing datasets to find more of these events, and potentially other unexpected discoveries as well. Explore further Researchers have evidence that might explain the unexpected presence of energetic electrons in Mercury's magnetic tail More information: Electron magnetic reconnection without ion coupling in Earth's turbulent magnetosheath, Nature (2018). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0091-5 Journal information: Nature Electron magnetic reconnection without ion coupling in Earth's turbulent magnetosheath,(2018). Provided by University of California - Berkeley Officials have been taken aback by Brussels' decision to deny London access to encrypted signals from the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system, the launch of four of which are seen in 2017, citing legal issues about sharing sensitive information Britain outlined its proposals Wednesday for close security cooperation with the EU after Brexit, but these risk being undermined by the bloc's refusal to share sensitive data on the Galileo satellite project. Prime Minister Theresa May has called for a deep trade and security relationship with Brussels after Britain leaves the European Union in March 2019, and hopes to have a deal agreed in principle by October. A document presented to the European Commission last week and published on Wednesday outline plans for a treaty on internal security and models of cooperation on foreign policy and in defence operations. But officials have been taken aback by Brussels' decision to deny London access to encrypted signals from the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system, citing legal issues about sharing sensitive information with a non-member state. Britain played a major role in developing the 9 billion (10 billion euros, $12 billion) project, an alternative to the US' GPS which is expected to be fully operational in 2026. Being frozen out due to security concerns could have implications for the rest of the partnership, the government document warns. "The arrangements for any UK cooperation on Galileo are an important test of the depth of operational cooperation and information-sharing envisaged under the security partnership," it said. It demands continued British access to the secure signal and a right to compete for contracts. Britain is looking into developing its own, separate system if the EU maintains its position, and has also raised the question of Galileo's use of Britain's overseas territories as monitoring bases. The Times newspaper meanwhile reported Wednesday that the government is looking at ways to ban British-based technology companies from transferring sensitive information overseas. Elsewhere, the document set out plans for a new treaty allowing Britain to continue using EU internal security measures such as the European Arrest Warrant, participate in agencies such as Europol, and continue the swift and secure exchange of data and criminal records. Britain also wants to agree ways to allow it to contribute to EU defence missions on a case-by-case basis, as well as defence research projects and defence planning. It points to the common threats faced by all European countries, from terrorism to illegal immigration, cyber threats and aggression, which has been blamed for a March chemical weapons attack in the English city of Salisbury. Explore further Brexit prompts UK to probe developing satellite navigation system 2018 AFP Outer view of Techshot's MVP facility, launched to the space station aboard SpaceX-14. Credit: Techshot Delivered to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX CRS-14, the Multi-use Variable-g Platform (MVP) is a new commercial testbed for centrifuge-based science aboard the orbiting laboratory. Because gravity determines so much of a live organism's behavior and growth, centrifuge-based experiments have long been a part of biological investigations in space. While the pull of Earth's gravity makes this type of investigation difficult at home, the space station's microgravity environment makes it the perfect place for fractional gravity experimentation. MVP greatly expands that testing capability for the space station. "This is a permanent, commercially owned research facility that gives researchers the opportunity to study the effects of gravity and partial gravity on living organisms, and, hopefully, by extrapolation to humans," said Rich Boling of Techshot, the company responsible for MVP's design and build. What makes the facility so special is its size and capability. Containing two carousels that spin quickly to simulate up to two times the force of gravity, the platform is the largest centrifuge in the U.S. segment of the space station and allows investigators more room for, and control over, their research. With room for six experiment modules on each carousel, Techshot can fly up to 12 separate modules on MVP at a time. Each module is equipped with temperature sensors, and the box that houses the carousels and modules can be set to the exact environmental specifications requested for any investigation. This degree of control and precision makes for better science and clearer data. But before the real science can begin it must undergo hardware validation. Validation testing of the facility uses Drosophila (fruit flies) to verify environmental controls and check MVP's overall performance. For MVP's hardware validation run, one carousel will stay stationary to allow scientists to collect a baseline of behavior in microgravity. The other carousel will spin at the normal force of gravity on Earth (1 g) as control group. In addition to validating the controls and operability of MVP, this initial investigation - known as MVP-Fly-01 - will provide science data for researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center. MVP is especially exciting for fruit fly research because it can host larger samples for multiple generations. This initial study will look at biological issues common between humans and fruit flies. The investigation concluded in late April, and the modules were removed from MVP and returned to Earth aboard the same Dragon that delivered them to space. Two carousels sit inside MVP and can create up to 2 g of force. Each carousel can be set to spin at a different speed. Credit: Techshot During the run, testing was monitored and controlled from Techshot's own Payload Operations Control Center in Greenville, Indiana. Much like NASA's own Mission Control Center at the agency's Johnson Space Center, the Payload Operations Control Center allows the team at Techshot to talk to, adjust, and pull data from their hardware. A live video link also allows the team to monitor crew interactions with the equipment. Asked what kinds of investigations the platform could host, Boling said, "It's really whatever investigators could dream up that they want to put inside of these experiment modules. Each one empty is about 800ccs of volume. So whatever a research team wants for that volume, we can make it happen, get it up there, and get it back. For example, we have a tissue chip investigation coming up this year for a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology." MVP greatly expands commercial and research opportunities in low-Earth orbit. Several investigations are already lined up for the platform, and customers include government, academic and commercially-based teams. The first investigation aboard MVP will be a hardware validation run employing laboratory flies, but future investigations could involve a variety of small organisms. Credit: Techshot Says Boling of working with NASA, "The payload that eventually became MVP started out as a Small Business Innovative Research proposal." After seven years and several phases of development, investment, and product improvement, Techshot was able to secure six research campaigns to get MVP started. These campaigns include research from industry, academia, and two additional investigations for Ames in 2019. "We love working with the investigators," said Boling. "This isn't our science, but we are the tool that allows scientists to do research that hasn't been done before or ask questions that haven't been proposed. The future is bright for MVP, and research gleaned from its upcoming missions will hold benefits for both future missions beyond low-Earth orbit and science back here at home. This investigation is sponsored for the station's U.S. National Laboratory, which the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages. Explore further Giving roots and shoots their space: The Advanced Plant Habitat Even for poor villagers in rural Indonesia, information is power. That is the implication of a newly published study co-authored by MIT economists, which finds that recipients of government aid collect more of the goods intended for them when they know more about the aid program they're enrolled in. About 30 percent of Indonesia's households are supposed to receive subsidized rice from the government every month as part of a huge program called "Raskin," or "Rice for the Poor." As the study shows, the amount of rice the villagers actually receive increases 26 percent when they are sent a simple information card with program details. "The main result, which in some sense I think is very surprising, is that just sending out the cards to people substantially increases the amount of rice that households get," says Benjamin Olken, a professor of economics at MIT and co-author of the new paper. "Having that tangible information, having that proof, is very important." A key reason for this is that additional information provides a form of bargaining power. Not only do poor villagers know how much rice they should collect, and the extent of the subsidy, but when information cards are mailed out, local political leaders and other intermediaries also know that the aid recipients understand what they should be receiving. "The village heads now know that the villagers know what they're entitled to," Olken observes. "Knowing that everyone else has this knowledge makes a big difference." The paper, "Tangible Information and Citizen Empowerment: Identification Cards and Food Subsidy Programs in Indonesia," is published in the newest issue of the Journal of Political Economy. The co-authors are Abhijit Banerjee, the Ford Professor of International Economics at MIT; Rema Hanna, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School; Jordan Kyle, an associate research fellow at the International Food Policy Institute; Olken; and Sudarno Sumarto of the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction (TNP2K), a government agency in Indonesia. To conduct the study, the academic researchers worked with the TNP2K agency after the Indonesian government decided to investigate ways to make the Raskin program more effective. Earlier research had shown that significant portions of the rice were getting diverted before reaching the needy citizens who were part of the program. "Some substantial amount of rice was getting lost somewhere," says Olken. The research involved 572 villages spread over three provinces in Indonesia. The study randomly selected 378 of the villages, where residents were sent a variety of information cards with factual details about the program. The other 194 villages were not sent information cards, and were used as a control group against which the program's effects could be measured. The scholars then surveyed village households at three intervals (two months, eight months, and 18 months) after the information campaign began, to find out whether the intervention had made a difference. The research team found that not only did the program increase the amount of rice received by 26 percent, but the gains were made despite the fact that a significant portion of the information cardsnearly 70 percentwere being diverted at first, meaning that the increased quantity of rice per household that received the cards was higher than 26 percent. Because the information on the cards varied, the researchers could also chart which kinds of notices had the most impact. People in the Raskin program typically have co-pay fees, since the rice is only partially subsidized. Without the intervention, beneficiaries pay 42 percent more in co-pay fees than they actually owe. But villagers received substantially more subsidized rice when the information cards explicitly mentioned the co-pay fees. "It really is about the information per se," Olken observes. "Just one extra line here substantially increased the amount of rice people got." As the researchers see it, the overall improvement can be interpreted as an increase in implicit bargaining leverage for the recipients of Raskin aid. As the authors write in the paper, "bargaining is at least one important channel through which cards are improving outcomes." This does not necessarily mean, Olken explains, that face-to-face negotiations between villagers and rice distributors have drastically changed, but that the information program provides more leverage for villagers in the first place. "Having that tangible information, having that proof, may be very important in changing the bargaining process," Olken says. "You don't have to complain for this to have an effect." This is why the scholars think of the cards as providing "tangible information." The amount of "leakage" of rice, that is, the amount not delivered to intended recipients, improved at levels ranging from 33 to 58 percent among the villages in the survey, depending on the precise intervention. Moreover, the government of Indonesia incorporated the study's findings into its decision to scale up the program, distributing identification cards that allow people representing 15.5 million households65.7 million people all toldto collect rice from the Raskin proram as well as other government services. Other scholars in the field say the results are intriguing, both experimentally and as suggesting a policy tool that could be adapted more broadly. In addition to the collaboration with the Indonesian government, funding for the study came from the Australian government through its Poverty Reduction Support Facility, and from a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Explore further Wisdom of crowds More information: Abhijit Banerjee et al, Tangible Information and Citizen Empowerment: Identification Cards and Food Subsidy Programs in Indonesia, Journal of Political Economy (2017). Journal information: Journal of Political Economy Abhijit Banerjee et al, Tangible Information and Citizen Empowerment: Identification Cards and Food Subsidy Programs in Indonesia,(2017). DOI: 10.1086/696226 A power network consisting of four generators and six buses (connection points). Generators 1 and 2 and Buses 1 and 2 to which these are connected become a symmetrical network for Bus 5. Similarly, Generators 3 and 4 and Buses 3 and 4 become symmetrical for Bus 6. The two sets of symmetrical generator groups and buses are shown as Clusters 1 and 2. Credit: Proceedings of the IEEE A joint research team from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and North Carolina State University has clarified the fundamental principles for achieving the synchronization of power generator groups in power networks, which is essential for the stable supply of electric power. Based on this principle, the team developed a method for constructing an aggregated model of a power network that can efficiently analyze and control the behavior of generator groups (including rotor phase angles and connection point voltages) with complex connection to a power grid. It is known that the synchronization phenomenon of generator groups such as at multiple thermal power plants is closely related to the stable supply of electric power. Specifically, if a generator is out of synchronization, that generator and its surrounding generators will not be able to operate stably, and in worst cases, serious accidents such as power outages can occur. In addition, energy problems caused by global warming and the depletion of fossil fuels have become more serious on a global scale. Therefore, from the viewpoint of reducing carbon dioxide and systematic use of energy, high expectations have been placed on renewable energy such as that typified by photovoltaic (PV) generation. When large-scale PV generation equipment and power storage equipment are introduced, in addition to power generation such as conventionally used thermal power, hydraulic power and nuclear power, it is necessary to consider power charge and discharge by PV-generated output and storage batteries in order to maintain equilibrium between supply and demand. However, the amount of power from PV generation fluctuates since there is uncertainty related to changes in weather and changes in solar radiation volume according to the time zone. This makes it more difficult to maintain the synchronization of generator groups. The need to analyze synchronization is greater than ever. With conventional analysis, a major approach is based on numerical simulation. There are no studies that theoretically clarify the basic principles for how to properly synchronize generator groups according to the network structure of power transmission. There is an urgent need to build a power supply and demand framework that efficiently utilizes power storage equipment to allow for the uncertainty of PV generation and demand predictions. Synchronized cluster of an aggregated model obtained by simultaneously integrating the two sets of symmetrical generator groups and buss (connection point) groups in Figure 1. According to Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's law, it is a mathematically and physically feasible aggregated model. Credit: Proceedings of the IEEE Overview of Research Achievement Assistant Professor Takayuki Ishizaki, Professor Jun-ichi Imura of Tokyo Tech, and Associate Professor Aranya Chakrabortty of the NSF ERC FREEDM System Center at North Carolina State University worked on multiple studies including power network modeling, stability analysis, and stabilization control from the perspective of graph theory. They have clarified that the symmetry of the network in graph theory is the fundamental principle for realizing the synchronization of generator groups at thermal power plants integrated with power grids (connected to a network). The behavior of generators connected through a network in a power grid is represented by complex equations (differential algebraic equations) that combine differential equations and algebraic equations. The differential equations express "behavior of generators" derived from Newton's second law of motion, and the algebraic equations express "power balance at power grid connection points" derived from Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's law. Analysis of these differential algebraic equations was generally performed by transformation into a mathematically equivalent differential equation through a simplification method called the Kron reduction. However, since the algebraic equation representing the power grid is eliminated by deleting the redundant variable representing the connection point voltage, it was not suitable for analyzing the relationship between the network structure of the power grid and the behavior of the generator. To resolve this issue, they analyzed the network structure of the power grid contained in the algebraic equations from the viewpoint of symmetry based on an understanding of graph theory. Specifically, by analyzing the behavior of the generator without eliminating the algebraic equations, they discovered that the symmetry of the power grid (Figure 1) is the basic principle for realizing synchronization of generator groups. In addition, based on a new idea of simultaneously integrating generator groups that show synchronous behavior and the power grid that couples these, it became possible to mathematically and physically construct a feasible aggregated model (Figure 2). It is expected that this achievement will result in a basis for developing analysis and control methods for realizing stable power supply to large and complex electric power systems. In the future, Professor Imura says that it aims to develop more complex electric power systems including converters, and to establish a theory to approximate the synchronization of generator groups. This research result was published in Proceedings of the IEEE on April 25, 2018. Explore further Better power grid synchronization may enable smart grids to self-recover from failures More information: Takayuki Ishizaki et al, Graph-Theoretic Analysis of Power Systems, Proceedings of the IEEE (2018). Journal information: Proceedings of the IEEE Takayuki Ishizaki et al, Graph-Theoretic Analysis of Power Systems,(2018). DOI: 10.1109/JPROC.2018.2812298 Reflected light microscope images of some of the brachiopod fossils used in this study. They are not very pretty, but they are pretty useful for scientists researching ancient climates. Credit: University of Leicester An international collaboration of scientists, led by the University of Leicester, has investigated Earth's climate over half a billion years ago by combining climate models and chemical analyses of fossil shells about 1mm long. The research, published in Science Advances, suggests that early animals diversified within a climate similar to that in which the dinosaurs lived. This interval in time is known for the 'Cambrian explosion', the time during which representatives of most of the major animal groups first appear in the fossil record. These include the first animals to produce shells, and it is these shelly fossils that the scientists used. Scientists have long thought that the early Cambrian Period was probably a greenhouse interval in Earth's climate history, a time when there were no permanent polar ice sheets. Until now, however, scientists have only had a sense of what the Cambrian climate was like because of the types of rock that were deposited at this time - while it has long been believed that the climate was warm, specific details have largely remained a mystery. Data from the tiny fossil shells, and data from new climate model runs, show that high latitude (~65 S) sea temperatures were in excess of 20 C. This seems very hot, but it is similar to more recent, better understood, greenhouse climates like that of the Late Cretaceous Period. Thomas Hearing, a PhD student from the University of Leicester's School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, explained: "Because scientists cannot directly measure sea temperatures from half a billion years ago, they have to use proxy data - these are measurable quantities that respond in a predictable way to changing climate variables like temperature. In this study, we used oxygen isotope ratios, which is a commonly used palaeothermometer. "We then used acid to extract fossils about 1mm long from blocks of limestone from Shropshire, UK, dated to between 515 - 510 million years old. Careful examination of these tiny fossils revealed that some of them have exceptionally well-preserved shell chemistry which has not changed since they grew on the Cambrian sea floor." Dr Tom Harvey, from the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, added: "Many marine animals incorporate chemical traces of seawater into their shells as they grow. That chemical signature is often lost over geological time, so it's remarkable that we can identify it in such ancient fossils." Analyses of the oxygen isotopes of these fossils suggested very warm temperatures for high latitude seas (~65 S), probably between 20 C to 25 C. To see if these were feasible sea temperatures, the scientists then ran climate model simulations for the early Cambrian. The climate model simulations also suggest that Earth's climate was in a 'typical' greenhouse state, with temperatures similar to more recent, and better understood, greenhouse intervals in Earth's climate history, like the late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic eras. Ultimately, these findings help to expand our knowledge of the early animals of the period and the environment in which they lived. Thomas Hearing said: "We hope that this approach can be used by other researchers to build up a clearer picture of ancient climates where conventional climate proxy data are not available." The research was carried out as an international collaboration involving scientists from the University of Leicester (UK), British Geological Survey (BGS; UK), and CEREGE (France). This collaboration brought together expertise in geochemistry, palaeontology and climate modelling to tackle this longstanding problem. The scientists have co-authored an open access (publicly available) paper in the journal Science Advances. Explore further Half-a-billion-year-old fossils shed light animal evolution on earth John O'Sullivan of the Monterey Bay Aquarium (left) and Dr. Christopher Lowe of the California State University-Long Beach Shark Lab (right) prepare to release a tagged juvenile white shark in Southern California. Data from 37 sharks tagged since 2002 generated new insights into causes of mortality and mortality rates for juvenile white sharks in the Northeastern Pacific waters of California and Mexico. Credit: Kevin Weng, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences The study, "Juvenile survival, competing risks, and spatial variation in mortality risk of a marine apex predator," published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology, confirms that unintentional capture in fishing gear (bycatch) is the greatest cause of death for young white sharks, a protected species in both Mexico and the United States. More broadly, data from pop-up archival tags (PAT tags)which have been used worldwide to track tens of thousands of individual ocean animals, including white sharksrepresent "a widely-available, untapped data source that could dramatically increase our understanding of marine population ecology," said lead author Dr. John Benson, an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska. Benson, who primarily studies terrestrial predators, conducted the white shark study as a postdoctoral researcher at Monterey Bay Aquarium. The aquarium together with colleagues at California State University, Long Beach; Aquatic Research Consultants in San Pedro; and the Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education (CICESE) in Baja Californiahas been tagging and tracking juvenile white sharks since 2002. Research results at a glance Data from 37 sharks tagged since 2002 revealed that: The overall estimated annual survival rate for young white sharks was 63 percent. Though this study did not address broad trends in the white shark population in the Northeastern Pacific, the researchers note that protection of white sharks in 1994 has likely resulted in a reduction in fishing-related mortality. The increase in juvenile shark sightings over the last 15 years may be an early indication of a positive sign for population recovery. Fisheries bycatch was the main source of mortality for juvenile white sharks in the region, highlighting the need to follow best practices related to incidental catch in coastal commercial and sport fisheries. Only two young white sharks tagged by researchers died of natural (non-fishing) causes. Overall mortality risk for young white sharks was lower for larger animals, which could be attributed to smaller sharks being more abundant, or simply more susceptible to capture in gillnets. According to Benson, the paper adds to scientific understanding of white sharks, and shows how models that estimate survival rates for top predators on landdata obtained from radio telemetry and tracking collarscan be applied to ocean species that carry PAT tags. "We always learn things from adjacent fields," said Dr. Salvador Jorgensen, principal white shark scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and senior coauthor on the paper. "Before coming to the aquarium, John made his name studying mountain lions in Southern California. We were excited to see how the methodologies John was using for land-based predators could be applied in the ocean." Taking a new approach Benson realized that data from PAT tags opened the door to a new approach to estimate survival rates for young sharks, using what are called known-fate models. "Because the PAT tags record detailed data on temperature and diving, it is possible to reconstruct the fate of the shark in the final minutes of each track," said Jorgensen. "We've looked at these data for years and often noted when a tag ended up on a fishing boat or in the stomach of a larger predator. Surprisingly, nobody had yet connected the dots to use this information to estimate a critical demographic rate: annual survival." The technique hinges on being able to determine the fate of individual animalsdata that PAT tags provide. If a tagged shark was eaten by a predator, or if it died in a fishing net, the tag recorded those data. By applying known-fate models to those data, researchers estimated survival and mortality rates for the population at large. They also determined that fisheries bycatch was the main source of mortality for juvenile white sharks in the Northeastern Pacific, and that juveniles were at significantly greater risk of mortality when in Mexican waters. Protections are in place In California, it is illegal to target and land white sharks, and coastal waters are permanently closed to all gillnets within three miles of shore. In Baja California and throughout Mexico, targeting and landing white sharks is prohibited all year. However, gillnet fishing in coastal waters is still permitted for other species. Data from the study show that juvenile white sharks are an estimated nine times less likely to get entangled in California compared with Baja. "We are learning that the gillnet regulations in California, although originally designed to protect sport fishing interests, have done a lot to protect juvenile white sharks," said Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at CSU Long Beach and a coauthor of the paper. The study also revealed that juvenile white shark mortality in gillnets is reduced when nets are checked by fishermen every 6 to 12 hours, so the young sharks can be released alive. "In terms of reducing white shark mortality, avoiding setting nets close to shore and checking them frequently appear to be the best practices," Lowe said. Coauthor Oscar Sosa-Nishizaki, a professor at CICESE, stressed that engaging with local fishermen in Mexico is critical to reducing mortalities and improving recovery prospects for the Northeastern Pacific white shark population. "It's the best way to go," he said. "Mexican fishing communities play a vital role in enabling this research as well as helping us solve any issues as they arise." CICESE doctoral student Emiliano Garcia-Rodriguez, another coauthor, added: "It's very important to work with the fishermen, because we want to know whenever they incidentally catch a white shark." "This research suggests the importance of a collaborative approach to management in California and Mexico, and opportunities to innovate on best practices that can support fishermen, research and protections for white sharks," Jorgensen said. Explore further More great white sharks appear to be visiting off Cape Cod More information: John F. Benson, Salvador J. Jorgensen, John B. O'Sullivan, et al (2018) 'Juvenile survival, competing risks, and spatial variation in mortality risk of a marine apex predator' is published in Journal of Applied Ecology on 9 May 2018 and will be available here: Journal information: Journal of Applied Ecology John F. Benson, Salvador J. Jorgensen, John B. O'Sullivan, et al (2018) 'Juvenile survival, competing risks, and spatial variation in mortality risk of a marine apex predator' is published inon 9 May 2018 and will be available here: doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13158 New Zealand's glaciers are some of our most prized landmarks, valued by residents and visitors alike. But according to scientific data, these glaciers are shrinking, melting into the ocean and causing the sea level to rise. Scientists at Victoria University of Wellington's Antarctic Research Centre, including Ph.D. student Lauren Vargo, are tracking those changes using the latest digital modelling techniques. "We're looking at the glaciers using aerial photogrammetry, which is a type of aerial photography used to create models of the objects you're photographing," says Vargo. "This means we can use the method we're developing to measure changes in the glaciers from the photographs we're taking." Vargo's method has two parts. The first involves using the country's "great database of photos" taken over the past 40 years to measure how the glaciers have changed. These photos come from the annual end of summer snowline survey supported by the NIWA project 'Climate Present and Past'. As part of a collaboration between NIWA and Victoria University, Vargo took part in the snowline survey earlier this year along with Dr. Brian Anderson and Dr. Huw Horgan, also from the Antarctic Research Centre. The Antarctic Research Centre team joined Dr. Andrew Lorrey, the NIWA project leader, and Dr. Trevor Chinn, founder of the snowline survey. During the survey, scientists photograph the glaciers to see how much snow remains from the previous winter. The less snow that remains, the more the glacier will shrink. Credit: Victoria University The second part of Vargo's project is using the thousands of photos, both historic and new, to build complex digital models of the glaciers. "I've taken all the photos from our recent trip to the Southern Alps and put them into software called Structure for Motion," says Vargo. "This software gives us an orthophoto, which is a mosaic of all the photos we've taken of a glacier that gives us one comprehensive view of the current state of the glacier, as well as a digital elevation model of the glacier showing whether the ice volume has increased or decreased." This method will give scientists precise models of glaciers based only on photos. Current methods of glacier measurement involve physically hiking up glaciers, so this method will make glacier measurement easier. It will also make it possible to measure glaciers currently inaccessible by humans, giving accurate data on the changes in glaciers. "If we can get these models precise and accurate enough, we'll be able to measure changes in ice volume across the entire Southern Alps using only these photographs," says Vargo. It's still early days yet, but what are these models showing? "Overall, we're seeing a retreat in almost all the glaciers we've studied," says Vargo. "Globally, glaciers are one of the largest contributors to sea level rise and in New Zealand they are tourism icons, and provide water to our major rivers. For these reasons, melting glaciers are a serious problem." Explore further Explaining New Zealand's unusual growing glaciers In 2017, the revenue that the city of Philadelphia saw from its controversial soda tax fell far short of city leaders' expectation that it would bring in $92.4 million in its first year. So much so that the city's mayor, Jim Kenney, scaled back his ambitions for how much money the city would collect in the future to match the city's actual soda tax revenue of $78.8 million. Now in its second year, the city's tax revenues from the Philadelphia Beverage Tax are falling short of those reduced expectations, where the city has just recorded its lowest ever monthly total since the tax went into effect in January 2017. The money from the city's soda tax was intended to fund a universal pre-K school program, community schools, as well as improvements to public parks in the city. However, because the constitutionality of the tax is being challenged in Pennsylvania's state courts, at least $62 million that has been collected from the tax has instead been kept, unspent, in the city's general fund. Unfortunately, the city now has an additional fiscal management problem, in that millions of dollars in the Philadelphia's general fund may have gone missing from the city's main bank account. The City of Philadelphia isnt sure where $33.3 million went from its largest cash account. City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart called it unacceptable. It could be the money was mistakenly deposited in the wrong city account, she said. It could be worse. It could be that a portion of it is actually missing or it could be theft. While the initial total of unaccounted money was over $33 million, that figure has been reduced to $27 million of tax revenue that has gone missing over the last several weeks. As yet, Philadelphia city officials have no good explanation for where that money has gone. Previously on Political Calculations We've been covering the story of Philadelphia's flawed soda tax on roughly a monthly basis from almost the very beginning, where our coverage began as something of a natural extension from one of the stories we featured as part of our Examples of Junk Science Series. The linked list below will take you through all our in-near-real-time analysis of the impact of the tax, which at this writing, has still to reach its end. " " Chemicals harmful to coral reefs appear in more than 3,500 or between 40 and 70 percent of the most popular sunscreen products currently on the market worldwide. Joe Raedle/Getty Images In an effort to save its at-risk coral reefs, Hawaii has become the first state to pass a law banning specific sunscreen products. The new law prohibits the sale and distribution of sunscreens containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate. Scientists have found that these chemicals, when washed off the skin and into the ocean, can cause coral bleaching. Advertisement Coral reefs are fragile, yet vital, parts of the world's ecosystems, and they support the highest marine biodiversity in the world. Reefs are also essential to more than half a billion people who depend on them for food, jobs and recreation with an estimated economic impact of $375 billion a year. As early as the 1990s, scientists have examined the effects of sunscreen, and other personal products made with chemicals, on the environment. And a globe-spanning 2015 study examined coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Israel and Hawaii, and found that oxybenzone significantly leaches coral of nutrients. Some ecotourism sites and private resorts in the tropics already prohibit similar products. Democrat Sen. Mike Gabbard of Hawaii introduced Senate Bill No. 2571, whose text states, "These chemicals have also been shown to degrade corals' resiliency and ability to adjust to climate change factors and inhibit recruitment of new corals." "When you think about it, our island paradise, surrounded by coral reefs, is the perfect place to set the gold standard for the world to follow," Gabbard told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. An NPR article found that the chemicals appear in "more than 3,500 of the world's most popular sunscreen products," including those produced by the brands Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone and Banana Boat, and different estimates place the number of products between 40 and 70 percent of products currently on the market. The proposed ban fairly exhaustively "includes but is not limited to lotion, paste, balm, ointment, cream, solid stick applicator, brush applicator, roll-on applicator, aerosol spray, non-aerosol spray pump, and automated and manual mist spray." The bill passed both chambers of the state legislature; Hawaii's 25 state senators voted for the bill unanimously, while only four of the 51 members of the state's House of Representatives voted against it. If signed by Governor David Ige, the bill will take effect Jan. 1, 2021, and Hawaii will become the first state to enact such a law, perhaps setting the stage for more coastal states to take action. Sunscreen is not the only factor putting reefs at risk; scientists have shown CO2 emissions and ocean temperatures also affect the ecosystems. Now That's Interesting In 2003 scientists determined that the chemicals in sunscreens can increase virus production in the ocean's bacterioplankton population. " " A large tornado heads for a farmhouse in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, on May 9, 2016. The tornado was one of several that struck during consecutive days from May 7-10, 2016. Roger Hill/Barcroft Images/Barcroft Media via Getty Images In the same way that ultraviolet light exists outside what the human eye can perceive, sound waves exist beyond the frequencies of what humans can hear. We call this type of sound wave "infrasonic." Several natural sources, including volcanoes, avalanches, earthquakes and meteors, produce infrasonic waves, also called infrasound. Animals like elephants and whales may communicate with infrasound, and man-made inventions like wind turbines can generate infrasound, too. Detecting infrasonic waves is one of the key ways that governments can monitor for nuclear bomb tests. That's because infrasonic waves decay very slowly, and when large enough, can wrap around the globe several times before dissipating. Advertisement A tornado can produce unique infrasonic waves even before tornadogenesis, or when the storm forms. In fact, scientists have known about the tornado-infrasound connection forseveraldecades. Now, to learn more about this process, and to better understand how humans could harness this information, a group of scientists recently developed a long-distance, passive way of listening in on tornadoes. In doing so, we'd be able to deal with the fact that three-fourths of all current tornado warnings are false alarms, and thus too often ignored or not taken seriously. Infrasound could represent another source of data to add to our arsenal. "By monitoring tornadoes from hundreds of miles away, we'll be able to decrease false alarm rates and possibly even increase warning times," said Brian Elbing, an Oklahoma State University mechanical and aerospace engineering professor, in a press release discussing the research. Elbing and his team built special listening devices using microphones sensitive to low frequencies that were then placed inside of containers with noise holes and arranged in a triangle for precision measurements. " " Satellite image of the infrasound array at Oklahoma State University Google Maps The goal was to separate regular wind noise from tornado noise. "Wind noise is incoherent, so if you average it over a large space it will sum up to zero," he said. "Conversely, tornado infrasound is coherent meaning waves look alike over large distances, so the pressure waves add together and contain information." This new capability could mean that storm chasers trying to gather data about tornadoes would be able to take fewer risks in their research. Imagine drones equipped with special infrasonic microphones, for instance, flying in the vicinity of storms, transmitting data to forecasters and scientists. Elbing presented the findings of his team's research at the annual meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in May 2018. Now That's Interesting Low-frequency infrasound can negatively affect the human body, and may even be behind what people have misinterpreted as paranormal activity. Apart from the studies and theories discussed around the world to protect coral reefs, Hawaii officials have decided to put a ban on a certain type of sunscreen manufacturing. In a release, the lawmakers last week announced that they have passed a bill to put a ban on sales and manufacturing of sunscreen having a particular chemical. As per the results of new research, it was observed that the chemicals, oxybenzone and octinoxate are highly responsible for the damage of coral reefs. Also, the chemicals are found in the majority of sunscreens available in Hawaiian markets. And hence, the Hawaiian Lawmakers decided to put a ban on manufacturing of these types of sunscreens. The sales on existing units available in the market will also be halted. Tuesday last week, the Hawaii officials have passed a bill regarding the same, which is now pending to be signed by Gov. David Ige to pass it as a law around the region. As per the rules and regulations, after signing the bill, the law will legit from January 1, 2021. Commenting on the issue, state Sen said that if the law will be passed, Hawaii will become the first state to put a ban on sunscreen to protect coral reefs. Mike Gabbard (D, Kapolei-Makakilo) introduced Senate Bill 2571, that puts a ban on the sale and distribution of over-the-counter sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate in Hawaii. Then the bill was up for voting by House and Senate. Some retail and health representatives opposed the bill. But the bill was passed unanimously by the Senate and only four members of the Senate house, Rep. Isaac Choy, Rep. Sharon Har, Rep. Sam Kong and Rep. Bob McDermott, voted against the bill. Sen. Gabbard wrote in an email, Amazingly, this is a first-in-the-world law. So, Hawaii is definitely on the cutting edge by banning these dangerous chemicals in sunscreens. When you think about it, our island paradise, surrounded by coral reefs, is the perfect place to set the gold standard for the world to follow. This will make a huge difference in protecting our coral reefs, marine life, and human health. The new bill got support from Friends of Hanauma Bay, Surfrider Foundation Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, the Office of the Hawaiian Affairs as well as many non-profit environmental groups. The representatives who opposed the bill were the Hawaii Food Industry Association, the Hawaii Medical Association, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and Personal Care Products Council and some others. They are claiming that the sunscreen ban could damage human health and could increase the risk of cancer in patients. Also, the reef friendly sunscreen costs two to three times more than the normal sunscreens. Hawaii, which welcomes around 9 million sunscreen-slathered tourists a year, may become the first US state to ban the ingredient. The state legislature passed a bill to ban the over-the-counter sale of the more than 3,500 oxybenzone products on the market this week (along with products that contain octinoxate, another common sunscreen ingredient). The bill has been in the works for longer than a year and now awaits a signature from the state governor. Hawaii residents and visitors would only be able to buy sunscreen with the ingredients with a prescription from their doctor. Sunscreen industry groups arent pleased. The bill would ban at least 70% of the sunscreens on the market today, based on weak science blaming sunscreens for damage to coral reefs, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, which includes members like Johnson & Johnson, said in a statement obtained by the Washington Post. Bayer, which manufactures sunscreens by Coppertone, said that the bill was at odds with skin cancer prevention efforts. There is a range of mineral-based, US Food and Drug Administration-approved sunscreens available on the market which contain either titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Plus, there are plenty of chemical sunscreens that dont contain either oxybenzone or octinoxate. Based on the data obtained back in 2016 when northern areas[of Great Barrier Reef] were hit by heat waves and bleaching event, researchers undertook the task to contemplate the extent of damage caused by higher water temperature. They mapped heat waves patterns of more than 1,400 miles of the reef so that they can observe which coral species have been dying over the years due to various bleaching events. The study suggests that these and in fact, all other reefs worldwide have been affected by marine heat waves which are caused due to increasing global temperature aka global warming. These events are fairly dangerous for coral species as it has ignited the number of die-off of these species, especially those which are temperature-sensitive and cannot withstand the increasing temperature. Researchers assert that these back-to-back bleaching events are far more damaging than it was expected below. The research indicated that about 29% of the total 3,863 reefs in the giant coral reef system of The Great Barrier Reef has collapsed and damaged. The research paper published in the journal Nature on April 19 provides a detailed map based on previous research of 2016 when U.S. and Australian scientists undertook the mantle to survey the reef system using various techniques. Researchers found out that some of the corals collapsed due to a lower level of heat stress where the levels are far less than expected earlier. Mark Eakin, chief scientific advisor at NOAAs Coral Reef Watch states that these corals subjected to lower levels of heat stress died because they were never exposed to it. Located in the northern area, these corals died off at much lower heat waves than others located elsewhere. The increasing water temperature has already killed all the algae found on the coral reefs leaving only flattened and pale colored corals in the vicinity. Insurance For Expats And Dependents In Singapore A Guide To What You Need And Costs Involved So youre moving to Singapore, but youre not too worried. After all, youve heard about how its safe, modern, cosmopolitan, and has a high standard of healthcare. Youll be just fine. Why bother with health insurance? But before you pack your bags and board that plane, know that healthcare in Singapore is mighty expensive. The public healthcare system involves long queues and is sometimes a bit too basic for comfort. Whats more, public healthcare subsidies are not as generous for expats as for locals. The private healthcare system, on the other hand, is very good and you can usually see a doctor on very short notice. It is, however, also very expensive by any standards, no matter where in the world youre from. In fact, locals often joke that its cheaper to die than fall ill in Singapore. Thats why having health insurance is essential. But as an expat, the health insurance plans youll be considering might be a little different from what locals choose from. Contents Do you need health insurance? What insurance plans can you choose from? How does health insurance in Singapore differ from other types of insurance? How much does health insurance cost? What happens if you leave Singapore? Where can you buy health insurance? Do you need health insurance? As an expat in Singapore, you should consider buying health insurance if you find yourself in one of the following situations: You already have an employment contract in Singapore and your employer offers health insurance. However, you wish to expand your coverage as you feel the company-sponsored plan is inadequate. You have started a business in Singapore and do not have a health insurance plan. You are a trailing spouse who has followed your partner to Singapore, or are married to a Singaporean or PR. You are not covered by health insurance. You have dependants such as children or a non-working spouse who are not adequately covered by health insurance. Back to top What insurance plans can you choose from? Story continues Ask a Singaporean to recommend some health insurance companies, and youll get a very different response than you would from a fellow expat. The truth is, both peoples recommendations would be worth taking note of. Thats because as an expat, you are also eligible for local insurance plans so long as you have a valid visa. Here are the three main types of insurance plans youll be choosing from. Local health insurance plans These are plans from local insurance providers aimed at a local clientele. These plans are often labelled as Integrated Shield Plans, since they are meant to be used together with MediShield Life, the basic national health insurance plan that Singaporeans are automatically enrolled in. While expats do not receive MediShield Life coverage, they are still eligible to purchase these local insurance plans. Do note that your premiums may differ from locals. International insurance plans from local insurance providers Some local insurance providers now offer international health insurance plans specifically for expats. If youre actually looking to buy a local policy (eg. like those in #1 above), make sure you clarify this with the insurer. International health insurance plans from non-Singapore insurers These insurance plans are provided by insurers that are not based in Singapore. A quick Google search will yield scores of such companies whose policies can be purchased online. Of course, we mustnt ignore the fact that you might have a health insurance policy back home. However, its important to check the extent to which it will cover your healthcare costs here in Singapore. Back to top How does health insurance in Singapore differ from other types of insurance? While one shouldnt make broad assumptions about insurance policies without reading the specific policies involved, Singaporean health insurance policies often differ from international health insurance plans in some key ways. Look out for these factors when trying to decide between local and international insurance policies. Local insurance International insurance Where you are covered These plans are meant to be used by those residing in Singapore. Overseas coverage is limited and usually only valid in emergency situations. The area of coverage depends on your plan, but many will protect you in one or several regions, and some offer worldwide coverage. Extent of coverage You generally only receive payouts if you are hospitalised, in which case you will also be able to claim for outpatient treatment prior to and after hospitalisation. Many plans will allow you to opt to include outpatient treatment and visits to GPs and specialists as an add-on. Deductible Yes, there will be a deductible unless you buy an add-on that covers this. You can usually opt for the deductible you want, or pay a higher premium to avoid having to pay any deductible. Co-insurance Yes, there will be a compulsory co-payment portion of at least 5%, although you can buy an add-on that caps annual co-payment amounts. You can usually choose between various co-payment amounts, or pay a higher premium to avoid having to pay any co-insurance at all. Payouts You are required to pay your healthcare provider first, and the insurer will reimburse you thereafter. Many insurers can pay your healthcare provider directly. Limits Typically about $600,000 to $1,200,000 Generally over 1 million USD (1,315,400 SGD). Some plans even offer unlimited benefits. Maternity Pregnancy complications are mostly not covered by basic plans. Add-ons available for maternity charges. Many pregnancy complications are usually covered by basic plans. Newborn Not covered unless medically underwritten. Generally covered provided they satisfy certain conditions. Other add-ons Dental, vision and screening are generally not covered, except for accidental inpatient dental treatment. Add-ons are usually available for dental, vision and screening. Validity Only valid when you are a legal resident of Singapore. Depending on the plan, you might be able to continue using it if you move to another country in the region or in the world. Of course, you mustnt assume that your international insurance plans will offer all the benefits mentioned in the table above. Note that some insurers offer cheaper or budget plans that may cut corners. Thats a lot to take in, so heres a summary of some of the biggest differences you want to take note of: There is always a co-payment component with local insurance Following new laws that have just kicked in, co-payment is now required of local health insurance policy holders when they make claims. This means that you will have to pay out of pocket a percentage of every dollar that you manage to successfully claim. Lets say you make a claim of $10,000 and have a deductible of $4,000. Your co-insurance is 10%. After paying the deductible, youre left with $6,000 of claims money. But that $6,000 claim is subject to co-insurance of 10%. That means that you will only receive $5,400, as you must co-pay $600. You usually need to be hospitalised to make a local insurance claim Insurance plans targeted at Singaporeans usually only offer payouts if the policy holder is hospitalised. If you are hospitalised, you can also make claims for outpatient treatment you spent on before and after the hospitalisation. International policies usually give you outpatient coverage if you decide to purchase a relevant add-on. In this case, if you sprain your ankle but do not need to be hospitalised, you might be able to make a claim nonetheless. Local insurance providers usually expect you to pay your medical bills first before making a claim If youve got cashflow issues, you might want to take note that local insurance providers usually require you to settle the bill first, and then reimburse you later. This isnt always the case with international insurance plans. The insurer often pays the healthcare provider directly, especially when a big hospital bill is involved. Local insurance policies are likely to charge lower premiums Now, given the fact that local insurance policies tend to offer coverage in a narrower range of situations, AND require you to fork out a co-payment portion each time you make a claim, why should you consider them in the first place? Well, simply put, local policies are likely to cost you less than international ones. If you find that your international policy still costs less, its probably because you selected a high deductible or co-insurance. Also ensure that youre not accidentally buying travel insurance as opposed to international health insurance, as travel insurance might require that you return home to seek further treatment wherever possible. Travel insurance also tends to contain many more exclusions, so you might be barred from making a claim if you are for instance participating in certain types of extreme sports. Back to top How much does health insurance cost? To give you an idea of the types of premiums youre looking at, here are some sample prices from AIA, one of Singapores best known insurers. Sample local insurance premiums for foreigners who are NOT dependants of a Singapore citizen or PR These annual premiums are for foreigners on the AIA HealthShield Gold Max plan, which offers enough to cover the full cost in all wards at public hospitals. To qualify, you must be residing in Singapore on a valid pass. The deductible is $3,500 if you visit a private hospital or stay in the best ward at a public hospital. The co-insurance portion is 10%. Age on next birthday AIA HealthShield Gold Max Premiums (S$) 1-20 299 21-25 379 26-30 411 31-35 599 36-40 610 41-50 1,055 51-55 1,590 56-60 1,757 61-65 2,384 66-70 3,101 71-73 3,910 74-75 4,326 76-78 5,700 79-80 6,266 81-83 6,599 84-85 7,285 86-88 7,810 89-90 8,127 91-93 8,747 94-95 9,135 96-98 9,639 99-100 9,723 Sample local insurance premiums for foreigners who are dependants of a Singapore citizen or PR If you are the dependant of a Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident, your premiums will be different. You will also be able to use your family members Medisave account to pay premiums PROVIDED he or she is not paying for another insurance plan (including his/her own) using Medisave. That family member must be your spouse, parent or grandchild. Age on next birthday AIA HealthShield Gold Max A coverage (S$) Premiums Withdrawal limits from Medisave Premium payable by cash 1-20 285 430 NA 21-25 361 495 NA 26-30 391 495 NA 31-35 570 610 NA 36-40 581 610 NA 41-50 1,005 1,035 NA 51-55 1,514 1,230 284 56-60 1,673 1,230 443 61-65 2,270 1,355 915 66-70 2,953 1,415 1,538 71-73 3,724 1,785 1,939 74-75 4,120 1,875 2,245 76-78 5,429 2,030 3,399 79-80 5,968 2,075 3,893 81-83 6,285 2,150 4,135 84-85 6,938 2,330 4,608 86-88 7,438 2,400 5,038 89-90 7,740 2,400 5,340 91-93 8,330 2,430 5,900 94-95 8,700 2,430 6,270 96-98 9,180 2,430 6,750 99-100 9,260 2,430 6,830 As you can see, you can get away with paying for all of your premiums using your partners Medisave account if yours is the only insurance policy being paid for. However, if this family member is already paying for an existing policy, you will have to pay all your premiums in cash. Also, note that if you decide to upgrade this plan for better coverage by purchasing add-ons or riders, a cash portion will need to be paid regardless of your age or Medisave use. Sample international insurance premiums Here are some sample premiums from Cigna Global, one of the more well-known insurers. The following annual premiums are for a 33-year-old British person moving to Singapore. To ensure that this plan is as similar as possible to the local one above for comparisons sake, weve selected a co-insurance portion of 10%, up to a maximum of 5,000 USD. Like local insurance policies, there is also no outpatient, vision, dental and screening coveragethese have to be added at an extra cost. Plan Annual Premium Silver Up to 1,000,000 USD 1,822.80 USD (2,400 SGD) Gold Up to 2,000,000 USD, + routine maternity cover up to $7,000 + travel safety service 2,340 USD (3,100 SGD) Platinum Unlimited annual benefits, + routine maternity cover up to $14,000 + travel safety service 3,708.96 USD (4,900 SGD) As you can see, this international policy is way more expensive than the local ones featured above. If you were to select the 0% co-insurance option and include add-ons, the premiums would be even higher. Back to top What happens if you leave Singapore? All local insurance policies are meant to be used while you are a resident of Singapore. If your residence status changes, such as if you quit your job and your employment pass gets cancelled, you will have to terminate your insurance policy. However, if you take frequent trips home or even stay there for an extended period while still a resident of Singapore, you might be offered a little bit of coverage. Many local insurance policies or Integrated Shield Plans offer coverage abroad in the event of emergencies. Be aware that this overseas coverage is usually capped at the cost of similar medical services at private hospitals in Singapore. While healthcare costs in Singapore are comparable to some of the worlds most expensive, if you only have a basic plan you might want to avoid going to very costly private hospitals abroad. On the other hand, many international insurance providers will allow you to enjoy coverage should you move to a different country, although you should take care to notify them ahead of time. Back to top Where can you buy health insurance? Here is a list of insurers in Singapore that offer local plans. NTUC Income Incomeshield American International Assurance (AIA) Healthshield Gold Max Great Eastern Life Supreme Health Aviva MyShield Prudential Assurance PRUShield If youre looking to buy international insurance for expats, here are some of the more well-known insurers which provide such plans Liberty Insurance (local insurer) myHEALTH International Health Insurance AXA Singapore (local insurer) GlobalCare Health Plan Cigna Global International Health Insurance Aetna International International Health Insurance William Russel Global Expat Health Cover Plans Related Articles: The Expats Guide to Personal Finance in Singapore Should Expats Enrol Their Child in a Local or International School in Singapore? The Best Data Plans from Singapore Telcos SIM-only Plans vs Phone Plans (2018) The Expats Guide to Getting a Prepaid SIM Card in Singapore 7 Survival Tips for Expats in a Singaporean Company Are you an expat living in or moving to Singapore? Tell us what health insurance you have in the comments. The post Insurance For Expats And Dependents In Singapore - A Guide To What You Need And Costs Involved appeared first on the MoneySmart blog. MoneySmart.sg helps you maximize your money. Like us on Facebook to keep up to date with our latest news and articles. Compare and shop for the best deals on Loans, Insurance and Credit Cards on our site now! More From MoneySmart Employees walking down a corridor at a Venture Corp facility in Singapore. (File photo: Getty Images) By Livia Yap After a spectacular rise for two years, Singapores biggest technology company is suddenly returning to earth. All eyes in the countrys financial community have been on Venture Corp., an electronics stock that more than tripled since April 2016 to become at one point a $6.5 billion firm. So meteoric was its advance that Venture became the only technology company listed on Singapores blue-chip 30-member Straits Times Index. Venture Chief Executive Officer Wong Ngit Liong boosted his stake in 2016 for the first time in many years ahead of the stock rally. Beyond that, analysts say, he has largely kept quiet about Ventures business. Heres what we know about the company: it began as a contract manufacturer of electronics components in 1984. These days, it has expanded to provide services such as supply chain management and technical support for goods ranging from medical devices to communications equipment. And the market agreed with Wongs view of the stock. Investors kept buying. They were impressed by Ventures profit, which jumped amid the good times for technology companies last year. There were rumors of a big contract with Philip Morris International Inc. for its heat-not-burn tobacco device IQOS. (Venture hasnt confirmed or denied a relationship with the cigarette giant.) Analysts also talked about how Venture was evolving into something bigger in areas from product design to research and development. All the while, an air of mystery surrounded the company, partly because Wong gave little away about its customers. Then came the fall. The first blow was Philip Morriss earnings; the second, a short-seller attack. Venture is too exposed to the tobacco company, which had reported disappointing sales growth, wrote an anonymous blogger or bloggers who go by the name Valiant Varriors in an April 24 report. Venture didnt do enough to reject the short sellers arguments, some commentators said. They claimed that PMI makes up 30 percent of Ventures revenue, which Venture did not answer or deny, said Jarick Seet, head of small and mid-cap research at RHB Research Institute Singapore Pte. The company doesnt give much information on its business mainly due to its non-disclosure agreements, said the analyst, who retains a buy rating on the stock. Story continues Venture has consistently reported favourable financial performance every quarter, and keeps its trade secrets very close to its heart for the benefit of all stakeholders, the company said in a statement to the Singapore Exchange after market close on Tuesday. During Ventures first-quarter results briefing a day after the short report, CEO Wong told analysts to consider the source and intention of the note, while the companys chief financial officer said the short sellers had a clear hidden agenda. The company reported a 72 percent year-on-year increase in first-quarter net income, but its results fell short of analyst expectations because sales were almost flat. That, coupled with the short report and Philip Morris signaling that IQOS adoption in Japan has slowed, was enough to rattle the market. Jittery Investors At least seven brokerages lowered their price targets for the stock, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Credit Suisse Group AG downgraded its rating to neutral from buy. And the shares plunged 33 percent over eight days. Investors were jittery after local technology firms reported weak earnings, because they saw that as a signal that the sector was slowing down, Seet said. But Hugh Young of Aberdeen Standard Investments says hes not that worried about Ventures decline. Youngs firm, which tends to be a long-term shareholder, has an almost 5 percent stake, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Venture was at the very least ripe for profit-taking, said Young, head of Asia Pacific at the $779 billion money manager. Even though we dont know exactly how important IQOS is and why Venture is so prone to bear raids, we still think its OK, he said by email. Venture Comeback As if to back up the veteran investor, Venture staged a comeback this week with a 12 percent advance. That came, once again, after anonymous bloggers swayed the stock. This time, a group calling themselves the True Valiant Warriors came out in defense of the company. Their report and the blog it was published on have since been taken down. The company also stepped up its buybacks: Venture repurchased 109,000 shares from the market on Monday and 20,000 on Tuesday, according to filings to the Singapore Exchange. Despite all the drama, Nicholas Teo, a trading strategist at KGI Securities (Singapore) Pte., sounds a note of caution about being too caught up in the stocks movements. Its important to look beyond the daily swings, he said. Venture as a company has done really well, its steady, Teo said. To contact the reporter on this story: Livia Yap in Singapore at lyap14@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Divya Balji at dbalji1@bloomberg.net. Tom Redmond 2018 Bloomberg L.P A constitutional crisis blighting Australian politics resurfaced Wednesday with a string of forced resignations among opposition Labor party MPs, handing the government hope of boosting its slim parliamentary majority. The High Court in Canberra ruled upper house senator Katy Gallagher ineligible to hold her seat as she had not renounced her British citizenship prior to the last election in 2016. The decision triggered the resignation of three more opposition parliamentarians and a member of the minority Centre Alliance party, who all believed the court ruling would also apply to their circumstances. The four MPs all sit in the lower house of parliament, forcing by-elections in their constituencies. "In good faith, our candidates and the Labor party and I have relied on advice that's been the same advice for over 20 years," embattled opposition leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Canberra. "But the High Court has looked at the facts in Senator Gallagher's matter, they have developed a new test, a stricter test, and we have accepted that." Adding to Labor's woes, another MP quit due to family commitments, which in total forces five by-elections. The marginal Queensland seat of Longman appears most at risk with Labor MP Susan Lamb securing it at the last election with less than a one percent margin. The citizenship crisis came to a head in October when the High Court reaffirmed an obscure provision in the country's 1901 constitution that forbids dual citizens from serving in federal parliament, forcing a slew of resignations. Most were from the Senate, the upper house, but two were from the lower House of Representatives, where the ruling Liberal-National coalition holds only a one-seat majority. Then deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce was among those forced to step down after he discovered he had automatically acquired New Zealand citizenship through his father. Joyce and a fellow coalition MP were successfully re-elected after contesting by-elections, preserving the government's wafer-thin majority. The conservative ruling-party has accused Labor of harbouring potential dual citizens since the saga began, calling for the resignation of those they believed could not prove their status. Ani New Delhi, Oct 07 (ANI): Prices of petrol and diesel surged once again on October 07 across metros, touching a record high in the country. The price of petrol was increased by 29 paise in Delhi and stood at Rs 103.24 per litre. The petrol price in Mumbai is Rs 109.25 per litre, which is an increase of 29 paise. Kolkata saw the highest surge of 29 paise, which is retailing petrol at the rate of Rs 103.94 per litre while in Chennai the revised price of petrol is Rs 100.75. Similarly, the price of diesel was hiked by nearly 26 paise. Former National Solidarity Party chief Lim Tean is forming a new political party. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore / Wan Ting Koh) The people are fed up with government policies and want their voices to be heard, said former National Solidarity Party (NSP) leader Lim Tean. It was with this in mind, that Lim applied to form and lead a new political party called Peoples Voice. In an exclusive interview with Yahoo News Singapore at Far East Plaza on Tuesday (8 May), Lim, a 53-year-old lawyer, even made the bold prediction that within a few election cycles, the opposition will be in a position to shake up the political scene and form the government. When asked to elaborate on the reasons behind Singaporeans discontent with the government, Lim cited the planned hike in the Goods and Services Tax, water price increases and the elected presidency amongst other issues. Lim, who runs the law firm Carson Law Chambers, also dubbed President Halimah Yacobs opening address of the 13th Parliament on Monday as unimaginative. Calling the address a collection of motherhood statements, Lim said, It doesnt inspire confidence in Singaporeans that for the next 24 months or so until the next General Election that this government can do any better. Singaporeans are generally unhappy that the country has become stagnant while its neighbours are making big strides, according to Lim. They just feel that there is no accountability by this Government, there is no vision on how this country is going to move forward, Lim said. That is where Peoples Voice comes in. Lim wants to energise people into action, even among those who are politically indifferent. Dozens ready to join party Lim is no novice in the political arena. He joined the NSP as a member in 2011 and rose up the ranks. Just before the 2015 general election (GE 2015), he took over as NSPs secretary-general but resigned from the NSP in May last year due to disagreements with the party. Even as his application for Peoples Voice is pending approval from the Registry of Societies (ROS) after he filed it on 24 April, Lim is making plans to quickly grow the partys membership base. Story continues Already, 10 founding members including himself have formed the core of the party and they come from all walks of life, from businessmen to students. Their ages range from those in their late 20s to those in their early 60s. Lim, however, declined to reveal the identities of those who will lead Peoples Voice alongside him. Once Peoples Voice is formally approved, some 60 to 70 additional members are ready to join the party right away, said Lim confidently, adding that the party would be a significant one. Lim plans to finalise the composition of the central executive committee and hold a party convention by September or October, when he will spell out the principles and values of the party. Peoples Voice will be based on four tenets: equality, protection of the vulnerable, no rights without responsibility, and no authority without democracy, said Lim. A government granted extensive powers to make legislation should be looking after the rights of citizens but the current PAP team is failing in that respect, he said. Lim believes that leaders in general should be elected by its citizens. Instead of having a secretary-general, the party will have a leader Lim Tean at its helm, while a general secretary will take charge of the partys operations. We want to form the government Up until he filed the application for Peoples Voice, Lim said many of his supporters had advised him on his next moves, with most encouraging him to form his own party. When asked about the biggest issues that are preventing the opposition from robustly challenging the ruling Peoples Action Party (PAP), Lim cited two: the oppositions lack of organisation and its members lacking the conviction that they can actually win a general election. In between the past few elections, opposition parties hadnt propagated their messages well and were always leaving things too late until just before the elections, he said. They were always complaining about the uneven playing field. I know that it isbut I want to move beyond that and I believe that we can (progress) with the right preparation and methods. Lim was optimistic about the oppositions chances of overcoming these issues, citing the 30 per cent vote share for the opposition in GE2015 as a good base to start with. I firmly believe that within the next couple of election cycles, the opposition will be in the position to form the government, he said. When asked to rate the oppositions performance in the past few years, Lim gave it a C grade but he confined his assessment to the separate reviews of government policies by him and Singapore Democratic Party leader Chee Soon Juan. At this juncture, Lim said it was impractical to expect the opposition to make much headway in taking concrete steps to whittle the PAPs dominance, citing its limited resources. When asked if the large number of opposition parties is limiting their capacity to gain more ground, Lim disagreed, reasoning that it is each partys substance that matters as they go through natural evolution. Parties fall, fold up and you get a concentration (of parties) who will take centrestage, said Lim, adding that he hoped Peoples Voice would be among the parties that prevail. While there are many who cannot envision the opposition ever being in power, Lim insisted that it is an ultimate goal that all opposition parties must aspire to. You shouldnt be in politics if you dont want to form the government one day, he said. Only if you have that aim in mind will you be a good political party. Otherwise youre just wasting space and youre wasting time. Related stories: 4G leaders have to earn the right to lead Singapore: President Halimah Yacob 4G ministers take centrestage in Cabinet reshuffle announced by PMO (PHOTO: Getty Images) A former Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) engineer who hid the fact that he owned the very company that he recommended to the RSAF for repair works pleaded guilty to 28 counts of corruption, cheating and breaching the Official Secrets Act (OSA) at the State Courts on Wednesday (9 May). Rajkumar Padmanathan, 49, had been slapped with 251 charges in July last year for offences, of which the majority involved over $1.8 million in government contracts. A co-accused and former RSAF engineer, Sung Way Xiong, 29, also pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one corruption charge and eight offences involving the (OSA). He was jailed 10 weeks while Rajkumar will be sentenced on 27 June. Rajkumar first joined RSAF in 1989 as an engineer and was tasked with repairing and maintaining the F-16 aircraft at Tengah Air Base. His job also entailed raising requests for works, which required tenders from independent contractors. Rajkumar would indicate a recommended contractor and his superiors would then authenticate the request. After the contractor completed the works, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) would then pay the contractor. From October 2010 to December 2014, Rajkumar concealed his ownership of aircraft repair and maintenance company Goodwill Aviations System (GAS), which he had recommended to the RSAF as a contractor. This led to some $869,000 being spent by the Mindef on GAS services. He also asked a friend, Jeevan Arumugam, to register another company and use it to bid for RSAF tenders. Jeevan helmed the company and Rajkumar intended to join Jeevan after he left RSAF. With this goal in mind, Eagle Flight Aviation Services (EFAS) was incorporated with Jeevan as the director and shareholder to conceal Rajkumars involvement. Between April 2011 and June 2012, EFAS was awarded 67 jobs worth $632,528. Rajkumar also convinced a military cable fabrication firm, Duratech, to submit quotations for RSAF repair and maintenance works and then subcontract the jobs to GAS and EFAS. Duratechs director was told by Rajkumar that he could earn a margin of $1,000 to $1,500 for each of the works completed. Story continues In total, Duratech was awarded 27 jobs with a total value of $259,261. Rajkumar met Sung in 2014, after leaving the RSAF. Sung was an RSAF engineer who had access to Enterprise System, through which Sung provided Rajkumar with confidential pricing information. Rajkumar had also told Sung that his company would hire the latter offering a good pay package and profit sharing if business went well. In a statement on Wednesday, Mindef emphasised its zero tolerance police towards corruption, noting that it was a robust procurement process that incorporates a comprehensive set of internal and external audits. In Rajkumars case, it was during a periodic internal audit in July 2015 that irregularities were detected and immediately surfaced to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau for investigation, the statement said. All servicemen, regardless of their position or seniority, are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and conduct, said the ministry. Related story: Former RSAF staff, businessman charged with 352 counts of cheating How far do you think you'd be able to travel across Earth's oceans before running into land, if you wanted to sail in a straight line for as long as possible? Reddit user Patrick Anderson (kepleronlyknows) asked that question on Dec. 9, 2012, posting an image suggesting that it would be possible to sail continuously for nearly 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) from Pakistan to Russia more than halfway around the world. Recently, two researchers set out to determine whether Anderson was correct, and they reported their findings in a new study published online April 23 in the preprint journal arXiv. [The World's Biggest Oceans and Seas] Study co-authors Rohan Chabukswar and Kushal Mukherjee, researchers and colleagues at United Technologies Research Center in Cork, Ireland, often worked together to solve interesting puzzles, especially when there was "a particularly fun one," Chabukswar told Live Science in an email. "When we found the assertion kepleronlyknows made on Reddit without any proof, we took it as a challenge to either prove it or disprove it with evidence," he explained. The two had often worked with optimization algorithms a computation tool for simplifying mathematical functions and this presented an opportunity for them to experiment with those tools creatively, Chabukswar said. But first, the researchers needed a data source for Earth's land and water cover. They found one in a global model created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This digital model of the planet's surface was constructed from multiple data sets representing global and regional measurements, and incorporated measurements of structures on land and of the ocean depth, according to the study. Using an algorithm to search for the longest straight lines over Earth's oceans, the scientists eventually pinpointed a route that was strikingly similar to the one first presented on Reddit. Story continues "This path is visually the same one as found by kepleronlyknows, thus proving his assertion," the researchers wrote in the study. Then, they used the same algorithm to generate the longest unbroken straight line over land, mapping a course from China to Portugal that traversed 6,985 miles (11,241 km). Charting the course Anderson said on Reddit that he generated his ocean journey from data on a Wikipedia page listing extreme points on Earth. While there were several possible options for the longest uninterrupted journey at sea (in a straight line traveling in any direction), the top candidate, according to the Wikipedia data, would have a starting point in Pakistan, along the southern coastline near the Port of Karachi, and would travel west, skirting the southern tips of South Africa and South America, until it terminated on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. Anderson took the coordinates and plugged them into a mapping website called Great Circle Mapper, which generated the image that he posted on Reddit, he wrote in a comment on his original post. Because Earth is a sphere (albeit an imperfect one), the path, which measured 19,910 miles (32,042 km), appeared curved when viewed on a flattened map of the planet. Plotting a straight course over a globe while looking at a flat map for reference was "rather mind blowing," Anderson wrote on Reddit. But once he mapped the path on a globe, it showed up as a straight line, as Anderson demonstrated in an animation that he created using Google Earth and shared to YouTube on Dec. 29, 2012. To test Anderson's result, Chabukswar and Mukherjee used an algorithm that incorporated great circles circles drawn around a sphere, on a plane that passes through the sphere's center and then compared groupings of great circles that contained the longest stretches over oceans without hitting land. The route, which appears curved when on a flattened map of Earth, straightens out when visualized on a globe and viewed from above. R. Chabukswar and K. Mukherjee The path that the algorithm returned closely mirrored Anderson's. Again, when rendered to a flattened map, the track appears to follow a curve. But when seen on a globe, the path is a straight line, according to figures presented in the study. It started in Pakistan, "threaded the needle" between mainland Africa and Madagascar, continued between Antarctica and Tierra del Fuego in South America, and terminated in Kamchatka Krai in Russia, covering 19,940 miles (32,090 km), the scientists wrote. The study authors also used this method to answer a similar question: What's the longest uninterrupted distance you could drive on land, in a straight line (if there were no naturally occurring or human-made obstacles in your way, and if you had a vehicle capable of navigating any sort of terrain)? With that criteria in mind, they calculated a path over land that originated in China and crossed 15 countries, wrapping up in Sagres, Portugal. However interesting these results may be, Chabukswar and Mukherjee noted that they embarked on their investigation "as a purely mathematical exercise" and that their findings were not an endorsement of sailing or driving along either of these routes. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations By Ahmed Aboulenein and Raya Jalabi TIKRIT/MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - At the gates of Tikrit under a giant billboard of a Shi'ite militia commander, hundreds of Iraqi Sunni Arabs wait in the scorching sun for hours to be searched before being let into the city that was once the power base of Saddam Hussein. Treated as Islamic State sympathisers by Iraq's Shi'ite dominated security forces and militias, the Sunnis near Tikrit say they feel disillusioned and alienated ahead of a May 12 election to elect a new prime minister. Under Saddam, power was concentrated within Iraq's minority Sunni community but the tables turned in 2003 with the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the dictator and ushered in Shi'ite dominance, and a cycle of bloodletting and revenge. Six months after the defeat of Islamic State, Iraq's Sunni Arabs are at their lowest point yet. Almost 2.3 million remain displaced, while others linger in prisons or without work in half-ruined cities - all collectively suspected of ties to the hardline Sunni militants. Shujaa Mohammed, 35, a former army bomb disposal expert from Tikrit, said he went to Baghdad when Islamic State seized the city in 2014, offering to help the authorities fight back. "The commanders said you're from Tikrit, you're all Islamic State. I told them: 'Check our records and punish us if we are'. They just stopped paying our salaries," said Mohammed, who plans to put a large X over the entire ballot paper on Saturday. Despite the widespread disillusionment, many Sunnis say they do want their voices heard, even if that means spoiling their ballots or backing a candidate they have no faith in. Interviews with dozens of voters, candidates and local officials in three Sunni provinces suggest the community is planning to turn out in high numbers on Saturday though few believe the election will do much to improve their fate. "I will vote, but I don't have hope that anything will change," said Ghufran, a 25-year-old pharmacist in Mosul who declined to give her full name for fear of reprisals. Story continues DEFYING THREATS Ghufran is one of thousands to have returned since Mosul was retaken from Islamic State in July, despite the difficulties of living among "rubble and checkpoints". Even before Islamic State seized it 2014, Mosul had been a stronghold for Islamist militants who threatened to kill anyone who voted in the first elections after Saddam's fall. Falah Mohammed braved the intimidation to work on the election in 2010, but stayed away in 2014 after Islamic State threatened his family. This time he will defy the latest threats from Islamist militants who have warned Sunnis not to vote, despite having lost control of the city. "The climate of fear is over," said 41-year-old Mohammed, who, like many of his neighbours, will vote despite his disdain for the candidates. "It's our duty to vote." The determination to vote in the absence of a belief anything will change was echoed across Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province where more than 900 candidates from over 30 electoral lists are running for just 31 parliamentary seats. Sunnis have long complained about rampant discrimination at the hands of Shi'ite-led governments and security forces since 2003, though some concede there have been improvements since Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi took over four years ago. Unlike his predecessor Nuri al-Maliki, who was seen as overtly sectarian, Abadi has some support among Sunnis who credit him with freeing them from Islamic State and could endorse his re-election bid. "We don't trust the current politicians but I'd vote for Abadi. He liberated Mosul," said Fatouma Badran, 40, in the Hammam al Alil refugee camp south of the city. Abadi's Victory Alliance list is the only one running in all 18 provinces. He has been campaigning across Iraq and his visits to Sunni heartlands have been well received. Others in Mosul, such as 31-year-old Ali Fares, say they could never vote for the leaders they blame for recklessly battering their city in the battle to oust Islamic State. "They all destroyed Mosul," said Fares in a makeshift tea shop in the heart of the Old City. "Instead of spending millions of dinars on campaign posters, they should rebuild houses." DISPLACED VOTERS Many of those displaced by war have spent months or years in camps, but some live in informal settlements, as their former homes are no long habitable, or their areas not yet secure. In a charred, multi-story garage full of blown-up cars in Tikrit, hundreds have set up their own informal camp, where families are divided by simple hanging sheets. Here, not everyone wants to vote. Rahman Mohsen, a 47-year-old former taxi driver, said he returned home to Baiji after Islamic State was driven out but his house had burnt down. So he came to Tikrit instead and ended up in the garage, and is angry with politicians for not doing more to help. "We only see them during elections, after elections we never see them again. Not a single official has visited us. The children have developed scabies and lice," he said pointing to one of his young sons with a visible bald spot. "We survive on charity ... thank God, at least there is a ceiling." In the Amriyat al-Falluja (AAF) complex west of the capital Baghdad, the only things more abundant than tents are campaign posters - though most families in the camp are using the structures displaying the candidates to hang their laundry. Jamal Khalaf plans to vote for a candidate who he says helped camp residents with much needed supplies. But, like most people interviewed by Reuters in the camp, he hasn't got a voting card and believes this will bar him from participating. "Islamic State punished those who had voting cards so we got rid of them," he said. Khalaf said it would cost him 20,000 Iraqi dinars ($16) to hire a car to go and get a new voting card, money he and thousands of others in camps do not have. Camp residents are allowed to vote through a system called "conditional voting" where they only need to show documents that confirm their identity and that they live in the camp, but many were unaware of the process. Voters in camps and rural communities across the mainly Sunni provinces of Anbar, Salahuddin and Nineveh also said several Shi'ite militias had threatened to press terrorism charges against their youths unless specific candidates won. Another problem for the Sunnis is that unlike Iraq's Kurds and Shi'ite Arabs, they lack a strong national leadership or party structure meaning the electoral base of their politicians is largely provincial or tribal in nature. In some regions, such as Tikrit, that vacuum is felt particularly acutely. "Since the occupation in 2003 we have not had any representative from Tikrit in the provincial council or parliament. Because Saddam was from Tikrit. They say in Baghdad we ruled Iraq for 35 years and it's enough," said Najeeb Saeed, a 46-year-old street trader. Sunnis mostly did not engage in the political process after 2003. Some considered it born out of an illegal occupation while many would-be leaders were banned for belonging to Saddam's Baath party. Many feel the Sunni politicians who have engaged in politics since the fall of Saddam are collaborators, just out for personal gain. "What have Sunni politicians ever done for me? Why should I vote for the same politicians who are the reason I live in a tent?" said 72-year-old Mehdi Ahmed, who fled to the AAF camp complex because of the fighting. "I would rather dig my own grave than do that." (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein in Tikrit and Falluja, Raya Jalabi in Mosul; editing by Dominic Evans and David Clarke) The head of Human Rights Watch in Israel on Wednesday accused the country of seeking to "silence" criticism, after the Jewish state gave him two weeks to leave. The interior ministry announced Tuesday it had terminated the residency permit of HRW's Israel and Palestine director Omar Shakir, a US citizen, over accusations he supported a boycott of Israel. It said in a statement it had obtained "information that Shakir has been a BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) activist for years supporting the boycott of Israel in an active way." Shakir rejected the allegation he supported a boycott and said Israel was seeking to silence dissent. "The proffered reason is support for boycott, but the reality is that this is a decision to muzzle Human Rights Watch and to silence criticism of Israel's poor rights record," he told AFP at his office in Ramallah. Israel, he said, joins a list of countries including "North Korea, Cuba, Iran and Sudan that have blocked access to Human Rights Watch staff." London-based Amnesty International "strongly condemned" the Israeli decision. "This is yet another alarming sign of the country's increasing intolerance of critical voices," it said. "The Israeli authorities must immediately stop their ongoing harassment of human rights defenders." Israeli officials have clamped down on groups seen as supporting the global BDS campaign, which aims to pressure Israel to end its occupation of the West Bank. Israel says the BDS movement is anti-Semitic. In a joint statement, 15 Israeli rights organisations condemned the decision to expel Shakir. "Israel is trying to keep both its own citizens and the world from seeing what it is doing," said the statement, whose signatories included prominent rights groups B'Tselem and Breaking the Silence. "Neither closing the borders to human rights groups and activists nor other Israeli measures against organisations critical of the occupation will deter us." HRW has written several critical reports about Israeli policies. Israel's government, seen as the most right-wing in the country's history, has repeatedly criticised rights groups it accuses of having a left-wing agenda. Shakir, who received permission to work in Israel in April 2017, months after being barred from the country, now has 14 days to leave, the New York-based rights group said. America's top diplomat Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday, landing at the centre of a whirlwind of diplomacy ahead of a planned US-North Korea summit. Pompeo was dispatched on an unannounced visit -- his second in weeks, but first as secretary of state -- to lay the groundwork for Donald Trump's unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong Un. His visit comes as rumours fly over three US citizens being held in the North, with suggestions they may have been moved in preparation for a release. The rapid detente on the Korean peninsula triggered by the Winter Olympics is a marked contrast from last year, when Kim and Trump traded personal insults and threats of war over the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. "We think relationships are building with North Korea," Trump said in a televised address from the White House. "We will see how it all works out. Maybe it won't. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea and the entire world." But the details of a deal appear to be far from clear. At a historic meeting inside the Demilitarized Zone last month, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed their commitment to a "common goal" of "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula. Hours before Pompeo landed, Trump yanked the US from a nuclear deal with Iran, complicating the prospects of persuading Pyongyang to surrender its atomic arsenal. - 'Chairman Un' - On Tuesday, Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in China -- the second time in six weeks -- highlighting efforts by the Cold War-era allies to mend frayed ties, and with Beijing keen to avoid being left out in the cold. China's official Xinhua news agency cited Kim as telling Xi there was no need for North Korea to be a nuclear state "as long as relevant parties abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against" the country. Kim also expressed hope that the US and North Korea would take "phased and synchronous measures", signalling Pyongyang wanted a quid pro quo. Pompeo's itinerary -- including who he would meet in Pyongyang -- was not clear. He told reporters he would look to prepare for the summit between Trump and "Chairman Un", prompting derision from observers. "Pompeo doesnt know the surname is Kim, but he's definitely on top of all the conceptual and semantic nuances associated with the phrase 'denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula'," arms control specialist Jeffrey Lewis tweeted derisively. Trump's withdrawal of the US from the landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme and reimposing crippling sanctions -- in defiance of European pleas -- also raised concerns. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord, reached after a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, describing it as an "embarrassment" to the United States. "This just makes my head explode," said Robert Kelly of Pusan National University. "Only a fool would trust the US to keep its word in a rogue state nuke deal now." - Detained trio - Speculation mounted that Pyongyang could release three detained Korean-Americans to Pompeo, fuelled by South Korea where the president's office said they expected the men to be freed. The trio are a significant domestic political issue and Trump hinted last week of imminent news after sources said they had been relocated. In previous cases detainees have been set free into the care of high profile US visitors. Pompeo's visit also comes as a tripartite meeting of East Asia's major powers takes place in Tokyo, with Japan, South Korea and China groping for a lowest-common-denominator agreement on recent events. Japan, which has by far the most hardline position of the North's neighbours, has been left watching from the sidelines, uneasy at the pace of events and at what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was likely to push for continued pressure on Pyongyang, including for "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation", Japanese media have reported. Moon, however, was expected to bat away such demands. An official in his office last week said Seoul wanted the three countries to simply endorse the Panmunjon Declaration signed by Kim and Moon last month. Latvia's large Russian minority gathered in the capital Riga on Wednesday in tribute to fallen Red Army soldiers 73 years since the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany ended World War II on the eastern front. Around 20,000 ethnic-Russian Latvians laid flowers at the foot of the controversial Soviet Victory Monument as veterans displayed their medals. Known as Victory Day to Russians, May 9 remains a divisive date in the Baltic state and is not a public holiday. Accounting for around 30 percent of Latvia's 1.9 million-strong population, ethnic Russians see it as a celebration of the 1945 Nazi surrender to the Red Army in Berlin, but most ethnic Latvians see it as the start of a harsh 50-year Soviet occupation. Relatives of fallen Soviet soldiers later marched in Riga with their portraits and names in what locals call the "Bezsmertnij Polk", literally "Regiment of the Undead". "My grandfather was drafted in the Soviet army, he was killed in action on the frontline on 25 January 1945, and I made this placard with his photo four years ago in honour of him," Viktors Opolchencevs, a mild-mannered and middle-aged man, told AFP. This year's commemorations had extra meaning in light of the discovery of the remains of some 400 Red Army soldiers in a mass grave earlier this year during road-works near Saldus in the western part of the Baltic EU and NATO state. The remains are yet to be identified and re-buried in a war cemetery later this year. Protesters honouring victims of Soviet regime held a counter-demonstration at the Latvian capital's Museum of Occupation, which is focused on Soviet-era abuses before the regime fell in 1991. Latvians officially commemorate the victory over the Third Reich a day earlier on May 8 in line with the tradition in Western Europe. The orange and black striped Ribbon of Saint George, which is a controversial symbol of support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine as well as for fallen Soviet soldiers, was pinned to the clothes of many attending Wednesday's commemorations. Caught between Russia and Germany, more than 100,000 Latvians fought on both sides during the war. The controversy generated on May 9 is matched each year on March 16 when veterans parade through central Riga commemorating members of the Latvian Legion, a combat division of Nazi Germany's Waffen-SS. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration was rocked by claims he was involved in a campaign to plunder state investment fund 1MDB, slammed by the US as "kleptocracy at its worst". But for voters saddled with rising living costs, there may have been economic reasons closer to home for the shock electoral result that wrenched 64-year-old from power. The polls Wednesday delivered a decisive defeat to Najib, in a major political upheaval likely to reverberate deeply across the country's political landscape. Malaysia's outgoing leader has not been seen since official results showed he had been defeated by the country's opposition, led by his 92-year-old former mentor Mahathir Mohamad. And as the scale of the drubbing started to become clear reporters who had flocked to the headquarters of Najib's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) were told to leave. Najib, the son of a Malaysian founding father, presented himself as a reformer when he came to power in 2009. He made limited changes such as replacing security laws widely criticised as stifling dissent, offering a glimmer of hope for the end to repressive tactics by the UMNO-dominated coalition which has led Malaysia for six decades. But soon after winning a second term in 2013, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a fund launched by Najib to promote economic development, slid into a massive debt hole and allegations surfaced that money was missing. The story exploded in 2015 when The Wall Street Journal published documents allegedly showing that the premier received $681 million in payments to his personal bank accounts. Najib and 1MDB have consistently denied any wrongdoing. Since then, there has been a steady drip of allegations. The US Department of Justice launched civil lawsuits seeking to seize $1.7 billion in assets allegedly bought with money looted from 1MDB, from real estate to artworks. In a speech last year, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions criticised those allegedly involved in the scandal, adding: "This is kleptocracy at its worst." - Losing the Malay vote - As the controversy escalated, Najib lurched sharply to the right. Opponents were arrested on various charges and critics were purged from government, while domestic investigations cleared him of wrongdoing. His government lost the popular vote for the first time at the last elections in 2013. But it was the return of veteran ex-premier Mahathir into frontline politics at the head the opposition, that finally signalled the end to Najib's rule. Mahathir raised the stakes in the electoral battle against his former protege Najib, vowing to bring him to justice over 1MDB. Analysts had widely predicted that Najib's Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition -- which led Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957 -- would retain power. That was partly thanks to claims that Najib's coalition had been manipulating the electoral system for years to tilt polls in their favour. The 1MDB scandal may have grabbed international headlines, but in the rural heartlands of the Muslim Malays -- who make up some 60 percent of the multi-ethnic country's population -- it is not the most important issue. While the overall economic picture is improving, many voters in the countryside have struggled with inflated living costs. Mahathir has succeeded in luring away Malays from Najib, chipping away at a support base that his government had nurtured with an official affirmative action programme and racially-charged rhetoric. That saw the opposition make strong gains in long-time BN strongholds in the polls, including Sarawak state on Borneo island, and the state of Johor, the birthplace of UMNO. (SOURCE: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson) The Philippine delegation led by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello and Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque went to Kuwait Tuesday night. Bello together with Roque, and other Philippine representatives met with Kuwait interior ministry officials. Both camps look forward to the normalization of ties and a memorandum of agreement is expected to be signed and agreed upon after the meeting. It was also reported that Kuwait agreed to create a special unit within the police that the Philippine embassy can coordinate with regarding complaints of Filipino workers which will be available 24 hours. The meeting also sought for the release of four drivers who are detained after the controversial rescue mission of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). It was also guaranteed that all remaining undocumented Filipinos except with pending cases will be allowed to go home and 150 of them will be joining the Philippine officials in returning to the Philippines. Rosalie Coz | UNTV News & Rescue The post Philippine delegation visits Kuwait to meet counterparts appeared first on UNTV News. Pioneer compact car distributor Suzuki Philippines (SPH) continues to strengthen its foothold in the country with the inauguration of Suzuki Auto Taytay in Eastern Luzon. Initially a 1S satellite showroom in SM Taytay handling only sales, the new 3S dealership now serves as a one-stop shop that also offers spare parts and service. The opening of Suzuki Auto Taytay comes on the heels of a successful first quarter for the company, which posted the highest year-to-date vehicle sales increase in the entire local automotive industry. Shuzo Hoshikura, SPH vice president and general manager for Automobile, has only positive outlook for the company for the months ahead. We at Suzuki Philippines are grateful for the continued success we have been reaping these past years. All these are because of the constant support of our beloved customers and partners. As said before, SPH will be more assertive in reinforcing our market presence, especially outside Metro Manila, to reach more Filipino motorists across the Philippines. We will continue to exhaust all strategies and resources to be able to deliver to our valued customers only the best-quality products and services, shared Hoshikura. The Suzuki Auto Taytay was officially inaugurated last April 27, but it has been in operation since August last year. The 37th 3S Suzuki Automobile Dealer to date, the Taytay dealership offers motorists one-stop- shop assistance covering sales, spare parts and services to meet all their vehicle needs. The dealership features the first-ever built-in cafe to provide customers with a place to relax or eat while they wait for their purchased Suzuki unit or for the vehicle to be serviced. The kiddie corner, which is present in all Suzuki dealerships, is likewise available. These deviations from traditional dealership setups are part of Suzukis efforts to provide clients with the best customer service and experience. Strategically located along the Manila East Road, Barangay San Juan in Taytay, Rizal, Suzuki Auto Taytay brings well-loved Suzuki vehicles and services more accessible to drivers and residents in the area. Story continues Anthony N. Cheng, president of the ETNA Motors, Inc. and Mt. Sinai Motors Corp., which manages the Suzuki Auto Taytay, is optimistic for the dealership. Since we started our operations middle of last year, Suzuki Auto Taytay has been performing well. Its location is a great factor, especially as more investors and traders move to Taytay, partly in response to the gradual shift in the city from agricultural to commercial and industrial. As such, we expect to maintain, if not improve, the performance of the dealership going forward. Suzuki Auto Taytay Suzuki Auto Taytay Suzuki Auto Taytay The post Suzuki PH Broadens Reach in Eastern Luzon with Suzuki Auto Taytay appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. US President Donald Trump greeted three Americans released by North Korea at an air base near Washington early Thursday, underscoring a much needed diplomatic win and a stepping stone to a historic summit with Kim Jong Un. Trump and first lady Melania made the short helicopter ride from the White House to Joint Base Andrews to personally welcome Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul back to the United States, after their release from North Korea on Wednesday. The president and his wife strode up the steps into the blue and white plane to greet them privately before coming out before TV cameras in the middle of the night. Trump praised Kim Jong Un for freeing the Americans ahead of a planned summit between the US and North Korean leaders, scheduled to take place within weeks. One of the former prisoners waved his arms from atop the steps, and another while down on the tarmac. "It was understood that we would be able to get these three terrific people during the meeting and bring them home after the meeting," Trump said. "He was nice in letting them go before the meeting. Frankly, we didn't think this was going to happen. And it did." Remarking on the sudden shift in US relations with North Korea, Trump said: "We're starting off on a new footing... he released the folks early. It's a big thing. Very important to me. "And I really think we have a very good chance of doing something very meaningful and if anybody would have said that five years ago, 10 years ago -- even a year ago -- you would have said that's not possible." He added: "A lot of very good things have happened." - Freed American speaks - The North Korean regime granted the three men "amnesty," a US official said, removing a major point of friction between Washington and Pyongyang and a potential obstacle to talks between the Cold War foes. The men flew home with the new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. A large US flag was strung over the tarmac. Two of the men, agricultural expert Kim Hak-song and former professor Tony Kim, were arrested in 2017, while Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born American businessman and pastor in his 60s, was sentenced to 10 years' hard labor in 2016. On their arrival, a reporter asked the men how they were treated in North Korea. Kim Dong-chul spoke up, and through a translator said: "Yes, we were treated in many different ways. For me, I had to do a lot of labor. But when I got sick, I was also treated by them." The White House said all three men were able to walk unassisted onto the US Air Force plane that carried them and the Secretary of State out of North Korea. A second plane, with more robust medical equipment, accompanied them. "All indications are at this point that their health is as good as could be given that they've been held," Pompeo told reporters. The trio also released a statement of thanks via the State Department. "We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home," they said. "We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world." The family of Tony Kim also voiced gratitude to "all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home" -- and specifically thanked Trump for "engaging directly with North Korea." - Game on - Before the plane's arrival Trump described the men's release as "a gesture of goodwill." The White House said Trump spoke with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in on Wednesday about Pompeo's visit to North Korea, and that the two presidents welcomed the release of the Americans and "expressed hope for joyful family reunions." Trump supporters declared the release an unbridled political victory, evidence, Vice President Mike Pence said, that "strong leadership and our America First policies are paying dividends." The development appears to pave the way for the much-anticipated summit between the two leaders. "It was absolutely imperative that the Trump Administration secure the release of the three Americans well before any summit," said Jean Lee, an analyst at the Wilson Center. In his first reported comments on the summit, Kim said his sit down with Trump "would be a historic meeting" and an "excellent first step" according to state media. - Summit details to follow - Trump says a time, date and location have been decided for his historic summit, although US officials say there is still some fine-tuning to be done. The most likely location appears to be neutral Singapore. The president told reporters the administration would announce the details "within three days", but revealed it would not be at the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea. "I think that Chairman Kim is trying to set good conditions for the summit. I think we are having good conversations, productive conversations," Pompeo said. "We're planning on it will be a single day, but in the event that there is more to discuss, there'll be an opportunity for it to extend into the second day as well." The meeting will discuss North Korea's nuclear and ballistic weapons program, which may soon give Pyongyang the capability of striking the continental United States. Since coming to office Trump has embarked on a campaign of "maximum pressure" on the North Korean regime. A series of provocative North Korean missile tests have been met with US sanctions and a tougher Chinese stance on cross border trade. Officials in Washington believe the measures have prompted fuel shortages in North Korea and increased tension inside the regime. North Korea official Kim Yong Chul, who met Pompeo in Pyongyang, insisted the country's openness to talks was "not the result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside," but a change in regime focus. "We have perfectedour nuclear capability. It is our policy to concentrate all efforts into economic progress in country," he said. Since 2015, Singapores best and brightest have flocked to the confessions page that is NUSWhispers, like moths to a flame. Everyday, the page receives between 10 to 30 anonymous submissions from students looking to shed their inhibitions and air their grievances in exchange for reasonably bad advice from online trolls. Confessions range from the scandalous, What do you guys think about a year 1(M) dating a year 4(F)? to the academic, Will I still be able to achieve at least a B+ if i scored badly for my midterms? to the irrelevant, If a man gets 1 boob through surgery Is it still offensive to be half naked? While it is tempting to dismiss the page as frivolous, writing off these confessions as trivial problems of 20-something-probably-privileged university students, closer inspection reveals that NUSWhispers does in fact accurately and effectively encapsulate some very quintessential Singaporean issues. It seems that regardless of race, language or religion, Singaporeans really only have 5 problems. 1. In a happy committed long-term relationship but I cant stop thinking about this girl I met two weeks ago. With close to a third of the confessions posted to the page daily pertain to matters of the heart, NUSWhispers should really be called NUSHelpLoveIsSoHard. Anyone scrolling through the page would think that NUS Students are just a bunch of love sick idiots who spend more time studying each other than actually studying. Yet whether youre a tween, a university student or a 40-year-old uncle, most Singaporeans suck when it comes to love. Remember Ashry Yow Ong Min? Or this couple in Yishun who were caught on tape throwing their shoes at each other? Or this guy who threw a hot iron at his girlfriend after arguing with her? Even our nations pandas (though they may be from China) Kai Kai and Jia Jia will not be allowed to mate this year. Given that Singaporeans just cant seem to get lucky in love, its little wonder why our fertility rate is at an all-time low while places like Tinder, Coffee Meets Bagel and Grindr are thriving. Story continues NUSWhispers itself should just start matching the individuals who flock to the page to air their erotically charged confessions. 2. Everyday I attend lecture and ask myself why am I doing this? University is tough. Just 5 minutes on NUSWhispers and youll see plenty of proof that it is. Whether students are complaining about the dreaded 9-5 (If youre an Engineering student) or 11-2 (If youre an Arts student), this is where everyone comes to whine about how hard life is. For anyone whos ever been told that their uni days are the best years of their life before work starts, this is proof that its all a lie. What university really is, is a preview of the mundane realities of having a career. Not to play Dr. Doom, but when it comes to ones studies, all those regrets that you have, the uncertainties, the pressure, the insecurities and the failures, that only intensifies upon graduating and entering the workforce. Things dont get better. They get worse. And dont forget about those bills you now have to pay. 3. I am poorer than many people around me Once or twice a week, a confession will pop up on the page detailing a students personal struggles with money. Tales of them scrimping to make ends meet, all while battling an overwhelming sense of inferiority compared to their peers, can sometimes make for a difficult pill to swallow. These confessions mirror the articles one might read about the struggles of Singapores invisible poor and the faces of our roadside tissue sellers whom we pass everyday on our way home. Such stories never fail to garner large amounts of sympathy and sad reacts. After all, we can each relate to the feeling helplessness with regards to our own social standings. Socio-economic inequality is nothing new in Singapore, where it can often be more about who you know than what you know. As such, moving up the socioeconomic ladder is a nigh impossible task for many. Sure, theres no denying the fact that most Singaporeans, whether NUS-educated or not, lead reasonably comfortable lifestyles and will probably never experience anything remotely close to poverty. But if youre born a middle-class Singaporean, chances are you will die a middle-class Singaporean. In the face of this inevitability, what can you do? Just post on NUSWhispers or Reddit or EDMW, I guess. 4. Cashless payments dont make sense In April, it was announced that NUS had plans to roll out purely cashless transactions for all retail and dining outlets by August. Eagle-eyed students were quick to call out the schools BS, for instance: The incentive of cashless payment in NUS canteens should be called disincentive for using cash payment. The price of our food is increased by 10% so we get to receive a 10% discount for using cashless payments. Some also argued that going entirely cashless would exclude students with no bank accounts and the less tech-savvy elderly. Such resistance hasnt occurred in a vacuum. Rather, it is a microcosm of a nationwide struggle to go cashless. In a forum letter to the Straits Times, one very astute Sng Woei Shyong pointed out that the cost of accepting cashless payments (for vendors) is about 3 times higher than accepting cash. Moreover, phasing out the use of cash for topping up ones ez-link cards puts commuters like the elderly at a disadvantage. In Singapores dogged pursuit of transforming itself into a Smart Nation, weve begun alienating those unable to adjust to online/electronic systems of payment. It is thus little wonder why many Singaporeans havent been too quick to jump on the cashless bandwagon. The voice of the masses is clear. Going 100% cashless is the mother of all bad decisions. If its on NUSWhispers, it has to be true of all of Singapore. 5. I know you wont see this but Hi you. Yes you, the one reading this. You know who you are, we bumped into each other at the bus stop just now. This is how a disturbing number of confessions on NUSWhispers start, and they explain why the page was birthed in the first place, and why it continues to do so well 3 years on. Not only are we afraid of publicly speaking our minds, no one wishes to be made accountable for the things that are said and the consequences that might follow. Whether its complaining about a restaurants poor service on Facebook instead of addressing it in person, or dedicating an Instagram post to your mother on her birthday but not tagging her because she doesnt have Instagram, weve all pulled the same trick before. Whatever we need to say, we say it. Just not face to face. Rather, we prefer to take everything online, where we can always retreat behind the safety of our screens should anything go South. Contrary to what we might think, the culture of fear that surrounds speaking up in Singapore isnt just endemic to those working in the public sector. The real question then is, when are we going to get our very own SGWhispers? If youre itching to make a confession, why not head over SGWhispers65? Alternatively you can write in to us at community@ricemedia.co. The post NUSWhispers is Proof That Singaporeans Really Only Have 5 Problems appeared first on RICE. DC Shoes presents the DC Latam Supertour, heading across Central and South America and taking in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Peru and Mexico along the way. Obviously with this being a Supertour and all, with a long and storied history in skateboarding (see the 1997 grand opening of what was then Playstation Skatepark in North London), things cant really be done by halves. As such, what you have here is a full length video promo featuring some of the companys heaviest hitters barging some of the gnarliest and best terrain unlikely to be visited by Donald Trump any time soon. DC have been quietly amassing some of the best skateboarders around right now into a tight knit team and we are definitely reaping the videographic benefits want to see Evan Smith destroy a crusty bank to ledge which looks like it has a run up involving four lanes of traffic? Done. Want to see Tiago Lemos pop his board switch into tricks others wouldnt pop their board into regular? Its in there. Want to see Tristan Funkhouser down a beer whilst boardsliding a handrail before smashing the bottle on the floor? Probably not that shit nearly turned me into Mike Ferraro but the option is there if you want it. With DC team riders Tiago Lemos, Wes Kremer, Evan Smith, Carlos Iqui, Tristan Funkhouser and Alexis Ramirez in the van, alongside various local riders making appearances throughout, then you can be guaranteed that this one will get you hyped in some way, shape or form! Filmed by Chris Ray and Jimmy Astleford. February 2018 saw the DC Skateboarding team travel to Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Peru and Mexico. The boys stepped up and delivered across the 5 country stops. Now you get to sit in front of your interweb device and feel like you were a part of the whole thing! The Hulumale Skatepark build with Pasty and Rob Jones Photographs by Mohamed Ahsan Edit by Poulet Leo A couple of weeks ago, I started spotting a few images on social media of a large scale DIY build in a tropical looking location with what appeared to be a large, skateable killer whale as a centrepiece. Doing some digging via Confusions website soon had the location narrowed down to The Maldives, with Hulumale Skatepark being worked on by a large crew of international volunteers who all had an input into the final design. When the build edit appeared it was too much of an intriguing project to garnish with only my sketchy knowledge, gleaned from an office in London at a distance of, according to a quick Google search, 5,288 miles away. Luckily, Cornish nomad Rob Jones was involved in the build and, when I hit him up, it turned out he was working on the park and sharing living quarters with Justin Pasty Ashby. A couple of Facebook messages later and I had a sketchy idea of how the two UK members of the 40-odd crew of concrete craftsman had been enjoying living island life, alongside a bevy of build photos courtesy of Mohamed Ahsan. I say sketchy, because my questions definitely werent answered straight after a morning coffee. Ive no idea what adult beverage is de rigeur in the Maldives, but Ive reigned in my normally compulsive grammar fixing in order to give you a better sense of where this interview is coming from which is a fair way into consumption of whatever that drink might be Cheers to Rob and Pasty for sorting out these answers, Mohamed for the photos and mad props to everyone who went out and got involved in building such a rad looking slice of concrete for the locals! How did two skaters from Brighton and Cornwall originally end up as part of a crew building a skatepark in The Maldives? Pasty: I was busy doing Formula 1 work and got notified about a project in the Maldives so I said yeah, put me forward. Albert and josh got this thing moving and I was quite happy to leave work to go to the island. Rob: Josh from Wonder Concrete messaged me about a trip to the Maldives and I had no money and no job so it seemed like an offer I could not say no to Srinagar, May 08: Nearly 50 survivors of government forces firing in Shopian are presently admitted at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar, most of them hit by pellets in vital organs, including the eyes.Six civilians so far have been reported killed in the firing.The ophthalmology wards of SMHS Hospital are overflowing with more than 16 young boys maimed in the fresh pellet firing in Kashmir. The emergency ward has also been witnessing chaotic scenes since Sunday as fresh firing survivors were admitted to the hospital.The moving tale of Shameema (45) from Homun village of Shopian and her 12-year-old son, Shaib Malik, catches the attention of every visitor to the ophthalmology ward. Shaib lies crying in pain with his left eye taped in bandages.It is painful to see my son in this condition. I dont allow him to go out when the situation is disturbed but I was unaware of when he left home on Sunday. I was looking for him but later I heard about his injury, she said.Shaib was injured on Sunday outside his home when police allegedly targeted him in the area after the conclusion of the encounter in Badigam.Doctors said he might need multiple surgeries to get some vision back in his damaged eye.Like him, there are 16 pellet-hit youths admitted in ward no 8 of SMHS Hospital who have lost their eyesight.Simnan Ayub of Turkawangam, Shopian, said he has been seriously injured after sustaining by pellet injuries in his right eye.Doctors said his eyeball has been severely damaged.Ayub said when he tried to run for life, a policeman targeted him and pellets hit him in his eye.It was darkness all around me when pellets hit me. Suddenly, I lost consciousness till I was operated on here, he told Kashmir Reader.He has already undergone one surgery on Monday, and the doctors have their fingers crossed, hoping that the vision of the eye will recover.However, Ayub said he still has blurred vision.They left me in pain and distress. I cant see now, he said.Zubair Ahmad, a tractor driver from Reban, said police and army fired at him when he was working in orchards in Badigam.He has serious damage to the liver and intestinal region due to pellets, doctors who treated him told Kashmir Reader.The pellets have entered his abdominal region, causing laceration of the liver, said a senior doctor.According to hospital records, 48 people, including children, were injured when police teams fired bullets and pellets on the gathering in Shopian on Sunday.Medical Superintendent SMHS Hospital Dr Saleem Tak told Kashmir Reader that most of the injured had pellet injuries in one eye.We received 13 bullet injury casualties also, which are being managed at the hospital. Pellet victims will have to undergo multiple surgeries till we decide about the final management, he said.Courtesy: Kashmir Reader The Associated Press CONNECTICUT.- With the threat of tariffs and counter-tariffs between Washington and Beijing looming, Chinese buyers are canceling orders for U.S. soybeans, a trend that could deal a blow to American farmers if it continues. At the same time, farmers in China are being encouraged to plant more soy, apparently to help make up for any shortfall from the United States. Beijing has included soybeans on a list of $50 billion of U.S. exports on which it has said it would impose 25 percent tariffs if the United States follows through on its threats to impose the same level of tariffs on the same value of Chinese goods. The U.S. tariffs could kick in later this month; China would likely retaliate soon after. It can take a month or longer for soybean shipments to travel from the U.S. to China. Any soybeans en route to China now could be hit by the tariff by the time they arrive. The Chinese arent willing to buy US soybeans with a 25 percent tax hanging over their head, said Dan Basse, president of AgResource, an agricultural research and advisory firm. You just dont want the risk. China typically buys most of its soybeans from South American nations such as Brazil and Argentina during spring and early summer. It shifts to U.S. soybeans in the fall. As a result, for now, the cutbacks from the United States are relatively small. But should they persist, it could cause real pain to U.S. farmers. Roughly 60 percent of U.S. soybeans are shipped to China. There might also be a political impact: Three of the top five soybean-exporting states Iowa, Indiana and Nebraska voted for President Donald Trump in 2016. Illinois, the top soybean exporter, and Minnesota, the third-largest, backed Hillary Clinton. Basse said that it has been roughly three weeks since China has made any major soybean purchases, an unusually long delay. Some Chinese buyers might be showing support for their government in the trade dispute by turning away U.S. soybeans, Basse said. The dispute may also make it seem too risky to buy from the United States over the long run. The United States could lose the reliable supplier label that weve had these many years, Basse said. UNITED STATES.- The leaders of Cyprus, Israel and Greece said Tuesday theyre determined to push ahead with plans for a pipeline that would supply east Mediterranean gas to Europe as the continent seeks to diversify its supplies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the East Med pipeline a very serious endeavor thats important for Europe, which is looking for new sources of energy. Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said the three countries aim to sign an agreement this year to nudge the pipeline project forward. Greeces Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called the project emblematic of the cooperation between the three countries. This project creates an unrivalled network of common interests and clear strategic benefit for our countries and beyond since its implementation will tangibly contribute to the security of the European Unions energy supply, Anastasiades said. The EU is looking favorably on the project, too, since the 28-member bloc has forked out 34.5 million euros ($41 million) to fund a technical study, the Cypriot president said. The Associated Press CAIRO, Egypt.- Egypts parliament has approved a law to govern popular ride-hailing apps Uber and Careem, which had faced legal challenges stemming from regulations designed for traditional taxis. The new law, as described Monday by state news agency MENA, establishes operating licenses and fees. It requires licensed companies to store user data for 180 days and provide it to Egyptian security authorities upon request. Uber and Careem welcomed the move. This is a major step forward for the ridesharing industry as Egypt becomes one of the first countries in the Middle East to pass progressive regulations, Uber spokeswoman Shaden Abdellatif said. We will continue working with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet in the coming months as the law is finalized, and look forward to continuing to serve the millions of Egyptian riders and drivers that rely on Uber. Careem called the passage a remarkable step for Egypt, Careem and our region. It said it marked the first time in any of its markets that a regulatory framework for ride-hailing has emerged from a consultative legislative and parliamentary process. Both companies provide smartphone apps that connect passengers with drivers who work as independent contractors. An administrative court in Cairo ruled in March that it is illegal to use private vehicles as taxis, but another court overruled it on appeal, and both companies have continued operating. Data privacy is a major concern for Uber in its dealings with the Egyptian government. A strict new European law called the General Data Protection Regulation comes into effect on May 25 and would affect its operations worldwide. Uber was founded in 2010 in San Francisco, and operates in more than 600 cities across the world. Careem was founded in 2012 in Dubai, and operates in 90 cities in the Middle East and North Africa, Turkey, and Pakistan. The applications took off in Cairo, a city of 20 million people with near-constant traffic and little parking. The services have recently started offering rides on scooters and tuk-tuks, three-wheeled motorized vehicles that can sometimes squeeze through the gridlock. The apps are especially popular among women, who face rampant sexual harassment in Egypt, including from some taxi drivers. Cairos taxi drivers are also notorious for tampering with their meters or pretending the meters are broken in order to charge higher rates. In 2016, taxi drivers protested the ride-hailing apps. They have complained that Uber and Careem drivers have an unfair advantage because they do not have to pay the same taxes or fees, or follow the same licensing procedures. The Associated Press Seattle, EU.- Nestle is paying more than $7 billion to buy the rights to sell Starbucks coffee and tea in supermarkets and other stores outside its coffee shops. The deal comes with a huge price tag for Nestle, but it could pay off big for the Swiss company. Its Nescafe and Nespresso dont carry anywhere near the heft in America that the Starbucks brand does, with its $2 billion in annual sales. Nestle will also put Starbucks in grocery stores outside the U.S. and Canada. The deal gives Nestle the rights to market, sell and distribute bags of Starbucks coffee beans, as well as its instant coffee. Nestle will also sell other brands owned by Starbucks, such as Seattles Best Coffee, Teavana tea and Torrefazione Italia coffee, and will be allowed to put the Starbucks brand on Nestle single-serve capsules for coffee machines. The agreement does not include bottled drinks like iced coffees and Frappuccinos that are sold in and outside of Starbucks stores. Nestle hinted last year that it was looking at focusing on higher-growth areas like pet care, coffee and infant nutrition. In January it announced it was selling its U.S. candy business to Italys Ferrero for approximately $2.8 billion. And last year, Nestle bought a majority stake in high-end coffee company Blue Bottle. With the strength of the Starbucks brand, Nestle will be able to better compete against JAB Holdings, an investment holding company that has gobbled up coffee businesses and brands associated with Peets, Caribou, Stumptown and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. Starbucks already has a deal with JAB, creating single-serve coffee for its Keurig brewers. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said that deal is unaffected by the agreement with Nestle. Nestle announced Monday that Starbucks Corp. will receive $7.15 billion in an up-front cash payment. Approximately 500 Starbucks employees will join Nestle, and operations will continue to be located in Seattle. The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close by the end of the year. DON BABWIN | MICHAEL TARM Chicago, US.- A 27-year-old known gang member has been arrested and charged in the shooting of an ATF agent in Chicago, making his first appearance in U.S. District Court on Tuesday with dozens of federal agents crowding spectator benches. Ernesto Godinez is charged with forcible assault of a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent. The shooting happened before dawn Friday in what investigators described as an ambush in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side. The agent was shot in the face and is expected to make a full recovery. Asked by U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valsez Tuesday if he understood the charge, Godinez nodded. Prodded by his lawyer to say it out loud, he added softly, Yeah, Yeah. He stood in orange jail clothes, with a tattoo on his forearm and his long hair tied at the back. He was not required to enter a plea. More than 50 ATF and other federal agents packed courtroom benches just behind the suspect. Since the courtroom was filled to capacity, others agents who couldnt get in sat in a nearby overflow room to listen to audio of the proceedings. If convicted, Godinez faces a maximum 20 years in prison. That charge was in a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday. More charges could be added later. Godinez, whom police list as a gang member, was arrested Monday night. A bond hearing is set for May 17 and a prosecutor told the magistrate judge that the government would oppose his release on the grounds he was dangerous and a flight risk. Fridays shooting prompted a massive manhunt and authorities offered a reward of more than $60,000 for information. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson on Friday called the shooting barbaric. Zeke Miller | Deb Riechmann WASHINGTON.- President Donald Trump defended Gina Haspel, his nominee to head the Central Intelligence Agency, on Monday, dismissing criticism of her involvement in a harsh interrogation program and arguing that Democrats want her out because she is too tough on terror. Haspel had offered to withdraw her nomination, administration officials said, amid concern that a debate over interrogation practices that some call torture was attracting unfavorable attention and could hurt the CIA. Tambien te puede interesar: Military seeks to limit Congress on fixing child sex assault She would not want to stay in if she felt her nomination would be a problem for the CIA, but the White House has complete confidence in her, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday. Haspel was meeting at the Capitol Monday with senators whose support could be key to her confirmation. Asked if there was any chance she would withdraw, Haspel told reporters, Looking forward to Wednesday, when she will be questioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee. Trump said earlier on Twitter that Haspel has come under fire because she was too tough on Terrorists. Win Gina! he tweeted. White House aides on Friday sought out additional details about Haspels involvement in the CIAs now-defunct program of detaining and brutally interrogating terror suspects after the Sept. 11 attacks as they prepared her for the confirmation hearing. This is when she offered to withdraw, officials said. They said Haspel, who is the acting director of the CIA, was reassured that her nomination was still on track. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The news was first reported Sunday by The Washington Post. Haspel, who would be the first woman to lead the CIA, is the first career operations officer to be nominated to lead the agency in decades. She served almost entirely undercover, and much of her record is classified. Come Sunday is an imperfect movie that asks an important question not openly discussed in Christian churches: What happens when a faith leader has a change of heart about important points of doctrine? Directed by Joshua Marston, the first feature film financed by This American Life is based on the story of Bishop Carlton Pearson, the former senior pastor of Higher Dimensions Evangelistic Centerone of the largest churches in in Tulsa, Oklahomaand one of the first black televangelists. One night, after learning of the 1994 Rwanda genocide, Bishop Pearson has a divine revelation and feels compelled to preach what he now calls the Gospel of Inclusion, a doctrine that says Gods grace is sufficient to embrace all of humanity, even if they do not make a formal declaration of salvation. Put simply, he tells people that God will let them into heaven whether they believe in him or not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For most of Higher Dimensions congregation, this is a problem because they are evangelicalmeaning they see the need to save people from eternal hell as foundational to their spiritual lives. In my time in an evangelical congregation, sharing the gospel (that is, trying to convert people to Christianity so that they will be saved from eternal damnation) was the most important thing a person could do to show the love of Jesus Christ. More than fight oppression, more than be a voice for the voiceless, getting folks saved was seen as the primary goal. So for Pearson to alter his positions disrupts how his congregation sees themselves. Many of them are convinced it could have been a demonic voice, and not Gods, that spoke to him that night, and they ask Oral Roberts, the internationally known evangelist and Pearsons father in the ministry, to talk to him. Martin Sheen portrays Roberts as a man with genuine concern for Pearson. As a pastor, he understands that spiritual lives and Pearsons standing as a man of God are at stake, and the film does justice to the volatile nature of this spiritual dilemma. Advertisement Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the bishop as a man utterly convinced of the truth of his position, even as he questions why God revealed it to him. Lakeith Stanfield plays Reggie, a church organist and minister of music who is, as he puts it, struggling to be gay without acting upon his attraction to people of the same gender. Pearsons change of heart and the churchs demise directly affect Reggie financially and spiritually, causing him to come to almost lose his faith in God. Yet despite these strong performances, the film fails to show us the day-to-day implications of Pearsons decision for members of the congregation who are not in leadership positions. We see congregants leave and confront him verbally, but not the way losing respect for a man who has visited you in the hospital or performed at your wedding can have devastating effects personally and spiritually. A church is more than a place unified by doctrineit is a family, and leaving is more like losing a member of the family than simply choosing to be somewhere else on Sunday at 11 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement A life of faith is not easy. We often disagree, and we need more cultural products that take seriously these ruptures and their complexity. More could also have been done to examine how the bishops fall from grace affected his wife, Gina Pearson (Condola Rashad), a woman frustrated with the demands of being a pastors wife. In fact, black women in the film are not given much more to do than gaze approvingly or disapprovingly upon Pearson. They are rarely seen and heard from even less. Still, regardless of its flaws, this is an important movie for one simple reason: It shows why pastors who question orthodoxy are often afraid to publicly articulate the theological and political dilemmas with which they wrestle privately. Before I left the Southern Baptist Convention, there were many points of doctrine people in the denomination assumed I agreed with: support of Republican Party candidates because of their stance on abortion, religious iconography that featured a white Jesus, homophobia wrapped in the language of concern for lost souls, and patriarchy articulated as divinely defined gender roles. These were issues on which I was expected to acquiesce. I felt uncomfortable for years with the oppressive nature of the denomination. For example, I was taught that pastoral ministry was only for men. When I began to question this position, I learned quickly that deviation from established norms could lead to broken relationships. Once, when I strongly suggested that my pastor allow a woman to sit in the pulpit, he said, without missing a beat, Ill die before a woman sits behind that sacred desk in my church. Yet it was not until the SBC failed to issue an immediate and full-throated denouncement of the alt-right and white supremacy at their convention in June that I decided to leave. Had I known years ago what I know now, Id have left earlier. I thought I was alone in questioning doctrine and political issues in the denomination. I now understand that I was not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are many pastors who privately question if a loving God would send people to an eternal hell for failing to make a declaration of salvation before they die, and yet the ministers who believe this choose to be quiet out of fear of retribution. I know even more who support same-sex marriage but feel they cannot do so publicly because they fear they will lose their churches and the support of fellow clergy. Where films like Gods Not Dead portray Christianity as a white, intellectually homogeneous cult of nice people who love acoustic guitar, Come Sunday takes seriously the challenge of being both a person of color and a person of faith. There is not now, nor has there ever been, orthodoxical uniformity in the Christian church, and to live a life of faith is to commit oneself to a life of questions that are often without easy answers. In ancient times, Athanasius disagreed with Arius; after the reformation, Arminians disagreed with Calvinists; and I disagree with each and every person who cast a ballot for the 45th president in the name of their Christian belief.* Advertisement A life of faith is not easy. We often disagree, and we need more cultural products that take seriously these ruptures and their complexity. Failing to think critically about religion is part of why some members of the South felt that God sanctioned their abhorrent, racist activity during slavery and Jim Crow. It is also why homophobia continues to run rampant, leading, tragically, to high levels of suicide ideation and attempts among queer youth who identify as religious. Advertisement Come Sunday is not a perfect movie, but it is an important one. It wonderfully dramatizes the beautiful struggle that is the life of faith, especially now. At a time when prominent Christian leaders like Franklin Graham and Robert Jeffress are vocally supporting the president and, in spite of recent sex scandals, 75 percent of white evangelicals say they approve of Trump and his policies, Christians need to know that they can disagree with the masses and still be sincere people of faith. Perhaps, as Bishop Pearson learned, the only way to truly follow God is to follow your hearteven if it leads you away from the crowd. This recipe originally appeared on Food52. Its the 1950s. Were in New York, upstate, Cornell University, some building, downstairs, in the basement. Dr. Robert Baker is running a poultry lab. As Time described it decades later: Foreseeing the revolutionary possibility of processed foods, which were already reaping big dividends for pork and beef, Baker decided that value-added poultry products would be his lifes work. And, eventually, his legacy. Baker developed the recipe for Cornell Chicken and the Chicken Crispie. If youre thinking, Whats a Chicken Crispie? You might know it by its more contemporary name: nugget. So, ground meat, mixed with a little of this, a little of that, then battered, frozen, and fried. This sounds simple enough, but gets quite complicated, quite fast, when you start asking questions: How does the ground chicken stay together without a casing, like a sausage? How does the breading withstand freezing and frying? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baker sorted all that out. Fast-forward to the late 1970s and the U.S. government recommended that people decrease consumption of meat and increase consumption of poultry and fish. Which was as bad as it gets for a hamburger-focused franchise like McDonalds. One thing led to another and, soon enough, in 1983, the Chicken McNugget was born. Which means little old me has never lived in a world without chicken nuggets. My mom was anti-fast food for most of my childhood, but we always kept a ready stock of dinosaur-shaped chick nugs in the freezer: Those were your favorite to bring in for Shabbat, my mom told me. I went to a Jewish preschool. You werent supposed to bring sliced cheese, too, but I did. Advertisement It wasnt until later that I discovered chicken nuggets dont have to be made with ground meat andno offense to my cutie dinosaursbonuses like dextrose and guar gum and flavor. If you make them at home, its just like fried chicken, only boneless and bite-sized. And because the pieces are bite-sized, you dont have to deep-fry; a shallower layer of oil works great. Advertisement Here are the rest of the deets: The crust: You could bread these, like chicken fingers. And dont get us wrongwed eat those right up! But, you have to set up various dredging stationsflour, egg and milk, bread crumbsthen take each nug through each station. An easier route: a beer batter. Advertisement Upgrade that beer batter: Most basically, this can be flour and beer. I added in some hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Peruse your own spice rack and condiment shelf and get crazy. White or dark? Since were cutting the meat into nuggetsfigure a 2- by 1-inch rectanglewe want it to be relatively even and consistent to work with. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts fit this bill. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which had to go through a lot more to become boneless, do not. If you really prefer dark meat, you can adapt this for thighs, but the shapes will be less consistent, which will make the cooking a little trickier. Advertisement What to go with? Say beer batter and I always think fish and chips. But, since were already making chicken nuggets from scratch (pats on the back all around), we dont need to make French fries, too. Enter: tater tots! Bake these while you fry the tots. Its like youre in two places at once. Advertisement Advertisement Dipping sauce? Always. I opted for a homemade tartar, aka, mayo with a bunch of other stuff mixed in: pickles and capers, Dijon and horseradish, dill and parsley. Another option: secret sauce. Another: ketchup and mustard. See the full recipe on Food52. More from Food52 If I Can Make Fried Chicken, So Can You Kevin Gillespies Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce A Trick for Easier, Mess-Free Braising A Simple Frying Formula for Golden, Crisp DeliciousnessEvery Time Two Spicy, Saucy Reasons to Ditch the Wings on Super Bowl 38 Marinades & Dipping Sauces That Are Basically Dinner-in-a-Bottle Two baristas at a Duke University coffee shop were fired Monday after the vice president for student affairs complained about a rap song playing over the coffee shops speakers. The incident, which occurred on a campus Joe Van Gogh coffee shop on Friday, centered around the song Get Paid by Young Dolph. According to Indy Week, which reported the story, Larry Moneta, the vice president, heard the song as he was waiting to order a tea and muffin during the afternoon rush. The two baristas, Britni Brown and Kevin Simmons, said they played music from playlists created by Spotify. Advertisement According to Brown, who was in charge of the playlist that day, Moneta told her that the song was inappropriate when he reached the counter. She said he specifically had a problem with Ill eff you upside down, a phrase that is not in the song but that is also not very different from some of the other lyrics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown then said she stopped the song, offered him his muffin for free, and apologized. Moneta refused the offer and paid for his muffin. Brown said she soon afterward received a call from the owner of the North Carolina coffee chain, who asked about the incident and said the director of the universitys dining services had called him. Then, on Monday, Brown and Simmons were called to the chains office. According to Indy Week, which reports to have audio recording from the meeting, an employee for the coffee chain told Brown and Simmons that Duke University has instructed us to terminate the employees that were working that day. Advertisement The employee also said that both baristas were good employees, and Indy Week confirmed they had no record of misconduct. Brown complained that it was unfair to fire Simmons, who had no control over the music, and suggested the company had fired Simmons, a white man, to avoid the bad optics of firing a black woman. Brown also protested that she had not been told of any policies related to the music. When I got hired, the only thing that was expected for the music was for it to be cool music, she said. There was no training to make sure that your music was appropriate. Advertisement In a statement sent on Tuesday to the News & Observer, based in Raleigh, and the Duke Chronicle, Moneta said that he was shocked by lyrics quite inappropriate for a working environment that serves children among others. However, he did not demand the employees be fired, he said, but instead simply contacted the director of the dining services to tell them about the incident. I expressed my objections to the staff with whom Ive always had a cordial relationship, Moneta wrote. The employees who chose to play the song in a business establishment on the Duke campus made a poor decision which was conveyed to the JVG management. How they responded to the employees behavior was solely at their discretion. Its been pretty hard to predict which way the Republican Party would go of late, what with the whole Donald Trump situation, but anyone who bet big on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell celebrates a political enemys defeat by gleefully comparing himself to Pablo Escobar is cleaning up in the office pool tonight. After Don Blankenship lost the West Virginia primary on Tuesday, the official Twitter account for Team Mitch was there to rub saltor some other white powderin his wounds: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As The Hills Will Sommer noted on Twitter, the source image for McConnells tweet was this key art of Brazilian actor Wagner Moura playing Pablo Escobar on Netflixs Narcos: Advertisement Although McConnells decision to tweet a photograph of himself positively covered in cocaine is definitely unexpected, its not inexplicable. As you may recall, in the wee hours of his campaign Don Blankenship started calling McConnell Cocaine Mitch, for reasons that were very clear to Blankenship but difficult for him to communicate to others. The idea was apparently to hold a mirror up to Republican corruption, but as McConnell well knows, any mirror can be defused by the judicious application of dollar bills and white powder. So McConnell paid someone to hand-pick Netflix promotional materials, soak them in gasoline until Escobars shirt and chest hair separated out, then cut the results with copious amounts of lily-white Mitch to make it go further. How far did it go? All the way to the official Narcos Twitter account: Advertisement Thats promotional synergy so pure itll make Don Blankenships teeth numb. Srinagar, May 08(By Muddasir Ahmed): On May 4, Mohammad Rafi Bhat, assistant professor of sociology at University of Kashmir, gave his morning lecture, had tea with his colleagues and before leaving the campus at around 3 pm, informed his wife over the phone that he would be home by evening. There was nothing unusual about his activity, except that the 32-year-old teacher skipped perhaps for the first time his afternoon lecture. He, however, hurriedly told me on phone that he had some urgent work at home when I called him to inform that his students were waiting for him, said a scholar at the sociology department who didnt wish to be named. But when Rafi, as he was fondly known within the campus and his native village of Chundina in Ganderbal district, didnt reach home that night, his family filed a missing person report with the police the next morning. On the morning of May 6, a gunfight broke out between militants and security forces in Badingham village of Shopian district. Rafi, who completed his doctorate in sociology last November from the university, was among the five Hizbul Mujahideen rebels killed in the encounter, which also left dead its top commander Saddam Padder and one of the longest surviving militant in Kashmir, Adil Malik. Rafis transition from a rising star in the field of research to a militant and his subsequent killing in less than 40 hours reflects the tragedy that the Valley has been witnessing endlessly for past three decades. A call and a desperate attempt to save a son The Bhat family had just finished their morning tea when Abdul Rahim Bhats mobile rang, breaking the silence in the room. It was Rafi on the other side. But before Abdul Rahim could ask him about his sons whereabouts, Rafi interrupted: I am trapped in the cordon. Forgive me if I have hurt you. Abdul Rahim dropped the phone without listening any further, said Imtiyaz, Abdul Rahims elder son. The younger sons words had drowned the family into wails and shrieks. Desperate to save him, Abdul Rahim, a former government employee, decided to leave for Shopian. That is when he got a call from a J&K police official asking him to persuade Rafi to surrender. Without wasting any time, Abdul Rahim, Imtiyaz and Rafis wife set out for the site of the gunfight, 80 km away from their home. On the way, they picked up five scholars from the university with the hope that they would be able to convince their teacher to change his heart. But before the family could reach the encounter site, Rafi had met his end. At around 9 am, the forces launched a final assault on the house, killing all five rebels. The grieving family returned home with the bullet-riddled body of their professor-turned-militant son. A mentor lost For his students and colleagues, Rafi was a mentor and a loveable teacher who never shied away from helping his students. Soon after completing his PhD, he was selected as a faculty member in the department last year. He had been on top of the selection list. Rafi had passed the National Eligibility Test and was a senior research fellow with the University Grants Commission. He had a complete grip on his subject and had over a period of time developed a keen interest in sociology of religion, said one of his friends at the university. In the field of research, he was way ahead compared to his colleagues and even the faculty at the department his death is a tragedy for all of us. Rafi had at least 30 papers published in reputed national and international journals, such as Capitalism and Farmers Suicide in India; Stone Pelting in Kashmir: A Sociological Study and A Global Outlook on Contemporary Environmental Challenges Created by Capitalism. We lost a mentor, an intellectual and a teacher who would stand for his students in any situation, said Mir Suhail, a scholar at the sociology department. Last week, Rafi told his students that he had got a job at the Central University of Hyderabad, and would leave in a fortnight. The news had come as a shock for the students who had written a poem, trying to convince their teacher not to leave us alone. The poem, written in Urdu, was posted by Rafi on Facebook on the afternoon of May 4. You are like a shade in scorching sun, you are like a cool breeze, your words feel like a prayer, a cool & soothing breeze in scorching heat, reads the three-page poem. Gift from my students. I will remember your love and respect. Bless you all, Rafi had responded to the poem in his last Facebook post before setting out for Shopian to join militancy. His death has left the entire students community at the university in a shock. Disturbed by strife, killings His family members and colleagues at the university said they never got the inkling that Rafi would join militancy. He would always encourage his students to study and write about Kashmir. This is also a way to fight zulm (oppression), were his oft-repeated words to his students. One of the students, who had been close to Rafi for the past four years, however, said the ongoing killings and political strife in the Valley had left an impact on him. Every time there was a killing he would talk about unrest in his mind, the scholar said. Some of Rafis recent posts on Facebook reflected a feeling of desperation. By blocking all peaceful means of expressing dissent, what remains is self-defence against the armed forcesthe way forward is change in the status quo, where power wont be exercised for the sake of power, he wrote on April 18. If only we had been given a chance (by the forces) to talk to him, to convince himeverything was finished before we could do anything, a distraught Imtiyaz told The Wire. The Wire Richard Cordray, the former chief of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, defeated Dennis Kucinich on Tuesday night in Ohios gubernatorial primary, one of the few state races that may garner as much attention this busy election year as the congressional contests. At this point it seems like Cordrays win will be a double-digit blowoutfamiliar territory for Kucinich, a veteran long shot. But this was a different race than most contests that have featured Kucinich as an also-ran. This time, he was running against a progressive. Cordray supports free community college and universal pre-K, backs scaling up the minimum wage to $15, and has made protecting Ohios Medicaid expansionand the programs importance in fighting the opioid crisiscenterpieces of his campaign. His work at the CFPB to tighten rules on mortgage loan disclosures and payday lending, among other initiatives, earned him the praise of Elizabeth Warren. The Kucinich campaign tried to turn an A rating from the NRA, which Cordray received in his 2010 run for attorney general, into a dealbreaker for the post-Parkland electorate. It didnt stick, in part because Cordray supports background checks and bans on automatic-aping modifications for semi-automatic guns, even as he remains cagy on whether he supports an assault weapons ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On policy matters, Kucinichwho ran on instituting single payer in Ohio, increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour, tackling mass incarceration, and investing in infrastructure, among other proposalshas always had sterling progressive credentials, even if his grasp of reality has been questionable. Kucinich was endorsed in Ohios gubernatorial primary by the Bernie Sanders affiliated group Our Revolution. But when the New York Times asked the man himself whether he supported Kucinich last month, he demurred. Dennis is a verywhats the wordunusual politician, he offered. An accurate statement. Kucinich was widely mocked during the 2008 race for defending his belief in UFOs. A series of appearances on Fox News over the past year has made it clear that he believes, too, in a deep-state conspiracy against Donald Trump. In a representative appearance on Hannity last May, Kucinch argued that the Trump presidency was being derailed by dangerous subversives. You have a politicization of the agencies that is resulting in leaks from anonymous, unknown people and the intention is to take down a president, he said. This is very dangerous for America. Its a threat to our republic. By that point, hed already been caping for Trump for several months. In a now deleted tweet, he praised Trumps Inauguration Day speech, which carried warnings about immigrant gangs and drugs responsible for American carnage. Donald Trumps message of unity is critical at this moment, he said in a follow-up message on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Kucinich has been trying to secure a foothold somewhere in the discourse for some time now. In 2015, he made an appearance at CPAC, not long before showing up at Burning Mans Global Leadership Conference. Of course, the waning days of the Obama presidency were wilderness years for progressive Democrats in general, unsure as they were if they would even have a candidate to challenge the Clinton juggernaut in 2016. They eventually got one in Sanders, although his understated entry into the race and not-ready-for-prime-time campaign operation initially suggested his impact on the race would be something like Kucinichs marginal presence in 2008. As we know now, Sanders did remarkably well and is the most likely culprit for the rapid leftward shift currently underway among the partys presidential contenders to be. Advertisement Advertisement It should be said, though, that Sanders accomplished this by running several paces to the right of Dennis Kucinichs 2008 platform, which remains the most ambitious progressive agenda yet advanced by a presidential candidate so far this century. It will be fascinating to see how much of Kucinichs then-quixotic proposals will have been adopted by the partys leaders come 2020. Single payer and marijuana legalization are already essentially sure bets. Free college proposals are now a part of the policy conversation. We can count, too, on Democrats pushing for solutions to racial inequities in policing, which Kucinich highlighted as a candidate years before the Trayvon Martin shooting ushered in a new era of activism on the issue, and for voting rights reforms, including the enfranchisement of felons, which Kucinich pushed long before new voter ID laws and post-2010 redistricting captured the attention of liberal pundits. Its plausible that well hear Kucinich-esque proposals on expanding federal support for public housing and guaranteeing free universal pre-K too. Advertisement Advertisement Kucinichs 2008 platform also included a massive infrastructure investment program designed in the spirit of a jobs guarantee. Where the private sector fails to provide jobs, his website read, the public sector has a moral responsibility to do so. Weeks ago, Kirsten Gillibrand, formerly one of the partys foremost centrists, tweeted something similar in support for a full guarantee that wouldve been well to Kucinichs left 10 years ago. The Kucinich 2008 platform was, as a whole, sweeping in breadth and ambition. There were provisions on everything from scaling back American military operations abroad and nuclear disarmament to ending sweatshops and public land forestry. It wont be fully topped by a Democratic contender anytime soon, even given the moves left the partys leaders seem to be making. It is, though, a rough outline of the road Democrats now find themselves on, having left Kucinich behind for a future illuminated, in part, by many of his ideas. Its unusual for a candidate to come out to his election night party during the early portion of vote-counting to gab with reporters about how badly hes doing. But Don Blankenship is unusual. The news so far is not very good, Blankenship said, according to reporters in attendance, while about 20 percent of the vote was in, showing him in third place in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate nomination in West Virginia. At this point its not nearly what I hoped it would be. Advertisement Despite panic among national Republicans that Blankenship was surging in support in the days leading up to the West Virginia primary, his campaign fizzled on Tuesday. He will not be the Republican nominee challenging Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. Perhaps President Trump has been successful, Blankenship said, in reference to the presidents tweet on Monday urging West Virginia Republicans to support either West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey or Rep. Evan Jenkins. Blankenship would later tell a New York Times reporter that he felt Trumps tweet cost him 10 points, saying that when youre 84 percent positive like Trump is, it can be big. Former Alabama Sen. Luther Strange might be scratching his head at that one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blankenship eventually finished third, with about 20 percent of the votewell behind Morrisey, who won about 35 percent of the vote. Advertisement One can already hear Senate Republicans screaming in celebration that they successfully avoided nominating a cartoon character this go-around in a state that Trump won by 40 points. Though Morrisey, the winner, endured some lasting blows in his scorching campaign against Jenkins, and wasnt the establishments top preferencethat honor belonged to Jenkinsthe GOP has ensured that a legitimate politician who has never had 29 coal miners die under his watch as a CEO will be the partys nominee. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellwhom Blankenship labeled Cocaine Mitch and whose wifes family Blankenship attacked with racist conspiracieswill be pleased, in his own way. His social media team certainly is. As will be the senators who wont have to answer questions on Wednesday about whether they support Blankenships candidacy. A quick survey of Republican senators on Tuesday indicated that they werent eager to rally to Blankenships side. Advertisement Thats a hypothetical, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, said, briefly, before elevator doors closed. Id have a hard time with that, Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe said. Hes not my favorite person. Advertisement Sen. Pat Roberts, knee-deep in farm bill negotiations, claimed he hadnt heard about Blankenship. I dont know what the hell youre talking about, he told reporters. Ive got enough problems without trying to figure out who Im for in West Virginia. Only Georgia Sen. David Perdue seemed fine with Blankenship winning, were it to happen, even if it wasnt his first choice. Even that guy, if he espouses the beliefs that we stand for, will be better than what weve been getting, he told reporters. Because what weve been getting [with Manchin] is basically lined up with Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. Thats not in line with the people of West Virginia. He said he wasnt worried about whether McConnell would be able to patch things up with Blankenship, either. Sen. McConnell was called a liar on the floor of the United States Senate by a sitting senator, remember that? Three years ago. He was referring to an incident involving Sen. Ted Cruz. (Among senators, being called a name on the Senate floor is a far greater affront than having your wife attacked with racist nonsense.) Advertisement Advertisement Look at what Sen. McConnell did: He rose above it, Perdue said. Hes dealt with that individual, and theyve moved on. Advertisement Now McConnell wont have to rise above anything with Blankenship, who will be returning in defeat to his Las Vegas mansion to lay by his infinity pool instead of going to Washington. (After a brief sojourn to Paris, of course. The man is an enigma.) McConnell wont have to share any thoughts with the press about how he and the party intend to deal with Blankenship on Wednesday, as he said that he would in the event of a Blankenship win. And yet a charmless, racist ex-con coal baron, whose presence in any given room noticeably lowers its temperature, winning more than 20 percent of the primary vote in a must-win contest is still not an excellent sign of health for the majority party. The GOP is struggling to convince Republican primary voters that their existing emissaries to Washington deserve promotions for the bang-up job theyve been doing. Two Republican congressmen went down in Indianas Senate primary, and Jenkins couldnt pull it off in West Virginia. (Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci, at least, was able to win his Senate primary against soft opposition.) Advertisement Despite a decent slew of accomplishments for members to run onfrom tax cuts to deregulation to judges to repeal of Obamacares individual mandate, along with a strong economymuch of the Republican base seems just as mad at their elected officials in Washington as they were during the Obama years. Advertisement South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds, earlier on Tuesday, wouldnt say whether he would support Blankenship if he won, and seemed queasy just thinking about it. Most of us are simply hoping that we dont have to face that particular choice, he told reporters. But theres a bigger problem that they still have to reckon with. Washington D.C. is broken, and most of America understands that, he said. Most Americans will say, I see $20-plus trillion in debt. I see trillion dollar deficits on the horizon, and I dont see the plan for fixing that problem. When we dont do a good job of expressing how were going to fix that the American people get frustrated and have a tendency to send people who break things. It just didnt work out for the breaker this time. To Paris! On Tuesday, Michael Avenatti produced a bombshell allegation: A corporate fund that seemed to be controlled by Russian oligarch and close Putin ally Viktor Vekselberg had paid $500,000 to Michael Cohens bank account in the initial months of Trumps presidency. The New York Times and NBC quickly verified the core of Avenattis claim. The firm, meanwhile, denied that Vekselberg was involved in the payment, claiming Cohen was hired as a consultant on real estate and other investment opportunities. Advertisement Talk of a smoking gun here would be premature. But the new evidence provides a preview of what a smoking gun might look like and a road map for how to find it in the developing case against President Donald Trump. These allegations are not just about a hush payment and campaign finance felonies. This is a significant step toward establishing quid pro quo bribery and conspiracy against the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, Vekselberg recently increased his share to 26.5 percent in the aluminum firm Rusal. That firm was owned by Oleg Deripaska, the Russian billionaire whose ties to former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort are under scrutiny by special counsel Robert Mueller. Two of Vekselbergs American partners, meanwhile, donated more than $1 million to Trumps inaugural committee and Vekselberg also had business ties to Trumps Commerce Secretary Wilbur L. Ross. Advertisement Now, Congress has been legislating tougher sanctions against Putin and Russia over the past year by sweeping, close-to-unanimous bipartisan majorities. But the Trump administration has been softening or delaying those sanctions at every turn. Last month, the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control finally implemented congressional sanctions against Deripaska and Rusal, in addition to other Russians. The Treasury Department cited allegations that Deripaska ordered the murder of a businessman and had links to a Russian organized crime group. But on April 23, the Trump administration announced major delays on implementation, slow-rolling the sanctions seemingly to give Rusal time to minimize the damage and to appeal the sanctions. Treasury gave Rusal an extension to next October, and Reuters reported the department would consider lifting [the sanctions] if United Company Rusal PLCs major shareholder, Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska, ceded control of the company, which he soon did. Given the impact on our partners and allies, we are extending the maintenance and wind-down period while we consider RUSALs petition, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Given the outrageous conduct of Putin and Deripaska, and given the almost unanimous votes in Congress to impose tough sanctions, these accommodations should have been considered stunning. As of Tuesday night, they stink to high heaven. And the question must be raised: Was there a quid pro quo understanding between Vekselberg and Trump associates in January 2017? It is crucial to remember here what was happening in December 2016 and January 2017 in regard to Russia sanctions. Heres what I summarized in an earlier Slate piece on Kushner, Qatar, and Russian money: The Steele dossier alleged that Russians had made a deal with Trump associates for the Russians to sell Rosneft, the massive state energy company, and use the commissions to give Trump associates payments under the radar, in return for lifting or softening sanctions. The Rosneft sale went through in December 2016, a month after the election, coinciding with Jared Kushner, Michael Flynn, and Carter Pages various alleged communications with Russians. Just eight days before this oil megadeal, Flynn and Kushner met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at Trump Tower, and Kushner reportedly proposed a secret communication link with the Kremlin through the Russian embassy. Then, a few days after the Rosneft deal, Kushner met Sergey Gorkov, chairman of Russias government-owned VE Bank, or VEB, and Putins close confidant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysts have described VEB as Putins private slush fund, a source of money independent from official Russia budgeting. VEB is under strict U.S. sanctions. Gorkov reportedly flew to Japan to meet with Putin practically immediately. On Dec. 29, President Barack Obama ordered new Russian sanctions for election hacking and interferenceand Flynn reportedly had five calls with Kislyak. We later learned that they discussed Russian sanctions after Flynn pleaded guilty to lying about this fact to federal investigators. Trump tweeted about Putin the next day, calling him very smart for not responding to Obamas sanctions before Trump has had a chance to transition into office. Weve now learned, in the very next month after the Kushner/Flynn back-channel contacts with Russia, the Vekselberg-connected payments to Cohen began. And they occurred, inexplicably enough, after the Steele dossier was published. Again, this is all clearly now a subject of Muellers probe. As the New York Times first reported last week, Muellers agents questioned Vekselberg when he flew into New York earlier this year. CNN reported on Tuesday that they asked him about these particular payments. What might be the plausible innocent explanation for a Putin-associated Russian oligarch, to use Rudy Giulianis phrase, funneling money to Trumps personal lawyer through a fund used to pay hush money to one or more women and as that oligarch was due to benefit from Trumps sanction policies? Maybe they have an explanation, but its hard to imagine it, and its hard to imagine how persuasive a jury would find it. Advertisement Advertisement The Avenatti document, meanwhile, suggests a road map for trying to substantiate this hypothetical. The first part of Avenattis summary offers more detail for the allegation that Cohen may have committed bank fraud, misrepresenting the reasons for opening his bank account. Ive explained in an earlier piece how this is one of several federal and state crimes that Cohen is potentially facing. He is also still on the hook for possible campaign finance felonies, even if one accepts all of Giulianis spin about reimbursement. Furthermore, Avenatti suggests that California has jurisdiction over these possible crimes, opening up another set of state and federal prosecutors who could potentially bring charges. Which is all just to say, there is more pressure on Cohen to cooperate with Mueller and other prosecutors than ever. If he were to flip, he would presumably have to provide insight into what these payments were for. Advertisement Advertisement This new information about Vekselberg potentially puts pressure on other witnesses as well. Who else in Trumps orbit had contact with Vekselberg, and might they have more information about the communications and intent behind the payments? Rick Gates, Manaforts former deputy who has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and lying to investigators, was also helping with the transition as these events were unfolding. What has Gates already told Mueller in exchange for a plea deal and what might he have to say now? Vekselberg was also at the Moscow dinner attended by Putin and Michael Flynn. What has Flynn told Mueller? One road to proving any conspiracy now clearly goes through Vekselberg, those who were in contact with him, and those who may have been paid off by him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, even if Trump denies that he knew about any of the questionable Cohen payments, he still might not be off the hook. If it can be demonstrated that he found out later about an illegal payment but sought to cover it up, Trump might have committed one of the following felonies: a) being an accessory after the fact (18 U.S.C. 3), b) misprision of a felony (18 USC 4, especially by a public official), and c) obstruction of justice. Im setting aside the other details being reported about payments from AT&T, Novartis, and Korea Aerospace to Cohen. Pay-to-play is scandalous, but federal law only prohibits a surprisingly narrow set of payments as pay-to-play violations, and it is not clear that any of these payments would violate those regulations. After the Supreme Courts unfortunate decision in McDonnell in 2016, it is exceedingly difficult to prove quid pro quo for bribery. Just as it is difficult to prove quid pro quo bribery by these firms, it would be difficult to prove bribery for the Russian payments, even if thats what these are. But they strengthen the proof for probable cause, which is the standard for warrants and indictments. And any forthcoming indictments and warrants stemming from this line of inquiry will lead to increasing pressure on apparent co-conspirators, like Cohen, who in turn can help a jury, the public, and perhaps Congress, find proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Multiple media reports have confirmed details of Stormy Daniels attorney Michael Avenattis bombshell Tuesday claim that the Michael Cohenaffiliated shell company that paid Daniels $130,000 for her participation in a nondisclosure agreementEssential Consultants LLClater received large sums from companies that have been or could have been affected by Trump administration decisions. Those companies are now attempting to explain why they paid Cohenor, that is, attempting to explain why they paid him without using the words bribery and/or cash-for-access contribution to a sleazy hush-money slush fundand the results are, simply put, ridiculous. Advertisement Bear in mind before you read these that Essential Consultants LLC describes itself in court documents as a single-member LLC, which means that it is solely owned by Cohen. It was created and registered in Delaware less than a month before the 2016 election and does not have any known employees, website, or physical office space. Avenattis report indicates that it identified itself to one bank as a real estate consulting company that collects fees for investment consulting work. Cohen is an attorney with a background in real estate, personal-injury law, and the New York City taxi business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what the various corporate entities say they paid Michael Cohens paper company for. Korean Aerospace Industries, a defense contractor, said it paid $150,000 to Essential Consultants for legal consulting concerning accounting standards on production costs and told the Washington Post that it was not aware that Cohen had a connection to Donald Trump. (Cohen has represented the Trump Organization and Trump personally for more than a decade, in which time he has also acted as a Trump spokesman and campaign surrogate.) Advertisement AT&T said in a statement that it paid Cohen to help us understand how the President and his administration might approach a wide range of policy issues important to the company, including regulatory reform at the FCC, corporate tax reform and antitrust enforcement. Cohen reportedly received $600,000 from the company. The Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis says it hired Cohen to advise the company as to how the Trump administration might approach certain U.S. healthcare policy matters, including the Affordable Care Act. Amazingly, Novartis says, it agreed to a $1.2 million contract with Cohen in February 2017 but didnt even meet with him until a month later, at which point it determined that [he] would be unable to provide the services that Novartis had anticipated related to U.S. healthcare policy matters and made the decision not to engage further with him. (A Novartis employee told the health care publication Stat that Cohen contacted the companys former CEO around the time of Trumps inauguration and offered his services helping obtain access to Trump and his advisers. Stat notes dryly that the employee could not explain why Novartis would have agreed to a deal with a lawyer with no background in health care and without deep Washington ties. A spokesman for the company called its involvement with Cohen a mistake.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Columbus Nova, a New York investment firm, paid Cohen $500,000 to work as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures. Columbus Novas CEO is the cousin of a Russian billionaire named Viktor Vekselberg who controls a holding company called the Renova Group. A lawyer for Columbus Nova told the New York Times that the company is solely owned and controlled by Americans; as of last year, however, the Renova Groups own website listed Columbus Nova as a subsidiary. (The pages on which that information appears have since been taken offline.) Columbus Novas attorney also said that any insinuation that its payment to Cohen was related to Vekselberg, who has been personally affected by the economic sanctions against Russia that Trump has been hesitant to impose, is patently untrue. Advertisement So, these four entities paid a former personal-injury lawyers zero-employee paper company millions of dollars for advice about accounting standards, telecom reform, tax policy, antitrust law, the Affordable Care Act, and high-end investment opportunities in the same period that said company was also involved in nondisclosure payments to a pornographic actress and a Playboy playmate. Also, one of the companies that paid Cohen is now downplaying a previously disclosed connection to a Russian billionaire who has been affected by the type of sanctions that have been the subject of several suspicious interactions between Trump advisers and agents of the Russian government. Normal. Very normal stuff! Super normal! This could be big: News that multiple corporations, including one associated with Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, donated to a fund used to pay Stormy Daniels her hush fee has Frank Bowman thinking that the president and his lawyer are now more likely than ever to turn on each other. And Jed Shugerman thinks this could be the evidence that leads to proof of collusion. Good ideas: Dennis Kucinich did not prevail in the Ohio gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, but, Osita Nwanevu argues, the progressive platform he constructed for his 2008 presidential run is going to be the future of the Democratic Party. Signs of trouble: Its only been a day since the president announced hes pulling out of the Iran deal. Josh Keating rounds up the many indications that the decision has already destabilized the Middle East. It wont go away: People in India love watching Friends. Paroma Soni once did, toobefore she got woke. Now she worries about the gender stereotypes the show still spreads there. For fun: Fans of Grimes and Elon Musk seem confused, but largely happy. Go, Grusk, Rebecca Businessman Mike Braun won the Republican Senate primary in Indiana on Tuesday, defeating a pair of U.S. congressmen he branded as swamp creatures along the way. With 75 percent of precincts reporting, Braun led Rep. Luke Messer by roughly 11 points and Rep. Todd Rokita by 12. Braun will now face Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in the general election in a state Donald Trump won by 19 points in 2016. Braun, a former state lawmaker, came out of nowhere to surprise Messer and Rokita, long-time political rivals who began the year as co-favorites. Braun found success with a buzzy campaign ad in which he carried around life-sized cardboard cutouts of the two congressman, asking voters if they could tell the difference between the two. (Spoiler: They could not.) Braun also was helped by the millions of his own money that he loaned or gave to his campaign, which allowed him to easily outspend both of his rivals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike some other GOP Senate primaries on Tuesday, the White House stayed out of this intra-party contest, which turned so nasty that one Republican National Committee official began to worry aloud that it doubled as free opposition research for Donnelly and his team. Rokita and Messer hit Braun for his past votes in Democratic primaries, including in 2008 when Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were both running. They also highlighted his 2017 vote in the state Legislature to raise Indiana fuel taxes. While the three candidates took aim at one another, they each professed their love for the president. Braun aired an ad saying that he was running because President Trump paved the way. Rokita proudly put on a Make America Great Again hat in one of his spots. And Messer, who also name-dropped Trump in his ads, claimed to be working to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump was ready to repay the favors even before the nomination was settled. Last week, Trumps re-election campaign announced that he and Pence would travel to Indiana on Thursday for a rally to remind voters of the importance of replacing Senator Joe Donnelly with our GOP nominee. Advertisement The seat is one of the GOPs best pick-up opportunities this fall. Donnelly got a gift six years ago on his way to winning his first term when his GOP opponent declared on a debate stage that a woman who gets impregnated by her rapist is carrying a gift from God, and therefore should not be allowed to have an abortion. Two weeks later, Donnelly won his race by 6 percentage points on the same day Mitt Romney won the state by 10 points. Hell have a more difficult go this time around and has already begun talking up his own agreement with Trump on some issues. The Mormon church announced it will end its centurylong relationship with the Boy Scouts, an organization the church has supported as its largest sponsor in the United States. In a joint statement with the Boy Scouts of America, the church said on Tuesday that it would end its relationship with the Scouts in December 2019 and work toward developing its own youth leadership and development program. Until then, it would remain a fully engaged partner and encourage Mormon boys ages 8 to 13 to participate in the programs and members of the church to continue to support the programs financially. Advertisement The church did not say exactly why it was cutting ties with the Boy Scouts, other than the international growth of the church: In this century of shared experience, the Church has grown from a U.S.-centered institution to a worldwide organization, with a majority of its membership living outside the United States. That trend is accelerating. The Church has increasingly felt the need to create and implement a uniform youth leadership and development program that serves its members globally. In so doing, it will be necessary for the Church to discontinue its role as a chartered partner with BSA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a church statement about the proposed replacement program, the church has been making plans for years to build a youth initiative for boys and girlsthough its unclear if they are to be separated by gender or notto discover their eternal identity, build character and resilience, develop life skills, and fulfill their divine roles as daughters and sons of God. Advertisement According to the Associated Press, the Mormon church already pulled the 185,000 boys from age 14 to 18 in the Boy Scouts last year, signaling the partnerships end to come. The 425,000 younger boys who remained represented around 18 percent of the programs members, according to the AP. While the church did not cite changes in the Boy Scouts in explaining its decision, the announcement comes just a week after the organization said it will change the name of its flagship program to Scouts BSA due to the integration of female members. The organization announced it would open the program to girls in October last year. Girls have already begun entering the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts program for younger children. Advertisement The church expressed concern with the Boy Scouts in 2015 when the organization announced it was allowing gay troop leaders. It chose to remain affiliated with the organization when it was told it would not have to allow gay troop leaders in its affiliated programs. In a statement, the Boy Scouts said it would continue to welcome any Mormon scouts who wished to remain in the program: There are many religiously-affiliated programs that are offered alongside Scouting, and as such, we are confident that many LDS Scouting families will go on to enjoy Scouting for years to comecontinuing the legacy of LDS youth who have become Eagle Scouts and community leaders. Three American prisoners have been released from North Korea, President Donald Trump announced in a tweet Wednesday morning. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Advertisement The three prisoners, American citizens of Korean ancestry, were believed to be the only American prisoners in North Korea. According to the New York Times, their release was a condition for talks between Trump and North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman for South Koreas President Moon Jae-in said the release was very positive for a successful North Korean-United States summit, according to the Times. According to Trumps tweets, the prisoners were freed after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited North Korea to discuss the expected meeting between the two world leaders. Secretary Pompeo and his guests will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Advertisement The action represents a goodwill gesture from a nation known for its antagonism, unpredictability, and human rights violations. It follows an April announcement from Kim that North Korea would halt all nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests. Advertisement Kim Dong-chul, Tony Kim, and Kim Hak-song were seized and held on charges of espionage and hostile acts. Trump previously asserted incorrectly that the Obama administration failed to secure their releasetwo of the three hostages were detained after Trump took office. According to the Washington Post, none of the three men had been seen since June, when a State Department official was allowed to briefly see them while retrieving Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student who was arrested in North Korea for allegedly trying to steal a propaganda poster. Warmbier was released after falling into a coma, and he died soon after. His parents have sued North Korea over his death, claiming their son was brutally tortured and murdered. It appears the Iran nuclear deal will survive without the United States for the time being. Frances Emmanuel Macron spoke with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday, following Donald Trumps announcement that the U.S. will be withdrawing from the deal, and the two agreed to work toward the continued implementation of the nuclear deal and maintaining regional stability, according to the French presidents office. Rouhani had warned on Tuesday that Iran could start enriching uranium again without any limitations after the U.S. withdrawal, but he emphasized that the JCPOA was a multilateral pactsigned by Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the European Unionand that his government would consult with those countries before abandoning the pact. Advertisement Still, the future of the deal is shaky without U.S. participation. The U.S. decision to reimpose the sanctions that had been lifted under the JCPOA will affect the European firms that have invested in Iran since it was signed, although its unclear exactly how. Even if European countries arent abandoning the deal, U.S. sanctions could hamper companies that also do business in the U.S. or use American banks. The promised sanctions-relief windfall had already been slow to reach ordinary Iranians, and the meager economic growth was one factor behind the anti-government protests that broke out across the country this year. The return of U.S. sanctionsand the new ones Trump has vaguely promisedwill make it harder for Rouhanis government to defend its participation in the deal from hard-line critics. By far the most important of those critics, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was always skeptical of the nuclear deal, said Wednesday that Iran needs nuclear power. The Iranian government has insisted that its pre-JCPOA nuclear program was peaceful, despite the skepticism of Western governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even with the deal still technically in place, there were alarming signs today of rising tensions in the region, pitting Iran and its proxies against U.S. allies. Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired a salvo of missiles at the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, on Wednesday, which Saudi authorities say were intercepted in the air. The Saudi government had strong reservations about the nuclear deal and praised Trumps decision to withdraw on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia has also led an increasingly deadly and controversial military intervention in neighboring Yemen since 2015, against the Houthis, who it considers to be Iranian proxies. Last week the New York Times reported that U.S. Army special forces had been deployed last year to the Saudi-Yemeni border to help Saudi forces locate and destroy Houthi missiles, a much more direct and substantial level of U.S. involvement in the war than had previously been acknowledged. Advertisement Syrian media reported on Tuesday that Israel had launched a missile strike against a military outpost near Damascus. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the missiles likely targeted rocket launchers belonging to Irans Revolutionary Guard, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Advertisement Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been the worlds most prominent critic of the Iran deal, going back to his 2015 address to Congress and culminating with last weeks presentation of seized documents purportedly showing Iranian deceit over its nuclear ambitions. Netanyahu praised Trumps historic move to withdraw from the deal on Tuesday. The Israel Defense Forces also called up reserves, and authorities in the Golan Heights opened civilian shelters, in response to reports of irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria and fears that those forces could retaliate against Trumps withdrawal by striking Israel. U.S. forces say they saw no unusual activity, and things have now returned to normal in the Golan Heights. Advertisement Advertisement Critics of the Iran deal have charged that it did nothing to addressand may have even encouragedIrans expansionist policies in the Middle East. Defenders countered that this was never the point: If Iran is going to be pressuring its neighbors, its better that it cant do it with nuclear weapons. Now that Irans enemies in the Middle East, with U.S. backing, appear to be inching closer to direct confrontation with the Islamic Republic and the deal is on life support, the region may end up with the worst of both worlds: violent conflict between Iran and its rivals as well as an unfettered Iranian nuclear program. A version of this piece first appeared on the blog Impeachable Offenses. I have been extremely reluctant to speculate about whether the investigations by special counsel Robert Mueller and other federal law enforcement authorities will produce results that could present a real danger to the Trump presidency. I retain that reluctance. But Tuesday nights reports that over the past year or so multiple corporations, including one associated with Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, deposited large sums in an account held by a shell company controlled by Michael Cohen, Trumps personal lawyer, have a different feel than anything thats come before. Advertisement In sum, Cohen created a company called Essential Consultants LLC. One or more bank accounts in the name of that company were used to make the 2016 hush payment to adult entertainer Stormy Daniels. In addition, during 2017 and early 2018, the same account(s) received the following deposits: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement $500,000 from Columbus Nova, an investment firm in New York whose biggest client is a company controlled by oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, a Putin associate who recently became the subject of American sanctions Roughly $400,000 from Novartis Investments S.A.R.L., a subsidiary of Novartis, the multinational pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland $150,000 from Korea Aerospace, which according to the New York Times, has teamed with the American defense contractor Lockheed Martin in competing for a multibillion-dollar contract to provide trainer jets for the United States Air Force that is expected to be awarded this year Advertisement $200,000 from AT&T Columbus Nova claimed that the money was for an investment consulting arrangement commenced shortly after the Trump inauguration but later terminated. The results of those inquiries are quite likely to add to the growing legal pressure on Cohen. AT&T has said that, Essential Consulting was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration, adding that, [t]hey did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017. There are two important threads here. First, this presents perhaps the first link between a very close Trump associate and a high-level Russian actor where the connection is not merely a meeting or solicitation with debatable objectives and uncertain results. The money is real and undeniable, and not even Russian billionaires pay people half-a-million dollars without some expectation of return on the investment. Exactly what the money was for remains to be seen, but it will have to be explained. Advertisement Advertisement Moreover, this story should be seen in conjunction with the excellent reporting over the past few days by both the Washington Post and the New York Times about the finances of both the Trump Organization and Michael Cohen. The Post details the Trump Organizations sudden shift in around 2006 from financing acquisitions through debt to making huge purchases totaling in the hundreds of millions of dollars with cash. It is possible, as Eric Trump has claimed, that the change occurred because other Trump properties were generating so much cash that debt financing was no longer necessary. But given Trumps career-long failure to achieve that level of profitability, that explanation seems at least questionable. Although it is far too early to reach any conclusion, the speculation that the cash may have come from sources like Russian oligarchs and others looking to park shady money is not far-fetched. After all, back in 2014, before Trump became a candidate and the Russia connection became politically hazardous, Eric Trump bragged that the Trumps had access to huge quantities of Russian money. Advertisement Advertisement The Times maps what it calls Cohens shadowy business empire, in which connections to Russians and Ukrainians of doubtful probity seem disturbingly common. Advertisement The more the connections between Trumps people and Russia are measurable in dollars and cents, the harder it will be for Republicans who retain any measure of intellectual honesty to dismiss the Russia investigation as a witch hunt. And that in turn should give Mueller and the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of New York both more time and solid legal reasons to perform a full analysis of the Trump Organizations entanglements with Russia and perhaps other questionable sources of financing. Second, the other side of the story is the fat paychecks for Cohen from corporations with an obvious interest in currying favor with Cohens client, the newly minted president of the United States. Those companies are going to have to answer a lot of pointed questions about what they thought they were buying. And I suspect either Mueller or the Southern District is going to dig deeply into the question of what Cohen was selling. The results of those inquiries are quite likely to add to the growing legal pressure on Cohen. Moreover, the existence of large payments to Cohen by corporations with obvious interests in influencing the White House will put pressure on Trump to disavow his former lackey. Which should in turn increase the likelihood that an abandoned Cohen will agree to cooperate against his faithless boss. This is getting interesting. By Mohammad Suhail Ashmuji (Kulgam) May 09: Curtailment of his religious freedom made Adil Ahmad Ganaie quit a lucrative job in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and dedicate himself to religion, so much so that he recently became one of the youngest members (Rukn) of the Jamaat-e-Islami. A 27-year-old becoming a full-fledged member of the Jamaat is no mean feat, for it takes an extremely dedicated, disciplined and religiously motivated man to break into the ranks of the outfit. Adil, the younger son of Bashir Ahmad Ganaie of Mahgund village in Ashmuji, here in Kulgam district, had everything it took to achieve the feat. Apart from that, he also had a masters in sociology. But all that is history now and would probably be forgotten after some time, for Adil is no more. He was shot at and killed by government forces in one of the three firing incidents that took place around the site of the encounter on Sunday in Badigam village of Shopian district. Adil was hit by a bullet in the firing by government forces at nearby Nagbal village. On Sunday morning, the Ganaie family was worried about how to arrange a rare blood group for Adils sister-in-law, who was about to deliver a baby. Adil called some friends and said he would go get the blood arranged. He left home never to come back, his father, Bashir, a mason by profession, told Kashmir Reader. He said he remained under the impression that Adil had gone out to fetch the blood. At about 1:30 PM we got a call from Kulgam district hospital, informing us about his killing, Bashir said. He said he had no idea what led Adil to the site of the encounter, instead of getting the blood for his sister-in-law. The family does not even know where exactly of the three firing incidents was Adil shot at and who took him to hospital. The mourning family described Adil as a very religious man, who was compelled by family members to join the CRPF given the financial conditions at home. I forced him to join CRPF in 2010. He stayed for more than 10 months in training at Bhopal. But then he could take no more and returned home, Adils elder brother, Mushtaq Ahmad, said. He said that Adil was once punished and made to sit in the sun for six hours for reciting Azaan (the call for prayer) at a local mosque near his training camp in Bhopal. Besides not being allowed to offer namaz, the regular alcohol consumption by almost everyone at the camp, including people who cooked food for them, was too much to accept for him, Mushtaq said. After quitting the CRPF job, Adil started working as a teacher at a private school in Ashmuji. He taught at a few private schools and for the past several years was presently teaching at Phool Band School (PBS) at Ashmuji, the family said. Apart from his teaching duties, Adil administered more than 7 darsgahs where religious teachings were imparted to local kids. He also taught at most of these darsgahs. He never missed a prayer and followed religion in letter and spirit, Mushtaq said. I think that is why he was given membership of Jamaat at such a young age. Despite his religious bent of mind, the family said they were not able to come to terms with the fact that Adil went to the site of an encounter. And that, too, at a time when we were desperately looking for blood for my wife, Mushtaq said. Adil is no longer in the world to explain what led him to the place where he was killed. At her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Gina Haspel, President Trumps nominee to be CIA director, probably said enough of the right things to get her the job, but her evasions on key questions about her views on torturenow and at the time she ran a secret detention siteclearly rankled Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee, who seemed to be looking for a reason to support her but not having much success. Haspel, the first woman ever nominated for the job, is currently the CIAs deputy director and its acting director since Mike Pompeo left to become secretary of state. Nearly as significant, she has spent her entire 33-year career in the agencys clandestine services serving seven foreign tours, four as station chief. That sort of experience accounts for both the appeal and the distaste of her nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CIA workers, as well as several former directors, have endorsed her nomination with enthusiasm. Not since 1991, with the confirmation of Robert Gates, has a career intelligence officer risen from within to the agencys top slot. Not since 1973, with William Colby, has a career operative in the clandestine service done so. Many CIA insiders are suspicious of outsiders who take the reins at Langley. Given Trumps harsh attacks on the agencys work, especially its conclusions about Russias interference in the 2016 election, CIA employees also welcome a director with deep loyalties to the agency. Haspel was asked at the hearing whether she agreed with the agencys assessment of Russian interference. She said that she does. Advertisement However, this loyalty, especially to the covert branches, also raises special concerns. Haspel is known to have supervised a black sitea secret detention center for extreme interrogation of terrorist suspectswhile she was stationed in Thailand. She was also chief of staff to Jose Rodriguez, the head of the CIAs clandestine service, when he destroyed videotapes showing agency officers torturing suspects in 2002, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. Democratic senators made the point that the CIA director serves as Americas face in several international forums and wondered whether that face should belong to someone whohowever qualified she might be on other groundswas a participant in one of the agencys, and the nations, darkest chapters Advertisement Advertisement Loch Johnson, a professor at the University of Georgia and the author of several respected histories of the CIA, said in an email shortly after the hearing, The torture program was devastating to our moral standing in the world, and now a person who was up to her scuppers in the program is about to be the agencys director? He added, Haspel is hardly the only viable inside female candidate for the job. A female analystas opposed to an operativemight be a better choice, as she would be untainted by the association. Advertisement In fact, Susan Gordon, the CIAs principal deputy director for national intelligence,* is said to be a backup candidate for the top job if Haspel is rejected. (Gordon was one of several CIA officials who attended Wednesdays hearing as Haspels supportive guests.) Former CIA Director Mike Hayden, who has called Haspel the best choice to be the agencys director, said in an email that Gordon would be the second best pick. Advertisement Haspel declined to discuss her work at the black sitesor, in fact, any details about her assignments over the decadesin the open hearing Wednesday morning. (A classified session was scheduled to take place behind closed doors in the afternoon.) However, the subject of tortureor what used to be officially called enhanced interrogationcame up repeatedly, to mixed effect. Advertisement Her answers turned slippery when the questions grew more specific. In her favor, Haspel declared, in her opening statement, I can offer my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that, under my leadership, on my watch, CIA will not restart a detention and interrogation program. Under questioning, she went further, testifying that she would not permit the programs resumption under any circumstances, even if Trump ordered her to restart it. Advertisement However, her answers turned slippery when the questions grew more specific. A few senators pressed her on what she thought about waterboarding and other forms of torture not just legally but morally, at the time and in retrospect. She never quite gave an answer. She was especially evasive under questioning from Sen. Kamala Harris, a Democrat from California. I believe that CIA did extraordinary work to prevent another attack on our country, given the legal tools, Haspel said. When Harris reasked the question, she replied, I support the higher moral standard weve decided to adoptreferring to the agencys decision, in the years since the tortures, to abide by the U.S. Armys field manual on interrogation, which explicitly forbids some of the methods that the CIA used to employ, including waterboarding. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, asked, Should CIA be in the business of interrogating detainees? Haspel replied, Were not in the business of interrogating detainees. Advertisement When asked about Rodriguezs destruction of what might have been incriminating tapes, Haspel cited an inspector generals report clearing her of any culpability, though she acknowledged writing the memowhich went out under his signaturereporting that he was destroying them. She also said, under questioning from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, that she absolutely was an advocate of destroying the tapes to protect the security of CIA officers whose faces were exposed. Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Mexico, asked if anyone had considered making a digital copy of the tape and blotting out the officers faces before destroying the original. Haspel replied, Im just not a technical person. Heinrich said, Its not that complicated. Haspel said, I dont know if that was considered or not. Advertisement When Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, noted that Rodriguez destroyed the tapes over the objectionsand without the knowledgeof two White House lawyers, the CIA director, the director of national intelligence, and the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Haspel said she knew there were some objections. King said, Those were not some objections, but rather prohibitions expressed by superiors. Haspel said she didnt remember those conversations. Advertisement Advertisement King also noted that, after three years of sitting on the tapes, Rodriguez destroyed them right after newspapers revealed their existence. Haspel said, I do not recall being aware of that. She did say that Rodriguez had told her he would consult with the CIA director at the time, Porter Goss, before destroying the tapes. She said she didnt know until after the fact that he then destroyed them on his own without informing Goss. Advertisement Advertisement Haspel also evaded questions from Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, about whether she ever called for the continuation of the interrogation program. She replied, Wed been informed the program was legal and authorized by the president, adding, I and my colleagues in the Counterterrorism Center were working as hard as we could with the tools we were given. When Wyden said she didnt answer the question, she replied, I think we did extraordinary work. When Sen. Harris asked whether she believes that torture works, Haspel paused and said, Valuable information was obtained from senior al-Qaida operatives, though its not knowable whether interrogation techniques played a role in that. A few Democrats expressed frustration that the CIA had selectively declassified material about Haspels career, cherry-picking documents that might help her get confirmed but suppressing others that might raise doubts about her suitability. (The senators making this point have access to all documents, classified and otherwise, so they would know the contents of the more damaging ones.) Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Wyden made the further point that, as acting director, Haspel herself has been the one making decisions on which documents to declassify. Haspel replied that she was merely following CIA guidelines on declassification. (It is true that almost everything about clandestine operations is highly classified.) Sen. Harris asked if, given the appearance of a conflict of interest, Haspel would agree to recuse herself from these decisions and turn the matter over to Dan Coats, director of national intelligence. Finally, after Harris asked the question in several different phrasings, Haspel said, Ill take that for the record, adding, Im not a lawyer. The Senate Intelligence Committee consists of eight Republicans and seven Democrats. No Republican expressed an inclination to oppose her nomination; only one, Susan Collins of Maine, so much as asked a critical question. So unless some exchange in the closed hearing tipped the balance, Haspels confirmation seems likely. The Republican Party got some welcome news out of Tuesdays West Virginia Senate primary: the partys not as overtly xenophobic and racist as previously feared! While that might sound like faint praise for the primary winner, State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who is projected to defeat Rep. Evan Jenkins, it speaks to the potential damage that a victory by coal baron Don Blankenship threatened to inflict on the credibility of the party in November and beyond. The Trump-styled candidate, who served a year in prison after being held criminally liable for a deadly mine disaster, hovered third in the polls throughout much of the primary season, but in the lead up to Primary Day, Blankenships candidacy appeared to take flight, boosted by a series of rambling, incoherent, explicitly xenophobic TV ads that raised eyebrows, as well as his profile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ads speak for themselves really. Swamp captain Mitch McConnell has created millions of jobs for China people, Blankenship said in a 30-second ad. While doing so, Mitch has gotten rich. In fact, his China family has given him tens of millions of dollars. During the race, Blankenship has obsessed over Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. Chao was born in Taiwan and came to the United States as a child. When asked about the racist ad, Blankenship responded: Were confused on our staff as to how it can be racist when theres no mention of race. Theres no race. Races are Negro, white Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian. Theres no mention of a race. Ive never used a race word. Advertisement Advertisement Despite all that, disconcertingly for national Republicans, Blankenship caught fire and, according to some internal polling, appeared to pull ahead of his two rivals in tracking polling the weekend before the election, registering 31 percent of the vote to 28 percent for Jenkins and 27 percent for Morrisey. The snubs of the Republican establishment, including Trump during a visit to the state, did not appear to be working and the president, himself, weighed in on the race on Twitter. While not explicitly disparaging Blankenship or his views, Trump urged Republican voters in the state to look elsewhere. To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference, Trump tweeted. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, cant win the General Election in your State No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey! Advertisement Advertisement West Virginia voter who says he lost three cousins in mine disaster tied to Don Blankenship tells @TomLlamasABC he's voting for the coal baron anyway. "I want an honest crook, and that's Blankenship." https://t.co/6CmPQXqK2u pic.twitter.com/jeWQUUZ5hI ABC News (@ABC) May 8, 2018 While West Virginia voters may not have listened per se, they did agree. Both candidates, Morrisey and Jenkins, were considered far more palatable to the GOP establishment, though Jenkins was the GOP insiders choice in this race. Morrisey touted himself as the only true conservative in the race and snagged the endorsement of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Morrisey now moves on to the general election against longtime Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, in a race the GOP desperately wants to win and may even need to win in order to keep control of the Senate in November. On the afternoon of May 10, the First Amendment Coalition, Future Tense, and New Americas Education Policy Program and Open Technology Institute will host Fact or Fiction: What Will It Take to Combat Misinformation and Disinformation in the Digital Age? in Washington, D.C. For more information and to RSVP, visit the New America website. Two years ago, in libraries, offices, and recreation centers across Ukraine, 15,000 citizens came together in small groups to talk about something that many of them had never really pondered before: their media consumption. They sat down at tables, introduced themselves, and spent a few hours mulling over what they watched on TV, what they viewed on the internet, what they read in the newspaper. Each personranging in age from 18 to well past 70was given a handout with spaces to fill in to help them reflect on how much time they spent with various media forms of each day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one collected the handouts afterward, but the exercise triggered questions and chatter. What channels or newspapers did they subscribe to? Did they trust what they heard and read? From where, exactly, were they getting their information about the world? We were not telling them what to read. We were not questioning what they read, said Mehri Druckman, who led the project as director of programs for IREX Ukraine. The intent was to help them make decisions for themselves and how to be careful about what they were consuming, to help them not be manipulated. The program, called Learn to Discern, just might be working. Eighteen months later, IREX, a nonprofit education organization with international reach, conducted a follow-up study to determine whether Learn to Discern had any impact on its participants. (Disclosure: IREX sponsors a U.S.Ukrainian journalist exchange that Slate takes part in.) The organization surveyed more than 400 people200 who took part in the program and 200 of similar age and demographics who did notasking them to read a few news items and answer questions about what was true and what was questionable. The results, to be released Thursday, showed that Learn to Discern participants performed better than their peers on assessments of whether they understood where their news was coming from and whether they could detect disinformation. Advertisement Advertisement In addition, according to IREXs report on the study, participants were more likely to cross-check other sources, rate their skills higher in distinguishing true information from false, and were more confident in their ability to analyze the truthfulness of media content compared to the control group. Advertisement On average, Learn to Discern participants got 63.8 percent of their answers correct on a test of disinformation analysis, while the control group scored 56.5 percent. The study asked people to read and answer questions about an article on a shooting at the UkraineRussian border (an objective story, according to IREX), as well as one about educational reforms in Ukrainian schools that would cut Russian out of language programs (a disinformation story). Participants also took an assessment to determine how much they knew about media outlet ownership and answered questions on whether they felt a sense of control over how they are influenced and informed by the news. This is a particularly salient point in Ukraine, where concerns over the spread of disinformation have been heightened for years, as reports from Russian-controlled media have featured demonstrably untrue statements about everything from the 2014 shooting-down of a Malaysian Airlines plane to Ukraines human rights record. (For specific details, see StopFake.org, an organization dedicated to debunking the falsehoods.) Advertisement Advertisement The study is groundbreaking, said Renee Hobbs, a professor at the Harrington School of Communication and Media at the University of Rhode Island, and the founding co-editor of the Journal for Media Literacy Education, who was not involved in the study but reviewed an embargoed copy. It suggests a model, Hobbs said, for how we might measure media literacy competencies acquired by adults through formal media education programs. The Learn to Discern program ran from 2016 to 2017 and was not offered in schools. Instead it aimed to reach working adults and retirees in places that they frequently visit. IREX trained 450 people who work in cities and towns across Ukraine to administer the Learn to Discern sessions, the majority of which lasted a half-day. Session leaders included librarians, teachers, police officers, and other community leadersall of whom were in charge of recruiting trainees by spreading the word through their social networks. Advertisement Advertisement Although Learn to Discern is based on a nearly 200-page curriculum (copies are available in English, Ukrainian, and Russian), the trainers were told that they didnt have to follow the it step by step and could choose what activities to do with their fellow citizens. We really empowered these trainers, said Tara Susman-Pena, a senior technical adviser at IREX, who credits the programs success to power of social networks and the high level of interaction that was encouraged in each session. Each trainer received a box that included the curriculum as well as T-shirts, tea, and cookies, and they were encouraged to turn the sessions into a discussion. There was not a lot of lecturing, Susman-Pena said. The people in Ukraine have a history of having a lot of people lecturing at them, she said. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the impact study released this week, IREX also created and published a video about checking the ingredients in the news that one consumes, which ran as a public service announcement on television stations across the country in February 2016. And it conducted interviews and surveys of Learn to Discern participants and trainers directly after the program ended in 2017. According to Druckman, One of our citizen trainers described the process this way: At the beginning of the training, participants were confident and even arrogant (especially older participants). By the middle, they were confused, asking whom should we believe? After the training, they became cautious towards the information they consume. Here in the United States, where many of us feel desperate for a sign that our citizenry has the aptitude to detect and deflect fraudulent news and avoid the influence of Russian bots and disinformation campaigns, a program like Learn to Discern may represent hope. But Hobbs, who has analyzed and reviewed hundreds of studies on media literacy, issues a few notes of caution. The study of IREXs program, while solid in its methodology and its openness about results, was conducted by IREX itself and not an independent research team. The control group, while close in demographics to the participants, was not a perfect match: 26 percent of people in the control group had a vocational education background, whereas only 17 percent of participants did. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps more importantly, the survey did not ask any questions about participants political leanings. Peoples politics can greatly color their answers about what they trust. A recent report from the Knight Foundation, for example, showed that Republicans largely distrust the media, while Democrats trust it. It also found that 4 in 10 Republicans consider accurate news stories that cast a politician or political group in a negative light to always be fake news. In Ukraine, political alliances are typically linked to favorable or unfavorable views of Russian influence. The people in Ukraine have a history of having a lot of people lecturing at them. Tara Susman-Pena The Learn to Discern program was also lighter on its treatment of social media, such as Facebook, than broadcast television. The curriculum was designed in 2015 when social media was not used by as many people in Ukraine as it is today, and IREXs previous studies had shown that TV was the medium used by most Ukrainians to get their news. Druckman of IREX said she that she and her colleagues are now updating the curriculum to focus on responsible sharing of news as part of new efforts on media literacy. She has developed a series of what she calls Care Before You Share activities to help people pause and think when a strong emotional response motivates them to share something they have heard or read. As her colleague Susman-Pena said, the emotional aspect of media consumption and sharing is something we really need to examine. Advertisement Advertisement Despite these shortcomings and still-to-dos, Hobbs said Learn to Discern could offer many important lessons for media literacy education, which is having a moment in the spotlight. Although the concept of media literacy has been around for decades, in the past few years several programs in public schools and universities are gaining momentum as educators look to help their students take a more critical eye to the news and information that is streaming at them. Examples include resources from the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook Universitys School of Journalism, the Checkology software for high-schoolers developed by the News Literacy Project, professional development and classroom materials offered by the Newseum, and even hands-on activities for teachers and parents of elementary and pre-K children, developed through library multimedia programs (like this one described in a Slate article last November) and by Faith Rogow and consultants at Insighters Ed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Testing whether these kinds of programs are in fact leading to more discernment, and what elements make the most difference, is the next step. The IREX study measured the participants media literacy through the assessments based on actual news and disinformation articlesa research approach that Hobbs applaudedinstead of simply asking participants whether they thought they were getting smarter about the media and relying on their self-reports Advertisement An analysis of the assessments exposed an interesting link: The people who showed knowledge of how the media works and who owns it were also able to discern disinformation. It turns out that if you know something about how the sausage is made, it makes a real difference, Hobbs said. Susman-Pena said that the link between media knowledge and critical thinking has led her team to tell trainers: Dont skip over the activities about news media control and who owns what. (An analysis by the organization Media Monitor Ownership, for example, shows that television in the Ukraine is controlled by a monopoly: the company Zeonbud.) Susman-Pena is now working on how to adapt Learn to Discern for American audiences, based on demand from people in various American communities and using resources from IREXs Center for Applied Learning and Impact, which receives funding from multiple donors. (The funding for the Ukrainian effort, by the way, came from the Canadian government as part of that countrys efforts to promote democracy.) One of the first spots for trying out the program is in Arizona, where a math teacher who is leading efforts to improve STEM and scientific inquiry heard about the program and is working to start pilot projects in some rural areas. Librarians around the U.S. are also contacting IREX, Susman-Pena said, to find out how to roll it out in their communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The IREX study in Ukraine also helped to surface areas that need more work across education systems of all kinds. Even though the study showed that Learn to Discern participants were more aware of the problem of disinformation than the control group, their performance on the assessments wasnt exactly a shining example of deep understanding. They scored only an average of 63.8 percent correct on the test of disinformation (that translates to a lowly D, if were talking grades, with the control group getting an F), and both groups far did worse on the assessment of the objective news story. About one-third of their answers to questions about that story were correct. That poor showing, according to the reports authors, may mean detecting markers of objective news may be more difficult than detecting manipulation and disinformation. And learning how to seek out and evaluate relatively objective journalism may need to be on deck as another problem to solve. The biggest challenge in my opinion it is to be very careful between raising healthy skepticism but not contributing to overall mistrust, Susman-Pena said. That is exactly the Kremlin strategy, to get people to think, Oh there is no such thing as real truth, there arent facts. That is the last thing that IREX wants participants to learn. Now on my mind, Susman-Pena said, is how to get people to seek out fact-based information. When police took advantage of a public genealogical DNA database to help crack the decades-old case of the Golden State Killer last week, it gave many of us pause about what genetic testing companies might do if they have our biological data. But even keeping the DNA of you and your relatives out of private services like 23andMe, AncestryDNA, or GEDmatch may not be enough to keep your genetic data private. Thanks to scientific research, there are now hundreds of genetic back doors that law enforcement can accessincluding some we might not even know about. Natalie Ram explains how such searches work and how they can run counter to state laws, medical ethics, and democratic norms. Advertisement Speaking of massive databases that pose privacy risks to Americans, Congress recently proposed legislation to create a national tracking system for the nations Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) recipients. Danielle Citron and David A. Super explain why the database, which they say amounts to a de facto National Data Center of the Poor, would hurt individuals more than it would help them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Humans arent the only species that find themselves embroiled in legal quandaries about new technologies. A landmark 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision recently dismissed the claim that a monkey could own the copyright to its own selfie. But judges and lawmakers so far havent been as rigidly against extending robots some of those same entitlements. Rachel Withers explains how the case is the latest indication that one day we may give AI more rights than animals, and what that says about us humans. Advertisement Other things we read this week after changing our Twitter password (change your Twitter password!): Conspirators: Alan Levinovitz writes about the proliferation of conspiracy-theory documentaries on streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Close encounters: Like many of us, Spandana Singh was recently on the receiving end of a phishing-scheme attempt. Her quest to report the crooked callers who tried to manipulate her, however, revealed how difficult it is to report cybercrime. Scorpio rising: Are Scorpios spamming Astrology Reddit? Heather Schwedel investigates the star-crossed feud. Downsides of downvoting: Facebooks new experimental feature that allows users to upvote and downvote posts may seem satisfying at first, writes Rachel Withers, but will probably only end up accelerating partisanship on the platform. Advertisement Advertisement Flying high: Uber unveiled the design for its long-rumored flying taxi. But will they really be ready for users to hail by the promised 2023 rollout? Aloha sunscreen: Hawaiis lawmakers recently passed legislation that will ban the sale of common sunscreens containing chemicals known to kill coral reefs. Rachel Withers argues that its time for sunscreen producers to step up both on the islands and around the world. Events: What will it take to combat misinformation and disinformation in the digital age? Join Future Tense, New Americas Education Policy Program, New Americas Open Technology Institute, and the First Amendment Coalition tomorrow in Washington, D.C., for a wide-ranging conversation about the stakes and solutions. For more information and to RSVP, visit the New America website. Still not over Grusk, Tonya Riley For Future Tense Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University. This story was originally published by Undark and has been republished here with permission. In the United States, the clock is ticking for more than 114,700 adults and children waiting for a donated kidney or other lifesaving organ, and each day, nearly 20 of them die. Researchers are devising a new way to grow human organs inside other animals, but the method raises potentially thorny ethical issues. Other conceivable futuristic techniques sound like dystopian science fiction. As we envision an era of regenerative medicine decades from now, how far is society willing to go to solve the organ shortage crisis? Advertisement I found myself pondering this question after a discussion about the promises of stem cell technologies veered from the intriguing into the bizarre. I was interviewing bioengineer Zev Gartner, co-director and research coordinator of the Center for Cellular Construction at the University of California, San Francisco, about so-called organoids, tiny clumps of organlike tissue that can self-assemble from human stem cells in a Petri dish. These tissue bits are lending new insights into how our organs form and diseases take root. Some researchers even hope they can nurture organoids into full-size human kidneys, pancreases, and other organs for transplantation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Certain organoid experiments have recently set off alarm bells, but when I asked Gartner about it, his radar for moral concerns was focused elsewhere. For him, the really, really thought-provoking scenarios involve other emerging stem cellbased techniques for engineering replacement organs for people, he told me. Like blastocyst complementation, he said. Advertisement Never heard of it? Neither had I. Turns out its a powerful new genetic engineering trick that researchers hope to use for growing human organs inside pigs or sheeporgans that could be genetically personalized for transplant patients, in theory avoiding immune-system rejection problems. The science still has many years to go, but if it pans out, it could be one solution to the organ shortage crisis. However, the prospect of creating hybrid animals with human parts and killing them to harvest organs has already raised a slew of ethical questions. In 2015, the National Institutes of Health placed a moratorium on federal funding of this nascent research area while it evaluated and discussed the issues. As Gartner sees it, the debate over blastocyst complementation researchwork that he finds promisingis just one of many conversations that society needs to have about the ethical and social costs and benefits of future technologies for making lifesaving transplant organs. Theres all these weird ways that we could go about doing this, he said, with a spectrum of imaginable approaches that includes organoids, interspecies organ farming, and building organs from scratch using 3D bioprinters. But even if it turns out we can produce human organs in these novel ways, the bigger issue, in each technological instance, may be whether we should. Advertisement Advertisement Gartner crystallized things with a downright creepy example: We know that the best bioreactor for tissues and organs for humans are human beings, he said. Hypothetically, the best way to get you a new heart would be to clone you, grow up a copy of yourself, and take the heart out. Scientists could probably produce a cloned person with the technologies we already have, if money and ethics were of no concern. But we dont want to go there, right? he added in the next breath. The ethics involved in doing it are not compatible with who we want to be as a society. Advertisement Other options, though, just might be. Lets take a closer look at blastocyst complementation. For starters, its worth noting that animal hybridsincluding even lab animals that contain human cells or tissuesare not new. These are called interspecies chimeras, colorfully named after a mythological beast, and researchers have long experimented on this front. But the latest big advance unexpectedly came in a 2010 study, when a Japanese team led by geneticist Hiromitsu Nakauchi created mice that were unable to grow their own pancreases. However, when the rodents were still pre-embryos (at the so-called blastocyst stage), the biologists injected pluripotent stem cells from a rat into them. The pluripotent stem cells, which can transform into any cell type of the body, automatically filled in for the missing organ. Presto: The result was mice with functional rat pancreases. Advertisement Advertisement I think in a world in which people still eat animals daily on a mass scale, using them for organ creation is maybe more ethical than eating them. David Shaw, philosopher Such were the origins of the chimera organ-making technique, and Nakauchis group, today based at Stanford University, along with other research labs, are now setting their sights on producing human organsby taking pluripotent stem cells that are generated from a persons skin or blood cells and implanting those into pre-embryos of pigs and sheep. For some ethicists, human-animal chimeras, on the face of it, simply violate human dignity. Another worry is a small risk that pig-grown organs might transmit deadly swine viruses into the human population, a hazard that begs careful examination. And then there are fears about other unintended consequences. What if, for example, human stem cells inserted into pig pre-embryos form into human sperm or eggs, and the pig and human gametes could fertilize each other? Or what if human cells incorporate into the animals brainscould that confer humanized thoughts or behaviors? Might the pigs even have freakish humanlike external features? Advertisement The scientists at the forefront of this research have said that due to biological barriers, these effects shouldnt happen, and theyre working to build in safeguards to ensure that human stem cells develop only as the desired target organs. Advertisement But perhaps the biggest moral considerations have to do with the ever-controversial issue of animal welfare. If a human liver or pancreas doesnt integrate well into a chimeric pigs innards, could that cause discomfort or alter the functioning of neighboring organs? Is it ethical to turn pigs into organ factories, bred solely for human purposes? On the latter, animal rights advocates would say no. But as long as its societally acceptable to farm pigs for food, some ethicists point out, its hard to argue that killing them for medical uses is wrong. I think in a world in which people still eat animals daily on a mass scale, using them for organ creation is maybe more ethical than eating them, David Shaw, a Scottish philosopher at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, told me. Advertisement Advertisement Of course, in the broader picture, once you start looking at using pigs as organ banks, other conceivable scenarios come upand, like Gartner at UCSF suggested, each may present its own moral can of worms. Would monkeys or even chimpanzees, our closest evolutionary relatives, provide better hosts for human organs? And if its wrong to use nonhuman primates to such ends, what if, as Shaw and a few other creative thinkers have speculated, it were someday possible to knock out a few key brain-development genes to create a brainless host body? Theoretically, there would be no ethical objection to using brainless bodies of humans (or other primates) as organ farms, Shaw told me, since such entities wouldnt be persons capable of experiencing consciousness, sentience, or suffering. Indeed, an edgy blog post by two other academics discussed the hypothetical alternative of farming organs in brainless humans that are gestated in external artificial wombs. Advertisement If dystopian scenes from The Matrix leap to mind, youre not alone. Still, what sounds crazy now might not seem crazy in 30 years. Who knows? Once upon a time, in vitro fertilization was an alarming and distasteful or sacrilegious notion to many people, yet today, almost no one blinks an eye at test-tube babies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August 2016, nine months after holding a fall 2015 workshop to review the concerns about blastocyst complementation research, the NIH announced its intention to lift its funding banpending a proposed update to its policy restrictions on funding of stem cell science. That proposal drew more than 21,000 public comments, most of them against creating human-animal chimeras; some commenters called the work immoral and disgusting, akin to creating Frankensteins monsters. Advertisement With the arrival of the Trump administration, the proposal has stalled, and the federal funding moratorium remains in place. Still, the research continues. But public sensitivitiessuch as those expressed in the feedback to the NIHmay be the ultimate barrier for radical organ-farming technologies, ethicists say. Thats why starting a public conversation sooner, rather than later, to explain and discuss their potential benefits and costs for society is probably a good idea. Its important to listen to those concerns and to think about them really carefully and to address them, Jonathan Kimmelman, a bioethicist at McGill University in Montreal, told me. Its also important for people to realize that it usually takes years to decades for a new concept at the lab bench to reach medical clinicsand by then, the clinical application often looks quite different than the original idea, he added. Ideally, researchers should engage with the public not after the science has developed, but as the science, or even before the science and applications, are developing. In the meantime, Shaw, the philosopher, pointed out that expensive new organ-growing technologies will likely be affordable only to the rich. So he suggests that perhaps we can put speculations aside and make a greater effort to increase the supply of donor organs in the here and now, even if they dont provide perfect matches for recipients. If everyone registered as an organ donor and spoke to their families and told them they wanted to be organ donors, he told me, we probably wouldnt be having this conversation. Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now... General prosecutor: Some police chiefs act unlawfully in Kuciak investigation Jaromir Ciznar criticised the failures of police, prosecutors and Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matecna. Font size: A - | A + High-level police officers should not access information from the file regarding the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee, Martina Kusnirova. The only ones entitled to do so are the investigator and the prosecutor, General Prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar told the press on May 9. However, the fact is that departing Police Corps President Tibor Gaspar has informed about partial and unconfirmed findings concerning the double murder several times. Read also: Read also: International team will help investigate Kuciaks murder Read more They arent law enforcement bodies, Ciznar said, as quoted by the Sme daily. If they have access to the information, they do so at odds with the law. The general prosecutor indicated that there is a warning system at the police, which emerged after introducing the Infotok information system. It is used for cases involving sensitive information that can get into the wrong hands. Inspection into Kuciaks findings The representatives of the General Prosecutors Office also told the press about the results of the inspection involving the police and prosecutors mentioned in Kuciak's last, unfinished article. He mentioned several criminal proceedings concerning the business activities of Italian mafia in the east. They revealed nine errors made by prosecutors and police officers in 56 files. Ciznar has rejected to reveal their names, but said that one deputy prosecutor in the east has already resigned from his post, Sme wrote. Apart from the Italian mafia, Kuciak wrote about top police officials with links to the security company Bonul which has won several state orders, while its head Miroslav Bodor has links to top Smer representatives. The stories also pertained to Gaspar who, according to Sme revelations, is Bodors brother-in-law. Bodor himself has said that their grandmothers are sisters, as reported by the daily. Read also: Read also: Kusnirovas mother represented by Hedviga Malinova's lawyer Read more As a result, one of the scenarios investigators are working with is the suspicion that Kuciak and Kusnirovas murder was ordered by somebody from this group, lawyer Roman Kvasnica, who represents Kusnirovas mother Zlatica, told Sme. Ciznar indirectly criticised Gaspar for providing unverified information in the case in early March. Dubious information flow Ciznar also mentioned the National Criminal Agency's (NAKA) information system into which investigators put all information they have investigated or verified. As a result, the head of NAKA and the Police Corps president have the access to all information in Infotok, while heads of NAKAs departments and their deputies can access partial information. Read also: Read also: Police are manipulating crime statistics, NGO claims Read more The fact that the information system is abused at the police office was confirmed by several police officers in an anonymous poll published by the Stop Corruption Foundation and the Trend weekly in early April. Thanks to the system, political nominees could check the investigation of sensitive cases. You know as well as I do what flows through there, Ciznar said, as quoted by Sme. It's a needless flow. Its in fact a warning system. Its something where everybody finds what they need. Criticism towards Matecna The general prosecutor discussed the meeting with farmers that took place last week as well. These farmers have been describing how organised groups with links to investigators take their land and both the police and the prosecutors office ignore their complaints. Read also: Read also: Kuciak Sr: I do not believe justice will be served Read more I cant say what I think about it because it wouldnt be nice, Ciznar said, as quoted by Sme. I believe they are telling truth, the state is absolutely failing in these areas. He criticised Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matecna for avoiding the farmers. She should make order in the system of redistributing subsidies, he added. Nobody should dare tell me that they did not know about these practices, the general prosecutor concluded, as quoted by Sme. 9. May 2018 at 22:22 | Compiled by Spectator staff Third consecutive candidate for EGC judge rejected The EU General Court in Luxembourg rejected the third Slovak candidate in a row, allegedly due to his professional skills among other reasons. Slovakias third candidate for the post of additional judge of the European Unions General Court (EGC) based in Luxembourg, Ivan Rumana, was been rejected by the Council of the EUs consultative committee, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Ivan Korcok told the TASR newswire after the May 9 government session. The panel that reviews individual candidates wasnt sure of our candidate, so first the Judicial Council and then the government will have to deal with the situation, Korcok, who refused to comment on Rumanas rejection, added. I'm not evaluating it in any way, as it isnt appropriate for me to review judges and whether individual candidates are suitable or not, the state secretary explained. Justice Minister Gabor Gal (Most-Hid) said that he wasnt happy to hear the decision but he had to accept it. He noted that Rumana did not convince the committee of his skills regarding the courts agenda and his readiness to take up the post immediately. Unfortunate history The consultative committee of the Council of the European Union in late 2016 also rejected the bid of former Siet MP Radoslav Prochazka due to concerns about his personal integrity. It pointed to suspected attempts to avoid taxation on certain expenditures during his presidential campaign in 2014. Maria Patakyova, who eventually became ombudswoman, was rejected in Luxembourg before Prochazka due to her insufficient knowledge of French, the working language of the court. Slovakia managed to acquire one of the 12 posts of additional judges who should have joined the court as of September 1, 2015. What is EGC? The General Court is the first-instance body of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. It was set up in 1998 to provide two-stage judicial supervision in some areas and relieve the Court of Justice itself. The General Court is made up of at least one judge from each member state (28 as of 2013, plus the additional 12 posts). The judges are appointed by common accord of the cabinets of member states. Their term of office is six years and is renewable. The judges appoint their president from among their own ranks for a period of three years. 9. May 2018 at 22:49 | Compiled by Spectator staff Health care debt deepened massively The state university and teaching hospitals owe the most in unsettled invoices and levies. In 2017, the Health Ministry recorded a total debt of 1.46 billion, an increase of 81.34 million compared to the previous year. The most significant soar in liabilities was made by health care facilities operated by the Health Ministry, the SITA newswire wrote, adding that their overdue liabilities amounted to 679.24 million and liabilities before maturity totaled 154.45 million. This shows the report on debt development in health care for 2017, which was handled by the Cabinet on May 9. Total overdue debt amounted to a record 791.13 million, up 143.89 million in annual terms. Health care facilities had the biggest debt towards medicament and special medical materials suppliers (52.7-percent), followed by the Socialna Poistovna social insurer, tax offices and health insurers (30.1-percent). They also owe money for energy and services. The health care debt increased by 143.89 million in a single year, the TASR newswire wrote. Reasons and way out of debt The main reasons for the constant deepening of indebtedness seem to be the continuation of operation losses in hospitals, the Health Ministry writes in its report, as quoted by TASR. In these facilities, the biggest volume of financially-demanding operations in medical care is made. The situation is also complicated by high share and growth in personal costs as related to revenues from insurers, and the significant share of expenses on drugs and medical materials in overall costs of medical facilities. The revenues from health insurers further fail to cover the operation costs of the 13 biggest university and teaching hospitals, despite gradual reduction in other costs. However, hospitals falling under Interior and Defence Ministries face the problem with overdue fees (26.19 million), as well as those transferred to local and regional administrations as non-profit organisations (85.13 million). The lowest debts could be ascribed to hospitals transformed into joint-stock companies 0.57 million. The Health Ministry is well aware of the situation the medical facilities face due to their debts, ministry spokesperson Zuzana Eliasova told TASR. Another debt elimination worth hundreds of millions of euros should help them. The process has already started, and it involves 29 medical facilities so far. 9. May 2018 at 22:56 | Compiled by Spectator staff Srinagar, May 09: Students of the University of Kashmir, Islamic University of Science and Technology and Central University of Kashmir, today, hit the streets against the killing of a varsity professor and other youth by the Indian troops in south Kashmir on Sunday. Dr Muhammad Rafi Butt along with nine other youth was killed by the troops during a cordon and search operation in Badigam area of in Shopian. The students assembled in the respective campuses of the universities in Srinagar, Awantipora and Ganderbal and raised pro-freedom, pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans. Scores of students of Central University of Kashmir assembled in the campus and offered prayers in absentia for the professor and other martyrs. Complete shutdown continued in Shopian and Pulwama districts against the killings. Shopian witnessed the strike for the 13th consecutive day, today. All educational institutions were closed while traffic was off the road. Shutdown was also observed in Bhaderwah and other areas of Jammu region against the Indian barbarism in the Valley. Hundreds of traders, civil society members, fruit growers, industrialists and bar members took out a rally in Sopore to mourn the killings. On the call of Joint Resistance Leadership, people , today, unfurled black flags on their homes, shops, vehicles to mark protest against killing spree in Kashmir. In the meantime, The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly denounced the violence perpetrated by the Indian forces against the people of occupied Kashmir. Meanwhile, weary of ongoing protest clashes in occupied Kashmir, the Narendra Modi-led Indian government has approved the deployment of especially trained in killing, National Security Guards, in the territory. A Home Ministry official told media that Black Cat commandos of NSG would use state-of-the-art weapons including health hazard through-the-wall radars, sniper rifles and corner shot assault weapons during house-to-house search operations in the territory. Only one person was granted asylum in Slovakia In the first quarter of 2017, the number of asylum seekers has declined. Font size: A - | A + The number of asylum seekers in Slovakia remains low, the Dennik N daily wrote on May 9, quoting the Interior Ministry report. Only 50 people asked for it between January and the end of March, which is 15 percent less than the same period last year. Of the declining figures, only one person has been granted asylum so far, while last year in the same period, 10 applications were approved, the state Slovak Radio (SRo) informed on the same day. Read also: Read also: Legal conditions for asylum and subsidiary protection to change Read more It is a curiosity, therefore, that one of the asylum seekers was an internationally wanted foreigner and a European-wide warrant was issued for their arrest by Hungary. The Foreigner pretended to be someone else, the Sme daily wrote at the end of April. The man from Ukraine, aged 55, approached Trencin police in March, claimed his ID documents were stolen and asked for asylum. Thanks to fingerprints, his identity was revealed, as was the fact that he was being searched for due to a grave violent crime. He was taken into custody, and his further fate will be decided upon. 9. May 2018 at 23:01 | Compiled by Spectator staff Bandipora, May 08 (By Owais Farooqi): Army soldiers on Monday night allegedly hit a teenage boy on his head so severely that he had to undergo a head surgery at Srinagars SMHS Hospital. The boy was picked up by army soldiers at the main chowk of Saderkote Bala village in Bandipora district and later dropped near a police post in a critically injured condition, eyewitnesses said. The injured boy, Javaid Ahmad Khan, 15, is a resident of Saderkote Bala village and a Class 10 student at the government higher secondary school in Safapora. His brother, Manzoor Ahmad Khan, told Kashmir Reader over phone from SMHS Hospital, where he is attending to his brother, that an army cavalcade was passing through Saderkote main chowk on Monday night when it was pelted with stones by some youths. The incident escalated into clashes between stone-throwing youths and army soldiers, during which the solders caught hold of Javaid and took him away. He was picked up by army men and later beaten on the head with gun-butts. The soldiers belonged to the 13 RR (Rashtriya Rifles) that is camped at Saderkote Bala, Manzoor said. It is nothing but the barbarity of the army. Locals who had held a protest on Monday night by blocking the Bandipora-Srinagar road near Saderkote main chowk said that Javaid was dropped near the areas police post in a critical condition, from where police and his family took him to Srinagar. One person who claimed to have witnessed the boy being beaten said that army soldiers repeatedly hit him on his head with gun butts. Family members of the boy said that doctors at SMHS Hospital performed a head surgery on him. The armys Srinagar-based PRO Colonel Rajesh Kalia told Kashmir Reader, We are verifying the details of the incident and the allegations. Academic blues Public universities should serve the larger public and not those at the helm of affairs Alibaba makes forays into Nepal Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group on Tuesday acquired the entire share capital of Daraz, the Pakistan-based e-commerce company that has been running online marketplace services in a number of South Asian countries including Nepal. Capital Market Expo slated to open today The Securities Board of Nepal (Sebon) will be celebrating its silver jubilee by holding a two-day Capital Market Expo slated to open Wednesday. Oil prices surged on Wednesday to levels not seen in over three years after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, resulting in renewed sanctions on the Islamic Republic's crude exports. The main crude futures contracts had already been rising in recent weeks, hitting 3.5-year highs, on expectations Trump was going to withdraw from the 2015 pact that had opened up Tehran's atomic program to inspection in return for an easing of sanctions. On Wednesday, the contracts each gained around three percent. "The geopolitical repercussions of this decision will no doubt be widely felt, and due to as many as one million barrels of crude supply per day being effectively taken off the market," said David Cheetham, chief market analyst at traders XTB. Thomas Pugh, commodities economist at Capital Economics, said Trump's decision alone was unlikely to have a major impact on the world's oil supply. "However, geopolitical tensions have intensified and if Iran decides to pull out of the nuclear deal, the impact on oil supply could be more severe," he said, predicting oil prices probably would "remain elevated for the next few months at least". A surprise fall in last week's oil stocks in the US, reported Wednesday, added to upward pressure on oil contracts. Analysts had expected crude inventories to show an increase. "Traders believe the sanctions will further tighten global supply at a time when some of the world's largest producers have already significantly reduced inventories," said Craig Erlam, an analyst with OANDA. The oil surge in turn helped lift share prices in energy majors, with Royal Dutch Shell and BP higher in London and ExxonMobil and Chevron gaining in the US. - Up to $80? - Wall Street rose as banking shares and some technology giants such as Google-parent Alphabet posted solid gains in addition to petroleum-linked shares. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, meanwhile said it will take all necessary measures to prevent supply shortages. Trump reinstated US sanctions which could curtail Iran's ability to export oil, its mainstay for public revenues. In an initial reaction to Trump's announcement Tuesday Brent and WTI eased back, with some commentators suggesting he could still pedal back on some of his rhetoric and shift to a more diplomatic tone. But when that did not happen they bounced back strongly. There is now talk that crude could rise to $80 a barrel, with gains helped also by uncertainty in oil-rich Venezuela, an OPEC-Russia output cap, improving global demand and a drop in US energy stockpiles. - Key figures around 2100 GMT - Oil - Brent North Sea: UP $2.36 at $77.21 per barrel Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP $2.08 at $71.14 per barrel New York - Dow: UP 0.8 percent at 24,542.54 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 1.0 percent at 2,697.79 (close) New York - Nasdaq: UP 1.0 percent at 7,339.91 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 1.3 percent at 7,662.52 points (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.2 percent at 12,943.06 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 5,534.63 (close) EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.3 percent at 3,569.97 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 22,408.88 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.4 percent at 30,536.14 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,159.15 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1848 from $1.1864 at 2100 GMT Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3545 from $1.3547 Dollar/yen: UP at 109.72 yen from 109.13 yen burs-jmb/hs Are we being duped by some clever clogs spoofing us on a tendency to reach for the button marked enraged or to pull the lever offended? Some crudely sprayed, apparently, 'pro Nazi' symbols have cropped up in Hollerich and Grevenmacher in the past week, but are these actually what people assume them to be? Or is it likely that we have a tagger with a severe lack of talent and an apparent complete misunderstanding of recent history? Tagging rarely receives positive press. Even less so when paired with racist undertones and imagery but something here does not sit right. For one, the Bouillion swastikas are horizontally reversed, or if your prefer, mirrored. Buddhists use a Counterclockwise Swastika to show the destruction of ego or all vices in a person. For another, Hidolf Adler, when searched online points to a number of amusing sites and profiles where it is used as a psuedonym, and is a common user name amongst games chatrooms (specifically for players of Massive Online Multiplayer Game PUBG). There are some more outlandish theories where, in a parallel universe, Adler, or Hitler is in charge after the Nazis have resurfaced and won WWIII. It all sounds a bit too Philip K. Dick. What are your thoughts on this matter? Is this something that is being played for laughs and if we ignore it, it will go away? Or is this the start of something more insidious, a creeping return to simmering racism that a country such as Luxembourg, so proud of its acceptance, diversity and modernism, would do well to nip in the bud as soon as possible? Everton linked with Kluivert Jr Wednesday, 09 May 2018 The son of ex-Ajax and Barcelona star Patrick, Justin has reportedly selected European super agent Mino Raiola to represent him as he weighs up a potential transfer to one of the Continent's biggest leagues. According to Italian transfer gossip site, Tutto Mercato Web, the Blues have emerged as strong contenders for Kluivert Jr's signature. The fact that Raiola is said to have been recruited by Farhad Moshiri to attract talent to Goodison Park this summer, together with the speculation that Marcel Brands could be heading up recruitment at Finch Farm could be fuelling the story. Original Source: Tutto Mercato Web Reliability rating: Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer About these ads ToffeeWeb Top Tourist Destinations in Peru Peru has often been referred to as "the richest country in the world." This quote isn't referring to the national GDP or per capita income, but rather the wealth of wonderful experiences that natives and tourists can enjoy. A growing number of tourists are beginning to appreciate the beautiful ambiance and wonderful attractions that Peru has to offer. Peru has become a very popular tourist destination since the beginning of the century. Over 3 million people visit the small Latin American country every year.Here are some popular attractions for tourists visiting Peru. Macha Picchu is the ancient Incan city that was raided and destroyed by the Spaniards in the 16th century. You can visit it by taking a trip along the Incan trail. History buffs will enjoy visiting the remnants of the ancient city. Even if you aren't interested in history, it is still a beautiful place to visit. Macha Picchu is 1,000 feet above the Urubamba River and resides in some of the most beautiful terrain in South America. The best way to is to take a bus from AguasCalientes, which can be reached by taking a train from several other major cities in Peru. The drive will be less than half an hour long. You could even walk from there if you're willing to brave for the steep incline, but most people don't have the stamina to attempt this hike.Centro Historico De Cuscois both a former Incan capital and the oldest surviving city in South America. It is still a prosperous place to visit. You will find beautiful, stone cut structures, as well as colonial homes and buildings. You will have the chance to experience a mixture of Spanish and Indian structures throughout the town. It is one of their most popular tourist attractions in Peru. Centro Historico De Cuscohas everything for the eager tourist. You can buy beautiful Peruvian meals at some of the city's finest restaurants. There are also lots of small shops and street vendors that sell everything from cheap Peruvian souvenirs to some of the most elegantly crafted jewelry in South America.The Urubamba River is one of the most exotic rivers in South America. You will have the opportunity to go rafting, while you gaze at this serene wilderness. This river has a number of unique terrestrial vertebrates, fish, plants, and insects. You can even cast nets to collect some of the fish during your trip, although you will have the best luck catching them during the early spring. If you aren't comfortable traveling on your own, you can book a tour guide. They can share many of the rivers is spectacular secrets as you raft across the rapids.The Inca Trail is one of the most famous paths in the western hemisphere. It is a four-day long hike, which ends at Maca Picchu. This trail twists and turns through some of the most majestic mountains of Peru, which takes place over 4,000 feet above sea level. It is too risky to travel this path on your own because it is so easy to get lost and face the dangers of the wilderness. Make sure that you book a tour guide to take you through the trail. If you are planning on traveling the Incan trail during the summer, it is important to make reservations with a travel guide at least a month or two in advance. They get booked very quickly since so many people prefer traveling during the warmer parts of the year. A Hanoi-based teacher who was fined and banned from teaching for insulting a student by calling him pig brain could receive more punishment as the municipal chairman has requested that the headline-making case be examined further. The Hanoi education department should coordinate with relevant agencies to look into the case involving Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen and the MST English center, and impose stern punishment for any violations found, according to Nguyen Duc Chung, chairman of the municipal administration. The education department was also required to report the results to the administration by May 15, Chung said in a directive on Tuesday. Tuyen was filmed engaging in an intense argument with one of the learners inside her classroom, operated by MST English, during which she called him pig brain and pig face, which means "extremely idiotic" in this context. No [English] center out there is capable of turning a pig like you into a human, she said in the video, which was uploaded on Facebook last weekend. The incident started after Tuyen demanded that the student pay VND100,000 (US$4.4) as he had broken the center's rules by not handing in homework on schedule. However, the student refused to do so and called her a fraud. The fine was listed among the discipline of steel applied at the center, and learners are required to sign a commitment to comply with such rules at the beginning of the course. The inspectorate from the municipal education department has recently imposed a fine worth VND5 million ($220) upon Tuyen and required her to stop all teaching activities. MST English, with three locations in Hanoi, was shut down for failing to obtain a license to operate as a foreign language training facility. The MST Education System JSC, whose director is Tuyen, was also fined VND20 million ($880) for operating the center without permission from local authorities. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A 12th grader in the north-central Vietnamese province of Nghe An who had his application for a U.S. visa to attend an upcoming Intel science fair turned down twice has succeeded in the third attempt. Mai Nhat Anh, from Phan Boi Chau High School, passed the interview for his U.S. visa at the Embassy of the United States in Hanoi on Tuesday morning, his teacher, Mai Van Quyen, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Anh is now able to join his classmate, Phung Van Long, to participate in the 2018 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) in Pennsylvania later this week. Quyen also got his visa to accompany the students during their trip. The interview was similar to the previous ones, except for the fact that Anh and I were interviewed at the same time, the teacher elaborated. Anh and Long will present their invention, a device capable of converting seawater into fresh water via distillation at the May 13-19 science fair. The machine won first prize in a national contest in Vietnam in March, and was selected by the Ministry of Education and Training to be one of the countrys eight entries sent to the Intel science fair. According to the plan, the delegation from Nghe An Province consists of Anh, Long, and five observers including Quyen. However, until Tuesday, only Long and two observers had got their visas. If only one of the two inventors could make it to the competition, the project could be disqualified, the teacher said. Now that both Quyen and Anh have obtained the visas, the students have left Hanoi for Nghe An to prepare for flight to the U.S. on May 11. The Intel ISEF, a program sponsored by the Society for Science & the Public, is the worlds largest pre-college science competition. Each year, approximately 1,800 high school students from more than 75 countries, regions, and territories are awarded the opportunity to showcase their independent research and compete for on average US$4 million in prizes. In 2017, Pham Huy, an eleventh-grader in the central province of Quang Tri, was also rejected twice by the U.S. Embassy prior to his trip to the U.S. to attend the same science fair. After an article about Huys case was published in Tuoi Tre, the boy received a phone call from the U.S. Embassy offering him a third interview to reconsider his visa application. Huy was granted the document just in time for his flight booked for the same day. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A farmer in Vietnam has touched everyones heart after making a land donation for local authorities to build a proper kindergarten out of pity for local children, who are members of ethnic minority groups. Ho Thi Khun lives in Khe Ngat, a commune in Quang Binh Province where the local community, composed mainly of ethnic minority people, could not afford any appropriate facility to provide education for their children. Khun, herself an impoverished day-to-day farmer, has therefore decided to offer 850 square meters of her 2,500-square-meter plot of land so a school can be built. The woman is even less fortunate than many others. Her husband passed away long before, leaving behind their six daughters and his ill-stricken 70-year-old mother to the care of Khun. In order to make ends meet, she has to resort to doing odd jobs, besides toiling herself away from dawn till dusk on the meager-yielded farmland. Many have urged Khun to sell off part of her land, so that she could live a somewhat better life, which she refused. Only 15 out of the 95 households of Khe Ngat have land for cultivation. As a tradition, parents will split the land and divide it among their children when they get married. Local land owners said it is already difficult for them to follow the tradition, let alone have spare land to donate for the kindergarten construction. This explains why children coming of age in the commune have had to literally study underneath the community's cultural center for the past ten years. Whenever the center has to host festivals or meetings, the teachers would have no choice but to let their students take the day off. Living next to the cultural center, Khun was no stranger to the state her children had to suffer. In early 2017, the Khe Ngat administration said it would build a kindergarten for the commune, but the problem was there was no land available for construction. Khun then offered to use part of her land to house the kindergarten, a decision she was immediately ridiculed for. People mocked that while her name, Khun, means smart, the woman was unwise to give away her land, she said. But I think otherwise, she added. For our children to have a better future, we need some sacrifice. And I believe I have made the right choice. It is expected that 40 children aged three to five in Khe Ngat will have a proper place to play and study in the academic year 2018-19, starting this fall. This is all thanks to Ho Thi Khun and her selflessness. BEIJING/SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited China and met President Xi Jinping, state media of both countries said on Tuesday, their second encounter in two months in a flurry of diplomatic engagement that has eased tensions on the Korean peninsula. They met on Monday and Tuesday in the coastal city of Dalian ahead of what would be a historic meeting between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump that the White House has said could take place as soon as this month. China has been keen to show it has an indispensable role in seeking a lasting solution to tension over North Koreas pursuit of nuclear weapons, concerned that its interests may be ignored, especially as North Korea and the United States establish contacts. During the visit, announced only after it was over, Kim told Xi he hoped relevant parties would take phased and synchronized measures to realize denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. So long as relevant parties eliminate hostile policies and security threats toward North Korea, North Korea has no need for nuclear (capacity), and denuclearization can be realized, Chinas official Xinhua news agency cited Kim as saying. Kim told Xi the denuclearization of the peninsula was North Koreas constant and clear position, and that dialogue between North Korea and the United States could build mutual trust. Trump-Xi call Trump and Xi discussed developments on the Korean peninsula and Kims visit to China during a phone call on Tuesday morning, the White House said. Trump and Xi agreed on the importance of maintaining sanctions on Pyongyang until it permanently dismantles its nuclear and missile programs, the White House said. Chinese state media said Xi reiterated Chinas support for a U.S.-North Korea summit. Chinese state television said Xi said he hopes the United States and North Korea can build mutual trust, synchronize actions, resolve each sides concerns through meeting and consultations, consider North Koreas reasonable security concerns, and jointly promote the political resolution process to the Korean peninsula issue. In the past North Korea has used the term hostile policies in reference to the U.S. troop presence in South Korea, the U.S. nuclear umbrella covering South Korea and Japan and regular joint military exercises in South Korea. China is North Koreas most important economic and diplomatic backer, but Beijing has been angered by Pyongyangs repeated nuclear and missile tests and supported tough U.N. sanctions against its Cold War-era ally. The two sides have stepped up engagement since Trump surprised the world in March by saying he would be willing to meet Kim in a bid to resolve the crisis over Pyongyangs development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. Smiling Kim accompanied by sister Kim was accompanied to China by his sister, Kim Yo Jong, who has played a leading role in diplomatic overtures by the country. Chinese state media showed pictures of Kim smiling in an outdoors meeting with Xi, and the two leaders strolling along a waterfront. Xi hosted a banquet and told Kim of his backing of North Koreas strategic shift towards economic development, Xinhua added. China supports North Koreas upholding of denuclearization on the peninsula, and supports North Korea and the United States resolving the peninsula issue through dialogue and consultation, Xi said. North Korean state media said Kim was very pleased that the relationship with China was reaching a high point, and North Korea would cooperate with China more actively as the situation on the Korean peninsula changed. The two leaders opened their hearts and had warm conversations, North Koreas state news agency KCNA reported. Latest summit The meeting was the latest in a series by North Korean leaders and follows Kims historic summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in last month. In March, Kim traveled by train to Beijing, his first known trip abroad since assuming power in 2011. Kim used his official aircraft to make the short flight to Dalian, in what was his first known international flight since assuming power. Kims father, Kim Jong Il, feared flying, fuelling speculation that the younger Kim may not be willing to travel far to meet Trump. The venue for their summit has not been announced. The demilitarized zone, or DMZ, between North and South Korea, and Singapore are believed to be the most likely contenders for the venue. South Koreas presidential office said the Chinese government notified Seoul about the Xi-Kim meeting in advance. Intense secrecy typically surrounds high-level North Korean visits to China, and this weeks trip was no different. Throughout the day on Tuesday there was speculation on Chinese websites that a North Korean leader was in China, though Chinas foreign ministry said earlier it had no information and Chinese state media did not carry any reports. Japanese public broadcaster NHK had shown images of two North Korean aircraft taxiing at Dalians airport, one an Air Koryo plane and another carrying a North Korean emblem. Posts about unusual traffic jams and security in Dalian popped up on Chinese social media. Court notes statements of gold case suspects Morang District Court has completed recording statements of all 30 suspects involved in the 33 kg gold smuggling case and the murder of an alleged gold runner. JAKARTA -- Six people were killed in clashes between Indonesian police and Islamist militant prisoners at a high-security jail on the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta, two security sources said on Wednesday. A police officer at the jail in the Mobile Police Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Depok and an official at the National Agency for Combating Terrorism both said six people had died. Earlier, National Police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal had told reporters that he could not comment on whether there had been casualties because of ongoing negotiations with inmates. The young couple walked down the aisle at one of Hai Phongs biggest wedding and convention centers, marking the first time a gay wedding had been held in the city. Same-sex marriage is not recognized in Vietnam, but gay couples are free to hold weddings because a ban was overturned in 2015. The men, Quoc Khanh and Thanh Loi, celebrated their love in the arms of their mothers, relatives and friends. Just like food, happiness is the energy that keeps us vitalized to work and enjoy life, Khanh spoke during the wedding ceremony. You just have to filter out others judgment and live your life the way that makes you feel happy. Nobody is paying you to live the way they deem fit. At the end of the day, what matters is being a good human being to the society, your family and the ones you love. A video captures sweet moments between two Vietnamese men in the northern city of Hai Phong who got wedded on May 7, 2018. The fairy-tale wedding has made local headlines as netizens applauded the mens courage in defying social norms against homosexuality that still exist in some parts of the country. I wish you endless happiness in your love and on the path that you have chosen to walk down, a user commented under a photo of the couple posted on social media. It always moves me to see people brave enough to overcome barriers and come together in the name of love. You have my admiration. A Vietnamese gay couple is joined by families and friends in a wedding ceremony in Hai Phong City, located in northern Vietnam, on May 7, 2018. Despite Vietnams remarkable progress in fostering an open-minded public attitude toward the LGBT community, same-sex couples are still reluctant to hold public weddings for fear of discriminative judgment. In 2015 the country removed the organization of same-sex weddings as a legal offense and lifted an administrative fine against the activity. Transgender people who have undergone sex reassignment surgery are allowed to register under their new sex following a landmark law that took effect last year. Gay pride events have been an annual celebration since 2012, joined by hundreds of thousands across Vietnam. A collage of wedding photos by a Vietnamese gay couple from the northern city of Hai Phong. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read what is in the news today, May 9! Politics -- Vietnam demands that China put an end to military activities and withdraw all military equipment that it has illegally deployed on features belonging to Vietnams sovereignty in the East Vietnam Sea, foreign ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said on Tuesday. -- Phan Thi My Thanh, the second top official of the southern province of Dong Nai who was last week dismissed from all Party posts due to multiple wrongdoings while serving in different provincial positions, has submitted a letter resigning from her duty as member of Vietnams lawmaking National Assembly. Society -- Experts forecast inundation in Ho Chi Minh City will get worse during this years rainy season as an ambitious project to spend VND10 trillion (US$438.5 million) on flood management measures has been halted indefinitely due to slow budget disbursement. -- Seven traffic police officers in the southern province of Ca Mau have been subject to disciplinary actions for links to an incident in January in which a traffic violator was hospitalized after being kicked in the chest by one of the officers. -- The under-development Thu Thiem New Urban Area in District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, has fallen short of expectations of being a well-rounded new center for the southern metropolis as construction has strayed far from its original planning, experts say. Business -- Gas prices in Vietnam have gone up by VND508 ($0.022) per liter for E5 RON92 and VND411 ($0.018) per liter for RON95 since 3:00 pm on Tuesday as a result of climbing global oil prices. -- Ho Chi Minh City expects to triple the yearly number of Chinese tourists to around 1.5 million by 2020 as China remains the citys top source market, tourism officials said on Tuesday. -- Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Hanoi amounted to $744 million in the first four months of 2018, including $498.6 million poured into new projects, according to a municipal report on the implementation of a socio-economic development plan. -- The State Bank of Vietnam has bought in $32 billion worth of hard currencies over the past two years, raising the countrys foreign reserves to a record high of $63 billion, Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung announced at a press conference on Tuesday following a monthly cabinet meeting. Education -- A high school student from the north-central province of Nghe An and his physics teacher who were twice denied U.S. visas to attend the 2018 Intel Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) has finally been granted the visas on their third application and will fly to the U.S. on May 11. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Production is now underway on the fourth season of The Great Australian Bake Off for LifeStyle. FremantleMedia started filming the 10-part series in Sydney this week with 12 new bakers. Maggie Beer and Matt Moran return to judge, joined by hosts Claire Hooper and Mel Buttle. An airdate is yet to be confirmed. The Great Australian Bake Off has been a huge success for the Lifestyle Group and is one of Foxtels highest rating local productions. The third season, the most successful to date, recently finished on air and saw Melbourne psychologist and mother of two, Claudia Anton, 48, take out the title of Australias Best Amateur Baker. The Great Australian Bake Off is a FremantleMedia Australia production for Foxtel based on a format created by Love Productions and distributed by BBC Worldwide. US fantasy / crime series Grimm is back for its final season on Seven next week. But it will be one for the PVRs at the late time of 11:45pm Tuesday May 15. This is Season 6 which premiered in the US in January 2017. There are 13 episodes. Fugitive Captain Renard vows to kill Nick following the massacre in Nicks loft. Foreign Minister informs Parliament of Modis visit Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali on Wednesday informed the parliament regarding the official visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi starting from May 11. When Barack Obama was the President of the United States, he signed a deal with Iran known as the JCPOA, which is a fancy word for a deal that kept the US safe from Irans nukes. It was viewed as a landmark deal for the US/Iran diplomacy and it was a large part of the former Presidents legacy. But now, the current President Donald Trump has pulled America out of the deal, calling it one-sided, and the POTUS who signed it in the first place has called this decision misguided. Obama says it sends the wrong message to North Korea Obamas main problem with Trump pulling out of the JCPOA is to do with the message that the new move sends to North Korea. The American government is desperately trying to denuclearise Kim Jong-uns volatile regime over there, so to scrap a deal that did just that with Iran cant possibly do the North Korea crisis any favours. So, Obama is saying that by trashing the deal with Iran, Trump now risks [the United States] losing a deal that accomplishes what the JCPOA did with Iran, but with North Korea. The current President has always maintained that he would, one way or another, sort out the nuclear crisis going on with Kims regime in Pyongyang, and he still has yet to solve it in fact, he has escalated it if anything. Hes accepted an invitation to get there by May, but its May and he still has yet to go. US President Donald Trump had been criticising the JCPOA the deal that kept Irans nuclear arms program off the table ever since it was signed, let alone since he started running for office in the 2016 Presidential election. In the past few days, hes been teasing that hell be pulling America out of the so-called one-sided deal, and today, hes actually gone and done it. But the response from other nations has been mixed some political officials are devastated by the news, but some are very excited about it. Israels Benjamin Netanyahu is thrilled by Trumps decision Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a glowing response to Trumps latest move. He agreed with the US leader that the Iran deal was a disastrous one and applauded the President for his bold move in withdrawing his nation from it. He also added that the country of Israel fully supports the POTUS decision to get out of the Iran deal. Meanwhile, France, Germany, and the UK, all of whom tried to talk Trump out of it and persuade him that the Iran deal was a good thing that kept a lot of countries safe and opened the door to wider discussions of the real issues at hand, have now said that they regret the decision that the US government have made in this matter. US President Donald Trump suggested recently that he would be withdrawing the United States involvement from JCPOA, a nuclear arms deal that Barack Obama signed with Iran, which was seen at the time as a landslide moment in the peace negotiations between the two nations, and now, he has reached the ultimatum that he set for his decision. He has decided that America will be pulling out of the Iran deal, and it has the geopolitical community up in arms. When the President first suggested that he might be pulling out of the deal, the Iranian foreign minister announced that if he did, then Iran would pull out too. No ifs, ands, or buts. That would be it. Theyre out. And now that its official, thats exactly what will happen. There are many problems with Iran at the moment, but thanks to the JCPOA, their nuclear arms program was not one of them. Now that Trump has pulled out of the deal, Iran will pull out of the deal, theyll reopen their nuclear program, and then therell be that one added on top of all the other problems (again). Experts weigh in: This is a dangerous, destabilising decision I had the pleasure to interview Professor Scott Lucas, PhD from the Department of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Birmingham to ask for a comment about Trumps Iran decision. He said, This is a dangerous, destabilising decision primarily motivated by one mans hatred for his predecessor [Barack Obama, who first signed the deal during his Presidency] and by the desire of his advisors to break Iran economically. Trump does have a tendency to be swayed by the Republican voices in his ear, who try to use him as a puppet to push their own agendas through. The nuclear deal was not an end in itself, but a pawn in a bigger chess game in the Middle East, Lucas continued. By taking Irans nuclear program off the table, there was a chance of dealing with the regional issues. So, Obama set the stage for further negotiations about other issues by making nuclear arms and nuclear-related tensions a non-issue with the signing of the JCPOA deal. Lucas explained, Now, that is gone. With the pawn back on the board, the chances of confrontation escalate sharply and the US risks being isolated, perhaps alone with Israel, in that confrontation. This is not to say that Iran is perfect. There are issues with Iran that need to be dealt with but Trumps way is not the way to go about it. I have serious issues with Irans own policy, Lucas said, such as its alliance with the Assad regimes devastation in Syria. But ripping up the nuclear deal offers nothing to deal with this. With his decision to pull America from the deal, which he believes is one-sided in Irans favour, Trump has not faced any of the bigger issues head-on and everything that was a problem before remains a problem except now with the added issue that Irans nuclear program is back on the table. Trump is challenging his allies in Europe There are a lot of European countries who are involved in this Iran deal, and a lot of them are also allies of America, so by cutting out of this deal even with the knowledge that if he did, Iran would be cutting and running as well Trump is seriously challenging some of his closest international allies, including the UK and France, whose leaders hes awfully friendly with well, they share a love/hate relationship with him at best, when hes not giving them an unusual handshake or criticising their handling of terrorism. Trump did not have any kind words to say about this deal in his announcement of the US pulling out of it. He the deal decaying and rotten, and said that as a citizen of the United States of America, the deal was an embarrassment to him. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that this shows that America doesnt respect its commitments, and that because of this, Irans Atomic Energy Organisation has been ordered to go back to business as usual. Trump delivers remarks on his intentions regarding the Iran nuclear deal at the White House U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after signing a proclamation declaring his intention to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House in Washington, U.S. May 8, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst By Jessica Resnick-Ault, Jane Chung and Osamu Tsukimori NEW YORK/SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - Iran's exports of oil to China, Europe and other countries will decline later this year and into 2019 if the United States can enforce President Donald Trump's decision to reimpose the "highest level" of economic sanctions targeting oil trade with Iran. Refining company sources said Asia's petroleum refiners have shifted purchases to other exporters in preparation for the renewal of U.S. sanctions against OPEC member Iran, which currently exports about 2.5 million barrels of oil a day, with China, India and other Asian nations the primary customers. Trump on Tuesday announced the withdrawal from the Iran deal, which was struck between major world powers and the Middle Eastern nation in 2015, and the renewal of sanctions to the "highest level" on Tehran. "We're expecting it to dissuade some buyers from purchasing Iranian crude," said Bob McNally, president of consultancy Rapidan Energy Group in Washington. The deal had limited Iran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for removing joint U.S.-Europe sanctions against the Middle Eastern country. Iran now produces about 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd), accounting for about 4 percent of world supply. Any decline in shipments would not be immediate, as sanctions would not come into effect for 180 days. U.S. allies in Europe on Tuesday said they were looking to find ways to preserve what was left of the agreement. European and Asian importers may, however, soon find themselves faced with the choice of doing business with the United States or Iran. "We think everyone is going to scramble to call the White House and get an exemption," McNally said. The trajectory of sales could match what happened after tough Western sanctions were put in place in early 2012. Then, Iran's foreign sales fell to just over 1 million bpd, with the majority coming from four buyers - China, India, Japan and South Korea. Story continues Currently, the biggest buyer of Iran's crude is China, whose imports peaked at about 900,000 bpd in mid-2016 but have dropped to around 600,000 bpd in 2018, according to Thomson Reuters ship tracking data. Chinese refiners said Iran currently had a relatively small share in its supplies, and alternatives would be easy to find in Russia, Saudi Arabia, West Africa and the United States. International oil prices hit their highest since late 2014 this week on worries that revived sanctions would tighten global supplies. Moody's Analytics said sanctions would reduce Iranian production by about 400,000 bpd. The United States may struggle to enforce sanctions against Iran to the same level as earlier in the decade. Then, the European Union's support for the United States' measures made it difficult for refiners to transport and purchase crude. This time, European countries do not support U.S. policy. The governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom all said on Tuesday they wanted to stick to the deal and urged the U.S. not to obstruct that. "What made the multi-lateral sanctions enforced during the Obama era so effective was precisely the fact that they were multi-lateral, whereas President Trumps sanctions are not," wrote Chris Lafakis, Moody's chief economist. ASIAN REFINERS MAKE ALTERNATE PLANS Some refiners in Japan and South Korea said they had already taken measures to prepare for potential new curbs on Iranian supplies by shifting to alternatives. A source with a Korean petrochemical company said that the main problem for Korean importers was finding equivalent oil specifications for Iran's supplies. Refiners are designed to use specific qualities of crude, and Korean facilities are geared for Iranian condensate, a super-light form of crude. While there are alternatives, including from the United States or Qatar, specifications and prices vary. "We can source from Qatar, depending on price," the source said. "In the case of U.S. light crude, it's not that economical to use at the moment and doesn't fit well with Korean facilities." During the last round of sanctions, India enjoyed waivers that allowed it to continue to import limited amounts of Iranian oil under certain fiscal restraints, including paying Iran in India's rupee instead of the U.S. dollar. "The impact (of potential new sanctions) in India will be there, but not so high," said R Ramachandran, head of refineries at Bharat Petroleum Corp , a major state-owned oil firm. Iran is the third-largest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The top producer in the group, Saudi Arabia, would work with other OPEC and non-OPEC producers to lessen the impact of any shortage in oil supplies, a Saudi energy official said on Wednesday. Inventories in major developed nations have fallen sharply in the last year-and-a-half to 2.85 billion barrels, slightly above their five-year average, after OPEC and non-OPEC producers such as Russia cut supply at the beginning of 2017 to end a global glut. Now, some market participants say the market could tighten dramatically after years of oversupply. "I think were going to $80 next year for (U.S. oil)," said Eric Nuttall, partner and senior portfolio manager at Ninepoint Partners in Toronto. "We see inventories reaching a 10-year low by the end of this year. (Reporting by Jessica Resnick Ault and Stephanie Kelly in NEW YORK, Osamu Tsukimori in TOKYO, Jane Chung in SEOUL, Henning Gloystein and Florence Tan in SINGAPORE, and Nidhi Verma and Promit Mukherjee in NEW DELHI; Writing by David Gaffen; Editing by Simon Webb and Cynthia Osterman) FILE PHOTO: Logos of Mitsubishi Motors Corp are seen at a showroom of the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan May 9, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo TOKYO (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp <7211.T> said on Wednesday it expects operating profit to rise 12 percent in the current financial year, driven by higher vehicle sales in Asia. Mitsubishi Motors has been counting on growth in the region to help it return to profit levels seen before a mileage scandal in 2016. The company's admission that it had overstated mileage levels on domestic models had eroded sales at home and resulted in massive compensation costs for the automaker. Japan's seventh-largest automaker said it expects operating profit to rise to 110.0 billion yen ($1.0 billion) in the year to March 2019, mostly in line with the median forecast for 111.5 billion yen in a Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S poll. Its profit had slumped to 5.1 billion yen in the year to March 2017 due to the mileage scandal, before rebounding 20-fold to 98.2 billion yen in the year that just ended. It expects to sell 1.25 million vehicles in the current financial year, up 14 percent from the previous year, led by sales in Southeast Asia, its biggest regional market where sales of its recently-launched Xpander minivan have been booming. It also forecast strong growth in China, where its local joint venture is growing production capacity. "The sales recovery in Japan will also support the growth," it said in a statement. Under a three-year strategy unveiled in October, the company plans to boost annual global sales by 30 percent, focusing on growth in Southeast Asia, China and the United States. As part of an alliance that includes Nissan Motor Co <7201.T> and Renault SA , Mitsubishi is also targeting cost-savings of more than 100 billion yen over the next three years through development and procurement efficiencies. (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Himani Sarkar) FILE PHOTO: The logo of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project is seen on a board at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2017 (SPIEF 2017) in St. Petersburg, Russia, June 1, 2017. Picture taken June 1, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's anti-monopoly office has launched proceedings against Russia's Gazprom and five European firms responsible for financing the planned Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline over potential breach of anti-monopoly laws, the office said on Wednesday. Poland sees the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which would double Russia's gas export capacity via the Baltic Sea, as a threat to Europe's energy security and argues it will strengthen Gazprom's already dominant position on the market. Warsaw is still buying most of its gas from Russia, but has reduced this reliance thanks to a new LNG terminal and supplies from other sources. In 2016, Polish watchdog UOKIK said the Nord Stream 2 project would undermine competition and did not agree on a joint venture between Gazprom and its European partners, which include Uniper , Wintershall , Shell , OMV and Engie . "Two years ago, the company that was supposed to construct the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was not cleared for this transaction," the watchdog's chief was quoted as saying in a statement. "Unfortunately, the entities decided to finance this project despite UOKIK's objection. This may constitute a violation of anti-monopoly law and that is why we put the allegations to Gazprom and five other entities," he said. (Reporting by Anna Koper; writing by Agnieszka Barteczko; editing by Jason Neely) FILE PHOTO: An employee works at an assembly line of GM Korea's Bupyeong plant in Incheon FILE PHOTO: An employee works at an assembly line of GM Korea's Bupyeong plant in Incheon, South Korea March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo By Hyunjoo Jin and Joyce Lee SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Wednesday that an impending deal with General Motors to refinance its local unit will ensure the U.S. automaker remains in the country for at least 10 years, as its rights to sell shares and assets will be curtailed. GM and South Korea reached a preliminary agreement last month to inject $4.35 billion into the loss-making unit to keep it afloat. GM has also announced plans to close one of its four South Korean plants, cut headcount by almost 3,000 and has reached a deal on wages with its workers. "At least 10 years will be guaranteed," Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon said in a radio interview, adding that one key condition of the deal will be Korea Development Bank, which owns 17 percent of GM Korea, regaining veto power over asset sales. "We will make sure GM contributes to the South Korean economy by running normal operations for the long term," he said. While a final agreement is expected this week, industry watchers are skeptical this will mean the end of restructuring for the unit, as the automaker's sale of its Opel brand in Europe last year is expected to further hit production levels. "I expect GM to restructure its South Korean unit on a regular basis," said Lee Hang-koo, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade. The preliminary agreement with GM calls for the state-run bank to regain the power to block the sale of more than 20 percent of the unit's assets, a KDB official has previously said. The veto right, which had been in place since 2002 when GM acquired failed Daewoo Motors, expired in October. GM is expected to extend loans of up to $3.6 billion while KDB is set to inject $750 million, the finance minister said. A GM Korea spokesman declined to comment, saying talks are ongoing. KDB also declined to comment. Kaher Kazem, GM Korea's CEO, said in an internal letter on Tuesday that it plans to reach a binding, final agreement with the government on Friday. Story continues GM relies on its plants as a key export hub, building vehicles for the United States and other countries but production needs dropped after GM decided in 2013 to pull its Chevy brand from Europe. The U.S. automaker has said it will introduce two new models to South Korea to boost sagging utilization rates. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin and Joyce Lee; Additional reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) Govt mulls leasing land to run transmission lines The government is mulling to introduce a policy to lease land from private owners to secure easement rights to run high voltage transmission lines, the Energy Ministry said Tuesday while launching a white paper on the development of the energy sector. FILE PHOTO: The Banco Sabadell logo can be seen behind leaves on top of a building outside Madrid, Spain, April 13, 2016. REUTERS/Andrea Comas FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has fined Spain's Banco Sabadell 1.6 million euros (1.4 million pounds) for buying back some of its capital without the ECB's permission, the ECB said on Tuesday. "The penalty has been imposed in respect of the bank repurchasing its CET1 (Core Equity Tier 1) instruments from 1 January 2014 to 7 November 2016 without the prior permission of the banking supervision authority," the ECB said. "This constitutes a continuous breach of own funds requirements in that period." Sabadell has challenged the fine before the Court of Justice of the European Union, the ECB said. (Reporting by Francesco Canepa; Editing by Adrian Croft) FILE PHOTO: Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven addresses a news conference after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke Thomson Reuters STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has been summoned to testify next month as a witness in a Brazilian corruption case involving the purchase of fighter jets by Brazil, the Stockholm District Court said on Wednesday. Lofven will be asked in a Swedish court about his contacts with Brazil's former presidents Dilma Rousseff and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva regarding the country's purchase of Saab Gripen fighters in a deal struck five years ago. The request to testify came from Brazil's Ministry of Justice on behalf of the defendants, including Lula, a court document seen by Reuters showed. Lula's lawyers say the case amounts to "political persecution". Lofven, who is not suspected of any wrongdoing, lobbied for a Gripen deal when he was the head of the powerful trade union IF Metall. He became chairman of the Social Democratic Party in early 2012. He was elected prime minister in the autumn of 2014. A spokeswoman for the Swedish prime minister said Lofven had not yet received a summons but that he was ready to testify and answer any questions in court. "In his role as trade union head, it was natural for Stefan Lofven to support Swedish exports," spokeswoman Ingela Nilsson said. "That includes the case of Gripen." The Brazilian government announced late in 2013 that it had chosen the Gripen NG fighter jet produced by Saab. The Swedish plane beat Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet and France's Rafale, produced by Dassault Aviation. Brazilian prosecutors in 2016 formally accused Lula of using his influence over his hand-picked successor's government to help Saab win the tender for 36 fighter jets. Lulas lawyers said he had no role in the Gripen purchase and they have sought the Swedish leader's testimony to debunk the allegation by prosecutors that the deal was reached at a meeting between Lula, Rousseff and Lofven at a hotel in South Africa during the funeral of Nelson Mandela in 2013. Story continues That meeting never took place, Lula's law firm Teixeira, Martins & Advogados said in an emailed statement, which said the case amounted to "political persecution". Lula turned himself in to police in April to begin serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption in a separate case and is still facing several trials on graft charges. [nL1N1RK02Q] [nL1N1S800N] Rousseff is not accused of any wrongdoing in the case. (Reporting by Johan Sennero and Daniel Dickson in Stockholm, additional reporting by Anthony Boadle in Brasilia; Editing by Alison Williams) See Also: htlv1 REUTERS/Darren Whiteside HTLV-1, an ancient virus similar to HIV, is spreading around Australia's Northern Territories. Some 40% of adults in certain parts of Australia, mostly indigenous communities, carry the virus. There's little research into how to treat and prevent HTLV-1, and doctors are calling for more research. An ancient virus similar to HIV is spreading around Australia's Northern Territories, and doctors are now sounding the alarm. The virus, called human T-cell leukemia virus type 1, or HTLV-1, infects 40% of adults in some parts of Australia, with indigenous communities around the town of Alice Springs the hardest hit, reports CNN. HTLV-1 can lead to leukemia and lymphoma diagnoses. It's similar in some ways to the more well-known HIV virus, yet there's scant research into how to treat and prevent the disease. Both HTLV-1 and HIV can be sexually transmitted and attack the immune system, though HTLV-1 is generally more difficult to transmit. "Nobody that I know of in the world has done anything about trying to treat this disease before," Dr. Robert Gallo, the director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, told CNN. Gallo's lab was the first to detect HTLV-1, in 1979. "There's little to almost no vaccine efforts, outside of some Japanese research," Gallo added. The virus can spread through unprotected sex, blood contact like a transfusion as well as between breastfeeding mothers and children. The virus is ancient: HTLV-1's DNA has been found on a 1,500-year-old mummy discovered in South America's Andes mountains. HTLV-1 is also associated with a number of debilitating conditions, including bronchiectasis, a dangerous lung condition, as well as nervous-system diseases like myelopathy, which affects the spinal cord, and myopathy, which affects muscle tissue. It also weakens the immune system, similar to HIV. Story continues It's more difficult to spread than HIV, however, which some doctors say is why the virus has received less attention than HIV. While prevalence of the disease is low in the US, the virus is "clustered" in central Australia. "The interesting thing about central Australia, of course, is you can go back 25 years, and the high rates of HTLV-1 were published 25 years ago in that community," Dr. Graham Taylor, a professor at Imperial College London, told CNN. "The virus is neglected, and the diseases that it causes are neglected," Taylor added. NOW WATCH: Korean Billy tells us how he learned the London 'roadman' dialect for his viral YouTube video See Also: DHAKA (Reuters) - A court in Bangladesh on Tuesday sentenced two militants to death and jailed three for life after finding them guilty of killing a university professor two years ago, a prosecutor said. The Muslim-majority country of 160 million people has seen a string of violent attacks in recent years targeting liberals, foreigners and religious minorities. Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, 58, an English professor at northwestern Rajshahi University, was hacked to death in April 2016. Militant group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the killing, accusing him of issuing a "call to atheism". The trial court also jailed three men for life, public prosecutor Entajul Haque told reporters, after the verdict was delivered in a packed courtroom. One of the five, Shariful Islam, a student of the professor and believed to have masterminded his killing, was tried in absentia and received a death sentence, he added. In November, police charged eight members of the home-grown Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen militant group in the case. Police said three more accused were killed in an exchange of gunfire. Investigators believe the same group, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, was behind a major attack in the diplomatic quarter of Dhaka in July 2016, when gunmen stormed a restaurant, killing 22 people, most of them foreigners. Islamic State and al Qaeda have claimed a series of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in Bangladesh in the past few years. Authorities have consistently ruled out the presence of such groups, blaming domestic militants instead. However, security experts say the scale and sophistication of the restaurant attack suggested links to a wider network. (Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) See Also: People watch a TV news report on screen, showing portraits of the three American detainees, Kim Dong Chul (left) Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song (right) (AP) Donald Trump has revealed that three American detainees in North Korea are on their way back to the US after being released by Kim Jong-un. News of the three mens release had been expected for several days but the President made the announcement on Twitter after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to Pyongyang for talks. Trump tweeted: I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the three wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Secretary Pompeo and his guests will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 In another Tweet, Trump said Mr Pompeo and the detainees will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2am on Thursday (7am BST). He said: I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! The prisoners, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, were accused of anti-state activities by North Korea. MOST POPULAR TODAY ON YAHOO The family of Tony Kim say welcomed the release, expressing their thanks for Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. Story continues Mr Pompeo, the former CIA Director, was in Pyongyang to discuss arrangements for a meeting between the President and Kim Jong-un. Trump added that there had been a good meeting with the North Korean leader, confining that a date and time for the summit had been set. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is leaving North Korea with three American detainees (Rex) NBC NEWS: Family of Tony Kim, an American released by North Korea: We want to thank all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home. We also want to thank the President for engaging directly with North Korea. pic.twitter.com/IYWmz36cK2 Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) May 9, 2018 Mr Pompeo said earlier that senior official Kim Yong Chol had been a great partner in working to make the summit a success. He said: For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict. Mr Kim said the summit was not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside, but the will of the Korean people. However, Trump has previously said that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Donald Trump said a meeting with Kim Jong-un has been arranged as he confirmed the release of US detainees (Rex) Mr Pompeo is only the second sitting Secretary of State to visit North Korea (Rex) Mr Pompeo, who first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting Secretary of State to visit the reclusive nation with which the US is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-president Bill Clinton and Kim Jong-uns father, Kim Jong Il. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Koreas development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. Kim Jong-un (left) held diplomacy talks with South Korean president Moon Jae-in (right) last month (Rex) But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea have moved to ease tensions, including with their own leaders summit late last month. In March, Mr Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Mr Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss denuclearisation. According to South Korea, Mr Kim says he is willing to give up his nuclear missiles if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. An 89-year-old woman in Germany dubbed Nazi Grandma has been caught after she failed to turn up for a prison sentence. Ursula Haverbeck had been sentenced to two years in prison last year for denying the Holocaust, the Associated Press reported. Related: Count Dankula receives $100,000 in public donations following $1,100 fine for "Nazi dog" video Trending: Primary Election Day 2018: Results, Live Blog From Key Races in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina After failing to turn up for her prison sentence last week, Haverback was found at home on Monday. She was then taken to prison to serve her time. It was not her first run-in with the law. Agence France-Presse reported that Haverback had run a far-right center, which was shut down in 2008. Shes also previously been sentenced for Holocaust denial, the agency reported. She has said she does not think Auschwitz has been proven to have been a death camp and called the Holocaust a lie. GettyImages-861864516 Steffi Loos/Getty Images Don't miss: Texas Teacher Suspended After Discussing Sexual Orientation Sues School For Discrimination When she failed to arrive for her prison sentence, the International Auschwitz Committee put out a statement urging authorities to find her, calling her a symbolic figure of all Holocaust deniers. Executive Vice President of the International Auschwitz Committee, Christoph Heubner, said that just as she had denied the Holocaust, she now denies the legitimacy of the German judiciary. According to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, 1.1 million people died at the site in Poland, the largest extermination camp of the Nazi era. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Hadi al-Amiri leader of the Badr Organisation attends an election campaign rally, along with his Al-Fatih bloc supporters, in Kirkuk Hadi al-Amiri leader of the Badr Organisation attends an election campaign rally, along with his Al-Fatih bloc supporters, in Kirkuk, Iraq May 2, 2018. Picture taken May 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed By Maher Chmaytelli BAGHDAD (Reuters) - If Hadi al-Amiri triumphs in Iraq's election on Saturday it would be a crowning achievement for the dissident turned Shi'ite militia leader who spent more than two decades fighting Saddam Hussein from exile in Iran. Leader of the Badr Organisation that was the backbone of the volunteer forces fighting Islamic State, Amiri hopes to capitalise on his success on the battlefield in what is expected to be a tight three-way race for the premiership. Victory for Amiri would be a win for Iran as the 63-year-old militia leader has forged close ties with Iraq's Shi'ite neighbour - but he would also have to balance Tehran's interests in Iraq with Washington's often competing goals. The winner of the election will face the daunting task of rebuilding Iraq after the devastating three-year war against the ultra-hardline Sunni militants, as well as fighting the corruption that consumes much of the OPEC member's oil revenue. Like the other frontrunners, incumbent Haider al-Abadi and former prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, Amiri has pledged to restore state institutions and provide badly needed health and education services. Amiri's own record in government, a four-year stint as transport minister, was undistinguished. Instead, Amiri aims to exploit his leading role in the Popular Mobilisation Forces, the mainly Shi'ite, Iranian-backed militias that rallied to confront the self-declared Islamic State caliphate in Iraq four years ago. "His lucky star rose in 2014. Amiri the unconvincing minister vanished and the guerrilla commander re-emerged when the Shi'ites of Iraq needed him most," said a Shi'ite scholar and expert in former Shi'ite opposition movements. OLD FRIENDS Amiri's Iranian connections forged during long years in exile, particularly his ties with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were central to his rise to prominence, first challenging and finally helping defeat IS. Story continues The Guards trained and armed the Popular Mobilisation forces set up in response to a fatwa from Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. As leader of the Badr Organisation, Amiri, a Farsi speaker, was often seen discussing offensives in Iraq with the Guards' commander of foreign operations, Qassem Soleimani. The numerous photos from the battlefront of Amiri with Soleimani in military fatigues, embracing and looking euphoric after evicting IS fighters, have personalised an old friendship. Portraits of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei are also a fixture in Badr offices, a reminder of the days when the group was the armed wing of Iraq's Shi'ite opposition, based in Iran. Born in the mixed Sunni-Shi'ite province of Diyala east of Baghdad, Amiri fled to Iran in his 20s after studying economics in Baghdad. Sentenced to death by Saddam, Amiri made Iran his second home for more than two decades. Then, like Maliki and Abadi, he returned from exile after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion which overthrew Saddam. Amiri embedded Badr members in key security positions purged of Saddam's Baath Party officers but showed his pragmatic streak by avoiding clashes with U.S. forces during their eight-year occupation. Opponents accuse his Badr organisation of assassinations and widespread abuses against Sunnis detained in secret prisons run by the group following the U.S.-led invasion. Kareem Nuri, Amiri's media adviser and a candidate on his list, denied the accusations saying they were designed to "distort the reputation of Badr". BALANCING ACT Despite his close ties with Iran, Amiri has kept communication open lines with American diplomats in Baghdad, which would be a help were he to win given the continued military and economic importance of the United States to Iraq. The United States retrained and assisted Iraqi government forces led by Abadi. It has provided billions of dollars in aid to the cash-strapped government and has actively encouraged Gulf and other foreign investors to help rebuild the country. U.S.-led coalition forces also operated in the same area as tens of thousands of Shi'ite militiamen during the war against Islamic State which culminated last year with the capture of Mosul. Despite the anti-American rhetoric of several militia leaders - other than Amiri - there were no major incidents. "The Americans are able to work with Amiri and there is no reason to believe he will take Iraq to Iran unless he is forced to choose between the two," said one Western diplomat. That difficult choice could fall on Iraq's next prime minister, however, if U.S. President Donald Trump decides to reimpose sanctions on Iran lifted after a 2015 deal restraining its nuclear programme. Amiri says under his leadership Iraq would seek relations with all neighbours and not be dependent on Iran. "Our hearts are open and hands are stretched, we want Iraq to be the master of the region, the centre around which others will revolve. Iraq's stature cannot allow it to be a tail for this country or that country," he said. 'TIME HAS COME' His opponents are sceptical, saying his historic loyalty to Tehran means his actions will be dictated by Iranian interests. They also question the image he is projecting of an outsider and military commander not involved in the political mismanagement, corruption and nepotism plaguing the country. Critics point to his performance as transport minister from 2010 to 2014, including an incident in 2014 when he forced a passenger plane flying to Iraq to turn back in mid-air to collect his son who had missed the departure from Beirut. Iraq's road, railroads and airports didn't improve under his watch, even though the government earned tens of billions of dollars from extra oil when crude was above $100 a barrel. Amiri's campaign has sought to position him above the country's sectarian divisions and political failings, stressing his role in the Popular Mobilisation forces, which some Sunni fighters joined too. "I am a Popular Mobilisation commander and it is normal that I'm running on (Amiri's) list," said Yazan al-Jubouri, a Sunni standing for parliament in Salahuddin province north of Baghdad. The logo of Amiri's "Fateh", or Conquest, list of candidates is a golden lion's head on a green background, to project an image of strength and security as well as his Islamic ideology. His slogan is simple: "Iraq's time has come." (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; editing by Dominic Evans and David Clarke) BEIJING (AP) The Latest on reports of a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and a high-ranking North Korean official (all times local): 8 p.m. China says President Xi Jinping has met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a northern Chinese port city. The meeting, held Monday and Tuesday in Dalian, is the second between the two men in recent weeks, following Kim's March visit to Beijing, his first since taking power six years ago. China is North Korea's only major ally, although trade between them has plummeted in recent months as Beijing enforces United Nations economic sanctions in response to the North's nuclear bomb and ballistic missile tests. The meeting between Xi and Kim comes as the North Korean leader prepares to hold a historic summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. China has been eager to assert its importance in the process of lowering tensions on the Korean Peninsula. ___ 6 p.m. Media reports Tuesday said Chinese President Xi Jinping may have met with a high-ranking North Korean official in the Chinese port city of Dalian amid tight security and the spotting of a North Korean airliner at the city's airport. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may have been aboard the plane, although it cited no direct evidence. Japan's Kyodo News service said the plane departed on Tuesday. Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper cited two unidentified sources as saying that Xi had flown to Dalian on the coast east of Beijing to meet with the official as well as to preside over the official launch of sea trials for China's first entirely self-built aircraft carrier. See Also: Govt serious towards developing Karnali Province: PM Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the government is serious about developing Karnali province. PM Oli said so while receiving a memorandum submitted by a delegation of Karnali Province headed by the province Chief Minister. Thanks to conservationists, large predators are venturing back to the hunting grounds they dominated before their populations were decimated by humans. The knock-on effects of this, according to a new study, include alligators at the beach, killer whales in rivers and mountain lions in grasslands. Sightings of predators in areas where they are not generally found have risen in recent years due to successful conservation projects, a new study in the journal Current Biology points out. In a statement, Brian Silliman, a professor of marine conservation biology at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment who led the study, said, "We can no longer chalk up a large alligator on a beach or coral reef as an aberrant sighting. It's not an outlier or short-term blip. It's the old norm, the way it used to be before we pushed these species onto their last legs in hard-to-reach refuges. Now, they are returning." Trending: Stormy Daniels Payment May Have Been Reimbursed By Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch, Michael Avenatti Claims GettyImages-1324396 Joe Raedle/Getty Images Alligators have started to recolonize what scientists believe was once their saltwater habitats on the southeast coast of the U.S., and gray wolves have ventured into coastal marine ecosystems, according to the study. Sea otters have expanded their hunting grounds from the northeast Pacific coast into estuarine marshes and sea grasses, while mountain lions hunt in grasslands and orangutans in forests. Rather than finding new areas to hunt for food, the creatures are revisiting ecosystems their species frequented before their populations were affected by humans. Scientists reached conclusion after assessing data from recent scientific studies and government reports. Story continues Silliman told Newsweek the individual studies suggested that large predators were showing up in areas where they didn't belong. "When you put all the work together, however, you get a surprising and consistent alternative scenario. Most of these large predators are not habitat specialists, as we have been taught for so many years. Indeed, they are generalists." Don't miss: Boeing Could Lose Nearly $20 Billion after Iran Nuclear Deal Withdrawal While large predators being found in a wider variety of habitats may sound unnerving, Silliman said this change in behavior can be beneficial to our own species. He used the example of sea otters returning to an estuary to feed on crabs. This means crabs eat fewer sea slugs, which in turn survive to eat algae, which lives off excess nutrients that enter the water from farms and cities. "Large predators help stabilize and restore ecosystems," he explained. "Sea otters brought back seagrasses in one of the most polluted estuaries in the U.S., saving tax payers tens of millions of dollars." "We need to expand our way of thinking from not only managing wildlife by walling it off separately in parks to also managing wildlife while we co-exist with it. It can be done, [and] we have plenty of examples. "We can co-exist with large predators. We do this all over the world. We do, however, need to change our behavior and management of those large animals to co-exist successfully and avoid conflict," Silliman said. Most popular: Syria Hit by New Strikes As Trump Cancels Iran Deal and Israel Calls High Alert Keith Somerville, a member of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology at the University of Kent and a fellow of the Zoological Society of London, agreed that many species, including some predators, are proving to be very adaptable to changing habitats. (He was not involved in the research.) "The recolonization of areas that have become urban, peri-urban or waterways near heavily populated areas is a continuing phenomenon in many parts of the world," he told Newsweek. "One should also think of coyotes around Vancouver; leopards on the outskirts of Mumbai, where they have had a positive health role by killing feral dogs and thereby reducing the incidence of rabies; and leopards around the Ngong forest reserve and suburban areas of Nairobi [in Kenya]. There are many examples of wildlife adapting what would once have been thought of as totally hostile environments. "The downside, over time, will be when recolonizing predators come into conflict with humans," Somerville said. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek BANGKOK (Reuters) - Ninety-three refugees from Myanmar who have been living in camps in Thailand have gone home, the second such return since 2016, the UN refugee agency on Tuesday, raising hopes for the eventual closure of some of Asia's oldest refugee camps. About 100,000 refugees from Myanmar, most of them ethnic minority Karen people, have been living in nine camps in Thailand along the Myanmar border, many since the Myanmar army began sustained offensives against Karen guerrillas in the early 1980s. The Myanmar government and the autonomy-seeking guerrillas have agreed to peace, raising hopes that the refugees will go home, although occasional skirmishes in eastern Myanmar have been reported in recent months. The refugees left on Monday from five camps then split into two groups and crossed into Myanmar's Karen and Kayah states, the U.N. refugee agency said in a statement. "They were received by Myanmar authorities and assisted at two reception centres," the UNHCR said. "Refugees in Thailand have been expressing interest in returning home and have begun making plans for their future beyond the camps in Thailand in the hope that peace and stability will prevail in their places of origin in south-eastern Myanmar." The first voluntary repatriation, of 68 Myanmar refugees from the camps took place began in 2016. At the time, the UNHCR called it a "milestone". Myanmar's new government led by Aung San Suu Kyi has made ending long-running insurgencies by various ethnic minority guerrilla groups a priority, though its efforts have been mixed. Attacks last year on the security forces by a new guerrilla faction drawn from the Rohingya Muslim minority in western Myanmar triggered a sweeping Myanmar government offensive and the exodus to Bangladesh of some 700,000 Rohingya civilians, according to U.N. estimates. The UNHCR said on Tuesday the situation in Myanmar's western Rakhine State was "not yet conducive for the return of Rohingya refugees". Story continues Heavy fighting has erupted intermittently in Kachin State in northern Myanmar in recent years, including over the past few weeks. A 17-year ceasefire between Kachin guerrillas and the government collapsed in 2011. There are also occasional clashes between guerrillas and government forces in Shan State in the northeast. (Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Robert Birsel) LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Yum Brands Inc's Pizza Hut chain is expanding a beer delivery test to nearly 100 restaurants in Arizona and California this month as industry leaders vie for market share in the face of sluggish growth. Operators are seeking creative ways to boost sales as restaurant traffic growth has been weak to flat for several years due to competition ranging from grocery stores that sell prepared food to a proliferation of meal kit companies. Pizza Hut started its beer delivery project in downtown Phoenix in December as part of a larger push to set the chain apart from rivals like Domino's Pizza Inc. Domino's does not deliver alcohol, but it recently added 150,000 new delivery "hotspots" at U.S. parks, beaches and other destinations that do not have traditional addresses in a bid find new business. The enlarged Pizza Hut test will include Arizona cities such as Tucson, Prescott and Winslow. California cities include Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Sacramento and Santa Barbara. More than 1,700 of Pizza Hut's roughly 6,300 U.S. units have liquor licenses, giving the chain a potential lead over some rivals. "Many Pizza Hut restaurants are already licensed to serve and distribute beer, without third party services, additional fees, or extended wait times," Pizza Hut Chief Marketing Officer Zipporah Allen told Reuters. Pizza Hut's beer delivery drivers will be at least 21 years old and trained in local alcohol laws, the company said. They have the authority to cancel a beer delivery order if customers cannot verify they are old enough to legally consume alcohol. Pizza Hut's announcement landed hours after privately held Panera Bread Co said it had completed the national roll-out of its own food delivery service to 897 cities. While pizza chains and Panera do their own delivery, many other restaurants farm the work out to companies that take a slice of revenue. Strategy firm Pentallect Inc has forecast that U.S. third-party food delivery industry sales will grow from $13 billion in 2017 to $24.5 billion by 2022. Story continues Pizza Hut parent Yum, which also owns the Taco Bell and KFC brands, earlier this year spent $200 million to buy a 3 percent stake in food delivery company GrubHub Inc. McDonald's Corp partners with UberEats for fast-food delivery in the United States. DoorDash, which delivers craft beer six-packs for BJ's Restaurants Inc in some California markets, has been offering alcohol delivery in select cities since 2016. (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Richard Chang) See Also: By Parisa Hafezi ANKARA (Reuters) - President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran would remain committed to a multinational nuclear deal despite U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 agreement designed to deny Tehran the ability to build nuclear weapons. "If we achieve the deal's goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place... By exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty," Rouhani said in a televised speech. "I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain," he added. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is the full name for the nuclear deal, struck in 2015 between Iran, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - and Germany. Trump's decision sets the stage for a resurgence of political infighting within Irans complex power structure, Iranian officials told Reuters. Trump's decision to exit the deal could tip the balance of power in favour of hardliners looking to constrain Rouhani's ability to open up to the West. "They will blame Rouhani ... They will continue their shenanigans at home and abroad. And they will have the U.S. to blame for the failure of the economy," said Abbas Milani, director of the Iranian Studies programme at Stanford University. Khamenei, whose hostility towards Washington is the glue that holds together Irans faction-ridden leadership, had said that Iran would "shred" the deal if the United States pulled out of it. Rouhani warned that Iran was ready to resume its curbed nuclear activities after consultations with the other world powers which are part of the agreement. Story continues Under the deal, Iran stopped producing 20 percent enriched uranium and gave up the majority of its stockpile in return for most international sanctions on it being lifted. Trump's announcement was hailed by Washington's principal allies in the Middle East, Israel and Saudi Arabia, both sworn foes of Iran. Trump, in a statement tougher than expected, said he would reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran immediately. His decision puts pressure on his European allies, who are key backers of the deal and reluctant to join the United States in reimposing sanctions on Iran. (Additional reportin by Bozorgmehr Sharafeddin in London, Babak Dehghanpisheh in Beirut, Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Michael Georgy and Gareth Jones) By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Russian company accused by U.S. prosecutors of funding a propaganda operation to tilt the 2016 presidential election in President Donald Trump's favour and stir disharmony in the United States pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in federal court. Concord Management and Consulting LLC is one of three entities and 13 Russian individuals indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office in February in an alleged criminal and espionage conspiracy to tamper in the U.S. race, boost Trump and disparage his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. The indictment said Concord is controlled by Russian businessman Evgeny Prigozhin, who U.S. officials have said has extensive ties to Russia's military and political establishment. The indictment said Concord controlled funding, recommended personnel and oversaw the activities of the propaganda campaign. Prigozhin, also personally charged by Mueller, has been dubbed "Putin's cook" by Russian media because his catering business has organised banquets for Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior political figures. He has been hit with sanctions by the U.S. government. "We plead not guilty. We exercise the right to a speedy trial," the company's U.S.-based defence lawyer Eric Dubelier said during the arraignment before Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey, who scheduled a May 16 status hearing. Another business entity that prosecutors said was controlled by Prigozhin, Concord Catering, was named in the indictment, along with the Internet Research Agency, a St. Petersburg-based Russian troll farm. Dubelier told the court he was not authorized to represent Concord Catering, adding that prosecutors had indicted a "proverbial ham sandwich" because the entity did not exist during the time the alleged misconduct occurred. Mueller's indictment said the Russian defendants adopted false online personas to push divisive messages, travelled to the United States to collect intelligence and orchestrated political rallies while posing as Americans. Moscow has denied meddling in the election. Story continues Mueller also is investigating whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia and whether the president has unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe. Trump has denied collusion and obstruction, calling Mueller's investigation a "witch hunt." Russia does not have an extradition agreement with the United States, making it difficult to apprehend the Russian defendants. As expected, no corporate representatives for Concord or any of the other corporate defendants appeared in court. "Alas, they are not here," prosecutor Jeannie Rhee said. "The government would be thrilled if they were here." Mueller's office tried unsuccessfully to win a delay in the arraignment, saying it was unsure if Dubelier and another U.S. lawyer hired by Concord Management and Consulting were authorized to represent the company because the Office of the Prosecutor General of Russia declined to accept a court summons. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Will Dunham) Hassan al-Kontar has been stranded in terminal two of Malaysias Kuala Lumpur International Airport for the last 62 days. A Syrian refugee has been stuck at an airport in Malaysia for two months after he refused to fight in the troubled countrys Civil War. Hassan al-Kontar has been stranded in terminal two of Malaysias Kuala Lumpur International Airport for the last 62 days. In a video posted online last Sunday, he said: The other day I was speaking to my mother and she said my hair is too messy and my beard is too long, which reflects in her opinion that Im not OK. I tried to convince her that Im OK but I did not succeed. Im worried that all of me will be covered in hair before I get out of here. The 36-year-old marketing manager first emigrated to the UAE on a work permit in 2006, but faced a summons to return home and fight in 2012, after war broke out in the previous year. Plz retweet I have Some good news and I need your help all of you to make it happen. Please send an email to Mr. Ahmed Hussen Canada's Minister of Immigration. "ahmed.hussen@parl.gc.ca" Tell him you support a Temporary Resident Permit for Hassan to come to Canada immediately pic.twitter.com/Wmpb2CSsHU Hassan Al Kontar (@Kontar81) April 27, 2018 After ignoring the summons, the Syrian embassy refused to renew Mr Kontars passport, resulting in him losing his work permit and job. Story continues He then went into hiding for six years, but was eventually deported to Malaysia on a three-month work permit when authorities finally caught up with him. When the three months nearly came to an end, Mr Kontar travelled to Ecuador but was refused entry on the flight which came at the same time that his visa expired. Hassan al-Kontar has been stranded in terminal two of Malaysias Kuala Lumpur International Airport for the last 62 days. Despite unsuccessfully attempting to fly to Cambodia, he has existed in flux in Kuala Lumpurs airport ever since. It is hoped that his Twitter appeals will result in a breakthrough, with Canadian supporters urging their immigration minister to notice Mr Kontars case. MOST POPULAR TODAY ON YAHOO He has also been contacted by the UN High Commissioner for refugees. Donald Trump is an atypical president who conducts atypical diplomacy - if you can call it diplomacy. His style is a combination of threat, intimidation and bluster, often followed up - when he thinks he's getting what he wants - with his own very particular type of charm. More traditional diplomats are watching on with bewilderment, wonderment and fear. You have seen it played out with North Korea and Kim Jong Un. The regime openly taunted the US with rhetoric, missile tests and direct threats against the US mainland. Mr Trump responded, as only he knows how, with even bigger threats to use his even bigger military. He would "obliterate" North Korea (what message does that send to the oppressed people there?), and he would bring "fire and fury" to bear like the "world has never seen". And so on. :: Iran's supreme leader: 'Trump will be worm food' At the same time he would slap on tough sanctions intended, he would say, to bring about the economic collapse of the regime. He would then sit back and wait for his nemesis to cave in. There would be no alternative strategy. It is Plan A or nothing. With North Korea, it is working... for now. Kim Jong Un has jumped at the chance of a summit realising, in classic North Korean fashion, that the thing is to play for time and delay and obfuscate. But for traditional diplomats, it is all the wrong way round. It is the officials who go in, do the hard yards and the hard talking and then, maybe months later, there is the reward of a leaders' summit. This time, Mr Trump has rushed to the table himself and it will be the officials who will have to clear up or take forward whatever he happens to come up with. It is a strange way of doing things but it may just work. I have yet to meet a diplomat who has said that Mr Trump definitely won't get anywhere. He just may - and so in a sense his tactics may be justified. The thing about North Korea is that Mr Kim would never, when it came to it, start a war he knows he would lose. In North Korea's regime, survival is everything. Story continues But now Mr Trump is trying precisely the same thing with Iran. The same threats, the same rhetoric and the same sanctions. But this time I detect far greater unease among diplomats. They believe there is far greater danger of war over Iran than over North Korea. The Iranian regime is utterly different. The Ayatollahs are prepared to face down the Great Satan and it is more complex and much more combustible. And the questions the diplomats are asking is - what happens now? What is the strategy? A columnist for The New York Times has described Trump's move as "more temper tantrum than strategy". He fears that there is no sensible alternative to a nuclear agreement. And many diplomats worry that hawks like national security adviser John Bolton may seriously think that the best solution is military strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. It's pretty clear Israel considers it a viable option. Time will be the test on Iran. Trump's tactics are clear for all to see; what is not are the consequences. And that is what worries people most. south china sea y'all CSIS/AMTI/Digital Globe Vietnam has asked China to withdraw military equipment from the South China Sea, following media reports this month that China had installed missiles there. China installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three of its outposts in the South China Sea, according to sources with direct knowledge of U.S. intelligence reports. China claims 90 percent of the potentially energy-rich maritime territory. Other Asian countries including the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims to parts of the waterway. HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has asked China to withdraw military equipment from the South China Sea, following media reports this month that China had installed missiles there. "Vietnam requests that China, as a large country, shows its responsibility in maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea," Vietnamese foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said in a Tuesday statement, referring to the South China Sea. U.S. news network CNBC reported this month that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three of its outposts in the South China Sea, citing sources with direct knowledge of U.S. intelligence reports. Vietnam and China have over-lapping claims in parts of the South China Sea. "Vietnam is extremely concerned about the information (as reported) and reaffirms that all militarization activities, including the installation of missiles on the Spratly islands, is a serious violation of Vietnam's sovereignty," Hang said in the statement posted on the ministry's website on Tuesday. The installations, if confirmed, would mark the first Chinese missile deployments in the South China Sea. China claims 90 percent of the potentially energy-rich maritime territory. Other Asian countries including the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims to parts of the waterway. China's deployment of defense equipment and troops on the Spratly Islands, its sovereign territory, was its indubitable right, China's defense ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters on Wednesday. Story continues The equipment helped protect the peace and stability of the region and "does not target any country", the ministry said, without giving details of what deployments had been made. NOW WATCH: These croissants are made with charcoal and have no butter here's how they tasted See Also: Vodafone has agreed to buy Liberty Global (Frankfurt: A1W0FL - news) 's operations in four European countries in a deal worth 18.4bn (16.1bn). The deal sees the UK-based telecoms giant take control of cable operators in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) rose 1% in early trading. Vodafone said the "transformative" purchase, which adds to existing operations in Germany and Spain, would make it the leading "next generation network" in Europe with 54 million cable and fibre homes on its network. Including partnerships and wholesale arrangements, the deal will give Vodafone a reach of 110 million homes and businesses, it said. The widely-anticipated deal shifts the balance of mobile operator Vodafone's revenues and earnings further towards fixed line and TV services and also means that Europe will in future represent more than three quarters of earnings. Vodafone said the purchase in Germany of the Unitymedia business would create a national challenger to the dominant fixed line operator Deutsche Telekom (IOB: 0MPH.IL - news) , making it large enough to help the government achieve its ambitions to extend high-speed broadband connections to millions more households. Chief (Taiwan OTC: 3345.TWO - news) executive Vittorio Colao said: "This transaction will create the first truly converged pan-European champion of competition. "It represents a step change in Europe's transition to a gigabit society and a transformative combination for Vodafone that will generate significant value for shareholders. "We are committed to accelerating and deepening investment in next generation mobile and fixed networks, building on Vodafone's track record of ensuring that customers benefit from the choice of a strong and sustainable challenger to dominant incumbent operators." Vodafone expects the deal, which still faces regulatory approval, to complete around mid-2019. Precious and base metals exploration and development company Greatland Gold announced results of recent mobile metal ion sampling at its Ernest Giles project on Wednesday, reporting that results from more than 980 samples collected at the Meadows, Empress and Wishbone areas confirmed existing gold targets, and generated new targets. The AIM-traded firm said at Meadows, the mobile metal ion (MMI) gold response broadly outlined and reflected the results of the deep sensing geochemistry (DSG) conducted by Newmont, that identified a large 5 km by 1.5 km anomaly approximately 1 km to the north of previous drilling. It said results at Meadows also indicated a potential new large gold target, covering an area of around 4 km by 1 km, approximately 5 km north west of previous drilling and the large anomaly previously identified by Newmont. At Empress, Greatland said the results outlined several clusters of elevated gold responses over a strike of approximately 9 km, with the overall trend of the elevated gold response matching that of the bedrock geology. Over at Wishbone, the firm said elevated MMI gold responses were apparent across the target, particularly in the north-west and central eastern parts. As it had previously announced on 5 February and 20 February, Greatland intended to conduct a reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme at Ernest Giles. Drilling would be completed at the Meadows, Empress and Wishbone areas, with the anticipated programme at Meadows to consist of around 24 holes to test the 5 km by 1.5 km anomaly defined by DSG work, which remained untested by previous Greatland drilling. In addition, up to six RC holes would be completed at Wishbone and Empress to test basement geology and physical rock properties. Results of our recent MMI campaign were better than expected as we identified new targets and confirmed existing known targets across all areas, said Greatland CEO Gervaise Heddle. The next stage is to commence a drilling programme at Ernest Giles, which includes plans for up to 30 drill holes and is scheduled to start before the end of this quarter. Govt sets new rule to protect Nepalis working abroad Government has made it mandatory for recruiting agencies and foreign companies, seeking Nepali migrant workers, to get their work demand letters approved by the Nepali foreign missions based in destination countries. Engineering services group Renew Holdings has announced plans to buy Scottish rail contractor QTS for 80m in cash, a deal it will part-fund through a placing. Renew said QTS is an "excellent fit" with its acquisition strategy, noting that it has a longstanding relationship with Network Rail. The AIM-listed company expects the acquisition to increase its market share, footprint and specialist positioning in the rail market, which has high barriers to entry. Renew plans to part-fund the deal by placing just under 12.7m new ordinary shares at 355p each with new and existing investors to raise 45m. The balance of the consideration will be funded from new debt facilities provided by its existing bank HSBC, comprising a 35m four-year term loan, a 20m revolving capital facility and a 10m overdraft facility. Chief executive officer Paul Scott said: "We are delighted to welcome the management and staff of QTS to the Renew group. This is a very complementary and earnings enhancing acquisition that aligns with our established and proven strategy, strengthening our position in the UK infrastructure market. "QTS has grown to become a leading and well respected brand in the rail sector and we very much look forward to supporting its ambition for continued growth including opportunities via collaboration across our expanded range of services in this sector." Renew said the placing will allow it to maintain a strong balance sheet with a conservative gearing level. On a pro forma enlarged group basis, its net debt will represent less than one time historic EBITDA. The deal is expected to complete on Thursday, following completion of the placing. At 1030 BST, the shares were down 4.4% to 395p. Wey Education published its interim results for the six months ended 28 February on Tuesday, reporting a 44% improvement in turnover to 1.74m, which included a contribution of 0.25m from Academy 21. The AIM-traded firm said its adjusted profit before tax was 0.15m, up from 0.08m, while its adjusted basic earnings per share improved to 0.12p from 0.08p at the same time last year. Cash balances remained healthy, according to the board, at 4.3m - up from 1.03m a year ago. On the operational front, Wey said the Academy 21 acquisition was outperforming expectations. During the half, it established a Chinese subsidiary, and reached agreement to establish a joint venture in China to progress English language teaching. Infinity Education also started delivering its first courses, and an agreement was reached for a joint venture in Nigeria to teach both English and Nigerian curriculum online. Wey also launched its primary curriculum during the half-year, and appointed an executive director of human resources. This was an exciting period in the company's development, said executive chairman David Massie. Last November's oversubscribed 5m placing gave the company the financial resources to implement its medium-term strategy. Massie said the results of that process were already beginning to bear fruit. The completion of the Academy 21 acquisition accelerates the company's growth in the B2B market and we are very pleased with its development so far. The announcements regarding the joint ventures in China and Nigeria is very significant for the group's growth as they have the potential to be transformational, Massie explained. Naturally, there is some cost involved in developing these initiatives, but the company has the necessary financial resources for such, and the board considers the potential is so great, that the price is one worth paying. Retailer Marks & Spencer got a boost as Barclays initiated coverage of the stock at overweight' with a 410p price target, which implies 14% potential upside. The bank acknowledged that like the rest of the UK general retail sector, M&S currently faces some significant headwinds given weakening consumer sentiment and FX pressures on input prices, especially in the demand-elastic Clothing & Home segment. However, it highlighted the fact that M&S Food has a good track record over many years, noting that the company is becoming increasingly food-focused over time. In addition, Barclays said it sees plenty of opportunity to add more stores, 200 in the next two years on a base of around 600. It also pointed out that recent stores have been performing well with sales in new stores 17% ahead of plan at the 1H16/17 stage. Barclays said that in Clothing & Home, the turnaround plan is likely to offset headwinds. M&S cannot avoid the industry headwinds although its older and wealthier customer base might give it some protection. However, the new CEO has outlined a comprehensive and sensible plan to improve its store estate and its product offering. Initial results appear encouraging with M&S delivering its first full price market share gains in over five years. Dominos Pizza Peel Hunt upgraded Dominos Pizza to buy from hold following recent weakness. Dominos has generated a 23% profit before tax compound annual growth rate and a 25% earnings CAGR over the last 14 years. We believe the companys long-term investment case is intact, and offers increasing competitive advantages as well as the potential for forecast upgrades over the medium term. The brokerage noted that like-for-like sales slowed to 1.5% in January-February 2017 versus a 14-year historic average of 8.8%, causing the shares to de-rate to around 21x P/E, 2011-13s level. We view this is as being unfair. Since 2013, franchisee profits per store have risen by 60%; the UK expansion rate has increased by 62%; and the overseas operations have moved from a 7.6m loss to a forecast profit in 2017E. Peel Hunt said that management stated at its conference that it expects LFL sales to recover to 5-6% and the brokerage agrees. It said sales should pick up as a result of Dominos stepping up its promotional/advertising activity and improving the functionality of its app, which has been downloaded around 15m times, before considering the benefit of easy comps in the second half of the year. The brokerage said its pre-tax profit forecasts are slightly above consensus simply as its numbers factor in the companys investment and expansion plans for The Nordics. However, it reckons there is at least a further 3% EPS forecast upside in 2017E from UK margin growth, and 1% EPS forecast upside in 2017E from possible additional share buy backs. Peel has a 400p price target on Dominos. Debenhams Deutsche Bank upgraded retailer Debenhams to hold from sell as it cut the price target to 50p from 52p. The bank said Debenhams faces many challenges, including a long-lease property portfolio, a weak apparel market with online channel shift, a recovering competitor, adverse margin pressures and limited scope to save costs. In addition, it pointed out that the group is operationally and financially leveraged in an uncertain consumer environment. Still, DB said that while Thursdays strategy update did not answer many questions, it kick-started a range of trials which may bear fruit in the future. Though capex guidance was raised, the most important thing today was the protection of the dividend, it said, adding that yielding more than 6%, a peak level, limits the downside after Thursdays share price drop and the 7.5% decline year-to-date. On Thursday, Debenhams' new chief executive Sergio Bucher unveiled his strategic vision for growing the department store group, centred around making the stores a more enjoyable destination for 'social shopping' and driving efficiency through 'simplifying and focusing' the business. Interim results, reported alongside this strategic update, were unexceptional but in line with expectations, with UK like-for-like sales rose 0.5% and gross transactions up 2.9% to 1.7bn. Profit before tax fell 6.4% to 87.8m and earnings per share dropped 6.5% to 5.8p. The interim dividend was held flat at 1.025p per share. At 1020 BST, the shares were down 0.2% to 52.40p. Glencore, South32 and Rio Tinto Analysts at Barclays sounded a positive note on the EU mining sector, flagging the potential for large cash returns from Glencore, South32 and Rio Tinto over the medium-term. Critically, the broker believes the best part of the iron ore price slide is now past. Hence, the "vicious mini down-cycle" in Chinese steel and iron ore prices has opened up an interesting opportunity in the space. China's economy was still solid, supply discipline is generally holding despite the higher prices and sector valuations are still compelling, analysts Amos Fletcher and Ian Rossouw said in a research note sent to clients. They highlight how spot free cash flow yields are at 14% and 16% for 2017 and 2018, which together with strong balance sheets meant the majority of those monies would be funelled into cash returns. On their estimates, their favoured names, Glencore, S32 and Rio Tinto were capable of returning the equivalent of 63%, 62% and 39% of their market capitalisation, respectively, over the coming four years without breaching their gearing targets. "We remain positive on the EU mining sector." The market spotlight will be firmly on Governor Carney and his fellow rate-setters at the Bank of England on Thursday, as they field questions on the recent slowdown in the economy, its likely length and implications for monetary policy. As if that were not already a tall order, recent events around Iran are likely to add to the complexity of any analysis, albeit perhaps while also serving to underline the multiple uncertainties facing companies and individuals - and not just in the UK. Against that backdrop, and with US 10-year Treasury yields hovering near the psychological 3.0% mark, investors will also be waiting for the release of consumer price data in the States referencing the month of April. Earlier in the session, markets will be perusing the contents of the latest monthly bulletin from the European Central Bank for any hints about the Governing Council's next moves. Against that backdrop, and perhaps distorting the market reaction a bit, a raft of FTSE 350 companies are set to update investors on Thursday, including BT, in what one City-based analyst described as 'crunch time' for the group. Analysts' forecasts were for the embattled telecommunications outfit to deliver full-year earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of 7.496bn, compared to management's own guidance for between 7.5bn and 7.6bn. Normalised equity free cash flow meanwhile was pegged at 2.772bn. Nevertheless, what analysts most appeared to want were updates on the group's strategy, with BT expected to guide towards EBITDA of 7.475bn for the 2019 fiscal year. In particular, analysts appear to be somewhat divided on the prospects for heightened infrastructure competition in the UK along the lines of what has been unfolding in Italy at the hands of Open Fiber, although some did believe it was a potential vulnerability. Indeed, some even saw the government and the regulator as interested parties in such developments. Thursday May 10 INTERIMS On The Beach Group INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Begbies Traynor Group, SCS Group INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE Fidelity Special Values, PRS Reit (The) , Sage Group, Smart (J) & Co., Symphony International Holdings Ltd. QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE BlackRock World Mining Trust QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE BP, Ediston Property Investment Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Picton Property Income Ltd, Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B' INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30) Q4 BT Group FINALS BT Group, Stobart Group Ltd. SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE Dragon-Ukrainian Properties & Development, Fidessa Group, Symphony International Holdings Ltd., U And I Group EGMS Trading Emissions, Unite Group AGMS AIREA, Arbuthnot Banking Group, Aviva, BAE Systems, Clarkson, Communisis, Condor Gold, Convatec Group , Direct Line Insurance Group, Gresham Technologies, Irish Continental Group Units, ITV, Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd. (Singapore), John Laing Group , Melrose Industries, Michelmersh Brick Holdings, OneSavings Bank, Rathbone Brothers, Robinson, Savannah Resources, Serco Group, SIG, The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited, TP ICAP, Triple Point Social Housing Reit, TT Electronics, Tyman, Unite Group, Vesuvius TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS Arrow Global Group, Beazley, Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI), Derwent London, Hansard Global, ITV, Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, Next, Rathbone Brothers, RSA Insurance Group, Sabre Insurance Group, SIG, Superdry, Titon Holdings, TP ICAP UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Industrial Production (08:30) Manufacturing Production (09:30) RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01) FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE Admiral Group, Barr (A.G.), Centaur Media, Centrica, Diversified Gas & Oil, Downing Three VCT H Shs, Downing Two VCT G Shs, Eddie Stobart Logistics , Epwin Group, Fidessa Group, Hiscox Limited (DI), Hochschild Mining, Hostelworld Group , Ibstock , Moss Bros Group, North Midland Construction, Ocean Wilsons Holdings Ltd., Polymetal International, Quixant, Robert Walters, SDL, Share plc, Trinity Mirror Q1 Arrow Global Group, Telecom Egypt SAE GDS (Regs) American speciality pharmaceuticals company Mylan reported a fall in revenue for first-quarter on Wednesday but upped its full year guidance. Despite revenues slipping to $2.68bn from the $2.72bn posted a year earlier, a result of lower volumes, and to a lesser extent, pricing, this was partially offset by new product introductions. The Street had been expecting $273bn. Net sales in North America came to $985.3m, a decrease of 19% over the prior year, primarily driven by a $108.7m decrease in the sales of Mylan's branded products, including its EpiPen Auto-Injector for diabetes. While Mylan's income rose 31% to $87.1m, adjusted earnings per share ended the quarter at $0.96, just above consensus estimates of $0.95. Following reports of EpiPen shortages in the UK and Canada, an advocacy group has claimed that the US is similarly facing a national shortage of the devices and other treatments for allergic reactions, something the US Food and Drug Administration has denied. Shaking off its weakened revenues in the quarter, Mylan upped its 2018 revenue guidance from $11.75bn to $13.25bn and its 2018 adjusted EPS guidance of $5.20 to $5.60. Mylan's chief executive Heather Bresch, said, "Mylan's first quarter demonstrates continued execution on our long-term plan. Our diversity and durability are what allow us to absorb evolving industry dynamics and natural market volatility, while at the same time accelerate our mission of providing access to high-quality medicine." As of 1420 BST, Mylan shares had collected 0.25% in pre-market trade to $35.46 each. Germany, France, China and Russia declared their committed to the Iran nuclear deal on Wednesday after the US decided to withdraw support overnight, while shares in companies such as Airbus and Peugeot fell on worries about whether business could be effected. On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump announced the US will withdraw from the 2015 agreement between the US, the UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and Iran that lifted sanctions on the Middle Eastern country in exchange for limitations on its nuclear program. Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that Trumps behaviour was silly and superficial. And said he had made a mistake by threatening the Iranian regime and its people. The other countries involved in the deal, which had been agreed under the US presidency of Barak Obama, vowed to stand by it. China and Russia also confirmed that they remained committed to the deal and would safeguard it and UK Prime Minister Theresa May said the accord makes the world a safer place. French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said: The deal is not dead. Theres an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there. According to Le Drian, the French President Emmanuel Macron will contact Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani who is also open to talks. German foreign minister Heiko Maas criticised the US for withdrawing from the accord without proposing an alternative to avoid Iran from resuming their nuclear weapons production. CONSEQUENCES FOR OIL AND EXPORTERS Political and financial analysts said Trump's decision could deepen the conflicts in the Middle East, create tension between the US and Europe and increase uncertainty over the global oil supplies. Already oil prices have faced volatility, having fallen 3% on Tuesday but rebounded 2% on Wednesday. The restoration of sanctions to Iran, which currently produces 4m barrels per day, is likely to affect its role as the third largest exporter of crude within OPEC. Barclays lowered its output expectations for Iran by around 150k barrels per day in 2019, but said on a global level this volume could be offset by Saudi Arabia or by a coordinated reconfiguration of the OPEC/Non-OPEC agreement. The bank said that in the medium term a new US sanctions regime "will surely threaten Irans ability to attract foreign investment", especially for the Yadavaran and Azadegan oil fields, keeping the countrys output flat or lower through 2025. The UK, France, the EU (led by Germany), China, and Russia may also risk US sanctions for engaging with Iran. Japan also is seeking a waiver to exempt it from the requirements associated with significantly reducing its imports of Iranian oil. Naeem Aslam chief market analyst at Think Markets said: Leading up to this event, we have witnessed panic amidst traders who pushed the price of oil higher." "OPEC members had to work day and night to balance the supply and demand equation, and it is under threat now because other nations in OPEC could use this situation as an excuse to produce higher quantity than they should be producing. The Saudis, to take one example, want the oil price to reach $80b/pd and only a lower supply could help them to achieve that," he added. Shares in Peugeot were down 1.2% in Paris, with Airbus down just under 1%. On Peugeot, Morgan Stanley analysts said they "don't know whether the Iranian business will be impacted or not, but it seems plausible that the risks to the business have increased". With around 11% of Peugeot sales coming from Iran, MS said the company is more exposed on this issue than other European OEMs. "We continue to believe that the extrapolation of current very high Peugeot EBIT margins in Peugeot valuations is overly optimistic. On any other scenario, the shares look very expensive relative to history, on peak margins." Meanwhile, Airbus is waiting to deliver 89 aircraft to Iran Air, of which 36 are larger A330s and 16 are A350s. The company will need a US licence to sell the aircraft to Iran, because the aircraft contain more than 10% US parts. Of the total order book of 7,189 aircraft at the end of the first quarter, the Iran Air order is only 1.4%. "However, it is possible these aircraft represent a larger proportion of near-term deliveries," MS said. "100 aircraft would be ~4% of our forecast for Airbus deliveries over the next three years." Analysts anticipate few issues with reallocating the 46 single aisle aircraft included in the order but reallocating the A330s and 350s "could be more challenging in the short-term". Hitachi has received assurances from the UK government that loans will be provided for the construction of two nuclear reactors in Wales according to Japanese media reports. The Mainichi newspaper reported on Wednesday that Prime Minister Theresa May met with Hitachi Chairman Hiroaki Nakanishi last week in London to confirm the loans and thus effectively give the go-ahead on the project. Further to the loans, the Japanese giant's chairman has also called upon the UK government to take a 2bn stake in the plant in Anglesey, north Wales. New safety regulations have caused the cost of the project to spiral to $27.4bn, according to the newspaper. The UK needs to update or replace ageing nuclear energy facilities and coal plants set to come offline over the next decade, but the rising costs of the Anglesey project and severe delays to the construction of the Hinkley Point nuke plant in Somerset have dealt blows to the government's energy policies. The issues prompted critics such as the SNP to call for May to rule out spending public money on a "misguided nuclear obsession". The Prime Minister has also faced criticism over the secretive nature of the meetings with Hitachi, with Greenpeace UKs head of energy Hannah Martin branding Mays behind closed doors meetings to discuss the use of taxpayer to fund nuclear energy as 2a disturbing glimpse of Britains future". Martin said: "While neither the taxpayer nor our representatives in Parliament are party to the discussions, well be funding this deal twice over. Firstly financing the construction of these absurdly expensive obsolete reactors, and then again when our soaring electricity bills reveal exactly why no other western nation is making this costly mistake." London city hall launched a new initiative, the Workforce Integration Network, to tackle the high unemployment levels of black youths in London. The new measures launched on Wednesday will focus on helping young black men into employment in the construction and digital sectors since their rate of unemployment is the highest (32%) compared to other youths from other ethnic groups. In the construction sector which amounts for 5% of the total jobs in the city, only 8% of the workforce is composed by black men aged 16-24, compared to the 83.5% of white men in the sector. Mayor of London Sadiq Khans new approach will work with employers and organizations to remove barriers and level the unemployment rates. Businesses will be encouraged to increase representation by announcing vacancies to Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) applicants. The Workforce Integration Network will also start traineeship programmes, work placements and in-work mentoring. Khan said : Too often we still see huge inequalities as a result of race and economic background. I am proud today to launch the Workforce Integration Network which will take important steps to help tackle the systemic bias which leaves too many talented young black men missing out on the opportunities London offers. The British government suffered four more Brexit defeats from the upper house of parliament overnight, including a voted against leaving the European Unions single market after the divorce date. By a vote of 245 to 218, the House of Lords supported an amendment on the governments Brexit withdrawal bill blueprint that would keep the UK in the European Economic Area after the divorce. The time has come over Brexit, really, for economic reality and common sense to prevail over political dogma and wishful thinking, said Peter Mandelson, a member of the House of Lords from the Labour party. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who opposes the continued membership in the single market, had ordered the members of his party to abstain from the vote but faced defiance from party members in the upper chamber. The decision can still be overturned when the bill is returned to the House of Commons, where the government holds a small majority. After the vote, the houses will have to agree on the final wording of the bill before it can be passed. The House of Lords also voted against setting the Brexit date on 29 March 2019 meaning that it could be postponed indefinitely if talks do not go according to plan and they approved to keep Britain tied to some Brussels agencies post-Brexit. With two other votes going against the government's on Tuesday, one calling for the UK to stay within the coverage of EU agencies and another calling for stronger scrutiny of government lawmaking, the Lords have so far voted 14 times against the Brexit plans. While Prime Minister Theresa May could be forced to accept some amendments, membership of the EEA and single market seem to be red lines in her overall plan. Last week, members of the upper house approved an amendment that would give the House of Commons the power to prevent Britain from leaving the European Union without a deal or force the government back into negotiations. Luxury fashion brand Burberry was under the cosh on Wednesday after Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, the holding company of Belgian billionaire Albert Frere, sold its entire 6.6% stake in the group. GBL sold 27.6m shares in a placing managed by Goldman Sachs, raising around 498m. It said the divestment of the Burberry stake is part of its "dynamic strategy in terms of portfolio diversification" and allows it to realise a capital gain. "The proceeds from the disposal will be redeployed into other investments, in line with GBLs portfolio diversification strategy," it said. But Berenberg said in a note that such an early disposal was not in line with GBL's long-term investment strategy. However, it should not be seen as an indicator of any deterioration in the company's fundamentals or a change in the equity story. "GBL is not on the board of directors at Burberry and, having passed the 3% ownership threshold in February 2017 only after the FX-related share price rally, it may have missed the opportunity to secure a bigger stake. "In particular, we believe that Burberry had already implemented almost all of the changes that an activist investor may have felt were needed for the company (eg the management reshuffle, a structural cost story and an increase in returns to shareholders) before GBL had a meaningful stake in the business." Berenberg said the stake sale does not change its fundamental stance on the stock, which it rates at 'buy'. "We continue to believe that, for investors looking for turnaround names, Burberry offers one of the most exciting restructuring stories in the luxury goods sector. Due to its strong brand, low retail productivity and low penetration in the leather goods category, we think there is more scope for revenue growth." Any extended share price weakness on Wednesday is a buying opportunity, Berenberg added. At 1050 BST, the shares were down 5.6% to 1,775.50p. Govt to breathe life into two sugar mills The government on Tuesday said it has decided to resurrect two state-owned sugar mills in Birgunj and Lumbini and operate them through cooperative model, a move largely aimed at cracking down on prevailing cartels in the sugar business. MPs have launched an inquiry into regulation of the water industry, potentially adding to political pressure on the sector. The environment, food and rural affairs committee will examine how well water companies serve customers and the environment and whether regulatory penalties encourage responsible behaviour. The committee will also ask if the industry is doing a good job of increasing water supplies while reducing demand and will look at the scope for innovation. UK water companies have been criticised for paying out earnings to their management and owners while underinvesting in service and infrastructure. The Labour opposition has said it will take their operations back into state control if elected. The companies are also under pressure from Ofwat, the regulator, to make bills affordable, improve service and cut out waste. In January Goldman Sachs said water company dividends would be hard to sustain while meeting Ofsteds requirements. Neil Parish, the Conservative MP who chairs the committee, said: As the UKs population increases and the impact of climate change becomes more apparent, pressure will be put on water resources and the industrys ability to provide a reliable and safe supply of water to commercial and domestic consumers. Our inquiry will scrutinise this essential industry closely and, where necessary, lay out the steps necessary to resolve any issues that are identified. The industry has already caught the idea of Parliaments work and pensions committee. Frank Field, who chairs the committee, wrote to Ofwat in March asking what influence it had over executive pay, dividends and pension funding at water companies. Shares of all three publicly traded water companies fell. At 11:13 BST, Severn Trent was down 0.5% to 1,988.5p, United Utilities fell 0.8% to 763p and Pennon dropped 0.7% to 705.8p. Brothers Nate and Christian Brooks, born 13 months apart and nearly inseparable for 22 years, will be going their separate ways after graduating cum laude from the University of North Georgia (UNG) and commissioning as second lieutenants into different services. Christian Brooks commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Georgia Army National Guard's Signal Corps and Nate Brooks in the U.S. Army in military intelligence, which means they won't see each other often but both agree that it's time for the next stage in their lives. "I think it's definitely daunting in the sense that you've been in school all your life and you're about to get out and go do something completely different away from your family," Nate Brooks said. "But in the sense of brotherhood with Christian, it's not going to change anything. I think it's going to be OK. I think we would have problems if we weren't separated because as we grow older and grow more into adulthood, we need that independence." The two even graduated in two different ceremonies May 4 for Nate Brooks, who earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, and May 5 for Christian Brooks, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. It made commencement weekend a busy one for the Brooks family from Douglasville, Georgia. The Brooks brothers were homeschooled for most of their K-12 education but finished high school at King's Way Christian Academy, where both were valedictorians of their graduating classes Nate first and then younger brother Christian. The Brooks brothers started UNG a semester apart after separately attending Basic Training and lived together four years while attending UNG. Nate and Christian were even part of Foxtrot Company for four years. The friendly competition they had growing up continued in college. "Being in the same company was daunting because he had already been there a semester and he knew more than me," Christian Brooks said. "There was a little bit of jealousy and healthy competition. So I tried to find out everything he had done so that I could do it better. It was good to have him there to motivate me. He's always been a motivator for me and someone I've always looked up to." The pair were among some 1,250 graduates who participated in the first-ever commencement ceremonies in UNG's new Convocation Center. For spring semester, UNG will award some 1,969 degrees and certificates. UNG invited three keynote speakers for the weekend ceremonies: Gen. Stephen Townsend and Bill Mitchell, both UNG alumni, and Yvette Daniels. Townsend, commander of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort Eustis, Virginia, and only the second four-star general to have graduated from UNG, spoke at the May 4 ceremony for graduates of the College of Arts and Letters. Daniels, director of university relations for the Georgia Department of Public Health, spoke at the May 5 ceremony at 9 a.m. for graduates of the College of Education, College of Health Sciences & Professions and University College. Mitchell, president of Cicis Pizza, spoke at the May 5 ceremony at 2 p.m. for graduates of the Mike Cottrell College of Business, College of Science & Mathematics and the Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental & Spatial Analysis. Separate commissioning ceremonies were May 4-5 for 62 members of the Corps of Cadets entering the armed forces as second lieutenants. The individual ceremonies attended by families, friends, faculty, and staff recognized the cadets' service and leadership. Later, during the main commencement ceremony, the cadets again were recognized for their service and repeated their oaths, after which they received a standing ovation from the crowd. A recent study has established that children are suffering from various ailments which can be attributed to the irregular patterns of weather due to climate change. Children face potential health risks because of this man-made factor that brings with it different types of diseases. CNN reports that doctors have warned about the imminent dangers that the children face unless there is awareness about the pitfalls. Hurricanes like Katrina, Harvey, and Irma are examples of the effects of climate change and children have felt the impact. The world must wake up to this reality and assign necessary priority to arrest the trend. This is based on findings of a study published in the Journal Pediatrics. The deadly Zika virus Dr. Kevin Chan, chairman of pediatrics at a university in Canada is a co-author of the paper. He has indicated that the source of hurricanes is the unpredictable patterns of weather. These give rise to heat waves and a corresponding increase in the spread of infectious diseases like Zika. This is a mosquito-borne disease and came to light in 2015 and is believed to be due to instability in climate. In the opinion of Dr. Chan, climate change cannot be wished away. It is happening and the children are most vulnerable to it. A separate study published in The Lancelot has revealed that in 2015, a large percentage of deaths of children younger than five were due to diseases like diarrhea, malaria, and nutritional deficiencies. Here again, the finger points to climate changes and associated health risks. Malaria is another mosquito-borne disease while diarrhea is from bacterial infection. The WHO has cautioned that the situation is grim and unless checked could lead to an increase in such deaths. Caution is the watchword Natural disasters like hurricanes or floods are because of climate change and have a direct effect on the people. Their lives are thrown into disarray, they lose stability, and face a shortage of many basic needs like drinking water, proper food, and sanitation. They fear for their children, who can succumb to contagious diseases. These health risks mount with extreme heat, drought conditions, and air pollution. The children usually have a tendency to spend more time in the out-of-doors. Thereby, they become victims of pollution from the heat generated by fossil fuel exhaust. Moreover, when they spend more time outdoors, they can fall prey to insects that carry infections. The 2015 Paris climate accord has forced the world to examine various options to tackle the issue and put an end to using fossil fuels. In view of the effects on children, the global community must rise as one to safeguard the interests of our future generation. George Soros has poured millions of dollars into local Politics nationwide. In San Diego, he has supported Genevieve Jones-Wright with a donation of $1.5 million. That amount of money in a local election is overwhelming. There is no way the opposing candidate can overcome that cash inflow. It is making the races obsolete. It is actually taking away democracy from the voters. The best part is that it was generated by the organization Democracy Alliance. Reports by Free Beacon and I News Source provided most of the details for this article. George Soros Democracy Alliance was founded in part by George Soros. Their last meeting included a program titled, "Prosecutor Races Winning big in 2018." Their platform was to change the justice system in America. It is estimated that George Soros has donated a total of over $10 million in such races since 2015. The main reason for their last meeting was their major disappointment of the last presidential race. George Soros was a backer of Hillary Clinton. Now he is trying to start from the bottom to ensure changes to our judicial system. His candidate, Genevieve Jones-Wright, has claimed that she is not interested in taking money from private prisons or associates. George Soros was a stockholder at one time of one of the biggest private prison companies in America. She is taking money from private prisons with the donations from Soros. Genevieve Jones-Wright Genevieve Jones-Wright also attended the last Democratic Alliance meeting. She has adopted the principles of Democratic Alliance. One of those platforms is equal justice. The current prison population in America is not in accordance with the population. There is a much higher percentage of blacks in prison than whites. She is running under the platform to equalize those percentages. Genevieve Jones-Wright also believes that sex crimes should be decriminalized. This means she will not prosecute the crimes in her jurisdiction. She is running for district attorney of San Diego. That is her job to prosecute, not decide what crimes are or what they are not. As mentioned earlier, she does not want money from private prisons. She wants to close jails and prisons. She does not have the power to close prisons but if she does not prosecute crimes than there will be no need to have them. She also wants to eliminate bail. Once arrested, you will stay in there until your trial. This violates all human rights. A suspect that is not a flight risk should be able to leave jail to better develop his preparation for trial. Remember a suspect is innocent until proven guilty. George Soros, before 2015, was not really involved in local governmental races. He has had a presence in national politics, but not locally. This is the new motto of the Democratic Alliance. They are starting a grassroots uprising. The plan is to get the local elections won, then grow that support to a national level. It is working because they have had good success in these local elections. Now they will grow their support and move to the national level. This is similar to the Bernie Sanders campaign last year that took smaller donations to raise more money than his opponent. It was successful for Bernie, so they adopted this platform for 2018 and beyond. News commentators are questioning the sanity of Trump's latest member of his legal team New York's former mayor. There's something off about Rudy Giuliani these days declared Washington Post's Eugene Robinson. And politico's Brooks Kraft asked, Is Giuliani losing his mind?" Such doubting arose last week when he went on the air to defend Trump and ended up putting him in further legal jeopardy. Memory lapse How quickly the past is forgotten. Doesn't anyone in the news remember Giuliani's years as mayor? At least in one instance, he was as much out of control as he is now. I'm thinking of his threats to shut down the Brooklyn Museum because he didn't like one of the exhibits. I didn't like it, either; but Giuliani had the power to do harm. Allow me to recount the story. The year was 1999 and the exhibit was called Sensation an import from England. You could tell how problematic it was by the exhibit's warning labels: "It may cause shock, vomiting, confusion, panic." Shock art I admit to nausea on seeing Damien Hirst's display of two dead pigs cut in half floating in formaldehyde titled This Little Pig Went To Market, This Little Pig Stayed Home. Queasiness also set in on seeing Chris Ofili painting Virgin Mary depicting the Madonna surrounded by actual elephant dung and photos of female sex organs. Giuliani focused on Ofili's work and it's not certain whether he objected to seeing Mary as a black woman, the genitalia or the animal waste. Anyway, you get the idea. The Brooklyn Museum show was rough. Lost perspective Giuliani's reason for threatening the museum was suspect. Arnold Lehman, the then director, had given him a heads-up about the show and got no objection. When the mayor began his harangues about cutting city funding, it seemed to come out of nowhere. By the sound of him, you'd have thought the world was ending if he didn't take action. Never mind that Brooklyn Museum holds some 1.5 million artworks spanning 3,000 years, from antiquities to 20th-century American art. Locking out visitors over one exhibit was plainly crazy. His switch of stance may have had less do with the show and more to do with his intention to run against Hillary Clinton for the Senate. Art made an easy target. The past is prologue But Giuliani also had precedent for his threats against Brooklyn Museum. Ten years earlier, photographer Andre Serrano's Piss Christ, an image of a crucifix in a jar of urine, fired up Congress to ban NEA grants to artists believed to be anti-Christian. That single photograph also got the agency's funding cut by 40 percent. There were even threats to shut the agency down. Again, art was an easy target. There was an even earlier precedent for pols to curtail artistic freedom. In the 1930s, Hitler argued that governments should decide what art should be seen. How quickly the past is forgotten. jax taylor had a major meltdown during filming on "Vanderpump Rules," seemingly because his co-stars and fellow SUR Restaurant employees didn't believe his claims regarding a potential hookup between Kristen Doute and James Kennedy during their cast trip to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. On tonight's new episode of the show, Taylor visits the restaurant with his co-stars and quickly gets loud about the situation. "F*** you all," Taylor yells during a busy night at the West Hollywood hotspot. Taylor then calls his co-stars at SUR Restaurant "lying sacks" of "sh***." Right away, Taylor's boss, lisa vanderpump, attempts to defuse the situation -- but not before Taylor gives his fellow employees two middle fingers. Lisa Vanderpump says Jax Taylor is a 'f****** baby' In her cast confessional, Lisa Vanderpump wonders why her longtime employee would chose to have a meltdown at the place that has paid his bills for the past seven years. She then tells Taylor directly that she has no interest in hearing anything he has to say. "Of hundreds of employees, I've never had anybody speak to me the way you speak to me," Vanderpump informs Jax Taylor, also slamming him as "obnoxious" and "arrogant." According to Vanderpump, Taylor is acting like a "f****** baby" and she doesn't want him in her restaurant. Although Taylor ultimately walks out of the restaurant, he isn't done with his rant and when Tom Sandoval attempts to calm him down, he only becomes further outraged. As he explains, Sandoval isn't having his back and acted as if he was taking James Kennedy's side in suggesting that nothing happened between him and Kristen Doute. He then ripped off his microphone pack as he encouraged everyone to start telling the truth. Jax Taylor doesn't want to stay in California Months ago, after claiming on "Vanderpump Rules" that he had been offered a social media gig in Tampa, Florida, Taylor admitted that he didn't want to stay on the west coast for good. Instead, he said he hoped to one day return to Florida. "I'm not staying in California," Taylor told E! News earlier this year. "I like Tampa or Miami. I really love the weather down there. I love the lifestyle down there." To see more of Jax Taylor and his co-stars, including Stassi Schroeder, Brittany Cartwright, Lisa Vanderpump, James Kennedy, Kristen Doute, and Tom Sandoval, tune in to new episodes of "Vanderpump Rules" on Monday nights at 9 p.m. on Bravo TV. "General Hospital" spoilers promise that Carly Corinthos (Laura Wright) thinks she's on the cusp of destroying Nelle Benson (Daytime Emmy winner Chloe Lanier), but boy is she wrong. In fact, Carly has more than met her match. The latest "GH" spoilers plus juicy info from a leaked script show that Carly's about to find herself hung out to dry. Carly has been so intent on being nasty to Nelle's face at every turn that she doesn't see the sneak attack coming from the side. Naughty Nelle is about to take Carly down and it all starts Thursday at the baby shower! Misleading 'GH' spoilers promo The brand new "General Hospital" spoilers video sure makes it look like Carly has a nasty surprise for Nelle set to blow up at the baby shower. But the thing is, Nelle knows Carly showed up to the Q mansion playing nice specifically to set her up. Don't forget, "GH" fans, that Nelle has memorized Carly's playbook and she knows how her nemesis operates. When Carly came to offer designer macaroons and flowers for the big day, recast Monica Quartermaine (Patty McCormack) and Nelle knew that Carly was being insincere. Carly kept making veiled references to giving Nelle a "memorable occasion" and the spoilers video (see below) shows Nelle opening Carly's gift and looking stunned and hurt. Carly is smirking and that's a sure sign someone's about to be upset. This baby shower nastiness ties into Monday's "General Hospital" episode when Nelle was busily crocheting a blanket at Ava Jerome's (Maura West) penthouse. Nelle said, "this blanket is special" and it has to be done by the party. This ties into Nelle's plan to flip the script on Carly. "I want to make your baby shower a memorable occasion." #GH55 pic.twitter.com/glOz7H4v5R General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) May 7, 2018 Carly's off her game, and Nelle is set to win "General Hospital" spoilers promise that Carly is spread too thin and off her game and that sets Nelle up for the win. Carly is busy snarking at Griffin Munro (Matt Cohen) over Ava getting joint custody of her own kid. Plus, there's the gaslighting scam and Dr. Collins (Jon Lindstrom) has Carly on meds that Nelle soon swaps for something more dangerous. Nelle has Carly running in circles and while distracted, Nelle is moving in for the kill. The thing is, Nelle has to take down Carly without alienating everyone else. New "GH" spoilers say that baby blanket, baby shower, and little Avery come together as Nelle delivers the coup de grace this Thursday at the shower. Nelle blackmailed Ava with the photo of the DNA test and told her she had to come to her shower and had to bring along little Avery. The latest "General Hospital" rumor says that Nelle will tamper with the package Carly brought, toss out the nasty surprise Carly planned, and substitute the blanket. But why? That gift cannot be good... pic.twitter.com/b1eUXMR14U Rachel Rowan (@rachelwrowan) May 8, 2018 It looks like Carly hurt Avery If you recall "General Hosptial" spoilers from recent episodes, both Michael Corinthos (Chad Duell) and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) have been telling Carly to chill out on Nelle, but Carly's increasingly aggressive behavior due to the Gaslighting -- and the meds she really doesn't need -- have them on edge. When Nelle opens the gift, rumor has it that inside (whether it's the blanket or something else) is something that will cause an allergic reaction in little Avery when she touches it. It could be that Avery has the same latex allergy that Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) and son Rocco have -- or it could be something else. It won't be enough to hurt Avery, but it turns out Nelle has the same allergy. It will look like Carly was trying to hurt Nelle (and also her unborn child) with a foul piece of sabotage. Then, it will harm Avery (but just a little). Nelle won't let it go too far, but just enough to make a scene at the party so that everyone thinks Carly was trying to injure Nelle and her baby -- which also hurt her step-daughter Avery! Wait...Okay Nelle is Nelle and all but did Carly seriously just threaten a pregnant woman? What am I talking about...of course she did. Because Carly. #GH #TheBadSeedthinksyouarenuts pic.twitter.com/mGiBXc60Au SoapJenn (@SoapJenn) May 8, 2018 Leaked script shows Carly locked up "General Hospital" spoilers from a script leaked on Twitter by an anonymous tipster that goes by the name Twynk16 show that Carly is soon locked up in an asylum -- due to this stunt and what follows. The character in the leaked script has the name "Jacqueline" but prefers to be called "Jackie" which sounds an awful lot like "Caroline" and "Carly." In the script, Carly is locked away for her misdeeds and she struggles as some nasty people at the mental hospital target her for abuse. When Sonny hears that Avery was hurt in a stunt at the baby shower, he blames Carly because he's already angry that he lost full custody of his daughter. Sonny thinks Carly's erratic behavior let Ava back into Avery's life and now this. So when things worsen, Sonny may not fight when Carly is sent away. In fact, he may think a time-out in a mental hospital is just what she needs. We'll find out more soon but be sure to watch "GH" this Thursday to see Nelle turn everything around on Carly and set her up in monstrous fashion! Check back soon for more "General Hospital" spoilers. At the White House on Tuesday, Donald Trump officially announced that the United States would be withdrawing from the iran deal. Outside of the political far-right, the reaction was mostly negative, though late night host Stephen Colbert did have a humorous take on things. TONIGHT: President Trump, not one for empty threats, today announced he will keep a promise he made to break a promise America made. #LSSC pic.twitter.com/IsX5ZCc9zn The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) May 9, 2018 Colbert on Iran deal Back in 2015, the United States joined with the United Kingdom, Russia, France, China, Germany, and the European Union to sign the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, otherwise known as the "Iran deal." The goal of the agreement reached between the aforementioned counties and the Iranian government was to limit the nuclear program in Iran. The deal was mostly praised throughout the world, though conservatives in the United States pushed back and warned against allowing Iran to access additional financial capital. During the 2016 election, Donald Trump threatened to pull the United States out of the deal if he was elected, which he followed through on with an official announcement on Tuesday. Trump's Iran deal announcement could leave the U.S. isolated and allies in trouble https://t.co/lz69rxMuBB pic.twitter.com/nepvD0q4zc Newsweek (@Newsweek) May 9, 2018 After referring to the Iran deal as "disastrous" and "defective," Donald Trump followed through on his campaign promise to pull out. During the May 8 edition of "The Late Show," host Stephen Colbert decided to chime in with his thoughts while comparing the president to an alcoholic falling off the wagon. "Well after years of saying he was going to do it, he did it. And today, he told it he was doing it," Colbert said, before playing a clip of Trump's announcement. "Well, my lawyer keeps them on my behalf, but I pay him back eventually," Stephen Colbert said while mimicking Donald Trump's voice. "And what are you talking about? You literally just backed out of an American promise," Colbert pointed out. "That's like saying 'I am no longer denying my alcoholism. Let's drink to that'" he added, while physically acting out drinking on stage. Iran deal backlash Once Donald Trump made his decision on the Iran deal, social media quickly went viral with mostly opposition, with even the former president and vice president sounding off. In a post on his Facebook page, former President Barack Obama ripped into Trump and his move to back out of the Iran deal, calling it "misguided," while throwing shade at the current commander in chief by adding, "our country should be informed by facts." Obama: Trump decision on Iran nuclear deal may have put the US on a path to war https://t.co/h3nhelSSzi pic.twitter.com/MsDPAohKVa The Hill (@thehill) May 9, 2018 Vice President Joe Biden also gave his thoughts and was equally as critical of Donald Trump as Barack Obama. The former vice president called Trump's move a "profound mistake" and warned that it could "put Iran back on the path to a nuclear weapon with no clear diplomatic way out." "Wild Wild Country," the Netflix series, recounts the saga of the famous Indian mystic and guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, an extremely popular figure in the 1970s in India. He settled in Antelope, a small countryside town in the US, and transformed this otherwise sleepy town into a buzzing small city within no time. The story of Rajneeshs rise and fall in America is as fascinating and riveting that it may give any bestseller crime thriller a run for the money. 'WWC' dissects the sex cult Was he a spiritual guru who really saw the fleet of his Rolls Royce as an extension of his inner-self? Was he a dangerous cult leader and a master criminal who shook the very foundation of what America symbolized those days? Or was he simply a hippy who suddenly rose to prominence out of nowhere? The Netflix series is all about that. It tries to peel off layer after layer on the more talked about, but the little-known saga of Rajneeshpuram, the place that witnessed the most eventful part of the life of the highly controversial philosopher. Its a cocktail of fear, biological warfare, glitz and glamour, the biggest immigration scandal in the history of the United States, political machinations, poisoning scandal, murder mystery, drugs, and much more. The plot has everything that a viewer can wish for. Netflix series on the mystic is a cocktail of high octane drama The intriguing story of Rajneeshpuram is multilayered with twists and turns sufficient enough to leave even the most ardent follower of Rajneesh spellbound. Its undoubtedly the most prolific visual story ever told about the mystic. It comprises extensive interviews such as Antelope residents of that time, the followers of Rajneesh, attorneys involved in the legal tangle, politicians, investigative journalists, and the most notably her friend-turned-foe Sheela, who is out of jail and now residing in Switzerland. It tells the story with style The story uses the archived footage of the inside and outside of Rajneeshpuram and the newspaper coverage of that time. Instead of lame visual reconstructions, it uses illustrations where visual support is missing. The narrative is balanced in the way that it doesnt try to depict the mystic wrong, the story swings between two camps: Rajneeshs followers who are extremely obsessed and authorities who twisted rules to get him out. Though "Wild Wild Country" tells the tale with utmost panache and style, its not without flaws. It doesnt shed light on what Rajneesh believed and why he was so popular. The story becomes sluggish in places, but overall its a great piece of an artwork by brothers Maclain and Chapman Way. ICP in Morang will be completed by Dec end An Integrated Check Post (ICP) being constructed in Budhnagar of Morang would be completed in the last week of December. The Dinesh chandra R. Infraction Pvt.Ltd Ahmedabad of India has been constructing the ICP for the past one-and-a-half year at the investment of India. Minister Yadav vows to end all kinds of syndicate Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Prasad Yadav has made it clear that all kinds of syndicate in the agencies under his ministry will be abolished. Guyana Goldfields Inc. provides exploration and production of gold. It engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and operation of gold mineral properties. The company also owns and operates gold drilling rights. The company was formerly known as Chiboug Copper Company Limited and changed its name to Guyana Goldfields Inc. in January 1995. Guyana Goldfields Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. As of August 25, 2020, Guyana Goldfields Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited. Read More Jipson John and Jitheesh P.M. in Frontline: According to Akeel Bilgrami, liberalism and liberal politics have their own limitations and cannot save us from the savagery of capital. In this way, he intellectually provokes us to go beyond liberalism and reimagine an alternative political vocabulary. His philosophy rejects the ideology of capitalism and envisions an alternative as the way forward for humanity. This alternative is, of course, Left-centric and socialistic in perspective, and Bilgrami sympathises with the Left politics in his home country and others. His writings and philosophical ideas on the themes of secularism, modernity, Marxism and Gandhi have produced new perspectives on these and contributed significantly to our intellectual debates. His highly influential essay Gandhi, the Philosopher provides a fresh reading of Mahatma Gandhi. Bilgrami unearths the integrity in Gandhis ideas, contrary to the popular notion of inconsistency and fragmentation in Gandhi. As a philosopher, Bilgrami, despite being an atheist, does not completely reject the scope of religion having a critically instructive role in our time. As he says, religion is not primarily a matter of belief and doctrine but about the sense of community and shared values that it can sometimes provide in contexts where other forms of solidaritysuch as a strong labour movementare missing, and it sometimes provides a moral perspective for a humane politic as it did in the liberation theology movement in Central America. More here. And part two of the interview is here. Tara Isabella Burton in Vox: Its 2018 and everybodys talking about sex robots. It started last month, when a Toronto man intentionally drove his van into a crowd. His ideology? The incel movement a politically radicalized form of misogyny in which involuntarily celibate men envision taking vengeance on the virile Chads and shallow Stacys they believe are contributing to their sexual poverty. (Its the same movement, fomented on internet discussion forums like Reddit and 4chan, that inspired the 2014 Santa Barbara shooter, venerated in incel circles as the Supreme Gentleman). How, various media outlets wondered, could we combat such a radical, toxic ideology, one that had already racked up a high body count? Out of this reaction came a modest proposal. George Mason University economist Robin Hanson published a blog post seemingly advocating for sexual redistribution: a subversion of the sexual marketplace in which sexual access was state-sanctioned and state-organized. The government, in other words, should intervene to provide incels with sex. More here. Mladen Zivkovic/Getty Images En espanol | Jamie Langlie was frantically packing for an overseas trip with her husband late last year when her home phone rang. When she answered, the man on the line introduced himself and said he was a lawyer calling on behalf of her grandson, who was now sitting in a Florida jail. He told her that her grandson, an 18-year-old high school student in Maryland, was in the Sunshine State to attend the funeral of a friend who was killed in a car accident. The caller explained that the friends parents had flown her grandson down for the funeral and that while he was taking an Uber from the wake to the hotel, police stopped the car because it had a bad taillight. When the police officer had the driver open the trunk, the grandsons luggage was sitting next to a brick of marijuana. Both the driver and her grandson were arrested on the spot, the caller said, and her grandson needed money for bail. Then the "lawyer" put the grandson on the phone, and the voice was similar enough that I didnt question it, says Langlie, 68, a retired civil servant who lives in Kensington, Md., and has three grown children and three grandchildren. He said his folks couldnt come up with that amount of cash that quickly. My grandson and I are close and I wanted to help him. The "attorney" told her she could post his bail with a credit card but she said she didnt have one handy. So he said that Home Depot gift cards would be accepted. Since she couldnt consult her husband he was busy trying to finish up work before their trip Langlie drove to a nearby Home Depot and charged several thousand dollars worth of gift cards to her Home Depot credit card. I told the clerk I was getting early Christmas presents for my adult children, she says. Even so, the clerk called over two managers who needed to approve such a big purchase. They signed off on it and Langlie went home, called the "attorney," and read him the codes on the backs of the gift cards. He called back a little while later and said that everything had been taken care of, she recalls. When Langlie and her husband got to the airport, she called her son to ask how her grandson was. It turned out the grandson was with her son. Thats when Langlie realized shed been scammed. This is deeply embarrassing because Im well educated and well traveled and skeptical by nature; I [normally] never do anything over the phone or online, she says. It was just a coincidence that I was rushing around and packing, which was why I was frazzled. Theres no way the guy could have known that. Why I didnt think to call his parents sooner, I dont know, she adds. I should have called and verified with them that it was real. Normally, I fact-check everything. The story was just so plausible. After Langlie and her husband returned from their trip, she contacted her local police department and Home Depot. The police officer who has been working on this said a lot of people are too embarrassed to come forward and report these things but he said the more people who come forward with these stories, the better theyll be able to see patterns, Langlie says. I decided to speak up because if I can fall victim to this, anybody can. The gift cards were likely spent and cannot be recovered. Gift card fraud, in general, is a problem all retailers are facing, says Matt Harrigan, a corporate spokesperson for Home Depot. We do make cashiers aware of gift card scams through training, and weve given instructions about what to do if a scam is reported. We plan to continue taking preventive measures in our stores. For more information on spotting and avoiding scams, AARPs Fraud Watch Network provides timely alerts and other helpful resources. Northern State University seeks $29.5 million for new Lincoln Hall The plan would cost $29.5 million, and would replace Lincoln Hall and demolish Briscoe Hall. MPs for suspending tainted colleagues Three CPN-UML lawmakers on Tuesday pushed an amendment to rescind the regulation draft panels decision not to suspend tainted lawmakers from Parliament. The two Native American teens from the Espanola Valley whose tour of Colorado State University ended abruptly after campus police pulled them aside for questioning got a raw deal. Of that, there is no dispute. But was it racism at play, an overprotective parent raising a red flag to law enforcement because the teens seemed to be acting suspiciously, or some of both? The mother of the teens says it was outright racism, and her Facebook post about the incident has captured national media attention, sparking another debate on race in America. She is now in contact with the ACLU and contemplating further action. But the incident also speaks to the uneasiness on school campuses right now, coming less than three months after the Parkland, Fla., school shooting in which Nikolas Cruz walked into his former high school and fatally shot 17 people. In the wake of that shooting and others like it, authorities have been begging the public to report anything suspicious: If you see something, say something. Its also worth noting that two of our nations worst mass shootings occurred in Colorado: the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 in which 15 innocent victims were killed and 24 were injured, and the Aurora theater shooting in 2012 in which 12 people were killed and 70 others injured. None of this is meant to suggest Thomas Gray, 19, or his brother Lloyd Gray, 17, posed a threat during their ill-fated visit to CSU late last month. But it provides insight into what the unidentified mother may have been thinking as she called 911. There are two young men that joined our tour that werent a part of our tour. Theyre definitely not a part of the tour, and their behavior is just really odd, the woman told authorities. Its probably nothing. Im probably being completely paranoid, with just everything thats happened. So what exactly made the woman uncomfortable? According to the police report, the caller reported that the teens wandered into the group 45 minutes into the tour and didnt give their names when the tour guide asked. The woman told an officer that several people in the group were uncomfortable because the two boys were laughing and keeping to themselves and didnt seem to be interested in the tour. The mother was also concerned about their dark clothes with weird symbolism or wording on it. She also noted that one of the boys had his hand in his oversized sweatshirt. The woman told the dispatcher that she believed the brothers were Hispanic. The teens mother told reporters that her sons were too shy to introduce themselves to the tour group, but one of her sons introduced himself and his brother to the tour guide, and the tour guide disputes that the teens were acting suspiciously. Which brings us back to the original question. Was the caller justified in calling police? Would that mother have called 911 if the teens had exhibited the exact same behavior, but had been blond and light complected? Was it unconscious bias kicking in, the phenomenon whereby people make snap decisions based on societal stereotypes without realizing it? This was truly an unfortunate situation. But, given todays climate, its unfair to automatically condemn the woman who called police as racist. As for CSUs role in this matter, clearly the school could have handled it better. Video shows the officers who pulled the brothers out of the tour acted professionally and expediently, but they should have gone a step further and made sure the pair re-connected with the group after the situation was resolved. We give the college credit for offering to reimburse the brothers for the cost of their travel to the university and offering them a VIP tour of the Fort Collins campus. School officials are considering changes for their campus tours, including giving all guests a badge or lanyard so they are clearly identifiable and establishing a new protocol for campus police to notify tour guides if officers need to pull anyone out of a tour group. But those are the easy changes that can be instituted with the stroke of a pen. CSU President Tony Frank in a poignant message to his campus community notes the real work needs to happen within each of us, and its going to be hard. It seems to me that we can all examine our conscience about the times in our own lives when weve crossed the street, avoided eye contact, or walked a little faster because we were concerned about the appearance of someone we didnt know, but who was different from us, Frank said. That difference often, sadly, includes race. We have to be alert to this, look for it, recognize it and stop it. We simply have got to expect and to be better; our children and our world deserve it and demand it. I make that declarative statement from within a glass house: a white man in a position of authority. I have, in my own journey, come to believe that privilege is like someone shining a bright light in our eyes; it makes it hard to see things that others can see unless we force our eyes to adapt. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. WASHINGTON Freed after more than a year in prison, three Americans flew homeward from North Korea late Wednesday toward a big middle-of-the-night celebration featuring President Donald Trump the latest sign of improving relations between longtime adversaries in the buildup to a historic summit between Trump and North Koreas Kim Jong Un. Trump promised quite a scene at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington for the detainees, who were released as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for the summit. Singapore was the likely site, late this month or in early June, for Trumps most ambitious foreign policy effort yet. Shortly after they touched down on American soil in Alaska for a refueling stop Wednesday afternoon the State Department released a statement from the freed men. We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home, they said. We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world. The men had boarded Pompeos plane out of North Korea without assistance and then transferred in Japan to a separate aircraft with more extensive medical facilities. They are expected to arrive at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington in the wee hours of Thursday morning. Trump made a point of publicly thanking North Koreas leader for the prisoners release I appreciate Kim Jong Un doing this and hailed it as a sign of cooling tensions and growing opportunity on the Korean peninsula. Kim decided to grant amnesty to the three Americans at the official suggestion of the U.S. president, said North Koreas official news agency, KCNA. North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities. Their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nations nuclear weapons. Trump entered office as an emboldened North Korea developed new generations of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of hitting the continental U.S. Those advances were the subject of President Barack Obamas starkest warning shortly before Trump took office, and this is a crisis hes convinced his negotiating skills can resolve. Crediting himself for recent progress, Trump has pointed to Kims willingness to come to the negotiating table as validating U.S. moves to tighten sanctions branded maximum pressure by the president. The wee-hours ceremony Thursday was to be an early celebration for an issue that has already put the prospect of a Nobel Peace Prize on Trumps mind. Everyone thinks so, but I would never say it, he said Wednesday when asked if the award was deserved. The release capped a dramatic day of diplomacy in Pyongyang. After Pompeos 90-minute meeting with Kim Jong Un, he gave reporters a fingers-crossed sign when asked about the prisoners as he returned to his hotel. It was only after a North Korean emissary arrived a bit later to inform him that the release was confirmed. The three had been held for periods ranging from one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016, accused of stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. We are happy for the hostages and their families, the Warmbiers said in a statement Wednesday. We miss Otto. Of the newly released detainees, Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, had been held the longest. The former Virginia resident was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Koreas border with Russia. The other two detainees hadnt been tried. Kim Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST. The university is the only privately funded college in North Korea and was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. He was detained last May for alleged anti-state activities. Tony Kim, who also uses the name Kim Sang-duk, was detained in April 2017 at the Pyongyang airport. He taught accounting at PUST. He was accused of committing unspecified criminal acts intended to overthrow the government. The family of Tony Kim thanked all those who worked for his return and also credited Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. Mostly we thank God for Tonys safe return, the family said in a statement. On Capitol Hill, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the detainees return but warned that well see many more hostages if the administration provides an incentive for imprisoning Americans. We are happy theyve returned, but North Korea shouldnt gain by taking Americans and then releasing them, he said. During his visit, Pompeo discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim Jong Un summit. Pompeo said the summit is scheduled to last one day but could be extended by a day depending on how talks progress. North Koreas state-run media explicitly mentioned plans for the summit for the first time. Pyongyang has been exceptionally cautious about its public framing of Kims recent diplomatic moves, which are a major shift from the more aggressive focus on missile launches and nuclear development that drove tensions to a boil last year. Pompeos trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. Accompanying Pompeo were a few senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, was only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the nation with which the U.S. is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Koreas development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss denuclearization. ___ Lee reported from Pyongyang, North Korea. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Catherine Lucey, and Ken Thomas in Washington and Eric Talmadge in Pyongyang contributed to this report. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Israel, Saudi Arabia and Irans other rivals have long wanted to scuttle the nuclear deal, which they see as undermining the strategy they say the world should be taking: a tough, confrontational stance against Tehrans ambitions in the region. But the deals unravelling could backfire and spark even more unrest in the Middle East. Also, if Iran follows with an all-out revival of its nuclear program, Saudi Arabia has threatened to launch a nuclear weapons program of its own in response. Traditional foes Saudi Arabia and Israel both U.S. allies have found common ground as critics of the 2015 deal, which was brokered by Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, Germany and the European Union. President Donald Trumps decision Tuesday to withdraw from the accord doesnt mean the deals immediate collapse the Europeans still back it, and much depends on how Iran reacts. But it does deeply weaken the agreement and could open the way for the U.S.s regional allies to take a more aggressive approach on Iran. The leaders of France, Germany and Britain said Trumps decision to leave the accord is a threat to global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, but Saudi Arabia and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the move. Netanyahu actively sought to scuttle the deal from the start, even when it was still being brokered. He has bluntly said the world would be better off without any deal than with what he calls the fatally flawed agreement reached during the Obama administration. He has pushed for confrontation against Iran as the Shiite-led nation builds up its military presence in neighboring Syria in support of President Bashar Assad. Netanyahu warns Iran will use its troops and weaponry there to threaten Israel. We are determined to block Irans aggression against us even if this means a struggle. Better now than later, he said this week at a Cabinet meeting. Israel is suspected of being behind strikes on Iranian bases in Syria in recent weeks that killed a number of Iranian and Syrian troops. Leaders in Iran have been cautious not to retaliate against Israeli provocations at a time when the nuclear deal still has backing from other major world powers. That could change if the deal breaks down. Israeli security officials say the military already has gone on heightened alert this week, fearing an Iranian reprisal. Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at Israels Institute for National Security Studies, believes the current deal has many, many problems, but says there are consequences to walking away from it, including the possibility of escalating violence and instability in the region. Not just in Syria but also in the Gulf and elsewhere. It could mean a more volatile Middle East, absolutely, he said. Supporters of the deal say it places strict limits on Irans nuclear facilities that make it unable to produce a bomb during the lifetime of the deal. U.N. inspectors have repeatedly confirmed that Iran is abiding by the accords terms. Critics of the deal object to a sunset provision that would allow Iran to resume enriching uranium at high levels in 15 years, unless an extension or longer-term deal is negotiated. Europe could join the U.S. in re-imposing sanctions in retaliation if it does so. Opponents also point to issues that are not addressed in the deal, such as Irans ballistic missile program, its support for militias in the region and its expanding influence. The deals architects say those issues can be negotiated separately and should not be allowed to wreck an accord that halted progress toward a bomb. Saudi Arabia is also more aggressively confronting Iran on multiple fronts under the directives of King Salmans son and heir, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has consolidated power in the kingdom. Prince Mohammed said in a recent CBS interview that if Iran develops a nuclear bomb, the kingdom would without a doubt follow suit as soon as possible. Israel is widely believed to have a nuclear arsenal of its own, though it has never publicly acknowledged it. The Sunni-ruled kingdom, which is fighting Shiite rebels known as Houthis in Yemen, accuses Iran of supplying the Houthis with ballistic missiles that have targeted the kingdom, including the capital, Riyadh. Likewise, Israeli airstrikes in Syria are believed to have targeted shipments of Iranian missiles bound for Lebanons Hezbollah group. Columnists in state-linked Saudi media outlets have grown increasingly hawkish as pressure mounts on Iran. Saudi journalist Mashari Althaydi wrote in a column published on the Al-Arabiya news website that Irans possession of nuclear weapons would make it necessary for Saudi Arabia to possess similar weapons for deterrence. Mohammed Al-Shaikh, a Saudi writer, called for stirring up everything that would domestically distract Iran from harming Saudi security and stability. Despite strong reservations about the deal, Saudi Arabia tepidly supported it in public when it was first reached, seemingly as a gesture to President Barack Obama. Still, Obamas rapprochement with Iran cooled ties between Riyadh and Washington. The kingdom has since wholeheartedly embraced Trump and his tough talk. Thomas Lippman, an expert on Saudi Arabia and Middle Eastern affairs, said he fails to see how the kingdom benefits from the deal collapsing. The Saudis really need to be careful. Iran has three times Saudi Arabias population, and it has battle-tested armed forces and it has an ally in the Houthis in Yemen, he said. As far as I can tell, there is in fact a struggle for the future of Iran going on among Iranians Let that struggle play itself out, Lippman added. Israel, meanwhile, continues to try and build international pressure against Iran. Israel for many years now has been preparing for many scenarios vis-a-vis Iran Israel is not sitting quietly not doing anything, said Guzansky, the Israeli researcher, who is a former Iran analyst on the prime ministers National Security Council. Although Israel has never acknowledged it, its Mossad spy agency is widely believed to be behind the assassinations of at least five Iranian nuclear scientists in the years preceding the 2015 negotiations. Last week, Netanyahu showed off what he said were tens of thousands of secret documents about the Iranian nuclear program stolen by the Mossad. Many believe Netanyahu showed off the trove of information in part to send a message to Iran about his intelligence agencys capabilities. ___ Associated Press writer Ian Deitch in Jerusalem contributed to this report. ___ AP coverage on the Iran nuclear deal: https://apnews.com/tag/Irannuclear . New World Bank country manager arrives in Nepal Faris Hadad-Zervos, the World Banks new Country Manager for Nepal, arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday to take up his position. FARMINGTON The legal counsel for the Navajo Nation president and vice presidents office was placed on administration leave on Monday after she was arrested on driving under the influence and other charges in April. Karis Begaye, who is the daughter of tribal President Russell Begaye, has been placed on administrative leave indefinitely, according to a press release from the presidents office today. Mihio Manus, spokesman for the presidents office, said today Begaye was placed on leave by Vice President Jonathan Nez, who has supervisory oversight over Begaye. She has entered rehabilitative services, the release from the presidents office states. Manus said Begaye began the services today, and no further information is being released. Begaye, 41, was arrested by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and charged with DUI, endangerment and criminal damage after causing a collision on April 22 near Flagstaff, Arizona. Yavapai Broadcasting in Cottonwood, Arizona, reported Begaye was driving an SUV when she collided with a semi-truck in the northbound lane on Interstate 17. The Coconino County Attorneys Office has not filed a complaint against Begaye as of today, according to the Flagstaff Justice Court. Begaye apologized for her actions in a May 4 statement and said she would start a campaign to address alcohol abuse. 2018 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ SURPRISE, Ariz. Authorities say a suspect sought in a fatal shooting in Arizona has killed himself in New Mexico. Police in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise say 44-year-old Michael Lee Peacock was suspected of shooting 23-year-old Erick Prieto outside an apartment complex Tuesday morning. Prieto later died at a hospital. Authorities believe the two Surprise men knew each other, but a motive for the shooting still isnt clear. Police say Peacock fled the scene in a pickup truck after the shooting. They say Peacock was located by federal authorities on Interstate 25 near Albuquerque around 5:30 p.m. As law enforcement officers approached Peacock, authorities say he fled on foot and then took his own life a short distance away. How Peacock killed himself wasnt immediately disclosed by authorities Tuesday night. NEW YORK Walmart will soon reach shoppers in Indias massive consumer market directly, as it takes control of the online retailer Flipkart thats known for its ubiquitous delivery drivers on motorcycles with oversized backpacks. The $16 billion controlling stake, announced Wednesday, is the largest acquisition yet by the worlds largest retailer. Indias hot economy makes it attractive to companies eager to sell goods to its massive population. Walmart and Amazon have pushed hard to catch up to Flipkart and to establish a substantial foothold in the country. But instead of competing with Flipkart, Walmart has essentially taken over the company. Its a move that might have near-term losses but is part of a larger shift by Walmart to look toward the future. That includes its decision last month to sell its British unit, Asda, which primarily operated a chain of traditional supermarkets. Amazon, which operates an online marketplace in India, was reportedly in talks with Flipkart as well but Walmart won it. Flipkart had net sales of $4.6 billion in its latest fiscal year. Thats a fraction of Walmarts latest annual revenue of $485.8 billion. But Walmart believes India, which has 1.3 billion people, could be among the worlds top five e-commerce markets within the next five years. We are actively working to shape the portfolio of geographies and businesses were in, in order to set the company up for success for another generation, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a conference call Wednesday. Shares of Walmart Inc. dropped more than 3 percent Wednesday as investors worried about the investment hurting profits. Flipkart is, in some ways, an echo of Amazon. Founded in 2007 by two college friends and former Amazon employees, Flipkart began life as an online bookseller. In a country where many still see paying online with credit or debit cards as risky, Flipkart earned millions of customers in its early years by allowing buyers to pay cash on delivery. It now allows for a variety of payments, from credit cards to gift cards to direct bank transfers. Flipkart also focused early on mobile phones, and in 2016 became the first app in India to reach 50 million users. The Bangalore-based company has acquired a string of other companies in recent years, from fashion e-commerce company Myntra to mobile payment firm PhonePe. Flipkart now has over 100 million registered users and more than 100,000 registered sellers. Flipkarts supply chain arm, eKart, serves more than 800 cities and makes 500,000 deliveries daily. Foreign retailers, including Walmart, have faced years of political resistance to opening outlets in India, where mom-and-pop store owners wield enormous influence. Walmarts business in India was previously focused only on selling items directly to small businesses though its Best Price stores. The Flipkart purchase gives Walmart far more influence in India both politically and economically and positions it to shift quicker into retail outlets if the regulatory landscape changes. Walmart will own about 77 percent of Flipkart, with the rest held by some existing shareholders, including co-founder Binny Bansal, Tencent Holdings, Tiger Global Management and Microsoft Corp. The acquisition surpasses Walmarts $10.8 billion deal to buy Britains Asda in 1999 and its acquisition two years ago of online retailer Jet.com for more than $3 billion. The deal hasnt gone down well with the tens of millions of small store owners who for years used political muscle to slow the arrival of international retailers. It is a clear attempt to control and dominate the retail trade of India by Walmart, the Confederation of All India Traders said, adding that the deal would encourage predatory pricing, hurt Indian businesses and create an uneven playing field. The group says it represents 60 million businesses. Meanwhile, Amazon is also still fighting hard in India, with founder Jeff Bezos crowing last month that Amazon.in had the most-downloaded shopping app in India for 2017. Jason Goldberg, senior vice president of commerce, at SapientRazorfish, a digital consulting agency, believes Amazon will now look to invest in or buy another local online retailer in India. The global stakes for both Amazon and Walmart are high. After this market, the markets get considerably smaller and the political impediments get greater, said Goldberg. Walmart, which operates stores under various banners in 27 countries outside the U.S., has faced strong headwinds in its expansion. In China, where more than 700 million people are online, it has struggled to compete with homegrown online giants like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and local retail chains like Sun Art Retail Group Ltd. Walmart opened its first store in China in 1996 and has just over 400 stores now. It also has a strategic alliance with Alibabas rival, JD.com. Walmart closed 60 stores in Brazil, 10 percent of its outlets, two years ago and is trying to restructure its business. In Mexico, Canada and Japan, its won shoppers over time. In Chile, it worked closely with suppliers to coax them into its way of doing business. ____ AP reporters Tim Sullivan in New Delhi, India, and Damian J. Troise in New York contributed to this report. ALBUQUERQUE With a little over seven months left in office, Gov. Susana Martinez said Wednesday that she will continue pushing to hold teachers and students accountable until the very end of her tenure. Speaking to business leaders in Albuquerque, the two-term Republican governor said New Mexico hasnt done enough to prepare students for life after school. That is where my passion is, and I will never let it go, Martinez said Wednesday as she addressed hundreds of business leaders gathered at Hotel Albuquerque for a breakfast meeting of the nonpartisan Economic Forum. Indeed, even as her administration heads into its last few months, the state Public Education Department is pursuing initiatives that would grade the colleges that train teachers, hold back students who cant read and intervene in poor-performing schools. The governors education initiatives have often put her at odds with teachers unions and the Legislature, where Democrats hold majorities in both chambers. Her administration, for example, is proposing a rule that would direct New Mexico public schools to hold back students who cant read proficiently, in some circumstances. The proposal also would require additional, early help and services for children who cannot read at grade level. But similar measures aimed at ending social promotion have repeatedly failed to win approval in the Legislature, where opponents say its inappropriate to base retention decisions solely on reading. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is questioning the administrations authority to carry out the proposal without legislative approval. The Public Education Department says the proposed rule is based on whats already allowed in state law, not something new. Martinez said Wednesday that allowing unprepared kids to move on to the next grade doesnt do them any good. They end up embarrassed, ashamed and ready to drop out, she said. Her 11-minute speech was largely dedicated to New Mexicos budget situation, which has improved dramatically as oil and gas production has bounced back. The governor described the financial turnaround as confirmation that she was right to veto tax increases passed by the Legislature. But Martinez was most enthusiastic when talking about education, as she fielded a few questions and comments from the audience. Shame on those who dont put our kids first, she said at one point. Next question. FORT WORTH, Texas One of three bikers indicted on murder charges Wednesday stemming from a chaotic 2015 shooting outside a Texas restaurant is accused of killing a man who was also shot twice by police, according to ballistics evidence reviewed by The Associated Press. The indictments against Glenn Walker and two fellow members of the Bandidos motorcycle club mark the first murder charges filed in connection to the melee that left nine bikers dead, 20 wounded and nearly 200 arrested outside a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco. Investigators say the shooting was sparked by rivalries between the Bandidos and Cossacks motorcycle clubs ahead of a biker meeting. Waco police monitoring the gathering said officers opened fire after fights and gunfire broke out in the parking lot. Walker is accused of fatally shooting Richard Kirschner, a Cossacks member. An autopsy report shows Kirschner was shot three times: once in the buttocks with a pistol and twice with a rifle in the right thigh and left knee. A pistol registered to Walker and a bullet it fired were recovered from the back of a police vehicle at the scene, according to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Kirschners rifle wounds were traced to a Waco SWAT officers .223-caliber rifle during a forensic firearms analysis conducted for police, according to police records previously reviewed by the AP. The officer who used the rifle, Michael Bucher, said during an internal investigation that he saw Kirschner chasing another man with a big chain. Bucher said he fired one round and Kirschner fell, but then fired again after he saw Kirschner get up on one knee and swing the chain. The officer said Kirscher then stayed on the ground. Kirschner later was pronounced dead at a hospital. The autopsy report said only that Kirschner died of gunshot wounds. Walkers attorney didnt respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. A grand jury in September 2016 cleared the officer, along with the two other officers who fired their weapons. The police evidence reviewed by the AP showed that two people killed during the shooting were hit only by bullets from law enforcement weapons. Two others killed were hit from Waco SWAT rifles and other firearms. The other Bandidos members charged with murder Wednesday Jeff Battey, a local sergeant-at-arms with the motorcycle club, and Ray Allen, the president of the Denton, Texas, chapter of the Bandidos are accused of fatally shooting Matthew Smith, a Cossacks member who died at the scene from gunshot wounds. Battey, a former Marine, and Allen were seen by officers triangulated over Smith, and a pistol was found in front of each man, according to Waco police records. An autopsy determined Smith suffered gunshot wounds in the abdomen and back. The firearms analysis for police ruled out police rifles. Batteys attorney, Seth Sutton, said Wednesday that prosecutors failed to provide a full and complete picture of the evidence to the grand jury. We believe that justice will prevail for Mr. Battey and that he will be acquitted of all wrongdoing, Sutton said. Allens attorney, Brian Walker, said Allen was acting in self-defense. He said that when Allen and other Bandidos pulled into the parking lot, they heard shots ringing out and they had no clue what was taking place. All of a sudden this young guy comes around the corner and starts shooting at them. Walker said Allen shot back. Glenn Walker, Battey and Allen also face rioting charges. And more than 20 other bikers were re-indicted on new charges Wednesday ranging from rioting to tampering with evidence. The lesser charges came just eight days before the statute of limitations runs out on those crimes and a day after more than 60 cases were dropped. The countys district attorney, Abel Reyna, said in a statement Wednesday that the indictments were the result of a review of numerous videos and other evidence. Surveillance footage showed numerous bikers running from the scene and ducking for cover after gunshots rang out. A smaller number could be seen pointing and firing weapons or throwing punches. Law enforcement officers recovered dozens of firearms, knives and other weapons from the restaurant and adjacent parking lot. Dash-cam video showed that officers indiscriminately piled many of the weapons on the pavement or tossed them in the back of a police vehicle. All of the bikers arrested following the shooting nearly three years ago were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a felony, with the underlying offenses of homicide and aggravated assault. They were held on $1 million bonds in county jail, and Battey was among the first to bail out. But prosecutors have dropped 154 of the initial 192 cases in the last four months, saying they wanted to focus on those who were more culpable. Only one biker Jake Carrizal, a locomotive driver and the president of the Dallas chapter of the Bandidos has been tried. His trial ended in a hung jury and a mistrial last fall, though he was among the bikers re-indicted on Wednesday. Carrizal is now facing a new charge of rioting. Reyna said in February, when announcing the first round of disposed cases, that information gleaned during Carrizals trial was invaluable in his offices decision to narrow the focus of its investigation. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the statute of limitations applies to the lesser charges, not to the murder charges. JERUSALEM Iranian forces based in Syria fired 20 rockets at Israeli front-line military positions in the Golan Heights early Thursday, the Israeli military said, triggering a heavy Israeli reprisal and escalating already heightened tensions in what appeared to be the most serious violence in years. The Israeli military said its Iron Dome rocket defense system intercepted some of the incoming projectiles, while others caused only minimal damage. There were no Israeli casualties. Syrias capital of Damascus shook with sounds of explosions just before dawn, and firing by Syrian air defenses over the city was heard throughout the night. An Israeli official said Israel was targeting Iranian positions inside Syria. Syrias state news agency SANA quoted a Syrian military official as saying Israeli missiles hit air defense positions, radar stations and a weapons warehouse, but claiming most incoming rockets were intercepted. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted an unidentified security official as saying Israels attacks inside Syria were the most extensive since the two nations signed a disengagement agreement after the October war of 1973. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said earlier that Irans Al Quds force fired the rockets at several Israeli bases, though he would not say how Israel determined the Iranian involvement. The incoming attack set off air raid sirens in the Israeli-controlled Golan, which was captured from Syria in the 1967 war. Israel views this Iranian attack very severely, Conricus told reporters. He said Israel had responded, but did not provide details. This event is not over, he said. Syrias state media said Syrian air defenses intercepted hostile Israeli missiles early Thursday that were fired over southwestern Damascus. Hours later, state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV broadcast a live feed of Syrian air defenses firing into the sky above the capital, and loud explosions and air defense firing were heard through the night. Syrian activists reported Israeli airstrikes hitting targets near Damascus. One video posted online showed a large explosion and shrapnel flying in the air. Residents reported loud sounds that rocked their buildings. It was not immediately clear what was hit. An Israeli army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said on Twitter that Israel was acting against Iranian targets inside Syria, a rare admission by an Israeli official. Al-Ikhbariya TV said Israel also targeted military posts in southern Suweida province, including an air base, and struck near Homs in central Syria. The state TV station said the attacks were foiled. Iranian officials offered no immediate comment on Israels claim about the missile fire. Iranian state media reported on the attack and the subsequent Israeli strikes in Syria, relying on foreign news reports. Syrian media earlier said the hostilities began with Israeli fire at Syrian positions in southern Syria from across the border. Pro-Syrian media said Syrian missiles then fired at Israeli forces. One TV station, Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen, said at least 50 missiles were fired from Syria at Israeli forces in the Golan Heights. Al-Ikhbariya TV said missiles targeted 10 Israeli positions. Syrian media said it was the first time in years that Syrians had fired at Israeli forces in the Golan Heights. Israel has been on heightened alert in recent days, anticipating an Iranian attack following Iranian vows to retaliate to what it says are recent Israeli strikes in Syria targeting Iranian outposts. Late Tuesday, Syrian state media said Israel struck a military outpost near the capital of Damascus. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Irans elite Revolutionary Guard, killing at least 15 people, eight of them Iranians. Last month, an attack on Syrias T4 air base in Homs province killed seven Iranian military personnel. On April 30, Israel was said to have struck government outposts in northern Syria, killing more than a dozen pro-government fighters, many of them Iranians. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied most of the airstrikes. But for months, it has repeatedly said 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 entered Israeli airspace. Israel responded by attacking anti-aircraft positions in Syria, but an Israeli warplane was shot down during the battle. Iranian forces moved into Syria after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011 to back the forces of President Bashar Assad. As that war winds down, and Assad appears to be headed toward victory, Israel fears that Iran, along with tens of thousands of Iranian-backed Shiite militiamen, will carry out attacks against Israel. President Donald Trumps announcement Tuesday that the U.S. was withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Moscow on Wednesday to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discuss military coordination in Syria. Russia has also sent forces to Syria to back Assad. But Israel and Russia have maintained close communications to prevent their air forces from coming into conflict. Together with Putin, Netanyahu toured a parade celebrating the anniversary of the World War II victory over the Nazis and then met the Russian president at the Kremlin for consultations. After 10 hours together, Netanyahu said he conveyed Israels obligation to defend itself against Iranian aggression. I think that matters were presented in a direct and forthright manner, and this is important. These matters are very important to Israels security at all times and especially at this time, he said. Israel views Iran as its archenemy, citing Irans calls for Israels destruction, support for militant groups across the region and growing military activity in neighboring Syria. Israel has warned that it will not allow Iran to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. Israels military went on high alert Tuesday and bomb shelters were ordered open in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights following reports of irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria. After an uneventful night, the military on Wednesday called on residents to return to full civilian routine, meaning studies and excursions would continue as usual, although the shelters would remain open. Amos Gilead, a retired senior Israeli defense official, told a security conference in the coastal town of Herzliya that Irans intentions in Syria meant a wider conflagration may only be a matter of time. They want to build a second Hezbollah-stan, he said, referring to the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group that last fought a war with Israel in 2006. They are determined to do it and we are determined to prevent it. It means we are on a collision course. ___ Associated Press writers Sarah El Deeb and Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report. Artificial intelligence has a new challenge: Whether and how to alert people who may not know theyre talking to a robot. On Tuesday, Google showed off a computer assistant that makes convincingly human-sounding phone calls , at least in its prerecorded demonstration. But the real people in those calls didnt seem to be aware they were talking to a machine. That could present thorny issues for the future use of AI. Among them: Is it fair or even legal to trick people into talking to an AI system that effectively records all of its conversations? And while Googles demonstration highlighted the benign uses of conversational robots, what happens when spammers and scammers get hold of them? Google CEO Sundar Pichai elicited cheers on Tuesday as he demonstrated the new technology, called Duplex, during the companys annual conference for software developers. The assistant added pauses, ums and mmm-hmms to its speech in order to sound more human as it spoke with real employees at a hair salon and a restaurant. Thats very impressive, but it can clearly lead to more sinister uses of this type of technology, said Matthew Fenech, who researches the policy implications of AI for the London-based organization Future Advocacy. The ability to pick up on nuance, the human uses of additional small phrases these sorts of cues are very human, and clearly the person on the other end didnt know. Fenech said its not hard to imagine nefarious uses of similar chatbots, such as spamming businesses, scamming seniors or making malicious calls using the voices of political or personal enemies. You can have potentially very destabilizing situations where people are reported as saying something they never said, he said. Pichai and other Google executives tried to emphasize that the technology is still experimental, and will be rolled out cautiously. Its not yet available on consumer devices. Its important to us that users and businesses have a good experience with this service, and transparency is a key part of that, Google engineers Yaniv Leviathan and Yossi Matias, who helped design the new technology, wrote in a Tuesday blog post . We want to be clear about the intent of the call so businesses understand the context. Well be experimenting with the right approach over the coming months. Its unclear how the company will navigate existing telecommunications laws, which can vary by state or country. Google didnt return a request for comment Wednesday on how it plans to seek the consent of people called by its bots. One co-owner of a San Francisco Bay Area barbershop patronized by some Google employees was a little creeped out by the privacy implications. It seems like something that would be helpful for our clients, said Katherine Esperanza, co-owner of the Slick & Dapper barbershop in Oakland, California. Esperanza, however, wondered if the shop would be able to block the calls, and said it begs the question about whether the conversation is recorded and if the recipient of these automated calls could be aware that theyre being recorded. Anti-wiretapping laws in California and several other states already make it illegal to record phone calls without the consent of both the caller and the person being called. The Federal Communications Commission has also been grappling with rules for robocalls , the unsolicited and automatically-dialed calls made by telemarketers. Such calls are typically prerecorded monologues, but more businesses and organizations are employing machine-learning techniques to respond to a persons questions with a natural-sounding conversation, in hopes theyll be less likely to hang up. One of Albuquerques star startups, Lavu Inc., is moving to new digs Downtown and preparing to ramp up its workforce with a little help from the state. Lavu, which sells point-of-sale software systems for restaurants to manage operations on mobile devices, will receive a $270,000 Local Economic Development Act grant to offset the costs of moving into the Plaza building, a high rise just south of Civic Plaza. The company currently occupies the upper floors of the Theater Block building at First Street and Central Avenue above Tucanos Brazilian Grill. But it needs more space to grow, according to Bernalillo County commissioners, who voted on Tuesday to act as Lavus fiscal agent to administer the LEDA funding and monitor company compliance with grant stipulations. That includes Lavus plans to expand its workforce from 75 now to about 120, plus a $1.5 million investment to remodel its new offices, said Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins, who co-sponsored the ordinance authorizing the countys role as fiscal agent. The new jobs will range in salary from $32,000 to $120,000 a year, Hart Stebbins said. Lavu is the kind of employer we want to retain and grow in Albuquerque, she said. Its a successful, high-tech business with good-paying jobs and benefits. Those are the kinds of jobs we need to keep our young people here rather than moving to other places to seek employment. The company, which launched in 2010, had considered leaving New Mexico, Hart Stebbins told the Journal. They had considered moving elsewhere, and the state responded by offering a $270,000 grant for them to stay here, Hart Stebbins said. The commissioners unanimously agreed to be the fiscal agent, although Tuesdays vote just represents a notice of intent. A final vote must be taken within 30 days. The company had complained to city authorities last year that rampant crime Downtown might force it to move to another part of the city. Lavu considered leasing the ground floor of the Daskalos Building on Central Avenue in Nob Hill, which Staples previously occupied, according to a report by KRQE Channel 13 based on county documents and interviews with commissioners. But the deal for that space didnt work out. Lavu President Ohad Johassi told the Journal last June that the company employed 117 people, about 86 of them in Albuquerque and the rest at other company locations, including an office in India with software developers. Lavu executives could not be reached to clarify the difference in the companys employee estimates last year and the current numbers reported to the County Commission. Arcadia, a bowling alley located at Noida sector 125 inside Amity University launched campus marketing campaign with ZipZapDeals, Indias first student centric lifestyle platform to reach out to the college students of Amity University. Under this campaign, ZipZapDeals rolled out Brand Ambassadors program to increase brand awareness of Arcadia amongst Amity students & Staff as well as promote Arcadia membership card. The highlight of the campaign was the Selfie Contestwhere the students took part in big way and the winners received prizes like free meals, value cards etc The campus campaign commenced for 15 days with ZipZapDeals successfully hiring900 Amity students for walking billboard & flyers activity distribution. In addition, student VJs promotedArcadia Valued Cardamongst the students and distributed free physical coupons. With their expertise in college marketing, ZipZapDeals ran online campaigns on social media platforms of campus like regular posting, live snap, brand awareness and engagement campaign with the influencers&VJs around the campus. In the words of Siddharth Sharma, Founder ZipZapDeals, Campus campaign is a tool for brands to reach out to campus students. Adopting different strategies for each brand is our strength which is not only impactful but also delivers pertinent results for the brands. He further added that Our campaign helped us in reaching out to more than 900 students that resulted in increasing the sale of membership cards. In the words of Partyush Singh Founder, Arcadia, The entire campus campaign at Amity university helped us in increasing the footfalls that almost doubled and we realized how such strategic campaign with millennial benefitted us. The Ambassador team ran a registration contest for Arcadia Value Card and compiled a database with hundreds of campus consumers interested in Arcadia Gaming Zone. The intensive and multi-pronged with 10 days offline & online campaign thus created lasting impressions on college campuses. Nearly 900 students bought Arcadia Value Card along with their membership benefitting the brand The creativefrom design to printing to execution was handled by ZipZapDeals Team. Extensive brain storming with the students was undertaken who gave additional impetus on entire campaign. DAN Consult, the consulting arm of Dentsu Aegis Network, has successfully scaled up, winning large growth consulting assignments with corporates like Tata Unistore (Tata Groups e-commerce venture), UAEs leading e-commerce platform Noon.com, Indias leading regional newspaper group Rajasthan Patrika, and Rajasthans luxury hotel group Suryagarh Hotels, along with a few other clients who wish confidentiality. DAN Consult is an integrated hub of growth consulting and marketing transformation services combining business consulting, product consulting, marketing & sales strategy, technology, data, AI, digital marketing, performance marketing and martech to deliver on the business objectives of clients. The plan is to build a result focused consulting firm and fill a space today not captured by the large consulting firms or the tech companies specifically on digital growth where being hands on is key to success. While DAN Consult has employees dedicated to business consulting, the practice also pools entrepreneurs, leaders and CEOs internally across the DAN group as well as external experts who have built and scaled businesses themselves and successfully created teams on a project-by-project basis. These industry-leaders will leverage their expertise across multiple domains to not just advise on strategy, but also form campaigns, products, and infrastructure, including digitisation and Artificial Intelligence or solving business problems through an innovative and disruptive process. Lalit Bhagia has taken over as CEO of DAN Consult. It will be the fourth entity under the DAN Performance Group, headed by Vivek Bhargava, along with the existing three companies under it iProspect India, SVG Columbus and Merkle Sokrati. Bhargava and Bhagia, both ex-entrepreneurs themselves, will collaborate to build and scale the DAN Consult business. Bhagia has led and built the digital growth strategy for companies like Star TVand Aditya Birla Financial Services, among others. Prior to Star, Bhagia was the Head APAC at Digitas, where he single-handedly built and scaled Digitas across India and Southeast Asia from scratch. Commenting on the new division, Ashish Bhasin, Chairman & CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia, said, The launch of DAN Consult enables our business to achieve the completion of the triumvirate of branding, media and consulting. We believe the market currently leaves scope for an offering of this nature and we are glad to introduce the consulting business under the DAN Performance Group, providing further value to our clients and working with CEOs and promoters to push the envelope through digital. Moreover, this is aligned with our One-DAN vision. Vivek Bhargava, CEO, DAN Performance Group, said, With 1,800 digital experts and the diverse talent that the network possess, we believe we enjoy a niche to cater to the unmet demand of clients beyond what tech companies and traditional consultancies are equipped to provide. The strength, dynamism, culture, flexibility, consumer understanding and risk-taking that a network like ours possesses along with some of the best minds in the business works as a huge added advantage. With Lalit at the helm, Im positive we will be able to deliver great value to clients through our consulting efforts. With DAN Consult, we aim to deliver on business objectives and not the marketing objectives. Our business model rests on this very premise and thus, we work with companies based on revenue growth using digital. In the long run, we will take a cut from the results, instead of charging fixed fees for time. This is a shift from what traditional consultants currently do and with this we hope to redefine the space. I am glad to have been chosen to create and build this business for DAN. This indeed is the next level of how agencies would evolve in the future, said Lalit Bhagia, CEO, DAN Consult. Revitalising Saarc Oli has the capacity and opportunity to act as the champion of Trans-Himalayan cooperation and resurrect the Saarc process Wavemaker, the new media, content and technology agency, has appointed Rabinder Thirumurthy, also known as Rabe Iyer, as CEO for Wavemaker MENA. The announcement was made by Ajit Varghese, Wavemakers Global President of Market Development. Rabe joins from a position as Managing Director of GroupM India media agency Motivator, based in Delhi. He is relocating to Dubai to officially join Wavemaker on June 10th. Ajit Varghese commented: Ive known Rabe since he joined Motivator and Ive always been impressed by his commitment to excellence. Hes a proven leader with strong business acumen and Im sure that he, together with our fantastic leadership team across the region, is perfectly positioned to make Wavemaker MENA a formidable future-facing agency. Filip Jabbour, CEO of GroupM MENA, added, Rabe is a great plus for Wavemaker; he has the skill, the vision and the deep understanding of our industry to lead and grow our business in the region. Rabe Iyer said, Wavemakers ambition, its obsession with the purchase journey and desire to connect and scale its capabilities, is exciting. I believe that MENA has a large potential for growth and I look forward to working with the talented team here to deliver on the agencys ambition across the region. S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster wants to personally speak with President Donald Trump about the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility's potential shutdown. Asked about what options he has to safeguard MOX, McMaster suggested going straight to the top. "Well the president, I'm hoping to have a chance to talk to him directly. Of course this thing has a long history. There's a lot of details about it," McMaster said following a speech at an Aiken GOP event on Tuesday night. EPA letter: Several studies needed before MOX alternative can move forward The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency believes there are several additional hurdles the U.S. Department of Energy has to clear before it ca The two have a working relationship: McMaster endorsed Trump's presidential campaign early on, and Trump recently backed McMaster's 2018 bid for governor. Two years ago, Trump selected Rick Perry, the former governor of Texas, to be his secretary of energy. Perry has recently, and publicly, led the charge to defund and close MOX, clashing head-on with McMaster, who wants to see MOX through to completion. Mothballing the facility, McMaster said Tuesday, would be a "bad error," a "very unwise thing" and a "travesty." MOX is an approximately 70 percent complete facility at the Savannah River Site designed to turn weapons-grade plutonium into fuel for commercial reactors. Perry prefers dilute-and-dispose, a MOX alternative that involves mixing plutonium with inert material for burial at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. It's a plan that raises environmental and timetable concerns, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency correspondence obtained by the Aiken Standard. McMaster has previously met with Perry albeit "briefly," McMaster said and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. MOX was discussed at least once, according to letters obtained by the Aiken Standard. S.C. governor, attorney general recommend audit of MOX to Energy Department S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster and Attorney General Alan Wilson are interested in a third-party audit of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility a Both Perry and Brouillette visited SRS this year, as did National Nuclear Security Administration chief Lisa Gordon-Hagerty. Perry specifically toured MOX during his two-day local swing. McMaster's other considered option is to sue the U.S. Department of Energy in an effort to stop a MOX closure by rule of law. The governor threatened such litigation in a May 2 letter sent directly to Perry. The state "will use all legal recourse available" to protect MOX, McMaster wrote, ending his letter with: "I will utilize all available options to protect South Carolina from becoming a permanent plutonium waste repository." On Tuesday, McMaster said the warning shot was made in earnest. "Man, we've been working on this thing a lot, with the lawyers in my office and the lawyers up there," the governor said. "But I wanted to make it clear what's going to happen. One thing is we're going to be in court. That's the last sentence of that letter, and I'm serious." U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Tim Scott, R-S.C.; U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C.; and S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson were sent copies of McMaster's May 2 letter. On Monday, a spokesperson for Graham said the senator supports "the state doing what it needs to do to ensure DOE follows the law." The same spokesperson said Graham is worried about MOX's future and continues to advocate for the project's preservation. S.C. governor threatens legal action if U.S. Energy Department abandons MOX South Carolina's governor is threatening a legal offensive should President Donald Trump's administration disband the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrica McMaster said he has spoken with Graham at length about MOX. McMaster also said South Carolina's legislators have his back regarding the potential lawsuit. "Oh yeah, they got mine, I got theirs," McMaster said Tuesday. "We're working." Trump's fiscal year 2019 budget request allocates $220 million for the orderly end of MOX, but the 2018 federal spending omnibus funded MOX construction at $335 million. Moves to close MOX were also made by former President Barack Obama's administration. MOX was initially scheduled to open in 2016 and is now billions over budget. On Wednesday morning, during a U.S. House committee hearing, Perry alluded that MOX was and continues to be a "questionable" expenditure. Shree Niwas begins hunger strike behind bars Hindu leader Acharya Shree Niwas, who was arrested for trying to incite communal violence by staging an attack on himself to make it appear like an attempted religious assassination, has started fast-unto-death at District Police Office, Morang, on Wednesday. Congress today advanced legislation that prioritizes the delivery of precision-guided munitions for Israel amid rising threats from its adversaries across the region. Theres just one problem: The United States own stockpile is already insufficient. That did not deter the House Foreign Affairs Committee from unanimously endorsing the US-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018, introduced by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., and Ted Deutch, D-Fla., for a vote on the House floor. With Iran creeping ever closer to Israels borders and threatening to attack Israel from the north, our friends need support now more than ever, Ros-Lehtinen said ahead of the vote. A House staffer told Al-Monitor that the United States currently does not have enough precision-guided munitions stockpiled for itself in the case of an emergency. Still, the source said, the bill serves as a message to Israel that if Iran strikes you, we will help you strike them back. Tensions between Israel and Iran have escalated sharply in recent weeks, with the Israeli military bombing suspected Iranian and Hezbollah weapons facilities in Syria. On Tuesday, suspected Israeli strikes killed nine fighters loyal to the Bashar al-Assad regime at a military facility in Damascus mere hours after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. Iran in particular has taken its aggression against Israel to new heights if youre looking at the missiles that have been placed in Syria and on the border, committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., said before the vote. This bipartisan bill deepens and updates our security partnership with Israel to ensure that Israel can defend itself by itself in the face of these evolving threats. The bill authorizes the Trump administration to transfer precision guided munitions and related defense articles and services to reserve stocks for Israel. It requires the president to certify that such transfers dont affect the US ability to maintain a sufficient supply of precision-guided munitions, combat readiness or US national security interests, but also provides an exemption in the case of an emergency without defining what that means. The United States first established a war reserve stock in Israel in 1989. Israel drew from the emergency stockpile to replenish its weapons during the 2006 war against Lebanons Hezbollah and again during its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip in 2014. Analysts say adding precision-guided munitions to the stockpile would give Israel a greater edge against its adversaries. One PGM [precision-guided munition] is worth at least 10 iron bombs with regard to point targets on the line, said John Venable, a senior research fellow at the conservative Hudson Institute and a US Air Force veteran. The United States has burned through a significant quantity of its precision-guided munition reserves fighting the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq as well as the Taliban in Afghanistan. Al-Monitor first reported earlier this year that the Pentagon requested $1.8 billion for fiscal year 2019 to replace its stockpile. Venable noted that while the United States was dropping roughly 5,000 precision-guided munitions per month at certain periods last year, that number has decreased as IS lost ground in Syria and Iraq. Were starting to build up a stockpile, Venable told Al-Monitor. Were really starting to pick up the pace with regard to the budget. He added, Between Boeing and Lockheed and the other vendors who produce these systems, we can always ask them to open another production line and they can do that relatively rapidly if there is a crisis. But right now were meeting our needs and were doing pretty well with replenishing. However, while moving to provide reserve stocks of precision-guided munitions for Israel for the first time, the Foreign Affairs Committee also deleted a significant provision ahead of todays vote that would have required the Trump administration to provide Israel with expedited procedures to obtain the munitions. The provision remains in the Senate version of the bill introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. This would commit the US to providing rapid response materials to Israel as more or less our own rapid response, Lara Friedman, the president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, which opposes the bill, told Al-Monitor. If Israel has a direct missile threat from Iran, we treat that more or less the same way we treat it as a direct threat to us. This is an extraordinary step, and its sort of quoted here as if its a small thing. In another departure, the House bill extends the authorization on Israeli military assistance for five years, instead of the 10 called for in the Senate; the 2016 US-Israel memorandum of understanding is for 10 years. House staffers said the shorter time frame gives Congress to chance to re-evaluate its provisions should Israels security situation change. The legislation was a key request of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC at its annual conference and lobbying day earlier this year. AIPAC lobbyists were on Capitol Hill again earlier this week pushing the Senate to act on its version of the bill. The Senate bill gained eight new co-sponsors this week, bringing the total number of supporters to 35. President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal after minimal consultation with lawmakers has made it difficult for his own party to coalesce around a legislative strategy moving forward. Some high-profile House Republicans made clear today that they think the White House has left the United States isolated by unilaterally withdrawing from the agreement. Others took a more hawkish line advocating for new sanctions and even a new war authorization to counter Iran and its proxies throughout the Middle East. Were seeing a new enemy thats more [Shiite]-based than Sunni, said House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who called on Congress to pass an authorization for the use of military force against Iran and its Shiite proxy forces throughout the region. Its not al-Qaeda or [the Islamic State] now, McCaul told Al-Monitor. Its a threat from Iran and theyve extended into Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen. So thats just one of the options or tools that Congress may have. Less hawkish members said the presidents decision has left the United States with little option but to be ready for a potential confrontation. My preference would have been to give our European allies a few more months to strengthen the deal, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said in a statement. But now that the president has decided that the United States will withdraw, we must have two critical priorities. One is to further enhance our own military capabilities. The other is to strengthen our alliances. A strong, international effort is required to curtail Irans aggressive behavior in a number of areas. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., disagreed with Trumps approach, arguing that the United States should remain in the deal, work to fix its perceived flaws and enforce the hell out of it. Withdrawing wont help galvanize our allies into addressing Irans dangerous activities that threaten us all, Royce argued at a committee hearing on Iran today. I fear a withdrawal would actually set back these efforts. And Congress has heard nothing about an alternative. Democrats even those who voted against the deal in 2015 have long railed against Trumps threats to withdraw from the deal and argued that the administration has no comprehensive strategy to deal with Iran. But the criticism from fellow Republicans could presage sharp, intraparty policy divides on how to approach Iran after the deal amid concerns that the Republicans will own whatever happens next. While McCaul did express concern that withdrawing from the deal will shift attention away from Iran and put it on the United States, it did not stop him from floating additional sanctions on Tehran. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., who sits on the Senate Banking Committee, echoed McCauls call for additional sanctions in a statement after Trump announced his decision. The administrations action necessitates that the president and Congress re-establish the previous sanctions regime and develop new, harsh sanctions to hold Iran accountable not only for its attempts to develop nuclear weapons, but for its grotesque human rights abuses, openly hostile aggression in the Middle East, extensive ballistic missile testing and support for terrorism, he said. Anti-deal advocates in Washington are making a similar case. Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the hawkish Foundation for Defense of Democracies, defended Trumps approach as a combination of political warfare, economic pressure and military deterrence. Even as the United States reimposes sanctions that had been lifted under the nuclear agreement, administration officials and congressional leaders indicated that they will continue to negotiate with Europe on a follow-up deal that addresses Trumps stated concerns. These include adding permanent restrictions on certain nuclear enrichment activities, Irans ballistic missile program and access to military sites for international inspectors. We will continue to work with our allies to build an agreement that is truly in the best interest of our long-term national security, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in a statement after Trumps announcement. The Treasury Department indicated in a fact sheet today that the earliest sanctions will only go into effect after a wind down period, during which negotiations are expected to continue. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., all endorsed using the interim period to continue working on a new deal. But others appear to have made their peace with a permanent US withdrawal. Im glad that President Trump decided today to withdraw from the flawed Iran nuclear deal and impose crippling economic and financial sanctions against the Iranian regime, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said in a statement. As the June 24 snap polls in Turkey draw nearer, the top contenders are jockeying to draw Kurdish voters, whose backing could be game-changing. The Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) is the largest pro-Kurdish bloc and commands at least 11% of the vote. Its presidential candidate, Selahattin Demirtas, is running from behind bars, and other opposition leaders have called for his release. His halo effect albeit from jail is expected to carry the HDP into the parliament once again, likely robbing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of its majority. Though recent polls show him slipping, the prevailing wisdom is that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will win the presidential contest that will be held concurrently with the parliamentary vote. But should he fail to win in a first round of balloting, would Erdogan reach out to the Kurds for their support? Al-Monitor turned to veteran Kurdish politician Zubeyir Aydar for his views. Aydar, a former lawmaker in the Turkish parliament, lives in exile in Brussels. He serves on the executive board of the Kurdish National Congress. The group has close links to imprisoned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan. Aydar was among a group of Kurdish officials who met secretly with members of Turkeys national intelligence agency MIT, including its current boss Hakan Fidan, during the peace talks held in Oslo (2009-2011). Aydar and fellow Kurdish negotiators are now on Turkeys most wanted list. Here are some of the highlights of the interview at the congress' Brussels headquarters: Al-Monitor: Elections are approaching. How do things look from the Kurdish perspective? Aydar: There are two large electoral alliances. On the one hand, there is the AKP and its allies from the far-right Nationalist Movement Party [MHP] and the opposition bloc formed by the main opposition Republican Peoples Party [CHP], the [right-wing conservative] Iyi [Good] Party, the [pro-Islamic] Saadet [Felicity] Party and the Democrat Party. At first, the expectation was that the CHP would include all the opposition in its alliance, but the HDP was left out. Apparently, Turkeys opposition parties also embrace Erdogans concerted efforts since 2015 to marginalize the HDP. The decision to exclude the HDP illustrates the nationalist reflexes within the CHP and Iyi. It's a rebuttal of the Kurds, and the Kurds are fully aware of this. The CHPs approach was on display when it backed the governments moves to strip HDP lawmakers of their parliamentary immunity. Claiming that this is what their voter base wants is not a credible justification for such actions. In any case, the HDP has its own informal bloc of democrats and left-wingers who dont necessarily belong to one party or the other. Everyone has fielded their own presidential candidate, so our hope is that this will deny Erdogan a first-round win and force a second round of balloting. Al-Monitor: You say the CHP is anti-Kurdish, but CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu was widely rumored to be pushing [AKP-linked former President] Abdullah Gul to run as a joint candidate for the opposition because so many Kurds would have voted for him in a second round. Why would Kilicdaroglu do that if he were, as you say, anti-Kurdish? Aydar: When he gives interviews, Kilicdaroglu says the opposition needs to join hands with everyone, but in practice he acts differently, more like a civil servant who takes his cue from above. And in the case of Abdullah Gul, I dont believe he was interested in him because of his potential to draw Kurdish votes which he could have, of course. It was because Gul could draw away votes from Erdogan and the AKP that was his real value for Kilicdaroglu. It's true of course that the CHP is not ideologically homogenous. And there are those within the party who believe in cooperating with the HDP. Al-Monitor: Well, one of the CHP lawmakers who defied the partys orders and voted against lifting parliamentary immunity for the HDP members is now the CHPs candidate. He has spoken about solving the Kurdish problem in the parliament. He visited Demirtas in jail. Doesnt the candidacy of Muharrem Ince send a positive signal to the Kurds? Would they support him in a second round? Aydar: I am aware of his statements and they are noteworthy, but he needs to flesh them out. Solving the Kurdish problem in the parliament sounds good, but it's not enough. During the [peace] process, the Kurdish side led by Abdullah Ocalan was insisting on doing the very same thing, debating the matter in the parliament. But the government wasnt interested. All it did was pass a vaguely worded and inadequate bill. Mr. Ince needs to clearly explain his definition of the Kurdish problem and how he intends to solve it. As for whom the Kurds would support in a second round, words alone wont convince them. They will sit down and bargain for a democratic solution to their problems. Support will be determined on the outcome of any such talks. Al-Monitor: Would the PKK call a unilateral cease-fire as a goodwill gesture ahead of the elections? Aydar: I dont think this would be realistic. Clashes are ongoing in [the Syrian Kurdish enclave of] Afrin. And Turkish forces continue to attack a region populated by Kurds who have never posed any kind of threat to Turkeys security, and [Turkey] is in the process of ethnically cleansing Kurds from Afrin. It is also carrying out military operations in Iraqi Kurdistan. Calling a cease-fire in such circumstances and at a time when the Kurds are being excluded by all the main political parties in Turkey would project weakness. It would also allow Erdogan to claim that he has brought the Kurds to their knees. He would definitely spin a unilateral cease-fire in those terms. In the current circumstances, nobody would see a cease-fire as a step toward peace. Besides, [the PKK] has made multiple such overtures, especially since 1993 onwards. It has nothing left to prove in this regard. And the Turkish public is aware of this, as are past governments and the state. But if the government were to approach the PKK during the election period to talk about a mutually observed cease-fire, my guess is that its offer would be weighed. Al-Monitor: What do the Kurds want? Aydar: Well, let's talk about immediate and actionable steps: the lifting of emergency rule, the easing of restrictions on the media and free speech and assembly. Freeing political prisoners. Carrying the Kurdish problem to the parliament for debate is an important first step. I recognize that it's hard to come up with a detailed blueprint in this election environment, but a candidate who clearly states that they favor a political solution to the problem, not a military one, may well be worthy of Kurdish backing. Al-Monitor: You referred to practical experience. The AKP did what none of its predecessors did. It engaged in direct talks with Ocalan and the PKK. You were present at some of these talks. Is it fair to say that for the Kurds, the AKP may come across as a lesser evil? Aydar: No, it is not. But if there is a second round of balloting, the contenders will need the Kurds, the HDP. They will most probably seek to form alliances with the Kurds. If I were in the place of the HDP, I would not lend unconditional support to anyone, but I would also not remain indifferent. Al-Monitor: Does this include Erdogan and the AKP? Aydar: No. I dont believe the AKP would be interested in allying itself with the Kurds, either. It's true that Erdogan reached out to the Kurds in the past. But from 2013 onwards, after he fell out with Fethullah Gulen [the Pennsylvania-based Sunni cleric who is accused of masterminding the botched 2016 coup], Erdogan ganged up with the MHP and the [anti-Western] Eurasianists against him. It doesnt seem plausible he would ditch them in favor of an alliance with the HDP. In any case, Erdogans election manifesto spells out his position. Under the guise of the fight against terrorism, he is pledging further attacks and cross-border operations against the Kurds. Al-Monitor: Well, what if Erdogan were to come knocking on the HDPs door promising all you demand? Aydar: Promises are not enough. The parties need to sit down and reach an agreement at the table that satisfies both. As I said, it's important to be open to negotiations, but with the AKP so deeply involved with the MHP and the Eurasianists, and having demonized the HDP for so long, it seems unlikely they could make that kind of a U-turn and with so little time left before the elections. That said, it wouldnt be surprising if Erdogan and the AKP were to make positive statements about the Kurds to win them over, but they will not sit down with members of the [Ocalan-led] Kurdish political movement. Our message is intended for the opposition. In short, if I were the HDP, I would be open to dialogue with them but making clear what my minimum demands are. Al-Monitor: For argument's sake, let me repeat the same question for Iyi Party leader Meral Aksener. If she were to accept the HDPs terms, would the Kurds vote for her? Aydar: I dont think she would be open to bargaining with the Kurds. She embraced the MHPs nationalist policies for years and was interior minister in the 1990s [at the height of human rights abuses in the mainly Kurdish southeast region]. Plus she announced she would not take part in any electoral alliance with the Kurds. In any event, she will not be the first runner-up; the CHPs candidate [Ince] will be. And if there are truly free and fair elections in Turkey, I know that Erdogan will not win. But it's impossible to assess how much state pressure and electoral fraud will come into play. There was clearly tampering at the ballot box in the [April 2017] referendum [on replacing the current parliamentary system with an executive presidency]. It could well be repeated in these elections. Election monitoring will be of critical importance. Recent amendments to the electoral law such as counting unstamped ballots as valid and allowing ballot boxes to be moved around have deepened our concerns as to the governments intentions. They appear to be laying the ground for electoral fraud. Erdogans plan is apparently to tamper with ballots in order to push the HDP below the 10% threshold [of the national votes needed to win seats in the parliament.] Al-Monitor: Can the HDP get over the threshold? Aydar: I dont think it will have any problem doing that. There is a very strong negative reaction among the Kurds to the governments recent policies, including among those within the AKP. From 2015 onwards, the government destroyed so many cities, killed civilians, then turned on the HDP. Countless HDP leaders, lawmakers, mayors, officials have been jailed. This creates anger and disappointment among the Kurds. Meanwhile, Erdogan, who until recently feted [Iraqi Kurdish leader] Massoud Barzani as his closest ally at public rallies, weddings, then stabbed him in the back when the Iraqi Kurds held their referendum on Kurdish independence last year [to which Turkey was fiercely opposed]. There followed the Turkish military assault on Afrin and Erdogans anti-Kurdish pact with the MHP. The Kurds are not fools; they are aware of everything. Because of all these different factors, the HDPs share of the vote will rise further in these elections. And lets not forget that Alevi and left-wing members of the CHP are unhappy with the alliance formed with Aksener. They will likely vote for the HDP. But that said, ballot-box security and monitoring are key, and I think all of the opposition parties must join hands, regardless of the fact that they excluded the HDP from their slates, and work together across the country and do their utmost to prevent any fraud. Al-Monitor: Speaking of winning over the Kurds, there is speculation that President Erdogan may invite Nechirvan Barzani, the prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq, to Turkey to help bolster his election campaign. Aydar: I have no knowledge of Barzanis thinking, but if I were in his shoes, I would not take part in any such plans. He would reduce his standing among the Kurds to zero. It would be a form of political suicide. Al-Monitor: After all these years, do you still believe that lasting peace between Turkey and the Kurds is possible? Aydar: It's possible. Peace is possible even in the most adverse circumstances. When you are in a position of strength, your adversary comes to you and negotiates. This was proven by past experience. Erdogans representatives sat down with us. They sat down with us for many years. He didnt have a clear-cut project, thats another matter. But as you know, peace is made between enemies, not friends. US President Donald Trump tweeted May 7 that he will state his decision about the fate of nuclear deal with Iran today, May 8 four days before the May 12 deadline to sign sanctions waivers as part of the accord. In apparent response, Iranian officials have stated that they will remain within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if Europe cooperates with Tehran. Predicting the US presidents decision, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council stated that Trump may not destroy the deal in order to let the Europeans negotiate more concessions from Iran. Ali Shamkhani told Hamshahri newspaper May 8, Trump and the US administration pursue three parallel strategies regarding the JCPOA. One minimalist strategy is making the JCPOA useless for Iran. The second strategy is to get more concessions from the Islamic Republic of Iran through the JCPOA. And the third strategy is destroying the JCPOA. Shamkhani added, The bigger mistake of the Europeans would be to go along with Trumps second strategy. There is the possibility that Trump relies on [European] cooperation, and stays away from the third strategy. However, the Supreme National Security Council of Iran warned that the second strategy will also lead to the collapse of the deal. In brief remarks in a meeting with executives at an Iranian company, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated May 8 that if Trump scraps the JCPOA, he'll end up with a worse deal. He then added that if the United States withdraws from the nuclear agreement, Washington will never reach such a deal again. Irans deputy parliament speaker, Ali Motahari, told a group of reporters May 8 that Tehran should give the Europeans a month or two to provide strong guarantees that they will resist pressure from the United States. This guarantee must [ensure] that Europeans stand up to the Americans fines and support their banks. If this happens, it is worthwhile for Iran to stay in the JCPOA. This is a victory for Iran as it has created a gap between Europe and America, said Motahari. Abolfazl Hasan Beigi, the deputy chairman of parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, stated that if the other members of the P5+1 (UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) dont succumb to US demands and remain in the JCPOA, Iran will also stay in the deal. He warned the US government May 8, If Trump withdraws from the JCPOA, Iran will reopen the [reactor] core of the Arak plant and will produce centrifuges. Iran removed the crucial component in its nascent Arak heavy water reactor in compliance with its obligations under the nuclear deal. Meanwhile, foreign policy analyst Hassan Beheshtipour told the local press May 8, If US withdrawal from the JCPOA is tantamount to implementing secondary sanctions, that is equivalent to the JCPOA becoming useless, and Irans response will be harsh. He added, however, If the European Union continues its cooperation with Iran, and only the US doesnt cooperate, the situation would be [different]. Beheshtipour continued, Exiting the [Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)] is the last resort for Iran in the face of [an American] withdrawal from the JCPOA, which is the worst scenario. Iran has the right to leave the NPT, but leaving the NPT isnt tantamount to making a bomb, and [also] doesnt mean Iran cutting ties with the [International Atomic Energy Agency]. Fereidoon Majlesi, a former Iranian diplomat, told a local news outlet that the US president is pursuing a strategy that is in the interest of Iranian hard-liners. We have now reached the phase that we may consider the final and favorite solution of hard-liners inside Iran, and we are getting close to it step by step, and that is the killing of the JCPOA, Majlesi said May 8. Ever since Donald Trumps victory in the 2016 US presidential election, Iranian hard-liners have been jubilant about his pledges to kill the nuclear deal the signature achievement of moderate President Hassan Rouhani. Now, Trump has finally handed a precious gift to his foes in Tehran. On May 8, after months of threats, Trump announced a US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He had warned his European allies that if they dont fix the deal, he would nix it. In 2013, Iranians were fed up with the two-term presidency of hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, under whom the nuclear file had turned into a crisis. Amid these conditions, the late Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjanis nomination in the presidential election that year was welcomed by many, as he was known to both friends and foes as someone who could improve the bitter relationship between Iran and the West. As Rafsanjani was barred from running by the Guardian Council, he quickly threw his weight behind his protege, Rouhani, who pledged to voters that he would solve the nuclear crisis. Throughout the negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 (the United States, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany), Republicans in the US Congress and hard-liners in the Iranian parliament almost constantly sought to torpedo the talks. After the signing of the deal, ordinary Iranians were waiting to see the economic dividends that officials told them would improve their lives. Things were gradually getting better in the months after the JCPOA was implemented in January 2016. But then Trump entered politics. Even as he vowed to kill the deal, most Iranians were still hopeful, re-electing the Diplomat Sheikh a common moniker for Rouhani in May 2017 and opting for constructive engagement with the world to deflect US pressures. In the aftermath of the US withdrawal and amid continued uncertainty about the future of the nuclear deal, the experience of the JCPOA is already having potentially profound consequences for Iranian politics. First and foremost, the hard-line thoughts and circles under the leadership of Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi a one-time mentor of Ahmadinejad are being revived, with many likely to soon consider Iran's opening and interaction with the West as failing to bring prosperity for Iran. These forces had been seriously damaged by successive electoral defeats since 2013. As a result of the resurgence of hard-line approaches, conditions for those favoring engagement with the West will become increasingly difficult. Indeed, it will probably lead to even the moderate administration of Rouhani adopting a harsher stance in order to alleviate rising pressures from hard-liners. Perhaps more importantly, Rouhani and his team have neither the motivation nor the authority to show heroic flexibility the term used to sell engagement with the United States during the nuclear talks while engaging in the coming weeks with European countries to assess whether to remain in the JCPOA. In this context, it should further be noted that the full collapse of the JCPOA is likely to make Iranians lose hope in Reformism and even moderation. While this may be welcomed by some in Washington, hard-liners in Tehran also relish political apathy given that high voter turnout tends to favor their foes. Under these conditions, there is the prospect of a longtime dream of Iranian hard-liners being fulfilled namely, the rise of a military president. With Trumps repeated threats, hard-liners have started bringing up this notion to test reactions in Iranian society. In this vein, hard-line parliament member Mohammad-Ali Pour-Mokhtar notably said March 18, A number of media say that military men shouldnt become presidents. I believe that if a military president becomes elected, he can surely solve peoples problems. With Quds Force commander Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimanis inroads across the region, some could be persuaded that a military strategist would be better suited to lead Iran. According to a survey conducted by the University of Maryland last summer, 61% of Iranians have a favorable view of Soleimani. Popular Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who headed the nuclear negotiations, came in second, getting favorable views from 43% of respondents. While it is not likely that Soleimani will enter the next Iranian presidential election, his highly publicized battlefield victories have prepared public opinion for a military president. This should be seen in the context of a climate in which Iranian voters have in past decades generally reacted negatively to uniformed candidates. Current secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaie, and former national police chief Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are among former security personnel who have failed to win any of the past five presidential elections in Iran. Amid all of this, Iranian politics could be on the precipice of a shift, given that many no longer identify along old partisan lines. One recent poll claimed that more than 74% of Iranians dont consider themselves Reformist or conservative. One reading of this is that people simply want an effective leader who can overcome the countrys problems. In this vein, there is the danger that voters may conclude that the constructive engagement favored by a diplomat president such as Rouhani has reached a dead end. Spurred on by Soleimanis battlefield victories, they may rather want to see a strong and decisive leader in the face of an escalation of outside threats and hostilities. While Iranians are fully aware that Rouhani is not responsible for the collapse of the JCPOA, there is a strong argument that his approach has failed, and that it is thus time for a harsher and sterner strategy. In such a scenario, even pragmatic conservatives such as parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani have no chance of being elected, let alone a Reformist such as incumbent First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri. Given these potentially profound consequences of the collapse of the JCPOA, it is becoming apparent that the only side able to uphold the accord namely Europe can play a unique role in helping shape political winds in Iran. If Britain, France and Germany stand firmly behind the nuclear deal and uphold their commitments rather than continue seeking to appease Trump by bringing up extraneous issues, an Iranian government in the hands of the pro-Reform camp may eventually come to enter further engagement. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has expressed doubts about Tehran reaching an agreement with Europe, warning the moderate government of Hassan Rouhani not to trust European powers. In a speech on the occasion of National Teachers Week, Ayatollah Khamenei reacted to US President Donald Trumps announcement of a US withdrawal from the nuclear deal, saying, The US president's shallow and ludicrous behavior wasn't unexpected. The same behavior existed in former US presidents. There were probably over 10 lies in his speech. He threatened both the Iranian government and Iranian nation, claiming he would do one thing or another. On behalf of the Iranian nation I will say, 'Mr. Trump, you cant do a damn thing.' Minutes after Trumps speech, the Iranian president went on Iranian state television to say that Iran will decide whether to remain within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) following talks with the European signatories (Britain, France and Germany) along with Russia and China. Mentioning Rouhanis determination to protect the deal, Khamenei stated, I don't trust these three European Union countries either. If the government wants to make an agreement, they should ask for a guarantee, or else [Europe] will all do just as the United States did. If there is no definite guarantee, the JCPOA cannot continue. Khamenei also addressed the Iranian administration, saying, Officials are facing a big test: Are they going to ensure that the nation's pride will be protected or not? The pride and interests of the nation must be truly secured." Expressing his pessimism over the fate of the upcoming talks with European signatories, Khamenei noted, "If you can get guarantees, fine although I doubt it. If not, we cannot stay in the JCPOA." Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari also expressed skepticism toward the prospects for an understanding with the three European countries. The one-, two-week opportunity that the president [has given Europe to guarantee Irans interests] it is completely clear that the Europeans are dependent on America, and between Iran and America, they will choose the United States. They cant make decisions independently, said Jafari at a conference May 9. He emphasized, We consider Trumps decision for exiting the JCPOA as a good omen. This is not a new event, and it will not have a determining effect against our national interest in any area. It was completely clear that the Americans arent reliable and once again it was proved that America can't be trusted to negotiate and interact with. Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri's reaction to the news was that Tehran shouldnt rely on the JCPOA. He said May 9, We are now facing a political system that did not remain committed to its own signature on the JCPOA, which was not desirable for our nation. Our experience in this country is that if we want to remain stable, we must stand on our own feet and shouldnt rely on the JCPOA and such. Referring to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans anti-Iran approach, Bagheri noted, During the past three months, this unwise young person who rules Saudi Arabia has joined America and is telling them, 'You attack Iran and we will give the money for it.' On the other hand, the Americans tell him, 'You attack Iran and we will support you.' Bagheri added that the enemies of Iran have had the intention of attacking the country, but that they dont dare to do so. In the open parliamentary session May 9, moderate speaker Ali Larijani said that the upcoming negotiations with the three European countries are a test for the West. Given the manner of Europes behavior in the past, we cant be assured of their initial claims about [wanting to] keep the nuclear deal, he said. Larijani added, It is worthwhile [waiting] for a few weeks for this test to [prove] to everyone that Iran tried all of the political and peaceful solutions. This is an opportunity for Europe to show whether it has the necessary weight to resolve international issues or not. Reza Tajrishi, president of the House of Industry, Mine and Trade of Iranian Youth in Iran, conceded April 17 that his country is losing its appeal in Iraqs markets to Saudi Arabia. Tajrishis declarations reflect a bitter competition between Iran and Saudi Arabia to take over the Iraqi market, a major consumer of foreign exports in light of an absent local industry sector. Tajrishi placed the blame on Iraq, saying, The government of Iraq bars many Iranian companies from operating, while the doors are wide open for the Saudis thanks to reduced customs fees on Saudi goods per an understanding between the two sides. While touring the Iraqi markets, the intense competition between Iranian and Saudi goods became quite clear to Al-Monitor; stores are offering both Iranian and Saudi goods. There is an intense competition between Saudi and Iranian goods, Salem al-Azzawi, a retailer in Babil, told Al-Monitor. The same vendors who were known for dealing in Iranian goods are now selling Saudi goods. Whoever can offer the best quality and the best prices usually wins. Azzawi said, Some Iran-aligned political individuals have voiced their criticism of the Saudi economic and commercial activities in Iraqs markets, as they see that it is driven by the political agenda. The source is not much of a concern to the Iraqi consumer compared to the quality of the product. Nonetheless, Azzawi downplayed the statements made by Tajrishi, as he considered them unrealistic, noting that there are deliberate attempts to exaggerate the Saudis economic influence in the Iraqi markets. He added, If you walk in the markets, you can see that Iranian goods appeal to consumers more. That's because they are cheaper than the Saudi goods following the drop in [the value of the] Iranian currency. On Feb. 5, 2017, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir visited Baghdad, marking the resurgence of Saudi-Iraqi relations, after a 14-year gap. During the visit, he stressed his countrys hope to establish excellent relations with Iraq. Saad Hassan, a merchant in Baghdad who sells foodstuff, said that both Iran and Saudi Arabia are striving to win over the Iraqi market. He told Al-Monitor, Iranian and Saudi goods are dominating the food and construction sectors, while Turkey is still standing unopposed as an importer of clothes. Hassan noted, "The last two years saw a larger influx of Saudi goods, which hurt the demand of Iranian goods. [While] Iranian goods still have a stronger presence in the center and south [Shiite areas], Saudi goods are notably becoming more popular in the west of Iraq [Sunni areas], because of political and sectarian allegiances, as well as media-charged instigation. In contrast to Hassans point of view, which reflects the popular opinion, the Iraqi government narrative undermines the "Iranian grievances" on the taxation and customs procedures. Mustafa al-Ragheb, the spokesman for the Iraq General Customs Commission, told Al-Monitor, The commission specifies customs fees in accordance with the law on tariffs that came into force in 2010. This applies to all goods regardless of their source, with no favoritism to one country at the expense of another. As Ragheb denies "any kind of agreement between Baghdad and Riyadh to reduce customs fee on Saudi goods," economist and former adviser to the Ministry of Womens Affairs Salam Smeasim disagrees with the Iranian officials statements, stressing that the Iranian exports to Iraq exceed $15 billion annually. Trying to add context to Tajrishis statements and any other Iraqi decision on that matter, Smeasim said, The state tries to incentivize exports from a certain country and gives it priority in trading facilitation as what Iraq did with Jordan in February when it decided to exempt 540 products from customs fees. This tactic is used by some states to serve some special joint interests. According to Iranian sources, Iraq is the second-largest export destination, as their exports range from construction supplies and petroleum products to mineral oils and food supplies. Speaking to Al-Monitor, head of the parliamentary Economy and Investment Committee Ahmed al-Kanani said that the Iranian accusations are baseless and there is nothing in Iraqs customs policy to support those claims, as Iraqs customs policy reflects "open attitudes toward all neighboring countries to attract investments and capital." The presence of Saudi Arabia with its well-known companies will increase, which will heat up the competition with Iran, according to Kanani. He noted that Iraq must maintain balanced relations with both Saudi Arabia and Iran. While Saudi Arabia and Iraq agreed on Oct. 22, 2017, to establish the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council and review the customs cooperation arrangement between the two countries as well as considering a trade area, repurposing 2 million hectares in the governorates of Anbar and Muthanna, and investing in the Akkas gas field in Anbar governorate, west of Iraq the secretary-general of the Iraq-Iran Chamber of Commerce made sure to emphasize April 3 the likelihood of increasing Iranian trading with Iraq to $15 billion annually in parallel with the reconstruction. In addition, Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi was quick to assert April 27 that Irans economic activities in Iraq are healthy and developing, calling on Iranian companies to boldly utilize the collaboration and investment opportunities in Iraq. According to Hassan al-Shwyered, head of the Iraqi-Gulf Friendship Committee and a parliament member, Iraq is determined to strengthen its economic relations with Saudi Arabia. He told Al-Monitor, The trade exchange between the two countries will be at its optimal levels after the Jemima border crossing is completed which will be soon the land road for all trucks to enter Iraqs neighboring countries is rehabilitated and the railway is constructed. As Shwyered stressed that enhancing the trade exchange with Saudi Arabia doesnt mean that Iraq will shrink its trade with Iran, Iranian officials should realize that Iraq, as a state, will go wherever its interests lie. Iraq prefers to distance itself from the political, and even economic, quarrels between Tehran and Riyadh, a stance that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has been clear about since 2015. March 2019 will mark a decade since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus return to power, and a decade of him pushing his agenda of placing the Iranian nuclear program at the top of security threats to the State of Israel. Even if Netanyahu is not prime minister in March 2019, its already clear that he has succeeded in determining the Iranian nuclear program as the critical item in Israels diplomatic-security policy. This was a long process that saw peaks and valleys. It started with preparations for an Israeli strike on Iran in 2009-2012, which later expired with the signing of the 2015 nuclear deal under the Obama administration. In many respects, the nuclear deal was considered a failure for Netanyahu, as his political rivals contended that the terrible deal (from Netanyahus point of view) was the result of his shaky relationship with then US President Barack Obama. On May 8, US President Donald Trump delivered an incredible turnaround to the Iran-Netanyahu saga, with his dramatic withdrawal from the deal and the renewal of the sanctions regime. Netanyahu could not have hoped for a better scenario. He marked himself as the victor, only a week after his political rivals, led by Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid, accused him of gravely damaging the work of the Mossad by presenting on April 30 the Iranian documents Mossad captured from Iran. It would not be an overstatement to define the last decade of Israels foreign and security policy as the Iranian decade and to say that Netanyahus Iran doctrine now rules the day. Whats fascinating in this process is not only Netanyahus achievement in swaying Trump to fully adopt his Iran doctrine, but also how the entire Israeli political establishment, including Netanyahus rivals, was drawn in to an agenda that sees Iran as the supreme threat. Without discounting the achievement of the United States pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, the State of Israel in its 70th year is a military power that can withstand even an Iranian nuclear threat. At the same time, its also a nation that disturbingly represses any deliberation on the conflict with the Palestinians; the Gaza Strip, for instance, is a barrel of gunpowder that could blow up at any moment. Even more disturbing is that the leaders of the center left allow Netanyahu, for their own electoral reasons, to singlehandedly set the tone of internal discourse in Israel. True, its hard to steal the limelight from a prime minister who holds in his hands all the means to set policy, certainly when it comes to a personality like Netanyahu. Despite that, it could be expected that those who see themselves as successors to Netanyahu and declare that they intend to set a different policy, act differently. But in most cases, they actually fall in line with him. Its highly doubtful that Israeli citizens, including among the center left, would know how to answer a question like, How are Yair Lapids and Labor Party head Avi Gabbays worldviews regarding the Palestinians different from Netanyahus? The reason for this is Lapids and Gabbays public attitudes. Even if both of them occasionally declare their support for the two-state idea and for reaching an agreement with the Palestinians (Netanyahu also declared so in his 2009 Bar-Ilan speech), they dont give it any weight in their agendas. Gabbay, for instance, spearheaded a decision at his partys conference at the end of April that the Labor Party is committed to the two-state solution. The move stemmed from Gabbays efforts to bring back those voters who fled when he tried to adopt a diplomatic-security agenda more suited to the Likud. In actuality, he didnt continue to leverage this decision and instead doubled down on the campaign against corruption. In order to understand the depth of the process by which Netanyahu has established the Iranian nuclear program as Israels primary threat, we should return to the days before Trumps announcement. Last week, Lapid tried to challenge Netanyahu when he launched a bold campaign that accused the prime minister of damaging the countrys security by revealing the Iranian documents that the Mossad secured. The chairman of Yesh Atid understood that he has to challenge Netanyahu on security if he wishes to be taken seriously as a candidate for prime minister, and he chose to use the Iranian issue as a platform. Lapid even cautioned that the cancellation of the nuclear deal is problematic. On May 8, following Trumps announcement, which included praise for Netanyahus presentation, Lapid toned down his rhetoric. He praised Trump for his strong stand alongside Israel and added on Twitter that now we have to enlist all our diplomatic capacities to ensure that the Europeans, the Russians and the Chinese join the effort to prevent Iran from resuming its plan of developing nuclear weapons. Just as in the past we worked alongside the prime minister to oppose the bad nuclear deal, this time also we will put aside political considerations of coalition/opposition and work to renew sanctions on Iran. Not a word about Netanyahus dangerous policy, which he warned about only a few days earlier. Not a word about Israels no-less-dramatic diplomatic-security challenges on the Palestinian and regional fronts. A few hours before Trumps declaration, several leaders of the political establishment who see themselves as Netanyahus successors appeared at the annual Herzliya Conference an important forum on policy and strategic issues. They of course devoted time to the nuclear deal. Without exception, chairman of Kulanu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, chairman of HaBayit HaYehudi and Education Minister Naftali Bennett and chairman of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein all sided with the withdrawal from the agreement. Bennett estimated that the ayatollah regime is on borrowed time and is bound to collapse, and he threatened Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah by saying Nasrallah would lose Lebanon if the Hezbollah leader starts a war against Israel. Kahlon was the only one that day who, along with remarks on the bad deal between Iran and the powers, spoke about the Palestinians, but even he didnt give the issue priority and only said that we should wait for Trumps plan. On the morning after Trumps announcement and the alleged Israeli strike in Syria, the political establishment almost entirely fell in line with Netanyahu and the United States withdrawal from the agreement, except for the Meretz Party. Likud ministers, including Yisrael Katz, Zeev Elkin, Yariv Levin and Ofer Akunis backed and basked in Netanyahus latest achievements. In any case, they have already declared that they wouldnt run against him, so its no wonder that they fully embrace his security doctrine. Shree Niwas to be tried only for firearm offence The District Police Office (DPO) in Morang booked Hindu leader Shree Niwas under the Arms and Ammunition Act on Tuesday, a day after he was arrested in Kathmandu for staging an attack on himself on the early morning of April 8. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates are applauding the May 8 announcement by President Donald Trump to withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear agreement. There is only one thing that isnt clear, one of the people closest to Netanyahu told Al-Monitor, speaking on the condition of anonymity. That is, who works for whom? Does Netanyahu work for Trump, or is President Trump at the service of Netanyahu? From the outside, at least, upon close inspection, it looks like the two men are perfectly in sync. From the inside, this seems even more so. When it comes to the US administrations recent actions, the people in Netanyahus inner circle knew exactly what would happen and when, and they have known it for the past few weeks. No one in Jerusalem was surprised by Trumps statement. It almost seemed as if the presidents speech had been written in Hebrew and only then translated into English. There has always been close coordination between the Israeli and the American defense establishments, a senior Israeli defense official told Al-Monitor, also speaking on the condition of anonymity. Intelligence coordination has also gotten stronger over the past few years, but the current story is a whole different ballgame. This kind of cooperation between the two leaders and their two offices the Oval Office in the White House and the Prime Ministers Office in Jerusalem sometimes makes it seem as if they are actually just one single, large office. The most recent meeting between the two men took place on March 5, when Netanyahu visited Washington for the annual AIPAC conference. At the time, the Israel Police were busy recruiting Nir Hefetz, a former close confidante and communications consultant, to become the third state witness to testify against Netanyahu in the string of legal cases he confronts. Two days after Netanyahu's meeting with Trump, the prime minister released a video condemning the wholesale recruitment of state witnesses against him, yet again declaring, There was nothing, because there is nothing. He ended the video stating, They will continue doing what they do, and I will continue doing what I do, taking historic steps here on behalf of the State of Israel. Time will tell how important this visit is to Israels security. While Netanyahu speaks frequently in broad, historical terms, when he posted the video, his associates hinted that this time he really meant it. One can now say with certainty that every step being taken by the United States in the Middle East and also by Israel were coordinated between Netanyahu and Trump at their meeting on March 5. The final security touches were added by Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, who recently returned from a series of meetings in Washington, most of them at the Pentagon. This rare type of coordination between Netanyahu and Trump focused on the diplomatic front as part of a combined effort to block the spread of Iran in the Middle East not just Irans nuclear program and to take down the ayatollahs regime. Liberman spoke with officials, chief among them Secretary of Defense James Mattis, about security coordination. At this meeting, they raised various scenarios concerning escalation on various fronts in response to a continuation of the mysterious attacks taking place on Syrian territory on an almost daily basis and generally attributed to the Israeli air force. These scenarios included a local and limited confrontation between Israel and Iran on Syrian territory, a confrontation between Israel and Iran that spreads to include Hezbollah and could bring the whole region to war, and a war between Israel and an Iranian-Syrian-Hezbollah alliance that could lead to Russian involvement in some way or another over the course of events. Al-Monitor has learned from an Israeli security source that during these discussions, the United States promised Israel full and total support on all fronts. While US support is a given on the diplomatic front that is, at the UN Security Council and in the international arena they also spoke about military support. If a regional war does break out, the United States will immediately make its position clear, express support for Israel and send Moscow the right signals. This is to ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin stays out of the conflict and does not try to intervene, whether directly or indirectly, on behalf of his allies, Iran and Syria. Upon returning from Washington, Liberman informed the prime minister that he had received a green light in security matters. The joint US-Israeli plan, which could also be called the Trump-Netanyahu plan, was on its way. Just moments before Trump began his speech announcing the resounding US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran, the Israel Defense Forces ordered the opening of public bomb shelters across the Golan Heights. At first, it was announced that this was done in response to intelligence reports of irregular movements by Iranian forces and Shiite militias on Syrian territory. It should be recalled that Israel is still waiting for an Iranian military response to the strikes attributed to it over the last few weeks that targeted Iranian objectives in Syria. Even the opening of the bomb shelters, which left Israelis worried, was coordinated between Washington and Jerusalem. In other words, there is no assurance that it took place in response to intelligence warnings. The night the shelters opened, there was another devastating air attack against Iranian targets in Syria, this time near the town of Kiswah. Once again, the strike apparently targeted a stockpile of rockets and missiles that Iran had moved into Syrian territory, with the goal of firing them at a military target in Israel. Although Israel has not taken responsibility for the attack, based on the way it was carried out, it seems highly likely that it was a preemptive strike by the Israeli air force, intended to prevent an Iranian response. Trump, in his speech, mentioned Israels contribution to exposing Irans lies. He was referring to Netanyahus April 30 presentation, in which he revealed the Iranian nuclear archive, stolen by Mossad and brought from Tehran to Israel. By now it is clear that apart from all the tremendous political benefits Netanyahu gained from that presentation, it was also intended to give Trump the home court advantage in advance of his big announcement on Tuesday. The coordination between the two men does seem perfect. It is closer than any coordination of this sort between the leaders of the United States and Israel. All said, however, it must be emphasized that the bulk of the work still lies ahead. So far, Netanyahu and Trump have put quite a few miles under their belts, but it is all talk rather than deeds. Trump may speak tough, but he is still moving ahead with his policy of withdrawal from the Middle East. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has so far avoided any real military clashes or adventurism. They still have more than one ordeal ahead and they wont be easy, as they will now be tested by their actions. These ordeals will determine the fate of their joint plan to defeat Iran. The prevailing assessment among Western media is that Iranian-backed Hezbollah emerged the winner from the Lebanese parliamentary elections held May 6. There are, however, nuances that should be taken into consideration when interpreting the electoral outcome. First, as recent days have demonstrated, Hezbollah loyalists can resort to coercion at any time to intimidate rivals and remind those concerned that with or without elections, the movement controls the ground. As seen in the May 2008 clashes in Beirut between Hezbollah and forces associated with the Future Movement, however, Hezbollahs ability to thoroughly trample rivals is limited and comes with high risks. Foremost, an unstable Lebanon jeopardizes Hezbollahs safety net at home, hence the goal of the Shiite armed group is to manage the political system rather than to subjugate it. The 2018 elections are not expected to alter these dynamics. Second, while it is true that the newly elected parliament is in some ways Hezbollah friendly, this comes with a caveat. In the big picture, the principal Lebanese political figures will not likely raise the issue of Hezbollahs weapons, because they all are focused on the domestic power struggle. The caveat is that to avoid a backlash, the Shiite group has to remain neutral in the political battle among the ruling class. More than half of the current parliament the Future Movement, Free Patriotic Movement, Lebanese Forces and Progressive Socialist Party has in the past few years either been critical or not publicly supportive of Hezbollahs regional agenda. The Shiite coalition of Hezbollah and Amal and their core allies now have a one-third blocking vote of 43 seats, which allows them to veto any legislation that goes against Hezbollahs interest. Third, Lebanese politics no longer revolves around the Western-backed March 14 and pro-Syrian March 8 coalitions. Independent figures from the March 14 coalition were mostly eliminated from parliament in the vote this month, and although Hezbollah revived the remnants of the March 8 alliance, there is little it can do. The new dividing line in Lebanese politics is the 2016 deal that elected Gen. Michel Aoun president those who were part of it, and those who continue to challenge it. Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the leader of the Future Movement, have recently kept Samir Geagea, the leader of the Lebanese Forces, at arms length, although he had been expecting to reap benefits from endorsing the 2016 deal. Geagea won 15 seats in the May vote, so the Aoun-Hariri alliance will have to accommodate his demands, which include heading the Energy Ministry, which oversees gas exploration and has for years been controlled by the Free Patriotic Movement, founded by Aoun. Meanwhile, there is growing opposition to the 2016 presidential deal led by Amal leader and parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, Sunni leader Najib Mikati and Maronite leader Sleiman Frangieh. Fourth, the next constitutional steps electing a parliament speaker, nominating a prime minister and forming the Cabinet will test and most likely reinforce these alliances. While Berri and Hariri are expected to retain their posts, there will be some rope-tightening. Hezbollah might have to intervene once again to manage disputes between Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement. The preconditions have already been announced. Berri made it clear that he wants the Finance Ministry to stay in Amal's hands as a Shiite veto against the Maronite-Sunni alliance, since the finance minister will have to sign most major decisions by the president (a Maronite) and the prime minister (a Sunni). Aoun has hinted that if there is no consensus on forming the Cabinet, that is, no agreement with the opposition, the government will be formed with the minimum threshold of 65 votes to gain the parliaments vote of confidence. Unlike the opposition camp, the Aoun-Hariri-Geagea alliance can secure this threshold and has the upper hand in the Cabinet if Geagea remains on their side. That said, no single coalition can rule the country alone, so the two camps will have to reach an agreement on forming the Cabinet. Fifth, the math will be different if this parliament ends up electing the next Lebanese president. There is a five-month difference between the expiration of the parliament's term, in May 2022, and the presidential election, in October 2022, and it is not clear whether Lebanese leaders will once again extend the term of the parliament to elect the next president. Nonetheless, the anti-2016 deal camp have the one-third obstruction vote to prevent a quorum and delay legislative sessions until an agreement is reached on a consensus candidate. Hence, it is harder for the Free Patriotic Movement leader, Gebran Bassil, to succeed his father-in-law, Aoun, if this parliament decides the presidency in four years. Moreover, the anti-2016 deal camp got one of its main presidential candidates, Jean Obeid, into parliament in preparation for a possible election battle in 2022. The Free Patriotic Movement will therefore not break from Hezbollah to increase Bassils presidential chances. Assessing the winners and losers of the May 6 elections is not a simple task. The popular vote reflected not only the flaws of the new electoral law, but also the inherent deficiencies of the political system. What has preserved Lebanons stability in recent years is the international umbrella in place since 2014, when the United States and Iran entered into a tacit rapprochement. This umbrella is now at risk after President Donald Trumps rejection of the Iranian nuclear deal and Israeli-Iranian confrontations next door in Syria. If Riyadh inspires Geagea to withdraw support for the Aoun-Hariri alliance or the United States pressures Aoun to completely break with Hezbollah, Hariri will be undermined with no better options for surviving politically. An unlikely alliance in the new parliament with former March 14 allies Geagea and Jumblatt will not give Hariri the simple majority of 65 votes. Hezbollah might emerge as a clear winner if external pressure forces Lebanon back to the pre-2016 political divide. President Donald Trumps announcement today that he is pulling out of the nuclear deal with Iran is sparking concerns that Tehran could retaliate against US troops and allies in the Middle East. As the White House prepares to reimpose sanctions lifted under the agreement, experts fear Iran could draw upon the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or proxy militias such as Hezbollah to target US forces in places such as Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan. Israel and US Gulf allies, which have long lobbied against the deal and applauded todays decision, may also be at risk. "I sure as hell hope that the Trump [National Security Council] has a [government]-wide plan in place to deal with potential Iranian dialing up the heat in the region," tweeted Kelly Magsamen, formerly the Iran director at the National Security Council under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. "Huge risk to our allies and forces." Melissa Dalton, a former Pentagon official and now senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, agreed. When [the Iranians] feel like they have their backs against the wall, typically, they lash out, she told Al-Monitor. It is reasonable to expect that Iran will leverage its various assets and capabilities in the region. A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on whether Central Command planned to adjust force protection levels for American troops in the region, but said that [US] forces are more than capable of defending themselves should the need arise. British Maj. Gen. Felix Gedney, deputy commander of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, told Pentagon reporters today that hed seen no change in Iranian activity in Syria in recent days. Just as Trump was making his announcement, however, Israel was readying bomb shelters and moving Iron Dome batteries to its Syrian border in the Golan Heights to withstand a possible Iranian missile attack. The threat appeared to stem from retaliatory moves following recent Israeli attacks against Iranian forces inside Syria, but Iran also partly blames Israel for the deals demise after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week unveiled alleged evidence of Iranian nuclear deception. Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie, Trump said when announcing the US withdrawal. Last week, Israel published intelligence documents long concealed by Iran, conclusively showing the Iranian regime and its history of pursuing nuclear weapons. In a statement, the White House said the United States is seeking a new deal that forces Iran to cease ballistic missile development, halt support to Shiite proxies and stop calls to destroy Israel in addition to a handful of other requirements. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, for his part, said he planned to remain in the 2015 deal with Britain, France and Germany, whose leaders huddled on a conference call this afternoon. But he also made clear that Iran would continue to pursue its strategic interests in the region, which include supporting US antagonists such as President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the Houthis in Yemen. If the US goal is for our country to have no independence and influence in the region, the Iranian leader said in a Monday speech broadcast on state TV, our people will stand against them as fiercely as they have done over the past 40 years. Trump administration officials also adopted a strident tone after the presidents remarks, which hinted at the need for regime change in Tehran. This has been for many years the central banker of international terrorism, national security adviser John Bolton said at a briefing after Trumps announcement. To really deal with this threat, you have to go after the whole thing. Bolton denied, however, that pulling out of the deal was a precursor to a US invasion. Meanwhile, some lawmakers explicitly urged a military buildup as the threat of conflict with Iran increases. Now that the president has decided that the United States will withdraw, we must have two critical priorities, House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said in a statement. One is to further enhance our own military capabilities. The other is to strengthen our alliances. Experts say a head-on collision with US forces remains unlikely. Yet 2,000 US troops in Syria have faced resurgent attacks from Iranian-backed groups over the past year, including at al-Tanf base on the Iraqi border. Some believe Iran could target US forces operating near the Syrian regimes largest oil field. Thats where the fires are going to get lit, Phillip Smyth, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Al-Monitor. The Iranians are taking this now as 'were going to do some more covert stuff.'" Iran could also increase maritime activity against US assets in the Arabian Gulf, which had dropped precipitously in recent months. Iran has also launched more Scud missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and buzzed the US aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower more than a dozen times last year. Elsewhere, Iran has dispatched hundreds of elite officers to Iraq to help train Shiite militias, US intelligence officials told the Pentagons inspector general, as 5,200 American troops began leaving the country ahead of this weekends elections. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an elite ground force geared toward asymmetric combat, also maintains a small advisory presence in Iraq to train Shiite militias known as Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs), according to an inspector general report released last week. The Pentagon believes that Iran is using PMUs that Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi began integrating into the Iraqi Security Forces in December to maintain supply routes to Syria and Lebanon and backstop Irans long-term presence in the country. Experts say Iran is more likely to continue to pursue its current strategy through proxies and play to international sympathies over the collapse of the deal. Iran could also pursue new capabilities, such as nuclear-powered submarines, instead of an assault on US troops. Picking a fight for the US makes no sense for them, said Kenneth Pollack, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. It just gives us an excuse to clobber them. Moscows interest in the Middle East and the growing Russian presence in the region go beyond Russian involvement in the Syrian civil war. For several years Russia has been building partnerships with various regional powers, and Iraq with parliamentary elections only days away has been a priority. The Soviet Union helped Iraq industrialize its economy and was the countrys largest weapons provider until the union collapsed in 1991. Iraqs invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent Western sanctions against it interfered with the Russia-Iraq weapons relationship. Then, after the US-led coalitions overthrow of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraq got most of its weapons from the United States. Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has been trying to gradually rebuild its ties with Iraq on numerous levels. Moscow sees Iraqs May 12 parliamentary elections as an opportunity to breathe new life into relations to create a comprehensive partnership. In 2014, as Islamic State militants neared Baghdad and the Iraqi government couldnt immediately receive the arms it needed from the United States, Moscow jumped on the opportunity to provide without delay the weapons and equipment needed, including aircraft. Maxim Maximov, Russias ambassador in Iraq, later commented that the deliveries represented a long-term commitment. We have always said that we are ready to give this country various types of assistance in strengthening its army, Maximov said in a February interview with Interfax. The Russian military industry has already provided the Iraqi government with a massive installment of weapons that proved their efficiency in battles against [IS], including MI-35M and MI-28N helicopters, Su-25 jet aircraft, Kornet-E anti-tank guided missiles and other military products. Some vital 2017 contracts for T-90 tanks are now being filled. There have been reports that Iraq is going to buy Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defense systems, but Iraqs ambassador to Moscow, Haidar Hadi, has denied that possibility. Russian energy companies operating in Iraq are another critical tool for Moscow. These companies had been in Iraq long before the United States invaded in 2003 and had bid on oil and gas projects. Currently, there are two companies developing such projects in Iraq: Gazprom Neft Middle East and Lukoil. Business for Russia's Rosneft corporation is still uncertain. The company had contracts in the Kirkuk oilfields with the Kurdistan Regional Government, but when Baghdad overtook Kirkuk last year, the Iraqi Oil Ministry renounced those deals. Negotiations are still possible according to Russian business media reports, but the company has not confirmed the news. Iraq is important for Russia not only as an economic and trade partner, but also as a factor in influencing regional policy. Russia clearly understands that its possibilities in the country are limited, as Iran and the United States are the main foreign players with direct influence on Iraq. Saudi Arabia, which took a number of steps to reinforce its influence in the country in the past year, still lags behind. China, Iraqs key economic partner, keeps a rather low profile regarding Iraqs domestic politics. Whats important for Russia is that Iran partially and cautiously supports Baghdads collaboration with Moscow and the United States doesnt openly oppose it. That said, its not quite accurate to think Tehran is the one inviting Moscow to Iraq, hoping to create a counterbalance to Washington. In recent years, Baghdad politicians have increased their ability to implement independent foreign policy, and relations with Russia have been important to Iraqi officials. Russia, in turn, doesnt seek to intervene in Iraqs internal matters and basically operates by building pragmatic relationships with any government looking for such an arrangement. This approach helps Russians forge important political and business contacts. For its part, Baghdad supports strengthening Moscows positions in an exchange that creates a new point of influence in the country potentially able to balance both Iran and the United States. Iraq thus gets a broader space for maneuvering among all the interested parties. Certain areas of cooperation that Russia and Iraq have been exploiting have tangible potential. Military sales and energy cooperation are the most obvious ones, but Moscow is also becoming what it sees as a natural ally of Iraq in the fight against terrorism. Since Russia, Syria, Iran and Iraq formed an information-sharing group in 2015, Russia has sought to deepen this area of cooperation through joint operations against radical groups. Russian lawmaker Ziyad Sabsabi has coordinated activities within that group to rescue Russian children whose parents joined IS from Iraq and Syria. The fight against IS will gradually shift from the front line to broader counterterrorist initiatives, and Russia will be there to experience new forms of engagement with Iraq. Institutional interaction between Moscow and Baghdad is already rather comprehensive. In addition to the counterterrorism information center and the rescue group, theres a Russian-Iraqi action group for cooperating in the power industry and a Russian-Iraqi commission on trade, economic and scientific cooperation a key coordinating intergovernmental body. Russia takes advantage of all of these formats to interact with Iraqi and Kurdish governments as well as with the highest-level political leaders and contacts among unofficial players in the region. Based on Maximovs recent meetings, one can see Moscows attempts to maintain contacts with virtually all important actors from major politicians in Iraqi Kurdistan such as Massoud Barzani, Iraqi Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers Mahdi al-Alaq, Vice President Nouri al-Maliki and National Wisdom Movement leader Ammar al-Hakim, among many others. Therefore, while Russias strategy in Iraq aims to develop of all kinds of relationships with Baghdad and stresses support of the countrys territorial integrity, it is also multifaceted, seeking to engage with virtually all players from the countrys leadership to the leaders of the Popular Mobilization Units. This path is meant to provide the policy flexibility necessary to maintain and increase cooperation regardless of who holds power after the upcoming elections. WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump announced today that he was withdrawing the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and reimposing economic sanctions that had been waived in exchange for restraints on Irans nuclear program. Iran and the five other powers that negotiated the deal Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China signaled that they would try to maintain the deal without the United States. But the three European leaders whose diplomats had been working intensively with the Trump administration to try to craft a compromise that would keep Trump in the deal over the past four months said they deeply regretted his decision and feared it could start to unravel global nonproliferation efforts. France, Germany and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA, French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted. The nuclear nonproliferation regime is at stake. Together, we emphasize our continuing commitment to the JCPOA, the British, French and German leaders said in a joint statement. Trump said that while he was leaving the Iran deal, he was leaving the door open to allies and Iran to come back to the table to address his broader concerns about Irans behavior, including its ballistic missile program; support for militant proxy groups in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen; and sunset provisions in the current deal that allow Iran to expand its enrichment capacity after a decade. As we exit the Iran deal, we will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear threat, Trump said in remarks in the White House diplomatic room. In the meantime, powerful sanctions will go into full effect. If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before. But Trump acknowledged that Iran may not be willing in the near term to enter talks on a new deal when the United States has shown it does not live up to its commitments. Eventually, Irans leaders might come around, he said. Irans leaders will naturally say that they refuse to negotiate a new deal, Trump said. And that's fine. I'd probably say the same thing if I was in their position. But the fact is they are going to want to make a new and lasting deal, one that benefits all of Iran and the Iranian people. When they do, I am ready, willing and able. Trumps new national security adviser, John Bolton, speaking to reporters after Trumps announcement, said the United States was leaving the deal entirely and therefore would not be using the UN Security Council to try to snap back UN sanctions on Iran. He noted new Treasury Department guidelines advising foreign companies with certain existing business in Iran on the timetable to wind that down over the next three to six months. We are out of the deal, said Bolton, a harsh critic of the 2015 accord and former Fox News analyst. Veteran former US diplomat James Dobbins said Trumps decision to exit the Iran nuclear deal when Iran was honoring it may prove as bad a decision as the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. As ambassador to Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Dobbins had cooperated with then Iranian ambassador to the UN and now Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to help Afghans form the post-Taliban government. Many regard the invasion of Iraq as the worst foreign policy move in the history of the American republic, Dobbins wrote on Twitter after Trumps announcement Tuesday. Now we have a competitor." The decision to abandon the nuclear agreement with Iran isolates the United States, frees Iran, reneges on an American commitment, adds to the risk of a trade war with Americas allies and a hot war with Iran, and diminishes the prospects of eliminating the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or North Korea] nuclear threat, Dobbins, now with the Rand Corporation, continued. George W. Bush acted on the basis of bad intelligence that Saddam had a nuclear weapons program, he added. President Trump has acted despite good intelligence that the Iranian program has been shut down. Irans President Hassan Rouhani, who has largely staked his political career on trying to engage with the international community to try to improve Irans economic conditions, said Iran would see if it could get the benefits from the Iran deal maintained with just the five other world powers. But he said he would order Irans atomic energy agency to prepare to resume expanded enrichment in case that did not succeed. I have ordered the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to be ready to start the enrichment of uranium at industrial levels, Rouhani said in televised remarks following Trumps announcement. We will wait a few weeks and speak with our allies and those committed to JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]. All depends on our national interests. But Rouhani downplayed Trumps decision to withdraw as perhaps easing the cloud of uncertainty that has hung over the deal with Trumps threats to withdraw from it over the past year. The menace of a deal breaker is removed, Rouhani said. If our interests are guaranteed, we will continue with the five. Iran is even more unified to counter the illegitimate sanctions. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said it was his understanding that US diplomacy to try to get a bigger deal to satisfy Trumps broader concerns could get underway in the near term. It is disappointing that the administration was unable to reach an agreement with our allies, Corker said in a statement Tuesday. However, based on conversations I have had in recent days, it is my sense that the administration will move quickly to work toward a better deal. But European diplomats expressed deep pessimism and wariness about what US intentions were going forward and if the Trump administration even had a clear sense of its own Plan B. With the US withdrawal, the Europeans will pivot and focus more of their energy on trying to keep Iran in the deal with them and finding ways to try to ensure that Iran can derive some economic benefits that would keep them from resuming their nuclear activities. European officials expressed concern, however, that that goal would be hard to sustain for more than a limited period of months. I would like to pretend to you today that I feel that there is a chance of the existing JCPOA remaining intact, a European diplomat, speaking not for attribution, said Monday. I think that that chance may exist, but it is very small. What the Europeans will try to do is simply persuade Iran to hang on a little while longer, former US nuclear negotiator Bob Einhorn said on a call hosted by the Brookings Institution Monday. They have no illusion that Iran will stay compliant indefinitely. Some Europeans I spoke to suggest a few months, six months they would be happy to buy that much time. There's no illusion that the Europeans could convince the Iranians to meet President Trump's objectives for strengthening the deal. That's just simply not a possibility. Eating Ethiopian food is an intimate experience. To start, it's properly eaten by hand, using strips of spongy injera bread to scoop up meats and vegetables. At home, meals are served communally on a small circular table, promoting conversation and sharing. Ethiopians love to feed each other--guests, elders, loved ones; parent to child, child to parent. This demonstration of love and respect is called gursha. "Eating from one plate brings us closer together," says Giniyat "Gini" Mohammed, who owns Red Sea Ethiopian and Mediterranean Restaurant with her friend and fellow native of Ethiopia, Kedija Teyeb. "To us, food is not just about eating. It's beauty. It's love." They bring that beautiful, loving spirit to their hilltop restaurant on Green Springs Highway, which opened last year on the Muslim holy day, Eid. "I cook here like I do for my children," says Teyeb; both her children and Mohammed's children often are at the restaurant on weekends. Red Sea offers a diverse menu of fresh vegetables, legumes, and halal meats, flavored with herbs and spices imported from Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. Mohammed and Teyeb do not dumb down their cooking. Their Middle Eastern dishes, including kabobs, gyro, shawarma, lamb shank, dolmas, falafel, and baba ghanouj, mostly are familiar to Birminghamians. But Ethiopian cuisine--colorful and fragrant stews and sautes with names like Gomen, Alicha Wot, and Derek Tibs--is relatively new to Birmingham. Injera is the cornerstone of Ethiopian cuisine. The thin, pliable sourdough serves as both a filling food and an eating utensil. Its main ingredient is teff, an ancient super-grain. Mohammed makes injera daily from her blend of teff, sorghum, wheat, and barley flours. She ferments the batter for three days to achieve injera's signature bubbly texture and tart flavor. (Turmeric- and saffron-hued Persian rice is available as a substitute.) Meat dishes include beef, lamb, goat, and chicken, all prepared under Islamic halal laws, which include rules for how animals must be butchered. But vegetables, including the rich spinach dish Gomen, and legumes are the real stars in Ethiopian cuisine. Red Sea's expanding vegetarian menu includes a combo sampler ($12.99). "Vegetable for us is the main dish, not a side dish like in America," Mohammed says. "If we cook meat, we serve two or three vegetables on the side." All vegetables at Red Sea are fresh and cooked daily. "No cans," Teyeb says with pride. "We never even saw frozen vegetables until we came to America." Onion, ginger, and garlic provide the base for many sauces in Ethiopian cuisine. Clarified butter, akin to Indian ghee, is often used as cooking oil. For those new to Ethiopian, it has several parallels with Indian cuisine, which make it more approachable. Spices typical to Indian food, including cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and turmeric, also flavor many Ethiopian dishes. Appetizers at Red Sea include sambusas, an Ethiopian take on Indian samosas, filled with lentils, beef, or chicken. Indian-style curry spices season a family of stewed dishes called Alicha Wot, including meat (beef or lamb), and split peas (Kik Alicha Wot). Vegetables with curry spices include Fosalia and Atkilt. Many Ethiopian dishes are mild, including Derek Tibs, beef cooked with onion, garlic, tomato, bell pepper, and rosemary. Lamb Tibs, Lega Tibs (beef), and Red Sea Special Tibs (chicken) are a bit spicier. Some dishes are full-throated flamethrowers thanks to berbere, a complex seasoning paste of red chili powder, black pepper, herbs like thyme and basil, spices including cardamom and clove, and aromatics like dried onion and ginger. Spicy food fans: look for stewed dishes with "Key" in the name. Or check out Shiro Wot, chickpea flour cooked in berbere, and the even spicier lentil dish, Misiri Key Wot. Awaze Tibs is beef or lamb boosted with berbere and lemon. Doro Wot, Ethiopia's classic chicken and egg dish, demonstrates the care and effort Mohammed and Teyeb put into their food. They cook onions and house-made berbere for several hours in clarified butter. The chicken stews for another hour in the spicy sauce, followed by boiled eggs. House-made fresh cheese comes on the side. Rice-based Mediterranean dishes available at the restaurant include Kabsa: chicken, goat, or lamb cooked with vegetables and tomato and spiced with saffron and cloves. Mandi is yellow-hued rice featuring chicken or lamb seasoned with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and turmeric, topped with a fried trio of onion, raisins, and almonds. Both dishes, plus a Kabsa-Mandi combo or a Shish Kabob combo, also are available as family meals for five or more ($69.99; three-hour notice required). Entrees range from $9 -$14. A 10-item meat and vegetable combo (serves 3+) is $35.99. Be sure to try Ethiopian Coffee (Ethiopia is the cradle of coffee cultivation), steeped in a clay Jebena pot. Mohammed roasts and hand-pulverizes coffee beans, serving the special brew with burning incense. Still nervous? Folks at Red Sea gladly offer advice, such as recommending people use all five fingers to scoop with injera. "If you do two fingers, it all comes out," Mohammed says, laughing. "We want our customers to be happy." Details Red Sea Ethiopian and Mediterranean Restaurant | 22 Green Springs Highway (attached to Halal Supermarket International) | 205.848.5154 | Open seven days a week, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. | redseaethiomediterranean.com This story appears in Birmingham magazine's May 2018 issue. Subscribe today! Every entrepreneur, just like every company, has a story to tell. But today was a day not just for their stories, but Birmingham's. Revolution's Rise of the Rest bus tour came to the Magic City today, bringing a national spotlight to Birmingham's startup community. Rise of the Rest Bus Tour comes to Birmingham 6 Gallery: Rise of the Rest Bus Tour comes to Birmingham The bus tour brought Steve Case, the founder of America Online and the chairman and CEO of the Washington D.C.-based investment firm Revolution, to Alabama as part of a five-day, four-state tour. JD Vance, Case's Revolution business partner and the author of "Hillbilly Elegy," is also part of the tour. Last year, Case and Vance announced a $150 million Rise of the Rest Seed Fund in support of emerging startup communities outside of the usual arenas of Silicon Valley, New York City and Boston. The tour has stops scheduled at Makebhm, PackHealth and a pitch competition tonight involving eight companies at Sloss Furnaces. But this morning, Case, Vance and others had a roundtable discussion at Innovation Depot with members of Birmingham's startup community. And the companies brought their stories - veterans, single moms, and people who left other jobs to create their own opportunities with a singular business idea. Case said Birmingham is like many of the cities on the tour - Memphis, Dallas, Chattanooga and Louisville - full of ideas, energy and people ready to work. But it also has some of the problems, such as attracting and retaining talent. One advantage Birmingham has, Case said, is working with a research university like UAB, which can act as a talent pipeline. "Getting the people who come here to college to stay is important, and getting the people who left for whatever reason to come back," he said. "In the development of these industries, you're needing the skills for the future. Then it's a battle for talent. "That's beginning to change in the cities that we visit, but there's no question that there's been a huge brain drain," he said. Kasey Birdsong was one of those at the table. The CEO of Planet Fundraiser, Birdsong said the tour coming to Birmingham means others can see "the bright minds" of the city. "Just to be in the same room where these conversations are going on is great," Birdsong said. "This is a great time for the city, with the leadership that is committed to growing this community, being intentional, making sure that Birmingham reaches its full potential." Clayne Crawford has been fired from his starring role on Fox's drama series "Lethal Weapon." the actor from Clay, Ala., has drawn criticism for his "bad behavior" on the set of the show based on the popular action film franchise, for which Crawford has apologized. According to the report, he was reprimanded after a pair of on-set incidents during the show's second season. "Crawford said the first incident happened when he became angry with what he deemed unsafe working conditions on the set," the report says. "After the outburst, the actor said he met with human resources, apologized for his role in the conflict and completed studio-appointed therapy, while also sharing a "sizable portion" of his paycheck with one of the parties involved -- at Warners' request." The story also says that people involved with the show have said they "would rather not work with the actor." THR reports that Warner Bros. Television is currently trying to recast the role, making several offers to actors who have since passed on it. Previously best known for his roles on "24," "NCIS: New Orleans" and "Rectify," Crawford took on the role of Martin Riggs (originated by Mel Gibson in the film series) when the show premiered on Fox in September 2016. Crawford grew up in the Clay in northeastern Jefferson County and graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday for J. Cole's Sept. 13 concert in Birmingham. The 7:30 p.m. show, set for the Legacy Arena at the BJCC, is part of Cole's North American tour for his new album, "KOD." Tickets are $37.50-$323, according to the Ticketmaster website. A pre-sale for American Express card members started today, and there's a Friday pre-sale from Spotify. The hip-hop artist and producer, 33, is touring with opening act Young Thug. Right now, Birmingham is the only Alabama stop on the tour, which includes Southern cities such as Atlanta (Aug. 12, Infinite Energy Center); New Orleans (Aug. 14, Smoothie King Center); Little Rock, Ark. (Sept. 12, Verizon Arena); and Nashville (Sept. 17, Bridgestone Arena). "KOD" is the fifth studio album from Cole, a native of Fayetteville, N.C. who records on Jay-Z's Roc Nation label and his own Dreamville Records. His new record was released April 20 and quickly topped the Billboard 200 chart. "KOD" also received 322 million streams during its first week, according to Cole's publicist. The rapper is no stranger to Birmingham; he played a sold-out show here in June 2017 at Avondale Brewing Co. Cole also performed here in March 2015 at Iron City, showcasing his "Forest Hills Drive 2014" album in its entirety. "I told them, when I go on tour, take me to all those cities that don't get no love," Cole said from the stage at Iron City, according to reviewer Jeremy Burgess. "I come from a small town too, so I know what it's like." Before Andrew Trechsel's groomsmen entered the reception following his April wedding to Sara Brennan at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, S.C., he told them to be sure to look at the groom's cake. After racking his brain trying to decide on what the cake should be - he has a lot of hobbies, he says, and couldn't narrow it down to just one thing - he decided that "the best way to demonstrate my Birmingham upbringing and represent myself, my friends and family was Milo's," he says. "It was definitely a hit." Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal of Charleston, S.C., took the cake with this one: It looked exactly like a cheeseburger (complete with grease stains on the wax paper), crinkle-cut fries accompanied by a shaker for the special seasoning salt and a couple of paper cups filled with original sauce for dipping, along with a big drink to wash it down - all on a plastic tray. "Milo's was always strangely important to my friends and I growing up," says Andrew, adding that there was a Milo's close to his alma mater, Altamont High School. "We went there multiple times a week." Andrew, an executive search consultant, says his now-wife, Sara, who's from New Orleans, hasn't yet experienced Milo's, the hamburger chain founded in Birmingham in 1946. The couple, who met at The College of Charleston, live in San Francisco, where she is a bread baker at Tartine's. "But she knows how much we love it," he says. "If you're from Alabama, you've just got these taste buds, I guess." Trump pulls US out from Iran nuclear deal in break with Europe allies US President Donald Trump says he will withdraw the US from an Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran, reported BBC Anthony White launched his campaign for governor in August 2017. Since then, the Democrat from Dothan recently said, he has pursued a deliberately low-key approach. "I do things a little differently" White said. He's chosen not to approach large donors or to seek endorsements from big organizations. He's burrowed into a grassroots approach, he said, because he "wanted to focus on the people." His March campaign finance report showed a balance of $2,000. However, White said that he and his team had handed out more than 20,000 fliers, and had been urging every recipient to spread the word. A "Feed the Streets" campaign also was a part of his approach, he said: "We've been going city to city feeding 300 to 500 people every month," he said. It appears White's campaign has been most active in southeast Alabama, where he has made appearances in several counties and took part in a March candidates forum sponsored by the Dale County Democratic Party. But he also has reached farther from home: In February he took part in a Birmingham gubernatorial forum for Democratic candidates presented by the "Not Necessarily Political" podcast. He backed out of an April debate, sponsored by Reckon on AL.com, with the other Democratic candidates in Birmingham. White has said that he plans to tour the state more extensively in May, with stops in Mobile, Gulf Shores, Huntsville, Florence, Tuscaloosa, Selma and the Birmingham area. White is an ordained minister who has worked in "quite a few different churches doing ministry and evangelism" over the past 12 years. He said he feels that "the church is the pillar of the community" and that it's important for churchgoers who've become disaffected with the political process to re-engage. "I believe it's time to motivate the base," he said. White said he's eager to pursue a bi-partisan, pro-business approach to governance. His top priorities include creating more jobs, and he said he supports an increase in the minimum wage. He also said that he believes the state's voters should get a chance to weigh in on a lottery. "I believe a lottery will help Alabama in a lot of ways," he said. A 57-year-old Cordova man is being held on $1 million cash bond after authorities say he fatally shot his brother-in-law in Walker County. Johnny Michael Foster, 66, was found dead at his home in the Pea Ridge community Tuesday night. Sheriff Jim Underwood said Danny Elmus Perrin is charged with murder. On Tuesday, the sheriff said, Perrin reportedly made a phone call to his son in Texas and told him that he had just killed Foster, who also lived next door to him. He said he was going to be waiting at his home for the sheriff's office to come and "send him to prison for the rest of his life,'' Underwood said. Perrin's son called Foster's wife, who is the suspect's sister, and she went to their home and found her husband dead. He had been shot multiple times. Walker County deputies arrived on the scene and then went next door where they took Perrin into custody. Underwood said the sheriff's office has a history of calls for service at the homes of the both the victim and the suspect. On April 16, investigators obtained a felony warrant against Perrin for making a terrorist threat against Foster. Deputies arrested Perrin that day, and he was released 17 days later after posting $15,000. A condition of his release was that he have no contact with the victim. Underwood said Perrin has a history of mental health issues and has been placed in the Behavioral Medicine Unit on previous occasions. "This is a prime example of how our mental health system is in shambles. If a person's brain is not healthy, a judge's order or criminal charge is not going to have an influence on that person,'' the sheriff said. "In this case, we did what we could to levy felony charges on Mr. Perrin and the family has tried to get Perrin some help but have been unable to do so." "I'm sure the workers in our mental health care system do the best job that they can do,'' he said, "but it is our understanding that the problem lies with lack of adequate funding to address the mental health crisis that the entire nation is facing." The statue of James Marion Sims was erected on the Capitol grounds by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama in 1939. (Mike Cason) A statue of a doctor on the front lawn of Alabama's Capitol that many visitors probably don't notice is drawing new attention from those who say it's an example of "sanitized" 19th century history that glosses over atrocities. Sen. Hank Sanders of Selma, former Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford and others called today for the removal of the statue of James Marion Sims, who lived from 1813-1888 and is considered the "father of modern gynecology," according to the plate on the statue. They say he performed experimental surgeries on slave women without consent or anesthesia. In April, the city of New York moved a statue of Sims from Central Park to the cemetery where he is buried in Brooklyn, citing what historians say about his methods. "This statue needs to be removed," Sanders said today. "It was just removed in New York. Sims lived here in Montgomery and it was in Montgomery that he did these operations on enslaved women without any anesthesia and some of them he did operations on up to 13 times. Sanders and his wife, Faya Toure, are leaders of a group called the Save OurSelves Movement for Justice and Democracy, or SOS, and have held press conferences, rallies and other events to draw attention to issues like Medicaid expansion, voting rights concerns and other matters for several years. Their topic today was Sims, as well as an arrest that happened last month during another effort to draw attention to Sims' methods. Jon Broadway of Montgomery was arrested on the morning of Confederate Memorial Day, April 23, after portraying Sims in a two-person skit that left some ketchup, being used as fake blood, on the statue. Broadway was charged with criminal tampering, a Class B misdemeanor. "We hoped to have a discussion started about what monuments are and what the people that they stand for are and to create a dialogue," Broadway said. "Because sometimes people in power say let's keep all of our history. But what they mean by that is just keep the history that I know about, the part of it that I know about. And most of the time that's a sanitized history." Broadway, a retired environmental engineer, spent most of that day in the Montgomery County jail before he was released on bond without the green jumpsuit he had worn to depict the doctor. He said the jailer told him authorities kept the jumpsuit for evidence and offered nothing to replace it. So, Broadway said he left the jail in his underwear. He said he is scheduled to appear on court on Sept. 17. Sanders, Ford and others today called for authorities to drop the charge against Broadway. Ford questioned why there are no statues to African-Americans on the Capitol grounds. He said Sims' experimental surgeries on slaves were wrong and cruel, like the Tuskegee syphilis experiment of the 20th century. "As a people we must stand and say never again will we stand silently by and let the federal government or anyone else take advantage of our people, experimenting with them in medical research," Ford said. Gus Townes, a retiree and SOS member from Montgomery, said he was surprised by what he heard about the story behind the Sims' statue. "I passed it many times but I did not know the atrocities he committed against black women," Townes said. A man was charged with murder in Evergreen Tuesday after police said he killed his boyfriend at their home in La Grange, Georgia. Jeremy Sullivan, 39, was arrested after allegedly fleeing the murder scene and making the two-and-half-hour journey across state lines from Georgia. It's believed the two were arguing at the their apartment complex before the murder took place. The victim, 62-year-old Dale Obracay, was found unresponsive just before midnight with stab wounds to his upper torso and neck. "I know that they had a disagreement, but at this point there were no witnesses at the scene that we're aware of," said La Grange Police Lt. Dale Strickland in a press release. "The only two there were the suspect who's been arrested and the victim who's deceased." After finding the victim, La Grange Police put out a call on Sullivan. He was eventually found sitting inside Obracay's vehicle in Evergreen, which is about an hour and half north of Mobile. Police believe Sullivan was heading to Florida or New Orleans. "Before he lived in LaGrange, he lived in Florida," Strickland said. "We're not sure exactly where it was that he was going, but I know his intent was to get away from LaGrange where he committed the crime." Sullivan is currently being held in the Conecuh County Jail. The investigation is still underway. America is "doing both the moon and Mars in tandem, and the missions are supportive of each other," new NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told a national space conference today. Bridenstine also voiced support for the big new deep space rocket called the Space Launch System being developed in Alabama. "We need the SLS and we need the Orion crew vehicle," Bridenstine said. SLS development is being led by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Parts are being built in Huntsville and at the Michoud Assembly Center outside New Orleans. Bridenstine, just three weeks into his tenure as NASA administrator, spoke at the Humans to Mars Summit 2018 at George Washington University in Washington. He assured Mars enthusiasts that the Trump administration's emphasis on going back to the Moon first doesn't mean an end to the Mars project. "The moon will allow us to prove and advance technologies that will feed forward to Mars," Bridenstine said. He then listed the technologies needed: "Precision landing systems, methane engines, orbital habitation, surface habitation, surface mobility, long-duration life support." Bridenstine said the public-private partnerships needed for deep space are like the effort undertaken by the government to build the transcontinental railroads in the 19th century. Government investment in the railroad combined with private investment made opening the West possible, he said. A similar effort including partner nations "worldwide" will make the Mars exploration possible. Why go to Mars? Bridenstine cited the Insight Mars probe launched to the red planet Saturday. "Insight will help us understand the history of Mars so that we can better understand our own planet...," he said. "Mars used to have a vast ocean. Over two-thirds of Mars had an ocean. It used to have a magnetosphere that would protect it. And it had a thick atmosphere. At some point in the past, Mars changed. We need to understand what caused that, what is the history, so we can better understand our own planet." The three GOP candidates for governor attacked Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey's role in implementing statewide school safety plans. The criticism came one day after an Ivey-appointed council unveiled a report on school safety. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, state Sen. Bill Hightower of Mobile and Birmingham evangelist Scott Dawson - all who are trailing Ivey in recent polling - took individual swipes at the governor's interest in wanting to review the recommendations before proceeding with specifics. The report was part of Ivey's Smart on Safety Initiative launched in March in response to the tragic February massacre of 17 students and faculty at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. It contained 10 recommendations that included, among other things, adding new school resource officers and district safety coordinators at public schools, issue bonds to improve school building safety and improve school surveillance systems. "We're certainly glad the governor had to appoint a special council just to figure out that we needed to fund school resource officers, identify warning signs and build a culture of safety," said Nick Lough, spokesman with the Battle campaign. "These are things that Tommy Battle implemented in Huntsville years ago. This is the type of vision that's lacking in Montgomery that our state so desperately needs." Hightower criticized a comment from Ivey's spokesman Daniel Sparkman, who indicated that the Legislature will help fund some of "the important recommendations." He also said that Ivey is committed to seeing them "implemented as quickly and efficiently as is possible and practical." Sparkman said the state department of education will work with school districts to determine their needs and costs. Then, the Securing Alabama's Facilities on Education (SAFE) Council - the group that crafted the report - will work with state lawmakers to determine if specifics can be funded. Said Hightower: "The funding issue is a concern. I would expect the governor to play a leading role in that." Hightower has advocated for adding police satellite offices inside "high-risk" schools. He has also suggested more full-time police interacting with students at Alabama's schools to boost law enforcement's public perception. Hightower also said he believes Alabama leaders should work "pre-emptively" with the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Mental Health to "identify high-risk students." The SAFE council suggests hiring master's-level mental health professionals to improve school-based mental health services. Thirty-five school districts have already implemented a similar program through a partnership between the Alabama State Department of Education and the Department of Mental Health. "We need to begin to tackle those issues now and not wait until the Legislature is back in session," said Hightower, referring to the next legislative session which won't begin until January 2019. "It's too long to wait. My hope is we can implement some good changes before then. I would certainly work toward that as governor." The plan did not include specific details about potentially training and arming teachers inside schools. Ivey, in a statement about the report, left open the idea by saying she will review the recommendation and "other options not directly addressed by the report." State Rep. Will Ainsworth, R-Guntersville, sponsored a teacher-arming bill in the Alabama Legislature this past spring. Ainsworth, who is running for lieutenant governor, recently applauded Dawson's interest in pursuing a similar plan. Dawson received one of the loudest applauses during the Reckon by AL.com GOP debate last month for articulating a school safety measure that includes voluntary arming of teachers, providing extensive training for them, and coordinating on school safety plans with local police. He also said that teachers would get paid a stipend for going through the training. Ivey did not attend the debate. Dawson, on Tuesday, criticized Ivey for taking a "political" stance on school safety. He also criticized the SAFE Council's plan for its insistence in requesting "additional funding." "I want to know what she wants done," said Dawson. "I mean, you are the governor. Lead." He said much of the plan included generalities, excluding one option that suggested implementing a new "evidence-based threat assessment" from the Colorado School Safety Resource Center to better identify warning signs from students. "This was a great opportunity for us to start leading the nation in protecting our kids and it seems we, again, succumbed to political pressure to make political points and to continue meeting in a task force," Dawson said. Laikipia County, Kenya William was sprawled out on his back, dozing off for the night in his bed of hay, provided for him by his keepers at the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary in northern Kenya. The other chimps in the enclosure were still perfecting their neatly packed nests, a talent they acquired from their family members in the wild, but William never learned how to build a bed. As his eyes closed, he rocked his head back and forth. Despite his meditative appearance, you could tell that he was not at peace. We dont know what happened to him in Sudan, but he has been traumatised, said one of his keepers. In 2003, William had been rescued from a Catholic relief mission on the border between Sudan and Uganda, where he had been confined to a cage. Like many of the 35 chimpanzees at the sanctuary, William had been a victim of the illegal pet trade, but no one knew how he had been taken from the wild. Orphaned and abused The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary provides a refuge for rescued, orphaned and abused chimps who are often psychologically or physically scarred, and allows them to live like chimpanzees again in a stress-free environment. When they arrive at the sanctuary, the chimps lack many of the skills needed to survive in the wild. Like William, some have never built a sleeping nest. Others do not know how to hunt or eat leaves off of a tree. Some have broken bones or bullets lodged in their bodies, while others are deathly ill or psychologically traumatised after witnessing the slaughter or capture of their family members. Many of the chimps have picked up human behaviours such as walking, clapping, spitting, or smoking. Some even fear other chimpanzees. After spending the night in the enclosure, William and the others wait to receive their breakfast. Meal of fruits As their names are called, the chimps walk over to their caregivers and hold out their hands to receive their meal of oranges, papayas, and bananas. Then, they take off into their 250-acre jungle reserve. Poco, a chimp from Burundi, chooses to stay close to the fence to interact with tourists who have come to visit the sanctuary. Poco struts, bipedal, along one side of the fence as a Kenyan family walks along the other. The caregiver explained that Poco spent the first nine years of his life confined to a cage and surrounded by humans and, as a result, even at the age of 37, he prefers to be around people and often walks upright. Hes exactly my age, one of the women remarked. Hes the age of one of my children, joked another as they continued to stroll with Poco. Native to West and Central Africa, chimpanzees are not usually found in Kenya, but this group of refugees have made the sanctuary their home. Captured for trade The chimps were rescued from South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Cameroon, and Mozambique, and some were brought back to the continent from as far away as Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. Displaced or uprooted from their homelands, these chimpanzee refugees will never return to their native countries. Their habitats are continuously threatened by deforestation due to logging, human settlements and war. Even when their jungle homes appear to be safe, they are in danger of being killed for their meat while their young are captured for trade. The UN estimates that 3,000 chimps die each year while being illegally trafficked to be used as pets, in zoos, or in safari parks. Chimpanzees have now disappeared from four of their native countries in Africa. Trumps NRA speech should not shock anyone. After all, Trump is Trump and the NRA represents his base at its basest. US President Donald Trumps speech to the National Rifle Association (NRA) on May 4 was quintessential Trump to his quintessential audience. He told them youre great you have never stopped fighting for our beloved Constitution. He said, Second Amendment, sacred rights, given to us by God, including the right to self-defence, we will protect our second amendment, defend our borders, we dont defend our borders, illegal immigrants flooding our borders, violent immigrants, these countries send us their worst, MS-13 horrible gang members, criminal aliens, savage killers, and we are going to have strong borders. Though he failed to mention that Mexico would pay for the wall. Which was very disappointing. By saying, Your Second Amendment rights are under siege. But they will never be under siege as long as Im president! he did one of those wonderfully Trumpian things, putting two mutually contradictory things together and having his base cheer for both. He said, We proudly stand for the national anthem, as opposed to those who knelt, which prompted lots of applause from both the audience and Trump himself. We love our country, were putting America first, rebuild our military, we believe in the rule of law, we support the men and women of law enforcement, except, of course, when theyre investigating him and his friends, then its a phony witch-hunt. He explained how he sent left-over military equipment to the heroes who fight crime, our brave men and brave women in blue, and said it as if nobody had ever thought of it or done it before, though they had. That brought loud cheers. {articleGUID} He threw in that it was an all-time record crowd, though it wasnt. A mention of fake news CNN, was greeted by an enthusiastic blend of boos (at CNN) and cheers (for saying it). There were some of his pet phrases, necessary for all occasions, youre gonna be so happy, nobody knows that, there has never been anything like this. The bits that created umbrage overseas were his comparisons with countries that have stricter gun laws than USA, USA! From his podium, he did a little mini-dramatisation of the terrorist attacks in Paris. They took their time and gunned them down one by one, using his hands to illustrate pistols in the classic manner of five-year-olds, thumbs up, forefingers pointed, the other three fingers curled, Boom! Come over here. Boom! Come over here. Boom! Along with that came the fantasy. If France were like America, where anyone can have a gun, then there would have been a slew of armed Parisians who would have shot the terrorists down, just like in High Noon, quick draw, Bang! Bang! Then no more Boom! Boom! The fact that there was an armed guard at Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida, and he failed to do a John Wayne to stop the bad guy, doesnt mean that good guys with guns dont stop bad guys to the folks at the NRA, or to Trump. Then there was the mass shooting in Las Vegas. One thing for certain, there must be as many people totin guns in Nevada as in Florida. Especially at a country music crowd, whose demographic has to match Trump voters and gun toters better than a Paul Simon retro concert. Yet they failed to stop a lone 64-year-old auditor before he killed 58 and wounded 851. Trump also went after the English way. The strict gun control in the UK, according to the US president, has caused an epidemic of knife attacks! Theres blood all over the floors of this hospital, he said. They say its as bad as a military warzone hospital, and using gestures, but not as good as his little finger-pointing gun gestures, he said, knives, knives, knives. He shook his head, London hasnt been used to that, then added, Theyre getting used to that. Its pretty tough, as if it were not only true, but also a permanent condition. Trump said, at one point, that hes not afraid of the NRA and he will back some sort of gun control measures. That wasnt much more believable than his pronouncements that he wants to talk to Robert Mueller. Or that he was going to release his tax returns. Or that his doctors reports, either from Harold Bornstein or Ronny Jackson, could have possibly been true. Trump is Trump, and the NRA represents his base at its basest. Neither England or France is going to change their gun control policies in response to this speech. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Opposition candidate Khaltmaa Battulga wins more than 50 percent of votes, according to partial results. Mongolias opposition candidate was leading the countrys first-ever presidential runoff election early on Saturday with more than three-quarters of votes counted. Khaltmaa Battulga of the Democratic Party (DP), a 54-year-old former martial arts star, had 50.7 percent of the vote with 87 percent of ballots counted, the General Election Commission said. Mongolia has won, Battulga said at a press conference, though the commission will announce the winner later on Saturday. I will start work straight away to resolve the economic difficulties and make Mongolians debt free as I promised. Parliament speaker Mieygombo Enkhbold of the Mongolian Peoples Party (MPP), which holds the majority in the legislature, was behind with 41 percent. Some 8.3 percent of the votes were blank ballots. Many voters in the vast nation of three million people sandwiched between Russia and China were so fed up with their politicians that they launched a campaign to submit unmarked ballots. A candidate must win more than 50 percent of the votes to be declared the winner. If neither candidate reaches this number, the parties are required to nominate different representatives for an entirely new election. The new president will inherit a $5.5bn International Monetary Fund-led bailout designed to stabilise its economy and lessen its dependence on China, which buys 80 percent of Mongolian exports. The country has been hit hard by a more than 50 percent fall in the price of copper, its main export, over the past five years, while slowing growth in China has hobbled the economy. Battulga, a real estate tycoon whose company funded a massive $4.1m statue of emperor Genghis Khan, has pledged to tap the countrys mining wealth to get Mongolians out of debt. Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown, reporting from the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar said the opposition candidates promise of turning the economy around won him many voters. He won because he had a very simple message. He campaigned on a Mongolia first platform and promised a tougher stance on China. He says he wants to have an equal relationship with Beijing, Brown said. He also promised to deal with the real issue worrying most people here right now unemployment. Thousands of people in this vast landlocked country are mired in poverty. The outgoing president, Tsakhia Elbegdorj of Battulgas Democratic Party, did not run because he served the maximum two four-year terms. US presidents decision to pull out of 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement raises uncertainties in post-JCPOA world. Washington, DC US President Donald Trumps unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal a move driven largely by domestic politics will further isolate the US from its European allies and set in motion ripple effects that could lead to wider proliferation of nuclear weapons and regional tensions in the Middle East, analysts say. The reality is that for reasons that have nothing to do with foreign policy, the president just took a highly flawed, but still functional accord, and scrapped it without an alternative, Aaron David Miller, a Middle East analyst at the Wilson Center, a think-tank in Washington, told Al Jazeera. Lets understand something; get ready to enter the post-JCPOA world with all of the uncertainties that those sets of circumstances are going to carry, he said. In Washington, the presidents Republican supporters in Congress voiced support for the move, decrying the so-called JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as a bad deal. Democrats said Trumps move would alienate US allies internationally and risk progress that had been made with Iran under the 2015 agreement. We should have kept the agreement in place, Senator Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the US Senate told reporters on Capitol Hill. Unilateral sanctions dont work very well and I dont know where our allies will be after this, he said. What is next? Nuclear non-proliferation experts see two possible scenarios developing from here. One is that Europe, China and Russia work with Iran to try to preserve the agreement by sustaining economic relations in the face of US sanctions pressure. The alternative, weapons control experts fear, is that Irans leadership is not able to remain in the deal and begins to renew its nuclear programme. In some sense, the clock is ticking now, Tom Z Collina, policy director of the Ploughshares Fund, an anti-nuclear proliferation advocacy group, told Al Jazeera. How long can the moderates in Iran hold out and keep the deal viable? he said. And if ultimately they cant, then what youve got is the worst possible situation where Iran begins to resume its nuclear activities. Its somewhat unlikely that Irans leadership can be convinced to re-engage in direct talks with the US after Trumps undoing of the deal, according to Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, a non-partisan group in Washington that advocates for nuclear weapons reductions. Trump believes the fantasy that has been told to him by his National Security Adviser John Bolton and new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that by trying to re-impose sanctions we can force the Europeans to work with us to renegotiate a completely new agreement with the Iranians thats better for us and worse for the Iranians, Kimball told Al Jazeera. Thats just fantastical thinking. Serious mistake Speaking in Brussels, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, said Europe would work with other parties to preserve the agreement. As we have always said, the nuclear deal is not a bilateral agreement and it is not in the hands of any single country to terminate it unilaterally, Mogherini said in a statement. As long as Iran continues to implement its nuclear-related commitments, as it is doing so far, the European Union will remain committed to the continued full and effective implementation of the nuclear deal, she added. {articleGUID} Iran Foreign Minister Javed Zarif, who negotiated the agreement with former Secretary of State John Kerry, said the US would be violating the deal by seeking to impose sanctions and the only way forward is US compliance, not appeasement. Zarif said in a tweet he will spearhead a diplomatic effort to examine whether remaining parties to the deal can ensure its full benefits for Iran. The outcome will determine our response, Zarif said. Former President Barack Obama issued a statement on Trumps announcement, saying the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake. Obamas statement was a rare move by a former president to comment directly and critically on actions by a successor. Trump has prided himself on delivering on campaign promises undoing the Obama legacy. He campaigned on a promise of tearing up the Iran deal on day one of his administration but was talked out of doing so by former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. Now with Pompeo and Bolton, Trump has surrounded himself with advisers who will support his go-it-alone instincts. Secretary of Defence James Mattis is on record testifying to Congress that the deal is in the US interest and Iran is complying and remains a voice of reason within the Trump administration. It took Trump having to change his entire staff, save Mattis, to get to this point, Collina said. And you saw our best and closest allies having to come to Washington to personally lobby Trump not to do this and he did it anyway and so the only international ally that Trump has on this is Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu, he added. It is disappointing the administration was unable to reach an agreement with our allies, specifically remedy the sunset provisions that allow Tehran to significantly ramp up nuclear enrichment activity less than a decade from now, Senator Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said in a statement. However, based on conversations I have had in recent days, it is my sense that the administration will move quickly to work toward a better deal. But with Trump in the White House, the US government may not have the political and economic leverage with European allies and competitors China and Russia that would be required to impose unilateral sanctions as Obama did from 2010 to 2015 to bring Iran to the negotiating table. Those sanctions, enforced by the US Treasury Department, presented foreign banks and corporations with a stark, airtight choice: You can do business with the US banking system or do business with Iran, but not both. The Europeans, the Asians, a lot of people, are really tired of US sanctions policy just across the board. The last seven, eight years, its been a lot of US sanctions, Kim Wallace, managing director for Eurasia Group and former Obama Treasury Department official, told Al Jazeera. Leaders of the UK, France and Germany who had travelled to the White House to personally lobby Trump against pulling out of the deal will be less inclined to cooperate because they feel there was never really an open ear to a different path, Wallace said. Macron wasted his time and Merkel knew it within two minutes of coming over here. Follow William Roberts on Twitter: @BillRoberts3 US Ambassador calls on Speaker Mahara US Ambassador to Nepal, Alaina B Teplitz, called on Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara at latter's office in Singha Durbar, Kathmandu on Wednesday. Price of crude oil rises as well, but several companies that do business with Iran experiencing stocks decline. Stocks of several prominent US defence companies have risen significantly after US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Trump made the announcement on Tuesday at 2pm local time, and, shortly after, stocks of companies like Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and General Dynamic all shot up. The companies, which also include Lockheed Martin, United Technologies, among others, are some of the main suppliers of the US armed forces, building aircraft, missiles and other essential war technologies. One of the few exceptions was Boeing. Although the company plays a major part in the defence industry, it also has deals worth several billions of dollars with Iran. {articleGUID} Those deals might not happen now that the US has imposed sanctions on Iran again. Besides stocks of defence contractors, oil prices went up as well shortly after Trump announced his decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Iran currently produces about 2.5 million barrels of oil a day, which is about three percent of global demand. The sanctions Trump reimposed on Iran will not take full effect for six months, but there is a chance Irans oil exports could fall significantly. A barrel of Brent crude oil shot up to $77, its highest in more than three years. Other countries that started doing business with Iran since the JCPOA was signed in 2015 have taken hits as well. {articleGUID} Airbus, one of the worlds leading aircraft manufacturers, might lose a significant number of orders as a result of the US pulling out, despite France saying it would continue to honour the nuclear agreement. French carmakers Renault and Peugeot also saw their stock prices decline more than one percent. The US move was widely condemned by German businesses, whose trade with Iran was worth about $3.4bn in 2017. Carl Bildt, former Swedish prime minister, said European businesses would get hit harder by the reinstated sanctions than US companies. This is a behaviour with secondary sanctions that EU in the past has considered to be utterly unacceptable, Bildt said on Twitter. The US move has been widely condemned across the globe, by countries that are part of the deal as well as countries that are not. Democratic Republic of Congo confirms Ebola outbreak less than a year after it was declared free of the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that it was taking steps to help deal with a new outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congos rural northwest, after two cases of the deadly virus were confirmed in the market town of Bikoro. Congos Health Ministry said two of the five samples it sent to the National Institute of Biological Research in Kinshasa, came back positive for the disease. The samples were gathered after health officials in Equateur Province notified Kinshasa on May 3 of about 21 cases of a hemorrhagic fever in the Ikoko Impenge area, including 17 deaths, according to WHO and Congos government. What is Ebola? Rare but deadly, the viral disease is most commonly affecting primates and humans. Initial symptoms can include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain lack of appetite and in some cases internal and external bleeding, according to WHO. Where did it originate from? Ebola virus disease (EVD) was first discovered in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks. One in what is now Nzara in South Sudan. The other outbreak in Yambuku in Zaire in what is now DR Congo. The latter occurred in a village near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name. Why is it so dangerous? The average Ebola fatality rate is about 50 percent. But the rates have varied from 25 percent to 90 percent in recent outbreaks. There is as of yet no proven cure available for Ebola, though some vaccines are being tested. Some people who have recovered from Ebola have developed long-term complications, such as joint and vision problems. It is not known why some people recover from Ebola while most succumb to the disease. Why does it keep coming back? The disease infects humans through close contact with infected animals, including chimpanzees, fruit bats and forest antelope. In Africa where most outbreaks happen, particular species of fruit bats are considered natural hosts for the Ebola virus. Infected bats are believed to transmit the disease to humans, or indirectly through other animals that are hunted for their meat. The family of the first victim of the 2014 outbreak, a two-year-old child, hunted bats and it is believed bushmeat was the origin of the outbreak. An estimated five million tonnes of bushmeat is consumed on the continent every year, according to the Centre for International Forestry Research. The virus then spreads between humans by direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments. Even funerals of Ebola victims can be a risk, if mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased. Iran and other signatories to the JCPOA say they will remain committed to the nuclear deal, despite US withdrawal. Foreign ministers of three of the European countries involved in the Iran nuclear deal will hold a meeting with Iranian representatives to discuss the future of the agreement. We will meet with my British and German colleagues on Monday, and also with representatives of Iran, to consider the entire situation, French Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in an interview with French radio. The announcement of the summit comes after US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the US would withdraw from the accord. After Trumps decision, the leaders of France, Germany and the UK all said they want to continue the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), even without US involvement. Le Drian said in the interview: the deal is not dead, and that French President Emmanuel Macron would reach out to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to discuss the future of the JCPOA. {articleGUID} Germany has reiterated that it wants to uphold the deal. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the deal makes the world safer, adding that Germany could find no legitimate reason for pulling out of the deal. On Twitter, UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said he regretted the US no longer taking part in the nuclear deal. UK remains strongly committed to the JCPoA, and will work with E3 partners and the other parties to the deal to maintain it, he added. Deeply regret US decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. UK remains strongly committed to the JCPoA, and will work with E3 partners and the other parties to the deal to maintain it. Await more detail on US plan. Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 8, 2018 Federica Mogherini, the European Unions top diplomat, called on the international community to preserve the deal. The EU will remain committed to the continued full and effective implementation of the nuclear deal, Mogherini said from Brussels. Iran has said it also remains committed to the deal. In a response, President Rouhani said: If we achieve the deals goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place. On Tuesday, Trump announced the US would withdraw from the JCPOA and reinstate sanctions against Iran. {articleGUID} The deal was signed in 2015 by Iran and the P5+1 countries, China, France, Russia, the UK, the US and Germany. The agreement lifted sanctions on Iran in return for a promise to suspend its nuclear weapons programme and undergo stringent monitoring and inspections of its remaining nuclear facilities and capabilities. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has carried out the inspections since the deal was signed, has found no evidence Iran was violating its side of the deal. Trumps withdrawal will exacerbate Middle East conflicts, destabilise Iran and isolate US from allies, say analysts. US President Donald Trump has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal and is set to renew sanctions on Iran. Trump said on Tuesday that the landmark pact, signed under his predecessor, Barack Obama, was defective at its core and would lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Labelling Iran a regime of great terror, Trump said that the deal, under which Iran accepted limits on its ability to produce nuclear material for 15 years, only delays the country from acquiring a nuclear bomb. There has been enough suffering, death and destruction, let it end now, Trump declared. The move sent shockwaves around the world, and analysts say US exit is likely to have the opposite effect Trump intended. They said it could instead exacerbate conflict in the Middle East, destabilise Iran and isolate the US on the international stage. Trump has fulfilled a key campaign pledge in withdrawing from the 2015 agreement, worked out between US, Iran, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China. Irans regional foes, Saudi Arabia and Israel, have long opposed it. The deal was Obamas biggest foreign policy achievement, and Tirta Parsi, author of Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran, and the Triumph of Diplomacy, said the main reason behind Trumps pull out was because it had Obamas name on it. The recent appointment of Mike Pompeo as secretary of state and John Bolton as national security adviser two of the Iran agreements most vociferous critics ensured this decision was made faster, he added. Back on the brink Calling the move disastrous, Parsi said the US exit puts the Middle East back on the brink of war. Tensions could escalate in any of the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, he said, from Yemen, where a Saudi Arabia-led coalition has been fighting Iranian-backed rebels for more than three years, or in Syria, where Iranian intervention in support of President Bashar al-Assad has angered Israel. Parsi also described the US decision as a blow to President Hassan Rouhani and moderate forces in Iran. It will strengthen the hand of hardliners and put them in the driving seat and they will be pushing for a much more radical and aggressive foreign policy, he said. The US will not remain unaffected either, he continued. Trumps announcement will isolate the US and strain relations with its allies in Europe, he said, noting that Britain, France and Germany, who are party to the deal have pledged to honour the accord, while Trump has promised to punish any countries that stand by Iran. Fatemeh Aman, a Washington DC-based political analyst, said Trumps decision was due to worry over Irans expanding political influence in the Middle East. Tonights decision may have been bolstered by the recent elections in Lebanon in which Irans allies have won and the upcoming elections in Iraq where pro-Irans politicians are poised to win, she told Al Jazeera. She said the decision will have dire consequences on the Iranian middle class and agreed with Parsi that it would embolden conservative forces opposed to Rouhanis government. Economic blow Mohammad Marandi, professor at the University of Tehran, said the renewed sanctions will be painful for a while. However, he noted the deal had not brought the economic revival Iranians had hoped for, as many US sanctions remained in place despite the agreement. The economy is now in freefall while the value of the currency has plummeted in recent months. But Marandi was hopeful Iran could weather the crisis with the help of new allies. At the international level, our relationship with China and Russia has evolved. The US has, in fact, pushed three countries closer to each other, he said. Our regional position is different to a decade ago, too. Iran has strong regional allies and good neighborly relations. He said he doubted if the US move could force Iran back to the negotiating table. No one in Iran will ever want to negotiate with the US as long as Trump is in power, he said. Theres no reason to talk to them because they cannot be trusted. Iran showed flexibility in previous negotiations, and if it did agree to reopen the accord, it is likely to take much tougher stances, he said. But that will not happen anytime soon. CIA learned tough lessons after 9/11, Gina Haspel says, vowing not to resume harsh interrogations under her watch. US President Donald Trumps nominee to head the CIA has vowed the spy agency will never, ever resume a programme of harsh interrogations, often denounced as torture, under her watch. Gina Haspel, who is facing opposition over her role at a secret CIA prison in Thailand in 2002, told her Senate confirmation hearing the spy agency learned tough lessons from its use of harsh detention and interrogation tactics on terror suspects after the September 11 attacks. Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation programme, she said on Wednesday. Haspel said US law now clearly prohibits such interrogation methods, and I fully support the detainee treatment required by law. Pressed over whether she would resume an interrogation programme, and allow torture, if ordered by Trump, she said she would not. My moral compass is strong. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it. In hindsight, she added, it was clear the CIA was not prepared and did not have the expertise to use techniques such as sleep deprivation and waterboarding, which simulates drowning, to get terror suspects to talk. However, she refused to condemn the 2002-2005 programme, saying it had produced valuable information that helped disrupt plots against the US. I think we did extraordinary work. To me the tragedy is that the controversy surrounding the interrogation programme has cast a shadow over what has been a major contribution to protecting this country, she said. Confirmation hurdles Haspel, an undercover agent for most of her more than 30-year career, faces what will likely be a close confirmation vote in the full Senate. That is in part because she was chief of a base in Thailand, where the agency ran one of the secret black prisons where suspected al-Qaeda detainees were interrogated using methods that included waterboarding, as well as the destruction of videotapes documenting the tactics. Trump vowed as a candidate to resume waterboarding, a form of simulated drowning previously used by CIA interrogators but now banned, and promised techniques a hell of a lot worse. Republican Senator Susan Collins asked Haspel what she would do if Trump gave her a direct order to use waterboarding on a high-value terrorism suspect. I do not believe the president would ask me to do that, Haspel said, but did not say that she would refuse. Haspels testimony was interrupted by a protester who yelled, Bloody Gina and You are a torturer, before being removed by police. Before the hearing, a small group of protesters shouted, Say no to torture, before also being removed. Haspel needs 51 votes to be confirmed as the first woman director of the CIA in the 100-seat Senate, where Trumps fellow Republicans hold a 51-49 majority. At least one Republican, Senator Rand Paul, has said he opposes her confirmation, and others have said they will wait to see how she does at the confirmation hearing. No Democrat has yet expressed support for Haspel, and have voiced frustration saying they have not been given more details of Haspels long record with the CIA, much of which remains classified. Haspels critics outside Congress argue that anyone who willingly participated in one of the CIAs darkest chapters should not head the spy agency, as it will undercut the US effort to champion human rights. Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of attempting to shut down criticism after director ordered to leave. A prominent human rights group accused Israel on Wednesday of attempting to shut down criticism of its rights record after its local director was ordered to leave the country within 14 days. Israels interior ministry opted not to sign off on a work permit renewal of Omar Shakir Human Rights Watchs Israel and Palestine director on May 7 over his alleged support for the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Both HRW and Shakir deny having any part in the movement. Israel considers BDS which demands an end to the occupation of Palestine, equal rights for Palestinian citizens of Israel, and the right of return for all Palestinian refugees to their homes to be anti-Jewish. Muzzling criticism Iain Levine from Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Tuesday the move was an attempt to muzzle the non-governmental organisation. This is not about Shakir but rather about muzzling Human Rights Watch and shutting down criticism of Israels rights record, Levine said. Compiling dossiers on and deporting human rights defenders is a page out of the Russian or Egyptian security services playbook. Israel denied a request from HRW last year for a permit to employ Shakir, an American citizen, as a foreign expert, prompting criticism from the United States, before later approving a one-year work visa. Interior Minister Arye Dery said information collected on Shakir indicated he was active in BDS. It is inconceivable for a boycott activist to get an Israeli visa so he can do whatever he can to harm the country, Dery said in a statement. Disreputable state HRWs Executive Director Kenneth Roth accused Israel of trying to silence the organisation. Human Rights Watch staff is based and operates freely in Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia. But Israel, which claims to be the lone democracy in the region, joins ranks of N Korea, Sudan and Iran to try to silence @HRW by ordering our country director deported. https://t.co/xmzVrR5YOo pic.twitter.com/yqQsgjjOJm Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) May 8, 2018 In a joint statement on Wednesday, 15 Israeli human rights groups condemned Israels decision to expel Shakir. Israels decision to deport a Human Rights Watch official and the growing list of people to whom it denies entry for criticizing of the occupation place Israel squarely on a list of disreputable states, it said. The governments of such states try to control peoples minds, thoughts and actions, instead of safeguarding peoples freedom of speech, and their freedom to act and protest government policies. Supreme leader denounces US decision to withdraw from Iran deal and questions Europes commitment. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has denounced US President Donald Trump, calling his decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal as impudent and worthless. Speaking in the Iranian capital on Wednesday, Khamenei addressed the American president directly, saying: You cannot lift one finger against us. You all heard last night the cheap and impudent remarks of the US president, Khamenei was quoted by Irans Mehr news agency as saying. He threatened both the establishment and the Iranian nation that he will do this and that, and I will tell him on behalf of the Iranian people: Mr Trump! Like hell, you will! Khamenei said the nuclear issue was just an excuse by the US to dominate Iran, and that its real reason in signing up to the 2015 agreement is to make it bow to American demands. The real reason behind the opposition of the US towards the Islamic Republics system is the fact that [before the revolution], the US had complete dominance over our country, Khamenei said. Eventually, their hands were severed from Iran by the Islamic Revolution. He also described Trumps decision as silly, impudent and worthless. Khamenei said that just as Iran does not trust the US, it also does not trust the France, Germany and the UK in keeping the deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The three countries are signatories to the nuclear agreement alongside the US, European Union, Russia, China and Iran. Without receiving a strong guarantee from these three European countries, we wont stick to the nuclear agreement, Khamenei said. Shameful decision On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Theresa May, the UK prime minister, issued a joint statement opposing Trumps decision, and expressing their commitment to the agreement. But while expressing support for the deal, they also raised concerns about Irans ballistic-missile programme and its destabilising regional activities, including in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Prior to Trumps announcement on Tuesday, the three leaders attempted to negotiate a side agreement to satisfy the US presidents demands without, dismantling the original deal. Iran had shut its door on those additional demands, insisting that all the parties to the deal should first fulfil its commitments, before it would be willing to discuss other outstanding issues. On Wednesday, Ali Larijani, Irans parliament speaker, also issued a sharply criticised Trumps decision as idiotic and shameful. Is it truly a dignified way for Trump to spend all his efforts on destroying everything the previous president of the US has done? Larijani was quoted by Irans Mehr news agency as saying. Al Jazeeras Zein Basravi, reporting from Tehran, said that while the moderate wing of the countrys ruling establishment want to emphasise diplomacy to deal with the issue, there is more anger among the hardliners. The worry is that moderates will be proven wrong, and the hardliners will be able to say, I told you so. Meanwhile, Yukiya Amano, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear inspectors, said on Tuesday that Iran continues to abide by its commitment in the deal. Iran is subject to the worlds most robust nuclear verification regime under the JCPOA, which is a significant verification gain, he said. As of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran. There have been at least 10 round of inspections conducted by the IAEA in Iran since the deal was signed in July 2015. How did Iranians react to Trumps decision on the nuclear deal? Hassan Rouhani, Irans president, has vowed to save the nuclear deal, even without the US, but not all Iranians support his plan. The 92-year-old politician, once known for his autocratic ways, becomes the worlds oldest prime minister. Malaysias former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad claimed election victory for the opposition coalition in a stunning comeback to politics 15 years after his retirement. At 92, Mahathir now becomes the worlds oldest prime minister after he is sworn in again on Thursday. Mahathir served as Malaysias prime minister for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, overseeing the transformation of the country from an economic backwater to one of Asias leading economies. He is a medical doctor by profession. He is known as the father of Malaysias modernisation, and he steered the country through the Asian crisis of 1998, turning it into a so-called economic tiger. As prime minister, he also presented himself as the spokesperson of the Muslim world following the September 11 attacks in the United States, and he supported the US-led war against terrorism. Mahathir broke away from the ruling party United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in 2016 to join the opposition alliance. He was determined to depose his former political protege Najib Razak, who had been prime minister since 2009 and sought a third term in office. Najib was under pressure after being accused of fraud in a multi-billion dollar state fund. He has denied the allegations. Going to the dogs In an interview with Al Jazeeras Mehdi Hassan in 2016, Mahathir said he decided to turn against Najib because he had gone off track. He has done a lot of things, which are actually wrong. And as a result, he has put the country in a very bad position, economically, politically. He is also getting a bad name throughout the world. So he has to go, he said. Commenting on Malaysias future, Mahathir added, If Najib is there, this country will go to the dogs. The 92-year olds return to politics gave a new lease on life to the opposition alliance, which had floundered since its leader Anwar Ibrahim was jailed for sodomy on what his supporters said were politically motivated charges. But Mahathir was once criticised for deploying the controversial security law known as the Internal Security Act. His critics said it permitted him to crack down on the media, activists, religious leaders and political opponents, including Anwar, who in the past had accused him and his family of corruption. Anwar, 70, was also once a protege of Mahathir, but they had a falling out in the late 1990s. Mahathir sacked Anwar as deputy prime minister and he was later jailed. In recent weeks, Mahathir acknowledged the suffering of Anwar and his family. I know how Anwar feels. It was during my administration that he was sent to [prison]. It is not easy for him to accept me and shake my hand, The Malaysia Insight quoted Mahathir as saying. And its not just Anwar but his family as well who felt pressure when he was jailed. They suffered for 20 years. Opportunist? Anwars wife, Wan Azizah, is now part of Mahathirs coalition and ran alongside him for deputy prime minister. The opposition alliance has said it plans to pardon Anwar and install him as prime minister. UMNO, the former ruling party in the Barisan Nasional coalition, accused him of political opportunism. Now that Mahathir is in the opposition, the tables turned against him. Just days before the election, Malaysian officials launched an investigation against him over concerns he may have breached a new anti-fake news law. On April 27, he had intended to travel to Langkawi some 30km northwest of the mainland to file his candidacy for prime minister. Prior to take-off, however, the planes pilot discovered some damage to the aircraft, which resulted in the flight being cancelled. Mahathir called it sabotage. A subsequent government-ordered investigation into the incident, carried out by Malaysias Civil Aviation Authority, found no indication of sabotage, instead concluding the aircraft had been unable to fly because of a minor fault in one of its wheels. Azharuddin Rahman, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, described the damage as a routine technical fault following the probe. Allegations of sabotage against an aircraft are extremely serious, and could impact the reputation of Malaysian aviation and the country as a whole, Azharuddin said. Polls have closed in Malaysia in what is being billed as the countrys tightest-ever election, clouded by a corruption scandal linked to one of its leading candidates. With nearly 15 million registered voters, polls opened at 00:00 GMT on Wednesday across the country and closed at 09:00 GMT. Malaysias 14th general election pits incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is seeking a third term, against his one-time mentor and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Najib, who has been in power since 2009, cast his ballot in the city of Pekan. Its been a calm election in terms of the physical aspect of the election, he told reporters. Its not been that tense, but it has been quite vicious in the content of the personal attacks which doesnt reflect a mature democracy, he added. But the most important thing is for the people to decide on the destiny of this nation, and it must be based on facts, it must be based on policy, it must be based on who can execute the best plan for the nation and for the people. Long queues at Ampang voting centre [Jules Ong/Al Jazeera] By 05:00 GMT, voter turnout was at 55 percent lower than the last election in 2013, according to statistics released by the Election Commission. Al Jazeeras Florence Looi, reporting from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, said it was the first time voting was held mid-week. The government declared it as a public holiday, but it is still going to make it quite difficult for some people who are working, perhaps in the bigger cities, but are still registered to vote in their hometowns and small areas, who have to travel back to vote, Looi said. Political heavyweights Najibs ruling right-wing party, Barisan Nasional, has been in power since the country gained independence in 1957. But allegations of his links to a corruption scandal involving a state-owned investment fund has cast a shadow over his election campaign. Najib has denied any wrongdoing in the case. Meanwhile, his main challenger, Mahathir quit his old party and gave the opposition a boost when he forged an alliance with them. The 92-year-olds return to politics, as chairman of Pakatan Harapan, or Alliance of Hope, gave a new lease of life to the opposition alliance, which had been floundering since its leader Anwar Ibrahim was jailed for sodomy on what his supporters said were politically motivated charges. Youve got two political heavyweights leading the battle, said Al Jazeeras Looi. According to polls on Tuesday, Najibs ruling Barisan Nasional party could take up to 100 seats out of the 222 up for grabs in the parliament, falling short of a clear majority win. Al Jazeeras Looi said: 37 seats are too close to call. I am thankful to be part of this spirit to build a new Malaysia, says Santhiny ap Narayanasamy, 32 (R) [Jules Ong/Al Jazeera] Among the key election issues has been the rising cost of living in the country, with many voters placing blame on the goods and services tax that was imposed three years ago. I hope personally and maybe people share my thoughts, we hope for some kind of change that will bring prosperity to our country, Zulkifli Bin Mat Saad, a voter, told Al Jazeera. So, whoever it is [that wins] please stay true to whatever manifesto or promises, and hold on to those promises and principles. Another voter, Muhamad Nursuhairi, said: I feel so lucky and happy, that I could vote today. And that I could exercise my responsibility as a Malaysian citizen. Mahathir Mohamad says the opposition alliance he leads has won enough parliament seats to form the next government. Malaysias opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad said the alliance he leads has won enough parliament seats in Wednesdays general election to form the next government. The vote count was continuing, however. A simple majority of 112 seats is required by a party or alliance to rule, a number 92-year-old Mahathir said his Pakatan Harapan, or Alliance of Hope, believed it had secured to defeat Prime Minister Najib Razaks ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN). It would seem that we have practically achieved that figure. The figure for the BN is very much less that, he said. There is no way they can catch up. With 176 out of 222 parliament seats counted, Mahathirs opposition alliance had 90 seats while BN had 69 with smaller parties taking the others, the Election Commission announced. There was no immediate comment from officials with BN, which has governed Malaysia for the past 60 years. Journalists flocked to the headquarters of Najibs United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the lynchpin in the ruling coalition, but he failed to turn up to give a speech and the media were told to leave. Najib, who has ruled the Southeast Asian country for nearly 10 years, will address the media at 11am local time (03:00 GMT) on Thursday. The election race has been one of the most closely contested in Malaysias history, with Mahathir coming out of retirement to take on his former protege Najib, who has been embroiled in a massive corruption scandal. The corruption allegations have dogged Najib for years and appear to have soured Malaysian voters. The US Justice Department says $4.5bn was looted from the 1MBD investment fund by associates of the prime minister between 2009 and 2014, including $700m that landed in Najibs bank account. He denies any wrongdoing. Hanky-panky Earlier in the night, Mahathir accused the Election Commission of holding the official results back. It is likely theres some hanky-panky being done in order to frustrate the wishes of the people, he said at a hastily convened press conference just before midnight. But the Election Commission said it cannot make any statements regarding the true results of the election until all have been validated. I hope people can be patient We will try our best to get information from around the country, Election Commission Chairman Mohamad Hashim Abdullah told reporters. Of course, political parties can declare whoever [they believe has won] but please wait. Meanwhile, state-run Bernama news agency said the opposition gained several new seats in Sarawak state, a traditional BN stronghold. Some key figures in the ruling coalition had fallen, with the heads of the ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian parties having lost their seats, according to unofficial counts on Bernama. Game changer Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia expert at John Cabot University in Rome, said attributed the oppositions gains to Mahathir. There is a massive swing across races. Its a big shift. This is a repudiation of Najibs government from all walks of life from the very rural northern states to the more industrial southern coast, she told the Associated Press news agency. The person who has made this happen is Mahathir. He has been a significant game changer. He made people feel that a transition of power is possible, she said. Faced with a reinvigorated opposition, the government has used the levers of power to further tilt the playing field in its favor, critics and analysts say. Redrawn electoral boundaries were rushed through parliament last month, pushing likely opposition voters into districts that already support the opposition and dividing constituencies along racial lines. {articleGUID} The opposition was targeted by authorities during the election campaign with police launching a probe into Mahathir for allegedly breaking a controversial new law against fake news after he claimed a plane he chartered was sabotaged. We still need to wait for the official results to come in, said Keith Leong, head of research at the KRA Group consultancy. However, the signs point to unprecedented losses to the ruling BN. The only thing that is certain is that we are entering new and uncharted terrain politically. We are witnessing history being made in this country. Mahathir Mohamads alliance wins 113 seats in parliament, ending the 60-year reign of the ruling Barisan Nasional. An opposition alliance led by Malaysias former ruler Mahathir Mohamad has won a majority in parliament a shock victory that ends the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalitions 60-year grip on power. The opposition won 113 seats one more than required for simple majority and the BN has 79 in the 222-member parliament, according to official results announced on Thursday. The election race was one of the most closely contested in Malaysias history, with 92-year-old Mahathir coming out of retirement to take on his former protege, Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has been embroiled in a massive corruption scandal. Mahathir called for the prime minister to be appointed immediately, stressing that Najibs role as an interim government in now over. There has been some delays over the lack of understanding of the constitution, but wed like to make it clear that there is an urgency here, he said at a press conference on Thursday. We need to form a government now, today, the 92-year-old added. As the Pakatan Harapan or Alliance of Hopes win became clear, supporters took to social media and the streets of Malaysias biggest city, Kuala Lumpur, to celebrate, with many waving flags of the opposition on the streets. Al Jazeeras Rob Mcbride, reporting from Kuala Lumpur, said the mood at a public gathering in the city turned to euphoria as news began to sink in about what was happening. Rule of law A simple majority of 112 seats is required by a party or alliance to rule, a number Mahathir said his Pakatan Harapan, or Alliance of Hope, secured to defeat Najibs ruling coalition Barisan Nasional. Asked if he would take action against Najib over the financial scandal, Mahathir said he will not seek revenge. We are seeking to restore the rule of law, Mahathir told reporters early Thursday. There was no immediate comment from officials with BN. Najib, who has ruled the Southeast Asian country for nearly 10 years, said he accepted the verdict of the people but called for calm as the country awaits the Kings approval. The King will decide who will be made prime minister according to the constitution, Najib told reporters on Thursday. This [Barisan Nasional] party will respect whatever decision the King makes and I would like to urge the people of Malaysia to remain calm and place confidence in the King to make a decision. The corruption allegations have dogged Najib for years and appeared to have soured Malaysian voters. The US Justice Department says $4.5bn was looted from the 1MBD investment fund by associates of the prime minister between 2009 and 2014, including $700m that landed in Najibs bank account. He denies any wrongdoing. Game changer The Pakatan Harapans win was a stunning triumph that almost no one had predicted. Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia expert at John Cabot University in Rome, attributed the oppositions surprising gains to Mahathir. The person who has made this happen is Mahathir. He has been a significant game changer. He made people feel that a transition of power is possible, she said. This is a repudiation of Najibs government from all walks of life from the very rural northern states to the more industrial southern coast, she said. The opposition was also sweeping state elections, including Johor state where the dominant Malay party in the Barisan Nasional was founded. Few Malaysians thought they would live to see this day, Malaysia Kini, a Malaysian news website, said in an editorial. This is the first time the country has witnessed a change of government since independence from the British in 1957. BNs rout was made possible by a Malaysian tsunami, in which all major ethnic groups turned out to vote against the ruling coalition, it said. Nothing less than a historic political earthquake is under way in Malaysia right now, said John Sifton, Human Rights Watchs Asia advocacy director. Supporters of Mahathir celebrate his shock victory [Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters] Anwar pardon Mahathir turned against Najib in the wake of the financial scandal at 1MDB, calling his role in Najibs rise the biggest mistake of my life. The former ruler then teamed up with an alliance of parties that opposed him when he was in power. That included opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim, his former deputy who was jailed for sodomy and corruption charges Anwar maintains were politically motivated after he and Mahathir fell out in the late 1990s. After claiming victory, Mahathir told reporters he will work on obtaining a royal pardon for Anwar, who is serving a five-year prison sentence. Once [Anwar] is pardoned, he will be eligible to stand as prime minister. But he still must stand for elections to be an MP, Mahathir was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper. Many Malaysian social media users praised Mahathir and thanked the people of Malaysia for the shock victory, while still others expressed disbelief at the results. This feels so surreal Weve been so desperate for a transformation, wrote one Twitter user, Phoebe Shafinaz, while another user, Aminah Ibrahim, said she was in tears of utter happiness. Wow.. This feels so surreal. Today is such a historical day. Finally after 61 years, Malaysia has chosen a new government. We made this happened. Us. The people. Weve been so desperate for a transformation. Now, lets hope for a better nation. I LOVE YOU, MALAYSIA #GE14 (@PhoebeShafinaz) May 9, 2018 https://twitter.com/aminahibrhm/status/994290645148680193?ref_src=twsrc^tfw Iman Tanita al Ghul, meanwhile, urged the new government to uphold the rule of law. I think I can already sleep now. Congratulations Malaysia. And PH, I really hope you restore judiciary independence to prevent all the mess we had to go through and uphold rule of law Iman Tanita al Ghul (@notorioustapir) May 9, 2018 Middle East tensions at heart of Netanyahus visit to Moscow Benjamin Netanyahu has visited Russia to talk to Vladimir Putin about Israeli interventions in Syria and concerns about Iran. US secretary of state secures release of US detainees after meetings with North Korean officials in Pyongyang. North Korea released three US citizens from prison following a visit to Pyongyang by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in advance of an historic meeting between both countries leaders. The three Americans appear in good health, US President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Wednesday. Trump added the time and date for the future meeting between himself and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had been set. The three men travelled back to the US alongside Pompeo, who was in Pyongyang to arrange the planned US-North Korea nuclear summit. Theyre expected to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland early Thursday. Trump said he will be there to greet them. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 A White House statement on Wednesday said Trump appreciated Kims decision to free the Americans and views it as a positive gesture of goodwill. The US had frequently called for the release of the three prisoners, all of whom are Korean-American nationals, with their detention widely seen as being politically motivated. Kim Dong-chul, Tony Kim, and Kim Hak-song had been held by North Korea for periods ranging between one and two years over alleged anti-state activities. We want to thank all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return home, said the family of Tony Kim. We also want to thank the president for engaging directly with North Korea. Mostly, we thank God for Tonys safe return, the family said in a statement. Pompeo, who has visited North Korea twice in the last six weeks, said on Wednesday he was delighted to bring home the three men following productive meetings in Pyongyang with Chairman Kim Jong-un. I had productive meetings in Pyongyang with Chairman Kim Jong-un and made progress. I'm delighted to bring home three Americans. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 9, 2018 Trump said he will announce the site for the summit with Kim within three days and it will not be held at the demilitarised zone along the border between the two Koreas. It will not be there, he told reporters at the White House on Wednesday when asked if the planned meeting would be at the DMZ. Were going to announce it within three days. Warming relations The prisoners release marks the latest development in improving US-North Korea relations in the run-up to Trump and Kims summit. Al Jazeeras Diplomatic Editor James Bays, reporting from the UN headquarters in New York, said North Koreas decision was an important part of the diplomatic and political choreography being carried out before Trump and Kims meeting. Diplomats have told me they could see no way that the summmit could take place until this release had taken place, Bays said. [They said] it would be impossible for a US president to sit down with a North Korean leader while that leader was holding three Americans. They saw this move as a prerequisite for the summit. The US troop presence in South Korea would not be part of discussions on de-nuclearisation with North Korea, the US defence chief Jim Mattis said on Wednesday. Thats not something that would be on the table in the initial negotiation, Mattis told a Senate hearing, describing the 28,500 US military forces on the Korean Peninsula as a stabilising presence. Expectations of a meeting between the two leaders follow months of angry exchanges over Pyongyangs testing of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles, including some theoretically capable of reaching the US mainland. A surprising about-turn by Kim in recent weeks, however, has lessened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Last month, Kim and South Korean leader Moon Jae-in pledged to formally end the 1950s Korean War and pursue complete denuclearisation of the peninsula in the first inter-Korea summit since 2007. The two leaders signed a joint statement that committed both to deepening ties and working towards reunification after the meeting on April 27, which saw Kim become the first North Korean leader to set foot in South Korea since the Korean War. US secretary of state secures release of US detainees after meetings with North Korean officials in Pyongyang. US President Donald Trump says Secretary of Sate Mike Pompeo, who has been visiting Pyongyang, is bringing back the three US prisoners from North Korea. He is returning from meetings with top in the North Korean capital to prepare a US-North Korea nuclear summit. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting, President Trump says on Twitter. Pompeo is also expected to return with details of the upcoming summit between leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump. We expect him to bring the date, time and the captives, an unnamed local official told the South Korean Yonhap news agency. Pompeo told North Korean officials that the US is committed to working with North Korea to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula. I have high expectations the United States will play a very big role in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, said Kim Yong-chol, director of the United Front Department responsible for North-South relations. Pompeo said the officials he met were equally committed for the same goal. Trump told reporters that he hoped a deal could be reached to establish long-term peace with North Korea. We think relationships are building with North Korea, Trump said in televised comments from the White House. Hopefully, a deal will happen and, with the help of China, South Korea, and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone. Pompeo has been asking for the release of these detainees for 17 months. One of the detainees, Kim Dong-chul, a pastor in his 60s, was detained in 2015 for spying charges and sentenced to 10 years of labour in 2016. The other two have been imprisoned since 2017. Tony Kim, a Korean-American lecturer, was detained on espionage charges in April 2017. A month later, Kim Hak-song, a Christian missionary, was held on suspicion of hostile acts. {articleGUID} Their imprisonment has been widely criticised as political and an abuse of human rights, and their potential release is considered a gesture of goodwill in advance of the summit. This is Pompeos second visit to North Korea in six weeks. The US secretary of state met Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang in April, when he was still director of the CIA. Last month, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in confirmed their commitment to complete denuclearisation. Barack Obama said Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal is a serious mistake. Here is the full statement, as released by the former US president on Facebook on Tuesday: There are few issues more important to the security of the United States than the potential spread of nuclear weapons, or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Thats why the United States negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the first place. The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current US Secretary of Defence. The JCPOA is in Americas interest it has significantly rolled back Irans nuclear programme. And the JCPOA is a model for what diplomacy can accomplish its inspections and verification regime is precisely what the United States should be working to put in place with North Korea. Indeed, at a time when we are all rooting for diplomacy with North Korea to succeed, walking away from the JCPOA risks losing a deal that accomplishes with Iran the very outcome that we are pursuing with the North Koreans. That is why todays announcement is so misguided. Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on Americas closest allies, and an agreement that our countrys leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated. In a democracy, there will always be changes in policies and priorities from one administration to the next. But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers. Debates in our country should be informed by facts, especially debates that have proven to be divisive. So its important to review several facts about the JCPOA. First, the JCPOA was not just an agreement between my Administration and the Iranian government. After years of building an international coalition that could impose crippling sanctions on Iran, we reached the JCPOA together with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union, Russia, China, and Iran. It is a multilateral arms control deal, unanimously endorsed by a United Nations Security Council Resolution. Second, the JCPOA has worked in rolling back Irans nuclear programme. For decades, Iran had steadily advanced its nuclear programme, approaching the point where they could rapidly produce enough fissile material to build a bomb. The JCPOA put a lid on that breakout capacity. Since the JCPOA was implemented, Iran has destroyed the core of a reactor that could have produced weapons-grade plutonium; removed two-thirds of its centrifuges (over 13,000) and placed them under international monitoring; and eliminated 97 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium the raw materials necessary for a bomb. So by any measure, the JCPOA has imposed strict limitations on Irans nuclear programme and achieved real results. Third, the JCPOA does not rely on trust it is rooted in the most far-reaching inspections and verification regime ever negotiated in an arms control deal. Irans nuclear facilities are strictly monitored. International monitors also have access to Irans entire nuclear supply chain, so that we can catch them if they cheat. Without the JCPOA, this monitoring and inspections regime would go away. Fourth, Iran is complying with the JCPOA. That was not simply the view of my Administration. The United States intelligence community has continued to find that Iran is meeting its responsibilities under the deal, and has reported as much to Congress. So have our closest allies, and the international agency responsible for verifying Iranian compliance the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Fifth, the JCPOA does not expire. The prohibition on Iran ever obtaining a nuclear weapon is permanent. Some of the most important and intrusive inspections codified by the JCPOA are permanent. Even as some of the provisions in the JCPOA do become less strict with time, this wont happen until 10, 15, 20, or 25 years into the deal, so there is little reason to put those restrictions at risk today. Finally, the JCPOA was never intended to solve all of our problems with Iran. We were clear-eyed that Iran engages in destabilising behaviour including support for terrorism, and threats toward Israel and its neighbours. But thats precisely why it was so important that we prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Every aspect of Iranian behaviour that is troubling is far more dangerous if their nuclear programme is unconstrained. Our ability to confront Irans destabilising behaviour and to sustain a unity of purpose with our allies is strengthened with the JCPOA, and weakened without it. Because of these facts, I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake. Without the JCPOA, the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East. We all know the dangers of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon. It could embolden an already dangerous regime; threaten our friends with destruction; pose unacceptable dangers to Americas own security; and trigger an arms race in the worlds most dangerous region. If the constraints on Irans nuclear programme under the JCPOA are lost, we could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat, or going to war to prevent it. In a dangerous world, America must be able to rely in part on strong, principled diplomacy to secure our country. We have been safer in the years since we achieved the JCPOA, thanks in part to the work of our diplomats, many members of Congress, and our allies. Going forward, I hope that Americans continue to speak out in support of the kind of strong, principled, fact-based, and unifying leadership that can best secure our country and uphold our responsibilities around the globe. Activists laud move by Pakistans parliament as new law accords transgender citizens right to self-identify. Islamabad, Pakistan Pakistans parliament has passed a law guaranteeing basic rights for transgender citizens and outlawing discrimination by both employers and private business owners, a move hailed by activists as historic for the conservative South Asian country. Members of parliament voted to pass the wide-ranging Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act in the capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday. The law accords citizens the right to self-identify as male, female or a blend of both genders, and to have that identity registered on all official documents, including National Identification Cards, passports, drivers licenses and education certificates. The law guarantees citizens the right to express their gender as they wish, and to a gender identity that is defined as a persons innermost and individual sense of self as male, female or a blend of both, or neither; that can correspond or not to the sex assigned at birth. {articleGUID} I thought that this would never be achieved in my lifetime, but I am fortunate to have seen my own parliament pass this bill, veteran transgender activist Bindiya Rana told Al Jazeera. In fighting for this bill, we were not fighting for those transgender people who have already lived 40 or 50 years, she said. We have been fighting for the next generation of transgender Pakistanis. Shunned by society While no reliable official figures exist for the number of transgender citizens in Pakistan, advocacy group Trans Action has estimated that at least 500,000 of the countrys 207 million population identifies as transgender. The countrys 2017 national census put the number of transgender citizens at 10,418, a number that has been widely disputed by members of the community. Often shunned by mainstream society, Pakistani transgender citizens find themselves vulnerable to being forced into begging, sex work or dancing to survive. South Asian society also has, however, traditionally venerated transgender people particularly transgender women, known as Khwaja Sirah as having spiritual powers and the ability to bestow blessings upon others. We have been considered only fit to sing and dance at weddings, and thats it, said Rana. We have been facing human rights violations in that we are denied jobs based on our status, she added. Police will not file cases if someone has committed a crime against us. Several attacks targeting transgender activists took place in Pakistan last year, particularly in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. The new law explicitly bans any discrimination against transgender citizens by employers, educational institutions, healthcare providers, transportation service providers and any private business or service provider. It also calls for the establishment of government-run protection centres for transgender citizens who feel at risk. It guarantees transgender citizens their right to inheritance often disputed under some interpretations of Islamic law to run for public office, to assembly, to have access to public places and several other specific rights. We have been considered only fit to sing and dance at weddings, and that's it. Bindiya Rana, transgender activist Activists in the community say that while there are concerns regarding the implementation of the law, it is a huge step forward for transgender rights in Pakistan. I believe that it will make a positive impact on the ground, said Mehlab Jameel, who was one of several rights activists and lawyers involved in drafting the legislation. Laws can only go so far with a community that is so marginalised, especially economically, that they often dont know what their own rights are, she added. Jameel said the new law also provides a base for activists to amend other sections of Pakistans criminal and penal code that are problematic or create grey areas around crimes committed against transgender citizens. The majority of people in the community never want to report sexual violence, rape or harassment, because they are worried that they could be blamed by the police. So, this law allows us to do further advocacy work to amend other problematic laws and policies. Amnesty Internationals Pakistan researcher Rabia Mehmood praised the move. This bill makes Pakistan one of the few countries in the world to recognise the self-perceived gender identity of transgender individuals, Mehmood said. The countrys transgender community has very high hopes from this bill. Its implementation is therefore crucial to ensure they can live their lives with dignity and respect. Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras Digital Correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim A scientist to use assisted suicide to end life in Switzerland An elderly English-born Australian man who wishes to end his own life, but was denied state assistance because he is not terminally ill. Experts say law by Syrian government requiring citizens to register land is an attempt at changing countrys demography. As the deadline for a new law that requires citizens of Syria to register their property draws to a close on Thursday, many of the 12 million refugees and displaced Syrians are decrying the impossibility of the task. The Absentee Property Law, or Law Number 10, was decreed at the beginning of April by President Bashar al-Assad, and gave citizens 30 days to register property with the ministry of local administration or risk confiscation. However, many Syrians who were forcibly displaced see this as a deliberate scheme by the government to strip them of their land and homes, as they say it is impossible to return as the seven-year war rages on. This is blatant theft, said Nawras al-Bourdani to Al Jazeera. Our inability to defend our properties has given the regime the chance to take revenge on those who do not support it. Bourdani, a schoolteacher, was internally displaced twice during the Syrian conflict. Originally from Deir Az Zor, he and his mother and two sisters fled to Eastern Ghouta, before they were forced to leave again following the Syrian government and Russias fierce aerial bombardment of the region two months ago. Now he resides in Idlib, one of the last remaining opposition pockets, and worries about his house in Deir Az Zor. This is clearly a measure to provide a so-called legal justification to counter the financial collapse the government is facing in order to compensate its economy, he said. Loyalists will be given properties and financial means at the expense of the original owners, who will face many problems in the future. Demographic change According to Khalid Shihab al-Din, a Syrian legal consultant who now lives in Turkey, the stated objective of Law Number 10 is to repopulate and rebuild areas destroyed by the war, with the full knowledge that there are 12 million displaced Syrians, almost half of whom are outside the country. Areas in East Aleppo, Ghouta, the Homs countryside, and others suffered a lot of destruction and forced displacement carried out by the Syrian government and its Iranian and Russian allies, he said. Yet by implementing this law in the face of an existing and immense population displacement, Shihab al-Din argued the Syrian government has taken advantage of the situation to impose a demographic change. According to reports since 2015, Shia communities from across Syria, Lebanon and Iraq have resettled in areas previously inhabited by Sunnis who were forced to leave their homes. Population exchanges have reportedly been key to a plan to make demographic changes to parts of the country. The goal, some have argued, is to enable the government and its allies to pursue their strategic interests even further by creating specific areas under their direct control. The regime knows that there are millions who are wanted by the regime and so they wont risk going back to the country to take charge of their properties, Shihab al-Din explained. That the law was announced in a time of instability and danger was no coincidence either, said al-Din, who owns a home in East Aleppo. Against a backdrop of the continued crimes of the regime and its operations of forced displacement and demographic change, this can only be deliberate, he said. In order to register their land deeds and property, Syrian non-government loyalists face the risk of returning to government-controlled areas and dealing with government agencies, especially since their papers must first be scrutinized by state security. Relatives up to the fourth degree can register property on behalf of the owners. But according to a statement released by the Syrian Free Legalists in April, no one outside Syria or abroad can send a proxy to any relative on the basis of his presence in Syria, because any agency that needs security approval will also be arrested and liquidated directly. Killing several birds with one stone Yousef Shaaban, 39, is a politically non-affiliated humanitarian worker in IDP camps living in Idlib, but originally from a town called Zakia in western Ghouta. It is not strange that a system based on injustice and the confiscation of rights, whether material or moral, has come up with a law robbing citizens of their property, he told Al Jazeera. Shaaban said the government was killing several birds with one stone, namely inflicting punishment for all those who opposed Assad, economic gains for the government from the confiscation of real estate, and demographic change through the sale of property to Iranians. Shihab al-Din agreed and said Law 10 is a revision of Decree 66, which was issued years ago before the conflict began. The decree permitted the Syrian authorities to renovate unauthorized housing and informal settlements, and gave them the right to transfer public assets tax-free to private companies and foreigners. Under the decree, Iran had the right to take over land in Damascus, such as the land behind the Iranian embassy, Shihab al-Din said. Shaaban said Law 10 poses many dangers for the displaced and refugees, but since the outbreak of the conflict in 2011, the government has issued many decisions against individuals to confiscate their property and strip them of their civil rights. Their only sin these people had was their opposition to the government, he said. On a personal level, this law deprives me of my right to my home and my land, as well as the threat to make me forget that I have a house or land to return to. Follow Linah Alsaafin on Twitter at @LinahAlsaafin Government slams Enough campaign, that became Twitter trending topic after Erdogan promised to quit if people wanted. Government officials in Turkey dismissed opposition Twitter users as keyboard heroes after an online campaign against Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the president to resign. The #Tamam (Enough) hashtag saw more than 1.8 million tweets, ending up becoming a worldwide trending topic, after the president promised to step down if the nation said enough. If one day our nation says enough, then we will step aside, he said in a speech in parliament on Tuesday. Erdogan, who has been in power for more than 15 years, as prime minister and president, has led Turkeys economic transition to an emerging market, while the opposition and Turkeys Western allies have criticised his government for cracking down on dissidents. Although the economy is growing, dollar and euro exchange rates against the Turkish lira have skyrocketed in recent months. Last month, Erdogan declared snap elections for June 24, bringing the polls forward by more than a year. On Tuesday, the #Tamam hashtag quickly swept the internet, as Turkish opposition politicians, media figures and Hollywood stars joined the campaign. Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, tweeted the hashtag, calling Erdogan to lift the ban on his website in Turkey. Wikipedia has been blocked in Turkey since April 2017. I love Turkey. I love the Turkish culture and people. The beautiful city of Istanbul great food, great wine, great culture. I call on Erdogan to unblock Wikipedia and to listen to the people! #tamam #wemissturkey Jimmy Wales (@jimmy_wales) May 8, 2018 Online bots The government, however, dismissed the social media wave, saying the posts were sent by online bots associated with Kurdish PKK fighters and Fethullah Gulen, the US-based Muslim religious leader blamed by Ankara for a 2016 coup attempt. Most are being sent from countries where the FETO and PKK are active. Most are bot accounts. We can also understand Greece, but what about those inside (Turkey), said Mahir Unal, spokesman for Erdogans ruling AK Party. FETO is an acronym for Gulens network of supporters and the PKK are the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party that has been waging a war against the Turkish government for autonomy. The keyboard heroes who dont know what the ballot boxes mean, we will see each other on the night of June 24, Unal wrote on Twitter. Erdogan supporters later came up with the hashtag #Devam (Go on!). Turkey Govt spokesperson slams TAMAM campaign, points to PKK, Gulen movement | https://t.co/oJRk1XYtKx Frank Nordhausen (@NordhausenFrank) May 9, 2018 Support the hashtag to show solidarity with opposition in Turkey. They say Enough is enough #tamam Ece Temelkuran (@ETemelkuran) May 8, 2018 Rivals tweet Erdogans rivals in the presidential polls also jumped in, with the #Tamam tweets from three of his main opponents together garnering more than 10,000 retweets. Time is up. Enough! tweeted Muharrem Ince, the candidate of the main opposition CHP. Meral Aksener, the nationalist presidential candidate, tweeted the word too. The #Tamam tweets also provided a rare moment of opposition unity with all major parties, including the pro-Kurdish opposition uniting behind the hashtag. Pro-Kurdish politicians and Turkish nationalists rarely find common ground. Enough: Its very strange that Erdogan has offered the opposition a uniting slogan, tweeted journalist Rusen Cakir. In 2012, a report by a UK government-sponsored delegation of lawyers to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories found Israels treatment of Palestinian children in military detention to be in breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Six years on, however, and Israel has made only modest changes; according to government minister Alistair Burt, speaking in the Houses of Parliament earlier this year, Israel has implemented just one of 43 specific recommendations made by the lawyers. At the time, Brad Parker, International Advocacy Officer at Defense for Children International-Palestine, told Al Jazeera the report was a particularly useful tool that provided a cogent case study of the separate and unequal legal framework Israeli authorities operate in the occupied West Bank. The report established the UK government as a critical voice on Israels widespread and systematic ill-treatment of Palestinian child detainees. But with so few substantial changes made to the system of Israeli military detention, many are calling into question the wisdom of a UK government strategy limited to, as Burt told Parliament in the same debate, regular dialogue with Israeli officials. {articleGUID} It is time for urging to be turned into concrete actions, Parker said, actions centred on ending physical violence against Palestinian children and holding Israel accountable to international law norms to end Israeli exceptionalism. Jailing children There are currently some 300 Palestinian children in Israeli jails with Israel the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes between 500 and 700 children in military courts each year. About half of child detainees are held outside the occupied territories in violation of international law. A Foreign Office spokesperson told Al Jazeera the issue remains a human rights priority for the UK, and as such, we will continue to raise the matter with Israel. Citing some improvements/progress by Israel, such as the establishment of separate juvenile courts, the spokesperson added: We are clear that there is still more to do, and that is why we continue to engage with the Israeli authorities, including offering them expert support. According to Israeli human rights NGO BTselem, however, changes made in recent years by Israeli authorities are useful for propaganda but have not improved the protection of minors rights. In a new report published in March, the NGO said the juvenile court changed nothing of substance. The changes that Israel have made remain painfully inadequate, Labour MP Richard Burden told Al Jazeera, and the international mechanisms that are available to require Israel to make more substantial changes on the specific issue of children in detention are sadly weak. However, if anything, the trend is going in the opposite direction. In February 2016, a follow-up mission by UK lawyers was cancelled because Israeli authorities withdrew cooperation. According to the Foreign Office, there are no current plans for these lawyers to make a return visit. Culture of impunity Meanwhile, despite acknowledging Israels continued ill-treatment of Palestinian children in military detention in addition to other policies such as settlement expansion and home demolitions the UK voted against a resolution on accountability at the UN Human Rights Council in March. The official explanation was this was a vote against the councils disproportionate focus on Israel. Burden, who chairs the Britain-Palestine All Party Parliamentary Group, described it as more than disappointing that the UK government decided to prioritise making a political point at the council over holding Israel accountable for breaches of human rights. {articleGUID} It can only add to the culture of impunity which characterises the government of Israels approach to its responsibilities under International law, he added. According to Parker, whose colleagues work on the ground with Palestinian children and their families, the UK government and others are choosing to react to the loudest voice at the expense of increased protections or justice and accountability for Palestinian children. Questioned about the UK vote in Geneva, the Foreign Office spokesperson insisted that government officials continue to raise children in detention and matters of accountability both bilaterally and multilaterally to hold Israel to account, such as in Israels Universal Periodic Review in January. Robust approach Clearly, however, such an approach isnt working. For parliamentarians such as Burden, a long-time campaigner on Palestinian rights, it is important that the international community puts in to practice mechanisms which can hold to account both Israel itself and institutions which are complicit in breaches of international law. The Labour MP added the establishment by the UN of a database of companies with commercial links to settlements illegally built in the occupied territories can be an important contribution to that, and he urged the UK government to drop its opposition to that initiative. Burden also said the European Union should insist that Israel abides by the principles of the human rights that underpin the EU-Israel Association Agreement. For now, the UK government shows no signs of going beyond the current combination of occasional public criticism and engagement. But among MPs, from across party lines, there is clearly an appetite for a more robust approach. A motion tabled in parliament last November condemning the widespread and systemic human rights violations suffered by Palestinian children in Israeli military custody gathered 141 signatures. Meanwhile, a separate motion tabled last month urged the government to exert meaningful and decisive political, diplomatic and economic pressure on the Israeli authorities to halt the demolition of Palestinian homes, a call to action that to date has attracted the support of more than 50 MPs. A year after US pullout, Iran says it may lift cap on uranium enrichment if remaining powers do not abide by deal. A year after US President Donald Trump announced his countrys pullout from the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran says it is no longer committed to parts of the agreement, signed with world powers. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday his country would resume high level enrichment of uranium if promises under the deal are not kept. Rouhani said the remaining signatories the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China and Russia had 60 days to implement their promises to protect Irans oil and banking sectors from US sanctions. Here is what we know: What is the Iran nuclear deal? The nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is an international agreement that exchanges Irans nuclear ambitions for international sanctions relief. On July 14, 2015, six countries and the European Union China, France, Russia, the UK, the United States and Germany agreed to lift sanctions imposed on Iran, giving it greater access to the global economy. In return, Iran agreed to take steps to curb its ability to make a nuclear bomb. Irans enrichment capacity, enrichment level and stockpile were limited for specific durations. Before the agreement, Iran had about 20,000 centrifuges; under the agreement, it can have no more than 6,104 older-model centrifuges at two inspected sites. The centrifuges are used to enrich uranium. Iran changed its Arak heavy-water reactor to so that it was no longer producing or reprocessing weapons-grade plutonium. Instead, the facility would host peaceful medical and industrial nuclear research. Iran agreed to halt uranium enrichment at its Fordow site and convert it into an isotopic research centre. It also agreed to allow inspections of key nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure compliance. Prior to the agreement, Iran was believed to be only two or three months away from being capable of making a nuclear bomb. But after the accord, it would have taken a year to make the weapon. There was still controversy around parts of the agreement. The restrictions on Irans centrifuges would be lifted after the eighth year, and 15 years onwards, restrictions on its uranium enrichment and stockpile size would expire. Some critics believe it would be possible for Iran to go back on the nuclear path around the mid-2020s. Iran also negotiated the eventual lifting of an embargo on the import and export of conventional arms and ballistic missiles, which also sparked criticism. Why did Trump pull out of the Iran deal? President Trump said Iran was violating the spirit of the deal, arguing that Iran was not an ally and that it was working against US interests in the Middle East. The Iranian regime supports terrorism and exports violence, bloodshed and chaos across the Middle East. That is why we must put an end to Irans continued aggression and nuclear ambitions. They have not lived up to the spirit of their agreement, he said in October 2017. The US president also doesnt want the restrictions set out in the deal such as the one on uranium enrichment and the use of centrifuges to have end dates. Trump did hold out the possibility of negotiating a new agreement with Iran. I have outlined two possible paths forward; either fix the deals disastrous flaws, or the United States will withdraw, Trump said in January. He proposed new restrictions on Irans ballistic missile programme, more intrusive inspections of its nuclear programme and removing time limits on uranium enrichment and centrifuge restrictions. What does pulling out of the Iran deal mean? The immediate effect of this decision is that the US may re-impose the sanctions it lifted on Iran. In a 10-page guidance document, the departments of treasury and state explained that sanctions enforcement would be completed over two wind-down periods. The first wind-down period will end on August 6, 2018, and the sanctions reinstated by that date would encompass the purchase of or subscription to Irans sovereign debt and activities that include Irans purchase of commercial aircraft and services, export of carpets and food to the US, trade in gold and precious metals. The second wind-down period ends on November 4, 2018, and it will bring sanctions on industries such as shipping, oil, petrochemicals, and the energy sector. The US will again pursue efforts to reduce Irans sale of crude oil. The US is the only country to have withdrawn from the agreement, Iran, China, France, Russia, the UK and Germany are still parties, and their continued compliance may mean that US sanctions would not have the desired effect. If the deal collapses, Iran may restart its nuclear programme. It has said it could restore its uranium-enriching capability quickly, but this could isolate it from Europe. Whats happening to Irans oil industry? Iran is the third-biggest exporter of crude oil within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq. During the last round of sanctions, Irans oil supplies fell by around one million barrels per day (bdp), but the country re-emerged as a major oil exporter after sanctions were lifted in January 2016. Since then, Iran has increased its production to 3.81 million bpd in March 2018, almost four percent of global output. Its crude exports averaged over two million bpd in January-March. When President Trump abandoned the deal, oil prices rose more than three percent on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Brent crude oil reached its highest point since November 2014 at $77.20 a barrel. The benchmark contract went up to $76.65, and US light crude was up by $1.70 a barrel, to $70.76. What do we really know about what happened in Abbottabad, and will the news media ever get the facts? Over the past few months, media focus on Cambridge Analytica, the political data firm hired by President Trump's 2016 election campaign team, has exposed the use of big data in politics. But the truth is that election campaign teams in both parties and at all levels of government have been using advanced data and analytics for years. In fact, it's had a transformational effect on nearly every facet of the political landscape. What Is Big Data? Big data is the term used to describe the large volume of data both structured and unstructured that exists in today's world. There are literally trillions of data points floating around in cyberspace, but it's not the amount of data that matters. What's really significant is how businesses, organizations, and in the context of this article, politicians use these data to make smarter and more strategic decisions. The concept of big data started to gain popularity in the early 2000s, when Doug Laney, chief data officer for Gartner, explained the term using three Vs: Volume. Companies and organizations gather data from a variety of sources including customer transactions, social media, and website analytics and systematically store and organize the data. Companies and organizations gather data from a variety of sources including customer transactions, social media, and website analytics and systematically store and organize the data. Velocity. Data come into companies at warp speed, and businesses must be prepared to handle the flow of data in real time. Data come into companies at warp speed, and businesses must be prepared to handle the flow of data in real time. Variety. Data exist not just in one format or file type. They come in a variety of formats, including structured (numerical data in organized databases) and unstructured (text documents, video, random financial transactions, etc.). "Big Data works on the principle that the more you know about anything or any situation, the more reliably you can gain new insights and make predictions about what will happen in the future," business intelligence expert Bernard Marr explains. "By comparing more data points, relationships begin to emerge that were previously hidden, and these relationships enable us to learn and make smarter decisions." The application points for big data are endless. Some of the most effective uses include improving health care, predicting and responding to natural disasters, and preventing crime. But over the past decade, politicians and their campaign teams have, arguably, extracted just as much value from big data as any other industry. How Big Data Is Reshaping the Political Landscape Nearly $1.5 billion was spent in online advertising by presidential candidates during the 2016 election cycle. Billions more were spent on TV commercials, radio spots, billboards, campaign signage, rallies, and events. In total, just under $10 billion was spent on advertising. Apart from the record-setting ad spend, one of the biggest difference-makers (when compared to past elections) was just how targeted the ads and media exposure were. If you were a 47-year-old, gun-owning father of four from Du Quoin, Illinois, you were seeing totally different content from what a 19-year-old college student studying liberal arts in Berkeley, California saw. Every adult American with an internet connection, TV, or a social life was a participant in the 2016 election. However, your experience was unique when compared to your neighbor, cousin, coworker, etc. Whether you realized it or not, politicians were using your personal data collected from thousands of online and offline touchpoints over the years to deliver curated news, sound bites, and content that would shape the way you thought (and perhaps voted). "The RNC and DNC have databases that have over 900 points of data on every member of the electorate," says Daniel Kreiss, a journalism professor at the University of North Carolina. "The core of that is that public data built around commercial marketing data about things like credit card purchases and grocery card purchases and magazine subscription lists." When combined with data about voter turnout and party affiliation, campaign teams have much more influence than most realize. While there's certainly a valid reason for individuals to be concerned about data collection efforts, is there really anything unethical about using available data to reach and influence voters? After all, campaigning is essentially a form of marketing. "Marketing is all about Data, and I mean that with a capital D," ZoomData's Niki Ilich writes. "Big data is utilized everywhere in marketing, at least it should be. The ability to receive real time analysis and visualization into how a campaign is performing is key to making it a success." Over the last two or three election cycles, real-time data have allowed candidates to focus their efforts, mobilize voters, and deliver messaging that resonates with those on the fringes. As Eitan Hersh, author of Hacking the Electorate, explains, "Campaigns can now do a lot more targeting based on individual-level characteristics or even neighborhood-level characteristics, as opposed to thinking generally about what the typical American or the typical constituent wants to hear. So a candidate now knows what her typical voter looks like, how old they are, what gender they are, where they live, where they shop, etc." Using Big Data for Good While some voters are shocked to learn that campaigns use personal information to make strategic decisions, they need to realize that marketers use the exact same information on a daily basis. Our lives are influenced by big data, for better or worse, and we don't particularly care. Yet when we learn that a politician is using our data, we recoil. Why is this, and what can be done to fix this perception? Ultimately, more transparency needs to be the goal. From the organizations collecting the data like social media platforms, credit card companies, and search engines to the groups using the data like Cambridge Analytica and political campaign teams more honesty about the presence of big data in decision-making would be welcome. It's also important that big data be used ethically. In order for this to happen, there will most likely need to be some changes to data privacy laws. Navigating these laws in light of constitutional rights and civil liberties will be challenging, but that's the next step. Love it or hate it, big data is here to stay. And if politicians want to get elected, they must learn to embrace it. Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese. These are the notorious names of New York's very own Mafia syndicates, etched into the mind of every true crime enthusiast. As the years went by, and one Giuliani RICO charge after another fell upon the John Gottis of the world, the Five Families and their influence have waned even while their legacy lives on in late-night Soprano reruns. Strangely enough, until very recently, few New Yorkers, save for Donald Trump in a forewarning tweet, could tell you the name of the far more powerful criminal family that terrorized our streets and wallets. What was the name of this sixth crime family, you may be wondering? Well, it was the crafty Schneiderman Outfit operating out of Pine Street. What was the Schneiderman Outfit? It was a $5-billion operation, whose extortion and racketeering sent many honest New Yorkers and their businesses into hiding down in Florida or North Carolina. Unlike the Gambino victims of old, the victims of the Schneiderman gang cannot be saved through a federal victim protection program based in Utah. They will be followed no matter where they flee (though you may want to consider a lovely central Asian goat farm in extradition-free Uzbekistan). In fact, the victims of this crime family have little to no legal recourse whatsoever. Their only option is to pay the kickback. How can this be, you may ask? Where is the justice system? Where is due process? Well, all those pesky tidbits of our Bill of Rights went straight out the door when our wily state legislators in Albany passed the extraordinary and far-reaching "Martin Act." If you haven't picked up on this by now, the Pine Street Schneiderman Boys are a tongue-in-cheek reference to the office of the recently disgraced former New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman. The accused sexual abuser, alcoholic, and hypocrite Schneiderman, the sort of man Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and many other prominent Democrats once heralded as "a fighter on behalf of women," originally became notorious not for running an actual crime family, but something very close to that: the use of targeted and politically motivated criminal investigations against numerous publicly traded New York businesses and their employees. The so-called Martin Act allowed "lightweight" Schneiderman to launch such investigations without ever having to prove intent, knowledge of wrongdoing, or even evidence of fraud. He simply, with a Thanos-like snap of his fingers, brought the full weight of the New York "injustice" system upon any business he or his office deemed to be "bad guys" (oh, the irony). No other piece of legislation in the 50 states, the federal government, or even in many modern Western democracies comes anywhere close to the level of power and discretion that New York's Martin Act granted to Eric Schneiderman. The Martin Act, and its continued abuse by the office of the attorney general (when its holder wasn't busy choking and beating his girlfriends), has directly led to the loss of an innumerable number of New York jobs and has consequently added an overbearing aura of unpredictability and volatility to the New York state economy. It is something that has not only driven away New York's own businesses, but also scared off many outside parties from investing in our state. To put this in perspective, the attorney general's office has collected an inordinate amount of funds, which, if it were a private corporation, would make it the size of Blackstone or Yahoo, and it would boast a number of attorneys equal to that of Sullivan & Cromwell. Thus, if you are a smaller or mid-sized business that can't afford to beef up its legal compliance department (if you even have one) to protect yourself, a challenge by the Martin Act will leave you with no choice but to settle the basis for the entire racket. Everyone, big or small, is ultimately forced into a settlement. This is something that affects all New Yorkers. The loss of job-creating companies and industries is hurting all our bottom lines. We will never be able to attract the sort of high-paying jobs we all seek if we allow our state to become the playground of politically motivated legal chicanery. New Yorkers should use Eric Schneiderman's recent fall from grace as an opportunity to rein in the office of the attorney general, an office that has been abused by many individuals of ill repute over the years, from Spitzer to Schneiderman. Repealing the Martin Act once and for all will finally bring back some sanity to the New York state justice system, protect our businesses, and prevent future abuse from sickos and real deplorables like Schneiderman. Schneiderman might be gone, but like the Mafia families of old, the organization remains. Gavin Wax is the former deputy political director for the Nicole Malliotakis Mayoral Campaign and the New York State director for the 2016 Ted Cruz presidential campaign. He is also small business-owner. His work has appeared in The Daily Caller, The Federalist, The Washington Examiner, The Hill, Townhall, The American Thinker, and Newsmax. You can follow him on Twitter at @GavinWax. Saviors of the Jewish people appear from time to time. Purim is a holiday celebrating the saving of Jews from annihilation in the Persian Empire. The villain Haman, the royal vizier, wanted to destroy all the Jews in the empire but was foiled by Queen Esther, aided by her cousin Mordechai, who refused to bow or show reverence to Haman. The two persuaded King Ahasuerus to save their Jewish people from genocide. The king was a savior: he granted Esther's petition, the Jews were saved, and the evil Haman was hanged. Some 2,500 years later, another powerful leader of a great nation was reluctant to become a savior of the same people in spite of the urging of his wife, Eleanor. In Jerusalem, the memorial Yad Vashem honors individuals, Righteous among the Nations. So far it includes more than 26,000 who risked their lives to save Jews from the Holocaust and can be regarded as saviors. Regrettably, U.S. president F.D. Roosevelt, in spite of his notable contributions to American life and public affairs, is not one of them. Since the appearance in 1984 of David Wyman's book, The Abandonment of the Jews: Americans and the Holocaust, 1941-4, with its argument that the U.S. State Department and the British Foreign Office had no intention of rescuing large numbers of Jews, controversy has raged over the unflattering portrait of Roosevelt as doing little or nothing to save Jews for fourteen months after learning of the murder of European Jews. The release of more documents on the fate of Jews during World War II, and the exhibition on the subject at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, sheds more light on the views and actions of Roosevelt. Most surprising is that he was concerned less with direct action to preserve the life of Jews than with the future. He was engaged with the issue of where displaced people, including Jews, should be settled after the war. In 1943, he wrote to Winston Churchill that the best way to settle the Jewish question was to disperse the Jews thin all over the world rather than keep them all in one place. To this end, Roosevelt set up on July 30, 1942 a secret project, the M (migration) project, outlining options for postwar migration of displaced Europeans. His partner was Henry Field, an anthropologist. The project was to study anticipated ethnological problems, because of racial mixtures, in postwar Europe. FDR's choice of personnel for this is questionable. His first choice to head the project was Ales Hrdlicka, an anthropologist at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, a believer in the superiority of the white race and proponent of the view that Japanese had less developed skulls and were innately warlike. Hrdlicka refused the position because he would not be given full control of the project. Roosevelt then appointed Isaiah Bowman, president of Johns Hopkins University, 1935-48, a professional geographer who helped found the American Geographical Society and served as an adviser to Woodrow Wilson as well as FDR. However, Bowman was also a manifest anti-Semite, who stated there were too many Jews at Hopkins; who limited and imposed a quota on the number of Jewish students at the university; and who fired from the faculty the young Jew Eric Goldman, later professor at Princeton and author of Rendezvous with Destiny. Goldman wrote of FDR as "restless and mercurial in his thinking ... he trusted no system except the system of endless experimentation." This is a moment when the honoring of past celebrated figures is being revaluated. Now that Robert E. Lee, John Calhoun, Woodrow Wilson, Roger B. Taney, Cecil Rhodes, and others have been dethroned, physically and literally, is FDR to suffer the same fate? Certainly his reputation is not enhanced by the new documents. Controversy for some time has raged over his actions and non-actions. When did FDR first know of the Holocaust? Why did he not order specific action to save Jews? The newly revealed documents show that FDR knew of the Nazi atrocities more than two years before the usually assumed date. Various indications were at hand. The CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow on December 13, 1942 broadcast that one should no longer speak simply of concentration camps; one must speak only of extermination camps. Testimonies by camp prisoners of the horrors were smuggled to the wartime Allies. British foreign minister Anthony Eden on December 17, 1942 told the House of Commons that Polish authorities were aware of mass executions of Jews and that this had been widely reported in the press. Eden remarked that the German authorities were carrying into effect Hitler's oft repeated intention to exterminate the Jewish people. FDR himself in a statement of October 7, 1942 said the government was receiving information concerning the barbaric crimes against civilian populations in occupied countries, particularly on the continent of Europe. However, FDR's main thrust was "win the war." That, he held, was the best way to stop the killings. The perpetrators of these crimes would answer before the courts of law after the war. What is absent is any mention or specific reference to Jews or to particular actions to stop the murders. Understandably, FDR had other priorities and was troubled by and hindered by various factors for example, interagency battles within the administration and the hostile swamp of the State Department in which Breckinridge Long, former ambassador and assistant secretary of state, played a major role in blocking visas for German Jewish refugees, and deliberately preventing information about mass murder of Jews from becoming known to Congress and the media. FDR acted in an atmosphere of considerable isolationism, exemplified by powerful figures like Charles Lindbergh, Henry Ford, Charles Coughlin, and the America First Committee. Public opinion polls by the American Institute of Public Opinion in November 1938 recorded that 71% agreed that the U.S. should not allow a larger number of Jewish exiles from Germany to enter the U.S. to live. In hindsight, it is evident that the U.S. media and Hollywood, when they did mention Nazi behavior, did not feature Jews as the main victims of persecution. Polls also showed that about 90% of the U.S. in May 1940 opposed U.S. intervention in World War II. Some individuals were conscious of the lack of action by FDR. In the light of present-day politics, one was Thomas D'Alesandro, Catholic son of Italian immigrants; mayor of Baltimore; and member of Congress, January 1939-May 1947, and father of Nancy Pelosi. Though he agreed with FDR on most issues, he opposed FDR's limit on Jewish refugees and supported the Bergson Group, headed by Hillel Kook (AKA Peter Bergson), the group that challenged FDR on the refugee issue and lobbied for action. Through its activities and the urging of Henry Morgenthau, secretary of the treasury and the only Jew in the Cabinet, FDR on January 22, 1944 issued an executive order for the creation of the War Refugee Board to rescue those who could be rescued perhaps 200,000. A remaining controversy is why FDR, once he was aware of the ongoing Holocaust, did not order the bombing of Auschwitz. It is revealed that U.S. planes did bomb the nearby I.G. Farben complex at Monowitz, and that between July and November 1944, 2,800 planes bombed oil factories, sometimes flying over Birkenau. Twice bombers struck less than five miles from the gas chambers. George McGovern, a young bomber pilot in some of the raids, said FDR, his political hero, had made two great mistakes: interning the Japanese-Americans and not bombing Auschwitz. The bombing would have saved Jews, and the actions would have been symbolically important. The verdict on FDR is still open. Now that all the evidence is public, perhaps we can anticipate a fervent debate on whether FDR Drive in New York City should be renamed. Three years ago, when the Supreme Court declared that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, one might reasonably have read into that ruling, Obergefell v. Hodges, a commitment to strict marital equality. Already, however, the Court is being asked to bless a special privilege, created under local law, for the beneficiaries of Obergefell: a right on the part of partners in homosexual unions to sue those who offend them. The case, currently pending, is Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, in which heavy fines have been assessed against a small bakery whose owner, a Christian, declined to furnish a wedding cake for the ceremony of two men. It illustrates pointedly the problems that arise when the ambiguous goal of nondiscrimination is elevated beyond its proper rank. The case illustrates more than that, however, for a little reflection on the Supreme Court's options serves to bring into focus a serious problem, little remarked thus far, with Obergefell itself. Suppose first that the justices decide to let the Colorado ruling and penalty stand. The unfortunate baker will have to pay his fines, if he can, or suffer the bankruptcy of his business. Fidelity to his religious conscience will have proved costly to him, indeed. We might pause a moment to consider the oddity of this. A legal duty to provide assistance to a religious ceremony, or to participate in one, might be easy enough to turn up in the pages of history. But in the United States today? In face of the prohibitions of the First Amendment? The baker's adversaries protest that he is illicitly injecting his religious scruples into an inappropriate setting into the non-religious exercise of their civil right to marry. They contend that a mere commercial transaction, the purchase of a cake, is at issue. They characterize the Colorado nondiscrimination statute as a neutral law of general application, valid against religious objections under certain Supreme Court precedents. They insist that the State of Colorado, having declared the baker's action a tort, is merely penalizing a wrongful infliction of emotional harm upon innocent persons. Presumably, the pertinent officials of the State of Colorado agree with all this. But the State cannot compel everyone to agree. The owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, for one, most emphatically disagrees. The State has therefore undertaken to educate him, quite forcefully, as to the perversity of his religious opinions and the unwarranted aggression inherent in his actions. The State of Colorado, that is to say, has taken up the position of a magisterial teaching authority. Colorado officials have not only adjudged an important element of Christian doctrine irrational, but begun to suppress that doctrine's public utterance or observance. It is hard to argue that religious liberty is being respected here. It is not hard at all to argue that Colorado has undertaken to establish an official and compulsory orthodoxy on the topic of human sexuality. Sexual morality and sexual behavior are core concerns of every society, and therefore of every religion. Can public officials, nonetheless, by fiat and in pursuit of conformity, strip these most sensitive subjects of the religious significance with which history has invested them? I, for one, will be surprised if the justices of the Supreme Court ignore the establishment clause and seek some way to fit what Colorado has done into the Court's doctrine of free exercise. Given the many tangles the Court has already embedded in those troublesome bodies of law, however, perhaps they will. On the other hand, suppose that the Court decides to strike down the Colorado ruling. In doing so, the justices would be recognizing that someone's alleged irrationality a label some of them have incautiously ascribed to certain opinions about homosexual behavior cannot suffice to silence him. The citizen who can prove that his opinions, across the board, are never less than fully and carefully reasoned, never tainted by prejudice or passion, is more than just rare; he is nonexistent. If the public square is to be cleansed of all irrationality, it will become a sparsely populated place. Surely, moreover, the authors of the First Amendment did not intend to exclude from its protection religious beliefs and exercises that some people, even a majority, perhaps, consider not only offensive, but absurd. So far, so good. The State of Colorado has perhaps simply overreached in the zeal of its officials for the new order of things, and the justices may well consider it their constitutional responsibility to correct the error. But if they do so, then they invite awkward questions about Obergefell itself, in which the Court invalidated the traditional legal and religious definition of marriage. There, after all, the justices allowed no weight or standing in American law to the opinions that moved majorities of voters in numerous states to maintain the longstanding idea of marriage as the union of male and female. So which is it to be? Is criticism of homosexuality, on religious or secular grounds, entitled to any public respect or accommodation? If the baker's civil rights are violated when he is penalized for expressing his opinion, what, then, about the civil rights of millions of citizens in numerous states? Why were their opinions, as citizens, as they endorsed and maintained a historical a law of marriage for their states, inadmissible? If the Court chooses to respect the baker's fear of sacrilege in Masterpiece Cakeshop, then the justices will need to explain how Masterpiece and Obergefell are consistent. In explaining that, they must do what they will not permit Colorado to do. They must act as a magisterial teaching authority, competent to assess the rationality of various elements of religious tradition and desacralize them where appropriate despite the free exercise clause. The justices will need to explain why, appearances to the contrary, they did not begin establishing, in 2015, an official American orthodoxy as to the vital and hotly contested topic the religious topic of sexual morality and behavior. No clairvoyance was needed three years ago to foresee, following Obergefell, Masterpiece Cakeshop and similar litigations. To the extent that these shoots off the main branch were predictable and to the extent that they twist the justices up in logical tangles might Obergefell itself be tainted by irrationality? Bad reasoning can surely find a lodging in the minds of millions. It can surely be found in any legislature. Alas, it is no stranger to the exalted chambers of the Supreme Court of the United States, either. Jumping too quickly to label an opinion with which we disagree irrational is itself a form of irrationality no less so than assuming too readily that our own opinions are unimpeachable. These difficulties point toward a confusion that, for decades now, has been making a mess of our constitutional jurisprudence of religion. That is the notion that a government of original and comprehensive jurisdiction, one that addresses the full range of human problems and concerns, can be religiously neutral. We speak of the separation of church and state, and it is a phrase that can have a rough usefulness in certain contexts. But when we push that phrase farther, understanding thereby a clean separation of religion and politics, at all levels and on all topics, we go seriously astray. Sexual morality and sexual behavior, in particular, have always been subjects of religious legislation. It was easy not to notice this, so long as almost everyone, devout or indifferent, simply took for granted the unique legitimacy of marriage, for example, or the condemnation of homosexuality and prostitution. Now that such once almost unconscious pieties are widely challenged, the old assumptions lose their power, and the old statutes begin to change. The changes do not guarantee that the new assumptions and the new statutes are rational, or void of religious significance. The State of Colorado's pose of neutrality among clashing interpretations of human sexuality cannot, to put it bluntly, pass the laugh test. The hostility now well embedded in Colorado's political culture may perhaps be a reflection of the reverse hostilities to be found there five decades ago. Hostility it is, quite palpably, nonetheless. In taking up a new and different sexual ethos, a new society is propounding a new interpretation of human nature. This is fundamental change. Expecting everyone to happily accept it is naive, as is predicting where it will lead. Will the Masterpiece Cakeshop case alert the Supreme Court to some of the complications inherent in its most daring initiatives? Might the justices decide to back off? Might they see the appeal of de-escalating today's cultural and religious struggles by letting them be sorted and filtered through the elective branches of fifty quite various local jurisdictions as the Constitution, not incidentally, prescribes? Or will they persist with the "My way or the highway!" approach, which has characterized too many of their twentieth- and twenty-first-century rulings? The end result of indoctrination in government schools and mass media that teaches "urban youths" that American society is racist, corrupt, unfair, and unworthy of compliance is the crumbling of civil order. When a substantial group of young males (the segment of society most prone to acting out with violence) think they have no stake in the continuation of existing social and property relations, they are able to impose anarchy in local areas. When enough people think and feel this way, the forces of order police, and in extremis the National Guard can be overwhelmed and powerless to stop the disorder. This nightmare scenario is developing step by step. The rise of social media enables the organization of what are now called "flash mobs" that can descend on targets and cause chaos. Sometimes, targets are chosen for the lucrative looting opportunities. That appears to be what happened last Saturday night on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, at the very heart of upscale shopping, dining, and residential life, the Water Tower Place, a multistory shopping mall at the base of a 74-story tower. Water Tower Place. (Photo credit: Tony the Tiger via Wikimedia Commons.) CWBChicago reports: At least four people were injured and two arrests were made after a large group of teenagers went wild near Chicago's historic Water Tower on Saturday evening, according to police and witnesses. Security at the Water Tower Place shopping mall reported the first sign of trouble around 8:20 p.m. Fifty teenagers were said to be involved in a fight near the mall entrance at 845 North Michigan Avenue. Police summoned an ambulance for an injured juvenile. As the shopping mall incident mellowed, sparks flew again less than a block away near the landmark historic Water Tower and Jane Byrne Plaza. "These guys are running amok, they knocked an old lady down by Ghiradelli [sic]," came one report. "They're attacking people now," another officer reported via radio. "All units down to Water Tower," ordered the police dispatcher. After the woman was reported injured, a male tourist was reportedly battered and shoved under a horse carriage. He declined medical attention. A Mag Mile resident told CWBChicago, "I went downstairs to warn security...and I saw police tackle and handcuff a teenage male." The witness estimated that "300 to 400" people were involved in the melee. That number was later echoed by police. Another fight, described by police as "massive" broke out shortly after 9 p.m. outside the Chicago Red Line station, 800 North State Street. CTA workers at the Chicago station dialed 911 and reported 20 to 30 teen males "jumping turnstiles and beating on the kiosk." Tactical units from the neighboring 1st (Central) Police District were brought in to assist with the mayhem. By 10 p.m., police and CTA transit officers reported that the most of the crowd, again estimated at 300 or 400 teens, had departed the downtown area via the Red Line. A member of the mob with the handle TacoBeans44 chronicled the Red Line fracas (via CWBChicago): TacoBeans44 told about their [sic] experience on the Red Line as the mob made its way out of downtown: It was insane, the conductor was shouting on the intercom at Grand saying get off the train, the cops have been called, this train will not move until you get off. Eventually, it began to move again and a couple kids ran to the end of the train with cops trailing behind. Before the train reached Lake, one of the teens jumped off the train and ran through the tunnel, not sure which direction but he fled on foot through the tunnel, cops did not chase him. The police did question the others, especially the younger one who was said he was 13, they asked where his parents were and he said the teen with him was his guardian and they were trying to get away from the police. They also asked what stop they were getting off at, the two of them said 47th. From Lake to Roosevelt, there had to be like 10 cops at each station, a few actually had their guns in their hands. In the middle cars, they were PACKED with teens and kids all wearing Red and Black. I saw this couple freaking out in one of the cars, I could not believe that this was happening. I would say maybe around 50 on the train, above ground and outside, I didn't see what was going on so I cannot confirm that there were 300-400 teens. One "youth" was charged with a felony, as WGN TV reported: Police said a 16-year-old boy was charged with felony aggravated battery after he splashed an "unknown liquid substance" on an officer's face. As the warm weather months lie ahead, there will be more opportunities for "youths" to act out their impulses. Meanwhile, Water Tower Place is dealing with its own issues regarding "youths" last month, issuing an abject apology for "racially profiling" a group of young African-American males who were behaving well. Ronan Farrow, a 30-year-old scion of Hollywood, has taken down two giant figures in American culture and politics: Harvey Weinstein ("God," according to Meryl Streep) and New York A.G. Eric Schneiderman (who threatened to criminalize Trump associates and possibly even Trump himself with state convictions that are beyond the presidential pardon powers). Along the way, Farrow has embarrassed feminists and the Democratic Party establishment, along with the media that knew and remained silent about both miscreants. He has also had a disproportionate impact on Democrat office-holders, while making the alleged boorishness of President Trump toward comely women seem trivial in comparison. All this, and a Pulitzer Prize, too, for a young man who, so far as anyone knows, is not a conservative. Ronan Farrow (cropped from a U.S. State Department photo). How on Earth could this happen, and what does it mean? Yaron Steinbuch of the New York Post offers some hints: Ronan Farrow whose exposes helped topple Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and New York AG Eric Schneiderman is thumbing his nose at NBC and other naysayers. NBC notoriously refused to go with the story about Weinstein when Farrow the network's employee brought it. But thanks to the New Yorker, it saw publication and ignited a firestorm that continues to burn. In return, NBC and MSNBC are now snubbing Farrow as he makes the rounds to publicize the Schneiderman story. Both NBC and MSNBC appear to have made a concerted effort to block Ronan Farrow from appearing on either network to talk about his bombshell report on New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's alleged abuse instead opting to interview his co-author, Jane Mayer. So personal animus toward the Comcast-owned broadcast outlets is part of what is motivating Farrow. But there was also a measure of desperation behind his Weinstein scoop: Farrow, who admitted that his career had been "on the rocks," said that even those close to him tried to discourage him from writing the piece. "My bosses saying, 'You have got to stop let it go.' My agent saying, 'It's causing too many speed bumps for your career, you have got to let it go,'" he said. "Even loved ones, saying, 'Is this really worth it?' Pointing out that I would risk my whole career for a story that might not even make a dent." Keep in mind that the abominable treatment of women by Weinstein and Schneiderman was common knowledge in elite media and political circles. But there were norms that prevented publicity about them. Both men were regarded as useful to the goals of progressives, and so if a few women get abused, well, that's the price progs are willing to pay. It is the oldest excuse for progs: they are seeking the perfection of humankind (because human nature is infinitely malleable), so any price is worth paying for that goal, especially when it is paid by other people. They created norms the unspoken rules of conduct that were supposed to prevent disruption of the bargain. When even loved ones counsel obedience to the norms, they are hard to resist. But some people are willing to endure the social sanctions that are applied to norm-busters. NBC is enforcing them against Farrow right now. Call me crazy, but I see a certain resemblance between Ronan Farrow and Donald Trump. Both were born to wealth and position, and both have blatantly violated the norms that attend to their respective power spheres. And both have for now triumphed. Once again, Israel has struck Iranian targets in Syria, as the government is warning of an imminent retaliatory attack by Iran. The Israelis carried out the strike on "depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in Kisweh," according to anti-government sources. The IDF said it detected "irregular activity" in the area and instructed authorities in the Golan Heights to prepare bomb shelters in anticipation of an Iranian response. Yahoo: Iran has vowed to retaliate to recent Israeli strikes in Syria targeting Iranian outposts in the country. They include an attack last month on Syria's T4 air base in Homs province that killed seven Iranian military personnel, for which Tehran has vowed to retaliate. On April 30, Israel was said to have struck government outposts in northern Syria, killing more than a dozen pro-government fighters, many of them Iranians. Israel's military, however, said Tuesday its forces were on high alert near its border with Syria after spotting Iranian activity and was urging civilians in the Golan Heights near Syria to prepare bomb shelters. Later, the Israeli military said in a statement it had called up some reservists but did not elaborate. The military directive Tuesday came "following the identification of irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria." It said defense systems have been deployed. The military said it is prepared for "various scenarios" and warned "any aggression against Israel will be met with a severe response." Israel has warned it will not tolerate Tehran establishing itself militarily on its doorstep in Syria. It should be noted that Israel does not call up its reservists on a whim. The government is very aware of the disruption to its citizens' lives being called up brings, and it could mean that the IDF strongly suspects some kind of Iranian-Syrian response. I think the Israeli attack coming an hour after Trump's speech withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal may not be coincidental. Trump scrapping the deal has certainly thrown Iran off balance, and the Israelis may have been looking to take advantage of that. But it wasn't the primary reason the Israelis struck. The "irregular activity" detected by Israel could mean that the Israelis believed that a missile attack from that location was imminent. What is Iran waiting for? Israeli strikes have destroyed bases, obliterated missiles, and killed a bunch of Iranians. But the mullahs may be preoccupied with their own problems, as editor Lifson points out here. Unrest is growing in Iran, and the last thing Tehran needs is another expensive, unpopular military adventure. Gotcha. Russian collusion. The news today says President Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, took a $500,000 payment from a Russian oligarch shortly after the 2016 election. Bango! Or so the headlines derived from the claims of porn "star" Stormy Daniels's attorney, Michael Avenatti, would have you think. So now we have it: Trump brought down by a porn star. It's tripe. Get a load of how it's being reported, by anti-Trump network CNN: The lawyer representing adult film star Stormy Daniels sought to ratchet up the pressure on Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen Tuesday, claiming that he has learned of numerous banking transactions that could call into question Cohen's business practices. "Michael Cohen should not be selling access to the President of the United States," attorney Michael Avenatti said on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" Tuesday night. In a memo posted online Tuesday afternoon, Avenatti alleged that Cohen received the following payments after the 2016 election: approximately half-a-million dollars from a company linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch with close ties to the Kremlin; nearly $400,000 from pharmaceutical giant Novartis; $150,000 from Korea Aerospace Industries and $200,000 from telecommunications conglomerate AT&T. So much for the earlier claims that Cohen was "barely" a lawyer because his only client was Donald Trump. Apparently, he had clients. This is why the new claims of the porn star's lawyer are so suspect, even though the media are buying into them. The media gets a lot of things wrong. What exactly was going on in the news with Vekselberg and Russian President Vladimir Putin when this supposed payment happened? The Russian oligarch reportedly was one of Vladimir Putin's best buddies, as all oligarch supposedly are. The pair of them were fighting. Putin was throwing Vekselberg's business executives into jail to press him to toe Putin's line, which the rebellious billionaire apparently didn't. Here's what Reuters was reporting back in September 2016, shortly before Trump was elected: MOSCOW (Reuters) Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday had a private meeting with Viktor Vekselberg, the billionaire tycoon whose lieutenants were earlier this month put in jail on charges of paying bribes to local government officials. The prosecutions of the two executives in Vekselbergs Renova group prompted speculation that the businessman himself could be targeted, suffering the same fate as other prominent tycoons who have fallen from grace under President Vladimir Putin. Vekselberg was apparently pleading with Putin, via Medvedev, to quit throwing his people in jail and to take the squeeze off him. So if there were to be any bribery at all in such a case, it would have gone Putin's way, not Trump's. Could a payment have been made to Cohen to press Trump to press Putin to quit squeezing the billionaire in some sort of lobbying deal? Oh, possibly. But that would not be collusion, and Vekselberg's case, would have made him a separate client from Trump. The paperwork would sort that out. What's clear here is that this wasn't collusion, and there is no gotcha in this supposed payoff, even if it's true. Trump in fact put Vekselberg under sanctions, which suggests no quid pro quo regarding the supposed payment Cohen got. Analysts in fact were puzzled by that move, given that they knew that Vekselberg and Putin were on the outs. The one thing you can conclude is that that $500,000 to Cohen wasn't a payoff to Trump because look what it got Vekselberg. Yet Vekselberg hates Putin and fights with Putin. He's not going to be the guy Putin asks to do his colluding with him, either. It all seems to be the kind of reporting of the same cloth as that seen in the kind of coverage Michael Cohen is getting. Look at how the New York Times reports this issue. Here's its headline: "How Michael Cohen, Trump's Fixer, Built a Shadowy Business Empire." Shadowy? The Times uses "shadowy" as its argument because some of Cohen's law offices were located in parts of New York City that aren't as nice as Fifth Avenue. I got news for these reporters: virtually all of New York City looks like that. The shadowy, the crummy, the bridge-and-tunnel places the NYT described...are simply New Yorky. It's what's on offer if you want to rent office space in New York. Apparently, you must rent only on Park Avenue to avoid the designation of "shadowy." Just as bad, the Times points to Cohen's Russian and Ukrainian ties, which preceded his relationship with Trump, as more proof of shadowiness. Apparently, you aren't allowed to do business with Russians even if you speak the language and your family is from there, which would make such transactions pretty ordinary. Nope, you're 'shadowy.' Color me unimpressed. It all goes to show that the current claims on Michael Cohen by the crazed left-wing lawyer of an utterly disreputable pornographic actress are to be taken with a grain of salt. This guy and his revolting client are out to Get Trump, the press is with them, and the truth is not a part of their strategy. That the media go along with him and play to his twisted version of events is disgusting. I can almost hear the disapproving "shush!" coming my way. Nobody wants to openly discuss what clearly lies ahead as President Trump's strategy for dealing with Iran: a revolution overthrowing the mullahs. Identifying a revolution as a tool of American policy would generate nationalistic opposition and perhaps reinforce the mullahs so the thinking goes. Yet in his address to the world yesterday, President Trump alluded to the subject: Finally, I want to deliver a message to the long-suffering people of Iran: The people of America stand with you. It has now been almost 40 years since this dictatorship seized power and took a proud nation hostage. Most of Iran's 80 million citizens have sadly never known an Iran that prospered in peace with its neighbors and commanded the admiration of the world. But the future of Iran belongs to its people. They are the rightful heirs to a rich culture and an ancient land. And they deserve a nation that does justice to their dreams, honor to their history, and glory to God. Iran's leaders will naturally say that they refuse to negotiate a new deal; they refuse. And that's fine. I'd probably say the same thing if I was in their position. But the fact is they are going to want to make a new and lasting deal, one that benefits all of Iran and the Iranian people. When they do, I am ready, willing, and able. Great things can happen for Iran, and great things can happen for the peace and stability that we all want in the Middle East. There has been enough suffering, death, and destruction. Let it end now. One of the most shameful acts of President Obama's term in office was his stiff arm toward the Green Revolution that sought to topple the mullahs in 2009. Anti-regime demonstration in Tehran, 6/15/09. Instead, he pushed the Iran deal and ignored (which encouraged) Iranian provocations, including: ... the crackdown on the protesters, the kidnapping of Americans, having their missile boats provocatively approach American destroyers, trying to assassinate him and his Saudi counterpart in downtown Washington, the failure to follow through on a red line Obama imposed on Syrian dictator Bashar Assad using chemical weapons and Iranian-backed Hezbollah smuggling massive amounts of cocaine into the US. The mullahs are deeply unpopular with the Iranian populace, and there have been anti-government demonstrations all over Iran. The committed Islamists who staff the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), and who benefit from corruption, kept the demonstrators in check in 2009 and are the key to the regime's survival now. Yet these loyalists are also needed to staff Iran's adventurism in Syria and Lebanon, which may offer leverage. Tie down as many of these troops as possible outside Iran, and the ability to repress a revolution at home diminishes. The ability of Israel's Mossad to smuggle out a huge amount of top-secret nuclear plans from a vault surely must be having an enormous impact on the perceptions of the Iranian citizenry toward the effectiveness of the mullahs' regime. They don't look like the "strong horse" these days. Of course, I have no sources on the ground in Iran telling me that a revolution is imminent. But I strongly suspect that one is on the way, timing subject to events and the strategies of the United States, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, all of whom have a strong interest in seeing the mullahs meet the Twelfth Imam as soon as possible, wherever he is located in another realm. Kim Jong-un stays in power only through repression and may well realize that the status quo for his regime has a sell-by date, thanks to the amazing economic rise of South Korea (now visible to his subjects via smuggled-in video players) and his neighbor, China, visible right across the Yalu River. If China is counseling him to follow its own path toward economic liberalization and continued political repression, he may decide that change is preferable to a dead end for his rule. A revolution in Iran might help him choose the course of reform. Not only is the rescue of three hostages from captivity in North Korea an excellent sign for the coming meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong-un over ending the nuclear program of the rogue state, but it is a diplomatic triumph for the president coming on the heels of his historic decision to junk the JCPOA deal with Iran. President Trump tweeted minutes ago: I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Secretary Pompeo and his guests will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 The meeting at Joint Base Andrews (the president used the old name for it) will be as dramatic as one can imagine, with joyous hostages profusely thanking the president for rescuing them (implicitly rebuking President Obama). It is a made for TV moment, absolutely irresistible for the morning television news-talk shows. Never forget that President Trump was the most successful reality television producer in the history of the medium. One other thing to never forget is that the North Koreans feel no moral force impelling them toward honorable behavior. This could be misdirection, or a softening up, or a trick of some sort. But it comes shortly after the Chinese again called Kim Jong-un to China to work on him for the forthcoming meeting with Trump. They might be equally tricky, planning some disaster for Trump an America, but they also have a strong interest in preventing Japan from acquiring nuclear weapons a guaranteed outcome of prospects for North Korean success at building a nuclear arsenal, not to mention the acquisition of nukes by Taiwan, which they clearly plan on taking over at some point. All the smarty-pants, veteran diplomats, journalists, and "experts" who warned against Trump's North Korea initiatives now look even stupider. OK, President Trump wasn't on the ballot yesterday anywhere, but the GOP primary contests in Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia produced the results most conducive to the GOP picking up Senate seats in those states. The greatest amount of attention went to West Virginia, where former coal mine owner and ex-con (for "conspiring to violate mine safety laws" a questionable conviction), was believed to be a sure loser to incumbent Senator Joe Manchin in the November election. The polls trumpeted a surge for Blankenship, and even Don Surber, my guru for all things West Virginia, expected Blankenship to win. Instead, he came in a distant third. It seems that West Virginians listened to President Trump's plea to not elect a sure loser. So much for the theory that Trump has no coattails. Patrick Morrisey, the state's A.G., can expect a lot of support from Trump in the coming months, which could help him take away a Democrat Senate seat. The winner in the Indiana GOP primary must pick up the pieces from a bitter three-way primary campaign that featured negative advertising. The convincing winner was former state rep. Mike Braun. Fox News: Braun spent millions on ads arguing he's an outsider, but his primary rivals attacked him over voting records indicating he voted in Democratic primaries until 2012. Braun has responded by saying he is a conservative Republican, but he voted in past Democratic primaries to have a say in local races dominated by Democrats. His rivals have asked who [sic] he voted for in the 2008 Democratic primary race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, but Braun claims he voted for neither. Braun was elected to the Indiana State House as a Republican in 2014. Given that the Trump coalition includes many former Democrat voters, I am not convinced that the negative ads directed at Braun for being a former Democrat are a serious obstacle in the general election. Meanwhile, in the most populous of the three states, Ohio, the winner was Congressman James Renacci, who has represented the 16th Congressional District since 2010. His district includes suburban and exurban Cleveland and Akron areas as well some pure rural area. This is a reasonable cross-section of the Ohio electorate. For reasons that are incomprehensible to me, Democrat incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown polls as fairly popular in Ohio, despite his hard left positions on many issues. The auguries, so far, are as favorable as they could be the morning after the three primaries. The AKITA Smart Home Station is a network monitoring product that aims to protect smart home devices from attackers and malware. HighIoT, a manufacturer behind this product, highlighted the fact that there has been a substantial increase in attacks on smart home devices in recent months and the privacy and security of users are affected once smart home devices are compromised by attackers. The AKITA Smart Home Station, the tech firm claims, has been developed to address the security issue of smart home devices, and it is capable of protecting a wide range of products including smart TVs, smart cameras, smoke detectors, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In order to secure smart home devices from attacks, the AKITA Smart Home Station utilizes the Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) security method. This method analyzes the network traffic to ensure that smart devices only connect to the appropriate IP addresses or servers, and it can automatically detect changes in the flow of the network traffic. Unlike the Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) method that is utilized by other competing systems, the IPS method that the smart home station uses does not scan the data traveling on the network. This further ensures that the privacy of the homeowners is protected, the product designers emphasized. In order to better protect the homeowner, the device developers also noted that the smart home station takes advantage of custom machine learning algorithms that learn the habits and security needs of the homeowner. The tech firm also noted that users can track network activity, check data speeds, and identify devices on the network through the AKITA app, which could be downloaded from the Google Play Store. For consumers who are interested in the AKITA Smart Home Station, the tech firm is still offering one unit of the device for $99 on Indiegogo, while two units of the product can be purchased for $179. Consumers also have the option to pay for a subscription plan which allows users to get help from experts from Axius. The tech firm estimates that the optional subscription plan could cost between $15 and $29. HighIoT noted on the Indiegogo page for the device that the units are expected to start shipping by June 2018. If youve been thinking of getting a new power bank, well, you can now get a discount on one of RAVPowers Quick Charge 3.0 power banks on Amazon. RAVPowers 10,000mAh power bank is usually priced at $29.99 on Amazon, which is its current price, but if you utilize the provided coupon code, youll be able to grab this gadget for only $23.99, thats a 20-percent discount were looking at. Do keep in mind that this deal is valid until May 31, so make sure to purchase it before then if youre interested. Having said that, this power bank comes in black and white colors, and it offers Qualcomms Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging, if your device supports it, of course. This gadget supports Quick Charge 3.0 input and output, which means that you will no only be able to quickly recharge compatible devices, but also quickly recharge this power bank as well, which is important considering this is a 10,000mAh battery were talking about. This power bank is compatible with a wide array of smartphones out there, a phone does not have to be Quick Charge 3.0-compatible in order to be plugged into this power bank, as the power bank will simply charge it by releasing lower current if its not. This power bank is only 16mm thick, which may not seem thin for a smartphone, but it sure is for a power bank with such battery capacity. RAVPower says that it will take you 3.5-4 hours to recharge this power bank, while it would take well over 5 hours with regular 2A / 2.4A charging. There are four LED indicators included on this gadget which will show you the charging status, and how much battery charge is left in the power bank. RAVPowers power bank also comes with protection for overcharging, over discharging, overheating, and voltage surge. If youre interested in purchasing this power bank, a purchase link is included down below, along with a necessary coupon code. Advertisement Buy the RAVPower 10,000mAh power bank COUPON CODE: PB077FAH END DATE: May 31, 11:59PM PST Fitbit says that its devices dont support the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus, a confirmation that it made on Twitter in response to a user asking about the app crashing when trying to open it up and start a run. The response came from Fitbit Support, and although it does note that Samsungs two newest flagship smartphones arent compatible with its wearables yet there is a silver lining to it all support should be coming. According to Fitbit support the devices arent supported just yet but the team is actively working to bring support to the two phones, theres just no time frame at the moment, and technically no guarantee that supported will be added, but it would be strange for one of the biggest wearable companies to forego ensuring support on what will probably be two of 2018s biggest phones. Fitbit says that as of right now the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus havent been fully tested so there may be issues with linking either phone to a Fitbit watch or tracker. Both phones meet Fitbits syncing requirements, so users should be able to connect a Fitbit device to either the Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9 Plus though its possible that they may encounter trouble syncing things immediately and may have to make a few attempts, and even then theres still a possibility that may experience crashes with the companion app like the user who reported the problem to Fitbit in the first place. In short, theres no guarantee that the Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9 Plus will sync to a Fitbit wearable without any trouble and if they do then there may still be other problems that come up. For the time being Fitbit recommends that users keep an eye on the support page that lists devices which actually do have full support, as this will end up displaying when the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus have been added, as Fitbit is working to get support for them out as quickly as it can. Samsung is reportedly preparing to announce four new Galaxy J-series smartphones later this month, with the South Korean tech giant primarily aiming its upcoming Android offerings at India. The new Galaxy J (2018) lineup is said to consist of several Infinity Display-equipped devices and mark yet another milestone for the companys elongated mobile screens; following the debut of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus flagships in early 2017, Samsung brought the 18.5:9 aspect ratio to the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8 Plus late last year, with the unique modules now also being set to trickle down to the firms entry-level products. The four models meant to be launched in the South Asian country will all reportedly be advertised as yet another result of the Make in India initiative that New Delhi has been promoting for years now as part of its efforts to boost the local economy and decrease its reliance on imports, particularly in the consumer electronics segment. While the devices are now expected to be assembled in the country, Samsung is still likely to import the majority of their components from its factories in Vietnam and other Far Eastern countries. The Galaxy J6 (2018) may also end up shipping with a physical Bixby button, according to previous leaks, with the rest of the lineup also being said to include the Galaxy J4. Samsung commercialized the Galaxy J7 Duo in India last month, having released it at the equivalent of $250, with the company now being adamant to provide local consumers with even more budget-conscious options in order to fight off the growing threat represented by Xiaomi. The Seoul-based tech giant already decided on its new strategy last year and is expected to release at least half a dozen other value-oriented models in India over the second half of the year. While heavily challenged in the local entry-level and mid-range segments, Samsung is still the most dominant flagship phone brand in India, according to numerous industry trackers. The companys next high-end offering will debut in late summer in the form of the Android-powered Galaxy Note 9, as per recent reports. HMD Global will soon be launching an upgraded variant of its mid-range Nokia 6.1 smartphone in the Indian market. The variant will include 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory, against 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory available in the current variant. The company has partnered with Amazon India to exclusively retail the smartphone via its online platform and a page dedicated to the phone is already live on Amazon.in. The listing mentions that the handset will be available for purchase starting May 13 along with a bunch of launch offers from local partners. The 4GB RAM variant of the Nokia 6.1 will be launched in a new Blue Gold color option, while the 3GB RAM variant will continue to be available in Black color only. Nokia Indias website also has the phone listed from where it can be pre-ordered right away. Even though Amazon India hasnt revealed the pricing details of the phone in its listing, Nokias website states it to be Rs. 18,999 ($282) with the shipments starting May 14. In comparison, the 3GB RAM variant of the Nokia 6.1 was launched in the country at Rs. 16,999 ($252). Launch offers for the Android One-powered smartphone include Rs. 2,000 as cashback for Airtel 4G users, complimentary access to Airtel TV until the end of 2018, 12-month insurance coverage for accidental damage, a 25-percent discount on bookings made on MakeMyTrip, and no-cost EMI for up to 12 months. Most of the other specifications of the new variant will remain to be the same as the currently available Nokia 6.1 variant in the country. After its international debut, the Nokia 6 (2018) was launched in the South Asian country last month alongside the mid-range Nokia 7 Plus and high-end Nokia 8 Sirocco. It features a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display in the conventional 16:9 aspect ratio with a full HD resolution. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor powers the device along with an Adreno 508 GPU while a battery of 3,000mAh capacity is also included in the package. Launched as part of Googles Android One program, the Nokia 6.1 comes preloaded with the latest Android 8.1 Oreo with HMDs commitment to roll out newer firmware and security updates soon after their release. A rear-placed 16-megapixel camera with Zeiss optics and a front-facing 8-megapixel camera come included with the device along with Nokias proprietary OZO Audio technology. Advertisement Nokia 6.1 Pre-Orders A list detailing all alleged specs of the Snapdragon 710 and Snapdragon 730 leaked online earlier this week, indicating Qualcomms new upper mid-range chip lineup will debut a number of industry firsts. The supposed details of the two silicon modules are in line with what Qualcomm said at this years Mobile World Congress when it suggested the Snapdragon 700 series is meant to bridge the gap between the Snapdragon 600 mid-rangers and the Snapdragon 800 family of flagship chips. One of the biggest takeaways from the new leak is that the Snapdragon 730 will supposedly be manufactured on Samsungs 8nm Low-Power Plus (LPP) process node which the South Korean tech giant finalized in October. Compared to the previously commercialized 10nm LPP solution, the 8nm one enables up to ten-percent lower power consumption and can accommodate more transistors over any given surface area. The Snapdragon 730 will be the more powerful of the two rumored chips, sporting an octa-core processor with a hexa-core Kryo 4xx cluster running at 1.8GHz and featuring 128KB L2 cache, as well as another dual-core configuration utilizing the same cores clocked at 2.3GHz and boasting twice as much L2 cache. The Snapdragon 710 is said to be built on Samsungs 10nm LPE process node but will share many characteristics with its more powerful counterpart, including the Adreno 615 GPU running at a maximum of 750MHz which will support HDR10-enabled QHD displays. Its also said to have a similar processor configuration numbering eight cores in total, albeit clocked at lower speeds and using weaker modules; the two high-performance Kryo3xxx cores of the Snapdragon 710 are said to be running at up to 2.2GHz and feature 256KB of L2 cache, whereas the remaining six ones peak at 1.7GHz and offer half of that memory volume. Advertisement Both chips will support LPDDR4x RAM with speeds of up to 1,866Mhz, 32-megapixel cameras, and capturing images from up to three sensors simultaneously due to the inclusion of the Spectra 250 ISP. UFS 2.1 compatibility and support for older storage standards is also part of the package, together with Bluetooth 5.0. The Snapdragon 710 is said to have a Hexagon Vector eXtensions (HVX) for machine learning, whereas the Snapdragon 730 will supposedly match it on that front but also ship with a dedicated neural processing unit for artificial intelligence applications, as per the same source. Qualcomms Snapdragon 700 series is expected to start appearing in commercial Android smartphones in the second half of the year. Verizon has certified Sonys Xperia XZ2 Compact Android flagship, having confirmed Sonys recently released offering works on its wireless network. American consumers who are Verizon customers or are planning on becoming ones and are interested in buying the unlocked variant of the worlds most powerful smartphone with a 5-inch screen can hence use it with the companys mobile service through its Bring Your Own Device program. Best Buy is selling compatible Xperia XZ2 Compact units, Verizon said, though the telecom giant isnt offering the handset directly. The fact that Sonys small Android flagship now received Verizons certification should also guarantee the phone will support VoLTE on the companys network and generally have no issues with connecting to any infrastructure from the largest mobile service provider in the United States. Originally announced at this years Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the main selling point of the Xperia XZ2 Compact is its small form factor thats essentially non-existent in the flagship segment of the smartphone market, not counting Sony-made products. With Qualcomms latest Snapdragon 845 chip and 4GB of RAM, the Xperia XZ2 Compact boasts the same hardware power Samsungs Galaxy S9 has on paper but is catering to consumers who dislike phablets. While the U.S. variants of Sonys Android phones came with disabled fingerprint readers for years due to patent issues, both the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact ship with working sensors. Sonys mobile business has been shrinking in recent years but its ultra-premium offerings are stilly enjoying extremely positive reviews from both critics and consumers alike and the tech giant repeatedly stated it will continue making smartphones moving forward. The Xperia XZ2 Compacts flagship specs also include its camera, a 19-megapixel affair with support for 960fps slow-motion videos which it can capture at 1080p, thus surpassing even Samsungs latest offerings which cap such footage at a 720p resolution. Digital company Urban Airship arrived to the latest iteration of the annual Google I/O developer conference to announce a new ticketing and boarding pass system for Google Pay, touting its solution as being extremely straightforward and simple to use. The technology is being offered to businesses interested in supporting such convenient purchase platforms, according to the Portland, Oregon-based company. The newly announced solution replaces physical tickets and emailed boarding passes with digital mobile certificates which offer real-time updates and come with dedicated support channels. Anything from altered gate numbers to more general flight detail changes are relayed to ones mobile device via notifications, with businesses themselves having the ability to create highly personalized mobile tickets. Urban Airships API can communicate with flight reservation and information systems directly, with that real-time feature being one of its main selling points and Googles technology allowing it to utilize the service on a large scale. The new service is also a direct boost to the overall competitiveness of Google Pay thats presently aiming for the title of the worlds most popular mobile payments tool. The Las Vegas Monorail recently embraced Google Pay as well, with the Alphabet-owned companys mobile tool recently surpassing a hundred million installs on the Google Play Store as well. Originally launched in late February, Google Pay is effectively a unified version of Android Pay and Google Wallet introduced in an attempt to streamline the firms mobile payment portfolio. The platform is also available in the form of a web app as of early March, with Google now promoting it as one of its main Android offerings. While the company has been implementing artificial intelligence solutions into a broad range of its apps in recent times, Google Pay is still relatively free of such software, though possibly not for long. This years Google I/O remains is running for three days, from today through Thursday, May 10. Xiaomi took to its official Twitter account to announce that it would finally be bringing its devices to France and Italy. The company didnt provide many details about the launch itself, which was confirmed shortly after it filed for an IPO in Hong Kong. Instead, it opted to share the information alongside a slogan saying: New Player, New Attitude. The dates of the official launch are know as well; May 22 for France and May 24 for Italy. Of course, that means theres currently no way to know for sure which of its Mi-branded devices can be expected in the two European countries later this spring. Likewise, its still unclear whether Xiaomi managed to strike any carrier partnerships, though its new EU push will most likely see it launch online storefronts in France and Italy. Although Mi handsets can already be unofficially bought online in the Italian market, the handset maker doesnt have any such presence in the former country. Whats more, previous launches in Europe have utilized carriers associated with the mobile provider Three, which has no operations in France either. So it isnt clear how that launch is going to work and, pending further announcements from Xiaomi, is probably better not to speculate. More details will undoubtedly follow from Xiaomi in the coming days. In the meantime, Xiaomi has announced a number of devices over the past couple of months and, given its popularity, any of those could be a fit for its next European markets. For users more accustomed to high-powered devices that perform, the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S may be on the cards. At the other end of the spectrum, the OEM also makes several Android One devices for users looking for something budget-friendly but capable. With the Mi 6X being introduced in China several days back, its Android One counterpart for the international market shouldnt be too far away either, advertised as the Mi A2. ZTE is ceasing the majority of its operations over the crippling trade ban it was hit with last month, the company said in a Wednesday filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The Shenzhen-based original equipment manufacturer is presently only adhering to its commercial obligations subject to compliance with laws and regulations, whereas its research and development activities have been halted. The majority of the companys online storefronts in China arent selling its products any longer and manufacturing operations are also understood to have been ceased over the same ban. Last month, the United States Department of Commerce hit the firm with a seven-year ban on purchasing any kind of American hardware or software, with the move already effectively halting its ambitions in the higher-end segment of the smartphone market where ZTE exclusively relied on chips from San Diego-based Qualcomm. The sanction was a response to ZTEs violation of a 2017 settlement with the federal government which saw it agree to an $892 million fine over a conspiracy to violate U.S. trade sanctions imposed on Iran. Besides the financial penalty, ZTE also laid off four employees and agreed to discipline 35 others but failed to do the latter. While the reasons for its failure to fully comply with the agreement remain unclear, ZTE is arguing the development wasnt intentional and was self-reported to the U.S. government as soon as it was identified, claiming the American tech purchase ban is hence too harsh of a punishment for the ordeal which it was so far handling in a transparent manner. The Commerce Department also accused ZTE of repeatedly making false statements as part of their correspondence in the run-up to the newly issued penalty. ZTE filed to have the sanction suspended until its appeal is heard, with the federal agency being expected to rule on the matter in the coming weeks. U.S. officials remain adamant the row with the Chinese company isnt related to the growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade, a notion that ZTE previously alluded to. ZTE is a publicly traded firm whose majority stake is owned by the Peoples Republic of China and has recently been targeted by two congressional bills seeking a complete ban on any federal purchases of its equipment due to national security concerns, with the same legislation also being aimed against Huawei. Even if the ban preventing ZTE from accessing components crucial to its business stands, the company is unlikely to go under in the near term, with its latest statement on the matter indicating it still has access to sufficient cash. ZTE largely halted its Android smartphone sales in China following the beginning of yet another dispute with the United States, with its online storefront at Tmall now only redirecting visitors to an image of rowers with a caption that translates to Youth is a time for fighting. The companys own website is nearly out of stock, whereas its JD.com outlet remains the only one that still appears to be selling its mobile devices in China unrestricted. The development is in line with initial predictions about the outcome of the latest U.S. sanction imposed on ZTE last month, with many industry analysts claiming the company has effectively no hope of keeping the majority of its smartphone unit operational in the near term without being able to purchase Snapdragon chips from San Diego-based Qualcomm. The U.S. Commerce Department banned ZTE from buying and licensing any kind of American technologies over the next seven years, citing violations of their 2017 settlement that saw the firm plead guilty to a conspiracy to violate trade sanctions imposed on Iran. The development saw ZTE pay an $892 million fine, fire four officials, and agree to discipline 35 others, yet the firm failed in fulfilling that final part of the agreement. ZTE called the latest sanction unacceptable and unfair, suggesting its failure to fully comply with the settlement deal wasnt an intentional act of defiance and was self-reported to Washington so it should have warranted a smaller punishment. The firm also alleged the move is related to the growing tensions between China and the U.S. over trade, a notion that American officials denied. The Shenzhen-based company filed for a reprieve of the sanctions last week until its appeal is heard in an official capacity, with the Commerce Department being expected to respond to its request in the coming weeks. For the time being, ZTE is only able to continue manufacturing entry-level and mid-range phones with chips from Taiwanese MediaTek and is also facing the risk of being unable to continue licensing Googles Android operating system once its existing agreement with the Alphabet-owned company runs out, which would effectively cripple the entirety of its mobile unit. BarcelonaA judge in the Catalan city of Badalona refused to proceed with a wedding ceremony unless the brideg removed from her jacket a badge calling for the release of political prisoners. Nora, the woman in question, appeared this Tuesday on El Mati de Catalunya Radio, following a report in yesterdays El Mundo newspaper. Nora was critical of the judge for making such a demand a condition for the wedding to go ahead. "As soon as I sat down with the witnesses, the judge announced that the service was for everyone and that it had to be neutral. So I told him that if he provided the service to everyone, then that included me too", she declared. According to the bride, the judge gave her "no choice", despite the fact that she and the groom both noticed that "there was also a portrait of the Bourbon [King Felipe] on the wall", and that "we hadnt made a fuss". According to the woman, the judge argued his case by stating that if the badge had belonged to an organisation with an opposing view, "such as the PP or Vox", he would also have asked her to remove it. Apparently, her claim that the badge did not represent a specific political party, but was instead an expression of freedom, failed to make the judge change his mind. Nora declared that, eventually, having argued with the judge for a while, she decided to remove the jacket bearing the badge in order that the ceremony could go ahead. The couple has already contacted legal teams in order to file a complaint. 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 Study Finds Netflix And Chill Might Be Cutting Into Your Bedroom Time Trending News: Is Netflix And Chill Killing Your Sex Life? Long Story Short Put down the remote right now! Long Story Ah, Netflix and chill; the sneaky way to invite someone over to hook up (that fools no one). The thing is, all that Netflix and chilling might be having the opposite effect. New research out of Lancaster University in the U.K. indicates that the peak time to use the internet is between 10 and 11 p.m, according to The Daily Mail. Since streaming accounts for a ton of internet traffic, it's presumed that the peak internet time is spent watching Adam Sandler movies and Stranger Things. For TV, it's between 9 and 10 p.m. If we're trying to get a solid 8 hours for a 7 a.m. wake up then we'd be going to bed at 11 p.m., right? So if we're watching Netflix during that time then when's there time for sexy time? Admittedly, this is a bit of a stretch people could still be having sex after Netflix and getting less sleep. But there have been signs people are having less sex. A recent study found that one in eight 26-year-olds are virgins. Plus, Netflix is so f*cking good these days, who's going to break away to the bedroom when you're so into the show? If Netlix is getting in the way of your sex life, don't worry there's a way to fix it. Here are 10 ways to have better sex tonight. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question Can you really afford to miss half of a Wild Wild Country episode to hook up? Drop This Fact Almost half of Netflix watchers Netflix cheat on their partners. Dana White: Nate Diaz Vs. Georges St-Pierre Is In The Works For UFC 227 Trending News: The UFC Is Plotting A HUGE Blockbuster Bout For UFC 227 Long Story Short Yes, please! Long Story The last we saw of loudmouth Nate Diaz in the Octagon, he was going toe-to-toe with Conor McGregor in back-to-back wars that were some of the most exciting fights in UFC history. The last we saw of French-Canadian Georges St-Pierre, he was submitting Michael Bisping to win the middleweight title but you wouldn't be wrong in presuming the two wouldn't be seen in the Octagon again. For GSP, medical complications forced him to relinquish the title and Diaz hasn't ever won a UFC title, so why bring them back? Because it'd be f*cking awesome, that's why! Speaking on the UFC Unfiltered podcast, CEO Dana White revealed his "perfect world" fight card for UFC 227. In it, we'd see a co-main card of the bantamweight title fight between T.J. Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt and GSP vs. Diaz. Then, it'd be the light heavyweight fight between Luke Rockhold and Alexander Gustafsson and a middleweight bout between Derek Brunson and Antonio Carlos Junior. Here's what White said via MMA Junkie: It is true, and (St-Pierre and Diaz) would fight at 155 pounds, White told hosts Matt Serra and Jim Norton. There are rumors that we were doing Gustafsson versus Rockhold. That is true, but that is not for the interim title. Thats false. It might be L.A. Im targeting L.A. In my perfect world, if everything goes perfect, which nothing goes (expletive) perfect in this world: (T.J.) Dillashaw versus (Cody) Garbrandt, GSP versus Diaz would be the co-main, Gustafsson versus Rockhold, and Derek Brunson versus Antonio Carlos Junior. Would this be awesome? F*ck yes! Is it reasonable? I have my doubts. GSP's excuse for giving up the title after beating Bisping was pretty damn serious. He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a condition that can cause abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Diaz' return is less surprising, but it seems like a tall task for GSP. At this point, no bout agreement has been signed yet, according to TSN. With the McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight off (for now), the UFC could use a summer blockbuster. If GSP is good to go, then what better place than Los Angeles to get a huge show done? UFC 227 will go down on August 4. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question Is GSP healthy enough to fight? Drop This Fact Diaz ranks second in UFC history for number of victories by submission. Elon Musk Is Reportedly Dating DJ Grimes Trending News: Meet The Canadian DJ 'Quietly Dating' Elon Musk Long Story Short Elon Musk had a new gal on his arm at Monday's Met Gala. Long Story Billionaire Elon Musk is figuring out some of the world's toughest problems; climate change, space travel and hyperfast transportation being among them but he can't seem to figure out dating. The thrice-divorced entrepreneur (twice to the same woman) has struggled with loneliness but it looks like he's got a new lady. A source told Page Six that Musk is "quietly dating" Canadian DJ Grimes. And the way they met is the nerdiest thing ever. Musk had planned to tweet a joke about Rokos Basilisk the hypothesis that artificial intelligence will lord over the world and punish those that didn't help its ascension to power. Musk wanted to make the connection with Rococo," the ornate French 18th-century baroque style. As it turns out, Grimes had already made that connection back in 2015. She created a character called Rococo Basilisk for her Flesh Without Blood" music video. I dont know if youve heard of Rokos Basilisk, Grimes told Fuse. [This character] is doomed to be eternally tortured by an artificial intelligence, but shes also kind of like Marie Antoinette. Page Six's source said Musk dug Grimes' cleverness. Elon was researching the idea of joking about Rococo Basilisk, and when he saw Grimes had already joked about it, he reached out to her, says the insider. Grimes said this was the first time in three years that anyone understood the joke. They were both poking fun at AI. Aww, so adorable! If you're not familiar with Grimes, she's a 30-year-old Canadian DJ (real name Claire Elise Boucher) who rose to fame in 2012 with her third studio album, Visions." Her 2015 album Art Angels was also pretty big, but she hasn't come out with anything since due to a public spat with her label 4AD. Another time Musk fawned over Grimes when he tweeted praise for her video with Janelle Monae for the song "Venus Fly." Best music video art Ive seen in a while, wrote Musk. He also loves her Spotify playlist Go Flex & Psycho, apparently. Glad ur finally listening to cyberpunk speedwae hahaha, said Grimes. Sounds great riding my cyborg, responded Musk. Last week, after Musk tweeted a video created from long-exposure photos of a comet, Grimes said thats a lot of cocaine." Musk responded: Yeah, most people dont know this, but comets [are] mostly made of cocaine. Clearly, they're a perfect match. We wish them all the best. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question Is 16 years younger too big of an age gap? Drop This Fact In a rare interview about his personal life, Musk said: "If I'm not in love, if I'm not with a long-term companion, I cannot be happy." A member of the Michigan State board of trustees is calling for changes to policy and an independent investigation into the university itself in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal that shook the campus community and the schools leadership. Nassar, formerly a doctor with the schools gymnastics team, sexually assaulted hundreds of girls and women during his tenure. He was sentenced in February to a period of up to 175 years in prison after weeks of dramatic testimony from his victims. Since the claims against Nassar came to light, Michigan State officials, including the board of trustees and the school president have come under intense criticism. The Lansing State Journal reports that trustee Brian Mosallam released a plan titled New Day MSU. In the eight-page document, Mosallam calls for a number of reforms, including the creation of an independent sexual misconduct ombudsman position, the creation of a sexual misconduct surviors advisory committee, board member positions for both the faculty and the student body, an independent investigation into the schools handling of sexual misconduct, and the termination of any individuals found to have acted contrary to our values. Mosallam also offered a mea culpa of sorts, writing in an email, We failed to listen. And because we failed to listen, the cries of our courageous survivors of sexual misconduct on this campus went unheard. "We must listen. We must learn. Now, together, we must fight to do what is right by our Spartan Community, especially our courageous survivors," Mosallam wrote. Board members were made aware of the plan on Tuesday, though most did not respond to the State Journal's requests for comment. One member, Dianne Byrum, released a statement saying "I have been clear that Michigan State University must greatly increase transparency and accountability, and make changes throughout our university to ensure we can say 'never again.' I am committed to working together with all members of the Board and the university community to change the broken culture at MSU, which starts with ensuring full transparency and an uncompromising commitment to accountability at every level." Brad is a very pleasing addition to our banking and finance group, further increasing our national offering for clients, said Grant Scott-Hayward, Gadens chief executive officer. Brad's experience includes having acted for clients in relation to their debt facilities, syndicated and bilateral financiers providing facilities to some of Australia's major retailers and also financial services clients in relation to various secured facilities. He has also acted for financiers and borrowers on various debt finance transactions in the property and construction sector. Allen said he decided to join Gadens because of its well-recognised, strong national banking practice in the Australian market. As one of the few law firms advising all the major banks and a firm that advises in excess of a quarter of all ASX-listed entities, the opportunities are enormous and extremely exciting, he said. Gadens has a strong banking and finance practice and a strong strategic outlook, as well as a supportive and collaborative culture which I look forward to being a part of. Gadens most recent partner appointments are Donna Bartlett and Paul Lewis. Dentons recently welcomed 20 senior lawyers from DibbsBarker. Hall & Wilcox has also hired a 20-strong team in Brisbane from the shuttered firm. It later took one more partner. kW The models affected are part of the C7 generation, currently on the way out of the production process. The engines with the problem are Gen2 evo EU6 developing 200Audi did not explicitly say what the software problem is. Earlier on Tuesday , media reports said software was used to slow down the use of the fluid to prevent drivers from refilling it between regular service updates. This, in turn, led to higher emission levels than officially stated.Audi did not confirm rumors that said it ordered the stop of production of the new generation A6 , which was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show, as some news outlets claimed.There has been no information released as to who is responsible for the creation or the installation of the software that causes this problem. Further rounds of discussions with the registration authorities are planned in the coming weeks.The carmaker has informed the Federal Motor Transport Authority in Germany and the vehicle registration authority in Luxembourg of the problem. Customers that have bought the affected models, some 60,000 of them, have been notified and will have to take the cars to the nearest dealer for software updates.We regularly inform the Federal Motor Transport Authority about the results of our systematic engine testing program, said Rupert Stadler, Audi CEO.We report any irregularities to the authorities because full clarification is our top priority. We did so without delay also in this case.Of the 60,000 models with the problem, none are in the U.S., but half of cars have sold on global markets outside Germany. EV Dont forget, however, that each automaker is an individual entity that collaborates with the other two in the alliance. Back in March 2018, Bloomberg reported that a merger between Renault and Nissan could happen to streamline operations and strengthen profit as one entity. The peeps in Japan dont see it that way, though. Nikkei Asian Review quotes Nissan chief executive officer Hiroto Saikawa, who brushed aside the idea of merging the Japanese automaker with its French partner Renault. According to Saikawa, the point of the alliance is to keep its members independent and maximize the growth of each. On the other hand, head honcho Carlos Ghosn declared that all options are open as far as Renault is concerned.The biggest driving force behind the merger is the French government, which owns 15 percent of Renault . Nissan also happens to control 15 percent of Renault and 34 percent of Mitsubishi. Renault, meanwhile, owns a 43-percent stake in Nissan. So why does the government want to bring Nissan under the French automakers influence, you ask? To grow the countrys auto industry, of course!This back-and-forth has affected the stock of each automaker in the past handful of days, with the price per share of both Nissan and Renault fluctuating more than on any other day. To set the record straight for both parties, a proper decision could be made official in June 2018 at Groupe Renaults annual general meeting in Paris.Regardless of what Saikawa and Ghosn claim, the truth of the matter is that Nissan and Renault depend on each other, both as individual entities and within the alliance. From the Common Module Family of platforms to shared engine options andtechnology, the two of them are joined at the hip. The capsule brought back to Earth the Robonaut, a humanoid-shaped machine developed together with former automotive giant GM. The robot has been recalled by NASA to be repaired, after spending nearly five years in orbit doing nothing but occupy space.Robonaut was sent to the ISS in 2011 aboard space shuttle Discovery . When it arrived, it came in the form of a machine only comprised of a torso, a head, and arms. It was intended as a tool to conduct various robotics technology research in space.It did so for about two years until NASA decided to fit some legs onto it. Robonaut got its legs but also got some serious updates, including new components in the computer chassis.The increased electrical load gave the robot a severe case of malfunction, experiencing sensor and communication failures, as well as repeated processor lockups. All these issues made the robot inoperable for nearly five years.After splashing down off the coast of California, the robot has been shipped to the Johnson Space Center, the place where it was born, to be properly repaired. NASA did not officially announce a timeline for the repairs, nor any plans to send the robot back up to the ISS, but hinted at both."R2 will undergo repairs, checkouts and small upgrades that have been applied to the other Robonauts during R2's leave of absence from Earth, Julia Badger, Robonaut's project manager was quoted as saying by Collect Space.We hope to turnaround the robot quickly since it still has a lot of important work [to do]pushing technology advances on board the International Space Station." Dr. Richard "Dick" Reierson Dr. David Fell Dr. Joni Scheftel Event: 121st annual meeting, Feb. 15-17, Rochester Awards: Veterinarian of the Year: Dr. Richard "Dick" Reierson, Dayton. A 1971 graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Reierson is the founder of Elm Creek Animal Hospital in Champlin. He is a longtime member of the MVMA Continuing Education Committee and serves on the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Foundation's Clay Shoot Committee. Dr. Reierson is a past member of the American Animal Hospital Association board of directors. President's Award: Dr. George H. Krienke, Roseville. A 1961 veterinary graduate of the University of Minnesota, Dr. Krienke is the founder of Rice Pet Clinic in Little Canada, where he practiced until retirement. He helped establish the Animal Emergency and Referral Center of Minnesota and is a past president of the MVMA Council of Senior Veterinarians. Distinguished Veterinary Service Award, given for service to the veterinary profession and contributions to animal well-being: Dr. Paul Anderson, Chaska. A 1975 graduate of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Anderson served as assistant director with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health from 1990 until retirement in 2017. Earlier in his career, he practiced small animal medicine in Apple Valley, did emergency and relief work for a dairy and equine practice in Lakeville, and practiced mixed animal medicine in Greene, Iowa. Emerging Leader Award: Dr. Brittney Brock, Farmington. A 2010 veterinary graduate of the University of Minnesota, Dr. Brock practices at Inver Grove Heights Animal Hospital in Inver Grove Heights. She is a past president of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Foundation. Outstanding Faculty Award: Dr. Erin Malone, Roseville. A 1989 graduate of the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Malone is a professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, where she oversees the clinical skills program, serves as the veterinary student mental health adviser, and manages the curriculum. Officials: Drs. David Fell, Jackson, president; Joni Scheftel, St. Paul, president-elect; Matthew Boyle, Hager City, Wisconsin, vice president; Jim Winsor, Inver Grove Heights, secretary-treasurer; and Tim Krienke, St. Paul, immediate past president Vice President Mike Pence spoke to the Organization of American States (OAS) on Monday, the first time a U.S. vice president has addressed the hemispheric multilateral body since Al Gore in 1994. Pence delivered a forceful speech about the one South American issue the administration has taken a strong stance on: Venezuela. Why it matters: Theres no doubt that Venezuela presents the regions greatest crisis. For some especially Venezuelas beleaguered democratic opposition the Trump administrations stronger rhetoric and sanctions against members of President Nicolas Maduro's government were a welcome change from the Obama administration's tack. The region and the OAS have failed to act as President Hugo Chavez and President Maduro have torn up Venezuelas democratic institutions, repressed independent media, clamped down on political opposition and gamed the electoral system in their favor. In contrast, Pence called on Maduro to suspend the countrys May 20 presidential election, citing unfair conditions (15 governments in the region, including the U.S., have denounced the process). He also called on each OAS country to follow the U.S. lead by imposing individual sanctions on public officials engaged in corruption and money laundering in the form of bank freezes and visa restrictions, and by holding Maduro accountable for destroying Venezuelas democracy. (Though what accountability means wasn't clear.) [UNSUPPORTED BLOCK TYPE: axiom] Christopher Sabatini is a lecturer at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and executive director of Global Americans. After a decade of discussing a potential military hotline to avoid escalation in the East China Sea, Tokyo and Beijing have agreed to establish one, Reuters reports. The big picture: Tensions in the Sino-Japanese relationship have been simmering down, with the two countries working more closely together amid mounting uncertainty around U.S. foreign policy and a potential trade war. President Trump took the most radical option available in pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, which he variously described as horrible, one-sided, disastrous, decaying and rotten. He also announced the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions against Iran and those who continue to do business with Iran. Why it matters: Trumps decision could force a showdown over Irans nuclear program now rather than in a decade. If Iran were to resume nuclear activities proscribed by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), there is a real risk the U.S. or Israel would launch attacks against it, starting a regional conflict of unknown dimensions. Trump did not emphasize Iranian non-compliance with the JCPOA. Instead, he cited Irans ability to exploit the limitations and perceived flaws of the 2015 agreement, which neither addresses Irans push for regional influence (including support for terrorism) nor precludes Iran from implementing many prerequisites of a nuclear weapons program when limits on centrifuges and enriched uranium sunset in just over 7 and 12 years respectively. Whats next: Iran will want to start talks with the Europeans, China and Russia about preserving the JCPOA and avoiding broad sanctions. But Trumps withdrawal could bring about a conflict with European governments if he follows through on threats to sanction those who maintain business ties with Iran after 3 or 6 months. The decision could lead North Korea to question the utility of signing an agreement with the U.S. and reinforce doubts around the world about the willingness of this president to stand by American commitments. Last, Trump has added to Irans economic difficulties but at the cost of empowering the most militant elements in Iran and making it more difficult for the Iranian people to challenge their government, lest they seem to be siding with the Great Satan. The bottom line: There was no urgency to change U.S. policy now. A wiser path would have been to live with the JCPOA, continue negotiations with Europeans and others on a successor pact to extend Iranian nuclear constraints, push for new sanctions tied to Irans ballistic missile program and do more to frustrate Irans efforts around the Middle East, including keeping U.S. military forces in Syria. Richard Haass is president of the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of A World in Disarray. Ohio voters approved a redistricting reform ballot measure Tuesday that will change how congressional districts are drawn, a move advocates say would curb excessive partisan gerrymandering. The details: The new process, which had overwhelming bipartisan support, will go into effect in 2021 when the next round of redistricting takes place. While it still puts redistricting in the hands of lawmakers, the measure would prevent one party from having overwhelming power over the redrawing and approval of electoral lines. Ohio is said to be one of the most pro-Republican-gerrymandered states in the country. How it works: When the legislature draws new maps to align with 2020 U.S. Census figures, it will now need three-fifths support from each chamber and at least one-third from the minority party. If lawmakers fail to approve a plan, the bipartisan Ohio Redistricting Commission would take over the process and create either a 10-year map with minority consent or a four-year map without. The backdrop: This comes as some states are locked in major redistricting battles over extreme partisan gerrymandered maps, and grassroots campaigns in others to limit political redistricting. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide two cases by June that could, for the first time, impose constitutional limits on gerrymandering. South Korea's Blue House has announced that North Korea will release three American prisoners into the custody of visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to Yonhap News. Timing: President Trump announced earlier today that Pompeo was visiting North Korea to nail down the details of the anticipated summit between Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un. When asked if the prisoners would be released today, Trump responded, "We will soon be finding out. It would be a great thing if they are." The newest House prison reform bill which could send 4,000 prisoners home, make it easier to earn time in house arrest or halfway homes, and would provide hygiene products to incarcerated women will be voted on in the House Judiciary Committee this morning. Why it matters: Democrats scored several wins on this version of the bill, but it still might not be enough to secure approval without reforms to federal sentencing guidelines. And even if the bill manages to pass committee this morning or even the full House without those sentencing reforms, the bill is not likely to make it far in the Senate. Meanwhile, many House Republicans, along with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, are unwilling to address sentencing. Inside the Senate: Sens. John Cornyn (R) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D) introduced a Senate companion bill to the House's First Step Act on Monday. introduced a Senate companion bill to the House's First Step Act on Monday. But so far, Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley's bill , which includes lowering mandatory minimum sentences, has the most clout and bipartisan support. , which includes lowering mandatory minimum sentences, has the most clout and bipartisan support. Grassley's spokesperson told Axios that for "any criminal justice reform proposal to advance in the Senate, it must also include needed sentencing reforms that will give judges additional discretion at sentencing and free up resources to target the worst criminals." that for "any criminal justice reform proposal to advance in the Senate, it that will give judges additional discretion at sentencing and free up resources to target the worst criminals." Sen. Mike Lee, a key voice in this debate, has supported most prison and sentencing reform efforts, but told Axios that although he "fully supports" the newest House bill, "sentencing reform elements will have to be added for it to pass the Senate." a key voice in this debate, has supported most prison and sentencing reform efforts, but told Axios that although he "fully supports" the newest House bill, "sentencing reform elements will have to be added for it to pass the Senate." However, another GOP congressional aide told Axios that "adding controversial sentencing reductions to this consensus bill would again be fatal and guarantee Congress does nothing on criminal justice reform." What outside groups are saying The Leadership Conference whose members include the NCAACP Leadership Defense and Education Fund and the Human Rights Campaign came out in opposition to the bill on Tuesday, arguing this is Congress' one chance to pass comprehensive criminal justice reform, and the House should not settle on prison reform only. "In this case, something isnt better than nothing." The Leadership Conference talking points memo The Brennan Center for Justice also sent a letter to House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member Jerry Nadler, opposing the bill. They wrote that although the First Step Act had important reforms, "it does not take steps to reduce the number of people entering prison in the first place." also sent a letter to House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member Jerry Nadler, opposing the bill. They wrote that although the First Step Act had important reforms, "it does not take steps to reduce the number of people entering prison in the first place." Benjamin Seel, legal analyst for Democracy Forward , also opposes the bill, accusing President Trump of bending "federal prison policy to reward his cronies in the private prison industry while making re-entry harder and the path to recovery less certain," he told Axios. , also opposes the bill, accusing President Trump of bending "federal prison policy to reward his cronies in the private prison industry while making re-entry harder and the path to recovery less certain," he told Axios. But other influential groups such as the Koch Institute and #Cut50, who also would support sentencing reforms, have advocated for the latest House prison reform bill. Go deeper: Democrats score wins with revamped House prison reform bill. After previously saying he'd like to hold his summit with Kim Jong-un at the border between North and South Korea, President Trump said today that the location will be announced soon and it isn't the DMZ. Smart take: That leaves Singapore as the odds-on favorite. The Washington Post's David Nakamura explains why: "Trump mentioned it publicly last week along with DMZ, and ruled out DMZ today. Singapore has diplomatic relations with North Korea and a DPRK embassy there. Singapore regularly facilitates 'third country' diplomacy in Asia." President Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is returning from North Korea with the three Americans Tony Kim, Kim Hak-song, and Kim Dong-chul who had been detained there. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. More from POTUS: "Secretary Pompeo and his 'guests' will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!" Who they are, per the NYT: Tony Kim , detained since April 23, 2017: He spent a month teaching accounting at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. A source told Reuters that his arrest was not related to his teaching: He had been involved with some other activities outside P.U.S.T., such as helping an orphanage. , detained since April 23, 2017: He spent a month teaching accounting at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. A source told Reuters that his arrest was not related to his teaching: He had been involved with some other activities outside P.U.S.T., such as helping an orphanage. Kim Hak-song , detained since May 6, 2017: He also worked at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. Per the Times, "it was not clear whether his arrest was connected with that of Tony Kim two weeks earlier." , detained since May 6, 2017: He also worked at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. Per the Times, "it was not clear whether his arrest was connected with that of Tony Kim two weeks earlier." Kim Dong-chul, detained since 2015: The most mysterious of the prisoners, the Times reports that " Mr. Kim appeared at a government-arranged news conference in Pyongyang [in March 2016] and apologized for trying to steal military secrets in collusion with South Koreans." A statement from White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders: "At the direction of President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other representatives of the United States government traveled to Pyongyang, North Korea on May 9 to prepare for the Presidents upcoming meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. During Secretary Pompeos visit, the North Korean leadership released three American detainees. President Trump appreciates leader Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill. The three Americans appear to be in good condition and were all able to walk on the plane without assistance. All Americans look forward to welcoming them home and to seeing them reunited with their loved ones." The massive protests that brought down Armenias government were not a democratic revolution and they could spell more trouble for the country, outgoing Defense Minister Vigen Sargsian said on Wednesday. I dont consider what happened to be a revolution because revolution means a change of the state-legal order, Sargsian told a farewell news conference in Yerevan. What happened in our country was a change of government: the representative of one parliamentary faction replaced the representative of another as prime minister. What we have now is an incomprehensible model in the legal sense, he said. We have a parliamentary majority and a prime minister representing the parliamentary minority, which is fraught with many dangers. What does such a settlement mean? It means that every time a decision by the majority does not play into the hands of the minority prime minister and government they will get people to take to the streets and put pressure on parliament deputies so that they vote against their will. This is anything but democracy. This method is fraught with many dangers because there will always be someone who could rally more people in the streets in a different situation and different times, added the minister who tendered his resignation hours after the Armenian parliament elected the protest leader, Nikol Pashinian, as the countrys prime minister on Tuesday. The previous prime minister, former President Serzh Sarkisian, stepped down on April 23 after ten days of Pashinian-led protests against his decision to extend his decade-long rule. Sarkisians Republican Party (HHK) reluctantly agreed to his coming to power under pressure from tens of thousands of protesters who brought Armenia to a standstill on May 1. The opposition Yelk alliance, of which Pashinian is a leading member, has only 9 seats in the 105-member National Assembly. The new premier is also backed by businessman Gagik Tsarukians alliance and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, which hold another 38 seats between them. Pashinian reaffirmed on Tuesday his intention to push for fresh parliamentary elections. But he avoided mentioning possible dates for holding them. Sargsian said the conduct of snap polls will require mutual understanding among all political actors. Sargsian also said that he will remain in the political field after leaving office. He did not clarify, though, whether he will be actively involved in the HHKs activities. The 42-year-old topped the HHKs list of candidates in the April 2017 parliamentary elections won by the party. Sargsian worked as chief of the presidential staff before being appointed as defense minister in October 2016. He was widely regarded as Serzh Sarkisians potential successor until the dramatic regime change in Yerevan. Sargsian defended his track record when he announced his resignation following a meeting with Pashinian held late on Tuesday. I am proud of handing over a more efficient and combat-ready army to my successor, he said in a statement. Sargsian holds a masters degree from the U.S. Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He taught international relations and public administration at the American University of Armenia from 2001-2011. By Trend Azerbaijan can hope for a peaceful conclusion of the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict if the supporters of a peaceful settlement come to power in Armenia, Co-Chairman of the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Javanshir Feyziyev said May 8 at the second session of the 15th meeting of the Committee. He noted that the children born in families of internally displaced persons have not yet seen their homeland. "Despite this, they have not lost hope of seeing their native lands. All efforts should be directed at the solution of this conflict peacefully, but to date no steps have been taken to solve it," Feyziyev 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 us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijan did not oppose visit of foreign media representatives to Azerbaijan's occupied territories to cover a press briefing of Armenia's newly-elected Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend May 9. Hajiyev made the remarks commenting on reports that Pashinyan will hold a press conference in Khankendi for representatives of local and foreign media on May 9. Hajiyev noted that media outlets such as Financial Times, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse appealed to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry with official letters asking permission from the Azerbaijani government to visit the occupied territories. "Given the respect of the mentioned mass media outlets to the laws, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan as well as to international law, no objection was expressed to the trip of their representatives to the occupied territories," Hajiyev said. He voiced hope that representatives of foreign media will have a chance to familiarize with Armenia's aggression policy during the visit. "We hope that during the trip, representatives of international media traveling in the occupied Lachin District and the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, will be able to get acquainted with the consequences of ethnic cleansing committed against the indigenous inhabitants of these territories - Azerbaijanis - during the occupation, and the fact that the property as well as material and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people were plundered," he said. Hajiyev further said the ministry advised representatives of foreign media to visit the completely devastated Aghdam, Jabrayil, Fizuli and other areas. "However, practice shows that the Armenian side will not give them an opportunity to go further than Khankendi," Hajiyev 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. Armenian president Armen Sarkissian on May 8 signed a decree appointing Nikol Pashinyan as the prime minister. Opposition leader Pashinyan was elected Armenia's prime minister with 59 MPs voting for and 42 against during a special session of the National Assembly on May 8. ---- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva May 10 marks the 95th birthday of Heydar Aliyev, the national leader, who made an exceptional contribution to the history of the country and played a great role in the formation of Azerbaijani statehood. The Heydar Aliyev phenomenon is unique as people of all generations in Azerbaijan honor the national leader and pay tribute for his generous work aimed at development of the country. Without history there is no future. In this regard, the policy pursued by Heydar Aliyev is being continued today by President Ilham Aliyev. Heydar Aliyev, being one of the most respected politicians of the entire Turkic world, is a figure that causes great interest among historians. He led the nation in a very dramatic period of its history paving the countrys way to its bright future, and his merit cannot be overestimated. Thanks to his unwavering convictions and historical vision, Heydar Aliyev succeeded in realizing the independence dream of Azerbaijani people. A 35-year history of Azerbaijan, covering the period from the late 1960s to the beginning of the 21st century is directly linked to the name of Heydar Aliyev. In the Soviet Era, modernization of the republic began namely during Heydar Aliyev's leadership in Azerbaijan. His charismatic leadership, firm will, political foresight, managerial talent, leadership and global outlook were as important as ever also in the early 1990s - when the country was at the verge of civil war and loss of independence. At the time, Heydar Aliyev undertook a mission to save the nation from the threat of destruction. In 1990s, political crisis was boosted by economic crisis and people completely lost confidence in anything at all. Heydar Aliyev managed to inspire the nation, withdraw it from the crisis, and ultimately turn Azerbaijan into a stable country. He was in power twice, and both times could convince the people to believe in themselves and be united. Starting from 1993, Azerbaijan demonstrated a breakthrough in all areas. This phase, covering the 1993-2003, was a period of rapid development and stability. Over 10 years of presidency Heydar Aliyev carried out radical reforms in the country, leaving a viable state for the nation, constructed from almost devastated country. Azerbaijans multi-vector foreign policy brought prosperity and stability to the country. He maintained constructive relations with big powers like the U.S., EU and Turkey, as well as made wise partnerships with actors like Russia and Iran. Investments of oversees companies in Azerbaijans energy sector became possible thanks to the fruitful activity of Heydar Aliyev. The Contract of the Century was a triumph of the policy based on the oil strategy pursued by national leader Heydar Aliyev, paving the way for bolstering the country's geopolitical standing and economic integration. It was signed with the Western oil companies in Baku on September 20, 1994 and played a crucial role in the establishment of internal stability. Besides, Heydar Aliyev, who spearheaded the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project, did much to attract huge western capital to Azerbaijan, what created many new jobs and lead to the development of several fields. Moreover, the national leader initiated the development of a new Constitution, which was adopted in 1995. Heydar Aliyev is more than a political figure, he is a symbol of modern Azerbaijani state. Heydar Aliyevs leadership is a great and honorable epoch in the national history. On May 10, the people of Azerbaijan pay tribute to the loving memory of Heydar Aliyev, wise leader and genius personality. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Rashid Shirinov Today Azerbaijan celebrates the 73rd anniversary of the victory over Nazism in the World War II, the most terrible war in the history of mankind. The great victory on May 9, 1945, put an end to the six-year long war that killed about 65 million people all over the world. The people of Azerbaijan played a crucial role in this victory. For the Soviet Union, which included Azerbaijan at that time, the war started in June 1941. The capture of Baku with its rich oil reserves was among the main goals of the leader of the Nazi forces Adolf Hitler. He was going to turn Baku into a German military colony. There is even a video capturing Hitlers birthday where he is eating a cake with Baku and its oil wells on it. However, Hitler could not fulfill his dream. Thousands of Azerbaijanis headed to the front to fight against the aggressor. In four years, over 600,000 Azerbaijanis, including more than 10,000 women, joined the Soviet troops. This was a huge number for Azerbaijan, which had a total population of 3.4 million people at that time. Over half of them never came back from the war. The first Azerbaijani Hero of the Soviet Union was Sergeant Israfil Mammadov, assistant to platoon commander of the 42nd Rifle Regiment. In December 1941, his group of soldiers fought near Novgorod and repulsed four attacks by the superior enemy forces. The twice Hero of the Soviet Union Hazi Aslanov was another fearless Azerbaijani who made his invaluable contribution to the victory in the war. He showed bravery in many battles, including the battle of Stalingrad, the largest land battle in history. Aslanov was promoted to the rank of the Major General of tank troops in March 1944. Another Azerbaijani, the legendary partisan Mehdi Huseynzade fought against the Nazis in the Yugoslav-Italian partisans guerilla corps after suffering serious wounds in the battle of Stalingrad and being in the German captivity. The 416th Division formed of Azerbaijani soldiers deserves special attention. They went through a valiant combat route from the Caucasus to Berlin. The prominent Azerbaijani scientist Ziya Bunyadov, who also bravely fought in the war, and 20 other soldiers were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the liberation of Poland and Czechoslovakia from the Nazis. In general, about 170,000 Azerbaijanis fighting against the Nazis were awarded various orders and medals, 34 soldiers became Full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory, while 123 were named Heroes of the Soviet Union. While a part of Azerbaijanis were engaged in fighting the enemy on the front, another part of the population were working day and night to provide the Soviet Army with oil that it needed to power its heavy artillery against the Nazis. During the war, the entire economy of Azerbaijan was adapted to the needs of the army and almost all industrial spheres were working for the front. Estimates showed that Baku supplied as many as 70-75 percent of oil and 85-90 percent of gasoline for the USSR Army during the war. A total of 75 million tons of oil and 22 million tons of gas were delivered from Baku to the front in 1941-1945. Azerbaijani scientists also poured all their efforts into the fight against fascism. A group of chemical scientists, led by the famous academician Yusif Mammadaliyev, organized the production of 38 types of fuel, gasoline for 9 types of aircraft, and 8 types of diesel fuel. The fact that Baku was the fuel heart of the Soviet Union was badly irritating Hitler. Without the Baku oil, the Soviet tanks could not have withstood the Nazis and the enemy knew this. Therefore, Hitler ordered to draw up a map of industrial and military facilities of Baku. The Nazis had a plan entitled Edelweiss, which assumed the capture of the Caucasus and the oil fields of Baku. The Nazi troops were approaching Azerbaijan in 1942, and the exact time of the occupation of Baku was set September 25. However, the enemy forces were defeated before they could reach Baku. Decades have passed since May 9, 1945, but the courage and heroism of millions of people fighting against Nazism never fades. The Azerbaijanis will always remember that hundreds of thousands of their ancestors sacrificed their lives for the sake of independent and prosperous motherland. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Baku has hosted a solemn ceremony to mark the 73rd anniversary of victory over fascism in the WWII. President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the ceremony. President Aliyev and Mehriban Aliyeva met with war veterans and congratulated them on the Victory Day. Then, President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the statue of Major General of Tank Troops, twice Hero of the Soviet Union Hazi Aslanov. A guard of honor passed in front of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief under the accompaniment of a military march. The Azerbaijani president and the first lady met with family members of Hazi Aslanov and congratulated them on the Victory Day. The head of state and the first lady posed for photographs together with the WWII veterans. The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Novruz Mammadov, Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov, Head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev and other officials. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Armenian armed forces occupied ancient Azerbaijans Shusha city on May 8, 1992, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend May 8. As a result of the occupation, Shusha city and 30 villages in Shusha district were destroyed, 195 civilians were killed, 165 people were injured, 58 people went missing, more than 24,000 people were exposed to ethnic cleansing, he said. Shusha is an Azerbaijani city and Azerbaijani residents will definitely return to Shusha, he said. Azerbaijan will ensure its territorial integrity and sovereignty. The occupation of Shusha is an integral part of the policy of Armenian aggression and occupation against Azerbaijan, he said. As a result of this policy of occupation, Armenia occupied the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven adjacent districts by using force. More than a million Azerbaijanis were exposed to ethnic cleansing in the occupied territories. During the war, Armenia committed heinous crimes against humanity. Hajiyev added that Shusha has historical, cultural and symbolic significance for the Azerbaijanis. According to the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council, Nagorno-Karabakh region is an integral part of Azerbaijan, he said. The Armenian armed forces must be withdrawn from all occupied Azerbaijani territories. Other international organizations demonstrate the same position. Hajiyev stressed that the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has been temporarily occupied, has always been and will be an integral part of Azerbaijan. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A meeting with Azerbaijanis, living in various European countries, was held at the Polish Labor and Social Policy Ministry in Warsaw with the organizational support of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Europe and the Council of Azerbaijani Youth in Poland, the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with the Diaspora said in a message on May 8. The Congress of Azerbaijanis of Europe informed the meeting about the activities of Azerbaijanis in Europe. It was noted that Azerbaijanis living in Europe, including in Poland, have launched new projects under the leadership of the Congress over the past year. The ministry's official representative Magdalena Sweklej informed about the number and activities of Azerbaijanis arriving in Poland. "Over the past year, Poland issued work visas to 1,000 citizens of Azerbaijan. If previously people engaged in physical labor came to Poland, now specialists in the field of information technology prevail. Azerbaijanis are actively working in the field of technology," she said. She noted that the number of Polish tourists visiting Azerbaijan also increased. According to her, the reason is the e-visa system applied in Azerbaijan. The meeting participants also were informed about the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Armenian aggression that lasts 25 years, and more than one million refugees who were driven out from their native lands as a result of the conflict. Videos and printed materials about the Khojaly genocide were also presented at the meeting. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A regular meeting of working groups of official delegations of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan on delimitation and demarcation of the Uzbek-Kyrgyz interstate border was held in the city of Jalal-Abad in Uzbekistan on May 2-8, 2018, the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Uzbekistan said on May 8. Reportedly, the work on description of the remaining sections of the Uzbek-Kyrgyz interstate border was continued during the meeting. The parties also considered opening new border checkpoints to create favorable conditions for residents of the bordering areas of the two countries. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A number of Iranian MPs set fire to the nuclear deal between Tehran and the six world power following the US decision to leave the accord. During an open parliamentary session on May 9, the MPs put fire to the US flag beside burning a copy of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, aka nuclear deal), Iranian media outlets reported. The parliament session started with the down with the US slogans being chanted by MPs. The Iranian MPs' symbolic protest came hours after the US President Donald Trump announced that the US walks away from the accord reached in 2015 between Tehran and the six world powers. Trump also announced that the United States re-imposes the highest level of economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The sanctions were removed in 2016 in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program, when the nuclear deal came into force. Irans President Hassan Rouhani said May 8 that he ordered the Foreign Ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain, he added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz More than 300 people descended on the DuVin Pintor Art Gallery in downtown Houston recently to act as extras in "Harvey." The producer of the film, which tells the story of one of the worst hurricanes to hit Houston, received more than 1,600 submissions from people eager to act in the movie, producer Nkem DenChukwu told Chron.com. A 34-year-old Beaumont man believed to be present during last week's fatal dice game shooting was arrested on Monday, according to Beaumont Police Department. Revis Rashon Adams was one of several people present during last Thursday's homicide, police said, and was interviewed in relation to his involvement. A Texas Most Wanted Sex Offender with Beaumont ties was arrested Tuesday in Klamath Falls, Oregon, according to media reports. Shawn Monroe Cowan, 43, and his wife, Rachel Ann Guttry, 46, "were apparently living in rural Bonanza, Oregon, under false identities when they were turned in by an unidentified informant," the Oregon Patch reported. Vidor Police Chief Rod Carroll, who has been a volunteer firefighter since 1995, pitched in to help battle a house fire on North Dewitt Road on Tuesday afternoon. When firefighters arrived on scene around 4 p.m., the fire was in the home's car port before spreading to the house and causing major damages. The homeowner and another person were home during the fire but escaped without injury. At its Google I/O 2018 conference, CEO Sundar Pichai shared how Google is betting on artificial intelligence to sort through the vast amounts of data in EMRs and predict better health outcomes, according to ZDNet. Much of healthcare data is unstructured, and Google wants to apply its models and algorithms to fix that. In a paper introduced at the conference May 8, the company described its work with Stanford (Calif.) University, UC San Francisco and the University of Chicago exploring deep learning models as they can be applied to health data. It plans to scan thousands of patient data points, such as medication and lab results, to "quantitatively predict" patients' chances of being readmitted. The No. 1 challenge for Google is data prep, which has hindered many other analysis efforts. However, Google expects deep learning may hold the key to success. "We hypothesized that these techniques would translate well to healthcare; specifically, deep learning approaches could incorporate the entire EHR, including free-text notes, to produce predictions for a wide range of clinical problems and outcomes that outperform state-of-the-art traditional predictive models," the paper reads. "Our central insight was that rather than explicitly harmonizing EHR data, mapping it into a highly curated set of structured predictors variables and then feeding those variables into a statistical model, we could instead learn to simultaneously harmonize inputs and predict medical events through direct feature learning." The models have shown their ability to scale vast amounts of data and accurately predict unexpected readmissions, discharges and inpatient mortality, ZDNet reports, but Google said it's just getting started. The predictions and deep learning models were using retrospective data, but in the future, Google could explore data gleaned from its partnership with Fitbit or that stored on its cloud platform. More articles on EHRs: Meditech launches Meditech UK to serve UK, Ireland Interoperability nonprofit The Sequoia Project takes aim at health IT disaster responseEpic's App Orchard to include Excel Medical's patient surveillance, predictive analytics tools Meditech Holdings on May 8 unveiled plans to launch Meditech UK, an entity focused on supporting customers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Meditech UK will comprise its own team of healthcare professionals stationed in the United Kingdom to provide sales and service support to hospitals and clinics in the region. Meditech UK will also work with Meditech US to market the company's newest EHR, a web-based platform called Expanse. "With Meditech UK, Meditech Holdings will have even stronger, more unified control over our strategy and vision in the U.K. and Ireland markets," Charlotte Jackson, CEO at Meditech Holdings, said in a May 8 statement. More articles on EHRs & interoperability: Few hospitals have implemented ONC's safety guides for EHRs, study suggests Black Book: Allscripts ranks as top EHR among hospital chains, integrated delivery networks Elliott Management makes all-cash offer for athenahealth at $160 per share, says company 'is not working' U.S.-based physicians spend much more time jotting down patients' clinical notes than physicians practicing overseas, according to research published in an editorial for theAnnals of Internal Medicine. After traveling to countries like Australia and Singapore, three physician researchers who have helped launch EHRs both at U.S. organizations and abroad noticed something peculiar: Physicians overseas were much more enthusiastic about potential improvements to patient care brought by digital systems. The researchers Lance Downing, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine at Stanford (Calif.) University; David Bates, MD, medical director of clinical and quality analysis, information systems, at Boston-based Partners HealthCare System; and Christopher Longhurst, MD, CIO of UC San Diego Health then reviewed data from Epic to determine what could be overburdening U.S. physicians. Here are three things to know. 1. U.S. medical regulations may be causing physicians to over-document in patient notes. "Documentation in other countries tends to be far briefer, containing only essential clinical information," the research states. "It does not contain much of the compliance and reimbursement documentation that commonly bloats the American clinical note." 2. As physician burnout reaches crisis levels in the U.S., the researchers argue interaction with the EHR is contributing to their fatigue. "While electronic health records have great potential to improve care, they may also have perverse effects," the research reads. "The highly-trained American physician, however, has become a data-entry clerk, required to document not only diagnoses, physician orders and patient visit notes, but increasingly low-value administrative data." 3. The researchers suggest simplifying current documentation requirements or allowing medical assistants to complete more of the charting could make much of the coding for tests and procedures unnecessary and thereby relieve some of the documentation burden. They add that new technologies, such as voice recognition software, could also show promise. "Regulatory reform including changes to the billing requirements that allows clinicians to strip documentation to bare essentials, would improve accuracy, enable better use for research and reduce the tedious work that occupies so much of our time," the authors conclude. Click here to download the editiorial. More articles on EHRS: How Google is using deep learning to understand EHR data and reduce readmissions Meditech launches Meditech UK to serve UK, Ireland Interoperability nonprofit The Sequoia Project takes aim at health IT disaster response Although Republicans have made various efforts to dismantle the ACA including the December repeal of its individual mandate the health law's employer mandate remains intact, according to The New York Times. Here are five takeaways. 1. The employer mandate requires applicable large employers to offer "affordable" and "minimum value" essential coverage to their full-time employees as well as their dependents, according to the Internal Revenue Service. The mandate applies to employers with at least 50 full-time employees, on average, including full-time-equivalent employees, during the prior calendar year. ALEs that don't comply owe the IRS penalty payment. 2. The IRS has been issuing penalties to employers for not complying with the mandate. David Kautter, the Treasury Department's assistant secretary for tax policy and the acting IRS commissioner, told the Times some companies will face penalties, but the IRS is trying to settle with other businesses that experienced technical or paperwork issues. Overall, the Congressional Budget Office estimate cited in the report predicted employer mandate penalties would total $12 billion this year. 3. But the IRS' attempts to enforce the employer mandate have sparked pushback from some U.S. lawmakers and business groups. For instance, Rep. Jody Hice, R-Georgia, last month called the enforcement efforts "horribly unfair and unjust," according to the Times. "What I am asking at this point is for the IRS to continue not to enforce it, as is what took place under the Obama administration," he said. The employer mandate took effect in 2015. However, the Times noted the federal government granted reprieve to certain businesses to provide more time to federal agencies to work on compliance details. 4. The IRS is sending employer mandate penalty letters for the 2015 tax year, and letters for the following two tax years are expected, according to the Times. 5. In the meantime, the publication states, business groups have made efforts to get rid of the employer mandate or stop enforcement because they contend companies did not receive sufficient notification with respect to needed compliance. Read the full Times report here. More articles on healthcare finance: Physicians: Is CHS 'a slow-motion train wreck?' California hospital to close by mid-June, lay off 200 employees 12 latest hospital credit downgrades Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University selected Danny Jacobs, MD, to serve as president, effective Aug. 1. Here are six notes: 1. Dr. Jacobs is executive vice president, provost and dean of the school of medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. 2. He is also a professor at UTMB's Institute for Translational Sciences as well as in the preventive medicine and community health and surgery departments at the university. 3. A specialist in surgical nutrition and metabolism, he also held faculty positions at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia and Harvard Medical School in Boston. 4. Dr. Jacobs has won numerous awards over the course of his career, including the National Medical Association Presidential Award. 5. He is a fellow of the American Surgical Association and American College of Surgeons. 6. Dr. Jacobs succeeds Joe Robertson, MD, who retired in October 2017, but stayed on as president through the search. A former Puyallup, Wash.-based MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital patient reportedly informed hospital officials in August 2017 former hospital nurse Cora Weberg who has been accused of infecting at least two patients with hepatitis C had been "forcing injectable pain medications" on her during her stay at the hospital, the patient's lawyer told The Seattle Times. The patient, identified by the publication as a Puyallup woman in her 30s who had been receiving treatment for back pain last fall, said through her lawyer Ms. Weberg injected her with pain medication without her consent. "[The patient] didn't want any medication, but [Ms. Weberg] told her, 'Well, sorry, that's our policy,' and proceeded to inject them into her IV bag anyway," the patient's lawyer said during a phone interview with The Seattle Times May 7. "My client recalls crying about this, not only because they just completely ignored her protests, but because she felt the nurse did it in a way that was well, she wasn't gentle about it, let's just say." The attorney said the patient filed a complaint with the hospital and received a brief phone call from a patient's advocate. However, she felt "nothing was really done" about the incident, according to the patient's lawyer. "Our concern is, what did the hospital know and when did they know it," the lawyer said. "If this nurse was involved, and she indeed is the source of this outbreak, the hospital certainly knew as early as last summer about the concerns of her medication practices. So, what if anything did they do about it?" Ms. Weberg, 31, has been accused of infecting at least two patients at the Puyallup hospital with hepatitis C, including a man who tested positive for the virus and has filed a lawsuit against the hospital. Police arrested Ms. Weberg, who no longer works at the institution, last week near the U.S.-Canadian border, but as of May 7, had not charged her with a crime. Ms. Weberg's lawyer said she has since been released from jail, according to The Seattle Times. MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital officials announced the possible infection of two patients last week, and issued a recommendation to 2,600 patients who were treated in the hospital's emergency room during an eight-month period between August 2017 and March 23 to receive testing for the infection. Approximately 900 of those patients had been tested as of Sunday, hospital officials told the publication. Hospital officials said during an investigation Ms. Weberg had "admitted" to stealing injectable drugs and had tested positive for hepatitis C. However, Ms. Weberg's lawyer claimed the woman was scapegoated by the hospital after officials learned of the possible infections. "My client did not stick anyone with a needle. My client did not pass hepatitis C to anyone. In fact, we still dont even know if she even has hep. C," Ms. Weberg's lawyer said. A spokesperson for MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital told The Seattle Times via email, "We have not been served with this lawsuit and, therefore, can't comment on it." To access The Seattle Times report, click here. The Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission, part of the Washington Department of Health, suspended the medical license of Cora Weberg, 31, a former Puyallup, Wash.-based MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital nurse accused of infecting at least two patients with hepatitis C, on May 7, according to The News Tribune. State DOH records, obtained by The News Tribune, state Ms. Weberg admitted to investigators she "diverted injectable fentanyl and hydromorphone from the hospital for her personal use," and failed to document the associated waste material. The records also state she told the NCQAC she had been informed several years ago she tested positive for hepatitis C after donating blood, according to the report. The state's findings led the NCQAC to suspend Ms. Weberg's nursing license and issue charges of unprofessional conduct and violations of nursing standards, The News Tribune reports. Police arrested Ms. Weberg, who no longer works at the hospital, last week near the U.S.-Canadian border. However, she has since been released and has not been charged with a crime. Investigators discovered the potential link to Ms. Weberg after two MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital patients tested positive for hepatitis C in December 2017 after receiving treatment at the hospital's emergency department. The patients had no prior history with the virus and contracted it from the same genetic source, according to the report. However, while investigators determined Ms. Weberg also tested positive for the virus, officials could not find enough genetic material to link Ms. Weberg to the two other patients. The discovery of the two patients led MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital officials to issue a recommendation to 2,600 patients who were treated in the hospital's emergency room during an eight-month period between August 2017 and March 23 to receive testing for the infection. Approximately 900 of those patients had been tested as of Sunday, hospital officials told The Seattle Times. Ms. Weberg spoke publicly about the incident during a press conference May 8. She claimed she did not intentionally infect the two patients with hepatitis C, according to a second report from The News Tribune. "I want everyone to know I never intentionally stuck anyone with a needle," Ms. Weberg said, reading from a prepared statement May 8. "I do not believe I am a contagious carrier of hepatitis C. Please wait before making your decision about me. I did not do this." However, she said in a written statement to state investigators she did take leftover dosages of the medication she gave to patients, according to a second News Tribune report. "After a patient received an order for a medication, I would administer to a patient the ordered dose, then I would withdraw the rest into a syringe to take home," Ms. Weberg wrote to a state investigator. "Once I gave the patient the ordered dose, I would sometimes take the remainder for later use. In my more hopeful moments, I would waste [dispose of] the medication before I could store it, and sometimes I would take it home, have a change of heart, and waste it there. It was always with the remainder of the medication, after medicating the patient." Harrisburg (Ill.) Medical Center surgeons have performed six endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgeries, according to Harrisburg Register. Here are four notes. 1. Amit Bhandarkar, MD, of Peoria, Ill.-based Prairie Spine Institute, told Harrisburg Register, that he meets with patients initially in his office. He then schedules the MIS procedure at Harrisburg. 2. Dr. Bhandarkar noted the medical center is fully equipped for endoscopic MIS spine procedures, and performing them at Harrisburg shortens wait times for patients. 3. Endoscopic spine surgery involves a 6 mm incision, through which surgeons insert a radiofrequency ablation probe. 4. Endoscopic MIS spine procedures don't involve cutting muscles, bone or ligaments to access the disc space. A local manufacturer has made a big breakthrough in South Africa after signing a new distributor agreement. EvoQuip, based in Dungannon, will be supplying crushing and screening products to ELB Equipment in Johannesburg after receiving assistance from economic development agency Invest NI. EvoQuip is part of the Terex Corporation, a global manufacturer of lifting and material processing products and services. Martin Conway, international sales manager of EvoQuip, said: "This contract is a momentous breakthrough in the growth of our business. "Through Invest NI's Trade Advisory Service we were able to access expert guidance and marketing support to identify potential distributors in South Africa for our new product range. "They helped us to line up a series of meetings with the right people and supported us with visits to the market which helped to close this deal. "Our first shipment of crushing and screening products has now been delivered to ELB in Johannesburg. We hope to continue to build on our network of contacts and secure further business in this market." Steve Harper, Invest NI's executive director of international business, said: "EvoQuip took part in an Invest NI trade mission to South Africa in March last year, where it first made contact with ELB Equipment. "With our support, the company made a number of further follow-up visits to Johannesburg to discuss the terms of a distributor agreement. This commitment to repeat visits was key to converting an initial opportunity into a firm contract. "This deal represents months of hard work and is testament to the company's commitment and aspiration to flourish in this important market. "EvoQuip has impressive export potential and I am sure this development will give the company the confidence and skills to further its reach in the South African market." ELB Equipment distributes earth moving, construction, mining and quarrying equipment to its customers. Terex GB is the American-owned and Northern Ireland-registered company which bought Powerscreen plc. It is part of Terex Materials Processing, one of five divisions of Terex Corporations. Terex Materials Processing designs and manufactures mobile crushing, screening and washing equipment. In February, Terex Corporation chief executive and president John L Garrison said he expected an improved picture for 2018. "By implementing our strategy, strengthening the company, we are well positioned for what we expect to be an improving global market environment," he added. "We expect to increase revenue and improve operating margins in every business segment. "We will continue to implement the Simplify and Execute to Win elements of our strategy." Economist John Simpson has urged the leaders of Northern Ireland's top companies to start speaking out about Brexit. And Mr Simpson said he would "no longer keep quiet" about Brexit as he addressed the launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies in association with law firm Arthur Cox. Read More The publication was presented to the business world at a high-profile breakfast event at Waterfront Hall in Belfast. Business leaders including Danske Bank chief Kevin Kingston, representing the company at number one with pre-tax profits of 147.5m, attended the event. Also present were Pete Boyle, the head of jewellery chain Argento - whose parent company Denvir Holdings is placed in the list, along with leaders from Moy Park, Euro Auctions, Ulster Carpets and many more. Senior lawyers from Arthur Cox attended, including Alastair Todd, partner and head of property, corporate and commercial partner Paul McBride and corporate and commercial group partner Lynsey Mallon. Kieran McGarrigle, finance partner at Arthur Cox, said: "Congratulations once again to all local businesses included in the 2018 Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, many of which gathered at the Waterfront for a very successful launch event. "The 2018 Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies provides an incredible snapshot of the success of Northern Ireland businesses. "The sheer breadth of firms included in the guide, from indigenous family businesses to large multi-national corporations, illustrates a pedigree that suggests local companies are in a strong position as they seek to grow their presence in an increasingly global marketplace." John Simpson, who has compiled the list for over 20 years, said: "This year, the continued success of our private sector firms meant that we have raised the threshold for inclusion to 4m. "So if you are one of the 29 firms who dropped off the list after appearing last year, be aware that continuing to stay in profit, even if you are below the level of 4m, is still an achievement." Some had published more recent accounts since the cut-off point before publication of the chart. They included family firm W&R Barnett, the holding company of a group encompassing commodity trading, agribusiness and industry. Its turnover for the year ending July 31, 2017, grew from 966m to 1.1bn, while its pre-tax profits expanded from 36.2m to 36.8m. However, its improved performance would not have resulted in a move up the table as it would remain in 12th place, behind Norbrook Holdings with pre-tax profits of 49.2m. And Mr Simpson said he now felt compelled to speak out about Brexit despite previously feeling it was best to stay quiet after voting against leaving the EU. "When the result came out I felt I had to keep quite because the majority had spoken and there would be a plan and, by being against Brexit, I was in a minority and I was wrong," he said. "But now it appears that there is no one with a plan, so it is now time for me to speak about what Brexit might mean - and I urge you companies to do the same." Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Caroline Hearst, Arthur Cox, Sara Venning, NI Water, and Carley Chapman, Arthur Cox. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Mark Jameson, Arthur Cox, Paul McBride, Arthur Cox, and Arthur Richmond, SHS Group. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Margaret Canning, Belfast Telegraph, Paul McBride, Arthur Cox, and Lynsey Mallon, Arthur Cox. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Darwin Templeton, Belfast Telegraph, Lizanne Jones, Arthur Cox, and Paul Stanfield, Firmus Energy. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Cahal Carvill, Arthur Cox, Jeff Tosh, Tennents NI, and Emma-Jane Flannery, Arthur Cox. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: James McGee, NIIB Group, and Michael Boyd, Progressive Building Society. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Kevin Kingston, Danske Bank, James Flanagan, Arthur Cox, Michael Graham. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Mark McClure, Caterpillar, and Justin Patty, Arthur Cox. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Graham McGuigan, GE Grid Solutions, David Black, Arthur Cox, and Paul Shields, Tobermore Concrete. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: William Curry, Arthur Cox, and Peter OHare, Heartsine Technologies. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Peter Boyle, Argento, Gerry McDermott, Kingspan Environmental, and Caroline Whiteside, Ulster Carpets. At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Damian Heron, Heron Bros, Alastair Todd, Arthur Cox, Chris Milligan, Arthur Cox, and Stuart Mansfield, Arthur Cox. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp At the official launch of the Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies, in association with Arthur Cox, are: Caroline Hearst, Arthur Cox, Sara Venning, NI Water, and Carley Chapman, Arthur Cox. The Top 100 is also available in an interactive format at www.belfast telegraph.co.uk Sainsbury's and Asda will be able to increase their Northern Ireland customer base "considerably" if their merger gets the go-ahead, it's been claimed Sainsbury's and Asda will be able to increase their Northern Ireland customer base "considerably" if their merger gets the go-ahead, it's been claimed. Research organisation Kantar Worldpanel commented as its latest analysis of the grocery market found German discounter Lidl had grown its sales by 5.7% - the fastest sales growth of all the major players. But Tesco remained the number one grocer in Northern Ireland, growing sales by 2.6% over the last 12 months, with a market share of 35.2%. And shoppers were making one extra trip to Tesco a year, increasing their average spend by 54. Sainsbury's was behind Tesco with a share of 17.3%, with Asda in third place with 17.1% of the market. Lidl's market share was 5.6%, and its shoppers were spending an extra 1.40 per trip. Kantar Worldpanel said that even if Asda and Sainsbury's combined, their 34.4% market share would still be dwarfed by Tesco. Tesco has around 50 stores in Northern Ireland, while Sainsbury's has 14 and Asda 17. Lidl has 39 smaller-format units. The varying customer base of Asda and Sainsbury's in Northern Ireland meant there was some logic to a tie-in, Kantar added. Douglas Faughnan, consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel, said: "The Northern Ireland grocery market is set for its biggest shake up in a generation if the merger goes ahead. "By joining forces, Sainsbury's and Asda would create a wider shopper base than either has individually. "Over the past 12 months 48% of Sainsbury's sales went to empty nesters and the retired, in contrast to only a third at Asda. "Meanwhile, families preferred the Walmart-owned retailer, accounting for 49% of sales, versus 30% at Sainsbury's. "Sainsbury's appeals to more affluent and city-based customers, with more than half of its sales coming from Greater Belfast this year compared to Asda's third." A retail expert has warned that job losses and store closures are inevitable if the merger goes ahead. Retail analyst Donald McFetridge said the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) watchdog will insist on closures where monopolies could exist if the two join forces. Meanwhile, Lidl has joined fellow German discounter Aldi in firing the latest salvo in the UK's supermarket price war, pledging to keep prices lower than rivals in response to the proposed Sainsbury's and Asda merger. Sainsbury's last week promised to bring down prices on everyday items by 10% after it completes its 12bn merger with Asda. Chief executive Mike Coupe said he would put pressure on large suppliers and pass on cost savings to consumers. Walmart's significant buying power will also give Sainsbury's an advantage in general merchandise, he said. However, the German discounters have responded aggressively to Sainsbury's price promise, saying they will remain the cheapest option on the high street. Burberrys shares have fallen out of fashion after Belgian billionaire Albert Frere sold his stake in the British brand. Mr Frere, the richest man in Belgium, offloaded his 6.6% holding in Burberry, which was held through his investment vehicle Groupe Bruxelles Lambert. The group said it was selling 27.6 million shares for 498 million. Burberrys shares were down by 6.8% or 114.5p to 1,770p following the announcement. Ian Gaillienne and Gerard Lamarche, co-chief executives of Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, said the company was making a capital gain of around 83 million from the share sale. The money will be used to diversify the companys portfolio. The proceeds from the disposal will be redeployed into other investments, they said. David Madden, market analyst at CMC Markets, said: Yesterday, the stock hit its highest level since November, and it has rallied more than 25% since the lows of February. Mr Frere didnt give a reason for disposing his Burberry shares, but the share price has performed well recently so it might be a matter of getting out during a positive run. It comes after an eventful period for Burberry, which recently appointed former Kingfisher chief executive Gerry Murphy as its new chairman. Mr Murphy will be part of Burberrys transformation under its chief executive Marco Gobbetti, who took over from Christopher Bailey last year, having been the boss of French luxury brand Celine since 2008. Mr Gobbetti was appointed to lead the famous British business after investors complained about Mr Baileys leadership. Shareholders were concerned about flagging sales, and also protested about the size of Mr Baileys pay packet last year. Danger man: Simon Reeve has travelled to some of the most perilous places on the planet Danger man: Simon Reeve has travelled to some of the most perilous places on the planet For Simon Reeve, an average day at the office might include any of the following activities: witnessing trench warfare in the Caucasus, going into the world's most dangerous jail in Honduras, being pursued around a poisoned sea by a gigantic, amorous camel, being electrocuted in a war zone, hunting with the bushmen of the Kalahari, being cornered by a pack of hungry cheetahs, tiptoeing through minefields, being blackmailed and abandoned by drivers in an Ebola zone, and eating some of the strangest foods known to humankind, from zebu penis soup to barbecued rat. This is a man who, while others flee from danger, screaming for their lives, runs towards it quite happily. It makes you wonder just how high his travel insurance premiums are. In person, Reeve exhibits the same infectious passion he displays on screen. He remains irresistibly enthused by this "enormous world of seven billion stories and magnificent sights to see". It is easy to imagine that his sheer lust for life has got him through many of these hair-raising incidents. He begins by recalling his scariest moment yet. "In Somalia once, I was being protected by a group of local mercenaries we had hired," he says. "The only problem was that they were off their heads on khat, the local drug of choice. We were in a 'technical', which is a flatbed pick-up truck with an anti-aircraft gun on the back. "As we were driving through a bombed-out part of Mogadishu, we came across another gang at a crossroads. They turned their guns on us and we turned our guns on them. "The guns were locked and loaded and everyone was screaming at each other." So what protection did Reeve have at that moment? "I had a flak jacket and a helmet on. But I was staring down the barrel of an anti-aircraft gun - a whopper of a weapon - and my little flak jacket was not going to stop those large calibre rounds. "It was a completely terrifying experience. I had absolutely no idea how it was going to play out, and there was nothing I could do to affect the outcome. It ended as the screams died down and were replaced by surly snarling. Eventually, the other gang drove off first. But it could have ended horrifically." Reeve, who is married to Anya, a camerawoman, and has a young son with her, reflects on the aftershock of this immensely frightening incident. "I didn't really talk about it afterwards, but I've had some waking-in-the-night moments about it since. It is scary enough for my palms to get ever so slightly sweaty now as we talk about it," he says. "You look back and can't believe that moments like that happened." But, of course, moments like that will inevitably happen if you put yourself in harm's way with the frequency that Reeve does. For the past decade and a half, he has been risking his life reporting from such seriously dangerous places as Honduras, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia, Somaliland and Transnistria (where he was arrested by the FSB on suspicion of espionage). He now adds to that impressive list with Myanmar (Burma), for an absorbing, and often disturbing, two-part BBC2 documentary about that troubled nation (more of which anon). However, the upside is that in the course of his work, the 45-year-old journalist has shed light on some of the most notoriously shadowy parts of the world. Reeve was not born into privilege. He grew up in "tropical Acton" in west London. He did not get on a plane until he was an adult, and his idea of adventure as a child was limited to riding his BMX and his grandmother's magical mystery tours that took him to "exotic, unknown places like Hounslow". He left school without any qualifications and did a series of unglamorous jobs before the then editor of The Sunday Times, Andrew Neil, promoted him from the post room to the news room. He developed into an expert on terrorism and was way ahead of the curve when, in 1998, he wrote the first ever comprehensive book about al-Qaeda, The New Jackals. After achieving prominence as a TV analyst of terrorism post 9/11, Reeve set the tone for his subsequent work by making his presenting debut with the BBC series Holidays in the Danger Zone in 2003. He undertook perilous trips across Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, leading to the show's subtitle: 'Meet the Stans'. Now Reeve is one of our most popular TV travel presenters, whose journeys have helped to enlighten viewers about places most of us would never even dream of visiting. Perhaps unexpectedly, he has emerged with a very positive view of the world and a surprising belief in its inherent safety. "I could dwell on the danger, or I could dwell on the joy of doing this. I choose the latter, because I do think that it's a much safer world than people fear. Of course, part of my gig is sometimes to go to places that are riskier than normal, but the world is still such a safe and welcoming place," he says. For all that, what does his family think about his risky adventures? The presenter, who is touring the UK this autumn with a new live show, An Audience with Simon Reeve, asserts that his family are "fairly calm about my travels. I'm very hot on basic but vital things like wearing seat belts. In a pompous way, the real value to us being there is telling other people about it. My family realise that." The main thing the presenter wants to tell people about in Burma with Simon Reeve is the suffering being inflicted on the Rohingya Muslim minority in the country. The bigotry is being fuelled by a militant sect of monks led by a firebrand preacher known as the 'Buddhist bin Laden'. As a result, 700,000 Rohingya have been driven to leave for Bangladesh, creating the biggest refugee camp in the world at Kutupalong. Some people are calling this a genocide and are comparing it to ethnic cleansing and apartheid. Many are also amazed that Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner dubbed 'Asia's Nelson Mandela', appears to have done little to stop this humanitarian crisis. The presenter confesses: "Nothing can quite prepare you for the refugee camp at Kutupalong. Witnessing that biblical exodus, the like of which we have not seen since Rwanda, you can't help but be moved by the suffering. I must admit, when I was there, I cried." Reeve hopes that his series on Myanmar may open a few eyes as to what's really going on in that country. "I very strongly feel that the Rohingya crisis must not fade from people's minds. As a planet, we cannot tolerate a situation where hundreds of thousands of people are being left to fester in underfunded refugee camps," he says. The presenter goes on to reflect about whether series such as Burma with Simon Reeve can ever actually change people's minds. "They can cause a ripple on a pond. I don't harbour any illusions that dramatic change can happen as the result of the TV documentary. However, there is enormous value in people learning a little more about what's happening to our kith and kin." So after 15 years of filming in some of the most dangerous spots in the world, what does Reeve hope that his audience might take away from his work? "That people everywhere are good and bad in the same proportions we would expect here. People everywhere are greedy and desperate and funny and loving and caring and hospitable and experience all manner of emotions," he says. "Life is certainly getting better for us collectively as a species, even as the planet we live on is being ruined by consumerism and greed." He adds: "If you travel intelligently with your eyes open and give a damn about where you are, you can be a positive force for good and help people in other parts of the world. You can help protect and preserve iconic creatures and areas by your presence. "We are living in a golden age of travel. Travel is still the best way of racking up incredible memories and experiences. I hope people see what we do on TV and realise that they don't have to avoid issues when they're on holiday. They can take an interest and ask questions and have a richer experience as a result." Reeve closes by declaring that his experiences in some of the more terrifying corners of the globe have left him a member of the 'Human Being Fan Club'. "I'm very much in favour of people not spending their lives on their knees, fearing the darkness. There is much more light in the world than darkness. I've got a lot of love for us," he says. "The journeys I have been on have not made me misanthropic. "If there is any message from these programmes, it's that we should try to learn about what else is out there and what our brothers and sisters in other parts of the planet are going through. "We should try to get the most we can out of life and travel - because life's bloody short, frankly." Burma with Simon Reeve starts on BBC2 on Sunday, 9pm Two private health clinics linked to the doctor at the centre of the biggest patient recall in Northern Ireland's history have vowed to ensure all his patients on their books are reviewed within the coming weeks. Last week the Belfast Trust recalled 2,500 of neurologist Dr Michael Watt's over concerns of how patients were diagnoses and treated. Of those people affected children as young as 14 are thought to have been involved. Since the recall, patients have spoken out how their diagnosis affected their lives. The Department of Health has ordered a major review into the scandal. Read More On Wednesday, the Department of Health permanent secretary Richard Pengelly held discussions with two private sector clinics with links to neurologist Dr Michael Watt. Mr Pengelly said: I was very pleased to receive assurances from both organisations that they are focused on rapidly identifying the active patient list in respect of Dr Watts practice with them. Both Hillsborough Private Clinic and the Ulster Independent Clinic gave us an assurance that they will endeavour to ensure that all their patients are reviewed within the same 12 week target timescale established by Belfast Trust for its patients. For our part, I assured both organisations that in the event they have any difficulty achieving this target, we will work with them to offer whatever assistance we can. Meanwhile the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service has also imposed interim conditions on the neurologist. It said he should not prescribe disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis patients without prior discussion within, and the approval of, an appropriately constituted trust wide multi-disciplinary team. That he must also be closely supervised in all of his posts by a clinical supervisor and must not work as a locum. And he is only permitted to work in an NHS post or setting and must notify the GMC of any post he accepts before starting it. Dr Watt remains an employee of the Belfast Trust although he has not worked with patients since June 2017. The opening of a second cinema complex in Newtownabbey will lead to the closure of the Movie House in Glengormley, its owner has stated. Michael McAdam was speaking ahead of a public consultation into plans for a new multi-screen cinema at Old Church Road at the Valley Leisure Centre next Tuesday. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has already been notified that an application for planning permission is to be submitted by Hammerson plc, which owns Abbey Retail Park at Church Road. Hammerson manages and develops 22 shopping centres in the UK, Ireland and France as well as 15 retail parks in the UK. Last month, Hammerson and Aberdeen Standard Investments announced that they had secured National Amusements' luxury cinema brand, Showcase Cinema de Lux, for a new 1.4bn extension to Brent Cross shopping centre in London, which they co-own. Another Showcase cinema is set for Watermark WestQuay, Hammerson's 70m development in Southampton. The proposed new cinema in Newtownabbey would be the first Showcase to open in Northern Ireland. The brand operates 940 screens in the UK, US, Argentina and Brazil. Earlier this year, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council turned down a planning application for a hotel and cinema at Church Road in Newtownabbey saying that these were not "compatible with existing employment zoning". The Movie House is the closest cinema to the proposed Newtownabbey location, less than three miles away in Glengormley. It is currently closed to facilitate a 0.5m refurbishment and is scheduled to re-open on May 26. "It is very much a community-based cinema. We used to get people coming from Antrim and Carrick but the marketplace has changed," Mr McAdam said. "In screens one and two, we will be putting in electric recliners and new seats in the smaller screens. It is all about comfort levels." He said he believes that Northern Ireland is already "overscreened". "I have been worried about this for some time. I have been saying to planners, 'If you do this, Glengormley will close overnight'. We have had impact studies done." Mr McAdam, from Rathcoole, went on to say that the council has already indicated that Glengormley should retain the district's cinema. He added that when he opened the Movie House, he had "picked the right place at the right time". Mr McAdam stated that it "does not make sense" to open another complex in such close proximity to another outlet. He added: "Our refurbishment is taking place. "We will stay as long as we can," he stressed. The Movie House in Glengormley was Northern Ireland's first 'multiplex'. An Alliance councillor who was one of the first police officers to be shot by the IRA during the Troubles has been laid to rest. Addressing mourners at the funeral of Barney Fitzpatrick in St Mary's Star of the Sea Church in Portstewart yesterday, Fr Austin McGirr said it had been his dream to be a policeman. "He always wanted to join the police and in 1967 joined the Lanarkshire constabulary," he said. "He transferred to the RUC in 1969 - in 1971 he survived a gun attack when two of his colleagues sadly lost their lives. He served in Belfast and was a sergeant in the Bomb Transit Unit for two years until he was promoted to inspector and transferred to Coleraine." The former chief superintendent's policing career spanned almost 38 years before he was elected to Coleraine council in 2006. He was later elected to the new Causeway Coast and Glens Council. Fr McGirr described the dedicated public servant who passed away peacefully in hospital on Saturday as a man with "quick wit" and a gift for bringing people together. He said: "The family could have chosen many scripture passages for the Requiem Mass including Matthew 5, 'Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice for they shall be satisfied ... Their reward will be great in heaven". Labour MP Stella Creasy has called for a vote to be held in the House of Commons on legalising abortion in Northern Ireland. Abortion is currently illegal in Northern Ireland except in extreme specific circumstances. In theory, a woman could still be handed a life-term in prison for having an illegal abortion. Abortions are currently legal in the rest of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland are having a referendum on the issue on May 25th. Ms Creasy called for the vote to combat the "cruel, inhumane and degrading" treatment of woman in Northern Ireland who seek abortions. She raised the matter during Northern Ireland questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday. MPs were discussing equality and human rights in Northern Ireland. "Given the absence of an Assembly, why does the Secretary of State choose to recognise the importance of a free vote in this place on same-sex marriage, but refuses to extend the same principle to Northern Ireland women's fundamental right not to be forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy," Ms Creasy asked. Secretary of State Karen Bradley said the matter should be decided by people in Northern Ireland. "Abortion is a very sensitive issue and there are very strongly held views on both sides of the debate. It is also as she has said a devolved matter. Expand Close Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley (PA) "She has referred to the fact that I am on the record as saying that same-sex marriage on this side of the house is a matter of conscience and that is also true on the matter of abortion. "It is not right for the UK government to try and undermine the devolution settlement in Northern Ireland by trying to force onto people in Northern Ireland something that we think is right in Westminster, the people of Northern Ireland have to make that decision." Walthamstow MP Ms Creasy has been prominent in her support for legalising abortion in Northern Ireland. In 2017 she secured government support for free abortions for women from Northern Ireland in England after organising a cross-party petition threatening to defeat the government's Queen's Speech if the concession was not granted. Northern Ireland's local government watchdog has been contacted more than 80 times over a "racist, sectarian and offensive" tweet by a Belfast City councillor. It is understood many of those who contacted the Local Government Commissioner for Standards wanted to lodge formal complaints against Independent councillor Jolene Bunting, who posted the tweet last week. The post depicts two frogs, one wearing a Union flag and the other wearing an Irish tricolour. The frog with the tricolour is crying, holding a pint of Guinness and wearing a hat that reads: "Please be patient I have famine." Accompanying the picture is the line: "C'mon Paddy, EU can leave too". The cartoon frog in the picture, known as 'Pepe', was adopted years ago by far-right social media trolls to target, among others, autistic children. Ms Bunting later said the tweet was simply a reference to the Republic leaving the EU and was not meant to cause offence to autistic children or make light of the famine. Calling the fallout "ridiculous", she took aim at "triggered leftists" for condemning the tweet, and singled out Sinn Fein in particular. Several of the 80 individuals who contacted the Local Government Commissioner for Standards are Ms Bunting's fellow councillors, spanning a range of political parties. Sinn Fein council group leader Deirdre Hargey called the post "racist, sectarian and offensive", while Alliance's Emmet McDonough-Brown branded it "not only crass but racist and sectarian". The DUP's Dale Pankhurst said the tweet was "appalling and wrong". Last month, Ms Bunting's defence of a racist leaflet drop in south Belfast as "information" caused heated exchanges in City Hall. The 17-year-old youth who appeared at Omagh Magistrates Court charged in connection with the drill attack The family of a Strabane woman injured in a drill attack have thanked those who have helped and supported them in recent days. Mother-of-one Brenda McLaughlin (38) was attacked by a youth wielding a drill in the Railway Street area of Strabane at 2am on Saturday morning. She later told officers she believed she was targeted because she is homosexual and it is being treated as a hate crime. Yesterday, in a statement released to the Belfast Telegraph, the victim's family thanked those who assisted Ms McLaughlin at the scene, in the hospital and as she recovered. They also paid tribute to the support from the gay community, including the Rainbow Project, which is an LGBT advocacy group. "We would like to thank all the hospital staff," they wrote. "Especially all the doctors and nurses in casualty and in the intensive care unit and high dependency units of Altnagelvin Hospital. "We would also like to thank all the people who helped at the scene, to all the well-wishers, the LGBT community and the Rainbow Project. "Brenda is doing well, she is now stable and she would like to thank everyone for the support throughout the past few days. "We now ask the Press and the public to let us have our privacy to deal with everything that has happened." A 17-year-old youth appeared at Omagh Magistrates Court on Monday charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and theft in connection with the attack. During the hearing, a PSNI detective told the court that Ms McLaughlin had told medical staff that she "heard the noise of a drill and felt her head being twisted". He added that there "does appear to be some sort of hole in the skull" but couldn't say how severe it is. The detective added that there was no evidence a drill bit was in place when the power tool was later recovered or after police checked security camera footage. District Judge Peter King said there was a risk to public protection and remanded the teenager in custody, to appear by video-link at Strabane Magistrates Court on May 18. Ms McLaughlin's family has been offered support by the Rainbow Project, who said they were horrified when reports of the incident emerged. Rainbow Project officer Aisling Twomey said: "There is absolutely no excuse for someone being targeted because of their gender identity or sexual orientation. "Hate crime robs people of their confidence and their independence. "This attack could have left the victim with a serious, life-changing injury or led to a fatality. We echo the comments of District Judge Peter King, who described it as an inexplicably violent incident during the initial hearing on Monday. "I would ask the local community in Strabane to give the PSNI the space they need to carry out their investigation and report any information about this assault to PSNI 101 or Crime stoppers immediately. "I would encourage any person experiencing violence or intimidation as a result of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity to report it to the PSNI on 101. "If they don't feel comfortable with the police, then they can speak directly to the Rainbow Project's advocacy service by emailing advocacy@rainbow-project.org. "All our thoughts are with the victim and her family and we wish her the best during her recovery." The DUP has withdrawn the whip from veteran politician Jim Wells The DUP has withdrawn the whip from veteran politician Jim Wells over his stinging criticism of the party leadership. In an explosive interview with the Belfast Telegraph last month, the South Down MLA accused the party's top brass of hanging him out to dry over his conservative views. Read More He also claimed the party had reneged on a promise to reinstate him as Health Minister after his controversial resignation three years ago. Neither Mr Wells nor the DUP would last night comment on the decision to withdraw the whip from the former minister. Mr Wells is the DUP's longest-serving Stormont politician. He has been a party member for 41 years and an MLA for a total of 24 years. He also served as a councillor for 17 years. When asked about the disciplinary action against him, Mr Wells declined to comment. A party spokesman said: "The DUP doesn't comment on internal party affairs." The South Down politician has previously not ruled out running as an independent in the next Assembly election. At the time of his Belfast Telegraph interview, he predicted his candid remarks would lead to disciplinary action against him. "I am an old-fashioned dinosaur. I do not believe in abortion. I believe that a man should marry a woman. I do not believe in euthanasia of the elderly, the legalisation of cannabis or all-night drinking," he said. "I'm old-fashioned and there is no room for people like myself." Mr Wells was appointed Health Minister in 2014, but stepped down the following April after being falsely accused of linking child abuse to same sex marriage. He said he had offered to stand aside to prevent "damage" to the party in the run-up to the Westminster election but understood that he would be reinstated "once the dust had settled". His wife Grace had also suffered a severe stroke and is still receiving around-the-clock care. "Peter Robinson made the commitment that I would return," he said. "Then Arlene (Foster) took over as leader and Arlene, as leader of the party officers, ignored my two written requests for that commitment to be honoured." Mr Robinson has denied making the South Down MLA such promises. At a meeting of party officers in May 2016, Mr Wells claimed DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds told him he would not be returning as Health Minister. Mr Wells added: "The party leadership watched me go through the worst of times and they never once picked up the phone. To be honest, I think they were delighted someone had shot me and horrified to find that she had used dummy bullets and that I was twitching in the coffin. "I was the embarrassing uncle at the Christmas party and they were glad to get rid of me." Mr Wells said he felt compelled to speak out and believed he "might as well be hung for a herd of sheep as a lamb". In response to Mr Wells's claims, a DUP spokesman said at the time: "The party is very sorry that Jim Wells has chosen to make the comments that he has across a series of interviews. "The party, at all levels, has tried to work with Jim given the scale of the challenges he has faced in recent times, including nominating him to paid positions of responsibility in the Assembly. "What has been said is inaccurate. We do not intend to debate these matters in public but they will be dealt with internally, as should be the case. We wish Jim well in all the circumstances and difficulties that he faces." Mr Wells has previously said he has widespread backing in the party. "I have three MPs and over half the DUP MLA team sending me messages of support," he said. "A lot of people are fed up with the power that certain DUP employees and press officers wield. "These individuals hold influence way above their station. "In speaking out against them, I have touched a chord with many other members in the ranks who are equally fed up. "It is wrong that people who never received a single vote in their lives exercise power far beyond that of elected representatives." The UK Government has announced a review into Press standards in Northern Ireland. Culture Secretary Matt Hancock announced the "named person" review as the government fought off a challenge for it to implement the second phase of the Leveson Inquiry. Read More Northern Ireland was excluded from the original 2012 inquiry. The government had intended to carry out a secondary process which would have examined those cases which had been subject to criminal proceedings but could not have been discussed in the original process. Instead the government now says a further review is not required given an improvement in Press standards. Instead the government has announced a review of how media across the UK are complying with the law. During the two hour debate in the Commons on Wednesday, North Antrim MP Ian Paisley asked how - given Northern Ireland's was "precluded" from the Leveson inquiry - the government intended to examine Press behaviour in Northern Ireland. Expand Close Culture Secretary Matt Hancock has announced a review into Northern Ireland press standards. PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Culture Secretary Matt Hancock has announced a review into Northern Ireland press standards. Welcoming the announcement of the review, Mr Paisley suggested the it could be characterised as a "Leveson for Northern Ireland". Mr Hancock responded: "I would characterise it as a review aligned with the new clause 23 which we are bringing in across the whole country specifically to look into effects in Northern Ireland. "We will make sure through the review that the future of the press is both free and reasonable. That their behaviour is reasonable yet they are not subject to statutory regulation. "I want to see a Press that is both free and fair." Interjecting former Labour leader Ed Miliband, who laughed as the announcement was made, said it was an "extraordinary" way to make policy asking how there could be a Leveson for Northern Ireland but not for the rest of the UK. The minister also announced a review of how the police adhere to media guidance. Sir Brian Leveson was appointed in July 2011 in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal that eventually led to the closure of the News of the World paper. The inquiry dealt with hundreds of witnesses, before producing an extensive and wide-ranging report in November 2012. The inquiry did hear from journalists from regional titles across the UK including the then editor of the Belfast Telegraph Mike Gilson. Leveson did acknowledge how complaints made against regional titles were often less serious than those made against the larger national titles. I am determined that we have a system that is strengthened so that we have recourse to justice when things go wrong, Matt Hancock added. The choice isnt between doing something, and nothing. It is between doing something, and something better. Nine of the DUP MPs backed the government in winning the vote 304 votes to 295. There were cries of "shame" as the result was confirmed. Following the debate, the Department for Culture Media and Sport added: "We have proposed a statutory review of journalists' compliance with the new data protection regulations in four years from Royal Assent of the Bill. Within this ICO review, or aligned to it, we will make sure there is an independent named reviewer for Northern Ireland." A north Belfast woman yesterday told a jury how she has been left blind in one eye after being struck "right in the eyeball" with a hammer. The woman was giving evidence at Belfast Crown Court, where her alleged attacker is standing trial on three offences arising out of the incident, which occurred in the Woodvale area of the city last April. Samantha Goldring (36), from Tynan Drive in Newtownabbey, has denied the charges - which include causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing an offensive weapon with intent - and claims she was acting in self defence. As the injured woman was called to the witness box, she was questioned about events on the evening of Saturday, April 8 last year which resulted in her losing all sight in her left eye. The court heard the damaged eye is being replaced with an artificial one. When asked how the incident, and losing an eye, had left her feeling, the injured woman said: "Well, being a girl and it being on your face, especially with your woman (Goldring) supposed to be a beautician... just a girl doing that to another girl then having to go through all this after this whole year, it's ruined my life over the head of it." The jury of six men and six women heard the incident occurred outside Goldring's home, which at the time was in Enfield Drive. It is the Crown's case that following an earlier incident involving the two women, the injured woman called at Goldring's house looking for her boyfriend, then smashed Goldring's living room window. The injured woman said that after she smashed the window, Goldring came running out of the house and struck her several times in the face and head with a hammer. From the witness box, the injured woman was asked about the day and evening in question. Recalling it was the day of the Grand National horse race, she said she and her boyfriend had made plans for that evening, and when he didn't return home by 5pm, she went looking for him. Having been told he was in Goldring's house, the woman called at the door. When asked what happened, the woman said Goldring "let on she didn't know who he was". The woman said: "I obviously kicked off, she called me something then I tried to put my foot in the door, and she got it closed and that was that." The woman said she went home and spent time with her sister before returning back home. She said she continued to try and contact her boyfriend on his mobile, and some time after 10pm, she saw him on the street from her bedroom window. When asked what happened next, the woman said: "I rapped my own bedroom window to see if he would look up. "He ran on and I obviously knew where he was going, as I was told that's where he was. "I went round and rang the door and whatever, and there was no answer. "Then I just had a moment of madness. There was a magnet in my pocket. "I threw it and put the wee girl's windows in. She came flying out like a psycho. "I didn't realise she had a hammer in her hand at the time. It was quite a small hammer and I felt a couple of blows to the head, but I didn't go down. "She came out of the house and ran at me. I thought it was just going to be a fist fight, so I thought, 'Right, come on then'. "She got me first, she had the hammer. I think I had her by the hair or something. "I felt the blow to the head but I didn't know what it was at the time." The woman said she sustained several blows and could recall being hit "right in the eyeball", above her eyebrow and along the side of her head. She said she realised she had been hit with "something heavy" but didn't know at the time what it was. She added: "I hit her back. She tried to grab me by the face, so I sunk my teeth into her hand. I was acting in self-defence. She hit me with a hammer, didn't she?" The woman said the incident ended when her now ex-boyfriend split them up. She said after walking a short distance home, an ambulance was called, and she was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital. She told the court: "I had to have surgery on my eye and I am blinded for life in that eye now." When it was suggested to the woman that it was she who attacked Goldring first, which caused Goldring to act in self-defence, the woman replied: "Lies, lies, lies." She also said she wouldn't have been in "fight mode" if Goldring hadn't been running at her first. Denying claims that she acted first, the injured woman said: "I was not out to attack her or anything. She ran out of her property at me with a hammer." The woman denied pulling out Goldring's nose ring and said: "She hit me with a hammer, I grabbed her by the head and hit her a couple of digs. "She grabbed me by the face so I sank my teeth into her. She hit me several times on the head with a hammer. I was defending myself. How many times do I need to repeat this. She ran at me with a hammer like a psycho." Goldring is due to give her version of events when she is called to give evidence today. At hearing. Hundreds of former patients of consultant neurologist Dr Michael Watt are expected to sign a letter of protest to the Belfast Health Trust, saying their lives have been put at risk by the decision to remove him from his duties Hundreds of former patients of consultant neurologist Dr Michael Watt are expected to sign a letter of protest to the Belfast Health Trust, saying their lives have been put at risk by the decision to remove him from his duties. Over 2,500 of Dr Watt's patients were subject to the largest ever patient recall in Northern Ireland last week amid concerns over misdiagnosis. Two hundred special clinics to review patients began last weekend and are expected to continue over the next 12 weeks. But former patient Terri Mercer said: "As far as we're all concerned, we're all still patients of Dr Watt. "If anyone from the trust would look at the concerns raised on our Facebook page, they would see how much distress this has caused people who are still in need of urgent - and in many cases life saving - treatment, and how many want to continue being treated by Dr Watt. "So many people have complete faith in him and we all feel horribly let down, shunted around to different consultants. "We don't feel we're being listened to, so have no choice other than to protest directly to the trust about the way we've been treated." The Belfast Telegraph has obtained a copy of the letter the campaigners are to send to the trust, and within two hours more than 100 had already signed their support. The letter from the Facebook group calling itself 'Voice in Support of Dr Michael Watt' states: "We are extremely distressed by the trust's decision to remove Dr Watt from duty and the media coverage that followed the announcement. "The Belfast Trust has not given us a reasonable explanation for their decision. They have in fact contradicted themselves in the media." Ms Mercer said one senior official had reported it was a decision based on note keeping, while another had reported it was a concern over misdiagnosis. "We believe as a collective, the Belfast Trust is endangering our lives by exposing us to more testing and discontinuing effective treatment already prescribed by Dr Watt," she said. "Therefore we are writing to communicate support for Dr Watt and the opposition of his abhorrent treatment by the trust. "We wish to remain patients of Dr Watt's as we have complete faith in his ability as our neurologist." The former patients, who had attended Dr Watt's clinics at the Royal Victoria Hospital and privately at the Ulster Independent Clinic and Hillsborough Private Clinic, are planning to take their protest to the Broadway entrance of the Royal Victoria Hospital on Thursday afternoon. They will ask the public and Dr Watt's former colleagues for support. A picture circulating on social media does not show Belfast City Council employees moving stolen pallets to a bonfire site, the council has confirmed. The photograph shows three men, two of whom are wearing high-visibility clothing, moving pallets to the Donegall Pass bonfire site. It caused furore when it was posted on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon, as many believed the men were council workers who were handling stolen goods. With their distinctive blue colour and branding, the wooden pallets in the picture can be distinguished as those owned by the company Chep. The for-hire pallets are used in the firm's pooling service for retail and industrial supply chains and are not bought and sold. On Wednesday afternoon BCC confirmed the men in the photograph are not council workers. We have investigated this internally and early indications are that these are not Belfast City Council employees, a spokesperson said. The action referred to in the tweet was not sanctioned by Belfast City Council. Last year, Chep had to speak out against the burning of their pallets on bonfires in Northern Ireland, after hundreds of them were pictured on pyres in various locations across the city. "Chep equipment is only ever hired never sold. The Chep business model involves equipment pooling and our pallets are a valuable asset," a spokesperson said. "We do not condone using Chep pallets for burning on bonfires, and we work closely with the local authorities and with bonfire liaison officers to recover our pallets from these sites whenever it is safe to do so. "We make our best efforts to secure our pallets but also seek to ensure the safety of our people." In June last year, Belfast City Council had to hand over hundreds of pallets it was storing for a loyalist bonfire to Chep after the company spoke out and claimed ownership of them. The following month it was reported that more than 20,000 worth of the Chep pallets were to be burnt on the Lanark Way bonfire in Belfast. Each of the Chep pallets are said to be worth between 15 and 20 each. Brendan McLaughlin was badly hurt after one of his own cows attacked him. A Co Donegal farmer has described how he was knocked unconscious after one of his own cows turned on him. Brendan McLaughlin (66) was working with a calf on his farm in Manorcunningham when the cow turned on him and pinned him to the ground, knocking him unconscious and breaking bones in his leg and foot. Mr McLaughlin serves as the Vice President of the Irish Farmers' Association and he told the BBC that nothing like this had ever happened to him before in 40 years of farming. "She came behind me to the gate. She looked at me and didn't move. I ran then as hard as I could," he explained. "I ran through a feeding barrier which was only 12 inches wide, but she got me. She pinned my foot to the barrier with her head." "Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I was on my back before I knew it and kind of passed out." He said that when he came through he contacted his wife to come and help him. "I had my phone in my pocket which was lucky and I got hold of my wife," Mr McLaughlin said. "The pain was severe and I knew there was damage done. I never thought this would happen to me. I'm lucky to be alive. "I broke the tibia in one place and broke the bottom of my heel. I have pins in my foot and the leg too. "My message for farmers is never to trust a cow or any animal on a farm. You can have all the safety measures in the world but never trust a cow." Northern Ireland born MP Conor McGinn and equal marriage campaigners are calling on the Government not to stand in the way of moves to allow same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. Mr McGinn, Labour MP for St Helens North, urged the Government to get off the fence and support the change ahead of the second reading of his Private Members Bill on Friday. His Bill will officially recognise same-sex marriages in Northern Ireland, bringing the rules into line with England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and other nations. Since the Bills introduction to the Commons in March, an opinion poll has shown an overwhelming 76% of the Northern Ireland public now support same-sex marriage. The bill has been brought in via Parliament's Ten Minute Rule, which usually leads to the bill being blocked by the Government. If the Government chooses to block the Bill, then it will be unable to proceed to Committee Stage, derailing the process and throwing the campaign for equal marriage in Northern Ireland into turmoil. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, has previously confirmed to Mr McGinn that the Government would allow a free vote on issues of conscience like equal marriage in Northern Ireland, but no guarantees have been made ahead of the Bills important second reading. Mr McGinn has written to the Secretary of State to call for the Bills safe passage and for clarity on the governments position. The Bill is expected to be read at 2.30pm at the close of business in the Commons. A similar Bill in the name of Conservative Peer Lord Hayward is currently progressing through the House of Lords. The campaign to bring equal marriage to Northern Ireland has more support than ever before, with more than three quarters backing a change in the law according to the latest poll," Mr McGinn said. In Westminster, there is cross-party support in both the Commons and the Lords for equal marriage in Northern Ireland and the Secretary of State has confirmed that the Government will quite rightly treat this as it would any other issue of conscience with a free vote. In order for my Bill to proceed and bring equal marriage in Northern Ireland another step closer, we need the Government to allow its passage at its Second Reading on Friday. Im calling on the Government to get off the fence and do the right thing by the people of Northern Ireland and the thousands of same sex couples who are denied their right to marry by allowing this Bill to proceed. Patrick Corrigan of the Love Equality campaign for marriage equality in Northern Ireland called on the Commons to bring the legislation forward. In March, Conor McGinn joined Love Equality campaigners in Downing Street as they handed in a 46,000-strong petition addressed to Prime Minister Theresa May, calling for the Governments support in passing marriage equality legislation for Northern Ireland to bring the region into line with the rest of the UK. With Stormont in mothballs, only Westminster can end the inequality faced by LGBT couples in Northern Ireland," Mr Corrigan said. Equal marriage has overwhelming public support in Northern Ireland and we know that this is matched by widespread cross-party backing in Parliament. We now need the Government to live up to their public commitment to marriage equality in Northern Ireland by ensuring that Conor McGinn MPs private members bill is able to progress to the next stage in the legislative process. Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 A local Artist records the The 12th of July Parade which takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker An Orangewoman is pictured taking part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Orangemen take part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Bands take part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Orangewomen take part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Orangemen in period costume take part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Orangemen take part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images A Union flag is seen as Orangemen take part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Orangemen take part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Bands take part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 A local Artist records the The 12th of July Parade which takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Orange Order members march past St Patricks Church in Belfast as part of the 'Twelfth of July' celebrations. Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Orangewomen are pictured taking part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker An woman is pictured as Orangemen take part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Orangemen are pictured taking part in the annual July 12 parade in Belfast, on July 12, 2017. July 12 is the main marching day in the Orange Order calendar. The parades mark the Protestant commemoration of the 327th anniversary of King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Pacemaker Press 12/7/2017 The 12th of July Parade takes place from from Clifton Street threw the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, As thousands of people line the streets across Northern Ireland the 12th of July celebrations. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 12th july 2017 12th July Orange Order parade takes places in Belfast with lodges from all parts of the city and beyond being led by marching bands from Carlisle Circus in north Belfast to Barnett Demesne in south Belfast. UTV's Paul Clark poses for a pictured on Royal Avenue in Belfast City Centre. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 12th july 2017 12th July Orange Order parade takes places in Belfast with lodges from all parts of the city and beyond being led by marching bands from Carlisle Circus in north Belfast to Barnett Demesne in south Belfast. The parade makes its way through the city centre. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Blake McCord(4) from north Belfast pictured in Royal Avenue in the city centre. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com 12th July Orange Order parade takes places in Belfast with lodges from all parts of the city and beyond being led by marching bands from Carlisle Circus in north Belfast to Barnett Demesne in south Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com The birthplace of Orangeism will host the largest Twelfth of July demonstration this summer, it has been confirmed. The conservation village of Loughgall will be one of 17 venues across Northern Ireland holding processions to mark the 328th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne. Preparations are at an advanced stage for the biggest day in the parading calendar, with upwards of an estimated half-a-million people expected to participate or spectate in what is widely regarded as one of the largest annual festivals in Europe. Thousands of Orangemen, women and juniors accompanied by over 600 marching bands will step out at the various locations with much pageantry, colour and heritage on display. The traditional sight and sound of Lambeg drums will add to the festivities in Co Armagh. The parade will pass the Museum of Orange Heritage at Sloans House, where the Orange Institution was founded in 1795 following the Battle of the Diamond, located on the outskirts of Loughgall. A large Scottish contingent is expected in Belfast, as the city hosts the longest Twelfth parade on the day, with participants walking over six miles to the field. The capital and Ballymena are the only venues where Twelfth demonstrations occur annually. Other significant parades will take place in Londonderry, Brookeborough (Fermanagh), Ballyclare (Antrim), Donaghcloney (Down) and Stewartstown (Tyrone). Meanwhile, breaking with tradition, over 1,000 Orangemen from Mourne District will join their neighbouring brethren at the Newcastle demonstration. Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson, hailed the enhanced cultural experience offered by the yearly celebrations. The Twelfth of July offers a unique opportunity for the Orange Institution and the bands community to showcase our culture and heritage, and we are confident of welcoming increasing numbers of visitors, tourists and families to all of our parades, he said. There are very few events on these islands that can bring such vast numbers of people onto the streets, either by taking part or simply to watch the music and pageantry. Mr Stevenson will be in attendance at the Castlederg demonstration. The senior Orangeman added: The Twelfth is truly a day like no other as we celebrate much that is important to the Reformed faith, our civil and religious liberties and our British heritage. Our proud cultural traditions will once again be on display at 17 venues throughout Northern Ireland. The Twelfth demonstrations will follow the traditional Rossnowlagh parade held in the Republic on the preceding weekend. This year the annual Donegal procession takes place on Saturday July 7. The 17 demonstrations on Thursday July 12 2018, will be held in Loughgall, Belfast, Brookeborough, Stewartstown, Castlederg, Ballygawley, Newtownards, Newcastle, Donaghcloney, Londonderry, Garvagh, Ballyclare, Aghalee, Broughshane, Ballymena, Portglenone and Rasharkin. The long-term partner of a man who died after falling from an apartment complex in Newtownards told an inquest that she did not believe he jumped. William Desmond Gallagher Mee (45), known as Des, of Blenheim Drive, died at the Ulster Hospital on July 26, 2016, after falling from the third floor of Millers House apartment block in the town centre. There was speculation at the time of the incident that he had been pushed and allegations were reported of loyalist paramilitary involvement. Mee was jailed for 12 years in 1990 for the gang rape of a woman in east Belfast. He also had convictions for abusing young girls when he was a teenager. An inquest, which opened into Mr Mee's death yesterday, heard the detective who headed up what was originally a murder inquiry, describe it as a "very puzzling case", but said based upon the evidence he had, he took the decision that the death could no longer be treated as suspicious. The first witness to give evidence to the inquest held by Coroner Patrick McGurgan was Donna Johnston, Mr Mee's partner of 33 years. The couple had met when Ms Johnston was just 14, and had an on-and-off relationship, punctuated by several spells that Mr Mee had spent in jail. She said he had a history of alcohol and drug abuse, mental health issues and had been upset over the death of their daughter Melissa to cancer 11 months previously. But Ms Johnston said that Mr Mee had been a "rock" for her while their daughter was ill. She insisted that if he had wanted to take his own life, he would not have done it by jumping from a building. Instead she said, there would have been "far easier" ways for him to have done so, such as taking an overdose or intentionally crashed his motorbike, as he had done previously. Ms Johnston said he intentionally put himself in physical pain before to distract from his feelings if he was struggling. "I think it is strange, him jumping off a building when he was scared of heights. I can't justify it," she said. On the evening of Mr Mee's death, Ms Johnston said she had driven him to Millers House to return a mobile phone. Their young grandchild was in the car with them. She said he would not have wanted them to see him die. Ms Johnston also said he had been in great form on the day he died. The inquest heard medical evidence from Dr James Lyness, who carried out the autopsy, via a statement read out under rule 17. He found death had been due to severe head injuries, but also noted severe injuries across Mr Mee's body. He said it was not possible to rule out whether Mr Mee had been pushed or whether he had jumped from the evidence. Eyewitness Stuart Campbell saw Mr Mee fall from the third floor of the apartment complex. "He just fell, no shouting, no arms flinging or legs, he just fell," he told the inquest. Detective Inspector Darren McCartney, of the PSNI's serious crime branch, investigated the incident. He said three people who had been in the apartment Mr Mee visited before his fall were initially arrested on suspicion of murder and questioned for two days. While one was not co-operative, two said during interviews that Mr Mee had become emotional, told them he was "going to see his daughter", opened the window and jumped out. Mr McCartney said a "significant" investigation was carried out during which 102 witness statements were gathered. But when he reviewed the evidence, he took the decision that Mr Mee's death could no longer be treated as suspicious. He told the inquest he based this decision on several factors, including Mr Campbell's evidence on how Mr Mee had fallen. "If someone was forced out of a window, I don't imagine they would fall feet first," he told the inquest. Mr McCartney said his decision was also based on medical evidence, Mr Mee's personal history and forensic evidence of footprints on the window ledge and a lack of fingerprints on the window, among other factors. "If you were to be forced out of a window, I imagine some sort of fingerprint marks would be found, but none were found," he added. Barrister Aiden Corrigan, acting for Mr Mee's family, queried that no fingerprints had been found on the window, describing that as "peculiar". Mr McCartney responded by saying that it depends what part of the body touched the window. Mr Corrigan also queried why one of the former suspects had not co-operated during police interviews, why police did not know who closed the window following the incident and whether any of the people inside the apartment had not tried to stop Mr Mee from jumping, if he did in fact jump. Mr McCartney responded: "It's a very puzzling case. I believe the decision I came to is the right decision given the evidence in front of me at the time." A number of other eyewitnesses did not turn up at the court yesterday and they were being sought by police last night. The hearing continues. Police in Magaluf have confirmed they have arrested two people including a British man over the death of tourist Aaron Henderson. They say the Brit, aged 35, is suspected of killing Aaron and a 37-year-old Spaniard held with him is suspected of trying to cover up the crime. Read More The unnamed British man was held on Tuesday afternoon at the bar he works at in Magaluf. The second man, a manager at the same unidentified bar, was held on Wednesday morning. It emerged on Wednesday a British man had been held over the death of Aaron, who lost his fight for life in hospital on May 1 after suffering head injures in a street attack on April 27. He was initially thought to be a club doorman in Magaluf, although investigators confirmed later he performed managerial functions at the nightspot which could include being on the door. Aaron, from Coleraine, Co Londonderry, was attacked in the early hours of April 27 at the end of Punta Ballena Street. Investigators from Majorcas Civil Guard force were said to have spoken to a witness who told them he saw Aaron being pushed to the ground and then kicked in the head in the notorious party resort. A spokesman for the Civil Guard said in a statement released on Wednesday: The Civil Guard has arrested a British man aged 35 as the author of a crime of homicide. They have also arrested a Spanish man aged 37 on suspicion of concealing the crime. In the early hours of April 27, a tourist was assaulted in Magaluf. As a result of the beating he received he had to be transferred to Son Espases Hospital in Palma and died in the hospital on May 1. Civil Guard officers launched an investigation to determine what had happened. After interviewing several people who said they had witnessed the incident, carrying out other inquiries and receiving the results of the autopsy, they determined it could be a homicide and not an accident. Investigators managed to identify the possible author as a result of the inquiries and arrested him on Tuesday afternoon at the bar in Magaluf where he works as a manager. On Wednesday morning the Civil Guard arrested another man who also works as a manager at the same premises on suspicion of concealment. Both suspects are expected to appear before a judge in a closed court hearing in the next 24 hours. The judge will decide whether to remand them or release them in custody as part of an ongoing criminal probe. Shopkeepers son Aaron was on holiday with his girlfriend Danielle Baxter. It is understood he decided to carry on partying the night of the attack after she decided to go back to their holiday accommodation early. She posted an emotional tribute on social media after his death, saying: I love you Aaron 'Hendy' Henderson always and forever, you've made me the happiest I've ever been in my entire life. Aarons dad Paul revealed overnight their family had decided to donate his organs so his death wouldnt be in vain. He told a local newspaper in Belfast: Aaron had been standing outside a bar in Magaluf when someone ran over and punched him and ran off. A man and a woman saw what happened and they phoned an ambulance and stayed with him until he was taken to hospital. "He had a small bleed on the side of his skull and was rushed into the operating theatre. When we arrived in hospital he was in intensive care and was coming round. Recalling how his son had squeezed his hand and said Daddy before he suffered a fatal bleed to the brain, he said: We sat that night in the hotel room and talked about what we should do and came to the decision to donate his organs. "It was a hard decision to make, but it gives us some comfort as we know he is still out there, and someone is happy. At least we know he didn't die in vain." A Northern Ireland woman has made an emotional pilgrimage to Auschwitz to honour the aunt who sacrificed her life to protect Jewish schoolgirls. Deirdre McDowell visited the death camp in what was then Nazi-occupied Poland where a wreath was laid in memory of Jane Haining, who died alongside dozens of young children she taught. Mrs McDowell, from the Waterside area of Londonderry, said standing on the same ground her aunt would have walked on during her internment gave her an incredible connection to the suffering of those who perished there. Jane Haining, who grew up in Dunscore near Dumfries in Scotland, worked at the Kirk-run Scottish Mission School in Budapest from 1932 to 1944. There, for four years during the Second World War, she protected the Jewish girls in her charge from the Nazis. She was arrested by the Gestapo in April 1944. A former pupil said her haunting last words to sobbing children were: "Don't worry, I'll be back by lunch." Miss Haining was taken to prison in Budapest, where she spent several months before being transferred Auschwitz, where she died three months later. Mrs McDowell, who was also a teacher, told the Belfast Telegraph she is humbled by the incredible bravery of her aunt. "My husband and I went to Auschwitz as part of a Unison group who went there for International Workers' Day and who were leaving a memorial at the Workers' monument," she said. "People often say to me about how proud I must be, but it is actually more humbling to think that an aunt of mine did these incredible things." Auschwitz was the largest of the Nazi concentration camps. Over 1.1 million men, women and children lost their lives there. Around 90% of those were Jews; approximately one in six Jews killed in the Holocaust died there. When prisoners arrived at Auschwitz, they were selected either for forced labour or immediate execution. Their heads were shaved, their belongings taken. All suffered appalling cruelty. Mrs McDowell said visiting the camp made the horror of its past life all the more apparent. She added: "It was really so emotional to be in Auschwitz and follow in her footsteps - to imagine what it would have been like for her and all those others to arrive there off the railway line in a wagon that would have had no ventilation. "I had never thought of her as having had her head shaved until I was there but it struck me for the first time when I was standing there that she would have been taken along and had her hair shaved and been stripped. "It was hard to take in that she is related to us. We saw so much footage of the horrors and of the millions who died there. "She stayed there with the children she taught even though the Church of Scotland wanted her to come back home. "She was like a mother to them and she was wasn't going to leave them. She said if they needed her during peace times then they needed her so much more in the days of darkness. "In Auschwitz, they know about her now and they are going to get something in the museum about her, perhaps her picture and the last letter she wrote just two days before her death. "It will be lovely to have her commemorated there because she was one of the very few English-speaking people killed there." Mrs McDowell's mother Amy - Jane Haining's half sister - settled in Northern Ireland, where her nine nieces and nephews grew up hearing stories of their remarkable aunt. Miss Haining also featured in a special Antiques Roadshow about the Holocaust, which five of her nieces from Londonderry took part in. In the programme a ring belonging to their aunt was discussed by the experts. She was posthumously included in the Righteous Among The Nations in Jerusalem's sacred Yad Vashem - Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust - in 1997. The honour is used by the state of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis. In 2010, the UK Government posthumously awarded her a Hero of the Holocaust medal. Mrs McDowell's brother Robert O'Brien said the recognition of their aunt's bravery and courage is important to the whole family. "I was born about five years after the end of the war but from when I was a teenage boy my mother told us about Jane Haining and I had read her story in a little booklet," he said. "The Church of Scotland is very proactive in promoting Jane's story, which is wonderful. "The little church she attended in Dunscore is very active in keeping her memory alive. "There is a heritage section at the church where one part is dedicated to the story of Jane Haining and outside there is a little cairn overlooking the valley she would have known as a child which is also dedicate to her. "They found in their archives a box which contained some of her possessions, including a will she had made and the last letter she wrote from inside Auschwitz. "It is very gratifying for us that more and more people are learning of how brave and courageous she was and of the incredible suffering she endured rather than leave the children she taught." Simon Coveney announced the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is to produce a new White Paper on international development (Brian Lawless/PA) The Tanaiste has described the future of the EU goes as a force for creating greater security at home and abroad, which goes beyond economy prosperity. Simon Coveney TD was speaking at the National Citizens Dialogue on the Future of Europe event in Dublin when he called for more work to be done to spread values of the union around the world. He also announced the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is to produce a new White Paper on international development. Mr Coveney said: I believe it is crucial that we strongly support the European Union of today, with all its imperfections. At the same time, we must redouble our efforts to build a Europe that fulfils the aspirations of all its citizens. The EU is best placed to deal with our challenges by promoting democracy and prosperity Tanaiste @simoncoveney delivers the closing address after an engaging National Citizens Dialogue on the #FutureofEurope pic.twitter.com/RUaVmhfqY2 Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) May 9, 2018 Our efforts must continue to go beyond economic prosperity and growth and offer also a vision of our values as Europeans, expressed in a generous engagement with the wider world. On Europe Day, we should remember where we have come from since 1950, since 1957, since 1973. We should remember progress made, lives saved, societies healed and economies grown. And we should reiterate our conviction that by showing solidarity, sticking to our values and embracing innovation, the European Union will remain the best model we have for facing the challenges of the future together. He went on to describe how working with other EU members was vital for tackling issues such as cyber-crime, terrorism and extremism. Happy #EuropeDay2018 - support for the EU has never been stronger in Ireland pic.twitter.com/xv9zHkp0Ks Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) May 9, 2018 The upcoming White Paper he announced is to stress the priority for protecting multilateralism and civil society space, preventing the erosion of norms and principles and to use Irelands multilateral engagement to advance priority issues. Mr Coveney said it must be accompanied by more frequent dialogue between Europe and Africa. He added: I want us to be at the forefront too in charting a new, more assertive role for the EU in the Middle East Peace Process. We need to build on shared principles and develop a plan of action that can increase EU leverage and pressure to move towards a peaceful and secure two-state solution. Irish voters are split down the middle on whether Brexit makes a united Ireland more likely, a new poll has found. Responding to questions from polling company Red C, 44% of voters in the Republic agreed the Brexit vote makes a united Ireland more likely, 44% disagreed, with 12% saying they didn't know. Questioned about whether Ireland should remain in the EU, an overwhelming majority (92%) supported the idea. The poll was commissioned by European Movement Ireland (EM Ireland), a non-profit organisation aimed at improving links between the Republic and Europe. Commenting on the findings Noelle O'Connell, executive director of EM Ireland said: "Contrary to recent claims, at 92% support for Ireland's membership of the EU remains strong; in fact it is at an all-time high since we first undertook this poll in 2013." It comes followings murmurs of the Republic potentially following Britain out of the EU. In February, Brexit supporter and former UKIP leader Nigel Farage made a keynote address in Dublin to a group campaigning for a break from the union. The report also found 59% agreed Ireland should be part of increased EU defence and security cooperation. The issue of the Irish border has been at the centre of the discussion around the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, with a focus on what will happen to the border on the island of Ireland after Britain leaves the EU. In a recent visit to border areas in both Northern Ireland and the Republic, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said "flexible and imaginative solutions" would be needed to avoid a hard border, while the EU remained committed to keeping a backstop option with the European Union. Arthur Collins' parents were charged after a cannabis factory was allegedly found at their home (Gareth Fuller/PA) The parents of jailed acid attacker Arthur Collins have appeared in court after a cannabis factory was allegedly found at their home. Police are said to have discovered 30 plants, along with hydroponics and growing equipment in an outbuilding while searching for Collins, 25, on April 17 last year in the hours after he hurled the corrosive liquid across a crowded dancefloor in an east London nightclub. Expand Close Arthur Collins junior is serving a 20-year prison sentence for the acid attack, which left 16 people with chemical burns and three people temporarily blinded (Metropolitan Police/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Arthur Collins junior is serving a 20-year prison sentence for the acid attack, which left 16 people with chemical burns and three people temporarily blinded (Metropolitan Police/PA) Prosecutors say the potential yield from the crop found in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, could have been between 9,000 and 25,000. Collins 55-year-old father, who is also called Arthur, and mother Jackie, 53, appeared at Stevenage Magistrates Court on Wednesday alongside their other son, Thomas, 22. Officers allegedly found CS spray and a taser, along with 68.1g of cannabis in his bedroom during the search. The family spoke only to confirm their names, dates of births, addresses and that they were British during a brief hearing. Arthur Collins senior, who was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and black trousers, and Mrs Collins, dressed in a navy blue skirt and blazer, each face a charge of allowing the production of cannabis, a Class B drug. Their son, Thomas, who was wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a black T-shirt, is charged with possessing cannabis and two weapons. Each of the three defendants made no indication of the pleas they intend to enter. Magistrates declined jurisdiction, sending the case to St Albans Crown Court for a hearing on June 8. All three of the Collinss were granted unconditional bail. Five counts of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm Nine counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm Arthur Collins junior, who has a baby daughter, Sunday, with his former Towie star ex-girlfriend Ferne McCann is serving a 20-year prison sentence over the April 17 2017 acid attack, which left 16 people with chemical burns and three people temporarily blinded. He was found guilty of five counts of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and nine charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after a trial. He was handed another eight-month sentence earlier this year for using a smuggled mobile phone in his prison cell. Collins said he used the device to call then pregnant Ms McCann while awaiting trial. A man in his 50s has died after being found unconscious in the street. Police and ambulance staff were called to Sparsholt Road in Barking, east London, at around 6am on Wednesday. We are currently on scene at Sparsholt Road, Barking where a man has sadly died. The death is being treated as unexplained. Road closures are in place, please avoid the area if you can. Our enquiries are ongoing pic.twitter.com/Dx3Wf3qGsD Barking & Dagenham MPS (@MPSBarkDag) May 9, 2018 The man, whose family have not yet been told, was declared dead at the scene. His death is being treated as unexplained, Scotland Yard said. The road was closed and a crime scene was set up. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to visit the UK for talks with Theresa May on May 15, Downing Street has announced. Number 10 said that his trip would be an opportunity for Britain and Turkey to demonstrate their close relationship. Mrs May met Mr Erdogan in Turkey on a one-day visit in January last year, when they agreed a 100 million defence deal to help develop fighter jets for the Turkish air force. Mr Erdogan has been widely accused of a campaign of repression against perceived opponents in the press, academia and judiciary following an unsuccessful coup in 2016. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: The visit is an opportunity for the UK and Turkey to demonstrate our close bilateral relationship and to have important discussions about issues of shared interest. Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas MP, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign against a hard Brexit, said: As we hurtle towards Brexit its clear that the Government is increasingly willing to cosy up to repressive leaders from across the world. President Erdogan is an autocrat, who inflicts serious harm on his own population yet weve flogged him millions of pounds worth of weapons and now were inviting him over for tea. It would be utterly appalling if Theresa May doesnt take this opportunity to stand up to Erdogans human rights abuses, and if the only outcome from these meetings was smiling photos with a leader who were desperately trying to court before the Brexit crunch begins. Since the collapse of the recent inter-party talks, politics in Northern Ireland are clearly in a state of impasse. It is urgent that efforts to re-establish a power-sharing government should start again. We hear regularly about job losses, shop closures and severe problems in the health service. A properly functioning Executive is needed to tackle these problems. In spite of the gloom, however, it is possible that at present, there may be an opportunity to bring a resolution to our political difficulties. Some new factors are relevant. As well, analysis of the reasons for the collapse of the original talks could help to overcome the problems. In the period following the fall of the Executive, there was good reason to believe that the main parties involved were not enthusiastic about restoring this power-sharing system. The main interest of Sinn Fein shifted south and northern matters did not seem very important for them. Holding the balance of power in Westminster meant the DUP was not so concerned about Stormont. Things have now changed. Sinn Fein is very keen to enter as a partner in a future Irish Government. The southern parties are opposed to such a move, primarily on the grounds that Sinn Fein is not fit for such a role. The failure of the Northern Ireland Executive is presented as evidence of the party's unfitness. This will be an incentive for Sinn Fein to make future talks work successfully. In spite of its role at Westminster, the DUP faces a serious threat. If the current impasse continues, the Assembly will be dissolved and all the MLAs made redundant. This will lead to a hollowing-out of the party. They will still have 10 MPs at Westminster, but they will have lost their 28 MLAs, including their party leader. The DUP needs to get Stormont operating fully again. The previous talks sank primarily due to controversy over the Irish language. Sharp division remains over this issue. People on both sides of the argument feel very strongly about the matter. It must be realised, however, that unless we are willing to work out a suitable compromise, our political situation will remain deadlocked and the serious problems we face will not be dealt with. An important factor in the debacle over the Irish language was the heightened level of exaggeration and misinformation over the issue. On the one side, some language enthusiasts called for extreme measures, such as bilingual names of every street and road, including the Shankill Road, the right to receive a service in Irish in every GP surgery and quotas for Irish speakers in the public service. On the other side, it was claimed that promotion of the Irish language was part of an ongoing IRA plot. Some of the more extreme proposals for the language were reported in parts of the media as serious possibilities without any real challenge. Matters became so hyped-up in the Protestant community that Arlene Foster felt it necessary to reassure Protestants that they would not be forced to learn Irish. This controversy helped to collapse the talks. Sinn Fein allowed itself to be over-influenced by a relatively small number of language activists. It made no attempt to present a more reasonable case for the Irish language. The DUP failed to inform its followers about the need for compromise, to counter the fake news and to reassure its base. Future efforts to resolve this matter must involve the parties not only developing together a moderate settlement, but also making greater efforts to bring their supporters with them. The point should be stressed that if this problem is not dealt with, we face a bleak future. How can the language question be resolved? It is worth noting that there is already use of the Irish language in various public areas. My rates notification from the Land & Property Services also carries its title in Irish. It gives me information where I can go to see the bill in Irish, or other languages. In some areas, councils use their Irish language name as well as the English version. In streets where there is majority approval, it is possible to have the street name in Irish. Resources are readily available to promote Irish language-medium schools. Any new legislation can include and build on these developments. The question of a separate Irish Language Act has been a matter of controversy. In fact, from what we have learnt about the earlier discussions between Sinn Fein and the DUP, it had been suggested that language legislation could embrace Irish, Ulster Scots and other language and cultural matters. Such an imaginative approach to this problem should be tried again. The parties need to discuss these issues once more and in a positive fashion. There are some encouraging signs that today people appreciate the need for better understanding and respect on the language question. Recently, Paul Reid, the mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, hosted a special event in Ballymena to celebrate Irish Language week. Dr Niall Comer, president of Conradh na Gaelige, thanked the mayor for his role. Last month, Antrim and Newtownabbey mayor Paul Hamill spoke Irish when he welcomed nearly 200 guests to the Theatre at the Mill for a special Irish language event. It is critical that republicans and nationalists present moderate proposals. On the unionist side, it is essential that they demonstrate respect for the Irish language. All parties must work hard to bring their voters with them. Politicians must be prepared to compromise and to move from "red line" positions in aid of the common good. There are many reasons to urge progress on the language issue. Success or failure may well have an impact on the future of the parties. We will not get an Executive up and running until this matter is settled. Besides all this, a successful settlement would reflect a new level of tolerance and common sense in our community. Professor emeritus Brian M Walker is the author of A Political History of the Two Irelands: From Partition to Peace (Palgrave Macmillan) Bangladeshi police escort Masqawat Hasan before he was sentenced to death for the murder of a university professor, Rezaul Karim Siddique, in the northwestern city Rajshahi, May 8, 2018. A court in northwestern Bangladesh sentenced two militants to death Tuesday after convicting them in the murder of a professor who was killed in a machete-attack near his home two years ago, a prosecutor said. The court in Rajshahi also handed life terms to three other suspected members of the banned militant group Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) who were found guilty of aiding the murder of Rezaul Karim Siddique on April 23, 2016. The slaying of the 58-year-old professor, who taught English literature at Rajshahi University, occurred toward the end of a spate of killings in Bangladesh carried out by Muslim extremists who targeted secular bloggers, intellectuals and foreigners between October 2015 and April 2016. Most of the victims were hacked to death with machetes. Prosecutor Entazul Haque Babu told BenarNews that one of the two men sentenced to be hanged for Siddiques murder was Shariful Islam, one of the victims students at Rajshahi University. Islam is still at large. He said the three men who were sentenced to life in prison Rahmat Ullah, Abdus Sattar and his son, Ripon Ali were in police custody. The court said professor Siddique was killed for his non-communal way of life and ideology, Babu said, without elaborating. Court documents said that before Siddiques murder, Islam had threatened the professor in his classroom, saying a caliphate must be established in this country. The extremist group Islamic State (IS), in a statement, said it was behind Siddiques killing and accused him of being an atheist. But his daughter, Rizwana Hasin Shotovi, told BBC News that he believed in God. Bangladeshi officials have rejected the IS claim, saying the group does not exist in the country, and instead blamed homegrown militants for recent terrorist acts in Bangladesh. Police believe Siddique may have been targeted by extremists because he was involved in cultural activities. Court documents said he had been trying to start a music school at his village in Rajshahis Bagmara sub-district, where the JMB began operating in 2001. Siddique also served as an editor of a literary magazine Komolgandhar and he also worked as an adviser to a cultural organization known as Sundaram, investigators said. The JMB founder, Shaikh Abdur Rahman, and his military wing chief, Suddiqul Islam, spread terror in Bagmara and adjacent areas by staging witch-hunts, executing people in public and hanging their victims upside down, authorities said. But the government shattered JMBs organizational network by executing Rahman and Suddiqul Islam after convicting them in the killings of two assistant judges. In November 2016, a court in northern Bangladesh also indicted seven suspected JMB members for the October 2015 killing of farmer Kunio Hoshi, a Japanese farmer living in in Rangpur district, some 300 km (185 miles) from Dhaka. The 66-year-old Hoshi had been working for two months as an agricultural researcher before being gunned down by two suspects on a motorbike. Students, family members react to verdict Authorities had earlier identified eight people as perpetrators in Siddiques murder, but police said three had already been killed in gunfights with law-enforcement officials in recent months. Before the court issued its verdict, hundreds of Rajshahi University students linked arms and formed a human chain, police said. He sacrificed his life for his non-communal way of life and ideology, Abdullah Al Mamun, one of the slain professors students, told BenarNews. His martyrdom inspires us. Rizwana Hasin Shotovi, Siddiques daughter, said she was satisfied with the verdict, but expressed concern that the main culprit was still on the run. We hope the higher courts would uphold this judgment and [the two culprits] would be executed soon, she told BenarNews. National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Muhammad Iqbal speaks to reporters in front of the Brimob detention facility in West Java, May 9, 2018. Updated at 5:20 p.m. ET on 2018-05-09 Five Indonesian policemen and an inmate were killed after a riot broke out over a food complaint at a prison housing convicted terrorists near Jakarta, authorities said Wednesday while denying a claim that Islamic State (IS) extremists were involved. As of early Thursday (local time), the last officer held hostage had been released at the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) detention facility in Depok, according to police, who said they contained the riot earlier. Police had to shoot one of them because he fought officers and took an officers weapon, police spokesman Brig. Gen. Muhammad Iqbal told reporters in front of Mako Brimob, the Mobile Brigades national headquarters where the maximum-security detention center is located. He said the riot started Tuesday evening when an inmate asked a police officer for food that had been brought by his family. The officer was not aware of the delivery, triggering an angry response from the inmate. Suddenly, there was a loud voice from block C shouting harsh words at the officer, Iqbal said, adding that the incident provoked other inmates. The five police officers who died were identified as Yudi Rospuji, Deni Setiadi, Fandi Setyo Nugroho, Syukron Fadli, and Pamungkas. Two were members of the nations elite police wing Densus 88, which often takes part in counter-terrorist operations, and three were police investigators. The dead prisoner was identified as Benny Samsutrisno. The IS-affiliated Amaq News Agency said its extremists were involved in the riot, according to SITE Intelligence Group, a U.S.-based website that monitors online communications among Muslim extremist groups worldwide. SITE reported that IS shared photographs on social media showing the hostage and inmates carrying weapons inside the detention center. Rohan Gunaratna, the head of the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore who is also a BenarNews contributor, confirmed Amaqs statement. The statement of Amaq is credible, he told BenarNews by phone on Wednesday. Iqbal, who had been at the prison since Tuesday night, disputed the IS claim. I saw step by step, process by process thats completely untrue, he said. Police stand guard in front of the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) detention facility in Depok, Indonesia, following a riot that killed five officers, May 9, 2018. (Arie Firdaus/BenarNews) Cleric, former governor housed in prison The Brimob center houses 130 terrorist prisoners scattered across three blocks, including cleric Aman Abdurrahman, the de facto leader of Indonesian IS supporters. He is on trial on charges stemming from recent terror attacks in Indonesia, including the Jakarta shooting and suicide bombings in January 2016, claimed as the first IS attack in Southeast Asia. Iqbal said prison officials allowed the inmates to meet with Aman on Tuesday evening. After the meeting, the militants had additional demands. Police spokesman Setyo Wasisto told an Indonesian TV station that the inmates who provoked the riot were members of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah (JAD), a network of extremist groups formed in 2015 and which pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Associated Press reported. There are about 30 to 40 hardliners and inmates from JAD who provoked other inmates, Wasisto said. Not all prisoners are terrorists. Former Jakarta Gov. Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who was sentenced last year following his blasphemy conviction, is held in a different wing of the prison for security reasons and is safe, according to a government official. National security concern Meanwhile, Wiranto, Indonesias coordinating minister of political, legal and security affairs, expressed concern about the riot. It has to be carefully and seriously handled because it is linked to national security, Wiranto told reporters, adding that police officials must handle negotiations properly based on the law." A human rights leader said the riot exposed a threat facing Indonesia. The attack by convicted terrorists in the jail shows the existence of terror groups which are effective and have become a threat to security, said Hendardi, representative of the Jakarta-based human rights group Setara Institute. This incident reminds all parties not to compromise with radicalism and terrorism that threaten the security and ideology of the nation. The detention center is near where three suspected Islamic militants were arrested on Friday for allegedly targeting attacks on the Brimob command headquarters in West Java, Gadog traffic police station in Bogor and police headquarters in Bogor Regency. In addition, another riot broke out six months ago among prisoners at the same Brimob facility in Depok, during which they raised the black flag of IS, Channel NewsAsia reported. Zam Yusa in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and Tria Dianti and Keisyah Aprilia in Jakarta contributed to this report. Pakatan Harapan supporters celebrate their General Election 14 victory outside the hotel where opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad held news conference in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, May 10, 2018. Updated at 5:10 p.m. ET on 2018-05-09 Ex-premier Mahathir Mohamads opposition alliance scored a historic victory Thursday in Malaysias 14th General Election, ousting the Barisan Nasional government which had ruled the country since independence six decades ago. The 92-year-old Mahathirs Pakatan Harapan (PH) bloc had secured 113 seats to gain a simple majority in the 222-member parliament and form the federal government, according to official Election Commission results posted online at 5 a.m. Thursday (local time). Tainted by corruption allegations, Prime Minister Najib Razaks Barisan Nasional got only 79 seats, ejecting him from government leadership after being at the helm for about a decade. The Pakatan coalition comprised several opposition parties, including Mahathirs Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu), the Peoples Justice Party (PKR), the Democratic Action Party (DAP), and the faith-based National Trust Party (Amanah). All campaigned under the banner of PKR, the party of jailed opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim who is expected to take over from Mahathir after he is released next month and gains a royal pardon. The move to run under a common logo in the election came after the authorities rejected Pakatans application for registration as a political coalition and also de-listed Bersatu as a party. Under the countrys electoral system, the party with a simple majority of seats in the 222-member parliament can form the government. During the 2013 election, BN lost the majority vote but pulled in 133 seats. Analysts were surprised by the unassailable opposition lead. Independent polls conducted before the election had indicated that Najib would win by a small margin while losing the popular vote for the second time. Mahathir immediately gave an assurance that the new Pakatan government would not go on a witch hunt, but he quickly added that the law would take its course. We are not seeking revenge. What we want to do is to restore the rule of law. If anybody broke the law, they will be tried, he said at a pre-dawn press conference. Najib, 64, has been buffeted by a scandal over 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund from which billions of dollars were allegedly siphoned off. The U.S. Justice Department says $4.5 billion was looted from 1MBD by associates of Najib, including $700 million that landed in his private bank accounts. He has denied any wrongdoing. Mahathir and the opposition had used Najibs link to the corruption scandal as a key theme of their election campaign. Nonagenarian Mahathir had ruled the Muslim-majority nation for 22 years, from 1981 to 2003, and came out of retirement to take on his former protege Najib. He has promised to hand over power to once arch-rival Anwar Ibrahim, who is due to be released from prison on June 8. Anwar had been convicted for a second time on sodomy charges, which, he said, were concocted by Najibs government to eliminate the threat he posed to its hold on power. Mahathir said Thursday that he would push for a royal pardon for Anwar so that he could take over as premier. People line up outside a polling station in Kuala Lumpur to cast their vote in Malaysias 14th General Election, May 9, 2018. (S. Mahfuz/BenarNews) Close race The Election Commission reported 70 percent of about 15 million registered voters had cast their ballots across the country. The turnout appeared considerably lower than the 85 percent recorded in the previous general election in 2013, officials said. Even before the official results were announced, Mahathir claimed victory. We need to have only 112 seats and it would seem that we have practically achieved that figure and the figure for the BN is very much less than that, Mahathir declared. Barisan Nasional, which has led Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957, said it would respect the election results. Obviously we are going to accept the will of the people but the prime minister will be issuing a statement, said Khairy Jamaluddin, the head of the youth wing of the United Malays Nasional Organization (UMNO) party, the linchpin of Barisan. We need to make sure the election result is respected and we move on, he said. Najib, who heads UMNO, had earlier chaired a meeting of the UMNO top brass at his residence and was scheduled to hold a press conference later Thursday. The meeting included deputy prime minister and UMNO deputy president Zahid Hamid, Defense Minister and UMNO vice-president Hishamuddin Hussein and Khairy, the youth minister. Mahathir has thrown his lot in with an alliance packed with parties that he crushed while in power, which includes Anwar. Analysts had widely predicted that Najibs BN would retain power mainly due to a newly re-jiggered electoral system, which, critics said, had been heavily manipulated. There was no immediate response from the BN on the results. The Election Commission called for patience after Mahathir accused it of delaying the results. Please give us some time for us to make an official announcement after all the results are verified, said Hisham Abdullah, the commissions chairman. We are still receiving results from states as well as from head of voting stations as well as returning officers. I am sure the people are waiting and we understand this. Im sure those who win are anxious to take the oath of prime ministership and form the government. We ourselves have nothing up our sleeve, so please be a little patient. The commission also announced that Mahathirs party had retained control of two states Selangor and Penang and won three other states Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor, the birthplace of Najibs UMNO party. Barisan retained Perlis and Pahang states while the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) retained Kelantan and wrested control of Terengganu from Barisan. PAS had won 18 parliamentary seats, meanwhile. In a blow to the ruling bloc, the leaders of its Chinese and Indian component parties both lost their seats. Liow Tiong Lai, president of Malaysian Chinese Association, lost his seat in Bentong, Pahang state, and S. Subramaniam, president of the Malaysian Indian Congress, did not win his constituency of Segamat, Johor state. Najib expressed concern over personal attacks during the election campaign. Its not been that tense, but it has been quite vicious in the content of the personal attacks which doesn't reflect a mature democracy, he said about the election campaign, according to aljazeera.com. But the most important thing is for the people to decide on the destiny of this nation. Philippine marines fire at targets during the Mentor Training Team Program for Military Operation on Urbanized Terrain at the Gregorio Lim Marine Base, southwest of Manila, Dec. 18, 2017. The Philippine military rescued two hostages held by Abu Sayyaf while two policewomen remained in captivity more than a week after they were taken by the militant group, officials said Wednesday. The gunmen abandoned Blas Jakosalim Ahamad near the town of Panglima Estino on southern Jolo island on Tuesday, a day after heavy fighting left at least 12 gunmen dead. Another captive, Faizal Ahidji, was freed earlier. But there were no immediate sightings of policewomen Benierose Alvarez and Dina Gumahad, who were seized along with them near an army base on April 29. The Abu Sayyaf had demanded a ransom of more than U.S. $96,000 (5 million pesos) for the captives, but it was not clear whether the civilians relatives paid for their release. Operations are ongoing to recover the two policewomen, said Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the local army commander, adding that Ahidji and Ahamad were being debriefed at an undisclosed military camp. Sobejana said a small Abu Sayyaf unit led by a commander named Mujir Yada carried out the abduction. In the nearby island of Basilan, government security forces said Wednesday that they had captured an Abu Sayyaf militant involved in the June 2001 siege in the city of Lamitan where two hostages were beheaded. Senior Superintendent Rufino Inot, Basilan provincial police chief, said the suspect, Unjie Jammang (also known Dams), 50, was arrested at his hideout near the town of Maluso. He has a bounty of about $11,000 (570,000 pesos) on his head. Jammang, according to Inot, took part in a June 2001 siege of Lamitan town in Basilan, when the gunmen snatched several local hostages. Twenty soldiers died in a gun battle and militants later beheaded two of the hostages, while the others were freed or escaped. The Abu Sayyaf is the most brutal of militant groups operating in the southern Philippines. It was formed in the 1990s, and has been blamed for some of the worst terrorist attacks in the country, including the firebombing of a passenger ferry on Manila Bay that left more than 100 dead in 2004. One of the Abu Sayyafs commanders, Isnilon Hapilon, would later pledge allegiance to the Islamic State and become its leader in the region. Last year, he led a five-month siege on the city of Marawi also in the south, leaving an estimated 1,200 dead. Hapilon and key leaders of Marawi attack were killed in October 2017, ending the siege. Richel V. Umel in Marawi contributed to this report. Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno meets her supporters in front of the Supreme Court summer retreat house in northern Baguio city, the Philippines, April 10, 2018. The embattled leader of the Philippines highest court ended two months of forced leave when she returned to office Wednesday after using the time to prepare for her defense of a possible impeachment trial. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who publicly questioned several of President Rodrigo Dutertes policies, returned to the bench to resume her constitutional duties as head of the judiciary, her spokesman, lawyer Carlo Cruz said. Sereno also completed preparation for her legal defense against an impeachment complaint which has remained pending a vote in the House of Representatives. The house justice committee in March voted overwhelmingly to find probable cause to impeach Sereno over allegations of culpable violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption and other high crimes. Among others, she is accused of living a lavish lifestyle and of not declaring her real net worth in an alleged violation of court rules. The allegations were made by a lawyer with known ties to politicians allied with Duterte, who publicly asked the House to speed up Serenos impeachment. Two-thirds of the 292-member house must vote for impeachment to unseat her, but Sereno has said she was expecting to be impeached since majority of the seats were controlled by allies of Duterte. If that occurs, the senate would convene in an impeachment court and try the case. She is ready to face her accusers in the senate, sitting as an impeachment court, to defend herself and tell the Filipino people the other side of the story: the truth, Cruz said. Sereno is within her rights to end her leave and return to office. Preventing her from doing so would likely result in a constitutional crisis, observers have said. Sereno returned to the court two days before the 15-member bench decides on a petition filed by a private lawyer questioning her legal right to hold office. Cruz noted that Sereno would not be involved in those deliberations and she urged the six justices who publicly favored her ouster do the same. Justice expresses confidence Sereno began her leave in March after being pressured by her peers. She had said she would take the time to prepare for her impending impeachment trial in the senate, stressing that she was confident of winning. The first woman to serve as chief justice, she was appointed in 2012 by then-President Benigno Aquino III. She has clashed with Duterte over policy issues, including his campaign against drugs that has left thousands dead since he assumed office in 2016. The complaint against Sereno was filed after she voted against Duterte when the president decided to transfer the remains of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to the national Heroes Cemetery in 2016 nearly three decades after his death. Sereno also dissented when Duterte extended martial law in the south, saying the president had acted with grave abuse of discretion. On Wednesday, Duterte spokesman Harry Roque said the president respected Serenos decision to end her leave of absence. The executive recognizes judicial independence and respects the separation of powers of the three branches of government, including a functioning judiciary, Roque said. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Apara Ekadashi (May 11, 2018): All You Need To Know Faith Mysticism oi-Renu Apara Ekadashi falls on eleventh day during the Krishna Paksh in the month of Jyeshtha. Also known as Achala Ekadashi in some places, it is celebrated as Bhadrakali Ekadashi or Bhadrakali Jayanti in some states including Punjab, Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir. In Odisha, this Ekadashi is known as Jalakrida Ekadashi and Lord Jagannath is worshiped. However, Lord Vishnu is worshiped on every Ekadashi. This year, Apara Ekadashi is on Friday, May 11, 2018. Apara Ekadashi, as the word 'apara' itself signifies, is believed to give limitless wealth. Timings For Apara Ekadashi Sunrise: May 11, 5:51 am Sunset: May 11, 6:55 pm Ekadashi Tithi begins at 23: 28 pm, on May 10, 2018 and ends at 23:41 pm, on May 11, 2018 The devotees must wake up early during the Brahma Muhurta and clean the house first. The bath too, has to be taken in the Brahma Muhurta only. Brahma Muhurta is the time before complete sunrise. The devotees then should clean the Puja room and the place of worship. Sprinkle some drops of Gangajal, to purify the place and the environment. It is followed by offering the puja items and the prasad to the deity. Bhadrakali Jayanti Worship Lord Vishnu with basil/tulsi leaves, dhoop, deep and akshat. Use yellow sandalwood and panchamrit too. After this the Vrat Katha and Vishnu Sahastranaam Stotra is narrated. This is followed by the recitation of the Aarti. Later, the prasad is distributed among the devotees. Offering yellow cloth to Lord Vishnu is considered highly auspicious. The devotees can also wear yellow clothes. The fast begins on Dashmi tithi and ends on the morning of the Dwadashi tithi. The observer of the fast has to eat nothing the whole day. The breaking of the fast, that is the Parana is done the next day after sunrise. Some people also observe the fast by eating fruits once a day. Many avoid drinks too for the whole day. It is believed that no one should eat grains especially rice on the day of Ekadashi. No fast is considered complete without making some donations. Therefore, one must donate items of use among the poor and needy. Doing this on Ekadashi is considered highly beneficial. Devotees keep a whole night vigil and sing songs and prayers. Applying oil on the body is prohibited on an Ekadashi, according to Hindu scriptures. It is believed in Hinduism that those who observe a fast on this Ekadashi are blessed with health and wealth. It is believed that the Ekadashi fast ensures salvation for a devotee. People also observe this day to wash away all their sins and past mistakes. If a devotee worships Lord Vishnu with utter devotion on this day, God accepts all his prayers and fulfills his wishes soon. Fasting on this day is considered equivalent to performing sacred yagnas and donating cows, in Hinduism. The devotees get the same benefits as they get on taking sacred baths in the holy rivers. This day is also observed as Bhadrakali Jayanti. Goddess Bhadrakali is one of the ten Mahadevis. It is believed that she had emerged from the ferocious face of Lord Shiva. She is depicted with three eyes, four, twelve or eighteen hands and with flames blowing from her head. She was born to kill a demon who was granted a boon by Lord Brahma, that he would not be killed by a human form. Therefore this Goddess took the form of Shakti and brought an end to the atrocities that the demon had been causing to all the life forms on the earth. As college students prepare to look for work experience, professional accounting body ACCA Ireland, has called upon the Government to introduce measures applied in the UK clamping down on the practice of unpaid internships. ACCA Ireland have also called on businesses to ensure their internship programmes do not unfairly discriminate against students from low and middle income families. They say firms can do this by paying interns at least the minimum wage. The body say entry to some professional level careers - including accountancy, journalism, law and engineering - increasingly requires a period of unpaid employment and only students with parents who can afford to support them through this can avail of the opportunity. Aidan Clifford, Technical Director at ACCA Ireland, has said that students with no financial support are being discriminated against. He claimed unpaid internships are acting as a barrier to social mobility. In a Eurbarometer survey on fairness, inequality and inter-generational mobility which was announced last month, almost 80% of Irish people said they believed the difference in peoples incomes is too great. Mr Clifford, said: Unpaid internships limit the pool of talent available to a company. A wealthy parent is not a good indicator of the abilities of their child. When a companys customers can come from all walks of life, having the majority of staff coming from one single socio-economic group adversely affects their business. It is better for a company to recruit the best and not just those with wealthy parents, and a paid internship programme is an effective means of helping achieve this. The experience of JobBridge in Ireland highlighted the risk of Government subsidising internships for up to nine months. Some businesses simply saw this as cheap labour during a difficult economic period, while many young people felt unfairly treated. Instead, the Irish Government should consider measures taken in the UK which has seen HMRC sending out guidelines on the obligations of paying interns the minimum wage and setting up enforcement teams to tackle offending companies. ACCA guidance is that employers should provide adequate remuneration, set reasonable timelines at the outset and structure programmes to fairly offer training on the job without replacing a full-time employee. Norwegian Air could be sold to IAG or another bidder if the price is right, but offers made so far have been too low, according to the budget carriers top office holders. Norwegian last week said it had rejected two takeover proposals from Aer Lingus-owner IAG. At the right price, anything is for sale, founder and chief executive Bjorn Kjos said at Norwegians annual shareholders meeting. Chairman Bjorn Kise said the bids indicated by IAG were too low to be recommended to shareholders. Norwegian remains confident of its business model, Mr Kjos told shareholders. IAG, which owns British Airways, Iberia, and Vueling, in addition to Aer Lingus, last month took a 4.6% stake in the airline. Acquisition interest from several parties confirms the sustainability of the business model, said Mr Kjos told the shareholder meeting. Loss-making Norwegian is in the midst of a massive transatlantic expansion aimed at turning around the companys fortunes by replicating the low-cost model that worked for European flights. Analysts on average expect the airlines revenue to grow by 84% between 2017 and 2020 to 5.2bn (5.93bn), according to forecasts on Thomson Reuters Eikon. While the company is expected to post a net loss of 67m in the current year, the analysts forecast a profit of 74.7m in 2019 and 124m the following year. Norwegian recently scrapped its winter route from Cork and Shannon to Providence in Rhode Island but has shaken up rivals on the transatlantic, as well as poaching pilots from Ryanair in recent times. However, the viability of its business model has been called into question by other analysts because of mounting costs. IAG boss Willie Walsh told analysts his firm would look at all of our options in relation to Norwegian following the rebuffed bid, but said Norwegian could not continue its current growth programme as a standalone business. Potential IAG plans to gobble up Norwegian is bad news for Irelands consumers less than three years after the Government sold its 25% stake in the Irish airline, the Consumers Association of Ireland said recently. Dermott Jewell said it is the first clear example of the way the takeovers in huge industries like the airlines will lower competition while consumers are left on the sidelines as powerless observers because transatlantic fares will inevitably rise. Reuters and Irish Examiner By Padraig Hoare The storm has yet to pass over the Aughinish Alumina plant in Limerick because of its ties to Russian owner Rusal, but US import tariffs on aluminium pose no threat to its operations, according to a global aluminium expert. Some 450 jobs and more than 200 agency roles have been under a cloud at Aughinish Alumina in Askeaton as US sanctions imposed on the plants owner played havoc with metal markets over the past few weeks. The Trump administration has accused Rusals majority owner, billionaire Oleg Deripaska has been accused of having too close ties to the Kremlin. The US imposed crippling sanctions on his business interests and halved Rusals value in the process. Shares in Rusal plummeted as sanctions reverberated across the entire aluminium industry as it scrambled to restore supply chains. Global mining firm Rio Tinto has plants in France and Iceland that use the Irish alumina, and Liberty House Groups Scottish smelter also depends on the site. Fears have eased in recent weeks as the White House toned down its rhetoric, and allowed Mr Deripaska and investors more time to divest holdings in targets of sanctions. Shares have somewhat recovered in Rusal. Enterprise Minister Heather Humphreys raised issues with US counterparts this week, including on Aughinish Alumina and EU trade tariffs, which the Trump administration has said it may impose on aluminium from June 1. She said: The EU has argued strongly that an exemption from the proposed steel and aluminium tariffs should apply on a permanent basis to the EU as a whole. We are disappointed that the EU had not already been granted a permanent exemption, notwithstanding that a temporary exemption was extended to June 1 to allow for further dialogue. Global overcapacity, which is driving problems for the US industry, is also a cause of concern for the EU, which is eager to work jointly with the US to find solutions. Eoin Dinsmore, the head of aluminium primary and products at global consulting firm CRU, said US tariffs on aluminium would have no impact on Aughinish Alumina. The only threat to Aughinish remains over Rusals future, he said. The uncertainty surrounding Aughinish Alumina is 100% tied to the US sanctions against Oleg Deripaska and Rusal. The extended wind-down clause which runs to October 23 allows for existing contracted business to continue. The US has signalled that sanctions against Rusal will be lifted if Mr Deripaska reduces his stake in the company EN+, which has control of Rusal which Mr Deripaska has already suggested. But the storm is yet to pass and the timeline for lifting the sanctions is very uncertain. Indeed, operations may be impacted between now and when the sanctions against Rusal are lifted, said Mr Dinsmore. He said while US import tariffs are unpopular with aluminium firms in Europe, these tariffs do not include alumina. The products are related but different entities. A 10% import duty on aluminium products in the US poses no risk to Aughinish Alumina. Indeed, it is the opposite, a US import tariff will encourage higher primary aluminium production in the US. Higher US primary aluminium production boosts alumina demand in the Atlantic and should be positive for alumina prices, said Mr Dinsmore. By Geoff Percival Virgin Money is expected to reject an initial 1.6bn (1.8bn) takeover offer from rival British challenger bank CYBG, which is led by former AIB boss David Duffy. Richard Branson is reviewing the bid that could turn the fledgling lender he founded almost 25 years ago into one of Britains biggest banks. Shares in both banks rose yesterday; Virgins substantially by over 9% and CYBG by over 1%. However, while analysts said the deal made logical sense combining CYBGs more extensive branch network with Virgins stronger brand most suggested the initial offer was too low and would likely be rejected. We think Virgin shareholders will be lukewarm on the proposal, said Goodbodys John Cronin, adding that he expected a protracted takeover battle could now happen as the two parties jockey over price. We had expected this deal to happen, but not so soon, he said. A 15% premium looks light relative to recent takeover premiums paid for UK challenger banks, especially in light of arguably greater synergy potential in a tie-up between Virgin Money and CYBG, said Davys Stephen Lyons. These smaller banks rose to prominence to meet a shortfall in small business lending left by the bigger banks, which retreated after the financial crisis to rebuild their battered balance sheets. The challenger banks have succeeded in peeling some business away from heavyweights such as Lloyds and RBS, but in turn face their own threat from nimbler digital-only rivals and the rising costs from tighter regulation. Virgin Money is investing heavily in a new digital offering while CYBG already has a digital and mobile banking platform called B. CYBG, owner of Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, made its London market debut in 2016 after it was spun off by National Australia Bank. A successful merger would create Britains sixth largest bank, according to analysts. Under its takeover plan, Virgin Money would own about 36.5% of the combined company. Virgin Money shareholders would receive 1.13 new CYBG shares for each Virgin Money share. Additional reporting Reuters Concerns have been raised that magazines like Vogue, GQ and Hello could be about to disappear from Irish shelves. If the alcohol bill passes it would see all publications which advertise alcohol products come with a health warning, which is not required in other countries. A High Court dispute over the valuable Co Louth estate of the late and legendary amateur jockey Bunny Cox has been resolved. The action was taken by a court-appointed administrator of the estate against Sally Cox, widow of John Richard Cox, known as "Bunny". The case began last week and was settled on Wednesday on terms which include the sale of some of the lands attached to the family farm at Lisnawilly, Dundalk. Bunny Cox died in January 2006, aged 81. Mr Cox had appointed three executors of his estate, one of whom was his wife. Anthony Coomey was later appointed by the court as administrator following the death of Chetwin Cox, one of the other two executors, and illness of the other, James Smith. The administrator sought orders from the court setting aside a deed of transfer of March 18, 2005, made between the late Mr Cox and his wife. Under that, Mr Cox transferred the house and lands at Lisnawilly from his sole name into the joint names of himself and his wife. The effect of the transfer, if upheld, would be the house and property passed to Mrs Cox on her husband's death. It was claimed Mr Cox's consent and/or signature to the deed of transfer was procured by duress and/or undue influence. It was alternatively claimed the transfer amounted to an unconscionable bargain. It was claimed, after the transfer, Mr Cox made a last will on June 11, 2005, and he made further codicil or amendment of August 17, 2005. Under that will, it is claimed Mr Cox left 50 per cent of his house and lands to his wife; 10 per cent to each of his three daughters Jennifer, Michelle and Suzanne; and 20 per cent on trust for his son Richard for his life, to be split equally after Richard's death between the three daughters. It was alleged, when Mr Cox signed the March transfer document, he had been suffering from ill health for some time, having been diagnosed with lung cancer about November 2004. Other claims include he did not have the benefit of independent legal advice concerning the transfer document which, it was claimed, was witnessed by the same solicitor for Mr Cox and his wife. Mrs Cox denied the claims. She said the March 2005 transfer was in consideration of the natural love and affection her husband bore for her and is valid, effective and enforceable. She said he had independent legal advice and the necessary mental capacity. She also claimed, without seeking to impugn the validity of the June 2005 will and August 2005 codicil, but for purposes of full defence of the case, the execution of the will was procured by duress and undue influence on her late husband by their daughters Jennifer and Michelle, that her husband was not acting voluntarily at the time and had "succumbed to the pressure for peace sake". The two daughters denied that claim. She claimed that in earlier wills, the couple left their entire estate to each other if one died before the other. Today following talks Louis McEntagart SC, for the administrator, told Mr Justice Denis McDonald the parties had reached agreement and the terms of settlement could be filed in court. A key part of the agreement relates to the sale of part of the lands which will pay off outstanding debts on the property. The court heard it is hoped to achieve more than 1.7m from the sale. Richard, who has been successfully farming part of the estate, would continue to do so and all parties are to make their best endeavours to co-operate with that, under the agreement. Mr Justice McDonald appealed to the parties to restore good relations because "life is very short and family relations are the most important relations we have". He struck out the proceedings but gave liberty to apply to the court again for the purpose of implementing the settlement agreement. He made no order as to costs and vacated previous costs orders. By Gerard Cunningham Former garda press officer Supt David Taylor was not complimentary about whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe or journalists who wrote about him, the Charleton tribunal has been told. The tribunal is looking at claims by Supt Taylor that he was directed by former garda commissioner Martin Callinan to brief the media negatively on Sgt McCabe. Mr Callinan denies this. Sergeant James Molloy, who works in the garda press office, said that he would hear people discussing Sgt Maurice McCabe in the press office, though he could not recall who said what. He said that Supt Taylor was uncomplimentary about Sgt McCabe. "Put it this way. I was clear if there was a side to be taken which side David Taylor was on, and it wasn't on McCabe's side," Sgt Molloy said. Sgt Molloy said that Supt Taylor "would be uncomplimentary of Maurice McCabe. It would be uncomplimentary of any journalist who was writing about Maurice McCabe, any member of the Oireachtas who took his side." Sgt Molloy said he was "vaguely aware" of a rumour of a sexual assault investigation, and that Sgt McCabe felt this should not be on the Pulse System. He could not say when he became aware of this case. The DPP had recommended no prosecution as there was no evidence of a crime following the 2006 investigation. Asked by tribunal barrister Patrick Marrinan SC if Supt Taylor was uncomplimentary towards Sgt McCabe because of the assault allegations or because he was speaking out on garda issues, Sgt Molloy said it was because Sgt McCabe was speaking out. Sgt Molloy said he was not aware of a smear campaign against Sgt McCabe, and was never told to smear anybody. Mr Marrinan said that Sgt Molloy was the only one of thirteen staff members in the garda press office, heard so far, who said that he had heard about Sgt McCabe during his work. Sergeant James Molloy arriving at the Disclosures Tribunal in Dublin Castle. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie Sgt Molloy said that Supt Taylor had "a tendency to gossip and chitchat in the office after an incident." "I thought it was dangerous to be saying that in the press office, because that would bleed into the media," Sgt Molloy said. "People shouldn't be reading about injuries to victims, the gruesome nature of crimes, in the media, or at least, we shouldn't be providing it," Sgt Molloy said. The sergeant said that Supt Taylor did a lot of media briefings and "piece to camera" during his time as press officer. "There is always the danger in the press office of loving it, getting a buzz from it. I thought he had fallen into that trap," Sgt Molloy said. Maurice McCabe Supt Pat Ryan, the head of the Garda IT section, told the tribunal that he had been asked in 2017 to identify all computer hardware used by former commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan from 1 July 2012 to 31 May 2014. Supt Ryan said that garda computers were upgraded from Windows XP to Windows 7 at the end of 2014, and as part of this process, a File Share system was set up, and data was held on the File Share system. Emails sent on garda accounts were archived, and even if an email was deleted from a local computer, it would not be deleted in the archive. Log-in details from computers were still available in audit logs, the tribunal was told. Supt Ryan said that five laptop computers had been assigned to Ms O'Sullivan between 2006 and 2010, and these could no longer be recovered. A hard drive from an office desktop computer had been located. No laptop was assigned to Ms O'Sullivan during her time as Commissioner. Two iPads used by the commissioner had been located, although one had a fault. Four out of six laptops used by Mr Callinan could not be located, and one machine had been rebuilt and redeployed. Mr Callinan purchased the laptop he was using at the time of his retirement, which was reset to factory settings to remove garda data before he took it home. The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas Your choice for flooring in Central Texas! Your flooring is more than just the surface you walk on it's an integral part of your home. With over 35 years of flooring experience, The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas has the resources and knowled By Jessica Magee A man who terrorised a family in a drunken rampage during which he assaulted two children, smashed windows and made threats to kill has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison. David Lawrence (22), with an address at Gardiner's Hill Halting Site Balbriggan, Co Dublin, admitted assaulting and threatening to kill a teenage boy at a house in Lusk on April 23, 2017. He further pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting a 15-year-old girl on the same occasion, and smashing windows with a bale of briquettes and a lump of timber. Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan said the fact that Lawrence had little or no memory of committing these crimes because he was drunk was no excuse. Drink is a voluntary activity and when you drink and behave in this way, you're responsible for your behaviour, he said. He went on a drunken rampage and behaved disgracefully, said Judge Nolan, adding that it was an extremely frightening experience for the family who were suffering long-term consequences. Detective Garda Garret Durnan told Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that the family had since left the house because of the incident. The court heard that Lawrence knocked on the family's door on the evening in question and asked to use the toilet. The mother of the house was not at home at the time. A 15-year-old girl let him in to use the bathroom and Lawrence then left but returned a few minutes later and asked to use her phone. When the girl refused, Lawrence knocked her to the ground with both hands and her teenage brother came out of the sitting room and asked him what he was doing. Lawrence squared up to the boy and hit him, and then took a bale of briquettes and smashed them through the window of the front door. The brother and sister locked themselves into a bathroom and heard more windows being smashed and Lawrence shouting that he was going to slit the boy's throat with a knife. The girl told gardai that Lawrence came back slightly later with a wooden stick and smashed another window, and tried unsuccessfully to open the bathroom door where she stood shaking and crying and holding her brother's hand. The woman of the house, who cannot be named in order to protect her children's identity, read out a victim impact statement in which she said her world fell apart because of the incident. She said she got a call from her daughter who was screaming hysterically and saying that Lawrence was going to kill her brother and that she arrived home to find our family home broken to pieces. We lost everything: our home, our friends. Emotionally and psychologically this has destroyed my life, she said, adding that she felt as if she has failed her children. The woman I once was is long gone, she said. Her son also read out a victim impact statement in which he said he doubted that Lawrence would ever understand the effect of his crazy outburst on his family. I no longer live a happy life. I have dropped out of college, I've lost all motivation. I've become much more nervous about leaving the house, I can't sleep at night and have daily flashbacks, he said. His sister, now aged 16, also took the stand and read out a victim impact statement in which she said her life had changed for the worse and that she lost everything that day. She said she thought it was all her fault as she hadn't given Lawrence her phone. I thought my brother was going to die over me, she said, adding that she did not feel she could go back to school and that she trusted no one and was always looking over her shoulder. Gda Durnan said the family had known Lawrence previously and had been on good terms until the incident. There was no motivating factor; no malice. I believe the alcohol was the catalyst, said Gda Durnan. Lawrence has 61 previous convictions including 39 for road traffic matters and others for theft, burglary, criminal damage and arson. Counsel for Lawrence said a lot of his convictions flowed from his long-standing drink problems and that he was a different man when sober. He apologised to the victims on behalf of Lawrence and said that when his client had been shown the victim impact statements they really hit home. He bears them absolutely no ill will and has deep remorse, said counsel for Lawrence, adding that his client could not explain or excuse his actions on the day due to drink. The sentence was backdated to September 7 last, when Lawrence went into custody. By Ann O'Loughlin A mother of six who claims she was injured when the ceiling in her council house allegedly fell in on top of her has sued in the High Court. Janette Lakes was walking from her kitchen to her sitting room with two cups of tea in her Blanchardstown home when she says the ceiling came bursting in on top of me. It all came in on top of me. My son who was there said a corner of the ceiling must have hit me on the head, My clothes were soaked, the cups were smashed," she told Mr Justice Michael Hanna. She added: "I could not get up from the floor. I was covered in plaster. I was in a puddle of water." Within weeks, she claims she had headaches and later had blackouts. However Thomas P Hogan SC for the Council put it to Ms Lakes during cross examination that in photographs taken by her son after the ceiling collapse the floor was "dry as a bone" she said it was not dry when the celing came down. Asked by Mr Hogan where did the water mysteriously go, Ms Lakes replied: " I don't know." Asked by Counsel who damaged the ceiling, Ms Lakes said it was damaged over years by the Council not fixing leaks. Mr Justice Hanna remarked that in the photographs the floor did not not look wet. Ms Lakes replied: "I am not saying it was soaking." Janette Lakes, a 56-year-old recovering addict who takes methadone and lives at Dromheath Avenue, Blanchardstown,Dublin has sued Fingal County Council claiming the ceiling collapsed on May 15, 2008. She has claimed there was an alleged failure to properly repair the premises and there was alleged leaking in the toilet upstairs. Water she claims leaked through the ceiling which it was claimed was insecure and collapsed. It is further claimed the Council allowed the premises to become in an unsafe condition and there was an alleged failure to maintain repair or upkeep the property. As a result of the accident Ms Lakes has claimed she has suffered from post traumatic headaches concussion with forgefulness and also has difficulty in concentration. The Council denies the claims and contends there was contributory negligence on the part of Ms Lakes and an alleged failure on her part to take any or any proper care of the premises. In evidence, Ms Lakes, who has lived in the Council house since 2004, claimed she had complained of a damp patch on the ceiling which was under the upstairs toilet and bathroom which she said were leaking. She said she never should have instigated legal proceedings as she claimed the Council "did nothing for me after that". She said she had written a letter outlining her concerns over the ceiling and she cleared her rent arrears but she claimed the ceiling was not fixed. At one stage of the hearing she offered to show the judge and the court the condition of her home. The case before Mr Justice Michael Hanna continues tomorrow. Shawn Mendes has announced a global arena tour for 2019 and weve made the list. The tour, which supports the release of his self-titled third album, will land in Dublins 3Arena on Saturday, April 13. Shawn Mendes: The Tour will mark his third global headline tour, following his sold-out 2017 arena trek, and will take in 56 dates spanning across North America, the UK, and Europe. Tickets for the gig go on sale Friday, May 18 at 10 am from all usual Ticketmaster outlets Nationwide Mendes highly anticipated third album is out on May 25. The album follows 2016s Illuminate and 2014s Handwritten, featuring the four hit singles Stitches, Mercy, Treat You Better and Theres Nothing Holdin Me Back. In My Blood and Lost In Japan, For all tour dates and ticket info head to http://www.shawnmendesthetour.com. A new procedure prostate artery embolisation (PAE) has been approved by the the UKs National Institute for Health and Excellence and this is expected to encourage health authorities to adopt the procedure throughout Europe. Brazil and the U.S. have already approved PAE therapy in 2016 and March 2018 respectively. The procedure uses tiny plastic beads to restrict the blood supply and shrink an enlarged prostate gland, giving men an alternative to surgery. An enlarged prostate presses on the bladder, while also blocking the urethra. Sufferers need to make repeated night-time trips to the toilet, but often find they cannot urinate at all. The condition, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), affects about 50% of men over the age of 50, rising to 75% over 80, although not all affected men experience symptoms. PAE therapy, performed by an interventional radiologist rather than a surgeon, is an alternative to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), an operation to shrink excess prostate tissue that is blocking urine flow. PAE involves guiding a 1mm flexible tube known as a micro-catheter, under local anaesthetic, into the femoral artery in the groin and then in to the prostatic arteries, aided by sophisticated 3D X-ray technology to ensure accurate positioning. Once in place, the arteries are blocked by injecting a solution of microscopic particles - 0.2mm plastic beads - which partially reduce the blood supply. The reduction in blood supply induces the gland to shrink in size over time. The procedure is quick PAE takes approximately 2 hours to perform, and the patient can be discharged after 4 hours provided he is fit, whereas surgery may require an overnight stay or longer. PAE also eliminates some of the common side effects of TURP, such as sexual dysfunction, infertility and transient incontinence. Graphic News & Digital Desk Police in India have arrested a father and son who masqueraded as Nasa employees while allegedly trying to defraud a businessman out of almost 180,000. The pair have since been paraded by the police in "space suits" after their arrest, with photos and a video of them going viral. Oscar-winning film maker Roman Polanski has said the #MeToo movement, which sheds light on sexual misconduct of powerful men in Hollywood, is "collective hysteria" and "total hypocrisy". Mr Polanski made the comment to Newsweek Polska in an interview given just days before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences stripped him of his near 50-year membership, citing a case in 1977 in which he pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor. The Turnbull government will divert billions of dollars towards a health cash splash it says will give elderly Australians more choice and dignity, while life-changing new drugs will receive new taxpayer subsidies. The spending, which aims to shore up support in the Coalition's older voting base, includes $1.6 billion to create 14,000 new home care packages for senior Australians. It will provide subsidised help for activities such as showering and dressing, meal preparation and transport. A rapidly ageing population means demand for home care services is burgeoning. More than 100,000 older people are waiting for a package that meets their needs, putting a strain on them and their families. The government will also create an interactive tool for 45-year-olds and 65-year-olds to check their skills, finances and health, to help them prepare for old age. Eurovision has copped flak from an unlikely source. Ryan Reynolds the actor behind Marvel's successful antihero Deadpool has roasted the European song contest for not inviting Canada to compete. "Canada, a beautiful country steeped in a rich musical history," the Hollywood star said in a video published on his social media accounts. "And yet, we've been snubbed by that European singsong competition thing you guys lose your shit over. Our generous gift of Celine Dion alone should earn us an invite. And don't give me that crap about Canada not being part of the European family. You let in Australia and they're barely on the planet." Labor's Katy Gallagher went to ground on Wednesday after a High Court decision ejected her from the Senate and created a preselection headache for ACT Labor ahead of the next election. The ruling brought on the resignations of three other Labor MPs and a crossbencher facing similar dual citizenship questions, raising the prospect of byelections in marginal seats. Months of uncertainty ended when the High Court found Ms Gallagher was not eligible to sit in Parliament as she remained a British citizen when nominating for the Senate ahead of the 2016 election. The court ordered a special count likely to replace her with Professionals Australia's ACT director David Smith, setting up a potential preselection stoush for the territory's Labor branch before the next poll. Ms Gallagher indicated she could make another run for Federal Parliament, but Mr Smith did not say whether he would stand aside for her at preselection for the Senate. Zurich: A 104-year-old Australian scientist who travelled to Switzerland to end his life has said he is not without regrets but is "happy" to have the chance. Ecologist David Goodall, who is not terminally ill, told a news conference in Switzerland that he was ready for the end. He said he chose Switzerland as that country's liberal assisted suicide laws let him commit suicide legally, in contrast to Australia where it remains forbidden. Professor Goodall, a member of the Order of Australia, answered reporters' questions in the Swiss city of Basel while accompanied by members of euthanasia groups including Philip Nitschke, founder of Exit International. He understood that his death, planned for Thursday, would be by lethal injection, though he did not know what time it would take place nor many details about the procedure. Some family members would be present, he said. When Sienna Ozdemir got to year 5, her mother Colleen Ozdemir decided it was time to move her to a private school. "High school is important," said Ms Ozdemir, who moved Sienna from a Catholic primary school to Presbyterian Ladies' College in Sydney's inner-west. "Primary school is important too but high school is when they've really got to crunch down and the school has to be the right school for them to thrive at whatever they love. Independent schools are good at accommodating to every child." Colleen Ozdemir and her daughter Sienna, who moved from a Catholic to a private school in year 5. Credit:Brook Mitchell Ms Ozdemir, who also moved her son Romeo, 9, from a Catholic school to a private school last year, is not alone in moving her children between schooling systems when they reach high school. A drug trafficker who was allegedly raped in a far north Queensland prison has won his appeal to be released from jail early. The man pleaded guilty and was convicted on four drug-related offences, including trafficking dangerous drugs across an extensive network in north Queensland, in March 2017. A convicted drug trafficker and alleged rape victim has won his appeal to move his parole date forward. He was sentenced to six years' jail, with a parole eligibility from April 4, 2019. In a handwritten affidavit filed to the Supreme Court in July last year, the man wrote he had failed to tell his legal representatives or the sentencing judge that he was allegedly raped while on remand following his arrest years before for the drug crimes. A Gold Coast man has admitted unlawfully killing his mother and interfering with her corpse, nine years after she disappeared and was believed to have committed suicide. Daniel Paul Heazlewood faced a murder charge over the June 2009 death of his mother Linda Sidon but pleaded not guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday. The court instead accepted his guilty plea to the downgraded charge of manslaughter. Ms Sidon's body has never been found despite Heazlewood assisting police with their search in Gold Coast bushland after his 2015 arrest. Police said at the time the two-day search was hampered by the length of time since her disappearance. Six of south-east Queenslands most critical infrastructure projects received funding in the 2018 federal budget, but rail, bus and road projects are yet to be financed. The Council of Mayors (SEQ) submitted its federal budget wish-list in December and travelled to Canberra in March to seek a funding commitment from the Commonwealth. South-east Queensland is still waiting on funding for four of its most critical infrastructure projects. Credit:Michelle Smith The mayors submission included several of the most critical infrastructure projects, some of which received funding, while others are still waiting. When the federal budget was handed down on Tuesday, billions of dollars was committed to six of the wish-list projects, including the North Coast Rail Line, Bruce Highway Upgrades, Brisbane Metro, M1 Pacific Motorway, Cunningham Highway and the business case for passenger bus/rail from Toowoomba to Rosewood. A decorated World War II veteran who was saved from a fire that destroyed his Brisbane home has been awarded a replacement medal of France's highest military honour. Arthur Jackson - known locally as Bob and a recipient of France's Legion of Honour - lost his Salisbury home, his dogs and a war medal in last month's blaze. Arthur Jackson, aka Bob, recently lost everything in a house fire. Credit:Mandy Carins Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk visited the 99-year-old in hospital on Wednesday to deliver a replacement medal arranged by French authorities. "I would like to extend my personal gratitude to President Macron, French Ambassador Penot and all of the staff at the French Embassy for prioritising this request and organising a new medal in such a short amount of time," Ms Palaszczuk said. Consumers could negotiate a better mortgage rate with a rival bank under a reform announced in the federal budget to give consumers more control over their personal data, according to Australian Banking Association chief executive Anna Bligh. Treasurer Scott Morrison announced an open banking regime, with $44.6 million over four years for a data-sharing framework known as a "consumer data right". Australian Banking Association CEO Anna Bligh said the open banking regime would represent a significant shift in power. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer The consumer data right will allow consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses to access and transfer their personal data between services providers. It will start with the banking, energy and telecommunications sectors but will "eventually" apply economy-wide. The federal budget has been slammed as a "dud" and a "hoax" for Queensland, despite the state being the nation's second biggest winner. Queensland Treasurer and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the federal budget was inherently unfair to the state. Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad has described the federal budget as a "dud". Credit:AAP Image/ Dan Peled "It is a budget where Queensland gets the crumbs and other jurisdictions get the lion's share of a range of programs and infrastructure projects," she said. "I think it's a dud budget for Queensland." London: A portrait of British Prime Minister Theresa May has been removed by Oxford University following a protest from students and academics who complained that she was a "contentious figure" who failed to show compassion towards migrants. British PM Theresa May. May's photograph had been mounted at Oxford's School of Geography and the Environment last week as a part of a celebration of the department's female alumnae. However, after a protest - channelled through a social media account called Not All Geographers - the picture was removed. Meanwhile, a picture of Doreen Massey, a far-Left radical academic who advised the government of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's former president, remained in place. Jerusalem: Paraguay will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem by the end of May, a Paraguayan government spokesman and the Israeli foreign ministry said on Monday, following the United States and Guatemala. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat poses with a new road sign to the US embassy in Jerusalem. Credit:AP The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest disputes between Israel, which says the city is its eternal and indivisible capital, and the Palestinians, who want the eastern part of the city as the capital of their own future state. "Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes plans to come to Israel by the end of the month to open an embassy in Jerusalem," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said in a statement. Obama's gamble in that deal the signature foreign policy accord of his eight years in office was straightforward. He regarded Iran as potentially a more natural ally of the United States than many of its Sunni-dominant neighbours, with a young, educated, Western-oriented population that is tired of being ruled by an aging theocracy. By taking the prospect of nuclear weapons off the table, the Obama administration had argued, the United States and Iran could chip away at three decades of hostility and work on common projects, starting with the defeat of Islamic State. It did not turn out that way. While the deal succeeded in getting 97 per cent of Iran's nuclear material out of the country, Iran's conservatives and its military recoiled at the idea of cooperating on any projects with the West. Syrian President Bashar al- Assad, left, meets with Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Damascus, last month. Credit:SANA/AP Months before it became clear that Trump had a decent shot at being elected, the Iranian military increased support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad; it expanded its influence in Iraq and accelerated its support for terrorist groups. And it doubled down on deploying cyber attacks against targets in the West and in Saudi Arabia, embracing a weapon that was not covered by the nuclear accord. Then came Trump, with his declaration that the deal was a "disaster" and his vow to dismantle it. That is exactly what he has now done, but at a huge cost. Moments after he delivered his statement in which he made it sound as if Iran was cheating on the accord, even though his intelligence chiefs have testified otherwise Trump received a stinging rebuke from British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. A woman walks her dog past an anti-US mural painted on the wall of the former American embassy in Tehran, on Tuesday. Credit:AP The three leaders, America's closest European allies, essentially rejected his logic. They noted that the United Nations Security Council resolution that embraced the deal in 2016 "remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear program." That was polite diplomatic language for the stark conclusion that it is the US not Iran that first violated the accord. And now, suddenly, the world may well be headed back to where it was in 2012: on a road to uncertain confrontation, with "very little evidence of a Plan B," as Boris Johnson, the British foreign minister, said on a visit to Washington. Exiting the deal, with or without a plan, is fine with the Saudis. They see the accord as a dangerous distraction from the real problem of confronting Iran around the region a problem that Saudi Arabia believes will be solved only by leadership change in Iran. The Saudis have an ally in John Bolton, the President's new national security adviser, who had made clear before taking office that he shared their view. Obama's deal, Bolton said on Tuesday afternoon, featured "an utterly inadequate treatment of the military dimension of Iran's aspirations." If the deal opened an avenue for better relations between the United States and Iran, that would be a disaster for the Saudis. Jeremy Shapiro The Saudi case against Iran has been bolstered in recent months by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has repeatedly referred to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as "the new Hitler." "Many countries around the world and in Europe did not realise how dangerous Hitler was until what happened, happened," Mohammed said in a recent interview with the CBS News program 60 Minutes."I don't want to see the same events happening in the Middle East." In a speech in March at the Brookings Institution, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir asserted that Iran was "the biggest problem we face in our region." He blamed it for interfering in neighbouring countries, backing allied armed groups in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere, and supplying Yemeni rebels with ballistic missiles fired at his country. Even if its restrictions on nuclear weapons were tightened and extended, "the agreement by itself does not solve the problem of Iran," Jubeir said. "Iran must be held accountable." Vehicles drive past an anti-American mural in central Tehran on Tuesday. Credit:AP Jeremy Shapiro, research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations and a State Department official during the Obama administration, argued that the deal's opposition from Saudi Arabia, Israel and other regional players was primarily about its effects on US politics and policy. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses the nation in a televised speech after Trump's announcement. Credit:AP "They believe they are in this existential conflict with the Iranian regime, and nuclear weapons are a small part of that conflict" but the one that most influences public opinion in the United States, Shapiro said. Loading "If the deal opened an avenue for better relations between the United States and Iran, that would be a disaster for the Saudis," he said. "They need to ensure a motivation for American pressure against Iran that will last even after this administration." Israel is a more complicated case. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pressed Trump to abandon an arrangement that the Israeli leader has always detested. But Netanyahu's own military and intelligence advisers say Israel is far safer with an Iran whose pathway to a bomb is blocked, rather than one that is once again pursuing the ultimate weapon. "The individuals who shoulder responsibility for Israel's survival and security have been crystal clear," said Graham Allison, a Harvard professor who has spent his career examining cases of nuclear proliferation. "This will most likely lead to an outcome that is much worse not only for the US, but for Israel," Allison said, because the current agreement rolled Iran's nuclear program back a decade "and imposed on Iran the most intrusive inspection regime ever negotiated." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents material on Iranian nuclear weapons development during a press conference in Tel Aviv last week. Credit:AP But Netanyahu holds Israel's bullhorn, and he used it last week to persuade Trump to pull the plug on the Iran deal. By releasing Iranian documents, stolen from Tehran in January, Netanyahu proved what Western intelligence agencies long knew: A decade ago or even longer, the Iranians were working hard to design a nuclear warhead. To Netanyahu, this was proof that Iran could never be trusted and that it had reached the nuclear deal under false pretences by pretending it never had a weapons program. To Trump and his allies, the Israeli discovery said less about Iranian nuclear capability than it did about Iranian perfidy. Given evidence that Iran was preserving its bomb designs as a hedge for the future, the discovery suggested it has not given up its ambitions. As Dennis Ross, a former Middle East negotiator, put it, someone needed to address the Israeli discovery "lest they give the Iranians the ability to pick up quickly where they left off on weaponising." Still, at the core of Trump's announcement is a conviction that Obama made a critical mistake in agreeing to a deal that contains an expiration date. Trump's argument is that Iran can never be allowed to accumulate enough material to assemble a bomb. Latest News Pepper and Aussie unite to make play for mortgage brokers to shift over to SME Linkup between lending and mortgage giants shows why brokers should be diversifying their business Timelio lands Goldman Sachs deal to boost SME offering Platform that matches SMEs to investors for financing gets $270m cash facility Funding for regulators as part of the federal budget means brokers should brace themselves for action, according to the Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA). Both the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) were allocated funds specifically towards the banking Royal Commission. They have been marked for $4.7million and $2.7million respectively. FBAA executive director Peter White said while the impact on brokers is unlikely to be major, the industry must be prepared for some changes. He added, Regulators are being funded for action and there is no doubt that findings from the royal commission will compel them to act decisively." While he isnt sure how much action will be directed towards the broking sector, he said, I firmly believe it will not be life-changing. Over recent weeks, revelations around the behaviour of banks have been quite sensational, so Id suggest much of the focus will be on those matters. White also said the budget impact overall should be mainly positive for homebuyers. He added, While we always want to see more, any budget that provides confidence, gives people more money in their pockets and doesnt scare people around issues like superannuation, can only be positive for our industry. He said the tightening of phoenixing laws and crackdown on cash economies are also positive measures, Its clearly an election budget, but as long as people feel secure they will spend and buy property, which is good for the economy. Latest News Pepper and Aussie unite to make play for mortgage brokers to shift over to SME Linkup between lending and mortgage giants shows why brokers should be diversifying their business Timelio lands Goldman Sachs deal to boost SME offering Platform that matches SMEs to investors for financing gets $270m cash facility Offering a reverse mortgage can help brokers grow and diversify, according to a leading reverse mortgage provider. Under the new budget anyone over the age of 65 will be able to take out a reverse mortgage worth up to $11,799 per year. Previously, this was only available for part-time pensioners, but this will be extended to full-time pensioners. The number of people taking up a reverse mortgage has increased over the last few years, according to one provider. Opening up to even more pensioners will see an even greater increase. Andrew Ford from Heartland Seniors Finance says although reverse mortgages are still a niche, any broker with the right training and skill can offer them. He added, In terms of brokers being able to provide reverse mortgages, any broker with the appropriate training and skills can offer them and Heartland provides considerable training and the beauty of reverse mortgages is simplicity. Being so heavily regulated it has a very prescribed process which makes it very easy. The majority of brokers havent touched a reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgages are a niche product, but it is a growing market. What Id say is reverse mortgages is a great way to grow and diversify your business and really add value to your customers. Despite a majority of brokers not writing up reverse mortgages, Ford says the broker channel still accounts for most of the business. He added, Seventy percent of Heartlands business comes from brokers and thats a channel were absolutely committed to. As well as providing information and education and tools to help grow the market and help more retirees live a better retirement. I guess thats why what we really do support out of this budget is the recognition of the benefits reverse mortgages can provide. While most of treasurer Scott Morrisons budget was deemed disappointing, with no mention of housing supply or affordability, the expansion of the pension loan scheme is seen as good news. Ford said, My view is that it will positive for the reserve mortgages sector and for Heartland. It will increase awareness, which is probably the biggest competition we have right now, a lack of awareness. It will also provide some legitimacy for the product as a use and retirement to help people live a better retirement. Approximately 20,000 Australians turn 65 every month, so the growth from this demographic is large and is going to continue. So the broadening of this scheme will help. More seniors will be able to apply for a pension under the pension loan scheme which is great. Ford also expanded on the different options available for pensioners who need some extra funding, as well as the options Heartland offer. What we offer is a much more flexible option, he said. Our product offers the ability to draw down upfront, via regular advance or have funds aside for future needs in effectively a line of credit, where a pension loan scheme only offers one draw down option which is an age pension supplement really, a top up. Our customers come to us tend to have a need up front, whether its to be refinancing an existing mortgage, whether they want to renovate their home, whether its to travel or consolidate debt or medical expenses, upgrade a car, theres a whole variety of reasons. And so they tend to need a lump sum up front. Related stories: Budget reaction: 'Lack of attention' to housing Budget 2018: Tax cuts, infrastructure, SME taxes Regulators are being 'funded for action' 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 Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC 84th Precinct Brooklyn HeightsDUMBOBoerum HillDowntown Cashed out A crook stole a wad of cash from a Flatbush Avenue bank on May 2, police said. The victim told cops the malefactor walked into the financial institution near Nevins Street at about 1:45 pm and told the teller I have a gun, who then handed him $1,000, according to authorities. The cur then fled toward Fulton Street, officials said. Not so fast Cops cuffed a guy for stealing a mans cellphone on an A train near Scherhermorn Street on May 3, police said. The suspect grabbed the victims iPhone 6 from his pants pocket while on board a Brooklyn-bound train at about 5 pm, and then hopped off near Hoyt Street when the doors opened, cops said. The victim ran after the suspect, who was caught by police after getting into a scuffle, according to authorities. Bulls-eye Police arrested a man for punching a senior in the face on Schermerhorn Street on May 2. The suspect socked the 73-year-old victim in his left eye, causing it to bleed, near State Street at about 3:15 am, according to authorities. Watch where you walk! A scoundrel grabbed a womans social security card and cash out of her backpack while on an escalator inside a transit station on Willoughby Street on April 30, police said. The 25-year-old victim told police she was walking up the escalator near Jay Street at about 8:45 pm when some sneak bumped into her, and when she checked inside her backpack, she realized it was unzipped and her society security card and $90 was gone, officials said. Stroller sneak Some good-for-nothing snatched a guys bag with bus tickets inside it on Smith Street on May 2, police said. The 47-year-old victim was pushing a baby stroller near Livingston Street at about 5:30 pm when the punk grabbed the bag containing Greyhound bus tickets off the stroller handle and then fled, cops said. Julianne Cuba Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC 78th Precinct Park Slope Bull market The heir to a Flatbush Avenue market allegedly attacked a woman on April 25. The victim, 46, told police she was shopping at the grocery between St. Marks Avenue and Prospect Place at 8 pm when the owners 20-year-old son shoved her, causing her to stumble to the ground. The young man has not been arrested, according to police, who said the case has been closed. Bad break Some jerk busted up a mans car parked on Flatbush Avenue on April 28. The victim told police he left his 03 Honda Pilot near the Prospect Park Zoo at 1:30 am, and returned later that morning to discover some reprobate had busted his front passenger-side window. Locked up Cops arrested a 35-year-old man who they say attacked his uncle on 10th Street on April 27. The victim, 55, told police hed been arguing with his nephew between Third and Fourth avenues at 1 pm, when, as he attempted to walk away from the argument, the younger man through a lock at him. Police arrested the nephew on assault charges later that day, while investigators took snaps of a gash the uncle sustained from the attack, cops said. Cold cocked A woman punched another lady in the face following a dispute over ice cream on 11th Street on April 23. The victim told police the other woman grew irate after she setup her ice cream stand near Prospect Park West at 3:30 pm, when she suddenly socked her once in the kisser. The miscreant fled in the wake of her dastardly sucker punch, heading towards Grand Army Plaza along Prospect Park West, according to police. She remains free from custody, and the 78th Precinct has since closed the case, cops said. Colin Mixson India-born British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta plans to invest $10 billion (Rs 67,500 crore) in the Indian market in the next couple of years, including for buying bankrupt assets in steel and auto. His firm Liberty House has submitted resolution plans for Bhushan Power and Steel, Amtek Auto, ABG Shipyard, Adhunik Metaliks among others and looks to invest $5 billion for taking over the stressed assets, if they win. Gupta will spend another $5 billion for buying assets outside the distressed lot and building financial services business, largely corporate lending, in the country. Gupta told Business Today that the businesses of Liberty House, which are largely built through acquiring sick assets in the UK, Australia, Scotland, France and the US and turning it around, will generate a revenue of $15 billion this year, resulting in a cash flow of $500 million. The company will raise 50-70 per cent of its investment capital in various assets in India as debt from foreign banks, largely, he said. Apart from ArcelorMittal, which submitted bid for Essar Steel, Liberty House is the one foreign entity which targets to enter Indian market making use of the new bankruptcy law--- Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). However, both of them got stuck at the eligibility hurdles as the world's largest steelmaker had stakes in two other bankrupt companies--- Uttam Galva and KSS Petron, while Liberty had pending financial liability of around $2.8 million with Exim Bank. Under Section 29A of IBC, the bidder can be disqualified for their own loan default and association with the defaulter. Gupta said that the company has cleared off the earlier unclaimed loan portion about a couple of weeks back and made it eligible under the bankruptcy law. Liberty House had submitted a resolution plan for Bhushan Power and Steel in February after the bid submission deadline and it became a legally contentious issue since resolution professional refused to accept. The bid finally opened under the directions from National Company Law Tribunal's (NCLT) last month. However, Tata Steel filed an appeal in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCALT), challenging the order. Tata Steel is the highest bidder for Bhushan asset, followed by JSW Steel. Liberty House is the highest bidder for Amtek, offering about Rs 4,334 crore. The second highest bidder for the auto components manufacturer is Deccan Value. It was the ABG Shipyard's resolution professional first found out the Exim Bank dues of Liberty House, which was the sole bidder for the assets. Since the dues are paid off, it is up to creditors to decide on the offer from Liberty that is Rs 5,600 crore and payable after the fifth year. In Adhunik, Liberty has emerged as the highest bidder, offering higher price than the rival bidder Maharashtra Seamless, a DP Jindal Group company. The Exim dues issue came up there also, but resolution professional has sought additional time to NCLT for reevaluating the eligibility of Liberty in the changed scenario. The matter will come up for hearing on May 11. The world's largest company by revenue, the $486 billion worth Walmart's acquisition of homegrown startup Flipkart for $15 billion will likely make it the biggest MNC operating here. The combined entity will have annual business of $10 billion from India. Walmart's global CEO Doug McMillon arrived in Delhi late Tuesday night to sign off on the Flipkart deal. The contours of the deal will be announced by Wednesday evening. However, very little is known about Walmart's India operations apart from Walmart India's $500 million wholesale cash and carry business - Best Price. For instance, Walmart Inc already sources nearly $3 billion worth of goods for its international stores from Indian firms. Over and above that, it also has another $3 billion worth of pharma (mostly generics) sourcing from India. At Rs 67.25 to dollar, Walmart already does business worth Rs 43,700-odd crore from India. With Flipkart-Myntra-eBay-Jabong revenues of Rs 22,911 crore in fiscal 2016-17, this adds up to nearly Rs 67,000 crore. That's well past the second largest MNC operating in India, Rosneft's Essar Oil (Rs 63,722 crore in 2016-17), and just short of the biggest MNC Maruti Suzuki India's Rs 70,418 crore. That equation, however, may change when the final numbers for fiscal 2017-18 are compiled. Maruti has already declared its total income at Rs 79,600 crore for the fiscal. While Walmart India's wholesale business is growing at 15-16 per cent per annum, Walmart's sourcing from India is growing at 8-9 per cent per annum. But Flipkart is projected to close fiscal 2017-18 at $4.6 billion (Rs 30,935 crore), nearly 50 per cent higher than the previous year. Myntra-Jabong business also grew 40-50 per cent. At these rates of growth, the combined Walmart-Flipkart business is likely to match or surpass Maruti's revenue in 2017-18. Walmart India, which opened its first wholesale store in 2009, had opened its sourcing office in India four years before that in 2005-06. It has since already established 21 cash and carry stores under the 'Best Price' brand while five-seven more are being added this year. It has targeted 50 stores in the next three-four years with 15 stores to be built the next year alone. Each store built on nearly 4 acres of land has 50,000 square feet of shopping area. Its domestic business is growing at a CAGR of 15-16 per cent per annum. Walmart India's 'Best Price' cash and carry stores source 97 per cent of products sold from Indian suppliers. Its sourcing business procures goods worth $3 billion from India, largely comprising of textiles, handicraft, apparel and home furnishings. The pharma sourcing is mostly generic drugs sourced by Walmart's UK arm to be supplied to the retail giant's stores across global markets. India is the world's largest supplier of generic medicines by volume. Walmart Pharmacy is America's 5th largest pharmacy chain with annual prescription revenue topping $20.5 billion in 2017. It accounts for 5 per cent of America's prescription sales. The 55-year-old Walmart Inc has already grown into a behemoth whose size often inspires awe. It has 22 lakh employees, which makes it the world's biggest employer behind US defence services and the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Walmart is already the world's largest retailer operating more than 11,700 stores under 65 brands in 28 countries. If Walmart was a country, its sheer size would make it the world's 28th largest by GDP - ahead of Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. The Walton family that founded Walmart still owns nearly 50 per cent of the company's equity, making them one of the world's richest families. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon has said that the Flipkart-Walmart deal will create around 10 million jobs in India. This includes both direct and indirect jobs. The US-based retail behemoth Walmart on Wednesday announced that it will buy a 77 per cent stake in Indian e-commerce major Flipkart for $16 billion. Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal said that there is a lot that Walmart can take from Flipkart including its payments play. Bansal added that listing Flipkart is on management team's plan and investors like Tiger Global, Accel and Tencent are excited about the IPO. "IPO is a great way to unlock the value." While the deal will allow both retailers to benefit from each other's expertise, it also promises to help the Indian economy in terms of job creation, increasing farmers' income and promoting national initiatives including 'Make in India', as per a joint statement by Walmart and Flipkart. "As Walmart scales in India, the company will continue to partner to create sustained economic growth across agriculture, food and retail. Future investments will support national initiatives and will bring sustainable benefits to the country," the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail behemoth said in its statement. On the issue of job creation, Walmart India said that it will create jobs by developing supply chains and commercial opportunities. The company also said that it will create new direct jobs with its investment in India. Walmart said that its collaboration with Flipkart will also support small businesses by procuring directly from them. The company said that it will support farmer by sourcing its inventory locally. The deal will also see significant input into supply chain, with focus on cold storages, to check wastage of perishable agricultural produce. Walmart will also partner with kirana owners in India to help them reform their retail practices and adopt digital transaction technologies, the statement said. The US-based retail giant also promised to provide a leg-up to Modi government's 'Make in India' initiative under its investment in Flipkart. Walmart announced signing definitive agreements to own 77 per cent stake in Flipkart for an investment of $16 billion, while the rest will be held by latter's existing shareholders. This includes $2 billion new equity funding for Flipkart to use for fuelling its growth in future. Both companies will maintain separate brands and operating structures after the deal. While co-founder Sachin Bansal has exited after selling his 5.2 per cent stake to Walmart for around $1 billion, his partner Binny Bansal remains on Flipkart board with his 5.1 per cent share. Softbank, which invested $2.5 billion last year for 20.8 per cent stake in Flipkart, has also opted out. Other shareholders - Tencent Holdings, Tiger Global Management, and Microsoft Corp - will retain a part of their stake in the company, selling most of it to Walmart. The deal now awaits regulatory approval for culmination. Also Watch: {blurb} India's largest deal in the e-commerce space is likely to be announced soon - perhaps even today according to some media reports - and Flipkart's employees, customers and investors aren't the only ones holding their breaths in anticipation. So is the taxman. Because according to experts there are two taxation angles to the Walmart-Flipkart deal, if it goes through. To begin with, there's taxation of capital gains earned by the sellers, i.e. Flipkart's investors. According to Nangia & Co Director Chirag Nangia, if the Indian promoters of Flipkart India intend to sell their shareholding, being Indian residents, they would be liable to pay income tax in India on capital gains arising from such transaction. Transaction Square Founder Girish Vanvari said the income tax law provides that taxes have to be withheld by the buyer if the share purchase agreement is being entered into with a non-resident entity. "With regard to share purchase agreement entered into with India resident entity, Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal in this case, capital gain would be charged in their hands and they have to pay 20 per cent income tax," said Vanvari. The buzz is that Flipkart's co-founder and executive chairman Sachin Bansal will sell his 5.2 per cent stake to the US brick-and-mortar behemoth and likely exit completely. So he may have to pay 20 per cent capital gains tax if he sells his stake. Whether the other co-founder and the Group CEO, Binny Bansal, will also sell his 5.1 per cent stake partially as part of the deal is still unclear. Walmart is also expected to buy stakes of multiple Flipkart investors, including Tiger Global and Japanese conglomerate Softbank, to end up with 60-80 per cent holding for roughly $12 billion. The taxability of the foreign investors in Flipkart, according to Nangia, will depend on the country through which the money is routed and whether India has a tax treaty with those nations. Singapore-registered Flipkart Pvt Ltd holds the majority stake in Flipkart India. As per the proposed deal, Walmart is expected to acquire shares of the Singapore entity. This will effectively result in transfer of ultimate ownership in Flipkart India. Tax experts explained that if the seller/transferor of such shares in Flipkart Singapore is a tax resident of Singapore/ Mauritius or any other country, which has a tax treaty with India that exempts capital gains from income tax in India, then the seller may claim treaty benefits. However, the tax treaties between India and Singapore as well as India and Mauritius have been amended and exemption from capital gains tax in India were provided only till March 31, 2017. So any investment in Flipkart routed throughout these countries on or after April 1, 2017, would come into the ambit of capital gains tax in India. Given that SoftBank's $2.5 billion investment in Flipkart came in August last year, it is likely liable to be taxed. lWhile short-term capital gains tax in the hands of foreign investors is 40 per cent, long-term capital gains tax is levied at 20 per cent for shares sold after 24 months of purchase. "However, such applicable long-term capital gains tax rate in India could be reduced by half, if such shares acquired after March 31, 2017, are sold before April 1, 2019," said Nangia. He added that Tiger Global would be exempt from taxes in India after the proposed Walmart deal if the funds were routed through Mauritius or Singapore and if the money was invested before March 31, 2017. As per indirect transfer provisions of IT laws, value of shares of a foreign company is deemed to be substantially derived from India if the value of the Indian assets is greater than 50 per cent of its worldwide assets, a criteria that is apparently met in Flipkart's case. "Despite the fact that shares of Flipkart Singapore - a company registered outside India - will be transferred to Walmart, the gains arising from such transfer could be subject to tax in India considering that substantial value of such shares is being derived from India," Nangia said. The other tax angle is whether Flipkart India is allowed to carry forward the losses for the adjustment against income tax payable by the company. As per Section 79 of the Income Tax Act, carry forward and set-off of losses cannot happen when more than 51 per cent of shareholding changes hands. "However, Section 72A of the Act provides that if there is demerger and merger, the company can carry forward the losses. It remains to be seen how the Flipkart-Walmart deal would be finally structured," said Vanvari. Nangia, however, said since even after the proposed transaction, the immediate majority shareholding of Flipkart India would remain with Flipkart Singapore, Flipkart India may be allowed to carry forward such tax losses to future years. "The proposed transaction may open up tax litigations for Flipkart India/its shareholders, be it the issue of taxability of capital gains arising to shareholders from such transaction or the issue of carry forward of existing tax losses of Flipkart India," said Nangia. With PTI inputs After his decision to sell the entire 5.2 per cent stake to the US retail behemoth Walmart, Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal would likely take away around $1 billion from the mega deal. But, he would also have to pay around 20 per cent capital gains tax, if he sells his stake. Flipkart is expected to sell 70-75 per cent stake to the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail major but the final contours of the deal will be announced today evening. Bansal, who's also the executive chairman of Flipkart, will step down from its board after the final deal is through. Sachin's decision to resign from the board came after his reported disagreement with the overall strategy that the company decided to follow after the stake sale. Sachin Bansal, along with Binny Bansal, co-founded Flipkart in 2007. While Sachin is leaving, Binny Bansal will continue to serve as the group CEO and will be additionally appointed as the next Executive Chairman. Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy - who steered Flipkart on its victory march in the Indian e-commerce market after it started losing market share for Amazon in 2017 - could stay on if Walmart comes up with a clause to retain the top talent for some time before the new management fully takes over. As the mega deal will bring fortunes to the Flipkart promoter - and also to others who would sell their stake - he would also have to shell out high income tax being a citizen of India. "With regard to share purchase agreement entered into with India resident entity, Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal in this case, capital gain would be charged in their hands and they have to pay 20 per cent income tax," Transaction Square Founder Girish Vanvari told PTI. Vanvari said the income tax law provides that taxes have to be withheld by the buyer if the share purchase agreement is being entered into with a non-resident entity. While Walmart is expected to buy around 60 per cent stake in the company, Google parent Alphabet Inc may buy 15 per cent stake for about $3 billion. According to a report in CNBC TV 18, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son confirmed that "Walmart has agreed to buy Flipkart". The report also claimed the deal has been finalised for 75 per cent stake in the company for $15 billion. As per the deal, SoftBank Group Corp, which is one of the biggest investors in Flipkart, through its Vision Fund, would likely sell its 20-plus per cent stake in the company for around $20 billion valuation. The final details are expected to be out soon, but reports suggest other Flipkart investors - US hedge fund Tiger Global Management, South African tech investor Naspers and venture capital firm Accel - are will retain only small stakes in Flipkart, the report said. When it comes to elaborate schemes to defraud people, only few go as far as this father-son duo from Delhi went. The two fraudsters dupe people on the pretext of selling products to NASA and DRDO. According to reports, they even dress their part as space scientists. The Crime Branch of Delhi Police nabbed Virender Mohan Brar (56) and son Nitin Mohan Brar (30) who defrauded a victim, Narendra, on the pretext of a product called Rice Puller (RP) that space agencies were apparently willing to purchase for Rs 37,500 crore after testing its genuineness. Narendra had already 'invested' Rs 1.43 crore to facilitate the genuineness test that would enable the sale eventually. The scam It all started three years ago, when Narendra came in contact with an individual who explained the huge profits that were to be gained by investing in the RP, which was apparently required by the likes of NASA and DRDO, no less. In April 2015, Narendra received a call from a businessman who wanted to sale RP. Narendra then approached the individual who told him about RP and its lucrative avenues. After a few call forwards, a meeting was arranged between Narendra and Virender Brar who introduced himself as the MD of a company, M/S Rehan Metals that's based in USA with an office in Moti Nagar as well. Brar told Narendra that their company could arrange for the sale of RP to these organizations for Rs 37,500 crore per M/A once he buys the RP. The sale to these space organizations would happen after a genuineness testing by NASA and DRDO scientists that Narendra would have to fund. Brar also told Narendra that the scientists would give them Rs 10 crore immediately on the spot if the test went well. Narendra ended up paying them lakhs of rupees in installments after entering into an MoU with Virender Brar. He paid Rs 5.6 lakh, 19 lakh, Rs 24.6 lakh and Rs 38 lakh to arrange for the test, including anti-radiation suits, scientists' fee and chemicals that were required for the test. The testing of the RP was eventually scheduled in UP's Hapur but was cancelled because apparently the place was not conducive to the test, following which the testing was cancelled for a couple of times more. At the same time, other associates pressurized Narendra to finalize the deal or they would sell the RP to another buyer. Narendra was then introduced by an associate to another company, M/S Stars World Heritage based in East of Kailash, for a new deal on the RP and was assured that he would not be cheated. He again entered into an MoU and paid Rs 5.6 lakh, Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 42 lakh for the same stuff he had paid earlier. This time the testing was scheduled in Himachal's Dhramshala and was eventually called off because the sky was not clear. Eventually when Narendra, who owns a garment business in Delhi, realized that even the scientists hired by the companies were fraud and were working on a salary of Rs 20,000, he complained to the police. The product - RP RP or Rice Puller does not exist. It is a device made up by the fraudsters to fool potential victims. They take a copper plate or utensil and coat it with liquid magnet. They fill the utensil with boiled rice with small iron wires and fool people by pulling the rice towards the magnet-coated plate. They also say that the object is a rare piece of copper that has been struck by thunderbolt in the hills of Uttarakhand thereby giving it 'powers' to pull the rice. It is much sought after by space agencies for advanced space research. The cheats tell their victims that the RP will be purchased by NASA/DRDO for thousands of crores but the organizations will test it before purchasing. They ask the victims to fund the testing that their company would arrange. The investigation Once the complaint was lodged, the police arrested the Brar duo who deals in antique/rare metals. During the investigation, the RP copper plate, alleged anti-radiation suits, alleged anti-radiation chemical stickers were recovered from the accused along with laptop, printer, blank letter heads of Rehan Metals, cheque books, fake IDs and an Audi car. Brar does not only deal with fake NASA equipments, he has a rather strong portfolio that includes objects like magic mirror, two-headed snakes, Naagmani and the like. When on a rainy day in late October 2007, VVK Chandra ordered a copy of John Wood's memoir Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, on a practically unknown online retail site, little did he know what he was setting in motion. Flipkart was officially open for business and Sachin and Binny Bansal had just received their first order. All they had to do now was procure that book from an offline retailer and send it packing to Chandra. However, as fate should have it, the book was not easily available anywhere across Bengaluru where Sachin and Binny had set shop in a two-room flat in Koramangala. As the duo set out to procure the book, they must not have imagined that only in ten years from then their one-order old website would become a $20 billion company. The order reached Chandra a day late and the book was not in its mint condition, but Chandra was nevertheless very happy with the founders who kept him in loop regarding the delivery. Chandra left a glowing testimonial on their site Flipkart that only had two employees at that time - Sachin and Binny. The duo - who are not related - met each other for the first time two years before that, in 2005, in IIT Delhi. They worked in Amazon briefly before opening their own online retail site for books. In fact, in an interview, Sachin Bansal said that starting Flipkart was the most ridiculous thing he had ever done. But Flipkart's genesis came from the below-par quality offered by its competitors, he had said. After starting off in October, Flipkart had completed 20 shipments that year. Since their website was still in its nascent stage, the duo would go and stand outside Gangaram Book Stores on Church Street and distribute Flipkart bookmarks to people who came out with newly-bought books in their hands. They just wanted to get their target audience right. The opened their first office in Bengaluru the following year. Along with that, they started their 24X7 customer service. The following year, in 2009, they hired their first fulltime employee, Ambur Iyyappa. That year was big for the company as Accel Partners invested $1 million in Flipkart. They also opened offices in Delhi and Mumbai and the strength of the company had jumped to 150 employees. They also put out their first book for pre-orders - Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. In 2010, Flipkart had started offering cash-on-delivery (COD), spearheading the alternative payments model in the Indian e-commerce ecosystem. They also widened their catalogue to include electronics, mobiles, games, music and movies. The following year, in 2011, they expanded their catalogue further and started offering personal care products, large appliances, laptops, cameras and stationery. Flipkart also expanded to 600 towns and cities across the country. In 2012, Flipkart forayed into fashion and clothing segment and launched their mobile app as well. In 2013, the company raised $160 million in funding. Although their catalogue had widened, books still remained their stronghold. Flipkart set a record of selling 1,00,000 books in a single day. The following year was big for the company in more ways than one. To begin with, Flipkart became the first Indian company to register $1.9 billion gross merchandise value or GMV. They acquired fashion e-tailer Myntra and in October that year Flipkart kicked off its flagship sale - Big Billion Day. In 2016, Flipkart acquired Jabong and UPI-based startup, PhonePe, and strengthened their portfolio and before anyone knew the company had become synonymous with online shopping in the country. At the personal front, Sachin and Binny Bansal were named in TIME magazine's list of 100 most influential people that year. Last year, eBay became part of Flipkart as the company continued its expansion and raised $1.4 billion from Tencent, Microsoft and eBay as well. On May 9 2018, Walmart, the world's largest retailer announced its plan to purchase a majority stake in Flipkart. The deal involved the world's biggest company by revenue buying around 77% stake in the Indian e-commerce market leader for $16 billion, valuing the e-tailer close to $20 billion. However, Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal is set to sell his entire stake, while Group CEO Binny Bansal along with Chinese investment giant Tencent Holdings, US hedge fund Tiger Global and Microsoft will continue to hold their stake in the new entity. Also read: Walmart takes a big bite out of Flipkart, grabs 77% stake for $16 billion Walmart-Flipkart deal is official now: Here are 10 key takeaways The Walmart-Flipkart deal could usher a new wave of consumerism As Paytm made KYC verification mandatory for its customers, the rule opened up avenues for mischief-mongers to dupe unsuspecting people. The Cyber Cell of Rachakonda Police in Hyderabad arrested one such individual who was nabbed for transferring money through fake KYC verification. The cyber cell arrested Beerappa Gadda, a computer engineer who used to work for Paytm as a field executive. He used his past knowledge to dupe several people. According to the police Gadda was arrested after a businessman approached the police and said that he was duped on Paytm. Based on the technical evidence, Gadda was nabbed. The investigators revealed that Gadda used to work at the Gachibowli Paytm office as a field executive and his role required him to visit customers and update their KYC as well as set his own passwords. One fine day, Gadda discovered that a lot of people had not changed the passwords he had set on their app and were continuing with the one he had put due to lack of technical knowledge. So, he started logging in to their Paytm and started transferring money to his wallet before logging out. Investigation revealed that Gadda had duped at least a dozen Paytm users and transferred their money to his own account. The police have advised users to not respond to messages and voice calls that are made on behalf of banks, insurance companies and e-wallets. They have also urged people to set their own passwords before using any mobile or online banking apps. "Organizations like banks and insurance companies will never call customers and ask to share their account details at any cost; e-wallet users are strictly advised to reset passwords on daily basis" said Mahesh Bhagwat CP, Rachakonda. The US President Donald Trump's announcement of reintroduction of "Trump ignores European pleas and abandons 'defective' Iran nuclear deal" 'sanctions on Iran', set the alarm bell ringing in New Delhi as well. The sanctions will have a direct impact on India's energy security plans as well as on the strategic investments committed into creating the infrastructure in Iran. This doesn't include the private sector commitments in exploring the markets for pharmaceuticals, textile, food processing, automobile and engineering products. Above all, in creating the regional balance Iran is helping India to reach out to the newer markets in Central Asia, and strategically important Afghanistan; and that too by circumventing Pakistan. Separately, New Delhi is worried that the sanctions may help China to increase their influence over Tehran and other parts of the region. In March, Trump administration launched an offensive against imports from China. In the last two months, India has already started reworking trade policy to fit it into the new trade order. But the current set of sanctions have only increased the headache of the diplomats in New Delhi. The opportunities don't end here; unlike 2006 sanctions, which were backed by the series of embargoes and sanctions by the European Union and United Nations -Trump administration doesn't have support of the other lobbies this time. In fact, their closest allies, the UK, France and Germany, issued a statement expressing "regret and concern" about the decision, emphasizing Iran's compliance with the deal and their "continuing commitment" to the Joint Commission Plan of Action, as the deal was formally known. The US diplomats are exerting pressure on their allies, and India hopes that if they don't budge, the way out could be achieved. India, in the last three years, with the help of Iran counterweighted oil imports from Saudi Arabia. Interestingly, Iran along with Iraq did not budge under the pressure from the OPEC to cut down the oil production, to artificially jack up the price. Along with this, the Trump order has also spiked the oil prices. The diktat that countries should cut down their oil imports from Iran by November 6 this year, if implemented, will further add to the price at Brent scale and to the import bills of countries like India. As the US companies dominate the re-insurance and payment gateways - the imports and executing projects will be difficult to execute. This also dims the prospects of Farzad-B gas field and option of getting equities in the South Azadegan oil fields. Although the sanctions doesn't directly impact the ongoing works at Chabahar port or railway line connecting the port with the Zahedan town at the Afghanistan border, yet the sanctions of payments in dollars et al will create challenge. In fact, in February this year, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani came to New Delhi with his oil minister Bijan Zanganeh to deepen strategic relations. One of the commitments made by India is to double the oil imports in 2018/19. In 2017/18 fiscal, India imported 19.8 MT, on an average 396,000 barrels a day, from Iran. To sweeten the deal, Iran reduced the freight charges by nearly $1 a barrel, which was backed by a commitment from India to increase imports to nearly 500,000 barrels a day. Last year, Iraq with 45.1 MT oil supplies in the last fiscal replaced Saudi (38.9 MT) as biggest supplier of crude oil. If India doesn't abide by the US sanctions, Iran will be close second this year. But the circumvention of the US sanctions will not be easy for India. Trump administration targeted national Iranian oil company, Naftiran Intertrade Company, and National Iranian Tanker Company. It is generally perceived that the small and medium enterprises of the country have borne the brunt of the central government's twin disruptions - demonetization and goods and services tax (GST), the most. In an interview with Business Today, Giriraj Singh, Minister of State, Independent Charge, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) tries to clear the perception, and stress on the importance of MSME sector as the country's most important employment generator. Excerpts: BT: MSMEs are the ones that were most affected by the twin disruptions - the demonetization and GST implementation. What did the ministry do to minimize their problems? Singh: I don't agree to that view. These decisions were taken in the national interest. And it was only natural that there would be some problems during the transit phase of such path breaking reforms. Be it employers or chartered accountants, every stakeholder had to familiarize with the new regime. By now 90 per cent of the problems have been sorted out. So there is no need to demoralize MSMEs. This is a sector that provides more employment that any others. BT: What has been the impact of GST on MSME? Have you done any assessment? Singh: Let me repeat. Let us not see the transit phase in that manner. It is only natural to go through difficulties whenever a major project is undertaken. Just take the example of Metro rail construction. Do we analyse it on the basis of the difficulties faced during the construction period? No, we look at the future benefits it offers. It was a transit phase, and it is over. BT: Budgetary allocation for MSME sector has seen an increase this year. What are the policy priorities of the government for the sector? Singh: Let me talk about two major interventions. First is about a collateral free credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs. The credit limit has gone up to Rs 2 crore, and 75 per cent of that will be given collateral free. I am sure this will have a major impact on credit flow to the sector in 2018-19. The other is about the ease of doing business measures. We had engaged Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon to conduct a study to understand the sectors that provide maximum employment under the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). The results indicated that for a project that costs Rs 7 lakh on an average, there was an average employment of 7. In order to boost this segment, we have done away with several licensing and registration hurdles by introducing Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum which is a simple self declaration registration form that can be filled up in just 3 minutes. Central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) do purchases worth several lakh crores every year. We ensured that 20 per cent of that is procured from MSMEs. Now, we have launched a Samadhan portal to monitor the payment for such purchases. Over 8000 complaints have already been sorted out through Samadhan portal. Further we have also got CPSEs to list all the items they want to procure in a Sambanth portal for MSMEs to see and be part of the procurement process. We have also changed the definition of MSME to free them from inspector raj. Earlier MSME categorisation used to be on the basis of capital investment, so people were wary of investing in better technology or machines for the fear of getting out of the micro or small scale bracket. Now it is on the basis of GST turnover. No inspector can trouble a MSME unit on the basis of the money spent on plant and machinery. BT: Government has announced some custom duty hikes to help domestic industry compete with cheap imports. Will it benefit MSMEs in a big way? Singh: Anti-dumping measures are meant to help domestic industry. It is dealt with at the WTO level, it is also handled at the country level. The 18 technology centres that we have are catering to the needs of industries ranging from agri-tech to space. We are adding another 15 which will go a long way in enhancing the competitiveness of Indian MSMEs. This Rs 550 crore project is out of this year's budget outlay. BT: Are new jobs being created in the MSME sector? Singh: The biggest job intensive sector is garments and textiles. The next one is leather. When Prime Minister said 70 lakh new jobs were created, he was referring to the EPFO numbers. I will tell you that thrice that number of jobs have been created in the informal sector. We have an organization called NSIC (National Small Industries Corporation) which provides overall support to MSME sector. I asked them, and also another Mumbai-based organisation to get an advance job creation plan from MSMEs to have an idea of how many new jobs these companies are planning to create in the next 18 months. Almost 26 per cent of the people they met said they have no plans to hire more people in 2018-19. But 74 per cent said they will hire. On an average they were planning to hire 7 persons each. Jobs are being created. Now there is a policy which says that once you shift from informal sector to formal sector, the government will pay 8.33 per cent of PF for the first three years, I am expecting a huge shift from informal to formal sector in 2018-19. BT: What is the ministry doing to tackle the bad loan problem? Singh: What we want to suggest is, if an MSME loan becomes NPA for whatever reasons, you change the criteria of considering a loan default as bad debt from 90 days to 180 days. And introduce a scheme for refinancing and restructuring that debt. It is just a thought as of now. The idea is to have a separate structure to help sick MSME units. We should realize that MSME sector is honest. Small entrepreneurs never run away from this country. So we need to protect our MSME sector. Prime Minister is doing it. 09 May 2018, 3:15 PM Walmart likely to announce Flipkart deal soon Walmart is likely to announce its much-anticipated deal to buy a controlling stake in Indian e-commerce player Flipkart before the end of this week, two sources said, in what is likely to be the U.S. retail giant's biggest acquisition of a business. Walmart and Google parent Alphabet Inc will buy up to 75 percent of Flipkart, as reported by Reuters. Walmart will acquire about a 60 percent stake in Flipkart, while Alphabet will get a roughly 15 percent stake in the online marketplace for about $3 billion, one of the sources said. Sources said that Flipkart Group Chief Executive Binny Bansal held a closed-door meeting with the firm's top leadership at its Bengaluru headquarters on Monday, and one added that Bansal said that Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal would exit after the Walmart deal is sealed. Maruti Suzuki's 52,686 units of Baleno, Swift to undergo 'service campaign' to fix brake vacuum hose Maruti Suzuki is recalling 52,686 units of the new Maruti Suzuki Swift and Baleno that were manufactured between December 1, 2017 and March 16 2018. The service campaign will be conducted for two of the best selling cars in the country. Maruti Suzuki claims that these models will be recalled for a possible fault in the brake vacuum hose. From May 14, the respective dealers will call the car owners and schedule a free session to fix the fault. The users worrying about their cars, can confirm if their unit is among the ones recalled by entering the chassis number of their vehicle on this page. Facebook shakes up management, launches blockchain division Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday ordered one of the biggest management shake ups in the history of the social network, giving more responsibility to his chief product officer and launching a blockchain division. The shakeup appeared to consolidate power at the sprawling internet company, although it included no firings or outside hires and did not change the role of either Zuckerberg or Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg.David Marcus, the head of Messenger for the past four years, is leaving that role to set up a group to explore how to use blockchain technology across Facebook, he said in a post on Facebook. Vijay Mallya loses $1.55-bn case, banks can seize UK assets In a major blow to business tycoon Vijay Mallya, a UK high court on Tuesday ruled in favour of Indian banks seeking to collect more than $1.55 billion from him. The court refused to overturn an Indian court's worldwide order for freezing of Mallya's assets. The tycoon has been on an self-imposed exile in the UK since he left India on March 2, 2016. This means the UK high court judgment will enable banks to enforce an earlier judgment of an Indian court against Mallya's assets in England and Wales. US Pullout From Iran Deal Sends Rupee To Fresh 15-Month Low Vs US Dollar The rupee fell to a fresh 15-month low of 67.42 per US dollar (USD) today after US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of an international nuclear deal with Iran. Yesterday, the rupee had closed 5 paise higher at 67.08 against US currency as reported by NDTV. The US move sparked worries about global oil supplies, pushing global crude prices higher. India imports major part of its crude oil requirement. After rising over 6 per cent last year against the US dollar, the rupee is on a weakening trend this year. New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) India today opened for bidding the biggest city gas distribution licensing round, offering 86 permits for selling CNG and piped cooking gas in 174 districts in 22 states and union territories. As many as 86 geographical areas (GAs), made by clubbing adjacent districts, are on offer in the 9th city gas distribution (CGD) bidding round, according to oil regulator Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB). ? The GAs cover 24 per cent of the countrys area and 29 per cent of its population, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said at a roadshow organised here to promote the round. The round is likely to attract an investment of Rs 70,000 crore, a PNGRB presentation made at the roadshow said. The last day for bidding is July 10. Pradhan said the government is targeting to raise share of natural gas in the primary energy basket to 15 per cent from current 6 per cent, in next few years. The bid round is also aimed at meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modis target of giving piped cooking gas connection to 1 crore households, roughly triple the current size, by 2020. ?CGD licences for Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, Ludhiana and Jalandhar in Punjab, Barmer, Alwar and Kota in Rajasthan, Coimbatore and Salem in Tamil Nadu, Allahabad, Faizabad, Amethi and Rai Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, Dehradun in Uttarakhand and Burdwan in West Bengal are on offer. Prior to the 9th round, 91 GAs were awarded to firms like Indraprastha Gas Ltd and GAIL Gas Ltd, which are serving 240 million population, 42 lakh domestic consumers and 31 lakh CNG vehicles. Of these, 56 GAs were awarded through bidding rounds and the rest on government nomination. The bid round is being held on changed parameters after one paisa bids spoilt the initial auction rounds. Bidders have been asked to quote the number of CNG stations to be set up and number of domestic cooking gas connections to be given in the first eight years of operation. In the previous eight bid rounds, bidders were asked to quote only the tariff for the pipeline that carries gas within the city limits. These bidding criteria did not include the rate at which an entity would sell CNG to automobiles or piped natural gas to households using the same pipeline network, leading to companies offering one paisa as the tariff to win licences. In the new guidelines, maximum weightage of 50 per cent has been given to the number of piped gas connections proposed in eight years from the date of authorisation, as compared to 30 per cent earlier. The number of CNG dispensing stations proposed to be set up has been assigned 20 per cent weightage. Length of the pipeline to be laid in the GA and the tariff proposed for city gas and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) have been assigned 10 per cent weightage each. Also, a floor tariff of Rs 30 for city gas and Rs 2 per kg for CNG has been put in order to deter bidders from quoting unviable tariff of 1 paisa per unit. Companies having a net worth of not less than Rs 150 crore can bid for cities with a population of 50 lakh and more while the same for cities with population of 20 lakh to 50 lakh has been proposed at Rs 100 crore. The net worth eligibility goes down with population, with a Rs 5 crore net worth firm being eligible to bid for cities that have less than 10 lakh population. PNGRB said any entity security CGD licence would have to enter into a firm natural gas supply agreement with a natural gas producer or marketer in a transparent manner on the principle of at an arms length within 180 days of winning a licence. The authorised entity has to achieve financial closure within 270 days from date of grant of licence. The winning company would have 8 years of marketing exclusivity in the given city. Current licences provide for 5 years of exclusivity. Last few rounds of CGD have evoked a lukewarm response. The fourth round was altogether cancelled, while the fifth saw a sparse response. The sixth round of bidding for 34 cities in 2015 got bids for only 20. The seventh round of bidding done to set up CGD infrastructure in 11 smart cities under smart city mission received only 1 bid. Seven cities were offered in the 8th round last year but not all cities have been awarded so far. PTI ANZ ABI ANU ANU By Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, May 8 (PTI) Nepal has granted an Indian government-owned subsidiary the power generation licence from a 900-megawatt hydropower project, days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis two-day visit to the country from May 11. Investment Board Nepal (IBN) recently granted the licence to Satluj Jala Vodyut Nigam Power Development Company, a subsidiary of Indian government-owned Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd, to generate power from the Arun-3 Hydropower Project located in eastern Nepal. The permit was granted in line with the decision of the 30th meeting of IBNs board of directors chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on April 28, according to an IBN official. The company has paid the board Nepali Rupees 5 million as licence fee. Modi and Oli are expected to jointly lay the foundation stone for the hydropower plant. Arun-3 is the largest capacity project in the history of hydroelectricity that is scheduled to be constructed within the next five years. The Indian government has so far approved investment of Rs 57.24 billion proposed by SJVN in Arun-3. Arun-3 is an export-oriented project and it will sell the electricity to India, a Neplese media report said. However, it has to sign an agreement with power utilities in India to sell the power in a bid to achieve the financial closure, it said. The project was supposed to be constructed under the assistance of the World Bank Group some two decades back. However, protests against reservoir projects back then forced the World Bank to drop the project, it said. The project was later awarded to the Indian company through competitive bidding some 10 years ago. IBN has granted several extensions for financial closure of the project. Apart from the local share and free energy to the residents of the affected area, the Nepal government will receive benefits worth Nepali Rupees 348 billion from the project as royalty, income tax, customs tariff and free energy in the concession period of 25 years. The project will also provide 21.9 per cent or 197 megawatts of the generated energy free of cost to Nepal. PTI SBP MRJ AKJ MRJ MRJ The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Tuesday gave in-principle approval to the Uttar Pradesh government to build Noida International Airport at Jewar, a town situated about 100 kms away from New Delhi. This will be the second airport in the Delhi NCR region that will be expected to give relief to the existing airport in Delhi which is bursting at the seams. The bidding process is likely to start in the first week of July, says Arun Vir Singh, CEO of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), the nodal agency for the airport project. "We haven't prepared the bidding document as yet. It is still at the discussion stage. The EoI (expression of interest) document will be floated in the first week of July," he says. The think tank NITI Aayog had prepared a model bid document, and the YEIDA will do tweaking to that document over the next two months. YEIDA has already initiated the environmental clearance and land acquisition processes. For the land acquisition process, the agency has done the social impact assessment study which was submitted to the UP government. The state government has formed an expert committee that will into the rehabilitation and resettlement process. The land acquisition process is expected to start by early June. "By the end of September, we hope that the bidding process will be concluded, and by mid-October, we are planning to lay the foundation stone," says Singh. It may be noted that the GMR, the operator of Delhi airport, has got the first right of refusal (ROFR) in the bidding process for Noida International Airport. According to the terms, for any airport that will be built within 150 kilometres of the radius of the Delhi airport, GMR will be given preferential treatment in the bidding process in case its bid is within 10 per cent of the highest bidder. According to sources, the ROFR clause is not enough for GMR to win the bidding process but the operator is keeping close tabs on the developments. Earlier, YEIDA had shortlisted global audit firm PwC to prepare techno-economic feasibility report (TEFR) on the project. On the basis of TEFR report, the MoCA has granted the in-principle approval to the airport which is a step ahead after giving clearance to the proposal last year. Singh says that the entire project is expected to be completed by early or mid of 2022. "The day one capacity will be 5 million passengers, and in 30 years, it will go to 60 million. It will serve both international and domestic traffic," he says. The capacity constraints at the Delhi airport has started to affect the expansion plans of airlines, and causing inconvenience to passengers. Although the Delhi airport has chalked out plans to expand the capacity - from 70 million now to 109 million in 2034 - but the rate at which the passenger traffic is growing, sector experts believe that capacity issue is unlikely to be resolved. State-owned Bank of India on Monday filed a lawsuit against fugitive fraudster Nirav Modi in a Hong Kong court for the recovery of the money he had drawn from the bank on the basis of illegally secured Letters of Undertaking. The public sector bank moved a court in Hong Kong for the recovery of debt to the tune of $6.25 million. The Bank of India (BoI) is the second lender bank to file a recovery law suit in the Hong Kong court since third week of April. Before BoI, the Punjab National Bank (PNB) had moved a recovery writ in a Hong Kong court against Nirav Modi for an amount over $5 million. The writ by Bank of India has been filed against Nirav Modi, and four of his companies, including Firestar Diamonds and Firestar Diamonds International. Nirav Modi, accused of defrauding PNB of Rs 13,700 crore by using over 1,200 illegally secured LoUs, is at large since February. The bank moved the court in Hong Kong after the confirmation from law enforcement agencies in India that Nirav modi had fled Hong Kong long ago. Earlier, India Today's investigations in Hong Kong had revealed the fugitive diamond merchant has already started a business in the foreign country. Meanwhile, top officials of Bank of India confirmed the suit was filed after the central government's nod to explore all legal options to recover the dues and set an example by "pursuing the fraudster in any corner of the world". India has already submitted a request to the Hong Kong authorities to arrest Nirav Modi. In April, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs General (retd) VK Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that the ministry "has sought a provisional arrest of Nirav Deepak Modi". He said the request was made on March 23. To avoid reoccurrence of such bank frauds, most public sector banks have started tightening the noose around willful defaulters who are viewed as 'high risk' in regards to their possibility of fleeing the country to evade recovery. The banks have also released a list of borrowers who have been declared as willful defaulters. Furthermore, action has been initiated against willful defaulters and the passports of such borrowers are being impounded to ensure they don't flee the country. In March, the centre had announced a new rule against economic offenders attempting to flee the country, saying that banks will have to collect passport details of customers who seek loans above Rs 50 crore. The keynote at the Google I/O 2018 was all about artificial intelligence and machine learning. The search giant launched many features across products including Google Compose, which helps in writing emails faster, new Google News app with AI, Android P and more. With the Android P Beta, Google aims to make Android smarter and easier to use than ever. Android P has machine learning at its core and will help the smartphone learn and adapt as per the usage. Google has partnered with Deep Mind, the world leader in artificial intelligence, to build Adaptive Battery for Android P. This feature learns how a user is using the brightness slider, and will accordingly prioritize battery power only for the apps and services that a user uses the most, helping in squeezing the most out of the phone's battery. With Android P, Google is also introducing a new way to navigate. The new App Actions feature will help the user to get to the next tasks by quickly predicting what they might want to do next. Actions will show up in different places such as the Launcher, Smart Text Selection, the Play Store, the Google Search app and the Assistant. For instance, just as the user connects the headphone jack, the phone will perform an action to resume playing the favourite playlist. Another interesting feature is Slices, which will be available only through Google Search. This feature will show results in slightly larger interactive snippets. As Google explains, "If you search for "Lyft" in Google Search, you can see an interactive Slice that gives you the price and time for a trip to work, and it's interactive so you can quickly order the ride." Google has also worked on the look and feel by introducing a new navigation system. With phones growing taller, the new gesture will help users do things quickly. There will be a single, clean home button, which when swiped up will display an Overview. Similar to the way we switch between the apps on iPhone, this will be the spot where users will be able to glance through the full-screen previews of your recently used apps. For constant switching between the apps, there will be Smart Text Selection (which recognizes the meaning of the text selected and suggests relevant actions) will work in Overview. There will also be a redesigned Quick Settings, for taking and editing screenshots, simplified volume controls, an easier way to manage notifications. Other features include a new Dashboard that shows how the user is spending time on the device including time spent in apps, number of times the phone has been unlocked and more. App Timer allows user to set time limits on apps, new Do Not Disturb mode that not only silences the phone calls and notifications, but also all the visual interruptions that pop up on your screen. "We want the entire device experience to be smarter, not just the OS, so we're bringing the power of Google's machine learning to app developers with the launch of ML Kit, a new set of cross-platform APIs available through Firebase. ML Kit offers developers on-device APIs for text recognition, face detection, image labelling and more. So mobile developers building apps like Lose It!, a nutrition tracker, can easily deploy our text recognition model to scan nutritional information and ML Kit's custom model APIs to automatically classify over 200 different foods with your phone's camera," says Sameer Samat, VP of product management, Android in a blog post. The Android P Beta is available in Google Pixel devices, and will be available on a select few partner devices including Sony Xperia XZ2, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, Nokia 7 Plus, Oppo R15 Pro, Vivo X21, OnePlus 6, and Essential PH 1. Alphabet Inc's Google said on Tuesday it had updated its ad-serving platform, which is used by online publishers, allowing them to select advertising tech vendors that comply with new European data privacy laws. Google is the top vendor of the software that many newspapers and digital media firms use to sell ads on their platforms. The new controls that Google gave publishers make it easier for them to become compliant with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which comes into effect on May 25. Google said it will give publishers two options for selecting compliant ad tech vendors, including publishers choosing from a list of providers (mainly ad buyers) that contribute most to its revenue. Four major publisher trade groups had told Google late last month it was forcing media firms that generate revenue from its advertising services to accept unreasonable responsibilities under the GDPR, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The trade groups represent about 4,000 newspapers and media companies, primarily in Europe and North America, including Axel Springer, Telegraph Media Group and the New York Times Co. The dispute reflects differing interpretations of the GDPR, which imposes a range of new requirements on how companies collect and process personal information about EU users. Chhota Bheem, the popular cartoon character, which recently completed its 10 years, has powered its way in to Netflix. Being billed as the India's first Netflix original television show for children, a new version of the cartoon character would soon be available on the online streaming platform. The character, which is called "Mightly Little Bheem", would be a baby and therefore won't speak and this would make it possible for the channel to broadcast the content across the 190 countries. Rajiv Chilaka, the founder and CEO of Hyderabad-based Greengold Animation, creator of Chhota Bheem, informed Business Today that the company recently signed with Netflix for the show and is currently working on the production. It plans to deliver the show to them by the end of this year and then the release would be planned accordingly. "So, sometime next year, it will go on air," Chilaka said. Chilaka is simultaneously working on another venture - another first for Chhota Bheem - a 3D theatrical release. Titled "Chhota Bheem Kung-Fu Dhamaka", it is a story based in China. The plot would involve Chhota Bheem travelling to China to participate in a Kung-Fu competition. The company plans to release the theatrical series globally, including China. "In India, its theatrical release will be later this year around Diwali time," Chilaka informed. The key focus, he says, is to take Chhota Bheem global. "After the feature film is ready, we will do the distribution deal and then we will get a better idea about the countries it will be released in. So far, based on the movie trailer, we have got a positive feedback from most markets," said Chilaka. Speaking about the ideal markets for the cartoon character, he said, "Any story which is told well, especially in animation, can do well in any country. Provided it is distributed and marketed well. In this case, the story is in an international setting and will appeal to all the kids across geographies. However, the market for Bheem is already strong in India, Dubai, Middle East in general and South East Asia." According to Chilaka, since this a 3D movie made using CGI technology, it would perform better globally than a 2D feature film. "We have been working on this for almost five years, researched the location well, redone many shoots just to ensure the quality is good. We have also used latest technology and want to make it a benchmark for Indian and animation movies that is ready to compete with international movies," he adds. The production budget for this movie is likely to be around $3 million (about Rs 18 crore to Rs 21 crore), Chilaka informed. The accurate numbers couldn't be ascertained as the film is still in production. The company, according to Chilaka, usually spends not more than a million dollar (between Rs 5-6.7 crore) on its feature films, including the spends on marketing and promotion. Chilaka is vary about discussing the financials of the company and says that the company, which also has its own merchandise, is growing at over 20 per cent in revenues and is cash positive. news, latest-news Unlike more than 10 million Australians, Canberra IT consultant Matt Koerber won't be getting a lump sum tax offset in the 2018-19 financial year. But new investments in childcare and education will help him care for his young family. The single father of two children, aged two and four, said he'd rather see boosts to services for those doing it tough than tax cuts. He shares custody of Alexandra and Jason with his ex-wife, and says becoming a single parent recently has been an eye-opener. "I'm lucky enough that with my income, I've been OK, but when you look at some single parents, you wonder how they survive," Mr Koerber said. "Some are spending more than half their income on rent." While there were no new measures for housing affordability in the budget, boosts for young families include: Measures to increase sport participation are also a feature of the budget, with $41.7 million to be spent on the Sporting Schools program to reach 500 secondary schools. Almost $30 million will be spent on improving local sport facilities, while $11.8 million will be spent to increase youth participation in sport. For young families, the government is continuing its commitment to the Gonksi 2.0 education reforms, as well as committing $245.6 million to the school chaplaincy program, giving it an anti-bullying focus. The government will also spend $77.9 million on infant and maternal health for the first 2000 days of a child's life. It is hoped this will lead to lower obesity and reduced reliance on healthcare later in life. Mr Koerber said he was particularly pleased to see bullying targeted in the funding. "There's more awareness of bullying now but with the internet and things there's also more ways for them to be bullied, they need support," he said. But, while he was happy with the budget overall, Mr Koerber said he was disappointed to see a lack of direction around housing affordability. "That's always in the back of your mind, you want to make sure your kids will be OK in 20 years time, and things we have now aren't unattainable." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/253ff2f1-8e81-4200-8d55-52cd86709bdb/r0_179_2000_1309_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news As the chaos of budget night reached its climax (and parliamentary parties full swing), Olympia Maselos was doing some celebrating of her own. The Canberra student had just turned 22. But, looking through the "presents" from the Treasurer this year, Ms Maselos confessed she was feeling forgotten about. While the budget contained a new boost to research at universities, it had next to nothing set aside for its students or the vocational education sector. Still living at home and struggling to find a job, Ms Maselos said she felt young people had been "deliberately neglected" in the budget. She was pleased to see a substantial funding injection for mental health services nationally, but said the cost of being a student continued to climb, leaving many living below the poverty line. "I think that warrants a response," she said. "A lot of people are questioning at what point does [studying] become not worth it. "As for affordable housing, I've invested in a good tent from Kathmandu." Some of the few measures in the budget for the higher education sector include easier access to Youth Allowance for regional students, who will now have a lighter parental income test, and $1.9 billion over the next 12 years for a new National Research Infrastructure Investment Plan. Research block grants were also renewed at the same level as 2017, $1.9 billion. Ms Maselos said she was suspicious that student journalists had been shut out of the budget lock-up on Tuesday for the second year in a row. While a Treasury spokeswoman cited "space restrictions" as the reason for the decision, university papers, including the ANU's Woroni, accused the government of trying to avoid scrutiny of its higher education policy. The Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, which had been given a spot at the lock-up for the past decade, was also denied space this year. Chair of the coalition Katie Acheson said, while the overall budget position was improving, conditions for young people were getting worse. Youth unemployment is currently more than double the national average, at 12.5 per cent. While the government is expanding its Transition to Work program and putting $197 million over five years into support mature-age job seekers, it has set aside $700,000 for the Brotherhood of St Laurence to create a Youth Employment Body, which will look at best practice policy for young workers. Since Australia's Minister for Youth portfolio was axed in 2013, and with it the youth coalition's funding, Ms Acheson said there had been a "systemic removal" of young people's voices in policy. "They seem to think shutting young people out of the room will silence them," she said. "We're seeing record low housing affordability and spikes in youth homelessness. The longer these issues are ignored, the worse they'll become. "Investing in jobs for young people today will ensure we can continue to pay for our aging population. Instead the government is trying to buy off the middle class with an extra $10 a week." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/5f486cf9-4eea-4106-819b-615d60e37b48/r0_124_2000_1254_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Cant wait to see Glitterscapes, the latest series of sculptural nudes from local photographic artist Nathan J. Lester, at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre. Lester uses the human body as a canvas to create fantastic landscapes accentuated by light reflecting off coloured glitter. The images in Glitterscapes vary from easily recognisable body parts to others where the part of the body photographed resembles a surreal, otherworldly landscape. And while youre at the centre, check out the exhibition from the NSW group Untethered Fibre Artists who explore the paradox of discovery through fibre in inTransit. The group is comprised of 20 artists whose individual works created from textiles and natural fibres - respond to the relative significances of journey and destination, places, memories, time and states of being. At TAC, until June 2. The Hound of the Baskervilles is the only Sir Arthur Conan Doyle book Ive ever read. I think because it scared me senseless when I read it as an impressionable youth, I never dared venture near another Sherlock Holmes story again. Its a menacing tale, all that lurking about in the darkness on the moors. Lets hope that Tempo Theatres version, adapted by F. Andrew Leslie, doesnt have the same effect on you. Starring Philip Meddows as Sherlock Holmes and Peter Fock as Dr Watson, Tempo promises the play will have you on the edge of your seat. At the Belconnen Community Theatre from May 25 to June 2. For bookings, tickets $35, head to canberraticketing.com.au Two new exhibitions at the Craft ACT craft + design centre. In these hands: Mara nyangangka celebrates the collaboration between Australia's two oldest centres for craft and design, Sturt Gallery & Studios (1941) and Ernabella arts (1948). The exhibition will feature historical content and work by a new generation of Indigenous artists from Ernabella arts. In Engram, jewellery designer Sabine Pagan will show her most recent work, where she delves into her research on architectural environments, place, materiality and memories through a new series of rings exhibited together with prints and videos. Craft ACT, North Building, London Circuit, City, until June 30. More than 2500 young musicians will gather in Canberra from May 17-22 for the Australian National Eisteddfod, which kicks off with the bands and orchestras event. Local community bands taking part include Canberra City Band, Ginninderra Wind Orchestra, Canberra Brass bands, John Agnew Band, Tuggeranong Valley Band and South Canberra Youth Wind Orchestra as well as many school bands and orchestras. The eisteddfod's mission is to promote participation in the performing arts and it actively encourages an inclusive environment that fosters the growth of confidence and self-esteem in performers of all levels and ages. Bands and orchestras is the first event to be run this year others for choirs, singing, piano, speech and drama will take place in August and September. Performances will take place in Llewellyn Hall and the Lyneham High School Performing Arts Centre. A few people might remember the band Steve Grieve and the Mourners who were kicking around Canberra more than 20 years ago in places such as Mannys Tavern and the Boot and Flogger. The two main characters, Grieve himself and vocalist Dan Myles, are Canberra born and bred but after the band played its last gig, Myles headed to the United States for 14 years and recorded a solo album. Grieve went on to work with some notable Australian musicians including Margaret Urlich and Christine Anu. The band released a new album, Caterpillar Maze, in late 2017 and are now backing it up with a short tour, Back on Top Down Under, which includes a date in Canberra on June 9 at the Polish White Eagle Club in Turner. Relive some old memories or create some new ones. If youre looking for a winter escape to warm you up, schedule in a visit to Four Winds, Bermagui in June for the first in the Windsong Series. Simon Tedeschi (piano) and Andrew Haveron (violin) were two of 2017s best received performances at the lovely pavillion and the prospect of them performing together should be well worth the coast trip. They will be performing a program of romantic music sweeping melodies and beautiful harmonies. Tedeschi last performed at Four Winds with actor John Bell, co-creating an epic, narrative performance of Enoch Arden. Sunday, June 17, 2.30-4.30pm. Bookings at fourwinds.com.au /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/b4398754-0960-4f95-b295-a620f477f954/r0_169_3000_1864_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news The Climate Change Council has warned the ACT government not to buy carbon offsets as the territory moves towards zero net emissions. Instead the council has urged government to set new targets for reducing carbon emissions and invest in abatement measures if it failed to meet them. ACT Climate Change Minister Shane Rattenbury will on Monday release a discussion paper detailing how the territory will achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The paper recommends bringing forward the target by five years to 2045 because of the growing risks of climate change. It also recommends setting interim reduction targets on 1990 levels of 50 to 60 per cent by 2025, 65 to 75 per cent by 2030 and 90 to 95 per cent by 2040. If the ACT fails to meet these targets, the council has proposed government calculate a "social cost" per tonne of any emissions above that level. The money would then be directed into measures to reduce emissions at a local level. The social cost would be an estimate of the total future economic damage of emissions, including impacts to health, infrastructure, and species loss. That cost is currently estimated at $65 per tonne of carbon dioxide. If this social cost was applied to the government's target of making its own operations carbon neutral, it would mean an investment of $4.55 million in 2020 and further investment each subsequent year. "This says if we miss a target we need to redouble our efforts at home, not simply buy carbon pardons from some other jurisdictions," Mr Rattenbury said. "There's now a sense that wealthy developed countries cannot be offloading our share of the work to developing countries which has historically been what happened. "What they're suggesting is instead of spending money buying overseas credits we would actually put that money for example into electrifying our bus fleet or taking other steps in the ACT that will cut our local emissions." Mr Rattenbury said the ACT would meet its target of 40 per cent reduction target in 2020 because of the transition to 100 per cent renewable energy. Electricity accounted for 57 per cent of carbon emissions in 2012-13. Once the ACT goes renewable, transport will become the biggest generator of greenhouse gases, about 62 per cent of emissions. Natural gas will become the second-highest contributor, at 21 per cent. Tackling these sources of emissions will require behavioural change in the ACT community which will be a far greater challenge, Mr Rattenbury said. "The biggest source of transport emissions is from private vehicle use in Canberra, every day Canberrans driving around the city. We're going to have to work very hard on the transport sector to encourage more active travel, better public transport and the transition to electric vehicles," Mr Rattenbury said. The paper said reducing the use of natural gas was a "high priority". "There is also increasing interest in alternative gases, such as biogas and hydrogen, to inject into the existing gas network," it reads. "The ACT government has been advised that up to 15 per cent hydrogen can be injected into the existing gas network without any changes to household, domestic and business appliances." Mr Rattenbury said many Canberrans had already switched from gas to more efficient electric appliances because of the rising cost of gas. "The economic equation is very encouraging for people to make the switch to electricity," Mr Rattenbury said. But targets for individual sectors could be set to bring big generators to heel. The discussion paper will be available for public comment at yoursay.act.gov.au until April 9. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/9e9b9978-b5dd-49ad-84a6-c1bde0b27609/r0_133_2000_1263_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news There were staff cuts, modest funding increases and multiple references to efficiencies - so far, so normal for Canberras national institutions when it comes to the federal budget. But the National Gallery of Australia emerged as the big winner on Tuesday, with a $16.6 million grant to upgrade the 40-year-old heritage-listed building that houses the national collection. The funds will be spread over three years, and will be used for capital projects, including improving the buildings climate control, fire safety and security infrastructure. Director Gerard Vaughan said the funds would allow the gallery to introduce best-practice global standards in building and security infrastructure to safeguard the national collection into the future. He also revealed that arts minister Mitch Fifield would provide another $4.9 million this financial year to support these projects, making a combined total of $21.5 million. The NGAs building committee is implementing detailed plans for this three-year project, he said. These will include updated lighting, windows and skylights to ensure the buildings humidity remains at the right levels to ensure the safety of the collection. At the other end of scale, both the National Library and the National Archives were singled out for job losses, with 12 and 10 staff to be cut respectively. The archives in particular received a 1.3 per cent funding cut, while $1.8 million will be culled from its budget over the next five years as part of $20.3 million worth of efficiencies from the attorney-generals portfolio that will be redirected to repair the budget and fund policy priorities. Liberal MP Ben Morton, who is chairing an inquiry into Canberras national museums and galleries, said this latest round of job cuts would raise several questions. Im not the government, Im the chairman of the parliamentary committee, and were very keen to have a look at whether the institutions have the resources they need to fulfil their objectives, and this inquiry will be an opportunity for that, he said. But Labor MP Gai Brodtmann, who initiated the inquiry and is serving as its deputy chair, described the cuts as sustained attacks on Canberras national institutions. It's a complete and utter disdain and contempt for our national institutions, for our national capital, for Canberra, she said. My concern is that it has an effect on how we tell our national story, how we share our national history, how we collect, collate, preserve and show national identity. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/b51226c3-2fb6-4ea3-a249-c5ad14264eab/r0_101_2000_1231_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Good morning, Canberra. Happy Thursday! Bring that brolly - we're in for a possible shower today, with a top of 15 degrees. There's a chance of a thunderstorm in the late morning. We're preparing to drop to 0 tonight and creep to a top of 9 degrees on Friday. Here's what's making news today. It's official, Labor's Katy Gallagher has lost her spot in the federal Senate after the High Court found she had not made sufficient effort to renounce her British citizenship ahead of the 2016 election. What's next you may ask? You can find out who's set to replace Ms Gallagher in Doug Dingwall and Sally Whyte's story. The debate about Canberra's new possible electorate name continues, with Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson adding his voice to the mix. He's leapt to the defence of the memorial's driving force Charles Bean, after dozens of people objected to the ACT's new federal electorate being named in his honour. Mr Nelson says these objections "ignore much of the mans life, contribution and character". Get the latest on the issue with Sally Whyte. ACT Labor and Greens MLAs have rejected a Canberra Liberals' push to force the government to release key documents about the capital's health system, in the wake of a series of damning reports about its operations. The government and minor party on Wednesday voted down a lengthy motion from Opposition health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne demanding Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris table a series of documents. More from Daniel Burdon here. Hyper-D was the place to be in the 90s, but from this week, the Hyperdome will no longer be the Hyperdome. The shopping centre in Canberra's south is set to be renamed South.Point, with new signs to be erected on Thursday. What are your thoughts on the new name? Jil Hogan has the story. And finally, an eye-opening play, The Bleeding Tree, opened at The Playhouse on Wednesday and presented a confronting situation where a mother and her daughters kill the abusive man of the house. Read Ron Cerabona's review of the play. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/c488394f-e9f5-44ff-9beb-3fc5f0d7194f/r0_616_1539_1486_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news After unilaterally proposing to name the new ACT electorate after war correspondent Charles Bean, there can be no doubt that the Australian Electoral Commission has badly misjudged public sentiment. More than 70 objections were received, all but unified in their condemnation of both the process and the outcome. No one wants yet another seat named after a white Anglo-Saxon male, especially not such a divisive figure. Our electorate names are important because they become part of the fabric of our culture. Regardless of the norms of the time, we should not be honouring Bean, an anti-Semite, when there is the opportunity to improve the representation of non-Anglo-Saxon names in Australias electorates. Choosing more diverse options familiarises people with names that sound alien to them and encourages their acceptance. Many objectors endorsed the alternative choice of Ngingali Cullen, and she would be an excellent choice.Yet this is still a missed opportunity. Only three electorates out of our 150 have a clearly ethnic name (Leichhardt, La Trobe, and Goldstein). This is a gross under-representation of the 30 per cent of Australians and 40 per cent of ACT residents who come from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) origins. We need more names like Kosciusko, Chan, Gupta, and Nguyen for our electorates. People hailing from these backgrounds need to be recognised in Australian society as well. A large chunk of Canberras many ethnic people settled here due to the operation of the Snowy Scheme. In fact, the ACT has many significant people from migrant backgrounds in its history. It would be a wonderful gesture for Romaldo Giurgola, architect of Parliament House and a long-term Canberra resident, to be honoured with a seat on the 30th anniversary of its construction. Other diverse choices include the instigator of the Hare-Clark system in the ACT, Bogey Musidlak; Amirah Inglis, a prolific Canberra-based writer and author from Belgium; and Pawe Strzelecki, the Polish explorer who named Mount Kosciusko. It is essential that the Australian Electoral Commission operates with integrity and in a non-partisan way. This makes the committees choice to behave in a high-handed and tone-deaf way by choosing the name of Bean somewhat disturbing. The key is better transparency. The public should know who was responsible for drawing up the list of 70 names for consideration, how all forms of diversity were considered as part of the listing process, and what criteria were used in shortlisting. If a vote on the final name is required, the vote of each committee member should be on the public record. There has been a pronounced lack of humility in the AECs justification for drawing new electorate boundaries as well. The ACTs districts, and especially those centred around the town centres of Belconnen, Woden, Gungahlin, and Tuggeranong, have a strong identity. Many people in each district work, shop locally, and send their children to local schools. Reasonable redistribution proposals that preserved these town centres intact were submitted for consideration. Yet the redistribution committees justification for discarding these alternative proposals was scant to non-existent. Their report simply notes that many of the suggestions and comments on suggestions received advocated for a northern-central-southern split as if that was sufficient justification. (In reality, less than 10 of the received submissions were in favour of this arrangement.) The AEC must strive to better reflect the views of the population in the future. It should formalise and publish specific guidelines for carrying out future redistributions. This should include specifying the mechanisms for ensuring that all Australians are considered when naming seats, justifying a preference for specific electorate boundaries, and handling of arguments made in public submissions. As leaders in our community, it is incumbent on the members of the ACT Redistribution Committee to take steps to ensure that Australians from all walks of life are part of the process, and feel that their contributions to our society will be recognised. Kim Fischer is a social commentator and ran as a Labor candidate for Ginninderra at the 2016 ACT election. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/604a87dd-922b-4294-aea2-ec8efa758508/r0_98_1920_1183_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news ACT Labor has left behind the uncertainty that hung over Katy Gallagher's future and inherited a tangled preselection mess. It may look like good luck the territory is gaining a third federal seat just as a respected Labor senator is ejected from parliament. What could have been an easy route back for the former chief minister is more fraught. A layer of factional obligations, and another created by Labor's affirmative action rules, creates a maze of compromises and options for a party that has a firm electoral grip on the ACT. Ms Gallagher appears decided on returning to Parliament by some route, and the ALP obviously wants her back. Less clear are the intentions of her successor, David Smith, who wouldn't be drawn on Wednesday about whether he would stand aside if she wanted another run at the Senate. With three lower house seats and one winnable Senate spot, Labor's rules crowd an electoral space that at first glance looks so spacious for two ALP candidates. Andrew Leigh is not factionally aligned within Labor, and has said he will put his hand up for the seat of Fenner, set to cover Gungahlin and most of Belconnen. The right faction's Gai Brodtmann, currently member for Canberra, will nominate for preselection in the proposed southern-most seat of Bean. That leaves the new inner-city seat of Canberra without a Labor incumbent, and a new factional power struggle that threatens to squeeze out someone. If Mr Smith retains the winnable Senate position, and Dr Leigh and Ms Brodtmann return to their seats as expected, it would seem likely that a candidate from Labor's left faction will glide through the preselection process for Canberra. Labor's affirmative action rules would mean that the seat would be required go to a woman. Ms Gallagher fits the bill on both counts, if she wants to take that path. The solution is less neat than it appears. Canberra's third seat might not prove to be a permanent fixture with population changes and redistributions, making a lower house gig less attractive. Ms Gallagher added clout to Labor's Senate team and was an effective interrogator in estimates hearings. Sources within Labor have speculated Ms Gallagher would be unlikely to nominate for the House of Representatives, and the rank-and-file would be more likely to endorse her return to the Senate than Mr Smith. If Mr Smith decides to hang on, there could be an internal fight ahead. Labor has had months of doubt, but these have also been months to prepare for such scenarios. It heard the bad news on Wednesday without having an apparent plan to announce afterwards. Canberra will have to watch it unfold instead. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/bc02629f-ba37-4a71-a9b3-31b1661a57db/r0_642_1330_1393_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Labor's Katy Gallagher went to ground on Wednesday after a High Court decision ejected her from the Senate and created a preselection headache for ACT Labor ahead of the next election. The ruling brought on the resignations of three other Labor MPs and a crossbencher facing similar dual citizenship questions, raising the prospect of byelections in marginal seats. Months of uncertainty ended when the High Court found Ms Gallagher was not eligible to sit in Parliament as she remained a British citizen when nominating for the Senate ahead of the 2016 election. The court ordered a special count likely to replace her with Professionals Australia's ACT director David Smith, setting up a potential preselection stoush for the territory's Labor branch before the next poll. Ms Gallagher indicated she could make another run for Federal Parliament, but Mr Smith did not say whether he would stand aside for her at preselection for the Senate. The former ACT chief minister issued a statement saying she accepted the High Court decision despite her disappointment. She would not speak to media on Wednesday about the ruling, her efforts to renounce her dual citizenship, or looming preselection questions for ACT Labor. "To have my place in the Senate end like this today is very deeply disappointing but I believe that I have more to contribute to public life and I will take the time to talk with Labor party members on how I can do this over the months ahead," she said in a statement. ACT Labor secretary Matt Byrne said it would not be clear for some time whether Ms Gallagher intended to try to return to Federal Parliament. "It is disappointing but we have to respect the ruling. Katy just put out a statement saying she will take her time [in deciding whether to run for the Senate or the lower house], and talk to Labor party members and we respect that that decision," he said. Mr Byrne would not be drawn on what Ms Gallagher's decision would mean for Labor's preselection for the new Canberra electorates, nor whether Mr Smith could be bumped down the ticket if she chose to run again for the Senate. "We're still waiting for the boundaries to be finalised, the national executive sets the timeline for preselections and we will fit our own ones in with that," Mr Byrne said. "The [third seat] boundaries won't be finalised until the middle of July which means we won't be able to hold preselection until July or August. "Dave Smith is an experienced union official in Canberra and he will make a good contribution in his time as senator." Mr Smith told Fairfax Media it was too early to say whether he would step aside to allow her to contest the next election. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said while the court decision was "disappointing" for Ms Gallagher, he looked forward to seeing her "return to Parliament and continue her work in the future". "Katy has represented the people of Canberra for 17 years in the ACT Legislative Assembly and more recently in the Senate. I strongly believe that she has more to contribute to public life and am certain that ACT Labor members would support her to make that contribution," Mr Barr said. Under section 44 of the constitution, members of Parliament can't hold citizenship of another country. In December it emerged that Ms Gallagher was a dual citizen by descent through her English-born father Charles Gallagher when nominating for the Senate. In light of the High Court ruling, Labor MPs Susan Lamb, Justine Keay and Josh Wilson, as well as South Australian crossbench MP Rebekha Sharkie announced their resignations, but all said they would recontest their seats. All those MPs were dual British citizens at the cut-off date, but have relied on the same defence as Ms Gallagher, arguing they took reasonable steps to renounce before the deadline. In Ms Lamb's case, she remains a dual citizen because the British Home Office has never processed her renunciation, saying it needs to see her parents' marriage certificate. The leader of the opposition in the Senate, Penny Wong, said Labor "will respect the totality" of the High Court decision. Since the citizenship issue came to light, Ms Gallagher had repeatedly maintained that she believed she was in the clear. In August 2017, when it was first suggested that her mother might have been an Ecuadorean citizen, having been born in the South American country, she pointed out that the Labor partys vetting process had found her eligible to sit in Parliament in 2016. It was her fathers British citizenship that later came under scrutiny. By early November, she was advised that she had taken all reasonable steps to renounce any entitlement to British citizenship, and rejected the claims being brought to the fore as a cheap political stunt on the part of the Canberra Liberals. By December, she was adamant that she had done all she could to ensure she had not been a British citizen, but said any referral of her case was in the hands of the Senate. "Based on all the advice I have available to me, I do not believe that I should refer myself to the Court of Disputed Returns, however, ultimately that will be a matter for the Senate to determine," she said. In the intervening five months, Ms Gallagher has been silent on the matter, having stepped aside as manager of opposition business in the Senate for the duration of the challenge. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/9d736684-ec3d-43b9-b3a0-59735276ea13/r0_594_1539_1464_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Now that the High Court has ruled Katy Gallagher was ineligble for parliament, she is set to be replaced by a Canberra union man. So who is David Smith, the man most likely to take Ms Gallaghers seat? After revelations six months ago that Ms Gallagher was a dual citizen at the 2016 election, Labor had been waiting since a court hearing in March to find out Ms Gallaghers future. Wednesday's decision against her may not lead to a long stint outside parliament, however, as Labor is preparing to preselect its candidates for the Senate and lower house later this year. The High Courts decision also casts doubt over the futures of Labor MPs Susan Lamb, Justine Keay and Josh Wilson in parliament after they faced dual citizenship questions, while South Australian MP Rebekha Sharkie was advised last year to refer herself to the High Court. But in the immediate future, someone will have to step in and fill the void left by the Labor stalwart former ACT chief minister. Currently the ACT director of Professionals Australia - the union representing high-level professionals such as scientists and engineers - Mr Smith was not answering calls on Tuesday afternoon, and, like his fellow Labor members, was unlikely to speculate on Wednesdays outcome. A long-time member of the Labor movement, Mr Smith was second on the ACT Labor senate ticket at the 2016 federal election, hence his heir apparent status. He is also the branchs right faction convenor, while Ms Gallagher is from the left, a fact that might upset the partys factional representation in the chamber. A lifelong Canberran, Mr Smith completed his schooling at Marist College, and graduated with honours in arts at the Australian National University in 1993. Since then, he has worked his way up in the Labor movement, as an advisor in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, industrial relations manager for the Australian Federal Police Association, and policy advisor in the Chief Ministers Department under Jon Stanhope. Mr Smith has previously confirmed that he was was eligible to serve in Parliament. After running for the Senate unsuccessfully in 2004, he told Fairfax Media in December, he decided to run in 2016 following former defence minister David Johnson's description the public sector workforce as "fat and happy". There is speculation Ms Gallagher could run for one of the lower house seats if ejected from the Senate, but she may have to wait only until August for Labor preselections for lower and upper house candidates, a month after new boundaries for a third ACT electorate are finalised. Former chief minister Stanhope, to whom Ms Gallagher served as deputy and political protegee before her ascent to the top job in 2011, said he believed Mr Smith would be competent in the role. But he added that should Ms Gallagher decide to return to the senate, Mr Smith would do the honourable thing and stand aside. I think in the context of the circumstance and the steps that Katy took to renounce her citizenship, and if the circumstance of Davids ascension to the position should transpire, my expectation and hope would be that David would do the right thing, he said ahead of the court's decision. [I would hope] that he would make it very clear that he was there very much as a caretaker and should Katy wish to return to the Senate, I would expect him to announce that on the day that he took the seat. Ms Gallaghers fate rested on the question of whether she took sufficient steps to renounce her UK citizenship in time for the 2016 election. Documents provided to the Senate in December showed she was "at the date of her nomination for the 2016 election, a British citizen by descent" and that her moves to renounce in April 2016 took until August 16 to be completed by UK officials. The court ruled on Wednesday that Ms Gallagher was not eligible to be a senator. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/ce562412-1b66-4cf7-a62a-caee56019726/r0_293_5760_3547_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news A development application has been lodged for a multi-unit retirement village on the former site of Higgins Primary School. The school, preschool and baby health centre were demolished in 2015 following a 2014 ACT government announcement on plans for "big changes" to the site and Higgins Oval. As part of community consultation, development on the 40,425 square-metre site on Fullagar Crescent was restricted to community facilities such as a retirement village, aged care accommodation, supportive housing and/or a childcare facility. The site was bought by Baitly via tender in 2016. Director Richard Howarth said the proposal, the Henry, would involve 48 single-storey townhouses, 52 apartments split across two buildings, one four storeys and the other five storeys, over basement parking and a central clubhouse. The group planned to build and operate the facility. There would be a mix of two-bedroom and three-bedroom dwellings. The estimated $38.7 million project, designed by Stewart Architecture, was named after the suburb's namesake, justice Henry Bournes Higgins. Mr Howarth said the community hub would include a cinema, bar, cafe, lounge, billiards room and library, gym, and physiotherapy treatment rooms. "The clubhouse, the community hub, offers residents the opportunity to meet new people while working on their body balance, yoga or tai chi or having a sunset drink before a salsa class," he said. The application said the existing street network could accommodate expected traffic. Some regulated trees would be removed and ground works would be done in the protection zones of others. "At the pre-application meeting it was established that a number of trees are in poor health and can be removed," the application said. "Where possible we have modified the proposal to retain trees identified as preferred for retention by the tree protection unit." New trees would be planted. "As the lease allows for residential care accommodation, we have purposefully set aside land on which a co-located residential care facility could be situated in the future," Mr Howarth said. For more details visit: www.thehenry.com.au Submissions close on the development application on May 18. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/02573913-b281-4a17-a504-397244878360/r35_0_1570_867_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg comment The debate into the kangaroo cull (or government-sanctioned extermination program as it has now become) currently rages on as it does every year with the weight of public opinion against it, and the government ignoring public opinion. There is no doubt that there is considerable subterfuge going on with regard to the population numbers for culling. One can find endless information on the Department of Environment website on how the figures for the cull are calculated, but absolutely no information on what the current kangaroo population actually is. Anecdotally, I can attest that there certainly are considerably fewer kangaroos to take visitors to see, and these few are targeted yet again in the current cull eg Mt Majura/Mt Ainslie. The current government appears to have little insight as to what tourists and visitors to Canberra would like to see and do. Many of the highlights are being systematically curtailed or eradicated completely for example Floriade and Mr Spokes bike hire. The one thing that makes Canberra special, and where it differs from other capital cities around the world, is its natural bush environment and habitat for native animals. There is no other country in the world where you can see populations of kangaroos in the wild, and no city in Australia where they are as accessible as Canberra. The main tourist attraction in Canberra's sister city Nara, Japan, is a beautiful large park in the centre of the city where you can hand-feed wild deer. It is a major money earner for the city. Rather than eliminate yet another reason for visiting Canberra, why not use its natural features to its advantage? Nicola Watson, Turner There is absolutely no justification for the current kangaroo cull it is an embarrassment that the Nation's capital would do this. Over eight years, government shooters have culled 12,271 kangaroos on reserves, and in the past three years they have killed another 2061 pouch young. Last year's was the biggest cull since 2011, with 1989 animals shot and another 800 pouch young killed. Mr Gentleman has said kangaroos have an unacceptable environmental and economic impact, bringing excessive grazing pressure, degrading native grassy ecosystems, and the habitats of threatened species. They also hit the economic viability of rural properties and increased the cost of managing land. Yet how would I explain this to my animal-loving six-year-old twins and their teenage sisters there must be better options! It seems ACT approaches to suppress fertility have not been employed successfully. But in the United States, PZP contraceptive darts have been successfully used with deer populations. It was found that immunocontraceptives alone could be used to stabilise and reduce a deer population over time. After the disgrace of the animal live exports, I am ashamed of our federal government and now, of this territory government too. And in the medium term, we should be aiming to reduce grazing and the consumption of cows in the interests of sustainability. I am sure that future generations will look back on our treatment of animals as a disgrace and a sign of an immature society. I hope politicians of the future will be holding us accountable for these crimes, in the way that we judge the generations before us. Kate Lawrence-Haynes, Braddon If, as some keep demanding, the annual roo cull is stopped, an ongoing public education programme on living with wild animals, especially directed at children, would be advisable to forestall attacks by offended beasts as encounters become more common. There is a definite etiquette involved, sort of like living with humans. Suppose you come across a doe breakfasting on the sweet grass of a neighbour's nurtured lawn in the grey mists of a winter dawn. She would normally raise her head and glare at you. It is simply good manners to pause and wish her a good morning. She would likely nod and continue her breakfast if you move a little sideways to give her just a bit more room and continue in your way quietly. One might even come across a mob grazing in the shade of trees on a luncheon stroll. A big red might be lolling in his side but rouse himself on his elbow with an air of, "Here we go." It would be wise, as well as polite, to stop, even step back a short pace while greeting him. If he accepts you as no threat to his harem, you might hear a quiet, "Harrumph", as he drops back to the ground. Educating the various mobs with a bit of road sense might be a bit more difficult. Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor I agree with Frank Seymour (May 7) that the main reason why the ACT government doesn't provide a more compelling case for the kangaroo cull is that no case, convincing to the general population, can be made. One thing that can be guaranteed to be absent from any case the ACT government may make is any recognition that the roos are sentient creatures. It is ironic that our own great green champion, Shane Rattenbury, used to spend his summers in the Antarctic, protecting the whales, and arguing with great cogency, that these magnificent animals are sentient creatures as capable as we are of feeling pain and terror. The same argument applies to kangaroos but Shane doesn't seem to see it and the others probably don't care. The best way, I think, of getting Shane, Andy and their pals to see this point would be to let them go out and spend the night in one of our nature reserves when the shooters are operating. One group we have too many of in this city is politicians. Keep the kangaroos and get rid of the politicians, I would say. Stan Marks, Hawker MP Andrew Laming has demonstrated a lack of understanding of education and students with his statement that students love tests. Never once in 35 years have I heard a student "love" a test and that includes students from the challenged to the brilliant. Spend a Friday afternoon supervising a maths test and you'll feel the "love" Mr Laming. Dennis Fitzgerald, Box Hill Vic Objections to the naming of the new ACT electorate in honour of Charles Bean based on his "racist and anti-Semitic" views (May 8, p3), ignore much of the man's life, contribution and character. Bean landed with the Australian troops on Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. He stayed with them at the front through the entire war, refusing evacuation when he was wounded. At Pozieres the following year he was witness to 23,000 Australian casualties in just six weeks. A dying Australian asked him, "Will they remember me in Australia?" From there he conceived and subsequently built the Australian War Memorial. Simultaneously over a quarter of a century he wrote or edited the 12-volume Official History of the war that so scarred and changed us. Bean was a product of his day. Much of the nation was divided along political, religious and racial lines. He conspired with Keith Murdoch to frustrate John Monash's elevation to leadership of the Australians corps, in part because he was Jewish. Bean later realised he had been wrong. By the early 1940s Bean actively campaigned for a Jewish refuge in Australia. He wrote, "I don't see how we can decently refuse these courageous people the chance to have a go and become the good Australians they want to be". In placing a permanent Holocaust exhibition in the heart of the Australian War Memorial and working with the Jewish community across three states, not a single person raised such issues with me. Bean twice refused a knighthood. On the second occasion writing to the Governor-General, "...it seems to me that in practice, despite certain advantages, the system encourages false values among our people, and that our generation needs above everything to see and aim at true values". This nation owes Charles Bean a great debt. Dr Brendan Nelson, director, Australian War Memorial, Canberra Tuesday saw Australia's long unbroken run of disappointing, insubstantial federal budgets continue the product of a dysfunctional political system that rewards political expediency and short-term illusory gains ahead of long-term planning, responsible decision making, and equitable outcomes. Serious changes are long overdue, but just as was the case with the LNP's over-arching tax reforms where "everything was on the table", our so-called representatives are so beholden to vested interests that any changes in policy that might benefit the nation but reduce the flow of largesse to a particular group with disproportionate influence are quickly ruled out. And while this game of kick-the-can persists, our living standards continue to decline and the 1 per cent continue to line their pockets. This steady growth of inequality and the concentration of wealth at the very top will continue unabated for as long as we're prepared to allow our politicians to be bought with political donations. The current system is broken to its core and the distinction between Sam Dastyari's relationship with the Chinese and the LNP's relationship with fossil fuel interests is not an easy one to make. Political donations should be treated as the bribes that they are, and a funding model similar to that used in the UK needs to be implemented in Australia forthwith, although the unfortunate reality is that such reforms are about as likely as politicians voting unanimously to take a pay cut. James Allan, Narrabundah The prophet Micah more than 2000 years ago said (Ch2 V11): "If a liar and deceiver comes and says, 'I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,' That would be just the prophet for this people!" Our Treasurer knows his Old Testament well. Ian White, Cook A sentence from David Roberts' letter (May 7) caught my attention. He remarked that, "At the same time as retirees are cruising the world, people on Newstart allowance are struggling to feed themselves". And, in ironic contrast, a friend recently tried to persuade me to go on a cruise saying 'You know, you can choose to eat dinner from any one of five restaurants'. But I am not persuaded that we should go on cruises leaving behind a country which is not looking after its environment, its youth or its refugees. I am of course pleased to hear that we will have a budget supplying increased funds for the aged who are poor or who need extra support to age in their own homes but, at the same time, I do not think that we comparatively well-off retired have rights to continue our cruising lifestyle regardless. As Trevor Wilson points out in his letter (May 4) "historically low level of payments for Newstart etc are helping create a new phenomenon of youth inequality in Australia", and on the same day, Audrey Guy comments that, "we aren't prepared to spend on school dropouts we'd rather keep building ever more prisons and keep them for life rather than give them help". In response to this inhumane and unequal distribution of the nation's wealth, I would like to suggest to David Roberts that it is not only youth who should "(wake) up to this reality and (start) complaining". Many of us comfortably off retired people should also change our focus away from cruises to our obligation to thank and repay this country for the remarkably wonderful lives we have been privileged to lead, with free education even at tertiary level. Jill Sutton, Watson M. Silex (Letters, May 8) assumes I'm an angry young person. I'm not. I'm an angry, near 80, geriatric who sees my kids and grandkids being ripped off by wealthy retirees. There is no BS in my analysis, the income, up to $80,000, from a $1.6million SMSF in pension mode is classed as NANE (Non-Assessable, Non-Exempt) income and is therefore not reportable to the ATO as income. It is not taxable income as the ATO knows nothing about it and so Medicare is not paid on this $80,000 pension. I quote from a publication called SuperGuide: "For example, you can, say, receive $80,000 income from your super fund, and $18,200 (for the 2017/2018 year) from part-time work and pay no tax, and potentially earn up to $20,542 of non-super income tax-free, when you take into account the Low Income Tax Offset." This could give you $100,542 tax free, Medicare free. It is even more generous if you are over 65. David Roberts, Belconnen Our ACT government, sooner or later, will equip every policeman with a Taser gun. Our politicians take us for an unruly, ill-behaving lot that needs restraining at all cost. Why do I suddenly feel more unsafe? F. Schinzi, Canberra RIVER WATER REVIVAL The only way real water can be given back to the Murray Darling rivers is for water to be bought from some irrigators willing to sell , and then returned to the rivers and for water theft to be stopped. It is currently rampant across the basin especially from unmetered usage. The federal government and opposition have now ended the buyback proposition. Bill O'Connor, Beechworth, Vic GIVE BEAN A CHANCE How many of the people protesting about recognition for Charles Bean have actually read a word of his published works? I get the impression most are riding on the backs of zippy one-liners by politically correct culture warriors. Bean's books reveal an astute observer of humanity who worked hard to be fair and balanced in his reporting. M. Moore, Bonython TERROR VICTIMS The bombing of the mosque in Khost, Afghanistan, reiterates the point that Muslims are the largest victims of terrorism. Only last month, 60 people were killed in another suicide bombing in Kabul. Terrorist attacks are more common in Islamic countries than non-Islamic. If only Pauline Hanson and her colleagues understood this point. Dr Shaheena Rana, Walkerville, SA SCOMO'S FANTASY Hi ScoMo, are you going to make Australia's economy strong again? Good on ya mate! So, tell us, how you doing it. Is it with the submarines or the jet fighters? Or maybe an access road to a new airport? God! Things are really happening. But what about us pensioners? What about the pension I don't receive, after paying taxes for 45 years, because my missus is still at work? John Rodriguez, Florey BEER TAB LOGIC Five men split a $100 beer tab based on what they earn and the Aussie tax system. The first paid $0, the second $2, the third and fourth $14 each, and the fifth $70. The bar gave them a $20 refund based on what they had paid. The first got nothing, the second 40, the third and fourth $2.40 and the fifth around $15. The media said the refund was inappropriately skewed to the rich and that the refund should be split $4 each. What's the fairest way to split a refund of this beer tab ... or a tax cut? Ken Mansell, Chapman LEAVE THEM ROOS ALONE The ACT is a progressive jurisdiction with a proud history of leading the way in animal welfare. We banned greyhound racing when the evidence showed the widespread horrors, we have banned battery hen operations and we have banned sow stalls. Now we must end this shameful practice of culling our national emblem. The time has come for a change in conservation practices. We ask, and will continue to ask, that the ACT government end this practice now. Mary Shabbott, Canberra Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message eld, not as an attached le. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610. Keep your letter to 250 words or less. References to Canberra Times reports should include date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published). news, latest-news Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson has leapt to the defence of the memorial's driving force Charles Bean, after dozens of people objected to the ACT's new federal electorate being named in his honour. In a letter to the editor published in The Canberra Times on Thursday, Dr Nelson said objections to naming the electorate after Bean "ignore much of the mans life, contribution and character". The Australian Electoral Commission announced last month that the new federal electorate would be named after Australia's first official war correspondent Charles Bean, who was also a driving force behind the establishment of the Australian War Memorial. On Monday the commission published more than 70 objections to naming the electorate after Bean, due to his efforts to stymie the promotion of General John Monash through the ranks of the Australian army, which were in part because of Monash's Jewish background. Dr Nelson does not resile from Bean's campaign against Monash, but told Fairfax Media on Wednesday that Bean was a product of his time and that he since decided he was wrong. "It was Keith Murdoch who was the main protagonist in trying to frustrate Monash's ascendancy into the leadership of the Australian corps in 1918, Charles Bean certainly went along with it," he said. The nation was deeply divided along sectarian lines at the time, Dr Nelson said. "Bean then, particularly in the '20s, realised he was wrong and he said so publicly and also in his writings, and in fact ended his life with great admiration for Monash himself." "By the early 1940s Bean actively campaigned for a Jewish refuge in Australia. He wrote, 'I dont see how we can decently refuse these courageous people the chance to have a go and become the good Australians they want to be', the letter states. Bean's role on the frontline and dedication to remembering the contribution of Australia's soldiers deserved to be remembered, Dr Nelson said. "Bean landed with the Australian troops on Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. He stayed with them at the front through the entire war, refusing evacuation when he was wounded. At Pozieres the following year he was witness to 23,000 Australian casualties in just six weeks. A dying Australian asked him, Will they remember me in Australia? From there he conceived and subsequently built the Australian War Memorial." "This nation owes Charles Bean a great debt," Dr Nelson wrote. Dr Nelson said that he was not commenting on the worthiness of other names put forward for the electorate, but wanted to correct the record when it came to the legacy of Charles Bean. "It's time that he was honoured, and honoured in this way," he said /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/34c9145d-882f-4b54-87f5-3e1ac305cb75/r0_70_1000_635_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, act-politics ACT Labor and Greens MLAs have rejected a Canberra Liberals' push to force the government to release key documents about the capital's health system, in the wake of a series of damning reports about its operations. The government and minor party on Wednesday voted down a lengthy motion from Opposition health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne demanding Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris table a series of documents. It follows Mrs Dunne on Tuesday attempting to pass a motion expressing no confidence in Ms Fitzharris' performance in the role, an Opposition attack which ultimately failed to get the crucial Greens' support. Mrs Dunne's motion cited a series of recent revelations about failures in the hospital, ranging from failures to meet national accreditation standards at ACT Health hospitals, to overcrowding at the Centenary Womens' and Childrens' Hospital. Mrs Dunne also cited recent media reports highlighting rising waiting times in the Canberra Hospital's emergency department and on public health elective surgery waiting lists. She said Ms Fitzharris had "lurched from crisis to crisis" since taking office in October 2016, but that since July last year, "the crises have been increasingly of her own making". The motion urged Ms Fitzharris table documents relating to how the government planned to meet the accreditation standards, update the Assembly on plans for the Centenary Hospital and the planned split of ACT Health, variously between Wednesday or in June. But Ms Fitzharris rejected the Opposition's concerns, saying she had met as recently as yesterday with health staff about the restructure, and was continually meeting and receiving updates on the Centenary Hospital and accreditation process. She acknowledged some ongoing issues, including tabling the anonymous letter that revealed problems in Centenary Hospital about a fortnight ago, which had "concerned me greatly", prompting forums with staff since. Ms Fitzharris said the government was also working on a new strategy for maternity services at the "popular" south-side hospital, encouraging expectant north-side mothers with fewer complications to consider the Calvary Bruce Hospital. The minister tabled an equally lengthy amendment to Mrs Dunne's motion, replacing the original motion with one noting "initial feedback" on the accreditation failures and various other issues and government funding. Ms Fitzharris' amendment also called on the government to provide correspondence on the Centenary Hospital's maternity services in August this year, update the Assembly on the accreditation in June, and update the Assembly on the agency split in October. Greens leader and Mental Health Minister Shane Rattenbury said the minor party would not support Mrs Dunne's motion, because of the Opposition's failed attempt the previous day to pass a motion of "no confidence" in Ms Fitzharris' performance in the health portfolio. Mr Rattenbury said Mrs Dunne took many opportunities to prosecute such issues in the Assembly on Tuesday's motion, and the Greens did not believe the latest motion presented a "full and accurate" picture of the government's work in health. Ms Fitzharris' amendment ultimately passed on Wednesday. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/426d5c29-15fa-4e8c-8e13-be2658ce912b/r0_214_4256_2619_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, act-politics Advocates for and against voluntary euthanasia from across Australia have inundated an ACT parliamentary inquiry with a record number of submissions. Almost 500 written submsisions were made to the committee investigating the end-of-life choices available in Canberra, some sharing their own heart-wrenching stories of watching family members suffer. "With no opportunity to use assisted dying, my mother at the age of 93, deaf and almost blind,chose to refuse food and drink to terminate her suffering," one woman wrote. "It took over two weeks for her to die. No-one could make her change her mind - she could no longer tolerate days simply sitting in a chair waiting to die, unable even to complete her favourite daily crossword puzzle." Another woman, who along with her 80-year-old husband was suffering from cancer, said she wanted the chance to "jump off the cliff while I've still got the health to climb it". However Kath Woolf of the Euthanasia? No! ACT group said euthanasia was a "threat to the most vulnerable members in our society: the frail, the handicapped, the very old and those suffering mental illness, especially dementia". "Vulnerable people who are sick, aged or depressed are inevitably at risk of consenting to be killed rather than getting the help they need," she wrote. Doctors also appeared divided on the topic. The ACT division of the Australian Medical Association wrote "that doctors should not be involved in interventions that have as their primary intention the ending of a persons life". However their submission acknowledged doctors had divergent views on the issue, and laws on euthanasia were "a matter for society and government". A submission from Doctors for Assisted Dying Choice said evidence from other jurisdictions proved "appropriately-worded" assisted dying laws "with accepted safeguards" could be instituted in the ACT without risk. The ACT Right to Life Association said they believed euthanasia was "incompatible with the practice of good palliative care", and palliative care units in Belgium were "at risk of becoming houses of euthanasia". It said the model adopted by Victoria was inappropriate for the ACT, as "qualified psychiatrists are in very short supply both in private and public practice" and the few remaining could be tied up with double-checking people were in the right frame of mind to choose to die. Religious organisations also had varying views. The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn said legalising euthanasia would put pressure on vulnerable people to request a lethal dose rather than burden their family or the health system with caring for them. "Compassion involves walking with people in their suffering, attending to their needs andhelping them to live the rest of their lives in the best comfort possible," the Archdiocese said. "It requires commitment and focus to understand a patient's fears and needs, so that theycan be addressed. Tragically, that commitment and focus will not always be there if there isan option to end a patient's life." The Tibetan Buddhist Society of Canberra said it did not disagree with voluntary assisted dying"when done correctly", but encouraged the committee to look at barriers that prevented people choosing to die naturally like underinvestment in geriatric oncology, or issues around informed consent to medical treatment at the end of life. It is currently a crime to help someone end their life in the ACT, with those found guilty facing 10 years in jail. Like the Northern Territory, the federal parliament restricted the ACT from making laws on euthanasia 20 years ago. The ACT government argues the people of the ACT should be allowed to choose whether or not to introduce a voluntary assisted dying scheme. The committee will hold hearings on the issue, starting next week. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/d8ad0b8a-4a96-49fa-8217-263486203d25/r2_0_728_410_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news The recently announced review of the federal public service, to be chaired by CSIRO chair and former Telstra CEO, David Thodey, deserves considerable attention because it is about one of the nations biggest sectors. Yet it is one which is often over-looked in serious public debate other than among insiders. No doubt it will attract its own specialist commentary over the course of its investigations, especially in Canberra, in public sector unions and professional associations and in public administration magazines and journals, but some general observations are appropriate. The service itself is not allowed to comment directly on this government decision unfortunately, given that it is a creature of the government not an independent organisation. The terms of reference are extraordinarily broad by any measure, suggesting a root and branch review. Imagine if any other sector of Australian society was to be examined on its capability, culture and operating model with a view to examining its abilities in policy, service delivery and regulation. It sounds like the Royal Commissions into banks, churches and unions without being a royal commission. Other aspects of the review, each of them potentially enormous, include transparent and effective use of taxpayers money, improving citizens experience of government, and recruitment and skills development. They are each big topics in themselves and Labors finance spokesman, Jim Chalmers, immediately suggested a range of Opposition priorities, including the use of contractors and consultants and staffing caps. Already the composition of the six-person review panel has come under stern examination. The panel are professional high-flyers by any reckoning and with equal gender-balance, but it certainly takes a big bow towards the big business end of the private sector (ANZ, Coca Cola Amatil, AGL, Qantas, Macquarie Bank, etc) and is light on public sector experience. As reported by Tom McIlroy, Nadine Flood, national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, reckoned only one of the six, Gordon de Brouwer, the economist who was former head of the Environment Department, had ever worked in the federal public service, and four of the six had backgrounds in multinational corporations. The ACTUs Assistant Secretary, Scott Conroy, was more outspoken, accusing the panel of being stacked with big business bosses and right-wing ideologues. Glyn Davis, Melbourne University Vice-Chancellor, certainly is neither, but is rather a renowned public sector and public policy analysis expert with progressive social views and state public service experience. His presence is welcome. But given topics like citizens' experiences of government, organisational culture and transparency, the panel greatly needed more street-level service delivery experience, a trade union voice and/or someone from the social NGO sector. There is a predictable top-down sameness about the type of experience called upon to conduct government reviews, which should be shaken up by dissenting voices from other backgrounds. Inevitably there is even some overlap in background through boards and previous jobs with other reviewers with the ear of the government, like businessman David Gonski on education. What also stands out, given current controversies, are the extensive links to the banking industry brought with them by at least three members of the panel. Belinda Hutchinson, Chancellor of Sydney University, is a businesswoman and philanthropist with Australian Philanthropic Services, who has just been appointed to the Qantas board, after a career as a Macquarie Group executive director and many non-executive board roles. Maile Carnegie, former head of Google Australia, is now head of ANZ Digital. Alison Watkins, CEO of Coca Cola Amatil, has been a McKinsey partner, a senior executive of ANZ and later an ANZ board member. Whatever the quality of its investigations, there is a danger that its coverage will be restricted because of the barbecue-stopping character of other current reviews. This public service review comes at a time when the political agenda is crowded with the attention given to the Royal Commission into Banking and Financial Services and the Gonski 2.0 report on Australias school system, as well as the Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse report. The business community, the churches and the teaching profession are much bigger fish with wider community recognition, but the public service hass equal social and political importance. Media coverage of these various reviews is too often segmented and over-specialised. We should try to break down these silos by joining the dots and extracting common themes. It may be unfair to lump the public service in with these other sectors, but Malcolm Turnbulls announcement invited some parallels when he raised doubts about whether the current public service structure, much of which he said dated back to the Coombs Royal Commission in the 1970s, is still fit for purpose. The common themes and allegations so far include the exposure of apparently widespread failings in many professions and institutions in society today. Failure to respect and/or satisfy customers and clients seems to be endemic, whether it is students falling behind, bank customers being exploited or children being sexually abused. In all cases a lack of transparency prevents those who suffer from engaging with those responsible or gaining redress from authorities. Structures and methods seem to be antiquated, based on out-of-date frameworks and traditional models. Professions and institutions seem to be self-interested and hide-bound, looking after their own privileges rather than seeking to deliver what is best for their clients. Whether this is true of the public service remains to be seen. We are being reviewed to death, but some necessary and productive outcomes are emerging. Individual reports are better understood when placed in a broader context which allows recurring social patterns to be identified. John Warhurst is an Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the Australian National University /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/7c02fac5-7e11-43ba-9614-f93090bbe41b/r0_309_5328_3319_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has released an employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for the posts of Manager and Senior Assistant Engineer. 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 200000. The last date to apply for the government job is June 1, 2018. Railway Jobs 2018: Northern Railway Recruitment For 479 Vacancies BEL Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details Name Of The Post Educational Qualification Maximum Age Limit Salary Scale Experience Required In Navy Manager First class engineering degree in electronics or related field 45 years INR 70000 to INR 200000 10 years Senior Assistant Engineer 3 years diploma in engineering 50 years INR 30000 to INR 120000 15 years Other Details Organisation: Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) Skills Required: Engineering and management skills Job Responsibilities: Handling program management and providing technical support Job Location: Visakhapatnam Industry: Electronics Application Start Date: May 8, 2018 Application End Date: June 1, 2018 Also Read: Maharashtra PWD Recruitment 2018 For 263 Engineers How To Apply For Bharat Electronics Limited Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for BEL Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the BEL official website. Step 2: Hover over Careers. Step 3: Select Recruitment - Advertisements. Step 4: The list of advertisements will be displayed on the screen. Step 5: Against Requirement for the Post of Manager (E-V) & Senior Assistant Engineer(E-I) on Short term basis for 5 years for SBC Vishakapatnam for NS(S&CS) SBU, click on the link for application form depending on the post you want to apply for. Step 6: The application form will be displayed on the screen. Take a printout of it and enter your details in the fields provided. Step 7: Send the applications to BEL. BEL Recruitment 2018 Application Format And Mailing Address Superscribe on the envelope "Application for the post of *name of the post*" and send it to: Sr.DGM (HR), Naval Systems SBU, Bharat Electronics Ltd, Jalahalli post, Bangalore - 560 013 Parliament of India, Rajya Sabha, has released an employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for various posts. 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 200000. The last date to apply for the government jobs is May 21, 2018. Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Recruitment 2018 For Managers Rajya Sabha Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Executive Editor, Executive Producer, Associate Executive Producer, Head of Graphics, Senior Anchor - Hindi and English, Consultant, Senior Assistant Editor, Senior Producer, Senior Guest Coordinator, Chief Researcher, Social Media Expert, Web Developer, Correspondent, Copy Editor, Video Editor, Senior Reporter, Senior Researcher, Technical Executive, Electrician, Assistant Producer and Reporter Organisation Parliament of India, Rajya Sabha Educational Qualification Graduate from a recognised university Maximum Age Limit 58 years Skills Required Technical skills Salary Scale INR 30000 to INR 200000 Job Location New Delhi Industry Journalism Experience 3 to 15 years Application Start Date May 7, 2018 Application End Date May 21, 2018 Also Read: Railway Jobs 2018: Northern Railway Recruitment For 479 Vacancies How To Apply For Rajya Sabha Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for Rajya Sabha Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the Rajya Sabha official website. Step 2: On the home page, under NOTICE BOARD, click on the link that reads, Vacancies in RSTV. Step 3: The detailed advertisement will be displayed on the screen. Read the details carefully. Step 4: Scroll down to the bottom of the screen to find the application form. Step 5: Take a printout of it and enter your details in the fields provided. Step 6: Send the applications to RSTV. Rajya Sabha Recruitment 2018 Application Format And Mailing Address Superscribe on the envelope, "Application for the post of *name of the post*" and send it with self-attested photos to: Joint Director (Admn.), Rajya Sabha Television, 3rd Floor, Talkatora Stadium, Annexe Building, New Delhi-110001 Opening Audi India brought in the 40TFSI petrol trim in the Q7 portfolio quite recently. Until now, the SUV was being sold in India with the 3.0-litre TDI diesel engine only. Now, Audi's flagship product is available in both petrol and diesel trims. Well, the carmaker's paradigm shift towards petrol engines and downsizing isn't new. And, slowly with the gap in prices of petrol and diesel reducing, we will see more premium carmakers bringing in petrol cars as volume drivers. So the petrol version of this SUV does make sense for the Indian market. Or not? We find out. Appearance Exterior Audi had last updated the Q7 back in 2015 and there aren't many changes since then. Not that it needed any as the Q7 is already quite bold in styling compared to its predecessors. The bloated look has been chiselled to give a curvier profile with rounded off edges. The flat bonnet, single-frame grille and Matrix LED headlamps give the car a face similar to its siblings. As for the wheels, I think they could have done better with a striking design as I'm not a huge fan of the ordinary looking alloys. Nonetheless, the LED tail lamps and the well contoured bumper complete the look at the back. Appearance Interior The diesel Q7 Technology pack already on sale in India is no different from the new petrol version in terms of design and functionality. The cabin is well laid out with a luxurious feel to it and comfortable seats. It offers a good view of the surroundings and one sits in a commanding position in the driver's seat. The three-row seating offers generous space overall and now with the vertical spare tyre mount taken out, the third row becomes more usable. However, one can still opt for the spare tyre as an accessory. Otherwise, there is enough boot space to carry two-three soft bags with the third row up. Equipment-wise, the Q7 continues to be offered with all the bells and whistles depending on the variant ones chooses. As for this Technology Pack, it comes loaded with practical bits like four-zone climate control, cruise control and the fantastic Audi MMI infotainment system paired with a Bose music system with smart connectivity. Then of course, there's Audi's Virtual Cockpit, which is essentially a fully digital instrument console that makes it one of its kind amongst the competition. Among a whole load of other features, the safety package on the car includes eight airbags, ABS, ESC, Emergency Brake Assist, a 360 camera, auto park assist and much more. Performance Drive Let's get to the biggest change, which is under the hood of the Q7. This 40 TFSI trim is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that churns out 248bhp and 370Nm of torque. It comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with the power delivered to all four wheels. This is a super silent engine and also a very refined one. Well, this is also one of the most important reasons why one would chose the petrol over the diesel. However, once you start moving you can tell that the downsizing has made a noticeable difference in the way the car gets going. It takes off the line a bit slower than the diesel, which is understood due to the stark difference in torque figures (600Nm in the diesel). However, post 2,000rpm there is enough grunt to push the car and continue to gather speed. There are different driving modes like off-road, all-road, comfort, auto, dynamic and individual. These alter the throttle response, engine characteristics, gearbox, steering and suspension. We mostly stuck to the auto mode as it works like a charm adjusting to the driver's style of driving and mood. The eight-speed gearbox has nicely stacked ratios that help put the power down to the wheels. The gearbox is smooth and quick but its the lack of the engine's instantaneous power and torque that make the vehicle make progress slowly. However, mash the throttle and the transmission drops a cog or two to gather speed. And at this point you get to hear a fair bit of noise from the engine, especially after 3,500rpm. Apart from the D mode, one can opt for the S mode which also quickly swaps gears with even a slight push to the paddle shifters. The Q7 continues to feature adaptive suspension along with the electromechanical power steering. At low speeds, bump absorption is fantastic and one can tackle the rough patches of a road, or a dusty trail with much greater peace of mind. It rides well in such situations and only the bigger bumps and sharper ruts are what will send a jolt into the cabin. Still, there is no steering shock in such situations and the vehicle glides over the most uneven surfaces with ease. The steering is light to maneuver such a huge car around and weighs up adequately at high speeds. There is a certain amount of roll for a vehicle riding so high and weighing over two tonnes, but not to the point that the occupants will feel uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the brakes are fantastic to drop the anchor and the tyres grip well too for panic-free braking. Tech Specs Make Audi Model Q7 Fuel Petrol Variant 40 TFSI Technology Pack Engine Capacity 2.0-litre Max. Power (bhp@rpm) 248bhp @ 5000 Max. torque (Nm@rpm) 370Nm @ 1,600 Gears Eight Length mm 5052 Width mm 1968 Height mm 1740 Wheelbase mm 2994 Fuel Capacity (in litres) 75 Tyre size 255/55 R19 Features Features 8 Airbags Yes 19-inch Alloy Wheels Yes Eight-Speed Gearbox Yes Ambient Lighting Yes Different Driving Modes Yes Panoramic Sunroof Yes Competition All Specs Specifications Audi Q7 Mercedes-Benz GLS Variant 40 TFSI Technology Pack 400 4MATIC Fuel Petrol Petrol Engine Capacity 2.0-litre 3.0-litre Max. Power (bhp@rpm) 248bhp @ 5000 329bhp @ 5,250 Max. torque (Nm@rpm) 370Nm @ 1,600 480Nm @ 1,600 Gears 8 9 Length mm 5052mm 5130mm Width mm 1968mm 1934mm Height mm 1740mm 1850mm Wheelbase mm 2994mm 3037mm Fuel Capacity (in litres) 75 100 Tyre size 255/55 R19 265/45 R19 Conclusion The petrol Audi Q7 still remains a well-rounded package for an SUV buyer looking for a good road presence, spacious and comfortable cabin and easy to drive car. In fact, as compared to the diesel, this one is a more silent, refined and affordable vehicle. The petrol derivative of Audi's flagship SUV Q7 demands an on-road Mumbai price of Rs 94.93 lakhs for the Technology pack. With this price tag, it directly competes against the Mercedes-Benz GLS 400 4MATIC and Land Rover Discovery HSE in the Indian market. Pictures by Kapil Angane Audi Q7 N/A Onwards Audi | Q7 | Audi Q7 Photo: Instagram Neil Patrick Harris is bidding farewell to Canada in song. The U.S. stage and screen star can be seen atop a B.C. mountain singing a portion of "O Canada" in a video posted to Instagram. Harris employs an emoji of the Canadian flag to say in the caption that he's anxious to return to New York but "will miss the nature and majestic beauty of Canada." In the video, he tells viewers: "On this, my last weekend in Canada I take an amazing hike." He then launches into song: "O Canada, our home and native land for the last two years." Harris has been in Vancouver to film his Netflix series, "A Series of Unfortunate Events," based on the Lemony Snicket children's books. The post appeared Monday on his Instagram account, where he also declares in the caption: "Vancouver is extraordinary." He also announced on Twitter that his last day of filming would be Tuesday, May 8. This is not the first time Harris has expressed his affection for the Great White North. "I have always been a fan of Canada and Canadians in general," Harris said in January 2017 conference call with reporters to promote the series. "In the '80s and '90s, there was a long period of made-for-television movies based on true-life events and I did my share of them: I hacked up my parents with a wood maul, I was a serial arsonist, I got lost in a blizzard with my baby. And we filmed most of those in Canada." Harris added that he's spent time in several Canadian cities and finds "the people uniformly kind, respectful." And Harris certainly appeared to embrace life in Vancouver while shooting the series. He attended Vancouver's pride parade, visited Grouse Mountain with his twins and husband David Burtka, and the couple celebrated their wedding anniversary in Tofino. "Good times," Harris grins in his latest Instagram post, a vista filled with pine trees and mountain peaks behind him. Photo: The Canadian Press Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski says the #MeToo movement that sheds light on sexual misconduct of powerful men in Hollywood is "collective hysteria" and "total hypocrisy." Polanski made the comment to Newsweek Polska in an interview given just days before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences stripped him of his nearly 50-year membership, citing a case in 1977 in which he pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor. The interview was published this week. He said everyone is trying to sign up to #MeToo "chiefly out of fear" and compared it to North Korea's public mourning for its leaders that is so intensive that "you can't stop laughing." He did not explain further. A Paris-born Holocaust survivor, Polanski won an Academy Award for directing "The Pianist" in 2003. Photo: The Canadian Press Tons of liquid milk chocolate are spilled and block six lanes on a highway after a truck transporting it overturned near Slupca, in western Poland, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. A tractor-trailer has overturned on a Polish highway, spilling tons of liquid chocolate that are solidifying into a huge sticky mess. The private broadcaster TVN24 showed images of an overturned truck surrounded by brown chocolate covering six lanes on the A2 motorway, blocking traffic in both directions. Rescue officials said the liquid chocolate was solidifying as it cooled and would require large amounts of hot water to clear away. Senior brigadier Bogdan Kowalski with the fire brigade of Slupca, a town in western Poland, said, "the cooling chocolate is worse than snow." TVN24 reported from the site of the accident that the driver was taken to a hospital with a broken arm. The accident occurred in the morning when there was little traffic and nobody else was hurt. Photo: Contributed Indigenous leaders who made an emergency trip to Houston Wednesday to present an overview of Indigenous opposition to the proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion at Kinder Morgan's annual general meeting, are calling the trip a success. At today's meeting, Kinder Morgan called for a special shareholder vote asking for an annual sustainability report. But Kinder Morgan says the resolution which passed Wednesday will have no impact on plans to build the $7.4-billion expansion of its Trans Mountain pipeline through B.C. Kinder Morgan has been promoting the Trans-Mountain expansion to its stockholders without explaining all the drastic risks of Indigenous opposition, backed by court decisions recognizing our Indigenous Rights, stated Chief Judy Wilson. This morning at the AGM, I was overwhelmed and impressed with the understanding from stockholders of the need to have our Indigenous Title and Rights, and Treaty Rights, respected in order for their investments to have any certainty. Chief Wilson argued that there has been a change in the political climate in B.C., with the recognition of inherent Indigenous Title and Rights and that without proper disclosure there are also significant risks to businesses as well. Kinder Morgan shareholders are seeing the reality of the risk and uncertainty they are facing through the Trans Mountain expansion through unceded territory and the changes in the political landscape with the implementation on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that prioritizes free, prior and informed consent, said Wilson, in a statement. Kinder Morgan announced on April 8 it needed to be given certainty that it could build the pipeline expansion by May 31 or it was walking away. Alanna Kelly The Okanagan will see up to 40 millimetres of rain by the end of the day with more Thursday. Meteorologist Doug Lundquist says the rain started just after midnight, dumping 15 to 30 mm on parts of the valley so far, with another 5-10 mm expected tonight. We had the high creeks, the rainfall, it's a fairly warm rain all of these things arent really a good situation in an already tough river situation, said Lundquist. Thunderstorms are expected with tonight's rain. Lundquist said it will take a while for that water to come down through the watershed. It is not instant. It has to flow into the rivers and then flow downstream, he said. "Let's try and get through this hump, and then the next hurdle will be the hotter weather. Cooling expected the next couple of days will help slow melt, he added. But, temperatures are expected to reach 30 C on Sunday and Monday, causing another surge of melt water. Hopefully, enough of the snow is melted lower down that we just start to melt the higher elevations in a controlled manner, said Lundquist. That warm weather we are going to get early next week is a concern. Environment Canada issued a weather statement for Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton at 2:08 p.m. Wednesday, saying 15 to 25 mm of rain are forecast and will result in more flooding. Hiring in the United States should have accelerated last month, with several indicators suggesting that the effects of the countrys... Donald Trump just announced that three Americans who were held for months in North Korea have been released. We know that when Americans get arrested in North Korea, they can expect harsh conditions, forced confessions, and long sentences of hard labor. But who are the three hostages? Why did North Korea hold them hostage? What happen next? Below, get the details on everything we know about the three Americans that North Korea just released. . 1. Their names are Tony Kim, Kim Hak-song, and Kim Dong-chul As Vox reports, the names of the three Americans released by North Korea are Tony Kim, Kim Hak-song, and Kim Dong-chul. (Though they all have the surname Kim, they arent related.) One was taken hostage during Barack Obamas presidency. And the other two were taken into custody in North Korea after Donald Trump took office. As The New York Times reports, North Korea accused each man of hostile acts. We dont know exactly what that means. As Vox reports, the Trump administration seems to place a higher priority than its predecessor on freeing U.S. hostages held abroad. And so far, it has unquestionably had more success than the Obama administration. Next: Kim Sang-duk taught this subject at a North Korean university. 2. Kim Sang-duk, or Tony Kim, spent a month teaching accounting in North Korea Kim Sang-duk, or Tony Kim, is reportedly 59 years old, according to Vox. He spent a month in 2017 teaching accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. But when he boarded a plane to leave North Korea on April 22, 2017, authorities arrested him on unknown charges, according to The Washington Post. Vox notes that Kim originally came from South Korea. Later, he became a citizen of the United States. He lived in North Korea with his wife. She reportedly still resides in the country. But Sol Kim, Tonys son, told the Post of his father, We miss him. We want to know how he is doing. We want to see him, and ultimately we want to have him home. Next: Kim Hak-song also worked at a university. 3. Kim Hak-song also worked at the university in Pyongyang Another hostage, Kim Hak-song, also worked at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, according to Vox. North Korean authorities arrested him in early May. His arrest took place just two weeks after authorities imprisoned Tony Kim hostage. And as Vox notes, it remains unclear if their detainments are connected in any way. Kim originally came from China. He worked as an agricultural consultant and came to the United States in the 1990s. He later earned U.S. citizenship. Then, Kim moved back to China to study agriculture. Later, he moved to Pyongyang. Authorities arrested him after a trip to the universitys research farm. And his wife says he taught rice-growing at the university in an effort to help North Koreans grow enough food to feed themselves. Next: North Koreans accused Kim Dong-chul of spying. 4. Kim Dong-chul was arrested for spying Vox reports that Kim Dong-chul was the longest-imprisoned American of the three recently released by North Korea. He is in his mid-60s. He became a naturalized American citizen and lived in Fairfax, Virginia. North Korea arrested him in October 2015. Authorities sentenced him to 10 years of hard labor for espionage and subversion, according to The New York Times. Vox notes that Kim lived in a Chinese city near the border with North Korea. Before authorities imprisoned him, he worked as the head of a hotel services company in the economic zone between China and North Korea. Next: The three hostages lived in these camps. 5. The hostages were held in labor camps As Vox reports, North Korea had held the three Americans in brutal labor camps. And the publication notes that a report called North Koreas labor camps as terrible [as] Nazi camps. The International Bar Associations War Crimes Committee interviewed more than a dozen North Korean defectors to learn about conditions at the prison camps. The details sound very disturbing. Teenage girls routinely undergo rapes, and try to commit suicide. People die completing forced labor. Newborn babies get killed by guard dogs. As Vox reports, Atrocities like mass rape and indiscriminate killings are the point of North Koreas prison camps: to degrade and terrify the population into submission to Kim Jong Uns regime. Next: Experts cite this as the reason why North Korea accused them of crimes. 6. They were accused of crimes for one obvious reason Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has spent decades negotiating over American hostages in North Korea. Richardson talked to Vox about the trumped-up charges that North Korea leveled against the three hostages. He characterized the charges as out of control. He explained, These were Americans that were either teaching or doing business in North Korea, and theyve been accused of hostile acts. And he adds, But returning the three Americans is an easy give on their part because they know the prisoners are innocent. Richardson reports that Kim Jong Uns government makes these accusations for one obvious reason. The government sees hostages as a potential bargaining chip to trade in for the future. Richardson and others hope that during potential talks with Kim Jong Un, Donald Trump makes it clear that the U.S. wont tolerate North Koreans detaining any more Americans. Next: We dont yet know this about the hostages. 7. Its not yet clear what condition theyre in Because North Korea keeps its prisoners at brutal prisons and in harsh conditions, people are naturally worried about the health of the hostages. Donald Trump briefly addressed that concern in his tweet confirming their release. And they moved from prisons to hotels, where they had a better chance of accessing decent meals. But Americans feel particularly concerned at least in part because of what happened to Otto Warmbier. The 22-year-old American was detained by Kim Jong Uns government for 17 months. Shortly after he returned to the United States, he died under what Vox characterizes as mysterious circumstances. Vox notes that its not clear yet what condition Tony Kim, Kim Hak-song, and Kim Dong-chul are in. But Trumps tweet sounded optimistic. Next: This U.S. official met Kim Jong Un. 8. They were released to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Vox reports that as a diplomatic gesture ahead of upcoming talks between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea decided to release the hostages. The government transferred them to a hotel near Pyongyang. Then, Kim Jong Un took the final step and authorized their official release. North Korea handed the hostages over to U.S. custody, and they boarded a plane with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to return to the United States. Next: Kim Jong Un has this goal. 9. North Korea wants to lower tensions with the U.S. Kim Jong Uns release of the three hostages illustrates how North Korea wants to lower tensions with the United States. And as you might have gathered, the timing is no coincidence. North Korea wants to meet with the United States in what would make a historic summit between the two nations. A source told Vox that the Trump administration may have made it a precondition that North Korea release hostages before the president agrees to a summit. Vox reports that Joseph DeTrani, a former intelligence official who has negotiated with North Korea, characterizes the governments release of the three hostages as a good sign that North Korea wants a good meeting between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un and, eventually, a peaceful resolution of the nuclear and other issues with North Korea. As Yahoo News notes, no other Americans are believed to be in prison in North Korea. Next: Donald Trump wants to achieve this historic milestone. 10. Donald Trump wants to make history by meeting with North Korea CNN reports that the release of the hostage comes as Donald Trump prepares to make history with North Korea. Trump plans to become the first sitting U.S. president to meet face-to-face with a North Korean leader. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to North Korea to meet with Kim Jong Un when the government released the hostages. In fact, Trump characterized the encounter as a good meeting. But as CNN notes, some experts worry about the consequences of the president meeting the leader of a country that has imprisoned American citizens on seemingly false charges and commits human rights abuses against its own citizens. Read more: This Is the First Thing Donald Trump Changed in the Oval Office After Obama Moved Out Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Whether its adding a Captain Jack Sparrow animatronic to Pirates of the Caribbean or more cities to fly over in Soarin Around The World, Disney is always looking for ways for its parks to stay relevant. That is why the theme park mogul has announced plans to renovate and add new attractions (and lands!) to both Disneyland and California Adventure. Ahead, see the biggest changes coming to Downtown Disney, Disneyland (page 6), and California Adventure (page 7). 1. Downtown Disney restaurant shut downs If youre a fan of restaurants like ESPN Zone, Earl of Sandwich, and Rainforest Cafe, we have some bad news: All three restaurants (as well as other shops and attractions) are being demolished in summer 2018 to make way for the future of Downtown Disney. Next: What will replace these restaurants? 2. A new resort Compared to Walt Disney World, Disneyland and California Adventure dont have enough hotels to accommodate guests. So, theyre tearing down parts of Downtown Disney to make room for a new hotel, set to open in 2021. That said, there will be plenty of places to eat and shop. The ground level of the resort will feature a variety of restaurants and shops for hotel and park guests to enjoy. Next: Foodies will love these additions. 3. Beer and milkshakes In addition to a new hotel, Disney will also introduce a lot of beer to Downtown Disney, as craft brewer, Ballast Point and Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer (home of the famous CrazyShake!) are set to open in the downtown area. Next: California Adventure is getting rid of an entire area of its park. 4. A Bugs Land is closing Disneys California Adventure has big plans for the area currently infested with A Bugs Life characters. Closing in late summer 2018, Flik, Heimlich, and Princess Atta will be replaced by superheroes with the opening of a new Marvel-themed area in 2020. Next: A new Disney store! 5. Disney Home Dont worry, World of Disney is not going anywhere (though it is getting a makeover). However, a new type of Disney store was introduced to Downtown Disney in early 2018. If youre looking to add a little magic to your space, stop by Disney Home and pick up some Disney-themed home goods. Next: The biggest change coming to Disneyland 6. Star Wars: Galaxys Edge The biggest change coming to Disneyland is the opening of a new land, Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. The Star Wars-themed area is expected to open in 2019 and will introduce fans to a Star Wars planet fans have never seen before. Located in between Adventureland and Fantasyland, the new attraction is expected to be out of this world. Next: The biggest change coming to California Adventure 7. Pixar Pier California Adventure will see a lot of changes in 2018, including the opening of a new and improved pier. Set to open in June 2018, Pixar Pier will introduce the Incredibles Neighborhood, new food stands (like the Adorable Snowman), a new Incredicoaster (formerly known as California Screamin), Toy Story Neighborhood, and more. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Everybody knows just how conservative the British royal family can be. But some of the younger members of the family occasionally cause trouble for a matriarch like Queen Elizabeth II. An easy example? The brush that Prince Harry had with marijuana and the numerous tabloid headlines it sparked. Prince Harry has definitely experimented with marijuana. But have any other members of the royal family tried it? Read on to get all the details, including how one of Queen Elizabeth IIs predecessors might have used the drug (page 8). 1. Prince Harry started smoking marijuana at age 16 The New York Times reported in 2002 that Prince Harry started drinking and smoking marijuana at age 16. Harry reportedly used the drug at private parties, as well as at Charles Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire. And the Times reported that the first time Harry was alone at home from Eton his boarding school he tried drinking at a country pub. His father was away in London, and his brother, William, was out of the country during his gap year. As the Times explained, A member of the royal staff reportedly alerted Prince Charles after smelling marijuana at a Highgrove teenage party, and friends confirmed that the youth had been a regular and sometimes boisterous drinker at the Rattlebone Inn in Wiltshire. Plus, the Mirror reported the prince even earned the nickname Hash Harry at Eton. Next: This is how Prince Charles responded when he learned about Prince Harrys experiments with marijuana. 2. Prince Charles sent Prince Harry to rehab for his marijuana use The New York Times reported in 2002 that Prince Charles sent his son to rehab but only for a day. While at the drug clinic, Featherstone Lodge in South London, Prince Harry met recovering drug addicts. Many praised Prince Charles for the parenting decision and contrasted it with what Charles own father might have done in a similar situation. Bill Puddicombe then chief executive of the Phoenix House Treatment Service for Drug Dependency, the charity that ran Featherstone Lodge said of Prince Harrys visit to the facility, He met some people in recovery heroin and cocaine addicts mostly and heard their life stories, complete with harrowing details. Next: Prince Charles also had an impact when he asked someone a question about marijuana. 3. Prince Charles also helped a marijuana grower avoid jail time Civilized reported that Prince Charles once helped a marijuana grower avoid spending time in jail. In 1998, Prince Charles met a patient with multiple sclerosis and asked whether she had tried using medical marijuana a comment that caused controversy due to the legal status of the treatment. As Civilized explained, however, His comment has had an impact on British drug policy. Years later, a multiple sclerosis patient who was arrested for growing cannabis for personal, medical consumption was given a conditional discharge after using Prince Charles in her defense. She told the judge she began using cannabis to treat her symptoms after hearing his comment from 1998. Next: Prince Harry developed a reputation for loving to party. 4. Prince Harry later got in trouble for a party in Las Vegas About 10 years after news broke of Prince Harrys teenage marijuana use, the prince made headlines again for what The New York Daily News characterized as a naked Las Vegas pool party scandal. Prince Harry seemed to have enjoyed a late night of partying in Vegas, throwing a party that involved strip billiards and some pretty serious drug usage. Guests at the party held at Harrys suite at the Wynn Las Vegas reportedly had cocaine, shrooms, and marijuana. But none of the witnesses said Prince Harry himself partook of any of the illegal drugs, even marijuana. Next: Prince William and Kate Middleton havent said much about marijuana. 5. Prince William and Kate Middleton traveled to a country that grows a lot of marijuana E! News reported ahead of Prince William and Kate Middletons 2016 trip to Bhutan and India that the couple would be surrounded by cannabis when they stayed in Bhutan. There the plant grows like a weed and is found everywhere; in the fields, on the side of the road, you can even see it growing on the roof of houses. The publication noted most Bhutanese dont use much recreational marijuana. But they do feed it to their animals. And some locals produce cannabis-infused milk. Of course, we have no word on whether the duke or duchess partook though wed assume they probably didnt. Next: Meghan Markle has this connection to a marijuana farmer. 6. Meghan Markles nephew created a strain of cannabis named for her The Cut reported Meghan Markes nephew Tyler Dooley is a cannabis farmer. Dooley announced he created a new strain of cannabis hes calling Markles Sparkle as a wedding present for his aunt. Dooley lives in Oregon, where recreational marijuana is legal. But as The Cut noted, cannabis remains completely illegal in England. As the publication explained, If Markle and Harry ever want to get blazed off of Markles Sparkle, theyll instead have to take a trip to visit Markles family. Cosmopolitan reported Dooley hasnt spoken to Markle in years. But he thinks she likely has progressive views on marijuana. Meghan grew up in California and I am sure has an American view on pot, he said. I know in England that marijuana is still a taboo subject but its more normal to us here because we grew up around it in high school. Everybody experiments with it here. Next: Tabloids speculated about whether Meghan and Harry smoked marijuana at this event. 7. Meghan and Harry may have smoked marijuana at a wedding in Jamaica Vanity Fair reported in 2017 that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended the wedding of Harrys best friend, Tom Inskip, in Jamaica. The two reportedly celebrated into the early hours of the morning. But otherwise, the details of Vanity Fairs report seemed quite tame. The Daily Star, on the other hand, made a show of reporting that guests at the wedding smoked marijuana at the Jamaican-themed wedding. One source said Prince Harry became so intoxicated on rum cocktails, according to the publication that he knocked over a tray of drinks. Next: Queen Elizabeth II probably hasnt tried marijuana, but one of her predecessors did. Read more: Strict Royal Family Rules the Queens Grandchildren Have Broken Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Pueblo man arrested in connection to two shootings on Sept. 27 Nicholas Tumblin, whom police suspect in the Sept. 27 shooting death of Eric Trujillo, was arrested in New Mexico by U.S. Marshals on Oct. 6. Good news has come in the fight against Boko Haram militants in Nigeria. The Nigerian Army has revealed that nearly 1,000 Boko Haram hostages, primarily women and children, have been freed and 50 extremists have been killed in battle. The Nigerian Army made the announcement on their Twitter page: ARMY RESCUES OVER 1000 BOKO HARAM CAPTIVES. Troops of 22 Brigade deployed in operation LAFIYA DOLE has rescued over 1000 hostages from the Boko Haram Terrorists enclave," read the post. The Christian Post reports that Boko Haram has been terrorizing Nigerian citizens, including many Christians, since it rose to prominence in 2009. Perhaps most notably, the group took captive 276 Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, most of whom have since been rescued. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to fight the militants and drive them out of the country. The Nigerian Army supported Buharis aim when it tweeted: "We wishes to remind the public of its resolve to rout out BH & rescued all hostages. The public is also advised to report any suspicious character to the appropriate authority for prompt action. However, the rescued persons are being attended to in a military medical facility." Photo courtesy: Thinkstock/Kylieellway Publication date: May 9, 2018 Andrew Brunson had been ministering in Izmir, Turkey, for nearly a quarter of a century before it all changed. In 2016, the American pastor was arrested and thrown in jail, without knowing his charges and without bail. When Brunsons trial finally started last month, he learned that he had been charged of fueling unrest in the country through alleged involvement with exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an insurgent group. Both movements are seen as enemies and threats to the Turkish government. Brunson is the Christian pawn in Turkish president Tayyip Erdogans political schemes, says Brian Stiller, the global ambassador for World Evangelical Alliance. Turkey wants the United States to extradite Gulen, making Brunsons nationality a bonus for the regime, he suggested. While Brunsons faith isnt the only reason that hes been singled out by the Turkish community, it does reinforce the fact that Turkey is a hard place for Christians, says Stiller. Its a country of 150 churches in a state that is 80 million people, said Stiller. You are a small minority. You are persecuted in many social and psychological ways. Stiller joined associate digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss how Turkeys political unrest fueled Brunsons arrest and why the Christian community is so fragmented. This episode of Quick to Listen was brought to you by the Christian Standard Bible. To learn more about the Christian Standard Bible, visit CSBible.com/CT. What is Quick to Listen? Read more Subscribe to Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on ... 1 Three Korean American evangelicals held as prisoners in North Korea for at least a year are now on their way home, President Donald Trump announced in a tweet this morning. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting, the president wrote. Pompeo was said to bring up the plight of the Christian prisonersKim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song, and Kim Sang Dukduring his initial visit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a month ago. Their release comes as President Trump prepares for a historic meeting with Kim Jong-un as early as this month. Trump also said in his tweet that Pompeo had another good meeting and that the date and place had been set for when the two heads of state will meet. The three Christians spent between a year and three years detained in North Korea, and two previously worked at a private university in the countrys capital. The Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) is mostly staffed by Christian professors who are forced to keep their faith private due to the dictatorships severe restrictions on religious expression. Professors Kim Hak Song and Kim Sang Duk were arrested last May and charged with hostile acts against the government, the same erroneous charge levied against missionary Kenneth Bae, who was released in 2014. Kim Dong Chul was arrested in 2015. Leading up to the proposed denuclearization talks between Trump and Kim Jong-un, Christian religious freedom advocates Open Doors had lobbied for the President to push for the American prisoners release. We simply cannot afford to let these Americans stay another day on North Korean soil, Open Doors USA CEO David Curry stated. Trump hinted at their possible release a week ago and will greet them when they land late tonight. This morning, Oklahoma Senator James Lankfordhimself a Southern Baptist and outspoken advocate for religious freedomcalled the release of the prisoners the key thing North Korea could do to send a good message prior to the Trump meeting. This is the first time in six years, since before Baes arrest in 2012, that North Korea has no US citizens in prison. Trump tweeted that all three of the released prisoners seem to be in good health, a contrast to the last American releasedcollege student Otto Warmbierwho was in a coma and died days after arriving back in the United States last June. Last year, ailing Canadian pastor Hyeon-Soo Lim was also released in poor health. North Korea ranks as the worst country for Christian persecution on the annual Open Doors World Watch List, and the organization estimates that beyond the foreign nationals detained there, many of the countrys own citizensincluding around 50,000 believersare being held in detention centers, prisons, or political camps. I want Trump to address the 250,000 prisoners in North Korean prison camps. And the hunger citizens face, one freed North Korean Christian said. I would like to see Kim Jong-un encouraged to open the door and take on the economic reform process. This is the beginning step to becoming a democratic society. Christians have been praying for months for the upcoming meeting and the possibility of peace on the Korean peninsula. A group of Christians including National Association of Evangelicals president Leith Anderson, Sojourners president Jim Wallis, author Eric Metaxas, and Evangelicals for Social Action executive director Nikki Toyama-Szeto released a statement in March addressing the ongoing diplomatic talks with North Korea. We pray for wisdom for our political, diplomatic and military leaders as they work across differences toward a goal of peace, security and freedom, it said. We pray that God will bless the efforts of citizens who seek to bridge the vast differences between our countries. In a Politico/Morning Consult poll from mid-March, about half (48%) of self-identified evangelicals were confident in the negotiations, compared to 40 percent of US voters overall. Christianity Today has covered ongoing ministry efforts in North Korea; interviewed missionary Kenneth Bae, who spent more time detained in the country than any other American; and featured the testimony of a Christian who escaped with the help of the Chinese church. A few years ago, a copier was donated to our church. I can imagine the process that brought it to us: Another congregation, frustrated with its finicky copier, wanted to buy a new one but felt guilty about junking something that still worked. So they gave it to us. We are a poor church, we cant afford new things, and we were grateful. The copier makes copies most of the time, but you have to be careful not to leave the paper in the feed tray overnight, not to put too much paper in at once, and also to keep your batches small. Any missteps will strand you in the copy room, desperately opening and closing Door A. One evening as I watched an already worn-out elder struggle to get the ten copies she needed for our council meeting, I started to ponder. Someones good impulse brought the copier to our church, but there is something uncomfortable about it, too. Donations like this seem kind but sometimes add further burden to people who are already weighed down. More importantly, they often dont reflect the generosity of our God. If the least of these are Christ in our midst, as Scripture tells us, then why are we giving them our castaways? I am one of the pastors of a small rural congregation in Michigan. Twenty years ago, our community set out to welcome the woundedto hold space for those who felt excluded from other churchesand weve done just that. But our work is difficult and often painful. My first pastoral visit to a member of the congregation happened in a behavioral health unit, where one of our deacons had been hospitalized. She has dissociative identity disorder, sometimes referred to as multiple personality disorder. One of her alter-egos had slit her wrists and another had called an ambulance. This sort of drama is not out of the ordinary for our church community, and it takes a toll. Many of the people in our community live in the daily crisis of poverty, and many have been through more trauma and suffering by their tenth birthday than I will go through in my entire life. It is a needy church, and now it has a needy copier. Only while pastoring a church have I been on the receiving end of donations like this, but nonetheless I have seen this impulse before. While I was working on a farm one summer during seminary, my coworkers and I divided up our harvest each week. The firsts, or the best produce, were sold at the farmers market because people dont like to buy funky looking vegetables. The seconds went to those people who had bought shares through the farms CSA (community supported agriculture) program. We farmhands were given free rein to take from the remaining unsightly, broken, and marred produce. And what was left overthe fourthswas given to a ministry called Jehovah Jireh, God the Provider. In the wash station, when asked about a wormy cabbage or punctured tomato, the farmer would shout back that it should be donated to the ministry: Jehovah that ****! Then the volunteers of Jehovah Jireh would distribute our fourthfruits to the poor, as if from the hands of God. Just last week, I visited a clothing pantry run by a local church. As the pastor gave us the tour, someone asked if all the clothes were donated. Yes! he said, with gratitude in his voice. You know, people have yard sales, and then they give us what they cant sell. Whatever is too far gone for us to use, we put in the world missions bin across the street. They take anything. Lets count it out: The clothes that we like and wear are our firsts. We sell our seconds. The thirds are given to the local poor, and the fourths are shipped out of the country to be given to the poorest of the poor. The fourths are given to the least of these. Jehovah that ****. To be totally honest, Im not above doing the same thing. I have done the purge-sell-donate routine with my own clothing. I have cleared my shelves of stewed carrots for the local pantry. I, too, am among the many who give my fourthfruits to the poor. But, if we really are the hands and feet of Jesus, we have to ask what it is that we are saying about him with these donations. In these instances, through the hands of the church, God has given to the poor what wealthier people cant wear, sell, or give away, what they wont buy, receive, or take for free. To make matters worse, in Matthew 25, when Jesus talks about feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, he doesnt identify himself with the giver but with the receiver. He says, Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (v. 40). In this context, I am forced to ask: Are we more like the sheep or the goats when we give our garbage to the naked and hungry person of Jesus? And what are we saying about our abundant God when the body of Christ is giving gifts that are already used up? I appreciate the impulse to not throw things away. Its not necessarily wrong to give our leftovers to the organization Jehovah Jireh, God the Provider, or to world missions, or to a poor church in Michigan. Its not wrong that a church gave us their old copier. But the truth is, it became another weight for us to carry. Perhaps the donating congregation might have bought us the new one and put up with their old one for a few more years. The idea seems almost ridiculous to me, but nevertheless, the Bible holds up examples of Jesus behaving in extravagant ways in the name of love. I want to see that same extravagant love in my own life and also the life of the global church. Proverbs 3:910 says, Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. What would it look like for us to trust the God of abundance and give our firstfruits instead of our fourths? It would mean that others could trust in him, too. Jennifer Holmes Curran, along with her husband, co-pastors New Hope Community Church in Shelby, Michigan. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment It is becoming increasingly popular today to assume that since the essence of worship is the language of the gospel, then it follows that worship is all of life, and there is nothing distinct or significant about corporate gatherings of worship. Several problems with this perspective exist, however, deserving careful consideration. First, the nature of the church must be defined biblically. While it is true that "church" in the New Testament sometimes refers to the universal number of believers in Christ, (See, for example, Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 1:2223, 3:10, 3:21, 4:4, 5:2327, 1 Corinthians 10:32, 11:22, 12:28, Colossians 1:18, 24, and Hebrews 12:23.) it most often refers specifically to a local gathering of such believers. For example, Paul addressed letters "to the church of God that is in Corinth (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1), "to the churches of Galatia" (Gal 1:2), and "to the church of the Thessalonians" (1 Thess 1:1). This raises at least two important points: first, a church is an identifiable group of believers in Christ; unbelievers are not part of churches. Second, a church is a gathering of believers in Christ; a church does not exist except when it is gathered. This is evident by the underlying Greek term, ekklesia, meaning "assembly." In other words, Christians are not "the church" as described in most New Testament cases when they act outside the regular workings of the local churcha few Christians gathering for dinner or even prayer is not a church. Most of the time, "church" refers to a gathering of a local assembly of Christians to do what such assemblies are called to do. Understanding the church to be a distinct, gathered group of believers in Christ, recognition of the various terms used in the New Testament to describe this gathered church is quite instructive. For example, Paul tells Timothy that he is writing so that "you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God" (1 Tim 3:15). The term "household of God" is used throughout Scripture to refer to a special place of God's presence. For example, Jacob calls the place where he met with God "Bethel, "or "house of God" (Gen 28:1022). Likewise the tabernacle is often called the "house of God" (Judg 18:30, 1 Chr 9:2527), as is the temple (2 Chr 3:3, Ps 52:8, Ezra 4:24, Neh 13:11, Matt 12:4, Mark 2:26, and, Luke 6:4). The church is also called specifically the "temple" (1 Cor 3:1617, 2 Cor 6:16, Eph 2:1922). Thus when believers gather as the church, they exist in some special way as the dwelling place of Godthe sanctuary of worshipso that, as Jesus promised, "where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them" (Matt 18:20). Although individual believers are also called "a temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 6:1920), the context and plural pronouns in each of the aforementioned cases clearly refer to when individual believers gather as the church. So there is a special sense of being the sanctuary of God that exists only when the church is gathered, rather than at other times. This alone should give indication of something sacred and distinct for the gathered church, with strong emphasis upon worship signified by the use of Old Testament worship terminology. Finally, Paul indicates to Timothy that there is a certain way "to behave in the household of God" (1 Tim 3:15). Something about the assembled church requires particular behavior that is set apart from behavior in the rest of life. So while an individual Christian is the temple of God's spirit and ought to behave in ways that are pleasing to him, the church gathered is, in a special and distinct way, the sanctuary of God's presence, wherein God's people behave in worship differently than in any other circumstances. For this reason, behavior in the church must be regulated by God's clear instructions in a way more explicit than for behavior outside the church. One of the ways this takes place is that corporate worship is the public acting out of the spiritual realities of worship; it is a weekly dramatic re-creation of drawing near to God through Christ by faith. This is why most of the historic liturgies of the past have reflected the basic order of Adoration, Confession, Assurance of Pardon, Thanksgiving, Instruction, Dedication, Petition, Communion, Charge and Blessing. This is the shape of the gospel, and by re-enacting this each week, Christians are reminded that corporate worship is not a time to "call down God" or a religious "experience"; rather, it is an invitation by God himself for his people to draw near to him in communion through Christ by faith. This is why the climax of this gospel-shaped worship is communion around the Lord's Table. Throughout Scripture (and, indeed, history), the ultimate expression of free and open access is being invited to sit at the table. This is illustrated throughout the Old Testament, it is pictured with the Table of Showbread in the Temple, and it is one of the beautiful images depicted by the Lord's Supper. A Christian worship service pictures that believers are accepted through Christ, and now sitting around his table both commemorates the sacrifice that made that possible and expresses our unity with him and with other Christians as the body of Christ. It does not accomplish peace with God, as Rome teaches; rather, it is a beautiful expression of peace already achieved through the sacrifice of Christ. This is why the Table is the ultimate climax of any gospel-shaped worship service. In the Table, Christians are enabled to sit in full communion with their Sovereign Lord because of Christ. The Lord's Table is the most beautiful earthly enactment of the complete fellowship made possible by union with Christ. home World Pastor Andrew Brunson worked with outlawed political party to create Kurdish state in Turkey, anonymous witness claims An anonymous witness has told a Turkish court on Monday that American Pastor Andrew Brunson collaborated with an outlawed political party to establish a Christian Kurdish state. Brunson, a pastor who has led a church in Izmir for two decades, is currently facing up to 35 years' imprisonment over his supposed links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the movement led by Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen. The pastor denied the allegations during the second hearing of his trial, saying he never permitted "politics to enter the church." The secret witness, who was identified only by the codename "Serhat," reportedly gave his testimony via a long-distance system, NewsOK reported, citing the Anadolu Agency. According to the witness, Brunson supported the Kurdish militants in various ways, and he was also helped by a Syrian who had converted to Christianity. Brunson described the allegations as "shameful" and "disgusting," noting that there is no evidence to support the witness' claims. "There is not one photograph or tape recording praising the PKK at the (Izmir) Resurrection Church. Our church had several Turkish followers. Our doors were open to everyone. I strived to prevent politics entering the church," the pastor reportedly stated. The court reportedly ruled to keep him in detention and scheduled the next hearing for July 18. The proceedings on Monday was attended by Sandra Jolley, vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. She contended that the hearing was "dominated by wild conspiracies, tortured logic, and secret witnesses, but no real evidence to speak of." "Worse still, the judge's decision at the conclusion of today's hearing to dismiss all of the witnesses called by Pastor Brunson's defense without listening to a single minute of their testimony is simply unconscionable," she said, according to NewsOK. One of the pieces of evidence presented to support the allegations against the pastor was a video about the Middle Eastern dish Maklube, according to The Citizen Times. The dish is usually prepared by members of the Gulen movement during meetings and religious gatherings, according to the indictment against Brunson. The 62-page document cited a video of the dish reportedly sent by Brunson's daughter as evidence that he sympathizes with the movement, which has been accused of starting the coup against the Turkish government in 2016. It also claimed that all Christian churches in the U.S. are part of an organization called CAMA. It further asserted that 40 percent of the U.S. armed forces serving overseas are comprised of Mormons. Some of Brunson's supporters believe that he has been taken hostage by the Turkish government, which is seeking the extradition of Gulen from the U.S. Gulen, who is currently living in Pennsylvania, has been blamed by the Turkish government for instigating the 2016 coup, but the cleric has denied any involvement in the failed attempt. As Trump quits Iran deal, Israel should be careful what it wishes for Be careful what you wish for was the message coming out of some elements of the mainstream Israeli media last night as Donald Trump dramatically pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal. As Syria blamed Israel for an airstrike near Damascus late last night, and the Israeli Defence Force ordered bomb shelters to be opened in the north of Israel amid a threat from Iranian missiles, the move didn't look so smart after all. Indeed, the respected daily Israeli newspaper Haaretz published an urgent opinion article saying: '[Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has convinced Trump that leaving the Iran deal protects Israel. But the US walk out means a full-on Israel-Iran war in Syria now becomes far more likely.' In other words, as is so often the case with Israel, what appears to be in the country's interests, is in fact not. Netanyahu is key to this self-defeating approach. He has throughout his premiership refused to take any necessary steps towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict with his Palestinian neighbours, with many observers believing he simply does not want peace and instead seeks nothing but the status quo. Yet the majority of Israelis do want a peaceful resolution to the conflict, according to consistent polls. Further, peace in the region is in Israel's interests including, yes, its security interests as much as any other group. For only a lasting settlement with the Palestinians will bring true security to Israel. You can call it enlightened self-interest. Barack Obama, the author of the Iran nuclear deal, recognised this, and made the point several times during years of failed attempts to negotiate with Israel. In the end his relationship with Netanyahu was unprecedentedly bad for a US president and Israeli prime minister. Netanyahu's relationship with Trump is of course better on the surface at least, but whether the regressive step of the US unilaterally recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital will prove in Israel's long term interests is far from clear. As Haaretz analyst Chemi Shalev wrote: '[Netanyahu] would have never succeeded were it not for the freak election of an impulsive US president who never lets facts get in his way and who is now sparking even more anxiety throughout the world. It is on this questionable alliance that Israel's security now rests...Netanyahu has taken a risky gamble. He has placed his country in un-splendid international isolation. Netanyahu is not only seen as Trump's main cheerleader but as the chief instigator of a dramatic shift in US policy, one that could ultimately embroil it in another Middle East war...End Times enthusiasts, at least, must be in rapture.' Netanyahu, of course, is a master of distraction. Iran has remained his priority as he has sought with considerable success to divert international attention away from the prospects of an Israel-Palestinian deal. And of course his domestic troubles, including a serious investigation into corruption allegations, mean he is fighting to maintain a premiership under threat. Israel under Netanyahu appears to be skilled at tactics, but is there a strategy? And what price will Israel pay for these tactics? As Christian Today noted yesterday, 'Netanyahu has been ramping up the rhetoric against what he calls Iran's nuclear 'lies', while the disastrous prospect of war between the two countries cannot be ruled out. At the same time, Israel is on the West's 'side' in being opposed to the Syrian-Russian alliance, and as ever the role of Saudi Arabia must be factored in, with this dubious western 'ally', too, fiercely opposed to Iran. In this topsy turvy Middle Eastern picture, Saudi Arabia and Israel have been seeking tentatively to develop an unlikely alliance with one another against their common enemy of Iran. There is a distinct danger, then, that Trump and Netanyahu are leading the Middle East into a major war.' The first skirmishes of that renewed conflict appeared last night. There will, alas, be more trouble to come. Decision to reject adoption application of Christian couple retracted by Canadian province The Alberta government has approved the adoption application of a Christian couple who were previously rejected because of their beliefs on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. According to The Canadian Press, the unnamed couple from Edmonton had filed a judicial review last year with the help of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) following the rejection of their application. The couple, who submitted the application in 2016, claimed in the lawsuit that they initially passed a required course for potential adoptive parents, but were later rejected after they were asked questions about sexuality. Court documents indicated that the wife is seeking to adopt an older child who might be less likely to be adopted. The couple reportedly told officials that they do not approve of same-sex marriage and believe that homosexuality is wrong. However, they contended that they treat all people with respect and that their views on sexuality would not affect their ability to care for a child. The Catholic Social Services had recommended the approval of the couple's application following a review. However, the couple received a letter in March 2017 informing them that the recommendation had been dismissed because they "would be unable to 'help' a child" dealing with sexual identity issues. The JCCF contended that the rejection violated the couple's rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The organization argued that the government is requiring prospective parents to abandon their beliefs without proving that it would have a negative effect on adopted children. The Alberta Children's Services conducted a review on the case, and reportedly informed the couple in a letter that the decision to deny the adoption application has been reversed. "The initial decision is rescinded and your application is now approved," the letter from a senior manager stated, accoeding to CBC. The JCCF released the letter from the Alberta Children's Services on Tuesday, but a spokeswoman for the government department said that the decision was reversed several months ago. "Families are not denied adoptions based on religious beliefs, and a diversity of belief systems can be found in the Alberta families and homes that have been approved to adopt a child," spokeswoman Karin Campbell said, according to The Canadian Press. She noted that the ministry evaluates each adoptive family's "strengths, abilities and desires" to determine whether a child would be a good fit for the prospective parents. JCCF lawyer John Carpay said that the couple was pleased with the reversal of the decision. "The government has no right to discriminate on the basis of religion when looking at couples who are seeking to adopt," Carpay said on Wednesday, according to The Canadian Press. "You can't say that someone can't become an adoptive parent because they're Muslim, they're Jewish or because they're evangelical Christian," he added. Hundreds of dead baby girls found in Pakistan's garbage piles due to preference for boys, charities say Two Pakistan-based charities have reported that hundreds of newborn babies have been found dead in garbage piles in Pakistan over the last year, with a majority of the dead infants being females due to a cultural preference for male children. According to the the Edhi Foundation and Chhipa Welfare organization, at least 345 babies have been found in garbage piles in Karachi between January 2017 and April 2018. Ninety-nine percent of the dead infants were identified as girls. "We have been dealing with such cases for years and there are a few such incidents which shook our souls as much. It left us wondering whether our society is heading back to primitive age," Anwar Kazmi, a senior manager in Edhi Foundation Karachi, told The News International. In 2017, 355 dead babies were found in garbage dumps across Pakistan, with at least 180 of the cases originating in Karachi, the nation's most populous city. Kazmi noted that many cases of infanticide in Pakistan stem from out of wedlock births. Baby girls born out of wedlock are sometimes killed in an effort to avoid stigma, while male infants are protected. The charity worker recounted an incident that occurred over a decade ago when an infant was stoned to death outside a mosque because a cleric believed that the baby was illegitimate. "A few people found a baby at the door step of a mosque in Karachi and they handed the baby over to the prayer leader. The cleric decried that this is an illegitimate baby therefore he should be stoned. Resultantly the baby was stoned to death. I tried to register a case against the cleric but nothing happened," Kazmi recalled, according to The News International. Infanticide is considered a criminal offense in Pakistan, but police say such cases are rarely reported to the authorities. A police official in Additional Inspector General (AIG) Karachi office noted that only one case has been registered with the Karachi Police last year. The official stressed that a proper investigation on such cases could only take place once a complaint has been filed. Shahid Mehmood, a spokesperson of Chhipa, noted that the charity provides proper burial for the dead infants found in garbage dumps. "The burial and other rituals cost us around Rs 2,000 per child. I wonder how poor can a person be that he/she cannot afford Rs 2000 to give a proper burial to their child," Mehmood said. In an effort to save some of the babies, Edhi foundation has installed baby cradles called "Jhoolas" in several Pakistani cities so that people can leave unwanted infants instead of killing them. However, the initiative has received little success as the foundation only received 14 unwanted children in 2017. Twelve out of the 14 infants were girls, while the remaining two were boys who were found to be physically unfit. Indian pastor found beheaded hours after being abducted by suspected Maoist rebels The beheaded body of a pastor was found in India's eastern Jharkhand state last week just hours after he was kidnapped by suspected Maoists. World Watch Monitor reported that residents of Kubasal village have identified a beheaded body on the shore of Surangi reservoir as that of Abraham Topno, a pastor of an Indian Pentecostal Church. The villagers last saw Topno traveling in a vehicle with a driver named Ranga Singh Munda. Police Inspector Gimal Kumar told World Watch Monitor that the rebels blindfolded Topno and Munda, and tied their hands before cutting the pastor's throat. "The masked men told Ranga Singh Munda to go away and that that they have no business with him. 'We only want him [the pastor],' they said, and asked Munda to run away," Kumar told World Watch Monitor. Topno's niece, Susari, said that the family was waiting for the pastor to come home from dinner when the driver informed them that he was abducted by armed men. The police inspector said that the driver has since been taken into custody. The pastor's wife, Hulda Topno, believes that her husband was killed because the rebels suspected that he was a police informer, UCA News reported. Kumar further stated that the pastor's vehicle was set on fire and found near the body. A note was reportedly found in Hindi language, saying "Death to police spy. Long live PLGA [People's Liberation Guerrilla Army]." "It appears that Maoists have targeted and murdered him simply based on the suspicion that he is an informer to the police," Inspector Kumar said, as reported by World Watch Monitor. "I know there's a church in Kubasal and am aware of the presence of Christians in the area, but never really interacted with any particularly because there was never a need," he added. Munda told Topno's nephew, Aman Christochit, that the abduction was carried out by more than 25 people dressed in military fatigues. Christochit noted that his uncle ran educational and social programs to help villagers and did not have enemies. Pastor Nuas Mundu, a close friend of Topno, noted that the deceased pastor had served in the area for almost 25 years. He said that the rebels had first attacked Topno back in 2016, when they also accused the pastor of being an informer. At the time, the rebels spared Topno's life when the pastor insisted that he was only there to share the Gospel, Mundu recounted. Indian state arrests two Pentecostal Christians over accusations of forced conversions Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested two men who were accused of conducting forced conversions. Rev. Gyan Singh and fellow Pentecostal Rambhajan were detained by the authorities in Dubolia last Thursday after several villagers were reportedly "instigated to falsely accuse them of forced conversions," Asia News reported. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) denounced the arrest, alleging that the accusers acted "on the basis of mere suspicion and got together to cause great confusion." The group said that the accused were visiting a village in Bugauliya Block, Basti district. The Pentecostal Christians were later taken to a police station and were accused of disturbing the peace, according to GCIC. Sajan K. George, the president of the group, said the accused were not disturbing the peace. "Villagers falsely accused them and caused a ruckus. This is why those innocent and vulnerable Christians were taken into custody," he argued. India's Constitution allows citizen belonging to any religion to "announce their faith without alluring or compelling anyone [else]. Yet the Pentecostals were quickly accused of forced conversions," he said according to Asia News. The authorities assured the GCIC on Friday that there would be no formal charges against the two Christians, and promised to release them later that afternoon. Anti-conversion laws are currently in effect in several other states in India, including Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand. A number of arrests have taken place in other states over accusations of forced conversions. In May 2017, 11 Christians were detained on two separate occasions while they were transporting 71 children to a Christian camp in Madhya Pradesh state. The latest state to pass an anti-conversion law called the "Freedom of Religion" bill was Uttarakhand. According to Morning Star News, the legislation was signed by Gov. Krishna Kant Paul on April 18. Christians have feared that such laws can be used to accuse them of engaging in forcible or fraudulent conversion. "This could be misused against minorities," Dr. Satish John, vice president of the Minority Commission of Uttarakhand, told Morning Star News. "We must safeguard ourselves by approaching the Minority Commission if discrepancy is noticed in any individual case. The commission is established to make sure that such laws are not abused," he added. The incidents of Christian persecution in India has prompted the charity Open Doors to rank India as the 11th most dangerous country to live as a Christian, up from 2017 when it was ranked at No. 15. Iowa governor signs bill banning abortions after detection of fetal heartbeat Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has approved legislation that bans abortions after the detection of the unborn baby's heartbeat. The Fetal Heartbeat Bill, signed by Reynolds on Friday, would require pregnant women seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound to determine if the unborn baby's heartbeat can be detected. "I believe that all innocent life is precious and sacred, and as governor, I pledged to do everything in my power to protect it. That is what I am doing today," Reynolds said in a statement. Experts have noted that the fetal heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks into pregnancy. According to Catholic News Agency, the new measure also prohibits the acquisition or transfer of fetal remains in the state, but the ban does not apply to medical diagnostic samples, forensic investigations or to fetal body parts donated for medical research following a miscarriage or stillbirth. The bill was passed by the Iowa House of Representatives by a vote of 51-46, and was approved by the Senate the next day by a vote of 27-19. The new law, which goes into effect on July 1 if it is not blocked by the courts, contains exceptions in cases of rape or incest, fetal abnormality and when the woman's life is at risk. Current law in Iowa prohibits abortions after 20 weeks into pregnancy. Planned Parenthood plans to challenge the new legislation in court. "It's shameful that when Planned Parenthood heard lawmakers were introducing legislation to ban abortion, we were outraged but we weren't surprised," Suzanna de Baca, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, according to USA Today. "But I think many of us still never expected that Governor Reynolds would so swiftly jump to sign a bill that is so clearly unconstitutional," she added. Reynolds has acknowledged that the new legislation will be challenged in court and is unlikely to take effect until it is upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. The governor, however, maintained that she will not back down, adding that her decision to sign it was "bigger than just a law." The Supreme Court has declined to hear similar cases in the past, but pro-life advocates have been increasingly optimistic as President Donald Trump appoints more conservative judges. Irish abortion referendum: Facebook to ban ads from outside the country over fears of undue influence Facebook is to ban ads relating to the Irish abortion referendum if they originate from outside the country. The move is in response to fears that North American groups will try to influence the results of the referendum, to be held on May 25. Ireland has some of Europe's most restrictive rules on abortion, which is illegal unless it is to save the life of a woman. However, moves to legalise terminations have been gaining traction, aided by the drastic decline in influence and popularity of the Catholic Church in the country as a result of revelations about longstanding abuse scandals. US-based anti-abortion groups have begun buying ads aimed at influencing Ireland to vote 'no' to changing the law. While foreign ads on social media are not illegal in Ireland, Facebook said it would begin rejecting ads from outside the country on Tuesday. It said in a statement: 'As part of our efforts to help protect the integrity of elections and referendums from undue influence, we will begin rejecting ads related to the referendum if they are being run by advertisers based outside of Ireland.' It said: 'We feel the spirit of this approach is also consistent with the Irish electoral law that prohibits campaigns from accepting foreign donations.' The statement said: 'We understand the sensitivity of this campaign and will be working hard to ensure neutrality at all stages. Our goal is simple: to help ensure a free, fair and transparent vote on this important issue.' Facebook has been under fire over its lack of transparency following the revelations that Cambridge Analytica harvested its data to inform Russian political advertising during the US presidential election. It has introduced a new tool in Ireland enabling users to see all the ads released by a particular advertiser, rather than just the ones aimed at them. They will be able to see which ads result from shares by friends or their wider network and which are from paid campaigning. Man, 76, finally meets daughter, who he had with a nun who sexually abused him when he was 12 A 76-year-old man has finally met his long-lost daughter whose mother was a former Catholic nun. Edward Hayes said that the nun repeatedly sexually abused him when he was serving as a 12-year-old altar boy and she eventually fell pregnant. Speaking with Express, Hayes shared that he and his daughter have been in contact everyday since their first meeting. Hayes has also introduced his daughter to his sons (her half-brothers) and he has met her children - his grandchildren. In the 1950s, Hayes lived at the John Reynolds Home, which the Franciscan Missionaries of St. Joseph managed. There, he said Sister Mary Conleth forced him to have sex with her and raped him until he was 14. Officials of the Franciscan Missionaries ordered Conleth to return to her home country of Ireland when she became pregnant. The nun, however, reportedly still attempted to find Hayes before she went home for good. Unsuccessful at her attempts to reconnect, Conleth eventually remarried, built a new life, and had four more children before her death in 2002. Meanwhile, Hayes revealed that he tried for many years to find out what happened to his child and even sought help from the Vatican. He says the Catholic Church, however, rejected his pleas. The dots started to connect when one of Conleth's other children discovered while investigating the family history that they had an older sister who was put up for adoption. It was, however, a bigger shock for them to learn that their mother had apparently raped a minor when Hayes' story of abuse became public in April and Conleth's children recognized their mother's name in Hayes' story when it appeared in the Express. "They are struggling to come to terms with being told their mother was a rapist," Hayes told Express. "I don't think they believe it, that she was capable of that." Hayes previously took action against the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph for what happened to him between the ages of 12 and 14, winning a lawsuit and 20,000 in compensation in 2016. Publishing his story also made it possible for Hayes and his daughter to finally meet for the first time. She, however, refused to have her name or her face revealed in the reports in respect to her half-siblings. "She feels guilty that, while we are very happy, they are going through an awful lot," Hayes said. Hayes said that he has forgiven Sister Conleth and even concluded that despite what happened, Conleth may have done what she did because she was in love with him as she listed his name on their daughter's birth certificate. Methodist bishops endorse proposal to allow individual pastors to decide on same-sex marriage The bishops of the United Methodist Church (UMC) have expressed support for a proposal to allow individual pastors to decide on issues related to homosexuality. In a news release the Council of Bishops recommended the One Church Plan, which aims to remove the prohibitions on same-sex marriage and homosexual clergy from the Book of Discipline, allowing local leaders to make their own decision on the issue. "With convicted humility, bishops want to be pastors and shepherds of the whole church in order to maximize the presence of a United Methodist witness in as many places in the world as possible and with as much contextual differentiation as possible," Kenneth Carter, the newly installed president of the Council of Bishops, stated in the release. "The Council's prayerful deliberation reflected the diversity of the global denomination on the matter of homosexuality and many other matters. The Council affirms the strength of this diversity and our commitment to maintain the unity of the church," he continued. The UMC's Book of Discipline holds that "the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching" and that "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" cannot be allowed to serve in the church. The release noted that the proposal includes protections for pastors and Conference that have moral and religious objections to same-sex marriage and ordination of homosexual clergy. The issue of homosexuality has sharply divided the UMC in recent years, resulting in a deadlock during the 2016 General Conference in Portland, Oregon. The stalemate prompted the bishops to launch a 32-member commission to make recommendations to address the issue at the General Conference. Many of the denomination's smaller jurisdictions have already made their own decisions on the issues of same-sex marriage and homosexual clergy. Last year, Karen Oliveto, a married lesbian woman, was appointed by the Mountain Sky Conference to serve as a bishop, making her the first openly homosexual bishop in the denomination. Some of UMC's pastors have been openly or secretly celebrating same-sex unions for more than 20 years. A number of clergy who have done so have been defrocked after being tried in church courts, according to Religion News Service. The One Church Plan is one of three proposals that was introduced by the commission to address the issue. The other proposals - Traditionalist Plan and the Connectional Conference Plan - will be included in a report that will be submitted to an upcoming special session for the General Conference. The council announced that it will release the full report revealing more details about the proposals for General Conference Delegates by July 8. New Zealand's Anglican Church to bless same-sex marriages New Zealand's Anglican Church will bless same-sex relationships after a landmark vote this morning. The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia stopped short of permitting gay marriages in church but will allow ministers to bless couples in same-sex civil marriages or civil unions. The motion, debated at the biannual synod in New Plymouth this week, means bishops can either allow or deny priests in their diocese permission to bless gay couples in committed relationships. The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia consists of three tikanga, or partners; Maori, Pasifika (Polynesian) and Pakeha (European). The issues has been debated among all three for almost 50 years. Wednesday's motion was strongly opposed by the Pasifika, or Polynesian, group which said the move would not be accepted in the Pacific islands. However they abstained from the vote and did not vote against it so as not to restrict their Tikanga Maori and Tikanga Pakeha partners. The motion easily passed. The Pasifika churches, along with other conservative churches, will opt out of the change with the motion designed to appease conservative opponents. Rather than forming official liturgy, and so part of the church's teaching, the blessings will not be written and instead will be given more informally, the motion said. This was designed to try and hold together the opposing sides, However the result prompted immediate resignations from two prominent conservatives. Rev Jay Behan, chair of the traditionalist Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans New Zealand group and member of the ruling synod, wrote to the three archbishops and other members to announce he would quit. 'The passing of this report finds us left behind and unable to move forward with you in good conscience as we seek to honour the Lord and love His people,' he said in a letter also signed by another conservative, Rev Al Drye. 'We leave with no anger or bitterness in our hearts and we wish you the best as you seek to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.' In a statement the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans New Zealand said: 'While we are thankful for the gracious spirit in which the debate was held, we disagree with the final outcome. We believe the General Synod has acted in a way which leaves behind biblical authority, the apostolic tradition, and the doctrine and practice our church has always held.' It added that it was ready to welcome other conservatives who opposed the decision. 'FCANZ believes that God loves all people, from all walks of life, calling each of us to repent and have faith in Jesus Christ. Sometimes speaking of this love involves saying difficult things that run counter to the culture of today. However we remain convinced that it is good for all humanity and the only place for the church to stand.' But Very Rev Ian Render, who is dean of Waiapu Cathedral and also gay and married, said in the debate: 'I'm standing to remind you of all the people we have lost along the way. The people who were candidates for ordination but who were turned down because of their relationships, or their declared sexuality. 'The people who have been left in limbo, for year, after year, after year. I would like, in this late stage of my stipended ministry life, to feel as though I and everyone else like me finally will have a place to stand in this church. 'Thank you for the graciousness that I have experienced in these past couple of days. Please give me, and others, a place to stand.' Paula White is taking care of Donald Trump's 'soul', her husband says Paula White, the prosperity gospel preacher charged as Donald Trump's chief spiritual adviser, is taking 'care of his soul' not his rhetoric, her husband has said. Rock and roll legend Jonathan Cain said his wife has been called by God to pastor Trump in Washington. 'Paula's in there doing the best she can do and taking care of his soul. Not his politics. Not his rhetoric. His soul,' Cain said in an interview with the Tennessean. 'If he leans on her for that, that's a good thing. That is a really good thing. She brings prayer into the White House. I think it's remarkable. I applaud her tenacity and it hasn't been easy watching her get yanked around by the swamp and yet she prevails. She'll overcome.' Cain married White after two previous marriages failed and praised her for her role in the White House. 'It's a calling. She's been called upon, I believe, good or bad. She's been called by the kingdom to serve. She is letting grace in the door in Washington and I've seen it, uttering the name of Jesus Christ on the mall of Washington. It's amazing,' he said. 'We have to understand that Paula's there to minister to the president and to pray over him. She's the one he trusts for prayer and she prays over him. And, she brings mighty men of God to pray. Who are we to say the president doesn't need prayer? 'That's what makes me crazy. Let's not judge. Why are we the ones throwing the stones? This is our president and with his faults, with his mistakes, with the things he says, he is our president. We are to honour the authority of our leaders. We are to honour those leaders. They've been chosen by God.' Earlier this year White attracted controversy after asking people to donate their January salary in order to receive blessings, or face divine consequences. In a video on her website, White, who heads up the president's evangelical advisory committee and is pastor at the megachurch New Destiny Christian Center, in Apopka, Florida, suggested making a New Year donation to her ministries. White said this was to honour the religious principle of 'first fruit,' which she said is the idea that all firsts belong to God, including the first harvest and the first month of people's salaries. 'Right now I want you to click on that button, and I want you to honour God with his first fruits offering,' she said in the video. 'If God doesn't divinely step in and intervene, I don't know what you're going to face he does,' she said. Released: Three American Christians held in North Korea return to US Three American Christians held in North Korea in recent years have been released and are currently flying back to the US with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump has announced. The US president confirmed the release of Kim Dong-chul, Kim Sang-duk and Kim Hak-song on Twitter, writing: 'I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set.' I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 A few minutes later, Trump added: 'Secretary Pompeo and his "guests" will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!' The news comes after CBN News last week cited sources inside the US Department of Defense as saying that the Christians were all moved from a labour camp early last month and are being given health care and resting. And it follows a second surprise visit to North Korea from Pompeo to finalise plans for a historic summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. The Secretary of State, who first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting US secretary of state to visit the country. He arrived in Pyongyang early today, but downplayed the chances of the prisoners being released, saying earlier today that 'there are many challenges along the way'. Trump previously tweeted about the Christians' potential release last week, saying: 'As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!' According to activists campaigning on the men's behalf, the move is a goodwill gesture ahead of the planned summit between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un this month or next. 'We heard it through our sources in North Korea late last month,' said Choi Sung-ryong, a leading activist, last week. 'We believe that Mr Trump can take them back on the day of the US-North Korea summit or he can send an envoy to take them back to the US before the summit.' Tony Kim, also known by his Korean name Kim Sang Duk, was arrested on April 22 last year, just before boarding a plane for a flight back to the US. 'My father had just finished his semester as a professor in North Korea when he was arrested at the airport,' said Kim's eldest son, Sol, in a YouTube video, posted several months ago. Kim was a professor at Pyongyang University for Science and Technology (PUST), the country's only privately-run academic institution, which is open about its Christian affiliation. PUST was founded in 2010 by a Korean American evangelical Christian with the goal of helping North Korea's future elite learn the skills to modernise the isolated country and engage with the outside world, according to Reuters. 'My mum, brother and I miss our dad so much,' Kim's son said in the video. Another Christian professor from PUST, Kim Hak Song, was also arrested a month later. Both men were arrested on suspicion of alleged 'hostile acts'. A third individual, a Korean-American missionary named Kim Dong Chul, was arrested in October 2015 and sentenced in March 2016 to 10 years of hard labour for subversion. Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, said earlier last week that releasing the three Americans would demonstrate North Korea's sincerity in the run-up to a historic summit. 'If North Korea releases the detained Americans before the North-US summit, it will be an opportunity to demonstrate their authenticity,' Bolton told Fox News. 'We are likewise fighting very diligently to get the three American citizens back,' Trump told a press conference last month with the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. 'I think there's a good chance of doing it. We're having very good dialogue,' he added. Pompeo reportedly raised the plight of the Christians when he secretly met with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un over the Easter weekend. Samsung Galaxy S10 release date, specs rumors 2018: To launch at CES 2019 & feature in-display fingerprint reader Only a few months after the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018, several reports have already surfaced regarding the South Korean tech giant's next flagship device. Dubbed as the Samsung Galaxy S10, it is believed to sport groundbreaking specs and features, given that the popular Galaxy S series will celebrate its tenth anniversary next year. For one, the Galaxy S10 is rumored to introduce an in-display fingerprint reader. As covered by CNET, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is reported to introduce a lot of new features that even Apple's iPhone X has yet to offer. The top of the list is the in-display fingerprint scanner technology, a feature that was initially expected to be included in the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Earlier reports suggested that the under-screen biometric reader will be present at the next-generation Note phablet this year, but it looks like the current state of technology is not yet ready for mass production. To note, the fascination with in-display fingerprint reader technology began at the Consumers Electronic Show (CES) 2018 last January, wherein Oppo introduced a breakthrough feature called Fingerprint On Display (FOD), which will allow the handset's screen to scan fingerprints. The South Korean online tech publication The Bell hints that Samsung has given the Galaxy S10 the codename "Beyond." Furthermore, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is expected to focus on full facial recognition technology as well, in spite of the hardware also having an in-display fingerprint reader. The latest leaks suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S10 will finally use a 3D front-facing sensor to accurately read the user's facial features. Still, Samsung has yet to comment regarding these rumored features. The Samsung Galaxy S10 was tipped to have an earlier launch date than its predecessors. This time around, the Galaxy S10 will be announced at the Consumers Electronic Show (CES) 2019, to be held in January. The reason for the earlier announcement is due to Samsung's other top-tier gizmo, the foldable Galaxy X handset, which is rumored to arrive at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in Barcelona. Samsung Galaxy X release date, specs latest news: Foldable handset expected at MWC 2019 Samsung has previously confirmed its plan to launch its first-ever foldable handset, initially dubbed as the Galaxy X. The South Korean tech giant did not specify an exact release date for the device, although the rumors are rife that Samsung will unveil the Galaxy X sometime in 2018. Unfortunately, the public may have to wait until the Mobile World Congress (MWC) next year where it is rumored to be unveiled. As reported by Value Walk, the Samsung Galaxy X is unlikely to make an appearance this year. There is a lot of reason for the supposed delay of the Galaxy X, but it is believed that Samsung has yet to develop a technology that will incorporate truly bendable OLED touchscreen panels to its upcoming handset. Instead, the company is expected to take a little more time to prepare its big offering. It is rumored that Samsung will use the MWC 2019 event to introduce the Galaxy X handset to the world. The said tech expo will be held from February 25 to 28 in Barcelona, Spain next year. The MWC stage is no stranger to giant Samsung hardware launch, but next year could be more exciting as the company will present a unique and flexible handset. However, it is also possible that Samsung will choose to launch the Galaxy X a few days before the main MWC event, just like this year with the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphones. The South Korean tech publication The Bell was the first to get a scoop regarding Samsung's 2019 gizmos. Aside from the Samsung Galaxy X, it was also tipped that the company is set to launch the Galaxy S10 smartphone early next year, or almost exactly a year after the launch of the Galaxy S9. This time around, the Samsung Galaxy S10 will be announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019. Usually, Samsung takes its mid-range A series smartphones to the CES stage every year. The only reigning Hebrew queen: The wicked life and violent death of Athaliah The people of Israel and Judah were not really fond of their queens, judging by the stories about them. Most of them are nameless, with all the attention given to the reigning kings. Bathsheba is a rather passive figure. Jezebel of Israel is a wicked idolater who had a man killed for the sake of a bit of land. She is a feisty figure, though; when she heard Jehu was coming to kill her she painted her face, arranged her hair and roundly abused him from the window (2 Kings 9: 30-31). With all her faults, she was courageous. There was only one woman who reigned over one of the Hebrew kingdoms in her own name: Athaliah. Her story is told in 2 Kings 11. She was probably the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, or possibly Ahab's sister. She had been married to King Jehoram of Judah to try to build peace between Israel and Judah. Her son Ahaziah had been killed by Jehu (2 Kings 9:27), whereupon she seized power for herself in the most brutal way. She had all the royal family, including her own grandchildren, murdered, and ruled the land herself. Unknown to her, though, Ahaziah's sister Jehosheba rescued one of the little princes and hid him in the temple with his nurse. Joash remained hidden for six years. After six years of Athaliah's rule, however, the people had had enough. A dramatic coup was led by Jehoiada the priest (Jehosheba's husband). He revealed Joash's existence to trusted army officers, and armed them with the trophy weapons from the temple that David had placed there. He crowned Joash and presented him with a copy of the 'covenant' either the 10 Commandments or the whole of the Books of Moses and the people acclaimed him as king. Athaliah was seized and put to death, the temple of Baal was destroyed and the priest of Baal was killed too. It's a violent story, but one of action and adventure. Jehosheba and Jehoiada ran huge risks in hiding Joash. Jehoiada's palace coup could have cost them all their lives if it had gone wrong. But he read the signs of the times correctly: the people wanted their king, not their murderous queen. It's not a story that's preached on very much. Perhaps preachers might struggle to think of what to say. But Athaliah's attack was on the House of David, and Joash was to be an ancestor of Jesus. In the providence of God and through the bravery and foresight of his servants, Joash's life was preserved. For all those years, faithful believers had to wait and serve an unworthy monarch in the hope of better days, trying to maintain their integrity at a time when it was very hard to be faithful. At the right time, God brought about a change: 'The king then took his place on the royal throne, and all the people of the land rejoiced' (verses 20-21). Trump and the Iran deal: Can chaos diplomacy succeed where reason failed? There's a classic story by Robert Sheckley that's stayed with me for some reason. Fool's Mate appeared in Astounding Science Fiction in March 1953. Here's the pitch (SPOILER ALERT): two mighty space armadas have faced off against each other for nearly a year, without coming to an all-out engagement. But the officers aboard Earth's fleet are cracking up, going slowly insane because they know they're going to be blasted out of existence. In the battle to come, every move the fleets make is pre-ordained by ultra-logical computer systems and a tiny flaw in their take-off formation means Earth's ships are predestined to be destroyed. The stalemate is broken by some smart lateral thinking, when one of the gunnery officers who's been driven mad by the uncertainty is given the chance to press some pretty buttons entirely at random. The enemy computers can't find a pattern and don't know how to respond, and Earth is victorious. Actually, I know exactly why I've been thinking of that story. Forget about the dodgy understanding of mental illness (it was written 65 years ago, after all). It's about the disruptive effect of someone who is completely unfettered by logic, who has no regard for consequences, who operates according to a purely internal system of reasoning that's entirely disconnected from reality and who has enormous power at his fingertips. Yes: Donald Trump has withdrawn from the Iran deal against the advice of the military, his own diplomats, the nations of Europe, his allies in the Middle East (Israel excepted) and pretty much everyone. The disruption to the world order has been seismic. Not the least damage is to the idea that the US is trustworthy: Iran complied with the terms of the deal and America tore it up anyway. The world is suddenly far, far less safe, and the madman's still locked in the control room pushing buttons. That's what it looks like, anyway. But there's another point of view. The cool logic of trained negotiators may have stopped Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. But it has not stopped millions of deaths in the Middle East, in Yemen, Syria and Iraq and many of them can be laid right at Iran's door. The fact that it's not a nuclear power doesn't mean it's 'good' on the contrary. The wretched hestitancy and ineffectual posturing of the US and Britain in Syria under Obama and Cameron led to nothing but more bloodshed and another win for Iran. The civil war in Yemen, which has caused unimaginable hardship for civilians, is of Iran's making: it has armed the Houthi rebels against the legitimate government in pursuance of its quest for regional domination. It funds Hezbollah in Lebanon. Does this mean Trump was right to tear up the deal? No it's just another point of view, illustrating the enormous complexity of the issue and warning armchair strategists that they should be wary of opining too positively on things about which they may not have full information. But the point of our story is this: none of the computers' tactical calculations made sense when the random element was introduced, and that's what Trump is doing. He is entirely unpredictable and unmanageable and it's just possible that his chaos diplomacy might break apart an international consensus that has so far remained utterly indifferent to the deaths of millions. We may already have seen one possible result of this approach. It might be Trump's childish aggression towards Kim Jong Un, when he appeared in all seriousness to threaten a nuclear strike on North Korea, that helped drive Kim to the negotiating table: Kim couldn't be sure that Trump wouldn't do it. Might his virulent hostility to Iran have the same effect? We don't know and that's the point. The thought of someone with as little talent for governing as Trump handed such a position of influence in world affairs is deeply troubling. But that's what we've got and we have to hope and pray that since the logical and reasoned approach of the professionals has delivered nothing but horror, chaos diplomacy might actually work. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Welby will swap Royal wedding celebrations for youth evangelism event The archbishop of Canterbury will exchange Royal wedding celebrations for a youth evangelism event next week as hundreds of thousands of Christians mark 11 days of prayer around the world. Justin Welby will officiate at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding on May 19 and is a guest at the lunchtime reception hosted by the Queen in St George's Hall afterwards. But while the nation parties into the night, and a select number of the couple's closest friends and family are invited to an after-party hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House, the archbishop will head straight off to preach at a youth evangelism event an hour away in St Albans. The gathering is part of Thy Kingdom Come, a prayer and evangelism initiative that has swept around the world since it was launched two years ago by Welby and John Sentamu, the archbishop of York. Now in its third year and involving hundreds of thousands of Christians in more than 85 countries around the world, Thy Kingdom Come has spread to all the major Christian denominations. From Fiji to Finland Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Catholics and Pentecostals will join the initiative which has become a major feature in Welby's annual programme. Neither Lambeth Palace nor Kensington Palace would comment as to whether the archbishop had received one of the 200 invites to the royal wedding evening party. It would not be a surprise given the close relationship he has built with the couple. But such is Welby's focus on Thy Kingdom Come, it is questionable whether he would have turned down preaching in order to attend the exclusive celebration. 'I cannot remember in my life anything that I've been involved in where I have sensed so clearly the work of the Spirit,' Welby has said of the initiative. This year thousands of churches around the world are hosting prayer and evangelism events in the 11 days between Ascension and Pentecost the Anglican festivals marking Jesus' departure for heaven after his resurrection and the arrival of the holy spirit on his disciples. Although Thy Kingdom Come was started by Welby, it has received backing from the Catholic head in the UK, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Methodist head Gareth Powell and the Coptic head, Bishop Angaelos. Cardinal Nichols said: 'We do this, with a deep realisation that our world is not right. But we do it with a profound hope, profound trust in the promises of Jesus, that His Kingdom will come and in that trust and hope we pray.' Powell said: 'Methodist participation in the Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative enables us to be very clear about our desire to see the reign of God's love in the world today. Between 10-20 May 2018, we have a remarkable opportunity to remind ourselves, that we take place with all God's people, in sharing in the heartfelt prayer "Thy Kingdom Come".' Bishop Angaelos said: 'This initiative Thy Kingdom Come is something I am so blessed to have been part of for two years and it is really a time for us to stand together and pray together to put into words, into chant, into hymns - into whatever means we desire - our petitions before God - for ourselves, for our churches, for our communities and our world.' Young newlywed becomes 8th Egyptian Coptic Christian woman to go missing since April A young Coptic Christian woman who had been married for two weeks has been missing since disappearing from her school on May 2, sparking fears that she may have been kidnapped. The woman's disappearance brings to eight the number of Coptic women in Egypt who have gone missing since April this year, according to research by World Watch Monitor (WWM). Vivian Adel Youssef, 18, from the village of Dafsh in Minya Governorate, married her cousin Hanna Emad on April 19 and moved to his village in Minya. The husband told WWM they had been engaged for two years. On May 2, Emad drove Vivian to her secondary school (for 16-18 year-old students) in the city of Samalout, so that she could prepare for a forthcoming exam, while Emad left to go shopping and arranged to pick her up later. He said: 'After I finished my shopping, I called Vivian and asked her to wait for me in front of the school. When I reached the school, I didn't find her there. Her mobile phone was switched off. I searched for her everywhere in her school, in the nearby streets, in the hospitals of Samalout but I didn't find her. I checked with her relatives and friends but none of them saw her that day' The following day on May 3, Emad filed a report on his wife's disappearance at Samalout police station, but according to WWM he has not received any information about her so far. In Egypt, a person cannot be reported missing unless that person's whereabouts have been unknown for more than 24 hours. The incident follows a number of similar disappearances, sending fear through Egypt's Christian minority communities, according to WWM. 'We love each other very much,' Emad told WWM. 'On the day of our wedding all of us were very happy. After our marriage we spent a very happy time two weeks.' He said that he did not believe that Vivian would have run away. 'There wasn't any dispute between us. I'm sure that Vivian was kidnapped,' he said. 'She is very religious and has a very strong relationship with God, and she loves me very much,' he added. The priest of Mar Girgis Coptic Orthodox church in Vivian's village, Fr Basilious Younan, backed up the husband's account. 'Vivian was one of the good members of our church,' he said. 'She told me before that she loved her fiance Hanna very much, and said good things about him and [said] that she was very happy that she would marry him,' Younan told WWM. Hthe priest added that he had visited Youssef in her new home after the wedding, and said she appeared happy with her husband. In a separate incident, a 16-year-old Coptic Christian girl, Mirna Malak Shenouda, reported that she had been kidnapped by two women and a man in Aswan, Upper Egypt, but managed to escape, her father Malak Shenouda told WWM. He said his daughter headed off in the direction of Anba Shenouda Coptic Orthodox church on May 4, and when she did not return an hour later as expected, the family started calling her, but calls to her mobile phone did not connect. According to WWM, priests and young people told Shenouda that Mirna had not been there on that day. Mirna later told her family that two women and a man on an auto-rickshaw sprayed strong anaesthetics on her face while she was on her way to the church. After kidnapping her, they took the train to Cairo. When Mina awoke on the train, she pretended to be unconscious. When the train stopped at the nearest station, she swiftly got off the train and left her kidnappers behind. Because her phone had been taken, Mirna rang her family from someone else's phone to inform them where she was, and they came to pick her up. Bishop Anba Hedra of the Cathedral of Archangel Michael in Aswan telephoned the family to congratulate them on Mirna's safe return, and invited them to the Cathedral to celebrate. Below is a list provided by World Watch Monitor of other young women to have gone missing since April 2018. 23 April Mirna Emil Yousef, 20, from Kafr Samari village, Sharkia Governorate, went to Zagazig University for an exam and did not return home. Her family accuses one of Mirna's Muslim classmates of kidnapping her. 15 April Briskam Raafat Mikhail Maher, a secondary school pupil from Hejaza Kebly village, Qena Governorate, has allegedly been kidnapped by a Muslim man who had purportedly taken part in the kidnapping of her mother 10years before, her family said. 10 April Meray Girgis Sobhi, a second-year student of Sohag University took a tuc-tuc from in front of her house in Tahta, Sohag Governorate. She was supposed to go to university, then visit a private tutor and return home, but never did, her father told World Watch Monitor. 8 April Rasha Khalaf Thabet Aziz, a secondary-school pupil from Ezbet Hafez village in Beni Suef Governorate was returning home from a visit to her grandmother on the Orthodox Easter Day, when she was kidnapped. An eyewitness told her family that three masked men had pushed the girl inside their car with force and fled. 8 April Hoda Atef Ghali Girgis, 18, from Imbaba, Giza Governorate, went to St. Mary and St. Michael's Coptic Orthodox Church for an Easter party. Following the party, she took a tuc-tuc from in front of the church to return home but never did, her father, Atef Ghali Girgis, told World Watch Monitor. 7 April Christine Lamie, 26, disappeared after being threatened on Facebook by someone she didn't know. Lamie, a mother-of-two from Qalyubia Governorate in north-eastern Egypt, had gone to work at the Civil Status Authority in Banha but never returned, according to her husband, Bahaa Girgis. 5 April Mary Adly Milad, 40, a mother-of three from Al-Borgaiya village in Minya Governorate took a taxi to return home from work at a private clinic in the city of Minya. She did not return and her mobile phone was switched off, her family said. The Rockefellers and their American Art masterpieces Peggy and David Rockefeller's virtually encyclopaedic collection of 20th-century American Art spanned from Hopper to Porter, OKeeffe to de Kooning. Christies Elizabeth Beaman and Sara Friedlander pick out a few of their personal favourites American art is really defined for me as something that could have only been made by an American artist, and that has a really distinctive national flavour, says Elizabeth Beaman, Senior Vice President and Senior Director in Christies American Art department. The specialist describes the collection of American art assembled by Peggy and David Rockefeller as virtually encyclopaedic. After Abby Aldrich Rockefeller passed away in 1948, her son David was invited to take her seat on the board of trustees at MoMA, the museum she had co-founded. MoMAs inaugural director was a fresh-faced 27-year-old Harvard graduate named Alfred H. Barr, Jr., whom Abby had come to look upon almost as a son. It was Barr who guided David and Peggy down a path that led from 18th-century portraits to American 20th-century modern art, and to acquiring masterpieces by artists including Georgia O'Keeffe, Edward Hopper, Arthur Davies, Charles Sheeler, Willem de Kooning and Fairfield Porter. The Schooner II [above] is really one of the most magnificent Fairfield Porters Ive ever had the privilege of seeing, says Beaman of a work in which the artist can be seen delighting in the painterly surface. This view of Barred Island on Maines coast was loved both by the artist and Peggy and David, who spent most summers at Ringing Point, their home on nearby Mount Desert Island. The Porters owned a house on Great Spruce Head Island in Penobscot Bay, which David often sailed past. The Schooner II was bought in 1965 and was eventually hung in the guest room of Peggy and Davids Maine house, then their New York house, where it was greatly enjoyed by visitors. The American modernist works in the collection are really very landscape-focused, remarks Sara Friedlander, International Director and Specialist Head of Department, Post-War and Contemporary Art, turning to Georgia OKeeffes New Mexico Near Taos, painted in 1929. [O'Keeffe] was actually painting these mostly from a car window, explains Beaman. The sensation we get in front of the painting is that were almost on top of the mountain. And those undulating forms are anthropomorphised. Peggy and David Rockefeller acquired the painting at auction in 1973, later revealing that they had been drawn to it because it reminded them of the hills to the north of Sante Fe, where Georgia OKeeffe lived in the last years of her life, and where Peggy and David had visited numerous friends. New York painter Milton Avery was one of the artists Peggy and David collected in depth. Figurative work from the 1940s is really considered to be Avery at the height of his career, says Beaman, pointing out the artists playful incorporation of his own work in the background of 1947s Woman with Rebozo (above). Avery, who was regarded as Americas answer to the European Fauvists, was greatly inspired by the bold style of Henri Matisse. With Avery, says Friedlander, you have these amazing moments of colour, moving towards figuration, towards pure abstraction, which feels like a theme throughout the collection. For the better part of the last century, three law firms - Kirkland & Ellis, Sidley Austin and Winston & Strawn - waged a bitter war to dominate the Chicago corporate legal community. For the past few years, those three Chicago law firms are now battling on two new battlegrounds: Houston and Dallas. Kirkland, Sidley and Winston have spent a lake full of money to aggressively recruit and hire some of the best lawyers in Dallas and Houston away from legacy Texas law firms. War chests were opened. Firm leaders were given nearly unlimited budgets. Multimillion-dollar, multi-year guarantees were offered and big name lawyers jumped. The big investment in Texas seems to be paying off. The trio of firms are three of the fastest growing and most profitable law firms operating in the state. Kirkland and Sidley now top the rankings of firms representing Texas companies involved in mergers and acquisitions. Winston has become a market leader in complex commercial litigation. The firms have top of the market talent for private equity and corporate internal investigations. RELATED: Texas companies paid record legal fees in 2017 Prior to March 2011, Kirkland and Winston had no offices in Texas at all and Sidley had a small outpost in Dallas. Seven years later, the trio has more than 350 lawyers in the Lone Star State and generated an estimated $423 million in combined revenues - more than double what it was just two years ago. It is a definite understatement to say that theres an intense competition between these three firms, said Kent Zimmerman, a Chicago-based legal industry consultant at Zeughauser Group. Now, they are duking it out in Texas. The huge investment that the three firms have made in Texas is quite impressive, Zimmerman said. More Information Here is the time-line for the three Chicago law firms in Texas. 1996: Sidley opened an office in Dallas. That same year, Winston litigation chief Dan Webb represented Phillip Morris in the State of Texas' Medicaid lawsuit against the tobacco companies. 2010: BP hired Kirkland to represent the oil giant in landmark litigation involving the Deepwater Horizon explosion. The Texas firms were conflicted out of advising BP. 2011: Winston opened an office in Houston with lawyers from Howry. 2012: Sidley opened a Houston office by hiring a group of energy transactional partners from different law firms, including Vinson & Elkins and Akin Gump. 2012: Energy Future Holdings, the largest power company in Texas at the time, hired Kirkland to be its lead legal advisor in helping it through bankruptcy and a major corporate restructuring. 2013: Eight equity partners from Weil, Gotshal & Manges, including Yvette Ostolaza, Angela Zambrano and Gil Friedlander, jumped to Sidley in Dallas. 2013: Several partners from Weil's Houston office, including bankruptcy litigation practice co-chair Melanie Gray, restructuring partner Lydia Protopapas and litigation partner John Strasburger, joined Winston in Houston. 2014: Kirkland opened its Houston office by hiring Simpson Thacher corporate M&A partner Andy Calder to lead its Texas operation. See More Collapse Even lawyers for the firms in Texas recognize the century-old battle. Oh yeah, it can feel personal and fierce at times between the three firms, said John Keville, managing partner of the Houston office of Winston & Strawn. These are firms who view the competition as a push to success. The numbers for all three Chicago firms are impressive. Winston entered the Houston market in 2011 and it opened a Dallas office in 2017. The firms attorney head count jumped from 42 in 2016 to 101 last year. The legal work and money followed. Revenues per lawyer spiked, too. Winstons revenue went from $34 million in 2016 to $116.5 million last year - a 216.6 percent increase. We were really busy in 2017 and the firm was helped with some contingency fee results, Keville said. The firm is focused on growth and we are actively seeking laterals who fit within our needs. Sidley has quadrupled its headcount and revenues since 2012. The firms revenues from its Texas operations hit $120 million in 2017. RELATED: One of Texas' oldest law firms merging into multi-state powerhouse Sidley jumped from 14th in 2016 on The Texas Lawbooks Corporate Deal Tracker, which tracks mergers and acquisitions involving Texas lawyers, to second in 2017. The firms Texas lawyers worked on 89 corporate transactions last year valued at a combined $26.7 billion. Cliff Vrielink, managing partner of Sidleys Houston operation, said the firm continues to aggressively expand its corporate M&A and capital markets practices. We feel that we have built an extraordinary, top-of-the-market team that can handle even the most complex and largest transactions, Vrielink said. We are still actively looking to grow, but we will only grow where we think it makes sense for us, the lawyers and our clients. No law firm went from zero to 100 as fast as Kirkland in Houston. Kirkland opened its Houston office in April 2014 by luring Andy Calder, an aggressive M&A partner at Simpson Thacher, to lead its efforts in Texas. Calder told The Texas Lawbook in 2017 that firm leaders gave him essentially unlimited resources to build a world-class legal operation in Houston. Texas Lawbook research of firm revenues shows that Kirklands Houston lawyers went from $64 million in revenues in 2015, which was its first full year operating in Texas, to $141 million in 2016 and then $187 million in 2017 - a 191.6 percent increase over the three years. Kirkland has grown from 45 Texas lawyers in 2015 to 118 last year - a 162 percent jump. The firm reportedly has 140 lawyers now and is expected to add 27 first-year associates this fall. With revenues per lawyer approaching $1.6 million, The Texas Lawbook projects that Kirklands revenues from its Texas-based lawyers alone could reach $265 million in 2019, which would make it the fourth largest law firm operating in Texas by revenues. Calder, in an interview earlier this year with Texas Lawbook M&A writer Claire Poole, said Kirkland will continue to opportunistically hire the best talent during the year ahead. Theres no upper limit on how big we can get or requirement that we have to get to a certain size, Calder said. We have all the departments we want - M&A, capital markets, debt finance, environmental, litigation and tax. We want to continue to expand the scale and improve the quality. We have more incoming calls than outgoing, he said. If we see someone who is a great addition to our team, were not going to turn them away. Kirklands success is easily measured in the Mergermarket M&A rankings for 2017 and the first quarter of 2018. Kirkland represented 82 Texas-based companies in 2017 with a combined value of $83 billion. That is 20 percent more transactions than second place V&E. Mergermarket also ranked Kirkland No. 1 in representing Texas-based companies during the first three months of this year with 16 deals with a total price tag of $5.5 billion. The three firms promise that the competition between them is only going to increase in Texas. Twenty-five years ago, Chicago-style pizza invaded Texas, said Tom Melsheimer, who is the managing partner of the Dallas office of Winston & Strawn. Now, it is Chicago-style law. For a longer version of this article, please visit TexasLawbook.net. No good has ever come from being contacted by a telemarketer. Unless, that is, you were hassled by one representing Dish Network several years ago. Back in 2014, one disgruntled recipient of such calls, Thomas Krakauer, sued the company for illegally calling his phone number, despite it being on the National Do Not Call Registry. Krakauer's lawsuit was successful, and it resulted in a federal judge ruling that the company violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. United Airlines is testing a new feature that provides more detailed alerts to delayed travelers as Houston's rainy summer season approaches. Instead of simply telling customers their plane is delayed due to weather, United is beta testing mobile alerts that provide fuller descriptions on how the weather is affecting their flight. The program is called Every Flight Has a Story, and it will send alerts about delays over 1 hour via text, email and the airline's mobile app. "We wanted to be able to give the customers as much information as possible, be as transparent as possible, because we respect their time," said Mike Erbeck, who oversees United's traffic in and out of Bush Intercontinental Airport. If travelers get additional details, he said, they can decide whether they want to wait it out, take a different flight or cancel a business meeting. Every Flight Has a Story is being tested in Houston and Chicago, and it also provides information on flights that are delayed for other reasons, such as maintenance. RELATED: United to start daily Houston-Havana flight on July 20 This is just one factor into how United prepares for and handles thunderstorms, Erbeck said. It all begins by looking at the forecast five days out. Three days out his team starts making plans, and they execute those plans 24 hours ahead of the flight. Such plans include notifying customers about potential delays and contacting airports where flights might be diverted to ensure they have enough staff and equipment. Erbeck and his team also coordinate with air traffic control, providing information so the controllers can start modeling how much traffic will need to go through the airspace once it reopens. After air traffic control makes its arrangements, United goes to its network operations in Chicago to determine the best way to route planes so that people who've missed connecting flights don't miss their rescheduled flights. "You can't control the weather," Erbeck said, "but you always try to control what you can." That's why planes headed to destinations with bad weather are given extra fuel as a precaution, providing pilots the option of circling a few times or taking a different route to avoid the storm if needed. Ground stops are called when the storm is directly on top of the airport, which isn't as common as slowing or rerouting planes. Today is Thursday, May 10, the 130th day of 2018. There are 235 days left in the year. Todays Highlights in History: On May 10, 1968, the Night of the Barricades began in Paris Latin Quarter as tens of thousands of student protesters erected obstacles against riot police; in the pre-dawn hours of May 11, the police moved in, resulting in violent clashes that left hundreds of people injured. Preliminary peace talks between the United States and North Vietnam began in the French capital. On this date: 1611: Sir Thomas Dale arrived in the Virginia Colony, where, as deputy governor, he instituted harsh measures to restore order. 1775: Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys, along with Col. Benedict Arnold, captured the British-held fortress at Ticonderoga, N.Y. 1818: American patriot Paul Revere, 83, died in Boston. 1865: Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured by Union forces in Irwinville, Ga. 1869: A golden spike was driven in Promontory, Utah, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. 1924: J. Edgar Hoover was named acting director of the Bureau of Investigation (later known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI). 1933: The Nazis staged massive public book burnings in Germany. 1940: During World War II, German forces began invading the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium and France. The same day, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigned, and Winston Churchill formed a new government. 1960: The nuclear-powered submarine USS Triton completed its submerged navigation of the globe. 1978: Buckingham Palace announced that Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon were divorcing after 18 years of marriage. 1984: The International Court of Justice said the United States should halt any actions to blockade Nicaraguas ports (the U.S. had already said it would not recognize World Court jurisdiction on this issue). 1994: Nelson Mandela took the oath of office in Pretoria to become South Africas first black president. The state of Illinois executed serial killer John Wayne Gacy, 52, for the murders of 33 young men and boys. 2008: Presidential candidate Barack Obama erased Hillary Rodham Clintons once-imposing lead among Democratic superdelegates as he added endorsements from Utah, Ohio, Arizona and the Virgin Islands. A tornado in Picher, Okla., killed eight people. Jenna Bush married Henry Hager, the son of a Virginia Republican party official, at the Bush family ranch in Crawford. 2013: The Internal Revenue Service apologized for what it acknowledged was inappropriate targeting of conservative political groups during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status. U.S government scientists said worldwide levels of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas blamed for global warming, had hit a milestone, reaching an amount never before encountered by humans. 2017: All but ignoring the unfurling drama over Russia and the U.S. election, President Donald Trump sought to advance prospects for cooperation between the former Cold War foes in Syria and elsewhere in a rare Oval Office meeting with Vladimir Putins top diplomat, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Menninger Clinic board of directors chair, Jeff Paine, opened this year's luncheon program. Paine shared that his involvement with Menninger largely is a result of a schizophrenic brother and the lack of care available for him. The clinic provides real healing, tools and coping mechanisms to those suffering with complex mental illness, including addiction, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, mood and personality disorders. Later, the Hamill Foundation was recognized for their philanthropic efforts. Tony Gaglio, president of Menninger, presented the Hamill Foundations' Tom Brown with the honor. "Sometimes, no matter what the family does, the disease wins," Gaglio bemoaned. Debi Strong, a former patient, told her story of recovery. Afterwards, keynote speaker and actor Sean Astin joined emcee Deborah Duncan onstage in big comfy armchairs; their talk was really more of a conversation, providing a casual but real glimpse into Astin's upbringing. Astin's mother Patty Duke, who famously portrayed Helen Keller in "The Miracle Worker," suffered from bipolar disorder. Sharing the family's perspective, he described the fears and anxiety that came from living with a person saddled with mental illness. One of the best stories Astin shared was his first acting experience. His mother had been offered the part of the mother in an after-school special titled "Mom, please don't hit me." Duke was to play the mother and Astin the son. They shared a scene where Duke was "play beating" Astin as actors. Astin giggled through the scene several times, because the part was eerily similar to his real life. On a more serious note, Sean added that it felt to him like acting it out was his mother's way of acknowledging her illness to her son. Acknowledging Gaglio's earlier comment, Astin closed with, "Yes, sometimes the disease wins, but sometimes we win." It seems America is finally out of the throes of winter and it's full-on spring. Unfortunately, the warm weather is also a sign that rude tourists may be descending upon your city. While it can costs hundreds - sometimes thousands - of dollars to travel and pay for lodging, it costs nothing to be a good guest wherever you're traveling to. 1940 Air Terminal Museum History of aviation and a daily air show. 8325 Travelair, 713-454-1940; 1940airterminal.org. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. $5 adults; $2 children. SE American Cowboy Museum Art, history and culture that shaped the development of the American West. 11822 Almeda, 713-478-9677; americancowboymuseum.org. Open to visitors by appointment. $10 adults; $9 children. SE Art Car Museum A Houston classic merging cars and modern art. 140 Heights, 713-861-5526; artcarmuseum.com. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Free. Inner Loop Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens MFAH house museum for American decorative arts, paintings and furniture. 6003 Memorial, 713-639-7750; mfah.org. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. $12.50 adults; $11 students and seniors; $6.25 children ages 10-18. Inner Loop Blaffer Art Museum Contemporary art on University of Houston campus. June 1-Aug. 11, "Immortality for All: A Film Trilogy on Russian Cosmism" and "The Future Is Certain: It's the Past Which Is Unpredictable." 4173 Elgin, 713-743-9521; blafferartmuseum.org. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Free. Inner Loop Brazosport Museum of Natural Science Fossils, mammoth bones, a seashell collection and an interactive children's area. 400 College, Clute, 979-265-7831; bcfas.org/museum2014. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 2-5 p.m. Sun. Free. SE Buffalo Soldiers National Museum Exhibits, workshops, re-enactments and research dedicated to African-American soldiers. 3816 Caroline, 713-942-8920; buffalosoldiermuseum.com. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. $10; $5 seniors and students; 5 and under free. Inner Loop Children's Museum Exhibits emphasize hands-on learning. 1500 Binz, 713-522-1138; cmhouston.org. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs., noon-6 p.m. Sun. $12; $11 seniors. Inner Loop Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Cutting-edge international, national and regional art. Through Aug. 5, "Right Here, Right Now: San Antonio." Through Aug. 25, "Cary Leibowitz: Museum Show." 5216 Montrose, 713-284-8250; camh.org. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tues.-Wed. and Fri., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., noon-6 p.m. Sun., closed Mon. Free. Inner Loop Dunham Bible Museum Exhibits of ancient and medieval manuscripts, examples of the earliest printed Bibles, and displays of the earliest English and American Bibles tell the story of the Bible's preservation, history, transmission and influence. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Special tours by appointment. In the Morris Cultural Arts Center on the campus of Houston Baptist University. 7502 Fondren, 281-649-3287; hbu.edu/biblemuseum. Free. SW George Bush Presidential Library and Museum Exhibits explore George H.W. Bush's life and presidency. Through Jan. 6, "Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion," the genius of Leonardo Da Vinci through over 30 machines based on his visionary designs. Through Jan. 2, "Mapping Texas: From Frontier to the Lone Star State," traces the cartographic history of Texas from the 16th to the 19th century, through 26 reproduction maps split into seven different subjects. 1000 George Bush Drive W., College Station, 979-691-4000; bush41.org. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Adults $9; seniors and retired military $7; youth (6-17) and college students $3. NW The Health Museum Exhibits explore the body and mind, with interactive videos, a 4-D theater and healthy eating classes. 1515 Hermann, 713-521-1515; thehealthmuseum.org. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Wed. and Fri.-Sat., 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thurs., noon-5 p.m. Sun. $10 adults; $8 ages 3-12 and seniors; 2 and under free. Inner Loop Holocaust Museum Houston Chronicles the role hatred, bigotry and bias played during the Holocaust. Not recommended for children younger than 10. 9220 Kirby, 713-942-8000; hmh.org. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. $12; $8 seniors. Inner Loop Houston Fire Museum Explores the history of Houston's fire department. 2403 Milam, 713-524-2526; houstonfiremuseum.org. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat. $5 adults; $4 seniors; $3 children. Inner Loop Houston Maritime Museum Eight galleries covering maritime history. 2204 Dorrington, 713-666-1910; houstonmaritime.org. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. $5; $3 children 3-12; free 2 and younger. SE Houston Museum of African American Culture Art exhibits, film screenings and educational programs. 4807 Caroline, 713-526-1015; hmaac.org. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sat. and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs. Inner Loop Houston Museum of Natural Science Exhibits of dinosaurs, amber gems and rare fossils, Burke Baker Planetarium, IMAX and more. Current exhibitions through September: "Death by Natural Causes," "Message in a Bottle," "Tourmaline Treasures" "The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes." 5555 Hermann Park Drive, 713-639-4629; hmns.org. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sun. $25 adults; $15 children, seniors and college students; free 2-5 p.m. Thurs. Inner Loop Lone Star Flight Museum Aviation museum and STEM learning center with a mission to preserve, educate and inspire. The new $38 million facility at Ellington Airport includes Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, historic aircraft and dynamic hands-on exhibits. 11551 Aerospace Ave., 346-708-2517; lonestarflight.org. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun.; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon. starting May 28. $20 adults, $18 young adult (12-17), $16 seniors (65&) and children (4-11), $12 military. $2 discount if booked online. SE Menil Collection Permanent collection of John and Dominique de Menil includes art from antiquity, the Byzantine world, tribal cultures and the 20th century. The main museum building is closed through the summer, but the Cy Twombly Gallery, Dan Flavin Installation at Richmond Hall and Byzantine Fresco Chapel remain open. Through Oct. 28, "The Fabiola Project," Byzantine Fresco Chapel installation by Francis Alys. 1533 Sul Ross, 713-525-9400; menil.org. 11 a.m.7 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Free. Inner Loop Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts History and culture of Texas settlers between 1830-1930. Houston Baptist University campus, 7502 Fondren, 281-649-3000; hbu.edu. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat. $6; $5 seniors; $4 children 12 and under. SW Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Permanent collection spans 6,000 years of history. Through May 28, "Radicals and Revolutionaries: America's Founding Fathers" features paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, and decorative arts from the museum's collections, along with several works from other Houston collections. Through June 3, "Modernism on the Ganges," Raghubir Singh photographs. Through June 10, "Michelangelo and the Vatican," masterworks by Michelangelo and his successors. Through June 17, "Passion for Perfection, The Straus Collection of Renaissance Art," the Straus Collection, donated to the museum in 1941. Through June 24, "Eye on Houston," showcasing photographs by students from high schools across Houston ISD. Through July 29, "Extravagant Objects," jewelry and objets d'art from the Masterson Collection. Through Aug. 19, "Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India," an exhibition of royal Indian treasures. Through Sept. 3, "A History of Photography: Selections From the Museum's Collection," a series of installations that trace the course of photography from its invention to the present day. June 24-Sept. 16, "Joris Laarman Lab: Design in the Digital Age," experimental works by Dutch designer Joris Laarman. Through Nov. 18, "Reflection and Enlightenment," a selection of Chinese Buddhist gilt bronzes from the collection of Jane and Leopold Swergold. Through Dec. 30, "Spanish Colonial Paintings," a selection of paintings from the collection of Carl and Marilynn Thoma. Through Dec. 30, "Arts of Islamic Lands," selections from the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait. 1001 Bissonnet, 713-639-7300; mfah.org. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Wed., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Fri.-Sat., closed Mon. $15; $10 seniors and military; $7.50 students and youths 13-18; free children 12 and under. Free general admission Thursdays. Inner Loop Museum of the Gulf Coast Permanent exhibits include a section on Native Americans, European contact, the Civil War, economic and cultural growth, the petroleum industry and the maritime history of the region. Through June 9, "Submerged," paintings and quilts by Amy Morris. June 16-Aug. 11, "A Cast of Blues," features resin-cast masks of blues legends. Aug. 18-Jan. 5, "The Great Outdoors With Ed Holder," a display of Holder's photographs with wildlife art by local artists and vintage hunting and fishing equipment. 700 Procter, Port Arthur; 409-982-7000; museumofthegulfcoast.org. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. $6, $5 senior and college students, $3 children. SE National Museum of Funeral History America's largest collection of authentic, historical funeral service items. Exhibits include presidential funerals, the history of embalming, 19th century mourning, historical hearses and more. 415 Barren Springs, 281-876-3063; nmfh.org. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. $10 adults, $9 seniors, $7 children ages 6-11. NW Orange Show Center for Visionary Art Whimsical folk art monument, a maze of mosaics, statues and silliness. 2402 Munger, 713-926-6368; orangeshow.org. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun. between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Admission is $5, kids 12 and younger free. Inner Loop The Printing Museum Antique printing presses, rare books and newspapers. 1324 W. Clay, 713-522-4652; printingmuseum.org. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat. $8; $6 seniors; free for kids 12 and younger. Inner Loop Project Row Houses Historical preservation meets art and community at Third Ward shotgun houses, which provide studio and gallery space for artists. 2521 Holman, 713-526-7662; projectrowhouses.org. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Free. Inner Loop Rienzi Docent-led tours of River Oaks mansion housing MFAH's European decorative-arts collection. 1406 Kirby, 713-639-7800; mfah.org. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. Reserve tour spot online or call; $8 adults, $5 seniors, students and youth. Inner Loop Rothko Chapel Contemplative space contains 14 murals created by American artist Mark Rothko. 3900 Yupon, 713-524-9839; rothkochapel.org. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Free. Inner Loop San Jacinto Monument Monument and museum tells the story of Texas' independence from Mexico and details heroes of the battle and early days of Republic of Texas. 1 Monument Circle, La Porte, 281-479-2421; sanjacinto-museum.org. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Free; special exhibits, $2-$5; observation floor $2-$4. Free for military. SE Space Center Houston Interactive exhibits for kids and historical artifacts for adults. 1601 NASA Parkway, 281-244-2100; spacecenter.org. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun. $29.95 adults; $27.95 seniors; $24.95 children; kids 3 and younger free. SE Stark Museum of Art Through June 2, "Paul Kane: Intrepid Artist and Adventurer." 712 Green Ave., Orange, 409-886-2787; starkculturalvenues.org. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Admission is $2-$6. SE Station Museum of Contemporary Art Art reflecting the cultural diversity of Houston. June 2-Sept. 3, "NKAME: A Retrospective of Cuban Printmaker Belkis Ayon." 1502 Alabama, 713-529-6900; stationmuseum.com. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Free. Inner Loop It's time for the nation's individuals, institutions and scientists to write a new chapter to correct wrongs in our collective past and truly act as all humans are created equal. That was the conclusion of a group meeting on racism organized by religious sisters at Houston's Dominican Center for Spirituality that I participated in recently. Led by the Center for the Healing of Racism in Houston, a group of about 50 blacks, Hispanics, whites and Asians of differing faiths reviewed the history of the United States together and compared it to our current society. While acknowledging America is great, we agreed that the country also needs to acknowledge that part of that greatness was built on exploitation of cheap labor from slavery, European, Asian and Latino immigrants, and Native American and Mexican land grabs. The educational system also needs to teach those truths and not continue to focus on narratives that make "those groups" of people to be considered "less than" and subject to conquest. Back during the time of "negotiating" Texas land from Mexico, our city's namesake Sam Houston called Mexicans the "phlegm" of society. Sadly, that mentality is still around in some political and social circles. The idea that there are major differences in races is a biological myth, much as "the world is flat" was an idea, a belief, and not scientifically based. But even scientists can skew their research in a social context. In one example the Center shared, the 1896 book "Race Traits and Tendencies of the American Negro" was used to legalize segregation and stated that "their extinction is inevitable." Notoriously, most people may know that the Nazis justified the death camps on the false grounds that Jews and Gypsies were genetically inferior. But what is less know is that the Nazis took their cue from scientists promoting eugenics in the United States. Modern genetics, even the popular genetic kit that people are purchasing today, are showing that race is only skin deep while blood and mitochondrial DNA are showing individual ancestry as coming from all over the world. "Genetics will help beat down racist arguments," said Eric S. Lander, a biology professor at MIT and Harvard Medical School and a principal leader in the Human Genome ProjectBut. But those falsehoods "will need to be beaten down because they will keep coming up." A religious sister, a chaplain in the Texas Medical Center, began crying during the group discussions. "It is such a tragedy that we see each other's differences more than all our similarities," she said. "I'd like to think I'm color-blind, but I don't think any of us really are." Even our forefathers were able to write "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence while they owned slaves and also considered women as property. European indentured servants, considered poor whites, who were given the opportunity to be overseers of plantations to keep slaves in line, now hauntingly echoes modern-day law enforcement taking over that overseer responsibility in society. From Jewish playwright Israel Zangwill's "The Melting Pot" in 1908 came the idea of America as a crucible of mostly European immigrants transforming into a "new race." But the problem came when Africans and Latinos and others considered non-white were used as the firewood for that melting pot. Participants of the meeting on Race were urged to continue sharing the dialogue with each other and the community at large. The Dominican Center plans to follow up with another similar session in the Fall where we can possibly coordinate a plan of action. We can all agree in order to make America great again; her deep wounds must be healed rather than to continue being inflicted. *** Jo Ann Zuniga is a guest writer for this blog and communication specialist for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. For tips, comments and pitches, please write to Olivia P. Tallet Richard Tsong-Taatarii, MBO / Associated Press Enbridge Inc. took a leap forward in efforts to trim the pile of debt it took on with last year's $28.6 billion purchase of Spectra Energy Corp., announcing the sale of a U.S. natural gas business and stakes in some renewable-energy assets. Enbridge on Wednesday agreed to sell its Midcoast Operating LP gas midstream unit to ArcLight Capital Partners for $1.12 billion. The pipeline giant also said it's transferring its Canadian renewable-power assets, a wind farm in Colorado, a solar project in Nevada and a stake in two German offshore wind projects to a joint venture with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for $1.36 billion (C$1.75 billion.) Morning, Toni: I am turning 65 in October and noticing a difference in the premiums between many of the Medicare Supplement plans and companies. F is considerably higher in premium than G. Ive heard a rumor that Plan F was being discontinued. Is this true? I need a little clarity on this subject for me not to make a major mistake. I understand the Medicare Advantage plans and know that my doctor is not in anyones network. Ive seen his sign in his office. Thanks, Sam from Clear Lake, TX Sam: Yes, Sam, this is not a rumor, but is a fact. In 2015, Congress decided to pass 200 billion dollars of Medicare expenses over a 10-year period to the Medicare beneficiaries by eliminating Medicare Supplement plans F and C, which pay for Medicares Part B deductible. Medicare Plan G will then be the less out of pocket Medicare Supplement plan with the Medicare Part B deductible not covered. The new legislation which Congress passed is called Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) to help the medical industry by correcting the Doc Fix proposal, ending both Medicare Supplements plans F and C in 2020. Doctors were concerned about the Medicare cuts to the medical profession and were threatening to leave Medicare. To keep doctors from bailing out of Medicare, Congress had to come up with that money somewhere and they found it in the Part B deductible that Medicare Plans F and C pick up. The new law of 2015 (MACRA) ensures doctors will be adequately paid for Medicare services and that those enrolled in Medicare have the healthcare professionals they need. During a Toni Says Medicare consultation, those who are new to Medicare or wish to apply for a new Medicare supplement are made aware that Medicare Plans F and C are available until January 1, 2020. For more information about Medicare supplements and the changes being made, please email the Toni Says team at info@tonisays.com or call 832/519-8664. After Jan. 1, 2020, no one will be able to enroll in either plan and those who are already enrolled in either Plan F or C can keep them, which is what grandfathered is. Americans might want to explore what other Medicare Supplement plans are available in the Medicare alphabet soup and what the out of pocket will be. Lets discuss the difference in Plan F and G: Plan F: offers the most coverage with less out of pocket but may have higher premiums. Those who wish to enroll or currently have Plan F will be grandfathered. This change only affects newly eligible beneficiaries with effective dates of Jan. 1, 2020 and Medicare Plan F will no longer be available. Plan G: offers lower rates and the same Medicare benefits as Plan F except the Medicare Part B deductible is not covered and will be paid for by the enrolled Medicare beneficiary. Currently the 2018 Medicare Part B deductible is $183, making ones out of pocket $183 for 2018. Medicare Plan G will be available after Jan. 1, 2020, for all newly enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. Take your time when searching for your Medicare option such as Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plans and ask which option would best fit your specific medical needs. Champion Forest/North Houston Medicare Workshop: Tuesday, May 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Spring Creek BBQ-Champions Area in the Banquet Room (dinner not provided) 4220 W. FM 1960, Houston, TX 77068 Please RSVP 832-519-8664. Toni King, author of the 2018 Medicare Survival Guide Advanced edition which is available for sale at the www.tonisays.com. The wait is over ABBS (American Baby Boomer Society) is now available at www.abbs4u.com. The transition to a new Deer Park City Hall will mean that its offices will be closed from Friday through Monday, May 18-21 as staff moved into the new facility. City services offered through City Hall are planned to resume on Tuesday, May 22.The 25,000-square-foot new City Hall is located next door to the existing facility at 710 E. San Augustine. The city secretarys office, human resources, public works, permitting, central collections and utility billing will be housed on the first floor. The offices on the second floor will include administration, engineering, information technology, public works administration and finance. As City Hall will be closed May 18-21 for the move to the new facility, the typical water bill due date of May 20 has been extended, with the deadline for monthly water payments set for Thursday, May 24, said Jeffery Johnson, the citys tax assessor collector and utility billing manager. Customers can pay their water bills through May 24 with no penalties. During the period of the City Hall closure and through May 24, no customers will have their utility service discontinued due to a late payment, Johnson said. We will not begin applying penalties until May 25, Johnson said. The building will also include City Council chambers with enhanced audio and visual technology. With the updated technology and features included in the new facility, our staff will be even better equipped to serve the residents of our community, Mayor Jerry Mouton said in a press release. An open house at the new facility is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. for Monday, June 4. The new $5.53 million facility on San Augustine Street was built after the city determined that repairing the 40-year-old current City Hall would not be cost-effective. The builder was Construction Ltd. of Houston. The city estimates the new building will be in service for more than 50 years. For more information, visit the city's website, www.deerparktx.gov, its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/deerparktx and DPTV. A Houston man was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday after admitting he made a pornographic film of himself with a young teenager at a popular park and posted it on a pornographic website. Senior U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced Wesley Cockerham, 25, to more than six years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. A defense lawyer in the case did not respond to a request for comment. Cockerham pleaded guilty on Dec. 7 to possession of child pornography. As part of a plea agreement, federal prosecutors withdrew additional charges of sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography. According to his plea statement, Cockerham met a 13-year-old girl on Facebook and invited her to go for a walk with him in August 2014 in Bear Creek Park. He proceeded to film himself with the girl involved in sex acts and then posted the video to Pornhub.com. He later took nude photos of the girl at McPhee Elementary School in Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District, but the encounter came to a stop when district police found a gun in the vehicle and arrested another man who was with the girls then 12-year-old sister. The lewd video of the child came to light when the girls brother told her it had been was posted on the Pornhub website. A staff member at Harris County Juvenile Probations girls court brought the video to the attention of the FBI. Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and send her news tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com. gabrielle.banks@chron.com twitter.com/gabmobanks A 31-year-old Houston man has been charged with capital murder in the 2011 death of Natalie Ochoa, whose murder case went cold under disgraced ex-homicide detective Ryan Chandler. Joseph Richard Reyes was charged Monday after DNA taken during a previous arrest was traced back to Ochoa, according to court records. Ochoa, 31, was found barely breathing in the street at 4100 River Drive after being severely beaten and sexually assaulted early Dec. 16, 2011. She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. She had been strangled. Ochoas family has maintained that her death was overlooked by the Houston Police Department because of her checkered past with drugs. They noted in recent years she had worked hard to turn her life around. They said when she was last released from state jail on Sept. 30, 2011, her plan was to finish up her training to be a medical technician, which she had started the previous year. Less than two months later, she was dead. Reyes was arrested in 2014, accused of choking and kicking a former girlfriend and again in 2015 for violating the protective order a judge imposed in that case. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to almost six months in jail. Due to a 2018 conviction for an unrelated sexual offense, Reyes was required to give a sample of his DNA. The DNA sample was entered into a law enforcement database and earlier this year, the computer matched it with DNA evidence found on Ochoas body. Other evidence was developed by HPD indicating Reyes alleged involvement in Ochoas slaying, according to HPD homicide sergeants M. Burrow and R. Rodriguez. After police investigated, Reyes said he had no idea why his DNA was under the dead womans fingernails, according to court records. He remains in the Harris County Jail without bail. Ochoas case was featured in the Houston Chronicles Dead and Buried series as one of the two dozen cases that former HPD detective Raymond Chandler was cited for failing to investigate while he was assigned as a homicide detective. Chandler was fired, and other homicide detectives were assigned to follow up on cases he did little or nothing to investigate. Former HPD Chief Charles McClelland, after announcing his firing of the detective, famously said that Chandler was lazy, he was a liar, he was not forthright with his supervisors and he misled his other co-workers. Ochoas older brother, Carlos Garcia, spoke out in 2014 about what he saw as Chandlers deliberate decision to discount the importance of a victim who at one time lived on societys margins. You cant devalue someones life because of what you see or think you know, Garcia said. My sister could have been the worst person in the world, and she doesnt deserve to die this way. brian.rogers@chron.com A fight among several men erupted into a shooting Tuesday night that injured one of them outside of a south central Houston convenience store, police said. During a fight, around 10:30 p.m. at the Dixie Convenience store, on Dixie and Allegheny, one of the men pulled out a gun and started shooting, said Lt. Larry Crowson of the Houston Police Department. One man was shot in the arm and is in the hospital in stable condition. AUSTIN Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking to undo an appellate courts decision to strike down Texas revenge porn law, arguing that the statute is clear that someone who didnt know a sexually intimate photo was created in confidence cannot be held liable for sharing it. In an amicus brief filed late Tuesday, the attorney generals office argued the Tyler-based 12th Court of Appeals erred in its April ruling that found the law extremely broad and violating too many third parties free speech rights because it could apply to anyone who shares the material. The law applies only to to those who had a duty to keep images private because of the circumstances under which the image was created or obtained demonstrated the victims reasonable expectation of privacy, according to the attorney generals office. The court interpreted the statute too broadly and used too strict a standard in its ruling that lumps in people who share the images if they had no knowledge the picture person wanted it secret, according to the brief. The attorney generals office is asking the court to rehear the case and affirm a lower courts ruling. MORE: Texas revenge porn law struck down by state appeals court At issue are interpretations of two lines of Section 21.16(b) of the Texas Penal Code: A person commits an office if: (1) without the effective consent of the depicted person, the person intentionally disclosed visual material depicting another person with the persons intimate parts exposed or engaged in sexual conduct; (2) the visual material was obtained by the person or created under circumstances in which the depicted person had a reasonable expectation that the visual material would remain private. The decision stems from a revenge porn allegation against Jordan Bartlett Jones. He was accused of intentionally disclosing a photo that displayed a womans genitals and revealed her identity, although she had reasonable expectation the picture would stay private. He failed to convince a trial court the law was unconstitutional, but the East Texas appeals court agreed with him. MORE: GoDaddy.com among defendants in revenge porn lawsuit The 2015 law pertains to the sharing of visual material displaying a persons intimate body parts or engaged in sexual contact. In order to trigger the law, the image much have been shared without the depicted persons consent; been created or obtained with the depicted person having a reasonable expectation that the image would remain private, or if sharing the material revealed the depicted persons identity and the disclosure caused them harm. The Relationship Privacy Act, a bipartisan bill authored by two Houston state senators and a third from Laredo, passed unanimously in the Texas Legislature. Violation of the law is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail and up to $4,000 in fines. Read the Court of Appeals ruling here. Read the attorney generals amicus brief here. Andrea Zelinski covers politics for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com. Audio Transcript Brian Anderson: Welcome back to the 10 Blocks podcast, this is your host, Brian Anderson, editor of City Journal. First off -- wed like to take a moment to thank all of you for tuning-in. Since we launched the podcast a couple years ago, the feedback has been tremendous, and we thank all of you for your interest or support. We made a few changes we think youll appreciate: We have a snazzier musical intro, and henceforth well be posting episodes little more frequently. Coming up on the latest podcast, we have an exceptional show forlisteners: Last year, City Journal published a special issue called, The Shape of Work to Come, featuring articles on the great American domestic crisis of our time, long-term joblessness. Its a topic that our many of our writers are thinking about, and we will continue to revisit it for the foreseeable future. Last week, City Journal hosted a panel discussion in New York City with some of our own writers and other experts thinking about the future of work. Youll be able to listen to that on this 10 Blocks. On the panel we have Edward Glaeser: Harvard professor, Manhattan Institute fellow, and contributing editor here at City Journal, and author of the great book on urbanism, Triumph of the City. Then theres Kay Hymowitz, also a long-time contributing editor to City Journal and fellow at the Manhattan institute, and author most-recently of The New Brooklyn. They we were joined by Ryan Avent, senior editor and the free exchange columnist at The Economist. But the next voice youll here on the podcast is Steve LeVine, Future Editor at Axios, who moderated the discussion. We hope you enjoy! Steve LeVine: Good morning. Thanks very much for joining us here. That was an amazing understatement. This panel is a fantastic panel and Im really looking forward to the discussion this morning to digging in. We are in the midst of a debate about the future of work, the underlying forces that are creating a crisis of stagnant wages and an uncertainty about jobs in the future. Among the elements in the debate, a main question: Is this time different? Is the technological cycle that we are in right now, the revolution in AI and the new age of automation, is it different from prior technological cycles over the last two centuries in which a normal economic turn has produced enough jobs to employ everyone displaced by the new technology? Why are wages stuck? How long will the disruption that we are in last? Prior disruptions have lasted decades. What will our society look like when the transition has been spent? And, finally, pivoting off of a piece that was in The New York Times a couple of days ago: What we are watching in the heartland that led to our current politics, did it start with an economic malaise or a status malaise? So, to tee off this conversation we are going to start with Ryan. And my question for you: What do past technological revolutions, past cycles, tell us about the current one we are in? Are they useful? Is it a useful roadmap? Ryan Avent: Thank you, Steve, and it is great to be here with what is a pretty fantastic panel. It is an excellent question. I think that past technological revolutions really are probably a good guide to what we are going through. There is a possibility at some point that as AI becomes capable of doing just about anything humans can do, that this will start to look a lot different from what we have seen in the past. But I think that is decades away, at least. So, for now weve got a disruption thats sort of built around a general purpose technology, information technology, and machine learning that can be used in lots of different places across the economy and that consequently is affecting lots of different industries, lots of different job categories. What I think the past tells us, first of all, is as you said, that this sort of thing can cause quite significant disruption over a long period of time. I think that part of what we have seen in terms of the malfunctioning of different institutions, different parts of the economy over the past few decades is linked to technological change. That is going to intensify for several decades to come. So, we are in the middle of a very long process of social change. I think that there is often the perspective looking back on how these things play out that everything ends up okay. That, you know, jobs are destroyed but jobs are also created. And then we all end up better off. And that does tend to be true over long periods of time, but if sort of look in on shorter periods of time there can be quite a lot of pain for established workers. There can be whole generations where wages dont go up. And so I think we need to be, you know, we need to be hopeful but not necessarily too optimistic that the problems are going to solve themselves. And then I think the other big thing that these revolutions teach us is that there has to be quite a lot of evolution in terms of institutions and norms and in governmental policies in order to accommodate society to new technologies to make sure that the benefits in the technologies are broadly shared, to make sure that society is kind of okay with the way new technologies are being deployed. And we are already sort of seeing, I think, a lot of backlash now and a lot of pressure to start changing institutions, not just in terms of the economic effects but also thinking about Facebooks role in our political cycle, thinking about how driverless cars are going to be used. There is going to be a lot of pressure to overhaul our institutions and that is usually not a very neat process, either. So, I think those are the sorts of things we can look forward to, so to speak, in the decades to come. Steve LeVine: Thank you very much. Thats great. I want to dig in a little bit in our modern age. Lets say from the 70s forward, Ed. So, you define the problem as a war on work. Can we dig a little bit in that thesis and also can you talk a little bit about your work on the Eastern heartland? Edward Glaeser: Sure. So, when we take and I couldnt agree more with Ryans sentiments that you know, long-term joblessness is the defining and dire social problem of our age. When we try and understand how we got here, that 50-year evolution that he described, there is a steady and running academic debate which concerns is it from purely labor demand? Is it the changes in the technology, the decline in deindustrialization of the US? Or is it in labor supply, which can include two versions, one of which is its about the welfare state. Its about the dis-incentives for working created by things like disability or the 30% tax on earnings created by food stamps and Section 8 housing vouchers? Or is it about the cultural side, that I think Kay will get into, that we are not training the next generation to actually want to work. As an economist I am uniquely disadvantaged in talking about cultural issues. So, I will leave that one completely on the plate for right now. And say that no matter how important one believes the labor demand side is going on, the labor supply issues, the welfare state issues, dont help. And they are particularly badly designed for the most troubled parts of America. One way to see this, and I think we really do have to rethink our you know, having place-based policies in this country, and by place-based policies like me make it clear I am not talking about the Appalachian Regional Commission or building people-mover monorails. Im talking about policies that actually recognize that labor markets are very different in different parts of the country. So, a point that I have often made, often to my audiences in fact, that having a national housing policy is kind of mad. That any housing policy that is appropriate for New York is not going to be appropriate for Detroit, and that is not going to be appropriate for Houston. These are very different conditions. Similarly, an employment policy that is targeted for Seattle or San Francisco Bay, right, you know, is going to be a nightmare in Eastern Tennessee or West Virginia. So, let me be really concrete about this, right, so the minimum wage in Seattle, not something that, like many economists, I am not a big fan of minimum wages, but to make the claim that it is somehow or other catastrophic is a mistake. That Seattle is an incredibly robust economy filled with highly skilled people. If anyone thinks that you know, imposing a $15 minimum wage on West Virginia would be sensible, they are out of their mind, right? That would be an absolutely catastrophic thing. Similarly, its only slightly more complicated to take the view that this long diagonal line of despair in the United States which starts in Louisiana and Mississippi and runs through Appalachia and up through Northern Michigan, right, this area which is the heartland of deindustrialization, of former parts of the Jim Crow South, is particularly low in education and also particularly problematic in terms of its political institutions as well. You know I often have sort of a two-variable model of economic growth, that its about rules and schools and unfortunately the Eastern heartland is weak on both fronts. This is an area in which routinely you see a quarter of the prime-age males were jobless. And this is an area in which having a welfare state that discourages work is deeply problematic. Will it necessarily bring, you know, will reforming that welfare state necessary bring you back to 5% joblessness rates in these areas? No, it wont, right? We may need stronger medicine and we also have to count on some form of out migration. But we sure as heck need to rethink our policies today. And it is the most sensible thing that we can do, is to recognize that discouraging work, right, or failing to encourage it, is a big mistake in Eastern Tennessee, in Eastern Kentucky, in West Virginia, in Mississippi. And just to be concrete about this, you can either think about what you need is being a tilt, meaning that you are going to reduce the size of some payments which go to the jobless and use that money to reduce the tax on work. So, for example, you could reduce the level of disability payments but then enable the disabled to keep more of their earnings at a higher level. Norway has experimented with this, enabling the disabled to keep more of their earnings, and it has worked. And people who were on disability have actually earned more and have been more connected to the workforce. Or you can just say what we need is a national earned income tax credit that is actually targeted in a simpler way towards men who are out of the labor force. And then there is at least an argument for saying, look if I have a limited number of dollars to throw on that, lets target it towards the areas where joblessness is higher. Because in fact we do have evidence that suggests that things that induce labor demand to go up in these areas do more to reduce joblessness. So, we really do have to recognize that this evolution and this change in terms of our working in America is not something that has afflicted America uniformly. There are particular areas, and the Eastern heartland is its core, where joblessness has risen most and accompanying joblessness has been misery, opioid abuse, suicide, the breakdown of the family. All of these things have gone together in a terrifying cocktail. And even though we may not know how to use economic policies to fix all of them, we know that dis-incentivizing work, having policies that stop work from paying, certainly arent making things any better and we should start by trying to reform those policies. Steve LeVine: Okay great. Before we get into digging in further in the present, I didnt want to leave history completely behind and so I want to ask both of you if there is a period, a past period that informs what you are thinking or the audience can think about something that we can look at that helps to understand where we are, where we are going, what is it? When is that time? Ryan Avent: Well, I think you can think about sort of the late 19th century. And it was obviously very different in a lot of ways, but what we faced then was a pretty dramatic technological and economic shift, a pretty dramatic shift in the geography of the country in terms of where people lived and worked, and it was one that kind of left people much better off, but it was also a pretty tumultuous political period and it was the beginning of a period in which we started to construct this welfare state. And we did it for good reasons, I think, recognizing that in an industrial economy and an urban economy you were often going to have downturns. You were going to have, you know, people who through whatever, you know, no fault of their own could not find good work. And we didnt want those people to die in the streets. And so there was the recognition that there was a need for institutional change. In order to get that institutional change there were different groups in society who had to mobilize, and so you had the rise of trade unions, you had social reform movements, you had the rise of new political interest groups. And I think thats the sort of pattern we are going to be looking at here. I mean I dont think in terms of the interaction between work and the welfare state and technology it looked the same then as it does now because of how different the institutional environment is now. But I think that pattern in which we see, as Ed did a very good job of pointing out, that current institutions are not working in which people become very unhappy and begin mobilizing for institutional change. Thats exactly the sort of set of steps we are going to be working through over the next few decades. Steve LeVine: And we are talking 1890 to the beginning of World War I. Ryan Avent: I think, well, and thereafter. I mean, I think you could include the inner war period, the Depression, and the sort of intense pressure we faced there to create Social Security, to begin building a lot of these basic welfare state policies. That whole period is really the one we are thinking about. It was quite a, you know its not a short amount of time, but thats how long it takes, I think, to arrive at a consensus about what actually should happen, you know, what sort of institutions do need to be in place, to develop the political movements to get those things in place, and actually to enact them and unveil them. Steve LeVine: Ed. Edward Glaeser: So, I think if you are looking at a historical period to model ourselves on, I would actually go to the major periods of reform in the social welfare state that both Germany and Scandinavia went through in the last thirty years. So, these are places that had extremely generous welfare states in the postwar period. They realized that many of their rules, many of their policies, were being deeply harmful in terms of the employment situation, and they quite sensibly reformed in ways that promoted work and did less to discourage employment. And in some sense, if you want to think about the divide in Europe between its relatively prosperous North and its you know, deeply troubled South, a lot of that divide owes much to the fact that the North was able to look at its labor market policies and say these are screwed up and we are going to fix them. Okay? And the South, many people have been looking at their labor market policies and saying these are screwed up and, you know, fixing them has proven too hard. And Macron is trying right now very hard in France, but I think very much, you know, we have to ask ourselves if the future of America is going to look more like Germany or Sweden or whether its going to look more like Greece. And we have got that choice ahead of us. Steve LeVine: Great. Kay, so, Charles Murray famously wrote Coming Apart. You have written quite a bit on the subject of losing status, losing family, an amazing statistic that you cite unmarried and divorced people make up 32% of the population and 71% of opioid deaths. Kay Hymowitz: I believe thats men. Steve LeVine: Thats men. Okay. Can you unpack when we are translating what Ryan and Ed are talking about into how this has affected humans, people? Kay Hymowitz: Okay. So, some of you know I have been writing about family breakdown for a long time, and I hope to convince you by the end of todays discussion that that actually has a lot of relevance to the discussion we are having today about these technological changes. When I first started writing about the family breakdown I was mostly talking about the difference between the way upper income, educated people were doing. Steve says, this is what Charles Murray was right about too, of course, how the people were doing at the top and how people were doing at the very bottom. I was mostly talking about the poor. And this was in the early 90s, mid-90s, it looked like the white working class, or the working class more generally, was doing okay, was hanging on there, at least in family terms. But since then there has been a massive catastrophe to the family and community structures of these places where we are seeing a lot of joblessness. What I think we have to keep in mind is that the implications are for the future of these places and of these people. Because what happens, we have begun to learn, is that boys who are growing up in families where there are no fathers or erratic fathers, father figures, really suffer, even more than girls. That evidence is becoming more and more clear, especially with a recent study that just came out from Raj Chetty about black children and mobility. And what he found was that the boys were having a lot more trouble than girls. What we now know is that the boys who are growing up in these homes are in very unstable fluid homes, and these are not we are not just talking about a marriage breaks up and the child goes on to have a good relationship with both parents. Many of us in this room have seen many examples of that. We are talking about much more chaos. And J.D. Vance describes this, by the way, in his book Hillbilly Elegy. A lot of chaos, a lot of coming and going of various adult figures. And the reason that matters is because children, particularly boys, tend not to do well in school, or emotionally, when they are going up under those circumstances. So, we have increasing dysfunction among boys, younger boys, and as they grow up, but they become exactly the jobless men that we are talking about today. A lot of the boys, a lot of these young men actually who were of the jobless young men, when you talk to them they often came from very chaotic homes themselves and were not able to learn and absorb any sense of agency over their lives. They instead have this sense that things just sort of happen and dont have much self-control for themselves. So, they are not doing well in school, they are far less likely to go to college than girls. Well, okay, what happens when the time comes for having a baby? You are not going to marry women do not marry men who make a lot less money than them and who cant keep a job. Thats just a reality. It remains that way, even fifty, sixty years after the feminist movement. Steve LeVine: Thanks. Lets dig in just a little bit on that. So, two things go hand in hand. One is unemployment, but also employment at a low wage Kay Hymowitz: Yes. Steve LeVine: or uncertain, unstable employment. I am super interested in this dichotomy of sort of the malaise that we are in now, and that other countries are too, and this debate, is it this economic question, joblessness, low wage, or it is loss of status? Kay Hymowitz: Right. So, it is impossible to really answer the question of whether how much economics plays a role in what is happening to the family and how much it is a cultural thing, but I can tell you this, that we still know that married couples have a better chance, not just of making more money, but of providing more stability for their kids. And the kids are going to do better, tend to do better. This is what many decades of research has shown. So, if you look at, for instance, non-college-educated men, actually no, if you look at high school dropouts who are married, they are doing better than men with a little bit of college in some of these communities that we are describing. So, there is, we dont know why that is, is there something about the personality, the social strengths of the person who is married? But it isnt just income. Clearly, there is something more involved. Edward Glaeser: So, can I just interject two facts which seem relevant? Steve LeVine: Yes. Edward Glaeser: First of all, we have now reached a point where fully 50% of the long-term jobless men, right, so thats over 12 years, have never been married. Have never been married. Second fact, about 85% of the long-term jobless men are not living alone. Thats part of how the economics works. Of them, more than 30% are actually, more than 30% of jobless men are living with their parents. So, in fact, you have this sort of infant, it is you know, men who are not growing up. And then you have another 55%, a small number which are living with their lawful spouses, but a lot of them are living with other people who are somehow or other making that household work. Kay Hymowitz: Right. Well I assume there is a great deal of moving around in and out of arrangements and not much stability. A lot of these guys, by the way just so we have a bigger picture about this, its not that they are thoughtless about their kids. A lot of them are really devoted to their kids, or think they are when the kids come, but what happens is that the relationship with the childs mother, and the mother tends to be the custody parent, becomes very complex. Maybe there is a new man in the picture or a new woman in the picture, a new child in the picture, and gradually the father kind of backs off. And this has happened in the black community as well. So, fatherlessness is it is not just that a father is not living in the house, although that is a key part of this picture, its that it is very difficult to maintain any kind of contact and loving and stable relationship with a father who is not married to mother. Thats just the reality. Edward Glaeser: Parenting is hard in the best of circumstances, right? Kay Hymowitz: Yeah. And mothers are the gatekeepers still, you know? Steve LeVine: Ed finds at least partial causation in public policy are economic incentives or economic disincentives to work. What do you think about that? Do you have a causation hypothesis? Kay Hymowitz: I, you know, again, I dont think there is a way to think about this without talking about the changes in social and cultural norms. When you think about why men in the past have held jobs that were not particularly appealing, you dont hear well, they may not have been paid much, I mean we often talk about the 50s and the period where, you know, the great industrial period of our history as if that was always the norm. It was not. And many times these jobs that men were working were really horrible. I had a quotation I wanted to bring in from a writer named Connie Schultz who is a columnist at The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Or she was, I dont know if she is still there. And she described growing up in the Cleveland area. Her father worked at a factory in the boiler room. And she said that when she would go, she went to visit this place and it was some kind of hell. The temperatures were going up to 140, the filth was unbelievable, the fatigue that her father experienced, but she said her father would come home every day looking like he had just come back from Hades, which he had, and would say you four kids, he had four kids, you kids are going to college. In other words, the reason he was willing to put up with those jobs was because he had people that were really relying on him and to whom he was devoted. And so, when I think about the joblessness, it is hard for you know, and the question of how much this is an economic or cultural problem, these men dont feel, for very complicated reasons, some of them true, that they are needed. Nobody is relying on them. They can hang out on the couch and play videogames. It doesnt really matter. The kids are going to be okay, sort of. Steve LeVine: Yeah. Ed, you have an interesting statistic in one of your writings. Only 41% of high school dropouts, maybe this is also men, only 41% of high school dropouts are working. Thats an amazing statistic. Edward Glaeser: So, thats not prime age. So, that is going to include the whole population, but thats right. Steve LeVine: Okay. So, two questions. One is this suggests, and you do suggest, that we need to, we need, in terms of a prescription, education, skilling up. So, I want to ask you about, you know, to make that argument. But also, I want to do, then, Ryan, if you will follow up right after that, you make the argument you trot out you know, the history of the workforce gaining more skill over time as the technological cycles evolved, unfolded. But then you say we may have reached skilled saturation in the workforce. Can you talk about that? So, Ed, you first. Edward Glaeser: Okay, although youve got me so interested in the question you asked Ryan, I dont want to so, certainly I am a bit of a human capital determinist, right? I believe that skills are the bedrock on which individual, urban and national success rests. The differences in jobless numbers between the educated and the less educated are enormous, and I think, very clearly, America needs to do a better job in terms of educating its children. Some of that probably does continue to go through traditional educational institutions, some of it should be more entrepreneurial and more tied to the actual needs of the labor force. We should certainly do things that feel more like competitively sourced vocational ed that supplements traditional schooling, hopefully bypassing the teachers unions while doing so, maybe going to actually people who know something about, you know, the skills that are needed in the modern environment, you know, do it with constant use of randomized, controlled trials around this stuff, be innovative around it and invest in skills. The reason why I tend not to be emphasizing skills as much as I have in the past, though, in this recent work is that our traditional recipe, both for inequality and for any dislocations that came through trade, was skills, skills, skills. And thats not wrong, but it is not enough, right? Telling a 50-year-old displaced worker in West Virginia that yeah, you have lost your job and will have no other foreseeable job in the next thirty years, but boy Ive got a great Pre-K for your granddaughter, right? Thats not so satisfying for that guy, right? And thats why we need to have more. We need to be able to say that we have a better solution, and what we do know about skills for the 50-year-old worker is we also have fifty years of work on job retraining programs for displaced workers, and almost uniformly the track record is dismal. Okay, which leads me to the view that by far the best thing we can do for that 50-year-old worker is get him back at work somewhere. Find some employer with some degree of government help who is going to actually give this guy a job producing something that somebody else wants. Give him something that provides structure to his life, give him something that gives him some degree of dignity, a sense that he is actually producing something the world wants. We cant do it all with Pre-K. Its not, it just isnt there, and we have to do something that actually encourages entrepreneurs to find some form of work for this person, because in some sense every unemployed or underemployed American is a failure of entrepreneurial imagination. Kay Hymowitz: Can we Steve LeVine: Yes. Kay Hymowitz: interject a question here? Are there other countries that do a better job at job training? Retraining? Ed Glaeser: Retraining. I think there is some sense in which the Scandinavian countries do a bit better, but, you know, the educational systems in those areas are so much stronger in lots of different dimensions, and also in terms of the vocational ed, I mean, there is a lot to admire in terms of Germanys system. I mean I think most of us would have trouble with a tracking system that basically looks at a person at the age of 13 and says, okay your job is you are going to be a tree for the rest of your life, or a garage mechanic, or whatever it is. So, doing things that allow the traditional American optimism about finding something, but combine that with, you know, serious vocational training on top of that would be a plus. You know, like I have got no problem with asking our kids to spend more time doing schooling, especially in the fact of what she is describing. In a world in which families work less, I think we should, you know, have other programs that work more. Steve LeVine: One second. I just wanted to follow up. Ed, okay. Janesville, Amy Goldsteins book, so she one of the most interesting parts is the reskilling section and her survey of these workers who had been laid off from the GM factory and after six years those who went through reskilling and those who did not, and those who did not were on a much higher percentage employed and comparing those employed with skilled and did not reskill, they were earning a lot more. And her answer to that is that reskilling is not an answer totally in itself, there also have to be jobs to go into. Do you have any sort of observation there? Edward Glaeser: It lines with fifty years of research on failed reskilling programs. I mean, its in line with what we have. And the point that you need to get these guys back at work, I think, is the central point. I mean most of us its also true in terms of teaching. I mean, most successful teaching is about learning by doing. Most of it is sort of inspiring kids by what you tell them, to actually go and do work themselves, and thats how you learn, right? Its even more so for a 50-year-old. And you know, its very hard to get people with demographics like mine to learn new tricks and, you know, it is helpful if you are in a structured job environment to induce them to do so. Ryan Avent: All right. So much to talk about. So, I think to get to the skill saturation point, I mean, its important to know that, you know, a huge part of our response to the Industrial Revolution was to increase educational attainment. You know, at the start of it most people could not read and write. By the end of it, you know, the vast majority of the working-age population had a secondary school degree of some sort, and 40% or so had a tertiary degree. Thats just a huge increase in educational attainment and so I think, you know, Ed gives us some very good reasons to think that education is not going to be the entirety of the solution this time around. And I think that is the difficulty in trying to replicate that feat is another reason why we shouldnt say that we can educate our way out of this problem. But I think it, you know, we also ought to look at the fact that while it is true that you get a big bump to income going from a high school degree to a college degree, it used to be the case that that premium was constantly rising. And since 2000 or so it has not been rising. The premium to getting an advanced degree does continue to rise and there is still intense demand for people with advanced degrees. But then that sort of raises that bar there. And if we are talking about someone who is coming from a troubled background who, you know, who perhaps doesnt have the best primary education, how realistic is it to get them into a you know, an advanced degree program in computer engineering or something of that sort? And I think its, to sort of add to Kays point about people working to get their kids into college, since around 2000 or so real wages for college graduates have also been stagnant. And there has been to some extent growth in underemployment among college graduates where a growing share of college graduates are working in jobs that dont require a degree. And that sort of then has a trickledown effect where you are displacing people with less education into jobs even farther does the ladder. But I think the sense that college is less of a guarantee of a significantly better life is perhaps something that is playing into psychology here. Kay Hymowitz: I often think when Im looking at the data on college, the college premium, that there is such a wide range of college status that you know, we forget, I think, a lot of people in this room probably think in terms of what college is, you know, an elite college, but most Americans who go to college are, its not just that they are at state universities, there are often at community satellite parts of that university. Steve LeVine: Ryan, but your thesis, if you still hold this is 2016 when you wrote this, when you published that book that the actual percentage of the population that is college-educated, that we have reached thats your saturation point. And you actually use the phrase that the other part of the population is not cognitively capable. Ryan Avent: Well, I think no, I mean I think that so, if you look at countries like Korea which have managed to raise completion rates for you know, university-level schooling significantly above the rest of kind of the OECD, what we do see is that there was a significant reduction in kind of the quality of education those people were getting. And its not I dont think its a sort of disparaging remark. I mean college is hard, you know? Edward Glaeser: Not hard enough. Not hard enough. Ryan Avent: And, I mean, you know, calculus is hard, linear algebra, these things are not easy and not everyone can do them. That does not mean that they are less valuable or, you know, or less worthy of respect than anyone else, but it does mean that we need to be realistic about how we are going to find employment for everyone. Steve LeVine: Okay. So, lets move. We are going to wind down in this part of the conversation, but before we shift to questions, so, in terms of solutions. So, we know now that skilling, reskilling is a hard thing. And, Ed, 50 years of failed or partly failed experiments, lets talk first about the wages. Ed, you talk about incentivizing joblessness. Are we incentivizing stuck wages? Edward Glaeser: Oh, maybe. I mean I think the most important thing is working on straight employment subsidies. So, you know, I think something like a flat-wage subsidy targeted towards the bottom end of the labor market is the right answer. Make it clear, make it a per-hour subsidy so it is not complex like the EITC. I am fine if you want to say that those dollars are going to be larger in West Virginia then they are going to be in New York. I am also fine if what you say is a $3.00 wage bump is just going to have much more of an impact in West Virginia than it is in New York. And so, its going to have a place-based impact regardless. There is a question as to whether or not you want to give the subsidy directly to the workers, which has a certain political appeal, or you want to give it directly to the firms which will probably be cheaper to implement, and also more effective in places that have a binding minimum wage. So, if your goal is to bump up wages, then giving it in those areas to the worker will achieve that, given that Im more focused on joblessness rather than raising wages. I think giving it to the firm has a certain amount of sense to it. Steve LeVine: Okay. Ryan, did you have something on that? Ryan Avent: Well, so I think I have a particular view of sort of how this is all playing out. And I guess I share Eds diagnosis of whats going on, but I think its probably going to be quite a bit harder to generate the kind of outcomes we want. My sense is that what has happened over the past decade or two, and whats going to happen to an increasing extent as technology improves, is that the substitutability of domestic workers for either foreign workers or technology is increasing. It is easier than ever to take a domestic worker here working in a factory or a warehouse or whatever and have that job that they are doing be done either by someone in a different country or by a machine. And that substitutability is going to go up and up and up as technology improves. To me what that means is that we are stuck in a place where workers are essentially in kind of a wage competition, with a lot of the either with machines or with the foreign workers. And the way that we maintain high employment is by allowing wages to stagnate or fall in real terms. Now, we run into trouble because we have these social safety net programs which mean that if wages get low enough people say its not worth it to work and drop out, and we dont want that to happen. The alternative, or an alternative, would be to make those programs less generous and then to subsidize wages. And I think that is what Ed is proposing, and that should address the issue of joblessness but Im not sure it really solves our problem in a few ways. One, I think if we wind up in a world where the government is essentially subsidizing the very rich to have massive household staffs, it is not clear to me that from a kind of status perspective or a cultural perspective thats a desirable place to be or a politically sustainable place to be. The other thing I worry about is that we have, if we maintain this massive pool of very cheap labor, that dramatically reduces the incentive to use a lot of new technologies that are going to that ought to raise productivity. I mean you are not going to automate the warehouse if you have, you know, massive numbers of cheap subsidized labor to keep using there. We want to automate the warehouse. Those are bad jobs. Automating the warehouse raises productivity, raises output. And so, I worry that we are stuck in a trap where we are not taking full advantage of the technologies available to us, we are not getting the productivity growth that we want because workers are so cheap. And solving that problem is very difficult, indeed. Edward Glaeser: So, I dont really disagree with that much of what Ryan just said. I do agree that its certainly possible to be very pessimistic about the future now. A lack of hope has never deterred me from taking on policy challenges, thats part of the job of the academic and policy exchanges. Remember I have been, you know, at least for 15 years I have been arguing for a need to reform land use regulations in this country. And you know, Im at a point where a 6-4 loss of the Wiener Bill looks like an incredible success over those 16 years. So, I dont disagree. Its just you know, I believe in taking on lost causes. That being said, I actually dont think this is completely a lost cause. I do believe that regardless of what you think about the possibility of the future that there are, in fact, what we as economists wonkily call externalities associated with not working. Some part of that are the physical externalities associated with the payment and some part of it is social externalities which create broader problems as a whole. Now, the way we know how to fight externalities is to, you know, subsidize good behaviors and tax bad behaviors. And thats basically what I am in favor of, is doing more to subsidize people to work and do less to subsidize them from not working, and some combination of the two. And Im not sure that it is going to solve everything. Yes, it probably will deter a little bit of labor-saving technology, but I guess Im just not that worried that we are going to underinvest in those. I mean, the past thirty years has seen a fair amount of that. And I think the other point that is floating around here that we probably havent made, and let me just say this, historically we have historically in the U.S., when places became less productive we moved, right? We are a mobile nation. When the farmers of New England looked out you know, looked out my neighbors backyard and saw the rocky soil of Massachusetts and heard there was some place in the Ohio River Valley that was better, they moved. And they had neighbors who helped them raise a barn and they had balloon-frame houses to make their housing cheap. And when the farmers you know, in the late 19th century, thought that their agricultural incomes were low and saw an opportunity in Chicago or New York City, the tenement builders were there erecting homes by the thousands and hundreds of thousands to make space for them. When the Okies were hit by the Dust Bowl they packed up their car and moved to California, and again homes were made for them. The difference now is that we have parts of America that are wildly productive, including New York City, Silicon Valley, Seattle, Boston, and we dont allow any building, right? And that is part of the problem. And the consequence is for forty years prior to 1992, American mobility rates never dropped below 6% across counties. Over the past ten years they have never risen above 4%. Income convergence across areas, which was abetted by the mobility of both people and firms, has completely stalled, right? From 1860 to 1980 this was the norm. Poor places got richer, rich places had less income growth. Over the past thirty years that has been completely flat. We have ceased to see it. Partially because migration historically has moved from poor areas to rich areas. Think about the great migration North of African Americans fleeing the desperate poverty and degradation of the Jim Crow South to find a brighter opportunity in Detroit or Chicago. Well, today, you know, wed say you know, we want you to leave Detroit or Chicago and move to Silicon Valley. And they are going to ask you, where are they going to pay for that three-million-dollar starter home that occurs there. So as we know it at M.I., everything comes down to NYCHA, and at least part of the answer is allowing more migration. And you know, that service economy that you mentioned, I mean, thats a particularly bleak version, is the vast household staff of the gilded age. But, you know, there is a lot to like in the service economy. And we think about, you know, a world where we are going to have a brighter world for less-skilled people and I think a lot of the answers do come in services and not all thats wrong. Steve LeVine: Okay. We are going to do a lightning round. Do you want to say some Kay Hymowitz: Yeah. I wanted to add two things. One, in terms of policies, I think we need to look at the schools and how they are doing with dealing with boys because we know they are having a lot of trouble. And we need to get to these kids before they drop out, before they have the kind of failure that leads to joblessness and/or low skills and becoming part of what they call the precariat, very precarious jobs that take you in and out of, you know, that are not reliable. Ed, one question about this mobility issue that I find so interesting is if you look historically, people, when they move, its generally due to social networks of some sort. That is, their neighbors moved, or their uncle moved and said oh, there are real opportunities here. And it is curious in a place like Brooklyn that Ive studied, you have neighborhoods all over of different kinds of social groups. So, they are generally ethnic groups, but we can have a Bangladeshi neighborhood, or a Pakistani neighborhood, or Chinese, obviously, but we never get an Eastern heartland neighborhood. So, and I wonder what it is that makes people not see that as a possibility. Steve LeVine: Okay. We have got just a few more minutes here. And so, I wanted to do a lightning round. What is the big why are we having this discussion? Why is it important? There is a sense that the society is under threat. That how do you support an advanced democracy with the growth of jobs, $10-an-hour jobs, and the uncertainty about jobs period? So, my question for each of you, starting with you, Kay, is are we under is our society under threat? Do you believe it is? And if you could do one thing, what would it be? Kay Hymowitz: So, I think that it is under threat. I think the education-based meritocracy is failing a lot of people and also creating class divisions in so many respects. So, we are divided not just in terms of income, not just in terms of education, but in everything from the coffee we drink, the places we live, the way we think about families and marriage and children. And I think that that division, that polarization, has created just enormous anger at the lower end and that we are going to have more and more pressure, and this is an important point for conservatives, I think, to deal with, a lot of pressure for redistribution or some kinds of programs that can say that this system can work for people at the bottom. We talk a lot about the jobless men, but it is also people who are living and who are really actually working pretty hard and still not doing that well. And, with very few hopes for their children. Steve LeVine: Thanks. Ed? Edward Glaeser: Wage subsidies. Steve LeVine: Well, wait. First answer the question. Edward Glaeser: Oh, is it a major yeah. It is a big problem and wage subsidies. Kay Hymowitz: I like that. Steve LeVine: Ryan. Edward Glaeser: Fix NYCHA first. Ryan Avent: Well, you know, I like listening to Ed because Ed is optimistic about things. I am sort of all the way on the other end of the scale. The main thing I look forward to is kind of we finally get to see which dystopia we are going to end up in. I think, I am sort of very concerned. If you look back at industrial history, it all worked out okay but there were a lot of points in which it might not have. There were, you know, there were serious revolutions. There was basically a century-long ideological conflict that nearly led to nuclear war. And that ideological conflict had its roots in kind of the inequities generated by industrialization. So, there is a lot of ways things could go wrong and there is not really anyone in control kind of saying here is what we are going to do so that the worst outcomes dont occur. So, I think it is, you know, we need to be aware of kind of the difficulties that are ahead of us, and the more we kind of talk about and realize that we are going to have some radical solutions probably the better prepared we will be and the better able we will be to avoid the worst outcomes. Steve LeVine: I feel a lot better now. Ryan Avent: Yeah. Steve LeVine: Okay. We are shifting to questions. Please wait for the mic to reach you. Identify yourself and who you are New York governor Andrew Cuomo last week opened a second front in his rhetorical war on the Trump administrations off-shore oil-drilling initiative, travelling to Lower Manhattan to announce that he would commission a citizen fleet from throughout the state to go out and interfere with their federal effort just as Winston Churchill did in Dunkirk . . . If you think Im kidding, Im not, and Im going to lead that citizen fleet. Apparently, the Empire State will soon have both sanctuary shorelines and a puddle-pirate navy. Never mind the unhappy outcome the last time a dyspeptic state government committed armed assault on the feds. And whats a splendid little war without inspirational oratory? Its easy to imagine Cuomo channeling Churchill again: We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight in Montauk, we shall fight off Amagansett, we shall fight in Southampton and off the Lower Bay, we shall fight at Breezy Point. We shall never surrender. This is all nonsense and posturing, of course. New Yorks Democratic governor is a two-termer seeking a third, but he faces a challenge in this Septembers primary from actress/activist/gadfly Cynthia Nixon. Nixons effort is a bit of a windmill-tilt, but while Cuomo sits comfortably atop the polls, Nixon occupies space in his head, and shes making him a little nuts. Thus the Dunkirk trope. And last months bizarre cease-and-desist letter to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. And Cuomos declaring himself to be the undocumented son of poor immigrantswhich would have surprised his late father, Queens-born, three-term New York governor Mario Cuomo. And the governors recent declaration at a Baptist church service in Harlem that, while Catholics lack rhythm, they are not as without rhythm as some of our Jewish brothers and sisters. At first glance, its all quite amusing. The problem for New York, though, is that there is scant substantive difference between Cuomo and Nixon. They are both committed progressives. Each exchange between them as the campaign proceeds will likely move the reference points further left. Come next January, when the time for governing returns, the eventual winner will find it difficult to climb out of the public-policy hole dug during the campaign. Odds are that Cuomo will be that winner, but ask President Hillary Clinton about sure things. Indeed, Clintons loss two years ago energized an already-indigo state, making a progressive challenge to business-as-usual this year probably inevitable. Certainly Nixon is well-positioned to take advantage of the new zeitgeist. Gay, schooled in progressive rhetoric, a sophisticated advocate for rich lefty special interests without seeming to be so, and a media darling, she will make an impact. Think of her as an instrument of Hillarys revenge. If the zeitgeist is Nixons edge, Cuomos is incumbency. He already has more than $30 million in his campaign accountsraised in the gamy New York tradition that rewards winners while starving challengersand he is a master at deploying public assets to meet electoral needs. No sparrow will fall in New York between now and September without Albany taking note and sending help. Oddly enough, though, each candidates advantages also work against them. Cuomos incumbency could prove something of a sea anchor. Yes, he has shifted billions in economic development pork around the state, but former key aide Joseph Percoco, heavily invested in those development schemes, has been convicted in Albanys most deep-seated official corruption scandal in memory. A second round of criminal trials will soon begin. None of this should redound to Cuomos benefit. Meantime, Nixon could be damaged by the complexity and diversity of Democratic politics in New York. The partys most reliable voting blocsamong them African-American women and Orthodox Jewstend not to find gay activists appealing, and they react cautiously to renegade outsiders. The zeitgeist, in other words, can cut both ways. The partys other main power basethe highly transactional public-employee unionsare rarely enthusiastic about insurgencies of any sort. And given the incumbents record on gay marriage, guns, and the minimum wage, its hard to imagine what Nixons substantive beefs with Cuomo might be. The greatest danger to Cuomos futurenationally, if not in this electionis his propensity for combative rhetoric, when he isnt otherwise putting his foot in his mouth. He is the fellow, after all, who claimed that the Trump tax-reform plan was actually a plot to visit rape and pillage on New York. Occasional outbursts can be dismissed, but channeling Churchill regularly will only reinforce Cuomos reputation as the not-quite-serious-enough son of one of the Democratic Partys most accomplished orators. The question is whether the governor can discipline himself to forge a stouter image. Photo: Don Pollard/Office of the Governor An archaeological app to map the history of Britain's coastline, a scheme which helps teenage victims of gangs to escape their lifestyle, and a project to reimagine the care system in Scotland, are all on the shortlist for this years Charity Awards. The Charity Awards is the charity sectors longest-running, biggest and best-known awards ceremony. Charities are judged by an independent panel of charity leaders as having demonstrated outstanding best practice which other organisations can learn from across ten categories. The category winners, plus the recipients of the Overall Award for Excellence and the Daniel Phelan Award for Outstanding Achievement, will be announced at a black tie dinner on 7 June, held in the grounds of the Tower of London. The evening will be hosted by the Reverend Richard Coles, the writer and broadcaster, who will be joined by representatives of the shortlisted charities, as well as leaders from Britains best known and best loved charities. Click here to see the full list of shortlisted charities. Remarkable entries Julian Chislett, chief executive of Civil Society Media, said: After a year of increased scrutiny and considerable challenge to the sector it is so important that we celebrate success. Not only have we received over 30 per cent more entries than ever but the standard of the charities on our shortlist this year is incredible and the stories behind them truly inspiring. "We are extremely proud to have such a fantastic group of entries. For 19 years the Charity Awards have been celebrating the work of charities across the UK. We have a rigorous judging process which identifies charities with the most innovative ideas, delivering the best results, doing the most to help make a fairer and better life for people across the country. We look forward to welcoming all nominees to the awards and wish all the charities the very best of luck on the night. Thrilled to partner Andrew Pitt, head of charities London at Rathbones, overall sponsors of the awards, paid tribute to the shortlist. He said: We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Civil Society Media as sponsors of the Charity Awards," he said. "The awards celebrate leadership, good governance, innovation and excellence. As investment managers we do everything we can to support the work that the sector does and promoting best practice is an important part of our relationship with charities. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology cannot be held responsible for the death of a graduate student who killed himself on campus in 2009, the states highest court ruled Monday. The Supreme Judicial Court sided with MIT in the closely watched case that examined whether colleges and universities have a duty to protect students from harming themselves. Han Nguyens family said in their lawsuit that the school knew he was a suicide risk and could have prevented his death. The 25-year-old jumped from the top of a campus building moments after a professor confronted him about an offensive email. But the high court said in its ruling that a school can only be held responsible when it either knew that a student has attempted suicide while enrolled, or shortly before entering, or was aware the student had said they plan to kill themselves. The court said in those limited cases, the school must take reasonable measures to help the student. That would include initiating a suicide prevention protocol, getting the student in the care of a medical professional, or contacting police, fire or emergency medical personnel. Nguyen never communicated by words or actions to any MIT employee that he had stated plans or intentions to commit suicide, and any prior suicide attempts happened well before he started at the school, the judges wrote in the decision. He was also a 25-year-old adult graduate student living off campus, not a young student living in a campus dormitory under daily observation. An MIT spokeswoman and lawyer for the Nguyen family didnt immediately respond to messages. A group of 18 colleges and universities including Harvard University and Boston College told the court that holding MIT responsible for Nguyens death would have far-reaching consequences by causing officials with no medical expertise to overreact to concerns out of fear of liability. Nguyens professors shared concerns about his mental health in the months leading up to his death, and one encouraged his colleagues to pass him or they might have blood on their hands. Right before he killed himself, a professor read him the riot act over an email Nguyen sent to another MIT official that they believed was inappropriate, could records said. The family said that the school should have known that mishandling this fragile student would result in his suicide. But MIT said the school wasnt aware of the severity of his condition, noting that he was treated by outside professionals and refused on-campus resources. None of the professionals who treated Nguyen while he was at MIT believed he was an imminent risk of killing himself, the school said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. RMS Releases New Japan Earthquake and Tsunami High Definition Model Global risk modeling and analytics firm RMS announced the release of its new Japan Earthquake and Tsunami High Definition (HD) model. RMS collaborated with local experts, scientific agencies and insurers to develop a model that offers a more complete and detailed representation of earthquake and tsunami risk in Japan. The new model incorporates key research advancements from the 2017 Japan Seismic Hazard Maps, as well as lessons learned from the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes. Following the 2011 event, the Japanese Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion (HERP) oversaw extensive research studies on key subduction zones surrounding Japan and driving the seismic hazard and risk. The new model was developed through extensive evaluation of this research, so it provides a unique, robust point of view for earthquake hazard in Japan. Leveraging detailed damage statistics and claims data from recent events, the new model assesses building performance due to ground shaking, tsunami inundation, fire following earthquake, liquefaction and landslides. These are all considered in terms of losses for buildings, contents, business interruption, industrial facilities and builders risk. The new model includes explicit modeling of post-event loss amplification. The model captures the current local building codes and construction practices, which reflect the building stock distribution in Japan. Additionally, based on recent major liquefaction events in New Zealand, the liquefaction model framework has been redesigned using Japan-specific data to more accurately assess liquefaction risk at a local level. The new HD model allows for better integration of models into pricing and underwriting to help improve risk selection. This innovation enables more precise selection and pricing of risks. The market-leading HD Financial model provides for flexible and transparent loss calculations and can assess Japan specific policies and terms (e.g. step policy). The HD financial engine allows for an easier understanding of how losses are flowing through contracts which enables additional insight into contribution metrics and key drivers of risk. Roost Partners With The Weather Company Roost has partnered with The Weather Company, an IBM Business, to deliver emergency weather alerts to the policyholders of Roost Home Telematics insurance partners. The hyperlocal forecast alerts will begin rolling out as part of the Roost co-branded mobile app suite of application services. The first insurer to launch is GuideOne Insurance, with the customized weather alerts incorporated into all future co-branded app partnerships across the US and Europe. By forecasting an imminent windstorm, torrential rain, snow, extreme temperature or damaging hail, Roosts Home Telematics Platform will notify policyholders between 30 minutes to 24 hours in advance of expected emergency weather conditions. These severe weather notifications give policyholders an opportunity to use caution, seek shelter, or take the important steps to protect their property and help prevent potential losses. The integration of this compelling and relevant early warning weather alert to policyholders is also a strategically important engagement opportunity to dramatically increase carrier branding with each weather alert notification. Hiscox Launches Hiscox C-Suite Hiscox, an international specialty insurer, announced new coverage for its market-leading executive liability insurance policy for US businesses. Hiscox C-Suite focuses on management liability and crime coverage, and policies are available for companies of any size. The management liability policy includes Directors and Officers coverage for not-for-profit and private organizations, as well as Employment Practices Liability, Fiduciary, and Employed Lawyers coverage. Insureds have a 180-day extended reporting period following the termination of a policy, built-in coverage for pre-claim inquiries for insured persons (such as informal investigations brought by a governmental entity) and coverage for claims alleging anti-trust violations for select industries. Crime coverage, open to most industries including non-profit organizations and municipalities, applies to losses involving virtual currencies, and offers protection against tech fraud, extortion, and more traditional types of crime and fraud, like embezzlement. Features include, but are not limited to: Claims of tech fraud, which includes computer fraud, funds transfer fraud, cyber deception, customers accounts, and erroneous transfer. Third party coverage for theft from a customer, client, vendor, or others (even without a written contract). The term Client as used in the policy even includes a client of a client. Coverage for employee theft of an executives property, forgery of an executives accounts, and extortion. Coverage for a theft by an employee of an insureds vendor. Coverage for employees, even when the insured is aware of their prior theft or history of dishonesty The 2017 Hiscox Embezzlement Study, an examination of employee theft in the US, found that US businesses lost an average of $1.13 million in 2016 due to employee theft and dishonesty. Hiscox C-Suite policyholders also can receive crisis management and legal assistance through industry partners Control Risks, Littler Mendelson and Epiq. Some business groups in North Dakota are working with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to increase awareness of trenching hazards and collaborate on training programs. The alliance members signed a two-year agreement Thursday at the North Dakota Safety Councils safety training campus to collaborate on training and awareness programs, The Bismarck Tribune reported. Scott Overson, assistant area director of the Bismarck OSHA office, said the alliances goal is to eliminate trenching hazards and prevent injuries and fatalities. Alliance members include the North Dakota Safety Council, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Associated Builders and Contractors of North Dakota and Associated General Contractors of North Dakota. We want to get people home to their families safely every day, said Chuck Clairmont, executive director of the North Dakota Safety Council. The industry groups will provide employers and workers with information and training resources to help reduce exposure to excavation-related hazards. Dustin Austin, a safety consultant, said that the North Dakota Safety Council will add a hands-on component to its excavation safety course and will partner with OSHA to do mock inspections. This alliance will provide a big benefit to employees out there in the field, Austin said. The alliance comes as OSHA is investigating a trench that caved in on two workers who were repairing a sewer line in Mandan. The Mandan Fire Department said the men were covered in dirt, but that they didnt require medical treatment. OSHA has also issued citations to excavation contractor Kamphuis Pipeline Co. for exposing employees to trench cave-ins and other serious hazards while installing water metering pits and lines. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The U.S. Department of Transportation is again urging owners of vehicles with defective Takata airbags to seek repairs immediately. The agency singled out Ford Rangers and Mazda B-Series trucks from 2006, which are under a do not drive warning. The agency said Monday that it is deeply concerned that they are not being returned for repairs quickly enough. Chemicals used to inflate the airbags can deteriorate in some conditions, causing them to explode with too much force and blow apart a metal canister that can lead to hurling shrapnel. At least 22 deaths and more than 180 injuries have been linked to the defect. Some 50 million Takata airbag inflators have been recalled in the United States and millions more globally. Lawsuits are pending against the company. According to the manufacturers, only 49.2 percent of the 33,320 impacted Ford Rangers, and 55 percent of the 2,205 Mazda B-Series trucks, have been fixed. Both automakers will have the vehicles towed to a dealership at no cost. The focus is on 21 cities and Puerto Rico where, according to the agency, many of the vehicles are located. I cannot stress strongly enough the urgency of this recall these airbags are dangerous, said Heidi King, deputy administrator at the Department of Transportations National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Every vehicle must be accounted for now. The agency is urging consumers to visit NHTSA.gov and use a Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, to find out if their vehicle is included in the recalls. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. An analysis by a Tennessee newspaper has found that a decline in safety inspections and ignored safety rules have led to an increase in worker deaths during Nashvilles housing boom. Citing state and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration data, The Tennessean reported that 2016 and 2017 was the deadliest two-year stretch for construction workers in Nashvilles metropolitan area in more than 30 years. Sixteen construction workers died during that time span. That is more than construction worker deaths in areas with a similarly sized workforce or rapid growth, according to the report, published Saturday. Ten of the 16 workers didnt have harnesses or other federally required safeguards and died from falls, the newspaper said. Half of the workers were Latino, according to the newspaper, which said untrained laborers from other countries have filled many construction jobs as area tradesmen retire. Many of the immigrant laborers work on single-family residential construction sites where safety plans may be more relaxed than at commercial sites run by large general contractors. Frankly, I dont think they know what the expectation is, that you would wear fall protection, or even a lot of time I dont think theyre aware that the employers are required to give it to them, said Steve Hawkins, an administrator at the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration. John Eldridge is the CEO of E3 Construction Services, a general contractor that has built hundreds of residences in Nashville during this boom. He said the citys residential subcontractors are unlikely to follow safety regulations when compared to commercial tradesmen. Eldridge said only hiring subcontractors who strictly follow safety standards would cut back on the number of workers available. We are at the mercy of the labor pool we have, he said. The Tennessean also found that random construction site inspections by the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration have plummeted. The inspections dipped from 760 in 2008 to only 172 in 2016 when the housing boom started in Nashville. It then doubled in 2017 to 331. Hawkins said the state branch of the agency has been stretched thin since 2015 when the federal branch required employers to report all amputations, eye loss, and inpatient hospitalizations. The state division initially responded to each report with an in-person inspection. However, Hawkins changed the policy in 2017 to allow supervisors to respond to less-serious injuries with letters. Hawkins said this has freed up two more inspectors for the area. Low pay and turnover also have strained the agency, but the turnover has since slowed, Hawkins said. The agency gave all employees a 22 percent raise in 2016. Inspectors now make $57,000. There have been two construction workers deaths in the Nashville area so far this year. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Uber Technologies Inc., whose self-driving car program is reeling from a fatal collision with a pedestrian, has hired Christopher Hart, the former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, to advise the company. That same board is investigating the Tempe, Arizona collision that killed a woman as she walked across the street in March. A video of the accident shows the cars driver looking away from the accident and the car colliding with the pedestrian without visibly attempting to stop. Meanwhile, a report in technology news publication The Information said that Ubers internal investigation determined that its sensors spotted the woman. But error-correcting software meant to avoid unnecessary braking directed the car to continue, the report says. Were actively cooperating with the NTSB in their investigation. Out of respect for that process and the trust weve built with NTSB, we cant comment on the specifics of the incident, an Uber spokeswoman said in a statement. In the meantime, we have initiated a top-to-bottom safety review of our self-driving vehicles program, and brought on Hart to advise us on our overall safety culture. Our review is looking at everything from the safety of our system to our training processes for vehicle operators, and we hope to have more to say soon. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. A Ford F-150 truck goes through a quality control inspection after undergoing assembly at the Ford Dearborn Truck Plant. Just as auto sales start to heat up, Ford is facing the daunting prospect of seeing a major drop in the supply of its best selling and most profitable vehicle, the F-150 pickup truck. Final assembly of the F-150 is crippled by the lack of critical components after a fire knocked out production at a supplier's plant in Michigan. Tuesday afternoon the United Automobile Workers union alerted members who build the F-150 at the Dearborn Truck Plant that production could be stopped later this week. "The company doesn't know when or for how long we will be down," wrote Burkie Morris of the UAW in a letter to members. If production is halted, Ford will likely temporarily lay off thousands of workers until it can get assembly lines running again. The automaker has already halted production of the F-Series at its plant in Kansas City. A spokesperson for Ford told CNBC: "We are working closely with the supplier to manage the situation." The supplier, Meridian Lightweight Technologies, manufactures instrument panel components for the F-150. How much could stopping production of the F-Series hurt Ford and dealers who rely on the popular pickup truck to generate huge sales? That depends on how long the assembly lines are shut down. Last month, Ford sold 73,104 F-Series pickups, with the overwhelming majority of those being the F-150, according to company sales reports. Meanwhile, the automaker ended April with nearly a quarter of a million trucks on the ground at dealerships, and a high percentage were F-150 models. That inventory will keep Ford dealers stocked for several weeks, though an extended halt to production could be problematic for the automaker and painful for more than 7,600 workers. Google is placing a lot of importance on engaging with governments across the world, even amid tensions around artificial intelligence, privacy and fake news, according to one of the company's top engineers. "It's important to engage with governments around the world in how they're thinking about AI to help inform them," Jeff Dean, head of Google AI and one of Alphabet's top computer scientists, told CNBC's Josh Lipton on Tuesday. "Obviously tech companies have a lot of expertise in this space. We can offer advice and our views of where the technology is going what impact that might have in the broader society. And I think you want governments to be thinking carefully about what the implications of these technologies will be five, 10 years down the road. That seems like a helpful dialogue to have." Google kicked off its annual developer confab, I/O, on Tuesday, where it announced artificial intelligence integrations for everything from writing emails to computer chips. Meanwhile, in Washington, Donald Trump's administration has been planning a summit on artificial intelligence with representatives from Google, plus Amazon, Facebook, Intel and 34 other major U.S. companies, according to The Washington Post. Dean is a company veteran, joining the company when it had 25 employees in 1999. He's led Google Brain since 2012, where he researches artificial intelligence. Google's top brass, including Sundar Pichai and Sergey Brin, have long maintained that artificial intelligence is the future of the company. But critics of artificial intelligence have also warned that it has the ability to take workers' jobs. Dean counters that Google actually aims to make humans more productive and improve their experiences with technology. "We want to make users more productive and a lot of time is spent in email writing things that are relatively straightforward. A really smart person looking over your shoulder would probably be able to guess about what you're going to write in the next sentence. We want to make the system able to do this for you," Dean said. There are a lot of positive ways that regulators and technologists can work together, Dean said, particularly in the healthcare field which can "benefit everyone in the world." Google's technologies are discovering new types of things that doctors didn't even realize were present in visual data, such as getting clues about heart health from retinal scans instead of blood draws, Dean said. "The healthcare space is a very complicated one for a variety of reasons: It's much more regulated than some other kinds of industries, for good reason," Dean said. "You want to deploy these sorts of systems in a safe and methodical manner. But I think it's also important also to get these benefits out as soon as regulatorily possible. It is still pretty early. I think the fact that machine learning is really starting to work on practical problems is a relatively recent phenomenon and I think we'll see more and more of this in healthcare and other industries." Wolfgang Puck has been a celebrity chef for more than two decades and is a mainstay on cooking and television shows like Masterchef and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. His restaurant Spago in West Hollywood, which he opened in 1982, is considered a pioneer of California-style cooking, and is still a celebrity hotspot more than 30 years on. Amid all that success, Puck's business empire now brings in about $600 million each year, he told CNBC. That includes his fine dining restaurants, casual restaurants and merchandise like cookware, knives, coffee makers and rice steamers. The restaurant industry is tough, though, and even celebrity chefs often struggle to convert fame into profit. Passion, the Austria-born chef said, is what's essential for those wanting to venture into the restaurant industry. "They have to have passion for food, the passion for hospitality. It's not a business where you sit in an office and just look at the computer and numbers. The numbers come after. First, you have to make the customer happy," he told CNBC during a visit to his restaurants in Singapore. The city-state played host to the first international outpost of Puck's fine dining empire, and the chef said that his Singapore restaurants are the most profitable as labor costs are lower. Last year marked the restaurants' best year, he said. Despite his own international outings, he cautioned that expansion is a risky business. The restaurant businesses need to "expand at a certain pace not too much and not too little," he said. "You have to make more money than you spend, that's my first thing I didn't have to go to Harvard or Princeton for that." As the U.S. drops out of the Iran nuclear deal, Iran may first try diplomacy but could also seek help skirting U.S. sanctions from other parties to the deal, particularly Russia and China. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday said Iran would speak with China, Russia and European countries to see if the 2015 deal can be maintained without the U.S. However, if the deal collapses, Iran could return to its nuclear program. President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement, calling it "disastrous," and promising the "highest level of economic sanctions against Iran." After the move by Trump, companies would have 90 to 180 days to wind down existing contracts with Iranian companies. Longer term, analysts also say the bigger issue is the schism in Iranian internal politics, and who ultimately gains the upper hand. "Rouhani doesn't control the nuclear field. The supreme leader does. What does the supreme leader do now? I think the biggest risk is the hard-liners in Iran get the upper hand, and Iran resumes their nuclear program. I think Rouhani may have been discredited today," said Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. But as analysts assess whether renewed sanctions will be successful, they point to the fact that China is unlikely to curtail its purchases of Iranian oil, and may in fact increase them. Iran may also find an ally in Russia, also under U.S. sanctions. Iran could first explore diplomatic channels after Trump's decision to resume sanctions on Iran based on evidence from Israel that Iran is continuing a nuclear program and its support of terrorist organizations in the Middle East. But while it could go to the United Nations General Assembly, the U.S. sits on the Security Council. "I think Iran does nothing in the short run ... I don't think they want to invite anyone to start bombing the country," said Edward Morse, global head of commodities research at Citigroup. Morse said Iran will likely seek abitration under the terms of the nuclear pact. Iran entered the agreement in 2015 with the U.S., China, Russia, the U.K., Germany and France to end its nuclear program in exchange for a waiver of harsh financial sanctions that hampered its ability to export oil. Analysts expect European companies that do not want to be prohibited from dealings with the U.S. to comply with the renewed sanctions, but European leaders are expected to continue to work to find a way to keep the pact in place. "While there is considerable debate over the effectiveness of unilateral U.S. action on Iran, we think that a revival of the threat to lock non-compliant corporates out of U.S. capital markets provides the White House with a pretty powerful stick," notes Croft. "While Chinese compliance is probably a nonstarter, we do anticipate a high degree of cooperation from European, Japanese and South Korean corporates despite their host government's opposition to the U.S. move." French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that there will be a continued effort to work on a broader framework to include lengthening the nuclear agreement; curbing ballistic missiles and Iranian activity in Yemen and Syria. tweet Carlos Pascual, a former U.S. diplomat and the State Department's top energy official when the sanctions were first imposed, said one way forward could be a parallel set of sanctions that the U.S. could agree to with Europe on the topics mentioned by Macron. "I imagine what will happen is the administration will continue some form of discussion or dialogue with the Europeans on whether there are supplementary sanctions that could be put in place on ballistic missiles. It's unclear what might be done to constrain Iran in the region," said Pascual, senior vice president at IHS Markit. He said Iran's activity in the region extends to Hezbollah and Hamas, and into places like Syria, Libya, Lebanon and Yemen. "Sanctions on Iran's involvement in the region become complicated because they are so extensive, and they are hard to measure and verify. It would be extremely difficult to implement," said Pascual. Iran learned to get around sanctions the last time, and it could do so again but more successfully, analysts said. Instead of the more than 1 million barrels a day that were kept off the market in the last round of sanctions, the result is likely to be more little more than 300,000 since U.S. allies do not support ending the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. This year's election has more than nine parties on the ballot, up from just four in 2014, and forging cross-sectarian alliances will be key to electoral success. or a return to the sectarian tendencies of previous administrations could plunge the war-weary country back into violence. HAIDAR HAMDANI | AFP | Getty Images Everything will be on the line when Iraqis cast their ballots on Saturday to choose their next prime minister from rebuilding the economy to the resurgence of sectarian violence and the Islamic State (ISIS). Iraq's last parliamentary elections were held in 2014. The past four years have seen Iraq lose a third of its territory to ISIS, then win it back in bloody fighting that left tens of thousands dead and nearly 6 million displaced. The country of 37 million saw huge swathes of its infrastructure destroyed as well as the expansion of Iranian influence and a failed Kurdish independence referendum last fall. Meanwhile, improved relations with neighbors including Saudi Arabia and promises of investment coupled with higher oil prices have ushered in a sense of cautious optimism in different parts of the country. A failure to effectively address problems like rampant corruption and a dearth of jobs or a return to the sectarian tendencies of previous administrations that led to a backlash by marginalized groups and fueled the rise of ISIS could plunge the war-weary country back into the violence from which it's only just started to recover. Who is running? The position of prime minister has been reserved for a Shia, Iraq's majority sect, since the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein's Sunni leadership. Current Prime Minister Haider al Abadi, in power since 2014, is running for re-election with his newly formed "Victory" coalition on a bid to reach across sectarian lines. Abadi is seen as something of a hero in much of Iraq for successfully leading the U.S.-backed offensive that drove out ISIS, as well as putting down a short-lived Kurdish independence struggle in fall of last year. He has also demonstrated an ability to work with an array of opposing interests, balancing relationships with the U.S., Iran and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states for security and investment partnerships. He is considered most likely to win, but faces many more competitors than in the last parliamentary contest. This year's election has more than nine parties (also called lists, or coalitions) on the ballot, up from just four in 2014 including around five Shia parties and several new independent lists. More than 7,000 individual candidates are running for 329 seats across Iraq's 19 provinces, representing everything from religious parties to communists. Abadi's top rivals include controversial former prime minister Nuri al Maliki, who is often blamed for the sectarian rule that disenfranchised many Sunnis and led to the empowerment of ISIS in Iraq. Maliki remains among the most powerful figures in Iraq's political landscape, however, and actually rules Abadi's political party, Islamic Dawa. Maliki remains strongly pro-Iran, as does candidate Hadi al Amiri, whose Iranian-backed Badr Organization is a part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, the Shia paramilitaries that played a vital role in defeating ISIS. Amiri's Badr party has significant Shia support, but is accused by Sunnis and Kurds of sectarian abuses and violence. Iran will be watching closely Maliki and Amiri would be its favored candidates, although Abadi also has ties to Tehran. But Abadi's nationalist, pan-Iraqi approach may temper the Islamic Republic's entrenched presence in Iraqi politics. According to Ryan Turner, a senior analyst at risk consultancy PGI Group, "Over the long-term, the growth of a non-sectarian national identity could diminish Iran's influence in the country." Crossing sectarian lines It's unlikely that any single candidate will gain a majority that's a sign of both the fractured nature of Iraqi politics and the diversity of players in this year's election. The leading candidates will likely split the Shia vote, meaning they have to achieve Sunni and Kurdish support in order to win. This fragmentation likely means tough negotiations in the elections' aftermath, according to Raphaele Auberty, Middle East analyst at BMI research. "Any individual running as prime minister would have to compose with a diverse coalition, which will undermine policy-making," she said. An Iraqi soldier holds an Islamic State flag during a battle with Islamic State militants, north of Mosul, Iraq. Ari Jalal | Reuters But as challenging as achieving some level of national consensus will be, it is critical to Iraq's future. "Working with ethnic and sectarian groups, notably over the reconstruction of areas previously under ISIS control which have suffered high levels of damage, will be crucial to mitigate sectarian tensions in the future, which is in turn crucial for stability." Rebuilding a broken economy The UN estimates that 2.6 million Iraqis are still displaced following the bloody three-year battle to drive out ISIS, while 3.2 million have returned to their homes. Iraq's northern and western provinces suffered the vast majority of the damage, with cities like Mosul and Ramadi still laden with improvised explosive devices and other dangerous remnants of war. The Iraqi government estimated it would need at least $100 billion in reconstruction funds to rebuild the country's lost homes, businesses and infrastructure. "Corruption, security and fears of political stability are a major concern that must be addressed if Iraq hopes to increase investment," Turner said. Poor public services, weak institutions and lack of economic opportunity have all been further underlying drivers of unrest and violence that Iraqi politicians cannot afford to neglect. Iraq was placed 169th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's 2017 Corruption Perception Index, with a lower rank reflecting a more corrupt country. Reconstruction works continue in Mosul, Iraq after 9 months long anti Daesh operations on January 25, 2018. Hemn Baban | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images "Oil revenues should be channeled into long-neglected and conflict-battered infrastructure and developing new industries," Turner said, noting the sector's revenue is crucial to reconstruction funding. Significant barriers to the private sector remain, meanwhile, including what investors describe as a dysfunctional bureaucracy and confusing regulations. 'Just do your job' Economic hardship transcends sectarian lines and is at the forefront of voters' concerns, said Renad Mansour, a Middle East research fellow at Chatham House, speaking to CNBC via phone from Baghdad. "In speeches, you're not hearing sectarian language. Much more is focused on anti-corruption, providing jobs and services, and improving the economy," he said. "If the next government isn't able to better bridge the gap between the average citizen and leadership, the whole political process will break down again." And cross-sectarian outreach alone won't solve these problems. "The next government needs to understand how to deliver services, provide jobs, fight corruption. That's not going to come just by having Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds represented in the government." "People don't care whether you're Sunni or Shia," Mansour added. "Just do your job." Oil boost for now In the meantime, the increase in global oil prices will provide a boost in growth and reduction in credit risk in the near-term, but diversification of the hydrocarbon-dependent economy will be vital, according to Hussain Qaragholi, head of Iraq coverage at Deutsche Bank AG. "The next Iraqi leader would be prudent to continue the reforms started by Abadi to increase non-oil revenues and reduce the non-oil primary balance as well as continue to implement measures designed to increase transparency with the support of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank," Qaragholi told CNBC. And assuming Brent oil prices stay above $70 on average for 2018, "Iraq should realize an extra $20 billion in budget surplus." The auction was the largest of the week-long series of Rockefeller sales, and it has already become the largest ever for a single collection. Christie's estimated the entire collection would fetch $500 million or more, but the art auction alone hauled in $646 million. A rare Picasso painting owned by the Rockefellers sold for $115 million including fees on Tuesday night, highlighting the continued strength of the art market and the enduring power of the Rockefeller name. Works by Henri Matisse and Claude Monet also went for eye-popping prices at the Christie's evening auction of 19th and 20th Century Art from the Collection of David and Peggy Rockefeller. (Source: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2018) The Picasso, called "Young Girl with a Flower Basket," was the star of the collection and was estimated to sell for $100 million or more. It was painted in 1905 and is from Pablo Picasso's rare and vivid Rose Period. Collectors have coveted the painting, which hung in David Rockefeller's Manhattan townhouse, for decades. It was sold directly by Picasso to Gertrude Stein, the famed writer and bohemian who lived in Paris in the early 1900s and befriended many famous painters and writers. Rockefeller bought the piece from Stein's estate in 1968. The painting was not, however, a record for a Picasso. His colorful "Les Femmes d'Alger" sold for $179.4 million in 2015. A painting by Henri Matisse, called "Odalisque couchee aux magnolias" sold for $80.75 million. It was estimated at $70 million and sets a new record for a Matisse, whose previous highest price was $48.8 million. One of Monet's famous water lilies paintings sold for $84.7 million, above its $50 million estimate. Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, Republican U.S. Senate candidate from West Virginia, speaks during an election night event in Charleston, West Virginia, U.S., on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Republican leaders have avoided their worst fear in West Virginia. Trailing his two rivals Tuesday night, ex-convict Don Blankenship conceded in the West Virginia Republican Senate primary. State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is projected to beat Rep. Evan Jenkins for the nomination, according to NBC News. Blankenship's defeat allows Republicans to feel confident about their ability to flip a seat in the state President Donald Trump won by about 40 percentage points in 2016. The GOP felt either Jenkins or Morrisey had a better chance of winning statewide than Blankenship did. Flipping Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's seat would help Republicans to keep or expand their current 51-seat to 49-seat majority in the Senate. They hoped to avoid a situation similar to what they endured in deep-red Alabama last year. Ex-judge Roy Moore won the GOP primary but lost the special election to Democratic Sen. Doug Jones following accusations that he sexually abused teenagers decades ago. Blankenship, the former Massey Energy CEO who served prison time for his role in a mine explosion that killed 29 people, ran a campaign replete with attacks on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He earned the ire of the Kentucky Republican's allies with racially charged ads dubbing him "Cocaine Mitch" and alleging he created jobs for "China people" and profited off his "China family." Those attacks related to a shipping company owned by the family of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, McConnell's wife, who was born in Taiwan. Earlier Tuesday, McConnell would not comment on the ads and said he would have more to say if Blankenship won the primary. On Tuesday night, the Senate majority leader's allies gleefully cheered Blankenship's concession. McConnell's campaign tweeted a picture of the senator surrounded by a white powder with the message, "Thanks for playing, Don." Team Mitch tweet Steven Law, president and CEO of the McConnell-linked Senate Leadership Fund, said Blankenship "played the race card and West Virginia Republicans flipped it back in his face." In the days leading up to the election, McConnell reportedly answered his phone as "Cocaine Mitch." He also encouraged Trump to denounce Blankenship. The president did so in a Monday tweet urging voters to reject him in favor of Morrisey or Jenkins. In conceding Tuesday, Blankenship said Trump's tweet contributed to his loss. Morrisey, 50, has served as West Virginia's attorney general since 2013 and touts his role in challenging Obama-era environmental regulations. He has cast himself as a conservative unafraid to stand up to establishment party leaders. Morrisey received endorsements from two GOP senators who have also tried to cultivate that brand: Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas. The attorney general has portrayed himself as a Washington outsider, in one ad showing a West Virginia mountain dropping on the nation's capital. But his past as a Washington lobbyist has diminished the imagery. In a statement Tuesday, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman David Bergstein argued Morrisey "emerges tonight badly bruised from a bizarre primary contest that focused on personal political attacks instead of West Virginians." He also highlighted Morrisey's past as a lobbyist. Facing a difficult re-election bid, Manchin has had to tread carefully around Trump while opposing some of his signature policies. The senator opposed both the Republican health-care and tax plans. Last month, Trump hammered Manchin for doing so. Manchin has employed a strategy many Democrats trying to win in red, rural regions appear set to use: agree with Trump on some areas, but pledge to protect retirement and health-care benefits, and fight the opioid epidemic. The U.S. Transportation Department's 10 winning drone pilot projects aimed at spurring the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in a wide variety of fields do not include Amazon or China's DJI, but do involve Alphabet, Qualcomm and Microsoft. Apple is also involved in the project through a partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Virginia Tech, one of the winners, said that Alphabet's Project Wing, AT&T, Intel, Airbus and Dominion Energy are among the partners for its pilot program that will explore package delivery, emergency management and infrastructure inspection. A spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Transportation, another winner, said Apple Is among its partners, and Apple said it plans to use the testing program to improve Apple Maps by capturing aerial images. "Apple is committed to protecting people's privacy, including processing this data to blur faces and license plates prior to publication," the company said. Microsoft is among the partners for a Kansas project, while Qualcomm is joining a winning bid from the City of San Diego to test a wide range of public safety, commercial and emergency response applications. Amazon, which hopes to one day deliver packages with a fleet of drones, said it was unfortunate its applications were not selected but supports the U.S. efforts. "We're focused on developing a safe operating model for drones in the airspace and we will continue our work to make this a reality, said Brian Huseman, Amazon's vice president of public policy. China's DJI said it submitted about a dozen applications. "We congratulate the winners and will be happy to work with any of them with hardware, software or technical assistance to help these exciting ideas come to life," said Adam Lisberg, spokesman for the world's largest maker of non-military drones. In this Oct. 11, 2017, photo, large spheres take shape in front of an existing Amazon building and in view of the Space Needle in Seattle. Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy said on Wednesday it's "super dangerous" for Seattle to consider taxing large companies and risk dampening job creation to offset the effects of gentrification and homelessness. In particular, Jassy was critical of the proposed "head tax," which would apply to 585 businesses with $20 million or more in yearly revenue, according to The Seattle Times. Those companies would pay a tax of 26 cents per full-time employee per hour for 2019 and 2020, which would convert to a 0.7 percent payroll tax after that. In 2015 , Seattle and King County declared a state of emergency over the rising number of homeless people in the area, calling it "just as devastating to thousands as flood or fire." Proponents of the so-called head tax say that the businesses who have benefited from Seattle's economic boom can afford to contribute to programs that mitigate rising rents. But Jassy told CNBC's "Squawk Alley" on Wednesday that he felt the city would be better off "working with the business community." "I would say that things like the head tax in Seattle I think are super dangerous for cities to implement. What company is going to want to start or move to or grow in a city that penalizes them for hiring full-time employees?" Jassy said. AT&T said late Wednesday it was contacted by special counsel Robert Mueller's office about Michael Cohen, the personal lawyer for President Donald Trump. A spokeswoman for the company said that AT&T provided all information requested by Mueller's office in November and December of last year. "A few weeks later, our consulting contract with Cohen expired at the end of the year. Since then, we have received no additional questions from the Special Counsel's office and consider the matter closed," AT&T said in its statement. Earlier Wednesday, a source told CNBC that the telecommunications giant paid Cohen up to $600,000 as part of a consulting contract to get insight into Trump's thinking. The source said that the payment to Cohen was for "actual work done," adding: "And it wasn't to pay for access to the president." "It was to pay for an understanding of the inner workings of Trump, his thought process, how he likes to operate, how he likes to make decisions, how he processes information," the source said. "And how he thinks about the big issues," the source added. AT&T told employees Wednesday in a memo that it had hired Cohen as one of several consultants to "help us understand how the President and his administration might approach a wide range of policy issues important to the company, including regulatory reform at the FCC, corporate tax reform and antitrust enforcement." AT&T is trying to buy media conglomerate Time Warner for $85 billion. The Justice Department opposes the deal on antitrust grounds, and now the companies are awaiting a verdict from a federal judge. The man leading Bahrain's private sector development wants to emulate Norway's model when it comes to oil, he told CNBC on Wednesday. "I'm trying to promote the Norway story. Norway discovered oil after they industrialized, and started to use oil as capital. That's what we need to look for," Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa told CNBC's Hadley Gamble during the Gateway Gulf Bahrain forum in the capital Manama. Al Khalifa is the chairman of Bahrain's semi-autonomous governmental agency Tamkeen, which is tasked with driving the kingdom's economic development, increasing productivity and creating jobs. Tamkeen was established in 2006 as part of the government's reform initiatives. "We've invested in the basic infrastructure, that's done," Al Khalifa said. "So it is more using oil as capital, not cash flow, and reaching a point where recurrent revenue matches recurrent expenditure in the government." By pointing to Norway, Al Khalifa was referencing the oil-rich Nordic state's sovereign wealth fund, which is the largest in the world. Established in 1990, the Government Pension Fund of Norway fund has been used to invest the country's surplus petroleum revenues, putting that oil money to work. To date, it has over $1 trillion in assets, including 1.3 percent of global equities. "It'll take time to get there, I'm not saying it'll be done easily, but I think the oil gives us an opportunity to be able to invest and grow the region better," Al Khalifa added. "We no longer need it to provide services most of the services either pay for themselves or are on the way to paying for themselves. It's getting in the mindset to use oil as capital, and not cash flow." Bill Gates says he's envious of the complex problems that today's young people will get to solve. During a Q&A at Harvard last month, the Microsoft co-founder told students that it's a "more interesting time to be lucky enough to be a student at Harvard" than it was when he entered the Ivy in 1973. Gates continued: "The ability to take innovation and solve problems including: How do you help low income students do as well as high income students? How do you go to Africa and help the health and education and take the incredible population growth that will be there and make that a positive asset for that continent?" California regulators on Wednesday unanimously approved a historic plan that will require most new homes in the state have rooftop solar panels that turn sunlight into electricity starting in 2020. With the move, California now becomes the first state in the nation to mandate solar-energy installations on most single-family homes as well as multi-family residential buildings up to three stories, including condos and apartment complexes. But some experts warn that increasing the cost to build new homes will only worsen the state's affordable housing crisis. The solar mandate is expected to add on average about $9,500 to the cost of new houses but is projected to be offset by the solar system's long-term energy savings. The mandate, approved 5-to-0 by the California Energy Commission, is part of the state's 2019 update of energy efficiency standards and ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. The state's building sector is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions when fossil fuels power plants are factored in. "This is an undeniably historic decision for the state and the U.S.," said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade association with about 1,000 member companies. "California has long been our nation's biggest solar champion, and its mass adoption of solar has generated huge economic and environmental benefits, including bringing tens of billions of dollars of investment into the state." News of the nation's most populous state mandating solar on new homes is a win for the solar companies and sent industry stocks higher Wednesday. SunPower added 6 percent, Sunrun jumped 4 percent, First Solar added 3 percent and Tesla picked up nearly 2 percent. "Overall, we expect with California's mandate some companies within the solar and broader renewable industry stand to benefit positively, including those who make panels and component parts, as well as those who assist with installation and ensure efficient use of energy," said Dave Fanger, CEO of Swell Investing, holder of solar and related stocks in its Green Tech and Renewable Energy portfolios. The commission's action on new 2019 building energy efficiency standards also applies to everything from current ventilation systems to indoor air quality. California updates the efficiency standards every three years, and the state's ultimate goal is net-zero energy homes that reduces the carbon footprint of buildings and makes them effectively energy self-sufficient. Residential 'gas guzzlers' "We cannot let Californians be in homes that are essentially the residential equivalent of gas guzzlers," David Hochschild, a member of the state energy commission said Wednesday prior to the voting. "This really puts us on a path to a more efficient future." California now the world's fifth-largest economy already has a reputation for pushing the boundaries when it comes to going green. The state's renewable portfolio standard requires power companies to have 50 percent of total energy sources from renewable energy such as solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectricity by 2030. The California Building Industry Association, or CBIA, estimates that only 15 to 20 percent of the single-family homes built in California have solar panel installations. At least seven cities in the state already have solar mandates of one form or another on new buildings, including San Francisco. "Adoption of these standards represents a quantum leap in statewide building standards," Bob Raymer, the technical director for the CBIA said in remarks to the energy commission prior to the vote in Sacramento. "No other state in the nation will have anything close to this and you can bet every one of the 49 other states will be watching closely to see what happens." Raymer also applauded state regulators for working with builders "to significantly reduce overall compliance costs and to provide increased design flexibility." He said that cooperation "was the key to gaining industry support from these first-of-a-kind regulations." The state's solar mandate for new homes includes compliance credits for the installation of battery storage technology. That means homeowners with the rooftop solar systems will be able to capture cheap electricity during the middle of the day and keep that power onsite for evening hours when rates tend to go up. The solar policy does provide alternatives or certain exemptions for homes or residential buildings when there are shaded areas due to trees, chimneys or other nearby structures. There also are special rules that apply to homes with insufficient roof space for a solar installation. Higher upfront costs The commission estimates the solar mandate will add an average of about $9,500 to the upfront cost of single-family houses but result in about $19,000 in energy savings over a 30-year period. "The lifetime savings are significant because in California we have high energy costs," said Anne Hoskins, chief policy officer for Sunrun, a large residential solar and storage provider based in San Francisco. For residential homeowners, the commission estimates that the standards will add about $40 to an average monthly payment over a 30-year period but essentially save consumers $80 on monthly heating, cooling and lighting bills. The state estimates the proposed solar standards applying to most homes and many commercial structures could save California residents and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars in energy costs over the next decade. The cost of solar rooftop panels have fallen sharply and helped reduce the cost of solar systems. At the same time, the technology is considered more efficient and advancements have led to aesthetically-pleasing solar panels that look like traditional roof shingles. The approved standards still allow new home construction to continue with some natural gas but the state is pushing to reduce gas need over time and facilitate a shift to high-efficiency electric appliances, such as heat pump water heaters. All-electric homes using solar are seen as having lower greenhouse gas emissions and less energy consumption than those that use natural gas. Under the change, new homes are expected to slash energy use by more than 50 percent as a result of having solar photovoltaic systems on rooftops. For residential homeowners, the commission estimates that the standards will add about $40 to an average monthly payment over a 30-year period but essentially save consumers $80 on monthly heating, cooling and lighting bills. Affordable housing shortage After a decade of talks, Japan and China agreed on Wednesday to set up a security hotline to defuse any maritime confrontations between the two Asian powers. The deal is the latest result of a push to improve ties strained by lingering acrimony over Japan's wartime occupation of swathes of China and a dispute over the ownership of islets in the East China Sea. In a public ceremony after a summit in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang oversaw the signing of a pact to set up within 30 days a hotline for senior defense officials to communicate during incidents involving each others' naval vessels or military aircraft. Talks on the hotline had stalled in 2012, after the Japanese government bought the disputed islands, known in Tokyo as the Senkaku, and in Beijing as the Diaoyu, from a private landowner. The step aimed to halt a more inflammatory purchase by the Tokyo city government, then headed by a nationalist governor. China had also resisted Japan's insistence that the agreement should not cover the territorial waters surrounding the islets, which are controlled by Japan. "It does not include the Senkakus," a Japanese government official said during an earlier press briefing. Besides the hotline, Wednesday's pact provides for regular meetings between both nations' defense officials and a mechanism for their naval vessels to communicate at sea to avert maritime incidents. Known as the Code for Unexpected Encounters at Sea (CUES), the procedure is used by other nations, including the United States. Japan is defended by U.S. forces that have used it as their main Asia base since the end of World War Two. A security treaty obliges Washington to aid Tokyo if its territory is attacked, including the disputed islets, even though the U.S. does not support either side. An employee in protective clothing uses a pair of tweezers as glass vials move along a conveyor on the production line at Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd.'s Baiyunshan plant in Guangzhou, China. Two pillars of Trump administration policy combating the soaring prices for prescription drugs and equalizing the U.S. trade imbalance with China appear to be on a collision course, drug and foreign policy experts say. That's because the key ingredients for so many essential drugs, from antibiotics and birth control pills to treatments for cancer, depression, high cholesterol and HIV/AIDS, are purchased from China, says Rosemary Gibson, co-author with Janardan Prasad Singh of a new book called "ChinaRx: Exposing the Risks of America's Dependence on China for Medicine." China has exclusive manufacturing agreements for drugs for anesthesia, cancer and HIV/AIDS, along with other medicines that "we use every day, not only in hospitals but in our own medicine chests," Gibson says, adding that China is now the world's only source of antibiotics, including the main ingredient in vancomycin, a treatment of last resort that is used by patients who are suffering from infections that are resistant to other treatment. More from US News & World Report: 6 myths about nutritional supplements you must know Women step up for state office Americans defer to China, Russia "It's a huge dramatic shift and nobody knows about it," Gibson says. "And they're just ramping up. It's all part of a plan that China laid out in its 2025 initiative to become the pharmacy to the world." President Donald Trump had planned to deliver a long-anticipated speech on prescription drug prices as early as Tuesday, but news reports now suggest the administration will delay the address. It could not be determined whether the delay was prompted by the administration's discussions with Beijing over trade policy. The United States' trade deficit with China hit a record $375 billion last year, the Commerce Department reported. The U.S. has called for China to reduce the surplus by $200 billion and end state support for President Xi Jinping's Made in China 2025 industrial policy. If the Trump administration's import policies provoke a trade war with China, Beijing could retaliate by raising prices on or reducing supplies of components needed to make necessary drugs. Pressuring drug companies to find their supplies outside of China could also lead to higher prices, experts say. "Imagine our being totally dependent on China, which could become our adversary, for all of our medicine including medicine for our military. It's lunacy," says Daniel Slane, a former member of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, created by Congress two decades ago to report on the national security implications on the U.S. relationship to China. The White House, the Food and Drug Administration and Pharma, the trade association that represents drug manufacturers, did not respond to U.S. News & World Report requests for comment. Multinational drug companies, many of them headquartered in the United States, began buying ingredients for critical drugs in China after the U.S.-China Fair Trade Agreement passed nearly two decades ago. State-owned Chinese companies, buoyed by heavy government subsidies, set their prices so low that they were able to undercut established manufacturers in the U.S. and elsewhere, prompting them to shut down their plants and move their operations to China, the authors say. "China offers (drug companies) incentives for transferring their production from here to there, and they're doing it," says Pat Mulloy, a trade lawyer and former assistant secretary of the Department of Commerce. Gibson's and Singh's book offers examples of "companies pivoting east": Johnson & Johnson, based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, announced 4,800 job cuts in 2007 and 8,000 more in the U.S. and abroad two years later, the authors say, as it was preparing to open a new Shanghai-based research and development center in 2009. "We see this as a way to move from bringing great products to China to actually discovering and developing things in China," the company's CEO, Alex Gorsky, told the Wall Street Journal in 2015. Pfizer laid off more than 2,000 researchers, more than half of whom were at the firm's research laboratory in Groton, Connecticut. "One of the casualties of the 2011 layoffs was Groton's antibiotic research program, which was reportedly moving to Shanghai," the authors write in "China Rx," citing local news reports that described it as "the first wholesale move of a major U.S. pharmaceutical research unit to China." Shifting production to China has made millions for the companies and their shareholders but hasn't trickled down to U.S. consumers, who are still paying more than consumers anywhere else in the world for their drugs. "The drug companies don't care about the United States," Slane says. "They only care about profits." The safety of the U.S. drug supply is another concern, because the Food and Drug Administration lacks the funding and personnel to inspect Chinese factories, which may be forewarned of the inspectors' arrival. The most terrifying example involved a contaminated blood thinner, called Heparin, distributed by Baxter laboratories in 2008, which killed 81 people and sickened nearly 800 more. The FDA identified Changzhou SPL, a Chinese subsidiary of Scientific Protein Laboratories, as the source of the contaminated drug. Slane called the U.S. dependence on Chinese drugs a national security concern, noting that recent Chinese militarization doesn't inspire confidence. "They're rapidly getting on parity with us in fighter jets, submarines and missiles," Slane said. "They have satellites that can take out our GPS systems. They have taken over islands in the East and South China seas that belong to Vietnam, the Philippines and Japan. They are militarizing the islands with missiles. Their intent is to push us out of the eastern Pacific." "You don't have to be a military expert to see where all this is going," he says. "In light of all that, now we're dependent on (the Chinese) for our drugs? Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick speaks on a panel on leadership during times of crisis at the Newseum in Washington, DC, February 22, 2016. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images Some top Democratic donors have been prodding former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to run for president, telling him and his close aides they think he could beat any of the other major potential party candidates in a 2020 primary including Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter. Still, even though Patrick is getting encouragement from some political financiers, others aren't as convinced that his political experience is substantive enough to help him stand against President Donald Trump. The donors who favor Patrick have told the Democratic politician and businessman's allies that they're concerned Biden, the former vice president who will be on the verge of turning 78 on Election Day 2020, will be too old to run against Trump, a source familiar with the conversations said on condition of anonymity. Patrick, on the other hand, will turn 64 in 2020. Trump will be 74. The donors have also said they believe Sanders, a left-wing senator from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats, and Warren, a Democratic senator from Massachusetts, are too liberal to win over independent voters, according to the source. According to 2016 exit polls, Trump edged Democratic rival Hillary Clinton with independent voters, a key part of the coalition that pushed him over the top. A CNN poll conducted earlier this month, however, pegged Trump's support among independents at 38 percent, however. Patrick served two terms as governor in a state that traditionally votes Democratic in presidential elections but has, over the past two-plus decades, mostly picked Republicans in gubernatorial elections, including Mitt Romney. Four GOP governors preceded Patrick in the office, and he was succeeded by Republican Charlie Baker in 2015. In a Mass Inc. poll conducted in early 2014, as Patrick was heading into his final year in office, 52 percent of respondents said they had a favorable view of the Democrat, while 38 percent had an unfavorable view. More than half of the participants in the poll identified as politically independent, compared with 36 percent identifying as Democrats and 11 percent as Republicans. A spokesman for Patrick did not return repeated requests for comment, and representatives for Biden, Warren and Sanders also did not respond. Undecided about a run Patrick, for his part, has made it clear publicly and privately that he has not decided about whether he will jump into the next presidential election. In an interview in April with Boston radio station WGBH, the former Massachusetts governor acknowledged he was getting encouragement to run but declined to explain who specifically was hoping to see him in the race. "I'm getting encouragement from a number of places and sources," Patrick said. "But mostly I'm concerned about the country and I'm concerned about the democracy." A month earlier in a separate interview with Kansas City radio station KCUR, he said a possible presidential run is "on my radar screen," but he added: "I am trying to think through 2020, and that's a decision I'm trying to think through from a personal and family point of view." President Barack Obama chats with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (L) upon arrival at Worcester Regional Airport in Worcester, Massachusetts on June 11, 2014. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images Patrick was governor for two terms from 2006 until 2014. He supported President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, signed into law the creation of the Massachusetts Transportation System and dedicated record government funding for the state's school system. After his stint as governor, he became a managing director at asset investment firm Bain Capital, which was founded by Romney, his predecessor as governor. Patrick's experience in the corporate world also extends to his time as executive vice president and general counsel of Coca-Cola Co. He worked in similar roles for oil company Texaco. Supporters and skeptics Tuesday's primaries in four predominantly Republican states left Democrats with a big cash advantage and a handful of new openings as they work to defend vulnerable Senate seats and try to flip House districts this fall. Particularly in Senate races in Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana, where Democrats are playing defense, incumbents maintained a healthy edge in cash on hand. Yet despite the financial advantages, the political headwinds are largely against Democrats since all three states voted for President Donald Trump by sizable margins in 2016. West Virginia coal baron and convicted criminal Don Blankenship spent nearly $3 million almost entirely from his own pocket only to lose the state's GOP primary to West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who raised about half as much. Futures were higher this morning after a day that saw all the major averages finish close to breakeven following President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. The Dow did eke out a nearly three-point gain its fourth consecutive gain. (CNBC) * Cramer: Trump's Iran deal announcement showed just how 'stupid' this market is (CNBC) Dow component Walt Disney (DIS) earned an adjusted $1.84 per share for its latest quarter, beating consensus estimates by 14 cents. Revenue also beat forecasts, with strong results for the media and networks, parks and resorts, and movie studio units. * Disney teases possibility of even more 'Avengers' movies (Reuters) Earnings reports out this morning include Mylan (MYL), Office Depot (ODP) and Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI). After-the-bell earnings today include 21st Century Fox (FOXA), Hostess Brands (TWNK), Roku (ROKU) and tronc (TRNC). (CNBC) Walmart (WMT) has agreed to buy a majority stake in Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart for $16 billion. The retailer will use a combination of newly issued debt and cash to finance the investment. (CNBC) Investors will be keeping a close watch on the April Producer Price Index at 8:30 a.m. ET, given recent signs of increasing inflation. At 10 a.m. ET, the government is out with wholesale inventories for March. At 7 a.m., the Mortgage Bankers Association data showed mortgage application volume fell 0.4 percent for the week. (CNBC) The U.S. decision to restore far-reaching sanctions on Iran closed the door for a major aircraft leasing company's plans to do business in the country, according to its CEO. "I think, with yesterday, the opportunity to do business for us is ... not there anymore," Firoz Tarapore, chief executive of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, told CNBC's "Capital Connection." When the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known commonly as the Iran nuclear deal, was signed in 2015, companies hoped to be able to step in and meet the country's demand for new planes, he said. "Iran, in our opinion, needs somewhere between 400 and 500 new aircraft to modernize its fleet," Tarapore said on Wednesday. "The average age of its fleet today is 20-plus years old and a lot of the opportunities would've come through leasing, because leasing allows airlines in Iran to grow very quickly." Tarapore explained that Iran's airline sector faced many obstacles that were already not being addressed. He added that Dubai Aerospace Enterprise does not do any business in Iran at the moment. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced he will withdraw the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal and restore sanctions aimed at severing Iran from the global financial system. The landmark 2015 deal lifted sanctions on Iran that previously hurt its economy and cut its oil exports roughly in half. In exchange for sanctions relief, Iran accepted limits on its nuclear program and allowed international inspectors into its facilities. Tarapore said his company will continue to do more business with other carriers in the region. He pointed to the phenomenal growth rate of those airlines over the years, and said they are set to become stronger as their business models mature. Last month, the company said it leased out its first new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to Bahrain's Gulf Air. In total, the company has said it is set to lease out five Dreamliners to Gulf Air throughout this year. "Today, we have nearly 400 aircraft on lease to different airlines around the world," Tarapore said. "We have 115 customers around the world in several different countries. Gulf carriers for us represent a fairly small percentage of our business, but nonetheless, it is our home and we pay very close attention to what's happening." CNBC's Tom DiChristopher contributed to this report. Emirates, the giant Dubai-based airline, reported annual net profits more than doubled from a year earlier. It said Wednesday that net profit for the financial year ending March 31 soared to 2.8 billion dirhams ($762 million), as the airline benefited from favorable currency exchange rates and an uptick in passengers carried. However, a dramatic rise in oil prices over recent months was cited as a drag on the company's latest figures. "It's a commodity that we cannot control but of course this year it was something like about 28 percent of our total costs was the fuel. So we will always manage and I think we have a very talented team who work on this all the time." Emirates Group CEO and Chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, told CNBC's Arjun Kharpal on Wednesday. When asked whether there was a specific oil price which would be of particular concern, Al Maktoum replied: "If you tell me, I always want the lowest price but it is the market that will determine that." European policymakers are trying to keep the Iran nuclear deal alive, with renewed contacts with both Tehran and Washington. Europeans disapproved of Trump's decision to leave the agreement, announced Tuesday, and to re-impose sanctions on Iran. The matter seems so urgent for European leaders that European Council President Donald Tusk has added the Iran deal to the items under discussion next week at an EU summit in Sofia, Bulgaria. At the same time, the European Commission is also in contact with its external partners, as well as studying the U.S. measures, including the new sanctions, to understand their impact. "The European Union (EU) deeply regrets the announcement by U.S. President Trump to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)," High Representative Frederica Mogherini said in a statement Wednesday morning, calling it a "crucial" deal to avoid increasing the use of nuclear weapons. "As long as Iran continues to implement its nuclear related commitments, as it has been doing so far and has been confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 10 consecutive reports, the EU will remain committed to the continued full and effective implementation of the nuclear deal," Mogherini also said. European shares closed broadly higher Wednesday afternoon, as investors digested news that the U.S. is pulling out from the Iran nuclear accord. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ended 0.57 percent higher with most sectors and major bourses trading higher. Oil and gas stocks were the top performing sector, up by more than 2.6 percent by the end of European trade. These were supported by news that the U.S. is withdrawing from the Iran deal. President Donald Trump announced his decision late Tuesday and added that sanctions on Iran would be restored. Removing the U.S. from the accord was a campaign promise made by the president during the run-up to the 2016 election. As a result, oil prices have been on the rise with both Brent and WTI crude moving up by around 3 percent. On the other hand, travel and leisure stocks fell 1.1 percent on average. This was due to rising concerns over geopolitical issues, but also earnings. In particular, shares of Compass were down by nearly 5 percent after the company announced some foreign exchange impacts on its latest set of results. A network giant in Europe looks set after Vodafone announced it is to spend 18.4 billion euros to buy European assets from John Malone's Liberty Global. Subject to approval, Vodafone will buy Liberty's operations in Germany, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Looking at luxury, Burberry dropped more than 6 percent Wednesday. The British brand lost one of its shareholders Albert Frere's Groupe Bruxelles Lambert sold its entire stake in the company. Banca Popolare dell'Emilia Romagna was among the top performers in Europe, up by nearly 6 percent. This was after posting its latest results and receiving a ratings upgrade. Imcd was also higher by close to 7.5 percent after reporting a 17 percent increase in EBITA growth during the first quarter of the year. In the United States, markets opened higher, also supported by a strong rally in oil prices. Workers at the Iranian Khodro car manufacturing plant make Iranian car models as well as vehicles under license of the French company Peugeot in Tehran, Iran. FRANKFURT European companies moved quickly to invest in Iran after it agreed in 2015 to mothball its nuclear weapons program in return for an end to economic sanctions. Automakers like Daimler and PSA Peugeot Citroen linked up with Iranian partners to sell vehicles. Siemens of Germany struck a deal to deliver locomotives. Total of France began a project to explore offshore natural gas. Yet even before President Trump pulled out of the agreement with Iran, many companies had already tempered their expectations and limited their investment. Now their prospects look murkier as European leaders try to determine whether there is a path forward without the United States. More from the New York Times: Trump abandons Iran nuclear deal he long scorned Iranians fear deeper crisis as Trump ends nuclear deal Europe is annoyed, not grateful, after Trump delays tariffs Officials in Europe want to protect its companies by finding ways to shield them from American sanctions while they continue doing business in Iran. The United States ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, did not strike an optimistic note, however, saying on Twitter that "German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately." With a population of about 82 million and substantial oil reserves, Iran represented a largely untouched market with the potential for fast growth, a rare opportunity for Western companies with global ambitions. While players like General Electric and Boeing lined up orders, many American companies, including oil giants like Chevron and Exxon Mobil, had to watch from a distance; even with the deal in place, they were still effectively blocked by sanctions imposed by the United States from working in Iran. European businesses did not have the same restrictions. For Europe, Iran was a particularly promising example of the kind of fast-growing emerging country that helped lift the region out of a severe debt crisis in recent years. German companies, for instance, have thrived by selling factory machinery, power grid infrastructure and construction equipment that growing nations need to build modern economies. Despite its potential, however, Iran has largely been a disappointment for European investors. In a dysfunctional economy, many failed to gain traction in a huge bureaucracy rife with political power struggles. Companies have also been stifled by a reluctance of foreign banks to provide financing, and fears fully justified, as it turned out that the nuclear detente would not last. Although exports from the European Union to Iran increased by about one-third last year to 10.8 billion euros, or about $12.8 billion, the country still ranked only 33rd among the bloc's trading partners, behind the likes of Kazakhstan and Serbia. "German-Iranian economic relations are lagging their potential," Volker Treier, head of the exports department at the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said in an email. After Mr. Trump's decision not to extend a moratorium on sanctions, Mr. Treier said, "the moderately positive development in business with Iran comes with a big question mark." In the end, expectations may simply have been too high. After sanctions were lifted, Airbus of France signed a deal to remake Iran Air's aging fleet with more than 100 aircraft, including a dozen super jumbo A380s. So far, Airbus has delivered just three jets, none of them super jumbos, a company spokesman said on Tuesday. Two of the three have been leased. In 2016, Daimler signed an agreement with Iran Khodro, a vehicle maker based in Tehran, to distribute Fuso brand trucks. Demand has been limited, however, because of Iran's weak economy, Daimler spokesman Florian Martens said Tuesday. Even the Iranian oil industry was having trouble attracting foreign investors the only significant deal the country signed after sanctions were lifted was with Total for an offshore natural gas development. "Even in advance of today's announcement, we saw Iran struggling to get the kinds of investment they had anticipated," said Richard Mallinson, an analyst at Energy Aspects, a London-based research firm. Whether Total can stay in the deal is now open to question. Patrick Pouyanne, the company's chief executive, recently said that the company would argue that because it had signed its Iran deal before Mr. Trump's decision, Total should benefit from a "grandfather clause" and would ask for a waiver from the United States to continue. Total also might turn its share over to its minority partner CNPC, a Chinese state-owned oil company. Total's experience will most likely be taken as a bad sign for other prospective investors in the Iranian energy industry. "This is not an environment in which other big companies will see any reason to commit capital," Mr. Mallinson said. European Union officials said on Tuesday that they were making plans to blunt the impact of Mr. Trump's withdrawal presumably helping insulate companies like Total. It was unclear what measures they might have in mind. "We are working on plans to protect the interests of European companies," Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for the European Commission, told reporters Tuesday. "At this stage, I am not in a position to offer any further details." Mr. Trump's decision to pull out of the deal with Iran may not automatically prompt governments to choke off trade. Having ripped up an international deal, the president may have trouble recruiting allies and cutting off exports of Iranian oil, the country's most valuable product. Iran's crude exports have risen to about 2.4 million barrels a day in recent months, after being around 1 million barrels a day in the months before sanctions were lifted. "It is going to be hard to get people on board," said Richard Nephew, a former State Department official who was the lead sanctions expert in the Iran negotiations under President Barack Obama and who successfully persuaded other customers of Iran to stop buying its oil in the years leading up to the eventual nuclear deal. Mr. Nephew, now a senior research scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, forecast that of Iran's major customers, Japan and South Korea would most likely cooperate on sanctions because they are worried about Washington's negotiations with North Korea. He said European customers, however, would probably be slower to come around. And China and India, which in some months have been buying more than 1 million barrels a day from Iran, may continue to buy Iranian crude in the same quantities. All told, the impact of renewed sanctions would be an estimated loss of 300,000 to 500,000 barrels a day of Iranian exports, Mr. Nephew said. That would be a significant amount, but much less than the 1.4 million barrels a day or so that Mr. Obama's sanctions achieved. In the meantime, Iran is running its oil industry at full tilt, analysts say. "It is obvious that they are anticipating potential new sanctions and running full speed before it happens," said Antoine Rostand, president of Kayrros, a Paris-based market research firm. But the sanctions would nonetheless create major complications. Iran has quickly pumped up oil production in existing fields, but these will eventually become tapped out. It won't be able to bring new fields online without partners and capital. Still, giant oil corporations have not given up on Iran. "We continue to be interested in exploring the role Shell can play in developing Iran's energy potential within the boundaries of applicable laws," Royal Dutch Shell said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. The same principle applies to other investors, provided they are big enough and wealthy enough to handle the risk, said Andreas Schweitzer, managing director of Arjan Capital Ltd., a firm in London that advises companies on investing in Iran. "Those who want this 80 million-person market and have a long-term strategy," he said, "will go there with or without Mr. Trump." Dismayed European allies sought to salvage the international nuclear pact with Iran on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the landmark accord, while Tehran poured scorn on the U.S. leader. "The deal is not dead. There's an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had backed the deal only reluctantly and remained suspicious of Washington, accused Trump of lying, adding: "Mr. Trump, I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake." French President Emmanuel Macron was due to speak later in the day to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, Le Drian said. Iran also signaled its willingness to talk. Trump announced on Tuesday he would reimpose U.S. economic sanctions on Iran to undermine what he called "a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made." German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British PM Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron at Brexit talks on October 19, 2017 in Brussels, Belgium. Dan Kitwood | Getty Images The 2015 agreement, worked out by the United States, five other world powers and Iran, lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. The fruit of more than a decade of diplomacy, the pact was designed to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear bomb. Trump complained that the deal, the signature foreign policy achievement of his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, did not address Iran's ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 or its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria. His decision raises the risk of deepening conflicts in the Middle East, puts the United States at odds with European diplomatic and business interests, and casts uncertainty over global oil supplies. Oil prices rose more than 2 percent on Wednesday, with Brent hitting a 3-1/2-year high. It could also strengthen the hand of hardliners at the expense of reformers in Iran's political scene. 'Region deserves better' France's Le Drian said Iran was honoring its commitments under the accord. "The region deserves better than further destabilization provoked by American withdrawal. So we want to adhere to it and see to it that Iran does too, that Iran behaves with restraint," he told French radio station RTL. The European Union said it would remain committed to the deal and would ensure sanctions on Iran remain lifted, as long as Tehran meets its commitments. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said it was "totally unclear what the U.S. envisages as an alternative to the deal." France and others were well aware that there were concerns about issues other than nuclear capability, but they could be addressed without ditching the nuclear deal, Le Drian said. Macron's contact with Rouhani will be followed by meetings next week, probably on Monday, involving the Iranians and European counterparts from France, Britain, and Germany. Russia has also said it remains committed to the deal; the Russian and German foreign ministers were also due to meet in Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said. The prospects of saving the deal depend in large measure on whether international companies are willing and able still to do business with Iran despite the U.S. sanctions. Le Drian said meetings would also be held with firms including oil giant Total and others with major business and economic stakes in the region. In a harbinger of what could be in store, Trump's new ambassador to Germany said German businesses should halt their activities in Iran immediately. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the United States should not consider itself the world's "economic policeman" European companies including carmaker PSA, plane manufacturer Airbus, and engineering group Siemens said they were keeping a close eye on the situation. On his official website, Khamenei said Trump's announcement of his decision had been "silly and superficial," adding: "He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments." 'Death to America!' Lawmakers in parliament burned a U.S. flag and a symbolic copy of the deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and chanted "Death to America!" President Hassan Rouhani, a reformist who had hoped that the deal would boost living standards in Iran, struck a more pragmatic tone in a televised speech, saying Iran would negotiate with European countries, China and Russia. "If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal will remain," he said. Trump's decision adds to the strain on the transatlantic alliance since he took office 16 months ago. One by one, European leaders came to Washington and tried to meet his demands, while pleading with him to preserve the deal. The Trump administration kept the door open to negotiating another deal with allies, but it is far from clear whether the Europeans would pursue that option or be able to convince Iran to accept it. President Donald Trump announces his decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in the Diplomatic Room at the White House May 8, 2018 in Washington, DC. Getty Images The leaders of Britain, Germany, and France, signatories to the deal along with China and Russia, said in a joint statement that Trump's decision was a cause for "regret and concern." China's foreign ministry said Beijing would defend the deal and urged parties "to assume a responsible attitude." A Western diplomat was more pointed. "It announces sanctions for which the first victims will be Trump's European allies," the diplomat said, adding that it was clear Trump did not care about the alliance. Abandoning the pact was one of the most consequential decisions of Trump's "America First" policy, which has led him to quit the global Paris climate accord, come close to a trade war with China and pull out of an Asian-Pacific trade deal. It also appeared to reflect the growing influence within the administration of Iran hawks such as new National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday to prepare for a summit that Trump hopes will secure North Korea's denuclearization. Complying with deal U.S. government debt yields traded around multiyear highs Wednesday after President Donald Trump announced that the United States would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal and the latest Treasury auction drew muted demand from Wall Street. The yield on the two-year Treasury note hit 2.53 percent, its highest level since Sept. 8, 2008, while the yield on the 10-year Treasury note was higher at 3 percent, a key psychological level the benchmark for the first time since late April. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond rose to 3.152 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices. Markets have been on edge since President Trump announced on Tuesday that the U.S. would be walking away from the Iran nuclear deal and that sanctions on the Middle Eastern country would be reinstated. While some countries in the Middle East commended the move, U.S. allies in Europe did not. President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said that his country would continue to commit to the nuclear deal, despite Trump's decision to withdraw, according to Reuters. Oil prices rallied on the back of the news, with U.S. crude and Brent rising more than 2.5 percent on Wednesday, prior to the opening bell on Wall Street. Gasoline prices rose on Wednesday, touching their highest levels since late August, when Hurricane Harvey devastated the Gulf Coast, knocking out a quarter of U.S. refining capacity. The jump in gasoline futures followed President Donald Trump's announcement on Tuesday that he is withdrawing the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The Trump administration immediately restored sanctions on Iran, OPEC's third-largest oil producer. Gasoline futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose as high as $2.169 on Wednesday, the highest level since August 31. That day, futures spiked as high as $2.1705, after days of severe weather and flooding in the heart of the nation's refining hub on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Wednesday's rally mirrored a surge in crude oil, the raw material for gasoline and other fuels. U.S. West Texas Intermediate and international benchmark both hit 3-year highs as the market parsed the American exit from the nuclear deal. Gasoline prices will likely head higher, but not necessarily because of Trump's nuclear decision, said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at Oil Price Information Service. Instead, the run-up primarily relates to supply and demand, in his view. Kloza expects global demand for petroleum to outpace supply by about 1 million barrels a day by the middle of the year. "We don't have a gasoline glut. We don't even have a comfort zone," Kloza told CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Tuesday. "It's not long term, but you're going to have higher numbers, and you could have drastically higher numbers if you have tropical storm weather during the summer," he added. During the 2018 driving season, the average American family will pay $200 more for motor fuel compared with last year, Kloza estimates. The average price at the pump for a gallon of regular gasoline was about $2.83 on Wednesday, nearly 49 cents more than at this time last year, according to AAA. Saudi men shop with their children at a mall in Jeddah late on September 17, 2009 ahead of celebrations for Eid al-Fitr. Balancing and maintaining economic growth with fiscal consolidation is no easy or popular task, particularly in the Gulf. Economies in the region are undergoing a transformation from their traditional source of revenue oil but that process requires investment and spending, and often higher taxation. These are hard policies to implement when trying to maintain economic growth and is generally unpopular with civilians. Bahrain Finance Minister Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, told the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum in Bahrain Wednesday that the challenge facing his country, and the rest of the oil-rich Gulf, was "interesting." "On the one hand you're dealing with aspirations, you're dealing with goals, you're dealing with the competitiveness of an economy and on the other hand you want to achieve sustainability over the medium term and long term," he said during a panel entitled "Aligning Fiscal Policy to Economic Growth." "(But) fiscal sustainability is clearly important for long-term investment, investors want to know the economy they're investing in is sustainable." The oil price fall of 2014 fast-forwarded the necessity for economic diversification among Gulf nations that have traditionally relied on oil for much of their revenues. Major Gulf oil exporters in the region, from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to Qatar and Kuwait, saw their economic growth stall and budget deficits rise amid the fall in revenues. That has prompted a sea-change in government spending in the region with countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman having introduced reforms to reduce their deficits, such as implementing a value-added sales tax (VAT) and cutting energy subsidies. Despite tumultuous events in the Middle East, the financial gains offered to investors usually trump concerns about the region's stability, the chief executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) told CNBC Wednesday. "Greed usually overcomes fear, investors do a risk-reward analysis and they've always seen the reward," Khalid Al Rumaihi told CNBC's Hadley Gamble. "There's a 50 million population just in the Gulf, hyper capital income, massive investment infrastructure, that outweighs the conflicts that they might see in the region." Al Rumaihi's comments come after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal, raising question marks for investors over the region's stability and its relations with Iran. Al Rumaihi said conflict was nothing new, however. "We're not new to conflict and that's not going to change the dynamics we see and the potential for growth." Al Rumaihi spoke to CNBC as the Gateway Gulf Investor Forum, organized by the EDB, got under way in the Bahraini capital Manama. The forum is centered around discussions and workshops on the region's economic transformation and investment opportunities, in Bahrain and beyond. Over 500 global investors and business leaders are taking part, the EDB said, with the forum a way to explore opportunities being created by the economic transformation in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Al Rumaihi said the region was at a turning point. "We think it's an inflection point, we want foreign investors to be a part of that change." Amid concerns that President Donald Trump's decision on the Iran nuclear deal could escalate geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, an investment firm executive said the region, in fact, is "very stable" for doing business. Trump on Tuesday announced he will pull the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and reinstate sanctions on the country. Experts warned that Trump's decision could further strain Washington's relationship with a number of allies and increase risks in the Middle East. But Hazem Ben-Gacem, head of corporate investment for Europe at Bahrain-based Investcorp, on Wednesday shrugged off concerns that the development could dampen prospects in the Middle East. "If you look through history, whether it's 100, 200, 500 years, this region has had its own share of positive and challenging news. However, that has never stopped the region from growing and developing," Ben-Gacem told CNBC's Hadley Gamble at the Gateway Gulf Investor Forum in Bahrain. "And that's what we find quite exciting: It is a very stable region to do business in and that's something very important as an investor," he added. He noted that over the last two decades, the company has been able to "buy, manage and exit" its investments in the Middle East, which is "what any investor would like to see." Investcorp has more than $22.2 billion in assets under management and the company has been a major investor in the region, especially in Saudi Arabia. But that's not to say the region's geopolitical developments have no impact on the company's investment decisions, Ben-Gacem clarified. "Any major news which is reported, we really take a look at it from a global perspective: It will have as much of an impact on our businesses in Europe as it would with North America and as it would with Saudi," he said. A man smokes a Philip Morris International iQOS electronic cigarette. Akio Kon | Bloomberg | Getty Images Philip Morris International, which sells Marlboro outside the U.S., says its future is beyond cigarettes. It's now trying to prove it. The tobacco company has invested more than $4.5 billion since 2008 developing smoke-free products, including IQOS . The device heats tobacco until it's warm enough to emit an aerosol but not quite hot enough to cause combustion, the chemical process responsible for producing toxins in cigarettes. It's part of a budding group of tobacco products called heat-not-burn. Euromonitor expects the category to reach $15.36 billion by 2021, up from $2.12 billion in 2016. That would account for 45 percent of the broader $33.93 billion alternative market. Cigarette sales, meanwhile, are expected to continue declining. Euromonitor anticipates the market will fall to $676.40 billion in 2021, down from $683.78 billion in 2016. Philip Morris lowered its full-year adjusted earnings forecast Wednesday to between $5.15 and $5.30 per share, down from the previous estimate of between $5.25 to $5.40 per share, due to less favorable currency. IQOS is critical to Philip Morris' future. It's the beginning of Philip Morris' promised pivot, and it could show investors whether it can truly transform itself. Other tobacco companies have also invested in tobacco alternatives, including heat-not-burn products and e-cigarettes. These innovations could bolster the industry if they're successful. "Look, I think it's probably one of the most interesting moments in (Philip Morris') history," CEO Andre Calantzopoulos said in an interview with CNBC. "...I think we're all very happy that after 12 years of developing products and investing both in the product development, but most importantly in the scientific substantiation, we have the products on the market." Since first launching IQOS in Nagoya, Japan, and Milan, in 2014, Philip Morris has introduced it in more than 30 markets around the world. Adoption has been mixed, said Cowen analyst Vivien Azer. In some places, growth has surged. Japan has been so successful that to a certain extent it's become a proxy for IQOS' potential. Last month, news of a slowdown there spooked Wall Street and sparked the biggest sell-off since PMI spun off from Altria a decade ago. Shares have now slid 26 percent over the past year. Chief Financial Officer Martin King told analysts PMI was anticipating market share growth would plateau sometime this year, it just happened earlier than expected. Calantzopoulos told CNBC this week that PMI is still "an enormous distance away" from a plateau and that no new product grows perfectly straight and steady. Azer said expectations for IQOS are "very high" among the investment community, and the selloff reflected a negative surprise. "I think it's an overreaction, and I explained to investors there is a lot of variability in this category," Calantzopoulos said. "It's not as predictable as combustible products. And the issue here is that there was I think a misunderstanding that somehow Japan is flat and is going to stay flat forever. And this is absolutely not true." Heated tobacco represented about 5 percent of PMI's shipments last year. By 2025, PMI wants 30 percent of its volume to come from reduced-risk products. Reduced-risk products generated $3.73 billion of sales for PMI last year when stripping out excise taxes, currency and acquisitions, a nearly 400 percent increase from 2016. They represented 13 percent of PMI's total $29.19 billion in revenue. The company wants to boost that to between 38 percent and 42 percent by 2025. PMI has submitted two applications to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: one that would allow it to simply sell IQOS in the U.S., and another that would allow it to market it as being less risky than a conventional cigarette. Altria will commercialize IQOS in the U.S. if it receives regulatory clearance. The latter, known as a modified-risk tobacco product application, requires an abundance of scientific evidence. The FDA has never authorized one of these requests. Knowing the bar was high, PMI decided to build its capabilities to gather and measure clinical data. The bulk of the company's investments into IQOS and other reduced-risk products have gone into this, Calantzopoulos said. "I think from a consumer perspective, (the modified-risk regulation) is very important," he said. "And I think also for regulators, it's important as well because they need to have a process, test it and control what manufacturers say. And it's also a level playing field for all the players because we invested billions of dollars." Under Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, the FDA has adopted the idea that tobacco products exist on a continuum of risk, where conventional cigarettes are the most dangerous and others are possibly less harmful. Regulators and industry leaders agree most people don't understand that nicotine, while addictive, isn't deadly on its own. Regulation on how IQOS can communicate the product with consumers affects how people switch to the product, Calantzopoulos said. PMI decided to apply IQOS for modified-risk tobacco product authorization so it could tell consumers the company's research has shown the product is a safer alternative to cigarettes, he said. An FDA advisory committee disagreed, saying evidence doesn't back Philip Morris' claims. Its conclusion is non-binding and serves only as a recommendation to the FDA, which will make the ultimate decision. "The FDA is largely viewed as the gold standard for scientific evaluation, so if they could get the MRTP application authorized, it would put them in a position to go to other foreign governments and use that as support on differentiated advertising and favorable tax rates," Azer said. President Donald Trump's abandonment of the Iran nuclear deal may dramatically ratchet up military tensions in the Middle East, political analysts warned on Wednesday. In a move that defied pleas from close allies, the U.S. president tore up the landmark nuclear accord and said he would seek to re-impose economic sanctions on Tehran. Iranian lawmakers responded to Trump's decision by setting fire to a U.S. flag and chanting "death to America" during a session of parliament. "I think the problem here is that what Trump has done is he has empowered the hardliners in Iran," Nicholas Fitzroy, research analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe." Fitzroy said the Trump administration's abandonment of the multi-party pact could prove to be the flashpoint for Iranian hardliners to adopt "a more confrontational approach" to a region already on edge. "Our view is that southern Syria will see a new conflict breaking out between Iranian proxies and Israel," he added. Gina Haspel arrives to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on her nomination to be the next CIA director in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on May 9, 2018. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said Wednesday he will vote for President Donald Trump's CIA director pick, Gina Haspel, giving her a crucial nod of support in a contentious confirmation process. The West Virginia Democrat, who faces a tough re-election this year in a state Trump won by about 40 percentage points, became the first member of his party to commit to supporting Haspel. It improves her chances of leading the U.S. intelligence agency. "I have found Gina Haspel to be a person of great character," Manchin said in a statement, saying he looks forward to "working with [her] to ensure the people of West Virginia and the United States are kept safe." Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, another senator facing a difficult re-election bid this year, previously said he will not back Haspel. Manchin questioned Haspel on Wednesday as part of her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Earlier, he said she did a "great job" in the hearing. Haspel has faced criticism from opponents, including many Democrats, for overseeing a CIA detention facility in Thailand at which a suspect was waterboarded. She has also faced backlash for the destruction of recordings of interrogations. On Wednesday, she tried to assuage lawmakers' concerns about the potential for her to allow the use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques, which were used after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks but have since been cracked down on in the U.S. As a candidate, Trump said he supports the use of waterboarding or worse tactics that are broadly considered torture. Repeatedly pressed about whether she would allow tactics she considers immoral, Haspel at times evaded senators' questions and noted that the CIA does not have a formal role in interrogations. She said she would not restore "under any circumstances" an interrogation program at the CIA and supports the "higher moral standard" the U.S. holds now. London's Metropolitan Police force has been accused of racial discrimination over its use of a "gangs database" that an advocacy group has claimed breaches human rights. Amnesty International said Wednesday that the Met's "Gang Violence Matrix," a database holding information of approximately 3,800 people, listed a disproportionate amount of minorities. Seventy-eight percent of those listed were black, compared to 27 percent of serious youth offenders in London identified as black British. The database was introduced in 2011 after a series of riots across the U.K. that centred in the capital. Its contents list past criminal records, social media accounts and personal information used to identify so-called gang members. The police database even lists the type of music and videos watched online. Those listed are given a "violence ranking" in green, amber or red. Amnesty said that the "deeply flawed" database, frequently shared with local governing bodies, violated young people's privacy rights. The human rights watchdog said police had been known to use fake online profiles to "covertly befriend" people in a bid to monitor what they did online. "It is clear that many people are being profiled based on factors that have nothing to do with serious offending, but rather on indicators of youth culture. This is nothing less than a reckless and counter-productive approach to policing," the report said. The ruling Barisan Nasional have held control of the federal government since the country achieved independence in 1957. According to Reuters, who cite the local state news agency, Razak's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition has won 24 parliament seats so far, while the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan has taken 17. Results in Malaysia' s general election are trickling in, with Prime Minister Najib Razak taking an early lead. Malaysia's former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, is heading the opposition campaign, having allied with the imprisoned Anwar Ibrahim. The latter politician is leading the charge from prison after being thrown into jail for sodomy in 2014 an incarceration he says was politically motivated. Under the Malaysian electoral system, voters submit two votes: one for state government and another for the federal government. In total, 222 parliamentary seats and 505 state assembly seats in 12 states are being voted on by as many as 15 million registered Malaysians. The opposition has complained that a midweek vote might discourage a high turnout. The country's election commission said that two hours before voting had closed, 69 percent had cast their vote. At the last election in 2013, the turnout was around 85 percent. For background and forecasts on the final election result, click here. On Tuesday, jobs and salary website Glassdoor announced the company will be acquired by Japanese human resources company Recruit Holdings for $1.2 billion in cash. That impressive windfall has been more than a decade in the making, but it all started with a fairly simple, if controversial, idea. Co-founder Robert Hohman began his career at Microsoft as a software engineer and was one of the earliest employees to work on Microsoft Expedia Travel Services, an online travel platform that would become a stand alone company, Expedia.com. Expedia announced its initial public offering in November 1999 and in the years that followed, Expedia's parent acquired other smaller travel companies, including discount travel website Hotwire, which Hohman took over and ran. From there, Hohman made a slightly unconventional professional move. "In 2006, I left and spent a year playing video games," said Hohman, according to the transcript of a 2016 conversation the executive had with Forbes. "I played World of Warcraft. I would get up in the morning, tap my kids on the bottom and send them to school. Then I would go upstairs and play all day, typically with people from Brazil, who for some reason were online when I was." But there has to be more to life than just games. "There's a maximum level you can achieve in World of Warcraft. I achieved it on a Tuesday and I started [Glassdoor] on a Wednesday. I remember, it was level 70," Hohman told Forbes. "Rich Barton was my mentor. He founded Expedia and he founded [real estate information site] Zillow. I called him up that Wednesday and said, 'Let's talk about what I'm going to do next.'" Excited to announce Glassdoor is joining together with Recruit Holdings. "We started brainstorming a bunch of ideas," Hohman told Forbes. "We really liked businesses where you start with an information asymmetry, where there's a transaction taking place and one side knows way more about it than the other side. In the case of travel, that was the travel agent who knew a ton and you, the traveler, knew very little. What we did with Expedia was let people see what the travel agent saw and book their own travel. In real estate, agents knew a lot and first-time home buyers knew very, very little." During those conversations, Barton brought up the germ of a new idea. In 2007, Barton had accidentally sent a document with salary and stock information for every Zillow employee to a printer in the middle of the company's open office. His assistant rushed to retrieve it before anyone could read the contents, according to a 2018 New Yorker story. But it made Barton wonder why the information had to be private. He had, after all, spent his career making private information public, first in the travel industry and then in real estate. "We were empowering people with information and tools that they didn't have before," Barton told The New Yorker. "If I'm doing a good job as a leader, and the management and H.R. teams are promoting people and paying them fairly, then a sheet like that ought to make sense." Near and dear: @Glassdoor just announced that it is joining forces with global jobs powerhouse, Recruit (@indeed), to dramatically accelerate its growth & extend its reach. I'm incredibly proud of founder/ceo @bobhohman & his killer team. Congratulations! Barton and Hohman brought on a third former Expedia colleague, Tim Besse, and officially launched glassdoor in 2008. The Mill Valley, California-headquartered Glassdoor lists jobs and publishes user-submitted reviews of companies and positions, including salary information. Hohman, Barton, and Besse started Glassdoor with their own money. "I had been blessed and did well at Expedia, so I self-funded," Hohman explained to Forbes. But to get the first employee reviews on Glassdoor took some creative finagling. "When you start a site like ours, getting the first couple hundred reviews is hard. We employed some friends from Ohio, where Tim and I are from, who were out of work," Hohman told Forbes. "We had them call every software engineer in Silicon Valley and offer the chance to win a free iPod if they would tell us what their salary was and what it was like to work at their company. That's how we got our first thousand Glassdoor reviews." But within 48 hours of launching, "we had 100,000 pieces of content. Everyone covered us. We got tremendous PR when we launched," Hohman told Forbes. "[W]e didn't anticipate the scale of traffic we'd have. The site went down and we wound up sleeping under our desks." Currently, there are reviews for 770,000 companies in 190 countries around the world listed on Glassdoor. During the first calendar quarter of 2018, more than 59 million people used the site to find information about jobs and companies each month, the company says. Glassdoor, which has currently has 750 employees, makes money by helping approximately 7,000 businesses find new hires with job advertising, job posting and employer branding. Wars and conflicts in the Middle East are nothing new and the Gulf region has still managed to be a success, ministers and chief executives said during an investment forum in Bahrain. The immediate outlook for the Middle East looks more uncertain in light of President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal. That decision, added to ongoing conflict in Yemen and Syria, and Saudi Arabia's battle for dominance with Iran and its allies, further complicates the wider region. But commerce and industry ministers from Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as Gulf business leaders, said the region had managed to prosper despite a backdrop of conflict. "In the past 50 years, this region has always been at war, whether it's the Gulf War, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, today it's the Yemen war, this will go on. But in that same period of time the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) has prospered tremendously," Jassim Al Seddiqi, CEO of the Abu Dhabi Financial Group, said during the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum in Bahrain on Wednesday. "The margins in the GCC are superior, the tax regime is superior. Please don't forget South Korea has been a neighbor to North Korea for a very long time and yet it has prospered in the last 30 years," he added. The Gateway Gulf forum taking place in Manama, Bahrain, is aimed at exploring ways to attract foreign investment into the Gulf as well as looking at the challenges the region faces, such as youth unemployment, the diversification process, boosting private sector involvement and geopolitical instability. Perhaps the most tumultuous events of the last 10 years have been the Arab Spring of social uprisings in late 2010 to 2011 that showed the appetite, particularly among the young, for change. The rise of the so-called Islamic State, which grew partly out of a power vacuum in parts of Iraq and Syria, has also dominated the region in the last few years, as have civil wars in Syria and Yemen, widely seen as a proxy war between Saudi and Iran. Huthi rebel fighters are seen riding an armoured vehicle in front of the residence of Yemen's former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa on December 4, 2017. Mohammed Huwais | AFP | Getty Images The latest U.S. decision on Iran and competing interests between the Shia republic and the Gulf is just one of the factors that could bring more tumult to a region already riven with sectarian power struggles. Bahrain's Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Zayed Al Zayani, said investors were not deterred by the backdrop. "Risk is always factored into the investment. No investment in the world is riskless," he said during the panel, entitled "The Rise of the New GCC." "But when you look at the stability of the region as an investor you wouldn't take an isolated year or two, you'd look more at the trend and cycle, so I think with all our challenges, with all our threats, with all the risks around, the GCC as a region has proven to be sound." The Gulf refers to countries that surround the Persian Gulf in the core of the Middle East, and mainly refers to those that are part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. Despite its location, long-time GCC nemesis Iran is excluded from the group. Iraq, though in the region, is also not in the GCC. Economic transformation Bahraini minister Al Zayani told the panel that the GCC is "about to embark on a new journey." "The countries in the GCC have developed stable economies driven by oil revenues and today diversification seems to be the top agenda item," he said. He said Bahrain had had a "head start" on diversifying its economy, having started its diversification process in the 1960s and 1970s by diversifying into, and deregulating, various industries. Towers under construction at the King Abdullah Financial District in the Saudi capital Riyadh. FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images But just a month after signing the deal, Novartis executives had their first meeting with Cohen, and afterward "determined that Michael Cohen and Essentials Consultants would be unable to provide the services that Novartis had anticipated." Novartis said it believed Cohen "could advise the company as to how the Trump administration might approach certain U.S. health-care policy matters, including the Affordable Care Act." Novartis said it signed a one-year contract with Cohen's shell company, Essential Consultants, for $100,000 per month in February 2017, shortly after Trump was inaugurated as president. NBC News reported later Wednesday that a senior Novartis official said that Cohen reached out shortly after Trump's election "promising access" to the new administration. The company also said it has been questioned by special counsel Robert Mueller 's team about the payments to Cohen. Drug giant Novartis revealed Wednesday that it paid President Donald Trump 's lawyer Michael Cohen $1.2 million for health-care policy consulting work that he proved "unable" to do. Michael Cohen, longtime personal lawyer and confidante for President Donald Trump, arrives at the United States District Court Southern District of New York on April 26, 2018 in New York City. But Novartis kept paying Cohen. "As the contract, unfortunately, could only be terminated for cause, payments continued to be made until the contract expired by its own terms in February 2018," Novartis said. That means that Cohen was paid up to $1.2 million for his work. On Tuesday, Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels, said investigators for his law firm had found that Novartis had paid Cohen's shell company nearly $400,000 in four installments last year. Avenatti said that AT&T paid $200,000 to Essential Consultants in four installments of $50,000 each per month. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that a source had said Cohen was actually paid more than that because Essential Consultants had a year-long contract with AT&T. If Cohen was paid for the full year by AT&T at a rate of $50,000 per month, he would have received $600,000. AT&T on Wednesday declined to reveal when asked by CNBC how much it had actually paid Cohen under the contract, which it said the company entered into because it wanted "insights" on the Trump administration. Essential Consultants was created in October 2016, on the eve of the presidential election. Shortly after its creation, Essential Consultants was used to pay Daniels $130,000, Cohen has admitted. Daniels said the money was in exchange for her agreement to not talk to others about a 2006 affair she claims to have had with Trump. The White House has denied the president had sex with the adult film actress. Novartis also said it was contacted by Mueller's team last November, and was asked about the deal with Cohen. Novartis said it cooperated with those queries "and provided all the information requested." Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, as well as possible collusion by the Trump campaign in that interference. Cohen is under criminal investigation by federal prosecutors in New York for issues related to his business dealings. The payment to Daniels is among the areas being eyed by investigators in that probe. Here is the full statement from Novartis on Wednesday: 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. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in remarks to the press while en route to North Korea, uttered a diplomatic gaffe by referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as "Chairman Un." Names in Korea, like some other Asian nations, begin with the family name followed by the given name, generally two words. Kim should be referred to as Chairman Kim; Chinese President Xi JinPing as President Xi. "We've continued to develop both administratively and sort of begin to put some outlines around the substance of the agenda for the summit between the president and Chairman Un," Pompeo said. More from USA Today: North Korea releases 3 Americans as Kim Jong Un prepares to meet Trump Meet the 3 American prisoners released from North Korea Cold case mystery: Wife charged with murder 17 years later The quote was included in a transcript released by Pompeo's office. In a tweet Tuesday, Pompeo played it safe: "I had productive meetings in Pyongyang with Chairman Kim Jong-un and made progress. I'm delighted to bring home three Americans." Pompeo took office just two weeks ago, but the West Point grad is a former director of the CIA. This was his second trip to North Korea this year. He would appear to have plenty of expertise on North Korea affairs. Struggles with Asian names, however, are nothing new for the Trump administration. A White House press release in July referred to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as that nation's president. And hours later, the office referred to Xi as the leader of "the Republic of China." That would be Taiwan, and China views it as a breakaway province. The White House apologized. Blooper aside, Pompeo's trip is being viewed as wildly successful by President Trump, who announced on Twitter that three Americans being held by North Korea were returning with Pompeo. Trump also said progress had been made toward his summit with Kim. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting," Trump tweeted. "They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell received great news in Tuesday's primary elections. Several House Republicans cannot say the same. McConnell got his wish as ex-convict Don Blankenship fell well short of winning West Virginia's Republican Senate primary. President Donald Trump seemed to acknowledge the result in a tweet Wednesday morning, saying Republicans "had a great night" and nominated candidates "who have a great chance of winning in November." Trump: The Republican Party had a great night. Tremendous voter energy and excitement, and all candidates are those who have a great chance of winning in November. The Economy is sooo strong, and with Nancy Pelosi wanting to end the big Tax Cuts and Raise Taxes, why wouldn't we win? While Senate Republicans largely saw positive results on Tuesday, current GOP members of the House did not have the same luck. Multiple House Republicans either lost a primary election for their seat or easily lost their bid for another office. Rep. Robert Pittenger, R-N.C., became the first House incumbent this year to lose a primary. He conceded Tuesday night to pastor Mark Harris in North Carolina's 9th District primary. Harris will face Democrat Dan McCready, a well-funded Iraq veteran, in a race that could prove competitive. The North Carolina district is one Democrats hope to flip as they try to win 23 GOP-held seats and a House majority. Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia's energy minister and president of OPEC, speaks during a news conference following the 172nd Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Thursday, May 25, 2017. Akos Stiller | Bloomberg | Getty Images President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is likely to exacerbate tensions between two of the world's biggest oil producers at next month's OPEC meeting, one analyst told CNBC Wednesday. Global oil supplies were already tightening ahead of the U.S. president's decision to pull out of the landmark nuclear accord on Tuesday, while crude futures have since soared to multi-year highs. Yet, in a move that defied pleas from close allies, Trump said he would seek to re-impose economic sanctions on Tehran, elevating concerns about the future of the supply-cutting deal between OPEC members and allies including Russia. "I think it is hard to believe that there won't be some gamesmanship the next time that we gather in Vienna in June," Andy Critchlow, head of EMEA energy content at S&P Global Platts, told CNBC Wednesday. "Is it really in (Iran's) interest now to sign up to a Saudi-led Russian deal to extend these cuts? Of course, the high oil price suits Saudi Arabia But the Iranians can think 'now we will play the long game' and play hardball here," he added. Oil prices 'on a path to $80 a barrel' Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh. Heinz-Peter Bader | Reuters News of the partnership sent Sears' stock soaring as much as 22 percent in early trading. The shares were last up 24 percent. The department store chain announced Wednesday at its annual shareholders meeting in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, that it will offer full-service tire installation for orders from all tire brands on Amazon, including its own DieHard. Sears Holdings is taking its relationship with Amazon one step further. The rollout will begin in the coming weeks for those customers who live within range of 47 Sears Auto Centers in eight metropolitan areas: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The service will eventually go live at Sears' more than 400 Auto Centers across the U.S., to reach more of Amazon's customers. The checkout process will look something like this, a Sears spokesman explained to CNBC: A customer selects the tires he or she wants, from any brand, on Amazon. He or she selects "Yes, I want these tires shipped to and installed at Sears Auto Center." (The shipment of the tires to the Sears Auto Center would be handled by Amazon, not Sears.) The customer then provides three appointment times that are convenient for the installation. The chosen Sears Auto Center will then match the customer's schedule preferences with its appointment openings. Sears Auto Center then emails a confirmation through Amazon to the customer ahead of the appointment, which can still be altered. With any appointment, there will be a "standard installation fee" paid to Sears that covers installation, balancing, under hood/under car evaluation, a road safety test and other precautionary steps, the spokesman said. Sears kicked off its relationship with Amazon last summer when it announced it would begin selling Kenmore-branded appliances on Amazon, some of which are integrated with Amazon's Alexa platform. Shares of the department store chain had surged more than 25 percent on the news. Then, in December, Sears said it would begin selling merchandise from its DieHard brand on Amazon, including car batteries and now tires. "Kenmore is now distributed nationally on Amazon with over 250 products and we are exceeding customer service level expectations," Tom Park, president of Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands at Sears Holdings, said in a statement. The company said it has about 2,100 technicians at its Auto Centers across the country to perform tire installations. Sears is meanwhile looking for ways to monetize other assets, as its sales are in a steep decline overall and the company has more than $1 billion of debt coming due within the year, according to financial statements. Sears CEO Eddie Lampert's hedge fund, ESL Investments, has made a proposal to buy Kenmore, Sears' home improvement business, its PartsDirect division and some of the chain's real estate. Lampert has said he's been shopping some of those assets for years, but hasn't been able to find a serious buyer. In a blog post Wednesday, prior to Sears' shareholders meeting, Lampert said: "We're still not where we need to be, and Sears continues to face significant challenges in a tough retail environment. ... The reality is transformation is an ongoing process and we are not done. I still firmly believe that, together, we can transform this company." Sears Holdings shares are down nearly 70 percent from a year ago. "For years, I have called for bipartisan legislationby elected representatives, not unelected bureaucrats at the FCCthat would permanently ban blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization by broadband internet providers." Rather than voting for 21st Century rules to protect the internet, we'll be taking a show vote on whether to look backwards and re-apply rules meant for the old Ma' Bell phone system to the modern internet. This is a mistake, and only delays concrete protections for a free and open internet. The misguided decision to apply regulations created in 1934 for voice telephone services to the internetadopted on a party-line vote by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2015has, according to the FCC, slowed investment, preventing the improvement and expansion of services to the 39 million Americans living in rural parts of the country. The uncertainty in the future of regulation, caused by the ever-shifting political winds, means investments to connect more Americans in states like my home state of South Dakota are likely to remain stagnant. It doesn't have to be this way. For years, I have called for bipartisan legislationby elected representatives, not unelected bureaucrats at the FCCthat would permanently ban blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization by broadband internet providers. The new leadership of the FCC has given us an opportunity to do just that, by freeing the internet from outdated, monopoly-era regulations. If the Democrats are serious about long-term protections for consumers, they should look ahead towards a bipartisan solution, rather than looking backwards and trying to reverse the current FCC's Restoring Internet Freedom Order. Claims that this order would mean slower internet speeds have already been rebutted in a recent independent fact check. The bottom line is, Congress should be spending time on a permanent solution that is not subject to Washington power shakeupsone that will spur all communities into the 21st Century and encourage a new wave of American innovation and competitiveness. Regardless of how the Senate votes this month, the Congressional Review Act (CRA) effort will not provide Americans with lasting protections for the internet. If anything, the tempest over the CRA has stalled conversations among legislators on both sides of the aisle who have demonstrated eagerness to come together and find a bipartisan solution. Once the latest showdown is over, we should set aside the fear mongering and manufactured hand-wringing and get to work on a solution that ends this debate and protects the economic engine of the internet for generations of Americans to come. Commentary by Senator John Thune, Republican, South Dakota. Thune is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation which exercises jurisdiction over the Federal Communications Commission as well as federal technology and communications policy. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. Walmart has reached an agreement to take control of Indian e-commerce firm Flipkart, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said on Wednesday. The deal was reached Tuesday night, Japan time, Son said at a news conference following the release of SoftBank's earnings report. Son did not disclose further details of the deal. Confirmation of the transaction ends much speculation that the U.S. retail giant would strike a deal with the Indian start-up. KAI did not respond to multiple requests for comment from CNBC. The arranged payment from Korea Aerospace Industries , or KAI, to Cohen's company, Essential Consultants, was for "legal consulting concerning accounting standards on production costs," a KAI representative told Reuters . A South Korean defense company poised to win part of a multibillion-dollar Pentagon contract paid $150,000 to a firm set up by President Donald Trump 's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen . The revelations about KAI's relationship with Cohen came after Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for a porn star suing Cohen and Trump, released documents that said Essential Consultants received hundreds of thousands of dollars from individuals and companies. Telecom giant AT&T and Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis have also acknowledged paying Cohen's firm for consulting services meant to give an insight into Trump's approach to policy. The Korean defense company, partnered with Lockheed Martin to build the T-50A trainer jet in hopes of securing a U.S. Air Force contract worth roughly $16 billion. Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon's top weapons supplier, entered the T-50A into the bidding contest. The plane is a version of KAI's T-50, which is used in South Korea as well as several other U.S. partner nations. Lockheed told CNBC in a statement, "We had no knowledge of a business relationship between Korea Aerospace Industries and Mr. Cohen, and are not aware of any connection that it may have to the U.S. Air Force Advanced Pilot Training competition." The companies are widely expected to win the lucrative contract for the delivery of 350 aircraft. Meanwhile, Boeing partnered with Swedish aerospace firm Saab to develop a brand-new design. The T-X trainer program award, the Air Force's largest ongoing aircraft competition, is expected to be announced later this year. The trainer aircraft will replace the Air Force's aging T-38 trainers that have been in the U.S. military's portfolio since the 1960s. Check out the companies making headlines before the bell: Walmart The retailer will buy a 77 percent stake in India-based e-commerce company Flipkart for $16 billion, its largest-ever deal. Coty The cosmetics company reported adjusted quarterly profit of 13 cents per share, a penny a share above estimates. Revenue also beat forecasts. Strong sales of luxury products helped to offset slightly weaker-than-expected consumer product results. Wolverine World Wide The maker of shoe brands such as Hush Puppy, Stride Rite, and Sperry beat estimates by 13 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of 50 cents per share. Revenue came in above forecasts. The company's profit doubled from a year earlier. ADT The home security systems company reported adjusted quarterly profit of 34 cents per share, 10 cents a share above estimates. Revenue topped forecasts, as well. ADT's results benefited from higher prices and improvements in customer attrition rates. Party City The party products retailer beat estimates by 2 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of 7 cents per share. Revenue also exceeded forecasts as comparable-store sales rose 2.4 percent. Walt Disney Walt Disney earned an adjusted $1.84 per share for its latest quarter, beating consensus estimates by 14 cents a share. Revenue also beat forecasts, with strong results for the media and networks, parks and resorts, and movie studio units. Electronic Arts EA saw quarterly earnings come in 14 cents a share above estimates at $1.31 per share, with the video game maker's revenue also topping consensus. The company gave a weaker-than-expected current quarter outlook but still sees growth for the full year. Electronic Arts also announced a $2.4 billion stock buyback program. Facebook Facebook announced a major restructuring which will see more than dozen executives take on new roles or additional responsibilities. Its product and engineering operations will be divided into three separate units. TripAdvisor TripAdvisor reported adjusted quarterly profit of 30 cents per share, nearly doubling the 16 cent a share consensus estimate. The travel website operator's revenue also beat estimates. Unique visitors increased 12 percent and posted reviews rose by 26 percent compared to the prior year. Marriott Marriott reported adjusted quarterly profit of $1.34 per share, compared to a consensus estimate of $1.22 a share. The hotel operator's revenue came in below Street forecasts. Revenue per available room rose 3.6 percent during the quarter. Match Group Match Group came in 3 cents a share ahead of estimates, with adjusted quarterly profit of 26 cents per share. The operator of dating websites such as Match.com saw revenue top forecasts as well, and it gave strong current quarter revenue guidance, as well. Vodafone Vodafone agreed to buy some European assets from cable operator Liberty Global for $21.8 billion. The deal still needs regulatory approval, a process that some analysts say will be a lengthy one. Toyota Toyota forecast a 4.2 percent drop in annual profit for the current fiscal year, which ends next March. The automaker expects sales to increase slightly, but that will be offset by a stronger yen. MetLife The insurer struck an agreement with FedEx to take over pension benefits for about 41,000 FedEx retirees and beneficiaries. Ford Ford may temporarily lay off thousands of workers at its F-150 pickup truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan, as it deals with the effects of a fire that crippled production at a major supplier. Xerox Investor Carl Icahn told Japan's Nikkei newspaper that Xerox could face bankruptcy if it goes ahead with its deal to sell a controlling stake to Japan's Fujifilm. Etsy Etsy reported adjusted quarterly profit of 10 cents per share, 4 cents a share above estimates. The online crafts marketplace also seeing revenue beat forecasts. Results were helped by increases in both marketplace and services revenue, and the company also raised its sales outlook. Monster Beverage Monster Beverage missed estimates by a penny a share, with quarterly profit of 38 cents per share. The beverage maker's revenue did beat consensus. Its results were impacted by higher costs for aluminum and for the sweetener sucralose. A revolver sits on display in the Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. booth on the exhibition floor of the 144th National Rifle Association (NRA) Annual Meetings and Exhibits. A group of nuns and other faith-based investors won a shareholder vote at Sturm Ruger & Co. requiring one of the nation's largest gun-makers to prepare a report about the risks of its business. Ruger's CEO, Christopher Killoy, said at the company's annual meeting on Wednesday that the company will comply and prepare the report. "Shareholders have spoken," he said. But, he added, the winning proposal "cannot force us to change our business," and "cannot change what Ruger is about and what we stand for." It was the first major test this year for faith-based shareholder groups, which have been urging the nation's gun industry to act after recent extreme examples of gun violence. These shareholder groups have reached out to big banks and investment firms for their support, an effort that has paid off in this instance. BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager and Sturm Ruger's largest shareholder because of its giant index fund business, voted its 2.8 million shares in favor of the shareholder proposal, a source told CNBC. Vanguard is the second-largest shareholder, though its vote is unknown. A spokesman wasn't immediately available. From births to end of life care, some of life's most momentous events take place in hospitals. Philadelphia is home to Pennsylvania Hospital, one of the most historic in the U.S. Founded in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Bond, a doctor, the site today has over 500 beds and is a major hub for clinical research and teaching. Pennsylvania Hospital is part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Soon, the university will be home to an innovative new hospital with 500 private patient and 47 operating rooms across 1.5 million square feet of space. The Pavilion, as the facility will be known, is due to open in 2021, and ambitions are big. "Historically, hospitals have been organized around departments, so you had a department of cardiology, you had a department of open heart surgery, you had a radiology department," Kevin Mahoney, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, told CNBC's Nadine Dereza in an interview broadcast Tuesday. "We're trying to blur those so there's no ownership of a department and the only ownership rests with the patient," he said. "How do we make that patient better as fast as we can, as effective as we can. And we know we can do that by blurring the department lines and having people work side by side." The 17-story site will be home to a range of innovative features, with the design process incorporating technology. A 30,000 square foot mock-up of the new facility was built, with over 600 employees given the opportunity to tour it and offer feedback on what they did and did not like. "We put GoPro cameras throughout the site and we had people walk through, and then we analyzed those 100 hours," Mahoney said. "The architects and the designers were able to pick up things that you may not have seen when you're just going through a facility, but when you looked at the video over and over again you would notice the way you're going around the corner, the way you're interacting as you enter the room with the patient things like that." The hospital will make use of telemedicine technology, which will enable remote monitoring and consultations. The university said that this in room tech would help to "strengthen communication between patients, families, and care teams." Regarding the patient experience, Mahoney said he had "pushed really hard that the root word for hospitality is hospital everyone says let's go look at other hospitals. I said let's go look at other hotels." A key aim was making sure the patient's experience was not "institutional," he said. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. Oil-rich Gulf countries and their need for affordable and social housing may sound an unlikely topic, particularly with most headlines focusing on the petroleum industry, wealth and excess. But there there is a dire need for affordable housing within the region. In fact, waiting lists for affordable housing for middle-income households in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations are long, according to Sassan Hatam, a partner at Roland Berger's Middle East offices who presented statistics on housing at the Gateway Gulf investment forum in Bahrain on Wednesday. That's not to say the needs are the same across the GCC, however, with 60,000 "units" on the waiting list in Bahrain, compared to, for example, 100,000 on the waiting list in Kuwait. Similarly, the notion of "affordable rents" differs around the GCC. In Bahrain, an affordable rent per month, for a mid-income household, is between 780 and 1179 Bahraini dinars ($2069 and $3127) while in Saudi Arabia, an affordable rent is between 480 and 1620 Saudi riyals ($127 and $431), which throws up the need for "diversified housing solutions," Hatam told the audience attending the "Affordable Housing" session at the forum. The lack of affordable housing in the GCC was, Hattan said, down to several factors including the cost of funding (a typical mortgage rate in Bahrain is around 5 percent), the large share of expats in the Gulf who have no long-term interest in housing, as well as large amounts of unused land. All these contribute to the under-supply of housing, he said. Hatam said governments in the region were starting to address the problem. In Abu Dhabi, for example, the government is creating an environment to support low-cost housing developments, requiring each new real estate development contains a minimum share of affordable housing. It's proved a success, too, with the first affordable housing development in 2016 selling out in just three weeks. Developers such as the UAE's Aldar Properties have also spoken to CNBC about affordable housing as a lucrative market. "There really is a tremendous opportunity going forward and governments play a critical role, but these developments will need to be executed with the private sector," Hatam said. Also speaking at the forum Wednesday, Bahrain's Housing Minister Basim Bin Yacob Alhamer said he had one goal in office. "For me, it's very simple to increase and fast-track the delivery of housing units," he said. Alhamer said his ministry had faced a "massive challenge" to deliver on a decree by Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, who directed in December 2013 the provision of 40,000 affordable housing units of which 25,000 were to be delivered between 2015 and 2018. Now, a handful of those developments are coming to fruition. The Bahraini government has also started the Mazaya program a social housing scheme in collaboration with the private sector in which eligible applicants can receive subsidized loans from banks to purchase houses with a maximum price of 120,000 Bahraini dinars ($318,000). Alhamer said the affordable and social housing units being built would "raise living standards" for citizens but that more private sector involvement was needed. "We have the leadership's support and (boosting the housing supply) is part of our 2030 vision. There is a high housing demand and the existing demand cannot be met by the existing supply, so we do need at least 5,000 units to be readily available for our national waiting list," the minister said. Toyota Motor is stepping up cost reductions to shore up its money chest, as it looks to ramp up investment in new technologies, but cautioned a stronger yen would chip away at its operating profit and higher annual sales. Toyota's plans to spend a record 1.08 trillion yen, or about $10 billion, on R&D this year comes at a time when carmakers worldwide are sharpening their focus on electrification and automation to stay competitive amid rising demand for vehicles powered by cleaner technologies. As a buffer against currency moves and to ensure there are funds for R&D, Toyota "will prioritize sticking to its roots - the Toyota production system and cost cuts," President Akio Toyoda said, referring to a strategy to coordinate with suppliers to make cars when needed, minimizing inventories. A recently introduced production system based on more standardized parts that can be used across different models will also continue to help deliver cost cuts, he added. Cost reductions are expected to contribute around 130 billion yen to operating profit this year, after adding 165 billion yen to Toyota's earnings last year. "We've become a leaner, trimmer company ... and in the past year we've developed our remaining fat into muscle, so that we're in a strong position to be more competitive," Toyoda said. Japan's top carmaker posted a 20 percent jump in operating profit to 2.4 trillion yen for the year to March 2018, outpacing rivals Volkswagen AG and Daimler AG for a fifth straight year to be the world's most profitable automaker. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defence Minister Mohammed bin Salman during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 30, 2017. Pavel Golovkin | AFP | Getty Images Saudi Arabia said it will help meet world oil demand if President Donald Trump's Iran sanctions create shortfalls, but analysts say it will do so only in conjunction with Russia, and the world may have to get used to higher prices as a result. Brent, the international benchmark crude, was up 3 percent Wednesday, on Trump's sanctions announcement and as new weekly government data showed U.S. oil inventories dropping amid extremely strong demand for gasoline from American drivers. The Iran situation could mean that oil moves closer to $80 per barrel than the $60s to $70s expected by analysts this year. The timing of the announcement of sanctions coincides with steadily rising oil prices that are now at their highest level since November 2014. On Tuesday Trump announced the withdrawal of the U.S. from an agreement to waive sanctions on Iran in exchange for Iran ending its nuclear program. Trump said the sanctions will be reimposed because Iran continues to work on a bomb, based on evidence provided by Israel, and it backs terrorist groups around the Middle East. The higher oil price is a plus for Saudi Arabia, which analysts say wants to see a steadier market at a higher price to pave the way for its initial public offering of state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco. Brent futures were just above $77 per barrel Tuesday, and West Texas Intermediate futures settled at $71.14 per barrel. "I think the Saudis will let this drift up to $80, $85 for WTI before they lift a finger," said John Kilduff, oil analyst with Again Capital. In the past, the kingdom has stepped in to fill gaps in global oil supply. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday said the administration has sought help from oil-producing allies to keep prices in check. But the U.S. request is more complicated this time. Saudi Arabia, a longtime rival of Iran, has struck a production deal with Russia, an Iranian ally that is also being sanctioned by the U.S. The question now is whether Saudi Arabia and OPEC in its "Vienna Alliance" with Russia will keep oil production targets the same or whether they adjust them to meet any loss of Iranian crude, with oil prices already high and rising. "The Saudis wouldn't do it without the Russians having to do it as well," said Edward Morse, Citigroup's global head of commodities research. "The Russians are opposed to the U.S. ending the deal, and on the other hand they don't really like high oil prices because the ruble is tied to the price of oil. ... The ideal world is one where you can keep the ruble from appreciating, keep the cost down and that would mean a stable price." Morse said the U.S. return of full sanctions on Iran would be worth about $10 per barrel to the oil price, but he said ultimately the price of oil would go down if Saudi Arabia and Russia return barrels to the market. "If they put more oil on the market, the price of oil would go down for sure. The inventories around the world would stop drawing," he said. "With all the U.S. production coming into the system, the market would look forward to a glut." U.S. oil production rose to a record 10.7 million barrels a day last week, according to government data. It's unclear how much oil will be restricted under the U.S. sanctions since U.S. partners in the nuclear agreement are against ending the deal, and Iran has said it will try to stay in it. Analysts expect some to comply but others, such as China, a party to the deal, may continue to buy Iranian oil and even increase its purchases at a discounted price. According to analysts, Iran shipments could fall by 300,000 to 500,000 per day, compared with the 1 million to 1.5 million lost from the market during the Obama administration's sanctions on Iran. "I think with Iran, the additional unknown, they'll have to wait and see over the next 180 days who orders what, what in the order book gets cut down," said John Sfakianakis, director of economic research at the Gulf Research Center. "The big ones are the likes of Japan and other Asian consumer countries. The order book has to be reduced, and they need to see who else is out there to take these orders." The "Vienna" production agreement, in place since early 2017, removed 1.8 million barrels a day from the market, with both Saudi Arabia and Russia, as well as other members of OPEC and the alliance, giving up barrels. The production agreement is scheduled to end at the end of the year, but OPEC and Saudi Arabia's energy minister have said it should continue in some form. The pact is seen as having helped bring world oil supply more in line with demand and driving prices higher. It was also helped by the loss of barrels from Venezuela, which is currently producing 1.5 million barrels, well under its quota. Saudi Arabia and Russia also have to decide what the market requires in terms of production. "As we get close to $80, they have to consider that the market will be looking for their decision on next year," Sfakianakis said. Sfakianakis doesn't see the price going much above $80. "Once we hit $80, then slowly you could see the market saying we could see $85, we could see $90. I think that's a little bit of an exaggeration. But I think around the $80 mark, or even if we surpass that, the producing countries, including Saudi Arabia, will be quite happy with that," he said. It will take about six months for the effect of sanctions on Iran to become more clear, even though the Trump administration sanctions would block new business with the country immediately. "They can slow-talk this thing with a 180-day grace period, you're not required to do anything right now," said Helima Croft, head of global commodities research at RBC. "I think the White House just hopes the Vienna alliance will sunset and they put barrels on the market. This is where the White House is wrong. You could have this group continue, and it goes into next year. You can get a charter arrangement, and they continue to meet but they don't put more barrels on the market and keep the cut together." Croft said Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, known as MBS, would prefer a high oil price to help his Vision 2030 program to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil. Saudi Arabia issued the first official reaction out of the Gulf on Tuesday, saying it fully supported Trump's action on the Iran nuclear agreement. The kingdom was also the first country Trump visited on an official state visit. "Until we get to $85 or $90 a barrel, what are they going to do? They aren't compelled to do anything right now," Croft said. OPEC next meets in June, and that meeting is no longer expected to be about rubber-stamping the production agreement through year-end. Iran, which has not cut production, is an OPEC member. It has been opposed to the production deal continuing and is likely to continue to be opposed. "I think now you have a much more cranky meeting," Croft said. OPEC General Secretary Mohammad Barkindo on Tuesday said the rebalancing of the market is a long process and "requires sustainability." "We have confidence in our leaders, within and outside OPEC, who have strongly supported our joint efforts with our non-OPEC partners to assist the oil market to restore stability after the worst oil cycle in history, to continue to provide leadership in these uncertain times," OPEC's Barkindo told Reuters. Kilduff said even if OPEC continues with the production deal, there may not be much harmony within the group. "Once again the bounty of higher prices will be bestowed on Saudi Arabia at the expense of Iran," he said. WATCH: Stocks take rising yields and oil in stride The behavior of President Donald Trump's attorney Michael Cohen is certainly suspect, but it's not known yet if anything illegal happened, watchdog Noah Bookbinder told CNBC on Wednesday. Cohen was paid millions of dollars in "consulting" fees by corporations allegedly seeking access to the president or insight into his thought process. "At the very least it looks corrupt and like the kind of conduct we don't want here in Washington," the executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said on "Closing Bell." However "if the president or other officials actually got some of that money that went through Cohen and if it was in exchange for actually being moved on policy, then it could be bribery. It could be very serious corruption," he added. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that three American prisoners released from North Korea were headed home, a sign of potential good will ahead of Trump's planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. In a tweet, Trump said, "the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting" were accompanying Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on his way back from a visit to North Korea. TRUMP TWEET The president then tweeted that Pompeo and the three men would arrive at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m., and that he would greet them. TRUMP TWEET 2 "I appreciate Kim Jong Un allowing this to happen," Trump said later Wednesday during a Cabinet meeting. He also said a location and a date for the summit with the North Korean leader would be announced within days. Trump, in his remarks Wednesday, also ruled out the Demilitarized Zone between the Koreas as a location for the meeting. He had previously floated the site as a potential summit spot. Pompeo had previously traveled to North Korea over Easter weekend, when he met with Kim. The news of the release comes as U.S.-North Korea relations have reached a relatively constructive and warm phase. It marks a considerable de-escalation from last year, when Trump and Kim exchanged heated barbs that stoked fears about a possible nuclear conflict. The North also repeatedly tested missiles and threatened the U.S. territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. Were that to happen, President Trump's actions in quitting the Iran accord would place a large share of the responsibility on the United States, increasing the likelihood that the U.S. would, in fact, support and reinforce Israel. Saudi Arabia would be only too pleased to see Israel, with the backing of the U.S., strike Iran, as Iran well understands, especially if this were to disrupt Iran's ability to sell its petroleum. War would also likely disrupt Iran's Hezbollah party in Lebanon and curtail Iran's movement toward the Mediterranean. Russia, like Saudi Arabia, would welcome a spike in the price of oil, and the subsequent opportunity to expand its armament sales in the region. It will not be struck by either Israel or the United States, should the U.S. engage militarily, nor will it defend Iran. Turkey would not be unhappy to see a regional rival struck and Iranian military efforts in Syria disrupted. Thus, weighing the factors in balance, there is good reason for Iran to be open to European proposals to strengthen the provisions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known as the Iran nuclear deal, and then try again to gain U.S. support. Over many years the Iranian government has been hardline, determined, but, ultimately, rational. Only time will tell whether they respond now with outraged nationalism, and restart their nuclear program, or whether the cooler heads will prevail. My own bet would be for a brief period - a few weeks - of calm while the Europeans try to salvage the deal by negotiating some marginal enhancements. They might succeed if they can assuage Iranian pride by becoming the submissive demandeurs. But Iran has long anticipated strikes by Israel or the U.S., and has no doubt prepared assiduously. We should expect them to resist anything that seems to be "blackmail" by the Great Satan. If this isn't resolved in a few weeks, Iran will likely move to complete its nuclear weapons program. Should Israel and the U.S. strike, the hardliners in Iran will reckon that this will only increase popular support for the regime, while in Washington the unrealistic hopes that a few strikes will bring regime change will be replaced by the grim recognition that these strikes will lead the way to the third major U.S. military engagement in the Middle East begun without a clear strategy for successful conclusion. The hardliners on both sides will have confirmed the enemy they have long decried. The world will see a destructive, futile, and useless war, likely to lead to yet another failed state. Commentary by Retired General Wesley Clark, a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and a Senior Fellow at the UCLA Burkle Center. Follow him on Twitter @ GeneralClark. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. President Donald Trump's move to withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal and restore sanctions on Tehran threatens to reopen a long-dormant dispute with Europe and inflame trade tensions with the Continent, analysts and sanctions experts warn. History is not on Trump's side. The last time America and Europe went head-to-head over Iranian sanctions, Europe pushed back and the United States was forced to back down. Market watchers are now questioning whether the European Union will deploy the same legislative weapons it used 20 years ago, when the Clinton administration threatened sanctions against European companies. In response, the EU passed so-called blocking statutes that prohibited European companies from complying with U.S. sanctions, giving them cover to continue with business as usual. It is going to be nightmarish to convince the Europeans to back our sanctions effort now without them actually being supportive of it politically. Richard Nephew former lead sanctions expert for the Obama administration Then as now, the Europeans had a lot to lose. The EU exported 10.8 billion in goods to Iran last year, while its imports from the country totaled 10.1 billion. The union is one of the largest markets for Iranian petroleum products. European multinationals like French oil major Total and aircraft maker Airbus have announced billions of dollars in deals since sanctions ended in 2016. The EU could use the blocking statutes to protect these companies if Trump threatened sanctions, EU Ambassador to the United States David O'Sullivan said last year. The result of the late 90s standoff was a sort of cold war that simmered for a decade, in which the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations kept the sanctions on the books, but did not enforce them for fear of sparking a trade war with Europe. But it remains to be seen whether Trump, a president prone to brinkmanship and trade tariffs, would also back down. U.S. President Donald Trump (R), French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) at the start of the first working session of the G-20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7, 2017. John MacDougall | AFP | Getty Images If both parties stood their ground, the trans-Atlantic partnership would be in uncharted territory. The United States has never imposed Iran-related sanctions against European companies in a far-reaching way. Likewise, the EU has never had to enforce the blocking statutes, and it's uncertain European firms would continue doing business with Iran even if politicians seek to protect them from sanctions. "We have seen Britain, France, Germany and indeed Iran pledge themselves to keep the agreement going. I think what we've done here is just open the door to what will be a pretty tumultuous period ahead," said former U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, a diplomat who has served in several Republican and Democratic administrations. "It may result in some other options or modifications that would ease all of this. It may not. But it's going to be playing out over a number of weeks before we can really measure what happens," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. Relations with Europe are already frayed over Trump's threat to slap tariffs on the Continent's goods and his withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. The president's nuclear deal exit will "amplify the crisis in trans-Atlantic relations" and prod France and Germany to look for ways to fire back, according to risk consultancy the Eurasia Group. "These nations and other U.S. allies now facing renewed sanctions will both explore U.S. intentions on implementation and at the same time consider adopting blocking legislation and/or other ways of hitting back at the Washington," Eurasia Group analysts said in a briefing Tuesday. In pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday, Trump ignored the pleas of European leaders and announced his administration would immediately restore the full range of sanctions against Iran that were in force prior to 2016. That means European companies cannot enter into new business deals with Iran and must wind down existing contracts in three to six months. Immediately afterward, the leaders of Britain, France and Germany as well as Iran's president said they would try to preserve the deal without the United States. The European leaders called on Trump not to take any action that would get in the way of that goal. But that is exactly what U.S. sanctions would do. In order for the U.S. sanctions to be successful, European companies must stop doing business with Iran. And if European companies stop doing business with Iran, the nuclear deal will almost certainly collapse. "This is back to 1997," said Richard Nephew, the lead sanctions expert for the U.S. team that negotiated the Iran nuclear deal. "It is going to be nightmarish to convince the Europeans to back our sanctions effort now without them actually being supportive of it politically," he said. The EU and United Nations only got on board with sanctions beginning in 2006 after evidence surfaced that Iran was running a secret nuclear weapons research program. Those sanctions led to years of painstaking negotiation among Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. The talks culminated in the 2015 nuclear deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear activity and submitting to international inspections. European cooperation was critical to the success of the nuclear sanctions. Reductions in Iranian oil purchases from Europe alone accounted for half of the drop of roughly 1.4 million barrels a day in Iranian crude exports. That action also came swiftly. The EU adopted sanctions in 2012 that curtailed all purchases of Iranian oil by member countries within six months. Insightec's focused ultrasound therapy, coupled with MRI, targets tissues deep within the brain and either thermally ablates it or disrupts cell membranes similar to how ultrasound is used to break up kidney stones. Roughly 10 million people in the United States suffer from some sort of tremor disorder, whether that's essential tremor the most common movement disorder or the tremors resulting from Parkinson's disease. The current treatment regimens are wide-ranging: medication and therapy are typically prescribed, with mixed results and their own side effects. For people with tremors that are especially disabling, surgery to insert an electrical probe deep into the brain which is then connected via wire under the skin to a pacemaker-like device implanted near the heart usually takes place. But a noninvasive treatment option that uses focused ultrasound to mitigate the effects of essential tremor is slowly making its way into hospitals worldwide. University-affiliated medical systems, such as the Mayo Clinic, are currently using it, and more than 1,000 patients with essential tremor around the world have been treated. It's also being tested further to see how it could be used to treat Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and to help deliver targeted drug therapy for people suffering from brain tumors. Israel-based Insightec, backed by $400 million of investor capital to date, is the company behind it. The treatment involves two steps: Patients are first fitted with a helmet that transmits ultrasound waves. They're then placed inside a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine, which allows doctors to monitor and adjust the procedure as it's taking place. Still, questions remain about how effective a focused ultrasound treatment can be for treating currently incurable conditions like Parkinson's disease. With ultrasound waves guided by MRI, Insightec's Exablate Neuro system ablates deep brain tissue to improve essential tremors without surgery, sometimes with immediate results. Two years ago the Food and Drug Administration approved the company's technology for treating people with essential tremor: A study conducted by the University of Virginia School of Medicine demonstrated that patients' tremors and motor functions improved about 50 percent three months after treatment. 'A multibillion-dollar market that's just emerging' Although Insightec was founded in 1999, it's just now in the commercialization phase of its technology and is partnered with General Electric and Siemens two companies that represent roughly 70 percent of the existing MRI market to get its Exablate Neuro system into the hands of more doctors. "We see this as a multibillion-dollar market that's just emerging. Where robotics surgery was 10 to 20 years ago is where we think focused ultrasound is today," said Insightec CEO Maurice Ferre, who came to the company four years ago to begin driving its commercial plan. Aiding Insightec's push to the market is the Koch family, commonly known today as Charles and David Koch, the billionaire brothers who back conservative causes and candidates. In November the 70-year-old Koch Industries launched Koch Disruptive Technologies, a new subsidiary led by Charles' son, Chase, and focused on investing in early-stage and high-growth businesses. One month later Koch Disruptive Technologies made its very first investment when it led the $150 million round of Series E funding for Insightec, the largest equity deal across all Israeli companies in 2017. With its investment, the Kochs are betting on a technology that might one day have a variety of neural applications. There's a clinical trial currently under way, testing Insightec's treatment system in epilepsy patients. Also, a focused ultrasound treatment could cost three to four times less than some of the conventional procedures in use today for treating conditions like essential tremor. "You can probably imagine, it's a compelling offer when you can tell an entrepreneur that by working with us, they gain access to one of the largest real-life laboratories in the world," said Rob Carlton, director of business communications with Koch Industries. Accessing the risks and breakthroughs It's taken Insightec, a company of now 300 employees, about 15 years and $200 million to fully develop its technology: focused ultrasound therapy coupled with MRI that targets tissues deep within the brain and either thermally ablates it destroys the tissue by cooking it, basically or disrupts cell membranes similar to how ultrasound is used to break up kidney stones. Focused ultrasound is analogous to using a magnifying glass and focused beams of light on a point. Patients are awake during the entire procedure, which usually takes between two and four hours. They're first fitted with a helmet through which the ultrasound waves are sent and are then placed inside an MRI scanner. Multiple beams of ultrasound energy are focused on a target deep within the body. Coupling it with MRI means a doctor can monitor where the beams are hitting in real time, raising the energy levels of the ultrasound waves along the way. We see this as a multibillion-dollar market that's just emerging. Where robotics surgery was 10 to 20 years ago is where we think focused ultrasound is today. Maurice Ferre Insightec CEO "The beams concentrate and can affect tissue now in 18 different ways that we know of. Ten years ago we only understood three ways," said Dr. Neal Kassell, chairman of the Virginia-based Focused Ultrasound Foundation. By destroying or disrupting certain tissues in the brain, focused ultrasound kills abnormal cells and breaks the brain circuits causing the tremor. Risks and rewards Walmart has agreed to a deal to buy a majority stake in Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart for $16 billion. The U.S. retail giant said Wednesday that it would acquire an initial stake of roughly 77 percent in Flipkart. The remainder of the business will be held by existing investors, including Flipkart's co-founder Binny Bansal, Tencent, Tiger Global and Microsoft. Walmart said in a statement that its long-term aim would be to support Flipkart's transition into a publicly listed subsidiary. The retailer said it expects India's e-commerce market to grow at four times the rate of the overall retail industry. Walmart's president and chief executive, Doug McMillon, said the investment in Flipkart was part of the company's aim to invest in India's fast-growing economy. "India is one of the most attractive retail markets in the world, given its size and growth rate, and our investment is an opportunity to partner with the company that is leading transformation of e-commerce in the market," McMillon said in a statement. [The stream is slated to start at 3:30 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is set to brief reporters Wednesday afternoon following President Donald Trump's announcement that North Korea freed three American prisoners during Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to the country. The prisoners' release is a possible sign of goodwill ahead of this month's planned meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump tweeted Wednesday that the freed men seemed to be in good health and that they will return to the U.S. early Thursday morning. Trump Tweet 1 Trump Tweet 2 Sanders may also face questions about an alleged $500,000 payment that Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, received after the 2016 presidential election from a company controlled by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, who has ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vekselberg has since been interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller's team, which is investigating Russian election interference and possible collusion between the Russian government and Trump campaign. Additionally, Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. is withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear deal. The White House on Wednesday ducked questions about President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, after revelations that Cohen was paid millions of dollars in "consulting" fees by companies allegedly seeking access to Trump and members of his administration, or insight into the president's thought processes. Three of these companies, AT&T, Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis and South Korean aerospace giant Korea Aerospace Industries, have had major public policy issues before the Trump administration in the past year. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she was not "aware of" any actions the president had taken to benefit any of the companies. Asked whether Trump had expressed any concerns about Cohen's actions since the release of a report Tuesday night that suggested Cohen was selling access to him and his administration, Sanders told reporters: "I haven't heard the president express any specific concerns." Otherwise, the White House spokeswoman did her best to avoid answering questions about Cohen, referring them all to Trump's outside counsel. "We're not engaging in this process at all," she said of the White House staff. Tuesday's report was released by lawyer Michael Avenatti, who represents adult film star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against Cohen and the president. The report detailed suspicious transactions connected to a company, Essential Consultants, that Cohen established in 2016, just ahead of Election Day. Novartis and AT&T have both said they paid Cohen for strategic advice about the new administration. KAI said it paid him for advice on government accounting standards. Another firm, Columubs Nova, an American investment firm with ties to Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, said it paid Cohen $500,000 for real estate investment advice. Cohen told reporters Wednesday that Avenatti's report is "inaccurate," according to NBC News. He did not elaborate on what he considered wrong about the report. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Brexit 1) Mays Customs Partnership will please no-one, Cabinet Minister tells ConservativeHome Theresa Mays proposal for a customs partnership is a broken compromise that risks pleasing no one, a Cabinet source has warned as they claimed that Downing Street may have got its numbers wrong on support for remaining in the customs union. An unnamed Cabinet minister has claimed that the Governments fears over support for a customs union has forced Mrs May and her team to draft proposals that they believe MPs can be persuaded to vote for. However, the source argues that support for a customs union has been overstated, and that Mrs May should instead focus her efforts on a light touch arrangement, such as the maximum-facilitation (max-fac) proposalMrs May has now been forced to return to the drawing board, and is currently developing the options to make them more palatable to her ministers. However, speaking to the website Conservative Home, a Cabinet source has claimed that Mrs May should abandon the customs partnership altogether. Daily Telegraph Opinion >Today: ToryDiary: The consequences of Customs Union indecision. How Britain could end up with EEA-lite formally or informally. >Yesterday: Brexit 2) Lords defy May and Corbyn to vote to stay in the Single Market The House of Lords voted to keep Britain in the single market last night, causing headaches for both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn. The government was defeated on an amendment that would have forced Britain to remain a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) by 247 votes to 218, with rebels from both parties. Mr Corbyn had ordered his peers to abstain but 83 ignored him and 17 Tories abstained to deliver one of four defeats last night on the governments Brexit legislation, amid signs of growing discord in the Lords. Ministers must now decide whether to undo 14 amendments to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill when the legislation returns to the Commons. The Times Brexit 3) Trimble: Stop this baseless scaremongering about peace in Northern Ireland Policy Exchange report finds that light-touch border solutions can work City AM The Government explores further responses to Brussels hardline on Galileo The Times The EU splashes millions on propaganda campaign targeting the young The Sun May, Macron and Merkel regret Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran deal In recent months senior politicians some of whom were partners in the peace process have sought to spread fear about a return to violence. They have warned about a breakdown in community relations and talked-up threats to the Good Friday agreement. Yet, as a new paper published today by Policy Exchange shows, those seeking to alter the position of the democratically elected UK government in delivering the result of the Brexit referendum with such scare tactics cannot appreciate the strength of peace nor the facts of how a modern border can operate.The reality is that even Sinn Feins Gerry Adams and the moderate nationalist SDLP have said that Brexit will not result in a return to violence. What is more, fears over a hard border are only as strong as the refusal of those who do not engage with a workable technological solution. As highlighted by Policy Exchange, studies have shown how technology, pre-customs clearing and mutual standards recognition can be deployed to avoid physical barriers at the border. It is sad then that some have sought to disregard the facts for the sake of temporary political advantage David Trimble, The Times Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement issued on behalf of the three nations it is with regret and concern that we take note of President Trumps decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. But EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini potentially put Europe on a collision course with the US by suggesting the European Union is determined to save the agreement, declaring together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal. Mogherini said the accord is delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesnt develop nuclear weapons, before making a direct appeal to the Iranian leader to stick to the 2015 agreement. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meanwhile said his country will remain in the deal, and will instead trade with the other countries which signed it. Although, crucially, it remains unclear whether the US would choose to impose sanctions on countries, or foreign companies who take up Rouhanis offer. Daily Mail European powers should work with Washington and Tehran to forge a new agreement The Times Leader Irans aggression, not Trumps, broke the deal Con Coughlin, Daily Telegraph The easy way to avoid this isolation is for them to stop trying to take over the Middle East Daily Telegraph Leader Israel strikes Iranian targets in Syria The Times Pompeo flies to North Korea The Times >Today: Daniel Kawczynski on Comment: We must back Trumps withdrawal of support from the Iran deal >Yesterday: WATCH: Trump announces that America will withdraw from the Iran deal Mercers fury over potential retreat from pledge to protect British soldiers from witch hunt Four Cabinet ministers oppose Bradleys plan The Times Former special forces director to become new head of the Army The Times McDonagh: The Green Belt is a con, and we must build on it Ministers are facing a furious backlash today after it emerged British soldiers who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles might not be protected from prosecution. Tory MPs condemned the government for losing its moral compass amid signs proposals being published soon will not include an amnesty. Thousands were killed or injured during 30 years of violence, most by paramilitaries but some at the hands of security forces. Senior MPs had urged a statute of limitation which would prevent anyone from facing trial for offences that happened during the conflict, including former servicemen and paramilitariesTory MP Johnny Mercer told MailOnline the PM must now step in and do the right thing. I never thought Id see the day when my Government would stand aside and watch pensioner veterans being dragged to court for claimed-offences for which they have already been investigated, often over forty years ago, at the behest of the very people they were fighting on behalf of the crown. Its insane. Daily Mail Like most people, I always thought the Green Belt was a good thing. I imagined it as rolling fields of green and open land until I took a closer look Over the Bank Holiday weekend, I decided to find out for myself just how green Londons Green Belt really is. My first stop was a large waste plant in west London, surrounded by 20 feet of rubble. Hardly rolling fields I then headed north to Ealing, where there are 2,309 families currently trapped in temporary accommodation. I could barely believe my eyes when I found inaccessible scrubland surrounded by chain-link fencing. In whose interest is this designated as Green Belt land? My frustration grew. Siobhain McDonagh, Daily Telegraph >Yesterday: ToryDiary: Handouts to 25-year-olds wont solve the housing crisis, still less the wider issue of generational unfairness Watson and Milibands attack on the free press would take us back to the Dark Ages Labours plans to muzzle the press would return Britain to the legal Dark Ages and make it easier for wealthy people to suppress negative stories, according to a senior lawyer who represented phone-hacking victims. Mark Stephens, an expert in media law, warns in a letter to The Times today that a small and affluent privacy lobby is trying to hijack data protection legislation to impose tighter regulation on newspapers. MPs will vote today on two opposition amendments to the Data Protection Bill that opponents say pose a chilling threat to media freedom. The outcome is thought to be on a knife-edge. The proposals will impose costs sanctions on newspapers that refuse on principle to join a state-recognised press regulator, and force ministers to establish a new Leveson-style inquiry into the media. Yesterday, Theresa May urged MPs not to back the measures, warning that Labours plans would undermine our free press. The Times Editorials A threat to freedom with no public interest case to support it The Times Leader The Government is right to oppose these dire amendments The Sun Says Elliott: The search for the next Tory candidate for London Mayor should start now Conservative losses were largely confined to London, which is why Brandon Lewis and his team will be paying particular attention to the capital in their post-match analysis. After all, the route to a comfortable parliamentary majority for the party requires a strong performance in London, so they cant and wont it write offBut despite successfully fighting off Labour in Barnet, Wandsworth, and Westminster, the Conservatives cant afford to be complacent. I expect that those in Conservative HQ this week will now be looking ahead to the 2020 London mayoral election. And whereas many quality candidates previously saw the race as a Red London bloodbath to be avoided, some will now be quietly weighing up their chancesthere is now a slim path to victory for next Conservative mayoral candidate. The Tories should now capitalise on the momentum from the local elections by selecting their candidate, finding someone who can provide a focal point for London Conservatives. Matthew Elliott, City AM Acid attack in Brixton Evening Standard Teen stabbed in Hackney Evening Standard >Today: Local Government: How Barnet was won >Yesterday: ToryDiary: The Conservative campaign machine has upped its game but the loss of activists trust in the central Party is taking time to repair Labours promise to tax the rich more proves popular although swing voters are deterred by Corbyn himself Financial Times Marx and Rand have plenty in common Daniel Finkelstein, The Times Shadow work and pensions secretary sacked over bullying allegations British voters back higher taxes on top earners by an overwhelming 5:1 ratio, according to a new survey for the Financial Times looking at Labours business policies. The survey of 2,044 people by Britain Thinks found that 55 per cent backed higher taxes on people earning over 70,000 a year, with only 9 per cent opposing the policy. Labours manifesto proposed higher taxes on 1.5m high earners on salaries of over 80,000 including a 5 per cent charge on earnings over 500,000. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, has been criticised for his 1970s-style agenda of increasing taxes and taking energy, water, rail and post back into state control. But the poll found that plans to increase taxes on companies, strengthen workers rights, crack down on executive pay and nationalise the utilities were all very popular. FT One of Jeremy Corbyns most senior frontbenchers was sacked from Labours shadow Cabinet last night after an investigation into workplace bullying. Debbie Abrahams was removed as shadow work and pensions secretary after a number of complaints about her behaviour, understood to have been supported by several witnesses. But the Oldham East and Saddleworth MP strongly denied the allegations and criticised the investigation. Miss Abrahams, 57, said: I strongly refute the allegations of bullying made against me. I believe the investigation was not thorough, fair or independentthe MP said at the time she had not agreed to stand aside as shadow work and pensions secretary, and claimed she had been a victim of a bullying culture of the worst kind. Daily Mail Heidi Alexander quits Parliament to work for Khan at City Hall The Times New Haringey Labour leader rejected racism definition The Times Jewish Labour Movement barred from meeting on anti-semitism The Sun Vaz wrote character reference for Wadsworth The Sun Oxford academics snub to May Daily Mail No Windrush arrivals forced out of the UK The Times Pressure grows on Bercow as Miller expresses concern Bridgen accuses the Speaker of using Grenfell memorial event to canvass for support The Sun News in Brief Jordan Peterson, disruptor-in-chief Unherd The end of the American age New Statesman Cocaine deliveries are quicker than pizzas Huffington Post Possible baldness cure BBC News The pressure on John Bercow grew last night after a select committee chairwoman called on the clerk of the House of Commons to intervene in the dispute over the Speakers behaviour. Maria Miller, who leads the women and equalities select committee, revealed that she had written to David Natzler to request an update about the process that Mr Bercow would face in response to bullying allegations made against him. The Conservative MP first asked the Speaker to make a personal statement responding to the claims last Wednesday. Using a point of order in the House, Ms Miller also raised the issue of clauses being used in settlement agreements which served to silence former employees from speaking out about potential wrongdoing. The Times Ben Roback is Head of Trade and International Policy at Cicero Group and a member of the US Embassys Young Leaders UK programme. Yesterdays announcement by President Trump that the United States would withdraw from the Iran Deal (or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in full) should not have come as a huge surprise. In effect, we had known it was coming since 21st March 2016. At the annual AIPAC policy conference of pro-Israel delegates, activists and campaigners, then-candidate Trump said: I came here to speak to you about where I stand on the future of American relations with our strategic ally, our unbreakable friendship and our cultural brother, the only democracy in the Middle East, the state of Israel. My number-one priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran. It came as little surprise that Trumps position as president did not change There are several explanations for this. First, the stubbornness of the President on the core issues on which he campaigned. Trump has run the White House as a loyalist to the 46.4 per cent of voters who elected him, hence the need to deliver the pledges he promised as a candidate. Second, an overwhelming sense of loyalty to his closest allies. In Middle East policy, that means an inner circle of Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman of Saudi Arabia (both of whom have ingratiated themselves with President Trump in ways that Prime Minster May and Chancellor Merkel have refused to). Third, an almost blanket opposition to anything whatsoever initiated, extended or signed by President Obama. That the Iran Deal was signed by Executive Order and not a Treaty approved by Congress enabled President Trump to walk away with ease if you live by Executive Order, you die by Executive Order. Lastly, the internal voices within the White House changed. When Trump won the presidency, he was finally in a position to immediately scrap the deal. He was talked out of it by Rex Tillerson and H.R. McMaster. The President fired both men, replacing them with Mike Pompeo and John Bolton respectively, both Iran hawks. Commentators from Washington to Westminster have sought to explain why this represents a New World Order, with a pivot away from US-EU relations and towards relationships with American allegiances in the Middle East. It is true to point out that a period of frantic lobbying by Theresa May (over the phone), Boris Johnson (on Fox News), Angela Merkel (in person) and Emmanuel Macron (in person) ultimately fell on deaf ears. This could create a crisis between the Untied States and its historic European allies, but given the transactional approach taken by President Trump that is by no means guaranteed. Imposing long-term tariff increases on steel and aluminium exports from the European Union would be a far more damaging long-term signal, but it is reasonable to expect an often short-sighted president to work closer with the Europeans on strictly European matters. With little regard for existing alliance and global institutions, it is clear that President Trump views global relations through regional prisms. And so on Iran, he listened to those in the region most at risk from an Iran that possesses serious nuclear capabilities Israel and Saudi Arabia. First Iran, next North Korea For a man who made his name based on the art of the deal, President Trump has displayed a fondness for breaking deals, not making them. Withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Paris climate accord were early signs that this White House was willing to tear up the legacy of the previous White House at all costs. Yesterdays announcement was further proof. It makes it all the more interesting that Trump and Pompeo are now turning their attention to making a deal with North Korea, with a view to securing a path to denuclearisation for the pariah state. Having reneged on a handful of major agreements, those sitting across the table from US negotiators will wonder how long any deal they negotiate will be in place. When deals are scrapped, there are domestic as well as global consequences. For Irans President Rouhani and Javad Zarif, his Foreign Minister, two moderates in the Iranian political landscape, the tearing up of the Iran Deal shows political weakness and instability. Iranian hardliners are poised to capitalise, presenting a worrying threat to an already unpredictable part of the world. Trump being Trump Political intransigence is often viewed as a commitment to ones beliefs, no matter the unpopularity or long-term consequences of the decision. Given Trumps loyalty to the base who elected him and the world leaders who appeal to his more personal instincts, a refusal to listen to lobbying by Americas historic European allies on the Iran Deal should not have come as a surprise. The President is often taken literally but not seriously, whereas he should be taken seriously but not literally. In the short-term, expect withdrawing from the Iran Deal to be cited in the November mid-term elections by Trumpian candidates and in the Presidents 2020 re-election campaign as proof of a hard-line on foreign policy and enablers of terror. In the longer-term, only time will tell whether the blowing up of the Iran Deal will only increase its nuclear capability. But by that time, well probably be too busy talking about the latest Trump controversy to notice. In the end it wasnt even close. There are now 38 Conservative councillors in Barnet with 25 for Labour. Depending on how you want to present this result the Conservatives either held the council compared with the results last time when there was an overall majority of one or gained the council, given that overall control had recently been lost after a defection. Either way, this is a council in London where Labour were behind by the narrowest of margins, and did not merely fail to win but slid backwards. The obvious explanation is that Labour was punished by voters for its anti-semitism not just by Jewish voters but also by their friends and neighbours. Solidarity is a word often used by the Left. Last week, we saw many people in Barnet of different faiths and none voting Conservative to show solidarity with the Jewish community. Turnout was higher than last time at 43.7 per cent, even though the previous time the Euro-elections had taken place on the same day. The typical turnout for council elections is around a third of the electorate. So that was another measure of the strength of feeling. In the Golders Green Ward, the Conservative candidates won by around 3,000 votes to 1,000 for their Labour opponents last time around it was by around 2,000 to 1,000. Labour lost East Barnet and West Hendon to the Conservatives: wards with a high Jewish population. On the other hand, Redbridge has a large Jewish community and, in that borough, Labour made gains. One difference could be Wes Streeting, the Labour MP for Ilford North, who could scarcely have done more to repudiate Jeremy Corbyn. By contrast, in Barnet the messages from the Labour Party were more mixed. One Labour councillor caused great offence by comparing Conservative councillors to Hitler. Barnet Labour were proud to have that Corbynista cheerleader Owen Jones campaigning for them. Cllr Barry Rawlings, the Labour Group leader, wrote a blog which in some ways was clear and powerful, but which also said that Corbyns leadership was settled. Emily Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, came to launch Labours Manifesto in Barnet. There wasnt a clear sense (until after the elections) that the Barnet Labour Party was repudiating its Party leadership nationally. But while antisemitism was important, it was not the only factor. Cllr Gabriel Rozenberg, a Conservative councillor, said in a Twitter thread: Conservatives have much to be proud of. Two years ago we identified five target wards for this election: we increased our councillor count in 4 of them, and came within two votes of gaining a councillor in the fifth, Childs Hill. Wow! I can take no satisfaction from knowing that antisemitism was one factor in this success. Jewish voters are rejected by Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party. Thats appalling. Jews are diverse and should never have to vote as a bloc to feel safe. In 2018, in Barnet, they did. There is something else though. @BarnetLabour should consider that @BarnetTories won in 2018 because, unlike our opponents, we had a clear message which voters liked and supported. Our message was simple: weekly bins, low council taxes, strong public services. What Barnet voters understood, and approved of, was that we are focused wholly on local concerns. We are not ideological, not pro or anti outsourcing. We look for what works and do it. By contrast, I never worked out what Labours positive message was in this campaign. (Did you?) So what Id say to Barnet Labour is this: your perpetual attacks on Capita, on our libraries strategy, on our regeneration projects, have got you nowhere with voters. Your 30 minute free parking in town centres plan has never made sense. And when you bang on about the members parking permit schemes wholly legitimate, and financially irrelevant as if its a grave scandal, voters stop taking you seriously. Debate us and disagree with us thats your job! But remember that voters are not interested in grandstanding. If you find realistic, constructive alternatives to our policies, you will be a much tougher opponent for us next time around. Labour did well in some places. The Conservatives held the High Barnet Ward, but by a much narrower margin than last time. One theory is that Momentum activists can only use the Northern Line. They would pour in activists but did not spread themselves around to all the places they were needed. Of course, others might suspect their arrival was not an unalloyed blessing for the Labour Party. Winning all three of the Barnet constituencies at the general election last year will have helped Conservative morale and organisational strength. The Barnet Conservatives raised a lot of money locally rather than relying on funds from CCHQ with strings attached. Just as importantly they spent it effectively over a long period not just in the month before polling day. Yet the key point is there were differences between the two parties which mattered to local residents. The Conservatives local Manifesto promised to maintain weekly bin collections. Labours one did not. Many believe that that one issue was just as damaging to Labours electoral fortunes as the Partys association with antisemitism. Daniel Kawczynki is MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham. In 2015, a nuclear deal was struck between Iran and six world powers the US, UK, Russia, France, China, and Germany and has since been called the signature foreign policy achievement of the eight year Obama Presidency. This is unsurprising, given the notable lack of foreign policy achievements under Barack Obamas tenure as President and Hillary Clintons as Secretary of State. The deal essentially lifted economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for limitations to the countrys nuclear energy programme. Unsurprisingly, the Iranian nuclear deal was not without its detractors, who claimed that it fell short of guaranteeing that Iran could not develop a nuclear bomb, and concerns were also raised, most notably by Benjamin Netanyahu, that a strengthened (and financially bolstered) Iran would simply support other extremist countries in their quests for nuclear weapons. As we pull out of the EU, we will regain our ability to pursue our own independent foreign policy, and this presents the perfect opportunity to back the US over the EU in regard to improving the situation with Iran in the Middle East. The new President of the United States is a vocal critic of the nuclear Iran deal secured by his predecessor in conjunction with the EUs representative Cathy Ashton. In light of this, we need to assess why Donald Trump has announced an end to American support for the deal, and evaluate how we can support him should he attempt to renegotiate the settlement. Obama and his negotiating partners, in their haste to secure a deal and create a legacy for themselves, ignored the loudly-voiced concerns of our key Gulf strategic partners and Israel that the deal was so focused on nuclear weapons that it ignored potential Iranian interference in the region. In recent years, we have witnessed Iran meddling in Iraq and Syria, attempting to destabilise Bahrain, providing economic and military support for the Houthi rebels in Yemen and continuing its support for Hezbollah in Lebanon. This aggressive behaviour has contributed to the area becoming highly unstable and increasingly dangerous, particularly for the numerous minorities who live there. If these examples werent sufficient, it was recently revealed that Morocco has broken off diplomatic relations with Iran, following the alleged Iranian backing of the Polisario in the Western Sahara. Trumps upcoming visit to the UK is the perfect opportunity to showcase a new and improved relationship between our two nations and to push forward for a renegotiated deal as a united front. The agreement with Iran must be updated to take into account the growing concerns of our many strategic partners in the region. Notably, it should be renegotiated to ensure that Iran ceases its attempts to destabilise governments throughout the Middle East by rescinding its support for Hezbollah and adhering to transparency regarding foreign dealings. Britain has done more than most to push for greater security in the region, most notably by establishing a permanent naval base in the Gulf of Bahrain. This is important in demonstrating our commitment to ensuring that security in the Gulf is maintained and it is a practical demonstration to our allies of our long term commitment to the region. The Iranian nuclear deal in its current form is not enough, and we should move to engage with America in order to renegotiate the deal to better reflect the genuine security needs of our Gulf-based partners. This does not mean simply terminating the deal altogether simply affirming that it needs to be updated to better meet the needs of our allies in the region. Obama famously stated that he had a red line which, if crossed, would lead to repercussions but, when the time came, his deeds did not match his words. It is up to the UK and to Americas President to ensure that we renegotiate the Iranian nuclear deal and guarantee that our red lines are never crossed. Robert Halfon is MP for Harlow, a former Conservative Party Deputy Chairman, Chair of the Education Select Committee and President of Conservative Workers and Trade Unionists. These were extraordinary results. After eight years of a Conservative Administration eight years of economic struggle and painful policy decisions our Party not only managed to avoid a wipe-out but, for the most part, held its own. In many working-class parts of the country such as Nuneaton, the Tories made proud gains (no small tribute to an extraordinary campaigner, Marcus Jones, now a Party Vice Chairman, in hitherto very tough territory for Conservatives). As Brandon Lewis has pointed out, the Conservatives not only held onto the flagship London councils, but gained seats, from Barnet to Hackney too. Harlow Town (the urban part of my constituency) has, for the most part, always provided a significant Labour stronghold within Harlow Council. We not only beat Labour on the popular vote but gained a seat and significantly cut down majorities in their heartland areas. Clearly, CCHQ and field organisers made a significant difference, revitalised under the new Chairman and with a quality social media presence alongside organisers in marginal areas and some extraordinary Tory volunteers and Council candidates. I lost count of how many Conservatives in my area were always pleased to see themselves on the #CanYouSeeYourself campaigning Twitter meme! If we were the hare and Labour the tortoise during the 2017 General Election, this time we were the tortoise and Labour the hare, with Corbynistas from John McDonnell to Chris Williamson making outlandish predictions. The Conservatives trouncing the Momentum Whitewalkers was our Jon Snow Moment. The Tory Wall is safe for now. Butactually, there is no but. For the first time in a while, I feel quite optimistic. If we get the policy right and continue to improve the infrastructure at CCHQ, we might be in good shape for 2022. To do so, as I wrote for ConservativeHome last July, Tories must stop the seesaw between Workers Conservativism and Metropolitan Conservatism, somehow fusing the two. Brexit does not make this task impossible in any way. When out campaigning in strong Brexit areas like Harlow, there is no doubt that the public want the Government to just get on with it and for the Prime Minister to show stronger leadership in standing up to the Lords et al. People voted for out not a halfway house, so a half-in customs arrangement is a negation of the publics democratic choice. It is not so much Brexit means Brexit as Out means Out. Whilst we might lose metropolitan Remain voters in the short-term, the work we do now should be building the blocks for post-Brexit Britain. That means bringing an end to policies like the hostile environment as Sajid Javid has already done. We should be positively welcoming EU citizens, and setting out an immigration policy that is fair on immigration and fair to the taxpayer. Perhaps having an annual quota, welcoming the best and brightest around the world, and taking students off the immigration figures would be a good start and we should set out an immigration policy that is open, fair and looks after vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers. Message and tone are as important as policy. If the Tories really want to win the hearts and mind of both workers and metropolitans, our party needs to dramatically change our approach to public sector workers, millions of whom feel that Conservatives dont represent them. Indeed, I recently met an NHS worker at a polling station who explained to me just how many hours he had worked without a break, and that he was going to vote for a party that he believed would care about the NHS. I was pretty sure this wasnt for us. Fair budgets are the answer. Ten Year Plans for the NHS and education, setting out the strategic policies for the nation and fair wage increases too for public sector workers, could be introduced as we begin to reduce our public sector debt. In terms of education, we should make decisions on schools funding that will meet our needs over the next decade, not just up until the next budget, and guarantee an apprenticeship for every young person who wants one. On housing, it doesnt matter whether you are in Battersea or Nuneaton it remains unaffordable to many. Millions of our citizens are living in sub-standard or overcrowded accommodation. We are going to have make sacrifices to our green belt (less than 90 per cent of our land is actually built on) and increase social housing supplies, incentivising housing trusts to build affordable housing. Right to Buy and Help to Buy also require further thought: both are great policies, but they can only go so far when one in four of our population have less than 100 in savings. A wider range of retail policies, such as those on utility bills currently being rolled out by Greg Clark and Claire Perry, should also be considered. We need to focus on policies that appeal to people across the country, such as a mass programme to fix our potholes and bringing an end to hospital car parking charges, once and for all. At some point before 2022, in amongst all of this, the Conservative Government is also going to have to get back to its DNA cutting taxes. Since 2010, the Tories have raised the tax threshold for millions, cut business taxes and frozen fuel duty. Its clear, however, that the most successful Conservative administrations have been those which have cut income tax substantially. As a start, if Tories cut tax for those earning incomes below 45,000, for example, it would cut the cost of living and give a powerful signal that Conservatives are for the many and not the few. As I said, Im feeling optimistic. The local election results are proof that the Conservatives are doing the right thing and voters are paying attention. If the Tories find a way to fuse Workers and Metropolitan Conservatism, and continue the remodelling of CCHQ, well be in good shape for a majority in 2022. Geoffrey Boycott would not have been impressed by Theresa Mays batting. She kept playing and missing, and her run rate was not just slow, as Boycotts often was. For over half an hour she prodded at the bowling, sent the odd ball skidding off the bottom of her bat past the stumps, but scored not a single run and was lucky not to get herself out. On a normal Wednesday, Jeremy Corbyn can be relied on to send down a ludicrous quantity of wides and no-balls. Today he at least aimed his six medium-pace deliveries at the stumps, plugging away at the subject of what the Government thinks about the Customs Union, and this improvement in line and length was enough to have the Prime Minister in trouble. He began by asking whether she agreed with the Foreign Secretary that the plan for a customs partnershipis in fact crazy? Mays plan seems to be to agree with no one, but to avoid saying that she does not agree. Corbyn quoted something said by the Business Secretary which is incompatible with what the Foreign Secretary has said, and May declined to agree, or indeed disagree, with either of them. In Corbyns next delivery, he quoted a reference by the Father of the House to these wild right-wing people. Ken Clarke gave a benevolent smile. He has long relished referring to his Eurosceptic parliamentary colleagues in that way, which is why they declined several opportunities to make him their leader. May became leader because in the EU referendum she did not campaign with passion for either the Leave or the Remain side. In theory, she was a Remainer, but in practice she scored no runs at all for that team, nor even tried to score. And this, it emerges, is an odd way to lead a country. As Corbyn said, one would have thought after 23 months she might have been able to negotiate an agreement with her own Cabinet. He did turn her into a figure of fun. If Corbyn were a more brilliant debater, he could have humiliated her by making jokes about her at which her own backbenchers laughed. But he did manage to show up her indecisiveness. The session was umpired by the Deputy Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, because the Speaker, John Bercow, was in Glasgow for the funeral of his predecessor, Michael Martin. Hoyle produced a completely different atmosphere in the House, no longer tense with feeling between MPs and the chair, and also less raucous. This relaxation did not favour May, who is by nature a tense performer, and was better for Corbyn, whose preferred style is laid-back. Ian Blackford, for the Scots Nats, asked the Prime Minister if she would have the backbone to send Boris Johnson to the backbenches. But no, there the Foreign Secretary was, sitting on the front bench and preparing to make a statement about Iraq, during which he found occasion, in response to a question from the Father of the House, to insist he is completely in conformity with Government policy on the Customs Union, since that policy is yet to be decided. The best way to protect the freedom of the press would be to repeal Section 40 for good Given the raucous and competitive battle of ideas on which the British press is founded, it is a difficult feat, rarely achieved, to unite every single national newspaper on a topic. Nevertheless, Tom Watson and Ed Milibands campaign against media freedom which had its latest outing in the Commons this afternoon managed to pull it off. Regular readers of this site will already know that ConservativeHome stands with the national and local newspapers who oppose the twin bad ideas of commencing Leveson Two and implementing Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013. We do so for reasons of practice and principle, in the belief that these proposals would be damaging to ConservativeHome but also to the press as a whole, and thereby to accountability and democracy in this country. Returning to yet more Leveson would be a colossal waste of time and money, all in pursuit of a cause The Guardian describes as a driver learning to steer by looking in the rear-view mirror at the road behind rather than the one ahead. Its defeat albeit by an uncomfortably narrow margin of nine votes today is a sensible and correct decision. It now seems that Labours amendment on Section 40 will not be put to a vote at all, because Watson et al see that it is likely to be defeated. That, too, is good news. As I argued back in 2016, this pernicious item of legislation would be both utterly unjust and hugely damaging to free expression in the UK, amounting as it does to allowing vexatious litigants to financially penalise journalists even for publishing things that a court finds to be true. Such a rule would be an obscene parody of justice, and it is easy to see why various rich and badly-behaved people are enthusiastically in favour of the right to target truthful publications with large bills. A Britain in which the perpetrators of, say, the Rotherham abuse scandal could use the law to punish a newspaper for exposing their sins would be a troubling country in which to live. Like any other bullies, the advocates of Section 40 say anyone penalised in such a way would only have themselves to blame: publications can avoid being subjected to this wrongdoers charter by joining Impress, the Mosley-backed. state-authorised regulator closely linked to many of those very same enemies of the free press This is an absurd argument. Being free to act, so long as you do as someone else demands on pain of financial ruin, is no freedom at all. That ought to be obvious; any pretence otherwise is utterly bogus. Nor is subjecting oneself to Impress a light burden: it involves abandoning the precious, centuries-old principle of press freedom, and doing so specifically by handing authority to a body which has wildly underperformed even the quite low expectations which met its creation. The organisation has failed to persuade any but a fringe handful of outlets to submit to it voluntarily the fact its fans now seek a legislative stick with which to force publications into its oversight reflects its failure. Watson may have given up on his plans for a vote today, but he will inevitably be back. He has been pushing these bad ideas for years, hoping to sneak through a blow against British press freedom at any and every chance. He evidently believes that either this hung Parliament or a future Labour majority will at some point allow him to get his way. The existence of Section 40 on the statute book facilitates that rather shoddy tactic. There it sits, waiting to be triggered either by some opportunistic motion or a hostile government, or ready to serve as a threat which future ministers could use to intimidate the newspapers if they so wished. As the 2017 Conservative manifesto pledged, and as ConservativeHome has argued since the outset, the best protection for liberty would be to repeal Section 40 itself. One of this sites leitmotifs has been that Britain must be Ready on Day One for Brexit. Greg Clark suggested last weekend that we wont be ready even on Day 730 thats to say, as transition ends. The reasons are not hard to grasp. The longer the Government fails to agree a position on customs, the shorter the time left for it to negotiate one with the EU in the Brexit talks. And the less time there is to strike an agreement, the more likely the talks are, according to one take on events, to end without a trade deal in place, even in outline. This could lead to one of two outcomes. Britain could leave the EU with no deal at all, bar arrangements to keep the trade and commerce basics in place. Or Parliament could insist on the postponement of Brexit, either de jure (if the EU will agree to postpone Article 50), or else de facto (again, if the EU will agree it). No-one can be sure. But these uncertainties mean that the most dedicated Remainers and Leavers are, curiously, mulling taking the same course of action later this year, if there is a deal. Some Remainers hanker after voting one down so that Britain can stay in the EU. And some Leavers yearn to vote one down so that there is no deal, and we trade with the EU on basic WTO terms. Readers will note that the former outcome would keep us in the Customs Union, at least in effect. However, there is another factor at play that is at work already. The longer the Government fails to agree a position on customs, the less time there is, pre-Brexit, for the civil service to prepare for life after the Customs Union. And the less time there is to prepare, the longer Britain will have to stay in it, either formally or effectively, as a bridging position: the systems simply wont be ready for anything else. This is what the Business Secretary was getting at in his interview on The Andrew Marr Show last weekend. Then there is a further finesse. Cabinet Ministers tell ConservativeHome that the customs partnership model would take longer to prepare for than the customs maximum facilitation model because businesses would be more intricately involved in the former, since it involves the reimbursement of tariffs (in some cases), plus tracking of the destination of goods. One estimate is that the necessary systems to implement it might not be ready until 2025 or longer. A lot can happen in seven years. A Labour Government could be elected which decides to keep Britain in the Customs Union altogether. A Conservative one might win on an entirely new manifesto to the same effect. In short, the customs partnership model would make it more likely that Britain would stay in the Customs Union in some form for longer. Were it eventually to be implemented, it would also pile something very close to Single Market membership on top of something rather close to Customs Union membership. This is because a customs arrangement is not enough in itself to guarantee the status quo. For that, one needs regulatory alignment. One can see how all manufactures might thus be bundled into the first of Theresa Mays three baskets for regulation roughly the plan put forward by the Institute of Directors. This settlement would leave Britain in control of immigration, though more access to Britain for EU citizens would doubtless be bargained off against more access to the EU for British products. That last bargain is not one of which we disapprove in principle. But when the smoke clears from such an arrangement overall, it looks remarkably like EEA-lite. No wonder some former Remainers in the Commons are urging the Government to go for EEA membership outright and have done with it. Some Brexiteers will accuse senior civil servants of wanting exactly this EEA-type outcome from the start. It can certainly be said that people who were very senior civil servants until very recently are in that ball park: this is the position of former permanent secretaries at the Treasury, the Foreign Office and the Department of International Trade. But we have no windows through which to peer into other peoples souls. And in any event, two other factors seem to us to be more important. The first is the law of inertia: its easier, if you are a civil servant or anyone else, to stick with the status quo than strike out for change. The second is more fundamental still. Advisers advice, ministers decide. And the latter they cant make their minds up, dont blame the former for delays. Cheerfully ignoring our own strictures about other people, souls, and windows, how does this look to Cabinet members? We pick out three. The first is David Davis. The Brexit Secretary wants to get on with leaving the Customs Union. Hence his attachment to the maximum facilitation model. Our sense is that its implementation would over-run transition but, we are told, by less than the customs partnership model. Of the four committed Brexiteers in Cabinet, he seems the most likely to us to resign, since he could not represent abroad a policy in which he doesnt believe. But you never know. Since the partnership model would make negotiating trade deals with non-EU countries more difficult, it also has big implications for Liam Fox. Boris Johnson is venting his unhappiness. Michael Gove is preoccupied with keeping Britain out of the direct jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. The second is Philip Hammond. The Chancellor is keeping a very low profile. It was Clark who went out to bat for the customs partnership last weekend, not the Chancellor a particular target of the Brexiteers. Since Hammond was a dedicated Remainer, we can assume that continued Customs Union membership, formal or informal, would not distress him. The same must therefore apply to the delays in leaving that the customs partership model would bring. The Chancellors defenders will point out that he committed an extra 3 billion for Brexit planning in his autumn budget. His critics suggest its not enough, and accuse the anti-Brexit Treasury of dragging its feet. Either way, it is important to note that Hammond is not disloyal to the policy of leaving the Customs Union the Governments position and one to which he is therefore formally committed. The flavour of his take is more the old saying: Thou shalt not kill; but needst not strive officiously to keep alive. The third is Theresa May that riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, as Churchill said of Russia. We give you two versions. Version A is that while she stressed leaving the Single Market as early as October 2016, she didnt commit to leaving the Customs Union until later January of the following year. There has always been a certain hestitancy. According to this version of events, the Prime Ministers Brexit priority is to gain more control of immigration. She is not so committed to gaining the maximum headroom to strike trade deals with non-EU countries. Her policy of customs partnership plus regulatory alignment and delayed customs union exit has thus been planned from the start. Version B is that she has come to believe that the Commons is for the Customs Union, and will only accept something as close to it as, to customs union supporters, makes no real difference namely, the customs partnership. This reading of her position is that nothing has changed since Nick Timothy left Downing Street. The Prime Minister is as committed to a full Brexit as she was when he was writing her speeches. She simply believes that Parliamentary arithmetic is against her. And there is an important electoral element in the mix: she is no longer afraid of UKIP campaigning against Brexit betrayal. Her caculation of the Commons numbers may well be wrong. We quoted a Cabinet Minister yesterday to this effect. But one point is certain: the members of the crucial Cabinet sub-committee on Brexit negotiations want to support May, and keep Jeremy Corbyn as far from government as possible. No-one is straining to resign. It therefore may well be that some compromise is spatchcocked up for next week. That is usually the way in these affairs. But one cannot be sure. Clark broke a Cabinet truce last weekend and Johnson has duly responded. Most Conservative MPs dont want a leadership challenge particularly those in marginal seats, who look on these squabbles with horror but the Prime Ministers position is weak. It is rare to find a Tory MP who can look one in the eye and claim truthfully to believe that she should lead the Party into the next election. Over half our panel of party members think she should be gone by then. This is not a secure home base for May. There's no delicate way to announce that cybercriminals have stolen sensitive information about half of the United States population, but Equifax at least deserves points for trying. Equifax, one of big three agencies that control the shadowy credit reporting industry, first announced its discovery of an unfortunate cyber security incident in early September. The incident potentially impacted 143 million consumers, then-chairman and CEO Richard Smith said, adding that the firm acted immediately to stop the intrusion. An Equifax-led investigation into the matter would be complete in several weeks, the company said. That turned out to be an extremely optimistic assessment. Another eight months passed until, finally, in a May 8 filing to the SEC, Equifax quietly said its investigation into the breach was complete, at least where the hack of government-issued identification is concerned. Through the companys analysis, Equifax believes it has satisfied applicable requirements to notify consumers and regulators, the credit reporting behemoth wrote in the filings. It does not anticipate identifying further impacted consumers. The filing, Equifax seems to hope, will finally bring this dark chapter in its history to a close. Over those previous eight months, the Equifax breach evolved from a clearly disappointing event that Equifax said would soon be resolved to an ongoing international scandal and criminal case. From a small sale to insider trading Though Equifax said it acted immediately upon discovering that consumer information was accessed on July 29 of last year, some people questioned why the official announcement about the incident did not arrive until September 7. It didnt take much digging for financial journalists to find a potential answer. Later that day, Bloomberg News was reporting on its discovery that three Equifax executives sold $1.8 million worth of their shares in the company on August 1, one day after Equifax had said the breach was discovered. John Gamble, the companys Chief Financial Officer, sold a reported $946,374 worth of stock. Joseph Loughran, the president of U.S. information solutions, and Rodolfo Ploder, president of workforce solutions, sold a respective half a million and quarter million worth of options. In a statement to Bloomberg, an Equifax spokesperson initially described the $1.8 million sale as a small percentage of their Equifax shares and added that the executives had no knowledge that an intrusion had occurred at the time. By November, Equifax had backtracked slightly, saying that it had agreed to launch an investigation into the sale. Luckily for the executives, the Equifax-led investigation found that the suspicious-looking stock dumping was perfectly legal. But by March, a former Equifax executive was facing federal insider trading charges -- only this executive was a different one from the three that were cleared in the company investigation. Jun Ying, a former information officer, "used confidential information to conclude that his company had suffered a massive data breach and dumped his stock before the news went public, federal prosecutors said. It remains unclear why Ying knew about the breach while other executives did not. Equifax says it is cooperating with authorities, explaining to the press in March that "we take corporate governance and compliance very seriously, and will not tolerate violations of our policies. John Gamble, the Chief Financial Officer who sold nearly a $1 million worth of his stock on August 1, remains at the company and is responsible for all financial functions at Equifax, according to his Equifax bio. Monitoring credit and giving away rights One potential way to keep people from panicking or getting angry about their data being stolen is to frame the unpleasant announcement as a chance to get something for free. Company to Offer Free Identity Theft Protection and Credit File Monitoring to All U.S. Consumers, the first Equifax press release revealing the breach said in big, bold letters. Shortly after, Equifax had its new crediting monitoring website live and ready to go. At the unfortunately titled page equifaxsecurity2017.com, users were instructed to enter the last four digits of their social security numbers and their last names. From there, they could find out if they were impacted by the breach and enroll in credit monitoring. But some consumers reported being told that their data was impacted, regardless of whether they put in a correct name and matching social security number. And after reading through the terms and conditions, advocacy groups warned that consumers may be walking into a trap. By agreeing to the terms on the website, consumers were agreeing to waive their rights to sue the company, according to a vague arbitration clause included in the fine print. The National Consumer Law Center was among the advocacy groups warning consumers that the open-ended language in the clause would prevent consumers from taking Equifax to court. Consumers and media have raised legitimate concerns about the services we offered and the operations of our call center and website, CEO Rick Smith responded in an editorial in USA Today. We accept the criticism and are working to address a range of issues. Former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and other prominent Democratic lawmakers pressed Equifax about the arbitration clause. Equifax subsequently agreed to reword the agreement, explaining in the new fine print that the arbitration measure only applied to the credit monitoring service itself, not the cyber security incident in question. Meanwhile, as that controversy played out, the official Equifax Twitter account continued to urge consumers to visit their security page and sign up for free credit monitoring. It took several weeks for people to notice that Equifax had been sending people to the wrong page. Instead of sending consumers to equifaxsecurity2017.com, the Equifax Twitter account instead directed consumers to securityequifax2017.com, a fake phishing site that someone had created for the express purpose of ridiculing Equifax for creating an easily impersonated domain. Equifax eventually apologized for the confusion, admitted that it had shared the wrong link, and removed the offending posts. Credit locking, and more of the same Several months later, in February 2018, Equifax rolled out Lock & Alert, a service offering a credit lock, marketed as a step below a credit freeze. While locks are not as secure as credit freezes, they are also cheaper and easier to implement. In fact, Equifax said that its lock service was completely free. And, responding to the previous criticism about arbitration agreements, Equifax explicitly said that consumers who signed up for Lock & Alert were not agreeing to any arbitration provision. The consumer-empowerment approach that is offered through Lock & Alert is what people have come to expect, Equifax said in promotional materials. Not long after, consumers discovered that the experience of locking ones credit might not be as empowering as they were led to believe. It turned out that consumers who signed up for the service were unknowingly agreeing to let Equifax use their information for marketing purposes, according to advocacy group US PIRG, which reviewed the sites fine print. And a reporter at NBC News found that the service didnt work; an error message repeatedly appeared on the screen saying that we are experiencing technical issues. I think it's fair to say as with any service we did have some initial operational issues shortly after the launch, Equifax spokeswoman Nancy Bistritz-Balkan told NBC News. But our team has been working around the clock to document the issues and address it appropriately. Equifax goes abroad Equifax focused its breach investigation on United States consumers, giving only a brief mention to impacted people in Canada in the UK. Equifax also identified unauthorized access to limited personal information for certain UK and Canadian residents, is all the firm had to say about the matter in September. When people questioned what limited personal information for certain UK and Canadian residents actually meant, Equifax clarified that 400,000 people in the UK and 100,000 Canadians were affected. That might sound like a figure a little too significant to describe as limited, but Equifax said that the breach was related to something else, an apparent process failure, as the company called it, that occurred a year earlier. This was due to a process failure, corrected in 2016, which led to a limited amount of UK data being stored in the US between 2011 and 2016, Equifax told the British press. Several weeks later, Equifax revised the number yet again. The company announced that 700,000 UK residents would receive notices about their data being hacked. An additional 14 million records in the UK were also stolen, Equifax clarified, but the cases were not considered serious enough to warrant direct notifications to those consumers. An Equifax spokesman later offered this explanation about the many discrepancies affecting British Equifax victims to the BBC: "This information does not change the number of consumers affected or any of the UK figures/statements already provided. More people exposed In March, Equifax said that an additional 2.4 million consumers in the United States had their information hacked, bringing the original figure of 143 million Americans that Equifax had tallied closer to 145.5 million. Though the announcement seemed like new information, Equifax insisted that it was not. This is not about newly discovered stolen data, interim CEO Paulino do Rego Barros Jr. said. In what has become a familiar talking point, he said a new analysis of the stolen data had simply provided Equifax more clarity. Its about sifting through the previously identified stolen data, analyzing other information in our databases that was not taken by the attackers, and making connections that enabled us to identify additional individuals, Barros explained. Exposed phone numbers and passports In February, Equifax submitted a document to the Senate Banking Committee saying that hackers also accessed phone numbers, email addresses, and the expiration dates for credit cards. That appeared to be worse than the birth dates, addresses, and, in some instances, drivers license numbers and credit card numbers that Equifax said had been stolen to the public. An Equifax spokesman explained to Wall Street Journal that "in no way did we intend to mislead consumers." Rather, she said that the list given to Congress only reflected minimal portion of consumers affected. Based on the statements from Equifax, the public seemed to have the impression that their passport data at least was safe. And some data like passport numbers were not stolen, the Associated Press confidently reported in February. However, Sen. Elizabeth Warren published an independent report not long after claiming that passport information was, in fact, stolen. Equifax said that the senators characterization of what was stolen was not accurate. The easiest way to understand this is that there was a field labeled passports [that was hacked] with no actual data in it, an Equifax spokeswoman told the New York Post in February. But in an SEC filing in early May, Equifax indicated that scanned images of passports were stolen from thousands of consumers who had used the agencys dispute portal. In a statement, Equifax said it hadnt been trying to hide that information. The passport information that it said wasnt hacked came from a different data set than the stolen passport data it had discovered more recently. Our response earlier this year regarding passports was related to the data elements contained in the database tables accessed by the attackers, an Equifax spokeswoman told ConsumerAffairs in a statement. In response to a request from Congress to provide quantities of each data element impacted, in the interest of completeness, we manually reviewed the images stolen from the dispute portal in order to include the numbers of government-issued identifications contained within those images, she added. No unauthorized activity on core services Throughout its repeated updates and disclosures about what was hacked, Equifax has maintained that it found no evidence of unauthorized activity on Equifaxs core consumer or commercial credit reporting databases. What that statement actually means is up for debate. Senators and consumer groups have complained that the definition of core consumer or commercial credit reporting databases is overly broad. From a consumer standpoint, identity theft crimes possibly related to the hack already seem to be taking place, affecting core business at least where victims are concerned. Earlier this year, an accountant and several consumers went public with stories about identity thieves collecting government benefits on their behalf. Experts said the crimes could have been made possible thanks to the Equifax hack, as well as vulnerabilities on the social security website itself. While Im not entirely sure how the thief obtained my personal information, its likely that the Equifax data breach...contributed to the identity theft, accountant Jim Shambo, one such identity theft victim, wrote in a blog post. Luckily for Equifax, such scenarios could turn out to be beneficial for the credit reporting agency. Or as Equifax CEO Rick Smith told a conference in August; Fraud is a huge opportunity for us. It is a massive growing business for us. Equifax has not yet returned an inquiry from ConsumerAffairs asking, among other questions, whether there is any truth to the allegations leveled by Warren and others that it has profited off its own breach. But, in the grand tradition of Equifax disclosures, Smith also appears to have changed his story and updated his perspective on the matter. A month after saying fraud was a huge opportunity for Equifax, the CEO published an editorial in USA Today clarifying that the Equifax hack had been humbling and bad for the company. We are devoting extraordinary resources to make sure this kind of incident doesnt happen again, Smith wrote. We will make changes and continue to strengthen our defenses against cyber crimes. Two weeks after making that promise, Smith suddenly decided to retire. He left with a compensation package worth $90 million. iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- The White House sent a proposal to Congress Tuesday to recapture $15.4 billion in unobligated balances, setting up the next budget battle on Capitol Hill as Democrats decried the cuts, including $7 billion allocated for childrens health. Following a briefing with House Republicans, Mick Mulvaney, the director of the Office of Budget and Management, told ABC News that the rescissions allow the administration to recoup money locked in inactive accounts dating as far back as 2011. The bottom line is it's $15.4 billion dollars. That's the bottom line, Mulvaney said during a hallway interview at the Capitol. If it passes it would be the largest rescissions savings in the history of the country. I'm very excited about the possibility of it passing. The proposal is requested under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, allowing rescissions to pass with simple majorities in the House and Senate. Initial House and Senate action must be completed within 45 days, not counting adjournments or recesses longer than three days. Among the wasteful spending identified by the administration: $4.3 billion from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, which has not made a loan since 2011. The White House is also looking to recoup $252 million in excess funds remaining from the 2015 Ebola outbreak response, an epidemic the World Health Organization declared to be over in 2016. It cannot be used and is just sitting in an account, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said of the proposed rescissions. Why would you let it sit there and waste and not give it back to the American public? An OMB official said any rescinded funds would be transferred to the U.S. Treasury and would go toward reducing the national debt. The proposal was met with immediate opposition from incredulous congressional Democrats. These Republican rescissions show the hypocrisy of a GOP Congress that insists on tight budgets for children and families while handing enormous, unpaid-for giveaways to corporations and the wealthiest, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement. The administration wants to cut $523 million from the Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program, which had its authority to make new loan guarantees expire in 2011, and is targeting $800 million from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, which it says is in excess of the funds needed in fiscal years FY 2018 or 2019. The two rescissions from CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program, are $5.15 billion from an FY17 appropriation to reimburse states and $1.865 billion from the CHIP Contingency Fund. A senior Democratic House Appropriations aide says that while Democrats have sometimes supported rescinding unobligated CHIP balances like these, they have always immediately reinvested that money in maternal and childrens health, Head Start, child care, biomedical research, or other educational/health services that help people. This rescissions package would simply take this money off the table without doing anything to help anyone, the aide noted. "Cutting childrens health insurance without reinvesting in other vital health care programs will cause serious pain for American families," Rep. Nita Lowey, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said. "Likewise, slashing investments in rural infrastructure, medical innovation, and community development robs the American people of opportunities for better jobs and better futures. Congress must reject this reckless proposal, which undoes years of careful bipartisan work." Some of the things we're suggesting are actually savings that they voted for already in other bills, he said. So it's almost like if it's Donald Trump's idea it must be a bad idea. Chuck Schumer has voted for rescissions before. He's voted for these types of rescissions before. But all of a sudden, Donald Trump is president and a good piece of legislation becomes a bad piece of legislation. Mulvaney, a former House Republican from South Carolina, said additional rescissions targeting childrens health insurance, known as CHIP, are from a fund used to reimburse states and the proposal doesnt claw back any money authorized through the next decade. What HHS is telling us is they don't need nearly as much money as they have in that account now, so we can rescind it without affecting any program whatsoever, Mulvaney said. None of the CHIP programs that have just been reauthorized will be impacted in any way should this rescissions package pass." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. CORNWALL, Ontario The legalization of marijuana has elicited concerns over regulations within the workplace. Today the Cornwall & Area Chamber of Commerce, Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC), and the Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre held a luncheon to help local businesses understand how legalization may affect them. Its a fascinating dynamic that we will be in, at least for the first little while, said the guest speaker Ivan Ross Vrana. Vrana worked with Health Canada for 18 years and is now the Vice President of Public Affairs with Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Vranas company has noticed a decrease in acceptance of legalization from 65 to 45 per cent through polling ventures over the past three years. You can use tobacco and alcohol as a bit of a proxy to try and understand this industry a little bit more, and you can certainly try to use it as you try to understand how this will impact your business from an HR policy side, said Vrana. One of the biggest concerns amongst attendees was the responsibility that employers will face with confronting individuals who could be using marijuana. Youre going to be telling a worker the exact same thing you would be telling them about alcohol: dont go out at lunchtime and get hammered, said Peter Gray, who works with Inclusion Alliance out of Job Zone demploi. Theres no legislation on it, so, what does that mean? Its going to be up to the individual employer to rewrite all of their policies surrounding that. Vrana believes that employers have the right to ask if an employee is impaired according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, even if an employee is taking marijuana for medical purposes. He discussed how there have been some cases where employees have brought their employer to court and lost because it is seen as the employees responsibility to disclose this information. The Senate is expected to vote on Bill C-45 on June 7. CORNWALL, Ontario Bob Kikkert is an avid motorcycle rider and a survivor of prostate cancer. For the past 10 years he has been participating in the Ride for Dad fundraiser to raise money for prostate cancer research. Ride for Dad is a one-day motorcycle ride. Participants join the ride by raising funds for the charity. Ride for Dad fundraisers take place in cities across Canada. Kikkert has been riding in the Ottawa edition of the fundraiser since 2008. This year, he rides out on June 2 and hopes to raise $3,700. Over the past 10 years, he has raised $27,000 for the charity. Kikkert, 73, has been riding motorcycles since 1972 and when asked why he responded with one word freedom. When you go out on a highway . . . nothing is stopping you from seeing it all, he said. Kikkert has previously traveled such famous highways like Route 66 in the United States, traveling the 2,200 miles from Chicago Illinois to California. He explained that participating in the Ride for Dad brings a strong experience of fellowship and comradery. When you start the Ride for Dad and you see all those bikes around you . . . see that is really something, he said. You also always make a new friend and talk to the people beside you. To donate to Bob Kikkerts cause, follow this link: http://support.pcff.ca/site/TR/RideForDad2018/MRFD_General?px=1010642&pg=personal&fr_id=1669 MARTINTOWN, Ontario MPP Jim McDonell announced on Friday, May 4 at the Martintown Community Centre that the Township of South Glengarry had received $8,000 from the Ministry of Senior Affairs Seniors Community Grant to help expand their Balance for Life program. Its great that the Province has recognized the needs of our Senior community, stated Mayor Ian McLeod, On behalf of Council, thank you for supporting the Township of South Glengarry. Balance for Life is a 55+ Certified Senior Fitness Instructor Volunteer Training Project, and the funds will be used to train new volunteer instructors and provide them with equipment and some gas money to help bring their program to other community centres throughout the Township. Some senior residents expressed an interest in seeing the program expanded to three days a week instead of the current two, and the Township of South Glengarrys General Manager of Community Services Joanne Haley did not completely rule-out this possibility. The program is a part of the Townships Age-Friendly Community Action Plan, which was adopted by the Township in 2016. The Township of South Glengarry is thrilled to receive this funding, which will assist us as we continue to implement our Age-Friendly Community Plan, said Haley, We anticipate that the classes will benefit at least 100 seniors in our community, helping to increase both their physical and mental well-being. The Balance for Life program has already been running for more than a year. Our seniors built the Ontario we know today and it is up to us to treat them with the respect they deserve by enhancing their quality of life, said MPP Jim McDonell. This initiative from the Township of South Glengarry will accomplish this by offering opportunities for seniors to stay active, independent and maintain a healthy lifestyle Hawaii could become the first state in the United States to prohibit the sale of certain over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreens containing the chemicals oxybenzone or octinoxate. The chemicals themselves have been under fireresearch conducted prior to the bills passing showed the two ingredients could pose a threat to coral reefs. According to the bill, beach-goers wearing the specified ingredients renew environmental contamination in the waters of the states Waimea Bay, Waikiki Beach and others. The bill (Hawaii Senate Bill 2571) states it shall be unlawful to sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale in the State any SPF sunscreen protection personal care product that contains oxybenzone or octinoxate, or both, without a medically licensed prescription. The legislation goes on to specify: Sunscreen means a product marketed or intended for topical use to prevent sunburn. Sunscreen does not include products marketed or intended for use as a cosmetic, as defined in section 328-1, for the face. If other states follow suit, sunscreen formulators may face the choice between changing their ozybenzone- or octinoxate-containing formulas to contain alternative ingredients, or to be forced to stop selling in restricted areas altogether. The bill will go into effect in 2021 if signed by David Ige, Hawaii governor. Update: The bill was signed into law on July 3, 2018. Editor's note: Hear more on this article in our Author Commentary podcast, or meet the author in person at the upcoming Skin Microbiome Congress. The human skin serves as a barrier to the outside world and is rich in microorganisms, which play a crucial role in maintaining human health.17 The skin microbiomemuch of which is initially acquired at birth8is comprised of diverse communities of microorganisms that populate the skin, and a square centimeter of skin can contain up to a billion microorganisms (see Figure 1).9 These diverse communities of bacteria, fungi, mites and viruses can provide protection against disease and form dynamic yet distinct niches on the skin.10 Bacteria are often considered the most abundant microorganisms in the skin ecosystem, and reside from within the top layers in the skin down to the dermal layer. The skin microbiome is highly diverse and there is a significant degree of intra-individual variation as well as inter-individual variation. Within an individual, various microenvironments based on temperature, moisture, pH, sebum content, UV light exposure, etc., give rise to varying populations of microbes.6 Based on these conditions, the skin microbiome can essentially be categorized by skin type: sebaceous (e.g., the forehead and back); moist (e.g., the nares, inguinal crease, umbilicus, toes and armpit); or dry (e.g., the forearm, palm or buttocks).6 The dry regions tend to be dominated more by proteobacteria, while the moist areas tend to be dominated by firmicutes, particularly by staphylococcaceae.6 The sebaceous regions are dominated by actinobacteriafor example, corynebacteriaceae or propionibacteriacea. In general, the sebaceous regions of skin are typically less diverse compared to dry or moist skin types. Between individuals, there is also a high degree of variability. In a study of the hand microbiome, hands from the same individual shared only 17% of species-level identity, whereas hands from different individuals shared only 13%.11 There is also a higher correlation of the microbiome between related individuals or individuals in the same household. Characteristics that contribute to interindividual variability include host factors (e.g., ethnicity,12 age13 or sex14, 15), environmental factors (e.g., humidity,16 temperature,16 or UV light exposure17), or behavioral factors (e.g., cosmetic18 or soap use,11 etc.). These factors shape an individuals skin microbiome, which has key effects on skin appearance and health. The Microbiome and Skin A stable microbiome is essential to maintaining skin health since microorganisms closely interact with the skins biology and skin barrier, and vice versa.19 Examples of this symbiotic relationship between microbes and the human skin include cross-talk with the cutaneous immune system,20 stimulation of antimicrobial peptide secretion and protection against pathogenic bacteria21 and stimulation of ceramide productionall of which provide beneficial effects to the skin. As an example, S. epidermidis, a non-pathogenic skin commensal, has been characterized to exhibit a number of these properties. For instance, S. epidermidis secretes lipoteichoic acid, which binds to Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) to inhibit inflammatory responses and thereby limit tissue damage and promote wound healing.22 Moreover, Naik et al. found that S. epidermidis applied to the skin of germ-free mice resulted in the specific development of protection against cutaneous pathogens.23 S. epidermidis also synthesizes Esp, which degrades proteins that are crucial for S. aureus biofilm formation and host epithelial adhesion.24 Interestinglyand contrary to popular beliefa higher degree of diversity in the skin microbiome is associated with healthier individuals. Low microbial diversity has been characterized in patients with damaged skin, compared with healthy individuals.25, 26 In fact, on a larger scale, western cultures are reported to have a much lower degree of microbial diversity compared with rural populations or more remote populations.18 This is most likely related to the higher use of antibiotics in western and urban populations, and the result (or at least strong association) is the concurrent rise in skin allergies and other skin problems.27 Meanwhile, studies from remote populationsfor example, in South Americahave revealed microbiomes of enormous microbial diversity,28 suggesting a loss of microbial diversity in western and urban peoples over time. Disruptions in the Skin Microbiome A common oversimplification of the skin microbiome is the binary classification of individual microbes as either beneficial or harmful. In reality, skin microbes are much more complex and can act in either a beneficial or harmful manner under different scenarios; for example, in compromised or healthy skin. In other cases, the ecological dynamics of bacteria interacting in a system add complexities to their characteristics. For example, one particular microbe may be benign while on its own but may increase in its relative abundance to other microbes on the skin and cause a cutaneous response. However, increasing evidence has associated altered microbial communities, or dysbiosis in the skin, with unhealthy skin,9, 29especially eczema,30, 31 which is greatly associated with higher populations of Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, several studies have found disruptions in the skin microbiome in compromised skin, observing a lower microbial diversity in it than in healthy skin.18 The same is true for chronic wounds.26, 32 Mechanistically, when a skin lesion occurs, a local cascade of inflammatory signals, e.g., cytokines, is released in response to microbes that enter the site of injury. Such changes in the local cutaneous immunity drive signals that interact with skin microbes. A stable microbiome is essential to maintaining skin health since it interacts with the skin's biology and barrier, and vice versa. In the case of higher body odorwhich is, to a large extent, caused by the metabolism of sweat and sebaceous excretions by the skin microbiotaassociations have been made with certain species. These connections are largely tied to the ability to metabolize dipeptide-conjugated thioalcohols such as S-[1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-methylbutyl]- (L)-cysteinylglycine. S. hominis, S. haemolyticus and S. lugdunensis, in particular, can metabolize these compounds and are therefore more highly associated with body odor. In contrast, S. epidermidis and Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum show little metabolic ability of these types of compounds and, while present in high numbers in the armpit, are typically not associated with body odor.33 Dandruff, characterized by mild seborrheic dermatitis, has been weakly associated with skin microbiome disruptions, particularly Malassezia restricta and Filobasidium floriforme. Additionally, recent studies have revealed significant changes in the microbiome due to aging. In general, the microbial diversity of the skin increases with age, but a closer analysis has revealed increases in specific microbial species over time, some of which have been associated with skin conditions.34 As another example, the presence of specific strains of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) has been highly associated with subjects presenting with acne.35 Studies also have found an increased presence of the skin mite Demodex folliculorum in patients with rosacea,36 as well as general dysbiosis in psoriasis.37 However, the key issue that remains to be elucidated is the causality of these observationsin other words, is the observed dysbiosis the cause or effect of abnormal skin? There is no clear answer, but in many cases, the dysbiosis and abnormal skin occur synchronously. Cosmetics and the Skin Microbiome The use of topical cosmetics, soaps and toiletries on the skin may have a profound impact on the microbiome, and these effects are only beginning to be elucidated. The use of antibiotics, handwashing or lotions, for example, may alter the microbial community and create an opportunity for skin pathogens to colonize the skin;38 of course, handwashing is still necessary and highly recommended. In one study in mice from the University of Pennsylvania, the topical antibiotics bacitracin, neomycin and polymxin were shown to create drastic shifts in the skin microbiome, compared with the antiseptic treatments ethanol or iodide. Furthermore, the antibiotic-treated mice were more susceptible to S. aureus infection, which is potentially pathogenic.39 The judicious use of topical antibiotics is therefore an important consideration. S. aureus also can have a number of deleterious effects on the skin since it can produce virulence factors, lysins and proteases, and disrupt the epidermal barrier.40, 41 As another example, occluding skin abrasions with bandages or other barriers may promote an overgrowth of potentially pathogenic anaerobesS. aureus, for example.42, 43 In yet another study, topical cosmetic use was associated with a higher Propionibacterium concentration, but the results varied by skin hydration levels in the study subjects.44 While not all cosmetics negatively affect the skin microbiome, the potential impact of topical agents on the microbiome must be considered during product development, as disruptions in the microbiome clearly impact skin health. Most notable are the effects of antibiotics that can create opportunities for the entry of S. aureus, which could be problematic. A summary of these complex interactions between cosmetics, skin microbes and skin characteristics is presented in Figure 2. Topical Product Considerations Topical prebiotics: One microbiome-based strategy in topical products is the use of prebiotics. This is a broad term that refers to the application of an ingredient that selectively allows for the growth of desirable microorganisms.45 In the context of the gut microbiome, this may include fiber or a type of polysaccharide. In the skin, prebiotics typically involve the inclusion of certain carbohydratesfor example, fructo-oligosaccharides. However, there is little evidence on the efficacy of prebiotics in the context of the skin microbiome. Topical probiotics and live bacteria: A growing strategy in skin care is to use certain strains of actual live bacteria topically. These are sometimes known as probiotics. For example, Lactobacillis is commonly explored for topical use and is classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS).46 Other approaches have invoked the topical use of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria for the treatment of a number of skin disorders, while others are using beneficial strains of P. acnes to treat acne. As another example, early studies have shown that topical application of different strains of wild-type S. epidermidis may be a viable therapeutic approach to treating skin diseases. In a double-blind, randomized clinical trial in Japan, for example, topical application of autologous S. epidermidis in healthy volunteers increased lipid content of the skin, suppressed water evaporation and improved skin moisture retention. It also promoted acidification of the skin surfaceall without significant undesirable effects.47 Not only does topical application of S. epidermidis appear to have beneficial structural and compositional effects, but also positive cutaneous immuno-modulatory effects. The topical application of certain strains of S. epidermidis has demonstrated that it may enhance innate skin immunity and limit pathogen invasion.21 In a further study by Gallos group, species of S. epidermidis and S. hominis were isolated and demonstrated activity against S. aureus. Topical application of these strains to human subjects with eczema also reduced S. aureus colonization.48 The topical application of S. epidermidis, S. hominis and other beneficial or benign skin commensals represents a significant opportunity in the cosmetic market for potentially reducing infections, and improving skin hydration, moisture and pH. While few well-characterized, topically applied live bacteria are on the market, many are in development and advances are being made in their technical characterization and feasibility. Topical S. epidermidis appears to have beneficial structural, compositional and immuno-modulatory effects. Manufacturing and translational considerations: Some additional key considerations for the topical application of live bacteria in cosmetics are necessary for their eventual widespread use. For example, the scale-up and manufacturing of live bacteria is complex and requires large-scale fermentation capacity in a highly controlled environment. Formulation of these bacteriawhether they are freeze-dried or used live without any additional preparationis also complex, as the manufacturing of the bacteria determines whether the formulation is aqueous or non-aqueous, or whether a two-step formulation is required. Additionally, the excipients used in the formulation must not be harmful for the bacteria. All of these challenges are surmountable, as companies have begun to scale up the production of bacteria used in cosmetics; however, the challenges of using living organisms in cosmetics are quite distinct from traditional challenges faced by the industry. Summary and Future Directions While it is clear the microbiome plays a certain role in skin health, it remains a highly complex entity due to its high level of variability within and between individualsand the exact relationship between the cause and effect of dysbiosis and abnormal skin conditions remains to be elucidated. Nevertheless, the potential for harnessing the skin microbiome for cosmetics and skin care remains enormous, especially as new approaches emerge for the use of live bacteria in cosmetics and for evaluating the impact of cosmetics on the microbiome. The frontier, while challenging, is wide open for innovation in the cosmetics industry. References C Huttenhower et al, Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome, Nature 486(7402) 207214 (2012) WR Wikoff, AT Anfora, J Liu et al, Metabolomics analysis reveals large effects of gut microflora on mammalian blood metabolites, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106(10) 36983703 (2009) NH Salzman, K Hung, D Haribhai et al, Enteric defensins are essential regulators of intestinal microbial ecology, Nat Immunol 11(1) 7682 (2010) AL Kau, PP Ahern, NW Griffin, AL Goodman and JI Gordon, Human nutrition, the gut microbiome and the immune system, Nature 474(7351) 327336 (2011) J Ravel, P Gajer, Z Abdo et al, Vaginal microbiome of reproductive-age women, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108 suppl 1 46804687 (2011) EA Grice and JA Segre, The skin microbiome, Nature Reviews Microbiology 9(4) 244253 (2011) R Diaz Heijtz, S Wang, F Anuar et al, Normal gut microbiota modulates brain development and behavior, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108(7) 30473052 (2011) MG Dominguez-Bello, EK Costello, M Contreras et al, Delivery mode shapes the acquisition and structure of the initial microbiota across multiple body habitats in newborns, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 107(26) 1197111975 (2010) LS Weyrich, S Dixit, AG Farrer and AJ Cooper, The skin microbiome: Associations between altered microbial communities and disease, The Australasian Journal of Dermatology (2015) J Oh, AL Byrd, C Deming, S Conlan, HH Kong and JA Segre, Biogeography and individuality shape function in the human skin metagenome, Nature 514(7520) 5964 (2014) N Fierer, M Hamady, CL Lauber and R Knight, The influence of sex, handedness and washing on the diversity of hand surface bacteria, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105(46) 1799417999 (2008) S Mukherjee, R Mitra, A Maitra et al, Sebum and hydration levels in specific regions of human face significantly predict the nature and diversity of facial skin microbiome, Scientific Reports 6 36062 (2016) DA Somerville, The normal flora of the skin in different age groups, Brit J Derm 81(4) 248258 (1969) RR Marples, Sex, constancy and skin bacteria, Arch Derm Res 272(3-4) 317-320 (1982) PU Giacomoni, T Mammone and M Teri, Gender-linked differences in human skin, J Derm Sci 55(3) 144-149 (2009) ME McBride, WC Duncan and JM Knox, The environment and the microbial ecology of human skin, Applied and Environmental Microbiology 33(3) 603-608 (1977) J Faergemann and O Larko, The effect of UV light on human skin microorganisms, Acta Dermato-venereologica 67(1) 69-72 (1987) C Wallen-Russell and S Wallen-Russell, Meta analysis of skin microbiome: New link between skin microbiota diversity and skin health with proposal to use this as a future mechanism to determine whether cosmetic products damage the skin, Cosmetics 4(2) 14 (2017) HE Baldwin, ND Bhatia, A Friedman, RM Eng and S Seite, The role of cutaneous microbiota harmony in maintaining a functional skin barrier, J Drugs in Dermatology 16(1) 12-18 (2017) Y Belkaid and S Tamoutounour, The influence of skin microorganisms on cutaneous immunity, Nature Reviews Immunology 16(6) 353366 (2016) S Naik, N Bouladoux, JL Linehan et al, Commensal-dendritic-cell interaction specifies a unique protective skin immune signature, Nature 520(7545) 104108 (2015) Y Lai, A Di Nardo, T Nakatsuji et al, Commensal bacteria regulate Toll-like receptor 3-dependent inflammation after skin injury, Nature Medicine 15(12) 13771382 (2009) S Naik, N Bouladoux, C Wilhelm et al, Compartmentalized control of skin immunity by resident commensals, Science 337(6098) 11151119 (2012) S Sugimoto, T Iwamoto, K Takada et al, Staphylococcus epidermidis Esp degrades specific proteins associated with Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation and host-pathogen interaction, J Bacteriology 195(8) 16451655 (2013) V Gontcharova, E Youn, Y Sun, RD Wolcott and SE Dowd, A comparison of bacterial composition in diabetic ulcers and contralateral intact skin, The Open Microbiology Journal 4 819 (2010) SE Dowd, Y Sun, PR Secor et al, Survey of bacterial diversity in chronic wounds using pyrosequencing, DGGE and full ribosome shotgun sequencing, BMC Microbiology 8 43 (2008) B Taylor, J Wadsworth, M Wadsworth and C Peckham, Changes in the reported prevalence of childhood eczema since the 1939-45 war, Lancet 2(8414) 12551257 (1984) JC Clemente, EC Pehrsson, MJ Blaser et al, The microbiome of uncontacted Amerindians, Science Advances 1(3) (2015) J Oh, AF Freeman, M Park et al, The altered landscape of the human skin microbiome in patients with primary immunodeficiencies, Genome Research 23(12) 21032114 (2013) EA Grice, The skin microbiome: Potential for novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to cutaneous disease, Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery 33(2) 98103 (2014) CE Powers, DB McShane, PH Gilligan, CN Burkhart and DS Morrell, Microbiome and pediatric atopic dermatitis, J Dermatology (2015) SG Pereira, J Moura, E Carvalho and N Empadinhas, Microbiota of chronic diabetic wounds: Ecology, impact and potential for innovative treatment strategies, Frontiers in Microbiology 8 1791 (2017) D Bawdon, DS Cox, D Ashford, AG James and GH Thomas, Identification of axillary Staphylococcus sp. involved in the production of the malodorous thioalcohol 3-methyl-3-sufanylhexan-1-ol, FEMS Microbiology Letters 362(16) (2015) N Shibagaki, W Suda, C Clavaud et al, Aging-related changes in the diversity of women's skin microbiomes associated with oral bacteria, Scientific Reports 7(1) 10567 (2017) S Fitz-Gibbon, S Tomida, BH Chiu et al, Propionibacterium acnes strain populations in the human skin microbiome associated with acne, J Inves Derm 133(9) 2152-2160 (2013) C Casas, C Paul, M Lahfa et al, Quantification of Demodex folliculorum by PCR in rosacea and its relationship to skin innate immune activation, Exper Derm 21(12) 906910 (2012) AV Alekseyenko, GI Perez-Perez, A De Souza et al, Community differentiation of the cutaneous microbiota in psoriasis, Microbiome 1(1) 31 (2013) M Rosenthal, D Goldberg, A Aiello, E Larson and B Foxman, Skin microbiota: Microbial community structure and its potential association with health and disease, Infection, Genetics and Evolution 11(5) 83948 (Jul 2011) AJ SanMiguel, JS Meisel, J Horwinski, Q Zheng and EA Grice, Topical antimicrobial treatments can elicit shifts to resident skin bacterial communities and reduce colonization by Staphylococcus aureus competitors, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 61(9) (2017) MR Williams, T Nakatsuji, JA Sanford, AF Vrbanac and RL Gallo, Staphylococcus aureus induces increased serine protease activity in keratinocytes, J Inves Derm 137(2) 377384 (2017) MR Williams and RL Gallo, Evidence that human skin microbiome dysbiosis promotes atopic dermatitis, J Inves Derm 137(12) 24602461 (2017) DN Fredricks, Microbial ecology of human skin in health and disease, J Inves Derm Symposium Proceedings 6(3) 167169 (2001) A van Belkum, DC Melles, J Nouwen et al, Co-evolutionary aspects of human colonization and infection by Staphylococcus aureus, Infection, Genetics and Evolution, J Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics in Infectious Diseases 9(1) 3247 (2009) HJ Lee, SE Jeong, S Lee, S Kim, H Han and CO Jeon, Effects of cosmetics on the skin microbiome of facial cheeks with different hydration levels, Microbiology Open (2017) FH Al-Ghazzewi and RF Tester, Impact of prebiotics and probiotics on skin health, Beneficial Microbes 5(2) 99107 (2014) T Maekawa and G Hajishengallis, Topical treatment with probiotic Lactobacillus brevis CD2 inhibits experimental periodontal inflammation and bone loss, J Periodontal Res 49(6) 785791 (2014) Y Nodake, S Matsumoto, R Miura et al, Pilot study on novel skin care method by augmentation with Staphylococcus epidermidis, an autologous skin microbeA blinded randomized clinical trial, J Dermatological Science 79(2) 119126 (2015) T Nakatsuji, TH Chen, S Narala et al, Antimicrobials from human skin commensal bacteria protect against Staphylococcus aureus and are deficient in atopic dermatitis, Science Translational Medicine 9(378) (2017) Acne is an inflammatory skin disease that, for individuals afflicted by it, can leave both physical and emotional scars. While acne is most often thought of as the terrible and inevitable bane of late adolescence, it can just as easily become a chronic problem for adults. In fact, acne is considered to be the eighth most prominent disease in the world, impacting nearly 10% of people (adults and adolescents) on a global scale1 and more than 80% of adolescents in developed countries.2 While acne itself is not normally considered to be a life-threatening disease, the social impact of acne can be utterly devastating; significant increases in depression and anxiety in acne sufferers can lead to a severe decline in quality of life.3 Considering how emotionally damaging the effects of this widespread disease can be, it is little wonder why the skin care industry has a strong interest in developing products to counter the effects of this dreaded skin condition. In vitro Approaches to Anti-acne Testing Acne is thought to be caused by an infection of the pilosebaceous unit by the Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) bacteria. The condition preferentially impacts areas of the skin with a high density of sebaceous glands, such as the face, back and chest. In general terms, acne is characterized by four major pathogenic factors, and in order for a material to be effective at treating acne, it should target one or more of them; these include:4 Localized skin inflammation; An increase in sebum production by sebocytes; Keratinocyte hyperproliferation; and An overgrowth of the P. acnes bacteria. Skin Inflammation Log in or Subscribe for FREE to read the full story. The epidermal layer of skin essentially forms the first layer of defense between our bodies and the outside world. While the skin contains immune-specific cells, such as Langerhans, other types of non-immune-specific cells also possess an innate immune ability and can recognize microbial invasions. With respect to acne, the epidermal cells with innate immune ability to recognize and respond to the problematic P. acnes are the keratinocytes and sebocytes. This recognition is thought to occur through a specialized membrane protein found on these cells belonging to the Toll-like receptor (TLR) class of proteins. The TLR family is a remarkable family of proteins designed to respond to various sorts of stimuli associated with bacterial, fungal and viral infection. Members of this family can respond to lipopolysaccharides from Gram-negative bacteria, unmethylated CpG DNA or ssRNA associated with viruses, bacterial specific ribosomal subunits and a host of other microbial components.5 With respect to how keratinocytes and sebocytes recognize P. acnes, this identification is thought to occur via TLR2, which recognizes peptidoglycan, a component of Gram-positive bacteria such as P. acnes.6, 7 As would be expected with a membrane receptor designed to recognize foreign microbial invaders, the TLR2 signaling pathway is linked to the activation of NF-kB, with the subsequent release of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8.6, 8 Intermediates in this signaling pathway between TLR2 and NF-kB appear to be MYD88, IRAK and TRAF6, although it also appears that cytokine production can occur via TLR2 activation using the p38/MAPK pathway, independent of NF-kB.9 Activation of TLR2 and the subsequent measurement of cytokine production using either cultured keratinocytes or sebocytes is a well-established model currently used to screen materials for anti-acne effects. While activation of TLR2 can be accomplished using cultured live P. acnes,9 heat-killed P. acnes or cell-free extracts of P. acnes,8 some labs my lack the equipment for microbiological culture or may be hesitant to introduce bacteria into an otherwise sterile cell culture facility. If this is the case, then TLR2 activation can be achieved using commercially available peptidoglycan agonists such as PGN-BS, PGN-EB, PGN-EK and PGN-SA. In fact, the use of purified agonists may even be preferable to P. acnes since the concentrations of the TLR2 agonists can be more precisely controlled for experimental purposes. Regardless of the means to activate TLR2, the endpoint for the assay would involve the measure of cytokine release. This can easily be accomplished using ELISA-based methods, which provide effective measurements of how good any active would be at reducing the inflammation associated with P. acnes. The interaction between P. acnes, skin cells and the pathogenesis of acne continues to be intensely researched. In addition to TLR2 agonists, many compounds are available that can target specific parts of the TLR2 signaling pathway leading to inflammation. These include: TLR2 antagonists (sparstolonin B and CU-CPT22) or neutralizing antibodies (OPN-305); MYD88 inhibitors (ST2825 and NBP2-29328); IRAK inhibitors (AS 2444697); NF-kB inhibitors (JSH-23 and rolipram); as well as p38 MAPK inhibitors (SB 202190 and SB 203580). These compounds can provide a detailed analysis of whether given actives of interest may potentially impact TLR2 signalingand where in they process they may decrease the release of inflammatory cytokines. It should be noted that not all effects mediated by the TLR2 signaling pathway result in the release of inflammatory cytokines. Activation of the TLR2 pathway can also promote the release of antimicrobial proteins such as human -defensin 4 from both sebocytes and keratinocytes, and also promote P. acnes uptake and digestion by sebocytes.7 Both of these responses promote a reduction in the P. acnes population in the infected area. Therefore, an ideal anti-acne active could preferentially reduce the excessive inflammatory response produced by TLR2 activation while also maintaining the release of antimicrobial proteins and uptake and destruction of P. acnes. Sebum Production In vitro models for sebocytes often employ immortalized versions of human sebocytes such as SZ95, SEB-1 and Seb-E6E7.11 However, the use of these cell lines can be restricted for certain applications or require a special licensing fee, which can prohibit their use in certain labs. Fortunately, in recent years, many commercial vendors for human cells have now started to offer primary cultures of normal human sebocytes. The growth of normal human sebocytes does require the use of specially treated cultureware, such as collagen or fibronectin coating of growth surfaces, but they are essentially simple cells to grow in a laboratory setting. These cells will typically can undergo a small, limited number of population doublings before requiring treatment with compounds such as insulin or IGF-1,12 adiponectin13 or LXR, which induce lipid accumulation.14 It is during this lipid accumulation phase that actives can be screened to determine if they impact the lipid accumulation process, which can then be used as an index on the material's ability to inhibit sebum production. In sebocyte lipid accumulation assays, the sebocytes are often fixed at the end of the lipid accumulation phase and treated with Oil Red O, a common stain that marks accumulated lipids within the cell with a vivid red color. The Oil Red O staining can either be visualized microscopically in the fixed cells and/or recovered and measured using spectrophotometric-based methods to get a quantitative index of lipid accumulation. Both the visualization of Oil Red O and its quantitation can provide data on how well an active can reduce or inhibit lipid accumulation within the sebocytes, and its potential to reduce sebum production. Keratinocyte Proliferation and P. acnes Reduction Assays for cell proliferation and antibacterial activity are well-established. Cellular proliferation assays normally involve measuring either: the number of viable cells using an assay such as MTT, or DNA synthesis using an assay such as BrdU incorporation. To screen materials for anti-acne effects, keratinocyte proliferation is first stimulated using an acne-relevant stimulus such as androgens,15 insulin/IGF-116 or even fatty acids,17 then effects of the test material are measured to see if they attenuate a proliferative response. Antibacterial assays commonly use classic methods to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of a compound versus P. acnes bacteria. This reveals whether the compound has antibacterial activity and the potential for use as an anti-acne active.15 It is little wonder why the skin care industry has a strong interest in developing products to counter the effects of acne. Concluding Remarks The anti-acne assays listed in this article are by no means comprehensive. The interactions between P. acnes bacteria, skin cells and the pathogenesis of acne are very complex and continue to be an intensely researched. However, these assays may provide a starting point from which to screen novel materials for their potential to benefit this all too common skin affliction. References JK Tan and K Bhate, A global perspective on the epidemiology of acne, Brit J Derm 172 (supplement 1) 312 (2015) DD Lynn, T Umari, CA Dunnick and RP Dellavalle, The epidemiology of Acne vulgaris in late adolescence, Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeutics 7 1325 (2016) CM Nguyen et al, The psychosocial impact of acne, vitiligo and psoriasis: A review, Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Derm 9 383392 (2016) JH Yang et al, Seeking new acne treatment from natural products, devices and synthetic drug discovery, Dermato-Endocrinology 2(1) e1356520 16 (2017) U Ohto, Conservation and divergence of ligand recognition and signal transduction mechanisms in Toll-Like receptors, Chem and Pharma Bulletin 65 697705 (2017) JL Selway, T Kurczab, T Kealey and K Langlands, Toll-like receptor 2 activation and comedogenesis: Implications for the pathogenesis of acne, BMC Dermatology 13 10 (2013) LD Hisaw et al, Antimicrobial activity of sebocytes agains P. acnes via Toll-like receptor 2 and lysosomal pathway, J Inves Derm 136 20982101 (2016) YC Huang, CH Yang, TT Li, CC Zouboulis and HC Hsu, Cell-free extracts of P. acnes stimulate cytokine production through the activation of p38 MAPK and Toll-like receptor in SZ95 sebocytes, Life Science 139 123131 (2015) JM Kim, JE Choo, HJ Lee, KN Kim and SE Chang, Epidermal growth factor attenuated the expression of inflammatory cytokines in human epidermal keratinocytes exposed to P. acnes, Annals of Dermatology 30 5463 (2018) YY Wang et al, Chlorin e6-mediated photodynamic therapy suppresses P. acnes-induced inflammatory response via NF-kB and MAPKs signaling pathway, PLoS ONE 12 e0170599 114 (2017) L Xia, CC Zouboulis and Q Ju, Culture of human sebocytes in vitro, Dermato-Endocrinology 1(2) 9295 (2009) TM Smith, Z Cong, KL Gilliland, GA Clawson and DM Thiboutot, Insulin-like growth factor-1 induces lipid production in human SEB-1 sebocytes via sterol response element-binding protein-1, J Inves Derm 126, 12261232 (2006) YR Jung et al, Adiponectin signaling regulates lipid production in human sebocytes, PLoS ONE 12(1) e0169824 (2017) L Hong, MH Lee, TY Na, CC Zouboulis and MO Lee, LXRalpha enhances lipid synthesis in SZ95 sebocytes, J Inves Derm 128(5) 126672 (2008) CJ Lee, LG Chen, WL Liang and CC Wang, Multiple activities of Punica granatum linne against Acne vulgaris, Intl J Mol Sci 18 141 (2017) O Isard et al, P. Acnes activates the IGF-1/IGF-1R system in the epidermis and induces keratinocyte proliferation, J Inves Derm 131 5966 (2011) BR Zhou, Palmitic acid induces production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1B and TNFa via a NF-kB-dependent mechanism in HaCaT keratinocytes, Mediators of Inflammation (2013) Office Depot's billion dollar bet on CompuCom is paying off and has placed the office product retailer on a profitable path as more of its customers put their IT plans into action, said Office Depot CEO Gerry Smith. "Several customers are initiating large IT projects as they're investing back in their businesses. CompuCom is very well positioned to continue benefiting from this additional spend," Smith said in a conference call with analysts after the IT services provider/office products retailer reported net income from continuing operations of $33 million compared with a loss of $48 million in the preceding quarter.. "We expect additional benefits this year from the continued roll out of tech services into the retail stores and are very pleased to report that we are on track to deliver the cost synergies when we announced the transaction." Office Depot bought Charlotte, N.C.-based solution provider CompuCom last November for $940 million. Including the Compucom division,Office Depot's services' sales soared to $407 million in the quarter, up 88 percent from $216 million in the year ago quarter. Services sales now account for 14 percent of total sales for Office Depot. Business to-business focused divisions, meanwhile, now account for almost 60 percent of total sales for the Boca Raton, Fla. headquartered company.. Smith said CompuCom has given Office Depot a leg up as more companies transition to a smart office. He said the organization recently moved into a smart office of its own design in South Carolina. "CompuCom really saw this as a pilot, demonstrating where the technology and the capability could go," he said. "They were able to build a building faster and cheaper than most historical builds. For example, its all done from an Internet of Things sensor device perspective. You have no light switches, etc. everything is done from a tech perspective. We think that's an indication of where people can go in the future." The CompuCom division reported sales of $257 million in the first quarter of 2018, flat versus sales of $259 million in the prior year historical period. Smith said Office Depot wants to add more channel partners in small and medium-sized businesses, and teamed with cloud distributor/master agent MicroCorp last month to make that happen.. "We have also recently introduced a new channel partnership with MicroCorp to provide additional feet on the street to engage with an even larger number of small and medium sized businesses than we could do on our own," he said. In their partnership, MicroCorp uses its People Powered Network, to offer Office Depots managed services to all markets with a focus on delivering enterprise-class technology solutions designed specifically for SMB customers. For the first quarter ended March 31, Office Deport reported a six percent increase in sales to $2.83 billion compared with $2.67 billion in the year ago quarter. Office Depot has not seen that kind of sales growth since its merger with OfficeMax in 2013. The company reported net income from continuing operations of $33 million or six cents per share compared with $74 million or 14 cents per share in the year ago quarter. Office Depots shares were trading down 19 cents per share to $2.18 in late afternoon trading even though the company raised its full year sales guidance to $10.8 billion from $10.6 billion. "We think, were not just an office supply company any more," he said. "We're a true service product company that can sell services and products to new categories." Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy has promised that the company will make a "very competitive" bid for the soon-to-be-released Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) contract that could award a single cloud provider with a massive U.S. Department of Defense contract for cloud computing services. Jassy's pledge comes in the midst of complaints from other tech vendors, including Oracle, Microsoft, IBM, Dell, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which have argued that AWS may have been prematurely selected to win the multi-year, multi-billion-dollar contract. AWS, according to Jassy, will not only be throwing its hat in the ring to bid on the JEDI contract, but it will be aggressively pursuing the deal. [Related: AWS Introduces Channel Program With New Incentives For Solution Providers] "We will bid on the JEDI contract when it comes out and it will be a very competitive bid [The government] has been very clear from the get-go that they will pick the platform and the provider that they think gives them the best chance to do what they need to do over the next couple of years," Jassy, the low-profile leader of Amazon's cloud business, said during a CNBC interview Wednesday. Oracle, perhaps AWS' most vocal competitor, wants to see the contract broken up among multiple vendors. Oracle reportedly first raised concerns about the bidding process for large government cloud computing contracts when the company's co-CEO Safra Catz sat down with President Trump during a private dinner in April. Since then, Oracle has been leading the charge to lobby against AWS winning the entire contract as other cloud and IT hardware giants have joined the fray. The tech leaders say that by relying on multiple providers, vendor lock-in can be avoided while delivering more innovation, lower costs, and better security. In February, Oracle issued a formal complaint through the Government Accountability Office after Rean, a major AWS channel partner based in Herndon, Va., revealed that it had landed a nearly $1 billion contract with the U.S. Transportation Command that is being viewed as a potential precursor to the larger JEDI contract. Oracle's protest claims that the procurement process naming REAN the contract winner violated government procedures to ensure competitive bidding because the Department of Defense picked an implementation partner before deciding which cloud provider would host those workloads. REAN did not respond to CRN's request for comment prior to publication time. Jassy, who acknowledged that the race will be tight, pointed to AWS' "significant' government business. More than 3,000 government agencies worldwide rely on the Amazon cloud, including some in the U.S. intelligence community, he said. That includes the CIA's 10-year, $600-million deal with AWS to build out a private cloud system for the agency. Jassy added that while the major technology providers are all interested in the contract, he also suggested that some of the recent complaints are sour grapes. "I think that there has been a lot of noise from some of the older guard suppliers who are worried about losing some business, but our government deserves the best -- the best technology, the most capabilities, innovations, and best cost structure -- especially at this time," he said. Oracle co-CEO Mark Hurd said that his company is already a big supplier to the federal government, and vowed that Oracle will be "very active" in the bidding process once the final RFP is released. "I think it would only make sense for the government to leverage its installed base I'm sure they will do it fairly on who can bring the government the furthest along, modernize and certainly at the same time save them money," Hurd told members of the media during an event on Monday at Oracle's Redwood Shores, Calif. headquarters. "I think we'll have to wait to see what the final RFP looks like," he said. "There's been a lot of conjecture about what will be in it. A lot of guesswork. Let's let that process play out." Google Wednesday announced plans to acquire cloud migration startup Velostrata, which already has a strong stable of solution providers doing enterprise migrations for Google, AWS and Azure. Google said that the acquisition will let its cloud customers quickly move virtual machine-based workloads, such as large databases, enterprise applications, DevOps, and large batch processing, to and from the cloud. The technology will also give customers more control over where their data lives, either in the cloud or in a premise-based data center. [Related: Google I/O: Google Infuses Apps, Android P With AI And Machine Learning] Google did not address whether it will be keeping Velostrata's migration services for its cloud competitors, an issue that could impact Velostrata's community of channel partners. The companies are not disclosing financial terms of the deal, which is subject to closing conditions. Google said that the Velostrata team will be joining Google in its Tel Aviv office following the close of the transaction. Velostrata launched its channel program in 2017, which was started by formalizing its relationships with about 30 solution providers. The company in 2016 named former MobileIron and Symantec executive John Donnelly as its first channel chief. "With Velostrata, Google Cloud customers obtain two important benefits: theyll be able to adapt their workloads on-the-fly for cloud execution, and they can decouple their compute from storage without performance degradation," Eyal Manor vice president of engineering for Google Cloud said in a blog post. Velostrata, which got its start in 2014, offers cloud migration services to the leading hyperscale providers, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and SAP. The company's migration services are injected with WAN optimization technology that can stream data to a cloud provider for processing in real-time, without requiring it ever to reside in cloud storage. The company added a Google Cloud migration service last month, a deal in which Google would entirely fund cloud migrations using Velostrata with no cost to joint customers. Velostrata's co-founder and CEO Issy Ben-Shaul said that Google Cloud continues to innovate with advanced compute and services platforms, but also didn't mention whether the company would be scraping its AWS and Azure practices after the close of the deal. "We are most grateful to our great customers and partners who trusted us and let us serve their most demanding production workloads, including top brands in healthcare, finance, energy and the public sector," Ben-Shaul wrote in his blog post about the impending acquisition. Nutanix's innovation engine is roaring as the hyper-converged infrastructure pioneer launched three new solutions for channel partners to drive recurring revenues, including software to manage public cloud costs and security. "As companies of all sizes have made the leap to public cloud infrastructure, and many people and groups within organizations take advantage of public cloud services, that sort of uncontrolled, undisciplined use of public cloud results in, at times, exceedingly high costs," said Greg Smith, vice president of product marketing for Nutanix, in an interview with CRN. "[Nutanix] Beam breaks it down and shows you exactly what cloud services are being used, who's using them, how much of those services are being consumed, and how much it costs. It provides cost optimization and security compliance for public clouds like AWS and Microsoft Azure." At Nutanix's .NEXT Conference in New Orleans Wednesday, the company unveiled Nutanix Beam, its first-ever Software-as-a-Service offering that provides multi-cloud governance so customers can manage their spending, security and regulatory compliance across almost any cloud platform. Beam provides in-depth analysis of exactly how organizations are consuming public cloud services. [Related: 5 New Nutanix Software Products And Features Launched At .NEXT That Partners Need To Know] Clive Anthony, senior partner and business manager, software defined datacenter, for Merrimack, N.H.-based national solution provider Connection, ranked No. 22 on CRN's Solution Provider 500 list, said Beam will help customers truly understand the costs around public cloud, which can sometimes be higher than clients initially believe. "For some companies looking to just say, 'I'm just going to dump everything into public cloud,' I think the Beam tool really helps shine a bright light on some of the gaps, for lack of a better word, that the public cloud may pose for potential customers that they would not be aware of," said Anthony. "Nutanix will help fill those gaps, then supplement the customer with some really good tools and resources." Beam is based on Nutanix's Minjar Botmetric service, which the company acquired in March, that is already managing more than $1 billion of cloud spending across AWS and Microsoft Azure. Anthony said Beam enables partners to better manage and secure customers' costs associated with public cloud workloads and applications. "The fact that it helps customers understand their costs of, 'I'm paying for workloads, for apps that I'm not even using as well. By the way, how is it being governed and controlled?" said Anthony. "This is a phenomenal tool. We're looking at potentially having Beam used for our internal operations as well." AWS and Microsoft Azure did not respond to comment by press time. The San Jose, Calif.-based vendor also unveiled Nutanix Flow, the company's new software-defined networking offering designed for multi-cloud environments. Flow provides application-centric security to protect against internal and external threats that are undetected by traditional perimeter-oriented security products. As enterprises are turning to cloud-based infrastructure for modern business applications, protecting the application requires Flow's micro-segmentation capabilities, according to Smith. "It includes automating network provisioning and managing, but most notably native micro-segmentation services that govern traffic between individual applications to protect those applications against both internal and external threats," said Smith. Flow is built into the company's Enterprise Cloud OS, so there is "no separate product to install, manage, upgrade it's completely built-in," he said. The third new offering Nutanix launched at .NEXT on Wednesday is a new set of enterprise cloud Platform-as-a-Service offerings: Nutanix Era. The PaaS system provides automated database provisioning and lifecycle management, extending Nutanix's Enterprise Cloud OS software stack beyond core Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) capabilities for private cloud environments to platform-layer services that the company says bring one-click simplicity to database operations. "This is a native built-in service that allows Nutanix operators to easily provision a new database instance using the database engine of their choice, then manage that database throughout its lifecycle. So this goes beyond provisioning to restoring the database, upgrading it and scaling it," said Smith. All of the new offerings are now available for channel partners to sell. The new products give partners the ability to move up the stack with Nutanix, said Anthony. "Nutanix is coming out with some really game-changing, groundbreaking technologies. They're making their customers rethink how they buy, procure and utilize IT," said Anthony. "At the end of the day, if you can have the end-customer look their infrastructure and how they consume it, buy it and utilize it from a different spectrum is eye opening. Nutanix today, more than anybody else, does that for customers." Carnival Cruise Line has announced that the 2,124-passenger Carnival Legend will reposition to Port Tampa Bay in October 2019 as the ship moves out of the Australian market. The Carnival Legend is currently undergoing an extensive two-week-long drydock that is taking place at Vigor in Portland, Ore. and is adding a variety of food and beverage concepts to the ship. Following the drydock, the Carnival Legend will operate a summer 2018 schedule of seven-day Alaska cruises from Seattle, then reposition to Australia with a series of departures from Sydney and Melbourne in the fall and winter. In summer 2019 she will return to Seattle for another series of seven-day Alaska cruises before moving to Tampa in the fall of 2019. Prior to its Tampa deployment, the Carnival Legend will also operate a series of longer-length Carnival Journeys voyages in 2019, including a nine-day Alaska cruise from Vancouver, a 16-day Hawaii voyage from Vancouver and 15-day Panama Canal transit that begins in Los Angeles and ends in Tampa, positioning the vessel for its new schedule from that port. At Carnival, we encourage our guests to Choose Fun and with these voyages aboard the newly refurbished Carnival Legend were providing our guests with a broad spectrum of exciting cruise options featuring sought-after destinations and unique experiences ashore, said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. Carnival Legends seven-day schedule from Tampa kicks off Oct. 27, 2019 and includes visits to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Mahogany Bay and Belize or Costa Maya. On Jan. 25, 2020, the ship will also offer a special eight-day voyage that includes a partial transit of the Panama Canal as well as port calls at Limon and Grand Cayman. BRIDGEPORT - A refugee of tribal violence in the Congo, who claims he was suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome when he nearly cut off his teenaged nieces head in February, pleaded not guilty to murder charges Wednesday. More News Bridgeport murder victim's family fled Congo war Speaking through a Swahili interpreter, Richard Segabiro waived a hearing on probable cause telling Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin he is not guilty and wanted 12 jurors. HARTFORD Connecticut will establish an electronic tracking system for sexual assault collection kits, the General Assembly decided Wednesday. This is really a nationwide problem, said state Rep. J.P. Sredzinski, R-Monroe, a member of the Public Safety Committee. There is a national backlog of rape kits that sit untested with very little follow through for whatever reason. The House voted unanimously Wednesday afternoon to change state provisions around rape kits. National data is not collected but according to advocates, thousands of these kits, containing DNA data that could solve sex crimes, sit untested in police stations and crime laboratories across the country. Connecticuts new tracking system for these kits will be implemented by October 1, the legislation says. The bill also requires hospitals and other facilities that collect these kits to contact a sexual assault counselor for victims. It also tasks the Commission on the Standardization of the Collection of Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigations with developing policies to provide victims with more regular information on their kits. The House vote followed unanimous approval in the Senate on Monday. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is expected to sign the bill into law. The legislation is the result of the Sexual Assault Kit Working Group Malloy established in 2016. The proper testing of these evidence kits is both a matter of justice for the victim and a matter of public safety, he said. The evidence secured through the collection of DNA can eliminate or identify a suspect, identify someone with previous convictions, link cases, and identify serial rapists. emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson NEWTOWN A judge has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit against the town and the school district brought by two families that lost children in the Sandy Hook massacre. The families suit claimed educators failed to follow their own safety protocol when a 20-year-old man shot his way into the locked school. The judge on Monday sided with Newtown, which argued that educators exercised reasonable discretion in responding to the 2012 slaying of 26 first-graders and educators at Sandy Hook School. To say that the faculty and staff of the school were to act in a prescribed manner in responding to an emergency situation would ... be illogical and in direct contradiction to the very purpose of governmental immunity: allowing for the exercise of judgment without the fear of second-guessing, state Superior Court Judge Robin Wilson wrote in a 29-page ruling. The families plan to appeal. We will continue to fight for this cause so that, someday, we can live in a world where we know our children are going to come home at the end of the school day, read a statement released by attorney Donald Papcsy, who represents parents Scarlett Lewis, Neil Heslin and Leonard Pozner. Hopefully, on appeal, the Supreme Court will hold the same belief. The families negligence suit against Newtown is separate from a higher-profile wrongful death lawsuit brought by 10 Sandy Hook families against the maker of the AR-15-style rifle used in the massacre. That lawsuit against Remington was thrown out of Superior Court and is being appealed in state Supreme Court. Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal declined to comment on the court victory Tuesday, saying he has yet to speak with Monte Frank, one of two attorneys who represent the town and the school district. Frank, the founder of Team 26, was on the final leg of a 400-mile bicycle ride from Newtown to Washington, D.C., to call for gun control. Frank and Team 26 organize annual rides to the U.S. Capitol in memory of the 20 first-graders and six educators who were slain at Sandy Hook School. Frank declined to comment from Washington on Tuesday. The two families filed a negligence lawsuit against Newtown in 2015..Specifically, the parents charged that the school did not provide certain teachers with keys to lock classroom doors. In August, the parents received a court order to inspect a classroom folder for a key that would have allowed a substitute teacher to lock her door during the shooting. The parents attorneys argued in court that the key in question was missing from the classroom folder and a look inside the folder showed this was true. Newtown asked the judge to dismiss the case, arguing that shooter Adam Lanza and no one else was responsible for the parents terrible loss. Newtown also argued that it was entitled to governmental immunity, because its employees had discretion to use their best judgment. The judge agreed. The court ... cannot discount the realities of an emergency and the necessity of discretion in responding to one, Wilson wrote. This is precisely why we afford police broad protection. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 EAST HAVEN The fifth and final East Haven police officer was released from the hospital early Saturday after being injured in an explosion Wednesday in North Haven, according to a press release. Lt. Joseph M. Murgo, a spokesman for the East Haven Police Department, said the unidentified officer is resting comfortably at home with family. The officer was among nine cops five from East Haven, three from North Haven and one from Branford who were injured in an explosion at 385 Quinnipiac Ave. Their injuries were non-life-threatening but consistent with being in close proximity to the blast and range from concussions to leg injuries, Murgo previously said. Police were called to a residence at 385 Quinnipiac Ave. Wednesday around 2 p.m. to respond to a domestic violence report. Officers developed information that determined a tactical team response was needed due to a man barricading himself inside the home, where he had held his wife for the last few days, according to North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda. A regional tactical team, consisting of North Haven police officers and police officers from surrounding towns, responded to the scene and attempted to enter the residence and make contact with the suspect. As tactical team members were attempting to enter the residence, a significant explosion in the barn behind the home occurred, injuring the nine police officers. The remains of a body were found Thursday morning. The identity of the deceased is pending identification and next of kin notification. Connecticut State Trooper First Class Kelly Grant, a spokeswoman for state police, said the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death. Excerpted from I Lived in France and So Can You, soon to be published by Dzanc Books. We had been open scarcely a week when the immigration police raided our place of business. Related: 5 Life Lessons Essential for Business Success My former wife Molly and I -- both of us Americans -- had decided to open Molly's Lone Star, an American eatery in the historic French town of La Rochelle. We had decided to run Molly's Lone Star the way we would have run any business in America, with liberal policies for our employees, a customer-is-always-right attitude and authentic American decor. Our mission was to create a fun, high-value American oasis where people could come for a good meal in an inviting place and friendly place. When the French migra came knocking, I figured they were after one of our kitchen help. It turned out that the "illegal" in question was Molly herself. Every business runs into this kind of challenge at some point in its existence -- when external factors such as new technology, shifts in consumer attitudes or new forms of competition force it to reexamine everything it does. Certain factors challenge the very basis of your existence, while others are peripheral and can be jettisoned, and that applies to businesses anywhere, whether you're running an American diner in France, a boutique PR agency in midtown Manhattan or a tech startup in Indianapolis. Related: Here's How Prison Taught Me How to 'Lead From the Front' Here are some of the lessons we learned about adaptability: Adapting to the labor force Having an inviting place meant, among other things, having friendly and welcoming staff. We decided that we would incentivize our employees by instituting a profit-sharing scheme, and by treating them as partners. We didn't ask them to wear traditional French kitchen garb, or uniforms or costumes if they were waiting on customers, because we didn't want them to feel like museum props, or worse, fast-food employees. And we had a very laid-back interview and management style. But we found that many employees took our casual approach as a sign that we didn't know what we wanted, and started balking at some of our demands, such as timeliness and courtesy. After losing a number of employees to poor morale, and having to fire others, we adopted a more formal interview process and made profit-sharing a benefit for employees after a year. Most important, we made it clear that our friendliness did not equate to a lack of standards. The key lesson for us was that while we continued to run the business the way we wanted, we adjusted based on who our employees were. Our mission wasn't to create a new paradigm for labor relations, and we found that adapting to our employees' culture helped us accomplish our real mission. Related: What Every Entrepreneur Must Understand About Their First 10 Customers Adapting to customer mores We wanted to create an authentic American experience -- and in our minds, that meant being open all day. It turns out, however, that literally nobody in France wanted to eat a meal after 2 p.m. or before 7 p.m. But we were still burning cycles prepping food and staffing a restaurant floor -- for no one. It actually took us a couple of years to get over our conceit that we had to mimic an American diner in every way, and just accept that we could close our doors between 2 and 7. But when we did the analytics and realized that we were spending more money on labor and utilities than we were generating in revenues, we swallowed that ridiculous bit of pride. We did stay true to one aspect of our ideal, which was to stay open much later than any other restaurant -- we served dinner until 1 a.m. That earned us lots of business from exhausted professional athletes, politicians, late-night partiers -- and other restaurant owners. Our key takeaway here was that your customers don't know what your ideals are, and they don't care. They care about getting the experience that matches their idea of your business. Great food, authentic decor and American music were what they wanted -- and when they got it, they kept coming back for more. Related: 3 Business Lessons You Don't Want to Learn the Hard Way Observing the letter of (all) the laws The immigration police raid almost put us out of business before we'd even started, because Molly was our chef, and we couldn't have survived without her. We thought we had all our legal bases covered because I was a permanent legal resident of France, and Molly and I had been married in La Rochelle. But it turned out that this wasn't the case -- Molly should have applied for a visa before moving to France. Fortunately, we were able to appeal to a high-ranking official who loved Americans, and he gave us a pass. But the lesson wasn't lost on us. When we found out that our distinctive signage didn't comply with local regulations, we changed it reluctantly -- but immediately. After all, we weren't selling neon signs; we were selling burgers and ambiance. None of these adaptations forced us to change our original mission. With all the upheaval hitting every industry today -- disruption is the term du jour -- smart business leaders must learn to adapt without losing sight of their original raison d'etre. Related: Why I Had to 'Become French' and Other Lessons Learned to Save My American Business 5 Life Lessons Essential for Business Success 3 Lessons on Building Your Business for Creative Entrepreneurs Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved For Subscribers State Supreme Court's disciplinary board takes an interest in Thomas The state Supreme Court has the power to strip people of their ability to perform legal duties by suspending or disbarring certification. US President Donald Trumps decision to walk away from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) comes at a difficult moment in West Asia. All evidence seems to take us to the conclusion that the international agreement, which prevented Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, is now just a piece of paper. However, abandoning the JCPOA is not only based on Trumps desire to contradict the achievements of the Barack Obama administration, but also to follow the line of thought displayed by the hard-line wing of the Israel lobby, and that of his own hawkish collaborators, including national security advisor John Bolton and secretary of state Mike Pompeo. The latter firmly believe in the dangers of a hegemonic Iran. US President Donald Trump shows a signed presidential memorandum reinstating US nuclear sanctions on the Iranian regime on May 8. (Credit: AP photo) However, although Trumps decision is not motivated by a desire to send American troops to confront the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, it certainly goes in the direction of regime change in Tehran. At the core of Trumps perspective lies a desire to provoke Iran into restarting its nuclear programme, which would give Washington the excuse to impose draconian sanctions. Even if harder sanctions on Iran would not cause the regime to collapse, they would weaken Irans military adventures in the region while creating a new series of urban riots around the country. It is true that during its nuclear adventure, the Iranian regime played the card of nationalism in order to bring the population onto its own side. But we should not forget that in the case of economic turmoil and political unrest, Iranians will have to choose between ideology and security for their families in short, Trumps latest political manoeuver in exiting the Iran deal is not a naive or unsophisticated move. The next act of this drama will be in Iranian and European hands. While the Europeans disagree with Trump that the deal itself is flawed, they find themselves in a weak strategic position now. The proof of this is that during his state visit to Washington on April 2426, French President Emmanuel Macron was not able to persuade Trump to stick with the accord. At the end of his trip, however, Macron told journalists that it is insane to oppose agreements recently signed. France, Germany, Britain and their EU partners are conscious of the fact that if they continue to work to preserve the JCPOA, there is a serious risk of a transatlantic rift between the EU and the US. This means continuing economic and political relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite the US imposition of secondary sanctions against European companies. This decision would be even more difficult to take in case the Iranians actually decide to invite Russia and China to flood Iran with military assistance, technological cooperation, trade deals and investments and to establish military bases in the Persian Gulf and help Iran upgrade its air defense systems. Unfortunately, neither the Russians, nor the Chinese or the Europeans will be able to totally contain Trumps strategy which is all about planning to exert maximum damage onto the Iranian economy. Let us not forget that the removal of American sanctions, including on the Iranian oil and banking sectors, has been at the centre of discussions in the past few years in persuading Iran to accept limits on its nuclear programme. That is why, now that the US is out of the deal, the Iranians are asking the Europeans to give them sufficient guarantees and continue staying in the JCPOA. But the hawkish elements of the Iranian regime, including the Revolutionary Guard, are urging Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, to immediately withdraw from the deal and restart suspended elements of the countrys nuclear programme. More than ever before, Iran is closer to the Korean scenario, because the authorities in Tehran know very well that, as in the case of North Korea, the path to regime survival is through building a robust nuclear weapons programme. This is why Trumps decision to exit the Iran nuclear deal also makes the danger of a nuclearised West Asia far more likely. Also read: India seriously needs to worry about its ties with Iran Zarra Zarra Hai Mere Kashmir Ka Mehmaan Nawaaz Raah Mein Patthar Ke Tukdon Ne Diya Paani Mujhe Famous for its unmatched beauty and hospitality, Kashmir has long been admired as heaven on earth where even stones in streams are eager to help you quench your thirst the humility of the Valley as a host is unparalleled. But today this folklore has been mauled by a stone that has sucked the blood of a guest. R Thirumani, a 22-year-old youth from Chennai, who was critically wounded during stone pelting on May 7, died of head injuries later in the day, triggering outrage and denting Kashmirs image as a tourist destination. Thirumani and his family were on their way to the popular hill station Gulmarg when stones were unscrupulously pelted at their vehicle, at Narbal, some 15km from Srinagar. The killing proved to be another blow for Kashmir's fragile tourism industry. The guest, who had come to get the best out of life in Kashmir, returned home in a coffin. Every picturesque mountain, every stream, every leaflet and every drop of rain that describes Kashmir has been gripped by guilt. Thirumanis indelible bloodstains lie somewhere on a bloody stone. But this time, it was the Kashmiri hosts who had vented their anger over the situation in their homeland by pelting stones at unsuspecting guests. Of late, stone pelting has only grown more menacing in the garb of the Kashmir cause, affecting life and business alike. According to State Economic Survey Report 2017, tourism accounts for 6.98 per cent of Jammu and Kashmirs gross domestic product (GDP). The assault on Thirumani has hit the Valleys travel industry instantly, adding to a pre-existing slump this season. Cancellation of air tickets and hotel bookings has plagued the business. According to a Times of India report, hotels in Kashmir have just 10 to 15 per cent occupancy as compared to around 40 per cent occupancy during the same period in 2017. After all, no matter how picturesque a Valley, it isnt worth losing ones life. Yet, pelting stones on tourists isnt new. How can hiding the bitter truth help governance or tourism? Photo: PTI Its only to pretend that Kashmir is a safe travel destination under the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janta Party alliance that the government wants such grave incidents to be ignored. In April 2018, the Jammu and Kashmir police registered an FIR against journalist Muhammad Saleem Pandith, who reported in Times of India that four tourists were targeted by stone pelters in the wake of 21 killings in Kashmir on April 1. Interestingly, in a rebuttal to the news report, while the police acknowledged that two tourists were hit with stones, they claimed that it was not an attack. Well, if stone pelters did not attack the tourists, did rocks conjured up by divinity assault them? The governments attempts to downplay incidents of stone pelting on tourists have been quite visible. When an FIR was filed against the Kashmiri journalist, Kashmir Editors Guild, a consortium of a few like-minded newspapers, instead of supporting a fellow professional, asked media persons working with outfits outside the Valley to behave professionally. The attack on Thirumani, on the other hand, was initially swept under the carpet. On the fateful day he died, the youth was wounded at around 8.00am while the news of the attack broke only at 8.30pm, after he had succumbed. Latest reports reveal that a police official said they had "strict instructions from the political dispensation not to disclose the news of attack, till the tourist is alive". How can hiding the bitter truth help governance or tourism? Lets pose this question to Jammu and Kashmir tourism minister Tasaduq Mufti, who thinks tourists enjoy visiting the Valley despite killings. He had also told the media on one occasion that by running the government in a restive Jammu and Kashmir, his PDP and the BJP were partners in crime. Will the two partners in crime now answer why the tourists were taken on a volatile route and why no security arrangement was in place to ensure their safety? Wasnt it the governments responsibility? Kashmir continues to be on the edge since July 8, 2016 when Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani was killed. Though there have been spells of uneasy calm, peace could never be restored in the Valley. Nearly two years on, even parliamentary by-polls continue to be put on hold in the state owing to security reasons. In 2018, so far, more than 100 people, including 50 odd militants, have been killed 19 Kashmiris and tourists have died in the first week of May alone. If the hosts are not safe, how can guests find a haven? If Kashmir is not safe for Kashmiris, how can it be safe for tourists? The Jammu and Kashmir government is faced with such questions besides several demands, including of ceasefire with local militants. Unless the killings stop, stone pelting will be the natural reaction of Kashmiris against bloodshed. Today, it is actually contributing to more bloodshed in the Valley, and that should make our heads hang in shame. Regardless of how peace is restored, Thirumanis killing at the hands of his hosts is a blot on Kashmirs celebrated hospitality. Does Mohammed Rafis evergreen number glorifying Kashmir Ye Vaadi e Kashmir Hai, Jannat Kaa Nazara still hold true? Har Chehra Yahan Chaand To Har Zarra Sitara Ye Vaadi e Kashmir Hai Jannat Ka Nazara Hasati Hain Jo Kaliyaa To Hasin Phul Hain Khilate Hain Log Yaha Jaise Utar Aaye Farishte Har Dil Se Nikalti Hai Yaha Pyar Ki Dhaara Ye Vaadi e Kashmir Hai Jannat kaa Nazara... The words he sang will forever make us guilty. Also read: How dirty is Srinagar the 10th most polluted city in the world? Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP acquires, owns, develops, and operates midstream energy assets in North America. It operates through Natural Gas Transportation; Crude Oil Transportation; and Gathering, Processing & Terminalling segments. The Natural Gas Transportation segment engages in the ownership and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines and integrated natural gas storage facilities with approximately 4,641 miles of transportation pipelines in Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. This segment provides its services to on-system customers, including third-party local distribution companies, industrial users, and other shippers. The Crude Oil Transportation segment engages in the ownership and operation of the Pony Express System, a crude oil pipeline serving the Bakken Shale, Denver-Julesburg, and Powder River Basins, as well as other nearby oil producing basins. The Gathering, Processing & Terminalling segment owns and operates natural gas gathering and processing facilities that produce natural gas liquids (NGLs) and residue gas for sale in local wholesale markets or delivers into pipelines for transportation to additional end markets; and crude oil gathering, storage, and terminalling facilities, as well as engages in the transportation of NGLs, and marketing of crude oil and NGLs. This segment also provides water business services primarily to the oil and gas exploration and production industry. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in Leawood, Kansas. Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP operates as a subsidiary of Tallgrass Energy GP, LP. Read More Andeavor, through its subsidiaries, operates as an independent petroleum refining, logistics, and marketing company in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Marketing, Logistics, and Refining. The Marketing segment sells gasoline and diesel fuel through retail, branded, and unbranded channels. This segment operates a network of 3,255 retail stations under the ARCO, Shell, Mobil, and SUPERAMERICA brands. The Logistics segment gathers and transports crude oil by pipelines, as well as by trucks. It operates approximately 13 million barrels of crude oil, feedstock, blendstock, refined product, and asphalt storage tanks. The Refining segment buys and refines crude oil and other feed stocks into transportation fuels, such as gasoline and gasoline blend stocks, jet fuel, and diesel fuel, as well as other products, including heavy fuel oils, liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum coke, calcined coke, and asphalt. It also sells refined products in the bulk market principally to independent unbranded distributors, other refining and marketing companies, utilities, railroads, airlines, and marine and industrial end-users in the western United States. This segment owns and operates 10 petroleum refineries with a combined crude oil capacity of approximately 1,157 thousand barrels per day. The company was formerly known as Tesoro Corporation and changed its name to Andeavor in August 2017. Andeavor was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Read More 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 Gastar Exploration Inc., an independent energy company, engages in the exploration, development and production of oil, condensate, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the United States. Its principal activities include the identification, acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and natural gas properties on unconventional reserves, such as shale resource plays. The company holds interests in the oil and natural gas-rich reservoirs, including the Oswego limestone, Meramec, and Osage bench formations within the Mississippi Lime; and the Woodford shale formations. As of February 28, 2018, its principal assets included the STACK play covering approximately 67,800 net acres located in the Mid-Continent area of the United States. The company was formerly known as Gastar Exploration Ltd. and changed its name to Gastar Exploration Inc. in January 2014. Gastar Exploration Inc. is based in Houston, Texas. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of General Dynamics: 42SIX LLC, ARMA Global Corporation, Advanced Technical Products, Aeromil (Australia) Pty Ltd, Aeromil Aircraft Engineering Pty Ltd, Aeromil Aviation Services Pty Ltd, Aeromil IT Services Pty Ltd, Aeromil Marine Pty Ltd, Aeromil Pacific Pty Ltd, American Overseas Marine Company LLC, Anteon International Corporation, Applied Physical Sciences, Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Ascend Intelligence, Australian Avionics Pty Ltd, Autonomic Resources LLC, Avion Logistics Limited, Avjet Corporation, AxleTech International, Axsys, BATH IRON WORKS CORPORATION, BP-HP Pte Limited, Bath Iron Works, Bath Iron Works Australia Corporation, Bath Iron Works Canada LLC, Bluefin Robotics Corporation, Blueprint Technologies Inc., Braintree I Maritime Corp., Braintree II Maritime Corp., Braintree III Maritime Corp., Braintree IV Maritime Corp., Braintree V Maritime Corp., Buccaneer Computer Systems & Service Inc., CSC Computer Sciences Venezuela S.A., CSRA, CSRA (Costa Rica) S.A., CSRA (Guyana) Inc., CSRA (Middle East) LLC, CSRA Argentina S.R.L., CSRA BH d.o.o., CSRA Bahamas Limited, CSRA Bahrain S.P.C., CSRA Belgium SPRL, CSRA Bolivia S.R.L., CSRA Brazil Servicos de Tecnologia Ltda., CSRA Canada Inc., CSRA Caribbean Inc., CSRA Chile SpA, CSRA Colombia SAS, CSRA Commerce 2010 LLC, CSRA Consular Services Holding Company LLC, CSRA Consular Services Inc., CSRA France SARL, CSRA Guatemala Solutions Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Honduras Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Inc., CSRA Information Systems LLC, CSRA Information Technology Spain SL, CSRA Ireland Limited, CSRA Italy S.R.L, CSRA Kosovo L.L.C., CSRA LATAM LLC, CSRA LLC, CSRA Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., CSRA Netherlands B.V., CSRA Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Panama Inc., CSRA Peru S.R.L., CSRA Senegal SARL, CSRA South Africa (Pty) Ltd, CSRA State and Local Solutions LLC, CSRA Systems & Solutions LLC, CSRA Trinidad & Tobago Limited, CSRA Turkey Bilisim Teknolojileri Limited Sirketi, CSRA Uruguay S.R.L, CSRA Visa Services Israel Ltd., CSRAIT - Information Services Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Centauri Solutions LLC, Command System, Computing Devices International, Concord I Maritime Corporation, Concord II Maritime Corporation, Concord III Maritime Corporation, Concord IV Maritime Corporation, Concord V Maritime Corporation, Convair Aircraft Corporation, Convair Corporation, Creative Technology, Customer Services Ecuador CSRA S.A., Devcor, Diamond Fortress Technologies, DynPort Vaccine Company LLC, EB Groton Engineering Inc., EBV Explosives Environmental, ELCS-CZ s.r.o., Eagle Enterprise Inc., Earl Industries - Ship Repair and Coatings Division, Ebv Explosives Environmental Company, Electric Boat - Australia LLC, Electric Boat - UK LLC, Electric Boat Canada LLC, Electric Boat Corporation, Electric Boat France LLC, Electrocom Inc., Engineering Technology, Expro Finance Inc., FBD Fahrzeug und Bremsendienst GmbH, FC Business Systems, Fidelis Cybersecurity, Force Protection, Force Protection Europe Limited, Force Protection Inc., ForeSight Technology Services LLC, Freeman United Coal Mining Company LLC, GD Brazil Holdings LLC, GD European Land Systems - Steyr GmbH, GD European Land Systems Holding GmbH, GDOTS Services Corporation, GM GDLS Defense Group L.L.C., GPS Source Inc., GTE Government Systems, GWA-Datatrac FAST LLC, Galaxy Aerospace Company, Gayston Corporation - Defense Operations, General Dynamics - OTS (Global) Inc., General Dynamics AIS Australia Pty Ltd, General Dynamics Canadian Finance Inc., General Dynamics Canadian Holdings Inc., General Dynamics Commercial Cyber Services LLC, General Dynamics European Finance Limited, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Austria GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Bridge Systems GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Czech s.r.o., General Dynamics European Land Systems - Denmark ApS, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Deutschland GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - FWW GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Mowag GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems Romania S.R.L., General Dynamics European Land Systems S.L., General Dynamics Global Force LLC, General Dynamics Global Holdings Limited, General Dynamics Global Imaging Technologies Inc., General Dynamics Government Satellite Services LLC, General Dynamics Government Systems Corporation, General Dynamics Government Systems Overseas Corporation, General Dynamics Information Technology Canada Limited, General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., General Dynamics Information Technology Limited, General Dynamics Installation Services LLC, General Dynamics International Corporation, General Dynamics Itronix LLC, General Dynamics Land Systems - Australia Pty. Ltd., General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Corporation, General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Services Inc., General Dynamics Land Systems - Canadian Services Limited, General Dynamics Land Systems - Force Protection Inc., General Dynamics Land Systems Customer Service & Support Company, General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., General Dynamics Limited, General Dynamics Marine Systems Inc., General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., General Dynamics Mission Systems International Limited, General Dynamics Mission Systems Overseas Company LLC, General Dynamics Motion Control LLC, General Dynamics OTS (Aerospace) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (California) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (DRI) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (Niceville) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (Pennsylvania) Inc., General Dynamics One Source LLC, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Canada Inc., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Canada Valleyfield Inc., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Simunition Operations Inc., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc., General Dynamics Overseas Systems and Services Corporation, General Dynamics Properties Inc., General Dynamics Robotic Systems Inc., General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies Inc., General Dynamics Satcom Technologies Asia Private Limited, General Dynamics Satellite Communication Services LLC, General Dynamics Saudi Holdings S.L., General Dynamics Shared Resources LLC, General Dynamics Support Services Company, General Dynamics Swiss Financial Management Limited, General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited, General Dynamics Worldwide Holdings Inc., General Dynamics-OTS Inc., General Motors Defense, Gulfstream 100 Holdings LLC, Gulfstream Aerospace, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (CA), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (DE), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (GA), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (OK), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of Texas, Gulfstream Aerospace Hong Kong Limited, Gulfstream Aerospace LLC, Gulfstream Aerospace LP, Gulfstream Aerospace Ltd., Gulfstream Aerospace Services Corporation, Gulfstream Aerospace Sociedad de Responssabilidad Limitada de CapitalVariable (S. de R.L. de C.V.), Gulfstream Do Brasil Servicos De Suporte E Manutencao A Aeronaves Ltda., Gulfstream International Corporation, Gulfstream Leasing LLC, Gulfstream Product Support Corporation, Gulfstream Services Corporation, Gulfstream Tennessee Corporation, Gulfstream-California Inc., Hawker Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Hawker Pacific Aircraft Management Pte Ltd, Hawker Pacific Airservices Limited, Hawker Pacific Airservices Pvt Ltd, Hawker Pacific Asia Holdings Pte Ltd, Hawker Pacific Asia Pte Ltd, Hawker Pacific Australia Pty Ltd, Hawker Pacific Aviation Services Pty Ltd, Hawker Pacific NZ Limited, Hawker Pacific Pty Ltd, IPWireless, IPWireless PTE. Limited, Information Services Consulting Limited, Interiores Aereos S.A. de C.V., International Manufacturing Technologies Inc., Itronix, Janteq Australia PTY Limited, Janteq Corp., Jet Aviation, Jet Aviation (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd., Jet Aviation (Bermuda) Ltd., Jet Aviation (Hong Kong) Ltd., Jet Aviation (Malaysia) SDN BHD, Jet Aviation 125 Services LLC, Jet Aviation AG, Jet Aviation Brazil Holdings Inc., Jet Aviation Business Jets (Hong Kong) Limited, Jet Aviation Business Jets AG, Jet Aviation Business Jets FZCO, Jet Aviation California LLC, Jet Aviation Dulles LLC, Jet Aviation Flight Services Inc., Jet Aviation France SAS, Jet Aviation Holding GmbH, Jet Aviation Holdings USA Inc., Jet Aviation Houston Inc., Jet Aviation International Inc., Jet Aviation Malaga SA, Jet Aviation Management AG, Jet Aviation Netherlands B.V., Jet Aviation Savannah Holding LLC, Jet Aviation Services GmbH, Jet Aviation St. Louis Inc., Jet Aviation Teterboro LP, Jet Aviation Texas Inc., Jet Aviation of America Inc., Jet Aviation/Palm Beach Inc., Jet Professionals LLC, Kylmar, Longreach Energy LLC, MAYA Viz, Maricom Systems Incorporated, Material Service Resources Company LLC, Matthews Land Company, Mediaware International, Mediaware International Pty Ltd, Metro Machine, Metro Machine co, Midwest Properties Sales LLC, NASSCO, NASSCO Holdings Incorporated, NES Associates LLC, National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, Network Connectivity Solutions Corp., Newberry Holdings LLC, OOO Jet Aviation Vnukovo, Open Kernel Labs, Page Europa Srl, Patriot I Shipping Corp., Patriot II Shipping Corp., Patriot IV Shipping Corp., Plane 79 LLC, Praxis Engineering Technologies LLC, PrimeX Technologies, Prodelin India Private Limited, Proyectos Prohumane Mexico S.A. de C.V., Quincy Maritime Corporation III, Raven Acquisitions LLC, SENTECH INC., SRA International Inc., Saco Defense, Santa Barbara Sistemas S.A., Savannah Air Center LLC, Signal Solutions LLC, Southern Illinois Recovery Inc., Spectrum Astro, St. Marks Powder Inc., Stabilo Pty Ltd, Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG & Co KG, Sydney Jet Charter Pty Ltd, Tadpole Computer, Tecnologias Internacionales de Manufactura S.A. de C.V., Tenacity Solutions Incorporated, The Depth of Ideas for General Trading LLC, TriPoint Global Communications, Vangent, Vangent Servicios de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Veridian, Vertex Antennentechnik GmbH, ViPS, Vulnerability Research Labs LLC, and Weco LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Daimler: AEG Olympia Office GmbH, Achtzehnte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft DVB mbH, Anota Fahrzeug Service- und Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Athlon Beheer International B.V., Athlon Beheer Nederland B.V, Athlon Car Lease Belgium N.V, Athlon Car Lease International B.V., Athlon Car Lease Italy S.R.L., Athlon Car Lease Nederland B.V., Athlon Car Lease Polska Sp. z o.o., Athlon Car Lease Portugal lda, Athlon Car Lease Rental Services B.V, Athlon Car Lease Rental Services Belgium N.V., Athlon Car Lease S.A.S., Athlon Car Lease Spain S.A., Athlon Dealerlease B.V., Athlon France S.A.S., Athlon Germany GmbH, Athlon Mobility Consultancy B.V., Athlon Mobility Consultancy N.V., Athlon Rental Germany GmbH, Athlon Sweden AB, Athlon Switzerland AG, AutoGravity Corporation, Banco Mercedes-Benz do Brasil S.A, Beat Chile SpA, Beat Ride App Colombia Ltda., Beat Ride App S.A., Belerofonte Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda., Brooklands Estates Management Limited, CARS Technik & Logistik GmbH, CINTEO, CLIDET NO 1048 (Proprietary) Limited, Campo Largo Comercio de Veiculos e Pecas Ltda., Circulo Cerrado S.A. de Ahorro para Fines Determinados, Clever Taxi, Clever Tech S.R.L., Clever Tech Sud S.R.L., Conemaugh Hydroelectric Projects Inc., Cuspide GmbH, DA Investments Co. LLC, DAF Investments Ltd., DAIMLER FINANCIAL SERVICES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DAIMLER SERVICIOS CORPORATIVOS MEXICO S. DE R.L. DE C.V., DAIMLER TRUCK AND BUS HOLDING AUSTRALIA PACIFIC PTY LTD, DTB Tech & Data Hub Unipessoal Lda, Daimler AG & Co. Anlagenverwaltung OHG, Daimler Australia/Pacific Pty. Ltd., Daimler Automotive de Venezuela C.A., Daimler Brand & IP Management GmbH & Co. KG, Daimler Brand & IP Management Verwaltung GmbH, Daimler Buses North America Inc., Daimler Canada Finance Inc., Daimler Canada Investments Company, Daimler Capital Services LLC, Daimler Ceska republika Holding s.r.o., Daimler Colombia S. A., Daimler Commercial Vehicles (Thailand) Ltd., Daimler Commercial Vehicles Africa Ltd., Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA FZE, Daimler Commercial Vehicles South East Asia Pte. Ltd., Daimler Compra y Manufactura Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Export and Trade Finance GmbH, Daimler Finance North America LLC, Daimler Financial Services AG, Daimler Financial Services Africa & Asia Pacific Ltd., Daimler Financial Services India Private Limited, Daimler Financial Services Investment Company LLC, Daimler Financial Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Financial Services S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.N.R., Daimler Financial Services UK Trustees Ltd., Daimler Fleet Management GmbH, Daimler Fleet Management Singapore Pte. Ltd., Daimler Fleet Management South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Daimler Fleet Management UK Limited, Daimler Fleet Services A.S., Daimler FleetBoard GmbH, Daimler Gastronomie GmbH, Daimler Greater China Ltd., Daimler Group Services Berlin GmbH, Daimler Group Services Madrid S.A.U., Daimler Grund Services GmbH, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Private Limited, Daimler Innovation Technology (China) Co. Ltd., Daimler Insurance Agency LLC, Daimler Insurance Services GmbH, Daimler Insurance Services Japan Co. Ltd., Daimler Insurance Services UK Limited, Daimler International Assignment Services USA LLC, Daimler International Finance B.V., Daimler International Nederland B.V., Daimler Investments US Corporation, Daimler Ladungstrager GmbH, Daimler Manufactura S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Mexico S.A. de C.V., Daimler Mitarbeiter Wohnfinanz GmbH, Daimler Mobility Services GmbH, Daimler Motors Investments LLC, Daimler Nederland B.V., Daimler Nederland Holding B.V., Daimler North America Corporation, Daimler North America Finance Corporation, Daimler Northeast Asia Parts Trading and Services Co. Ltd., Daimler Parts Brand GmbH, Daimler Parts Logistics Australia Pty. Ltd., Daimler Pensionsfonds AG, Daimler Protics GmbH, Daimler Purchasing Coordination Corp., Daimler Re Brokers GmbH, Daimler Re Insurance S.A. Luxembourg, Daimler Real Estate GmbH, Daimler Retail Receivables LLC, Daimler South East Asia Pte. Ltd., Daimler TSS GmbH, Daimler Truck AG, Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific Pty. Ltd., Daimler Trucks & Buses US Holding Inc., Daimler Trucks Asia Taiwan Ltd., Daimler Trucks Canada Ltd., Daimler Trucks Korea Ltd., Daimler Trucks North America LLC, Daimler Trucks Remarketing Corporation, Daimler Trucks Retail Trust 2018-1, Daimler Trucks and Buses (China) Ltd., Daimler Trucks and Buses Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd, Daimler Trust Holdings LLC, Daimler Trust Leasing Conduit LLC, Daimler Trust Leasing LLC, Daimler UK Limited, Daimler UK Share Trustee Ltd., Daimler UK Trustees Limited, Daimler Unterstutzungskasse GmbH, Daimler Vans Hong Kong Limited, Daimler Vans USA LLC, Daimler Vehiculos Comerciales Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Verwaltungsgesellschaft fur Grundbesitz mbH, Daimler Vorsorge und Versicherungsdienst GmbH, Daiprodco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Detroit Diesel Corporation, Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing LLC, Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Detroit Diesel-Allison de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deutsche ACCUmotive, Deutsche Accumotive GmbH & Co. KG, Deutsche Accumotive Verwaltungs-GmbH, Dreizehnte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft DVB mbH, EHG Elektroholding GmbH, EvoBus (Schweiz) AG, EvoBus (U.K.) Ltd., EvoBus Austria GmbH, EvoBus Belgium N.V., EvoBus Ceska republika s.r.o., EvoBus Danmark A/S, EvoBus France S.A.S.U., EvoBus GmbH, EvoBus Iberica S.A.U., EvoBus Italia S.p.A., EvoBus Nederland B.V., EvoBus Polska Sp. z o.o., EvoBus Portugal S.A., EvoBus Reunion S. A., EvoBus Russland OOO, EvoBus Sverige AB, FLINC GmbH, Familonet GmbH, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, Friesland Lease B.V., Funfte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft Zeus mbH, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 2 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 3 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 4 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 5 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 6 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 7 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 1 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Beta OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Delta OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Epsilon OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 2 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 3 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 4 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 1 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft EvoBus GmbH & Co. OHG, Hailo Network IP Limited, Hailo Network Iberia S.L., Intelligent Apps GmbH, Interleasing Luxembourg S.A., Invema Assessoria Empresarial Eireli, Koppieview Property (Pty) Ltd, LAB1886 GmbH, LBBW AM Daimler Re Insurance, LBBW AM MBVEXW, LEONIE CORP DVB GmbH, LEONIE DMS DVB GmbH, LEONIE FS DVB GmbH, LEONIE FSM DVB GmbH, LEONIE PV DVB GmbH, LEONIE TB DVB GmbH, Lab1886 USA LLC, Lapland Car Test Aktiebolag, Legend Investments Ltd., Li-Tec Battery, Li-Tec Battery GmbH, MB GTC GmbH Mercedes-Benz Gebrauchtteile Center, MBarc Credit Canada Inc., MBition GmbH, MDC Power GmbH, MDC Technology GmbH, MERCEDES-BENZ TRUCKS POLSKA SPOKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA, MFTA Canada Inc., MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK EUROPE Sociedade Europeia de Automoveis S.A., MYTAXI ITALIA S.R.L., MYTAXI POLSKA SPOLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA, Mascot Truck Parts Canada Ltd (2017), Mascot Truck Parts USA LLC, Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains Ltd, Mercedes pay AG, Mercedes pay S.A., Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd., Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Limited, Mercedes-Benz (Yangzhou) Parts Distribution Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz AG, Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Adm. Consorcios Ltda., Mercedes-Benz Antwerpen N.V., Mercedes-Benz Argentina S.A., Mercedes-Benz Asia GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Assuradeuren B.V., Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific Pty Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Auto Finance Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2016-2, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2016-B, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2017-A, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2018-A, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2018-B, Mercedes-Benz Auto Receivables Trust 2015-1, Mercedes-Benz Auto Receivables Trust 2016-1, Mercedes-Benz Auto Retail Trust 2018-1, Mercedes-Benz Bank AG, Mercedes-Benz Bank GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Bank Polska S.A., Mercedes-Benz Bank Rus OOO, Mercedes-Benz Bank Service Center GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Banking Service GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Belgium Luxembourg S.A., Mercedes-Benz Bordeaux S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz Broker Biztositasi Alkusz Hungary Kft., Mercedes-Benz Brooklands Limited, Mercedes-Benz CPH A/S, Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., Mercedes-Benz Capital Rus OOO, Mercedes-Benz CarMesh GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans Brasil Industria e Comercio De Veiculos Ltda., Mercedes-Benz Cars Ceska republika s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East FZE, Mercedes-Benz Cars Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Cars UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz CharterWay S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz CharterWay S.r.l., Mercedes-Benz Compania Financiera Argentina S.A., Mercedes-Benz Connectivity Services GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Consulting GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Corretora de Seguros Ltda, Mercedes-Benz Credit Penzugyi Szolgaltato Hungary Zrt., Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center Maastricht N.V., Mercedes-Benz Danmark A/S, Mercedes-Benz Dealer Bedrijven B.V., Mercedes-Benz Drogenbos N.V., Mercedes-Benz Egypt S.A.E., Mercedes-Benz Energy Americas LLC, Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Espana S.A.U., Mercedes-Benz Europa NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz ExTra LLC, Mercedes-Benz Finance Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Australia Pty. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Austria GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services BeLux NV, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada Corporation, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Ceska republika s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Espana E.F.C. S.A., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services France S.A., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Hong Kong Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Italia SpA, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Korea Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services New Zealand Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Portugal Sociedade Financeira de Credito S.A., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Rus OOO, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Schweiz AG, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Slovakia s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC, Mercedes-Benz Finans Danmark A/S, Mercedes-Benz Finans Sverige AB, Mercedes-Benz Finansal Kiralama Turk A.S., Mercedes-Benz Finansman Turk A.S., Mercedes-Benz Formula E Limited, Mercedes-Benz France S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Forsaljnings AB, Mercedes-Benz G GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Group Services Phils. Inc., Mercedes-Benz Hellas S.A., Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Limited, Mercedes-Benz Hungaria Kft., Mercedes-Benz IDC Europe S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz India Private Limited, Mercedes-Benz Insurance Broker S.R.L., Mercedes-Benz Insurance Services Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Insurance Services Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Investment Company LLC, Mercedes-Benz Italia S.p.A., Mercedes-Benz Japan Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Korea Limited, Mercedes-Benz Leasing (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Leasing GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Leasing Hrvatska d.o.o., Mercedes-Benz Leasing IFN S.A., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Kft., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Polska Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Treuhand GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Leasing do Brasil Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., Mercedes-Benz Ludwigsfelde GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Mercedes-Benz Manhattan Inc., Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Hungary Kft., Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Poland Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Rus Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Master Owner Trust, Mercedes-Benz Mechelen N.V., Mercedes-Benz Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Mercedes-Benz Minibus GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Mitarbeiter-Fahrzeuge Leasing GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Museum GmbH, Mercedes-Benz New Zealand Ltd, Mercedes-Benz PRAHA s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Paris SAS, Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics Eastern Europe s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics Iberica S.L.U., Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Parts Manufacturing & Services Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Polska Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Portugal S.A., Mercedes-Benz Project Consult GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Renting S.A., Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research & Development Tel Aviv Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Private Limited, Mercedes-Benz Retail Belgium NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz Retail Group UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Retail S.A., Mercedes-Benz Retail Unipessoal Lda., Mercedes-Benz Risk Solutions South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Roma S.p.A., Mercedes-Benz Romania S.R.L., Mercedes-Benz Russia AO, Mercedes-Benz Schweiz AG, Mercedes-Benz Service Leasing S.R.L., Mercedes-Benz Services Correduria de Seguros S.A., Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Mercedes-Benz Sigorta Aracilik Hizmetleri A.S., Mercedes-Benz Slovakia s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Solihull Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Sosnowiec Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz South Africa Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Srbija i Crna Gora d.o.o.u likvidaciji, Mercedes-Benz Subscription Services USA LLC, Mercedes-Benz Sverige AB, Mercedes-Benz Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Trucks Belgium Luxembourg NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Center Sint-Pieters-Leeuw NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Ceska republika s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Trucks Espana S.L.U., Mercedes-Benz Trucks France S.A.S.U, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Italia S.r.l., Mercedes-Benz Trucks MENA Holding GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Molsheim, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Trucks Schweiz AG, Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Turk A.S., Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., Mercedes-Benz USA LLC, Mercedes-Benz Ubezpieczenia Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz V.I. Lyon SAS, Mercedes-Benz V.I. Paris Ile de France SAS, Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia Pacific Pty. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Vans Ceska republika s.r.o, Mercedes-Benz Vans Espana S.L.U., Mercedes-Benz Vans LLC, Mercedes-Benz Vans Mobility GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Vans Mobility S.L., Mercedes-Benz Vans Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Vehiculos Comerciales Argentina SAU, Mercedes-Benz Venezuela S.A., Mercedes-Benz Versicherung AG, Mercedes-Benz Vertrieb NFZ GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Vertrieb PKW GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Warszawa Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Waterloo S.A., Mercedes-Benz Wavre S.A., Mercedes-Benz Wemmel N.V., Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Receivables LLC, Mercedes-Benz do Brasil Assessoria Comercial Ltda., Mercedes-Benz do Brasil Ltda., Mercedes-Benz Osterreich GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Aluguer de Veiculos Unipessoal Lda., Mercedes-Benz.io GmbH, Mercedes-Benz.io Portugal Unipessoal Lda., MercedesService Card Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Mitsubishi Fuso Bus Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc., Monarch Cars (Tamworth) Ltd., Montajes y Estampaciones Metalicas S.L., Multifleet G.I.E, NAG Nationale Automobil-Gesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft, P.T. Mercedes-Benz Indonesia, PABCO Co. Ltd., PT Daimler Commercial Vehicles Indonesia, PT Mercedes-Benz Distribution Indonesia, Porcher & Meffert Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH & Co. Stuttgart OHG, R.T.C. Management Company Limited, Renting del Pacifico S.A.C., RepairSmith Inc., Reva SAS, Ring Garage AG Chur, SILVER ARROW CHINA 2017-2 RETAIL AUTO LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES TRUST c/o CITIC TRUST CO. LTD., SILVER ARROW CHINA 2018-1 RETAIL AUTO LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES TRUST c/o FOTIC: China Foreign Economy and Trade Trust Co. LTD., SILVER ARROW CHINA 2018-2 RETAIL AUTO LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES TRUST c/o FOTIC: China Foreign Economy and Trade Trust Co. LTD., STARKOM d.o.o., Sandown Motor Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Sechste Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft Zeus mbH, SelecTrucks Comercio de Veiculos Ltda, SelecTrucks of America LLC, SelecTrucks of Toronto Inc., Setra of North America Inc., Silver Arrow Australia Trust 2017-1, Silver Arrow Canada GP Inc., Silver Arrow Canada LP, Silver Arrow Lease Facility Trust, Silver Arrow S.A., Special Lease Systems (SLS) B.V, SportChassis LLC, Star Assembly SRL, Star Egypt For Import LLC, Star Transmission srl, Starexport Trading S.A., Sterling Truck Corporation, Sumperska sprava majetku k.s., T.O.C (Schweiz) AG, Taxibeat, Taxibeat Ltd. UK, Taxibeat Peru S.A., Taxibeat Teknoloji Hizmetleri A.S., Thomas Built Buses Inc., Thomas Built Buses of Canada Limited, Transcovo SAS, Transopco France SAS, Transopco GmbH, Transopco Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Transopco UK Ltd., Trona Cogeneration Corporation, Ucafleet S.A.S, Vierzehnte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft DVB mbH, Western Star Trucks Sales Inc, Zuidlease B.V., Zweite Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft Zeus mbH, car2go, car2go Belgium SPRL, car2go Canada Ltd., car2go China Co. Ltd., car2go Danmark A/S, car2go Deutschland GmbH, car2go Europe GmbH, car2go Group GmbH, car2go Iberia S.L.U., car2go Italia S.R.L., car2go N.A. Holding Inc, car2go N.A. LLC, car2go Nederland B.V, car2go Sverige AB, car2go Osterreich GmbH, moovel Group GmbH, moovel North America Inc., moovel North America LLC, myTaxi Iberia SL, myTaxi UG, myTaxi UK Ltd., myTaxi USA Inc., mytaxi Austria GmbH, mytaxi Network Ireland Ltd., mytaxi Network Ltd., mytaxi Portugal Unipessoal LDA, mytaxi Sweden AB, ogotrac S.A.S., smart France S.A.S., smart Vertriebs gmbh, and trapoFit GmbH. Rayonier Advanced Materials, Inc. engages in the production and sale of cellulose products, which is a natural polymer commonly used in the production of cell phone and computer screens, filters, and pharmaceuticals. It operates through the following segments: High Purity Cellulose, Forest Products, Paperboard, Pulp and Newsprint, and Corporate. The High Purity Cellulose segment manufacture and market high purity cellulose, which is sold as either cellulose specialties or commodity products in U.S., Canda, and France. The Forest Products segment manufacture and market construction-grade lumber in North America through seven sawmills located in Canada. The Paperboard segment comprises paperboard products. The Pulp and Newsprint segment involves in the production of pulp and newsprint in Canada. The Corporate segment consists senior management, accounting, information systems, human resources, treasury, tax, and legal administrative functions that provide support services to the operating business units. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Read More Thomson Reuters Corporation provides business information services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in five segments: Legal Professionals, Corporates, Tax & Accounting Professionals, Reuters News, and Global Print. The Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics to law firms and governments. The Corporates segment provides a suite of content-enabled technology solutions for legal, tax, regulatory, compliance, and IT professionals. The Tax & Accounting Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on tax offerings and automating tax workflows to tax, accounting, and audit professionals in accounting firms. The Reuters News segment provides business, financial, national, and international news to professionals through desktop terminals, media organizations, and industry events, as well as directly to consumers. The Global Print segment offers legal and tax information primarily in print format to legal and tax professionals, governments, law schools, and corporations. The company was formerly known as The Thomson Corporation and changed its name to Thomson Reuters Corporation in April 2008. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Thomson Reuters Corporation is a subsidiary of The Woodbridge Company Limited. Read More Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Singapore ETF 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 iShares MSCI Singapore ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc.. 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. Ltd., P&G K.K., P&G Northeast Asia Pte. Ltd., P&G Prestige Godo Kaisha, P&G Prestige Service GmbH, P&G South African Trading (Pty.) Ltd., PGT Health Care (Zhejiang) Limited, PGT Healthcare LLP, PPI ZAO, PT Procter & Gamble Home Products Indonesia, PT Procter & Gamble Operations Indonesia, Phase II Holdings Corporation, Procter & Gamble (Chengdu) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Sales Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (East Africa) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Egypt) Manufacturing Company, Procter & Gamble (Enterprise Fund) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Consumer Products Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Enterprise Management Service Company Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Jiangsu) Ltd. China, Procter & Gamble (L&CP) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Procter & Gamble (Manufacturing) Ireland Limited, Procter & Gamble (Shanghai) International Trade Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Acquisition GmbH, Procter & Gamble Administration GmbH, Procter & Gamble Algeria EURL, Procter & Gamble Amazon Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Amiens S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Argentina SRL, Procter & Gamble Asia Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Australia Proprietary Limited, Procter & Gamble Azerbaijan Services LLC, Procter & Gamble Bangladesh Private Ltd., Procter & Gamble Blois S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Brazil Holdings B.V., Procter & Gamble Bulgaria EOOD, Procter & Gamble Business Services Canada Company, Procter & Gamble Canada Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Chile , Procter & Gamble Chile Limitada, Procter & Gamble Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Commercial LLC, Procter & Gamble Commercial de Cuba S.A., Procter & Gamble Czech Republic s.r.o., Procter & Gamble DS Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Danmark ApS, Procter & Gamble Detergent (Beijing) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Deuttschland GmbH, Procter & Gamble Distributing (Philippines) Inc., Procter & Gamble Distributing New Zealand Limited, Procter & Gamble Distribution Company (Europe) BVBA, Procter & Gamble Distribution S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe, Procter & Gamble Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Procter & Gamble Egypt, Procter & Gamble Egypt Distribution, Procter & Gamble Egypt Holding, Procter & Gamble Egypt Supplies, Procter & Gamble Energy Company LLC, Procter & Gamble Espana, Procter & Gamble Europe SA, Procter & Gamble Export Operations SARL, Procter & Gamble Exportadora e Importadora Ltda., Procter & Gamble Exports, Procter & Gamble Fabricacao e Comercio Ltda., Procter & Gamble Far East, Procter & Gamble Finance (U.K.) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Holding Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Management S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Financial Investments LLP, Procter & Gamble Financial Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Services S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finland OY, Procter & Gamble France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG, Procter & Gamble GmbH, Procter & Gamble Grundstucks-und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Procter & Gamble Gulf FZE, Procter & Gamble Hair Care, Procter & Gamble Hellas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Holding (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Holding France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH, Procter & Gamble Holding S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Holdings (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Hong Kong Limited, Procter & Gamble Hungary Wholesale Trading Partnership (KKT), Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Inc., Procter & Gamble India Holdings, Procter & Gamble Indochina Limited Company, Procter & Gamble Industrial - 2012 C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Industrial S.C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Costa Rica, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Guatemala, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Panama, Procter & Gamble International Operations Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble International Operations SA, Procter & Gamble International Operations SA-ROHQ, Procter & Gamble International S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Investment Company (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Investment GmbH, Procter & Gamble Italia, Procter & Gamble Japan K.K., Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan Distribution LLP, Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan LLP, Procter & Gamble Korea, Procter & Gamble Korea S&D Co., Procter & Gamble Lanka Private Ltd. Sri Lanka, Procter & Gamble Leasing LLC, Procter & Gamble Levant S.A.L., Procter & Gamble Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Marketing and Services doo, Procter & Gamble Maroc SA, Procter & Gamble Mataro, Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Investments B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Nordic, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Private) Limited, Procter & Gamble Partnership LLP, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals France SAS, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo, Procter & Gamble Product Supply (U.K.) Limited U.K., Procter & Gamble Production GmbH, Procter & Gamble Productions, Procter & Gamble Productos de Consumo, Procter & Gamble RHD, Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services BVBA, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Satis ve Dagitim Ltd. Sti., Procter & Gamble Seine S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services (Switzerland) SA, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Share Incentive Plan Trustee Ltd., Procter & Gamble South America Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. (Ltd.), Procter & Gamble Sports and Social Club Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology (Beijing) Co., Procter & Gamble Trading (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Verwaltungs GmbH, Procter & Gamble Vietnam, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil S/A, Procter & Gamble do Brazil, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Redmond Products, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Richardson-Vicks do Brasil Quimica e Farmaceutica Ltda, Riverfront Music Publishing Co., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scannon S.A.S., Series Acquisition B.V., Shulton, Surfac S.R.L., Sycamore Productions, TAOS - FL, TAOS Retail, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving - FL, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble GBS Company, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon (Shanghai) Academy, Vidal Sassoon Co., WEBA Betriebsrenten-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Walker & Company Brands, and iMFLUX Inc.. Conagra Brands, Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of processed and packaged foods. It operates through the following segments: Grocery and Snacks; Refrigerated and Frozen; International; and Foodservice. The Grocery and Snacks segment includes branded, shelf stable food products sold in various retail channels in the United States. The Refrigerated and Frozen segment comprises branded, temperature controlled food products sold in various retail channels in the United States. The International segment consists branded food products, in various temperature states, sold in various retail and foodservice channels outside of the United States. The Foodservice segment focuses in the branded and customized food products, including meals, entrees, sauces, and a variety of custom-manufactured culinary products packaged for sale to restaurants and other foodservice establishments in the United States. The company was founded by Alva Kinney and Frank Little in 1919 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Read More Domtar Corporation designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes communication papers, specialty and packaging papers, and absorbent hygiene products in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Pulp and Paper, and Personal Care. The company provides business papers, including copy and electronic imaging papers used in inkjet and laser printers, photocopiers, and plain-paper fax machines, as well as computer papers, preprinted forms, and digital papers for office and home use. It also offers commercial printing and publishing papers, such as offset papers and opaques used in sheet and roll fed offset presses; publishing papers, which include tradebook and lightweight uncoated papers for publishing textbooks, dictionaries, catalogs, magazines, hard cover novels, and financial documents; and converting papers for envelopes, tablets, business forms, and data processing/computer forms. In addition, the company provides papers for thermal printing, flexible packaging, food packaging, medical packaging, medical gowns and drapes, sandpaper backing, carbonless printing, labels and other coating, and laminating applications; and papers for industrial and specialty applications, such as carrier papers, treated papers, security papers, and specialized printing and converting applications. Further, it offers absorbent hygiene products, including absorbent briefs, protective underwear, underpads, pads, washcloths, and body patches under the Attends, Indasec, IndasSlip, and Reassure brands; and baby diapers, training and youth pants, and bed mats under the Comfees, Chelino, Nene, and Bambino brand names. The company serves merchants, retail outlets, stationers, printers, publishers, converters, and end-users. Domtar Corporation was founded in 1848 and is based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Read More Ensign Energy Services Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides oilfield services to the crude oil and natural gas industries in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company offers shallow, intermediate, and deep well drilling, as well as specialized drilling services, including horizontal, underbalanced, horizontal re-entry, and slant drilling for steam assisted gravity drainage applications; and equipment and other services. It also provides coring and oil sands drilling services to the mining, and oil and natural gas industries; directional drilling and related services for conventional and horizontal drilling applications; shallow to deep well services, such as completions, abandonments, production, workovers, and bottom hole pump changes for oil and natural gas producers; and interactive pressure drilling services with self-contained systems comprising nitrogen generation and compression equipment, and surface control systems. In addition, the company rents drill strings, loaders, tanks, pumps, rig mattings, blow-out preventers, waste bins, and wastewater treatment equipment for the drilling and completions segments of the oilfield industry. Further, the company offers transportation services. As of December 31, 2020, it operated a fleet of 271 land drilling rigs, 21 specialty coring rigs, and 99 well servicing rigs. The company was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Aviva plc provides various insurance, retirement, and savings products in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, France, Italy, Poland, and internationally. The company offers life insurance, long-term health and accident insurance, savings, pension, and annuity products, as well as pension fund business and lifetime mortgage products. It also provides insurance cover to individuals, small and medium-sized businesses for risks associated with motor vehicles and medical expenses, as well as property and liability, such as employers' and professional indemnity liabilities, and medical expenses. In addition, the company offers personal and commercial lines insurance products; long-term insurance and savings products, primarily for individuals. Further, it provides investment management services for institutional pension fund mandates; and manages various retail investment products, including investment funds, unit trusts, open-ended investment companies, and individual savings accounts for third-party financial institutions, pension funds, public sector organizations, investment professionals, and private investors. Additionally, the company offers asset management and protection insurance products. Aviva plc markets its products through a network of insurance brokers, as well as MyAviva platform. The company was formerly known as CGNU plc and changed its name to Aviva plc in July 2002. Aviva plc was founded in 1696 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More NCI Building Systems, Inc. designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets metal products for the nonresidential construction industry in North America. It operates in four segments: Engineered Building Systems, Metal Components, Insulated Metal Panels, and Metal Coil Coating. The Engineered Building Systems segment offers engineered structural members and panels; and self-storage building systems under the Metallic, Mid-West Steel, A & S, All American, Mesco, Star, Ceco, Robertson, Garco, Heritage, and SteelBuilding.com brands to builders, general contractors, developers, and end users directly, as well as through private label companies. The Metal Components segment provides metal roof and wall systems, metal partitions, metal trims, doors, and other related accessories for use in new construction, and repair and retrofit applications; roll-up doors; and interior and exterior walk doors under the MBCI, American Building Components, Eco-ficient, Metal Depots, and Doors and Buildings Components brands to manufacturers, contractors, subcontractors, distributors, lumberyards, cooperative buying groups, and other customers. The Insulated Metal Panels segment offers insulated metal panels for architectural, commercial, industrial, and cold storage end-market applications under the Metl-Span and CENTRIA brands. The Metal Coil Coating segment engages in cleaning, treating, and painting flat-rolled metals in coil form, as well as in slitting and/or embossing the metal, before the metal is fabricated for use by industrial users. It also cleans, treats, and coats heavy and light gauge metal coils for use in construction products, heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters, lighting fixtures, ceiling grids, office furniture, appliances, and other products; and provides toll coating and painted metal package services under the Metal Coaters and Metal Prep brands. NCI Building Systems, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Read More 13 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Munchener Ruckvers in the last twelve months. 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. The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Advisors S.r.l., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe (Services) Limited, AIG Europe Holdings S.a.rl., AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Insurance Company (Switzerland) Ltd, AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG Shared Services Corporation, AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE EOLA LLC, AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American Home Assurance Company Escritorio de Representacao no Brasil Ltda., American International Group Inc., American International Group UK Limited, American International Overseas Association, American International Overseas Limited, American International Realty Corp., American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A., American Security Life Insurance Company Limited, Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Avondhu Limited, Blackboard Customer Care Insurance Services LLC, Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Services LLC, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., Chartis Takaful Enaya B.S.C. (c), Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Fortitude Group Holdings LLC, Fortitude Life & Annuity Solutions Inc., Fortitude Reinsurance Company Ltd., Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Group Risk Services Limited, Group Risk Technologies Limited, Illinois National Insurance Co., Jefferson Eola Venture LLC, Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, MG Reinsurance Limited, Mt. Mansfield Company Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Private Joint-Stock Company AIG Ukraine Insurance Company, Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SA Affordable Housing LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners Inc., SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., Thai CIT Holding Company Limited, The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., Western World Insurance Company, and Western World Insurance Group Inc.. Wall Street analysts have given Noble 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 Noble wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Validus Holdings, Ltd. provides reinsurance coverage, insurance coverage, and insurance linked securities management services worldwide. It operates through three segments: Reinsurance, Insurance, and Asset Management. The Reinsurance segment underwrites property reinsurance products on a catastrophe excess of loss, per risk excess of loss and proportional basis; and aerospace and aviation, agriculture, composite, marine, technical lines, terrorism, trade credit, workers' compensation, and other specialty lines, as well as casualty and financial lines. The Insurance segment underwrites property, accident and health, agriculture, aviation, contingency, marine, and political lines insurance products; bankers blanket bond, commercial crime, computer crime, cyber- crime, professional indemnity, and directors' and officers' insurance products for various financial institutions and other companies; and commercial and institutional risks comprising general, professional, and product liability, as well as miscellaneous malpractice insurance products. This segment also underwrites marine and energy liability, and political risk insurance products, as well as insurance products for repair, maintenance, and upkeep of aircrafts and premises for small companies. The Asset Management segment manages capital for third parties through insurance-linked securities, and other property catastrophe and specialty reinsurance investments. Validus Holdings, Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda. Read More Royal Enfield has announced the dates of the 15th edition of the Himalayan Odyssey. Starting from July 5, 2018, 50 men and 20 women riders will cover a total distance of 2,200km over a period of 18 days, before the ending their journey on July 22, 2018. The ride will officially be flagged off from Delhi on July 7. Chandigarh would be the first overnight stop for the men's event, while women riders will first stop overnight at Parwanoo. While both men and women will start from Delhi, they will take different routes to finally come together in Leh. The riders will cover a maximum distance of 300km in a day during the longest sections of the event. Through the Himalayan Odyssey ride, riders from all over India will get a chance to explore the picturesque regions of the Himalayas in Ladakh as well as Spiti. Like earlier iterations, this years event will also challenge riders at every step with numerous mountain passes and natural obstacles. That said, a team of experienced lead riders will ensure the safety of all participants. The company said that a journey like the Himalayan Odyssey is a life-changing experience. The riders will face different kinds of challenges together which will grow a sense of mutual trust and friendship amongst them. Every rider will take back a bunch of unforgettable memories at the end of this event. Source: BikeDekho.com New Delhi: US retail behemoth Walmart Inc announced Wednesday that it was acquiring a 77 per cent stake in Indias largest e-commerce firm Flipkart for about $16 billion (Rs 1.05 lakh crores), in what was pegged as the worlds biggest e-commerce deal. This will give the US retailer access to the Indian e-commerce market, that is estimated to grow to $200 billion within a decade. This deal means the Indian e-commerce space will now be dominated by two US retailers Walmart and Amazon. In the US, Walmart and Amazon are locked in an intense competition to get the upper hand in retail, which will now be extended to India. The deal, where co-founder Sachin Bansal and Japans Softbank are exiting, values Flipkart at $20.8 billion. It is also the biggest M&A deal in India this year. Under RBIs prompt corrective action (PCA) framework, banks are under close watch due to high non-performing assets (NPAs) and negative return on assets. New Delhi: The second round of PSB recapitalisation may begin in the July-September quarter. It would be based on lenders action on reforms front and compliance with RBI and finance ministry instructions. Under RBIs prompt corrective action (PCA) framework, banks are under close watch due to high non-performing assets (NPAs) and negative return on assets. Under PCA, a banks branch expansion is restricted and lending is narrowed to relatively less risky segments. To get recap funds, banks will have to succeed on factors like consolidation/rationalisation of overseas operations, sale of non-core assets for cost efficiency and steps for early detection of frauds and NPAs. Some banks have identified non-core assets and started monetisation. PNB has announced closure of representative offices in Australia and China. Union Bank of India has sold 40 per cent stake in MF business to Japans Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company. Bank of India has offloaded its entire 5 per cent stake in credit bureau TransUnion Cibil to US-based TransUnion International. The 21 PSBs together account for 70 per cent market share and efficiency improvement will have a salutary effect on the sector, the finance ministry feels. Capital infusion has been necessitated as banks gross NPAs surged from 5.4 per cent of gross advances in March 2015 to 13.7 per cent by June 2017. It raised their provisioning requirements to Rs 3,79,080 crore between FY15 and Q1FY18, much higher than Rs 1,96,937 crore made during the preceding 10 years. NPAs of PSBs stand at Rs 8 lakh crore. In October, the government unveiled an Rs 2.11 lakh crore 2-year roadmap, which includes recapitalisation bonds, budgetary support, and equity dilution, for strengthening PSBs hit by NPAs. Till March 31, 2018, the finance ministry disbursed Rs 88,000 crore under the plan. While infusing capital in 20 PSBs, the ministry had linked it to a 6-point reform agenda to restore their health and step up lending to aid growth. The capital infusion for 2017-18 included Rs 80,000 crore through recapitalisation bonds and Rs 8,139 crore as budgetary support. In addition, banks were to raise Rs 10,312 crore through sale of shares. The reform agenda, aimed at enhanced access and service excellence (EASE), focuses on six themes of customer responsiveness, responsible banking, credit offtake, UdyamiMitra for small and medium enterprises, deepening financial inclusion and digitalisation and developing personnel. Capital infusion is contingent up on reform performance of PSBs. The whole-time directors would be assigned theme-wise reforms and their performance would be evaluated by the bank board, a finance ministry statement had said. Meanwhile, with the increased focus on retail loans, revenue share of corporate lending in banks overall loan pie is set to decline to a fourth by FY22, says a report. The share of corporate lending in the overall revenue pie will slide to 27 per cent by FY22 from 39 per cent now, consultancy firm BCG said on Tuesday. But retail lending will see a rise to 35 per cent from the present 28 per cent, it said. In FY12, corporate lending contributed 50 per cent of banks revenue pool from advances or interest income. The report attributes this to lingering bad debt issue, which has resulted in lower appetite for corporate loans, pressure on margins and also movement away from bank borrowings by the better-rated companies. Elaborating on NPLs, it said high corporate NPAs have increased pressure on corporate banking and that it is the large and mid-corporate segments, which have been, hit the most. The banking regulator rarely makes allowances for specific sectors and that principle will extend to the power sector as well. New Delhi: Dashing the hopes of 40,000 mw stressed power projects, a top government official on Tuesday said RBI is not in favour of any special forbearance for the sector that would have prevented the loans from being categorised as NPA, triggering a resolution process. The banking regulator rarely makes allowances for specific sectors and that principle will extend to the power sector as well, power secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla told BloombergQuint. RBI doesnt look at sectoral issues and its for the ministry to look at those issues and find a solution, he added. He was responding to questions about power companies recent plea to the finance ministry and the RBI for relaxation of the one-day repayment delay norm that can turn the loan into NPAs, triggering banks to work out resolution plan for the stressed entity. It has been argued that such a move would increase NPAs in the sector and bring running projects to a halt pushing several energy firms into liquidation. Bhalla said the power ministry was trying to address stress in the sector by addressing the problem related to fuel linkage and lack of power purchase agreements (PPAs). But with projects that are under stress due to aggressive tariff, bankers would first try to work out a resolution plan before the ministry took up issues such as change of ownership in PPAs, fuel supply agreement if it exists or availability of linkage. The power sector is one of the largest contributors of stressed assets plaguing the financial system. Stressed power projects hold Rs 1.8 lakh crore in loans, which are yet to be classified as bad. Bankers say unless some collective resolution plan is worked out, loans will turn bad and recovery would be low. Banks led by SBI are also looking at creation of an asset reconstruction company to help take over ownership of stressed assets and put it under a special purpose vehicle. State-owned firms like NTPC would then operate these SPV and returns generated would be used to pay off lenders. Sources said power firms would be most affected among sectors if one-day default norm were brought to operation. NPAs of banks due to power loans will rise and the sector may face funds crunch due to this also and this will affect the revival of many power projects. The finance ministry is keen that bankers request for increasing the default period for term-loans to 30 days from one-day, as stipulated by RBI in February, be considered by the regulator, sources said. RBI stipulated in February that even a one-day delay in the repayment of term loans would be considered a default and banks have to report it to RBI. With new RBI norms, the power sector will have an additional Rs 2 Lakh crore of NPAs. The association of power producers has also raised it with a parliamentary panel seeking direction for norm relaxation. Power plants pay for coal in advance to Coal India, but it takes them 90-150 days to recover dues from state power distribution companies. Hyderabad: Global crude oil prices on Wednesday hit $77 a barrel, a day after US President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran. While the sanctions could affect other non-oil businesses, the impact could be more pronounced on European companies than US ones because they were quick to invest in Iran after sanctions were lifted in 2015. Boeing would be the biggest loser with the sanctions affecting its $20-billion worth deals to sell 80 aircraft to IranAir and 30 aircraft to Aseman Airlines. The second most hit would be European aircraft maker Airbus, which stuck a $19-billion deal to supply 100 aircraft to IranAir. The value of trade between the EU and Iran has soared from $9.2 billion in 2015 to $16.4 billion in 2016 after the deal was signed. In 2017, trade reached $25 billion. On Tuesday, Mr Trump explicitly warned that he would seek to hit European firms that continued to trade with Tehran attracting a strong rebuke from European leaders and potentially opening a chasm between the Western alliance partners. While stating that European countries seek exemptions for existing contracts from the US sanctions, Frances finance minister Bruno Le Maire said: The international reach of US sanctions makes the US the economic policeman of the planet, and that is not acceptable. He said the United States move is going considerable difficulty because of these are extraterritorial sanctions. Total, the French oil and gas company, is one of the companies would be hit. It had signed a $2 billion agreement to help develop Irans giant South Pars gas field, together with Chinese state oil company CNPC. Germanys Volkswagen is one of major car makers to foray into Iran after sanctions were lifted after a gap of 17 years. The company said it is monitoring the developments in the region. German foreign minister Heiko Maas, however, expressed his displeasure over the move and warned that the US exit from the Iran agreement would undermine trust in international agreements. In a first of its kind initiative, T-Chits a pilot project created using latest blockchain technology is being brought into Chit Fund Administration. Hyderabad: Even though chits is primarily an unregulated territory and is at the helm of people who do not register themselves, Telangana government is trying to address the issue of bringing back the trust in this system by using blockchain technology. In a first of its kind initiative, T-Chits a pilot project created using latest blockchain technology is being brought into Chit Fund Administration. The product is built by start-up Chitmonks alumni of Telanganas start-up initiative T-Hub. Administration of chit funds through companies includes lot of paper work and is happening is manually and there is no transparency for subscribes. Every time a company wants to start a chit, they have to submit a huge pile of documentation and on monthly basis to registration and stamps department which is the regulator. Consequently, there is no transparency for subscribers and auditing needs to be done to match the documentation with government and Chit Fund company. With blockchain technology, each record is unique and cannot be tampered. Everything put into the blockchain system is completely immutable. Blockchain will not let you make changes to the data which is submitted into the system which is approved by Telangana government. If a regulator is approving any application of any registrar that goes and sits into system and this data cannot be tampered. For Chit subscribers, T-Chits is going to be a big deal because if you are doing chit with any chitfund company, you can have complete faith in the how the Chit group is formed, when is it formed and the whole history of the group with the government and subscriber at click of button, said Pavan Adipuram founder of Chitmonks However, most of the activity through Chits is happening in offline mode within their groups without knocking the doors of the chit fund companies. Registered Chit fund is safe and through this process, more and more people will prefer to go to a regulated authority. Block chain is about trust and if we can bring about this system of trust, more people will be on boarded and this unregulated territory can be regulated, said Mr Adipuram As part of the pilot projects two registrations and stamps department in Hyderabad have been on boarded, which will eventually be expanded to 14 branches across the state. Around 5 companies are on board and for next 2-3months based on reactions, product will be formalised and then will be thrown open to public, Mr Adipuram said. IT secretary Jayesh Ranjan will be launching the T-Chits initiative formally on Wednesday at T-Hub. Hyderabad: Global crude oil prices on Wednesday hit $77 a barrel, a day after US President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran. Tehrans regional rival Saudi Arabia quickly moved in to reassure the global oil market to compensate any shortage in supply on the account of lower oil sales by sanction-hit Iran. Iran is the third-biggest producer of crude oil within oil cartel Opec, after Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Though Iran is the third largest oil supplier to India, a top official of Indian Oil said the US sanctions would not impact Indias oil purchases from Iran as the country pays in euros. However, if Europe too imposes the sanctions, India would find it difficult to pay for Iranian oil. The re-imposition of sanctions means companies worldwide must stop doing business with the country or run afoul of the US government. At the core of the US sanctions is a threat to cut-off companies that deal with Iran or its companies from the US banking system. While the sanctions have had an immediate impact on the global crude oil market, the fallout is expected to be wider impacting several non-oil businesses. Major companies that could take a hit because of US sanctions on Iran are France-based Total, Airbus, and Accor, Germ-any-based Volkswagen, Spains Melia and US-based Boeing and GE. Analysts feel that the move could affect Europ-ean companies more than the American companies. Companies and countries with commercial deals with Iran would have either 90 or 180 days to wind down those activities, depending on the type of products being sanctioned. US Iran sanctions are hardly hitting any US companies, but aim primarily at European ones, Carl Bildt, the co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said in a tweet. Politique (politics), as they say in French, is very much a part of the Cannes Film Festival, right from the films it picks for its two main sections in competition for Palme dOr and the Un Certain Regard to the stuff actors and directors say and do. Asghar Farhadi, one of the two Iranian directors whose films are in competition in Cannes, took a few minutes at the end of the press conference for his film to call on the Iranian government to allow his fellow director Jafar Panahi to travel to Cannes for the show of his film, 3 Faces. I thought perhaps we could go on to one last point, he said taking the mike. I spoke to him yesterday. I have great respect for his work. I continue to hope he will be able to come. I think theres still time. I would like to send out this message. I hope the decision will be made for him to come. Whats important for him is not to catch a plane, but to see how spectators view his film, how theyll react. Panahi, charged with propaganda against the Iranian government, has been under house arrest since 2011. That year, when his This is Not a Film was shown at Cannes, it had to be smuggled out of Iran in a flash drive hidden inside a cake. Its not known which confectionary item the director has chosen for 3 Faces, which screens on May 13. Ace Balas assistant and an award winning short filmmaker Geetha Rajput turns independent with the movie Narmadha. She has aptly chosen a most accepted theme - mother and son bonding - for her debut with young actress Nandita Swetha playing the lead role. Produced by GR Movie Makers, Vijay Vasanth is roped in to play the male protagonist. Santhosh Prathap, newcomer Arun Deepak, Master Renish play prominent roles. Geetha was critically acclaimed for her movies like Ennai Thediya Naan on transgenders, Mayakkam, a romantic genre and Kapaali, which is about a boy with hearing and speech impairment. Speaking about her big screen debut with commercial genre, Geetha says, Its an emotional family entertainer which focuses on mom-son relationship. Nandita essays the mother of 7-year-old boy. Vijay Vasanth will be portraying a never-seen before character. Talks are on with a leading actor for a cameo appearance. A huge set against the naturalistic backdrops of Nagercoil is being erected and we are planning to kick-start shooting by second week of May. History, politics and crime make for a potent cocktail, especially when they come together in a story with a gripping plot and a narrative that follows a long sweep of time. In the book Bombay Swastika, the story swings from a Nazi Berlin gearing up for its Final Solution, to 1964 Bombay, where Ernst Steiger, a German Jew, accidentally finds himself caught up in the murder of a young tribal, killed amidst allegations of something being stolen from a secure American compound. Bombay Swastika is a true love story. I just fed it steroids. There really was this Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany, who ended up in British India to fall in love with a Sindhi refugee from Pakistan. That was all the inspiration needed for a historical thriller. After that, the story wrote itself, says the author Braham Singh. With the monsoons laying siege on the city, the reader accompanies Ernst past Bombays refugee camps and haunted whorehouses, food shortages, textbook mafias, communist protests against American PL 480 Food Aid, and peculiar happenings at Indias nuclear facility, where Dr Homi. J. Bhabha, the nations atomic mastermind, gets drawn into a conspiracy hatched in his absence. The book is an exploration of the dark world of absolute truths. Talking about how an idea can spark a whole story, Singh says, For inspiration to write, one should read books, go to places, and meet people. Together, they are dynamite when it comes to germinating a plot. Keeping abreast on whats happening around us helps. Mysteries and detectives are also elements he finds himself leaning toward as a reader. A fictional character close to my heart is Arkady Renko Martin Cruz Smiths tortured Russian detective, he says, adding, Theres this bit in one of Smiths books about how the KGB has the best cars and Renko says, True, but they dont always take you where you want to go. It tickles me no end that an American author allows us a better peek into a Russian mind than many brilliant Russian writers Ive read. Among the books he keeps revisiting time and again are Hellers Catch 22, Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment, Kiran Nagarkars Cuckold, Khushwant Singhs Delhi. Also Macbeth. Its like visiting old friends, he says. Writing can be a passion, and a joy, but getting published is tough business. A strong streak of positivity and resolve is very essential to survive the rejections that one invariably faces, says Singh, advising aspiring authors to be resilient and self-confident. Citing his own example, he says, The last thing a writer should do is give up, or indulge in self-publishing. A single sentence rejection letter should be treated with the contempt it deserves. However, many a time the editor or literary agent lays out why the rejection, or maybe hint at it. That criticism is priceless should you decide to use it. Bombay Swastika was re-worked five times because of rejection letters. I want to go meet some of these people and hug them for making me a better writer. A single sentence rejection letter should be treated with the contempt it deserves. However, many a time the editor or literary agent lays out why the rejection, or maybe hint at it. That criticism is priceless should you decide to use it Braham Singh, author The largest cholera vaccination drive in history, targeting more than two million people across Africa, is now being carried out in five countries - Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, South Sudan and Kenya. Geneva: The first vaccine campaign against cholera in Yemen has started, 18 months after war and a sanitation crisis triggered an epidemic, but the World Health Organisation said it did not yet have permission nationwide to do the vaccinations. Some senior Houthi officials, whose forces control the capital Sanaa, have objected to vaccinations and this has already delayed the programme by nearly a year, aid workers say. There have been more than one million suspected cases of cholera in Yemen, and 2,275 recorded deaths since Nov 2016, the WHO says. The oral vaccination campaign, which began in four districts in Aden on Sunday targeting 350,000 people, coincides with the rainy season, which health workers fear could spread the disease further. We have plans in place for extending that to all of the at-risk zones and we are still negotiating with health authorities in the north of the country, in Sanaa, in order to plan those campaigns, Michael Ryan, WHO Assistant Director-General, told a news briefing on Monday. As of yet we dont have established dates for those campaigns, but we are ready to move... just as soon as we get those necessary approvals, he added. WHO cholera expert Lorenzo Pizzoli said in a tweet from Aden on Sunday that the campaign hoped to cover at least four million people in areas at risk. The disease is spread by faeces in sewage contaminating water or food, and it can kill because patients quickly lose fluids through vomiting and diarrhoea. Caught early it can be treated with oral rehydration salts. Cholera is still present and this is the classic situation where weve had a first big wave last year, and we fully expect another wave this year. That wave could be as large or potentially even larger, Ryan said. Water sanitation and treatment systems have been destroyed in many parts of Yemen, and access to health care remains extremely limited, he added. Yemens war, a proxy conflict between Iran-aligned Houthis and the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which is backed by a Saudi-led alliance, has killed more than 10,000 people since 2015 and displaced more than two million. In July 2017, the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision - which manages a global stockpile - earmarked one million cholera vaccines for Yemen. But the WHO and local authorities together decided to scrap a vaccination plan on logistical and technical grounds and the doses were diverted to South Sudan. The largest cholera vaccination drive in history, targeting more than two million people across Africa, is now being carried out in five countries - Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, South Sudan and Kenya - the WHO and GAVI vaccine alliance said on Monday. On Monday, after buying a pouch of oil from a kirana shop, when the two girls entered the lane to reach their homes, the accused, Md Salman, 20, came from behind, grabbed both of them in his arms and molested them. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: The Reinbazar police arrested a man on Tuesday who allegedly sexually assaulted two minors. Aged 11, both children study in Class V. On Monday, after buying a pouch of oil from a kirana shop, when the two girls entered the lane to reach their homes, the accused, Md Salman, 20, came from behind, grabbed both of them in his arms and molested them. Unable to bear the pain, the children screamed. Thankfully passers-by gathered in a jiffy and thrashed the accused. The accused has been booked under the Pocso Act. In May, Narender, a businessman, engaged in garment exports, approached the Crime Branch that he was cheated by Virender Mohan Brar, Baba Brar and others. (Photo: Twitter/@bhishamsingh24) New Delhi: A father-son duo was arrested by the Delhi Police Crime Branch for allegedly cheating a man of Rs. 1.43 crore on the pretext of selling and testing Rice Puller, apparently used by research agencies, police said Tuesday. In May, one Narender, a businessman engaged in garment exports, approached the Crime Branch that he was cheated by Virender Mohan Brar, Baba Brar and others, they said. The accused claimed to be testing a Rice Puller aka RP, a brass plate apparently charged by thunderbolt and required by NASA/DRDO for space research. The complainant alleged that few years ago, he came in contact with one person who told him about huge profits in dealing with Rice Puller, police said. The victim met Virender Mohan Brar, managing director of a company, who told him that his company could arrange the sale of RP to NASA at a price of around Rs 37,500 crore after testing its genuineness, which would be done by scientists of the DRDO and some chemicals would be imported for it, police said. Virender Mohan Brar also told the complainant that they would pay Rs 10 crore immediately on the spot as token money if the test was found "OK", they said. The victim entered into an MoU with Virender Mohan Brar and paid Rs 87.2 lakh for arranging special anti-radiation suits to be worn by scientists during testing, fees of scientist, for obtaining chemicals required for testing etc, police said. The testing of the RP was scheduled in Hapur but could not happen as the accused made an excuse that the place was not conducive and after that the said testing was delayed by them on one or another pretext, they said. At the same time, the other associates of the alleged seller of RP mounted pressure on the victim for finalisation of the deal or they would sell it to some other person and took him to another company and convinced him that he would not be cheated this time, police said. After that the complainant again entered into an MoU with the company and paid Rs 51.1 lakh on different occasions for the testing of RP, which was scheduled in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, they said. Later, the victim came to know that the said scientist was working with the accused for Rs 20,000, police said. Subsequently, Virender Mohan Brar and his son Nitin Mohan alias Baba Brar, were arrested, they said. During investigation, the RP copper plate, anti-radiation scientist suits of NASA and anti-radiation chemical stickers were seized from their possession. "Rice Puller is a non-existent thing, but cheats take a copper plate or utensil and coat it with liquid magnet and then fill some boiled rice with small iron wires and befool the victim by pulling the rice grain towards the magnet coated copper article," said Alok Kumar, joint commissioner of police (Crime). The accused, Veerabhadraiah, and his men barged into Chandrashekar's house and kidnapped Rajesh on Tuesday morning. (Representational Image) Bengaluru: Moneylenders kidnapped a 15-year-old boy from his residence in Adakamaranahalli while he was alone at home, after his father refused to pay the excess interest. The incident took place in Madanayakanahalli police limits on Tuesday. The victim, Rajesh (name changed), a class 9 student at a residential school in Andhra Pradesh, had come home for summer vacations. At the time of incident, his father M. Chandrashekar, who is a tractor driver, had gone to work, while his mother and sister were in their hometown. The accused, Veerabhadraiah, and his men barged into Chandrashekar's house and kidnapped Rajesh on Tuesday morning. Chandrashekar, who returned home in the evening, could not find his son. When he called Rajesh on his mobile phone, Veerabhadraiah took the call and told him that his son had been held captive and would be released only after he paid Rs 1.5 lakh that was due. Chandrashekar rushed to the Madanayakanahalli police station and filed a complaint against Veerabhadraiah, who released the teenager in the night. Chandrashekar said Rajesh was terrified after the incident as his abductors had taken him to an isolated place and threatened to kill him if his father tried to approach the police. Chandrashekar stated in his complaint that he had taken a loan of Rs 20,000 from Veerabhadraiah in 2015 and had returned it in seven instalments by paying Rs 3,750. But Veerabhadraiah asked him for an interest payment of Rs 1.5 lakh. The Madanayakanahalli police have registered a case. The car that got toppled in the mob attack in Athimoor village, near Polur on Wednesday. Chennai: In yet another case of mob attack on people mistaken for child-lifters, a 65-year-old woman, wife of an ex-serviceman, was lynched by over 500 villagers at Athimoor village near Polur in Tiruvannamalai district on Wednesday. While Rukmani died on the spot, her four relatives, two of them Malaysian nationals, sustained grievous injuries in the mob fury that saw their car upturned. Visuals of the mad attack on the hapless family went viral sending shock waves. The mob pulled out the five wailing people from the car and beat them up, some of them kicking the men fallen down with clothes torn. The mob rage did not subside even after the attackers saw Rukmani dead and it did not abate though some policemen arrived there and pleaded for mercy. According to police, Chandrasekharan, 34, of Sathanur and Mohankumar, 34, hailing from Malaysia had visited their relative Rukmani, 65, of Old Pallavaram (Chennai) and were staying with her family. On the advice of an astrologer, they along with Rukmani and her relative Mohan Kumar had gone to worship their family deity, Sri Mariyamman temple near Athimoor village, located at the foothills of Javadhu Hill, in a car. While returning, driver Gajendran lost the way and stopped to seek directions from a local named Siva. While coming from the place, they noticed a girl playing near the place. They gave chocolates to the girl. Noticing this, Siva suspected them to be child traffickers/kidnappers and sounded an alert. Seeing a large number of people rushing to the car, the group attempted to escape from the place. Siva also alerted others local residents en route. Immediately, over 500 persons gathered at a distance and intercepted the car. Without listening to Rukmani and others, the group pulled them out of the car and started attacking them indiscriminately. The car was toppled and mob lynched them. Rukmani succumbed to injuries on the spot. The group stripped others and assaulted them. The video of the incident went viral on the social media. The police rushed to the spot and faced difficulties in rescuing them. Tiruvannamalai district superintendent of police R. Ponni said Rukmani died on the spot. Chandrasekharan, and Mohankumar, Venkatesan, and Gajendran, were rushed the Government Tiruvannamalai Medical College and Hospital. Subsequently Gajendran was shifted to a private medical college in Vellore and three others were referred to the Government Vellore Medical College Hospital at Adukkamparai. The police registered a case against 200 persons and secured over 40 persons. The SP has formed three special teams to nab the other accused. Speaking to reporters, SP said the district has not recorded any incident involving kidnap of children. Speaking to reporters, Rukmani's son Gopinathan said, it was unfortunate that without verifying facts, local residents attacked them. My mother was killed due to a grave blunder committed by the mob. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi addressed a rally in Karnataka on Tuesday ahead of polls in the state. (Photo: PTI) Bengaluru: Ahead of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's visit to poll-bound Karnataka which took place on Tuesday afternoon, the BJP raked up the issue of her Italian origin by referring to her maiden name Antonio Maino. "Today, Ms. Antonio Maino is here in K'taka to save her last citadel from falling! Madam Maino, K'taka needs no lessons from the person who was solely responsible for wasting India's 10 precious years. And to Congress, need to remind you of your 'import' jibe?" Karnataka BJP said in a tweet. The BJP was responding to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's recent remarks calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath "north Indian imports". Read: Speeches cant fill empty stomachs: Sonia Gandhi targets PM in Karnataka "@BJP4Karnataka by waiting for North Indian imports like PM Modi, UPCM Adityanath is admitting they have no leaders in the state. They have reduced their CM face @BSYBJP to a dummy," Siddaramaiah had tweeted. Hitting back, BJP had then said in a tweet, "Imports? How much low can you stoop Mr CM? Your attempt at North-South divide is disgusting." It is not the first time that the issue of Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin has been raked up during the Karnataka polls. At an election rally on May 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dared Rahul Gandhi to talk for 15 minutes about the achievements of the Karnataka government in any language, including his "mother's mother tongue". Also Read: Speak for 15 minutes without reading from paper: Modi dares Rahul in K'taka Prime Minister Narendra Modi was responding to Rahul Gandhi's dare to allow him to speak for 15 minutes in parliament on various issues, including corruption, and that the prime minister will not be able to sit for 15 minutes. "I dare the Congress president to speak in Hindi, English or the mother tongue of his mother to deliver a speech in Karnataka for 15 minutes, without reading out from a piece of paper, on the achievements of the party government, people of Karnataka will draw their own conclusion," he said. Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi are currently campaigning in Karnataka. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti said it was agreed that there should be a unilateral ceasefire during the holy month of Ramzan and Amarnath Yatra. (Photo: Twitter/ANI) Srinagar: Against the backdrop of the death of a Tamil Nadu tourist in Jammu and Kashmir due to stone pelting, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday convened an all-party meeting to deliberate on the worsening situation in the state and discuss measures to restore normalcy in the valley. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Mufti said it was agreed that there should be a unilateral ceasefire during the holy month of Ramzan and Amarnath Yatra. Everyone agreed that we must appeal Centre that government must think about a unilateral ceasefire like Vajpayee ji did in 2000. Encounters, crack downs is causing trouble to common man. Efforts must be made to maintain environment so that both Eid and Amarnath Yatra are peaceful, the J&K chief minister said. She further said all the representatives also agreed to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and express their concerns. Everyone agreed that if agenda of alliance between BJP and PDP is followed, then situation in J&K can be changed. Everyone also agreed that we meet PM Modi and express our concerns over situation in J&K and discuss how do we reach out to people of the state, Mufti added. PM Modi is scheduled to visit the state next week. On Monday, 22-year-old Chennai resident S Thirumaniselvam, who was holidaying in the valley with his family, died after his vehicle was attacked by stone pelters. Mufti has termed the incident as sad and heartbreaking. Also Read: Head hangs in shame: CM Mehbooba Mufti on TN tourist death in J&K stone-pelting The incident has evoked widespread outrage in the valley. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said he is confident that Narendra Modi would not be the next Prime Minister. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday took potshots at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks that he was ready to be the prime minister, saying the Congress president, who is harbouring "lofty dreams" despite his party's losing spree, should first try to win state elections. BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said while it is Rahul Gandhi's right to "dream" about becoming the prime minister, even Congress' allies were not accepting him as their leader. Shahnawaz Hussain reminded Rahul Gandhi that after he became Congress vice president, "his party lost 13 states and after he took over as party president, it has lost five states and Karnataka will be the sixth one". "Look at the irony, Congress is losing state after state ever since Gandhi took over as party's vice president and then party chief. But he is dreaming to become the prime minister. Even Congress' allies are not accepting him as their leader," Hussain told reporters. The BJP leader emphasised that the country will once again elect Narendra Modi as their Prime Minister. "Finally what was in his heart has come out," Hussain said on Rahul Gandhi's remarks "It is good to see that he has such lofty dreams. It is his right. But, to become the prime minister, he has to win some, at least some state elections and make chief ministers of his choice. Under his leadership, the party is not winning any state election and he is dreaming of becoming the prime minister," he said. The BJP leader claimed that Congress was facing defeat in Karnataka. "Rahul Gandhi will hit a sixer after losing Karnataka," he said, adding the Congress has already lost "five states" after he became party president. Hussain was responding to Rahul Gandhi's remarks in Bengaluru on Tuesday that he is ready to become the prime minister if his party emerges as the "biggest" party after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Also Read: Ready to be PM if Cong emerges victorious in 2019 LS polls: Rahul Gandhi Rahul Gandhi said he is "pretty confident" that Narendra Modi would not be the next Prime Minister. If the Congress acts as a "platform" (with other parties in a coalition), the BJP does not stand a chance of winning the elections, he said at a function where he launched the 'Samruddha Bharat Foundation'. Justice Chelameswar has been at the centre of controversies this year, after he along with 3 other senior SC judges called a press conference and publicly raised concerns over the allocation of cases to benches. (Photo: File/PTI) New Delhi: Justice J Chelameswar, the second most senior judge in the Supreme Court, is has reportedly turned down the invitation by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to attend his farewell function. The 64-year-old judge is slated to retire on June 22. Justice Chelameswar has been at the centre of controversies this year, after he along with three other SC judges -- Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur, and Kurian Joseph called a press conference at his home in Delhi and publicly raised concerns over the allocation of cases to benches. In the press conference, the four judges mentioned that the situation in the apex court was "not in order" and many "less than desirable" things have taken place. Subsequently on 21 March, Justice Chelameswar wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) asking him to consider convening a full court to take up the issue of alleged executive interference in judiciary. On 25 April, Justice Chelameswar also skipped a customary lunch meeting, a tradition in which all judges of the court meet for the afternoon meal every Wednesday. Hyderabad: More handloom clothes will be made available online and in shops for the public to purchase. Minister K T Rama Rao directed officials to make arrangements to enhance the TSCO website and stalls, and take-up rebranding measures. The officials informed the Minister that all measures were being taken to ensure that the distribution of sarees during the Bhathukamma festival was done without any difficulties. The sarees are being manufactured in the state and they will be available for sale in the 3rd week of Sep. The saree designs and quality were selected after discussions with various womens associations, the officials pointed. Mr Rao said there was a need to set up a training centre to train artists and develop skills in the apparel parks at Gundlapochamapally and Pashamylaram . Reviewing the functioning of apparel units in the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation park, the minister directed the officials concerned to act upon the lease of units operating in these parks which were not part of the textiles sector. Karnataka Assembly election 2018: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said election in the state is not only about who will win, but it will decide the future of Karnataka's youth. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) Bangarapet (Karnataka): Once again intensifying his attack on the Congress Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said it is time for the people of Karnataka to bid farewell to the party. Addressing an election rally at Bangarpet, PM Modi said, "People of various states have bid farewell to the Congress and that now it is time for the people of Karnataka to do the same." "It is high time that the people of Karnataka see through the intent of the Congress and instead vote for those who work, those who show the results on the ground. Karnataka must reject the Naamdaars, and vote for the Kaamdaars," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging people to vote the Congress out in the May 12 elections. The Prime Minister said that the Congress has not done justice with the aspirations of the people of Karnataka. He added that the election in the state is not only about who will win, but it will decide the future of Karnataka's youth. Attacking Congress President Rahul Gandhi over his ready to become Prime Minister remark, Modi said, Yesterday he (Rahul Gandhi) says he wants to be Prime Minister. He declared himself to be Prime Minister in 2019... does this not show that his level of arrogance has reached the seventh heaven. Also Read: Ready to be PM if Cong emerges victorious in 2019 LS polls: Rahul Gandhi Attacking Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, PM Modi said, "When the people here, the farmers of this constituency, went with folded hands to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ask for water... WATER - their basic right... the chief minister didn't even meet them, and instead got them lathi-charged. The Congress refused even water for you all... It is deplorable." Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, There was a time when the Congress flag used to fly from the Panchayat to the Parliament but because of you (voters) the Congress has fallen down today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also listed out six diseases of Congress. "Congress culture, Communalism, Casteism, Crime, Corruption, Contractor system -- these are the six evils that the Congress has brought on the nation and these are the evils Congress stands for," PM Modi said. PM Modi said that these six C's are destroying the Constitution and is hampering the true spirit of democracy. The Prime Minister said the Congress thinks that when they win an election, they have got a contract to carry out their corrupt practices. Modi said when Manmohan Singh was the prime minister, the remote control was at 10 Janpath and the show was being run by Sonia Gandhi. "You voted us - the BJP - to power in 2014. We too have a remote control, but the remote control is in the hands of 125 crore countrymen. You all are my high command. I do as you say," said the Prime Minister. "The Congress is famous for its black-marketing (kale dhande)... You must have seen during demonetisation how the Congress leaders were rattled and struggling... You all saw how money and jewellery was found in their homes, under beds, hidden elsewhere... The Congress sowed the seeds of black money and corrupt practices in India over the decades... A seed that has destroyed India, but benefitted the Family," PM Modi said. Chikkamagaluru: A day after nearly 10,000 voter identity cards were recovered from Bengaluru in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress party of indulging in malpractices to win elections. Addressing a rally in Chikkamagaluru on Wednesday, PM Modi said, Making multiple fake voter ID Cards to win elections is the tactic of Congress, people should never forgive such party. Fearing a crushing defeat, Congress is indulging in all kinds of malpractices. Further launching an all-out attack at the opposition, the Prime Minister said, When it is certain that the Congress is going to fail, their supporters create rumours like hung assembly. They have started the same in Karnataka. This implies that BJP will make a government with full majority. He also accused the opposition of playing divisive politics. The Congress fears defeat. It is spreading lies and dividing people on basis of religion and caste, he said. Also Read: Rahul Gandhi's PM ambition is simply arrogance: Modi attacks Cong chief At his second rally on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi also took a jibe at Rahul Gandhis PM remark and said, Throughout the day, a Congress leader thinks only about one thing - how to be the Prime Minister? If this isn't arrogance, then what is? Targeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Modi said that he is not bothered about the Congress party or its culture. "The 'naamdaar' of Congress keeps getting promoted even if he doesn't do anything. He was made General Secretary of the party in 2007. He said he'll make a young team and bring new ideas, it has been 11 years and things are still what they used to be. He only thinks about the chair of prime minister. He thinks that the chair is reserved for only one family. Criticising the Siddaramaiah-led government for not working for the welfare of the people of state, PM Modi said, Congress only wants to remain in power. In 1978, Indira Ji came here, took your votes but never cared for people of this region. Congress never thought about welfare of people of Chikkamagaluru. Sonia Ji too contested from Bellari, but what happened to promises made here? he asked. Bengaluru: With just three days left for the Karnataka Assembly elections, a major revelation has been reported from Bengaluru, where nearly 10,000 voter identity cards were recovered from an apartment late on Tuesday night. The Election Commission has ordered an inquiry into the discovery of the voter ID cards. Alleging that the apartment from where the voter ID cards were recovered was linked to a Congress lawmaker, BJP has demanded that elections to the Raja Rajeshwari Nagar (RR Nagar) be cancelled. The Congress hit back, accusing the BJP of enacting this "drama" of raiding an apartment owned by a local BJP leader and planting "fake evidence". The state election commission swept into action and convened a press conference at around midnight. Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said the cards were found wrapped in smaller packets. Sanjiv Kumar also said that form 6A (Application for Inclusion of Name in Electoral Roll by an Overseas Elector) with a counterfoil with certain numbers were also found. He also said that the colour in the counterfoil appeared unusual. The commission went on to say that 5 laptops and a printer were also recovered from the apartment. "In next 24 hours we will get to know more facts based on which a firm decision will be taken," Sanjiv Kumar said. The CEOs official press release said that the apartment was owned by a person named Manjula Nanjamari and was rented to a person named Rakesh. "We do not know if he is related in anyway to Muniratna," he added. "BJP's lies stand exposed," said Congress's Randeep Singh Surjewala, demanding a "high-level enquiry" into the discovery of voter ID cards in Bengaluru. "This is a BJP conspiracy & we have exposed it. High level enquiry should be ordered by EC against all those indulging in this conspiracy to get the election countermanded by planting fake evidence. Lodge an FIR against all these top bjp leaders": @rssurjewala#BJPDramaExposed Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018 "This is the BJP MLA candidate Muniraj Gowda with BJP leader Rakesh, in whose flat the voter IDs were recovered. Election Commission has clearly said that Manjula Nanjamari had rented the flat to her son Rakesh. BJP's lies stand exposed": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/5N2WRNHJX9 Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018 Tweeting the photographs of the trunk loads of fake photo identity cards, Union Minister Sadananda Gowda said, "Democracy is being attacked". Raja Rajeshwari Nagar is one of the larger constituencies in Bengaluru and has about 4.71 lakh voters. In 2013, the seat had gone to the Congress's Munirathna who secured 37 per cent vote share. Munirathna, who is seeking re-election, is pitted against the BJP's Muniraju Gowda PM who put out a video of the search on Facebook. According to BJP, its local leaders in the constituency had searched the place on their own. Sadananada Gowda said they had discovered over 20,000 ID cards, five laptops, a printer and thousands of Election Commission forms used by new voters to enrol. Bengaluru: #Visuals from Flat No. 115 at SLV Park View Apartment in Jalahalli area from where 9,746 voter ID cards were found. Returning Officer along with other election commission officials present at the flat #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/PxOeaUdvS3 ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018 There are a total of 4,71,459 voters in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency, and the elector to population ratio was 75.43 per cent, which is higher than the average for Bengaluru. The CEO said 44,857 voters were added this year an increase of 10.3 per cent against a state average of 6.04 per cent. Kozhikode: The Childline India Foundation will screen the trains to trace runaway children and those involved in trafficking and begging. A 24x7 Childline help desk for this purpose will be opened at Kozhikode, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram railway stations this month. Train is the major mode of travel for children who either run away from homes or are trapped by the mafia for trafficking and begging. They would be rescued and sent to their native places or childrens homes, said Childline district coordinator M.P Mohammadali. As many as 12 staff members were selected for each station, including a Childline railway coordinator and a counsellor. A total of 66 trains halt at Kozhikode station daily. Our volunteers will inspect each train and railway premises and if any children are traced, they would be rescued with the help of Railway Protection Force, Mr Ali said. According to sources, the RPF was tipped off about roaming children so far, but the result was not encouraging. Passengers who come across such children in trains or railway premises can contact Childline toll free number 1098 round the clock, said K.I. Akash Francis, Childline railway coordinator at Kozhikode. According to Childline Malappuram coordinator Anwar Karakkadan, the helpline desk is operational at 20 important railway stations outside Kerala and assistance was provided to 4443 children till date. Two minor girls were allegedly gangraped repeatedly for two months in Kolkata's Gobindapur area. (Representational Image) Kolkata: Two minor girls were allegedly gangraped repeatedly for two months in Kolkata's Gobindapur area. The victims said that they had repeatedly been raped by a security guard and his friend. Both the accused have been arrested, and a case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In the recent past, there has been a surge in sexual crimes against minors. In January, an eight-year-old girl, who belonged to a nomadic Muslim tribe in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua, was allegedly abducted, drugged, gang-raped, tortured and killed. In Indore, an infant below the age of one was allegedly raped and killed. Taking cognizance of such crimes, 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 POCSO Act. 'Jinnah can never be an ideal figure to those who believe in the country's unity and integrity,' said Ramdev, who was in Nalanda district of Bihar to hold yoga classes. (Photo: ANI) Nalanda (Bihar): Yoga guru and entrepreneur Baba Ramdev is the latest to join the row over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). On Tuesday, Ramdev said Muslims, who do not "attach importance" to pictures or idols, should not worry about portraits of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Ramdev was responding to a query over the demand for removal of a portrait of Jinnah from the premises of the AMU. "Ab musalman toh chitron aur murtiyon mein vishwas nahi rakhte. Unko toh iss baare mein chinta hi nahi karni chahiye (Muslims don't believe in pictures and idols. They should not have to think about it), Ramdev said. "The ghost of Jinnah is hogging a lot of limelight," Ramdev told news agencies, adding that the Pakistan founder is good for his country but can "never be an ideal figure to those who believe in India's unity and integrity". "Jinnah can never be an ideal figure to those who believe in the country's unity and integrity," said Ramdev, who was in Nalanda district of Bihar to hold yoga classes. Ramdev's remarks comes within a week of Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi criticising suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, for praising Jinnah amid the controversy over his portrait at AMU. The minister had said Aiyar's statement revealed the "true feelings of the Congress party". The row over Jinnah made the headlines after BJP's Aligarh MLA Satish Gautam questioned the portrait's presence in the AMU student union office. AMU officials have said Jinnah was a founder-member of the university's court and was granted life membership of the student union. On May 3, 28 students and 13 police personnel were injured in clashes that broke out between AMU students and security forces, over the former demanding action against right-wing protesters who entered the campus and wanted Jinnah's portrait removed from the student union office, where it has been hanging for decades. After widespread tension on campus, AMU was forced to push back examinations scheduled on May 7 to May 12. A statement from AMU said, the decision was taken in a consultative meeting under the chairmanship of the University Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor. Professor Mansoor told PTI, the University has taken the decision after improvement in the law and order situation on campus. He said there was no proposal for closing the University for longer period, as the present situation does not warrant it. The VC requested students to come forward and help in restoring normalcy and peace on campus. The cocaine seized at Cochin International Airport from an El Salvador national. He had hid the contraband in covers of a soap brand available in Brazil. Kochi: In a major seizure, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials seized two kg cocaine worth nearly Rs 10 crore from a Latin American national who arrived at the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) from Brazil via Dubai on Tuesday. Johnny Alexander Duran Sola (35), an El Salvador national, was intercepted by a team of sleuths from the NCB Cochin sub-zone unit at the international terminal exit while acting on specific information. He arrived by an Emirates flight (EK 532) from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil via Dubai that landed here at 2.50 am. Upon inspection of his baggage, the cocaine was found concealed inside covers of branded soap available in Brazil. "Out of the 13 soap covers, 12 of them were filled with the narcotic stuff while one was original soap, a senior NCB official said. The accused was taken to Kochi office of the NCB and was being interrogated to gather details such as where and whom the consignment was meant for, whether any help was received from the airport staff or personnel among others. The seized cocaine is of pure form and was found to be sourced from the cocaine production belt in South America though the trafficker belongs to central American country. Johnny is suspected to be working at the behest of a cocaine cartel based in South America. The trafficker was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985, the officer said. Further probe is underway. Earlier on January 1, the NCB seized 4.5 kgs of cocaine worth Rs 25 crore from a Filipino woman from the airport. In November, the NCB had arrested a Paraguayan national with 3.6 kilograms of cocaine and about one and half months later, they picked up a Venezuelan national with over one kilogram of the contraband in his tummy. The Home Ministry has already set up a multi-disciplinary group to initiate action to choke funding sources of Maoists and to seize assets of their leaders. (Photo: Representational) New Delhi: Security forces are continuing with their onslaught against Maoists and have seized more than Rs 1.43 crore cash, 20 acres of land, several buildings in Bihar and Jharkhand and two flats in Kolkata bought by Maoist leaders through their ill-gotten money, officials said on Tuesday. This seizure under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was in addition to that by the Enforcement Directorate of cash and other properties of two prominent leaders of the CPI (Maoists) of Bihar and Jharkhand. As much as Rs 1.43 crore in cash, 20 acres of land, several buildings, cars, SUVs, excavators, bus and tractors were seized under the UAPA from Maoist leaders in Bihar and Jharkhand in recent times, a Home Ministry official said. Security forces also seized two flats purchased in Kolkata by a Maoist leader from neighbouring Bihar. The confiscated money includes Rs 27.5 lakh cash, which was seized from Prabhawati, wife of late Maoist leader Arvindji, in Jehanabad in Bihar and Rs 25.15 lakh, seized from Rohit, the son of Maoist leader Nandu Yadav in Latehar in Jharkhand. Of the seized properties, which were bought with extortion money, include 7 acres of land bought by Maoist leader Yamuna Mistri in Aurangabad, two acres of land purchased by Naxal leader Arjun Singh in Jehanabad, 2.2 acres of land bought by Sunil Singh in Aurangabad (Bihar) and two flats purchased by another Maoist, Santosh Jhar, of Sheohar (Bihar) in Kolkata, an official said. The seized vehicles include a Bolero SUV, a Maruti Swift car, a tractor, a Commander jeep, a Scorpio SUV, a JCB excavator and a Swift Dzire car. On Tuesday, an official said, that Pradyuman Sharma, member of Bihar-Jharkhand special area committee of the CPI (Maoists), paid Rs 22 lakh towards fees for admission of his niece in a private medical college last year. Another member of the CPI (Maoists), Sandeep Yadav, gave Rs 15 lakh for exchange during the demonetisation. Sandeep Yadav's daughter studied in a reputed private institute and his son is studying in a private engineering college, another official said. Another senior Maoist Arvind Yadav paid Rs 12 lakh towards fees for his brother to study in a private engineering college. The Home Ministry has already set up a multi-disciplinary group to initiate action to choke funding sources of Maoists and to seize assets of their leaders. The ministry has also initiated the process for creating a separate vertical in the NIA (National Intelligence Agency) for investigating important cases pertaining to the left-wing extremism. 62-year-old businessman, Vijay Mallya, left India in 2016 when the banks were attempting to recover nearly Rs 9,000 crores in unpaid loans to Kingfisher Airlines, a premium airline he started in 2005 and shut down seven years later. (Photo: File) New Delhi/London: Vijay Mallya, the business tycoon wanted in India on loan default and money-laundering charges, has lost a major lawsuit filed by Indian banks in the UK High Court seeking to collect more than USD 1.55 billion (1.04 lakh crore rupees) from him. Judge Andrew Henshaw, on Tuesday, refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Vijay Mallya's assets and upheld an Indian court's ruling that a consortium of 13 Indian banks were entitled to recover funds from him. The banks can now enforce the Indian judgment and sell the businessman's assets in England and Wales to recover crores in dues. The worldwide freezing order prevents Vijay Mallya from removing any assets from the UK up to that value or to dispose of, deal with or diminish the value of his assets. The asset freeze order had forced the flamboyant businessman to live on 5,000 pounds a week, but his allowance was increased to roughly 20,000 pounds a week earlier this year, lawyers for the banks said after the hearing. The 62-year-old businessman left India in 2016 when the banks were attempting to recover nearly Rs 9,000 crores in unpaid loans to Kingfisher Airlines, a premium airline he started in 2005 and shut down seven years later. A court in London is hearing the case of Indian investigators for the liquor tycoon's extradition to face trial in India. Vijay Mallya was arrested in London more than a year ago on a warrant issued by Indian authorities accusing him of conspiring to swindle the IDBI Bank through a Rs 91 billion-rupee loan to Kingfisher Airlines. The injured were immediately rushed to different hospitals in Imphal, but two BSF jawan succumbed to their injuries at RIMS Hospital. (Representational Image) Guwahati: At least two BSF jawans were killed and three civilians injured in a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion triggered near the 49 BSF battalion situated along National Highway 2 in Imphal on Wednesday. Security sources in Imphal told this newspaper that the IED, suspected to have been triggered by some timer device, exploded at about 1.30 pm when the BSF jawans were out on routine sentry duty. The IED ripped off at the side of the highway near a grocery shop situated adjacent to the battalion gate. The blast was so powerful that it not only injured five people but also badly shattered the grocery shop. The injured were immediately rushed to different hospitals in Imphal, but two BSF jawan succumbed to their injuries at RIMS Hospital. The deceased jawans have been identified as Riflemen N.N. Meitei, 30, and Sanjay Tirki, 28; while the inured civilians were identified as H. Mubi, 35, M. Premlata, 40, and Bindya Thakuri, 19. M. Premlata, the grocery shop owner, is said to be in a critical condition. Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh condemned the bomb attack and said his government will not remain a silent spectator. We will hunt them down and book them as per the law, he said. He also visited the hospitals where the bomb blast victims have been admitted.The chief minister said: We do not understand the intentions of the perpetrator, the message they are trying to convey. But they should not forget that nobody is above the law. None of Manipurs militant groups have claimed any responsibility for the attack so far.This is the second attack on the paramilitary forces in the state this week. On Tuesday, two hand grenades were lobbed at an Assam Rifles facility in Imphal city, seriously injuring a jawan attached to the force. New Delhi: The Aadhaar law, which impacts human rights protected as fundamental rights in the Constitution in every possible way, must not remain in the statute, argued senior counsel Shyam Divan in the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Mr. Divan in his rejoinder told a five judge Constitution Bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.K. Sikri, A.M. Kanwilkar, D.Y. Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan that Aadhaar law is an ex-facie violation of an individuals fundamental right to privacy. The overall impact of Aadhaaar law, which affects right to privacy and lacked security for protection of data, violated every aspect of human rights guaranteed under the Constitution, argued Mr. Divan. He urged the court not to falter by upholding the law merely on the ground that huge money had been spent on the programme. It should be struck down as unconstitutional, he said, and added seeding Aadhaar numbers added to the risk of identity theft as mere possession of the number can enable an identity thief to access a host of other information. New Delhi: While tension continues to prevail at the Aligarh Muslim University, Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Wednesday met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss issues concerning the premier academic institution, engulfed in controversy over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on its premises. Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs said Mr Singh assured Dr Mansoor of all help from the Union government in restoring normalcy in the university. Dr Mansoor later told reporters that the meeting was fixed long ago and had nothing to do with the current controversy. I have requested the home minister to send Central officials for the recruitment of students in central services like the engineering service," he said. The vice-chancellor said the portrait of the Pakistan founder had been hanging in the AMU students' union office since 1938 and it was a non-issue. BJP MP Satish Gautam had written a letter to Dr Mansoor objecting to the portrait, triggering a row. The university has formed a 16-member committee to settle the issue. New Delhi: Observing that former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan has suffered a lot, the Supreme Court on Wednesday indicated that it would consider awarding Rs 60 to 75 lakh to be paid by the state of Kerala. The Chief Justice Dipak Misra, heading a bench hearing the plea of Mr Narayanan observed, Truth has come out. His reputation was dented and now restored for denting the reputation let the state of Kerala pay Rs 60 lakh or Rs 75 lakh. The Bench, which also included Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud, however expressed difficulty in directing criminal prosecution. The CJI after hearing senior counsel V. Giri, for the petitioner observed, If we direct criminal prosecution against those who had ordered re-investigation then everyone will come to court and there will be chaos. The officers involved must pay for damages. Let the state pay the Petitioner and recover it from the officers, he added. Chennai: Granting liberty to the aggrieved persons including fresh complainants to submit their applications/grievance petitions/complaints/materials available with them in respect of the conduct of elections to the co-operative societies across the state, without any further delay, the Madras high court has directed the Tamil Nadu State Cooperative Societies Election Commission (TNSCSEC), on receipt of such complaints/applications/grievance petitions, shall consider the same and also provide personal hearing, if any request was made, in a free and fair and transparent manner. Justice S.M. Subramaniam gave the directive while disposing of a batch of petitions relating to conduct of cooperative societies election in the state. The judge said TNSCSEC should apply its mind while considering grievance petitions. Such an endeavour of completing the process and taking a decision should be done within eight weeks from the date of receipt of such grievance petitions. If a decision was taken in respect of any cooperative society, TNSCSEC was free to declare the results. After the declaration of results and disposal of the grievance petitions, if the party was still aggrieved, they can approach the authorities under section 90 (1) of the Tamil Nadu State Cooperative Societies Act. In the event of raising dispute under section 90 of the Act, the same shall be disposed of within 6 months, subject to the condition that the party to the dispute shall co-operate. If there was no cooperation the authority was not bound by this direction, the judge added. The judge said as directed by this court, the additional registrar/secretary, TNSCSEC was present before this court and assisted the court in respect of details of elections. Recording the submissions of the counsel for the petitioners alleging irregularities, illegalities committed during cooperative societies election and the submission of Additional advocate general P.H. Arvindh Pandian that the authorities have acted swiftly on the complaints received and elections were held as per the procedure and there were only 412 grievance petitions were pending, the judge in his order elaborately dealt with the provisions of the Tamil Nadu State Cooperative Societies Act and Rules and pointed out the alternative remedy available to the aggrieved persons. This being the legal position, all the aggrieved persons from and out of elections conducted in respect of co-operative societies is at liberty to file representations/objections to the TNSCSEC. On receipt of the same, TNSCSEC shall call for remarks from the election officer and thereafter, it is at liberty to take a decision in accordance with law, the judge said adding that if a decision is taken, it is to be communicated to the parties without any delay. Chennai: The diversification of the nation demands a federal outlook, where the state should never let go off its regional rights and the business should be carried out with concern for people, Makkal Needhi Maiam founder and actor Kamal Haasan said on Wednesday while addressing a session organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Admitting that politics was played over river Cauvery, Kamal recalled his earlier statement that the dispute can be easily addressed, if politics was kept aside. A logical solution will arrive if the issue is left to the farmers of both the states, he said. When asked about his views on educational institutions and the industries in the state he said that the colleges are rolling out just graduates. We need to improve the quality of education, where every graduate is employable, he said adding that industries should do business abiding by the law of the land where the common man is taken care in a constitution set up as prescribed by Mahatma Gandhi, Kamal added. Later, political commentator and editor of Tamil magazine Thuglaq, S Gurumurthy, addressed the Ficci meeting and said that shelf life of ideas has shortened to quarterly results, where the corporate set up fails to think about long term plans and strategies. The columnist also blamed the media for hyping even a municipal election. Bypoll results are converted into headlines disturbing the vision and focus of governments if they lose a poll. On GST, Gurumurthy said it was a harsh step on the economy, but he backed the demonetisation imposed by Centre. The chartered accountant by qualification also urged the business captains to be a good observer and said that industries will grow only if the small and medium enterprises are supported by creating a social economy, which is different from contract economy promoted by the west. Thaatha, Thaatha... a young boy cried, chasing after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, as he emerged from the throng at a late night rally in Nanjangud where a 5,000 strong crowd had gathered on the main street to hear him tear into the JD(S) opponent. Siddaramaiah's clever one-liners as he blew a hole in the JD(S)' bogus claims of having spent Rs 500 crores since the JD(S) lost the seat to the Congress in recent bypolls had the overwhelmingly male crowd clapping and cheering. "Look at this now, I'm seen as a grandfather," said the chief minister, chuckling ruefully as he settled into the car, gulping down a glass of cold water and a hot cup of tea in quick succession. Clearly exhausted at the end of the day's campaign that covered five constituencies including Chamarajnagar district and Nanjangud, it hasnt however dimmed his fighting spirit or his confidence that he will win an absolute majority, he tells NEENA GOPAL and SHYAM SUNDAR VATTAM as he made tracks to his friend's home in Mysuru which has become his headquarters as the campaign heads into the critical final lap What is your perception today of the elections, given the fact that Prime Minister Modi is making one attack after another on your government's performance, levelling charges of corruption against you personally as well as your government. Will people believe these charges? Will it affect you? Who will believe him? People of Karnataka understand, they see through the hollow speeches of PM Modi. What evidence does he have? Being a prime minister, how can he make these charges, what kind of documentary proof does he have? I can also attack him like anything and I am doing it, but not on a personal level. Look what happened in the last by poll in Nanjnagud, when Srinivas Prasad and (B.S) Yeddyurappa attacked me personally. Did you see how it blew up in their faces. They lost miserably. Unless there is evidence, people will not believe. The charge that you have made about JD(S) being the B Team of the BJP. How far is that true? It is a fact. Look at the candidates fielded in Mysore district, look at the candidates the BJP has put up in Chamundeswari, in K. R. Nagar, in Hunsur, in Periyapatna, in Varuna. In all these constituencies, the BJP has fielded weak candidates. The JD(S) candidate in Chamundeswari, G.T. Deve Gowda admitted it when he made a statement that wherever the BJP puts up a strong candidate, the JD(S) would field a weak candidate and wherever the JD(S) puts up a strong candidate, the BJP would do the same. The BJP and the JD(S) are working together to defeat you? Yes, I have completed five years, so they want to defeat me. They are jealous. They do not want me to come back again and continue as chief minister for another five years. That is why they are doing everything they can to stop me from coming back to power. They have come together, the JD(S) and the BJP. Is this further indication that the BJP and JD(S) will come together if there is a hung assembly? That will not happen. There will be no hung assembly. Congress will come back. There will be a clear majority. We have given a stable government. The BJP has given only unstable government. They had three chief ministers, one chief minister has gone to jail. They indulge in resort politics. People have seen, people will not trust them. What about the very strong reports of a group within the Congress party also trying to destroy you to stop you from becoming the chief minister again. No no, not true. There may be chief minister aspirants also. It does not mean they are working against me, or that we are working against each other. That is not true. Is that the sense you're getting in the North? According to the latest survey, in Hyderabad Karnataka, your numbers have gone up. Mumbai Karnataka seems to be holding on, however, in coastal Karnataka, there is a strong charge that with the BJP charging you with having links with the SDPI, which is accused of being behind the killings of BJP and RSS workers, it could affect your chances? Nothing will happen. They have tried this before. Mr Modi came to the area and made fierce speeches. They won only four out of the 19 seats available in Coastal Karnataka. We won 13! The cycle will simply repeat itself this year. In coastal Karnataka, it will be a swing in favour of Congress. What about Hyderabad Karnataka? We will get more than 25 seats out of 40. We got about 23 last time. The number will go up. Are you missing Srinivas Prasad and H. Vishwanath, who sided with you in 2008 and 2013? This time, they're in other parties. What influence does H. Vishwanath have in Chamundeshwari? What about Prasad's influence in Nanjangud? What has he done for Chamundeshwari, for that matter? What have they done in that constituency? And Varuna? You see, we will win. Comfortably. So you don't see a fight in Chamundeshwari? No. They are trying to fight - not Srinivas Prasad or Vishwanath, but the entire BJP cadre. They're trying hard to support the JD(S) candidate. In 2006, they joined together too, back when Kumaraswamy was CM and Yeddyurappa, his Deputy. They spent a lot of money, inspite of which I won. What about the seven JD(S) candidates you brought in to the Congress, having a hard time at the hands of some Congress workers. Is there any truth to it? We heard the Congress was facing an uphill battle in Srirangapatna, Magadi... And there is also the issue of Ambareesh.. he (Ambareesh) did go to Kumaraswamy's house... No, it's not correct. The JD(S) is putting in great efforts in Magadi, Srirangapatna and Nelamangala. They're spending a great deal of money there. As for Ambareesh, he told us he was not ready to contest, saying his health will not permit him to campaign. Going to the house. Ha! That's a political gimmick. He went to his house and had dinner or something. He is not going anywhere! What about your prospects in Badami? I will win quite easily. You're dependent again on a sitting MLA. He may not have the numbers but he is putting in a great deal of effort. And you have Janardhan Reddy behind the scenes. Oh. And what is Janardhan Reddy bringing? Money? Money will not win you an election alone, if you dont have the acceptance of your voters. Money is necessary but it will not work on its own. What do you have to say about the fact that Karnataka is being seen as pivotal for the 2019 election? The victory of the Congress in Karnataka will be a stepping stone for the coming Parliament election. Before that happens, elections are approaching in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The BJP will be defeated in both these places after the Karnataka election. According to me, it's a definite win for the Congress. What about the BJP's prospects in Karnataka? In eight districts, there is no BJP MLA. Chamarajnagar, Mandya, Hassan, Ramanagara, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapur - where are the BJP MLAs? How can they come to power when the BJP is absolutely zero in eight districts. The others districs won't make that much of a difference. The JD(S) isn't too different: they don't have MLAs in Kalaburgi, Ballari, Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Belagavi, Udupi, Chitradurga, Davanagere - nearly a dozen constituencies. Where are the JD(S) MLAs? They have no presence here. NO DALIT CM Why is there still a debate about the next CM? Kharge has been talking about it. Let me clarify to you that there is no race among the dalit Congress leaders in this regard. Our party leader in Lok Sabha is Mallikarjun Kharge, and he has already clarified that he is not a contender for the CM gaddi. Kharge himself made a statement in Afzalpur, where I was present on the dais. He said, "Siddaramaiah will be the next CM". The BJP which is raising the bogey of the dalit CM should declare its senior leader Govind Karjol as it's CM candidate. Since the assembly elections are being fought under my leadership, naturally I am the best choice for the CM post. Do you mean to say that dalits have to wait for another five years to become the CM? Yes, if I am made the CM. Will Congress make a Dalit as deputy chief minister?? I cant say anything about that. This decision has to be taken by the party high command and not me. Whatever is agreed on, I will support the decision. But Parameshwar says CLP? That's the procedure! I talk of procedure too, someone has to be approved by the High Command. That's how things go. And what about the post of CM, sir? I'm not against it. It's up to the High Command. That's awfully big-hearted of you sir, isn't it? CM (Laughs): It's not a question of being big-hearted. It's about providing social justice. The Congress party has made dalits Chief Ministers in some states - Shinde was the CM of Maharashtra. You have Ajit Jogi who was the CM in Jharkhand. Congress is the only party that makes Scheduled Caste leaders CMs. What made you want to contest a second term? I was asked to do so. NOT DEVE GOWDAs PROTEGE You were groomed by H,D. Deve Gowda but appear to have several differences in opinion now. Who groomed me? Did you say Deve Gowda? Who told you this? He claims that he took you under his wing and made you the Deputy CM? Deve Gowda was the person who prevented me from being CM in 1996. This happened in 2004, too. How can he say he has groomed me? As it happens, I was elected as an independent, who didn't know Deve Gowda. In 1995, I was re-elected. In 1994, we formed our own party, he was defeated. How can he say he has groomed me? Who said Deve Gowda is my mentor. I was never groomed by him and in fact he scuttled my chances of becoming chief minister and deputy chief minister. I was groomed by late Ramakrisna Hegde who made me chairman of Kannada watchdog committee and later a minister. Even in JD(S) I was treated badly by Deve Gowda, who is always interested in grooming his family members. This forced me to quit JDS and join Congress. I have no regrets over quitting JDS. He does speak of you with affection. Affection is different. I have my own sense of Karnataka politics. Incidentally, it was Ramakrishna Hegde who made me Chairman of the Karnataka . In 1982, 84, he made me Minister again. Where does Deve Gowda fit in, exactly? But you are aware that the JD(S) and BJP have teamed up to defeat you in Chamundeshwari constituency. In the 2006 by- election, then CM H.D. Kumaraswamy and deputy chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa tried their best to defeat me..did they succeed? People don't believe Kumaraswamy or Deve Gowda anymore. I am confident of winning from both Chamundeshwari and Badami assembly constituencies by a big margin. How do you grade your opponents? JDS is strong in old Mysuru region where there is fight between Congress and JDS; there is fight with BJP in some constituencies in Mumbai- Karnataka and Hyderabad- Karnataka region. But the Congress has been strong across the state. We will win a majority of seats in Coastal districts. In case of a hung assembly, will Congress accept JD(S) help? That question does not arise as the situation will not. People have already decided how to vote. You think? I was told people decide 24 hours before. Does it all depend now on Mr Modi and Sonia ji? Mr Modi is not magic! You're still optimistic about 120 plus seats? Yes. I totally believe the people of this state. I have been seeing them, campaigning, since 1994. I understand the pulse of the people. What will be the JD(S) fate after May 14? I can't say, but they may get around 25 seats. Do you reckon BJP or JD(S) to be a more likely opponent? JD(S) is the opponent in South Karnataka and BJP in the north. That's very honest of you, unlike Mr Modi who said the JD(S) is not worth voting for and will only come third! One needs to know the ground realities! JD(S) is strong enough in about eight districts in the south. So they're not likely to open an account in Hyderabad Karnataka? As things stand, I don't think so. They may get a couple of seats. Last time, they won four seats across Hyderabad and Mumbai Karnataka. One in Navalgunda, one in Bidar and two in Raichur, that's four in all. So why is Kumaraswamy so confident that he will do well? It is just a strategy. Your final numbers are 124? 120 plus, I think. It could be 124, 128 or 132! There is also a strong rumour that the BJP is fielding independent candidates to eat into the Congress vote. I don't think it will help. You can't say for sure whether an independent will only take the Congress vote or the BJP vote. So there is no strategy? None. Take Amit Shah, who is being compared to Chanakya. What has he done in the last month? What about the Lingayat vote? Do you mean to say the Lingayats didn't vote for BJP in the last election? It is a divide. No, what about your own Lingayat gamble? I know you have said several times that the recommendations came from a Commission. But there is a strong feeling that it.. Well, to us, it's not a political issue! Have you heard me bring it up during my campaign? Really? Yes! I haven't touched it! They are saying Siddaramaiah has created a religious divide. What divide have I created? It was established 850 years ago by Basavanna. Not me. Yeddyurappa doesn't know anything, he has not read anything. What about the charge that you met a tainted businessman named Eshwar in China and accepted gifts? I don't know who he is. I went to China to attend the Global Investors Meet. Many people met me, I don't know who they are. They were people from various countries. I went there as Chief Minister, where people came up to me. The story is that you were gifted an expensive watch? Some people say Champaiah gave it to me. Other said it was a Dubai man. Others said I had bought it in a market. Now who is to be believed? It was given to me by Dr Varma. He has filed an affidavit and furnished documents saying the watch was purchased in Dubai. What more is needed now? Is it just another jumla to tarnish your image? Justice Santosh Hegde has specifically brought up the mining scam and the lack of action that followed the Lokayukta report. My image cannot be tarnished. Anyway, this issue goes back to 2014. Why raise it now? It's just a political gimmick. As for the mining scam, the matter was referred to the CBI, who delayed their report. Now, they produce one saying there is no case. We discussed it in the cabinet and have referred it to the SIT for a secondary investigation. All this was done as a response to the original report. Why was there no action taken against officers involved in the scam? When there is no case, what action will we take? There was a case against Janardhan Reddy, so what's the point of prosecuting officers? Justice Hegde says JD(S) and BJP have made a blunder by taking Reddy in and the Congress' blunder is in giving tickets to Nagendra and Ananth Singh. The charges against them are less serious. Mining, illegal export of iron ore: You will be surprised to know that the Reddy brothers' income at that point was `10 crore a day. 30% to 50% had to be given to the Reddy brothers like a hafta. There were serious differences between Janardhan Reddy and Yeddyurappa. Reddy instructed the DC and SP not to receive Yeddyurappa even though he was the Chief Minister. Reddy was a very powerful man. In 2008, he bankrolled the BJP, he gave them Rs 200 crores. That's when the iron ore boom happened with China and they were making quite a bit of money. Why aren't you going after Sriramulu, his wealth? What kind of threat does he pose to you in Badami? 100% I will win. Sriramulu is not a threat. There are still 25,000 STs in the area. And more than 50,000 Kurubas! Before delimitation there were more than 70,000 Kurubas in Badami. Is this according to your secret census! No no, there are now 50,000 of them. There were 70,000 before the de-limitation. There are also about 70,000 votes from the Lingayat community and its many sub sects like Panchamashalis, Ganiga Lingayats, Reddy Lingayats, Banagigas etc. I am confident of getting Lingayat votes too. There are nearly 2,10,000 votes of which I am expecting 70-75 percent votes. Were looking at a tally of some 2 lakh-odd votes and I'm expecting between 70 and 75 percent of these. How will that happen. Will you split the Panchamshali, Lingayat vote? There is a Panchamshali candidate, yes, from JD(S). Since S.R. Patil is with me, I will get the Lingayat vote. Jharkiholi has the ST population, they will counter Sriramulu. So, you don't see the Reddys as a threat at all? Not at all. Even in Ballari city? Why did he leave Ballari and contest elsewhere? He knew he wasnt going to win after his inflammatory speech. Even in Molakalamuru it is a tough election for him. Only with money they are aiming to win elections in both the constituencies. Janardana Reddy is camping in Molakalamuru and Sriramulu is spending time in Badami. So when will the CM be nominated? 16th or 17th? I don't say. I'm not a fool like Yeddyurappa. No politician talks like that! Is Yeddyurappa overconfident? Again, it is just a strategy. Still, sending his son to stand from Varuna without the party's backing makes no sense. His son was campaigning in Varuna for about a month. He went to all the villages in the constituency, at the behest of Yeddyurappa, who told his son to go without the approval of the High Command. It looks like the RSS came in the way of his plans. Or Ananth Kumar and Amit Shah. Thiruvananthapuram: Governor Justice P. Sathasivam on Wednesday sought a report from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the murders in Mahe and Kannur on Monday night. The state government was asked to explain the steps taken to ensure peace after the killings. The governor expressed anxiety over the political killings in the state and asked the government to clarify whether the law and order situation had failed. There were instances of violence after the killings which was worrisome, the governor said. Police say that the murders were planned in advance. CPM leader Kannipoyyil Babu was hacked to death when he was returning home at Palloor in Mahe, part of Puducherry. RSS worker U.C. Shamej was attacked in retaliation at New Mahe in Kannur. Babus murder is being investigated by Puducherry police under Mahe circle inspector A. Shanmukham while Thalassery Circle Inspector Premachandran is probing the murder of Shamej. Kozhikode: The NCERT syllabus would be reduced by half from the 2019 academic session as a relief to school students. The announcement made by Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has brought cheer to the students who feel that they will now be less burdened. But a few academics say that cutting down the syllabus will impact the mindset of students who might not take studies seriously. The decision has worried students who concentrate more on competitive examinations. According to the minister, the school syllabus was heavier than that of BA and B.Com courses. Hence, it was reduced so that the students get time for other activities for their all-round development. This is the phase of developing cognitive skills, which demands freedom for the students. So a heavy load of syllabus would hinder their overall development, he pointed out. As per his plans, the students and the teachers would experience half the weight of the syllabus next year. Education must not be a burden on the students. However, examinations and detentions would be introduced. A few students and teachers have expressed different opinions on the issue. I believe the idea is not to encourage laziness in the kids but to allow them to know themselves better and to mould them to face society. Its high time we give them time to develop their talents and not just focus on their capacity to mug up the texts and score good marks, said Abhinav Nishith, Class 12 student, Bhavans Vidhya Mandir. Although reducing the syllabus will lessen our burden, what should be learnt should be learnt," said S. Aswin, Plus-Two student of Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, Chelari, Malappuram. A decade ago NCERT syllabus was double that of today. That was cut short but questions from those areas still appear for competitive examinations. The new policy might make the situation much worse," he added. There are students with different levels of IQ. NCERT or CBSE is a Herculean task even for the toppers. So cutting down portions could give us less burden, said Shabnam Shakir, 11th grader at Sharjah Indian School, Sharjah. It matters how a school moulds their children; syllabus is secondary as half of the syllabus is of no use. Giving more importance to extra-curricular activities matters in the development of a student, said Mohammed Bilal, a CA student from Chennai. The school syllabus is more than that of a graduate, said Premeela Chandran, faculty of a private school here. Not just the academic development of a student, but overall development is the key towards success. Hence, burdening them with heavy syllabus should be stopped. Studies show that physical and mental growth of a student is hampered by too much work load. This decision should have been taken much earlier, she added. Thomas Jacob, faculty at Kendriya Vidyalaya School here, said that students could perform better for higher examinations by studying the NCERT syllabus. The intensity of the syllabus is important for a student to succeed, he added. The minister had said that without examination there is no competition and no target and that an element of competition for better outcomes is a must. Hence if a student fails in March, he/she would get another chance in May. If a student flunks both times, then only he/she would be detained. He highlighted that a Bill introducing examinations and detentions as part of school education reforms will be considered in the next budget session of Parliament. Hyderabad: After trying 6 ATMs unsuccessfully, I went into a bank. They too had no money and gave me Rs 10,000 in 50 rupee denominations. I had to pay my electricity bill in cash as one of my cheques in November was dated 2016 instead of 2017 which meant that only cash would be accepted from the defaulter for one year, says Vimala Madan from Sainikpuri. This is not an isolated case and there have been many complaints about ATMs running dry in the first ten days of May that usually sees high withdrawals by salaried persons and pensioners. Citizens said that they had to visit a minimum of 4 ATMs to find cash. Ms Shalini Dubey of Anand Bagh said, Out of all the ATMs working in my locality, only one percent of the ATMs hold cash. We are forced to stand for more than 30 minutes as even banks cite cash deficiency. Also, the ATMs that hold cash are not dispensing large currency notes. While the cash crunch was going on, SBI offered cash withdrawal using credit card for their customers. Mr Mahender Reddy a techie and resident of Khairatabad says, The ATMs were running dry in my area and ironically I received an option to withdraw money using my credit card at zero interest. The issue of cash crunch should be addressed first before giving such offers. A bank staffer told DC, Cash crunch may be the result of panic withdrawal by customers who anticipated cash crunch. Especially employees and pensioners tend to withdraw the entire amount fearing no cash will be available in the near future. However the ATMs are being timely refilled. SBI authorities state that 82 per cent of SBI ATMs across Telangana are operational and there is sufficient cash flow. Chennai: Puducherry police registered a case against 28 persons including former minister Kalyanasundaram in connection with the violence that broke out at the public hearing on the expansion of a pharmaceutical unit at Kalapet here. The public hearing organised by the Puducherry Pollution Control Committee on the expansion of Strides Shasun Limited at Thavamani marriage hall at Kalapet turned violent following clash between two groups -one in support of the expansion and the other opposing it, pointing to environmental concerns. A group of people led by former minister Kalyanasundaram staged a demonstration in the hall, disrupting the hearing. Police resorted to a lathi charge and burst tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. Two police officers were injured in the incident. On a complaint from Kalapet sub-inspector Sivaprakasam, police registered cases against 28 persons. Heavy police pickets have been posted as the area remains tense. Police has recommended to the District Collector to clamp prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC in the Kalapet area to prevent any untoward incidents. The Federation for People's Rights demanded here on Wednesday, a judicial probe into the incidents that took place on Tuesday including the police lathicharge and lobbing of tear gas shells. A detailed complaint will be lodged with the National Human Rights Commission in this regard, said G Sugumaran, secretary of the federation. At the same time Lt Governor Kiran Bedi said that the expansion plan of the pharmaceutical company would be kept in abeyance for the time being. She had sought a report from the secretary to Government (Environment), P. Parthiban on all aspects of the process. As many as 58.06 lakh cheques worth Rs 5,608 crore have been printed in the names of farmers and transported to districts. (Representational image) HYDERABAD: The state government has deposited Rs 5,785 crore in banks to enable farmers to encash cheques soon after distribution. Following repeated requests made by the Telangana government, the Reserve Bank of India had sent more cash reserves to the state as a special case to support the Rythu Bandhu scheme. Following severe currency crunch in the state, with all the ATMs and banks going dry, there were concerns over whether the banks will use this amount only for Rythu Bandhu scheme or for other purposes. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had issued a stern warning to the banks to utilise the amount deposited with banks only for Rythu Bandhu Scheme and had said that if they divert this amount for other purposes, the government will initiate stringent action against them. As many as 58.06 lakh cheques worth Rs 5,608 crore have been printed in the names of farmers and transported to districts. The cheques have been stored in local police stations. The government has made arrangements to simultaneously distribute new electronic pattadar passbooks to all land-owners, based on the up-dated land records, under the recent drive taken up in state for purification of land records. Among all the districts barring Hyderabad where the cheques will be distributed, Warangal urban district will get lowest benefit of Rs 69.41 crore and Nalgonda will get highest benefit of Rs 466.24 crore. The government had in April deposited Rs 4,112 crores in banks under two installments. This week, it deposited Rs 1,673 crore making the total to Rs 5,785 crore. The cash is being arranged based on the demand in each district. Banks will give one-month time to the farmers to encash the cheques. The officials concerned were asked to request the farmers to approach the banks in batches instead of approaching all at a time which will lead to stampede-like situation at banks and also lead to currency shortage. Thoothukudi: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami will face protests during his Kovilpatti visit on Friday (May 11) as the DMK led Opposition parties, some traders and anti-Sterlite activists have threatened to stage black flag protests, though separately. The DMK decided to protest the Chief Minister inaugurating the second pipeline scheme that is yet to be completed and governments failure to fully implement the fourth pipeline scheme launched to enhance drinking water supply to Thoothukudi city during the previous DMK regime. Traders and anti-Sterlite activists have decided to display black flags as their demand to close Sterlite was not seriously considered by state government. According to Sethu Rathinam, traders wing coordinator of the Thoothukudi north district DMK, the second pipeline scheme for water starved Kovilpatti town was launched 5 years ago and has been progressing at a snails pace. Ten overhead tanks under this scheme are not completed and half of the house connections are yet to be given. The Chief Minister is to inaugurate a half-built project to hoodwink the people of Kovilpatti, hence to make people understand this drama, we plan a black flag protest during his visit, said Sethu Ratinam. Thoothukudi MLA P Geetha Jeevan added that her party also hopes to bring to the notice of the Chief Minister that the fourth drinking water pipeline scheme launched 12 years ago under the previous DMK rule is yet to be implemented with only 25 percent of people benefiting under the scheme now in Thoothukudi. Traders and anti-Sterlite activists plan the black flag protest to make the Chief Minister understand the growing disappointment of Thoothukudi people on the response of government to the Sterlite issue. Instead of respecting peoples sentiments, state police has been registering cases against those struggling against the private industry, said Baskaran, anti-Sterlite activist and general secretary of the Thoothukudi Central Traders Association. He called upon traders in the district to down their shutters and participate in the black flag protest against the Chief Minister on May 11. The response to these calls has not been so enthusiastic with the Congress, the major ally of the DMK, not in a mood to share the protest platform with the DMK, according to one of the office-bearers of the Thoothukudi district unit of the Congress. The DMK is exploring ways to oust the Congress from their alliance in Tamil Nadu, said the Congress leader. Left parties too have not shown any positive response to the open call given by the Thoothukudi MLA and Thoothukudi north district DMK secretary P. Geetha Jeevan. Many traders, during a meeting held in Thoothukudi on Wednesday morning, openly went against the idea of closing the shops.Police said that ample action has been taken to prevent protestors nearing the Chief Ministers route to the function venue at Kovilpatti. If necessary we will not hesitate to take action under the preventive detention Act, said a police officer. Hyderabad: Congress legislator D.K. Aruna and her husband D.K. Bharatasimha Reddy, a former MLA, on Wedensday gave up investment subsidy under the Rythu Bandhu scheme. They asked the government to spend the money to help families of farmers who had committed suicide in her Gadwal constituency. They did not reveal how much money they would have got under the scheme, which offers Rs 8,000 per acre per year. They said they were not against any welfare schemes, but Rythu Ban-dhu would benefit only rich farmers. They told mediapersons that the scheme should be called Rabandu (vulture) as it would help landlords. They alleged that the TRS government had ignored farmers all this while, and introduced the scheme in the election year for political benefit. They asked the government why it was ext-ending investment subsidy to those who have hundreds of acres. "Gar firdaus ruhe zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin asto is the famous Persian couplet inscribed on the walls of the Diwan-e-Khas at the Red Fort, which means that if there is a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here! Today, a visitor strolling through the marble halls of the Red Fort would find no trace of the paradise other than in her imagination. The paradise is lost. While one has to acknowledge the downright inefficiency of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the nodal agency responsible for conservation, restoration and maintenance of all listed heritage monuments of national importance, the decision of the BJP government at the Centre to hand over the maintenance of the Red Fort and creation of tourist facilities to Dalmia Bharat at a cost of Rs 5 crores annually has created major controversies. The sudden manner in which the information came into the public domain, the lack of clarity and transparency over the exact nature and content of the MoU signed between the government and Dalmia Bharat, the paltry amount which the government is getting for allowing the association of a private company with the iconic monument and the choice of the monument itself touched many raw nerves. The image of this government encouraging crony-capitalism didnt help either. For Indians, the Red Fort is not merely a monument. It has an emotive association, not just because it was the seat of power of one of the mightiest empires of its time, but also due to its intrinsic symbolic association with Indias freedom movement. From the first struggle for independence in 1857 to the INA trials in which Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru donned his barristers gown to defend the accused, from Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses clarion call Dilli Chalo to hoisting the tricolour and addressing the nation by the first Prime Minister of independent India from its ramparts, the Red Fort has been a symbol of Indias pride. Not just Red Fort, but the iconic Taj Mahal, the Ajanta-Ellora caves and many other monuments, even some national parks, have also been enlisted for adoption. Its perhaps a bit difficult for Indians to digest the idea of Dalmia-Red Fort, GMR-Taj or Adani-Sunderbans. No one can deny that our monuments need more care, funds and expertise for their proper conservation, restoration and maintenance. Its also true that the conservation and showcasing of our tourist attractions need more attention. But the Adopt a Heritage policy of the current government has far more danger of potentially damaging a heritage monument rather than help in its preservation. Its clearly a policy formulated without detailed guidelines and clearly defined parameters on credentials and eligibility of the private companies to undertake the delicate task of maintaining a heritage monument, and building and operating tourist amenities within it. What were the criteria for selecting Dalmia Bharat, a cement company, for adopting Red Fort? Shaken by the public outrage, minister of state for tourism K.J. Alphons, said in a damage-control interview with a national news channel that the private companys responsibility was going to be limited to building toilets and providing wi-fi, and also that the company would not be given access to the core areas. Its not only a misleading statement but also indicates the ministers utter lack of understanding of the complexities of handling a heritage monument like the Red Fort. The company will not only build toilets, but also build a 1,000 sq ft visitors gallery, do landscaping, illuminate the monument, put a surveillance system in place and be responsible for maintenance of the monument. Mr Alphons is perhaps not aware that the Red Fort is not a cluster of a few buildings, but the whole complex is an archaeological site. Many buildings within the fort were demolished by the British, but their remnants are perhaps still there buried underground. Utmost care should be taken during any new construction to ensure that the old ones are not damaged. Creating landscapes, illumination of a heritage building, and all restoration and cleaning are the job of experts. But this government does not seem to think its necessary to consult experts. In the Oversight and Vision Committee, the nodal committee for the policy formulation, theres not a single historian, archaeologist, heritage architect or conservationist. No wonder that experience or expertise in the field were not criteria for eligibility of adopting a heritage. Assuming that the company will employ experts, still there is no accountability as the indemnity clause in the MoU clearly absolves the private firms of any damage caused to the monument by them. The government seems far keener to protect the interest of the private companies than ensuring protection of the monuments. There are many PPP models that are being practised the world over to conserve and operate heritage monuments. The simplest one is to generate funds through endowments by private companies and individuals. There are professional bodies of experts who undertake the task of restoration and maintenance of heritage monuments. One of the success stories of the PPP model in heritage conservation in India has been the restoration of Humayuns Tomb by the Aga Khan Foundation. It took that outfit two years of painstaking research before starting any actual work. In contrast, the MoU signed between the government and Dalmia Bharat stipulates that all the work, including building the visitors gallery, need to be finished within a year. It shows a clear lack of sensitivity and understanding on part of both the government and Dalmia Bharat of the task to be undertaken. Hurrying up work to meet an unrealistic deadline would cause further damage to a 400-year-old monument. The Narendra Modi governments proclivity for announcing half-baked policies without thinking through its implications, be it demonetisation or a poorly-implemented GST, has created enough trouble. Its scary to think that a thoughtless policy of the government has the potential to cause so much damage to our national iconic monuments that could be irreparable and irreversible. You could have spotted, as I did, Mohammad Ali Jinnah in an official portrait at the Indian Muslim Leagues headquarters in Kerala in the 1990s. Im not sure if the picture is still around after the party split down the middle, subsequently. Asked to comment on a political allys seemingly awkward connection in an election year, the Congress Partys phlegmatic spokesman Vitthalrao Gadgil inhaled his snuff and smiled: They see him as the founder of their party. That was that, as it should be. As for the Aligarh Muslim University, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded it as the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College ostensibly to improve his communitys chances after it was picked out for shabby treatment by the British following the role of Muslims in the 1857 uprising. In 1916, at the Lucknow Pact, Sarojini Naidu applauded Jinnah as an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity. An unwitting point her compliment masked was it gave Jinnah the status of a Muslim leader, whereas Gandhi and Nehru were deemed Indian stalwarts, subsuming their religious identities. It must have rankled Jinnah somewhat like the way Majazs comment must have irritated Salaam Machhlishahri. Now Salaam sahib will recite his verse. He is an established poet of Machhlishahr. Meet Gandhi the Indian leader. Meet Jinnah the Muslim leader. The description presaged a bloody chasm. This psychology continues to play out even today. But all that the community ever needed, like anyone else, was equal rights as citizens. A key point of rupture between Gandhi and Jinnah came over their approach to a scientific outlook. Sir Syed as well as Jinnah had sought to keep modernity and reason upfront in their quest to retrieve Muslims from the talons of the clergy. Gandhi, with his support for the Khilafat movement and his love of religious symbolism, did the opposite as he sought to take an entire community back to their mediaeval past and, thereby, to the clergy, the forerunners of todays All-India Muslim Personal Board. Its the same clergy that every Indian party uses to its advantage in the electoral fray after having pushed a multi-million-strong community into the arms of mullahs. Jinnahs hero was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the anti-clerical liberator of his community from centuries of obscurantist hold. So why did PM Narendra Modis supporters suddenly find Jinnahs portrait disagreeable in the students union hall of AMU? The portrait has been there for decades, after all, from the day Jinnah visited the students. And that was way before PM Atal Behari Vajpayee went to Lahore and finally put his seal of approval on the idea of Pakistan by visiting Minar-i-Pakistan. That should have rankled Nathuram Godses spirit. His ashes were kept to be immersed in River Indus when it would be part of a Hindu rashtra. Vajpayee drowned that dream with one gesture and no Hindutva agent protested. Theres no logic to what mindless hordes do to pander to their notions of nationhood on either side of the border. The explanation to the latest round of vandalism was, however, rooted in realpolitik. The Karnataka Assembly elections are due to be held on May 12. The BJP sees the polls as its gateway to southern India but it is struggling to find a durable toehold anywhere in the South. It was not possible for the BJP to communally polarise the Karnataka elections with violence in a state under Congress rule. The hoodlums were unleashed in Uttar Pradesh on May 1 over Jinnahs portrait. How much traction the issue finds with the electorate will be revealed when the votes are counted on May 15. Suffice it to say that the BJP has thrown everything into the elections. UP CM Yogi Adityanath was also dispatched to berate Karnataka for accepting a government that allows cow slaughter and beef eating in the state. Together with the southern states, beef eating is perfectly legal in BJP-ruled Goa and all north-eastern states. And if you think the BJP has distanced itself from Muslims to galvanise the Hindu vote you are wrong again. It has set up dozens of Muslim candidates for local elections in West Bengal where Muslims generally tend to support CM Mamata Banerjee. And who were at the helm of the anti-Jinnah tirade the other day? It was Muslims loyal to the BJP. The question is where do Indian liberals stand on the Jinnah controversy? Can the Indian Left forget, and if so to what avail, that it had endorsed Jinnahs campaign for Pakistan? The late Tahira Mazhar Ali Khan, the iconic partisan from Lahore, had told me in some detail about her visit to Jinnah on her bicycle to convey the Communist Partys support to the idea of Pakistan. Its fine if the Communists disown the idea today. But denial alone will not save them from the next Hindutva assault. The target is not Jinnah, but Indian liberals. It is not surprising that those who hate Jinnah are not ardent fans of Nehru and the Left either. Learn from Gadgil, with or without his addictive snuff. By arrangement with Dawn The BJP appears to have stepped back from demanding an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the Kathua gangrape-murder case. While ordering that the trial be shifted out of Jammu to Pathankot in Punjab, the Supreme Court did not even consider the question of a CBI inquiry. If the BJP was disappointed, it did not show it. Why did the BJP backtrack? Its new deputy chief minister in Jammu, Kavinder Gupta, as well as the partys principal mischief-maker in Kashmir, PMO minister of state Jitendra Singh, had thrown their weight behind the demand. A right-wing Group of Intellectuals and Academicians had been sent on a fact-finding mission to raise doubts about the police investigation and its findings were received by Union home minister Rajnath Singh himself. Mr Jitendra Singh posed for a picture with the group and announced that its report would be forwarded to the Supreme Court. A pliant media, both print and television, helped to create an alternative narrative that no rape had taken place, let alone in a temple. The Hindu Ekta Manch and members of the Kathua Bar Association obstructed the police from filing a chargesheet. They later received support from the Jammu Bar Association. Even a committee set up by the Bar Council of India on the Supreme Courts direction to investigate the role of local lawyers in obstructing the police went off at a tangent to suggest that a CBI inquiry was needed. Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh of the BJP, who had stood with chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on the Kathua gangrape issue, was replaced by the party with Mr Gupta. He had supported two BJP ministers who had marched in support of the rape accused and were subsequently ousted. The state BJP unit president, Mr Sat Sharma, who had directed the two ministers to go to Kathua, was elevated to the Cabinet. And for good measure, Kathua MLA Rajeev Jasrotia, who had also supported the rape accused, was made a minister. The party did everything it could to convey its backing for the Hindutva constituency in Jammu. However, it also had to contain the damage it suffered outside the state. Nationally, the party was seen as supporting rapists. Across the country, there was condemnation of the ghastly act and an outpouring of support for the victims family. On the international stage, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had got used to unadulterated adulation, he was suddenly confronted by anti-rape protesters. From the Secretary General of the United Nations to the head of the International Monetary Fund, a host of world leaders spoke out against the Kathua rape. A favourable CBI inquiry could have helped to limit the damage. Its findings would have been useful in the coming election campaigns to expose anti-national plots. Ultimately, the BJPs hand was forced by the realisation that Ms Mehbooba Mufti could bring down the government in the state on this issue. In an interview on the eve of the Supreme Court hearing, she had questioned the BJPs intentions. She bluntly asked whether the accused could be allowed to choose the investigating agency and why the accused were so convinced about the outcome of a CBI inquiry? She in effect exposed the BJPs gameplan to hand over the case to the CBI and get the caged parrot to declare that no rape had taken place. It is a pattern that the government has followed of using the investigative agencies to give a clean chit to murderers and terror accused of the saffron ilk. Had a CBI inquiry been ordered and the chief minister resigned, the state could have witnessed communal turmoil. The situation in the Kashmir Valley has already become unmanageable, then even Jammu would have become polarised. After losing support in the Kashmir Valley, the Peoples Democratic Party would have lost even the Jammu Muslims. Even more important, Presidents Rule would have to be imposed in the state on the eve of the annual Amarnath Yatra. The Amarnath pilgrimage requires extensive security arrangements at the best of times, and is a prime target for militant attacks. Should something go wrong with the Amarnath Yatra, with no elected government in place, the entire blame would fall on the Centre. In the unforeseen event of Hindu pilgrims being killed, Mr Modi would have found it difficult to face his constituency in the coming elections. Presidents Rule would have to be ratified by Parliament within six months, something that the Narendra Modi government would see as a complication. Inevitably it would entail a debate on the governments failure in Kashmir. The Modi government has been reluctant to allow Parliament to discuss its failures, most recently when a no-confidence motion was sought to be introduced against it. An additional problem would be the appointment of a governor for the state as the present incumbents term ends in June. In the midst of the Amarnath Yatra, the government would have to decide whether to let the 82-year-old governor, Mr N.N. Vohra, continue or to replace him. In the end, perhaps the BJP felt that it was better to continue with a bad marriage with the PDP rather than precipitate a divorce. If the state government does not fall, the BJP gets to keep its communal base by keeping Jammu simmering. Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti can claim victory, although a pyrrhic one. By standing up to the BJPs machinations, she might hope to retain credibility among the Jammu Muslims and shore up her declining support in the Valley. However, since the Modi government lacks a strategic vision for Kashmir and the instrumentalities at the disposal of the chief minister of the state are limited, she can do precious little. The Kashmir issue cannot be resolved between her and the people of the state. As the manager of a situation that is exploding around her ears, she has become a mute witness to the slow demise of her political career and that of her party. If parties could win elections based on their manifestos, the Congress, the Janata Dal (Secular) and the BJP, that released a well-crafted separate charter to solve Bengalurus ills on Tuesday, would all win hands down. But the JD(S) may be taking it one step further in poll-bound Karnataka, where theres clearly more to its promise of farm loan waivers than meets the eye. Coming with the startling climbdown that it will support any party which backed the JD(S) manifesto, it again opened up the leadership to allegations of a backroom deal with the BJP. JD(S) patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda and his son H.D. Kumaraswamy, the state unit chief, are already at the receiving end of the Congress ire over becoming the BJPs B team. Despite denials, neither JD(S) leader has scotched speculation that the party will break with its avowed policy against a post-poll alliance, and play kingmaker, albeit with a rider or two a Siddaramaiah-mukt Congress government for one. Clearly, Mr Gowdas attempt to forge a non-Congress alliance with pre-poll partners NCP and BSP will be at risk if the JD(S) inches any closer to the BJP. He also risks isolation in next years Lok Sabha elections. To the public the JD(S) still insists, like the BJP and Congress, that they need nobodys support and will win enough seats in the May 12 Assembly polls to form a government on its own. But an ambitious Mr Kumaraswamy could try a trick or two if his party manages to win over 50 seats. Gowda Junior knows it pays to play kingmaker in case of a hung Assembly, backed by a manifesto that feeds into farmers grievances in his partys stronghold in the south. Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Muftis deeply human act of seeking forgiveness from the father of the 22-year-old Tamil Nadu tourist killed by a stone-pelting mob near Srinagar on Monday must make us reflect that the situation in J&K is completely out of hand, and has remained so for the past two years due to the Centres faulty strategy that favours a military solution. It is necessary to reiterate that no form of normality can return without a carefully calibrated political process initiated by the Centre. The Atal Behari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh governments had ensured long spells of peace by striking out on the political path. Unfortunately, the Union home ministrys recent decision to give the National Security Guards, the so-called Black Cats, a role in the Kashmir security grid as well, in addition to the state police, CRPF and the Army, underlines the Centres continuing faith in military methods alone delivering results. However, Army commanders and top J&K police officials have cautioned against this. Despite the large-heartedness shown by the slain victims father in media comments, it is hard to be optimistic about reviving tourism in the Valley on which its economy greatly depends this year. Two, comments to the media by Tamil Nadu tourists who visited Kashmir recently suggest that J&K is seen as distant and not much is known about it. The media has portrayed it only as a story of violence, not as a burning political subject for India to which the Centre must pay urgent attention. The outcome of the Congress MPs appeal against the Rajya Sabha Chairmans rejection of the motion to impeach the Chief Justice of India should be welcomed as the independence of the judiciary is seen to be upheld. But the unprecedented way in which the appeal was heard and dismissed as withdrawn leaves much to be desired. The way in which the plea appears to have been handled administratively by our highest court remains opaque, and under a cloud. As the Chief Justice was involved as the target of the move by the MPs, it stands to reason he should have distanced himself from the whole process. But it seems he may have been privy to the formation of the larger five-judge bench by means of administrative action. Again, whats in question here is the way the sixth seniormost judge was made head of the bench, and not the correctness of it. What mechanism constituted this bench must be made public. Its only logical that the CJI and the next four seniormost judges couldnt be part of the process of hearing the case as all had a bias the CJI as a possible respondent and the other four as they had declared at a press conference their misgivings about the CJI and his way of running the judicial process as Master of the Roster. The formation of the five-member bench seems valid, but the fundamental question is whether the CJI set it up. It is unlikely that RTI action will bring out who ordered the formation of this bench. It is the Supreme Courts duty, however, to reveal how the bench was constituted as important matters of propriety involving the highest judiciary is involved. A studied silence or stonewalling will not help matters. Its another matter that lawyers cant be allowed to go forum shopping and in an unedifying manner withdraw petitions if they dont like the judge or judges before whom cases are posted. But in the larger issue involving the Rajya Sabha Chairmans action in dismissing the original impeachment move, its clear he has the power to do so. Only if, after due consideration, he allowed a committee to be formed to handle the matter would the impeachment process begin under the Judges Inquiry Act 1968, not simply because over 50 MPs had signed a motion to that effect. Politicians simply cant be allowed to undermine the balance of power as enshrined in the Constitution, and the autonomy of the judiciary is an important principle that needs to be upheld. If theres a case to be made against any judge, action should be taken only after going through all the procedures, and not in a politically inspired manner. The strength of the judiciary is its open court system as everyone is free to watch what transpires in court. Such a system forecloses any possibility of hanky-panky or foul play. However, in India, the concept of open justice seems to be undergoing a silent burial as the courts are increasingly getting inaccessible. Besides, there is an increasing tendency to ban the reporting of court proceedings in sensitive cases. In the latest instance, a Delhi court has restrained the media from reporting on the FIR filed against Justice I.M. Quddusi, a former Odisha high court judge, who is an accused in the medical admissions bribery case. The court has said that the constitutional right of free speech does not confer a right to defame persons and harm their reputation by false and unsubstantiated allegations. It is baffling that the court has termed the allegations false and unsubstantiated before the trial. Going by this logic, there should be a total ban on reporting in criminal cases till the court pronounces its verdict. The reputation of every accused is as inviolable as that of a former judge. The only job of judges is to deliver justice, and it should be visible. The open court system is being discarded in more ways than one. In the name of security, except lawyers and litigants, no one else is allowed in the higher courts; the Supreme Court and most high courts have been turned into fortresses, making it nearly impossible for the ordinary citizen to enter. After a bomb blast near the Delhi high court, its security was tightened to a great extent. Courts these days seem like elite institutions where access is restricted to a privileged few. It is extremely difficult sometimes for even petitioners to enter without the help of a lawyer. In Begusarai, Bihar, even in the district and sessions court, only advocates and witnesses are allowed. The Karnataka high court is an exception, which is still open to the common man. On October 5, 1936, a bomb was thrown into the chief justices court at the Patna high court, but it did not become inaccessible for the common man. No security was enhanced and nothing untoward happened subsequently for decades. Then, 48 years later, in 1984, a bid was made on the life of Justice P.S. Sahay in open court. He was shot at but the bullet did not hit him. The assailant was grabbed by his orderly. It later turned out that the assailant wanted to kill Justice P.S. Mishra but entered justice Sahays court due to the similarity in the two names. Justice A.N. Grover was attacked in his court in the Supreme Court and he was injured and taken to hospital by then CJI M. Hidayatullah. But the Supreme Court was not converted into a fortress. Making the courts inaccessible flies in the face of the judiciary, which boasts of having open courts. Indias Supreme Court has always upheld the concept of open justice. In Naresh Sridhar Mirajkar and Others vs State of Maharashtra in 1966, the Supreme Court clearly said what takes place inside a court is a public matter, and the publication of the proceedings merely enlarges the area of the court and gives that added publicity to the trial which is favoured by the rule that the trial should be open and public. Justice O. Chinappa Reddy, in Samarias Trading C. (P) Ltd. S. Samuel in 1984, observed: the administration of justice is a vital concern for the public more than any private party. The public has the right to be present in court and watch the proceeding and its conduct except in the very rare cases where the very cause of advancement of justice requires that the proceedings be held in camera. In my view, it should apply not only to subordinate courts but also to the higher courts. In Britain, Lord Shaw, in Scott vs Scott in 1913 elucidated the principle of open justice by referring to Bentham: Publicity is the very soul of justice. It is the keenest spur to exertion and the surest of all guards against improbity. It keeps the judge himself while trying under trial... Where there is no publicity there is no justice. In Home Office vs Harman in 1983, Lord Scarman elucidated in his dissenting judgment (joined by Lord Simon) that there is also another public interest involved in justice done openly, namely that the evidence and argument should be publicly known, so that society may judge for itself the quality of justice administered in its name, and whether the law requires notification. There are exceptions to it in rare circumstances, where in-camera proceedings become necessary to ensure justice, but as Lord Diplock summarised beautifully in Attorney-General vs Leveller Magazine Limited (1979), that departure must be justified to the extent and to no more than the extent that the court reasonably believes it to be necessary in order to serve the ends of justice... if the way that courts behave cannot be hidden from the public ear and eye, this provides a safeguard against judicial arbitrariness or idiosyncrasy and maintains the public confidence in the administration of justice. The principle was restated by the Court of Appeal of England and Wales in Guardian News and Media Ltd. Vs R & Erol Incedal in 2016: In this case, the issue of derogating from open justice was linked with that of national security. Defendant Incedal had been charged with several offences relating to terrorism. The court reiterated that it could depart from the system of open justice only in unusual or exceptional circumstances. Nevertheless, the courts are increasingly imposing bans on the reporting of their proceedings. In the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, the trial court restrained the media from reporting its proceedings. However, the Bombay high court set aside the ban order stating that the media is the most powerful watchdog of society. At a time when the media is under fire for almost every malady afflicting society, it is heartening to see that Justice Rewati Mohite Dere ruled that certainly the public has a right to know what is happening in this case. In the sexual harassment case against R.K. Pachauri, the trial court passed a baffling order that any news regarding this trial must carry the clarification that the matter is sub judice and that he is only an accused. Its puzzling why Mr Pachauri was given this special privilege. Its a matter of common knowledge that any matter is sub judice if the trial is still going on. While convicting Justice C.S. Karnan of contempt of court, the Supreme Court restrained the media from telecasting and publishing his (Karnans) statements. It is difficult to understand how his statements would have shaken the peoples faith in the judiciary when all the wild allegations made by him against judges of the Supreme Court and also his colleagues in the high court did not make any such impact. Judges may remain cocooned in courts, but the courts must be open. Information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani is not a pleasant person by any account. And she doesnt, if her conduct in the past is anything go by, doesnt much care. On May 2, Ms Irani invited more wrath as the National Film Awards function which is her jurisdiction went off the rails. But this once, she was not directly at fault, though her department might be for overlooking a communication sent from the office of Indias President Ram Nath Kovind. But it is not fair to tarnish the minister just because she is eminently tarnishable. Traditionally, the President gives away the awards. But a letter, according to reports, from Mr Kovinds office had been sent to the I&B ministry which stated that it was the pleasure of President Kovind to grace all awards functions for a maximum of one hour. The Presidents office said, in a communication after the disastrous event, that the letter on the one-hour condition had been sent to the I&B ministry as early as March. It is not clear if it was addressed personally to Ms Irani. No matter. No action was taken in good time on the import of the letter. As it happened, out of the 70-odd award winners, 11, including A.R. Rahman and Yesudas, were chosen to be honoured by the President himself. Most of the others boycotted the event as they found they would be receiving their awards from Smriti Irani or her junior colleague Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. It is not clear how the Presidents 11 were chosen. Some sort of casteism, in keeping with the Hindutva ethos now sweeping the nation, must be at work. It also says something for the general lack of fellowship among the artistes themselves the Presidents Eleven did not sign the protest letter. Equally, it is not clear how the I&B ministry missed taking action on the letter from the Presidents office about his one-hour ceiling. The artistes except the 11 who were presidentially honoured later wrote a letter of protest to, ironically, the President himself. The latest episode in this serial is that the awards will arrive at the protesters door by courier. Since it is official business, the courier agency would be Speed Post. In effect, the best of the national filmmakers would be accepting their awards at the hands of the local postman. This is not a totally bad thing to happen. It just means that the idea of the awards is being democratised. It also means that not much importance needs to be attached to these honours. They might be handed over by the President. The I&B minister. The bureaucrats. The police constable. Or the postman. In the Age of Dumbing Down, what could be more just than equating the President of India with the Postman of India, that unsung, if endangered, species? If all the awards fixed and unfixed arrive by Speed Post, the endemic lobbying for these awards, in a country that is not particularly bothered about merit in general, might ebb, and we will be saving a great deal of money. Crores, in fact. It might be then a good idea if what is saved is sent to the poor artistes, quite a few of whom live and die in straitened circumstances. Meanwhile, consider this sentence from the letter that President Kovinds office sent to the I&B ministry: The President attends all awards functions and convocations for a maximum of one hour. Why? Arent the people to whom he is accountable entitled to know? Does the President suffer from a weak bladder? Possible. If so, why not saysimply that he will be unable to be present for the May 2 evening because of poor health. The artistes would surely have understood. As it is, Smriti Irani has taken the blame for what seems to me a case of overlook by the bureaucrats in her department. The media is happy. The liberals, who erupted in the social media in indignation following the incident, are happy. But Ms Irani taking the blame does not explain the Presidents one-hour condition. There will be other events. We will be watching. The postman, too. The successor to the latest iPhone X is said to come with the label 'iPhone X Plus.' (Photo: iDrop News) While the craze for iPhone X has still not faded, rumours and leaks of Apple's 2018 iPhone models have already started doing rounds. In a bid to take on Huawei's latest flagship P20 Pro, the Cupertino-based tech giant might launch at least one iPhone model with a triple camera setup in the second half of next year. Citing a research note from Yuanta Securities analyst Jeff Pu, the Taipei Times asserted that Apple might release an iPhone with triple rear camera setup in 2019. The successor to the latest iPhone X is said to come with the label 'iPhone X Plus.' The report does not reveal any additional information regarding the next iPhone models yet. However, a Chinese report from the Economic Daily News last month indicated that the upcoming iPhone could sport a 6P lens design along with one 12MP primary sensor with 5x zoom capability. The third lens is said to sport a 3x optical zoom to users within the viewfinder. Huawei is the first company to start the trend of a triple-lens rear camera system with its latest P20 Pro smartphone. The setup features a 40MP primary RGB sensor, a 20MP monochrome sensor and an 8MP telephoto sensor. The camera has a light sensitivity up to ISO 102400 and alongside the 3X optical zoom, it offers 5x hybrid zoom for long-range photography and 960fps slow-motion videos in HD (720p) resolution. Up front, there is a 24MP front camera. (Source) Disclaimer: The above report is completely based on online rumours and leaks from the respective sources. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Deccan Chronicle and/or other staff and contributors to this site. 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. Google CEO Sundar Pichai talks about Google Assistant during a product event in San Francisco. Google is likely to again put artificial intelligence in the spotlight at its annual developers conference. (Photo:AP) Google put the spotlight on its artificial intelligence (AI) smarts at its annual developers conference, Google I/O 2018 in Mountain View, California announcing new consumer features aimed at simplifying your life. Many of the updates have a practical bent, designed to ease tasks such as composing emails, making lists, navigating city streets and lessening the digital distractions that have increasingly addled peoples lives as a result of previous tech industry innovations. One of the biggest crowd-pleasers for the thousands of software developers who gathered at the outdoor conference was an augmented reality feature on Google Maps that helps people get walking directions. Users will be able to follow arrows or possibly a cartoon-like creature that appear on a camera view showing the actual street in front of them. Some new features for Android phones also aim to improve peoples digital well-being, including a new shush mode that automatically puts a phone in do not disturb mode if you flip it face down on a table. And a wind down mode will fade the screen to grey at a designated time to help you disconnect before bed. The companys digital concierge, known only as the Google Assistant, is getting new voices including one based on that of musician John Legend later this year. It will also encourage kids to be polite by thanking them when they say please, similar to a feature Amazon is bringing to its Alexa voice assistant. The assistant may also soon be talking with ordinary people at businesses for tasks such as restaurant reservations, although the feature is still in development. Hi, Im calling to book a hair appointment for a client, said a realistic-sounding automated voice in a demo from the conference stage. The AI assistant deployed pauses and ums and mmm-hmms to sound more human in conversation with real people. Google said it will roll out the technology, called Duplex, as an experiment in coming weeks. We really want to work hard to get this right, said Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who kicked off the conference, known as Google I/O. Other changes are more immediate. Gmail is getting an autocomplete feature that uses machine learning to offer suggestions for finishing half-completed sentences. For example, I havent seen you might be autocompleted to I havent seen you in a while and I hope youre doing well. You can accept the completion by hitting the tab key. The Google Photos app aims to get smarter about suggesting who you might want to share photos with. Whenever it recognises a photo of one of your Google contacts, it can suggest sharing the photo with that person. It will also convert photos to PDFs and automatically add colour to black-and-white photos or make part of a colour photo black and white. The changes are coming in the next two months. The search giant aims to make its assistant and other services so useful that people cant live without them or the search results that drive its advertising business. But it also wants to play up the social benefits of AI and how its being used to improve health care, preserve the environment and make scientific discoveries. Pichai didnt emphasise the privacy and data security concerns that have put companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google in the crosshairs of regulators. But he did say the company cant just be wide-eyed about the innovations technology creates. We know the path ahead needs to be navigated carefully and deliberately, he said. Our core mission is to make information more useful, accessible and beneficial to all of society. Googles latest version of its Android phone software, for now known as Android P, will offer other smart features. It will teach the battery to adapt to how you use apps in order to conserve energy. Phones using Android P will also learn how to set your screen brightness by studying your manual adjustments, a change from automatic adjustments based on ambient light levels. But not everyone will see the new Android features soon if at all. Android P wont be released until later this year, and even then, phone manufacturers and carriers frequently limit Android updates to their newest phones. Owners of Googles own Pixel phones will get the updates most quickly. Samsung is getting snubbed on some of these new features, at least for now. It has been challenging Google more frequently by launching that services duplicate what Google already offers on Android. For instance, Samsung users wont have access to an early beta version of Android P. Samsungs camera app also wont get a built-in Lens feature that lets Google offer information after taking a photo of a building or sign. Samsung has been developing its own similar feature called Bixby Vision. It wasnt immediately clear which company made the call to withhold the features announced Tuesday. 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. Over the last couple of months the internet has been abuzz with NVIDIAs GeForce Partner Programme. Essentially, the GPP revolved around the fact that NVIDIA would be spending more on OEMs that would align themselves with NVIDIA exclusive branding guidelines. While there are some positives that such a programme would yield, such as a greater budget for card partners to churn out better hardware for us, the consumers, the overall impact of the announcement of this programme was overwhelmingly negative and seen as anti-competitive. Now, I am no legal expert, and I firmly believe that NVIDIAs legal team would have gone over this programme prior to its announcement with a fine-tooth comb. So, I dont think that the GPP was anti-competitive, rather a move that would cause its competitors to lose market share. Currently, NVIDIA dominates the upper echelon of the GPU market with their GTX 1080ti and Titan Xp. The GPP would have forced partners to align their gaming brands exclusively with NVIDIA, forcing the competition, namely AMD and Intel, to help create new sub brands for their products, which is why it has drawn a lot of flack from the gaming and tech community, causing NVIDIA to reevaluate their strategy. As of May 4, the NVIDIA GPP has ceased to be. Its both a good and a bad thing. While its common practice for companies to spend more for their top consumers, if it results in a loss of market share for the competitors, it means that such a move would draw a lot of negative publicity towards the company, causing more harm than good. The thing is that its easy for people like me to sit back and gauge the fallout of such a move. However, I do feel that NVIDIA could have done a much better job of the messaging it had behind the GPP so that it may have gone down better with the community. Well, now well never know what could have been. I just hope that the gaming community can move forward and the prices of the GPUs come down, as right now, it costs too much to even fathom stepping into PC gaming. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Donald Trump sent Mike Pompeo to Pyongyang to accompany the men home following US calls for Kim to free them as a gesture of goodwill and sincerity. (Photo: AP/File) Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that three Americans detained by North Korea have been released and are on their way home with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. Trump said he will greet Pompeo and the Americans when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington at 2 am on Thursday morning. "Very exciting!" he wrote on Twitter. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 The fate of Korean-Americans Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul had been among a number of delicate issues in the run-up to the first-ever meeting of US and North Korean leaders. Trump sent Pompeo to Pyongyang to accompany the men home following US calls for Kim to free them as a gesture of goodwill and sincerity before the US-North Korea meeting, which is expected to take place in late May or early June. US President Donald Trump shows a signed Presidential Memorandum after delivering a statement on the Iran nuclear deal from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Washington. (Photo: AP) Washington: President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled the US out of the 2015 landmark nuclear deal with Iran, an Obama-era accord which he has repeatedly criticised as "disastrous". "It is clear to me that we cannot prevent Iran nuclear bomb. The Iran deal is defective at its core. Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal," Trump said. Moments later he signed fresh set of sanctions against Iran and warned countries against any cooperation with Tehran on its controversial nuclear weapons programme. The "disastrous" deal gave Iran millions in cash and did not prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, he said. In reversing the signature foreign policy accomplishment of his predecessor Barack Obama, Trump by taking this decision ignored advice against such a move from his key European allies and top US Democratic leaders. Describing this as a bad deal, Trump said that the nuclear deal is unlikely to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Before Trump's announcement in this regard, which was televised live, top administration officials including Vice President Mike Pence informed Congress about his decision. "The Iranian promise of abandoning its nuclear weapons is a lie," Trump alleged. Allowing the deal to stay would result in an arms race in the region, he said, adding that the deal does nothing to constrain Iran's "destabilising behaviour". Ever since his election campaign, Trump has frequently criticised the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA. He had described the agreement, which was negotiated by then US secretary of state John Kerry, as a bad deal. The Iran nuclear deal was reached in Vienna in July 2015 between Iran and the P5 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council) plus Germany and the European Union. Trump's decision would have global ramifications, straining Iranian economy and heightening tensions in the Middle East. Referring to his consultation with key American allies, Trump said it is that they cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the "decaying and rotten" structure of the current agreement. "If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapons," he said. "We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction. Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States. America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail. We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction, and we will not allow a regime that chants 'Death to America' to gain access to the most deadly weapons on earth," Trump said. Announcing to terminate the JCPOA, Trump said the deal allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and over time reach the brink of a nuclear breakout. "The deal lifted crippling economic sanctions on Iran. It exchanged for very weak limits on the regime's nuclear activity and no limits at all on its other maligned behaviour," he alleged. "In theory, the so-called Iran deal was supposed to protect the United States and our allies from the lunacy of an Iranian nuclear bomb, a weapon that will only endanger the survival of the Iranian regime," he said. Alleging that the heart of the Iran deal was a "giant fiction", that a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy programme, Trump said the US has definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie. "Last week, Israel published intelligence documents, long concealed by Iran, conclusively showing the Iranian regime and its history of pursuing nuclear weapons," he said. "The fact is, this was a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will," he said. "In the years since the deal was reached, Iran's military budget has grown by almost 40 per cent while its economy is doing very badly. After the sanctions were lifted, the dictatorship used its new funds to build nuclear-capable missiles, support terrorism and cause havoc throughout the Middle East and beyond," he said. "The agreement was so poorly negotiated that even if Iran fully complies, the regime can still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time," he noted. "The deal's sunset provisions are totally unacceptable. If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs," Trump said. Making matters worse, the deal's inspection provisions lack adequate mechanisms to prevent, detect and punish cheating. And don't even have the unqualified right to inspect many important locations, including military facilities, he said. "Not only does the deal fail to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions, but it also fails to address the regime's development of ballistic missiles that could deliver nuclear warheads," he said. "Finally, the deal does nothing to constrain Iran's destabilising activities, including its support for terrorism. Since the agreement, Iran's bloody ambitions have grown only more brazen," Trump said. The series of explosions are the latest attacks on the Afghan capital. (Representational Image | AFP) Kabul: Three blasts hit the Afghan capital of Kabul in rapid succession on Wednesday, police and interior ministry officials said. News agency Reuters reported police saying that they are rushing to the site of one blast, near a police station in the heart of the city. According to news agency AFP the blasts were followed by gunshots. The first blast occurred in Dasht-e-Barchi area in Kabuls PD13 which was followed by gunfire. It happened close to the PD13 police headquarters building. Second explosion happened in Shahr-e-Naw area, in Kabul's PD10 area, reports said. According to an official from Afghanistan interior ministry, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance of the police station in central Kabul in an area near foreign embassies and government offices. "We are rushing ambulances to the blast site and cordoning off the entire area," said police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai. Dozens of people have been killed in suicide attacks in Kabul in recent weeks, including twin blasts on April 30 that killed 26 people including nine journalists. No group has claimed responsibility for the incidents. More details are awaited. (With inputs from agencies) SALT LAKE CITY The Salt Lake County Board of Health has announced the winners of its first Air Quality Ally awards. The board and Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams presented the awards to four recipients in three categories individual, business and school for making specific, tangible efforts to improve air quality through personal practices, implementing policy change or engaging in advocacy and awareness. The winners include Cindy Boyer of Sandy, Catalyst magazine, and Canyons and Jordan school districts. Boyer, a strong voice for air quality in the PTA at Altara Elementary, was honored for spearheading an initiative to curb car idling. Her leadership prompted Canyons School District to install no idling signs at each of its 43 schools and convinced Sandy to adopt a no-idling ordinance. Catalyst magazine was honored for publishing dozens of local air quality stories each year and encouraging its employees to enact changes to live a clean-air lifestyle. The magazine has also hosted a Clean Air Solutions Fair for the past five years and has raised money to improve air quality through its Clean Air Solutions Fund. Canyons School District was honored for becoming the first Utah school district to go idle-free. The district also issues a yearly Clean Air Challenge, incentivizing families to conserve gas, walk or bike to school, and carpool. Jordan School District was honored for its $1.7 million investment in 111 compressed natural gas buses. Buses powered by compressed natural gas decrease each bus particulate matter emissions by 40 percent to 86 percent. Some scientists have figured out what will happen to the sun once it dies. University of Manchester scientists say they've determined the sun will become a bright ring of cosmic dust once it dies, according to a new study published May 7 in the journal Nature Astronomy. The scientists wondered if the sun would turn into a planetary nebula after it dies, which is the case for 90 percent of all active stars. Most stars that go from a red giant to a white dwarf often go through this process, according to Yahoo! News. But scientists remained unsure if this would happen for our sun since, they said, it was smaller than most stars. The researchers say the suns ring will be fainter than most. According to Quartz, the study adds support to one side of a lengthy debate within the scientific community about how bright the suns cosmic ring would be once the star decides to die. According to The Guardian, older computer models predicted the sun would just lose its outer layers and that the core would heat up slowly, meaning the outer layers wouldnt glow at all, and the dust ring wouldnt be seen. We found that stars with mass less than 1.1 times the mass of the sun produce fainter nebula, said Albert Zijlstra, of the University of Manchester, in a press release on the study. This is a nice result we now have a way to measure the presence of stars of ages a few billion years in distant galaxies. Dont expect to see this ring anytime soon, though. The sun will likely survive for another 10 billion years. SALT LAKE CITY Two large poaching cases in eastern Utah involving two sets of families and multiple family members are winding down after nearly two years. Large bull elk, cow elk, deer and pheasants were killed in separate cases, including one in which officers found 40 pounds of Utah elk meat in a freezer in New York. Officers with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources say they first found out about the poaching spree involving a convicted felon, Kenny Swenson Jr., on Sept. 23, 2016, after a tip was phoned into the Utah's Turn in a Poacher hotline. The investigation revealed Swenson did not have a valid hunting license. He is accused of poaching a cow elk and pheasants in Duchesne County and a trophy bull elk near Strawberry Reservoir in Wasatch County. Officers say he assisted his stepsons in killing two trophy elk and also buck deer in Uintah County. Some animals were tagged with fraudulently purchased Ute Tribe big game tags. Swenson, according to wildlife officers, helped his wife, Marie, kill a large buck in Uintah County. Upon his arrest in a traffic stop, Swenson had two handguns, meth, heroin, marijuana and some pills, officers said. Subsequent execution of 14 search warrants, including at a recreational vehicle at Swenson's residence, revealed nearly 50 firearms officers say Swenson used in the poaching. Last December, Swenson pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony charges of wanton destruction of wildlife. He was ordered to pay $16,000 to the Help Stop Poaching fund and sentenced to no more than five years in prison on each count. He also lost all hunting privileges for 28 years. Other charges stemming from activity in Uintah County were dismissed because Swenson is in a federal prison in Oregon. Marie Swenson pleaded guilty to a class B misdemeanor of wanton destruction of wildlife, was ordered to pay $400 to the poaching fund and lost her hunting privileges for three years. In the other case, the Division of Wildlife Resources say William and Jennifer Thompson went on a poaching spree that also came to their attention in September 2016. Multiple deer and elk were killed in the Tridell area of Uintah County. As the investigation unfolded, officers learned that William Thompson admitted helping his wife's stepfather, George Walsh, kill a buck deer, doe deer and cow elk in Tridell. Utah investigators contacted the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, which interviewed George Walsh at his home. At first he denied killing anything in Utah, but changed that story when officers found 40 pounds of elk meat at his home. Earlier this year in Uintah and Duchesne counties, the Thompsons pleaded guilty to the poaching charges. William Thompson was fined $500 and ordered to pay $16,350 to the state's Help Stop Poaching fund. He was placed on probation for three years and ordered to serve 107 days in jail. He could lose his hunting and fishing privileges in Utah and other compact states for 65 years. Jennifer Thompson received a fine of $500 and was ordered to pay $1,900 to the Help Stop Poaching fund. She was put on probation for 36 months and ordered to serve 10 days in the Uintah County Jail. She could lose her hunting privileges for 17 years. SALT LAKE CITY Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, issued a written apology Tuesday to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for saying "it's ridiculous" for McCain to request that President Donald Trump not attend his funeral. "This morning I sent a note apologizing to Sen. McCain for comments I made yesterday about his health and about funeral plans and the president. I should not have made those comments, and I extended my love and support," Hatch said in a statement. Hatch had told reporters Monday he thought "it's ridiculous" that McCain, who is battling brain cancer, apparently has decided he didn't want Trump at the funeral service to be held in Washington's National Cathedral. But Hatch also said the decision was McCain's to make. "Well, he's the president of the United States and he's a very good man. But it's up to (McCain). I think John should have his own wishes fulfilled with regard to who attends the funeral," Hatch told Politico on Tuesday. He also said he didn't expect McCain to return to the Senate. Hatch's comments drew criticism Tuesday from McCain's daughter, Meghan McCain, co-host of "The View," who said on the ABC show, "I'd like everybody to take a collective breath and chill out on my dad for a second especially Orrin Hatch." Hatch spokesman Matt Whitlock said the senator "was responding to questions from reporters when he made the comments, and acknowledged to Sen. McCain that he should not have engaged in speculation or shared opinions on something so personal." According to reports, plans for McCain's funeral include having Vice President Mike Pence represent the White House, and eulogies delivered by former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. There's been much friction between Trump and McCain, such as the now-president's claim during the 2016 campaign that McCain, who spent five years as a North Vietnamese prisoner of war, wasn't a hero because he'd been captured. Hatch, who is retiring after first being elected to the Senate in 1976, has been one of the president's most vocal supporters in the GOP and is credited with getting Trump to agree to downsize two national monuments in Utah. SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill on Tuesday came out in strong support of the medical marijuana initiative that advocates are seeking to put on the statewide ballot in November. "I will be voting in favor of this initiative in November," Gill told reporters at a Tuesday press conference at the Capitol held jointly with other legalization advocates, including Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education. Gill said he disagrees with characterizations from opponents of the initiative, including the Utah Medical Association, who have said the bill allows for de facto recreational use of marijuana. "This is not about recreational marijuana, that is not what I support, but I will advocate for not criminalizing the conduct of parents, patients and family members for an act of compassion," Gill said. Gill is taking a stance that breaks with the position offered by the state Department of Public Safety, which says in a statement on its website that its leaders have "preliminary concerns regarding a more broadly defined medical use of marijuana in our state and the negative impact it could have on public safety." Gill's position is also in marked contrast to that of the Drug Enforcement Administration Salt Lake City Metro Narcotics Task Force, which is listed in public records as an organization associated with Drug Safe Utah, a political issues committee formed late last month in direct opposition to the initiative. Already at the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, "we certainly try to be compassionate as prosecutors to address that issue" of parents who are seeking marijuana as a method of treating their children, Gill said. "As a public prosecutor the last thing I want to be doing is be in the middle of a conversation between a patient and their physician," he said. "They should not have to worry about the specter of criminal prosecution for an act of compassion." But he said "those living in other jurisdictions may not get the (same) benefit." "There are probably one or two other (district attorneys in Utah) who might be supportive of it, but as an organization they haven't taken a position, or taken a position a little different than what (we are) taking," Gill said. The ballot initiative Gill supports, spearheaded by a campaign group called the Utah Patients Coalition, would allow patients with certain conditions including Alzheimer's disease, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder and HIV to apply for a card allowing them to legally possess marijuana for medical use. Anger over canvassers The Utah Medical Association has long been critical of the initiative, claiming there is not robust enough research into marijuana's medical properties to allow doctors to prescribe it with predictability, that the initiative allows overly broad access that paves the way for recreational use, and that enforcing the law against recreational users would become impractical. The Utah Patients Coalition has hit back, accusing the association of fear-mongering and ignoring existing research into marijuana's medical properties. On April 27, the Utah Medical Association and conservative advocacy group Utah Eagle Forum formed Drug Safe Utah. The initiative has secured enough petition signatures statewide and in the required number of state Senate districts in order to qualify for the ballot, pending certification by the lieutenant governor's office. However, those who signed the petition are able to remove their signatures up until May 15. The group is engaged in a signature removal process, Utah Medical Association CEO Michelle McComber confirmed last week. "Our whole goal is just to talk to people ... who have said, 'I didn't know that was in the initiative,'" McComber said at the time. Christine Stenquist, president of Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education, said Tuesday that she and other legalization supporters can "see firsthand the deception" of the removal campaign, which she said contains "blatant lies" about what's in the initiative. Stenquist cited a surreptitiously recorded video taken in Washington County showing a woman trying to convince someone who signed the petition to remove their signature. At one point, the woman can be heard claiming that the Utah Medical Association had helped put together a medical marijuana initiative that had later been distorted and should no longer be supported. She also at one point claims to be there on behalf of the county clerk's office. Stenquist criticized the video in a release Monday, saying it was "simply filled with fanciful confabulations, outright untruths and attempts to manipulate the person being visited." She called it "a powerful indictment of this appalling nullification campaign, which needs to cease immediately." However, Utah Medical Association spokesman Mark Fotheringham said Tuesday that the organization has inquired into the identity of the canvasser and concluded that "we think she's rogue out there on her own" and doesn't have "anything to do with" Drug Safe Utah. "Her rambling incoherent statements have nothing to do with the talking points (Drug Safe Utah) has supplied to legitimate field workers," Fotheringham added in an email. Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education said in its release Monday that it "urges relevant authorities to suspend (Drug Safe Utah's) campaign at once while the whole program is investigated." SALT LAKE CITY Prompted by declining revenues, the publisher of the Salt Lake Tribune Tuesday announced that major changes are on the horizon for the newspaper, the details of which will be made public by next week. During a meeting on Tuesday, owner and publisher Paul Huntsman told newsroom staff about the "impending changes and financial difficulties" facing the paper and said "specifics on layoffs, reducing print pages and other content changes would be forthcoming within a week," according to the Tribune's website. He told employees that in the two years since he acquired the paper from New York-based Digital First Media, the paper's advertising revenues have fallen 40 percent as daily and weekend print circulation continues to decline, the newspaper reported. Huntsman said he personally covered losses for eight months, this after investing more than $1 million to upgrade the paper's online and digital production capabilities. He also noted that critical determinations still remain with the impending 2020 expiration of the current joint operating agreement with the Deseret News. The paper employs 90 newsroom staff, the Tribune reported, but the number of potential layoffs was not announced. Editor Jennifer Napier-Pearce will lead a group of newsroom managers in the process of "right-sizing" determining what positions will be eliminated and how to move forward with the print circulation. "The Tribune has seen a 40 percent decline in both print ads and circulation over the past 24 months," she said in an email to the Deseret News. "Those industry-wide factors remain outside of our control. Still, we've seen solid growth in digital and expect that to continue, but we need a newsroom that's more in line with our new reality." The Tribune's online story noted that Huntsman anticipates the papers business model to "evolve further after 2020, possibly as a not-for-profit operation," but added that he would love to keep putting out a print edition." A restructuring plan is expected from managers within the next week, Napier-Pearce said. Employees that will be leaving would receive any owed vacation pay as well as the option of severance, she said. In one proposed cost-saving measure, the Tribune story indicated the paper would examine moving from its current location at The Gateway to another site. Huntsman said he is optimistic despite the current financial situation. He attributed the optimism to perceived progress in continuing negotiations regarding the Deseret News-Tribune joint operating agreement governing print, advertising and circulation. The paper's potential long-term viability has been enhanced by recent discussions, he said. They really want us to survive, Huntsman said of those involved in the talks, according to the Tribune story. Im very appreciative of their recognition. In response to Tuesday's announcement from its long-time business partner, the president and publisher of the Deseret News issued a statement: We understand the economic pressures facing the Tribune as they are the same at the Deseret News and across the entire media landscape. We went through significant layoffs previously and continue to seek ways to be a trusted voice in Utah and across the country in what is a dynamic and challenging environment, said Jeff Simpson. Ive been talking with Paul about the future of our shared business interests through the joint operating arrangement at the Newspaper Agency Company and we continue to seek solutions that maintain diverse voices in our community," he said. NEW YORK Media company Twenty-First Century Fox has agreed to buy seven TV stations including Utah's Fox 13 from Sinclair Broadcast Group for $910 million. The move comes as Sinclair is selling some stations to meet regulatory approval for its pending $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media. Meanwhile, Disney is pursuing a $52 billion takeover of much of Fox, though TV stations will stay with Rupert Murdoch's family under a new Fox company. Two of the Sinclair stations are in California, and the rest are in Colorado, Florida, Ohio and Washington. Sinclair will retain ownership of KUTV Channel 2 in Salt Lake City. Fox said the deal will let it compete in 19 of the top 20 markets, with a larger presence in the West. In April, Sinclair agreed to sell nine TV stations to Standard Media Group for $442 million. Both Sinclair deals are contingent on the acquisition of Tribune Media closing. The Fox deal is expected to close in the second half of the year. SALT LAKE CITY Shaun French, wanted in the killing of 15-year-old Baleigh Bagshaw, was arrested in Colorado Wednesday after a two-day manhunt, police said. Today OCSO and CSP stopped and arrested Shaun French age 24 at Hwy 50 / CR 13. French was wanted out of Utah on sex assault charges. Thanks to @CSP_LaJunta and @PuebloCountySO for assistance. @OteroSheriff pic.twitter.com/nOpa2guON5 Otero County Undersheriff - Colorado (@CountyOtero) May 9, 2018 He was arrested about 11:30 a.m. on U.S. 50 near county Road 13 in southeast Colorado, according to the Otero County Sheriff's Office. Salt Lake police on Wednesday said they now consider him a suspect in the teenager's death. Previously they insisted he was only a person of interest. Baleigh's mother, Shawna Bagshaw, said while she remains devastated, she felt some relief after the arrest was made. "I feel like I can maybe sleep tonight knowing that he is behind bars, but it still doesn't bring back my daughter. There was no reason for him to take her life, if it was him. There was no reason for my daughter to have lost her life, period." "What I knew of him, I feel like was a big lie," Bagshaw said, referring to French. She declined to elaborate. Investigators had been looking for French, 24, since Monday when Baleigh arrived home, 1624 W. 500 North, in her Fairpark neighborhood from West High School just after 3 p.m. While she was talking on the phone with her mother, she was brutally attacked by an unknown person, according to police. French used to live in the same house as Baleigh and her family, investigators confirmed. They declined to say how long or how recently French had lived there, but noted he was not living there at the time of the girl's death. The suspect's father, Darrell French, said Wednesday that his son lived with Baleigh's family from Christmastime in 2016 until July 2017, when he moved back into his father's home in Evanston before moving out again in November. Darrell French said he also felt relieved his son was in custody, adding he had been worried about his son's state of mind and what he might do. When he learned his son was being sought by police in connection with the girl's death, he said "It shocked me to a degree I can't put two and two together." His son, one of two infant boys he adopted, sometimes struggled as a child, he said. "People pushed him and stuff like that, because he didn't get along in school well," Darrell French said. Salt Lake police declined to say whether Shaun French was found with his vehicle that investigators had previously asked the public to be on the lookout for. It was also not known if French, who police said should be considered "armed and dangerous," was found to be in possession of any weapons at the time of his arrest Wednesday. Investigators will now begin the process of extraditing French back to Utah to face charges. He was charged Tuesday with three counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a third-degree felony, for an alleged illegal relationship with Baleigh, but he has not been charged in connection with her death. The charges were filed in court but were sealed. Court documents indicate that the sexual contact between French and Baleigh happened in February of last year. A $500,000 bail was requested for French. On Monday, police asked the public to be on the lookout for his camouflage-green, 1991 Daihatsu Rocky SUV with Wyoming plate 19 13974. A possible motive for the killing had not been revealed as of Wednesday. Bagshaw said her daughter loved dogs and dreamed of a career training poodles, Bernese mountain dogs and other breeds to be therapy, protection and search-and-rescue animals. The weekend before her death, Baleigh spent time searching for her own protection dog at a dog show, she said. Her family has several dogs, but Baleigh had two of her own. They are a toy fox terrier named Freedom currently being bred in California, and a 1-year-old border collie mix named Moose, who now appears lost. "He's constantly looking for his owner, his master," Baleigh's mother said. Four years ago, she added, the family lost Baleigh's father to liver failure. The teen inherited his love of bands AC/DC, Kiss and Nirvana, and often listened to them on YouTube. "I just want everyone to know that Baleigh was an awesome kid. She did not deserve to die. She had dreams and plans for her future and now they're gone," Bagshaw said. She said Baleigh leaves behind an extended family that is struggling to cope with her death, including her sister Miranda Cannon, a nuclear machinist mate in the U.S. Navy. Baleigh was set to become an aunt later this month, and had picked out materials and patterns to make a romper and dress for her baby niece, Mia, her mother added. "I'm not going to be able to see grandchildren from her," she said. "I'm not going to be able to walk her down the aisle when she gets married and give her away. I'm not going to see her graduate from college or high school, because her life was taken way too soon. A GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for funeral expenses was established in Baleigh's name Tuesday. Contributing: Jed Boal American Tower is acquiring as many as 723 towers from Telkom Kenya, marking its entry into the East African market. William Hess, American Tower president of EMEA and Latin America, said: We are excited to announce the launch of operations in Kenya this represents American Towers seventeenth market globally, and our fifth in Africa, and we look forward to helping expand the reach of mobile broadband. Hess noted that Kenya was a very attractive market and we have high expectations for its long-term growth potential. Subject to regulatory approval, the deal is likely to close in the second half of 2018. Telkom Kenya has stated that it will reinvest the funds from the sale into its 4G network and IT platforms to meet its customers demands for higher quality and speed from our mobile data networks as well as a richer range of services. Recent reports have indicated that Telkom Kenya will fold some of Airtel Kenyas operations into its own, ahead of a full takeover of the Indian operators Kenyan unit. Merging with Airtel would better position Telkom Kenya to compete with market leader Safaricom. Safaricom is hugely dominant in Kenya with a 71% share of subscribers. Telkom Kenya has around 10%; combined with Airtels subscribers this figure would increase to 18%. Wholesale infrastructure provider GlobeNet is deploying a new 2,500 km submarine cable that will link Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to Buenos Aires. This new infrastructure will connect Argentina to the GlobeNet network in Brazil, effectively linking the Southern Cone of South America to the United States and the world. With infrastructure already deployed in Bermuda, Brazil, Colombia, the United States and Venezuela, GlobeNets latest expansion is set to attract OTTs, cloud providers and carrier customers looking to enhance their reach throughout the region. Our submarine cable, designed to satisfy low latency and high capacity demands, will be the first new route to provide direct connectivity from Argentina to Brazil and the United States since 2001, says Eduardo Falzoni, CEO of GlobeNet. As a result, individuals and enterprises in the Southern Cone will be able to enjoy unparalleled capabilities when streaming content, accessing cloud services and interconnecting with data centres all over the world. GlobeNet has been making extensions and continuous upgrades to its network infrastructure since the inception of its flagship 23,500 km submarine cable system; the company recently announced a new level IV data centre in Barranquilla, Colombia as well as a new central interconnection point (IPX) for the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) at GlobeNets Internet Exchange Point in Fortaleza, Brazil that hosts the most important national internets infrastructure in the North and Northeastern Region of Brazil. The new subsea cable system will use the latest technology and feature a state-of-the-art design for the best architectural configuration. It will connect GlobeNets cable landing station in Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo via a landing point in nearby Praia Grande, and to Buenos Aires via a landing point in Las Toninas, a coastal town southeast of the Argentinian capital. The new cable system will be ready for service in the first half of 2020. Subscriber content preview PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa (AP) Six critically endangered black rhinos are being transported from South Africa to Chad, restoring the species to the country in north-central Africa nearly half a century after it was wiped out there. African Parks, a Johannesburg-based conservation group, said Thursday that the rhinos will travel by air to Zakouma National Park, a reserve in Chad that it manages with the government. . . . Every man deserves a fine suit in his closet and to do that you need the right names in the sartorial game. Sydney, youre up. Weve pulled together some of this citys best tailors and suit stores to suit any budget and occasion. Whether its for work, a wedding or you just want to look damn stylish every other day, these are the best Sydney suit stores you need to hit up. M.J. Bale Shop 30, 455 George Street, Sydney CBD ($$-$$$) M.J. Bale is one of Australias most innovative suit makers with a clear focus on construction, versatility and feel. The label boasts numerous stores across the city so finding one shouldnt be too hard. More importantly, though, M.J. Bale offers some of the finest suits available on the market through its use of Australian merino wool which is sent to Italy for milling and Japan for final construction. Suit types: Off the peg / Made-to-measure Suitsupply Sydney 5 Martin Place, Shop T3, Sydney ($-$$$) Sydneys Martin Place recently welcomed a brand new international player to the local suiting scene. Suitsupply has long been Amsterdams answer for providing high-quality suiting at the most attractive prices imaginable. It helps that the company is vertically integrated too so customers are guaranteed a nice balance of value and quality. The brand uses fabrics sourced from Italian mills such as Vitale Barberis Canonico and Reda before carrying out construction in China. Suit types: Off the peg The Bespoke Corner 223 Glenmore Road, Paddington, 2023 Following strong success in Melbourne, The Bespoke Corner has recently popped up in Sydney. Designed and developed to be more than just a tailor, The Bespoke Corner promises all customers an experience unlike any other. Not only will you find an incredible selection of premium fabrics and some of the best tailors in the business across the two floors of the boutique, but members can also indulge themselves in an exclusive cigar bar and Italian-style lounge courtyard. Suit types: Bespoke custom-made Farage Level 1, Shop 79, The Strand Arcade, Pitt Street Mall ($$) Established in 1998, Farage was one of the first stores that really pushed the boundaries of sartorial style and craftsmanship in Australia. Their dedication to producing high quality menswear hasnt waned since. Farage specialises in classic tailored suits and shirting so its a must for anyone looking for shirts that follow a more traditional style with a subtle modern twist. Suit types: Off the peg / Made-to-measure Brooks Brothers Shop 2, 44 Martin Place Sydney ($$-$$$) Brooks Brothers are one of the principal architects of preppy suit style. theyre also one of the few brands left that still offer an authentic oxford button-down that doesnt come from a sweatshop. Their collection covers everything from classic suiting to more casual wear reflective of contemporary Americana. Made in America lives on at Brooks Brothers. Suit types: Off the peg Calibre 4024/188 Pitt St, Sydney, Westfield Sydney ($$) Whilst menswear is their primary game, Australian label Calibre continues to dabble in suiting with some surprising results. Modern cuts, fresh detailing, seasonal looks and a very accessible price point has allowed Calibre to flourish in the home market. Their stores are also located across Sydney so finding one shouldnt be an issue. Suit types: Off the peg Henry Bucks 23-25 OConnell Street, Sydney CBD ($$$$) Henry Bucks have been creating suits for Sydneys distinguished gentlemen since 1999. Their CBD store is a one-stop shop for quality suiting, trousers, shirts, knitwear, jackets and more. Whilst we do endorse the ideal of owning a suit, Henry Bucks also has a suit hiring service alongside a host of other brands like Bogliolo, Canali, Richard James, Kent & Curwen, Isaia and Eton. Suit types: Off the peg Reiss 4057/8/500 Oxford St, Westfield Bondi Junction ($$) David Reiss pioneered design-led menswear in 1971 and it has formed the backbone of the name today. Their pieces offer innovation, quality, detail and value whilst the brand is known for its modern takes on classic, casual & formal designs for men. If its any indication of their work, their pieces can often be found on celebrities and fashion influencers. Suit types: Off the peg Zara Pitt St & Market Street, Westfield CBD ($) Zara offers an affordable style of suiting for men in Sydney. Its an off-the-rack affair here but a bit more grown-up with more mature tones and sleeker detailing without the big-ticket pricing. They also have various stores across Sydney to make shopping a breeze. Suit types: Off the peg Mr. A Taylor Appointment only ($$) Taylor by name, tailor by nature. And with that Sydney has access to one of the newest talents on the made-to-measure scene. Mr. A Taylor follows the ways of traditional Neapolitan suiting thats designed in Australia and proudly handcrafted in Italy. The fabrics from Mr. A Taylor are sourced from mills in the U.K and Europe and include names Holland & Sherry, Dormeuil, Reda and Ermenegildo Zegna. Each fabric is then cut by hand, sewn by hand and fitted by hand. Mr. A Taylor is a mobile service based in Bondi but he also services Australias major cities. Suit types: Made to measure G A Zink & Sons 56 Oxford St, Darlinghurst ($$$$) One of the earliest established tailors in Sydney, G A Zink & Sons are a made-to-measure shop producing high end suiting for the most discerning suit fiend. Theyre located in Darlinghurst and specialise in creating the perfect suit for the man looking for the more dignified or muted suit. Its not cheap, but well worth a visit to see what money can buy. Suit types: Made to measure Oscar Hunt 2/73 York St, Sydney CBD ($$$) Located in Sydneys CBD in a stunning showroom, Oscar Hunt is the perfect place to sort out your made-to-measure business needs with ease and convenience. The friendly fitters here work with clients to understand their unique requirements before guiding them through various styles, design options and finishings details. All of this takes place in the comfort of the Oscar Hunt first fitting room over a couple of drinks from the bar. Suit types: Made to measure Crane Brothers 410/350 George St, Sydney CBD ($$$) No visit to Sydney would be complete without dropping in to visit the New Zealand-born Crane Brothers. Founded by former Zambesi menswear designer Murray Crane, Crane Brothers offers a fine selection of handmade menswear with a strong focus on suiting, both ready-to-wear and made-to-measure. In addition to suits, you can find their high quality New Zealand-made shirts alongside impeccable service. Youll find them on George Street but by appointment only. Suit types: Made to measure The Bespoke Corner Shop 1, 55 Regent Street, Paddington ($$$-$$$$) As their name suggests, The Bespoke Corner allows men to build a custom suit entirely from scratch. Headed by Miles Wharton and his business partner, the stylish duo pride themselves on offering the most comprehensive tailoring service in Australia so that the final result is more a statement piece than just another daily suit. Every booking appointment is free and your assigned tailor takes ample time to sit down, chat and understand your needs before delivering a suit with your name on it. Suit types: Made to measure Belance Shop 1/3 Sussex Street, Barangaroo ($$) Belance offers customers free reigning design when it comes to contemporary made-to-measure suiting. Of course that doesnt mean you wont get the help you need here. Their new store in Barangaroo can advise men on style and fit choices throughout the process whilst guiding them through their aesthetic preferences. The three-step process is also simple with consultation, measure-up and design, and fitting before the final product lands in your hands. Suit types: Made to measure P. Johnson Tailors 7 Walker Lane, Sydney CBD ($$$-$$$$) The P. Johnson name is renowned across Australias suiting scene. As one of the first tailors to bring modern Italian style back into the fold, P. Johnson has been able to cultivate a bold new movement of dappered-up gentlemen who know a thing or two about sprezzatura styling. Their made to measure suits arent cheap but it is premium stuff from start to finish to ensure your finished suit is the only one in town. Suit types: Made to measure Suit Shop by PJT 412-414 George St, Sydney CBD ($$) Suit Shop is the sister brand to P.Johnson. The idea behind it is to offer the same level of suit detailing and style without the big ticket price. As such, their suits are made in China but everything else from fabric selection to knowledge to service is pure P.Johnson. Suit Shops made-to-measure suits go for less than $1,000 and theres plenty of options to choose from with lapels, pocket styles and cloths. Suit types: Made to measure Jack London 680 George St, Sydney ($) Modern British suiting style doesnt need to break the bank. Australian label Jack London brings affordability to the off-the-rack suiting scene without the fuss. Think short suit jackets with narrow lapels and narrow trousers, anorak parkas and short collared shirts worn with slim ties for a 1960s mod rocker vibe. Whilst their store is in Sydney, the label also branches out with stores in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Suit types: Off the peg Burberry 343 George St, Sydney ($$$$) The pinnacle of British suiting can be experienced at Sydneys Burberry flagship store. What men will find here are the latest looks direct from the runways alongside Burberrys signature aesthetic, quality and premium pricing. The garments arent not cheap but youre buying top tier stuff here that wouldnt go past guys like David Beckham. Suit types: Off the peg Brent Wilson Shop RG25, 500 George Street, The Galeries ($-$$) Brent Wilson has been one of Sydneys most prominent names in suiting. Having been one of the first made-to-order services to open in the Sydney CBD, Brent Wilson has been able to amass a wealth of experience and impeccable customer service for its dedicated customers. The well-groomed entrepreneur today boasts a talented team behind him and continues to dress some of Australias biggest celebrities. Suit types: Made to measure / Off the peg Sydney Suit Shops FAQ What is the average price for a men's suit? Off the rack, regular suits can cost around $500 to $800. The very good quality ones are generally priced between $800 to $1,200, while exceptional quality suits cost even more than that. Do men's suits go out of style? Suits are sophisticated and timeless. They are modern-day essentials that you should have in your wardrobe. For styles that never go out of fashion, choose navy or back two-piece, even a beige suit. What color suit should I buy? Dark suits, almost black or charcoal gray, are versatile. Find one made of fine, lightweight wool so you can wear it every season of the year. Single-breasted with 2 to 3 buttons will give you a classic look. Read Next Indian banks win Rs10,000 cr lawsuit against Mallya in UK Beleaguered Indian businessman Vijay Mallya has lost a UK lawsuit filed by Indian banks seeking to collect more than 1.15 billion (around Rs10,000 crore) amid allegations that he committed massive fraud. High Court Judge Andrew Henshaw in London on Tuesday said the lenders, including IDBI Bank Ltd, can enforce an Indian court ruling that relates to allegations that Mallya wilfully defaulted on about $1.4 billion in debt for his defunct Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. Henshaw also refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Mallyas assets. High Court Judge Andrew Henshaw in London on Tuesday said the lenders, including IDBI Bank Ltd, can enforce an Indian court ruling that relates to allegations that Mallya wilfully defaulted on about $1.4 billion in debt for his defunct Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. Henshaw also refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Mallyas assets. There is a risk of the value of Dr Mallyas assets deteriorating, and / or being subject to claims by other creditors, and a risk of Dr Mallya being declared bankrupt. Dr Mallyas departure from India, to where he has never since returned, and his resistance to Indias application to extradite him to face trial on serious criminal charges, provide some grounds for regarding him as a fugitive from justice, the judgment said. The judgement does not spell the end for Mallya, or his immediate deportation experts reportedly said winning this lawsuit can at best be termed as another step against the corporate loan defaulter. The 62-year-old is fighting numerous lawsuits in the UK and in India over fraud and money-laundering allegations. He was arrested in London more than a year ago and is waging another fight to block extradition in a different court about three miles across from the high court. Henshaw refused permission to appeal Tuesdays ruling, meaning his attorneys will have to directly petition the Court of Appeal. Lawyers for Mallya declined to comment after the hearing. Attorneys at law firm TLT in London, who are representing the lenders, said the ruling will allow them to enforce the underlying judgment by the Indian debt recovery tribunal immediately. The asset freeze order had forced Mallya to live on 5,000 a week, but his allowance was increased to roughly 20,000 pounds a week earlier this year, lawyers for the lenders said after the hearing. Mallya was arrested in London 18 April on a warrant issued by Indian authorities accusing him of conspiring to defraud Indias IDBI Bank through a Rs9,100 crore ($1.4 billion) loan to Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, which he founded in 2005 and shut down seven years later. Mallya left India in 2016, saying he was moving to England to be closer to his children. He has refused to return to India and said he fears an unfair trial amid the media frenzy and hysteria over unpaid dues. Mallya has also said government agencies are pursuing a "heavily biased investigation" and holding him guilty without trial. Delhi High court allows sale of Ranbaxy ex promoter's unencumbered assets The Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed the sale of unencumbered shares in listed companies of former Ranbaxy promoters to repay the Rs 3,500-crore arbitration to Japanese pharma major Daiichi Sankyo. However, this does not apply to shares held by Malvinder Singh as the Delhi Debt Recovery Tribunal has granted a stay on the sale of his unencumbered assets in a separate case by Yes Bank, which is seeking to recover Rs 565-crore to Oscar Investment for which Malvinder was a guarantor. The sale proceeds will be deposited with the registrar general of Delhi High Court, who will secure the amount in a fixed deposit. Brothers Malvinder Singh and Shivinder Singh, the promters of Ranbaxy Laboratories moved a fresh plea in the Delhi High court praying for a stay on its proceedings till the Singapore Court of Appeal, delivers its judgment in an appeal by them against the arbitration award, expected in June. See: ). On 31 Jnuary, the Delhi High Court allowed the Daiichi Sankyo to collect over $500 million (Rs3,500 crore) from the brothers as part of an international arbitration award ( Ranbaxys Singh bros must pay Daiichi Rs3,500 cr, rules HC ). The ruling had come a day after it was reported that a New York-based investor accused Religare Enterprises promoters Malvinder and Shivinder Singh of "diversion, siphoning and digression of assets" in a lawsuit filed in the Delhi High Court. The court had upheld the enforceability of the award passed by a Singapore tribunal, which had found the Singh brothers and others guilty of making false claims, and misrepresenting and concealing the genesis, nature and severity of the US regulatory investigations into Ranbaxy when Daiichi bought their 34.82-per cent stake for $2.4 billion in 2008. The court has posted the next date of hearing for 14 May Vodafone to acquire Liberty Global's cable, broadband assets in Europe The world's second-largest mobile operator Vodafone has entered into a deal to acquire the German and East European operations of US cable pioneer John Malone's Liberty Global for 18.4 billion ($21.8 billion), in a bid to expand into these markets with a broader range of superfast cable TV, broadband and mobile services. Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao,and Mike Fries, CEO, Liberty Global The deal,which is Vodafone's largest ever since it withdrew from the US in 2014, excludes Liberty Globals joint venture with Vodafone in the Netherlands, VodafoneZiggo, and Virgin Media in the UK. The acquisition will transform Vodafone from a mobile phone operator into a cable and broadband TV giant across Europe, and is aimed at accelerating its converged communications strategy through in-market consolidation in Germany, Vodafones largest market where it is a challenger to Deutsche Telekom, and in Central and Eastern European markets, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. This transaction will create the first truly converged pan-European champion of competition, said Vittorio Colao, chief executive of Vodafone Group. It represents a step change in Europes transition to a gigabit society.. Vodafone will become Europes leading next generation network owner, serving the largest number of mobile customers and households across the European Union. The acquisition will enable Vodafone to emerge the leading next generation network owner in Europe, with Liberty's 54 million cable / fibre homes on-net under its umbrella, and a total NGN reach of 110 million homes and businesses, including wholesale arrangements. Mike Fries, chief executive, Liberty Global, said, Germany, for example, is dominated by one provider that controls over half the broadband market . As a result, innovation and investment lag other countries in Europe, impacting customer service, next-generation product deployment and broadband speeds. The deal will create a converged national challenger to Deutsche Telekom, in Germany with the scale to accelerate achievement of the German governments digital ambitions, bringing Gigabit connections to around 25 million German homes by 2022. Deutsche Telekom has opposed the deal on the grounds it would distort competition in Germany. However Fries said, "Even together, Liberty Global and Vodafone, whose cable networks dont compete or overlap, will be half the size of the incumbent operator. Its time to alter market dynamics by unleashing greater investment and competition. " Vodafone expects to complete the acquisition in 2019, as it is likely to face a lengthy European regulatory review. As Liberty Media's media arm Unitymedia and Vodafone's Kabel Deutschland cable network do not have overlapping regional operations, their combination will create a strong rival to Deutsche Telekom's digital infrastructure in the German market. The combined businesses will strengthen Vodafones existing mobile operations in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania, reaching over 6.4 million homes and have 15.8 million mobile, 1.8 million broadband and 2.1 million TV customers. The deal brings cost and capex synergies of approximately 535 million per year before integration costs by the fifth year after the completion of the deal with an estimated net present value of over 6 billion after integration costs. The estimated revenue synergies with a net present value would exceed 1.5 billion from cross-selling to the combined customer base. Walmart signs deal term sheet with Flipkart: report Walmart has signed a definitive agreement to acquire about 75 per cent of online retailer Flipkart, Moneycontrol reportedearly this afternnon. Citing sources, the report said that the two companies have signed the agreeement defining the details of the transaction, under which Walmart is likely to buy about 70 to 75 per cent of online retailer Flipkart for about $15 billion. Walmart will also bring in internet search giant Google's parent Alphabet as a new investor to invest about $1.5 billion for an approximately 7 per cent stake. The deal is likely to value Flipkart at $20 billion. Walmart is also likely to invest $2 billion directly by infusing fresh equity in the Bengaluru-based company A Reuters report had earlier said that Walmart was in advanced talks to acquire 51 per cent or more of the e-commerce player for $10 billion to $12 billion, valuing Flipkart at some $18 billion to $20 billion. See: Co-founder and executive chairman Sachin Bansal is expected to exit completely, selling his 5.2-per cent stake, when the Walmart deal is finalised. ( Sachin Bansal likely to quit Flipkart if Walmart stake sale goes through ). Till a fortnight back Bansal had no plans to exit the company and was reported to be eyeing a larger role in the entity. Founders Sachin Bansal, 36 and Binny Bansal, 35, are not related. A batch apart in the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, they became friends as colleagues in Amazon before starting Flipkart in Bengaluru as an online bookstore in 2007 before going on to become the country's preeminent ecommerce company. Flipkarts shareholders Chinas Tencent Holdings, and US-based Tiger Global Management, will exit partially and retain small stakes, while South Africa-based Naspers Ltd and Microsoft Corp will also keep a small stake in the new company. They will, however, have the option of selling their stake to Walmart later at the same valuation at which Walmart bought a majority stake in Flipkart. See: SoftBank, which owns 20.8 per cent stake in Flipkart through its Vision Fund will exit completely, netting a 60 per cent profit on the $2.5 billion investment, through primary and secondary share purchases in 2017 ( SoftBank Vision Fund invests $2-2.5 bn in Flipkart ). Tencent Holdings and Tiger Global Management will continue to be represented on the board. How pharma companies can help safeguard intellectual property when expanding into risky countries In 2015, Pfizer pharmaceutical company invested $14 million in Chile to launch the Center of Excellence in Precision Medicine, focusing on developing new genome-based diagnostic technologies for cancer. This is just one example of a firm's geographic entry into a country that does not have strong intellectual property rights protection. The country may provide important necessary resources, but the investing firm may suffer intellectual property leakage and imitation by competitors. New research from the University of Notre Dame, however, shows there are ways companies like Pfizer can safeguard their intellectual property in such environments. Fearlessly Swimming Upstream to Risky Waters: The Role of Geographic Entry in Innovation by Tim Hubbard, assistant professor of management in the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business, will apper in the Journal of Management Studies. Hubbard and his team examined the innovative activities of 142 global pharmaceutical companies operating in 118 countries across 18 geographic regions. More specifically, the team analysed the geographic entry patterns of the companies' upstream research and development activities and their downstream commercialization activities -- such as manufacturing, marketing and support -- for the innovative products. The team found that firms operating regionally through downstream commercialisation activities can offer complementary assets to the upstream R&D activities that help protect the firms' intellectual property. That is, as an example, manufacturing and selling pharmaceuticals within a region can help protect firms that choose to locate their research and development activities in countries in the same region. Moreover, the regional downstream commercialisation activities can substitute for the weak intellectual property protection of a country within that region. "Previous studies have shown that firms need both upstream and downstream activities to profit from their innovations, but the question remains about 'where' this can happen," Hubbard says. "We show that the regional level can be an answer. For example, all upstream and downstream activities don't have to take place in one country; they can take place across the region." Moreover, Hubbard's team discovered that if a firm takes a regional approach and spreads out its activities across a region, it makes it harder for competitors to imitate the upstream intellectual property for two reasons. First, competitors will not fully grasp everything the firm is doing. Hubbard explains, "If all activities were located within a single country, it would be easier for a competitor to assess what the firm has done. If, however, those activities are spread across several countries within a region, they can still take advantage of having co-location, but they don't have to worry about competitors seeing the whole picture." Second, even if the competitor copies the upstream intellectual property, it takes too long to capture the value from it, as they would have to develop all of the downstream commercialization activities tailored to the upstream activities. Thus, these two reasons create barriers to imitation. Prior to this important finding, there were few guidelines to deal with the dilemma where a firm wanted to enter countries with important resources not available elsewhere in the world, but the country lacked strong intellectual property rights protection. These important resources could substantially enhance the firm's competitive advantage, but the weak protection could put the firm's intellectual property at risk. "For example, countries with rainforests allow for unique opportunities to research tropical diseases and develop new drugs," Hubbard says. "But the question remains: should firms locate research and development activities in countries with poor intellectual property rights? Our research indicates that having downstream activities that can help protect intellectual property, paving the way for them to invest in these countries." The results also shed light into how firms can help manage their research and development activities in diverse regions such as Southeast Asia. For example, if firms already manufacture and sell their products in Southeast Asia, they may be more confident in locating their research and development activities in countries within the region -- such as Vietnam or China --because they will have another mechanism to help them protect their intellectual property. Nifty ends below 10,750; Sensex gains 100 points; PSU banks drag May 09, 03:36 PM (IST) After trading in a narrow range, the market has closed on positive note . The Sensex was up 103 points at 35319 and Nifty ended below 10,750 level. Among sectors, PSU banking stocks remained the laggard along with pharma and FMCG stocks. Tata Motors, Titan Company, TCS, UPL and Yes Bank are the top gainers on the Nifty. May 09, 03:09 PM (IST) The benchmark indices loses some shine in the final hour of trading as Nifty is trading below 10,750 and Sensex is trading around 35,300. The Sensex is up 91.24 points at 35307.56, and the Nifty up 21.40 points at 10739.20. About 1111 shares have advanced, 1466 shares declined, and 145 shares are unchanged. Tata Motors, TCS, Axis Bank, Asian Paints and Yes Bank are the top gainers on the Sensex, while losers are ICICI Bank, Sun Pharma, Bajaj Auto, M&M and HDFC. May 09, 02:58 PM (IST) Earning reaction: Shares of EID Parry touched a 52-week low of Rs 252 on the back poor set of numbers for the quarter ended March 2018. The company's Q4 net profit declined percent at Rs 40.48 crore against Rs 300.38 crore in the year ago period. Revenue from operation was down at Rs 3386.54 against Rs 3428.10 crore. EBITDA of the company was at Rs 259.2 crore and margin stood at Rs 7.6 percent. The company has recommended a final dividend of Rs 3 per equity share for the year ended March 31, 2018. The board also recommended issue of secured/unsecured non-convertible debentures on a private placement basis for an amount not exceeding Rs 300 crore during the year 2018-19 subject to approval of the shareholders at the ensuing AGM of the company. May 09, 01:44 PM (IST) A sharp surge is visible on the market during the afternoon session, with the Sensex rising over 150 points. The Nifty is advancing gains around 10,750-mark. Reversal of losses in financials along with a surge in metals and IT names are pushing indices higher. Upmove in auto stocks such as Tata Motors is also aiding the rally. Midcaps continue to have a day of underperformance to the benchmarks. Tata Motors, Asian Paints and Reliance are the top gainers on both indices, while SBI, Maruti Suzuki, BPCL and UltraTech Cement are under pressure. May 09, 01:25 PM (IST) May 09, 01:16 PM (IST) Vijaya Bank will grow net profit by 5 times in FY19, says CEO Sankara Narayanan Vijaya Bank, one of the smallest public sector lenders, hopes to grow its net profit by five times to over Rs 1,000 crore by the end of this financial year ending March 2019. May 09, 12:58 PM (IST) The market has gathered some strength now, with the Sensex rising around 80 points, while the Nifty was trading well above 10,700. A turnaround in banking names has brought about this rise in the market, which was already witnessing support from metals and IT names. Midcaps, meanwhile, continue to trade weak, falling around one third of a percent. Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, and Bharti Infratel have gained the most on both indices, while HDFC, M&M, BPCL and UltraTech Cement were the top losers. May 09, 12:49 PM (IST) May 09, 12:15 PM (IST) Buzzing: Strides Shasun rose 3.5 percent as company has agreed with Apotex to merge their respective Australian business operations. Strides Shasun has agreed with Apotex, in principle, to merge their respective Australian business operations. The transaction is subject to entering into definitive agreements between the parties, satisfactory due diligence, customary closing conditions and statutory approvals, including approval of Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). May 09, 11:42 AM (IST) The benchmark indices continues to trade flat with positive bias. The Sensex is up 27.80 points at 35244.12, and the Nifty up 3.20 points at 10721. About 1141 shares have advanced, 1127 shares declined, and 123 shares are unchanged. Tata Motors, Asian Paints, Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel, Yes Bank, Titan Company, Bharti Infratel, HCL Tech and Tech Mahindra are the top gainers on the indices. Tata Motors added 3.4 percent as company's wholly owned subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (UK) has posted robust sales numbers in April 2018. May 09, 11:31 AM (IST) Tata Motors April JLR sales up 12%: Shares of Tata Motors added 3.4 percent as company's wholly owned subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (UK) has posted robust sales numbers in April 2018. Jaguar Land Rover reported total retail sales of 45,180 vehicles in April 2018, up 11.9 percent year-on-year. Retail sales for April were up significantly year-on-year in China (28.9%), the UK (25.9%), overseas markets (21.3%) and North America (2.5%) but down in Europe (-10.2%), with continuing uncertainty over diesel in the UK and Europe. May 09, 11:21 AM (IST) Ambit Capital bullish on rural consumption plays, private banks In an environment where macros will overweigh markets, investors should look out for stocks which promise earnings growth visibility, Pramod Gubbi, Head of Equities at Ambit Capital, said in an interview to CNBC-TV18. May 09, 11:03 AM (IST) Earning reaction: Sintex Industries rose 15 percent on robust numbers declared by the company in the quarter ended March 2018. The company has posted 16 percent jump in its Q4 (Jan-March) net profit to Rs 57.42 crore against Rs 49.54 crore in the same quarter last year. Revenue of the company slipped by 6 percent at Rs 617.27 crore versus Rs 661.40 crore. May 09, 10:52 AM (IST) Buzzing: Suven Life Sciences gained nearly 2 percent as company secured product patents in Australia, Eurasia and Europe. The company has been granted 1 product patent each from Australia, Eurasia and Europe corresponding to the new chemical entity (NCE) for the treatment of disorders associated with Neurodegenerative diseases and these Patents are valid through 2034. The granted claims of the patents include the class of selective 5-HT4 compound. May 09, 10:31 AM (IST) May 09, 10:11 AM (IST) The AuM of corporate bond ETFs stand at US$300bn, or more than seven times the inventory sitting on bond dealers balance sheet! pic.twitter.com/vQ2KpMhTpg May 09, 10:10 AM (IST) Shares have continued to trade flat this morning, digesting the developments coming in from the White House as well as higher crude prices. Selling pressure is visible across sectors, barring IT and metal names. The sectoral indices have risen up to 1.4 percent. A rally in global commodities has pushed up metal stocks in India. Hindalco and Vedanta are up around 2-4 percent. Tata Steel is the top gainer on the Sensex, with a rise of 1 percent. Meanwhile, banking stocks are witnessing some profit booking. May 09, 09:44 AM (IST) May 09, 09:39 AM (IST) Global brokerages upgrade these 6 stocks to buy post Q4 results Global brokerage houses have upgraded a few stocks, highlighting robust Q4 FY18 results. Moneycontrol takes a look at six such stocks which have seen a ratings upgrade May 09, 09:24 AM (IST) US to pull out of Iran nuclear deal: Donald Trump President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the U.S. will pull out of the landmark nuclear accord with Iran, dealing a profound blow to U.S. allies and potentially deepening the president's isolation on the world stage. May 09, 09:20 AM (IST) Equities have begun the day on a lower note, with the Sensex shedding around 50 points, while the Nifty held 10,700 in the opening tick. The market breadth was in favour of advances. The Sensex is down 48.69 points or 0.14% at 35167.63, and the Nifty down 16.30 points or 0.15% at 10701.50. About 302 shares have advanced, 229 shares declined, and 59 shares are unchanged. Selling is visible across all sectors, barring Nifty IT, which is trading over half a percent higher. Big cuts are visible in financial names, with Nifty Bank falling 0.40 percent. Midcaps too are trading lower. OMC stocks have taken a hit on the back of higher crude oil prices. May 09, 09:15 AM (IST) Stocks in the news: Lupin, Dewan Housing, Eicher Motors, Tata Steel, SPARC, Sintex, Quess Corp Here are the stocks which are in news today: Results Today: Eicher Motors, Arvind, Federal Bank, EID Parry, Jubilant Life, JSPL, Parag Milk Foods, Dhampur Sugar, Hikal Ex-dividend: HCL Technologies May 09, 09:10 AM (IST) Pre-opening rates have kicked in. The initial trends show Nifty starting lower, while the Sensex is likely to be around flatlines. May 09, 09:06 AM (IST) What changed for the market while you were sleeping? 12 things you should know The index closed in green with gains of 2 points but it formed a bearish candlestick pattern which suggests momentum seems to be fading. May 09, 09:05 AM (IST) Good morning. Welcome to the live coverage of the markets on Moneycontrol. Road and rail upgrades are under the spotlight as part of the 2018-19 Budget announced by Treasurer Scott Morrison but road safety will remain relatively untouched. The Government has set aside $75 billion over ten years that will go towards initiatives including the Urban Congestion Fund, Major Project Business Case office and Roads of Strategic Importance Fund. Road safety will be maintained by the Black Spot and Roads to Recovery programs already in place, while extension of the instant asset write-off scheme will allow small business owners to claim relevant vehicle purchases. The Roads of Strategic Importance project will put money towards improving key freight corridors and important transport routes and the Urban Congestion Fund is planned to alleviate the current frustration commuters face nearly every morning on their way to work. According to the Government, congestion cost our economy more than $16 billion in 2015 alone. The Urban Congestion Fund will focus on alleviating this burden by investing in projects in urban areas that address pinch points and last-mile access to ports, airports and freight hubs, it said in the latest budget statement. But the Australian Automobile Association has criticised the Governments Budget which has decreased overall spending on infrastructure and safety, despite an estimated increase in collected taxes from the net fuel excise ($5.1 billion), luxury car tax and import duties - both of which will continue to stay in place for the foreseeable future. This Budget fails to appropriately reinvest the taxes paid by Australian motorists in the programs so desperately needed to improve safety, affordability, and mobility, said AAA chief executive Michael Bradley. While Australian motorists will this year pay a record level of motoring-related taxes, they will likely still see congestion pressures continue to increase. It is pleasing to see the Government establish the dedicated Urban Congestion Fund, the Roads of Strategic Importance Fund, and the Major Project Business Case Fund. For what the Government will spend our money on, heres the detailed list of automotive related changes and continuations. Started in 2010 by Dundalk Firefighters, Fire and Ambulance Development in Africa (FADA) continues its magnificent work in developing the Fire and Rescue Services in Niger West Africa. This award-winning project has opened eight fire stations and covered an area twice the size of Ireland with rescue and medical equipment. All this life-saving equipment has been donated by local authorities throughout Ireland and Fleming Medical Ireland. Recently two forty-foot containers with over 400,000 worth of equipment arrive in Niamey Rescue Headquarters. Jaws of Life, Air Bags and Medical Supplies along with Breathing Apparatus, Helmets and an Ambulance donated by Cavan Civil Defence. The project will continue this year with a further three fire stations being opened and with a training crew flying out to once again upskill the firefighters in Niamey. This team of firefighters serving and retired from Dundalk, Drogheda and Monaghan Fire and Rescue will open a training school which will be kitted out with laptops and the most up to date training lectures and presentations. For more information please visit - Fire and Ambulance Development in Africa on Facebook Louth County Council officially launched their PEACE IV Local Action Plan on Tuesday afternoon, heralding a 2.2 million investment in social development in Louth which will "benefit all walks of life." In what the local authority describe as a "major economic boost for the area", the projects to be funded under the PEACE IV baner will aim to bring communities together. The PEACE IV programme is a unique cross-border initiative led by the European Union which aims to support peace and reconciliation across Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. A total of 13-peace building programmes will be delivered under the PEACE IV Local Action Plan for Louth. They will fall under themes such as children and young people, shared spaces and services, and building positive relations. The council say that the programme will be delivered through various streams across many activities such as sports, arts, heritage, youth and the community. This, they say, is to ensure as wide a reach as possible. "The PEACE IV Local Action Plan was developed following an extensive public consultation in 2016 and designed specifically to address local needs identified within the community," Louth County Council Chief Executive Joan Martin said. "Each initiative within the plan has been carefully designed to support peace building and cross community interaction, enabling people to live, learn and socialise together," continued Martin, who also chairs the Peace IV Partnership. Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr Colm Markey also spoke at the launch on Tuesday and added: This is an exciting time for the residents of Louth; the PEACE IV Local Action Plan will engage all ethnic communities, providing a platform for people from all walks of life to come together. "I am looking forward to working alongside those involved and seeing first-hand the results of the important work carried out on the ground. The Louth PEACE IV Action Plan received 85% funding from the European Regional Development Fund with match-funding for the remainder provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development in Ireland and the Executive Office in Northern Ireland. According to the council, the funding will be invested across the county over a two-year period. We are confident that with the full support of the PEACE IV Partnership, the SEUPB, and most importantly, engagement and participation from the wider community, that the rollout of the Local Action Plan will help to promote and to stimulate economic and social development in Co Louth," Martin added. Two years ago, Louth County Council sought submissions from local community groups, organisations or individuals for project funding as part of the Louth Peace IV Partnership scheme. BHOPAL C&A Foundation and the Government of Madhya Pradesh have co-hosted Cotton Trailblazers, an event held in Bhopal which highlighted, among other things, the role of organic cotton cultivation in improving the livelihood of farmers in the region. The event was designed to enable a dialogue to be established between stakeholders at different stages of the organic cotton supply chain, in order to strengthen industry ties and increase the resilience of the sector. The National Marine Fisheries Service protected rare Taiwanese humpback dolphins on Tuesday, listing the species as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act. The decision comes in response to a March 2016 petition from the Animal Welfare Institute, Center for Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians seeking U.S. protections to help prevent the extinction of a population that now numbers fewer than 100 individuals. "These rare dolphins deserve every possible chance to escape extinction, and we are thrilled that the National Marine Fisheries Service has stepped up and given them the protections of the Endangered Species Act," said Taylor Jones, endangered species advocate for WildEarth Guardians. "A myriad of dolphin species are at risk due to human activities, and we owe these intelligent creatures the best protections we can give them." Taiwanese humpback dolphins are threatened by gillnet fishing, pollution, boat traffic and development along Taiwan's densely populated west coast, including the proposed construction of large wind farms. An endangered listing will enable the U.S. to provide technical expertise and resources to support Taiwan in conserving the rare dolphin. "This is good news that will help these rare dolphins avoid extinction. International cooperation is the key to saving certain critically endangered species," said Abel Valdivia, an ocean scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. "Now that U.S. officials have made the right call on this listing, they should immediately start working with Taiwan on a recovery plan. The Endangered Species Act is a powerful tool that can still save the Taiwanese humpback dolphin and other small cetaceans struggling to survive." The Taiwanese humpback dolphin, also known as the Taiwanese white dolphin, is a biologically and culturally important subspecies of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin. In 2014 the National Marine Fisheries Service denied a previous petition to protect the Taiwanese humpback dolphin, concluding that the population was not distinct from the Chinese white dolphin, which swims in deeper waters closer to China's coastline. New taxonomy studies, however, conclude that the Taiwanese humpback dolphin is a distinct subspecies with unique characteristics, whose numbers continue to decline to alarmingly low levels. "This is a major victory for the Taiwanese dolphin," said Tara Zuardo, Animal Welfare Institute senior wildlife attorney. "The Endangered Species Act will help enable the United States to provide the resources needed to help protect and conserve this imperiled population. We are grateful that the National Marine Fisheries Service recognized the need to take immediate action." An estimated 50 percent to 80 percent of all life on Earth is found in the oceans. More than half of marine species may be at risk of extinction by 2100 without significant conservation efforts. Despite this grave situation, the U.S. largely fails to protect marine species under the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act is an effective safety net for imperiled species: It has prevented extinction for more than 90 percent of plants and animals under its care. Scientists estimate that 227 species would have gone extinct by 2006 if not for its protections. Protecting species with global distributions can help focus U.S. resources toward enforcement of international regulations and recovery of the species. With one foot out the Brexit door, the UK is secretly trying to weaken EU commitments to the Paris agreement in a move branded "rude" by one member of European parliament (MEP), The Guardian reported Wednesday. The EU is currently set to reduce its energy use by 20 percent by making improvements to energy efficiency and buildings. The targets cover the years 2014 to 2020, but the UK is lobbying to be allowed to count efficiency improvements made from 2010, and to carry over any improvements made over the target to count towards post-2020 commitments. The plan was confirmed by leaked documents viewed by The Guardian. Vice chair of the European parliament's environment committee Benedek Javor did not mince words in criticizing the UK's proposal. "This approach would risk failure in our efforts to reach even moderately ambitious overall targets, while the higherand beneficial targetsthat we need to strive for could become lost altogether," Javor said. He further called it "rude" for the country to try and weaken regulations it would only be beholden to until it formally leaves the EU when Brexit goes into effect. The revelation also raises concerns about the UK's commitment to fighting climate change in a post-Brexit world. Unlike their counterparts in the U.S., UK conservatives currently in power have rhetorically embraced global environmental action. In a speech reported by The Guardian at the UN last September, conservative Prime Minister Theresa May spoke out against President Donald Trump's plans to leave the Paris agreement, for example. The UK has also emerged as a leader in the global fight against ocean plastics this year, announcing in April a plan to end the sale of single-use plastics like straws and drink stirrers. But some are concerned that the government's actions won't match its words, and this move confirms those fears. "This sneaky, behind-the-scenes amendment indicates a government that likes to pretend it is a global leader but will not take the strong policy action needed to deliver the necessary change," shadow international trade and climate spokesman Barry Gardiner told The Guardian. Likewise, Liberal-Democratic MEP Catherine Bearder told The Guardian it "gave the lie" to the "green revolution" promised by Brexit supporter and UK environment secretary Michael Gove. These concerns were further supported by a recent risk analysis commissioned by Friends of the Earth that found that Brexit is likely to weaken UK environmental regulations. The analysis found that a 25-year environment plan launched by May and touted by Gove was vague and less ambitious than current EU law. Last year, an international vaquita recovery committee rang alarm bells after reporting that there were just 30 left on the planet, with more recent estimates pegging the tiny porpoise's population at only 12. Now, the plight of the world's most endangered marine mammaland the intense conservation efforts to save itis the subject of a new documentary from Red Bull's Terra Mater Factual Studios, Variety reported Tuesday. The new film, slated for completion this year, has the working title VaquitaSea of Ghosts. The name likely refers to the vaquita being driven to the brink of extinction due to unauthorized gillnet or "ghost net" fishing in the Gulf of California, the critically endangered species' only known habitat. Gillnets, which are used to catch totoaba bass sought by Chinese markets, can entangle and kill marine animals, including the vaquita that get trapped in them. Terra Mater previously collaborated with actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio's production company Appian Way on 2016's The Ivory Game that was among the 15 finalists for the best feature documentary Oscar. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Societywhich has vigorously campaigned to save the imperiled porpoiseis also working on the documentary, as Captain Paul Watson announced in a Facebook post. According to Variety, the film starts with a meeting between DiCaprio and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Last June, they signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at conserving marine ecosystems in the Gulf of California and saving the vaquita porpoise. VaquitaSea of Ghosts also shows sometimes-heated conflict between Mexican drug cartels and Chinese crime gangs versus the Mexican government, the U.S. Navy, the FBI, Sea Shepherd and other wildlife activist groups, Variety reported. The film is directed by award-winning Richard Ladkani, who was also behind The Ivory Game. It will premiere internationally in 2018. A new trove of federal civil rights data has, for the first time, captured a snapshot of the controversial practice of corporal punishment of preschoolers in the nations public schools. Nineteen states permit corporal punishment, and the federal Civil Rights Data Collection has for some time collected information on how often K-12 students are spanked, paddled, swatted, or subjected to other forms of physical discipline in schools. Students ages 3 to 5 who attend public preschool programs were for the first time included in the latest data collection, which is based on the 2015-16 school year. The number of young children who were physically disciplined is smallnearly 1,500 children were reported, out of a total preschool population of almost 1.6 million, according to an Education Week Research Center analysis. But the fact that its still legal is a problem, said Deborah J. Vagins, currently a member of the leadership staff at the American Association of University Women. Vagins, formerly the senior legislative counsel on civil rights issues for the American Civil Liberties Union, led the organizations efforts to have corporal punishment banned in public schools. Its important to note that in some states, students receive greater protection from corporal punishment in juvenile-justice facilities than they do in public schools, Vagins said. What the Data Show According to Education Department figures, white children made up about 2 in 5 public-school pre-K students during the 2015-16 school year, but represented more than half of the preschoolers who were spanked or paddled. Black and Native American students also were subjected to corporal punishment out of proportion to their representation among the nations preschoolers. While black children accounted for 19 percent of preschoolers, they were 22 percent of those spanked or paddled. And American Indian students were just 1 percent of the preschool population, but made up 9 percent of those subjected to corporal punishment. By contrast, Latino students made up 29 percent of the preschool population included in this data, but were just 1 in 10 of the students who were identified as being punished physically. Together, children who were Asian-American, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or two or more races represented 9 percent of preschoolers, and 5 percent of those punished physically. The corporal punishment information adds to other preschool suspension and expulsion data that the federal government collects from schools. As in prior years, the data showed that suspensions were more often given to black children. They made up 46 percent of preschoolers suspended more than once in 2015-16, while making up 19 percent of the overall preschool population. And preschool punishment overall was heavily tilted towards boys, who make up 54 percent of the preschool population in this report, but more than three-quarters of those who were spanked or paddled, and 81 percent of the preschoolers who were suspended more than once. However, the data also contain puzzling numbers that cast doubt on some conclusions. For example, of the students identified as being subjected to corporal punishment, more than 1,000 were in just two states: Texas and Oklahoma. Of the nearly 600 young children who were reported by schools as being expelled, more than 400 were reported by one school district: La Joya, in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Data from that heavily Latino district creates the impression that most preschoolers nationwide who are expelled are Latino. Marina Abdullah, the 29,000-student districts executive director for student services, said that she doesnt know where that number came from. No preschoolers were expelled in the district, and Texas forbids expelling preschoolers and kindergarten students, she said. Thank you so much for bringing that to our attention, Abdullah said. If we had expelled even one, the state would have been on us. Abdullah thinks the number was generated incorrectly from student data files that the district uses to fill out the data report. Debra Andersen, the executive director of Smart Start Oklahoma, noted that prekindergarten programs in the state are overseen by the school district and thus exempt from child-care licensing, which forbids corporal punishment. Its likely that those prekindergarten programs are following the discipline practices that are in use for older children in those school districts. Banning corporal punishment is a hard sell, Andersen said. Its very culturally instilled for a lot of people. Expulsion and Suspension The federal government started reporting data on preschool suspensions and expulsions in 2014, prompting a wave of policy actions around the country to ban or restrict the practice. For example, in 2017, Illinois banned expulsion of students from preschool education and early-childhood programs that are funded by the state. When we expel 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds, we are setting them up for a life where they are much more likely to be ill-prepared for elementary school and among those most at risk for school failure, said an editorial backing the legislation that was co-written by Diana Rauner, the president of the Ounce of Prevention Fund. Rauner is married to Bruce Rauner, the Illinois governor. Many of those policy changes, however, would have been going into effect around the same time the data for the recent report was collected, so any impact was hard to gauge. When preschool discipline numbers were first reported, for the 2011-12 school year, black children were estimated at 18 percent of the preschool population, but 48 percent of those suspended more than once. Thats about the same as the proportions in this most recent report. Banning the Practice Walter S. Gilliam, the director of the Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy at Yale University, has studied preschool discipline extensively. In addition to several states banning expulsion and suspension in preschool, he noted that a recent change in Head Start regulations explicitly bans expulsion, as do new regulations on child-care programs that receive funding through the Community Development Block Grant program. Thats 1.6 million preschoolers who are protected, who were not legally protected two years ago, Gilliam said. Id like to think thats having an effect. But theres no way to know. Kristen Harper, the director of policy development for Child Trends, oversaw the U.S. Department of Educations efforts to promote alternatives to suspension during the Obama administration. The numbers are important to collect, even with some of the challenges in interpreting them, she said. You take self-reported administrative data that has a lot of policy churn around it, and people have every reason to put themselves in the best light possible, Harper said. But one reason its important to collect information about a wide range of disciplinary practices anyway, Harper said, is to see if schools might be shifting to corporal punishment if other practices, such as suspension or expulsion, are off the table. And the numbers still have to be only part of one piece of evaluating the full picture of how a school or district disciplines its students. Even if that was the best data in the world you still shouldnt look at it alone, she said. The #MeToo movement has brought to the forefront what has been a long-standing concern for women across various communities: sexual harassment and, more broadly, gender inequality. Its critical that we implement sanctions against perpetrators of sexual harassment and that we increase mens awareness of what is and is not acceptable. But this movement also highlights the need for thinking more seriously about how we teach children and teens about these issues. Sexual harassment is not merely something that young people will need to contend with sometime in their distant future when they are adults in the workforce. Rather, it is something many of them, especially girls, are experiencing right now and right in their schools. Like it or not, schools are formally and informally communicating lessons to their students about expectations for mens and womens sexual conduct. Thus, we should look to education as a significant avenue to tackle sexual harassment and gender inequality. In particular, we need to rethink what is typically referred to as sex education. First, we need to change the very word we use for it from sex education to sexuality education. This education must address not just the birds and the bees, but sexual harassment, including the ways in which it sometimes affects different groups of women and girls. The conventional wisdom about sexuality education in schools is that there are two choices: an abstinence-only curriculum or a comprehensive curriculum that includes both abstinence and other topics, such as options for preventing pregnancy and protecting individuals from contracting sexually transmitted diseases. While research has largely established that the latter approach is more effective than abstinence-only education in delaying sexual activity and reducing adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, comprehensive sexuality education would be even more effective if it were even more comprehensive. One way to do this is to expand sexuality education curricula to incorporate lessons about sexual harassment and gender inequality. A 2011 nationally representative survey commissioned by the American Association of University Women found that nearly half of middle and high school students surveyed reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment during the 2010-2011 academic year. Girls were more likely than boys to be sexually harassed, but the problem was widespread across genders: 56 percent of girls and 40 percent of boys reported experiencing sexual harassment. This included in-person sexual harassment, such as unwelcome touching or sexual jokes, as well electronic sexual harassment, such as unsolicited pictures or videos. This movement also highlights the need for thinking more seriously about how we teach children and teens about these issues." I have encountered this high rate of sexual harassment in my own research as well. When interviewing Latina girls in Chicago on their sexual experiences, I heard repeated stories of boys groping them in the hallway or making sexual comments about their bodies in school. Teachers and other school employees need better training in how to identify and stop sexual harassment. In her 2007 book Dude, Youre a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School, sociologist C. J. Pascoe found that teachers frequently witness the harassment yet fail to do anything about it, or they may minimize the seriousness of the incident. It is also important that school employees become aware of how unconscious racial biases may influence their perceptions of such incidents. Research shows that black and Latinx students face more disciplinary action and are assumed to be more adult-like and less innocent, and thus in less need of protection. Researchers, including Monique Morris and Jody Miller, have documented how school personnel routinely label black girls as loud, or unladylike when they are perceived to fail to conform to white, middle-class expectations of femininity. Such research demonstrates how racial and gender stereotypes of girls of color can inform some school personnels understanding of their harassment. It can even lead educators to punish these girls attempts to protect themselves or to assume they provoked their own sexual harassment. The prevalence of sexual harassment in schools also suggests that sexuality education should be made more comprehensive in terms of when it is taught. Instead of treating it as a discrete topic limited to health class, it should be incorporated into other aspects of school. In rethinking sexuality education to address the issue of sexual harassment, for instance, schools need to think about dress-code policies. By focusing almost exclusively on girls attire, school officials often reinforce the sexual double standard that permits boys more freedom than girls, thereby reinforcing gender inequality. Instead, schools should concentrate on training school personnel and students on identifying, preventing, and addressing sexual harassment. These lessons can also be incorporated into classroom discussion, where students could learn and dialogue about relevant topics in an age-appropriate manner. For instance, students can explore Title IX through history class assignments. Students familiarity with the federal lawwhich prohibits sex discrimination in educational activities and programs by institutions that receive federal fundscan empower them to demand gender equity in their schools, as well as in the larger society. Gender equity can also be examined in the social studies classroom, where teachers can facilitate student discussions of gender stereotypes in the media, for example. These types of classroom activities can also assist students in developing media-literacy skills, such as understanding how our engagement with media relates to social interactions. Young people are already facing sexual harassment in their lives, including their schools. Why not help them take it on now in a more structured context? Its time to start these conversations earlier, help youths recognize harassment, call it out, and demand that something be done about it. Maybe this can help us move in a more concerted effort to stop making sexual harassment and gender inequality a normal aspect of our culture. Its gone on too long. Its about time we figure it out. To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, today recognized four individuals with awards for their exemplary service to the computing field. Working in diverse areas, the 2017 award recipients were selected by their peers for longstanding efforts that have significantly shaped the role of computing in society. This year's ACM award recipients made seminal contributions in areas including computer science education, publishing, public policy, and expanding access to computing. The recipients will be formally honored at the ACM Awards Banquet on June 23, 2018 in San Francisco. The 2017 award recipients include: Judith Gal-Ezer, recipient of the Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award, for her central role in developing a groundbreaking high school computer science curriculum; her outstanding computer science education research; and her extensive service to the education community. In 1995 Gal-Ezer, who is currently a professor emerita at The Open University of Israel, led the development of a bold new CS curriculum for Israeli high school students. Her reimagined approach moved away from conventional pedagogies, which prioritized coding, to emphasizing the underlying ideas of computer science. Gal-Ezer's framework was such a success at engaging students that many other countries used it as a model as they revised or introduced their own CS curricula. Gal-Ezer's seminal works include her 1998 paper "What (Else) Should CS Educators Know," co-authored with David Harel. In the paper, she advocates that CS educators should extend their knowledge beyond regular CS coursework and be exposed to the foundational ideas of algorithms and systems. The paper inspired a whole generation of CS educators and contributed to a heightened appreciation of the inherent value of studying computing. Gal-Ezer has also been active in developing curricula at the university level. From 1985 onward, she played a prominent role in setting up computer science undergraduate programs, and later a Master's program, at OUI, where she either personally wrote or supervised much of the CS coursework. Outside Israel, Gal-Ezer has been an indispensable collaborator for several major organizations that advance CS education. She has been a member of key CS education journal editorial boards, served on the Computer Science Teachers Association's (CSTA) Advisory Council, and more recently, joined the Committee on European Computing Education (CECE, a group consisting of members from the ACM Europe Council and Informatics Europe) and Google's education advisory council. The Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award is presented annually to an outstanding educator who is appointed to a recognized educational baccalaureate institution. The recipient is recognized for advancing new teaching methodologies; effecting new curriculum development or expansion in Computer Science and Engineering; or making a significant contribution to the educational mission of ACM. Those with 10 years or less teaching experience are given special consideration. A prize of $10,000 is supplied by Pearson Education. Jan Cuny, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award for the establishment and tireless promotion of projects that have nationally transformed CS education by increasing and diversifying access to high-quality CS education. When she joined the US National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2004, Cuny initiated the Broadening Participation in Computing Program (BPC), which aimed to significantly increase the number of college students earning degrees in computing across the country. The BPC program sought to increase the participation in computing of traditionally underrepresented groups, including women, minorities and persons with disabilities. BPC seeded a number of alliances--large-scale efforts that are continuing to work at the national level to increase diversity in the computing field. In the K-12 arena, Cuny built on the work of one of those alliances, Into the Loop, that successfully introduced a new high school course, Exploring Computer Science, designed with equity as a core consideration. Cuny worked with the College Board to develop a new national Advanced Placement (AP) computer science course and exam with similar goals of attracting traditionally underrepresented groups. One challenge the planners faced was that of the 23,000 public high schools in the United States, only 2,000 offered computer science education. Creating new NSF programs, Cuny launched an effort to catalyze a movement to add 10,000 new well-trained CS teachers throughout the country in 10 years. This ambitious professional development effort was dubbed "CS10K." While the milestone of 10,000 new CS teachers has not quite been reached yet, Cuny's vision of a new, more inclusive CS course is a reality. AP Computer Science Principles was launched in the 2016-2017 academic year. More than 2,500 schools offered the course and more than 50,000 students took the exam--"the biggest launch in the AP's history. CS10K became the forerunner to today's "CSforAll" movement that is transforming CS education for grades preK-12. The ACM Distinguished Service Award is presented on the basis of value and degree of services to the computing community. The contribution should not be limited to service to the Association, but should include activities in other computer organizations and should emphasize contributions to the computing community at large. William Wulf, recipient of the ACM Policy Award for broad contributions bringing computing into the national agenda, leading computer scientists into public policy where his inspirational leadership promoted key national priorities including diversity and ethics. A highlight of Wulf's tenure as Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) division (1988-1990) was overseeing the merger and conversion of the ARPANet, an early packet-switching network with/to NREN, an early network that supported the research and education communities. This merger, as well as efforts by Wulf and others to work with Congress to craft legislation, led to the publicly accessible internet. As the Chair of National Research Council (NRC) Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (1992-96), Wulf managed the development of several landmark reports including "Computing the Future: A Broader Agenda for Computer Science and Engineering," and "Evolving the High Performance Computing and Communications Initiative," among many others. While at the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), Wulf became known as the "Education President." He established NAE's first Standing Committee on Engineering Education and spearheaded NAE's technical literacy movement. Two reports: "The Engineer of 2020" and "Educating the Engineer of 2020" were especially well-received and fostered broad consensus among NAE's membership. Wulf was also recognized for his efforts in championing ethics and greater diversity in the engineering profession during his term at NAE. The ACM Policy Award was established in 2014 to recognize an individual or small group that had a significant positive impact on the formation or execution of public policy affecting computing or the computing community. This can be for education, service, or leadership in a technology position; for establishing an innovative program in policy education or advice; for building the community or community resources in technology policy; or other notable policy activity. The award is accompanied by a $10,000 prize. Steve Bourne, recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award for significant contributions to ACM, particularly for reaching out to practitioners through the development of the Practitioners Board and ACM Queue, and for his support of students worldwide through his engagement with, and support of, the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). During his tenure as President of ACM (2000-2002), Bourne envisioned and encouraged the expansion of the ACM membership from its historic academic and research base to include practicing professionals. He instituted and fostered projects to interest and support this practitioner demographic, and his involvement in these programs continues to this day. A centerpiece of these efforts was the launch of ACM Queue, a first-of-its kind magazine for practicing software engineers. In enlisting and guiding the magazine's first editorial board, Bourne envisioned a publication that would not simply chronicle industry news, but rather provide software engineers with insights into future challenges that lie just ahead. Fifteen years after its first issue, the magazine remains popular with software engineers, and Bourne continues his involvement as Co-chair of the editorial advisory board. Now available as an online magazine and mobile app, ACM Queue's motto remains "written by engineers for engineers." Bourne also broadened ACM's appeal to professionals by initiating and developing the ACM Practitioners Board. The board meets regularly to ensure that ACM continues to offer products and services that support and enhance the professional and technical development of ACM members. An apt reflection of the fastest-growing areas of computing, the Practitioners Board includes practicing engineers, computer architects, and IT specialists and managers, among many others. Another of Bourne's contributions to ACM has been his active participation since 2001 in the ACM-operated International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). Now in its 42nd year, ICPC counts more than 320,000 alumni. The Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award recognizes outstanding service contributions to the Association. Candidates are selected based on the value and degree of service overall, and may be given to up to three individuals each year. ### About ACM ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery http://www.acm.org, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking. In 1835, Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands and discovered a group of birds that would shape his groundbreaking theory of natural selection. Darwin's Finches are now well-known as a textbook example of animal evolution. But just where did a species synonymous with the discovery of evolution come from? A new study from The Auk: Ornithological Advances presents some of the best models to date on where these birds actually originated. San Diego State University's Erik Funk and Kevin Burns set out to determine the ancestral biogeography - how a species' distribution varies over space and time - of Coerebinae. Coerebinae is a subfamily of birds called tanagers. This group includes the famous Darwin's Finches and their fourteen closest relatives. Using state-of-the-art statistical software, Funk and Burns modeled two competing hypotheses. Both hypothesis models contained the same geographic area of the Galapagos, South America, and the Caribbean, but one model divided this area into more subregions than the other. The subregions were based on areas that shared similar plants and animals, such as the the Amazon or the Andes. When eight subregions were included in the model, the results indicated that the Caribbean, not the closer South American mainland, was more likely to be the origin of this bird group. However, the opposing model contains only five regions and indicates that the South American mainland is as likely as the Caribbean to be the home to Darwin's Finches' ancestors. The authors conclude that the current data suggest both potential origin sites are equally likely. Funk says, "the results...were a bit surprising, because they suggested a dispersal pattern that was not necessarily the most 'straightforward' explanation for how these birds arrived in the Galapagos. I think one of the big take-away messages here is the possibility that biogeographic events, like dispersal, may not necessarily happen like logic tells us they should. Darwin's finches are such a highly studied group, and it is often taken for granted they arrived from mainland South America, but hopefully our results show readers that there is no more support for this hypothesis than there is for a Caribbean origin." Funk and Burns suggested the successful colonization of the Galapagos Islands was a result of two traits. First, the finches' ancestors were more likely to wander than other species and consequently encountered islands more often. Second, these ancestors had a large amount of genetic variation in bill size and shape. This diversity in bill morphology allowed them to establish themselves and exploit their newfound niche. Better understanding the biogeography of Darwin's Finches allows scientists to learn how animals move, and how this affects their subsequent evolution and ability to adapt to new or changing environments. "In 2018, we still have fundamental things to learn about one of the most studied and celebrated groups of birds, Darwin's Finches. Perhaps we should be calling them Darwin's Tanagers because it is Burns' tree of life for these birds, nesting them firmly in Tanagers, that is enabling new insights into the evolution, morphology, and origins of this remarkable group of birds. Funk and Burns use new biogeographic techniques in conjunction with recent phylogenies to explore the origins of Darwin's Finches," adds Shannon Hackett, Associate Curator in the Department of Zoology, and Head of the Field Museum's Bird Division at the Field Museum, who is an avian diversity and phylogeny expert who was not involved in the research. ### Biogeographic origins of Darwin's finches (Thraupidae: Coerebinae) will be available May 9, 2018, at http://www.americanornithologypubs.org/doi/full/10.1642/AUK-17-215.1 Researcher contact: Erik Funk, erikrfunk@gmail.com About the journal: The Auk: Ornithological Advances is a peer-reviewed, international journal of ornithology that began in 1884 as the official publication of the American Ornithologists' Union, which merged with the Cooper Ornithological Society in 2016 to become the American Ornithological Society. In 2009, The Auk was honored as one of the 100 most influential journals of biology and medicine over the past 100 years. While ultrasonic death rays are still a thing of fiction, there is growing evidence that exposure to ultrasonic waves may cause adverse health effects WASHINGTON, D.C., May 9, 2018 -- New technologies for mobile devices may use ultrasonic sound waves for a variety of purposes, from charging your phone when you enter your room to collecting data on which advertisements you watch. Pest deterrents, dog controllers, some automatic sliding doors, public address voice alarms -- and even a device marketed in the U.K. as a teenager repellant to keep kids from loitering outside storefronts -- also emit ultrasound at different frequencies. These devices have varying effects on different subsets of the population, and many of these are covert, or inaudible, so the public usually doesn't know when they are exposed. Regulation of these emerging technologies is in many ways "the wild west," according to Timothy Leighton at the University of Southampton, who wrote a guide for moving forward in today's new world of ultrasonic exposure. His work outlines a logical approach for advancing research on ultrasonics. "I looked at all this stuff, and I said, 'This is an amazing detective story,'" Leighton said. "I began to pull together a picture that, in fact, the public was being exposed." Leighton is an expert in ultrasonics and underwater acoustics, who analyzed the landscape of ultrasonic regulations. He discovered a string of regulations that were all based on insufficient data, but had been shared around the globe. "It was extraordinary when you opened up this topic," Leighton said. He found that many national safety guideline limits could be traced back to a handful of studies performed in the 1970s on "a small number of adult men, many of whom had experienced gunfire, some of whom had worked in the rock-n-roll hi-fi industry... So it was inadequate data on which to base standards." Emerging technologies are often marketed as harmless in terms of emitted ultrasound. Ultimately, Leighton found that these claims are not based on any scientific evidence. He found a series of anecdotal complaints, ranging from nausea and dizziness to irritability and ringing ears, that were attributed to ultrasound exposure. However, there is little data in this field, partly because studies to test exposure on humans could be unethical. So, obtaining data from human subjects will require innovative approaches to research. Leighton will describe his work uncovering the strange history and uncertain future of the use of ultrasonic sound waves during the 175th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, to be held May 7-11, 2018, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He will also discuss why the 2017 incident in Cuba -- when U.S. embassy workers experienced strange symptoms of hearing loss and confusion -- was unlikely to have been caused by ultrasound. "I think 70 years is too long to go with inappropriate guidelines," Leighton said. "If it's public exposure, you're going to have children and newborns exposed as well, and we have no information whatsoever on how safe it is for them." ### Presentation 3pPA1 "Ultrasound, human health, safe levels, and Cuba: What do we know?" by Timothy Leighton is at 1:05 p.m. CDT, May 9, 2018 in room Greenway J at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. MORE MEETING INFORMATION - The 175th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America The meeting is being held May 7-11, 2018, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. USEFUL LINKS Main meeting website: http://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/ Technical program: http://acousticalsociety.org/program-of-175th-meeting-of-the-acoustical-society-of-america/ Meeting/Hotel site: http://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/ Press Room: http://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/ WORLD WIDE PRESS ROOM In the coming weeks, ASA's Worldwide Press Room will be updated with additional tips on dozens of newsworthy stories and with lay language papers, which are 300- to 500-word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience and accompanied by photos, audio and video. You can visit the site during the meeting at http://acoustics.org/current-meeting/. PRESS REGISTRATION We will grant free registration to credentialed journalists and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, contact Emilie Lorditch (elorditc@aip.org, 301-209-3029), who can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips or background information. LIVE MEDIA WEBCAST A press briefing featuring a selection of newsworthy research will be webcast live from the conference on Tuesday, May 8, 2018; register at http://aipwebcasting.com/webcast/registration/518asa.php to watch online. Topics and times to be announced. ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world's leading journal on acoustics), Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. For more information about ASA, visit our website at http://www.acousticalsociety.org. Tagging in Southern California and Mexico shows most shark deaths due to unintentional capture in fishing gear, highlighting value of best practices that support protected species' recovery The study, "Juvenile survival, competing risks, and spatial variation in mortality risk of a marine apex predator," published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology, confirms that unintentional capture in fishing gear (bycatch) is the greatest cause of death for young white sharks, a protected species in both Mexico and the United States. More broadly, data from pop-up archival tags (PAT tags)--which have been used worldwide to track tens of thousands of individual ocean animals, including white sharks--represent "a widely-available, untapped data source that could dramatically increase our understanding of marine population ecology," said lead author Dr. John Benson, an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska. Benson, who primarily studies terrestrial predators, conducted the white shark study as a postdoctoral researcher at Monterey Bay Aquarium. The aquarium-- together with colleagues at California State University, Long Beach; Aquatic Research Consultants in San Pedro; and the Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education (CICESE) in Baja California--has been tagging and tracking juvenile white sharks since 2002. Research results at a glance Data from 37 sharks tagged since 2002 revealed that: The overall estimated annual survival rate for young white sharks was 63 percent. Though this study did not address broad trends in the white shark population in the Northeastern Pacific, the researchers note that protection of white sharks in 1994 has likely resulted in a reduction in fishing-related mortality. The increase in juvenile shark sightings over the last 15 years may be an early indication of a positive sign for population recovery. Fisheries bycatch was the main source of mortality for juvenile white sharks in the region, highlighting the need to follow best practices related to incidental catch in coastal commercial and sport fisheries. Only two young white sharks tagged by researchers died of natural (non-fishing) causes. Overall mortality risk for young white sharks was lower for larger animals, which could be attributed to smaller sharks being more abundant, or simply more susceptible to capture in gillnets. According to Benson, the paper adds to scientific understanding of white sharks, and shows how models that estimate survival rates for top predators on land--data obtained from radio telemetry and tracking collars--can be applied to ocean species that carry PAT tags. "We always learn things from adjacent fields," said Dr. Salvador Jorgensen, principal white shark scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and senior coauthor on the paper. "Before coming to the aquarium, John made his name studying mountain lions in Southern California. We were excited to see how the methodologies John was using for land-based predators could be applied in the ocean." Taking a new approach Benson realized that data from PAT tags opened the door to a new approach to estimate survival rates for young sharks, using what are called known-fate models. "Because the PAT tags record detailed data on temperature and diving, it is possible to reconstruct the fate of the shark in the final minutes of each track," said Jorgensen. "We've looked at these data for years and often noted when a tag ended up on a fishing boat or in the stomach of a larger predator. Surprisingly, nobody had yet connected the dots to use this information to estimate a critical demographic rate: annual survival." The technique hinges on being able to determine the fate of individual animals--data that PAT tags provide. If a tagged shark was eaten by a predator, or if it died in a fishing net, the tag recorded those data. By applying known-fate models to those data, researchers estimated survival and mortality rates for the population at large. They also determined that fisheries bycatch was the main source of mortality for juvenile white sharks in the Northeastern Pacific, and that juveniles were at significantly greater risk of mortality when in Mexican waters. Protections are in place In California, it is illegal to target and land white sharks, and coastal waters are permanently closed to all gillnets within three miles of shore. In Baja California and throughout Mexico, targeting and landing white sharks is prohibited all year. However, gillnet fishing in coastal waters is still permitted for other species. Data from the study show that juvenile white sharks are an estimated nine times less likely to get entangled in California compared with Baja. "We are learning that the gillnet regulations in California, although originally designed to protect sport fishing interests, have done a lot to protect juvenile white sharks," said Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at CSU Long Beach and a coauthor of the paper. The study also revealed that juvenile white shark mortality in gillnets is reduced when nets are checked by fishermen every 6 to 12 hours, so the young sharks can be released alive. "In terms of reducing white shark mortality, avoiding setting nets close to shore and checking them frequently appear to be the best practices," Lowe said. Coauthor Oscar Sosa-Nishizaki, a professor at CICESE, stressed that engaging with local fishermen in Mexico is critical to reducing mortalities and improving recovery prospects for the Northeastern Pacific white shark population. "It's the best way to go," he said. "Mexican fishing communities play a vital role in enabling this research as well as helping us solve any issues as they arise." CICESE doctoral student Emiliano Garcia-Rodriguez, another coauthor, added: "It's very important to work with the fishermen, because we want to know whenever they incidentally catch a white shark." "This research suggests the importance of a collaborative approach to management in California and Mexico, and opportunities to innovate on best practices that can support fishermen, research and protections for white sharks," Jorgensen said. ### Other co-authors on the study include John O'Sullivan, director of collections at Monterey Bay Aquarium; Chuck Winkler of Aquatic Research Consultants; and Connor F. White, white shark researcher with CSU Long Beach. John F. Benson, Salvador J. Jorgensen, John B. O'Sullivan, et al (2018) 'Juvenile survival, competing risks, and spatial variation in mortality risk of a marine apex predator' is published in Journal of Applied Ecology on 9 May 2018 and will be available here: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13158 The Canadian Association for Neuroscience (CAN) is proud to announce that Karun K Singh, from McMaster University, will receive the 2018 CAN Young Investigator Award at the upcoming 12th Annual Canadian Neuroscience Meeting in Vancouver, on May 15th 2018. Karun Singh: A leader in stem cell research, human genetics and brain development "The quality of Dr. Singh's research is excellent, providing novel insights to molecular mechanisms of neuronal development with important implications for human health. The quality of his research arises from the application of a combination of cutting edge technologies and rigorous, thorough experiments proving each scientific finding. Dr. Singh has a dedication to link fundamental findings to disease processes" says Kurt Haas, Ph.D., Full Professor at the University of British Columbia and Researcher at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. Dr. Karun Singh's research has made significant impact on our knowledge of signaling mechanisms that regulate brain development, and of the genetic risk factors underlying neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurological disorders of the developing brain such as autism impacts 1 in 66 individuals in Canada while schizophrenia affects 1% of the population. Affected individuals and families are burdened by life-long health, social and economic issues. Unfortunately, there are no specific therapies for individuals because these disorders remain poorly understood. However, since neurodevelopmental disorders have a strong genetic basis, this provides a starting point to identify underlying disease pathogenesis mechanisms. Dr. Singh's work combines powerful human genetic studies and animal models. Using this approach, he has made novel insights into how autism and schizophrenia risk genes disrupt neural development. For example, in complex brain disorders where there is a loss of multiple genes (named microdeletions), Dr. Singh's team recently identified that in each disorder, a single gene plays a strong role in the development of the disease. In addition, his work has uncovered that patient-derived mutations in multiple genes disrupt synaptic communication between neurons in the brain. These discoveries have pinpointed precise signaling pathways that are disrupted by mutations in high risk genes, providing a path forward for screening and identifying therapeutics that will reverse the neural impairments. Building on these discoveries, Dr. Singh has established clinical and genetic sequencing collaborators to create a resource of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS cell) models to study brain development disorders. He is combining this approach with CRISPR gene editing to better dissect the precise mechanisms by which genetic mutations cause defects in neural development. His platform has established a mechanism to identify drugs that will be streamlined for future clinical trials. In earlier work, Dr. Singh identified new signaling mechanisms regulating how the peripheral nervous system is established. These fundamental studies have uncovered how peripheral nerve cells form appropriate connections with target organs, while incorrect connections are eliminated. These studies provide new insights into pathology and treatment peripheral nerve diseases and injury. His work has been published in several top neuroscience and genetics journals (both first and/or corresponding author) including Neuron, Nature Neuroscience, Molecular Psychiatry, American Journal of Human Genetics, and Cell Reports. In addition, his recent published papers have received a significant amount of attention in several media outlets. He currently holds a prestigious David Braley Chair in Human Stem Cell Research, and his success has allowed him to become the Neural Program Lead at the Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute at McMaster University. His program is funded by multiple National and International sources including CIHR, NSERC, Ontario Brain Institute, Brain Canada, and the European Research Area Networks. Dr. Singh has quickly become a leader in the brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders fields. His work is uncovering new disease mechanisms for autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, which is paving the way forward to identify new therapeutics. The Canadian Association for Neuroscience is very proud to present Karun Singh with the 2018 Young Investigator Award. ### Learn more about Karun Singh https://sccri.mcmaster.ca/people/karun-singh https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/biochem/KarunSingh.html A new experimental method permits the X-ray analysis of amyloids, a class of large, filamentous biomolecules which are an important hallmark of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. An international team of researchers headed by DESY scientists has used a powerful X-ray laser to gain insights into the structure of different amyloid samples. The X-ray scattering from amyloid fibrils give patterns somewhat similar to those obtained by Rosalind Franklin from DNA in 1952, which led to the discovery of the well-known structure, the double helix. The X-ray laser, trillions of times more intense than Franklin's X-ray tube, opens up the ability to examine individual amyloid fibrils, the constituents of amyloid filaments. With such powerful X-ray beams any extraneous material can overwhelm the signal from the invisibly small fibril sample. Ultrathin carbon film - graphene - solved this problem to allow extremely sensitive patterns to be recorded. This marks an important step towards studying individual molecules using X-ray lasers, a goal that structural biologists have long been pursuing. The scientists present their new technique in the journal Nature Communications. Amyloids are long, ordered strands of proteins which consist of thousands of identical subunits. While amyloids are believed to play a major role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, recently more and more functional amyloid forms have been identified. "The 'feel-good hormone' endorphin, for example, can form amyloid fibrils in the pituitary gland. They dissolve into individual molecules when the acidity of their surroundings changes, after which these molecules can fulfil their purpose in the body," explains DESY's Carolin Seuring, a scientist at the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL) and the principal author of the paper. "Other amyloid proteins, such as those found in post-mortem brains of patients suffering from Alzheimer's, accumulate as amyloid fibrils in the brain, and cannot be broken down and therefore impair brain function in the long term." Scientists are trying to determine the spatial structure of amyloids as accurately as possible, so as to use this information in order to find out more about how the protein fibrils function: "Our aim is to understand the role of the formation and structure of amyloid fibrils in the body and in the development of neurodegenerative diseases," says Seuring in describing the team's motivation. "The structural analysis of amyloids is complex, and examining them using existing methods is hampered by differences between the fibrils within a single sample." The team used the X-ray free-electron laser LCLS at the SLAC National Accelerator Center in the U.S. One problem is that the strands of amyloids, known as fibrils, cannot be grown as crystals, which is the usual method of performing atomic resolution structural studies using X-rays. Individual amyloid fibrils are only a few nanometres thick and therefore generally too small to produce a measurable signal when exposed to X-rays. For this reason, the usual approach is to line up millions of these fibrils parallel to each other, and bundling them so that their signals add up. However, this means the diffraction patterns are produced by the entire ensemble, and information about structural differences between the individual fibrils is lost. "A major part of our understanding about amyloid fibrils is derived from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and cryo-electron microscopy data," explains Seuring. "When you are working with samples that are as heterogeneous as amyloids, though, and also when observing the dynamics of fibril formation, the existing methods reach their limits." In order to gain access to structure information of such heterogeneous samples in the future, the team opted for a new experimental approach. Instead of suspending the individual amyloids in a carrier fluid the scientists placed it on an ultrathin solid carrier made of graphene, in which carbon atoms are arranged in a hexagonal pattern rather like an atomic honeycomb. "This sample support has a double benefit," says Professor Henry Chapman of CFEL, who is a lead scientist at DESY. "For one thing, graphene is just a single layer of atoms thin and in contrast to a carrier fluid hardy leaves a trace in the diffraction pattern. For another thing, its regular structure makes sure the protein fibrils all align in the same direction - at least in larger domains." The diffraction patterns of multiple fibrils overlap and reinforce one another, much like in a crystal, but there is virtually no disruptive background scattering as in the case of a carrier fluid. This method allows diffraction patterns to be obtained from fewer than 50 amyloid fibrils, so that the structural differences emerge more clearly. "We have observed characteristic asymmetries in our data which suggest that our technique could even be used to determine the structure of individual fibrils," says Seuring. "The CXI instrument at LCLS provided an exceptionally bright, nanofocus beam that allowed us to extract data from such a small number of fibres," reports co-author Mengning Liang, a scientist at SLAC. "Fibrils are a third category of samples that can be studied this way with X-ray lasers, in addition to single particles and crystals. In some regards, fibrils fit between the other two: they have regular, recurring variations in structure like crystals, but without the rigid crystal structure." The scientists tested their method on samples of the tobacco mosaic virus, also first examined by Rosalind Franklin, and which forms filaments of a structure that is now known in great detail. The test did in fact provide structural data about the virus with an accuracy of 0.27 nanometres (millionths of a millimetre) - corresponding to a resolution almost on the scale of a single atom. The examination of distinctly smaller amyloid fibrils made of endorphin as well as amyloid fibrils made of the hormone bombesin, which is involved among other things in certain types of cancer, also provided some structural information, with an accuracy of 0.24 nanometres. Although the data was insufficient for calculating the complete structure, the study shows great promise for structural retrieval when more data becomes available, and opens up a new path for the structural analysis of amyloids using X-ray lasers. "It is amazing that we are carrying out very similar experiments as Franklin did, but are now reaching the level of single molecules," says Chapman. ### DESY is one of the world's leading particle accelerator centres. Researchers use the large?scale facilities at DESY to explore the microcosm in all its variety - ranging from the interaction of tiny elementary particles to the behaviour of innovative nanomaterials and the vital processes that take place between biomolecules to the great mysteries of the universe. The accelerators and detectors that DESY develops and builds at its locations in Hamburg and Zeuthen are unique research tools. DESY is a member of the Helmholtz Association, and receives its funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (90 per cent) and the German federal states of Hamburg and Brandenburg (10 per cent). Reference: Femtosecond X-ray coherent diffraction of aligned amyloid fibrils on low background graphene; Carolin Seuring, Kartik Ayyer, Eleftheria Filippaki, Miriam Barthelmess, Jean-Nicolas Longchamp, Philippe Ringler, Tommaso Pardini, David H. Wojtas, Matthew A. Coleman, Katerina Dorner, Silje Fuglerud, Greger Hammarin, Birgit Habenstein, Annette E. Langkilde, Antoine Loquet, Alke Meents, Roland Riek, Henning Stahlberg, Sebastien Boutet, Mark S. Hunter, Jason Koglin, Mengning Liang, Helen M. Ginn, Rick P. Millane, Matthias Frank, Anton Barty & Henry N. Chapman; Nature Communications, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04116-9 Placing giant mirrors in orbit to reflect sunlight before it reaches Earth and launching millions of tons of sulfur into the stratosphere to simulate the effects of a major volcanic eruption are among the mind-boggling climate geoengineering projects that are starting to be considered as ways to mitigate the global warming caused by greenhouse gases. The impact of this kind of initiative on global ecosystems remains highly uncertain. According to a "Comment" published in the journal Nature, the only certainty is that developing countries will be the most affected both by climate change and by any action taken to try to slow or stop the rise in global temperatures. The text is signed by 12 scientists, from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Jamaica, Kenya and Thailand, among other countries. Brazil is represented by Paulo Artaxo, a Full Professor at the University of Sao Paulo's Physics Institute (IF-USP) who is also at the steering committee for one of Sao Paulo Research Foundation -- FAPESP's Research Programs, namely the Global Climate Change Research Program (RPGCC). The authors of the article argue that solar geoengineering cannot be an alternative to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and urge caution: "We recognize its potential physical risks and socio-political implications. And we oppose its deployment until research into its safety and effectiveness has been completed and international governance mechanisms established. But we are committed to the co-production of research and to well-informed debate." According to Artaxo, projects that model the results of geoengineering strategies have been conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, but so far, scientists from developing countries have not taken part. Interest in geoengineering is burgeoning along with growing evidence that the Paris Accord signed by 195 countries in 2015 to contain greenhouse gas emissions will not be sufficient to limit global warming to 2 C above pre-industrial levels. "If emissions continue at the current pace, the average temperature rise could reach between 4 C and 7 C during this century," said Artaxo. "To prevent a collapse of the ecosystems that sustain our planet, it may be necessary to resort to geoengineering at some point. But without serious research involving the entire world, we run a serious risk of doing even greater damage to the climate than we are now. An error in the use of any technique could cause the deaths of hundreds of millions of people from famine, thirst and other causes." Research conducted to date shows that solar geoengineering techniques could temporarily cool Earth but would have significant side effects that might actually be worse than the harm they were intended to mitigate. A strategy that has been tested on a small scale involved the casting of iron fines into the ocean to increase the absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) by marine biota. "This could indeed be an effective way of removing CO2 from the atmosphere," said the RPGCC-FAPESP member. "However, it would cause sharp and rapid acidification of the ocean. Simulations suggest large-scale use of this technique could lower ocean pH so far that practically all marine species would be wiped out." If sulfur were launched into the atmosphere, the main impact would be felt by plants, most of which depend on direct sunlight to photosynthesize efficiently. "This technique could benefit species that photosynthesize with diffuse radiation. In other words, it would radically change the planet's biodiversity, and humanity would have no idea of the long-term impact," Artaxo said. To Artaxo, the real concern is not the physical and chemical dimension but governance. Who would be responsible for deciding which techniques to use, when, where, and on what scale, especially since action taken by a single country could affect the entire planet? Who would pay for any damage done to specific countries? Above all, who could guarantee that the measures would continue to be taken for 100 or 200 years? "Imagine we started to inject sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere and that after one or two decades, this became impossible owing to a severe international economic crisis or world war. The global temperature reduction obtained during the period could be reversed in no more than a year," Artaxo said. Participation in the debate No in-depth research on geoengineering to mitigate climate change has yet been done in Brazil. In Artaxo's view, it is vitally important to investigate the potential effects on the carbon balance, on the functioning of Amazonia and on rainfall in the Northeast, among others. The article published in Nature also stresses the importance of studying the effects of geoengineering on hurricanes in the Caribbean, floods in Bangladesh and agriculture in East Africa, for example. "Developing countries must be in a position to make up their own minds. Local scientists, in collaboration with others, need to conduct research that is sensitive to regional concerns and conditions. (...) Broader discussions among academics, policymakers, the public and public intellectuals are needed on climate risks and justice," the authors write. ### About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. For more information: http://www.fapesp.br/en. At first glance, the Baltic Sea seems to be rather uninteresting for scientists working on global ocean topics. It is comparatively shallow, has a low salinity and only a very narrow connection to the North Atlantic. This impression is, however, deceiving. In the current issue of the international journal Science Advances, 26 authors from 21 scientific institutions in seven countries appeal to the greater scientific community and policy makers to use the Baltic Sea Region as a model for coming changes in the World Ocean. "This unique sea of brackish water can serve as a kind of time machine that allows us to better estimate future global changes," says Prof. Thorsten Reusch from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel, one of the lead authors of the article. The scientists argue that changes that are only expected for the future in the global ocean can already be observed in the Baltic today. "This is because the small volume of water and slow water exchange with the open ocean, behaves like an amplifier, allowing many processes and interactions to occur at a faster pace", emphasizes Dr. Jan Dierking from GEOMAR, who initiated the study together with Prof. Reusch. As examples, the oceans have warmed by an average of 0.5C over the past 30 years, while in the same period, time-series measurements in the Baltic Sea have recorded warming of around 1.5C. Likewise, there are large oxygen-free zones in the deep areas of the Baltic Sea, which have increased tenfold over the past century; and the pH--a measure of ocean acidification--of Baltic waters regularly reaches values that are expected in other ocean areas only in the next century. On the one hand, these extremes are caused by the particular basin topography of the Baltic Sea. On the other hand, intensive use by humans continues to accelerate negative changes. Nine countries border on the Baltic Sea directly and all are highly industrialized, with densely populated coastal regions. Moreover, intensive agriculture in the interior ensures high nutrient runoff, while equally intensive fisheries puts pressure on the pelagic food-web. But it's not all doom and gloom. The Baltic Sea is one of the best-surveyed seas on Earth. Scientific observation and monitoring of physical and biological processes began around 1900. There is a strong tradition in scientific co-operation among many countries surrounding the Baltic, culminating in the implementation of the joint Baltic Sea research and development programme BONUS of the European Union, a dedicated macro-regional research agenda and funding scheme that also enabled the present study. These data provide a sound basis for science-based resource management--"on a level accomplished in only a few regions of the world," emphasizes Professor Reusch. Among the management success stories: the bordering countries have managed to significantly reduce nutrient inputs since the 1980s, to reverse the decline of large predators, and to curb overfishing. This has been achieved through the binding agreements within the framework of the European Union, but also thanks to the ambitious goals of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), which included Russia, even before the end of the Cold War. In fisheries, the protection of capture fisheries, marine mammals and bird populations among the perimeter countries have led to measurable improvements of existing stocks. "Overfishing, warming, acidification, pollution, eutrophication, loss of oxygen, intensive use of coasts--all these are phenomena that we observe around the globe. Because they have been particularly drastic in the Baltic, but also because some key problems were successfully addressed, the region can, for good and for bad, tell us what to expect and how to respond to the challenges of the future," Prof. Reusch concludes, "The Baltic Sea, as a model region, can contribute to achieving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 14--the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources." ### Reference: Reusch, T. H. B., J. Dierking, H. Andersson, E. Bonsdorff, J. Carstensen, M. Casini, M. Czajkowski, B. Hasler, K. Hinsby, K. Hyytiainen, K. Johannesson, S. Jomaa, V. Jormalainen, H. Kuosa, S. Kurland, L. Laikre, B. R. MacKenzie, P. Margonski, F. Melzner, D. Oesterwind, H. Ojaveer, J. C. Refsgaard, A. Sandstrom, G. Schwarz, K. Tonderski, M. Winder, M. Zandersen (2018): The Baltic Sea as a time machine for the future coastal ocean. Sci. Adv. 2018;4: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar8195 Contributing institutions: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (Germany), Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Norrkoping (Sweden), Abo Akademi University, Turku (Finland), Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde (Denmark), Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Marine Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lysekil (Sweden), Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw, Warsaw (Poland), Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde (Denmark), Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen (Denmark), University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Finland), University of Gothenburg, Tjarno Marine Station, Stromstad (Sweden), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Magdeburg (Germany), University of Turku, Turku, (Finland), Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Helsinki (Finland), Stockholm University, Stockholm (Sweden), National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby (Denmark), National Marine Fisheries Research Institute,Gdynia (Poland), Thuenen Institute-Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Rostock, (Germany), Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu, Tartu (Estonia), Lulea University of Technology, Lulea (Sweden), Thuenen Institute of Farm Economics, Braunschweig (Germany), Linkoping University, Linkoping (Sweden) Houston Methodist researchers developed a new lab-on-a-chip technology that could quickly screen possible drugs to repair damaged neuron and retinal connections, like what is seen in people with macular degeneration or who've had too much exposure to the glare of electronic screens. In the May 9 issue of Science Advances, researchers led by Houston Methodist Research Institute nanomedicine faculty member Lidong Qin, Ph.D., explain how they created a sophisticated retina cell network on a chip that is modeled after a human's neural network. This will further the quest for finding the right drug to treat such retinal diseases. "Medical treatments have advanced but there is still no perfect drug to cure any one of these diseases. Our device can screen drugs much faster than previous technologies. With the new technology and a few years' effort, the potential to develop a new drug is highly possible," said Qin. Named the NN-Chip, the high-throughput platform consists of many channels that can be tailored to imitate large brain cell networks as well as focus on individual neural cells, such as those found in the retina. Using extremely bright light to selectively damage retina photoreceptors in the device, they discovered the damaged cells are not only difficult to recover but also cause neighboring cells to quickly die. "This so-called 'bystander killing effect' in retina cone photoreceptors leads us to believe that once retina cells are severely damaged, the killing effect will spread to other healthy cells which can cause irrevocable damage," said Qin. "What surprised us was how quickly the killing effect progressed in the experimental model. Damage went from 100 cells to 10, 000 cells in 24 hours." The NN-Chip is an improvement on Qin's BloC-Printing technology, which allowed researchers to print living cells onto any surface in any shape within the confines of a mold. With this latest iteration, Qin's lab loaded and tested cells with micro-needles in an open dish so they could tailor the neural network device, study individual cells as well as the progression of drugs through the platform's many channels. Retinal degeneration is a leading cause of blindness that, together with glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and age-related macular degeneration, will affect 196 million people worldwide in 2020. Qin hopes the platform will have additional applications in creating models for Huntington's and Alzheimer's diseases and screening therapeutic drugs. Microfluidics focuses on the behavior of fluids through micro-channels, as well as the technology of manufacturing micro devices containing chambers and tunnels to house fluids. In addition to the BloC-Printing chip, Qin's lab at Houston Methodist also successfully developed a nonconventional lab-on-a-chip technology called the V-Chip for point-of-care diagnostics, making it possible to bring tests to the bedside, remote areas, and other types of point-of-care needs. ### Science Advances is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Other collaborators from Houston Methodist Research Institute were Yuan Ma, Xin Han, Ricardo Bessa de Castro, Pengchao Zhang, Kai Zhang and Zhongbo Hu. Ma and Hu are collaborators from University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. Bessa de Castro is a visiting scholar from Swansea University in the United Kingdom. This research was funded by National Institutes of Health (R01 CA180083, R56 AG049714 and R21 CA191179.). To speak with Lidong Qin, contact Gale Smith, Houston Methodist, at 281.627.0439 or gsmith@houstonmethodist.org. For more information about Houston Methodist, visit houstonmethodist.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. For more information: Analysis of the bystander effect in cone photoreceptors via a guided neural network platform. Science Advances DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aas9274. A Johns Hopkins study found that physicians who use stigmatizing language in their patients' medical records may affect the care those patients get for years to come. When doctors read notes and descriptions from previous medical visits, says the study, published in the May edition of The Journal of General Internal Medicine, the language in those notes may play a role in how that patient is treated, as well as how aggressively the patient's pain is managed. Mary Catherine Beach, M.D., M.P.H., designed the study to determine whether the language and descriptions used in patient records can perpetuate bias among physicians. More than 400 physicians-in-training -- medical students and residents -- were presented with one of two vignettes about a hypothetical patient, a 28-year-old man with sickle cell disease and chronic hip pain. While the vignettes contained medically identical information, one used neutral language to describe the patient and his condition, while the other vignette contained nonessential language that implied various value judgements. Beach and her research colleagues found that physicians-in-training who read the stigmatizing patient chart notes were significantly more likely to have a negative attitude toward the patient than those who read the chart containing more neutral language. And not only did their attitudes change -- so did their treatment plans. Those physicians-in-training who had read the stigmatizing chart note decided to treat the patient's pain less aggressively. Every clinician encounter with a patient is documented in a chart note. Symptoms, patient history, vital signs, test results, clinicians' assessments and treatment plans are all part of the medical record. "This record may be the only source of information a new clinician has about some patients," says Beach. "We have to question the assumption that the medical record always represents an objective space." The study's participants were introduced to the hypothetical Mr. R., an African-American man whose condition necessitates the use of a wheelchair. Both vignettes begin with Mr. R. visiting the hospital emergency department with a painful condition known as a vaso-occlusive crisis, common among patients with sickle cell disease. Among the standard treatments for this condition are opioids to treat pain and oxygen to combat the effects of sickled red blood cells' inability to oxygenate organs. Examples of the differing notes on the hypothetical patient: Examples of the differing notes on the hypothetical patient: "He has about 8-10 pain crises a year, for which he typically requires opioid pain medication in the ED." "He is narcotic dependent and in our ED frequently." "He spent yesterday afternoon with friends and wheeled himself around more than usual, which caused dehydration due to the heat." "Yesterday afternoon, he was hanging out with friends outside McDonald's where he wheeled himself around more than usual and got dehydrated due to the heat." "The pain is not alleviated by his home pain medication regimen." "The pain has not been helped by any of the narcotic medications he says he has already taken." "He is in obvious distress." "He appears to be in distress." "His girlfriend is by his side but will need to go home soon." "His girlfriend is lying on the bed with shoes on and requests a bus token to go home." Even physicians-in-training who recognized the language as stigmatizing were more likely to form more negative opinions about the patient and to treat that patient's pain less aggressively. "There is growing evidence that the language used to communicate in health care reflects and influences clinician attitudes toward their patients," says Anna Goddu, a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine student who co-authored the study. "Medical records are an important and overlooked pathway by which bias may be propagated from one clinician to another, further entrenching health care disparities." Goddu and her co-authors are encouraged by one particular result of the study. "When prompted, the participants seemed able to reflect on how the words used in the chart notes communicated respect and empathy for the patient," she says. "To us, this seems like a promising point of intervention." Beach adds that, in the study, medical residents had more negative attitudes than medical students toward the hypothetical patient. "Attitudes seem to become more negative as trainees progress," she says. "It may be that trainees are influenced by negative attitudes and behaviors among their peers and seniors in the clinical setting." Participants who identified as black or African-American generally had more positive attitudes toward the patient. "That affirms what some other studies have shown," says Beach, "specifically, that African-American clinicians have more positive attitudes toward patients with sickle cell disease." Goddu says that, while the topic deserves more research, she hopes this study opens some eyes. "I hope our study makes clinicians think twice before including certain, nonessential points about a patient's history or demeanor in the medical record," she says. ### In addition to Beach and Goddu, the study's authors are Katie O'Conor, Sophie Lanzkron, Mustapha Saheed and Carlton Haywood Jr., of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Somnath Saha, of the Oregon Health and Science University, and Monica Peek of the University of Chicago. This work was supported by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine AMWA Dr. Elizabeth Small Grant for Urban Primary Care and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL088511). COI: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Even for poor villagers in rural Indonesia, information is power. That is the implication of a newly published study co-authored by MIT economists, which finds that recipients of government aid collect more of the goods intended for them when they know more about the aid program they're enrolled in. About 30 percent of Indonesia's households are supposed to receive subsidized rice from the government every month as part of a huge program called "Raskin," or "Rice for the Poor." As the study shows, the amount of rice the villagers actually receive increases 26 percent when they are sent a simple information card with program details. "The main result, which in some sense I think is very surprising, is that just sending out the cards to people substantially increases the amount of rice that households get," says Benjamin Olken, a professor of economics at MIT and co-author of the new paper. "Having that tangible information, having that proof, is very important." A key reason for this is that additional information provides a form of bargaining power. Not only do poor villagers know how much rice they should collect, and the extent of the subsidy, but when information cards are mailed out, local political leaders and other intermediaries also know that the aid recipients understand what they should be receiving. "The village heads now know that the villagers know what they're entitled to," Olken observes. "Knowing that everyone else has this knowledge makes a big difference." The paper, "Tangible Information and Citizen Empowerment: Identification Cards and Food Subsidy Programs in Indonesia," is published in the newest issue of the Journal of Political Economy. The co-authors are Abhijit Banerjee, the Ford Professor of International Economics at MIT; Rema Hanna, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School; Jordan Kyle, an associate research fellow at the International Food Policy Institute; Olken; and Sudarno Sumarto of the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction (TNP2K), a government agency in Indonesia. To conduct the study, the academic researchers worked with the TNP2K agency after the Indonesian government decided to investigate ways to make the Raskin program more effective. Earlier research had shown that significant portions of the rice were getting diverted before reaching the needy citizens who were part of the program. "Some substantial amount of rice was getting lost somewhere," says Olken. The research involved 572 villages spread over three provinces in Indonesia. The study randomly selected 378 of the villages, where residents were sent a variety of information cards with factual details about the program. The other 194 villages were not sent information cards, and were used as a control group against which the program's effects could be measured. The scholars then surveyed village households at three intervals (two months, eight months, and 18 months) after the information campaign began, to find out whether the intervention had made a difference. The research team found that not only did the program increase the amount of rice received by 26 percent, but the gains were made despite the fact that a significant portion of the information cards -- nearly 70 percent -- were being diverted at first, meaning that the increased quantity of rice per household that received the cards was higher than 26 percent. Because the information on the cards varied, the researchers could also chart which kinds of notices had the most impact. People in the Raskin program typically have co-pay fees, since the rice is only partially subsidized. Without the intervention, beneficiaries pay 42 percent more in co-pay fees than they actually owe. But villagers received substantially more subsidized rice when the information cards explicitly mentioned the co-pay fees. "It really is about the information per se," Olken observes. "Just one extra line here substantially increased the amount of rice people got." As the researchers see it, the overall improvement can be interpreted as an increase in implicit bargaining leverage for the recipients of Raskin aid. As the authors write in the paper, "bargaining is at least one important channel through which cards are improving outcomes." This does not necessarily mean, Olken explains, that face-to-face negotiations between villagers and rice distributors have drastically changed, but that the information program provides more leverage for villagers in the first place. "Having that tangible information, having that proof, may be very important in changing the bargaining process," Olken says. "You don't have to complain for this to have an effect." This is why the scholars think of the cards as providing "tangible information." The amount of "leakage" of rice, that is, the amount not delivered to intended recipients, improved at levels ranging from 33 to 58 percent among the villages in the survey, depending on the precise intervention. Moreover, the government of Indonesia incorporated the study's findings into its decision to scale up the program, distributing identification cards that allow people representing 15.5 million households -- 65.7 million people all told -- to collect rice from the Raskin proram as well as other government services. Other scholars in the field say the results are intriguing, both experimentally and as suggesting a policy tool that could be adapted more broadly. In addition to the collaboration with the Indonesian government, funding for the study came from the Australian government through its Poverty Reduction Support Facility, and from a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. ### The first substantial cave record from coastal Kenya ranges from the Middle Stone Age to the Iron Age, showing gradual changes in cultural, technological and symbolic innovations beginning at 67,000 years ago An international, interdisciplinary group of scholars working along the East African coast have discovered a major cave site which records substantial activities of hunter-gatherers and later, Iron Age communities. Detailed environmental research has demonstrated that human occupations occur in a persistent tropical forest-grassland ecotone, adding new information about the habitats exploited by our species, and indicating that populations sought refuge in a relatively stable environment. Prior to this cave excavation, little information was available about the last 78,000 years from coastal East Africa, with the majority of archaeological research focused on the Rift Valley and in South Africa. Humans lived in the humid coastal forest A large-scale interdisciplinary study, including scientific analyses of archaeological plants, animals and shells from the cave indicates a broad perseverance of forest and grassland environments. As the cave environment underwent little variation over time, humans found the site attractive for occupation, even during periods of time when other parts of Africa would have been inhospitable. This suggests that humans exploited the cave environment and landscape over the long term, relying on plant and animal resources when the wider surrounding landscapes dried. The ecological setting of Panga ya Saidi is consistent with increasing evidence that Homo sapiens could adapt to a variety of environments as they moved across Africa and Eurasia, suggesting that flexibility may be the hallmark of our species. Homo sapiens developed a range of survival strategies to live in diverse habitats, including tropical forests, arid zones, coasts and the cold environments found at higher latitudes. Technological innovations occur at 67,000 years ago Carefully prepared stone tool toolkits of the Middle Stone Age occur in deposits dating back to 78,000 years ago, but a distinct shift in technology to the Later Stone Age is shown by the recovery of small artefacts beginning at 67,000 years ago. The miniaturization of stone tools may reflect changes in hunting practices and behaviors. The Panga ya Saidi sequence after 67,000, however, has a mix of technologies, and no radical break of behavior can be detected at any time, arguing against the cognitive or cultural 'revolutions' theorized by some archaeologists. Moreover, no notable break in human occupation occurs during the Toba volcanic super-eruption of 74,000 years ago, supporting views that the so-called 'volcanic winter' did not lead to the near-extinction of human populations, though hints of increased occupation intensity from 60,000 years ago suggests that populations were increasing in size. Earliest symbolic and cultural items found at Panga ya Saidi cave The deep archaeological sequence of Panga ya Saidi cave has produced a remarkable new cultural record indicative of cultural complexity over the long term. Among the recovered items are worked and incised bones, ostrich eggshell beads, marine shell beads, and worked ochre. Panga ya Saidi has produced the oldest bead in Kenya, dating to ~65,000 years ago. At about 33,000 years ago, beads were most commonly made of shells acquired from the coast. While this demonstrates contact with the coast, there is no evidence for the regular exploitation of marine resources for subsistence purposes. Ostrich eggshell beads become more common after 25,000 years ago, and after 10,000 years ago, there is again a shift to coastal shell use. In the layers dating to between ~48,000 to 25,000 years ago, carved bone, carved tusk, a decorated bone tube, a small bone point, and modified pieces of ochre were found. Though indicative of behavioral complexity and symbolism, their intermittent appearance in the cave sequence argues against a model for a behavioral or cognitive revolution at any specific point in time. Project Principal Investigator and Director of the Department of Archaeology at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History Dr. Nicole Boivin states, "The East African coastal hinterland and its forests and have been long considered to be marginal to human evolution so the discovery of Panga ya Saidi cave will certainly change archaeologists' views and perceptions." Group Leader of the Stable Isotopes Lab Dr. Patrick Roberts adds, "Occupation in a tropical forest-grassland environment adds to our knowledge that our species lived in a variety of habitats in Africa." "The finds at Panga ya Saidi undermine hypotheses about the use of coasts as a kind of 'superhighway' that channeled migrating humans out of Africa, and around the Indian Ocean rim," observes Professor Michael Petraglia. ### The international consortium of researchers involved in this project is headed by the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, in partnership with the National Museums of Kenya. BOZEMAN - A Montana State University ecologist has been awarded a prestigious appointment that will take him to South America to work on a project to help countries meet conservation goals set as part of an international agreement. Andrew Hansen, professor in the Department of Ecology in MSU's College of Letters and Science, has been awarded the Fulbright-Universidad Nacional de Colombia Distinguished Chair in Biodiversity and Sustainable Development. Awards in the Fulbright Distinguished Chairs Program are viewed as among the most prestigious appointments in the Fulbright Scholar Program. Hansen said he is thrilled to have received the Fulbright, which will allow him to spend four months at the National University of Colombia in Bogata. There, he will analyze ecosystem data gathered by NASA that could help more than 30 countries keep their commitment to protect biodiversity. "Most countries around the world signed onto the Convention on Biodiversity in 2010 that identified several conservation targets to be met by 2020, like expanding the protected area coverage and reducing forest degradation and increasing connectivity between protected areas," Hansen said. Those countries are now developing conservation plans, he said, but they often don't have the information needed to analyze the current conditions of their ecosystem and evaluate the best way to achieve targets and implement their plans. At the same time, NASA has been producing sets of data that could provide that much-needed information. Hansen is leading a project to get that spatial data into the hands of the policymakers in those countries so they can make informed decisions regarding conservation and biodiversity protection as set out in the convention. The project is a collaboration between NASA Earth Science and the United Nations Development Program, or UNDP, and includes some of the leading remote-sensing and conversation scientists, including the head of the United Nations Biodiversity Development Program who is a co-investigator on the study, Hansen said. Additionally, four labs are represented from the U.S., Canada and Australia. "We have this extraordinary team to develop the science and work with the countries so they can apply science to this issue and UNDP then will be reporting success in 2020." Hansen said. First, the project will focus on eight countries - Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia and Vietnam - that Hansen said were selected because of their involvement in several international conservation programs and because they are highly dedicated to meeting their conservation goals. After that, the researchers will turn their attention to the more than 30 remaining countries that are part of the agreement. "It's been very interesting to be interacting with the representatives from these eight countries through three webinars and one face-to-face meeting," Hansen said. "Just in terms of pragmatics, it's remarkably interesting and challenging to work across this range of countries with this diversity of people and languages and cultures and scientific capacities." Colombia is an ideal location for this work, he said, because the university has field stations at branch campuses around the country that have datasets that are important to the project. Hansen will compare the field station datasets with the ones NASA collected. "The NASA satellite data layers are global layers, so they've been accuracy-assessed across many countries but not within individual countries in a scientifically valid way," Hansen said. "So, we'll be using the data from the field sites as 'truth' and then assess the extent to which NASA satellite data match those." The data layers relate to forests, he said, and include canopy cover, canopy height and the time since the last disturbance. There are also data related to "the human footprint," that integrates population density, land-use change and transportation corridors. "We're also merging those layers to identify forests that are the tallest, oldest, best forests for biodiversity and also have low human pressure - the 'best of the best' for biodiversity," he said. "The project is somewhat unique in doing this to get a higher-order product." Another objective, he added, is to use the dataset analyses to work with scientists and land managers in each country to inform conservation planning, particularly connectivity between protected areas. "As human pressure has built up in places around the world, the remaining natural habitats have become increasingly fragmented and converted to smaller patch sizes that are increasingly far apart," Hansen said. "If the wildlife within those smaller patches are not able to move between those patches and interact, that could lead to a change in genetics or population extinctions." Hansen will be in Colombia from October to January 2019, where, he said, there are remarkable conservation scientists and ecologists. "In addition to the university, there is the Humboldt Institute, a government-run biodiversity research center that is a globally known," he said. "As a consequence, there are a large number of conservation projects occurring in Colombia, so it's a real hotbed for next-generation conservation science." He noted that Colombia is the world's second-most biodiverse country, the first being Brazil, with ecosystems ranging from the super-wet Pacific coastal forests to the top of the Andes and down into the Amazon basin. "There are many indigenous people still living on their native lands," Hansen said. "So, in addition to modern cities and modern science, it has a strong agricultural community, an indigenous community and these diverse landforms and ecosystems." He said that while he has been able to explore different types of ecosystems in his work, he hasn't had the opportunity to spend time in the tropical forest. "Just like it's wonderful to get to know people and make new friends, it's wonderful to get to know new ecosystems because each one is so fascinating in its own right," he said. "By getting to know several ecosystems, one then gets the opportunity to ask, 'What do they have in common? How are they different? Why? And, how should management strategies be crafted accordingly?'" said Hansen who teaches a course in comparing ecological systems. Hansen has worked on other studies funded by NASA Earth Science aimed at solving resource management issues. One focused on the ecological conditions of six U.S. national parks. The other, NASA's Landscape Climate Change Vulnerability Project, was a five-year study that concentrated on the public lands in the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains and led to the book, Climate Change in Wildlands: Pioneering Approaches to Science and Management, which Hansen co-authored. Hansen's research program at MSU has been "highly successful, generating $17 million in research and outreach funding," said Diane Debinski, head of MSU's Department of Ecology. "His work on climate change and adaptation, land use change, large landscape conservation, protected areas, biodiversity, habitat fragmentation and connectivity has resulted in 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, three books, and 20 additional book chapters," Debinski said. "This work will fill a critical gap in using spatial data to inform conservation decision-making," she said. "While one of the main products of this work will be actual maps, the proposed research will aid in putting MSU 'on the map' as an institution that is producing prestigious, cutting-edge conservation science." ### BOZEMAN -- Where most people see a drop of water splashing in the kitchen sink, a Montana State University professor sees the interplay of chaos and order, a riddle that could one day be solved with powerful computers in order to improve car engines and other technologies. The splashing drop breaks up into smaller droplets, which in turn disperse into even smaller droplets as they interact with air, much the way gasoline vaporizes in a firing engine, according to Mark Owkes, assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering. "Right now, it's assumed physics. Nobody really knows what's happening," Owkes said. Charting an ambitious path for unraveling the mysteries of liquid-gas interactions, Owkes has earned the National Science Foundation's most prestigious award for early career teacher-scholars. The five-year, $500,000 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award, which Owkes won in April, honors outstanding tenure-track scientists, and is notable because it goes to a single person instead of a team. "This really points to the quality of Mark's research and his future potential," said Dan Miller, head of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. The research, he added, has broad applications and "could increase the efficiency in a lot of processes that we care about from a sustainability perspective," including vehicle engines, various energy technologies and thermal control of buildings. Owkes describes his research as a hybrid of engineering and computer science that is "math-intensive and (computer) code-intensive." In order to understand how fluids behave in a spray, he creates mathematical models that describe the breakup of liquid into droplets, then runs the simulations on supercomputers such as MSU's Hyalite Research Computing Cluster, which is the largest supercomputer in Montana and an often-used tool at the state's flagship research university. Even these powerful computers can take days or weeks to arrive at an answer. "One of the challenges is that these simulations are massive," Owkes said. Because the research is so time- and resource-intensive, he said, it is relatively inaccessible to engineers trying to design a new fuel injector for a car engine, for example. A major goal of his research is to fix that by making the simulations run faster while also being more accurate, which could help create simpler, more effective modeling tools for engineers, Owkes said. Accomplishing that, Owkes explained, requires new modeling techniques that combine complex mathematics and advances in computer science. One possibility is to develop new computer algorithms that process the large amounts of data in the simulations in order to create something analogous to a family tree for the particles of liquid in a spray. That would create a novel and powerful way to visualize and track the behavior of individual droplets. All this makes it a very interesting time to be working in his research field, said Owkes, who joined the MSU faculty in 2014 after earning his doctorate in mechanical engineering from Cornell University. He earned his master's in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder. While earning his bachelor's at Clarkston University in New York, his research was very hands-on, involving wind turbines. "I spent a lot of time in the machine shop," he said. It wasn't until graduate school that he began to merge his mechanical aptitude with computer simulations, which captured his imagination. "You can do experiments with (computer) code that you can't in real life," Owkes said. "Writing code is rewarding. You're creating something very dynamic." By changing just a few lines of computer code, a whole new experiment can be created, he added. That means that computer simulations, as they continue to be improved, will become more and more important throughout engineering, Owkes said. "Mechanical engineers are going to be using computer simulations to design most anything." He wants engineering students at MSU to ride that wave of change and have a working knowledge of computer programming, and to help them do that, some of the CAREER funding will go toward creating a drop-in center where students can get help programming and de-bugging code. The resource will also allow faculty to assign more computer-intensive assignments, Owkes said. The main benefit of the five-year CAREER grant is that it supports an open-ended, ambitious project that emphasizes curiosity and lets the researcher follow the inquiry where it wants to go. "If we talked about this research in five years," Owkes said, "it would probably be very different than what we are talking about today." ### LA JOLLA, CA - May 9, 2018 - Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have devised what they call a "neuronal cookbook" for turning skin cells into different types of neurons. As reported today in the journal Nature, the research opens the door to studying common brain conditions such as autism, schizophrenia, addiction and Alzheimer's disease under reproducible conditions in a dish. "The brain is incredibly complex, with thousands of different types of cells that are each involved in different diseases," says Kristin Baldwin, PhD, professor at Scripps Research and senior author of the study. "The problem with understanding and treating the many disorders of the brain is that we cannot reproducibly produce the right types of brain cells. Now we have found more than 75 new ways to rapidly and reproducibly turn skin cells into neurons that we think will be much better representatives of different neurologic diseases than were previously available. "Having a personalized and nearly unlimited supply of different types of neuronal cells in a dish lets you uncover what's going wrong in a disease. At the same time, the study supplies a new toolkit to test thousands of drugs on the affected cells to try to reverse the problems, rather than having to test them in mice or other animals, with results that are often difficult to interpret for human conditions," Baldwin adds. The Baldwin lab wondered if it would be possible to both simplify and expand the coding toolbox for making neuronal cells directly from skin cells. First author Rachel Tsunemoto, PhD, had hints from a previous study that it might be possible to generate very specific types of neurons using only two transcription factors at a time. So, she and other lab members engineered and tested a large set of two factor codes to see if they could convert skin cells into cells with the essential core traits of neurons, such as their shape and electrical excitability. While they had expected to find a handful of new factors, or possibly none at all, results of their large screen were quite surprising. Of the almost 600 factors tested, over 12 percent ended up producing neurons--leading to more than 70 new recipes or codes for neuronal production. Next came an even bigger surprise. The "synthetic neurons," as Baldwin calls them, started to grow synapses and try to communicate with each other. "This came just two to three weeks after they were fibroblast cells that would normally never communicate," says Baldwin. "This was really great to see," says Tsunemoto, co-first author of the study and a researcher with Scripps Research and the University of California, San Diego at the time of the study. "But obviously, there was a lot more follow-up work to be done to understand this exciting neuronal complexity in a dish in more detail." For years, the challenge has been to see past the traits that neurons share--like the ability to communicate using connections called synapses--and figure out why certain neurons have special properties, like the ability to produce dopamine or respond to neuroactive drugs such as nicotine, that also correlate with their involvement in different diseases. Together with Sohyon Lee, a co-first author of the study and a recent PhD graduate at Scripps Research, Tsunemoto began to sort through the "outputs" of the different codes using traditional electrical recording methods and new sensitive sequencing methods to see whether the codes would produce neurons with different features. What they found was exciting. Each code produced a set of neurons with different properties, some of which seemed immediately useful for understanding how differences in our genetic makeups can predispose us to neurologic diversity in disorders such as autism, nicotine addiction or neurodegeneration. Baldwin notes that this work builds on years of research from her lab and around the world. Previous studies led by Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka and Marius Wernig's group at Stanford University recently showed that sets of three to four factors could convert skin cells into pluripotent stem cells and directly into neurons. Previous work from Baldwin's lab showed that sets of just two factors could selectively generate specific kinds of neurons that respond to pain and itch. The new study is a big step forward in cellular reprogramming. The transcription factors to make neurons are like codes," Baldwin says, and now researchers can input these codes to get the precise neuronal types they need for research, over and over again, eliminating the need for very precious human samples obtained from brain surgeries (which can be studied for only a few hours). "Now we can be better genome detectives," says Baldwin. "Building up a database of these codes and the types of neurons they produce can help us directly link genomic studies of human brain disease to a molecular understanding of what goes wrong with neurons, which is the key to finding and targeting treatments. "We're already working with collaborators and writing grants to apply this platform to autism and Alzheimer's disease research, as well as to some rare diseases, such as Friedrich's ataxia," adds Baldwin. "We also think the transcription factor pairs we studied here are only the tip of the iceberg and there are likely many more codes for neuronal types that can be found." Researchers are encouraging other scientists to use their results through a freely available platform called BioGPS, run by Scripps Research scientists. "There's so much to explore," says Tsunemoto. ### In addition to Baldwin, Tsunemoto and Lee, authors of the study, "Diverse reprogramming codes for neuronal identity," were Attila Sz?cs of the University of California, San Diego and Eotvos Lorand University; and Pavel Chubukov, Irina Sokolova, Joel W. Blanchard, Kevin T. Eade, Jacob Bruggemann, Chunlei Wu, Ali Torkamani and Pietro Paolo Sanna of Scripps Research. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grants DP1AG055944, DA031566, 5 UL1 TR001114, U54GM114833, DC012592, MH102698), the Dorris Neuroscience Center, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship and the Andrea Elizabeth Vogt Memorial Award and the National Brain Research Program of Hungary (grant KTIA_NAP_13-2014-0018). 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. Megha Padi, Ph.D., of the UA Cancer Center has developed a method for probing the genetic underpinnings of cancer and other diseases, which could lead to better treatments TUCSON, Ariz. - Recent headlines have cast suspicion on social network analysis, which can mine data from the internet to target advertisements or potentially influence elections. But what if we could use those same tools not for the economic or political gain of a few, but for the health of all humankind? Scientists now can harness the tools of social network analysis to understand connections among genes, an advance that someday could lead to medical advancements. Megha Padi, PhD, director of the UA Cancer Center Bioinformatics Shared Resource and an assistant professor of molecular and cellular biology, developed a computer algorithm called ALPACA that reveals which gene networks are activated in a diseased cell -- an approach that could lead to better treatments for various diseases. The results were published online April 19 in the open-access Nature Partner journal Systems Biology and Applications. Cancer researchers usually focus on specific genes when comparing healthy cells to tumor cells, an approach that does not completely explain what occurs behind the scenes to cause cancer. "You can get a list of the parts in your car, but you won't understand what makes the car run until you understand how all the parts are connected to each other," Dr. Padi said. Likewise, it is essential to study how genes work together as part of a larger network, so Dr. Padi is analyzing these gene communities in the same way one would examine a social network composed of connections among people who know one another. Dr. Padi is the first author on the study, in collaboration with John Quackenbush, PhD, director of the Center for Cancer Computational Biology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The study was conducted when she was a postdoctoral fellow at Dana-Farber; Dr. Padi joined the UA in January 2018. Genes in a community, like people in a social network, talk to one another. In a healthy cell, gene communities function like factory workers, cooperating to process raw materials into goods the cell needs to thrive. In a diseased cell, miscommunication along the "assembly line" results in defective products. Tracking how genes' conversations change over time might provide clues how cancer arises. These conversations can be analyzed using tools developed to study social networks. "A classic example is a phone network," said Dr. Padi. "I'm calling my mom, my mom may be calling my sister, my sister's calling me, and I may call you, but you won't call my mom. Natural communities are formed, like your work community and family community." Dr. Quackenbush added, "In the same way, we see that gene regulatory networks form communities. The pattern of 'conversations' within the communities change between healthy and diseased individuals. ALPACA is the first method to understand how the cell's 'social network' is reorganized in disease, which might provide clues how cancer forms." To uncover cancer's causes, the challenge is to find the differences between gene communities in healthy cells compared to diseased cells, rather than the differences between individual genes. But comparing gene communities is easier said than done, as the genetics underlying cancer can have tens of thousands of interacting components to sort through. Drawing a diagram of these interactions results in what researchers call a "hairball." "To make a map that humans can understand, scientists need computers to figure out the subtle ways in which this 'hairball' goes awry in tumor cells," Dr. Padi said. One of the next steps is to identify drug candidates that can be further investigated in the laboratory. "We'd like to use what we have learned to develop new strategies that can help prevent or cure disease," said Dr. Quackenbush. Dr. Padi is particularly interested in using ALPACA to find novel treatments for people whose cancers fail to respond to currently available treatments. By contrasting cancers that cannot be treated with drugs, known as chemoresistant tumors, with chemosensitive tumors, those that can be treated with drugs, researchers may be able to zero in on a community of "bad guys" -- genetic pathways that might be targeted with customized drugs. ALPACA's incorporation of social network analysis is an innovative use of tools most commonly associated with marketing, not medical research. "Network scientists usually ask questions like how information is being spread through Twitter or other communication channels," Dr. Padi said. "We're asking completely different questions, like how networks function in different types of tumors. This type of research is rare because not many people work on both those fields at the same time." ### Please Note: Drs. Padi and Quackenbush used databases developed with information from patients who consented to have their anonymized data used for research. This research was supported by NIH grants K25 HG006031, R01 HL111759 and R35 CA197449. About the University of Arizona Cancer Center The University of Arizona Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center with headquarters in Arizona. The UA Cancer Center is supported by NCI Cancer Center Support Grant No. CA023074. With primary locations at the University of Arizona in Tucson and at Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, the UA Cancer Center has more than a dozen research and education offices throughout the state, with more than 300 physicians and scientists working together to prevent and cure cancer. For more information: uacc.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube) Despite massive breakthroughs in the field of neuroscience over the last century, one area continues to baffle both scientists and philosophers: How do molecules, cells, neurotransmitters and other brain "stuff" create the abstract experience of self-awareness? In his new book, "The Consciousness Instinct: Unraveling the Mystery of How the Brain Makes the Mind" (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2018), Michael Gazzaniga, a professor of psychology at UC Santa Barbara and director of the campus's SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind, examines what he refers to as this "problem of consciousness." And, he notes, the fact that the word "consciousness" means different things to different people and is influenced by personal, cultural and religious stories adds yet another layer to the complexity of the problem. "There wasn't even a word to talk about our current subjective experience until Descartes began using the word around the late 16th century," Gazzaniga said. "Throughout the last 2,000 years, three predominant ideas about how consciousness works have become accepted," he continued. "The Greeks first said that the brain/body creates consciousness. Then, 1,400 years after that came the idea that the brain/body does it, but upon death a 'soul' survives the body. And finally, with the onset of dualism, came the idea that the brain is mechanical, but the mind is floating around and makes contact with the brain in a particular spot. "Therefore," Gazzaniga went on, "consciousness either comes from a particular spot in the brain -- be that the pineal gland or otherwise -- or it comes in and animates us and then leaves us at death." This simplified snapshot is what experts in the field have been working with up until the present day. In his book, Gazzaniga uses the metaphor of the system of democracy to help explain his take on consciousness. "Consciousness is a 'thing' the way democracy is a 'thing' -- it's not something you can put on the table, it's a process," he said. "It's a summation of processes that all happen in parallel and our consciousness is a product of these interacting parts." This concept of modular organization suggests that specialized areas of the brain do different things, and consciousness itself is the amalgamation of thousands of those processes happening at the same time. Specialized capacities come up one at a time, he explained, and through time they are stitched together to give the illusion of a unified consciousness. In effect, each individual part of the brain is doing its respective job, and each then passes information to the next level of command. This continues until the thought or function -- say, sight or sound -- becomes apparent. "There are many layers behind the curtain, so to speak," Gazzaniga said. The real question, though, is how to figure out how those layers communicate with one another. What is the protocol? "We have to think about this from the perspective that something can have dual natures, such as how light can be a particle and a wave," he said, adding, "but we don't yet know how that works." But what does all this say about the nature of the spirit or soul and how the problem of consciousness fits into the discussion? And does reducing consciousness to a complex set of biological processes wring out all the beauty and mystery? "Understanding how a thing functions doesn't mean you can't appreciate its beauty, or that this knowledge depreciates it in your eyes somehow" Gazzaniga said. "This concern that somehow we are lessened by knowing more boggles my mind." From his perspective, scientific understanding of the problem of consciousness will not stop people from telling and believing in their cultural and personal stories. "We won't give up the ghost because we know how the heart works," he said. ### A new study has discovered that horses were first domesticated by descendants of hunter-gatherer groups in Kazakhstan who left little direct trace in the ancestry of modern populations. The research sheds new light on the long-standing "steppe theory" on the origin and movement of Indo-European languages made possible by the domestication of the horse. The domestication of the horse was a milestone in human history that allowed people, their languages, and their ideas to move further and faster than before, leading both to widespread farming and to horse-powered warfare. Scholars from around the world have collaborated on a new inter-disciplinary research project, which was published in the journal Science 9 May 2018. The researchers analysed ancient and modern DNA samples from humans and compared the results - the 74 ancient whole-genome sequences studied by the group were up to 11,000 years old and were from inner Asia and Turkey. Professor Eske Willerslev, who holds positions both at St John's College, University of Cambridge, and the University of Copenhagen, jointly led the study which looked at archaeological findings, history, and linguistics. Much of the study builds on questions raised by scholars of Indo-European studies at the Institute of Nordic Studies and Linguistics at University of Copenhagen. A number of conflicting theories have been presented about who first domesticated the horse, with previous studies pointing to people of the pastoralist Yamnaya culture, a dominant herding group who lived in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Dr. Guus Kroonen, historical linguist at University of Copenhagen, explains: "The successful spread of the Indo-European languages across Eurasia has puzzled researchers for a century. It was thought that speakers of this language family played a key role in the domestication of the horse, and that this, in combination with the development of wheeled vehicles, allowed them to spread across Eurasia from the Yamnaya culture." However, as this study shows, domesticated horses were used by the Botai people already 5,500 years ago, and much further East in Central Asia, completely independent of the Yamnaya pastoralists. A further twist to the story is that the descendants of these Botai were later pushed out from the central steppe by migrations coming from the west. Their horses were replaced too, indicating that horses were domesticated separately in other regions as well. No link between Botai and Yamnaya cultures The study does not find a genetic link between the people associated with the Yamnaya and Botai archaeological cultures, which is critical to understanding the eastward movement of the Yamnaya. Apparently, their eastward expansion bypassed the Botai completely, moving 3000 kilometres across the steppe to the Altai Mountains in Central and East Asia. Professor Alan Outram from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Exeter and one of the paper's authors, states: "We now know that the people who first domesticated the horse in Central Asia were the descendants of ice age hunters, who went on to become the earliest pastoralists in the region. Despite their local innovations, these peoples were overrun and replaced by European steppe pastoralists in the middle and later Bronze Age, and their horses were replaced too." Languages spread through exchanges between several cultures The authors also demonstrate the oldest known Indo-European language, Hittite, did not result from a massive population migration from the Eurasian Steppe as previously claimed. In contrast to a series of recent studies on population movement in Europe during the Bronze Age, the new results from Asia suggest that population and language spread across the region is better understood by groups of people mixing together. Gojko Barjamovic, Senior Lecturer on Assyriology at Harvard University, explains: "In Anatolia, and parts of Central Asia, which held densely settled complex urban societies, the history of language spread and genetic ancestry is better described in terms of contact and absorption than by simply a movement of population." He adds: "The Indo-European languages are usually said to emerge in Anatolia in the 2nd millennium BCE. However, we use evidence from the palatial archives of the ancient city of Ebla in Syria to argue that Indo-European was already spoken in modern-day Turkey in the 25th century BCE. This means that the speakers of these language must have arrived there prior to any Yamnaya expansions." The study also shows that the spread of the Indo-Iranian languages to South Asia, with Hindi, Urdu and Persian as major modern offshoots, cannot result from the Yamnaya expansions. Rather, the Indo-Iranian languages spread with a later push of pastoralist groups from the South Ural Mountains during the Middle to Late Bronze Age. Prior to entering South Asia, these groups, thought to have spoken an Indo-Iranian language, were impacted by groups with an ancestry typical of more western Eurasian populations. This suggests that the Indo-Iranian speakers did not split off from the Yamnaya population directly, but were more closely related to the Indo-European speakers that lived in Eastern Europe. Unique collaboration between the humanities and the natural sciences In this study, geneticists, historians, archaeologists and linguists find common ground - pointing to increased interaction between the steppe and the Indus Valley during the Late Bronze Age as the most plausible time of entry of Indo-European languages in South Asia. Several authors of the paper had radically conflicting views before the final interpretation was achieved. Lead author on the article, Peter de Barros Damgaard, who is a geneticist working at the University of Copenhagen comments: "The project has been an extremely enriching and exciting process. We were able to direct many very different academic fields towards a single coherent approach. By asking the right questions, and keeping limitations of the data in mind, contextualizing, nuancing, and keeping dialogues open between scholars of radically different backgrounds and approaches, we have carved out a path for a new field of research. We have already seen too many papers come out in which models produced by geneticists working on their own have been are accepted without vital input from other fields, and, at the other extreme, seen archaeologists opposing new studies built on archaeogenetic data, due to a lack of transparency between the fields." "Data on ancient DNA is astonishing for its ability to provide a fine-grained image of early human mobility, but it does stand on the shoulders of decades of work by scholars in other fields, from the time of excavation of human skeletons to interpreting the cultural, linguistic origins of the samples. This is how cold statistics are turned into history." Guus Kroonen adds: "The recent breakthrough in ancient genomics poses challenges for archaeologists, linguists and historians because old hypotheses on the spread of languages and cultures can now be tested against a whole new line of evidence on prehistoric mobility. As a result, we now see that geneticists are driven by key questions from the humanities, and that research within the humanities is energized by the influx of new data from the sciences. In the future, we hope to see more cross-disciplinary co-operations, such as the one leading to this study." ### Contact Linguist Guus Kroonen Roots of Europe University of Copenhagen Phone: + 45 30 42 78 46 Mail: guus@hum.ku.dk Senior Lecturer on Assyriology Gojko Barjamovic The Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Department Harvard University Mail: barjamovic@fas.harvard.edu Phone: +1 617-496-6009 Press officer Carsten Munk Hansen Faculty of Humanities Mail: carstenhansen@hum.ku.dk Phone: + 45 28 75 80 23 A major hurdle to using neural stem cells derived from genetically different donors to replace damaged or destroyed tissues, such as in a spinal cord injury, has been the persistent rejection of the introduced material (cells), necessitating the use of complex drugs and techniques to suppress the host's immune response. In a new paper, publishing May 9 in Science Translational Medicine, an international team led by scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine describe successfully grafting induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neural precursor cells back into the spinal cords of genetically identical adult pigs with no immunosuppression efforts. The grafted cells survived long-term, displayed differentiated functionality and caused no tumors. The researchers also demonstrated that the same cells showed similar long-term survival in adult pigs with different genetic backgrounds after only short course use of immunosuppressive treatment once injected into injured spinal cord. "The promise of iPSCs is huge, but so too have been the challenges. In this study, we've demonstrated an alternate approach," said senior author Martin Marsala, MD, professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a member of the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine. "We took skin cells from an adult pig, an animal species with strong similarities to humans in spinal cord and central nervous system anatomy and function, reprogrammed them back to stem cells, then induced them to become neural precursor cells (NPCs), destined to become nerve cells. Because they are syngeneic -- genetically identical with the cell-graft recipient pig -- they are immunologically compatible. They grow and differentiate with no immunosuppression required." Co-author Samuel Pfaff, PhD, professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator at Salk Institute for Biological Studies, also noted: "Using RNA sequencing and innovative bioinformatic methods to deconvolute the RNA's species-of-origin, the research team demonstrated that pig iPSC-derived neural precursors safely acquire the genetic characteristics of mature CNS tissue even after transplantation into rat brains." In their study, researchers grafted NPCs into the spinal cords of syngeneic non-injured pigs with no immunosuppression. The researchers found that the NPCs survived and differentiated into neurons and supporting glial cells at all observed time points. The grafted neurons were detected functioning seven months after transplantation. Then researchers grafted NPCs into allogeneic (genetically dissimilar pigs) with chronic spinal cord injuries, followed by a transient four-week regimen of immunosuppression drugs. They found similar results with long-term cell survival and maturation. "Our current experiments are focusing on generation and testing of clinical grade human iPSCs, which is the ultimate source of cells to be used in future clinical trials for treatment of spinal cord and central nervous system injuries in a syngeneic or allogeneic setting," said Marsala. "Because long-term post-grafting periods -- one to two years -- are required to achieve a full grafted cells-induced treatment effect, the elimination of immunosuppressive treatment will substantially increase our chances in achieving more robust functional improvement in spinal trauma patients receiving iPSC-derived NPCs." "In our current clinical cell-replacement trials, immunosuppression is required to achieve the survival of allogeneic cell grafts. The elimination of immunosuppression requirement by using syngeneic cell grafts would represent a major step forward" said co-author Joseph Ciacci, MD, a neurosurgeon at UC San Diego Health and professor of surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine. ### Co-authors include: Jan Strnadel, Cassiano Carromeu, Michael Navarro, Oleksandr Platoshyn, Andreas N. Glud, Silvia Marsala, Jozef Kafka, Atsushi Miyanohara, Takahiro Tadokoro, Michael P. Heffernan, Kota Kamizato, PeiXi Chen, Dasa Dolezalova, Marian Hruska-Plochan, Eric Curtis, Jack Bui, and Alysson Muotri, UC San Diego; Cedric Bardy, Salk Institute and SAHMRI Mind and Brain, Australia; Tomohisa Kato, Kyoto University; Stefan Juhas, Jana Juhasova, and Jiri Klima, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Republic; Chak-Sum Ho, and Taba Kheradmand, Gift of Life, Michigan; Andrew J. Todd, University of Glasgow; Shawn P. Driscoll, Thomas D. Glenn, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Salk Institute; Fred H. Gage, Salk Institute; and Kazuhiko Yamada, Columbia University Medical Center. Beavers could help clean up polluted rivers and stem the loss of valuable soils from farms, new research shows. The study, undertaken by scientists at the University of Exeter using a captive beaver trial run by the Devon Wildlife Trust, has demonstrated the significant impact the animals have had on reducing the flow of tonnes of soil and nutrients from nearby fields into a local river system. The research, led by hydrologist Professor Richard Brazier, found that the work of a single family of beavers had removed high levels of sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus from the water that flowed through their 2.5 hectare enclosure. The family of beavers, which have lived in fenced site at a secret location in West Devon since 2011, have built 13 dams, slowing the flow of water and creating a series of deep ponds along the course of what was once a small stream. Researchers measured the amount of sediment suspended, phosphorus and nitrogen in water running into the site and then compared this to water as it ran out of the site having passed through the beavers' ponds and dams. They also measured the amount of sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen trapped by the dams in each of the ponds. Their results showed the dams had trapped more than 100 tonnes of sediment, 70% of which was soil, which had eroded from 'intensively managed grassland' fields upstream. Further investigation revealed that this sediment contained high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are nutrients known to create problems for the wildlife in rivers and streams and which also need to be removed from human water supplies to meet drinking-quality standards. The research was funded by Westland Countryside Stewards and the Natural Environment Research Council and conducted by a team from the University of Exeter led by Professor of Earth Surface Processes, Richard Brazier. Professor Brazier said: "It is of serious concern that we observe such high rates of soil loss from agricultural land, which are well in excess of soil formation rates. However, we are heartened to discover that beaver dams can go a long way to mitigate this soil loss and also trap pollutants which lead to the degradation of our water bodies. Were beaver dams to be commonplace in the landscape we would no doubt see these effects delivering multiple benefits across whole ecosystems, as they do elsewhere around the world." The research findings about beavers' positive impact on soil erosion losses and pollution in water courses come at a time of growing concern about these issues. In 2009 a separate study estimated that the total cost of soil loss from the UK's agricultural land was 45million, much of which was due to the impacts of sediment and nutrient pollution downstream. Devon Wildlife Trust has been conducting its enclosed beaver trial for seven years, while since 2015 it has also been running another beaver project involving a population of wild-living beavers on the River Otter, East Devon. The charity's Director of Conservation and Development, Peter Burgess said: "Our partnership with Exeter University working on both our fenced and unfenced beaver trials is revealing information which shows the critical role beavers can play, not only for wildlife, but the future sustainability of our land and water. It is truly inspiring to have our observations confirmed by detailed scientific investigations." ### Prophylactic mass vaccination programmes are not a realistic option in the battle to prevent new Ebolavirus outbreaks, a University of Kent-led research team has shown. The findings come as the World Health Organisation has announced a new Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Kongo. The team analysed the prospects for various Ebolavirus vaccines and found that, for the foreseable future at least, Ebolavirus outbreak control depends on surveillance and the isolation of cases. The researchers' analysis revealed that very high proportions of potentially affected populations would need to be protected by vaccination to establish herd immunity, i.e. the level of immunity that prevents virus transmission within a population. The study, entitled Herd immunity to Ebolaviruses is not a realistic target for current vaccination strategies identified that, in the critical phases of many Ebola virus outbreaks, the average infected individual infects four or more other people, which enables the virus to spread rapidly. At this level, 80% of a population would need to be immunised to prevent outbreaks, even if a highly effective vaccine that protects 90% of individuals after vaccination was available. Such vaccination rates are currently unachievable. In a vaccination trial during the West African Ebola virus epidemic, only 49% of individuals who had been in contact with Ebola virus patients could be vaccinated. Thirty-four per cent of contacts refused vaccination although they had been exposed to the disease. There are currently no clinical vaccine candidates available that protect against all four human-pathogenic Ebolaviruses. It also remains unclear, say the researchers led by Professor Martin Michaelis, of Kent's School of Biosciences, whether the available vaccine candidates provide the long-term protection (? 10 years) that is required for the sort of prophylactic mass vaccination programme that could prevent Ebola, which becomes repeatedly introduced into the human population from animal reservoirs. A large vaccination programme would also be costly and impractical, the study points out. Costs for current Ebolavirus vaccine candidates are estimated to be in a range of US$ 15-20 per dose, with some 462 million people living in the areas affected by Ebolavirus outbreaks, many of them in very remote rural areas. In the absence of a realistic prophylactic mass vaccination programme, the reasearchers conclude that clinical vaccine candidates will need to be focused on health care workers who are often involved in disease transmission, potentially in combination with the vaccination of patient contacts. ### The study Herd immunity to Ebolaviruses is not a realistic target for current vaccination strategies (Martin Michaelis, Mark Wass, Stuart Masterson - University of Kent; Leslie Lobel - Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel and Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda; Miles Carroll - Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury) is published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology. See: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01025/full For more information or interview requests contact Martin Herrema at the University of Kent Press Office. Tel: 01227 816768 Email: M.J.Herrema@kent.ac.uk News releases can also be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/news University of Kent on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UniKent Notes to editors 1. Four Ebolaviruses cause life-threatening disease in humans: Ebola virus (formerly known as Zaire ebolavirus), Sudan virus, Bundibugyo virus, and Tai Forest virus. The recent Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa resulted in at least 28,616 disease cases and 11,310 deaths. It demonstrated that Ebolaviruses can cause large outbreaks and resulted in an increased interest into vaccination programmes that prevent future outbreaks. 2. Established in 1965, the University of Kent - the UK's European university - now has almost 20,000 students across campuses or study centres at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome. It has been ranked 22nd in the Guardian University Guide 2018 and 25th in the Complete University Guide 2018, and in June 2017 was awarded a gold rating, the highest, in the UK Government's Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2015-16, it is in the top 10% of the world's leading universities for international outlook and 66th in its table of the most international universities in the world. The THE also ranked the University as 20th in its 'Table of Tables' 2016. Kent is ranked 17th in the UK for research intensity (REF 2014). It has world-leading research in all subjects and 97% of its research is deemed by the REF to be of international quality. In the National Student Survey 2016, Kent achieved the fourth highest score for overall student satisfaction, out of all publicly funded, multi-faculty universities. Along with the universities of East Anglia and Essex, Kent is a member of the Eastern Arc Research Consortium. The University is worth 0.7 billion to the economy of the south east and supports more than 7,800 jobs in the region. Student off-campus spend contributes 293.3m and 2,532 full-time-equivalent jobs to those totals. Kent has received two Queen's Anniversary prizes for Higher and Further Education. Scientists from the UK and France have quantified the temperature of Earth's oceans over half a billion years ago by combining fossil data and climate models Study suggests early animals diversified in a greenhouse world, with a climate similar to that in which the dinosaurs lived Chemical analysis was conducted on tiny fossils shells about 1mm long from blocks of limestone from Shropshire, UK, dated to between 515 - 510 million years old Findings help to expand our knowledge of early animals and the environment in which they lived An international collaboration of scientists, led by the University of Leicester, has investigated Earth's climate over half a billion years ago by combining climate models and chemical analyses of fossil shells about 1mm long. The research, published in Science Advances, suggests that early animals diversified within a climate similar to that in which the dinosaurs lived. This interval in time is known for the 'Cambrian explosion', the time during which representatives of most of the major animal groups first appear in the fossil record. These include the first animals to produce shells, and it is these shelly fossils that the scientists used. Scientists have long thought that the early Cambrian Period was probably a greenhouse interval in Earth's climate history, a time when there were no permanent polar ice sheets. Until now, however, scientists have only had a sense of what the Cambrian climate was like because of the types of rock that were deposited at this time - while it has long been believed that the climate was warm, specific details have largely remained a mystery. Data from the tiny fossil shells, and data from new climate model runs, show that high latitude (~65 S) sea temperatures were in excess of 20 C. This seems very hot, but it is similar to more recent, better understood, greenhouse climates like that of the Late Cretaceous Period. Thomas Hearing, a PhD student from the University of Leicester's School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, explained: "Because scientists cannot directly measure sea temperatures from half a billion years ago, they have to use proxy data - these are measurable quantities that respond in a predictable way to changing climate variables like temperature. In this study, we used oxygen isotope ratios, which is a commonly used palaeothermometer. "We then used acid to extract fossils about 1mm long from blocks of limestone from Shropshire, UK, dated to between 515 - 510 million years old. Careful examination of these tiny fossils revealed that some of them have exceptionally well-preserved shell chemistry which has not changed since they grew on the Cambrian sea floor." Dr Tom Harvey, from the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, added: "Many marine animals incorporate chemical traces of seawater into their shells as they grow. That chemical signature is often lost over geological time, so it's remarkable that we can identify it in such ancient fossils." Analyses of the oxygen isotopes of these fossils suggested very warm temperatures for high latitude seas (~65 S), probably between 20 C to 25 C. To see if these were feasible sea temperatures, the scientists then ran climate model simulations for the early Cambrian. The climate model simulations also suggest that Earth's climate was in a 'typical' greenhouse state, with temperatures similar to more recent, and better understood, greenhouse intervals in Earth's climate history, like the late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic eras. Ultimately, these findings help to expand our knowledge of the early animals of the period and the environment in which they lived. Thomas Hearing said: "We hope that this approach can be used by other researchers to build up a clearer picture of ancient climates where conventional climate proxy data are not available." The research was carried out as an international collaboration involving scientists from the University of Leicester (UK), British Geological Survey (BGS; UK), and CEREGE (France). This collaboration brought together expertise in geochemistry, palaeontology and climate modelling to tackle this longstanding problem. The scientists have co-authored an open access (publicly available) paper in the journal Science Advances. ### The DOI for the above paper will be 10.1126/sciadv.aar5690 Once the paper is published electronically, the DOI can be used to retrieve the abstract and full text from the American Association for the Advancement of Science website by adding it to the following url: http://dx.doi.org/ Notes to editors: For more information contact Thomas Hearing on twh8@leicester.ac.uk Funding and resources for the geochemical work were provided by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and the climate modelling was supported by Grand Equipement National de Calcul Intensif (GENCI). Isotope work was supported by the NERC Isotope Geoscience Facilities (NIGF) and the Edinburgh Ion Microprobe Facility (EIMF). Thomas Hearing is a PhD student at the University of Leicester and the British Geological Survey, funded by NERC through the Central England NERC Training Alliance (CENTA) and the BGS University Funding Initiative (BUFI). Images of the fossils and limestone available here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wy4e1pyq8ifymk9/AAAolh-SwCBV8Uol-8OvHzOja?dl=0 Prof. LI Chuanfeng's Group of CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information demonstrates the existence of stronger-than-binary correlations in quantum mechanics for the first time. The results are published in Physical Review Letters on May 4th and incorporated into the "Editor's Suggestion". Physicist John Wheeler once made a profound thesis: "It from bit. ", which suggests that everything in the universe derives from basic unit of information - bit. As study of quantum information develops, this thesis shifts to "It from qubit. ". A meaningful question is whether this binary thesis sufficient for construction of quantum theories? Let's look at the measurement problem. Quantum measurement is one of the basic problems in quantum mechanics. In classical theory, complex multivalued problem measurements can be disassembled into binary measurements. For example, for a three-outcome problem (set the output results to 1, 2, and 3, respectively), two-step two-outcome measurement can be used to complete: The first step is to determine whether the measurement result is 1, if not, then proceed to the next two-outcome (2 3) measurement to determine if the result is 2 or 3. However, for quantum system measurements, things are not so simple. The theoretical collaborators of the research group used the three-dimensional quantum entanglement to construct a special inequality based on the binary theory. The violation of the inequality means the existence of stronger-than-binary correlations in Quantum Mechanics. However, it is very difficult to test this inequality experimentally because of the need for extremely high-quality sources of high-dimensional entanglement. As early as 2016, Li's group developed high-quality three-dimensional entangled photon sources [PRL 117, 170403 (2016)]. To test this inequality based on binary theory, they simplified the design of the entangled photon source and further improved the performance of the entangled photon source. In experiment, they distributed the two photons entangled in three dimensions to two laboratories 8 meters apart and measured them with randomly chosen measurement bases. The experimental observation violates the inequality with more than 9 standard deviations and demonstrates for the first time the existence of stronger-than-binary correlations in quantum mechanics. They have published the complete original data of this experiment online for international peers to conduct more in-depth data analysis. This experiment will promote further research on the fundamental problem of quantum theory. Li Chuanfeng, Liu Biheng, and others collaborated with theoretical physicists from Spain, Hungary, and Germany all contributes to the achievement. ### Link of the paper: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.180402 USTC Microcavity Research Group in the Key Laboratory of Quantum Information have perfected a 4-port all-optically controlled non-reciprocal multifunctional photonic device based on a magnetic-field-free optomechanical resonator is demonstrated for the first time. This achievement is published online in Nature Communications on May 4. Light has bidirectional transmission reciprocity in common dielectric material. Breaking this reciprocity in the direction of light transmission is of great significance in classical and quantum information processing. Optical circulators, isolators, directional amplifiers, etc. are typical non-reciprocal devices. Yet the most common optical non-reciprocal devices are based on the Faraday effects using magneto-optical materials, which are difficult to integrate on-chip. Therefore, in recent years, interest has increased in realizing on-chip all-optical non-reciprocal devices. In 2016, DONG Chunhua's group experimentally demonstrated the optomechanically induced non-reciprocity in a whispering gallery mode microcavity [Nature Photonics 10, 657-661 (2016)]. On this basis, the group use a single cavity coupled with dual waveguides to implement a 4-part versatile photonic device, including the functions of narrow-band filter, four-port optical circulator and directional amplifier. The function mode can be switched arbitrarily by changing the control light. For the circulator, the signal light incident from the ports 1, 2, 3 and 4, exits from the ports 2, 3, 4 and 1, respectively, constituting a 1-2-3-4-1 circular path. When only focusing on ports 1 and 2, it is also an efficient optical isolator; for directional amplifiers, signal light incident from port 1 is amplified and exits from port 2, not the other way around. Thus in the direction of 1-2 has directional amplification. The demonstrated device can even realize optical circulators with single-photon level and can be generalized to microwave and acoustic circuits. ### SHEN Zhen, ZHANG Yanlei and CHEN Yuan are the co-first authors of this paper, with DONG Chunhua, ZOU Changling and SUN Fangwen as corresponding authors. The paper is funded by Ministry of Science and Technology, National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences. The link of the paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04187-8#Sec8 A Vanderbilt-led research team has discovered genetic variations that increase the risk of heart attack even when patients are receiving a statin drug like Lipitor or Crestor to lower their blood cholesterol. The findings, published by the journal Circulation, helps explain why some patients experience a heart attack or the need for coronary revascularization to open blocked heart arteries while taking statins. It suggests that drugs targeting the genetic variations could lower the heart risk in these patients. The study demonstrates the power of genome-wide association studies and longitudinal electronic health records (EHRs) to find links between genetic variation and disease, said the paper's first author, Wei-Qi Wei, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Biomedical Informatics in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Some of the patients were followed for heart disease for up to a decade after starting on their statin drug. The study found that the effect of the genetic variations or variants was independent of how much their cholesterol improved while taking statins. "People with these genetic variants were at a higher risk for heart disease, even considering those who have ideal cholesterol levels on their statin," said Joshua Denny, MD, MS, Vice President of Personalized Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and the paper's corresponding author. The researchers searched four sites in the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) network, a nationwide consortium of experts, biorepositories and electronic medical record systems supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including BioVU, VUMC's DNA databank. They found 3,099 people who had experienced a heart attack or the need for revascularization while on statins, and compared them to 7,681 "control" patients on statins who did not experience heart events. From this comparison, the researchers were able to identify seven genetic variations, called single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs, in the LPA locus of genes that were associated with these heart events in patients receiving statin treatment. The LPA gene encodes apolipoprotein (a), a fatty protein that binds to low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the form of blood cholesterol that is the target of statin drugs. High levels of bound LDL, called Lp(a) for short, is well known to be an independent risk factor for heart disease. One of the SNPs was highly associated with an increased risk of heart events. When the researchers examined the full EHRs of 11,566 individuals who carried the SNP for more than 1,000 physical conditions, they found significantly higher rates of coronary heart disease and heart attack but not of other diseases. The approach, called a phenome-wide association study, was pioneered by Denny and his colleagues at Vanderbilt. "The study highlights the need to consider targeting Lp(a) levels as an important independent factor to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients on statin therapy," Wei concluded. Efforts to reduce Lp(a) levels using existing or new drugs could reduce heart events in the proportion of patients on statins who carry LPA variations, he added, although clinical trials would be needed to detect potential side effects and confirm the safety of any such treatment. ### Thirty-three researchers from 15 academic medical centers and research institutes in the United States and Yokohama, Japan, contributed to the study, including Vanderbilt faculty members Dan Roden, MD, C. Michael Stein, MBChB, Nancy Cox, PhD, Todd Edwards, PhD, Qiping Feng, PhD, and Jonathan Mosley, MD, PhD. The upcoming assembly election in Karnataka has not only started the battle between the political parties but also among the media houses. Regular updates on political party analysis, interviews, ground reality and various political campaigns to the viewers has become the breaking news for all the news channels & dailies. Suvarna News has a thorough well planned line up of various offerings to its viewers, which not only provides news from its studios, but also from different district headquarters which gives the audience a sense of the actual on ground reality. Ravi Hegde- Editor in Chief for Suvarna News & Kannada Prabha has set aligned his team of professionals like Ajit Hanmakanavar Head, News & Programming, Jayprakash Shetty Editor, Current Affairs, Ramakanth Aryan Associate Editor Current Affairs and Prashanth Natu Delhi Bureau Chief for a variety of programs which captures the daily updates and happenings on Elections from every corner of the state. Election Headquarters, the special program on Suvarna News will have various other programs lined up under it during the prime time slot. Few of the major programs to look out for are: Election Exclusive Exclusive focus on election related big breaking news Election War Current issues and general government topics which is showcased aggressively. Doddavara Akhada Ground reality of the high voltage constituencies with local bytes and talks with senior Politicians. Election Bulletin Complete day wise analysis of the developments on the assembly elections Along with the on air and on ground reporting the channel also is ensuring to reach to the nook and corner of the state with high decibel marketing initiatives through promotions in railway ticket counter screens, branding on bus panels, auto branding, social media and top radio stations. Standing true to its tag line Straight-Bold- Relentless, Suvarna News promises to deliver accurate, non-partisan news, programs and updates on the developments in the state by the political parties for this assembly election. Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India) The widely used weedkiller glyphosate is no health risk for consumers in Switzerland, according to the government. It said a report by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office found the residue of glyphosate in produce was low and did not pose a risk. In its statement, published on Wednesday, the government agreed with the European Union and other international organisations on the issue. Last year, the Swiss parliament threw out calls from environmental and consumer groups to ban the use of all synthetic chemical pesticides, including glyphosate. Swiss voters are likely to have the final say on a proposal to cut subsidies to framers using pesticide. + The initiative that tackles the use of pesticide and anti-biotics The EU has granted a temporary extension for the weedkiller, but Swiss farmers are not allowed to use it ahead of a harvest period. The Swiss study is based on more than 240 samples from food in retail shops: 60% of them were glyphosate-free; the others contained traces of the pesticide below the risk level, according to the food safety authorities. However, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015 said glyphosate the most widely used pesticide in Switzerland and globally was probably carcinogenic to humans. On a spring day onMay 10, 1910, Swiss aviation history was made by a young man who gracefully took off and landed in the first plane built in Switzerland. swissinfo.ch looks at the birth of aviation in Switzerland through the remarkable but brief life of Ernest Failloubaz. Failloubaz, the self-taught poster boy of Swiss aviation, may have achieved great heights as a pilot but his life was punctuated by sharp lows. His father passed away when he was four years old, then his mother six years later. The orphan grew up in the care of his grandmother and an aunt in Avenches, a small town in western Switzerland which was once the capital of Roman Helvetia. He used the small fortune left to him by his father, a prominent wine merchant, to indulge a powerful passion for speed and mechanics. Failloubaz bought one of the first motorbikes in Switzerland and then a car. By the age of 18, in the autumn of 1910, he had shot to fame at the Aviation Days in Bern. He broke a flight duration record and remained airborne for nearly one hour (58:76). The Federal Council (executive body)rewarded him for that stunt by giving him the countrys first pilot license along with a gold watch with the dedication The Swiss Confederation to Ernest Failloubaz. First pilot license October 1, 1910. It was his friend Rene Grandjean who introduced Failloubaz to the joys of flying. Grandjean, from nearby village of Bellerive, managed to make some money by becoming the driver and friend of an Egyptian prince. Impressed by the first aircraft crossing of the English Channel, he returned from North Africa to Switzerland to pursue his dream of building planes. French influence The Avenches region proved fertile soil for the pioneers of Swiss aviation. As well as Failloubaz and Grandjean, there was also Georges Cailler who, in his castle in Vallamand, decided to break with family tradition and make planes rather than chocolate. Geneva, meanwhile, was the playground of the brothers Henri and Armand Dufaux who also helped shape the fledgling aircraft industry. It is no coincidence that the vast majority of Swiss aviation pioneers hailed from French-speaking Switzerland. France is the cradle of the aviation world, says Swiss pilot and aviation historian Phillippe Cornaz. Given the shared language and border, all Swiss pilots who knew French learned to fly in France. French-speaking pilots were also the dominant influence a few years later when the Swiss Air Force was established (1914). Eight out of nine of Switzerlands first pilots were from French-speaking Switzerland, notes Cornaz. As for the ninth, he hailed from Basel and spoke perfect French. French pilots played a leading role in this era of technological innovations. Among them, Louis Bleriot, who became the first pilot to cross the English Channel in 1909. A natural pilot Across the Alps in Switzerland, the day to remember is May 10, 2010. On this day Failloubaz managed to take off and smoothly land the flying machine built by his friend Grandjean. Failloubaz had a natural knack for flying. No one taught him. He figured it out by watching how an airplane is built and asking for detailed explanations of how the different parts come together. Unlike the pioneers of that era, he did not start the engine full throttle, roll a few meters and then yank back the control stick, notes Cornaz. On the contrary, he pulled gently and let the plane rise naturally. Grandjean, however, was more heavy-handed. When trying to test his own aircraft five days later, he pulled the control stick too sharply and severely damaged his plane. Left without wings, Failloubaz headed to Paris to get his own airplane. First, he purchased a Demoiselle by Brazilian Santos-Duman, then the more capable Bleriot XI, before committing to one of the flying machines built by the Dufaux brothers in Geneva. Armed with his own plane, Failloubaz continued to rack up achievements. At a gathering in the town of Viry, perched in the Alpine region of southeastern France, he dared to do what no one had attempted before: He cut the engine midflight, allowed his plane to glide and then restarted the engine. On September 28, 1910, he conducted the first flight between two Swiss towns, Avenches and Payerne, which lie roughly 12 kilometres apart. He also made a mark in the history of Swiss military aviation, conducting the first aerial reconnaissance mission with his friend Cavalry Captain Gustave Lecoultre. Nicknamed The Flying Boy of Avenches, he became a real celebrity, with thousands showing up to applaud his stunts. For example, in October 1911, during Aviation Day in Avenches, he flew in front of 15,000 spectators. While flying brought him glory, it did little for his pocket. On the contrary, it ruined him. He invested all his money on his passion, notes Cornaz. He bought planes, paid for a hangar, created the first aviation school of Switzerland in Avenches with his own money. What finished him financially, adds the historian, was the ill-advised decision to purchase the patent for the Dufaux planes, with the goal of building them in Avenches. This investment ate up a third of his fortune and set the stage for his bankruptcy at the end of 1913. He ended up ruined and abandoned by everyone, says Cornaz. Failloubaz died at the age of 26 from tuberculosis. Translated from French by Dominique Soguel, swissinfo.ch US President Donald Trump's decision to quit the landmark nuclear deal with Iran is a "mistake", France's President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday. I regret the decision of the American president. I think its a mistake and thats why we Europeans have decided to remain in the nuclear agreement of 2015, he told German national broadcasters ARD and Deutsche Welle, according to remarks released by the French presidency. I had the chance to tell President (Hassan) Rouhani that just now, he said, referring to a phone call earlier with the Iranian leader. The French president stressed the importance for the European powers to reaffirm their commitment to the deal. The Europeans decision allows us to prevent Iran from immediately restarting their (nuclear) activities and to avoid escalating tensions, he said. Whats most important is to maintain stability and peace in the Near and Middle East, he stressed. Director Terry Gilliam, fresh from winning a legal battle trying to stop his film "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" from being shown at Cannes, on Thursday won approval for its general release in France on May 19. The countrys National Centre for Cinema (CNC) said it had given its General Public approval visa despite a dispute between Gilliam and a former producer for the disaster-plagued film, nearly twenty years in the making. The Portuguese-born producer Paulo Branco had tried to obtain a court order stopping the film, which features Star Wars actor Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce, from being shown at Cannes and released in France. A French court ruled Wednesday against Brancos request, meaning the film will be the closing highlight of this years Cannes film festival. Based on that decision, the CNC said it would be disproportionate to halt the works release because of the conflict. Paris judges are due to rule next month on a wider case over who owns the rights, and courts in France and Britain have previously sided with Branco in the long-running dispute. Branco bought the rights for the film in April 2016, before a falling out with Gilliam over artistic differences prompted the director to seek other producers, including the French group Kinology. Gilliam then finally completed work on the saga at a cost of 16.3 million euros ($19.4 million) between March and June 2017. The legendary polymath and former Monty Python star, whose films include classics like Time Bandits and Brazil, reportedly suffered a minor stroke at his London home last weekend but was later released from hospital. French President Emmanuel Macron and Iran's Hassan Rouhani agreed on Wednesday during a phone call to work toward "the continued implementation of the nuclear deal" despite the US decision to withdraw from the agreement, the French presidency said. The French and Iranian presidents agreed to pursue their joint efforts with all nations involved, with the aim of continued implementation of the nuclear deal and maintaining regional stability, Macrons office said in a statement. US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he was pulling out of the landmark 2015 nuclear accord, calling it defective at its core. It was a stark diplomatic defeat for France, Germany and Britain, which had lobbied hard for Trump to stand by a deal whose terms they say Tehran has largely respected. But during their call, Macron told Rouhani that France would also seek an expanded accord in a mutually beneficial framework covering Irans ballistic missile development, its involvement in several crises roiling the Middle East, and the prospects for its nuclear programme once the 2015 accord expires in 2025. Macrons office said France and Irans foreign ministers would meet without delay for talks. Rouhani had previously warned that Iran could resume uranium enrichment without limit, though he said he would discuss Irans response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic programme was for civilian purposes. Germany, France and Britain will "do everything" to ensure that Iran remains in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed Wednesday, a day after the US pulled out of the accord. We will remain committed to this agreement and will do everything to ensure that Iran complies with the deal, Merkel said, adding that Berlin had made the decision jointly with Paris and London. Expressing regret for President Donald Trumps decision to ditch the deal, Merkel acknowledged concerns over Irans ballistic missile programme as well as its influence in Syria and Iraq. There are areas beyond the (nuclear) accord that we must talk about, she said. Nevertheless, she stressed that the European powers viewed the accord as an important pillar that we should never call into question. But the foreign policy chief of Merkels party, Norbert Roettgen, warned that it would be difficult to adhere to the accord without the United States as European companies that continue to do business in Iran could be hit with heavy US sanctions. Whoever invests in Iran will be hard hit by US sanctions, and that cost cant be offset, he warned in an interview with Der Spiegel magazine. So the affected companies will probably very quickly roll back their investments or pull out of the country altogether, he warned. The quandary was laid clear earlier Wednesday as Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran would quit the deal unless European signatories offered solid guarantees that trade relations would continue after the US withdrawal. 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. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear program and reimposed crippling sanctions on Tuesday, defying European pleas and prompting international outcry. Trump poured scorn on the disastrous 2015 accord, describing it as an embarrassment to the United States that does nothing to contain Irans nuclear ambitions. The United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, Trump said in an address to the nation from the White House. Slapping aside more than a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, Trump called for a new and lasting deal. That grand bargain, he said, would have to include not just deeper restrictions on Irans nuclear program, but on its ballistic missiles and support for militant groups across the Middle East. We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement, he claimed. We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction and we will not allow a regime that chants Death to America to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth. It remains far from clear if the international community, or Iran, will play along. Irans President Hassan Rouhani whose standing at home now risks being undermined by the deals collapse was furious, accusing Trump of psychological warfare. Rouhani said Iran could resume uranium enrichment without limit in response to Trumps announcement, but that it would discuss its response with other parties to the deal before announcing a decision. Trumps onerous demands and his warning that Iranians deserve better than their current dictatorship will only heighten suspicions his ultimate goal is regime change. If the regime continues its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before, he warned. Were out Hawkish US officials believe that after 38 years in power, Irans clerical regime is substantially weakened by domestic economic pressure, changing demography, public demonstrations, and costly foreign military adventures. The decision marked a stark diplomatic defeat for Europe, whose leaders, repeatedly and in person, begged the mercurial US leader to think again. In a joint statement, Germanys Angela Merkel, Britains Theresa May and Frances Emmanuel Macron voiced their regret and concern at Trumps decision. European firms doing business in Iran now have a six month deadline to wind up investments, or risk US sanctions, Trumps hawkish advisor John Bolton said, while ruling out talk of reconsideration. Were out of the deal. Were out of the deal. Were out of the deal, he said. And Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin made it clear that Washington was acting under both our primary and secondary sanctions authorities, meaning that European firms with investments or operations in the United States could be targeted if they continue to trade with Iran. In a sign of the depth of European displeasure, plans are already being drawn up in Brussels to introduce measures blocking US sanctions, an extremely rare move against an allied government. But Bolton said that cooperation with Europe on Iran was not over, and that Trump had waited until the last minute just before the speech, really to make his final decision, listening to different views on the issue, including from American allies. The US will work with the Europeans and others not only on the nuclear issue but on Irans ballistic missile development, its continuing support for terrorism and its military activities that jeopardize our friends, Bolton told Fox News. Bold decision While Irans arch foes in Israel and Saudi Arabia welcomed Trumps decision, signatories to the existing deal vowed to plow ahead without the United States. The European Unions chief diplomat Federica Mogherini, who helped oversee the accord, insisted it was delivering on its goal which is guaranteeing that Iran doesnt develop nuclear weapons. The European Union is determined to preserve it, she added. Trumps decision offers him a domestic political victory, fulfilling a longstanding campaign promise and underscoring his no-nonsense political brand. But the long term impact for American foreign policy and for the Middle East was less clear. Former US president Barack Obama whose administration inked the deal made a rare public criticism of his successor, describing Trumps decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal as misguided and a serious mistake. The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding Americas credibility, and puts us at odds with the worlds major powers. And Russias foreign ministry said it is deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the deal. In contrast, Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who last week released a trove of intelligence on a pre-2003 Iranian plan to develop a nuclear weapon which Trump cited approvingly in his speech, was overjoyed. Israel fully supports President Trumps bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal, Netanyahu said, in a televised address. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to Moscow on Wednesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, hours after US President Donald Trump announced he would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, mainly over Syria and the involvement there of Israels arch-rival Iran. The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so, Netanyahu said before departing. In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination between the Russian military and (that of Israel). Russias foreign ministry said it was deeply disappointed by Trumps announcement on Tuesday that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US presidents bold move. Netanyahu has long opposed the nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran. Separately, Israel is deeply concerned over Irans presence in Syria, where Tehran, like Moscow, backs President Bashar al-Assads regime. Russia and Israel have set up a hotline to avoid accidental clashes in Syria. Netanyahu has vowed not to allow Iran to entrench itself militarily in neighbouring Syria, where Israel has been repeatedly accused of carrying out deadly strikes, with reports of Iranian forces killed. Israel has not acknowledged those strikes, but admits carrying out dozens of raids in Syria to stop what it says are deliveries of advanced arms to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, another of its enemies. There have been fears in Israel of Iranian retaliation. Just prior to Trumps speech on Tuesday, the Israeli army asked authorities in the occupied Golan Heights to open and prepare missile shelters due to irregular activity by Iranian forces over the demarcation line in Syria. Thousands gathered Wednesday in Ukraine's rebel capital to watch a parade of banned tanks and artillery to celebrate the Soviet Union's World War II victory over Nazi Germany. The display of such heavy weaponry used by Kremlin-backed rebels during their four-year conflict with government forces violates the terms of a 2015 peace deal that neither side has honoured. The peace deal called for both sides to withdraw mortars, rockets and other large calibre arms from demarcation lines, one of which runs through the outskirts of Donetsk, the main city of the self-declared Donetsk Peoples Republic. An AFP reporter counted 45 pieces of heavy military equipment including tanks, artillery systems and multiple rocket launchers Many were painted with the Soviet Unions red star and a black-and-orange-striped Saint Georges ribbon. All the equipment taking part in the parade was acquired as trophies, Alexander Voronin, the rebels deputy military chief, told AFP, claiming it was seized from the Ukrainian army and then restored. At the opening of the event attended by around 35,000, Donetsk separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko said the regions people have to defend their land with weapons and protect the Russian world from Ukrainian nationalists. Today we are in uniform and for us this is no longer a holiday to pay tribute now its our holiday, 32-year-old Akhra Avidzba, a rebel fighter, told AFP. Local residents came to the parade with Saint George ribbons pinned on their clothes and carrying red flags and bouquets of lilac. Some brought children dressed in stylized Second World War uniforms. Unlike at previous parades in 2016 and 2017, no one seemed to be holding Russian flags, an AFP correspondent noticed. Communist propaganda Larisa, a 40-year-old manager, said she came to Donetsk from Kiev specially for the military parade. Such parades are associated with the Soviet era and were massively revived under President Vladimir Putin in Russia. They have been banned in the Ukrainian capital since the conflict with Russian-backed separatists broke out in April 2014. It is sad, for me this is a childhood memory, said Larisa, who grew up in Donetsk but has lived in Kiev for a decade. She wore a Saint Georges ribbon, which has also been banned by Ukraine as a symbol of Russian aggression in a conflict that has claimed more than 10,000 lives. On the other side of the frontline, in Kiev, about 10,000 people marched through central streets carrying portraits of relatives killed during the war. Kiev police detained 14 participants for wearing banned symbols of the communist totalitarian regime, including the Saint Georges ribbon. They face a fine. Stalins Soviet Union in the first two years of the World War II was an ally of Hitlers Germany, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a speech at the commemoration ceremony. Today, Putins Russia is ready to bring the world to the brink of World War III, he warned. They are here, not far from us and this requires our special vigilance and responsibility, he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said he was seriously concerned by US President Donald Trump's abandoning the Iran nuclear deal and said talks with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would discuss the "acute" situation. Putin in comments to his national Security Council expressed deep concern over such a decision and once more stressed the importance of this document, the Kremlin said, referring to the deal. Putin later held talks with Netanyahu, who has backed Trumps decision on Iran, Israels arch-foe. Netanyahu before leaving Israel for the visit said that the meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so. The leaders initial remarks, published in a transcript by the Kremlin, did not refer to the Iran nuclear deal directly. Putin said the meeting would discuss problems in the region, saying that the situation unfortunately is very acute. I want to express a hope that we will manage not just to discuss but also to seek a solution that would lead to a shift in the situation, Putin said. Netanyahu said they would think together how we can act correctly in the region, how we can remove the threats that exist in the region in a responsible and reasonable way. The two leaders earlier Wednesday watched a Red Square parade marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Netanyahu thanked Putin for referring to the Holocaust in his parade speech, likening the Nazi extermination campaign to Irans attitude to Israel. Its hard to believe, but 73 years after the Holocaust, in our Middle East there is a country Iran that openly calls for the destruction of the state of Israel, he said in translated comments. But there is a difference between what was then and what is today: we have our own country, he added. Russias foreign ministry said late Tuesday it was deeply disappointed by Trumps announcement that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US presidents bold move. Moscow and Tehran have close political and economic relations. In the nuclear field, Russia has already built one reactor at Irans Bushehr plant, the countrys only nuclear power plant, and has started work on two new ones. By contrast Netanyahu on Monday held a televised presentation of what he called proof of Irans alleged past military nuclear ambitions. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, particularly related to the conflict in Syria where Israel has vowed to prevent Iran building a military presence. Russia's foreign ministry on Tuesday said Moscow was deeply disappointed by US President Donald Trump's decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal, a move it called a blatant violation of international law. In a statement, the ministry said it was deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the official name for the 2015 deal. Washingtons actions were flagrantly trampling on the norms of international law, the ministry said, saying it is highly concerned that the US is once more acting contrary to the opinion of the majority of countries. Moscow condemned Trumps decision as fresh proof of Washingtons inability to negotiate alleging that US criticism of Irans absolutely legal nuclear activity was just a smokescreen for settling political scores with it. A joint commission of world powers that reached the deal must swiftly and very scrupulously examine and assess the current situation, the ministry said. Russia is open to further cooperation with the rest of the group of world powers that reached the deal and will continue to actively develop bilateral cooperation and political dialogue with Iran, the ministry said. The Kremlin has previously warned Washington against abandoning the landmark 2015 deal, saying this would deal a heavy blow to international relations and non-proliferation efforts. The agreement was signed between Iran and six world powers Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US at talks coordinated by the European Union. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Tehran in November last year and both countries are pushing for a peace deal in Syria where they are key backers of President Bashar al-Assad. Moscow and Tehran have had close political and economic relations, and in the nuclear field Russia has already built one reactor at Irans Bushehr plant and started work on two new ones. US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal prompted furious reaction in Tehran, regret in Europe and cheers from Israel and Saudi Arabia. The following is a selection of reactions from around the globe to Trumps biggest foreign policy move since taking office: Psychological warfare This decision was an act of psychological warfare against Iran. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Uranium enrichment to resume? I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization to take the necessary measures for future actions so that, if necessary, we can resume industrial enrichment without limit. Rouhani Stay the course Stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours and together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal. European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini Regret France, Germany and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity and stability in the Middle East, notably Syria, Yemen and Iraq. French President Emmanuel Macron, on Twitter, referring to the Iran deal by its formal name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Disappointed Moscow is deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Russias foreign ministry Instability The unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the nuclear deal is a decision that will cause instability and new conflicts. Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Twitter Breaking commitment Damascus strongly condemns the US presidents decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran, which shows once again that the United States is not honoring its commitments and international agreements. Syrian foreign ministry source quoted by the official SANA news agency. Compliance I call on other JCPOA participants to abide fully by their respective commitments under the JCPOA and on all other member-states to support this agreement. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres Bold decision Israel fully supports President Trumps bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime in Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Support from Saudi The kingdom supports and welcomes the steps announced by the US president toward withdrawing from the nuclear deal and reinstating economic sanctions against Iran. Saudi Arabias foreign ministry Misguided The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working That is why todays announcement is so misguided I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake. former US president Barack Obama, whose administration brokered the 2015 deal France, Germany and Britain said Tuesday that they were committed to implementing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal despite US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out and his threat of sanctions. Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement, said a joint statement. The statement from British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron suggests a transatlantic clash is looming over Trumps decision amid warnings for European firms working in Iran that they could be subject to sanctions. We urge the US to ensure that the structures of the JCPoA (Iran deal) can remain intact, and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal, the joint statement said. It added that Trumps decision had been noted with regret and concern and it urged Iran to continue complying with its obligations. We encourage Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the US; Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, it added. Wednesday, May 9, 2018 Time again for tea and cake and mortality conversations! The next Albuquerque Death Cafe will take place on Sunday, May 20 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Fifth Floor Lounge at Manzano del Sol Retirement Village, 5201 Roma NE. The objective of the Death Cafe is To increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.." Its all about an interesting, unstructured conversation open and free-flowing with no specific agenda. The Death Cafe concept was started in the United Kingdom by Jon Underwood. He was influenced by the ideas of Swiss sociologist Bernard Crettaz, who started holding Cafe Mortel events in France and Switzerland. At these events, people come together in a relaxed, confidential and safe setting to discuss death, drink tea (or your favorite beverage) and eat delicious cake or cookies. Refreshments will be provided. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP to Gail Rubin by calling 505-265-7215 or emailing Gail[at]AGoodGoodbye.com. Join the Albuquerque Death Cafe Meetup group to be kept apprised of upcoming events. Click here to go to the Meetup page. Gail Rubin and Lizzy Miles, who held the first Death Cafe in the U.S. in Columbus, Ohio, discussed the Death Cafe movement in this 21-minute podcast on FuneralRadio.com. To get better acquainted with the Death Cafe concept, visit DeathCafe.com. Share this: Wednesday, May 9, 2018 During National Nurses Week we acknowledge the excellence and dedication of those who choose the nursing profession. It begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingales birthday. I grew up surrounded by nurses in a nursing home that my family owned and operated from the mid 1940s until 1960. We lived in a small village in Connecticut and my mothers skills as a Registered Nurse also made her the go-to person for emergencies cuts, burns, broken bones, head injuries and even emotional problems. I remember my mother calmly cleaning and dressing a bloody wound after a neighbor fell from a ladder and, on another occasion, carefully positioning a childs possibly broken leg after a fall from a tree. Eventually, a doctor might arrive. But watching my mother and her colleagues in action, day after day, offered me firsthand knowledge that nurses were unsung heroines who never hesitated to respond to an emergency. Nurses in war zones and military settings have done their job quietly and largely unnoticed as well, putting their lives in peril on the battlefield for centuries. Yet, little is known about their experiences in war or exactly how many participated. Appropriate financial remuneration in the nursing profession has also been meager and long in coming. Only at the end of the twentieth century did nurses pay, both in military and civilian life, begin to become commensurate with the risks and responsibilities of their jobs. Many women served as nurses during the Revolutionary War, but they are barely mentioned in history books. The Second Continental Congress, heeding George Washingtons advice to establish a means of caring for wounded and sick soldiers, authorized the formation of hospitals. In July of 1775, congress initiated a plan to provide one nurse for every ten patients and a supervising matron for every ten nurses. But, nurses were not always easy to find and formal training was nonexistent. General Washington blamed the low compensation rateoriginally $2 a monthfor the shortage of nurses, but its more probable that a woman risked receiving a bad moral reputation if she wanted to be a nurse. Nursing care and prostitution were considered to be similar occupations in the 18th and 19th centuries. Congress did increase nurses pay in 1776 to $8 a month. Louisa May Alcott, long before Little Women was written, had a brief career as an army nurse during the Civil War. Her first publication, Hospital Sketches, was a detailed account of her experience. Louisa was an unknown but zealous patriot when she arrived in Washington, DC, in 1862, to work in the Union Hotel Army Hospital. She had read Florence Nightingales Notes on Nursing and Dr. Homes Report on Gunshot Wounds, but that was the extent of her training. She described in letters to her family that, on her first day, stretcher after stretcher arrived from the battle of Fredericksburgeach with a legless, armless or desperately wounded occupant.." Louisa cared for hundreds of soldiers with devastating wounds and lost limbs, working with little more than soap, water, and whiskey. Her descriptions were so vivid and evoked so much emotion about caring for the wounded, that the Union Army published Hospital Sketches and provided it to the families of soldiers. This small volume established her reputation as an author, but her experience devastated her health. She contracted Typhoid Pneumonia after six weeks and would suffer from the poisonous effects of treatment with mercury until her death in 1888. She reported in her journal that she was pleased to receive ten dollars for her short stint in Washington, revealing that the pay had barely improved in one hundred years since the Revolutionary War. Approximately 6000 women served as nurses during the Civil War and their reward was largely the legacy of gratitude described in the letters and journals of the wounded. Fifty years later, in 1901, the Army Nurse Corp was created during the Spanish-American War and nurses were appointed to work for three years but were not commissioned as army officers. The appointment could be renewed if their skills were satisfactory, but it would take two more wars and another fifty years for nurses to receive commissioned officer status in 1944. I am on this earth because of the compassion of nurses. During World War I, my grandfather served in the British Army and ended up in a hospital in Malta after suffering the effects of mustard gas and severe wounds in France. The nurses suggested that he correspond with someone. He remembered a young woman he had met on a farm in Connecticut years before. The letters commenced and they married on his return, eventually creating my mother. Growing up around nurses in the 1950s I was privy to occasional stories and vivid memories. One former army nurse would sit with me and my brothers at a picnic table during her break-time and launch into a story. She once described being one of sixty nurses, climbing over the side of a ship off the coast of North Africa and down an iron ladder into small assault boats. Each boat carried nurses, medical officers, and enlisted men. The nurses wore helmets and carried full packs containing bandages, medicine, gas masks, and canteen belts. Only their Red Cross arm bands and lack of weapons distinguished them from fighting troops. They waded ashore and huddled behind a sand dune while enemy snipers took potshots at them. Before the night was over, their commanding officer ordered them to an abandoned civilian hospital, where they began caring for casualties. There was no electricity or running water, and the only medical supplies available were those they had brought themselves. We kids jumped out of our seats when she described the rat-a-tat-tat of enemy fire overhead. Nurses were not spared capture and imprisonment during the war. In 1945 U.S. troops liberated sixty-seven army nurses who had been imprisoned in Santo Tomas Internment Camp since 1942 and evacuated them to a convalescent hospital on Leyte where they recovered from malnutrition. Like many men who saw the worst of war, these women came home and slipped back into their communities and rarely shared their experiences. The exact number of nurses who served in World War II is unknown, but they received 1,619 medals, citations, and commendations. Overall, 201 nurses died while serving in the Army in World War II. During the Korean War, Army nurses served in medical units close to the front lines, in field hospitals, on army transport ships, hospital trains and at Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH). By chance, the general public has more knowledge of nursing services, especially during the Korean War, thanks to popular culture. The fictionalized depiction of a medical unit portrayed in the film, MASH, and a subsequent TV series featuring Hot Lips." Hoolihan, offered a romanticized version of women nurses in wartime but, at least it showed that they were there. During the Vietnam War, on November 8, 1967, all restrictions to female officer careers were removed. Finally, members of the Womens Army Corps and the Army Nurse Corps could receive the same promotions as those applied to men. Col. Anna Mae Hays achieved the rank of brigadier general on June 11, 1970. Again, the exact number is not known, but thousands of women served as nurses in Vietnam. The number killed in Vietnam is also unclear, ranging from seven to nine. Nurses have served in untold numbers in wartime even before Florence Nightingale went to the Crimean War and became known as the lady with the lamp.." Ive been comforted by the thought that nurses were near the battlefields of Vietnam in 1969 to care for my husband in the brief moments he survived after being mortally wounded in a booby-trapped bunker. I may never know who they are, but Im sure they eased his death with calm and compassion. Im deeply grateful for all those who choose to be nurses. To nurses everywhere, thank you this week and every week for all you do. From: Joyce L. Gioia, CMC, CSP -- The Herman Group Austin , TX Wednesday, May 9, 2018 The Herman Trend Alert May 9, 2018 Printing Human Organs Recently, we have taken a step closer to commercializing the 3D printing of human replacement organs. The biotech company Organovo, based in San Diego, now believes that its bioprinted tissue can be used to test drug safety. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) thinks so, too. Turning donor cells into pieces of organs This new process turns cells from donor organs into a printable bio-ink. Organovo is growing small organoids and using them to treat chronic conditions. How to print 3D tissue First, researchers must take and culture human liver cells in the right medium, so that they multiply. Second, they load the cultured cells into a specialized bioprinter. The bioprinter layers the cells onto a supportive water-based gel lattice. Finally, the researchers must wait for the cells to grow into developed tissue ready for transplanting. Approval to treat disease with organoids It could also be used more directly to treat patients. In late 2017, the FDA granted Organovo an orphan drug designation to use its 3D printed liver tissue. Orphan drug designation is a special status given to drugs used to treat rare diseases and conditions. The specific disease approved for treatment was alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a rare inherited condition that includes chronic cough, emphysema and even COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Creating a bridge to transplant One of the scientists funded by the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh is Professor David Hay. His team has not only been successful in developing liver cells, but they have found a way to keep the cells alive for a year. His immediate objective is to create an organoid as a "bridge to transplant". Long-term, Dr. Hay hopes to offer a liver implant that will provide longer liver support. Avoiding rejection Using stem-cell-derived tissue helps the body to accept the new organoid, because it is not recognized as "foreign" by the body. This method also means that patients implanted with this tissue will not need the standard immunosuppression treatments usually necessary for patients who receive organ transplants. What is coming next? Successful bioprinting of liver organoids bodes well for 3D printing of other organs, including hearts and kidneys. Regenerative medicine holds the promise of alleviating the shortage of organs for transplant. Special thanks to Hasan Chowdhury writing in The Financial Times. To read the whole article, visithttps://www.ft.com/content/67e3ab88-f56f-11e7-a4c9-bbdefa4f210b. Copyright 1998-2018 by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurist. 336-210-3548 or http://www.hermangroup.com. To sign up, visit http://www.HermanTrendAlert.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." The Herman Group is a firm of Strategic Business Futurists concentrating on workforce and workplace issues. We forecast the future and advise clients regarding relevant trends and how those trends may affect their lives. Applying our expertise as Certified Management Consultants, we advise corporate leaders regarding employee retention and organizational development to help them build workforce stability. We help organizations become Employers of Choice. We also work with Employer of Choice, Inc. to formally recognize employers that meet the stringent standards dictated by the labor marketplace. As authors of management books and as active professional speakers, we inform and inspire people to make a positive difference in the world of work. You did really get the ball rolling with our retention presentation, overall we have seen a move in the right direction with our turnover. In practice since 1980, we have served a wide variety of clients throughout the United States and in other countries. Our global affiliates assist us in sharing our expertise and advice with clients internationally. Our team of professional consultants and trainers is supported by an administrative staff that gets things done. We also have consultants certified to deliver our programs in your local area. Delivering to both small and large groups across 100 industries, The Herman Group has provided over 2,500 educational and informative keynote speeches and training seminars worldwide. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, we travel extensively to meet the needs of our clients. We can always be reached through the support team in our office at (800) 227-3566. Overseas callers may reach us through 336-210-3547. Should you have any questions after touring our website, please call or e-mail us at info@hermangroup.com. Get started now on improving the stability and performance of your workforce and increase your chances for success in the future. Kris Schwendeman flung a leather satchel around his back and hiked across the vast showroom floor of the offshore industrys largest annual summit, offering handshakes, business cards and resumes in the hope that one of the hundreds of oil companies at Houstons NRG Park would hire an experienced geologist. The unemployed offshore specialist is one of thousands of job seekers still working to return to an industry that only 18 months ago was shedding workers by the thousands as oil prices languished and corporate profits tumbled. As U.S. oil prices cracked $70 a barrel Monday the first time since 2014 job seekers like Schwendeman banked on the belief that things must have turned around by now. They were wrong. While oil field workers are getting snapped up for jobs in the booming shale plays of West Texas, the market for scientists, engineers and other knowledge-based professions have yet to return in any significant numbers. Overall hiring in the oil and gas industry continues to lag behind the rise in oil prices, leaving skilled, experienced workers such as Schwendeman to keep networking, passing out resumes and hoping for the phone to ring. It really hasnt picked up yet, said Schwendeman, who lives in Houston. Im just kind of going around and talking to people and seeing what lines of work theyre in and hoping to apply that to what I do. More Information Drilling down 60,000 The number of jobs that have been lost in the industry since mid-2014. 6,000 Of those jobs lost, fewer than 6,000 have come back to the workforce. See More Collapse As Schwendeman demonstrates, job seekers who have pinned their hopes on the oil market recovery of the past few months are likely to have to wait a while longer before companies start increasing the pace of hiring. While U.S. employment in oil and gas extraction is off its recent bottom a decade low of 144,500 in December the industry has recovered fewer than 6,000 of the nearly 60,000 jobs lost in oil bust that began in mid-2014, according to the Labor Department. In Houston, employment in oil and gas extraction which encompasses exploration and production companies, but excludes energy services firms is just reaching a bottom. In March, extraction companies shed another 2,000 jobs in Houston compared to a year earlier, according to the Labor Department. That brought job losses during the downturn that began in 2014 to 20,000, a decline of more than one-third. Theres a perception of recovery, but theres really no recovery at this point, said Ramesh Anand, president of American Personnel Resources in Houston. It hurts me to see exceptionally qualified Ph.D.s who were talking to me two years ago still meet me today looking for a job. Anand, who has recruited workers for the energy industry since the 1980s, said hes seen more leads for reservoir managers and other skilled professionals in the Middle East than in the United States. Here, instead of combing professional publications, social media and conferences to find workers for oil companies, Anand is sifting through the thousands of resumes that have inundated his clients to help them find the most qualified candidates. In the meantime, he has watched geologists give up on the industry, becoming financial advisers or finishing masters degrees in business. It all comes down to the investment energy companies have made in oil and gas fields in Texas, the Gulf of Mexico and around the world. Even with recent U.S. tax cuts, which most companies returned to their shareholders, spending on oil field exploration and development is not growing enough yet to stir broad job market activity. Oil companies, analysts added, also are reluctant to accelerate hiring out of worries that crude prices could quickly tumble again. Instead, they are turning to robotics, data analysis, artificial intelligence and other technologies to pump more oil with fewer workers. Thats the biggest reason employment growth at oil explorers hasnt kept up with rising prices and rig counts. Joshua Osagie, 20, of Nigeria was in high gear last week in the NRG Arena, scouring the Offshore Technology Conference for a job he can take after he graduates with a petroleum engineering degree next year. Looking for a position pretty much anywhere around the world, the young college student said hes eager to start working and finally see the massive tools of the offshore industry in action machinery humming and whirring in the ocean, the real life version of what hes seen in videos and textbooks in school. But Osagies efforts hit roadblocks at OTC. Most exhibitors shooed him away, he said, directing him to online applications on their websites. Few companies had recruiters on site. If they did, Osagie acknowledged, they were probably looking for more experienced candidates. But Osagie still had his pitch ready. I dont have any experience, Osagie said, but I want to get experience from you. Jose R. Gonzalez contributed. Lauri Garcia Jones and her son Charles Jones are making a little bit of history. Both of them are in the first graduating classes of the schools theyve attended for the past few years. Lauri, 37, is one of 11 people who made up the first class to receive bachelor of fine arts degrees from the Southwest School of Art in a ceremony April 29. And Charles, 17, is part of the first graduating class of the STEM Early College High School, an accelerated program in which students can earn both their high school diploma and an associates degree. Because of that, Charles will actually take part in two graduation ceremonies: One for high school and one for Alamo Colleges. I dont think we realized it for a while, Lauri said. For me, in the second year, when I got into the groove of school and everything, and then we started thinking about internships and graduation, then I was like, Wait a minute - hes graduating too! Then it started to slowly hit me that were both graduating from the same kind of situation were both in the first class of what were going through. Even without that aspect of it, Charles said, simply attending a parents college graduation is something special. It was unique in the sense of, most kids dont get to experience that, so its kind of like its rare, he said. And it was cool. Because it was a unique atmosphere. Id never gone to a graduation before, let alone a parents, so it was interesting. Lauri had a big group turn out for her big day, including family and friends who came in from Austin and Chicago. I almost cried walking out (for the ceremony), she said. I saw my family, and I was just like, Oh, my gosh, its that time. It was really sweet. I thought, This is it. This is the moment I feel like Ive wanted them to see this is what Ive been working so hard for, to be able to show them this. When it came time for her to walk up and get her diploma, though, she was so focused on making sure she didnt trip that she didnt notice the response from her loved ones. Her boyfriend and others told her later that there was a lot of cheering. I didnt hear anything, she said. All I heard was Paula (Owen, the schools president) say, You have quite a crowd. The graduation had an additional layer of meaning that Charles didnt know about until a few days afterward. Thats because it was her first. She dropped out of high school without getting her diploma, something she chose not to share with Charles or her other children, 13-year-old Boston and 11-year-old Nevan. I had been through so many schools, I just felt like, I dont want to do this anymore, she said in an interview more than a week before the ceremony. And I ended up dropping out at 17. So this is my first actual graduation. I didnt tell (the children) I never graduated because I expect them to. For me, (graduating) has more meaning than they know. That made it so much more important for me to take what Im doing super-seriously. She talked to Charles about her high school experiences after she graduated because she felt like he was old enough to hear about the situation. She told him about what it was like growing up in a household where education wasnt a priority and in which she had to go to work when she was young. Its important that he appreciates what it is that Im trying to do and trying to give him, she said. It is something special. Its not just, Oh, Mom goes to school, its what she does. Theres a meaning behind it. Even before they had that talk, the message about the importance of getting an education had gotten through to Charles. He saw how hard she worked, she said, and that helped push him to apply himself to his own studies. It kind of made me realize that, if she can be so intrigued and have a high work ethic and motivation for art, then I should have the same for computers and my field, he said. Her children didnt give her a tangible gift for graduation, but they did give her something meaningful. It was more of an emotional one - kind of like being proud and being happy, Charles said. I think thats probably the biggest gift or the best gift anyone can receive is a feeling gift, if that makes sense. It made sense to Lauri. I remember seeing their faces walking by and it makes me really proud to know that they can be here and see me and be happy for me in that moment, she said. Charles graduation has been much-anticipated, as well, Lauri said, partly because he was the first grandchild on both sides of the family. So the cheering might be even more intense when he makes his own walk across the stage. He plans to spend his summer having as much fun as possible before he starts his college career at Texas A&M University San Antonio, where he plans to study computer science. He hopes to eventually work in cyber security. Lauri gave herself a two-week break after her graduation. Then shes going to go back to work for her brother-in-laws business, where she worked part-time while she was in school while also working on art projects. The family also has one more graduation to celebrate. In addition to Loris and both of Charles, Nevan is moving on to middle school, and there will be a ceremony to mark that rite of passage, too. Because of all that activity, Mothers Day is likely to be pretty low-key, Lauri said. Thats four graduations, she said. Its a lot. And I think we have my brothers wedding this year. Theres a lot going on. Its a big year. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN Deborah Martin is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | dlmartin@express-news.net | @DeborahMartinEN Your mom has been taking care of you your whole life -- now it's your turn. With Mother's Day (and vacation season) just around the corner, it's the perfect time to treat her to some pretty and practical gifts. Here are a few hand-picked accessories that can make travel a breeze. Iconic Convertible Garment Bag: Leave it to the Vera Bradley design team to create an ingenious garment bag that easily converts into a duffel bag with ample compartments and storage space with just a simple zip. You get two bags for the price of one. Shown in an abstract blocks pattern and comes in black. $208 by Vera Bradley. verabradley.com. Drawstring Family Tote: This large tote, made of water repellant material, is an terrific catchall for travel, cruising, days at the beach or a weekend at the lake. The drawstring mesh closure keeps everything tidy and secure and prevents things from falling out. It lets you sift out sand without emptying everything. The interior hanging pocket keeps credit cards and money handy. Shown in go fish coral pattern. $58 from Vera Bradley. verabradley.com Navy & Aqua Tile Purse Organizer by in.bag: This handy purse organizer with a variety of pockets and compartments makes it easy to find everyday items, and expands to maximize space in larger handbags. Two zippered expansion panels allow organizer to expand from 3 to 6 inches. To change handbags, simply lift the organizer by its handles and place it in the new handbag. $24.99 The Container Store. containerstore.com Handbag Raincoat: The Handbag Raincoat is an ultra-practical item for mom to keep her handbag dry while running errands in a downpour. It features an easy-to-grab pull-tab to effortlessly open the hook and loop top closure. A clear pouch is included to keep it neatly stored (and the inside of your handbag dry) when not in use. $19.99 The Container Store. www.containerstore.com Totes Rain Slicker: Mom will be prepared for sudden showers in this bright and cheerful rain slicker that wont take up much space in her suitcase for a weekend getaway or long vacation. The lined rain slicker comes in an assortment of cheerful colors like luscious lavender, lemon yellow and bright turquoise. Available with mini umbrellas and rain bucket hats (priced separately). $35 at Totes. Totes.com. Travelon Anti-Theft Signature Double Zip Crossbody: Travelon recently kicked it up a notch with its new stylish snakeskin print bag. The neutral knockout wont show dirt; is water resistant; goes with just about any outfit and adds a bit of pizazz. The bag comes with lots of bells and whistles in addition to the anti-theft and RFID features that Travelon is so well known for. The four spacious zippered compartments help keep mom organized at all times. Interior slits come in handy and provide easy access for travel documents or other important papers.Anti-Theft features include surround slash-resistant body panels and shoulder straps; locking compartments; lockdown strap; and RFID blocking card and passport slots and pockets. The locking swivel clasp allows the strap to move freely and can be attached to a stationary object to prevent a grab-n-go theft. $65 from Travelon. travelonbags.com Mandy Shoulder Bag: This shoulder bag is guaranteed to keep you organized with shoulder handles that are just the right length for comfort. The interior six slip pockets keep eyeglasses, cellphone and other items handy. The zip closure adds additional security. Superbloom, one of the new patterns, is so pretty and classically feminine that it must have been designed with mom in mind. Mandy is currently available in 10 prints. $70 from Vera Bradley.verabradley.com. Follow Michelle Newman on Instagram and Twitter: @travelyenta . Check out her website www.enlightenedtravel.net. Bill Nye, the science educator who may be best known for his 90s PBS show Bill Nye the Science Guy, has a lot of faith in the generation coming of age in the next few years. The example I give is these students in Parkland, Florida. Its awful that people got shot. But people that age are going to change the world, he said in a brief interview Tuesday after his speech as the guest of honor for Planned Parenthood of South Texas annual fundraising luncheon. Theyre not going to put up with this stuff any more. Bill predicts! Bill predicts that in two presidential cycles, when those people are of age, therell be sweeping changes. In the example of climate change denial or contrarianism, whatever you call it, its almost exclusively old people. Only now and then do you meet a young person thats a climate change denier. And so, when those people are outnumbered by young voters, things are gonna change. Climate change including the evidence that explosive population growth is a major factor driving it was one of the topics he brought up in his speech, which he delivered to a packed house of 1,200 Planned Parenthood supporters at the Marriott Rivercenter. He also spoke of the importance of scientific understanding and of the strangeness of living in a time in which that has to be expressed. He noted that the Constitution includes a reference to science in the long list of powers afforded to Congress in Article 1, Section 8, stating that it can promote the progress of science and useful arts. The guys who wrote this document realized the value of science, Nye said. The thing that gets me about it is how fast things change. He doesnt often speak to Planned Parenthood groups, he said afterward, though he has addressed reproductive rights on occasion, and he made a few references to the topic in his talk. And he encouraged the audience to look into and take steps toward using clean energy, predicting a future in which wind turbines cast shadows over Texas oil fields. He ended by flashing an image on the video screens in the ballroom reading Lets change the world, sparking a standing ovation and loud cheers. I am inspired, said Jeffrey Hons, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Texas, when he stepped back up to the podium after Nyes talk. I want to make this planet a better place, and we are starting right here. Nyes interests also extend beyond this planet. He talked a bit in his speech about the Planetary Society, which he now serves as CEO. Among other things, the group advocates for space exploration, including the search for life on other planets. If we were to find evidence of life elsewhere, it would change the course of history, he said during the post-luncheon interview. If life were discovered somewhere out in the cosmos beyond Earth, he said, a slew of questions would need to be explored: Does it have DNA? Is it like us? Was Mars hit by an impactor 3 billion years ago, Martian life was tossed into space and fell here to Earth and you and I are descendents of Martians? Thats extraordinary. But its not impossible. Its worth investigating. The idea of living on Mars has zero appeal to him. Those people that want to go settle on Mars have not thought it through, he said. Its cold. There is no food. Theres hardly any water. And you cant breathe. You will notice that immediately. Its a drag. That doesnt mean he wouldnt want to visit. Id go to space as long as I could come backs safely, he said. Its like the early days of flying the taking off was cool; the landing wasnt always great. So well see. Im sure it will be possible. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN Deborah Martin is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | dlmartin@express-news.net | @DeborahMartinEN "Robert Mueller, have you thought this through?" That's the latest message on a billboard on Interstate 10 in Boerne, recently put up by local businessman Kyle Courtney. Courtney, owner of C&C Groundwater Services and Wellstar Groundwater Technologies, ended the billboard with "#thanksliberalmedia." Courtney said he got the billboard in response to reporting that detailed questions Mueller wants to ask President Donald Trump. RELATED: Boerne building a 'wall' in response to San Antonio annexation push Now Playing: Jesse Byrnes from The Hill, Gregory Korte from USA Today and Siraj Hashmi from the Washington Examiner discuss the latest on the Russia investigation, Stormy Daniels and Midterm elections Video: Fox5DC He provided a lengthy statement about the billboard, the third he's put up in the past year. "The entire Russia investigation is part of the Democratic machine's agenda. There wouldn't be an investigation if Trump hadn't won," the statement read. "They are doing everything they can to sway the public towards impeaching our president. The mainstream liberal media is trying to set a new precedent and it is a threat to our democracy. The 63 million Americans who voted for him are as guilty as he is. My message to them is to come investigate me." Courtney has attacked "liberal media" before. In September, he put up a similar billboard that read: "Do you think premeditated acts of subversion against the United States of America are protected by the first amendment?" His first billboard, in June, made national headlines. In that one, he called out ABC News. "ABC News: I grew up with you," the billboard read. "We are through. The Russians didn't elect Donald Trump. I did." Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA WASHINGTON Texas lawmakers split sharply Tuesday on President Trump's plan to claw back more than $15 billion in congressionally-approved spending, nearly half of which would come from a children's health program that provides coverage for 400,000 kids and pregnant women in the state. The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which Congress recently extended for six years, has become a flashpoint in an effort by the administration to calm conservative budget hawks who were angered by a $1.3 trillion spending bill that Trump signed in March. Texas received more than $1.2 billion in federal funding for the CHIP program in the 2016 budget year, according to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, a non-partisan legislative branch agency that provides policy and data analysis for the government. Related: CHIP services will continue in South Texas, despite canceled contracts Administration officials said the CHIP funds in Trump's proposed budget "rescission" represent unspent moneys from the previous year and would not affect current benefits. But many Democrats sounded a skeptical note. "These proposed rescissions reflect the same Republican indifference as last year when their repeated delays in renewing CHIP resulted in both damaging uncertainties for our local health providers and many alarmed families," said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat from Austin. "Republicans are already breaking their word on our agreement reached a mere two months ago. They are wrongfully demanding that we eliminate federal resources that would otherwise go to meet children's needs." Some also cast it as a political gesture. "There's no logical reason for the Trump administration to cut spending from the Children's Health Insurance Program when Congress passed a bipartisan CHIP package in January to authorize the program for six more years and save the government hundreds of billions of dollars," said Houston Democrat Gene Green. "This gesture is solely symbolic to save face with Republican voters." Republicans, meanwhile, welcomed the savings. "There is no denying it, Washington has a spending problem," said U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady of The Woodlands, in a statement on Twitter. "I support President @realDonaldTrump's decision to cut wasteful government programs and roll back over $15 billion in spending." Budget analysts say the savings, if passed by Congress, would reduce government spending by less than 0.5 percent. But the rescission debate has been fueled by friction over the nation's growing budget deficits, which Democrats blame on the $1.5 trillion Republican tax cut in December. Brady and other Republicans pushed back Tuesday, cheered by a Congressional Budget Office report showing that the federal government took in a record tax haul in April, producing a monthly surplus of $218 billion. April, a month when many taxpayers settle up with the IRS, is generally a strong month for government revenue, though this year's receipts were 13 percent higher than in April 2017. Trump's rescission plan is subject to approval by Congress. Though its prospects are good in the House, they are less certain in the closely-divided Senate. Councilman Greg Brockhouse has requested that District Attorney Nico LaHood investigate whether the City Council violated the Texas Open Meetings Act last week when the body concluded that San Antonio should not submit a bid for the 2020 Republican National Convention. After an executive session Thursday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced that San Antonio would not seek the convention, saying the majority of the council agreed the cost of pursuing the event an international spectacle that could draw 40,000 visitors, including 15,000 members of the media outweighed the potential economic impact that has been estimated to be as much as $200 million. After the meeting, Brockhouse and Councilman Clayton Perry both lambasted the decision. Besides attacking Nirenberg for failed leadership, Brockhouse also suggested the closed-door meeting was a violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act. Late Tuesday, he sent a one-page letter to LaHood alleging the meeting violated the act and seeking the investigation. Nirenberg said in a statement the session was conducted within the scope of the law. City Councils conversation about the Republican National Convention was conducted in the standard manner for economic development and other matters that are covered by the exceptions in the Open Meetings Act. We conducted the meeting as advised by legal counsel, who was present, he said. We are confident that the discussion was compliant with state law. Related: Closing city council meeting on RNC might have been a violation Brockhouse notes in his letter that hed asked City Attorney Andrew Andy Segovia before the meeting to issue an opinion on whether the council could discuss the bid in a private session. Brockhouse had called for the discussion to take place in a public meeting. It was my belief the meeting did not qualify for Closed Session protections due to the topic for discussion, he wrote. The city attorney opined the meeting qualified for Closed Session and as a result, the meeting was held on May 3, 2018. The city had posted the meeting according to the states Open Meetings Act requirement, citing a portion of the law that allows bodies to deliberate economic development issues in private. But the law also requires that no vote be taken, or decision be made, in private. I am requesting an investigation into the privileged discussions of the closed session itself. It is my opinion there were clear violations within the discussions that warrant investigation, Brockhouse continued. However, as the violations were committed in the confines of the closed session, I am prohibited from disclosing the facts, unless compelled to do so through investigation. Brockhouse concludes his letter by saying that he believes the very fabric of open government is being threatened by the councils systemic use of closed meetings. The letter was copied to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the Texas Rangers. Segovia said in a text message to the newspaper that he would be happy to talk to the DA if he has any questions. After last weeks closed session, Brockhouse told reporters that the council steered clear of any political discussions, per guidance from Segovia, and that the discussion indeed centered on issues of economic development. Garcia: Brehm would lead local GOP further to the fringe But he alleged then that there were no privileged issues discussed behind closed doors, necessitating the executive session, and that the positions his colleagues took were smokescreens for what theyd said publicly prior to the private meeting. Some council members had voiced concerns about hosting a national political convention that they say could bring riots and violence to San Antonio. Brockhouse participated in the meeting. He said Tuesday that he stated during the closed session that he believed it was a violation of the open-meetings act. When Nirenberg disclosed that San Antonio wouldnt pursue the convention an announcement that surprised no one whod been monitoring the issue he steered clear of such flashpoint issues and stated that the event would be a burden on residents because of street closures, stress on city departments from solid waste to police and other concerns. At the time, Brockhouse proclaimed that San Antonio is a welcoming city as long as youre not Republican. The mayor refuted that, pointing to the fact that the Texas GOP is hosting its convention here this summer. Josh Baugh is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | jbaugh@express-news.net | @jbaugh WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Will Hurd and a handful of GOP moderates filed paperwork today aimed at forcing votes on proposals to protect hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who landed in legal limbo after cancellation of the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program. Their so-called discharge petition is a means to bypass House Speaker Paul Ryans opposition thus far to voting this election year on divisive matters related to immigration. If successful, Hurd and the others will initiate a full-bore immigration debate next month, forcing Congress to come to grips not just with DACA but with proposals pushed by the Trump administration to impose curbs on legal immigration. President Donald Trump ordered the DACA program, which began in 2012, rescinded effective March 5. Key provisions of the program are being kept alive by federal courts, enabling recipients to renew work permits and avoid grounds for deportation. DACA protects some 700,000 young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. Hurd, R-San Antonio, who is sponsoring one of the bills that would get a vote, expressed optimism in the tactic even though discharge petitions rarely succeed. Nobody, when we first started this, thought we could get 50 co-sponsors on our bill, half Republicans and half Democrats. Everybody has been counting us out, but weve been able to evolve, he said in an interview. Under House rules, their petition could not be taken up until June 25. Until then, the moderates will be rounding up the 218 signatures they need, Hurd said. Hurd was joined in the parliamentary maneuver by other moderate Republicans, several of whom, like him, face potentially tough re-election battles this fall. Speaking later at a news conference outside the Capitol, Hurd said the petition affords an opportunity to have a debate on the floor of Congress no matter what your ideological views are lets do this before the end of summer. By late afternoon Wednesday, Republicans had secured 17 signatures on the petition from their ranks. Republicans who appeared alongside Hurd said their petition was not an effort to undermine Ryan. This has been a member-driven movement, just as the Speaker asked for when he was first elected. This is hundreds of conversations on both sides of the aisle to have a discussion and a debate, said Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif. This is about doing our jobs, said Utah Republican Mia Love. This is about making sure that we are not consolidating power in the White House. If we are not allowed to bring a bill to the floor, to debate bills on the floor, then the people who voted for me will not have a vote on the House floor. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., said that this was the first time in 28 years in Congress that she had signed a discharge petition when her party controlled the House. That tells you what a sense of urgency, what a sense of priority, this Dreamers legislation has for all of us, she said. Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong did not respond directly to questions about the parliamentary tactic but said in a statement, "We continue to work with our members to find a solution that can both pass the House and get the president's signature. Last month, Hurd and his GOP allies, joined by Democrats, pressed Ryan and GOP leaders to embrace the rarely used Queen of the Hill rule, which would enable votes on four competing measures that would in some fashion restore provisions of DACA. They refused. The petition would force votes on the four pieces of legislation, among them a combined DACA fix and border security proposal authored by Hurd that has gained more than two-dozen GOP sponsors and would be expected to win all Democratic votes. Hurd said that he and his chief co-sponsor, California Democrat Pete Aguilar, are open to making changes in coming weeks to draw more Republicans. Another bill that would get a vote is the Dream Act, short for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors, that would set in motion a multistage process giving young immigrants conditional status and ultimately permanent residence. A third proposal, co-sponsored by Austin Republican Michael McCaul, is the most conservative and would grant legal status for young immigrants only for three years at a time. Ryan would choose the fourth piece of legislation, perhaps the far-reaching plan by the White House to offer protections for 1.8 million DACA-aged immigrants in return for as much as $25 billion in border wall funding and overhaul of popular methods of legal immigration. The Senate soundly rejected the administration plan in February. The proposal getting the most votes would move to the Senate provided that it had at least 218 supporters, a majority. The maneuvering by Hurd and the others will test Republican Party discipline with GOP House leadership set to change now that Ryan has announced he is leaving Congress after this term. Conservatives began their push to reject the plan. On Wednesday, former Sen. Jim DeMint, who heads the Conservative Partnership Institute advocacy group, tweeted: Thought amnesty was dead? Some GOP using queen of the hill strategy to quietly ram amnesty through. Are they trying to lose the House? Asked to respond, Hurd said: This is about bringing a permanent solution for 1 million-plus young immigrants who have only known the United States as their home and who already are contributing to our economy and our history and our culture." He added: And this is also about, once and for all, finally having a smart way to secure our border." WASHINGTON Texas Republican senators endorsed President Donald Trumps decision Tuesday to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement, but House Democrats from San Antonio contended the world will be less safe as a result. Sen. John Cornyn, the Senates No. 2 Republican, said Trump was right in rejecting a bad deal negotiated under President Barack Obama and U.S. allies. We know Iran has long thumbed its nose at the international community and has potentially violated this one-sided agreement. Any new agreement must prevent Iran from obtaining and employing weapons of mass destruction and be subject to congressional scrutiny, Cornyn said in a statement. The International Atomic Energy Agency, which is responsible for monitoring Irans compliance, recently verified that the nation has met all of its commitments outlined in the multinational deal. Sen. Ted Cruz, who has been unsparing in criticizing the Obama administrations signature foreign policy achievement, asserted that Trump had acted boldly in assuring that the United States will not be bound by an agreement that advances the interests of an enemy committed to the destruction of our nation and our allies. Cruz said in a statement that the deal had given Iran the resources to expand across the Middle East and created an incentive for the international community to turn a blind eye to Iranian military activities and atrocities. He added: There is little doubt that Iran poses an immediate threat to the United States. Iran is the worlds foremost state sponsors of terrorism and has been caught plotting to launch attacks on American soil. They have sought to acquire nuclear weapons. They continue to hold American citizens hostage. El Paso Democrat Beto ORourke, whos challenging Cruz in the November election, said on Twitter: Although the Iran deal is far from perfect, it is a critical international effort to ensure Iran doesn't acquire nuclear weapons. The United States of America shouldn't be giving up on diplomacy. San Antonio Democrat Joaquin Castro, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, asserted that the administrations decision makes the world less safe by giving Iran incentives to develop a nuclear weapon as soon as possible. While the president certified Irans compliance twice, withdrawal from the agreement severely damages critical relationships with our allies, isolates America abroad and jeopardizes U.S. credibility as we head towards high-stakes denuclearization negotiations with Pyongyang, Castro said. Republican Rep. Will Hurd of San Antonio said Wednesday, Our goals should be to deny the Iranian Government a path to a nuclear weapon and to terminate its support for terrorist groups. The JCPOA has not and would not achieve either. I hope during the wind down period before re-imposition of sanctions that we can work with our Allies to make Iran accountable to international norms, because the only way to achieve our goals is through international cooperation. The deal reached three years about by the U.S. and its allies does include a permanent ban on nuclear weapons in Iran. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-San Antonio, who worked three years ago to counter House opposition to the Iran deal, cited reports that 96 percent of Irans enriched uranium has been removed and two-thirds of its centrifuges dismantled. Doggett said bluntly that pulling out of the agreement is a prelude to war. The alternative to this successful diplomacy has always been war. With American troops already on the ground in multiple Middle Eastern countries, President Trump is forcing us along a path to violent military confrontation, he said in a statement. blambrecht@express-news.net Anyone interested in running for the county chairmanship of a political party should spend a few minutes talking with Jim Lunz. Lunz guided the Bexar County Republican Party in the late 1960s, when a successful election cycle for the GOP meant finding enough sacrificial lambs to fill out the ballot. The political climate for local Republicans has improved considerably since then, but the county chair gig remains the thankless grind it was when Lunz held the post. The job doesnt pay anything, Lunz said. It doesnt really do anything but give you a whole lot of work. There is no glory in it. Theres no power involved in it. Theres little influence involved in it. What it comes down to is herding cats. In other words, an effective party chair is a force for unity, someone who can get the party foot soldiers to march in the same direction. The tasks are simple but challenging: raise money, provide candidates (particularly those near the bottom of the ballot) with a resource center and mobilize volunteers to get out the vote. The problem for the Bexar County Republican Party, at the moment, is that a formidable faction is not looking for party unity. Its members want ideological purity tests. They want to purge or at least reprimand GOP office holders who dont fall 100 percent in line with a tea-party-derived, Empower Texans-enforced concept of what it means to be a conservative. Cynthia Brehm, the front-runner in the May 22 runoff race for county chair, is aligned with that faction. This is the group that censured Texas House Speaker Joe Straus last December, even after Straus had announced that he planned to step down at the end of his current term. It just wanted to send a dont-let-the-door-hit-you message to him on his way out. This group tends to characterize prominent Republicans such as state Rep. Lyle Larson and U.S. Rep. Will Hurd as party sellouts. Larsons alleged sins were joining Straus in opposing an absurd bill that would have forced transgender people to use restrooms that aligned with their birth sex and advocating for ethics reform on gubernatorial appointments. Hurds apparent affront to humanity was voting against a GOP-led repeal-and-replacement of the Affordable Care Act, even though it passed anyway and his vote just was a symbolic move to protect his precarious congressional seat. Brehm, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2015 and City Council in 2017, is not the kind of figure to create a welcoming, big-tent mentality in the Bexar County GOPs fractious county executive committee. Shes more of a divide-and-conquer type. Talk to party veterans as opposed to the renegades eager to shame Straus about the party-chair runoff and you hear the sound of demoralization. They expect Brehm to defeat Jo Ann Ponce Gonzalez, a Realtor and former professor/administrator at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, who has the backing of business titan B.J. Red McCombs. But they also predict Brehm will have a short reign, and that the GOPs coffers will dry up to the point that the party might be forced to look for a new headquarters. Party fundraising took a major turn for the worse last November when Robert Stovall announced that he was resigning as party chair to run for Congress. Stovall was a political pinata for Brehm and her allies, who hated Stovalls efforts to block a Straus censure. But he found the party a comfortable home (in the eight-story Alamo Towers) and raised money: $51,870 in 2016 and $33,044 over the first 11 months of 2017. In the first three months after Stovall was replaced by Mark Dorazio, a member of the censure-Straus faction, the party raised nothing, aside from two $500 checks from the Republican Party of Texas. Look for that to continue if Brehm wins the runoff. This is the same Brehm who, in November 2015, wrote this about Syrian refugees escaping the brutality of Bashar al-Assad: We dont want them, we dont need them, send them back! The same Brehm, who, according to Sakib Shaikh, a representative of the Muslim Children Education and Civic Center, told him: You know how in Saudi Arabia, if you steal, they cut off your hand? I wish they would cut peoples hands off here if they steal. The same Brehm who got into an altercation at a polling site last year with the father of her opponent, Manny Pelaez. The same Brehm who once said CPS Energys smart-meter technology causes both cancer and house fires. Party veterans like Lunz know how hard it was to build up the GOP in Bexar County. Theyre none too thrilled at the thought of Brehm and her allies tearing it apart. Gilbert Garcia is a San Antonio Express-News columnist. Read more of his stories here. | ggarcia@express-news.net | @gilgamesh470 Re: S.A. wont try to get the GOPs national convention, front page, May 4: It is interesting how city and county leaders are so vocal in opposing Republicans holding the national convention here, saying they are not welcome in our community. They claim to be worried about violence and rioting if Republicans and conservatives come here. It must be they are worried that Democrats and liberals will resort to violence and riots to interfere with the political process. What happened to Democrats being about tolerance and inclusion? They are more worried about illegals being offended than the huge economic boost a convention of this size would bring to our area. What happened to showcasing San Antonio to the nation and the world as a first-class city where everyone is welcome? I guess they would rather San Antonio be known as the city that opposes Republicans, conservatives and the American political process. Sure, that will be good for tourism and corporations considering coming here in the future. Carthel Williams, Spring Branch Dont be suckers Re: This dynamic city should pursue GOP convention, Editorial, Thursday: I think we should have pursued the Republican convention, but only if it made economic sense. From what I have read, these conventions are money losers. The assumed $200 million economic impact is not the same as revenue or profit. I doubt the enormous investment of taxpayer resources (both time and money) would be returned. I suspect the real reason they wanted San Antonio to bid is to play us off other cities to get a better deal. Charlotte, North Carolina, is apparently the only bidder, and the Republican National Committee is getting desperate. If San Antonio is so desirous as a convention location, perhaps they should pay us to hold it here. Our leadership should not be played for suckers. Scott Robertson No inclusion here Re: GOP convention bid blasted as a bad idea, front page, Thursday: Commissioner Tommy Calvert needs to remember the advice his parents surely gave him: Dont look a gift horse in the mouth. Does he want only the donkey without even considering an elephant? Remember, this man is elected to forward the interests of Bexar County, not the Democratic Party. Terry OConnor State vs. national Re: Hosting GOP convention about democracy, Kevin Wolff, Other Views, May 2: I have a great deal of respect for Commissioner Kevin Wolff. I have always felt like his decisions for Bexar County have put local interests over politics on issues such as light rail and others. I also admire the way he admitted to making a mistake and taking the consequences of his DWI a couple of years ago. So I choose to believe that hes truly sincere in wanting to bring the GOP National Convention to San Antonio for democratic reasons. Still, I find it interesting that the notion of having a Republican Party convention here didnt trigger any references to our fearless or should I say fearful? state GOP officials. While I understand the difference between a state and national convention, wouldnt it surely offer a platform for the (state) host party that wanted to poison our convention business with its homophobic bathroom bill? Craig Cuny Alzheimers crisis The Alzheimers Associations 2018 Facts and Figures report reveals a steep increase in the strain on people living with the disease, their families and caregivers, and society at large. In 2018, Alzheimers and other dementias will cost the nation $277 billion. Almost 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimers. Every 65 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops the disease. These statistics require our immediate attention, and Congress can take the lead in bringing us toward a world without Alzheimers. The Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure for Alzheimers Act (HR 4256) frames Alzheimers disease as the public health crisis that it is. This bill will create an Alzheimers public health infrastructure across the country to implement effective interventions. Rep. Lloyd Doggett has co-sponsored the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimers Act (HR 4256), and we call on Rep. Joaquin Castro to add his support. We are confident that with their backing, one day we will have a treatment or a cure, and no more families in the 20th and 35th congressional districts will have to face the burdens of this devastating disease. Cacie Waters, public policy specialist, San Antonio & South Texas Chapter Alzheimers Association Dont impeach Re: Vows to impeach are risky for Dems, Gilbert Garcia, April 29: Please dont impeach this guy. I want the satisfaction of going to the polls and voting him out of office. Hes made life vaguely depressing and dispiriting for months with his ugly, abusive comments and nicknames that he applies to so many people in such a casual, offhand manner and with such deadening and persistent scorn. If the House impeaches him, I wont get the personal satisfaction of having done my job the way our founders intended or being able to express my views on leadership and behavior by voting him out. Bobby Riley Truth MIA Not only has the truth stopped mattering in the Russia probe, the truth has stopped mattering in America. Steven Ochoa We first noticed Andy Borowitz in Los Angeles at a press tour in 1990 when he created The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with his then-wife Susan. The Will Smith series soared; his marriage eventually crashed and he remarried. Still aloft, however, is the writers ability to thrive in various venues, especially satire; Borowitz is a New York Times-bestselling author (The 50 Funniest American Writers,) who won the first National Press Club award for humor. He created the satirical column The Borowitz Report, which is now run by The New Yorker. He has acted, been a commentator on NPR and done standup comedy. HARTFORD The push to bring a multimillion dollar casino development to Bridgeport has ended for this year the Bridgeport and New Haven delegations conceded in a joint meeting with MGM at the Capitol Tuesday afternoon. We did immensely well in moving the bill from the committee to the House, said Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven. We think that this is a good starting place for us next year. Passing a bill the first year it is proposed is very difficult, the lawmakers said. They hope chances for passage will be better next year when lawmakers have more time to work on legislation and their colleagues are more familiar with the proposal. It gives us a lot of momentum coming out of a short session into a long session next year to continue to advance this and continue to push for tax-based growth and jobs and opportunities for the Bridgeport-New Haven corridor, said Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport. MGM Resorts International has proposed a $700 million seaside casino resort in Bridgeport and a job training center in New Haven. The Las Vegas company has promised to create 2,000 permanent jobs and 5,000 construction jobs. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim called the development a job creator for all of Connecticut in a phone interview Tuesday night. We need to continue to push for this, the sooner the better, he said. MGM remains committed to continuing to pursue the development, confirmed Uri Clinton, MGM senior vice president, Tuesday. In fact, the company is used to this kind of delays. It took nearly three years to pass a bill to bring an MGM casino to Massachusetts and even after that local and state referendums were needed. Six years total passed from legislative proposal to groundbreaking. Rarely we have gaming policy that moves so far in a single session, said Clinton. The bill would have directed the state to issue a request for proposals for a fourth casino in Connecticut possibly in Bridgeport. The bill did not authorize a new casino; the General Assembly would have had to vote on that in another year, after gathering the market information. A strong showing of unity, the Bridgeport and New Haven delegations pressured their colleagues for passage of the bill throughout the 2018 session, after it failed to reach the House floor in 2017. Following a rocky start, the bill cleared the Public Safety Committee in March. On Friday, it cleared the House by a nail-biting 77-73 vote that brought tears of relief to the eyes of Rep. Chris Rosario, D-Bridgeport. But by Tuesday afternoon, with less than 36 hours left before the legislature adjourns, it was evident that the bill did not have enough votes from either party to pass the Senate. Many lawmakers held concerns about how a Bridgeport casino would impact a 25-year-old exclusivity agreement that Connecticut has with the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, which operate Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos respectively. That agreement provides the state more than $200 million a year in revenue. Sen. Ed Gomes, D-Bridgeport, said he decided not to force a Senate vote that would likely fail through an amendment because Were not obstructionist. Some folks in the Senate, they just wont play our way, and we could go up there and force them to run bills or take all sorts of action, but that isnt what we are seeking, he said. We are seeking some sort of cohesiveness, so we can move in the future in a way that is constructive. The meeting was also attended by Robert W. Christoph Jr. and Sr. of RCI group, the master developers for the casino site. Although casino legislation was stalled, the overall redevelopment of Bridgeport harbor is moving quickly, Christoph Jr. said exiting the meeting with his father and MGMs Clinton. We realize that change is hard and takes time, and we respect the delegations preference not to dominate debate with this issue with much to accomplish in a short time in the sessions final hours, the developers said in a joint statement with MGM Tuesday evening. Bridgeports battle for a casino goes back to 1992, when Steve Wynn proposed a casino in the Park City. That brought an opposing plan from a developer, now president, Donald Trump, who joined with Mayor Joe Ganim. But the Trump-Ganim proposal never advanced in part because of a spat between Trump and then-Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. The next governor, John G. Rowland, fought for a later plan under which the Mashantucket Pequots would have operated a commercial casino in Bridgeport. That idea failed in the state Senate by a 24-10 vote despite furious lobbying by Rowland. Rowland vowed to never revive the idea - and he never did. emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson GREENWICH As state political parties get ready for their conventions this week and next, two high-profile Greenwich politicians find themselves indirectly facing off in a gubernatorial poll. Performed by Hartford-based Tremont Public Advisors, LLC, the poll gamed out a head-to-head matchup between Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont, a Democrat, and Republican New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart. Both are seeking their partys nomination for governor. Running with Stewart is Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei, who is seeking the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. Stewart edged Lamont by 2 percent in the online survey of 2,750 people conducted between May 3 and May 5. The results fall withing the polls margin of error (plus or minus 4.5 percent), but were celebrated Monday by Tesei, who said they show Stewart is a candidate electable as a Republican in Connecticut. They findings were released as Stewart heads into a critical weekend for her candidacy. State Republicans will gather in Hartford this weekend for their nominating convention. Democrats will meet in Hartford on May 18 and 19. Lamont-Stewart was not the only hypothetical match-up measured by the poll. In another, Lamont bested Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, a Republican, 49.7 percent to 39.6 percent. Candidates need to receive 15 percent of delegate support at their convention to be put on the ballot for the Aug. 14 state primary. Tremont Public Advisors is a federal lobbying firm which also has offices in Washington, D.C. It is operated by longtime Democratic political adviser Matthew J. Hennessy of Hartford. He had previously provided consulting services to Lamont in a 2010 gubernatorial run but he said he is not working for any candidate in the 2018 race. Polls are just a snapshot in time, but the picture is looking good for Erin Stewart and Ned Lamont if they are the nominees of their parties for governor in November, Hennessy said. With six months to go before the November election it appears Lamont and Stewart are starting to get the attention of the voters. In other hypothetical matchups, Boughton topped Democrat Susan Bysiewicz, the former secretary of the state, by 5 percent; and Stewart beat Bysiewicz by 10 points. In a matchup between a generic Republican and a generic Democrat, the Republicans had roughly a 6 percent head start. Lamonts recent string of high-profile endorsements including from New Haven Mayor Toni Harp and Stewarts appeal to younger voters might be whats giving the candidates their respective edge in the polls, Hennessy said. The Lamont piece is pretty conventional wisdom in a sense, Hennessy said. With Stewart, you have someone who could win the general but will she make it out of a primary? If Jodi Rell, one of the more successful Republican governors, if she had to run in a Republican primary without being the incumbent, would the primary have ever allowed her out? Thats probably what Stewarts facing right now. The party base which has shifted farther to the right in the last four years isnt necessarily behind her. But the Lamont campaign on Tuesday dismissed the poll results. Its early in the process; we havent even had our nominating convention yet, campaign spokesman Patty McQueen said. Ned is working hard every day building grassroots support across the state. Weve been very encouraged by the positive response to Neds message for change and for making our state the place where people want to live and raise families again, and well continue to get the word out. Lamont is considered a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination but Stewart faces a more uncertain path as several other high profile Republicans remain in the race including Boughton, former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst and businessman Steve Obsitnik. Lamont, a former Greenwich selectman as well as a former member of the towns Board of Estimate and Taxation, upset then-U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman in a primary campaign in 2006. While Lieberman won the general election as an independent candidate, Lamont gained national headlines. Lamont also ran for governor in 2010 but lost the Democratic primary to Dannel Malloy, who won the race and was reelected in 2014. Malloy is not seeking a third term in office. The race for lieutenant governor, by contrast, is Teseis first run for state office. Last November, Tesei was elected to a record sixth term as first selectman. Stewart and Tesei are currently the only candidates in either party who have announced intended running mates. I stand firmly with Mayor Stewart and I am happy to do so, Tesei said Monday. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media HARTFORD Second-term state Rep. Joe Gresko knew it was coming, he just didnt know when. So when the familiar pain and nausea hit him while sitting at his House desk during the Tuesday afternoon debate, the second-term Democrat from Stratford, 53, just slumped to the floor, hoping it would make him feel better. BRIDGEPORT - A state Department of Motor Vehicles employee is accused of conspiring with a Stamford auto sales company to steal and resell dozens of cars. Edgar Andrade, the owner of Classic Auto Sales, fled to his native Ecuador, according to police. But on Monday they arrested Aarron Soares, 45, of Burnsford Avenue in Bridgeport, described as a longtime employee of the local DMV branch. Soares, who was making $87,000 as a motor vehicle examiner, was charged with nine counts of second-degree forgery, nine counts of criminal liability for acts of another, third-degree larceny and third-degree computer crime. He was released after posting $100,000 bond pending arraignment in Superior Court on Monday. In February, inspectors for the investigative unit of the DMV received a complaint from the owner of the Hartford Springfield Auto Auction that Andrade had purchased 135 cars from the auto auction but had failed to pay for any of them. When the auction owner tried to contact Andrade, he found that Classic Auto Sales had closed and Andrade had left the country, police said. More for you Bridgeport DMV employee nabbed on fraud charges A subsequent investigation by the DMV unit determined that all the cars had been resold, police said. They were able to trace the whereabouts of nine of the cars which inspectors determined had been reregistered in the state using phony duplicate titles. The phony titles had all been processed by Soares, police said. When inspectors later confronted Soares, police said, he claimed to have never heard of Classic Auto Sales and never did any transactions for the company. However, police said, DMV records show that Soares wife has two vehicles registered to her that were purchased from Classic Auto. STAMFORD - Luck may soon run out for the 3,783 motorists skirting the law by failing to pay their parking tickets. They will be more likely to get the boot. City representatives just passed a law enabling traffic enforcement officers to use an electronic boot that scofflaws can remove themselves by calling an 800 number, paying the fine with a credit card, and receiving a code to unlock it. Transportation Bureau Chief Jim Travers asked representatives to change the ordinance that governs booting and towing to accommodate the self-releasing device because the old way tied up traffic enforcement officers for too long. The new device will allow officers to boot offending motorists 16 hours a day, seven days a week, Travers said. Once Mayor David Martin signs off on the amended ordinance, Travers plans to contract with a company called PayLock that will provide and manage the boots. He expects the program to begin by July 1, and to further augment parking-fine collection by buying more license-plate readers to identify offenders. Now we typically look for scofflaws only during the hours the government center is open, so motorists can pay their fines and retrieve their towed cars the same day, Travers said. But the self-releasing boots allow motorists to free up their own vehicles. Soon we will be able to look for scofflaws whenever officers are on shift, which is early morning through midnight, he said. Scofflaws now owe the city $1.1 million in parking fines and late fees, Travers said. The city collected from only 415 of them last year. On Monday night Travers appeared before the Board of Representatives Transportation Committee to make one last pitch for his ordinance amendment before they voted. The committee passed it unanimously. About an hour later the measure went before the full board, which approved it without opposition. If you are living below the radar, you are inevitably going to get caught, Travers told committee members. City Rep. Steven Kolenberg, R-16, the committee chairman, said he was happy to support the amendment. This is an efficient way to get control of scofflaws. It uses a lot less city resources to make sure they pay, Kolenberg said. It makes the process easier for everybody, including scofflaws. As long as you are comfortable carrying the 16-pound boot, you can take it off yourself instead of going to the government center to pay and then tracking down the towing company that took your car. A vehicle that is booted is fixed with a sticker that provides instructions telling the motorist to call the listed number and pay the amount owed using a credit card. Once the transaction clears, the motorist is given an authorization code to unlock the boot. If the boot is not returned to the Stamford Government Center within 24 hours of receiving the code, the motorist is charged $25. If it still is not returned with 48 hours, the motorist is charged a $500 replacement fee. During the Transportation Committee meeting a representative of PayLock said the boots are used in New York City, where they are returned by the deadline 99.4 percent of the time. People who are late receive a phone call before they are charged the $500, he said. Travers said the city will start with 10 boots and add more if needed. Traffic enforcement officers now have one electronic license-plate reader but will have two more by the end of next month, he said. The readers are needed for another reason - city parking garages now ask motorists to enter their license-plate number, rather than space number, when putting their money in the meter. We can find people who arent compliant when were going through the parking garages, Travers said. It all makes for more efficient pursuit of scofflaws, which in Stamford is someone with three or more tickets who, even after receiving late notices and a warning that their vehicle will be booted, fails to pay up. About 10 percent of motorists who are ticketed end up scofflaws, Travers said. The remaining 90 percent paid out a total of $2.9 million in parking fines and fees last year, he said. The new devices arent all bad news for scofflaws they reduce costs for those who get caught. A towing company typically charges $300 to release a car, but PayLock charges $150, Travers said. They also reduce the citys exposure to liability, he said. When traffic enforcement officers had a car towed, they often drove motorists to the government center to pay their tickets then dropped them at the towing company, he said. Having a frustrated person in the car with a city employee, in an uncomfortable situation, is probably not the best idea, he told the committee. Now the motorist can do it alone, and much quicker. If you come out of the grocery store and find a boot on your car, Travis told the committee, you can take care of it and be on your way home before the ice cream melts. acarella@stamfordadvocate.com FAIRFIELD The $305 million fiscal year 2019 budget was approved by the legislative body Monday night, virtually unchanged since the day it was proposed by the first selectmen. There was no drama at Penfield Pavilion, unlike in some past years, and the entire meeting was done in 17 minutes. Some Democratic members stood to voice their support of the spending plan, or draw attention to a particular department, and four Republicans cast No votes. One of those Republicans was Alex Durrell, R-3, who said later, I am finding the cost of living in Fairfield and in Connecticut to be unsustainable. Joining Durrell in his No vote were Deputy Minority Leader Michael Herley, R-10, Peter Ambrose, R-1, and Edward Bateson, R-1. For Herley, his vote was based on what wasnt in the budget. I voted against Mike Tetreaus annual budget because it doesnt adequately invest in our roadways at a time when local traffic congestion is impeding economic growth and hurting the quality of life for those who live and work in Fairfield, Herley said. The approved budget, which saw minor adjustments bringing the tax increase to 2.36 percent, allocates $173 million to the Board of Education and $131.6 million for the town side. Barring any decision to use surplus funds to lower the tax rate when the Board of Finance meets Thursday, the tax rate will be 26.43 mills. Homeowners pay $26.43 for every $1,000 of assessed value for their property. First Selectman Mike Tetreau has attributed the higher tax increase to a loss in state revenue. Im very happy to vote in favor of this budget, Karen Wackerman, D-7, said. This was a tough year in which to create a budget, she said and thanked the administration for its work in putting together the spending plan. It preserves services, Wackerman said, while at the same time is fiscally responsible. Sharon Pistilli, D-3, said she thought the Public Works Department did a great job in its budget, but noted that there were substantial reductions to paving and capital purchases, and that is of concern to her and others. But Bateson said the budget still does not incorporate, reflect and address the economic realities of Fairfield and the state. Bateson, who was unsuccessful in the special election for the Board of Selectmen, criticized Tetreau for not having a real plan to change the town hall mentality of tax and spend. He said long-term plans for paving and heavy vehicle replacement were shelved and raises given to teachers with no significant changes to employee health care contributions. Headcount has stayed steady, and departmental operations have stayed the same with no apparent efforts to reduce long-term costs, Bateson said. Ambrose said too many of his friends are struggling to pay their bills on fixed incomes, and sale signs are popping up like dandelions in my district. He said the grand list must be increased but not on the shoulders of residential taxpayers. With a property revaluation slated for 2020, Ambrose said based on depressed real estate values in most of the town, simple math dictates that taxes will rise to offset the declining grand list. by Brendan Tuma | Mariners Correspondent | Tue, May 8th 9:38pm EDT Mariners southpaw James Paxton threw a no-hitter on Tuesday night versus the Toronto Blue Jays, striking out seven while walking three. Fantasy Impact: The no-hitter is already the third in the majors this season, and its the sixth in Mariners history. Paxton has been very impressive of late. He now has a 3.40 ERA on the year. SALEM, Ohio The Pennsylvania Superior Court has made a landmark decision, ruling that a drilling company cannot remove hydrocarbons from the shale formations beneath your property without your permission. The decision, which was appealed April 16, clarifies an aspect of Pennsylvania oil and gas law, stating the rule of capture does not apply to fractured fissures that extend under unleased parcels. Some of these horizontal fissures could extend 5,000 to 10,000 feet from a well. In the case, Briggs vs. Southwestern Energy Production Co., the owners of an unleased, 11-acre parcel in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, claimed that a horizontal well bore drilled in November 2015 under a neighboring parcel by Southwestern Energy Production Co. was unlawfully draining hydrocarbons from their property. Since their property was not under lease with Southwestern, the Briggs argued that Southwestern had trespassed. Southwestern used the rule of capture as its defense to the subsurface trespass claim. The rule has been recognized in Pennsylvania since the 1880s and generally precludes liability for drainage of oil and gas from under anothers land. Rule history The decision by the two judges in April alarmed the oil and gas industry over worries that the rule of capture will no longer apply to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, said Ross Pifer, director of the Center for Agricultural and Shale Law at Penn State University. The rule of capture originates from hunting laws: If a deer is on your property and you shoot it, the deer is yours; if it is on your neighbors property and you shoot it, then there could be problems. Transferring such logic to underground resources has been common, since pools of oil and gas naturally migrate across property boundaries, making ownership difficult to determine, said Mike Chadsey, with the Ohio Oil and Gas Association. Chadsey said there is such a rule in all 30 plus states that produce oil and gas. The difference is spacing laws. (See sidebar below.) The trial court agreed with Southwestern and granted its motion for summary judgment and dismissed the plaintiffs complaint. The trial court held that, as a matter of law, the rule of capture precluded any claim of subsurface trespass. Reversed in high court On appeal, the Pennsylvania Superior Court reversed and held that the rule of capture didnt apply to hydraulic fracturing: In light of the distinctions between hydraulic fracturing and conventional gas drilling, we conclude that the rule of capture does not preclude liability for trespass due to hydraulic fracturing. Therefore hydraulic fracturing may constitute an actionable trespass where subsurface fractures, fracturing fluid and proppant cross boundary lines and extend into the subsurface estate of an adjoining property for which the operator does not have a mineral lease, resulting in the extraction of natural gas from beneath the adjoin landowners property, said the ruling. Clarification needed This is the section of the superior courts ruling that needs some clarification, said Chadsey, because hydrofracturing is done in conventional development too. How are they are separating hydraulic fracturing from conventional gas drilling? Chadsey thinks the main focus of the appeal will be in defining the terms based on industry practices. In a 97-page motion filed April 16, Southwestern said the decision could have an adverse impact on oil and gas production nationwide, not just in Pennsylvania. Hydrofacturing is the most economic and commonly used method of producing oil and gas across the country, and because Pennsylvania is the second largest natural gas-producing state, this courts decision unsettles the legal landscape for the entire industry, the motion said. Rule of capture The rule of capture is an English common law. Simply put, its been around for a long time. Under this law, the first person to capture a certain resource has rightful ownership to it. This can be easily understood with hunting: When a hunter kills a wild beast that is roaming freely, it becomes his property. Prior to the capture, the beast belonged to no one. Likewise, when oil or gas that was previously roaming under the ground is captured, it becomes the property of the captor. Spacing The last time an lawsuit challenge the rule of capture in Ohio was in the late 1800s, Kelly vs. Ohio. Because of spacing laws, Ohio doesnt see such cases, explains Mike Chadsey, Ohio Oil and Gas Association director of public relations. The difference is that Pennsylvania doesnt have spacing laws, There you could put a well right on the property line. Spacing regulations depend on horizontal or vertical well permits. To get an approved permit, you have to be mindful of the business unit acreage, or the total acreage of all involved, and property lines. There is an ongoing debate as to how close laterals can be to a property line. Many Ohio permits require a 400-500 feet buffer. If applicants dont follow the spacing rules, they wont receive the permit, Chadsey said. There is a lack of clarity in the rule of capture and what is encompassed by this opinion, said Penn States Pifer. It is likely the industry will change its practices based on this ruling. The impact will be that companies are going to back away from property boundaries. For some landowners, this will be an advantage, if the ruling stands, giving them more ability to negotiate to be included in a contract or move drilling back from property lines, he said. But it could also reduce the gas that is extracted. Needed regulations The case highlights the fact that Pennsylvania lacks compulsory pooling and spacing regulations. Compulsory pooling, also known as forced, statutory or mandatory pooling, forces landowners who do not wish the mineral resources underneath their land to be extracted to become part of a drilling unit. Although this process does not allow extraction companies surface access to the non-consenting landowners property, it does allow drilling to occur underneath their land, while compensating the owner for the extracted resource. If Pennsylvania had a statue like this, perhaps the Briggs would have been involved in the drilling process, Pifer said. If this litigation is challenged, rendering an opinion on how to allocate the gas, there will be evidence issues to be resolved. Expert opinions will be sought on geologic factors and the technology used to predict fracture distance, Pifer said. The rule of capture was easy to administer. With a new ruling, it will lead to a need to make a determination for each well, he said. Ohio State economist on soybean exports: There is every reason to be nervous about this COLUMBUS U.S. farmers have begun planting soybeans amid a tense trade war with China, the worlds largest consumer of the crop. In early May, Bunge, the worlds largest oilseed producer, told Bloomberg News that China has essentially stopped buying U.S. soybeans and is purchasing most of its soybeans from Brazil. U.S. soybean sales to China are down compared to last years total, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. China is the second-largest market for U.S. agricultural exports, and the country is Ohios most important soybean export market. Important market In recent years, Chinas demand for soybeans has been strong. China is the second-largest market for U.S. agricultural exports, and the country is Ohios most important soybean export market. In 2017, soybeans were Ohios largest agricultural export, totaling $1.8 billion. China picked a commodity that would do maximum damage to U.S. agriculture and could do political damage to the administration, said Ian Sheldon, an agricultural economist, who serves as the Andersons Chair in Agricultural Marketing, Trade and Policy with The Ohio State Universitys College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Tariff uncertainty In April, China threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans and tariffs on 105 other American products. That was in response to the tariffs that the administration proposed on a range of Chinese imports valued at $50 billion. If imposed, a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans would mean companies in China would pay 25 percent more for those soybeans, and the additional money would go to the Chinese government. Even if China relies more on Brazil and Argentina, those countries cant meet Chinas huge demand without some from the United States, Sheldon said. The Chinese are going to work hard to fill that gap. Brazil and Argentina can pick up some of the slack, but they cant pick up all of it, Sheldon said. Market implication In the short term, the trade war will bring down the world price of soybeans, said Ben Brown, who runs CFAESs farm management program, which provides farm policy and market information to Ohio farmers and others. There is every reason to be nervous about this, he said. But Brown agreed that China, being the largest buyer of soybeans in the world, eventually will resume buying U.S. soybeans because the transaction costs involved in China getting soybeans from other countries, including the transportation costs, would make them far more expensive than U.S. soybeans. Latest shelf watch figures have highlighted the "vast difference" in Sainsbury's and Asda's approach to sourcing British pork. It follows news of a potential merger between the two supermarkets to create the country's largest retailer. The deal between Asda and Sainsbury's will create a grocery giant overtaking Tesco as number one in the sector, with combined revenues of 51bn. The two retailers have promised to slash prices on products by up to 10%, if their merger goes through. Amid merger confirmation, the pig industry says it hopes Sainsbury's will bring Asda closer to its sourcing standards due to concerns surrounding Asda's pork sourcing policy. According to the National Pig Association (NPA), Sainsburys has been a good supporter of British pig farmers and has tried to make this part of its marketing pitch to customers. However, it says Asda has an "appalling" record on sourcing British pork. 'Vast difference' The latest figures from AHDBs latest bi-monthly Porkwatch survey highlight these differences. It shows that Sainsburys is the best retailer for sourcing British pork out of the 'big 4', with Morrisons not far behind. In contrast, Asda was rock bottom among the 10 retailers surveyed. NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said the latest Porkwatch survey highlights the "vast difference" in the approach of the two retailers to sourcing pigmeat. Sainsburys has, among the big 4, generally been a strong supporter of the British pig industry, whereas Asda has not. These latest Porkwatch figures only reinforce that, Ms Davies said. Our hope, if this deal goes through, is that Sainsburys brings Asda closer to its sourcing standards, rather than Asda dragging Sainsburys down, although comments on savings across the board dont exactly fill us with confidence. Ms Davies added: We will keep a close eye on how this consolidation in the supply chain will affect competitiveness among buyers and prices for primary producers. GCA remit The shelf watch survey follows news of the government being asked to rethink its refusal to extend the remit of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) in light of the proposed merger. Unfair practices within the retail supply chain led the Government to establish the GCA in 2013 to oversee direct supply contracts between retailers and suppliers. However it recently refused to extend the remit to include oversight of relationships further upstream between farmers and processors which could be impacted by the dominance of retailers. Defra stated that there was "not enough evidence" to support extending the remit of the GCA. But the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) is now calling for the government to rethink its approach, who say suppliers will be expected to shoulder the cost of the proposed 10% price slash promised by Sainsbury's if the merger is given the green light. A Scottish estate has announced it is offering a 5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrator behind the poisoning of dogs and buzzards on its land. The move follows the launch of a police investigation after three dogs and two buzzards were poisoned on Edradynate Estate, Perthshire. The poisons which have been used are illegal and have been banned from use in the UK for years, according to the police. The estate is now offering a 5,000 reward for anyone providing information that results in the prosecution and conviction of the perpetrator of these poisonings. A spokesperson for Edradynate Estate said the "appalling incidents" has affected local estates and farms. We reported a number of these incidents to Police Scotland and have been working closely with them to provide help to the investigation but in spite of this, we have most recently seen the terrible death by poisoning of a sheepdog when it was most needed during the lambing period, the spokesperson said. We would urge anyone with information, especially if they see anything suspicious late at night, to contact Police Scotland as soon as possible. Illegal killing Raptor Persecution is one of the UK Wildlife Crime Priorities which includes poisoning, shooting, trapping, habitat destruction and nest destruction/disturbance. In the UK Birds of Prey are a protected species and therefore any criminal offences committed against these species are covered by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. A Police Scotland Wildlife Crime Liaison Officer said: The owners are understandably extremely upset at the loss of their dogs. Once again, we also find ourselves investigating the illegal killing of raptors and this is extremely disappointing. We have searched the areas and our investigations to date would suggest that there is not a wider threat to public safety. However, all members of the public in the area are asked to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour, especially during the hours of darkness. Anyone with information that may assist enquiries should contact Police Scotland on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 UK-based dairy processor Meadow Foods has announced it will increase its June milk price by 1 pence per lite. This will bring its standard A milk price to 27p per litre. The company has also announced a recruitment campaign. Chief executive of Meadow Foods Mark Chantler, said: We are pleased to pass on the improvements in the market to our farmers just as soon as we can. We are now also looking to recruit a number of producers to meet the ever increasing demand for Meadows products. This is an exciting time for the business as we grow and extend our product range and reach, so I would encourage producers to take a fresh look at Meadow Foods and to see what we have to offer you. The government has received more than 44,000 responses for Defra's consultation on the future for food, farming and the environment once the UK leaves the EU. In the last week alone, nearly 20,000 responses were submitted to the Health & Harmony consultation which closed on Tuesday 8 May. It is considered the biggest government consultation on farming since 1947. Farmers, along with those in the wider industry, shared their views on everything from the support the government gives to farmers to the broader direction of policy post-Brexit when it comes to the natural world. Throughout the 10 week consultation, Defra hosted 17 events across the country alongside groups including the National Trust, NFU and the Eden Project, to hear from more than 1,250 representatives of the UKs food and farming sectors. The consultation is seen as a once in a generation chance to ensure farmings voice is heard when it matters as the UK government shapes future agriculture policy. The NFU said the decisions made today will impact food and farming for years to come. 'Thoughtful ideas' Defra Secretary Michael Gove said the consultation will give the government the opportunity to improve the support given to farmers. "Its great news that so many people have responded so enthusiastically to our consultation," Mr Gove said. "We can make farming more productive, improve the quality of the food we eat and enhance our natural environment. Well reflect on the many thoughtful ideas put forward in response to our consultation and bring forward our plans for legislation later this year." The consultation included proposals to redirect payments under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) which are based on the amount of land farmed, to a new system of paying farmers public money for public goods, principally their work to enhance the environment. It highlighted a number of public goods which could be supported such as biodiversity, high animal welfare standards and improved soil health. Responses to the consultation will now be analysed and the government will publish a response shortly. The UK must end its culture of chasing cheaper food prices and help the farming industry regain core business profitability, sheep farmers have urged. The National Sheep Association (NSA) has said farming businesses need to be productive and profitable as the future trading relationship with the EU remains uncertain. The organisation, which represents the views and interests of sheep producers throughout the UK, said there is a "fundamental barrier" to progression because of a lack of core business profitability. It blames high business costs and low product prices as the main barriers in helping deliver desirable economic, environmental and societal benefits. The comments come as Defra's consultation on a domestic agriculture policy closed last night (8 May) after 10 weeks of seeking industry opinion. The Health and Harmony consolation sought views from farmers and organisations in England regarding how they would like Brexit to affect agriculture. As well as encouraging farmers to submit their own views, the NSA consulted its own members to ensure its response reflected the needs and desires of the wide range of sheep farming businesses operating across the UK. Future farm support The National Sheep Association looked at options for future farm support to boost sheep industry profitability, including capital investment options and incentives for efficiency improvements. The organisation also looked at ways to reduce the industry's carbon footprint. NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker explained: We have long been promoting the need for and sense of a sheep health scheme that would support farmers in continuing to make on-farm improvements while simultaneously reducing their carbon footprint. Such a scheme would reward sheep farmers for a wide range of public goods and interests, including an array of environmental and social good related outcomes. Investing in health measures through such a scheme would improve productivity, efficiency, the environment and welfare. It would also avoid the need to raise welfare standards in legislation, which has the potential to raise production costs and reduce competitiveness, he added. 'Huge change' Given the anticipated reduction in direct payments going forward, the NSA said it would like to see a fair percentage-based reduction across all businesses. It would also like to see more encouragement for farmers to work together for research, land management initiatives and marketing to increase efficiency and negotiating strength. Mr Stocker continued: Farmers are going to experience huge change over the coming years and we want to see a transition that allows them plenty of time to adapt and minimise disruption. We need the deal with the EU completed, our new Agriculture Bill on the statute books, and a food policy agreed, and then a minimum five-year period. The comments follow news of the NFU using Defra's consultation to urge the UK to promote home-grown produce, and that British farmers must become the number one supplier of choice to the UK market. The farming union suggests public run services such as schools and the NHS should be wherever possible, sourcing British assured ingredients, except for products unable to grow in the UK. Farmers have welcomed the Welsh government's commitment to a "gradual and multi-year transition" from existing farm support to new schemes post-Brexit. The Welsh government has set out a timetable for the future of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in Wales post-Brexit. Speaking in the Senedd on the future of land management, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths confirmed that the BPS will continue as planned for 2018 and for the 2019 scheme year. From 2020 when powers return from Europe, a gradual and multi-year transition from existing to new schemes will take place. By 2025, Ms Griffiths said she would like implementation completed, and will set out further details in July which will be subject to consultation. She said the timetable is needed due to Brexit uncertainty from the UK government. NFU Cymru President John Davies welcomed the need for a sufficiently long transition period. This is crucial not just for farming businesses but for the rural economy that relies on thriving farming businesses and for our food processing sector who need guaranteed supply to ensure that their plants can run efficiently, Mr Davies said. 'Cliff edge' Ms Griffiths also told the Senedd that food production remains vital for the Welsh economy, and that the agricultural industry must prosper and be resilient whatever the nature of Brexit. The Cabinet Secretary said: Brexit brings significant changes and we must have a well-planned and multi-year transition. I learned the importance of avoiding a cliff edge removal of subsidies during my recent trip to New Zealand. I have always been clear that we should not lose a penny of funding as a result of leaving the EU and I will continue to fight to protect a full and fair allocation of funding to support land management in Wales. She added: The UK Government has so far failed to provide any detail or commitment beyond 2022 and I recently jointly wrote with my Scottish counterpart to Michael Gove seeking urgent clarity on future funding. GB pig prices fall sharply, latest figures show Nearly 10p below where it was a year ago Dulquer Salmaan's big entry to the Telugu film industry has hit the right chords with Mahanati earning a whole lot of praises from various quarters. Dulquer Salmaan and Keerthy Suresh's performances are being widely appreciated. Social media is getting flooded with reviews and opinions about Mahanati and going by the reviews, Dulquer Salmaan is sure to gain more and more fans with this movie. More importantly, Dulquer Salmaan have now earned a big fan, and that too, in the form of none other than top film-maker SS Rajamouli. Popular film-maker SS Rajamouli, watched Mahanati on the very first day and the super director is all praises for the performances of Dulquer Salmaan and Keerthy Suresh. He took to Facebook to write a few words about the movie read as "Keerthy Suresh's potrayal of Savitri garu is one of the finest performances I've ever seen. It is not just imitating. She brought the legendry actress back to life. Dulquer Salman is absolutely fantastic. I am his fan now. Congratulations Nag Ashwin and Swapna. Your belief, persistence and determination are remarkable. #Mahanati" - (sic) Meanwhile, audiences are also showering praises on Dulquer Salmaan & Keerthy Suresh and it is indeed a pride moment for the Malayalam film audiences. Here, take a look at some of the tweets describing the performances of both the much loved stars. Zains Shows It is later he bagged two shows - Tashan-E-Ishq and Yeh Vada Raha. Before these two shows, the actor had also appeared on Kaisi Yeh Yaariyan (as supporting role). The Actor Feels Now He Can Put His Conditions Before Producers Zain was quoted by TOI as saying, "After working in two shows, I now feel that I have made some space for myself in the industry. People recognise me and I can finally keep my conditions before the producers, like I would want my own vanity van and not shoot for more than 12 hours a day." Why Zain Agreed To Do Naamkaran? "As the name suggests, daily soap, it is actually like sabun ki tarah ghisna. Even when Naamkaran was being offered to me, I denied doing it and only agreed when I came to know that Mahesh Bhatt would be the frontrunner of this show." Zain Is Looking Forward To Doing Finite Shows Now, the actor wants to do finite series, "After this, I will definitely look forward to doing finite series, where the story is not dragged on depending on a character's popularity in the show." Will Zain Foray Into Bollywood? When asked as to whether he will foray into Bollywood, the actor says, "I don't know that yet, but I will try my luck only if something with good content comes my way." Creates powerful opportunity to deliver job search and recruiting tools and resources worldwide MILL VALLEY, California, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Glassdoor announced today that it has agreed to be acquired by Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. for $1.2 billion in an all-cash transaction. Glassdoor is a leading job and recruiting company well known for providing greater workplace transparency. Recruit Holdings, a leading Japanese-based HR company, plans to operate Glassdoor as a distinct and separate part of its growing HR Technology business segment. "Glassdoor has transformed how people search for jobs and how companies recruit. Joining with Recruit allows Glassdoor to accelerate its innovation and growth to help job seekers find a job and company they love while also helping employers hire quality candidates," said Robert Hohman, Glassdoor CEO and co-founder, who will continue to lead the company. "I look forward to leading Glassdoor through this exciting new chapter, and to exploring ways to use our combined resources and assets to benefit job seekers, employees and employers once the deal closes." "I am delighted to welcome Glassdoor to the Recruit Group. Glassdoor presents a powerful platform that is changing how people find jobs everywhere," said Hisayuki Idekoba (Deko), COO of Recruit and Head of Recruit's HR Technology Segment. "Glassdoor is an impressive company with strong leadership, mission, products, clients and employees. We are excited to help them continue to grow and deliver value to the job seekers and employers they serve." Glassdoor, which launched in 2008, is one of the largest job sites in the U.S. and welcomes 59 million people to its platform each month.* People come to find the latest jobs combined with insights into jobs and companies. Glassdoor currently has rich data on more than 770,000 companies located in more than 190 countries. This includes more than 40 million reviews and insights, including company reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary information, interview questions, office photos and more. In addition, Glassdoor provides recruiting solutions to more than 7,000 employers, including 40 percent of the Fortune 500. Founded in 1960, the Recruit Group creates and provides platforms that connect companies and consumers. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the Group operates a wide range of services, including HR technology, recruitment advertisement, employment placement, staffing, housing and real estate, bridal, travel, dining, beauty and others. The Group has more than 45,000 employees and operates in more than 60 countries. The transaction is expected to close this summer and is subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions. Qatalyst Partners is acting as exclusive financial adviser to Glassdoor and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is its legal adviser. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as exclusive financial advisor and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provided legal counsel to Recruit. About Glassdoor Glassdoor combines all the latest jobs with millions of reviews and insights to make it easy for people to find a job that is uniquely right for them. As a result, Glassdoor helps employers hire truly informed candidates at scale through effective recruiting solutions like job advertising and employer branding products. Launched in 2008, Glassdoor now has reviews and insights for 770,000 companies located in more than 190 countries. For more information, visit glassdoor.com. Glassdoor is a registered trademark of Glassdoor, Inc. *Unique users represents peak monthly unique users in calendar quarter Q1 2018 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/449764/Glassdoor_Logo.jpg Premier Global Manufacturer of DIY Crafts and Education Products Announces New CEO to Lead Next Phase of Global Growth LAKE FOREST, California, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellison Educational Equipment, Inc., parent company of crafts brand Sizzix and education brand Ellison Education, announces Richard Birse as its new Chief Executive Officer, and the elevation of current Chief Executive Officer Kristin Highberg to the Company's Global Board of Directors. Founded by LaDorna and Robert Eichenberg in 1977, Ellison Educational Equipment has grown into a vertically integrated global business with a footprint in over 100 countries and its global headquarters in Lake Forest, California, along with its European Headquarters in the United Kingdom. The company also fully owns its manufacturing and logistic operations in China. Throughout its history, Ellison has developed multiple global brands and supply chain networks that uniquely position its operations to be a leading omni-channel provider across all continents. To allow the company to fully leverage its global footprint and assets, the family and its shareholders have realized the need to transition to executive leadership that has experience in navigating, supporting and growing a global business. After a thorough review, Ellison's current Managing Director for Europe and Global Markets, Richard Birse, was clearly identified as the natural successor to be the Company's next CEO for his proven skillset, market knowledge and experience to lead the company into its new phase of focused, global growth. "For over 27 years, I've had the greatest opportunity working for the company that my grandmother started, having held numerous positions from customer service to sales to my current role of CEO," said Kristin Highberg, outgoing CEO of Ellison. "During my tenure as CEO of the Company, I've worked alongside Richard for close to 11 years to successfully develop global infrastructure and growth opportunities. As we enter the next phase of Ellison's global growth, it was clear to me and my family that Richard was the obvious choice to take the CEO leadership role and allow me to continue to focus on supporting strategy with him at the Board Level." "I know that I speak for everyone at Ellison in thanking Kristin for her leadership during her time within the company," said Birse. "I am eager to assume this new role and lead such a passionate and focused company in further developing our global platform. We have exceptionally talented teams across three continents at Ellison/Sizzix who are all committed to evolving our business, continuing to innovate our product in new and diverse ways and developing a global supply chain infrastructure that supports our localized trading partners future global growth opportunities in both B2B and B2C channels." About Sizzix Launched in 2001, Sizzix is a division of Ellison Educational Equipment Inc., the market pioneer and leader of die-cutting machines and accessories. Through its portfolio of die-cutting machines and die-cutting products, Sizzix leverages Ellison's 41 years of proven manufacturing and technology heritage to empower creativity among its customer base with new and innovative products. Sizzix is a recognized global brand that can be found in over 100 countries and in major and specialty retailers. For more information on Sizzix and its line of craft-inspiring products, please visit www.sizzix.com/home. About Ellison Educational Equipment Inc. Since 1977, Ellison Educational Equipment, Inc. has been the recognized global leader of die-cutting machines, die-cutting products and shape-cutting accessories for the education market. The company was founded by an educator and has built its reputation developing high-quality, reliable die-cutting machines, products and accessories, coupled with innovative teaching principles that support all subject matter. For more information about Ellison Educational Equipment, please visit www.EllisonEducation.com. Contact: Brian Harris 1-949-598-8822 ext. 394 bharris@ellison.com Regulatory News: Eurofins Scientific (Paris:ERF) (EUFI.PA), a global leader in biopharmaceutical product testing services, announces that it has signed an exclusive agreement to acquire PHAST Gesellschaft fur Pharmazeutische Qualitatsstandards mbH ("PHAST"), one of Europe's leading service providers in the field of pharmaceutical products quality. The transaction is expected to close in the next few weeks, subject to the fulfilment of regulatory and customary closing conditions. With more than 10 years of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compliance, PHAST serves the whole range of the Biotech and Pharmaceutical industry with a strong footprint in Germany and Switzerland. PHAST is best known for its finished product testing business, where it serves as a strategic partner to medium and large (bio)pharmaceutical companies. PHAST provides pharmaceutical services with a focus on quality control (QC) testing of small and large molecules, and analytical development services. PHAST's services portfolio comprises attractive high-end capabilities (i.e. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry, inhalation testing). Headquartered in Homburg, Germany, and with additional sites in Constance, Germany, as well as in Switzerland, PHAST operates two state-of-the-art laboratory facilities totaling 6,000 m2, with ample space for expansion. PHAST generated group revenues of around EUR 24m in 2017 with approximately 300 staff. The acquisition of PHAST will complement Eurofins' BioPharma Product Testing capabilities and expand Eurofins' geographical footprint in these markets. The wide array of testing expertise acquired from PHAST will strengthen Eurofins' BioPharma Product Testing portfolio. Eurofins is well-positioned to capitalize on the strong growth and the positive trends underlying the BioPharma industry, which also increasingly opts for outsourcing laboratory services. Comment from Dr. Johannes Kraemer, Founder and Owner of PHAST: "PHAST as a service provider for the research-focused pharmaceutical industry has continuously grown to meet the challenges of the market. The current trend of outsourcing an increasing number of testing activities requires a consistent expansion of the spectrum of analytical services offered, as well as, additional laboratory capacity. By gaining access to the full range of services and capabilities of the Eurofins Group, PHAST will significantly increase its service offering to the benefit of its clients, and improve its market position in the highly competitive and quality-driven Pharmaceutical Product Testing industry." Comment from Dr. Gilles Martin, Eurofins CEO: "We are pleased to welcome PHAST, an expert in pharmaceutical product testing, to the Eurofins Group. PHAST's competencies and footprint further strengthen Eurofins' global scientific leadership in the growing biopharmaceutical product testing market. PHAST will reinforce the position of Eurofins in Germany and Switzerland. In return, PHAST will be able to offer additional services to their customers leveraging Eurofins' global GMP network. We look forward to strengthening their portfolio and operating footprint by providing them access to the full range of services and capabilities of the Group. This transaction is another demonstration of Eurofins' commitment to expand its global state-of-the-art network of BioPharma Product Testing laboratories". For more information, please visit www.eurofins.com Notes for the editor: Eurofins a global leader in bio-analysis Eurofins Scientific through its subsidiaries (hereinafter sometimes "Eurofins" or "the Group") believes it is the world leader in food, environment and pharmaceutical products testing and in agroscience CRO services. It is also one of the global independent market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, discovery pharmacology, forensics, CDMO, advanced material sciences and for supporting clinical studies. In addition, Eurofins is one of the key emerging players in specialty clinical diagnostic testing in Europe and the USA. With over 35,000 staff in more than 400 laboratories across 44 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 150,000 analytical methods for evaluating the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin and purity of biological substances and products, as well as for innovative clinical diagnostic. The Group objective is to provide its customers with high-quality services, accurate results on time and expert advice by its highly qualified staff. Eurofins is committed to pursuing its dynamic growth strategy by expanding both its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology and analytical chemistry to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and the most comprehensive range of testing methods. As one of the most innovative and quality oriented international players in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients' increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the expanding demands of regulatory authorities around the world. The shares of Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN FR0000038259, Reuters EUFI.PA, Bloomberg ERF FP). Important disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements and estimates contained herein represent the judgment of Eurofins Scientific's management as of the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees for future performance, and the forward-looking events discussed in this release may not occur. Eurofins Scientific disclaims any intent or obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements and estimates. All statements and estimates are made based on the information available to the Company's management as of the date of publication, but no guarantee can be made as to their validity. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180508006732/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations Eurofins Scientific Phone: +32 2 766 1620 E-mail: ir@eurofins.com CHICAGO (dpa-AFX) - Boeing Co. (BA) stands to lose about $20 billion in business with Iran after the U.S.'s controversial withdrawal Tuesday from the 2015 nuclear agreement with the Middle East nation, the Wall Street Journal reported. Boeing has agreements to sell 110 planes worth roughly $20 billion to Iranian airlines, based on list prices. The U.S. withdrawal, which pledges punishment for banks and businesses doing transactions in Iran, stretches to Boeing's French rival Airbus SE, which had a multibillion-dollar sale planned, and to parts maker General Electric Co. (GE). Licenses for Boeing and Airbus to sell passenger jets to Iran will be revoked, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said after President Trump made his announcement to pull the U.S. out of what he considers a 'defective' Iranian nuclear deal, defying allies and despite warnings that it could ratchet up tensions in the volatile region. While new contracts are banned, companies and banks will have 90 days or 180 days to wind down their ties before risking penalties, the administration said. IranAir had ordered 200 passenger aircraft: 100 from Airbus, 80 from Boeing and 20 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR. All the deals are dependent on U.S. licenses because of the primary use of American parts in commercial planes. 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. Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/ TOKYO, May 9, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today announced that it is expanding its Fujitsu Security Solution Global Managed Security Service, which provides centralized lifecycle support, from cyberattack prediction to system restoration. The company is strengthening endpoint(1) and cloud security, and will provide analyses of threat information from the dark web(2).Fujitsu is offering in Japan from May "Fujitsu Security Solution Cybereason EDR Service," which offers a total package of deployment, operations, and maintenance for Cybereason EDR(3), software that can detect cyberattacks by unknown sources on endpoints using machine learning.In the cloud domain, Fujitsu will offer a service to customers that use Microsoft 365 E5(4) whereby the company operates on their behalf accompanying integrated security services(5) that defend from, detect, and respond to cyberattacks, and Fujitsu will also offer a service that provides customers individualized reports detailing dark web and deep web(6) threats. Both services are planned to be steadily rolled out in Japan from August 2018.In addition to these three services, Fujitsu is offering in Japan from May "Fujitsu Security Solution Global Managed Security Service Express," which expedites deployment by offering a package of only the required parts of the existing Global Managed Security Service.Going forward, Fujitsu will support the business continuity of customers by continually enhancing its Global Managed Security Service using cutting-edge security technology, contributing to the creation of a comfortable and secure networked society.These new services will be exhibited at Fujitsu Forum 2018, which will be held May 17-18 at Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo.BackgroundIn recent years, changes to the ways people work and the rise of cloud utilization have altered the ways ICT is used. It is also becoming difficult to deal with the entire range of increasingly diverse and sophisticated cyberattacks with just existing countermeasures, such as anti-virus products and firewalls. Under the Cybersecurity Management Guidelines 2.0, revised by the Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA) in November 2017, companies are asked not only to defend against cyberattacks, but to embrace wide-ranging countermeasures, from attack detection to recovery.In light of this situation, Fujitsu is expanding its Global Managed Security Service, providing from May operations and maintenance for Cybereason EDR, which can detect previously unknown malware attacks in endpoints, and is also enhancing its security countermeasures, by rolling out a managed operations service for the integrated security services that accompany the cloud service Microsoft 365 E5 and a service that provides individualized reports to customers on threat information from the dark web.About the Enhancements1. An all-around service that performs deployment to operations of Cybereason EDRSecurity countermeasures for endpoints, such as PCs, have mainly consisted of using antivirus products that block intrusion by existing malware, but in recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of attacks by unknown malware that could not be blocked by these products, so post-intrusion malware countermeasures have become indispensable. Starting in May 2018, Fujitsu will offer a service using Cybereason Japan Corp.'s Cybereason EDR, which can detect cyberattacks that could not be blocked by antivirus products, in which Fujitsu's security engineers will comprehensively perform tasks like monitoring and operations. Because Cybereason EDR uses machine learning to recognize patterns of activity in a device that has been attacked, and analyzes movements unique to attackers, it can even detect attacks by unknown malware. With this service, Fujitsu's security engineers will analyze alerts detected by Cybereason EDR, identify infected devices, stop inappropriate processes, and suggest recommended countermeasures, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This will reduce the burden of security operations for customers in endpoints such as PCs.2. Enable use of safe and secure Microsoft 365 E5 environmentMicrosoft 365 E5, an integrated solution from Microsoft Corporation combining Office 365, Windows 10, and Enterprise Mobility + Security, offers cybersecurity countermeasure functions in a uniform manner across multiple services, namely, ID, e-mail, SaaS and endpoint. Running operations for those services not only requires high security skills, it also requires a 24-hour-per-day, 365-day-per-year monitoring system and rapid responses to intrusions such as malware. Fujitsu has accumulated a broad range of experience by developing proprietary tools to detect warning signs of an attack in Active Directory, which is an important component in managing user information in Microsoft products, and used those tools in countermeasures for targeted cyberattacks. Building on this experience, Fujitsu will steadily roll out from September of 2018 a service in which its security engineers will handle everything from the operation of the integrated security services included in Microsoft 365 E5, to 24/7/365 monitoring of customer environments, to the response after a cyberattack is detected.3. Collaboration with IntSights for technology capable of collecting dark web threat informationIn order to be prepared for advanced cyberattacks, it is important to plan countermeasures in advance with an understanding of the attacker's motives, goals, characteristics, and methods, but the judgment of a security expert with specialized knowledge is indispensable in extracting information relating to one's own company from voluminous and wide-ranging attacker information. Fujitsu has agreed to collaborate with IntSights Cyber Intelligence Ltd., which offers a service that can collect threat information from the places that attackers use to share information, such as the dark web, which are difficult for ordinary people to access. Scheduled for August 2018, Fujitsu is set to offer a service to extract and analyze threat information for specific customers from the massive amounts of information flowing through the dark web and deep web.4. Global Managed Security Service Express, cuts time for deployment to one thirdBased on the insights and experience gained from providing the Global Managed Security Service to customers across a variety of industries, handling monitoring and operations, Fujitsu is now launching Global Managed Security Service Express, which can reduce deployment time from the previous three months to just one month by systematizing and offering only the most essential services in the Global Managed Security Service, such as 24-hour-per-day, 365-day-per-year real-time log monitoring.Sales Target300 billion yen in annual sales of security-related products and services globally in fiscal 2019.EndorsementsComment by Lior Div, CEO, Cybereason Inc. and Director, Cybereason Japan Corp.Cybereason Inc. warmly welcomes the launch of Fujitsu's Global Managed Security Service using Cybereason EDR. As threats become more advanced and sophisticated, day by day, and as it is becoming impossible to block 100% of security threats, the question of how to implement countermeasures and operations that prioritize defense, assuming an intrusion will occur, has become an important element of business continuity. By combining the Global Managed Security Service offered by Fujitsu with Cybereason's technology, based on a machine learning engine (AI) and experience developed in Israel's military intelligence corps (Unit 8200), I firmly believe that customers will be able to detect and visualize the signs of a cyberattack in real time, gaining an environment that can prevent advanced cyberattacks, including targeted attacks. Going forward, Cybereason Inc. will work with Fujitsu to provide optimal cybersecurity for customer environments, first in Japan, as well as APAC and EMEA, with an eye toward expansion around the globe.Comment by Yoshinami Takahashi, Managing Executive Officer, Microsoft JapanMicrosoft Japan sincerely welcomes the enhancements to Fujitsu's Global Managed Security Service utilizing Microsoft 365 E5. To help customers realize their future business growth strategies by digital transformation, Microsoft and Fujitsu are partnering tightly in key initiatives including work-style transformation, AI, and cyber security. By combining Fujitsu's Global Managed Security Services, the Intelligent Security Graph and Microsoft 365 E5, customers will be able to effectively eliminate the risk of targeted cyberattacks in real time and realize the safe and secure customer experiences for the cloud services. The Intelligent Security Graph is the big data from over one billion Windows devices, 450 billion user authentications per month and 400 billion email messages per month. Microsoft 365 E5 is powered by AI services for comprehensive cyber security protection, detection to response. Moving forward, Microsoft Japan and Fujitsu will continue to collaborate to support the digital transformation of customers.Comment by Guy Nizan, CEO, IntSights Cyber Intelligence Ltd.Tailored threat intelligence, including 'indicators of attack' and adversary motive and means, analyzed alongside internal IOCs, community, and open source threat feeds, provides customers a highly customized and comprehensive picture of the risks threatening their business and brand. This actionable intelligence in the hands of Fujitsu's expert security services team as part of their leading Cyber MSSP Platform will deliver customers a new level of proactive defense that renders targeted attacks dead-on-arrival. We are extremely proud to have had our MSSP offering chosen by Fujitsu to deliver their customers such an innovative solution.(1) Endpoint A computer or information device connected to a communications line or networking device(2) Dark web Websites that can only be accessed from specialized web browsers, used for applications such as collecting information and sharing tools.(3) Cybereason EDR The Japanese distributor for this product is SoftBank Corp.(4) Microsoft 365 E5 A package product containing three services: Office 365, an integrated information sharing cloud service that aggregates such functions as email, Office, scheduling, and online meetings, Windows 10, the latest OS, and Enterprise Mobility + Security, a cloud-based solution that provides both security countermeasures and productivity improvements.(5) Integrated security services Refers to three services: Office365 Advanced Threat Protection, Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, and Azure Advanced Threat Protection.(6) Deep web Websites that are difficult to access, used for applications such as collecting information and sharing tools.About Fujitsu LtdFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.* Please see this press release, with images, at:http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/Source: Fujitsu LtdContact:Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. OSLO, Norway, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LINK Mobility Group ASA (LINK) confirms its strategy and reports solid revenue growth and increased profitability in a traditionally slow quarter. The strong figures are the result of high organic growth, successful acquisitions and a scalable business model which increases profitability. LINK has closed several transactions, entering the Swiss, Austrian and Italian markets. LINK has also signed term sheets in 2018 regarding the acquisition of Terracom Group with operations in Bulgaria, Romania and Macedonia, the Hungarian entity SeeMe and two entities with operations in France and in the UK. LINK has become Europe's leading and fastest growing company within the industry. The strong organic revenue growth in the quarter, confirms the underlying trend of solid growth in the market for mobile messaging and mobile solutions delivered by LINK. LINK achieved an operating revenue of NOK 467 million in the quarter, up 104 percent compared with corresponding period last year. The adjusted EBITDA is reported at NOK 51 million, an increase of NOK 34 million versus same quarter last year. The adjusted EBITDA margin is reported at 10.9 percent, an increase of 3.6 percentage points compared to the same quarter last year mainly due to scale advantages. LINK has a scalable business model whereby OPEX does not increase in relativity to revenue and gross margin. The financial position is good, with a cash position of NOK 247 million. LINK has no plans to raise new equity except for future acquisitions settled partly in LINK shares. "Another strong quarterly performance from LINK during a traditionally low season for our mobile messaging and solutions services. We have more than doubled the revenues from a year ago and we have strongly improved the profitability at the same time. It is also satisfying to see that we have a long list of new customers on their way in, and happy to state that we signed 658 new contracts during the quarter, taking the total number of LINK customers to 17 000. This quarter really cemented LINK's stellar growth profile in a market that is growing." Says Arild Hustad, CEO of LINK. The quarterly results will be presented at 10.00 a.m. at Thon Hotel Vika Atrium by CEO Arild Hustad and CFO Thomas Berge. The presentation will also be directly broadcasted through a webcast. The presentation and subsequent Q&A session will be held in English and viewed at hegnarTV at the following link; http://webtv.hegnar.no/presentation.php?webcastId=83485300 For further information, please contact: Arild Hustad, CEO LINK Mobility Group ASA arild.hustad@linkmobility.com Mob: +47-95-24-19-30 IR Contact Thomas Berge, CFO LINK Mobility Group ASA thomas.berge@linkmobility.com Mob: +47-41-31-90-28 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/link-mobility-group-asa/r/link-mobility-group-asa--financial-report-first-quarter-2018,c2516687 The following files are available for download: LONDON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tianjin Airlines launched a new direct flight from London to Xi'an on Monday, connecting the UK capital to the eastern departure point of the ancient Silk Road for the first time. Xi'an is the capital city of Shaanxi province. The AirBus 330 aircraft, departs at 3:15 pm from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and will arrive at London Heathrow Airport after a 14-hour journey. Flight GS7987 offers a twice-a-week service on every Monday and Friday, carrying up to 260 passengers. The service is the airline's second Britain-China air route after Tianjin-Chongqing-London flight that started in June 2017, linking Beijing's neighboring megacity Tianjin and Chongqing to Britain. As the departure point of the ancient Silk Road that connected Europe to Asia centuries ago, Xi'an is home to numerous historic relics, including the must-see Terracotta Warriors, a World Heritage Site. The airline's Xi'an effort is also riding on the steady growth in economic ties, trade, cultural exchange and tourism between the two countries since the "China-Britain Cultural Exchange Year" was launched in 2015. About 115,000 Chinese tourists traveled to the UK in the first 6 months of 2017, a 47 percent increase year-on-year. They spent 231 million during their travels, a 54 percent increase year-on-year. The airline connects Xi'an to more than 40 cities and operates over 200 flights per week with 15 aircrafts. Tianjin Airlines is the 4th largest airline by market share in Xi'an. Connecting Europe and Asia is only part of the airline's global expansion plan. It also launched a cross-hemisphere service from Xi'an to New Zealand in December 2017. Flights to America are also planned. Tianjin Airlines will celebrate its 9th anniversary on June 8, and will unveil promotional plans for tickets. Unitymedia (together with its subsidiaries, the "Unitymedia Group"), today announces that its parent company, Liberty Global plc ("Liberty Global"), and Vodafone have entered into a definitive agreement (the "Acquisition Agreement") for the acquisition by Vodafone of the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Unitymedia, together with certain other businesses owned by Liberty Global (the "Proposed Acquisition Unitymedia has outstanding the following debt securities listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange: $900,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Notes due 2025 (Rule 144A CUSIP: 91337DAB0; ISIN: US91337DAB01; Regulation S CUSIP: D85456AB3; ISIN: USD85456AB30) (the " 2025 Senior Notes "); and "); and 700,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 3.75% Senior Notes due 2027 (Rule 144A common code: 119943914; ISIN: XS1199439149; Regulation S common code: 119943817; ISIN: XS1199438174) (the "2027 Senior Notes", together with the 2025 Senior Notes, the "Senior Notes Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW have outstanding the following debt securities listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange: 350,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 5.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 (Rule 144A common code: 091873940; ISIN: XS0918739409; Regulation S common code: 091873931; ISIN: XS0918739318) (the " 2023 Senior Secured Notes 1,000,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 4.000% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 (Rule 144A common code: 115043765; ISIN: XS1150437652; Regulation S common code: 115043757; ISIN: XS1150437579) (the " 2025 Euro Senior Secured Notes $550,000,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 (Rule 144A CUSIP: 913364AD7; ISIN: US913364AD74; Regulation S CUSIP: D85455AD1; ISIN: USD85455AD13) (the " 2025 Dollar Senior Secured Notes ", together with the 2025 Euro Senior Secured Notes, the " 2025 Senior Secured Notes ", together with the 2025 Euro Senior Secured Notes, the " 420,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 4.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 (Rule 144A common code: 133424857; ISIN: XS1334248579; Regulation S common code: 133424822; ISIN: XS1334248223) (the " 2026 Senior Secured Notes 500,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 3.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2027 (Rule 144A common code: 119720605; ISIN: XS1197206052; Regulation S common code: 119720559; ISIN: XS1197205591) (the " 2027 Senior Secured Notes "); and "); and 475,000,000 original aggregate principal amount of 6.250% Senior Secured Notes due 2029 (Rule 144A common code: 098271309; ISIN: XS0982713090; Regulation S common code: 098271333; ISIN: XS098271330) (the "2029 SeniorSecured Notes", together with the 2023 Senior Secured Notes, the 2025 Senior Secured Notes, the 2026 Senior Secured Notes and the 2027 Senior Secured Notes, the "Senior Secured Notes" and, together with the Senior Notes, the "Notes The Proposed Acquisition will be notifiable to the European Commission for regulatory approval, which is expected to occur in the mid 2019. There is no guarantee that the Proposed Acquisition will be consummated. Further details regarding the Proposed Acquisition are set forth in Liberty Global's announcement, dated today, which is available on Liberty Global's web site (www.libertyglobal.com). Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW expect that the Proposed Acquisition, if consummated as contemplated under the terms of the Acquisition Agreement, will result in a Change of Control (as defined in the respective indentures governing the Senior Notes and the Senior Secured Notes, as applicable) in relation to the Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes, as applicable. No action is being taken at this time in respect of any of the Notes. This communication is for information purposes only and does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, or of consents under, any securities (including the Notes) in any jurisdiction, including the United States or an inducement to enter into investment activity. Disclosure of inside information by Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW under Article 17(1) of Regulation (EU) 596/2014. Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW: The Directors Aachener Strae 746-750, 50933 Cologne, Germany Facsimile No.: +49 221 37792871 Issued by: Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW About Unitymedia Group The Unitymedia Group is the leading cable operator in Germany and the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse and Baden-Wurttemberg, providing cable television, internet, fixed-line telephony and mobile services to 7.2 million customers at December 31, 2017. This announcement is not directed at, or intended for distribution to or use by any person or entity that is a citizen or resident or located in any locality, state, country or other jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to law or regulation or which would require any registration or licensing. The securities of Unitymedia, Unitymedia Hessen and Unitymedia NRW have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold, resold or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and incompliance with any applicable securities law of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. This announcement contains or, incorporates by reference, "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "projects," "expects," "intends," "aims," "plans," "predicts," "may," "will," "seeks," "could," "would," "shall" or "should" or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives, goals, future events or intentions. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts and include statements regarding the intentions, beliefs or current expectations of the Unitymedia Group concerning, among other things, the Proposed Acquisition and Unitymedia Group's results of operations, financial condition, prospects, growth, strategies and the industries in which the Unitymedia Group operates. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future or are beyond the Unitymedia Group's control. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on one or more assumptions relating to the Unitymedia Group's actual results of operations and financial condition and the development of the industries in which the Unitymedia Group operates may differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in, or incorporated by reference into, in this announcement. In addition, even if the Unitymedia Group's actual results of operations, financial condition and the development of the industries in which the Unitymedia Group operates are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods. The forward-looking statements contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this announcement speak only as of the date of this announcement. The Unitymedia Group expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required to do so by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180508006910/en/ Contacts: Liberty Global plc Investor Relations John Rea, +1 303 220 4238 CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Canadian dollar strengthened against its most major rivals in the Asian session on Wednesday, as oil prices advanced after U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Crude for June delivery rose $1.44 to $70.50 per barrel. Trump on Tuesday announced that the U.S. will withdraw from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran that was agreed in late 2015. Trump said that the deal was 'defective at its core' and the United States will reimpose nuclear sanctions on Iran. The U.S. decision is likely to tighten crude supply in the global markets. The loonie climbed to a weekly high of 0.9615 against the aussie, from a low of 0.9653 hit at 6:00 pm ET. On the upside, 0.95 is likely seen as the next resistance for the loonie. The loonie that closed Tuesday's trading at 84.25 against the yen rose to 84.68. If the loonie continues its rise, 86.5 is possibly seen as its next resistance level. Data from the Cabinet Office showed that Japan's leading index decreased more-than-expected at the end of the first quarter. The leading index, which measures the future economic activity, dropped to 105.0 in March from 105.9 in February. The index was expected to fall to 105.1. The loonie strengthened to a 2-day high of 1.5329 against the euro, after having fallen to 1.5375 at 8:15 pm ET. Next key resistance for the loonie is likely seen around the 1.51 level. On the flip side, the loonie edged down to 1.2975 against the greenback, compared to 1.2947 hit late New York Tuesday. The next possible support for the loonie is seen around the 1.31 region. Looking ahead, Canada building permits for March, U.S. PPI for April and wholesale inventories for March are due in the New York session. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de SAN FRANCISCO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global advanced ceramics market is expected to reach USD 134.58 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Advanced ceramics, also termed industrial ceramics, engineered ceramics, fine ceramics, and enhanced/technical ceramics, are reinforced ceramic compounds with excellent thermal, magnetic, optical, and electrical properties. As a result, they have emerged as effective alternatives to high-performance plastics and steel for various applications. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg ) The market is expected to witness considerable growth over the next eight years owing to their increasing use in the electronic & electrical industry. Rising electronic device demand among consumers, particularly in the countries of Asia Pacific region, including India and China, is expected to have a positive impact on the market over the forecast period. These products have been gaining acceptance over the past few years on account of growing awareness regarding their benefits such as biodegradability, durability, and high tensile strength. Rising environmental concerns, coupled with stringent regulations by governments in North America and Europe, are expected to further propel product demand over the next eight years. The material is used in structural applications including wear components, armor, cutting tools, and engines. High-quality and performance are key benefits of advanced ceramics that drive their use in myriad applications. Growth in the industry is from both traditional as well as new applications. The increasing use of advanced ceramics in automotive heat engines such as diesel components and gas turbines; medical implants and devices; industrial heat exchangers; and electrochemical devices, is expected to propel industry growth over the forecast period. The extensive use of coated machinery components, coupled with shifting preference among consumers to advanced coatings and breakthroughs in deposition processes are expected to open new market opportunities for the ceramic coatings over the forecast period. Key factors expected to challenge industry growth include regulatory as well as environmental issues and competition from alternative materials. Browse full research report with TOC on"Advanced Ceramics Market Size, Share & Trend Analysis Report By Material (Alumina Ceramics, Titanate Ceramics, Zirconate Ceramics, Ferrite Ceramics), By Product, By Application, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2024"at:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/advanced-ceramics-market Further Key Findings From the Report Suggest: Global advanced ceramics market value was USD 56.70 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.2% from 2016 to 2024 in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.2% from 2016 to 2024 Zirconates are expected to grow at a considerable pace from 2016 to 2024, at a CAGR over 14.8% in terms of revenue, owing to their increasing use in the automotive sector The ceramic coatings segment was estimated at USD 2.88 billion in 2015. The major industries that employ the product include medical, automotive, aerospace, environmental protection, and fiber optics communications sectors. Increasing use of the product in the aforementioned sectors is likely to drive its growth in the forecast period. in 2015. The major industries that employ the product include medical, automotive, aerospace, environmental protection, and fiber optics communications sectors. Increasing use of the product in the aforementioned sectors is likely to drive its growth in the forecast period. Automotive sector demand for the product was valued at USD 4.57 billion in 2015 on account of its increasing use in the manufacturing of ceramic oxygen sensors in the cars with computer controls to optimize combustion and reduction of exhaust emissions functions. in 2015 on account of its increasing use in the manufacturing of ceramic oxygen sensors in the cars with computer controls to optimize combustion and reduction of exhaust emissions functions. North America was one of the largest markets for the product and is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 9.5% from 2016 to 2024, in terms of revenue. Stringent environmental regulations have led to increased product use as it aids in controlling pollution. was one of the largest markets for the product and is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 9.5% from 2016 to 2024, in terms of revenue. Stringent environmental regulations have led to increased product use as it aids in controlling pollution. In November 2012 , 3M acquired Ceradyne, Inc. They are working towards introducing new technologies and innovations for uniquely tailored materials that require advanced ceramics. Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Canvas Products Market- The Global canvas product market is expected to witness substantial growth over the forecast period owing to large scale use of canvas in manufacturing products. Composites Market - The global composites market size was USD 66.61 billion in 2015 and is expected to experience substantial growth over the next eight years. Ceramics Market- The Global ceramics market was USD 157.70 billion in 2014. The industry is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period Fire Resistant Glass Market - The global fire resistant glass market size was valued at USD 3.02 billion in 2015. Grand View Research has segmented the advanced ceramics market on the basis of material, product, application, end-use and region. Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) Alumina ceramics Titanate ceramics Zirconate ceramics Ferrite ceramics Aluminum nitride Silicon carbide Silicon nitride Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) Ethanolamines Fatty amines Alkylamines Others Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) Electrical equipment Catalyst supports Electronic devices wear parts Engine parts Filters Bioceramics Others End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) Electrical & electronics Automotive Machinery Environmental Medical Others Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2024) North America U.S. Europe Germany UK Asia Pacific China India Latin America Brazil MEA Saudi Arabia Read Our Blog By Grand View Research:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/blogs/advanced-materials About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: +1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com STOCKHOLM, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Blockchain-enabled GDPR-compliant marketplace will let consumers sell their own private data First partners - loyalty scheme StylePoints and influencer marketing platform Narratrs TRUTH, a subsidiary of The Marketing Group plc (TMG), has announced that it is launching a blockchain-enabled GDPR compliant marketplace enabling consumers to take back control of their personal data. TRUTH Data Cloud (www.truthdata.cloud) is the world's first marketplace for consumer data to launch with commercial partners on both the supply and redemption side, enabled by open APIs letting third parties launch the next generation of GDPR-compliant applications. TRUTH Data Cloud will empower consumers to share the data they want to share. Consumers can choose to sell their personal data to brands, agencies and publishers and directly benefit from its use in personalised advertising, in the form of discounts and offers on goods and services or as currency. The TRUTH Data Cloud will openly reward consumers for transparent, permission-based use of their personal data, unlike the recent Facebook data scandal and the pervasive nature of digital advertising - unwittingly powered by consumers' personal data. In return for access to their personal data, consumers will receive TRUTH Tokens, which represent consumer data held securely within the blockchain-enabled TRUTH Data Cloud. TRUTH tokens can be exchanged for discounts on goods and services or exchanged for their preferred currency. The TRUTH Data Cloud will have open APIs and SDKs to encourage third party applications to integrate with the marketplace. This will create huge potential for the platform's uses, such as influencer marketing, loyalty programs and customer relationship marketing. StylePoints, a digital loyalty scheme is the first partner launch on the TRUTH Data Cloud platform. Consumers will be paid in TRUTH Tokens for the submission of their data, keeping their data in the cloud and also when their data is used by partners in the TRUTH Data Cloud ecosystem. Contributors of data are both individuals (first party) and larger, trusted entities (second party) who have collated datasets. The more TRUTH tokens are owned the greater the reward when data is accessed. Brands, agencies and publishers pay for use of authenticated data, enabling accurate pay-per-use modelling marketing activity. TRUTH has already built a blockchain solution that drives transparency in the automated digital media buying ecosystem, as well as run the world's first blockchain-enabled media campaign-announced at AdWeek Europe on 20th April 2018. The TRUTH Data Cloud is the next stage in creating a truly secure, transparent, honest advertising industry. Adam Graham, CEO at TMG plc and co-founder of TRUTHsays: "Now is the time to address how we use big data in the advertising industry. Personal data is being used without consumer permissions. Brands' advertising spend is being wasted and consumers are receiving too much irrelevant content. With the TRUTH Data Cloud we want to give consumers the power to control their own data and give advertisers and publishers the reassurance they are using that data with consumers' explicit consent." Narratrs, the micro influencer marketing platform is the first third party partner to launch on the platform from the demand side. Beyond building an efficient advertising ecosystem, the aim is to create a global marketplace for the efficient buying and selling of advertising data. Media contact for TRUTH and TMG Lydia Oakes Bluestripe Media Phone: +44 (0)7710-244573 Email: lydia@bluestripemedia.co.uk This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/the-marketing-group-plc/r/tmg-s-truth-gives-consumers-control-of-their-private-data-with-launch-of-truth-data-cloud,c2516812 The following files are available for download: Healthcare facility investor Primary Health Properties has acquired a purpose-built primary care centre in Ireland. The company's Irish investment vehicle, Primary Health Properties ICAV, acquired the Mountmellick Primary Healthcare Centre for a total cost of 5.80m. Harry Hyman, managing director of PHP, said: "We remain committed to the continued growth of our portfolio in the Republic of Ireland, a market where we see significant potential due to the need to modernise the primary care ... 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. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks were modestly higher on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would quit the Iran nuclear deal, confirming what many investors had expected. Market participants expect the Iran deal to remain partially intact, even without the United States. The benchmark DAX was up 44 points or 0.34 percent at 12,957 in opening deals after declining 0.3 percent in the previous session. HeidelbergCement rose 1.3 percent after narrowing its first-quarter loss and keeping FY18 outlook unchanged. Dialog Semiconductor soared 9 percent after its underlying net income for the first quarter rose 19 percent from last year. Siemens jumped almost 5 percent after lifting its full-year profit guidance. Drug discovery solutions firm Evotec fell about 1 percent after its net income for the first quarter declined 51 percent from last year. Aareal Bank tumbled 2.7 percent despite affirming its 2018 outlook. Holiday company TUI dropped 1.6 percent despite posting strong half-year results. Similarly, telecommunications firm Deutsche Telekom shed more than 1 percent despite posting higher first-quarter profit and raising its outlook for the year. Consumer goods firm Henkel declined 1.5 percent. The company's revenue fell in the first quarter due to negative currency effects and delivery problems in North America. 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. SAN FRANCISCO, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global warehouse management system (WMS) market size is expected to reach USD 5.72 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., progressing at a CAGR of 16.3% during the forecast period. Growing transition towards cloud-based management systems in the warehouse industry is anticipated to boost the demand for WMS based on the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg ) Advancements in cloud-based technologies are estimated to fuel the adoption of WMS software irrespective of the size and complexity of the organization where these solutions are used. Surging demand for cloud-based systems can primarily be attributed to medium and small-sized businesses that do not require implementation of advanced warehouse technologies and high-speed automation. Larger organizations are also switching to cloud-based warehouse management systems as it allows organizations to offload exhausting tasks such as maintenance, infrastructure administration, and timely upgrades, among other tasks that are carried out on the on-premise software. Cloud enables businesses running on conventional on-premise technologies to transit to a platform that will support and cater to their clients' needs more efficiently. Low upfront cost and shorter implementation time are key factors that are encouraging companies to move toward cloud-based systems. The drive toward automation is high-paced where manufacturers are focusing on computerization of majority activities while suppliers are developing WMS solutions to support market demand. Demand for custom warehouse management and supply chain operation solutions is poised to grow over time and drive the market. Browse full research report with TOC on"Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component (Services, Software), By Deployment (Cloud, On-Premise), By Function, By Application, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025" at:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/warehouse-management-system-wms-market Further Key Findings From the Report Suggest: The cloud-based segment is expected to witness a high growth owing to numerous functionalities that cloud-based WMS offers over the traditional on-premise WMS. The segment is estimated to account for just over 55.0% of the overall revenue by 2025 The transportation & logistics segment is projected to rise at the highest CAGR of about 18.0% from 2018 to 2025. This may be attributed to soaring need for technologically advanced warehouse management systems that can help logistics companies to keep their operations aligned with the ever-demanding market The Asia Pacific WMS market is likely to experience the fastest growth during the forecast period, due to high influx of e-commerce players in the region Some of the key players in the market are Manhattan Associates, Oracle, HighJump, SAP SE, Synergy Ltd., Tecsys, Reply, Epicor Software Corporation, and PSI Logistics GmbH Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Telecom Operations Management Market - The telecom operations management market has witnessed high growth over the last decade due to increased need for telecom companies to effectively and timely address varied customer demands in highly competitive environment. Fog Computing Market - The global fog computing market size was estimated at USD 9.33 million in 2016. Millimeter Wave (MMW) Technology Market - The global Millimeter Wave (MMW) Technology market size was valued at USD 426.5 million in 2015. Data Center Rack Power Distribution Unit Market - The global data center rack Power Distribution Unit (PDU) market size was valued at USD 1.22 billion in 2016. Grand View Research has segmented the warehouse management system (WMS) market based on component, deployment, function, application, and region. WMS Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Software Services WMS Deployment Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) On-Premise Cloud WMS Function Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Labor Management System Analytics & Optimization Billing & Yard Management Systems Integration & Maintenance Consulting Services WMS Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Transportation & Logistics Retail Healthcare Manufacturing Food & Beverage Others WMS Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany U.K. Asia Pacific China India Japan South America Brazil Middle East and Africa Read Our Blog By Grand View Research:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/blogs/technology About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: +1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.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. OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Enbridge Inc. (ENB, ENB.TO) announced it has entered into agreements with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) to monetize a 49 percent interest in select North American onshore renewable power assets, as well as 49 percent of Enbridge's interests in two German offshore wind projects (Hohe See, and related expansion) through a newly created joint venture with CPPIB, for approximately C$1.75 billion. The assets include all of Enbridge's Canadian renewable power assets, held through Enbridge Income Fund, as well as two U.S. assets, namely the Cedar Point Wind Farm in Colorado and the Silver State North Solar Project in Nevada. Enbridge and CPPIB have entered into an agreement whereby the two parties will form a 50-50 joint venture for the pursuit of future European offshore wind projects. Enbridge CEO Al Monaco said: 'This deal makes a significant contribution to our $3 billion asset sales target for the year and will also eliminate $500 million of equity capital requirement that we had previously included in our funding plan. This transaction, in addition to our other funding actions taken since April, accelerates funding for our secured capital program and gives us increased financial flexibility.' 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. PUNE, India, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Dehydrating Breather Market by Type (Conventional and Self-Dehydrating Breather), Desiccant Volume (<2.0 Kg, 2.0 - 4.0 Kg, and >4.0 Kg), End-User (Utilities, Industrial, Heavy-Duty Vehicles), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 402.5 Million in 2018 to USD 501.8 Million by 2023, registering a CAGR of 4.51% during the forecast period. Increase in demand for transmission and distribution infrastructure in various regions such as the Asia Pacific and North America, and increased requirement for the protection of electrical equipment are expected to drive the dehydrating breather market. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 61Tables and 33Figures spread through 129Pages and in-depth TOC on"Dehydrating Breather Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/dehydrating-breather-market-47936975.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Conventional breather segment is expected to hold the largest share of the dehydrating breather market, by type, during the forecast period The conventional breather segment led the dehydrating breather market in 2017 and is projected to dominate the market during the forecast period. Conventional breather is a traditional method preferred by most of the companies to remove moisture from oil & lubricants. It contains various types of desiccants such as silica gel and molecular sieves, which have the ability to scrub moisture in the air. Asia Pacific is the estimated to be the largest market for conventional breather during the forecast period due to the growing investment in T&D infrastructure. Ask for PDF Brochure @https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=47936975 The market sub-segment for less than 2.0 kg of desiccant is expected to be the fastest growing sub-segment by desiccant volume in the dehydrating breather market The market sub-segment for less than 2.0 kg of desiccant is expected to be the fastest growing market during the forecast period from 2018 to 2023. Less than 2.0 kg desiccant volume capacity of dehydrating breather can be used in various end-users such as utilities, heavy-duty vehicles, and industrial among others. Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest market for less than 2.0 kg segment during the forecast period. Utilities is expected to be the fastest-growing segment in the dehydrating breather market The utilities segment is expected to be the fastest growing market for dehydrating breather from 2018 to 2023. Application of dehydrating breathers in utilities segment includes transformers, shunt reactor, and on load tap changers. Dehydrating breather is used in these equipment's to minimize the amount of moisture entering the insulating fluid of electrical equipment. Dehydrating breather provides an economical and efficient means for controlling the moisture entering conservator tank. Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest market for utilities segment during the forecast period due to the increase in investment in T&D sector and refurbishment of aging infrastructure. Asia Pacific: The leading market for dehydrating breather In this report, the dehydrating breather market has been analyzed with respect to five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. The Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest share in the global dehydrating breather market in 2018. The region is expected to expand and upgrade its existing distribution infrastructure to fulfill the growing demand for electricity. In addition, increasing investment in railroads is also a major driving factor for dehydrating breather market. For instance, in 2016, Indian railways announced its plan to invest USD 142 billion for the upgrading of railway infrastructure. Also, China plans to invest USD 538 billion in railway infrastructure in five years (2016-2020). All the above factors are expected to have a positive impact on the dehydrating breather market in the Asia Pacific region. To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the dehydrating breather market. These players include ABB (Switzerland), Siemens (Germany), Hubbell (US), Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen (MR) (Germany), and Des-Case (US). The leading players adopted various strategies such as new product launches and mergers & acquisitions to increase their market shares. Know more about the Dehydrating Breather Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/dehydrating-breather-market-47936975.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 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - 21st Century Fox (FOXA, FOX) announced a definitive agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) and Tribune Media Company (TRCO) to acquire seven television stations for approximately $910 million. The transaction will grow Fox Television Stations' coverage to nearly half of all U.S. households, and its market presence to 19 of the top 20 DMAs. 21st Century Fox has also entered into new network affiliation agreements with Sinclair (and licensees of certain stations to which Sinclair provides services), and will grant Sinclair options to acquire two of its stations for potential proceeds of approximately $15 million and $160 million, respectively. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2018) - eXeBlock Technology Corporation's (CSE: XBLK) ('eXeBlock' or the 'Company') founder Jonathan Baha'i was recently invited to deliver the keynote presentation to the Canadian Federal Government Public Policy Forum, a gathering of 45 executives, policy directors and practice leads from the Government of Canada, in Ottawa, on Friday, May 4th, 2018. Cannot view this image? Please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5608/34542_a1525832121487_26.jpg Part of the Public Policy Forum's "Keeping up With the Speed of Disruption Series", was convened to provide opportunity for a deep dive exploration of blockchain as an emerging and disruptive technology, exploring implications for issues such as information security, privacy, ethics, regulatory implications, sustainability and data, and how blockchain may challenge policy and governance approaches. Mr. Baha'i presented an overview of four elements of blockchain technology: consensus, incentive structure, distributed ledgers and smart contracts. His presentation addressed the use cases for blockchain technology in the private and public sectors, the potential for distributed ledgers to upend traditional business models. Mr. Baha'i also reinforced how globally competitive government regulation of the blockchain industry could encourage future growth and investment. Commenting on the opportunity to engage with senior Government of Canada officials on these important issues, Mr. Baha'i said. "It was an honour to be invited to speak to this group of Canadian policy makers, particularly at this juncture when blockchain technologies are poised to play transformation roles in enterprise across the public and private sectors. Significantly, Canada is already a global leader in blockchain technology, and therefore has an exciting opportunity to leverage that platform and to compete on a global stage." Mr. Baha'i continued, "Given the pace of change in the global blockchain landscape, these opportunities for an open discussion, and the sharing of insights are very important, and I anticipate that these talks will help align policies leading to accelerated blockchain innovation and investment in Canada." After delivering the presentation, Mr. Baha'i travelled onward to Shanghai, China, where he spoke at the 2018 Global Graphene Developer Conference. The conference is the largest of its kind focused on Graphene, an ecosystem for real-time blockchains that provides a framework for a number of influential projects including Bitshares, Steem and EOS. The event was well attended by over 1,000 members of the Graphene community. Figure 1: Jonathan Baha'i addresses the 2018 Global Blockchain Developer Conference Cannot view Figure 1? Please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5608/34542_a1525832121612_85.jpg About eXeBlock Technology Corporation eXeBlock is a designer of custom, state-of-the-art blockchain based software applications that provide profitable, secure and efficient operating solutions to businesses and markets globally. eXeBlock is one of the first Canadian public companies focused on the development of disruptive decentralized applications using blockchain technology. For More Information about the Company, please contact: Ian Klassen President & Chief Executive Officer Email: ian@exeblock.com Tel: 604-899-0106 Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. When used in this press release, the words 'estimate', 'project', 'belief', 'will', 'anticipate', 'intend', 'expect', 'plan', 'predict', 'may' or 'should' and the negative of these words or such variations or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release includes information relating to the commercialization of applications, the ability to generate revenues from applications and the implementation of eXeBlock's operating plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. There are a number of important risk factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such risk factors include, among others, the Company's limited operating history and expected continued operating losses; failure of the Company's business strategy; inherent risks of the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry; system failures and security risks; government regulation; need for additional financing requirements and access to capital; reliance on key and qualified personnel; dependence on third party relationships; insurance; competition; and intellectual property. Other factors include risks associated with the marketing and sale of securities; dilution; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors; and the volatility of the Company's common share price and volume. For a more detailed discussion of risk factors, refer to the Company's prospectus dated November 9, 2017 filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR www.sedar.com and on the CSE's website. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material risk factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing risk factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression of its business objectives, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these risk factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. Design and results of clinical trials that led to FDA clearance of SeptiCyte LAB published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Clinical Care Medicine SEATTLE, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Immunexpress, Inc. today announced the publication in the American Journal of Respiratory and Clinical Care Medicine of the design and results of clinical trials validating SeptiCyte LAB in the discrimination of sepsis from non-infectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of hospitals. Distinguishing between sepsis and SIRS is clinically challenging due to strong similarities in patients' symptoms. Early recognition and treatment of sepsis will lead to better patient outcomes, as patients with sepsis need immediate medical attention, including the administration of antibiotics. Sepsis is the leading cause of death in US hospitals and the most expensive condition treated in the United States, costing an estimated $US24 billion per annum1. "Misdiagnosis of SIRS for sepsis is a problem for clinicians across the country, resulting in over prescription of antibiotics and increased costs for a hospital system," said Russell R. Miller, MD, MPH, FCCM, of Intermountain Healthcare. "The validation of SeptiCyte LAB to distinguish between sepsis and SIRS in patients suspected of sepsis is a promising step. Rapid discrimination of these two seemingly similar clinical diagnoses could decrease the abundance of improperly prescribed antibiotics, leading to cost savings and, potentially, a decrease in the development of antibiotic resistant bacterial infections." A previous validation study on SeptiCyte LAB reported the performance in 345 critical care patients from a European population (ROC AUC 0.89-0.95). 2 This publication examined an additional, broader prospective clinical study involving ~450 critical care patients, representing both U.S. and European populations. SeptiCyte LAB was able to discriminate patients with either SIRS or sepsis better than other currently available tests or clinical parameters (ROC AUC of 0.82-0.89). In this trial, SeptiCyte LAB was able to identify every patient that went on to have a positive blood culture. SeptiCyte LAB does not correlate to disease severity, but rather to the presence of infection. Further, SeptiCyte LAB was moderately synergistic with other clinical and diagnostic parameters available within the first 24 hours of ICU admission (ROC AUC 0.86-0.92). Most current sepsis diagnostic methods rely on isolating and identifying a causative pathogen. However, blood culture takes at least 24 hours to obtain a result and less than 50% of blood cultures from septic patients are positive. As a result, clinicians prescribe antibiotics promptly as soon as they suspect sepsis which is unnecessary or even counter-productive in cases that turn out to be SIRS. An alternative diagnostic approach to sepsis is to measure specific biomarkers of the host immune response to infection. Results of such tests can be obtained within a timeframe that affects clinical decision making. "SeptiCyte LAB is able to deliver a clinically meaningful result to the physician in 100% of cases within the first 24 hours of admission," said Rolland D. Carlson, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Immunexpress. "The FDA clearance of SeptiCyte LAB was an important step in our continued refinement of SeptiCyte. SeptiCyte is being translated to the Biocartis Idylla platform, a near-patient testing technology with the aim of reducing the test turnaround time to less than 75 minutes direct from blood and with hands-on-time of less than 5 minutes. Clinicians will be able to access better diagnostic information for patients suspected of sepsis within a clinically actionable timeframe." SeptiCyte LAB is the first host-response gene-expression assay cleared by the FDA as an aid for diagnosis of sepsis. SeptiCyte LAB uses a patient blood sample to measure the specific response of four genes to infection and is currently in a manual laboratory kit form with a turnaround time of ~6 hours. Test results are reported in terms of the probability of a patient having sepsis. [1] Staunton, O., Staunton, C. The Urgency of Now: Attacking the Sepsis Crisis. Critical Care Medicine 2018; 46: 809-810 [2] McHugh, L. et al. PLOS Med. 2015 Dec 8;12(12):e1001916. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001916. About Immunexpress Immunexpress is a Seattle-based molecular diagnostic company committed to improving outcomes for patients suspected of sepsis. Immunexpress' SeptiCyte technology rapidly quantifies, directly from whole blood, specific molecular markers from the patient's own immune system - the 'host response'. SeptiCyte LAB, recently cleared by the FDA, is the first of its kind in using the host immune system to differentiate systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis. Detecting the host's response to infection has the potential to differentiate infection earlier, faster and more accurately than finding the invading pathogen because it is independent of whether or not the pathogen is present in the sample. Immunexpress' pipeline includes several sample-to-answer assays for near patient testing. For more information visit http://www.immunexpress.com/. Follow Immunexpress on Twitter and LinkedIn. Media Contacts: Maggie Beller Russo Partners, LLC (646) 942-5631 Maggie.beller@russopartnersllc.com NEW YORK, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage Financial technology is currently making new era advances, providing innovative, accessible solutions for entrepreneurs and small businesses. As part of this movement, Global Payout, Inc. (OTC:GOHE) (GOHE profile) has created a flexible platform for dealing with finance across a business's infrastructure, as well as a specialist payment system for high-risk businesses. Glance Technologies, Inc. (OTC: GLNNF) has produced a mobile phone payment system that is secure, simple to use, and helps local businesses reach their customer base. MassRoots Retail (OTC: MSRT) uses technological solutions to help businesses develop links with consumers and is moving into financial technology through the development of a cryptocurrency. Support company mCig, Inc. (OTC: MCIG) has set up a cryptocurrency consulting division to help with the spread of this technology, as well as investing in state-of-the-art ATMs. Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) has provided retailers with a secure payment processing system that helps to automate financial processes such as tax collection and sales tracking. As financial technology leaps forward, small businesses are empowered by the products of these innovators. Creating Greater Access to Finance Access to finance is a vital part of any business - not only obtaining the money to fund an enterprise but also gaining access to the financial facilities needed to run a working business. The bigger finance-related companies have typically focused on providing both finance and financial services to other larger, traditional businesses. This is a logical move because the rewards are larger and the outcomes more certain. But this has meant that entrepreneurs, small-business owners and high-risk enterprises have sometimes been overlooked. That trend is changing, however, thanks to the revolutionary changes currently taking place in financial technology. Developments such as blockchain are transforming core components of the finance industry, thereby providing unprecedented access to investment capital and financial services for previously overlooked groups. As the technology matures, these advancements are empowering marginalized enterprises across the world. Offering Financial Innovation For someone setting up a small business or an entrepreneur looking to work more efficiently, traditional financial systems can seem frustrating, inaccessible and inefficient. Fortunately, fintech companies such as Global Payout, Inc. (OTC: GOHE) are offering novel solutions. Global Payout is a provider of financial technology, with a focus on payment solutions. Its aim is to make payment processing faster, smarter and more efficient. By creating better systems, Global Payout is also making efficient payment processing available to a wider range of businesses. The company's main payment system is the Global Reserve Platform (GRP). This highly customizable system is designed to be adapted to the needs of individual businesses rather than providing a one-size-fits-all approach. At the same time, the system is easy to deploy and use, an important part of making fintech accessible. A complete "banking in a box" system, GRP isn't just about payment processing. It can be used for online banking, P2P payments, loans, management, FOREX and almost any other transaction a business might need. By connecting these systems together, it improves efficiency and record keeping, making it easier to process and track financial interactions. By using a single adaptable tool, a business can avoid the inefficiencies that arise from jumping between systems and styles of working. Global Payout's success comes in large part from paying attention to the wider market around it. CEO James Hancock noted that "with the FINTECH industry currently experiencing exponential growth, the Global Payout management team has devoted much of its recent time and efforts on meticulously observing current and projected trends within the industry to identify the key market sectors (http://nnw.fm/Bi2nC)." It is this attention to the market that has allowed the company to identify and target the most profitable areas. Working with Small Businesses One of the four sectors that Global Payout's team has specifically targeted is small and medium enterprises. Having seen the gap in support for such businesses, the company is seizing the opportunity to expand in that niche and, in the process, provide superior services to underserved customers. For small companies, Global Payout is determined to ease the difficulties experienced in areas such as international payments and money transfer. These challenges can limit the expansion of a business, preventing it from achieving its potential. The solution is a single platform for financial services. Global Payout's cloud architecture provides a simple process for making and receiving international payments, while its customer interface can adopt local language modifications, making it accessible for clients around the world. To be genuinely useful for small business clients, a financial platform has to be inexpensive, fully functional and usable on an array of mobile devices. This is an important part of what Global Payout provides - solutions that entrepreneurs the world over can both use and afford. Looking to the Future In addition to traditionally underserved areas of the economy, Global Payout has recently turned its attention to a new and growing market sector - high-risk businesses. The growth of the legal cannabis market has created a whole new challenge for payment systems. Cannabis businesses often cannot access legal banking because of complications arising from the drug's legal standing. As a result, cannabis merchants have had to work on a cash basis, increasing the risks of fraud, theft and error. Their experience has highlighted the needs of the wider category of high-risk businesses that are looking for payment solutions to move them out of the cash-only economy. To serve this community, Global Payout has turned to its partner MoneyTrac. MoneyTrac is applying blockchain technology, one of the most exciting new areas in programming, to create innovative payment solutions for high-risk businesses, many of which are also small businesses. Its recently launched MTRAC payment system (http://nnw.fm/c4eoX) allows cannabis merchants to accept payments electronically without having to rely on banks. New technology allows the system to sidestep the inefficiencies and restrictions of traditional banking, while still letting businesses see the money in their accounts at the end of the day. MoneyTrac also supplies a wider network of support services to small businesses. By recognizing that businesses which need payment services may also need support in other areas as well, MoneyTrac is bolstering its customer base and ensuring a healthy future for small-scale, high-risk businesses. New Payment Solutions for a New World Such innovative solutions aren't limited to high-risk areas. Glance Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: GLNNF) has created a simple, secure mobile phone payment system. Like MoneyTrac, Glance Technologies used blockchain to create a secure, fast system that maximizes the potential of modern technology. This system offers merchants customization and data tools previously only available to large businesses, allowing smaller-scale entrepreneurs to better leverage their position and gain attention from local customers. The system offers customers a secure, simple payment system accompanied by loyalty rewards and the ability to identify the best small-scale local providers. The company's Glance Pay system, which started out in Canada, is also now available in the United States. MassRoots Retail (OTCQB: MSRT) uses technology to help businesses establish links with consumers. Its dispensary portal and social platform help cannabis merchants understand their local market and cannabis consumers identify the best products and sellers in their areas. The company is now looking to expand into financial technology with a cannabis-oriented cryptocurrency. This will provide companies with another way to make payments within the cannabis market. This new technology will also help MassRoots reward customers who provide helpful reviews on its system, increasing the value of the data to both customers and businesses. Cryptocurrency plays a central role in the cannabis market; consequently, more cannabis companies are moving to adopt this technology. mCig, Inc. (OTC: MCIG), a diversified support company for the cannabis industry, has stepped into the cryptocurrency arena in a number of ways. Late last year, it created a cryptocurrency consulting division named ICOMethod, LLC., to help blockchain companies with business strategy, development and technology integration. It has also become involved in taking cryptocurrency to the high street by investing in multicryptocurrency ATMs. Another company providing payment solutions to the cannabis industry is Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG). Its Green payment system provides a secure way for cannabis merchants to receive and process payments. The company's systems provide complete end-to-end management of a business's finances, including tax collection and sales tracking. Financial technology has seen big leaps forward in recent years, providing accessible solutions for small businesses. The needs of specialist markets are providing a drive towards further innovation, leading to a host of sophisticated systems for smaller businesses. For more information on Global Payout, Inc., please visit Global Payout,Inc.(GOHE) About NetworkNewsWire NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. 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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 Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com FN Media Group, LLC NNW@FinancialNewsMedia.com +1-(954)345-0611 OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Statistics Canada will release Canada building permits for March at 8:30 am ET Wednesday. The index had fallen 2.6 percent on month in February. Before the data, the loonie advanced against its major rivals. The loonie was worth 85.12 against the yen, 1.2881 against the greenback, 1.5296 against the euro and 0.9604 against the aussie as of 8:25 am ET. 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. Regulatory News: Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) will host a live audio webcast of its 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders at www.pmi.com/2018annualmeeting today at 9:00 a.m. ET. The webcast will be in a listen-only mode. Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman of the Board, will address shareholders and answer questions. Andre Calantzopoulos, Chief Executive Officer, will give the business presentation, including an overview of PMI's reduced-risk products business and strategy, particularly in Japan. PMI revises its 2018 full-year reported diluted EPS guidance, for currency only, to a range of $5.15 to $5.30, representing a projected increase of approximately 33% to 37% versus $3.88 in 2017. This guidance includes a favorable currency impact of approximately $0.06 per share, at prevailing exchange rates, and represents a growth rate, excluding currency, of approximately 8% to 11% compared to adjusted diluted EPS of $4.72 in 2017. This 2018 forecast excludes the impact of any future acquisitions, unanticipated asset impairment and exit cost charges, future changes in currency exchange rates, further developments related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and any unusual events. "Last year, we recorded full-year net revenue growth of 9.4%, excluding currency, driven by higher volume for heated tobacco units and IQOS devices across all IQOS launch markets, coupled with favorable pricing for our combustible tobacco portfolio," said Mr. Calantzopoulos. "In 2018, the in-market sales of heated tobacco unit consumables for IQOS are poised to more than double. In fact, IQOS is projected to grow this year in every single market where it has been commercialized including Japan." "Dividend increases will continue to be the primary use of our operating cash flow after capital expenditures. Last September, we increased our annual dividend for the tenth consecutive year since the spin in 2008, representing a total increase of approximately 133% and a compound annual growth rate of 9.8%. We remain steadfast in our commitment to generously reward our shareholders over the long term." Final voting results will be included in a Form 8-K that PMI will file with the SEC within the next few days. An archived copy of the audio webcast of PMI's Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be available until 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 7, 2018 at www.pmi.com/2018annualmeeting. Presentation slides and script will also be available at the same website address. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements The presentation, related discussion and this release contain statements that, to the extent they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and expectations, and are not guarantees of future performance. They are based on management's expectations that involve a number of business risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements in the presentation, related discussion and this release include those described under Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in PMI's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. PMI does not undertake to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in the normal course of its public disclosure obligations. Philip Morris International: Who We Are We are a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the United States of America. We're building our future on smoke-free products that are a much better consumer choice than continuing to smoke cigarettes. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, we aim to ensure that our smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. Our vision is that these products ultimately replace cigarettes to the benefit of adult smokers, society, our company and our shareholders. For more information, see www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005641/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations: New York: +1 (917) 663 2233 Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666 or Media: Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500 HARWELL, England, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- - Faraday Institution announces a new undergraduate scholarship programme for students of financially and socially disenfranchised backgrounds which will benefit those who wish to pursue science and technology degrees with an emphasis on energy storage science or engineering - Harwell EnergyTec Cluster, with the Faraday Institution at its heart, launches today uniting 30 academic, public and private organisations working to find solutions to the energy challenges laid out in the UK's Industrial Strategy and to address the world's energy problems Experts from the UK's energy industries and leading research institutions met today at the launch of the Harwell Campus EnergyTec Cluster and the opening of the Faraday Institution's headquarters. Both organisations restated their commitment to solve the energy challenges laid out in the UK's Industrial Strategy and in the ongoing search for solutions to the world's energy problems. It was agreed that to deliver powerful success in the energy sector it is essential to have an ecosystem that offers the combination of: education, training, support for start-ups and SMEs from proof of-concept stage through to commercialisation, in an environment where funding, research facilities and the right commercial accommodation are present. The EnergyTec Cluster aims to become a global hub for innovation and Harwell is perfectly placed to be the catalyst for accelerating the UK's energy capabilities with its distinguished heritage in energy research and many world firsts, including its innovation and commercialisation roles in battery research. With further growth in mind, the cluster already unites over 30 industry, academic and public organisations in an ecosystem where fundamental research is rapidly accelerated through to successful commercial outputs and into high-tech manufacturing. Core areas of focus for the cluster will include energy storage and battery technologies, carbon neutral alternatives to fossil fuels and smart technologies that will shape the future of carbon-free building design. These innovations and their derivatives will influence every aspect of life across work, leisure and recreation, improving the environment and developing sustainable alternatives for the future. Dr Barbara Ghinelli, UKRI-STFC Director of Campus Business Development and Cluster Lead commented on the launch: "The Harwell EnergyTec Cluster is part of a well-established entrepreneurial ecosystem that facilitates collaboration and risk sharing, makes it easier to attract new investments and gain economies of scale whilst also tapping into a pool of highly-skilled people." The Business Secretary Greg Clark said: "The way we live, travel and work is changing rapidly with the development and adoption of new technologies. "The UK leads the world in tackling climate change and batteries will form a cornerstone of our future low carbon economy. This landmark investment to launch the Faraday Institution and Harwell EnergyTec Cluster, through our Modern Industrial Strategy, ensures the UK will lead the world in powering the next global energy revolution." Founding Executive Chair of the Faraday Institution, Professor Peter Littlewood, commented "The next generation of energy storage innovations will come from the next generation of scientists and engineers. Investing in training and technical education will not only advance the UKs energy capabilities but it addresses current inequalities of opportunity in the workplace and by working with industry we can bring secure, well-paying jobs to the whole of the country, at all skill levels." To help meet these objectives, Littlewood announced the creation of the Michael Faraday Scholars Programme, an undergraduate scholarship for meritorious students from financially and socially disenfranchised backgrounds who wish to pursue science and technology degrees with an emphasis on energy storage science or engineering. "The scholars programme is named after Michael Faraday in tribute to his application-inspired spirit. Faraday rose from the working class, in a time when science was reserved for the elite, to become one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century. Brilliant and self-made, he devoted his life to discovery through experimentation," said Littlewood. The scholarship programme, available to students attending participating universities in the United Kingdom, will officially open in June and will cover tuition costs over 4 years. Professor Bill David, Professor at the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford and at UKRI-STFC's ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Harwell Campus, was part of John Goodenough's team who worked on the discovery of the modern lithium-ion battery in the early 1980s; he added: "There is a recognised worldwide imperative to move to green and clean energy solutions and the UK is well placed to make major contributions to this global grand challenge. The Faraday Institution and the Harwell Campus are key exemplars of initiatives that will educate, enable and inspire new generations of UK scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to invent, innovate and commercialise radically new solutions that will create UK jobs, UK companies and global solutions. Many of the new and innovative UK energy storage companies can trace their origins back to Harwell - the education of new generations of energy experts will retain and grow this critical future component of UK industry." Working with the Government to find solutions to the Industrial Strategy Challenges, this latest Harwell cluster follows the development of successful Space and Life Sciences clusters. With 246 million of government investment from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund for the Faraday Battery Challenge over four years, UK researchers and industrialists can seize the opportunities presented by the move to a low carbon economy. Editor's Notes: EnergyTec Showcase As part of today's launch event, a unique EnergyTec showcase and automotive display features next generation cars at the cutting edge of technological advancement from Williams Advanced Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover and Nissan alongside the research and commercial development taking place at Harwell by organisations belonging to the EnergyTec Cluster including Siemens, Ricardo Energy and Environment, Elementa and the UK's national laboratories Diamond Light Source and STFC's ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Harwell Science and Innovation Campus - Harwell is perfectly placed to be the catalyst for accelerating the UK's energy capabilities with its distinguished heritage in energy research and many world firsts, including its innovation and commercialisation roles in battery research, since its conception for R&D purposes as the UK's centre for civil nuclear energy research in 1946. - The Government's confidence that Harwell is central to the success of the UK economy is evident from a 267 million of investment in 2017 which will see the new Faraday Institution (78 million), Rosalind Franklin Institute (100 million) and National Satellite Testing Facility (99 million) located at Harwell. With a heritage of 75 years at the forefront of British innovation and discovery, Harwell Campus continues to drive scientific advancements to the benefit of the UK economy and to improve the human condition, centred around an open innovation community and culture. The contribution that Harwell makes to the UK is significant - leading in research and achieving commercial success in key global markets, including Life Sciences, Space, Energy, Supercomputing, AI and Big Data. With 6,000 people employed across 250 public, private, and academic organisations and an estimated GVA of over 1billion, Harwell provides job creation and economic growth that benefits the whole country. Harwell Campus is rapidly expanding via a private public partnership between Harwell Oxford Partners and U+I, plus two Government backed agencies, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (UKRI STFC) and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). Follow us on twitter @HarwellCampus, or learn more here http://www.harwellcampus.com The Faraday Institution The Faraday Institution is the UK's independent institute for electrochemical energy storage science and technology, supporting research, training, and analysis. Bringing together expertise from universities and industry, the Faraday Institution aims to make the UK the go-to place for the research, development, manufacture and production of new electrical storage technologies for both the automotive and wider relevant sectors. The first phase of the Faraday Institution is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the government's Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) Faraday Battery Challenge. Headquartered at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, the Faraday Institution is registered charity with an independent board of trustees. To learn more, visit faraday.ac.uk and follow @FaradayInst on Twitter. PALM BEACH, Florida, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MarketNewsUpdates.com News Commentary The global lithium market continues to be one of the more active industries across the board as increasing attention in lithium and cobalt explode behind rising demand and impressive mining operations and results. Venture capitalists have turned their focus towards the lithium industry of late and have been placing enormous bets the demand will continue for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. These high-tech batteries are capable of powering everything from smart phones and power tools to electric vehicles. Demand for lithium is certain to surge as vehicles become greener, new devices flourish and electricity becomes cleaner. Unabated demand and material shortages have driven up prices and sparked a global quest for mining of lithium. According to a study completed by Variant Market Research, the global lithium market is projected to reach $56 billion within six years, illustrating a CAGR of more than 10%. INN Daily reported the global lithium demand is projected to triple by 2025 as electronic vehicles become more prevalent and mainstream. Long story short, lithium is poised to remain an ultra-high-demand resource for decades to come. Active companies in the mining markets today include: QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (TSX-V:QMC) (OTC:QMCQF), Standard Lithium Ltd. (TSX-V:SLL) (OTC:STLHF), Advantage Lithium Corp. (TSX-V:AAL) (OTC:AVLIF), MGX Minerals Inc. (CSE:XMG) (OTC:MGXMF), Albemarle Corp. (NYSE:ALB). QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (TSX-V:QMC) (OTC:QMCQF) BREAKING NEWS: QMC is pleased to disseminate the historical assay results reported (Manitoba AR #94932) by the Lithium Corporation of Canada ("LCOC"). These historical assays were obtained during LCOC's 1956 channel sampling of the Irgon Dike where it is exposed underground in crosscuts on the 200-foot level. The Irgon Dike is located at the company's 100% owned Irgon Lithium Mine Project, within the prolific Cat Lake-Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field of S.E. Manitoba which also hosts the nearby TANCO rare-element pegmatite. The underground workings can be viewed in the 3-D model released by QMC on March 28, 2018, which demonstrates that, to date, exploration and underground development has been only undertaken on the upper and central portions of dike leaving significant potential to quickly increase tonnage as the Irgon Dike is open both along strike and to depth. The 2017 channel sample locations and surface exposure of the dike are also indicated on the model. As reported in the LCOC Assessment Report, during the period of 1955-1956 underground development was established on the Irgon Dike to confirm both the mineralization at depth and the currently non-NI43-101 compliant ore reserves (1.2M tons @1.51% Li2O) calculated by LCOC from the historic drilling. This drifting was accessed via the vertical 3-compartment production shaft that was sunk to a depth of 241 feet by the Lithium Corporation of Canada. Off the 200-foot level of the shaft, 1,120 feet of drifting parallel to the dike was excavated with seven crosscuts (361 feet) cutting back through the Irgon Dike. During this development, the dike was channel sampled across these seven crosscuts with Li2O assays of the crosscut channel samples performed by the Department of Mines, Ottawa. Results of this sampling program are shown in Table 1 seen by clicking the link below. The underground workings are currently inaccessible as they are flooded and the shaft was capped by a cement slab in 1956. The LCOC's geologic map of the underground workings and accompanying assay results are posted on the QMC website (https://qmcminerals.com ). See a table of Historic Results of LCOC's 1956 Underground Channel Sampling of the Irgon Dike on the 200 Foot Level Crosscuts and read more news for QMC Quantum Minerals athttp://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/qmc.html In other Lithiummining industry news and developments: Standard Lithium Ltd. (TSX-V:SLL.V) (OTCQX:STLHF) recently announced that Hasbrouck Geophysics Inc. has successfully completed a large-scale gravity geophysical survey at the Company's Cadiz Dry Lake Project, in the Mojave area of California. The Cadiz Dry Lake Property is located approximately 20 km southeast of the Company's Bristol Dry Lake Property and is currently permitted for brine extraction and processing activities. The work has defined an infilled basin with a maximum depth of just over 700 m beneath the Project area. Dr. Andy Robinson, COO and President of Standard Lithium commented: "The results from this high quality geophysical survey are very encouraging. This work has defined a closed basin with infill deposits that are known to host lithium brines, based on preliminary sampling of extraction wells operated by the permitted producer. Standard Lithium's excellent relationship with the Project's permitted operator will allow for further exploration of the deeper basin infill deposits under the existing permitted brine operations. This successful and rapid acquisition of high quality gravity survey data from our Cadiz Dry Lake Project will be used to plan additional resource assessment work at Cadiz for the remainder of 2018." Advantage Lithium Corp. (TSX-V:AAL.V) (OTCQX:AVLIF) recently announced it has engaged WorleyParsons Chile S.A. (WP) to complete a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on its flagship Cauchari Project in Jujuy, Argentina based on phase II results with an expected increase to its resource base which will be released this month. The PEA scope includes a standalone plant in the range 15 -20 Ktpa final lithium product and is scheduled for completion in July 2018. In addition, to move rapidly to an extraction resource and advance through to Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) completion, Advantage Lithium also announces it has contracted an internationally recognised drilling company with experience in deep drilling in the Puna region and has initiated its 2000m Phase III drill program. This program has been designed to define the resource limits of the Cauchari salar with drilling equipment capable of reaching depths of greater than 600m. MGX Minerals Inc. (CSE:XMG.CN) (OTCQB:MGXMF) on Tuesday announced it has acquired an additional 10,331.32 acres of Oil and Gas Leases ("Leases") located within the Company's unitized 80,380-acre Blueberry Unit ("Blueberry Unit"). The newly acquired leases are located within the proposed 3D seismic geophysical survey area, which is scheduled to commence in August and will include approximately 9,000 data points. The Blueberry unit (oil, gas and lithium) and Lisbon Valley claims (lithium) now consist of approximately 115,000 acres of oil and gas leases and 118,000 acres of largely overlying and contiguous mineral claims. Brine content within the Lisbon Valley oil field have been historically reported as high as 730 parts per million lithium (Superior Oil 88-21P). To date the Company has conducted a paleontology survey and is nearing completion of the archeological survey. Under terms of the Purchase and Sale Agreement (the "Agreement"), MGX has the option to earn a Net Revenue Interest ("NRI") on 9,158.4 gross/net acres within the Company's area of mutual interest. Among the world's major lithium producers, Albemarle Corp. (NYSE:ALB) is the largest and derives nearly 39 percent of its total revenue from lithium sales. Long a global leader in the specialty chemical business, Albemarle's lithium business segment mines lithium and converts it into different forms along the value chain, such as lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide, or value-added specialties such as butyl lithium and lithium aluminum hydride. Many believe Albemarle won't have any problem increasing lithium production for the foreseeable future. It has developed a new extraction technology that can double lithium production from its assets in Chile -- where the majority of its output originates -- with minimal changes to the overall process. DISCLAIMER: MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed MNU has been compensated forty-five hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press release issued by QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. by a non-affiliated third party. MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE. This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Contact Information: info@marketnewsupdates.com +1(561)325-8757 Protagen AG has today announced the start of a collaboration with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to utilize Protagen's SeroTag technology to investigate the immuno-profiling of prostate cancer patients treated with checkpoint inhibitors and therapeutic vaccines. Cancer immunotherapies can be very powerful and provide novel opportunities for the treatment of cancer. However, they currently work for a limited number of indications and patients. In addition, as these therapies re-activate the immune system to fight the cancer, they sometimes can cause severe immune-related Adverse Events (irAEs). Through the collaboration, Protagen and UCSF intend to provide further insight into utilizing immune system profiling to predict treatment response and monitor prostate cancer patients for irAEs, specifically, a so-called cold tumor that it is difficult to target with immuno-therapies. Dr. Peter Schulz-Knappe, Protagen's Chief Scientific Officer, commented: "Our proprietary SeroTag technology has enabled patient stratification and immuno-profiling of patients into homogenous disease subgroups for several autoimmune indications. The strong link between immuno-oncology and autoimmune disease, confirmed by the observed irAEs under immunotherapy, provides us with an opportunity to improve immuno-profiling of cancer patients. We feel honored that Dr. Fong and UCSF share this view and we are excited about our collaboration, especially in an indication like prostate cancer that has shown to be difficult to target with immuno-therapies." Dr. Lawrence Fong, the UCSF Efim Guzik Distinguished Professor in Cancer Biology and leader of the Cancer Immunotherapy Program in the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center added: "Although cancer immunotherapies can be effective in many different cancers, success in prostate cancer has been more limited. Nevertheless, we know that a small proportion of prostate cancer patients can respond to monotherapies. Immunologic profiling of these patients could enable approaches to patient selection. This collaboration could provide opportunities to accomplish this goal." Disclaimer The information stated above was prepared by Protagen AG and reflects solely the opinion of Protagen AG. Nothing in this statement shall be construed to imply any support or endorsement of Protagen AG, or any of its products, by the Regents of the University of California, its officers, agents and employees. About UC San Francisco (UCSF) UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It includes top ranked graduate schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy; a graduate division with nationally renowned programs in basic, biomedical, transitional and population sciences; and a preeminent biomedical research enterprise. It also includes UCSF Health, which comprises three top-ranked hospitals, UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, and other partner and affiliated hospitals and healthcare providers throughout the Bay Area. Please visit www.ucsf.edu/news. About Protagen Headquartered in Dortmund, Germany, Protagen is dedicated to the development of powerful precision diagnostic tools that aid successful therapeutic development and facilitate improved treatment strategies in the areas of immuno-oncology and autoimmune disease. Protagen is currently using SeroTagto uncover the power of autoantibodies as biomarkers for irAE and therapeutic response prediction in cancer, which will enable the development of safer, more effective immunotherapies. For more information, please visit www.protagen.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005054/en/ Contacts: Protagen Dr. Georg Lautscham CBO T: +49 231 9742 6300 M: +49 151 5503 5087 georg.lautscham@protagen.com or UCSF Elizabeth Fernandez Senior Public Information Representative T: 415-502-6397 Elizabeth.Fernandez@ucsf.edu Innovative enhancements to its Customer Intelligence Cloud combined with regional expansion position the company as a leader in customer experience Boxever, the company leveraging artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning to dominate the customer experience playing field as identified by Forbes today announced a major refresh of Boxever Engage. The next generation personalization engine empowers brands to create more meaningful relationships with customers by making every interaction smarter. The development comes as Boxever also announces opening a new office in Madrid as part of its regional expansion efforts. With a commitment to developing technology that keeps customers a step ahead of the competition, Boxever's Engage cuts through the complexity of the modern enterprise technology stack to quickly and simply unify data and decision making. Through this advanced technology, brands can deliver joined-up, consistent and true 1:1 customer experiences that ultimately drive better business outcomes. The enhanced solution has been built for a rapidly changing world. It is platform agnostic, ready to work with existing and future marketing technology and channels. It enables safe and effective integration of A.I. and machine learning, and is powered by a breakthrough "drag and drop" interface that gets non-IT users designing, testing and refining personalization in minutes. Engage's new features will allow airlines to: Make huge leaps forward with the effectiveness of their personalization through the quick and simple integration of A.I. Drive smarter 1:1 customer interactions based on thousands of data points, joined-up across all channels and in real time Stay future-proofed, able to integrate any new tools and channels when needed Safely test and deploy decisioning, including A.I. and machine learning, in minutes not months Bring their entire business together with a user interface built for everyone The new platform will allow airlines to take full advantage of artificial intelligence and deliver ground-breaking, 1:1 interactions such as personalized service or recovery communications that few airlines do really well today. It will also help with commercial objectives, delivering the likes of dynamic pricing and personalized bundles while boosting NPS, ancillary sales, acquisition and retention. "We're entering a new era for customer experience where consumers' expectations of brands are changing rapidly. They expect to interact on their terms, when and where they want meaning the traditional linear customer journey will soon be a thing of the past," said Dave O'Flanagan, CEO at Boxever. "We've built Engage to help brands respond to this changing world and the challenges that come with it. It helps them move beyond segments and quickly and easily experiment with 1:1 personalization, as well as integrate artificial intelligence, rules and machine learning. And it does all that with an intuitive UI that lets everyone from marketer to data scientist work at a level that suits them. This is a game-changer for any brand looking to lead on customer experience or deliver maximum value from every single interaction." Looking ahead, Boxever will be focused on furthering its growth in the Americas region. Building on success with Boxever's low cost airline partners Volaris and VivaAerobus, Boxever will remain invested in helping airlines better engage with their new and existing customers. Airlines looking to find out more about how Boxever can help them make every customer interaction smarter can find out more by contacting David Hoar at David.Hoar@boxever.com. To learn more about Boxever's technology and A.I. solutions visit: www.boxever.com. About Boxever Boxever is the Customer Intelligence Cloud that uses data to make every interaction smarter. It connects all of your customer, product and operational data, putting your customer at the center of your business and enabling true 1:1 personalization. This results in lower acquisition costs, accelerated conversion rates, improved customer engagement and higher lifetime value. Using artificial intelligence, it acts as the "brain" within your customer-tech ecosystem, taking in all data about the customer, deciding what should happen next and executing that action through the most appropriate channels in real time, as it happens. Today, leading brands from all across the globe including Emirates, Air New Zealand, eDreams ODIGEO, Cebu Pacific, VivaAerobus and Brussels Airlines rely on Boxever to help acquire, convert and retain customers. The company is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at www.boxever.com or follow us on Twitter @Boxever. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005201/en/ Contacts: PAN Communications for Boxever Emily Holt, +1 (617) 502-4300 DUBAI, UAE, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sennheiser Middle East, a leader in the world of audio, has announced a partnership with Etihad Airways to be the exclusive provider of headsets for the airline's premier cabin. Under the agreement, Sennheiser's PXC 480 will soon be available for passengers travelling in Etihad Airways' The Residence, the world's first and only private luxury three room suite on a commercial aircraft. Residence guests will be able to listen to their favourite music and movies with Sennheiser's signature sound quality whilst in an oasis of calm thanks to the proprietary NoiseGard hybrid adaptive noise cancellation. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/689061/Sennheiser_Etihad_Partnership.jpg ) "The opportunity to partner with Etihad Airways allows us to contribute to an experience that goes beyond just sound. With the PXC 480 we have crafted a premium headphone that brings our leadership in high-quality audio to address the travel needs of the most discerning set of customers. For Etihad guests seeking the ultimate way to travel, the PXC 480 will prove to be the perfect companion", says Eric Denise, Sennheiser Senior Vice President Market Development. Set over 125 square feet, The Residence offers a lounge, bathroom with a shower and a separate bedroom. The private double bedroom features a bedside table, two personal storage drawers and a full length wardrobe, and is certified for two guests - a completely unique travel experience, akin to private jet travel, but on a commercial airliner. With a VIP Travel Concierge service looking after Residence guests from reservation through to the end of their journey, to the lightweight Sennheiser PXC 480 headphones, crafted from high quality materials featuring a comfortable padded headband and rotating ear cups, Sennheiser Middle East and Etihad Airways endeavor to enhance a bespoke travel experience tailored to those who like to travel in style. Etihad Airways Vice President Marketing Partnerships, Patrick Pierce, said: "Enhancing our guest proposition is one of the key drivers of this partnership. Aligning with Sennheiser provides premium guests flying in the world's most exclusive cabin a best-in-class audio product to further improve their experience in The Residence." The PXC 480 is one of many headsets produced by Sennheiser in their drive to achieve the perfect sound. Most recently, the brand has continued to focus on expanding their offering of wireless products to meet the growing demand for accessibly and adaptability from customers. Sennheiser's PXC 550, a wireless offering from the PXC family, delivers high-quality sound and NoiseGard hybrid adaptive noise cancellation packaged into a sleek foldable design. With up to 30 hours of battery life, the PXC 550 Wireless lets you travel around the world in comfort on a single charge. The MOMENTUM Free is a compact Bluetooth headphone with immaculate style and excellent wireless hi-fi sound and with a six-hour battery life it is perfect for those that are always on the go. In addition to the PXC 550 and MOMENTUM Free, Sennheiser's HD 4.50 BTNC headset delivers everything required by a music aficionado with an active lifestyle with amazing sound quality and the latest in wireless technology. Furthermore, the Sennheiser CX 6.00BT wireless in ear headset is everything you need to enjoy high quality Hi-Fi sound on the go. Its ultra-lightweight design offers a superior fit and comfort, while clear detailed sound, advanced wireless technology and a long battery life ensures effortless enjoyment of music and videos on the move. For more information on Sennheiser products available throughout the region please see https://en-ae.sennheiser.com/ About SENNHEISER Sennheiser is shaping the future of audio - a vision built on more than 70 years of innovation culture, which is deeply rooted within the family-owned company. Founded in 1945, Sennheiser is one of the world's leading manufacturers of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission systems. With 20 sales subsidiaries and long-established trading partners, the company is active in more than 50 countries and operates its own production facilities in Germany, Ireland and the USA. Sennheiser has around 2,800 employees around the world that share a passion for audio excellence. Since 2013, Sennheiser has been managed by Daniel Sennheiser and Dr. Andreas Sennheiser, the third generation of the family to run the company. In 2016, the Sennheiser Group had sales totaling 658.4 million. http://www.sennheiser.com About ETIHAD AVIATION GROUP Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, the Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) is a diversified global aviation and travel group comprising five business divisions - Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates; Etihad Airways Engineering; Etihad Airport Services; Hala Group and Airline Equity Partners. About ETIHAD AIRWAYS From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to 103 international passenger and cargo destinations with its fleet of 115 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, was established by Royal (Emiri) Decree in July 2003. For more information, please visit: www.etihad.com . Latest release integrates live traffic conditions, allows for better management of customer expectations BURLINGTON, Massachusetts, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ClickSoftware, the leading provider of field service management software, today announced new capabilities for Field Service Edge, its cloud-based, mobile workforce management platform designed to meet the needs of the most demanding field service organizations. This latest offering enhances scheduling accuracy to better manage customer expectations and increase visibility into field service operations, increasing efficiency across the board. Key release features include: Live traffic updates to automatically improve schedules in real time based on traffic conditions to automatically improve schedules in real time based on traffic conditions Rapid creation of customer forms to capture desired customer details without the need for IT development resources to capture desired customer details without the need for IT development resources Prioritization of customer-confirmed appointments optimizes schedules to reduce customer no-shows and last-minute cancelations optimizes schedules to reduce customer no-shows and last-minute cancelations Improvement across a range of areas important to enterprises, such as audit trail enhancements and other advanced configuration capabilities ClickSoftware's scheduling optimization goes beyond the use of historical data to predict travel time. Field Service Edge now proactively updates the schedule if an unexpected event impacts the planned route to the next task, such as a traffic accident or road closure. It also prioritizes calls based on urgency, incorporating real-time traffic conditions when mobilizing a field service professional for an unexpected assignment. Similarly, Field Service Edge proactively incorporates live traffic conditions whenever schedules are updated on the day of service to further increase efficiency. With an emphasis on automated in-the-moment schedule improvements and tools to keep the end customer informed at multiple stages in the service process, this update brings significant benefits to service organizations that prioritize customer experience and service level agreement (SLA) compliance, or respond to emergency work. "Our customers provide essential services to their customers," said Mark Cattini, CEO at ClickSoftware. "We want to help them deliver the best possible experiences while maximizing productivity and effectiveness. Using live traffic data for intelligent real-time schedule optimization and getting the end customer more involved ensures they book, schedule and complete more work every day." About ClickSoftware ClickSoftware is a global leader in field service management solutions, delivering value through improved efficiency, effectiveness, and enhancing customer experiences. ClickSoftware blends unparalleled industry expertise and state-of-the-art computer science to deliver meaningful, measurable business value-optimizing critical business processes and delighting customers. Click Field Service Edge arms field service leaders with the smartest technologies and best practices from around the globe to deliver real-world results, real-time recommendations, and real operational intelligence. For more information, please visit https://www.clicksoftware.com/. Follow us on Twitter. Click. Actual intelligence. At work. Media Contact: Jill Rosenthal InkHouse for ClickSoftware clicksoftware@inkhouse.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/395427/ClickSoftware_1_Logo.jpg Forum to discuss the increasing use of human biological samples in drug discovery and development Scientist.com, the life science industry's leading online marketplace for outsourced research services, announced today that it has assembled a panel of global experts on the use of human biospecimens in drug research. Set for May 14, 2018, at 9:30am EDT, the webinar will cover a variety of topics, including the sustainability of biobanks, the regulations surrounding human biospecimens and the potential benefits of pre-competitive collaboration. "We are excited to have assembled such a distinguished panel on one of the most important topics within the life science community today-the use of human biospecimens in drug discovery," said Matt McLoughlin, Sr. Director of Compliance at Scientist.com. "Human biospecimens are increasingly being used in all aspects of pre-clinical and clinical research. This is a fantastic opportunity for different stakeholders to share perspectives that will benefit the entire research community." The panel consists of experts in biobanking, international governance, compliance assessment and sample acquisition, including Dr. Sam Jackson of the UK-based National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3R); Erik Steinfelder, Director General of the Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure-European Research Infrastructure Consortium (BBMRI-ERIC); Matt McLoughlin, Scientist.com's Senior Director of Compliance; and Dr. Sonja Grosskinsky of Lonza, a Switzerland-based life science solutions provider. Go here to register for the free webinar, "Human Biological Samples: Promoting Collaboration Within the Research Community to Advance Drug Discovery." About Scientist.com Scientist.com is the world's leading marketplace for outsourced research. The marketplace simplifies the entire research sourcing process, saving time and money and providing access to the latest innovative tools and technologies while maintaining full compliance with an organization's procurement policies. Scientist.com operates private enterprise marketplaces for most of the world's major pharmaceutical companies, VWR and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). Since its founding in 2007, Scientist.com has raised more than $33 million from Leerink Transformation Partners, 5AM Ventures, Heritage Provider Network, Bootstrap Ventures and Hollywood producer Jack Giarraputo among others. Visit scientist.com to learn more. Join Scientist.com on social media: YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Instagram. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005730/en/ Contacts: Media: Scientist.com Sean Preci Director of Communications +1 858 455-1300 ext. 401 marketing@scientist.com Quantzig, a global analytics solutions provider, has announced the completion of their latest article on the top five healthcare inventory management techniques. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005737/en/ 5 Healthcare Inventory Management Techniques to Cut down Cost. (Graphic: Business Wire) Advances in new technology in healthcare are increasing at a rapid rate. The healthcare industry rotates around thousands of daily tasks. Many patients get admitted every hour who need continuous supervision. In the struggle to deliver greater service, healthcare organizations often overlook keeping track of their inventories. Healthcare firms have inventories that contain perishable goods as well as medical instruments, which need to be kept carefully. Same is the case of various hospital equipment, which inclines to go missing if unverified. Often, hospitals lack the ability to precisely estimate the quantity of hospital equipment required at a specific time. To update inventory management techniques and automate supply and medication distribution, hospital administrators need to execute best practices such as capitalizing on a hospital supply management system and restructuring inventory management tasks. In this blog, Quantzig has listed the top five healthcare inventory management techniques. According to the healthcare inventory management experts at Quantzig, "One of the most critical aspects of any hospital inventory management system is the maximization of technological resources." Speak to an expert to know more about the scope of our research. Top healthcare inventory management techniques Collect data from the supply chain: Healthcare organizations can save billions of dollars using supply chain data. The data can be used to discover if the inventory management techniques used are as cost-effective as they could be. As per a recent survey, supply data has been siloed in the past. But, more healthcare firms are looking to build IT systems that use value-based reimbursement models. Using these value-based models, companies can more precisely link supplies needed and patient outcomes. Healthcare organizations can save billions of dollars using supply chain data. The data can be used to discover if the inventory management techniques used are as cost-effective as they could be. As per a recent survey, supply data has been siloed in the past. But, more healthcare firms are looking to build IT systems that use value-based reimbursement models. Using these value-based models, companies can more precisely link supplies needed and patient outcomes. Make responsibilities clear: Employees involved in inventory management must have a solid understanding of their role in the function. Be it ordering the supplies, cleaning the rooms, or checking the purchase orders for precision; it is important that the staff in healthcare organizations understand what their role is and how it contributes to the success of inventory management techniques. Employees involved in inventory management must have a solid understanding of their role in the function. Be it ordering the supplies, cleaning the rooms, or checking the purchase orders for precision; it is important that the staff in healthcare organizations understand what their role is and how it contributes to the success of inventory management techniques. Better organize supply room: A hospital supply area that is not well kept can pose a serious interference to healthcare inventory management. Disorganization is not a good condition for any supply room of healthcare firms leading to problems ranging from lost revenue caused due to misplaced supplies do not have the capacity to tell how much of a specific item is available. It is sensible to organize the supplies in a linear fashion, which makes the regularly used tools easy to find. In order to decrease the number of wasted materials, try placing products that will perish the soonest towards the front when organizing the supplies. A hospital supply area that is not well kept can pose a serious interference to healthcare inventory management. Disorganization is not a good condition for any supply room of healthcare firms leading to problems ranging from lost revenue caused due to misplaced supplies do not have the capacity to tell how much of a specific item is available. It is sensible to organize the supplies in a linear fashion, which makes the regularly used tools easy to find. In order to decrease the number of wasted materials, try placing products that will perish the soonest towards the front when organizing the supplies. Visit our page, to view a comprehensive list of top five healthcare inventory management techniques Quantzig is a pure-play analytics advisory firm concentrated on leveraging analytics for prudent decision making and offering solutions to clients across several industrial sectors. Request a free demo to see how Quantzig's solutions can help you. View the complete list of the top five healthcare inventory management techniques: https://www.quantzig.com/blog/5-healthcare-inventory-management About Quantzig Quantzig is a global analytics and advisory firm with offices in the US, UK, Canada, China, and India. For more than 15 years, we have assisted our clients across the globe with end-to-end data modeling capabilities to leverage analytics for prudent decision making. Today, our firm consists of 120+ clients, including 45 Fortune 500 companies. For more information on all of Quantzig's services and the solutions they have provided to Fortune 500 clients across all industries, please contact us. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005737/en/ Contacts: Quantzig Anirban Choudhury Marketing Consultant US: +1 630 538 7144 UK: +44 208 629 1455 hello@quantzig.com https://www.quantzig.com/contact-us VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Marifil Mines Limited (TSXV: MFM) ("Marifil" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the engagement of Pedro Vera as the Company's Exploration Manager in Argentina. Mr. Vera is an Argentinean citizen and a mineral exploration geologist with more than 30 years' experience working with global public mining and exploration companies. He is well known in the mining and exploration community, having worked across Argentina, often advising provincial governments on geological issues. Mr. Vera's background includes four years as an in-charge of Barrick's Patagonia exploration team, where he led evaluations of diverse projects ranging from grass roots exploration programs to advanced-stage. Mr. Vera also led Barrick's exploration team involved with evaluation of third-party gold properties in the Pascua-Lama and Veladero region of the Andes Mountains and has held positions with Iamgold, AngloGold, Gold Fields, M.I.M., Minamerica and Triton Mining. "The Company is very excited to welcome Mr. Vera and the array of managerial and technical skills he brings to all of our mineral exploration projects," said Robert Abenante, the Company's President and CEO. "Mr. Vera bringsinvaluable experience and tremendous skill to our exploration team, which will be especially relevant as we focus on building our portfolio of Lithium properties," added Mr. Abenante. Mr. Vera has previously ran lithium brine exploration programs in the Puna region of Argentina, Mr. Vera was also involved in the management of two prior drilling campaigns at the Company's San Roque property - an advanced exploration stage exploration stage project investigating a large deposit of gold-silver-lead-zinc and indium in Patagonia. Shares for Debt Further to the Company's press release dated March 28, 2018, the Company also announces receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval to issue 215,000 common shares to settle debt of $25,800. This debt has now been settled. ON BEHALF OF MARIFIL MINES LIMITED "Rob Abenante" Robert Abenante, President & CEO For further information regarding Marifil Mines Limited, please refer to the Company's filings available on SEDAR (http://www.sedar.com) or at Marifil's Website (http://www.marifilmines.com). General Disclaimer Marifil Mines Limited "Marifil" has taken all reasonable care in producing and publishing information contained in this news release, and will endeavor to do so on a periodic basis. Material in this news release may still contain technical or other inaccuracies, omissions, or typographical errors, for which Marifil assumes no responsibility. Marifil does not warrant or make any representations regardingthe use, validity, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any claims, statements or information on this site. Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall Marifil be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or other damages, including but not limited to, loss of programs, loss of data, loss of use of computer of other systems, or loss of profits, whether or not advised of the possibility of damage, arising from your use, or inability to use, the material from this news release. The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice before making any investment decisions. Furthermore, you may not modify or reproduce in any form, electronic or otherwise, any information on this site, except for personal use unless you have obtained our express writtenpermission. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements, including but not limited to comments regarding predictions and projections,. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. 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. Contact Information: Phone: 604.424.8889 Email: info@marifilmines.com Website: http://www.marifilmines.com Sterling came under renewed pressure at the start of the holiday-shortened week, on Tuesday, as the UK's foreign minister, Boris Johnson, took aim at Westminster's plans for a customs union with the European Union post-Brexit, labeling them "crazy". His remarks sent cable to an intra-day low of 1.3547 and within just a whisker of its 200-day moving average. Meanwhile, longer-term US treasury note yields were on the ascendant, as traders pushed crude oil futures higher ahead of the White House's ... 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. Concludes De Novo Pathway Best Suited Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2018) - CVR Medical Corp. (TSXV: CVM) (FSE: B3BN) (OTCQB: CRRVF) ("CVR Medical") announces the receipt of official meeting minutes for their Pre-Submission meeting on March 23, 2018 with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the Carotid Stenotic Scan (CSS) device and it's upcoming FDA submission for market release. Attendees of the meeting included CVR management, regulatory consultant's Duval & Associates, and key reviewers from the FDA. The purpose of the meeting was to receive feedback and define the necessary regulatory pathway, clinical trial substantiation requirements, and device testing. Based on prior communication with the FDA and input provided by key regulatory advisors, CVR had considered the potential for either a 510k, De Novo, or PMA submission; with the De Novo being the preferred pathway. During the meeting these topics were discussed and in follow-up communication the FDA team stated the CSS was sufficiently different from other devices on the market today to decide the De Novo pathway was best suited, which is designed for low to moderate risk novel devices. CVR - CSS Device Cannot view this image? Please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/1933/34537_a1525818115882_51.jpg CVR COO Tony Robinson states, "The pre-submission meeting went as expected. The CVR leadership team had quality dialog with the FDA reviewers, resulting in meaningful clarity and understanding of the project for both sides. We truly value the FDA's input, alleviating much of the concern stemming from questions about the direction and pathway of the project. Upon further discussion, we understand the clinical trial requirements will fall within the previously expected range. Altogether, I believe we align with the FDA on this undertaking, and CVR is poised for our upcoming submission and subsequent approval." Mark DuVal, President of Duval & Associates, who was also present at the meeting stated, "Communications with FDA regarding the CSS device to date have been very collaborative and responsive. Our firm believes that the De Novo program will provide the most efficient pathway to US commercialization of the CSS device. We also believe the FDA has accepted our argument that the CSS represents a lower risk device than standard Doppler Ultrasound. This will reduce data requirements. Now we move into a phase of offering FDA proposed 'special controls' which are tests we propose to conduct to address these risks, albeit low risks, of using this device." CVR Chief Executive Officer, Peter Bakema, expands upon the FDA's decision as it applies to the overall project, "While every member of our team and board are excited about the FDA's observation that our CSS Device has no predicate, due to the continual evolution of this project, this exciting development does require us to extend our previously stated guidance regarding our targeted submission date. With the De Novo process and associated factors comes a much higher level of documentation and testing requirements. Due to these vital elements we feel it necessary to extend our projected submission timeline another 60 to 90 days. Both myself and team have already taken the actions to mitigate this addition to the timeline. We anticipate an end of Q3 submission, and will update our timeline as we move closer." For additional information on the organization, leadership, and current news please visit the company website www.CVRMed.com About CVR Medical CVR Medical is a company that is involved in an equal parts joint venture with CVR Global Inc. (the "Joint Venture"). The Joint Venture operates in the medical industry focused on the commercialization of a proprietary subsonic, infrasonic, and low frequency sound wave analysis technology and has patents to a diagnostic device designed to detect and measure carotid arterial stenosis. CVR Medical is managed by a proven technical team. CVR Medical trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol CVM. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD: (signed) "Peter Bakema" CEO, President & Director For further information contact: Peter Bakema, CEO, President and Director Telephone: (734) 718-5115 Email: info@cvrmed.com or Marc S. Lubow. Vice President Capital Markets, Investor Relations marclubow@cvrmed.com Telephone: (403) 262-9888 Or Brisco Capital Partners Corp. Scott Brisco, President Telephone: (403) 262-9888 This press release contains forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties regarding future events related to the Joint Venture. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including: (1) a downturn in general economic conditions in North America and internationally, (2) the inherent uncertainties and speculative nature associated with commercialization of technology and the practice of medicine, (3) a change in health regulations, (4) any number of events or causes which may delay or cease commercialization and development of the Joint Venture, (5) the risk that the Company or the Joint Venture does not execute its business plan, (6) inability to retain key employees, (7) inability to finance operations and growth, and (8) other factors beyond the Company's control. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results differed from those projected in the forward-looking statements. THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE INC. HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2018 / Applied BioSciences Corp. (OTCQB: APPB), a diversified cannabinoid therapeutics company focused on the medical, bioceutical and pet health industries, today announced that the Company's wholly-owned animal health subsidiary TherPet has entered the equine health space with the launch of a new full-spectrum hemp-derived cannabidiol ("CBD") supplement formulated specifically for a horse's health and wellness. TherPet's Equine Care CBD line is a natural supplement designed to play a key role in keeping horses, healthy, looking good and performing their best. Our Equine Care CBD products support healthy skin, joints and immune system as well as to ease the discomfort of fatigued muscles, stiff joints and arthritis pain. Like humans, horses also have an endocannabinoid system comprised of cannabinoid receptors that help regulate a wide variety of bodily functions ranging from pain relief to mood. "Regularly supplementing a horse's endocannabinoid system with full-spectrum CBD enables horses to better control inflammatory responses naturally," noted JJ Southard, Vice President of Products at Applied BioSciences Corp. "Despite millions of spectators tuning in to watch twenty of the fastest thoroughbred horses compete in the Kentucky Derby this past weekend, very few of them realize or consider the race-induced inflammation and injuries that take place during such an event." David Horohov, Ph.D., William Robert Mills Chair at the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center, believes that horses as a breed are not necessarily becoming more fragile, but rather more susceptible to injury due to breeding strategies, training methods, and increased drug use. The Company hopes to reverse this trend by making Therpet's new treatment options available immediately for veterinarians, trainers, and equestrians. Therpet's Equine Care tincture is available in a 4800 mg concentration which is packaged in a 4 fl. Oz. (120ml) bottle. The tincture is a naturally formulated Apple flavor, made with lab tested, CO2 extracted, pure full-spectrum CBD oil sourced from pesticide-free, Colorado grown hemp and specially formulated to be the highest bioavailability CBD products in the marketplace. TherPet products are USDA NOP certified organic, non-GMO, vegan, paleo, gluten-free, sugar-free and THC-free. The products are formulated with organic 99%+ pure cannabidiol along with our proprietary blend of certified organic botanical, herbal and essential oils to further optimize bioavailability. About Applied BioSciences Corp. Applied BioSciences Corp. (www.appliedbiocorp.com), is a diversified company focused on multiple areas of the medical, bioceutical and pet health industry. As a leading company in the CBD and Pet health space, the company is currently shipping to the majority of US states as well as to 5 International countries. The company is focused on select investment, consumer brands, and partnership opportunities in the recreational, health and wellness, nutraceutical, and media industries. The company has several strategic partnerships and investments currently in place and is actively pursuing additional partnerships and strategic growth opportunities. Contact Email: ir@appliedbiocorp.com or info@appliedbiocorp.com To be added to the Applied BioSciences email distribution list, please email info@appliedbiocorp.com with APPB in the subject line. Official Website: www.appliedbiocorp.com Brands: www.remedishop.com www.therpet.com Follow us: Facebook @remedicbd & @therpetcbd Instagram @remedicbd & @therpet Twitter @remedishop & @therpet Safe Harbor Statement Except for historical information contained herein, statements in this release may be forward-looking and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Applied Biosciences Corp. (the "Company") or its management, identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and probably will, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including those described above and those risks discussed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include such factors as (i) the development and protection of our brands and other intellectual property, (ii) the need to raise capital to meet business requirements, (iii) significant fluctuations in marketing expenses, (iv) the ability to achieve and expand significant levels of revenues, or recognize net income, from the sale of our products and services, (v) the Company's ability to conduct the business if there are changes in laws, regulations, or government policies related to cannabis, (vi) management's ability to attract and maintain qualified personnel necessary for the development and commercialization of its planned products, and (vii) other information that may be detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE: Applied BioSciences Corp. PYONGYANG (dpa-AFX) - In a post on Twitter on Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced the release of three Americans that had been held in North Korean prison. Trump indicated that the three men will return to the U.S. on a flight with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo following his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. 'I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting,' Trump tweeted. 'They seem to be in good health.' Trump also said Pompeo had a 'good meeting' with Kim and reiterated that a date and location for his planned meeting with the dictator have been set. The president indicated he would meet Pompeo and the three men when they land at Andrews Air Force Base on Thursday morning. Last week, Trump hinted at the impending release of Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk, also known as Tony Kim. 'As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail. Stay tuned!' Trump tweeted. While the tweet sought to blame former President Barack Obama's administration for the men's imprisonment, two of the three were detained after Trump's inauguration. The release of the prisoners comes amid easing tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, with Trump due to hold an historic meeting with Kim. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. ATLANTA (dpa-AFX) - Passengers were evacuated from a Delta Air Lines flight at Denver International Airport on Tuesday night after smoke was detected in the cabin. Evacuation from Delta Flight 1854 that arrived from Detroit occurred after the MD-90 aircraft landed safely at Denver International Airport shortly after 8 p.m. local time. As the aircraft was taxiing, smoke was reported in the cabin and the aircraft was safely evacuated. Some of the passengers were seen standing on the aircraft's wing during the evacuation. A passenger said that fumes were coming through the vents. Fire fighters responded to the call about smoke inside the plane and were told that the plane was evacuated using portable stairs. Some passengers reported minor injuries, while at least one person was taken to the hospital. 'After arrival in Denver and during taxi to the gate, Delta flight 1854 from Detroit to Denver stopped on a taxiway where customers deplaned via slides and over-wing exits due to an observance of smoke in the cabin. Airport response vehicles met the aircraft out of an abundance of caution and customers were transported to the terminal via buses,' Delta said in a statement. The airline stressed that safety of its customers and crew is its top priority and apologized for the concern the situation has caused. Meanwhile, Denver International Airport tweeted that airport operations are normal. 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. LAS VEGAS and LONDON, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Engage ESM, an Atos company and ServiceNow Gold Services and Sales Partner, announced today at the ServiceNow event Knowledge18, the rebranding of imaKumo to Engage ESM, effective immediately. The rebranding will mean that with Engage ESM, Atos now has a consistent go-to-market for ServiceNow based solutions worldwide, including local operations in North America, UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, and Singapore. The decision to rebrand imaKumo to Engage ESM is part of a global strategy by Atos to underpin their digital transformation services through the ServiceNow platform. "From day one, we shared strong synergies and a common mindset, and now with the rebranding of imaKumo to Engage ESM we can better articulate those values to our customers and partners worldwide," said Mat Middleton, CEO of Engage ESM. He continued, "We are now one of the largest ServiceNow partners globally. We are a ServiceNow Gold Services and Gold Sales Partner, as well as an Authorized ServiceNow Training Partner. In fact, we now have one of the largest number of ServiceNow certified consultants in the industry." Peter Pluim, Executive Vice-President of Atos Infrastructure & Data Management Services said, "With Atos and the go-to-market brand Engage ESM, we now have a compelling narrative that puts ServiceNow at front and center of our Digital Transformation strategy. With the talent and thought leadership that Engage ESM brings to the table we will continue to innovate more strongly and give customers even more complete solutions, more choice and more flexibility." About Engage ESM Engage ESM is an Atos company and Gold Sales and Services partner for ServiceNow globally; providing design, implementation, and support services to clients worldwide. Engage ESM is a leader in the enterprise-service management (ESM) sector, which includes IT, Customer Service, Security, and HR. Engage ESM helps organisations of all sizes to improve their operational performance and extend the value of existing and new investments in ServiceNow. Atos is a leader in digital services with annual revenue of over 12 billion and 100,000 employees in 72 countries. Serving a global client base, Atos provides Consulting & Systems Integration services, Application Transformation Services, Managed Services, Cloud operations, Big Data & Cyber-security solutions, and transactional services through Worldline. Atos is also the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games. Website: http://www.engage-esm.com Contact: info@engage-esm.com Media: alex.porter@engage-esm.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden have vehemently criticized President Donald Trump's decision to pull the U.S. out of the international nuclear deal with Iran. In a move that disappointed the global community, Trump announced Tuesday that he is terminating the United States' participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, and re-imposing sanctions lifted under the deal. Trump signed an executive order Tuesday, ahead of the May 12 deadline - the end of a 120-day review period. The Iran Deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into, according to him. The JCPOA granted several exemptions to Iran in return for agreeing to limitations on its nuclear program. The agreement between Iran on the one side and the US, China, Russia, Germany, France, the UK and EU on the other was signed in 2015 under the initiative of the Obama administration. 'I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake,' Obama said in a detailed statement shortly after Trump scrapped it. Obama claimed that 'the JCPOA is working - a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense, and has significantly rolled back Iran's nuclear program.' Describing Trump's announcement as 'so misguided,' Obama said 'Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on America's closest allies.' The Nobel peace laureate warned, 'The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility, and puts us at odds with the world's major powers.' 'Without the JCPOA, the United States could eventually be left with a losing choice between a nuclear-armed Iran or another war in the Middle East,' he noted. Joe Biden, who was Obama's deputy, said that the United States' withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is a profound mistake. It will isolate the United States from nearly every major world power, and will weaken America's credibility and global leadership, according to him. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de PALO ALTO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2018 / Today the president of CarSmartt (R), (OTC PINK: CRSM) Roy Capasso is pleased to announce the closing of the acquisition of Mining Boys, Inc., a Florida corporation. On April 16, 2018, the Board of Directors unanimously approved the acquisition and it authorized the payment of three hundred million (300,000,000) shares of its Common Stock for 100% of the common stock, inventory, assets and intellectual property of Mining Boys, Inc. On April 16, 2018, the Company and Mining Boys Inc.'s owners, The Joker Group, Inc. successfully completed the closing and CarSmartt, Inc. is the 100% control owner of Mining Boys, Inc. Mr. Capasso is pleased to announce that Mining Boys' new retail store in Miami Beach had 1st Quarter gross revenues of twenty-one thousand five hundred, fifty-one dollars ($21,551) its first quarter of operations for 2018 and reported net income of two thousand, seven hundred and fifteen dollars ($2,715). The Company reports its gross income for the 2nd Quarter to date as seventy-four thousand five hundred forty-eight dollars ($74,548), and net income of twenty-eight thousand, one hundred and three dollars ($28,103) which represent over 200% increase in income from its first Quarter 2018. Mining Boys has begun the @POSoBIT marketing campaign. About CarSmartt CarSmartt (R) Inc. is a startup company and ride-sharing app located in Palo Alto CA (Silicon Valley). At CarSmartt (R) we aim to make long distance traveling safer and more affordable while connecting with people along the way. CarSmartt (R) members can choose to share a ride or ship a package with the option of applying for insurance coverage. All CarSmartt (R) drivers are subject to a background check to reassure the safety of passengers. CarSmartt (R) is currently now active in the USA, Italy, Mexico, and Colombia. However, our company will soon continue to expand to Europe, Canada, and Latin America. About Mining Boys, Inc. Mining Boys, Inc. is the first retail store of Mining servers in the United States, a Florida corporation with its retail location at 531 Jefferson Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, http://www.miningboys.com. Mining Boys' retail operations sell, own and host bitcoin mining servers. The Company has both retail and its own mining servers and receives profit from its retail sales and recurring revenue from its hosting facility in Georgia. @POSoBIT is owned by Mining Boys, Inc. Forward-Looking Statement Statements in this press release that are not historical fact may be deemed 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. Although Carsmartt (R), Inc. believes the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, Carsmartt (R), Inc. is unable to give any assurance that its expectations will be attained. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include the company's ability to meet the conditions necessary to, among other matters, obtain a public listing on a major national exchange. CONTACT Carsmartt (R) 228 Hamilton Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301 Website: http://www.carsmartt.com Phone: 650-460-7416 Email: ir@carsmartt.com SOURCE: CarSmartt, Inc. BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - US President Donald Trump has been ranked third, one step down from the previous year, among Forbes' annual ranking of the World's Most Powerful People. After four successive years on top of the list, Russian President Vladimir Putin lost it to Chinese President Xi Jinping, who for the first time has been regarded as the most influential person on the planet. The Magazine selected '75 men and women who make the world turn' from a global population of nearly 7.5 billion. This year's list highlights the consolidation of power in the hands of an elite few. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, seizes the top spot for the first time ever after China's congress amended its constitution in March, broadening his influence and eliminating term limits. 'He enjoys a cult of personality not seen since Chairman Mao,' according to Forbes. Putin has ruled Russia since May of 2000, and this year he was re-elected to a fourth term with nearly 77 percent of the vote. That's the largest margin of victory for any candidate for the office since the fall of the Soviet Union. Forbes cites a number of reasons for the US President falling to the No. 3 spot one year into his term. 'Trump has seen limited success pushing his agenda through a Congress controlled by his own party, is under investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies, and can't shake off scandals arising from his personal and business life.' The release of Forbes' list came the same day Trump embarrassed the world by announcing the decision to pull the U.S. out of the international nuclear deal with Iran. The fourth most powerful person in the world also happens to be the most powerful woman: Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany. She is one rank down from last year. Online marketing giant Amazon's head Jeff Bezos is in fifth position. Pope Francis, who is the spiritual leader of more than a billion Catholics, stands at No. 6. Microsoft founder Bill Gates is ranked next. There are 17 new names on the list this year, including Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud (No. 8), the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ranked ninth. Google CEO Larry Page rounds up top ten. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Avolon Holdings Limited ("Avolon"), the international aircraft leasing company, announces the re-pricing and extension of its senior secured US$4.75 billion Term Loan B facility (the "Facility") (the "Transaction"). The Facility has now been extended from an orginal maturity of April 2022 to January 2025 and has been repriced at LIBOR plus 2.00% with a LIBOR floor of 0.75%, subject to an Original Issue Discount (OID) of 99.75. In conjunction with this repricing Avolon repaid US$214 million of the original facility, bringing the outstanding balance to $4.75 billion. Andy Cronin, Avolon Chief Financial Officer, said: "We are very pleased to have successfully extended the maturity of our US$4.75 billion Term Loan B to January 2025, and to have repriced the facility downwards for the second time in 12 months, with a reduction of 75bps from the original margin. Our ability to extend and further reduce the cost of what is one of the largest loans in the market is reflective of the quality of our portfolio, the strength of our business and the depth of appetite for the Avolon credit in the public markets. This amendment reduces our cost of funds and materially extends the weighted average life of our debt, consistent with our prudent approach to balance sheet management." -END- Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to the closing of the Transaction, the use of proceeds therefrom, and other statements that are not historical fact. Although Avolon believes the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of these assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and the forward-looking statements based on these assumptions could be incorrect. Actual results and trends in the future may differ materially from those suggested or implied by the forward-looking statements depending on a variety of factors. Some of these factors include market conditions and closing conditions for the Transaction. Avolon undertakes no obligation to update any information contained in this press release. About Avolon Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the United States, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Avolon provides aircraft leasing and lease management services. Avolon is a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of Bohai Capital Holding Co., Ltd., a Chinese public company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SLE: 000415). Avolon is the world's third largest aircraft leasing business with a pro-forma owned, managed and committed fleet, as of 31 March, 2018 of 903 aircraft. Website: www.avolon.aero Twitter: @avolon_aero View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509005989/en/ Contacts: Avolon Holdings Limited Ross O'Connor Head of Investor Relations roconnor@avolon.aero T: +353 1 231 5818 or Sean Pattwell Head of Communications spattwell@avolon.aero T: +353 1 556 4454 or Jonathan Neilan FTI Consulting avolon@fticonsulting.com T:+353 86 231 4135 DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2018 / iBrands Corporation, Inc. (OTC PINK: IBRC) ("the Company"), a diversified holdings company, announces that it has acquired Durango Warehouse LLC., holder of 38 acres of arable land in Ignacio, Colorado. The property is located about 1 mile from the Durango-La Plata Airport. With this acquisition the company has garnered its second leasing location consisting of more than 20 acres of land zoned for cannabis cultivation, representing another leasing opportunity following the mini-storage business concept of subsidiary, Cherubim Interests Inc. (CHIT). "This is great for the company because we have proven our single tenant or "big box concept" and also compliments the multi-tenant or co-op business model of our Lowell, Oregon property," states CEO Patrick Johnson. The company will construct a cannabis grow facility that features 10,000 sq. ft. of bloom space, along with an additional 5,000 square feet of additional required space for vegetation, processing, etc. The conceptual drawings to the shovel-ready project may be found (HERE). Additionally, the company has entered into a long-term, 30-year lease with a tenant on the constructed facility on the Ignacio property at a monthly rental rate of slightly over $11,000 USD per month. "We will continue to acquire properties and deploy technology like this where there is a substantial rental revenue-generating opportunity and that brings real value to our shareholders," stated Johnson. MINI-STORAGE BUSINESS MODEL Cherubim's business model is similar to that of mini-storage companies by leasing secured square footage to individuals and corporations who need it. The company however has a hybrid format in which it will be offering both single tenant or "macro solutions" as well as the traditional multi-tenant or "micro solutions" as its platform. Multi-Tenant (Co-Op) Concept The multi-tenant concept allows for multiple tenants to rent individual, self-contained BudCube Cultivation Systems (BCS) cultivation units at a secure location staffed with management, maintenance, and security personnel. BCS will offer either facilities constructed of retrofitted shipping containers (Image Here) or Via modular building components (Image Here). Local zoning variances, climate and logistics, will determine which application the company will use. Single Tenant (Big Box) Concept The single-tenant concept allows for an entity to enter into a long-term lease agreement with an option to purchase the facility (plus land if applicable) at the end of the lease term for a sales price determined considering fair market value. This is a much larger square footage concept with construction techniques and materials determined on a case by case basis. (Image Here) Specific to Cherubim's interests, the national industrial real estate market in states where cannabis is legal is booming as pot merchants scramble to find ample warehouse space to house their legal cannabis cultivation as legal cannabis sales topped $1 billion in Colorado last year. From 2009 to 2014, 36% of new industrial tenants were marijuana businesses there and nearly four million square feet of industrial space in Denver was being used for cultivation in 2015, about 3% of the city's warehouse space. Warehouse vacancy rates in Denver fell to just 3.7 % in 2015, down from 7.5 % in 2010. About BudCube Cultivation Systems BudCube Cultivation Systems USA ("BCS") has developed a proprietary, fully portable and scalable, Controlled Environment Cultivation Technology that serves as a turnkey solution for cultivators of legal medical and recreational cannabis, as well as any other plant species. Coupled with a real estate development and property management business model, BudCube Cultivation Systems can position itself anywhere in the world where the cultivation of cannabis is legal. BCS provides cultivation solutions for commercial application. It offers cultivators quick entry into a fast-growing market at a price point that is very attractive when compared to the traditional construction and cultivation solution. BCS features a business model unparalleled in the industry and stands to benefit greatly as more and more market participants seek to gain entry into this sector. For more information, visit www.budcube.com About Cherubim Interests Inc. Cherubim Interests specializes in alternative construction projects, as well as covering the entire spectrum of real estate development: due diligence, acquisition, planning, construction, renovation, and management; providing complete beginning-to-end development programs for commercial, mixed use, and residential projects and properties. For more information, visit www.cherubiminterests.com About iBrands Corporation, Inc.: iBrands Corporation, Inc. is a holding company that acquires and operates niche market brands having unique market positions within sectors that demonstrate return on investment potential. Business partnerships throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, and Europe provide our brands many markets to expand into and produce consistently high growth rates for the next decade. www.iBrandscorporation.com Safe Harbor Statement This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E and/or 27E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are based upon assumptions that in the future may prove not to have been accurate and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including statements as to the future performance of the company and the risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in reports filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Although the company believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations or any of its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to raise necessary financing, retention of key personnel, timely delivery of inventory from the company's suppliers, timely product development, product acceptance, and the impact of competitive services and products, in addition to general economic risks and uncertainties. For more information please contact: iBrands Corporation Inc. Patrick J. Johnson Chief Executive Officer (844) 842-8872 patrick@ibrandscorporation.com SOURCE: iBrands Corporation, Inc. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Nordstrom Rack President apologized to three young black kids, after store employees at a Nordstrom Rack in Brentwood, Missouri called the police after suspecting them to shoplifters. Mekhi Lee, Dirone Taylor and Eric Rogers II were shopping for prom clothes at the store last week. They noticed that several employees were following them in the store. After leaving the store the three were approached by police officials who told them that store workers suspected them to be shoplifting. However, after an enquiry at the scene, the police concluded that no theft had occurred and let the three teens go without charges. Geevy Thomas, the president of Nordstrom Rack, flew to St. Louis to personally apologize to the teens and their families. A similar incident happened last month at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, when cops arrested two black men after a store manager called police to arrest them for 'trespassing.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2018) - Diamond Fields Resources Inc. (TSXV: DFR) (the "Company") announces, subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V"), a proposed private placement for gross proceeds of up to CDN $1,000,000 (the "Financing"). Upon receipt of acceptance from the TSX-V for the Financing, the Company will issue up to 8,000,000 common shares (the "Financing Shares") at a price of CDN $0.125 per Financing Share. In addition, the Company announces, subject to approval by the TSX-V and completion of the Financing, that it intends to enter into an agreement with a related party creditor, Spirit Resources SARL, pursuant to which the Company plans to issue up to 14,078,170 common shares (the "Settlement Shares") to settle indebtedness of up to CDN $1,759,771 (the "Debt Settlement") at a deemed issue price of CDN $0.125 per Settlement Share. Proceeds raised in connection with the Financing will be used for the Company's Beravina Project and for general working capital purposes. The Financing will be considered a related party transaction under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") as three insiders of the Company, may, directly and/or indirectly, subscribe for approximately 3,120,000 Financing Shares. The Debt Settlement will be considered a related party transaction under MI 61-101 as the Settlement Shares are to be issued to an insider of the Company. The issuance of the Financing Shares and the Settlement Shares will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements under MI 61-101 (pursuant to subsections 5.5(c) and 5.7(1)(b)) on the basis that each issuance constitutes the distribution of securities of the Company for cash consideration and neither the fair market value of the securities distributed to, nor the consideration received from, related parties will exceed CDN $2,500,000. The material change report in relation to the Financing and Debt Settlement may be filed less than 21 days before closing as the Company intends to complete as soon as is commercially feasible. DIAMOND FIELDS RESOURCES INC. SIGNED: "Sybrand van der Spuy" Sybrand van der Spuy, CEO and Director Contact: Earl Young at +1 214 566 3709 Michael Oke/Andy Mills Aura Financial LLP www.aura-financial.com +44 20 7321 0000 Website: www.diamondfields.com The Company's public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements. 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. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2018) - Prospero Silver Corp. (TSXV: PSL) (the "Company" or "Prospero") announces that it has amended its planned work program for 2018 following discussions and agreements with its strategic partner, Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. ("Fortuna" or "FVI"). Prospero and Fortuna have also agreed to amend their May 8, 2017 strategic financing agreement (the "2017 Strategic Cooperation Agreement"), including an agreement for the repricing and exercise of Fortuna's 5,357,142 share purchase warrants (the "Fortuna Warrants") to provide additional funding for the 2018 drill program. Amended Work Program. Further to Prospero's project update of April 26, 2018, the Prospero-Fortuna Technical Committee has now settled upon a 6,000 metre drill program to test three additional Prospero targets, in the following order of priority: Buenavista, Bermudez and Trias (the "2018 Drill Program"). The Technical Committee may make further changes to the program subject to on-site logistics and the timing of issuance of the required regulatory permits for Trias. The Company anticipates that final titles for its concession covering Trias will be granted shortly. Tawn Albinson, Prospero's President & CEO said: "Prospero is an explorer; our aim is to find and test new precious metals discoveries. It is very encouraging to have this renewed commitment by Fortuna for first-pass drilling and rapid assessment of as many of our projects as possible. In the context of the current market, the repricing and exercising Fortuna's warrants is a non-dilutive way for us to secure additional funding for the planned work. It removes warrant overhang and provides a premium-to-market financing. In discussions with Fortuna, and drawing on advice from our field crews, we've rejigged our program slightly to take into account the availability of water for drilling and the general conditions at the Buenavista project. We are approaching a perfect window for drilling at Buenavista and we plan to get underway before the rigours of the rainy season in the high Altiplano. The team is moving as fast as it can to get started at Buenavista and generate results for our shareholders." Amendments to 2017 Strategic Cooperation Agreement In conjunction with their revised technical approach to the 2018 Drill Program, Prospero and Fortuna have agreed to amend their 2017 Strategic Cooperation Agreement to: reprice and trigger the prompt exercise of the Fortuna Warrants to provide initial funding for the 2018 Drill Program; fix the deadline for Fortuna to exercise its project selection options; and confirm future financing plans to complete the 2018 Drill Program. Prospero will amend the Fortuna Warrants to reduce the exercise price to Cdn.$0.15 per share (the "Warrant Amendment"), on the condition that, within 3 business days of the exercise price reduction becoming effective, FVI will fully exercise the Fortuna Warrants for gross proceeds to Prospero of Cdn.$803,571. These funds will be applied toward the initial phases of work under the 2018 Drill Program. To fund the remainder of the 2018 Drill Program, by the end of September 2018, Prospero has agreed with Fortuna that it will undertake an additional private placement financing with Fortuna as the only subscriber, and at a price per Prospero share equal to then-current market price, to raise US$570,000 (approximately Cdn. $730,000 based on the current US$-Cdn$ exchange rate) (the "Follow-On Financing"). Presently, Prospero is in the process of completing a separate private placement financing of up to $1,000,000, first announced on April 16, 2018, the proceeds of which will be used by Prospero for general working capital purposes, its generative exploration programs, and exploration expenditures on its existing property portfolio in Mexico. Fortuna has waived its pro rata right to participate in this financing. In addition, Fortuna and Prospero have agreed to a November 30, 2018 deadline for Fortuna to exercise its option rights to select up to two Prospero projects for option to joint venture agreements as per terms defined in the original May 2017 agreement. The amendments to the 2017 Strategic Cooperation Agreement, including the Warrant Amendment and the Follow-On Financing are subject to Prospero receiving the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange, including any conditions that might be imposed by the Exchange. Qualified Person Tawn Albinson, M.Sc., President & CEO of the Company, is a Qualified Person, as defined in NI 43-101, and is responsible for the technical content of this news release. Mr. Albinson is a Member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists and a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) No. 11368. About Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. Fortuna is a growth-oriented, precious metals producer focused on mining opportunities in Latin America. The company's primary assets are the Caylloma silver mine in southern Peru, the San Jose silver-gold mine in Mexico and the Lindero gold project in Argentina. About Prospero Silver Corp. Prospero is a Mexico-focused project generator listed on the TSX-V under the symbol PSL. Prospero's aim is to discover world-class precious metal projects in the major mineral belts of Mexico. The Company applies a unique blend of practical exploration experience, cutting-edge mineral deposit science, and an extensive knowledge of Mexico's geology to find new gold and silver systems. Its exploration programs are run by a small but highly-focused geological team based in Mexico. For further information please contact: Ralph Rushton Exec VP Business Development Tel: 604 307 0055 William Murray Chairman Tel: 604 288 2553 Forward-Looking Statement Cautions: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to, among other things, plans to fund and complete a 6,000 metre drill program on Company projects in 2018, amendments to a 2017 Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Fortuna, including the repricing and subsequent exercise of outstanding share purchase warrants held by Fortuna, the completion of a $1.0M private placement financing first announced on April 16, 2018, and plans to undertake a subsequent financing by the end of September 2018. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include, possible, accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise the additional funds in the future to continue to complete its current or future financing plans and, in turn, to carry out its business plans, the refusal of the TSX Venture Exchange to permit the Company to amend its agreements with Fortuna as presently proposed, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's disclosure record, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. 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. THIS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2018 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation ("Macquarie" or the "Company") (NYSE: MIC) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 18-cv-03744, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Macquarie's securities between February 22, 2016, and February 21, 2018, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover 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, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased Macquarie's securities between February 22, 2016, and February 21, 2018, both dates inclusive, you have until June 25, 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] Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation owns, operates, and invests in a portfolio of infrastructure businesses. The Company's businesses consist of bulk liquid terminals, airport services, gas processing and distribution, and a portfolio of contracted power and energy investments. Macquarie's International-Matex Tank Terminals ("IMTT") business provides bulk liquid storage and handling services at 12 marine terminals in the United States and Canada, is Macquarie's most important business segment. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) IMTT's performance and utilization were at risk of significant decline due to ongoing industrywide changes in the market for heavy residual oils, and in particular, declining demand and pricing for No. 6 fuel oil; (ii) IMTT relied significantly on demand for storage of heavy residual fuel oils, including No. 6 fuel oil; (iii) Macquarie needed to undertake significant capital expenditures to repurpose IMTT storage tanks to accommodate alternative products; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Macquarie's shares traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period, and class members suffered significant losses and damages. On February 21, 2018, after the market closed, Macquarie surprised the market by announcing disappointing fourth-quarter earnings of $0.43 per share, well short of analysts' estimate of $0.51 per share, and that the Company would be slashing its dividend by 31%. Macquarie blamed its poor performance on the declining use of heavy residual oil products, declining demand and prices for No. 6 fuel oil. On this news, Macquarie's share price fell $26.21, or 41.19%, to close at $37.41 on February 22, 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. SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP BALA CYNWYD, PA / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2018 / Law office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC announces that it is investigating potential claims against the Board of Directors of Novartis AG ("Novartis" or "the Company") (NYSE: NVS News) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of federal and state law. The investigation concerns whether the Board of Novartis breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders. Click here to learn more http://www.brodskysmith.com/cases/novartis-ag-nyse-nvs/, or call:877-534-2590. There is no cost or obligation to you. If you currently own shares of Novartis stock purchased between February 1, 2017 and May 8, 2018 and wish to discuss the legal ramifications of the investigation, or have any questions, you may e-mail or call the law office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer your questions. You may contact Jason L. Brodsky, Esquire or Evan J. Smith, Esquire at Brodsky & Smith, LLC, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 510, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, by visiting http://www.brodskysmith.com/cases/novartis-ag-nyse-nvs/, or calling toll free 877-LEGAL-90. Brodsky & Smith, LLC is a litigation law firm with extensive expertise representing shareholders throughout the nation in securities and class action lawsuits. The attorneys at Brodsky & Smith have been appointed by numerous courts throughout the country to serve as lead counsel in class actions and have successfully recovered millions of dollars for our clients and shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. SOURCE: Brodsky & Smith, LLC Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2018) - ePower Metals Inc. (TSXV: EPWR) (the "Company" or "ePower") announces the appointment of Michael Kobler to the Board of Directors for ePower and has filed a NI43-101 technical report on the Panther Creek Property. In addition, ePower reports receiving assays for the Sweet Repose 2018 sampling and mapping program. Michael Kobler joins ePower Board of Directors Mr. Michael Kobler has over 35 years experience in the resource sector, specializing in identifying, acquiring, developing and producing natural resource opportunities throughout the world. This experience includes overseeing the design and construction of a number of mining and tunnelling projects. Currently CEO and Director of American Lithium, Michael has served in a variety of roles for early stage companies including, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President, Technical Advisor, Engineer and Project Manager, along with being a major shareholder in a number of these ventures. "The Management and Directors of ePower are pleased to welcome a person of Michael's calibre to the Board. Michael's expertise in identifying opportunities through detailed examination of all available information combined with his in-depth knowledge of permitting and environmental processes, will be very valuable to ePower and its shareholders as we add more battery mineral projects to our portfolio," comments President and CEO Michael Collins. Michael has focused his career in North and South America, which has included exploration and mine planning projects at El Pauji in Venezuela as well as mine planning and development projects for HW Mining at La Serena and El Teniente in Chile. In North America, Michael was involved in developing the mine at the Sacaton Shaft in Casa Grande, Arizona and helped develop the Amethyst Mine at Creede, Colorado for HW Mining. In 2005, Mr. Kobler was a Co-Founder and the original CEO of Osum Oil Sands Corp. ("Osum") where he oversaw the analysis and acquisitions of the original oil sands leases that form the core of Osum's projects at Cold Lake and the Saleski carbonates, both in Alberta. During his tenure with Osum, Michael oversaw the growth of the company from start-up to a valuation approaching $500 million; he also hired his successors to ensure the smooth transition of the company to its next phase of growth and an equity value approaching $2 billion. In addition, the Company announces that Mr. Catalin Kilofliski has resigned as a director of ePower. The Company would like to thank Mr. Kilofliski for his work on the ePower Board and wishes him the very best in his future endeavours. Panther Creek Cobalt Property NI43-101 The Company has filed a NI43-101 technical report on the Panther Creek Property, dated May 9th, 2018, and can be viewed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and the Company's website (www.epowermetals.com). Preparations are underway to conduct soil sampling on areas of the property not sampled in 2017. Once sampling results are interpreted, geological mapping of the property will be undertaken as well as prospecting and rock sampling to follow-up historic showings and soil anomalies. Permitting is proceeding for a drilling program including for land access and water use. Sweet Repose sampling program results Twenty-nine samples have been received from the Sweet Repose Adit sampling program. Sampling on the Long Dyke Adit has been delayed until the start of the summer program. Results from the Sweet Repose Adit ranged from trace to 0.114% Co and trace to 1.254% Cu. Mapping in the adit was informative in understanding the relationship between stratigraphic hosted mineralization and later remobilized mineralization. This will support exploration planning as the program continues this summer. In addition, a total of 776 soil samples from the Panther Creek 2017 sampling program were analysed for gold. These samples have returned values from trace to 0.118 g/t Au and provide additional targets for this summer's surface mapping and sampling program. President Michael Collins comments, "The Sweet Repose sampling and mapping program gives us a better understanding of structure and controls on mineralization of the Panther Creek Project. Getting this work done in the winter has given us a leg up in targeting our mapping and sampling program for early summer 2018. While the Company continues to focus on Panther Creek, we expect to add additional cobalt projects to provide further opportunity for grow value in the Company for shareholders." Panther Creek Cobalt Property The Panther Creek Cobalt Property comprises 155 unpatented lode-mining claims (~3,040 acres, ~1,230 hectares) and two patented mining claims (41.3 acres, 16.7 hectares) located in the heart of the Idaho Cobalt Belt. The property is road accessible and located 30 kilometres west of the Salmon, Idaho. ePower has earned a 50% interest in the property and has the right to earn up to a 100% interest. The Panther Creek Cobalt Property adjoins eCobalt Solutions Inc.'s Idaho Cobalt Project, an advanced stage, feasibility level, environmentally permitted, primary cobalt deposit. There are several historic mine workings on the property. Channel sampling by US Geological Survey at the Little Deer Creek Prospect returned 1.04% cobalt and 4.14% copper across 10 feet or 3.04 metres, and a dump grab sample from the historic workings at the Sweet Repose Adit assayed 0.46% cobalt and 0.27% copper (US Geol. Survey, Open File Report 98-478). The Long Dyke Prospect, which is on the patented claims, has not been sampled but reportedly has several adits and at least 500 feet (152 metres) of underground workings. The cobalt-copper mineralization is hosted in the micaceous quartzites of the Apple Creek Formation, which is a similar geological setting as eCobalt's Ram deposit as well as the historic Blackbird Cobalt Copper Mine. Aside from some limited surface rock and soil sampling on the property by Utah Mineral Resources LLC and most recently by ePower in late 2017, no reported exploration work has been done on the property since the 1950's. Utah Mineral Resources LLC sampled surface rocks with up to 0.91% cobalt and 3.63% copper in grab samples*.*The grades stated in the USGS reports and by Utah Mineral Resources LLC have not been verified by the Company, and readers are cautioned not to place undue weight on such results. The historical grades are considered relevant; however the reliability, assumptions, parameters and methods used in preparing the reports are unknown. Bruce Kienlen, P.Geo., VP Exploration, is the Qualified Person for the Panther Creek Project. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michael Collins President and CEO For further information, please contact: Nancy Curry VP Corporate Development ePower Metals Inc. 1507 - 1030 West Georgia Street, Vancouver BC, V6E 2Y3 Telephone: (604) 428-6128 Facsimile: (604) 428-6430 Website: www.epowermetals.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 news release. We seek safe harbor. Flipkart, Bansals' e-commerce bet finally has paid off big time and set the 2018 M&A counters ringing with US retailer Walmart buying about 77 percent stake in Flipkart for $16 billion. From selling books online to striking a jaw-dropping $16 billion deal with the world's largest retailer, Walmart, all within 11 years, Flipkart has given Asia's third largest economy its biggest startup success story -- one that will be quoted by starry-eyed entrepreneurs for years to come. Former employees of American e-commerce giant Amazon, Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal met in 2005 at IIT-Delhi. Flipkart was launched in October 2007. The idea was simple -- get people to shop online and deliver books to their doorsteps. Flipkart registered 20 shipments in the year of its debut. The going wasn't easy as Internet penetration was abysmally low back then, and e-commerce unheard of. Brick-and-mortar retailers were not threatened and many dismissed e-retailing as a foreign concept, saying that Indians prefer to 'touch and feel' whatever they buy. But today, the Indian e-commerce industry is already close to $30 billion in size and analysts expect it to grow to a staggering $200 billion by 2026. The growth of the sector has comfortably been in-sync with the meteoric rise of Flipkart. From modest beginnings, in a two-bedroom apartment in Koramangala, the Bengaluru-headquarted company now has multiple offices across the country. But a bulk of its operations are run out of a plush campus in the southern city; that office is spread over one-lakh sq ft and houses 6,800 employees. First employee In 2009, two years into business, Flipkart hired its first full-time employee, Ambur Iyyappa, who went on to become a millionaire, thanks to ESOPs. Headcount was rapidly scaled to 150 that year. In October 2009, Accel Partners jumped in as an investor and pumped $1 million. A few months later, US hedge fund Tiger Global bought into the Bansals' vision and pumped $10 million. In the years that followed, and a number of funding rounds later, Flipkart raised $1.4 billion from Tencent, eBay and Microsoft, and $2.5 billion from SoftBank's Vision Fund. The year 2010 was an important one for Flipkart with the company shipping among other things, electronics and mobile phones. The category now accounts for a significant portion of the online platform's sales. COD -- the game changer 2010 was also the year when Flipkart pioneered 'cash-on-delivery' (COD) in India, which changed the course of online retail in the country as consumers now paid for items only after receiving them, adding a layer of comfort to online shopping. Flipkart also rolled out its logistics unit eKart to smoothen deliveries. In 2011, Flipkart pushed out a prepaid wallet feature on its e-commerce site, which allowed shoppers to store money on the site and use it for purchases. In 2016, Flipkart achieved the milestone of 100 million registered customers. Sachin and Binny earned a spot on Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people. The company made its first acquisition with WeRead and, since then, has acquired a number of companies including Letsbuy, FX Mart, fashion e-retail player Myntra and UPI-based payments startup PhonePe. It also bought majority stakes in companies like Jeeves and ngpay. At the beginning of 2017, Kalyan Krishnamurthy was named the CEO and Binny Bansal moved to the role of Group CEO. Reports suggested that shareholder Tiger Global wanted better control of the organisation, and hence the decision. The Bansals' e-commerce bet has paid off -- it set the 2018 M&A counters ringing with US retailer Walmart buying about a 77 percent stake in Flipkart for $16 billion. What's next? Subject to regulatory approval in India, Walmart, in a statement, said it will pay about $16 billion for an initial stake of approximately 77 percent in Flipkart, formally Flipkart Private Limited. The remainder of the Indian firm will be held by some of Flipkarts existing shareholders, including Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, Tencent Holdings Limited, Tiger Global Management LLC and Microsoft Corp. Sachin Bansal will exit the company after the deal, which caps negotiations that kicked-off some two years ago. Sachin will sell his 5.5 percent stake in Flipkart to Walmart at an approximate value of $1.15 billion, according to Angel Broking. While the immediate focus for Walmart will be on serving customers and growing the business, the American firm said it supports Flipkarts ambition to transition into a publicly-listed, majority-owned subsidiary in the future. Walmart also stated that as it scales in India, that growth will support small businesses via direct procurement. Growth will also support Indian farmers, via local sourcing. Deal rationale Walmart put out three charts to explain why it is bullish on India and why it targeted Flipkart. Firstly, India is a huge market. Secondly, e-commerce in India will grow. Thirdly, as the sector-leader, Flipkart is poised to benefit from that growth. Walmart's shares After announcing the deal, Walmart hosted a conference call for analysts and investors, to explain the rationale behind its mega move. But it looks like it hasn't been entirely successful in winning over shareholders. NYSE-traded Walmart's scrip was down 3.78% at 11:36 am in New York. The stock was down some five percent in early morning trade, eroding about $10 billion worth of market cap, reported the Mint. With inputs from PTI Fortis Healthcare's four directors, whose removal has been sought by two institutional shareholders, have denied allegations that they failed to maintain corporate governance and fairly represent interests of all shareholders New Delhi: Fortis Healthcare's four directors, whose removal has been sought by two institutional shareholders, have denied allegations that they failed to maintain corporate governance and fairly represent interests of all shareholders. In a joint representation to shareholders, Brian W Tempest, Harpal Singh, Sabina Vaisoha and Tejinder S Shergill said the board had decided to consider only binding bids for Fortis, considering the immediate financing needs of the company. National Westminster Bank Plc as trustee of Jupiter India Fund and East Bridge Capital Master Fund, which together hold 12.04 percent stake in Fortis Healthcare, have demanded that the matter of removal of these directors from the company's board be taken up at the company's EGM on 22 May. In their letter to the shareholders, the directors said the board decided to consider only binding bids as "the non-binding bids involve considerable uncertainty and merely running a due diligence process does not guarantee a binding bid, which the board had wanted in the best interest of the company". They added: "Given that there are four binding offers for consideration as on date and considering the need for a certain and quick solution for the company, it was considered prudent that only binding bids should be considered." Manipal-TPG, Munjals-Burmans, IHH Healthcare and KKR-backed Radiant Life Care have given binding offers to acquire Fortis. The company's board will decide the winning bid on 10 May. They directors said that in the last 18 months, Fortis has been trying to close a possible transaction and has seen interest from both financial and strategic players. Stating that significant amount of time and effort of the management has been spent with the potential investors, they said the board "wished to end this seemingly unending process in the best interest of the company and therefore decided to evaluate only the binding bids..." The four board members further said their decision was also supported by the new additional board members, who were suggested by the two institutional shareholders. Refuting allegations of not exercising their fiduciary duties, the board members said after media reports came out, and before the formal institution of an investigation by SEBI and other regulatory bodies, the audit committee of the board, initiated an independent enquiry by Luthra & Luthra Law Offices. "Taking the ground of governance and our fiduciary duty, we directed the management to accord all assistance to the investigating agencies, and to make sure that the allegations are thoroughly examined in order to facilitate a complete impartial investigation," they said in their letter. Calling for a continuity of the members, they said, "We believe that the current Board due to its association with the company over a period of time is completely capable of taking the company out of its current issues and is also familiar with the workings of the company and the skill sets of the management." A complete change of the entire board at this time will certainly add more turbulence and ambiguity for Fortis as well as the management, they claimed while asking the shareholders to take an informed decision while voting on the requisition by the two shareholders. Stating that appointment of Lt Gen Shergill as an independent director for five years with effect from 12 February, 2018 has already been approved the shareholders via a postal ballot, the directors said, "This to us also conveys that the majority of the shareholders are supportive of the current Board and its decision." BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel signalled on Tuesday that she thought the chances were increasing of German carmakers building up battery production for electric cars in Europe. BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel signalled on Tuesday that she thought the chances were increasing of German carmakers building up battery production for electric cars in Europe. Europe has no significant production of the constituent cells of battery packs - a market currently dominated by a handful of firms including China's and Korean rivals LG Chem <0519.KS> and Samsung <005930.KS>. "I'm detecting a certain rethink among carmakers," Merkel said at an event in Berlin hosted by the National Academy of Science and Engineering, known as acatech. She said she backed a call from Henning Kagermann - the academy's outgoing president - who said Europe needed such battery production. Merkel argued that battery production would form a significant part of the value-added chain for electric cars, so if Europe lacked a home-grown battery industry, it would have a smaller share in the value-added chain of the car industry in future. She said it might still be possible to "achieve something" in Europe in this field but added that businesses would need to be willing. Merkel said she was in favour of doing more for Germany as a research location and boosting innovation there. She pointed to the government's intention to raise the proportion of research and development spending in Germany to 3.5 percent of economic output by 2025, adding that the automobile industry played an important role in that. Last month, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said the German government was ready to offer support to the makers of batteries for electric vehicles, adding that one possibility might be to exempt them from some energy levies. Volkswagen-owned truckmaker Scania said in January it would invest 10 million euros in a 4 billion euro ($4.75 billion) project to build Europe's biggest battery cell plant in northern Sweden. (Reporting by Gernot Heller; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Adrian Croft) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Chris Prentice NEW YORK (Reuters) - A giant sugar crop from India this year will more than compensate for the lowest output in a decade from central Brazil, millers and traders said this week, putting the market on course for two years of record global oversupply. The worldwide sugar glut has made sugar the worst performing commodity of the year. By Chris Prentice NEW YORK (Reuters) - A giant sugar crop from India this year will more than compensate for the lowest output in a decade from central Brazil, millers and traders said this week, putting the market on course for two years of record global oversupply. The worldwide sugar glut has made sugar the worst performing commodity of the year. Raw sugar futures are down nearly 25 percent to date in 2018, and have fallen below production costs for many of the world's millers and processors. Prices are near their lowest levels since 2015. India has outperformed market expectations in the 2017-2018 crop year, and next year may see the world's second-largest producer grow a record sugar crop, according to forecasts made at one of the biggest global gatherings of the sugar trade this week in New York. India has stunned the market and produced 50 percent more sugar than expected already in 2017-2018, with output expected to come in around 31.5 million to 32 million tonnes. As recently as January, many analysts and traders saw India's output closer to 26 million tonnes. Next year, output could rise to 32 million to 32.5 million tonnes, according to projections from analysts S&P Global Platts and Green Pool Commodities and trader estimates along the sidelines of the conference. The sudden swing in India's production came on a favourable monsoon season last year during the growing season, improvements in yields in key producing states and a policy that guarantees good prices to farmers. "The government established too high a price for cane," said Sergey Gudoshnikov, senior economist for the International Sugar Organization. In Brazil, producers have swapped to using sugar for ethanol, and low prices have given them little incentive to invest in improving old, dry and pest-ridden cane there. Brazil's center-south cane region is now expected to produce less than 31 million tonnes of sugar in the harvest begun in April, the lowest sugar output for the region in nearly a decade, as producers seek better returns from ethanol. But that has not been enough to reduce a global glut as subsidies in many producing countries mean farmers do not feel the pain of low prices, said Plinio Nastari, president of Brazilian consultancy Datagro. Excess global output in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 crop years that run through October 2019 will reach a record, he said. Traders and brokers, including S&P Global Platts and JSG Commodities brokerage in Connecticut, forecast new lows for sugar prices on the horizon, below 10 cents per lb. Not all shared the view. Global commodities trader Louis Dreyfus Company [AKIRAU.UL] said Indian output will fall next season, helping to cut the global surplus to less than 2 million tonnes. Expectations for the 2018/19 year beginning Oct. 1 otherwise represent a surplus of about 7 million to 13 million tonnes. "We do not share the perspective that next year is a super surplus," Louis Dreyfus' head of global sugar trading, Enrico Biancheri, said on Wednesday. Still, even a fall in Indian output may not signal a recovery for sugar due to record stock levels and plentiful supply of refined white sugar, he added. (Reporting by Chris Prentice; editing by Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Jessica Resnick-Ault, Jane Chung and Osamu Tsukimori NEW YORK/SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - Iran's exports of oil to China, Europe and other countries will decline later this year and into 2019 if the United States can enforce President Donald Trump's decision to reimpose the 'highest level' of economic sanctions targeting oil trade with Iran. By Jessica Resnick-Ault, Jane Chung and Osamu Tsukimori NEW YORK/SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - Iran's exports of oil to China, Europe and other countries will decline later this year and into 2019 if the United States can enforce President Donald Trump's decision to reimpose the "highest level" of economic sanctions targeting oil trade with Iran. Refining company sources said Asia's petroleum refiners have shifted purchases to other exporters in preparation for the renewal of U.S. sanctions against OPEC member Iran, which currently exports about 2.5 million barrels of oil a day, with China, India and other Asian nations the primary customers. (For a graphic on Iranian crude exports, click https://reut.rs/2wnuvJD) Trump on Tuesday announced the withdrawal from the Iran deal, which was struck between major world powers and the Middle Eastern nation in 2015, and the renewal of sanctions to the "highest level" on Tehran. "We're expecting it to dissuade some buyers from purchasing Iranian crude," said Bob McNally, president of consultancy Rapidan Energy Group in Washington. The deal had limited Iran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for removing joint U.S.-Europe sanctions against the Middle Eastern country. Iran now produces about 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd), accounting for about 4 percent of world supply. Any decline in shipments would not be immediate, as sanctions would not come into effect for 180 days. (For a graphic on Iran's crude oil trade, click https://reut.rs/2I3QV42) U.S. allies in Europe on Tuesday said they were looking to find ways to preserve what was left of the agreement. European and Asian importers may, however, soon find themselves faced with the choice of doing business with the United States or Iran. "We think everyone is going to scramble to call the White House and get an exemption," McNally said. The trajectory of sales could match what happened after tough Western sanctions were put in place in early 2012. Then, Iran's foreign sales fell to just over 1 million bpd, with the majority coming from four buyers - China, India, Japan and South Korea. Currently, the biggest buyer of Iran's crude is China, whose imports peaked at about 900,000 bpd in mid-2016 but have dropped to around 600,000 bpd in 2018, according to Thomson Reuters ship tracking data. Chinese refiners said Iran currently had a relatively small share in its supplies, and alternatives would be easy to find in Russia, Saudi Arabia, West Africa and the United States. International oil prices hit their highest since late 2014 this week on worries that revived sanctions would tighten global supplies. Moody's Analytics said sanctions would reduce Iranian production by about 400,000 bpd. The United States may struggle to enforce sanctions against Iran to the same level as earlier in the decade. Then, the European Union's support for the United States' measures made it difficult for refiners to transport and purchase crude. This time, European countries do not support U.S. policy. The governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom all said on Tuesday they wanted to stick to the deal and urged the U.S. not to obstruct that. "What made the multi-lateral sanctions enforced during the Obama era so effective was precisely the fact that they were multi-lateral, whereas President Trumps sanctions are not," wrote Chris Lafakis, Moody's chief economist. ASIAN REFINERS MAKE ALTERNATE PLANS Some refiners in Japan and South Korea said they had already taken measures to prepare for potential new curbs on Iranian supplies by shifting to alternatives. A source with a Korean petrochemical company said that the main problem for Korean importers was finding equivalent oil specifications for Iran's supplies. Refiners are designed to use specific qualities of crude, and Korean facilities are geared for Iranian condensate, a super-light form of crude. While there are alternatives, including from the United States or Qatar, specifications and prices vary. "We can source from Qatar, depending on price," the source said. "In the case of U.S. light crude, it's not that economical to use at the moment and doesn't fit well with Korean facilities." During the last round of sanctions, India enjoyed waivers that allowed it to continue to import limited amounts of Iranian oil under certain fiscal restraints, including paying Iran in India's rupee instead of the U.S. dollar. (For a graphic on Iranian crude oil shipments to India, click https://reut.rs/2rw723r) "The impact (of potential new sanctions) in India will be there, but not so high," said R Ramachandran, head of refineries at Bharat Petroleum Corp , a major state-owned oil firm. Iran is the third-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The top producer in the group, Saudi Arabia, would work with other OPEC and non-OPEC producers to lessen the impact of any shortage in oil supplies, a Saudi energy official said on Wednesday. Inventories in major developed nations have fallen sharply in the last year-and-a-half to 2.85 billion barrels, slightly above their five-year average, after OPEC and non-OPEC producers such as Russia cut supply at the beginning of 2017 to end a global glut. Now, some market participants say the market could tighten dramatically after years of oversupply. "I think were going to $80 next year for (U.S. oil)," said Eric Nuttall, partner and senior portfolio manager at Ninepoint Partners in Toronto. "We see inventories reaching a 10-year low by the end of this year. (Reporting by Jessica Resnick Ault and Stephanie Kelly in NEW YORK, Osamu Tsukimori in TOKYO, Jane Chung in SEOUL, Henning Gloystein and Florence Tan in SINGAPORE, and Nidhi Verma and Promit Mukherjee in NEW DELHI; Writing by David Gaffen; Editing by Simon Webb and Cynthia Osterman) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Ben Hirschler, Paul Sandle and Sam Nussey LONDON/TOKYO (Reuters) - Takeda Pharmaceutical agreed to buy London-listed Shire for 45.3 billion pounds ($62 billion) on Tuesday, the biggest yet in a wave of deals sweeping the drugs industry. Assuming it wins the backing of shareholders, the deal will be the largest overseas purchase by a Japanese company and propel Takeda, led by Frenchman Christophe Weber, into the top 10 rankings of global drugmakers By Ben Hirschler, Paul Sandle and Sam Nussey LONDON/TOKYO (Reuters) - Takeda Pharmaceutical agreed to buy London-listed Shire for 45.3 billion pounds ($62 billion) on Tuesday, the biggest yet in a wave of deals sweeping the drugs industry. Assuming it wins the backing of shareholders, the deal will be the largest overseas purchase by a Japanese company and propel Takeda, led by Frenchman Christophe Weber, into the top 10 rankings of global drugmakers. The tie-up crowns a hectic few months of M&A activity as big drugmakers, including Novartis and Sanofi, have brought in promising medicines developed by younger firms. The enlarged group will be a Japanese national champion in pharmaceuticals and a leader in gastroenterology, neuroscience, oncology, rare diseases and blood-derived therapies, used for serious conditions such as haemophilia. Shire has profitable businesses selling drugs for hyperactivity and rare disorders but the size of the deal will make Takeda one of the most indebted drugmakers, prompting Standard & Poor's to warn of a potential credit downgrade. To pay off debts quickly, Takeda plans to slash thousands of jobs and cut back on duplicated drug research. The deal, struck on the last day Takeda had to make a firm bid, is around 46 percent cash and 54 percent stock, leaving Shire shareholders owning around half of the combination. Shire had rejected four previous offers, due to price concerns and the fact that the Japanese company is proposing to pay for much of the acquisition in stock. Shire investors will receive $30.33 in cash and either 0.839 new Takeda shares or 1.678 Takeda American depositary shares for each share, valuing the offer at 48.17 pounds a share based on the latest price and exchange rate. That is a 60 percent premium to the price before Takeda first declared its interest six weeks ago. Shire's shares were trading 4 percent up on the previous close at just over 40 pounds by 1230 GMT, still well below the agreed price and indicating that some uncertainty remains. "I think it is a good deal for Shire shareholders but not everybody may think that. However, the risk is that if shareholders vote this down then the shares are going to go down a lot," said Polar Capital fund manager Dan Mahony, who owns both Shire and Takeda stock. The deal must get the support of 75 percent of Shire's voting shareholders. While some of them do not want to hold Takeda paper, Weber told reporters he believed most would accept. "Their board and our board is confident that both shareholders will see the benefit of the acquisition," he said. Jefferies analysts said they expected the shares to trade at a relatively wide discount to the offer, given the large stock component and the fact the deal is not expected to close until the first half of 2019. The transaction also needs two-thirds approval from Takeda shareholders. GOING GLOBAL Weber became Takeda's first non-Japanese CEO in 2015 and has been hunting for acquisitions to make the company more global and reduce its exposure to a mature Japanese pharmaceutical market. Prior to his arrival, Takeda bought Nycomed for $14 billion in 2011 in its previous biggest deal. Last year Weber bought U.S. cancer specialist Ariad Pharmaceuticals for $5 billion. Buying Shire is a big financial stretch for Takeda but Weber believes it will generate substantial cash flow, enabling the enlarged group to pay down its borrowings quickly. Takeda said $30.1 billion in bridge loan financing would be replaced with a combination of long-term debt, hybrid capital and available cash ahead of completion, without providing a breakdown. The Japanese company predicts annual cost synergies of at least $1.4 billion three years after completion, including $600 million in research and development costs, and the deal is expected to boost underlying earnings significantly from the first full year after closing. Jobs will go, with the group's combined 52,000 workforce likely to be reduced by 6-7 percent. The companies have a number of commercial, research and manufacturing overlaps, particularly in the United States. Takeda said it would maintain its global headquarters in Japan and evaluate consolidating Shire's operations into Takeda's in the Boston area, Switzerland and Singapore. Up to three Shire directors will join the board when the deal is completed and Takeda will retain the services of key staff, including Shire CEO Flemming Ornskov, who will get 200 percent of his 2018 annual salary and target bonus. Weber argued Takeda would be able to maintain its investment grade credit rating with a target of achieving a net debt to EBITDA ratio of 2.0 times or less in the medium term. "The commitment to get down to two times EBITDA in three to five years really shows how cash-generative Shire is," said Polar Capital's Mahony. Some analysts have suggested Takeda could sell off certain Shire businesses to make the deal more manageable but Weber said gastroenterology, neuroscience, oncology, rare diseases and blood products were all important areas to be retained. There may, however, be opportunities to divest certain medicines falling outside these fields. "There is 25 percent (of the portfolio) which is more isolated products. Some are doing very well, some less well. That's where you could have some portfolio assessment and potentially some disposals," Weber said. Shire said last month it would be willing to recommend an offer from Takeda after it rejected four previous approaches. The company traces its roots back to 1986, when it began as a seller of calcium supplements to treat osteoporosis, operating from an office above a shop in Hampshire, southern England. Since then, it has grown rapidly through acquisitions to generate revenues of about $15.2 billion last year. But it has been under pressure in the past 12 months due to greater competition from generic drugs and debt from its widely criticised $32 billion acquisition of Baxalta in 2016. Takeda was advised by Evercore, J.P. Morgan and Nomura, while Shire worked with Citi, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. ($1 = 0.7366 pounds) (Editing by Keith Weir and Alexander Smith) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Jaiprakash Associates has deposited Rs 100 crore in Supreme Court's Registry as per the court's directions in a case related to delay in delivery of flats New Delhi: Crisis-hit Jaiprakash Associates has deposited Rs 100 crore in the Supreme Court's Registry as per the court's directions in a case related to delay in delivery of flats by its subsidiary, according to sources. The apex court had on 16 April directed Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) to deposit Rs 100 crore with its Registry by 10 May. The flagship company of the Jaypee group has now deposited a total of Rs 750 crore with the Registry of the Supreme Court, they added. Home buyers of debt-ridden Jaypee Infratech, the real estate arm of JAL, had moved the apex court seeking relief in view of significant delays in completion of housing projects. The plea had further stated that home buyers were left in the lurch after the NCLT, on 10 August last year, admitted IDBI Bank's plea to initiate insolvency proceedings against the debt-ridden Jaypee Infratech for defaulting on a Rs 526-crore loan. In 2007, Jaypee Infratech started the development of 32,000 flats and plots in its township Wish Town at Noida. It has so far delivered 9,500 apartments and applied for occupancy certificate for giving possession of another 4,500 flats. The company plans to deliver the remaining 18,000 flats by 2021. It needs Rs 6,500 crore to construct these flats, while Rs 4,000 crore is receivables from customers, leaving a shortfall of Rs 2,500 crore. While admitting the plea of IDBI bank plea, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had appointed Anuj Jain as Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) to mange the company's business. Later, the IRP invited bids from investors interested in acquiring Jaypee Infratech and completing the stuck real estate projects in Noida and Greater Noida. Consequently, Lakshadweep -- a joint venture between Sudhir Valia-led Suraksha Asset Reconstruction Company and Mumbai-based Dosti Realty -- has emerged as a front runner to acquire Jaypee Infratech with Rs 7,350 crore bid. Earlier this week, Jaypee group promoter Manoj Gaur made an offer of over Rs 10,000 crore to the lenders of Jaypee Infratech. Jaypee Infratech, which is into road construction and real estate business, has constructed the Yamuna Expressway, connecting Delhi and Agra. RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch on Wednesday alleged that US retail giant Walmart was 'circumventing' rules for a 'back-door entry' into India New Delhi: RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch on Wednesday alleged that US retail giant Walmart was "circumventing" rules for a "back-door entry" into India with its $16 billion majority stake acquisition of Flipkart and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to safeguard "national interest". The SJM's letter to the prime minister, asking him to ensure that interest of those at the bottom of the pyramid in retail and agriculture space are safeguarded, came on a day Walmart Inc acquired 77 percent stake in Flipkart. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch, which is the economic wing of the Sangh, claimed that Walmart is using e-commerce route to circumvent existing rules which bar foreign companies in multi-brand retail and dubbed its acquisition of Flipkart a "back-door entry" into the Indian market. "This will further eliminate the small and medium businesses, small shops, and opportunity to create more jobs. Most of these small entrepreneurs are already battling for their existence; entry of Walmart will further create problems for them," the SJM's co-convenor said in his letter. He also alleged that there was a series of violations of law in allowing the deal to happen. "It will be very dangerous if we allow them to raise funds, transfer assets, that too to a company like Walmart," Mahajan wrote to Modi. He also dispatched a copy of the letter to Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu. Sources said that Prabhu has assured the SJM that his ministry would look into the matter. Mahajan said the stand taken by the SJM, the RSS and the BJP has been that foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail will kill entrepreneurship and is anti-farmers. "Walmart is using the e-commerce route to circumvent the rules to attack Indian market. It is to be noted that nowhere in the world, Walmart has a marketplace model," he said in his letter. The experience of other countries is that their domestic companies were sold out to bigger MNCs, and all over the world giants like Walmart and Cosco have taken over, the SJM co-convener said. "This deal is unfortunate, but not surprising. Now the danger is knocking at our doors. These developments forced us to write this letter and appraise you about various disruptions it will do to the market and violations of the law of the land, along with being unethical and against the national interests," Mahajan said. Seeking the prime minister's intervention, he said Walmart is among the world's largest importers of Chinese goods and this will kill small and medium enterprises. It will further kill the 'Make in India' dream too, he said, referring to Modi's ambitious manufacturing policy. "We all know that they have interests in the multi-brand retail of food and a combination of both will kill the interests of farmers," he said. Mahajan also alleged that Flipkart's operations are "not beyond suspicion" and that its group companies have not filed their statement of accounts for the year 2016-2017, 2015-2016 and have only made partial disclosures. By Rania El Gamal DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia indicated on Wednesday that it could raise its oil output to offset any potential supply shortage as a result of new sanctions on Tehran, after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal By Rania El Gamal DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia indicated on Wednesday that it could raise its oil output to offset any potential supply shortage as a result of new sanctions on Tehran, after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. Oil prices had been supported by expectations that Trump would pull out of the deal, which could hit Iranian crude exports and feed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, home to one-third of the world's daily oil supply. Trump said on Tuesday that the United States was reimposing the "highest level of economic sanctions" on Iran, but he did not provide details. The original 2015 agreement had lifted sanctions in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear programme. Saudi Arabia "will work with major producers and consumers within and outside OPEC to limit the impact of any supply shortages," a Saudi energy ministry official said on Wednesday, according to state news agency SPA. "Following the U.S. decision to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran, Saudi Arabia is committed to supporting the stability of oil markets for the benefit of producers and consumers and the sustainability of the global economic growth," the official said. U.S. crude settled down $1.67 at $69.06 per barrel and Brent settled down $1.32 at $74.85. [O/R] It was the busiest day in U.S. front-month contracts since August, and for Brent the busiest in almost a month. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is in the midst of an oil supply-cutting deal with non-OPEC producers such as Russia that has helped erase a global glut and boosted oil prices above $75, the highest since 2014. OPEC meets next in June, where it is widely expected to continue with the supply cuts until the end of 2018. But a drop in Iranian exports due to a return of U.S. sanctions, plus involuntary supply losses in other OPEC members such as Venezuela, would mean the supply cut would be significantly larger than intended. That raised worries of a quick rise in oil prices. Iran produces about 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd) and the country is OPEC's third-biggest producer, behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Its production accounts for about 4 percent of the world's oil supplies. Since the Iran nuclear deal went into effect, its exports have risen to about 2.5 million bpd, from less than 1 million bpd. A majority goes to Asia, with Europe receiving about 600,000 bpd. Last month, Trump accused OPEC in a tweet of "artificially" boosting oil prices. (Reporting by Rania El Gamal; editing by Hugh Lawson and Rosalba O'Brien) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son said Wednesday it has reached an agreement to sell its stake in Indian e-commerce company Flipkart to Walmart Tokyo: The head of Japanese technology company SoftBank Group Corp. said Wednesday it has reached an agreement to sell its stake in Indian e-commerce company Flipkart to Walmart. Softbank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son did not give details in confirming the deal, which has been widely anticipated. He mentioned the agreement while discussing the company's quarterly results. Son did say he was doubling his initial investment with the sale. An official announcement is coming soon, he said. In a separate deal, already announced but awaiting US regulatory approval, SoftBank plans to give up some of its stake in US wireless company Sprint, under a $26.5 billion merger deal that will combine it with T-Mobile. Tokyo-based SoftBank reported Wednesday January-March its profit totaled 24 billion yen ($219 million), down from 580.5 billion yen the previous year. Quarterly sales totalled 2.35 trillion yen ($21 billion), up 1 percent from 2.32 trillion yen. SoftBank's sprawling empire encompasses telecommunications, financial-technology, solar energy, ride-booking services and the Pepper companion robot. Results have improved dramatically at previously money-losing Sprint. Sprint recently reported its best-operating income in its company history spanning more than a century. SoftBank, the first telecoms carrier to offer the iPhone in Japan, will continue to own 27 percent of the company formed by the merger of Sprint and T-Mobile. It will keep some managerial influence, although it will no longer control it. Son said the merged entity will become a winner in the US amid an ongoing move to the next wireless technology of 5G. Son said much of SoftBank's recent profits are coming from the investments of its Vision Fund, set up in 2016. He stressed his fund was banking on what was sure to be a winner in the future, and not like the old-style "zaibatsu" companies of Japan Inc. The SoftBank Vision Fund was set up to invest in innovative companies with money from Saudi Arabia, as well as other investors like Apple. One such company is Britain's ARM Holdings, an innovator in the "internet of things." That investment, he said, was exemplary of SoftBank's vision, given how widespread ARM's chips are in mobile devices found everywhere. "People in advanced companies are likely buying five ARM chips in their products a year," Son said. Also as part of the Vision Fund moves, Son announced earlier this year a $200 billion solar power project in Saudi Arabia, which he described as "the world's biggest solar power generation." That also illustrates a vision, he said, noting that most of the dozens of nuclear reactors in Japan are still offline after the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, northeastern Japan, because of beefed-up safety standards and lingering public fears. Son said the swings in SoftBank's overall annual profit came from a one-time perk related to Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce company, which had inflated earnings the previous year, and a one-time derivative accounting-related loss this year. In its operations, outside such one-time blips, Alibaba was booming, he said. Vijay Mallya thought he would be comfortably ensconced in his London outskirt home thumbing his nose at the clutch of Indian banks nursing unrecovered loans of close to Rs 10,000 crore together with interest. There is a world order for bringing back home criminals including white-collared to face trial. While deportation is a summary remedy which is difficult to obtain unless the fugitives travel documents can be challenged, extradition is the only remedy where the crook has valid residential permits like Vijay Mallya has in the UK. Mallya thought he would be comfortably ensconced in his London outskirt home thumbing his nose at the clutch of Indian banks nursing unrecovered loans of close to Rs 10,000 crore together with interest. Crooks also stash away a substantial part of their Indian loot to salubrious bank and tax havens such as Switzerland, Cayman Islands, British Channel Islands, and Panama, etc either through subterranean hawala channels or through clever over-invoicing of imports for their companies and also through brazen fictitious payments to their international partners and abettors in crime. Nemesis is at last catching up with Mallya. On 8 May 2018, a London court decisively ruled in favor of the harried Indian banks. Mallya had sought to challenge the registration of the Bangalore Debt Recovery Tribunals judgment in January 2017 that among other things imposed a worldwide freezing order that prevented him from removing or diminishing his assets in England and Wales. Mallya reportedly has assets worth $1.5 billion in the UK. It is worth recalling in this context that Mallya had gotten $75 million from Diageo as parting amount out of which, he blithely explained away to an Indian court in 2016, $40 million were transferred to his three children. Obviously the Indian Banks know that it was a fraudulent preference. The international community has been at its wits end fighting the shenanigans of crooks and their friendly banks in tax havens. The US cracked the whip on Switzerland and got details of some 5,000 US citizens holding illicit accounts, but the Indian government has been waging a frustrating battle with the same Swiss government which has been hemming and hawing and wriggling out of its commitment to disclose the details of Indian crooks hiding their illicit funds in its banks. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the formidable world economic order fortunately has taken note of crooks and MNCs thumbing their noses at member governments through systematic tax avoidance on the back of base shifting and profit erosion techniques and other trickeries, with pliable governments winking at their shenanigans. It is this OECD resolve to fight international financial disorder that has made countries like Switzerland blush and contrite. The UK court has obviously taken a cue and read the riot act to Mallya. Mallya and his ilk now have to face the imminent prospect of encore in other OECD countries. If all the countries refuse to give quarter to crooks, they would have nowhere to run for cover. Banking secrecy is fine, but if it has the effect of shielding international crooks from the long arm of their respective governments, the lid of secrecy should be blown open. The UK court ruling in favor of Indian banks upholding international freeze order on Mallyas assets should make the other fugitives like Nirav Modi of PNB infamy and Lalit Modi of IPL infamy squirm uncomfortably in their hideouts. Lalit Modi should be feeling the heat more because he is closer to the ground zero. Their dovecots have been sufficiently fluttered. The Narendra Modi government should now go for their jugular. Nirav Modi has been spotted in New York when Hong Kong ceased to be a safe hideout what with the Chinese government throwing dark hints that it is ready and willing to throw him out and hand him over to Indian authorities. Unfortunately for him he has probably only jumped from the fire to frying pan given the fact that like the Chinese, POTUS Trump is also no great respecter of international norms and laws----if requested he could also handover Modi to Indian authorities. (The writerr is a senior columnist and tweets @smurlidharan) The Walmart deal is likely to value Flipkart at roughly $18 billion to $20 billion. Walmart is likely to announce its much-anticipated deal to buy a controlling stake in Indian e-commerce company Flipkart on Wednesday, in what is likely to be the US retail giants biggest acquisition. Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart and its partner in the deal, Google parent Alphabet Inc, are looking to buy up to three quarters of Flipkart. Walmart will look to own a roughly 60 percent stake, while Alphabet will get about 15 percent ownership of the online marketplace, sources added. The deal is likely to value Flipkart at roughly $18 billion to $20 billion. The media reported last week that Amazon.com Inc, which has been pouring billions of dollars into India to ship goods to shoppers faster, had made a formal offer to buy 60 percent of Flipkart but that Flipkarts founders preferred Walmart. Walmart is expected to get three board seats at Flipkart and will also have a say in the appointments of the group's finance, legal and compliance heads, one of the sources said. Krishnamurthy and Binny Bansal will remain in their current roles after the deal, the two sources said. Flipkart will hold a town hall for employees on Friday, with Walmart CEO Doug McMillon likely to attend, one of the sources said. Other top Walmart executives will also be in India for the announcement, the other source added. Below are key facts about Flipkart: 1) The company was founded in 2007 in Bengaluru by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal. The Bansals, who are not related, met in 2005 at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. They are both former employees of Amazon. 2) Flipkart at first sold books, later expanding to sell music, movies, games, electronics and mobiles, the category that has driven growth. The first book it sold was John Woods Leaving Microsoft to Change the World. It launched logistics arm Ekart in 2010 and started the now popular cash-on-delivery service. 3) It opened its first office in Bengaluru in 2008 and opened offices in Delhi and Mumbai in 2009. Last month, Flipkart consolidated all its Bengaluru offices in one large campus. 4) In 2011, Flipkart domiciled to Singapore, as it looked to woo foreign investors to fund rapid growth. 5) The first billion-dollar Indian e-commerce company, Flipkart sells 8 million products across 80 plus categories. It has 100 million registered users, 100,000 sellers, 21 warehouses, 10 million daily page visits. Key people 1) In 2016, Binny Bansal took over as CEO and Sachin Bansal became executive chairman. 2) Last year, Kalyan Krishnamurthy, previously an executive in Flipkart investor Tiger Global, took over as Flipkart CEO. Binny Bansal became CEO of the whole group, which includes fashion portals Myntra-Jabong, payments unit PhonePe and logistics firm Ekart. 3) The companys board has seven members. Dropbox Incs chief technology officer, Aditya Agarwal, joined the board in 2014. Mergers & Acquisitions 1) Bought online apparel retailer Myntra in a deal pegged by sources at about $300 million in 2014, and another retailer Jabong for $70 million in 2016. 2) Last year, Flipkart offered to buy rival Snapdeal but the deal fell through. SoftBank, Flipkarts largest investor, also has a stake in Snapdeal, as does Chinas Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. 3) Flipkart bought payment startup PhonePe in 2016. 4) In exchange for an equity stake in Flipkart, eBay agreed to make a $500 million cash investment in and sell its eBay.in business to Flipkart in 2017. Investors 1) Japans SoftBank Group Corp owns a fifth of Flipkart through its Vision Fund. SoftBank expected to sell its whole stake in the Walmart deal, Reuters reported last week. 2) Early investors New York-based hedge fund Tiger Global and US private-equity firm Accel Partners will sell a majority of their stakes, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Other investors include the founders and Napsers Ltd. Chinas Tencent Holdings Ltd, eBay Inc and Microsoft Corp invested $1.4 billion last year. Financials, according to filings sourced by business intelligence platform paper.vc: 1) Flipkart Groups consolidated loss attributable to owners of the company in fiscal 2017 widened to 87.70 billion rupees, from 52.16 billion rupees a year earlier. 2) Consolidated revenue jumped 29 percent to 198.55 billion in fiscal 2017. US retailer Walmart's buying 77 percent stake in Flipkart for $16 billion is the biggest acquisition by a company in India this year New Delhi: US retailer Walmart's buying 77 percent stake in Flipkart for $16 billion is the biggest acquisition by a company in India this year. This is also Walmart's biggest acquisition which will help it compete with its US-based rival Amazon. The biggest M&A deal in India however is the yet-to-be-completed merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular to create India's largest telecom operator, surpassing Bharti Airtel. That deal, worth $23 billion, was announced last year. In August last year, Rosneft and its partners completed a $12.9 billion acquisition of Essar Oil to gain control over a 20 million tonnes a year oil refinery and over 3,500 petrol pumps. This is the largest FDI into the country till that date and also the largest outbound investment from Russia. In case of Flipkart, Walmart is buying into the Singapore-based holding company. UK's BP Plc in 2011 bought 30 percent stake in 23 oil and gas blocks, including eastern offshore KG-D6, of Reliance Industries for $7.2 billion. India, Asia's third largest economy, needs foreign capital to boost infrastructure and sustain economic growth. According to Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), the total FDI investments in India during April-December 2017 stood at $35.94 billion. Below are some of the major mergers and acquisitions in India in recent times (The list is not exhaustive): * Vodafone & Idea Cellular in 2017 decided to merge their India operations in a $23 billion deal. The merger is yet to be completed. * Rosneft, the Netherlands-based Trafigura Group Pte -- one of the world's biggest commodity trading companies, and Russian investment fund United Capital Partners acquired Essar Oil for $12.9 billion in August 2017. * $9.73 billion merger between Analjit Singh-promoted Max Financial Services Ltd and mortgage lender Housing Development Finance Corporation created the largest private-sector life insurer in the country in 2016. * UltraTech acquired cement business of Jaiprakash Associates for $2.4 billion in 2016. * Nirma acquired Lafarge India for $1.4 billion in 2016 * Vedanta acquired 58.5 percent in Cairn India for a total consideration of $8.67 billion in 2011. * BP Plc bought 30 percent stake in 23 oil and gas blocks of Reliance Industries for $7.2 billion in 2011. * Japanese drug maker Daiichi Sankyo paid up to $4.6 billion for control of Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd in 2008. * NTT DoCoMo Inc in 2008 agreed to pay $2.7 billion for a 26 percent stake in Indian telecom firm Tata Teleservices, giving Japan's top mobile operator a foothold in the world's fastest-growing major mobile market. * Vodafone entered India in 2007, paying $11.1 billion to buy 67 percent controlling stake in Hutchison Whampoa Ltd's mobile business in India. Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Wednesday met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss issues concerning the premier academic institution New Delhi: Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Wednesday met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss issues concerning the premier academic institution, engulfed in controversy over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on its premises, an official said. Singh assured Mansoor of all help from the Central government in restoring normalcy in the university, the official privy to the meeting said. Mansoor later told reporters that the meeting was fixed long ago and had nothing to do with the current controversy. "I have requested the home minister to send Central government officials for the recruitment of students in central services like the engineering service," he said. The vice chancellor said the portrait of the Pakistan founder had been hanging in the AMU students' union office since 1938 and it was a non-issue. BJP MP Satish Gautam had written a letter to Mansoor objecting to the portrait, triggering a row that led to two youths being arrested in connection with incidents of violence and exams being postponed to 12 May. The vice chancellor had on Tuesday told students on a sit-in over the issue to get back to their studies. In an open letter, he urged them "not to fall into the trap of certain forces which are bent upon destroying the image of our alma mater and are playing with your bright future". The university has formed a 16-member coordination committee of senior faculty members to talk with the protesting students. Several AMU students are on an indefinite 'dharna' after a clash with the police on 2 May when they were demanding action against right-wing protesters who had entered the campus, shouting slogans. They are asking for a judicial probe into the "police inaction" and the manner in which the row erupted after the BJP MP objected to the portrait. At a time when we are locked battling the ghost of Tipu, it is noteworthy that Karnataka has produced some exception women warriors over the centuries. Two decades after Independence, the Congress under Indira Gandhi had begun to realise that they stood to gain if the Muslim community remained backwards. And hence, instead of investing in the community's education, they resorted to a regressive form of identity politics. Among other gimmicks, they revived the legacy of Tipu Sultan, as a part of its plan. In 1974, the government issued a postage stamp commemorating Tipu. A decade later, a wannabe historian Bhagwan S Gidwani wrote a book, The Sword Of Tipu Sultan, which was later adapted as a popular TV serial by the same name. Now, the irony is that the same sword of Tipu which was conveniently used to project him as a patriot spews venom upon 'non-believers' or the Hindus and Christians of the time. It pledges a war outcry against the non-believers. The first couple of sentences inscribed on the sword read: My victorious sabre is lightning for the destruction of the unbelievers. Haidar, the Lord of the Faith, is victorious to my advantage. And moreover, he destroyed the wicked race who were unbelievers. In 1788, Tipu in letters to Syed Abdul Dulai and his officer Budruz Zaman Khan respectively wrote: 'With the grace of Prophet Mohammed and Allah, almost all Hindus in Calicut are converted to Islam. Only on the borders of Cochin state a few are still not converted. I am determined to convert them also very soon. I consider this as Jihad to achieve that object.' Going by this primary evidence, thus, Tipu was a self-confessed Jihadi. There are of course other corroborative accounts of his brutal torture upon people of Coorg and Malabar in what are regarded as two of his worst onslaughts. In Coorg, he duped the people by calling for a truce, making them believe that the threat of war was over. Tipu then unleashed a savage onslaught on an unsuspecting population, beheading many and capturing 40,000 Coorgis. These kidnapped Coorgis were brought to his capital. They were 'awarded' Islam. Large numbers were publically circumcised. Those who resisted were subjected to worst forms of torture, reminiscent of Aurangzeb's regime and some of what the Islamic State practices today in Syria. Hence, when the Congress party deliberately chooses to ignore or subvert primary sources of evidence (which include accounts by British and Islamic historians of the time) and goes overboard in awarding character certificate to Tipu, its mischievous propensities get exposed. Yes, Tipu was a brave warrior who fought valiantly against the British and kept them at bay. At the same time, his intent was to set up an Islamic state by force. Yes, Tipu gave a donation for the renovation of the Shringeri mutt as also some other temples. But that was largely a perception management gimmick to make up for his brutal excesses otherwise. Moreover, they also resulted from his political compulsions. In the latter part of his tenure, with growing antipathy against him and suspicion that even his trusted allies hated him, he wanted to buy peace with the Hindu subjects. Tipu left behind a flawed legacy, filled with venom, hate and fear emotions which still linger in the Coorg and Malabar regions among the descendant families of those he tortured. When the Congress decided to accord state celebrations to Tipu Jayanti on 10 November last year, it betrayed the sufferers of Tipu's legacy twice over. Moreover, his legacy raises a very pertinent question: Can a bigot be a patriot? If so, then why don't Praveen Togadia or Bajrang Dal qualify as patriots? The Tipu legacy war only exposes the intellectual fraud of Indian liberals. At a time when we are locked battling the ghost of Tipu, it is noteworthy that Karnataka has produced some exception women warriors over the centuries. An immediate name which comes to mind is that of Oneka Obavva, the housewife of the main guard of a watchtower in the fort of Chitradurga. A chance sighting of the troops of Tipu's father, Hyder Ali laying siege on the fort, had Obavva single-handedly kill scores of enemy soldiers, thus inhibiting the siege. Obavva's bravery was an inspiration for women of that era who had to, in subsequent years and in neighbouring regions, face the worst forms of torture under Tipu. The women drew courage from Obavva's act and put up a brave resistance against forced conversions by Tipu's forces. Equally impressive are the contributions of three other women warriors in Karnataka's history: Abbakka Rani, Kittur Chennamma and Keladi Chennamma. Abbakka was the first Tulu queen of Ullal, who fought against the invading Portuguese in the 16th century. Keladi reigned efficiently over the kingdom of Keladi for a good 25 years during the latter part of the 17th century, when Aurangzeb was at his diabolic best in the North. In fact, she fought a brave war with the invading Aurangzeb's army, which ended with a treaty. She also provided shelter to Rajaram, the son of Shivaji, from Aurangzeb. Later in 1824, Kittur Chennamma, the queen of Kittur, another princely state in the region, led a rebellion again the Britishers, even though, it ended with her getting captured and murdered. The point here is: in Karnataka, there is no dearth of brave patriots, who have fought for the country selflessly. Sure, Tipu too fought against the Britishers but his fight was layered with a mala-fide, communal intent. His bigotry was aimed as much at the Britishers, as it was towards Hindus. By repackaging Tipu, a bigot as the symbol of communal harmony, the Congress has only laid the seeds of communal discord for the future generations. The ghost of Tipu is best exorcised. The time is just about right to usher in the legacies of Karnataka's brave women warriors. Tuhin A Sinha is an author and young BJP leader. The mortal remains of the 22-year-old tourist, who was killed in a stone-pelting incident near Srinagar, were flown to Chennai on Tuesday as Kashmiris cutting across the political spectrum condemned the incident The mortal remains of the 22-year-old tourist from Chennai, who was killed in a stone-pelting incident near Srinagar, were flown to Chennai on Tuesday as Kashmiris cutting across the political spectrum condemned the incident. R Thirumani's grieving parents and sister accompanied his body on an IndiGo flight, IANS quoted an official of the tourism department as saying. The last rites are expected to be held on Wednesday, according to The Quint. The 22-year-old, who hailed from Chennai, was injured when stone pelters attacked a tourist vehicle in Narbal area on Srinagar-Gulmarg road on Monday. He was shifted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), where he succumbed to his injuries. The Tribune reported that the police had arrested one person in connection with Thirumani's death. "The matter is under investigation. One person has been arrested and efforts are on to nab around five more suspects involved in the incident at the Narbal crossing," the report quoted Budgam superintendent of police (SSP) Tejinder Singh as saying. The Quint, however, reported that three persons had been arrested in connection with the incident. Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswami on Tuesday announced a solatium of Rs three lakh to Thirumani's family. The Jammu and Kashmir government has also reportedly announced a compensation of Rs two lakh, The Quint report noted. Palaniswami also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti over the phone on Tuesday and sought her help for the safe return of 130 tourists from Tamil Nadu. "I asked... Mehbooba Mufti to help officials of the Tamil Nadu government for the safe return of the tourists," he said. Leaders across the Jammu and Kashmir spectrum, including political parties and separatist groups, had condemned Thirumani's death. Mufti described the incident as "murder of humanity", while the Joint Resistance Forum, comprising the three main separatist groups of Kashmir, said the incident had dented the image of the Valley and its tradition of welcoming guests. Civil society in Kashmir also condemned the incident, adding that all innocent killings, including those of Kashmiris, needed to be denounced. Those who pick up stones to kill have no religion: Mufti The chief minister reached out to the parents of the 22-year-old victim on Tuesday. "Those who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion," Mehbooba said after meeting the victim's father. The issue will be discussed and debated on television for days and "we will be silently watching the murder of humanity, which has been unheard of in the state", PTI quoted Mufti as saying. "My head hangs in shame," she said, while also questioning the education being imparted to children. "The mother in me is rattled about the kind of education we are imparting to our next generation," Mufti, the first woman chief minister of the state, said. She then described the incident as a blot on the cultural value system of Kashmir and an attempt to bulldoze its economy. "I have no words strong enough to condemn this tragic incident or even condole with the family," she said in a statement on Tuesday, reiterating her condemnation for the tourist's murder. The chief minister also called on Governor NN Vohra in Srinagar on Tuesday and discussed the situation in the state with him, particularly counter-terrorism operations and stone-pelting incidents, including the one in which Thirumani was killed. "During the course of their one-and-a-half hour long meeting, the governor and chief minister discussed various important matters relating to counter-terrorist operations; continuing incidents of stone pelting; the death of a tourist and other concerns," an official spokesman said after the meeting. Further, Mehbooba has convened an all-party meeting to discuss the situation in the Kashmir Valley. "Chief Minister Mufti is convening an all-party meeting in Srinagar on Wednesday to discuss the prevailing situation with political parties across the board," an official spokesperson said. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) at 2 pm on Wednesday, he added. Omar Abdullah sorry for incident Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah condemned Thirumani's killing and also hit out at the state government, saying the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruling alliance was a failure. "We've killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Let's try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone-pelters and their methods," he had said in a series of tweets. "This young man from Chennai died in my constituency and while I don't support these goons, their methods or their ideology, I'm deeply, deeply sorry that this happened at all and that too in an area I've been proud to represent since 2014," he had said. The National Conference working president had also wished speedy recovery to a girl from Handwara who was also injured due to stone-pelting. "I'm also pained to know that among the injured from the stone pelting in Narbal is a young woman from Handwara in North Kashmir. I pray she and the others injured make a quick recovery," he had said. Omar lashed out at the state government and called the PDP-BJP ruling alliance a "failure". "The J&K Govt has failed, the chief minister has failed, the BJP-PDP alliance has failed. How much blood will have to be shed in Kashmir before the prime minister (Narendra Modi) realises the gravity of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir? When will enough finally be enough?" he asked. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemns 'hooliganism and rowdiness' The Joint Resistance Forum, comprising the three main separatist groups in Kashmir, also condemned the killing and said the incident had dented the image of the Valley and its tradition of welcoming guests. The death was "unfortunate" and had undermined their struggle, said a statement from the Forum, comprising the hardline and moderate factions of the Hurriyat Conference and the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front. "Tourists are our guests and we should be loyal to our Kashmiri and religious traditions by refraining from harassing them," the statement in Urdu said. Senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also addressed the issue, saying, "Deeply saddened by the news of the death of a tourist due to stone pelting. I condemn such hooliganism and rowdiness. It is totally against our ethos of treating tourists as respected guests and brings a bad name to the people's movement," he added. Need to be firm with terrorists: Nirmala Sitharaman Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman termed the incident as "absolutely unfortunate". On the sidelines of the biannual naval commanders' conference, Sitharaman said Thirumani's death in a stone-pelting incident in the Kashmir Valley only proved how the armed forces "need to be firm with terrorists", and ensure safe movement of tourists. The incident comes just as the tourist season in Kashmir begins to gather pace with the summer setting in over large parts of the country. "I don't know whether it (the incident) was inadvertent or (committed) knowingly but it is completely condemnable," she added. Incident aimed at hurting vibrant tourism sector in J&K: BJP BJP national vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna said Thirumani's murder was an attack aimed at hurting the economic activities and the vibrant tourism sector in the state. "This attack has come at a time when the tourist season is just commencing and all stake-holders linked with the tourist industry were keenly waiting the arrival of tourists in large numbers," Khanna said. "Such incidents come as a shock for all, including the tourists," he said, adding that tourists have planned their visit in advance and booked hotels, lodges and houseboats. Khanna said it goes without saying that a large number of people from different parts of the country and abroad come to enjoy the natural beauty of the Kashmir Valley every year. From the hotel owners to houseboat owners, shikarawalas to rehriwalas, bus to taxi operators, everyone is dependent on tourist influx, particularly during the ongoing peak season. By targeting the visitors, the stone-pelters have only hurt the tourism sector and those dependent on it, he said. Keeping in view the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra, the government has to be cautious and must deal firmly with stone-pelters, he said, adding that incident such as this also tarnish the image of a common Kashmiri and shatter peace. PDP-BJP alliance gravest provocation to Valley: Chidambaram Former Union minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram advised Mufti to quit the coalition government, saying the "unholy" alliance was the gravest provocation to the people of the Valley. "Mufti should break her party's unholy and opportunistic coalition with the BJP. And go back to the philosophy of her father. The PDP-BJP coalition is the gravest provocation to the people of the Valley. Mehboobaji, quit the coalition immediately and go back to the people," he tweeted. Amnesty to stone-pelters a 'suicidal move': Sham Lal Sharma In Jammu, senior state Congress vice-president and former minister Sham Lal Sharma termed the move to grant amnesty to stone-pelters by the PDP-BJP government a "suicidal move". "Granting amnesty to stone-pelters has not helped in bringing normalcy in the Valley. Instead, the situation has further deteriorated," he said at a function. In a statement, the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) said the amnesty was a "great gesture", but now it "needed a re-look". It also appealed to the people to rise above ideologies for peace in Kashmir. "It is not the time for a blame game to score political brownie points," it said, and urged people from all spectrums social, civil societies, political parties as well as separatist groups to rise above "ideologies, agendas and party politics". Civil society anguished Those who earn their living from tourism in the Valley are particularly shocked. "What have we proved by doing this? We claim to be the most hospitable society, and here we have a guest killed in stone pelting," said Zahoor Ahmad, 33, a taxi operator. "What crime had the tourist committed? His only crime was that he trusted his life with us," Ahmad added. "What message are we sending out? Those who targeted the tourists cannot be fighting for the rights of Kashmiris. The incident has deeply shocked us all," said Nazir Ahmad, a hotel owner in north Kashmir's Sonamarg tourist resort. "How can anyone claim to be fighting for human rights by violating the rights of others? The guilty need to be exposed," said Bashir Ahmad, a university employee in Srinagar. Some locals who too condemned the attack added that all innocent killings, including those of Kashmiris, also needed to be denounced. "Nobody will support an attack on an innocent tourist. At the same time, there must be unequivocal condemnation of killings of innocent Kashmiris as well," said Mehrajuddin, a fruit seller in Srinagar. With inputs from agencies With a lawyer like Kapil Sibal in its ranks, why does the Congress need enemies? Sibal is single-handedly capable of putting his foot in mouth, then stomping the same foot on an axe. With a lawyer like Kapil Sibal in its ranks, why does the Congress need enemies? Sibal is single-handedly capable of putting his foot in mouth, then stomping the same foot on an axe. Consider his latest misadventure to impeach the Chief Justice of India, an act so amateurish that it embodied phrases like "when pigs could fly", and "if wishes were horses". If Navjot Singh Sidhu were not a Congress legislator, even he might have laughed at it with his famous riff: "Agar meri chaachi ke moochen hoti toh main unko chacha ne kehta? (If my aunt had a moustache, wouldn't I have called her uncle?)" Yes, the idea was an absurdity from the very beginning. It was his flight of fancy masquerading as legalese. Sibal's move was neither smart politics nor mature jurisprudence. It was just hara-kiri. To begin with, the Congress never had the numbers to get the CJI impeached. Though it had the support of a faction of the Opposition, the Congress knew it would never be able to take the case to a logical conclusion. A removal motion needs to be signed by 100 members of the Lok Sabha or 50 members of Rajya Sabha. And since Congress wasn't sure of the numbers in Lok Sabha, it tried to get the motion routed through Rajya Sabha. For a moment, let's assume that the Rajya Sabha chairperson allowed the move. Let us also fancy for a moment that the motion was scrutinised by a three-member committee and put to vote in both Houses of Parliament. Did the Congress and the Opposition have the numbers to get a special majority? No. Yet, it went ahead and persisted with the idea like a petulant child adamant on cracking open a wall with his forehead, even when former prime minister Manmohan Singh acted as its moral and legal compass by not signing the petition. If the Congress was intent on making a statement about the judiciary after the revolt by four senior-most judges, it should have sat quietly after the motion was rejected by the Rajya Sabha chairperson, who was well within his rights to accept or reject it. But for reasons that could best be compared with a death-wish, Sibal persisted and challenged the order in the Supreme Court, only to later chicken out and take the exit with his tail tucked between the legs. Why did Sibal have to withdraw the petition after making so much noise? He could have argued the case, as the five-member Constitution Bench said, on its merits. But instead, like a team denied its own ground, referees, spectators and rules, he refused to argue the case on a mere technicality. Obviously, he was looking for an egress. Sibal was adamant about knowing how the bench hearing the petition was constituted. He may have had a point about the Chief Justice of India deciding the bench in a case challenging the latter's very rights as master of the roster. But instead of walking out in a huff because he didn't get the bench of his choice, he could have at least presented his case. After all, the bench hearing the case comprised the next five senior-most judges of India's apex court. But he preferred to withdraw the petition, showing utter disregard for one of India's finest institutions. This flip-flop by Sibal and the Congress gives rise to the suspicion that there was some ulterior motive behind the move. It wasn't just about the independence and integrity of the Supreme Court, as argued by the Congress. Perhaps the only motive was to embarrass the CJI and get him benched till his retirement. Unfortunately, the Congress has only ended up embarrassing itself. It needs to not only bench Sibal now, but also compulsorily retire him from politics. This is not the first time Sibal has proven his lack of political and legal acumen. During the Gujarat elections, he handed the BJP a weapon to slay the Congress by arguing that the hearing on the Ayodhya dispute be deferred till the next elections, implying that the judiciary set its timetable to the political clock. Before that, he mishandled the 2G spectrum narrative by coming up with the absurd zero-loss theory. And somewhere around the same time, he even made the UPA government look silly by genuflecting to Baba Ramdev, dashing to the airport to dissuade him from starting a fast against the government. Sibal, as his track record shows, is the master of blowing his bombs up on the Congress. The Congress, too, should learn its lessons from the misadventure. Because of its machinations during the Emergency, it is hardly seen as a crusader for independence of the judiciary. Even those who have no memory of its history of manipulation and subversion would have noticed how it mounted an attack on the Supreme Court without the necessary arsenal and strategy. The damage to its own image and integrity is, obviously, self-inflicted. There are two contrary trends in Indian democracy: While caste remains alive in politics and society, it is also giving way to more democratisation in some regions, most notably in Gujarat. Editor's Note: As the Indian Republic turns 70, Tufail Ahmad begins a journey through the country to examine the working of democracy at the grassroots level. Inspired by the French author Alexis de Tocqueville, who toured America and wrote Democracy in America, the author a former BBC journalist and now senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute will examine how sociological realities of India and the promise of democracy interact with each other in shaping the lives of the Indian citizen. This report is the tenth in a series called "Democracy in India". Surat: In this series, I try to focus on how society impacts democracy in India and in what ways democracy moulds societal modes and behaviours. The third part of the series discussed how caste and politics collide violently in a cyclical struggle for power in Indian democracy. I noted that Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity, Sikhism, and Bhakti and Sufi movements have failed to eliminate caste, and raised the question if democracy could eradicate caste from India. There are two contrary trends in Indian democracy: While caste remains alive in politics and society, it is also giving way to more democratisation in some regions, most notably in Gujarat. For thousands of years, India has been an unequal society whose cohesion originated from caste-based discrimination. However, democracy as a movement of ideas and enlightenment about equality and individual rights has been inculcating democratic and rational attitudes among youth. In some regions of India, a noticeable trend is that intercaste marriages are taking place frequently, but those are either between youth based in cities, or between those who have studied in towns and returned to villages. In fact, cities have emerged as drivers of democratic social change in India: As part five of this series examined. While intercaste marriages are limited in number and therefore do not show large-scale social change in most regions of India, they do show an increasing trend. The situation in Gujarat is revealing. Dr Jayesh Shah, an author and research consultant at the Centre for Culture and Development, an NGO based in Vadodara, said caste is becoming insignificant for those below 40 years of age. "But this happens at social level. Socially, there is a different situation. Politically, the situation is different: There is more caste", he observed, perhaps in an indication of caste-based political mobilisation in the last Gujarat Assembly elections. Shah found that in Gujarat, there has been a rise in intercaste marriage in the past few decades. He carried out a study of official data on marriage registrations in Gujarat between 1980 and 2010. Over these decades, not even half of Brahmins in Gujarat married within Brahmin caste, with intra-Brahmin marriages declining from 49.6 percent in 1980 to 46.8 percent in 2010. It means 53.2 percent Brahmins married outside their caste in 2010. The figure for Brahmins marrying into Other Backward Classes (OBCs) was around 8 to 9 percent for different years, while roughly two percent married someone from a Schedule Caste and about half a percent married someone from a Schedule Tribe (ST) over these decades. Similarly, as per Shah's data, the percentage of Rajputs marrying Rajputs is declining: 43 percent in 1980, 33.7 percent in 2000 and 31.1 percent in 2010. It shows around 70 percent Rajputs in Gujarat marry outside their caste. Interestingly, at least every fifth Rajput married into OBCs, the actual figure being 22.3 percent in 2010. In 1980, the percentage of Rajputs marrying SCs was zero, but it rose to 3.3 percent in 2000 and 2.7 percent in 2010. Of the Rajputs marrying STs, the figures were 5.4 percent in 1980, which rose to 6.2 percent in 2010 (see the statistics table). In 1980, 17 percent of SCs married outside their caste, which rose to more than 25 percent in 2000 and further to over 33 percent in 2010. The percentage of SCs marrying upper castes was less than two percent in 1980, but rose to 6.9 percent in 2000 and further to 7.7 percent in 2010. More Patels, an upper caste, are marrying outside their caste now than they did a few decades ago. In 1980, over 17 percent Patels married outside their caste, with this figure rising to over 22 percent in 2000 and nearly 28 percent in 2010. Since these statistics are based on marriage registrations in Gujarat, they indicate a real social change in Indian democracy. "Intercaste marriages are also happening in villages and small towns, not only in cities," Shah said, adding: "Caste had become redundant in Gujarat over past few decades, but from 2015 onward there is a political consolidation of castes. Political parties tell youths: You belong to a certain caste". He noted that there is a "dual behaviour" whereby people in Gujarat are rejecting caste socially, but accepting it politically. A key impact of democracy is that the Indian government promotes intercaste marriages. In 2013, a scheme was introduced to give financial incentive of Rs 2.5 lakh if the marriage involved a Dalit. Many state governments offer financial incentives for intercaste marriages. On 7 May, it emerged that Maharashtra plans to bring in a law that promotes intercaste and interreligious marriages. Such efforts indicate that the constitutional values of equality and democratic rights are entering the consciousness of the people, especially youth. Intercaste marriages would not be possible without democracy. Whether upper castes or Dalits, no Indian youth now wants to retain caste. This is a revolution of the mind democracy is ushering in India's youth. "In next 20 years, our politicians cannot divide us on caste lines. In 20 years', in the time of my grandson, there will be no caste", Shah said. While he is right, Shah's optimism appears valid in the context of Gujarat. Elsewhere, caste remains a basis of social discrimination and a political tool, despite changes at the social level and in cities where it becomes invisible. In Gwalior, my conscience was shaken when a Dalit youth, perturbed over my argument that democracy has led to empowerment of lower castes, shot back at me: "What empowerment you are talking about it? Our entire life is spent in our own mental struggle against ourselves, against apman (abuse) we suffered through centuries". A Khasaria (name changed), a youth who works in a government department in Gwalior, said that in offices, SCs and upper castes work together, but they sit at separate tables during lunch. During April 2018, when I interviewed members of the Dalit community, the protests over the Supreme Court order staying automatic arrests under the SC/ST Atrocities Act were front and centre in their minds. Most interviewees were afraid to reveal their names, even when they were not saying anything controversial. R Soni (name changed), who works in a government department in Gwalior, said that in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh even bank managers, who come from the most educated class of Dalits, can't rent homes in areas dominated by upper castes and have to move to "Dalit areas". Another Dalit youth in Gwalior told me that there is no change in mansikta (psyche) of upper castes. "You enjoy the movie on Phoolan Devi in which she is undressed completely. But you engage in violent protests against Sanjay Leela Bhansali's movie in which even an insult is missing against Padmavati." This is because Phoolan Devi was a Dalit, he said, while Padmavati was an upper caste Rajput woman. "The problem is that the upper caste educated class is not even willing to accept that there is discrimination against Dalits", he added. An advocate in Gwalior district court noted that even lawyers are divided along caste. "I heard an upper caste advocate saying that ab swarn yug aa gaya hai (now the era of upper caste has arrived)," he said and pointed out that there is not a single Dalit judge in any of the benches of the high court of Madhya Pradesh. "In lower courts too, not even five percent judges are from the SC/STs", he said, giving a rough estimate, and added that political parties in power approve only the names of upper caste judges for high courts and the Supreme Court. In May, several news stories emerged which showed discrimination against Dalits. Union minister Uma Bharti found herself in the midst of controversy after she skipped a meal with Dalits and had to apologise for it. Rajnish Kumar, a Dalit villager at Lohgarh in Aligrah district, was surprised around 11 pm when Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Suresh Rana arrived at his home unannounced with food ordered from a catering service. On 4 May, Anupama Jaiswal, the basic education minister in the Uttar Pradesh, landed in controversy for saying that ministers brave "mosquito bites" at Dalit homes. In Jaipur, I met Dr Omprakash Siravi, director of Dr Ambedkar Studies Centre at the University of Rajasthan, and asked him to comment. "In villages, even though the food is the same, Dalits and non-Dalits sit separately to eat", he said, adding: "We will see change when Dalits are also able to eat at the home of upper castes." He also noted that educational levels among Dalits in rural areas is low and caste-based discrimination remains associated with mid-day meals at schools in rural areas across India. Caste remains a building block of Indian society, though it is also changing: As the intercaste marriages in Gujarat reveal. Casteism remains a sobering reality even in government offices, courts and panchayats. But, positive changes can be seen too. The oppressed castes are becoming more vocal. Intercaste marriages take place in urban areas. In some regions, in this case Gujarat, intercaste marriages are taking place in both urban and rural areas. In cities, youth do not care for each other's caste. Ideas about caste are flowing from the Indian polity into civil society. This is because political parties engage in competitive politics and remind people of their castes at election times. "After two decades or so", Shah said, "Politicians will have to surrender to civil society." The author is touring India to write a series on the workings of democracy. He is a senior fellow at the Middle East Media Research Institute, Washington DC. He tweets @tufailelif Read Part 1: BJP, Congress prioritise community over individual, use caste and religion to enslave citizens Read Part 2: Use of religion by ruling parties overwhelms secular character of Indian State Read Part 3: Caste and politics continue to collide, sometimes violently, in a cyclical struggle for power Read Part 4: Rule of law routinely trampled upon by politicians in power, who act like 'new kings' Read Part 5: Cities are drivers of democratic change, secure rights and liberties of individuals Read Part 6: Despite caste and religious divisions, our democratic journey reflects silent revolution Read Part 7: Country's polity vastly unaccountable to citizens despite relative success of democratic process Read Part 8: Strong democratic process engendering surplus of free speech, empowering communities Read Part 9: Narendra Modi, Arvind Kejriwal's ascent shows Republic is truly becoming 'of people' Mithran said Vishal initially wanted to play the villain role in the film after listening to the narration for the first time. PS Mithran is quite upbeat about his debut directorial Irumbu Thirai, which will hit screens this week along with Arvind Swami's Bhaskar Oru Rascal, Arulnithi's Iravukku Aayiram Kangal, and Keerthy Suresh's Nadigaiyar Thilagam (Mahanati). The project is produced by Vishal Film Factory and stars Vishal and Samantha Ruth Prabhu as leads and action king Arjun as the villain. Talking about the film in an exclusive interview to Firstpost, Mithran said, "Irumbu Thirai talks about the other side of digital India. It is not a straight social issue film; it's a representation of how our social system works. There will be no explicit scenes like the press meet scene in Kaththi where the issues are spotted, and facts are slammed. Instead, the problems are connected with the lives of the characters in the story." Delving deep into the film's storyline, Mithran revealed, "The film is centred on information theft which most of us are not entirely aware of. Every mobile holder receives numerous calls and messages from unknown services and people. Have we ever given a thought about how these services got hold of our contacts in the first place? Believe it or not, your mobile number is at least known to thirty lakh people. How do they even get it? That's what we have tried to explore in the film." Mithran said Vishal initially wanted to play the villain role in the film after listening to the narration for the first time. "But, I told him that it would be apt for Arjun sir. Then he said he would play the hero. When the film was in conception stage, I had no hero or heroine in my mind, but I wanted Arjun sir to play the antagonist because the role demanded a person with a super powerful and sophisticated image. His character is an extremely sophisticated person, who hates murders (laughs)." Mithran was in for a surprise when Arjun said he had given up on villain roles during the narration. "When I went to meet him for the narration, he told he is not ready to play villain roles even before I started to narrate the story. So we started the first schedule without finalising the antagonist. It was editor Ruben who later spoke to Arjun sir and convinced him to do this role," he recalled. In recent promos, Samantha has thanked Mithran for giving her a 'real character' and portraying her in a dignified manner in the film. When asked about it, Mithran said, "I don't want to make a film where the heroine falls in love with the hero, and they live happily ever after. Because in real life there's no happily ever after. No one in real life falls head over heels for a girl who they see at a bus stop. In real life, love happens after a lot of communication and the person involved will not know the exact moment when the relationship turns to love. Samantha, in my film, is one such realistic female who adds sense to the man's life. That's how I wrote the character. Something has to happen with the man to fall in love with the woman; it just can't be the beauty." Samantha Ruth Prabhu plays the role of a psychologist in the film, which marks her first collaboration with Vishal. Talking about the lead pair's chemistry in the film, Mithran said, "The truth is I can write love scenes with so much creativity, but I don't know how to shoot them. I couldn't figure out which lens to use or what angle to fix. So for the first fifteen days, I shot action sequences, drama, and other portions, and then only started the romance portions. So, I confessed to Vishal and Samantha about it, and they laughed it off. I would give them the scene and ask to develop and do it in their style. And their love portions have come out naturally." Showering praise on Samantha's ability as a performer, Mithran said, "Samantha is a wonderful actress. She has not gotten this kind of roles before. I am quite surprised by the amount of clarity she has while enacting a scene. Be it the nitty-gritty of the expressions or the significant emotions; she has done it with utmost perfection. If I ask her to tone down her reaction by twenty percent, she can do it without any question." Mithran said Vishal's confidence in the script helped him to execute a gripping thriller. "Initially, I was very nervous on the set. It was Vishal who trusted my ability and motivated me each day. The entire journey of Irumbu Thirai has been very memorable and enjoyable, thanks to Vishal. I had initially narrated this script to a lot of producers, who turned down the project. If not for Vishal, this film would have not have happened at all," he said. Yuvan Shankar Raja has composed the music for the project. "I have no words to explain the amount of heart and soul Yuvan has put into this film. He has given a kickass background score. The score which you have heard in the teaser has been pumped up to another fifty percent in the movie," said Mithran on a concluding note. President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the Delhi government's Bill to amend the Minimum Wages Act under which employers violating labour rules in the city will now face a fine ranging from Rs 20,000-50,000 and jail term between one to three years New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the Delhi government's Bill to amend the Minimum Wages Act under which employers violating labour rules in the city will now face a fine ranging from Rs 20,000-50,000 and jail term between one to three years. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the amended law will act as a "strong deterrent" against the employers who do not pay full minimum wages. The Department of Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs of the Delhi government has issued a notification, making it mandatory for employers to pay remuneration either electronically or through cheques, except in some special circumstances. "Finally, Central Govt gives its approval after several months. This will act as a strong deterrent against those employers who do not pay full min wages. Del govt will take strong action against such people," Kejriwal tweeted. In March last year, Lt Governor Anil Baijal had approved the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's decision to hike by 37 percent the minimum wages of unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers. For an unskilled worker, the minimum wages is Rs 13,350 per month while for semi-skilled, it is Rs 14,698. The minimum wages for skilled persons is Rs 16,182 in the national capital. In August last year, the Delhi Assembly had once again passed "The Minimum Wages (Delhi) Amendment Act, 2017", after the Centre had suggested that the AAP dispensation re-introduce the Bill with some changes in the Assembly. The first bill was tabled in 2015. According to the notification issued on 4 May, the court before which the prosecution complaint is made under Section 22 of the Act will dispose it of within a month from the date of filing. The employer will upload the employee data on a website or web portal in the manner as may be prescribed, the notification stated. It stated that for the words "shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both", the words "shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term of three years, or with fine of fifty thousand rupees, or with both." shall be substituted. The notification also stated, "Principal Act, in its application to the National Capital Territory of Delhi, for the words "with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, the words "with imprisonment for a term of one year, or with fine twenty thousand rupees or with both" shall be substituted. Asked about a pending matter pertaining to implementation of minimum wages in the Delhi High Court which had last year asked the city government not to take coercive measures against violators, a senior government official said that with the president's assent, the government will implement the provisions of the Bill. The Congress government had promised to change the condition of the health sector in Karnataka. But many of its promises remain unfulfilled. When the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government came to power in Karnataka five years ago, it promised to change the condition of government hospitals, Primary Health Centres (PHC) and Community Health Centres (CHC). As the chief minister returns to the poll fray, many of his promises related to the health sector remain unfulfilled. Five years later, a government report released in December 2017 says: "... vacancies is a big concern that needs to be addressed, current infrastructure is poor and needs to be improved both in urban and rural settings". It further said, "A major factor affecting the efficiency and quality of care provided by the secondary and tertiary care hospitals in the government sector is the mismatch between requirements and the provision of buildings, number of beds, equipment, laboratory and other facilities on the one hand and the actual human and material resources." The government had said it will provide mobile hospital-cum-ambulance services that can reach every village, but the above-mentioned report says, "The ambulance service serves a population of 85,000. This needs to be reconsidered." There is a severe shortage of staff and beds in PHCs, among other things. During 2016-17, in rural areas, there were 2,136 doctors who attended to as many as 2.45 crore patients in PHCs across the state. This means a doctor examines about 32 patients daily. With only 2,359 PHCs functioning in the state as of March 2017, a PHC receives an average of 29 new patients a day. There is a shortage of proper equipment, staffing, infrastructure and qualified doctors. In north Karnataka, almost all the PHCs are run by unqualified doctors and there is no one to check this. The state of rural healthcare is even worse, said a Surgeon with Government of Karnataka who has been serving in North Karnataka for last 15 years. He requested anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to media. Positions vacant across state There is a huge shortage of doctors, specialists and nursing staff across the state. More than 9,000 posts (40 percent) are vacant in government health care facilities, as per a government report released in December last year. Its noteworthy that 40 percent positions for specialists at government hospitals are vacant across the state, as per the report. Besides, around 80 percent of the CHCs do not have all four of surgeons, physicians, pediatricians and gynecologists. The biggest problem is to have doctors at the primary health centres, especially in rural areas. There is a shortage of doctors. Not many doctors are interested in working in rural areas. To overcome the shortage of doctors in the rural areas, it would be good to introduce the licentiate medical practitioners (LMP) course, said Kathyayini Chamaraj, executive trustee, CIVIC Bangalore. At the sub-center level, 42 percent of the positions meant for male health workers remain vacant. This raises a serious concern as male health workers play a major role in supporting female health workers, including auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), says a government report. It is observed that there is an urgent need to fulfill vacancies at the CHC level where there is a high percentage of staff shortage, the report said. The situation is similar in the case of nursing staff. Against the total sanctioned posts of 2,667, the posts of 462 nurses remain vacant, i.e 17.3 percent vacancy. There is a shortage of 1,033 laboratory technicians across the state. Moreover, as many as 28 percent of sub-centers are functioning without any health worker as of March 2016. Sadly, the appointed staff complain they are not given proper allowances. Although we work as health assistants or nurses in villages dealing with patients suffering from contagious diseases and deadly diseases, we arent given risk allowances, said Shakuntala Dandi, health union president, Bidar. Norms flouted at every stage Although the government promised to provide quality medical care, not even a single PHC or CHC functions as per norms set up under the Indian Public Health Standards of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). It is disappointing to note that around 24 percent of CHCs dont have an X-ray machine and about 52 percent dont have a regular supply of AYUSH medicines for common ailments. The government in its manifesto promised a maternity ward in each PHC but as per available data as many as 29 percent and 47 percent of PHCs dont have a labour room and an operation theatre respectively. Only a quarter of government health benefit schemes reach people in need. It has become very difficult to get treatment, said Abdul Khadar, a Haveri-based social worker. The Congress government had promised to upgrade every PHC by including 20 beds, a maternity ward and a minor operation theatre. However, even after five years, many PHCs have less than 10 beds. Data and a government report says not even one taluk hospital has 200 beds. In fact, there are many taluk hospitals that still have only 100 beds and many of them lack basic facilities. The party, however, had promised to keep a bed strength of 200 and provide dialysis centres for kidney patients, where dialysis will be made free for all patients in every taluk-level hospital. A senior government healthcare official said, I have been working in the department for the last 18 years. The government starts distributing equipment and inspecting PHCs only during elections. Had they been genuinely concerned about public health, they would have done all these in the last five years. The manifesto also promised a government medical college in every district leading to the establishment of a super specialty hospital. However, not more than 17 of 30 districts in Karnataka have government medical colleges. There are only eight super speciality institutions in the state, as per the report. The government doctor quoted above, however, blames officials for the sad state of affairs. The present government introduced many healthcare schemes but only 20-40 percent of these were implemented. The government authorities who are responsible for improving public health care are running private medical colleges and they dont want to lose their business, he added. High mortality rate an indicator? These factors could be a reason for the high mortality rate in the state. Karnataka has an infant mortality rate of 24, while the neighbouring states of Kerala and Goa have an IMR of 10 and 8, respectively. The infant mortality has come down by 4 per cent. It was 28 per 1,000 in 2014-15. It has come down to 24 per 1,000 in 2016-17, said Dr Ramachandra Bairy, deputy director, Health and Family Welfare Department. The same is the case with maternal mortality rate Karnataka's stands at 133, while Kerala's stands at 61. The life expectancy in Karnataka is 68.8, about 6 years less than that in Kerala. When Dr Shalini Rajneesh was the principal secretary of Department of Health and Family Welfare, the government announced the launch of Universal Health Scheme aimed at providing free treatment for all the people in the state. But the government has not taken any measure to implement it. However, for its implementation, upgradation of infrastructure, equipment and medicines, an increase in manpower is required. Where is the action plan for that?" Chamaraj underlined. Quality assurance program in healthcare was started under the National Health Mission as a pilot project in Tumkur district. Out of the 4,000 hospitals across Karnataka, only 123 have National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) recognition; and only four out of the 123 NABH-recognised hospitals are government institutions, as per the government report. NABH accreditation ensures sustainability to a great extent as the concepts of surveillance, re-accreditation and surprise assessments are a major part of the process. Dr Prashanth NS from the Institute of Public Health said that there are some positive developments with respect to Karnatakas health. The state recently updated its health policy. The state has also implemented wonderful schemes to benefit the poor who are most disadvantaged in our health systems, such as 108 ambulances and the very popular Arogyasri scheme (SAST). However, there is a lot to be achieved. Within south India, for example, Karnataka is still a poor performer with respect to various indicators when compared to Tamil Nadu or Kerala," Prashanth said. This article is the third part of a series. You can read the first two parts here and here. (Prince Singhal and Tamanna Naseer are freelance writers based out of Deoghar (Jharkhand) and Bijapur (Karnataka), respectively. They are both members of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters) India cannot have the best of both the worlds by continuing to enjoy benefits of security co-operation with the West while attempting a reset with China. Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attempt to do a 'reset' in India's relations with China in Wuhan, French president Emmanuel Macron has crashed the party by proposing a 'Paris-Delhi-Canberra' axis during his visit to Australia last week. During a wide-ranging speech at an Australian naval base in Sydney on 2 May, Macron proposed this new strategic alignment saying: "... If we want to be seen and respected by China as an equal partner, we must organise ourselves... This new Paris-Delhi-Canberra axis is absolutely key for the region and our joint objectives in the India-Pacific region." The French proposal comes even as a powerful US Congressional Committee, the House Armed Services Committee, has proposed renaming the US Pacific Command to the 'Indo-Pacific Command'. These events demonstrate one simple fact, that the steadfast expansion of Indian naval capabilities in the last one decade has elevated India's profile in the Asia Pacific and New Delhi is now seen as a vital element of any proposed security framework in the region primarily aimed at responding to China's aggressive posture, evident since the ascendance of Xi Jinping as chairman of the Central Military Commission, and as Chinese president. And as India adds more teeth to its naval firepower, this profile will be enhanced even further, even as the waters around it get further muddied. And that will accentuate a crisis for a fundamental principle of India's foreign policy 'strategic autonomy' or further nuanced in the principle of 'multi-alignment'. Times have evolved since the days when strategic autonomy principle was brought in to explain India's continued hobnobbing with Russia, fight and cooperation with China while simultaneously courting the United States. That strategy carried India well because, in some sense, it was still an emergent power, at least in the Asia Pacific. But as India makes a rapid transition to a major power status, riding high on the phenomenal economic growth. And as international politics and state actors get more and more polarised, mandarins of South Bloc will need to invent new conceptual frameworks to interpret India's world and what role India should play in it. Make no mistake, it is not Australia or France which have the responsibility to preserve the order in Asia Pacific or Indo-Pacific, they are merely responding to the emergence of India as a vital element of the region. It is India whose territory spans on both sides of the Indian Ocean that has the responsibility. Look at the Malabar exercises the annual naval exercises between India and US, which were opened up to Japan two years ago and are slated to take place next month. These exercises are now being seen as a natural extension of the 'Quad initiative' resurrected last year, with the potential inclusion of Australia. Yet, India is unsure of what course it wants to adopt. Perhaps to not offend China, it rejected the proposal to include the Australian Navy in this year's exercises. But India cannot have the best of both the worlds by continuing to enjoy the benefits of enhanced security co-operation with the West while attempting to do a reset with China. History of international politics shows that there is no respect for fence sitters and they end up becoming the first casualty during a conflict. North Kashmir, with its territorial mosaic composition, has a reputation of being a zone frequented by militants Baramulla: A shocking shootout in Baramulla last week might have gone down as a typical strike by militant to bump off informers, but those involved in the counter-insurgency said the attack had a deeper motive. They said the attack was carried out by militants to create dominance in a region which is otherwise tightly managed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and its allied forces. The police termed the Baramulla strike as an attempt by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) active in the Sopore-Hajin belt to establish its dominance in the region. In the past few years, fierce counter-insurgency operations pushed militants to the margins. While the latest attack might be a desperate bid by militants to show their strength, it has already unnerved the region's pro-India constituents. North Kashmir, with its territorial mosaic composition, has a reputation of being a zone frequented by militants. Given the regions proximity to the Line of Control known for infiltration bids and fierce gunfights it mainly houses militants of LeT, their local handlers and faces. To counter these battle-hardened militants, who are unlike the selfie militants of south Kashmir, the government has already stationed some tested counter-insurgents in the region known for some biggest gunfights in Kashmir history. Soon after the 30 April strike, polices collaborative efforts nabbed local militants in a series of operations carried out in Sopore and Baramulla. These operations were carried out after twin gunfights in Srinagar and Shopian seemed as if they'd trigger another political crisis in the Valley. Assured that the strikes were the handiwork of LeT militants, the police visited the crime scene in Baramulla town known to wear the anti-establishment temper on its sleeve soon after the three men in their 20s were killed (an incident which greatly shocked the townspeople). During the course of their investigation, the sleuths learned that the militants, after carrying out executions in the towns Kaker Hamam area, escaped in a silver Alto car. They fled towards Drangbal area, the tip of the town. The investigation, which was carried out on a war footing, zeroed in on one local: Bilal Najar. The investigators learned that Najar tracked the movements of the slain trio. Najar's capture gave away the larger plot behind the strike. The killing, the police said, was carried out by Najar, Aijaz Gojree and Suhaib Farooq Akhoon, a local who'd travelled to Pakistan via Wagah border and trained in LeT's Faisalabad camp before returning through the same route last year. To hunt these militants, police launched a joint operation with Indian Army in Drangbal area. It was miracle we were able to get them alive, said Baramulla police chief, SSP Imtiyaz Hussain. They fired with AK-47s and a pistol, but we captured two individuals. After interrogating them, we came to know three people are involved in this crime in old town. During sustained interrogation of these militants, the police and army were also able to unearth a LeT module operating in Sopore-Baramulla belt, Hussain said. In all, four active LeT militants were apprehended along with six Over Ground Workers (OGWs). In 2016, the police said the LeT released a video in which they mentioned the names of two people and threatened to kill them. The strikes reminded many of Baramullas heyday when the city was rife with insurgency and gave the establishment a hard time. In the late 80s, along with Sopore, the belt had become one of the epicentres of the Kashmir insurgency. By 2008, as the defiance mainly shifted to stone-pelting, the town rose up in a series of anti-establishment demonstrations which rocked the State apparatus. But today there is a huge model of LeT operating from Sopore to Baramulla, SSP Hussian said. The civilian killings are being carried out throughout north Kashmir to show their presence. Police said even the killings carried out in Hajin area by the LeT were to terrorise the local population and get them on their side. But they have not been able get support on the ground, said north Kashmir Deputy Inspector General of Police Sunil Gupta, We will soon get them. Justice J Chelameswar, the second most senior judge in the Supreme Court, has refused to attend a farewell slated to be organised in his honour. Justice J Chelameswar, the second most senior judge in the Supreme Court, has refused to attend a farewell slated to be organised in his honour by the Supreme Court Bar association, CNN-News18 reported on Wednesday. Justice Chelameswar, who has been a judge of the Supreme Court since 10 October, 2011, is slated to retire on 22 June. A first-of-its-kind press conference, in which four senior judges of the apex court publicly raised concerns over allocation of cases to benches, was held on 12 January at the residence of Justice Chelameswar. The other three judges were Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur and Kurian Joseph. The four judges mentioned in their press conference that the situation in the top court was "not in order" and many "less than desirable" things have taken place. Subsequently on 21 March, Justice Chelameswar shot off a letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra asking him to consider convening a full court to take up the issue of alleged executive interference in judiciary. Separately, Justice Kurian Joseph also wrote a letter to the CJI, expressing concern over the delay by the government in clearing the names recommended by the collegium in February for elevation. On 25 April, Justice Chelameswar also skipped a customary lunch meeting, a tradition in which all judges of the court meet for the afternoon meal every Wednesday. With inputs from PTI The NSG is a federal contingency force that differs from the various other special forces like the armys Ghatak commandos and the navys Marcos, in several ways. Reports in the media indicate that the elite National Security Guard (NSG) is to be deployed in Kashmir as part of the counterterrorism grid. According to home ministry officials, the force would be directly involved in specific counterterrorism operations particularly in hostage situations as well as have a role in training the state police and the CRPF in an increasingly complex security scenario. There is also a hint that the NSG is being deployed to keep its specific skills honed for its actual task, which is as the countrys quick response to a surprise terrorist attack anywhere in the country. That is both a bad and a good idea. First, an overview of security forces deployed in Kashmir indicates that a succession of security units have been inducted over the years with varying success. This saga began with the creation of the Rashtriya Rifles in the early 90s as a special counterinsurgency force. This was drawn primarily from infantry units across the country and then grouped together under two headquarters in the north and south Kashmir. Its raison detre was primarily to take over the situation at a time when the Jammu and Kashmir Police who perforce had to retreat from the hail of fire from AK 47s in terrorists hands. Armed with mostly sticks and a few side weapons, the police had little choice but to give ground to the terrorists. The fact that some police personnel were often openly sympathetic to militants obviously made matters worse. This lacunae the RR filled admirably. Terrorists found themselves against a force trained to kill, and since the local population had little love for these foreign cadres, matter evolved very well. The essence of the RRs success was the fact that it was a permanent force in the Valley. This helped it to maintain a certain rapport with the local population, which is the life and breath of successful CI operations. The fact that the RR has an enviable track record is apparent from the gallantry awards that it has earned, and the terrorists that it has eliminated. It is no exaggeration to say that this force was responsible for bringing back the writ of the state after the chaos of the 90s when the incident rate was in three figure digits. Thats not just because they were good. It was because it was the right tool at the right time. As the intelligence grid improved and the kill rate of militants climbed, the government moved the army out of Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag and other areas generally seen as hotbeds of unrest. The Border Security Force, which had been operating with the army for some time was thereafter given full responsibility in urban areas, together with the police, who were more of a hindrance than a help. With little previous experience in crowd control and public diplomacy, the inevitable happened. In October 1993, a BSF unit fired upon protestors killing a reported 43 civilians and injuring several more. Other such encounters followed, where the BSF became the whipping horse for worsening civil unrest. Following the recommendations of the Group of Ministers, the principle of "One Border One Force" was adopted, thereby removing BSF from counterinsurgency and returning them to the border in a phased manner starting in 2004. There is no doubt that the force achieved some remarkable successes in the 14 years that it remained in the Valley. But it came with a cost that is being paid ever since. The virtual flooding of Srinagar with troops became the norm and daily checking of civilians who had little or nothing to do with militancy. This was the time when the term alienation came into CI lexicon. The BSF was replaced by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) which as its nomenclature suggests, is equipped and trained towards performing the role of armed police on the direction of the Central government. Set up well before the countrys Independence, the role of the CRPF seems to have been steadily enlarged. As of today, its list of duties include guarding of critical installations (17 percent), VIP duties (7.5 percent), rescue and relief, and riot control. It also has a mandate to check environmental degradation and to protect the flora and fauna. It's extremely doubtful whether anyone on the ground is even aware of this function. About 10 companies guard shrines like Shri Amarnathji temple. In Kashmir, their induction in a counterinsurgency role followed typically police tactics like nakas, the hated cordon and search operation, and the setting up bunkers at critical points. In recent years, the force has shifted back to a "law and order" mode to cope with rising incidents a "protests-militancy mix" when protestors rushed to an encounter site to protect militants, and the inevitable stone throwing. This led directly to the pellet guns incidents when visuals of blinded children added a thick and viscous layer to the anger already endemic in the Valley. Clearly, the force had not been trained enough to realise that "non-lethal" weapons, as they are often marketed, do have a considerable lethal element depending on how they are used. As of now, the force has opted to replace pellets with plastic bullets, and even pava grenadesan extract of chilli and peppersin an effort to reduce this type of injuries. With a reported 60,000 troops on the ground, this will likely be an uphill task at a time when the mobs strategy is to provoke them into firing. Remember that clip of a stone pelter kicking a quiescent soldier? Thats what militant strategy is all about. Getting the force to react and thereby increase civilian casualties. Into this melee comes the National Security Guard. The NSG is a federal contingency force that differs from the various other special forces like the armys Ghatak commandos and the navys Marcos, in several ways. First, it has both army and police personnel and is headed by an IPS officer with a formidable reputation. Second, due to its peculiar makeup, the NSG is able to deal with situations that are quite different from what, for instance, the armys Ghatak commandos are trained for. The army commandos are among the most formidable in the world but are structured to deliver army requirements like taking on high-risk operations in enemy territory. This tasking is similar to that of the other specialised commando units like the navys Marcos or the Air Force Garuds. The NSG, on the other hand, is solely dedicated to ending complex terrorist operations including hostage-taking and hijacking. No doubt they are among the best equipped among Indian forces and would be hugely useful if a severe terrorist attack occurs in the state. But the question that remains is, what price the NSG will pay when surrounded by a mob of stone pelting civilians? That is not something that theyre trained to handle. Neither should they be, and their expertise diluted. There is a possible lesson here. In Kashmir, we need to learn to do more with less. In other words, a competent counterinsurgency force should not be seen but should have its eyeselectronic or otherwiseeverywhere. It should not become willy-nilly the target number one for any protest or stone-throwing mob. Troops in bunkers and barricaded in posts are the primary focus of public anger and their inevitable reactions the stuff of the militancy story. If there is any lesson that can be drawn from the last three decades, it is that bringing in thousands upon thousands of troops of is not the panacea for all ills. In fact, each induction seems to be adding another layer to an already complex problem. It's time to change that mindset and get off the streets. The NSG is great. Just use it differently. The Kerala Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE) declared the Plus Two (+2) result 2018 or Class 12 board exam result 2018 today (10 May), according to reports. The DHSE result 2018 is now available on the official website keralaresults.nic.in. The Kerala Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE) declared the Plus Two (+2) result 2018 or Class 12 board exam result 2018 today (10 May), according to reports. The DHSE result 2018 is now available on the official website keralaresults.nic.in. According to News18, 83.7 percent students cleared the exam. A report in The Indian Express said that 14,375 students got A+ in all subjects while "3,09,065 have qualified for higher studies". The Kerala Secondary Education Board (KSEB), also known as DHSE Kerala, conducted the Kerala DHSE Class 12 examination from 7 to 27 March, reported News18. The results will also be available on examresults.net and kerala.indiaresults.com. Here is how students can check their results: - Log on to official website keralaresults.nic.in. - Click on the board button Kerala DHSE results 2018. - Fill in your registration number to get your result. The results will include information like hall ticket number, the name of the student, grade points, and the result. Students can also get their results via SMS by sending the message 'KERALA12' to 56263. After Mangaluru police rescued a Hindu woman allegedly confined by her mother for falling in love with a Muslim man, her lover said he has lost all hope. A week after Mangaluru police rescued a 24-year-old Hindu woman who was allegedly confined by her mother for over two years for falling in love with a Muslim man, her lover said he has lost all hope of being together with his beloved. Five years ago, we had decided that we will either live together or die together. Living together seems impossible. So, we will die together, Manas NM told Firstpost on Tuesday after meeting his lawyer at the Kerala High Court. Police rescued Anjali Prakash, 24, a resident of Thrissur in Kerala from a rented house in Mangaluru on 1 May. Five days later, in a video aired on a Malayalam news channel, Anjali is seen blaming her mother and right-wing goons for confining her illegally and torturing her for over two years at various locations, including hospitals, yoga centres and rented houses. This could be my last video. My life is under threat and if something happens to me, my mother is responsible for it. I have suffered enough in the last two years for having loved a Muslim man. I was sent to an orphanage run by the RSS for two months and now I am in Mangaluru, confined by the BJP, at a rented house. I have suffered a lot, Anjali says in the video. She adds that her mother had taken her to Amrita hospital in Kochi for psychiatric treatment before confining her in Mangaluru. After rescuing Anjali, a Mangaluru court sent her to a Mahila Mandiram (womens shelter) as she refused to go with her mother. But hearing a separate case, the Kerala High Court in a verdict said that Anjali would be released only under the custody of her mother. Manas said that despite him filing a habeas corpus petition at the Kerala High Court, Anjali's mother managed to get a medical certificate from Amrita hospital proving Anjali as being mentally unfit. Manas, 29, who filed a petition at the Kerala High Court to rescue Anjali, fears his actions might get him killed. So, now, I dont know what to do with the case. My life is in danger. I fear and doubt that I have been followed and something might happen to me, he said, adding that the womens shelter where Anjali is being kept is guarded by right-wing goons. Manas told Firstpost that he had known Anjali for years and was a family friend. I run a poultry farm. I was like a family friend for them. When her (Anjalis) father fell ill, it was I who took him to the hospital. I have supported the family a lot. Eventually, we fell in love. But things changed after her father passed away. Since then, her mother started to behave differently (with me), he said, adding, I am 29 now and she is 24. We will wait to see what is going to happen. If we cannot be together, we will die. Anjali said that her mother told residents in her area that she was working in Mangaluru. None of that is true; I am not working here, or taking care of my mother. Whatever she said is wrong. When I say I want to go back home, I get beaten up," she added. Anjalis case brings back memories of the Hadiya case, where Hadiya (formerly Akhila Ashokan) had converted to Islam after marrying a Muslim man. The Kerala High Court had ruled in favour of Hadiyas father and gave him her custody. But after her husband Shafin Jahan moved the Supreme Court, the apex court overturned the High Court decision and finally recognised Hadiyas marriage. Notably, dismissing another verdict by the Kerala High Court in a case where a couple eloped against their parents wish, the Supreme Court ruled, that it would not be out of place to mention that a live-in relationship is now recognised by the legislature itself which has found its place under the provisions of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. But Manas said that his lawyer has clearly told him to give up all hope of being together with Anjali again. He added that some Muslim political parties have approached him, offering help. They are offering money and manpower to fight the case, but I clearly said no. Even in court, I was branded as a radical Muslim person and our relation was called love jihad. I dont want that. Ours is pure love. We dont want to repeat what happened in the Hadiya case, said Manas. The police had booked Anjali's mother for illegally confining her daughter in the house and detaining her. But she was later released on interim bail. The author is a member of The NewsCart, a Bengaluru-based media startup Mehbooba Mufti, who chaired an all-party meet on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the state, said the Central government would be approached with a request to halt security force operations Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who chaired an all-party meet on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the state, said the Central government would be approached with a request to halt security force operations during the forthcoming holy Muslim month of Ramzan and the ensuing Amarnath Yatra. The meeting was here to work out a consensus among political parties as to what should be the best course of action to defuse the prevailing tension in Kashmir. Briefing media persons afterwards, Mehbooba Mufti said all political parties participated in the meeting and everybody was concerned about the present situation. "One good thing that happened today was that every party wanted the implementation of the agenda of alliance between the PDP and the BJP which is a visionary document detailing the best way to address the problems here," she said, adding that it was agreed that it was agreed that an all-party delegation would be formed after working out modalities with principal opposition party, the National Conference. "The delegation would approach the prime minister to appeal him to consider the announcement of a unilateral ceasefire as was done in 2002 during the prime ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the approaching holy month of Ramzan, Eid festival and the Amarnath Yatra," she said. The delegation would also request the prime minister to work out the ways and means to reach out to the people, especially the youth, said the chief minister. Ramadan begins on 17 May this year. In addition to ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the meeting was attended by leaders of the National Conference, the Congress, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, and some independent MLAs. National Conference leader Ali Muhammad Sagar told reporters that his party has assured the government that whatever concrete steps it takes to defuse the present vo latile situation in the state would be supported by them. A former teacher in Assam earned the wrath of Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain apparently for highlighting the poor condition of roads in his locality. Nagaon (Assam): A former teacher in the district earned the wrath of Rajen Gohain apparently for highlighting the poor condition of roads in his locality at an event in Nagaon, as the Minister of State for Railways chided him for "raising the issue in public". The incident took place during a Swachh Bharat Abhiyan event and was covered by local TV channels. A video clip of the incident went viral on social media sparking off protests on Tuesday. People gathered in front of the Union minister's house in Nagaon and protested against his remarks. During the event, the teacher, who was present on the stage as one of the senior citizens of Nagaon, was speaking about the poor road condition in the area. "You can come with me to see the real condition of the roads, then you can decide if I am speaking the truth or not," he said. A visibly agitated Gohain interrupted the teacher asking, "Why are you raising such issues? What benefits are you trying to draw? You have come with an ill motive." "If you have any complaint you should have approached me personally and not in front of the public. What nonsense!" he went on to add. The man then took a seat in a row behind the minister's. However, Gohain walked up to him and was seen having an animated talk. The minister's remarks evoked strong protests from school teachers and students, who burnt effigies of Gohain in front of his house in Nagaon town and shouted slogans demanding that he publicly apologise to the teacher for "humiliating" him. Gohain was unapologetic when asked by reporters during the day in Nagaon if he would apologise. "Why should I?" he shot back to queries. Improving relations with Pakistan is like walking on quicksand. The more you try, the farther recedes the prospect of peace. Yet, there are incorrigible optimists who 'desperately' long for friendship, ignoring harsh realities on the ground Improving relations with Pakistan is like walking on quicksand. The more you try, the farther recedes the prospect of peace. Yet, there are incorrigible optimists who 'desperately' long for friendship, ignoring harsh realities on the ground. They include those who cannot get over the demise of pre-Partition bonhomie. Then you have retired diplomats, generals, journalists, academicians and politicians who are obsessed with friendship with Pakistan at 'any cost' and Kashmiri separatists who believe that without Pakistan's generosity, Jammu and Kashmir can never have peace. Given Islamabad's refusal to accept Kashmir's accession to India as irrevocable and its use of ISI and terrorism as instruments to keep the India pot boiling, peace seems illusory for the time being. However, peaceniks did not give up. They would regularly hold informal meetings with their Pakistani counterparts alternately at Neemrana, a fort in Rajasthan, and in Islamabad as part of Track II diplomacy. They would deliberate for hours to generate a conducive ecosystem for heads of both governments to meet and settle their differences but invariably ended up, recommending wishlists that neither government would accept. After 2014, these talk shops were shut down, even though a few self-styled apostles of peace still travelled to Islamabad and invited Pakistani interlocutors to India over dinner, where they would shed tears that peace had no chance so long as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was around. A perception is being created in India by the likes of Mehbooba Mufti, separatists, Farooq Abdullah, the Congress and Communist leaders is that unless Delhi engages Islamabad in talks, ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army will not end, residents living along the border will continue to be displaced and violence in Kashmir will not show any let-up. Modi, a pragmatist, sees no merit in this argument although he let go an Indian delegation of former diplomats and officials to Islamabad to meet their counterparts (28 and 29 April) to test the waters about whether Pakistan would be willing to ease border tensions and resolve contentious issues like Siachen and Sir Creek. Following the visit, a few fisherman, petty criminals and inadvertent walk-overs to the other side of the border were released. However, before the visit could raise misplaced hopes, the government clarified that it firmly stood by its pre-conditions, suggesting that India's core security concerns remained unaddressed. It is inconceivable for Delhi to talk unless Islamabad dismantles camps where it trains terrorists, winds up staging posts, from where it sends jihadis into Jammu and Kashmir, stops abetting and undertaking terror attacks in the Valley, prosecutes Hafiz Saeed for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and repatriates Dawood Ibrahim to face trial in India. No dialogue can be held under the spectre of violence nor can Delhi forget the Uri and Pathankot terror attacks, ignore daily deaths of its security personnel in fights against terrorists, look away from the displacement of several thousand civilians in as a result of the Pakistan Army's unprovoked firing across the border and repeated ceasefire violations, just to facilitate people-to-people contacts. Delhi's other problem is how much it can trust Islamabad to honour its commitments given during Track I and Track II talks. Pakistan is notorious for misusing Delhi's conciliatory overtures to prepare for Kargil-like aggressions and for subverting the loyalty of Kashmiri Muslims. If we had an abnormally high incidence of terrorist attacks in the Valley during 2014-2018, it was because the Pakistan Army had strengthened its terrorist infrastructure in the years before, taking advantage of India's hesitation to take on terrorists firmly. Similarly, there was no compulsion for the Pakistan Army in the UPA era to repeatedly violate ceasefire, since they could manage infiltration via known routes. It became obvious from 2014 onwards that the number of casualties of soldiers and civilians and border clashes would rise exponentially, because the Indian security forces were given a decisive mandate to fight Pakistan's proxy war to the finish. If Pakistan's army chief is now making some noises about the need for peace with India, it is not because of Track II diplomacy but because he finds it tough to sustain border clashes and terrorism in Kashmir at his desired level. It is quite tempting to wonder if North and South Korea can talk and agree to eventually merge, why India and Pakistan can't resolve to at least live peacefully. The only person who can make it possible is Modi. He is a gambler who can take risks, regardless of consequences. He also has the added advantage of leading India's largest right-wing party. If Modi can walk through Nawaz Sharif at 2014 SAARC Summit in Nepal to express his anger over the terrorist attack in Uri, he can also surprise Sharif by visiting him at his Raiwind, Lahore residence to wish him on his birthday. He will not relent when it comes to punishing Pakistani terrorists and infiltrators, but may equally not hesitate in picking up the phone one day and calling General Qamar Javed Bajwa to bring the ongoing conflict to an end. He may even agree to visit Bajwa at the GCHQ in Rawalpindi, reducing Pakistani politicians to act merely as cheerleaders. Modi knows that India has wasted decades in talking to Pakistani politicians and officials and in return, got three wars and repeated terrorist attacks. He would rather trust Bajwa to make commitments and stand guarantee to their fulfilment. He may not take the plunge now, but if he wins the 2019 elections, you can trust him to confound everyone including the Pakistani army chief. The remedy to the present malaise in Parliament lies in recognising the urgent need for regulating parties and creating an ecosystem to keep them in check. Editor's note: The recently concluded Budget Session of Parliament was, by all accounts, the least productive in at least a decade, marked by protest, adjournment, and very little constructive debate, let alone passage of bills. Firstpost will examine, by way of a multi-part series spread across a six-week span, the reasons why the Parliamentary process in particular, and the democratic apparatus in general, has failed India's citizens. The clutch of essays, written by experts in the Constitution and constitutional law, will investigate the defects, introduced by design, that have enabled the degeneration of legislative functioning. Series has been curated by Bangalore-based lawyer and tutor of democracy and active citizenship, Malavika Prasad. On 26 January, 1950, India was proclaimed as a Sovereign and Democratic Republic. Part XV of the Constitution related to elections and provided for the Election Commission. Article 326 provided that elections to the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies will be on the basis of adult suffrage. It was also provided that no person shall suffer any discrimination in this regard on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex, etc. But it was left to Parliament (by Article 327) to regulate and legislate "from time to time" the "rules of democracy" and to enable the largest single electorate to exercise this franchise. This task was largely left to be done by Sukumar Sen, the first Chief Election Commissioner of India. He drafted, and Jawaharlal Nehru piloted, the Representation of Peoples Acts of 1950 and 1951 through the Assembly. It was this anachronism that had caused the Supreme Court to regard the right to vote for a long time as a statutory, not a constitutional right. In what could only be attributed to their idealism or naivete, the entire scheme of the Acts only dealt with candidates and voters; they did not anticipate the central and important role that would be played by the political party and its organisation. To be fair, this is a problem faced by all nations ever since the creation of indirect democracies. It was hoped that elected candidates would regulate and create parties, and not the other way around. The success of democracy everywhere can be judged by the ability of the electoral system to create a level playing field between political parties. But as the Indian democracy got more and more competitive and authoritarian tendencies became evident, all parties continued to centralise and the candidate became a secondary unit of democracy. Political activity became an expensive and capital-intensive business. The survival and viability of parties depended on their ability to source funds. With our politicians being among the lowest paid in the world, they increasingly resorted to the political party as a safe haven for funds collected from all sources. Moreover, a complete absence of any internal democracy in the functioning of political parties preventing any internal accountability within the party itself. This dominance also allows the larger parties to effectively prevent the rise of smaller parties. Instead of regulating political parties, this vested interest of larger parties caused more laxity in enforcement, and further income tax exemptions followed by Parliament. Section 13A was introduced into the Income Tax Act 1961 by the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Act 1978 and granted a near-total exemption to political parties. Even though the law required the filing of returns to claim the exemption, it was not enforced until a resurgent Election Commission backed by the Supreme Court mandated it in Common Cause versus Union of India (1996). The Companies Act, 1956 sought to introduce some regulation on political funding by corporate entities by requiring them to seek shareholder approval in a general meeting for any donation above Rs 25,000 or five percent of the average net profit of the previous three years. However, in 1969, the Indira Gandhi government decided to ban corporate donations to political parties completely by amendment of the Companies Act, 1956. While this should have been welcomed in most circumstances, there is considerable evidence to show that this and bank nationalisation was done by the government to target the funding of the free market-oriented Swatantra Party led by C Rajagopalachari and the Congress (O). With no accountability standards, compliances or disclosures required by political parties, ruling parties continued to receive large donations while Opposition parties were placed at a disadvantage in not being able to offer any favours or patronage in exchange of funds. The Rajiv Gandhi government in 1985 removed the ban on corporate donations by amending Section 293A of the Companies Act, 1956 to permit corporate donations again, and this time not even requiring the approval of the general body but merely that of the board of directors The Supreme Court attempted to partly rein in this unregulated beast in Kanwar Lal Gupta versus Amar Nath Chawla (1974), by declaring that a party's expenditure on behalf of its candidates would be included in the calculation of a candidate's election expense. The apex court correctly diagnosed the problem as being the "pernicious influence of big money" playing a decisive role in controlling the democratic process in the country. They concluded that this would inevitably lead to the worst form of political corruption and in its wake produce other vices at all levels. Parliament responded almost immediately by amending Section 77(1) of the RPA 1951 and introducing Explanations 1 and 2 to specifically provide that unauthorised expenditure by a political party or supporters of a candidate would not be included in a candidate's election expenses. In effect, this would give the candidate a final say on what could or could not be included in his election expenses, defeating in large part the purpose of this provision. However, the challenge to this amendment was upheld by a constitution bench of the Supreme Court in P Nalla Thampy Terah versus Union of India (1985). While the 10th Schedule to the Constitution introduced by Constitution Amendment in 1985 mentions political parties, it is only for the specific purpose of stipulating disqualification of a person for membership of either House of Parliament or of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council of a State on the ground of defection from his political party. In 1989, Parliament inserted Part IVA into the RPA 1951 providing for registration of political parties. But the Supreme Court in Indian National Congress (I) versus Institute of Social Welfare (2002) held that the Election Commission does not have the power to deregister or conduct an inquiry into the affairs of a political party. This finding was reflective of the actual legislative intent behind the enactment to appear to have acted, but actually allowing things to continue as before. All political parties have replicated this model of party organisation to compete in the political space. It is this dependence on big money, more even than muscle power, that has caused a fissure in our democratic credentials by giving a disproportionate influence to corporates without a vote. Both the Congress and the BJP have introduced legislative changes to protect the anonymity of donors whether though electoral trusts or bonds; both parties have carried out and supported amendments to nullify judicial decisions introducing accountability and transparency in political parties and candidates. The Election Commission has taken steps to introduce accountability and transparency to the accounting of political parties but without legislative backing, they are powerless to discipline erring parties with penalties. The asymmetry caused by the absence of regulation can most clearly be seen in the disproportionate income received by ruling parties, and in the fact that the total income received from named donors is much less than that received from undisclosed donors, contributing less than Rs 20,000 (now made Rs 2,000) which is the statutorily prescribed limit. A whopping 89 percent of all corporate donations through the opaque process of electoral trusts in 2016-17 was received by the ruling party at the Union level. The remedy to the present malaise lies in recognising the urgent need for regulating parties and creating a truly independent ecosystem to level the playing field between political parties. The Law Commission of India, the Election Commission, and the National Commission to review the working of the Constitution, under Justice Venkatachaliah, have all recommended regulation of political parties in one form or another. While one can criticise specific proposals or methods, all the recommendations are based on the understanding that funding, spending and disclosure standards must be introduced and enforced on political parties. Internal democracy in political parties is also a must to defeat the stranglehold that families and individuals have on the political organisation. It must also be said that all these suggested reforms will come to nought if the Election Commission (or any other body with similar or stronger independence) is not insulated from all forms of political pressure, to be capable of taking effective action against political parties. Democracy can only be sustained if the political parties are tamed and regulated, and legislative or constitutional amendments in this regard are not made for the benefit of the organisations only. Till such time as the legislature gathers the political will to make such radical change, or the judiciary asserts its authority, our far from perfect democracy will continue to hang in the balance facing the perennial danger of falling over the precipice. The author is advocate practicing in the Supreme Court and Madras High Court; and co-wrote an independent report titled 'Money and Elections: Necessary Reforms In Electoral Finance' for the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. Read about the series: Budget Session 2018 washout, worst in over a decade, shows why legislature desperately needs reform agenda Read Part 1: Obsolete system of voice votes needs to be replaced with electronic voting Read Part 2: Examining legislative avenues available to keep govt accountable, exercise necessary oversight Read Part 3: Core problem cannot be fixed till we introduce checks on Speaker's discretionary powers Read Part 4: Strengthening committee system can improve quality of drafted laws, fast-track implementation Read Part 5: 'Bye-Partisanship'; What Indian legislature needs to break deadlocks, improve discourse Read Part 6: Waning legislative influence, lack of clear mission flags need to redefine Rajya Sabha's functioning Read Part 8: Anti-Defection Law must be curbed to empower legislature, promote deliberative democracy Read Part 9: Corporate funding of elections continues to bankrupt legislative morality, weaken electoral integrity Read Part 10: Enabling stakeholder consultations in policy-making can deepen democracy, improve transparency Read Part 11: Time, the unseen yet powerful factor of politics, holds key to controlling legislative discourse Read Part 12: Understanding 'political value' of time and how it is weaponised in democracy The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) will announce the Class 10 results on its official website pseb.ac.in tomorrow. The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) announced the Class 10 results on its official website pseb.ac.in today. The Punjab School Examination Board Chairman, Dr Tejinder Kaur Dhaliwal, on Monday, held a press conference and informed that while the board will release the result on its official website on 9 May, it will announce the merit list of toppers today itself i.e. 8 May. Meanwhile, The Punjab Board result and scorecard will be available tomorrow on the PSEB website and India Results website which also hosted Punjab Board Class 12 result on 23 April. After the result declaration, the board will release the schedule for supplementary exam. Earlier, Zee News had reported that the results could be declared on Thursday at around 10 am. There have been rumours of the announcement of results for over a week, the report noted. Official websites often crashed as several students tried to gain access in anticipation of their mark sheets. RJD president Lalu Prasad, serving sentence in fodder scam cases, has sought a five-day parole to attend the wedding of his elder son later this week Patna/Ranchi: RJD president Lalu Prasad, serving sentence in fodder scam cases, has sought a five-day parole to attend the wedding of his elder son later this week, his lawyer and one of his close aides said on Tuesday. The parole was granted by the court on Wednesday, DNA reported. The septuagenarian Prasad, who has been convicted in three fodder scam cases by a special CBI court at Ranchi since December 2018, is ailing and currently undergoing treatment at RIMS hospital in the Jharkhand capital. His son Tej Pratap Yadav, a sitting MLA and former state minister, will be tying the nuptial knot with Aishwarya Rai, daughter of party legislator Chandrika Rai, on Saturday, 12 May in Patna. "We moved an application before the IG, Jail on Monday for parole from 10 May to 14 May. We hope that our leader will not be deprived of the opportunity to attend the marriage ceremony of his son which is an occasion that comes once in a lifetime," RJD national general secretary and MLA Bhola Yadav told PTI over phone. Yadav is close to the entire family of the RJD supremo. He is currently in Ranchi to help the party chief in seeking release from custody. When contacted, officials of Birsa Munda jail in Ranchi said that they are looking into the request for Prasad's parole and would take an appropriate action. In Ranchi, Prasad's lawyer Prabhat Kumar also corroborated moving application for parole of incarcerated RJD chief for five days (from 10 to 14 May ) for attending his son's marriage. Last week, Prasad had moved an application for provisional bail before the Jharkhand High Court which got deferred till 11 May on account of a strike by lawyers. The RJD chief was recently shifted from AIIMS Delhi to Ranchi after doctors their declared him fit. He could not attend the engagement ceremony of Tej Pratap at Patna on 18 April over which his family had expressed sorrow. Tej Pratap had posted an emotional tweet "miss you Papa." Miss you PAPA Tej Pratap Yadav (@TejYadav14) April 18, 2018 With inputs from PTI Finding strength in numbers, the Dalits of the region are free of atrocities such as untouchability and violent assertion of identity by upper castes. Editor's note: The BJP, its ideological lodestar RSS, and even the BSP, a party with moorings in Dalit identity, have, in recent months, outdone themselves to court the Dalit constituency. The community itself has found new ways to assert its leverage over Indian political parties and reinforce its place in society. Firstpost will travel across Uttar Pradesh, the test bed of India's Dalit politics, to record how these changes have altered life in its villages, towns and cities. Nearly 30 kilometres along the highway from Saharanpur in western Uttar Pradesh lies a village called Jatonwala. The interesting back story of this region, which has a population of nearly 6,000 and comprises the villages of Fatehullahpur, Sahrillapur, Mahmoodpur, Aksharpur and Taarpur, is that it hasnt been mapped on government documents. Nearly 80 percent of its population is Dalit and the rest are primarily Other Backward Castes like Ghimar, Baniya. There's also some presence of savarna castes and Muslims in Taarpur. After one is acquainted with its social demography, one is instantly intrigued by the name Jatonwala, which points to the possibility of a Jat majority. Rajveer, a Dalit local, narrates the tale of a Jat exodus from the region with great pride. He says the lands that once belonged to the Jats are now inhabited by lower castes who are in majority. Finding strength in numbers, the Dalits of the region are free of atrocities such as untouchability and violent assertion of identity by upper castes. Shobharam, another local, agrees and says in Jatonwala, other castes don't consider Dalits inferior. Unlike in villages surrounding Jatonwala, where disputes have erupted over the construction of BR Ambedkar statues and temples, Jatonwala has a Ravidas temple and a Shiv temple and there isn't any caste profiling. Anyone can enter. It's easy to spot Ambedkar's posters but there are no statues; the need for assertion of identity doesn't arise in a place that doesn't threaten that identity in any way. However, in light of the Dalit rights' protests and clashes in Shabbirpur one year ago, a feeling of insecurity is slowly creeping into Dalit pride in Jatonwala. Shobaram says that when Ambedkar Jayanti was celebrated on 14 April with much aplomb, live bands and DJs, BJP leaders were in attendance. The people of Jatonwala had been identifying themselves as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supporters but after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Narendra Modi wave changed their loyalties. Ramsharan, who runs a small grocery store, told Firstpost he went from door to door to garner votes for the BJP. However, he adds that in the light of violent incidents against Dalits, especially the Dalit-Rajput clashes in Shabbirpur last year, local communities are growing wary of the ruling party. He says they also believe that the arrest of the Dalit leader Chandrashekhar Azad was a political conspiracy against the Dalits. Agreeing with him is Deepchand, a 20-something boy who dropped out of middle-school and ended up a wage labourer. He said the government's interference in the SC/ST Act reflects its intentions. Deepchand uses a smartphone and through Facebook and WhatsApp, keeps himself abreast about big and small Dalit-centric news in western Uttar Pradesh. Next door, in Sahrillapur, a group of aged gentlemen Shanti Prakash from the Baniya community, Rampal Bhagat from the Ghimar Dalit community and Manzoor Ali, a Muslim say they often engage in political debate. Shanti Prakash praises the BJP's efforts and is nearly 100 percent sure that they will be voted back to power. He points to Bhagat and calls him a BJP loyalist and Manzoor Ali a Samajwadi Party supporter. Prakash then admits that the BJP has made some mistakes. The one thing can be inferred from their conversation on political ideology, which goes on for a while, is that Dalits and Muslims are more cautious of making their discontent for the BJP evident. What also comes across is that the people in Jatonwala seem to know how to peacefully agree to disagree. The one Ravidas temple in Jatonwala resembles a home. On entering, one spots a gas cylinder next to a pile of utensils and some food items. There's also a folding cot and one picture of the mystic saint from the Bhakti movement held in reverence by the Dalits. The picture is decorated with a string of colourful flash bulbs. Dalit leaders meet here every other evening. Firstpost attends one such discussion and asks why their angst towards the SC/ST Act is being directed at the government. The unanimous response is that the CBI and the Supreme Court are both controlled by the central government. Ramnath Kovind, who comes from the Dalit community, was made the President of India last year, but the people of Jatonwala are quick to point out that Kovind belongs to the Koli sub-caste, which doesn't consider itself Dalit, and doesn't even eat with other Dalit sects. Satish Kumar says they voted for Modi and the promise of development in 2014, but today they feel let down. He adds that loyalties have switched back to the BSP. Just as Kumar stops speaking, one man screams from the other side of the room that during the Mayawati era, Dalits had a 11,000 volt current running in their veins. Instances of violence against the community were unheard of, he added. Just as the contradiction in their loyalties towards the BSP and the Bhim Army gets clearer, the people started saying the two are not separate entities and if they should function independently in the future, the Dalit vote will split. Owing to the swiftness with which the Bhim Army takes up Dalit issues, especially the reporting of cases against Dalits and the protection of victims from backward castes, the fondness for it has grown among locals in pockets of western Uttar Pradesh. The Dalits of Jatonwala are self-assured but are following the goings-on in Dalit politics, especially in western Uttar Pradesh, quite closely. This article is the fourth part of a series on Dalit identity in Uttar Pradesh. You can read the first and second part here and here. Watch the Khabar lahariya report here. The much-awaited Supreme Court Collegium meeting to reconsider its recommendation to elevate Uttarakhand Chief Justice KM Joseph, did not take place on Wednesday, as was being speculated. New Delhi: The much-awaited Supreme Court Collegium meeting to reconsider its recommendation to elevate Uttarakhand Chief Justice KM Joseph, did not take place on Wednesday, as was being speculated. An apex court official said while there was a likelihood of the meeting being held on Wednesday, it was for the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra to fix the date but as of now, there is no official word on it. "There is no official confirmation when the Collegium would meet," the official said, adding that "it is obvious that the agenda of meeting would be the elevation of Justice Joseph to the apex court". Justice J Chelameswar, the senior-most Supreme Court judge who led a virtual revolt against the CJI, was on leave on Wednesday. As a result, he also missed the traditional Wednesday lunch of the judges when one of them takes a turn to bring 'ghar ka khana' (home food) from his or her home state. The members of the collegium including Justices Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph had expressed concern over the delay of the government in clearing the name of the Uttarakhand Chief Justice as the apex court judge. Notwithstanding the letters written by the collegium members to the CJI which had come into the public domain, the Centre has disregarded the recommendation about Justice Joseph. On 26 April, the government returned the Collegium's recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph seeking its reconsideration, saying the proposal was not in accordance with the top court's parameters and there was an adequate representation of Kerala in the higher judiciary from where he hails. The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the validity of parliamentary committee reports cannot be challenged or questioned in courts New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the validity of parliamentary committee reports cannot be challenged or questioned in courts. A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also said that courts can refer to parliamentary reports for statutory interpretation in accordance with law. The bench, also comprising Justice AK Sikri, Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Ashok Bhushan, said the court can take judicial notice of parliamentary committee reports but their validity cannot be challenged. The bench said the Constitution envisages separation of power among the three organs of democracy and the court has to "strike a balance between legislature and judiciary". Relying on parliamentary committee reports in judicial proceedings does not impinge on parliamentary privileges, the apex court said. The court was hearing two PILs filed by activist Kalpna Mehta and the Sama-Resource Group for Women and Health. By Makini Brice and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea released three American prisoners and handed them over to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, clearing a major obstacle to an unprecedented summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un By Makini Brice and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea released three American prisoners and handed them over to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, clearing a major obstacle to an unprecedented summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said the three men, who were freed after Pompeo met Kim, were on the way home from Pyongyang on the chief U.S. diplomat's plane. The president planned to greet them when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington at around 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT) Thursday morning. The release, which was praised by the White House as a "gesture of goodwill," appeared to signal an effort by Kim to set a more favorable tone for the planned summit and followed his recent pledge to suspend missile tests and shut Pyongyangs nuclear bomb test site. While Kim is giving up the last of his American detainees, whom North Korea has often used as bargaining chips with the United States, a release could also be aimed at pressuring Trump to make concessions of his own in his bid to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal, something it has not signaled a willingness to do. But Wednesday's announcement gave Trump a chance to tout a diplomatic achievement just a day after his decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal drew heavy criticism from European allies and others. "I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health," Trump wrote on Twitter. I appreciate Kim Jong Un doing this and allowing them to go," Trump told reporters at the White House. He also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying Beijing was "helpful" in securing the men's freedom, and described pre-summit discussions with North Korea as "serious and positive." The family of Tony Kim, one of freed prisoners, thanked Trump, saying in a statement: "We are very grateful for the release of our husband and father, Tony Kim, and the other two American detainees." South Korea hailed the move as positive for upcoming talks between Trump and Kim and called on Pyongyang to also release six South Korean detainees. The fate of the three Korean-Americans had been among a number of delicate issues in the run-up to the first-ever meeting of U.S. and North Korean leaders, which is being planned for early May or late June. As Pompeo returned to his Pyongyang hotel from a 90-minute meeting with Kim, the secretary of state crossed his fingers when asked by reporters if there was good news about the prisoners. A North Korean official came to the hotel shortly afterwards to inform Pompeo that Kim had granted their release, according to a senior US official present for the exchange. Pompeo replied: "That's great," according to the official. "You should make care that they do not make the same mistakes again," the North Korean official was quoted as saying. "This was a hard decision."They were in the air less than an hour after leaving custody. Asked what his first words were to the freed Americans, Pompeo told reporters on his plane: "Although were not quite back home yet, I welcomed them back. They were happy to be with us on this plane, to be sure." The three are Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-chul; Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, who spent a month teaching at the foreign-funded Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) before he was arrested in 2017; and Kim Hak-song, who also taught at PUST. North Korean state media says they were detained either for subversion or committing "hostile acts" against the government. Many of the foreigners detained by North Korea in the past have said the government forced them into making confessions to false or trumped-up charges. 'VERY PRODUCTIVE' Speaking to reporters as he returned from North Korea, Pompeo said his meetings with the North Koreans were "very productive." A U.S. official who participated in the talks said the two sides agreed to "meet again in person to finalize the details." Trump said on Wednesday that agreement had been reached on a date and venue for the summit and details would be announced within a few days. He said, however, the meeting would not take place at the heavily fortified demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. He has also previously cited Singapore as another possible site. The White House said the three Americans appeared to be in good condition and all were able to walk without assistance onto the plane. "I think there is reason for some optimism that these talks could be fruitful," U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said of the coming summit. There was no immediate sign, however, that Pompeo's visit had cleared up the question of whether North Korea would be willing to bargain away nuclear missiles that might now threaten the United States. The Trump administration has vowed to keep sanctions in place until Pyongyang takes concrete steps toward denuclearization. U.S. officials had been pressing Kim to free the three remaining American detainees as a show of sincerity before the summit. Trump and Kim have exchanged insults and threats over the past year but tensions have eased in recent months. Until now, the only American released by North Korea during Trump's presidency has been Otto Warmbier, a 22year-old university student who returned to the United States in a coma last summer after 17 months of captivity. He died days later. Warmbier's death escalated U.S.-North Korea tensions, already running high at the time over Pyongyang's stepped-up missile tests. North Korea reminded the United States on Wednesday there still was tension between them, warning it against "making words and acts that may destroy the hard-won atmosphere of dialogue," the North's state media said. "The U.S. is persistently clinging to the hostile policy toward the DPRK, misleading the public opinion. Such behaviour may result in endangering the security of its own country," it added, referring to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. (Reporting by Makini Brice, Susan Heavey, Matt Spetalnick, Lesley Wroughton, James Oliphant, Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and Christine Kim in Seoul; Writing by Matt Spetalnick and Josh Smith; Editing by Bill Trott and Alistair Bell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. A Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Imphal, Manipur on Wednesday afternoon killed two Border Security Force jawans and injured two civilians A Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Imphal, Manipur on Wednesday afternoon killed two Border Security Force jawans and injured two civilians, according to ANI. According to CNN News18, the blast occurred near the main road of the BSF sector headquarters Koirengi campus killing the two men on duty. Speaking to Scroll, Imphal East Police chief, K Meghachandra said, "Two jawans succumbed to their injuries in the hospital while a woman and a shopkeeper has been injured in the attack". None of Manipurs militant groups have claimed the attack so far, the report added. This is the second attack on security personnel in a week in the state. On Tuesday, a jawan of Assam Rifles was injured as two grenades were lobbed at the office of the military unit by unidentified men in Imphal. Last year, four people including an Assam Rifles jawan, were injured in an IED explosion in a busy commercial locality of Imphal. In November 2017, an IED bomb blast in Chandel district of Manipur near the India-Myanmar border killed two Assam Rifles jawans namely Indra Singh and Sohalal. The explosion also led to the deaths of six others. With inputs from agencies Mohammed Ali Naqvi talks about how in the process of making InshaAllah Democracy, he witnessed Pervez Musharraf in sensitive, vulnerable positions, as he made a comeback to politics A young Pakistanis political dilemma, the point of view of a Shia, and the complex choice between democracy and dictatorship are at the centre of Mohammed Ali Naqvis seventh film, InshaAllah Democracy. Naqvi too, is part of the films journey, and his camera follows former dictator Pervez Musharrafs life in exile and his eventual return to Pakistan to fight elections in 2013. It thinks aloud about many issues that Pakistanis have faced since 1947, when it comes to politics, terror, minorities, security, elections, and life in general. The film gets disarmingly close to Musharraf, who often drops his guard while talking to Senators in the US, while expressing his own views on India, or his dilemma with regards to supporting the war on terror and denying that he ever knew Osama was hiding in Pakistan. It presents a human portrait of the dictator, though Naqvi is under no illusion about the army or dictators; he puts his money on democracy. The film will be commercially released this summer and also in Pakistan, if it is cleared by the censor board. In this conversation with Firstpost, he talks about the intimate relationship he shared with Musharraf, as well as the way his political opinions have changed over the years. Tell us about your journey as a filmmmaker. I was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1979 and my family moved back to Karachi, Pakistan when I was three years old. The Pakistan I grew up in was drastically different from the one my parents experienced. Their Pakistan was more tolerant and open; my Pakistan was defined by instability and violence. My family belongs to the Shia Muslim minority in Pakistan, and our community was being targeted by right-wing Islamist extremists. When my uncle was murdered in the 1990s, my family began hiding in the US for long stretches of time until things calmed down back home. My pre-adolescent and early teenage years were spent going back and forth between New York and Karachi. These two cities are entirely different worlds, and I never felt that I "fit in" in either place. Consequently, (and at the risk of sounding cliche), like many artists, I felt alienated as a youth and romanticized the idea of being an 'outsider'. Before this point, living in New York, my Pakistani heritage, or being raised Muslim was irrelevant to me. Like many bi-cultural people, I lived a fairly compartmentalised life, adapting to my environment as needed. 9/11 put a stop to all that and forced me to be fully present. It was the first time in my life I really felt demonised for being a Pakistani or Muslim. This is when I began to take an interest in the medium of non-fiction to explore stories. I partnered with a friend and another first-time filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (an Academy Award winner) to make Terrors Children. For me, it was a chance to go back to my home country and really explore the Muslim identity. Did your Shia identity and the resulting vulnerability motivate you to make this film? Or was it a result of other factors? Can you tell us about the situation you live in now? My Shia background was one of many factors that motivated me to pursue this story. Growing up as a Shia Muslim minority in Pakistan, I always felt unsafe. I wanted Pakistan to be a modern democratic state, and I also wanted to feel safe and secure. When military dictator General Musharraf came to power in a coup in 1999, I was nineteen. His rule meant safety and secularism. I saw things change. For me, Musharraf was a hero. I wasnt going to let the fact that he was a dictator mar that image. Soon after he resigned and went into exile, Pakistan was plunged into chaos. It was one of the most dangerous times in our countrys history. The democratically elected government that followed him proved woefully incompetent to deal with some of our most pressing issues, including terrorism and security. So when it became known that the former military ruler was running for election, the news was impossible to ignore. All other candidates lacked any firm stance on the growing religious extremist element. Supporting Musharraf was only natural. I started making this film in 2010, working on and off over the next few years until 2017. As documentary filmmakers, we are voyeurs we turn our cameras outwards and observe our subjects. In that vein, I began with the simple premise of documenting a fallen leaders attempt at a political comeback. But something happened in the course of making this film I turned the camera on myself. When Musharraf opened up to me, we began forming our own friendship. That is when the story started changing. It wasnt just about him anymore, it was about me as well. I wasnt just a fly on the wall, I was an active participant a potential voter. I was in the unique position of observing a potential candidate first-hand, but more than that, I had to do the difficult task of unpacking my own story, which had informed my politics. Ultimately, it became my personal journey of political maturation and voting for the first time personally engaging with a democratic set up. Voting for the first time wasnt just about me and my wants; it was a transcendent moment. It was a milestone for Pakistan, and for me personally. All Pakistanis were taking a chance on democracy and ourselves. We were going to be our own saviours, not the military or some outside force. It was the first time in my life that I had a say in my country's governance. It was empowering for me and I felt a shared experience with other Pakistanis. Now we are heading towards elections again. Is the situation a mess? Certainly. But what people forget is that democracy is a long self-correcting process. We don't need some authoritarian saviour to step in and save us, we need to participate more in the democratic process. For how many years did you track Musharraf with your camera, and why did you choose this format? How easy was it to get so much footage? I have chosen to portray people that are in some way lost, and their narrative journeys are about finding themselves. Ultimately, all my films are about my own journey of self-discovery, and InshaAllah Democracy is no exception. Musharraf came into my life at a time when I was going through my own process of spiritual growth. I still exhibited the lingerings of post-adolescent ennui. I had a strong sense of disillusionment at the state of affairs in Pakistan and was having a difficult time reconciling this with any sense of patriotism. Coincidentally, Musharraf was going through his own process of metamorphosis. Here was a man, who at one time was one of the most powerful men in Pakistan and he had helped shaped contemporary history. Now, he was licking his wounds in self-exile, and taking on the herculean task of running for election in a country that had still not forgiven him. And perhaps, in a strange way, because we met at this time, we became fast friends. Growing up, I used to adore Musharraf. I thought he was the only genuine leader we ever had. He did wonders for our economy, he seemed liberal in his outlook, and most of all, he was capable of good governance and keeping the country on an even keel. But everything I knew of him was distilled through the news or headlines. I actually got to know him personally once he left office. I witnessed major turning points as he campaigned in the lead up to the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in our countrys history. When troubling news reports surfaced of Osama Bin Laden being caught, he confessed to me his own role of covertly supporting militancy as a means of fighting a proxy war with India. I realised that he didnt think he owed his people the truth. Despite his liberal and secular outlook, he was a dictator at heart a dangerous flaw in a leader. I shot the film myself, most of it with a handheld camera. I wanted my time with Musharraf to feel deeply personal and intimate, as if the audience were voyeurs. To achieve this fly-on-the wall perspective, the visual aesthetic had to be rough, amateurish, and gritty almost as if it was a home video. It was through this that I was able to achieve the raw intimacy I was looking for in Musharraf, and with other subjects I filmed. Since almost everyone I filmed was a political figure, I wanted to show another side of them one that was markedly different from the carefully constructed persona showcased in a sterile TV studio or newsroom set. When filming with Musharraf, it was only me. Despite the technical difficulties of shooting this film alone without an extensive crew, it was still necessary to preserve the intimate dynamic I had with him. If I had brought in more crew, my subject's behaviour would have totally changed. I didnt know that Id be following him for five years. I was upfront at the beginning and said this is not going to be some propaganda piece. He is a military dictator, so you obviously have that kind of apprehension, but he was just so nice and so hospitable and friendly. He was on Facebook and having trouble with his computer, so I helped him. He reminded me of an uncle of mine, so we connected and hit it off. Ill leave it to the viewer to decide whether I was being manipulated or not. I purposely bring that question up because I wanted people to go through the same trajectory as I did. He was my saviour when I started this film, and I was in a different place by the time the film was over. Has the film been screened in Pakistan and elsewhere? What has been the reaction? Some people have said that it focuses too much on Musharraf too much. As proud as I have been of my previous films, I have also been conflicted. On the one hand, I am thrilled that my films are having an impact and raising social awareness in my country and community. On the other hand, I am not blind to a few warranted criticisms I receive as a filmmaker of colour from my own country. Some accuse me of "poverty pimping", others accuse me of pandering to a naive Western narrative, perpetuating an insidious Orientalism. I wanted to change this with Insha'Allah Democracy. I wanted to make a film for myself, and my country bereft of Western political narratives. This is my most honest film. We had only one showing for our premiere at Sheffield International Documentary Festival June 2017. The day before the screening, I distributed my allotment of tickets to Pakistani cab drivers. They were kind enough to bring other Pakistani and Indian friends. This was one of the most satisfying screenings of my life. Some of the immigrants loved it, and some were enraged. The QnA was electric, and much of the audience was arguing among themselves. It thrilled me that my film was able to have this reaction one that was grounded in our story, not filtered through a Western prism. Since then, the film has been nominated for a few awards and been screened in several festivals the world over. I have shown the film in Pakistan through private underground screenings and those have been the best screenings yet. I expect strong reactions Musharraf, after all, is a very polarising leader. And just as this film chronicles my own point of view and unpacks my political thinking, other Pakistanis have their own valid view points that are entirely different from mine. The fact that the film warrants extreme reactions from the audience and that I am able to inspire dialogue makes me enormously proud as a documentarian. You voted for the first time in 2013, for the Opposition. You seemed optimistic then, but do you feel the promise of democracy has been fulfilled? Making this film has taught me that military rule, even when secular-leaning, comes with long-term repercussions that are seriously damaging. When you ban political parties in Muslim countries, suppressed voices have only one outlet left for socio-political discourse the Mosque. Like many instances of faith-based politics, the repercussions in Pakistan have been violent. A movement of Islamic extremists wreaked havoc with security, and those with a minority perspective or identity felt particularly unsafe. This is what I learnt during the course of making this film. And even when Nawaz Sharif, a right-leaning religious hard-line sympathiser, was elected in 2013, I knew better than to pray for another military coup. There was a strong opposition against him in parliament, and I was seeing that democracy was beginning to strengthen as an institution. This lesson I learnt while making InshaAllah Democracy directly echoes the recent global shift that has dramatically come to the fore in events of the last few years. The election of a US president espousing a strong nationalist, anti-immigrant agenda took the world by surprise. The growing polarisation in American society is reminiscent of Pakistans struggle with its growing extremist, right-wing rule. I saw many of my American friends and colleagues rushing to join demonstrations protesting the Trump election. While I agree with their political beliefs, I am reminded of the lesson learned in InshaAllah Democracy: that democracy, based on a continuous participation by citizens, it is the only long-term solution. Furthermore, the conservative political forces of Western superpowers like the US have also historically supported military dictators in Pakistan. Although their goal has been to curb militancy in the world, the US has actually exacerbated it through their bungling policy. InshaAllah Democracy offers a different solution: empower pluralistic Muslim voices to combat extremist ideology. Instead of rushing to the quick-fix of military rule, it is only through helping strengthen democracy that middle-ground political voices can finally emerge in countries like Pakistan. Why did you think Musharraf would protect minorities? And at what particular moment did you think he wouldnt? Musharraf is enigmatic in that regard. I believe he genuinely wants to empower minorities, and even today, he enjoys support from some minority groups. He passed legislation that was progressive and empowered minorities during his tenure. And overall, he is more secular in his outlook. But on the other hand, he is an army man. And his genuine intentions of peace and empowering minorities are undone by his own views of supporting militant groups as a form of geo-strategic policy against India. With respect to India, he is rather clear about using tactics of terror. What are your comments on Indo-Pakistan relations right now, and the situation of Kashmir? Indian-Pakistani relations are at a low point. Our intelligence agencies have been at each others throats for decades. Both countries' politicians and leaders have contributed to toxic nationalist rhetoric demonising each other for the purpose of political support. And in the meanwhile, Kashmiris have suffered appalling human rights abuses. I think each country has to look inwards and take internal accountability for their actions, rather than get stuck in another cycle of blame and confrontation. This looking inwards is crucial; it is what I attempted with my film. Did you show the film to Musharraf? What was his reaction? After I showed him the film, the one thing he said was that he had treated me like family all these years I was filming him, and he felt hurt that I included some scenes, such as the one in Washington DC. It was such a surreal moment for me. As a documentarian, of course, I am within my full rights to show the truth and I was not going to change a thing. On the other hand, he did treat me like family and for a while, I felt really guilty. But that was the very unique and strange position I was in: I may not have respected him as a politician anymore, nor was I blind to the very disastrous actions he had taken during his tenure. Despite this, I was still fond of him on a personal level. Aside from that one complaint, he enjoyed the film. In the run-up to the Karnataka Assembly polls on 12 May, HD Kumaraswamy asserts he will not play the kingmaker in case of a hung verdict, but will emerge as the king himsel Bengaluru: In the run-up to the Karnataka Assembly polls on 12 May, former chief minister and state president of Janata Dal (Secular) HD Kumaraswamy asserts he will not play the kingmaker in case of a hung verdict, but will emerge as the king himself. Unfazed by scathing attacks against the JD(S) from both Congress and the BJP, the 58-year-old leader says there will not be a post-poll tie-up with any of the two national political parties. The chief ministerial candidate believes his party is poised to cross the 113-mark in the 224-member Assembly. In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, Kumaraswamy explains why he thinks the party will sweep over the entire state on its own. Edited excerpts follow: You have expressed confidence in forming a government with complete majority. But what do you have to say about the pre-poll surveys that have predicted a hung Assembly scenario? Many of these surveys were done randomly. How many people did they speak with in order to arrive at conclusions? Their reports never mentioned the strengths and weaknesses of political parties in each constituency. I can give names of areas where JD(S) candidates are set to win. While media houses kept themselves busy in providing specifics about Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's itinerary during his recent Karnataka visit, they ignored campaigns by our candidates. I have been addressing nearly six meetings a day, but there is no mention about it in either regional or national media. What do you think about the BJP's promise to waive farmer loans worth up to Rs one lakh? BJP leaders, especially its chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa, seem to have woken up now and are busy projecting themselves as the farmer's friend. When farmers had asked Yeddyurappa for a loan waiver during his tenure as the deputy chief minister in 2006-07, he reacted by saying, "BJP did not have a currency note-printing machine." Also, not a single farmer loan was waived during his tenure as chief minister between 2007 and 2011. JD(S)'s 60-page manifesto also promises to waive all farm loans in a one-time action, apart from various other welfare schemes. Will the party be successful when the incumbent Congress government has succeeded in waiving only loans availed from cooperative banks and societies? Before releasing our party manifesto, we had discussed at length the possibilities of implementing various schemes, their sustainability and effectiveness. We have promised to waive agricultural loans amounting to Rs 52,000 crore (including interest payments) availed not only from cooperative banks and societies, but also from nationalised banks. We want to utilise the money collected as taxes to implement welfare schemes for the poor. Addressing a farmers rally in a central Karnataka city, Prime Minster Narendra Modi had earlier said that Siddaramaiah-led government was a "10 percent sarkar". What do you have to say about the corruption charges against the Congress government? Ironically, it is the BJP government that had introduced the percentage system in the Indian democracy. BJP leaders have guided Siddaramaiah to continue with the percentage system in Karnataka. Unfortunately, Modi seems to be unaware of this. Contractors today have to bribe government officials in order to float tenders and get money released. Congress leaders had recently described the JD(S) as a "B team of the BJP". Will you support the saffron party in case of a hung verdict? Congress president Rahul Gandhi had asked my father and JD(S) supremo, HD Deve Gowda, to clarify on this issue. But tell me, why would the JD(S) seek to form an alliance with any party when it is set to get a majority on its own and form the next government? There is no possibility of the JD(S) joining hands with Congress or the BJP. What will the JD(S) do if either the Congress or BJP leadership approaches it to help fulfil promises made in the party manifesto? I want to make one thing absolutely clear. I am not here for the chief minister's position. It is the welfare of people that matters most to me. What do you have to say about the corruption charges made against the Siddaramaiah government? The need of the hour is to cleanse the third floor of the Vidhana Soudha where Siddaramaiah's office is situated. There is rampant corruption in the state. I will transfer corrupt officers posted at the Assembly building if the JD(S) comes to power. Unless such officials are transferred or punished, people will continue to suffer. The BJP government had borrowed Rs 85,000 crore in the name of developmental works and Congress had borrowed Rs two lakh crore for taking up developmental works in five years. Siddaramaiah has ridiculed me by saying that I will not become the state chief minister. But I want to tell people that he will not remain even an MLA after the election results are out. The author is a Bengaluru-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters Amit Shah on Wednesday accused the Congress of using fake voter IDs to create fictitious voters and rig the Karnataka polls New Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday accused the Congress of using fake voter IDs to create fictitious voters and rig the Karnataka polls and urged the Election Commission (EC) to ensure free and fair polling in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and other parts of the state. A day after the Commission recovered 9,746 voter ID cards from an apartment in Bengaluru's Jalahalli area of Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly constituency, Shah hit out at the Congress, saying their anti-democratic ways to succeed in elections would be thwarted. "Congress party should be ashamed of themselves! Everything about their party is fake their tears for the poor, their claims of development, their commitment to social justice. Now, the Congress is using fake voter IDs to create fictitious voters and rig the 2018 Karnataka polls," he said in a series of tweets. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief said that the Congress had read the writing on the wall that their reign of corruption and oppression was about to end in Karnataka. "That is why they are turning to unethical and anti-democratic ways to succeed. However, their attempts will be thwarted and the power of the people will win," he said. Appealing to "all democracy loving Indians" to rise to the occasion and speak up against the fraudulent and anti-democratic means adopted allegedly by the Congress just for the sake of power, he said: "Our vigilance will ensure our future generations breathe the air of freedom and democracy." Demanding free and fair polling in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and other parts of the state, he said: "It is in the best interests of our democratic traditions that the EC ensures fair polling. The hopes and aspirations of the people of Karnataka can't be held hostage to the machinations of the Congress." The state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar late on Tuesday night said 9,746 voter cards had been seized from a flat in the constituency. "In a surprise visit to a flat in Jalahalli locality, nearly 9,746 voter ID cards were found. Five laptops and one printer was also found in the flat," Kumar said. Over a lakh slips resembling acknowledgement slips used for adding names to the electoral rolls were also found. Voting in 223 of the 225 assembly constituencies of the state will be held on May 12 and the votes counted on 15 May. While the election to the Jayanagar seat in south Bengaluru has been put off following the death of BJP candidate BN Vijaya Kumar on 4 May, one member is nominated in the lower House. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Tariq Anwar on Wednesday charged the BJP with stoking controversy over the portrait of Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Patna: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Tariq Anwar on Wednesday charged the BJP with stoking controversy over the portrait of Mohammad Ali Jinnah at the Aligarh Muslim University in order to polarise voters in Karnataka ahead of the Assembly elections. Controversy over portrait of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah at the AMU students' union office, which has been reportedly hanging there for several decades, erupted last week after local BJP MP Satish Gautam shot off a letter to the vice chancellor objecting to the picture. The NCP national general secretary asserted that Indian Muslims had their affinity towards leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and not with the founder of Pakistan, but the BJP was raking up the issue as it has achieved little in the four years of its rule at the Centre. "The AMU is a central university of which the President happens to be the Visitor. Had the Centre been really serious about removing the portrait of Jinnah from the premises, it could have ordered the same without making a fuss. But the BJP had other plans," Anwar told reporters here. The BJP has been in power at the Centre for four years but it finds itself in no position to speak about its own achievements, he said. "Assembly polls are round the corner in Karnataka and the party (BJP) seems to have fallen back on its old tactics of communal polarisation," the former Union minister alleged. "An attempt is being made to portray Muslims of the country as supporters of Jinnah when the fact remains that those who backed the founder of Pakistan had migrated to that country upon Partition," the Lok Sabha member from Katihar, said. "Those Muslims, who stayed back, have never had anything to do with Jinnah. They have always looked up to leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, considered them as a source of inspiration," he said. "Nobody is going to object if the Centre wishes to remove the portrait of Jinnah from the AMU or any other organisation or institution across the country. An order from the HRD ministry would serve the purpose," Anwar added. The Election Commission of India held a press conference on Wednesday confirming that the seized voter ID cards were genuine and not fake, as claimed. A day after close to 10,000 voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly constituency in Karnataka, the Election Commission of India held a press conference on Wednesday confirming that the seized cards were genuine and not fake as claimed. "This is a very serious matter. Two people have been arrested as of now and there is a possibility of more arrests. The case is currently being investigated," Sanjiv Kumar, Chief Election Officer (CEO) Karnataka, said on the 'fake' voter ID issue, as per ANI. "We are trying to reach the truth at the earliest. However, one thing is certain that nobody has broken into our system and no new voter ID cards have been made," Kumar said. He said that the case was under observation and maintained that the cards were collected for a reason. "We have seized 9,896 cards," he said, reiterating that the voter ID cards seized were genuine. Meanwhile, a BJP delegation comprising Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan were to meet the Election Commission at 6 pm over the 'fake' voter ID issue. #VoterIDScandal -- We have seized 9896 cards. According to preliminary observation they appear to be original: Sanjiv Kumar, CEO, Karnataka. #BattleForKarnataka pic.twitter.com/JM34Vw1E6s News18 (@CNNnews18) May 9, 2018 BJP-Congress play blame game The BJP on Wednesday accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to "derail" free and fair polls and demanded that voting be postponed in the assembly segment in Bengaluru Urban district. "Five laptops, scanners and lamination machines and many voter ID cards were burnt before police reached the spot. Still, they recovered around 1 lakh counterfoils of Form-6. This shows a deep conspiracy to derail the free and fair election," Union HRD Minister and party's in-charge for Karnataka polls Prakash Javadekar told the media. BJP president Amit Shah also accused the Congress of using fake voter IDs to create fictitious voters and rig the Karnataka polls and urged the Election Commission (EC) to ensure free and fair polling in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and other parts of the state. Shah hit out at the Congress, saying their anti-democratic ways to succeed in elections would be thwarted. "Congress party should be ashamed of themselves! Everything about their party is fake their tears for the poor, their claims of development, their commitment to social justice. Now, the Congress is using fake voter IDs to create fictitious voters and rig the 2018 Karnataka polls," he said in a series of tweets. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused the BJP of misusing the government machinery. While addressing the media, the chief minister said that the Congress is constantly under surveillance of the BJP, as per The Economic Times. "Congress is constantly under surveillance of BJP government. This is the 12th time, I am fighting elections but for the first time, these raids are being conducted at the time of elections. They are misusing government machinery," Siddaramaiah said. "It is Election Commission's job to investigate. I don't have to say anything about it." Late on Tuesday night, Kumar had said that 9,986 voter cards had been seized from a flat in the constituency. "In a surprise visit to a flat in Jalahalli locality, nearly 9,896 voter ID cards were found. Five laptops and one printer were also found in the flat," he said. Over a lakh slips resembling acknowledgement slips used for adding names to the electoral rolls were also found. Voting in 223 of the 225 assembly constituencies of the state will be held on 12 May and the votes counted on 15 May. Follow LIVE updates on the Karnataka Assembly Election 2018 With inputs from agencies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend public meetings in Bangarapet, Chikmagalur, Belagavi, and Bidar today. Auto refresh feeds Addressing BJP workers in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "There is no space for violence in a democracy. When a person loses faith in himself and doesn't have the strength to speak or accept the truth, he chooses the path of politcial violence." "In 1984 there was a phase of violence after Indira Gandhi's assassination. Since then it seems violence has become a part of the political system. Our workers were killed in Tripura, Kerala, Karnataka. This doesn't suit democracy. Violence must be opposed," Narendra Modi said in his address. "More than 1.27 MUDRA loans have been given under our government. Through our schemes, 1 lakh youth have been trained for skills." Claiming that BJP has embraced technology unlike Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "India is making's its spot in the global start-up scene. The youth of Karnataka are energetic, brave and hardworking. The youth of this state will get many benefits from the central government. Asserting that violence in any form should not be allowed by any political party in a democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to BJPs youth karyakartas in Karnataka to not "act in vengeance even when they have lost their several karyakartas in political violence". Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address through his app, praised the youth of Karnataka for proving their "mettle in all fields". Five world-class sports centres will be established in Karnataka under the BJP government. "After coming to power, BJP will establish 60 state-of-the-art Namma BPO complexes across Karnataka and a corpus of Rs 250 Crore for low interest loans to encourage local entrepreneurs to set up BPO businesse," he said. He said that his contest was with Yeddyurappa and not Modi. "I challenge him (Yeddyurappa) to an open debate on issues on a single platform. Will he accept? Modi is also welcome," he tweeted. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah claimed on Monday that Narendra Modi is deliberately confusing voters in Karnataka with his speeches on non-issues. "All hot air & no substance," he said in a tweet. Siddaramaiah challenges Yeddyurappa for an open debate, says Modi also welcome In a series of tweets, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah listed five reasons why Karnataka should not vote for the BJP: In the photograph, Siddaramaiah is seen alongside absconder Vijay Ishwaran at the World Economic Forum in 2013. A day after BJP accused Siddaramaiah of having links with a Ponzi scheme, Siddaramaiah hit back on Twitter and said, "If BJP wants to go with this logic of using a photo to accuse me, then it should also accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his photo with Nirav Modi in Davos." JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy released the party's manifesto. The party has promised farm loan waiver within 24 hours of taking oath, if elected to power. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit Kolar distict at 12.20 pm and is scheduled to make three addresses in Bangalore Rural district later. He will attend a corner meeting Hoskote District Stadium at 2.15 pm, and another one in Junior College Ground in Devanahalli at 4 pm. His last address of the day is scheduled at 5.40 pm in Dadaballapura. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh addressed a press conference to lash out at the Narendra Modi government over its "mismanagement of vision" in terms of economic policies. "Our farmers are facing an acute crisis, our aspirational youth are not finding opportunities, and the economy is growing below its potential. The unfortunate truth is that each of these crises was entirely avoidable," he said. "Demonetisation and hasty implementation of GST dealt a blow to the rural economy and to the common man. High petrol prices have made the situation worse and mismanagement of the Modi government is evident," he said. "Growth rate under NDA is lower than UPA despite favourable global conditions and changes in calculation methods," Manmohan Singh said at a press conference in Bengaluru. "Every time we have sought an answer for any of the disastrous policies of the present BJP government, all we hear is that the intentions are virtuous," he said, adding that Modi government's policies has resulted in "massive losses" for the country. Speaking at the press briefing in Bengaluru, ex-prime minister Manmohan Singh criticised the NDA government for increase in fuel prices. "Petrol and diesel prices are at a historic high.This is in spite of lower international crude oil prices because the Narendra Modi government chooses to levy excessive excise taxes. Instead of passing on the benefits of low prices to the people, the Modi government has punished the people," he said. Manmohan Singh accused the BJP of polarising the populations ahead of the 12 May polls in Karnataka. "It is shocking that the prime minister stoops so low during election, it is unbecoming of the prime minister. Particularly, when he is in state where election are set to take place. No prime minister has used election time to say things in manner that Modi ji has tried," he said BJP chief Amit Shah addressed a rally in Nargund. "I urge you to vote BJP to power. We will release water from Mahadayi in Karnataka within six months. Kisan apne khet mein jayega, Mahadayi ka paani ayega (The farmer will go back to his farm when Mahadayi water is released), he said. BS Yeddyurappa government will ensure that Karnataka gets water. BJP will release water from Mahadayi river in Karnataka within six months of power, says Amit Shah in Nargund He added, "Give BJP a chance this time. In five years, Narendra Modi and BS Yeddyurappa will turn Karnataka into India's number one state." BJP national president Amit Shah accused the Congress government of corruption. "Siddaramaiah wears a watch worth Rs 40 lakh. That indicates how much corruption they have done. His government has now become symbol of corruption. It is 10 percent commission government," he said in Nargund. Raising the pitch against the BJP, he said. "Narendra Modi should tell Karnataka about the qualifications of BJP's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa. He should tell the voters how many times he has gone to jail. The BJP will know only after the election how strong Congress is in Karnataka." Leading the protest in Kolar against the rising fuel prices, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, "Has the central government given a single rupee to the farmers of Karnataka? Modi ji, you could've waived farmer loans across the country." "The prime minister should tell, why he is not reducing fuel prices. He should tell the nation that he is taking the money from common man and giving it to Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi," Rahul Gandhi said in Kolar. He lashed out at Congress for stalling the triple talaq bill. "Rahul Gandhi keeps talking about dignity of women. The triple talaq bill has been passed by Lok Sabha but is stuck in Rajya Sabha, where Congress is not letting the debate happen," he said. Addressing a press conference in Karnataka, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the state needs good monitoring. "The Government of India and Karnataka will work together for it," he said. He further said that if voted to power, improvement of infrastructure of Bengaluru will be our BJP's priority. "The BJP Government collected Rs 10 lakh crore in taxes on Petrol/LPG/Diesel since 2014. Yet, NO relief in prices for our citizens. This video shows the truth about fuel prices under PM Modi," Gandhi said on Twitter using the hashtag 'BJPReducePetrolPrices'. He accused the government of collecting Rs 10 lakh crore in taxes on petroleum products without giving any relief in prices to people. Speaking to reporters after a corner meeting, Rahul Gandhi said that his cycle rally earlier in the day was a move to protest against the rising fuel prices in India. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi said that the PM functions in two modes only. "There are 3 modes in a mobile phone, work mode, speaker mode & airplane mode. Modi Ji only uses speaker mode & airplane mode, he never uses work mode," said Rahul. Addressing BJP yuva morcha workers via the 'Narendra Modi App,' the prime minister also lauded efforts of party workers in maintaining the public mood in favour of the party despite rumours of a hung assembly in the May 12 elections in Karnataka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Opposition for opposing technology be it in the form of Aadhaar card or EVMs and said the BJP wants to promote a modern India by giving importance to skill development and innovation. Liquor worth Rs 23,98,82,621.02 was also confiscated by Static Surveillance teams & excise department. Gold and silver worth Rs 43,25,84,717 were seized by the I-T dept, ANI reported. In the poll-bound state, where the Model Code of Conduct is already binding, cash worth Rs 75,94,03,703 was seized by the Income Tax department and state police. Rahul Gandhi, while addresses a gathering in Hoskote, said that Narendra Modi was out of topics in the election-bound state. He said that the PM especially cannot talk about women's security in Karnataka after what happened in Unnao. The Congress president was referring to the gangrape of a minor in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao, where the sitting BJP MLA was accused of rape and murdering victim's father. A key aide of Siddaramaiah has sent a legal notice for defemation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making 'unfounded allegations' against the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The notice has been sent in view of the prime minister calling Siddaramaiah, "seedha rupaiya CM" and "10 percent CM." An ADR report states that 28 percent of candidates contesting the 12 May elections are facing criminal cases. The BJP tops the list with 83 of its 224 candidates (37 percent) facing criminal cases. The Congress comes in second with 59 (26 percent) of its 220 candidates embroiled in criminal cases. Both BJP and Congress have been training guns on each other over the issue of corruption. However, neither seems to be spot free in the Karnataka elections. Hitting out at the BJP, Siddaramaiah said, "BJP doesn't believe in social justice, welfare of the poor or socialism. Ananth Kumar Hegde is 'nalayak.' He is not fit to be a gram panchayat leader and they have made him Union Minister." Ananth Kumar hegde a 'nalayak', not even fit for being panchyat leader, says Siddaramaiah Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah alleged that minorities in the country were feeling terrorised under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dubbing the BJP a "communal party" Siddaramaiah warned the party of bloodshed if it tries to alter the basic structure of Constitution of India. "If Narendra Modi tries to change Constitution, there will be bloodshed in this country," he said . If Narendra Modi tries to change Constitution there will be bloodshed in this country: Siddaramaiah Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address three public meetings today. He will speak at a rally in Vijayapura at 1 pm, and later address a gathering in Koppal 3 pm. His last address will be in Bengaluru at 6.30 pm. BJP national president Amit Shah will hold roadshows today in Madikeri, Mangalore, Mangalore South, and Mangalore North constituencies. His first roadshow is scheduled to begin at 11 am from Chowdeshwari temple to toll gate at Thimmaiah Circle, while his last roadshow for the day will begin at 5 pm from BJP election office in Kavoor to Shetty Residency. Former Congress president and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will be addressing a mega rally at BLDE New Campus grounds in Vijayapura on Tuesday. At 9.30 am, Congress president will interact with "eminent citizens" through the Samruddha Bharat platform. He will later address gatherings in Chikkaballapur, Pavgada, and Tiptur. The BBC News Press Team cleared itself of any connection with a "fake" survey on Karnataka election being circulated on Whatsapp. " We'd like to make it absolutely clear that it is fake and does not come from the BBC. The BBC does not commission pre-election surveys in India," it said in a tweet. BBC News warns of fake survey being circulated on Whatsapp, says it does not commission pre-poll surveys in India According to the legal notice, the BJP leaders will have to face civil and criminal action and pay damages of Rs 100-crore in the event of the BJP leaders failed to withdraw their statements and issuing an unconditional public apology. Siddaramaiah, who served a Rs 100-crore legal notice on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and party's Karnataka unit chief BS Yeddyurappa, asked why election is supposed to be an "open season" for allegations. Siddaramaiah says he will 'pursue' defamation cases against Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Yeddyurappa "Madam Maino, Karnataka needs no lessons from the person who was solely responsible for wasting India's 10 precious years," BJP Karnataka said in a tweet. "And to Congress, need to remind you of your 'import' jibe," it added. Taking a dig at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, BJP said on Twitter that "Ms Antonio Maino" will be in Karnataka on Tuesday to "save her last citadel from falling". According to reports, Rahul Gandhi has inaugurated the Samruddha Bharat Foundation. He is currently interacting with the citizens of Bengaluru at the launch event. Samruddha Bharat is an independent platform launched to propagate "liberal, secular, and republican" values in India. He also attacked BJP chief Amit Shah, saying, "I don't think he has lot of credibility. People in India forget that BJP president is a murder accused. A party that talks about honesty, decency has a person who has been accused of murder as its president." He said that one of the main issues with BJP is why the prime minister had chosen a corrupt person (BS Yeddyurappa) as a chief ministerial candidate. "People want to know why the prime minister has given eight tickets to Reddy brothers who have stolen Rs 35,000 crore," he said. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP and RSS of making a "systematic attempt" to capture all of India's institution. "Congress and India is resisting this," he said. "Yes why not," Congress president Rahul Gandhi was quoted as saying by ANI after he was asked if he can be prime minister in 2019 if Congress is the single largest party. Moments after Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP for projecting BS Yeddyurappa as a chief ministerial candidate despite facing corruption charge, the saffron party hit back on Twitter. It said, "...you stand on much lower footing compared to BS Yeddyurappa. While the high court has acquitted all charges against Yeddyurappa, you still face a Rs 5000 crore corruption charge and are out on bail; yet you see pipedream of becoming the prime minister." "Until then, like a good boy, spare us from these rumblings," it added. Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's 'speaker and airplane mode' jibe at Narendra Modi, BJP said that the Congress president will go on vacation mode after the end of campaigning in Karnataka. "We know it is getting difficult here. Three more days and you can switch to your vacation mode,' the party said in a tweet. Three more days until vacation mode for Rahul Gandhi, says BJP He claimed that the Congress leaders have stopped visiting homes to seek votes. "Now they are sitting in their offices, and thinking whom to accuse for their loss; should they blame EVMs or something else. They are planning ways to blame EVMs," he said. "In the past 7-8 days, I have visited various places in Karnataka and I have seen that the people have decided not only to remove Congress, but has decided to give them the strictest of punishment for five years," he said. "Those who are saying that there will be a hung Assembly in state, must step out of their AC rooms," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said as he began his address in Vijayapur. People have decided to punish Congress for five years, says Narendra Modi He hit out at Congress over farmers' woes in state. "What has the Congress done for the farmers of Karnataka? When the state was hit by drought, their ministers who were handling key portfolios were busy doing politics in Delhi," Modi said in Vijayapura. Prime Minister Narendra Modi credited the saints, seers and mutts for playing a key role in making the society of Karnataka "progressive and harmonious". "They have worked to remove human suffering," he said. What Karnataka was hit by drought, Congress ministers were doing politics in Delhi Narendra Modi accused the Congress of not being serious about the safety of women. "It is the NDA Government that has got a tough law that will ensure safety of women," he said. He also hit out at the Congress for not letting the Centre pass the triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha. 'Congress has never been serious about women safety' He also said that Dalits were being killed in BJP-ruled states but Narendra Modi has not uttered a word, Speaking in Pavagada, Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not helping in waiving farm loan. "You come to speak here, but when you gave nod for loan waiver, you did not add a single rupee from the central government," he said. "What Narendra Modi government couldn't do at the Centre, Congress government was able to execute in Karnataka. In the next five years, the Congress government will provide 1 crore jobs to youth in state," he added. In Pavagada, Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked Narendra Modi over his promise of providing 2 crore jobs to the youth every year. "Modi's ministers agree that India is facing biggest job crisis under the NDA government," he said. Speaking in Pavagada, Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked the JD(S) and BJP. He said that the 'S' in JD(S) stood for "Sangh Parivaar" and not "secular". Vouching for Congress leaders, he said, "Siddaramaiah, state unit president G Parameshwara, and other Congress leaders have you in their hearts when they work. On the other hand, Yeddyurappa and Reddy brothers have all been behind bars. It is up to you to decide if you want a clean, corruption-free government." The choice of location for the rally shows careful consideration by the Congress, given the party's long association with the town. Bijapur, or Vijayapura as it is officially known, is the district headquarters of the district of Bijapur, and has been a favourite for the Nehru-Gandhi family for generations. Almost two years after abandoning her poll campaign midway in Varanasi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will hit the campaign trail in Karnataka on Tuesday and address a public rally in Bijapur at 3 pm. "Congress believes in the policy of divide and rule... divide on the basis of caste and religion....make brothers fight among themselves But people of this land of Basaveshwara will not allow it to happen," he told an election rally in Vijayapura. Modi lashed out at the Siddaramaiah government over alleged corruption, saying there is not a single minister who is not facing allegations of financial wrongdoing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of pursuing the policy of "divide and rule", and asserted the party would be uprooted from Karnataka in the Assembly elections. "They can go to any extent for power. Their game is to plot brothers against each other," he said. Speaking in Koppal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "We only have one mantra, 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas'. But on the other hand, there is a party that ruled for 60 years out of the 70 years of independence. But they only run and oust the government for their family. "Cleanliness is related to the dignity of a woman. Our women have to defecate in the open. They go outside before the sun rise and wait for the sun to set to go the next time," he said. "When I had spoken about Swachh Bharat and building toilets from the Red Fort, the 'naamdaars' mocked me. But how will the man born with a golden spoon in his mouth know the problems faced by our old mothers? We are poor people and only we understand this problem," he added. "Two years ago, I mentioned Mallama in Mann ki Baat. A young girl from a village in Karnataka fought for construction of toilets. I'm proud that there are many girls like her who are supporting the Swachch Bharat movement," Narendra Modi said in Koppal. "I will recount another sin of the Congress party for you. As you know, the sex ratio is unbalanced in a lot of districts in our country. As the trend to kill female fetus continued unabated, the Congress governments only snoozed. We ave started schemes so that this pit is filled and the number of females match the number of male children in our society," Modi said. He also "congratulated Yeddyurappa" for promising to include a whopping 10,000 crore to further women empowerment. "These people have done nothing for the protection of women, whereas our government has brought in a strict to law to give death sentence to those who do such devilish deeds with our daughter," Modi said. "When I had spoken about Swachh Bharat and building toilets from the Red Fort, the Naamdaars mocked me. Those who are born with a golden spoon, never understand the difficulties of poor. We are committed to serve the poor and would continue to do so," Modi said. Rahul Gandhi is holding a corner meeting at Titpur in Karnataka. Lauding the Congress government in the state, he said, "We built the worlds largest solar park and will continue to put Pavagada on the world map. I also promise to fight to get the groundnut farmers the right MSP for their produce." Sonia Gandhi addressed a election rally in Vijayapur in Karnataka to seek votes for her party. She started off her speech by praising the culture of the state, while adding that Vijayapura was considered to be an amalgamation of cultures. "Congress has worked for development of Karnataka. Congress made Karnataka country's number one state and started numerous scheme for people: Sonia Gandhi in Bijapur, We even started Indira canteen where even the poorest of poor can have a full meal in just 10 years," Sonia said. She claimed that nobody would have seen a prime minister who talks so much but is always quiet on issues that matter. "I ask him, what has he done? What has he doen for the farmers, for the poors, for the middle class," Sonia asked. "Narendra Modi is proud of the fact that he is a very good orator, I agree with this. He speaks like an actor. I'll be happy if his speeches can end hunger of the country but speeches cannot fill empty stomachs, food is needed for that. It cannot empower women or heal the sick either, you need a strong determination and noble intent for that," Sonia said. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's most talked about strengthe, his oratory skills, Sonia Gandhi said that Modi preads lies and distorts history wherever he goes. "He uses the names of heroes from our history for his political motives. He comes here and instead of talking about what has he done, answering questions, he spreads hatred and leaves," Sonia said. "Narendra Modi ji has done only one work since he came to power. He is hell bent on finishing every good work done by the Congress party ober the years. We have worked tirelessly for the poor. We started Mahatma Gandhi NREGA scheme which was mocket at by the BJP and by Modi Ji at the time. He is systematically ending every welfare scheme," Sonia said. (Modiji is fervently talking about Congress-mukt Bharat. But he is so focused on it that he cannot stand any sort of opposition against him", Sonia Gandhi said. "If you bring the mother (Sonia) to Karnataka and she does something, then maybe the deposits can be saved. This is what Congress leaders have started speaking," Modi said at a rally. Modi said he had on Monday watched an interview of a Congress leader who said that the son (Congress President Rahul Gandhi) "will not be able to do anything". Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took a dig at the Congress, claiming that its leaders were now saying that if former party chief Sonia Gandhi canvasses in the state, it can at least save the security deposits of Congress candidates. At the start of his speech, Modi said that he knows that the love of the people is such that language is no barrier. However, since the speeches are broadcast in villages as well, he wants to ensure that the last man also understands his words. "II do not understand why the CM dislikes Bengaluru. He has handed over Bengaluru to an infamous trio- and we all know this trio- we also know they have been given charge of this city due to vote bank politics. This trio excels in all the wrong things," Modi said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend four public meetings in Karnataka on Wednesday. He will first address a rally at 10.30 am in Bangarapet, then head to Chikmagalur to address another gathering at 1.30 pm. He will attend a public meeting in Belagavi at 4.30 pm, and finally wrap up his day by addressing a rally in Bidar at 7.30 pm. BJP national president Amit Shah is scheduled to address one public meeting and hold five roadshows on Wednesday. He will first address a rally in Tumkur at 10.30 am, and later hold roadshows in Kunigal, Shanthinagar, Shivajinagar, Sarvagna Nagar, and Mahadevapura constutuencies. "Manjula Nanjamuri has nothing to do with BJP. She left BJP six years ago. Manjula is a Congress person now," ANI quoted Javadekar as saying. On Tuesday, 9,746 voter IDs were seized from an apartment in the name of one Manjula Nanjamuri. While Congress communications in-charge Randeep S Surjewala clalimed that she is a BJP leader, Union minister Prakash Javadekar denied the charges alleging that she was instead a Congress worker. Congress delegation to meet Election Commission officials at 10 am in New Delhi over voter IDs recovered from Bengaluru, reports CNN-News18 Apart from addressing three rallies today, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will visit two temples and a garment factory on Wednesday. He will begin his day by visiting the Dodda Ganapathi temple in Basavagudi at 10 am, and then visit a garment factory in Krishna Nagar Industrial Area at 11.30 am where he will interact with women workers. Later, he will visit Shivaji Nagar, BEML Circle, and Hebbal to address corner meetings. BJP to meet Election Commission at 10.30 am over voter IDs recovered from Bengaluru, reports CNN-News18 He added that he did not have anything to say about the voter ID raids, saying, "It is the Election Commission's job to probe." Alleging BJP's role in the voter IDs seized from a flat in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the was first time he was witnessing a raid of this kind. "Congress is constantly under surveillance of BJP government. This is for the first time, these raids are being conducted at the time of elections, he told reporters on Wednesday. "Anti democratic means of Congress to win loosing elections is nothing new. They are in practice right from Indira Gandhi's period," it said in a tweet. On Tuesday, the Election Commission confirmed that it seized over 9,000 voter identity cards from a flat in Jalahalli of west Bengaluru. The BJP claimed on Twitter that "close to 20,000" fake voters IDs were recovered from Congress' Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency candidate. The son of Manjula Nanjamari in whose flat over 9,000 voter IDs were found has reacted to the allegations surrounding the flat tenant and Manjula being BJP leaders. "I am the only son of Manjula Nanjamari. Rakesh is my mother's nephew's son and he has got no connections with the flat in Park View apartment," Manjula's son Sridhar was quoted as saying by ANI . 'Rakesh has no connection with Manjula Nanjamari's flat which was raided' Modi said that the entire country has deeply understood the mannerisms of the Congress. "Wherever there was an election in India, Congress (lost). What will happen on 15 May," he said. Speaking in Bangarapet, Narendra Modi said, "This election is not just about who becomes or does not become an MLA. It is an election to decide the fate of Karnataka and its youth." Election will decide fate of Karnataka and its youth, says Narendra Modi in Bangarapet "During the UPA government, there was one prime minister and one remote control. In the NDA Government, our remote control and the high command are the 125 crore people of India," he added. There are the six evils that the Congress has brought on the nation - Congress culture - Communalism, Casteism, Crime, Corruption, Contractor system. These 6 C's are destroying that future of Karnataka," Narendra Modi said in Bangarapet. "There are big meetings being held to oust Narendra Modi. How will the big leaders who attend these meetings react to this sudden announcement by one 'naamdaar', Modi said. In Bangarapet, Narendra Modi lashed out at Rahul Gandhi over his aspiration to become the prime minister. "On Tuesday, someone (Rahul Gandhi) made an important declaration. He said that he is going to be the prime minister in 2019. He came like those bullies, barging his way ahead when there are others who have many years of experience. How can someone just declare himself as the prime minister? This is simply nothing but arrogance," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Congress is interested in nothing but "deals". "These are not my words. It's Congress MP and former Karnataka chief minister Veerappa Moily who said this. When tickets were being 'sold', he said that Congress will have to solve their 'money problem' and also blamed PWD minister for the deal-making," he said. He hit out at the Congress for accusing the BJP of attempting to weaken the SC/ST Act. "But the truth is that we have empowered those belonging to the SC/ST category," Modi said. "Since the time these new 'naamdaars' have entered Congress, they have picked a new strategy of uttering lies," Narendra Modi said. "But now the public has various ways to find out the truth. If that wasn't the case, the Congress wouldn't have been limited to PPP Punjab, Puducherry and Parivar Congress," he added. "Will you go to each house and inform voters about BJP's plans for the poor, needy, and the downtrodden? Will you help BJP form the government? Will you help for BS Yeddyurappa's government in Karnataka," Narendra Modi asked the gathering in Bangarapet. Addressing a public meeting in Tumkur, BJP national president Amit Shah said, "BJP is getting immense support in Karnataka. BJP will form government with absolute majority in the state." Congress president Rahul Gandhi is interacting with women factory workers in Bengaluru. Responding to a question on the closure of factories which force the workers to become unemployed, Rahul said, "90 percent of money in the banks goes to the 10-15 people in India. How many people did Nirav Modi employ? He didn't employ anyone, but the banks gave him Rs 33,000 crore to him. If just Rs 100 crore was given to this factory, atleast a thousand would've been employed because of him." Anand Sharma and Motilal Vora will lead Congress delegation to meet Election Commission over voter IDs founds in Bengaluru, reports ANI . "Now people want to save Congress by accusing BJP. It's a clear case of Congress conspiracy. Their philosophy is if you don't get real voters, get fake voters," Javadekar said. Addressing a press conference, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said, " Congress is blatantly lying (about BJP's connection with the voter IDs found in a Bengaluru apartment). Our worker Rakesh is the whistleblower, but Manjula and her son are not our party workers." He asserted that Manjula, who is the flat owner where the IDs were seized from, should be arrested. In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, Kumaraswamy explains why he thinks the party will sweep over the entire state on its own. In the run-up to the Karnataka Assembly polls, former chief minister and state president of Janata Dal (Secular) HD Kumaraswamy asserts he will not play the kingmaker in case of a hung verdict, but will emerge as the king himself. Unfazed by scathing attacks against the JD(S) from both Congress and the BJP, the 58-year-old leader says there will not be a post-poll tie-up with any of the two national political parties. The chief ministerial candidate believes his party is poised to cross the 113-mark in the 224-member Assembly. After polls, Siddaramaiah will neither be CM nor an MLA: JD(S)' HD Kumaraswamy After a Congress delegation met Election Commission officials in Delhi, senior leader Anand Sharma said, "We have submitted the detailed memorandum about malpractices of BJP and concerted attempt by the party at the Centre to subvert the pre-election process, target Congress, and conduct midnight raids. Last night, the raids were stage managed by BJP." He said that the Election Commission listened to the concerns of the Congress leaders and has promised to take strict action and probe the role of all agencies involved. Speaking to reporters, Congress leader Anand Sharma said that the BJP's strategy is to stall the election process because the "mandate in Karnataka is against the BJP government". "The prime minister has no credibility. He is using the kind of language which does not behoove him," he said. Earlier on Wednesday, Modi had said at a rally: "During the UPA government, there was one prime minister and one remote control. In the NDA Government, our remote control and the high command are the 125 crore people of India." Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "remote control with Sonia Gandhi" jibe at the Congress, Anand Sharma said, "Everybody knows who has the remote control in this government." He claimed that there are only two people running the governmen Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. "Their remote control is in Nagpur at the RSS' office," he told reporters in Delhi. "Rahul Gandhi thinks that the prime minister's seat is reserved for just one family. He thinks that the seat is his right. Congress barely got 40 seats in the Parliament. His ego is such that he comes to Karnataka and says that he will become the prime minister in 2019," Modi added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi targetted Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Chikmagalur. "The 'naamdaar' of Congress keeps getting promoted even if he doesn't do anything. He was made general secretary of the party in 2007. He said he'll make a young team and bring new ideas. It has been 11 years and things are still how they used to be," he said. Rahul Gandhi thinks PM's seat is only reserved for one family, says Narendra Modi Narendra Modi accused the Congress of being power hungry. "In 1978, Indira ji came here, took your votes but never cared for people of this region. Congress never thought about welfare of people of Chikmagalur. Sonia ji too contested from Bellari, but what happened to promises made in Ballari," he said. Modi also lashed out at Siddaramaiah, saying that the Income Tax raided a resort in Badami a day after the chief minister finished his stay. Earlier on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah had claimed that the raid was a BJP conspiracy against him. In Chikmaglur, Narendra Modi charged the Congress with attempting to rig the polls. "They have created fake voter IDs to massively rig the Karnataka election. The people of Karnataka should resolve never to forgive such a party and come out to vote in massive numbers to uproot it and its ecosystem. Congress is indulging in all kinds of malpractices over the fear of a crushing defeat." Using the hashtag 'CongRigsElection', BJP chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa blamed the Congress for the fake voter ID row in Karnataka, "It is a scary situation in Karnataka. Rattled Congress prints fake voter ID Cards. I appeal Karnataka chief election officer to take stringent action against the culprits involved. Deterrent action should prevent others from resorting to similar malpractices," he said in a tweet. At the centre of a controversy, Manjula Nanjamari owner of Bengaluru flat from where fake voter IDs were seized denied that she was a Congress worker. "From 1997-2002 I was a corporator, and BJP helped me win. I was just a house wife and BJP supported me, so I consider myself under their sharan(shadow). I am not a Congress person,will never be," she was quoted as saying by ANI . He asserted that the UPA government supported the development of IT in Bengaluru. "When Congress was in power at the centre, we gave Bengaluru Rs 10,000 crore for development. But Modi government has given only Rs 550 crores to Bengaluru. It's a shame," he said. Speaking at Shivaji Nagar, Congress president Rahul Gandhi lashed out at Narendra Modi for questioning development under Congress rule in India. "Was Bengaluru not the IT hub before Narendra Modi came to power? But Modi keeps saying that no progress took place in 70 years," he said. Congress supports IT development in Bengaluru when it was in power at centre, says Rahul Gandhi "I ask the people of Belagavi to be alert. Convince other people to vote and vote for the BJP," Modi said. "Now this Modi has gone into their hearts to such an extent that the Karnataka chief minister kept talking about Narendra Modi. This shows there truly is a God. Because He forced him to speak the truth," he said. "I had thought that the Congress government in Karnataka would have tried highlighting its work in the campaigning so far," said Narendra Modi. "In the entire election campaign, they have talked of nothing apart from Modi," he added. Kumar also said that the voter ID cards seized were genuine. "The case is under observation....The cards were collected for a reason," Sanjiv Kumar, CEO, Karnataka told reporters. "We have seized 9,896 cards," he added. Watch: No evidence that any of them (the voter ID cards) are bogus or concocted, says Karnataka CEO Nearly 1.5 lakh security personnel, including more than 50,000 from the central paramilitary forces, will be deployed during the Assembly elections in Karnataka on 12 May to ensure free and fair polls, officials said on Wednesday. The Union home ministry has earmarked around 520 companies drawn from various paramilitary forces like the CRPF, BSF and ITBP to keep strict vigil and ensure peace during the polling process in the southern state. ( Read more here ) Narendra Modi addresses public meeting in Bidar, says the affection of people for the BJP across Karnataka is a clear indication that Congress party will be defeated in these elections. "When Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Batukeshwar Dutt, Veer Savarkar, greats like them were jailed fighting for the country's independence, did any Congress leader went to meet them? But the Congress leaders go and meet the corrupt who have been jailed," adds Modi. Narendra Modi says the Congress has always worked for their own goodwill, for their own family. Their actions have deteriorated the condition of the country. He goes onto say, "This is a democracy and you cannot say one fine day that you are going to be the prime minister of the country, the public will decide that." Congress has always worked for their own family: Modi Congress thinks that the prime minister's seat is reserved for just one dynasty, says Modi Congress should tell people what they have done for Karnataka, says Modi "We have approved stringent punishments for those who commit crimes against women. Such crimes cannot be tolerated. Heinous crimes are not a political issue, I wish the Congress understood this," says Narendra Modi. BJP chief Amit Shah will hold a road show in Badami constituency at 11.30 am and later address a press conference at the BJP media centre in Bengalury at 4 pm. "BJP has always been committed to he welfare of those belonging to the backward classes," Modi said. Addressing Karnataka BJP workers through his app, Narendra Modi said, "Today the most people from SC/ST/OBC are connected to the BJP. BJP believes in equality. Maximum number of SC/ST/OBC MPs are from the BJP. We believe in development for all" Hailing social reformer Jyotirao Phule, he said, "Before Babasahab, Mahatma Phule spearheaded the movement to fight the atrocities on the backward classes." Addressing the SC/ST/OBC workers of the BJP in Karnataka, Narendra Modi, "Despite the presence of several communities and classes, in some way we'll all unite. I have no doubt of it." "BJP has always fought to ensure Ambedkar's gets due respect," he added. Lashing out at the Congress, Narendra Modi said, "Congress has no room in it's heart for Dalits and those belonging to the backward classes. Congress also has no respect for BR Ambedkar. I urge Congress to tell one work that it has done to honour Ambedkar's efforts." 'Congress has no room in its heart for Dalits and OBCs' "Go to the homes of the SC/ST/OBC and minority members of the society and communicate the policies of the government to them. Convey to them that the BJP is working towards the betterment of one and all," he said. In his address to BJP workers of belonging to SC/ST/OBCs category, Narendra Modi urged them to work tirelessly for the welfare of deprived and women. He said that the BJP was working to empower the backward classes. "Stand up and MUDRA schemes are helping to make SC/ST/OBC and women financially empowered," he said. "Today through various schemes, the government is working towards providing social justice and equality," Narendra Modi said during his interaction with the BJP workers from SC/ST/OBC category. Narendra Modi accused the Congress of doing vote bank politics and blocking the bill in the Rajya Sabha that gives constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes. "Congress wants the votes of OBC community but they did not allow OBC Commission to get Constitutional status," he said. We are here to create history, says Siddaramaiah Lashing out at the BJP for its "lack of seriousness", Rahul said, "We prepared a manifesto and it is truly on the essence of Karnataka. In contrast, the BJP made another manifesto in three-four days, copying things from our manifesto. There is a lack of seriousness in the BJP." Beginning the press conference, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, "I've been now travelling around Karnataka for a couple of months. The Congress has got a very good campaign. Our party is united. Our Opposition has restricted itself from making personal attacks against our chief minister and leaders. We are confident of winning the election." There is a lack of seriousness in BJP, says Rahul Gandhi He also addressed the Rafale deal. "Modi said the Rafale deal was a cracked by the NDA government was better than the deal cracked by UPA. I agree with Modi, it was a good deal for him and his friends. He didn't follow the procedure. He paid Rs 1,500 crore for a Rs 700 crore plane. You can see the effects of it with the kind of money they are throwing around in the state.," he siad. Responding to Narendra Modi's "naamdaar" jibe, "Modi has nothing to say anything about the future of Karnataka. I am not going to engage in his distractions." 'Modi has nothing to say about Karnataka's future' "And by the way, atrocities against women is a national issue and we will continue to raise it," he added. He accused the prime minister of not talking on farmers' issues or the tickets given to Reddy brothers. "Modi has not given one rupee for the farmers of Karnataka. He comes and says, he fights for corruption. On his stage, there is Yeddyurappa and on the other side there are the Reddy brothers, who've stolen as much money as the Congress put in MGNREGA. In none of his speeches does he talk about the eight tickets given to the Reddy brothers." Rahul Gandhi responded to the row after he held candlelight march against Kathua and Unnao rape case. "Kathua and Unnao rape cases are fundamental issues. The treatment of our women is a fundamental issue. Narendra Modi likes to talk about bullet trains, but not about these issues," he said. He justified why he raised his concern in the first place. "I am very passionate about the China issue. The central challenge is our ability to give jobs to our youngsters. China is a competitor. I am very passionate when I see fundamental errors being made. There is a disaster in the foreign policies," he said. "Our foreign policy has been decimated. And it because he views foreign policy as individual exercise. There are huge forces and he needs to take into account the people sitting in the foreign ministry," he added. Rahul Gandhi spoke on his concerns over Narendra Modi's "heart-to-heart" summit with Chinese president Xi Jinping. "The prime minister went to China and didn't mention a word about Doka La. Are you telling me no agenda? What does he mean by going to China and Nepal with no agenda?" He claimed that the Union ministers were visiting state to campaign for the BJP because of "panic". "Congress has clearly demonstrated to them what it is capable of in Karnataka. This is a fight between the spirit of Karnataka and the RSS. We are depending on our extremely solid leadership in Karnataka. The RSS is trying to take over your state," he said. Responding to personal attacks made by Narendra Modi against him, Rahul Gandhi narrated a story of Buddha and said that the prime minister had anger inside of him. "He is angry with everybody, not only me. I am a lightning rod for anger, I attract anger. But that is his problem. It is not my problem," he said. Responding to BJP's tag of 'Election Hindu' for him, Rahul Gandhi said, "Our people have different religious beliefs. As a leader of the political party, it is my job to visit the religious institution that invites me. I will however not go to a single institution that divides the society." He asserted that that Congress will win the Karnataka Assembly polls "hands down". He said, "Whatever comes out of the prime minister's mouth is what is actually in his heart. He is absolutely convinced now, and he is right, that he is going to lose Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and he is going to lose 2019," Alleging that RSS-BJP want to snatch the spirit of Karnataka and impose upon regressive ideology, Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress "will never allow" them to do so. He lashed out at Modi for bringing up Sonia's Italian heritage. "My mother sacrificed for this country; she has suffered for it. It shows the quality of the prime minister when he makes these types of comments," Rahul said. Responding to Narendra Modi's "personal attacks" against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi said, "My mother is Italian, she also lived larger part of her life in India. She is more Indian than many Indians I see." 'My mother is more Indian than many Indians I see' "Congress, their president, along with the failed and corrupt Siddaramaiah government have no answers on issues of Karnataka," he said. At a press conference by the BJP, Union minister Piyush Goyal lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for not addressing issues particular to Karnataka. "It almost looked like a tutored press conference Many weren't allowed to ask questions. If an attempt was made to ask, questions were paraphrased," he said. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Twitter that his government's "singular focus" was to bring glory back to Karnataka. "We have come a long way from being the most corrupt state in 2010 to become the investment capital of India by 2018," he said. My govt's singular focus was to bring glory back to Karnataka, says Siddaramaiah Ambareesh hasn't formally endorsed JD(S) yet. Kumaraswamy was quoted as saying: "He is disappointed with the way he was treated by the Congress... Ambareesh treats me as his younger brother. I am hopeful he will take a decision in a couple of days." Ambareesh has, however, stated that he is still loyal to the Congress. Though Ambareesh, a Vokkaliga, has opted out of the poll fray, his meeting with JD(S) state president and Gowda's son HD Kumaraswamy has alerted political workers since JD(S) is already gaining support among a major chunk of the Vokkaliga population in the district. This pre-poll season, Ambareesh, known as 'rebel star' in the Kannada movie industry, indulged in a cat-and-mouse game with Congress leaders by refusing to accept the Assembly ticket. While Ambareesh seems upset, there is discontent among his fans and followers as well. However, regardless of him refusing to contest, the party was counting on him for support. 'Rebel' MH Ambareesh opts out of Mandya contest as Congress seeks his support to reclaim lost ground "Taking inspiration from the great saints of Karnataka like Madara Chennaiah, Basaveswara and Urilinga Peddiare, we trying to fulfill Baba Saheb's dream of making a powerful and prosperous nation," Modi said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the SC/ST/OBC and Slum Morcha workers of karnataka BJP through the NaMo app. He said that the BJP firmly believed in BR Ambedkar's ideology and was committed to fulfilling his dream. "Our government increased the creamy layer income cap from Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 8 lakh per year and also constituted a commission to sub-categorise OBC communities to benefit them with reservation within constitutional sanctity," Modi said. In an interview given to Firstpost, Amit Shah discussed the prospects of his party in the Karnataka elections at length. "We are not taking any chances. It is very important for us. The Karnataka polls are the BJP's door to the south. This shows how much importance we are giving these elections," he said. According to NDTV , Union Ministers Ananth Kumar, Anurag Thakur, DV Sadananda Gowda, Krishnapal Gujjar, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Prakash Javadekar, and Santosh Gangwar are in Karnataka. They are among the senior leaders scheduled to address around 50 mega road shows across the state. The BJP's three-time Chief Ministers Raman Singh and Shivraj Singh Chouhan are also part of the group that will address the roadshows. BJP deploys 50 of its netas to on last day of campaigning Buoyant after addressing a long press conference, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and used the opportunity to hit out on Narendra Modi. Latching on to the PM's reluctance to face press conferences and unplanned media interactions, Rahul said that he would continue to more and more pressers in the future too. On last day of Karnataka campaign Rahul Gandhi taunts Modi over his aversion to press interactions Speaking at a press conference, Amit Shah said that the Siddaramaiah government is one of the most useless governments in Independent India. He said that he was able to experience the anger in people during his comprehensive campaign programme. He also quoted law and order figures to say that the government has failed utterly on all fronts. "The people of Karnataka are seething with anger, which is palpable as one tours the state. When we campaigned in Badami, there would hardly be a household which did not participate in our roadshow. This shows that people are upset with the government. I think he will lose Badami with an even greater margin than in Chamundeshwari," Amit Shah. "Siddaramaiah government did nothing for the farmers and they are not even ready to give answers for their failure," Shah said. Speaking to the press, Amit Shah said that the Siddaramaiah government was unperturbed by the increasing number of farmer suicides and their distress for 5 years. He said that while the farmer suicides under Congress shot up by 173 percent in Karnataka, in neighbouring BJP-ruled Maharashtra the figures have come down by 73 percent. Amit Shah said that the development in Karnataka, under the Siddaramaiah government, is stuck like the traffic in Bengaluru. He said that the people's anger is perceptible across the state, and when a government fails like this, only then a chief minister has to leave his home seat and look for safe seats to fight elections. Shah said that the BJP does not believe in crafting scehemes for a specific religion and has taken inputs from voters across the state to formulate its manifesto. He said that the party will "waive off bank loans up to Rs.1 lakh in 10 days of government formation and will implement schemes to regulate vegetable prices." Addressing a press conference, Amit Shah revealed his much talked about prediction for elections. For Karnataka he says, he expects no less than 130 seats for his party and ruled out the possibility of any sort of alliance with JD(S). Amit Shah predicts over 130 seats for BJP, says no need for any alliance arrangement "We can lose elections but can't sit with Social Democratic Party of India and Popular Front of India," Shah added. Lashing out at the Congress party, Amit Shah said that the Congress party was conniving with divisive forces such as SDPI and PFI to win elections. On a question about Rahul Gandhi labelling Karnataka election a fight of ideologies, Shah said, "The only difference between BJP and Congress is that they have no qualms allying with traitors like SDPI and PFI." Only difference between BJP and Congress is that they have no qualms allying with traitors like SDPI and PFI "Recovery of fake voter ID cards in Rajarajeshwari Nagar shows how desperately Congress wants to win the election. I want to alert those whose fake IDs have been made, that don't fall in Congress' trap and disturb polls. Our workers will be present at each and every booth to see that the polling process is not corrupted," Shah said. The Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar has passed prohibitory orders under Section 144, which will last in the city until 6 pm on Sunday evening. Under the provisions of this section, more than four people cannot assemble in a public place, reported Bangalore Mirror . The report added that the police has also undertaken "adequate measures" to maintain law and order in the city, including sensitive in sensitive areas. Polling day may be marred by inclement weather, with the IMD issued a warning for thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds at isolated places over Karnataka on Saturday. There is a sense that JD(S) and BJP could forge an alliance and form the government with HD Kumaraswamy at the helm, because more than Congress, the BJP is in a better position to offer Kumaraswamy the chief minister's post. Sacrificing BS Yeddyurappa would not be a tough call for the BJP, if it comes at a cost of snatching another state away from the Congress. JD(S) hopes Vokkaliga mobilisation will help party become kingmaker, if not king Highly-placed sources in the Commission said prima facie it seems that most of the voter ID cards recovered were "genuine". But the reason as to why they were found in the flat is still being ascertained. - PTI The Election Commission on Thursday night deferred a decision on the recovery of nearly 10,000 voter ID cards from a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly seat of poll-bound Karnataka even as it sought fresh information from the state election machinery. Though Modi remained out of the electoral scene for a long time after addressing a public meeting in February, he launched a blitzkrieg on 1 May, addressing over a score of rallies in his bid to wrest the key southern state, which BJP chief Amit Shah dubbed as the party's "gateway to south", from the Congress. - PTI Like all state polls since he assumed the reins of power in New Delhi, Modi helmed the BJP's adrenaline-charged campaign despite the party having declared BS Yeddyurappa its chief ministerial candidate, while Rahul Gandhi helmed that of the Congress. From corruption to communalism, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's Rs 70 lakh Hublot watch to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin, the electoral potboiler had it all. The vitriol-filled campaign for the Karnataka Assembly elections ended on Thursday with top leaders of the BJP and Congress, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, making a last-gasp effort to sway the voters in a likely cliffhanger. Yeshwanthpur corporator GK Venkatesh, who was arrested along with Congress workers K Sunandamma Bore Gowda and Meenamma a day after the flying squad of the Election Commission (EC) seized around 10,000 voter identity cards, laptops and several copies of Form 6 with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) seals on it from an apartment in Jalahalli, claimed he and his colleagues are being framed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar has passed prohibitory orders under Section 144, which will last in the city until 6 pm on Sunday evening. Under the provisions of this section, more than four people cannot assemble in a public place, reported Bangalore Mirror . The report added that the police has also undertaken "adequate measures" to maintain law and order in the city, including sensitive in sensitive areas. We stand for all round development & fast-paced development! Large and Medium Industrial Units approved During 2008-2013 : 2345 units During 2013-2018 : 1735 units #Vote4ChangeVote4BJP Polling day may be marred by inclement weather, with the IMD issued a warning for thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds at isolated places over Karnataka on Saturday. There is a sense that JD(S) and BJP could forge an alliance and form the government with HD Kumaraswamy at the helm, because more than Congress, the BJP is in a better position to offer Kumaraswamy the chief minister's post. Sacrificing BS Yeddyurappa would not be a tough call for the BJP, if it comes at a cost of snatching another state away from the Congress. JD(S) hopes Vokkaliga mobilisation will help party become kingmaker, if not king We are expecting light to moderate rainfall in Karnataka tomorrow. At isolated places, we are expecting heavy rainfall, accompanied with wind. Expecting rainfall in evening&night, it may be there in the day but with less frequency: CS Patil, India Meteorological Dept #Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/WpVaY2TaBu Karnataka Assembly Election 2018 LIVE updates: The Election Commission in a press conference confirmed that the voter ID cards seized were genuine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed crowd in Bidar. Modi again attacked the Congress in Belagavi and said that the party had insulted democracy by being involved in the 'fake' voter ID row. BJP alleged that the Congress' habit of engaging in deals had been exposed with the 'fake' voter ID row coming out. In Chikmaglur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi charged the Congress with attempting to rig the polls. "They have created fake voter IDs to massively rig the Karnataka election. The people of Karnataka should resolve never to forgive such a party," he said. Reacting to Modi's "remote control with Sonia Gandhi" jibe against the Congress, Anand Sharma said, "Everybody knows who has the remote control in this government." Addressing a press conference, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said, "Congress is blatantly lying (about BJP's connection with the voter IDs found in a Bengaluru apartment). Our worker Rakesh is the whistleblower, but Manjula and her son are not our party workers." A Congress delegation led by senior leader Anand Sharma delegation has arrived at Election Commission's office in Delhi over "fake" voter IDs recovered in Bengaluru. Interacting with women factory workers in Bengaluru, Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed the issue of unemployment due to closure of small businesses. "In India, 90 percent of money in the banks goes to selected 10-15 people. How many people did Nirav Modi employ? He didn't employ anyone, but the banks gave him Rs 33,000 crore to him," he said. In Bangarapet, Modi lashed out at Rahul over his aspiration to become the prime minister. "How can someone just declare himself as the prime minister? This is simply nothing but arrogance," Modi said. A political slugfest erupted in Karnataka after the Election Commission confirmed that 9,746 voter IDs were seized from an apartment in Bengaluru. The BJP and Congress accused each other of interfering in the election process, and are both seeking to approach the poll panel over the issue. Rahul said on Twitter that Congress vs BJP is a "no contest" in Karnataka. Apart from addressing three rallies on Wednesday, Rahul will visit two temples and a garment factory. Modi is scheduled to attend public meetings in Bangarapet, Chikmagalur, Belagavi, and Bidar on Wednesday. BJP national president Amit Shah is scheduled to address one public meeting and hold roadshows in five constituencies on Wednesday. With just two days left before the adrenaline-charged campaign for the Karnataka Assembly elections comes to an end, the BJP and Congress, the two major contenders for power, fielded their top commanders, who attacked each other over corruption and hardline Hindutva. Leading the charge for the BJP, Modi claimed people of Karnataka had decided to "uproot" the Congress and "punish" it for its wrongdoings, and that the party was already trying to find excuses like faulty EVMs for its "impending" defeat. Taking on the Siddaramaiah government over alleged corruption at the three rallies he addressed today, Modi said there was not even a single minister who was not facing accusations of financial irregularities. Campaigning in the Lingayat stronghold of Vijayapura, he alleged the state's ruling Congress was trying to divide the society and spread the "poison of casteism". Rahul attacked the BJP and RSS, likening them to the Islamist organisation Muslim Brotherhood, and saying their agenda was to come to power, and capture institutions. "The BJP and RSS will repeat one more cycle of getting elected democratically and then discard democracy," he alleged in Bengaluru. "The RSS over here and the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt,Pakistan, Tunisia, Turkey....they are doing the same thing. The RSS and Muslim brotherhood do not see elections the way we seethem. We win an election and we are okay with losing anelection," he said. Rahul, who earlier in the day said he was ready to occupy the post of the prime minister if the Congress emerged as the "biggest" party after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, claimed the saffron outfits were trying to disrupt open-minded atmosphere, peace and the brotherhood that existed inIndia. He said the BJP praised Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and BR Ambekdar upfront but destroyed their legacy. "Their method is to praise the leader, praise the icon,worship the icon and destroy every single thing he used to do," Rahul said. After a hiatus of two years, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi addressed an election rally in Vijayapura, hours after Modi's public meeting, and claimed the prime minister was "possessed by the devil" of Congress-mukt Bharat. His only accomplishment in the last four years was to have undone the good work of the previous Congress governments, she said. "Modi ji is proud that he can make speeches well. I agree he is a good orator. He speaks like an actor. If speeches could fill the country's stomach, I wish he gave more speeches," she said, taking a swipe at the prime minister. Sonia Gandhi's rally in Vijayapura in north Karnataka, where Lingayats wield considerable electoral influence, was seen as an attempt to reach out to the community, which has traditionally backed the BJP. "Modi ji has junoon (passion) of Congress-mukt Bharat. He is possessed by the devil of Congress-mukt bharat (Congress-mukt Bharat ka bhoot laga hai), Sonia told the audience, as she attacked the prime minister for doing nothing for the middle class, women, girls, dalits and backward classes. Taking on the prime minister over steps to tackle corruption, she wanted to know why the Lokpal, the proposed anti-graft ombudsman, had not been constituted. Sonia claimed Congress-ruled Karnataka was discriminated against as it got "too little" by way of central assistance for drought relief. "Modi ji, is this your 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'? (together will all, development of all)," she asked. Modi, who addressed rallies at Vijayapura, Koppal and Bengaluru, accused the Congress of pursuing the policy of "divide and rule". "Congress believes in the policy of divide and rule... divide on the basis of caste and religion....make brother fight brother. But people of this land of Basaveshwara will not allow it to happen," he told the rally at Vijayapura. The state's ruling Congress has recommended religious minority status for the Lingayats, a traditional vote base of the BJP, a move many feel was aimed at splitting their votes. BJP's chief ministerial candidate Yeddyurappa belongs to the the Lingayat community. Modi said with defeat staring the Congress in the face, it was busy trying to find excuses like blaming the EVMs for the loss. He also said attempts were being made to confuse the voters with the claim that the elections will throw up a hung Assembly. "Can you tell me the name of a single minister who is not facing allegations of corruption," he said targeting the Congress government, a day after Siddaramaiah sent legal notices to Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, threatening to file civil and criminal defamation suit against them for making unsubstantiated allegations. BJP president Amit Shah, who held a road show in Mangaluru and also addressed a rally, said the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah would be "sent home" on 15 May, the day the results would be declared. Shah claimed many Hindus were "murdered" in Dakshina Kannada district but nobody was even arrested. Parties in Karnataka, meanwhile, have opposed the formation of the Cauvery Management Board, fearing the state would lose control over the Cauvery water. This despite the Centre's assurances that the CMB would have representatives from all four states. The Supreme Court on Tuesday told the Centre it was in "sheer contempt" of its direction regarding sharing of Cauvery river water between the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry, and for its failure to constitute a Cauvery Management Board (CMB), as demanded by the apex court in its order dated 16 February, 2018. The verdict by the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to formulate a "scheme" within six weeks for management of the release of Cauvery water. This deadline expired on 29 March, leading to flared tempers in Tamil Nadu, which accused the BJP in New Delhi of looking at the dispute through Karnataka's political prism. The Centre subsequently secured an extension of the deadline till 3 May. This deadline too expired with no consensus on the formation of the board. On 3 May, the apex court again asked Karnataka to follow through on its earlier order, even though the central government had asked the court to grant it another two-week extension, time by when results of the Karnataka Assembly election would be out. Elections delaying Cauvery Board formation Karnataka will have Assembly election on Saturday, results of which will be announced on Tuesday. The Centre's plea to the apex court has repeatedly been to hold the formation of the CMB until after the results are declared. The issue is a polarising factor, especially in parched southern Karnataka, through which the Cauvery flows. While the Tamil Nadu parties have aggressively been demanding the CMB be formed without any further ado, with Opposition leaders staging a boycotting, the state Budget before the Assembly passed a resolution demanding Karnataka adhere to the apex court's deadlines for the formation of the CMB. Parties in Karnataka, meanwhile, have opposed the formation of the CMB, fearing the state would lose control over the Cauvery water. This despite the Centre's assurances that the CMB would have representatives from all four states. The Supreme Court's order, which initially offered more water to Karnataka than the previous allocation, was welcomed in the poll-bound state, with the Congress government of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah saying the state stands to gain by the increased allocation, and that it would benefit his party in the upcoming election. However, with polling drawing nearer and the court insisting on the formation of a CMB, all parties have taken up a 'Karnataka First' approach. What's next The Chief Justice of India has threatened to file contempt charges against the Centre for the delay. The next date of hearing has been set for 14 May, which will be after the polling of votes but before counting takes place a day later. Attorney General KK Venugopal asked a Bench led by CJI Dipak Misra for 10 days' time to add the "finishing touch" to its draft scheme and get the nod of the Union Cabinet. The Bench also ordered the Union water resources secretary to personally come to the court with the draft scheme on 14 May, as reported by The Hindu. The court was responding to pleas filed by both states in the matter over the release of Cauvery water. However, it said only the authority formed to decide on the matter, the CMB, will intervene, and that the court will refrain from doing so for the time being. What Tamil Nadu parties want But while Assembly election in Karnataka the last major Congress-ruled state in the country is holding things up regarding the formation of the CMB, it's been an uncomfortable wait for Tamil Nadu as well. The two major national parties, Congress and BJP, have both tried to play it safe, not wanting to alienate voters in Karnataka, while acknowledging the fact that even a victory for Tamil Nadu in this state versus state issue is unlikely to result in electoral benefits for them, since neither party has a credible political stake in Tamil Nadu, which is ruled primarily by the DMK and AIADMK. The DMK has been especially vocal about the delay, accusing the AIADMK-run state government and BJP-led Centre of both stalling the issue. DMK working president MK Stalin led a human chain last month, while the Congress, which is an ally of the DMK in Puducherry, did so in the Union territory as well. The DMK had accused the Centre of not forming the CMB despite a Supreme Court order and for being "obstinate" on the Cauvery issue. Stalin hit out at the ruling AIADMK for allegedly siding with the Centre on the issue like a "double-barrelled gun". The AIADMK too has been holding state-wide public meetings on the issue, to pressure the Centre into following the Supreme Court's norms. The AIADMK, which earlier staged a state-wide fast, seeking constitution of the CMB and to condemn the Centre on the issue said, "The massive public meetings will be held to urge the Centre to implement the Supreme Court verdict." With inputs from agencies Nearly 1.5 lakh security personnel, including more than 50,000 from the central paramilitary forces, will be deployed during the Assembly elections in Karnataka on 12 May to ensure free and fair polls, officials said on Wednesday. New Delhi: Nearly 1.5 lakh security personnel, including more than 50,000 from the central paramilitary forces, will be deployed during the Assembly elections in Karnataka on 12 May to ensure free and fair polls, officials said on Wednesday. The Union home ministry has earmarked around 520 companies drawn from various paramilitary forces like the CRPF, BSF and ITBP to keep strict vigil and ensure peace during the polling process in the southern state. The central security personnel will assist the nearly a lakh strong Karnataka Police, who will be deployed in every nook and corner of the state during the single-phase polling, a home ministry official said. The number of the central forces personnel was finalised recently by the Election Commission after a meeting with senior officials of the home ministry. A company of paramilitary forces comprises about 100 personnel. Most of the central paramilitary personnel have already reached Karnataka and are on the process of reaching their designated places of deployment, another official said. Voting for the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will be held on 12 May. A total of around 4.96 crore registered voters will exercise their franchise in around 56,600 polling stations in Karnataka. While JD(S) may be fighting for relevance in the upcoming Karnataka polls, the one place where it will never be out of favour is Deve Gowda's Paduvalahippe. When the Congress candidate, BP Manje Gowda, tried to campaign in the village of Paduvalahippe four days ago, he found the road leading up to it had been blocked with mud. The residents had purposely blocked it to prevent Gowda from entering the village. They did not relent even when Gowda said he has the right to garner support. Eventually, the police officers had to arrive at the spot to diffuse the situation. About 30 kilometres from the city of Hassan in the state of Karnataka, a beautiful concrete road with palm trees on either side leads to Paduvalahippe in the Holenarsipur Assembly constituency. It has a pre-university college, a degree college with five post-graduation courses and five graduation courses, a high school, an industrial training institute and a horticulture centre. It even had a law college that shut down due to lack of students. All in a village comprising 1,200 people. Upon entering the village, we bump into a coconut farmer walking back towards his home with two freshly harvested coconuts. "How is the campaign going?" We ask him. "What campaign?" he asks. "Nobody comes to seek our votes. It is futile." While Janata Dal (S) may be fighting for relevance in the upcoming Assembly Elections, the one place where it will never be out of favour is Paduvalahippe. It is the village where the former prime minister and JD (S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda casts his vote. He visits the village temple first and then proceeds to the polling booth. The village is densely populated by Vokkaligas, the dominant peasant caste of old Mysore. The MLA from Holenarsipur is Deve Gowda's elder son Revanna, who, villagers say, hardly campaigns there. Krishnamurthy, a librarian in the village, says every home has electricity, education, healthcare facilities and adequate drainage facility. "Even a dairy is coming up now," he says. "We have a primary health care centre, veterinary clinic. His work speaks for itself. He does not have to ask for our votes." Almost all the residents here are farmers. Kumar, who has a banana orchard, says the irrigation water has been made available through a channel from Hemavati river. "Our lands hardly run dry," he says. A stroll through the village divulges that every house is neatly built, and is connected with concrete roads. Sushila, quietly painting the exteriors of her home, says Deve Gowda and his family are a pride of the village. "Even though he now lives in Bengaluru, he has a house here," she says, pointing in its direction. "He visits often and has a personal rapport with every voter. He makes sure he is present at festivals. He and his family have made our lives prosperous. We do not need anything else." The domestic water supply, too, is more than adequate, Sushila says, pointing towards a drum filled with water outside her home. Never mind if it had been given for organic farming. But Sushila has a conflict going on at her home. Her daughter Jyoti just finished her BCom degree. "I want to do MCom now," she complains, with a wry smile. "But my parents want me to get married. I may be able to convince them to hold off because the college is right in the village. I do not have to go far, they don't have to worry about my safety. If we did not have a degree college here, I would have been married by now." Criticism of Deve Gowda or his family is sacrilege here. When I try to point out the exclusivity of the facilities Paduvalahippe has received, residents vigorously contradict me. Basavaraj, 54, says even though colleges and schools are set up here, it does not only benefit the pupils of Paduvalahippe. "Students from villages around the constituency come and study here," he says. "They all benefit. By setting up educational institutes here, our leaders have ensured our kids stay with us." The only gripe of the villagers here is the lack of employment opportunities, says Sachin, who is in his final year of BA. "But what can Kumaraswamy or Deve Gowda do," he quickly says. "Creating jobs is Narendra Modi's responsibility. He has not done anything in the past four years, what will he do in one? He did not bring back black money either. And less said the better about Siddaramaiah. He is only favouring his Kuruba community." However, Sachin looks at the bright side. "I would have had to go to Mysuru if not for the facilities here," he says. "That would have meant hostel fees, extra expenses. Now, students from Mysuru come here to study. We feel proud of it." GD Narayanan, principal of the degree college named after Deve Gowda says there are 763 students from the 80-kilometre radius. "There is a residential hostel as well," he says, closing his laptop with a tag "RUSA Funded" on it. "We recently got Rs two crore grant under the Rashtriya Uchatar Shiksha Abhiyan. If you visit the village after vacations, it would be buzzing with students. This village has been a model for raising awareness of education among the constituency." Deve Gowda and Revanna have indeed developed it like a model village for the others to follow. However, the part where the model is replicated elsewhere in the constituency awaits realisation. While driving out of the village, a sudden patch of tar road appears between the efficiently constructed concrete motorway. I ask about it to the local journalist travelling with me. "This patch does not come under Revanna's constituency," he says. Seven months since Bengaluru-based journalist Gauri Lankesh, known for her vocal criticism of Right-wing extremism, was shot dead, her brother Indrajit is campaigning for BJP candidate from Malleshwaram, Ashwath Narayan Seven months since Bengaluru-based journalist Gauri Lankesh, known for her vocal criticism of Right-wing extremism, was shot dead outside her residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, her brother Indrajit was seen campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Malleshwaram, Dr Ashwath Narayan. Justifying his support for the BJP candidate, Indrajit said that he does not identify himself with any particular political ideology, but is campaigning for a person he believes in. "Dr Ashwath Narayan is a good friend; I know him personally. He's a well-read man and it was nice campaigning for him. I think he will win with a huge margin," he said. "Many people from Janata Dal and BJP asked me to campaign for them, but I didn't want to go because I have my own ideology. So it's not that I recognise with (his) ideology; I recognise with Ashwath Narayan," he added. Talking about her brother campaigning for a party that Gauri had strongly opposed, Gauri's sister Kavita said, "I'm not a political person. My father was mostly Left-oriented; my sister followed the same path. I was always with her in terms of moral support. But everybody has a right to choose their own path. I have nothing against Indra; nothing for it either. We've always sailed on different boats. Whether we agree or disagree is not the question, but we've taken different paths. If I agreed with him, I would have stood by him." Gauri's mother, Indira Lankesh also refrained from discussing Indrajit's support for the BJP candidate. "What to say? I can't say anything," she said. "If you notice the publication (Lankesh Patrika), about eight months ago, they were supporting the Congress. Now the support is for the BJP. I don't have anything to say against that. I always stood by my father and sister, and continue to do so," Kavita added. She added that she will stand by anybody fighting against the growing Right-wing influence in the country. "With somebody like (actor and activist) Prakash (Raj), who is fighting so much against this Right-wing attitude, I will stand by it. It does not matter whether it is my brother, my friend, or a family friend I will stand by whoever fights for secularism and constitutional rights," she said. Prakash, a close family friend of the Lankeshs, said one must be "tolerant" about the individual choices made by people. "Everybody has the right to do what they want. We need to be tolerant about it. What can we do? And it's not like people don't know what they (BJP) want. So, if he (Indrajit) wants to campaign (for them), let him. We should be tolerant about it. Everyone can exercise their own right," he said. "How much more will he campaign? There are just two days left (for the Assembly election). Let him," Prakash, whose vocal criticism of the BJP and other Right-wing outfits has brought him some criticism, said. Kavita added that Gauri's murder was politically motivated, due to her strong views against the RSS and other Right-wing outfits. "She was against Right-wing activists, extremism, the RSS and other similar organisations. Of course, her murder was political," Kavita said. In March this year, a special investigation team (SIT) probing Gauri's murder had arrested one KT Naveen Kumar, who reportedly had links with the Hindu Yuva Sena, a radical Hindutva outfit. But even seven months after the murder, investigators are yet to find concrete evidence. "They (the SIT) were hoping that it (the arrest) would bring a breakthrough. But (the accused) refused the narco-test from which other leads might have come out. If someone refuses to give a test, you cannot force them. If my sister was alive, she would say that everyone has their rights, every citizen, including criminals, has rights. But hopefully, other leads will come up soon," Kavita said. Indrajit, however, blames the Siddaramaiah government for his sister's death. He said he appreciates Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a leader and is campaigning for Ashwath Narayan out of friendship, because he has known him for several years. "I don't know if it was the Right-wing or the Left-wing (who killed Gauri). What I know is that the Siddaramaiah government was responsible. It is an example of a complete failure of law and order. I blame the Siddaramaiah government for my sister's death" he said, adding that the chief minister should have given her protection, as she was "working with the government to bring Naxalites into mainstream society". Indrajit, however, will not be campaigning any further, as he will be in Shivamogga for the next few days. He said Ashwath Narayan identifies perfectly with the campaign slogan 'Badalaisee, BJP ige mathachalaisee' (Bring change, vote for BJP). "Crime rate has increased (under the Congress government). Women are not safe, journalists are not safe, police officers are committing suicide. So I thought that I would go out on the streets and voice my opinion," he added. The author is a member of The NewsCart, a Bengaluru-based media startup Rahul Gandhi's 'prime minister' remark in the highly charged electioneering in Karnataka was an issue that Narendra Modi couldnt have left unchallenged. Rahul Gandhi's 'prime minister in 2019' remark in the highly charged electioneering in Karnataka was an issue that Narendra Modi couldnt have left unchallenged. In fact, it was ready fodder, an easy picking for the prime minister to take on the Congress president, present him as arrogant, immature "namdar (dynast)" and use that to turn public discourse in BJPs favour. The BJP relishes a Modi versus Rahul contest at the national or state level. They know that any Modi versus Rahul contest is heavily loaded in favour of the former. The party leaders were all smiles when the Congress president made his PM assertion. On his part, Modi took one full day to respond to Rahuls overt prime ministerial aspirations at a public rally in Bangarapet in Karnataka. To ensure that his message reached the target audience with required effect, he chose to relate Rahul's self-proclaimed bid for prime ministerial post with a real-life situation often seen in semi-urban lower income group areas or in rural areas with little access to potable water. He discreetly let the crowd know that he was using an analogy to talk about the arrogance of Rahul Gandhi. The prime minister said that in areas where a water tanker comes in early morning, say at 3 am, the people instead of queuing up through the night put their buckets in a queue. And that is taken as them standing in the queue. But when the tanker comes in at 3 am, a 'sarfira' (one who does not believe in order), a 'dabang' (muscular person) comes out with a certain swag and would place his bucket in front of everyone else's buckets. Something like this happened when a person (Rahul Gandhi) ignored the claims of other parties and coalition partners and put his claim in front of everyone else's. The manner in which he proclaimed himself as the next prime minister in 2019 is indicative of his cloud nine arroganceThat's the arrogance of a dynast. That exposes the kind of internal democracy that is practised in the Congressbig meetings are being held to remove Modi aur kuch bade diggaj neta ke pair pakde ja rahe hain (and some big, important leaders' feet are being massaged) but the dynast does not respect coalition dharma, nor has any faith in those seniors. Will the people of the country ever accept such an immature dynast for prime ministerial post?" Modi had said. Modi was also trying to send a message across to Congress' present and prospective alliance partners that the new Congress president does not treat them with due dignity. As a Firstpost article had pointed out on Tuesday, soon after Rahul pitched himself as an alternate to Modi in 2019, one of the party's allies NCP was quick to question the premature announcement. Another prospective ally TRS had its own set of questions over Rahul's competence. Recently, Mamata Banerjee, whose party's current strength in Lok Sabha (34) is only slightly less than Congress', had expressed her reservation in accepting Rahul as the chief of the anti-BJP coalition. The JD(S) too had been part of Opposition unity meetings convened by the Congress but in Karnataka, Congress is locked in a bitter fight with JD(S) and BJP. In fact, in one of his public rallies, Modi had come out strongly against Rahul Gandhi for making some disparaging remarks against JD(S) patron and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda. Modi went on to state how he treated the veteran JD(S) leader with due courtesy and dignity, contrasting that with how an arrogant Congress president was talking about Gowda in election rallies. Mawayati's BSP has partnered with Gowda's JD(S) in Karnataka. Mayawati was present at a rally in Karnataka along with top JD(S) leaders where several of latter party leaders claimed that only she had a pan-Indian appeal to become future prime minister and an alternate to Modi. It would be interesting to note that during the Winter Session of Parliament in December 2016, in response to Rahuls claim that if he was allowed to speak in Parliament, an earthquake was going to come, Modi had publicly acknowledged that the Congress president was kind of an asset for him. "Ek yuva neta (Rahul Gandhi) hai, abhi bolna sikh rahe hain. Jabse unhone bolna sikha hai, aur bolna shuru kiya hai, meri khushi ka koi para nahi hai. 2009 me pata nahi chalta tha ki iss packet (Rahul) ke andar kya hai. Ab pata chalta hai ye nahi bolte toh bada bhukamp aa jata hai. (They have a young leader who is now learning to speak. Since the time he started speaking, my happiness knows no bounds. In 2009, no one know what was in this packet. Now we know. If he'd been silent, there would have been a major earthquake)," he had said. It is interesting to see that in the thick of Karnataka polls, where only a day more is left for campaigning and the contest is turning increasingly bitter, top leaders are building a public narrative on the 2019 parliamentary elections. Rahul, on his part, is unfazed. In Bengaluru, he said in the next few days, the popular verdict to throw Modi out as prime minister will come, first from Karnataka, then from Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. tech2 News Staff Artificial Intelligence-led new features were sort of the highlight of day one of Google I/O 2018. Among others, Google Photos received a new AI-powered feature, which will suggest some one-tap actions. At the annual developers conference, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced a new feature called Smart Actions for Google Photos, which is designed to make scanning documents, making tweaks to your photos and sending pictures to your friends much more efficient. However, the highlight is the one-tap suggestion that comes with these Smart Actions. This means that going forward, Google Photo will automatically spot if a photo is too dark, or if its colours need to be adjusted. It will suggest you the changes, and with just a tap on the prompt, Google Photos will fix your image to just the right tones. Also announced, was the ability to change black-and-white shots into colour with just a tap. This is a really cool feature, especially if you have a lot of vintage black and white photographs with you. Additionally, Google announced that starting now, you will see a new photo creation that plays with pops of colour. In these creations, Google uses AI to detect the subject of your photo and leave them in colour, while the background is set to black and white. You'll see these AI-powered creations in the Assistant tab of Google Photos. But the feature that got the loudest cheers at the Google I/O was converting documents into PDF files automatically. This means, if you're taking photos of documents on Google Photos, it will be able to convert them from JPG to PDF with the help of AI. Finally, to make Google Photos more compatible, Google also announced what it calls Google Photos partner program, which will give developers the tools to support Google Photos in their products so that people can choose to access their photos whenever they need them. The support for Google Photos in third-party apps should be out in the coming months. Reuters Audi has discovered emissions-related problems with a further 60,000 cars, it said on 8 May, dealing a fresh setback to parent Volkswagen more than 2 and a 1/2 years after it first admitted to cheating US diesel exhaust tests. Audi said it had stopped deliveries of A6 and A7 models with a certain type of diesel engine after finding a previously unidentified problem with emissions software. It did not give details of the problem. A person familiar with the matter said 60,000 cars would have to be recalled for a software update, taking the total number of vehicles with Audi engines to be recalled over the dieselgate emissions scandal to more than 9,00,000. Volkswagen (VW) has recalled millions of vehicles in total and paid out billions of dollars in fines since it admitted in September 2015 to using illegal defeat device software that masked the level of pollution emitted by its diesel engines. Having announced a multibillion-dollar investment in electric vehicles, and a new chief executive only last month, Europes largest carmaker has been looking to move on from the biggest business crisis in its history. Audis announcement came a day before its annual shareholder meeting, where it was hoping to focus on its electric car plans. The German transport ministry said earlier on 9 May that the KBA motor vehicle authority had summoned Audi for a formal hearing about its A6/A7 diesel models. The KBA has requested a hearing on suspicion the Audi V6TDI A6/A7 models have been fitted with an illegal defeat device, the ministry said in a statement. German magazine Der Spiegel was first to report that Audi had discovered the problem. Prosecutors in Munich, which in the past have raided Audis headquarters and are investigating 18 of its current and former employees, said on 8 May that they would widen their probe to include the affected A6/A7 models. However, Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst did not see a big financial impact from the latest setback. As painful, annoying and incomprehensible as these issues are, they will unlikely trigger massive incremental legal risks. Best guess, this could trigger 15-30 million euros in additional costs which should be covered by VWs existing diesel provisions, he said in a note. Audi said it had informed the US monitor tasked with overseeing VWs post-dieselgate reforms of its latest problem, but added no cars in the United States were affected by it. Audi said in November 2015, two months after the admission of wrongdoing by VW, that defeat device software was installed in about 85,000 cars in the United States fitted with its larger engines. Reuters Walmart is likely to announce its much-anticipated deal to buy a controlling stake in Indian e-commerce player Flipkart before the end of this week, two sources said, in what is likely to be the US retail giants biggest acquisition of a business. Walmart and Google parent Alphabet Inc will buy up to 75 percent of Flipkart, the two sources familiar with the matter said, declining to be named as the talks are private. Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart will acquire about a 60 percent stake in Flipkart, while Alphabet will get a roughly 15 percent stake in the online marketplace for about $3 billion, one of the sources said. Reuters previously reported that Walmart was in advanced talks to acquire 51 percent or more of the e-commerce player for $10 billion to $12 billion, valuing Flipkart at some $18 billion to $20 billion. Both sources said that Flipkart Group Chief Executive Binny Bansal held a closed-door meeting with the firms top leadership at its Bengaluru headquarters on 7 May, and one added that Bansal said that Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal would exit after the Walmart deal is sealed. In 2017, Flipkart named Kalyan Krishnamurthy, a former executive of investor US hedge fund Tiger Global Management, as the head of its core business, while Binny Bansal took the broader strategic role of group CEO. Sachin Bansal remained as executive chairman. The Flipkart Group includes fashion portals Myntra-Jabong, payments unit PhonePe and logistics firm Ekart. Sachin and Binny Bansal, both former Amazon.com Inc employees, founded Flipkart in 2007, and like their US rival, began by selling books. Walmart is expected to get three board seats at Flipkart and will also have a say in the appointments of the groups finance, legal and compliance heads, one of the sources said. Krishnamurthy and Binny Bansal will remain in their current roles after the deal, the two sources said. Early Flipkart investors Tiger Global and venture fund Accel will sell a majority of their stakes, one of the sources said. Japans SoftBank Group (9984.T), which owns roughly a fifth of Flipkart through its Vision Fund, is expected to completely exit, Reuters has previously reported. The Vision Fund had invested close to $2.5 billion in Flipkart via primary and secondary share purchases last year. Flipkart will hold a town hall for employees on Friday, with Walmart CEO Doug McMillon likely to attend, one of the sources said. Other top Walmart executives will also be in India for the announcement, the other source added. A third source said Flipkart had scheduled multiple batches of townhall meetings with employees on 11 May, sparking chatter within the ranks that a deal is likely imminent. Walmart declined to comment. Flipkart, Alphabet, Tiger Global, and Accel did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters The White House will convene a meeting on 10 May on the future of artificial intelligence in US industry with major companies including Facebook Inc, Amazon.com Inc, Google parent Alphabet Inc and Oracle Corp as well as senior government officials. Intel Corp CEO Brian Krzanich and the chief technical officers of Ford Motor Co and Boeing Co are due to take part, along with executives from Mastercard Inc, Microsoft Corp and Accenture, the White House said on 8 May. The Pentagon and the US Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, Labor and Transportation are due to take part in the daylong event that will look at artificial intelligence (AI) innovation and research and development and removing barriers to its application. AI is quickly transforming every segment of American industry - from applications in precision agriculture and medical diagnostics to advanced manufacturing and autonomous transportation, the White House said. Other companies taking part include IBM Corp, Bank of America Corp, General Electric Co, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Monsanto Co, Pfizer Inc, Walmart Inc, Whirlpool Corp, CVS Health Corp and United Airlines. Facebook Vice President of AI Jerome Pesenti, Google senior research scientist Greg Corrado and the presidents of California Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University also are set to participate. Dean Garfield, president and chief executive of the Information Technology Industry Council, called the event an important step to building collaboration between government and industry. The tech sector is committed to ensuring that all Americans reap the benefits of this transformative technology, which has the potential to save lives, improve how we harvest food, transform education and more, Garfield said. Britain last month announced a 1 billion pound ($1.4 billion) joint investment in the AI industry, while the European Union announced it would boost AI investment by about 70 percent to 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion) by 2020. Several loud explosions could be heard on Wednesday in Afghanistan's capital, where the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate have carried out a series of massive attacks in recent months. Kabul: Several loud explosions could be heard on Wednesday in Afghanistan's capital, where the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate have carried out a series of massive attacks in recent months. Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai confirmed an explosion near one police station and said a gunbattle was underway there. He said another explosion occurred near a different police station. He did not have any immediate word on casualties. The Taliban and IS frequently target Afghanistan's Western-backed government and security forces. Twin suicide bombings claimed by IS last week killed at least 25 people, including nine journalists who had rushed to the scene of the first attack, in the deadliest assault on reporters since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban advanced on a district compound, officials said, with one reporting the capture of the northern district by the insurgents and another saying heavy fighting was still underway. The battle for the compound in the Bilchirgh district, in the northern Faryab province, came a day after the insurgents captured the district compound in the remote Tala wa Barfak district, in the northern Baghlan province. The Taliban have captured several districts in different parts of the country from Afghan security forces since 2014, when the US and NATO formally concluded their combat mission and shifted to a supporting role. Mohammad Hashim, a member of parliament from Faryab province, said the Taliban captured the district headquarters in Bilchirgh early Wednesday after more than 40 security forces retreated under heavy fire. He said the Taliban also captured several villages nearby. Provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yuresh said the fighting is still underway and that government forces still hold the compound. The Taliban issued a statement saying they control the district and claiming to have killed 10 security forces. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a school being used as a voter registration center, killing eight soldiers in the latest in a series of attacks targeting preparations for elections later this year. Abdul Aziz Beg, head of the governing council in the western Badghis province, said two other soldiers were wounded and one is missing. "There are many areas in the province under a high security threat, and this site was one of those areas," he said, adding that the center was some 30 kilometers (20 miles) west of the provincial capital of Qala-e Now. In the eastern Nangarhar province, a rocket fired by insurgents struck a market, killing two people and wounding 19, according to Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor. He said another four civilians were killed and 15 wounded in a gunbattle in the same district, in which two insurgents were killed and seven wounded. It was unclear who was behind the attacks, but the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are both active in the province. NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - An al Qaeda affiliate threatened attacks on Western companies' operations across North and West Africa on Tuesday, calling them 'legitimate targets' and urging Muslims to boycott them. NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - An al Qaeda affiliate threatened attacks on Western companies' operations across North and West Africa on Tuesday, calling them "legitimate targets" and urging Muslims to boycott them. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has launched raids on installations in the past, in particular in Algeria where it carried out a major assault on a gas plant in 2013 that killed dozens of workers. Its fighters have also carried out high-profile attacks on hotels frequented by foreigners in Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. "This statement calls to boycott all Western companies and foundations ... that operate in the Islamic Maghreb ... and the countries of the Sahel, and gives a warning to them that they are legitimate target for the mujahideen," it said. The statement, which was circulated on social media and translated by the extremism watchdog SITE, singled out France - the former colonial power in much of North and West Africa - and its allies in the region. "We have decided to strike that which prolongs the continuity of these agent governments and enables the French occupier to provide a lavish life and prosperity to its people," it said. The region has witnessed a rise in Islamist militancy since an uprising in Libya toppled longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi, sparking chaos during which armed factions looted government weapons stocks. France led a military intervention in Mali in 2013 to drive back Islamist groups that had seized the country's desert north a year earlier. Paris still has thousands of troops deployed in West Africa's arid Sahel region as part of an operation to stamp out militant groups, and the United States is also ramping up its presence in the region. (Reporting by Kissima Diagana; Writing by Joe Bavier; Editing by James Dalgleish) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Susan Heavey and John Miller WASHINGTON/ZURICH (Reuters) - An attorney for porn star Stormy Daniels said he has additional evidence linking a Russian oligarch and payment to U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, as international and U.S By Susan Heavey and John Miller WASHINGTON/ZURICH (Reuters) - An attorney for porn star Stormy Daniels said he has additional evidence linking a Russian oligarch and payment to U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, as international and U.S. companies on Wednesday acknowledged large payments to Cohen's consulting firm. Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG and U.S. telecommunications company AT&T said they made payments to Cohen's firm, Essential Consultants, in efforts to gain intelligence into the Trump administration's thinking on issues affecting them. South Korea's Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd (KAI) <047810.KS> said it hired the consultancy for services on accounting matters. A senior official at Novartis told NBC News that Cohen reached out shortly after Trump's November 2016 election win "promising access" to the new administration. Boston-based Stat News also reported that then Novartis Chief Executive Officer Joe Jimenez instructed his team to strike a deal with Cohen. A Democratic U.S. Senator called for hearings about the company payments to the firm run by Cohen, a longtime attorney and self-described "fixer" for Trump. Payments to the companies "may well have been used to influence the president of the United States, using Michael Cohen and his shell company as a conduit," Senator Richard Blumenthal said at a news conference. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, at a regular news briefing, referred questions about the reported payments to Trump's outside counsel. Asked whether Trump had taken any action to benefit Novartis, AT&T or KAI, Sanders said: "Not that I'm aware of." The payments were first mentioned on Tuesday by Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Daniels, who says she had a one-time sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 and was paid $130,000 by Cohen in October 2016 to stay quiet about it. Trump denies having sex with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. She has sued both Trump and Cohen. In television interviews with ABC News and MSNBC, Avenatti declined to say how he obtained information about the payments. Cohen said a report published by Avenatti's law firm detailing the payments was inaccurate. Bank records detailing the company payments and payments to Columbus Nova LLC, a New York-based investment firm linked to Russian businessman Viktor Vekselberg should be released, Avenatti said in the interviews. Vekselberg, who has ties to the Kremlin, and his Renova Group conglomerate were sanctioned by the United States in April, freezing assets of up to $2 billion. A lawyer for Columbus Nova has said Vekselberg had nothing to do with the transaction Avenatti said amounted to $500,000. Novartis admitted it made a costly mistake in making payments totalling nearly $1.2 million to Cohen's firm. Trump took office in January 2017 and Novartis signed a one-year contract a month later. After meeting with Cohen in March 2017, Novartis determined the firm was not going to be able to provide the type of U.S. healthcare policy information it was seeking. "In hindsight, this must be seen as a mistake," Novartis spokesman Michael Willi told Reuters, making sure to note that the arrangement was struck under former CEO Jimenez and in no way connected to new CEO Vas Narasimhan. GAINING INSIGHTS AT&T confirmed payments of $200,000 to Essential Consultants, although a source familiar with the matter told Reuters it likely paid more than that and could total as much as $600,000. KAI said on Wednesday it paid $150,000 to Cohen's firm. AT&T said it hoped to gain "insights" into the new administration at a time when it sought approval for a major merger. Washingtons influence industry is jammed with so-called consultants hired by corporations and trade associations to provide government intelligence about elected officials while not triggering disclosure under the lobbying laws. Often, they provide information about the inner-workings of an important government office, such as the White House and leadership in Congress. By choosing not to communicate directly with elected officials on behalf of corporate clients, consultants are not required to register with the government and report lobbying. This form of consulting grew dramatically under former President Barack Obama, who imposed regulations barring lobbyists from taking government jobs or entering the White House. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department's inspector general's office said it opened an investigation into whether confidential banking records involving Cohen may have been leaked. The Washington Post first reported the investigation. Novartis said it was contacted in November 2017 by the office of U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller about its contract with Essential Consultants. The drugmaker said it provided all the information requested and considers the matter closed. Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and possible collusion by people associated with Trump, who denies any coordination between Moscow and his campaign. The Kremlin denies meddling in the election. Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to once again decry network news coverage about him, complaining that 91 percent of it is negative. "The Fake News is working overtime," one of his posts said. (Reporting by John Miller in Zurich, Diane Bartz, Ginger Gibson, David Shepardson, Tim Ahmann and Susan Heavey in Washington and Joyce Lee in Seoul; writing by Bill Berkrot; editing by Grant McCool) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - The number of Salvadorans deported from the United States and Mexico fell 38 percent in the first three months of 2018, a U.N. agency said on Tuesday, a decline that coincided with President Donald Trump ending Salvadorans' temporary protected status (TPS) SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - The number of Salvadorans deported from the United States and Mexico fell 38 percent in the first three months of 2018, a U.N. agency said on Tuesday, a decline that coincided with President Donald Trump ending Salvadorans' temporary protected status (TPS). According to data compiled by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which is supported by the United Nations, 5,829 Salvadorans were deported between January and March, compared with 9,392 during the first three months of 2017. Jorge Peraza, the IOM's Central America chief, said the Trump administration's January announcement that it would end Salvadorans' TPS on Sept. 9, 2019, had contributed to a decline in northbound migration. "The news of the cancellation of TPS also could have had an effect because in some ways, it acts as a disincentive to undertake a migratory project," he told Reuters, adding that declining murders in El Salvador and an anti-migration campaign were also factors. In January, the Trump administration gave Salvadorans 18 months to seek lawful residency or leave the United States, and for El Salvador to prepare for their return. The TPS was granted in the wake of two devastating 2001 earthquakes in El Salvador that left hundreds of thousands of people homeless. The decision to end TPS for Salvadorans was part of the administration's broader push to tighten immigration laws and expel those living in the United States illegally. The IOM data also showed that deportations of Hondurans and Guatemalans from the United States and Mexico had grown over the same period, up 29 percent and 48 percent, respectively. (Reporting by Nelson Renteria, editing by G Crosse) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. President Donald Trump has decided to re-impose sanctions and pull out of what he referred to as 'the worst deal ever', and what others celebrated as one of the diplomatic victories of the decade Four days before the deadline to renew the presidential waiver that lifts certain sanctions against Iran, President Donald Trump has decided to re-impose sanctions and pull out of what he referred to as "the worst deal ever", and what others celebrated as one of the diplomatic victories of the decade. His decision to do so brings the US, and subsequently the world to a state of affairs many thought were bygones after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), 2015. Trump's refusal to renew the presidential waiver has been succeeded by a promise to reinstate broad economic sanctions on Iran, and a threat to act against any company that assists Iran in busting these sanctions. His speech detailing his reasons to withdraw from the agreement is fraught with falsehoods and incomplete information and deserves a detailed deconstruction by itself. However, this commentary aims to lay out the consequences of his decision for the domestic politics of Iran, and the consequences for India. Domestic Politics of Iran The most significant impact of Trumps decision is expected to be felt in the complicated arena of Iranian domestic politics. The power centres in Iran include the moderates led by Hassan Rouhani, the current president who pushed for the JCPOA domestically; Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, who holds absolute power in the country; the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its allies, a group of hardline conservatives who advocated for and ran Iran's nuclear programme solely by themselves. In the wake of the IRGC pursuing Iran's nuclear programme in earnest and the crippling sanctions that followed, the economic fallout built up popular unrest which led to Ayatollah Khamenei extending support to the moderates in Iran. Most significantly, Khamenei allowed the JCPOA to be signed, with Iran committing to dismantle much of its nuclear infrastructure something that would not have been possible without his support. This is further reflected in the Iranian Presidential Election of 2017, where the Guardian Council, a body of experts that reflects much of Khamenei's will had disqualified former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from standing for election, along with many other serious contenders who could give reasonable competition to Rouhani. By announcing the US withdrawal from the JCPOA in no uncertain or diplomatic terms, Trump has fulfilled what the IRGC promised 'The Great Satan' would do, and reinforced their message to Khamenei and the Iranian population that the US cannot be trusted to keep its end of the bargain. This move is possibly one of the most significant blows to the moderates in Iran a group that has combated numerous obstacles domestically to negotiate the path to more economic and diplomatic integration with the West in recent times. It comes at a time when they are already being criticised for the Iran nuclear deal not bringing the broad economic benefits that were promised to the populace, with popular protests in the country in recent months adding to the unrest. Trump has effectively handed power to the IRGC, arguably the greatest threat to American national interests in the region, while sidelining a group that held the potential to lead Iran towards peace in the region. Even reformists in the country have stated it would be naive to enter into negotiations with the US again, with more conservative elements pushing to restart Irans nuclear programme that was put on hold because of the JCPOA. The Iranian president, a designated moderate has been quoted as saying Iran will enrich uranium more than before in the next few weeks if negotiations fail a major bone of contention during negotiations for the JCPOA. In the coming years and next Presidential Election, one can expect to see more sub-conventional warfare from Iranian proxies in West Asia (which are supported by the Quds Force, an arm of the IRGC), the balance of power shifting towards the IRGC, and the restarting of an aggressive nuclear programme. While this commentary has not detailed the severe implications of this decision on regional security, one ought to consider the aggressive stances Israel and Saudi Arabia take against any hint of nuclear escalation by Iran, with Riyadh even threatening to develop its own nuclear weapons in response to Tehran's actions. Impact on India Many commentators touted the Indo-Iranian Chabahar agreement as a major success for the Indian foreign policy establishment, for the access it provides to Central Asia and Afghanistan. However, Trumps decision to re-impose sanctions calls for reflection about trade between Iran and India, and Indias involvement in the Chabahar SEZ. Previously, New Delhi had maintained its right to trade with Tehran despite expansive US and EU sanctions on Iran, and had even received waivers from the US to continue respectable purchases of Iranian crude oil. However, the uncertainty that arises from the sanctions imposed is not specifically on trade itself, but how it pressurises financial institutions to cut all ties with sanctioned companies, greatly restricting financial mechanisms from building an economic relationship. Most importantly, the sanctions disallow access to the US financial system for any foreign, or domestic entity that conducts business with the expansive list of sanctioned Iranian companies/banks. This has led to situations where countries like India may be willing to trade or invest in Iran, but have no financial institutions willing to insure the shipments themselves. Today, Iran offers India various incentives to purchase oil, which allowed India to import approximately 471,000 barrels per day from Iran alone in 2017, with government-owned refineries planning to double their imports in 2018-19. Pursuant to Trump's announcement, the US Treasury has re-imposed sanctions on the purchase of petroleum from Iran, bringing India back to a period where it had to rely on intermediaries and escrow accounts to buy lesser amounts of Iranian petroleum. Per the Chabahar agreement signed in 2016, India will operate two terminals in the port for a capital investment of $85.21 million and annual expenditure of $22.95 million, along with a plethora of other investments and credit. The US Treasury has also stated it is re-imposing sanctions on various Irans port operators and shipping sectors. While Aria Banader, the Iranian port operator for Chabahar has no known links to Irans nuclear programme or the IRGC, one must carefully watch the scope of US sanctions increasing, and the extent to which this will directly affect the Chabahar agreement. In summary, all of India's investments, commitments and perceived success of connectivity to Central Asia and Afghanistan face the possibility of gathering dust and one of Indias most prominent overtures for expanding influence in the region is effectively crippled. Worsening the situation, evidence points to China ignoring any sanctions on Iran, especially for the import of Iranian crude oil. This move is likely a result of the tensions around a trade war with the US, and the fact that Beijing has the wherewithal to ignore unilateral sanctions imposed by Trump. Iran has already offered Pakistan and China participation in the Chabahar port, with reports even suggesting that Tehran was looking to China to mitigate the various delays in developing the port. There should be no doubt that when India is forced to halt activity in the Chabahar SEZ, sanction-laden Iran will be receptive to any offers of assistance for the same, which China will not be slack in providing. In a span of two years since 2016, the narrative will shift from "India counters a Chinese presence in Gwadar with Chabahar" to "India resigns itself to Chinese control over both ports". At this juncture, the extent to which the UK, France and Germany will continue to honour the terms of the JCPOA is unclear, despite assurances that they intend to. It should be noted that the true blow to the Iranian economy pre-JCPOA was not the US sanctions against it (the US has imposed sanctions on Iran since 1996), but broad EU sanctions in 2009-2010 coupled with increasingly restrictive US sanctions. It is highly unlikely that the EU will re-impose such sanctions, however, US regulations pre-2015 had become much more stringent in plugging the loopholes that companies utilised to bust sanctions. Today, the fear of US sanctions being triggered will deter companies from investing in and continuing economic activities in Iran, even with no snap-back sanctions from other countries. Disregarding the investment losses for Iran, and the damages to the numerous companies and countries with interests in the country, it is the Iranian people who have the most to lose. They will now have to contend with an economy in a shambles (again), an increasingly conservative government in power, along with the consequences of living in a country that is responsible for a great of unrest in the West Asian region. The onus of saving the deal now falls to the remaining P5+1 countries UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China, by putting in place mechanisms that allow continued economic relations with Iran while not triggering US sanctions. One must also hope the moderates in Iran can weather the storm that is coming, and that Khamenei recognises the Iranian self-interest in not allowing the IRGC to run amok with suspended nuclear activities in violation of the JCPOA, or whatever is left of it. World powers involved in the Iran nuclear agreement expressed regret on Tuesday at President Donald Trump's decision to pull the US out of the landmark pact Brussels: World powers involved in the Iran nuclear agreement expressed regret on Tuesday at President Donald Trump's decision to pull the US out of the landmark pact amid concern the move will undermine efforts to stop the spread of atomic weapons. Signatories to the 2015 deal to curb the Islamic republic's nuclear ambitions urged Trump not to fundamentally undermine the UN Security Council-endorsed agreement so that the other parties Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and Iran can continue to respect it. But Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US president's decision as "a historic move." Netanyahu has long been an opponent of an agreement that he said would never remove the danger of Tehran developing nuclear weapons and whose recent revelations about intelligence showing that Iran has lied about its program was cited by Trump as one reason to pull out. "It is with regret and concern that we, the Leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom take note of President Trump's decision to withdraw," French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Angela Merkel and British prime minister Theresa May said in a joint statement after discussing the move. "Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the (deal). This agreement remains important for our shared security," they said. The three called on Washington to "ensure that the structures of the (agreement) can remain intact, and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal." In New York, Russia's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, said "we are disappointed" at the US announcement. Asked whether the move might heighten tensions in West Asia, he responded with one word to reporters at UN headquarters: "sure." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the nuclear deal "a major achievement" that "has contributed to regional and international peace and security" and said he was "deeply concerned" by the US decision. He called on the other signatories "to abide fully" by their commitments. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who helps supervise the way Iran and the six world powers implement the deal and settle any disputes, expressed concern about Trump's suggestion that new sanctions might be slapped on Iran. "I am particularly worried by the announcement tonight of new sanctions," Mogherini told reporters in Rome, adding that she would consult with Europe's partners about any new measures "to assess their implications." "In any case, the European Union is determined to act in accordance with its security interests and to protect its economic investments," she added. In a message directed to Iran itself, Mogherini said: "Do not let anyone dismantle this agreement. It is one of the biggest achievements diplomacy has ever delivered, and we have built this together." In a televised address in Israel, Netanyahu hailed Trump's decision and said that leaving the deal unchanged would be "a recipe for disaster, a disaster for our region, a disaster for the peace of the world." Netanyahu said Iran's aggression has grown since the deal, especially in Syria, where he says it is "trying to establish military bases to attack Israel." "Despite the deal, the terrorist regime in Tehran is developing a ballistic missiles capability, ballistic missiles to carry nuclear warheads far and wide, to many parts of the world," Netanyahu said. Former US president Barack Obama slammed Trump's decision, calling the move "a serious mistake." There are few issues more important to the security of the US than the potential spread of nuclear weapons or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East. Todays decision to put the JCPOA at risk is a serious mistake. My full statement: https://t.co/4oTdXESbxe Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 8, 2018 2016 presidential nominee and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton also took to Twitter to express her anguish over the government's announcement on Tuesday. Pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal is a big mistake. It makes America less safe and less trusted. Iran is now more dangerous. What's plan B? Anyone who thinks bombing is the answer is woefully misinformed. Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 9, 2018 As Secretary of State, I helped negotiate the crippling international sanctions that brought Iran to the table. It would be much harder a second time, now that our credibility is shot. Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 9, 2018 The precise impact of Trump's decision will probably take some time to decipher. In the short term, US Congress now has about 60 days to decide its next move. Iran can also trigger a dispute mechanism in the agreement, opening a maximum 45-day window for the airing of grievances and to seek a compromise. This could buy three months of valuable time. Overall, Trump's threats have baffled the Europeans. They say the deal is working and note that the International Atomic Energy Agency has now certified 10 times that Iran is in compliance with its obligations. They wonder how breaking this deal would improve things and fear it might only create a dangerous vacuum for Iran to resume its nuclear activities. EU officials also warn that any changes Trump might want to make to this agreement would have to be done on the basis of "more for more." They believe Iran is unlikely to accept new constraints without concessions in return. That said, it is still possible to ramp up pressure on Iran over its ballistic missile program or its destabilizing role in regional affairs through other sanctions, which would fall outside the scope of the agreement. Just in case US sanctions linked to this agreement do kick in, the EU is weighing how to protect the interests of European businesses working with Iran. The new US ambassador in Berlin late on Tuesday began advising German companies to stop doing business in Iran. In a tweet hours after he officially took up his duties, Ambassador Richard Grenell noted that Trump said American "sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran's economy." "German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately," he added. With inputs from AP In his latest volley against the free press, US president Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested that reporters have their credentials revoked for reporting negative news about him, calling such reporting 'fake.' In his latest volley against the free press, US president Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested that reporters have their credentials revoked for reporting negative news about him, calling such reporting "fake." In a tweet, Trump complained that "despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else," most of the network news about him is "negative (Fake)." "Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt?" Trump went on to ask, adding: "Take away credentials?" Reporters require credentials to access the White House grounds and cover the president's official and re-election campaign events. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, however, insisted the administration is "very committed to a free press" and demonstrates that commitment through near-daily press briefings and access to the president. "The fact that I'm standing here taking questions, the fact that the president took questions from your colleagues just two hours ago demonstrates this White House's commitment to accessibility, and to providing information to the American public," she said. "At the same time, the press has a responsibility to put out accurate information." Since the early days of his candidacy, Trump has railed against the media, going as far as to call it "the enemy of the people." He has also mused about changing libel laws to make it easier to sue reporters for inaccurate stories (though he has no such authority) and has blamed reporters for his low approval ratings. During his campaign, Trump also barred reporters from certain news organizations, including The Washington Post and the Des Moines Register, from covering his rallies and news conferences in a move that was widely condemned by advocates for a free press. In a statement, White House Correspondents' Association president Margaret Talev said that "just because the president does not like news coverage does not make it fake." "A free press must be able to report on the good, the bad, the momentous and the mundane, without fear or favor. And a president preventing a free and independent press from covering the workings of our republic would be an unconscionable assault on the First Amendment," she said. Trump has held just one formal solo press conference since his inauguration a break from historical precedent and Sanders' briefings tend to be far shorter than her predecessors'. But Sanders noted the Trump White House has also been applauded by journalists for allowing frequent access to the president in "pool sprays" covered by a rotating group of reporters. Trump also frequently engages reporters in more informal settings, including when he departs the White House for trips and in impromptu question-and-answer sessions aboard Air Force One. The tweet came after a Fox and Friends news segment quoted from a report from the conservative Media Research Center that said 90% of evening newscasts on ABC, CBS, and NBC were negative and primarily focused on scandals and controversies surrounding the White House. The Fake News is working overtime. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 Trump going after the media is nothing new. He has generally viewed most news coverage as unfair and talked about taking retaliatory measures against journalists. On the campaign trail in 2016, Trump often banished reporters either to a far corner of the venue or kept them out altogether. As president, he has suggested he could take away networks broadcast licenses. More recently, he has floated the idea of auditing the Post Office system to target Amazon - the company which owns The Washington Post which has been sharply critical of the Trump presidency. US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Wednesday against resuming its nuclear weapons program, a day after announcing that he was withdrawing the U.S. from the landmark Iran nuclear deal. Washington: US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Wednesday against resuming its nuclear weapons program, a day after announcing that he was withdrawing the U.S. from the landmark Iran nuclear deal. "I would advise Iran not to start their nuclear program," Trump told reporters at the start of a Cabinet meeting when asked about the potential consequences. "I would advise them very strongly. If they do there will be very severe consequence." The comments came a day after Trump announced he was withdrawing the U.S. from the accord with Iran, abruptly restoring harsh sanctions in the most consequential foreign policy action of his presidency. He declared he was making the world safer, but he also deepened his isolation on the world stage and revived doubts about American credibility with a rationale that contradicted the analyses of U.S. and foreign intelligence sources. The 2015 agreement, which was negotiated by the Obama administration and included Germany, France and Britain, had lifted most U.S. and international economic sanctions against Iran. In exchange, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program, making it impossible to produce a bomb and establishing rigorous inspections. But Trump, a severe critic of the deal dating back to his 2016 presidential campaign, said Tuesday in a televised address from the White House that it was "defective at its core." On Wednesday, he claimed the deal "was going to lead to nuclear proliferation all over the Middle East" and bragged the sanctions would be among the strongest "that we've ever put on a country." Trump also pointed to Iran's actions in countries including Syria and Yemen. "With all of the places they're involved, it's bedlam and death and we can't allow that to happen," he said, adding: "They've gotta understand life. 'Cause I don't think they do understand life." U.S. allies in Europe had tried to keep Trump in and lamented his move to abandon it. Iran's leader ominously warned his country might "start enriching uranium more than before." The sanctions seek to punish Iran for its nuclear program by limiting its ability to sell oil or do business overseas, affecting a wide range of Iranian economic sectors and individuals. Major companies in the U.S. and Europe could be hurt, too. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that licenses held by Boeing and its European competitor Airbus to sell billions of dollars in commercial jetliners to Iran will be revoked. Certain exemptions are to be negotiated, but Mnuchin refused to discuss what products might qualify. He said the sanctions will sharply curtail sales of oil by Iran, which is currently the world's fifth largest oil producer. Mnuchin said he didn't expect oil prices to rise sharply, forecasting that other producers will step up production. Iran's government must now decide whether to follow the U.S. and withdraw or try to salvage what's left with the Europeans. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he was sending his foreign minister to the remaining countries but warned there was only a short time to negotiate with them. Trump also left open the possibility of a new deal, and told reporters Wednesday: "We'll make either a really good deal for the world or we're not going to make a deal at all. He predicted Iran would choose to negotiate eventually, or face consequences. The administration said it would re-impose sanctions on Iran immediately but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity. Companies and banks doing business with Iran will have to scramble to extricate themselves or run afoul of the U.S. government. Meanwhile, for nations contemplating striking their own sensitive deals with Trump, such as North Korea, the withdrawal will increase suspicions that they cannot expect lasting U.S. fidelity to international agreements it signs. Former President Barack Obama, whose administration negotiated the deal, called Trump's action "misguided" and said, "The consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America's credibility and puts us at odds with the world's major powers." Yet nations like Israel and Saudi Arabia that loathed the deal saw the action as a sign the United States is returning to a more skeptical, less trusting approach to dealing with adversaries. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Trump's announcement as a "historic move." Trump said Tuesday that documents recently released by Netanyahu showed Iran had attempted to develop a nuclear bomb in the previous decade, especially before 2003. Although Trump gave no explicit evidence that Iran violated the deal, he said Iran had clearly lied in the past and could not be trusted. Iran has denied ever pursuing nuclear arms. In a burst of last-minute diplomacy, punctuated by a visit by Britain's top diplomat, the deal's European members had given ground on many of Trump's demands for reworking the accord, according to officials, diplomats and others briefed on the negotiations. Yet the Europeans realized he was unpersuaded. In Iran, many are deeply concerned about how Trump's decision could affect the already struggling economy. In Tehran, Rouhani sought to calm nerves, smiling as he appeared at a petroleum expo. He didn't name Trump directly, but emphasized that Iran continued to seek "engagement with the world." BEIRUT (Reuters) - Europe has a 'limited opportunity' to preserve the nuclear deal with Tehran, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani told French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call on Wednesday, the Iranian Students' News Agency reported. BEIRUT (Reuters) - Europe has a "limited opportunity" to preserve the nuclear deal with Tehran, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani told French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call on Wednesday, the Iranian Students' News Agency reported. "Under the current conditions, Europe has a very limited opportunity to preserve the nuclear deal, and must, as quickly as possible, clarify its position and specify and announce its intentions with regard to its obligations," ISNA quoted Rouhani as telling Macron in the phone call. (Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Peter Graff) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By John Irish, Rania El Gamal and Steve Holland PARIS/DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince visited France in April, he oozed confidence that President Donald Trump would pull the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal which Riyadh has long opposed. Answering reporters' questions in Paris, two weeks after talks with Trump in Washington, Prince Mohammed bin Salman compared the deal to the 1938 Munich Agreement which was meant by European powers to appease Nazi Germany but ended in war. Where French, German and British diplomatic efforts failed with Trump, Saudi Arabia's appear to have succeeded By John Irish, Rania El Gamal and Steve Holland PARIS/DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince visited France in April, he oozed confidence that President Donald Trump would pull the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal which Riyadh has long opposed. Answering reporters' questions in Paris, two weeks after talks with Trump in Washington, Prince Mohammed bin Salman compared the deal to the 1938 Munich Agreement which was meant by European powers to appease Nazi Germany but ended in war. Where French, German and British diplomatic efforts failed with Trump, Saudi Arabia's appear to have succeeded. A source close to Saudi policymakers said Washington and Riyadh, Iran's main regional rival, had been discussing the 2015 nuclear deal "for some time" before Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States was pulling out of it. The source said it was "obvious" from the Crown Prince's talks with Trump in the White House on March 20 and a visit to Riyadh a month later by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that there had been a "coordination" of positions. "We were for it and we worked on it," another Saudi source said of Riyadh's diplomacy. Also celebrating is Israel, another of Iran's enemies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled what he said was evidence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme on April 30. Most of the purported evidence Netanyahu presented dated to the period before the 2015 accord was signed, although he said Iran had also kept important files on nuclear technology since then, and continued adding to its "nuclear weapons knowledge". Tehran dismissed Netanyahu as "the boy who cried wolf", and called his presentation propaganda. Although Israeli officials said they did not know whether Trump had been swayed by the information, the president referred to it in his announcement on Tuesday. Netanyahu had talks with Trump in the White House in March and Israeli diplomats worked hard behind the scenes to get their country's views across on the deal, intended to prevent Tehran obtaining a nuclear bomb but seen by opponents as flawed. Asked how much of the Israeli ambassador to Washington's time had been spent arguing the case against the deal, Deputy Minister for Diplomacy Michael Oren told Reuters: "Ball-park guess? Something in the vicinity of 90-plus (percent) ... This issue is, for Netanyahu, paramount." For a graphic, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2I8E5RY MACRON VISIT WAS "LAST RESORT" Trump's announcement was a blow to French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Both tried to change Trump's mind on Iran during visits to the White House in April, and both failed. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also made a last-minute dash to Washington but did not get to see the president. He put Britain's case at talks with Pompeo and in an interview with "Fox & Friends" on cable channel Fox News, which Trump regularly watches. Despite their efforts, European leaders knew by mid-April that the chances of persuading Trump to stay in the nuclear deal were fading, European diplomats said. "Macron's visit was the last resort," a European official told Reuters in Brussels, referring to the French leader's talks with Trump in the White House on April 24. Describing the last month of diplomacy as "disastrous", the official said: "For weeks all the indications from the White House and State Department were: 'He's out (of the deal)'." On Wednesday, the European allies were seeking to salvage the nuclear deal and preserve their business with Iran. Trump's message to the Europeans in the run-up to his announcement was that they must come up with a way to toughen the nuclear deal if the United States was to remain in it, said sources familiar with the discussions. He pressed for a separate deal to go alongside the nuclear agreement that would address other U.S. concerns about Iran such as its ballistic missile programme, which was not covered in the 2015 accord, they said. Progress was made in the negotiations, but not enough to sway Trump. The sources familiar with the debate said Trump wanted a separate agreement with the other main signatories of the original deal -- France, Britain, Germany, China and Russia. But Berlin said the agreement would have to be submitted to a European Union body for approval, and this appeared to stall the effort, they said. Pompeo told the German and British foreign ministers and a senior French official by telephone last Friday that Washington would no longer pursue the process with Europe. The European and U.S. positions were too far apart on the so-called sunset clauses allowing for some restriction on Iran's nuclear enrichment programme to be lifted. By midway through last week, European diplomats "felt like we were going through the motions," a European official said. TRUMP APPOINTMENTS Some European diplomats believed any chance of persuading Trump to stay in the deal had gone even before Macron visited Washington. They saw Pompeo's appointment in March as a deadly blow, and it was quickly followed by the arrival in the White House of John Bolton, another Iran hawk, as national security adviser. Rex Tillerson, the previous secretary of state, had seen value in staying in the deal, as did Defense Secretary James Mattis. The president reluctantly agreed to give the deal more time in April 2017 when an initial renewal deadline approached. But by the next deadline, last July, Trump was furious at aides for trying to persuade him to stay in the deal, a source familiar with the debate said. "You mean you had three months, and you didn't do anything?" he told them, the source said. In October, Trump announced he would not permit U.S. certification of Iranian compliance with the deal, setting the United States on the path that it reached on Tuesday. A White House official said that in the days leading up to the president's announcement, top aides had not been seeking aggressively to talk Trump out of withdrawing because his mind had been made up. By then, European officials were despondent, a European diplomat said. "We realised we have to buy time. On the eve of the Trump decision, all we could do is to tell the Iranians: don't do anything rash," the diplomat said. (Writing by Steve Holland and Timothy Heritage; Additional reporting by Robin Emmott in Brussels, Stephen Kalin in Riyadh, Dan Williams in Jerusalem and Elizabeth Piper in London and Marine Pennetier in Paris, Editing by Mike Collett-White) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Frances foreign minister said on Wednesday the Iran deal was not dead despite US President Donald Trumps decision to pull out, and French President Emmanuel Macron would speak to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani later in the day Paris: Frances foreign minister said on Wednesday the Iran deal was not dead despite US President Donald Trumps decision to pull out, and French President Emmanuel Macron would speak to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani later in the day. Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio that France wanted to stick to the nuclear accord that Tehran agreed on with world powers in 2015 a pact which he said Iran had honoured. Macrons meeting would be followed by high-level talks between the Iranians and Britain and Germany, as well as France, Le Drian said. Meetings would also be held with the likes of oil giant Total and others with major business and economic stakes in the region, he added. The deal is not dead. Theres an American withdrawal from the deal but the deal is still there, he said. The region deserves better than further destabilisation provoked by American withdrawal. So we want to adhere to it and see to it that Iran does too, that Iran behaves with restraint. The 2015 agreement, worked out by the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia, China and Iran, lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear programme. The pact was designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would reimpose US economic sanctions on Iran as he pulled out of a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. Other countries that helped Iran develop its nuclear programme would also face sanctions, he added. Britain, Germany and France have already urged the United States not to take steps that would make life harder for other countries that still want to stick to the pact. Separately, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told French radio that Trumps decision on Iran was a mistake and that the United States should not consider itself as the worlds economic policeman. Le Drian said France, like others, was well aware that there were concerns about issues beyond Irans nuclear capability, namely its ballistic weapons programme, but said they could be addressed without ditching the nuclear deal. Yes, there is a real risk of confrontation, he told RTL, regarding Trumps decision on Iran. I hope it will not be a setback for peace, he added. Le Drian said that regular reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency had showed Iran was complying with the agreement. By Stephen Kalin and Sarah Dadouch RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies basked on Wednesday in what they saw as a political victory over Iran, their rival for regional influence, after Washington withdrew from the international nuclear accord with Tehran. By Stephen Kalin and Sarah Dadouch RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies basked on Wednesday in what they saw as a political victory over Iran, their rival for regional influence, after Washington withdrew from the international nuclear accord with Tehran. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain swiftly backed U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to reimpose sanctions on Tehran, reflecting their concern about Iran's ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups. "Paris and London may not like Trumps decision, but how would the French or British feel if their capital cities came under direct threat by the Iranians?" editor-in-chief Faisal Abbas wrote in Saudi Arabia's English-language Arab News daily next to a headline that read: "The deal is dead." In a coffee shop, Saudi businessman Ziad said the kingdom's leadership was correct to challenge a deal that had eased sanctions in exchange for Tehran taking measures that would prevent it being able to make a nuclear weapon. "Every couple of days, we have missiles coming from Yemen and we see evidence that they are made by Iran ... It is interfering in Syria, Yemen, Morocco. Other countries may accept that, but here in Saudi Arabia we don't," he said. An hour later, at least four loud blasts rocked Riyadh. Authorities said they had intercepted two ballistic missiles fired from Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting to oust the Iran-aligned Houthi movement from the capital and large parts of the country. PROXY WARS The Sunni Muslim kingdom has been at loggerheads with Shi'ite Iran for decades, fighting a long-running proxy war in the Middle East and beyond that has influenced conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. The Saudi Foreign Ministry accused Iran of using economic gains from the lifting of sanctions to develop ballistic missiles and support militants. It called for a "comprehensive view that is not limited to its nuclear programme but also includes all hostile activities". Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, tweeted that Iran had been emboldened by the nuclear deal, and "its ballistic missile program became both offensive & exportable". Trump has employed similar arguments, criticising the accord for failing to address Irans ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025, or its role in regional wars. "He is supporting us not because we are Saudi Arabia or because we have oil, but because he thinks we are right," said Mohammed, another Saudi businessman. Oman, which orchestrated secret U.S.-Iran contacts that helped pave the way for the deal in 2015, was more measured. "We believe the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran are interested in realising peace and stability in the region, and the choice of confrontation is not in the interest of either side," its foreign ministry said. Kuwait said in a statement that it "understands and respects" Trump's decision. Qatar, locked in a dispute with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states, meanwhile cautioned against a potential nuclear arms race in the region. "It is in the interest of all parties to exercise restraint, wisdom and patience and to try to resolve differences through dialogue," its foreign ministry said. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a trade and transport boycott on Qatar in June, accusing it of financing militant groups and cosying up to Iran -- charges it denies. "SINISTER ACTIVITIES" "The Omani, Qatari, and Kuwaiti governments have all sought to maintain pragmatic relations -- economic more than political -- with Iran," said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen from the Texas-based Rice University's Baker Institute. "There is likely to be a feeling of jubilation in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi that the Trump administration - or at least the White House - has now come round to their thinking on Iran's threat to regional security." In his speech on Tuesday, Trump condemned Iran's "sinister activities" including backing armed Islamist groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Abdulaziz al-Sager, head of the Jeddah-based Gulf Research Centre, said the message was significant in that it reflected Gulf concerns. "We've always said our concern about this agreement in 2015 was that Iran should not take it as 'carte blanche' to go and expand its territorial influence." Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who serves as Saudi defence minister, told CBS News in March that his country would "without a doubt" develop nuclear weapons if Iran did so. Iran had ruled out renegotiating the accord and threatened to retaliate if Washington withdrew. It could do so by undermining the interests of Washington and its allies in the Middle East, perhaps by increasing support for Yemen's Houthis. The Saudi Arabia and Emirati forces fighting the Houthis both receive military backing from the United States and other Western allies. "There is a real risk of escalation, especially between Iran and Israel. While the Gulf states may want to see the U.S. and Israel try to cut Iran to size, I don't think they want to get dragged into a direct confrontation themselves. The consequences could be severe," said Joost Hiltermann, Program Director, Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis Group. (Additional reporting by Marwa Rashad in Riyadh and Mohammed Ghobari in Aden; Editing by Ghaida Ghantous and Angus MacSwan) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Tim Reid and Joseph Ax DUBUQUE, Iowa (Reuters) - (This May 4 story corrects paragraphs 28 and 29 to show that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won the support of union households by 9 percentage points over Republican Donald Trump, according to national exit polls conducted by Edison Research. The original story incorrectly cited the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) as the source for figures and incorrectly stated Clinton's margin of victory as 8 percentage points.) Inside Knickers Saloon, a factory worker hangout here, Jesse Oberbroeckling has just finished his shift at the John Deere plant when he reveals his regret By Tim Reid and Joseph Ax DUBUQUE, Iowa (Reuters) - (This May 4 story corrects paragraphs 28 and 29 to show that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won the support of union households by 9 percentage points over Republican Donald Trump, according to national exit polls conducted by Edison Research. The original story incorrectly cited the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) as the source for figures and incorrectly stated Clinton's margin of victory as 8 percentage points.) Inside Knickers Saloon, a factory worker hangout here, Jesse Oberbroeckling has just finished his shift at the John Deere plant when he reveals his regret. Like many union workers, Oberbroeckling voted twice for former Democratic President Barack Obama before backing Donald Trump and other Republicans in 2016. Now he has buyer's remorse - and plans to support the Democratic challenger to Rod Blum, the Republican congressman in this blue-collar, eastern Iowa district. "Trump is for the rich," said Oberbroeckling, 37, sipping a rum-and-coke. "Blum's for big business. They said they were for the workers, but they're not." That sentiment should encourage Democrats, who saw their once-reliable labour vote help send Trump to the White House after he vowed to revive Rust Belt factories with trade tariffs and ailing coal mines with environmental deregulation. Now - with coal still struggling and Trump stoking a trade war - many union workers have soured on the president ahead of Novembers midterm congressional elections, the Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll shows. Between March 2017 and March 2018, union members' approval of Trump fell 15 points, to 47 percent. In more than two dozen interviews with union members, many blasted Trumps tax cut, arguing most of the benefits will flow to corporations and wealthy people. A loose coalition of union leaders, Democratic strategists and political action committees (PACs) aims to seize on that shift by directing money and campaign workers to about 30 competitive races union-heavy districts. The party needs to gain 23 seats to retake the U.S. House of Representatives. But falling support for Trump is no guarantee Democrats can restore the partys historic dominance of the union vote. Nearly half of members polled still approve of the president, and their support for congressional Democrats has declined slightly from two years ago. Forty-seven percent of union members polled would support a Democratic candidate in November; 34 percent favoured a Republican. That compares to 51 percent favouring Democrats and 29 percent supporting Republicans in March 2016. The 2018 poll was conducted online, in English, and included more than 1,400 union workers nationwide. It has a credibility interval of 3 percentage points, meaning results could vary in either direction by that amount. Union membership has fallen by half since the early 1980s, to 10.7 percent of U.S. workers last year. But members can still sway close elections because they are concentrated in specific regions and vote at high rates. In the 2014 midterms, 52 percent of union workers voted, compared to 39 percent of others, according to a study by Demos, a liberal think tank. "If we don't win them back, we will never win here," said Abby Finkenauer, the leading Democrat challenging Blum in Iowa's 1st District. Blum's campaign did not respond to requests for comment. TARGETING FARM, FACTORY TOWNS Democratic strategists are targeting blue-collar enclaves of the Midwest, along with districts covering California farmlands, New York industry towns and Montana wilderness. They aim to trash the Republican tax cut, along with Trump's failure to back a minimum wage and his attempt to repeal Obamacare. In Iowa's 1st District, dotted with farms and factories, Finkenauer tells audiences at union halls that her father was a union pipefitter-welder and that only a Democrat can improve their wages, health care and pensions. Blum's website says lower taxes and cutting business regulation will create jobs. Ford OConnell - a Republican strategist who was among the first to highlight how voter anger could propel Trumps candidacy - said the party will appeal to union voters with his tariffs against China, anti-immigration efforts and the tax cut they argue helps all workers. Democrats counter they are already recapturing labour votes, citing the March special election victory in Pennsylvania by Conor Lamb, who beat an outspoken opponent of unions. Trump won the same district in 2016. Following Lambs victory, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) convened focus groups of voters who had supported both Trump and Lamb. Participants wanted candidates who support unions, boost jobs and wages and protect Medicare and Social Security. In interviews with Reuters, union members criticized the tax cut, along with Republican moves in some states - including Iowa - to curtail collective bargaining by public employees. And while Trumps tough trade talk attracted many union workers to his campaign, some now worry his policies may protect some blue-collar jobs at the expense of others. Trumps steel tariffs, for instance, could raise prices for the raw material used in factories supporting union jobs. Reuters/Ipsos polling data shows union workers now view Democrats more favourably on key issues such as healthcare, the economy and taxes. Ken Jones, a retired mechanic and Teamster union member, backed Trump because he believed Clinton was crooked - borrowing Trumps signature insult - and that Trump might curtail illegal immigration, create jobs and fix Obamacare. Now I see hes not going to do anything, said Jones, of Oklahoma, who plans to vote Democratic this fall. The working man dont get nothing out of it. I never voted Republican until Trump, and it was the worst mistake I ever made. Other union members, however, continued to praise Republicans. The economy is doing better," said Otis Evans, 47, of the United Auto Workers in Michigan. "Trumps straightforward and candid." CAMPAIGN COLLAPSE While union leaders backed Hillary Clinton for president, they failed to deliver rank-and-file votes. Clinton won the support of union households by 9 percentage points over Trump, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for several major news networks. That was half of the 18-point margin Obama won over Republican Mitt Romney in 2012 and a drastic drop from the more than 30-point advantage among union households that Clintons husband, President Bill Clinton, enjoyed in 1992. In interviews, many union members cited a distrust of Hillary Clinton personally, rather than her specific policies, as one reason they backed Trump. Unions still overwhelmingly back Democrats financially. In 2016, donations to state and national Democratic parties from several major unions - United Steelworkers, United Auto Workers, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFCSME), and the biggest unions in the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) - totalled more than $1.5 million, according to a Reuters analysis of Federal Election Commission data. Those unions donated nothing to Republicans that year, the analysis showed. This year, the AFL-CIO will deploy campaign workers and political donations in 31 union-heavy congressional districts, along with a wider array of races in 14 battleground states. The organisation has revamped how it gauges its political effectiveness, said organising director Julie Greene. In addition to traditional measures like tracking phone calls and door knocks, it will analyse qualitative data, such as the length and substance of member-to-member conversations. The DCCC is sending organizers to three dozen House districts, where they are partnering with representatives of the two-million-member SEIU to emphasise labour issues in those campaigns. Guy Cecil, president of Priorities USA Action, a Democratic "super PAC," said it will finance Democrats in seven states. It is the first time the group, founded in 2011 to support Obama, has waded into midterm elections. All these efforts are designed to prevent a repeat of 2016, said Steve Rosenthal, the AFL-CIO's former political director and now a political consultant. "There was a collapse of union support," he said. (Reporting by Tim Reid in Dubuque, Iowa and Joseph Ax in New York; Additional reporting by Chris Kahn and Grant Smith; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Brian Thevenot) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Sarah Dadouch and Noah Browning RIYADH/DUBAI (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthis fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia's capital on Wednesday - an attack Saudi authorities said they intercepted in the skies over Riyadh. The assault took place a day after Saudi Arabia's top Western ally the United States pulled out of a deal with Iran over its disputed nuclear programme and could signal an uptick in tensions between Riyadh and regional rival Tehran. The Houthis said the missiles were launched at economic targets in Riyadh, the group's al-Masirah TV reported By Sarah Dadouch and Noah Browning RIYADH/DUBAI (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthis fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia's capital on Wednesday - an attack Saudi authorities said they intercepted in the skies over Riyadh. The assault took place a day after Saudi Arabia's top Western ally the United States pulled out of a deal with Iran over its disputed nuclear programme and could signal an uptick in tensions between Riyadh and regional rival Tehran. The Houthis said the missiles were launched at economic targets in Riyadh, the group's al-Masirah TV reported. At least four blasts were heard in the city centre, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The Houthis, an Iran-allied group that controls much of Yemen including the capital Sanaa, have fired a series of missiles into the kingdom in recent months, part of a three-year-old conflict in Yemen widely seen as a proxy battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. A U.S.-backed, Saudi-led military coalition is fighting against the Houthis on behalf of the government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour al-Hadi, who lives in exile in Riyadh. Colonel Turki al-Malki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said in a statement that Saudi air defences had intercepted one missile, with another falling in an uninhabited desert south of the city. He later said in a separate statement that the Houthis had "failed to launch a short-range Badr-type rocket" towards the Saudi province of Najran but it fell in a non populated desert area. A spokesman for the Houthi-aligned military, Colonel Aziz Rashed, told pro-Houthi al-Masirah television that the attack marked "a new phase" and was revenge for Saudi air strikes on Yemen, after a coalition air strike last month killed the Houthis' top civilian leader. "There will be more salvos until this enemy is deterred, understands the meaning of the Yemeni threat and ceases its crimes," Rashed said. He did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump's decision hours earlier to pull out of the international nuclear accord with Iran. But there are fears that the decision could exacerbate the conflict in Yemen and other regional flashpoints. "HOSTILE ACTION" Saudi Arabia and its allies queued up on Wednesday to praise Trump's decision, including Yemen's internationally-recognised government, which said the U.S. withdrawal was necessary to stop Iran's "destabilising and dangerous" behaviour. "The Iranian regime has exploited the benefits of the nuclear agreement to export violence and terrorism to its neighbours," it said in a statement. The Saudi-led military coalition has intervened in Yemen's civil war since 2015 to fight against the Houthis. Iran and the Houthis dismiss Saudi accusations that Tehran arms the group. Saudi state media said separately that air defence forces had intercepted a missile launched at the southern city of Jizan, in an attack also claimed by the Houthis. "This hostile action by the Houthi militia backed by Iran proves the continued involvement of the Iranian regime," Saudi-led coalition spokesman Malki was quoted as saying by state news agency SPA. Saudi Civil Defence will test a warning siren in Riyadh and other provinces on Thursday. It has instructed citizens upon hearing the alert to seek shelter in secure locations and avoid "areas prone to air strikes and missile strikes". (Reporting by Sarah Dadouch and Marwa Rashad; Editing by Catherine Evans, Andrew Heavens, William Maclean and Peter Graff) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq captured five Islamic State commanders after its intelligence services lured them into crossing from neighbouring Syria, Iraqi state TV reported on Wednesday. It described the five as 'some of the most wanted' leaders of the group. They were named as Saddam al-Jammel, Mohamed al-Qadeer, Ismail al-Eithawi, Omar al-Karbouli and Essam al-Zawbai and were shown in yellow prisoner uniforms. BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq captured five Islamic State commanders after its intelligence services lured them into crossing from neighbouring Syria, Iraqi state TV reported on Wednesday. It described the five as "some of the most wanted" leaders of the group. They were named as Saddam al-Jammel, Mohamed al-Qadeer, Ismail al-Eithawi, Omar al-Karbouli and Essam al-Zawbai and were shown in yellow prisoner uniforms. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said last month he would "take all necessary measures" against militants based in Syria. The Iraqi air force has carried out several air strikes since last year against Islamic State positions in Syrian territory. Abadi declared final victory last December over the ultra-hardline group, which overran a third of Iraq in 2014. But the militants still pose a threat along the border with Syria and have continued to carry out ambushes, killings and bombings across Iraq. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. MURNAU, Germany (Reuters) - Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi on Tuesday warned of 'dangerous repercussions' and a possible arms race in the Middle East unless a political solution was found to free the region of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Al-Safadi spoke in Germany before U.S MURNAU, Germany (Reuters) - Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi on Tuesday warned of "dangerous repercussions" and a possible arms race in the Middle East unless a political solution was found to free the region of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Al-Safadi spoke in Germany before U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday he would pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. "We all need to work together in making sure that we solve the conflicts of the region ... and strive for a Middle East that is free of all weapons of mass destruction," he told reporters after a meeting with leaders of Chancellor Angela Merkel's right-left "grand coalition" government. "If we do not look at the political picture and ... find a way to ensure that the whole region is free of (these weapons), we'll be looking at a lot of dangerous repercussions that will affect the region in terms of an arms race," he said. In March, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS News that his kingdom would "without a doubt" develop nuclear weapons if Iran, Riyadh's arch foe, did so. Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, although it neither confirms nor denies possessing atomic weapons. Trump said he pulled out of the 2015 agreement partly because it does not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its role in wars in Syria and Yemen, and does not permanently prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Germany, France and Britain, in a joint statement, decried the U.S. decision and pledged to uphold the nuclear deal together with Tehran despite Washington's departure. They called on the United States to refrain from taking steps that would prevent other countries from upholding the accord. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran aimed to continue to comply with the deal's terms, and would swiftly reach out to the other signatories - Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China - to keep it in place. Volker Kauder, head of Merkel's conservatives in parliament, said continued dialogue was needed to avoid isolating Iran. "That would only further exacerbate the situation in the Middle East," Kauder told reporters in Murnau, where Merkel and other leaders of the coalition government are gathered for a retreat. Al-Safadi also expressed concern about the U.S. decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv on May 14 and the possible consequences. "Jerusalem should be the capital of an independent Palestinian state in the borders of 1967. We should avoid everything that calls stability into question," he said. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke; writing by Andrea Shalal; editing by William Maclean and Lisa Shumaker) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Wednesday to finalise details of a historic summit planned between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Pyongyang: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea on Wednesday to finalise details of a historic summit planned between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump announced the mission in Washington on Tuesday just minutes before Pompeo arrived in Japan to refuel before flying on to Pyongyang, and as the president declared he was withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with another bitter U.S. adversary, Iran. US officials say Pompeo will also press North Korea for the release of three detained American citizens, whose imminent release Trump has been hinting at. His trip comes just days after North Korea expressed displeasure with Washington for comments suggesting that massive US pressure had pushed Kim to the negotiating table. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which it is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright in 2000 who went as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim's father Kim Jong Il. "At this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un," Trump said at the White House. "Plans are being made, relationships are building, hopefully a deal will happen and with the help of China, South Korea and Japan a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone," he said. Pompeo flew out of Washington under the cover of darkness late Monday aboard an Air Force 757 accompanied by a handful of senior aides, a security detail and two journalists: one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, who were given roughly four hours' notice of his departure. The flight arrived on Wednesday morning and North Korean officials were on hand to greet the American diplomat. Pompeo's first trip to Pyongyang over Easter weekend before he was confirmed as secretary of state was a closely held secret. News of it did not emerge just before his Senate confirmation vote less than two weeks ago. Shortly afterward, the White House released photographs of Pompeo and Kim posing for cameras. It was not clear if Kim would meet Pompeo on Wednesday. Pompeo told reporters aboard his plane that his first visit was to test the North Korean's seriousness of pledges to South Korea on easing tensions. This trip is "to put in place a framework for a successful summit," he said. Although there were no guarantees that the American prisoners would be freed during Pompeo's visit, US officials said their release would be significant goodwill gesture ahead of the Trump-Kim summit that is expected later this month or in early June. "I think it would be a great gesture if they would agree to do so," Pompeo said, adding that it would be difficult to hold a leaders' summit if the prisoners remained captive. The three Korean-Americans Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim are all accused by the North of anti-state activities. Trump has said that a time and place for the summit have been decided but has not said where and when it will be. Pompeo's visit to Pyongyang aims to lock down the date and venue for a formal announcement to be made. It came just a day after Kim returned from China, his second trip to the neighboring country in six weeks to meet with President Xi Jinping. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But, momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea have moved to ease tensions, including with their own leaders' summit late last month. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss "denuclearisation." According to South Korea, Kim says he's willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Kim was quoted as saying Monday by China's official news agency Xinhua: "I hope to build mutual trust with the US through dialogue." He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearisation should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But, his exact demands for relinquishing weapons that his nation spent decades building remain unclear. Previous US efforts to negotiate an end to the North's nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Clinton and George W Bush. Pompeo and officials travelling with him said the Trump administration would not repeat mistakes of the past, which they described as accepting gradual, incremental and long-term disarmament in exchange for immediate benefits. One senior official said Trump and Pompeo were looking for "a bold approach" that would fundamentally alter the security situation. "We are not going to head back down the path that we headed down before," Pompeo said. "We will not relieve sanctions until such time as we have achieved our objectives. We're not going to do this in small increments where the world is essentially coerced into relieving economic pressure." Trump has said that withdrawing US forces from South Korea is "not on the table." Some 28,500 US forces are based in the allied nation, a military presence that has been preserved to deter North Korea since the war ended in 1953 without a peace treaty. After weeks of positive signals, though, North Korea on Sunday dismissed what it called "misleading" claims that Trump's policy of maximum political pressure and sanctions are what drove the North to talks. A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman warned the claims are a "dangerous attempt" to ruin a budding detente on the Korean Peninsula after the summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. "The US is deliberately provoking the DPRK at the time when the situation on the Korean Peninsula is moving toward peace and reconciliation," the spokesman was quoted as saying. DPRK is short for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's formal name. The statement seemed aimed at strengthening Kim's position going into his meeting with Trump. Pyongyang claims Kim himself is the driver of the current situation and the spokesman said the US should not to interpret Pyongyang's willingness to talk as a sign of weakness. Donald Trump said on Twitter that Pompeo was 'in the air' and was with 'the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting.' The US president, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. Washington: Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the U.S. with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday in the latest sign of improving relations between the two longtime adversary nations. Trump said on Twitter that Pompeo was "in the air" and was with "the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting." The president, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet them at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m. Thursday. The release of the detainees came as Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalize plans for a historic summit between Trump and the North's leader, Kim Jong Un. Trump said on Twitter that there had been a "good meeting with Kim Jong Un," adding: "Date & Place set." North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities but their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation's nuclear weapons. The family of Tony Kim thanked "all those" who worked for his return and also credited Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. "Mostly we thank God for Tony's safe return," the family said in a statement, and they urged people to "continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held." White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that Trump viewed the release "as a positive gesture of goodwill." The three had been held for periods ranging between one and two years. They were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offenses and typically freed when senior U.S. officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. The last American to be released before this, college student Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Warmbier was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016 for stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. His parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the government of torturing and killing their son. Of the newly released detainees, Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, had been held the longest. The former Virginia resident was sentenced in April 2016 to 10 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of espionage. He reportedly ran a trade and hotel service company in Rason, a special economic zone on North Korea's border with Russia. The other two detainees hadn't been tried. Kim Hak Song worked in agricultural development at an experimental farm run by the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, or PUST. The university is the only privately funded college in North Korea and was founded in 2010 with donations from Christian groups. He was detained last May for alleged anti-state activities. Tony Kim, who also uses the name Kim Sang-duk, was detained in April 2017 at the Pyongyang airport. He taught accounting at PUST. He was accused of committing unspecified criminal acts intended to overthrow the government. Pompeo, in his visit, discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim Jong Un summit in a meeting with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the central committee of North Korea's ruling party. A U.S. official said that "substantial progress" has been made on plans for a summit. The two sides plan to meet once again to finalize the details. No specifics were offered although other officials said Singapore is emerging as the most likely venue. The unprecedented meeting has been slated for this month or early June. Vice Chairman Kim also noted improved relations between North and South Korea and pushed back against the idea that U.S. pressure led to the likely summit. "This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside," he said. That contradicted Trump, who has said repeatedly that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. Pompeo's trip, his second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington late Monday aboard an Air Force jetliner. Trump announced the mission Tuesday afternoon as he laid out his case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter U.S. adversary. Accompanying Pompeo were a few senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, both given roughly four hours' notice of his departure. Pompeo, who first traveled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which the U.S. is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea moved to ease tensions, including the North sending a contingent to the Winter Olympics in the South. The Koreas' leaders' held their own summit last month. In March, Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss "denuclearization." According to South Korea, Kim says he's willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Kim was quoted by China's official news agency Xinhua as saying on Monday, "I hope to build mutual trust with the U.S. through dialogue." He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But his exact demands for relinquishing weapons that his nation spent decades building remain unclear. Previous U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the North's nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Pompeo and officials traveling with him said the Trump administration would not repeat mistakes of the past, which they described as accepting gradual, incremental and long-term disarmament in exchange for immediate benefits. Trump has said that withdrawing U.S. forces from South Korea is "not on the table." Some 28,500 U.S. forces are based in the allied nation, a military presence that has been preserved to deter North Korea since the war ended in 1953 without a peace treaty. Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow was deeply disappointed by US president Donald Trump's decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal, a move it called a blatant violation of international law Moscow: Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow was deeply disappointed by US president Donald Trump's decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal, a move it called a blatant violation of international law. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the ministry said it was "deeply disappointed by the decision of US president Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action", the official name for the 2015 deal. Washington's actions were "flagrantly trampling on the norms of international law", the ministry said, saying it is "highly concerned that the US is once more acting contrary to the opinion of the majority of countries". Moscow condemned Trump's decision as "fresh proof of Washington's inability to negotiate", alleging that US criticism of Iran's "absolutely legal nuclear activity" was "just a smokescreen for settling political scores with it". A joint commission of world powers that reached the deal "must swiftly and very scrupulously examine and assess the current situation", the ministry said. Russia is "open to further cooperation" with the rest of the group of world powers that reached the deal and "will continue to actively develop bilateral cooperation and political dialogue with Iran", the ministry said. The Kremlin has previously warned Washington against abandoning the landmark 2015 deal, saying this would deal a heavy blow to international relations and non-proliferation efforts. The agreement was signed between Iran and six world powers Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US at talks coordinated by the European Union. Russian president Vladimir Putin visited Tehran in November last year and both countries are pushing for a peace deal in Syria where they are key backers of President Bashar al-Assad. Moscow and Tehran have had close political and economic relations, and in the nuclear field Russia has already built one reactor at Iran's Bushehr plant and started work on two new ones. Stormy Daniels' lawyer said, on Tuesday, that he has information showing that Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, received $500,000 from a company associated with a Russian billionaire within months of paying hush money to Daniels, a porn star who claims she had an affair with Trump Washington: Stormy Daniels' lawyer said, on Tuesday, that he has information showing that Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, received $500,000 from a company associated with a Russian billionaire within months of paying hush money to Daniels, a porn star who claims she had an affair with Trump. Lawyer Michael Avenatti also said hundreds of thousands of dollars streamed into Cohen's account from companies, including pharmaceutical giant Novartis, AT&T and Korea Aerospace, with US government business interests. AT&T confirmed its connection on Tuesday evening. Avenatti did not provide documents to support the claims and did not reveal the source of his information. But, in a seven-page memo, Avenatti detailed what he said were wire transfers going into and out of the account Cohen used to pay Daniels $130,000 in October 2016 to stay silent about her alleged affair with the soon-to-be president. Trump denies having an affair with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. The memo, containing highly specific dates and amounts, stated that Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian billionaire, and his cousin "routed" eight payments totaling approximately $500,000 to Cohen's company, Essential Consultants, between January and August 2017. The reason for the payment was not known. Speculating without offering proof, the Avenatti memo said, "It appears these funds may have replenished the account following the payment to Ms. Clifford." Avenatti's memo said the deposits into the account controlled by Cohen were made by Columbus Nova, an American investment company affiliated with the Renova Group, which is controlled by Vekselberg. Columbus Nova's attorney Richard Owens stressed in a statement that the company is "solely owned and controlled by Americans" and said that, after Trump's inauguration, the firm hired Cohen as a business consultant "regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures," but that it had nothing to do with Vekselberg. Owens said any suggestion that Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Cohen was false. "Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else, other than Columbus Nova's owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement," he said. Cohen and his attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Cohen is currently under investigation by federal prosecutors in New York, but hasn't been charged. At the time of the payments, there was an active FBI counterintelligence investigation which special counsel Robert Mueller took over last May into Russian election interference and any possible coordination with Trump associates. Vekselberg was targeted for US sanctions by the Trump administration last month. He built his fortune, currently estimated by Forbes at $14.6 billion, by investing in the aluminum and oil industries. More recently, he has expanded his assets to include industrial equipment and high technology. Offering confirmation for more of the payments, AT&T said in a statement that Essential Consultants was one of several firms it "engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration." Avenatti alleged that the company made four $50,000 payments to Cohen totaling $200,000 in late 2017 and early 2018. AT&T said Cohen's company "did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017." Cohen is not a registered lobbyist, according to public records. Such a confidential relationship would not violate federal lobbying laws if Cohen did not seek to influence Trump on the companies' behalf. But, hiring the president's personal attorney for advice on how to woo Trump would be highly unusual, especially given that Cohen was never formally involved in the campaign or Trump's administration. Making the arrangement even stranger, the blue-chip companies' payments to Cohen were routed to Essential Consultants LLC the same company Cohen used to buy Stormy Daniels' silence about her alleged affair with the president. Trump's Justice Department has sued to block AT&T from an $85 billion merger with Time Warner, saying it would hurt competition and consumers would have to pay more to watch their favorite shows. Korea Aerospace, which is alleged to have paid Cohen $150,000 in November 2017, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for Novartis, a multinational pharmaceutical company, could not confirm or deny the payment, but said any agreements with Essential Consultants were entered before the company's current CEO took over in February of this year and have since expired. The memo alleges the company paid Cohen $399,920 in late 2017 and early 2018 in four payments each amounting to $99,980. Trump had dinner with Novartis' soon-to-be CEO Vasant Narasimhan, along with other European executives, at the World Economic Forum in Davos shortly after the date of the final payment. Larry Noble, senior director of the Campaign Legal Center, said there's nothing technically wrong with companies like Novartis and AT&T hiring people like Cohen to provide insight into the president's thinking. But, he said the arrangement described by Avenatti "certainly doesn't look good." "Why would you go to the president's private fixer?" he asked. "He's not known for policy and he's not in the administration. You're going to someone who can get you access and tell you about the person of the president. That's unusual," he added. By Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An attorney for porn star Stormy Daniels said on Wednesday he has more evidence of ties between a Russian oligarch sanctioned by the United States and a payment to U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and questioned other companies' dealings with Cohen's firm. In television interviews, attorney Michael Avenatti also called for the release of bank records detailing hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to Cohen's Essential Consultants LLC made by AT&T , Novartis AG , Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd and Columbus Nova LLC, a New York-based investment firm linked to businessman Viktor Vekselberg, who has ties to the Kremlin By Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An attorney for porn star Stormy Daniels said on Wednesday he has more evidence of ties between a Russian oligarch sanctioned by the United States and a payment to U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and questioned other companies' dealings with Cohen's firm. In television interviews, attorney Michael Avenatti also called for the release of bank records detailing hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to Cohen's Essential Consultants LLC made by AT&T , Novartis AG , Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd <047810.KS> and Columbus Nova LLC, a New York-based investment firm linked to businessman Viktor Vekselberg, who has ties to the Kremlin. Avenatti's comments followed a statement he made on Tuesday about payments to Cohen's firm in 2017 and 2018, after Trump won the November 2016 presidential election. The companies later confirmed the payments. New questions being raised about Cohen's role and work for Trump could further pressure Cohen after the FBI raided his home and office last month as part of a criminal investigation of his business dealings and a payment to Daniels. The porn star said she had sex with Trump once in 2006 and kept in touch with him for a while, which Trump has denied. The White House referred questions to Trump's outside lawyers. Trump attorney Jay Sekulow said the outside legal team had no comment on Avenatti's allegations. The revelation also drew attention to another potential line of inquiry in U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and potential collusion by Trump's campaign. Moscow has denied U.S. intelligence agency conclusions of tampering and Trump denies any coordination with Russian officials and his campaign. Cohen on Wednesday told reporters Avenatti's report was inaccurate. It was not immediately clear how Avenatti knew about the payments, and he declined to say how in TV interviews with ABC and MSNBC. His client Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has said Cohen paid her $130,000 a month before the election to stay quiet about the sexual encounter. Daniels has filed two related lawsuits against Trump and Cohen. BANK RECORD INVESTIGATION The U.S. Treasury Department's inspector general's office said it had opened an investigation into whether confidential banking records involving Cohen may have been leaked. Spokesman Rich Delmar said the office was looking into whether so-called bank suspicious activity reports, or SARs, or Bank Secrecy Act information had been "improperly disseminated." The Washington Post first reported the investigation. Avenatti has repeatedly called for SARs relating to Cohen to be released. Avenatti declined to comment on the probe, and Stephen Ryan, an attorney for Cohen, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. AT&T on Tuesday said it sought insights into the new administration from Essential Consultants, but did not engage in lobbying. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday that AT&T paid more than $200,000 to Cohen's company. On Wednesday, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said it paid for accounting-related services, while Novartis cited healthcare consulting. "Michael Cohen appears to be selling access to the president of the United States," Avenatti told MSNBC. A lawyer for Columbus Nova has said Russian businessman Vekselberg had nothing to do with the transaction, which Avenatti said amounted to $500,000. "We have significant evidence to the contrary," Avenatti told ABC, without giving any details. "We haven't released all the evidence that we have." Vekselberg, who according to the New York Times has been questioned by Mueller's team, could not be reached for comment. Peter Carr, the special counsel's spokesman, declined to comment. (Reporting by Susan Heavey, David Shepardson, Roberta Rampton and Sarah Lynch in Washington; Karen Freifeld, Nathan Layne and Catherine Koppel in New York; Ju-Min Park and Joyce Lee in Seoul; Editing by Dan Grebler and Grant McCool) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Jonathan Shenfield LONDON (Reuters) - Lawyer Gaile Walters has no time for the British monarchy but still believes the wedding of American actress Meghan Markle to Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry marks an important moment for Britain's black community. 'It has to be significant. By Jonathan Shenfield LONDON (Reuters) - Lawyer Gaile Walters has no time for the British monarchy but still believes the wedding of American actress Meghan Markle to Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry marks an important moment for Britain's black community. "It has to be significant. The fact of someone black being married into the royal family represents a widening and a diversion and an inclusion that it's never had before," Walters told Reuters as she shopped in Brixton, south London. "I'm still not pro-monarchy at all because I don't think anybody is born to rule. However, I do understand symbolism and this is very powerful." The upcoming marriage of the British prince, sixth-in-line to the British throne, to Markle, whose father is white and mother is African-American, has been heralded as demonstrating how Britain has become more egalitarian and racially mixed. Just 60 years ago, marrying a divorcee was considered unacceptable for a British royal, and only in 2013 did it become permissible to wed a Catholic without being removed from the line of succession. So Markle's entry into an exclusively white royal family, who wield hugely emotional symbolic power in Britain, should not be underestimated, said Afua Hirsch, author of "Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging". "It represents a real change in the messaging to young people growing up in Britain and that idea that blackness and Britishness are mutually exclusive," she told Reuters. "I think for me when I was younger that would have made a huge difference to me psychologically in my sense of legitimacy and confidence that this is my country." "RIVERS OF BLOOD" The wedding comes at a time race issues have been prominent in Britain. Last month saw the 25th anniversary of the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence by white racists which led to London's police force being labelled institutionally racist by an inquiry due to its botched handling of the case. It was also 50 years since the infamous "Rivers of blood" speech by politician Enoch Powell in which he warned that "the black man will have the whip hand over the white man" if immigration was not stopped. The British government has also found itself mired in a scandal about treatment of some descendants of the "Windrush generation" of Caribbean migrants who were invited to Britain after World War Two but have been left without documents and denied basic rights. Markle, whose maternal ancestors were slaves, and Harry attended a memorial service to mark the Lawrence anniversary and there has been much commentary about how attitudes have changed since the days of Powell. But others say the Windrush episode betrays the true picture. "(The wedding) means nothing. It really is a non-event in terms of what it means for society," Kehinde Andrews, an associate professor of sociology at Birmingham City University and author on race issues. He described racism "as British as a cup of tea". "What on earth could we possibly be celebrating in the fact that there's a splash of coffee in the premier symbol of whiteness in the UK? "That's for me the problem with a lot of the coverage of this wedding. The monarchy is an institution. Adding a black face, one black face, one very light-skinned, pretty black face is not going to change the institution." A survey for the British Future think-tank last month suggested most Britons would barely notice Markle's ethnicity and the vast majority welcomed it. However, 12 percent of those questioned thought someone of mixed race marrying into the royal family was bad and 25 percent would be uncomfortable with their child to having a serious relationship or marrying someone of a different race. It also found 33 percent of ethnic minority respondents thought racial prejudice was as high as when Lawrence was murdered. In a TV interview last month, London mayor Sadiq Khan, who is a Muslim, said most institutions in Britain had "problems with institutional racism". "STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON" Ever since it was first reported the couple were dating, Markle's ethnicity has attracted attention, and by no means always positive. In late 2016, Harry issued a rare rebuke to the press, condemning the racial undertones of some articles. One story about the Los Angeles neighbourhood where Markle's mother Doria Ragland lives carried the headline "Harry's girl is (almost) straight outta Compton: Gang-scarred home of her mother revealed" while Rachel Johnson, sister of British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, wrote she would bring "rich and exotic DNA" to the Windsors. Asked about such focus in a TV interview to mark their engagement last November, Markle said such coverage had been "disheartening". "But I think you know at the end of the day I'm really just proud of who I am and where I come from and we have never put any focus on that, we've just focused on who we are as a couple," she said. In the street market in Brixton, where many Windrush immigrants settled and which has a large black population, the overwhelming view of the royal marriage was positive, some likening it to Barack Obama becoming America's first black president. Those reactions echoed the warm reception the engaged couple received when in January they visited Brixton, an area that became synonymous with inner city deprivation following race riots in 1981. "I think it's good for the nation to see somebody like her marrying in the royal family," transport worker Noel Davis, 60, told Reuters. Rhianne Fleming, 23, said: "I think it's going to be exciting, especially the fact that she's mixed race. "It shouldn't be that important. But the historical context ... I guess it is a bit of a 'Wow, oh my god this is happening' when it shouldn't be," she added. Hirsch said younger people she had spoken to admired Markle. "They are interested in this royal wedding in ways they have never been in previous royal weddings," she said. "Because there is something there who looks like them, like somebody they are close to, whose mother resembles somebody they are close to." However, for Andrews and others, it just showed how bad the situation is. "Markle is not Britain's Obama moment and shouldn't be covered as such. Being chosen by a prince is not democracy," author Reni Eddo-Lodge wrote on Twitter after the engagement was announced. "Because racism is so bad and so historic and so entrenched that we tend to look for things, anything," Andrews said. "So any symbol that could possibly be good we tend to over-celebrate. But when we sit back and actually analyse what's happened and what's changed, we'll realise it means nothing at all. "The serious issues of entrenched racism, unemployment, all these issues that really face us, the monarchy is part of the problem and she's now part of the problem not the solution." For many on the streets of Brixton though, race was ultimately not the main issue of the wedding. "If the people love each other, then it doesn't matter if they are royal or common," Walters said. "It's love that matters." (Reporting and writing by Michael Holden; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Giles Elgood) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Patricia Zengerle and Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's pick for CIA director, whose role in its harsh former interrogation system imperils her nomination, told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday she would never resume the programme and would refuse any morally objectionable orders from Trump. By Patricia Zengerle and Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's pick for CIA director, whose role in its harsh former interrogation system imperils her nomination, told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday she would never resume the programme and would refuse any morally objectionable orders from Trump. The Senate confirmation hearing for Gina Haspel, the CIA's acting director, was dominated by questions about her part in the spy agency's use of methods such as waterboarding, a type of simulated drowning widely considered torture, more than a decade ago under President George W. Bush. She also was pressed about the destruction of videotapes documenting the tactics. "Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, on my watch, CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation programme," told the Senate Intelligence Committee. "My moral compass is strong. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it," Haspel said when asked what she would do if Trump asked her to carry a order she found "morally objectionable." An undercover officer for most of her 33-year career, Haspel in 2002 served as CIA station chief in Thailand, where the agency interrogated suspected al Qaeda extremists at a secret prison using methods including waterboarding. Three years later, she drafted a 2005 cable ordering the destruction of videotapes of those harsh interrogations. When pressed, Haspel often stuck to scripted answers and avoided several questions by saying they involved classified information. She later testified at a closed-door classified session. Republican Senator Susan Collins asked Haspel what she would do if Trump, who has advocated the return of waterboarding, gave her a direct order to use it on a "high-value terrorism suspect." "I do not believe the president would ask me to do that," Haspel said, without directly answering the question. Haspel said other government entities are now responsible for interrogations of terrorism suspects, adding: "I would not restart, under any circumstances, an interrogation programme at CIA." Democratic Senator Kamala Harris asked Haspel if she believed the previous interrogation techniques, which included waterboarding, were immoral and demanded a "yes or no" answer. Haspel refused to give it. 'TOUGH LESSONS' Haspel said the CIA has learned "tough lessons," and in retrospect she believed it was unprepared to conduct the detention and interrogation programme employed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al Qaeda militants. Haspel needs 51 votes to be confirmed as the first woman director of the CIA in the 100-seat Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans hold a 51-49 majority. The agency's former deputy director, she would succeed Mike Pompeo, a Republican former congressman confirmed last month as secretary of state. Haspel has the strong support of many Republicans but faces a difficult confirmation. At least one Republican, Senator Rand Paul, has said he opposes her, and others have said they will wait to make a decision. No Democrat has expressed support. Democrats pressed Haspel on a 2005 decision to destroy tapes of interrogations when she was chief of staff to Jose Rodriguez, then the CIA's clandestine service chief. Haspel acknowledged she "absolutely was an advocate" for destroying the tapes, saying she feared an "irresponsible leak" of the video that would reveal the identities of CIA agents and put them at risk. Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich asked her, "Doesn't that feel like a cover-up?" "I never watched the tapes, but I understood that our officers' faces were on them and it was very dangerous," she said. Haspel refused to criticise or second-guess actions taken by U.S. and CIA leadership in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, including the interrogation programme. "I'm not going to sit here with the benefit of hindsight and judge the very good people who made hard decisions who were running the agency in very extraordinary circumstances at the time," she said. Committee Democrats expressed frustration they have not been given more details of Haspel's long record with the agency, much of which remains classified. Protesters interrupted her testimony before being removed, one yelling, "Bloody Gina" and "You are a torturer." Rights activists panned her performance. "Gina Haspel said she has a moral compass, but refused to say whether the torture programme she supervised was wrong," said Christopher Anders of the American Civil Liberties Union. (Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Will Dunham) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Two people were killed and four wounded in a car bombing claimed by Islamic State at a checkpoint west of Libya's biggest oil ports on Tuesday, a senior security official said. A second car bomb was later destroyed by troops as it was driven along a road in the Umm al-Qandil area, military officials said. BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Two people were killed and four wounded in a car bombing claimed by Islamic State at a checkpoint west of Libya's biggest oil ports on Tuesday, a senior security official said. A second car bomb was later destroyed by troops as it was driven along a road in the Umm al-Qandil area, military officials said. The victims of the first bomb included a guard and a civilian at the checkpoint about 70 km (44 miles) from Ras Lanuf, one of the ports in Libya's eastern oil crescent. Umm al-Qandil is also west of Ras Lanuf and the neighbouring terminal of Es Sider. Islamic State said in a statement it had carried out the suicide attack. Islamist militants have staged several attacks targeting security forces at checkpoints in desert areas surrounding the oil crescent in recent months. (Reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the remaining parties to the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) to abide by their commitments after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington would withdraw. Guterres said in a statement that he was 'deeply concerned' by Trump's decision UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the remaining parties to the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) to abide by their commitments after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington would withdraw. Guterres said in a statement that he was "deeply concerned" by Trump's decision. "It is essential that all concerns regarding the implementation of the plan be addressed through the mechanisms established in the JCPOA. Issues not directly related to the JCPOA should be addressed without prejudice to preserving the agreement and its accomplishments," Guterres said. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Hours after Trump's decision to pull the US out of the landmark nuclear pact , European powers involved in the Iran nuclear agreement expressed regret Hours after President Donald Trump announced his decision to pull the US out of the landmark Iran nuclear deal meant to stop the spread of atomic weapons, European powers, among others, expressed regret. Signatories to the 2015 deal to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions urged Trump not to fundamentally undermine the UN Security Council-endorsed agreement so that the other parties Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and Iran can continue to respect it. French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Angela Merkel and British prime minister Theresa May issued joint statement hours later, expressing concern over Trump's move. Here is the full text of the official statement: It is with regret and concern that we, the Leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom take note of President Trumps decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPoA. This agreement remains important for our shared security. We recall that the JCPoA was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council in resolution 2231. This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear programme. We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility. According to the IAEA, Iran continues to abide by the restrictions set out by the JCPoA, in line with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The world is a safer place as a result. Therefore we, the E3, will remain parties to the JCPoA. Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement. We urge the US to ensure that the structures of the JCPoA can remain intact, and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal. After engaging with the US Administration in a thorough manner over the past months, we call on the US to do everything possible to preserve the gains for nuclear non-proliferation brought about by the JCPoA, by allowing for a continued enforcement of its main elements. We encourage Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the US; Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA inspection requirements. The IAEA must be able to continue to carry out its long-term verification and monitoring programme without restriction or hindrance. In turn, Iran should continue to receive the sanctions relief it is entitled to whilst it remains in compliance with the terms of the deal. There must be no doubt: Irans nuclear program must always remain peaceful and civilian. While taking the JCPOA as a base, we also agree that other major issues of concern need to be addressed. A long-term framework for Irans nuclear programme after some of the provisions of the JCPOA expire, after 2025, will have to be defined. Because our commitment to the security of our allies and partners in the region is unwavering, we must also address in a meaningful way shared concerns about Irans ballistic missile programme and its destabilising regional activities, especially in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. We have already started constructive and mutually beneficial discussions on these issues, and the E3 is committed to continuing them with key partners and concerned states across the region. We and our Foreign Ministers will reach out to all parties to the JCPoA to seek a positive way forward. The statement has not been edited by Firstpost for content or style. America's top diplomat Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang, landing at the centre of a whirlwind of diplomacy ahead of a planned US-North Korea summit Pyongyang: America's top diplomat Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday, landing at the centre of a whirlwind of diplomacy ahead of a planned US-North Korea summit. Pompeo was dispatched on an unannounced visit his second in weeks, but first as secretary of state to lay the groundwork for Donald Trump's unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong-un. His visit comes as rumours fly over three US citizens being held in the North, with suggestions they may have been moved in preparation for a release. The rapid detente on the Korean peninsula triggered by the Winter Olympics is a marked contrast from last year, when Kim and Trump traded personal insults and threats of war over the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. "We think relationships are building with North Korea," Trump said in a televised address from the White House. "We will see how it all works out. Maybe it won't. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea and the entire world." But the details of a deal appear to be far from clear. At a historic meeting inside the Demilitarised Zone last month, Kim and South Korean president Moon Jae-in reaffirmed their commitment to a "common goal" of "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula. Hours before Pompeo landed, Trump yanked the US from a nuclear deal with Iran, complicating the prospects of persuading Pyongyang to surrender its atomic arsenal. On Tuesday, Kim met Chinese president Xi Jinping in China the second time in six weeks highlighting efforts by the Cold War-era allies to mend frayed ties, and with Beijing keen to avoid being left out in the cold. China's official Xinhua news agency cited Kim as telling Xi there was no need for North Korea to be a nuclear state "as long as relevant parties abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against" the country. Kim also expressed hope that the US and North Korea would take "phased and synchronous measures", signalling Pyongyang wanted a quid pro quo. Pompeo's itinerary including who he would meet in Pyongyang was not clear. He told reporters he would look to prepare for the summit between Trump and "Chairman Un", prompting derision from observers. "Pompeo doesn't know the surname is Kim, but he's definitely on top of all the conceptual and semantic nuances associated with the phrase 'denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula'," arms control specialist Jeffrey Lewis tweeted derisively. Trump's withdrawal of the US from the landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme and reimposing crippling sanctions in defiance of European pleas also raised concerns. Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord, reached after a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, describing it as an "embarrassment" to the United States. "This just makes my head explode," said Robert Kelly of Pusan National University. "Only a fool would trust the US to keep its word in a rogue state nuke deal now." Speculation mounted that Pyongyang could release three detained Korean-Americans to Pompeo, fuelled by South Korea where the president's office said they expected the men to be freed. The trio are a significant domestic political issue and Trump hinted last week of imminent news after sources said they had been relocated. In previous cases detainees have been set free into the care of high profile US visitors. Pompeo's visit also comes as a tripartite meeting of East Asia's major powers takes place in Tokyo, with Japan, South Korea and China groping for a lowest-common-denominator agreement on recent events. Japan, which has by far the most hardline position of the North's neighbours, has been left watching from the sidelines, uneasy at the pace of events and at what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang. Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was likely to push for continued pressure on Pyongyang, including for "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation", Japanese media have reported. Moon, however, was expected to bat away such demands. An official in his office last week said Seoul wanted the three countries to simply endorse the Panmunjon Declaration signed by Kim and Moon last month. Vietnam has requested China to withdraw its military equipment from South China Sea outposts, saying their deployment seriously violates Hanoi's sovereignty Hanoi: Vietnam has requested China to withdraw its military equipment from South China Sea outposts, saying their deployment seriously violates Hanoi's sovereignty, increases tension and destabilises the regional situation. The comments came after CNBC reported last week that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three outposts in the contested Spratly Islands, which are also claimed by Vietnam among others. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang says in a statement Vietnam has sufficient legal basis and historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over the Spratlys and the Paracels in the South China Sea. The Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Friday "peaceful constructions and deployed defensive facilities" aimed to "meet the need of safeguarding national sovereignty and security, which is also the right of a sovereign state." In India, Walmart-Flipkart combine will have to battle America's Amazon and China's Alibaba Walmart Inc's second innings in India will see it partner with Bengaluru-based Flipkart. The US retailer's move is expected to herald a three-way fight in the Indian e-commerce space. Walmart-Flipkart combine will have to battle America's Amazon and China's Alibaba. Here is the full text of the official statement by Walmart: BENTONVILLE, Arkansas, BENGALURU, India, May 9, 2018 Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) announced it has signed definitive agreements to become the largest shareholder in Flipkart Group (Flipkart). The investment will help accelerate Flipkart's customer-focused mission to transform commerce in India through technology and underscores Walmarts commitment to sustained job creation and investment in India, one of the largest and fastest-growing economies in the world. Subject to regulatory approval in India, Walmart will pay approximately $16 billion for an initial stake of approximately 77 percent in Flipkart, formally Flipkart Private Limited. The remainder of the business will be held by some of Flipkarts existing shareholders, including Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, Tencent Holdings Limited, Tiger Global Management LLC and Microsoft Corp. While the immediate focus will be on serving customers and growing the business, Walmart supports Flipkarts ambition to transition into a publicly-listed, majority-owned subsidiary in the future. India is one of the most attractive retail markets in the world, given its size and growth rate, and our investment is an opportunity to partner with the company that is leading transformation of eCommerce in the market, said Doug McMillon, Walmarts president and chief executive officer. As a company, we are transforming globally to meet and exceed the needs of customers and we look forward to working with Flipkart to grow in this critical market. We are also excited to be doing this with Tencent, Tiger Global and Microsoft, which will be key strategic and technology partners. We are confident this group will provide Flipkart with enhanced strategic and competitive advantage. Our investment will benefit India providing quality, affordable goods for customers, while creating new skilled jobs and fresh opportunities for small suppliers, farmers and women entrepreneurs. This investment is of immense importance for India and will help fuel our ambition to deepen our connection with buyers and sellers and to create the next wave of retail in India, said Binny Bansal, Flipkarts co-founder and group chief executive officer. While eCommerce is still a relatively small part of retail in India, we see great potential to grow. Walmart is the ideal partner for the next phase of our journey, and we look forward to working together in the years ahead to bring our strengths and learnings in retail and eCommerce to the fore. Founded in 2007, Flipkart has led Indias eCommerce revolution. The company has grown rapidly and earned customer trust, leveraging a powerful technology foundation, including artificial intelligence, and emerging as a leader in electronics, large appliances, mobile and fashion and apparel. In a market where Walmart expects eCommerce to grow at four times the rate of overall retail, and with well-known platforms such as Myntra, Jabong and PhonePe, Flipkart is uniquely positioned to leverage its integrated ecosystem, which is defined by localized service, deep insights into Indian customers and a best-in-class supply chain. Flipkarts supply chain arm, eKart, serves more than 800 cities, making 500,000 deliveries daily. In the fiscal year ended March 31, Flipkart recorded GMV of $7.5 billion1 and net sales of $4.6 billion representing more than 50 percent year-over-year growth in both cases. With the investment, Flipkart will leverage Walmarts omni-channel retail expertise, grocery and general merchandise supply-chain knowledge and financial strength, while Flipkarts talent, technology, customer insights and agile and innovative culture will benefit Walmart in India and across the globe. While Walmart and Flipkart will leverage the combined strengths of both companies, they will maintain distinct brands and operating structures. Currently, Walmart India operates 21 Best Price cash-and-carry stores and one fulfillment center in 19 cities across nine states in India, with more than 95 percent of sourcing coming from India, aiding suppliers, creating skilled jobs and contributing to local economies across the country. Krish Iyer, president and chief executive officer of Walmart India, will continue to lead that part of the business. Flipkart has established itself as a prominent player with a strong, entrepreneurial leadership team that is a good cultural fit with Walmart, said Judith McKenna, president and chief executive officer of Walmart International. This investment aligns with our strategy and our goal is to contribute to Indias success story, as we grow our business. Over the last 10 years, Flipkart has become a market leader by focusing on customer service, technology, supply chain and a broad assortment of products. With Flipkart and the other shareholders who have come together, we will continue to advance the winning eCommerce ecosystem in India. With retail changing rapidly, Walmart is actively looking for new ways to serve customers and moving with speed. The Flipkart investment represents a unique opportunity, consistent with the approach of looking for innovative ways to grow domestically and internationally, particularly in markets with significant long-term opportunity. The Flipkart investment transforms Walmarts position in a country with more than 1.3 billion people, strong GDP growth, a growing middle class and significant runway for smartphone, internet and eCommerce penetration. Structure, Financial Implications and Other Details Walmarts investment includes $2 billion of new equity funding, which will help Flipkart accelerate growth in the future. Walmart and Flipkart are also in discussions with additional potential investors who may join the round, which could result in Walmarts investment stake moving lower after the transaction is complete. Even so, the company would retain clear majority ownership. Tencent and Tiger Global will continue on the Flipkart board, joined by new members from Walmart. The final make-up of the board has yet to be determined, but it will also include independent members. The board will work to maintain Flipkarts core values and entrepreneurial spirit, while ensuring it has strategic and competitive advantages. Closing is expected later this calendar year, subject to regulatory approval. To finance the investment, Walmart intends to use a combination of newly issued debt and cash on hand. Upon closing, Flipkarts financials will be reported as part of Walmarts International business segment. If the transaction were to close at the end of the second quarter of this fiscal year, Walmart expects a negative impact to FY19 EPS of approximately $0.25 to $0.30, which includes incremental interest expense related to the investment. In FY20, as we look to accelerate growth in this important market, Walmart anticipates an EPS headwind in total of around $0.60 per share, comprised of: Operating losses of approximately $0.40 to $0.45 per share, assuming minimal tax benefit for losses in the near to mid-term. This amount includes about $0.05 per share related to amortization of intangible assets and depreciation of short lived assets resulting from purchase accounting, which will only last for a few years post-closing. Interest expense of approximately $0.15 per share. Given the companys financial strength, we anticipate the continuation of our current share buyback program while maintaining our strong credit profile. This investment represents a unique opportunity in a market with significant long-term growth prospects. Walmart is investing in a local leader with strong leadership and a culture of innovation and service, and the company is aligned with a strategic and committed shareholder group focused on serving customers. In the mid to long term, as the business scales and efficiencies are realized, Walmart expects losses to decline and returns to improve. Partnering to Contribute to India As Walmart scales in India, the company will continue to partner to create sustained economic growth across agriculture, food and retail. Future investments will support national initiatives and will bring sustainable benefits to the country, including: Job creation, as plans would create jobs through development of supply chains, commercial opportunity and direct employment. Supporting small business and Make in India, through direct procurement as well as increased opportunities for exports through global sourcing and eCommerce. Among other initiatives, Walmart will partner with kirana owners and members to help modernize their retail practices and adopt digital payment technologies. Support farmers and develop supply chains through local sourcing and improved market access. Reduced food waste by improving waste management practices and investing in supply chains, especially cold storage. (Editor's note: The above statement has been reproduced verbatim) Construction and aerospace company United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:RTX) is a good stock for investors willing to take a longer-view on matters. While the company's near-term earnings growth expectations are nothing to write home about, the company is positioning itself for strong long-term growth and management can take corporate action in order to generate value for investors. Let's take a closer look a why United Technologies is an attractive stock. UTX EV to EBITDA (TTM) data by YCharts The value pick in the multi-industrial sector As you can see in the chart of EV to EBITDA above, United Technologies is the cheapest stock in its peer group, and it's worth noting that Finland's KONE and Ingersoll-Rand (NYSE:TT) are key competitors in elevators and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC), respectively. Spirit AeroSystems also competes with UTC's Aerospace Systems (UTAS). Perhaps the reason for United Technologies valuation discount is that the market isn't attracted by analyst forecast for just 6.3% EPS growth for in 2018, not least because it comes after a year of flat EPS growth. But here's the thing. EPS is forecast to grow by slightly more than 10% in 2019 and every one of the company's segments looks set to improve profitability in the future. Here are four reasons why the stock can rise. A break up could add value First, CEO Greg Hayes has promised investors he was looking at strategic options that could be taken after the acquisition of Rockwell Collins (NYSE:COL). As discussed previously, investors need to make a multitude of risk/reward calculations, across all four of its segments, before feeling fully comfortable buying the stock. A break up would allow investors to make focused investments in the constituent parts. Speaking on the first-quarter earnings call, Hayes reiterated that he would defer discussions on the portfolio "until after the Collins transaction is completed mid-year" -- something to look out for. As you can see above the company's overall valuation is below that of competitors in each segment, suggesting the new companies could receive an individual rating higher than when they trade as part of United Technologies. Climate, controls, and security segment Second, the CCS segment looks set for strong growth in the coming years. As you can see below CCS (which contains HVAC company Carrier) and competitor Ingersoll-Rand (Trane) are both growing sale and orders at high rates. Granted CCS margin is coming under pressure from rising raw material costs (particularly steel) and Ingersoll-Rand is doing a better job on margin, but history shows that raw material prices are cyclical in nature and increases should moderate in the future. In response to rising costs, Hayes said CCS had "additional price increases lined up for the rest of the year." This should help margins. Thinking longer-term, CFO Akhil Johri argued that the housing boom that started in 2000 means there will strong replacement demand for HVAC equipment in the coming years. He estimated the typical lifecycle for split air-conditioners is 15 to 18 years. Otis long-term service offering Third, Otis has an opportunity to improve its service offering, not least on its own equipment in China -- the world's largest market for elevators. Moreover, management has been driving at increasing equipment market share in China, in order to benefit from more profitable long-term service revenue. Unfortunately, the China elevator market is in decline. Although Otis has been winning back equipment market share, it's faced severe pricing pressure in an intensely competitive market characterized by multiple competitors. The good news is Johri suggested " price is stabilizing" in China, but the "bad news is that there is still negative pressure on the margin because the cost increases are greater than the price increases that we can get on the market." Focusing on the longer-term, it appears that pricing conditions are stabilizing and if raw material price increases moderate then Otis could start to increase margin again. Hayes previously outlined that it would be a multi-year effort before the full benefits would be seen but Otis is on the right track. Aerospace set to grow strongly Fourth, the aviation-focused segments (Pratt & Whitney and United Aerospace Systems, or UTAS) had a good end to 2017 and momentum has been maintained in 2018. In-line with what Honeywell and General Electric reported, UTAS commercial aftermarket sales were strong with 16% organic growth in the first-quarter. In the long-term aftermarket sales should grow in-line with passenger traffic. In addition, commercial original equipment (OE) sales are likely to pick up in the future. The current weakness is due to a raft of new aircraft programs pressuring sales on legacy aircraft. Pratt & Whitney also reported strong commercial aftermarket sales (up 18% organically) and geared turbofan (GTF) production remains on track for 2018 -- Hayes noted that the GTF had seven years worth of backlog in place with "more than 9000 total firm option orders to date for the engine." The GTF -- one of the two engine options for the Airbus A320 neo -- and its long-stream of aftermarket and service revenue is the key to Pratt & Whitney's long-term profit generation. A bright future for United Technologies All told the best is yet to come for the company. Each of its segments has positive long-term prospects and even if the market doesn't wake up to the long-term prospects in terms of valuing the company in-line with its peers, then management could engineer a break up in order to create value for shareholders. It's an attractive investment, but it will require patience. I just checked inventory at the dealership where I bought my F150. You can filter their inventory by engine choice, here is the allocation of what they have on the lot today: The 2.7EB makes up approx half their total inventory. V6 2.7L (112) V6 3.3L (31) V6 3.5L (47) V8 5.0L (41) I also think it has a lot to do with the trim selected. Sorted by trim. For an XL V6 2.7L (21) V6 3.3L (11) V8 5.0L (1) For an XLT V6 2.7L (88) V6 3.3L (20) V6 3.5L (32) V8 5.0L (28) For a Lariat V6 2.7L (3) V6 3.5L (7) V8 5.0L (7) For a King Ranch V6 3.5L (3) V8 5.0L (1) For a Platinum V6 3.5L (4) V8 5.0L (4) Those are the numbers, today. It's only a single dealership in a rural area. What we don't know is why the numbers are what they are today. For example, is there only a single V8 King Ranch because they are not popular or because they sold 3 of them from an inventory that they order 1/2 V8 and 1/2 3.5EB? I think Ford is still moving in the direction of more EB motors. I think what you are seeing is some pent-up demand for V8's with the 10-speed. I know that I would have waited for the 5.0 to get the 10-speed if I was planning to buy one. Maybe others think like me? I never notice what motor other trucks have, mostly because I don't care. I also don't pay attention to what flavor other people choose at the ice cream shop...I go in, order what I want that day, and then I go enjoy it. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. US concerned over de facto South Ossetian authorities decision to close so-called administrative boundary line - GeorgianJournal A 104-year-old Australian scientist who is set to end his life at a clinic in Switzerland later this week told CNN that his life was no longer worth living and said he hoped his story would lead to the legalization of assisted dying in other countries. David Goodall, a respected botanist and ecologist, is due to die at the Life Circle clinic in Basel on Thursday, after traveling to Europe from his home town of Perth, Australia earlier this month. The grandfather-of-12 and longtime member of pro-euthanasia group Exit International said his life stopped being enjoyable five or 10 years ago, in part because of his failing mobility and eyesight. My life has been out in the field (working), but I cant go out in the field now, said Goodall, who must be pushed everywhere in a wheelchair, during an exclusive interview with CNN in his hotel in Basel on Tuesday. I would love to be able to walk into the bush again, and see what is all around me, said the father-of-four, who during his long life has had three wives and moved to Australia from London as a child. I could still enjoy birdsong, he added. But my lack of vision would seriously impair it. Goodall said he would have preferred to have died when he lost his drivers license in 1998, adding that the loss of independence at 94 was a big moment in his life. At my age, I get up in the morning. I eat breakfast. And then I just sit until lunchtime. Then I have a bit of lunch and just sit. Whats the use of that? said the scientist, who flew business class to Europe earlier this month after supporters raised $20,000 for his campaign. List of smartphones eligible for Android P beta Programme Apps Software oi-Vivek Google has partnered with Nokia, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Sony, Vivo, Oppo, and essential for the new Android P beta testing programme. Users of these following devices can try out the Android P OS. Google has finally announced the much-awaited Android P OS, that will power billions of smartphones on the I/O 2018 developer's conference. However, the OS is still in nascent stage (beta) and Google is expected to roll out a final build of the newer operating system in the vicinity of August 2018. For the first time, Google has partnered with other smartphone OEMs to offer a robust beta testing programme for the Android P. Google has partnered with the OEMs like Xiaomi, Vivo, Nokia, OnePlus, and Sony, Oppo and Essential to offer the beta build of Android P OS. This will ensure that the Android P will run on any given set of hardware combinations. Here is the list of smartphones that supports Android P Google Pixel and Pixel XL Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL Xiaomi Mi MIX 2s Vivo X21 Nokia 7 Plus OnePlus 6 (expected to launch on the 16th of May) Sony Xperia XZ2 Oppo R15 Pro Essential PH-1 How to install Android P beta version on Pixel smartphones? If you have a first gen or a second gen Pixel smartphone, then head towards this website and sign up for the beta programme. Make sure to login using the same email id that has been used to sign up for the programme and you will receive a prompt to install the beta version of the Google's upcoming operating system. Make sure to backup all your personal files in an external computer to prevent data loss. Top 10 Tips & Tricks for Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL How to install Android P beta version on non-Google/Pixel smartphones? This is a bit tricky process and each smartphone maker has their own set of instructions. Unlike Pixel smartphones, one has to manually flash the OS by following the set of instructions mentioned on their respective websites. The websites also mention the bugs and hiccups present on the current build, which will help the user to decide to go with the beta version or to stay with the stable Android 8.1 Oreo build (Yes, all these phones are running on the Google's latest Android 8.1 OS). Here are the links for installing the latest build of Android P on the above-mentioned smartphones. Google Pixel and Pixel XL - Link for the official beta build of Android P Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL - Link for the official beta build of Android P Xiaomi Mi MIX 2s - Link for the official beta build of Android P Vivo X21 - Link for the official beta build of Android P Vivo X21 US - Link for the official beta build of Android P Nokia 7 Plus - Link for the official beta build of Android P OnePlus 6 (expected to launch on the 16th of May) - Link for the official beta build of Android P Sony Xperia XZ2 - Link for the official beta build of Android P Oppo R15 Pro - Link for the official beta build of Android P Essential PH-1 - Link for the official beta build of Android P 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 Xiaomi opens first Mi Home in Delhi, plans to launch 100 stores across India in 2018 News oi-Priyanka At present, there are two Mi Home Experience Stores in Chennai and Mumbai, and 36 Mi Home stores across India. Xiaomi India has launched its first Mi Home Experience Store in New Delhi on Wednesday. The Store is located in N Block at Connaught Place. At present, there are two Mi Home Experience Stores in Chennai and Mumbai, and 36 Mi Home stores across India. Manu Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi and Managing Director, Xiaomi India said: "Mi Home Experience Store is an opportunity for us to provide our Mi Fans with the best that we have to offer and in return gain their valuable feedback to continue to delight them with our offerings. We have always given a lot of significance to the feedback that we have received from our users and this is another step towards that direction. Mi Home Experience Store will provide Mi fans the opportunity to explore and assess a wide array of smart Xiaomi products under one roof. This will also help the company gather significant feedback from Mi fans and incorporate it into its future offerings in India, the company said. Xiaomi also plans to open 100 Mi Home stores in 2018. The new store will showcase several products like Mi Home Thermostat Electric Kettle, Mi Electric Scooter, Mi Rice Cooker to Mi Smart Scale, and Ninebot Mini among other products on display. Other products such as Mi Water Purifier, comes with high-precision water filtration technology, which effectively removes antibiotics, scale, bacteria and heavy metals from the water, making it safe to drink. Mi Home Thermostat Electric Kettle is another product that is made of high-quality material and has triple intimate electrical protection design to prevent electrical shocks and leakages. Xiaomi will also be displaying the Mi Robot Vacuum, which is a highly intelligent home cleaning device that has 12 sensors to guide it through your home. Not only this, but the experience store will also have a plethora of household technology products that are designed to enrich and promote a healthier lifestyle. The company will be collecting feedback from the customers and then Xiaomi will bring that product to the Indian market, the company further said. According to a new Canalys Research, Chinese smartphone Xiaomi shipped over 9 million units, giving it a market share of just over 31 percent, the highest ever for a vendor since Q1 2014. "Xiaomi is becoming a force to be reckoned with in India," said Canalys Research Analyst Ishan Dutt. Dutt said: " Xiaomi's recently launched Redmi 5, Redmi 5A and Redmi Note 5 have seen runaway success, with the Redmi 5A reaching record sales of 3.5 million in the quarter. In comparison, Samsung's best-selling device, the J7 Nxt, shipped just 1.5 million units. The market also continues to consolidate, with smaller vendors finding it extremely difficult to succeed in the face of Xiaomi's growing prominence, the firm said. Xiaomi Redmi 5, a budget category smartphone The top four vendors accounted for about 75 percent of all smartphone shipments to India, with Xiaomi and Samsung accounting for 56 percent. 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 By Ivan Ssenabulya. Lands minister Betty Amongi has revealed that Uganda has no Land Fund. She has made the revelation while appearing before the commission of inquiry into land matters for the second day. Amongi is appearing before the commission chaired by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire and is being interrogated over allegations of abusing money from the Land Fund and illegally acquiring property in the upscale Kololo suburb. The Land Act calls for the establishment of the fund, however Amongi has told the commission of inquiry into land matters that it was established but not operationalized. Responding to questions from the commissions lead council Ebert Benkya, Amongi has confirmed that the ministry only has a support fund to the Uganda land Commission. By Ruth Anderah. A 19 year old girl has been remanded to Luzira prison for allegedly faking her kidnap and receiving 750,000 shillings from her mother as a disguised ransom. Peace Ansiimirwe is a student and a resident of Bushenyi district.She has been jointly charged alongside her unemployed boy- friend, 22 year old Julius Atwebembeire a resident of Kasubi in Lubaga division within Kampala city. The duo has this afternoon appeared before Buganda Road court grade one magistrate Samuel Kagoda and denied 3 counts including, demanding money by menaces /force, and obtaining money by false pretence and conspiracy to commit a felony. Prosecut states that on the 23rd/April 2018 at Kasubi in Lubaga division, both Atwebembire and Ansiimirwe hatched a plot to defraud Scovia Nahabwe of 3 million shillings but received 750, 000 shillings only by falsely pretending that the said money was to rescue Ansiimirwe from kidnappers whereas not . Court documents show that Nahabwe took up the matter with police and on tracking the numerous telephone calls she received to rescue Asiimirwe, they all pointed at Atwebembire who had eloped with her daughter in Kasubi. The pair has been remanded to Luzira prison until the 18th/May 2018 when court will consider their bail application. When a teen tragically dies in a skateboard accident, the General Assembly tightens the helmet laws. When group home workers call a strike, lawmakers come through with raises as replacements show up for training. When 140,000 retirees lose Medicare premiums subsidies, Democrats and Republicans unite to find the money. And when vandals paint swastikas on Jewish cemetery headstones, the legislature adds Holocaust classes to the states mandatory curriculum. The pattern is clear. Legislatures since at least 1787 are reactive bodies, said Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury, a 29-year state House veteran. Its what parliaments and legislatures do. We react. Unfortunately, Connecticut desperately needs more than small-ball reaction like the examples above all of which passed in the last few days. Were screaming out for broad economic reforms, changes in the way government prods the economy. In a big way. As the General Assembly closes out another year of work, we can look back on lots of broad economic reforms aired in debates, reports and public hearings. All of them failed. Some were big, such as the sweeping tax changes recommended by a commission on economic growth, or a series of bills aimed at updating gambling policy or a cohesive plan to finance transportation upgrades for the next 30 years. Some were very targeted: legalizing marijuana, allowing Tesla to sell cars without franchised dealerships, allowing Tweed New Haven airport to expand its runway, restructuring the underfunded teachers pension fund and enacting paid family medical leave in order to attract more young professionals. All of those could boost the Connecticut economy, not by doing the same old things but by acting differently. All of them required a leap of faith. All faced opponents with plenty to lose. And in the end, most didnt so much as come up for a vote in either chamber. Thats not good enough for a state that was No. 49 in overall economic growth in 2017, a state that has shrunk by 7 percent since the Great Recession in total economic size as the U.S. has grown by 11 percent. A dollar short As of late Wednesday it appeared we would have a budget deal that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is likely to sign. The pact will deliver some forward-thinking measures, such as restoring Medicaid to parents who earn less than about $21,000 and have children at home. And it will leave the state with about $1 billion in the bank. But an adopted budget doesnt make for a successful economic plan in a state that desperately needs one. Just look at the projected shortfalls the next governor will face: $2 billion in 2020 and rising from there. Why the failure, year after year? The perpetual fiscal crisis makes forward thinking almost impossible. It takes money to make money and we aint got it. Electronic highway tolls, marijuana, paid family leave and other ideas all met opposition in part because they required large up-front investments though, to be sure, opponents had broader concerns. Heck, we cant even afford to study our options. When a key legislative committee asked the state Department of Economic and Community Development to study five big ideas, Commissioner Catherine Smith said, and I paraphrase, No can do, sorry. Youve cut our staffing by 20 percent. Another clear cause, as my colleague Emilie Munson described in a story Sunday, is the close division between parties. Republicans and Democrats are tied 18-18 in the Senate. One holdout can kill any teetering bill. And Democrats hold a slim majority of 79-71 in the House (with one seat unfilled). Baked in the culture Its much deeper than money and political gridlock. The core of Connecticut culture holds us back. Look at what we do in this state: Insurance, defense manufacturing and finance. Protect your butt, protect your house, protect your nation, protect your assets. We are risk-averse - the land of steady habits -- at a time when the states getting ahead are taking chances. Take marijuana, for example. Legal sales would add at least $50 million a year to state coffers, maybe more. I get that lots of people dont think we should be in the business of sanctioning unhealthy drugs. But Massachusetts pot goes on sale this summer and anyone can drive an hour or less to buy a 6-month supply. Its here, folks. Take the money or leave it. The whole way government operates seems to prevent real economic reforms. I dont think it was this way before TV came in, said Rep. Livvy Floren, R-Greenwich, whos been in the General Assembly for 18 years. To her point, time-consuming grandstanding has replaced quiet, barroom compromise. Famously, lawmakers of both parties were known to head for the local restaurants a generation ago, together. They may get along fine. Rep. Steven Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, and Rep. Chris Davis, R-Ellington, hugged on the way out of the House Chamber at midnight last Thursday after they led their respective sides in a bitter debate over casino expansion. Its nothing personal, they told each other, as they shared a bond of youth. But thats not the same as Democrats and Republicans working together from the political center, over drinks and dinners. Left and right Liberals such as David Pickus, president of the SEIU District 1199 health care workers union, decry what he called the takeover by the right-wing of the Republican Party. Conservatives recall when the liberal wing in the House was much smaller than it is today. Naturally, one persons meaningful reform is another persons disastrous policy. Big change shouldnt be simple or easy. And in Connecticut, where half say the answer is higher public investment and half says its lower taxes, it definitely isnt. Then theres Malloy. Economic reforms in the past notably the income tax under former Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. have come from governors in the thick of the legislative battles. Malloy has cut the size of government dramatically, much to unions chagrin, and restructured the state employee benefits plans. History will be a lot kinder to him than his abysmal poll numbers. But hes the first governor in decades who never served in the legislature, and hes not adept at building consensus, with the glowing exception of his bipartisan gun-control legislation four months after the Sandy Hook massacre. He tries to be directive and we think were in charge, so its a problem, said Floren, who added that Malloy has bold ideas and worked well with her when he was mayor of Stamford, a slice of which she represents. Follow the voters So where do we go from here? We can push for structural changes, such as keeping omnibus bills alive when a session ends. That way, lawmakers wouldnt have to start over every year. We can hope to elect a consensus-builder as the next governor. Both parties have at least one with a chance to win. We can agree to compromise for the greater good. Imagine if business had consented to a small payroll tax and a higher minimum wage, and labor had agreed to some binding arbitration rules changes in municipal contracts and to stop fighting to keep the estate tax. Wow. We can fight our cautious nature and think hard about new ways of doing things. For example, Joe McGee, vice president of policy for the Business Council of Fairfield County, is convening private companies and investors to help bring high-speed trains to the New Haven line. Weve got to do this in a new way, he said. All there is in the legislature is no, no, no, no. To that end, we can urge regular, moderate citizens not part of a special interest on the left or right to bend lawmakers ears. Ive never seen us be ahead of the population on issues, said Godfrey, the Danbury lawmaker, former chairman of the Council of State Governments, a national forum. Were always behind the curve of the public. Theyre the leaders. OXFORD The image is frightening. School papers lie scattered across a panel board, almost as if they flying into the air, while other papers are weighed down by the handmade AR-15 atop them. The 3-D illustration is Kim Krivenskys response to school shootings. I wanted to shed light on the lives that have been lost because of school shootings, said Krivensky, a 21-year-old senior at the Paier College of Art in Hamden, who lives on Ancient Highway in Oxford. Sandy Hook had an impact on me because it was so close to Oxford. Now Parkland. I wanted to send a message. The message she sends was devised as part of an editorial illustration class taught by Vladimir Shpitalnik, a Paier professor. I like the way she did this, because it carries so many different meanings, Shpitalnik said. Someone looking at it might see a young childs dreams of the future shattered by the gun. Others might see it as being about choices ... Kids can carry pencils or they can carry guns ... It has different meanings for different people ...Thats what art is meant to be. Best of all, Shpitalnik said its perfect timing for whats going on. Krivensky started with artwork she kept from her days at Oxford Center School, Great Oaks Middle School and Oxford High School. She took some simple grade school drawings like the self portrait of the little girl with curls, the letter to mom and the poignant coloring of kids running into school on the first day. I thought that was a good contrast, she said of the latter. Now were seeing kids running out of school for safety. As she got older, the drawings became more elaborate. Then in the center of the work she constructed a gun. Its made out of ordinary school supplies colored pencils, erasable markers, a calculator, a protractor and more. A stapler and staple puller serve as the sights. A roll of tape in its dispenser serves as the trigger. Each piece is glued down with epoxy. But its not just any gun. Its the AR-15 the model used to kill 17 at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida on Valentines Day. Her message being: how easy it is to get a high-powered gun and forever take away the creativity of young lives, she said. I chose school supplies for the gun because they are easy to get, Krivensky said. From what I understand, that gun was easy to get. Krivensky, who hopes to be an art teacher someday, said the 3-D illustration took about two weeks to complete. Were going to display (it) in first in the Paier Art Show on April 13-14, Shpitalnik said. Im hoping to get it into different shows after that. The Paier show opens April 13 at 7 p.m. on school campus, 20 Gorham Avenue, and continues on April 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. HARTFORD The General Assembly on Wednesday slapped a yearly $12 surcharge on mortage policies across the state to help thousands of residents in eastern Connecticut fix crumbling home foundations. "Im hearing constituents ask why do I have to contribute to a problem that Im not having," said state Sen. Paul Doyle, D-Wethersfield. "But the overall impact is to drive down the real estate market in a section of the state," Doyle said. "We have look beyond our instinct to focus on ourselves." The Senate by a mostly partisan vote of 19-17 joined the House in passing a bill that will create a $10 million per-year fund to help repair foundations that are crumbling in more than 50 towns in the eastern portion of the state because of a natural substance used in the concrete. The bill now heads to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy for an expected signature. About $1 million of the Healthy Homeowner Fund will be allocated for radon and lead paint abatement and to help homeowners in a New Haven neighborhood where some houses are sinking. Insurance companies have refused to pay for the crumbling foundations and attempts to gain federal money failed. The state budget passed last year borrowed $100 million over five years to help with repairs, but the damages are expected to reach into the billions. The cost of fixing the foundations is estimated to cost $150,000 or more per house. The foundations are literally cracking and falling apart. Supporters of the bill said a similar problem is occurring in Canada, and pointed out the loss of home value is so severe that some towns face the possibility of becoming insolvent as their tax base evaporates. "I cant imagine being in their shoes," said state Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, referring to the impacted homeowners. "There are thousands of people who are terrified to come forward and say this is happening to their home." Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, said she has heard horror stories over the foundations, noting some residents are left with a home with no value. "This is the right thing to do," Osten said. "Its the moral thing to do and its $12 a year for people." But some senators pointed out that while the surcharge sounds like a fix the money generated is not enough to solve the problem. "This is an inadequate solution," said state Sen. Joe Markley, R-Southington, who voted against the bill. "With have a million-dollar solution for a billion dollar problem," Markley said. "The problem will not be nearly taken care of by this $12 surcharge and it gives people that impression that it will." State Sen. Henri Martin, R-Bristol, said its not fair all residents to pay for the failure of insurance companies to cover the crumbling foundations. "I feel for the people who have this issue and I understand the economic impact but I dont feel the insurance companies are doing what they are in the business to do, which is to help policy holders," said Martin, who estimated the final cost is close to $5 billion. State Sen. Mike McLachlan, R-Danbury, also said the money is not enough to solve the problem. "This is not the fix that we need, McLachlan said. The resources already committed before this $10 million is added is just scrapping the surface. We are not really helping eastern Connecticut." Still, State Sen. Anthony Guglielmo, D- Stafford, said there is no time to worry about blame or find another solution. "Its the most serious situation I have seen," Gugielmo said. "Its a question of pay now or pay later. People are under tremendous stress. You actually had suicides in Canada." bcummings@ctpost.com HARTFORD - The state Senate early Wednesday morning passed a climate change bill that adopts new Greenhouse gas reduction standards and places restrictions on some coastal development due to rising sea levels. "Climate change is real, its man-made, and its here," said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy after the Senate passed the bill. "We see the effects everywhere, Malloy said. Right here in Connecticut, sea levels are expected to rise by nearly two feet over the next 30 years, causing great harm to our coastal communities." The bill, passed by a 34-2 margin, adopts the Governors Council on Climate Change interim Greenhouse gas emissions target of 45 percent below 2001 levels by 2030 and now heads to the House for consideration. "The new interim pollution reduction target will help Connecticut get on track and stay on track to meet its commitments to our climate, said Claire Coleman, a climate and energy attorney for the Connecticut Fund for the Environment. "Economic analysis has found the 45 percent reduction by 2030 will create jobs in the state and increase state revenues," Coleman said. "And the quicker and more aggressively we act, the greater the benefits." Malloy said the bill also updates statutory references to sea level rise to reflect the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptations planning recommendation of a nearly two feet rise by 2050. The bill requires all future projects undertaken by a state agency, or funded by a state or federal grant or loan, to meet those projections, Malloy said. Compromise bill State Sen. Ted Kennedy Jr., D-Branford and co-chairman of the environment committee, noted the bill was changed from the original version proposed in committee. "This is a reduced bill, Kennedy said. It establishes a new greenhouse gas benchmark for 2030 to ensure Connecticut stays on track to meet its established goals. It does not accelerate those goals, just an acknowledgment of where we are now." Kennedy said the bill asks the state to consider sea level rise in municipal evacuation plans and state funded and initiated projects, but does not affect local zoning and private development. "It only focuses on state funded projects," he said. Coastal communities and business leaders objected to the original bill, saying it went too far in controlling waterfront development. Still, Kennedy praised the bill. This bill will help to better equip our state and coastal municipalities in planning for and mitigating the impacts of sea level rise by requiring current sea level rise models to be incorporated into our states plans of conservation and development, our Civil Preparedness Plan and hazard mitigation plans, Kennedy said. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Rob Klee said the bill makes progress in combatting climate change. It is incumbent upon this generation to take real action to address climate change - this legislation is another step toward that goal, Klee said. I applaud all those who came together to pass this transformative piece of legislation. bcummings@ctpost.com During this year's MWC in Barcelona, Asus unveiled its flagship phone, the ZenFone 5z but it's yet to release it on the market. The wait might be coming to an end though, if the leaked Geekbench score is to be believed, ZenFone 5z's launch is nearing. However, according to the score sheet, the handset has a model number of Z01RD and not ZS620KL number, which is believed to be the correct one of the ZenFone 5z. It could be an alternative designation for a different market or a new device altogether. In any case, the mysterious ZenFone comes with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 845 chip and slightly outperforms the OnePlus 6. We hope an upcoming Asus announcement will clear the confusion. Source | Via (in Dutch) Canalys released its quarterly report on smartphone shipments in Europe and the numbers do not look good. Overall shipment fell 6.3% between January and March, with British, French, and German markets declining 29.6%, 23.2% and 16.7%, respectively. The entire Western part of the continent declined 13.9% to 30.1 million total shipments. The picture is brighter in Central and Eastern Europe which grew 12.3% to a total of 15.9 shipments, with Russia seeing a huge 25.4% jump. Canalys went into detail about leading manufacturers and their performance throughout the first quarter of 2018. Samsung remained on top with over 15 million units, getting a third of the overall market, but shipped 15.4% less than the same quarter last year. The main reason is Huawei and Xiaomi pushed harder in the affordable market. Apple kept its second place in Europe with 10.2 million units and a share of 22.2%, but its sales also declined by 5.1%. Since the demand for affordable phones is big even in Europe, every fourth iPhone was either an SE, a 6 or a 6S - all of them being over two years old. Xiaomi is obviously the biggest winner in Q1 2018 jumping straight to the fourth spot. Canalys pointed out that the Chinese manufacturer is still a privately owned company and this allows them to operate at a substantial net loss, boosting market capitalization before IPO. Xiaomi is working closely with distributors to push its devices across Europe, but it also started appearing in carrier stores lately. Canalys also published estimates of the actual trends in smartphone sales. Over 15% of all shipped devices have a tall screen, while the Dual-SIM units jumped 8% on a yearly basis. Dual-cam smartphones were also on the rise - from 5 million to 13 million units. Plenty of RAM is no longer a premier feature and can be spotted in cheaper devices, phones with 4 GB and above are 82.7% more than they used to be in Q1 2017. Source Google Lens has so far been available inside Google Photos for a whole bunch of smartphones, including iPhones, and through Google Assistant on certain flagships. Today at Google IO it's been revealed that Lens is ready to invade your camera app too. It will expand to be available in the camera apps of supported devices from LG, Motorola, Xiaomi, Sony, Nokia, Transsion, TCL, OnePlus, BQ, and Asus, as well as Google's Pixels of course. That's a huge step for the AI-based feature that recognizes what you're looking at. Lens is getting better, too. Smart text selection lets you copy and paste text from the real world - recipes, gift card codes, Wi-Fi passwords, you name it - to your phone. What's more, if you're at a restaurant and see the name of a dish you don't recognize, simply point Lens at it and it will show you a picture to give you a better idea of what to expect. Style match lets you open Lens and get info on a specific outfit or home decor item that catches your eye. You will not only see reviews of that item, but also recommendations of things in a similar style. Finally, Lens now works in real time, proactively surfacing information instantly, and anchoring it to the things you see. Just point your camera at the world around you and start browsing. All of these features will start rolling out over the next few weeks. With all the updates coming out of Google IO, the search giant couldn't forget about Photos, one of its most successful services to date. Thus, it's received a couple of neat feature additions too. First up, we have suggested actions. These will pop up while you're glancing at an image in the Photos app on your phone. They're powered by machine learning and include such options as brightening, sharing, rotating, or archiving a picture. Which of them will show up on any given image depends on what Google's AI thinks you're most likely to want to do with each one. They will only be seen on relevant photos, so some of your snaps may not get any suggested actions whatsoever. If you see them, simply tap on any one to complete the action. Starting today, you might also see a photo creation that "plays with pops of color". Essentially this takes pictures of people and makes the background black and white, while retaining color for the subject, including their clothing and whatever they may be holding. These AI-powered creations will live in the Assistant tab of Google Photos, and the company thinks you'll enjoy their added pop. At some point in the future, you'll also be able to colorize black and white photos with just one tap. And in the coming months, more devices and apps will work with Google Photos thanks to a new partner program that gives developers the tools to support the service in their products. These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Today, Xiaomi proudly announces that its latest flagship device, the Mi Mix 2S, is part of the Android P Developer Preview program. Starting today, you can download the Android P preview that is built specifically to test on the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S. This work is thanks to Project Treble, which totally separated the Android ROM partition from the OEM's modifications, thus shortening the turnaround time for OTA updates. This developer preview has no trace of MIUI and is intended for developers to test and develop apps for Android P. You can even simulate a notch in the display if you wanted to test what your app would look like with this dreaded design feature. Xiaomi today announced its participation in the Android P Developer Preview program. This provides developers and early adopters a chance to experience the latest Android release on Mi MIX 2S, allowing them to try out the latest features, and test apps they have developed, ensuring that they work on the upcoming Android P. If you have a Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S (any variant), you can head to http://www.mi.com/en/androidppreview/ and download the preview. It weighs in at about 1.4GB and you'll need to flash it via fastboot. We don't recommend you use this build as a daily driver, as Xiaomi mentions several issues with the preview in its first build. We also don't recommend you try to flash this if you don't know what "fastboot" is. Here are the known issues with the preview: Play Music crashes when trying to navigate to the music library Video editor is unresponsive UI issues for landscape Phone hangs when trying to access voicemail Voice search crashes in the Settings app Inability to edit local video Internet connection isn't shown in the status bar Remember to back up data before trying the preview/Beta on any device. If/when you revert back to the public release, your data will be deleted. Xiaomi has always been a strong supporter of giving its users: both enthusiasts and developers alike, the opportunity to prepare any device for flashing aftermarket ROMs or participate in Beta testing for its MIUI builds. Xiaomi has even gone as far as developing MIUI for non-Xiaomi smartphones. The Mi Mix 2S is among the lower-cost devices eligible for the Android P developer preview. It will depend, however, on how easily you can find one. The phone is already available in China for about $520 and will be available soon in Xiaomi's other markets. To learn more about Android P, check out the announcement post from earlier today. Source | Xiaomi and Android P Xiaomi Mi 7 is expected to debut on May 23, but live spy shots of the phone already started surfacing on the Chinese social network Weibo. Two different users posted pictures of the upcoming flagship, revealing that it be quite similar to the iPhone X with a notch and a vertical dual camera setup. A separate photo of the About page in Settings reveals there is MIUI 9 8.5.2 on board, but it is most likely the beta version from May 2. And if you think the front camera cutout is a mock, there is also an overexposed photo that reveals the setup is indeed real. Xiaomi Mi 7 live images Xiaomi Mi 7 will have Snapdragon 845, that much was confirmed by Lei Jun promised back in December. The phone is said to have 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage, but we are yet to see if this will a premium version with a more affordable one with less memory, just like the Mi 6. There is also a chance that we'll see an even more powerful version with 8 GB RAM, similar to the Mi Mix 2S configuration. And we dont mention the phablet by accident - you can see it positioned next to the alleged Mi 7 in some Gold variation in the third picture. The notch does not get any more real than this According to these images, the Xiaomi Mi 7 will have a wide notch that will make room for selfie camera, a earpiece, the proximity sensor and probably even some facial recognition hardware. While this images seem real enough, there's always that chance that it ends up just another knock-off device with the trendy frontal feature. We'll be able to tell once we see more solid evidence one way or another. Source 1 Source 2 (both in Chinese) Xiaomi's next European store is in Vienna, coming this month A new Xiaomi store is opening up in Vienna's SCS shopping center. It was expected in March and then April but is now scheduled for this month - coinciding with Xiaomi's official arrival in France and Italy, and possibly with the launch of the Xiaomi Mi 7, rumored to be coming May 23. Whether this Austria store is an official Mi Store or an Authorized Distributor is yet to be confirmed. So is the catalog of devices and services it will carry. Xiaomi itself hasn't yet announced anything regarding a move to the Austrian market. Source | Via Korean Movie | 2018 Drama Romance Directed by Jung Dae-gun () Written by Jung Dae-gun () 92min | Release date in South Korea: 2019/01/17 Synopsis Joon-ho meets Eun-ji again when he goes for a part-time photographing job at a magazine. They met through a dating application but Eun-ji pretends she doesnt know him. Although they spend a night together and have feelings for each other, practical problems get in the way. They hide their relationship and give each other hard times. Eun-ji dates a man in a more stable position. Somewhere between friends and lovers, their problems go beyond emotions. They remain mates due to the delicate issues of employment, future and reality. Sometimes they are drained of physical and emotional energy and sometimes offer pathetic consolation. The word mate almost becomes a proper noun for the young generation, who cant bear responsibility for each other. The film captures subtle moments in bars, apartments or alleys throughout. [LEE Sang-yong] Festival The 19th Jeonju International Film Festival 2018 - Korean Competition Source Korean Movie | 2018 Omnibus Drama Directed by Choi Ik-hwan () Written by Choi Ik-hwan () 83min | Release date in South Korea: 2019/03/07 Synopsis 44 studios in Mangwon-dong, Seoul. An uninvited awakes people in the morning. The omnibus film "roooom" by Choi Ik-hwan preaches the irresistible power of love and desire. Like with Tarantino's "Four Rooms" (1995), it links the stories of four people in one space. However, the multiplex housing, a Korean housing type different from American hotel rooms, allows of a different type of story. It is a building manager to weave them together. He gets snaked, trying to get rid of a man illegally occupying his girlfriend's room, is visited by a mysterious woman, and witnesses the challenge and frustration of a young man dreaming of a rosy future. There are no common themes in the four episodes without the presence of the manager. "roooom" tells the verisimilar stories about ordinary people, but they have their skeletons in the closet. [JANG Byungwon] Festival The 19th Jeonju International Film Festival 2018 - Korea Cinemascape Source By Vasia Orion | Published on 2018/05/08 Dramas love their amnesia, and the more they try to spice it up, the more complex it gets. The latest installment to this love is "Devilish Happiness", which has cast Choi Jin-hyuk, Song Ha-yoon and Lee Ho-won. The series is about a man who can only retain one day in his mind. Advertisement "Devilish Happiness" is a romantic comedy about a genius doctor, named Gong Ma-seong (Choi Jin-hyuk), who is suffering from "Cinderella Memory Syndrome" following his rescue of a woman from a car accident. The made up syndrome is a form of existing anterograde amnesia, and it causes Ma-seong's memory of the previous day to disappear when he wakes up every morning. The drama depicts his romance with Joo Gi-bbeum, an actress past her heyday. The title of the drama is a play on the character names, and who wants to bet Gi-bbeum is the rescued woman? I see what you're doing there, sneaky drama. Choi Jin-hyuk has stated that this is the work he has looked forward to the most during his career. He added that it's also the first work where the scripts to 10 episodes are complete before it starts shooting. The actor says that he is in close collaboration with the production for this drama and for his own role, both of which he has chosen with confidence. "Devilish Happiness", which will simultaneously air on Dramax and IHQ, is written by Choi Ji-yeon-I ("Thumping Spike", "Thumping Spike 2") and directed by Kim Ga-ram ("Vampire Detective"). It will be fully pre-produced, and it will start filming this month for a release in the second half of the year. Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings' Sources (1) (2) Published on 2018/05/09 | Source Added episode 13 captures for the Korean drama "A Poem a Day" (2018) Advertisement Directed by Han Sang-jae Written by Baek Seon-woo, Choi Bo-rim, Myeong Soo-hyeon Network : tvN With Lee Yoo-bi, Lee Joon-hyuk, Jang Dong-yoon, Seo Hyun-chul, Lee Chae-young, Kim Jae-bum,... 16 episodes - Mon, Tue 21:30 Synopsis Formerly known as "You Who Forgot Poetry" This drama doesn't center around a "Doctor" as a main character, but instead focuses on the others who work in a hospital. Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2018/03/26 More Published on 2018/05/09 | Source Added episodes 1 and 2 captures for the Korean drama "Wok of Love" (2018) Advertisement Directed by Park Seon-ho-I Written by Seo Sook-hyang Network : SBS With Lee Junho, Jang Hyuk, Jung Ryeo-won, Lee Mi-sook, Park Ji-young, Cha Joo-young,... 40 episodes - Mon, Tue 22:00 (2x35min episodes per day) Synopsis "Greasy Romance" tells a story of love, survival with a focus on a star chef who fell from the top chef in the best Chinese restaurant in Korea to a tiny kitchen of a local diner down on its luck. Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2018/05/07 More Bord raises haying rates, dissusses use of and work on Beaver Creek Park Editor's note: This version corrects several items were misreported in the original edition including about the reorganization of the board, bids to replace fences, that cabins were repaired due to snow damage and that the Beaver Creek Park assistant to the superintendent had reported the board Planning and Finance Committee had tabled several items which they had not. Monday night the Hill County Park Board voted to keep Steve Mariani as chair and Larry Kinsella as vice chair, while both missed the meeting in approved absences, well discussed old and new business including the East Fork Fire update, fee recommendations from the Finance and Planning Committee and a new Emergency Notification Policy. The board also heard from representatives from the Finance and Planning Committee, the Cabin Owners Association and Friends of Beaver Creek Park. The board heard from Hill County resident Lou Hagener as he read a complaint about the re-appointment and restructuring of the board. The complaint said that some members are not eligible because of a conflict of interest because they or their companies had entered into contracts with the park. The board declined to comment on that issue and sent it to the commissioners and county attorney for action. Hagener also showed a PowerPoint presentation on Economic Consideration for Beaver Creek Park of Discontinuing Haying the Park. In the presentation, Hagener said that research has said that nutrients are lost by haying and it costs money to put these nutrients back into the environment. Hagener added that haying impacts bird habitats. Discontinuing haying will also give cattle more grazing area, he said. Beaver Creek Superintendent Chad Edgar then gave an update on the East Fork Fire grant and damage. We were given a grant for anything pertaining to the East Fork Fire, he said. Edgar said that they would like to use the grant to repair the fence that burned down. He received estimates from two contractors on the price of replacing and fixing the fence. There is a big difference between the two bids, he said. To totally replace, one contractor bid $106,765, and another bid $49,368. To repair as needed, the first contractor bid $85,220, and the second bid $22,100. The Board voted to approve Contractor Bs bid of $22,100 to repair the fence The board discussed full replacement of the fence, at a significantly higher price, but Edgar said some parts and locations of the fence were not completely destroyed and repairing it should work without full replacement. After sharing the bids, the board unanimously approved a lower bid of $22,100 to repair the fence. Edgar said that park usage has increased since the snow melted and there have been some campers and hikers. Cleanup is almost done, he said, the outhouses are almost cleaned and repairs have been completed on snow damaged poles and work continues to replace siding on the Kiwanis cabins. At this point, four of the seven cabins that will be resided are completed and the park hopes to budget to reside the last six cabins next fiscal year. Edgar also presented the board members with the budget draft and request that the Finance and Planning Committee had drafted and asked them to look over it so it could be voted on at the June meeting. A community member pointed out that the proposed budget, $250,900, was larger than the estimated revenue of $225,298. Edgar said that only 70 to 90 percent of the yearly budget is usually used and the park cash is above what it is required to retain so the money is there if the park needs it. Edgar reported the Planning and Finance Committee decided it would not re-examine fees at Camp Kiwanis and reserved campgrounds until its next meeting, likely in August. The board examined haying fees on the park, discussing that the proposal to use rates set by the Montana Department of Natural Resources is $20 a ton this year, $5 more than the current Beaver Creek fee of $15 a ton. Board member Tony Reum, who acted as chair in the absence of Mariani and Kinsella, said that he wasnt sure the park board should follow the DNRC proposed rate. I think $20 is a little high, he added. Reum made a motion to increase the rate by $2, instead, to make it $17. The motion was passed by the board. County Commissioner Mark Peterson updated the board about the new emergency notification system, CodeRED. Peterson said that this is a very important tool as the county can draw boundaries on who gets the alert based on where the emergency is. He added that when they last tested the notification system, they found that not many area residents had registered. We need to encourage people to sign up, he said. Only the police department and sheriffs office can send the alert, and residents can sign up by going to the website of the Havre Police Department. The Cabin Owners Association representative said that they have talked to owners about signing up to get their weeds sprayed and they will also be having a road cleanup today. Board member Ursula Brese, who is also with of Friends of Beaver Creek Park, said the group that was formed to help support the park is not having any fundraisers this year, but its members would like to do a barbecue and afternoon of activities with a free-will donation. The meeting ended with the monthly claims being approved by the board. Press release HELENA The Montana Department of Revenue mailed 2018 livestock per capita fee bills to livestock owners. Payment is due by May 31. Livestock owners can pay online at ReportYourLivestock.mt.gov or by mail with a check. March 1 was the deadline for livestock owners to report livestock they owned as of Feb. 1. If owners already paid their 2018 fees when they reported their livestock, they will not receive a bill. All Montanans benefit from programs funded by per capita fees. Livestock producers benefit from programs to monitor animal health, monitor and restrict livestock imports, track animal movements, prevent and investigate livestock theft, and manage predators. The public benefits from programs that prevent the spread of animal diseases to humans. For more information, visit http://www.reportyourlivestock.mt.gov or call 406-444-6900 or for Telephone Device for the Deaf TDD 406-444-2830. Board hears superintendent report including a national certificate awarded to the district as well as a technology group coming to tour the schools Havre Public Schools Superintendent Andy Carlson told the Havre School Board Tuesday during its monthly meeting about a group coming to the schools to help with technology. Carlson said Consortium for School Networking is coming to Havre in May. He said this initial group would come to tour the schools as well as check the technology systems at the schools in the district. This is an incredible opportunity, he said. The group will also be training teachers and students, introducing low-cost items and apps the school can put toward technology and dedicating a day to Google. Aug. 1... Last updated 5/9/2018 at 11:52am Several school districts that had contested races or mill levy proposals held elections Tuesday, with the unofficial results released today. Incumbents Josh Seaton and Russell T. Gopher were re-elected to the Rocky Boy School Board. Seven candidates competed for two seats on the board with Seaton receiving 81 votes and Gopher 71. Challengers Paulette Standing Rock received 59 votes, Martin Parker 57, Russell Standing Rock 51, Thomas Limberhand 36 and Jody Lamere 27. Box Elder School Board members Calvin Jilot and Lawrence Tommy Parisian were re-elected in a three-way race for tw... Press release The North Central Montana Stockgrowers Association has invited people to its quarterly meeting Thursday at the Mint Bar in Big Sandy. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. with a no-host supper available. At 6:30 pm, guest speaker Kurt Kangas of the American Angus Association will discuss EPDs and their impact on herd genetics and rancher profitability. He is the regional representative for Montana, Wyoming and Alaska and is widely recognized for his attendance at and reporting of regional Angus bull sales. For more information, For more information, see https://www.angus.org/Assoc/RMDtl.aspx?rm=68 or call 406-366-4190 or [email protected]/. For more information about the meeting or about joining the North Central Stockgrowers Association, people can contact North Central Stockgrower President Dana Darlington at 406-390-0247 or [email protected] or North Central Stockgrower Secretary and Montana State University Hill County Extension Agent Shylea Wingard at 406-265-5481, ext. x233, or [email protected]/. All entities are equal opportunity providers. Montana State University Extension is an ADA/EO/AA/Veterans Preference Employer and Provider of Educational Outreach. People who require accommodation for a disability to participate can notify the MSU Hill County Extension office at 265-5481, ext. 233. The full agenda for the meeting is: Call to order Additions to agenda Roll call Sign in sheet Minutes: Approval/corrections Treasurer report/financial update. Payables presented SOS filing; Hill County Extension; other Communications Annual report filed with Montana secretary of state April 4 Membership communication: Check Facebook or ensure secretary has your email Mail/correspondence Norsman Group Consulting; Other Newsletter Public comment Committee reports Officer/board member Montana Stockgrowers Kim Peterson, representative Montana State University-Northern Collegiate Stockgrowers Other Old business East Fork Fire update: Rocky Boy and rancher assistance Nomination/election of one director New business Public comment letters 1. BLM seeks public comment on environmental assessment and request by American Praire Reserve to change grazing allotments to season-long grazing and class of livestock from cattle to bison https://www.blm.gov/press-release/public-input-sought-bison-grazing-proposal 2. USDA-Food Safety and Inspection Service Truthful Labeling of Beef Products and Meat, derived from animals raised and slaughter, http://bit.ly/USCApetition Officer/director registration: Montana Stockgrowers Assocation Midyear Meeting at Dillon Announcements June 14-15 Montana Stockgrowers Assocation Midyear Meeting at Dillon We talk about women's empowerment a lot. What does that term mean? It means something different for every person, but here are some perspectives from around the world from Heifer staffers on what women's empowerment means to us. Anahit Ghazanchyan, Armenia: For me, women's empowerment is: In first place, it is freedom. Freedom of expression, freedom of making decisions, freedom to be inspired and to live [a] full life. To be happy. Freedom to be happy. Saphinia Sannon, Haiti: Women's empowerment is when women do not leave all the responsibility of the house in the control of men. But they share it. Especially the expenses. Women, you are beautiful, intelligent, wise, kind and above all: you have wings. You must learn fly [with] your own wings. Ivania Lovo, Nicaragua: For me, women's empowerment is a feeling; a feeling of freedom, an appropriate feeling that has no borders, has no limits; and means being able to do, to make things happen, to dream, to act, to be able to challenge oneself and achieve it. Nimisha Bhagawaty, India: When she has freedom to exercise her choices, and an assurance that her voice will always be heard. Alfredo Garcia, Peru: As long as there is inequality and discrimination against women, it will be necessary to continue fighting and supporting efforts to create the conditions and opportunities for gender equality. And that goes to promote women's empowerment. Beatriz Pozo, Honduras: For me, women's empowerment means that women have to power to fight for spaces of equality to be able to work in a job under equal conditions. Of course, without ignoring the physical differences and the differences in requirement that each gender has. Angie Ahuyon, USA: To me, women's empowerment is a woman who is not afraid, who believes in herself and doesn't back down from a challenge. Ipshita Habib, Bangladesh: Women's empowerment is the enabling environment where a woman can raise her voice, make her own decisions and choose the life she wants to lead. Tiffany Terry, USA: Women's empowerment is about us realizing that we are more than our gender and that every voice deserves to be heard. What does women's empowerment mean to you? Let us know on Twitter @Heifer or on Facebook! GRIFFIN STUNS McDONALD; MCCALL EDGES WARD Challenger Lowell Griffin defeated Sheriff Charlie McDonald Tuesday in the Republican primary after a campaign that swung on issues that included a law enforcement training center, arming schoolteachers and the use of body cameras. We dont know yet, McDonald said with almost 90 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night. Its not looking real good. I would tell you I'm surprised. Earlier in the evening, Griffin said the campaign had been a rewarding experience. Ive been able to meet people I would never have met before and that part has been really worthwhile regardless of the outcome, he said at a campaign gathering at Grandads Apples on U.S. 64. He did not know then the outcome three hours later would be a stunning upset of the incumbent that he had worked for before his termination in November 2014. I really didnt expect to have this much support. Weve got a crowd here. Im overwhelmed with the amount of support weve had in this campaign. Appointed to the office in February 2012 after Sheriff Rick Davis resigned the previous November, McDonald ran as a reformer in 2014 and continued to talk about modernizing the department throughout his four-year term. We have buried once and for all the good ol body system that inevitably leads to inefficiency and corruption, McDonald said during a campaign forum. Despite whats being said by those with axes to grind, I would submit that we cant afford to turn back. Weve shown Henderson County what can be accomplished when an agency comes together as a team to accept necessary change, embrace best practices and organizational management. Morale is high, our staff is well-trained. Among the issues that separated the challenger from the incumbent were body cameras Griffin favors them, McDonald resisted them and animal control in cities. But the issue that produced power at the polls and peril for McDonald was his proposed law enforcement training center an idea that was both a three-year goal and ultimately a political liability. While McDonald had quietly dropped the idea of a $20 million training center at Blue Ridge Community College, he continued to look for a site for a center. The announcement in April that he had found a new site in Saluda revived the controversy just two weeks before early voting started and fired up hundreds of motivated single-issue voters. Griffin shellacked McDonald in the two precincts closest to Saluda winning 72 percent of the vote in Green River and 84 percent in Raven Rock, the would-be home of the proposed Macedonia Road firing range. During a forum last month, McDonald defended the facility. Were asking our men and women to do more and more and to be trained to a higher level of efficiency, he said. I think everybody understands law enforcement needs to have the ability to train realistically in rapidly evolving situations so they can practice critical decision skills and combat tactics. Griffin argued against the training center but for a broader outdoor training facility that would cost less and involve all first-responders. If we do this right, we can create a village that becomes a total emergency services training area. If we decide to go with an outdoor training center, weve got to have transparent studies that show the effect on the quality of life of everyone that may be around or affected by that. There are a lot of options," he said. "I think we really need to slow down and discuss and choose whats right. McCall edges Ward The Republican primary for the District 4 Board of Commissioners seat was a contest between two county natives, both graduates of East Henderson High School Ward in 1970 and McCall in 1974 both with grandfathers who served on the Board of Commissioners. McCall pulled away for the win, becoming the first woman to serve since 2002. I think most of the people probably thought I was the incumbent, Ward said. I knew Lowell was gonna win. I think the people just wanted somebody new on all counts, in the sheriffs race and the commissioners. I think the people wanted change. Theyre tired of the same old politicians in office and I think the people spoke and I respect their opinion. Rebeccas going to do a good job, he added. I've got total confidence. Ward was an early vocal opponent of the law enforcement training center and also came out against the Balfour Parkway. McCall opposed the parkway. She said she favored a training center but not one at the Saluda site. They need to have scenario training to be able to mimic what is going to happen in schools or any area they have to be able to set up these scenarios. There is money to pay for that, she said. Ward called for shifting that investment to schools. With $6 million, if I choose between a law enforcement center thats a year off and the immediate need thats in the schools, I will pick the school and teachers, he said. Both opposed arming schoolteachers. Its a whole different thing being armed and pulling the trigger and killing somebody, Ward said. If you hesitate for a second, youre dead and might be somebody dead besides you. My daughter-in-law is a teacher, McCall said. She teaches fifth grade. Shes very strong-willed. I asked her that question and she said she would not want to carry a gun. She has enough to do as a teacher to deal with that. Newman turns back challenger District Attorney Greg Newman easily defeated Mary Ann Hollocker. Hollocker, a magistrate, said on the campaign trail that law enforcement officers had asked her to run. This is not a personal attack against Mr. Newman. I just think with my skill set I can do a better job, she said. A county magistrate for the past four years, she said she hears first-hand how upset they are about how their cases are being handled. And I think with the skill set I have and experience I can fix those problems. Newman scoffed at that. Gathered at the Elizabeth Leigh Inn on Fifth Avenue West Tuesday night, Newman said hed never heard law officers express any concerns about his office. She claimed law enforcement was supporting her and were afraid to come forward, he said. The ones that I know arent afraid. If there was a problem they would have told me. I think merit matters, he said of his decisive win. I think results matter. Sheley takes Democratic nomination In a Democratic primary for the District 1 seat held by Michael Edney, Pat Sheley defeated Michelle Antalec with 70 percent of the vote. Sheley had become active in the contentious issues that drew voters' interest down the stretch, coming out against the Saluda firing range and against the Balfour Parkway. British freelance journalist Ian Bailey has claimed DNA was found at the murder scene of Sophie Toscan du Plantier (39) in 1996 which belonged to neither him nor the French film executive. Mr Bailey (60) made the claim as he revealed that he had to learn about the so-called alien DNA from the case file prepared by a French magistrate against him for a Paris-based murder prosecution. That trial is now expected to take place either later this year or early next year. The Manchester- born journalist has demanded answers as to whether the DNA found at the murder scene was ever tested or compared against Irish or international databases. Prayer He said he had volunteered various samples to gardai at the time, assured they would fully underline his innocence to the authorities. These even included hair samples. "My hope - or my prayer, if you will - is that the identity of the real murderer is revealed," he said. Mr Bailey said he does not have any idea as to the true identity of the killer, but said he was "startled" by one element of the French investigation file. "I received the entire French prosecution file and I went through it," he said. "Quite clearly, the prosecution is based on statements that are false or have been withdrawn." He said he was taken aback on reading the crime scene report for the first time. "I got all of the forensic details. There were over 100 different blood samples collected at the scene. The vast majority of those were from Ms du Plantier," he said. "But there was, according to the file, what was known as alien DNA - not her DNA. "Quite clearly that did not match my DNA because I had given samples and they could check it against it." Mr Bailey said he was astounded by the revelation and that the French were also relying so heavily on material already discredited in Ireland. He said he has endured "a nightmare and torture" through being wrongly associated for more than 20 years with the killing of the French mother-of-one at her isolated holiday home at Toormore, outside Schull, on December 23, 1996. Mr Bailey has also confirmed a challenge to the European Court of Human Rights after he lost his appeal to the French Supreme Court against the Paris prosecution. A Convicted killer and sex offender was arrested after gardai raided his home at the weekend. Derek 'The Panther' Clarke (39) has since been released from custody at Blanchardstown Garda Station, where he was questioned about the discovery of a suspected imitation firearm and a quantity of cannabis. The raid was carried out at Clarke's home on the Moneymore estate in Drogheda, Co Louth, on Saturday. Reckless A file will now be prepared for the DPP, and Clarke could face further jail time. "This individual is not really part of any gang. His criminal offending record indicates that he is too reckless to be really trusted by organised criminals," a source said. In July 2005, Clarke was jailed for six years for the manslaughter of a 57-year-old man who he claimed sexually molested his girlfriend while they slept rough in Dublin's Island Street. Clarke pushed victim Martin Reilly away after he had put his arm around the woman. Mr Reilly got up to walk away, but Clarke followed him and punched him several times, causing Mr Reilly to fall and hit his head. In a separate case, Clarke pleaded guilty at Dundalk District Court in January 2002 to four counts of sexual assault. The court heard he was of borderline intelligence and in need of psychiatric help. Clarke got his 'Panther' nickname because he would silently sneak up on women. He stalked his victims as they walked alone on Drogheda's streets late at night. He would single them out after they left clubs and follow them home, attacking four women in an eight-week period in 2000. Torched Hours after his sexual assault conviction, Clarke's family home was torched by vigilantes. The property was also attacked when Clarke was released from jail in 2004, when a man smashed all the ground-floor windows. The last time Clarke made the headlines was in March 2014, when he was shot in the leg by a teenager in Drogheda during a bitter local row. It is understood that Clarke refused to get off of a wall but was then chased down a laneway and shot in front of several young children. He made a full recovery from the injury he suffered. The Hell Fire Club where the three teenagers were attacked A Dublin man who stabbed a teenager in the chest with such force that the blade of the knife broke has pleaded guilty to attempted murder. Michael Corbett (28) attacked the 17-year-old victim and his two teenage friends at the Hell Fire Club in an unprovoked assault, a court was told. Corbett, a father-of-one from Raheny, claimed that he feared he was going to be set upon and that there was a "weird air" about the place. He had been sitting with his victims for around two hours, before attacking them with a knife and a log. During the assault in June 2016, Corbett stabbed the youth in the chest and throat, before striking his friends - a man and woman both aged 18 - with the log. Drunk They had tried to help their friend after he was stabbed by Corbett, before themselves being set upon by the thug. The force of the knife striking the 17-year-old's chest was so severe that the blade broke in half. The victim was left with serious injuries. Corbett was known to gardai for public order offences. These previous offences included being drunk in a public place and assaults, although he had not been previously investigated for any involvement in violent crimes. The incident at the Hell Fire Club was a "completely unprovoked attack" and Corbett was arrested in the Killakee area hours later. He was brought to Tallaght Garda Station, where he was initially charged with assault causing harm. This was later upgraded to attempted murder, and yesterday Corbett pleaded guilty to that charge. He will be sentenced on July 2 for the attack at the popular hiking spot on Dublin's Montpelier Hill. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy remanded him in custody until the sentencing date. When he was first charged, the court heard that Corbett feared he was going to be attacked and that there was a "weird air" about the place. At that hearing, defence solicitor Tracy Horan also said the accused had been co-operative with gardai. "In his defence, he felt he was going to be attacked and there was a weird air about the place," Ms Horan said. Garda Pauline Glennon, from Tallaght Garda Station, replied that Corbett had been in the company of the three victims for two hours prior to the incident and they would say it was "completely unprovoked". Ms Horan said the camping knife was brought to the mountain by one of the victims. Gda Glennon said the accused had stated that he saw the knife on the ground, picked it up and put it to the first youth's chest, and the knife "sprung off". Corbett has been in custody since his first court appearance, and missed a number of bail hearings owing to illness. When he was initially charged, the presiding judge recommended that he be psychiatrically assessed. Blood In the aftermath of the attempted murder, a four-year-old boy who was in the company of his grandmother witnessed two of the victims covered in blood. The three teenagers were brought to Tallaght Hospital after the assault, where they were treated for a number of hours before being discharged. The Hell Fire Club has a sinister history that includes rumours of hauntings and an appearance by the devil himself. The imposing stone building was built as a hunting lodge in around 1725 by William Connolly, a speaker at the Irish House of Commons at the time. Originally, there was a cairn with a prehistoric passage grave at the site and folklore suggests that the Hell Fire Club is haunted because stones from the cairn were used in its construction. Dublin City Council is to fight rules that require it to hand over millions it collects from property tax to help fund services in rural areas. The country's largest local authority has said the charge is "not a true local tax" because the capital was forced to give up nearly 16m last year. A report compiled for the city council and seen by the Herald also argues that a revaluation of the Local Property Tax (LPT) should be brought forward from November 2019. It calls for an end to exemptions available to around 12,000 households. Importance It suggests that the capital should receive extra funding because of its importance as "employment centre in Ireland" and the "first port of call for visitors". The study, compiled by Dr Pat McCloughan, managing director of PMCA Economic Consulting, suggests in particular that Dublin is unfairly subsidising rural parts of the country. It notes that almost 16m collected through the LPT in the city last year was paid back to the Exchequer so that it could be handed out to councils with "weaker tax bases". The city council makes the case for keeping 100pc of the money it takes in. "Householders in the Dublin City Council area understood they would benefit from more local services when the LPT was introduced, but this has not happened because of how the LPT has operated to date," the report states. "The LPT, as it currently stands, is not a true local tax, even though most people agree with the principle of the LPT; the reality is that people are struggling to see its benefits, even with high compliance." Dr McCloughan states that "equalisation" should be replaced by a new arrangement in which local authorities with weaker tax bases receive supplementary funding from the Exchequer. "In addition, such Exchequer funding to local authorities should be reviewed periodically in order to guard against the risk of 'moral hazard', in which the Exchequer funding could create disincentives for local authorities to become fiscally prudent," the report says. It adds that from the next revaluation, local authorities should be required to provide householders in their respective areas with information on how they spend the LPT funds available to them. The 27-page report describes Finance and Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe's proposal to amend property tax rates in order to avoid a massive increase once a revaluation takes place as "understandable". The LPT is currently being calculated on the basis of 2013 market value, but house prices have spiralled in the interim. The report notes "escalation in residential property values being especially rapid in Dublin". "Under the current system, the higher property values would mean substantial increases in the LPT," it says. However, while the city council backs a system for maintaining charges at close to their current levels, it adds that the next valuation should be sooner than planned. Mr Donohoe has set up a working group to review LPT ahead of a reassessment of rates from November 1, 2019. However, the report says this comes "after the point in the local authority budget cycle when they decide their LPT rates, which does not support sound budgetary planning among local authorities". Sense It adds that it would "make sense" to bring this date forward. Dr McCloughan's report, which will be debated at the Oireachtas Housing Committee today, says the review of LTP "provides an important and unique opportunity to amend and improve the system". Separately, Dublin City Council is set to redevelop more than 6,000 flats in more than 100 complexes around the city. The flats are over 40 years old, and some are significantly older. It is believed to be considering a number of different options for regenerating the properties. Health Minister Simon Harris has described graphic posters erected in his Wicklow constituency as a "low blow" but said he won't be intimidated. The posters show his face alongside what appears to be an aborted foetus. Speaking yesterday, Mr Harris said the posters were upsetting for both his family and people locally, and he appealed for people to return to a civil campaign. "They are very upsetting posters, they're upsetting for my family," he said. Horrific "They're upsetting for anyone who has seen them. They're upsetting for any parent who is out and about with their children driving by the most horrific images which have been put on posters. Expand Close Charlie Flanagan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Charlie Flanagan "No matter how upset I am, or my family are, it's nowhere near as upsetting as the nine women travelling abroad today from this country to access terminations. It's nowhere near as upsetting as the three women today who will take abortion pills, alone, isolated and without medical support." The minister said he will continue his work in calling for a 'Yes' vote despite the posters. "I have no intention of being intimidated in any way, shape or form from getting the facts and information out as we enter the last two weeks and a bit of this campaign," he said. "I think it's really a low blow. Up until this point, a number of people had remarked that this campaign had been more civil than abortion campaigns in the past." Mr Harris also welcomed the fact that the posters would be taken down, with Wicklow County Council stating it has referred the matter to the returning officer. Meanwhile, the Herald understands that gardai have not received any complaints about the posters. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan also criticised the posters on Twitter yesterday, describing them as "obscene". Former ministers Liz McManus, from the Labour Party, and Gemma Hussey, from Fine Gael, have described the depiction on the posters as a "horror show". Illness Ms Hussey and Ms McManus were speaking at the launch of Grandparents for Yes, a pro-repeal group also involving broadcaster Vincent Browne and retired judge Catherine McGuinness. Mr Browne was forced to pull out of his appearance at the event at the last minute due to illness, a campaign spokesperson told the Herald. A Dublin businessman has been found guilty of stabbing a man 17 times in a Co Donegal apartment. Kenneth Broe, who admitted being a close pal of Martin 'The Viper' Foley, viciously attacked Kristian Shortt, leaving him needing two life-saving operations. Broe and Mr Shortt had been pals and were out drinking in Letterkenny in October 2008. However, a row between the pair ended up with Mr Shortt being savagely attacked and fighting for his life in hospital. Broe fled in a taxi back to Dublin but was caught by gardai at a checkpoint in Monaghan. Broe (45), of Alderwood Green, Tallaght, had consistently denied assaulting Mr Shortt during a six-day trial at Letterkenny Circuit Court Mr Shortt is the son of nightclub owner Frank Shortt, who was awarded 4.5m in 2007 after being wrongly convicted of selling drugs at the Point Inn at Quigley's Point. Enforcer Mr Shortt (38) told the trial that Broe stabbed him after he had "squared" up to him at the flat on Letterkenny's Main Street. He said Broe used all his power and force during the attack. A medical report indicated that he had been stabbed a total of 17 times - three or four times in the neck, three in the head, three in the chest, as well as in the hands and back. He was taken to Letterkenny General Hospital before being transferred to St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, where he spent two weeks in intensive care. A previous trial had collapsed on the second day of evidence. During a previous sitting, Broe, a former gym owner and bouncer, admitted he was friends with gangland enforcer Foley. "I do know him. I know him very well," he said. Broe was remanded in custody until July after being found guilty of assault and intentionally and recklessly carrying out the attack. Ryan O'Shaughnessy has told of his pride at making it through to the Eurovision song contest final in Lisbon on Saturday night. It was a nail-biting wait for him to see if we would qualify from the first semi-final heat last night, with only 10 places up for grabs - and then Ireland got the last spot. "For a moment, I thought this is it, we're out," said Ryan. "But something inside just said, 'That can't be it', and the camera moved over and they called out Ireland. They left us last for a reason. "We've been the underdogs since we came here. Proud Expand Close There was delight as Ryans place in the final was confirmed / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp There was delight as Ryans place in the final was confirmed "But we made the Eurovision what it was and we're going to make it what it is in the future. We're going to win it on Saturday. Dublin for 2019. "I'm feeling so happy and I'm feeling so proud of my team." Ryan looked thrilled as the news sunk in that he had made it through thanks to a note-perfect performance of Together. It had been labelled both the Eurovision "semi-final of death" and "The Bloodbath", given the sheer intensity of competition. However, Ryan did the country proud and qualified for the final. It wasn't going to be an easy fight, with all of this year's heavy hitters due to perform in the first semi-final. There was concern that Ryan's ballad, co-written with Mark Caplice and Laura Elizabeth Hughes, would fall by the wayside, but all those fears proved unfounded. The 25-year-old, from Skerries, got a fantastic reaction from the crowd after he sang. Ryan had described the challenge of making it through to the final as "mammoth". "It's only really kind of dawned on me the past few days the mammoth task in front of me, and how important it is for Ireland to succeed," he said. The last time we made it to the final was in 2013, and the whole country can now look forward to watching it. The reach of the song contest is not to be sniffed at. With an average audience of 200 million, more people watch the camp contest than the Super Bowl, and its global appeal looks set to grow. This week, former RTE director general and current European Broadcasting Union (EBU) director general Noel Curran said the singing contest had "a life beyond Europe". He said his team were looking at how to bring it to audiences beyond the continent. This could extend to the US. In 2016, Justin Timberlake performed as the interval act and this year Hollywood actor Will Ferrell has been spotted at the contest. Panama-registered Sunny Orion is on fire in waters off Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. / Captured from Marine Traffic By Park Si-soo A Panama registered 7,770-ton oil tanker caught on fire in waters off Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, Tuesday. The fire started at 9:10 a.m. and was extinguished 30 minutes later. There were neither oil leaks nor casualties, said Korea Coast Guard. The extent of the damage to the tanker is yet unknown. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The affected tanker is Panama-registered Sunny Orion and 21 sailors are reportedly on board. The ship, bound for the South Korean coastal city of Ulsan in the southeast from Hong Kong, was carrying some 4,700 tons of highly flammable Mix-Xylene. Four taken from Hagerstown fire to Meritus hospital Four people, including children, were taken to Meritus Medical Center on Thursday night from a fire in the Noland Village community in Hagerstown. By Jung Min-ho At least 20 people have been killed on the Philippine islands of Mindanao, Luzon and Visayas in the run-up to the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, police said Monday. Twelve of the victims were incumbent barangay officials, two were running for barangay captain and six were civilians. A barangay is a small municipal division. A Sangguniang Kabataan is a youth council. National Police Director General Oscar D. Albayalde has urged the public to cooperate with authorities to ensure peaceful and orderly elections. He said the government will use all means possible to curb poll violence, including a massive deployment of troops to polling centers across the regions. The Korean Embassy in Manila has issued safety warnings to Koreans living in the country. / Captured from Segev's Instagram By Park Si-soo The chef at the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem reportedly stepped out of line last week when he served dessert in a shoe to visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife. Abe reportedly felt "offended" and the Israeli celebrity chef Segev Moshe, who prepared the dinner, has become the target of criticism for his offensive faux pas. To serve food in a shoe is unthinkable in Japan, South Korea and many other Asian countries whose culture keeps footwear not just off the table but outside the front door. "This was a stupid and insensitive decision," a senior Israeli diplomat who served in Japan told the Hebrew-language newspaper Yedioth Aharonot, according to The Jerusalem Post. "There is nothing more despised in Japanese culture than shoes. Not only do they not enter their houses while wearing shoes, you will not find shoes in their offices either. Even the prime minister, ministers and members of parliament do not wear shoes to work ... It is equivalent to serving a Jewish guest chocolates in a dish shaped like a pig." It is unclear what message the chef was trying to send by serving the chocolates in a shoe. / Captured from Segev's Instagram Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor tied the knot with Delhi-based businessman Anand Ahuja on Tuesday and the whole nation witnessed the celebrations in awe. Now, Sonams father and actor Anil Kapoor has thanked the Mumbai Police and media for their support and cooperation during the day-long celebrations. He tweeted, The constant support of Mumbai Police was a major reason behind our family being able to celebrate this occasion to the fullest without worrying about the safety! Thank you for all your help. The constant support of @MumbaiPolice was a major reason behind our family being able to celebrate this occasion to the fullest without worrying about the safety! Thank you for all your help!!! Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) May 9, 2018 He added, A big thank you to all the media personnel, reporters, writers and photographers for being a part of our celebrations and making our guests feel even more welcome! Your co-operation & consideration means the world to us! A big thank you to all the media personnel, reporters, writers & photographers for being a part of our celebrations and making our guests feel even more welcome! Your co-operation & consideration means the world to us! Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) May 9, 2018 In a video shared widely online, Anil Kapoor waved to the media in a sleek black suit and a smile on his face. Anil also approached the camerapersons to thank them and asked them to keep his name and respect intact. I have been in this industry for 40 years. My respect is in your hands, he said to them and the photographers also loved his gesture. #anilkapoor at #sonamkishaadi A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) on May 8, 2018 at 9:20am PDT The wedding and the reception saw an impressive list of guests that included the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Karan Johar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Rani Mukerji, Swara Bhaskar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, designer Masaba Gupta and stylist Pernia Qureshi. Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan also joined the Kapoor-Ahuja families during the reception. They even danced to some of their hit songs from their films. Sonam will soon start promoting her next film Veere Di Wedding thats scheduled to hit the screens on June 1, 2018. Asias petroleum refiners are seeking alternative supplies as they prepare for renewed US sanctions against major oil exporters amid a tight market. Iran is the third-largest oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which had recently ordered production cuts despite strong demand. The United States plans to impose new unilateral sanctions after abandoning the agreement, which limited Irans nuclear ambitions in exchange for removing joint US-Europe sanctions. New sanctions will likely include measures against Irans oil and shipping sectors, said Ehsan Khoman, head of research for Middle East and North Africa at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, with 180 days for those industries to adjust. By declaring... the US will be instituting the highest level of sanctions against Iran - adding that any country that aids Iran will also be sanctioned - President Trump is clearly articulating that he has minimal desire in an alternative agreement with Iran, Khoman said. During the last round of sanctions, Irans oil supplies fell by around 1 million barrels per day (bpd), but the country re-emerged as a major oil exporter after sanctions were lifted in January 2016. Since then, Iran ramped up its production and oil exports. It produced 3.81 million bpd in March 2018, almost 4 percent of global output, and its crude oil exports averaged over 2 million bpd in January-March quarter this year. Analysts now expect Irans supplies to fall by 300,000 bpd to 1 million bpd, depending on how many other countries fall in line with Washington. Unpopular move Most US allies disagree with Trumps decision to abandon the deal. President Trumps decision to withdraw the US from the Iran nuclear deal... formally sets US Iran policy on a markedly different course to its European allies, who see the JCPOA as the best way to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons programme, said Peter Kiernan, lead energy analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom all said on Tuesday they wanted to stick to the deal. Similar sentiments prevail in Asia. Russia, China, Turkey and India will likely all oppose the sanctions and keep their current levels of Iranian crude purchases, Khoman said. Japans Foreign Minister Taro Kono said on Wednesday that his country supported the agreement, which helps to strengthen international non-proliferation and the stability in the Middle East. He added that Japan would carefully analyse the impact that this announcement would have. Despite this, Khoman said, certain US allies, including Japan and South Korea, may comply with the proposed US reimposition of Iranian sanctions on the concern of losing the US security umbrella vis-a-vis North Korea. Trade data already shows a reduction of Iranian oil supplies to Japan and South Korea, and refinery sources confirmed they had started shifting purchases to other suppliers in preparation for renewed sanctions. Iranian crude oil shipments to Japan and South Korea have fallen by half from their post-sanction peak in March 2017, hitting just over 300,000 bpd in April, according to ship tracking data from Thomson Reuters Eikon. China and India The biggest single buyer of Irans crude is China, whose imports peaked at about 900,000 bpd in mid-2016 but have dropped to around 600,000 bpd in 2018, according to Thomson Reuters ship-tracking data. A senior official with a Chinese oil major, who declined to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media, said new sanctions would hurt Chinese refiners by pushing up the price of crude oil, the most important feedstock for the petroleum industry. After Trumps decision to walk away from the Iran deal, Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, rose to their highest level since November 2014 on Wednesday, at $76.75 per barrel. But Chinese refiners said there were alternative suppliers, especially in Russia, Saudi Arabia and West Africa. We are more worried about what such political action will do to the outright price of oil, rather than whether it will create a real supply shortage, said another Chinese refining manager, who also declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media. In India, refiners hope they can continue importing Iranian oil. During the last round of sanctions, India enjoyed waivers allowing limited Iranian oil imports paid for in rupees instead of US dollars. The impact (of new sanctions) in India will be there, but not so high, said R Ramachandran, head of refineries at state-owned oil firm Bharat Petroleum Corp. When sanctions were loosened against Tehran in 2016, India ramped up imports from Iran to almost 900,000 bpd in late 2016, but intake has fallen back to around 500,000 bpd since the start of the year. A tight market The threat of new sanctions comes as demand in Asia, the worlds biggest oil-consuming region, hit a record and producers, including the top exporter, Saudi Arabia, and the top producer, Russia, restrict supplies to prop up prices. As a result, crude oil inventories in major developed nations have fallen sharply in the last year and a half to 2.85 billion barrels, only slightly above their five-year average. I think were going to $80, said Eric Nuttall, senior portfolio manager at Ninepoint Partners in Toronto, referring to the benchmark crude oil price. We see inventories reaching a 10-year low by the end of this year. Trying to ease market concerns, Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that it would work with other producers to lessen the impact of any shortage in oil supplies. Walmart Inc. agreed to buy a controlling stake in Indias biggest online retailer, striking a blow against rival Amazon.com Inc. as the battle for e-commerce supremacy goes global. The worlds largest retailer will acquire a 77% holding in Flipkart Group for $16 billion, the companies said in a statement. Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal and other shareholders will hold the remainder. The deal -- Walmarts biggest ever -- gives it greater access to Indias e-commerce market, which Morgan Stanley has estimated will grow to $200 billion in about a decade. Flipkart, meanwhile, gets additional capital and expertise to battle Amazon, which has spent billions of dollars to gain customers in India. Online sales in the worlds second most-populous nation are growing about 35% a year, according to data tracker Euromonitor, fueled by a rising middle class and urbanization that present an attractive environment for e-commerce. Walmart was upstaged earlier Wednesday when Masayoshi Son, chief executive officer of SoftBank Group Corp., confirmed during a briefing in Tokyo that the US retailer had agreed to buy control of Flipkart. SoftBank invested $2.5 billion in the Indian company and that stake will be worth about $4 billion in the deal, Son said. For the US retailer, acquiring a stake in Flipkart enables it to tap into Indias retail market without building stores. Walmart once envisioned operating hundreds of locations across India but it has been unable to open traditional units because of long-standing governmental rules for so-called multibrand international retailers. Walmart entered India in 2009 through a joint venture with Bharti Enterprises, and took full control of that business in 2013. It currently operates 20 wholesale clubs in India that serve small businesses. Biggest deal Online retail is seemingly the only way for a foreign company to have meaningful retail operations in the country, Barclays analyst Karen Short said in an April 16 note. The deal is the largest-ever in e-commerce, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Walmarts investment includes $2 billion in new equity funding, which the companies say will be used to spur Flipkarts growth. The companies said theyre also in talks with other potential investors, which could result in the US companys stake being lowered, though it will retain majority ownership. Flipkart will maintain a separate brand and operating structure, the companies said. The deal represents another missed opportunity for Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who has also failed to create a meaningful presence in China. Amazon needs another potential high-growth market in which to succeed to prove it can effectively replicate its model beyond North America, and it has been aggressively expanding in India. Bezos has committed $5.5 billion to the country and his local chief, Amit Agarwal, has made progress by adapting the site to local conditions. Despite its size and global clout, Walmart has found it necessary to forge alliances in its battle against Amazon, which last year bought Whole Foods Market to gain a foothold in the U.S. grocery industry. In China, Walmart has acquired a 12% stake in e-commerce player JD.com, and in Japan it teamed up this year with Tokyos Rakuten Inc. India is the next big potential prize after the U.S. and China, where foreign retailers have made little progress against Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. CEOs plans The deal also shows how Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is reshaping the companys global operations, prioritizing faster-growing markets like China and India over more mature ones. Last month, the company agreed to cede control of its UK grocery chain, Asda, merging it with British rival J Sainsbury Plc. Walmart will retain a 42% stake in the combined company. Flipkart competes with Amazon across a range of product categories. Besides its own site, it owns fashion portals Myntra and Jabong and controls 34% of Indias online sales, based on Euromonitor data, followed by Amazon, with 27%. The company has attracted investment from a range of companies that also includes Microsoft Corp., Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Tiger Global Management, which will retain stakes. Fast Retailing Co., owner of the Uniqlo casual-wear brand, will open its first store in India next year as Asias largest retailer looks to tap consumers in a country with more than 1.2 billion people. The Japanese companys opening of a New Delhi store in the autumn of 2019 has been long in the making. Tadashi Yanai, Fast Retailings founder, had sought access to the Indian market as far back as 2011. The company, which will set up a wholly owned subsidiary in India, will initially focus on expanding its presence in the capital region, it said in a statement Wednesday. The entry in India is a significant step in our companys global strategy, Chief executive officer Yanai said in the statement. India is the latest in a string of new markets for Uniqlo worldwide, following earlier announcements to open stores in Sweden and the Netherlands in the fall this year. Last month, the retailer notched its second straight quarter in which Uniqlos international sales topped domestic revenue as Yanai has focused on overseas locations. Fast Retailing had submitted an application to the government in November requesting approval to do business in the country. Earlier this year, the government scrapped the need for single-brand retailers to get permissions before starting operations. The Uniqlo owners entry will follow Inditex SAs Zara and Hennes & Mauritz AB in an apparel market thats forecast by Euromonitor International to grow 29% to Rs 3.76 trillion ($56 billion) by 2021. Inditex opened a flagship Zara shop in Mumbai in May 2017, and subsequently started online sales in India. Faced with the slowest growth since 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pitching India to foreign investors. His government has made it easier for foreign investment in several sectors, including real estate brokerages and power exchanges apart from retail. Wildlife enthusiasts planning a night stay at Corbett Tiger Reserve have just over five years left to plant it. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Indias nodal body for protection and conservation of tigers, has asked the authorities at the reserve to submit a progress report on a 10-year plan that had suggested phasing out night stays by 2023. Corbett is home to 240 tigers as per national estimation of 2015. It is believed to have the highest density of tigers in the world two reasons why it remains a hot favourite among wildlife tourists. The Corbett management had in 2013 submitted a plan with the Uttarakhand government and the NTCA detailing the plan to phase out night stay tourism in the core area of the reserve by 2023. The plan was submitted in accordance with guidelines issued by the central government and on directions of the Supreme Court. Hearing a PIL filed by conservationist Ajay Dubey, the apex court had on Juy 24, 2012, banned tiger tourism in Corbett core area. The ban was later lifted after NTCA issued guidelines on regulated tourism in core areas. The 2.2.9 clause of the guidelines states that permanent tourist facilities located inside core/critical tiger habitat, which are being used for wildlife tourism should be phased out on a time frame decided by the LAC (local advisory board). Accommodation facility is available in eight forest rest houses (FRHs) in Dhikala, Bijrani, Jhirna, Durga Devi, Sona Nadi and Haldupado zones of the reserve. Barring the one FRH in Durga Devi zone, all the others fall in the core area. Dhikala is the most famous tourist zone, which also offers 12-bed dormitory. The management plan has promised to phase out the night stay. Day safaris have been increased to facilitate tourists, said a forest officer familiar with the development. In this accord, NTCA had written a letter to Corbett management in December 2017 and again in February this year seeking progress on phasing out mechanism. Any structure offering tourism inside a tiger reserve is in serious violation of the Wildlife Protection Act as well as the Centres guidelines and SC order. Such tourism shall be immediately banned, Dubey said. The NTCA has allowed 20 per cent tourism in the reserves but only for day visits. The core/critical tiger habitats should remain inviolate of disturbance, but it needs planning and management. If tourism in core tiger habitat is allowed, it does not mean that buffer should have more footprint than it can sustain. There should be a mechanism to balance tourism and conservation, said VB Mathur, director WII.. The reserve reported 2.96 lakh tourists last season (15 November 2016-2017) and prior to that 2.83 lakh tourists visited the park in 2015-16. The average revenue generated by the reserve is nearly Rs 9 crore from day and night tourism. The accommodation rates in the reserve ranges from Rs 4,800 for one-night stay to Rs 12,000 for 3 nights. The facility is not provided for more than three nights, as per a revision effected last year. The four-hour gypsy rides are available in four zones costing Rs 2000-R 2200. DVS Khati, chief wildlife warden said, We will pursue this matter with Centre and if needed in court. Corbett is an international destination and we will curb tourism by phasing out night stays. A real estate agent claimed that a group of policemen assaulted him and his two sons inside a police station in northwest Delhi after they allegedly refused to pay a bribe. The Delhi Police have initiated an inquiry into the allegations and taken action against seven policemen. Surendra Aggarwal, 43, claimed that one of his sons was allegedly attacked with a sharp weapon, possibly a compass or a large needle, leaving him bleeding from his foot. Pictures of the alleged assault, which were produced by the complainants and could not be independently verified, showed them bleeding and with marks on their limbs. We have sent the station house officer (SHO) to police lines. We have also suspended six other policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector and five constables, said Aslam Khan, deputy commissioner of police (northwest). Aggarwal claimed that his scooter, which was parked outside his house in Saraswati Vihar, had been taken away to the Rani Bagh police station by some men around 10pm on Sunday. The neighbourhood guard told the men that the scooter belonged to us, but they did not listen, Aggarwal said. He claimed that when his 17-year-old son visited the police station, one of the policemen allegedly demanded Rs 200 for the scooters release. When my son refused to pay the bribe, the policeman said the refusal would cost him and increased the amount to Rs 1,000, Aggarwal alleged. When the boy protested, Aggarwal claimed the policemen threatened to jail him and implicate him in a narcotics case. When my son refused their demands, they slapped him, broke his glasses and snatched his cellphone, he alleged. Shortly after, Aggarwal said the boys elder brother reached the police station looking for him and allegedly found the boy being thrashed. The elder sibling too was allegedly assaulted. They poked his toe with a sharp object and threatened to chop off the fingers of his leg, alleged Aggarwal. He then went to the police station with his wife where he alleged he was assaulted by a group of 7-8 policemen. When we were finally let off after the intervention of senior officers of the police station, the policemen refused to get us medically examined. Instead, they urged us to settle the matter amicably. But I will pursue the case against the police till the highest court, said Aggarwal. A 15-year-old girl, who was cheated by two men at an ATM kiosk, committed suicide at her residence in Dwarka on Tuesday morning. Police said the teenager was duped of Rs 29,000 by two men a day before she ended her life by hanging from a ceiling fan. The girls family told the police the teenager had gone to withdraw money and had taken her fathers debit card. Her father, who works at an automobile company, had recently undergone a surgery and hence was bedridden and could not attend work. The family was going through a financial crisis. According to the police, on Monday, around 11am, the Class 10 student had gone to the ATM near her house in Bharat Vihar near Dwarka. After withdrawing Rs 6,000, she saw two men standing behind her. The two asked her if she had collected the withdrawal receipt for her transaction. When she said no, they asked her swipe her card again. When the girl returned home, his father received two messages on his phone showing a withdrawal of Rs 29,000, an officer said. At her house, when her family asked her about the excess withdrawal, she reportedly denied any knowledge about it and told her father that she had withdrawn only Rs 6,000. The family approached the Dwarka North police station and filed a complaint. Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Shibesh Singh said that an FIR was registered and the police also got CCTV footage of the ATM. While police were trying to identify the two men, the teenager, according to her family members went back to the ATM kiosk on Tuesday morning with her elder sister and asked the security guard to help her identify the two men. The teenager returned home later and kept to herself, retreating to her room. Her family members told police that half an hour later, when they went to check on her, they found her hanging from the ceiling fan. An outfit which led a protest march near Jamia Millia Islamia University said on Wednesday it was opposing the intimidation Hindu students were facing inside the campus. Around 6 pm on Tuesday, a group of students, claiming to be from Jamia, took out the march to Gate 7 and allegedly raised slogans against Pakistans founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, such as Jinnah premi desh chhodo (Jinnah lovers, leave the country), and Hinduon ko darana band karo (stop scaring Hindus). Radical organisations on campus were threatening Hindu students after incidents like Kathua rape and AMU controversy. Two students, who are Hindus, were beaten up inside the campus. We organised this march to fight that intimidation, said Rahul Tiwari, one of the organisers of the march. Such organisations are not just against Hindu students, but also against those who are not supporting their ideologies. This has been happening for four weeks now, Tiwari, who claims to be a student of the varsity, said. Meanwhile, the JMI administration has requested the Delhi Police to step up security near the university. Though there are no photographs of Jinnah or anything related to it, considering the history of the varsity, the group was intending to incite violence by raising such slogans, the universitys media coordinator told PTI. We have asked the Delhi Police to beef up security near all access points of the university. The Delhi Police responded by saying it was on high alert and prepared to handle any untoward incident that might take place. The traffic police took action against the owners of 590 vehicles parked illegally in South Delhis Nizamuddin on Wednesday as officials launched a crackdown to clear a crucial arterial road and the area near the railway station. HT had reported on Tuesday how an anti-encroachment drive being carried out by a multi-agency panel had failed to ease problems in the Nizamuddin area, where the problem is most acute right outside the Hazrat Nizamuddin police station. The roundabout in front connects Mathura Road and Lodhi Road, a key corridor for traffic between south Delhi and towns in the national capital region (NCR). The operation, which began on Tuesday evening and was carried out by the special task force constituted on the orders of the Supreme Court to tackle encroachment across the national capital, also targeted eight unlicensed vends. This weeks crackdown was the third in 10 days after the squatters returned and people resumed parking illegally. On Wednesday as well, a row of cars was back in front of the Nizamuddin police station. We removed at least eight squatters occupying pavements and warned them not to return to avoid punitive action. We have also directed the officials to identify repeat offenders and take strong action against them, said Chanchal Yadav, deputy commissioner of the South Delhi Municipal Corporations central zone. Satish Kain, assistant commissioner of police, south-east range, added: This is an ongoing drive, which will continue in future. We will not spare the violators. Since Mathura Road is among the prominent stretches identified under the L-Gs (lieutenant-governors) decongestion plan for the city, we are taking all measure to ensure smooth movement of traffic. According to Kain, the challenge is in tackling the heavy traffic of pedestrians from the Nizamuddin Dargah who crowd the main road for auto rickshaws and buses. The narrow lane adjacent to the police station connects to the Dargah and it is not possible to take vehicles inside so a majority of tourists park their vehicles near the police station, said a senior official from SDMCs licensing department who asked not to be named. A police official said the staff at the Nizamuddin police station had been asked to park elsewhere. Now none of the cars parked outside the station belongs to our staff. As far as parking of other vehicles is concerned, the traffic police is taking action, he said, asking not to be named. A row has erupted over a question on bad omens asked in the written examination for would be junior engineers conducted by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission, with the opposition Congress saying that it would lodge a police complaint. In the examination held on April 10, one of the questions asked was Which one among the following is not a bad omen in Haryana. The options for the answer were: seeing an empty pot, a casket, a black Brahmin, a Brahmin girl. Members of the Brahmin community have held protests in several parts of the state over the issue and also burnt an effigy of HSCC chairman Bharat Bhushan Bharti. Later, the HSSC expressed regret and withdrew the question. Haryana health minister Anil Vij has said a probe will conducted into who set the question paper and how the particular question was cleared. BJPs Rajya Sabha MP DP Vats has said exemplary punishment would be given to those responsible for it. Former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, We are going to lodge a police complaint shortly. This is not an ordinary mistake, this is something unpardonable. They have not only insulted the Brahmin community, but they are also promoting superstition. Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma said, It is shocking that engineers are chosen on the basis of their level of superstition rather than skill. Referring to the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in Haryana, Hooda hit out at the BJP government in the state saying, Their claims of transparency and merit in recruitment are hollow. If the Congress comes to power in the state after the assembly polls, we will get an inquiry done by a sitting High Court judge into the way this government conducted various written exams and given jobs. Last month, the flying squad of Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar unearthed an alleged cash-for-job racket involving employees of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) and other departments, and brokers who would take money from aspirants for selection in government jobs. Hooda also demanded that written examinations for various recruitment should be conducted by an independent agency as people have lost faith in the HSSC. He also took a dig at the 10-day tour of Khattar to Israel and the UK, saying, When the chief minister left for Israel (on Sunday), his government issued an advisory sounding high alert in view of the possibility of thunder storms and squalls. The Haryana government also shut down schools for two days. At this moment, the chief minister should have been with people of Haryana, Hooda said. He also alleged that Khattar government had made tall claims on bringing in investments, whereas the reality is opposite to what they say. This government has failed on all fronts. They have pushed the state into a kind of crisis. Power crisis is also staring at the state as coal supplies are running low, but they are not bothered. Illegal mining is rampant in various parts of the state including Bhiwani-Mahendergarh, but they are silent. Law and order situation has broken down and people are feeling insecure, but no steps are being taken to tackle the growing crime graph, Hooda claimed. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) The Lucknow University has urged the Uttar Pradesh government to consider revamping the B Ed joint entrance examination by introducing a single paper of three hours (180 minutes) duration instead of two papers of three hours each (360 minutes) and do away with negative marking. These suggestions came at a meeting of the advisory committee of JEE B Ed 2018-20 held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of the universitys vice-chancellor SP Singh. The university conducted the B Ed entrance exam for the fourth consecutive year this time. Lucknow University officials felt a single paper will save the time of candidates who come from far off places to major cities to appear in the entrance test. If the duration of the entrance exam is reduced, the administration will have to arrange security and supervise only a single shift instead of two, said Prof Naveen Khare, state coordinator, JEE B Ed 2018-20. There should be 180 multiple choice questions (MCQs) in one paper of 180 minutes. Section A: Total MCQs 90 (General Knowledge 45 MCQs; Language Hindi 23 MCQs and language English 22 MCQs) and Section B: Total MCQs 90 (General Aptitude 45 MCQs; Subject Arts/Commerce/Science/Agriculture, 45 MCQs each), he added. The advisory committee also suggested that candidates should be allowed to take away their used question booklets after the written test. The university also directed B Ed minority colleges affiliated with it to ensure transparency in their admission procedure. They will have to upload the list of applicants (against minority quota seats), test process, results and admitted candidates etc on their website. They will also have to send a hard copy to the registrar of the university concerned, said Prof NK Pandey, spokesperson, Lucknow University. The advisory committee also directed candidates should have original marksheets at the time of counselling. Self-attested internet marksheet of these candidates are acceptable, if verified by respective principal or registrar, said Prof Khare. JUSTIFICATION: Convenient for candidates to save time and money who come from different far off places to major cities of the state. The administration will have less strain since they have to arrange security and supervise only a single shift instead of two There should be 180 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) in 180 minutes of one paper Section A; Total MCQs 90 (General Knowledge 45 MCQs; Language Hindi 23 MCQs and language English 22 MCQs) Section B; Total MCQs 90 (General Aptitude 45 MCQs; Subject Arts/Commerce/Science/Agriculture, 45 MCQs each) The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) declared the Class 10 result on Wednesday. Students can check their result on the Boards official website: pseb.ac.in. The PSEB Class 10 examination was held between March 12 to March 31, in which 3,68,295 students appeared. Click here to check PSEB Class 10th result. Heres how you can check your PSEB Class 10 results 2018 on PSEBs official website: 1) Go to the official website. 2) Click on PSEB Class 10 results link. 3) Enter your name or roll number and click on find result. 4) Your Class 10 result will be displayed. 5) Take a printout of the result and save it on your computer too. Here is the direct link to check PSEB Class 10th result: http://punjab-10th-result.indiaresults.com/pb/pseb/class-10th-exam-result-2018/query.htm The Punjab Board released the merit list for the Class 10th board exam on the official website pseb.ac.in on May 8. Gurpreet Singh, a student of Shri Harikrishan Sahib Senior Secondary School in Ludhiana, topped the Punjab Board Class 10 examination with a score of 637 (98%). The pass percentage this year was 59.47%. Of the 3,68,295 students who appeared for the exam, 2,19,034 cleared it. While 1,04,828 girls cleared the exam, 1,04,126 boys passed the board exam. Mansa district tops in pass percentage tally with 73.76%, followed by Sri Muktsar Sahib (72.39%), Hoshiyarpur (67.14%) And Ludhiana (67.27%). Jason Statham says the upcoming film Fast & Furious spin-off will be brimming with action and humour. Yeah, Im doing a big spin-off movie with Dwayne Johnson, the Rock, who Im a particular big fan of and good friend of, Statham told ew.com. So Im going to do a big Hollywood splash with a mate of mine. They are developing the script right now, so I cant give you any spoilers on that one. Listen, Dwaynes got a big appetite for action, and hes got a great appetite for humour, and Im sure it will be brimming with both of those things. The film is being helmed by David Leitch. Dave Leitch is someone that I have known for many many years, who is taking the helm and directing this, and hes just a true expert on this kind of stuff, said Statham. You might have seen Atomic Blonde. Hes got Deadpool coming out. Hes a really talented guy, and to be working with someone that Ive known for so long is a big bonus for me. Follow @htshowbiz for more Rambo is back on the warpath. US film star Sylvester Stallone has revealed that his muscle-packed combat hero Rambo is getting ready to draw blood again in a fifth sequel next year. Stallone -- now 71 -- posted a teaser poster on his Instagram account late Tuesday, showing a graffiti-style image of Hollywoods most famous Vietnam veteran kneeling with his signature knife and the words: Rambo V. Fall 2019. Something wicked is coming this way, the actor commented in a caption, a decade after his character last strapped on his famous headband and fired a hail of bullets at ruthless rogue soldiers in conflict-torn Myanmar. The films producers, Millennium Media, are selling the international rights for Rambo V at the Cannes film festival, which opened Tuesday. The latest instalment in the franchise -- launched with Bad Blood in 1982 -- is slated to start filming in September in several locations including London, Bulgaria and the Canary Islands, according to the Hollywood Reporter. In the new movie, John Rambo has swapped blood-drenched jungles for quiet ranch living in Arizona as he struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder. But when a friends grand-daughter is kidnapped by a Mexican sex-trafficking cartel, Rambo cannot but jump back into action and join the hunt for the missing girl. What ensues promises a violent descent into hell, said Hollywood Reporter. Follow @htshowbiz for more The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), born 20 years ago in 1998, has been credited for two of its major achievements. One, its the only Congress offshoot to taste regular political success. The party has twice formed government in a state, and its leader Mamata Banerjee has been cabinet minister three times and minister of state once in her parliamentary career spanning 25 years. Two, the party ended the Lefts 34-year rule in West Bengal, ruthlessly diminishing the communists clout in national politics. The summer of 2019, however, will see an altogether different election for this regional powerhouse. This time, Trinamool wants Banerjee as the kingmaker of an anti-BJP government if not its Prime Minister. In 2019, Mamata Banerjee will play the lead role, Bengal will play the lead role, Trinamools Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek OBrien claimed. The Left, however, doesnt see that happening. Mamata or Trinamools utility is to try to extinguish Left parties. You cant lead a Federal Front if you dont respect democracy. Mamata has (taken) democracy to the crematorium. In Bengal, BJPs rise is co-terminus with Mamatas rise, said CPIM politburo leader Md Salim. Just as Trinamools ambitions have soared, so have preparations in the party to emerge as the biggest regional political grouping in India and command a significant space in the anti-BJP political space. The state panchayat elections are seen as the first step for the party. In a state like West Bengal, which has 42 Lok Sabha seats and a robust panchayat system, winning panchayat polls helps gain a solid grip at the grassroot level network of the party. As things stand today, amid allegations of rampant violence (which also prevented over a third of the seats from being contested), the Trinamool is set to sweep the rural polls. In 2008, the Left Front, for the first time lost the panchayat polls in West Bengal. The following year, Banerjee gained more seats than the red brigade in the Lok Sabha. Two years later, it swept the assembly polls. The party has also galvanised its physical presence in Delhi. OBrien is almost regularly available and runs the partys support team from Delhi. Banerjees trips to Delhi have multiplied, too. And for all other seasons, theres a team of 34 MPsmaking Trinamool the largest party in Parliament after BJP, Congress and AIADMK. The efforts have paid dividends too. Banerjee became the first leader to reach out to Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi chief minister and now, the two sides share best relations. Her communication channels with her Odisha counterpart Navin Patnaik and Bihars Nitish Kumar (even after the latter allied with the BJP) are active. Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao flew down to Kolkata last month to support her efforts for a federal front. She organised a sort of a political coup when Shiv Sena and Aam Admi Party, the latter famous for its political inhibitions, marched together to Rashtrapati Bhavan under the Trinamools leadership against demonetisation. And Last week, DMK leader MK Stalin tweeted, DMK has always stood for the unity of regional parties and stronger federal co-operation. I endorse the efforts of @MamataOfficial to bring together various political parties to oppose the autocratic and antidemocratic rule of the BJP. But these are no guarantees that Trinamools mid-summer nights dream will come true. For, even if the BJP is defeated, no federal or anti-BJP front can come to power without the support of the Congress party. In close circles, Banerjee has expressed her reservation about working under Congress leadership. While she has a cordial rapport with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, for her party, Rahul is too junior and without credentials to be seen as a possible PM, according to a senior Trinamool leader. And Trinamool believes other parties too may feel the same. Mamata Banerjees development and credibility goes way beyond Bengal. People from different regions are looking at her because of her credibility. And because of her credibility, she has acceptability, OBrien argues. The Congress, however, sees things differently. In a recent interview to this paper, Congress key strategist Jairam Ramesh bluntly stated, Mamata Banerjee leads a West Bengal party. K Chandrashekar Rao will not get a seat outside Telangana. The two national parties are Congress and BJP. The simple number game also doesnt help realise an anti-BJP government without the Congress. Even if Trinamool sweeps West Bengal, SP and BSP win all seats in UP, TDP and TRS bags their respective states, the collective strength of regional parties will fall much short of the required number of 272 to get the majority in Lok Sabha. Trinamool leadership has suggested that Congress should consider joining the federal front and support the initiativein other words, the Congress should allow a chief minister from regional parties. But that model, first with HD Devegowda and then with Indra Kumar Gujral, failed miserably during the period of 1996-98. As a result, the BJP came to power. While pundits believe that Trinamool will do extremely well in the state, the leadership question, however, will only be decided after the polls. If the Congress rejuvenates itself under Rahuls leadership, it may not be willing to give the steering of the federal fronts bandwagon to other parties. Trinamool has no politics of its own. Their stand on secularism is superficial. She (Mamata) hasnt taken any step to challenge BJP-RSS in the state and nationally. You will not find a single party literature against RSS politics, said Salim. As things stand today, All India Trinamool Congress is set to retain its absolute majority in West Bengal. But whether it can evolve as a national kingmaker from being a regional force, is the only question Didis followers are keen to get an answer. Some of them also want to see Banerjee at Lok Kayna Marga feat that no Bengali has achieved so far. Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Wednesday met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss issues concerning the premier academic institution, engulfed in controversy over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on its premises, an official said. Singh assured Mansoor of all help from the Central government in restoring normalcy in the university, the official privy to the meeting said. Mansoor later told reporters that the meeting was fixed long ago and had nothing to do with the current controversy. I have requested the home minister to send Central government officials for the recruitment of students in central services like the engineering service, he said. The vice chancellor said the portrait of the Pakistan founder had been hanging in the AMU students union office since 1938 and it was a non-issue. BJP MP Satish Gautam had written a letter to Mansoor objecting to the portrait, triggering a row that led to two youths being arrested in connection with incidents of violence and exams being postponed to May 12. The vice chancellor had yesterday told students on a sit-in over the issue to get back to their studies. In an open letter, he urged them not to fall into the trap of certain forces which are bent upon destroying the image of our alma mater and are playing with your bright future. The university has formed a 16-member coordination committee of senior faculty members to talk with the protesting students. Several AMU students are on an indefinite dharna after a clash with the police on May 2 when they were demanding action against right-wing protesters who had entered the campus, shouting slogans. They are asking for a judicial probe into the police inaction and the manner in which the row erupted after the BJP MP objected to the portrait. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will jointly inaugurate the 900-MW Arun III power project with his Nepalese counterpart, announce special assistance for Janakpur (birthplace of Sita as per Ramayana), and oversee the sides drawing timelines for implementing projects during his two-day visit to Nepal on May 11 and 12, persons familiar with the planning said. The Arun III power project is a hydroelectric project on river Arun, with an estimated cost of Rs 5,800 crore. On this third visit to Nepal as Prime Minister, Modi will be accorded two civic receptions at his port of call in Janakpuri and at Muktinath and a ceremonial reception in Kathmandu. He will meet former Nepalese PMs Sher Bahadur Deuba and Prachanda as well as Madhesi leaders as the two countries try to bring back momentum into their ties. But a source admitted that the discussion on India taking back the demonetised notes from Nepal remains inconclusive. Indian currency is used in Nepal and India is the largest trading partner of the Himalayan country. The countries have yet to agree on how to exchange the banned bills of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 held by individuals and informal sectors in Nepal, an amount estimated to be Rs 9.5 billion. India has yet to confirm the authenticity of some of those bills. Speeding up agreed projects according to stricter timelines would be a key area of focus during the visit. These include transmission lines, and integrated check posts and railway lines. A source, who did not wish to be named, said that the two sides are aiming to step up cooperation in three areas rail connectivity between Raxaul in Bihar and Kathmandu in Nepal, inland waterways, and agriculture cooperation that were agreed upon when Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli visited India in April. The two sides are soon expected to do a feasibility study by the East Central Railway for the rail link between the countries. The source cited above said that the two sides are also looking to amend the bilateral trade and transit agreement to include inland waterways, which is not included in the existing pact. Prime Minister Modi making a return trip so soon after Prime Minister Olis visit to India shows the importance he attaches to the ties, said a source. Modi will arrive in Janakpur on May 11, where he is likely to announce special assistance to the city, which features prominently in the Indian governments plan to promote the Ramayana circuit. Modi will be given a ceremonial reception at Kathmandu that afternoon and hold discussions with Oli. The next day, Modi will visit the temple town of Muktinath. The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused each other on Wednesday of trying to rig elections due this weekend in Karnataka after the election commission said it had found nearly 10,000 voter identity cards stashed in boxes in a Bengaluru flat. In midnight press conference on Tuesday, Karnataka chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar said the seizures from a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency included 9,746 voter cards and roughly a hundred thousand counterfoils that resembled acknowledgement slips issued while adding names to the electoral roll. The incident triggered immediate reactions from the BJP, which, like the Congress, approached the poll panel in New Delhi on Wednesday. The BJP sought voting in the constituency to be countermanded, a request that the commission said would be decided upon once a report by a special observer it has dispatched to the state is received. Karnataka votes on May 12 and results are expected on May 15. An FIR is being registered preliminary verification suggests the ID cards are genuine but the significance of the counterfoils can only be verified after investigation, said Kumar in a hurriedly convened press briefing around 11:45pm on Tuesday. The controversy began earlier that evening when local media reported that members of the BJP, including former chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda, reached a flat in Jalahalli area and discovered the voter cards. Hours later, officials of the election commission also visited the flat. In the hours that followed, the BJP and the Congress accused each other of being behind a controversy to swing votes an allegation they based on the identity of the owner and the tenant of the flat. The owner was identified as Manjula Nanjamuri, who said that she won a civic election in 1997 with BJP support, and the tenant Rakesh, who identified himself as a BJP supporter in comments made to reporters on Wednesday. Both the Congress and the BJP claimed Nanjamuri and Rakesh belonged to the other party. Congress is losing public support and they are trying hard to rig the upcoming elections in Karnataka by undemocratic ways. So, we demand countermanding of polls in Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency, said Union minister Prakash Javadekar shortly after midnight on Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi made similar attacks at their arch-rival, which is in power in Karnataka. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala refuted the allegation and said the opposition party staged the episode to divert attention. Apartment No 115 from where the ID cards were recovered belonged to a BJP corporator, Nanjamuri. The BJP leadership is lying and trying to disassociate itself from its ex-corporator Manjula, he said. Police officials did not confirm if Rakesh was the tenant. Nanjamuri told news agency ANI that she rented the flat out to two other individuals whom she identified as Rangaraju and Rekha. Her son, however, said Rakesh was a relative. Congress leader Anand Sharma, who met election commission officials in New Delhi on Wednesday, said the discovery of the voter cards was staged by BJP since the flat had not been raided by the poll watchdog. Members of the BJP, including Union ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan and SS Ahluwalia also met the election commission on Wednesday. In Bengaluru, CEO Kumar reiterated that none of the voter cards seized were fake and there had been no breach in the election commissions systems. A Delhi court on Wednesday granted three weeks to CBI to procure sanction from concerned authorities to prosecute an accused in a graft case against former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav relating to the allotment of IRCTC hotels. Special Judge Arvind Kumar directed the CBI to get the required nod till June 1 to prosecute additional member of railway board BK Agarwal who was then the group general manager of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The CBI, meanwhile, submitted various documents related to the case before the court. The agency on April 16 filed a charge sheet against two companies and 12 people in the case. Besides Yadav and his family members, former union minister Prem Chand Gupta, his wife Sarla Gupta, Agarwal, then managing director of IRCTC PK Goyal and then IRCTC director Rakesh Saxena, were also named in the charge sheet. Others named in the charge sheet, include then group general managers of IRCTC VK Asthana and RK Goyal, Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel. Delight marketing company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels Private Limited, have also been named as accused companies in the charge sheet. The CBI registered a case in July last year and carried out searches at 12 locations in Patna, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar and Gurugram in connection with the case. The charges in the case include criminal conspiracy (120-B), cheating (420) under IPC and corruption, the CBI had said. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) The situation is under control after night-long clashes between two student groups in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi -- the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- police said on Wednesday. The clashes erupted after midnight between the students residing in Lal Bahadur Shastri Hostel and Birla Hostel. Many vehicles on the university campus were torched and the warring students pelted stones at each other and later also on the police personnel who were called in to disperse the mob. The situation could only be controlled in the morning, but by then scores of students were injured. The situation is under control now, Shailesh Mishra, PRO to the Varanasi SSP, told IANS. A district official, however, blamed the BHU authorities for the violence and pointed out that although police reinforcements had reached there, they had to wait outside the Singhdwar due to the delay in permission by the varsity officials to enter the premises. The rioting sparked off reportedly after a murderous attack on a student, Ashutosh Maurya, outside the Hindi department. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that an Aadhaar authentication failure could lead to a denial of benefits to the needy and this concern raised by the petitioners challenging the unique identification scheme would have to betaken seriously. Justice DY Chandrachud, a member of a Constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra that is hearing a clutch of petitions against the validity of Aadhaar, said the issue raised by the petitioners was genuine. Responding to a submission by advocate Shyam Divan, who represents petitioner Kalyani Shankar Menon, that people would be refused benefits if they fail to authenticate their Aadhaar numbers, the judge said: Its not largesse, its not charity. We have to find answers for this. Justice Chandrachuds remarks came at a time when Diwan was giving his rejoinder to the government and the Unique Identification Authority of Indias (UIDAI) defence of the Aadhaar scheme. The rebuttals are expected to end this week. The judge narrated a personal experience to convey his concern over how authentication failures could be deprived of the benefits they were entitled to. Summing up his rejoinder, Divan also urged the court to exclude all programmes related to children, rehabilitation and food-related schemes from the requirement of Aadhaar authentication. He said government concern over potential diversion of funds can be addressed by allowing the citizens to use other identity documents. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday set aside a trial court order summoning former union minister Salman Khurshid in a trespass case. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva asked the trial court in New Delhi to consider afresh the main charge sheet and the supplementary charge sheet filed in the case, before passing any order while making it clear that it has not opined anything on their merit. The high court allowed the petition of the Congress leader seeking to quash January 8 order of the trial court summoning him as an accused for alleged offence of trespassing into an office of the Delhi Public School (DPS) society in south Delhi. Senior advocate Amrendra Sharan and advocate Pramod Dubey, appearing for Khurshid, argued that the trial courts summoning order was erroneous as the entire record of the case was not available with the magistrate when he was summoned. Dubey submitted that Khurshid was given a clean chit by the Delhi Police in the first charge sheet in which it was mentioned that no case was made out against him. The high court noted that at the time of summoning Khurshid, the entire case record was not available with the magistrate and the file was pending before a sessions judge who was hearing a revision petition. The trial court should have taken note of both the original charge sheet and the supplementary charge sheet before summoning the accused. The trial court order is set aside, it said. The court asked how can the trial court pass an order by taking note of one part of the case record and ignoring the other. Is it not the duty of the court to examine the whole evidence. In the first charge sheet, it was written these accused have no role. Is it not the courts duty to examine the record. It shows non application of mind, it said. Delhi Polices counsel, however, said the supplementary charge sheet, in which Khurshid and others were named as accused, were available before the magistrate and on that basis, the order was passed. According to the police, the DPS Society had alleged that on March 30, 2015, that Khurshid, along with one Sharda Nayak, had trespassed into the office of the society and the latter had forcibly occupied the office of the Chairman. They took control of the premises of the society and it was in the presence of Khurshid that Nayak announced herself as the societys chairperson, the DPS Society had alleged, adding that Khurshid was part of a well-planned conspiracy to illegally occupy and take over the premises of the society. Following the incident, an FIR was also lodged in the matter. Khurshid had alleged in his plea before the high court that the magistrate had passed the summoning order without application of mind. The plea had said the police had filed a charge sheet in the case in February 2016 exonerating Khurshid, but filed a supplementary charge sheet in December 2017 naming him and five others as accused. The Congress leader was neither named, nor was any role attributed to him in the FIR lodged on March 31, 2015 at Amar Colony police station here, the petition had claimed, adding that he was a life member of the DPS Society on the date of the alleged incident and had the legal right to visit the society premises as a stakeholder. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) The Congress gamble to win over the Lingayats in poll-bound Karnataka by according minority religious status to the community appears unlikely to deliver with even the party conceding that it does not expect major electoral dividend from it. While the Congress could make a dent of 5-10%, the majority of the community members remain the BJP loyalists. And those Lingayats who are upset with the BJP but dont want to vote for the Congress might stay indoors or press the NOTA button on May 12 when the voting for the 224 seats in the Karnataka assembly takes place. A similar situation was witnessed in December last year in Gujarat where a substantial number of Patels who were upset with the BJP preferred None of The Above (NOTA) option over the Congress or boycotted the elections. Lingayats, who constitute 17% of the states population and influence the outcome in 90-100 constituencies, have for years now supported the BJP. They moved away from the Congress in 1990 when Rajiv Gandhi unceremoniously removed Veerendra Patil as the chief minister in less than a year. Since then the, Congress has been trying to win back the support of the community members. The then Congress president Sonia Gandhi had specially flown to Karnataka in April 2012 to attend the 105th birthday celebrations of Swami Shivakumara of the Tumakuru-based Siddaganga Math. The seer, who turned 111 on April 1 this year, heads 125 institutions and provides education and food to thousands of students and has a huge following across the states political and social spectrum. Junior pontiff Siddalinga Swami refused to comment on the issue but insisted that he would appeal to the followers of the Math to cast their votes in large numbers. But we dont tell them to vote for any particular party. That is their democratic right and their choice, he said. But chief minister Siddaramaiahs decision to accord minority religious status to Lingayats, including the Veerashaivas, is being viewed with some scepticism. It was clearly an attempt to divide the community but people are clever enough to understand the real motive behind the move, said H Doreswamy, a businessman in Davanagere, once known as Manchester of Karnataka for having a large number of cotton mills in the area. D Patil, a resident of Chitradurga, echoed his views. It is a plan to divide the Hindus but they (Congress) wont succeed, he said. State Congress chief G Parameshwara, however, dismissed suggestions that there was political motive behind the move but maintained that the ruling party did not expect any major electoral dividend from it. Political analysts agree. The Lingayat-Veerashaiva divide is not going to benefit the Congress as much as the party thought it would. The reason is that the chief minister seems to have thrown his weight behind the long-standing demand by a section of Lingayats without really understanding the complexity of the issue, said A Narayana, associate professor for public policy at the Bengaluru-based Azim Premji University. The governments decision seems to have incurred the wrath of not just non-Lingayat Hindus but also the ordinary Lingayats who do not see themselves to be different in any way from Veerashaivas. A very small section of Lingayats may have come to favour the Congress, he said. BJPs Karnataka in-charge P Muralidhar Rao had attacked the Congress for the move. Congress is carrying forward the divide and rule policy of the Britishers in India, he had said. However, a section in the Congress believes that the ruling party stands to gain even if the move pushes 20% Lingayats away from the BJP. We hope to get 20% Lingayat votes and that will give us a substantial lead over our rivals, a Karnataka Congress leader said. But for now, that does not seem very realistic. The killing of a policeman in firing inside a court complex in Bhiwani on Monday has put the spotlight on Haryanas weak security arrangements at states courts, which should ideally be fortified all the time due to regular hearings of hardcore criminals. In the last one year, there have been over six incidents of assailants managing to free their accomplices or shoot dead their rivals that are brought to courts by police for hearings. In some cases, heavily-armed assailants have also managed to enter the court premises, dodging security arrangements and escape unchallenged. Blast from last year Sept 8: Hardcore criminal freed, four cops injured in firing inside Mahendragarh court complex July 10: Undertrial murder accused Sumer Singh shot dead outside court complex in Jind May 31: Three men injured in firing on murder accused at Karnal court complex May 18: Undertrial murder accused Sher Singh shot dead near advocates chamber in Bhiwani court March 28: One killed, seven injured as assailants dressed in women uniform open fire at court complex in Rohtak March 22: Former village sarpanch and murder accused Rajeev alias Kala gunned down at Jhajjar court complex In September last year, six armed assailants had stormed into Mahendragarh court complex and opened fire at cops to free a dreaded criminal who was facing charges in four cases of murder. The criminal that was freed is yet to be arrested again. Four policemen faced bullet injuries in the incident. In a similar incident at Rohtak court complex in March last year, assailants dressed as women eliminated history sheeter Ramesh Lohar and also injured six others as they opened indiscriminate fire. In Bhiwani alone, this was the second incident of firing inside court complex within a year. In May last year, a murder undertrial Sher Singh was shot dead by rival gang near lawyers chambers in court complex. The incidents of firings inside courts in Haryana are on the rise and pose serious threat to lawyers and other innocent people who visit everyday. The courts have become killing grounds for gangs to eliminate their rivals as breaking into jails to do the same is comparatively difficult. We recently submitted a proposal to police and sessions judge to make a separate entry for prisoners through backchannel that prevents any contact with people, said senior advocate JK Gakhar. The Haryana Police Association blamed shortage of over 10,000 policemen in Haryana Police as the reason for these incidents. Bhiwani superintendent of police (SP) Ganga Ram Punia said they were yet to get enquiry reports of security lapses that led to attacks in courts. We held a meeting with lawyer and judges today and decided to take steps. We will use more manpower in escorting criminals from jails to courts and install CCTV cameras and sub-division courts as well. More security arrangements are also being discussed, he said. At a time when youth in Afghanistan is fleeing the war-ravaged nation in search of better jobs and education prospects, a group of Afghan students studying in Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) are keen to go back home and contribute their efforts towards rebuilding their country. Students draw inspiration from former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, who studied at HPU from 1979 to 1983. Karzai came to India as a student when he was 18. He graduated from Sanatan Dharma Bhargva College and completed his Masters in Political Science from HPU in 1983. In the early eighties, Karzai was adviser to leader of the National Salvation Front of Afghanistan, ANLF. HPU later conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Literature degree to honour his invaluable services to the cause of international peace and harmony. Over two dozen Afghan students in Himachal Pradesh University passed their last semesters, of whom 13 completed their MBA. These students believe educating the youth can prevent them from joining terrorist outfits back hom. Majority students studying in HPU have opted for business studies under various scholarship programs. These students will become ambassadors of education when they go back home, Neelima Kanwar, head of international studies at HPU, said. They will help in building their nation, she added. About 50 international students passed out from Himachal Pradesh University recently. While 26 are from Afghanistan, other international students are from Uganda, Nigeria and Nepal. Generally, foreign students opt for streams such as business administration, law and computer application. There are foreign students who recently graduated in the history political science and public administration. Afghan students have who passed out from University have already srated taking up jobs in their country. Initially, I found it tough to acclimatize to the surroundings here but later I adjusted myself . I am happy to be in the company of local students. Shimlas environment, too, is good for studies, said Mohmmad Quais Rezvani, who will serve in Afghanistans defence ministry when he goes back home. I am very proud of my MBA degree. Also, having lived in Shimla, I have realised the importance of peace and harmony. Education can help keep the youth away from joining terrorist outfits, Rezvani said. Another student, Javed Bahonar, who has completed his bachelors in computer applications, said that during his university days he attended many workshops and awareness campaigns in Shimla. When I go back, I will organise awareness campaigns to tell people about the importance of education, Bahonar said. The hype in Karnataka elections about the demand to give Lingayats the status of a separate religion is a very positive development, says Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the head of the Chitradurga-based Sri Jagadguru Murugharajendra Math, which is perceived to have a powerful influence over the community. Sharanaru, in an interview to Aurangzeb Naqshbandi, called chief minister Siddaramaiah a seasoned and a brilliant politician, but asserts that he will not issue any appeal to his Lingayat followers to vote for a particular party. Will you ask your followers to vote for either the Congress or the BJP? Ours is an apolitical but at the same time a secular math. We are against all forms of fundamentalism and casteism. I dont want to put pressure on the people to vote for a particular party, because we are living in a democratic set-up. Voters nowadays have become shrewd and know what is right and what is wrong for them. I am hopeful they will take proper steps and try to evolve a consensus. But werent the Lingayats a traditional vote bank of the BJP? Dont you think the Lingayat vote is divided this time? There is no confusion. Lingayats are very clear that they need the support of all political parties to get the status accorded. I told (BJP president) Amit Shah that Lingayats are not restricted to one party and belong to all parties such as the Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) and the BJP. I told him that if you get the status accorded, people will be happy. That was my message to him. Has the issue been politicised due to the approaching elections? Unfortunately, the movement for a separate religious status for Lingayats got a political shape. Some people used this issue to attack the Congress government. Siddaramaiah, who is a seasoned politician and a brilliant person, was accused of dividing the Lingayats. It is a very sad development. He took some favourable steps on the issue. There are 99 sub-castes under the banner of Lingayats and Veerashaivas are one among those. I call it a philosophical movement. The hype over our demand is a very positive development. This is for the first time that such level of publicity is being given to the issue and we are getting the opportunity to be heard. Even after the elections, we will continue our fight for a separate religious status. Why have you launched the voter awareness campaign? I request the people to vote compulsorily. In some countries like Australia, voting is compulsory. Through this campaign, I tell the public to vote and select a right candidate. Every vote has a value, so I urge them not to sell that. The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) students union has said it was impossible to believe that the BJP MP who triggered a row over a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the campus was unaware of it till recently. Students union secretary Mohammad Fahad said a Right to Information (RTI) reply confirming the existence of the Pakistan founders portrait was sent last year to all members of the AMU court, which includes Aligarh MP Satish Gautam. RTI activist Alok Kumar had filed a query last August asking the AMU to confirm whether such a photograph existed. An AMU spokesman confirmed that the query had been received by the university and was then forwarded to the students union. The answer to this RTI query was distributed to all members of the AMU court, the union said on Tuesday. The news reports on the RTI query had then stirred a controversy and the MP should have raised the issue then at the university court, the institutions highest governing body, instead of waiting for nearly eight months, Fahad said. The MP had earlier told reporters that he had come to know about the portrait hanging at the office of the AMU students union only recently, and had immediately written to the AMU vice-chancellor about it. The university said portraits of all students union life members hang on the walls of its office. Meanwhile, jurist Faizan Mustafa said that contrary to the notion spread by some forces, Muslim youth today nurse a very strong grievance against Jinnah for dividing the Indian Muslims into three countries. Muslim youth and the present generation of Muslims have a strong feeling that the communalism which they are facing today is largely because of Jinnahs divisive politics, Mustafa, a former professor and registrar at AMU, told PTI on Wednesday. It would be historically incorrect to put the blame of Partition entirely on Jinnah. However, what is very clear is that if there is any Muslim from Indian subcontinent who has damaged the cause of Indian Muslims, it is Muhammad Ali Jinnah, he said. The right-wing ideologies of both Hindus and Muslims end up with the same result. It is an ideology which is divisive, regressive and dated, he said. If the concept of India has to be preserved and protected today, this ideology of religious extremism has to be opposed by all of us, he said. The Jammu and Kashmir government has convened an all-party meet Wednesday afternoon to discuss the worsening situation in the valley that has seen frequent gunfights between militants and security forces and deaths of civilians in firing during protests near these encounters. Apart from ruling PDP and BJP, the opposition National Conference and Congress are expected to participate in the meet. In order to improve the situation, the government will have to stall Operation All Out, stop mass arrests and raids and initiate dialogue to diffuse the situation. They will have to start talking to separatists. We will be conveying these things in the all party meet, said senior NC leader, Ali Mohammad Sagar. The meeting was convened after chief minister Mehbooba Mufti met Governor NN Vohra at the Raj Bhavan on Tuesday. During the course of their hour and a half long meeting, Governor and Chief Minister discussed various important matters relating to counter-terrorist operations; continuing incidents of stone pelting; the death of a tourist and other concerns. They also discussed the growing radicalization and its grave impact in the educational sector, the governments official spokesperson said. Two deaths in the span of 24 hours left Kashmir shaken even as they highlighted the worsening situation in the state. As the state was coming to grips with the death of a young tourist from Chennai, R Thirumani (22), on Monday evening from injuries sustained in stone pelting, another young man, 17-year-old Mohammad Iqbal, injured in firing in Shopian on Sunday, succumbed to injuries in hospital on Tuesday. Kashmir limped back to normal on Wednesday after remaining shut for three days following the killings of eight militants in two encounters since Saturday. Seven civilians have also been killed during clashes near the encounter sites. Forty one people including militants, civilians and security personnel were killed in various instances of violence across Kashmir in April. Twenty people have died so far this month. India and China should resume military exchanges and strategic communication between top commanders to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas, Indias envoy to China Gautam Bambawale said on Wednesday. Differences between the two countries, the envoy said, could only be resolved through discussions. Naturally, like any two countries, there are also differences between us. We can only resolve these differences, over time, if we speak to each other about them in an open manner, Bambawale said. India and China have a limited military to military links and the only annual bilateral defence exercise hand-in-hand was cancelled last year following the standoff. The exercise is likely to be resumed this year. An important principle in India-China relations is the necessity of being sensitive to the other countrys aspirations and interests ... We may talk to each other but little progress will be made if we do not empathise with the other sides point of view, Bambawale said. This is an important pre-requisite for moving forward in our bilateral ties, he added. I have always maintained that if India and China have to live and progress together, especially in the 21st century, it is essential that we engage each other seriously and talk to each other extremely frankly and candidly. Bambawales statement comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping agreed at the informal summit in Wuhan in central China to take steps aimed at strengthening communications and building trust between the militaries of India and China. The decision of the two leaders was aimed at effectively managing differences on the border and averting a Doklam-like stand-off, which led to a sharp slump in ties last year. The Informal Summit was one such example of engagement at the apex level. I hope you will also do the same during the course of this dialogue today. Talking to each other candidly will help in enhancing understanding and thereby increase trust in each other, Bambawale said. Bambawale was speaking at the 8th India-China Dialogue between Ananta Aspen Centre, a think-tank in New Delhi, and China Reform Forum, a Beijing-based research institution affiliated to the Communist Party of Chinas party school. This dialogue was also cancelled last year. Leading academics from India and China attended the Aspen dialogue as well as a separate one organised by the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy, an US-based think-tank with a branch in Beijing among other cities. Only through such a frank, free and open dialogue, will we be able to enhance understanding between ourselves and increase trust amongst us, our two peoples, our two governments, and our two countries, he said referring to the India-China Aspen dialogue. Justice Jasti Chelameswar of the Supreme Court, who retires on June 22, has declined to have a farewell hosted for him by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), citing personal reasons, according to members of the body. Its only the second time in the top courts history that an outgoing judge has refused a farewell function sought to be organised by the lawyers group. Justice Chelameswar, the senior-most judge in the court after the chief justice, courted controversy when he, and three other senior judges went public on January 12 with their grievances over the way Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra was running the court. Traditionally, SCBA organises a farewell on the judges last working day. But in the case of justice Chelameswar, the function was proposed to be held on May 18, the last working day of the Supreme Court before it goes on a 45-day summer break. The idea of SCBA was to host a farewell for justice Chelameswar on the last working day of the court. On June 22, when the judge retires, the court will be on vacation and judges and lawyers will not be in Delhi, So it was planned to have a farewell on May 18. However, justice Chelameswar has declined to take part in a send-off function which was organised for him, confirmed SCBA secretary Vikrant Yadav. About four days back, SCBAs secretary met the judge and personally extended an invite to the farewell function. justice Chelameswar declined the request; two days back, the president of SCBA met the judge at a dinner and requested him to come to the farewell function , but the judge demurred. On Wednesday evening again, the executive committee met justice Chelameswar at his residence to persuade him. He still did not agree to attend the farewell function. He said, I have the right to keep my reasons reserved and not to disclose it. I request you not to ask me further, said Yadav. The judge also told the members of the bar that he had not accepted a farewell earlier when he was moving out of the Andhra Pradesh high court to another high court. SCBA suggested an informal farewell in the bar room but he was having none of that too. A similar informal farewell was given to justice Chelameswar by the Gauhati High court bar when he was elevated to the Supreme Court. Normally, farewell functions for judges of the top court are held in the Supreme Court lawns and attended by all the judges of the top court including the Chief Justice of India. On the occasion, speeches are made by the CJI, who is the chief guest, and the outgoing judge, who is the guest of honour. This is the second time in the history of the Supreme court that an outgoing judge has refused a farewell for him. justice AP Sen, who retired in September 1988, had also declined a farewell function. As the Karnataka assembly election date nears, the campaign is getting intense and attacks are getting sharper with the ruling Congress, the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) leaving no stone unturned to win the trust of voters who will cast their votes on May 12. On the penultimate day of campaigning on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing four rallies and Congress president Rahul Gandhi is holding corner meetings in Bengaluru. Here are the live updates: 10.05pm: Rahul Gandhi pays tribute at Dr. Rajkumars tomb in Bengaluru. 9.30pm: Every time I meet the people of Chamundeshwari, I am filled with gratitude. For this is my Karmabhoomi, where I began my political journey over 3 decades ago. One last time, I seek your support and blessings.#CongressMathomme pic.twitter.com/fdeN4SZJ2D Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 9, 2018 9pm: PM Modi ends his address at Bidar. 8.59pm: Modi asks people to turn on the flashlights on their phones, saying This a light of vigilance, shining light on Congress misdeeds. 8.58pm: Modi says, In the coming days, Congress will use every tactic and spread lies. Bundles of forms were found in Bengaluru, money was seized in Badami. You must be vigilant. 8.55pm: We need a new Karnataka to build a new India, says Modi. 8.51pm: Modi says Congress work culture is atkana, latkana and bhatkana. 8.50pm: Congress keeps asking what Modi has done but it must tell the people of Karnataka what its government has done in the last five years for the people of the state, PM says. 8.45pm: Modi says his government opened bank accounts for the poor and brought them in financial mainstream. We are working on jan dhan but Congress party works for bhrasht dhan, he says. 8.40pm: We have approved stringent punishments including death penalty for those who commit devilish deeds against women. Such things cannot be tolerated at all, he says. 8.35pm: Modi says, Rapists must not be forgiven. But rapes must not be selectively politicised. When public demands justice in these cases, it is not right to lathicharge them. 8.25pm: When Bhagat Singh, Batukeshwar Dutt, Veer Savarkar, greats like them were jailed fighting for the countrys independence, did any Congress leader go to meet them? But Congress leaders go and meet the corrupt who have been jailed, he says. Modi says Congress leaders believe in photo ops and do not do anything for the countrys betterment. 8.23pm: PM Modi says that the Congress president has pre-announced he will become the prime minister in 2019. They think that the prime ministers seat is reserved for just one dynasty, he says. Those who have only seen pariwaarvaad and vanshvaad do not understand the importance of democracy. That is why they think that no one other than them has the right to become PM. This is an insult to democracy. Only people can decide who will become the PM not naamdaars, says Modi. 8.15pm: Modi says Bidar is the land of Anubhava Mantapa of Bhagwan Basaveshwara, which spreads the messages of democracy, women empowerment, women participation and fighting social evils like casteism. 8.11pm: I met youngsters who would be voting in these elections for the first time. Their energy and enthusiasm is commendable. I urge them to make more and more people aware of voting rights, says Modi. 8.10pm: PM Modi addresses rally in Bidar. 7.15pm: After BJP delegations meeting with EC officials, Smriti Irani says, Voter IDs are proof of voter confidence and to reinstate that the elections to Rajarajeshwari constituency must be countermanded. We have put forward this demand to the Election Commission. 7.14pm: Gandhi remembers veteran actor Dr Rajkumar, whose birth anniversary was observed last month. 7.11pm: Gandhi says that, in 2019, Congress will form government in Delhi and the governments at the Centre and in the state will work together. 7.09pm: Gandhi says, It is no longer beti padhao, only beti bachao from BJPs MLAs. 7.06pm: BJP is privatising education in all the states it rules. Only the rich can afford to educate their daughters in these states, he says. 7.05pm: PM Modi does mann ki baat. But when women try to convey their mann ki baat, the BJP and ABVP muzzle their voices, he says. 7.04pm: Gandhi attacks the PMs silence on the rapes in Kathua and Unnao, and on the atrocities against Dalits. 7.03pm: The situation in the country is deteriorating. Atrocities are perpetrated on Dalits, adivasis and minorities, he says. 6.58pm: Congress chief minister (Siddaramaiah) is the common mans chief minister, while the BJPs is of the corrupt man. The two cannot be compared, Gandhi says. 6.55pm: Referring to the Rafale deal, Gandhi says the Prime Minister paid Rs 1500 crore for the same aircraft for which the Congress had paid Rs 700 crore and also took the contract away from Bengalurus HAL and gave it his minister. 6.49pm: The Congress president says the BJP government has not given Bengaluru even a little bit of money and took three years to list it in the Smart City scheme. 6.46pm: Gandhi says that if Bengaluru continues to progress at this rate, it would overtake California as Silicon Valley no.1. 6.45pm: Americas president said that the only countries that can compete with them is India and China. He would not have said that were it not for Bengaluru, he says. 6.41pm: Rahul Gandhi addresses a gathering in Bengaluru. The whole country looks to Bengaluru for progress, he says. 6.10pm: At his rally, PM Modi says, Why does the Congress need fake voter IDs? What is the Congress trying to do in Karnataka? He says the Congress is afraid of technology and that is why it rakes up the issue of EVM tampering each election. The 21st century is about embracing technology. We have used technology in the working of the government, which has helped bring transparency, Modi says. 6.08pm: A BJP delegation comprising Union ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan and SS Ahluwalia reaches Election Commission over the voter ID issue, reports ANI. 6.01pm: This is a very serious matter. Two people have been arrested as of now, there is a possibility of more arrests. Case is currently being investigated, Kumar says. 5.59pm: On being asked about countermanding the election, the CEO says the decision is up to the Central Election Commission. Sanjiv Kumar says no one had broken into its software system and no new ID cards have been created. Prima facie it is very clear that someone was surveying each house, identifying vulnerable people and collecting the voter IDs, Kumar says. 5.55pm: Meanwhile, at a press conference, the Karnataka Election Commission says that the stash of voter IDs found was a matter of inquiry and investigation. Karnatakas CEO Sanjiv Kumar confirmed that photos and pamphlets of a candidate were found in the apartment where the voter IDs were kept but urged media to not jump to conclusions. 5.43pm: The Prime Minister says he fails to understand why only Modi is the agenda of the Congress only Modi. The Chief Minister was campaigning for a Congress candidate whose name is also Narendra... but he only kept saying Narendra Modi and praised Narendra Modi too. The truth seems to have come out, says PM, referring to Siddaramaiahs gaffe on Tuesday. 5.40pm: Congress is out of the mind and hearts of people. People have rejected their politics, says Modi. 5.36pm: PM Modi begins address at rally in Belagavi. The Prime Minister is not using a translator for this speech. 5.31pm: Siddaramaiah government will resort to all kinds of unscrupulous activities in election. Their ministers are distributing money to influence voters. Fake voter ID Cards were found. EC should take this seriously. Trends are in favour of BJP. We will form government with absolute majority, says Yogi Adityanath. 5.25pm: A BJP delegation comprising Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan will meet the Election Commission today at 6 pm over the issue of voter IDs found in the Bengaluru flat, reports ANI. 5.06pm: Rahul Gandhi visited the Dargah of Hazrat Tawakkal Mastan in Bengaluru. The Congress president also offered prayers at the Anjaneya Swamy Temple in the city. Rahul Gandhi at the Dargah of Hazrat Tawakkal Mastan in Bengaluru. (via ANI) 5.01pm: Congress and JD(S) are supporting each other. This just shows their desperation to win the elections. People are going to vote for the BJP on May 12 and Congress is going to lose, Amit Shah says. 4.55pm: Were going to form government in Karnataka with full majority and are committed to bringing development. Who is Congress to accuse us in the voter ID scam? Their corporator has been arrested, it is their deed, says Amit Shah during the roadshow. Amit Shah holds a road show in Bengaluru. (ANI/Twitter) 4.44pm: BJPs Sambit Patra says, She (Nanjamari) was a BJP corporator. For the past 15 years she has no link with BJP. We demand investigation and immediate countermanding of election in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency. 4.42pm: Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala says, Owner of the flat (in Jalahalli, where voter IDs were found) is Manjula Nanjamari. She was a BJP corporator from 97-02 and continues to be a prominent leader of the BJP. In the last 24 hours, she has been disowned by Karnataka BJP in-charge Prakash Javadekar. 4.30pm: Deputy Election Commissioner, Chandra Bhushan Kumar, to visit Karnataka, reports ANI. 2.50pm: Modi ends his address at Chikmagalur. He will address a public rally in Belagavi at 4pm. 2.45pm: What did the Congress government in Karnataka do to tackle water shortage the farmers face? They did not complete the Upper Bhadra project which the BJP had initiated earlier: Narendra Modi. 2.40pm: Income Tax department conducted raids in Badami. Huge stashes of cash and jewellery were seized. Such acts of Congress are defaming Badami and entire Karnataka: PM Modi. 2.30pm: Congress leaders are out on bail in a Rs. 5000 crore scam. They now question the judiciary and even call for impeachment of the Chief Justice, says PM Modi. 2.25pm: When our army conducts surgical strikes, instead to appreciating the valour of our Jawans, Congress shamefully calls them wrong and asks for proofs, says the PM. 2.21pm: Congress party, after facing defeats in every election, are busy criticizing the EVMs and the Election Commission. For them EVM and EC are wrong and only Congress is right: PM Modi. 2.20pm: Throughout the day, a Congress leader thinks only about one thing - how to be the Prime Minister? Such is the arrogance of the Naamdaars: PM Modi. 2.17pm: Rahul Gandhi says that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay his tribute to BR Ambedkar, he stays quiet when people from SC and ST communities are attacked. People will throw out Narendra Modi and the BJP from Karnataka first, followed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi said. 2.14pm: Congress only wants to remain in power. In 1978, Indira Ji came here, took your votes but never cared for people of this region. Congress never thought about welfare of people of Chikmagalur. Sonia Ji too contested from Bellari, but what happened to promises made in Bellari: PM Modi 2.06pm: Rahul Gandhi in Bengaluru: You shouldve seen Congress. We oppose PM, we speak against him but we respect PMs post. He thinks if he speaks against Congress, against Siddaramaiah, his party will be benefited. But this shows PMs post in a bad light, hell never understand this. 2.04pm: Congress fears defeat in these elections. They are spreading lies that there would be a hung assembly in Karnataka, says PM Modi. 2pm: PM Narendra Modi begins his address at Chikmagalur. 1.40pm: Sharma says the last night raid was stage managed by the BJP, which is using huge amounts of cash and resources which are at BJPs disposal to influence voters and elections. It wasnt the EC or police but the BJP people who raided the flat belonging to a BJP leader and the tenant is also a BJP leader. 1.36pm: Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma says a party delegation has met the Election Commission alleging malpractices by the BJP and central agencies to subvert free and fair election in Karnataka. 1.25pm: Javadekar says the BJP demands 3 things - immediate countermanding of Rajarajeshwari elections, thorough investigation by cyber security and immediate arrest of flat owner Manjula. 1.20: Union minister Prakash Javadekar holds a press conference, says the Congress philosophy is that if real voters dont vote for you, create fake voters. What happened yesterday is just the tip of the iceberg, says the minister on 9,746 voter ID cards being recovered from a flat in Bengaluru. 1.10pm: Congress president Rahul Gandhi says chief minister Siddaramaiah cares for the poor and the weaker sections of the society. Your demands will be fulfilled, he tells employees of garment industry. He slams demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax for destroying MSMEs. Several women have been rendered unemployed, he says. Congress president Rahul Gandhi holds a roadshow in southern part of Bengaluru on Wednesday. (Arijit Sen/HT Photo) 12.43pm: Shah raises fake voter card issue, accuses the Congress of trying to win election on the basis of bogus voter cards and money. 12.42pm: BJP chief Amit Shah says the Siddaramaiah government has become a symbol of corruption. His government is known as 10% commission government, says Shah. 12.35pm: Supreme Court will hear on Thursday Rashtriya Hindu Sena chief Pramod Muthaliks plea seeking directions to Election Commission to delete alleged appeal seeking votes in name of religion in Congress manifesto. Muthalik also seeks disqualification of Congress candidates who allegedly seek votes in name of religion in Karnataka elections, according to a PTI alert. 12.24pm: BJP chief Amit Shah addresses a rally in Tumkur, says the BJP will form government with absolute in the state. 12.08pm: Amidst row over recovery of fake voter cards from a flat in Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency of Karanataka, BJP leader and owner of the flat Manjula Nanjamaris son rebuffed allegations that he was the tenant of the flat, ANI reports. 12.05pm: Rashtriya Hindu Sena chief Pramod Muthalik has moved Supreme Court claiming that Congress manifesto seeks vote in the name of religion and thus all Congress candidates should be disqualified from contesting the Karnataka assembly elections. 11.58am: Before the last Karnataka elections, the Congress had promised to make Mallikarjun Kharge the chief minister. But the party made a deal and disregarded the son of a Dalit mother. 11.54am: The Prime Minister alleges that the Congress gave Bharat Ratna awards to one family, but ignore Dr Ambedkar. 11.53am: Had Ambedkar not written the Constitution, a tea seller could not have been a Prime Minister, says Modi. 11.50am: The Congress has humiliated Dr Ambedkar, says the PM. 11.48am: When BJP was contesting under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Congress was alleging that the BJP would amend the Constitution and end reservation system. Vajpayee became the PM thrice but did the party change the Constitution or end reservation, asks Modi. 11.47am: The Prime Minister says the Congress has done nothing for the Dalit community. Before every election they spread lies to the Dalit community. 11.42am: Naamdaar culture in Congress is not limited to Delhi but also in every lanes, says Modi. 11.38am: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi holds a roadshow in Bengaluru. Congress President Rahul Gandhi holds roadshow in Bengaluru's Basavanagudi. #KarnatakaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/0dA4cFG98y ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018 11.30am: Veerappa Moily is a big leader, a big face in the Delhi. What he said needs attention, says Modi. Modi refers to senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moilys tweet suggesting money plays a role in his party deciding who gets the ticket for upcoming elections in Karnataka. Moily, however, denied posting it, saying: I have not done it. 11.28am: Congress is only interested in deals. And, I am not saying this...it is a Congress MP and former CM Shri Moily who said this. When tickets were sold, he said that Congress will have to solve their money problem and also blamed the PWD Minister for deal-making, says the PM. 11.23am: To remove Modi, there are big meetings being held. How will the big leaders who attend these meetings react to this sudden announcement by one Naamdaar that he is going to be PM, says the Modi. 11.20am: Modi targets Congress president Rahul Gandhi, terms his declaration of becoming the PM as arrogance. He came like those bullies, barging his way ahead when there are others who have so many years of experience. How can someone just declare himself as the PM? This is simply nothing but arrogance, says the PM. 11.14am: When I am making toilets at such a large scale, am I making them for the rich? No, it is only for the poor. Those born with golden spoons will never understand the aspirations of the poor, says the PM. 11.12am: During the Manmohan Singh government, the remote control was with Sonia Gandhi. However, in the four years of the NDA government, the remote control has been 125 crore people of the country, says the PM. 11.10am: The Congress patronises courtiers who only bow to Delhi not the aspirations of the people. Karnataka does not need such a party in the government, says the PM. 11.08am: There are six Cs that the Congress has brought on the nation and these are the evils Congress stands for: Congress culture, communalism, casteism, crime, corruption, contract system. 11.05am: Congress has not done justice to the aspirations of the people of Karnataka, says the PM. 11.02am: The country has figured out Congress culture very well, says Modi, urging people to vote the Congress out in the May 12 elections. 11am: The election is not limited to victory or defeat. It will decide the future of Karnataka, says Modi. 10.56am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his address at a rally in Bangarapet. 10.53am: The Congress is constantly under the surveillance of BJP government. This is the 12th time I am fighting elections but for the first time, these raids are being conducted at the time of elections. They are misusing government machinery, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. 10.52am: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah reacts to fake voter card issue, says its the Election Commissions job to investigate. I dont have to say anything about it, ANI quoted Siddaramaiah saying. 10.30am: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is scheduled to hold meetings in Hubali, at Rattihalli Ground and Sahakarnagar in the city. 10am: Chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar says 58,000 booths have been set up out of which 600 will be fully run by women and ten plus booths will be run by the disabled people. * The Election Commission at a press conference on the early hours of Wednesday filed an FIR on finding counterfoils and 9,746 voters ID cards in the Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly seat in the southern suburb. * EC press meet came after a series of tweets by BJPs Sadanand Gowda who alleged that 20,000 voter IDs were under the control of the Congress candidate from Rajarajeshwari Nagara, Munirathna Naidu, and demanded an investigation into the matter. * Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the flat where the voter IDs were found belonged to a BJP leader Manjula Nanjamari who has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP (Bengaluru civic body) elections on a BJP ticket. * On Tuesday, UPA chairperson and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi addressed her first election rally in nearly two years, criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modis policies and alleged intolerance while campaigning in Karnataka. Chamarajanagara district in the southernmost tip of Karnataka has a notoriety attached to it. A number of politicians believe that visiting this place leads them to lose power, which is why they avoid it. This superstition started after Devraj Urs, then a powerful CM visited the place and lost power. This reminds one of the so-called Noida jinx that keeps Uttar Pradesh ruling politicians away from the urban hub abutting Delhi as they believe a visit here may end up in their losing power Urs wasnt the only one to fall to the jinx. Gundu Rao, Ramkrishna Hegde, S R Bommai and Veerandra Patil, all lost power after visiting Chamarajanagara. Such was the fear that when Chamarajanagara was carved out as a separate district from neighbouring Mysuru, its inauguration by an supposedly rationalist then CM of Karnataka J H patel was done from the safe confines of M M Hills. So, last week when Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally in Santhemarahalli, on the outskirts of Chamarajanagara it set tongues wagging. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah taunted Modi that he is superstitious and thus chose not to enter the district but address a rally on the outskirts. Siddaramaiah himself has visited the district 10 times since becoming the CM. BJP leaders say the location chosen for the rally had nothing to do with the alleged curse but because they wanted the PM to impact the adjoining Mandya and Mysuru districts too. Party leaders also claim that there was no ground big enough within the district. Chamarajanagara borders Tamil Nadu and is known for its famed Male Madheswara Hills (notable for its Shivaite temple as well as being the occasional hideout for notorious dacoit Veerapan). Despite its proximity to Mysuru, the erstwhile capital of the state, Chamarajanagara is one of the more backward districts in the state. Shunning Noida Superstition has scared away successive Uttar Pradesh chief ministers from visiting Noida. But last year, chief minister Yogi Adityanath braved the jinx to become the first chief minister in eight years to visit the town. Mayawati was the last chief minister, before Adityanath, to visit Noida. However, she lost the subsequent state assembly elections in 2012. The Noida jinx, in the past, has caught up with several chief ministers, including Veer Bahadur Singh, Narayan Dutt Tiwari and Kalyan Singh. Akhilesh Yadav played it safe and even inaugurated infrastructure projects in Noida through videoconferencing from Lucknow due to the jinx. The Kerala government on Wednesday announced a package deal, including a house and lump sum payment of up to Rs 5 lakh, for all those Maoists, who are willing to surrender and reintegrate themselves into the mainstream. This decision was taken at the weekly cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, a statement issued by the Chief Ministers office, adding the main reason for coming out with this package is to help all those who fell into the trap of the Maoists and joined them. But the rehabilitation package will have all the necessary safeguards to ensure that there will be strict monitoring as no one will be allowed to get away after getting all the benefits. Through this package we wish to see that such people are gainfully employed, it said. The package has been formulated, based on the status of the surrendering Maoists, who have been divided into three categories of A, B and C. Category A are those who hold high ranks in the hierarchy and will be given Rs 5 lakh each, while those in the other two categories would be given Rs 3 lakh - in instalments. Apart from the instalment payments, special allocation of Rs 25,000 would be paid to those who get married, Rs 15,000 for those who wish to study and Rs 10,000 for three months would be given to all those who attend for vocational training to equip themselves to make them employable. The package also includes a payment of maximum of Rs 25,000 for surrendering their AK 47 guns and lower amounts for other guns, rifles and pistols. Even though there have been reports of presence of Maoists in the forest areas in certain districts like Wayanad, Idukki and Malappuram, police have not been able to make much inroads into their territories to break their strength and hence a rehabilitation package has been announced in the hope that the ultras will make use of this amnesty. Uncertainty continued on the release of incarcerated Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on a five-day parole to attend his elder sons wedding in Patna on May 12 as the Jharkhand government on Wednesday sought more clarifications from authorities concerned before taking a final decision on the leaders plea. Media reports had earlier claimed that Lalu was granted parole to attend his son Tej Pratap Yadavs marriage in Patna on May 12. Inspector general (Jail) Harsh Mangla said, Parole hasnt been granted yet as the matter is still under consideration. Lalu on Tuesday had applied before the jail authorities for temporary release on parole for five days from May 10 to May 14. Till Wednesday evening, formalities for grant of parole remained embroiled in official paper work. Even if he is granted parole on Thursday morning, the RJD chief would be able to reach Patna not before late evening as there is only evening flight to Patna from Ranchi. Given his medical condition, chances of Lalu travelling by road seems bleak. Tej Pratap Yadav is set to tie the knot with Ashwariya Rai, the granddaughter of former Bihar chief minister Daroga Rai and daughter of senior RJD leader and MLA Chandrika Rai. The RJD chief has been serving jail terms here at the Birsa Munda Central Jail since December 23 last year after his convictions in three different fodder scam cases. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi. Before taking a decision for his temporary release, the jail authorities had sought legal opinion from advocate general Ajit Kumar, who opined that the government could accede to his request. The jail authorities had also sought report from RIMS medical board, which declared him fit to travel along with a doctor, said RJD legislator, Bhola Yadav, Prasads close associate, who is looking after his legal cases. Yadav further clarified, We are still waiting for the final approval from the government. Earlier, Prasad had applied for provisional bail on health grounds before the Jharkhand high court. His petition is likely to come up for hearing on May 11, a day before his sons wedding. The Birsa Munda Central Jail authorities, on March 17, had shifted Prasad to RIMS after he complained of discomfort and chest pain. Later, the RIMS authorities referred him to AIIMS, New Delhi, for specialized treatment. Prasad was referred back to the RIMS after getting treatment for nearly one month at AIIMS on May 1. Prasad had been diagnosed with 15 different diseases including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, peri-anal abscess and acute kidney injury on chronic kidney disease. (This copy has been updated with latest developments) As he embarks on his third visit to Nepal on Friday, a key element of Prime Minister Narendra Modis focus will be engaging with all political streams in Nepal, including, but not confined to, the elected government of the day, and sending signals of support and reassurance to all, said a person familiar with the planning of the visit. This is a working visit. The PM will focus on bilateral projects and steps needed on both sides to expedite it. But another element will be political engagement with all sides, the person said on condition of anonymity. This engagement will take place at four levels. The PM will extensively interact with his host, Prime Minister KP Oli, with whom India shared difficult ties in the past. It was during the congratulatory call after he got elected that Oli invited Modi to come to Nepal soon, and Modi had promised he would do so. Oli stuck to tradition and made India his first foreign port of call in April after becoming PM. Such a quick reciprocal visit, in just over a month is unusual for Modi. It signals the PMs personal commitment to working with the elected government of the day in Kathmandu, said the person quoted above. Oli had long requested a one-on-one meeting with Modi, without the presence of any official, and got it in Delhi. Trust-building with Oli began with Sushma Swarajs visit before he had taken over, his own visit, and the one-on-one meeting. The PMs visit will deepen it, said the person cited above. But the prime minister will also meet other key stakeholders in Nepals polity. The Nepali Congress, the key opposition force, has sent messages to Delhi that it believe that in its outreach to Oli, India has neglected its older allies, two NC leaders confirmed. Modi will meet NC president and former PM, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and his party representatives. We will assure NC that India plans to maintain all its old contacts and relationships. We believe they are vital participants in Nepali democracy, the person said But if the opposition has expectations that India will undermine the elected government, or play politics, this will not happen, he said. Modi will also have a goodwill meeting with Olis key ally Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre). Maoists and Olis party, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) are discussing a possible merger, but this has got delayed. India, the person quoted above said, is agnostic on this and believes it is entirely up to the two parties concerned. Modi will finish off his balancing act from where he starts: the southern plains, Tarai. It was due to concerns of the Madhesi population of the plains about the constitution demands India sympathised with that Delhi-Kathmandu ties nosedived. Large sections of the hill population were upset with Indian backing for Madhesi protests at the border which crippled essential supplies. But as Delhi mended ties with Kathmandu, Madhesis began harbouring a sense of resentment that India had dropped their cause. The fact that Modi is beginning his visit from Janakpur in Province 2, a Madhesi-dominated province, is itself a signal and symbolic recognition of the importance India accords to them. said the person quoted above. At a public reception, Modi is expected to speak about the historic ties between the two countries and societies. But while promising development cooperation, Modi will be careful not to push any formulation which is seen to undermine the establishment in Kathmandu. We are conscious that this is a federal system. And any assistance we announce has to be routed through the centre in Kathmandu, the person involved in planning the visit added. Modi will also meet the leaders of the two prominent Madhesi parties and convey a message that Madhesi forces should remain united. Explaining the multi-pronged engagement, Ranjit Rae, former Indian ambassador to Nepal, said, While it is important to engage with the government of the day and give impetus to bilateral relationship, India cannot be seen as partisan in Nepal. Governments come and go; we cannot take a short-term view. It must engage with all stakeholders, and have meaningful conversations with all. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said there was no contest between his partys government in Karnataka and the previous BJP regime in the southern state as regards corruption, adding that the saffron partys rule wins hands down. Gandhi took to Twitter to draw a comparison between the Congress government in Karnataka and the previous BJP regime (2008-13) in the state, with the help of figures to show that his partys rule was better on all counts. In Karnataka, Congress Vs BJP is a "no contest" as this graphic shows. pic.twitter.com/uwpOd4Vz3I Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 9, 2018 In Karnataka, when it comes to corruption, its a No Contest as this graphic shows. The BJP wins hands down! (sic), he tweeted, along with two sets of graphics. In Karnataka, when it comes to corruption, its a "No Contest" as this graphic shows. The BJP wins hands down! pic.twitter.com/nP578fLJzC Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 9, 2018 The graphics claimed that the Congress was the top job creator in the country, the Anna Bhagya scheme of the partys government in Karnataka was feeding four crore people, the Ramthal Marol, Asias largest drip irrigation project, and the worlds largest solar power park were built by the party and that it had also waived the loans of 22 lakh farmers, amounting to Rs 8,165 crore, in the southern state. On the other hand, the graphics pointed out that during the BJP rule in Karnataka, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa was jailed in connection with the denotification scam, Indias largest political poaching scandal Operation Kamala was unearthed during the saffron partys rule, it had pioneered cashless corruption by taking bribes in cheques, former state minister Krishnaiah Setty was jailed in a land grab case, while the Reddy brothers were jailed in a Rs 35,000-crore mining scam. Who works better? Congress government of 2013-18 or BJP government of 2008-13. Numbers speak for themselves. Choose right. Vote Congress, the graphics said. The second set of graphics claimed that while the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had created 53 lakh jobs in Karnataka, only 26.64 lakh jobs were created during the BJP regime. It also claimed that while the Congress had given loans worth Rs 12,000 crore to farmers and completed 42.3 kms of Namma Metro, the BJP had sanctioned farm loans worth Rs 6,560 crore and completed only 6.7 kms of the metro works. It also claimed that the Congress had built 15.5 lakh houses as against the 11.3 lakh during the BJP regime and the budget outlay of the current government was Rs 2,09,181 crore in 2018, while in 2013, it was Rs 1,17,005 crore under the BJP. It also claimed that the Congresss achievements were more than those of the BJP as regards creation of MBBS seats, road construction, grant of scholarships to OBCs and building toilets. The 224-member Karnataka Assembly goes to the polls on May 12 and the results will be declared on May 15. The Congress is seeking to retain power in the southern state, while the BJPs aim is to unseat the Congress in Karnataka. The Election Commission of India filed a first information report (FIR) early on Wednesday after over 9,000 voter ID cards and counterfoils were found in an apartment in Bengalurus Jalahalli area ahead of the May 12 assembly polls, sparking off a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. An FIR is being registered after nearly 9,746 voter cards were found in a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency along with around one lakh counterfoils resembling acknowledgement slips used for addition of names into electoral rolls, the states chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar told reporters late on Tuesday. Kumar said he went to the flat owned by a person called Manjula Nanjamuri after media reports and a decision would be taken after an investigation. ... We found 9,746 EPIC photo identity cards wrapped in small bundles bearing names, addresses and phone numbers. We have found five laptops which have photographs of a candidate, he said. Kumar said as per the preliminary verification the ID cards are of actual electors and appear to be genuine. He, however, added that the significance of the counterfoils can only be verified after due investigation. One printer and two large steel trunks with counterfoils strips resembling acknowledgement slips of Form 6 used for new addition of names onto the electoral rolls were also recovered from the apartment during the raid. These may be numbering around a lakh. There is a need for further verification and inquiry. These have photographs and a printed number in magenta colour which is different than the officially available Form 6 which has no printed number, Kumar said. Further investigation will be conducted into the matter and will be closely monitored by the EC, he said. Both the Congress and the BJP levelled charges against each other over the seizures. Union ministers Ananth Kumar and Prakash Javadekar said the BJP suspected senior Congress leaders of being involved in the incident. We demand that the ECI countermand the elections. Munirathna Naidu, the RR Nagar Congress candidate, who says he is inspired by chief minister Siddaramaiah, was behind this, minister Kumar said. However, in a rebuttal to the BJPs charges, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the opposition party had staged the episode to divert attention. Apartment No 115 from where the ID cards were recovered belonged to a BJP corporator, Nanjamuri. The BJP leadership is lying and trying to disassociate itself from its ex-corporator Manjula, he said. There are 435,439 electors in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency with an Elector Population (EP) ratio of 75:43. During the last Special Summary Revision, 25,825 additions were made and 19,012 additions were done during Continuous Updation and there has been a deletion of 8,817 voters. (With agency inputs) A constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra said on Wednesday that Parliamentary Standing Committee reports can be examined by courts for evaluating evidence, brushing aside the Centres contention that it would amount to encroaching on the domain of the legislature. The admissibility of a parliamentary report would not, however, mean that the facts stated in it stand proven. The facts would need to be supported by evidence, the court said. There can be no dispute that a parliamentary standing committee report, being in the public domain, is a public document. Therefore, it is admissible under Section 74 of the Evidence Act and judicial notice can be taken of such a document as envisaged under Section 57(4) of the Evidence Act. There can be no scintilla of doubt that the said document can be taken on record. As stated earlier, it can be taken aid of to understand and appreciate a statutory provision if it is unclear, ambiguous or incongruous, SC said. The issue over the admissibility of a parliamentary standing committee report arose in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by social activists challenging the Drugs Controller General of India and the Indian Council of Medical Researchs (ICMR) approval of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine in the country for cervical cancer patients. The approval was given despite a parliamentary standing committee report opposing the use of the vaccine, manufactured by two GlaxoSmithKline Asia Private Limited and MSD Pharmaceuticals Private Limited. The petitioners moved the court, seeking a ban on the use of the vaccine. According to them, several women had died in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh after they were administered the vaccine during a pilot immunization camp. The petitioners had relied upon the parliamentary standing committee report to oppose the vaccine. The Centre and pharma companies opposed the petitioners reliance on the report, saying it would breach parliamentary privileges. The dispute was referred to a constitution bench which, without going into the merits of the vaccines quality ,decided on the larger issue of parliamentary privileges. Parliamentary standing committee report can be taken aid of for the purpose of interpretation of a statutory provision wherever it is so necessary and also it can be taken note of as existence of a historical fact, the court held. However, it cannot be impinged or challenged in court. A published parliamentary standing committee report is in the public domain. Quoting from it would not constitute breach of parliamentary privilege, but no member of Parliament or person can be made liable for what is stated in the course of proceedings before the committee or for a vote tendered and given, the court held. The Madhya Pradesh forest department has put on hold an ambitious plan to use Pardi tribals to catch and castrate Nilgais (blue bulls) to control their population in the wild after its spectacular failure. The menace of wild Nilgais damaging crops in vast tracts in Malwa region had prompted the forest department to devise this plan. They had roped in Pardi tribals because of their reported skills in tracking and trapping animals in the wild. A workshop was held in Ujjain a couple of months back and 40 Pardi tribals were included in the team to catch the Nilgais. The plan was to capture over 1000 animals. But over the last month, several attempts by forest department officials in various spots in Ujjain division to trap Nilgais with nets failed. In one case, the Pardis did manage to trap three Nilgais, but these males which can weigh up to 250 kg, were so powerful that they tore the net and escaped before the Pardis and the forest team could reach the site. In another case, they managed to catch a female, which was of no use. In most of the cases, the Nilgais managed to evade the traps laid by the Pardis. Chief conservator of forest (CCF) B S Annigeri conceded that their attempts to trap the Nilgais with nets had failed. The nets that we used were not strong enough and they managed to escape, he said referring to the three animals which tore the net to escape. Annigeri said that the time too was not right. Most of the crop has been cut and it is open fields and the Nilgais who prefer to stay on top of hillocks were able to spot the team and run away. So we have put the project on hold and we may re-launch it when there is more cover in the open, he said. However a wildlife expert, who did not want to be named, said the project was flawed from the beginning. The Pardis might be expert in tracking and trapping birds and animals in the wild, but in most cases they are small animals like hare, small deer etc. They dont have experience in handling big animals. But he also conceded that that it was better to have tried something new rather than not doing anything at all. This is not the first time that the attempts have been made to catch wild Nilgais and relocate them to sanctuaries. But the earlier exercise had proved very expensive and was widely criticized. In December 2016 the forest department caught 27 Nilgais in the Mandsaur district. The animals were herded with the help of horses and in one case a helicopter into a funnel shaped enclosure and onto a truck and transported to the Gandhi Sagar sanctuary. However, the exercise cost the government nearly Rs 42 lakhs, according to a written reply given by the forest minister Gauri Shankar Shejwar in the Assembly. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, has certain provisions which allow the Centre to move wild animals from Schedule II, III and IV category to the Schedule V category of the Act (vermin) for a certain period. Those animals that damage crop, kill livestock or are a threat to people by spreading diseases can be declared vermin, paving the way for their culling for a limited period. However, Madhya Pradesh, unlike Bihar has decided not to go in for culling and instead have chosen to try various methods to capture these animals and control their population. The Election Commission on Wednesday sent a special observer to Karnataka to probe the seizure of over 9,000 voter ID cards and counterfoils from an apartment in Bengalurus Jalahalli area in the poll-bound state, an official said. The Election Commission received an email from the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and a delegation of Congress leaders also submitted a memorandum on Wednesday about the incident. So a special observer has been dispatched to conduct a probe and submit a report, the official aware of the developments said. The report is expected by Wednesday night or early on Thursday, the official added. The states chief election officer confirmed the recovery of the voter ID cards from a flat in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency but the commission is waiting for a formal report on the issue. Both the Congress and the BJP levelled charges against each other over the seizures ahead of the May 12 assembly polls. The BJPs president Amit Shah accused the Congress of trying to win the elections on the basis of bogus voter cards and money. Union minister Prakash Javadekar said the BJP has demanded an immediate countermand of Rajarajeshwari elections, a thorough investigation by cybersecurity departments personnel and the immediate arrest of Manjula Nanjamuri, from whose flat the cards were seized. A BJP delegation comprising Union ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan will meet officials of the poll body at 6pm. The Congress, on its part, said the raid was stage managed by the opposition party in the state. Party leader Anand Sharma, who went to meet the poll panels officials on Wednesday with the memorandum, said the flat belonging to a BJP leader was raided not by the poll body or police but the supporters of the saffron party. He added that the flats tenant was also a leader of the BJP. Sharma also alleged that the BJP is using cash and resources to influence voters and the elections. The Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for not being able to protect the iconic Taj Mahal, and asked about the steps being taken to prevent the Mughal structure from being destroyed by insects and algae. A bench of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta was concerned after the ASI told it that the Taj Mahal was getting infested by insects which breed in the stagnant water of the Yamuna river that flows by the monument. The ASI, which is in-charge of maintaining and repairing monuments, also told the bench that algae are a big problem and all those monuments which are on the river bank faces similar issues. The bench asked how could the algae reach the higher reaches of the Taj Mahal. The ASI replied: It flew there. Can algae fly, asked the court. The ASI also told the court that the Taj Mahal floor at several places was dirty, because all the people walking on it do not use socks. We provide socks only to the VIPs, others use their own socks, it told the court. The Taj floor was also getting discoloured. The bench pulled up the ASI saying the situation would not have been so if it had taken steps to prevent it. The problem is that the ASI is not willing to accept that there is a problem. This situation would not have arisen if the ASI had done its job. We are surprised with the way the ASI is defending itself, the top court said. Perhaps we need to examine solution to prevent the decay of the Taj Mahal without the ASI, the bench said. Additional Solicitor General ANS Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) was already considering the top courts suggestion to appoint international experts to look into the issue of protection and preservation of the 17th century mausoleum. The Uttar Pradesh government said it would place before the court a draft of vision document on protection and preservation of the Taj Mahal that was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The government said it was also trying to take care of the environment around the structure so that the historic monument could be there for another 400 years and not just for a generation. The Centre said it would consider the top courts suggestion to take the assistance of Indian experts or from abroad to see the extent of damage and whether it could be reversed and the steps that could be taken to check them. The court has been hearing a plea filed by environmentalist MC Mehta seeking protection of the Taj from the ill-effects of polluting gases and deforestation in and around the area. A key district in the Afghan province of Baghlan, where seven Indians were abducted on Sunday, has fallen to the Taliban, increasing concerns about security in the region. The Taliban overran Tala Barfaak district in the northern province on Tuesday after fighting left at least 15 Afghan troops dead. Another 100 troops were reported missing, Afghan media quoted local MP Muhammad Azim Muhseni as saying. The Taliban also seized weapons and armoured vehicles. Two other districts were seized by the militants in the past fortnight and several more have been threatened, according to The Long War Journal, which closely tracks the security situation in Afghanistan. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced that the district centre and police headquarters in Tala Barfaak had been overrun by the groups fighters on Tuesday. Tala Barfaak district governor Ismail Barfaki told Tolo News channel that roads to the district were closed after the Taliban attacked different routes on Tuesday. He said dozens of Taliban fighters had come from across Samangan, Kunduz and Baghlan provinces to fight government forces in the area. Though no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction of the Indians, Afghan officials have blamed the Taliban. The Indians were kidnapped from Bagh-e-Shamal area area of the provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri and are now believed to be in the Dand-e-Shahabuddin area. Observers believe the worsening security situation in Baghlan could complicate efforts to rescue the Indians, all engineers who were working on power projects. During a meeting with Indias new ambassador Vinay Kumar in Kabul on Monday, Afghan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani said security forces would not spare any efforts to secure the release of the engineers. The Maoists shot dead two villagers in Chhattisgarhs insurgency-hit Rajnandgaon district after accusing them to be police informers, an official said on Wednesday. Ashok Maravi (36) and Guman Singh Dhruve (26) were found lying dead in a pool of blood on the outskirts of village Suktara under the Gandai police station limits this morning,a local police official told PTI. As per the preliminary information, four armed Maoists, including a woman, arrived in the village, located around 80 km from here, on motorcycles last night and forced the two victims to go with them. Maravi and Dhurve were found dead with bullet injuries in front of the government school the next morning, the official said. Maoist pamphlets recovered from the spot claimed that the two were acting as police informers, the official said, while denying that the two had any connection with police. New Delhi on Wednesday chose to tread cautiously on the US decision to dump a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, as foreign policy experts warned of an adverse impact on India. All parties should engage constructively to address and resolve issues that have arises with respect to the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. Experts, however, said the US exit could lead to strategic and security realignments in the region that would hit Indias interests as Iran is its third largest oil supplier and a vital strategic partner. US President Donald Trump said late on Wednesday Iran sanctions would go into effect very shortly. The return of sanctions on Iran could also put pressure on fuel prices that would affect the economy that is already feeling the pinch of rising crude prices. Such sanctions always impact oil trade as well investments but there is time to think about alternatives, said Talmiz Ahmad, former diplomat and an expert on West Asia and energy diplomacy. Not just crude but Iran is also key to Indias transport corridor to Afghanistan and Central Asia that bypasses Pakistan. New Delhi would wait and see how other countries react to US decision and the steps Trump administration would take in coming months, an official in the external affairs ministry said on condition of anonymity. But experts were quick to point out the fallout. After Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis visit to New Delhi in February, the first by an Iranian president in 10 years, India agreed to increase its oil import. It is expected that the imports would be in the range of 398,000 barrels per day in 2018-19. Tehran supplied 18.4 million tonne of crude to India between April 2017 and January 2018. The US still controls the international financial and banking systems. So its about not being able to make payments through the banking channels once the US sanctions kicks in. Unless of course the European countries now devise a system to circumvent this, said Ahmad. Then there is the danger of secondary sanctions through which Trump administration can prevent foreign countries from accessing the US market unless they go along with the sanctions. The US sanctions will likely impede Indias transportation corridor to Afghanistan and Central Asia via Iran, including completion of the Chabahar port modernisation project, strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney said. Chabahar is a key connectivity project in which India is heavily invested with strategic intent. It gives India sea access to Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan. Both Chellaney and Ahmad said the US decision was fraught with unforeseen circumstances that would have a bearing on India and regional stability. Trump is using the nuclear-deal withdrawal to destabilise and oust the Iranian regime. This will have adverse security implications for the region and for India in particular, said Chellaney. It would compound Indias foreign-policy challenges. First, the US will likely ease pressure on Irans neighbour Pakistan, which could become a staging ground for covert US operations into Iran, he said. The US preoccupation with Iran and West Asia would allow China more space to pursue its recidivist actions. The Obama administrations along with the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany had in 2015 reached an agreement with Iran that lifted sanctions in return for Tehran limiting its nuclear programme. Congress president Rahul Gandhi sounded confident of victory in the Karnataka elections on Wednesday and kept up his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of promoting corruption and depriving Bengaluru of jobs. Gandhi also alleged that the BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), wanted to stop reservations for government jobs and university seats, but said the Congress will not allow them to do that. A day after he declared that he was ready to be Indias prime minister if the Congress emerged as the largest party in Parliament in the 2019 general election, Gandhi said at a rally in the state capital that the BJP will be rejected in Karnataka and other poll-bound states before the party is finally evicted from the Centre. In 10 days, the result will be clear. First, we will remove you from Karnataka. Then, from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and finally, people will remove the BJP from India, he said. Gandhi said Modi actually insulted the people of Karnataka when he claimed that nothing had happened in the state. Wherever Modi goes, he says nothing happened in 70 years. Didnt you, your parents make Bangalore? Wasnt HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd made by your parents? Bengaluru became the IT (information technology capital... long before Modi came to power, he said. Gandhi accused Modi of depriving Bengaluru of job opportunities by taking away the decision to procure 36 Rafale fighter planes in fly-away condition from Dassault Aviation of France, cancelling an earlier agreement under which HAL would have manufactured some of the aircraft in India. The government has denied that any joint venture agreement existed between HAL and Dassault. HAL has the expertise but Rafale contract has been taken away, resulting in millions of job losses in Karnataka, he said. Gandhi mentioned the suspected bank fraud carried out by jewellers Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi before they flew abroad, and alleged attacks on Dalits and tribals to target the Prime Minister in an election campaign that has become increasingly personal. Throughout the day they spread hatred and lies. Modi said we will give Rs 15 lakh in every bank account (by bringing back black money stashed away abroad), but didnt even deposit Rs 5. He made you queue up at the banks (after demonetisation in November 2016) but gave away Rs 35,000 crore (in the bank scam).. He says he is opposed to corruption. But next to him stands (BJP chief ministerial candidate BS) Yeddyurappa, who spent days in jails, Gandhi said. At his rally in Chikkamagaluru, Modi responded, saying Congress had secured 40-odd Lok Sabha seats with difficulty and lost elections in most states. But look at their arrogance, it is on cloud seven. He (Rahul) is coming here and claiming that he will become PM in 2019. If this is not arrogance what it is? This (Gandhi) family does not have anything to do with democracy...So it keeps looking for every opportunity to negate anything related to democracy, he said. The thunderstorm that hit parts of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday night has claimed 16 lives and left 27 others injured, an official said on Thursday. Four deaths were reported from Etawah, three each from Mathura and Aligarh, two each in Firozabad and Agra and one death each in Hathras and Kanpur Dehat on Wednesday night, UP relief commissioner Sanjay Kumar said. District magistrates of all the affected districts have been directed to provide relief to the victims within 24 hours. The DMs have been asked to assess the extent of damage of crops and send a report to the state government, he said. Kumar said 37 cattle perished while seven houses were damaged in the thunderstorm. Compensation to the families of the deceased and injured as well as those whose houses were damaged and cattle died will be distributed by Thursday evening, he added. Police said 55-year-old Shakuntala Singh was killed after coming in contact with a fallen electricity pole in Mathuras Mant tehsil. The second victim, Bhagwati Singh (38), died after his tractor toppled due to high-velocity winds in nearby Khanjara Bans village. Sixty-year-old Mukhpyari, a resident of Mahawant in Mathura district, was also fatally injured when an electric pole fell on her during the storm. She died in the hospital later. The casualty reported from Hathras district pertained to a 15-year-old boy, who was fatally struck by lightning at Mohabbatpura village. The sub-division magistrate and the circle officer have gone to the village to get more details of his death, said Hathras superintendent of police Sushil Ghule. Firozabad superintendent of police (city) RK Singh reported the death of Rajesh Joshi, a resident of Om Nagar, due to the collapse of an electric pole. Ram Ratan, a 37-year-old resident of Nagla Natholi in Agra district, also died after a tree tore through the roof of his hut. Although the Braj region was bracing for thunderstorms on Tuesday in keeping with weather predictions, Aligarh and Hathras districts witnessed high-velocity winds accompanied by heavy rain only the next evening. Many parts of the Mathura, Agra and Etah districts also came in for stormy weather. A state government officer said the meteorological department had issued a warning for next five days. Thunderstorm accompanied by gusty wind is likely to hit the districts of east and west UP on May 12, he said. On May 13, thunderstorm accompanied with squall is likely at isolated places in UP. Thunderstorm along with high velocity wind is likely to hit various districts of UP on May 14, the officer said. DMs have been asked to remain alert and launch rescue and relief operation whenever required, he added. The India Meteorological Department has come under attack from various quarters for providing inaccurate predictions in recent months. Agra district had recorded as many as 50 casualties in a thunderstorm that swept through northern India on May 2. A similar weather phenomenon on April 11 had killed around 15 people. Incidentally, the previous thunderstorms had also occurred on a Wednesday. In the May 2 storm, 73 people were killed and 91 injured across 23 districts in UP. The death toll across north India was 134, with hundreds more injured. A BJP corporator was shot dead by motorcycle-borne men in Phulpur on Tuesday night. Police have launched a hunt for the accused. Phulpur inspector Awadhesh Pratap Singh said the incident took place while 34-year-old Pawan Kesari, the elected representative of Lochanganj ward, was dropping a friend home after dinner at an eatery in the neighbourhood. The friend, Arif from Sheikhpur Takia village, escaped unhurt. The corporators family has lodged an FIR against four people, two of whom have been identified as Sonu and Pravez Alam. Incidentally, Sonus brother Shehzade was gunned down near a railway crossing in the area a few months ago. Pawans family has alleged political enmity as the motive behind the murder. We are investigating that angle too, among others, said Singh. However, police were unable to confirm the exact number of assailants. Meanwhile, BJP workers staged a demonstration to demand the immediate arrest of the accused. Security personnel have been deployed across Phulpur in large numbers to prevent any untoward incident, senior superintendent of police (Allahabad) Akash Kulhary said, adding that three people have been detained for questioning. Kesari, who was said to be close to deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, sustained two bullet injuries in the chest and head. He was taken to the SRN Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. A woman, identified as Urmila, was also hit by a stray bullet fired by the assailants. She is recuperating at a local hospital. Police said Kesaris post-mortem examination was conducted amid heavy security, after which the body was taken to Phulpur for cremation on Wednesday morning. An Ethiopian national was arrested at the Mumbai International Airport while trying to smuggle 60kg-Miraa (Khat) leaves, a globally banned herbal drug, worth 1.5crore. According to sources, Mohammed Hamza Abdi, 23, was apprehended on his arrival at the airport from Ethiopia on May 4. Security personnel checked his three bags out of suspicion and nearly 60kg of the contraband leaves were seized. After ascertaining that the possession of the drugs is illegal prima facie, and that the act is chargeable under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, he was handed over to the officials of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) and arrested. The leafy plant khat or Miraa acts as a stimulant when chewed. The two main stimulants in khat speed up the users mind and body like a less powerful amphetamine. The drug can make pre-existing mental health problems worse and provoke feelings of anxiety and aggression. A source said on being held, Abdi claimed he has the required phytosanitary certificate, an official document issued by the plant protection organisation of the exporting country to its counterpart of the importing country. However, security officials did not buy his claims as the leaves are banned in most countries, except, Ethiopia, Kenya and Israel. Further probe revealed that Abdi was smuggling the drugs on the instruction of an Ethiopian student studying in Mumbai. Abdi was to get $1000 (roughly 67,373) for this work, said a police source. . A constable with the Mumbai police has sought permission to beg in uniform, saying he cannot support his family as he has not been receiving his salary for the last two months. In his letter to department superiors, police commissioner Datta Padsalgikar and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, constable Dnyaneshwar Ahirrao has asked permission to beg to take care of his ailing wife and manage household expenses. In the letter, Ahirrao, attached to the Local Arms unit, said he had taken leave from March 20 to March 22. However, as his wifes leg got fractured, he could not report to duty when the leave expired, he said. Ahirrao, posted with the security team at `Matoshree, the residence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, claimed that he informed, over phone, his unit in-charge about the emergency leave he was availing of for five days. Following his wifes treatment, he resumed duty on March 28, he said. But following this, he stopped getting the salary, his letter said, without revealing more information. I have to take care of my sick wife, old parents and a daughter. Besides, I have to pay monthly instalment of the loan I have taken. But since my salary has been stopped, I am unable to meet these expenses. So I want permission from you to beg in uniform, the letter said. Ahirrao himself could not be contacted for more details. Vasant Jadhav, deputy commissioner of police, Local Arms Unit, said, The matter comes under the administration department. I cannot comment on it. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Shiv Senas Vinita Rane, 53, was elected the new mayor of Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) on Wednesday. She was elected unopposed as Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Upeksha Bhoir, 27, withdrew the nomination. For the first time in 13 years, the KDMC elected a mayor from Dombivli. BJPs Upeksha Bhoir was elected as the deputy mayor of the civic body on Wednesday in a special general body meeting called for the mayoral elections. Independent corporator Kasif Tanki had also filed the nominations for deputy mayors post but withdrew his nomination. The election process was carried out by Mumbai Suburban District collector Shivaji Jondhale and deputy collector Aparna Somani. Rajendra Devlekar of the Shiv Sena resigned after his two-and-a-half-year stint. Rane after winning the mayoral post said, I will work for the development of the city phase by phase. I have the knowledge of the basic problems in the city and I will try to fix them during my tenure. Wife of Shiv Sena leader Vishwantha Rane, the new mayor is a first-time corportaor. According to the power-sharing agreement between the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party after the 2014 civic elections, the former decided to hold the mayors post for the first four years and the latter for the remainder period. It was also agreed that the deputy mayoral post will go to the BJP for the first four years and the Sena for the last one year. A 15-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted and forced to marry a gangster at gunpoint in Bihars Bhagalpur district last month has finally returned home. A photograph that showed the gangster, 40-year-old Pappu Singh, applying vermillion on the girls forehead while armed men held her at gunpoint went viral on the social media a few days ago. Police reacted by launching a manhunt that sent Singh and his men into a tizzy. The harried gangster brought the girl to his native village on Monday, after which his actual wife whose name remains undisclosed handed her to the police. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the photograph. The alleged abduction occurred on April 18, while the girl a resident of Purnea was visiting her maternal uncles family in Sanhoula village. The gangsters accomplices arrived the same day, and proclaimed that Singh had chosen her for his bride. They took my daughter to a temple where the gangster forced her to participate in all the rituals of a Hindu marriage. His men had their weapons trained on her through it all, the father said in an FIR lodged with the police the same evening. We have formed a special team to arrest the abductors, said Bhagalpur senior superintendent of police Ashish Bharti, adding that Singh is the prime accused in several cases of murder, dacoity and extortion. Bharti said the girl was subjected to a medical examination, after which her statement was recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC before the judicial magistrate. A local court in Ludhiana on Wednesday sentenced a youth to life imprisonment for causing the death of his 16-year-old co-worker by inserting a hose pipe into his rectum in a tyre workshop in May last year. Additional district and sessions judge Jagdeep Kaur Virk also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on the convict, Kashmir Singh, a resident of Vishkarma Colony, Ludhiana. The quantum of punishment was announced the same day the judge held him guilty. A case under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) was registered on May 11, 2017, a day after the incident took place. A complaint was lodged by the victims mother, a resident of Nirmal Nagar in the city, that her son, who worked as a helper at the workshop, Wheel Point, did not return home on May 10 evening. At 10:30 pm, an employee from the workshop came to inform that her son was seriously injured and he could not be brought home, she said. She rushed to the workshop and found her injured son whom Kashmir Singh and the workshop owner were taking to hospital. The victim died during treatment at the hospital. She had also alleged that the workshop owners wife Sartaj Kaur called her after her sons death and asked her to cremate the body before morning so that it is does not become a police case. She had also claimed that she and husband were locked inside the workshop but they managed to get out of there later. Initially, Sartaj Kaur was also named as an accused in the FIR (first information report) but later charges against her were dropped as her involvement could not be established. Vijay Deverakonda of the Arjun Reddy fame celebrates his birthday on Wednesday. Over the last few weeks, the actor has been shooting non-stop in the scorching summer of Chennai and it made him realize what itd be like for general public who work in the sun on a daily basis. Hence, on his birthday today, he has come up with a new idea of distributing ice cream for free to the public. He posted a picture of a van with pictures of ice cream on it and called it The Deverakonda Birthday Truck. He took to Twitter and wrote: A few days of shooting in the Sun made me think of this. What if I got 3 ice cream trucks to drive around the city and give out free ice cream to everyone going about their day in the heat. The traffic cops, the street vendors, students, employees. A few days of shooting in the Sun made me think of this. What if I got 3 ice cream trucks to drive around the city and give out free ice cream to everyone going about their day in the heat. The traffic cops, the street vendors, students, employees. pic.twitter.com/tisrb8Ot6m Vijay Deverakonda (@TheDeverakonda) May 9, 2018 Deverakonda added: I am throwing the city a party, these trucks will be travelling through most of Hyderabad. We will be giving away IceCream to as many as possible nd If you spot them, dont be shy just go and take some Ice Cream. smile and enjoy it. So say Hi to the #TheDeverakondaBirthdayTruck I am throwing the city a party, these trucks will be travelling through most of #Hyderabad. We will be giving away IceCream to as many as possible nd If you spot them, don't be shy just go and take some IceCream:) smile and enjoy it. Vijay Deverakonda (@TheDeverakonda) May 9, 2018 He also asked people, who take his ice cream, to click pictures and share them with him. Deverakonda has an interesting line up of films this year. He plays a crucial role in Savitri biopic Mahanati, which has hit the screens today. He also awaits the release of Taxiwaala, which he has described as a multi-genre film, at its teaser launch last month. Vijay is currently shooting for his Telugu-Tamil bilingual Nota. He also has a film with director Bharat Kamma in his kitty. On the occasion of his birthday on Wednesday, its makers announced that the film has been titled Dear Comrade and released a poster to mark the occasion. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Actor Ashish Sharma is a popular face on Indian television, with shows such as Rang Rasiya and Rab Se Sohna Isshq to his credit. But it was the mythological show Siya Ke Ram, where he portrayed the role of Lord Ram, which made him a household name. It often happens with actors who portray such characters on the small or big screen that people start to associate them with divinity in real life, and Ashish is no exception. Ashish confesses, Ever since the show went on air, it happened a lot [of times]. Many people come and touch your feet, and this is sometimes a little embarrassing. I get calls for events like please come and bless the kids, or in some cases, even to weddings, to bless the couple. I try to steer away from such things. While this adulation certainly is overwhelming, Ashish feels that this, in turn, puts more pressure on the actor to behave in a much more dignified manner, and be in sync with the character which made them popular. It does get a little challenging sometimes. Sometimes, people dont understand the difference between real and reel life. Its your responsibility to not hurt their feelings and beliefs, says the actor. Interact with the author on Twitter/ @RishabhSuri02 US sanctions related to Irans oil exports will kick in on November 4 at the end of a wind down period, after which large buyers such as India might come under American pressure to begin weaning themselves off Iranian oil. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump, while announcing the decision to leave the Iran nuclear deal, said he will order reinstating US nuclear sanctions on the Iranian regime. We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction. India is the second largest buyer of Irans oil. When the sanctions secondary sanctions applicable to foreign companies and entities are fully in place, the US will expect India to go off Iranian oil at the threat of punitive actions that remain undefined, but could include being shut out of the US banking system. We have experienced this before, but though we are wiser from the last experience we are really on uncertain ground here, an Indian official said on condition of anonymity, referring to UN sanctions reinforced by then US president Barack Obama and EU curbs that were lifted after the 2015 deal. Most observers had expected Trump to order to reinstate a sanction on Irans central bank, which was under a waiver related to the nuclear deal. Not the full menu, said a Western diplomat, admitting to have been taken aback. These sanctions will go into effect in two tranches and on two different dates, the US treasury said. They will factor in wind down periods time that countries, businesses and entities will need to end their on-going contracts in Iran. The first wind down period ends on August 6, and sanctions in this category will cover trade in Iranian gold and precious metals, aluminium, steel, coal, Iranian currency and other items. The next sanctions kick in on November 4, covering Iranian shipping, ports, petroleum related goods and products, the Iranian central bank and the entire financial system of the country. As a large importer of Iranian oil, India might be working towards to the November 4 deadline in a situation similar to the one it faced up until the signing of the JCPOA, when it cut its purchases in phases closely monitored and certified by the US state department, having to prove significant reduction every 180 days. As Iran was shut out of the international financial system, it agreed to accept payments in rupees, which it used to buy wheat, pharmaceuticals, rice, sugar, soybeans and others goods from India. But a reported $6.5 billion remained outstanding, which India paid after the JCPOA was signed. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the United States was leaving an international nuclear deal with Iran and it will reinstate powerful economic sanctions on the country as he proceeded to put on notice nations that do business with related punitive measures. This was a horribly one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. It didnt bring calm, it didnt bring peace, and it never will, Trump said. He added his decision will prove the United States does not make empty threats. Trumps decision followed the failure of talks over the presidents insistence that definite limits be placed on Irans nuclear weapons programme going beyond 2030, which has been his key grouse against a deal that he has called a disaster and the worst ever. This is yet another Obama-era international agreement or arrangement that the United States has exited on President Trumps watch so far, following the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris climate accord, both of which he has said he would like to return to under renegotiated terms and conditions. Abandoning the Iran pact was one of the most consequential decisions of Trumps high-stakes America First policy. Iran is the third-largest member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and pumps about 3.8 million barrels per day of crude or just under 4% of global supply. China, India, Japan and South Korea buy most of its 2.5 million bpd of exports. As a major importer of Iranian crude and products, India will have to recalibrate its purchase arrangement. Iran used to be Indias second-largest oil supplier before the first round of sanctions and since 2015 it has been the third, behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq, with plans to aggressively win back its lost position. State-owned refiners in India, who are big importers of Iran oil, have been sympathetic clients drawn to the prospects of a better deal by deeper freight discounts. But that will all change now, once again. The president had said while signing the previous certification in January that it would be the last time he approved a deal he had been critical of going back to the 2016 campaign. Trump has criticised the deal for not being broad enough in scope and long enough in coverage to end Irans nuclear weapon programme in perpetuity, not preventing it from developing ballistic missiles capable of delivering and not punishing it for its support of terrorism in the region. A string of leaders from allied countries that signed the agreement visited Washington DC in recent days to lobby the president to stay in the deal and work towards bolstering it with additional measures. French president Emmanuel Macron went as far as to propose a new deal with Iran, based on four pillars: The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a freeze in perpetuity on Irans nuclear weapons programme, ending work on ballistic missiles and punishing it for malign activity int he region. Trump heard him but gave no assurances. German chancellor Angel Merkel went back with no guarantees either and Boris Johnson, the British foreign secretary, left for home on Monday after a similar meeting with his counterpart secretary of states Mike Pompeo and NSA John Bolton. Americas exit could prove fatal for the agreement even if the other signatories France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany and EU on one side and Iran on the other stayed with it. Trump said the nuclear agreement did not prevent Iran from cheating and continuing to pursue nuclear weapons. It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement, he said. The Iran deal is defective at its core. Trump said he was willing to negotiate a new deal with Iran, but Tehran already has ruled that out and threatened unspecified retaliation if Washington pulled out. Oil prices recouped some losses after Trumps announcement, in a volatile session in which prices slumped as much as 4% earlier in the day. Brent crude futures LCOc1 settled 1.7% lower at $74.85 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 ended the session 2.4% lower at $69.06 per barrel. Wall Street remained in negative territory, while energy stocks cut earlier losses after Trump spoke. Licenses for Boeing Co and Airbus to sell passenger jets to Iran will be revoked, US treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin said, scuttling a $38 billion deal. According to the US treasury, sanctions related to Irans energy, auto and financial sectors will be reimposed in three and six months. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran would remain in the deal without Washington. Nevertheless, Trumps decision to exit the deal could tip the balance of power in favour of hardliners looking to constrain Rouhanis ability to open up to the West. Iran denies it has tried to build atomic weapons and says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. UN inspectors say Iran has not broken the nuclear deal and senior US officials themselves have said several times that Iran is in technical compliance with the pact. Iranian state television said Trumps decision to withdraw was illegal, illegitimate and undermines international agreements. Renewing sanctions would make it much harder for Iran to sell its oil abroad or use the international banking system. Obama described Trumps decision to withdraw from the deal, known formally as the JCPOA, as misguided. I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake, Obama said in a statement. Irans growing military and political power in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq worry the United States, Israel and US Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia. Israel has traded blows with Iranian forces in Syria since February, stirring concern that major escalation could be looming. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a televised address lauding Trumps Iran policy and alluding to the tensions over Syria. Saudi Arabia, Irans arch-foe in the Middle East, and Washingtons other Gulf Arab allies also welcomed Trumps decision. (With agency inputs) Greek police say they have rescued 50 migrants who had been held hostage in northern Greece, allegedly by two Pakistani men who were extorting their families for money. Police said on Wednesday many of the rescued men were in bad physical condition, having been given minimal food and water. One man required hospitalisation for pneumonia and dehydration. The migrants 38 Pakistanis, 10 Bangladeshis and two Sri Lankans had been held in a complex of abandoned buildings east of the city of Thessaloniki, where most had been brought six days ago, although some were more recent arrivals. Authorities were alerted to their plight by relatives who received demands for money for them to be released. Two Pakistani men were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and blackmail, among other charges. Iranian lawmakers have set a paper US flag ablaze at parliament after President Donald Trumps nuclear deal pullout, shouting, Death to America! The impromptu demonstration reflected broad public anger in Iran after Trumps decision, which threatens to destroy the 2015 nuclear accord. While Iranian officials, including the parliament speaker, say they hope Europe will work with them to preserve the deal, many are pessimistic. The lawmakers, including a Shiite cleric, held the flaming flag alight as their colleagues joined their chants. They also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal and stomped on the papers ashes. While U.S. flag-burning is common in Iran and harsh criticism of America has been a staple of Iranian parliamentary politics for years, it was the first time political observers could remember anything being burned inside the parliament itself. The 2015 agreement imposed restrictions on Irans nuclear program in return for the lifting of most U.S. and international sanctions. However, the deal came with time limits and did not address Irans ballistic missile program or its regional policies in Syria and elsewhere. Trump has repeatedly pointed to those omissions in referring to the accord as the worst deal ever. Proponents of the deal have said those time limits were meant to encourage more discussion with Iran in the future that could eventually address other concerns. Late Tuesday night, President Hassan Rouhani said hed be sending Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the countries still in the deal China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. Iran hopes the European Union will pass laws to protect European firms from any potential U.S. sanctions. EU officials have suggested theyll do what they can to salvage the agreement. Still, Rouhani made a point of stressing that Iran, at any time, could resume its nuclear program. So if necessary, we can begin our industrial enrichment without any limitations, the Iranian leader said. Until implementation of this decision, we will wait for some weeks and will talk with our friends and allies and other signatories of the nuclear deal, who signed it and who will remain loyal to it. Everything depends on our national interests. Wednesday morning after the flag burning, parliament speaker Ali Larijani said responsibility for saving the deal fell on the EU and other world powers still in the accord. The period is only a window in which the EU can prove if it has enough weight for settling down international issues or not? he said. Larijani also urged the countrys nuclear department to prepare for resumption of all aspects of nuclear activities. Many Iranians are worried about what Trumps decision could mean for their country. The Iranian rial is already trading on the black market at 66,000 to the dollar, despite a government-set rate of 42,000 rials. Many say they have not seen any benefits from the nuclear deal. Irans poor economy and unemployment sparked nationwide protests in December and January that saw at least 25 people killed and, reportedly, nearly 5,000 arrested. Iraq captured five Islamic State commanders after its intelligence services lured them into crossing from neighbouring Syria, Iraqi state TV reported on Wednesday. The broadcaster said it would give details on the capture of the five later in the day. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said last month he would take all necessary measures against militants based in Syria. The Iraqi air force has carried out several air strikes since last year against Islamic State positions in Syrian territory. Abadi declared final victory last December over the ultra hardline group who overran a third of Iraq in 2014. But the militants still pose a threat along the border with Syria and have continued to carry out ambushes, killings and bombings across Iraq. Malaysias Mahathir Mohamad said the opposition alliance he leads had won enough parliament seats in Wednesdays general election to form the next government, but the count was continuing and official results so far did not back his claim. The Election Commission said some results that had gone viral were unofficial and had not been verified. Of course, political parties can declare whoever (they believe has won), but ... please wait, commission chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah told reporters shortly after midnight. We would like to announce it as quickly as possible as well. Official results showed that, so far, Mahathirs Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) had won 52 of parliaments 222 seats and Prime Minister Najib Razaks ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), had won 42. A simple majority of 112 seats is required by a party or alliance to rule, a number 92-year-old Mahathir said his Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) believed it had won. We believe that from our official counting that theyre left far behind. The likelihood is that they will not be forming the government, Mahathir told reporters, referring to the prime ministers coalition. There was no immediate comment from the ruling coalition. Early results showed that BN had lost seats in key states that have traditionally been its strongholds, raising the prospect that it could be voted out of power for the first time in the countrys six decades of independence from Britain. BN faced a far greater challenge in this election than ever before amid public anger over the cost of living and a multi-billion-dollar scandal that has dogged Najib since 2015. An election-eve opinion poll had suggested that support for BN was slipping and Mahathirs alliance would land the most votes in peninsular Malaysia, home to 80 percent of the population in this Southeast Asian nation. However, under Malaysias electoral system, the party or alliance with the majority of parliament seats wins, and going into the poll most experts had believed that was within the prime ministers reach. Najib dogged by scandal The opposition claimed the contest would be skewed by a revision of electoral boundaries and a decision to hold the poll midweek, which it said would discourage millions from voting. The Election Commission and government dismissed the charges. Malaysias majority ethnic-Malay Muslims have tended to support BN for affirmative-action policies that give them government contracts, cheap housing and guaranteed university admissions. Mahathirs opposition alliance, which counts on urban votes and support from the minority ethnic-Chinese and Indian communities, hoped that with the former leader as its standard bearer it would draw in Malay voters traditionally loyal to BN. However, Mahathir is a polarising figure and many voters are suspicious of him because of his attacks on independent institutions when he was prime minister between 1981 and 2003. Najib has another formidable opponent in former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently serving a five-year prison sentence on a sodomy conviction that has been attacked by human rights groups as politically motivated. Anwar led the opposition in the 2008 and 2013 polls. In an unlikely reconciliation, he has joined hands with Mahathir, who sacked him as deputy prime minister in 1998. Najib, 64, has been buffeted by the scandal over 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund from which billions of dollars were allegedly siphoned off. US attorney-general Jeff Sessions has described the scandal at the fund set up by Najib as the worst form of kleptocracy. The U.S. Department of Justice has filed several lawsuits to seize more than $1.7 billion in assets believed to have been stolen from 1MDB. Najib, who was chairman of 1MDBs advisory board, has denied any wrongdoing and has been cleared of any offence by Malaysias attorney general. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said three American citizens jailed in North Korea have been released and are on their way back home, in a move seen as a goodwill gesture ahead of a historic summit between Trump and Kim Jong-un. Trump tweeted that he would greet the men when they return on Thursday with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in Pyongyang to arrange the planned talks. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health, he tweeted. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018 He added that Pompeo had a good meeting with Kim and said a date and place have been set for the meeting between the two leaders. The Americans, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Tony Kim, were able to walk on the plane without assistance, the White House said. They had been jailed for anti-state activities and placed in labour camps, CNN reported. While Kim Dong Chul had been in North Korean custody since 2015, the other two were arrested in 2017. Their convictions were widely condemned. Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song worked at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which bills itself as the only privately-run university in the North Korean capital. Ahead of his visit, the second to North Korea in six weeks, the US Secretary of State said that he hoped North Korea would do the right thing and release the detainees. South Koreas presidential Blue House welcomed the release of the Americans, saying it would have a positive effect for upcoming negotiations. Blue House spokesman Yoon Young-chan also called upon the North to release six South Korean prisoners. In a statement provided to the BBC, the family of Tony Kim thanked all those who worked towards and contributed to his return home. We also want to thank the President for engaging directly with North Korea, the family added. The Nepal government has said no to China to build the Budhi Gandaki hydroelectricity project that was awarded to a Chinese firm by the previous Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda-led dispensation in 2016. The previous government had also asked China to list the project under the its Belt and Road Initiative, of which Nepal is a part. The decision by the current government on Tuesday came as relief to New Delhi as it fears that investment in Beijing would surpass in Nepal and would lessen Indias clout in Kathmandu. The Prachanda-led government, without any tendering, had decided to award the contract to China Gezhouba Group Company to build the scheme under the engineering-procurement-construction-and-financing (EPCF) model which led to a huge controversy in Nepal. Nepals energy minister Barsha Man Pun on Tuesday announced that the government will call for global tenders to develop the Budhi Gandaki hydroelectricity that is expected to generate 1,200 MW electricity. The total cost of the project is around $2.73 billion. A Punjab-origin man has been jailed for 22 months in the UK for drunken driving. Bipranjit Singh had driven his car into a group of pedestrians while over the drink drive limit in the east Midlands city of Leicester on the arterial Belgrave Road in the city on October 14 last year. Singh, 32, pleaded guilty to the incident at the Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday. He was arrested at the scene at the time of the offence and provided a positive specimen of breath. He was sentenced to 22 months for causing serious injury by dangerous driving and received a two-month concurrent sentence for drunken driving. He was also disqualified from driving for two years. Singh had driven out of a side street and turned onto Belgrave Road, where he mounted the pavement, hitting a woman who was pushing a pushchair. One man suffered minor injuries, while the child in the pushchair was unharmed, but the woman suffered a broken kneecap as a result. Detective constable Aaron Horn of the Leicestershire police said: One of the victims in this case is still suffering as a result of the injuries that she received. The custodial sentence given to Singh should serve as a stark reminder to anyone who thinks that its acceptable to get behind the wheel after having too much to drink. Suicide bombers struck two police stations in Afghanistans capital on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people, including two policemen, and wounding 23, officials said. Interior minister Wais Ahmad Barmak said a total of eight suicide bombers took part in the attacks, one of which was claimed by the Islamic State group and the other by the Taliban. In the first attack, in western Kabul, the attackers hurled hand grenades and blew themselves up, setting part of the station on fire, Barmak said, adding that a third suicide bomber was shot and killed by police. He said two police were killed in the attack and two police and a civilian were wounded. ISIS claimed the attack in a brief statement carried by its Aamaq news agency. The second attack unfolded in the city centre, where a suicide bomber struck the entrance to a police station in order to clear the way for another four bombers. Barmak said two or three more attackers were holed up in a nearby building, trading fire with security forces. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to media. Public health ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said a total of five people were killed and 16 wounded in the attacks, with the toll expected to rise. The Taliban and ISIS frequently target Afghanistans Western-backed government and security forces. Twin suicide bombings claimed by ISIS last week killed at least 42 people, including nine journalists who had rushed to the scene of the first attack. It was the deadliest assault on reporters since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban advanced on a district compound, officials said Wednesday, with one reporting the capture of the northern district by the insurgents and another saying heavy fighting was still underway. Smoke is seen near a building after a blast in Kabul on Wednesday. (Reuters) The battle for the compound in the Bilchirgh district, in the northern Faryab province, came a day after the insurgents captured the district compound in the remote Tala wa Barfak district, in the northern Baghlan province. The Taliban have captured several districts in different parts of the country from Afghan security forces since 2014, when the US and NATO formally concluded their combat mission and shifted to a supporting role. Mohammad Hashim, a member of parliament from Faryab province, said the Taliban captured the district headquarters in Bilchirgh early Wednesday after more than 40 security forces retreated under heavy fire. He said the Taliban also captured several villages nearby. Provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yuresh said the fighting is still underway and that government forces still hold the compound. The Taliban issued a statement saying they control the district and claiming to have killed 10 security forces. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a school being used as a voter registration center, killing eight soldiers in the latest in a series of attacks targeting preparations for elections later this year. Abdul Aziz Beg, head of the governing council in the western Badghis province, said two other soldiers were wounded and one is missing. There are many areas in the province under a high security threat, and this site was one of those areas, he said, adding that the center was some 30 kilometers (20 miles) west of the provincial capital of Qala-e Now. In the eastern Nangarhar province, a rocket fired by insurgents struck a market, killing two people and wounding 19, according to Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor. He said another four other civilians were killed and 15 wounded in a gunbattle in the same district, in which two insurgents were killed and seven wounded. It was unclear who was behind the attacks, but the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are both active in the province. A shell company set up by US President Donald Trumps lawyer Michael Cohen to pay hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels is reported to have received $500,000 from an American firm with links to a powerful Russian businessman. Columbus Nova, a New York-based investment firm which paid Essential Consultants LLC the $500,000, has as its most prominent client a company controlled by Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian billionaire considered close to the Kremlin. Columbus Nova is run by Vekselbergs cousin, Andrew Intrater, who had donated $250,000 to the Trump inauguration fund. Essential Consultants LLC, also received payments from other firms with pending issues before the Trump administration. A total of $4.4 million is understood to have flowed through this company since Trump was sworn in. Cohen used the same shell company to pay Daniels $130,000 in the run-up to the 2016 election to keep quiet about her claims of an affair with Trump. These payments were first disclosed by Michael Avenatti, the lawyer representing Daniels. Several US news publications said they have independently verified these transactions. Cohen has not challenged reports of the new payments into the firm. A lawyer for Columbus Nova has denied Vekselberg or his company Renova has ever had any contractual relationship with Cohen or Essential Consultants. Vekselberg and his firm were among Russian entities sanctioned by the US in April for alleged meddling in the 2016 elections. He was interviewed by special counsel Robert Muellers team at a US airport earlier this year. World powers involved in the Iran nuclear agreement expressed regret Tuesday at President Donald Trumps decision to pull the US out of the landmark pact amid concern the move will undermine efforts to stop the spread of atomic weapons. Signatories to the 2015 deal to curb the Islamic republics nuclear ambitions urged Trump not to fundamentally undermine the UN Security Council-endorsed agreement so that the other parties Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and Iran can continue to respect it. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US presidents decision as a historic move. Netanyahu has long been an opponent of an agreement that he said would never remove the danger of Tehran developing nuclear weapons and whose recent revelations about intelligence showing that Iran has lied about its program was cited by Trump as one reason to pull out. It is with regret and concern that we, the Leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom take note of President Trumps decision to withdraw, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May said in a joint statement after discussing the move. Together, we emphasize our continuing commitment to the (deal). This agreement remains important for our shared security, they said. The three called on Washington to ensure that the structures of the (agreement) can remain intact, and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal. In New York, Russias deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, said we are disappointed at the US announcement. Asked whether the move might heighten tensions in the Middle East, he responded with one word to reporters at UN headquarters: sure. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the nuclear deal a major achievement that has contributed to regional and international peace and security and said he was deeply concerned by the US decision. He called on the other signatories to abide fully by their commitments. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who helps supervise the way Iran and the six world powers implement the deal and settle any disputes, expressed concern about Trumps suggestion that new sanctions might be slapped on Iran. I am particularly worried by the announcement tonight of new sanctions, Mogherini told reporters in Rome, adding that she would consult with Europes partners about any new measures to assess their implications. In any case, the European Union is determined to act in accordance with its security interests and to protect its economic investments, she added. In a message directed to Iran itself, Mogherini said: Do not let anyone dismantle this agreement. It is one of the biggest achievements diplomacy has ever delivered, and we have built this together. In a televised address in Israel, Netanyahu hailed Trumps decision and said that leaving the deal unchanged would be a recipe for disaster, a disaster for our region, a disaster for the peace of the world. Netanyahu said Irans aggression has grown since the deal, especially in Syria, where he says it is trying to establish military bases to attack Israel. Despite the deal, the terrorist regime in Tehran is developing a ballistic missiles capability, ballistic missiles to carry nuclear warheads far and wide, to many parts of the world, Netanyahu said. The precise impact of Trumps decision will probably take some time to decipher. In the short term, US Congress now has about 60 days to decide its next move. Iran can also trigger a dispute mechanism in the agreement, opening a maximum 45-day window for the airing of grievances and to seek a compromise. This could buy three months of valuable time. Overall, Trumps threats have baffled the Europeans. They say the deal is working and note that the International Atomic Energy Agency has now certified 10 times that Iran is in compliance with its obligations. They wonder how breaking this deal would improve things and fear it might only create a dangerous vacuum for Iran to resume its nuclear activities. EU officials also warn that any changes Trump might want to make to this agreement would have to be done on the basis of more for more. They believe Iran is unlikely to accept new constraints without concessions in return. That said, it is still possible to ramp up pressure on Iran over its ballistic missile program or its destabilizing role in regional affairs through other sanctions, which would fall outside the scope of the agreement. Chronology of the Iran nuclear deal after US president Donald Trump announced the US withdrawal from the agreement. (AFP) Just in case US sanctions linked to this agreement do kick in, the EU is weighing how to protect the interests of European businesses working with Iran. The new US ambassador in Berlin late Tuesday began advising German companies to stop doing business in Iran. In a tweet hours after he officially took up his duties, Ambassador Richard Grenell noted that Trump said American sanctions will target critical sectors of Irans economy. German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately, he added. Three Korean-Americans held by nuclear-armed North Korea are expected to be released on Wednesday during a visit by US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Despite years of hostility between Washington and Pyongyang, hundreds of Americans visited North Korea every year until the US state department finally issued a travel ban on the country last September. Americans made the journey to North Korea for a range of reasons, from holidays and business trips to humanitarian work and missionary purposes. Seoul is also pushing for the release of six South Koreans held by Pyongyang including three defectors originally from North Korea, and three Christian missionaries -- the first of whom was detained in 2013. Pompeos visit comes with Trump preparing for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks, as a dramatic diplomatic thaw on the peninsula quickens. These are the US citizens who would soon be free: Kim Hak-song Kim Hak-song had been working for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) undertaking agricultural development work with the schools farm. He was arrested at Pyongyang railway station in May 2017 on suspicion of committing hostile acts against the government, as he was boarding a train headed for his home in Dandong, China. Kim, who is in his mid 50s, was born in Jilin, China, and educated at a university in California, CNN reported, citing a man who had studied with him. He said Kim returned to China after about 10 years of living in the US. PUST was founded by evangelical overseas Christians and opened in 2010. It is known to have a number of American faculty members and students are generally children from the Norths elite. Kim Sang-duk Kim Sang-duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested in April 2017 at the capitals main airport as he tried to leave the country after teaching for several weeks, also at PUST. Kim is a former professor at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China, close to the Korean border. Its website lists his speciality as accounting. South Koreas Yonhap news agency has reported Kim is in his late 50s and said he had been involved in relief activities for children in rural parts of North Korea. It cited a source who described him as a religiously devoted man. In a Facebook post, Kims son said since his arrest his family has had no contact with him. His family said Kim will soon become a grandfather. Kim Dong-chul Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born American businessman and pastor who is in his 60s, was sentenced to 10 years hard labour in April 2016 after being charged with subversion and espionage. He was arrested in October 2015 after he reportedly received a USB stick containing nuclear-linked data and other military information from a former North Korean soldier. In an interview with CNN in January 2016, Kim said he was a naturalised American who had lived in Fairfax, Virginia. He said he once ran a trading and hotel services company in Rason, a special economic zone near the Norths border with China and Russia. A month before his trial, Kim had also appeared at a government-arranged news conference and apologised for attempting to steal military secrets in collusion with South Korea. The South Korean spy agency has denied involvement. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) The World Bank has denied as incorrect media reports in Pakistan that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif allegedly laundered $4.9 billion to India. Pakistans top anti-corruption body, National Accountability Bureau, on Tuesday ordered a probe against the embattled former prime minister and others after reports of his involvement in the money laundering emerged in the media. The World Bank in a statement said, In the past day, there have been media reports citing the World Banks Remittances and Migration Report of 2016. These media reports were incorrect. The World Banks Remittances and Migration Report is an effort by the World Bank to estimate migration and remittances numbers across the world, it said. The report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individuals, said the World Bank, which was issued after media reports cited its annual report for allegations that Sharif laundered USD 4.9 billion from Pakistan to India. In its annual report, the statement said that the World Bank estimates bilateral remittances between countries using the methodology summarised in the World Bank Working Paper 102 South-South migration and remittances by the authors of the report. The World Bank also referred to a statement by the State Bank of Pakistan which rejects estimates of USD 4.9 billion in remittances from Pakistan to India on September 21, 2016, and provides an explanation of the methodology used in the World Bank report and the official remittances numbers. T he multibillion-pound regeneration of Woolwich Arsenal has sparked a furious row over plans to displace scores of small businesses to make way for 750 new homes. Greenwich council is considering plans to continue housebuilding around the historic military site with hundreds of new homes, shops, a new cinema and offices. But critics claim that some 130 local firms could be put out of business by the proposed Spray Street Quarter development by Notting Hill Homes and St Modwen, costing around 700 jobs. The project would undoubtedly provide badly needed new homes in a borough with some 17,000 people on the councils housing waiting list. A total of 260 of the homes would be affordable and aimed at cash-strapped first-time buyers and renters. However, the development has horrified owners and staff based in Spray Street and Plumstead Road who would be displaced by the plans. They marched on the town hall last month calling for the council to throw out the proposals. Building the Spray Street Quarter would also mean demolishing the mid-century Plumstead Covered Market. Heritage group The 20th Century Society says the unique building, currently occupied by Street Feast food market, should be preserved. It has submitted a formal objection to the plans, and has also asked Historic England to consider listing the market. Living in Woolwich - the lowdown 1 /9 Living in Woolwich - the lowdown The lowdown Poised to become one of the big winners from the arrival of the Elizabeth line, Woolwich will have its own station stop on the new service in 14 months time. Already a place of great historic interest with many heritage buildings, Woolwich is being transformed with thousands of new homes and a revitalised town centre. Daniel Lynch Schools Woolwichs state primary schools are all rated good or better by Ofsted. Finding a good state secondary school is more of a challenge, with a number of local ones requiring improvement. The only outstanding comprehensive is Woolwich Polytechnic. Daniel Lynch Travel Woolwich Arsenal station has trains to Charing Cross via London Bridge and Cannon Street, and Woolwich Dockyard station has trains to Cannon Street. Woolwich Arsenal is on the Docklands Light Railway with trains to Canning Town where the Jubilee line offers a quick service to Canary Wharf. Thames Clipper river boats run from Woolwich Arsenal pier at Royal Arsenal Riverside to Canary Wharf, London Bridge and Westminster. Woolwich Arsenal is in Zone 4 and an annual travelcard to Zone 1 is 1,860. Woolwich Dockyard station is in Zone 3 and the annual travelcard is 1,520. Daniel Lynch The property scene With so many new homes going up it is easy to forget that Woolwich also has a stock of period houses. There are also converted houses and flats in heritage buildings in the arsenal and right-to-buy flats on estates of social housing. And for fans of pioneering self-build housing, there are two small enclaves of Walter Segal houses at Parish Wharf off Woodhill, and in Llanover Road. Daniel Lynch The Assembly sculpture installation Keep an eye out for 40 life-size male and female reclaimed copper figures. Daniel Lynch Harry Perry Cycles Owner Paul Mepham boasts one of the oldest continual businesses in Woolwich, having operated since 1908. Family-owned, the one-stop-shop sells everything bike related from spares to servicing. Daniel Lynch Hop Stuff Brewery This independent craft brewery has been serving residents of Woolwich for the past four years. Craft beer enthusiasts can enjoy a core selection of five beers alongside seasonal specials. (Pictured: Senior brewer Luke Schram.) Daniel Lynch The Taproom Offering a daily rotating guest ale selection, The Taproom has been operating for 2 years as an aside to the Hop Stuff brewery. Visitors can also enjoy a upstairs restaurant selling sourdough pizzas and chicken wings. Daniel Lynch The Royal Arsenal Farmer's Market The Royal Arsenal Farmer's Market, Major Draper Street, operates twice monthly on the second and last Saturday of each month. Daniel Lynch This scheme proposes to sweep away an entire city block of buildings which have grown up organically over the last 150 years, in a part of London that has already been transformed almost beyond recognition in the last few years, said Tess Pinto, the societys senior conservation adviser. Residents group Speak Out Woolwich is also objecting to the plans. It feels there is not enough social housing included on the Spray Street site and that there are too many small flats and not enough family-sized homes. This scheme could be so much better, said spokesman John Edward. Local resident Simon Pirani is one of more than 200 people to have signed a petition against the proposals. Lets have more social housing, not gentrification that only helps property development company owners, he said. A spokesman for the developers said the 260 affordable homes total being provided is in line with Greater London Authority policy and pointed out that once complete the Spray Street Quarter would bring around 440 permanent new jobs to Woolwich. To deliver the full potential of the regeneration along with much-needed new private and affordable homes, we need to develop the full site, including the market building, he added. We do propose to incorporate large parts of the market roof into the final development. We will continue to work with all stakeholders, including the council, statutory consultees, and the Woolwich community to deliver new homes as well as cultural and leisure facilities within a well-designed development that will provide wide-ranging benefits to local people. Pipeline 9 May 2018 Scandic Hotels, the leading Nordic hotel company, has signed a long lease agreement with Bane NOR Eiendom to operate a new hotel in Voss, one of Norway"s most popular holiday destinations. Scandic Voss will be a centrally-located hotel with excellent meeting facilities and the first hotel in the town to be operated by a large hotel company. Western Norway is an important region for Scandic and the hotel chain has developed strongly in this region in recent years. When Scandic Voss opens, it becomes Scandic"s ninth hotel only in the Hordaland region. Voss stands out as an area of solid growth, with hotel stays rising by 11 per cent in 2017. Voss is only a one-hour drive from Norway"s second largest city of Bergen. With the leisure segment growing fast, Voss is the natural hub for both summer and winter activities. During the summer, tourists travel in great numbers to the town to visit the world-famous fjords in western Norway, and during the winter months its mountains are popular among skiers. To further improve accessibility to and from the slopes, a new cable car lift will be built next to the hotel. Scandic Voss is expected to open in January 2020. The hotel will be designed to blend in with the architecture in the city"s old town and adapted to accommodate two target groups: leisure guests and corporate clients as well as conferences. With its 216 rooms, restaurant, bar and meeting facilities for 350 people, the hotel will be a landmark and a natural gathering place in the town. Scandic Voss will be designed by Dark architects. Developers are Bane NOR Eiendom and Odfjell Eiendom. Supplier News 9 May 2018 Terra Verde, a leading provider of cybersecurity, risk, compliance and managed security services, and SkyTouch Technology, the provider of the most widely used cloud-based property management system, have joined forces to bring an innovative cybersecurity and compliance platform and managed solution to the hospitality industry. Under the agreement, SkyTouch Technology will be the exclusive distribution partner providing hospitality and lodging businesses access to Terra Verde's Breach Radar, an innovative small business cybersecurity and compliance monitoring platform and service. The Breach Radar product solution has been deployed in over 1,300 sites across the U.S. and Canada. The solution was specifically created for retail, health clinics, restaurants, franchises, smaller government agencies and home offices that require IT system, data security and PCI compliance monitoring. The solution includes next-generation anti-malware and ransomware protection, PCI compliance support, quarterly vulnerability scanning, access to PCI policy, procedures and training. "The Breach Radar service augments the SkyTouch Hotel OS management system and portfolio of offerings," said SkyTouch CEO Todd Davis. "In my experience, most hoteliers would rather focus their time on providing customer service than on managing PCI Compliance and worrying about Cybersecurity issues." "Terra Verde is excited about the opportunity to work with a hospitality technology market leader like SkyTouch to help hotel operators reduce their risk and cost of deploying modern cybersecurity solutions and remove the complexity of managing PCI regulatory compliance," said Terra Verde CEO Edward Vasko. "This strategic relationship with SkyTouch is a large positive step in the right direction for the industry in terms of helping to protect consumers and individual hotel operators from data breaches." To learn more, visit http://skytouch.tech/HotelSecurity. About Terra Verde: Headquartered in Phoenix Arizona, Terra Verde provides cybersecurity, compliance and risk management solutions to clients in various industries, worldwide through its direct sales organization and a national network of partners and resellers. The company is trusted by government agencies, small and medium-sized businesses and publicly traded companies to deploy sustainable security and compliance programs and services. Terra Verde partners with the public, private and higher education organizations to recruit, develop and employ IT and security professionals that have years of hands-on security and compliance experience, are recognized experts in their field, and hold multiple security and professional certifications. As the AlienVault North American Partner of the Year, the company supports over 1250 Managed Security Solutions customers, over 150 Consulting Services customers, has delivered Training to over 800 AlienVault Customers, and has provided AlienVault installation services to over 300 companies across multiple continents. For more information, please visit http://www.TVRMS.com. About SkyTouch Technology: SkyTouch Technology is the provider of the most widely used cloud-based property management system. Built in the cloud by hotel professionals for hotel companies, SkyTouch Hotel OS is designed to help hotel executives meet their most important strategic objectives: to enhance the guest experience, advance performance, and achieve growth while evolving with changing market needs. Accessible from anywhere, the SkyTouch PMS provides visibility and control of operations through real-time, impactful business analytics that help improve hotel guest experience, operational decision-making, and financial results for today's hotelier. SkyTouch provides an integrated approach to online hotel reservations that fits any size property. For more information about SkyTouch Technology, visit www.skytouchtechnology.com. SkyTouch, SkyTouch Technology, and SkyTouch Hotel OS are proprietary trademarks and service marks of SkyTouch Solutions, LLC. Supplier News 9 May 2018 South Africa's largest low-cost airline and operator of the South African arm of British Airways, Comair Travel (JSE: COM), has set its sights on growing its dynamic package offering for domestic travellers. The company has partnered with SiteMinder, the global hotel industry's leading cloud platform, to provide a direct connection for SiteMinder's 30,000 hotel customers and expand package options to complement the more than one million flight, car rental and accommodation bookings made through Comair's online platforms each year. Comair Travel's hotel development and distribution manager, Russell Hine, says the move offers the dual benefits of greater online visibility for local hotels and a one-stop solution for consumers who otherwise suffer from browsing fatigue. "For hotels, Comair's partnership with SiteMinder provides an opportunity to be seen on three highly-successful marketing channels Kulula.com, Vitality Hotel Collection and mtbeds and gain diverse reach in the South African market. And, of course, for consumers it means more accommodation options to select from as part of a complete travel package," says Mr Hine. "Consumers typically book their flights first, but we know through our clients that they would want to book their accommodation and car rental at the same time, if given the option. They are tired of looking at multiple booking sites and never truly knowing whether they got the best price and package. By us offering a broader suite of accommodation options to complement the lowest flights in the country, consumers can be confident they are receiving the best package." The four-star Bantry Bay Suite Hotel in Cape Town is the first to list its property on Comair Travel's distribution channels through SiteMinder. Says the hotel's revenue manager, Jaco Jacobs, "We use SiteMinder for all our distribution needs, so we are very thrilled to have the Comair Travel connection added to our product offering. Through their partnership, we now have the ability to distribute contracted rates and, in addition, offer best available rates. No more excel close out sheets and manual updates." Comair Travel has offered flights within South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands for more than 70 years. The company also recently became the first South African airline carrier to offer dynamic packages to Mauritius. Lisa Horne, General Manager South Africa at SiteMinder, says, "SiteMinder is proud to offer such an important connection as Comair Travel to South Africa's hotels, and support the country's travel sector in this way." About SiteMinder As the leading cloud platform for hotels, SiteMinder allows hotels to attract, reach and convert guests across the globe. We serve hotels of all sizes with award-winning solutions for independents and groups alike, wherever they are in the world. SiteMinder's products include The Channel Manager, the industry's leading online distribution platform; TheBookingButton, a wholly-branded booking engine for direct bookings via the web, mobile or social; Canvas, the intelligent website creator for independent hoteliers; Prophet, the real-time market intelligence solution that takes the guesswork out of pricing rooms; and GDS by SiteMinder, a single-point of entry to a six-figure network of travel agents and the world's major global distribution systems. With more than 30,000 hotel customers and 600 of the industry's top connectivity providers as our partners, today we have presence in more than 160 countries on six continents. For more information, visit www.siteminder.com. About Comair Limited Comair Limited is a South African aviation and travel company, offering scheduled and non-scheduled airline services within South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, as its main business. The company operates under its low-fare airline brand, kulula.com, as well as under the British Airways livery, as part of its British Airways. license agreement. Managed and owned by South Africans through its listing on the JSE, Comair has been operating successfully in this country since 1946. Comair is the only known airline to have achieved operating profits for 71 consecutive years and has a safety record which is internationally recognised. For more information, visit www.comair.co.za. External Article 9 May 2018 A great hotel room is the foundation of an epic visit to Las Vegas.It's where most travelers end their nights and start their days, a haven from the clinking chips and dinging slots, a refuge from the sea of humanity. Time and time again, Sin City hotel rooms set the scene for all that happens in Vegas -- whether it stays there or not.The world of Vegas hotels is always changing before our very eyes. Sure, iconic destinations are still around -- the Bellagio with its dancing fountains out front, the Venetian with its Italian marble and sunken-level suites, and the Wynn Las Vegas for room-service congee (among other high-end perks).Add to those classic options these newer boutique hotels and hotels-within-hotels. The new entries are smaller, more intimate and often swankier than their hulking counterparts. Here are our seven favorite places to stay: Press Release 9 May 2018 Thailand is one of the gems of the Asia Pacific hospitality market, a diverse and vibrant country with a culture unlike anywhere else in the world. In Thailand, visitors can enjoy luscious jungle landscapes, as well as one of the most dynamic urban spaces on the planet in Bangkok, where there are New York City neighborhood vibes and some of the most highly-regarded cuisine around. Advertisements For those familiar with Thailand then, it should come as no surprise that a look at the TOPHOTELCONSTRUCTION database reveals its project pipeline to be healthy and growing, with a grand total of 91 projects on the way, projects that once completed will yield a reported 18,923 new rooms for guests. All of those properties fall into the luxury and first-class tiers, with 36 percent being designated the former and 64 percent the latter. With that in mind, it's important for savvy hotel owners and operators, investors, designers, and suppliers to take stock of what's happening in Thailand. That's why today we're turning to the TOPHOTELCONSTRUCTION database for more info about some of the marquee projects in Thailand's pipeline. Grande Centre Point Hotel North Pattaya Located in the beach destination of North Pattaya, this Grande Centre Point Hotel will have 400 rooms when it opens later this year. It is of the utmost quality, sliding into the first class / upper upscale designation. Eastin Grand Payathai Bangkok The Eastin Grand Hotel Phayathai Bangkok will be a mixed use complex with a hotel element, plus also office space with some retail. The hotel has a great location with direct access to Phayathai BTS skytrain station. Once completed in late 2019, it will consist of 394 rooms and suites, including superior rooms, deluxe rooms, suites and a honeymoon suite. Plus 175 serviced apartments consisted of one and two bedrooms. Other facilities will include an all-day dining market-style restaurant, a wine bar, a specialty restaurant, seafood market by 'Chef Man' Chinese restaurant, Starbucks, outdoor large swimming pool with pool bar, gym and executive lounge. Functions and event spaces of a total of 4,285 sqm will be one of a kind in Bangkok with modern high technology to serve all sorts of functions and special events. The hotel will also have a 285 sqm wedding studio to cater full services for any couples. InterContinental Phuket Resort The luxurious InterContinental Phuket Resort is located on Kamala Beach, between Millionaire's Mile and the Amanpuri headland, one of the island's most popular destinations and perfect for travelers looking for a relaxing and luxurious getaway. It will have 454 rooms for guests when it opens in 2019. Let's take a look at a few other projects currently underway in Thailand: Capella Bangkok Capella Bangkok will open on the Chao Phraya River as part of a new mixed development that features two hotels and a residential tower. [READ MORE] Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River The Hotel will include world-class amenities and dining alongside the legendary customized service discerning guests from around the world [READ MORE] Rosewood Bangkok Rosewood Bangkok is located within Bangkok's central business district along Ploenchit Road, within an enclave encompassing embassies, new residential towers, offices and upscale retail. [READ MORE] More information on hotel projects in Thailand can be found in the TOPHOTELPROJECTS database. TOPHOTELPROJECTS is the specialized service provider of cutting-edge information of the hospitality industry. It's been a minute since we had Armani White on our site. The rapper is undoubtedly talented and he's consistently delivered quality music with every single one of his releases. From his incredible penmanship to his volatile flow, he keeps listeners on their toes for the next bar. Today, he unleashes a brand new single featuring Sango, "Casablanco Freestyle." Armani White and Sango connect on the new track, "Casablanco Freestyle." The two of them prove to be an incredible duo and hopefully, they collaborate more in the future. White's distinguished flow compliments Sango's bouncy production extremely well. Aside his collabo with Armani White, Sango released dropped off his album, In The Comfort Of, back in March. It featured guests like JMSN, Xavier Omar, Smino and more. Quotable Lyrics Bitch, I been had it bustin' Bitch, I been that discussion Don't introduce me to your family Bitch, I been had your cousin Detail's been dealing with several legal issues as of late. A few weeks a go, the producer, who's done work with Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and more, was duking it out in court over an alleged assault that happened with Drake's bodyguard, Chubbs. The case was later thrown out after Detail failed to show up to a final status hearing. However, it looks like he has another case to deal with now. The rapper's being accused of rape and sexual assault by two women. Detail is facing accusations of raping and assaulting two female artists that he was working with, TMZ reports. In the court documents, Kristina Buch claims that he forced her to have sex in front of other people after they finished a recording session in Miami. She claims that he got violent last week while they were at the Malibu Beach Inn and that she suffered bruises on her arms, head, back and legs after he choked, hit and grabbed her by the hair. She also says that he bit her lip during the incident. His second accuser, Peyton Ackley, says that she considered Detail a mentor. However, she says he later told her that the music industry was all about sex. She says that he walked in her taking a bath and then forced her to have sex in front of another producer. She also says he masterbated while forcing her to take nudes photos and then forced her to video tape him having sexual intercourse with Kristina. She also claims that smashed her head into a wall and dragged her up a set of stairs. At this point, the two women have successfully requested restraining orders and Detail is forbidden from in their 100 yard viscinity as well as Kristina's sister. Flatbush Zombies are currently enjoying the fruits of their labor, as evidenced by their ongoing See You In Hell North American Tour. A quick glance at their Instagram indicates that the majority of shows are already sold out. It's no wonder, given the strength of Vacation In Hell, which stands as a personal favorite 2018 drop. Suffice it to say, the trifecta of Meechy Darko, Erick Arc Elliott, and Zombie Juice are clearly on the rise. Should you be interested in seeing them live, be sure to cop tickets while you still can. Now, Flatbush Zombies have increased their reach, adding an extensive list of European dates to their tour - eighteen to be specific. Starting in October, The Zombies will be heading overseas to hit venues in Norway, Germany, Poland, France, Austria, the UK, and more. It's a good look for the trio, who have proven themselves to be a dominant force in the current New York scene. Lyrically, Vacation In Hell is solid across the board, with a star-making performance from Meechy Darko; if you haven't yet taken a Vacation In Hell, I highly recommend that you do so. For all the European readers out there, don't miss your chance to catch the Zombies live and direct. Peep the full list of dates below, courtesy of their Instagram. Although he was released from prison in January, Kevin Gates has been surprisingly silent for the majority of 2018. It was a big deal when he made his transition back to freedom until the hype somewhat died down unexpectedly. People were confused as to what was going on with the rapper as he had rarely spoken out since making his way out. His wife Dreka Gates revealed last week that the reason he has been so quiet is because the Illinois Department of Corrections is forcing him to remain in the state of Illinois, effectively chaining him to the city. Playing off that narrative, Gates finally made his return to social media yesterday, flexing his chains and using a "Chained to the city" hashtag for good measure. Playing some of his music in the background, Kevin Gates flexed his diamonds while a camera focused solely on his neck. Today, Kevin added a photo of himself rocking the same chains as he stands in front of a green screen, perhaps suggesting that a video could surface in the near future. The "Really Really" artist addressed his legal woes, writing, "I went to trial every time knowing I was gone lose - but Im built for it," and adding hashtags for "Chained to the city" and his upcoming project I'm Him. It is unclear from the posts whether or not Gates has been given the okay to travel within the country but, as of last week, he was not even allowed to go home to California. We will continue to keep an eye on Kevin Gates' situation to provide you with updates as they take place. Although rappers love to discuss politics in their music, the same cannot usually be said for politicians speaking about rappers. Aside from Bernie Sanders' public approval of Killer Mike, politicians have steered clear of any hip-hop references for the most part. When discussing society at large, rappers can often be seen as poets who have a way with words and, while it may not be recognized fully on a worldwide scale, MSNBC host Ari Melber has recently been making hilarious analogies between political happenings and hip-hop lyrics. While his platform may not be the most viewed among hip-hop fans, his inclusion of a Young Thug lyric when discussing the possible collusion between Donald Trump and the Russian government is a must-watch. Longtime Thugger collaborator, engineer Alex Tumay, shared a video of Melber speaking on Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen and the possibility of his criminal affiliation with Russia. During the television program, the journalist used a Young Thug analogy that while Cohen may not have been directly linked to any criminal activity, it does not mean he wasn't involved in some form. Melber used Thug's "Anybody" lyrics to justify his claim, saying, "If I may, with your blessing, no greater legal authority than Young Thug has said, 'I didn't kill anybody but I had something to do with that body.' There are ways you can be wrapped up in a criminal enterprise without being the person pulling the trigger." While any other rap reference may have seemed out of place, Thugger's lyrics actually back up his claims and help him in the debate. Check out the video below. LeBron James' first signature sneaker, the Nike Air Zoom Generation, will release again at the end of this month in a special edition colorway dedicated to his High School, Saint Vincent-Saint Mary aka SVSM. The white, green and gold "SVSM" Air Zoom Generation, featuring SVSM on the heel, was originally introduced as PE during LeBron's rookie year in 2003 but never received an official retail release. LeBron hinted at a release back in January when he laced them up prior to a game against the Boston Celtics, and today it was revealed that the kicks are set to launch at select Nike retailers on May 26. Nike has not yet announced how many pairs will be available but all signs put to the SVSM Air Zoom Generation being a limited release. Of course, that will only add to the hype as we approach the May 26th release date. In likely the pure definition of chasing clout, Instagram personality Woah Vicky recently posted and then deleted a video of herself and her friends trashing Snoop Dogg. The video showed Vicky and two of her friends making violent threats towards the West Coast legend, waving guns while they blurted profanities. Yelling that he "probably has AIDS with his old ass" and that he looks "like a chihuahua," the crew dissed Snoop and DJ Drama in the same video. Although the 18-year-old issued an apology if she ever "disrespected anybody" with her actions, The Blast is reporting that the video in question is currently being investigated by police. The young woman waved around a firearm with her buddies as they each took turns sending shots at Snoop in the video and while she likely only posted it to get attention, she may be making her way to jail because of it. The Blast is noting that the Marietta Police Department is aware of the since-deleted video and they are investigating it to take appropriate action. It is currently unclear if Vicky committed any crimes by publishing the threats but detectives are determining whether a full case is warranted. Snoop Dogg has since posted a video of the girl awkwardly dancing while seemingly holding a semi-automatic machine gun, writing, "This is America." Peep the original video, Vicky's apology and Snoop's retort below. The Houston area becomes home to another another large, publicly traded energy company on Wednesday when the oilfield services company Apergy Energy begins selling shares on New York Stock Exchange after spinning off from Chicago industrial equipment manufacturer Dover Corp. Apergy, headquartered in The Woodlands, will trade under the APY ticker, launching its stock at about $37 a share, which give the company a market value of nearly $3 billion. Apergy will employ about 3,200 people worldwide, including more than 400 in the Houston are. Sivasankaran Soma Somasundaram, the former president of Dovers energy subsidiary, is the new companys chief executive. Educated in India, Somasundaram earned his masters degree from the University of Oklahoma, joined Dover in 2004 and took over its oil and gas division five years ago. Dover spun off its energy business after coming under pressure from shareholder activists, who saw their returns hurt during the recent oil bust. Apergy manufactures diamond cutters for drill bits and other oilfield equipment and technology, but analysts said its strength is in artificial lift, which increases oil and gas production in well. Artifical lift accounts for more than half of Apergys sales. Artificial lift has long been symbolized by the nearly ubiquitous pump jacks, nicknamed nodding donkeys, which steadily draw oil and gas from wells that were previously drilled and completed. But the onshore shale boom has redefined the industry, forcing a much greater reliance on ESP lift systems electrical submersible pumping in which Apergy specializes. ESP systems operate mostly beneath the surface to rapidly produce much more oil and gas from wells in the first year or two before they start depleting. James West, an energy analyst with Evercore ISI in New York, said Apergy will stand out as a large, unique company focused more on the artificial lift side of oilfield services. Only the worlds largest services firms, such as Schlumberger and Baker Hughes, can be considered true competitors to Apergy in this niche. Customer service is really key for Apergy, West said. The bigger boys have all kinds of different product offerings. , Apergy has more than 100 locations in North America, near virtually every drilling area on the continent. The companys goal, West said, is to expand globally, from South America to the Middle East, especially as U.S. shale technologies and techniques are exported abroad. Apergy is one of just a few companies that can supply the ESP systems to handle the high volumes produced by shale wells in the first few years and then transition to the more traditional pump jacks that can continue to slowly churn out oil and gas for maybe another two decades. Were able to generate revenue throughout the life of each well, said Somasundaram. And, while competing with Schlumberger may appear intimidating, Apergy also sells equipment to the worlds largest services firm. How do we stay relevant? Somasundaram said. We compete with them, and we also collaborate with them. jordan.blum@chron.com twitter.com/jdblum23 Noah Collom grasped the rope attached to a piling and leaned back, using every muscle in his body to keep the post straight as 6,000 pounds of force hammered it into the muddy floor of the Houston Ship Channel. He was replacing a marker that had delineated the precise point at which the safe, well-maintained waterway becomes a shallow, mucky hazard for barges and other vessels. It had likely been hit by passing ships or wiggled loose by the daily onslaught of wind and current. The Houston Ship Channel and its tributaries have a higher knock-down rate for markers than any other U.S. waterway. Some 400 to 600 channel markers are replaced each year, some of them numerous times. That workload keeps the 20-year-old Collom busy. Just five months out of boot camp, hes a new member on the 75-foot cutter Clamp, whose team maintains lights, day beacons, buoys and ranges that keep the waterway navigable and the economy flowing. In two years, Ive never really cleared my work list, said Henry Myers, the officer in charge for the Clamp and the 68-foot barge it pushes. Its an exhausting and detail-oriented job, starting at the ship's bridge. Myers must steer the bow of the vessel within 3 feet of where the piling is to be planted. Watching the vessels position on a monitor, he factors in the depth of the water and the speed at which the spuds three metal shafts used to anchor the vessel can be lowered before giving the command. Drop em, he tells the crew members on the barge deck. Sink em, secure and build it center. Now Playing: U.S. Coast Guard crew aboard the cutter Clamp is tasked with replacing channel markers damaged in the Houston Ship Channel. Video: Brett Coomer Cedar Bayou is too shallow for the 50- and 60-foot poles lining the deck, so the crew uses a chain saw to cut them to length. The piling is then connected to a crane, which gradually lifts the pole and connects it to a pile driver. The single-piston diesel engine will initially use gravity to push the pole into the water. Once theres resistance, it begins hammering. These jobs are cranked out in 20 to 45 minutes, with crews capable of building 10 to 12 in a single day. Larger projects can take eight hours as the crew builds complex range towers with decks that are 12 to 16 feet wide. Pilots will use these range towers to stay in the center, deeper part of the waterway. The placement of the towers light has just 3 inches of wiggle room or else ships could be hundreds of feet off from the center of the channel. Pilots guiding vessels will see the ranges from hundreds of feet or even miles down the channel. Where they get most of their information is looking out the window, said JJ Plunkett, a retired Coast Guard captain who works with the Houston Pilots on some of their land-side tasks, including communicating with the Coast Guard. Despite having differential GPS and the ability for ship computers to communicate with one another, Plunkett said, pilots still rely heavily on visual cues. Capt. Mark Mitchem, presiding officer of the Houston Pilots, likened it to driving a car and looking at the GPS instead of out the front window. The GPS on vessels can pinpoint a ship within 3 feet of its antennas actual position, but pilots still feel more comfortable and safe looking out the windshield instead of relying blindly on technology. We couldnt move the big ships that were moving now, Plunkett said. We couldnt move 21st-century ships without the 18th-century technology like buoys and ranges. The Ship Channel and surrounding waterways have more than 600 buoys or pilings with lights or signs, and they have 96 of the more complex range structures. Take away the tributaries, and there are about $2.5 million worth of channel markers in the Houston Ship Channel itself. Crews on vessels like the Clamp replace about $100,000 worth of markers every year. This is essential for the breadth of industry that calls on the Port of Houston, which handles more foreign tonnage than any other U.S. port. If you didnt have the aids to navigation, it would be extremely dangerous for ships to navigate Galveston Bay, said retired Coast Guard Capt. Mike Cunningham, director of program management at the Greater Houston Port Bureau. And they wouldnt. He likened these channel markers to lanes painted on a highway or lights along an airport runway. Myers said he fell in love with this job on a sunny day. He was on the bridge, with the windows open, country music playing and the faint smell of diesel wafting in. He joined the Coast Guard in 1996, attracted by the guns, helicopter rescues and drug interdictions. He did many of those things and kept track of the people he saved and the drugs he stopped. But on the Houston Ship Channel, he realized the economic benefit of his work was too large to count. Were marking this channel to create all this industry, he said. Their work is especially important after hurricanes, when ship captains are eager to get back into port and restart the economic engine. Myers was gone for 43 days after hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Hurricane Harvey brought more flooding than wind, but there were still channel markers to replace. Myers rode out the storm at the Manchester Terminal in Sims Bayou, watching as a love seat, a childs plastic playground and a portable toilet floated by. His construction tender worked with another cutter and a few smaller boats to build 200 aids to navigation within six days. The hurricane prep and recovery lasted 2 weeks, working from sunup to sundown. A typical stint aboard the Clamp lasts three or four days. Crew members get a few days off when the cutter returns to port, and then they work land-side to load the vessel with supplies and make any needed repairs. Fixing what we break when were out here, Myers said. Much of the Coast Guard Aids to Navigation fleet was built in the 1960s and 70s. These black hull vessels the Coast Guards way of identifying a vessel and its purpose, with white hulls being law enforcement vessels and red hulls being icebreakers are due to be replaced in the coming years. Until then, Myers crew will continue working the waterway from the cutter Clamp. On this sunny April day in Cedar Bayou, Collom replaced 11 pilings with lights and day beacons. He was covered in mud by lunchtime. Collom hadnt known about this Coast Guard mission before being assigned to the Clamp. While he ultimately wants to work on the electrical components of helicopters, hes getting the hang of his construction role and taking pride in his work on the waterway. It is very eventful, he said. Always on the move. The origins of Scenic Houston were when a group of downtown business leaders in the 1970s decided to take on the city's proliferation of billboards. Their efforts led to the adoption of a municipal sign code prohibiting new billboards and reducing the number of those in existence. WASHINGTON - I had never seen the Holocaust Museum's permanent collection. As the daughter of a Jewish refugee, I knew it would feel deeply personal, prompting me to think about what might have happened had my father not fled Germany and found safety in 1938, and to mourn the millions of victims who hadn't. As I made my way through the museum last year, I heard a man's voice. I was on the middle floor, which details the Nazis' concentration camps, gas chambers and killing fields, when he walked past me. The man was jabbering loudly about his dinner plans - on his phone. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum asks us to be respectful of fellow visitors. But shouldn't that be obvious? Not today. We've become so accustomed to interacting through our phones that we've forgotten about everyone else in the room. That obliviousness has found its way into more and more exhibitions across the country, as museums rebrand themselves as community spaces that foster "interaction" with hashtags and tweets. Encouraging that interaction has come at a cost. Consider the Renwick Gallery's latest exhibition, "No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man." The artwork is exactly what you'd expect to see on Instagram: immersive, interactive, eye-catching. And sure enough, the museum invites visitors to use a hashtag that's been on Instagram more than 8,000 times. What isn't apparent on Instagram is the crush of humanity that results when everyone points their phone at a single object. During a weekend visit to the Renwick in April, wherever I walked I was either stuck behind someone snapping a photo or stepping into someone else's shot. It didn't help that the place was packed. (In its first month, "No Spectators" had more than 130,000 visitors.) But this has nothing to do with crowds. It's about priorities. Those visitors were so concerned with their own photos that they neglected people like me who were trying in vain not to trip over a crouched Instagrammer or an outstretched arm. I have nothing against taking pictures of art. If you want to be among the crowds that snap photos of the Mona Lisa, by all means: Go ahead. There's an important debate to be had over the effect Instagram has had on art lovers, and whether people can truly connect with art when they're looking at it through a camera lens. Blame this all you want on the rise of social media or on millennials like me, but this isn't about that, either. It's about how we treat one another, and the role technology is playing in our human - not digital - interactions. I'm firmly against talking on the phone at the Holocaust Museum. I'm also against snapping a photo of the Mona Lisa with complete disregard to the person behind you - who, by the way, is now looking at her famous gaze through the tiny screen in your hand. In the past, a museum was where you could lose yourself in a world fashioned out of oil paint. The etiquette was clear. Visitors were expected to stand at a distance, not only to protect the art, but also because this allowed the rest of us to see it, too. Now the rules are hazier. Museums are doing away with the velvet rope that separated mere mortals from the masterpieces. Some - including the Renwick and Hirshhorn - are encouraging us to touch the work. When the paintings of Barack and Michelle Obama debuted at the National Portrait Gallery in February, the museum accommodated the crowds by establishing lines for photo-taking. The result is that museums have never felt more welcoming. Art is no longer cold, standoffish, unapproachable. Works by artists such as Yayoi Kusama, whose exhibition at the Hirshhorn inspired countless selfies and never-ending lines, have shattered those stereotypes by creating viral installations that allow viewers to step inside the art. Much of the debate surrounding the rise of "made-for-Instagram" exhibitions has targeted museums. But Nora Atkinson, the curator behind "No Spectators," disagrees with the notion that the Renwick chooses large-scale installations only for the Instagrams. For her, it's about showcasing imaginative works, and challenging the idea that art is a secret language few understand. The result may be Instagrammable, though only by chance. "That's the way visitors communicate these days," Atkinson said. "Twenty-first-century museums are as much about being a social space as an educational space." So phones are encouraged. The use of hashtags is celebrated. And, according to Atkinson, the photos will never stop. Museums will continue to encourage photography, even as some of us yearn for at least a middle ground. "I personally can understand why some people might be annoyed with it," she said. "It's not my place to be telling people how they should interact with the artwork." The problem is how we interact with other people, and whether anything will fill the void left by more traditional exhibitions. Freeing ourselves from Twitter and breaking-news alerts has never left more necessary. The etiquette that allowed for that in museums is gone - and it's not phones, but people, who have ruined it. With 15,000 homes on 4,000 acres built by Frank Sharp beginning in the 1950s, the Sharpstown neighborhood was at one time among the nation's largest communities of single-family homes. The streets were lined with midcentury designs fitting of the era, with one-story sloping roofs and brick exteriors. As Randal Hall and Steven Thomson have written for Cite, a magazine published by the Rice Design Alliance at Rice University, the neighborhood transformed after the 1982 economic downturn from a white suburb to immigrant-rich density. Despite maintaining a mix of predominantly moderate-income families, the perception of Sharpstown has waned. The developer Seeds of Sharpstown has begun shifting that perception in recent years and the recently announced Sharpstown Prize for Architecture is its latest effort. Founded in 2011 by Mike Prentice, Seeds of Sharpstown has developed roughly 70 residential properties in the area, including rental and resale. (A few have become art installations along the way, including "Remnants of the Past, Visions of the Future" and "Sharp.") Working in concert with the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, the Sharpstown Prize for Architecture competition requirements were set by Seeds of Sharpstown to reflect the needs of the neighborhood single-family residence, between 1,000 to 1,200 square feet, three bedrooms and two bathrooms, no more than two stories in height. The most challenging of these requirements was the $140,000 construction budget. Professor Rafael Longoria's graduate-level studio consisted of 10 students who approached the design problem by developing different solutions through different schemes courtyards, shifting volumes and two stories. The students interviewed nearly 60 current residents throughout the design process for their input and feedback. Pat Menville, president of the Sharpstown civic association at the time of the competition, said that the students "talked to countless residents of all ages and stages" and ultimately brought architecture to life "not just as a construct but as a living space." RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE: Couple behind Crave Cupcakes gets their modern, Houston dreamhouse The winning design by Tanmay Thakker blends contemporary amenities and approaches with midcentury features typical of the neighborhood. Set back roughly 50 feet from the property line, Thakker's design matches the building line established by the neighboring homes. The front entrance is farther set back from the street, under a slanted extension of the covered carport and behind a slanted brick rain screen that, together, form a somewhat exaggerated play on the "Sharp" art installation in Sharpstown. Approximately 90 percent of the predominantly midcentury buildings in Sharpstown have brick exteriors, on which brick rain screens are common. Thakker modernized the decades-old concept by integrating a gradient in the perforation of the brick the perforated gradient skews closed as one nears the front door entrance. Directly to the side of the front door entrance is the main living core. Living, dining and kitchen are organized in a modern (sans midcentury) open floor plan. Midcentury floor plans, in contrast, have more compartmentalized programming, with clear walls to define the breaks in space. By breaking down the proverbial walls, Thakker's design results in a more open, lit living core. The floor plan is U-shaped, centered around a covered courtyard. The main living core forms the bottom half of the U, bridging the bedroom wings. The west wing incorporates two bedrooms that share a full bathroom with the main living core. The east wing contains the master bedroom suite, with a private bathroom and closet. Thakker blends midcentury cross ventilation strategies with the U-shaped floor plan. Each perimeter wall that opens onto the covered courtyard features a screen door and large windows, which can be used not only for ventilation but also to bring natural light into each wing of the home. Tanmay Thakker Professor Longoria described his student's design as an update to "the ranch houses originally built in that neighborhood, accommodating current flooding concerns and energy-saving innovations." With the property in the 500-year floodplain, Thakker raised the finished floor level to meet city requirements and covered the crawlspace with a perforated brick design. Apart from the brick on the crawlspace and on the front facade, the rest of the home's exterior walls feature energy-saving metal siding. RESILIENT ARCHITECTURE: How a historic house in Meyerland was elevated In addition to these material selections, energy-saving techniques are implemented in both the roof design and utility procurement. The butterfly roof design is designed to channel sloping rainwater into two rain barrels located on both the western and eastern walls, which can then be filtered and used within the home. South-facing solar panels on the roof connect to a battery pack and inverter that translates solar energy into electricity the homeowners can use. Thakker is working with Seeds of Sharpstown in the next step of finalizing construction documents for permitting with the City of Houston. Following permitting, they will start construction in the coming months. David Robinson, City Councilman At-Large, alluded to the vision of the Sharpstown Prize of Architecture translating to a citywide stage with the planned "Houston 2020 Visions" program. Five lots have been preselected per each of Mayor Turner's Complete Communities in Acres Home, Second Ward, Near Northside, Gulfton and Third Ward. Working with AIA Houston and with the support of Mayor Sylvester Turner, the program will be issuing a Request For Visions (RFV) to encourage submittals like those realized by Professor Longoria's students during the Sharpstown Prize for Architecture competition. The program will be initiated on the second anniversary of Harvey this August. Texas State representative Gene Wu lent his support to initiatives like the Sharpstown Prize for Architecture, saying that "moderate-income neighborhoods still need good architecture." The Sharpstown Prize for Architecture sets a precedent of the public sector and the private sector working together to create community-centric and responsive architecture as Houston meets Mayor Turner's call and Houston's need of creating complete communities. Cheryl Joseph is an architectural designer at Titan Homes in Houston. This article originally appeared on OffCite, a publication of the Rice Design Alliance, a community engagement program of Rice Architecture. Get the Gray Matters newsletter. It can be filtered and used within the home. A Harris County man was arrested Tuesday after being found in possession of flammable materials inside a Cypress-area home. A man and a woman had gotten into an argument over the man's possession of the flammable materials around 3 p.m. at a home in the 11000 block of Sentry Court, near the intersection of Fallbrook Drive and North Eldridge Parkway, according to HCSO Senior Deputy Thomas Gilliland. The woman called 911 to report the incident and told police about the flammable materials. She was afraid their argument would turn physical and he would wind up using the flammable materials. Now Playing: Texas News & Crime Video: Houston Chronicle HCSO's SWAT and negotiations teams were able to lure the man out of the home and take him into custody. HCSO's bomb squad unit was still clearing the home as of 6:30 p.m., Gilliland said. Jay R. Jordan is a breaking news reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan. Firefighters have put out a blaze that reignited Wednesday at a Texas City substation owned by CenterPoint Energy. Wednesday's blaze started due to the high temperature of a transformer that had exploded and caught fire the previous day, said a spokeswoman for the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality. Fire crews from Texas City and San Leon responded and put out the fire. Firefighters are staying at the substation in an attempt to keep the transformer cooled and prevent any further fires from igniting. The first fire resulted in a spill of mineral oil; CenterPoint has contracted with a third party to perform cleanup. The fire did not cause any power interruptions, CenterPoint Energy spokeswoman Alicia Dixon said, and no injuries had been reported. "The fire did reignite this morning and that could happen again from time to time over the next day or so, due to the heat of the equipment caused by yesterday's fire," Dixon said, adding that it's too soon to determine a cause because the equipment at the substation remained too hot to investigate. Dixon reiterated that there were "no concerns" about air quality from the fire because the mineral oil in the exploded transformers was a "light refined oil." The initial Air Emission Event report filed by the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality noted that the fire Tuesday "was not a result of poor design, poor operation, or poor maintenance practices." The fire did cause the release of an estimated 581 pounds of sulfur dioxide, well above the emissions limit of 54.25 pounds per hour. TCEQ will conduct an investigation of this incident, which will include an evaluation of any impacts from the fire at the site, and oversee the cleanup. Centerpoint Energy has up to 30 working days from the end of the event to provide written information about it to the agency. Original story: A "mineral oil" fire set a transformer ablaze Tuesday night and was still smoldering at sunset with firefighters still on scene making sure flames did not spread to nearby foliage. No injuries were reported in the fire that began mid-afternoon and and CenterPoint Energy officials confirmed none of its customers experienced power outages. The Texas City Emergency Management reported the fire shortly before 5 p.m. Now Playing: A fire has broken out at a Texas City substation owned by CenterPoint Energy but no injuries have been reported and all personnel is accounted for. Video: Nick Powell, Houston Chronicle The fire broke out at the CenterPoint facility near FM 517 and Highway 146, sending black plumes of smoke billowing into the sky. The explosion started as mineral oil fire, according to city officials. Firefighters asked residents to clear the area until the large flames was under control. By 5:30 p.m., Highway 146 had reopened. The Texas City Fire Department has several trucks at the scene working to put the fire out. The Dickinson Fire Department has also deployed personnel to the scene. In a statement, the Texas City police stated, "The fire does not appear to be hazardous at this time, however we advise everyone stay clear of the area until fire personnel have (extinguished) the fire. There is no need to shelter in place at this time." As of 6:30 p.m. the fire continued to burn as big plumes of black smoke blew north of the substation in Texas City. Dickinson Fire Chief Keith Morgan said they have created a staging area to ensure the fire does not catch some of the surrounding grass and spread to the Chase Park subdivision just north of the fire. "Once the fire burns down and it's safe to enter that area, we'll go in and put that part of the fire out," he said. This is a developing story. A prominent Houston businessman and real estate executive is raising doubts that police arrested the right man in a recent string of attempted abductions and sexual assaults near The Woodlands. Gregory Armstrong, the CEO & President of the WEDGE Group Incorporated, which operates a skyscraper in downtown Houston said he has mentored 22-year-old Howard Dixon and has concerns that police have jailed the wrong man. "From all I can tell, he was grabbed off the street and, if I'm right, he had nothing to do with it," Armstrong told the Chronicle. Read more: Authorities release video in northern Harris County attempted abductions Now Playing: Texas News & Crime Video: Houston Chronicle Dixon was picked up near The Woodlands late on May 1, a Tuesday night, after tips from victims and the public helped develop him as a suspect. Two attempted abductions happened near the 900 block of North Vista Drive, near Imperial Valley Drive Saturday morning, prompting police to issue a public call for information that netted surveillance video of the suspects car. A day later, police said Dixon forced two women into his car in two different episodes and coerced them into sex. After Dixon was arrested, police charged him with two attempted abductions and two aggravated sexual assaults. Read more: Houston man accused in abductions, sexual assaults captured near The Woodlands Armstrong points to apparent inconsistencies in the description of the suspect and the suspect's car. The original description identified the suspect as 58 to 59, and clean shaven. Dixon is 6'4 and has a beard. In the video released by the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the suspect's car is a gray Toyota sedan with mismatched tire rims. Armstrong said Dixon's gray Toyota Camry, which he recently bought to go to work at a data entry job, still has the factory rims. "I gotta believe there are a lot of gray Toyotas in north Houston," Armstrong said. Law enforcement sources said after Dixon was arrested that they are confident the car identified in the videos is Dixon's because of a noticeable dent in the hood. Armstrong said Dixon was with his mother when the crimes occurred. Because she is a witness, he said, she could not publicly comment. Dixon's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday. The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office has not returned calls for comment. Armstrong said he has mentored Dixon for the past 4 years through the HAY Center, a program of Harris County Protective Services for Children and Adults, a public/private partnership, that provides services to foster youth transitioning to adulthood. Armstrong described Dixon as "sweet, kind and happy-go-lucky." "I know him well," Armstrong said. "This kid has no criminal record." Armstrong said it was possible he is wrong about Dixon, and since there is DNA in the case, it should be conclusive one way or the other. If the DNA does not match, Armstrong said he hopes Dixon, who is in the Montgomery County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail, is freed soon. Pride is coming to The Woodlands. The Woodlands Pride, a nonprofit organization, has announced the area's first Pride Festival, set for Sept. 8 at Town Green Park, 2099 Lake Robbins Drive. The idea was conceived by CEO Jason Rocha, who reached out to community activists and formed a committee to organize the event. Rocha said the inaugural event has been pre-approved by officials with The Woodlands Township and the organization has made a security deposit down payment with the township and is in the planning stages for the event. "We are working very closely with the township. We want to do everything correctly the first time," Rocha said. "We invite people from everywhere (to attend) and to know we are accepted here. We want to be an example for all suburbs that are predominantly conservative to know that LQBTQIA is accepted here." CALL YOUR MOM: The Suffers premiere inclusive video for 'Mammas' Ryan Elkins, a Pride spokesperson, said "The Woodlands is ready, and has been ready for quite some time, for an event like this." "This is a festival to show unity, love, and support for the LGBTQIA community," Elkins added. "With the constant growth of The Woodlands, and the diversity of people moving here from all types of backgrounds, 2018 is the year to establish our own Pride. Attendees can expect drag performances, DJs, flame throwers, games, vendors and more. The event will be free. Times are TBA. For updates and information, follow The Woodlands Pride on Facebook. The Houston pride parade and festival are June 23 in downtown Houston. WASHINGTON - Gina Haspel is expected to tell the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday that she "will not restart" the CIA's brutal interrogation program if confirmed to lead the agency, according to excerpts of her remarks released by the agency in advance of what is expected to be a contentious confirmation hearing. Haspel's hearing comes just days after the nominee offered to bow out, to avoid discussing in a public setting her role in the agency's enhanced interrogation program, which many have likened to torture. Haspel's answers and overall performance Wednesday could make or break her bid for the Cabinet post. Committee members are bitterly divided over their assessment of Haspel, with some - mostly Republicans - praising her record as a career operative, the support she has from CIA rank-and-file, and the fact that, if confirmed, she would become the first woman to run the agency. Others - mostly Democrats - have criticized Haspel, particularly over her role in the interrogation program implemented after Sept. 11, 2001, and for refusing to declassify documents related to her tenure at the agency. In addressing the interrogation program, Haspel is expected to acknowledge her service "in that tumultuous time" to reinforce her "personal commitment, clearly and without reservation," not to restart the CIA's detention and interrogation program. Haspel is also expected to drop various hints about her biography, according to excerpts of her prepared statement that read like the vague contours of a spy novel. "I recall my first foreign agent meeting was on a dark, moonless night with an agent I'd never met before," Haspel is expected to say. "When I picked him up, he passed me the intelligence, and I passed him extra money for the men he led." But that is unlikely to satisfy those senators who have called for more public disclosure about her career. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the Intelligence Committee's vice chairman, told Haspel in a letter this week that her recalcitrance was "unacceptable." Haspel is expected to pledge to cooperate with congressional oversight, and tell lawmakers that "if we can't share aspects of our secret work with the public, we should do so with their elected representatives." She will have the opportunity to provide more details about her tenure during a closed-door hearing following her public testimony. The panel's chairman, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., told reporters Tuesday that the committee could vote on Haspel's nomination as soon as next week, and that he expected Haspel to receive a positive endorsement. But her chances of being confirmed on the Senate floor - where not all Republicans have pledged to support her - is not certain. Two episodes in Haspel's 33-year career with the CIA are likely to draw the most scrutiny at Wednesday's hearing. In October 2002, she took over a secret CIA detention facility in Thailand where an al-Qaida suspect was waterboarded. Another suspect was subjected to the same enhanced interrogation technique before Haspel arrived. At the time, she was serving in a senior leadership position in the agency's counterterrorism center. In 2005, Haspel drafted a cable, ultimately issued by her boss, ordering the destruction of nearly 100 videotapes of the interrogation sessions. Officials familiar with the episode have said that Haspel believed her boss, Jose Rodriquez, then the director of the National Clandestine Service, would obtain approval from the CIA director and general counsel before issuing the order. But Haspel was a strong advocate within the agency for destroying the tapes, believing that were they to become public and reveal the identity of CIA interrogators, they could face reprisals from terrorists. Housing advocates asked a federal judge Tuesday to compel the Department of Housing and Urban Development to consider potential discrimination and segregation in allocations of federal housing money, including Hurricane Harvey recovery grants. A complaint filed by three nonprofits -- the Texas Low-Income Housing Information Service, Texas Appleseed, and the National Fair Housing Alliance -- says HUD Secretary Ben Carson acted unlawfully in January, when he delayed a rule requiring recipients of HUD funds to "affirmatively further fair housing." The case involves a rule adopted in 2015 -- 47 years after Congress passed the Fair Housing Act -- that requires consideration of segregated housing patterns and unequal opportunity in decisions about the use of federal housing grants. Carson has called the rule "social engineering," and in January HUD delayed its implementation until Oct. 31, 2020. The agency said it took the action because formulas used to determine housing discrimination weren't working well. If the legal challenge succeeds, cities and counties affected by Harvey will have to revise their plans for the use of federal recovery funds, said John Henneberger, the co-director of the Texas Low-Income Housing Information Service. "It's not just about segregation, but about disparate treatment in terms of public infrastructure" -- such as neighborhoods with open ditches rather than curbs and gutters, Henneberger said. A plan that incorporated the fair housing rule, he said, also would give recipients of recovery funds the option of moving out of hazardous or impoverished neighborhoods. In a related development on Tuesday, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the state's action plan for use of disaster recovery funds had been sent to HUD for final approval. The plan details the distribution and eligible uses of $2.7 billion to assist Texas communities with long-term recovery following Hurricane Harvey. Future amendments to the action plan will outline the eligible uses of $2.3 billion by the city of Houston and Harris County. Houston police officers on Tuesday responded to a report of a deceased person found in a residence after firefighters extinguished a house fire in west Houston. The fire was reported at about 7:45 p.m. in the 8700 block of Pagewood Lane. Houston homicide detectives are investigating the fire, but as of Wednesday, the cause of the fire was still undetermined. A northeast Texas judge this week signed off on an execution date for the Sulphur Springs man convicted of strangling his girlfriend and pushing her from a moving car. Daniel Acker was sent to death row in 2001 for the slaying of Marquetta George. He is now scheduled to die by lethal injection on Sept. 27, his lawyer said Tuesday. "We're working on our efforts to show Mr. Acker's innocence," said defense attorney A. Richard Ellis. "This is a case where I am convinced that he is innocent." At the time of the slaying in March 2000, Acker and George were sharing a rented trailer in Hopkins County when they got in a fight after a night at the Bustin' Loose nightclub. Now Playing: Here are 5 facts to know about the Texas death penalty. Video: Houston Chronicle Afterward, they parted ways and later Acker went searching for the 32-year-old, according to court filings. Her bloodied body was eventually found on the side of a road, and investigators fingered Acker for the killing. At trial, defense lawyers argued that George jumped out of the couple's truck and was hit. Prosecutors said her boyfriend strangled her, then dumped her body. In appeals, defense counsel argued that prosecutors used false testimony from experts and repeatedly changed their theory of the crime. "Acker had no motive to do this," Ellis said Tuesday. "He didn't have the physical ability to strangle her while he was driving." But the U.S. Supreme Court turned down his appeal last month. The Lone Star State has already executed five men this year, with several more on the calendar. A federal judge Tuesday approved what he called an extraordinary and magnificent settlement that brought air conditioning to a sweltering geriatric lockup in rural Texas and could pave the way to protecting thousands more heat-sensitive prisoners across the state. The lawyers started this case bitterly opposed, U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison told the attorneys and nearly two dozen inmates who phoned in from four prisons for the hearing. Im quite sure neither side got everything they wanted, but what they did get deserves our tribute. DEAL: Landmark Texas lawsuit could extend heat protections to thousands of prison inmates The judge finalized the historic deal after giving inmates an hour and a half to voice a variety of concerns, including allegations of retaliation, lost property during Hurricane Harvey, rotten food and overpriced cold medicine. One inmate pressed the judge about why the settlement had to exclude class members who completed their prison terms and were sentenced again for new crimes. The judge quipped, to laughter from most assembled, I would suggest you dont re-offend. The settlement resolves a 2014 civil rights lawsuit brought by mostly elderly and medically compromised low-security inmates at the Wallace Pack Unit in Navasota over their right to be safe from potentially lethal indoor heat in the summertime. Heat wave deaths The agreement also addresses a wrongful heat injury claim by an inmate at the Hutchins Unit and eight wrongful death suits brought by families of men who died amid extreme heat at several Texas prisons without air conditioning. Today we achieved something that will benefit thousands of people in the Texas prison system, said Jeff Edwards, the lead attorney for the inmates, after the hearing. All Texans should feel proud because this would not have happened without the leadership of the state of Texas recognizing that the rights of inmates are no different than the rights of human beings. Edwards credited prison officials for recognizing they were subjecting people in their care and custody to a tremendous danger and said he hoped the state will do the right thing and help other people who are subjected to these dangerous conditions. In a court filing Monday, attorneys for the state wrote, The settlement is a great victory for the class it is difficult to articulate any additional relief that reasonably could have been expected at trial. In fact, the settlement provides substantive relief to the class members beyond what the (inmates) originally sought, and more than the court awarded in its preliminary injunction. RULING: Federal judge orders a/c for heat-sensitive inmates at Pack Unit Apart from the negotiated deal, top prison officials have taken steps toward making inmates at other prisons safe from perilous indoor heat. Two lawmakers privy to top-level corrections meetings told the Houston Chronicle that Bryan Collier, head of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, began making plans months ago to relocate tens of thousands of heat-sensitive inmates at non-air-conditioned facilities. The Pack case, led by attorneys from Edwards Law firm and the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin with help from Reynolds Frizzell LLP in Houston, was filed after inmates died during two back-to-back heat waves at several Texas prisons. The state confirmed that 22 people had died of heat strokes in prisons since 1998, although experts have estimated the actual total could be significantly higher. Won prisoner approval Just over 1,300 inmates approved the final deal, with 18 inmates choosing to opt out. Living areas at the Pack Unit will be cooled regardless of whether inmates opt in, beginning with the temporary air conditioning installed this year that will be available during the next two summers as part of the agreement. The state has agreed to request legislative approval for a permanent cooling system to be installed by 2020 at the facility northwest of Houston. The state also agreed to 26 medical categories of heat sensitivity, including people 65 or older, with diabetes, coronary artery disease, asthma or who take antipsychotics or diuretics, that call for additional protection among the Pack inmates. Last summer, Ellison heard testimony from inmates and experts about the effect of heat. In July 2017, he issued a searing opinion, finding that Pack officials had been deliberately indifferent to dangerous heat in violation of the Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment. He ordered that heat-sensitive inmates be housed in units cooled to an 88 degree threshold. The settlement between the inmates and state prison officials came about several months after Ellisons ruling. In court Tuesday, the judge fielded an array of objections by phone from 19 Pack inmates, two from the Leblanc Unit and one each from the Stiles Unit and the Jester Unit. One inmate complained about religious practices being infringed upon in the wake of the judges injunction. Several expressed concerns that guards were retaliating against them because theyd taken part in the lawsuit. Ellison and the lawyers on both sides encouraged them to use the prisons grievance procedure to raise these concerns. The inmates lawyers will also continue to monitor the settlement. Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter or send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com. Houston police are searching for a man who stabbed a woman in the face with a knife and stole her purse from her car. Around 6 a.m. April 29, the woman was pulling into the front gate of her apartment complex on West Parker in north Houston. After she opened her driver's side door to enter the gate code, an unidentified man attacked and stole her purse, according to the Houston Police Department. COLD CASE HEATS UP: Man charged in murder case that went cold under disgraced Houston detective Police said the suspect was accompanied by a female, who was standing on the passenger's side of the vehicle. After this robbery, another person in the same apartment complex said he was outside drinking a beer when the suspect approached him with a knife and demanded money. The man told police the suspect stabbed him in the neck area when he said he didn't have any money. The suspect then fled the area. In some of the surveillance footage shared by police, the suspect is seen attempting to rob someone at the gate but was unsuccessful after the driver quickly drove off. The suspect is briefly dragged by the vehicle. OPEN AGAIN: HCC to reopen on Wednesday but threat investigation continues The suspect is described as 25-30 years old and 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-9. He is believed to weigh 150-170 pounds. He was wearing black pants and a black shirt. Anyone with information may earn up to $5,000 from Crime Stoppers for information leading to the charging or arrest of the wanted man. Tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477 or online at Crime-Stoppers.org. Will Axford is a digital reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. Follow him on Twitter. Houston police are investigating a fatal shooting in Acres Homes this morning. A witness said the man shot himself around 2:35 a.m. after he allegedly injured his fiance during a physical altercation, according to the Houston Police Department. Officers found him in front of a home in the 3900 block of Victory with a gunshot wound to his head and a gun near his body, police said. Authorities are awaiting an autopsy report in the case to determine how he died. The man, who is 29, hasnt been publicly identified, as authorities are still notifying his family members. Anyone with information in the shooting is asked to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600. Houston police have arrested two teenagers accused in the shooting death of a 31-year-old suspected drug dealer in a west Houston apartment parking garage in late April. Detectives charged Jace Weeks and Devyn Durham, both 19, with first-degree felony murder for allegedly killing Sam Kyle James shortly before midnight April 30 at the Domain West apartments at 611 Dairy Ashford Road. Detectives said the teenagers drove to Houston from Lufkin to purchase LSD from James that night when thing went awry. COLD CASE: Man charged in murder case that went cold under disgraced detective Weeks and Durham arrived at the apartment complex along with a third man in an Acura sedan shortly before midnight for the deal, police said. Durham felt worried James would try and rob them, witnesses said, and he brought a firearm just in case. Now Playing: Man fatally shot in Memorial parking garage Video: Metro Video James, meanwhile, told his girlfriend at the apartment complex that he was going to meet with some people in the parking garage, detectives said. He told her to come looking for him if he wasn't back in 15 minutes, the girlfriend told police. As the exchange went down, the four started arguing about the price of the drugs, at which point, detectives believe, James opened the door to the Acura. Durham allegedly confessed to police that he shot and killed James when he opened the door. The 15 minutes passed and James' girlfriend rushed downstairs to find him lying on the ground as a bystander was performing CPR. He was later pronounced dead. WANTED: Police release sketch of 'person of interest' in fatal shooting Police also interviewed Weeks and the third person in the Acura. Both corroborated what happened, police said. Weeks turned himself in to the Harris County Sheriff's Office on Monday. The third man was not charged. Durham was apprehended Tuesday in Angelina County after a high-speed pursuit, police said. Both are facing up to life in prison, if convicted. Jay R. Jordan is a breaking news reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan. Sheldon Theragood did not have much time to think, to assess the dangers of the rising waters of Buffalo Bayou as the rains from Hurricane Harvey made the waterway swell in its banks. He and fellow Houston Police Department officers made several attempts to rescue a trapped homeless man. They brought ropes, tubes and a four-wheeler to U.S. 59, where the man was stuck under a bridge, but the current was too swift to navigate. The water was up to my chest, Theragood said. We tried everything, and nothing worked. The officers, however, refused to give up. They were the only hope for the man who had fallen asleep under U.S. 59 at Runnels, not knowing that Harvey would turn his safe haven into a trap. Theragood asked one of the officers to hold onto him with a rope, and he started walking into the water with Officer David Rose. Together, they got a rope to the man, and Theragood was able to pull him to shore. It was one of the scariest moments in Theragoods career, he said. And a wave of relief rushed over him, when he brought the man to safety. In February, Theragood and Rose were honored with a Life Saving Award from HPD for their efforts. But being a hero is an everyday role for Theragood. The 35-year old member of HPDS mental health division serves on the homeless outreach team. Captain Bill Staney, commander of the mental health division, said Theragood is an integral part of the group. Hes always willing to work whatever hours are necessary, Staney said. Hes very resourceful, and hes very warm. His caring is apparent. Born and raised in Houston, Theragood received a bachelors in communications from Texas Southern University and a masters in counseling from Prairie View A&M University. When not at work, hes busy running the nonprofit he created, TheraGood Deeds. The organization, founded in 2010, provides mentoring to area youth. Theragood leads children in doing good deeds around the city, like feeding the homeless and visiting nursing homes. houstonheroes@chron.com A coalition of Texas and national civil rights groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Trump administration, hoping to restore an Obama-era rule that forces state and local governments to crack down on segregated housing practices to get funding. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Texas Appleseed and other fair housing groups, claims that U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson was in violation of the Fair Housing Act when he suspended the 2015 rule earlier this year. After the move, local and state governments are able to continue receiving HUD grants without fully complying with federal law, the lawsuit claims. "The 2015 (rule) is a critical part of ongoing work to address structural racism and inequality today," said Kristen Clarke, executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, whose firm is involved in the suit. "Through this lawsuit, we are taking action to hold HUD accountable and ensure that HUD fulfills its mission of addressing ongoing racial segregation and housing discrimination which persist across the country today." For nearly 50 years, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 has directed federal housing officials to reduce barriers to housing integration, but that mandate to "affirmatively further" fair and equal housing went largely unfulfilled. That is, until 2015, when HUD, directed by President Barack Obama, established its Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing final rule, which gave teeth to federal law and provided guidance for the first time. "We have spent over a decade working with state and local governments to provide understanding that segregation is not an accident it is the product of decades of intentional government policy," said Madison Sloan, director of Texas Appleseed's Disaster Recovery & Fair Housing Project. Under the 2015 rule, jurisdictions receiving federal grants and funding must conduct fair housing assessments on a regular schedule by using a HUD-approved tool. The department would then review the assessments and either approve or reject them. "The Assessment of Fair Housing tool for local governments wasn't working well," the agency said in a statement announcing its decision earlier this year. "HUD stands by the Fair Housing Act's requirement to affirmatively (further) fair housing, but we must make certain that the tools we provide to our grantees work in the real world." The HUD move didn't repeal the Obama-era rule; it just pushed back the deadline that requires local and state governments to analyze their housing segregation and submit plans to reverse it, until after 2020. About 1,200 jurisdictions won't have to submit their plans until 2024, which leaves "the lives and opportunities of millions of people" in jeopardy, according to the lawsuit. As of now, only five Texas jurisdictions including the cities of Lewisville and Fort Worth -- have submitted an assessment, three of them just the day before the rule was suspended, Sloan said. There are three ongoing regional assessments in the Dallas, Austin and Harris County regions that have chosen to continue with the process despite the rule suspension. The city of Houston's assessment is not due until October 2019, so fair housing advocates said they are unsure what the city plans to do. Nonetheless, plaintiffs in the lawsuit hope they can win a court order that will require federal housing officials to resume putting the rule in place, effective immediately. "It took HUD almost 50 years to create an effective way to 'affirmatively further' fair housing one that would actually eliminate the barriers that keep people of color trapped in segregated, low-opportunity neighborhoods," said Sherrilyn Ifill, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund president. "For Secretary Ben Carson and HUD to wipe away the rule just as it was beginning to take effect is shameful and contradicts what has been a fundamental principle of HUD's mission." forrest.milburn@chron.com twitter.com/forrestmilburn A team of Houston-area researchers has received $1 million to study a glacier the size of Florida in Antarctica that could hold the key to understanding future sea level rise. The researchers from Rice University and the University of Houston will join others from across the U.S. and Great Britain to study Thwaites Glacier, which has experienced significant melting over the past several decades and could cause a dramatic increase in sea level if it collapses. The five-year study, funded by the National Science Foundation, will help scientists determine how fast and how much more the glacier will melt in the coming decades. And their findings will help international communities better harden themselves against global warming. As communities around the world try to respond to global climate change, they can be better prepared if they know what changes are coming, said Julia Wellner, the studys principal investigator from UH. While we know sea levels are rising, we dont always know the rate and magnitude. Such information could help coastal regions around the world get ready for the future. Wellners project is one of eight that is part of the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, a $25-million initiative between NSF and the U.K. Natural Environmental Research Council. One of the growing concerns of climate change is sea level rise, which could put coastal communities such as the Houston-Galveston area at serious risk in the future. Scientists have found that sea level rise is averaging less than one centimeter across the globe each year, but some believe it will have increased to more than six feet by 2100, according to a June 2017 Scientific American article. But estimates vary greatly, in large part due to uncertainty surrounding the melting of glaciers. Scientists at the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies recently calculated that sea levels in the area will have risen 2.4 feet by the year 2100. RELATED STORY: Sea level rise would drastically increase damage from hurricanes around Galveston Bay, study finds The greatest uncertainty in projections of future sea level rise come from the Western Antarctic, and in particular from this glacier, Wellner said. Were concerned that the glacial retreat is accelerating and may be irreversible. Scientists hope to clear this up over the next five years. Theyll make multiple trips to Thwaites to collect sediment samples and study the floor of the ocean where the glacier used to sit before it began melting. This will help scientists determine how ice behaved in the past when faced with warming ocean and climate conditions, said Lauren Simkins, a post-doctoral research associate at Rice who also is working on the project. We know warm water has accessed the glacier, so what we can do is look at this record to come up with rates of retreat, Simkins said. Well be able to say, hopefully, given this certain temperature change, this is how the ice has responded. Knowing the history of ice retreat, she added, will help scientists understand how warm water really drives retreat of the whole system. Their first trip to the glacier, located about 1,000 miles from both the U.S. and British research stations, will take place in January. They hope to have results starting in 2020, Wellner said, which will help scientists more accurately predict future sea level rise. alex.stuckey@chron.com twitter.com/alexdstuckey Former USA Gymnastics national team coordinator Martha Karolyi misspoke when she said in a 2017 deposition that she first learned in the summer of 2015 that disgraced doctor Larry Nassar had molested USA Gymnastics athletes, according to a statement Wednesday from Karolyi's attorney. Karolyi, according to the statement from Houston attorney Gary Jewell, did not learn until after the 2016 Summer Olympics of the exact nature of the allegations against Nassar. Nassar, a longtime USA Gymnastics team doctor is serving the equivalent of a life prison sentence for possession of child pornography and sexual abuse of gymnasts and other athletes. Jewell said Martha Karolyi "merely misspoke when answering the question in her deposition. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused." Now Playing: Victims of Larry Nassar suing International Federation of Gymnastics Video: Fox 26 Houston He added, "Martha is now taking the opportunity to correct that misunderstanding and make clear that, although she did receive a phone call from (USA Gymnastics CEO) Steve Penny during the summer of 2015 regarding Larry Nassar leaving the USAG program, she had no knowledge of allegations of sexual misconduct by Larry Nassar until the summer of 2016." LAWSUIT: Karolyis file lawsuit against USA Gymnastics Jewell, who represents Martha Karolyi and her husband, Bela, said Martha Karolyi's inaccurate statement that she knew in 2015 about the nature of the allegations against Nassar was made during a 2017 deposition for a lawsuit filed in California. She was asked if she had been informed in June 2015 that a national team member had been molested by Nassar at the couple's Sam Houston National Forest Ranch, which housed the national team training center, and answered, "Yes, I did." Attorneys for several gymnasts who have filed suit against USA Gymnastics and others last week made public a film clip containing that portion of Karolyi's deposition. The clip was made public after the Karolyis said, in a lawsuit filed against USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee, that Martha Karolyi was not aware until after the 2016 Summer Olympics that Nassar was suspected of sexually molesting gymnasts. Those attorneys have scheduled a Thursday news conference in Austin, saying they will ask Texas Attorney General Ken Paxson to investigate whether Martha Karolyi violated state law in not reporting suspected abuse to authorities. Jewell's complete statement on behalf of the Karolyis follows: It must be tough to be a Republican state attorney general with a member of your own party occupying the White House. All that fun you had suing a Democratic president gets taken away. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, like his predecessor Greg Abbott, took great pleasure in suing the Obama administration. Sometimes he won, sometimes he lost, but it was always red meat to the base. Now with Donald Trump in the White House, what to do, what to do? Sue the Obama administration, anyhow. Thats essentially what Paxton did this week when his office filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the constitutionality of Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Six other states all with Republican attorneys general joined Texas in the lawsuit. EDITORIAL: 'Dreamers' are safe for now Its a move that has even perplexed other Texas Republicans. I honestly dont understand what the state is asking for, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said Friday in Dallas. When youve lost Cornyn, youve lost mainstream Republicans. DACA protects from deportation almost 800,000 undocumented children and young adults who came to the United States as children. Its a common-sense policy that enjoys broad public support. Paxton threatened last year to file a lawsuit challenging DACAs legality unless the Trump administration repealed the policy. Last year, the administration announced that it would wind down the program in March, saying it was responding to Texas and other states threatening to sue. At the time, Paxton declared victory and holstered his weapon. OPINION: Paxton-led threat to DACA youth is misguided But the Trump administration decision immediately drew legal challenges, and three federal judges so far have blocked the repeal. In the most recent decision, issued in April, a Republican-appointed federal judge said the administration didnt make a legal case for the repeal. Judge John Bates said the administration was relying on the threats of suit by Texas and other states to justify its actions, and gave the administration 90 days to come up with better arguments. The most recent court ruling also undercut one of Paxtons key assertions in the DACA lawsuit that courts had struck down another Obama executive order, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans, and would do the same with DACA. The administration made the same argument in defense of the DACA repeal. Bates pointed to numerous differences between the two orders and said such reasoning was weak. The courts are in the process of settling whether the Trump administration acted legally in repealing DACA. The ultimate decision likely will come from the U.S. Supreme Court. Paxton and the other attorneys general could have been content to let the current court process play out, but werent. MORE: Congress needs to fix the DACA program to avoid the waste of human potential Paxtons legal decision to file a lawsuit in the midst of other lawsuits around DACA is a waste of taxpayer resources. But its showing the Republican base that hes tough on immigration, which is the main point. The suit essentially seeks to end the DACA program in two years. If DACA were to end without something like it in its place, the results would be disastrous for Texas. More than 100,000 people entering the prime of their working lives would suddenly be thrust into limbo. We have said repeatedly that the best course of action is for Congress to pass legislation that permanently normalizes the status of people who were brought to the country illegally through no fault of their own. Trump and other Republicans have said they support such an approach, but their actions belie their words. They see DACA, at best, as a way to leverage other immigration policy goals. Democrats also say they back legislation to permanently protect the so-called Dreamers, but their legislative leaders are willing to wait to see what the courts will decide. They may come to regret that approach. Were sure Paxtons feeling better about himself these days. The lawsuit gets his name and immigration in the same sentence. The attorney general also finally gets headlines that arent related to his ongoing securities fraud case. But pursuing a lawsuit that is clearly bad for Texas, and wasteful to boot, is nothing to feel good about. If youve ever had to self-censor a curse word or two when looking at your latest internet or cable bill, youre not alone. Telecoms are among the most loathed institutions in the United States. Two of the Americas top 20 most-hated companies are telecoms Comcast and CenturyLink according to a recent report by 24/7 Wall St. Want to leave one of these bottom-of-the-barrel providers? Good luck. The bulk of Americans dont have much choice. Around 40 percent of the country has only one option for broadband internet access. That means telecoms have got customers over a barrel. Just this month, Comcast announced that it would refuse to offer its fastest internet connection speeds to subscribers who wont also sign up for cable television, essentially forcing Americans to sign up for a service they might not want. OPINION: Net neutrality rules are A-OK for now With no competition, theres nothing to stop telecoms from using their monopoly power to exploit people through higher prices and lower speeds nothing except for federal regulation. Thats why it is imperative that Congress use the Congressional Review Act the CRA to save net neutrality. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said he plans to file a discharge petition today, which could force a vote on the matter. All 49 Senate Democrats along with Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine have said they support restoring net neutrality after the Federal Communications Commissions regulatory flip-flop last year. Itll only take one more Republican to gain a majority. U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, the eyes of Texas are upon you. RELATED: The internet has already lost its neutrality As weve written before, the internet relies on net neutrality to function, and Congress has a duty to put it back in place. The underlying beauty of the internet is that it serves as the ultimate free market. Everyone competes on a level playing field. But without net neutrality, telecoms could start charging businesses at their own discretion and promote some content over others. Comcast could prioritize MSNBC.com, which it owns, over Fox News. Verizon could slow down YouTube and Netflix while keeping fast speeds for its own streaming services. That actually happened. If telecoms can give preferential treatment to their own products or the highest bidder then it becomes difficult for customers to discern quality services from the corporate favorites. Established companies could squash startups before they had an opportunity to compete. It also gives a few telecom conglomerates a massive amount of power over your daily life. That sort of preferentialism is illegal for pipeline companies and the electric grid. In the energy industry, content providers must remain separate from distribution networks. Theres a glass wall between drillers and transportation networks. RELATED: Internet service providers should be less like Enron and more like Kinder Morgan MORE: Why Ajit Pai is wrong about net neutrality In fact, all sorts of networks, from telephones to shipping companies, have to abide by these kinds of rules. It is how the world of commerce functions. Lawyers call it common carrier. Net neutrality was supposed to establish similar rules for the internet. However, the FCC under President Trump voted to roll back those rules and grant telecoms special treatment, permitting them to implement all sorts of bizarre charging schemes. Why? Because telecoms wanted more money. Without net neutrality to restrain them, companies like Comcast, AT&T and CenturyLink could essentially turn the digital freeway into a toll road. And its not as if theyre using that money to improve their connection speeds or invest in research and development. If you were wondering what your internet bill pays for, heres the answer: Comcast is preparing to offer $60 billion in cash to buy Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. If the deal goes through, the telecom will not only a own film catalog that stretches from Star Wars and X-Men to Kung-Fu Panda itll also own near-monopolistic control over its distribution. And you can bet itll use that to squeeze you for every last cent. It is all part of a pattern in which telecoms buy up content providers, consolidate their corporate holdings, then exploit the lack of competition to charge more for services. Congress has the ability to tie the hands of these unwieldy corporations and force them to treat customers fairly. That means voting yes on a net neutrality CRA and ensuring that telecoms have to follow the same rules as every other network. WASHINGTON It was one of the Clinton administrations biggest counterterrorism successes. Just weeks after al-Qaida terrorists trained by Iran blew up U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, Gina Haspels phone rang in the middle of the night. She was in her final weeks as station chief in what the CIA describes as an exotic and tumultuous capital in central Eurasia, and intelligence had just emerged that two senior al-Qaida associates linked to the embassy bombings were on their way to the country where she was stationed. Haspel swung into action, devising an operation to capture the terrorists. She worked around the clock, sleeping on the floor of her office, as agents tracked the terrorists to a local hotel, where the men were apprehended after a firefight. According to the CIA, The successful operation not only led to the terrorists arrest and subsequent imprisonment, but to the seizure of computers that contained details of a terrorist plot. For her efforts during the operation, which ultimately disrupted a terrorist cell, Haspel in 1999 received the George H.W. Bush Award for Excellence in Counterterrorism. HEWITT: The country needs Gina Haspel in the CIA's top post. Don't delay her vote. This is as much as the CIA has revealed, but according to press accounts, several senior al-Qaida associates were captured in Baku, Azerbaijan, just weeks after the embassy bombings. They included Ihab Saqr, a top lieutenant of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, and Essam Marzouk, who also worked for Zawahiri and had trained two of the embassy bombers. Mossad, Israels national intelligence agency, had reportedly intercepted signals indicating that Saqr was headed to Baku to meet an Iranian intelligence operative. We should be thrilled that the woman behind this major counterterrorism success has been nominated to become the first female director of the CIA and only the second person ever to rise to the agencys top post after spending her entire career in clandestine operations. But instead of being grateful that a seasoned, experienced intelligence operative has been chosen, Senate Democrats are threatening to kill her nomination. This is insane. Gina Haspel is quite possibly the most qualified person ever nominated to lead the CIA. She has experience in virtually every agency discipline, from counterterrorism to counterintelligence and offensive intelligence operations including personally recruiting spies and directing covert operations. RELATED: CIA could be permanently damaged by an ambitious Trump ally She has served in some really tough places, high-risk hardship posts, and has performed some extraordinary operations, said former CIA official Henry Hank Crumpton, who was Haspels boss in the agencys National Resources Division. According to a source familiar with her career, Haspel was once deployed in a conflict zone, when military officials from a hostile nation arrived without warning at an event she was attending. As she left, they fired at her vehicle, blowing out a tire. She still keeps the bullet as a reminder of the risks CIA officers take each day to protect the country. She knows their sacrifices firsthand. For her, some of the stars on the CIAs Memorial Wall represent the names and faces of friends she has lost in the line of duty. Shes truly a spymaster, said one retired senior intelligence official who knows Haspel well. Shes managed intelligence operations against the hardest targets, Russia in particular. She has earned great respect from intelligence leaders around the world; even people like (Russian President Vladimir) Putin would have to respect her operational savvy. Yet despite her many accomplishments, colleagues say, she is a paragon of humility with zero political ambition. Shes never lobbied for a job, one of her former CIA bosses told me. The jobs searched for her. RELATED: President Trump must take the intelligence community seriously Little wonder that so many senior Obama-era intelligence officials including Leon Panetta, John Brennan, Michael Morell, James R. Clapper Jr. and Jeremy Bash have urged the Senate to confirm her. To vote down someone so obviously qualified as political retribution for the CIAs now-defunct interrogation program would be a travesty. President Barack Obamas Justice Department concluded that no crimes had been committed. Moreover, as CIA veterans point out, Brennan was himself deeply involved in the interrogation program, and was confirmed 63-34 as Obamas CIA director, with only two Democrats and one independent voting against him. Why the double standard for the first woman nominated to lead the agency? Democrats complain that President Trump has repeatedly attacked our intelligence community. But derailing Haspels nomination would be a greater attack on our intelligence professionals than anything Trump has done. Haspel is beloved by the CIAs rank and file because she is one of them. Were the Senate to reject her, the nominees former colleague said, it would send a really chilling, devastating message. Haspel, and the men and women of the CIA, deserve better. Thiessen writes a column for the Washington Post. By all credible accounts, Gina Haspel, President Trumps pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, was directly involved in torturing detainees. When the torture regime was exposed, she staunchly advocated for destroying videotapes of this torture. The CIA undoubtedly will say that she was just following orders. What they wont say is that people throughout the government such as U.S. Army Captain Ian Fishback, General Counsel of the Navy Alberto Mora, and State Department lawyer Philip Zekilow took various steps to try to halt the illegal, immoral, and counterproductive abuse of detainees. But Haspel made a different choice. As head of a black site where torture took place, she embraced the program. She was in senior operational positions that oversaw torture. And, she was identified as a key player in the destruction of videotaped evidence of torture. Haspels complicity in the torture program is an urgent matter because President Trump has nominated her to be CIA director. A vote to confirm her by senators from the Texas delegation Ted Cruz and John Cornyn or any other senators would be incompatible with a commitment to the abolition of torture, a well-established American ideal. In 2015, the McCain-Feinstein Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act affirmed this ideal in a 78-21 vote, which reflected a broad, bipartisan consensus against torture. This consensus must hold. The need to speak with clarity on this defining issue should prevail over partisan loyalty and political gamesmanship. Some of the details regarding Haspels involvement in torture are still classified. Senators should refuse to vote on her nomination until the CIA releases all pertinent information. Unless that information convincingly refutes the considerable evidence of her involvement in torture, she is unfit to serve as director of this important, powerful and secretive agency, as more than 100 retired military leaders recently made clear in a letter to the Senate. Her defenders point to her record of dutiful service, yet this doesnt exonerate her. Torture has always been illegal, notwithstanding the Justice Departments notorious, discredited memos authorizing so-called enhanced interrogation techniques. Such euphemisms obscure the dark reality of the systematic brutality that decimates the bodies and brains of human beings. Haspel was fully aware of this reality. According to internal CIA memos, personnel stationed at the black site were disturbed to the point of tears and choking up. One official warned that several were likely to elect transfer unless the torture stopped. The embrace of torture damages not only human beings but also the United States. It assists the propaganda efforts of terrorist groups and helps them recruit members. It hinders cooperation with allies and would-be allies. And, it has failed disastrously as an interrogation technique. In other words, it has weakened U.S. national security. While Haspel may have believed she was doing right by her country in condoning and assisting torture, the facts tell a different story. During her confirmation hearings, Haspel undoubtedly will say that she now opposes torture, and that she would refuse to participate in it even if ordered to do so. Yet she already failed the test. Pressure to torture again would likely come amid a national security crisis, with purported legal authorization. There is no good reason to believe that Haspel would make the right choice this time. And the test before her the next time around may involve myriad other sensitive issues beyond torture for which no assurance from her can be trusted. Regardless of what she now says, the vote on Haspels confirmation is a referendum on torture. Confirmation would send precisely the wrong message to the world, and to Trump, who has made no secret of his desire to reinstate a policy of torture. The choice is stark and cannot be finessed. Senators should say no to torture. They should vote down the Haspel nomination. Guter is president and dean of South Texas College of Law Houston. He served 32 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring in 2002 as Rear Admiral, Judge Advocate Generals Corp. Have you followed much news coverage of our Texas Health and Human Services Commission? In the midst of escalating concerns and long-running criticism, some valid and some not, what might surprise you the most is learning the Health and Human Services Commission of the state of Texas runs the best Medicaid operation in the country despite being a gigantic, wide-ranging organization charged with helping often overlooked poor and frail Texans; despite being underfunded year after year, and despite sometimes serving as a whipping post for policymakers. In spite of contracting mix-ups and executive resignations, the faithful public employees at HHSC have inaugurated and overseen Medicaid Managed Care contracts saving Texas taxpayers $4 billion since 2010, as compared with the old fee-for-service system. Health care leaders from other states visit Texas to learn from our success how they might set up a similar system. Now another high-profile departure is looming: Charles Smith, executive commissioner, will leave at the end of May. Smith is one of six HHSC officials to resign recently, among the dozens of experienced senior leaders who have departed in the last several years. OPINION: Health care bill in Congress is a threat to kids Former Republican state Sen. Tommy Williams, who represented District 4 in the Woodlands in Montgomery County, has been tapped as the short-term fix-it guy, to find out what went wrong and set the Health and Human Services Commission with all its divisions and agencies on the right path. Regardless of what Smith has done well, or not well, simply setting up new management or more careful contract oversight is a little like renovating the kitchen of a Texas Gulf Coast house before the next hurricane season. That better, more efficient kitchen is not going to protect the house from an environment of rising water or raging storm surge, otherwise known as legislative actions that seem to make it harder for HHSC to serve those in need. Can Williams persuade his former colleagues in the Legislature to appropriately fund the work of HHSC? Can Williams help the statehouse further embrace the mission of caring for children, elderly Texans and vulnerable people throughout our state? If he cant redirect a storm surge of program bashing, an internal HHSC reorganization isnt going to help much. FROM 2015: Change at the top is needed at HHSC Certainly, reforms are needed at HHSC. This department charged with oversight of 100,000-plus contracts worth more than $60 billion needs experienced, trusted staff able to manage large contracts. It needs a more robust culture of accountability and respect. But more than anything else, HHSC needs the moral support of legislators and state leaders who believe in the mission, support the people and celebrate the results. What is the mission, what are the results? HHSC encompasses the human condition in Texas, from pregnant mothers and babies and hurricane help to vulnerable senior citizens and food benefits. Looking at the Medicaid program alone, the per capita cost of the Medicaid Managed Care program in Texas has grown by only 1 or 2 percent annually for the last 15 years. This incredibly low cost is less than the Consumer Price Index, and much less than the cost of Medicare or employer-sponsored insurance, including the cost of health insurance for state employees, municipal employees and teachers throughout the state. Medicaid serves mostly children, aged and disabled residents, and it protects the lives of the unborn through funding maternity care for low-income women. While achieving all of these successes, this single HHSC program has saved Texas more than $4 billion since 2010. MORE HEALTH CARE: Congress should make children a priority through CHIP At the same time, access to care in Medicaid has never been better, continues to improve and customer satisfaction is better than for employer-sponsored insurance. Health outcomes for women, children and the disabled are all improving. Children on Medicaid now have access to care, pediatric well-child visits and immunization rates as good as commercially insured kids. Yes, there is much work to do to improve the lives of those who depend on Medicaid and to find ways to expand this Texas success to others in need. Yes, HHSC needs fresh direction and that starts with investment from our state leaders. In this case, Texas doesnt need less government, it needs better governance. Unfortunately, it is too late for.Charles Smith, and if our state keeps going this route, piling on HHSC will drive out the remaining wonderful employees who work there. Losing our experienced public servants hurts Texans from the cradle to the grave. Its time for our elected officials to invest wholeheartedly in the work of HHSC, and this starts with telling the great story of the successful Medicaid program in Texas. SAN FRANCISCO Facebook overhauled its structure on Tuesday into three new divisions and shuffled the leadership of its key products, in one of its biggest reorganizations. The moves happened at the direction of Facebooks chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, said a person with knowledge of the changes, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to discuss them. The reorganization was intended to streamline the company and clarify who oversees what after a long period of growth and numerous acquisitions, according to another person involved. But the changes were accelerated after Facebook faced criticism recently for its lack of protections around user data, following revelations that the information of millions of its members had been harvested by a political consulting firm with ties to the Trump campaign, said one of the people. Zuckerberg was adamant about not firing any senior executives, despite pressure to make prominent changes, this person said. Facebook told employees about the reorganization in an internal companywide memo Tuesday. Recode earlier reported the changes, which were confirmed by a Facebook spokesman. Facebook was born as a social network in 2004 to help connect people with one another. Over the years, it has become a more sprawling set of products through deals like the 2014 acquisition of messaging service WhatsApp for $19 billion. Many of the companys divisions were allowed to operate with a certain degree of autonomy. more techburger Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. See More Collapse Facebook now plans to organize its product and engineering teams under three new categories, grouping its biggest moneymaking services together and separating them from its so-called moonshot technologies. One new group will focus on Facebooks key products, including the social network itself, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp, all of which generate the most revenue for the company. The second will concentrate on emerging technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The third will be centered on ads, personnel, security and growth. Facebooks key products group will be run by Chris Cox, its chief product officer. The emerging technologies division will be led by Mike Schroepfer, the chief technology officer. And Javier Olivan, a vice president of growth, will lead the final group. Other executives are changing jobs as part of the shifts. WhatsApp, for instance, will now be led by Chris Daniels, a Facebook executive who was previously tasked with bringing new people online through a free or affordable version of Facebook called Internet.org. The roles of the companys top two leaders Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, Facebooks chief operating officer remain unchanged. Sandbergs business teams are unaffected by the restructuring. The social network also said it was appointing Jeffrey Zients, a former director of the National Economic Council under former President Barack Obama, as a new board member. Facebooks changes echo some of the moves that Google announced in 2015, when it said it was dividing its core online advertising business from the rest of its businesses and created a holding company structure with the parent name of Alphabet. The change was part of an effort to keep Google nimble and innovative. But Facebooks reorganization has been complicated by the public outcry against the company, which has been under scrutiny for the spread of misinformation through its site and how it was used by Russian agents during the 2016 presidential election to influence U.S. voters. In March, The New York Times and The Observer of London reported that a political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica, had also misused the information of millions of Facebook users. Some of these issues have prompted disagreements among Facebook executives, leading to several departures. The Times has reported that Alex Stamos, the chief information security officer, intends to leave Facebook. Last week, Jan Koum, a founder of WhatsApp and a Facebook board member, also said he was leaving the company. The internal dissent hastened Zuckerbergs changes, said one of the people with knowledge of the decisions. More recently, the chief executive has been trying to move the company forward, including at Facebooks developer conference last week when he said the social network had a responsibility to keep building in meaningful ways. Ari Ratner, a former Obama administration official who now runs Inside Revolution, a strategic communications firm, said the restructuring would likely have little effect on the root issues that Facebook has been grappling with. This will have minimal impact on the issues themselves, Ratner said. If you want to send the message things will be different, Im not sure if that accomplishes much. Under Facebooks new emerging technologies group, Zuckerberg has also created a new team focused on blockchain, a digital ledger that underpins virtual currencies like bitcoin. The group will be led by David Marcus, who had been overseeing Facebook Messenger, with the mandate of examining how Facebook can incorporate blockchain. During the last six months, three people who have had conversations with Zuckerberg said he wanted Facebook to aggressively pursue applications for blockchain across the company. Facebook employees have discussed whether blockchain could be used to secure transactions between people. In a Facebook post, Marcus wrote, Im setting up a small group to explore how to best leverage Blockchain across Facebook, starting from scratch. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. SEATTLE Facebook and Google are under the microscope for the ways their technologies can spread misinformation, while Amazons growing market power is a regular target of President Donald Trump. And Apple pioneered the modern smartphone, a device increasingly seen as too addicting. Then there is Microsoft, a giant that spent most of the 1990s and early 2000s as techs biggest company and villain. It now seems to be auditioning for a different role: the industrys moral conscience. Among the five most valuable tech companies, Microsoft is the only one to avoid sustained public criticism about contributing to social ills in the last couple of years. At the same time, Satya Nadella, its chief executive, and Brad Smith, its president, have emerged as some of the most outspoken advocates in the industry for protecting user privacy and establishing ethical guidelines for new technology like artificial intelligence. On Monday, the conscientious side of Microsoft was on display again at Build, a three-day conference for developers in Seattle. Nadella announced a program, AI for Accessibility, that will award $25 million over five years to researchers, nonprofits and developers who use artificial intelligence to help people with disabilities. Nadella, whose adult son was born with cerebral palsy, has written about how his sons disability helped make him more empathetic. more techburger Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. See More Collapse Echoing a theme he talked about at the conference last year, Nadella said the industry had a responsibility to build technology that empowered everyone. Microsoft launches $25M program to use AI for disabilities We need to ask ourselves not only what computers can do but what computers should do, he said. Microsofts new role is partly due to the fact that the company is not a major player in social media, video streaming and smartphones the products behind the current dark mood around tech. It no longer squeezes the oxygen out of markets as Amazon can. But while the companys power has diminished since a couple of decades ago, when it controlled computing through Windows, Microsoft remains an influential voice. On Monday, its market capitalization of $733 billion made it the third most valuable technology company, behind Apple and Amazon and ahead of Googles parent company, Alphabet, and Facebook. The irony for Microsoft is that they lost in search, they lost in social networks and they lost in mobile, and as a consequence, they have avoided the recent pushback from governments and media, said David Yoffie, a professor at the Harvard Business School. This has given Microsoft the freedom to take the high road as the ethical leader in technology. Since taking the reins at Microsoft in 2014, Nadella has brought a more sensitive style of leadership to the company than his two predecessors, Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates. That shift has proved to be more suitable for Microsoft in this era. Two decades ago, Microsoft was depicted as a bully that ran roughshod over competitors in a landmark antitrust suit brought by the U.S. government, followed by similar cases brought by the European Union and private companies. Smith was brought in to make peace in Microsofts antitrust battles, and Nadella was the companys first chief executive to start in the job since those suits were settled. Microsoft CEO says 'privacy is a human right' In a phone interview, Smith, who is also Microsofts chief legal officer, called its legal problems in past decades a gut-wrenching experience that had shaped Microsoft in its current form. It made Microsoft a better and more responsible company, he said. This year, Microsoft published a book that outlined some of the harmful effects that could come from artificial intelligence, such as bias in job recruiting. It has litigated four lawsuits against the U.S. government during the past five years in efforts to defend customers privacy rights. One of them, a fight over law enforcement access to data stored in an overseas Microsoft data center, went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which dropped the case after Congress enacted a law that mooted it. Not only did Microsoft learn from its mistakes, Satya is a unique and caring individual, said Tim OReilly, a tech industry publisher and conference organizer. He understands deeply that Microsoft must help others to succeed. The closest analog among Nadellas peers is Tim D. Cook, the chief executive of Apple, who has painted Apple as a staunch defender of its customers privacy. He has jabbed at Facebook and Google, both advertising-supported businesses that profit from the personal data they collect from their users, a contrast to Apples business model of selling devices. Facebook and Google, which owns YouTube, have defended their advertising businesses for allowing them to deliver services for free. They have promised to add more human moderators and invest in software tools that can screen out misinformation and other prohibited content. Cook has not turned his ire toward Microsoft, which gets most of its revenue from software, hardware and cloud computing services. The company has investments in internet services that are supported in part by advertising, including its Bing search engine and LinkedIn, the social network for professionals it acquired in 2016. Nadella has been more hesitant than Cook to publicly criticize other technology companies, turning to more subtle types of persuasion. A low-key leader, Nadella peppers his speeches and interviews with references to literature, warning that careless creators of technology could contribute to a dystopian world of George Orwells 1984 or Aldous Huxleys Brave New World. His lieutenant, Smith, has become a ubiquitous ambassador for Microsoft on the big social issues facing technology in Washington, in Brussels and on the conference circuit. Microsoft is still occasionally cast in the role of villain. A California man who sold recycled electronic waste recently pleaded guilty for creating thousands of unauthorized discs that helped people restore the Windows operating system on refurbished PCs. The recycler, who has been sentenced to 15 months in prison, has said Microsoft supported the case against him, which was brought by U.S. prosecutors, because he threatened part of its business. Microsoft published a long blog post that portrayed his actions unfavorably. Still, the Microsoft of 2018 is a long way from the company that was once portrayed as a corporate predator. Microsoft lived through negativity that these companies are experiencing now, and it doesnt want to go back to those days, said Vivek Wadhwa, a distinguished fellow with Carnegie Mellon Universitys Silicon Valley campus. Smith of Microsoft said the greater scrutiny on the tech sector would not always fall on the same companies. At any given moment, there may be one or two companies in the spotlight, he said. I dont think one should assume the same one or two are always going to be in the spotlight or always on the defensive. This article originally appeared in The New York Times Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. It would force collective coverage on people who werent union members, he said. For example, all it would take is two people in a retail store to join a union and this would let unions claim collective coverage of the whole retail chain. Hope also argues that the Bill would let union officials into any workplace without permission to recruit members, would breach employees privacy by requiring employers to pass on their details to the unions, and would reduce the chance of getting a job using job trials. Overall, Hope said the Bill would strip flexibility from many workplaces, increase costs and make it harder to employ people. The modern workplace relies on flexibility and collaboration and trust for its success, he said. Unfortunately this Bill would reduce flexibility, collaboration and trust. Annie Brown Chief People Officer, Trade Me; Andy Graves Head of Capability, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Lucy Ryan Head of People and Culture, Kings School will discuss Reinventing the performance review moving beyond tradition. They will: Explore alternatives to the traditional method, and examine the impact that coaching, development and feedback can have on employee culture. What successful alternative performance review frameworks have been tried and tested? How does a framework based on coaching, feedback and inclusive development impact employee culture? How do you ensure that new performance review frameworks are fair, effective and legally defensible? Theres more on HR leadership development, HR and technology, mental health in the workplace and other important issues to be discussed at the Summit - find out here. Registrations are now open with Super Saver discounts available. The National HR Summit New Zealand will be held at the Hilton Auckland on 21 August The March TTI generated some eye-catching numbers, mainly due to the earlier timing of Easter (April 1). Higher volumes of international travelers tend to visit the U.S. close to that holiday, while domestic business travel typically falls, according to U.S. Travel researchers. Travel to and within the United States was up 3.4 percent year-over-year in March, according to the U.S. Travel Associations latest Travel Trends Index (TTI) - marking the industrys 99th straight month of overall expansion. The March TTI generated some eye-catching numbers, mainly due to the earlier timing of Easter (April 1). Higher volumes of international travelers tend to visit the U.S. close to that holiday, while domestic business travel typically falls, according to U.S. Travel researchers. Accordingly, international inbound travel to the U.S. registered eye-popping 11 percent year-over-year growth in March. Domestic travel, meanwhile, posted modest growth of 2.6 percent, and was largely dragged down by weak domestic business travel (up a meager 0.2 percent). Still, the TTI forecasts a healthy trajectory for travel overall through 2018. The Leading Travel Index (LTI)the predictive component of TTI projects an overall growth rate of 2.2 percent through September, with the international sector growing three percent in that period. But despite the positive outlook for international travel, U.S. Travel economists note that the U.S. is likely squandering a massive economic opportunity by failing to keep pace with the international travel boom. The U.S. share of the global international market slid from a peak of 13.6 percent in 2015 to 11.9 percent last year. On the bright side, we are not experiencing the decline in international inbound travel that many feared, said U.S. Travel Senior Vice President for Research David Huether. However, the U.S. is not keeping pace with the global travel boom. As a result, we are continuing to lose market share to competitors. The TTI is prepared for U.S. Travel by the research firm Oxford Economics. The TTI is based on public and private sector source data which are subject to revision by the source agency. The TTI draws from: advance search and bookings data from ADARA and nSight; Airline bookings data from the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC); IATA, OAG and other tabulations of international inbound travel to the U.S.; and hotel room demand data from STR. Click here to read the full report. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest all industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hospitality Trends Every country has its own unique and distinguishable customs. Traveling from place to place is a chance to see new sights, learn different histories and taste exotic cuisine. Despite geographical and cultural differences, sleep remains universal to us all. While we all sleep, different nations approach bedtime with individual routines and traditional practices handed down from previous generations. Weve partnered with British Airways to journey through time zones as bedtime arrives to these eight different countries -- one for every hour of sleep the Mayo Clinic recommends we get each night -- and explore the many faces of sleep. Advertisement Japan: In a survey of 21 developed countries, Japan led the pack in sleeplessness, averaging the least amount of sleep per night. In another survey, the Japanese averaged about 6 hours, 21 minutes of sleep on work nights. This often leads to unusual nap sessions -- taking place at desks, in meetings, on the train ride home or even standing up. The Japanese call this type of napping inemuri, or to be asleep while present. This type of napping is most common among higher-ranking staffers, who can get away with it, and those in lower level positions, who often go unnoticed. China: Traditional Chinese medicine sees the influence of yin and yang in sleep patterns and habits. According to TCM, sleep happens when these two complementary energies shift. Some practitioners of TCM recommend acupuncture and herbal remedies like chrysanthemum tea, which is known to treat blood pressure as well as headaches and insomnia. TCM practitioners also believe that getting to bed by 10:30 p.m. is key for organ repair, which begins at 11 p.m.. Germany: The secret to restful sleep, according to many Germans, is fresh air in the bedroom. Germans usually forgo a flat sheet, sleeping only with a duvet-like blanket known as a daunendecke or decke. These covers are often hung out of windows throughout the day to absorb the smells of the outdoors. Norway: Scandinavian parents believe exposure to the cold is healthy. For Norwegians, the benefits start at an early age. Its common practice to bundle up babies in their strollers and allow them to nap in the frigid winter air. Advertisement Similar to the decke in Germany, Norwegians typically sleep with comforters that are smaller than their mattresses. If a couple shares a bed, each person sleeps with his or her own individual blanket. Great Britain: Brits love their tea -- so much that having a cuppa before bed is common practice. Nearly as common as the bedtime beverage: turning in sans pajamas. One-third of Brits surveyed by the National Sleep Foundation said they sleep in the nude. That far outstrips the 8 percent of Americans who report wearing their birthday suits to bed. United States: Americans like their beds like they like their steaks, big. The California king bed was created sometime during the the 1920s or '30s as a glamorous mattress large enough to bed the big-name celebrities of Hollywood. The Eastern king-sized bed (aka simply the king bed) became standard after World War II because it was the exact size of two extra-long twin box springs. Along with sleeping in ridiculously large beds, Americans also love their televisions and their gadgets. More than half of Americans recently polled by the National Sleep Foundation report watching television and/or using a computer or tablet within the hour before bed. Advertisement Guatemala: The Mayans believed that worrying kept a person awake. Modern Guatemalans have carried on this ancient belief, as well as the Mayan remedy of worry dolls. These dolls don traditional Mayan dress and listen to the sleepers worries. The dolls are then tucked under the pillow and continue the worrying for the sleeper until morning. Mexico: In Mexico, sleep is often preceded by ritual. A 2013 study by the National Sleep Foundation found that 62 percent of the Mexican people surveyed said they meditate or pray before going to bed each night. In addition to prayer, 52 percent of the Mexicans surveyed said they take warm baths or showers as a part of their bedtime routine. They could be on to something: out of the countries the foundation polled, on the average work night, Mexico gets the most amount of sleep. Construction on Namibia's new Kavango East fisheries office to resume May 08,2018 | Source: New Era Africa Civil Engineering, the main contractor in the construction of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) regional office in Rundu, said the N$16 million project can be completed within six or seven months once all necessary arrangements are in place. The project, which will be known as the MFMR Kavango East Regional Office, initially commenced in November 2012 under a different contractor but came to an abrupt halt when government suspended most capital projects last year in a bid to accelerate fiscal consolidation. However, Africa Civil Engineering now says funds are available from government to commence with the project but noted that a few technical issues still need to be ironed out. We have demonstrated our capacity and capability to the ministry to conclude this project. Once everything and all agreements are in place, we will probably finish this project within six to seven months, Petrus Kapula of Africa Civil Engineering told New Era yesterday. Kapula confirmed that construction was halted due to lack of funds from government but noted that it has since been confirmed that money is now available to continue construction on the project. He added that previous delays in the project were as a result of issues carried over from the previous contractor, Executive City Construction cc, which had commenced with construction in November 2012. These issues he said, need to be agreed on before work commence. According to the spokesperson of the MFMR, De Wet Siluka, the current phase for the completion of outstanding works on the Kavango East regional office commenced on 05 August 2015 after the previous contract was terminated by the initial contractor for failing to carryout and complete the works as per the original scope. Siluka noted that the Ministry of Works and Transport handed over the site to Africa Civil Engineering cc, together with the user, the MFMR on 07 August 2015. The current phase was expected to have been completed on 07 February 2017 as per the signed contract. The project was not completed then due to various reasons which the Principal Agent / Architect on the project is better placed to articulate, said Siluka. The new regional office will have an office building, ablution block, workshop building, wash bay and nets drying building, fish feed store, boat and trailer store, garages and generator room and a guard house. The new premise is also to offer installations for specialist services and equipment (electrical and mechanical) and associated ancillary site works. Upon completion, the office will serve as the technical and administrative centre to promote aquaculture and enhance compliance to inland fisheries legislation. The contractor, Africa Civil Engineering cc has so far been paid N$ 5 783 872.81 including Value Added Tax (VAT) for works done up to 07 July 2017. Please note that the gross amount valued to date (as at 07 July 2017) is N$ 6 426 525.35 including VAT. The difference of N$ 642 652.53 is withheld in retention and will be paid out to the contractor once practical completion is attained, Siluka clarified. 2017 New Era Publication Corporation Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture. This website is inclusive of tolerant people of all faiths, without exception. Neither anti-Semitism nor Islamophobia nor homophobia should ever be acceptable to anyone. We must all strive to live in peace and harmony with each other, regardless of religious affiliations, or none. Intolerance is the mother of strife and conflict. Mark Alexander We Britons are Europeans!Wir Briten sind Europaer! Nous, les Britanniques, sommes europeens ! Mark AlexanderEmail me at:markalexander.librabunda@gmail.com Imperial Valley News Center President Trump's Decision to Withdraw From the JCPOA Washington, DC - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: On President Trump's Decision to Withdraw From the JCPOA: As we exit the Iran deal, we will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat. We have a shared interest with our allies in Europe and around the world to prevent Iran from ever developing a nuclear weapon. But our effort is broader than just the nuclear threat and we will be working together with partners to eliminate the threat of Irans ballistic missile program; to stop its terrorist activities worldwide; and to block its menacing activity across the Middle East and beyond. As we build this global effort, sanctions will go into full effect and will remind the Iranian regime of the diplomatic and economic isolation that results from its reckless and malign activity. Imperial Valley News Center Former Atlanta Police Sergeant Sentenced To Prison for Using Excessive Force and Obstructing Investigation Atlanta, Georgia - Federal District Court Judge Steve C. Jones today sentenced Trevor King, 50, a former sergeant with the Atlanta Police Department to five years in prison for using excessive force when he arrested a Walmart shopper who the officer wrongfully suspected of shoplifting a tomato and for writing a false report about the incident in an effort to cover up his crime. King was convicted on Dec. 8, 2017, following a jury trial. Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore, U.S. Attorney Byung J. BJay Pak, and David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta made the announcement. The defendant abused his authority as a police sergeant when he used a baton to brutally assault an innocent man and wrote a false report to cover up his crime, said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore for the Civil Rights Division. This sentence reflects the Departments commitment to prosecuting official misconduct cases and sends a strong message that any abuse of power will not be tolerated. King was punished today for willfully violating the Constitution by misusing his power to violently assault and injure an innocent man, said U. S. Attorney Byung J. BJay Pak. To make matters worse, he wrote a false incident report in an attempt to make the victim sound like the aggressor. Kings egregious misconduct is an affront to law enforcement officers who serve honorably and uphold their oath of office with integrity. It is our duty in the FBI to uphold our Constitution and laws, which prohibit law enforcement officers from willfully using excessive force against non-resistant subjects, said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. Sgt. King should have respected his authority, like the vast majority of his fellow law enforcement officers who serve and protect. According to evidence presented during Kings trial, on the evening of Oct. 13, 2014, the victim, Tyrone Carnegay, was grocery shopping at a downtown Atlanta Walmart store. After purchasing groceries, Carnegay returned to the produce aisle to weigh a tomato for which he believed he had been overcharged. Former Sergeant King saw Carnegay on the stores security monitor weighing the tomato, and then walking out of the store after placing the tomato back into a bag. Suspecting that Carnegay was stealing the tomato, King withdrew his asp baton and stopped Carnegay at the stores exit door. Within seconds of the stop, King began to strike Carnegay on his legs with the metal baton. After several blows, Carnegay fell to the floor. As he lay on the floor, King delivered a final baton strike, causing a compound fracture to Carnegays leg. After the assault, King found a receipt in Carnegays pocket for the groceries he had purchased, including the tomato. King charged Carnegay with misdemeanor offenses for allegedly assaulting and obstructing a police officer, and authored a false police report justifying the beating. In that report, King claimed that Carnegay had attempted to push past King and had reached for Kings gun belt before King delivered any baton strikes. Following surgery for his broken leg, Carnegay was transported from the hospital to Fulton County Jail, where he was held for several days before being released. The Fulton County District Attorneys Office later dismissed the charges against him. When King is released from prison, he will be under federal supervision for three years. This case was investigated by the Atlanta Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brent Alan Gray and Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division. Imperial Valley News Center Leaders Converge for Seeds & Chips Global Food Innovation Summit Milan, Italy - Food Tank President Danielle Nierenberg is joining food entrepreneurs, innovators, organizations, and government leaders in Milan, Italy this week to inspire solutions to feeding the future. The 2018 Seeds&Chips Global Food Innovation Summit from May 710 aims to connect people, ideas, and solutions to improve the planets future and our daily lives. The summit is dedicated to addressing todays agricultural challenges such as climate change and the increasing population. Nierenberg will speak at two events; first discussing women-lead initiatives and launches at The Power of Women in Food Innovation Talk. Fellow women leaders at the talk include Kerry Kennedy, President of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights; Natalie Shmulik, CEO of The Hatchery Chicago; Sarah Toumi, CEO of Acacias for All; Selina Juul, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Stop Wasting Food; Morgan Oliveira, Founder and Principal of Grounded PR; Renske Lynde, Managing Director of Food System 6; Lucia Chierchia, Managing Partner at Gellify; and Marie Maeland of TEENOVATORS. Later, Danielle will discuss trends in food and agriculture on the panel New World Ag: Emerging Opportunities and Innovations in Global Markets joining Paolo De Castro, Vice-Chair on the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development on the European Parliament; Tom Arnold, member of the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition; Beth Kowitt, Senior Writer for Fortune; Howard-Yana Shapiro, Chief Agricultural Officer at Mars, Inc.; Thimo V. Schmitt-Lord, Head of Bayer Foundations; Kees Aarts, CEO of Protix; Tinia Pina, Founder and CEO of Re-Nuble; Alexandra Ciobanu of TEENOVATORS; and Robert Poole, a Partner focused on the agribusiness sector for KPMG Australia. Seeds&Chips hopes to empower a new voice from young innovators by giving them important roles both at the summit and in shaping their futures. Each of the over 30 speeches, talks, and panels will feature young entrepreneurs and innovators alongside some of food and agricultures most prominent leaders. While exploring solutions to feeding the future population, the summit will also feature panels focusing on the next generation of farmers, food technology, water conservation, and investment in the food system. Two keynote speakers will begin the summit. On May 7, Howard Schultz, Starbucks Executive Chairman, will speak about the rise of his business and his advice for young innovators. On May 8, John F. Kerry, the 68th U.S. Secretary of State, will address the importance of climate change and ways towards a sustainable food system. Imperial Valley News Center Justice Department Seeks to Revoke Citizenship of Convicted Felons Who Conspired to Defraud U.S. Export-Import Bank of More Than $24 Million Miami, Florida - The Justice Department today filed denaturalization lawsuits against two individuals convicted of conspiring to defraud the United States Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) of more than $24 million, conduct they allegedly concealed during their naturalization proceedings. The civil complaints were filed in federal court in the Southern District of Florida. Criminals that seek citizenship in the United States and knowingly hide their criminal history have no right to keep their citizenship, said Acting Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Departments Civil Division. Todays complaints prove that the Department of Justice will continue to uphold the law and protect our immigration system against those who seek to cheat the United States out of our greatest immigration benefit. Guillermo Oscar Mondino, 55, a native of Argentina, and Norma Borgono, aka Norma Isabel Borgono Bedoya, 63, a native of Peru, were convicted in 2010 and 2011, respectively, for conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. Mondino was also convicted of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1957. As admitted in their criminal proceedings, Mondino owned an exporting company headquartered in Miami, Florida, which was in the business of purchasing U.S. goods on behalf of clients in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and other foreign countries, and shipping those goods overseas. Mondino conspired with Borgono and others to obtain from the Ex-Im Bank more than $24 million in fraudulent loan transactions by falsifying records. Mondino and Borgono knew and intended that all or some of the goods identified on the applications they falsified would not be purchased and/or would not be shipped. They misappropriated $14.1 million in loan proceeds that were guaranteed by the Ex-Im Bank, including by distributing portions of the loans to foreign co-conspirators in cash. Mondino and Borgono admitted in their criminal proceedings that more than $12.9 million of the amounts Ex-Im Bank paid on claims for defaulted loans remained unrecovered. After their fraudulent conspiracy was discovered, Mondino and Borgono were criminally charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Although Mondino and Borgonos criminal conspiracy and crimes began while they were permanent residents of the United States, their criminal proceedings did not occur until after they had both naturalized. The civil denaturalization complaints allege that Mondino and Borgono concealed and affirmatively misrepresented their criminal conduct throughout their naturalization proceedings, and that their applications would have been denied had immigration authorities known about the defendants fraud. The cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Civil Divisions Office of Immigration Litigation, District Court Section (OIL-DCS). The cases are being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Michael Celone of OIL-DCS, with support from Senior Attorney Gina Garrett-Jackson of ICEs Miami Office of the Chief Counsel and Special Agent David Jansen of ICE-HSI Fort Lauderdale. The claims made in these complaints are allegations only, and there have been no determinations of liability. The White House Announces Its Rescission Package Washington, DC - Washington has a spending problem. The national debt is now more than $21 trillion and the deficit could reach $1 trillion next year. Through his two budget requests to Congress, President Trump has proposed trillions of dollars in common-sense spending cuts. He has sought to eliminate outdated and ineffective programs across the federal government, ending the debt spiral. At the direction of President Trump, the Office of Management and Budget has worked diligently to identify wasteful and unnecessary spending already approved by Congress. On Tuesday, President Trump will send Congress a $15.4 billion rescissions request, the largest ever using this authority. While this authority hasnt been used in nearly two decades, every president from Gerald Ford to Bill Clinton successfully rescinded funds. From 1974 to 2000, approximately 40% of presidential rescission proposals were enacted in some form. Members of Congress in both parties have supported rescissions packages similar to the one President Trump is proposing. The Trump administration and Congress must be responsible with each taxpayer dollar that comes to Washington. Every member of Congress should support these rescissions. Over the past decade, its become increasingly apparent that Washington has no appetite for fiscal restraint. Unless the federal government as a whole commits to cutting spending and letting the economy grow, bloated deficits and outrageous levels of debt will haunt future generations. President Trump stands ready to put our fiscal house back in order and put the American taxpayer first. Does the rest of Washington? FTC Chairman Simons Names Senior Staff Washington, DC - Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons has named seven senior staff members with extensive experience in consumer protection and antitrust law. I am very pleased to have a strong leadership team whose knowledge and experience will help ensure that the FTC continues to be effective in promoting competition and protecting American consumers, Simons said. Cathy MacFarlane has been appointed as Director of the Office of Public Affairs, returning to the position she held from 2001 to 2003. Following her FTC tenure, MacFarlane served as the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and headed up communications and public affairs for ING DIRECT USA and ZenBanx. Earlier in her career, she was Vice President of Devillier Communications, an Associate with Cassidy & Associates, and the Director of Business Development for Jones Day. She began her career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and served at the Department of Justices National Institute of Justice. MacFarlane earned a B.A. from Manhattanville College and an M.A. from Georgetown University. Tara Isa Koslov has been appointed Interim Chief of Staff to the Chairman, after nearly two years as Acting Director of the Office of Policy Planning. She had been OPP Deputy Director since March 2011, and previously served as an attorney advisor to three Commissioners. She joined the Commission in 1997, as a staff attorney in the Bureau of Competition, following several years in private practice. Koslov is an honors graduate of Harvard Law School and Brown University. Randolph W. Tritell will continue as Director of the Office of International Affairs. He previously led the FTCs International Antitrust Division and was a staff attorney in the Bureau of Consumer Protection, Assistant to the Director of the Bureau, Attorney Advisor to former Commissioner Terry Calvani, and Executive Assistant to the Chairman. A former Weil, Gotshal & Manges partner, Tritell is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Jeanne Bumpus will continue to serve as Director of the Office of Congressional Relations. She previously was a principal advisor to Arizona Senator John McCain and served as Staff Director and Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Bumpus was formerly Legislative Counsel to Washington State Senator Slade Gorton. She is a graduate of the University of California Berkeley School of Law and the University of California, San Diego. David B. Robbins will continue to serve as Executive Director of the agency. He was previously managing director/chief operating officer for the Federal Communications Commission, and associate administrator for the Small Business Administrations Office of Management and Administration. He also served as an assistant director, attorney, and senior program manager in the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection. Robbins earned a bachelors degree from Rutgers University and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law. Donald S. Clark will continue to serve as the Secretary of the FTC. He was previously an Attorney Advisor to former Chairman Daniel Oliver, former Acting Chairman Terry Calvani, and former Commissioner George Douglas, and a staff attorney in the Bureau of Competition and the Bureau of Consumer Protection. Clark has a B.A. and M.A. in Economics from Stanford University, and a J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law. Kevin D. Williams will continue to serve as the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Workplace Inclusion. He joined the agency as an Attorney Advisor in the Office of EEOWI in 2007, having worked at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the Office of the General Counsel and the Office of Federal Operations. Williams is a graduate of Howard University School of Law and Morehouse College. Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Receiving Child Pornography on Tor Network Forum Norfolk, Virginia - A Purcellville, Virginia man, who was a member of a website dedicated to the advertising and sharing of child pornography on an online anonymous network, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations HSI Washington, D.C. made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia. Nikolai Bosyk, 40, a repair shop owner, was charged on Oct. 17, 2017, and pleaded guilty on Feb. 12, 2018. According to admissions made in conjunction with the guilty plea, Bosyk was a member of an online bulletin board dedicated to the sharing of child pornography, that operated on the TOR anonymity network. Bosyk admitted to downloading child pornography, from that website and other places on the Internet. A forensic review of his laptop discovered thousands of images and videos of child pornography. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, with assistance from the High Technology Investigative Unit (HTIU) of the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and the Northern Virginia-Washington, D.C. Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. CEOS Trial Attorney Lauren E. Britsch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Smith III of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case. Closure of Controlled Crossing Points in Russian Occupied Georgian Territory of South Ossetia Washington, DC - The United States is concerned by the decision of de facto South Ossetian authorities to temporarily close controlled crossing points in Georgia along the administrative boundary line in the Russian-occupied territory of South Ossetia. These closures coincide with Georgias celebration of Victory Day and restrict freedom of movement for residents living on both sides of the administrative boundary line. In addition, the United States calls for an immediate halt to the ongoing illegal detentions of Georgian citizens by de facto and Russian authorities along the administrative boundary lines with the Russian-occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. A few months ago, I suggested that open-plan offices create plausible deniability for sexual harassment. And, last week, I pointed out that air conditioning in most open-plan offices is optimized for men wearing suits, making women less productive. I also pointed out, in a separate column, that because there's no analogy in women's wear to the ubiquitous men's business suit, women must expend extra time and money on the clothes they wear each day. Well, this morning my editor sent me a link to a study by Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Bedfordshire of 1,000 employees who, over the course of three years, moved from traditional offices into an open-plan facility. Even though the study wasn't focused on gender issues, it found ... numerous examples of people, particularly women, changing their behavior and dress as a result of working in an environment of constant visibility. When changing from a more closed, compartmentalized office space to a new open-plan, transparent and fluid working space, office workers were more conscious of their visibility and often found this unsettling rather than liberating. Women in particular felt anxious about the idea of being constantly watched, and felt they had to dress in a certain way. Tellingly, some women felt intimidated when walking into areas of the building dominated by men, because their presence--visible from everywhere in the room--made them the immediate center of attention because of how they looked, rather than their role in the company. Needless to say, men in the workplace have been ogling women ever since women started working in offices, but open-plan offices can turn what's intermittent if annoying into something that's unrelenting. The emphasis that open-plan offices put upon women's appearance also creates a major disadvantage for women who don't fit within our dominant culture's rather limited definition of female beauty. Men don't face this problem, because they're less likely to be judged on their appearance and, in many office environments, can simply camouflage themselves in standard business suits. It's seemed obvious to me for some time that there must be SOME reason that corporations have massively migrated to open-plan offices, even though there is overwhelming scientific evidence that they make everyone less productive. You have lots of choices when it comes to the products in your life. Coffee or tea? Nike or Adidas? Apple or Samsung? Futurist (and Inc. magazine columnist) Amy Webb says the stakes of those decisions will soon be a lot higher. Speaking at the Wall Street Journal Future of Everything Festival Tuesday, Webb talked about the larger role artificial intelligence will play in our everyday lives in the not-too-distant future. "You won't be deciding between systems like iOS or Android for your phone," she said. "You'll be deciding: Do you want your life operating system to be Amazon or Google? If you think it's hard choosing a smartphone, just wait." Webb, founder of the research firm Future Today Institute, thinks a future in which smartphones are obsolete is only a decade away. Instead of carrying around phones or tablets, we'll be surrounded by smart devices--and we won't need to look at a screen. "Fifty percent of our interactions with machines will be by voice," she said. Assistants like Alexa or Google Home will run our everyday lives via voice chat. "This will shift our expectations and also create new divides," Webb added, since that kind of technology won't be accessible for everyone. Webb also has concerns about the way governments will use artificial intelligence as it continues to advance. China recently rolled out a secretive social credit rating system, which is basically an Uber rating that applies to nearly every aspect of everyday life. Citizens whose scores get too low can be restricted in everything from their abilities to use the internet, travel on public roads, or send their children to certain schools. China already is known to monitor and regulate its citizens' activity online. As Wired points out, it's not hard to imagine that speaking bad about the government online would lower a person's score. A.I. that crawls social media would make this process even more efficient--if it isn't already being deployed. Webb also suggested that street cameras with facial recognition could dock jaywalkers, meaning even the most minor infractions would be automatically cataloged and could have long-term effects. Disturbingly, private Chinese companies including Alibaba affiliate Sesame Credit are helping the government's efforts by collecting data on citizens and generating algorithms that produce their individual scores. "Sometimes," Webb said, "profit goals and what's best for the future of humanity don't align." As such, she asserted that tech companies in the U.S.--specifically the "big six" of Google, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, Apple, and Facebook--have the massive responsibilities to create A.I. that's controlled and inclusive and used for good. All this, of course, is much easier said than done. It will likely also require a proactive government, which Webb doesn't see currently. "The Trump administration likes to pretend A.I. doesn't exist," she said, which doesn't bode well for the country's future. She suggested that not only will the U.S. fall far behind China in developing its technology, but that ignoring the issue in the present will lead to an ugly regulatory process down the line. Several years from now, she said, lawmakers will eventually cave to mounting public pressure and try to play catchup, thus enacting an onslaught of regulations that saddle A.I. companies. Coincidentally, Webb's comments came on the same day that The Washington Post reported the White House will be hosting an A.I. summit later this week. According to the report, the administration will meet with academics and executives from 38 companies including Amazon, Google, and Facebook about advancing the technology and funding pertinent research. The mayor of Chattanooga, Tenn. (population 177,571) has valuable advice for cities seeking to create a vibrant startup scene. He neatly articulated in one phrase the advice I offered in Chapter 8 of my recently published book Startup Cities: "Harness your assets." Chattanooga's Mayor, Andy Berke, earned a degree in Political Science from Stanford and a law degree from the University of Chicago. Since he became mayor in 2013, Chattanooga has hosted many startups - two of which grew and were sold to other companies for over $1.8 billion. This success has drawn in over $1 billion in local capital, boosted wages and local housing prices and sent the unemployment rate down to about 3 percent. Why has Chattanooga achieved such notable and rapid success? The key is Chattanooga's city-wide gigabit broadband network (with speeds 200 times faster than the national average) -- which gives companies that locate in the city a competitive advantage. Based on my experience working with Harvard professor, Michael Porter, who made competitive advantage famous in his 1985 book, I think the phrase is extremely important and widely misunderstood. When I teach competitive advantage to undergraduates I focus on four ideas: identifying why customers buy, assessing how they choose among competing suppliers; evaluating how well companies fulfill their promises to customers; and scrutinizing companies' ability to adapt to changing customer needs, new technologies, and upstart competitors. Customers buy from the supplier that best meets their needs. More specifically, customers rank their customer purchase criteria (CPC) -- factors like price, product quality, and post-sales service -- and pick the supplier that best meets those ranked CPC and has the business capabilities - such as product development, manufacturing, purchasing, and customer service -- needed to keep winning. In short, competitive advantage is about beating rivals in delivering the most bang for the buck to the customer. But customers will only stay with a supplier over the long run if it adapts to change effectively. Just because a company has a competitive advantage today, it does not mean it will have one five years from now. This brings us back to why great entrepreneurs have flocked to Chattanooga - its gigabit broadband network. As Berke explained in a May 2 interview, "In the mid-2000s, our Electric Power Board decided to build a smart grid which enabled wireless transmission of power consumption data - rather than reading meters -- and pinpoint and repair problems in the system. Thanks to a $110 million funding grant from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, we were also able to build a gigabit fiber optic network along the utilities' rights of way. We turned on the gig in 2010." According to Berke, Chattanooga's network is much faster than Comcast's which transmits data more slowly both when users send an email, referred to as upstream traffic, and when they receive an email, which is called downstream traffic. Comcast's upstream traffic rate is 3 million bits (the smallest unit of data in a computer - either a 0 or 1) per second (Mbps) while its downstream rate is 25 Mbps. Chattanooga's Gig transmits both upstream and downstream at 10,000 Mbps. Gig is more ubiquitous than its rivals. "It's not just in a few locations -- as other high-speed broadband networks are -- it's that fast for everyone in the city," he said. One startup was able to use this high-speed network to deliver a better service to its customers. As Berke explained, "We host a startup that lets people upload old audios and videos to the web. The gig slashes latency - so users don't have to wait long to upload their content --which makes for a better customer experience." The gig has helped to attract many startups to the city - two of which were sold for over $1.8 billion. "One company that started here, QuickCue, enables people to use text messaging to make restaurant reservations. It grew fast and was acquired bought by OpenTable for $11.5 million. Another startup, Access America, that gamified logistics, sold out to Coyote Logistics, a VC-backed logistics company, in March 2014 and in July 2015 UPS bought it for $1.8 billion," he explained. Berke's leadership also played a key role. "In 2013, we were trying to figure out how to get our startup scene into gear. I decided to create an Innovation District by locating our Enterprise Center in a building that had formerly been occupied by the [Tennessee Valley Authority] TVA. I took an existing non-profit, changed its mission, management and name and charged it with getting businesses to come here." That alone was not enough. As he explained, "We could not get existing companies to move here, Facebook and Apple didn't come, and venture capital firms would not invest. We decided to put money into the local startup scene - including sponsoring a startup competition and fixing up the area's shops and restaurants. In the first two years we had 4,000 events and 600 companies. When local people made money, they reinvested and that attracted outside capital." We all want to be able to spot the best people for our team and then be able to retain the best people as well. But it starts with hiring the best, which means asking the best questions. And not questions that irritate the candidate or are patently illegal (some would ask Robert Mueller to ignore this dictate). It turns out a very common job interview question has been banned by several big companies (including Google, Starbucks, and Amazon) and now by the state of California (to go along with Massachusetts, New York City, and Chicago). The New York Times reported that in April the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a ruling that in the state of California employers could no longer ask this interview question: "What's your current/past salary?" This common question, used by employers to help set salary for incoming job candidates, has also been used to justify the pay gap between men and women. Employers are effectively able to shift the blame, stating that the existing pay gap isn't gender-based, it's about what that female hire used to make in her past job. A high-ranking court just said no more in California, and similar rulings in other states, cities, and companies are likely to follow. As Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote in the ruling, "Women are told they are not worth as much as men. Allowing prior salary to justify a wage differential perpetuates this message, entrenching in salary systems an obvious means of discrimination." Re-read that and see if you can resist pumping your fist as if listening to a Rage Against the Machine tune. Besides being discriminating, asking about salary history is just bad for business. Research shows employers tend to over-rely on salary history information as a signal of employee worth and productivity (they must have got paid what they were worth) and thus bypass other very qualified candidates. Not everyone agrees. As the Times reported, there are common arguments for why salary history questions should be allowed. For example, some feel doing so avoids wasting everyone's time if the hiring company can't afford the candidate. But who's to say that a great candidate wouldn't take a job at a lower salary if they're excited about the work and if the job has other intrinsic benefits of great value to them? Some business owners feel asking salary questions allows them to avoid overpaying, which can hurt their businesses profitability. I say that's nonsense. The person is either worth what you must pay to attract them or they're not. Finally, as indicated earlier, some find knowing salary history is important because it indicates the value the prior company placed on the candidate. This is the most ridiculous argument of all to me because it ignores the inherent gender pay bias that's already entrenched in the system--that the candidate may likely well have not been paid what they were worth to begin with. So instead, may I offer alternative interview questions to get at a candidates' worth/fit? By no means am I suggesting this is an exhaustive list for any interview; these are just 3 non-traditional, powerful questions to add to your overall assessment. 1. What simply would not have happened were it not for you? This is a question that I'd ask before I'd bring anyone on to one of the multi-billion dollar businesses I ran in the corporate world. It really gets to the heart of what a difference maker the candidate is, what big, meaty unique contributions they made (versus talking about a team-based contribution that in truth they may have played a small part in). 2. What do you hope to be remembered for in your last job? This question always gave me a good sense of whether or not the candidate had thought about and worked towards accomplishing the legacy they wanted to leave behind in their job. That's right, a legacy isn't just what we leave in life, it applies to each and every job we hold. I've found that the best candidates, even if they don't call it a legacy, are able to articulate the specific imprint they tried to have--whether on the business, the systems, or the people. It tells me what's important to them, gives me a more heartfelt look at what they accomplished, and gives me insight into their values. 3. Thinking back on your work experience, when were you the happiest? The least happy? In 2015, Solace Technologies, a startup that makes nicotine liquid for e-cigarettes and vaporizers, rented a 500-square-foot basement office under the Transamerica building in Los Angeles. There was a window, but it looked into a parking garage. "It was embarrassing, to be honest. Our office was between the building's gym and IT department," says Brendan McDermott, 29, one of Solace's four co-founders. "Eventually, we put two fern trees outside of our door, so people didn't think it was another IT closet." It was a scrappy start, for sure. But the company, launched to capitalize on the burgeoning vape industry, is lighting up. In 2017, Solace made $3.7 million in revenue and is on track to make five times that much in 2018. It recently acquired its contract manufacturer, E-Generation. And it's won accolades--and the attention of Big Tobacco--with its unique formula of nicotine liquid, which fans say mimics the buzz of a cigarette. Solace co-founders Lorenzo De Plano, 24, and Eric Anwar, 25, met while studying at the University of Southern California, while McDermott and Jomie Raymond, 28, were co-workers at another L.A. vape company. Rather than manufacturing a vape device, which is capital intensive, the team decided to focus the company on high-margin juice. "The liquid is the razor blade--it's where you make your money," says De Plano, referencing Gillette's longtime strategy. inlineimage What makes Solace unique is that its juice contains what's called nicotine salt. Most vape juices contain a form of the addictive chemical called freebase nicotine, which is not absorbed into the blood stream as quickly as nicotine salt. Many smokers start vaping in an effort to replace cigarettes, but freebase nicotine doesn't deliver the same rush as a combustible cigarette. Nicotine salt provides a rush similar to cigarettes' and mimics the "throat hit" that smokers seek. Solace didn't invent nicotine salt; it's actually the natural state of nicotine, found in the tobacco leaf. In 2015, the vape company Pax Labs popularized nicotine salt liquid with a patented juice formula (inside disposable pods) that could be used with only its sleek e-cig, called Juul. By March 2018, according to Nielsen data, the Juul dominated the e-cig market with $454 million in retail sales. But Juul's e-cigs are a closed system, meaning a user must buy its pre-filled cartridges from the company. Solace decided to create a business by selling juice for open systems like the iCare, Suorin Air, and MyJet. (On Solace's website it says you can jailbreak the Juul and refill the pods with its juice, too.) "Juul is a closed platform like Apple, while we're catering to open systems like Android," says De Plano. Solace's strategy seems to be working: In February 2017, Solace won the best new vapor product award for its nicotine salt juice at the 2017 Tobacco Plus Expo in Las Vegas. The company sells its liquid to consumers under two brands--Solace and Salty Man--and it also makes juice for about 20 companies, ranging from boutique vape juice brands to big tobacco companies. (Solace said it could not name the companies because it's bound by nondisclosure agreements.) Still, Solace is a small player in a $5.5 billion industry, which itself is only a tiny fraction of the $85 billion tobacco industry. But vaporization is the future, says Bonnie Herzog, an analyst for Wells Fargo who studies the space. As sales volume for cigarettes have declined for decades, "reduced risk products," in industry parlance, continue to gain traction. "E-cigs and vaporizers will surpass combustible cigarettes in the next decade," she says. Solace's founders say they expect the industry, which started with mom-and-pop companies, to be taken over by big tobacco within five years. The corporate takeover is indeed happening quickly--in 2017, British American Tobacco invested $2.5 billion to create new "reduced risk" nicotine delivery products, and every big tobacco company now has lines of e-cigs or vape systems. "There is a huge opportunity as the tobacco industry is being transformed by disruptive innovation," says Herzog, even as the long-term health effects of vaping are still not known. What is clear, according to multiple studies, is that e-cigarettes are far less harmful than conventional cigarettes in the short term. (They do nothing to help users quit nicotine, which is highly addictive.) Cigarettes remain one of the deadliest consumer products in the world, claiming 480,000 lives in the U.S. a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A major challenge facing all nicotine juice companies, especially smaller independent ones like Solace, is that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will require the companies to prove that their products are safe and effective alternatives to traditional cigarettes by 2022. While industry giants like Juul, or big tobacco companies like Altria or British American Tobacco, which have their own e-cigarette brands, have the resources to comply with the FDA, "it's a risk to our business and challenge to deal with FDA's regulations," says De Plano, who is CEO. Another risk to Solace, and every other vape juice companies that make candy- and fruit-flavored products, is the political pushback the industry is facing on flavors that appeal to kids. High school kids have co-opted e-cigs, which were originally made to help adults switch from traditional cigarettes to vaping, and parents and school administrators are looking for ways to stem the "explosion" of kids taking up the tech-infused nicotine habit. Earlier this week, New York Senator Chuck Schumer wrote a letter to the FDA demanding the agency ban "kid-friendly e-cig flavors" which he says are "helping to fuel a fire of e-cog addiction" among adolescents. If fruit and candy flavors are banned, De Plano says Solace could easily whittle its product line down to its two flagship flavors--tobacco and mint. Meanwhile, he says he has been meeting with multinational tobacco companies over possible deals--he wouldn't discuss details--and Solace has received at least one buyout offer from a company in the consumer space. For the moment, though, the co-founders are choosing to elbow their own way into the industry. They've said goodbye to the basement office, and this summer will be moving Solace's manufacturing space to a 40,000-square-foot facility north of L.A. "We're not funded by Union Square Partners; we're not a hip company," says De Plano. "But we have created a valuable company." I wrote the short story How to Talk to Girls at Parties for 15-year-old girls and boys of all ages and genders, says award-winning writer and American Gods creator Neil Gaiman. Originally published as part of his short story collection Fragile Things in 2006, its the fantastical tale of a teenage boy who falls in love with a female alien in punk-era London. Hedwig and the Angry Inch director and star John Cameron Mitchell has adapted the tiny tale into a feature-length film starring Elle Fanning as the teenage alien Zan and Nicole Kidman as punk bigwig Queen Boadicea. The origin of How to Talk to Girls at Parties is autobiographical. Gaiman wanted to capture that period of adolescence when boys and girls have a love-hate relationship and the gap between the genders seems insurmountable She is a punk rocker: Kidman in How to talk to Girls at Parties That gulf where it seemed like only a couple of years ago we were climbing trees together and hanging out and now youre wearing make-up and I feel these peculiar urges and I dont even know how you got these breasts and this is all really weird, recalls Gaiman. And for you it must be weirder, as now Im covered in spots, trip over things and got large, hairy and really irritating. Gaiman says the silver jubilee backdrop and celebration of punk is simply an accident of time: If I was 10 years older Im sure this story would be set in the summer of love. If I were 10 years younger it would probably be Manchester, and 20 years later would be Seattle. But I wouldnt set it in those places, Id set it on the edges where people are going: this grunge thing is happening and we kind of get it. That explains the Croydon setting then, which is where Gaiman lived during the 1970s. The anticipation that this would be a film about punk seemed to divide critics when the film premiered at Cannes Film Festival last year. Many argued that director John Cameron Mitchell had not captured the music scene, others that it lacked narrative focus. One critic even called it one of the worst movies ever made. Smells like punk spirit: Neil Gaiman, Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning and John Cameron Mitchell at Cannes (Getty) But other reviewers loved the sheer ecstasy of Cameron Mitchells creation, from Sandy Powells amazing costumes to the eclectic music choices. Hit songs are avoided in favour of The Damned, The Homosexuals, dub reggae and live songs from a fictional live band The Dyschords, created by Martin Tomlinson and Bryan Weller. The aliens are soundtracked by a fusion of Krautrock-inspired loops and classical samples. So Cameron Mitchell confounded expectations that this would be about a music scene: instead of making a radical, edgy, realist appraisal of punk, he seemed to offend because his film is a sweet story of teenage lust and love. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up I wanted to make a pop film about love, agrees the director. All my films have to have love or be about the absence of it. He laughs at the criticism of the film not capturing the punk scene. Its a sign of the times he argues, by which he means the present-day need to define pure subcultures that follow a set of regulations. Thats the funny thing about punk, just like everything else it starts to become rules. What are the rules? Suddenly you realise: doesnt that actually go against the definition of punk? Rise above it: the film may not have captured the music scene but its a love story at heart (StudioCanal) Cameron Mitchell laments the way that the internet has opened up access to music and yet the sheer volume of what is on offer has seemingly prevented a new musical sound breaking out into the mainstream. What was the last popular musical movement? he asks himself rhetorically. Grunge. Isnt that weird? It was an Americanised version of punk. The Neil Young version of punk. Around the year 2000, the mass music movement disappeared and it just became atomised, he continues. The end of style is 2000 because of the internet. Its all in tiny groups now. It has wonderful plusses because you care so strongly about that group, but the negative side is that people only read the news that they want to see and they dont believe any objective reality. William Burroughs was right, everyone is alone. Alex Sharp, who won a Tony award for his role as Christopher Boone in the stage adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, plays Enn, the wannabe musician who attempts to woo Zan, played by Fanning, by trying to take her on a punk odyssey. Throughout the film Zan asks all and everyone: What is punk? The only answer she gets is the fag end of the blues, a line delivered by Kidman playing a band manager. As for his own punk history, Cameron Mitchell admits it was only after I came out that I got into punk. There was a kind of queer punk thing happening in the late Eighties and early Nineties, which led to Hedwig. There was a scene happening called SqueezeBox!, a party in New York with a queer punk scene. Cameron Mitchell introduced Fanning to the genre. Hes the encyclopaedia of punk. You can get intimidated talking to him, says Fanning. Still, she has a completely opposite view to the director about how social media is affecting culture. Because of social media I feel that young people are more informed and opinionated and free to speak their minds. Anarchy in Croydon: its a white riot in south London (StudioCanal) She jumped at the chance of working with the director because she says hes one of the most unique voices working in cinema today: You know a John Cameron Mitchell movie will be out of the box and so emotional. John is such a soulful person, hes so sensitive, but he also has a wild side. He also encouraged Fanning to come out of her shell: Youre willing to push yourself because its John. He gets you into a mindset to just do it. And that seems about as punk as one can be. How to Talk to Girls at Parties is in cinemas Director Roman Polanski has sued the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following his dismissal from the organisation last week. According to the Los Angeles Times, Polanski's lawyer, Harland Braun, says the state of California didn't abide by its own rules by not giving the director the opportunity to defend himself. "We are not here contesting the merits of the expulsion decision, but rather your organisations blatant disregard of its own standards of conduct in, as well as its violations of the standards required by California corporations code," writes Braun. Polanski called the decision of the Academy "the height of hypocrisy" The lawsuit comes after the 84-year-old director was dismissed from the Academy, which had given him the best-director Oscar for The Pianist in 2003. At the same time, actor Bill Cosby was dismissed from the organisation. Both men were expelled because of the sexual assault cases against them. Polanski's other lawyer Jan Olszewski called the director's comparison to Cosby "a total misunderstanding and harassment." World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. 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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 Before Polanski was removed from the Academy, Polanski criticised the MeToo movement as "mass hysteria" and "hypocrisy" in an interview with the Polish edition of Newsweek. He made this remark when asked what he thinks about the movie industry's takedown of sexual harassment saying, "I think this is the kind of mass hysteria that occurs in society from time to time." Polanski later added: "Everyone is trying to back this movement, mainly out of fear ... I think it's total hypocrisy." Currently Polanski is still wanted for the 1977 rape of Samantha Geimer. For decades, the director - who has dual Polish and French citizenship - has attempted to negotiate a deal with the US for the charges. Geimer - who has previously said she forgives the director - called the Academy's decision "an ugly and cruel action which serves only appearance." Disgraced filmmaker Roman Polanski has criticised the #MeToo movement, labelling it "total hypocrisy" and comparing it to 16th century massacres of Protestant Christians in France. The 84-year-old, who pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor in 1977 and fled the US before being sentenced, was thrown out of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last week along with convicted sex attacker Bill Cosby. The Oscar-winning director of Rosemary's Baby also likened #MeToo, which has seen women all over the world speak out against sexual harassment by men after a raft of allegations against powerful Hollywood figures, to McCarthyism in the US. When asked for his views about the industry's reaction to the sexual harassment allegations, the French-born director told Newsweek Polska it was "total hypocrisy". He said: "I think this is the kind of mass hysteria that occurs in society from time to time. "Sometimes it's very dramatic, like the French Revolution or the St Bartholomew's Day massacre in France, or sometimes it's less bloody, like 1968 in Poland or McCarthyism in the US. "Everyone is trying to back this movement, mainly out of fear, I think it's total hypocrisy." The St Bartholomew's Day massacre saw as many as 70,000 Huguenots - French Calvinist Protestants - murdered by Catholic mobs across France in August 1572, while 20,000 Jews were exiled in 1968 community Poland after a state-sponsored anti-Semitic campaign was launched. Three million Jewish citizens were declared ultimate enemies of the Polish people's Republic. Polanski, who is a dual Polish and French citizen and currently lives in France, remains a fugitive after fleeing the country in 1978 following his guilty plea to the then rape of a minor. According to Polanski's lawyer, the Holocaust survivor is set to appeal against the Academy's expulsion. "We want due process," his attorney Harland Braun told Vanity Fair. "That's not asking too much of the Academy, is it? Mr Polanski was supposed to be given notice, and have 10 days to present his side. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up "It was a complete debacle in the sense that they didn't follow their own rules." Bill Cosby, 80, who is awaiting his sentencing following his conviction for drugging and molesting a woman at his mansion in Philadelphia in January 2004, has also been kicked out. The expulsion comes after the Academy voted to kick out Harvey Weinstein following numerous allegations of sexual misconduct. Asghar Farhadi, 130 mins, starring: Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem The 71st Cannes Festival began last night with the world premiere of Iranian director Asghar Farhadis Everybdoy Knows, starring Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz. But after a glittering opening ceremony in which festival jury President Cate Blanchett and revered director Martin Scorsese declared the official start of the event, the film itself turned out to be anti-climactic. Everybody Knows is the story of a kidnapping. Its a very delicately observed affair but also an extremely melodramatic one, with a plot which could have been borrowed from an afternoon soap opera. Laura (Penelope Cruz) is a married woman returning from Argentina to her home town in Spain with her children, including her headstrong teenage daughter, Irene (Carla Campra), for a wedding. The joyful, uneventful overture to the film belies what is about to happen. Laura is delighted to be back. Then, on the wedding night itself, Irene vanishes. It quickly emerges that she has been kidnapped, clearly by someone local. The ransom price is 300,000 Euros. The kidnapping opens up fault lines everywhere. In this sleepy, seemingly contented town, grievances have been festering for years. Tensions run across class, family and generational lines. Neighbours friendly in public turn out to detest one another. The biggest secret, and the most open one, is that Laura still has strong feelings for her childhood sweetheart, local wine farmer Paco (Javier Bardem). Everybody knows that they were in love, we are told early on. In the chaos after the kidnapping, people begin to behave very badly. We learn more about the circumstances in which Lauras family lost their land and in which Paco, a servants son, was able to climb up the social ladder. Lauras husband, the ultra-religious reformed alcoholic Alejandro (Ricardo Darin), absent from the wedding for reasons that arent initially explained, flies over from Argentina. The family is terrified to go to the police because of a similar kidnapping years before in which the victim was murdered. Every cupboard that director Farhadi rattles around in turns out to have a skeleton in it. Whether its the belligerent, bad tempered grandfather who is always ready to throw away his crutches to have a fight in the bar or the enigmatic young woman who makes mystery visits to the doctor and always comes home with muddy boots, all the characters here are harbouring guilty secrets. Characters have gambled away their land and inheritance or had secret affairs. Children have been born out of wedlock. Not talking about things isnt the same as resolving them, one woman observes of how, following the kidnapping, so many old feuds are re-ignited. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up In its most powerful moments, Everybody Knows is full of acute and often very pessimistic observations about human behaviour. At the root of all the tension here is money. The town is depressed. Unemployment is high (one reason why the immigrants hired by Paco to pick his grapes are so resented). Those whove managed to leave and seemingly make a success of their lives are deeply resented. Real life husband and wife team Bardem and Cruz both give fine performances but are let down by a storyline which throws in one improbable twist after another. Paco and Laura are still clearly in love but neither one will admit it. Bardem shows us both Pacos ambition as a self-made man and his insecurity. He is the servants son and some in the town will never let him forget it. The wine grower always gives the impression that he is hiding something. His true feelings toward Laura are apparent to everyone but himself. Cruzs Laura starts the film in effervescent fashion but once separated from her daughter, she too reveals her grief and anger. The most thankless role is that of Ricardo Darin as Lauras husband, the man caught between the lovers. Certain details which Farhadi reveals about his past make little sense and it is baffling why Laura married him in the first place. Everybody Knows is gripping enough as a family thriller to keep our attention. Some of its scenes, notably the wedding itself and the various fraught family reunions which follow it, are beautifully handled. The film, though, is let down by its creaky and increasingly improbable plotting. Farhadi may have won Oscars for A Separation and The Salesman but he is highly unlikely to repeat the feat with this, his first Spanish-language drama. Rapper Big T, known for singing the hook on the 1999 hit "Wanna Be a Baller," has died aged 52. The Texas rapper - born Terence Prejean - passed away on Monday in a Houston Hospital, reports Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences spokeswoman Tricia Bentley. The official cause of death is pending, but Big T's friend Tony Williams - a rapper who goes by Tiger T - said Prejean may have suffered a heart attack. Recommended Rapper says Kanye West has taken out a restraining order on him Rappers including Paul Wall and Lil Flip paid their respects to Prejean on social media. Prejean was known as the "Million Dollar Hook Man" for his verse on Lil Troy's "Wanna Be a Baller." He often collaborated with other artists, but was also known for putting out his own albums including one titled after his nickname, Million Dollar Hooks in 2001. However he was more well-known for providing memorable hooks and choruses for other artists. Prejean's sister Ann told The Associated Press that she and her brother grew up in a musical family with a father who was a drummer. My brother has been in the (music) business since he was 5 years old, she said. According to Prejean's sister, the rapper also leaves behind his wife and sons. Imagining Nordic drama The Bridge without Sofia Helin in the lead role of straight-talking detective Saga Noren is inconceivable. Yet the role very nearly didnt materialise for her. I was very sceptical to begin with, the Swedish actor explains. You know what I thought? OK, Lisbeth Salander has made a success and now they want another boring! Then I talked to [series creator] Hans [Rosenfeldt] and realised they had a different image of her. I didnt see the show as something that would be big so I jumped in just to see what happened. The Bridge a co-production between Denmark and Sweden would go on to become one of the most successful Scandinavian imports of all time. By the end of its first season in 2011, the series had found an audience in over 170 countries amassing impressive views of over one million on UK channel BBC4. It even spawned three remakes, the British version of which The Tunnel transposed the action from the Oresund Bridge to the Channel Tunnel. This week, the series returns to BBC2 for its eight-episode swansong thatll unite Saga and co-detective Henrik (Thure Lindhardt) for one final case. According to Helin, the series is a symbol of two countries working together wanting to show each other our best. In this way, The Bridge was never defined by its gritty noir genre but by her Swedish detective and the flawed Danish male counterpart she finds herself solving crime alongside. Trailer for season 4 of Bron/Broen is released Then theres the characters Asperger syndrome, which, while never explicitly mentioned in the series, is raised several times by Helin. Sagas inability to act in socially conventional manners infused what could have been just another crime series with a fresh spin thanks to the sensitively handled writing by Rosenfeldt who went on to create ITV drama Marcella and original director Charlotte Sieling; she is the kind of character likely to feign laughter in response to an awful joke or to ask a stranger about their sex habits for small talk. Consequently, Saga became beloved by TV viewers across the globe. Lindhardt cites not just the character but the position of authority she finds herself in as a key factor in the shows success. Normally these two would be on the bottom of society Saga with her lack of communication skills, Henrik with his trauma; people would not know how to deal with it. But watching characters that are awkward, overcoming their own obstacles and finding some of the hardest criminals in the world is interesting. We like watching losers win because were all basically losers. Lindhardt replaced original male star Kim Bodnia (Martin Rohde) for the third series, his character Henrik assimilating himself into proceedings with immediate effect. The trauma he speaks of is the unsolved case of his missing family. The last we saw of Henrik, he had enlisted the services of Saga to help find his two missing children after learning of his wifes death. Following in the footsteps of Bodnia who is thought to have departed having disliked the direction his character went in the second series was no small task, something Lindhardt says did not scare him at all. It was the effectively captured partnership of the two characters which dispelled concerns. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up The writers came up with a really f***ed-up person that could benefit with how f***ed-up Saga is, Helin says. Lindhadrt agrees: I think thats what creates an interesting dynamic they actually do need each other. Not all characters respond so well to Sagas direct personality. Save for co-worker Rasmus (Henrik Lundstrom) who finds her unprofessional, its interestingly the males (Martin, Henrik and Dan Malmbergs paternal police chief Hans) that all provide support for her. Its the female characters who take several episodes to warm to Saga. Helin nods in agreement. Before I played Saga, I always found people like her rude and unpleasant, she admits. Now I can understand. Lindhardt interjects: Women more than men? Yeah, actually, she responds after a pause. Thats very bad thinking of me. I didnt know better. I think, in general, women are immediately collecting, trying to confirm things with one another; thats how we do it. Its knowing were in the same community. So when a woman doesnt respond to that Normally these two would be on the bottom of society Saga with her lack of communication skills, Henrik with his trauma (ZDF) Series four begins two years on with Saga wrongly imprisoned for the murder of her mother (Helin tells me her character originally enjoyed being behind bars before she successfully vetoed it from the script). Having been introduced as an impenetrable force, her condition has paved the way for an unravelling of sorts throughout; only in the penultimate scene of the series three finale do we see the character break down and shed tears. Saga can never learn this social game, Helin says. But finding Henrik makes her feel secure to open up and thats what shes doing this season. Shes cracking a little bit. But, crucially, viewers have never been in danger of disliking her, something Helin attributes to a particular way in which she decided to play the character early on. I always had the goal for Saga to find love, right from the beginning. Thats my only answer as to why people like her. I think its something people can relate to even if shes not conscious of wanting it. Lindhardt wades in: If it was power, we wouldnt like her. Another character deserving of mention alongside the central duo is the structure which gives the show its title. Running between Sweden and Denmark, the five-mile Oresund Bridge is a constant reminder of the co-production behind the series development, the characters splitting their time between Copenhagen crime scenes and the police station in Swedens Malmo. We should build more bridges, Lindhardt exclaims, optimistically. Theres your headline, he laughs. Lets build more bridges! Bodnia (left) is thought to have departed having disliked the direction his character Martin went in the second series (ZDF) An obstacle was presented in 2015 when the refugee crisis tore [production] apart as Sweden enacted a rule which saw those crossing the bridge forced to show IDs after an influx of 160,000 sought asylum in the country something Helin ruefully describes as a symbol of the way the world is progressing. Whichever way it all goes down, the world is going to have to do without one of televisions most formative female characters. But while the Nordic series may be drawing to a close, it doesnt mean its the end of Saga Noren not for Helin, at least. I remember when I took off the coat [for the final time], I was alone in my trailer and did it quite slowly so I was aware of doing it, she recalls. But people ask me if Ill miss my character and I couldnt because I can say hello to her any time. She turns to Lindhardt. If you ever want to call Saga, feel free. The Bridge starts on BBC2 on Friday 11 May at 9pm, all previous series are available on iPlayer now. Sofia is also supporting WaterAids Water Effect campaign; wateraid.org Follow Independent Culture on Facebook British diplomats have warned the government that backing an European Union (EU) ban on imports of palm oil could put lucrative arms deals with Malaysia at risk. Correspondence between the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and the British High Commission reveals British officials have warned supporting the ban could prompt Kuala Lumpur to rule out a multimillion pound deal to replace its fleet of fighter jets with British built Typhoon aircraft. In January MEPs voted to end the use of palm oil in biodiesel which has grown in popularity among European drivers. The EU is Malaysias third biggest market for palm oil. It is also widely used in mass produced foods and cosmetic products. Just two weeks later, an official at the British high commission in Malaysia sent an email warning the EU vote was a big issue for Malaysia and, if not handled correctly, has the potential to impact on bilateral trade, particularly defence sales (Typhoon). It added: We should expect every minister engaging with Malaysia to be lobbied on palm oil. In an email sent the same day, an MoD official also warned the palm oil ban could affect our bilateral relationship and potentially defence sales. On 13 February, weapons manufacturer BAE systems announced it could provide Malaysia with a UK government-backed financing deal, worth over 1.5bn to replace its fleet of ageing Russian MiG-29s with the Eurofighter Typhoon. BAE employs over 5,000 people in the UK on the Typhoon manufacturing programme. The Malaysian government has also been considering Frances Rafale combat jet as a possible replacement for its air fleet. France and a handful of other EU countries have promised to oppose the palm oil ban. The emails, revealed in an Freedom of Information request by Greenpeace, show British diplomats in Kuala Lumpur even expected Malaysian Prime Minister Najob Razak to personally lobby Theresa May on the EU vote at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London. However, he did not end up attending the event. Recommended BAE Systems shares jump on provisional Saudi Typhoon fighter jet deal Palm oil production has seen the deforestation of vast tracts of rainforest across Malaysia and Indonesia, threatening species including tigers, elephants and orangutans with extinction. Rapid deforestation has occurred in areas where authorities have struggled to prevent illegal logging. It is estimated numbers of orangutans have fallen by 150,000 across Indonesia since 2002. The country is also lobbying the EU against bans on importing palm oil. Over 7 million tonnes of palm oil was imported by the EU in 2016, over half of which was turned into biodiesel. The biofuel is claimed to be renewable, but several studies have suggested they are not a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and still have a significant carbon footprint. The British government has not yet stated its position on the EU vote, or how it will build trade ties with Malaysia after Brexit without concessions on palm oil. 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 A spokesman for the Department for International Trade told Greenpeace: There is a strong trade and investment relationship between the UK and Malaysia. As we leave the EU, we look forward to deepening our engagement with emerging markets in South East Asia. The UK has not used palm oil in the production of biofuels for a number of years and the use of non-waste oil in biofuel is minimal. The government has also agreed to focus on utilizing waste derived biofuel, which generally has higher carbon savings. The Independent has contacted the Foreign Office and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for comment. With warmer weather on the way, the stay-at-home order lifted and summer holidays back on the cards, now is the perfect time to turn your lockdown walking habit into a hiking hobby. A great way to do that is to invest in a pair of walking boots, which will keep you comfortable and injury free however far you ramble. Boots arent just about keeping your feet happy, either: your footwear affects everything from your spine to your speed. Lockdown has turned our reviewers into obsessive hikers, so these boots were tested across all kinds of terrain and weather, on our favourite local trails and further afield among the boulders and ridges of the Lake District. We looked for a variety of supportive styles, including high and mid-cut boots (the higher the cut, the more the support), fabric and leather uppers, lightweight and sturdy. Traditionally, high-end walking boots are made of leather but excellent innovations around man-made materials mean that we found some excellent vegan-friendly boots to include. Read more: With so much variety out there, picking the perfect boot can be a bit of a minefield, so we asked Steve Roberts, managing director at Scarpa UK, who specialise in the kind of boots you can summit in, for some advice. For tips on leather vs fabric and how to break in your boots, see the FAQ below. Steve recommends matching the style of boot you buy to the terrain you plan to walk in. A mid cut boot would do for flat trails or coastal paths, but a supportive boot is best for steep hills (particularly with a pack). The further off the beaten track you are, the more likely you are to encounter wet, muddy, boggy terrain so look for a boot with protection and waterproofing/repellency. Soles tend to match the style of the upper: so a higher cut, more supportive boot will also have a more aggressive sole with multidirectional cleats for propulsion and grip. With shops reopening this month, its best to visit an outdoor gear specialist to try on your boots some even have artificial slopes and terrain samples in some stores so you can get a sense of how your boot feels going up or downhill. If you buy online, however, consider buying a size larger than your usual shoe. You will want to wear thick hiking socks in your boots as your feet will expand as the day goes on, and the added weight of a pack increases your toe spread (how much room you need in the toe of the boot). Its really important to get the fit right because blisters can ruin even the most glorious walk. You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Scarpa maverick GTX women The perfect boot for spring and summer walking, these technical but versatile shoes felt to us like a hybrid between Scarpas approach shoes (grippy shoes to get you over rocks to the crag) and mountain boots. Lightweight, waterproof and yet still breathable, the mid-cut feels dynamic like a trainer, but supportive enough for hills and rocks, and for wearing with a pack. For our reviewer, these shoes epitomised out-of-the-box comfort, and didnt take any breaking in (she wore hiking socks during testing). Theyre great boots if you like city walking as well as a long weekend ramble, the ultra-supportive, firm insole is brilliant if you ever suffer from back ache after really long walks. Theyre vegan-friendly, too. Buy now 160 , Scarpa.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Craghoppers salado mid boot Feature-rich boots from one of our favourite outdoor brands. Comfortable and technical, they have all the structure and support you need in a tough pair of boots classic vibram soles, a tough but flexible upper, and a ghillie lacing system that means you can keep them snug to your foot without risking any abrasion. But the smart extras are what make these boots stand out. The Craghoppers nosilife insect repellent fabric on the outer, plus an absolutely ingenious in-built insect cover that you can pull over the boots at night if youre camping to stop creepy crawlies from greeting you in the morning. Buy now 120 , Craghoppers.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Scarpa SL activ women These could be your boots for life, and we dont say that lightly. Look after these sturdy leather boots treating them with weatherproofing cream around once a season and they will look after you. An all-season boot for the mountains, they are at home on rugged, rocky terrain, with a high cut and a rubber rand all the way around to protect you from any abrasion. Theyre not strictly waterproof, because theyre leather, but we have strolled through fords and puddles in them all day without any issues. Our reviewer found them comfortable from the off, but other walkers have found they need a lot of breaking in around 30 miles (not in one go!). We loved the aggressive (crampon compatible) sole, which sheds clumpy mud as you walk. The boots to buy if your hike will find you ankle deep in mud, clambering over rock fields or packing any serious weight. Buy now 260 , Scarpa.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Columbia trailstorm mid waterproof show A technical shoe thats still perfect for city walks, these comfy boots are waterproof but breathable, with fantastic support around the mid foot thanks to the flexible, looped lacing. The thick but responsive sole means they feel reassuringly rigid when youre traversing and protective over sharp rocks, but they still have enough flex to wear for longer ambles, flat trails and paths. Best of all, though, are the colours: highlights on womens hiking boots are almost always some shade of pink. With their soft or bright blue flashes and cool neon sole, these boots are a welcome change. Buy now 90 , Columbiasportswear.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Merrell moab speed mid GTX Merrell makes some of our favourite walking shoes, and these cool boots take one of their most popular trail shoes Moab and adds in the ultra-supportiveness of a boot cut for longer, hiller walks. Vegan-friendly, they also have impeccable eco credentials, including recycled lining, laces and top sheet. Even the sole top-of-the line, ultra grippy Vibram is an eco blend. Lightweight and comfortable right out of the box, we loved them for shorter, faster walks, urban journeys and towpath trails. Buy now 135 , Merrell.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Vango grivola W Brilliant boots with all the features of more expensive pairs, at almost half the price. Comfortable and supportive, these boots feel steadying and fitted all the way up the ankle, making them brilliant for hilly walks and rocky terrain. The sole has excellent grip, even in wet conditions, and the comfortable but moulded insole helps on longer walks. The boots are waterproof and we had no problems at all walking in puddles and heavy rain, and we found them to be perfectly breathable in the cooler weather we tested them in. Buy now 80 , Vango.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Keen tempo flex waterproof hiking boots Fast, fabulous and flexible, these were some of the best looking boots we tested, and so lightweight we hit the hills at a run. A cross between trainers, approach shoes and walking boots, they are ideal for walking in warmer weather, or when youre trying to cut weight for a trip where you also have to carry camping gear. The flex bellows in the toe is an amazing innovation that makes walking over variable terrain significantly easier it takes a little bit of breaking in, but these shoes are so stylish youll find plenty of opportunities to do that. Buy now 134.99 , Keenfootwear.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Jack Wolfskin force striker texapore mid With vibram soles and Jack Wolfskins fantastic texapore waterproof outer, these versatile boots are a blend of some of the best hiking tech available. Outrageously comfortable, the combination of a wide forefoot and an innovative, supportive and grippy mid-sole the kind you get on running shoes designed to stop you from heel striking makes it easy to find your stride, despite being in structured boots. The strong, rubber toe plate is good at protecting from stubbed toes without being uncomfortable on the descents. Buy now 140 , Jack-wolfskin.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} The North Face women's vectiv exploris futurelight Really gorgeous boots that are as hi-tech as they look. Weighing in at just 714g for the pair, they were by far the lightest shoes we tried and they felt like it, with a sneaker-style fit and fast stride. But even though theyre featherweight and flexible, the robust lugs on the sole and the durable mesh outer which is waterproof and rip proof made us feel perfectly secure over tricky terrain and in the hills. The bright white boots are an awesome statement, but a darker colour might be better if youre expecting mud. Buy now 155 , Thenorthface.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} FAQ with Steve Roberts, managing director, Scarpa UK Leather vs fabric boots A well made leather boot has spent a long time (upwards of 24 hours) being moulded on a unique foot shape known as a last. A well lasted boot will provide a long term sculpted fit that provides support and function. Leather is a fantastically durable material and easy to care for. Fabric boots are usually derived from a hybrid of modern fabrics that are lightweight, instantly comfortable and quick drying. Fabric boots usually require an added waterproof membrane such as Gore Tex to provide water resistance. They can be more challenging to maintain performance than an all leather boot. How long will boots take to break in? A modern well made boot will provide out of the box comfort. The more supportive the internal midsole and the more supportive the upper will dictate the amount of time the materials will take to optimally mould around your foot. A modern lightweight fabric boot will feel optimum on day one, in contrast leather will feel comfortable out the box, but will get better and better with more miles. How should I look after my new boots? All boots will benefit from regular cleaning and application of care products, these vary from waxes and creams for leather and paint on applications for fabric boots. On wet days endeavour to dry your boots as naturally as possible. Removing the footbed will aid drying and these can be periodically replaced to reinstate shock absorption. What should I consider when buying hiking boots? Once you have narrowed your choice on an appropriate style, the most crucial selection comes down to the best fit for your foot shape. The best way to do this is to try multiple pairs on at an outdoor specialist store, where you will usually find both a broad selection of styles and expert advice. If you have to buy on-line, we would recommend trying a number of pairs and wearing them around the home to ensure you feel entirely happy with your selection before venturing out on that first walk. The verdict: Womens hiking boots Scarpas maverick boots are technically brilliant, comfortable on the first wear and good for speedy city walking as well as technical hikes which is why theyre our best buy. But Craghoppers cool boots are equally creative and versatile which we think will be ideal for camping trips. Add a pair of the best womens walking trousers to your rambling wardrobe IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing. The spectacle that is the Eurovision Song Contest is upon us once more. On 22 May, the Grand Final will take place at the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam. The annual musical competition never fails to entertain, as spectators from all over the world tune in to feast their eyes upon some of the strangest performances ever witnessed. While the main focus of the competition is supposed to be the singing talent (or lack thereof) of its contestants, viewers cant help but be drawn to the outlandish outfits that the artists choose to don while on stage. From hard rock metal band Lordis monstrous attire to Lithuanian music group InCultos spangly hot pants, here are 10 of the weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time. The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time Show all 10 1 /10 The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time Lordi made history in 2006 by becoming the first hard rock act and Finnish artist to win the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006 with the song 'Hard Rock Hallelujah'. Getty Images The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time In 2007, Andriy Mykhailovych Danylko represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest as his drag stage persona Verka Serduchka, finishing in second place. AFP/Getty Images The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time Pop duo Jedward, who became famous after appearing on the sixth series of The X Factor, represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, having previously represented the country at the competition the year before. AFP/Getty Images The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time The Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 opened with a fashion show that saw models donning unusual costumes made from what appeared to be toilet paper strut down the catwalk. Getty Images The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time Six members from the band 'Buranovskiye Babushki' represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010 while wearing embroidered clothing handed down from generations of Udmurt women. They finished in third place. AFP/Getty Images The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time Jamie-Lee Kriewitz represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 when she was 18 years old, performing her song 'Ghost'. Getty Images The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time Norwegian glam metal band Wig Wam performed as representatives of Norway at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest, achieving ninth place. Getty Images The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time In 2008, puppet character Dustin the Turkey represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest, only managing to reach the semi-final. AFP/Getty Images The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time Lithuanian music group InCulto reached the second final of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010, announcing the splitting up of their band less than a year later. Getty Images The weirdest Eurovision outfits of all time Pop band Scooch were selected to represent the UK at the European Song Contest in 2007, performing the song 'Flying the Flag (For You)' while dressed as flight attendants. AFP/Getty Images The Eurovision Song Contest has gained quite the reputation for its innate eccentricity ever since its first competition took place in Switzerland in 1956 as a means of bringing countries in Europe together. Previous competitors such as Abba and Conchita Wurst will always be remembered for their undisputed talents. However, in some cases, the weird and wonderful costumes worn during the contest can prove far more memorable than the vocal performances. In 2007, Andriy Mykhailovych Danylko represented Ukraine at the competition as his drag stage persona Verka Serduchka, dressed in a bright silver outfit accompanied with an eye-catching star headdress. When Serduchka was announced as the chosen representative of Ukraine, a protest was organised by a Ukrainian radio station in opposition to the decision. However, Serduchka delighted viewers from other countries, finishing in second place overall. Buranovskiye Babushki, a band of elderly women hailing from the village of Buranovo in Russia, took part in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. The group, led by artistic director Olga Tuktaryova, has eight members, although only six were allowed to take part in the international competition. The clothes that the band wore paid homage to their Udmurt roots, as the embroidered clothing that they performed in had been handed down by generations of Udmurt women. Buranovskiye Babushki means The Grannies from Buranovo. [This article was originally published in 2019] Oil prices jumped to their highest since 2014 after President Donald Trump announced the US was pulling out of a nuclear deal with Iran. Brent crude, a closely watched international benchmark, shot up 3.1 per cent to more than $77 (56.70) per barrel in London on Wednesday on the news that the White House would reimpose sanctions on Iran. West Texas Intermediate a US benchmark rose 2.7 per cent to $70.93. Mr Trumps controversial move, which has drawn criticism around the world, threatens to negatively impact Irans exports of millions of barrels of oil per day, the majority of which go to Asian countries including China, India and Japan. The new round of sanctions is due to take effect in November. The US president has long described the 2015 multinational accord designed to ensure that Iran does not build nuclear weapons as the worst deal ever, claiming that the Middle Eastern nation is defying inspectors and continuing with its nuclear programme. Mr Trump said on Tuesday that the US will reimpose the sanctions on Iranian petroleum exports which were in place in 2012. Experts have said the move is unlikely to squeeze the Iranian economy to the same extent because, unlike in 2012, there is no international agreement on the need for sanctions. The rest of the worlds major powers, as well as the nations which buy Iranian oil, believe Iran is complying with the nuclear deal. Despite this, markets have been nervous about the impact US sanctions could have. Paul Donovan, global chief economist at UBS investment banking company, said: As the Trans-Pacific Partnership demonstrated, a unilateral withdrawal from a multilateral deal does not necessarily mean the deal is over. The reaction of the oil price has been limited, but oil prices remain high. Consumer prices are likely to rise in line with the oil price but central banks will only react if that feeds through to wages, he said. Barack Obama, who was US president when the deal officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was struck, said on Tuesday that Mr Trumps decision to withdraw was misguided. I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake, Mr Obama said. The announcement has also hurt US companies including aerospace giant Boeing and its European competitor Airbus which will lose out on a $39bn deal to sell passenger jets to Iran. Licences for the proposed sales will be revoked as a result of the new sanctions, US treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Tuesday. In a show of the strength of feeling against Mr Trumps actions, Iranian MPs set fire to a US flag and chanted death to America during a session of parliament. The governments flagship proposals for improving mental health care for young people will leave hundreds of thousands of children without the support they desperately need, MPs have warned. A damning report by two select committees, Education and Health and Social Care, said the governments strategy lacks ambition and fails to take into account the needs of the most vulnerable groups. The slow rollout of the governments plans means support will only reach between a fifth and a quarter of the country by 2022-23, which provides no help to the majority of children in need of it. And the cross-party report said the governments approach of rolling it out in trailblazer areas may lead to increased inequality in provision if staff move to areas where services are better. Under the 300m plans set out in the governments green paper in December schools and colleges are required to appoint and train a mental health lead to ensure pupils access support services. Mental health support teams will also be created as part of the governments proposals to improve linkups between schools and the NHS to improve early intervention services. But MPs said it fails to look at how to prevent child mental ill health, and a lack of substantive plans for young people transferring to adult mental health services is disappointing. Young people are falling through the gaps and not receiving the services they need as they enter adulthood, the report said. It warned that the green paper also failed to address the needs of pupils who had been excluded from school, who were more likely to have mental health needs as well as children in care, pupils in alternative provision, and young people not in education, employment or training. The governments strategy lacks ambition and will provide no help to the majority of those children who desperately need it. The narrow scope does not take several vulnerable groups into account. MPs also called on the government to gather independent evidence on the impact of high-stakes exams on childrens wellbeing after young people said testing in schools was a considerable source of pressure and they were concerned about adverse effects on their mental health. But schools minister Nick Gibb told the joint committee earlier this year that he did not believe the governments reforms to exams had made young peoples mental health worse. We are not persuaded that the adverse effects of the current exam system on young peoples mental health at both primary and secondary level have been adequately considered and are struck by the contrast between the views of young people and those of the minister, the report said. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 4 October 2021 A delegate passes a street cleaner on the second day of the annual Conservative Party Conference being held at the Manchester Central convention centre AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2021 Margaret Thatcher-themed mugs for sale at the annual Conservative Party conference in Manchester EPA UK news in pictures 2 October 2021 A couple make their way through a flooded underpass in Bristol as a yellow weather warning for rain and wind is issued for parts of the UK Tom Wren/SWNS UK news in pictures 1 October 2021 A driver talks to members of the media after passing his HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) driving test at National Driving Centre in Croydon, south London AFP via Getty Images 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 It also warned that the governments proposals put more pressure on an already stretched teaching workforce without sufficient resources, while the funding for the plans is not guaranteed. We are concerned that an unintended consequence of the governments proposals would be that financially stretched schools and colleges could further cut their current provision of mental health support, assuming that mental health support teams will be there instead, the report said. It adds: Given the delays inherent in the proposed time frames for implementation of the governments strategy, this would leave institutions with less support than before and further increase the demand on NHS services. Robert Halfon, chair of the Education Committee, said: The government must back up its warm words by taking urgent action to address the mental health issues which children and young people face today. This strategy does not go far enough, which raises the very real prospect of hundreds of thousands of children missing out on getting the help they so desperately need. He added: If the government is serious about tackling injustices in our society, it must ensure proper targeted funding of support for those most in need. Dr Sarah Wollaston, chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, said: The green paper is just not ambitious enough and will leave so many children without the care they need. It needs to go much further in considering how to prevent mental health difficulties in the first place. We want to see more evidence that government will join up services in a way which places children and young people at their heart and that improves services to all children rather than a minority. Anne Longfield, the childrens commissioner for England, said: The committee is right to say the green paper is not ambitious enough. Many thousands of children are failing to receive support and care when they need it and too often referrals for treatment are only being made when a child reaches crisis point. In the worst cases, children have even attempted to take their own life just to access services. Javed Khan, chief executive of childrens charity Barnardos, said: We agree that the government risks missing a golden opportunity to radically transform a failing mental health system. Despite Theresa May describing it as a burning injustice that required a new approach from government, we now find ourselves sleepwalking into a deepening mental health crisis. Our children deserve far better. A government spokesperson said: We completely reject any suggestion that our plans lack ambition these changes will transform mental health services for children and young people, including the first ever waiting time standards for those with the most serious problems. This will be supported by a new workforce larger than the entire current workforce and backed by 300m of additional funding that will also provide significant additional resources for all schools. This builds on what good schools are already doing, without adding unnecessarily to teachers workloads. We agree that every young person should be able to access mental health support however we need to ensure we get this right, which is why we will pilot this approach to make sure services are correct. MPs have called on the government to take urgent action to narrow the stark attainment gap between young people in the north of England and those living in the rest of the country. Tory MP Robert Halfon, chair of education select committee, has written to education secretary Damian Hinds to ask what he plans to do to improve the quality of education in the North. It comes after a report, from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) in February this year, revealed that disadvantaged northern teenagers fall on average one GCSE grade behind the rest of the country. The letter asks the minister to set out what action the Department for Education (DfE) is taking to address the attainment gap, teacher shortages and failures of academy chains in the North. We were struck by the stark educational attainment gap between the North and other parts of England, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, it said. The letter comes after former chancellor George Osborne, who chairs the NPP, addressed the education select committee on improving education in northern England last week. Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, the former MP said overall leadership from the UK government was the best way to address the challenges in the North. Mr Halfon said: The Education Committee shares concerns about skills, inequalities in educational attainment and social justice and welcomes the path for improvement proposed by the NPP. The government must now urgently spell out what action it is taking to narrow the attainment gap between the North and the rest of the country. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 1 October 2021 A driver talks to members of the media after passing his HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) driving test at National Driving Centre in Croydon, south London AFP via Getty Images 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 The report from the NPP earlier this year called on businesses to mentor at least as many northern school children as they have employees in the region. It warned that it will not be able to increase the norths contribution to the UK economy without tackling the low educational performance of a significant proportion of children in the area. A Department for Education spokesperson said: Across the country nine out of 10 schools are now rated good or outstanding and 1.9 million more pupils are now in these schools than in 2010. But we know there are areas where standards fall short and want to create a country where everyone gets the best start in life, regardless of where theyre from. We are investing in projects to raise pupils outcomes from an early age, train effective school leaders and we are investing 70m to boost school performance in the North as part of the Northern Powerhouse Schools Strategy. We are also improving educational attainment for children in areas that have faced long-term challenges through our 12 opportunity areas five of which are in the North. The Daily Telegraph has paid substantial undisclosed libel damages to the chairman of Finsbury Park Mosque over a claim he was a supporter of violent Islamist extremism. Mohammed Kozbar brought proceedings at Londons High Court over an article which appeared in the newspaper and on its website in March 2016. Headlined Corbyn and the mosque leader who blames the UK for Isil, the article featured a picture of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn shaking hands with Mr Kozbar, and a quote in which he said the mosque chairman was fantastic. Mr Kozbars lawyer Jonathan Coad told the court the piece attempted to connect the Labour leader with alleged extremism and wrongly accused his client of being no better a role model for the Islamic faith and leader of the mosque than his predecessor, Abu Hamza. The court ruled that the article was defamatory of Mr Kozbar. In a statement posted to its website, The Telegraph said it had accepted an offer to settle the claim by a payment of substantial damages. Mr Coad said that at a preliminary hearing, a judge had determined the article meant his client was a supporter of violent Islamist extremism who has praised and encouraged Islamist terrorism abroad, and that he is a hypocrite who has falsely claimed to have led the mosque away from Islamist extremism when he knows he has not done so. Mr Coad told Mr Justice Warby that the grave and unjustified defamation was aggravated by the assertion that Mr Kozbar had declined to comment, when the newspaper had never made contact with him. 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 Telegraph has now removed the article, which had been written by the journalist Andrew Gilligan. Mr Coad said: Mr Kozbar is content to use this opportunity to point out that, notwithstanding its bullish attitude prior to the issue of proceedings, the defendant has shied away from the opportunity to stand by the grave allegations that it published against him and his faith community, and has rather bought itself out of these proceedings by means of a substantial payment in damages. On that basis he is also content to let this matter rest. PA contributed to this report In August 1951, at a dollar-a-night hotel in Florence, two American women came face-to-face in the hallway one morning. One was Ruth Orkin, a promising 29-year-old photojournalist who was seeking a subject for a magazine photo spread about the experiences of women travelling abroad alone a rare thing to do at the time. The other was Ninalee Allen, a 23-year-old adventure-seeking graduate of Sarah Lawrence College who had been travelling solo for months through France, Spain and Italy. She called herself Jinx because she thought it sounded exciting. She was beautiful, luminescent and, unlike me, very tall, Orkin later told The New York Times. Allen agreed to the photo shoot as a lark, and off they went through the streets of Florence. Imagining she was Beatrice from Dantes Divine Comedy, one of her favourite books, Allen held her shawl, stood straight and strode past more than a dozen men leering at her from all directions at the corner of Piazza della Repubblica. Orkin ran ahead, Allen recalled, and took one picture, asked me to back up, and took a second. Thats all that was done at that location, two pictures. It took about 35 seconds. I spoke only to the two men on the motor scooter, she said 1995. I yelled to them to tell the others not to look at the camera. In less than one minute, Orkin had captured what would become one of the more indelible photographs of the era: American Girl in Italy. The photo appeared in Cosmopolitan magazine as part of a 1952 photo essay entitled When You Travel Alone... and included advice on money, men and morals to see you through a gay trip and a safe one. The caption with the photo of Allen read: Public admiration shouldnt fluster you. Ogling the ladies is a popular, harmless and flattering pastime youll run into in many foreign countries. The gentlemen are usually louder and more demonstrative than American men, but they mean no harm. Over the decades, the photo was reprinted and hung in dorm rooms, became artwork for homes, appeared in calendars and on postcards and, to some, captured the reality of street harassment or cat-calling long before it was part of the public consciousness. One man, with his hand over his crotch, was airbrushed out in some reproductions. Oh, and that poor soul touching himself? I was used to it, Allen wrote in The Guardian in 2015 under her married name, Ninalee Craig. It was almost like a good luck sign for the Italian man, making sure the family jewels were intact. When it was first published, that was occasionally airbrushed out but I would never consider it to be a vulgar gesture. The photograph invited many interpretations, each adding to its meaning and power. It accompanied stories about harassment, victimhood and the female psyche. In November 2017, a restaurant in Philadelphia removed the photograph after complaints from customers. It all began to grate on Craig, who said the image represented nothing more than admiration and curiosity and was a symbol of a woman having an absolutely wonderful time. That she stood six feet tall, she added, may also have explained the gawking. Women look at that picture and feel indignant, angry, she said. They say, That poor woman. We should be able to walk wherever we want to and not be threatened. As gently as I can, I explain I was not feeling fear. There was no danger because it was a far different time. Craig, who has died in Toronto aged 90, went on to marry a Venetian count and a Canadian steel industry executive. Born Ninalee Allen in Indianapolis in the late Twenties, her father was the personnel director for LS Ayres, a department store, and her mother was a home-maker. She studied art history at Sarah Lawrence in Bronxville, New York, and graduated in 1950. After her months-long travels in Europe, she settled in New York City and became a copywriter at the J Walter Thompson advertising company. One day, she wrote in The Guardian, she saw the Orkin photo blown up in Grand Central Station, used as part of a promotion by Kodak, which horrified my father. He had no idea I was walking around Italy in that way. She married Achille Passi, a widowed Venetian count, in 1959, and raised her stepson. She lived in the Passi family villa in Treviso, near Venice, and once described his family as a very old family where youre only in the newspaper twice in your life once when youre born and once when you die. Period. Nine years after the photo of her appeared in Cosmopolitan, it ran in a Time-Life picture book about Italy. The caption identified her, and her mother-in-law was apoplectic, Craig said in 1995. The man on the scooter who appears to be gazing at her backside was a cousin of her husband. Her name was not included in future publications, at the Passi familys request. After divorcing Passi in the 1970s, she returned to New York and met Robert Ross Craig. In a freakish coincidence, he also had a connection to the Orkin photo: he knew one of the two men sitting on the scooter parked near her. My God, he told her, thats my business partner in Italy. Thats Carlo Marchi! They were married from 1978 until his death in 1996. In addition to her stepson, of Venice, survivors include three stepsons from her second marriage; 11 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Craig remained close friends with Orkin, who died in 1985 after a noted career in photography and filmmaking. I wouldnt say the picture has changed my life but Ive had so much amusement from it over the years, Craig wrote in 2015. And more free meals at Italian restaurants than youll ever know. Ninalee Craig (Jinx), American icon, born 6 November 1927, died 2 May 2018 Washington Post Several teenagers were stabbed in separate incidents overnight in London as the spate of violence sweeping the capital continued. One victim, aged 16, suffered multiple stab wounds following what was reported as a "large fight" in Hackney while an 18-year-old man was taken to hospital with a serious leg injury. The younger boy was given treatment at a local surgery before being taken to a central London hospital and his condition was not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing, Scotland Yard said. The older victim, also in his late teens, was stabbed in the leg during an evening rush-hour incident near Woolwich Arsenal station, south-east London. Police in west London were also called to The Embankment, Twickenham, to a teenager with a non-life threatening stab wound to his arm. Two hours later there were reports of a separate fight and a man was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon - the extent of the victim's injuries is not known. The news comes after a bank holiday weekend which saw a number of shootings and stabbings. A 13-year-old boy was an innocent victim as he was shot in the head while walking down the street with his parents in Harrow. The youngster was hit by the shotgun pellets as a 15-year-old was attacked in High Street, Wealdstone. Both teenagers suffered non-life threatening injuries, and the younger one has been released from hospital. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 7 October 2021 British comedian Jo Brand poses with cut-out silhouettes representing women outside the Metropolitan Police headquarters New Scotland Yard, to highlight violence against women by male police officers or former police officers AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 6 October 2021 A protester, wearing a mask of Johnson, holds a sign reading Question it all on the final day of the Tory conference Getty UK news in pictures 5 October 2021 Members of Insulate Britain outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, before a hearing over the injunction banning the environmental activists from blocking the M25 PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2021 A delegate passes a street cleaner on the second day of the annual Conservative Party Conference being held at the Manchester Central convention centre AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2021 Margaret Thatcher-themed mugs for sale at the annual Conservative Party conference in Manchester EPA UK news in pictures 2 October 2021 A couple make their way through a flooded underpass in Bristol as a yellow weather warning for rain and wind is issued for parts of the UK Tom Wren/SWNS UK news in pictures 1 October 2021 A driver talks to members of the media after passing his HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) driving test at National Driving Centre in Croydon, south London AFP via Getty Images 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 A 39-year-old man arrested on the evening of 6 May in connection with the incident has been released under investigation. Meanwhile, Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton was fatally shot in Southwark on Saturday. The 17-year-old rapper and aspiring architect had "so much potential", his mother said as she tearfully told of her "handsome boy". Rhyhiem's death came as police continue to investigate more than 60 alleged murders so far this year in London. Agencies contributed to this report A group of men who spread neo-Nazi stickers around a university campus and performed a Hitler salute have been found guilty of attempting to incite racial hatred. The four extremists were caught on CCTV posting the stickers, with slogans including Britain is ours - the rest must go, around Aston University in Birmingham in July 2016. Prosecutors said they were recruitment tools for the neo-Nazi group National Action, which was banned as a terrorist organisation later that year. One of the stickers posted around the university in July 2016 showed a white figure giving a Nazi-type salute, and carried the words "White Zone - National Action". The stickers were discovered by security staff two days later and reported to police, who started a hate crime investigation. Afterwards, the group went to the pub and one member bragged about how their activities on the day of a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Birmingham - offended "butt-hurt students, sub-humans, and traitors". A photo showed members with National Actions flag, and two of them giving Nazi-type salutes as they posed in front of the university. A day after they appeared, a post on a Twitter account run by the groups regional arm read: The fashy goys [sic] of National Action have hit Aston University campus. Home Affairs Committee question Google over failure to remove National Action content Four men were found guilty of inciting racial hatred with the stunt, while a fifth suspect was acquitted after four hours of jury deliberations at Birmingham Crown Court. Chad Williams-Allen, 26, from West Bromwich and Gary Jack, 22, from Shard End, are due to be sentenced on 1 June alongside two fellow convicts who cannot be named for legal reasons. Members of the jury were shown a chat on the encrypted messaging app Telegram in March 2016 in which Williams-Allen sent an image of a National Action sticker, writing: Been taking the long route home through paki land and slapping these everywhere. In other messages, the 26-year-old railed against multi-culturalism, Jewish people and used racial slurs. Back in brum - disgusting n*****s and pakis everywhere, another read. The unnamed 23-year-old defendant was described in court as a key influencer and organiser of National Action, while his 26-year-old associate had images on electronic devices seized by police that stated "Hitler was right" and "bring back apartheid". Detective Chief Superintendent Matt Ward, who heads the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, said: We are committed to tackling all forms of extremism which has the potential to threaten public safety and security. All four men are said to have been members of National Action at the time but the stickers appeared six months before it became the first far-right group banned as a terrorist group in December 2016. Other alleged members prosecuted since that date have been charged with membership of a terrorist organisation, which is punishable with up to 10 years imprisonment. British detectives are hunting him under the name of Vinko Osmakcic, but accept he may also be known as Vinko Tomic or Juro Markelic. Scotland Yard say the man who strolled into a Chelsea art fair and got away with the audacious theft of diamond rings worth more than 2m last summer is Croatian. Others think he is Bosnian and one of the oldest and most prolific members of the Pink Panthers, a loosely affiliated gang of international jewel thieves that in the past 25 years has been held responsible for some of the most profitable and daring diamond heists in the world. Recommended Pink Panther jewel thief breaks out of Swiss jail US law enforcers have described him as a smooth talker, a player, and cast serious doubt over whether his real name is Vinko Osmakcic, Vinko Tomic or Juro Markelic. Whoever he is and wherever he comes from, he has been suspected of planning a job on the Monte Carlo Casino, linked to the theft of $1m of diamond watches in Hawaii, and to the snatching, from the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas of the unique Millennium Necklace: 96-carat platinum, mounted with 2,000 Russian diamonds and rare black coral from the western Caribbean, worth more than $1m. Now Scotland Yard wants to talk to Osmakcic in connection with the July 4 disappearance from a cabinet at the Masterpiece art fair at the Royal Hospital Chelsea of three rings, all with diamond encrusted bands: a cushion-shaped diamond ring; a vivid yellow cushion-shaped diamond ring encased in smaller oval and round-shaped diamonds; and an emerald-cut diamond ring with purple and pink stones, and four pear-shaped diamonds. This was a well-planned and audacious theft committed in the middle of a busy art fair, said Detective Sergeant Chris Taylor of Kensington and Chelsea CID, the man leading the hunt for the jewel thief. We are re-releasing the image of Mr Osmakcic in an attempt to trace him. It is highly likely he may be out of the UK, possibly in Europe. The audacity, and the seeming ability to flit effortlessly between countries, would certainly fit with other thefts associated with the Pink Panthers. Gang members have been linked to the theft, from an upmarket Tokyo boutique in 2004, of the Comtesse de Vendome necklace: studded with 116 diamonds, worth 17m. They have been suspected of entering a Dubai store in 2007 and being gone with jewellery worth almost $3.5m in 55 seconds. Pink Panthers have been credited with the wit to paint a bench in Biarritz in 2001, making it too wet for potential witnesses to sit on while they robbed the jewellery store opposite, and with the ruthlessness to spring a gang member from a high security French jail. It is said they scaled the wall of Villefranche-sur-Saone prison with ladders in October 2005, and used Kalashnikov rifles to exchange fire with warders and those who tried to pursue their getaway van. The Pink Panthers got their name from what was, when committed, Britains most expensive diamond heist, the theft of 47 items worth more than 23m from the Graff Jewellery Salon in New Bond Street, London, in May 2003. When two smartly dressed men walked into the store, the staff thought nothing of the fact that one of them was wearing a ludicrous wig, because celebrity customers often disguised themselves when shopping for expensive jewellery. Then the man with the wig pulled out a chrome-plated .357 Magnum handgun and yelled Everyone on the floor! This time, two gang members were arrested and brought to trial, though the supposed mastermind of the heist remained unaccounted for, along with 90 per cent of the stolen gems. At the trial it emerged that one of the arrested men, Milan Jovetic, had been caught when detectives found a 500,000 blue diamond ring hidden in a tub of his girlfriends face cream. The British Press was not slow to point out that the same hiding place had been used in the first Pink Panther film, starring David Niven as the daring jewel thief being pursued by Peter Sellers as the hapless Inspector Clousseau. And so a nickname was born. The thieves became known as the Pink Panthers. 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 Individual Pink Panthers are not necessarily involved in every crime. Indeed some members of the criminal grouping may not be known to each other, and they may have no knowledge of some of the Pink Panther heists. Instead, Interpol has likened the Pink Panthers to a terrorist organisation, suggesting they exist as a network of small individual cells linked to shadowy central authorities. This network, it seems, sprang from the chaos of the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Most Pink Panthers appear to have fought in the atrocity-strewn wars that followed the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. And when the fighting stopped, they gravitated towards the more prosperous, less damaged parts of Europe. Some speculate that they came bearing a grudge, against the wealthy countries that had failed to stop the horrors of the Balkan conflicts while seeming to show hostile suspicion of the immigrants who arrived from the war zones. One New Yorker magazine journalist, mixing in the Paris demi-monde in 2010, met a Serb who claimed his line of business took him into contact with the Pink Panthers. They were, the Serb suggested, the children of a country, Yugoslavia, that doesnt exist anymore: They dont give a f**k. Perhaps some of that explains the alleged actions of Osmakcic, who may now if identification documents previously found by law enforcement were genuine - be aged about 62. In 2006 when he was on trial for the Hawaii diamond watch theft, Osmakcic wrote a letter to the judge claiming: In 1992 my village was attacked and fully destroyed. Everybody from my family was in the street overnight. The only hope I had was to leave my country and do whatever it took to help my family survive I am not looking for any excuses for what I did. I just wanted to explain my wrongful doings ... I hope you honour may understand my situation." His lawyer claimed that Osmakcic had fought as a Bosnian soldier, while his brothers and mother fled to Croatia, and then, after being wounded, he had made his way to Germany. The hope, the lawyer claimed, had been to find honest work to support his displaced family and help his family and others rebuild their shattered lives. Instead it is alleged that after failing to find legitimate work, Osmakcic turned to crime. The Las Vegas Sun reported that this was how he had paid for a brother to study at architecture school in Zagreb and for the familys Bosnian home to be rebuilt, although the surrounding area was so littered with land mines that it was initially too dangerous to live there. The first crime with which he has been associated was the diamond watch theft, in Waikiki, a beachfront area of the Hawaiian capital Honolulu, in April 1994. Three men were alleged to have escaped with eight diamond Piaget watches. One report claimed that members of the gang had stayed in an upmarket hotel for three days before the robbery. Always immaculately dressed, they had dated a string of local women including, it was claimed, a yet-unidentified professor at the University of Hawaii. This seemed to fit with what has since been alleged about Osmakcics modus operandi. He was once reportedly arrested wearing a fabulous $200,000 watch. It was, one detective was quoted as saying, his Trojan horse, the sign that lulled shop staff into thinking he could be trusted in the most exclusive jewellery boutiques. He seems to have had the plausible manner to match, if events in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas on December 5 2002 are anything to go by. A tall, well-dressed man with a receding hairline and accented English strolled into the Bernard K. Passman Gallery in the Venetians Grand Canal shopping area. He was soon followed soon by another man. Between them the two customers kept the sales staff so busy they did not notice another pair of men glide in and start fiddling with the display case containing the Millennium Necklace. Three minutes and 52 seconds after he entered, the tall man, the first of the group to arrive, became the last to leave. Only after he had disappeared into the Grand Canal shopping crowd, did shop staff realise the Millennium Necklace was missing. It was reported that four surveillance cameras had caught the theft from four different angles, but none had produced any images that could identify or locate the men. The thieves had taken the necklace without leaving a single fingerprint. "They worked like a well-oiled machine," Detective Brian Mildebrandt told the Las Vegas Sun. They worked so well, it seems, that at least one of them came back for more. Detective Mildebrandt says that he had hoped as much, and when a massive jewellery trade convention was held in Las Vegas in June 2003, he and other officers were on the look-out. They caught someone bearing a striking resemblance to the tall man although they were just too late to catch whoever had been sharing his suite in the Flamingo hotel. Detectives burst into the suite to find it deserted and wiped clean of fingerprints. "They were gone in a heartbeat," Mildebrandt said. "We probably missed them by about 10 minutes." Initial reports suggested the tall man told police he was Serbian until the Serbian consul general in Chicago advised that he was not Serbian. The passport found by officers suggested he was Juro Markelic, a 47-year-old married father from Zvornic, Bosnia. That, though, should perhaps also be taken with a pinch of salt, given that he would later tell American Homeland Security that he had travelled into the US three times on visas acquired using a fake Bosnian passport. The smooth-talking Markelic allegedly told jail staff he was a cook earning just $18,000 a year. Then he hired one of the most expensive lawyers in Las Vegas. The lawyer duly argued that while the Millennium necklace undoubtedly went missing while Markelic was in the boutique, there was no evidence linking him to the men who lifted it from the display case. The Serb/Bosnian/Croation took a plea deal that got him a relatively short one-year sentence in return for admitting grand larceny in March 2004. But in November 2004 he was taken from a Nevada jail to a California courthouse, where he pleaded guilty to stealing $50,000 of gems from a Cartier store in Costa Mesa in November 2002, just nine days before the theft of the Millennium Necklace. And then, in June 2005, came the demand for him to be tried in connection with the Hawaii diamond watch theft. In Hawaii, the man known in mainland America as Markelic was charged as Vinko Osmakcic. This was also the name he signed when confirming his guilty plea. In March 2006 Osmakcic was sentenced to 21 months in a Hawaii jail. He was out in eight months. Supporting the December 2006 release, his Hawaii lawyer reportedly wrote that now his brothers had jobs and stability had returned to his home country, it was "highly unlikely that he will need to commit other crimes." Less than three years later, in June 2009, Monaco police arrested three men whom they thought were behaving suspiciously while wearing sunglasses inside a black Audi in an underground car park near the Monte Carlo Casino. One was wearing a $200,000 watch. It was reported that he had documents on him suggesting he was Vinko Osmakcic. When Detective Mildebrandt saw a TV programme which featured the arrest, he immediately recognised the Monaco Osmakcic as the Las Vegas Markelic. It seems that Osmakcic/Markelic was leading something of a charmed life. The Monaco authorities settled for deporting him after he had spent a few months in jail. He returned once more into the shadows. It is too early to say with complete certainty that the suspect being sought by the Metropolitan Police for the Chelsea theft is the same man named as Vinko Osmakcic or Juro Markelic in connection with the crimes across the Atlantic and the Monaco incident. Rather coyly, Scotland Yard confined itself to saying that the Chelsea suspect was believed to be responsible for a number of high-value diamond thefts throughout Europe. Precisely who he is, where he came from and what he has done may of course be revealed if he is arrested. For now though, the man is missing, and so are the diamond rings. And so, for that matter, is the Millennium Necklace. Anyone who can assist police is asked to call Kensington and Chelsea CID on 020 8246 0122 quoting Operation Hestia or report information via Twitter @MetCC. To give information anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org. Scotland Yard is listing thousands of children and young men on a racially discriminatory database that is failing to tackle rising violence in London, a new report has found. Amnesty International said London Metropolitan Polices shadowy gangs matrix is causing people with no links to crime to be wrongly stigmatised while the perpetrators go free. The Information Commissioners Office has started an investigation into the database, which holds the details of more than 3,800 subjects as young as 12. It found that three quarters of those listed on the matrix are black, despite the ethnic group making up just 13 per cent of Londons wider population and a quarter of those prosecuted for serious youth violence, while 15 per cent are children. Known as gang nominals, they are given a green, amber or red rating denoting their perceived risk of violence and the information can be shared with other authorities including housing associations, schools and Job Centres. Figures from October 2017 showed the Matrix contained 3,806 entries, with 5 per cent in the red category, the highest risk of committing violence, and 64 per cent in the green. Forty per cent - 1,501 - had a harm score of zero, meaning they had no record of charges or police intelligence linking them to violence in the past two years. The Metropolitan Police, which drew up the database following the devastating London riots in 2011, said it aimed to reduce gang-related violence and prevent young lives being lost while turning people away from crime. Friends and neighbours pay their respects to Tanesha Melbourne But Amnesty Internationals research, based on interviews with 30 police officers and other professionals who use the database, found that it was not the answer to rising violence amid a spate of deadly stabbings and shootings. The charitys report found a chaotic and inconsistent approach to adding individuals to the matrix between different London boroughs, where some officers are allegedly using social media activity and links to grime music as indicators of gang links. Kate Allen, Amnesty International UKs director, said the strategy was both racially discriminatory and ineffective. If that is one of the ways of thinking about gangs, that will draw in a huge range of people who have nothing to do with criminality - its a conflation of elements of youth culture with violent offending and thats heavily racialised, she told The Independent. Its difficult to know how people come off the matrix and whether that is effective policing or not. Ms Allen said that at a time of stretched police resources, the matrix was causing officers to monitor listed people who may not have committed any offences while criminals go free. This is an opportunity to do things differently, she added. Thats not going to produce effective policing or a community that has trust and confidence in the police. Amnesty International said that a core issue was the definition of a gang, which can be as small as three people under law, arguing the concept had been become disproportionately identified with black men and boys. The Mayors Office for Policing and Crime found that more than 80 per cent of all stabbings involving a victim aged under 25 in London are deemed to be non-gang-related. Gangs are, for the most part, a complete red herring, a Metropolitan Police officer told researchers. Fixation with the term is unhelpful at every level. 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 Stafford Scott, from The Monitoring Group campaign organisation, said Conservatives had played up the threat from gangs in the wake of the 2011 riots, which were sparked by the police shooting of Mark Duggan, despite the Home Offices own analysis finding members did not play a pivotal role. Its not just about policing but it's about a system that's classed young black kids as a kind of peculiar species that need to be policed, he told a press conference. We didnt always have gangs, we spoke about working class sub-youth culture like punks and skinheads, but when it comes to black kids we have to ostracise them. When their name goes on this list their life is over, they are policed in a way that leaves them believing it is only them and their buddies against the world. The report found some police officers were creating fake social media profiles to friend suspected gang members and track them, in a potential violation of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act. It said the sharing of YouTube videos, particularly grime music featuring gang names, can be used as potential criteria for adding names to the matrix. Researchers found examples of local authorities threatening to evict the families of alleged nominals unless they cease alleged gang involvement, even where the listed person had moved away or in one case died a year before. Officials reported a general pressure from the police in the Gangs Units to keep people on the matrix in case they later went on to commit a violent offence, although Scotland Yard said more than 4,000 people had been removed since its inception in 2012. There are no clear processes for reviewing or updating the database, or challenging the inclusion of a name, and no definitive list of who is allowed access to the information, Amnesty International said. A 21-year-old man with no criminal record found out he was listed through his work with an official gang prevention programme. Tanesha Melbourne was killed as she sat chatting with friends in one of several allegedly gang-linked attacks this year in London (PA) Paul has met the home secretary and mayor of London but his employers appeals for him to be delisted have so far fallen on deaf ears. Meanwhile, other designated nominal have had Freedom of Information requests by people asking to see what information Scotland Yard holds on them refused. Amnesty International is calling for the matrix to be brought in line with international standards or disbanded, as well as a wider inquiry into the databases and similar projects by other police forces by the Home Affairs Committee. The Information Commissioners Office is investigating whether it violates data protection laws, which stipulate that personal information must be processed fairly and lawfully, be accurate and not kept for longer than necessary. Deputy commissioner for operations James Dipple-Johnstone said: We are considering how the database is used and if any aspects of it constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act. At the conclusion of our investigation we will communicate any resulting recommendations and enforcement actions. Scotland Yard described the matrix as an intelligence tool that is informed by intelligence but it is primarily based on violent offences. The style of music that someone listens to has no bearing on whether someone is placed on the matrix but evidence that someone is glorifying gang violence in a music video posted on social media can be used as an intelligence source, a spokesperson added. The overarching aim of the matrix is to reduce gang-related violence and prevent young lives being lost. It is important to identify those young people who are in a gang but may not yet have been drawn into gang violence. This forms part of the prevention activity by local borough police and partners where they carefully consider what support can be provided to ensure they are diverted away from activity that may result in either violent offending or them becoming a victim. As with all persons on the Matrix they are regularly reviewed and removed if appropriate. The force confirmed that data is shared with probation services, other police forces, local authorities, probation, housing, education, and local healthcare providers but insisted confidentiality was ensured by signed agreements, adding: Any action taken by partner organisations should not be instigated solely on a persons name being on the gang matrix. Three out of five of Nottingham's Muslims have been victims of hate crime, new figures have revealed. Taken from one of the largest studies ever conducted into hate crime, the report showed Muslims were the only religious group more likely to have suffered from criminal behaviour you believe to have been at least partly motivated by prejudice. Many victims specifically cited Islamophobia and religion as the motivation behind the offence. One respondent said they had been called a dirty terrorist, while another said she had been told to take off her f****** head scarf in the city centre. I wear the Islamic dress and the perpetrator was shouting that I was hiding a bomb, one respondent said. On another incident whilst driving in my car, a passerby was shouting and calling me Bin Laden. One woman said she was called a terrorist slut, while another said someone had spat on her hijab. Regularly am followed when I go out in a hijab and abused the whole journey back home, a woman reported. Regularly get abuse online and on Facebook. One Muslim respondent said she now felt unsafe and unwelcome in the city because of the way she dresses. Another said she felt very anxious at times, especially when a national terrorist incident happens. Muslim Council of Britain: Newspapers are helping to spread Islamophobia Citizens UK, in collaboration with academics from Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham, collected the experiences of 1,202 people in Nottingham, including the frequency, causes and locations of hate crime. The report, titled Still No Place For Hate, found more than a third (35 per cent) of all people surveyed in the city had experienced a hate crime, an increase of six per cent since the last report in 2014. It found more than half (51 per cent) of Asians and British-Asians in Nottingham had reported being victims of hate crime, while the same applied to 45 per cent of people identifying as black, 47 per cent of people identifying as LGBT+, and 34 per cent of women. "Hate crime is rising in our cities, said Sajid Mohammed, leader of Citizens UK subsidiary Nottingham Citizens. Everyone from the new Home Secretary to Nottingham school girls as young as 12 have ended up victims of hateful slurs. Communities can and must change this and we need cooperation from all levels of government right up to the prime minister. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 3 October 2021 Margaret Thatcher-themed mugs for sale at the annual Conservative Party conference in Manchester EPA UK news in pictures 2 October 2021 A couple make their way through a flooded underpass in Bristol as a yellow weather warning for rain and wind is issued for parts of the UK Tom Wren/SWNS UK news in pictures 1 October 2021 A driver talks to members of the media after passing his HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) driving test at National Driving Centre in Croydon, south London AFP via Getty Images 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 We also need others to act, including an end to hate crime complacency amongst social media companies, tougher action from police forces and better media reporting as part of a national response. The most common motivating factor cited by victims of hate crimes was Brexit, the study found. Brexit elections seems to have given the British students in my school the sense of superiority over foreign students, one respondent said. Another said the vote to leave the European Union had left immigrants feeling less welcome. Clive Foster, Nottingham Citizens leader and Senior Pastor of the Pilgrim Church said: I was racially abused in the city centre, just before Christmas, while I was waiting for a friend. I was shocked and hurt, I contacted the police and reported it, but I never heard back about any progress or outcomes. Hate crime needs to be taken seriously or trust in the police will be eroded and we will see divided communities. This report serves as a reminder that we can all do more to challenge hate and stop it becoming a cultural norm. Nationally, there were 80,393 hate crimes in 2016-17, compared with 62,518 in 2015-16 - the largest increase since the Home Office began recording figures seven years ago. A public ballot has opened for tickets to the service held in honour of Professor Stephen Hawking at Westminster Abbey. The renowned British physicist, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in his twenties, died peacefully at his Cambridge home at the age of 76 in March. The service of thanksgiving for Professor Hawking will take in the large Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster in London on 15 June. Up to 1,000 tickets are available to members of the public in a ballot being run by the Stephen Hawking Foundation. The service will see the world-famous physicists ashes buried between Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. His daughter, Lucy Hawking, said: "We are so grateful to Westminster Abbey for offering us the privilege of a service of thanksgiving for the extraordinary life of our father and for giving him such a distinguished final resting place." She added: "We are also very pleased to be able to offer tickets to the public so that our father's many admirers will have the chance to join in the service." The Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, said: "The service of thanksgiving for the life and work of Stephen Hawking will celebrate not only his remarkable achievements as a scientist, but also his character and endurance through his years living with a devastating illness." Professor Hawkings work centred around bringing together relativity - the nature of space and time - and quantum theory to explain the genesis of the universe. His 1988 book A Brief History Of Time sold 10 million copies and was translated into 40 languages. Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Show all 18 1 /18 Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking The funeral cortege arrives at Great St Marys Church. Reuters Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking The coffin of Professor Stephen Hawking is carried into the University Church of St Mary. PA Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Members of the public and media photograph the funeral cortege as it arrives. REUTERS Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Jane Hawking and her son Timothy arrive. Reuters Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Actor Eddie Redmayne, who played the role of the late Professor Stephen Hawking in the 2014 biographical drama 'The Theory of Everything', attends his funeral. PA Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking A floral tribute left for Stephen Hawking outside Great St Marys Church. Reuters Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Felicity Jones and her partner Charles Guard arrive. PA Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Reverend Dr Cally Hammond, Dean of Cambridge University's Gonville and Caius College, where the late Stephen Hawking was a fellow for 52 years, arrives at the university church. She will be officiating at his funeral service. PA Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Charlotte Hawkins arrives. PA Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Members of the church choir arrive. Reuters Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Professor Stephen Hawking's daughter Lucy attends his funeral. PA Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Brian May and Anita Dobson arrive. PA Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Lily Cole arrives for the funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking. PA Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking University of Cambridge college porters arrive at Great St Marys Church. Reuters Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Comedian Dara O'Briain arrives at Great St Marys Church. Reuters Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking The coffin of British physicist, Stephen Hawking, is carried from Great St Mary's Church following the funeral service. Getty Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking The hearse containing Professor Stephen Hawking leaves University Church of St Mary. PA Funeral service of Professor Stephen Hawking Eddie Redmayne speaks to Lily Cole following the funeral. PA The service will not just be attended by Professor Hawking's friends and family but also by colleagues, academics and schoolchildren. Afterwards Westminster Abbey will open its doors to the public in order to allow people to pay their respects at his grave. The ticket ballot for the service closes at midnight on 15 May and applications for tickets can be made at stephenhawkinginterment.com. The cosmologists funeral took place on 31 March at University Church of St Mary the Great, which is steps away from Cambridge Universitys Gonville and Caius College where the scientist spent more than half a century as a research fellow. Crowds also lined the streets of Cambridge for the funeral. Eddie Redmayne led tributes to Professor Hawking by reading a poignant Bible passage about time at his funeral. The actor, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Professor Hawking in 2014 biopic The Theory of Everything, gave the recital at a private service which was attended by 500 guests. The 36-year-old read an extract from Ecclesiastes 3.1-11 titled "Everything Has Its Time". "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh, the passage read. A time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace." Other high profile guests included Queen guitarist Brian May, tech titan Elon Musk, model Lily Cole, playwright Alan Bennett, and comedian Dara O Briain. Violence at a notorious youth prison has plummeted since inmates were offered credits for a sweet shop and other rewards for good behaviour. When inspectors visited Feltham Young Offenders Institution last year they found it was not safe for either staff or boys, with frequent attacks seeing inmates punished by being kept out of education and let out of their cells for just two hours a day. But when they returned in January, attacks on officers had dropped by 80 per cent and those against inmates by a third. HM chief inspector of prisons said gang culture was still having a significant impact on the west London prison and violence is still high, but improving. Last year we reported how the focus had been on sanctions and regime restrictions; there was a cycle of violence and punitive responses, with no obvious strategy in place to break it, said Peter Clarke. This had changed, and we found a new focus on rewards and incentives for good behaviour. As part of the scheme, boys are given merits for good behaviour that can be exchanged for sweets and chocolate in a dedicated shop and work towards reaching a gold regime of increased freedom. These improvements had not come about by accident, but were the result of clear, focused leadership, Mr Clarke said. It was no coincidence that in both these areas the majority of recommendations made at the last inspection were either fully or at least partially achieved. But the Howard League for Penal Reform said its advice line was still receiving a large number of calls from teenagers claiming they were spending 23 hours or more a day locked in their cells. 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 In the past year, it has received enquiries about 30 boys as young as 15 in Feltham, including one who said he had not been allowed a shower for four days and another who had not accessed education in a week. The charity also raised concern about inmates being released without suitable housing, including a 17-year-old facing being moved outside London against his wishes. Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: There have been some improvements in Feltham and there had to be, because the prison was so dire at its last inspection that the inspectors declared it unsafe for boys and unsafe for staff. No one should pretend, however, that Feltham is a suitable place for a child. Less than half of the boys are able to have a shower every day, and we keep getting calls from children telling us that they are stuck in their cells for hours and hours on end. Recommended Leading doctors call for ban on solitary confinement of children Feltham, which currently houses 140 boys aged mostly 16 and 17, has long been accused of housing young prisoners in unsafe environments and failing to help turn their lives around. In 2000, 19-year-old Zahid Mubarek, who had been jailed for stealing razor blades worth 6, was beaten to death by a racist cellmate who later scrawled a swastika on a wall. A public inquiry heard prison officials missed 15 opportunities to save him from Robert Stewart, who was known to be very dangerous and possessed a homemade weapon. Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said the latest report showed crucial progress. But there is much for the rest of prison estate to learn from this report, especially in relation to safety, he added. The improvement at Feltham is down to an approach that focuses on incentives for good behaviour, and resolving conflict before it turns into violence. Ministers should step back from plans in the adult estate to equip staff with more weapons, escalating the risk of violence rather than reducing it. Theresa May admitted she still lacks a workable plan for trading with the EU after Brexit, as she faced Labour taunts over Boris Johnson branding her proposal crazy. Under pressure from Jeremy Corbyn, the prime minister refused to set out her preferred option for future customs rules or say it would be ready for 2021, when the transition period is due to finish. Ms May insisted her customs partnership idea was still on the table despite the Foreign Secretarys outburst alongside a max fac proposal based on unproven technology. And she admitted: Questions have been raised about both of those options and further work continues. The acknowledgement comes nine months after the government first set out options for replacing membership of the customs union and just one month before an EU deadline to agree progress. Only last week, Ms May had insisted there were a number of ways in which both a soft border in Ireland and frictionless trade with the EU could be delivered. In a strong showing, Mr Corbyn noted that Greg Clark, the business secretary, had appeared to admit that neither option would be ready for the end of transition, in December 2020. Can the prime minister tell us what is her preferred option and on what date it will be ready to be implemented? he asked. 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 But the prime minister ducked the question, arguing it was only in March that it become possible to have discussions with the European Commission on customs arrangements. Instead, she turned her fire on Mr Corbyn, saying: He has spent an entire career opposing a customs union. Now, when the British people want to come out, he wants to stay in. Labour MP David Lammy seized on the admission, tweeting: PM says further work needed on the Govnts position on customs union. Youve had 23 months, what on earth have you been doing? Negotiations are an absolute shambles, Foreign Secretary mouthing off all over the place, Cabinet Ministers cant even agree amongst themselves. Earlier, the Labour leader twisted the knife, asking: Does the prime minister agree with her foreign secretary that the plan for a customs partnership, set out in her Lancaster House speech, is, in fact, crazy? And quoted Ken Clarke, the former Conservative Chancellor, when he asked Ms May if she planned to stand up to the wild right-wing people. The prime minister said it was Labours Brexit plans that were crazy and insisted the UK would leave the customs union. On Labour's approach, she alleged They want to go into a customs union with the European Union with no say over trade policy, with Brussels negotiating trade deals in their interest not our own. The prime minister also declined to answer Mr Corbyns question about when crucial Brexit legislation on trade and customs would finally return to the Commons. The government has slammed on the brakes, facing a growing Tory revolt, prompting warnings that it will not be ready for the continued threat of a no deal Brexit. Jeremy Corbyns office has signalled that the Labour leader will not throw his weight behind a proposal to keep Britain in the single market after Brexit. His spokesman said keeping the UK in the single market as it stands, could undermine Mr Corbyns plans to intervene in British industry and reverse privatisation if he wins power. It came after Labour peers in the House of Lords defied Mr Corbyns will and voted for an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill to effectively keep the UK in the single market through membership of the EEA and EFTA - setting up a Commons vote on the matter in coming weeks. Recommended Peers inflict major defeat on government over single market The Independent reported at the weekend that Tory rebel MPs now believe they have enough numbers to defeat the government in that vote, as long as Labour MPs also weigh in. But speaking on Wednesday, Mr Corbyns spokesman was asked whether he would back the amendment when it comes to the Commons and said: The EEA membership includes a number of different types of relationship, but its not what we are proposing. He went on: We will be pressing the case in the Commons, as the leadership has done in the House of Lords, for a new relationship with the EU, a close relationship with the EU, that is based on a close relationship with the single marketwe will try and unite people around that position, which we think is the right one to promote a Brexit which puts jobs and the economy first. Asked by The Independent which parts of Mr Corbyns proposed programme for government would be undermined by staying in the EEA, the spokesman said: In his speech in Coventry earlier this year when he set out Labours position on Brexit in in these negotiations, he made clear that the new relationship we want with the single market needs to allow a Labour government to intervene, to promote jobs and investment in the country and have a strong public role in that. Theresa May: 'We're leaving the single market... in certain ways access will be different to what it is now' There are a number of different parts of the existing single market rules which are problematic and we would like to see exemptions, clarifications or a negotiated change in relation to that relationship including state aid rules, liberalisation [and the] privatisation of public services. There are a number of different parts of the existing single market rules which are problematic Jeremy Corbyns spokesman He also brushed aside claims that Mr Corbyns approach could see him clash with a largely pro-European Labour membership, saying the partys current approach had been approved at conference. Less than 24 hours earlier, Labours Lord Alli tabled an amendment in the House of Lords, aimed at keeping the UK in the EEA, arguing it is essential to ensure Britains service based economy can still properly trade with Europe after Brexit. Some 38 Labour peers and 17 Tories defied their leaderships to pass it, meaning Ms May must now defeat the amendment in the Commons if she is to pursue her goal of pulling out of the single market. 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 Conservative backbenchers have told The Independent they now have up to 15 MPs willing to rebel on the issue, ensuring the amendment passes through the Commons as long as Labour also backs it. The EEA/EFTA route would allow the government to escape the European Courts jurisdiction, but would mean the UK having, to a large extent, to accept the EUs four freedoms including freedom of movement. But Tory rebels argue Britain would have more power than it currently does to impose restrictions on immigration, a driving motivation behind the Leave vote. A Downing Street spokesman said on Wednesday: We are disappointed by the vote last night. As Ive said to you before, the legislation is intended to deliver the smooth Brexit which is in the interest of everybody in the UK. We will not accept attempts to use legislation to stop us taking back control of our money, our laws and our borders. Lords inflicted 13 defeats on the government, passing changes to Ms Mays Brexit bill, all of which the government has vowed to overturn in the Commons. Jeremy Corbyn has been urged to seize the chance to keep the UK in the EU single market, after a dramatic House of Lords vote handed the decision to MPs. Theresa May is vulnerable to an identical defeat in the Commons if Labour sides with a growing number of Tory rebels in a critical vote that would derail her Brexit strategy, pro-EU MPs said. The clash looms after peers shocked both main parties by backing an amendment to the Brexit Bill to make remaining inside the European Economic Area (EEA) and therefore the single market a negotiating priority. Chris Leslie, a leading pro-EU MP, told The Independent: There are now sufficient Tory MPs willing to rebel, so Jeremy Corbyn will need to think again when this issue comes before the Commons. It would be unconscionable to have a chance to win - only to fall short because of a hard-Brexit Labour position. If Mr Corbyn failed to come off the fence and do the right thing for jobs, he would share responsibility for the decade of austerity to come, Mr Leslie warned. Another Labour MP, Chuka Umunna, said: I hope that the Labour front bench will support UK membership of the single market through the EEA, which is what the overwhelming majority of our members and voters want. And a third, Stella Creasy, hailed the Lords result as fantastic, urging her party to pick up the baton to fight for the best future for Britain. 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 In a sign of Conservative nerves, Lord Ashcroft, the former key party donor, suggested the prime minister might have to pursue the nuclear option of threatening to strip the whip from any Tory rebels when the vote comes. A Labour source told The Independent that our policy isnt going to change stating it was to leave the single market but negotiate a new strong relationship with it. Mr Corbyn views membership is unacceptable because it would prevent Labour ending privatisation and outsourcing, something the EU has denied. He also wants the freedom to subsidise key industries and angered some Labour MPs by arguing freedom of movement rules allowed cheap labour to undercut the wages of UK workers. However, Mr Corbyn now faces the scenario he was desperate to avoid having to order Labour MPs to either vote with pro-Brexit Tories, or to sit on their hands. He would be certain to face a huge revolt after 83 Labour peers defied him in the Lords as well as backlash from Labour members and supporters, who strongly oppose a hard Brexit. Labour rebels in the Lords included former party leader Lord Kinnock, Lord Mandelson and ex-Northern Ireland Secretary Lord Hain. The Conservative rebels included former Cabinet minister Lord Patten of Barnes and former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine. Earlier, peers backed a bid to remove the official exit date, 29 March 2019, from the bill, which will also infuriate Eurosceptics who see the bid as an attempt to thwart Brexit. Lord Newby, the Liberal Democrat Leader in the Lords, said: This victory sends a clear message to those sat round the Cabinet table that Parliament wont just sit back while Theresa May leads us towards a hard Brexit. The European Union has rebuked Donald Trump over his move to break the Iran nuclear deal, telling the US president he does not have the power to unilaterally scrap the international agreement. In a statement delivered on Tuesday night EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the US should reconsider its position, but that it was not within the power of the countrys president to end the accord. Mr Trump ended the USs commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiated between Iran, the EU, US, Russia, China, France, Britain, and Germany, which was signed by his predecessor Barack Obama in 2015. He claims the deal is decaying and rotten and says it is an embarrassment to him as a citizen. In the US the deal is politically-charged because it is seen as a key legacy as Barack Obama. It is also opposed by Israel, a close US ally in the region. Speaking in Rome the EUs Ms Mogherini said Europe regrets Mr Trumps new policy, but added: As we have always said the nuclear deal is not a bilateral agreement and it is not in the hands of any single country to terminate it unilaterally. Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Show all 10 1 /10 Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burnt a US flag in parliament after Donald Trump announced America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal US President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House. Reuters Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Some Iranian MPs reacted after Trumps decision by shouting 'death to America'. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian lawmakers prepare to burn two pieces of papers representing the US flag and the nuclear deal. AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord, which it branded "psychological warfare". AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Several Iranian MPs stood chanting in the Tehran parliament. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burning a US flag AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani addressed the nation in a televised speech in Tehran. He said he'd send his foreign minister to negotiate with countries remaining in the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to pull America from the deal, warning he otherwise would restart enriching uranium "in the next weeks." Iranian Presidency Office via AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran's press condemned Trump's withdrawal from a multi-party nuclear deal but was divided over whether Tehran should react with patience or withdraw itself. AFP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Trump announced the US withdrawal from what he called the "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran, and said Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. AFP/Getty It has been unanimously endorsed by the UN security council resolution 2231, it is a key element of the global non-proliferation architecture, it is relevant in itself, but even more so in these times of encouraging symbols on the prospect of the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. The nuclear deal with Iran is crucial for the security of the region, of Europe and of the entire region. As long as Iran continues to implement its nuclear-related commitments as it is doing so far the European union will remain committed to the continued, full, and effective implementation for the nuclear deal. Trump abandons Iran nuclear deal: World leaders react She added that the EU trusts the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has repeatedly said Iran is sticking to its side of the bargain. She also said she was particularly worried about new sanctions on Iran announced by the US, stating that the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions is an essential part of the agreement. Donald Trump scrapped the deal, which is seen as a key Obama legacy in the US (Reuters) Let me conclude with a message to Iranian citizens and leaders, to each and every one of them: do not let anyone dismantle this agreement, she said. It is one of the biggest achievements that diplomacy has ever delivered and we have built this together. It is the demonstration that win-win solutions are possible through dialogue, engagement, and perseverance. That common ground that be found, even when positions and interest differ that respect can be a universal language. This deal belongs to each and every one of us. Stay true to our commitments and we will stay true to ours and together with the rest of the international community we will preserve this nuclear deal. 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 Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, who expended significant political capital to broker the deal, echoed the EUs approach, stating: I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in the coming weeks. "If we achieve the deal's goals in co-operation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place." Under the deal Iran has agreed to dramatically cut its enriched uranium stockpiles and its capacity to enrich uranium in the future. The IAEA gained full access to Iranian nuclear facilities under the deal to monitor its implementation. The row over Jeremy Corbyns approach to Brexit has exploded after five MPs from the partys northern heartlands broke ranks and openly demanded a new referendum on the UKs withdrawal deal. The MPs from the Northeast which heavily backed Leave in the 2016 referendum said a new vote is essential because the true nature of Brexit is only just emerging. Writing exclusively for The Independent, they warn plans to leave the single market will devastate family living standards as the future of major manufacturers and employers in their region is thrown into doubt. Recommended Peers inflict major defeat on government over single market Their intervention comes amid rising anger over Mr Corbyns failure to seize a chance to force Theresa May into keeping Britain in the single market despite it also potentially collapsing her government and creating an opportunity to win power. Labours current position is that it respects the 2016 referendum, that Britains EU membership must end and that the country should leave the single market and customs union to negotiate new relationships to replace them. But with most projections showing the UK worse off outside the EUs existing structures, the five northeast MPs have decided to publicly contradict their leaders position and call for a peoples vote on the eventual deal. Theresa May: 'We're leaving the single market... in certain ways access will be different to what it is now' In their article for The Independent, Phil Wilson, Paul Williams, Bridget Phillipson, Anna Turley and Catherine McKinnell write how new facts are emerging every day that were not known to voters before the 2016 referendum. They add: The outcome of the negotiations will affect the northeast of England and the United Kingdom for decades to come. There is so much at stake here. Even the governments own research says the northeast economy will lose growth once we leave the EU regardless of the deal Five Labour MPs from the North East Because this is so important, we believe the British people should have their say on the final Brexit deal. Just as the people had their say in the referendum in 2016, we believe the final decision on this countrys destiny should lie with the British people in a peoples vote. The MPs in particular highlight how firms like Nissan in Sunderland, Hitachi in County Durham and in the chemicals industry on Teesside, providing thousands of jobs, see their future within the EU customs union and single market which both Conservative and Labour leaderships are committed to quitting. Keir Starmer: Brexit deal means UK will be tied to single market 'in perpetuity' They also raise concerns over damage to the NHS and concessions that will have to be made to other countries to secure trade deals. They write: There is so much at stake here. Even the governments own research says the northeast economy will lose growth once we leave the EU regardless of the deal. This will hit living standards of families throughout the region. A smaller economy will mean less money to invest in our hard pressed public services. Already the British economy has fallen from the top to the bottom of the European growth league. 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 Ex-shadow cabinet minister Owen Smith was sacked from the Labour front bench earlier this year for backing another referendum, while shadow business secretary Barry Gardiner managed to keep his job despite saying a key element of Labours approach was bollocks. MPs Clive Lewis and Rachael Maskell have both called for a new referendum and, along with Dawn Butler and Tulip Siddiq, quit jobs on the front bench last year over the partys insistence that they vote to trigger Article 50 and leave the EU. Welsh MP Geraint Davies has previously called for a new referendum, while London MP Gareth Thomas also demanded a peoples vote in the Commons on Wednesday. A Labour spokesman said: Labour respects the result of the referendum and is working for a jobs first Brexit that protects jobs and living standards. It comes after 83 Labour peers defied Mr Corbyns will on Tuesday and voted for an amendment to Ms Mays EU Withdrawal Bill that would effectively keep Britain in the EUs single market. The amendment will now come to the Commons, with The Independent having been told Conservative rebels have enough MPs to make it law as long as Labour also backs it. Theresa May admits that 'questions have been raised' over her Customs Union options laid out in Mansion House speech Such a move could well spark a Tory Brexiteer backlash in the form of a vote of no confidence in Ms May, that would likely bring the government down, sparking an election and an opening for Labour to win power. But in comments that have infuriated some of his MPs, Mr Corbyns office failed to back the amendment, claiming the single market was problematic for his plans to intervene in British industry if he wins power. Chris Leslie MP told The Independent the Labour leader would be confronted over the issue if he attends the next gathering of MPs. He said: I doubt his opposition will be sustained for long there will need to be clarity directly from Jeremy Corbyn upfront at the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting on Monday. Its utterly astonishing. When asked if Mr Corbyn would back the amendment, that commits the UK to staying in the European Economic Area, his spokesman said it was not what we are proposing. He went on: We will be pressing the case in the Commons, as the leadership has done in the House of Lords, for a new relationship with the EU, a close relationship with the EU, that is based on a close relationship with the single market ... we will try and unite people around that position, which we think is the right one to promote a Brexit which puts jobs and the economy first. Greg Clarke: Thousands of jobs at risk if Theresa May drops Brexit 'customs partnership' plan Mr Corbyns spokesman explained that staying in the EEA could undermine a future Labour governments ability to intervene in UK industries with particular issues around state aid and reversing privatisation. Ms Mays cabinet is also deeply divided on Brexit, with the issue of what kind of customs relations to adopt set to be discussed again at a meeting of senior minister on Tuesday. Foreign secretary Boris Johnson has denied being disloyal, despite calling the option of a customs partnership, said to be preferred by Ms May, a crazy idea. Business secretary Greg Clark has said thousands of jobs could be put at risk if the UK does not implement the idea. A Labour bid to force the government to hold a second public inquiry into press misconduct promised at the height of the hacking scandal has been defeated in the Commons. The government survived a small Conservative revolt aimed at reversing the decision to abandon a Leveson 2 probe into unlawful or improper conduct by media organisations but only by nine votes, by 304 to 295. Labour also abandoned an attempt to force media organisations to pay all legal costs in libel cases whether they win or lose, unless they sign up to a state-backed regulator. Recommended Leveson 2 press inquiry abandoned by government Most Tory MPs were ready to back Theresa May and other ministers who warned the move would undermine a free press and impose huge, unjust costs on them. David Cameron committed the coalition government to a second inquiry into the press at the time of Lord Justice Levesons first report, in November 2012. But the promise was ditched in March by Matt Hancock, the culture secretary, who said it was unnecessary because of significant changes to police practice and press regulation. Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, led calls for Leveson 2 to be revived, tabling an amendment to the Data Protection Bill. He accused the government of breaking its promise because of fear about the wrath of the press, adding: That is why this decision has been taken. Fear of the powerful is not a good reason to allow them to trample on the powerless ... it goes everything we promised in 2010, everything we said to the victims. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 1 October 2021 A driver talks to members of the media after passing his HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) driving test at National Driving Centre in Croydon, south London AFP via Getty Images 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 Mr Miliband was backed by Ken Clarke, the former Tory Chancellor, who said Leveson 2 was only suspended so that police operations should take place. Why is he cancelling an inquiry previously promised and endorsed by Leveson? What on earth is the reason for stopping investigations into the kind of things were all talking about? he asked. Five Conservatives voted with Labour Mr Clarke, Crispin Blunt, Peter Bone, Dominic Grieve and Philip Hollobone. Crucially, Mr Hancock appeared to head off a threat by the Democratic Unionist Party to side with Labour by promising a review of media standards in Northern Ireland. Without the nine DUP MPs who then voted with the government, the result would have been a tie. Ian Paisley Jr, a DUP MP, welcomed the inquiry by the information commissioner as a Leveson inquiry for Northern Ireland. Mr Hancock said the terms of Leveson part 2 have already largely been met, promising: Where action is needed I do not back down from taking it. He also pointed to the economic pressures on newspapers, saying: The rise of clickbait and disinformation and fake news is putting our whole democratic discourse at risk. This is an urgent problem, it is shaking the foundation of democracies worldwide, and liberal democracies like Britain cannot survive without the fourth estate, and the fourth estate is under threat like never before. Close Jeremy Corbyn taunts Theresa May over Boris Johnson's 'crazy' comments MPs have rejected a new statuary inquiry dubbed Leveson part two into relations between the media and the police by 304 votes to 295. The amendment was put forward by the former Labour leader Ed Miliband, who during the Commons debate accused ministers of fearing the press and said their actions had been contemptible. Labour also abandoned an attempt to force media organisations to pay all legal costs in libel cases whether they win or lose, unless they sign up to a state-backed regulator. It came after Theresa May was challenged at Prime Minister's Questions today over the stark split in the Cabinet over post-Brexit customs arrangements with the EU, after Boris Johnson branded her proposals "crazy". Jeremy Corbyn taunted the prime minister - asking her whether she agreed with her Foreign Secretary, or with her business secretary, Greg Clark, who supports the "customs partnership" idea. Ms May was unable to answer - or say whether her customs plans would be ready for the end of the transition period she hopes to agree, ending in 2020. Please allow a moment for the live blog to load Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to visit the UK next week and will meet Theresa May on Tuesday, Downing Street has said. Number 10 said his trip would be an opportunity for Britain and Turkey to demonstrate their close relationship. Mr Erdogan will also meet the Queen on the three-day trip. Recommended Erdogan calls surprise early vote in June in bid to consolidate power Ms May met the Turkish premier in Ankara on a one-day visit in January last year, when they agreed a 100m defence deal that helped develop fighter jets for the Turkish air force. Mr Erdogan is accused of waging a brutal campaign of repression against perceived opponents in the press, academia and judiciary following an unsuccessful coup in 2016. The visit to the UK by the Turkish leader, who has dominated the countrys politics for more than 15 years, comes at a time when he is seeking to extend his rule for another five years. Mr Erdogan narrowly won a referendum last year that allowed him to transform Turkey governance structure from a parliamentary system to a presidential one. The changes grant Mr Erdogan sweeping new powers that will come into effect if he wins another term in office on June 24. The election will take place under a state of emergency, which limits freedom of expression and stops large groups assembling in public places. Ms Mays official spokesman said: The visit is an opportunity for the UK and Turkey to demonstrate our close bilateral relationship and to have important discussions about issues of shared interest. 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 Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas MP, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign against a hard Brexit, said: As we hurtle towards Brexit its clear that the Government is increasingly willing to cosy up to repressive leaders from across the world. President Erdogan is an autocrat, who inflicts serious harm on his own population yet weve flogged him millions of pounds worth of weapons and now were inviting him over for tea. It would be utterly appalling if Theresa May doesnt take this opportunity to stand up to Erdogans human rights abuses, and if the only outcome from these meetings was smiling photos with a leader who were desperately trying to court before the Brexit crunch begins. Press Association contributed to this report The British government has threatened weaker security cooperation and intelligence sharing with the EU after Brexit if the UK is excluded from the Galileo satellite navigation system once it leaves the bloc. A presentation drawn up by the British negotiating team and shown to EU officials warns that continued access to the system is a test case in the eyes of the UK for how closely Britain and the EU cooperate on security matters after they leave. The move is likely to enrage Brussels, where senior figures have previously accused the UK of trying to blackmail the EU by using its strengths in intelligence and security as a bargaining chip in talks. The Galileo system is an EU-developed and built equivalent to GPS, which is operated by the US military. The European system has a number of technical advantages over the existing generation of GPS and would be operated independently by Europe without reliance on the US. The presentation drawn up by British negotiators outlines how the UK and EU could build a strong security partnership after Brexit, but adds: The arrangements for any UK cooperation on Galileo are an important test case of the depth of operational cooperation and information sharing envisaged under the security partnership. British officials said it would be harder for the UK to work closely with the EU on security without full participation in the scheme. The UK negotiators said they want continued UK participation in the development and operation of the open signal of the system despite the UK leaving the bloc, as well as access to the private regulated signal for British armed forces. What is still needed to complete a deal with the EU? They have also demanded that British defence firms must be allowed to bid for contracts on the EUs secure network on the same fair basis as EU firms despite Britains departure. The European Commission has already moved to relocate a backup control centre for Galileo from Britain because of Brexit, with operations underway to relocate it to Spain. Brussels has also moved to lock Britains defence industry out of bidding for contracts related to the 10bn (8.8bn) programme which prompted the defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, to warn that the move would be detrimental to European security. The UK presentation said Britain will move to develop its own satellite system to compete with Galileo if it doesnt get full continued participation in the project. David Davis, the Brexit secretary, last year denied the UK was threatening the EU over defence and security to get a better deal, after Theresa May said no deal would be bad for security. This is not a threat. This is a statement of the fact that this will be harmful for both of us if we dont get a deal, he said at the time. The first Galileo satellite was launched in 2005 and the system is expected to be completed by 2020, with early operational capability planned for later this year and full capability by 2019. Its public system will be accurate to one metre and its encrypted version will be accurate to one centimetre. 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 Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis said: The UK wants to continue to make a significant contribution to European security through a new Security Partnership after we leave the EU. We would all benefit from the partnership we are proposing. Our negotiating partners have a choice: they can treat us as a third country according to existing precedents, creating something that falls well short of our existing relationship, or they can take a more adaptable approach in which we jointly deliver the operational capability that we need to tackle the ever-evolving threats to our shared security. To protect our citizens security, we need to look beyond existing precedents and find a solution that allows us to continue to work together. There is no legal or operational reason why such an agreement could not be reached. California is poised to become the first state to require solar panels on virtually every home under a newly passed rule. The building standard approved by the California Energy Commission would mandate the existence of solar arrays on new single-family residences and on multi-family buildings of up to three stories. Commissioners unanimously passed the proposal, saying it would bolster the states efforts to combat climate change and help California accomplish its energy reduction goals. We cannot let Californians be in homes that are essentially the residential equivalent of gas guzzlers, said commissioner David Hochschild, who hailed the change - which takes effect in 2020 - as a very bold and visionary step. The state is working towards cutting emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and has a goal of making all new homes net energy zero by 2020 - in other words, ensuring they do not consume more than they produce. The measure seeks to help California get there, but it will also add to housing costs in a state that is already facing a dire shortage and soaring real estate prices. An official analysis found that the solar mandate would add about $9,500 to the price of building a single-family residential home. Solar Technology in the UK Show all 7 1 /7 Solar Technology in the UK Solar Technology in the UK Roofs tiled with photovoltaic solar energy panels receive maximum sunlight exposure in Dyfi Eco Park, Machynlleth, Wales. These panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells. PV cells convert sunlight into electrical energy Getty Solar Technology in the UK Jake Beautyman installs solar panels on a barn roof on Grange farm, near Balcombe. The installation is part of an initiative by local residents in Balcombe to encourage more people to use renewable energy rather than energy based on carbon such as fracking. The initaitive is called Repowerbalcombe and is supported by the charity 10:10 Getty Solar Technology in the UK The Solar array of community project Low carbon Gordano, a Solarsense renewable energy project. Delivering 1,750HWh per annum. Avon, Somerset Getty Solar Technology in the UK The solar panels array on the roof of Oldfield Park Infant School, installed with the support of Bath and West Community Energy a community project. Bath, Somerset Getty Solar Technology in the UK The solar array inverters that monitor and invert the energy made by Brixton Energy Solar who have installed several hundred square metres of solar panels on the roof of Elmore House in the Loughborough Estate in Brixton, London Getty Solar Technology in the UK The solar array inverters that monitor and invert the energy on the roof of Elmore House in the Loughborough Estate in Brixton, London Getty Solar Technology in the UK The 25kW solar panel array on the roof of Knowle West Media Centre. Supported by Bristol Energy, a community-owned energy cooperative, growing Greater Bristol's local green energy supply and making the benefits available to all Getty But those costs would be offset by reductions energy savings, the commission predicted, estimating that the average single-family home would save about $19,000. Given Californias size - it is Americas most populous state and the worlds 5th-largest economy - its decisions can influence the rest of the country. Robert Raymer of the California Building Industry Association suggested that the states quantum leap in statewide building standards would ripple outwards. You can bet every other of the 49 states will be watching closely to see what happens, he said. Nasa finds solar system with as many planets as our own The California Building Standards Commission must still approve the change. In recent years the state has enacted ambitious measures to curb carbon emissions and blunt the effects of climate change, which outgoing Governor Jerry Brown has made his signature issue. A law championed by Mr Brown requires that 50 per cent of the states electricity to be derived from renewable sources by 2030. A 53-year-old former CIA officer has been charged with the unauthorized possession of classified American intelligence, and conspiring to commit espionage, according to the Justice Department. Jerry Chun Shing Lee has been charged for allegedly helping the Chinese government dismantle a US spy network after being asked by two Chinese intelligence officers in 2010 and 2011 to trade information for money. He lived in Hong Kong at the time. Mr Lees actions allegedly led to the imprisonment or killing of more than a dozen Chinese nationals who were helping the US, which the New York Times reported in January was one of the most devastating intelligence setbacks for the agency in recent decades. Recommended US student sentenced to 10 years in Iranian jail after spy conviction The indictment Tuesday follows after Mr Lees January arrest on charges of unlawful retention of nations defence information. At that time he had not been charged with espionage. Federal agents say that they entered hotel rooms that Mr Lee stayed at in Hawaii and Virginia after he left Hong Kong with his family in 2012. The Justice Department alleges that agents who searched his room found that he was in unauthorized possession of materials related to national defence. Those materials included handwritten notes on CIA employees, and a thumb drive with classified materials. 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 Lee is not a Chinese spy, Edward MacMahon, Mr Lees attorney, told reporters in February during a court appearance. Hes a loyal American who served his country in the military and in the CIA. Mr Lee, who is a naturalized US citizen, and top-secret clearance and worked as a field agent for the CIA from 1994 until 2007. The indictment of Mr Lee states that he was approached by Chinese intelligence officers two years after he left the CIA, and offered to be paid for information. It is not clear why the FBI waited so long to arrest Mr Lee, though it is also not clear how frequently he visited the United States before his arrest in January at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. He faces up to a lifetime in prison if convicted on the charges. A female food delivery driver has claimed a customer tried to strangle her by grabbing her niqab. Sonya King, who works for a restaurant delivery service called DoorDash, said she was making a delivery at a house in northwest Atlanta when Rick Painter assaulted her. Ms King said he told her he would give her a cash tip as she headed towards the door. "In the process of him going through his wallet, he said, 'Oh and by the way I'm Jesus'," she told local Channel 2 Action News. A photo of the suspect released by local police (Local police) She continued walking to the door when she claimed she felt the 54-year-old come from behind and grab her head scarf. "He's grabbing me and trying to choke me with my own niqab. I kept telling that man I've got kids. In the midst of me fighting him, he's grabbing my head. He thought he was Jesus, but Jesus wouldn't do that to nobody, she said. According to the news station, she used her finger to poke his eye and her car keys to fight back. "In the midst of me stabbing this man, he's saying, 'Aw this feels good'," Ms King said. She added: "He seemed normal. Anybody would have went in. Police are said to have arrested Mr Painter after Ms King called 911. 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 "By the love of Allah, I knew he was not going to allow that man to kill a believer," Ms King said. After medics treated Mr Painters injuries, authorities charged him with battery, according to the local channel. A spokesperson for DoorDash said: "DoorDash takes the safety of its community extremely seriously for Dashers, consumers and merchants. We do not tolerate violence in any form. After learning of this incident, DoorDash took action to deactivate the consumers account pending a full investigation. "DoorDash is prepared to cooperate with law enforcement to enable them to take swift, appropriate action." Retail chain Nordstrom Rack has apologised after employees called the police on three African-American teens shopping for prom. The friends say they were falsely accused of shoplifting after an elderly female customer called them punks. A mother of one of the young men wrote on Facebook that a store manager followed the trio out of the Brentwood, Missouri store, where she said police officers surrounded them as the manager falsely accused and reported that they had stolen several items from the store. I am appalled that my son and his friends were harassed, falsely accused and questioned for stealing when NO ONE STOLE A THING! Twyla Lee wrote. Nordstrom swiftly moved into damage control. The company said in a statement that staff did not follow store guidelines that direct our employees to only call the police in emergency situations. Nordstrom Rack president Nordstrom Rack Geevy Thomas called the families to apologise and subsequently met with them. I appreciate the opportunity to listen to their concerns and offer our sincere apologies on behalf of Nordstrom, Mr Thomas said in a statement, adding that the retailer was conducting a thorough internal investigation. We are committed to ensuring our processes and guidelines are well understood by our employees, and identifying opportunities to enhance the training and resources we offer them, he said. But Adolphus Pruitt of the St Louis NAACP said the incident pointed to a deeper problem of entrenched bias in society, and he called on the store to offer a sustained response by funding programmes that help disadvantaged youth. They can choose to assist in stamping out this pervasive stereotyping that labels young black men as criminal predators and embrace the decisions and sacrifices of these students or they can choose to do what has become the standard apologise and initiate diversity training for its employees, he said in a statement to the St Louis Post-Dispatch. The incident follows a national uproar after Starbucks employees in Philadelphia called the police on two African-American, who were then escorted out of the store in handcuffs. They were released without being charged. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson apologised, calling the development reprehensible, and announced that all of its roughly 8,000 stores would close on May 29 for diversity training. Donald Trumps personal attorney allegedly received money from a Russian oligarch linked to Vladimir Putin, according to the lawyer representing the adult film star Stormy Daniels, who is suing the president. Michael Avenatti claimed Michael Cohen was involved with $4.4m (3.25m) worth of suspicious financial transactions between October 2016 shortly before the presidential election and January 2018. He made the claim in a document released via his Twitter account. Mr Avenatti is representing Stormy Daniels, who is suing Mr Trump over a non-disclosure agreement. Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, alleges she had sex with the US leader in 2006. She is suing the president and Mr Cohen to invalidate the non-disclosure agreement which she has claimed is void because the president did not personally sign it. While Mr Cohen ultimately acknowledged having facilitated the $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels in October 2016 one month before voters went to the polls he has said neither the Trump campaign nor the Trump Organization were parties to the payment. But the transaction has attracted scrutiny for potentially violating campaign finance law. Last week, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who recently joined Mr Trumps legal team, claimed the president had reimbursed Michael Cohen for the payoff. His comments appeared to contradict Mr Trump distancing himself from the alleged hush money. Without specifying what he got wrong, Mr Trump later said Mr Giuliani was new to the job and wasnt familiar with everything. He did not specify what he thought his new attorney had got wrong. In a subsequent statement, Mr Giuliani said the payment was made to resolve a personal and false allegation in order to protect the Presidents family, adding: My references to timing were not describing my understanding of the presidents knowledge, but instead, my understanding of these matters. Mr Avenattis document claims that $500,000 of the $4.4m that flowed through an account controlled by Mr Cohen, came from a company controlled by Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian national with close ties to his countrys president. It does not explain where he got the information from, although he tweeted that the information was the product of a significant investigation. 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 An attorney for Mr Cohen did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent. Mr Vekselbergs name appeared last month on a US Treasury Department list of Russian oligarchs. Treasury secretary Steven T Mnuchin last month, alleged they profited from a corrupt system of government whose activities include attempting to subvert Western democracies. Mr Vekselberg and his Renova Group conglomerate saw $1.5bn and $2bn in assets frozen last month by the US Congress in response to alleged Russian meddling in the US presidential election, the Reuter press agency reported. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is currently investigating Russian meddling in the US presidential election and potential links with Mr Trumps campaign, recently made a referral to prosecutors about Mr Cohen. Giuliani: Trump repaid attorney Stormy Daniels hush money FBI agents subsequently raided his office seizing a number of documents. Barbara Jones, a so-called special master will review documents to determine if they include confidential communications with his legal clients. Mr Muellers probe has led investigators to scrutinise Mr Vekselberg, according to CNN, which reported that members of the special counsels team had questioned the Russian oligarch about payments his company made to Mr Cohen. Mr Avenatti suggested in a tweet that the alleged money from Mr Vekselberg may have reimbursed the $130k payment to his client. The president and aides meanwhile have denied that an affair occurred, and Mr Trump has consistently dismissed Mr Muellers probe as meritless and politically compromised. The Senate confirmation hearing for Gina Haspel to become the next director of the CIA has been interrupted by several protesters who accused her of being torturer before being removed from the room by Capitol Police. One of the protesters, wearing orange, referred to Ms Haspel who oversaw a US intelligence "black site" in Thailand in late 2002, where interrogators used techniques described widely regarded as torture by critics as bloody Gina repeatedly as she was led out of the room. How do you treat people who are human beings in your custody? The question is, what do you do to human beings in US custody? the protester shouted. Bloody Gina! Bloody Gina! Bloody Gina! You are a torturer! the woman continued. Ms Haspels role - however small - in the CIAs interrogation programme, which employed techniques like waterboarding, has been a major point of contention after President Donald Trump picked her to become the CIAs top official. The use of such techniques was made illegal in the US in 2015. Ms Haspel, who has served in the CIA for decades, has faced an unusually difficult nomination period, especially for someone who has served the agency for so long. Ms Haspel is said to have offered to withdraw herself from consideration for the nomination, even as scores of her peers have expressed confidence that she would provide strong leadership in the CIA and stand up to President Trump, who has openly embraced the possible use of interrogation techniques considered to be torture by many. 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 protester in the hearing was not the only person to express concern with Ms Haspels nomination. Outside of the Washington hearing, at least two individuals dressed in orange jumpsuits and black hoods protested silently on their knees, conjuring the image of detainees at overseas US prisons like Guantanamo Bay. Ms Haspel has indicated that she would not restart any controversial interrogation programme if she becomes the director of the CIA. US President Donald Trump has said the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, will return from a trip to North Korea with three American detainees, who seem to be in good health. I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the three wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health, Mr Trump tweeted. Mr Trump said he will greet Mr Pompeo and the Americans when they land at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington early on Thursday morning. Very exciting! he wrote on Twitter. The news was a chance for Mr Trump to tout a diplomatic success, a day after facing heavy criticism from Europe for pulling the US out of the Iran nuclear deal. The fate of Korean-Americans Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk known as Tony Kim had been among a number of delicate issues in the run-up to the first ever meeting between Mr Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Mr Trump sent Mr Pompeo to Pyongyang to accompany the men home following calls from Washington for Mr Kim to free them as a gesture of sincerity before the US-North Korea meeting, which is expected to take place in late May or early June. The release appears to be an effort by Mr Kim to set a favourable tone ahead of the unprecedented summit. The White House said in a statement that Mr Trump viewed the detainees release as a positive gesture of goodwill. The statement confirmed the Americans were in good condition, and able to walk onto the plane without assistance. I appreciate Kim Jong-un doing this and allowing them to go, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. He also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying Beijing was helpful in securing the mens freedom, and described pre-summit discussions with North Korea as serious and positive. 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 Little is known about the conditions the men faced in North Korea. Kim Dong-chul, a South Korea-born US citizen, was detained in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years of hard labour in 2016. He was accused of stealing military secrets for South Korea a claim the country denies. Tony Kim, a worker at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, was arrested last year on espionage charges. Fellow PUST worker Kim Hak-song was arrested two weeks later on suspicion of hostile acts. Many of the foreigners detained in North Korea in the past have said the government had forced them into making false confessions. Trump on North Korea meeting: 'we have a date and location' Reports surfaced last week that the men had been had been transferred to a hotel near Pyongyang ahead of their release. While the White House would not confirm the reports, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the detainees release would be an incredible sign of goodwill in the lead-up to the US-North Korea summit. Mr Trump also hinted that the release might be coming, telling his Twitter followers to stay tuned last week. The family of Tony Kim thanked Mr Trump, saying in a statement: We are very grateful for the release of our husband and father, Tony Kim, and the other two American detainees. North Korea released American college student Otto Warmbier from detention late last year. However, that only escalated tensions with Washington, as the 22-year-old was in a coma, and died a week after being returned to his parents without ever regaining consciousness. The president announced his secretary of states surprise visit to North Korea on Tuesday, with North Korean officials reportedly visiting Mr Pompeos hotel in Pyongyang to inform them that Mr Kim had granted the release of the detainees. You should make care that they do not make the same mistakes again, a North Korean official was said to have told Mr Pompeo, according to Reuters. This was a hard decision. The detainees were in the air less than an hour after leaving custody. Asked what his first words were to the freed Americans, Mr Pompeo told reporters on his plane: Although we are not quite back home yet, I welcomed them back. They were happy to be with us on this plane, to be sure. Mr Pompeo said that his meetings with the North Koreans were very productive. The secretary of state had previously held a secret meeting with Mr Kim in April to lay the groundwork for the summit. Mr Trump said a good relationship was formed at the Easter weekend meeting. Mr Kim has also met with the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, in recent weeks even crossing the border into South Korea for the first time. The leaders agreed to officially end the Korean War, and agreed on a goal of denuclearising the Korean Peninsula. South Korea hailed the release of the detainees as a positive step and called for Pyongyang to release six South Korean detainees. James Mattis, the US defence secretary, said that the release of the detainees showed there is reason for some optimism that these [upcoming] talks could be fruitful. He added, however, that the US troop presence in South Korea, one of North Koreas biggest issues, would not be part of initial negotiations with Pyongyang. Mr Trump said he will announce the location of the summit within three days but he ruled out the location being the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). There are reports that Singapore will likely be the chosen meeting place. The US government has been accused of killing thousands of healthy kittens as part of secretive decades-long experiments. Documents provided by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) showed that scientists from a research laboratory in Maryland have been breeding them killing up to 100 kittens a year. The figures were obtained by animal rights watchdog White Coat Waste Project (WCWP), who filed a freedom of information request. The two-month-old kittens are fed raw meat infected with Toxoplasma a parasite that causes the disease toxoplasmosis for two to three weeks. Their faeces is then collected to harvest the parasite for use in other experiments designed to combat food-borne illnesses. The cats are then killed and incinerated, it is alleged. Justin Goodman, vice president of public policy for WCWP, said: "I think most tax payers would be alarmed and disgusted to learn that for decades they have essentially been funding a USDA kitten slaughter house here in Beltsville right outside the Beltway." According to WCWP, documents showed nearly all the infected kittens were healthy. The US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Centre (AP) In a letter to USDA head Sonny Perdue, congressman Mike Bishop condemned the alleged kitten tests. It appears that this project uses kittens as test tubes, he wrote. As you can imagine, I was shocked to hear that the USDA, the very organisation set out to enforce animal welfare laws and regulations, was treating the life of animals with such contempt. Put simply, it creates life to destroy life. While I support the objective of making food safer and protecting people and animals from infectious diseases, we must ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively, efficiently, and humanely. Is a statement, the USDA defended its research, saying the parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, was one of the most widespread in the world. 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 parasite is spread by cats that prey on infected birds, mice and other animals, it said. Cats excrete a form of the parasite in their faeces and contact with infected cat faeces is how most people in the US come in contact with Toxoplasma gondii. It said the laboratory made every effort to minimise the number of cats used in the research, and that the allegation of 100 kittens a year was a serious overestimation. But the documents, which were subsequently seen by The Independent, state "most cats" were euthanised weeks after they were first fed the infected meat. It also estimated 300 kittens would be used to incubate the parasite over the next three years. The USDA statement continued: USDA does not seek adoptions of these cats because of the risk the cats could pose to their adoptive families. Our goal is to reduce the spread of toxoplasmosis. Adopting these cats could, unfortunately, undermine that goal, potentially causing severe infections, especially with unborn children or those with immunodeficiencies. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says cats infected with Toxoplasma can only spread it in their faeces for a "few weeks following infection with the parasite". But a USDA spokesperson said the science on the topic "continues to evolve" and that recent research has raised questions about the issue. "Such research indicates T. gondii can still be present in a cats body much later than previously thought, and can become active again," she said. Gudrun Ravetz, senior vice-president at the British Veterinary Association, said: While humans can pick up Toxoplasma gondii through contact with faeces from infected cats, research indicates that the risk is low. Pregnant women, young children and people with a weak immune system can be at greater risk and should follow NHS advice on precautionary measures. Cat owners can minimise risk of infection by following good hygiene practices when handling the cats litter tray, emptying soiled litter trays often during a day, and washing their hands thoroughly after handling food, especially meat. Wed also advise owners against feeding their pet a raw-meat based diet as it could increase its risk of infection. US detectives are using the same DNA tracing technology employed recently to arrest the suspected Golden State Killer as they hunt for another of the countrys most infamous serial killers. Police in Vallejo, Northern California, have sent letters written by the so-called Zodiac Killer for analysis at a private laboratory in a bid to build a better profile of the murderer who shot and stabbed to death at least five people in the 1960s. They hope DNA may be found on stamps or envelopes and could then be cross-referenced with online databases. Recommended Use of website to catch Golden State Killer suspect prompts worries Detectives investigating the Golden State Killer ran DNA through an open-source genealogical website before the arrest of former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, who is alleged to have committed at least 12 murders and rapes in California between 1976 and 1986. Investigators in Sacremento uploaded DNA collected at one of the crime scenes to the website and found a partial match to a distant relative of DeAngelo. They painstakingly constructed a family tree dating back several generations before they zeroed in the 72-year-old. The process raised concerns among privacy campaigners, who are worried about future abuses, but detectives investigating the Zodiac Killer say the technique could help solve one of the most notorious cold cases in the country. The Zodiac Killer sent taunting letters to local newspapers following murders in Vallejo, San Francisco and other nearby towns in 1968 and 1969. The correspondence included cryptogram puzzles as clues to his identity and claimed he had killed as many as 37 people. Sacramento DA: 'we found the needle in the haystack' after Golden State Killer caught in Sacramento Two of letters were handed to a private lab by a Vallejo Police Department two months ago and the results are expected results soon. They were confident they would be able to get something off it, Vallejo detective Terry Poyser told the Sacramento Bee. Police in Vallejo, a city near to San Francisco, are leading the investigation into the Zodiac Killer a name he used in his letters - because his first two victims were shot dead there. Various pieces of evidence, including letters and a rope used to tie a victim, have previously been tested unsuccessfully for the killers DNA profile. Vallejo mayor Bob Sampayan said samples were sent to the lab as a matter of routine every couple of years in hopes that advances in DNA testing will finally yield a profile detectives can use. The former homicide detective said it was coincidental that the latest DNA test was taking place at the time of the breakthrough in the Golden State Killer case. There will come a time when we get a match, Mr Sampayan added. 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 2007 film Zodiac, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr, renewed widespread interest in a case that has always had a cult following of amateur detectives and cryptographers who sought to crack the killers code. One of those amateur sleuths, Tom Voigt, said the key to solving the Zodiac killings was mimicking the Golden State Killer investigation, which included forming a full-time task force dedicated to the case and exploiting publicly accessible DNA databases. He said the Zodiac case was being investigated part time by a Police Department in a city that filed for municipal bankruptcy. Theres a formula to follow, Mr Voigt said. And its to simply copy what happened to the Golden State Killer. Malaysia's ruling party has been ousted for the first time in the countrys 60-year history after an opposition alliance won a historic victory in national elections. Opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad is set to be sworn in as prime minister within a day after securing a parliamentary majority. Official results showed the opposition parties, which banded together as the Alliance of Hope, had surpassed the 112 seats needed for power. The result is a political earthquake for Muslim-majority Malaysia, sweeping aside the government of prime minister Najib Razak, whose reputation was tarnished by a corruption scandal and the imposition of an unpopular sales tax. The opposition also made big gains in state elections and won Johor state, where the dominant Malay party in the long-ruling National Front coalition was founded. In a televised address, Mr Mahathir said a representative of Malaysias constitutional monarchy had contacted the opposition to acknowledge its victory. He said a prime minister, expected to be him, would be sworn in by tomorrow. The 92-year-old was Malaysias authoritarian leader for 22 years until 2003. He emerged from retirement after being angered by the corruption scandal and joined the opposition to fight against Mr Najib, his former protege. Mr Mahathir, who was credited with modernising Malaysia during his previous rule, pledged that his new government would not seek revenge against political opponents. Analysts said the opposition victory was a resounding rejection of the political status quo in a country where the National Front and Malay party have dominated politics since Malaysia won independence from the UK in 1957. This is a repudiation of Najibs government from all walks of life from the very rural northern states to the more industrial southern coast, said Bridget Welsh, a southeast Asia expert at John Cabot University in Rome. The US Justice Department says $4.5bn (3.3bn) was looted from state investment fund 1MBD by associates of Mr Najib between 2009 and 2014. Of that, $700m (517m) allegedly landed in Mr Najibs bank account. He has denied wrongdoing. 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 Analysts had predicted the National Front might lose the popular vote but hold onto a majority in parliament due to an electoral system that gives more power to rural Malays, the partys traditional supporters. Faced with a reinvigorated opposition, the government used all the levers of power to further tilt the playing field in its favour, critics and analysts said. A recently passed "fake news" law was an attempt to stifle debate and criticism, opponents claimed. Redrawn electoral boundaries were also rushed through parliament last month, pushing likely opposition voters into districts that already support the opposition and dividing constituencies along racial lines. The German crime rate has fallen by five per cent since last year, hitting its lowest rate since 1992. The new government figures show that 5.76 million crimes were reported in 2017. As a percentage of the population, crime is now at its lowest level for 30 years. Germany has become safer, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Tuesday, as the figures were released, but he warned much remains to be done, as 44 per cent of Germans said they felt less secure in Germany than they did a few years ago. The statistics also listed the number of crimes by non-German nationals, which have also significantly declined, falling by 23 per cent since last year, from 950,000 to just over 700,000. Last month it was reported that the number of migrants in Germany had reached a record high, with 10.6 million people with foreign citizenship living there. Mr Seehofer acknowledged the trend for increased public wariness in Germany, which has also seen a rise in terrorist incidents. "There is no reason to sound the all-clear and much remains to be done," he said, adding that the rule of law must be upheld and Germany protected against all forms of extremism and terrorism. According to Deutsche Welle, Germanys international broadcaster, Andre Schulz, the head of the Federation of German Police Officers, described the differentiation between German public sentiment and actual safety as "a paradox," adding that the two had no bearing on one another. Despite the significant overall fall in crime, the figures also revealed a rise in antisemitic attacks, which have gone up by 2.5 per cent with a total of 1,504 incidents in 2017. Mr Seehofer said this was partly attributable to imported antisemitism, referring to attacks carried out by foreigners, however, this portion was vastly outweighed by attacks on Jews by far-right German nationals, which accounted for 94 per cent of antisemitic attacks. The report says that politically motivated crimes fell for the first time in four years, going down by 4.9 per cent and making up 0.7 per cent of all crimes. However, within this category, the number of incidents motivated by right-wing ideology fell by 12.9 per cent while those connected to the left rose by 3.9 per cent. The overall numbers of crimes associated with the political right 20,520 in 2017 was more than twice the number connected to the left, at 9,752. 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 Seehofer said it was shameful Germanys left-wing politicians had not made greater efforts to distance themselves from violence. He called for local authorities to take decisive action against left-wing violent criminals. Overall attacks on asylum and refugee shelters fell by 69 per cent to just over 300 incidents. Though the figures reveal a positive downward trend which saw less violence, Mr Seehofer said every reported incident was one too many. An investigative journalist has been shot in Montenegro leading to hundreds of people taking to the streets in protest. Olivera Lakic, who works for the independent Vijesti daily as a crime and corruption reporter, was shot in the leg outside her home in Podgorica, the capital. Protesters demanded that the authorities find the assailants, carrying banners reading "Stop violence," or "For a life without fear". Ms Lakic remains in a local hospital following the attack which has drawn US and European Union concern. It is the latest attack on journalists in the small Balkan country that is seeking EU membership. Protesters who gathered outside the government building in Podgorica accused the authorities of doing little to solve a series of attack on journalists in recent years. Those included another attack on Ms Lakic six years ago and a bomb explosion outside another crime reporter's home last month. Zeljko Ivanovic, general manager of Vijesti, said there have been a total of 25 attacks on the paper's journalists and offices. The daily is known for its independent and critical journalism. "They [the government] created an atmosphere in which there are state enemies and traitors," said Mr Ivanovic. "Can this society survive without a single free media, journalist or intellectual?" 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 Olivera Ivanovic, a fellow journalist from the national TV Montenegro, said the attack "is not just a message to her, it's a message to the entire media community." "We need to unite and confront this danger," she said. "We are all exposed." Ms Lakic has written about alleged murky businesses involving top state officials and their families. Montenegro's long-ruling Democratic Party of Socialists has faced repeated accusations of corruption and crime links, which it denies. The party on Wednesday announced plans to introduce tougher sanctions for attacks on journalists, saying they "must be most harshly punished." Agencies contributed to this report. Columns of tanks, nuclear missile launchers, new drones and robotic fighting vehicles trundled through Moscows Red Square on Wednesday in Russias annual Victory Day celebration. The parade marked the 73rd anniversary of the end of the Second World War a war that saw the Soviet Union lose more than 20 million people. President Vladimir Putin stood with his back to Lenins preserved remains, flanked by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. In a short speech heavy on geopolitics, Mr Putin claimed the historical victory and issued a warning to contemporary foes. The Soviet Union determined the outcome of that war, saving millions, he said. Some people are currently trying to rewrite and distort history and will never allow them to do that. Putin and Netanyahu toast during a reception after the parade (AP) The independent pollsters Levada Centre say Mr Putin was with his people on this point. Their research suggests as many as 68 per cent of Russians believe the country would have beaten Hitler without assistance from allies. First organised by Stalin in 1945, the parade has traditionally a dual purpose of honouring veterans and projecting military resolve. But as the numbers of surviving veterans fall, the day has slowly swung towards the needs of the state. Theres only about 10,000 left of us in Moscow, said Boris Davidov, 90, who was just 15 when he joined the navy in 1943. Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Show all 24 1 /24 Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War A legendary World War II era Soviet tank T-34 AP Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with military personnel during the Victory Day parade at Red Square AFP/Getty Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian army MiG-29 jet fighters of the Strizhi (Swifts) and Su-30 jet fighters of the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic teams fly in formation Reuters Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russia's newest robotic complex Uran-9 takes part in the Victory Day military parade EPA Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian troops march during the Victory Day military parade AP Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian servicemen drive military vehicles during the Victory Day parade Reuters Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian servicewomen march at Red Square AFP/Getty Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend the Victory Day military parade EPA Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian Msta S artillery vehicles AFP/Getty Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War People carrying picturers of fallen soldiers queue to pay their respect at the Soviet War Memorial AFP/Getty Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russia's new generation of strategic missiles Yars EPA Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian President and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during the Victory Day military parade EPA Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Army ATV-1 during the parade Rex Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian military servicemen march during Victory Day parade in Moscow EPA Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Buk-M2 air defence missile systems parade through Red Square AFP/Getty Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War A Russian World War II veteran is greeted by a young boy after the Victory Day military parade EPA Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian servicemen ride on a military vehicle Reuters Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian honour guards march AFP/Getty Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian President Vladimir Putin, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend a wreath laying ceremony to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier after the Victory Day parade EPA Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War EPA Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War WWII veterans take part in celebrations marking the 73rd anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during World War II AFP/Getty Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian President Vladimir Putin, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu take part in a wreath laying ceremony AFP/Getty Images Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russia's Msta-S self-propelled howitzers during the Victory Day military parade EPA Victory Day 2018: Russia commemorates end of Second World War Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, toast during a reception after the Victory Parade AP Many of us now feel forgotten and are not even invited to military functions anymore. We get double pensions, but we still live crappily, as they say. Over the years, Mr Putin has gradually made Victory Day the major event on the state calendar. In 2007, he authorised the reintroduction of tanks and missile launchers into the show. They had been withdrawn in the 1990s for image and practical reasons they were ruining the stone of Red Square. Today, they took pride of place in the procession. Aside from the usual hits tanks, fighting vehicles and missile launchers there were several new machines on show. New drone complexes, some painted in Arctic camouflage colours, added a convenient postscript to Mr Putins pugnacious prelude. New Terminator fighting vehicles and updates to the Armata and T-72 tank series also roared across the cobbles. Servicemen march in formation during a Victory Day military parade (TASS/Getty) But the main novelties on show were in the air. First came the new Su-57 stealth fighter, a fifth-generation aircraft capable of flying at 1,500mph, and designed as a competitor to the USs F-22 Raptor. Then came the strategic bombers, and MiG-31 fighter jets, equipped with the Kinzhal missile system. This is a new hypersonic weapon first revealed by Mr Putin in his March state-of-the-nation address. Some have suggested that it is not quite yet battle ready, but few will want to test that assumption. The new releases came off the back of massive increases in military spending since 2012. While the ongoing sanctions regime and a stagnant economy meant last year there were cuts in military spending for the first time in two decades, the results of Russias investment are already substantial. This was no doubt one of the reasons why the Israeli prime minister was one of only two foreign heads of state to attend the show. It was his second visit to Moscow this year, but there was an urgency to this visit. By his own admission, Mr Netanyahu was in town to use Moscows leverage to block Iranian military buildup in southern Syria. This, he has suggested, posed an existential threat to Israel, and was the major threat in the Middle East. Some in Moscow have suggested the timing of his visit, a day after US President Donald Trump signalled his intention to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, was not coincidental. The leaders of Israel and Russia are due to hold talks later today. An 88-year-old woman, who has a string of previous convictions related to Holocaust denial, has been handed a six-month prison sentence for denying Nazi Germanys mass murder of six million Jews. Ursula Haverbeck, who has been branded the Nazi grandma by German press, was sentenced by a Berlin court on Monday for denying the holocast at an event in Berlin back in January 2016. She claimed the Holocaust did not take place and there were no gas chambers at the Auschwitz Nazi death camp. Auschwitz is the largest mass murder site in human history and an estimated 1.1 million people died there. Ms Haverbeck, who once declared the Holocaust was the biggest and most sustainable lie in history in a TV interview, has never spent time in prison before despite having several previous convictions for holocaust denial. Denying the Holocaust is a criminal offence in Germany and carries a sentence of between three months to five years in prison. Ms Haverbeck, who is a popular figure in far-right circles, was sentenced to two years in prison back in August for denying the Holocaust in an article written for right-wing magazine Stimme des Reiches (Voice of the Empire). She has not served her sentences because she has appealed all of the verdicts and the hearings are incomplete. During the trial, Ms Haverbeck claimed Auschwitz was a labour camp rather than an extermination camp. In September last year, a court in Detmold sentenced Ms Haverbeck to eight months in prison on sedition charges. The judge said she had a lack of "any kind of respect" and that she had made more offensive comments in the courtroom and ruled out the possibility of parole. 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 She was found guilty of penning a letter to Detmold's mayor, Rainer Heller, saying it was "clearly recognisable" that Auschwitz was merely a labor camp. In November 2014, she went so far as to lodge a police complaint against the Central Council of Jews in Germany, accusing them of "persecution of innocent people". Her late husband was Werner Georg Haverbeck was during the Nazi period temporarily engaged in the national leadership of the Nazi Party, founder, and director in 1933 of the German Imperial Federation of Nation and Homeland. At the Detmold trial earlier this year, she distributed a pamphlet titled "Only the truth will set you free" in which she denies the fact six million Jews were exterminated across Europe under Adolf Hitler's dictatorship, to the judge, the prosecutor and even reporters. Ms Haverbeck did the same at the trial of Oskar Groening, the former Auschwitz guard who was known as the so-called "accountant of Auschwitz" and stood accused of 300,000 counts of accessory to murder for his role during the Holocaust, back in 2015. At the time, she prompted outrage for publishing a YouTube video condemning the trial and handing out leaflets entitled "Mass-murder in the concentration camp Auschwitz?" Russia will unveil its new remote-controlled tank alongside other weapons at its Victory Day parade in Moscow. The Uran-9, which Russia claims to have tested during the civil war in Syria, is armed with a cannon, anti-tank rockets and a machine gun. It can also carry several surface-to-air missiles, equipping it to deal with the threat from helicopters and other aircraft. Yuri Borisov, the Kremlins deputy defence minister, told Gazeta.ru the Uran-9 is intended for remote reconnaissance and fire support. An operator can control the tank from nearly two miles away, according to the news site. While the armoured vehicle can locate its own targets, the decision to fire is taken by the tank commander, who would be deployed in an armoured truck. In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Russia Russian troops march during a Victory Day parade, which commemorates the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany, at Red Square in Moscow In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Russia Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspects the troops during a Victory Day parade in Moscow In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a Victory Day Parade in Moscow In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Russia Russian Air Force helicopter Mi-26, center, with Mi-8, flies over Red Square during a Victory Day parade in Moscow In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Russia Russian air force Su-25 jets fly in formation during a Victory Day Parade in Moscow In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Russia Russian soldiers ride horses during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Russia Russian troops ride an APC with a Crimean flag during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Russia Thousands of Russian troops marched on Red Square in the annual Victory Day parade in a proud display of the nation's military might amid escalating tensions over Ukraine In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Russia Russian WWII veteran Ivan Bobarykin poses for photographers after the Victory Day parade in the Red Square in Moscow In pictures: Russia celebrates the Victory Day Crimea Local residents carry a giant Russian flag as they march through the city after the Victory Day military parade in Sevastopol The unveiling is part of Victory Day, which commemorates the defeat of Nazi Germany the end of the Second World War in 1945. Russia will also display its Uran-6 remote-operated mine-sweeper, which has been used to clear mines in the Syrian cities of Palmyra, Aleppo and Deir Ezzor. It can be controlled from a distance of just over half a mile and was used to blow up mines at a safe distance from Syrian regime forces, allowing them to move into rebel-held areas, Mr Borisov said. Russia shows off military might in Victory Day parade The parade will also show off Russias all-weather Korsar drone and its helicopter-style Katran drone. The Korsar can conduct aerial reconnaissance, missile strikes and deliver supplies. It can fly for up to 10 hours, with a maximum height of 20,000ft and a range of more than 100 miles. Russia will also put other new hardware on show, such as the Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter and the MiG-31, which will be equipped with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. Armata tanks take part in the Victory Day military parade in Red Square in Moscow (EPA/SERGEI ILNITSKY) In 2015, Russia hosted its biggest-ever military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second World War, which saw around 16,000 soldiers, 200 armoured vehicles and 150 aircraft take part. Last year, Moscow showcased more than 10,000 troops, along with tanks and intercontinental missiles, though thick cloud cover scuppered a planned flyover by military aircraft. New generation Russian strategic missiles Yars take part in the Victory Day military parade in Red Square (EPA/SERGEI ILNITSKY) Other mishaps have seen the high-tech Armata tank break down during a parade rehearsal. The T-14 tank was touted as one of the most impressive pieces of military hardware ever produced by the country at the time, but it unexpectedly stopped in front of Lenins mausoleum in 2015. Airplane manufacturers Boeing and Airbus will lose out on a $39bn deal due to new sanctions imposed as a result of US President Donald Trumps the US would not participate in the Iran nuclear agreement. Licenses for the companies to sell passenger jets to Iran are going to be revoked, US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said. Easing sanctions such as this was a major inducement get Tehran to sign the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 under President Barack Obama and stem the growth of its nuclear weapons programme. However, Mr Trump said today that it was a rotten deal and did not go far enough to ensure Irans compliance. As the Washington Post reported: The aircraft sales were among the most-sought-after contracts for Iran. Boeing specifically had signed its deal for the commercial aircraft sale in December 2016, under the nuclear accord, and it was worth $17bn. The Airbus deal, signed the same month, was worth $19bn. The company also has a separate $3bn deal with Irans Aseman Airlines. IranAir had ordered 200 passenger aircraft - 100 from Airbus SE, 80 from Boeing and 20 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR - and all were dependent on US licenses since more than 10 per cent parts and labour came from US companies like United Technologies, Rockwell Collins and General Electric. This means even European manufacturer Airbus will have to review its sales contracts as a result. The US Treasury Department, which controls the licensing of exports out of the US, said the sales of these aircraft have to end in 90 days on 6 August 2018. "Under the original deal, there were waivers for commercial aircraft, parts and services and the existing licenses will be revoked, Mr Mnuchin noted. These are very very strong sanctions; they worked last time. Thats why Iran came to the table, he said. After 6 August, the Treasury also said it would revoke a license that allowed US companies to negotiate business deals with Iran. The Boeing license had been valid until September 2020, a person involved in the deal told Reuters. UN High Representative Federica Mogherini: UN is 'particularly worried' about US withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the company will continue to follow the US governments lead on the matter. It may be possible for the company to request a waiver but the Treasury Department has been unclear about which companies or what kind of waiver could be granted. "That's something we'll consider on a case-by-case basis, but as an overview, I would say that the purpose is to broadly enforce the sanctions," he said, adding that the administration's objective was to deny Iran access to the US financial system. Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said last month the airplane manufacturer had no Iranian deliveries scheduled this year. Close Donald Trump withdraws from nuclear deal with Iran Donald Trump must bring forward concrete steps for dealing with Irans nuclear ambitions after announcing he would pull the US out of the 2015 international agreement, Boris Johnson has said. Speaking in the House of Commons, the foreign secretary said that while Washingtons continuing involvement in the deal would have been the better course, responsibility now lay with the American administration to spell out their view of the way ahead. Mr Trump had committed himself to finding a new solution and MPs should take him at his word, Mr Johnson said. Mr trump later advised Iran not to restart their nuclear programme. In the meantime, I urge the US to avoid taking any action that would hinder other parties from continuing to make the agreement work in the interest of our collective national security, he added. Please allow a moment for the live blog to load Mr Trumps announcement that he would pull the US out of the Iran nuclear deal was silly and superficial, Irans supreme leader said earlier, and contained more than 10 lies. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on his official website: He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened the regime and the people, saying youre doing this and that. Mr Trump, I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: Youve made a mistake. Hard-line members of parliament also burned an American flag after Mr Trump called the nuclear agreement rotten and defective at its core defying weeks of lobbying by France, Britain and Germany who had wanted him to remain in the pact. Trump does not have the mental capacity to deal with issues, Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani said. The billionaire only understands the language of force and his decision to pull out of the agreement will isolate the US, Mr Larijani added. Announcing his decision on Tuesday Mr Trump said he would re-impose sanctions on Iran to punish it for what he called state-sponsored terror in the Middle East. Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could be strongly sanctioned, he added. France called his withdrawal an error and said the US was not the economic policeman of the planet, while the countrys foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, insisted the deal was not dead. Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Show all 10 1 /10 Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burnt a US flag in parliament after Donald Trump announced America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal US President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House. Reuters Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Some Iranian MPs reacted after Trumps decision by shouting 'death to America'. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian lawmakers prepare to burn two pieces of papers representing the US flag and the nuclear deal. AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord, which it branded "psychological warfare". AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Several Iranian MPs stood chanting in the Tehran parliament. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burning a US flag AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani addressed the nation in a televised speech in Tehran. He said he'd send his foreign minister to negotiate with countries remaining in the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to pull America from the deal, warning he otherwise would restart enriching uranium "in the next weeks." Iranian Presidency Office via AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran's press condemned Trump's withdrawal from a multi-party nuclear deal but was divided over whether Tehran should react with patience or withdraw itself. AFP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Trump announced the US withdrawal from what he called the "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran, and said Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. AFP/Getty The leaders of the UK, France and Germany said they had a continuing commitment to the deal. Emmanuel Macron is to speak with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday and urge him to keep to its terms. In a tweet, he said the nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake, and Mr Le Drian added that there was now a real risk of confrontation in the region. Mr Trumps decision was unpopular at home, a poll released on Tuesday suggested. Fewer than one in three Americans agreed with pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, with 42 per cent explicitly against the move and 29 per cent in favour; 28 per cent did not register a preference. Israels Benjamin Netanyahu, however, backed Mr Trump and said he had shown courageous leadership. The deal didnt reduce Irans aggression. It dramatically increased it, he added. China urged all parties to stick to the deal, to which it, along with Russia and the three European countries, are party. Gong Xiaosheng, its envoy for the Middle East, said the agreement was very serious and important and that it promoted peace and stability in the region. Dialogue is better than confrontation, he added, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. US President Donald Trump has fulfilled an election campaign promise to pull out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal agreed between Iran and world powers, an agreement former Secretary of State John Kerry said made the world a safer place. Mr Trump said the Obama-era legislation would be scrapped on Tuesday, calling the deal decaying and rotten. The US will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail or allow a regime that chants Death to America to gain nuclear weapons, he said from the White House in a long-expected announcement. The administration intends to reinstate severe sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Show all 10 1 /10 Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burnt a US flag in parliament after Donald Trump announced America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal US President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House. Reuters Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Some Iranian MPs reacted after Trumps decision by shouting 'death to America'. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian lawmakers prepare to burn two pieces of papers representing the US flag and the nuclear deal. AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord, which it branded "psychological warfare". AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Several Iranian MPs stood chanting in the Tehran parliament. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burning a US flag AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani addressed the nation in a televised speech in Tehran. He said he'd send his foreign minister to negotiate with countries remaining in the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to pull America from the deal, warning he otherwise would restart enriching uranium "in the next weeks." Iranian Presidency Office via AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran's press condemned Trump's withdrawal from a multi-party nuclear deal but was divided over whether Tehran should react with patience or withdraw itself. AFP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Trump announced the US withdrawal from what he called the "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran, and said Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. AFP/Getty What is the Iran nuclear deal? The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was a two-year-long diplomatic initiative from Iran and a group of countries known as the P5+1 the members of the United Nations Security Council (the US, UK, France, China, Russia) along with Germany. The deal, reached in Vienna in July 2015 and later ratified by the UN, lifted crippling international sanctions in place on Iran in return for curbs on the countrys nuclear programme. It ensured that Tehran would abandon any attempts at creating a nuclear arsenal and ended 12 years of deadlock over the issue. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitors have consistently verified that Iran is complying with the terms of the deal. Why has Trump withdrawn from it? Mr Trump said that he believes the Iran nuclear agreement to be a bad deal long before he ran for office. Critics admit it is only a medium-term plan and it also does not address Irans non-nuclear weapons and missile programmes. The presidents foreign policy has so far been marked by a significant ratcheting of tensions with Iran, driven by his administrations noted friendliness towards Israel, which opposes the deal, and the appointment of Iran hawks to prominent positions in his administration. EU remains committed to Iran nuclear deal despite US withdrawal says Federica Mogherin The deal is also noted as former President Barack Obamas greatest foreign policy achievement. In his first year in office Mr Trump has moved to dismantle several Obama-era laws and policies. How did everyone else react? In Iran, although President Hassan Rouhani called for restraint, some members of parliament burned American flags and chanted Death to America. Mr Rouhani says Iran remains committed to the deal. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron, made trips to the US in the days leading up to the US certification deadline in a bid to save the deal, to no avail. The EU issued a statement on Tuesday night rebuking Mr Trumps decision, telling the US president he does not have the power to unilaterally scrap the international agreement. By way of contrast, Israel a key US ally which opposed the Iran deal was delighted with the decision. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised his US counterpart for having the courage to withdraw from the deal. Israel has opposed the nuclear deal from the start because we said that rather than blocking Iran's path to a bomb, the deal actually paves Iran's path to an actual arsenal of nuclear bombs and this within a few years time, he said. So what happens next? Mr Trump must decide which sanctions he wishes to re-impose on the Islamic Republic. Different baskets include penalties on Irans central bank, intended to hit Iranian oil exports, and more than 400 different companies, individuals and business sectors. If the US were to scrap all the current waivers in one go, it would put the US in immediate violation of the deals terms, which say sanctions remain lifted as long as Iran is complying with its terms. Iran is heavily invested in saving the deal, but has threatened that if sanctions are reinstated it could restart its nuclear programme. Israel has ordered the head of the local office of Human Rights Watch to leave within 14 days, accusing him of supporting a boycott against the Jewish state. The New York-based human rights monitor aid it would stand by Omar Shakir, a US citizen of Iraqi descent. It accused Israel of trying to suppress criticism of its human rights record and said it would challenge the decision in court. Mr Shakir has denied the accusation against him. Palestinian photographer Ahmad Abu Hussein shot by Israeli forces in Gaza Israel initially denied Mr Shakir a work permit last year, in a move criticised by the US. It later granted him a one-year work visa. Iain Levine, an HRW official, said Israels actions, such as compiling a dossier on Mr Shakir, and deporting human rights defenders is a page out of the Russian or Egyptian security services playbook. He added: This is not about Shakir, but rather about muzzling Human Rights Watch and shutting down criticism of Israels rights record. The countrys interior minister, Aryeh Deri, alleged Mr Shakir is a boycott activist and said he will act to expel people like this from the country with all means at his disposal. He said he was acting on the recommendation of Gilad Erdan, the minister for strategic affairs, whose department said it had gathered data showing Mr Shakir had supported a boycott of Israel for years. It is inconceivable that a boycott activist can receive a permit to remain in Israel so that he can act in every possible way against the state. I will use all means to expel such people from the country, Mr Deris statement said. 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 On Twitter, Mr Shakir said he had been ordered out of the country after Israel compiled a seven-page intelligence dossier on him. First time in [Human Rights Watch] history Israel orders official out, he said. Year ago it denied work permit before reversing, accusing us of propaganda. Now its BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions]. Real aim to muzzle dissent. Speaking to Reuters, Mr Shakir said: I have not called for any form of boycott of Israel during my time at Human Rights Watch and the interior ministry acknowledged this in its letter to me ... in which they informed me of their decision to deny an extension to my work visa. Earlier this year, Israel published a list of organisations whose activists will be barred from entering the country due to their support for boycott campaigns. Members of 20 groups which back the movement have been denied entry visas and residency rights under the controversial law. Last year, Hugh Lanning, chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, became the first British citizen to be refused entry under the law, and Professor Kamel Hawwash, a British-Palestinian citizen, was also forced to fly back to the UK when he attempted to visit relatives in east Jerusalem. The PSC and its supporters, including War on Want, brought a legal case against the British government in June 2016, concerning guidance which restricted local councils from pursuing BDS against Israel through their pension schemes. The campaigners argued people had the right to decide not to profit from human rights abuses, and the High Court ruled the government had acted unlawfully by seeking to restrict ethical boycotts of Israel. Israels strategic affairs ministry the remit of which is tackling efforts to delegitimise Israel has been allocated $36m (27m) to combat the BDS movement. Women arent often seen in public on the Yemeni island of Socotra; their voices certainly dont carry through the streets. But everything is changing on the island at the moment. My blood, my soul, for you, Yemen, around two dozen women shouted as they marched through the main town of Hadibo on Saturday, carrying Yemeni flags the size of bed sheets. Since Socotra has become the focus of an unprecedented power struggle between Yemens government and its supposed ally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the red, white and black of the mainland flag is no longer a given on the isolated Arabian Sea island. Emirati green and Socotran separatist blue flags also shimmer during counter-protests as Egyptian vultures coast on thermal currents overhead. Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Show all 17 1 /17 Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' 11-year-old Marwa uses the red sap of dragon's blood trees to make nail varnish and make up. This specimen of the endemic Socotran tree is more than 1,000 years old. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Dragon's blood trees' grow via dichotomous branching, wherein each of the branches divides into two sections. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Detwah lagoon, next to the village of Qalansiyah, used to be a popular spot for camping trips. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Socotras estimated 60,000 inhabitants mainly rely on the islands fish stocks, date-yielding palm trees and goats for food. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Fish, squid and lobster populations are declining thanks to overfishing and the effects of climate change. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Most of Socotra's unique plant life is believed to be derived from subtropical forests dating back 20 million years. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Dragon's blood trees are adapted to survive in arid climates but need cool and misty mountainsides. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' In the 1990s, UN biologists documented nearly 700 species on Socotra that are found nowhere else on Earth. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' The Socotra Archipelago has been gradually drying out over hundreds of years, threatening the delicate ecosystem's survival. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Dozens of rusted Soviet tanks line Socotra's shores, unused relics left over from the Cold War. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' The mountains on the island's eastern side are covered in fine white coral sand, blown there during monsoon seasons. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' The island's granite and limestone cliffs are covered in a permanent mist. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' A red snapper for dinner, a gift from a fisherman. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Socotra's Hajhir mountain range rises above the main town of Hadibo. Its jagged peaks can be seen from almost every corner of the island. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' In the last 200 years, entire dragon's blood forests have been felled to make way for the growing population. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Two huge typhoons in 2015 killed hundreds of mature dragon's blood trees. Locals worry newly planted trees will not grow quickly enough. Bethan McKernan Yemen's Socotra Island, the 'Jewel of Arabia' Fishing dhows return to the village of Qalansiyah at sunset. Bethan McKernan In the week since The Independents eyewitness report from the island lifted the lid on how the UAE is quietly turning this Unesco-protected paradise into a military outpost-cum-holiday resort, the cracks in the relationship between Yemens exiled government and Abu Dhabi have fractured completely. In a rare visit, Yemens prime minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr has arrived on Socotra with a small delegation, an attempt to reassert Yemeni authority there after rumours of the UAEs alleged intentions to annex the strategically important island picked up pace. The Emirates responded a few days after the prime ministers arrival by kicking out all civilian and Yemeni military personnel from the airstrip and port it controls, according to several witnesses and geolocated photos. At the same time, four Emirati C-17 military cargo planes landed to unload at least two BMP-3 tanks, armoured vehicles and 100 new troops the first heavy artillery deployment since it established a Socotra military base two years ago. The Yemeni government says it was not informed of the move beforehand. We have historical and family links with the residents of Socotra, and we will back them during Yemens ordeal which was sparked by the Houthis, the UAEs foreign minister Anwar Gargash, said on Twitter on Friday. The outraged prime minister, still bristling, says his delegation will remain on the island until the Emirates agree to scale back its presence on Socotra, limiting its activities to humanitarian rather than military projects. A deal was reportedly reached on Tuesday, but several Socotris have questioned whether this is truly the case. No details of such an agreement have emerged. Socotra combines both the UAEs military and economic interests (Louis Dore) In reality, many said, Daghr is trapped on the island with no cards to play, unable to leave until the UAE says so. In the interim, he is posing for photo opportunities and inaugurating new development projects. The clash between allies on paper united in the Arab coalition fight against Yemens Houthi rebels is changing the balance of power between Aden, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. It has also bought Yemens three-year-old civil war to Socotras shores for the first time, and the islands 60,000 residents are now caught in the middle. After millennia of isolation, Socotris are being forced to choose which sides of a war they want to be on in a conflict that up until now has been fought on the mainland, hundreds of kilometres away. Pro and anti UAE sentiments as well as growing support for reinstating the old Sultanate are beginning to rip the islands social fabric apart. Friends, enemies, rumours The Emiratis were gentle and quiet about their power before, one Socotran who has since left the island said. They bought their tanks in in something that looked like a military show. They are saying, Look at us and what we can do, we are in charge here and dont forget it. Both summer temperatures and political tensions are currently rising on Socotra. Every day for the last week has seen some sort of rally or protest, whether in support of Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadis government or Abu Dhabis crown prince the Emirates de facto ruler Mohammad bin Zayed. Posters bearing both of their faces are brandished around Hadibo. After millennia of isolation, Socotris are being forced to choose which sides of a war they want to be on (Saad Ahmed Kaddoumi) Each side alleges the other is being paid to come out and protest. Pro-Emiratis say Iran, Qatar, the Houthis and the Muslim Brotherhood are trying to stir dissent and friction in the anti-Houthi coalition. The Emirates is a generous friend of Socotra ... everything here, the cars, the electricity, the water and the airport and seaport was built with their help, said Dr Saad Ahmed Kaddoumi, a member of Socotras local government. This sedition is a conspiracy caused by Iran, Qatar and the Islah party [an Islamist political party] in Yemen, all of them planning to establish their own military base in Socotra. The opposition does not necessarily care about such accusations. At one pro-Yemen womens protest, the demonstrators openly called on Iran which backs the Houthis in the complicated conflict to come and kick the UAE out of Socotra. From the sidelines, Sheikh Abdullah bin Issa al Aafrar, the Oman-based heir of the Mahra Sultanate, is positioning himself as an alternative option for the islands future. Funded by the Omanis he received an Omani passport last year Sheikh Aafrars revitalised campaign appears to be a sign yet another Gulf country is trying to assert itself in Yemens complex war. The Mahra Sultanate on Yemens east coast, which included Socotra, was ruled by Sheikh Aafrars ancestors until the British created a protectorate in 1886. Long a sort of unofficial political opposition to the islands governors, who are chosen by the Yemeni government, Socotras separatist movement is gaining traction with people who feel marginalised by Aden and fear the loss of their autonomy at the hands of Abu Dhabi. The Independent saw the flag of the old Mahra Sultanate flying across the east of the island as well as the party headquarters on the capitals main road. Socotra is witnessing widespread protests in which everyone is participating, said Ahmed Bilhaf, a close friend of Sheikh Aafrar. Socotras sons, together with the people of al Mahra province [on the mainland], have called for the formation of an independent province within a federal Yemen. The Emirates are just exploiting the poverty of some citizens. Pro- and anti-UAE sentiments as well as growing support for reinstating the old sultanate are beginning to rip the islands social fabric apart (Saad Ahmed Kaddoumi) Its sad that in all of the discussions about the island at the moment, the voices of Socotris themselves are being marginalised, said Adam Baron, a visiting fellow with the European Council for Foreign Relations (ECFR). Everyone is talking about whats best for them or the island without giving them the floor. This dispute is something that can no longer be hidden A major driving factor behind the protests is anger at the fact Socotris are being told very little about the future currently being decided for them inside Hadibos lone government building. Isa Musallim, an anti-UAE activist on the island, pieced together information volunteered from several Socotris and came to the conclusion the current spat was sparked by Prime Minister Daghrs visit. It appears that on his arrival on Socotra, Daghr announced the creation of several new humanitarian and social enterprise projects desperately needed by the under-developed island, funded by Arab coalition money. A plaque erected last Tuesday ahead of an opening ceremony for one such project scheduled for Wednesday in the village of Halaf was destroyed by Emirati troops overnight, Musallim said. When the Yemeni delegation decided to push ahead and install another the next day, the Emirates retaliated by removing all Yemenis working at the airstrip and port from their posts. The move led to vocal criticism from the prime minister and in turn Yemeni political parties, who in a joint statement called on the UAE to withdraw from the island unconditionally. The brothers in the UAE have been present on the island in their civil capacity for three years. There is no new situation in the political and military position of the island that requires control of the airport and the port, the statement read. This dispute is clearly harmful and something that can no longer be hidden. Its impact has spread to all military and civilian institutions and negatively impact on the Yemeni street. All of this happens without informing the governor or the legitimate government. Its a blatant aggression, Musallim said. Socotras new governor Ramzi Mahrous was appointed by President Hadi barely a month ago. He hasnt been heard from all week. The Saudis, the other major partner in the Arab coalition, were quickly drafted in on Friday to mediate in the crisis, but it is not clear how well talks are going. Daghr walked away from talks on Sunday night, and a general from the Saudi delegation left the island the same evening, according to sources close to the talks. On Tuesday evening, Arab coalition spokesperson Turki al Maliki delivered a careful statement from Riyadh on al Arabiya TV claiming the dispute had been solved. There were some differences in opinions between our brothers the Emiratis and local Yemeni authorities over the way some matters were handled on the island, he said. An agreement has been reached on a comprehensive, joint method of coordination between both parties, he added. Many islanders immediately dismissed the claim. More protests from all three main camps are expected on Wednesday regardless. Daghrs delegation has not commented. The UAE has not said anything about the ongoing talks either, but released a statement on Sunday in which it said it was surprised at the Yemeni prime ministers attack on its role in the coalition. Such heinous campaigns led by [parties such as the Muslim Brotherhood] and which relates to Socotra island, fits within a long and repeated scenarios to distort the image of the UAE and its efficient contribution to the Arab coalition efforts against the coup perpetrators led by Houthi militias, the ministry of foreign affairs added. The UAE is playing a balanced role in the Yemeni Socotra Island to establish peace and stability and support developmental projects for the Islands residents the UAE has no ambitions in sisterly Yemen or any part of it. The spat is believed to be fraying tempers in Riyadh, the lynchpin of the Arab coalition and main financier of the war against the Houthis, who view it as an unnecessary sideshow. [Riyadh] wants to keep the attention of their coalition ally focused on the fight against the Houthis. That is Saudis main priority, said Dr Elisabeth Kendall of Oxford Universitys Pembroke College. Saudi will also be concerned about UAEs growing control across the south of Yemen, especially since the UAEs newly recruited local security forces have clashed with Saudi-backed Yemeni military forces on several occasions. Socotra provides the spark for mainland unrest While the balance has now tipped into a confrontation with the Yemeni government, until last week, the UAE was bringing Socotra under its sway through a strategic blend of both hard and soft power. At the same time as sinking millions of dollars into new schools, roads and hospitals, it trains and maintains a local army unit of 5,000 men and pays doctor and police salaries. Sidelined by the distracted Yemeni government after two huge hurricanes in 2015, some locals welcomed Emirati investment. In return, the 3,000m airstrip built in 1999, and at that size, clearly always designed for military use has become the centre of the UAEs expansionist geopolitical ambitions. Jeremy Corbyn accuses UK of 'directing' war in Yemen Socotra, strategically located at the mouth of the Gulf of Aden, is now a base for Emirati missions against the Houthis and al Qaeda on the Yemeni mainland. It is also one of several foreign ports bought up by the UAE in recent years in the worlds most important oil and gas shipping channel, a strategy designed to protect its economic interests. Dependent on the UAEs military power, the Hadi government initially looked the other way when Emirati activity began encroaching on Yemens sovereignty in Socotra and southern Yemen. But the battle over the island has ignited anti-UAE fury on Yemens mainland, too. Yemeni politicians and pundits are now openly calling for more transparency in the UAEs activities in the country where it trains and funds militias that only answer to Emirati commanders and operates secret prisons outside of Yemeni oversight and jurisdiction. Spray painted graffiti messages such as Socotra is Yemeni not Emirati have begun popping up on walls in central Aden. In theory, the city has been Yemens capital since Emirati forces won it back from the Houthis last year, but in practice, the cabinet operates from Riyadh, and on the ground, the UAE is in control, deciding which Yemeni ministers are allowed access to their own country. The UAEs backing last year of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a militia that wants independence for southern Yemen, has since raised fears that the current status quo a south characterised by UAE influence will remain. The island is finally dragged into Yemens war Despite the fact the row over Socotra marks the first direct diplomatic incident between Aden and Abu Dhabi over the UAEs role in Yemens war, it is not likely much will change. The Yemeni government has reportedly considered complaining to the United Nations about the breach of its sovereignty, but a spokesperson for the UNs Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths said no complaint has been made. We do call on all the parties to refrain from further escalation and remind everybody that the Socotra Archipelago has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2008 ... [The] safety of both its people and its environment need to be secured, the representative added. There are fears the current unrest could spill over into violence particularly if the UAE creates or funds a new fighting force on the island, something activists say has been part of the Emirati game plan all along. In the beginning, the people were so happy that the Emirates came with all their money, said the activist who has since left Socotra. But now people are being forced to make allegiances. Socotra can talk as much as it likes about its independence, but it will still depend on foreign investments. This week was a test for the Emirates, they were gauging how the local population would react to this showdown. The next step is that they will bring more heavy weapons and tanks. The UAE may have capitulated in the statement released by the coalition, but it is highly unlike it has any intention of leaving Socotra or relinquishing control of southern Yemen, said Dr Kendall. Pumping money into Socotra where development is very much needed is not necessarily bad, but its a problem if their reasons for doing so are not transparent. The situation in Yemen Show all 14 1 /14 The situation in Yemen The situation in Yemen Houthi supporters trample on a US flag during a gathering mobilizing more fighters into several Yemeni battlefronts, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen People carry the coffins of men, who were killed in the recent Saudi-led airstrikes during their funeral, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen AP The situation in Yemen Pro-government fighters give food to Yemeni children on the road leading to the southwestern port city of Mokha. Yemeni rebels are putting up fierce resistance in a key Red Sea port city where they are encircled by pro-government force Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni stands in front of a graffiti protesting US military operations in war-affected Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen. According to reports, US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen A Yemeni female fighter supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, takes part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen Yemeni female fighters supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, take part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A boy shouts slogans next to pro-Houthi fighters, who have been injured during recent fighting, during a rally held to honour those injured or maimed while fighting in Houthi ranks in Sanaa, Yemen Reuters The situation in Yemen Balls of fire and smoke rise from a Houthi-held military camp following alleged Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy looks on as Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy sits amidst the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa AFP/Getty The situation in Yemen Marine One with US President Donald Trump flies with a decoy and support helicopters to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William 'Ryan' Owens who was killed in Yemen Getty Images The situation in Yemen US President Donald Trump aboard the Marine One to greet the remains of a US military commando killed during a raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen on Sunday, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, US Reuters Any kind of military takeover always starts with cutting off the airports and ports. Its too early to tell what the future holds for Socotra, but even if it avoids violence, the trajectory does not bode well. This didnt happen overnight and it seems the Yemeni government is just playing catch up ... Nonetheless, the developments of the last week are definitely destabilising, said Baron of the ECFR. Some Socotris The Independent spoke to are wary that the island will be dragged further into the conflict as the result of this weeks events. One even said she feared the UAE may try to remove the local population from the island altogether. Many islanders have already been lured to the UAE, where they enjoy subsidised education and special work permits. This beautiful place, it would be so much easier and cheaper just to get rid of the people, she said. No need to invest or develop anything. Just a strategically perfect military outpost. This is the second in a series of articles from Socotra Iranian MPs have set fire to a US flag and chanted death to America during a session of parliament, following Donald Trumps decision to pull out of the countrys nuclear deal. Politicians held the impromptu demonstration inside parliament on Wednesday, the day after Mr Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the deal and impose new economic sanctions on Iran. They also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal. Irans parliament speaker was among those officials in Tehran who said the deal could still be saved. Ali Larijani told MPs the White Houses decision was a diplomatic show that would only serve to isolate the US. But the MPs display was a representation of public anger towards Mr Trump, who threatens to tear apart the 2015 accord designed to ease international sanctions on Iran in exchange for a series of commitments to show the Middle East nation is not developing nuclear weapons. Also on Wednesday, European powers began redoubling their efforts to keep the deal alive. The UK, France, Germany and the EU represent the majority of the seven signatories to the accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The others were China, the US and Iran itself. Frances foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the deal is not dead, but that the USs actions created a real risk of confrontation in the region. Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Show all 10 1 /10 Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burnt a US flag in parliament after Donald Trump announced America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal US President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House. Reuters Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Some Iranian MPs reacted after Trumps decision by shouting 'death to America'. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian lawmakers prepare to burn two pieces of papers representing the US flag and the nuclear deal. AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord, which it branded "psychological warfare". AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Several Iranian MPs stood chanting in the Tehran parliament. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burning a US flag AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani addressed the nation in a televised speech in Tehran. He said he'd send his foreign minister to negotiate with countries remaining in the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to pull America from the deal, warning he otherwise would restart enriching uranium "in the next weeks." Iranian Presidency Office via AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran's press condemned Trump's withdrawal from a multi-party nuclear deal but was divided over whether Tehran should react with patience or withdraw itself. AFP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Trump announced the US withdrawal from what he called the "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran, and said Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. AFP/Getty And amid the threat of greater instability in the Middle East, Israel appeared to launch a new round of missile strikes against military positions in Syria on Tuesday night, moments after Mr Trump announced his decision on the Iran deal. Syrian state-run media said Israel struck a military outpost near the capital, Damascus. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that likely belonged to Irans elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing nine people. After the strikes, Israels military went on high alert and bomb shelters were ordered open in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, which neighbour regime-controlled Syria. Israels Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is meeting with Vladimir Putin in Russia on Wednesday and the pair would discuss the heightened state of uncertainty in the region, Mr Netanyahu said. The UK, Germany, France and Iran will hold their own meeting next Monday to discuss the way forward for the nuclear deal, Frances Mr Le Drian said. He said the French government would also be speaking to any businesses that had interests in Iran, to discuss possible impacts on them. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he would also send envoys to discuss the situation with China and Russia. Last night, the UK, France and Germany issued a joint statement assailing Mr Trumps decision to withdraw the US from the nuclear deal. Moments after Mr Trump said he would abandon the pact, resisting weeks-long overtures from European nations which had urged him to preserve the agreement, Prime Minister Theresa May, Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron said the decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal was a matter of regret and concern. However, they said they remained committed to the accord. Iranian MPs stand and shout in parliament (AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency) They said: It is with regret and concern that we, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, take note of President Trumps decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA]. Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPOA. This agreement remains important for our shared security. We recall that the JCPOA was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council in resolution 2231. This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear programme. We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility. With the US reimposing sanctions on Iran, Mr Macron said in a separate tweet of his own that the nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. In his address on Tuesday, Mr Trump said the sanctions, which will violate the international nuclear agreement, would penalise Iran for what he described as state-sponsored terror in the Middle East, which works against the United States and its allies. The president said that any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could be strongly sanctioned, as he signed an order that would reimpose sanctions on foreign countries that continue to do business with Iran. In a speech at the White House, Mr Trump said the Iran deal was decaying and rotten and defective at its core. He cited the Iranian development of ballistic missiles an issue not addressed in the deal as a breach of the spirit of the deal by Iran, which he said has murdered hundreds of American service members, and kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured American citizens. I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, Mr Trump said, undermining what had been one of the biggest foreign policy successes for his predecessor, Barack Obama. Mr Obama called the decision misguided and a serious mistake. US President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement (Reuters) During the announcement, Mr Trump cited Israeli claims that they had acquired documents showing Iran had not ended its nuclear enrichment programme, and he said that Iran had been using money from relaxed sanctions to develop its ballistic missile capabilities and to fund terrorism in the Middle East. Experts have questioned whether the Israeli claims present any new information, and have said they do not show that Iran is currently enriching military-grade uranium. Iran has not been found by the International Atomic Energy Agency to be breaching the JCPOA. The fact is this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never ever been made, Mr Trump said. It didnt bring calm, it didnt bring peace, and it never will. Mr Trumps decision means Irans government must now decide whether to follow the US and withdraw, or try to salvage whats left of the deal. Berlin, London and Paris have all urged the US not to take any actions that could prevent them and Iran from continuing to implement the agreement. 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 However, in Washington, the Trump administration said it would reimpose sanctions on Iran immediately but allow grace periods for businesses to wind down activity. The US Treasury Department said there would be certain 90-day and 180-day wind-down periods but didnt specify which sanctions would fall under which timelines. The department said that at the end of those periods the sanctions will be in full effect. National Security Adviser John Bolton said nobody should sign contracts for new business with Iran. Speaking in an address on Iranian TV on Tuesday night, President Rouhani ordered the countrys atomic agency to begin preparations to enrich uranium and warned Donald Trump that he will not be able allowed to win the psychological war with his country. Mr Rouhani said he had ordered his foreign ministers to negotiate with governments besides the US. He said there is a short time for the deal to survive without Washington involved and said should those negotiations fail, there will be industrial level uranium enrichment for use in nuclear weapons. From Northumberland to the south of France, rail passengers are experiencing another day of cancellations and delays due to strikes with further disruption planned on the trains and planes at the weekend. Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) employed by Northern and Greater Anglia have walked out for 24 hours on Wednesday in disputes about the role of guards. Northern has issued an emergency timetable, which aims to keep trains running between 7am and 7pm on core lines from Nottingham to Newcastle and Crewe to Carlisle. During these hours, we will operate around 65 per cent of the normal weekday timetable, says the train company. As the overall number of trains running will be reduced, we expect trains and any replacement buses we operate to be extremely busy. Please allow extra time for journeys, plan carefully and consider whether travel is necessary. Greater Anglia services in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk are unaffected, with contingency conductors deployed across the network. The train operators managing director, Jamie Burles, said: We are very disappointed that the RMT is holding a further strike today. In recent weeks, we have had some constructive talks with RMT union officials and offered a proposal which we hoped would resolve this issue. Unfortunately, the RMT has rejected it. Our position remains the same: we highly value our conductors, were keeping them on our trains, but we want them to concentrate on customer service rather than opening and closing doors. The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: We are drawing attention to the ludicrous situation that means we are able to reach agreements in Wales and Scotland on the guard guarantee but not on a raft of key franchises in England. If its good enough for Wales and Scotland to put rail safety first then it should be good enough for the rest of Britain. We have long detected the dead hand of the Government interfering to stop us reaching negotiated settlements in the current disputes and its about time Chris Grayling stopped playing politics with passenger safety and started taking the issue seriously. Eurostar has cancelled two round-trips from London St Pancras to Paris, and a single return journey to Brussels, because of the latest two-day strike by French Railways workers. Staff at SNCF are staging 48 hours of industrial action every five days until the end of June in a dispute over modernisation plans. In France, around half the trains have been cancelled, though inter-city services on non-TGV lines are worst hit. On the line connecting Paris with Amiens and Boulogne, only one service in five is running. During the next walk-out, on Sunday 13 and Monday 14 May, Eurostar is cancelling a further nine trains between London and Paris. Passengers are being offered the choice of a full refund or accommodation on services which are running. The latest Air France strike ended at midnight on Tuesday, but the airline is warning: Last minute delays and cancellations can be expected on 9 May. The bitter pay dispute involving pilots, cabin crew and ground staff is continuing after the departure of Jean-Marc Janaillac, the chairman and chief executive, but no further strike dates have been announced by the unions. Further delays and cancellations are expected at the weekend when air-traffic controllers employed at the Marseille Area Control Centre walk out for 48 hours from 5.30am, local time, on Saturday morning. The centre controls a large swathe of airspace from central France to the southern tip of Sardinia. While around half of the normal overflights will be permitted, delays and cancellations can be expected as aircraft route around the affected area. Eurocontrol tweeted: We are working closely with our French colleagues and other affected areas to minimise the impact. Passengers whose flights are disrupted are not entitled to cash compensation, but airlines must provide meals and, if necessary, accommodation, until the travellers are able to fly to their destination. In less than two weeks, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be married in St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle. We know that the new royal couple are delaying jetting off on honeymoon right away, as the following week theyre fulfilling their first official engagement together. The prince and his bride-to-be are keen travellers, both together and separately, and all manner of possible honeymoon destinations have circulated in the months since Clarence House announced Meghan and Harrys engagement on 27 November. Here are the top contenders: Naukluft National Park in Namibia (Getty) (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The most likely destination is currently thought to be Namibia, with an unnamed source telling the US magazine Travel + Leisure that the couple will be visiting the Hoanib Valley Camp in the north west of the country. Meghan joined Harry on her first-ever safari in neighbouring Botswana last year and a trip to Namibia would give the couple a chance to continue where they left off, spotting endangered rhinos and desert-adapted elephants and giraffes from a luxurious camp in the remote Kaokoland desert. The south-western African nation is also renowned for the towering Sossusvlei sand dunes and the Skeleton Coast, so called for the skeletons of whales and shipwrecks that litter the dunes here. As one of the least densely populated places on earth, Namibia certainly offers the sort of privacy the royal couple will be looking for. Rwanda A baby mountain gorilla in the Sabyinyo Mountains of Rwanda (Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) Some are suggesting that Harry and Meghan might take inspiration from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and opt for the Seychelles as their honeymoon destination of choice, but a better bet for the pair, both of whom are known for their humanitarian work, is Rwanda. Meghan visited the Land of a Thousand Hills as a World Vision global ambassador in 2016 and called the experience incredible. The couple might be tempted by gorilla-trekking amid the breathtaking scenery of this mountainous African country. It was here that the pioneering primatologist Dian Fossey studied mountain gorillas in the wild. Alongside the rich biodiversity of Volcanoes National Park in the northwest of Rwanda, Akagera National Park in the east is home to one of the largest protected wetlands in eastern Africa. Its only recently that Rwanda has boasted the sorts of luxury accommodation options suitable for a royal honeymoon, making this something of a cutting-edge destination for the newlyweds. Brazils Pantanal is an area of extraordinary biodiversity (AFP/Getty Images) Prince Harry visited Brazil on his first solo tour in 2012, staying on for a few days after completing his official duties. Meghan wrote about wanting to visit the South American nation on her now defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig. Luxury eco-lodges abound in the Brazilian Amazon and Pantanal, offering unparalleled peace and quiet, as well as nature-spotting opportunities. Palawan in the Philippines (Getty) (Getty/iStock) Meghan wrote about wanting to visit Palawan in the Philippines on The Tig and what better time than her honeymoon to finally tick this paradise island off her list? The actor recently impressed some Filipino fans on a visit to Edinburgh with a few words of Tagalog, so shes clearly done her homework. A 90-minute flight from Manila, Palawan is a tropical wonderland of jungle-covered mountains, clear seas and white sand beaches. Snorkelling, hiking and island-hopping are the highlights here, though Palawan is also known as one of the worlds best scuba-diving destinations. Positano on Italys Amalfi Coast (Getty) (Getty/iStock) If the royal couple fancy a jaunt a little closer to home, they could do far worse than Italy, a favourite of Markles according to her blog and social media posts. The actor enjoyed her time at Le Sirenuse hotel in Positano on the Amalfi Coast and would be right at home in Tuscany given her love of wine (she named her blog after Tignanello, her favourite tipple, which just happens to hail from Tuscany). Prince Harry has made several official visits to Italy, declaring the Roman Colosseum amazing in 2014. Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast both have plenty of luxury accommodation to tempt the royal couple on their honeymoon, from 12th-century castles to the former homes of Neapolitan monarchs. A romantic gesture at Zurich Airport in Switzerland backfired after a passengers heartfelt efforts resulted in a hefty bill and drama at the check-in desk. The unnamed man purchased tickets for himself and two other people to Japan on Finnair and decided to add a special message for one guest on her travel documentation. The Swiss man, who is of Thai descent, scribbled duang the Thai nickname for sweetheart on his female companions boarding pass between her first name and surname. Upon arrival at the airport, however, airline staff informed the woman that she was unable to check-in because the name on her ticket did not match the name on her passport. Things escalated further when the woman was told she would not be able to change her name at such short notice and would need to purchase a new ticket for a flight the following day. Iceland By Air: Taking in the country's stunning scenery from the sky The three flying companions agreed that the remaining two passengers should catch their flight as planned, and meet the woman in Japan. According to Swiss news site Tages Anzeiger, however, delays at the check-in desk meant the pair missed their flight and had to rebook their trips too. Recommended Clampdown on hidden airline fees announced by aviation watchdog This proved to be the final straw for the female passenger, who reportedly fainted at the check-in desk. Ambulance staff attended the scene and, according to The Local, she recovered quickly and without injury. According to its website, Finnair charges a 30 service fee for a name correction and up to 200 for name changes in ticket types which allow it. It also states that the name change fee depends on both the country of departure and destination. One of the UKs most popular airlines, Ryanair, charges a whopping 115 for passengers to change their name on travel documentation, a fee which costs significantly more than many of its low cost flights There goes the presidents Nobel Peace Prize, then. Far from the most important aspect of Donald Trumps decision to scrap the Iran nuclear deal is that whatever credit he might have accrued for pushing North Korea towards peace talks and denuclearisation is entirely negated by his reckless decision to disengage with Iran. However, it does serve to put the true nature of American foreign policy in the right perspective. The fact that the break with Iran was no surprise and a long time coming, indeed fulfilling a promise kept from his maverick (and reckless) election campaign, does not make the damage done to ever-more fragile hopes of peace in the Middle East any less grievous. Nothing, it seems, is allowed to get in the way of The Donalds childish mission to undo just for the sake of undoing everything that his predecessor achieved in office. Barack Obama, dignified as ever, made an exception to his usual patient silence with a withering condemnation of this latest initiative. Maybe thats precisely what The Donald was hankering after. As has been often remarked, it is like having a big baby in the White House and the most dangerous, spiteful, impulsive, peevish, unthinking, unstable baby on Earth. Contrast the fortunes of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Where once both were linked, famously, by George W Bush in the axis of evil, one is about to be courted by Mr Trump, the other ostracised and bullied, placed in the odd position of appearing a victim (for Iran has to answer for its own share of aggressive acts, sponsorship of terror and violations of human rights). Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Show all 10 1 /10 Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burnt a US flag in parliament after Donald Trump announced America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal US President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House. Reuters Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Some Iranian MPs reacted after Trumps decision by shouting 'death to America'. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian lawmakers prepare to burn two pieces of papers representing the US flag and the nuclear deal. AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord, which it branded "psychological warfare". AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Several Iranian MPs stood chanting in the Tehran parliament. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burning a US flag AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani addressed the nation in a televised speech in Tehran. He said he'd send his foreign minister to negotiate with countries remaining in the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to pull America from the deal, warning he otherwise would restart enriching uranium "in the next weeks." Iranian Presidency Office via AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran's press condemned Trump's withdrawal from a multi-party nuclear deal but was divided over whether Tehran should react with patience or withdraw itself. AFP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Trump announced the US withdrawal from what he called the "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran, and said Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. AFP/Getty What conclusion should the civilian and the theocratic wings of the regime in Tehran draw for the contrasting treatment affecting the old axis of evil? Simply that for America to treat you with respect you had best arm yourself with nuclear missiles and the longer the range and the more high profile the tests the better. That is just what North Korea did with Mr Trump making empty threats about fire and fury. Iran now has little to lose, as it has itself put it, from developing nuclear weapons on an industrial scale. Israel has already done so, scarcely pretending otherwise. In defiance of the very same international rules as Iran will flout, America seems content with Israel enjoying the so far overwhelming strategic advantage of the sole possession of weapons of mass destruction in the region. No surprise, then, that President Trump has at last acceded to lobbying to accept Jerusalem as Israels capital, de facto. It is precisely because Israel is believed to be equipped with nuclear weapons, and because Israel has shown itself more than willing to act as an American proxy in Syria, including attacking Iranian-backed militias, that Tehran has the incentive to develop its own deterrent. Saudi Arabia has found itself in the same camp as Israel thanks to Americas crude policy of taking sides in the nexus of proxy conflicts in the region, an uncomfortable pairing and Saudi Arabia too could develop weapons of mass destruction. Turkey might harbour a similar ambition, if its neighbours do, and not so very far away we find an expansionist and interfering nuclear Russia, looking always for an opportunity to extend its power and influence, regardless of human cost (to some other people). Hence the survival of Assad, despite everything. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) may not have ended the nightmare of regional nuclear proliferation, but scrapping it will make it more certain. Horrifyingly, the Middle East will now be propelled into its own nuclear missile race, each regional power wishing to find a patron superpower Russia or America happy to oblige with diplomatic and military back up. Rather than attack one another directly (yet), America, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Turkey then as we have witnessed across the great arc of conflict that spreads from Libya to the borders of Pakistan play out their pitiless wars through others, bombing, maiming, gassing and terrorising numberless Syrians, Yeminis or Iraqis unlucky enough to find themselves this years proxy battlefield of choice. Sometimes they informally back Isis, sometimes some other death cult; it hardly seems to matter. EU remains committed to Iran nuclear deal despite US withdrawal says Federica Mogherin We have seen too much of all that, and, emboldened by Mr Trumps disastrous initiative, we will no doubt witness much more, including in Lebanon before long and with it the floods of humanity seeking refuge. If we do nothing we know exactly what will happen, Mr Trump told the world. Debatable, at best, because the JCPOA, had its flaws but it was working it was restraining Iran and giving its more moderate civilian leadership something to show the ayatollahs for the policy of engagement with the West. The hardliners in Tehran and Qom led by the old-school supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, in power since 1989 will feel themselves vindicated by Mr Trumps breach of trust. Cue the burning of American flags and poorly-constructed effigies of President Trump. Always disinclined to trust the West, it is difficult to see why Iran should pay much attention to the Great Satan in future, sanctions or not, and dial down the terror. Kim Jong-un has demonstrated the way to get America to play ball; get you some nukes. Meantime, Iran can further cement its alliances with Russia and Turkey, with consequences bloodily familiar to the citizens of Aleppo and Douma. One of the other bitter ironies in this huge Trump gamble is that the sanctions and attendant chaos will hurt American interests security and economic rather more than Irans. Americas sanctions will not, this time, be adopted by her European allies, let alone China or Russia, while the current panic-driven spike in the price of oil will actually benefit Iran, as a major producer. France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Britain and the rest will continue to trade and invest in Iran; unless, that is, Mr Trump wants to draw the ambit of sanctions so wide that America will seek to punish the likes of Peugeot, Siemens and Hyundai-Kia just as he is, pointlessly, going to take billions of dollars worth of business away from Boeing, Coca-Cola and others. Ironically, again, North Korea might well continue, clandestinely, to assist Iran with its nuclear weapons programme just as it is winding its own down. In other words, even on its own terms, Mr Trumps policy of all-out unilateral economic warfare makes no sense, because it is so counterproductive. Even if it did work, after a fashion, what if Iran, far less isolated than North Korea, and far richer, just ploughs on? Will America, or Israel, or even Saudi Arabia, bomb Iranian military or nuclear installations in breach of sense and international law? If not then what? Americas allies, too, have been betrayed. The joint communique by Emmanuel Macron, Theresa May and Angela Merkel notes their regret at Mr Trumps decision. That is some understatement. They also regretted his withdrawal from the Paris climate treaty, the new American embassy in Jerusalem, the trade wars with China, Japan and the EU, insults tweeted at London and Paris and much else. America First was the well-understood political philosophy of Donald Trump: but does the rest of the world really have to come last even when the reality is that even America loses? No part of the UK has more at stake in the decision to leave the European Union than the Northeast of England. Our region is an export powerhouse. Sixty per cent of our trade is with the EU. We make and sell goods that are in demand throughout the continent for their quality and value for money. All of that could be at risk if we quit the EU customs union and the single market and are lumbered with new customs barriers, charges and unnecessary red tape. But the Northeast has been hit hard and neglected by the Tories for too long. We understand why so many people voted to leave the EU in 2016s referendum: it was a great way of reminding a cosy London establishment that our region has been receiving a raw deal. We now have another important decision to make. The government has begun negotiations about our future relationship with the EU. Later this year they will return with a final deal. How do we decide if the deal we are offered on Brexit is the right one for the Northeast? Will it be good enough for the exporters who provide so many of the jobs on which our regional economy depends? Companies such as Nissan in Sunderland, Hitachi in County Durham and those in the chemical processing industry on Teesside provide thousands of jobs and see their future as part of the EU customs union and single market. We would hate to see the growth and employment opportunities they offer be undermined by a bad deal. There is so much at stake here. Even the governments own research says the Northeasts economy will lose growth once we leave the EU, regardless of the deal. This will hit living standards of families throughout the region. A smaller economy will mean less money to invest in our hard pressed public services. Already the British economy has fallen from the top to the bottom of the European growth league. And then there are other questions. Can we get the staff our NHS needs if we cut ourselves off from Europe? Will we still be able to compete in the key export markets or will businesses throughout the Northeast and those they employ lose out because new trade barriers have got in the way? Greg Clarke: Thousands of jobs at risk if Theresa May drops Brexit 'customs partnership' plan The prime minister acknowledges that we will have less trade with Europe if we leave but hopes we can make up for that by signing new trade deals with the United States, India and China. But no trade deal can make up for disrupted supply chains in Europe. Manufacturing will become less efficient when parts have to cross the Atlantic or be shipped to and from Asia. There are never likely to be significant numbers of businesses operating in that way. The US, India and China will drive incredibly hard bargains with us if we look weakened from leaving the EU. India has already told us that they will demand higher levels of immigration to the UK in return for a free trade deal. Donald Trump knows how to force what he wants out of any agreement and the UK has almost no experience in negotiating any trade deals. Being forced to accept chlorinated chicken from the United States might only be the start. Will greater access to the NHS for private American companies be part of any deal with Trump? Recommended May admits she still lacks workable plan for customs after Brexit The government and parliament are divided. The Brexit deal is big too big to ignore and will affect our country for generations to come. The British people were asked to make the original decision in June 2016 without knowing in reality what the final Brexit deal would look like. Nobody was sure what the options were. They did not appear on the ballot paper. As each day goes by new facts emerge that werent placed before the voters at the time of the referendum. The outcome of the negotiations will affect the Northeast of England and the United Kingdom for decades to come. Because this is so important, we believe the British people should have their say on the final Brexit deal. Just as the people had their say in the referendum in 2016, we believe the final decision on this countrys destiny should lie with the British people in a peoples vote. Phil Wilson, Paul Williams, Bridget Phillipson, Anna Turley (Labour Cooperative) and Catherine McKinnell are Labour MPs whose constituencies lie in the Northeast of England After months of hints Donald Trump has finally acted to kill the 2015 nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In the short term, however, the effects of his announcement will be limited. The Iranian government has condemned the decision but President Rouhani also declared that Iran will continue to adhere to the agreement as long as the other parties to it if the P5 +1 (the non-American members of the UN Security Council and Germany) continue to do so. The latter, for their part, have asserted their continued commitment to the JCPOA. For the Iranians sticking to the deal for now is a logical course to take in order to ensure that it is Trump, and not them, who is the focus of international recriminations. For the Europeans the insistence that the deal remains alive generates space to try and come up with a plan to salvage something from it. The JCPOA, nevertheless, is now on life support and its eventual demise is likely. Once US sanctions are restored they will gradually undermine the rationale for Iran to continue to adhere to the deal. The threat of US sanctions on anyone who continues to do business with Iran is already leading to a degree of economic disengagement, negating the economic benefits which were the primary incentive for Iran to sign the deal. As those benefits disappear it will become harder and harder for the Iranian government to rationalise continued adherence to the agreement. 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 only way that the deal may survive is if the Europeans can somehow ensure that Iran continues to see sufficient economic benefits from the JCPOA to enable Rouhani to justify remaining in the deal. That, however, would require a robust EU response to Trump, including the passage of legislation shielding European firms from US secondary sanctions and the threat of retaliatory action against US economic interests. It is hard, however, to see the EU risking a trade war with the USA over Iran, and even if they do act, it may still not be enough to prevent European firms from deciding that continuing to do business in Iran is too risky. While the eventual collapse of the nuclear deal is thus highly likely, what happens after that is harder to predict. To some extent it will depend on Iranian politics. Rouhani does not want a conflict with the US and will actively seek ways of avoiding one, but Trump's declaration discredits him and strengthens the position of those in Tehran most hostile to the US. The arguments of Iranian hardliners that the Great Satan can never be trusted and that it is bent on the destruction of the Islamic regime are seemingly confirmed by Trump's actions. A shift in the balance of political power back toward Iranian conservatives is thus a probable outcome in the medium term. With hardliners back in power, Iran could be expected to restore its nuclear programme to a similar scale to that which existed before 2015 (even if it does not renew weapons-related aspects of that programme) and to pursue its efforts to expand its regional influence with ever greater vigour. The Saudis and the Israelis, buoyed by Trump's implicit (or explicit) support will push back hard, leading to an escalation of proxy conflicts in Yemen and Syria and an increasing risk of direct conflict between the main protagonists themselves. In Trump's mind, of course, this is not how events will play out. His claim is that the Iranian regime was on the point of total capitulation in 2015 only for Obama to throw it a lifeline in the form of the nuclear deal. According to this logic, the restoration of sanctions will bring Tehran to its knees and force it to comply with all of Trump's demands. Iranian lawmakers burn US flag in parliament while chanting 'Death to America' There is little reason, however, to take this scenario seriously. In the first place, sanctions had not brought Iran to its knees by 2015. Its negotiators remained as insistent on retaining the right to enrich uranium as they had for the previous decade. Had Obama not conceded that right there would have been no deal. Moreover, there is no chance that the sanctions regime that Trump is attempting to restore will be as effective as that in place under Obama. The Europeans will likely cooperate in a half-hearted fashion but China and Russia will not and nor will many other consumers of Iran's oil. Trump is thus seeking to get a tougher deal than Obama managed with less leverage, with predictable results. If and when the nuclear deal collapses Iran will restore its nuclear programme and renewed US sanctions will fail to deter it from doing so. Regional tensions with rise. Iran will increase its stockpile of enriched uranium, and this will put pressure on the US government, from both Israel and its own supporters, to do something to stop it. Trump's decision, in short, will do nothing to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue while making war in the Middle East considerably more likely. Dr Steven Hurst is a reader in politics at Manchester Metropolitan University Baby boomer bashing is very on trend right now. We are constantly being told how tough life is for millennials, how the older generation has screwed them over on Brexit, and that they are going to be worse off than their parents. This week, new proposals were announced to redress the generational balance and bring about intergenerational fairness. This was the report by the Resolution Foundation Intergenerational Commission, which suggested providing handouts of 10,000 to 25-year-olds and increasing taxes on pensioners. The cash payouts and higher taxes for pensioners would help tackle intergenerational issues such as young people struggling to get on the property ladder and an NHS in crisis, claims the commission. But why should pensioners have to pay for the ineptitude of government policies? Quesiton Time question asks if millennials can afford housing if they gave up coffee and avacado toast Complaints about the difficulty of getting on the housing ladder always seem to go hand in hand with the narrative that millennials are so much worse off than their baby boomer parents. But this isnt true, and it highlights a nasty streak of entitlement within Britains younger generations. A survey carried out last year by the Resolution Foundation found 48 per cent of Britons thought millennials would be worse off than their parents. Graduates were even more pessimistic than non-graduates: almost 60 per cent believed they would have a worse standard of life than the people who came before them. Well, Im a millennial and I certainly dont think Ive had a raw deal. I grew up in a nice house in a nice neighbourhood and was lucky enough to have family holidays abroad. When I finished school, there was no question of not going to university. I had all of this because my parents worked hard to give their children the things that they didnt have when they were growing up. They both came from working class backgrounds my father grew up on a council estate and went to university on a government grant. It will be a similar story for many in the baby boomer generation. The majority did not go to university either. We shouldnt begrudge baby boomers their houses or comfortable retirements. For most, these will have been hard fought for. Millennials might wail about not being able to get onto the property ladder, but the fact is that owning a property is not a right. You are entitled to a roof over your head but buying a house is not a necessity for that. Brexit may not happen as 'older generation' of Leave voters are dying, says Richard Branson The truth is that we are a very privileged generation. Figures from the Department for Education last year show a graduate population that is fast increasing. The percentage of the under-30 population now likely to go on to higher education is at 49 per cent. Beyond educational opportunities, the internet, better technology and cheap travel has made life easier and opened up the world and its possibilities to young people like me. There is an ageist bent to all of this baby boomer bashing, and it infects politics too. After the EU referendum, older voters who voted for Brexit were accused of stealing the futures of the young. At a conference last year, novelist Ian McEwan said that he looked forward to a 2019 with 1.5 million oldsters, mostly Brexiters, freshly in their graves. During the referendum campaign itself, campaign group Stronger in Europe launched a Talk to Gran campaign, encouraging youngsters to tell their elderly relatives how to vote. Today, the anti-Brexit youth campaign, Our Future, Our Choice, claims Brexit should be stopped because its impact will be greater for the younger generations most of whom voted against it. Their crowdfunding page asks young people to film conversations with their parents where they lecture them on how awful Brexit is. Once again, the entitled implication is that what young people want matters more than the desires of the older generation. We must stop blaming the older generation for things we are unhappy about today. Splitting society down generational lines is an ugly and unproductive way of addressing societys problems. It smacks of childish whining and it certainly wont resolve anything. Issues like the housing crisis and a flagging NHS are serious problems that will only be resolved by radical policy change by the government, not by penalising pensioners. In any case, the suggestion that millennial adults deserve a package of perks to encourage intergenerational fairness is ridiculous. Even children know that life isnt fair. Another day, another spat among Cabinet ministers. As Theresa May struggles to control her inner circle of MPs, barely a week goes by without the emergence of a new issue the UKs most powerful politicians just cannot agree on. This week, its the proposed new Historical Investigations Unit, or HIU, a body that will be tasked with dealing with unsolved killings that took place during the Troubles. The unit was part of the 2014 Stormont House agreement - but since then, it has languished in the earliest stages of formation. Some cynics might say the issues are not the real focus of the arguing between Cabinet members, and I would count myself among that group, but giving the ministers the benefit of the doubt, the new unit does present a problem to the government. The crux of some MPs issue with the HIU is that they feel military veterans are not sufficiently protected from possibly being unfairly targeted and made to face spurious legal challenges. Calls for a statute of limitations that would ensure veterans cannot be tried have been opposed by relatives of victims as well as Sinn Fein and the DUP. And indeed it seems completely illogical, if not legally impossible, to give one group total amnesty while continuing to investigate others for historical crimes. Those calling for an amnesty often cite a disproportionate focus on the actions of soldiers when investigating historic crimes but these arguments are based on shaky foundations. According to figures from the PSNI, its legacy investigation branch is looking at 1,186 unsolved deaths in Northern Ireland that took place between January 1969 and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998. The police have attributed 45.5 per cent of these killings to republican paramilitaries, 23 per cent to loyalist paramilitaries and 28.5 per cent to security forces, with the remaining 3 per cent unattributed. Meanwhile, the now-disbanded Historical Enquiries Team completed 1,615 investigations, with 1,038 attribute to republicans and 32 to the armed forces, with 536 attributed to loyalists and 9 unknown. The numbers do not bear out a disproportionate hounding of former soldiers, and it is disingenuous and disgraceful of MPs to pretend that a so-called witch hunt is taking place. Good Friday Agreement: Tony Blair recalls 'incredibly complicated and difficult' Northern Ireland talks 20 years on Northern Ireland is a world apart from the rest of the UK in many respects. The Good Friday Agreement brought about a kind of peace, but there are still security incidents taking place on a regular enough basis to make that peace feel quite fragile. Then theres the feeling that Northern Ireland was treated as an after-thought when it came to the EU referendum - the government literally still has not set out its plan for the Irish border, almost two years since the vote which hasnt helped foster trust in Westminster. And now the Cabinet is throwing up obstacles that could keep hundreds of families from finding justice for their loved ones who were killed during the Troubles. Government sources have been reported as saying it will be difficult to garner support for investigations into military veterans - members of the public will expect politicians to back their ex-soldiers. But the families in Northern Ireland deserve the backing of their government too. Some of the victims of the Troubles were killed unlawfully by soldiers, and the fact that most soldiers would not have committed such crimes doesnt mean the ones who did should get away with it. Pretending that all of the killings that were carried by agents of the state were justified is not acceptable, and thats exactly what an amnesty for former soldiers looks like to me. Why is it important that families of people killed by republican or loyalist paramilitaries be given the courtesy of a thorough investigation, but not the relatives of those who died at the hands of soldiers? Wearing a uniform should not protect a person from the law, although it might have in the past - its time to draw a new line in the sand. Either its decided that its wrong for soldiers to kill innocent civilians, or it isnt. Hiding behind rhetoric about witch hunts has to stop. When Jeremy Hunt turned down other cabinet jobs and pleaded with Theresa May to let him stay at the Department of Health in her January mini-reshuffle, his title as health secretary was expanded to include social care. So far, in public at least, there has been little to show for this welcome move to bring a more joined-up approach to the overlapping health and social care systems. Behind the scenes, Hunt has been beavering away on a green paper due in the next two months. There is a lot riding on it for both him and the government. Despite that, we shouldnt hold our breath. In a report published today, the Commons Public Accounts Committee warns that the consultative green paper should not be an excuse for yet more discussion when the social care crisis is so well documented. It wants a long-term funding settlement this year, warning that further emergency cash injections are the road to nowhere. Meg Hillier, the committees chair, said: The sector is scraping by and without an explicit, long-term plan backed by government it could soon be on its knees. Astonishingly, the MPs report warns that social services and the NHS are bidding against each other at local level for beds in care homes another illustration of the need for a merged national health and care service. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 1 October 2021 A driver talks to members of the media after passing his HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) driving test at National Driving Centre in Croydon, south London AFP via Getty Images 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 There is growing support outside government for older people to pay more towards health, care and welfare, which will between them need 24bn extra by 2030 and 63bn by 2040, according to the Resolution Foundation. In an impressive report on Tuesday, its commission on closing the wealth gap between the generations proposed a new property tax to replace council tax to raise 2bn for social care, and that people past retirement age should pay national insurance on their earnings to raise 2.3bn for the NHS. If that happened, the inevitable tax rises would not add to the burden on already squeezed millennials, but would rightly fall on the baby boomers just as they become the heaviest users of the health and care systems. David Willetts, the Tory peer who chairs the foundation, said politicians had to adjust to the new world of upward pressures on spending in a fair way, and it was right for older people to make a contribution. This is the future of politics and it cannot be avoided, he said. In an ideal world, the main political parties would agree that tax rises rather than spending cuts are the only way to meet demographic pressures, and try to reach a consensus on at least some of them. Sadly, real life is not like that. The Tories, having foolishly ignored the economy at last years election, will go hard for Labours tax and borrowing plans next time. In turn, Labour will outbid whatever the Tories do on NHS and care funding. The government has reacted coolly to the commissions flagship proposal for a 10,000 citizens inheritance to 25-year-olds, which could be used to buy a home, get qualifications, fund a pension or start a business, and would be financed by replacing inheritance tax with a fairer lifetime receipts tax. But ministers are said to be weighing up imposing national insurance on pensioners in work as a way to raise money for health and social care. Tory social care minister: Older people are sitting in homes that are too big for them Inevitably, May is wary of anything that would risk a rerun of her ill-fated dementia tax in the Tory manifesto she launched a year ago next week. She shouldnt be. Her social care proposals were hastily cobbled together and several cabinet ministers did not even see them until they were en route to the manifestos launch. Hunts green paper offers ministers the chance to look at the issue from all angles, and time to roll the pitch, as David Cameron used to call it, rather than announce a controversial policy without preparing the ground. It is also more sensible to do this well away from the heat of an election battle. The inter-generational commission offers plenty of arguments as well as specific proposals, such as an individuals care bills being limited to a quarter of their assets (such a cap was the fatal omission in Mays blueprint). Hunt should introduce a white paper or at least a green one with specific proposals that do not require yet further consultation. He should include the commissions ideas for health and care funding. May might be tempted to mark the 70th anniversary of the NHSs founding in July as a platform to announce a long-term funding plan, while again leaving social care in the too difficult box. That would be absurd, and a golden opportunity missed. Google is to ban ads related to Ireland's abortion referendum to improve 'election integrity' Google is to ban all adverts related to Irelands abortion referendum. The move comes as part of efforts to improve election integrity in the run-up to the Eighth Amendment poll. Facebook announced on Tuesday it would block foreign campaign material on its platform after fears were raised over outsider influence. Expand Close Campaign posters in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Campaign posters in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) A Google spokeswoman said: Following our update around election integrity efforts globally, we have decided to pause all ads related to the Irish referendum on the Eighth Amendment. Ireland has some of the strictest laws on terminations in the world, with the procedure barred unless the mothers life is in danger. Repealing the amendment would enable laws allowing abortion of pregnancies up to 12 weeks. Votes will be cast on Friday May 25. The technology giants ban is to be enforced from Thursday, covering its Google and YouTube sites, and will stay in place until after the vote. Facebook had already introduced a view ads feature which enables Irish users to see all ads any advertiser is running on Facebook in Ireland at the same time. Last month Irish data protection commissioner Helen Dixon raised concern that foreign actors could try to influence the referendum. The UK's environment secretary has snubbed a meeting with Agriculture Minister Michael Creed for the second time. Officials alerted the Department of Agriculture yesterday that Michael Gove will not travel to Ireland tomorrow as planned. The cancellation follows a similar move last November, when Mr Creed was given just a few days' notice that Mr Gove would not be attending a scheduled event in London. Sources told the Irish Independent that Mr Gove cited "cabinet business" as the reason for the latest cancellation. Mr Creed had been keen to discuss Brexit and the potential impact on the agri-food sector. It comes amid yet another period of turmoil and paralysis within the British government. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson declared as "crazy" previously agreed cabinet policy on a search for a customs partnership. Prime Minister Theresa May's official spokesman pointed out the entire cabinet had signed up to her Mansion House speech in which she set out her plans for a customs partnership. Furthermore, Mr Johnson's comments took place while in the US at a fruitless meeting with US officials persuading them to stick to the Iran deal. His remarks were said to be humiliating for the prime minister. Normally such insolence would mean the minister would lose their job. "It's priced in that she's a caretaker, and therefore there would be no immediate rush to condemn Boris," a Tory insider told the Irish Independent. Meanwhile the UK House of Lords is due to send back her withdrawal bill heavily amended requiring the government to get agreement to stay in a customs union. The llama on its way to a foster home. Picture: Limerick Animal Welfare (LAW) A Llama in Limerick city has been taken into foster care after hundreds of social media users expressed concern for its wellbeing over the Bank Holiday weekend. This was after a video circulated on social media of a man in the north side of the city riding on the llamas back at speed for around a minute before falling off. The video, which has been viewed more than 75,000 times, comes after Limerick Animal Welfare (LAW) showed a llama being ridden by a youth grappling around the animals neck, outside a derelict house in a city estate. LAW Chairperson Marian Fitzgibbon said the llama, a desert animal, has been taken into foster care but they are looking to find a permanent home for the llama. Update on the Llama. The Llama is well settled and is very happy in his new foster home. Thank you for all the support and help in his rescue. Posted by Limerick Animal Welfare on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 Approximately 450 was raised by a number of people to purchase the llama from the owners and it is understood that some of the money will be donated to Pieta House and Milford Hospice. The public was so incensed by the earlier video that more than 500 complaints were made to Law, and Mayorstone gardai received numerous complaints in relation to the llama. Expand Close The llama being loaded into the horsebox. Picture: Limerick Animal Welfare (LAW) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The llama being loaded into the horsebox. Picture: Limerick Animal Welfare (LAW) But Ms Fitzgibbon said that the exotic animal is in very good condition. If you were to get a vet out to look at that llama, A-one condition. We have been in touch with that llama since we were first made aware that it was in Limerick. We have been checking on the llama for a couple of weeks. "Anytime we checked the llama, it was okay, we couldnt see any injuries on it. We cannot intervene in an animal welfare case, especially at a weekend when there is no help, or we can go in if the animal is in really bad condition. But when we see an animal, with good weight on, good coat, looking relaxed and happy when we go to visit it, well, we have no grounds for seizure. We dont have those powers anymore. Limerick Animal Welfare facilitated the handing over the animal on Monday afternoon, she said. When we would go out subsequently, it had good shelter, it had water, it was in a good situation any time we saw it. She said that because the llama comes from the camel family, it is not given equine protection that horses, donkeys and ponies have. Law shared a picture of the llama in a horse trailer, on Facebook stating: Llama looks like he is smiling as he leaves Limerick for his second chance. Supervalu is to install solar panels in 30 of its stores Supervalu has pipped Dunnes Stores and Tesco for the top spot as Ireland's biggest grocery retailer, with growth in its sales around Dublin helping to boost its performance. And figures also suggest that consumers are now shopping around less, consolidating their spending with their preferred retailer - a reversal of a trend seen during the recession, when bargain hunting was a common practice. The latest data from research group Kantar Worldpanel shows that Musgrave-controlled SuperValu had a 22.3pc share of Ireland's multi-billion-euro grocery market in the 12 weeks to April 22, which included the all-important Easter season. Its sales in Dublin rose 4.5pc in the period. But there's still very little daylight between the top players in the market, with Tesco's 22.2pc share putting it hot on the heels of its main rival. Dunnes Stores had a 21.9pc share in the latest period. Kantar Worldpanel bases its data on the percentage share of value of sales, rather than volume. Douglas Faughnan, consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel, said that SuperValu has lured more shoppers and persuaded them to spend more. "While performance remains strong in its Munster heartland, SuperValu's growth in the capital is particularly noteworthy," he said. "The retailer's sales in Dublin grew 4.5pc compared to last year, second only to Tesco which saw growth of 7.4pc in the city." Mr Faughnan said that Tesco had continued to build on what had been a "strong start" to 2018. "Overall, sales are up by 6.1pc - almost twice that of the market as a whole," he said. "While Tesco's performance in Dublin is strong, the rest of Leinster contributed the most to growth, with the retailer's share jumping from 26.1pc to 28pc," said Mr Faughnan. "In contrast, Dunnes' impressive share growth in Connaught and Ulster was offset by a drop in the Dublin region, where share fell from 26.2pc to 24.8pc." German discounters Aldi and Lidl have continued to perform well in the market. Lidl had an 11.4pc share in the latest period, while Aldi had 11.2pc. They saw the value of their year-on-year sales rise 4.2pc and 3pc respectively. Kantar Worldpanel noted that sales of frozen food at Tesco, SuperValu and Dunnes Stores outpaced those of fresh, chilled and ambient food and drink, and were 7.3pc higher in the period. UK retailer Iceland now has a 6.3pc share of frozen food sales in Ireland. The grocery market also remained in deflation during the latest period, with prices falling 0.6pc. The shadow of a worker is seen next to a logo of Russia's Rosneft oil company at the central processing facility of the Rosneft-owned Priobskoye oil field outside the West Siberian city of Nefteyugansk, Russia A Russian oil company that is effectively barred from international capital markets by western sanctions has found an ingenious workaround - it involves a Moscow bank taking a detour to Dublin. In February, Credit Bank of Moscow PJSC used an Irish shell company to issue $500m of bonds to investors including Goldman Sachs. While the marketing materials for the offering didn't dwell on the bank's relationship with Rosneft PJSC, the Russian state-controlled oil company has drawn the lender into close orbit, making hundreds of millions of dollars in deposits at a time of financial duress and borrowing billions in return. The Moscow bank isn't subject to sanctions and doesn't face any limits on raising funds from international investors. The money it brought in through the Irish special purpose vehicle, or SPV, didn't go directly to Rosneft. Yet the manoeuvring allowed the bank to expand its lending to the oil company, highlighting one way Russian firms are circumventing US and European restrictions. Those kind of ties are getting riskier as the US begins to target a wider group of oligarchs and Russian companies. Last month, sanctions slapped on aluminium producer Rusal roiled markets and devastated its bonds sold through an Irish SPV before the restrictions were put in place. "Credit Bank of Moscow could face heightened risk around the lending to Rosneft," said Peter Harrell, a former US deputy assistant secretary of state for counter-threat finance and sanctions and now a fellow at the Centre for a New American Security. "The risk profile for this kind of lending is definitely higher today than it was at the beginning of the year." Russian companies are among the biggest users of Irish SPVs Credit Bank of Moscow's Irish SPV, CBOM Finance Plc, has raised more than $2.3bn since November 2016, according to Irish Companies Registration Office filings. The February offering was arranged by banks including Credit Suisse, JPMorgan Chase and Societe Generale. Goldman Sachs, French asset manager Amundi and Morgan Stanley were among the biggest buyers, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Spokesmen for all the firms declined to comment. Vladimir Chubar, Credit Bank of Moscow's CEO, acknowledged that Rosneft is one of the lender's largest clients, but he said in a text message to Bloomberg that the scope of co-operation between the two companies didn't warrant a separate section in the February prospectus. "Credit Bank of Moscow, being the leader in recent years on international capital markets among all Russian banks, is extremely attentive to sanctions risks," Chubar said. "We are certain that our format of servicing Rosneft and its structures does not carry such risks." Some investors see Credit Bank of Moscow's Rosneft connection as a sign of strength. (Bloomberg) Ireland's economy could benefit if our workplaces were optimised with up-to-date technologies and changes in culture and environment, according to new research. The study, carried out by Ricoh and Oxford Economics, found that 3.4bn could be unlocked by firms here through digital transformation. Adopting ethical business practices and enhancing office workspaces were also cited as ways to generate more GDP in 'The Economy of People'. The research found that sectors that would benefit most from this overhaul would be financial services (1bn), healthcare (854m), business services (555m), education (489m) and the public sector (468m). Managers and employees across the UK and Ireland took part in the study which found that the large majority (93pc) of Irish workers' productivity levels are impacted by their workstations. The standard of the general office environment, namely airflow and lighting, and communal areas, including break-out rooms and meeting areas, were noted by staff as playing a part. Business leaders agreed, with 87pc surveyed believing that office environment has an effect on working performance and 67pc noting that the optimisation of workstations was crucial. But, while technology and remote working tools remain important to Irish workers, 90pc said that business ethics and values encourage them to work more effectively. "This new research really demonstrates the importance of culture, workspace and technology in terms of employee efficiency and business performance," Chas Moloney, Director, Ricoh Ireland and UK, said. "Of course, its not solely about output, its about enabling effective decision-making, promoting wellbeing, encouraging innovation and establishing trust among workers. "Irish businesses have a responsibility to assess and enhance where and how people work. In return, companies will benefit from heightened levels of productivity and employees who are invested in the optimal office. Dublin-based financial services firm IFG has said its failure to conclude a deal to sell its financial planning and investment management arm, Saunderson House, has not had a material effect on new client wins to date, though some existing clients deferred making new investments. Ahead of its AGM today, the company said that it may see some knock-on impact in the coming months, as the creation of new client pipeline is likely to have been affected to some extent. However, the company said that clarity brought about by the decision not to proceed with the sales process will remove uncertainty for both new and existing clients. Overall, the Saunderson House business achieved 77 new client wins across both advisory and discretionary management services in the three months to 31 March, and now serves 2,214 clients, up 9.8pc from March 2017. Assets under advice at Saunderson House at 31 March 2018 were 5.1bn - up 8pc on 31 March 2017. This figure is in line with 31 December 2017 with net inflows during the quarter offset by adverse market movements, the company said. Meanwhile new client wins of 1,400 at the groups James Hay arm were down 10.8pc on the prior quarter and 14.2pc lower than the first quarter in 2017. "We believe this reflects the performance of the wider platform market, driven by a slowdown in the DB transfer market, equity market volatility, and adviser focus on factors such as GDPR and MiFID," IFG said. Assets under administration under the James Hay arm at 31 March 2018 were 25.4bn - up 9.1pc from 31 March 2017. This figure is slightly below 31 December 2017 (25.5bn) with net inflows during the quarter offset by adverse market movements. Whilst there has been a modest fall in cash balances held on the platform, the repricing, together with the increase in the Bank of England Base Rate announced in November 2017, delivered significantly improved revenues and profits in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2017, IFG said. Commenting on her recent appointment as chief executive, Kathryn Purves said she was "delighted" to have joined the executive team. "The group owns two businesses which continue to perform well and we have a clear focus on addressing the legacy issues within the business and delivering value to shareholders, Ms Purves said. "We are reviewing how best to deliver this and I look forward to updating the market in due course." Overall the group said that its profitability in the first three months of 2018 is "materially ahead" on the same period last year. IFG said that its underlying businesses have had a "positive" first quarter and were well positioned for long-term growth. Headquartered and listed in Ireland, IFGs main business operations are in the UK. It is valued at around 190m. A SPANISH trade union negotiating recognition with Ryanair has warned that if its final proposal is rejected by the airline, talks will collapse. The union, Sepla, claimed Ryanair's position is "totally surprising and leads us to believe that they do not intend to reach an agreement". Sepla is understood to be planning to file a lawsuit against Ryanair in Spain in an effort to have the carrier subject to Spanish labour laws, if it rebuffs the union's final negotiating position. In a letter to its pilot members, Sepla said that the union council that represents Ryanair pilots was "moderately optimistic" following a meeting last month with Ryanair management. However, the council's chief delegate, Juan Antonio Canete Ruiz, said following the meeting, the union received a new recognition proposal from Ryanair "which differed from the spirit of the meeting". Mr Canete Ruiz said that rejection of the union's final recognition proposal, which was sent to Ryanair last Friday, "would lead to a breakdown of negotiations". There are about 700 Ryanair pilots in Spain, and about 65pc of them are members of Sepla. Ryanair declined to comment. The carrier, headed by CEO Michael O'Leary, has been thrashing out recognition agreements with unions across Europe. A union recognition agreement with Irish trade union Forsa, formerly Impact, has still not been agreed. Ryanairs digital platform has received one billion visitors in the 12 months to March 2018. This is the first time in the airlines history that the visitor milestone has been reached. To celebrate the announcement the airline is launching a 'Thanks a Billion' flash sale, with seats on its website and app available from 19.99. However customers will have to be quick as the flights must be booked before midnight this Friday. The visitor record, which came from both the airlines website and app, means that the airlines digital platform received more visitors than Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, KLM and Iberia combined, a statement from Ryanair said. Breaking it down and the huge volume of people visiting the website and app works out at 22 visits per second over the 12 month period. "We are delighted to reach this milestone of one billion visits in a year, the equivalent of nearly every man, woman and child in Europe and the USA visiting Ryanairs platforms," Kenny Jacobs of Ryanair, said. We're not running away with ourselves here - but Ireland is definitely going to win the Eurovision Song Contest again on Saturday. Fickle we may be - for years we pretended we didn't care about the Eurovision. But since Ireland's Ryan O'Shaughnessy qualified for the final last night from the "semi final of death" (DEATH lads, the losers were executed) - we've been swept up in a wave of nostalgic Eurovision nationalism. Bunting is being dusted off, Eurovison parties planned and sparkly Fr Ted blazers flying off the shelves as we prepare for win number eight. Sure wouldn't they all love to come to Dublin next May for some overpriced pints and rain? Right, now that our trip to fantasy land is over - can Ireland actually ever win this thing again? Here's five reasons to be hopeful. Song with all the feels Yes, shocking though it may be, the strength of our song plays well in this song competition. Lyrically, it's probably the strongest of any entry this year (although that's not hard when you're competing with gems such as 'Luna moon me up' and being 'stronger than cannonballs'). The heartbreaking lyrics played off the sweetness of Ryan's vocal work a treat. Two types of song broadly have been winning Eurovison of late - uptempo party songs (Sweden's Euphoria and Heroes) or ones that pack an emotional punch (Portugal last year, Ukraine in 2016 and Conchita for Austria in 2014). And our song punches you right in the heart, in a non violent or heart attack-inducing fashion. Video of the Day It's the economy staging, stupid For years, we have lagged sorely behind our fellow Europeans in the staging of our entries. Staging doesn't mean a gimmick - it doesn't require someone on a unicycle projected by rockets playing a nose flute. Staging just means presenting the song in a way that the viewer can visually understand the story as well as listening to the lyrics. Social media was alight with the 'goosebump moment' of last night's Irish entry as snow fell on stage and the camera swept behind the dancers to reveal a sea of lights in the audience. We got it so right this year. Ryan is a man with a plan It always helps when the performer believes that their song will qualify, and since day one Ryan spoke of how he felt he'd make the cut. While the rest of us were cursing and plotting Irexit awaiting slot number 10 last night, Ryan still thought it would be them. Sure enough it was. In recent years it's felt on occasion that we've been beaten before the first note of the song has been sang. The confidence and belief shown by the Irish team has paid off. Read More Running order We have been drawn to perform in the second half of the final, which is always a massive boost for the televote. While juries (who account for 50pc of the final score) tend to take in everything, viewers at home are more prone to remember something they've seen recently. We don't want to come on too late, as people start to shut down around song 25 - but if we can land a nice slot between 16 and 22 we'll be off to a great start. Anyone can win For the early part of this century we blamed a mass eastern conspiracy for our Eurovision woes. "No Western country will ever win again, they have it sown up", angry liveline callers would shout. Well if that was true (which it wasn't), it certainly isn't the case now. In the last ten years, Norway, Germany, Denmark, Austria and Portugal have all won. Add to that Sweden's two wins over the same period. Last year, Portugal won for the first time in its 53 year history at Eurovison. Their best result prior to that was sixth place. Eurovison has always been an unpredictable machine. Anyone can win. That means us too. Ryan O'Shaughnessy will perform in the final of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest this Saturday at 8pm on RTE One. Retired Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness with her grandchildren Maeve Feddis (18) and Cian Parry (16) at the launch of Grandparents for Repeal. Photo: Steve Humphreys Health Minister Simon Harris has described graphic posters erected in his constituency as a "low blow", but said he won't be intimidated. The posters erected in his Wicklow constituency show his face alongside what appears to be an aborted foetus. Mr Harris said the posters were "upsetting" for both his family and people locally, including schoolchildren. He appealed to people to return to a civil campaign. "No matter how upset I am or my family are, it's nowhere near as upsetting as the nine women travelling abroad today from this country to access terminations," he said. "It's nowhere near as upsetting as the three women today who will take abortion pills, alone, isolated and without medical support." Mr Harris said he will continue his work in calling for a Yes vote. "I have no intention of being intimidated in any way, shape or form from getting the facts and information out as we enter the last two weeks and a bit of this campaign," he said. Meanwhile, former ministers Liz McManus (Labour) and Gemma Hussey (Fine Gael) described the depiction on the posters as a "horror show" and the people who support them "hopeless cases". Ms Hussey and Ms McManus were speaking at the launch of Grandparents for Repeal, a pro-repeal group also involving broadcaster Vincent Browne and retired judge Catherine McGuinness. Mr Browne was forced to pull out of his appearance at the event at the last minute due to illness, a campaign spokesperson told the Irish Independent. Ms McManus said the anti- repeal side was 'overdosing' on "unsettling and disturbing" posters. She added that she was the subject of smear campaigns in the past which then resulted in support "going up". "It's actually disgraceful that children are being exposed to these things," she said in relation to the posters placed outside schools. Former education minister Gemma Hussey said: "People will say that is not acceptable, and those that accept them are hopeless cases anyway - they were going to vote 'No' anyway". Ms McManus also welcomed the referendum on abortion, saying the last time Ireland held a vote relating to abortion in 2001, the Oireachtas Committee hearings were addressed by a priest, a Muslim imam, a Jewish rabbi, doctor, lawyer, academic but "never once did we hear from a woman who had actually had an abortion. Never once", she said. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan also criticised the posters on Twitter describing them as "obscene". Mr Harris later welcomed the fact that the posters would be taken down. A spokesperson for Wicklow County Council has said it has referred the matter to the returning officer. Louise ONeill, centre, with Meadhbh McHugh, right, who adapted the book Asking For It for the stage in collaboration with Annabelle Comyn, left, as they gather with the cast and creative team. Photo: Mark Steadman The plot of Louise O'Neill's 2015 novel 'Asking For It' is "more important" in the wake of the Ulster rugby rape case, the author has said. Earlier this year, rugby players Paddy Jackson (26) and Stuart Olding (25) were found unanimously not guilty of rape after a nine-week trial at Belfast Crown Court. The case prompted national debate and resulted in national school curriculums being adapted to include classes on consent. Ms O'Neill's award-winning second novel was published far in advance of the case. Based in the fictional Cork town of Ballinatoom, it deals with issues of assault, rape, consensual sex, and victim blaming. Ms O'Neill's book has been adapted for the stage and will premiere at the Everyman Theatre in Cork as part of its Midsummer Festival, before playing at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. "The book was written in 2015 and in a way it feels more contemporary now, and more important now in some ways," Ms O'Neill said. "The story, not necessarily the book." During the course of the Ulster trial, Ms O'Neill refrained from commenting on any aspect of the case. "There were people tweeting me... I was always slightly wary because I didn't want it to seem [as if] I was trying to capitalise on that. "I always thought these conversations were better started as a result of art - be that a play or a piece of fiction or a stage adaptation - rather than off the back of a woman's lived experience." When the verdict of the case was handed down, Ms O'Neill contacted the producers adapting her book. "I emailed them saying thank you for re-interpreting this work because I think now more than ever that [conversation] needs to happen," she said. 'Asking For It' won Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards, and spent 52 weeks in the Irish top 10 bestsellers. Ms O'Neill realised soon after the book was published that it had taken on a life of its own. "I always thought it was a separate entity but I believed in the conversation it caused," she explained. "I am happy this play will continue that conversation and give it momentum." THE WAY Anglo Irish Bank accounted for a multi-billion euro interbank deal in its end of 2008 results was misleading and inaccurate, an expert witness has told a jury. Accountancy expert Dan Taylor said Anglos preliminary results did not disclose the connection between 7.2bn in customer deposits and the same amount in advances and loans to banks after it had exchanged cash with Irish Life and Permanent (ILP). The deal took place at the height of the global financial crisis that September and Anglo released its preliminary report to the stock exchange in December. Mr Taylor was giving evidence for the prosecution in the trial of Anglos former CEO David Drumm, who denies conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. Judge Karen OConnor, presiding, advised the jurors that Mr Taylors evidence was his opinion only, and that the issues in the case were for them alone to decide. This is not a trial by accountant, its a trial by jury, she said. Mr Drumm (51) is pleading not guilty to conspiring to defraud by dishonestly creating the impression that Anglo's customer deposits were 7.2bn larger than they were in September 2008. The case centres on a series of interbank deposits which circulated between Anglo and ILP. The transfers were routed through Irish Life Assurance (ILA), returning to Anglo where they were then treated as customer deposits, which are a better indicator of a banks health. Mr Drumm also denies false accounting, by providing misleading information to the market. Mr Taylor had begun testifying on a previous day and was concluding his evidence this afternoon. Paul OHiggins SC, prosecuting, asked him about Anglos end of 2008 preliminary announcement which was published and released to the stock exchange on December 3 that year. Mr Taylor said there was a provision in stock exchange rules for the omission of certain information from preliminary announcements that would be contrary to the public interest or detrimental to the listed company. The proviso was that the omission would not be misleading with regard to facts and circumstances, knowledge of which is essential for an assessment. Mr OHiggins asked if the accounting standards board had anything to say about the role of preliminary announcement. The preliminary announcement should be in accordance the companys normal accounting policies, Mr Taylor said. The standards board provided guidance about what should be included in the announcement, which was the first external communication about a banks year end performance. It plays a key part in the reporting cycle and enables to market to assess whether a companys performance has met, exceeded or fallen short of expectations, Mr Taylor said. According to the standards board, he continued, the preliminary announcement must be done on a timely basis and the information in it must be reliable and sufficient to permit an immediate and informed assessment of a companys overall performance. There was an expectation that the information in the announcement was consistent with that in the audited financial statements. To permit this, the statements must be complete or at an advanced stage. All figures in the two should agree and other information or commentary in the announcement should be consistent with the figures. There was also guidance around management commentary which stated that it should provide adequate information on the performance of a business. The guidance went on to state that the commentary and notes to the preliminary announcement should explain any other matters the directors think would help users to understand the report. The preliminary announcement was a summary of the full financial statement, Mr Taylor said. The overall purpose (of the guidelines) is to set out the requirements for preliminary announcements so that the market, investors, can assess the financial performance and position of a company, Mr Taylor said. Mr OHiggins asked him if there were any specific requirements as to precise things that had to be disclosed. Mr Taylor said directors had a degree of discretion as to what could be provided and could make a judgement. Mr OHiggins asked Mr Taylor to apply these guidelines to Anglos preliminary announcement of December 3, 2008 and if he had any comments to make. Mr Taylor said the announcement would have been the first indication to the market of Anglos year end results and financial position and there would have been a large degree of significance placed on them by market participants. Mr OHiggins asked if anything caught his attention. Having reviewed the preliminary announcement, it was clear that the figures were extracted from the financial statements that were ultimately published and they did show the ILP/ILA transactions on the balance sheet gross, he said. Whether transactions were settled gross or net was an issue that had been raised a number of times before the jury. The consequence of showing them gross is that there was an additional amount of 7.2bn in the Loans and Advances to Banks asset category of the summary and an additional 7.2bn in Customer Accounts, or customer deposits, Mr Taylor continued. The jury was then shown the Chief Executives Review section of Anglos preliminary announcement. Mr OHiggins asked Mr Taylor what this suggested. It shows that there is an increase in the level of customer deposits which is highlighted using the words strong performance of our customer deposits business, he replied. Mr Taylor said the review stated specifically The continued strong performance of the banks customer base reflects a strong service ethos. Mr OHiggins asked if there was a note explaining in any more detail what the circumstances of the transactions were. There was no specific disclosure relating to the balances relating to the ILP/ILA transactions and no disclosure about the connection between the 7.2bn of Loans and Advances to Banks and the 7.2bn of customer accounts balances, Mr Taylor said. From an accounting point of view, what comments do you have to make about the form in which the preliminary announcement was made? Mr OHiggins asked. From an accounting perspective how the transactions should have been treated, how they lacked commercial substance, its my view that the inclusion of those balances in the preliminary announcement and the related narrative comment was misleading and inaccurate in the preliminary announcement, he said. Mr OHiggins asked him about the relevant accounting standard, IAS32, and what happened if this required someone to account for a transaction in that way. Looking at IAS32 and the netting requirement, Mr Taylor replied, that fails to consider whether or not the balances should be recognised in the first place because they didnt have any commercial substance. Bernard Condon SC, defending, said he had no questions for the witness. Before the jury retired for the day, Judge OConnor said she wanted to explain that the evidence of Mr Taylor was opinion evidence called by the prosecution. It is his opinion which he has expressed and its no more than an opinion, she said. It is a matter for the jury to decide the issues in this trial and entirely a matter for the jury. She told the jurors they were entitled to believe or disbelieve any part of Mr Taylors evidence and attach whatever weight they decided to it. The trial continues. Former press officer Dave Taylor, left, with the then commissioner Martin Callinan and deputy commissioner Noirin OSullivan in 2013 Former Garda press officer Dave Taylor had 11,000 contacts with journalists during a four-month period after he left the role, the Disclosures Tribunal has heard. The extent of the contact was discovered by gardai investigating whether information about the taking into care of a Roma child in October 2013 had been unlawfully disclosed to a reporter. Supt Taylor was identified as a person of interest in the inquiry after phone records appeared to contradict his claim that he first learned of the matter from the press. The inquiry was later broadened out to include 12 distinctive disclosures of sensitive information to journalists. Chief Supt Frank Clerkin, who led the investigation, said he sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions in August 2015 recommending that Supt Taylor be prosecuted for unlawful disclosure of information. However, an official at the Office of the DPP directed no prosecution, saying: "While highly suspicious, I do not think that it is possible to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the suspect disclosed confidential information." Supt Taylor, who was suspended at the time, was then reinstated to the force. Chief Supt Clerkin gave evidence of checks the inquiry team did on communications involving Supt Taylor between 2013 and 2015. Supt Taylor was transferred out of the Garda Press Office to the traffic bureau in June 2014, but the investigation found he maintained contact with certain journalists. Micheal P O'Higgins SC, counsel for a number of senior gardai, said Supt Taylor appeared to have been running "a parallel press office". "He certainly provided a lot of information to particular journalists, yes," agreed Chief Supt Clerkin. The tribunal heard that from September to December 2014, Supt Taylor had over 11,000 contacts with journalists. Some 2,858 of these were with Eavan Murray, crime correspondent with 'The Sun'. There was also a much smaller number of contacts with 'Sunday Times' journalist John Mooney and Juno McEnroe of the 'Irish Examiner'. Supt Taylor has claimed he briefed all three negatively about Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe. The tribunal is investigating claims by Supt Taylor that he was directed by former commissioner Martin Callinan, and with the knowledge of then deputy commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan, to spread a false sexual assault allegation against Sgt McCabe. Chief Supt Clerkin said his investigation suggested Supt Taylor passed press clippings and critical incident reports from the Garda press office to journalists. Some 26 stories, labelled "exclusive", were published by Ms Murray which he believed were drawn from critical incident reports. These included stories about the burglary of the home of a minister, a tiger kidnapping, and two rapes. Chief Supt Clerkin said he took the issue "extremely seriously" as he felt Garda security systems were being compromised. "I felt it was outrageous what he was doing," he said. Earlier, a civilian member of the Garda Press Office, Chrissie Fitzpatrick, said Supt Taylor "felt he had been shafted" when he was transferred and blamed Ms O'Sullivan and Garda director of communications Andrew McLindon. Civilian press officer Brenda O'Grady also said Supt Taylor was annoyed with his transfer and saw it as "a demotion" and "an insult". The tribunal heard he had "a rant" on the phone with her and "was giving out" about Ms O'Sullivan. Supt Taylor also rang her asking for a list with the contact details of 600 journalists. Although she printed off the list, she had second thoughts about giving it to him as she felt it was an inappropriate request. The High Court will today hear a challenge by Independent News & Media (INM) to the decision by the corporate watchdog to seek the appointment of inspectors to the company. The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, has observed that, if successful in the judicial review, INM would deal a knockout blow to the application by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE). The ODCE made the application last month following a year-long investigation into various corporate governance issues at Irelands largest media group. In an affidavit, ODCE director Ian Drennan expressed concern that the companys affairs may have been conducted in an unlawful manner and for an unlawful purpose. He also had concerns that certain actions had taken place that were unfairly prejudicial to some shareholders in INM. The ODCE fears the range of potentially unlawful conduct that may have taken place within the company is extensive and that there are compelling public interest grounds for inspectors to be appointed. Central to the applications are concerns about a major suspected data breach at the company in 2014, concerns that inside information may have been passed to INMs largest shareholder Denis OBrien, and whistleblower complaints in relation to the proposed deal for INM to buy Newstalk and a proposed success fee associated with the sale of INMs shares in an Australian media group. However, in the judicial review proceedings, INM is set to argue it should have been given notice of the ODCE's intention to seek inspectors, as well as an opportunity to make submissions before the application was brought. INM will also argue its rights to fair procedures and natural and constitutional justice were breached. In an affidavit filed with the High Court, INM non-executive director Dr Len OHagan said the company was not afforded an opportunity to address specific matters which Mr Drennan says are a cause of concern. He said he believed a number of Mr Drennans concerns were based on a misunderstanding or an incomplete understanding of important facts and that incorrect statements by Mr Drennan were damaging to INM. Dr OHagan observed that Mr Drennan had said the decision to seek the appointment of inspectors was not taken lightly or precipitously. The INM director said this averment made the decision by the ODCE not to afford INM an opportunity to address concerns or to make submissions regarding the necessity for the appointment fo inspectors all the more difficult to understand. Independent News & Media (INM) has begun its High Court challenge to the decision by the corporate watchdog to seek the appointment of inspectors to the company. The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) is seeking approval for inspectors, with far-reaching powers, to be appointed to investigate a range of corporate governance issues at the countrys largest media group. But in judicial review proceedings which began today, the company has argued the decision by the ODCE to seek inspectors was unfair and that INM was not afforded fair procedures. Paul Gallagher SC, counsel for INM, told the court that despite the ODCE conducting a 14-month-long inquiry, the application for the appointment of inspectors on March 23 last came as a bolt out of the blue. He told Mr Justice Seamus Noonan the company should have been given the opportunity to make submissions to the ODCE in advance of that date so it could address some of the issues raised. These were outlined in an affidavit filed by ODCE director Ian Drennan in support of the inspectors application. INM has argued the issues of concern can be dealt with without the appointment of inspectors. Among other issues, the concerns the ODCE wants inspectors to investigate include a major suspected data breach at the company in 2014, where an interrogation of data was apparently directed by former INM chairman Leslie Buckley. The ODCE is also concerned that inside information, within the meaning of EU market abuse regulations, may have been passed to INMs largest shareholder Denis OBrien by Mr Buckley. The ODCE also raised concerns over the content of whistleblower disclosures in relation to the proposed deal for INM to buy Newstalk and a proposed success fee for a company owned by Mr OBrien in connection with the sale of INMs shares in an Australian media group. The ODCE is also concerned with how INM handled those protected disclosures. Mr Gallagher said Mr Drennan expressed serious criticism of INM but the company had not been in a position to address some of the concerns as it was not made aware of them prior to the application by the ODCE. He said, for example, INM was not aware before then of the existence of a list of 19 names discovered by the ODCE in connection with the suspected data breach. The company did not know that this document suggested an explanation for the interrogation of data put forward by Mr Buckley to INMs board and consultants Deloitte was incorrect. Mr Gallagher said the fact this matter was disclosed for the first time in the application was very damaging as it prevented INM from reporting it before then to the Data Protection Commissioner and from informing employees involved. He also said it was extremely damaging for a media company where the trust of its employees by the public was of paramount importance. Mr Gallagher said the inside information issue had not previously been brought to the companys attention. He also described as factually wrong a claim by Mr Drennan that the first thing a board committee did when it met to investigate a protected disclosure by former INM chief executive Robert Pitt was to discuss how he might be sacked. The barrister argued that Mr Drennan was under a duty to afford INM the right to make representations. But instead there was a process that was inherently unfair, he said. Mr Drennans decision to seek the appointment of inspectors had very serious consequences for INM, Mr Gallagher argued. The barrister said this damage was not just reputational. Mr Gallagher said the court had received credible evidence of significant damage in terms of the companys share price. He said the court would hear of the impact on the company of not only dealing with the ODCE application, but also in dealing with it at a time when media companies are under severe stress due to changed market conditions. Mr Gallagher said the company accepted that ultimately it was a decision for the director to seek the appointment of inspectors, that this had to be based on relevant considerations, and that it was a considerable step. But he said these these were also three reasons why there should be a right to fair procedures. The director, he argued, had precluded himself from receiving very relevant information. This justifies the quashing of Mr Drennans decision, he said. Mr Gallagher is making submissions to the court today. Brian Murray SC, for the ODCE, will address the court tomorrow. The ODCEs application came before High Court President Mr Justice Peter Kelly last month, but will not be able to proceed if INMs judicial review is successful. Mr Justice Kelly observed a success for INM in the judicial review proceedings would deal a knockout blow to the application. In an affidavit, Mr Drennan expressed concern that the companys affairs may have been conducted in an unlawful manner and for an unlawful purpose. He also had concerns that certain actions had taken place that were unfairly prejudicial to some shareholders in INM. The ODCE fears the range of potentially unlawful conduct that may have taken place within the company is extensive and that there are compelling public interest grounds for inspectors to be appointed. In an affidavit opposing the appointment of inspectors, INM non-executive director Dr Len OHagan said the company was not afforded an opportunity to address specific matters which Mr Drennan says are a cause of concern. He said he believed a number of Mr Drennans concerns were based on a misunderstanding or an incomplete understanding of important facts and that incorrect statements by Mr Drennan were damaging to INM. Dr OHagan observed that Mr Drennan had said the decision to seek the appointment of inspectors was not taken lightly or precipitously. The INM director said this averment made the decision by the ODCE not to afford INM an opportunity to address concerns or to make submissions regarding the necessity for the appointment fo inspectors all the more difficult to understand. The Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin Two Dublin men have pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to possession of a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Stephen Dunne (39) and Gary Gleeson (34) were arrested and charged after detectives intercepted a van during an operation targeting organised crime in Dublin in August 2017. This morning, before the non-jury Special Criminal Court, the men entered guilty pleas to the possession of a 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol as well as the possession of 10 rounds of 9mm calibre ammunition with intent to endanger life. The incident took place at Naas Road, Crumlin Dublin 12 on August 7 last year. The men stood in the dock when the charges were put to them, and both responded by saying "guilty". Dunne, with an address at Meile an Ri Drive in Lucan, and Gleeson, of Muskerry Road in Ballyfermot, were remanded in custody pending a sentence hearing on June 22. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Flann Brennan, sought governors' reports from Mountjoy for the two men. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC and Michael O'Higgins SC, for the two defendants, asked for a six week adjournment so they could furnish a number of reports to the court. The men had previously been charged with conspiracy to murder Dublin man Michael Frazer on dates between July 28 and August 7 last year. Catholic primary schools will be legally banned from using a baptism certificate to choose pupils for entry under historic changes agreed by the Cabinet yesterday. The momentous move, which will affect nine in 10 of the nation's primary schools, will take effect for pupils starting school in September 2019. First, it has to pass into law, but there is widespread support in the political system for reform on this front. However, it is certain to trigger a backlash from the Catholic Church, which has been allowed to discriminate in favour of children baptised in its faith, in the interests of protecting the religious ethos of a school. But, in the modern era, it leads to parents baptising children solely for school admission. Education Minister Richard Bruton has announced the "baptism barrier" change as part of the wider reform of school admissions. "It is unfair that a local child of no religion is passed over in favour of a child of religion, living some distance away for access to their local school. "Parents should not feel pressured to baptise their child to get access to their local school," he said. Previous ministers for education were advised that it was not legally possible to single out Catholic schools for a change of this nature, but a Department of Education spokesperson said they had "worked extensively with the Office of the Attorney General to ensure the amendments being introduced are constitutionally robust". All of the country's 2,800 Catholic primary schools will have to rewrite their admissions policies and remove religion as a criterion for entry. However, not all Catholic schools will be materially affected, as most, particularly in rural areas, can accommodate all comers. But it will have an impact on about 20pc of primary schools - many of them in Dublin and other large urban centres - where there is competition for places. Schools of minority religions - defined as a religion whose membership is not in excess of 10pc of the population as established by the Census - are exempt from the proposed change. Minority religions account for about 5pc of schools, and the exemption is to ensure that an individual can find a place in a school that is aligned to their beliefs. About 5pc of schools are multi- or non-denominational and are covered by the change, although, in practice, they do not give priority to religion. Mr Bruton is introducing the proposal as one of three amendments to the Educations (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2016, which is now at the final stages of the parliamentary process. The other two amendments provide for Irish medium schools to give priority to Irish-speaking children and give power to the minister to require a school to open a special class for children with special educational needs. Other key features of the proposed legislation include a ban on school waiting lists and a ban on deposits in non fee-charging schools. Mr Bruton has also confirmed that, for the first time, there will be a cap, of 25pc, on the number of places schools may reserve for children of past pupils. He said that while 90pc of primary schools were of a Catholic ethos, over 20pc, and growing, of the parent-age population was non-religious. In addition, recent statistics show that only 51pc of marriages occurred in a Catholic ceremony. About 5pc of schools are multi- or non-denominational and they are covered by the change, although that would already be practice in this sector. Q&A I am a committed Catholic. Does this change mean that my child will not get into the local Catholic primary school? It depends on how much competition there is for places, but the days of Catholic schools giving priority to children baptised in their faith will end if this is enacted. The distance you live from the school and whether your child already has a sibling there could be important factors. I am no longer a practising Catholic, and I was going to baptise my child purely to ensure that she is placed high on the list for entry to the local school, which is Catholic. Should I abandon my plans for baptism? That is up to you. The minister wants the "baptism barrier" to be gone for 2019 primary school entry, but his proposals have to be enacted in legislation and there is no guarantee when, and even if, that will happen. I am Church of Ireland. Does this affect my kids? No. Minority religion schools may continue to prioritise children of their faith. Will there be an appeals mechanism? The protection enjoyed by Catholic schools is covered by a derogation to equal status legislation and any appeals against refusal to admit would fall within the remit of the Workplace Relations Commission which deals with that legislation, rather than the Education Act. A pest control firm has been called to St James's Hospital more than 100 times in the past two years to deal with cockroaches, mice, beetles and ants. Black clock beetles - large carnivorous insects with sharp jaws - were found in a specialised unit for patients undergoing bone-marrow transplants. Other vermin were discovered in an endoscopy theatre and on bedside tables. In 2015, the company attended the hospital sterile services unit (HSSU) four times, according to documents released under the Freedom of Information Act. On one occasion, a mouse was caught in the kitchen. Another mouse was thought to have scuttled into a sterilisation machine. Infestation The firm was also called four times to the hospital's breast care clinic where problems included a rodent in a staff tearoom, an infestation of flies in reception and a "bad smell" that staff said was "a common occurrence". Towards the end of last year, the company was called to a kitchenette in a private ward where it found a mouse feeding off bait. Another rodent was reported in an endoscopy theatre. Traps were set, and three days later a mouse was caught in the theatre's observatory room. The company was also called to inspect droppings found in a cupboard beside an operating theatre. On closer inspection, dead woodlice were found. On two occasions in August, pigeons that had entered Mercer's Institute for Successful Ageing (MISA) could not be removed, despite the pest control company's best efforts. "Could not remove pigeon," the technician noted in his inspection report. "May leave eventually." Two days later, the pigeon was joined by another. "Two pigeons flying around atrium in MISA," it was reported. "Technician couldn't remove them due to height and area involved. Door left open to assist pigeons out." In April 2015, two dead birds in a ceiling cavity caused an infestation of bluebottles in a meeting room in the administration building. Insecticide treatment was carried out. Ants were a recurring problem at the hospital during the two-year period. Up to 150 were found behind a locker in the department of clinical nutrition, while others were found in locations including a dialysis room and on a bedside table. More than 35,000 was spent on pest-control services by the hospital in the past two years. This included an outlay of 275 in February last year for a plastic hawk to scare away pigeons and gulls. St James's Hospital was contacted for comment in relation to pest control. It acknowledged the request but did not provide a response. A pest control company went to St James's Hospital in Dublin more than 100 times to deal with recurring infestations of rodents, insects and other pests in the past two years. Pest activity was reported in areas including a dialysis room, an endoscopy theatre, and on bedside tables in hospital wards, documents released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed. Among the creepy-crawlies reported at St James's Hospital during 2015 and 2016 were mice, ants, cockroaches and woodlice. Black clock beetles - large, carnivorous insects with sharp jaws - were also found by pest-control technicians in a specialised unit for patients undergoing bone-marrow transplants last August. In 2015, the company attended St James's Hospital Sterile Services Unit (HSSU) four times in response to reports of rodents. On one occasion, a mouse was caught in the HSSU kitchen, while another was suspected to have scuttled into an autoclave. The pest-control firm was also called to the hospital's Breast Care Clinic four times during the two-year period in response to complaints that included a rodent in a staff tearoom, an infestation of flies in the reception area, and a "bad smell" in the clinic, which staff said was "a common occurrence". Last October, the company responded to an emergency call-out and attended a kitchenette on a private ward where they found a mouse "actively feeding off bait". The mouse was "caught and bagged and removed", according to the inspection report. Towards the end of last year, a sighting of a rodent was reported in an endoscopy theatre at the hospital. Traps were set and, three days later, a mouse was caught in the theatre's observatory room. The company was also called to inspect droppings found in a cupboard beside an operating theatre. "Old, very dried-up, dead woodlice" were found in the same location upon inspection. On two occasions last August, stubborn pigeons that had entered Mercer's Institute for Successful Ageing (MISA) at the hospital refused to leave in spite of the pest control company's best efforts. "Could not remove pigeon," the technician noted in his inspection report. "May leave eventually." Two days later, the pigeon appears to have been joined by a friend. "Two pigeons flying around atrium," it was reported. "Technician couldn't remove them due to height and area involved... Door left open to assist pigeons out." In April 2015, two dead birds in a ceiling cavity were found to be the source of an infestation of bluebottles in a meeting room in the CEO building of the hospital. Insecticide treatment was carried out. Ants were a recurring problem during the two-year period. Up to 150 of the insects were found behind a locker in the Department of Clinical Nutrition, while others were found in different locations including a dialysis room and on a bedside table. More than 35,000 plus VAT was spent on pest-control services by the hospital in the past two years. This included an outlay of 275 in February 2016 for a plastic hawk to scare away pigeons and gulls. A public relations company contracted by St James's Hospital was contacted for comment in relation to pest control at the facility. It acknowledged the correspondence but did not provide a response. An inquest will be held later into the death of a teacher murdered and secretly buried by republican paramilitaries more than 30 years ago. The remains of Seamus Ruddy, a "Disappeared" victim of the Northern Expand Close Seamus Ruddy: abducted and killed by the INLA in 1985 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Seamus Ruddy: abducted and killed by the INLA in 1985 Ireland Troubles, were discovered in a French forest last year. The 32-year-old from Newry, Co Down was found at Pont-de-l'Arche, near Rouen in northern France in May 2017. The inquest into his death will be heard on Wednesday at Dublin Coroner's Court. Mr Ruddy was abducted in Paris in 1985 by the republican paramilitary group the INLA (Irish National Liberation Army). He was murdered and then secretly buried. Mr Ruddy was a former member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) - the political wing of the INLA. It is believed he was murdered amid a dispute with INLA members about an arms dump. The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) recovered Mr Ruddy's remains. The ICLVR was set up during the peace process by the UK and Irish governments to find the bodies of those secretly buried, mainly by the IRA, in the 1970s and 1980s. Three of the 16 Disappeared victims are still to be recovered. The remains of Columba McVeigh, Joe Lynskey and Robert Nairac have yet to be found. A violent criminal who murdered a woman was hiding out in a rural caravan after being on the run from UK police for more than 15 years. Roy Norman Kenyon had been serving a lengthy jail sentence for the murder of an elderly shopkeeper, who he beat to death with a poker following a row over 50p, when he fled the Oldham area. He was convicted of the murder of Margaret Potts in 1972, but absconded while on licence from HMP Leyhill in 2003. UK police had been searching for Kenyon for the last 15 years, but despite a number of public appeals he had not been caught. However, gardai recently received information that the killer had been staying in a caravan in the village of Eyeries on the Beara Peninsula. Last week, members of the Garda extradition unit, assisted by gardai from the Cork West division, arrested Roy Norman Kenyon on foot of a European Arrest Warrant. He appeared at a sitting of the High Court last Thursday in relation to the warrant. It has not yet been established if he will contest or accept extradition to the UK. Before his arrest in west Cork, the convicted killer had been staying in Tullamore, Co Offaly. A number of public appeals were made by Avon and Somerset Police in the hunt for the killer over the years. In 2011, the 40th anniversary of the murder carried out by Kenyon, the victim's daughter described her anger that Kenyon was still at large. Locals on the Beara peninsula, where Kenyon was last week arrested, expressed their shock at his violent past. He was regarded as a recluse, only associating with locals when he went for a drink in a pub in the area. "I just thought he was only an odd sort of fella," one local said. The funeral of Michael Stokes at the Sacred Heart church in Malahide HUNDREDS of mourners gathered in a Dublin church this morning to say farewell to Michael Stokes, the tiny but tough teenager who touched the heart of the nation. Michael, who died on Saturday just weeks before his 16th birthday, came to public prominence while appearing on Dermot Bannons 'Room to Improve' show on RTE. And this morning the architect joined Michaels legions of friends at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Malahide. Expand Close The funeral of Michael Stokes at the Sacred Heart church in Malahide, Co.Dublin Photo: Justin Farrelly / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The funeral of Michael Stokes at the Sacred Heart church in Malahide, Co.Dublin Photo: Justin Farrelly Parish priest Fr Martin Noone, said that while some may have thoughts the odds were stacked against Michael given his disability, the teenager was tiny but tough. What Michael has done in a few short years many of us, including myself, will not achieve in a long, long life, he told the packed church. Paying tribute to Michael at the end of the Mass, Eimir McGrath, who knew Michael all his life, said that when he was born a tiny fragile baby, he was not expected to survive. However Michael the warrior came into being, she said. Inside this little body was a giant-sized heart and an enormous capacity to love us as his life unfolded, said Ms McGrath. Expand Expand Previous Next Close The funeral of Michael Stokes at the Sacred Heart church in Malahide, Co.Dublin Photo: Justin Farrelly The funeral of Michael Stokes at the Sacred Heart church in Malahide, Co.Dublin Photo: Justin Farrelly / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The funeral of Michael Stokes at the Sacred Heart church in Malahide, Co.Dublin Photo: Justin Farrelly "As we all know he had a very special gift of [making] people positive by his very presence. "His sensitivity, openness and achievement to others were reflected in the special relationship he had built with those close to him as well as radiating out to all of those he met along the way." She told how Michaels life blossomed when he met his foster parents, Ann and Barry. Ann Higgins was his former teacher and, along with her husband Barry, they became full time foster parents of the young man in recent years. Ms McGrath said that Michael had increasingly discovered his own identify since moving in with Ann and Barry at their home in Malahide. It was this home that appeared on 'Room To Improve', and Michael's enthusiasm on the show that resonated so strongly with hundreds of thousands of viewers. Michaels life is not to be mourned today but to be embraced and followed," Ms McGrath said. Ms McGrath also spoke of Michaels mischievous sense of humour and his hilarious turn of phrase, a classic being Im sweating like a dolphin. She said Michael had typical teenage concerns, adding his cool hair was very important to him. Expand Close Dermot Bannon with Michael Stokes: He was an amazing teenager, the architect said / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dermot Bannon with Michael Stokes: He was an amazing teenager, the architect said He also might have had a kiss or two in the last few months, she revealed to laughter. She also paid tribute to Michaels parents, John Paul and Siobhan, for loving their son enough to share him with his foster parents, adding that he "two mammys and two daddys. The young man died last Saturday in Temple Street Children's Hospital in Dublin after what was described as a "tragic accident". His mother Ann thanked the staff at the hospital for caring so diligently for Michael in recent weeks. Its a testimony to him that so many nurses turned up yesterday and today. They could see his bravery in those few weeks, she added. She also thanked the children and staff of the CRC saying they welcomed Michael into their family. Among the gifts brought to the altar were a microphone, a Man United jersey, a pizza box, a DVD and a bottle of coke. After the funeral Mass Michaels remains were brought to Dardistown Cemetery for burial. Dublins police chief said An Garda Siochana is supporting the upcoming supervised injection centres because it is the right thing to do. Speaking at the Dublin City Council joint policing committee, Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy said policing never cured drug addiction, and backing the centres is not just about enforcing Government policy, but saving lives. Mr Leahy was discussing the proposed medically supervised injection facility (MSIF) following a presentation from the head of HSE addiction services, Dr Eamon Keenan. Dr Keenan told the committee debating the proposal that MSIF will both save the lives of the most struggling injectors and be cost-effective. According to North American estimates, the HSE will recoup 5.47m in savings in comparison to the 2.8m that is being spent on the centre. The contract for a pilot MSIF centre has been awarded to Merchants Quay Ireland in Dublin city centre. The next step is seeking planning permission from Dublin City council which creates the possibility of appeal by An Bord Pleanala. Dublin Councillor Cieran Perry, who strongly opposes the centre, said a legal grey are will be created if the project went through, saying it is unfair to have gardai decide if the possession of heroin is illegal or not. Mr Leahy acknowledged that there would be a learning curve and gardai were going to have to use discretion, but they cant search everyone and can only do so under reasonable suspicion. The Dublin police chief said surveillance would be used to identify the actual dealers, not users, which he said is common practice. Gardai in Limerick are investigating a serious assault of a youth at a wildlife sanctuary during the weekend. Around 8pm Saturday evening of the bank holiday weekend, the young teenage boy was allegedly assaulted by two other males at the wildlife sanctuary in Westfield Park on North Circular Rd, according to a Gardai spokesperson. He received serious but non-life threatening injuries and was taken to University Hospital Limerick, the Gardai representative said. No arrests have been made at this time and Gardai at Mayorstone garda station are continuing the investigation. Gardai at Mayorstone garda station can be reached at 061457980. Tenants living in Dublins north inner city are being forced out onto the streets by a group of mystery landlords in what is the second mass eviction in one week. Up to 40 tenants have been told to vacate two houses in Summerhill for fire safety reasons. Dublin Fire Brigade inspected the properties on Tuesday and found them to be in breach of fire safety regulations. However, according to the Property Price Register, these two houses were each sold for 350,000 three months ago. Tenants were not notified in writing of the eviction and were told by people acting on behalf of the property owners that they need to leave. Last week, tenants living in two separate houses on the same street were evicted under similar circumstances. Washington Bertolino da Silva (33), who has lived in one of the houses for two years, spoke to Independent.ie as he was packing up his belongings and searching on Facebook for somewhere to spend the night. I arrived here in 2016 and found out tonight we have to leave. I had to go to Penneys to buy suitcases and stuff to pack up my whole life. The conditions are not great but we have no other choice. At least in my room there are no bunkbeds and I only share with one other person... now I am searching in Facebook groups for somewhere to sleep. Look at all my suitcases, where can I go, he said. This house is divided into three flats shared by 24 people altogether. Expand Close One of the rooms previously shared by three women / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp One of the rooms previously shared by three women The five neighbouring houses are rented in the exact same manner, with people sleeping in the basement, the middle floors and in the attic. Read More Washington has been paying his rent to a Brazilian middleman who goes by Wesley. Independent.ie has contacted him for comment. Another tenant, who did not want to be identified as they feared not getting their deposit back, said: We were told we need to get out today. I have been paying rent of 330 and I share with three others. These guys are getting thousands of euro each month. There is a guy who always takes the money. It is very hard to get repairs. Whenever we asked, it was never done. We dont know the owners are, it is a mystery. Five other properties on the same street - including the two where up to 40 tenants were evicted last week - were all sold on the same date in December 2016. The details of the new owners have not yet been recorded with Land Registry. Independent.ie viewed the four houses where tenants have been evicted from and witnessed slum-like conditions in each of them, as the video footage shows. Tenant Pedro Martinez (25), who lived in a tiny box room in the attic of one of the houses, said: We were told originally that there would only be six people in the house but there are five in the basement, eight in the middle floor and five up in the attic. An Irish guy came around earlier saying everyone needs to get the f**k out. I had to leave my job to come back here to see what was happening. We had been raising concerns about the lack of emergency exits and fire safety stuff and then suddenly, the guy comes along saying we need to get out. Unfortunately, we have no choice but to live in these conditions. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Hezbollah Wins Election in Lebanon - Showdown With Israel Imminent? TicklePickle Registered User User ID: kaput 05-08-2018 11:16 PM Posts: 1,352 Post: #1 Hezbollah Wins Election in Lebanon - Showdown With Israel Imminent? Advertisement BEIRUT Lebanons Hezbollah paramilitary movement emerged Monday as the main victor in the countrys first election in almost a decade, securing veto power in the Lebanese parliament as the prime ministers fortunes fell. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/mid...311d1c5994 With Hezbollah gaining more power in Lebanon, neighboring Israel definitely won't be too happy. This might be why the Israelis launched attacks on bases in Syria, in addition to Trump cancelling the Iran deal. I should also mention that the last time Israel came into conflict with Lebanon, Israel was defeated and had to withdraw. Here's a bit of important news most of us probably missed:With Hezbollah gaining more power in Lebanon, neighboring Israel definitely won't be too happy.This might be why the Israelis launched attacks on bases in Syria, in addition to Trump cancelling the Iran deal.I should also mention that the last time Israel came into conflict with Lebanon, Israel was defeated and had to withdraw. (This post was last modified: 05-08-2018 11:19 PM by TicklePickle .) Spiddy Registered User User ID: 1337 05-08-2018 11:21 PM Posts: 18,164 Post: #2 RE: Hezbollah Wins Election in Lebanon - Showdown With Israel Imminent? If Hezbollah want a piece of Israel they're gonna have to go through America and it's right wing christian zionist Muslim hating population first. You really think they're up for that? As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. H.L. Mencken 1920. TicklePickle Registered User User ID: 1337 05-08-2018 11:27 PM Posts: 1,352 Post: #3 RE: Hezbollah Wins Election in Lebanon - Showdown With Israel Imminent? Spiddy Wrote: (05-08-2018 11:21 PM) If Hezbollah want a piece of Israel they're gonna have to go through America and it's right wing christian zionist Muslim hating population first. You really think they're up for that? It's always the other way around, e.g. Israel trying to start conflicts with neighboring countries. The last time Israel invaded Lebanon, dozens of their tanks got knocked out and they had to withdraw. It's always the other way around, e.g. Israel trying to start conflicts with neighboring countries.The last time Israel invaded Lebanon, dozens of their tanks got knocked out and they had to withdraw. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-08-2018 11:52 PM Post: #4 RE: Hezbollah Wins Election in Lebanon - Showdown With Israel Imminent? https://i.imgur.com/JtczWI4.jpg Israels treachery and skullduggery. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 12:16 AM Post: #5 RE: Hezbollah Wins Election in Lebanon - Showdown With Israel Imminent? TicklePickle Wrote: (05-08-2018 11:16 PM) Here's a bit of important news most of us probably missed: BEIRUT Lebanons Hezbollah paramilitary movement emerged Monday as the main victor in the countrys first election in almost a decade, securing veto power in the Lebanese parliament as the prime ministers fortunes fell. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/mid...311d1c5994 With Hezbollah gaining more power in Lebanon, neighboring Israel definitely won't be too happy. This might be why the Israelis launched attacks on bases in Syria, in addition to Trump cancelling the Iran deal. I should also mention that the last time Israel came into conflict with Lebanon, Israel was defeated and had to withdraw. it really was pathetic. Israel ran out of fuel and ammo after 2 days and had to appeal to the US for more welfare. They weren't able to invade on the ground and so they were limited to an air campaign targeting civilian infrastructure. it really was pathetic. Israel ran out of fuel and ammo after 2 days and had to appeal to the US for more welfare.They weren't able to invade on the ground and so they were limited to an air campaign targeting civilian infrastructure. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 12:17 AM Post: #6 RE: Hezbollah Wins Election in Lebanon - Showdown With Israel Imminent? Spiddy Wrote: (05-08-2018 11:21 PM) If Hezbollah want a piece of Israel they're gonna have to go through America and it's right wing christian zionist Muslim hating population first. You really think they're up for that? NOBODY in the US wants this war. NOBODY. well ten neocons and Hillary. NOBODY in the US wants this war. NOBODY.well ten neocons and Hillary. Two men have been arrested suspected of being part of an organised criminal network involving international fraud and money laundering. The men, aged 24 and 25, were arrested in Lucan, Co Dublin, on Wednesday, May 9. A Spanish company was deceived into transferring "significant amounts" to an Irish bank account, according to gardai. The Irish bank account was being operated under a company name by the arrested men. It is understood that the majority of the money has been recovered. A third man, aged 25, was arrested in Dublin city centre today suspected of deceiving an Irish company into transferring funds to an account he controlled. All of this money has been recovered. "Todays arrests by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau of those involved in the fraudulent theft of money from businesses both here in Ireland and abroad is extremely significant," Assistant Commissioner, Special Crime Operations, John ODriscoll said. "It is particularly satisfying to recover money that was stolen and could have resulted in companies, both at home and abroad, going out of business had it not been recovered." THE withholding of funds from Scouting Ireland is inhibiting their ability to hire staff to fill safeguarding roles and may see current staff let go, the group has said. The organisation saw some 1m state funding suspended in April by Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone when concerns about the groups handling of a rape allegation emerged. Representatives of Scouting Ireland appeared before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs. Martin Burbridge, the vice president of Scouting Ireland, told the committee the suspension of funding was having an immediate and serious impact on the finances of the group. The funding, which makes up about a third of the groups funding, pays for their national office and 34 professional staff. If the funding issue is not resolved in time staff will be placed on protective notice in June, Mr Burbridge said. Some key staff members had already left the organisation due to uncertainty over their role. It was also proving to be an inhibiting factor in attracting suitable staff as people are not keen to work in an organisation that may not be able to pay its existing staff in eight weeks he said. The group said an additional 10 staff are already required on top of the extra safeguarding staff and it does not have the financial resources to close this human resources gap. Safeguarding consultant Ian Elliot who has compiled a number of reports into a specific case and overall procedures of the organisation has recommended an overhaul of the way in which child safeguarding is addressed in the organisation. The previous set-up allowed for lobbying of members by those party to a complaint it was found. Read More In response Minister Zappone said it is not her intention that Scouting Ireland become insolvent. A report to be compiled by the former senator Jillian van Turnhout into the matter is due to be completed in the coming weeks. Scouting Ireland also apologised for any anxiety and hurt caused. The group pledged to improve in a number of areas including governance and safeguarding. Meanwhile, a barrister-led report into the handling of a rape allegation by the organisation is due to be concluded by the end of May. An allegation of rape was made by a female leader against a male leader. The complaint, disclosed in 2016, alleged the rape took place on a 2009 camping trip. When the DPP decided not to prosecute the man was reinstated without being officially vetted again as per garda advice. The board later approved the man's promotion, and some directors knew of the allegation against the man but did not inform others. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with his Cabinet and President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain Photo: Kyran OBrien JUSTICE Minister Charlie Flanagan has warned colleagues that leaking information from Cabinet meetings is a criminal offence. Senior government figures, including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, are understood to be furious after it was publicly reported that the Cabinet was split on whether to call for HSE boss Tony OBrien to resign. A number of media outlets, including Independent.ie, reported on Tuesday that ministers Katherine Zappone, Finian McGrath and Michael Ring believed the Director General should be forced from office. Ultimately they agreed to go along with the judgment of Health Minister Simon Harris who said the inquiry into the cancer scandal would be best served by keeping Mr OBrien in place until July. The leak was raised at a private meeting of Fine Gael TDs and senators tonight where the Taoiseach said he was very disappointed to face public questions on a discussion that took place at Cabinet. A source said Mr Varadkar described it as a very serious matter. Former Finance Minister Michael Noonan went even further, saying leaks from Cabinet were a breach of the constitution and the Officials Secrets Act. He also criticised the level leaking from the weekly Fine Gael meeting which takes place behind closed doors in Leinster House. He said people talking to journalists about private meetings were showing disloyalty to colleagues, said one TD. Mr Flanagan then told the attendance that he had recently discussed Cabinet leaks with a senior garda and there is no doubt that they are a criminal offence. The minister did not elaborate on the conversation with a garda but one TD said it sounded like a casual conversation. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina are greeted by Vice Admiral Mark Mellett Photo: COLIN ORIORDAN President Michael D Higgins with Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, Chief of The Defence Forces and Leo Varadkar at The 1916 Leaders Commemoration at Arbour Hill Photo: COLIN ORIORDAN PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins today led the State's annual Arbour Hill Commemoration Ceremony, laying a wreath at the burial plot of leaders of the 1916 Rising. He was joined by representatives of religious communities, the government, the judiciary and Defence Forces members in marking the sacrifice of those who led the rebellion against British rule 102 years ago. Those in attendance included the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill and Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin. Defence Forces chief of staff, vice admiral Mark Mellett, was also present and the celebrant of the mass was the Bishop of Limerick, the Most Rev. Brendan Leahy. The Arbour Hill cemetery on Dublin's northside is the final resting place of the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Republic including Padraig Pearse and James Connolly, as well as other executed 1916 leaders. One hundred soldiers of the 7th Infantry Battalion formed a guard of honour along the cherry blossom-lined path of the procession to the burial plot. Fr Seamus Madigan, head chaplain of the Defence Forces, led a series of prayers including some by representatives of the Church of Ireland and the Jewish and Islamic faiths among others. He said: "As we gather to remember the leaders of 1916, mindful of their sacrifice, we dedicate ourselves to working for a more just and inclusive society. "We give thanks to our loving God for the political and religious liberties and the rights that we enjoy today." The President then laid a wreath and a minute's silence was observed before the Army Number One Band played The Last Post and Amhran na bhFiann. Others in attendance included Tanaiste Simon Coveny, ministers Paschal Donohoe, Josepha Madigan and Denis Naughten, Fianna Fail deputy leader Dara Calleary and TD Eamon O Cuiv, and former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. The ants do not pose a physical risk, but can carry harmful bacteria should they come in contact with food and surfaces. The recent humid weather has caused a spike in the number of flying ant infestations across the country and it's the worst influx in recent memory according to experts. Flying ants are always a problem when temperatures are higher and the warmer weather also coincides with mating season for the insects. Michael Deehan of Effective Pest Control, in Dublin, told Independent.ie, this is the worst influx of flying ants that he has encountered in recent years. "We're always busy in July and August with these ants but this has been the worst in the last few years. The last two or three weeks we have been inundated with calls from people looking to get rid of them. Conservatories are the worst for them," he said. Tomas Murray, Ant Biologist and Ecologist at the National Biodiversity Data Centre in Waterford, explained why we are currently seeing a massive increase in ants in homes at this time of year. "It's the ideal time of year for them and the high point of their life cycle. It's a climatic trigger. It happens at this time of year, after the solstice, if it's the right temperature and when there's warmth and humidity," he said. "All the ants swarm at this time and they spread to other parts of the country to wherever those conditions are." Mr Murray also explained that this time of year was mating season for the ants and the reason they travel in swarms. "They mate at this time of year and everything in the swarm eventually dies except the queen and she will go to hibernate underground for the winter." He recommended that the best way to prevent ants invading your home is to "plug the point of entry". "They'll only come if they know there is food, so cover all exposed food. They're very difficult to get rid of, so block them at the point of entry," he said. Not all ants are pests however. "There's 23 different species of ants in Ireland and sometimes they are pests but they are useful to soil turnover and nutrition and aeration," Mr Murray said. Three years ago, when I was 28, my life changed forever when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). When I got the news, I thought for a brief moment that my life was over. It felt like all of my dreams, and everything that Id worked for throughout my twenties, had come to nothing. Multiple sclerosis means many scars. It affects the motor, sensory and cognitive functioning of the body. It is the most common debilitating neurological condition affecting young adults in Ireland. It is usually diagnosed between 20 and 40 years of age. Three times more women than men are diagnosed with MS and there is no known cause or cure. It was hard to understand why this had happened to me. Before I fell ill I had studied law and qualified as a barrister, but my real passion in life was horses and the sport of showjumping. So in 2012, I bit the bullet, loaded up my car, got on a ferry and headed to Germany to try and make a go of it. I spent the next three years, mainly in Holland, working as hard as I could and learning as much as possible while living my dream and competing full-time. Then, in July 2014, I lost the sight in my right eye after a bad tummy bug. I was diagnosed with optic neuritis and continued on with my life, but I just knew something wasnt right. Although my sight came back, from this point on my health just seemed to deteriorate. I had back pain and felt permanently exhausted, but because I led such a busy lifestyle, I thought it maybe just came with the territory. Little did I know there was actually something seriously wrong. Things got worse, right up to the point where I was hospitalised and finally diagnosed. I had no feeling from the waist down, no power in my legs, I had a dropped foot and shooting pins and needles going down my spine into my legs. I had no use of my right hand at all, I couldnt write, hold my phone, dress myself or basically do anything without help. I had to accept that my life had changed totally and I moved back home to Kill, Co Kildare. My sister, who is a primary school teacher, said my writing wasnt even as good as a four-year-old, and she spent hours teaching me how to hold a pen and write again. I also had the MS hug which feels like you are being choked around your ribcage. My balance was so bad I couldnt walk unaided or have a shower. My mum used to have to shower me while I sat in a chair and even staying in the chair was a challenge. I had no control over my bladder and my brain just did not function anymore. Things were bad. I was devastated to be told I couldnt ride competitively anymore because it would not be safe, given all of my symptoms. And thats the moment I thought my life was over. Without horses, it wasnt worth living. So I decided, no, I will prove them all wrong. And I began training really hard to learn how to control my body again. I started to work with Brian Murray, who is a strength and performance specialist based at IT Carlow. After I left hospital, he took over my rehab and working with him was the foundation that led to me being able to walk around normally and, in turn, get back to doing what I love doing. He changed my life by teaching me about conscious proprioception how to be aware of my body and how it moves and taught me to adapt and accept my new body. Without him I never would have achieved this. In April 2016, I returned to competitive showjumping and that was thanks to my hero and guardian angel my uncle, the showjumper Edward Doyle. Without his support, patience and encouragement, I wouldnt be here today. Getting back on a horse was not straightforward. I had this new body to contend with which, at the best of times, did not like cooperating. The lack of feeling in my hands and legs and my balance issues were a continuous battle for me. It was like learning how to ride all over again. Even the simplest thing like getting up on a horse is a momentous task and something I can never take for granted. I have to take an extra moment to ground myself and ensure I have control over my body and my balance before attempting to mount. In November 2015, and again in November 2016, I received my immune suppressant drug to try and halt the MS. All drugs come with side effects and this drug was very strong, so the risks were high. In April 2017, I suffered kidney failure and was diagnosed with Goodpasture syndrome, which is another auto-immune disease. I spent a long time in hospital, but after being so critically ill and nearly dying, the time passed by very quick. Today, I am on dialysis three days a week and when I am disease-free for six months, I can get a kidney transplant. Life for me now is very different than it was just a few years ago. There are times I feel like I am just existing, but not really living. But I can still ride, even though I was told that I couldnt get back in the saddle before having a transplant. Thankfully, with the unwavering support of my family, I managed to defy the odds and a few weeks ago I competed in my first show in nearly a year. It is a total struggle physically, but horses are what keep me fighting. I am not going to lie I cry after every show at the moment because I am so frustrated with my body. If having to contend with the MS symptoms was not enough, I now have the added struggle of being so unbelievably weak. When I am in the ring, I feel like I am gasping for air because kidney failure affects your lung capacity and also your bodys ability to carry oxygen to your other organs and muscles. I feel very lucky to be back riding, but I am a perfectionist at heart, so I find this constant battle with my body very frustrating. But the support from my uncle Edward and my Dad and brother helps they really understand how I feel, they keep me so positive and give me so much encouragement and support to keep fighting. It takes an army to keep all the broken pieces together. Since being diagnosed with MS there are days I feel as though I have lost everything. Firstly, everything I had worked so hard for and dreamed of, and then my health. I sometimes do not even recognise myself anymore it feels as though my body is not my own. But there is one very important thing that I have learnt along the way. Anything is possible when you put your mind to it. MS may have thought it had me, but it does not. I will always fight it and I will always win. As part of the campaign for MS research and vital services, MS Ireland is calling on people to help Kiss Goodbye to MS throughout the month of May. They are inviting people around Ireland to go red and Wear, Dare and Share: wear red or hold a red day, dare to get sponsored for an MS Ireland sky dive, and share with friends and family to spread the word. Please text KISS to 50300 to donate 4 and nominate others to take part. For more information, visit kissgoodbyetoms.ie. The first time Shona Maguire (31) heard the sound of waves, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Given that this was a relatively recent event, it's safe to assume that this young vet has faced enormous challenges over the years. Shona's problems began as a toddler, growing up in Swords, Co Dublin, when she experienced recurring chest infections. "There was a lot of back and forth to doctors," she recalls, "until finally, they looked in my ears." What they found was a worrying growth in one of her ears. Eventually, she was diagnosed with cholesteatoma. This occurs when abnormal cells collect deep inside the ear. These non-cancerous growths can cause a discharge from the ears, hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus. If left untreated, they can cause permanent hearing loss and, in very rare cases, may result in potentially serious conditions such as meningitis. The usual treatment for cholesteatoma is surgery. However, when Shona had her first intervention as a two-year-old, that specific procedure was new in Ireland. "We were pioneers," she says. "I was one of the first, if not the very first, to have it in this country. Before the operation, my parents were presented with worst-case scenarios. For example, they were warned that I might lose my hearing altogether." Thankfully, the surgery was successful as far as the growths were concerned; but they had already irreparably damaged her inner ear, causing some hearing loss. The following year, Shona had to go through that ordeal all over again when she got a similar growth in her other ear. These problems caused her to take longer than most children to find her voice. "I needed intense speech therapy because I was missing so much of what I should have been hearing," she explains. Over the years, Shona had about six significant surgical procedures to reshape her ear canals, which had been damaged by the growths. "They were scarred and too narrow; they needed to be widened to prevent infections," she says. "I also had a number of other, more minor procedures." She was treated at St James's Hospital in the early years and then at Beaumont Hospital. Understandably, in spite of all the worthy medical interventions, her hearing was partially damaged. So, she was supplied with hearing aids by the public health system. As the years progressed, her main problem was hearing what was being said in the classroom and during examinations. Because the old-style hearing aids were so basic, Shona was forced to fall back on lip-reading a lot of the time, which placed an additional strain on her, educationally. Nonetheless, once she went to secondary school, Shona began to shine. And even though she had a natural ability for maths, she was shocked, one day, to discover long division was just "gobbledegook" to her. "It must have been one of the many times I was off sick, when they did that at school," she explains. Fortunately, she was able to catch up and did extremely well in her Leaving Certificate. Another problem for Shona was the appearance of mobile phones. "I could hear all these phones ringing in my hearing aids," she says. "Because the hearing aids the public health system supplied were so basic, they amplified everything. The constant ringing drove me crazy. That went on until we eventually persuaded the authorities to upgrade me." What is notable about Shona is that she knew from a very young age that she wanted to become a vet and she never allowed her hearing problems to sway her from that path. "I was very focused all through secondary school," she admits. So, she had no problem securing a place at UCD's prestigious School of Veterinary Medicine. Shona says that even though it was tough going, she was determined to succeed. "In second year, our day would start at 8am and end at 5pm, often with no lunch break factored in; then you had to study," she explains. "In fifth year, you're basically working as an unpaid vet - long hours, night shifts and weekends - and then you also have to study. But I guess that's a fair representation of what you face when you qualify." But college wasn't all plain sailing. In 2010, in her final year, Shona woke one morning to find the world was spinning. Her mother rushed her to Beaumont Hospital A&E, so she could be seen by her usual ear, nose and throat consultant. He identified another benign growth. "The cholesteatoma was back," Shona recalls. "We'd always known this could happen, but still it was a shock. I ended up in hospital for a month as the growth had eroded the inner ear. They had to remove a lot of scar tissue and do a bone graft to repair the damage. That was in January, and my finals were in May." Nonetheless, Shona passed with flying colours and is now working as a locum, while pursuing her dream of having her own practice, which will incorporate ram-and-bull fertility testing. She will undoubtedly be well supported by her partner, farmer John Kearney. They live in Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, with a cat, two dogs and lots of farm animals. About four years ago, Shona decided to try the private sector for hearing aids and went to Hidden Hearing. "It was an unbelievable experience," she says. "The audiologist spent a lot of time ascertaining which areas were most troublesome for me with my hearing. He really went into it in depth. In the public system, it was a case of, 'Here are your hearing aids, now off you go'. "This time my two high-tech digital hearing aids, which were programmed specifically for me, fitted perfectly," she says. "That's the first time I remember two fitting so well at the same time. Once they were in place, I heard the audiologist's footsteps on the carpet and that was a sound I'd never heard before. "And when we went to a restaurant that night, I was amazed to be able to follow a normal conversation within a group. The main problem for people with hearing difficulties, is that the background noises get all mushed up together. But apparently, modern technology can deal with that." And when she went to the beach, Shona got yet another surprise. "When I heard the waves crashing on the beach, I jumped away in fright. I'd never heard that noise before," she says smiling brightly. For more information contact Hidden Hearing. See hiddenhearing.ie and also campaignforbetterhearing.ie The imminent era of connected car technology and autonomous vehicles holds out the prospect of major business for Ireland, it has been claimed. A gathering of experts at this year's Electronomous car-tech summit in Killarney were told of a promising future. Host and former BBC Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson said our level of tech-ability and personnel will be a "major factor" for companies seeking to invest in mobility. He said: "As we've seen and heard at this year's Electronomous event, the era of connected car technology and autonomous vehicles is coming fast, leading to huge growth in the car-tech sector and it is a great opportunity for an economy like Ireland's." Dr Bob Flynn, Enterprise Ireland, also told delegates: "Ireland is rightly renowned as a global technology hub and we all know that most of the big players have their European base here. Any company looking to invest in this mobility revolution can take advantage of Ireland's excellent indigenous business infrastructure, stellar technology credentials and world renowned research expertise." The summit attracted an international line-up of experts. We've had a good few people on asking what they should do in light of the danger to their vehicles posed by criminals trying to steal their code and car. We thought the following succinct summary from Thatcham Research experts might be of some help. 1. Understand the digital functions of your car: do you have a keyless entry system? If so, can the fob be switched off overnight? Speak to your dealer about software updates and whether new key fobs with added security are available 2. Store keys away from household entry points: a keyless fob should be stored as far into your home as is possible, hampering a criminal's ability to detect and relay its signal 3. Make sure shielding devices work: Faraday pouches and containers will block the signal from a keyless entry fob - but test this yourself to make sure it is effective 4. Be vigilant: choose well-lit areas to park in, observe that your car has locked correctly and report any suspicious behaviour to the gardai. * One of the best replies we got to last week's report on the 'maddening' traits of drivers and passengers was: "When I am driving and husband is my passenger if another driver does something wrong/stupid/etc, he reaches across and blows on the horn - sometimes before I can even react." * So Elan Musk gets ahead of himself again; he plans to launch a small Model Y crossover in early 2020. Even as they struggle to meet targets on their new Model 3. Meanwhile losses grew in the first quarter of the year. Ever the optimist is Mr Musk - despite losing another $785m during that first quarter. * KIA's recently revealed electric Niro (pictured) is due here around the end of the year or early January, I'm told. Powered by Kia's next-generation electric vehicle powertrain, it has a high-capacity 64 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack and a claimed range of more than 450km on a single charge with zero emissions. If shorter trips are your thing there is a 300km-range version with an optional 39.2 kWh battery system. * Volvo is working with Google to embed the voice-controlled Google Assistant, Google Play Store, Google Maps and other Google services into its next-generation Sensus infotainment system. Voice control is the future as far as I'm concerned. Virtually banishes distraction which is the cause of many an accident, studies have shown. * The UK government is to ban non-electric cars. After 2040, motorists will not be able to buy a new car that can't travel at least 80kms on electric power, according to a radical new plan. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 3 4 Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: kaput 05-09-2018 04:54 AM Post: #1 Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? Advertisement Are they ready to sacrifice their sons and daughters for the war machine? Conservatives my ass. Are they all war mongers like trump?Are they ready to sacrifice their sons and daughters for the war machine?Conservatives my ass. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:56 AM Post: #2 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? Israels lackey's ! The Truther lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:56 AM Post: #3 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? because yinon plan for greater israel because they're all neocon marxists LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:58 AM Post: #4 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? the fact that you prefaced your comment with the 'right' bs says you are clueless or this is just a bait thread chances are great that bombs would already be falling in iran if clinton was selected head puppet LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 05:00 AM Post: #5 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? It's always about convenience. Both wingtards support war if it's waged by their idols. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 05:10 AM Post: #6 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:58 AM) the fact that you prefaced your comment with the 'right' bs says you are clueless or this is just a bait thread chances are great that bombs would already be falling in iran if clinton was selected head puppet So for you it's Ok, as long as the GOP guy does it. What the f*#k is wrong with you? War is war, and it's f*cking illegal. No country has attacked us since Pearl Harbor, and even that whole event has some suspect issues surrounding that debacle. I really do hope it is you and your ilk that are drafted and have to serve several tours over there....you will most certainly deserve it for all the warmongering you types have done.....God have mercy on your soul. You will need it. So for you it's Ok, as long as the GOP guy does it. What the f*#k is wrong with you? War is war, and it's f*cking illegal. No country has attacked us since Pearl Harbor, and even that whole event has some suspect issues surrounding that debacle.I really do hope it is you and your ilk that are drafted and have to serve several tours over there....you will most certainly deserve it for all the warmongering you types have done.....God have mercy on your soul. You will need it. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 05:12 AM Post: #7 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? its the globalists who want this war bub...... Strategos Against Dystopia User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 05:22 AM Posts: 9,481 Post: #8 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:54 AM) Are they all war mongers like trump? Are they ready to sacrifice their sons and daughters for the war machine? Conservatives my ass. Are they ready to sacrifice their sons and daughters for Jewish-only racist settlements in the West Bank? Fixed it for you. Are they ready to sacrifice their sons and daughters for Jewish-only racist settlements in the West Bank?Fixed it for you. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 05:26 AM Post: #9 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 05:10 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:58 AM) the fact that you prefaced your comment with the 'right' bs says you are clueless or this is just a bait thread chances are great that bombs would already be falling in iran if clinton was selected head puppet So for you it's Ok, as long as the GOP guy does it. What the f*#k is wrong with you? War is war, and it's f*cking illegal. No country has attacked us since Pearl Harbor, and even that whole event has some suspect issues surrounding that debacle. I really do hope it is you and your ilk that are drafted and have to serve several tours over there....you will most certainly deserve it for all the warmongering you types have done.....God have mercy on your soul. You will need it. where did i say it was ok? your post is so f**ked up it's not even worth responding to beyond that.. geez where did i say it was ok?your post is so f**ked up it's not even worth responding to beyond that..geez LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 06:31 AM Post: #10 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? Right and left are two silly sides for the silly peasants "benefit". There is only one party, but it comes in two flavors. Make no mistake, no matter who is president, the bombs will keep falling, the masters will get more, and you will get less. The system is the problem. Krampus Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 06:33 AM Posts: 10,188 Post: #11 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 06:31 AM) Right and left are two silly sides for the silly peasants "benefit". There is only one party, but it comes in two flavors. Make no mistake, no matter who is president, the bombs will keep falling, the masters will get more, and you will get less. The system is the problem. Very well said! Very well said! It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled. Mark Twain LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 06:34 AM Post: #12 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? Why Did the LEFT Carpet Bomb Syria into the STONE age for 6 Years? Why did the Left Regime change Lebanon and Syria? Fred lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 06:36 AM Post: #13 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? Because they are retards LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 06:40 AM Post: #14 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? It's the plan man, they're too stupid to come up with something new. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 06:44 AM Post: #15 RE: Why Is The "Right" So Hungry For War With Iran? globalists are calling the shots you silly twerps Advertisement Direct flights from Ireland to Iceland have dropped below 50 each-way as competition sees two airlines battle it out on the route. Before 2015, Irish holidaymakers looking to visit Iceland needed to fly via the UK, or wait for the occasional charter. Now, there are upwards of a dozen direct flights every week from Dublin Airport. The route got its latest boost this week, with Icelandair launching new direct flights - a six-times weekly, year-round service connecting Dublin with Reykjavik. Prices start from 125.65pp return on a basic economy fare - meaning one-way fares break down at around 63, with taxes, fees and charges included. Checked baggage is extra, from 44 per 23kg piece on the basic fare. "With the expansion of our route network in recent years, and in particular the increasing number of destinations in North America, we embraced the opportunity to add Dublin to our service," said Bjorgolfur Johannsson, CEO of Icelandair. Expand Close Icelandair. Photo: Deposit / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Icelandair. Photo: Deposit Not to be outdone, WOW air, which has flown direct to Reykjavik from Dublin since 2015, has issued a sale this week with flights starting from 49.99 each-way - for basic fares in May, June, September and October. That's not including seat selection of bags, of course. Carry-on bags with WOW cost from 23.99 per leg between Dublin and Reykjavik, while a 20kg bag starts from 31.99 each way. Both Icelandair and WOW are also encouraging passengers to use Keflavik as a hub for affordable, one-stop transatlantic travel - Icelandair connects with 22 North American destinations, and WOW a further 10 with one-way services from Ireland starting at 129.99 each-way (via Reykjavik). Both airlines also offer free stopovers in Iceland. The new route also provides North American based travellers with more options to get to Ireland, which is great news for the Irish tourism sector and the many businesses that it supports throughout the country, added Dublin Airport's managing director, Vincent Harrison. Read more: Lily Aldridge (left) and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley attending the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit Gala 2018 in New York, USA. Ian West/PA Wire Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala (Met Gala) to celebrate the opening of Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., May 7, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala (Met Gala) to celebrate the opening of Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., May 7, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala (Met Gala) to celebrate the opening of Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., May 7, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri Who knew fitness facials we such a big thing? Apparently you're nobody if your face doesn't get a strategic battering by a trained specialist, like Katy Perry and Cindy Crawford who both opted for a 'fitness' facial. But ever since we learned that Meghan Markle's facialist massages the inside of her cheeks, nothing would surprise me about the amount of personal space people are willing to give up in the search for the perfect glow. With the Met Gala come and gone for another year, this year's crop of stars didn't pull any punches in order to look picture perfect on the red carpet and thanks to social media, we got to follow them their getting-ready journey. Cindy Crawford Expand Close Model Cindy Crawford arrives for the 2018 Met Gala on May 7, 2018, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Model Cindy Crawford arrives for the 2018 Met Gala on May 7, 2018, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York The legendary supermodel shared a picture of her mid-treatment with the Face Gym, a business whose tagline reads, "It's not a facial, it's a workout." The process promises to lift, tone and tighten your facial muscles to help you glow. Expand Close Cindy Crawford preps for the Met Gala. Picture: Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cindy Crawford preps for the Met Gala. Picture: Instagram Where to do it in Ireland: Everyoung Beauty Salon in Dun laoghaire. Owner Iris Tighe's Personalised Facials are a 100-minute combination of deep cleansing, muscle tightening and skin firming - with the aforementioned 'exercise' aspect of your treatment. Price: 135. www.everyoung.ie Ashley Graham Expand Close Ashley Graham attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ashley Graham attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Trust Ashley Graham to tell it like it really is to the 'I just woke up like this crowd'. The plus-size model shared a video of her getting her nostril hairs lasered off, knowing how unforgiving the camera can be to the even the minutest of details. Video of the Day Where to do it in Ireland: Laser & Skin Clinic (clinics in Dublin, Mullingar and Athlone) Price: Prices vary, but they start at 25. www.laserandskin.ie Karlie Kloss Expand Close Karlie Kloss preps for the Met Gala. Picture: Snapchat / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Karlie Kloss preps for the Met Gala. Picture: Snapchat The former Victoria's Secret Angel shared some pictures of her with undereye masks to help reduce puffiness and tighten the area. Take it from me - when you get the right product, it's so worth it. Expand Close Karlie Kloss attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Karlie Kloss attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) Where to get it in Ireland: Shangpree Black Pearl & Gold Hydrogel Eye Masks (pack of 60), 60 at www.fetchbeauty.com Lily Collins Expand Close Lily Collins attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lily Collins attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) It's fitting that this beauty spokesmodel is earning her brand ambassador money, but this one, like most Lancome products, is worth the hype. The American actress wore a 'Genifique' serum mask before Monday night's event - and it doesn't have to cost you and an arm and a leg. Where to get it in Ireland: Lancome counters nationrwide. Expand Close Lily Collins preps for the Met Gala. Picture: Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lily Collins preps for the Met Gala. Picture: Instagram Price: 74 for a pack of 6. Lili Reinhart Expand Close Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala (Met Gala) to celebrate the opening of Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., May 7, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala (Met Gala) to celebrate the opening of Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., May 7, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri The breakout star of teen drama Riverdale attended her first Met Gala and made a splash in a custom design by H&M. But if you look even closer, feast your eyes on your effortlessly elegant 'Tattered Chrome' manicure, featuring a neutral base and gold foil, as done by celebrity nail technician Stephanie Stone. Where to get it in Ireland: All her products were by Essie, which is used in nearly every nail salon in the country. Result! Princess Beatrice mixed with Hollywood royalty at the Met Gala (Ian West/PA) British royalty mixed with Hollywoods A-listers on one of the biggest nights in the fashion calendar. Princess Beatrice was pictured looking regal in a violet gown at the Met Gala in New York City. The annual event attracts some of the biggest names in fashion to the citys Metropolitan Museum of Art and the princess looked at home in a dress adorned with crystals around the neck as well as on the cuffs. Expand Close The MET Gala 2018 New York / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The MET Gala 2018 New York She finished the look with a small black clutch bag. This is only one of two huge events Beatrice is due to attend in the coming weeks. She is expected to attend the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle later this month. A two-year-old English mastiff had to be rescued after escaping from her home and getting stuck in sewage. Gidget escaped from the family home in Pueblo West, Colorado, alongside another dog, a walker coonhound named Buddy, on Sunday. But when Buddy returned the following day, Gidget was nowhere to be seen. Earlier today PWFD was requested by the Metro Waste Water Treatment Plant to respond to a dog that was stranded in one... Posted by Pueblo West Fire Department on Monday, May 7, 2018 Somehow she had made her way to the Metro Waste Water Treatment Plant, six miles from home, where she got herself stuck in the muck. Thankfully, Gidget was heard barking for help by a worker at the plant, who called in the fire department. Firefighters used a ladder to get Gidget out of the brown stuff, hosed her down and sent her to Pueblo Animal Services. Everybody at the shelter just loved her, Gidgets owner Mandi Smith told AP. She was a star. The shelter gave Gidget two contamination baths before Ms Smiths son arrived to pick her up. She said Gidget is ecstatic to be home, but she and Buddy, who was also spotted at the plant before making his way home, still carry an olfactory souvenir of their adventure. They have gotten so many baths and they still smell, she said. Kim Jong-un has made a surprise visit to China, meeting President Xi Jinping ahead of an expected summit between the North Korean leader and US President Donald Trump. The two-day visit to the north-east city of Dalian comes a month after Mr Kim visited China for the first time since taking power six years ago. Images of the two leaders on the evening news in China showed them strolling along a beach in the port city. "After the first meeting between me and Comrade Chairman (Kim), both China-DPRK relations and the Korean Peninsula situation have made positive progress. I feel happy about it," Mr Xi said, according to China's Xinhua news agency. Mr Kim was quoted as saying: "These are the positive outcomes of the historic meeting between me and Comrade General Secretary (Xi)." The Xinhua report also said that Mr Xi had held a "welcome banquet" for Mr Kim during the visit, which took place on Monday and yesterday. "Together, they also took a stroll and attended a luncheon," Xinhua said. "In a cordial and friendly atmosphere, the top leaders of the two countries had an in-depth exchange of views on relations and major issues of common concern." China and North Korea are historic allies but relations have been strained in recent years as Beijing backs hard-hitting UN sanctions against its neighbour amid concern over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons build-up. Observers believe Mr Kim's visit to Beijing last month was an attempt to build bridges. China would also be seeking to ensure it is not sidelined when Mr Kim meets with the US president, possibly at the end of this month. Chinese media announced the visit after intense speculation that a high-ranking North Korean official had visited Dalian amid tight security and the spotting of a North Korean airliner at the city's airport. Mr Kim's last visit to China was only announced when he had returned to North Korea. Daily Telegraph, London Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Unofficial results from Malaysias general election are showing a swing to the opposition. It remains unclear whether it is significant enough of a shift to end the ruling National Fronts 60-year hold on power. Expand Close Malaysian voters wait in a line to cast their ballots for the general elections (Vincent Thian/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Malaysian voters wait in a line to cast their ballots for the general elections (Vincent Thian/AP) The opposition is gaining ground in the ruling partys eastern stronghold of Sarawak state, and TV networks report that the heads of a Chinese party and an Indian party within the Malay-dominated ruling coalition lost their seats in regions that are normally safe territory. The Election Commission has not released final turnout figures more than four hours after voting closed. Its running of the election has been criticised by both opposition and ruling party figures. A serious case review into the role agencies played in the life of abducted schoolgirl Shannon Matthews up until she was kidnapped with the help of her own mother Karen is to be published Uncomfortable questions: Karen Matthews with her daughters favourite teddy during an appeal for her safe return in 2008 A mother who was convicted of kidnapping her own daughter in an attempt to profit from her disappearance broke her ten-year silence on the scandal, saying she is not Britains worst mum. Karen Matthews, (43), was sentenced to prison 10 years ago after being found guilty of kidnapping and falsely imprisoning her daughter, Shannon Matthews. I am not Britains worst mum. I didnt kill anybody, she told the Mirror. In 2008, Shannon was kept by her mother and co-accused Michael Donovan in Donovans flat where she was drugged and imprisoned as part of a plan concocted by the pair to claim 50,000 in reward money. Expand Close A serious case review into the role agencies played in the life of abducted schoolgirl Shannon Matthews up until she was kidnapped with the help of her own mother Karen is to be published / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A serious case review into the role agencies played in the life of abducted schoolgirl Shannon Matthews up until she was kidnapped with the help of her own mother Karen is to be published Shannon was missing for 24 days before she was found in the base of a divan bed in Donovans home. Her case set off the biggest search operation in the UK since the Yorkshire Ripper, involving 250 officers and costing 3.2 million. Read More Matthews insists she knew nothing of the plot to kidnap her daughter and said she wants to take a lie detector to prove her innocence: From the start I didnt know where she was. Others were involved. I didnt have a clue. You cant kidnap your own child. I know the truth and I wasnt involved in it. I still have nightmares thinking that its all going to happen again. Matthews served four years of her eight year sentence, and said her prison experience made her fear for her own life: I panicked. They were banging on my cell door saying, Come out here, you dirty n***e. Prison made me weaker. I dont feel like the same person any more. I was beaten up inside because of who I was. Once they threw a snowball with a rock in it at me and other times I was punched. I didnt say anything, I was too scared. A cameraman films a protest against the attack on Montenegrin investigative reporter Olivera Lakic, in Podgorica, Montenegro May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Stevo Vasiljevic The front-page of daily newspaper "Vijesti" with a picture of attacked Montenegrin investigative reporter Olivera Lakic, is seen during a protest in Podgorica, Montenegro May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Stevo Vasiljevic A Montenegrin investigative reporter who writes about organised crime in the small Adriatic country was shot and wounded late on Tuesday in the capital, Podgorica, police said. An assailant fired one shot at Olivera Lakic, who works for the local newspaper Vijesti, and wounded her in her right leg as she was about to enter her apartment building in Podgorica, police chief Vesko Damjanovic told reporters. She remained in hospital in a stable condition. "Her life is not in danger," Damjanovic said. The attack was the second on Lakic since 2012, when she was beaten, also in front of her home. A perpetrator was sentenced to nine months in jail, but released early as part of an amnesty. Expand Close A cameraman films a protest against the attack on Montenegrin investigative reporter Olivera Lakic, in Podgorica, Montenegro May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Stevo Vasiljevic / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A cameraman films a protest against the attack on Montenegrin investigative reporter Olivera Lakic, in Podgorica, Montenegro May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Stevo Vasiljevic Lakic's editor, Mihajlo Jovovic, spoke with Lakic in the hospital, and said she saw the attacker and two other men fleeing the scene. The incident prompted calls from the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the United States, demanding better protection of journalists in the former Yugoslav republic. "There must be no impunity. Ensuring the safety of journalists is key to the future of democracy in Montenegro," said Harlem Desir, OSCE's representative on freedom of the media. There have been around a dozen attacks against journalists and media organisations in the last 15 years, including the 2004 assassination of Dusko Jovanovic, a newspaper editor. Opcapita, the former owner of Comet, has put in a bid to buy troubled retailer Homebase. Homebases Australian owner, Wesfarmers, is looking to sell the business and is offering a dowry in the region of 100 million to entice suitors. Retail-focused Opcapita was established in 2006 by former banker Henry Jackson, and the private equity firm raised 350 million (306 million) from investors in 2016. Opcapita would be a controversial buyer for Homebase due to its mixed past in the UK retail sector. The private equity firm bought Comet in 2012, but the retailer went into administration nine months later after credit insurers pulled cover on suppliers goods. Opcapita won back millions from Comets administration as the secured creditor of the retailer, but taxpayers were left with a 50 million bill. Expand Close Opcapita failed to turn around Comet ( Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Opcapita failed to turn around Comet ( Ian West/PA) Opcapita has had some success with UK retailers, however, having restored Game Digital, which subsequently floated on the stock market in 2014. Other bidders linked with Homebase include Hilco, Endless, Alteri and Lion Capital. Investment bank Lazard has been appointed to sound out potential buyers. Value retailer B&M has also been named as a possible suitor for the ailing DIY store. Wesfarmers has also brought in Alvarez & Marsal to explore options besides a sale, with store closures remaining a possible route for the business. Wesfarmers snapped up Homebase from Home Retail Group two years ago, but the chains future was thrown into doubt when Wesfarmers announced 584 million in writedowns from the acquisition. Rob Scott, Wesfarmers managing director, warned that up to 40 stores could close putting 2,000 jobs at risk. Wesfarmers is known for its Bunnings chain in Australia, and attempted to import the home improvement brand to the UK by converting 19 Homebase stores into the Bunnings format. However, the fast pace of the transition gave Wesfarmers little time to introduce the Bunnings brand, which is highly successful in Australia, to the UK consumer. Wesfarmers also fired Homebases senior management team, alongside more than 150 middle-managers, soon after its doomed acquisition of the retailer. Homebase and Opcapita declined to comment. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers silversides The bare necessities of life User ID: kaput 05-09-2018 08:47 AM Posts: 28,749 Post: #1 Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers Advertisement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIdVSLwZoWw ------------------------------------------------------ Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers #Vanlife is over. #Trucklife is here. By Liz Stinson May 8, 2018, 9:30am EDT It was only a matter of time before something came along and dethroned #vanlife. Sleeker and more spacious, #Trucklife could just be the next high-end vagabond phenomenon. The Truck Surf Hotel is a roving surfing retreat built out of a renovated Mercedes Actros truck that rides around Portugal and Morocco in search of the best waves. Think of it as a compact terrestrial cruise ship. Every morning, the captain (er, driver) parks the truck within view of the ocean. A breakfast buffet awaits passengers when they risea necessary amenity for travelers who will spend the day catching gnarly waves. ... https://www.curbed.com/2018/5/8/17329860...al-morocco ------------------------------------------------------ Truck Surf Hotel : motorhome hotel chases surf and sleeps you next to the beach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BXl-3SadQU Popurri Perez Prado TRUCK SURF HOTEL------------------------------------------------------Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers#Vanlife is over. #Trucklife is here.By Liz Stinson May 8, 2018, 9:30am EDTIt was only a matter of time before something came along and dethroned #vanlife. Sleeker and more spacious, #Trucklife could just be the next high-end vagabond phenomenon.The Truck Surf Hotel is a roving surfing retreat built out of a renovated Mercedes Actros truck that rides around Portugal and Morocco in search of the best waves. Think of it as a compact terrestrial cruise ship. Every morning, the captain (er, driver) parks the truck within view of the ocean. A breakfast buffet awaits passengers when they risea necessary amenity for travelers who will spend the day catching gnarly waves....------------------------------------------------------Truck Surf Hotel : motorhome hotel chases surf and sleeps you next to the beach LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 09:33 AM Post: #2 RE: Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers I'll never see the ocean again. Attack of Jaws lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 10:48 AM Post: #3 RE: Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers nom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom if i were a shark the breakfast buffet would be the surfers in that trucknom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 02:09 PM Post: #4 RE: Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers Wish i could do that here in Michigan. Anyone come up with a manufacturer? I've been reading all over and can't find any information who made this truck. Good post. CupidStunt Unqualified Professional User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 03:12 PM Posts: 1,629 Post: #5 RE: Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 02:09 PM) Wish i could do that here in Michigan. Anyone come up with a manufacturer? I've been reading all over and can't find any information who made this truck. Good post. I cant speak for that particular rig, but Prevost is probably one of the highest end manufacturers of RVs in North America...but it sounds like this was a one off custom job. She said the company made trailers for people who travel with race cars. You could try looking at other custom jobs. I know Will Smith has a double decker trailer, well, was using one, not sure if it was actually HIS. In one of my travel trailer groups, someone was staying in the same campground as that same RV, and it was definitely not Will Smith. Im more curious about the slide mechanisms they used. After having dealt with slide failures, like hell do I want to worry about that many slides! All I can think of is what a bit*h those things would be to repair! I cant speak for that particular rig, but Prevost is probably one of the highest end manufacturers of RVs in North America...but it sounds like this was a one off custom job. She said the company made trailers for people who travel with race cars. You could try looking at other custom jobs. I know Will Smith has a double decker trailer, well, was using one, not sure if it was actually HIS. In one of my travel trailer groups, someone was staying in the same campground as that same RV, and it was definitely not Will Smith.Im more curious about the slide mechanisms they used. After having dealt with slide failures, like hell do I want to worry about that many slides! All I can think of is what a bit*h those things would be to repair! CupidStunt Unqualified Professional User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 03:18 PM Posts: 1,629 Post: #6 RE: Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2017/0...ig-kgo.cnn https://www.ridecabin.com I did find this, though! LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-10-2018 04:52 PM Post: #7 RE: Truck Surf Hotel is an expandable roving retreat for wave chasers CupidStunt Wrote: (05-09-2018 03:12 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 02:09 PM) Wish i could do that here in Michigan. Anyone come up with a manufacturer? I've been reading all over and can't find any information who made this truck. Good post. I cant speak for that particular rig, but Prevost is probably one of the highest end manufacturers of RVs in North America...but it sounds like this was a one off custom job. She said the company made trailers for people who travel with race cars. You could try looking at other custom jobs. I know Will Smith has a double decker trailer, well, was using one, not sure if it was actually HIS. In one of my travel trailer groups, someone was staying in the same campground as that same RV, and it was definitely not Will Smith. Im more curious about the slide mechanisms they used. After having dealt with slide failures, like hell do I want to worry about that many slides! All I can think of is what a bit*h those things would be to repair! Thank you for the lead and good info CupidStunt! Thank you for the lead and good info CupidStunt! China's Li Keqiang, right, Japan's Shinzo Abe, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the summit in Tokyo (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) China, Japan and South Korea have agreed to cooperate on ending North Koreas nuclear programme and promoting free trade. The agreements came at the first summit for the north-east Asian neighbours after a hiatus of more than two years, bringing together Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Mr Abe said they discussed how they can get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, but he did not provide any details. China and Japan, in particular, have differences over how best to achieve North Koreas nuclear disarmament. The meeting comes amid a flurry of developments on the Korean Peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Mr Moon on April 27 and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this week, in a surprise visit to the Chinese coastal city of Dalian. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo flew to Pyongyang, North Koreas capital, early on Wednesday to finalise details of a summit planned between US President Donald Trump and Mr Kim. Expand Close The summit is expected to focus on North Koreas nuclear programme (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The summit is expected to focus on North Koreas nuclear programme (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) We must lead the ongoing momentum towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and achieve peace and stability in north-east Asia, Mr Abe told a joint news conference in Tokyo. Japanese deputy chief cabinet secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said the three leaders also agreed to work towards two free trade agreements, a free trade pact among themselves and the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with south-east Asian nations. Mr Trump has threatened all three countries with tariffs in a bid to seek trade concessions from them. His moves have raised fears of a trade war between the US and China. Mr Li, the number two official in China after President Xi Jinping, said earlier that free trade is a good way to promote a global economic recovery. We are willing to work with Japan and South Korea to jointly maintain regional stability and push forward the development of the three countries, he said before the meeting started. The leaders also agreed to hold trilateral summits on a regular basis and set up a secretariat. The summits, which started in 2008, are supposed to be held annually, but Wednesdays was the first since November 2015. Expand Close The summit hopes to improve the sometimes-frayed ties among the three north-east Asian neighbours. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The summit hopes to improve the sometimes-frayed ties among the three north-east Asian neighbours. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Analysts say Japan is trying to showcase improved ties and cooperation with China and South Korea so its views will be represented in any negotiations with North Korea. Mr Abe reiterated Japans position that it would normalise ties with North Korea only if the latter took concrete steps towards abandoning its nuclear and missile programmes and resolved the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korean agents. Japans leader was to hold talks separately with Mr Moon and Mr Li later. Japanese officials said they plan to propose a free and peaceful East China Sea, but do not plan to raise contentious issues such as South Korean comfort women forced to provide sex to Japans wartime military. Mr Moon is to leave Japan after half a day. After that, Mr Abe will host a dinner and lunch for Mr Li and join him on the northern island of Hokkaido on the final day of his four-day Japan visit. Japanese foreign ministry officials said they want to improve Japans strained relations with China, with the eventual goal of realising a visit by Mr Xi. While Japan, China and South Korea are closely linked economically, anti-Japanese sentiment runs deep in China and South Korea because of territorial and historical disputes dating back to Japans colonisation of the Korean Peninsula and invasion of China in the first half of the 20th century. The summit hopes to improve the sometimes-frayed ties among the three north-east Asian neighbours. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) China, Japan and South Korea have agreed to work together to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and on a three-way and regional free trade agreements. The agreements came at a meeting in Tokyo with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese premier Li Keqiang and South Korean president Moon Jae-in. It was the first such trilateral summit since November 2015. Mr Abe reiterated Japan's position that it would normalise ties with North Korea only if the latter took concrete steps toward abandoning its nuclear and missile programmes and resolved the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korean agents. A Japanese official said the leaders agreed to work toward both a free trade pact among themselves and the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with Southeast Asian nations. Chinese premier Li Keqiang, left, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, centre, and South Korean president Moon Jae-in, right, prior to their summit in Tokyo (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) China, Japan and South Korea have agreed to cooperate on ending North Koreas nuclear programme and promoting free trade, two hot-button issues challenging their region. The agreements came at the first summit for the Northeast Asian neighbours after a hiatus of more than two years, bringing together Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese premier Li Keqiang and South Korean president Moon Jae-in. Mr Abe said they discussed how they can get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, but he did not provide any details. China and Japan, in particular, have differences over how best to achieve North Koreas nuclear disarmament. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Mr Moon on April 27 and Chinese president Xi Jinping earlier this week, in a surprise visit to the Chinese coastal city of Dalian. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to Pyongyang, North Koreas capital, early on Wednesday to finalise details of a summit planned between President Donald Trump and Mr Kim. We must lead the ongoing momentum toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and achieve peace and stability in Northeast Asia, Mr Abe told a joint news conference in Tokyo. Expand Close The summit is expected to focus on North Koreas nuclear programme (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The summit is expected to focus on North Koreas nuclear programme (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Japanese deputy chief cabinet secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said the three leaders also agreed to work toward two free trade agreements, a free trade pact among themselves and the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with Southeast Asian nations. Mr Trump has threatened all three countries with tariffs in a bid to seek trade concessions from them. His moves have raised fears of a trade war between the US and China. Mr Li, the number two official in China after President Xi Jinping, said earlier that free trade is a good way to promote a global economic recovery. We are willing to work with Japan and South Korea to jointly maintain regional stability and push forward the development of the three countries, he said before the meeting started. The leaders also agreed to hold trilateral summits on regular basis and set up a secretariat. The summits, which started in 2008, are supposed to be held annually, but Wednesdays was the first since November 2015. Analysts say Japan is trying to showcase improved ties and cooperation with China and South Korea so its views will be represented in any negotiations with North Korea. Mr Abe reiterated Japans position that it would normalise ties with North Korea only if the latter took concrete steps toward abandoning its nuclear and missile programs and resolved the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korean agents. Japans leader was to hold talks separately with Mr Moon and Mr Li later on Wednesday. Expand Close The summit hopes to improve the sometimes-frayed ties among the three north-east Asian neighbours. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The summit hopes to improve the sometimes-frayed ties among the three north-east Asian neighbours. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Japanese officials said they plan to propose a free and peaceful East China Sea, but do not plan to raise contentious issues such as South Korean comfort women forced to provide sex to Japans wartime military. Mr Moon is to leave Japan after half a day. After that, Mr Abe will host a dinner and lunch for Mr Li and join him on the northern island of Hokkaido on the final day of his four-day Japan visit. Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said they want to improve Japans strained relations with China, with the eventual goal of realising a visit by Mr Xi. While Japan, China and South Korea are closely linked economically, anti-Japanese sentiment runs deep in China and South Korea because of territorial and historical disputes dating back to Japans colonisation of the Korean Peninsula and invasion of China in the first half of the 20th century. US President Donald Trump holds up a memorandum that re-instates sanctions on Iran after he announced his decision to withdraw the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal at the White House. Photo: Reuters Iran's supreme leader has challenged US president Donald Trump over America pulling out of the nuclear deal, saying: "You cannot do a damn thing." Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments came as he met a group of school teachers in Tehran, a day after Mr Trump announced he was renewing sanctions on Iran. Khamenei described Mr Trump's speech on Tuesday night as having "over 10 lies". He also said Mr Trump's remarks threatened Iran's people and its theocratic government. Under Iran's Islamic Republic, Khamenei has the final say on all state matters. The exhortation from Khamenei follows a pattern of Iranian leaders declaring their nation's ability to resist foreign pressure or interference. Meanwhile, Iranian legislators set fire to a US flag inside parliament, shouting: "Death to America!" The government backlash reflected public anger in Iran over Mr Trump's decision, which threatens to destroy the landmark 2015 agreement. Iranian officials, including the parliament's speaker, have said they hope Europe will work with them to preserve the deal, but many are pessimistic. MPs, including a Shia cleric, held the flaming flag alight as their colleagues joined their chants. They also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal and stomped on the papers' ashes. While US flag-burning is common in Iran and harsh criticism of America has been a staple of Iranian parliamentary politics for years, it was the first time political observers could remember anything being burned inside the parliament itself. The 2015 agreement imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme in return for the lifting of most US and international sanctions. However, the deal came with time limits and did not address Iran's ballistic missile initiative or its regional policies in Syria and elsewhere. Mr Trump has repeatedly pointed to those omissions in referring to the accord as the "worst deal ever". Proponents of the deal have said those time limits were meant to encourage more discussion with Iran in the future that could eventually address other concerns. On Tuesday night, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said he would send foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the countries still in the deal - China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. Iran hopes the European Union will pass laws to protect European firms from any potential US sanctions. EU officials have suggested they will do what they can to salvage the agreement. Mr Rouhani also made a point of stressing that Iran, at any time, could resume its nuclear programme. "So if necessary, we can begin our industrial enrichment without any limitations," the Iranian leader said. "Until implementation of this decision, we will wait for some weeks and will talk with our friends and allies and other signatories of the nuclear deal, who signed it and who will remain loyal to it. Everything depends on our national interests." On Wednesday morning, parliament speaker Ali Larijani said responsibility for saving the deal fell on the EU and other world powers still in the accord. He said: "The period is only a window in which the EU can prove if it has enough weight for settling down international issues or not." Mr Larijani also urged the country's nuclear department to prepare for "resumption of all aspects of nuclear activities" The Iranian rial is already trading on the black market at 66,000 to the dollar, despite a government-set rate of 42,000 rials. Many Iranians say they have not seen any benefits from the nuclear deal. The country's poor economy and unemployment levels sparked nationwide protests in December and January that saw at least 25 people killed and, reportedly, nearly 5,000 arrested. US President Donald Trump holds up a memorandum that re-instates sanctions on Iran after he announced his decision to withdraw the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal at the White House. Photo: Reuters Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal yesterday, reimposing sanctions on Tehran and delivering on an election campaign promise. The president said the "defective" 2015 agreement would not stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb and signed a memorandum enacting America's withdrawal. Expand Close Trump after the announcement. Photo: Reuters / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Trump after the announcement. Photo: Reuters Iran has been accused of failing to be honest about its nuclear ambitions while supporting terrorist groups and acting in an increasingly hostile way across the Middle East. Britain, France and Germany condemned the move and promised to stand by the nuclear agreement, claiming it was the only way to prevent a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. However, Israel, which released intelligence on Iran's nuclear programme last week, and several Arab nations welcomed the announcement. Mr Trump said: "It is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement. "The Iran deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. "In just a short period of time the world's leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world's most dangerous weapon. "Therefore I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal." The president added: "Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States." Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, warned that if negotiations with other partners to the deal failed, then the country's uranium enrichment programme would restart. Shortly after the announcement, there were widespread reports of an explosion in Syria, possibly the result of an Israeli strike on Iranian forces. The decision to reimpose sanctions raises fears that European companies that trade with the Iranian government and do business in America could be caught up in the action if they do not curtail their dealings with Iran. Mr Trump has long been a critic of the nuclear deal, which was signed by his predecessor, Barack Obama, and lifted sanctions in turn for the country's nuclear programme being curbed. Mr Obama criticised the decision as a "mistake". Mr Trump said he was open to striking a wider deal with Iran that would address behaviour such as the country's ballistic missiles programme and involvement in Syria and Yemen. The president said he wanted a "real, comprehensive and lasting solution" that would thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions. He also made clear he was delivering on an election campaign pledge, saying: "The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them." Mr Trump also said there was "definitive proof" Iran's claims that its nuclear energy programme was only for peaceful purposes was a "lie". However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, has repeatedly said Iran is in compliance with the terms of the 2015 deal. The re-imposition of sanctions will come into effect between three and six months from now. They include sanctions on oil exports, the country's central bank and businesses. Some European firms are exploring ways to continue doing business in Iran after making significant investments over the past three years. Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement saying they "regret" the decision and making clear they remain parties to the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. It said: "Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case, including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement. It went on: "We encourage Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the US; Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IEAE inspection requirements." EU leaders are expected to meet within days to discuss how the deal can be rescued. Mr Rouhani denounced Mr Trump's speech as "psychological warfare" and said his country would not bow to pressure. He said: "Our people have always been victorious in the face of conspiracies and we will also emerge victorious at this juncture." But he added: "I have ordered Iran's atomic organisation that whenever it is needed, we will start enriching uranium more than before." Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister and a leading critic of the deal, said Mr Trump had made a "brave and correct decision" to withdraw from it. A short clip of President Donald Trump trying to explain what uranium has gone viral. "We had Hillary Clinton give Russia 20 percent of the uranium in our country," he told the present media. "You know what uranium is, right? This thing called nuclear weapons like lots of things are done with uranium including some bad things. "Hillary Clinton gave them 20 percent of our uranium. Hillary Clinton did a reset, remember? With the stupid plastic button that made us all look like a bunch of jerks." Trump: You know what uranium is, right? It's this thing called nuclear weapons. Chemist: Uranium is chemical element #92. Trump: Fake news. Donald J Orwell (@DonaldJOrwell) February 17, 2017 The short 10 second clip has been viewed more than 2.25 million times on Twitter alone, where it was originally uploaded by Rachel Rieder. Oil prices surged to their highest level since 2014 as US President Donald Trumps plans to scrap the Iran deal raised the possibility of locking one of the biggest crude producers out of the market. Brent crude rose as high as 77.16 US dollars per barrel in morning trading, and were up nearly 1.2% near midday at 76.79 US dollars. It marked the highest level in nearly three-and-a-half years. Investors were reacting to Mr Trumps announcement that he is pulling the country out of the Iran nuclear deal, which was struck during Barack Obamas presidency and allowed sanctions against the oil-producing nation to be lifted. It saw Iran agree to cut all its stores of key components for nuclear weapons. Expand Close Brent crude, price per barrel. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brent crude, price per barrel. But Mr Trump said the deal was was one-sided and poorly negotiated in a way that would allow Iran to still be on the brink of acquiring a nuclear weapon even if it fully agreed with the terms. Investors were speculating on what renewed sanctions might mean for global crude supplies. AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said: Oil traders may have seen President Trumps decision to withdraw the US from the 2015 nuclear sanctions coming from some distance away, but confirmation of the move and American plans to exclude Opecs third-biggest producer from global markets is still giving a fresh lift to the price of crude. It also lifted the likes of FTSE 100 oil producers BP and Royal Dutch Shell, which were up more than 2.1% each, with BP hitting its highest level since April 2010. David Cheetham, chief market analyst at online broker xtb, said: Both these firms have seen their share price rise to its highest level in several years this morning and if the price of oil continues to rise on the tensions in the Middle East, then there could be more upside to come. The gains have boosted the broader index with the FTSE 100 close to its highest level since January. The oil and gas sector accounts for roughly one-sixth of the benchmark, and the recent gains in this area are lifting the whole index. On the FTSE 250, Tullow Oil and Cairn Energy were among the biggest risers up 4% and 3.6% respectively. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 Something major is going to happen in France today Thunderchild lop guest User ID: kaput 05-09-2018 03:59 PM Post: #1 Something major is going to happen in France today Advertisement Something major is going to happen in France today, it was in my dreams last night over and over and over...... Hamburgerwagon lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:00 PM Post: #2 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today Was there lightning? TicklePickle Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:02 PM Posts: 1,352 Post: #3 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today A couple hundred cars being set on fire by migrants? That's like a daily affair over there. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:03 PM Post: #4 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today Macron is announcing changing his name to Macaroni. pooky Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:04 PM Posts: 5,933 Post: #5 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:03 PM) Macron is announcing changing his name to Macaroni. Is he going to stick a feather up his ass as well? Is he going to stick a feather up his ass as well? (This post was last modified: 05-09-2018 04:05 PM by pooky .) LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:05 PM Post: #6 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today TicklePickle Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:02 PM) A couple hundred cars being set on fire by migrants? That's like a daily affair over there. that's generally only when they have a celebration.... new year it is like 1000 cars.. besides like most days they are on strike about something.... that's generally only when they have a celebration.... new year it is like 1000 cars..besides like most days they are on strike about something.... Hamburgerwagon lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:06 PM Post: #7 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:05 PM) TicklePickle Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:02 PM) A couple hundred cars being set on fire by migrants? That's like a daily affair over there. that's generally only when they have a celebration.... new year it is like 1000 cars.. besides like most days they are on strike about something.... how can you be on strike when you dont work? who invented that? how can you be on strike when you dont work? who invented that? PopEye I Yam What I Yam User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:11 PM Posts: 12,273 Post: #8 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today Thunderchild Wrote: (05-09-2018 03:59 PM) Something major is going to happen in France today, it was in my dreams last night over and over and over...... The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who haven't got it. George Bernard Shaw ____________________ aqmah Registered User User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:12 PM Posts: 194 Post: #9 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today as above so below>> May 9 = 6 may = 3 letters 3+6 = 9 again its 6 France = 6 letters + F is the 6 th letter 666 (This post was last modified: 05-09-2018 04:13 PM by aqmah .) singing spider terrarising the 'hood User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:12 PM Posts: 21,001 Post: #10 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:03 PM) Macron is announcing changing his name to Macaroni. these are macrons: and these are macaronis: one is French, the other Italian these are macrons:and these are macaronis:one is French, the other Italian https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=92i5m3tV5XY nobody starts at point zero LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:13 PM Post: #11 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today White wine with steak? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:18 PM Post: #12 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:03 PM) Macron is announcing changing his name to Macaroni. with cheese and tomato saus and extras with cheese and tomato saus and extras LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:19 PM Post: #13 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today singing wilbury spider Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:12 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:03 PM) Macron is announcing changing his name to Macaroni. these are macrons: link to image: http://yebab.com/sites/default/files/ima..._0.pin.jpg and these are macaronis: link to image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c...ronis.jpeg one is French, the other Italian Cookies are weird Cookies are weird LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:20 PM Post: #14 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today sugar rocks with milky LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 05-09-2018 04:21 PM Post: #15 RE: Something major is going to happen in France today LoP Guest Wrote: (05-09-2018 04:13 PM) White wine with steak? Advertisement Suicide bombers have struck two police stations in Afghanistans capital, killing at least five people and wounding 16 others. Interior minister Wais Ahmad Barmak said a total of eight suicide bombers took part in the attacks, one of which was claimed by Islamic State (IS) and the other by the Taliban. In the first attack, in western Kabul, the attackers hurled hand grenades and blew themselves up, setting part of the station on fire, Mr Barmak said, adding that a third suicide bomber was shot and killed by police. Expand Close Afghans run from the site of a suicide attack (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Afghans run from the site of a suicide attack (AP) He said two police personnel were killed in the attack and two other officers and a civilian were wounded. IS claimed the attack in a brief statement carried by its Aamaq news agency. The second attack unfolded in the city centre, where a suicide bomber struck the entrance to a police station in order to clear the way for another four bombers. Mr Barmak said two or three more attackers were holed up in a nearby building, trading fire with security forces. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to media. Public health ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said a total of seven people were killed and 17 wounded in the attacks, with the toll expected to rise. Expand Close Two police officers were killed in the first attack (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Two police officers were killed in the first attack (AP) Both the Taliban and IS frequently target Afghanistans Western-backed government and security forces. Twin suicide bombings claimed by IS last week killed at least 25 people, including nine journalists who had rushed to the scene of the first attack. It was the deadliest assault on reporters since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban advanced on a district compound, officials said, with one reporting the capture of the northern district by the insurgents and another saying heavy fighting was still under way. The battle for the compound in the Bilchirgh district, in the northern Faryab province, came a day after the insurgents captured the district compound in the remote Tala wa Barfak district, in the northern Baghlan province. Expand Close Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Kabul (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Three suicide bombers struck two police stations in Kabul (AP) The Taliban have captured several districts in different parts of the country from Afghan security forces since 2014, when the US and Nato formally concluded their combat mission and shifted to a supporting role. Mohammad Hashim, a member of parliament from Faryab province, said the Taliban captured the district headquarters in Bilchirgh after more than 40 security forces retreated under heavy fire. He said the Taliban also captured several villages nearby. Provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yuresh said the fighting is still underway and that government forces still hold the compound. The Taliban issued a statement saying they control the district and claiming to have killed 10 security force officers. The Taliban also attacked a school being used as a voter registration centre, killing eight soldiers in the latest in a series of attacks targeting preparations for elections later this year. The US president hailed the move as 'very exciting' (AP) US president Donald Trump has said secretary of state Mike Pompeo is on his way back from North Korea with three American detainees. Mr Trump said the three seem to be in good health. The US president tweeted: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. Mr Trump added that Mr Pompeo had a good meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The American leader is planning a historic summit with Mr Kim. In another Tweet, Mr Trump said Mr Pompeo and the detainees will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2am on Thursday (7am BST). He said: I will be there to greet them. Very exciting! US secretary of state Mike Pompeo is returning to the US with the three former detainees (AP) Three Americans detained in North Korea for more than a year are on their way back to the US with secretary of state Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump has announced. The move is the latest sign of improving relations between the two long-time adversaries. Mr Trump said on Twitter that Mr Pompeo is in the air and was with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. In a US cabinet meeting, Mr Trump said he appreciates North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns decision to release the detainees ahead of the leaders planned summit. He said he is looking forward to the meeting and believes it is going to be a great thing for North Korea. Mr Trump, who had been hinting about an imminent release, said he would greet Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim at Andrews Air Force Base at 2am on Thursday (7am BST). The president also ruled out the Korean Demilitarised Zone for his upcoming summit with the North Korean leader. He had said he was interested in holding the historic meeting on the heavily fortified border separating North and South Korea. He had said the DMZ was appealing because youre there and any celebration would be memorable if the talks proved successful. But he ruled that option out, as he said details of the meeting will be announced in the next two or three days. The meeting is expected to be held in late May or early June. A number of other countries have also been considered as a venue, including Singapore. Expand Close A US government plane departs from Yokota US Airbase on the outskirts of Tokyo as the three detainees head home (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A US government plane departs from Yokota US Airbase on the outskirts of Tokyo as the three detainees head home (AP) The release of the detainees came as Mr Pompeo visited North Korea on Wednesday to finalise plans for a historic summit between Mr Trump and the Norths leader, Kim Jong Un. Mr Trump said on Twitter that there had been a good meeting with Kim Jong Un, adding: Date & Place set. North Korea had accused Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, all Korean-Americans, of anti-state activities, but their arrests were widely seen as politically motivated and had compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nations nuclear weapons. They had been held for periods ranging between one and two years. The trio were the latest in a series of Americans who have been detained by North Korea in recent years for seemingly small offences and typically freed when senior US officials or statesmen personally visited to bail them out. Mr Pompeo, in his visit, discussed the agenda for a potential Trump-Kim summit in a meeting with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the central committee of North Koreas ruling party. Expand Close The three Americans, Kim Dong Chul, left, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song, right, had been detained in North Korea (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The three Americans, Kim Dong Chul, left, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song, right, had been detained in North Korea (AP) Later, Mr Pompeo said the senior official had been a great partner in working to make the summit a success. For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, Mr Pompeo said, adding that there are many challenges along the way. Mr Kim noted the improved relations between the Koreas, as well as the Norths policy to concentrate all efforts into economic progress in the country. This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside, he added, citing the will of the Korean people. That contradicted Mr Trump, who has said repeatedly that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. The family of Tony Kim thanked all those who worked for his return, and also credited Mr Trump for engaging directly with North Korea. Mostly we thank God for Tonys safe return, the family said in a statement, and they urged people to continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all who are still being held. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Mr Trump viewed the release as a positive gesture of goodwill. The US president warned Iran against restarting its nuclear programme (AP) Donald Trump has defended his decision to withdraw the US from the Iran nuclear deal, saying bedlam and death follow wherever Iran is involved. Speaking during a cabinet meeting, the US president said he is open to negotiating a new deal with Iran, but added: Were going to make either a really good deal for the world, or were not going to make a deal at all. Mr Trump disregarded the pleas of US allies to remain in the agreement, and instead announced that he would reinstate sanctions on Iran in the coming months. The US leader said the Iran deal was one-sided and would have led to nuclear proliferation. He added that he would advise Iran not to start their nuclear programme. Earlier, Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei chastised Mr Trump, while MPs set fire to a US flag inside parliament, shouting, Death to America! The body of this man, Trump, will turn to ashes and become the food of the worms and ants, while the Islamic Republic continues to stand.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei The government backlash reflected broad public anger in Iran over the decision. While Iranian officials, including the parliament speaker, say they hope Europe will work with them to preserve the deal, many are pessimistic. In comments before school teachers, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Mr Trump: You cannot do a damn thing. The exhortation from Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, follows a pattern of Iranian leaders declaring their nations ability to resist foreign pressure or interference. Expand Close Iranian demonstrators burn representations of the US flag during a protest in front of the former US Embassy (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Iranian demonstrators burn representations of the US flag during a protest in front of the former US Embassy (AP) Khamenei described Mr Trumps announcement as having over 10 lies, without elaborating on them. He also said Mr Trumps remarks threatened both Irans people and its theocratic government. Khamenei said: The body of this man, Trump, will turn to ashes and become the food of the worms and ants, while the Islamic Republic continues to stand. Earlier, MPs, including a Shia cleric, held the flaming flag alight as their colleagues joined their chants in parliament. They also burned a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal and stomped on the papers ashes. Later, dozens of hardliners set fire to a US flag during a protest in front of the former US embassy and called for a retaliatory response. Mike Pompeo's first trip to Pyongyang happened before he was confirmed as secretary of state (Alex Brandon/AP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in North Korea to finalise details of a historic summit planned between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Mr Trump announced the mission in Washington on Tuesday just minutes before Mr Pompeo arrived in Japan to refuel before flying on to Pyongyang, and as the president declared he was withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with another bitter US adversary, Iran. US officials say Mr Pompeo will also press North Korea for the release of three detained American citizens, whose imminent release Mr Trump has been hinting at. His trip comes just days after North Korea expressed displeasure with Washington for comments suggesting that massive US pressure had pushed Mr Kim to the negotiating table. Mr Pompeo, who first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which it is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright in 2000 who went as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-President Bill Clinton and Mr Kims father Mr Kim Jong Il. Expand Close Secretary of State Mike Pompeo first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April (Andrew Harnik/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Secretary of State Mike Pompeo first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April (Andrew Harnik/AP) At this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un, Mr Trump said at the White House. Plans are being made, relationships are building, hopefully a deal will happen and with the help of China, South Korea and Japan a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone, he said. Mr Pompeo flew out of Washington under cover of darkness late on Monday aboard an Air Force 757 accompanied by a handful of senior aides, a security detail and two journalists: one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, who were given roughly four hours notice of his departure. The flight arrived on Wednesday morning and North Korean officials were on hand to greet the American diplomat. Headed back to #DPRK at the invitation of the North Korean leadership. I look forward to planning a successful summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 8, 2018 Mr Pompeos first trip to Pyongyang over Easter weekend before he was confirmed as secretary of state was a closely held secret. News of it did not emerge just before his Senate confirmation vote less than two weeks ago. Shortly afterwards, the White House released photographs of Mr Pompeo and Mr Kim posing for cameras. It was not clear if Mr Kim would meet Mr Pompeo on Wednesday. Mr Pompeo told reporters aboard his plane that his first visit was to test the North Koreans seriousness of pledges to South Korea on easing tensions. This trip is to put in place a framework for a successful summit, he said. Although there were no guarantees that the American prisoners would be freed during Mr Pompeos visit, US officials said their release would be significant goodwill gesture ahead of the Mr Trump-Mr Kim summit that is expected later this month or in early June. Expand Close Mike Pompeo met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a Easter weekend trip (White House/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mike Pompeo met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a Easter weekend trip (White House/AP) I think it would be a great gesture if they would agree to do so, Mr Pompeo said, adding that it would be difficult to hold a leaders summit if the prisoners remained captive. The three Korean-Americans Mr Kim Dong Chul, Mr Kim Hak Song and Tony Mr Kim are all accused by the North of anti-state activities. Mr Trump has said that a time and place for the summit have been decided but has not said where and when it will be. Mr Pompeos visit to Pyongyang aims to lock down the date and venue for a formal announcement to be made. It came just a day after Mr Kim returned from China, his second trip to the neighbouring country in six weeks to meet with President Xi Jinping. A Trump-Mr Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Koreas development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea have moved to ease tensions, including with their own leaders summit late last month. In March, Mr Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Mr Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss denuclearisation. According to South Korea, Mr Kim says he is willing to give up his nukes if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. Mr Kim was quoted as saying on Monday by Chinas official news agency Xinhua: I hope to build mutual trust with the US through dialogue. He added that a political resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearisation should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert. But his exact demands for relinquishing weapons that his nation spent decades building remain unclear. Previous US efforts to negotiate an end to the Norths nuclear weapons program failed under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Mr Pompeo and officials travelling with him said the Mr Trump administration would not repeat mistakes of the past, which they described as accepting gradual, incremental and long-term disarmament in exchange for immediate benefits. One senior official said Mr Trump and Mr Pompeo were looking for a bold approach that would fundamentally alter the security situation. We are not going to head back down the path that we headed down before, Mr Pompeo said. We will not relieve sanctions until such time as we have achieved our objectives. Were not going to do this in small increments where the world is essentially coerced into relieving economic pressure. Mike Pompeo's first trip to Pyongyang happened before he was confirmed as secretary of state (Alex Brandon/AP) US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has travelled to North Korea to finalise plans for a historic summit between President Donald Trump and the Norths leader, Kim Jong Un. US officials said Mr Pompeo will also press North Korea for the release of three detained American citizens. Mr Trump has been hinting at their imminent release. Mr Pompeo discussed the agenda for a potential summit in a meeting with the vice chairman of the central committee of North Koreas ruling party. Later, at a lunch of poached fish and duck hosted by Kim Yong Chol, Mr Pompeo said the senior official had been a great partner in working to make the summit a success. Expand Close Secretary of State Mike Pompeo first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April (Andrew Harnik/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Secretary of State Mike Pompeo first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April (Andrew Harnik/AP) For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, Mr Pompeo said, adding that there are many challenges along the way. Mr Kim noted the improved relations between the Koreas, as well as the Norths policy to concentrate all efforts into economic progress in the country. This is not a result of sanctions that have been imposed from outside, he added, citing the will of the Korean people. Mr Trump has said that his pressure tactics brought North Korea to the negotiating table. The trip, Mr Pompeos second to North Korea this year, had not been publicly disclosed when he flew out of Washington under cover of darkness late Monday aboard an Air Force 757. Mr Trump announced the mission on Tuesday afternoon as he laid out the case for withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, another bitter US adversary. Minutes later, Mr Pompeo arrived in Japan to refuel before flying on to Pyongyang. Accompanying him were a handful of senior aides, a security detail and two journalists one from The Associated Press and one from The Washington Post, both given roughly four hours notice of his departure. Headed back to #DPRK at the invitation of the North Korean leadership. I look forward to planning a successful summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 8, 2018 When the flight arrived on Wednesday morning in Pyongyang, North Korean officials were on hand to greet Mr Pompeo. A motorcade took Mr Pompeo and his delegation to the Koryo Hotel, the main hotel for foreigners in Pyongyang. The trip came just days after North Korea expressed displeasure with Washington for comments suggesting that massive US pressure had pushed Kim Jong Un to the negotiating table. Mr Pompeo, who first travelled to North Korea as CIA chief in early April, is only the second sitting secretary of state to visit the reclusive nation with which the US is still technically at war. The first was Madeleine Albright, who went in 2000 as part of an unsuccessful bid to arrange a meeting between then-president Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il. Plans are being made, relationships are building, hopefully a deal will happen and with the help of China, South Korea and Japan a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone, mr Trump said at the White House as he announced Mr Pompeos visit. Expand Close Mike Pompeo met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a Easter weekend trip (White House/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mike Pompeo met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a Easter weekend trip (White House/AP) Mr Pompeos first trip to Pyongyang, over Easter weekend before he was confirmed as secretary of state, was a closely held secret. News of it did not emerge until just before his Senate confirmation vote less than two weeks ago. Shortly afterwards, the White House released photographs of Mr Pompeo and Mr Kim. Mr Pompeo told reporters aboard his plane that his first visit was to test North Koreas seriousness of pledges to South Korea on easing tensions. This trip is to put in place a framework for a successful summit, he said. Although there were no guarantees that the American prisoners would be freed during Mr Pompeos visit, US officials said their release would be a significant goodwill gesture ahead of the Trump-Kim summit that is expected later this month or in early June. I think it would be a great gesture if they would agree to do so, Mr Pompeo said, adding that it would be difficult to hold a leaders summit if the prisoners remained captive. The three Korean-Americans Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim are all accused by the North of anti-state activities. Mr Trump has said that a time and place for the summit have been decided, but has not said where and when it will be. Mr Pompeos visit to Pyongyang aims to lock down the date and venue for a formal announcement to be made. It came just a day after Mr Kim returned from China, his second trip to the neighbouring country in six weeks to meet with President Xi Jinping. A Trump-Kim meeting seemed a remote possibility just a few months ago when the two leaders were trading threats and insults over North Koreas development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests. But momentum for diplomacy built this year as North and South Korea have moved to ease tensions, including with their own leaders summit late last month. In March, Mr Trump unexpectedly accepted an offer of talks from Mr Kim after the North Korean dictator agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests and discuss denuclearisation. According to South Korea, Mr Kim says he is willing to give up his nuclear missiles if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North. New York, May 9 (IBNS): Two new cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by Government scientists there, prompting the UN health agency to immediately scale up its response. The new Ebola cases were identified on Tuesday in a remote area of the countrys north-west, near the town of Bikoro, near the Congo River. In a statement, the World Health Organization (WHO), said the two positive samples, out of five tested overall, had come from the Iponge health facility, located close to Bikoro, and additional specimens were being collected for further testing. Our top priority is to get to Bikoro to work alongside the Government and partners to reduce the loss of life and suffering related to this new Ebola virus disease outbreak, Peter Salama, the Deputy Director-General for Emergency Preparedness and Response at WHO, said on Tuesday. Working with partners and responding early and in a coordinated way will be vital to containing this deadly disease, he added. WHO will adopt the strategy it successfully deployed following a similar Ebola outbreak last year, which included a timely alert by local authorities when new cases surface; prompt testing, immediate notification of results, and a fast overall response by local and national authorities together with international partners. Response thus far: A multidisciplinary team of experts from WHO, Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Government has already been deployed to Bikoro to coordinate and strengthen the response. Matshidiso Moeti, the Regional Director for Africa at WHO, underlined the importance of strong coordination from the outset. We will work closely with health authorities and partners to support the national response, he said. The situation on the ground in Bikoro, situated along Lake Tumba in Equateur Province is particularly challenging, given its distance from the capital and the limited availability of health services. Facilities in the town have had to rely on international organizations for fresh medical supplies.WHO has also assigned dedicated staff and resources across the agency to tackling the outbreak, and released some $1 million from its emergency contingency fund to support efforts over the next three months, and stop the disease spreading. Ninth outbreak in the DRC since 1976: This is the ninth outbreak, since the discovery of the Ebola virus in the country in 1976. The virus is endemic to DRC, and causes an acute, serious illness which is often fatal if untreated. The virus is transmitted to human through contact with wild animals and can then be passed from person to person. Ebola is fatal in about 50 per cent of cases. An outbreak in West Africa which began in 2014 left more than 11,000 dead across six countries, and was not declared officially over by WHO until the beginning of 2016. First symptoms generally include the sudden onset of fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. Manchester, May 9 (IBNS): A new drug could ease the distress of men and women who suffer from baldness, according to researchers from The University of Manchesters Centre for Dermatology Research. The study from the laboratory of Prof Ralf Paus, is published today (8 May) in the open access journal PLOS Biology It shows that a drug originally designed as a treatment for osteoporosis has a dramatic stimulatory effect on human hair follicles donated by patients undergoing hair transplantation surgery. Currently only two drugs minoxidil and finasteride are available for treatment of male-pattern balding (androgenetic alopecia),read the University of Manchester website. However, both agents have moderate side effects and often produce disappointing hair regrowth results. The only other option available to patients is hair transplantation surgery. The PhD project, led by Dr Nathan Hawkshaw and colleagues, sought to develop new ways to promote human hair growth with the hope of finding novel, well-tolerated agents for treating androgenetic alopecia. The approach was to first identify the molecular mechanisms of an old immunosuppressive drug, Cyclosporine A (CsA). Cyclosporine A has been commonly used since the 1980s as a crucial drug that suppresses transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases. However, it often has severe side-effects, the least serious but most interesting of which is that it enhances cosmetically unwanted hair growth. The team carried out a full gene expression analysis of isolated human scalp hair follicles treated with CsA. This revealed that CsA reduces the expression of SFRP1, a protein that inhibits the development and growth of many tissues, including hair follicles. This identifies a completely novel mechanism of action of this old and widely used immunosuppressant. The research also explanains why CsA so often induces undesired hair growth in patients as it removes an inbuilt and potent molecular brake on human hair growth. The inhibitory mechanism is completely unrelated to CsAs immunosuppressive activities, making SFRP1 a new and highly promising therapeutic target for anti-hair loss strategies. After some detective work, Dr Hawkshaw found that a compound originally developed to treat osteoporosis, called WAY-316606, targets the same mechanism as CsA by specifically antagonising SFRP1. When he then treated hair follicles with WAY-316606, the unrelated agent also effectively enhanced human hair growth like CsA. The external application of WAY-316606 or similar compounds to balding human scalp, he argued, may promote hair growth to the same magnitude as CsA or even better, but without its side effects. Dr Hawkshaw said: Thanks to our collaboration with a local hair transplant surgeon, Dr Asim Shahmalak, we were able to conduct our experiments with scalp hair follicles that had generously been donated by over 40 patients and were then tested in organ cultures." This makes our research clinically very relevant, as many hair research studies only use cell culture. He added: When the hair growth-promoting effects of CsA were previously studied in mice, a very different molecular mechanism of action was suggested; had we relied on these mouse research concepts, we would have been barking up the wrong tree. The fact this new agent, which had never even been considered in a hair loss context, promotes human hair growth is exciting because of its translational potential: it could one day make a real difference to people who suffer from hair loss. Clearly though, a clinical trial is required next to tell us whether this drug or similar compounds are both effective and safe in hair loss patients. Image: Wikimedia Commons Bangalore, May 9 (IBNS): Ahead of the assembly polls in Karnataka, the Election Commission has ordered a probe after nearly 10,000 voters ID cards were found from a rented apartment in North Bangalores R R Nagar area on Tuesday. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said action will be taken only after 'investigation' into the matter. According to reports, from the apartment, two trunk-loads of counterfoil strips, which appeared to be the acknowledgement slips of the form used to add names of voters, were also found. "Nearly 9,746 voter ID cards were found. Five laptops and one printer was also found in the flat," Kumar said while addressing a press conference. The BJP alleged that the apartment belonged to a Congress MLA. Union Minister Sadananda Gowda tweeted: "The Democracy being attacked in Bengaluru . I am shocked at the incident . More than 20000 Voter ID cards found at private apartment . I visited the place personally . This mockery at behest of @INCIndia Rajarajeshwari Nagara Candidate Munirathna Naidu #congresscheatsdemocracy." The Democracy being attacked in Bengaluru . I am shocked at the incident . More than 20000 Voter ID cards found at private apartment . I visited the place personally . This mockery at behest of @INCIndia Rajarajeshwari Nagara Candidate Munirathna Naidu #congresscheatsdemocracy pic.twitter.com/fZHzgbcOio Sadananda Gowda (@DVSBJP) May 8, 2018 I present the statement from EC which never said Mrs Manjula Nanja Mari And Mr Rakesh is Mother n Son . It's congress conspiracy to make them mother -son . I challenge @INCIndia to prove the statement . Now Congress fear loss of their efforts to rig the elections. pic.twitter.com/EbT7Px6mCM Sadananda Gowda (@DVSBJP) May 9, 2018 Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said it was a 'conspiracy' created by the Congress to rig election. "BJP demands countermanding of elections in AC 154 Raj Rajeshwari Nagar in light of latest revelations of tens of thousands of fake voter ID and empty packets of hard currency. This is Congress conspiracy to rig election , in face of their imminent defeat," he tweeted. BJP demands countermanding of elections in AC 154 Raj Rajeshwari Nagar in light of latest revelations of tens of thousands of fake voter ID and empty packets of hard currency. This is Congress conspiracy to rig election , in face of their imminent defeat. Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) May 8, 2018 However, the Congress denied all allegations and said it was a 'drama' by the BJP. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said during a press conference: " BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader, Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP Elections on a BJP ticket. Apartment was not raided by police or EC but by BJP workers." "In RR Nagar constituency, in Apartment Number 115, 9746 Voter IDs were recovered.EC has said that the apartment belongs to Manjula Nanjamari. She is a BJP leader & ex-BJP Corporator. She has rented the flat to her son Rakesh, also a BJP leader," he said. Karnataka will vote to elect a new assembly on May 12. The poll results will be out three days later on May 15. Karnataka is one of the last few states which are ruled by the Congress. BJP, under the leadership of former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, is eyeing on to return to power. Image: Sadananda Gowda Twitter page Ranchi, May 9 (IBNS) : Bihar's Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is serving multiple sentences in fodder scam cases, was Wednesday granted a five-day parole to attend the wedding of his elder son later this week, media reports said quoting his lawyer. The former Bihar Chief Minister, who has been undergoing treatment at RIMS hospital in Ranchi, will be flown to Patna on Wednesday evening. Convicted in three fodder scam cases, Lalu Prasad was in Birsa Munda Central jail before beinf admitted to hospital after falling ill. His son Tej Pratap Yadav, an MLA and and former state minister, will tie nuptial knots with Aishwarya Rai, daughter of party legislator Chandrika Rai, on May 12 in Patna. The Times of India reported that the parole plea was made after Lalu's hearing on provisional bail application could not take place last Friday due to advocates' agitation in the Jharkhand high court. Lalu is in judicial custody after his conviction in three fodder scam cases related to fraudulent withdrawals from the Dumka, Deoghar and Chaibasa treasuries. Image: Sadananda Gowda Twitter page New Delhi, May 9 (IBNS): Reacting to the voter ID card raids in Bengaluru on Tuesday night, the Congress has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is conspiring to wrest power in poll-bound Karnataka. A Congress delegation met the Election Commission on Wednesday to complain against the BJP. Congress leader Anant Kumar said: "BJP knows they are losing in Karnataka so they are doing these." The Election Commission has ordered a probe after nearly 10,000 voters ID cards were found from a rented apartment in North Bangalores R R Nagar area on Tuesday. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said action will be taken only after 'investigation' into the matter. According to reports, from the apartment, two trunk-loads of counterfoil strips, which appeared to be the acknowledgement slips of the form used to add names of voters, were also found. "Nearly 9,746 voter ID cards were found. Five laptops and one printer was also found in the flat," Kumar said while addressing a press conference. The BJP alleged that the apartment belonged to a Congress MLA. New Delhi, May 9 (IBNS) : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Ethiopian Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu led their delegations for the 2nd Joint Committee Meeting on Wednesday. MEA spokesperson Ravish Kumar tweeted that the two sides exchanged views on strengthening relations in political, terrorism, trade & investment, development partnership, capacity building, S & T & culture. " Our recorded historical linkages go back to 2000 years," he tweeted. Earlier, Swaraj welcomed Gebeyehu for the joint committee meeting. "Our recorded historical linkages go back to 2000 years," another tweet said. Kolkata, May 9 (IBNS): Union Minister of Science & Technology, Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday visited Botanical Survey of India (BSI) at Howrah. A power point presentation introducing the BSI and highlighting the different works, researches and discovery of new plants done by BSI were also held to mark the visit. Congratulating the scientists community for their valuable researches and discovery of new plants, Dr. Harsh Vardhan suggested them to have good quality coordination with the scientists of different institutions across the country in order to avoid repeated research on the same topic. He further urged them to adopt innovative scientific approach to find solutions of unresolved issues in society. The Minister applauded BSIs effort for making straw from internode of bambus and appealed them to launch it is as a mass movement to protect the environment. Reminding the scientists present there about their Green Social Responsibilities the minister urged to practice Green Good Behaviour for making the environment safer for the children of future generation. Dr. Pramjit Singh, Director, Botanical Survey of India and Dr. Kailash Chandra, Director, Zoological Survey of India were also present among others on the occasion. Guwahati, May 9 (IBNS): Assam police has detained six persons, including a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member, for questioning over the recovery of a purported ISIS flag in Lower Assams Nalbari district. The Nalbari police on Monday night (May 7) had picked up six persons for their alleged role in sticking the black coloured ISIS flag to a tree at Koihati area in the Lower Assam district. The persons who were detained by the police have been identified as Tapan Barman, Dwipjyoti Thakuria, Sorojjyoti Baishya, Pulak Barman, Mojamil Ali and Moon Ali. Among them, Tapan Barman has been identified as a former Congress councillor, who recently joined in the saffron party and presently a member of BJPs Nalbari district committee. On May 3, local people had found a black coloured ISIS flag written in Arabic language. The ISIS flag surfaced with the message 'Join in ISIS'. It was seen attached to a tree at Koihati area in the Lower Assam district. When local people had noticed the ISIS flag, they immediately informed police and police taken the flag down. Meanwhile, Nalbari district Superintendent of Police (SP) Shiladitya Chetia said that, police has registered a suo moto case following the incident and started investigation. It seems from prima facie that, the flag was basically an attempt to recreate an ISIS flag, but it was wrongly made. Somebody is trying to create a sensation. We have interrogated some people on the ground reports. We are also calling some people who are leading in the area, basically to help us in the investigation. It is to be mentioned that, six 'IS NE' flags were also found at Goalpara town nearby a police station on May 2. The local people, who were out for morning walk on the river bank, had found the black colour flags had Arabic language written on them with IS NE might be a short form for Islamic State North East. Following the two incidents of ISIS flags appearing in Lower Assam have raised serious concerns amid the local people as fearing about is the Islamic terror group trying to create base and footprints in Assam. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) New Delhi, May 9 (IBNS): Vice President of India M.Venkaiah Naidu visited the historic Antigua (old) Guatemala city on May 8, 2018 for understanding how its rich heritage is being maintained since it was declared as a World Heritage City by the UNESCO in 1979. He discussed at length the conservation measures with the Mayor of the city Ms. Susana Heidi Asencio Lueg and concenred officials. He went around varioius monuments restored and being conserved. Impressed by the citys heritage dating to sixteenth century and its preservation further to devastation, Naidu said It is a clear case of life springing from ruins. Antigua Guatemala was the third capital built by the Spanish rulers since their invasion of Guatemala in 1524. The first two capitals had to be abondoned by 1541 on account of resistance from the local warriors and natural calamities respectively. Old Guatemala witnessed series of earthquakes since 1565 and was destroyed by earthquake Santa Marta in 1773 forcing the shifting of capital to the present Guatamela City. Those who stayed back and others who returned started reconstruction of Old Guatemala, restoring most of its mounments. UNESCO declared it as a World Heritage City in 1979. Addressing the Municipal Council of Antigua Guatemala, Naidu referred to the ancient Mayan civilisation of Guatemala and the Indus civilisation of India and stressed on the need to preserve the rich cultural roots which would in turn guide the present and future generations. He referred to Ahmedabad also being declared as a World Heritage City and noted that twinning of the two heritage cities would benefit both. The Vice President visited the historic mounments including San Jose Cathedral, Museum of Colonial Art, Kings Palace, a renovated ruined property being run as a hotel etc. Naidu is being accompanied by a delegation inclusing Jaswant Singh Bhabor, Minister of State for Tribal Affaris and Members of Parliament viz., Tiruchi Siva, Anil Desai, Kamlesh Paswan and Chhaya Verma. New York, May 9 (IBNS): With an estimated 7,000 migrants entering Yemen each month, most of them seeking to reach Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, the United Nations migration agency on Tuesday called for greater efforts to protect them from smugglers and other criminals. I met teenagers in utter distress from what they had experienced already in their young lives, said Mohammed Abdiker, Director of Operations and Emergencies at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), following a visit to Yemen this past week. They are just a commodity to smugglers, he added, something to make quick and easy money from and, if they die, the smugglers do not care as there are thousands of other people willing to pay for their services and risk their lives to simply build their parents a house, put their brother through school, or for any opportunity at all. The total number of migrants currently in Yemen is unknown, but nearly 100,000 arrived in 2017. Migrants often leave their homes on foot and walk through Djibouti. From there, they take boats across the Gulf of Aden to the Aden, Lahj, Shabwah, and Hadramout Governorates in Yemen and then attempt to head north to the border with Saudi Arabia. Some also end up in detention centres. Some take irregular work in Yemen to make money to fund the rest of their journey while others get caught up in the on-going conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels, sustaining injuries - or dying in crossfire. At various stages of their journey, these migrants face the risk of being exploited by ruthless smugglers and other criminals, including enduring physical and sexual abuse; torture for ransom; arbitrary detention for long periods of time; or grueling forced labour, without wages. Last August, scores of Ethiopian and Somali teenagers dreaming of a better life were forced into the sea by smugglers off the coast of Yemen and drowned. Abdiker believes without prosecuting those criminals, any humanitarian assistance would be just a Band Aid. In 2017, IOM helped some 2,900 migrants and refugees return home from Yemen: 73 per cent of them were Somalis, 25 per cent Ethiopians, and 2 per cent other nationalities. This year so far, IOM has helped 197 Ethiopians - together with 939 Somali migrants and refugees - return home voluntarily. Yemen is experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world; it is obviously not a safe route for migrants, nor is it safe for Yemenis themselves in many areas, said Abdiker. He said that more and more Yemenis who have fled, are returning from Saudi Arabia due to tightening regulations there. Both migrants coming to Yemen, and Yemenis returning home, are in desperate need of greater support from the international community, and neither group should feel forced to transit through or return to a conflict zone, he added. Olivia Headon/IOM